Afternoons for Monday 10 March 2025

1:10 Peter Brady's amazing rainbow garden

For over 40 years, former florist Peter Brady tended his designer garden in Auckland's Mt Eden.

Originally Japanese inspired ... the various shades of green were complemented by the pink and yellow of Peter's Spanish Mission-style house - just like a colorful bunch of flowers.

Over the years, the garden was host to thousands of visitors. He opened it to the public to raise money for people with AIDS and to support hospice. 

Peter died in 2023 aged 90 and now his home has been sold, but thankfully, his garden will live on. 

Jesse talks to Peter's niece Lynda Powell in Tairua.    

1.20 An offering at Ramadan

Ramadan is being marked by Muslims around the world by with a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and time spent with community. And in Auckland, that spirit of community is being shown Middle Eastern restaurant in the CBD.

Yael Shochat and her team at Ima Cuisine, are providing free food for those who are having Iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal.

It comes in the form of free mint tea and medjool (med-jewel) dates or a cup of lentil soup.

1.25 Red Cross refugee resettle team on the lookout for volunteers

Moving to a new country can be challenging at the best of times but imagine coming to a new home as a refugee.

You're grateful to have a chance at a new life, to feel and safe and secure, to have access to basic necessities and so much more. 

But you're also coming to terms with what you've had to leave behind.

The first people you meet as a refugee in New Zealand will have a profound influence on how well you adjust and settle.

It's an important role and the Red Cross needs more people to volunteer - especially in Manawatū and Horowhenua where they are expecting a new influx of families.

Esmee Rawden is a volunteer with NZ Red Cross and she speaks to Jesse.

1.30 100 drawings on Cuba Street

Have you heard of Urban Sketchers? It's a worldwide organization of artists. They roam the streets - notebook in hand - finding beauty in the seemingly mundane

There are chapters across the north island. Auckland. Taupo. Taranaki. And Wellington. 

Where, last week Andrew James took part in a global sketch challenge... Attempting to draw 100 people on Cuba street... He tells Jesse if he succeeded. 

2:10 Television Critic: The Righteous Gemstones, The Studio and Zero Day

Dominic Corry reviews the fourth and final season of The Righteous Gemstones, which premieres tonight on NEON/Sky, the new Apple TV+ Seth Rogen show The Studio, which premieres on Apple TV+ in a couple of weeks, and the new Robert De Niro political thriller mini-series Zero Day, which is now available on Netflix. 

2:20 Information Center Cold Call: Clutha

Jesse cold calls the Clutha iSite. Who knows what will happen?

2.30 Expert Feature: Cows

Today we're talking all things cows.

Do they really sit down before rain? Are beef and dairy cows really that different? Is it true they have magnets in their stomachs?

Whatever you want to know get your questions in to 2101 or via afternoons@rnz.co.nz

To answer your questions Jesse is joined by Cow expert, Manawatū farmer, and Dairy chair of Federated Farmers, Richard McIntyre.

3:10 Feature interview:  In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon

Paul Simon has spent a lifetime telling stories in songs that reflect our fears and hopes, spirituality and mortality. Where the music comes from is as much a mystery to him as it is to us, so when he started recording his 15th solo album, he invited Oscar winning documentary maker Alex Gibney to join him.

With access to rare archival footage and his Texas recording studio, Gibney takes into the world of a legend, capturing Simon's creative struggles, his intimate reflections about Art Garfunkel, and the profound impact of hearing loss that happened during the making of the documentary. We'll talk to Alex Gibney about "In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon."

3:35 Here Now

This week on Here Now, marking Women's Day this month, a look back at a cross-section of women who featured in episodes of the podcast. 
 

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer Sam Hollis join Jesse in the studio to preview tonight's installment of The Panel.