Firstly, may I thank you and your team for continuing to champion Ponsonby and all that it has to offer. Ponsonby is unique and so many exciting things take place here because of the people – you and your magazine share our great stories.With this in mind, I am sharing with you an event that took place recently in the area at Crest apartments. It shows that the quirky and innovative nature of Ponsonby is alive and well even in these big buildings.
Crest houses some great people and, together, we have built a community. We have an in-house library, collect for worthy causes and even have a group that helps others if they are sick. To top that off, we have working bees!
So - it is not surprising that every Christmas the Body Corporate committee organises a vertical concert. Musicians play in the foyer and residents gather on their floor with drinks and listen from above.
This year was a special treat with Anika Moa (well-known NZ singer) and Robert Scott (DJ and musician) entertaining us all. They delighted the residents with original songs by Anika, other popular music and then, of course, up-beat Christmas carols like we have never heard before.
Robert Scott engaged Anika and, of course, he was wooed to play – apart from having talent, he lives in Crest. What a stunning duo they made.
When asked why Anika and Robert agreed to do this crazy concert where everyone was above them, they said “We were quietly confident that no one was going to throw down rotten fruit at us”. In fact, money was thrown. We even had members of the public trying to gatecrash the concert.
At the end of the concert, residents were invited to drinks in the foyer and one level provided food - we are being good hosts! Not that a lot of us had far to go home.
In truth, Anika and Robert loved the experience as much as the audience did.
Here’s to Christmas innovation and more of it in 2026!
Kathy Lloyd-Parker – resident of Crest, Great North Road, Grey Lynn
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