Sally Maguire’s dog knew a thing or two when it introduced its owner to the love of her life, Helmut Hirler. They walk us through their beautiful home and art gallery, 'Artmosphere' .

When Jim's daughter gets a boyfriend, he hopes her beau is as unromantic as he used to be.

Young, smart-thinking innovators are developing remote methods to ensure the country’s rain-water tanks never run dry.

There are plenty of edible wild plant foods in the NZ countryside, if you know where to look and what to look for.

An entrepreneurial couple have built a Fiordland-based business that takes New Zealanders out of their daily lives and back in time.

An easy-to-make fruity dessert that epitomizes the taste of summer.

New Networks showcases 16 contemporary Chinese artists whose work reflects a period of significant change in the republic’s art movement. Until 28 April, Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

This is a non-traditional panzanella (bread salad) with the addition of nectarine. Central Otago is famous for its stone fruit and the nectarines are perfectly ripe at the same time as tomatoes, the combination of which creates a nice acidity and sweetness.

While camping in Mangawhai, Jim is envious of his mate's luxurious tent set-up which includes a bar leaner and Nespresso coffee machine.

Boutique owner Karan Gregory Has an eye for business based on experience earned, not learned.

Grilling on the barbecue one of the easiest ways to cook salmon.

The smooth, creamy texture of avocados makes them a great ally in baking. Give these delicious recipes a try.

Most people avoid getting into hot water, but the creator of a Coromandel resort spent two decades, and many millions of dollars, drilling for it.

A simple nasal spray using antibodies produced by llamas could give humans protection from the flu.

A 1926 Grade II Historic Place-listed concrete milk station is seeing a new life as a spectacular Otaki wedding venue.

Rangitoto, Auckland’s most familiar landmark, harbours unexpected reminders of less-complicated times.

For a refreshing twist on the popular frosé cocktail, try these adult ice blocks with stewed rhubarb.

Meet the scuba diver on a mission to clean up Wellington’s ocean floor.

Summer holidays for a Hamilton family mean a beach on the wild Waikato west coast with a small dog called Rosie and a retro caravan called Roxanne.

This luscious dish makes good use of seasonal produce. You need to make the red pepper relish at least a day ahead.

The only human residents of a thriving Great Barrier Island wildlife sanctuary are fiercely protective of their native neighbours.

Valais Blacknose must be the cutest sheep in the world. We meet Sally and Lindsay Strathdee on their piece of paradise in Motueka, and meet their friendly flock in an exclusive video.

Swapping pavlova and sunshine for European waterways and cuckoo clocks helps one voyager realize the festive spirit she never knew she had.

Characters, curiosities and intrepid opportunity lie around every corner of one of New Zealand’s longest rivers.

Jim reflects on present etiquette — is it okay to shake the presents under the Christmas tree?

There are rescue groups around NZ with dogs that need homes, from puppies to pensioners. Here's what you should think about when saying hello to your potential pet dog.

Hilarious hula-hooper Toni Smith brings her international street performance routines home for Bread and Circus, the World Buskers’ Festival in Christchurch from January 10 to February 3.

A fruity non-alcoholic drink, fit for a festive feast.

Tom Scott, co-writer of Footrot Flats, wrote Joan about his Ma, an essential companion piece to The Daylight Atheist about his Da.   7- 23 February ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland.

While the golden triangle of Waihi, Whangamata and Waihi Beach isn’t short on glittering activities and pristine landscapes, the Coromandel’s true gems are not tour stops but people giving back to the community.

Green beans with a tangy cranberry twist, a delicious side from Ruth Pretty's make-ahead Christmas lunch menu. 

A pork roast with a fruity filling, fit for Christmas Day.

We offer free printable cards for any of our customers who are sending subscriptions as a gift.

‘Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clements.’ This is the inspiration for this easy but fabulous way to cook lamb on the BBQ. What more perfect choice for our New Zealand Christmas feast than lamb.

Yvonne Sutherland has been firing and painting hens for more than three decades and collectors around the world obviously adore them as much as she does.

We’re giving away a Pure Salt wilderness adventure experience, valued at $3600.

These tasty meatballs will be a hit at your next barbecue.

Be in to win the “Book Club in a Box”. The box contains three copies of Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver, discussion notes, snacks and a Countdown voucher for refreshments.

A novice gardener's flower growing efforts have bloomed into a home-based business.

If you like the long green cucumbers, you're going to love these extraordinary orbs.

These delicious little spice biscuits are not too sweet, easy to roll out and quick to bake.

For more than 100 years Wellington’s Clyde Quay boat sheds have been happy places for people who love tinkering with boats.

Horseradish dressing gives this beetroot salad the x-factor.

Polly digs deep to make sense of a world that keeps spinning despite the family’s ongoing efforts to slow it.

Wellington digital textile artist Kirsten Sutherland has stitched together her art, an eclectic home, a creative boutique and a new husband, who just happens to own a brewery.

Beautiful, hand-made beadwork decorations put the compassion into Christmas.

Hayley Rhind moved onto a new farm with her husband and two young children. Then she had a brilliant idea for a clothing business.

This dish is a household staple at tomato grower, Gemma Romano's home. Her grandson Anthony likes to eat it as an afternoon snack, sandwiched between two slices of white bread.

This gourmet version of a classic sweet makes a great homemade Christmas present.

A group of innovative thinkers has been given top honours at the prestigious NZI Rural Women Business Awards.

Jim struggles to stay silent while sitting  in the backseat during his daughter's driving test.

A craft chocolate company is winning awards, and the hearts and minds of dunedinites.

A unique opportunity to own a fairy tale property in Central Otago.

Give new potatoes a Caribbean twist with a healthy dollop of  zesty Cuban guacamole.

Three books that traverse the diverse culinary landscapes of Central Otago, Sri Lanka and Dunedin are bound to get food and wine-lovers talking.

As exam season looms, Jim's eldest threatens to take a three-year-long gap year.

NZ Life & Leisure and thisNZlife's involvement in the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards has opened our eyes to the wonderful boutique products New Zealanders are making.

This pork rib recipe from Jenny's Kitchen is so delicious and easy-to-make it will become your summer go-to. Make them in the barbecue or the oven and order  Jenny's Kitchen Tamarind Chutney direct from the thisNZlife Farmers' Market .

Permaculture is a fancy name for all the things many of us are already doing in our orchards. Ben Gaia shares tips to get you growing more food using fewer chemicals.

Bringing a new breed into NZ is expensive, and you can only import certain species of farm animals from approved countries.

This tomato soup with carrots, celery and cashew cream is a local favourite.

Six months' volunteering abroad inspired a 24-year-old Wellingtonian to look for a sustainable and economical solution to a worldwide problem - and to implement it on her university campus.

Breakfast for a sweet-tooth doesn't get much better than this.

A tisane or infusion is a drink made by steeping fresh or dried herbs in hot water.

This cake from East End Café in Wairoa is delicious served with a dollop of cream or unsweetened Greek yoghurt.

Polly and James are on nursing duties as the kids battle a nasty bug, but in the backyard Bugs Bunny has been at play.

New Zealand’s Lord of the Reins, Lance O’Sullivan, and his wife Bridgette have found new passions beyond the heady days of Bollinger and BMWs.

A pair of Wairarapa sisters are two decades in to making comfy underwear designed for the wearer, not the viewer.

A cinema-lover discovers a world beyond the familiar attractions of the movie-esque Hawai’ian island of Kaua’i.

The Royal New Zealand Ballet's Tutus on Tour is visiting eleven regional centres in 2019 from 18 March - 11 May 2019.

A book argues New Zealanders are already starting to make a living out of the natural world in new ways based on “value” rather than “volume”.

Get Christmas morning off to a cracker start with coffee, perhaps a glass of champagne and this festive take on filled croissants.

A little planning, a touch of prep and — voilà — a  make-ahead Christmas lunch menu that leaves plenty of time for hosts to spend with guests.

The Topp Twins had to beg their mum Jean to share their nana’s famous Gingernut Biscuit recipe for their new cookbook Topp Country: A Culinary Journey.

She’s a hard job, wool handling. For some, it’s harder than shearing. Pagan Karauria of Central Otago says that’s the case for her, and she’s a master wool handler as well as a shearer.

Jazz up new season lamb with this classic Japanese citrus-based sauce and pink-peppercorn rub.

This cake packs all the divine flavor of a traditional chocolate cake but is so much more beneficial for your health.

