Plus - June 2015

A New Zealand Herald Commercial Publication

Thursday, June 18, 2015

LATE BLOOMER

ARTIST ROGER MORTIMER’S MID-LIFE SUCCESS

WOMAD’S BRIGHT LIGHTS HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME THE ART OF CELEBRATION

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A YATES WINTER GARDENING HAMPER

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Contents 4

Late bloomer

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The perfect winter escape

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Borrowing sunshine

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Happy birthday to me

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Womad's bright lights

EDITOR Greg Fleming gregory.fleming@nzme.co.nz WRITER Paul Charman DESIGNER Xanthe Williams COVER PHOTO of artist Roger Mortimer

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Despite early rejection and ill health artist Roger Mortimer recently claimed our most prestigious art prize. Dionne Christian caught up with him as he prepared to depart for his prize-winning trip to New York

I

n landlocked Sandringham, artist Roger Mortimer dreams of the sea.

In a single garage converted to an artist’s studio – now with built-in fans for ventilation and a skylight to make it brighter – Mortimer paints pictures where the sea is a central character but it’s not a sea ordinarily seen.

His paintings are elegant and precise with meticulous brush-strokes in colours with jewel-like qualities. Abstract yet allegorical, they are of seas filled with images which reflect – possibly – a relationship between the old and the new: cartographic maps and characters and creatures which originate from ancient manuscripts like those of Dante; classical sailing ships (sometimes carrying the Jolly Roger pirate flag), whaling boats and aeroplanes or even satellites.

Human-figures, frequently in medieval dress, could be time-travellers through the

he won a six month residency at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York.

Just a couple of weeks before his departure, Mortimer told Plus while he might seem calm he was actually quite nervous and, like most impending travellers, getting prickly about things he had to complete before he headed off for a New York summer. Despite his admission of nerves, he seemed to be taking the trip in his stride.

Then again, he’s taken a lot in his stride during his life. In his thirties, partly prompted by a health crisis, he returned to the University of Auckland, this time to Elam School of Fine Art, and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). It was the fillip Mortimer needed to finally have the confidence to think of himself as an artist although he had been creating and crafting pictures since he was a small boy growing up in New Plymouth and on Auckland’s North Shore.

“I’ve painted most of my life,” he says.

“As to why I really enjoy it, it’s a bit of a mystery to me but it goes right back to my earliest memories. I remember using a ruler to make finely detailed model sailing ships, war machines and tanks. I think that came from my father who was an engineer and was designing our first house which he started when I was about seven. I liked that it was very precise and looked full of mysterious symbols.”

At school, he loved art and pursued it throughout his years at both intermediate school, where artist Stanley Palmer was one of his teachers, and Rangitoto College.

But Mortimer wasn’t a competent reader or writer; he remembers the humiliation of being continually made by one particular teacher to get up and try to read aloud.

Nevertheless, back in the mid 1970s, he

“Life is short and it seems to me that a more satisfying way to spend it is to follow your heart; solve the problems along the way and travel lightly.”

– Roger Mortimer mysterious and mythical seascapes, sent to remind us of the human condition. A considered and softly spoken man, Mortimer often paints himself into his work, almost as a detached observer calmly watching madness unfold and swirl around him.

“When I was six months old, my parents took me, by boat, to England. I often wonder if that’s where my deep connection to the sea comes from.”

Last year, aged 57, he won the 2014 Wallace Arts Trust Paramount Award for his work Otago Harbour. It was selected from 524 entries which were whittled down to 90 selected finalists. As part of his prize,

was one of only 13 students to gain a bursary. Instead of studying art, he enrolled in an engineering degree but it didn’t work out and he followed a girl to Australia. He spent six months travelling around New South Wales and Victoria selling encyclopaedias – he loved the exposure to small town Australia – before returning home and enrolling in teachers’ training college.

There Mortimer continued pursuing art, becoming increasingly interested in photography and printmaking. He applied to become a specialist art teacher but was rejected on the grounds the powers-thatbe thought he’d rather be making art than

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teaching it. He did teach and did get to go on some specialist workshops so he could tutor other teachers at the schools where he worked but the teachers’ college heads were right: he wanted to make art.

He applied to Elam but was rejected.

He didn’t know, until years later, it was because he had failed or not completed his engineering papers. He thought it was because his art wasn’t good enough.

He wasn’t discouraged enough to quit, though. He turned his attention to etching, even importing a purpose-designed machine from Japan, and became intrigued by expressionism. He returned to Australia, spent two years studying drama and psychology and started selling his work through a few galleries.

One gallery owner featured a Mortimer work in a prominent exhibition but he was too nervous to attend. Looking back, Mortimer says he didn’t realise what an opportunity he was passing up. When Crohn’s Disease struck, Mortimer was 35 and found himself with plenty of time to reflect and take stock.

Too fatigued to do much else, he divided his days into periods spent painting, resting, installing one paving stone a day in his garden and resting some more. Wanting a goal to focus on, Mortimer re-applied to Elam and learned it was his chequered university history rather than portfolio that had seen him previously rejected.

