Our Place Magazine. Issue 28

Issue 28 June / July 20

The Ceramics of John Roy

Digital Copy

Fashion’s Time of Reckoning

Getting Hitched: Expert Tips

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Founders Rachelle & Christopher Duffy Creative director Christopher Duffy Editor Sarah Nicholson sarah@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Marketing & social media Rachelle Duffy rachelle@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Contributors Assemble, Elric James, Fife Lane, Jacinta FitzGerald, Monique Hemmingson, John Roy, Laura Tuck Photographers ilk/Erin Cave, Katie Cox

ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS

Advertising enquiries Rachelle Duffy 021 032 7873 rachelle@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Nicola Stewart 027 811 1592 nicola@ourplacemagazine.co.nz

PLANNING & MONITORING

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Email rachelle@ourplacemagazine.co.nz

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W W W . R E A L C A . C O . N Z

Cover & Contents Cover artwork by John Roy. Contents photography from Wild Kinship,

by Erin Cave/ilk.

Lockdown was another reminder about just how important it is to support local business.

Aside from keeping money in our economy, the other likely upside is we're buying a higher quality product — a good example is spending with great fashion labels. Many brands are now transparent about their production process (from the materials used to the people employed) and the journey they're on to becoming a sustainable, ethical business. For us, the consumers, taking manageable, practical steps is often a more realistic way to make permanent changes to the way we shop, rather than a sudden, radical plan. Our story (page 19) is designed to arm us with tangible ideas — you're sure to take away at least one thing you can implement right now.

In the same vein, Monique Hemmingson's inspiring new book Wild Kinship focuses on conscious entrepreneurs; our excerpt (29) looks at a Hawkes Bay couple who make tiny homes.

Matariki is a key time in the Māori calendar; local events start this weekend and run until July, with many online this year (15). To learn more about Matariki, and what it means to some of our locals, check out this story on our website.

Look after each other, The Our Place team 9

Contents 13

9

What’s Up

Welcome

16

TLBM Shopping Guide 19

Be The Change

Making sustainable fashion choices.

24

Of Two Minds

Sasho Stosic & Vanessa Harmens

29

In Good Company Extract from Wild Kinship

38

John Roy

Photo essay of earthenware works

46

Silver Linings Lockdown positives

51

Wedding Belles Expert planning advice

58

The Beauty Bar

62

Delicious

Fife Lane's chowder

60

Funny Guy

By Elric James

66

Things to Love

What’s Up Fighting Fit​

Photo: Katie Cox

Natural Fit Gymnasium is the Mount’s latest fitness offering. Co-owner Olly Coffey explains the focus is on ensuring people are moving well, so they get the best from their workout. Classes are based on functional fitness (exercises such as squats, lunges and pulling) and each person can be given different challenges to suit their fitness​. ​ Yoga classes are also on offer. ​Olly’s practice as a NeuroPhysics Therapist is based at the gym. Many of his patients have disorders, but he says the principles can benefit anyone. He brings that knowledge into the gym to help people gain more awareness of the brain-body connection, which can ultimately make you more focused and effective in all parts of life.

18 Tawa St, Mt Maunganui naturalfit.co.nz

Forward Thinking Seventh Avenue Group (Brooklyn Patio, Neighbourhood Kitchen and Rain Bar) has started a local initiative to provide food to those in need. Go Generosity is a pay-it-forward idea in which customers can donate when ordering online or dining in, then 100 per cent of the money is used to make and deliver delicious meals (pictured: SAG’s Rohan McCloskey doing drop-offs).

This manpower is often what charities need, beyond money, and the group has partnered with Curate Cares to ensure they identify those most in need. Best of all, the framework has been designed so any kind of company can adopt the model, from plumbers to clothing stores.

To donate or to find out how your business can be involved, visit gogenerosity.co.nz 13

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What’s Up Right Here, Right Now The Now Crowd is a network of young people who’re eager to drive sustainability in their organisations.

Members are given tools, resources and mentorship from sustainability experts to make a positive impact and drive change from within. There are great events to attend, from panels of experts to social networking. Past topics that The Now Crowd has focused on have included plastics, smarter transport, sustainable procurement and individual impact​.​Jump online to read about joining up. → nowcrowd.org.nz

Local Stars The need is greater than ever in our community and numerous incredible local charities have been working right through lockdown. Every Thursday and Saturday, Under the Stars feeds the homeless a healthy, homecooked meal. They’re always in need of both cash and food donations, and the About section of their Facebook page gives details on how to help.

