Easter in New Zealand seemed festive this year

A work colleague sent me this link reminding me of the annual New Zealand Easter bunny hunt - forget about the annual American traditional of the Easter egg hunt - this looks like much more fun! 

And environmentally friendly too lets not forget....

More Superbowl ad previews...

My response to this new Pepsi Max ad was "...mmmm...bad". Check it out.

And this one....no better.

These are not New Zealand men.

And I really miss New Zealand ads...

Kiwi Day

Ok...so I've been out of New Zealand for a little too long perhaps...but this had me laughing til I almost cried tonight...!

Job Opening

A colleague in NYC sent me this this morning...sent from a friend in Australia. So I have to hear news of happenings in the hood via Oz, to NYC, to MKE. Too funny. 

Just makes me realise how much I miss Kiwi humor. Have a laugh...(double click to open in a new window if it's hard to read)

Air New Zealand Fashion Weeks in full swing in Auckland

Check out my niece Bridget being interviewed by the New Zealand Herald...love the look Bridge!

Where's Your Baacode From...?

Love this new marketing concept from NZ merino clothing label Icebreaker...

They've made it easy for customers to find out where their fleecy products came from with the help of a system they're calling Baacode which launched last week.

Baacode gives each item of clothing a unique tracking number, which when entered into Icebreaker's website allows you to find out exactly where your clothing was made, even allowing you to take a virtual tour of the New Zealand ranch on which "your" sheep was raised.

The aim is for customers to learn more about the work that goes into making an item of clothing and for Icebreaker to make their operating practices transparent to the consumer.

And the video clips links to the station....priceless. Everything I love about New Zealand. 

My Top 14 List

Talking of lists, while out walking the dog tonight I got to thinking about home so thought I'd put together a couple of my own lists - one about New Zealand, one about the US:

Things I miss about New Zealand:
- Denheath custard squares...they do mail order now, just not sure they'd make the Midwest
- cream buns - the old fashioned ones with the hard sugar crusted outside and fluffy inside
- the restaurants
- yum cha...only because there isn't any in Milwaukee
- British drama on TV...although I found out yesterday we do get the BBC America channel on our cable network which has the odd decent show (yesterday they were doing a Top Gear marathon - yeeeha!...)
- pineapple lumps...there is one pack in the freezer door and I'm convinced it's got a hollow bottom (it's lasting but I know it has to come to an end soon!)
- sheep
- the advertising
- the contemporary architecture (but that's just because there is none here)
- the bacon
- the bread
- the butter
(breakfast!)
- driving on the left ... it really is the right side of the road
- friends and family...all of you!

Things I love about America:
- that everyone is so polite
- outlet stores and coupons...don't think I've paid full retail for any item of clothing yet (well, maybe a jacket from H&M but that doesn't count - it was already cheap
- yard sales and flea markets - just so much better than Kiwi garage sales (although you do see some really ugly furniture)
- farmers' markets
- Krispy Kremes - only had one in a year and a half (but I know it's there if I need one!)
- that they don't know about the Tall Poppy Syndrome
- that they talk about dropping F Bombs - we just come out and say it F$%K
- that they love a Kiwi accent
- living so close to Chicago
- tailgating...never been but it looks so much fun (kindalike drinks out of the back of the car at the races when I was a kid)
- that most people don't have passports...they don't want to leave (maybe that's a good thing, think about it)
- the old fashioned diners
- Milwaukee custard
- (can't think of a 14th!)

I'm sure I'll think of more as soon as I press "publish". But that's what top of mind.

Can you tell that food is important in my life...

Last one out, turn out the lights

A little Kiwi memorabilia...The Goodnight Kiwi was a animated short used to signal the end of the broadcast day on Television New Zealand channels, before they went 24hrs. It aired from the early 80s till October, 1994. Pretty amazing to think how we take 24 TV for granted now.

Ok, so maybe we will stay in Wisconsin for another winter or two...