He was able to work and study a lot from home and says support from tutors like Selwyn Muru and Brett Graham was invaluable because people who believe in you and can see your potential are important at any age.

ABOVE: Manaia by Roger Mortimer, from a 2010 exhibition. Pic Steven McNicholl.

FAR LEFT: Roger Mortimer, 57, in his studio in Sandringham. He is currently on a six month residency at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York. Pic Ted Baghurst.

Mortimer’s work has evolved and altered through the years as he has explored new mediums and broadened his own interests. His father’s neat drawings all those years ago may have given him a predisposition toward exactitude; when he became interested in calligraphy, it had to be just perfect which led him to study old manuscripts and cartographic maps. He has no doubt that what he sees and experiences in New York will have an impact on his art practice. He says he simply wants people to be moved by his paintings.

A keen surfer, he takes to the waves twice a week or more. It keeps the father of six and grandfather of four physically fit and gives him a break from the more mentally demanding task of painting. Not that he needs distracting because he’s still engaged with the process. After a lifetime spent making art, it hasn’t become mechanical and he rarely feels as if he’s simply going through the motions.

“Life is short and it seems to me that a more satisfying way to spend it is to follow your heart; solve the problems along the way and travel lightly.”

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of a top boutique hotel chain look no further than The Waterfront Suites. It’s by far the most handsome accommodation in Paihia and made the Wotif top ten in the family apartments category last year. While we were lucky enough to enjoy the beautifully appointed penthouse suite which had wonderful views out across the harbour, there’re a range of rooms available to suit families of all sizes.

The rooms are clean, stylishly furnished and all suites have in-room kitchen and

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Beware, the food in the village is a bit hit and miss. The best we found was at El Café – about a six minute walk away from the village. Great coffee – and do try the Spanish Eggs.

It’s only open from 7.30 am – 3pm but offers the tastiest breakfasts and lunches in Paihia all with a Latin twist and all incredibly cheap.

“To get the best of the Bay of Islands you really need to get on a boat” laundry facilities. There’s a heated swimming pool and outdoor barbecue area and you’re a short stroll away from shops, eateries and supermarkets, so cooking in your suite is an option – and that was the plan until our daughter caught sight of a flyer advertising a pizza named after NZ rocker Gin Wigmore from nearby Sauce pizzas.

While the pizza was a bit of a disappointment there’s a real urban buzz about the village at night.

As we stood in line for a Movenpick icecream I asked one young Scottish backpacker what had brought her to the Bay of Islands. She replied, “America’s Next Top Model” (the series filmed part of the show here in 2012). She’d scored a bar job at a nearby bar and was thinking about staying on into winter.

“I’ve been all over Europe and Australia the last few months but this place has something special.” Her advice to us was to make sure we took one of the ferry rides while we were here. “To get the best of the Bay of Islands you really need to get on a boat.”

Happy coincidence – we’d booked an

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afternoon sailing on Fuller’s Hole in the Rock cruise the next day. This is a half-day cruise which meanders around the Bay of Islands, and – weather permitting – takes you out to the old lighthouse at Cape Brett and through the famous Hole in the Rock at Motukokako Island. Lunch or afternoon tea is provided. But the clincher for us was the high probability of getting close to a pod of local dolphins. And it turns out that was the first thing we did. A pod was spotted nearby by a sister boat and within 20 minutes we were watching a large pod of dolphins, which seemed to enjoy the attention of a boatload of gushing, camera clicking tourists.

Our captain was an eloquent host – and filled us in on the history of many of the islands – a few of which are still privately owned.

But for us the highlight of the trip was my ten-year-old daughter catching her first

ABOVE: Heritage Hotel’s Waterfront Suites is a great place to base yourself while exploring The Bay of Islands.

fish from off the back of the boat (a school of kahawai was spotted, the captain threw a hand-line in and within a minute she had a fair-sized fish in her hand).

A weekend isn’t long enough to explore Northland and all its natural and cultural beauty – we didn’t even get to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds which were just a few minutes up the road. But we’ll be back.

Winterless and bountiful and within an easy drive of Auckland – put The Bay of Islands on your getaway list today.

– Greg Fleming

Heritage Waterfront Suites 98 -100 Marsden Road Paihia www.heritagehotels.co.nz

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Get out on a boat! The Hole in the Rock cruise is great value – history, dolphin watching, even a spot of fishing if you’re lucky. www.dolphincruises.co.nz Greg stayed courtesy of Heritage Hotels and Northland Tourism

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I WANT TO SEE THE BRIGHT LIGHTS TONIGHT By the time we got to Womad, we were twenty two thousand strong. By Ewan McDonald

F

orty-five years after Woodstock I am, with thousands of my degeneration, roadtripping to New Plymouth for another three days of …

Causes: petitions for the pukeko and against fracking (just quietly, for this is Taranaki, after all). Inappropriate displays of tie-dyed fabrics. Mind and experience-enhancing substances: given the overall demographic of the audience, the most abused will be craft beer and sauvignon blanc. Bands: all the way from Oakura to Africa.

