We continue the occasional series wherein Winston expounds on things that currently make him happy. Once upon a time some old dude said: 'The times they are a-changing” and nagdarnit if it doesn't look like the fellah might have been right. Times they are a-changing in Tauranga and that makes Winston extremely happy...

175) New Radio! Everyone celebrated when Tauranga got radio back earlier this year. Despite the best efforts of KISS.FM and the Historic Village Radio, Tauranga has largely been deserted by radio with pretty much everything broadcast from Auckland and the idea of ‘local' or ‘community' becoming a bit of a joke.

Paradise 105.4 changed all that. At last we have a radio station that lives and broadcasts in Tauranga and, since I wrote about it last, Paradise has gone from strength to strength, now including a noticeable amount of Bay music alongside its exemplary playlist of Americana and left-field rock.

They have also started interviewing bands before local gigs, with touring folkies Other Roads and Anthony Coulter (more of him later) both being interviewed recently by Nicki on her Friday Weekend Warm-Up show.

Now, in a move of great confidence, breakfast DJs (yes – Tauranga finally has a breakfast show on radio again!) Andy and Veronica, co-bosses of The Matua – home of a country jam every Wednesday and much music besides – have proved it really is possible to buy your own little piece of paradise by becoming co-owners of Paradise FM.

Good luck to them and the rest of the team!

175) New Food! Recently, I complained that Tauranga doesn't have the vibrancy of somewhere like Wellington. A couple of things this month have given me hope that we're heading in the right direction. Firstly, the Arigato food truck. Yes, I know we have night markets, but there's only so much fun you can have with reheated frozen dumplings (Yes, I know, there's good stuff too...). But this seems a little more like The Real Deal.

Arigato is a one-man operation serving bowls of Ramen – noodles and stuff. You can find him every Thursday evening, from 5pm-8pm, outside the Love Rosie Bakery just off Cameron Rd (on Ninth Ave). And the odd other place (Main beach at the Mount) and time. Check it out at Facebook.com/arigato.ramen. Yum!

176) New Music! Or, more accurately, old music. I know it made headlines after the spurious stupidity of a single complaint about a cat, but the more interesting thing about Vinyl Destination is right there in the name. Vinyl Destination, on Devonport Rd, sells vinyl. Remember it's better than CD. If, of course, you don't mind scratches, lower sound quality and shorter running time. But you do get bigger artwork.

The real sign of change is this: a year ago at the Jazz Festival an Auckland band commented they couldn't sell vinyl here or CDs in Auckland. So Tauranga hipsters have obviously now moved to vinyl, making them as hip as Auckland hipsters. If a shop such as this can survive in a high-rent area such as Devonport Rd then maybe the times they really are a-changing. Fingers crossed!

177) New Video! Ever wanted to see the Mount from a roof just along the road? Well settle in, because that's exactly where Shane Davies from Soundtree Productions filmed Anthony Coutlter's new video for his song ‘Go-Go Girl'. It's online now at www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dqLItR-VUI Prepare to be amazed!

178) New Gig! Well, pretty much by definition every gig is a new gig, but I can't really pretend that there's much new about this one. But it wouldn't have fitted in unless I called it ‘new'. Anyway, after writing about Brilleaux an infeasible number of times recently, I had a call from someone in Omokoroa pleading with me to tell everyone that Brilleaux are playing there on Saturday. I do this only because it is their last, absolutely final, no more gigs after this one, gig before heading off to tour England and Europe. The gig is this Saturday, May 21, Omokoroa Boat Club, $20, 8pm. There. Done.

watusi@thesun.co.nz