A small Canadian town has the weirdest answer to its pest problem – a museum of stuffed and costumed animal dioramas that has become a cult tourist attraction. Possums, stoats and rats are giving our native birds grief, and the New Zealand government has outlined an ambitious plan to get rid of them. All of … Read more
There’s so much more to Central Otago than ski slopes and luxury lodges. We’ve put together a list of all you need to know before you explore this stunning part of our backyard this summer this summer. If you’ve got friends or relatives visiting Aotearoa, top of their list should be sorting out their NZeTA … Read more
Dreamed of traveling long term, but at a loss about how to afford it? Here’s how Kristin Hall and her partner managed it (spoiler: involves a lot of brown rice and cabbage). *Scroll to the end for an important note about privilege I’m not good with money, never have been, probably never will be. I … Read more
Hawke’s Bay prides itself on good food and wine, pristine art deco buildings and having two Countdown supermarkets right across the road from each other. Alex Casey spent a weekend in the region to see just how much of it she could see. As an Aucklander, one of my all-time favourite things to do on … Read more
Auckland is great – but, argues Catherine McGregor, Melbourne’s restaurants, cafes and bars still have the edge. Long before ‘cool’ even existed, Melbourne was cooler than wherever you lived. Take it from me: if you’d stopped a 19th century dandy flaneur-ing his way along Karangahape Road to ask what he thought of Melbourne, the reply … Read more
It’s one of New Zealand’s most picturesque locations, but what are the best bits? Piha local Mark Mitchinson, who plays rockstar-turned-radio DJ Terry Huffer in the Lightbox series High Road, takes us on a tour of West Auckland’s famous beach suburb. High Road is a Lightbox Original. Season two of High Road is available to … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week he talks to Romer founder Emily Heazlewood. We’ve all been … Read more
Mark Thomas discovers that ‘reality’ in North Korea means theme park-style monuments, hopelessly pot-holed roads, and much bowing to Eternal Leaders. Living and working in Singapore last June you couldn’t avoid the mayhem caused by the first Trump/Kim summit. But you could also feel the anticipation. On subsequent visits to South Korea I felt as … Read more
A whistle-stop tour of southern Sri Lanka is a culinary overload of colour and fragrance – but ordering a beer can be, er, weird. Burdened by the weight of my own trinket haul, I arrived in Colombo desperate for a cup of Ceylon tea. Crushed in the direction of the bus door, I was spat … Read more
Every day in the lead-up to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Mark Kelliher on attitudes of New Zealanders who’ve returned home. I moved home from a six-year stint abroad in January and I don’t regret … Read more
What does it mean to step out into the world on your own as a young woman? Three days after my 21st birthday, I jumped on a plane and went to Europe. I spent five months in London studying for a semester at UCL, and then another five months traversing much of the continent. Other … Read more
Georgia has beautiful scenery, a fascinating wine scene and the world’s nicest taxi drivers. What’s not to like? If you, like me, are a fan of stunning mountains, delicious wine, dangerous high-speed taxi journeys and cheese bread, allow me to suggest a trip to Georgia. Your friends and family will likely make a Ray Charles … Read more
Spoiler alert: it’s hearty, it’s humbling and it involves horse. I woke up in my capsule in Bishkek with desert mouth. The vital signs of a hostel in the morning – bags zipping, doors slamming, toilets flushing and teeth being cleaned – told me my boyfriend was also showing signs of life. A capsule hostel … Read more
Think aeroplane food is bleak, cliched and kind of awful? You’re wrong, and here’s why. It’s the mid 90s. You’re in a smoky comedy club in New York City, a single spotlight illuminating the exposed brickwork, with a single mic on a stand rising up from the darkness. A thin man with big hair, a … Read more
Developing a taste for the black stuff isn’t the only change brought about by Sophie’s stint at Ballymaloe Cookery School. She feels calm and refreshed, and, believe it or not, has even started running. We’ve finished! It’s over! I’m devastated, but I am also thrilled. I’ll be honest, I’m feeling emotional, and I haven’t even … Read more
