Author: Tim Brewster

New Zealand Mountain Film Festival 2018

New Zealand Mountain Film Festival 2018

Posted by | Jun 25, 2018 | |

New Zealand Mountain Film Festival 2018 Wanaka, Cromwell & Queenstown – June 29 to July7 Buckle in for a week of adventure, aspiration, environment and culture. With a global reach and grassroots feel this year’s NZ Mountain Film Festival features 83 films including ten world premieres complemented by old-fashioned storytelling sessions with guest speakers and writers. The Grand Prize winning film, ‘Liv Along the Way’ reflects the calibre of the films on offer at this year’s event. Director Mike Douglas (Canada) follows World Champion sport climber Liv Sansoz, as she sets out to climb all 82 4,000m peaks in the...

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Double Black – Date And Orange Scone

Double Black – Date And Orange Scone

Posted by | Jun 25, 2017 | |

Double Black in Albert Town has already clocked up a prodigious strike rate of photogenic cakes, lush slices and quality baking just a year after opening its doors. Having a daycare in the same building and a lot of construction in the area means a steady stream of hungry early-bird customers able to trial their offerings.  Good coffee served fast, friendly staff and breakfast goodies like the polenta cakes topped with egg, bacon and hollandaise have kept the pace up. The date and orange item generously shared by Jill and the team in the kitchen runs out pretty quickly…...

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Federal Diner Cheese Scones

Federal Diner Cheese Scones

Posted by | May 25, 2017 | |

Recipe thanks to Brona Parsons of the Federal Diner in Wanaka The cheese scones from Wanaka’s Federal Diner on Helwick Street compete with their equally popular date scones to be the first to go. An early outing is recommended to ensure supply. If you do miss out, or if you aren’t in Wanaka and don’t want to coat your digital device in flour, the Fed has thoughtfully put their winning recipe on a tea towel. Originally from Ireland,  Brona’s first experience cooking in a commercial kitchen was at the age of 12 in her sister’s cafe. After moving to Wanaka she started...

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South Island Itinerary: Queenstown to the Catlins via Gore

South Island Itinerary: Queenstown to the Catlins via Gore

Posted by | May 14, 2017 | , |

South Island Itinerary: Queenstown to the Catlins via Gore – 257 km Take care on the winding lakeside route from Queenstown to Kingston The Good South gem: The Croydon Aviation Heritage Museum in Mandeville The first hour of the journey is on a busy South Island itinerary route that shares the road with Milford Sound traffic, so please take care. However it’s a stunning drive winding above Lake Wakatipu with views across the water and the Remarkables Range as a backdrop. The glaciated moraine flats at the head of Wakatipu soon changes to the lush fertile farmland Southland is known...

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Autumn Colours In Central Otago

Autumn Colours In Central Otago

Posted by | Apr 21, 2017 | |

Autumn Colours In Central Otago Image above: Wanaka Station Park- Ants Hansen Were New Zealand’s colonial settlers a bunch of tree huggers? They certainly loved their deciduous northern plantings judging from the number of seeds they brought with them. Seeds they then sprinkled litterbug  style along riverbanks, lakeshores and roadsides for the oaks, elms, birches, poplars and willows to help remind them of home. Japanese maples and other exotics were added to the mix later.  The result for Lake Wanaka, Queenstown, Arrowtown and the river valleys that connect them? Stunning Autumn colours in Central Otago, and a much more...

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