AprilSavvy2014

APRIL 2014

INSPIRED BY NORTHLAND

In Aura steampunk ...

Secrets of

supermodels

A WORD with the

Paperbag Princess

Women on two

WHEELS

SAVVY

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1. SUGAR RUSH

DISCOVER HIDDEN TREASURE IN THE CIVIC ARCADE! Come and discover our fantastic range of confectionery from old style favourites to delectable modern treats - lollies, chocolates, deliciously flavoured fudges, custom made cakes and cake related decorations. Whether you have a wedding, a business event or birthday party - we can create ‘sweet’ arrangements for you. Gift baskets and boxes are also available to suit any budget!

Make everyday a SWEET day with Sugar Rush, phone 09 438 7984.

Inside the Civic Arcade, 37 Bank St, Whangarei.

2. THE FRENCH HEN

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ANAC DAY FRIDAY 25TH APRIL Lest We Forget those brave Kiwi soldiers who went to war to fight for our freedom.

At The French Hen, we have a special window display to commemorate ANZAC DAY and remember once more our unsung heroes.

The French Hen, Shop 2-6, Civic Arcade, 41 Bank St, Whangarei Ph (09) 438 0051. Like us on Facebook.

3. HIMALAYAN TRADING POST

NEW SHOP NOW OPEN We have moved into new premises. Come and explore our fabulous new shop selling beautiful clothing; fabrics; jewellery; Buddhist books, CD’s and Prayer Flags; Himalayan salt, bath salt and salt lamps; mobiles, wind chimes, delicious perfume oils, essential oils and other beauty products. New stock arriving daily!

Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.00pm, Sat 8.30am-2.00pm Sun 10am – 3pm Ph 430 2040 89 Cameron Street WHANGAREI www.himalayantradingpost.co.nz

4. RED RUBY

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DRESSES FOR EVERY OCCASION Come in and discover how affordable luxury can be at Red Ruby. We stock a premium collection of high quality garments and dresses to ‘WOW’ your special day. If you are unsure of what to wear, don’t worry – our professional style consultant is in store to help you with tips on colour, shape and size.

Red Ruby Luxury Fashion Boutique, 71 Cameron Street, Whangarei. Phone: 438 7770.

Email: whangareiredruby@xtra.co.nz

5. TUTUKAKA SURF

COME TO THE TUTUKAKA COAST THIS EASTER! Visit the unique Tutukaka Surf Beach Shop opposite Tutukaka Boat Ramp, packed with gifts, souvenirs, jewellery, home decor and swimwear, all top quality surf and beach related product.

If you love the beach you’ll LOVE Tutukaka Surf Beach Shop.

TUTUKAKA SURF BEACH SHOP, Marina Road, Tutukaka. Ph 4344 135 www.tutukakasurf.co.nz TSbeachshop Find us on Facebook

7. RED RUBY

GORGEOUS EVERYDAY WEAR Red Ruby is specialising in event and special occasion wear and we also stock a great selection of everyday wear and designer accessories. Professional style consultant in-store to assist.

Red Ruby Luxury Fashion Boutique, 71 Cameron Street, Whangarei. Phone: 438 7770.

Email: whangareiredruby@xtra.co.nz

contents

SAVVY

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april 2014

Our people

4 Elyse Inglis has her sight set on the Olympia stage 5 In Aura steampunk

Fashion

CONSCIOUS LIVING

An attitude of gratitude

Motoring

22 On two wheels P22 with SHARON GIBSON

P6

M

6 Shoes glorious shoes ...

7 The easy way to look slimmer 8 12 questions with the Paper Bag Princess

Health & beauty 10 Secrets of supermodels 11 Eating tips for a healthy complexion

23 Santa Fe SUV

Giveaways 27 Free for all!

14 Get rid of that pain in the neck

APRIL 2014

INSPIRED BY NORTHLAND

15 Strengthening muscle can help strengthen bone

In Aura steampunk ...

Secrets of

supermodels

Home trends

A WORD with the

Paperbag Princess

16 Cherish your living spaces 18,19 Leigh Bramwell visits a boy’s shed that’s gone from basic to brilliant

Women on two

WHEELS

P16

CONTACT US EDITORIAL: Leigh Bramwell, Phillipa Mannagh, Colleen Thorpe. email savvy@northernadvocate.co.nz ADVERTISING:Yuan Zhang. email yuan.zhang@northernadvocate.co.nz PHOTOGRAPHY: Michael Cunningham, John Stone Produced monthly by: The Northern Advocate, 88 Robert St, Whangarei

SAVVY COVER: Photo by Mike Cunningham

ost people come to see me when they are stuck, going through a personal crisis lost their mojo and looking for some inspirational tools to empower themselves to look at life from a fresh, new perspective.

One of the first tasks I ask my clients to do is to start a Gratitude Journal and write five things in the morning and five things at night they are truly grateful for.

More often than not, the question ‘What are five things you are truly grateful for today?’ is tricky to answer.

The best way to engage in the positive power of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal or list, where you actively write down exactly what you’re truly grateful for each day.

Contributing your energy in this way has been linked to happier moods, greater optimism and even greater physical health.

People who are grateful for what they have and what they have achieved to this day are more able to cope with stress, have more positive or light energy, and are better able to achieve their targets.

When living in total gratitude, there can be no judgment. Judgment and gratitude cannot exist simultaneously.

Gratitude invites you to operate from a much bigger space. Anytime you notice you have contracted, or reduced yourself into the size of an ant — you are not functioning from gratitude.

So, think of all the things you are truly grateful for today. Notice the change in the way you and your body are with that. Practice this daily and you will begin to see, how fast your gratitude grows and less the life issues become.

Go to bed or wake up with a heart of gratitude.

Sharon Gibson is a LIFE & STYLE Coach based in Northland.

Contact her at 0212 442 811 or sharon.fgibson@gmail.com

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Free Delivery within New Zealand for purchases over $75

WHANGAREI Cnr Bank & Cameron Sts • P 09 438 2025 KERIKERI Kerikeri Road • P 09 401 7208

our people

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Elyse has her sights set on Olympia stage HANNAH NORTON asks Pro Bikini model Elyse Inglis 10 questions about health, motivation and life on the stage.

What motivated you to start training?

I have always been very active loved sports and once i finished competitive dancing i decided to go to the gym to keep up my fitness.

What are your three top tips to getting fit?

Regular exercise this keeps you motivated; Eat clean as much as you can but remember one little treat now and again will not hurt you; Rest lots as this is important for your body to be able to continue exercising.

What are three things about you that would surprise us?

I hate red meat which is a big part of my diet; I can be very lazy believe it or not; and I am the youngest IFBB Pro Bikini Model

What’s your favourite meal?

I Love chicken stir fry !

Where should people start if they want to make a change in life and get fit?

I would recommend that they put together a plan find a good nutritionist one that is qualified to give advice on diet and training, start slow as not to become overwhelmed in the change which can often cause people to give up and most of all surround yourself with like

minded people this really helps a lot.

Is it ever too late to make the change?

Absolutely not. You can start at any age in life it is amazing what people can achieve when they put there mind to it.

Who has been your biggest influence or inspiration?

My biggest influence has been Moe El Moussawi seeing him achieve his dream on the Olympia Stage has motivated me so much I am going to be there myself very soon, I aim to put Whangarei on the map in the United States.

Give us a typical day in the life of Elyse Inglis 6am-7am, cardio; 8am-9am, eat breakfast an prep all meals for the day; 10am-6pm, work at Xtreme nutrition in-between those hours I am eating all my meals on time; 6.30pm, hit the gym to do more cardio and weights; 8pm, home making my dinner; 9.30pm, time to relax; 10pm, off to bed and reboot for the next day.

My weekends are very laid back, I’m always catching up with friends or going on some sort of adventure, I always try make the most of my free time!

How do you get ready for a competition?

I start my diet prep from 14

Elyse with Jose Raymond, among the top competitors in the United States, above; and right on stage. weeks out. My diet changes to drop any excess fat that I am carrying, my cardio increases slightly and continues until the day before my comp. My weight training continues as usual but a day out from competition I just do cardio. I sleep lots and all

social activity stops. I become very anti social just to ensure I get enough rest and can mentally prepare for my show without distractions. I tend to train closer to the competition on my own so I can get into the zone leading up to competition day.

What’s your biggest fear when you’re on stage?

I have no stage fears at all. I love it. I have been on stage since the age of 5 so it is just a natural thing for me to do.

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our people

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In Aura steampunk

By LEIGH BRAMWELL

about looking at something in a new light.’’

She and other members of the Krakens Lair group love to dress up in alternative clothing and go downtown, and it’s something she really enjoys.

The group also has regular fortnightly meetings, and other events, like the Green Picnic held on St Patrick’s Day. Steampunk Oamaru, known as the headquarters of Steampunk, is hosting the National Festival from Saturday, May 31 to Monday, June 2 this year. Steampunk HQ is a lovely old building on the

A

sk Michelle Robinson how she came to be known as Aura Awakening, and she’ll tell you about seeing a man in the streets of Whangarei who inspired her to a new way of thinking.

He was dressed in unique clothing which struck a chord with her, and although she didn’t speak to him on that occasion, she remembered him.

A few months later she saw him again, found the confidence to introduce herself, and discovered he belonged to a group in Whangarei called ‘Kraken’s Lair’.

The group, which now has about 20 members, describes itself as a Steampunk group for those who want to enjoy the aesthetics of Victorian science fiction, dressing well, good manners, tea parties and having fun.

Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by industrialised Western civilisation during the 19th century. Steampunk also refers to any of the artistic styles, clothing fashions or subcultures that have developed from the aesthetics of steampunk fiction, Victorian-era fiction, art nouveau design, and films from the mid-20th century.

For Aura, the group is about fun and creativity, and has proved a real confidence booster for someone who, from childhood, has always been unique and quirky. ‘‘I was always different, and found it hard to fit into ‘normal’ situations,’’ she says.

From simply enjoying the aesthetics of the movement, Aura began to think about learning to make the clothes she loved to dress in. ‘‘But I wasn’t a seamstress and although other members of the group were great at giving me ideas and advice, there wasn’t anyone who could show me how to sew.’’

She quickly figured out that she probably wasn’t the only person who wanted clothing that

was exciting and unique but couldn’t find it or make it, and decided there must be a market for such clothes.

Using the same response as she has used to meet other challenges in her life, Aura decided she’d have to make it up as she went along, and turned her passion for alternative clothing into an on-line shop offering garments full of lace,

colour and mystery, and fashion accessories and jewellery. The products are imported from London and China. ‘‘With Steampunk,’’ she explains, ‘‘you build a persona of yourself, almost a new identity, and there’s a freedom to it because you can do what you like. That’s how I chose my name — Aura came from my love of colour, and Awakening was

edge of Oamaru’s Historic Precinct and is described as ‘ancient home to curious machines, steam powered aetheric devices from other worlds, portals, unexplainable mysterious dimensions and unusual sights to fascinate and delight’.

