Kelston, Auckland

1698 days ago

Auckland architecture wows

Colleen Hawkes Reporter from Homed

Here are some highlights from the shortlist for the Auckland Architecture Awards 2020. We have a particular soft spot for the tiny Point Wells Cricket Club by Pac Studio! And this new build in Remuera, Auckland.

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1699 days ago

"A message from Police: Have a safe Easter – at home

Brian from New Lynn

Police will be ramping up visibility in communities and on the roads including operating checkpoints over the Easter period, making sure people are safe and complying with the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions. We know many New Zealanders may have been planning to catch up with friends and family… View morePolice will be ramping up visibility in communities and on the roads including operating checkpoints over the Easter period, making sure people are safe and complying with the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions. We know many New Zealanders may have been planning to catch up with friends and family this weekend, or travel to traditional holiday destinations but we urge anyone who was planning to do this – please change your plans and stay home. To help ensure people know about the Health Act restrictions, Police will be out and about checking that people are travelling for essential purposes only. Officers will be visible in our communities and on the roads, including around popular holiday spots, and on the arterial roads to them, to make sure people are aware of the requirement that everyone in New Zealand need to stay at their current place of residence while the Level 4 restrictions are in place. Police will also be deploying checkpoints at a number of locations, in collaboration with local authorities and Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups. Our primary focus will be on reminding people if you don’t have to travel, then please don’t. It’s simple - travelling to and from different towns and cities risks spreading Covid-19, and puts lives at risk. Travelling to the bach for a holiday is not essential travel and it is not permitted. Police’s first step will be to educate, but if people continue to break the rules, Police will use their discretion to warn people, or if necessary, they could be arrested. We’re asking everyone to play their part this Easter, stick to the rules and stay home within their bubble – and keep themselves and their communities safe.
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1701 days ago

Meet Fonzie, the Cockatoo who spent 20 hours upside-down

Todd Niall Reporter from Auckland Stuff

Hi Neighbours, He's famous on Instagram, but Fonzie the Cockatoo has a new claim to fame, after getting such a fright he landed on a powerline, giving his owner a 20-hour ordeal while he hung upside down. Read the happy ending :

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1698 days ago

Looking for inspiration?

Signature Homes

The team at Signature Homes West & North West Auckland wants to keep you entertained while at home with a free digital copy of our latest home design magazine, full of real stories from Kiwi homeowners.

If you’re thinking of building new, or just looking for some inspiration, Signature … View more
The team at Signature Homes West & North West Auckland wants to keep you entertained while at home with a free digital copy of our latest home design magazine, full of real stories from Kiwi homeowners.

If you’re thinking of building new, or just looking for some inspiration, Signature Style is a must-read! We have a wide range of House & Land Packages and home designs to suit your taste, budget, section and lifestyle.

We look forward to reconnecting with the community very soon, in the meantime please click to get your free digital copy of our magazine.

Dean & Amanda Pritchard
Signature Homes West & North West Auckland.
Find out more

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1700 days ago

Join us for lunch and some new ideas

Jo Haywood Reporter from Homed

Hey neighbours, it was great to see so many of you at our live lunch with NZ Home and Garden and NZ Gardener editors Naomi Larkin and Jo McCarroll. Thanks for stopping by :)

If you missed it, you can still drop in for a recap and see if Jo and Naomi answered your questions, here.

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1699 days ago

25 years evolves into Remote Covid learning

New Zealand School of Food & Wine

We were lucky!

Over the weekend of 14/15 March, we celebrated our 25th Anniversary at NZSFW and 10 days later, New Zealand ground to a halt in the Covid19 Lockdown.

And while our day to day life has dramatically changed, looking at all these photos gives me a lot of pleasure and especially to be… View more
We were lucky!

Over the weekend of 14/15 March, we celebrated our 25th Anniversary at NZSFW and 10 days later, New Zealand ground to a halt in the Covid19 Lockdown.

And while our day to day life has dramatically changed, looking at all these photos gives me a lot of pleasure and especially to be able to share in the achievements of our current students and graduates. The highlight has to be the magnificent dinner; an inspired menu created by our gifted chef, Finn Gybel and prepared under his watchful eye by the cookery students.

Fortuitously, the lamb arrived fresh from Pigeon Bay via Harris Meats in North Canterbury and after a number of dramas leaving us worried that it would in time. Finn's dish, where he wrapped the lamb in crepinette, to hold it together while cooking, was certainly a new technique that we had not used in the past.

It was a thrill to have veteran broadcaster, Carol Hirschfeld as MC for the dinner and lend her distinctive and thoughtful commentary to our story. Carol asked me who she could "interview" during the dinner. Victoria Biddick, our first enrolled student from 1995, Oliver Hay and Joelle Thomson all shared their unique perspective on their association with the school.

There is certainly some irony in the fact that as we were celebrating these 25 years, another significant challenge was about to explode. Drawing on my earthquake experience, where we relocated our students to my second business at the Duvauchelle Store and Café, I knew that we had to find a way to keep going.