That covers the peace and music. There may also be love: heaven knows the amatory after-effects of an hour’s Ghanaian throat-warbling upon the middle-aged and middle-classed in a campervan parked or tent pitched among hundreds on a warm autumn night at a provincial racecourse.

Womad – the World Festival of Music and Dance – was the 90s’ brainchild or perhaps brainfade of Peter Gabriel. The Genesis frontman had expanded from his art-school prog-rock leanings into a wider consciousness of musical and social history and dreamed of unifying the planet through words, music and experiences.

That vision found a natural home in New Plymouth. For 14 years, the concept

As night fell so did the rolling piano chords of Rufus Wainwright.

All pics Glenn Jeffrey.

has been happily and hippily embraced in the lakes, hills, paths, forests and soundstages of Pukekura Park. It is a perfect fit: the seaside city nurtures the arts – the new Len Lye Centre, its outstanding Govett-Brewster Gallery, boho downtown,

surf lifestyle and its charming, idiosyncratic bogan and V8 culture.

I know why I’m here. After 40 years of a vinyl, CD and Youtube relationship I have the chance to see and hear my musical, lyrical and occasionally philosophi-

cal hero. After buying my ticket online months earlier – numbers are restricted and most of the three days sell out quickly – I’ve circled quite a few other performers in the brochure.

As I park at the Devon Hotel, there’s something else I hope I’m mature enough to cope with: reconnecting with a brotherand sister-in-law from an expired marriage, whom I haven’t seen in more than a decade.

Backpack over shoulder (a fraud: I’m not camping, I’m staying in a four-star hotel all weekend), I head for the reception desk. There’s a queue so I wait on a sofa. Next to five individually marked guitar cases: RT1, RT2 ...

For a few minutes I’m the custodian of classic, priceless Stratocasters, Telecaster and handmade Martin acoustics belonging to – depending on whose ratings you prefer – the fourth greatest guitarist of all time. Next to BB King and Jimi Hendrix, who he has jammed with, and several fretboards ahead of Brit-contemporaries.

As for song writing, there is only him and that other chap whose name often prefixes his. “The English Bob Dylan”. Me, I’d describe Dylan as “the American …”

Richard Thompson. As his guitar wrangler claims the excess baggage I check in and walk down the hall and … they say you

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An hour later I’m crushed against the crowd barrier in the front row underneath the speakers converting his searing, sweet, angry, emotional, tortured, loving, wry, twisted words and chords to a crowd as entranced as I. As the astounding concert ends I text a friend: I can die happy now.

In the dark, who can see a face? Someone calls my name. Through the crowd on a Taranaki hillside I recognise John and Robin. We embrace. Years of estrangement fall away. It is the first of many unexpected kisses and reunions this weekend.

SATURDAY is when you realise what a smart move it was for New Plymouth to engage with Womad. There’s no music until noon or so, everyone heads to the shops and galleries and cafes, and the town buzzes.

Rather like Ponsonby on a weekend, except that everyone is polite to one another.

I load my backpack with fruit, water and sunscreen and head back to the venue early afternoon. This is my serious musicgeek binge. I have earmarked the southern Italian furious trance-like tarantism folk-dance acoustic ensemble, the five extraordinary musicians treading a new path in traditional Irish music and, if I can fit her in between other engagements, the woman with the voice that Yehudi Menuhin described as “a singing violin” utilising the 2000-year-old Quechua tongue to celebrate the ancient songs and cultural ways of the Andes.

A good plan; it allowed for wandering the rambling site, absorbing the atmosphere, dropping in and out of a few merry pranksters like Tahuna Breaks or Fanfare Ciocarlia, a Balkan gypsy-funk-brass band. What it didn’t allow for was that I kept running into people I hadn’t seen for years, months, or even days.

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ABOVE LEFT: English guitarist Richard Thompson put on a spectacular show.

ABOVE RIGHT: Sinead O’Connnor and band screamed, wheedled and rocked on the final night of the festival.

It was like being at Victoria Park New World, although I bumped into far more of my farthest and dearest at this cultural gathering than I do at the gourmet yoghurt section: a high-flying businessman mate whose knees I’ve never seen before; a woman from Waiheke who’d braved the Naked Bus experience; a guy I hadn’t seen since we failed maths together at Wellington College.

Afternoon glissandoed into evening. My reconnected relatives and I found a spot next to possibly the most impossibly beautiful concert venue on the planet – the Bowl of Brooklands. As night fell, with perfect timing, the moon rose, and so did rolling

piano chords and, out of the stars, under the mountain, gentle, haunting, indescribable sweetness. The voice of Rufus Wainwright. A friend materialises beside me.

SUNDAY. Coffee, homemade bread, homegrown tomatoes and basil at the inlaws. We agree we won’t get to the venue until later in the afternoon, because it is going to be hot, with 22,000 people in a relatively confined space, and we are planning to stay well into the evening (at our age) to hear a couple of headline acts.

Which is another point about Womad.

Why do thousands of Aucklanders, and out-of-other-towners, make the trek to this rather remote city for the annual

festival? Because the organisers have the smarts to ensure that top acts – like Thompson, Wainwright or the people we will hear tonight – are signed to perform only at this one gig in New Zealand.

