The first day of tour where we are staying one night in Tokaanu then a week in Thames, and a week in Rotorua was very eventful and frightening.
Artificial intelligence could deepen inequality and create ‘AI-poverty traps’ in developing nations, write economists Dr Asha Sundaram and Dr Dennis Wesselbaum in their paper ‘Economic development reloaded: the AI revolution in developing nations’.
Imagine waking up to the soothing sound of a river flowing gently into the sea, the air fresh with a salty breeze, and a symphony of birds to serenade the morning. This idyllic scene isn't a far-off dream but a reality at the Waikanae River Mouth Freedom Camping Area. In this blog post, we'll guide you through everything you need to know about this idyllic camping spot, how to adhere to the rules and set your self up for a wonderful (but brief stay).
Festival headliner trio 19-Twenty will perform Saturday night.
The New Zealand Blues & BBQ Festival is already making noise, with early bird two-day passes selling out before the deadline, proving there’s a hearty appetite for this epic three-day celebration of incredible blues music and mouthwatering food, returning to Rotorua this 28-30 November.
Iconic hamburger brand, Wendy’s is gearing up to fuel the passion of fans, followers, and friends of the One New Zealand Warriors with the unveiling of its limited edition Feed the Faith menu. Available now at all Wendy’s NZ restaurants until 10 August, the Feed the Faith Sweet & Smoky BBQ range is set to be the ultimate pre- and post-game ritual that Warriors fans will remember long after the official whistle blows.
AUCKLAND, 28th May 2025: Keep your energy levels up and winter bugs at bay this winter by embracing nature’s own medicine – fresh seasonal produce.
Rotorua is standing out from the rest of the country, according to the latest Infometrics Quarterly Economic Monitor, with the district recording positive movement across several key areas, despite a challenging national economic environment.
Photo by Jeanne Rouillard on Unsplash
“It’s astounding this has happened for a third time in a row. Hundreds of entries have poured in from Aotearoa New Zealand artists at all stages of their careers, exceeding all our expectations. This reflects the vibrancy of the nation’s art scene and the essential role art plays in our society, as well as the importance of our philanthropic partners who enable us to offer such generous prizes.”
Embarking on a unique voyage as we attempt to narrate what we hope will be the most captivating road trip for Gem, my spirited Border Terrier, and Bones, aka Tony Cutting (me), her devoted human companion.
This is not your ordinary tourist tandem but a dynamic team with a quest to rhapsodise (speak or write about with great enthusiasm and delight) the lesser-known corners of New Zealand.
All in Whittakers
While Whittaker’s has to date sourced only Ghanaian cocoa beans to make its chocolate, it is now supplementing this with cocoa beans that meet its quality and ethical standards from other parts of Africa. Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers will see changes to its packaging to reflect the cocoa origin change from next month.
Whittaker’s is delighted to bring back two fruit lovers’ favourites, Raspberry & New Zealand Strawberry 100g, and Gisborne Orange & Hazelnut 100g, now showcasing local ingredients, as part of its core New Zealand Artisan Collection.
World Chocolate Day on 7 July is a chance for Whittaker’s to celebrate our relationships with our cocoa farmers and other ingredient suppliers in New Zealand and around the world, staff at our one factory in Porirua, our ethical sourcing partners, our local community and our Chocolate Lovers.
Whittaker’s is delighted to bring back its Creamy Milk Macadamia 250g block for a limited time only, a much-loved classic and the pinnacle of class.
Crafted with Whittaker’s classic 33% Five Roll Refined Creamy Milk chocolate and combined with rich roasted macadamia nut pieces, this combination is an irresistible taste of luxury.
Whittaker’s is delighted to add a new Mango & Coconut 250g block to their permanent core range, a paradise of flavours inspired by mango sticky rice dessert.
Crafted with Whittaker’s caramelised white chocolate, chewy mango fruit pieces and toasted coconut, this combination is a tropical chocolate heaven.
