A Vineyard Moment

It was autumn when I got to the Hawke's Bay in May and all the vines were turning lustrous shades of red and gold. Sadly, the weather was not quite what we've come to expect from the Hawke's Bay - grey overcast skies rather than the usual vibrant blue, but somehow it didn't matter. Regardless of the time of year you visit, this part of New Zealand - slung out on the North Island's east coast - offers food and wine lovers some of the best experiences in the country. From superb farmers' markets, orchards, chocolate-makers and boutique preserve makers to over 45 wineries producing everything from cabernet sauvignon to riesling, chardonney, sauvignon blanc and sweet dessert wines, it's a feast from dawn to dark. You'll also find some of the loveliest boutique accommodation here, with something to suit all budgets. www.hawkesbaynz.com

A Slice of Hawke's Bay Luxury...

Greenhill Lodge, Hawke's Bay. Dec. 2008. Images Supplied.

I’m a sucker for an old homestead, so Greenhill Lodge in Hawke’s Bay is right up my alley. Designed by architect, George Sollitt (1834-1912) it features a grand three-storey central viewing turret, where lodge owners, Neil Barber and Craig Hay have created a small sitting room complete with telescope. The homestead was built by Archibald McLean and was started in 1897. Its many gorgeous features include the grand, wood-panelled billiard room, elaborate hand-painted lead lights, elegant carved archways and now, five elaborate guest suites, each with its own ensuite. The old stables have been converted into a gymnasium and a pool awaits. Greenhill was owned by six generations of the same family and their most esteemed guest was Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 1958. The property finally sold in 2001 to Neil and Craig, who have established it as one of Hawke’s Bay’s star properties. www.greenhill.co.nz

Vineyard Retreats

View of Millar Road vineyard by Brian Culy. Image supplied.

It's hard to imagine waking up to a prettier sight than this.

Napier photographer Brian Culy took this shot from the classy vineyard retreat of Millar Road - a sublime rural retreat ten minutes or so from Havelock North in the North Island. It's the brainchild of Greg, Ginny and Jeremy Collinge, who have created the perfect hideaway for lovers of good wine, good food, good art and good times. www.millarroad.co.nz

A Swim Anyone?

Millar Road, Hawke's Bay. Image: Brian Culy, Hawke's Bay.

Let me introduce you to one of my favourite spots - the gorgeous pool at Millar Road near Hastings....a sublime escape where you can indulge every lazy bone in your body, overlooking a cascade of grape vines and persimmon orchards. Factor in a beautiful collection of New Zealand art and the colourful Esther Diamond range of bedding and cushions and you're guaranteed a retreat to please all the senses. www.millarroad.co.nz www.estherdiamond.com

An Experiment in Interpretation

I’ve always loved the notion of taking a group of creative people from a range of artistic fields and giving them a single project – and then sitting back and enjoying the diversity, the similarities and the infinite creative possibilities that result. So I was delighted to read about “LIKE: An Experiment in Interpretation,” which opens at the Hawke’s Bay Museum & Art Gallery in Napier tomorrow night. It’s the brainchild of Nelson-based artist and curator, Stella Chrysostomou, who started the experiment with the selection of a simple, geometric object that was ambiguous in shape and function. The object was then described in written form by leading New Zealand poet, Bill Manhire and his description was sent to nine national and international jewellers, who were asked to interpret and ‘decipher’ the object based on Manhire’s text. Wonderful stuff and, as you can see from the three pieces here, the exhibition presents an intriguing display of creative thought and object making. The original object is also on display in a show that runs through to March 22, 2009. You can see all the work, the artists’ responses to the project plus the original object and Bill Manhire’s text at http://www.icebox.org.nz/ Works displayed here are by: top: Gavin Hitchings (silver); Centre: Fran Allison (silver); Bottom: Caroline Gore (oxidised silver and steel cable). Photographs are by Stella Chrysostomou.

www.hbmag.co.nz

Winery Architecture - Another Take.

Top: Elephant Hill Winery; Bottom: Craggy Range Winery. 2007-2008. Ajr.