Cannily, after spending quite large amounts on regular advertising in previous years, they have targeted their message to social media this year, because that’s what the middle-aged folks use.

So the afternoon unravelled into that languid kind of day when you kicked back on the grass and listened to bands and were transported back into those days when … well, you were just a teenager or so and you kicked back on the grass and listened to bands and never thought about mortgages or rates or water bills or school fees.

Ethereal young women warbled sweetly over Appalachian hammered dulcimers and dreadlocked young men declaimed angrily over beatboxes. It was rather like a live broadcast of the National Programme, with bonus good kai from many indigenous kitchens, including several not yet featured on the Food Channel.

Night comes in. Sinead O’Connor and her mostly female band play. No, they don’t: they cry, they scream, they wheedle, they cajole, they rock, they torch the town.

The festival finale is the Buena Vista Social Club, or a sad, ageing remnant of what once were the Cuban swing kings.

The audience loves them but I can only conjure up a memory of a song from their era: “After the ball was over … after the stars are gone …”

MONDAY. I check out from the hotel alongside someone whose music I rather enjoyed last night who trades under the name of French For Rabbits. Drive north.

Back at work a colleague asks if I enjoyed the weekend. “Hell yes,” I begin, eager to ramble about remembrances of times reviewed, before she cuts in. “My mother goes to Womad every year and she’s always on at me to go with her.”

Now available - North facing, one bedroom, air conditioned apartment with own lounge, en-suite bathroom and kitchenette. Monitored smoke alarm and sprinkler system.

Applications must be made on the application form. A disclosure statement is available at the village.

AVAILABLE IN PHARMACIES, OR ORDER ONLINE

+PLUS

12

I

It’s my birthday in a month. No, I’m not telling you how old I’ll be. But I will tell you that it’s highly unlikely I will be celebrating by getting married, jumping out of an aeroplane or getting a tattoo. By Leigh Bramwell

t’s also fairly doubtful that I’ll be signing a modeling contract with Givenchy, as Donatella Versace did on her 60th a few weeks ago.

Not that I’m envious of Donatella or anything. My modelling day (there was just the one of them when I modeled a maxi-coat for the local paper in the seventies) is long gone but I still have the photo and frankly, I think it was a bit of a stunner. I was five feet nine inches tall and nine stone with gaunt cheeks and massive eyes. Unbeknown to me then was that my model girl look was caused by thyroid disease and it disappeared as soon as I was treated. Bugger.

Anyway, I have a birthday celebration planned for July 14th that has nothing to do with modeling. I’m organizing a quiz night for a gang of old (in both senses of the word) friends and guess who’s writing the questions? For those of you who are not invited, here’s a little sample.

• What’s July 14th famous for, apart from my birthday?

• Who sang at the Sultan of Brunei’s 50th birthday?

• If there are 23 people in a room what are the chances that two will have the same birthday?

• How many girls did Shirley Temple receive on her eighth birthday?

• Who sang happy birthday to Arcadia’s Sir Philip Green at his four day long birthday party in Mexico?

• What’s the world’s most expensive champagne? (Yes please, gifts of this happily accepted.)

Compared to some of the world’s wealthiest party throwers, my quiz night is probably going to seem a little tame, notwithstanding the prize of a bottle of my favourite champagne, which I hope will be shared.

As people get older, their birthday celebrations either become more bizarre and extravagant, or non-existent. There are those of us who prefer to forget how close to death we are, and those who want to spend mega dollars celebrating their trajectory towards the end of life.

Global investment group Blackstone’s founder Steve Schwarzman threw a 60th birthday bash in February 2007 that topped the $3 million mark. It featured endless gourmet food and wine and a concert by Rod Stewart. Oddly enough it didn’t score him any points because it occurred right before the US economy crashed and he had to apologise publicly for his insensitivity.

Sir Philip Green, of multi-national retailing group Arcadia, invited Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Hudson and Naomi Campbell, among others, to his fourday-long party on a Mexico beach. Party guests were flown there in private jets and enjoyed a costume party, beach games and $80 hamburgers. Entertainment was provided by Chris Brown, Carlos Santana and Stevie Wonder. The latter sang Happy Birthday to Sir Philip. The bash is said to have cost $20 million.

The Sultan of Brunei upped that by $5 million by holding a $25 million 50th birthday bash that began with a military march

Author Leigh Bramwell in her modelling days.

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13

As people age, their birthday celebrations either become more bizarre and extravagant, or nonexistent.

WEIRD BIRTHDAY INFO

1

Shirley Temple received 135,000 presents for her eighth birthday.

I don’t expect to get quite this many but on my list are the following: • A miniature donkey • A miniature sheep (winemaker Peter Yealand, has these wee souls to keep the grass down around his vines.) Pete, please take note. And if you could send the sheep along with a dozen of your best Sauvignon Blanc, I’d be an extremely happy woman.)

• Two Plymouth Barred rock chickens • A tattoo (just kidding).

