The River

My story on two talented Welly furniture designers (who go by the name The River) is published in the current issue of Urbis Magazine (click here to read).

At home

My story about Prak Sritharan, the owner of uber cool Welly homewares store Precinct 35 is published in the latest Urbis Magazine (click here to read).

Second Vancouver story

My 16-page piece on Vancouver (that is not a typo, it was a bloody long story that took forever to co-ordinate and even longer to back-and-forth) is published in the new issue of  Urbis Magazine (click here to read).

Dubai's art hotel

Last year, I was lucky enough to visit Dubai twice on Emirates media trips. The first time, I stayed at the fantabulous Jumeriah Creekside hotel, an 'art hotel' where surfaces are slathered thickly with every conceivable type of art.

My piece on the visual delights that greeted me everytime I left my room, plus the art tour I did, was published in the Urbis Magazine blog last month (click here to read).

Inside Story - Deb Sweeney

This is the third time I've interviewed the lovely Wellington designer. My story on Deb and her hubby's favourite things is published in the current issue of Urbis Magazine (click here to read).

 

Bologna

While on a lunch-time dash to get some Euros today I ran into a friend who asked where I was going.

Bologna, I said, for an Emirates media famil. For a week.

"But you haven't mentioned anything about it on your blog," she said.

She's right. I've been so busy trying to sort out stuff from the last media trip three weeks ago to the US, I haven't sorted anything for the next one on Monday.

So yes, I am going to Bologna, Italy's seventh most populous city, for a week with those lovely folk from Emirates. We also have a night in Dubai, where I was in April. I will, hopefully, be catching up with one of the women I interviewed for Urbis Magazine back then.

And then we fly to Bologna and a week of flash Italian cars, cooking schools, food, wine and, hopefully, shopping.

And hate me all you want, but there will be business class and Emirates lounges and luxury designed for someone far more posh than me.

There will also be photos.

     

Urbis Magazine

My story on foodie/author/blogger Unna Burch is published in the October/November issue of Urbis Magazine (click here to read).

Dubai Urbis Magazine story

Back in April, I spent three nights in Dubai (after my Oman famil) for Urbis Magazine.

The Aug/Sept issue is out today and features my 15 page article (click here to read). 

Dubai

I did the short hop from Oman early this afternoon and, once again, the Hotel Gods (or rather the tourism peeps) have been kind to me with a suite in the fabulous Jumeirah Creekside Hotel which is all kinds of wonderful (esp the artwork and the bottle of wine that was waiting for me).

There was just time to get changed and I was straight into work mode - firstly with an interview with an expat Kiwi fashion designer for Urbis Magazine, and then my driver dropped me to my second interview for the same article.


And then it was onto a three hour walking tour with the fantastic Arva at Frying Pan Adventures for a food walking tour around old Dubai. For three hours 12 of us walked, ate and chatted. I now officially need to lie down in a darkened room; fortunately I have my incredible suite in which to do so.

And yes, there are  still images from Oman to share - I promise I'll get around to those later this week.
   

Inside Story - Martin Brown

My story on Martin Brown, the super talented chap who owns the gorgeous, I-would-sell-a-kidney-for-everything-in-it store Brown & Co is in the new Urbis Magazine, out this week (click here to read).

Dynamic design duo

My story on designers Leanne and Brian Culy's Hawke's Bay bach features in the latest Urbis Magazine (click here to read).

   

The not so secret life of Miranda Harcourt

Welli actor, tutor and all round cool chick, Miranda Harcourt, opened her house to me a while back to talk about her art collection.

It features in the current issue of Urbis Magazine (click here to read).

Here's the woman herself

And the cover of the Urbis issue it's taken from

Hong Kong

Remember back in March, I spent a week running around Honkers interviewing amazing architects, photographers and creatives for Urbis Mag?

Well the June/July issue is out - and my 17 page spread (that is not a typo, it is indeed 17 pages long) on the magical Special Administrative Region of China looks fabulous, if I do say so myself. Click here to read. 

Thanks to the amazing creatives for being involved and to the ever fabulous Hong Kong Tourism Board and Cathay Pacific for helping to make it happen.

   

And now to work

These words are being brought to you from the 15th floor of the glorious Gateway Marco Polo Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, where skyscrapers cling to the edge of Kowloon and there are so many luxury shops they should really rename 2014 the Year of the Handbag.

My suite smells of the orchids that housekeeping diligently water each morning; it is luxurious and decadent and, were it not for the fact that I miss my two boys terribly, I would be tempted to barricade the doors.

My interviews for Urbis Magazine are now done and dusted and the credit card hasn't melted but it's been a close run thing.

I have accepted the fact that the gadding about has to stop; I am now holed up in my room doing captions for a magazine story that was due two days ago and cracking on with the first of my HK stories that has to be filed very, very soon.

I am also trying, and failing, to ignore CNN and its relentless coverage of the missing Malaysian airline. Tomorrow night I have to climb aboard one of those big silver birds....

In the meantime, a couple more random photos of things that tickled my juvenile sense of humour (and one of some arty thing outside Zara). I have become so spoiled by the Animator and reliant on him taking photos that I keep forgetting to whip out my phone.

See you on the other side....

The World's Best Beach Resorts

I have two stories in the current Urbis Magazine, including the cover story - the world's best beach resorts (click here to read).

And for those of you who, having read the magazine, emailed to ask if I had travelled to these exotic locales, sadly the answer is a big, fat no. It was all done by email with the hotel owners and PR reps. Although the lovely owner of the Greek resort on the cover did invite me to come and stay any time.

   

Shoe porn

The latest Urbis Magazine features my story on five of the world's most stylish shoe-stores (click here to read). And no, I didn't get to visit in person and yes, my envy levels are off the charts.

  

Mr Hospitality

The current issue of Urbis Magazine runs my interview with one of NZ's leading architects (click here to read).

Look Ma, I made the cover!

My story on this gorgeous Auckland house is on the cover of the latest Urbis Magazine.Click here to read the online version.

I've also got another piece in this issue but that's for another time....