A common bacteria sounds a warning of contamination, but it’s not the baddie it seems.

Add some local flavour to the traditionally homemade staple.

The food was exquisite, the sake was flowing and the conversation was filled with colourful travel stories at the NZ Life & Leisure and Walk Japan reader lunch.

Polly and family discover ornithological treasures at wildlife sanctuary Tiritiri Matangi.

Kirsty Silvester and Dave Chapman are true DIY cheese producers,  from pasture to pecorino.

Meet the cute and sassy eastern rockhopper penguin and vote it Bird of the Year.

Fortunate indeed are the endangered Blue Ducks now flourishing under the protection of a family that has figured out how to combine farming with eco-tourism.

If you want to emulate the soft, frothy hues of a cottage garden, these six flowers are a good start.

From deep-fried chicken to fine-dining foams, and from family man to food warrior, this New York-based New Zealand chef loves his kai – in more ways than one.

With a custom-made vacuum chamber Greg Beattie turns seawater from the Hauraki Gulf into New Zealand’s first truly artisanal sea salt.

Wheelchair-bound Zendo discovers a new dance routine.

The plants really want to hurt you, the harvest is carried out by digger, then chainsaw, you cook the heart out of it for three days, but the end result is worth toasting.

From “bottom leakage” to “fat bloom”, Emma Rawson brushes up on her chocolate lingo to join the world of bonbon judging.

A sweet and savory glaze gives grilled salmon big flavor.

Jumping off a cliff was a free-to-be-me revelation for a one-time middle manager who ditched the boardroom for the brushes.

Guest blogger Elien Lewis doesn't let a shady garden stop her from producing a bounty of produce.

Jim comes down with the flu and has a hard time receiving any sympathy from his family.

Reuse, reclaim and recycle is the motto of a zero-waste Auckland gardener inspired by Michelle Obama.

Feathers are a feature of all birds, whether they can fly, swim or just live on the ground, and there’s a lot they can tell us.

A small herd of tiny goats are NZ's newest breed and it has been a long journey for them and their determined owner.

An award-winning New Zealand-designed electric utility bike for the farm is on the road to success in the US market.

Not every baby is born with the ability to smile. Cleft palates are a heartbreaking but treatable condition. In Kenya, one photographer documents the mothers and children that make their way to surgery as they embark on a journey of hope.

Polly knows trouble is afoot when rambunctious three-year-old Zendo is suddenly silent.

Entries are now open for the Yates Budding Young Gardener competition.

Coriander can be a little bit fussy to grow, but with the right care you can prolong leaf growth.

An Oamaru couple play with wild yeasts and wild ideas in a low-ceilinged cavern where they brew Belgian-inspired ales that could put hairs on the chest.

As Jim celebrates his 49th year, he reflects on how birthdays tend to matter less when you are older,  that is, unless you have children.

A happy childhood in a musical family led one young woman to pick up an instrument, whisk up life with a wooden spoon, and ultimately, to film stories of human compassion.

Five generations of a Central Otago family have tilled soil, trained trees, and fought the forces of nature and political upheaval to sustain a lifestyle they love.

A young Wellington couple talk about designing and building their first home, a tiny house on wheels, and reveal what it’s really like to live in a whare iti in winter.

Ice cream and photography were the unlikely stepping stones that led a couple to a house among the trees and into the exotic-flower business.

Think you've tasted taro, wait until you try Ruth Pretty's tasty take on this Pacific Island staple, a sneak peek from the upcoming September/ October issue of NZ Life & Leisure, on sale August 24.

Never a day goes by without Laura MacDonald's toddler eating dirt. But that doesn't stop her living the good life on her rural property in Te Akau.

Laura MacDonald from thekiwicountrygirl.com shares her homemade version of  this New Zealand kids' favourite.

A breathing problem in chickens is difficult to diagnose, and not to be sneezed at.

A custard-coloured Impala has had a string of owners over the decades but has now found her sweet spot – her forever home.

A  must-see New Zealand documentary follows five female sheep shearers on their journey to the Gold Shears.

An Otorohanga vet has won an international following writing romance novels with a country twist.

This all-time favourite bread is exceptionally easy to make. The dip can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to three days.

Meet 21-year-old fine arts student and artist Lizzie Snow who is winning fans around the world with her intricate geometric mandala designs. Watch our exclusive video.

Jim's daughter adopts a 'squeaky wheel' strategy to get a new car,  while he reflects on the Ford Falcon that got away.

Just as the Waitaki River grinds down mountain ranges carrying them in serpentine fashion to the sea, Kate White is an irresistible force changing the face of a small south island town.

Lunchbox snacks, leftovers and half-eaten avocados can all be kept fresh plastic free with a few simple swaps.

In between many entrepreneurial pursuits, one hardworking, creative woman has left a living legacy - a five-star garden and a close-knit family - and made her mark on her community.

A Wanaka couple’s enthusiasm for natural-fibre products weaves essential purpose into their business, warmth into their home, and ties them to a very personal pioneering past.

Marmalade is easy to make if you get organised in advance. This is a great recipe which produces a wonderful, bright yellow marmalade that keeps well.

Dani Lebo uses her family’s permaculture farm to teach local children about farming, food, fun and taking an element of risk – all outdoors and in all weathers.

Discover a region where the sunshine hours are unrivalled and the beaches are shared with sunbathing seals.

Harbourside's head chef, Shaun Tyagi is serving up a menu to die for at the Auckland Outstanding Food Producer Winner Dinner

Amid teenage comic hopefuls sweating backstage at a comedy club, 52-year-old Sacha Jones sat reading a Charles Dickens’ novel. “People said, ‘Aren’t you nervous?’ and I told them, ‘I’m old!’”

You can also try this dish out with gurnard or blue cod (although, these will take a little longer to cook than terakihi).

Our Far North blogger Polly gazes into the Matariki sky to see if the future is clear and bright or if it's a little hazier for struggling Northland families.

A new book from a permaculture expert helps beginners conquer their fear of fruit tree  pruning.

Cauliflower never had it so good. This is a fabulous starter for an evening meal or serve in espresso cups or shot glasses as an amuse-bouche.

Hunting for truffles is not for the impatient or the olfactorily impaired. Success calls for a sniffer-out of buried bounty – in other words, a dog.

Shocked at the number of cold, damp houses in New Zealand, a Waikato-based couple searched for their own building solution. A ground-breaking passive house provided the answer.

Looking for something special to bake? Why not try Simon Wright's Lemon Meringue Pie.

By rejuvenating an ancient tipple, Oren Dalton hopes to breathe new life into our regions.

Whales and wild waters, sugared beaches and dramatic landscapes, kangaroos and convict chronicles are all wrapped into the story of this isolated coastal stretch made accessible when explored by small ship.

Gourmet delights wander round this lifestyle block south of Gisborne, and its owners can’t get enough of what is turning into a delectable little bird business.

Jim Kayes is egged on by a 12-year-old and gives a terrifying ride in Rotorua a swing.

A sweet no-bake made with coconut yoghurt and raw cashews.

Want skin that looks film-star fab and forever wrinkle-free? Develop a more trusting relationship with needles say the experts.

Reserve this decadent potato mash for special occasions.

Polly and the kids delight in things that go whistle and scrape in the night while Pax the dog quivers in the corner.

When Karen Rhind left behind her carefully-maintained Garden of National Significance for bare, dry pasture and a new challenge, she also opened the door to a sweetly-scented business.

Two American environmentalists have turned a run-down campground in Glenorchy into a sustainable development where technology and nature work together.

Hazelnuts are still a niche product in New Zealand but they have the potential to be the country’s main nut crop.

If you’re interested in eating more plant protein, a little fermentation can go a long way.

An earthy salad to warm up any winter gathering.

Wholesome ingredients and happy memories of childhood holidays on the Coromandel form the DNA of  coconut yoghurt and cereal business Cathedral Cove Naturals.

When Jim's daughters say he is getting forgetful in his old age, he takes it to heart.

Yes, you can cut down on plastic waste. All it takes is a little planning to change to more eco-friendly habits says the experts.

This award-winning organic farmer near Kaipara coast may have hundreds of sheep and cattle, but what she’s really farming is millions and millions of invisible helpers.

A Wellington entrepreneur who created chainmail worn by Frodo and others in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy is making sturdy armour for buildings.