...either that, or move to Christchurch....Reading The Herald is way too scary sometimes...Click on the link to read the whole story.

Email to my colleagues

"Today, April 25, is ANZAC Day commemorated in New Zealand and Australia each year when we remember our soldiers who died in the fields at Gallipoli, Turkey during the first major joint military action that the two allied nations fought together during WW1. 

The combined forces landing on the Turkish coast at Gallipoli had a profound impact on the solidarity of the two countries - and the ANZAC legend was born (ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corp).

Two icons are associated with this day for us - poppies (as the Turkish fields were covered in spring poppies, and small poppy badges are on worn on ANZAC Day) and what are known as "ANZAC biscuits". Quick global culinary translation - in the UK, Australia and New Zealand cookies are known as biscuits, American biscuits are known as scones, and scones are known as rock cakes! Got it?!

The biscuits were made by mothers and wives of WW1 soldiers and sent in care packs from NZ and Australia to their men in the field in Europe (by ship!) - the recipe was designed to last and made from oats and coconut.

So in memory of these men try and ANZAC biscuit - they're beside Kelley's desk.

Conchords flying to Milwaukee

The boys are coming to Milwaukee! Early May. Tickets went on pre-sale Wednesday this week at noon, and they were sold out in 5 minutes! The face value of the tickets is $35 each - and they're now selling on the secondary market for minimum of $95 - up to $330US!

But we got two tickets...!

Gotta love a Kiwi fan!

From today's NZ Herald. Click through to read the story about arguably the staunchest Kiwi fan of them all.

Photo: Hawkes Bay Today

100% NZ

Ok, I'm back! Too long off-blog, but found this TVC today on YouTubeUK which prompted me to get back on. It's a TVC run last year in the UK by Tourism New Zealand...a snapshot of our great country for all you homesick Kiwis or people who need to visit....

More from Christchurch - the Undie 500

My old alma mater - the University of Canterbury - shines again....

Be sure to click on the link to the story on Stuff to see the video...priceless interviews (Flight of the Conchords breeding ground!).

Race streakers may have caused pile-up

By ARWEN HANN and JO MCKENZIE MCLEAN - The Press | Saturday, 25 August 2007

Kirk Hargreaves

RARING TO GO: James Graham lines up for the start of the Undie 500 at the University of

Undie 500 roadies streaking naked through roadworks in Mid-Canterbury may have caused a six-car pile-up among rubber-necking motorists yesterday

Police Southern Communications supervisor Hemi Waretini said they had received many calls yesterday as hundreds of Canterbury University students embarked on the world-famous road trip to Dunedin. "Because they are not sticking together, and they are stopping at various locations and getting out to relieve themselves, we've mainly had calls relating to individuals, but it's been nothing major."

In an accident in Chertsey, near Ashburton, at 4.30pm, six cars had tail-gated after Undie 500 students were seen running naked through roadworks. No-one was injured.....read on for more

No carnivore sex please - we're vegan

I actually found the link to this story on the Michael Rulhman foodie blogsite - imagine my surprise when I saw it originated in my home town, Christchurch. Enough said. Read on...

I Was A Kiwi Kid

From the Facebook group "I Was a Kiwi Kid"

You know that you were a Kiwi Kid if you can remember these things...

Hide and seek/spotlight in the park, the corner dairy, hopscotch, four square, go carts, cricket in front of the garbage bin and inviting everyone on your street to join in, skipping (double dutch), gutterball, handstands, elastics, bullrush, catch and kiss, footy on the best lawn in the street, slip'n'slides, the trampoline with water on it (or a sprinkler under it), hula hoops, jumping in puddles with gumboots on, mud pies and building dams in the gutter. The smell of the sun and fresh cut grass.

'Big bubbles no troubles' with Hubba Bubba bubble gum. A topsy. Mr Whippy cones on a warm summer night after you've chased him round the block. 20 cents worth of mixed lollies lasted a week and pretending to smoke "cigarettes" (the lollies) was really cool!.. A dollars' worth of chips from the corner take-away fed two people (AND the sauce was free!!).

