ART of the city
Tessa Peach, owner of Frances Nation, shares her favourite places to indulge, relax and enjoy local art.
‘Ithink Christchurch is one of the most underrated cities in Aotearoa,” says Tessa Peach, owner of homeware store and grocer Frances Nation.
“It’s a modern city with comparably affordable housing, so a lot of young people are starting to move here. The centre is very green and pedestrian-friendly, with lots of great local businesses.
“I also like how you can follow the river on your bike from the city centre past community gardens, urban farms and forests, all the way out to the beach.”
Peach opened Frances Nation Home, named after her grandmother, in the city’s Arts Centre in 2017, and it became well known across Aotearoa for its local well-made goods.
Last year, she and her team opened Frances Nation Grocer, a separate but nearby space focusing on New Zealand producers and brands.
“We are all about the special, delicious treats that are hard to find, made by passionate people,” says Peach, who lives in a small 1970s townhouse in central Ōtautahi/Christchurch with her wife Emma Fitts.
On weekends, she likes to hire a bike and follow the river, with Emma and their dog, Spy.
“[I like to] visit the mushroom farm in the Richmond Community Garden, and explore the crazy green sprawl of the pre-earthquake home gardens, now known as the Red Zone, which are becoming New Zealand’s largest city park.”
What is your favourite place for a drink, and what is that drink?
Smash Palace (172 High St) for an APA on a summer’s evening or a cosy margarita at OGB (28-30 Cathedral Square) in the winter. Special mention to Astro Lounge (23 Worcester Boulevard), which is run by a friendly pirate who brings you a hot water bottle on arrival.
Best place for breakfast?
Child Sister (277 Manchester St) is great. It has a beautifully simple decor with a Korean-influenced brunch menu, a 10-minute walk from our house. The kimchi eggs are incredible.
The restaurant you have been going to for years?
We have been pretty religious about visiting Benson Chinese Restaurant (113 Riccarton Rd) for sichuan-style Chinese. Owner Kathy is lovely, and we are obsessed with the chilli eggplant dish.
Favourite restaurant to visit with friends?
Gatherings (5/2 Papanui Rd) is super relaxed, with impressive local food and wine.
For something fancy?
Inati (48 Hereford St). I have only been there once, but it was nice. I’m inspiring myself to go there again.
Best “cheap eat”?
We have amazing Indian restaurants here, thanks to our large Indian community. Shout out to Bawarchi (231 Papanui Rd) and Bikanervala (458 Colombo St), which have beautiful South Indian food, and are always pumping. I also love Richmond Seafood fish ’n’ chips (249a Stanmore Rd).
Brunch on a Sunday?
It’s nice to head to the sea at the weekend, so you might find me at Lyttelton Coffee Company (29 London St, Lyttelton) or Super (5 Norwich Quay, Lyttelton).
Your local bar or pub?
Pomeroy’s (284 Kilmore St) is a five-minute walk away, and is a Christchurch institution.
Your regular supermarket?
We have the Mediterranean Food Company (322 Tuam St) a few blocks away, which is incredibly tempting. Over lockdown, I panicbought a lot of pasta.
Favourite place for live music?
Space Academy (371 St Asaph St), Darkroom (336 St Asaph St) and Loons (16 Canterbury St, Lyttelton) for smaller gigs. The Town Hall (86 Kilmore St) is fun for larger shows, and you get to enjoy the incredible Warren & Mahoney modernist architecture.
Favourite gallery or museum?
The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū (Montreal St) is a good experience. Melanie Oliver is a curator to watch. She has an amazing eye, and is pushing hard for better representation of women, Māori and Moana artists.
I go to every show at The Physics Room, an excellent contemporary gallery in the Arts Centre.
“I also like how you can follow the river on your bike from the city centre, all the way out to the beach.”
Where do you go for relaxation or a beauty treatment?
I am addicted to our Arts Centre neighbours, Dee Dee Thai Massage. Vicky, who runs the business, is cool, and a talented masseuse.
Best-kept shopping secret?
I like shopping for plants at a little kiosk at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. It’s a small stand with an honesty box, near the children’s playground.
Favourite clothing store?
I have a small waist and a big bottom, and I have found Kowtow pants make it work. Money constraints aside, if I could shop at NG Clothing Boutique (8/75 Peterborough St) for all my clothes, I would be a happy and fashionable woman. There is plenty of good op-shopping in Christchurch, which is fun.
Where do you go for a workout?
I have started playing casual basketball with friends at Rauora Park. I like playing tennis at Hagley Park near the lake, and I walk Spy every day, at Hagley Park by Ōtākaro/Avon River or New Brighton Beach.
Where do you go when you are after local art or design?
The National (249 Moorhouse Ave) is an excellent gallery for contemporary objects and jewellery.
If someone was visiting for the first time, what is one place you would recommend?
I often find myself saying “you have to visit the Margaret Mahy Playground” (Armagh St), even to adults with no children. It’s such a fun and successful playground design, with interesting visual references, such as Māori architecture, urban planning and, of course, Margaret Mahy’s writing.