What better way to get to know a region than by doing a little retail therapy? Treat yourself to a little something special in these four Manawatu stores - a souvenir of sorts.

Unlike sugar, stevia doesn't add calories or carbs. So you can afford to have an extra slice or two of this chocolate cake delight.

If your dog often barks and jumps at strangers, pulls on the lead,  or whines when you leave for work these could be symptoms of a relationship problem. Selina McIntyre, a former lion-cub carer turned dog-behavioural expert explains why.

In a world where robots rule, superheroes surprise us and gorgeous frocks rock, costume designer Kate Hawley has found her forever home. Occasionally, she returns to Wellington where she’s surrounded by treasures magpied on her travels.

Popular TV builder John Cocks is a keen diver who refuses to simply go with flow: although his body is ailing, his maverick spirit prevails – so there’s no cause for the undersea critters around Tairua to rest easy just yet.

Many food cultures claim meatballs, albeit in different guises, as one of their specialities but Scandinavia happens to take the crown. 

Jim's cringey efforts to use the latest lingo provide amusement to his teenage daughters.

It’s finally happening. After lots of talk, greener bagging options are set for a checkout near you.

A landscaper with a mini backyard farm believes small-scale food production is key to well-being and urban ecological balance.

NZ Life & Leisure is very proud to celebrate people who create beautiful food. Here's a list of some fantastic New Zealand artisan food producers you should be adding to your shopping cart.

Lisa Scott gets her skates and her badass attitude on at the roller-derby rink.

These cos leaves make a delicious, healthy nibble. Use the best of fresh seasonal pears to really bring out the flavour.

Lamb survival rates can vary dramatically from farm to farm, and your management plays a big part.

The rosy blush of tree tomato lifts this delectable dessert to luscious new heights.

These NZ entrepreneurs may have invented their way to an economically viable future for the New Zealand wool industry. Their products aren't what you'd expect.

This classic flavour combination is always a party favourite.

These Wellington boat sheds – some of them important local landmarks – mean many things to many people.

Gender bias has no place in the Kayes’ household – and Jim is happy to don a pinny or even a frock when the occasion merits.

One of the most aggravating pests in any hen house is red mites. They’re also one of the hardest to spot until they’re a real problem.

A cruise passenger speed-dates destinations along the south-east Asian coast, and hopes to meet some of them again.

Once on the international stage for environmental causes, Georgina Langdale returned home to set up a back-to-nature business that makes a difference, one purposeful potion at a time.

When you learn the best childhood lessons in a garage, and spend the ensuing decades tinkering with troublesome classics, you’re a bona fide car devotee

You definitely won’t have eaten as many varieties of apple as a couple who have made it their personal crusade to save the heritage apple trees.

Getting a feel for the land helped an architectural firm create Annika Streefland's beautiful Central Otago home.

Annika Streefland’s dreams of being a botanist stalled when a formidable headmistress gave her a lecture on the value of independence. How thankful she is now.

The flavours of Cuba Street are celebrated in a new book Cuba Street: A Cookbook. We meet the passionate foodies behind three colourful Wellington businesses.

Vision, grit and a good shot of gumption propelled the World of WearableArt from a small-town show to a global spectacle.

There’s no need to bungy-jump from a bridge or swing perilously close to a cliff-face in a jet-boat to sample the delights of New Zealand's adventure capital. Autumn is a time for gentler pursuits.

There are secrets to discover in the Cook Islands by following the road less traveled.

Why serve plain old cheese and crackers when you can dish up these simple cheese shortbreads topped with cauliflower mousse?  Place a tablespoon of cauliflower mousse in the centre of each shortbread and garnish with tomato.

When a Texan belle arrived in New Zealand for a three-month holiday, she didn’t plan on meeting a rugged West-Coaster. Thirteen years, two kids and a thriving jewellery business later, there’s nowhere else she’d rather be.

This chive is not meant to be eaten raw, but cook it properly and your dishes will dance.

Serve up this decadent, fruity finger food at your next party.

The clever team at the Cocktail Collective have put on their mixing aprons to create a pink mocktail worthy of the Breast Cancer Foundation's Pink Ribbon Breakfast.

Left in sole charge of the children and the land, Polly connects with the wildness within.

New Zealanders have the chance to step into the judges’ shoes to sample 12 finalist dishes in the Silver Fern Farms Restaurant Awards.

Serve up stevia instead of sugar in your autumn baking for a diabetic-friendly dessert.

Sometimes you may need to help an injured bird, and sometimes its best to leave it alone.

As his eldest turns 16, Jim remembers when she was just a wee bub and how fast they grow up.

Getting to grips with the grassroots of growing, and of a community, Lloyd Rooney and Michael Fraser found contentment by leaving the glamour of London for the quiet backwaters of the Waikato.

When a French potter met a vineyard-owning investment banker from the opposite side of the world, they discovered their talents and tastes were sublimely matched.

This week, Polly feels illuminated when investigating solar power.

It takes 125,000-150,000 flowers to produce just one kilogram of saffron which can sell for $30,000. So harvesting the stigmas is a delicate process at Wynyard Estate in Central Otago’s Teviot Valley.

Sabine Ruijters guides NZ Life & Leisure's Yolanta Woldendorp for a horseback ride to remember in Crete.

The founder of a groundbreaking artisan bakery has returned to her childhood stomping ground and  a creative calling that was always waiting in the wings.

We caught up with Karen Joy Fowler, author of the bestseller The Jane Austen Book Club, ahead of her Auckland visit in May.

Social butterfly Lisa Scott is bent out of shape and all in a flutter doing hot yoga in the butterfly enclosure at the Otago Museum.

We raise a glass, and a tasty morsel or two, to the winners of this year’s Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards.

Richard and Helen Dorresteyn are committed cheesemakers, inadvertent buffalo farmers and deserving Supreme Winner of the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards for 2018.

The Screen Sirens  didn't enjoy watching A Wrinkle in Time, starring Oprah Winfrey, although they have a lot of fun discussing the Disney fantasy film in their latest podcast.

Tensions with a neighbour force Polly to learn lessons from the land.

Cocktails look and taste great, but are tricky to do at home. Meet the NZ entrepreneurs making them easy. Plus 2 bonus cocktail recipes.

Kristina Jensen's gooey upside down feijoa caramel cake is the autumn cake you've been waiting for.

While townies flock to the campgrounds to get away from it all, for bush baby Polly the holiday park is a chance to reconnect.

Inside the life of a sustainable family who only need to work part-time and eat from a permaculture pantry that grows right up to their back door.

The Auckland A & P Association is celebrating its 175th anniversary at this year’s Royal Easter Show. But the family event looked quite different at its premier in 1843.

In Your Backyard: Urban Harvest, is a guide to growing fruit and vegetables in small gardens. We've compiled extra materials and videos here to help further your understanding of this exciting topic.

Architects are collaborating on innovative solutions for food production in increasingly urbanised areas.

When NZ Life & Leisure editor Kate Coughlan left behind her vast veggie beds at the Rocket Ranch for city life, she called in the experts to create a 100% edible courtyard garden.

Please a crowd these holidays with Ruth Pretty's zesty Easter buns which are packed with spices, dried apricots, raisins and sultanas.

For more than 100 years, a Rangitikei farm has been home to one family. Now the fourth generation is putting its own twist on tradition.

All it takes is a different point of view to see wild pigs and whole grains from a new perspective.

Mark our words, there’s nothing better than a squished possum. This cute, comical bookmark is just the fun craft project to remind you of that.

It may not be the female action-hero film you’ve been hanging out for, but a new movie starring Alicia Vikander breathes new life into the relic-hunting character Lara Croft.

Goat's cheese is a hot culinary trend - but do you know which flavours to match with it? Take a course in goat's cheese 101 with two new cheeses from Whitestone.

When Rotorua photographer Tracey Scott looks through her camera, she sees possibilities - not problems - which is also her metaphor for life.

A simple turnip recipe that makes a great addition to a weekend roast.

This week, Jim gets caught telling a few porkies.

They say the only way to conquer a fear is to confront it, but Lisa Scott discovers singing “la la la” and completely ignoring it might be less psychologically damaging in the long run.

Our heroine casts a dashing figure as she marches across the Banks Peninsula. And like all good dramatic characters, her  past holds a compelling secret.

Ruth Pretty's recipe is based on a salad she loved eating in Tokyo. Change the veggies depending on what is in your fridge or the garden.