Whittaker’s Chief Marketing Officer, Soraya Cottin, says it’s exciting to release such an innovative new flavour to sit alongside the more classic flavours in Whittaker’s permanent core range.
Whittaker’s is delighted to introduce its new brand campaign, which reflects its values as a family-owned, proudly New Zealand chocolate maker, as well as its sense of fun. It features Whittaker’s Chocolate Lover and internationally renowned Kiwi actor Karl Urban as J.H. Whittaker.
Whittaker’s has introduced two Limited Edition flavours: Relax and Refresh, featuring botanical extracts infused into Whittaker’s classic Creamy Milk™ chocolate. The innovative flavours have been designed to capture the feelings of relaxation and rejuvenation in an indulgent treat.
Whittaker’s is proud to release its new Whittaker’s Cocoa Pods®, which are the ultimate locally made premium treat or gift. They are also a major innovation for Whittaker’s, following more than five years of development and investment in state-of-the-art new factory equipment to ensure Whittaker’s Cocoa Pods® reflect Whittaker’s uncompromising commitment to quality in all its dimensions.
Whittaker’s innovative new Peanut Butter & Jelly 250g Block not only showcases the best of local ingredients but also creates a fun and unique eating experience, giving Chocolate Lovers the chance to savour the flavours separately and playfully challenging them to make their own PB&J ‘sandwich’.
Whittaker’s new Hokey Pokey Crunch is a fresh take on its classic flavour that delivers a lot more ‘crunch’, thanks to a delicious new and improved recipe for the hokey pokey pieces and the generous amount of them that are included in each block.
Whittaker’s is releasing two new limited-edition 100g blocks that are a delicious twist on iconic flavours – Carrot Cake and Strawberries and Waffles. It is perfect for those who want a unique treat and also like to support a good cause, with twenty cents from every block sold going to Whānau Āwhina Plunket.
Whittaker’s is honoured by the official admission of J.H. Whittaker to the Young Enterprise New Zealand Business Hall of Fame, which comes as Whittaker’s marks its 125th year in 2021.
Whittaker’s has built new facilities for the two cocoa cooperatives in Ghana that it sources cocoa beans from, reflecting its commitment to building closer relationships with its Ghanaian cocoa farmers alongside its new partnership with Rainforest Alliance announced earlier this year. These initiatives are part of Whittaker’s journey towards delivering on global commitments to full traceability of cocoa across the entire cocoa supply chain.
Whittaker’s Wellington Roasted Coffee Supreme Flat White 100g block is hitting the shelves again – and this time it’s for good. The much-loved, quintessentially Kiwi flavour is the first permanent addition to the Whittaker’s Artisan Collection in over two years, and is an example of the magic that can happen when two iconic local brands come together.
The new Whittaker’s Berry Forest is something special for those who love chocolate with berry flavours and texture, especially with the generous quantities of delicious inclusions Whittaker’s uses.
Whittaker’s has come together with Australia’s iconic Bundaberg Brewed Drinks (Bundaberg), to create its new limited edition Whittaker’s Brewed Ginger Caramel 250g Block.
Whittaker’s new Cocoa Lovers Collection celebrates extra dark chocolate with four 100g blocks, which also showcase the distinctive flavours of cocoa beans sourced from artisan producers in Samoa and Nicaragua alongside 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Ghanaian cocoa.
Dark Chocolate Lovers are in for a treat with Whittaker’s latest creation, 72% Dark Ghana Fruit & Nut, a classic new addition to Whittaker’s 250g permanent range, which is bound to become a pantry staple.
Last Sunday, Gem and I travelled up the west coast of the Coromandel Peninsula to the stunning little settlement of Coromandel town..
The drive from Thames to Coromandel took about an hour, but was very picturesque. The road up was a bit dodgy (skinny) with loads of vehicles towing large caravans or Boats along the way. I was happy Roxanne (The Caravan) was resting back in Thames for this trip.