When it comes to winery architecture, Arrowtown-based architect, John Blair is one of the most experienced in New Zealand and along with Christchurch architect, Charlie Nott, he has formed a separate company, Winemark, geared specifically towards winery design. It’s a testament to the growth of New Zealand wine tourism that the pair has more winery projects on their books than almost any other New Zealand practice. One of Blair’s most iconic designs is Craggy Range in the Hawke’s Bay. The Giant’s Winery Complex is a coherent and commanding collection of rural-inspired buildings that includes the famous Terroir Restaurant. Not too far away at Te Awanga is one of Blair’s most recently completed winery projects, Elephant Hill – a sleek, turquoise green rectangle in pre-patinated copper that blends seamlessly with the surrounding sea, sky and vines. It was a cloudy day when I visited a couple of months ago but you get some idea of this handsome addition to the landscape. And I believe their classy new restaurant is now open too.

When Arts Meets Water

Havelock North Fountain, Hawke's Bay by Paratene Matchitt. 2008. Ajr

It was a cold wet day when I came upon this fountain sculpture by one of New Zealand’s leading Maori artists, Para Matchitt. It sits in a small square in the Hawke’s Bay town of Havelock North and was commissioned as part of the town’s redevelopment. I think I like it.

Suntrap

"Suntrap." Neil Dawson. Hastings June 2008. Ajr

It was overcast when I visited Hastings in Hawke’s Bay to check out the sculptures that have been installed there as part of the Stage 3 re-development of the central business district. That was a pity because Neil Dawson’s “Suntrap” lost some of its colourful brilliance to the grey day. Erected in 2002, this huge sphere – 3.6 metres in diameter and hoisted 6 metres off the ground – consists of six parasol-like shapes with negative spaces forming leaf shapes….as Dawson says… ‘if you want them to.’ Its brightly-painted surface changes colour with the changing light of the day and the angle of observation; and like most of this Christchurch-based sculptor’s work, it rarely fails to impress. A Dawson sculpture is seldom less than enormous as you’ll see if you look here or here. www.ferns.co.nz

City Art

"Nikau Vessel," Hastings City June 2008. Ajr I’m a big fan of New Zealand artist, Virginia King and this work, “The Nikau Vessel” is one of a number of public sculptures by well known New Zealand artists commissioned for the Hastings City Centre in Hawke’s Bay. King’s 3-metre-high aluminium and stainless steel sculpture makes a terrific focal point at one end of the city mall - and I love the way kids feel inclined to play around it. Water flows over images of grapes, olives, stone fruit and ferns that appear among the 108,000 holes cut into the stainless steel interior – an obvious reference to the edible bounty the region is famous for; and the “very Deco radiating nikau” reflects the area’s Art Deco heritage. www.virginiakingsculptor.com

Writhing in the Rain

"Diminishing Returns - Eels" Bing Dawe. Havelock North 2008. Ajr It was pouring with rain the sleepy Sunday I visited the small Hawke’s Bay town of Havelock North but Bing Dawe’s eels looked perfectly at home in the wet. This work – “Diminishing Returns – Eels” - was commissioned from the Christchurch sculptor by the Havelock North District Council. It’s from the series “The Draining,” which explores our destruction of our native habitat through, in this case, the draining of our wetlands. You can see another of Bing’s eel works – located in Christchurch - here; and from the same series, a fabulous rug he designed for Dilana Rugs.

Supermarket Art

Napier, June 2008. Ajr
There is a level of creative excitement here in the Hawke’s Bay that has both inspired and exhausted me. I find myself over-excited, over-stimulated and wobbly with enthusiasm. Even the local supermarket has taken on an art theme! Not high art I’ll admit but I always love to see art of any sort being integrated into a community. It makes for a much livelier sense of place.