In celebration of International Women's Day, we share a few of our most popular stories about inspiring Kiwi women.

For a lavender enthusiast and landscape designer, crafting a wild and beautiful garden in one of the country’s most inhospitable environments was an expression of letting go.

A road trip through iconic southern scenery spins the wheels and the twangs the heart-strings.

A 45-year-old Aussie eye-catcher has added colour to its owner’s life.

These little individual cakes are very, VERY good. You can keep a stash of unfilled cakes in the freezer for emergencies.

Kobi – a Life Work documents the story of film-maker Andrea Bosshard’s father – an unassuming goldsmith and mountaineer who became known as New Zealand’s grandfather of contemporary jewellery.

As a champion of the health and happiness benefits of rich, rotting compost, nothing makes Ben Elms more content than the multitude of microscopic critters squirming in his compost.

Scaling the heights of success is becoming almost commonplace for a couple who became engaged on Mt Everest and steer a company that just scooped New Zealand’s most prestigious tourism award.

Ruth Pretty's name is synonymous with having a good time: meet the well-loved caterer who is bringing her special brand of deliciousness to your dinner table.

While she wasn’t immediately sold on the tiny house movement, 20-something Amanda Chapman has now jumped on board, boots and all, building her own.

The Inch family farm red deer with a velvet hand and a soft touch, but it has been a learning curve for his city-born-and-bred wife.

Entries close Friday 2 March  for the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards.

Mindfulness is a key ingredient in the preparation of your daily cuppa, explains Tea Master Anna Kydd.

Food forests can seem like the most complicated of garden designs, but here's how to do it yourself, step-by-step.

When plums go crazy, these recipes will help you use them all up in the most delicious ways possible.

Use strong honey, such as manuka, so the flavour permeates this rich and sticky pork dish. To make it easier to carve, ask your butcher to remove the bone from the pork.

Three experts share their wisdom on how to create a profitable food product.

Graphic designer Glenn Jones burst onto the T-shirt scene with a bang and has gone on to create a global business from the spare room of his Auckland villa.

You can use any mix of citrus to make this perfect evening drink, and dress it up with mint and borage flowers.

In Jim Kayes' blog this week - the family debates whether to downsize their next pooch.

The Off-Topic Book Club can't agree about whether George Saunders' Man Booker winning novel lives up to the hype.

A seaside town is brought to a standstill after a drowning.

You’ll know when your digestive system is working the way it should.

We take a guided tour through three very different food forests at different stages in their lifecycle.

Here’s how to profit from bees without becoming a beekeeper.

A Kiwi-summer favourite has been given a tasty upgrade with a spicy rub.

When everybody knows your name, a private space becomes a treasure and Jools Topp has found hers in a country caboose.

Southerly gales invigorate the Hills family life in a holiday house by the sea.

This dish can be cooked at a leisurely pace in a lidded barbecue or pizza oven.

The journey has been every bit as important as the destination for two farming families behind New Zealand’s longest-running private walk.

A bach at the beach yields vintage holidays for one of New Zealand’s best-known wine-making families.

One of Australasia’s most successful bagpipe players, plays a triumphant tune that drifts from the flat plains of Palmerston North to the Scottish Highlands.

A couscous perfect for summer with spring onions, dates and feta.

Hula girls, grass skirts and a pineapple ice bucket... the only thing missing from this Hawaiian homage is a coconut palm swaying in the warm Waiheke breeze.

Lake Waikaremoana is a special place; we share the best places to walk, explore and learn from this amazing part of New Zealand.

There was a young girl who dreamt of faraway lands, who saw roads stretching ahead filled with never-ending stories. Thankfully, it became it reality.

Kith and kinship are at the heart of the happiness found in a tiny holiday community on the South Island’s south coast.

Visiting Golden Bay - the Insider's Guide has got you covered.

There are tomatoes, and then there is this great-tasting heritage variety with a very special secret.

An Auckland artist regularly uses hundreds of kilometres of wire, but she isn’t making fences.

Unwanted waste might disappear from the immediate environment, but it has to go somewhere.

The earth moved for the Feckless Miss Scott on her first three-day tramp high in the Naumann range north of Lake Ohau.

Fifty private huts, hidden in native bush in the Orongorongo Valley near Wellington, have played an important role for generations of families.

Don Jessen shares his experience restoring a rusty 1958 14-foot (4.2 metre) Liteweight Kiwi caravan, one of only 28 built, to her former glory.

This week Jim suffers from a wounded ego when he lags behind his daughters on the sports field.

The nursery supporting its local habitat, local gardeners and its owners.

So she said: ‘I’d really like a stone glasshouse.’ And he said: ‘Sure, I know exactly what you mean. I’ll build it.’ And he did.

‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’ could have been invented for adventure traveler Ellis Emmett.

A Wairarapa couple have transformed a derelict wee barn and rundown lifestyle block into a successful fruit and berry business.

‘Valve’ becomes an offensive word when Polly and co suffer plumbing problems.

Kelly Gillbanks drives the Holden Equinox SUV through the Forgotten World Highway and discovers some colourful New Zealand history  including the feline vice-president of the 'Republic of Whangamomona' and a brand new private museum.

The decommissioned Stratford-Okahukura line covers some of the most isolated country in the North Island making it home to the tunnels, bridges and townships that time forgot.

This week Jim is on strike to help improve his daughters’ usefulness around the house.

Artist John McLean was driven by need to become self-sufficient 30 years ago, but today he and wife Chris couldn't live any other way.

A NZ home-brew company has doubled its turnover after launching an electric brewing machine called The Grainfather.

A tale of pioneering in the 1980’s in one of  NZ’s most remote high-country stations captures book reviewer Peter White’s imagination.

A visitor to Dublin meets Molly Malone, Oscar Wilde and Handel, and downs his first-ever Guinness in the embrace of a local pub-goer.

The best cheese rolls are found in Southland – and don’t dare suggest otherwise.

Cakes are a blank canvas for a talented baker and author of Melie's Kitchen.

For Kristina Cavit – yoga teacher, mindfulness coach and youth leader – mindfulness means not only paying attention to and nourishing her present, but also that of others.

Every vista in this world-class garden, photographed through the seasons, tempts visitors down a path laden with promise. Barewood Garden's creator shares how she's grown alongside her garden.

A Matakana couple find that brewing beer, staying creative and living in the country is the best medicine for what ails you.

Kirsty Pascoe is an avid gardener who has applied permaculture principles to her back yard and her cats.

A colourful Auckland family with a motley crew of animals are opening their garden gate for the Heroic Garden Festival.

Driven by a vision of a simpler way, five Manawatu families are reaping the benefits of living side by side.

Electric bikes are popular in Asia and Europe, but will they catch on in Auckland? We see what the buzz is about.

Nicole Leybourne’s designer jumpers are so sought after, she’s had to hire a team of knitters across the country.

Have yourself a very merry Christmas barbecue with these show-stopping recipes by Anthony Hoy Fong

Anthony and Sandra Grant's curious Matakana playground mixes a love of art with a soupcon of insanity for all to enjoy.

Gold is hidden in the black sands and gravel creeks of Greymouth but travelers need to venture no further to find quirks and curiosity than Blackball, 30 kilometres inland from Greymouth.

 This week Jim takes the family to Samoa and it is confirmed, those daughters are an easy step ahead of him in his Apia-bought jandals.

The kākā is vying for your vote in Bird of the Year. We share seven reasons why this gregarious parrot deserves to be New Zealand's top bird.

The doggedness of two Raglan friends - plus a supportive community - helped launch a posh pet brand

A Southland couple have turned their block into an internationally-recognised wetland of importance, and a safe haven for one of NZ's rare birds.

Polly comes face-to-face with Brutus, the local boar, and the Far North version of the Boogeyman.

NZ Life & Leisure editor Kate Coughlan, aka Little Miss Muffet, takes a voyage around her great-grandfather and makes cheese.

This week in the water cooler: we're exploring Napier's Art Deco architecture in style, reducing our use of plastic bags and taking part in an important study.

This week Jim ponders different ways of grieving and wonders, yet-again, if those daughters aren’t a step ahead of him.

Readers in Blenheim, Christchurch and Dunedin can sample the award-winning cuisine at the Outstanding Food Producer Dinners.

The cookbook queen is happiest when she's following the lead of her nature-loving mother.

Angela Beer didn't even know she was a dog person until she met her beloved Dunhill, and she had even less idea just how far that love would take her.