Being upset when you botched putting on the temporary tattoo from the Bubblegum packet, but still wearing it proudly. Watching Saturday morning cartoons: 'The Smurfs', 'AstroBoy', 'He-man', 'Captain Caveman', 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', 'Jem' (trulyoutrageous!!), 'Super d'', and 'Heeeey heeeeey heeeeeeey it's faaaaaaat Albert'. Or staying up late and sneaking a look at the "AO" on the second telly, being amazed when you watched TV right up until the 'Goodnight Kiwi!'

When After School with Jason Gunn & Thingie had a cult following and What Now was on Saturday mornings! When around the corner seemed a long way, and going into town seemed like going somewhere. Where running away meant you did laps around the block because you weren't allowed to cross the road?? A million mozzie bites, wasp and bee stings.

Goodies & baddies, cops and robbers, cowboys and indians, riding bikes until the streetlights came on and catching tadpoles in horse troughs.

Going down to the school swimming pool when you didn't have a key and your friends letting you in, drawing all over the road and driveway with chalk. Climbing trees and building huts out of every sheet your mum had in the cupboard (and never putting them back folded). Walking around in bare feet, no matter what the weather.

Running till you were out of breath. Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt. Pitching the tent in the back/front yard (and never being able to find all the pegs). Jumping on the bed. Singing into your hair brush in front of the mirror, making mix tapes...

Sleepovers, pillowfights, spinning round, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for the giggles. The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team. Water balloons were the ultimate weapon. Weetbix cards pegged on the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle. Collecting WWF and garbage pail kids cards.

Eating raw jelly and raro, making homemade lemonade and sucking on a Rad, a traffic light popsicle, or a Paddle Pop!

You knew everyone in your street - and so did your parents! It wasn't odd to have two or three "best friends" and you would ask them by sending a note asking them to be your best friend.

You didn't sleep a wink on Christmas eve and tried (and failed) to wait up for the tooth fairy. When nobody owned a pure-bred dog. When 50c was decent pocket money. When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for 10c.

When nearly everyone's mum was there when the kids got home from school. When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at the local Chinese restaurant or Cobb'n'Co with your family. When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed her or use him to carry groceries and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.

Remember when decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo" or dib dib's-scissors, paper, rock. "Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest. Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in Monopoly.

Terrorism was when the older kids were at the end of your street with pea-shooters waiting to ambush you, or the neighbourhood rottie chased you up a tree!

The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was boy/girl germs, and the worst thing in your day was having to sit next to one. Where bluelight disco's were the equivalent to a Rave, and asking a boy out meant writing a 'polite' note getting them to tick 'yes' or 'no'.

Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a slingshot. Your biggest danger at school was accidentally getting caught up in a game of bullrush.

Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better. Taking drugs meant Scoffing orange-flavoured chewable vitamin C's, or swallowing half a Panadol. Ice cream was considered a basic food group. Going to the beach and catching a wave was a dream come true. Boogie boarding in the white wash made you the next Kelly Slater. Abilities were discovered because of a "double- dare".

Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors.

The not-so-flightless Kiwis...

The Flight of the Conchords has just been resigned by HBO for a second series according to news reports this weekend.

The show is bloody brilliant - and even being talked about in the corridors of Miller (I've even been dubbed Murray by two of the guys in the sponsorship department, who are calling themselves Bret and Germaine). Roll on season two.

New Zealand - the land of the long grey/pink cloud

I know I owe a second installment on the State Fair but I interrupt this broadcast to give you this commentary received from Brian Sweeney from the NZEdge.com website in his latest email...thought you might enjoy...

