Pie in the sky

In America, the word pie doesn’t automatically conjure up images of mince and cheese, topped with tomato sauce. Poor buggers. Luckily, Aucklander Alka Patel is is turning San Franciscans on to the joys of the humble Kiwi savoury, albeit with an Indian twist. In a city of foodies, her trim organic pies have tapped into a niche, and most weeks demand outstrips supply. Jacqui Gibson sampled some of the fare and asked when we can expect mince or steak on the menu.

And speaking of pastry pros, guess what launched this month: a pie designed to fit in your drink-holder. Available at dairies and petrol stations, it’s the ultimate in dashboard dining.

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Sound investment

When Radiohead announced plans to let fans pay whatever they wanted for seventh album In Rainbows, they made musical history. Now Greg Johnson is taking a novel approach to recording his ninth studio album and offering the chance to “invest” in Secret Weapon. With four different packages to choose from, ranging from $30 to $3,000, there’s something for everyone. Top dollar will buy you credited executive producer status, while those who go for the standard option receive an advance signed copy of the album. Johnson says he wanted to break down the hurdles between artist, music and listener and that “it’s great to be on the cutting edge in the music business”. So rather than complaining about how the world has changed for the worse, he’s created his own solution. The album, which is still in the recording stages, will be released in November. Get a piece of the action (and listen to new single The Way I Feel) on his website.

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History on screen

NZ On Screen has launched a collection showcasing the work of the National Film Unit, the government body that for nearly 50 years filmed everything from wartime newsreels and tourism promos. It bred our first Oscar nominations and was a key industry training ground: screen alumni include Sam Neill, John Laing, Sam Pillsbury, Selwyn Toogood, and many more. Watch, enjoy and share the kaleidoscope of Kiwi screen culture—there are over 50 titles up with more added regularly.

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Eyes on the prize

Currently on display at the Auckland Art Gallery are works by the four finalists in the running for the prestigious 2010 Walters Prize, Dan Arps (above), Saskia Leek, Fiona Connor and Alex Monteith. It’s New Zealand’s most prestigious contemporary art prize (look out for art writer and historian Hamish Coney’s column on the subject in our upcoming issue), intended to recognise and reward “outstanding contributions” to the field. Former Tate Modern director Vicente Todoli will decide the winner in October, but in the meantime, you can vote for your favourite in the People’s Choice Award.

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Hands on

Last month it was all about Rex the robotic exoskeleton, opening up new possibilities for wheelchair-bound patients. Now, a mind-controlled artificial limb is about to undergo human testing in a world first. Hailed as the holy grail of prosthetic technology, the Modular Prosthetic Limb plugs straight into the brain, allowing control of all five fingers and weighs the same as a natural human arm.

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Slice of life

Sullen skateboarders. Red double-decker buses. Everyday street scenes in London are brought to life in Intersections, a three-minute short which won the 2010 British Flood Light film festival. While the subject matter may be unremarkable, beautiful framing and meticulous editing really makes it pop.

Game on

Designing video games, surely, has got to be one of the coolest jobs out there. The latest from Media Design School’s Graduate Diploma of Game Development are launching next week, and they want you there. It’s a chance to try out the games, meet the student developers and catch up with like-minded people in the games industry. They’re even putting on drinks and nibbles, but only if you RSVP to suzi@mediadesignschool.com today. Important details: From 6pm on August 13, Level 12, 242 Queen Street.

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The future's so pure

Since its launch in April, Pure Futures, a hub developed to find and nurture Kiwi success stories, has seen more than 500 people upload their ‘vision’ to share with the world—and with plenty of the $100,000 scholarship fund still at stake, you could be in to claim a piece of the pie. Mentorship, cash and merchandise have already benefited several big dreamers; among those rewarded to date are Claire Shewan (pictured with the Huffer team) and her sustainable NZ-made fashion label, Emily Harris’ city rooftop gardens and Dion Anderson for his volunteer ambulance service.

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Get a permanent

This year’s Semi-Permanent lineup is the biggest yet, with organisers The Church describing it as “a global gathering of pure talent, new ideas, conversation and visual splendour”. With speakers such as Nicolas Roope, founder of award-winning interactive agency Poke London on the bill, it’s not hard to see why. After all, Poke’s client portfolio ranges from Skype, Orange and BBC Worldwide to Alexander McQueen and Manchester City FC. Roope says creativity is key to creating value for those businesses. Catch him and many more from August 20–21 at the Aotea Centre.

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Shred it good

It’s funny to think that fear of identity theft could actually influence furniture design, but on second thought, perhaps it’s not all that surprising. Paper shredders do, however, tend to be bulky and less than sightly. We’ll leave you with this, a coffee table featuring a slot and hand-crank that does double duty.

Quote of the week

“You could ignore changes in the way people buy and sell, and say it’s not going to happen, or you could go play in that space and see what might be.”

— Mark Gilbert on daring to keep up with the times

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