Tracey Valli

Tracey graduated as one of the top students in her beauty therapist class from NorthTec with a huge passion for the industry.

She spends plenty of her own time advancing her skills to ensure happy clients and always pays attention to detail.

You are guaranteed to walk out of the boutique looking beautiful and feeling pampered!

Specialising in Acrylic, Shellac, Gel, Natural Nail Enhancements and waxing!

Book with Tracey:

• Shellac $30 • Pedicure $40 • Shape & Paint $18 • Eyeworks $35 PLUS 20% OFF WAXING

Phone (09) 430 0004 • Unit 7, 4 John Street, Whangarei

fashion

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Shoes ... glorious shoes ... they can make you instantly slim

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ant to lose 5 kilos without pounding the pavement or enduring those two days out of seven nibbling lettuce leaves and celery?

Want to lose 5 kilos without any dietary hardship whatsoever?

Well the trick is all in your shoes and the size of the heel.

They can transform your 163cm frame instantaneously by simply increasing your height by the height of their heel. No deprivation required as you wash down your favourite white- chocolate and blueberry muffin with a full cream latte!

It’s all about elevation and achieving ‘instant slim’ with monochromatic shoe and trouser tones.

So what glorious footwear are you purchasing this autumn?

The selection is broad. For those easing into the idea of elevation — platforms are very levelling and perfect for the reforming ‘flatty’. The wedge is more graceful — its streamlined tilt complements a court-shoe, ankle or knee-high boot and is a great selection for outdoor events or all day wearing.

The Minx shoe collection is sporting a chunkier heel, patent leather, suede, colour and stud embellishments. Their ankle boot has strong heel definition.

The knee length boot is designed for comfort not elegance.

The court shoe is an all-day comfort shoe with a great solid heel. Colour is huge again, purple, pink, emerald green, the new look metallic, spots, leopard and black and white.

But what do the international designers offer us this winter?

For the mountain goats amongst us who can balance on a knife edge — the Emporio Armani embellished velour calfskin boot is an absolute must — sporting a stiletto heel as sharp as a pencil

‘‘ It’s all about elevation and achieving ‘instant slim’ with monochromatic shoe and trouser tones.

— it’s all fashion statement and no comfort, a great ‘car to bar’ accessory.

St Laurent has feminised the biker boot in flat heels and chunky leather by adorning them in studs and charms — simply charming!

In direct contrast Chanel has embraced the thigh high ‘come get me’ boot with a design in black leather and chains and added patent leather integrated gaiters! (Didn’t they use those on penny farthings to stop trousers catching in the bike chain?) So anything goes ...

So what other little tips can I leave you with to assist you when buying your next pair of shoes?

Monochromatic ensures the body line is continuous from head to floor — so what happens when we throw on that 2013 mismatch fashion statement — the eye comes clanging to a halt at the ‘stand out’ brightly coloured shoe that clashes with everything else we are wearing.

No longer do we appear taller and thinner — no we’ve just made ourselves shorter and ... how did we gain 5 kilos?

LOVE SHOES!

The quintessential MINX shoe is fun, feminine and resonates to the individual. You just need to stand strong and let your MINX shoes say it all!

EXCLUSIVE SHOPPING EVENING Time to stock up for the new season! Grab your friends, colleagues or family and book a private shopping night. or this could be a great team building exercise for your organisation!

Let the girls take you on an inspirational shopping journey filled with fashion tips, style guides, lots of laughter, fun and colour advice all packed in together with some vino and nibbles.

CALL 09 9 438 9697 NOW!

www.polwarthdesign.co.nz

WHANGAREI Open 7 Days Okara Shopping Centre (Next to Bendon) Phone 09 438 9697 DARGAVILLE Open Mon-Sat 78 Victoria Street Phone 09 439 7341

fashion

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If you’ve been shunning the gym or over-indulging on your favourite treats lately and now the panic has kicked in, relax — it’s still possible to look your best for any big event. To look instantly slimmer, whatever your body shape or size, check out these tips on how to dress yourself slim.

Look instantly slimmer WEAR HEELS

While wearing heels on a day to day basis isn’t ideal for your health, if you want to look slimmer for a big night out, swapping flats for heels can make all the difference. Heels instantly make your legs look longer and more toned and make you appear taller and slimmer.

For a more comfortable alternative, try opting for kitten heels or wedges. Also, avoid shoes with ankle straps which can make legs appear chunkier.

WEAR THE RIGHT SIZED CLOTHES While this may sound obvious, many people make the mistake of opting for a smaller dress size to make them feel slimmer or for larger, baggier clothes to help

conceal problem areas.

However, wearing ill-fitting clothes is one of the worst things you can do if you are hoping to look slim. To create a slimmer figure, always opt for well-fitted clothes that flatter your shape.

those with larger arms. Take a friend and a camera and try on different styles of clothing to learn what emphasizes your best parts.

DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR BEST BODY PARTS

Most girls know the power of the little black dress for helping to create a slimmer silhouette; however, if you are fed up of wearing black for every night out, darker shades such as navy, dark purple and brown have a similar slimming effect. On the other hand, light shades like white and beige can add on the pounds.

To start dressing slim, you need to take some time to work out your body shape and think about what suits your figure.

Dresses that are nipped in at the waist and skim over the stomach and thighs can flatter curvier figures, for example, while those with larger legs may want to avoid calf-high boots. In fact, try to avoid any item that cuts off at the widest part of your body, such as cap-sleeved tops for

GO FOR DARK COLOURS

WEAR SLIMMING UNDERWEAR Want to drop a dress size instantly? Take a tip from the

Easter Special

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This season the cosy knitwear in light and warm fabrics are here to stay. Our new season’s handpicked collection represents beautiful harmonious natural fibres in deconstructed body enhancing silhouettes, with slouchy contemporary cardigans and

multi layering tops that create an overall look which remains soft and fluid.

The super soft possum merino and wool/ cashmere fibres have a sense of luxury which flow around the body in draped contours and will suit every occasion and mood.

15 Rathbone Street • Whangarei • 09 430 0339 • www.gaabo.co.nz

celebs and choose some slimming underwear. While they might not be the sexiest of items once your clothes come off, underneath your outfit they will miraculously smooth out lumps and bumps and pull in any wobbly bits, giving the illusion of a firmer, slimmer body.

ACCESSORISE You may not think your accessories have any bearing on how slim you look. However, if you’re feeling self-conscious about perceived problem areas, you can subtly divert attention with detail. If you’re paranoid about your arms, a shrug can help to cover them up while adding some color and detail to your outfit, while an accessory such as a scarf, brooch or necklace can help to draw the

eyes up towards the face rather than to areas of the body you may feel self-conscious about.

CHOOSE YOUR PRINTS WISELY If you’re a fan of prints, try to bear in mind a few key rules when choosing your clothes if you’re hoping to look slimmer.

Firstly, large prints can make you look larger, so go for smaller ones. Also, opt for vertical stripes over horizontal ones as these will draw the eye up and down rather than across, elongating your figure and helping you to look slim.

■ For more lifestyle news see www.realbuzz.com

SAVVY

fashion

What brings you into retailing?

Over the last 10 years I have worked as a part-time jeweller from a studio setting, selling direct and via galleries through out New Zealand. It was the perfect job to fit in around the family when my kids were little.

I still love the creative design side of making jewellery but found it hard to keep self motivated. I decided I had had enough of working by myself and was hungry for a change and a bit of a challenge. And by crikey that’s exactly what I got!

Being the keen OP shop shopper that I am, I would frequent Paper Bag Princess Stores whenever I was in Auckland or Wellington. The idea grew on me so I made a phone call. Nick, the franchisor, has set up many shops before which made it all flow seamlessly. So by October we were painting (with alot of help from friends and family) we were open by November 7. The funky mural behind the counter was painted by my sister in law/ golden employee Katy, who also doubled as my planner, memory, and sanity coach during shop set up. The thing I love the most about the whole idea of Paper Bag Princess Store’s, is that it is recycling done well, so it’s a real feel good purchase for the customer.

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QUESTIONS

with Maggie Churcher from Paper Bag Princess the sale being the primary goal.

Our goal is to make the experience of being in Paper Bag Princess a good one, to add a little something special to our customer’s day. We want our customers to feel welcome, comfortable and looked after while they are in the store.

Everyone is different too, many of our customers like to just be left alone to treasure hunt while others know exactly what they are looking for and want help to find it. It’s such a great feeling when we can find exactly what someone is looking for, and all for under $20.

What is unique about your shop?

Paper Bag Princess is a place where you can find top designer labels for under $20. We regularly unpack designer labels such as Moochie, Karen Walker, Kilt, Stolen Girlfriends, Trelise Cooper, Kate Sylvester, True Religion, Pepe Jeans and loads of mid range quality labels at very affordable prices. None of the clothing or footwear is ever priced over $20. We have a high turnover of stock too; hundreds of new pieces are unpacked each week. Stock doesn’t hang around too long with the oldest going to half price each month.

How do you keep up on style trends?

I wouldn’t say I focus on keeping up with style trends as I have always been more of a free styler. I love seeing how other people express themselves through their personal style too, and now I get to do it all day.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy taking a peek at what hits the runway each season, but it is more from a creative point of interest than trying to keep up. I love to see what the designers dream up.

What is the biggest challenge in your career?

Not keeping all the stock for myself! And ... time management.

How do you connect with clients?

That part is easy. I have met so

many wonderful people since we opened the doors, it has made me feel really positive about Whangarei. The clothes are always sparking conversations in the store as there are some really outrageous garments that come in. We try and have fun in the store and want it to become a’ happy place’ for our customers. We recently ran a giant game of dress ups through our facebook page which involved customers coming into

the store, dressing up in anything they wanted, taking a photo and posting it to our facebook page. The prize was a $50 voucher but the game was about having fun and playing.

What do you think defines good customer service?

Customer service is about being prepared to offer everyone the same level of service without

Who had the biggest influence in your chosen career?

There isn’t any one particular person, but many make it easier to bring an idea into reality. I am extremely lucky to be surrounded by positive supportive people in my family and friendships, which makes taking a risk all the more fun because you know at the end of the day they will be there. My husband Neil is pretty darn cool too, he’s such a ‘yeah, go for it’ kind of guy. And I wouldn’t be

doing this if I couldn’t count on him to be covering the home front making sure the kids are happy when I’m not there.

Happiness and lifestyle have always been my biggest motivators, I wanted to be happy in the work I was doing and be able to work it around my lifestyle. I‘m still working on the lifestyle side of things, but aren’t we all?

How would you describe your personal style?

I love clothes but tend to make most of my choices around comfort. I will admire the beauty in a pair of blue snakeskin heels on the shelf as an object, but know the reality of me getting around in them all day is just not going to happen. When it comes to personal style I have been a big time ‘op shop shopper’ since I was a teenager. Always on the look out for that vintage beauty that has done the full cycle and come back into fashion again.