Give the page a follow to hear about their work as well as other call outs to the community for assistance, such as clothes and furniture.

Under the Stars — Homeless in Tauranga

In the Stars Matariki is the Māori New Year and, as always, there are lots of events planned to mark this important time. The Incubator at The Historic Village plays host to plenty of Māori talent, including artist workshops (poi, weaving and hip hop for youth), a filmmaker evening, a concert and art exhibitions, such as Timatanga Hou – New Beginning, by Areena Smith (work pictured). Other Bay events run from 21 June to 21 July, with many moving online this year. A full listing will be up soon on the My Matariki hub. mymatariki.co.nz the incubator.co.nz 15

The Snag Co

Buy local — it has a positive impact on the whole community. Check out these fantastic products from TLBM (which is back on 4 July!)

The Snag Co artisan sausages are 100 per cent real meat, real flavour and no nasties.

Find them at the TLBM, order online or visit the Sausage Boutique and Deli at 6/5 York Ave, Mt Maunganui. @thesnagcompany @thesnagco

Captain Fantastic Clothes

Bouncing Brilliance

Love dressing up? Captain Fantastic Party Clothes for Party People is the leading unisex festival and rave fashion retailer.

Featuring international and locally made products, it’s sure to bring the bling! @captainfantasticparty

Check out these fun, colourful bouncing spring toys for children of all ages.

They come in loads of different styles, from helicopters and caterpillars to ladybirds and sheep. @bouncingbrilliance

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TLBM Tote Bag

Bubala Creations

These generous totes are made from bull denim, so hold essentials items (or a small child) without the handles ripping. Just $10!

Buy at the info tent at the markets or littlebigevents.co.nz/shop-our-tote-range @thelittlebigmarkets

Bubala offers one-of-a-kind resin oceanthemed art with colours that reflect the beauty and movement of the ocean.

It includes new, recycled and custom homewares. RRP $22–$200. @bubalacreations

Ruapuke

Earthly Elements

Ruapuke’s Roundie Outdoor Towels will ensure your picnics, long beach days and sunset drinks are stylish and comfortable.

Compact, lightweight and 100 per cent eco-friendly cotton. RRP $89.90. ruapuke.com ruapuke_

Earthly Elements brings you the best quality and selection of lush indoor plants, ranging from just $22 to $130. Private consultation available too — free for the first hour, then $25 per hour after that. earthlyelementsnz earthly_elements_ 17

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Be the Change

The fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest polluters and that’s just one of its many issues. Every time you buy a fashion item, you’re faced with a choice of who to support.

Story by Jacinta FitzGerald 19

Fashion is having a moment, and it’s one of reckoning. Our clothes are one of the first things we think about each day, but once we’re dressed, we usually don’t give them a second thought. This has to change.

Clothes are a powerful communication tool.

They can transform our mood and provide belonging and connection. Our clothes also play a huge role in some of the fundamental issues of our time: modern slavery, poverty, pollution and climate change.

Clothing production is often outsourced to developing nations, where a lack of enforced regulations mean wages are kept artificially low and contaminated wastewater can flow freely into waterways.

Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of clean water globally. The clothing industry is responsible for a third of ocean microplastics. The industry relies heavily on fossilised carbon, for materials such as polyester and nylon, and coal used for power, while complex and fragmented supply chains create extensive carbon emissions. And trees are cut down at a rate that far surpasses our ability to replant, causing loss of both habitats and biodiversity.

At the core of these issues is the sheer amount of clothing produced and consumed in the name of fashion. We produce in excess of 100 billion garments each year, but many are designed with neither durability nor recycling in mind.

Every second around the world the equivalent of one rubbish truck of textile waste is sent to landfill or incinerated.

In fact, less than 15 per cent of clothes are collected for reuse or recycling, and less than 1 per cent are recycled into new textiles. The vast majority of our clothes simply end up in landfill and become waste. This way of working is not sustainable.

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We are buying more clothes than ever, twice what we were buying 20 years ago, with the average item only worn seven times before we toss it out. This is not just a fashion problem. This is a clothes problem. Whether you participate in the world of fashion, or just wear clothes, these issues affect you.

What can you do?

A lot it turns out. It starts with a shift in mindset. Our clothes aren’t disposable, they’re a valuable asset. Making conscious decisions about the way we buy, use, care for and part with our clothes, can make an enormous difference to their overall footprint. A study in the UK found that keeping clothes in active use for just nine months longer reduced their carbon, waste and water footprints by 20–30 per cent.

