Latest news with #TheLanding
Otago Daily Times
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
When the nest is emptying, make music
A Hāwea mother of three has found her second wind in the form of music and an album release. Every mother reaches a point in her life when her children are becoming less reliant and more independent. Farmer Anna Rowley is no exception. Mrs Rowley married into farming and has been in the area for about 20 years. Before that she studied a teaching degree at Lincoln and soon after left to live in a kibbutz in Israel, which was anything but the done thing at the time. "I was looking for a completely new experience, a different way of life, a different social structure." Mrs Rowley worked on a dairy farm there, milking and calf rearing — things she had never really done while living and growing up in New Zealand, although she is from a Canterbury sheep and beef farm. "Everyone works, they have a lot of business enterprises, rural-based was the original concept. Pure communist really. "I wanted a culture shock really and yes I got it. I made some good friends in a fascinating part of the world and I [had] a lot going on there." While she enjoyed the experience, the lifestyle was not maintainable and she missed some of the customs back home. "It made me appreciate that New Zealand has a very short history and it was an interesting experience but I wouldn't be able to live there permanently. "There is a natural hierarchy — even if you try make everything equal, there is still going to be a natural hierarchy." After living abroad, she came home and met her future partner Reuben. The couple had their first child when she was 28 years old. Since then, she has helped on the farm. Mr Rowley is the son of Tom Rowley, who formerly owned Lake Hāwea Station. The couple now farm 80 hectares and 200 cattle. Having reached the age of 47, Mrs Rowley has turned back to something deeply ingrained — her musical talent. "When I was at school I really enjoyed learning new instruments. I would switch and start learning a new one every couple of years." Her first instrument was the piano when she was 10, and she moved through the guitar, saxophone and oboe — a wind instrument similar to the clarinet. "That's when it started to stir up my musical instinct, learning to play pieces, really enjoying and connecting to the music and discovering what good music is." She has gone through parts of her life where she didn't have the time to pick them up, such as busy stages during motherhood. But she has reconnected recently by releasing an album on Spotify in 2021 — Radiate, and again this year, The Landing. "I missed the actual playing on the piano and fiddling around, it is a fun hobby for me. I always have been a song writer. I started when I was 15, I really enjoy that process of creating a song ... That moment of when sounds evolves into a song, it's captivating, satisfying and quite mysterious." Mrs Rowley has not played much live music through her life, and only recently had a gig with her sister and niece in Christchurch. She is bringing her talent home and playing in Wānaka this month. She said her acoustic folk-like sound was inspired predominantly by nature and the behaviour of people. "A lot of the inspiration comes from nature. There are a lot of good metaphors in nature for describing different situations in life and people. "I think I have always been a bit of a searcher, all artists looking to try and understand the world." She has recently taken up a new job gardening at Aspiring Village in Wānaka and hopes to release another album in time, now that her children are of high school age, and more independent. "It is a stage in life that I have found myself with more time and looking for a purpose and new project. Now that my children don't need me so much. I have indulged myself in parenting and glad I have music to pour my energy into. "To have done music for so long, I am becoming curious about songs that you listen to and really connect with and they move you in some way." What's on What: Anna Rowley and the Lanksters Where: Rhyme and Reason When: August 16, 7pm, $10
Trade Arabia
26-03-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
One&Only Moonlight Basin starts accepting reservations
One&Only Moonlight Basin, located in Big Sky, Montana, is set to open its first resort and Private Homes in the Us on November 18 and is now accepting reservations. The ultra-luxury brand's first alpine resort, One&Only Moonlight Basin, offers unrivalled access to pristine ski slopes, hiking trails, and outdoor adventures, creating an exceptional year-round escape for guests. The resort's General Manager, Serge Ditesheim, brings over two decades of international hospitality experience to the role. As of December 2024, One&Only Sky Lodge has been offering guests a first-hand experience of the brand's signature hospitality and will be open to the community and visitors alike. The space is home to The Landing, a new restaurant and bar concept offering locally sourced and seasonal meals, accessible via the One&Only Gondola and by car. Sky Lodge also features a retail space and alpine equipment center providing anything visitors may need for a day on the slopes, from outerwear to accessories like goggles, gloves, helmets, and more. Complimentary ski and snowboard valet and day lockers are available for guests. The brand new One&Only Gondola beautifully blends with the backdrop, offering direct mountain access to the Madison Base area of Big Sky Resort. New this season, the Madison Base now boasts the Madison 8, an eight-seat, state-of-the-art D-line chairlift, effectively doubling the uphill capacity while reducing ride time for swift and comfortable ski access to over 5,800 skiable acres. One&Only Moonlight Basin is pleased to announce that it has partnered with culinary global leader and former professional snowboarder Chef Akira Back, who will open his namesake Akira Back branded restaurant serving modern Japanese cuisine at the resort next winter. Chef Back, born in South Korea and raised in Aspen, Colorado, spent seven years on the pro snowboarding circuit and participated in extreme sports before pursuing a culinary career full time. This opening will be Chef Back's first restaurant in an alpine destination, embracing his passion to provide unique food and beverage experiences that leave diners emotionally connected with aspects of his dishes, personality, and life. The resort will be home to six bars and restaurants, including the Akira Back restaurant, which will bring a melting pot of culture and flavor to Montana. Designed by internationally renowned architects Olson Kundig, One&Only Moonlight Basin is designed to feel simultaneously connected to and protected from the dramatic landscape, featuring local art, welcoming textiles, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The exclusive collection of One&Only Private Homes, with a limited number still available for purchase, provide the perfect juxtaposition of a modern respite, reflecting a mountain way of life. Located an hour from Yellowstone National Park and within the heart of a 3-million-acre national forest, One&Only Moonlight Basin is the perfect year-round haven for thrill seekers and those looking to disconnect at a secluded resort. 'We are thrilled to announce that One&Only Moonlight Basin is now accepting reservations, inviting guests to experience a new era of hospitality in the heart of the Montana Rockies,' says Mark Kirby, President, One&Only. 'Our first alpine resort seamlessly blends refined hospitality with the untamed beauty of nature, offering an unparalleled escape for adventurers and luxury seekers alike. We look forward to welcoming our first guests this November to this truly extraordinary destination.' -TradeArabia News Service