My favourite piece of clothing at the moment is a pair of high waisted 1920s tuxedo pants my Dad gave me. I love clothing with tailored retro cuts, and bold block colour, I am not huge on floral and patterns or frilly things, but like it on other people.

I have run into trouble op shopping sometimes though, I used to have a thing for collecting old man cardigans and my friends would be like ‘Get away from those cardies Maggie’! I have learned that sometimes we have to trust our friend’s opinions that we look terrible in some things.

I do love to have good quality shoes, they are the one thing I haven’t minded spending a bit of money on in the past — a nice pair of shoes or boots. Not an issue anymore though, we get plenty of great shoes come into the store.

WOMENSWEAR - DESIGNER MENSWEAR - VINTAGE - ACCESSORIES At Paper Bag Princess we house a beautiful collection of thousands of pre-loved gems – stylish high quality garments, shoes and accessories! Stock is replenished weekly to keep your ‘bargain hunt’ exciting!

Proceeds go to a variety of charities around New Zealand.

NOTHING OVER R

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Real clothes for real people

STEPPING

OUT

STYLE AND COMFORT IN

with Santreno’s exciting new season range

By PHILIPPA MANNAGH

E

ighteen months ago, on her death bed at a London hospital, if someone had told Catherine Bennett that she would be living a full life as a clothing designer and following her life long passion, she may not have believed you.

When Catherine developed a rare strep infection on her travels, her body suddenly shut down and deteriorated faster than she could even realise.

After having her leg amputated she was urgently placed on life support and fell into a deep coma for two weeks. Doctors advised the family it would be lucky if she made it through the night. ‘‘I don’t remember not having a leg for about two days, I must have thought it was under the covers.

Then they came in to dress my leg and I realised I had lost it,’’ Catherine bravely recalls upon waking up.

Catherine’s positive attitude pulled her through the trauma, soon pointing out that somebody had climbed Mount Everest with two prosthetic legs. She may not be attempting a mountain any time soon but Catherine has a love for hiking and half marathons. Her goal is to get back into these hobbies.

Living with her brother and many other people filling the friendly farm home at Whangaruru, Catherine changed her career direction and is now enjoying the simple life, doing something that she loves.

Before her amputation, Catherine was a busy midwife and still finds herself melting at

BATTERN

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$169.90 Catherine Bennett, left, with some of her designs ... and helping hands. the sight of a baby. But a lifestyle change was needed and although she misses it, there is also a deep reward in what she is doing now, something for herself. ‘‘After stressing about a job and waiting around, this just kind of happened,’’ she says.

Now her Kadu Design’s business has taken off naturally.

After making a pair of shorts for her niece Audrey, all of the farm helpers and guests wanted some. This lead to a market stall at the end of 2013 where she successfully sold a further 20 pairs of shorts and 20 other items. Expanding into skirts and currently figuring out a pattern for trousers, the unique design has taken off. ‘‘I have sewn all my life, at the

age of 14 I got my first overlocker and started making quilts.’’

The clothing is made to order and custom fit to perfectly suit every shape and figure.

Catherine believes in simple shapes and funky fabrics and caters for the young, as small as 6 months through to size 24. ‘‘My mum just turned 80 and she has a couple of pairs.’’

“Real clothes, for real people.”

You can find Catherine at occasional market stalls north of Auckland but it is best to contact her directly through her facebook pagewww.facebook.com/ KaduDesigns or via email info@kadu.co.nz or visit www.kadu.co.nz .

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Shock Absorbing — Smart sole technology absorbs shock by spreading pressure over its entire surface for a more comfortable tread.

Roomy — with Rieker the wellbeing feeling remains with you the whole day. It ensures more room in the toe box, allowing extra space for your foot.

Rieker Lynn Black Boots: Rieker Lynn women’s boots are made

from super soft sheepskin leather. The ruched effect around the top of the boot means they are very unrestrictive around your ankles and a dressy low heel. RRP $259.90

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At Josef Seibel, commitment to quality and innovation never goes out of style. Anatomical footbeds and foot massage insole systems maximize comfort and increase blood circulation. The patented Airped® foot bed guarantees the highest degree of comfort. The air channel system of the footbed, the perforated leather sole, as well as the full leather lining allow for an even foot climate. Only the finest leather is used in the production of Josef Seibel boots, clogs, sandals, and shoes for discerning men and women.

Josef Seibel Ladies Paige Red Ankle Boots: These ankle boots are a great casual style and are very durable thanks to the upper

being made of genuine full grain leather. The lining produced from textile and genuine leather is breathable and moistureabsorbent. Comfort is provided by a fully moulded insole and a wide heel which enhances the ability. RRP $249.90

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SKECHERS MEMORY FOAM Skechers Memory Foam is like a bed for your feet! These ultracushioned and soft insoles instantly contour to your soles.

These memory foam shoes probably will be the most comfortable shoes you’ve ever owned. You will feel like walking on air. Great for walking, and working out.

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RRP $159.90 ■ Available at Santreno Shoes

The Mall, 49 Cameron St, Whangarei Phone 09 438 2224 Locally owned and operated

beauty

SAVVY

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Secrets of supermodels A supermodel figure may be out of reach for most of us, but a flawless, glowing complexion is possible by following their beauty tips FRESHEN UP American model Karlie Kloss has revealed she likes misting her face with rose water in the morning because of its refreshing and moisturising qualities. Rose water, which is created through the distillation of rose petals and water, is a natural product that is great for freshening up skin and can also be used as a toner for dry skin types. It also has antiinflammatory properties, so is great for reducing redness and soothing irritated skin.

Those with oily skins can also benefit from a face mist.

Lavender water is particularly good for those with oily or acneprone complexions. Try making your own face mist using purified water and essential oils.

This can be stored in the fridge and used when required.

TRUST IN MOTHER NATURE Natural skincare has become popular in recent years because

GO MAKEUP-FREE of the potentially harmful nature of many chemical ingredients used in synthetic beauty products, and many supermodels have cottoned on to this trend. Lindsey Wixson is a big fan of natural beauty brand RMS Beauty, and she and Lily Cole use tea tree oil to keep their complexions blemish-free.

Miranda Kerr is also a big advocate of organic products and has even launched her own beauty line, KORA Organics.

Many kitchen staples can double up as beauty products,

such as olive oil — which makes a great body moisturiser — and brown sugar, which can be mixed with olive oil to make an exfoliator. Oatmeal is also useful for those with dry or eczemaprone skin, used as an exfoliating cleanser or added to bathwater.

USE AN SPF One of the most important steps for maintaining a supermodel-like complexion is to make sure you always apply

TM

Reformaskin® is a skin treatment program that will reveal your true beauty and confidence for everyone to see.

Whether its pigmentation, redness or scarring, whatever is hiding your true beauty we can reveal it with Reformaskin®.

At Caci we now offer a program to lift, tighten and restore the natural contours of the face using our signature Caci Non Surgical Facelift treatment.

The Refirm program gives the muscles in the face a regular workout, this tightens and tones plus smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

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Many supermodels, including Adriana Lima and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, are regularly seen out and about without makeup.

Many of them make a point of going makeup-free. Ranya Mordanova has revealed she will wear concealer only on her days off, and Bar Refaeli has said she likes to go makeup free while not working to allow her skin to breathe. Going make-up free every now and then is good for your skin, and it can also be good for your confidence to know you

don’t need all the cosmetics. Try exfoliating your skin and applying a good moisturiser for a natural glow, grooming your eyebrows to help shape your face and wearing colours that complement your natural complexion.

EAT WELL To get clear and flawless skin it is important to pay attention to your diet as well as your skincare. Karolina Kurkova is said to drink green smoothies made from green vegetables and fruit juice, while Mirte Maas has revealed she eats a diet rich in healthy foods such as wholegrains, fresh fruit and vege. Aminata Niaria puts her glowing skin down to her high consumption of fish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids. To keep your skin in good condition, make sure you eat a wellbalanced diet rich in facefriendly foods, including fruits, vegetables and oily fish.

Deficiencies in nutrients such as iron and vitamin B12 can lead to pale, sallow skin, so make sure you are getting enough of these nutrients in your diet. Nuts are also a great source of vitamin E, which can help the skin to retain its natural moisture levels and stay soft and hydrated.

Tighten and tone your face with a workout

Revealing you Reformaskin

sunscreen. Supermodel Paulina Porizkova, 47, puts her youthful complexion down to using a daily SPF since when she was in her 20s. Heidi Klum also advocates wearing a daily SPF and avoiding spending too long in the sun.

When it comes to wrinkles prevention is better than cure, so make an effort now to ward them off. Although many of us wait until summer to put on sunscreen, the UV rays which cause premature ageing can penetrate clouds and cause irreversible damage. To help delay signs of ageing, wear an SPF of at least factor 15 every day.

0800 458 458 | caci.co.nz

As we grow older our facial muscles naturally start to lose tone and elasticity. The Caci Non Surgical Facelift gives the muscles in the face a workout, this helps tighten and tone plus smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It produces immediate and dramatic results.

Acclaimed by the media as one of the most exciting beauty developments of the last decade. The CACI Non-Surgical Facelift treatment has a starstudded following with the likes of Madonna, J. Lo and Kate Moss being fans of the treatment.

The CACI Non-Surgical Facelift was introduced to New Zealand through the Caci clinics (named after the famous facial) in 1994, the popularity of this treatment continues to grow. So much so that the latest CACI machine is now in use in New Zealand. The latest machine, features new and patented technology expanding beyond treating the facial muscles to a variety of skin concerns.

The treatment is safe, painless and feels like a relaxing facial. It uses tiny "micro" currents to stimulate the muscles and enhance your skin tissue, like a gym workout for your facial muscles.

Following a CACI NonSurgical Facelift, your

facial muscles feel firmer and your skin will be glowing.

“It makes sense really that the muscles in our face need as much attention as the muscles in the rest of our body to stay well toned,” says New Zealand fashion blogger Leonie Barlow.

The Non-Surgical facelift is deeply relaxing and an overall treatment for the face and neck.

Results are visible after the very first treatment but a course of 12

treatments is recommended. Each treatment costs approximately $120.

Alternatively customers can sign up for the Reformaskin® Refirm program that spreads your treatments and payments over the course of the year.

The Refirm programme has been designed to generate the best results by incorporating a combination of Caci Non Surgical Facelift and Glycolic treatments with at home topical skincare.

beauty

SAVVY

11

Eating tips for that healthy complexion Want super-looking, bright, healthy skin?

The good news is it’s not only what you put on your face or skin that’s the key to a great complexion — what you eat can have a great bearing on skin health too.

We’ve selected seven face-friendly foods to work into your daily menu that can lead to better skin, as well as a more nutritious diet.

maintaining healthy skin. It’s all to do with their super levels of antioxidant, vitamins A, C, E and the mineral iron, which is essential for keeping your blood healthy and your skin bright. If you are not a great lover of greens you can always add them to a smoothie or sneak watercress, rocket or baby spinach into salads and sandwiches to ensure you get your fill.

