Counter Argument Thu, 04/04/2024 - 01:00 When I imagine the perfect kitchen it has nothing to do with a vast expanse of clinical melamine and self closing drawers. It is always a collage of all the simple, rustic kitchens that the best meals have appeared from over the years - the functional, time worn kitchens that exude warmth and hospitality, that reflect their owner’s authentic love of food and their delight in sharing their cooking with friends and family. When I was a child, my stepfather who was born in India, would spend hours creating elaborate Indian feasts in our small, dark kitche ..read more

Rustic And Royal Thu, 08/31/2023 - 22:31 Indecision has always been a failing of mine. So often I can see the benefits or downfalls of multiple options when given a choice, I remain frozen in the flurry of complexity and grey areas, completely unable to make a firm decision. The final act of making the decision can feel more like the toss of a coin rather than a deliberate preference as I am forced to choose from the depths of overwhelm with crowds of competing and viable possibilities. Preparing this newsletter was one of those moments and I have decided to trial a novel solution and use bot ..read more

A Book, A Daybed And A Cup Of Coffee Tue, 07/12/2022 - 22:52 The harsh chill of winter has abruptly arrived. At home the thin sunlight is cruelly rationed by the Lyttelton hills and the now glacial garden does not beckon like it did a few months ago. The frosted shadows linger during these short hibernal days and the bitter wind ushers me indoors where I wander the house with a book in my hand searching for a serendipitous patch of sunshine or the most comfortable chair closest to the fire. Matariki weekend provided the perfect excuse to while away a few hours - cosy and warm and cradled by t ..read more

Against The Grain Tue, 03/08/2022 - 19:46 How abruptly this summer seems to have ended - I am watching an assembly of grey, rain dense clouds hasten towards me from the southern end of the harbour, the ominous wind that precedes them is chill and clearly announces the advent of Autumn. The lazy, sun baked days of summer are now a distant memory although it is merely a handful of weeks separating then and now. This year, for some reason, I have returned from our indulgent West Coast summer retreat unable to shake the sand from my hair and the feeling of the beach beneath my feet. The administr ..read more

The Tables Are Turned Tue, 12/07/2021 - 21:22 With Christmas fast approaching and much talk of how many will be at Christmas dinner, the pivotal importance of the humble dining table has suddenly become paramount if not somewhat urgent. As I sat down to write I realised that I still own nearly every dining table that has accompanied my adult life. I wasn’t particularly aware that I was hoarding tables but evidently I seem to be unable to part with them - each feeling like an irreplaceable reliquary of memories. In a recent reorganisation of the warehouse I unearthed the little round French, p ..read more

A Wistful Memory Thu, 08/05/2021 - 00:33 The months go by and memories of being in France are receding at an alarming rate into the nebulous mists of time. Covid continues its global decimation and extinguishes any hope that we may recover the joyful access to unfettered travel that we once took for granted. With a personal sensibility very much aligned with all things European I am struggling to find the acceptance required to navigate this newly diminished world and I find myself grieving for my once peripatetic past. It is a grief tempered by gratefulness for being in a place of relative s ..read more

The Neoclassical Interior Wed, 12/09/2020 - 21:15 A rare sun baked Christchurch afternoon and I am sitting watching the crowd of seed heads in our prairie like back yard toss and turn in the warm wind that feels disconcertingly artificial as if it has emanated from a meteorological heat pump rather than the icy blue Pacific sky. The potted white pansies are wilting trying to escape the heat and an assertive cactus has stretched its prickled tendrils wide and is sun bathing with impunity and delight. The uncustomary warmth has kindled memories of past summers and days spent under a similarly s ..read more

Keeping Things Simple Thu, 11/05/2020 - 15:03 I am sitting watching the greyness of the clouds billow and melt above the the neighbouring building as I eat a very late lunch after a shamefully inefficient morning - diversions and daydreams, my familiar nemesis.  I have cobbled together a salad of sorts and have solemnly sworn to be more productive this afternoon. I have found my favourite pottery plate and as the glossy green leaves settle onto the deep earthen brown of the glaze I am conscious of how fulfilled this simple plate makes me feel. The plate used to belong to Simon’s parents ..read more

A Room Of One's Own Thu, 08/06/2020 - 23:15 Sitting alone at my desk, with the morning mist creeping across the harbour obscuring the familiar view which normally inspires daydreams and encourages procrastination, I am urged to turn to the blank page in front of me and begin to gather some words to accompany this newsletter. I am, like so many others now, working a lot from home. Whilst our home has always been our sanctuary it has become more than ever a cherished refuge. With the enduring threat of Covid in our world the current focus on the home workspace feels appropriate and understandab ..read more

Reconnecting With Home Thu, 04/16/2020 - 00:03 A tranquil Autumn day and time glides past unfettered, gently like a stream meandering towards a non specific destination. I stand at the kitchen window and watch a pair of fantails flit about in the plum tree like a pair of choreographed avian geisha, their fans darting here and there amongst the leaves. I watch them for a long while, transfixed and grateful to have this day opening up before me with no agenda and no pressing tasks. The coffee machine is warming on the bench behind me and the novel I am reading is waiting perched on the arm of t ..read more