Page 2: Gifts for the gifted

Alex Bunnett.

The AMP scholarship evening was held on Thursday at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. More than $200,000 in scholarships were awarded to a range of candidates, from 9-year-old Quinn Gardiner-Hall whose goal is to run four half-marathons in four countries before he is 12, to those in cancer researchto some of New Zealand's most talented musicians and dancers. Hilary Barry hosted the evening and guests were treated to performances from singer Hollie Smith, as well as an opening number from 27-year-old opera singer Amelia Berry who was the recipient of a $10,000 national scholarship to help her realise her dream of moving to New York for the 2015-2016 audition season. The range of recipients in age, background and ethnicity was impressive and guests left feeling inspired.

Amelia Berry.

Jewellery firm shines

It's been a big few weeks for boutique jewellery company Naveya & Sloane, taking out the fourth spot in the Deloitte Fast 50 index of fastest growing companies and winning the best emerging business category at the Westpac Business Awards Central on Wednesday night. The company was co-founded by Alex Bunnett and Rachel Sloane after the duo started making one-of-a-kind engagement rings. The company now also has a wider jewellery collection. With growth for the year of 552 per cent, Naveya & Sloane is certainly a company to watch.

Microsoft magic

In an intimate evening at Thievery Studios on Thursday, Microsoft's new Surface Pro 4 was unveiled. The Roaming Dive served up a selection of bite-sized nibbles for guests while Rogue Society Gin handled cocktails. Silver scroll winner Kody Nielson (Silicon) performed his new album Personal Computer and Aroha Harawira was on the decks.

Glass half full

30 years ago, Mark Forrest set up Glasshape in Auckland, as a supplier of light fittings. At the time, some of the fittings used curved glass - an element that caught Forrest's eye. It wasn't long before the company moved into producing large format curved glass on a commercial scale and by 1994, the light fittings business was sold and Glasshape was focused entirely on the glass bending business. Last week, Prime Minister John Key visited the Warkworth office to celebrate a $750,000 glass-printing machine with new VisionInk printing technology allowing full colour printing onto glass. This comes on the back of an additional grant from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise that will help the company set up a North American base to help grow its export market. Managing director Rick Forrest says he expects Glasshape global sales to be up around 40 per cent on this year in 2016.

Gin cocktail pairings just the tonic

Turning the wine matched with food partnership on its head, Bombay Sapphire have brought its celebrated Project Botanicals to Auckland after success in Sydney and Melbourne - instead pairing food to different gin-based cocktails.

The Auckland event is a collaboration between Lion Nathan spirits brand ambassador Chase Bickerton and O'Connell Street Bistro head chef Mark Southon. Bickerton said the idea of pairing food to drinks was a novel approach, but had been a fun project. More than 1200 people will have attended the sessions at James in Parnell by the time the event closes on November 22.

Chase Bickerton.

The expansion of cocktail events has been significant in New Zealand in the past year, with Bickerton saying it reflected a shift in drinking habits.

"With the way that alcohol consumption is going in New Zealand I think this is a really good road sign for where kiwis are turning to when it comes to their entertainment," Bickerton said. "That drinking less but enjoying higher quality products and more crafty products and offerings which is only going to grow."