BEANS

BERRIES Berries act as the perfect healthy skin pick’n’mix as they provide a combo of antioxidants and vitamins C and E in an easy

produce collagen, the facial framework tissue that keeps your complexion plump and smooth.

Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries are some of our favourites and are easy to add to your daily diet, but eat them fresh and unheated to get the most antioxidants and vitamins.

WHOLEGRAINS

pick-up package. Vitamin C is really face-friendly as it helps

Wholegrains are a facial super-food as they are fantastic for digestion, and when your body is working efficiently to get rid of waste and toxins, it shows on your skin.

Go for brown or wholemeal pasta, rice and breads to get your wholegrains and increase your intake of fibre. These foods not

only boost digestion, they are also great sources of iron and another skin-loving nutrient, vitamin B, as well as helping you to feel full after eating.

CUCUMBER Okay, so you can slice off a couple of rounds and pop them on your eyes, too, but the nutritional properties of cucumber makes it a skinfriendly food as well.

Cucumber has a high water content and staying hydrated has to be one of the golden rules when it comes to good nutrition for your skin.

Boost your cucumber intake by using it as crudites, in salads and even in drinks — cucumber whizzed up with yoghurt, mint and a dash of milk makes a

delicious lassi.

SALMON Oily fish is super skin-friendly as it’s rich in the essential lipids (fats) that the skin needs to be healthy. The fatty acid Omega 3 is your friend when it comes to maintaining a healthy and young-looking complexion as it maintains skin elasticity and works to keep cell membranes healthy. Other examples of oily fish include trout, mackerel, tuna, anchovies and sardines.

DARK LEAFY GREENS Spinach, kale, romaine lettuce and swiss chard are all great examples of dark leafy greens that are fantastic for

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It’s isoflavones — potent antioxidants — that make beans a fabulous face-friendly food.

Antioxidants reduce the free radicals, which cause ageing, in your body and make you look and feel great.

Black beans, chickpeas, lentils and soybeans are good choices of beans/legumes to incorporate into your diet.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL Integral to the Mediterranean diet, extra virgin olive oil can help nourish your skin from the inside out.

High levels of the antioxidant vitamin E and ‘‘good fats’’ are what makes extra virgin olive oil so skin-beneficial. If you don’t already, try using it in place of your regular cooking oil and include a drizzle on salads, pasta and pizza.

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beauty

SAVVY

12

Supporting women in town

by PHILIPPA MANNAGH

I

t was with a hint of sadness I chatted away to the bubbly Sue Hoyle of Whangarei’s tasteful Blue Room Lingerie. Being the only specialist lingerie provider left in town, she carries a very real shout out for us locals to ‘use it or loose it’.

Blue Room Lingerie opened way back in 1968 in Kamo by Mrs Dorset, who also owned the same store in England. Betty Dickie then took over the reigns, followed

by Estelle Griffin. The Blue Room was then passed onto Jill Ogle in the mid 1980s through 1998 when Ngaire Bindon owned it until 2002.

The store moved into the CBD with two locations in Rathbone Street.

Sue Hoyle proudly carried on the name from here on in and soon found herself trading out of the busy Strand Arcade over the last five years. 46 years on and covering four different locations, Sue presently finds herself at a crossroads. ‘‘I don’t want to close, I love this store and I am passionate about it and our history,’’ she says.

The reality is, like many local retail stores, times are getting tough thanks to the growing rate of internet sales and numerous discount stores that often miss the crucial valued ingredients of quality and specialist service. ‘‘No one ever regretted buying quality,’’ so the saying goes.

There is a professional and personal service offered here at Blue Room Lingerie and I experienced it first hand throughout our interview as loyal customers came and went.

Although one may pay a slightly higher price than a discount store, remember you are getting what you pay for and underwear should be an important part of your wardrobe Sue suggests.

Blue Room Lingerie stock a wide range of undergarments from bras and underwear through to nightwear and robes,

While supporting others the Blue Room’s Sue Hoyle is now looking for support herself. shapewear, maternity, hosiery, the Thunderpants range, sports wear and a small selection of swimwear. They also offer a professional bra fitting service and these fittings are a necessity to get your size right and feeling comfortable.

From that memorable first bra shop visit with your mother, through various ages and stages of life, to consistent quality and service with a smile, let’s give Blue Room Lingerie our support!

Prosthesis Fitting Service

TOP TIPS

A very important and personal part of the business is the prosthesis fittings service for women following breast surgery. Sue enjoys helping them on their journey to feel fantastic again and finds it an honour to be part of this process. ‘‘I’m a shoulder to cry on, each is a journey of a wonderful woman who has been through so much.’’

Blue Room Lingerie is a Health Department approved provider.

It doesn’t matter what size you are, it is how it fits!

Refresh your underwear wardrobe every year.

Always use a wash bag.

NEVER put bras in the drier.

NEW! SAVVY RECIPES

Every recipe that we publish in Savvy is also available for you to download. online now at www.savvymagazine.co.nz

fishing & fun

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13

Some of the weird and wonderful costumes from previous years.

Nautical Nymphs lured North

by PHILIPPA ROSS

G

aggles of girls will be migrating to Marsden Cove Marina next Thursday, Friday and Saturday to take part in the Chics @ the Chicks Ladies Fishing Competition.

Now in its fifth year, the competition encourages women from around the country to come and enjoy the bounty that our Northland waters offer.

Margaret Mitchell, secretary to the Marsden Cove Fishing Club and keen fisher herself, wanted to establish an opportunity for women to have a go at fishing. ‘‘My desire was to create an event that gave women the chance to enjoy the thrill of fishing and get together to have some serious fun,’’ she says. ‘‘It doesn’t matter if they’re a complete novice or a real expert, they can fish from the shore or venture out to the Hen and Chicks — there’s something for everyone.’’

The competition has always been well supported by the local business community. This year, Metalcraft Roofing and Outboards Restaurant are jointly sponsoring the main $3000 travel voucher prize, while avid fisher and local horse trainer, Donna Logan is sponsoring and judging the best dressed team.

Margaret has amassed lots of regulars who come back year

after year.

One such group are a band of high jinx chicks from Ruakaka who’ve been involved in the competition since it started. ‘The Rock Hoppers,’ aka Sereana, Rochelle, Christine, ‘G’ma, Julie and Rhona are well and truly hooked. They love the chance to

be responsibly irresponsible — to dress up, sing, dance and down the odd beverage or two — oh, and fish of course! ‘‘Some of us work in a very male orientated environment, so it’s great to have the chance to go fishing without having to listen to the men telling us what to do,’’

laughs Sereana. ‘‘We have a whale of a time in the months leading up to the competition coming up with an idea. ‘‘It’s all hands on deck to design and make the costumes ourselves. We decided on Pirates of the Caribbean back in 2010

because we’d just finished watching the film! In 2011 we decided to be chickens because it was near Easter and we were pretty good at clucking and had some great egg laying moves. In 2012, we settled on Sponge Bob Squarepants after singing the theme tune at a St Johns Ambulance dinner we all went to. It became easier in 2013 when we were given a theme to work on. The first one was ‘Under the Waterline’ so we went as Penguins.’’

The girls enthusiasm is contagious. Last year local Marsden girls Louise, Hope, Emma and Kate pipped The Rock Hoppers to the winning post with their home crafted Sea Anemone outfits. We’ll have to see what they all conjure up based on this years ‘Shoreline’ theme.

The weekend begins at 7pm on Thursday with refreshments and a briefing meeting. Official time to cast off is 5 am on Friday.

You’ll have until 3pm on Saturday to weigh in that whopper and walk off with a prize.

Then it’s time to let your hair down with the dinner, dance and dress up competition later that night. Don’t miss out on this fantastic weekend of fun and have a laugh with the lasses.

You can register online on www.marsdencove fishingclub.co.nz.

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health

SAVVY

14

Get rid of the pain in your neck

BY LEIGH BRAMWELL

TOP TIPS

H

ighly qualified Whangarei osteopathy practitioner Adrian Turner has two lots of letters after his name - BSc (Hons), and DO (UK), but he started his working life as a motor mechanic.

Adrian lived in Wigan, in the north-west of England, where he had a motorcycle accident which kept him off work for two years.

When he returned, he realised that because of his injuries, his days as a mechanic were numbered, and he would have to find an alternative career.

He had previously completed a diploma in osteopathy, so when the time came to choose a new path, he

Adrian’s top four tips to ‘get your skeleton right’: ■ Improve your breathing techniques — we do too much shallow breathing and it contributes to lower back problems.

■ Ladies — stop crossing your legs.

‘‘

■ Men — stop putting your wallet in your back pocket.

■ Everyone — get more exercise.

He’d never been to New Zealand but what he knew of the lifestyle appealed so he ‘‘jumped in with both feet’’.

universities from Whangarei for an osteopath, and Adrian decided to apply. He’d never been to New Zealand but what he knew of the lifestyle appealed so he ‘‘jumped in with both feet’’. ‘‘And when I arrived here, it felt like home,’’ he says.

Adrian had always wanted to live a lifestyle close to nature, so Whangarei and its surrounds proved the ideal environment. He also liked the laid back approach of the people, and now that he’s been here for six and a half years, it feels even more like home.

At Whangarei Treatment Providers Adrian works with other practitioners to provide an integrated health approach across a range of modalities. He is currently working alongside Charles Guidicelli, a Corsican who studied in England and has a PhD in physical exercise and conditioning.

The main problem Adrian sees is to do with necks, usually caused by postural problems and often associated with office jobs. ‘‘People sit at a desk all day and start slumping as the day goes on, so the neck muscles have to work much harder, and tension builds up in the body,’’ he explains.

The basic philosophy of osteopathy is that structure governs function, so in Adrian’s words, it’s a case of ‘‘get your skeleton right and your function will be improved’’.

already had both training and passion. To build on that, he enrolled at Oxford University and studied for five years, continuing to work full time as a mechanic while he did so. ‘‘Yes,’’ he agrees, ‘‘it was pretty hard going.’’

Just as he was ready to qualify, a job offer was sent to the

Adrian Turner of Turner Osteopathy welcomes back Charles Giudicelli from a short stint away from Whangarei.

LEFT: Adrian Turner and Charles Giudicelli.

Both Adrian and Charles used to work alongside each other at another clinic for 2 years, and whilst there formed a solid working relationship and a lasting bond, which was rekindled in December.

Adrian states that he is both delighted and honoured to be working alongside Charles again.

“Charles is so much more than your average osteopath due to the fact that the experience, knowledge and skills he possesses are very rare, and which I believe makes him one of the best osteopaths in New Zealand”.

Charles can offer expertise in: • Visceral for Digestive Problem/Disorders (Constipation, Diarrhoea, IBS..)