Are we living in a television golden age? The Screen Sirens discuss why award-winning Kiwi writer and director Jane Campion now prefers to work on TV these days. They then give the low down on the second season of Top of the Lake.

Between the mountains and the sea, sculptor Ben Foster and environmentalist Sabrina Luecht have found the best of nests.

Kristina is trying to break her addiction to sugar and she's found there's a veggie on her side.

When a legendary gardener dies, what becomes of his or her garden? Ask Fergus Garrett, the guest speaker at November's Nelmac Garden Marlborough.

This week in the water cooler: We announce NZ's best chocolates, meet a very special creche at Ararimu School and wage a war on stickered fruit.

Brenda Williamson is as competent managing a private hospital as she is navigating tight corners.

This week, Polly finds manners put grease in social cogs while attending a children's birthday party.

New wearable pet sensors will not only find Fido, they can also report on how he's feeling.

Being a chocolate judge would be many children’s dream. thisNZlife goes behind the scenes at the NZ Chocolate Awards to discover how to taste chocolate like a pro.

This week the sky falls in after a slip on the rocks.

A passion for hunting and a taste for cured meat prompted Chris and Sally Thorn to start their own artisan business in Lumsden.

A spirited New Zealand biochemist and entrepreneur is finding ways to support women in science on her own home soil.

Actress Alice Englert wasn’t fazed baring her soul on camera for her mother Jane Campion’s latest series.

Mint enhances the flavour of both the lamb and the broad beans, bringing a freshness to this dish.

This fennel dish makes a lovely addition to a traditional roast meal, or is a good accompaniment to fish and chicken.

This week in the water cooler, we're tutu impressed by the Royal New Zealand Ballet's Romeo & Juliet, are finding heart-melting dogs, are celebrating Tanya Carlson's 20 years in fashion and are watching Helen Clark documentary, My Year With Helen.

Lisa Scott’s first day of snowboarding at Awakino skifield in North Otago involved a helicopter and an avalanche.

The family visit the local marae, and reap the mother of all harvests.

There’s plenty waiting to be discovered in the big city of Invercargill and in the small towns that line its wild coast.

This German-born dream machine is  loving Kiwi country roads

The Screen Sirens weigh up how the new film Hampstead compares to Diane Keaton's other movies.

This week in the water cooler, we're foraging for grapefruit, exploring virtual worlds, taking trips to Spain and are feeling inspired by a New Zealand business leader.

The weight-loss equation of calories in/calories out is not only dated, it can also be harmful

A New Zealand super-plant is powering the healing properties of a must-have multi-tasking new balm.

A New Zealand pilot is channeling Burt Munro racing a Soviet World War II era fighter plane in Reno next month.

Former MasterChef judge Simon Gault’s diabetes diagnosis is a 'sauce' of inspiration for a new food venture and at his restaurant Giraffe where he serves veggies grown in his own garden .

NZ avocados are particularly special, with double the amount of vitamin B6 and 20 per cent more folate than those grown in other parts of the world.

This cold summer soup, made with kvas, is Russia’s answer to gazpacho.

A Christchurch-based couple who met in Russia had a gut feeling a tasty new probiotic would be a hit in New Zealand. They were right

This week Jim realises he’s been left behind - again.

You can’t actually age backwards, but you can look like it. Take these few make-up tips for keeping your face as ageless as your spirit.

For more than 25 years, the locals of a small rural Southland community have co-operated to provide themselves with mostly locally-grown, organic food. They encourage others to try it, and to learn from their years of experience.

Mt Ruapehu robbed William Pike of one of his legs but never his ability to inspire

The roadside stalls that dot the rural landscape, suddenly appearing on a windy road when you least expect it, so I was trying not to let on just how desperate I was for one of my own.

This week in the water cooler: A winter weekend in Central, wild waterways and their wonderful creatures, underwater world champions and a towering construction.

A couple’s wish list read: their own land, a self-sustainable lifestyle and a business that reflected their personal values.  After a bright idea and lots of hard work, that list has become a blueprint for the Blue Earth range of body products

Take your cheese board to the next level with this onion marmalade recipe.

A leading Japanese businessman who has chosen New Zealand as his home, wields art to encourage society to reuse what exists rather than waste resources. he shares his vision for bringing contemporary art into the natural landscape.

A long list of charity work and a focus on living a good and healthy life occupies one of the country’s leading business people. Annette Presley shares her insight

How to identify birds and encourage birdlife in your backyard.

Our native trees are some of the most unique in the world, and so is the man who has dedicated his life to studying them and telling their stories, including his latest on the king of them all.

It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but what do Game of Thrones, a jigging Irishman and Bill Clinton have in common? Belfast

In this award-winning story, Lisa Scott travels on foot through northern Southland’s high country and on board a helicopter to the roof of the world  in Southland.

This week in the water cooler, we're raving about Dunkirk, achieving our garden goals and digging up our old handbags for a good cause.

Switch breadcrumbs for quinoa for a gluten-free version of fried chicken.

Marie-Ann Billens understands that the key to a long-lasting career is to create a good foundation – and to find a job that never feels like work

Polly tests an alternative parenting method on for size

Garry Wycherley and Robyn Ansell are putting tiny Awakino on the map, one building at a time

This week in the water cooler we: celebrate clever New Zealand scientists at the KiwiNet awards and take our horses to the dentist  (yikes).

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a juggle but finding the right balance is essential for happiness and wellbeing.

thisNZlife’s Emma Rawson and Sarah van Boheemen from Love Food Hate Waste hitch a ride on an Auckland Council food waste collection truck and see, firsthand, how much food New Zealanders throw away.

Jim turns from hero to zero when channeling his mother's parenting style.

Te Kura Whare is a new-generation building embodying super-green values and the spirit of Tūhoe

This cake is gluten and dairy-free - and delicious. It’s a beautiful saffron-gold colour, and has a delicious orange flavour and moist texture, plus it’s easy to make.

The Off-Topic Book Club have a lively discussion about Berlin-based New Zealand author Sarah Quigley's new novel The Suicide Club.

Water, a precious resource, is at its most pristine in a spring-fed stream chuckling its way through the heart of Wanaka

Kelly Farrimond's Poor Man's Orange marmalade is a reduced sugar version of a family favourite.

Polly  channels Crumpy and Scotty when she braves flood waters in a Hilux - and becomes a true bush woman in the process.

Sarah Lancaster is a maker on a mission to encourage sustainability - one hand-made tote at a time. Through her business, Sew Love, she’s teaching basic tailoring skills such as hemming, mending and patchwork.

After years overseas, an Auckland couple has created an urban oasis on home soil in a house they have lived in twice.

Maureen-Ann Farrimond's Pineapple Fruitcake is a family favourite.

Jim Kayes finds himself cast in the role of coach, but can he hold court in the world of school netball?

A young Wellingtonian is thinking big with a burgeoning tiny house business.

Western Australia’s wild flowers draw hoards of hunters in search of a floral fix.

A little experiment with a superfood has turned into a win-win business for a young farming couple.

One of the enduring myths about commercial poultry is that poultry producers worldwide use growth hormones to make broilers grow faster and produce more meat.

James hogs the limelight when he goes on the hunt for a pig and Polly wisely stays at home.

Environmental scientist and lawyer Fergus Power has moved from protecting the Great Barrier Reef to injecting a little “rocket fuel” into the Wairoa District Council.

Rongotea dairy farmer Alan Rowe has struck a surprising little problem with the car he has owned for 47 years.

This easy-to-make pumpkin soup is packed with flavour.

This week in the water cooler: We wage a fruit war with Lynda Hallinan over persimmons explore a handy travel photo app, and mow our support for Emirates Team New Zealand.

The discussion around the state of NZ’s fresh water isn’t short of an opinion or two, but science is speaking out more loudly.

This llama farmer is so dedicated to her quest to find and save the real llamas of New Zealand, she is making a life-changing move to a new home on a new island.

This week Jim Kayes teaches his daughter how to drive, and lives to tell the tale.

Stay chic and cosy this winter with our fashion picks.

Ask Rodney and Clinton and Erin and Emma... They’ll tell you it’s love that makes a family, not just blood ties.

As the debate over the country’s polluted waterways heats up, Polly Greeks writes a love letter to Aotearoa’s rivers and streams.

A stay at these all-glass cabins on the outskirts of Kaikoura is to step into a magical realm where the world is reframed and time works in mysterious ways.