When you need something new, approach it in a responsible way. Try to avoid buying on a whim. Do your research, buy less, and buy the best you can for your budget. Beware of buzzwords. Look to see what the company’s values are, and how active they are at reducing their impact on workers and the environment.

Every time we buy something, we advocate for it, so support one of the companies working to make their clothes in a better way. Some areas to consider are whether a garment is made locally, made in a Fairtrade or certified factory, or made by a social enterprise. → Kiwi brands that offer good choices. Clockwise, from top left: Nisa, an ethical underwear label, employs women from refugee backgrounds (Alana Bralette); Standard Issue champions local wool (Honeycomb Jumper); Kowtow is a strong ethical brand (Bubble Crew); Cirkel of Life, a BOP kids’ brand about to launch, will offer up-cycled clothing.

Opener: The New Denim Project/Fashion Revolution.

Certifications to help with decision making • Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex shows

no harmful chemicals in the finished product.

• REACH compliance Chemical

compliance with European regulations.

• GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)

certified product Shows a fully certified organic supply chain, from farm to hanger, for a product. For cotton, wool, silk and linen.

• Cradle to Cradle A safe, fair and

circular product made to be fully recycled.

• Fair Trade Meets Fairtrade international

standards for fairly traded work.

The most sustainable thing you can do is take good care of your clothes: wash them less often, avoid the tumble dryer, repair when needed and keep them in active use.

Then check materials. Look for products made from organic fibres, or low impact natural, recycled or waste materials.

What’s the deal with denim?

Let’s consider a pair of jeans. They are ubiquitous, but have one of the biggest footprints of any piece of clothing. Both the cultivation of cotton, and the dyeing and finishing of denim use vast quantities of water and chemicals. Once jeans are made, they are subject to a further variety of treatments to fade, soften and texturise.

All this for what is sometimes just a couple of dozen wears. The good news is the denim industry is transforming, with some companies now using organic cotton, laser technology, waterless dyeing and plant-based indigos to lessen their impacts, so look for denim brands that are working in this way.

Golden rules Fit and function Does it fit well, and is it designed and made to perform its function. If it’s a good fit, you will wear it more and take care of it.

Materials Choose based on function and impact. Look for more sustainable materials such as wool, linen, hemp, organic cotton, Tencel and lyocell (from trees), and recycled or repurposed materials. If you require a synthetic material for performance, choose 22

recycled, i.e. recycled nylon or recycled polyester.

Quality Good quality construction and materials will make it more durable and long lasting.

Company Does it walk the talk?

Consider buying second hand. At consignment and second hand stores you can pick up great pieces or unique styles that would usually be well above your budget. If you need something for a special occasion, such as a job interview, event or function, or just a wardrobe refresh, there are many options for rental or borrowing, or consider a clothes swap with friends.

The most sustainable thing you can do is take good care of your clothes: wash them less often, avoid the tumble dryer, repair when needed and keep them in active use. When it’s time to pass them on (or down to your kids!), do it in a responsible way, preferably through reselling or swapping so you maximise your investment.

Change starts with one person.

Do your research, ask questions and understand we all have the power to make a difference.

Jacinta FitzGerald is the founder of Make Good, an organisation that works with clothing businesses on product sustainability, and designing for a circular and regenerative future. makegood.world

Find out more → Good On You Brand rating app that helps you to shop and support sustainable labels. → Conscious Closet By Elizabeth L. Cline An in-depth guide to editing your wardrobe and how to buy better. → To Die For by Lucy Siegle A great look at the rise and impact of fast fashion. → Fashionopolis by Dana Thomas The state of fashion today and how the future might look. → Conscious Chatter podcast → Wardrobe Crisis podcast → fashionrevolution.org For the activists among you.

Standard Issue Tartan V-deep (left) and Tartan Jacket in 100 per cent merino.

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Of Two Minds

SASHO & VANESSA

Sasho Stosic (Ngāti Rongomai, Ngai Tamahaua) and Vanessa Harmens (Ngāti Ranginui), both 40, might just be the embodiment of the phrase mauri mahi, mauri ora (do the mahi, get the treats; or, through work we prosper). They work on their businesses Kowhai Interiors, S&N Coffee Distribution and Tātai Ora charitable trust, to create the life they want for their children: Luka (5), Lola (4) and Beau (2).