• Mechanical or Structural Pain (Spine, Pelvis, Limbs, Jaw..)

• Nerves Manipulation and Tension Release (Sciatica, Tunnel Carpal Syndrome...)

• Rehabilitation (after Trauma, Surgery...)

• Cranial Osteopathy He has a Masters degree in strength and conditioning and can put together training plans etc. for anyone in the sporting arena. The French Boxers, Rugby Stade Francais U21, Tennis Players, Water Polo and Skiing teams used to take advantage of his abilities.

Charles is a bit of a sportsman himself as he used to play Rugby League as professional for Bradford Bulls (U.K.) and South Sydney in Australia.

Adrian is also relieved that Charles is on board as he can now assure patients that they won’t have to wait for up to a week for appointments any more.

For an appointment call 09 436 2525/021 0260 1533

SAVVY

health

15

BEDTIME

HERBAL HEALTH

Toothbrush tears? Let children be in charge

Strengthening muscle can help strengthen bone

Child sleep expert Louise Tanguay is owner of The Sleep Store, mum of four boys and here to answer your questions

I have osteoporosis and suffer from pain in my spine which paracetomol doesn’t touch. Antiinflammatories give me stomach problems so is there anything natural you can suggest please. I already take glucosamine for joint problems. I don’t want my osteoporosis to get any worse but I do enjoy the occasional cigarette and glass of wine.

My daughter has finally hit the terrible twos and refuses to brush her teeth. My husband and I have tried everything from helping her brush them, rewarding her for brushing etc — we even invested in a Dora The Explorer toothbrush for her.

Even the phrase ‘‘let’s brush our teeth now’’ sends her into a tantrum.

We don’t want to encourage this behaviour and are getting sick of the constant struggle twice a day. It’s horrible knowing that the majority of the time her little teeth aren’t getting the proper clean that they need and I’d hate to see her have dental problems at such a young age. Please help. Thanks, Pip. Two-year-olds can be so strong-willed, with everything from bedtime to carseats to teeth, it can be exhausting.

One of the things I find works with toddlers is letting them feel like they are in charge. You can’t make them clean their teeth without a big battle and a lot of force, so you need to find a way to let your toddler win and be in charge of the teeth cleaning.

Offering options can work well for this age. You could have two brushes and let her choose which colour to use tonight. You can offer to let her clean them herself or you will do it. I often give my little one the toothbrush in the bath and this really increases the chance it will get used.

And my best success with toddler teeth cleaning has been a kids’ electric toothbrush. My very-resistant-to-teeth-cleaning 3-year-old loved his so much he would take it to bed and keep brushing after bedtime.

And just remember to have no sugary things in the evening, so if the odd evening goes by when teeth cleaning is missed, it’s not the end of the world.

If you have any questions about getting a baby to sleep, safe sleeping, encouraging babies or children to sleep more and on their own, or anything else related to child sleep, Louise is the person to ask. Send your questions to regionalfeatures@apn.co.nz.

You can also go to www.thesleepstore.co.nz for free articles on child sleep and products that will help you and your little ones get a good night’s rest.

Herbalist LES helps address health issues the natural way

If you have osteoporosis it means that you have lost some bone material. Your bones become less dense and this makes them more prone to break. In New Zealand, osteoporosis is said to affect approximately 50 per cent of women and 30 per cent of men over the age of 60 years Strengthening surrounding muscles and connective tissues can, in turn, help strengthen the bone. For connective tissue to be renewed you need a constant supply of glucosamine which occurs naturally in almost all the body’s tissues.

Taking glucosamine may well help to slow down the degenerative process and strengthen tissues supporting the spinal discs.

A good supplement to take is glucosamine with celadrin.

Celadrin, a natural antiinflammatory, is a patented mix of essential fatty acids which is considered to be effective when taken with glucosamine.

Make sure your diet includes sufficient calcium and vitamin D. In addition, boron and manganese (both found in nuts); vitamin K, vitamin B12, potassium, and magnesium are key bone-building substances and so a good multi vitamin and mineral supplement could benefit you.

I see that you smoke and without wishing to take away something which gives you pleasure I have to say that it’s important to stop. Studies have

shown a direct relationship between cigarette smoking and decreased bone density.

If you drink alcohol, please do so in moderation. Too much alcohol can interfere with the balance of calcium in your body and affect the production of hormones and vitamins that play a role in healthy bones. But, using common sense, I don’t believe that a glass of wine in the evening will harm you but do try and stick to red wine.

Both caffeine and salt may contribute to calcium and bone loss. To improve bone health, switch to non-caffeinated beverages, avoid soft drinks, check labels of packaged foods for sodium content, and remove the salt shaker from your table.

Exercise can help osteoporosis. The pulling and tugging on the bones by your muscles during exercise helps to

stimulate bone-making cells and strengthens your bones. This means exercise where your feet and legs bear your body’s weight, such as brisk walking, aerobics, dancing, running, etc.

For older people, a regular walk is a good start.

When speaking to my acupuncturist friend in the UK I learnt that acupuncture can be effective for osteoporosis not only by reducing pain, but by increasing energy levels. It can also help to increase levels of serotonin, your body’s ‘feel good’ hormone.

The supplements I have mentioned here are available from Hardys in Kerikeri and all good health stores.

■ If you have any questions for Les please e mail her herbalist@littleherbalcompany.co.nz

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SAVVY

home trends

Warm heart of the home Cushions, candles, cuddly throws and colourful flowers: cherish your living spaces with these cheap and cheerful touches — and help keep winter’s big chill at bay

THROW RUGS

Why switch on the heater when you have a cosy throw rug within reach?

When choosing a blanket, some fabrics and knits are warmer than others. Loose weaves are warmer than tightly knitted fabrics because the holes and spaces between the yarn fibres trap the warmth of your body.

Luxurious fabrics, such as angora (shorn from rabbits), alpaca and cashmere (shorn from the Kashmir goat), are warmer than regular wool, but wool is more affordable and will still keep you toasty.

doesn’t love flannelette sheets in winter?

COSY CUSHIONS

WINDOW DRESSING

You might want to change your bright and breezy summer cushions for something cosier.

Dark tones, thick wool knitted cushions, velvet and subtle gold prints add depth, warmth and texture to a room.

EARTHY COPPER PIECES

One of the big trends this season is copper and coppercoloured pieces, such as chunky knit cushions and throws.

Larger items give rooms an earthy, warm quality.

SLEEPY TIME

Now is a good time to flip your mattress (or rotate it, if you have a mattress that cannot be flipped). Give your winterweight duvet a good airing and get out your cosy bed linen. Who

If you’re a curtain person, replace your summer drapes with something that’s thicker or lined for extra warmth.

Victorians would have a set of summer curtains and a set of winter curtains. In this era of eco-consciousness and high electricity bills, you can save on heating by using thick curtains or lined velvet or wool drapes to prevent draughts and stop warm air leaking out of older windows.

CANDLES

Scented candles can be found in almost every homeware store.

To create a winter feel, go for a pine needle, cinnamon or wood aromas.

BRIGHT FLOWERS

Plant winter-flowering annuals in autumn to add colour to your deck, patio or garden in

the cooler months.

What you plant will depend on your location and climate, but think pansies, cinerarias, violas and polyanthus.

WINTER FOOD

It’s also time to plant winter vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, so you have something from the garden to munch on in winter.

PREPARE FOR SPRING

Autumn is when to plant bulbs, such as tulips and

NEW!

SAVVY RECIPES

daffodils, so their flowers burst from the soil in spring.

FLOORBOARD WORRY

When homes are heated in winter and the air is dry, floorboards tend to contract and thin gaps can appear between planks. This is normal and you don’t need to do anything about it, but if you don’t want it to happen consider using a humidifier in the room. The optimal humidity level falls in the 40 to 60 per cent range, and as long as it doesn’t fall lower than 40 per cent, no gaps should appear in the floorboards. — AAP

Every recipe that we publish in Savvy is also available for you to download. online now at www.savvymagazine.co.nz

16

SAVVY

17

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home trends

SAVVY

18

The clean, white paint has given the shed a sleek designer look and provides an ideal backdrop for the family’s artworks.

From basic to ...

LEIGH BRAMWELL takes a look at Nick Hampson’s ‘shed’ in Kerikeri.

A

With separate guest accommodation in the garden, there’s been space to convert one of the bedrooms to a study.

t the end of a long, private driveway at Rangitane, near Kerikeri, is a shed which started out life as a ‘boy pit’. It was used by its owner as somewhere to get together with mates for fishing trips and the like, and the amenities were basic — a sink, a stovetop and not much else.

The idea was always to build a real house on the site but that didn’t happen, and six years ago Nick Hampson and his wife took it on and converted it into a family home.

It’s not enormous, but clever

renovation and smart interior design have made it into a spacious home with lashings of style.

“We bought it for the dogs. It’s three acres and fully fenced,” Nick says.

The dogs are immortalised in two portraits printed onto corrugated iron and hung on the living room wall – appropriate de´cor for a shed house.

While it retains echoes of its shed origins on the outside, the inside is a different story. To look at it, you’d think it had been totally rebuilt, but Nick says it wasn’t a huge job. “It’s really

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The existing kitchen contained little more than a sink and stove top, but it’s now a spacious area with timber finishing.

home trends

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19

only had a lick of paint and new flooring,’’ he says.

Both the plain white colour scheme and the continuous timber-look flooring enhance the sense of space, and the living area accommodates dining and two separate sitting settings.

The basic kitchen was already in place so they added a wooden topped breakfast bar and a big pantry which acts as a wall to separate the living space from the utility areas. The wooden topped dining table and chairs were stripped and refinished to match the ‘country chic’ style. ‘‘You don’t get a sense of the width of the house from the outside,’’ Nick says, ‘‘so people are surprised that there are three bedrooms.’’

One of the bedrooms is used as a study, as Nick tends to work from home, so extra guests are often put up in the tiny cottage set apart from the house. ‘‘It was originally a brown building in the middle of a the paddock so we put it on marine piles and rolled it to where it is now. It only took half an hour,’’ Nick says.

The cottage has been

The sitting area on the deck is heated by a chiminea on a ‘designer’ stand.

... BRILLIANT

refurbished and is now a cosy spare room with garden views.

The garden here includes a potager and fruit trees and a pond, and the shed itself has good outdoor entertaining spaces with a spacious deck out the front heated by a chiminea. The chiminea sits on a stack of concrete paving tiles and a piece of corrugated iron to bring it to the same level as the deck. Nick says that was simply to stop it from setting the deck on fire, but like everything else in this designer shed, it looks as if it were purpose built.

The Hampsons are selling the shed now and while they’re sad to leave it, their new home at Doves Bay will be a reminder of what they’ve left. It looks like a boat shed and it’s even called The Shed.

Continuous timber-look flooring visually expands the space in the already large living area.

It may retain vestiges of its origins as a shed, but this house has plenty of space and style.