Musician Sir Paul McCartney, actor Isabella Rosselini and chef Delia Smith all celebrate their birthdays today. And according to those who believe in horoscopes and the like, these Gemini individuals are blunt,

2

and included a polo match with Prince Charles. The guest list for the dinner party was 3000-strong and the revellers were entertained by Michael Jackson, which ate up a fair chunk of the budget. I don’t know what he did for his 65th, but I bet he wasn’t hanging out for his gold card.

One-hundred-and-nine year old Catherine Masters probably never had a multimillion dollar birthday party, but she did get a few birthday cards from the Queen.

However those she received in the past two or three years were a bit disappointing – in fact she felt obliged to write to

truthful, dedicated and honest. They are both careful and risk takers. Pushing forward to make a new path can be the one downfall these people have to guard against as they strive to make tracks in fresh territory. Hmm. Doesn’t seem to have held these guys back.

Nigeria is the second largest champagne consumer in the world, spending an average of 30 million on champagne per year.

They must have a lot of birthdays.

If there are 23 people in a room there is a 50-50 chance that two of them will share a birthday. This is known as the birthday paradox, because evidently there are only 22 possible pairs. In fact, because every guest could match with every other guest, there are 253 possible combinations (1+2+3+4… up to 22) and the probability of finding a successful one is 50.048 per cent.

I knew that.

3

4

Queen Elizabeth pointing out that she’d been wearing the same outfit in her past five birthday cards. Ms Masters received a revamped card for her 110th birthday.

I have no complaints about any of my birthday cards, although I have to admit that I’ve only kept one of them. Birthdays are a bit of a non-event in my family.

We’re all unsentimental in the extreme.

But my mother gave me a birthday card when I was 28 years old and I’ve kept it ever since.

It said: “So you’re 30. Don’t worry, it could be worse, you could be pregnant.”

NZ

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GARDENING

BORROWING SUNSHINE Winter’s a frustrating time for the keen gardener. But all is not lost, dig into internet and get gardening from the comfort of your computer. By Sarah O’Neil

I

f you like to read or watch what others are up to, or maybe just want to just quickly dip yourself into the gardening world to remind yourself of how wonSarah O’Neil derful it is, there is something for everyone out there in the big wide web. It could just be you want to spend some time planning your spring garden. However you want to do it, gardening vicariously on the internet is a great way to bring a little sunshine borrowed from keen gardeners in the summery Northern Hemisphere to help pass the gloomy months.

YATES WINTER GARDEN HAMPER GIVEAWAY

You Tube

Go to www.youtube.com and type ‘Gardening’ into the search bar and you will be rewarded with over 900,000 choices in various styles presented by professionals who have made their shows available or the keen passionate home gardener who is so proud of what they have achieved they just want to show the world.

Narrow your choices by searching for specific types of gardening styles. Searching for the most recent ones will bring you the northern summer gardens, and you can almost feel the warmth radiating out of the screen.

Great gardening You Tube Channels include: • The Horticultural Channel, which has loads of advice for new gardeners, but also a great slice of life on an English Allotment.

• Rainbow Gardens is American and has a lot of great gardening advice, especially if you are interested in the Square Foot method.

Blogs

Many gardeners love to share what they are doing by writing. Type ‘Garden Blogs’ into your search engine and you will be spoilt with over 250 million blogs. Bloggers put a lot of effort into their posts and they are filled with beautiful images and a lot of advice, often learnt the hard way and shared so you can avoid the frustration of failure.

Wonderful Gardening Blogs include: • Gardenerd is American and has a lot of useful advice about growing food organically. www.gardenerd.com

Don’t let your garden get away on you over the winter months.

Be in to win one of three Yates Winter Garden hampers to keep your garden growing and glowing. To win just tell us the name of the twitter gardening hashtag Sarah recommends.

Send entries – remember to include your name and mailing address – to plus@apn.co.nz

ABOVE: Apart from harvesting winter crops it’s not a busy time garden-wise, but it is a perfect opportunity to log in and learn.

• The Landroverownerswife is a wonderful example of a passionate English home gardener growing food to feed her family and also helps out in her local school garden. www.thelandroverownerswife.wordpress.com

Twitter

You wouldn’t think that twitter would be the hangout of gardening enthusiasts with its fast paced style and limiting 140 characters, but there is a thriving gardening community found there. Type #Gardenchat into the search bar and you will be greeted with passionate gardeners sharing everything garden related. You could easily lose a wet afternoon on twitter…

The exciting thing with #Gardenchat is every Tuesday at 1pm (NZ time) for an hour (although for the hosts it is Monday night), gardeners converge on twitter and using the hashtag #Gardenchat, discuss questions put together by guest hosts. It is like being at a cocktail party with many likeminded people all sharing their advice and experience.

You can find out more about this community at www.connectsharegrow.com

Facebook

Aside from cute kittens and photos of babies, Facebook is actually a great place for gardeners. And for the kiwi gardener there is an amazing place hidden away where thousands of local veggie growers are hanging out, proudly sharing photos of their harvest and helping each other to learn everything you ever wanted to know about gardening.

Type NZ Vege Gardeners into the search bar and up will come a closed group. Click on the ‘Join’ button and await your acceptance into what has to be the biggest and friendliest group of New Zealand gardeners to be found anywhere.

