a prairie girl who collects passport stamps.
Formerly a mining town, Reefton was heavily reliant on gold and coal. Thanks to the creativity of people like Patsy, the town has been revitalised and Kiwis have a new reason to visit this historic destination. For a town that’s nearly 150 years old, Reefton has aged well and continues to draw crowds from across New Zealand.
If you've ever met Nick, you'll know he's always wanted to buy a boat. In fact, the only item he's ever saved to his TradeMe watchlist is a yacht. He's been part of sailing clubs in both Toronto and Christchurch, so I suppose it's more than just a phase... To be fair, I'm also partial [...]
I don't know about you, but I've been dreaming of the day I could get together with a few friends for a post-lockdown adventure. I've even made lists of all the activities I was looking forward to once New Zealand moved to Alert Level Two… Deciding where to go for our first proper outing in [...]
It feels a bit unusual to be setting goals in a time that's still so uncertain. With our move completely thwarted, Nick and I feel like we've hit pause. We had so many exciting plans for the (Northern Hemisphere) summer, which is now a blank page and I have a serious case of writer's block. [...]
Labour Day marked the first long weekend we've had since June! Needless to say, it was the perfect excuse to get out of town and explore a new region. We've been to Nelson and Picton a handful of times (I've even caught the ferry a couple times...) but had never properly explored Blenheim and Marlborough. [...]
Supporting the arts is important in any community. In a city that's rebuilding and finding its feet again, it's essential. Christchurch lost so many buildings in the earthquakes and having Isaac Theatre Royal as our home for the performing arts is truly a treasure. Every time I set foot inside this beautifully restored building, I [...]
Although I was planning on taking it easy this year at New Zealand Fashion Week, that's not exactly how things played out... I've attended the past three NZFWs, as well as a few overseas in Sydney and Toronto. But this was the first year I've been self-employed and haven't had to take time off work! [...]
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Ballantynes Fashion Week's opening show. Held in the Contemporary Lounge, the evening began with bubbles, canapés and live music. For those of you who don't know, Ballantynes is Christchurch's oldest and most iconic department store. The company remains a mainstay in New Zealand's fashion scene due to its wide range [...]
Not usually one to gravitate towards red, I found myself drawn to the gorgeous print Ruby designer, Deanna Didovich dreamed up for her sister. Marina was attending a high profile wedding in Palm Springs and asked her sister to create something for her. The dress, appropriately named, the Marina Gown, became the basis for Ruby's Spring [...]
Where do fashion designers find inspiration and who do they credit with their creativity? Kate Sylvester shares the artwork that influenced her past and present collections and her ongoing love affair with lingerie. You've surely seen Kate's newest collection, A Muse, inspired by Picasso's genius, his paintings and his muses who created the evolution of his work. Kate feels [...]
prairie girl musings 