VENUE: Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand
DATE: Being held between the Rugby World Cup 2011 Semi-final and Final on Tuesday 18 - Wednesday 19 October

Rugby World Cup 2011 merges with fashion next week in the Westfield Style Pasifika- Best of Pasifika New Zealand. Fashion, music, technology and dance are combined into two amazing nights of New Zealand entertainment. It will showcase New Zealand and the Pacific’s creativity and innovation.

Westfield Style Pasifika is recognised as one of New Zealand’s iconic must see events. The show producer is the talented Stan Wolfgramm. The 90 minute spectacular is in its 17th year of production. Most Pasifika shows draw a live audience of 7000 on a night and over 300,000 television broadcast audience. There are four themes which include: Our Pacific, a journey of migration, warriors in a new land and global influence. It is one of only four events that are supported by the government during the Rugby World Cup.

Westfield Style Pasifika is embracing the Rugby World Cup 2011 by inviting designers from the 19 nations to design a rugby-themed garment made from New Zealand merino wool. The Style Pasifika rugby inspired International Designer collection will include some of the biggest designers in the world such as Australia’s Tigerlily and Elizabeth Emanuel from England who designed Princess Dianas dress.

For the upcoming designers you can enter the Westfield Style Pasifika Fashion Awards which has launched the careers of many New Zealand’s talented young designers. In 2011 competition it will focus on three categories - Traditionally Inspired, Colonial Pasifika 3 Piece Collection and Multicultural Pasifika Style.

Westfield Style Pasifika is a truly spectacular show not to be missed. It is great for the whole family and is bound to teach you something new and exciting about New Zealand and the Pacific.

What better CD to buy right now than The Great New Zealand Songbook Volume 2. As we are all proud kiwis supporting the All Blacks, this is a great CD to listen to while having friends over or to get in to the mood for the Rugby World Cup. The Great New Zealand Songbook contains tracks from both the past and present and will be a perfect edition to your CD collection.

After the first songbook went three times platinum, Murray Thom, the man behind this CD, felt that there were more songs that had not been included. People loved the concept and it the CDs suit kiwi music lovers of all ages. The Great New Zealand Songbook Volume 2 includes 68 tracks from iconic New Zealand artists and the songs are bound to ignite some fun childhood or recent memories.

The CDs are split into last century and this century. The first CD starts with Poi E, New Zealand’s only Te Reo number one which was made famous again after the movie, Boy. It was also a huge hit in 1984. New Zealand legends such as Dave Dobbyn and Split Enz are also featured in the first CD. The second CD features some of New Zealand’s new talent. Brooke Fraser, Gin Wigmore and Dane Rumble all feature in this to create a great family holiday album.

The Great New Zealand Songbook Volume 2 caters a wide variety of genres and supports our local talent. It represents the past, present and future of New Zealand. It is the perfect price for a little present to give to a loved one and also a great gift for birthdays for all ages. If you are looking for that perfect CD with a great mix of songs then don’t go past The Great New Zealand Songbook Volume 2.

Rugby is the most popular sport in New Zealand and often when a child is asked what they want to be when they grow up they will reply “an All Black”. If you are an All Black in the making or are serious about your rugby, then this is the buying guide for you. With a huge variety of rugby boots out there, it is often a very tedious task trying to choose which boot and brand is best. With the advances in sportswear and sports science, the modern ranges of rugby boots are equipped to deal with the physical pressures of rugby to ensure that you will be at your peak performance.

Studs: The studs are a significant consideration when choosing boots. Some rugby boots are made with studs specifically for grass and some are made with studs that are screwed in so that they can be adjusted depending on the conditions. Short studs are perfect for hard fields and longer studs should be used for muddy and grassy fields. If the wrong type of studs are worn it can be dangerous to the other players and you will also not be able to play to your full potential.

Foot Style: When you are out looking for boots you should find out your running style and if you are flat-footed or have a high arch. Rugby boots are now lighter than ever to ensure that rugby players can move around the park at their fastest pace. When trying on boots you should look for one that is flexible and feels like it is moulded to your foot to ensure that your foot can bend correctly.

Material: Rugby boots are constructed with a variety of fabrics. A typical rugby match contains a lot of kicking and running and the boot material needs to be able to handle these strains. Leather boots are great for dry conditions but may not be ideal for wet conditions as they will stretch when they are wet. Synthetic rugby boots perform well in both conditions. The expense of the boot is usually dependent on the material used.

Cuts: The postion that you play is important when choosing the cut of the boot. Forwards rely on their lower body strength for scrums. Therefore high ankle cut boots are best as they provide additional support around the ankle. High cut boots should also be brought if you are prone to ankle injuries. Backs will often suit low cut boots for mobility and kickers usually suit snug fitting boots.

Keeping your boots clean: It is important that your boots are maintained properly by cleaning them after each game and making sure that you let them dry out. After a wet muddy game cleaning your boots is often the last thing on your mind but that extra effort will ensure that your boots last longer. Try to leave them to dry in fresh air rather than artificial air. Artificial air can cause the boots to crack.

With the Rugby World Cup in full swing, there will be many future All Blacks out there trying to find the perfect pair of boots. Look for quality boots that will suit your playing style and provide you with the adequate amount of stability and support. The most important thing is to ensure that your boots are comfy so that you are playing to your best ability and help steer your team to victory.

Laxing out on the hill of a vineyard, drinking a glass of wine and listening to some local tunes is what springs to my mind when I think of New Zealand music. As a country we should be proud of all the talented New Zealand musicians that are in our own back yard. What better way to celebrate this than having a whole month dedicated to New Zealand music. Despite being a small country we have a vast amount of talented musicians including Holly Smith, Concord Dawn, Bic Runga and OpShop to name a few. The New Zealand music month is a month long promotion run by the NZ Music Commission and it’s in its 11th year of celebrations.

The NZ Music commission spreads the word to media about key releases and live shows so that we all know about the incredible talent that New Zealand has to offer. Along with the New Zealand Music Commissions there are other organisations involved including NZ On Air, RIANZ, APRA, Independent Music NZ and the Radio Broadcasters Association. However just important as these organisations are the media, musicians and public that make it all possible. We should all support our homegrown talent.

This month was first set up to get local radios to play more homegrown music. Now it is a 31 day celebration throughout the whole of New Zealand to celebrate the vast amount of talented musicians. Before New Zealand music month was created the commercial radio didn’t play much local content. Nowadays there is a lot of awareness around homegrown music. According to Broadcasting Minister, Jonathan Coleman, in 2001 11% of music played on commercial radio was Kiwi-made. Today this percentage has risen to around 18%. This success is no doubt contributed by the New Zealand music month.

While it is a great opportunity for us to get out and enjoy and support New Zealand artists it is also excellent exposure for the musicians themselves. Each year we see new talent emerging on the radio. Fortunately getting to this stage isn’t the same long hard road that musicians used to have to face. While there has always been a great amount of music being made not enough people got to hear it or see it so it was very hard for the musicians. New Zealand music month has increased this awareness and now we all know about our favourite homegrown musicians.

New Zealand music month is an excellent opportunity to get out of the house and see our world class musicians all in our own back yard.

We have 5 double passes to give away to the Feelers at the Civic Wintergarden this Sat the 14th May to celebrate NZ Music Month. Joining them will be also be special guests The Aristocrats and Jonny Love. Tell us who your favourite kiwi band is and be in to win.