As told to Elric James Photography by ilk

Sasho Vanessa and I first met at Rhythm & Vines, many years ago. We didn’t really hook up until a couple of years later, once I’d returned from the UK. I was living in Auckland working for New Zealand Rugby League and I ended up spending every weekend heading down to Tauranga, just to hang out with her. I then realised we were in far deeper than just boyfriend and girlfriend — I was a bit keener than that — and we wanted similar things. We both really valued family and I guess we were getting older…

Moving to Tauranga was an easy decision. Growing up in Taranaki, I’d always enjoyed the coast. I didn’t like Auckland, not a fan of the concrete jungle. I was lucky to be able to transfer to a job that I preferred; a more regional, community based role, which was where my heart was at. The circle of friends Ness had really aligned with the kind of people I liked to kick around with.

She’s got a tight knit crew of girls, and all their boys like fishing and diving. I was doing that stuff all the time, before kids.

We’re three kids deep now. Ness is definitely the one that brings a bit of order to our household. She’s really loving in the sense that she’s always trying to focus her time around the kids. We both prioritise whānau.

I advocate for that within the community mahi I’m involved with. People like me, who get real personal satisfaction from helping others, often get consumed by it. And sometimes, even though you’re doing a positive thing for other people, you can forget about your own home. But Ness keeps me honest in my work — I’m grateful for that. She always makes sure when I’m home, I’m present in the moment.

That girl has got some willpower.

Even when she’s feeling crap, she’ll just get off her backside and go do some physical activity.

I’m like, how are you doing that? We’ve got all this stuff going on: kids, businesses, the house… At first I thought it was selfish. But then I think about what my father taught me when I was a youngster — you’ve got to look after yourself first, and if you can’t look after yourself, then you’re no good to anyone else.

After years dedicated to training as a semi-professional league player, I’m less focused on my physical appearance, and more on how I feel mentally and emotionally.

I’d quite happily go spend time on the water fishing as a way to rejuvenate my wairua [spirit/soul]. Or go spend time on the marae, or in wānanga [traditional space of learning].

That’s where I’m really getting a kick. Or mowing the lawns — I’ve got two bung hips and a bad achilles from way back, so that, or digging the garden, is about the extent of my physical labour these days.

Vanessa and I are both really driven to succeed. Cruising and resting on your laurels is not any way to thrive as a whānau.

If you really want to enjoy all the offerings that life has you’ve got to create choices. Ness and I are comfortable being ambitious and taking risks if it means we create more choices, or the freedom to have choices, for our whānau.

Not just now, but long term. And I guess we come from families that didn’t typically think that way, or have the skills to create those kind of opportunities for themselves. We’re fortunate in that regard.

Ness and I are really mindful of being good parents. Holding positive values 25

and beliefs within our small whānau is important to both of us. We’re doing our best to raise our kids as decent, honest people.

Vanessa I saw a clairvoyant in Motueka and she told me I’d already met the guy, the one for me, but he’s going overseas. I was like, who? I didn’t connect that it was Sash. Then he moved back to New Zealand around the time of the 2011 Rugby World Cup and started flatting with my friend. I’d go to Auckland and see him. Eventually I asked him to be my date for the Tauranga Business Awards.

Our relationship was so rocky, right from day dot. We’re both so strong headed and independent.

I was especially independent, I think.

He wanted to nurture me and I was like, I don’t need nurturing!

So I really struggled with that part of the relationship. But I remember thinking one day… our values are so aligned, I’d never want to be with anyone else. And if he wasn’t in my life, I’d be really gutted, so he must be pretty special.

We live in a century-old family home in Matapihi — it used to be my Nana’s. We’ve put a lot of effort into renovating it and Sash is very attached to it. He says that this is the land that I whakapapa to and that’s very important.

I don’t think we’ll ever move. We have a really strong foundation. Whatever we do, it has to work for our family. It’s been that way since we first got pregnant. We’ve got three businesses and three children. We work pretty bloody hard. And we can do it because we support each other.

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Sash works a lot with the rugby league community (he’s the chairman of the Tauranga Whalers Rugby League Club). All of his time is voluntary, and he spends a lot of it with the kids and their families, because that’s his passion. Me, I love things that are a little bit different. That’s kind of how Kowhai Interiors came about. I love styling and I’m quite house proud. And then there was the opportunity to work with my sister Dana [co-owner of Kowhai Interiors], who’s my best friend. Although we very rarely work together because we’re in the shop on opposite days!

Our biggest challenge is balancing family life and business. There were times last year when we were like how the hell are we surviving this?

But Sash is a calming influence. He likes to sit down and talk… and talk, and talk.

He’s a great communicator.