Twenty-five years a journalist, Jim Kayes knows how to hook a story but when he ventures out on his rookie fishing trip  he realises hooking a fish is completely different.

This week in the water cooler: we review McLaren and Wonder Woman, avoid some nasty slips in the Waikato and put porridge to the test.

The 2017 National Poultry Show is a celebration of NZ’s oldest poultry club, and its members are all stars of a chick flick with a difference.

Boutique winemaker Debra Cruickshank has produced a port especially for duck hunting season.

Jim Kayes has been a journalist for 25 years. He survived growing up with four sisters and is now married with two daughters. Despite this, he thinks he's in charge.

The director of the new film Pecking Order talks about the bizarre world of poultry showing, and how a brain tumour has shaped his outlook on life.

When the owners of an earthquake-wrecked home were told it was a lost cause, They knew it wasn’t.

This week in the water cooler, we're using our CSI skills to search for a missing cat, eating all of the pies and are singing in the rain.

Screen Sirens reviewers Emma and Yolanta say Wonder Woman is the action movie women have been waiting for.

A three-time America’s Cup winning team member is back on a boat but in a wooden dinghy.

An Auckland chicken-restaurant chain founded on a wing and a prayer is now one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing businesses thanks to the adaptability  of its owners.

In which Polly trades in foreign treasure-hunting for a more sedate seeking of materials and finds it just as rewarding.

The rarest pig breed in the world is teetering on the brink of extinction, and the few people working to save it would love some help from anyone who enjoys the company of pigs, and a good slice or three of the tastiest bacon around.

Hedgehogs present a prickly problem, being both garden friend and foe.

Journalist and art critic Anthony Byrt is doing his bit to make the world – and Northland – a better place.

This week in the water cooler: We have birds on the brain reviewing Pecking Order, get caught in a web of spidey powers, and revisit a classic with Anne with an E.

Food is the biggest household expense after accommodation, and the cost of it seems to be skyrocketing year after year, so what are the most high value things you can grow to save money?

Art gallery founder Pauline Bianchi has overcome a life-threatening accident to create a meaningful life with her  6 year-old daughter Valentina.

Greg and Rachel Hart share a mission: to connect New Zealanders with what they eat, how they live and with the planet itself.

This easy-to-make quinoa tart is a tasty and filling dish to serve to guests on a gluten-free diet.

This old craft is still immensely popular, and encourages a true community spirit on a Golden Bay lifestyle block.

Polly turns to a whale when time rushes by.

A well-designed orchard means you can be self-sufficient in fruit all year-round.

From a little girl in her mother’s Auckland studio to the big-city stages of the world, ballerina Clytie Campbell’s career has swept from one act to the next.

Breathing new life into an old church has taken more than a decade and cost twice the estimate but the owners are in heaven.

This is a simple dish, yet to do it well you need to concentrate.

A revelation turned an experienced and successful architect away from the traditional styles in which he’d always worked towards something far more organic.

This recipe by The Prodigal Daughter founder, Rachel Priestly showcases her own Italian- styled cured meats.

Canterbury sculptor Raymond Herber has carved out a true niche for his life and work in an abandoned quarry.

Meet Sean and Jodi Brosnahan – East Coast farmers, breeders of supreme Angus beef and winners of the inaugural Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards 2017.

NZ Life & Leisure proudly supports the annual Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards. With 150 entries, from the Catlins to Kaitaia, the judges were spoilt for choice.

New Zealand towns and cities are crying out for more town criers. Two sisters are ringing the bell for a proud (and loud) institution.

Golden Bay writer Charlotte Squire learned a lot about life in downsizing her family into a 27sqm home

The land is proving to be a natural classroom in more ways than one for Polly and her family.

It’s almost time for the announcement of the winner of the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards 2017 so thisNZlife asked the award judges to reveal their kitchen secrets.

This recipe by The Mountain Cafe's Kirsten Gilmour is perfect for a light, fresh,  lunch or evening salad.

This week in the water cooler: we scream like a chook, watch divine TV and gaze in awe at mighty Mt Ruapehu.

The wild yeasts of Kapiti Island star in a new brew from a Waikanae company known for its barrel-fermented sour beers.

If water is contaminated after a disaster, there are several ways to purify it.

Food in a refrigerator won’t last long without power so plan your food usage carefully to avoid contamination.

How to keep animals calm after a disaster and how to plan for animal evacuation.

Polly finds traveling with kids a less-than-relaxing experience.

Force yourself to eat a certain way and you will likely fail. try giving yourself a little wiggle room instead.

An everyday accountant is working with New Zealand scientists to explore the disease-fighting properties of heritage apples and orange tomatoes.

Zero-waste blogger Amanda Chapman discusses the community fridge project and her eco heroes.

Meet the selection of creative female go-getters selling their wares at the Rural Ladies marketplace.

Distracted by saddlebacks and robins, Insider’s Guide editor Cheree Morrison never expected to trip over a kiwi.

From two sprawling high-country stations on either side of the Waitaki River, two young and creative rural ladies are empowering and connecting like-minded women.

Jim Kayes is easily led astray by his 10-year-old daughter on a bike along the Hauraki Rail Trail.

This week, Polly defends her ducks from a date with  the casserole pot.

An Auckland entrepreneur is earning a crust with a clever bread mix business.

If you think selling food you’ve made in your home kitchen can’t be done legally, you could be in for a delicious surprise. We meet some small-time home-based business people with a passion for food who show how they work within the rules.

An Auckland-based technology entrepreneur is making going to the doctor as easy as pushing a button

We’ve all heard of ‘man caves’, but there are so many inspiring garden buildings, including the ‘she shed’. Check out these beautiful projects from NZ and around the world, most made on a small budget and out of recycled materials.

Some businesses are disguising their employees  as volunteers, so are you breaking the law when you host a wwoofer from another volunteer scheme?

Cycling the exotic island of Madagascar provides a lesson in the country's economy, as well as one in humanity.

If you only think pesto when you think of basil, Jenny has some recipes to tickle your tastebuds.

Spice up your homemade burgers with a good dollop of peanut butter relish.

Mexican photographer Carla Danieli had never spent time on a farm before her stay on a remote station in the Waihopai Valley.

Mary Biggs started with Le Cordon Bleu, detoured into lemon cordial and is now back to basics with a country cooking school, sharing the bounty of her beloved farm.

Feeding a crowd?  Annabel Langbein's zesty salmon dish with Nam Prik sauce is ready in 20 minutes.

It's a garden harvest special in this week's water cooler as we share tips for growing pumpkins, harvesting fruit and transforming mature lettuce into a delicious soup.

Chris Parry, drummer for the iconic 1960s band Fourmyula and manager of British bands the Jam and the Cure, left New Zealand 50 years ago expecting never to return. But that was until he found a soul-soaring piece of turf he now calls home.

Polly gets wet feet during the storm and discovers she has to reap what she sows.

Visual artist Rebecca Swan's exhibition at the Auckland Arts Festival transforms dead animals into works of art.

Serial entrepreneur Pic Picot has learned that nothing pays better than peanuts.

Ghosts, nudie photographs and a Pacific slave trade - Lisa Scott takes a tour of Port Chalmers and discovers a few skeletons in the closet of this Dunedin suburb.

In the water cooler this week: Emma has a double take at Twin Peaks,  Nadene isn't peachy about the weather and Kate and Tracey go green.

The award-winning owners of Lonely Goat say the costs of compliance are nothing to yodel about, and explain why they are working for love, not money.

A favourite gluten-free recipe from Mary Bigg's Country Cooking School.

Two brothers have turned a patch of Wanaka into a lavender business in full bloom.

Although losing her sight meant the end of artist Juliet Jackson’s love affair with painting, it sparked a new-found passion for the written word.

In the two years since the proficiently self-sufficient Vinbrux family of Oamaru first captured the hearts of NZ Life & Leisure readers, for their ability to live well on food expenditure of $90 a week, the family has branched out and taken Oamaru food retailing by storm.

These chewy and gooey bite-size sweet treats are not only delicious, but gluten-free.

It’s completely inedible when raw and dangerous to cut up, with a heady, perfumed scent that is completely at odds with its appearance. Sound like your kind of fruit?

Monique Fiso is one of the most innovative young chefs in Maori and Pacific cuisine, but it took a job halfway around the world for her to discover her true passion.

