Golden Half toy camera

WE'RE SUPPORTING

Adam Bartlett’s illustrations take me back to a time when Saturday mornings were all Coco Pops and soft drinks, a soft, lazy pillow and a well-worn position in front of the TV. When the funny faces, sounds, and storylines of the bright-eyed cartoons somehow seemed more real than the scattered world around me. On this cold, windswept Brooklyn morning, it’s a wonderfully sharp burst of mid-80s nostalgia. Read more

WE'RE TRAVELLING TO

As I sit writing, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m breaking an unwritten code among travellers. How do you write about a destination that’s paradise because no one knows about it? You tell the right people. So before I change my mind, here goes. Take a boat about two hours off the south coast of Cambodia, and you’ll reach a tropical hideaway called Lazy Beach on the Island of Koh Rong Saloem. Run by two English guys who’ve redefined the meaning of chillin’, it’s turquoise waters and white sands are everything you’d expect. From beachfront bungalows with snorkelling right off the beach, to a restaurant that cooks up the local fishermen’s daily catch. This is one deserted island you won’t mind being stranded on.

WE'RE WEARING

Cuffs are pretty glam right now and I’m particularly feeling those by Leethal Fashion Accessories. They also have a huge range of stylish jewellery such as bangles, rings, brooches, and earrings, all for less than $50.

WE'RE THINKING

Many moons ago, when my hair was longer and my eyes were wider, I played guitar in a Sydney rock band. Over a period of several years, the four members in the group went from relative normality to the very personification of imagined rock glory. Read more

WE'RE READING

DJ Spooky — That Subliminal Kid — is just about the deepest crate digger around, trawling the barrels of long-lost record stores for choice vinyl to spin in his wickedly dubby sets. He gave us the inside word last week on his eight favourite songs right now via our sister website, My Secret Playlist. This is what he had to say about Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Panic in Babylon: ‘If there’s anything that the twenty-first century has told us, it’s that dub is the real original hip-hop. Lee Scratch even had to make it clear in 1965 by adding “Scratch” to his middle name. Take that, Grandmaster Flash!’ Read the rest of DJ Spooky’s Secret Playlist.

This entertaining documentary follows a group of seemingly clichéd American teenagers in their last year of high school. Through a comprehensive recording of their lives it reminds us that, when examining anything in detail, there is no such thing as a cliché. The naivety and hope of each student shines through, providing a memorable and accurate portrait of a middle-American high school. Read more

WE'RE LISTENING TO

I haven’t bought a CD in a while but I was strolling down Wellington’s Cuba Street looking for a bit of inspiration the other day when Liam Finn’s music tapped me politely on the shoulder and dragged me into the music store. Liam is New Zealand music royalty, of Neil Finn descent, although — with his wild hair and beard — he’s looking a bit more like a young Jesus these days. The record is made with the help of an analogue loop machine, and you’ll find the kind of stunning instrumental crescendos that I haven’t heard since The Beatles Hey Jude. He engages emotionally and spontaneously, with both skill and showmanship.