Have been confronting the dichotomy between global achievement and a fairly murderous (literally) local climate. There has been extensive media commentary about the parlous state of New Zealand's behaviour and values. A tangential but compelling commentary can be found on the NZ Herald's always-excellent reader forum specifically addressing the question "Do you think New Zealand is boring?" It's a great question; at last count there were 200 intelligent comments mostly of the view that it is. I can give both "absolutely" and "absolutely not" answers to this question (but fundamentally, life is what you make of it). Overall the country feels like it is in drift mode; awash with the scent of violence; politically fragmented; overly-contented; and little sense of urgency (one export leader commented to a meeting last week that complacency in NZ was leading us to become "Tasmania on Prozac").

With a reported one in eleven Cantabrians on heavy-duty anti-depressants, we might be truly over the edge. In counselling on happiness, philosopher Daniel Dennett advises to "find something bigger than yourself, then devote your life to it." New Zealand needs this firmly articulated sense of purpose (our version is "winning the world from the edge"). My belief is that this would deal to the atrophy that afflicts public life here "on-island". It's not enough to simply get behind the ABs. The nation operating with purpose and focus as a "One Team One Dream" unit would propel us forward. I'm a resident optimist, and I hope this issue #87 of nzedge.com puts a step in your day. Cheers.

One in 11!!!! (Well, I know of one..) I did a quick web search to try and get some some more info about this - concerned at the slight on my people - and couldn't find anything. I might have to email him...

P.S Read Kevin Robert's great commentary on the ABs on the blog site that's part of NZedge.

Two Kiwis taking flight in New York

Kiwi comedy-musical duo "Flight of the Conchords" have hit the big time here in the US with their new comedy show that just launched on HBO.

The New York Times last week heaped a gentle dose of praise on the boys for their dry, witty show - you can tell the writer didn't want to jinx the future success of the show by focusing too much attention and pressure on the program.

The show follows Jemaine and Bret (two characters named after themselves) as they search for their big break into the New York City music scene. With plenty of references to their homeland New Zealand - their deadpan flat Kiwi accents will for sure leave some viewers wondering "what the f__k" - the show is sure to be a runaway underground success. The guys have had a cult international following for some time - but can they go mainstream? Or should they even bother?...

I was at a marketing presentation this week focusing on the latest trends in consumer behavior. One of the key trends was that people are looking to discover brands or elements of popular culture that are maybe a little underground thereby proving their sophisticated edge - rather than simply responding to a blatant advertising message that any idiot could receive. Hence the growth of brands like 42 Below in the US (that's mainly had its growth through viral marketing, the internet and word of mouth) .

HBO took a similar route with FOTC in the early promotion of the show - they released the first episode online (even before if aired on TV) allowing the widespread internet community to spread the word. They've put up the lyrics to the songs (hilarious), and clips from the show on their website so that bloggers like myself can embed them on their sites (and hence spread the viral word), and the boys have appeared as the final musical act on the David Letterman and Conan O'Brien shows in the past two weeks.

Given that the humor is very Kiwi (a little exotic and hard to understand?), even drier and edgier (and maybe at times for some a little hard to understand) than even The Office, the potential for these guys to become a sensation is highly likely. Read: you've got to be cool to get this show.

The cringe factor in the first episode was the boys visit to the consulate office where their unofficial manager "Murray" (and he's a real Muuuurry - short sleeve polyester shirt, geeky persona, and New Zealand poster on the wall behind his desk) made pains to take a roll call, even though there were only three of them in the room.

Maybe that could be our new Kiwi edge that we should be promoting internationally - especially here in the US. Rather than try to compete on the mainstream stage let's celebrate our uniqueness (especially our humor). These guys could be bigger than Peter Jackson....let's wait and see...

You never know, the impending release in the US of the New Zealand big-cringe-factor movie "Black Sheep" may well be huge ("this summer...get ready for the silence of the lambs"....!). Heaven forbid.

From the NZ Herald

NZ home to hackers

New 6:00AM Friday May 25, 2007

New Zealand has more computer hackers per head of population than anywhere else apart from Britain, a new report on "cybervandalism" across 10 countries has found.

Cool. Another great stat about NZers I can use...!