At a time when travel bans and giant walls place severe strain on international relations, Polly reflects on the kind hospitality she received in the Middle East.

A love of beautiful things- particularly weddings- has transformed the lives of a Southland family from the ground up.

Use a mild-flavoured honey, such as blue borage, in this toasted sesame version of the classic treat.

At Farewell Spit NZ Life & Leisure staff Cheree Morrison and Jane Ussher saw nature at its most beautiful and most cruel.

This week in the water cooler: Nadene is seeing stars in Hunua, Emma has gone to the dogs (again) and Cheree goes banana(grams).

When a crane swung two shipping containers over the treetops of a cherry orchard it signalled the start of a new way of life for the Heeringa family.

A sacred forest in Bali’s Ubud is both a conservation area for monkeys and a place where humans strive to reach physical and spiritual well-being in accord with Hindu principles.

Turn a bean overload into three fantastic summer dishes.

The Mussel Inn beats at the heart of Golden Bay's creative, organic community. Its music-loving owners created it with grit, vision... and a bit of inspiration from Bob Dylan.

Basil, parsley, rocket - use whatever greens you have growing in your garden to make this zesty pesto.

A multi-tasking Kiwi with a passion for saving animals has set up a special sanctuary on her lifestyle block just outside Melbourne.

Many people have a dream to become artisan cheesemakers. It was 20 years in the making for Adrian and Jill Walcroft of Cartwheel Creamery, but they’re maturing nicely.

In Polly Greek's blog this week: when a Pekin duck goes missing, James goes on stoat-catching duty.

Dunedin writer Lisa Scott went adventuring in the Abel Tasman National Park, north west of Nelson, and came away reeling.

She may be berthed close to the super yachts of the world’s well heeled at Auckland’s Silo Marina but the Moerangi is no flash-n-crass gin palace.

An Anglo-American couple find their adventurous spirit by swapping international careers for a Golden Bay distillery and its stock of barrel-aged rum.

This is a garden of no soil that supplies the award-winning Riverstone Kitchen with its fresh vegetables and fruit all year-round, and it's a work of art.

Cows and sheep aren’t the only creatures enjoying the bucolic life — holiday-making families can too. as farmers look for new ways to diversify, home-stays and holiday rentals, even posh camping sites – are on the rise.

Young boys run wild on Polly's  family camping trip.

The following recipe is fast, low fuss and delicious. It is ideal for feeding a crowd at the family bach.

Surf-loving foodies Jason and Melissa Philips downsized and relocated to the Wairarapa to give their hand-rolled burrito business the best chance of catching a big break.

This family of five lives in a 20m², off-grid and smart phone-free home with a composting toilet and a shower they share with the sky.

As a teenager Minnie Baragwanath was told her disability would limit her life. But the winner of the 2013 Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award is determined to make a difference for the lives of disabled people.

Carine Claudepierre shares a  dairy-free, egg-free breakfast option inspired by tapioca.

Less than 100km away from the 1.4 million people who make up Auckland is an island of the self-sufficient. Great Barrier Island resident and author Lindsay Wright checks out some of his industrious neighbours.

It’s been a flavourful career for Kohu Road founder Greg Hall. There’s a pinch of everything in his recipe for success – and the outcome is simply delicious.

Cashew cream is an easy to make dairy-free alternative to whipped cream.

Life is a movable feast for these house-bus-living, fun-loving, free-spirited ‘gypstas’.

If you're looking for something fresh and fancy for Christmas lunch this year, give this balsamic strawberry bruschetta a go.

A Christchurch paddleboard entrepreneur is riding a steady wave of growth.

A South Island couple takes on two run-down old rail carriages and, in doing so, embarks on a long, exhausting – and ultimately very rewarding – journey.

For more than half a century, this classic launch has been a summer base afloat. 

Today’s needs, tomorrow’s changes and even resale appeal need to be taken into account when designing the rooms in your home.

In a parched and withering place, a New Zealand photographer gets instruction on how to live.

A universal truth is the power of three. In the coastal township of Raglan, three adored baches subscribe to that hypothesis.

Fun and freedom on a budget? Or the family holiday from hell? Traveling some 1200 kilometres from Christchurch to Auckland in a campervan with two small children isn’t everyone’s idea of heaven. But this family survived… and then some.

This has to be the most divine cordial ever. I can never make enough of it. You just need a small amount in a glass topped up with water and you'll be in heaven. This is how one writer describes it.

From sexy swimsuits to silky separates, skin-baring tops to transparent jumpsuits, summer is all about show.

Polly debates whether to boycott Christmas and celebrate the Summer Solstice instead.

Louise McNutt thought climbing into a wolf den was the biggest challenge she’d face in her animal-focused career, until she chose to ride the length of New Zealand on horseback.

In the final water cooler of 2016: Anna Tait-Jamieson shares her shellfish secrets, Cheree has her eye on the prize and Kate is all tied up in knots.

A storybook house in the towering mountains offers an adorable princess, talking animals, a modest prince and a very funny mummy. She's a comedy writer, he's a beekeeper- meet the Dunbars.

Running out of present ideas for the practical person in your life? NZ Lifestyle Block editor Nadene Hall's gift list might provide inspiration.

These Yoyos are guaranteed to melt-in-the-mouth. This classic sweet treat is quick to make and will no doubt be an absolute crowd pleaser.

This week in the water cooler: we get very confused watching Westworld, make green pizza bases and are screaming for ice cream.

She may have named her first craft beer after a famous lipstick, but brewer Ava Nakagawa is certainly not making beer just for the girls.

Central Otago artist Deidre Copeland's paintings are immediately recognizable . Big canvases. Hyperrealism. She talks to Nathalie Brown about her career and crazy lifestyle.

The Pitches Store chef shares his award-winning recipe for Green Tea Smoked Silver Fern Farms Reserve Beef with Beetroot Mustard.

Spring might be over, but there is plenty of pollen still in the air. Listed below are a few of the potential culprits, and it's probably not what you might think.

He’s interested in how everything is interconnected; she in the personal story of her clients. This pair of Sydney-based Kiwi architects continue to make their mark on both civic and private jobs

There may be a few hills to climb and you could well be subjected to a little karaoke, but this trek through some of New Zealand’s best scenery does good in more than one sense.

For a woman who really loves black and white, Wellington businesswoman Liz Stringer lives a most colourful life, split between town and country.

There is always an easy way and a hard way to do something, and Christmas cake is no different.

David Elliot loves nothing more than a good story. As luck (and hard work) would have it, his country-spanning, award-winning, character-rich career has bestowed him with plenty of content.

The NZ Life & Leisure spring luncheon was huge success, raising $6500 for Ranui House.

Starting a backyard herbal enterprise can be a viable means of earning extra cash. Donna Lee of Cottage Hill Herbs spills her secrets to success.

Top go-karter Tiff Chittenden is teaching a new generation of speedsters how to tackle the track.

This month the Off-Topic Book Club do a podcast about a case made famous by a podcast when they review Adnan's Story by Rabia Chaudry.

Sheryl welcomed her husband Tony into their marriage by giving him the key to her  fabulous 56-year-old fin-tailed Ford.

As the weather starts to warm up, it is prime time to start sprouting flowers, fruit, vegetables, and herbs in your home garden.

Jason & Tristin Dickey talk us through how they brought superyacht technology down to size in a range of luxuriously fitted aluminium boats.

Featuring New Zealand's largest earthbag buildings, tipis, a permaculture garden and solar energy, Raglan's Solscape eco-camp is leading the way in sustainable tourism.

Livestock being moved around a property can become unsettled, and that can be dangerous. Here's five ways you can keep things under control.

A burgeoning, and bespoke, perfume business strays no further than nature’s garden for ingredients

This week in the water cooler: we sing the praises of stained glass, wax lyrical about goats and make delicious yet unpronounceable sauces.

Hurricane Hallinan, aka the country’s liveliest gardener Lynda Hallinan, shows us her spring makeover in time for another charity fundraiser.

Thieving sparrows,  heartless geese, breathless theatre and treasured faces: things that we were talking about in the thisNZlife office this week

When you’re considering security options for your farm, you’re probably considering the obvious: alarm system, gate alarm, dog, automatic lights, security cameras, but have you considered the humble goose?

Regional councils around NZ are introducing new rules around farming, and you need to know how they may affect what and how you do things on your block.

As the mudbrick  house construction progresses, Polly finds some workers are more help than others.

