On the telly, there's not a thing out of place. It's beautiful, even if you don't agree with the fresh lick of paint or trendy bric-a-brac arranged so perfectly.

He used to be a fine dining chef in Wellington. Then he had an epiphany and moved to Auckland. Greg Dixon meets Al Brown, the man who learned to relax at dinner and made us do the same.

Aussie teen surfer remains surprisingly unphased by the whole incident, smiling and posing for photos in her ward.

An inflatable “Christmas tree” erected in Paris is making passers-by feel a little uncomfortable.

Is gourmet food really worth the extra dollars?

INTERACTIVE: Many Aucklanders swear their daily commute is much faster when schools are out. The Herald puts the theory to the test.

I know a slab of young people who find smoking abhorrent, and a total turn-off. But there is also sizeable chunk of people like me, who are wracked with guilt at finding it attractive.

During a trip to Bali, a tropical spider crawled into Australian man Dylan Thomas's skin and burrowed through his body.

A recent cartoon shows a couple arriving at a dinner party. One of them hands the host a small box with the explanation, "We didn't bring a bottle; we got you these tablets for mild alcoholism instead".

The three burning questions from Joseph Parker's victory over Sherman The Tank Williams are...

A new body to undertake urban regeneration of neglected suburbs such as Avondale, New Lynn and Otahuhu is being mooted by Auckland Council.

Some of the world's most eagerly awaited television projects are being made in our own back yard.

All Whites coach Anthony Hudson revealed a number of bombshells at New Zealand Football's press conference today. Steven Holloway dissects the key talking points.

Acclaimed actress Glenn Close has opened up about her childhood spent in a right-wing religious cult.

We chat to eliminated My Kitchen Rules contestants Steve and Maura.

If New Zealand becomes a member of the UN Security Council early tomorrow, hoping to get a pay-off for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in schmoozing we've done to get there, let us see how much of an independent voice we will retain.

Top author John Grisham has argued that not all men who watch "child porn" are paedophiles or should go to jail.

An expert has detailed what he believes to be the first warning signs of schizophrenia, and changes in the type of language people use could be first clues.

Mark Zuckerberg has paid more than US$100 million ($127.7 million) for a swathe of land in Hawaii where he will create a private getaway befitting one of the world's richest men.

Feeling flush with cash and want to impress your mates by shouting them a meal? We've got five of the most expensive meals in the world to please your palate.

Gisborne was never officially named Gisborne, the New Zealand Geographic Board has revealed.

Singer Kesha, 27, is suing her long-term music producer and mentor Dr. Luke, TMZ claims.

Swedish model Anna Maria Mostrom has been left brain dead following a collision with a bus last week.

West Auckland's leafy, liberal suburb of Titirangi may be the last place you'd expect superstars Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake to visit.

Details are scarce on the cross-platform syndicated media show Paul Henry will host next year, largely because those decisions are yet to be made, but the host told The Diary he's set to earn "lots more money".

The key for the All Blacks this week is to find a blast of energy and dynamism to lift their performance.

Feel like you're living in a "pigsty"? You're not the only one, with a recent study showing that almost half of New Zealanders admit to living in a messy home.

Some celebs prefer narcissistic selfies. Some like to post pics of any freebies that come their way in an attempt to keep PR flacks happy, and the gift stream flowing.

Women are losing the ability to outlive men because of the pressure of juggling full-time work and family, official figures suggest.