Art Deco Shopping

The Art Deco Shop, Napier. June 2008. Ajr

It’s virtually impossible to visit Napier and not be drawn in to the whole Art Deco thing; and to get the best overview, you really need to start at The Art Deco Shop – which fittingly reflects its Art Deco neighbours in its front window. It’s from here that a whole set of terrific Art Deco Walking Tours set off – bus or vintage car if you’d rather, guided or self-guided if you’d prefer. Over 23,000 people do the guided Art Deco walk each year, learning everything there is to know about the massive earthquake that shook the Hawke’s Bay in 1931, destroying the heart of Napier, damaging over 200 buildings in Hastings and killing 256 people. Within two years of that disaster, Napier and Hastings had been rebuilt in the distinctive Art Deco, Spanish Mission, Stripped Classical and Prairie style architecture that it is now so famous for. The Art Deco here is unique for its inclusion of Maori motifs and the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Chicago School in the work of local architect, Louis Hay. www.artdeconapier.com

Art Deco Gone Mad

Taradale, Hawke's Bay. June 2008. Ajr

In an idle moment this afternoon I found myself drifting out of Napier city and into the rather bland suburb of Taradale. I had free time and the sun was shining. I needed no other reason to wander aimlessly. And so it was with some surprise that I found myself parking outside McDeco McDonalds!! Yes, you read that correctly. If my memory serves me correctly, this is the only McDonald’s restaurant in the world (or was it one of two?) housed in an authentic Art Deco building – for which we can be truly thankful! Formerly the Taradale Hotel, it is at least a prettier setting than most of the chains eateries.

Art Deco Central

Glass Dome, National Tobacco Company, Ahuriri, Napier. June 2008. Ajr

Here I am in one of the world's major Art Deco centres - Napier, New Zealand.

I thought I'd tempt you with this glorious glass dome in the very beautiful National Tobacco Company building in Ahuriri. Now surrounded by warehouses and railway operations, it's nonetheless a stunning building - and when the famous-sun-I've-heard-about comes out, I'll take a decent photo of it.

In the meantime, there are other things to explore.

http://www.hawkesbaynz.com/

On the Wine Trail

Images supplied. Top: Church Road wine Cellar Hawke's Bay; Bottom: Marlborough Wine Region

I don’t know about any of you but when I’m travelling I’m constantly thinking about food and drink. It’s all about indulgence for me and I defy anyone to tell me that that’s not exactly the way personal travel should be. Enter The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail – a food and wine extravaganza undertaken at your own pace and tailored – by you – to suit your time and taste preferences. Even better, the new 50-page Trail Guide is free and all you have to do is get in your car and follow the brown signs and the bunches of grapes – how hard can that be? As it takes you 380 kilometres, through some of New Zealand’s most scenic regions, the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail introduces you to three of our major wine regions – Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Marlborough - that collectively represent 74% of the country’s total wine production. The guide also offers you suggestions for places to stay, things to do, farmers’ markets to visit, fruit to pick and restaurants to visit – and that’s just the beginning. As the people at CNZWT would say: Go Slow and savour! It’s all about indulging in the best of provincial New Zealand. www.classicwinetrail.co.nz

The Sunny Hawkes Bay

Vineyard view, Millar Road, Hastings, 2007, Ajr.

My cousin says she is moving back to Hawkes Bay. I'm envious. This gorgeous sunny strip of coastline on the North Island's East Coast is a wine and food lover's dream. It's where you'll find well over 40 vineyards - some of them among New Zealand's oldest - and so many boutique food producers you'll need to stay weeks to sample them all. Factor in beautiful beaches, orchards and some of the best boutique accommodation in New Zealand and you'll understand why it's one of my favourite provinces. When I passed through a few months back during my Frommers' research I woke up to this stunning view at Millar Road - a classy two-cottage heaven that overlooks a wide spread of vines and persimmon orchards with the ocean twinkling in the distance. The Collinge family have created something special - accommodation that oozes comfort and good design. Their collection of top contemporary New Zealand art, the exquisite bed linens and accessories from Napier's Esther Diamond designer range and...well, those views, make it one of my favoured choices for an ultimate hideaway. And they have a really groovy website as well - www.millarroad.co.nz