Meet the Williamsons: global merino suppliers raising a tribe of small boys and creating real socks appeal in Omarama.

New Zealand-made Zenkuro sake is ranked among the world's best.

In a two-part series, Dr Libby fronts up to a question about nutritional deficiencies.

Try these gluten-free alternatives to a standard wheat-based pizza crust.

The kids play in the bush and fish in the stream. The adults work from home creating toys that win awards.

Wellington tea maker’s three herbal blends are led by gut instinct, ensuring what’s tasty also nurtures body and mind.

There are two types of suitcase packers in this world, writes Polly Greeks, the  Johnny-Go-Lightlies and the Just-In-Case packers.

More than half the food thrown out by Kiwi households could be eaten.

Designer Katrina Hobbs is an expert at reinvention. From travel-show host to soap star, business presenter and now business owner, she takes a role and runs with it.

Jenny Drury is finding success with fashion label Ketz-ke by focussing on wholesale and supporting New Zealand retailers.

A Havelock North's desire to support  Pacific Island farmers has led to sweet business success.

A gravity driven watering system is just one of the innovations in use at an organic watercress farm in Raglan.

Cheree Morrison takes a walk in the well-worn running shoes of Fiona Hayvice, one of the world’s top ultra-marathon athletes.

A new wwoof-er demonstrates his unfamiliarity with wholefoods and a spiral staircase sends the family’s spirits to heaven.

For organic month, Kiwi firm, All Good Organics shares with us a recipe for delicious banana bread waffles and whipped coconut cream

You may think of all natives as friendly plants, but two common ones have a deadly secret.

Fans of the wood-burning stove explain why they find an old-fashioned form of cooking far more satisfying than modern gadgetry.

Dunedin style icon Barbara Brinsley says she isn't afraid to stand out in a crowd.

The Off-Topic book Club raves about The Light Between Oceans, by M L Stedman.

A personal quest for work/life balance is at the core of a new restaurant and wellness centre run by a top chef and his yogi wife.

What does it take to captain a rugby team through to win two successive World Cups? A new documentary tries to capture the man behind the hype

Dr Sea Rottman will soon depart on an all-female expedition to Antarctica - just one of many adventures in her life.

This week in the thisNZlife office: We're feeling inspired by a wee spring lamb, try some strange fruit and find hares in the garden.

This delicious wheat free bread takes a little planning but is easy to make.

It's not easy being an organic beekeeper when bees can forage as far as 5km for their food.

In the first of a new series, Dr Libby tackles a problem head on.

The big city beckons for a Kaitaia local, but sometimes the hitting the jackpot comes with a price.

Elsie Hall's patented plant creations are the celebrities of the lavender world

A bubbly soapmaker has turned her favourite hobby into a cottage industry on her Otago small block.

Former Auckland art dealer Anna Bibby ignored the voices that told her she was bonkers and upped and moved to small-town France for a life tres tranquille

The last thing you need is for your orchard to look neat and tidy, at least not ground level anyway.

Part of the fun of owning a small flock is hatching eggs, whether by natural means or with a little mechanical intervention.

A delivery business with a twist boosts returns for a Gisborne orchard.

Leeks are a vegetable that Kristina loves and hates, and then she gets baking.

Height is no limit for Dale Thomas. New Zealand's champion tree climber is just as comfortable at the tops of giant trees as he is with two feet on the ground.

The fabulous walnut is a tasty treat for the home orchard owner, or a potential future crop with New Zealand’s climate meaning we can produce high quality nuts.

David Stedman is doing his artisan bit to keep our digitally drenched society in love with paper.

In a parched and withering place, a New Zealand photographer gets instructions on how to live.

The wind-up to spring planting is starting, and one big decision is going to have year-long repercussions.

This week in the water cooler, we savour the new season grapefruit, say hello to Talking Tom and make the best crackers EVER

If you have a wet or swampy area, fence it off, plant something that thrives on wet soils, and turn it into a thing of beauty.

If you’re tired of pushing yourself to do the lawns get our tips on how to buy possibly the biggest investment in a single product you’ll make when you live on a lifestyle block.

To cement their partnership, Antonia de Vere and Mark Seeney got married. Now they combine their talents in one very creative business, Markantonia

The Screen Sirens discuss why you should binge-watch the Lightbox drama UnREAL.

The after-effects of a dry summer will still be with you this spring.

This shipping container uses every square inch to nurture the future of country kids, and the adults too.

Sue Moody explores Auckland's magenta cycle way - by foot.

Farm trips for the kids, a movie that made our heart sing and yet more dogs... things that got us talking in the thisNZlife office this week.

Romance has fulled the revival of a family's much-loved 60-year-old Land Rover.

Searching for forebears takes an exciting turn for two NZ Life & Leisure writers.

There’s an element of Wonderland in interior designer Anya Brighouse’s home but this creative force is anything but out of control

Taranaki-born Jamie Tuuta is enhancing the potential of Maori land and assets in his role as the Maori Trustee

Are your ewes due to lamb? Are you ready? Here are some things to consider.

An architect designed his dream house on the shores of the Kaipara using coolstore panels.

This week in the water cooler: we make new discoveries on Netflix, search for the perfect umbrella tree and plan survival strategies for The Food Show

Mulching is an easy way to protect your soil until you’re ready to use it in spring.

Book reviewer Miranda Spary sees the world differently after reading The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent.

The late Japanese farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka created a revolutionary way of farming that has no plowing, no fertiliser, no weeding and no pesticides.

When you live on a little island in the middle of a big ocean, you have to make your block of land pay its own way in the most self-sufficient manner possible.

Daniel Gudsell turns a customer complaint into a thriving, environmentally friendly wood business.

A wine producer is allowing her creative spirit to pop while exploring the Chinese heritage of Central Otago.

Caught out by the weather while visiting the UK or Ireland? Here are four great museums to visit on a rainy day.

Pests are tricky, secretive creatures and it can be difficult to know if you have a small problem, or a really big one.

Goats and chooks live in harmony in this funky recycled coop in Portland, Oregon.

Winter is a great time to plant your future fruiting trees, but do you know how to do it so you give a tree the optimal start?

The demise of a local coincides with the near-death of the family’s bathroom plumbing.

Kristina  Jenson brews up some great beer-based recipes, including a fabulously decadent chocolate cake.

From the creator of Downton Abbey, the Belgravia serves up old-fashioned Dickensian serialised storytelling on a new digital app. But is the medium successful? Kate Coughlan weighs in.

They’re fussy, but tamarillos are a tangy treat, and prolific if you know the secrets to high production.

The enterprising students of Hukerenui School are making a profit from growing maize, lavender and keeping bees.

Two great options for fodder, shelter, shade and firewood can be as simple as a stick in the ground

Noeline Young is a trail-blazer who adores aviation.

The rain fell down and a solution popped up – a young Wellington couple has designed a collection of classy raincoats that are making a splash.

Despite growing up on the cutting edge of the minimal Modernist movement, this interior and architectural designer’s heart is in the past.

Don't overlook this gourmet low calorie vegetable. Jenny Somervell shares three tasty parsnip recipes.

What makes some people great? The documentary Chasing Great, featuring one of our best All Black captains ever, promises some answers.

Apollo Taito is a manager in the mental-health sector, part-time soldier, PhD student,  vegan and animal-rights campaigner.

Cheree Morrison puts pedal to the metal on the Highlands Motorsport Park course in Cromwell.

She made her first pair of shoes out of some car mat, now Dunedin’s Louise Clifton has opened her own shoe school.

No-one likes mud, and it's something you need to manage carefully or the damage to soil can be devastating.

From weird face masks to smart skin patches, there are plenty of beauty trends to help you face the future.

When she began she thought $100 was a good day's takings, now Brownwyn Lowe is helping hundreds of people cure the symptoms of stress.

Don't throw away your banana peels, they are the secret ingredient in this cake.

Busy bees, balls of bliss and a country bumpkin and her pumpkins - things that got us talking this week.

Why all-terrain roller skates are no match for a goat track in the Far North.

This edible flower cheesecake tastes as good as it looks.

A South Auckland grower shares the secrets of her edible garden.

New Zealand has a good climate for growing tea. Here's our guide to making the perfect cuppa from garden to table.

This 30cm dog might be the ultimate Kiwi canine.

Now is a great time to create something pretty and functional for this spring.

Avoid ruffling feathers when buying your first flock with our simple guide.