He’s always telling me not to sweat the small stuff, and that it’s okay to take a break and ask for help. We ended up hiring someone to work for us in one of the businesses knowing that we’d take a financial hit, but it was the right decision for the family.

I’m often the one saying we need to go somewhere, do something and create memories. I think it’s just me though, I need to get out of the house. But Sash is a homebody — he would love to just be in the yard doing stuff with the kids. Or on a league field coaching, with the whole whānau there with him. I think we parent very similarly, we put our children first and we share the load at home. He just doesn’t clean as well as I do.

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In Good Company In her new book, Wild Kinship, Monique Hemmingson meets 28 entrepreneurs whose businesses focus on making a positive impact on the world.

Photography by Erin Cave

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Papamoa local Monique Hemmingson was formerly the owner of Mount Maunganui’s much-loved Wild One Wholefoods Eatery.

While running that business, she was inspired by the forward-thinking small businesses she worked with. Monique realised just how many important stories there are about people forging a new path in business, while keeping an eye firmly on sustainability, ethics and authenticity.

Now a writer and wellness advocate, Monique has just launched her first book, Wild Kinship. It’s a beautiful coffee 30

table book that’s a collection of interviews with “conscious entrepreneurs” from New Zealand and Australia (along with lovely shots by Erin Cave (ilk), a regular Our Place photographer).

“I hope within these pages you and I can find practical ways to become better. I hope that through this we might understand our power as a consumer and how to channel it,” says Monique.

Here’s a part of one of her enlightening interviews from the book. wilder-wellness.com _wlder_arah-ee

Sarah-Lee & François Guittenit, Le Workshop tiny homes, Napier How did your past contribute to Le Workshop?

François: We started Le Workshop when we moved to Hawke’s Bay about six years ago. I’m a cabinetmaker by trade, so we started out doing custom-made furniture and cabinetry, which naturally evolved into our tiny homes business. We’d just bought this land for the workshop and had been renting a house when we had to move out. We decided to be resourceful and use the land instead of getting into debt buying elsewhere, so we built ourselves a tiny home to live in. I’d been working on building sites since I was fifteen back home in France, so we designed something that suited our family and went for it.

Sarah-Lee: We’ve always thought within a holistic, creative, design mentality, and through much of our relationship, even in the early days, we’d sit around drawing up different plans for houses or campers or teepees, just for fun. François and I met while he was travelling New Zealand on a surf trip. He was living in a van and we’d both just come out of our studies that had a design basis. We were both in this passion- driven, creative space where the world was our oyster and we were instantly attracted to those qualities in one another. We started talking about design and have never really stopped, thirteen years later.

We loved living in Auckland in our twenties but found we were growing out of the big city life, so opted for a slower, simpler existence. We moved to a friend’s land out in Mangawhai and converted a bus into a house with our first baby, Poppy.

We lived there, off the grid, between the bus 31

“We’re very engaged in one another’s lives and if there’s a problem, we face it head on and resolve it, because we have to.

There’s no carpet to sweep issues under or doors to slam, so it becomes a very open, honest, close relationship.”

and a cabin for a year. We never set out to be tiny house designers as a profession — we just didn’t want to sign up to a mortgage for the next thirty years.

How did the idea of tiny homes evolve into a business?

Sarah-Lee: It’s become so common to live with a mortgage, but it’s incredibly limiting and really dictates your life. So, when we had to move out of our rental in Hawke’s Bay, we wanted an option that wouldn’t limit us in that way, especially with a young family. We both wanted the freedom to be at home with the kids and have a big impact on their lives, rather than be too stressed and too busy with work, just so we can pay the bank for our shelter.

François: Because of the location of our tiny house and workshop (within suburbia but close to the beach), people could see our house and would stop to check it out.

Often tiny homes are way up in the hills or off the grid, so people don’t see them. It was the exposure that made the project evolve into the business it is. People started asking us to build them one, and then another, and that just continued to flow.

How do you find living in a tiny home with a growing family?

Sarah-Lee: We love living a home-based life where we also work and our children 32

learn from. We have three children under eleven, plus our dog Georgie, and for now it works! We don’t really believe there’s one house that will get you through every season of life. These things are always changing and evolving as we grow. So, it’s not forever but right now the pros far outweigh the cons. We believe a home should offer a place of rest and respite: of centring and being.

We also live a much more connected, present life as a family; it’s not the kids in that room and the parents down the other end of the house. We’re very engaged in one another’s lives and if there’s a problem, we face it head on and resolve it, because we have to. We feel those are great life lessons and coping mechanisms to be implementing in our children’s lives. There’s no carpet to sweep issues under or doors to slam, so it becomes a very open, honest, close relationship.