So instead of reaching for a beanie and a raincoat this winter to get your horticultural fill, sit back and enter a wonderful world of global gardening found at the end of your fingertips.

The pack contains : • A colourful steel watering can • Thrive Easy Pods – the nomess way to fertilise • Leaf Greener Magnesium Chelate, an easy to use liquid trace element, delivering magnesium directly to deficient leaves.

• Blitzem to control snails and slugs • Every gardener’s bible – Yates Garden Guide • A heritage Yates tea towel • A selection of seeds Visit www.yates.co.nz for all your gardening information

Sarah is a popular garden blogger, speaker and author. Her books The Good Life and Play in the Garden are available now.

On the web: www.gardeningkiwi.wordpress.com

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ving to full care in our luxury apartments with • We offer independent living spacious living to sunny decks • Priority to adjacent Restt Home • You are welcome to bring ng your own Government assisted care e full or part meal service • Nutritious meals, choose • Full or part domestic services rvices incl • A caring environment where residents are treated like family

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+PLUS

SUPPLIED EDITORIAL

15

RETIRE IN STYLE At Ryman Healthcare we aim to provide elderly New Zealanders with a first class choice in retirement living and care Victor Eaves Park on a gently sloping site with sweeping panoramic views of Whangaparaoa Bay. Grace Joel Retirement Village is named after the well-known New Zealand painter. Located in the heart of St Heliers, it is conveniently located next door to a medical centre.

Our new Birkenhead Retirement Village is located on Rangatira Road, the village has beautiful panoramic views out over Kauri point and beyond. And our new Pukekohe Retirement Village is located on Valley Road, it is nestled in peaceful surroundings, close to the Pukekohe town centre.

With resort-style living and superb facilities the hardest part of your day will be deciding what to do. We know your lifestyle preferences are as individual as you are, so depending on the village you choose you could be starting your day with a dip in the sparkling blue indoor heated pool, a stroll around the breathtaking village gardens, take advantage of the excellent and ever popular Ryman Triple A exercise programme, or simply relax and enjoy a chat with friends, a coffee, and some delicious baking – the choice is yours.

EACH OF OUR 30 retirement villages nationwide has its own distinctive personality and friendly, vibrant community. Our Ryman villages include stunning independent living, beautiful serviced apartments and the very best of rest home, hospital and dementia care.

We have four wonderful villages located in the Auckland region, two new villages currently under construction and three proposed villages in Devonport, Greenlane and Lynfield.

Our Bruce McLaren Retirement Village is named in honour of the famous race-car designer, driver, engineer and innovator. On Chapel Road, the village is conveniently located close to the Botany Town Centre.

The Edmund Hillary Retirement Village, named after one of New Zealand’s greatest achievers, is situated on Abbotts Way, opposite the Remuera Golf Club, with panoramic views across One Tree Hill, Mt Hobson and Mt Eden.

Evelyn Page Retirement Village is named after one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed artists. Located in the heart of Orewa township within easy walking distance of the town centre shops, clubs and amenities, the village overlooks

With resort-style living and superb facilities you’ll never be bored at a Ryman village.

Most of our villages also provide hospital and dementia care – often there is no need to move from the village if extra care is required.

We firmly believe in protecting the interests of our residents and we pride ourselves on offering some of the most resident friendly terms in New Zealand.

Over the past 30 years we have developed the Ryman Peace of Mind Guarantees, which are designed to protect both you and your family.

And, as a Ryman village, we offer you fixed weekly fees for life – guaranteed* For more information please call 0800 765 223 or visit our website www.rymanhealthcare.co.nz *Terms & conditions apply

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For our 2015 brochure or to make a booking, phone 0800 66 44 14 info@scottsdaletours.co.nz www.scottsdaletours.co.nz

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16

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SUPPLIED EDITORIAL

SIMPLICITY AT A DIFFICULT TIME Kiwi families reflect a myriad of cultures, traditions and income levels, so funeral-wise, the passing of a loved-one is likely to involve varying requirements

SIMPLICITY FUNERALS OFFER a caring, professional service, whatever a bereaved family’s background and current financial situation.

A nationwide brand, Simplicity Funerals operates three locations in Auckland – Royal Oak, New Lynn and Grey Lynn, all of which cover the whole of Auckland and offer a 24 hour service.

Simplicity Funerals staff can help to free a grieving family from the potentially worrisome financial and logistical details involved in a funeral as well as providing after-care support.

At one end of the scale a funeral may be a grand occasion, one comprising a gathering of hundreds of people with catering, video production and even musicians.

However, equally as valid is the fact that a funeral may bypass the concept of a service entirely. Perhaps there will only be a viewing – perhaps just a cremation.

When dealing with family members,

staff keep a sensitive eye on such issues as resources, cultural and religious needs.

“We have a vast amount of experience in dealing with families from every possible background and walk of life, but even so we don’t pretend to have all the answers,” says Simplicity Funerals regional manager Brian Stott.