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home trends

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Enjoy the light of day with perfect walls

Quality NZ-made furniture right on your doorstep Expertise, and a commitment to provide the highest quality products are distinguishing characteristics that Fabers Furnishings can promise. A promise that both their own staff and the companies they deal with can deliver.

EJP is one such company; a second generation New Zealand family company that Fabers have been dealing with for the past 25 years. EJP handcraft stylish furnishings created for comfort, durability and longevity. Built with solid, kiln dried pine frames, high density foam, and spring or web seating; you’re guaranteed a quality piece of furniture. ‘‘The beauty of dealing with EJP is they’ll make unique pieces designed to our customers specifications,’’ says Alan Faber. ‘‘The combinations are endless. Choose the style, whatever seating arrangement you want in a fabric and colour of your choice — and they’ll make it up

by TERRY LOBB

Spice retro dining suite, above.

especially for you.’’

If the number of options becomes mindboggling, then Fabers in-store colour consultants can help you come up with a solution that balances practicality and desirability to reflect the ambience you want for your home. Whatever your style, be it Retro Nordic 60’s, Classical, Traditional or Modern, Fabers Furnishings and EJP can deliver sofas, chairs, dining tables, wall units and more.

Brooklyn lounge suite, bottom; and Nordic lounge suite, below.

QUALITY NZ MADE LOUNGE SUITES

My favourite time of day is early morning when the light is soft and subtle and the day is just waking.

Peace and quiet, no phones, no crashing of breakfast plates, no hustle and bustle of racing out the door for school or work.

My kitchen is painted in Resene Festival with almostblack joinery and a black granite laminate benchtop. The house was built in 1976, so there has been plenty of time for movement in foundations and walls as the house settles.

I decided when I revamped my kitchen and dining room to have the best of both worlds and used wallpaper and paint for the walls. I like the feel and look of textured walls and I wanted a certain colour, so the decision was easy.

The walls weren’t perfect, so the wallpaper would cover up some of the defects, if not all of them . . . dream on. It seemed to take ages to get what I thought was a perfect surface for wallpapering (me being me, I wanted to do it myself so there wasn’t anyone to blame).

Having gib-stopped the walls to perfection, put my sealing coat on, then wallpaper, I was ready to paint.

Festival is a gorgeous clear yellow. When the morning light floods in, the room glows and even on a dull day it is a pleasure to walk into the room, the colour is so welcoming. The sharpness of the black and yellow is perfect — good clean lines and lots of working space.

My perfect wall has the ugliest imperfection across the length of it, where the gib is joined horizontally and the old overhead cupboards were removed. In most lights you can’t see the defect at all but — and it is a big but — there it is for everyone to see with that very critical light, the morning sun, which peeks over the hill filling my kitchen and showing every defect in the wall. The same thing happens at night when the downlights are turned on. So to

correct it, the wallpaper needs to come off and I need to start the process again — hence nothing has been done.

With many old houses you will often get the same problem — it is part of the character of the house — but this also happens in new homes.

Often the painter gets the blame for shoddy workmanship.

But look again — is it the paint or the wallpaper or is it underneath? Many times we can’t see if there is a defect, but if you have critical light shining on a wall you will see the defects if there are any.

Every house has critical light. It is the light that shines along a wall — either natural sunlight or it could be wall lights, spots and so on.

It can often be a chain reaction, from frame work, to gib, to stopping, to finishing.

There are products available that you can use in your prep work to help prevent the

problem. If you have a professional contractor, one would hope the surfaces will have a professional finish.

If you’re a DIYer, get professional advice on anything you are unsure of and don’t be impatient to get the job finished.

If the wall doesn’t look right, work with it until it is.

As for me, I haven’t found the right painting yet to help cover the defect and draw the eye away to something more pleasing (it’s too much of a chore to remove the paper and start again, though that is probably what I will end up doing). Perhaps I’ll leave it there as a reminder of the pitfalls in not preparing properly.

■ Terry Lobb is an interior/ kitchen designer, personal colour and style consultant who takes a holistic approach to living with colour, texture and style. email: terry@terrylobb.com or visit terrylobb.com

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Improve the environment with native plants

by KATIE HILFORD

Spotless Crake.

Wetlands are nature’s sponge

by SEAN BRILL In New Zealand’s past wetlands were perceived to be ‘wasted’ land and many were drained and changed for other purposes. We are now understanding more about their ecology and importance, not only to the animals that live in them but to the surrounding land and waterways.

Wetlands are very important for the protection of our rare wetland birds like the fern bird and the spotless crake. They also act as nature’s sponge, cleaning and filtering water that flows into them from surrounding countryside as well as effectively reducing flooding.

Clean water means that our native fish are more likely to survive and the spread of mangroves will not be as rampant. Wetlands hold a large

Raupo.

amount of water, so in heavy rain a wetland will soak up water runoff and release it slowly over the next couple of weeks. Plants such as Raupo¯, rush’s and sedge’s trap silt and retain water in the decayed organic matter that a wetland establishes over time. Wetlands operate the best when healthy so come in and see Sean our Ecologist.

He can advice you in this area from full restoration to improving the health of your existing wetland.

Alter-Natives Native Plant Fund is back for 2014!

The ‘Native Plant Fund’ is a free giveaway of native plants to help the environment, proudly supplied by the friendly team at Alter-Natives, your local nursery and landscaping business.

There are 2,880 native plants available to give away with a limit of four trays (96 plants) per individual or group.

If you’re interested in receiving native plants to be used for the improvement of the environment check out the website www.alternatives.co.nz for terms and conditions and the application form.

Applicants can be private land owners, schools or other education providers, clubs or youth groups, community or land care groups located anywhere in the Whangarei and Kaipara districts. Get online and check it out, it’s a fantastic opportunity to help improve the environment.

Entries are open from Wednesday April 2 until 5pm April 30, 2014.

Winners will be notified by phone from May 2, 2014.

We have combined our Waipu production nursery and our Port Road retail nursery into one bigger and better sales nursery

• MORE STAFF • MORE PLANTS • BETTER RANGE • LOTS OF PARKING SPACE FIND US AT 101 KIOREROA RD OPEN 7 DAYS

We have moved from Port Rd to 101 Kioreroa Road.

Weekdays 8am-5pm

PAST TO PRESENT:

History of Alter-Natives nursery

by DEBBIE OLDFIELD Back in 2003 Ian and Cindy Fox had an idea to start a native plant nursery in the Whangarei area.

Something that was sorely lacking. They bought a bare 3ha block out at Ormiston Rd in Waipu and set about turning it into a nursery.

Lots of hard work in their spare time was needed.

They were usually found working by torch light during the winter evenings, propagating plants after they had finished their daytime jobs.

By 2004 they managed to have ready for sale 15,000 native plants which they sold from the nursery.

The next year they not only sold the plants from the nursery but started selling them at the Whangarei growers market. They increased production to 30,000 plants and employed their first staff members.

2007 saw the start of the AlterNatives nursery native plant fund. 5000 plants were given away to deserving people and groups throughout Whangarei. This fund is still going and is currently taking applications — see our website for details. www.alternatives.co.nz Both the business and the plant fund increased over the years to the stage where Ian and Cindy currently employ 6 fulltime staff as well as lots of casuals in the busy planting season.

Currently they produce half a

OUR NEW NURSERY IS OPEN!

million plants a year. They have expanded the business and now not only sell natives, but a good range of fruit trees, veges, exotic trees and shrubs as well. They also plan and plant out revegetation areas, effluent fields, as well as creating landscape plans for the home garden.

In the last few years Ian has built up a good, reliable, knowledgeable staff. Some of whom you are likely to meet at the new Kioreroa Rd nursery, Katie — award winning landscape designer and sales person, Debbie — fulltime sales person with 20 years experience with plants and Sean our Ecologist. Working in the production side of the nursery as well as planting out landscaping jobs are Andy, John and Reilly.

With dyslexia week just behind us it’s appropriate to comment that Ian’s background was a dyslexic school dropout with only 15 months of high school. He has

Saturday 9am-4pm

Sunday

New site opens 2nd April 2014.

10am-3pm

Our new site is at 101 Kioreroa Road, next to the dog pound (ENL). Go up a gravel driveaway 200m to our big yard which runs behind John Deere Tractors and Cowleys Party Hire.

been managing businesses since he was 20 for both corporate and private entities before branching into developing a number of his own businesses.

Late last year and so far this year has seen the construction of the new Kioreroa Rd nursery slowly taking shape. After taking some inspiration from the ChCh rebuild, Ian decided to construct the new building at the nursery using 8 forty foot containers. This is possibly Northlands largest container building. The new yard is much larger than our Port Rd yard was. Production and retail is all happening on one site.

FIND US AT 101 KIOREROA RD | 09 974 8733 katiehilford@alter-natives.co.nz

The Alter-Natives team: Sean Brill, Debbie Oldfield and Katie Hilford.

Open 7 days: Weekdays 8am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 10am-3pm (Closed on public holidays)

motoring

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22

ON TWO WHEELS

O

n a motorcycle the rider is far more exposed than when driving in a car. Wind, rain, heat and cold all have their effects.

The risk of animals running out into the road or cars running into the motorcycle has to be considered. Riding gear is needed for warmth, to stay dry and above all, safety.

Cutting corners on cost as opposed to safety is a bad choice.

Wearing quality protective clothing while riding reduces your chance of injury and can lengthen your riding day by reducing the risk of sunburn, fatigue and will improve the rider’s general wellbeing.

When choosing gear, given the range of brands and styles on the market, it’s important to assess requirements then limit your shopping to the gear which has those features.

MOTORCYCLE HELMETS — PROTECTION STARTS AT THE TOP With helmets, it’s easy to get caught in the ‘trendy brand’ trap. Resist. Get the proper fit.

Most manufacturers create helmets to fit a certain head shape, so different brands will fit different heads. The helmet you buy should grip your cheeks, your jaw, and the top and sides of your head.

While looks are important, a hurried put on, look in the mirror, and take off doesn’t provide a proper fitting. Keep the helmet on for at least 15 minutes. In that time any discomfort will start to appear. A helmet that’s even slightly uncomfortable isn’t worth buying and will become a distraction on the road. Full-face helmets offer greater protection than three-quarter or half-shell styles.

DRESS FOR THE FALL Even if you’re just making a quick run to the store, don’t take a shortcut with your protective gear. Jeans and a windbreaker won’t be enough if you’re sliding across the pavement. Heavy leather riding gear may seem like overkill, and sure, it’s miserable on the hottest days, but it can help prevent road

fabric or over-pants, which are worn over your regular clothes.

Draggin jeans with a kevlar lining in the high risk areas are a heavy denim with options to include armor, and look like regular jeans. Motorcycle overpants are popular, waterproof and come with armor and leg zippers which make them easy to get on and off over pants and boots.

BOOTS To stay comfortable and safe consider a pair of high-quality motorcycle boots.