It’s certainly off the beaten track, but those who venture to this sparsely populated central Asian nation won’t regret it — just watch out for that vodka. I came to Uzbekistan mostly to see Samarkand and Bukhara, the jewels of the ancient silk road that ran between China and Europe, plus a walled city on the … Read more
Week four is all about forging new friendships at the local pub, hatching feathered friends, and the joys of natural wine. It’s our second to last week at Ballymaloe and my classmates and I have become real-life mates. We are all cooking well and with greater confidence, which is reflected in a more relaxed atmosphere … Read more
Week two at Ballymaloe Cookery School saw Sophie and Camille inspired by another Irish domestic goddess as they continued to cook (and eat) up a storm. This week we’ve been taught mainly by Darina Allen’s daughter-in-law Rachel Allen, and it’s been another banger! Rachel is also one of Ireland’s best-known cooks, with a career that … Read more
This week, Airbnb announced the New Zealand-wide launch of its ‘experiences’ guided tours and the forthcoming Airbnb Plus. These extensions to the global brand’s business got Henry Oliver thinking about the future of travel and the places we call home. Friends, I have seen the future. And, I must say, it’s a little underwhelming. Rather … Read more
Food entrepreneur and Dietary Requirements co-host Sophie Gilmour is living her best life at the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. In her inaugural diary, she introduces us to the inimitable Darina Allen, the school’s founder, and geeks out on all things food. WEEK ONE After my friend Camille and I sold our business, Bird … Read more
Two Kiwi dairy devotees feel right at home in the northern Indian state that’s mad for milk products. Ardent carnivores may struggle in Amritsar, the second biggest city in Punjab state, India. In the bright sandstone main square, signs at the doors of Maccas and Subway declare them strictly vegetarian eateries, and most restaurant menus are … Read more
A lily-livered foreigner braves the fiery cauldron that is Chóngqìng’s specialty. You know your food’s going to be fucking hot when the restaurant has installed a sprinkler system to spray you with a cooling mist while you eat. Recovering in the comfort of my hostel 24 hours after my first Chóngqìng hotpot (huǒ guō), I … Read more
Featuring hints of marshmallow, Prince Charles, booze-soaked shoes and being bullied by a large Scottish man named Paul. This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine. It was 11am and I was drunk. Whisky was dribbling over the top of my glass and a large Scottish man was standing over me yelling, “Is that enough?” He … Read more
From the alleyways of Běijīng to the Tibetan highlands, independent brewing is on the rise in the world’s most populous nation. When we think of China, chances are we don’t think of craft beer. You might put that down to the legacy of popular beers like Tsingtao, Harbin or Snow. Tsingtao, of the seaside city … Read more
The angst of a Wellington winter melts away amid the tongue-tingling tastes of the Middle Kingdom. You’re in the break room guarding the microwave as your soup-berg slowly circles. Your toast’s just gone down. Pete comes in. You eyeball him: lay down that Vogel’s bro, this needs at least another minute. The weather’s shit. Work … Read more
A quest for pasta perfection takes one carb enthusiast from Mt Eden, Auckland, to Bologna, Italy. This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine. During my three-week honeymoon in Europe, I gained 7kg. Despite spending only two days there, I believe Bologna is where the majority of the weight was assumed. I am obsessed with pasta … Read more
Patsy Stone visiting two of the most beautiful places in the world? Sold! Tara Ward watches Joanna Lumley’s TWO travel series which you can watch on Lightbox right now. Last night I dreamed I saw Patsy Stone trapped in a warm embrace with an over-sized, dancing seal. The sun was shining, Patsy was grinning wildly, … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ on the news of the moment. Today, what on earth is going on with Air New Zealand’s new Boeings? We all know long-haul travel is a particular kind of hell (with or without kids) because we’re Kiwis and everywhere is really bloody far away. Legroom … Read more
Information is power, right? A new money personality quiz built by our partners at Kiwibank could help you tackle your money issues. The Spinoff took it for a spin – here are our results. Do you ever consider your relationship with money? Or that the way you feel about yourself carries through into what sort … Read more