“It’s clear, however, many a bereaved family faces a financial burden. Everyone wants a dignified and respectful funeral for their loved-one, but we realised a long time ago that they also require freedom to make their own choices when it comes to amount of money they will spend on a funeral.

We are there to assist families on such things as flowers, newspaper notices, cemetery or cremation fees, catering and so forth. If resources are a concern, we’ll assist in communicating with agencies such as Work and Income who may provide a funeral grant, based on their level of assets and income.

We also understand that the time after the funeral can be particularly difficult and in recognition of this, our locations in Auckland provide a complimentary aftercare support service – someone to talk to and someone who can provide support and reassurance.“ Simplicity Funerals offer four basic pricing plans and each one of these can be adapted to individual needs. They provide a free no-obligation estimate and can also talk to you about pre-planning and pre-paying the funeral.

Simplicity Funerals have a nation-wide

ABOVE: Simplicity Funerals have a vast amount of experience dealing with Auckland families from every possible background and walk of life.

number – 0800 222 155 and their website www.simplicity.co.nz is full of important information as well as their pricing plans. Call them for a free information pack or to make a time to sit down and talk with them.

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SUPPLIED EDITORIAL

17

HAPPY TO CALL IT HOME A glimpse of life at Remuera Rise through the eyes of a resident

What do you like about Remuera Rise?

Remuera Rise is very convenient for residents; we have a great degree of safety and security. We feel very secure in our apartments and have access to great facilities, including a pool, gym, café, lounge and library.

We are self-contained so if we want peace and quiet, people respect your privacy, or if we need company we have wonderful neighbours who meet every morning for a cup of coffee in the lounge.

How do you find the location?

The central location is fantastic.

In fact everything is too handy as my bank balance will tell you! It is convenient for shopping and entertainment, the Rialto Theatre is very close too. I will use the public transport system when I stop using my car.

Have you needed to use the on-site care facility?

My husband required care for about a month. It was absolutely marvellous, I was able to pop in and see him any time.

I was also very grateful for the care I received when I had a fall. The registered nurse was

LEFT: Remuera Rise retirement village is superbly located within the landscaped surroundings of Broadway Park in Remuera.

ABOVE: The residents of Remuera Rise love the friendly staff and central location.

here within a minute. I thought I would come home to a mess but it was all cleaned up for me by housekeeping. The linen was washed and the floors were cleaned, even the carpet was cleaned, it was fantastic.

The sense of security is very strong, there are all the levels of

E AG E L VIL LIF D E OR FIX ES F FE

independence but at the same time care is also available at all times. My family feel relieved that I have such a strong level of support around me.

Have you used any of the services that can be provided into your apartment?

So far I haven’t needed any

of the services that are available, such as cleaning and meal delivery. But I know many people who do regularly use these services and they are very happy with it.

Do you get on with your neighbours?

The whole village is relatively

small and we can choose to opt in or opt out of anything. We can be as social or as reclusive as we feel.

After my accident neighbours popped in to see me with meals, cards and wishing me well and offered all levels of support.

You don’t have to feel lonely here, I have met and made so many new friends here at my stage in life. I have a strong sense of involvement because we are so small, we all get on so well and we are all involved with activities and what goes on here.

Have you been on any organised trips?

The residents have been on many of our own organised trips, we have been to many shows and theatre performances. We take the village’s minibus every time and had a driver to drive us around.

Any final comments about life at Remuera Rise?

Deciding to move to Remuera Rise was one of the best decisions of my life, and I did it all by myself, it was my decision, and mine alone. I am just so happy to be here.

All the care you need in the comfort of your own home.

Whether you require temporary care a few hours a week or more comprehensive care, the level of support can be tailored for you, depending on your needs.

We recognise how important it is to you to be cared for within the privacy of your own apartment, surrounded by all the things you cherish. If this is the level of support and comfort you have been looking for, then talk to us today!

We have beautiful, one-bedroom apartments available now, priced from only $399,000.

No car, no problem! At Remuera Rise you have public transport and fabulous shopping located at your doorstep. We are a five minute walk into Newmarket and a six minute train trip to the city.

At Remuera Rise you also have the added reassurance that all of our care is backed up by our boutique 12-bed Care Facility on site. We go out of our way to make you and your family feel welcome and at home — and if you have friends or family visiting from out of town, they can stay in our special luxury guest suite.

Phone 0800 00 15 85, visit 30 James Cook Crescent, Remuera www.remuerarise.co.nz or view our Waiheke Island village at www.wrv.co.nz

Remuera Rise is registered under the Retirement Villages Act 2003. Registration number 2557887 | Energi J15359

There are many reasons why you will love retirement living at Remuera Rise, and one of the most appealing aspects is the fact that we can provide high quality, personalised care into each of our luxury apartments.

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SUPPLIED EDITORIAL

Bereavement help

Sibuns Funeral Directors now offer a bereavement support service for families

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY St Patricks resident Ivy on her new home

I JUST LOVE it here at St Patricks. I’ve only been here a few months after the place I was in was demolished and we all had to move out. I’m so pleased to have found St Patricks.

The staff are wonderful and will do anything for me. They’re like an extension of my family.