As the Covid19 crisis escalated, I discussed with our tutors how we could teach the programmes online and with the cookery students cooking in their own kitchens at home. Again, I was fortunate that my son Oliver, computer systems engineer, and recently returned from his super yacht chef sojourn, decided that he wanted to work full-time at NZSFW. Oli then set about finding the best platform for the tutors to stream their classes live and to administer the programmes. We have used Google Classroom and the Hangouts conferencing software to do this and it's working well.

By Friday 20 March, we had amended our cookery timetables to focus on baking, pasta and dishes that were easier to prepare at home. The students then went home with a 5kg bag of flour, 2 kg sugar, 1kg butter, 12 eggs and other ingredients. We trialled the video streaming from NZSFW while we could and then following the lockdown, the tutors now continue from their homes. The logistics are much easier for Franck with his hospitality students!

For the cookery students, the model is they watch the demonstrations at home and later upload photographs of their cooking. It's not ideal, as the tutor cannot taste their food and sometimes the livestream is pixellated or cuts out but it's better that doing nothing. Plus, everyone gets to chat and socialise from the safety of their bubble. And with supermarkets open, we can continue to buy supplies. View Foundation cooking shots here. And Advanced Cooking here.

Stay safe and have fun,
Celia Hay

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1699 days ago

Let's chat about your garden today

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Hello neighbours, our editor Jo McCarroll is hosting another Live Lunch today (with colleague Naomi who edits NZ House & Garden), so jump online between 12.30 and 1pm to join them. You can ask questions in advance, so start firing through your gardening questions and pictures of your garden or … View moreHello neighbours, our editor Jo McCarroll is hosting another Live Lunch today (with colleague Naomi who edits NZ House & Garden), so jump online between 12.30 and 1pm to join them. You can ask questions in advance, so start firing through your gardening questions and pictures of your garden or the projects you've been tackling over lockdown anytime you like!

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1699 days ago

Two weeks into lockdown - how's everyone feeling?

Neighbourly.co.nz

How's everyone feeling at this stage of lockdown? Head over to the Reach Out page and let everyone know how you're coping and share any words of kindness that will help support each other during this time. Do you need help or can you help a neighbour in need? Perhaps you can offer a … View moreHow's everyone feeling at this stage of lockdown? Head over to the Reach Out page and let everyone know how you're coping and share any words of kindness that will help support each other during this time. Do you need help or can you help a neighbour in need? Perhaps you can offer a friendly phone call, have some great baking tips, ways to work from home or ideas to keep the kids entertained. Post on Reach Out and together we can all support each other and our communities during this time.

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1699 days ago

Keep calm and kind

Neighbourly.co.nz

Lockdown is a stressful and difficult time for many and showing kindness can go a long way in brightening someone’s day. Be Neighbourly and spread positivity, we all know there’s plenty of that on Neighbourly!

Need help or can you support someone in need? … View more
Lockdown is a stressful and difficult time for many and showing kindness can go a long way in brightening someone’s day. Be Neighbourly and spread positivity, we all know there’s plenty of that on Neighbourly!

Need help or can you support someone in need? Reach out to your Neighbours here now.
Reach out

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1699 days ago

Don't miss your collection this Easter

The Team from Auckland Council

Hey Auckland, we will continue to collect your kerbside collections during the Easter holiday, but with some changes to collection dates.

Collections from Easter Friday will be a day later and return to normal Monday 20 April.

Remember all rubbish, recycling bins and bags and food scraps bins… View more
Hey Auckland, we will continue to collect your kerbside collections during the Easter holiday, but with some changes to collection dates.

Collections from Easter Friday will be a day later and return to normal Monday 20 April.

Remember all rubbish, recycling bins and bags and food scraps bins (if applicable) are to be placed out before 7am on your collection day.
Learn more

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1701 days ago

Has your Tenancy Tribunal hearing been adjourned due to coronavirus?

Kendall Hutt Reporter from Auckland Stuff

Hi neighbours. Thousands of Tenancy Tribunal hearings have been adjourned due to coronavirus and the nationwide lockdown. The tribunal is restricted in what applications it can hear and is only able to hear ones which include issues such as substantial property damage or the property is … View moreHi neighbours. Thousands of Tenancy Tribunal hearings have been adjourned due to coronavirus and the nationwide lockdown. The tribunal is restricted in what applications it can hear and is only able to hear ones which include issues such as substantial property damage or the property is uninhabitable. Has your Tenancy Tribunal hearing been adjourned over Covid-19? Are you unhappy the hearing has not been able to go ahead? Feel free to get in touch with reporter Kendall Hutt at kendall.hutt@stuff.co.nz.

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1706 days ago

Growing an edible garden

Murray Halberg Retirement Village

Now is a great time to focus on your garden. Whether you have a large garden or a small balcony, growing vegetables is a great way to keep busy and enjoy the fruits (or vegetables) of your labour.

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