Choosing comfortable boots is vital. Boots that fit properly are snug enough to stay on if you fall off, but loose enough to allow proper circulation. Quality boots also help your feet stay dry and cool. Look for water-proof or water-resistant materials, as well as a ventilation system that lets your feet breathe. Some brands have ‘invisible’ reflectorised strips for safety.

A protective motorcycle boot should come to your upper shin, and have shin and ankle armor.

At the other end boots should at least cover your ankles and preferably be made of leather which will be comfortable off the motorcycle while still providing some protection.

Choosing the correct gear rash, broken bones, or worse.

Leather may seem like a fashion statement, but quality leathers are an important first layer of defence between rider and road. Leather doesn’t "grab" like other materials, so a rider wearing leathers may be more likely to slide, instead of tumbling head over heel if a spill occurs, an advantage which can greatly reduce the chance of serious injuries.

MOTORCYCLE RIDING SUITS A compete suit covers everything. For urban commuters who what to keep their office clothes clean, the full motorcycle riding suit provides

WELCOME TO PLANET HONDA IN WHANGAREI

WE EAT, LIVE AND BREATHE BIKES

increased convenience, protecting everything from road dust to the weather.

The separate jacket and pants provide more options and can removed independent of each other.

MOTORCYCLE JACKETS Consider the weather you are likely to be riding in. In a very hot region a mesh motorcycle jacket maybe the answer. These allow air to pass through while still providing protection from the sun and accidents. They come with a waterproof liner or shell which can be worn both to stay dry and provide extra warmth if needed.

If the weather is changeable consider a three season textile

GLOVES

jacket. Most of these have vents for improved air flow in very hot weather (though none will be as good as a pure mesh jacket), and are waterproof without having to stop and add a layer. They usually come with a liner which can be used to make the jacket warmer, allowing riding on cold days.

The fit should be snug, and when you pull up not have any gaps between your gloves and sleeves and the back plates should fit squarely on your shoulders to protect the points of impact

MOTORCYCLE PANTS There are either pants which take the place of your usual wear and come in leather or textile

JUST ARRIVED DRI-RIDER Women’s Designer Motorcycle BOOTS IN STORE NOW! $199.00

Like boots, good gloves offer both comfort and protection.

Gloves protect your hands from the weather. They may also be your first line of defence in an accident, since it’s second nature to extend your hands during a fall. Look for gloves that protect your whole hand, including palms, fingers, and wrists. And to make sure you actually wear them, choose gloves that will be comfortable in any weather. Increased comfort can lead to better control, especially if you’re riding for extended periods of time If your preference is ‘style’ keep a sharp eye out for cuttingedge designs. There are hot new products out there for women riders of all motorcycle styles.

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We have a great selection well priced of Motorcycle Jackets for all sizes and ages - call in and try one on.

Phone: 09 438 9780 • Mobile: 0275 PLANET 027 575 2638 Fax: 09 430 8502 • E-mail: sales@planethonda.co.nz

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20 Port Road, Whangarei

motoring

SAVVY

23

by SANDY MYHRE

W

ho would have thought that one day a Hyundai would be considered a luxury car? In fact the relatively new Santa Fe SUV has become the most expensive Hyundai ever sold in New Zealand and the price places it as a competitor squarely in the European SUV sector and not the Japanese.

Why? Hyundai says the high specification levels of the Santa Fe across the model range — not just with the flagship model — warrants it. And it may not be as crazy as it sounds when you consider the Elite model Santa Fe was the top-selling of the range last year, even as it retailed for a touch under $67,000.

There are numerous Santa Fe models to choose from too — starting with the entry level at $57,900 and on through to the Elite at $79,900. Engine options include 16 or 24 valves, direct petrol injection with continuously variable valve timing, common rail direct injection diesel with electronic variable geometric turbo or the petrol multi-point injection.

We’ll spare you the acronyms.

Having this many models in the lineup is fairly unusual but in fact there are several fairly uncommon aspects to Hyundai’s Santa Fe SUV, particularly the 3.3 litre petrol version.

The first is that given the engine is a relatively meaty 3.3 litres why isn’t it four or all wheel drive? Maybe it suits Californian housewives or Seoul sisters who are never going to go off-road. But in saying that, it’s great! It pushes through straight line air well and corners

Dripping with safety and creature comforts beautifully. Mind you it has nearly every chip-controlled driver assist feature you could wish so in terms of stability, traction, control and braking, twowheel (front) drive seems to be fine.

In fact the new Santa Fe is dripping with safety and creature comfort features right throughout and that’s why, of course, it’s priced as it is.Consider the leather trim, flexible (and heated) seats with integrated memory, fingertip controls and (in the Elite) SatNav with real-time traffic updates — you get the picture and literally with the reversing screen.

As for looks, there’s a kind of fluidity that other SUVs find hard to emulate although many try. SUVs are by nature essentially quite bulky but the Santa Fe seems to escape looking

weighty around the hips or the waist even though it’s a fairly big car.

The seat slides back when you open the door which helps enormously because it’s fairly high off the ground. But why on earth do chimes have to announce when you slide your backside into and out of the

driving seat? It’s not as if you don’t know you’re there surely?

They could be annoying but perhaps it’s like living on a busy main road — you get used to the noise over time.

If you’re a dedicated brand bunny then you may find it hard to come to grips with a Hyundai competing with established

European brands. The 3.3 litre is even $17,000 more expensive that Ford’s top line Titanium Kuga. It may take an attitude shift because given exchange rates and global competitiveness, it’s the way the world is heading and in the case of the Santa Fe it would be a pity not to at least have a test drive.

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arts

SAVVY

24

A museum is a museum is a museum . . . or is it?

M

useums are the memory banks of their communities; they network narratives and connections to much wider stories of our nationhood. This is true of almost every country in the world. It is not a uniquely New Zealand story. Museums collect and collate the ephemera, the detritus and the masterpieces, the little and large stories of our planet and those that people it.

The gift of imagination and aspiration are its source.

So what really is a museum?

— the virulent debates swirling about museums and arts centres in Northland at present make me want to think on this more closely, and perhaps give a more informed perspective.

In fact a Museum is perfectly clearly defined; — by its international overseeing body The International Council of Museums or ICOM. The New Zealand Parliament is a signatory to this definitive definition, and to the accompanying international Code of Ethics of ICOM which is part of wider international protocols of UNICEF upheld in Aotearoa. ‘‘A museum is a nonprofit making (my own italics), permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and

Scott Pothan exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment.’’ See http:/ /icom.museum/the-vision/ museum-definition/ Museums Aotearoa — the New Zealand professional body for museums and museum workers underpins this international definition with some added Kiwi flavour with the addition of marae, arts centres and public art galleries/ art museums in this wider definition of cultural

repositories. In fact the term ‘public art gallery’ is a British colonial construct. In the rest of the world, institutions such as ours are termed public art museums, or museums of modern art — or Kunsthalle, in the Germanic world. This is for the very sane and savvy reason that a ‘gallery’ in a British context has multiple meanings — not least in confusing the dealer gallery of the business world with a public notfor-profit museum.

Ironically, it was Britain’s most enlightened and impassioned mind of the time, William Wilberforce (1759-1833), who was a driving force, establishing the National Art Gallery in Trafalgar Square, the first of its kind in the world.

I named the ‘Whangarei Art Museum’ in its establishing document to the Whangarei District Council nearly 20 years ago, precisely to define this role and positioning in the cultural sector.

Since then, however, much of the museum sector has remained in a kind of cultural stasis. Virtually anyone with an attic or cowshed full of accumulated and totally un-

Exhibition Open 17 February – 20 April 2014

curated cultural clutter, can ‘hang out a shingle’ and call themselves a ‘museum’ — and bully the under-informed, into getting public funding too! An accreditation scheme for museums has been mooted for a long time in New Zealand, but is still far too far away, leaking well into the second decade of the 21st century. We are shackled by 1950’s thinking and entrenched amateurism in the regional sector. Of course there are brilliant exceptions, but they only underscore the earnestly turgid ones, and the vagaries of a flip-flop economy, where many fall over rather than amalgamate. Universities churn out brilliant Maori and Pakeha Museums Studies degree graduates, yet still too often, senior museum positions and Directorships are filled internally, by governance boards cynically appointing within its own ranks, or drawing senior managers from the telco or corporate sector with no museums experience and without any due public process.

A generation of qualified museums professionals simply marginalized.

The facts are that museums are NOT business units, or economic drivers. In fact they are required not to be. Major grants funders such as the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and ASB Trust and

many others are highly aware of these criteria in their decision making, as they have been locally most recently. This year the professional body, Museums Aotearoa itself, has been rather caught out by this dilemma.

They have to make a constitutional amendment this month to allow for affiliated membership, because some of its members are not actually ‘museums’ at all, by the ICOM definition. This is an interesting step in the maturing of vision that is required in our museum sector, which is vibrant but paradoxically leaden at times too.

Museums which are visionary, idealistic, design-led, compelling storytellers and endlessly alluring are the museums of the future. They are the cathedrals of the 21st century, but only if they are embedded and embraced within the communities they serve, and enlighten us just by being simply there. They are the museums which become economic drivers for the businesses and communities surrounding them. This is precisely what Te Papa has done exceptionally for Wellington and the new Auckland Art Gallery for Auckland.

It would be nice to think that the Whangarei Art Museum would one day fulfill this promise too.

— Scott Pothan

Exhibition Open 24 February – 20 April 2014

Quicksilver project, Surrealist Armchair, c1932, private collection The New Zealand Artist Abroad, 2003, ink and pencil, 760 x 560mm. Wellington City Council Art Collection. Used with permission of the Estate of Graham Percy.

THE IMAGINATIVE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRAHAM PERCY

Curated by leading art critic, curator and poet Gregory O’Brien ONZM, showcasing the charmingly anarchic illustrations of this well-respected but little-known artist. In association with Exhibition Services Tours, City Gallery Wellington and Gus Fisher Gallery, The University of Auckland. All artworks courtesy of the Graham Percy Family Trust.

For further information please contact 09 430 4240 whangareiartmuseum@wdc.govt.nz

Len Lye in New York City, 1962, private collection

LOST IN SPACE: LEN LYE’S UNFINISHED SCIENCE FICTION QUICKSILVER A selective survey of early Len Lye works from the Len Lye family collection and a private New Zealand collection.

WHANGAREI ART MUSEUM Te Manawa – The Hub, Town Basin, Dent St, Whangarei

OPENING HOURS: Monday-Sunday 10am-4pm

last word

SAVVY

25

Just what is a plan anyway?

Wife, mother, journalist . . . PHILIPPA MANNAGH reveals the highs, the lows and the challenges in life

B

y now, the news will be out.

If you remember my last column, I spoke about life changes and the year ahead, my youngest starting school and all that comes with this new chapter. What I didn’t know, as I wrote some heart tugging words about last moments with your pre-school children, was that life had decided to give us one more chance to live out these precious memories again.