I am still quite independent. I am able to join in with the others for meals and entertainment, as I wish. I love to have visitors or go out with my family.

I still maintain the interests I have in the community and take an active interest in my church. When I was younger my husband and I cared for many children and young people over a period of 35 years. It was often hard work, even though we enjoyed working with them all. However now I am older I am being

ABOVE: Ivy loves the sense of community at St Patricks.

cared for and I appreciate the kindness and consideration that is shown to me.

I’m very proud of the fact that I Skype my family and friends in New Zealand and around the world thanks to a patient staff member who made time to help me. It’s amazing to be able to see my daughter and her family in Canada, even the latest painting she has done. Modern technology has added a new dimension to my life.

Yes St Patricks is really my home now so when they asked would I like to be their “poster girl” I said of course I will.

Quality Care for the Elderly

New Zealand owner operated Rest home to hospital-level care Studio units Double rooms Single rooms Ensuites Beautiful park-like gardens in a safe no-exit street Excellent food and activities Subsidised rooms available

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St Patrick’s Home & Hospital

3 Wilding Avenue, Epsom Call us on: (09) 638 8258, 022 011 2101 or 0800 030 456 Email: saintpatricks@xtra.co.nz

www.stpatrickshome.co.nz

WHEN SOMEONE CLOSE dies we experience many different feelings, which may lead to confusion and isolation. Sibuns introduced the service in 2012 as it believes having someone to talk to can help bereaved people understand their grief and loss, with support from someone outside our immediate circle offering another perspective on how grief is affecting us.

After the funeral is often the time when support from others decreases, leaving those grieving feeling isolated and sometimes struggling to cope. Claire Seel’s role is to provide families with bereavement support and all families are contacted following the funeral to see if they would like to use the service.

Claire has both nursing and A qualifications. counselling registered nurse for 20 years, she has worked as a group facilitator for the last eight years, working with children/teens and their families during times of grief and loss. She offers understanding and skill, together with her own experience of family life.

This bereavement support service is available to any member

ABOVE: Claire Seel’s provides families with bereavement support.

of a family who has used Sibuns for funeral arrangements. Their professionally trained staff are friendly and flexible. They will do their best to facilitate any request, and work comfortably in both secular and religious environments.

Sibuns Funeral Directors & Advisors are located at 582 Remuera Road.

For more information or a free information pack please call 520 3119.

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SUPPLIED EDITORIAL

19

H Morris Funeral Services are a long established funeral home located on Auckland’s North Shore WE HAVE BEEN a part of the community since 1933 and have seen many changes with regard to what families have wanted and needed from us as a funeral service provider and from the funeral service itself. Most of our role is about listening and responding to what a family needs at the time of their bereavement – the end goal for us as funeral directors is assisting our client families to start their grief journey in a positive way.

We often hear the word ‘value’ in our day to day lives – from a funeral service perspective, being able to identify the value of the funeral is intangible but hugely meaningful. At H Morris we seek to personalise every aspect of our service to you and your loved. Our staff are experienced. They understand that everyone is different and unique and that there may be difficulties to overcome during the arrangement of a funeral. We encourage our families to talk about the person that has died, to tell their story and to express and acknowledge their grief in whatever way they feel is right. We are here to help families through – part of our role is to encourage participation and involvement in the funeral service or memorial; for families to know that they have said goodbye to their loved one in their own way and on their own terms is an important step on the grief journey.

Often our funeral directors will meet with and pre arrange funerals for people

that simply want to put some plans in place for the distant future – topics such as the venue for the funeral, music and environmental choices can be recorded.

Pre paying an amount into the FDANZ Funeral Plan can also be discussed arranged in order that monies are set aside specifically for a funeral service for yourself, a family member or friend.

Our people are funeral service professionals. We value the funeral service in whatever form, and what it brings to a family in grief. Often we hear the words “Dad (or Mum) didn’t want a funeral” – this can be hard to accept for those trying to deal with their own grief and have had their outlet of expression removed or stifled. Our approach to funeral service is sensitive – we suggest options to people that expectedly or otherwise find themselves in need of having to arrange a funeral. We care – it really is as simple as that.If you need to speak to a funeral director with regard to any aspect of arranging or pre arranging a funeral, please call (09) 489-5737 – at anytime.

H Morris is a member of the FDANZ and NZEA.

LEFT: H Morris funeral directors help families start their grief journey in a positive way

Wake up to the freedom of METLIFECARE LIVING Metlifecare offers exceptional retirement living in 25 villages around the North Island.

Each one unique and reflecting the local communities they call home, while striving to provide active, safe and secure retirement living. Residents can be assured if travelling or heading away that everything is looked after. This carefree lifestyle gives residents peace of mind and Metlifecare’s Fixed Village Fee For Life provides financial certainty.

RHM7744

To find out how you can enjoy a wonderful and secure lifestyle amongst a friendly village community, simply request a FREE information pack for the village near you.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE IT

There is never a dull moment at my village, which was one of the major attractions for me.

- Metlifecare Resident

REQUEST AN INFORMATION PACK 0800 909 303 | metlifecare.co.nz