Sport Review xmas gift guide
Sport Review #262
Waipu’s finest brewery McLeod’s are Sport Review’s number one - I recommend the dry hopped pilsner, the west coast IPA (get the Glink’s if they bring it back) or the 802’s, when they come back in stock. Times are tough for local craft brewers, so it’s important to support them, very selfless, etc etc.
Lake Taupo’s finest Lakeman is a close number two - and their merch is fully sick.
Uggs are a key part of Sport Review’s winter creative process. These ones are made in New Zealand, are warm AF, and have grippy soles. Embrace them.
You should read Chad Taylor’s Blue Hotel, a steamy detective novel set in 1980’s Auckland. Or get a Book Sellers token you can use at independent NZ bookshops.
If, like Sport Review, you are cheap, I highly recommending cruising the AS Colour sale page regularly. All their stuff is good, and the discounts are real.
Possum. Check. Fair Isle. Check. Made in NZ. Check. Get in.
While you’re at it, why not load up with rat or possum traps with the Predator Free NZ gift guide? It’s better than this one.
Parisian make the best leather belts and wallets (and ties!), right here in Auckland. You can get them at Barkers, and other places.
I highly recommend that you stop fucking about with your phone and get a torch that goes really fucking bright. I got this one, but there are loads of others - just make sure it’s adjustable.
Nothing says Christmas like dumplings. They’d be perfect for that tricky period between a morning beer and waiting for the ham to be ready, and steaming stuff only takes up one element on the stove. Auckland’s Baolicious comes highly recommended.
Goodlids make awesome-looking hats out of hemp and are just on Mt Eden Road if you want to have a look.
Thanks for reading - Richard
This week's best NZ sport content
“I hope if anything it instils hope for people who are not necessarily sprinters, but maybe doing events that aren’t considered the norm, and encourages not to give up on something because it hasn’t been done before.”
Dana Johannsen meets sprint star Zoe Hobbs [Te Ao News]
I don’t think ODI cricket’s gradual sidelining is Tik Tok’s fault per se, but agree this is an awesome format (hell, they’re all awesome, even T20 in its own way), and should be made more meaningful [Stuff]
Razor on Sunday. Things are going to be different from now on [TVNZ]
Dylan Cleaver on the prospect of a new waterfront stadium with our new professional football team (ideally), Eden Park not being the National Stadium any more (even more ideally) or nothing actually happening (most likely) [The Bounce]
Video nasty
The Dominion Road re-work we needed.
Long read
All about Henry Kissenger and his invites to some of the hottest dinner parties in New York, despite being a war criminal and that [NY Mag]
Recommendation
Upright is a dark aussie comedy starring piano legend Tim Minchin, both series are on TVNZ+.