As I farwelled my son at the school gate, I acknowledged that I had closed the door to these young years and life as I knew it at that very moment, could never go back to experience this again. My heart did sadden as I said goodbye not only to my five year old son, but my baby. I also celebrated.

Shortly after Master five started school, I quickly got myself into a new routine, a new found freedom of primary school hours… but my body felt different.

I couldn’t be?

Hubby and I had spoken about a possible third child many years ago, but for various reasons we had decided not to and chose to carry on as a definite family of four. I sold all the baby items, I put that maternal pull (that I wonder if most mothers always carry with them) out of my mind. I set my heart up to be done and to never look back. Closure, satisfaction baby life was over and a future plan. It was all organised… in my mind anyway.

Little did we know that a third Mannagh was determined to join our family and give us the shock of our lives!

Raw emotions ran wild as we processed what was going on and what was to come.

It has been quite a journey to be honest and an emotional roller coaster as we replanned life as we knew it. There have been tears, anger, excitement, guilt, happiness, confusion, panic, you name it.

This has been a process and one I would like to write further on as it has opened my eyes to how often people go through the unexpected, whatever their unexpected may be.

If I am brave enough, I want to share a very raw account of what I have experienced. The honest truth of how we dealt with the news we never foresaw and the confusing darkness that I went through this time. What it is like when it

‘‘

It’s true, sometimes the best things in life are those little surprises that scare us at the time. is not in your plan. How do you deal with life when it side swipes you? Aren’t you meant to feel elated and ecstatic at times like these? What is wrong with me for feeling this way?

When you have a plan, a vision, closure and that gets turned upside down, not all baby news is peaches and cream and all things magical like the movies or even as other people can portray. That can come and often it does, in time. So many stories have been lovingly shared with me as I made sense of what was happening and I would love to share mine for the reason that all the others helped my situation so much.

With the first trimester behind me now, our excited family is really looking forward to meeting the new brother or sister and all the treasured moments that go with a new addition. This brand new soul has actually planned their arrival perfectly once we digested the news and

will slot into our family life just swell. It is nice to get to this stage and be at peace with all the (do able) upcoming changes and let the magic sink in that we get to experience all of these ‘lasts’ again!

It’s true, sometimes the best things in life are those little surprises that scare us at the time. Follow my journey as I openly, and (I hope) bravely, come to terms with becoming pregnant for the third time.

Philippa owns LikedMedia, a Social Media Management Service. Email her on likedmedia@gmail.com or check out her website: www.likedmedia.wordpress.com

www.littlemissfrugalblog .blogspot.com

Kiwi North is pleased to present our W.W.1 Commemorative Exhibition "The Great War 1914 - 1918 - Northland Remembers" From 12th April at Whangarei Museum 10am to 4pm daily Gate 1, 500 SH 14 Maunu, Whangarei | 09-4389630 • www.kiwinorth.co.nz

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last word

SAVVY

26

Shop wisely and don’t waste DIANNE HARRIS is a budget advisor for the Anglican Care Centre In Britain every year people buy 7 million tonnes more food and drink than they consume, with more than half of this food being edible at the time of its disposal. This equals the equivalent of 6 meals every week.

My initial response was ‘Oh my goodness’ on doing a little more research I got closer to home. NZ Herald in 2011 stated ‘NZ Households throw out about $450 worth of food a year’.

Becoming more aware of the health consequences of food spoilage and distinguishing between ‘best-before’ and ‘use-by’ dates could be a start to reducing this figure.

Most avoidable food wastes are potatoes, sliced bread, apples and meat.

How much food comes straight from your fridge or cupboards and goes straight to the bin without it even making it to your plate?

Do you understand the difference between use by- date and best-before or are you just not good at estimating portions?

Is it to do with buying more than we need, (don’t be tempted with the 3 for 2 deals, often items that you hadn’t planned on buying) do you write a shopping list

followed. It is illegal to sell a product after a ‘use by ‘ date. Supermarkets usually discount or dispose of products close to this date.

RECIPE

before you do the weekly grocery shop?

Maybe its time to consider changing your supermarket shopping habits.

Planning your meals is one of the most effective ways you can cut wastage. First check your fridge, freezer or pantry to see what you have. Decide on a menu plan for the week and make your shopping list based on what you don’t have. Therefore you are only buying for the meals you have planned.

Follow storage instructions on food labels. If you have food that is still good but you’re not going to use it before the best before date — freeze it, but make sure you write what the items are and the date they are put in the freezer.

How about instead of throwing away those bits of fruit in the fruit bowl that

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are now looking a little worn, cut off the bad bits, stew them up and use them on your breakfast cereal or make a pudding.

Vegetables looking a little past their best? chop them up and make a soup or add them to a casserole.

Become creative with your leftovers — a little bit of thought is all it takes.

Let’s value the food that we are eating and at the same time start saving some money Note: Best before: means the products quality will reduce after that date, however there is no immediate health risk, and it is not illegal to sell a product after its best-before date. Use By: indicates how long your food should keep safely for if the storage instructions are

Beetroot is in plentiful supply at the moment and there is nothing nicer than a beetroot relish (I found this in an old recipe book) and it’s been a favourite ever since. Hope it becomes one of yours 750g beetroot (approx. 5 large) peeled and grated — thank goodness for food processors although you can’t escape the red hands.

1 chopped onion, 2 cups balsamic vinegar, 1 cup water (could cut this down to about 3/4 cup as I do find the relish is a little runny), 2.5 cups sugar, 3 teaspoons of mustard (seeded), 2 whole cloves, 5cm piece of orange rind (just peel from an orange with a potato peeler), salt and black pepper Simply put all ingredients into a large pot, cover and bring to the boil. Cook for 30mins or until beetroot is soft and the liquid has reduced and thickened slightly.

Spoon into hot sterilized jars and seal.

Sandcastles and cigarettes

JO DANILO escaped to Northland from wintry England three years ago and finds the Kiwi way of life refreshingly different.

She shares with SAVVY readers the things that make her stop and smile.

European beaches are, admittedly, better than they used to be. Back in the 80’s of my childhood, a standard sandcastle would be part sand, part cigarette butts, part used tissue fragments and other unsavoury things.

Unless you were patient enough to pick all the non-sand items out of your bucket.

Our last holiday, before we moved to the land of perfect beaches, was in Crete.

The nearest beach was 15 minutes drive away, and we had to leave early to bag a sunbed. The regulation three tight rows of sunbeds were spaced at enough distance so that, if you really wanted to, you could reach out and rub suncream into the backs of the strangers lying beside you.

Two sunbeds plus a parasol cost the equivalent of around $20 a day, a pricey addition to your holiday. The keeper of the sunbeds lurked in the shade — a woman who made Hitler seem warm and cuddly. Woe betide if you ignored the rules of the sunbeds. And woe betide if

you arrived any later than 10.30am. By then there were no sunbeds left, and you were forced to drape your towel over the questionable sand mix.

Six months later, when we made our first beach trip in Northland to be Coopers Beach near Mangonui, we were concerned to find only a handful of people on the beach even though it was well after 10.10.30am on a glorious summer’s day.

Where was everyone? Were the All Blacks playing? Was there a tsunami coming? A pollution problem on this particular beach on this particular day?

A frenzy of hungry great whites in the bay?

You already know the answer to that one.

It continues to amaze us ... the beauty of the beaches; the ability to lounge in your own space of several pristine square metres, and to lie simply and comfortably on your towel.

My children now make countless sandcastles. And not a cigarette butt in sight.

win ...

SAVVY

27

1. DANCING QUEEN ...

TWO TICKETS TO THE ABBA SHOW

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Direst from Australia this No.1 selling show returns to New Zealand after more than 3200 performances worldwide. The Abba Show comes to Forum North, Whangarei on April 23 at 8pm. Tickets are available through www.ticketek.co.nz. We have two tickets to give away.

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2. FINDING YOUR PERFECT MATCH

1

GARNIER MOISTURE MATCH RANGE

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With Garnier’s new Moisture Match range, finding your perfect match has never been easier. Introducing a new generation of moisturisers and cleansers customised to match specific skin needs. Tailored to the four most common skin concerns — dry sensitive, dull skin, oil skin and normal skin types, each Moisture Match product is designed with a variety of specialised textures and carefully selected ingredients to address your individual skin type. We have four prizes to give away — Garnier Goodbye Dry; Garnier Start A Fresh; Garnier Shine Be Gone; and Garnier Protect & Glow.

3. VERSATILE NEVER FELT SO GOOD

TRILOGY VITAL MOISTURISING CREAM

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Trilogy Vital Moisturising Cream is a vital and versatile performance moisturise suitable for all skin types. It’s a unique blend of nourishing certified organic rosehip oil and super antioxidants to help protect skin against free radical damage. Your skin will be left hydrated and smoothed while the satiny texture provides a perfect base for make-up application. We have a Tilogy moisturising cream to give away.

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4. PRESERVING BEAUTY FROM NATURE WELEDA ROSE SMOOTHING MASQUE

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This richly formulated masque is designed for tired skin in need of energy, extra hydration and nourishment to counteract the first signs of ageing. It combines high quality cold-pressed wild rose seedoil and peach kernel oil to strengthen the skin’s natural protective barrier while boosting the skin with extra nourishment.

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5. TREATMENT FOR HARDWORKING FEET

MANUKA DOCTOR APINOURISH FOOT & HEEL CREAM .......................................................................................................

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Nothing beats putting your feet up after a late night out or a long day at work during the long, dark and cold months of winter. Add to that a cup of hot chocolate and Manuka Doctor’s ApiNourish Foot & Heel Cream and you have the perfect winter treat for you and your hardworking feet!

Harnessing the skin-rewarding powers of UMF 18+ Manuka Honey, Manuka Doctor’s ApiNourish Foot & Heel Cream is a moisture rich formula which instantly nourishes the skin on your feet with its deeply hydrating ingredients to restore and reinvigorate tired and dry skin.

SAVVY MARCH WINNERS To enter the Savvy giveaways go online to www.savvymagazine.co.nz, click on Giveaways and fill out the form. Otherwise send in your entry to the Savvy Giveaways, Northern Advocate, PO Box 210, Whangarei.

Please note email entries will no longer be valid.

■ One entry per person ■ Entries close 5pm Monday, April 28, 2014.

■ April winners announced in Savvy on Saturday May 3, 2014 ■ March winners please collect your prizes before 5pm Monday, April 28, from 88 Robert Street, Whangarei

WINNERS Matrix Biolage colorlast Shampoo & Conditioner: Robyn Valentine Trilogy Blemish Control Gel: : Amanda Beveridge Weleda Birch Body Scrub: Vicki Daunt Oxygen Women Organic Eye Cre` me: Corralie Betts Schwarzkopf Extra Care Dry Range: Cindy Kane, Bev Shosmith, Kaye Tolra, Janna Dearnley

SAVVY

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