In what ways does your production process aid the environment?

François: Our tiny homes are built around steel framing on a trailer that’s engineered locally. We use a recycled sheep wool blend made from carpet waste for insulation, similar to Pink Batts, which is also less allergenic. Our exterior cladding is largely made up of New Zealand grown cedar, with poplar ply internally. The poplar’s light colouring helps to make smaller spaces look bigger and is a more

34

sustainable fast-growing timber that there’s an abundance of.

Our windows are all double-glazed, low E, argon-filled with timber cedar frames, which helps hugely with heat sealing and transfer in comparison with your usual aluminium frames. We build all our wooden window frames and source the glass locally and use natural flaxseed fibre flooring and resins with no VOCs. There’s little within the build that’s sourced internationally or has a transport footprint. The biggest energy user in the house is the fridge. Our power bill is around twenty dollars a month year-round for a family of five, home full-time.

Waste within the standard building industry is huge. So much of it could be avoided with a little forward planning and better design, but instead, good quality materials often go to landfill. Because we build onsite and we’re working with the same materials repeatedly, it’s easier for us to reuse and recycle all of our offcuts. We’re mindful in all we do — right down to putting our unused wood chips on the side of the road for people to use in their gardens.

Our houses are more cost effective to build, more efficient to run, have less maintenance and don’t cost the planet with their production or over their lifetime.

It’s a beautiful way to simplify your life financially and leave more time for quality moments spent with loved ones, passion projects and adventure.

This interview has been edited down for Our Place.

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CENTRE

N

Taking care of locals.

Check out what’s on offer at Excelsa Centre in Golden Sands.

ow more than ever we

Tivoli Cinema

need to support our

Golden Sands’ very own boutique cinema. Offering a bespoke selection of independent films and the big blockbusters, enjoy with a wine and cheese platter.

mates running small businesses.

From your morning coffee to Golden Sands’ own boutique cinema, Excelsa Centre is 100 percent locally owned and operated.

Shop local. Support local.

Hollywood Nails

Great Spice Indian

Bold and bright or subtle and polished, choose your style at Golden Sands’ local nail salon.

Fresh, authentic, Indian food from crowd favourites to traditional dishes.

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Papa Mo’s

Rise Artisan Bakery

Good food, good drinks and good vibes with an impressive menu from small bites to share plates matched with stunning views of the ocean and Papamoa Hills.

Your go-to for locally produced, handmade baked goods. From sourdough to traditional pies, croissants and donuts. There is something for everyone, made fresh daily.

Grill and Green

Henry and Ted

From a long brunch to a tasty Mediterranian dinner, open all day and serving fresh, delicious Mediterranian cuisine locally.

A Golden Sands original loved by locals, young and old. Perfect for your coffee ďŹ x, sweet treat or a delicious lunch with mates.

There is something for everyone at Excelsa Centre, your local hotspot.

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John Roy

Celebrated Tauranga-based artist John Roy is renowned for his ceramic work. Here’s a look at his earthenware pieces from the 2019 show at Sumer called Can’t Talk Now.

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↑ Rook, 2019. ← Still Waiting, 2019.

Opener: Still waiting, 2019 (detail).

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↑ Waiter, 2019. ← Waiting, 2019.

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↑ Rook, 2019 (detail) Enquire about John’s work at Sumer gallery in Tauranga. sumer.co.nz info@sumer.co.nz

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Choose a vege box or customise your own order. Shop online for a next day delivery mountwholefoods.co.nz @mountwholefoods

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Silver Illustrations by Christopher Duffy

Linings

Alert level 4 was tough for many, and we’ll be feeling the effects of Covid-19 for a while to come. However, plenty of folk found some good in this time, so we asked Bay locals to share their positive lockdown learnings.

I’ve learned that my daughter is growing too fast and I don’t have enough clothes for both of us. I’ve learned that every day is a new beginning regardless of what day it is (we couldn’t tell). I’ve learned that it’s good to have a neighbour with a feijoa tree. Damn, I love them. And I’ve learned that we have chosen right — we live in the best country in the world.

Ariel Cottan, Falafel Metro

after about six years. Due to his challenges [Raffi has Down syndrome], he struggles to balance but all the practice certainly helped him. It gave us hope that he might make it after all. I hope people keep up the good work and use their bikes more now. Wouldn’t it be great to have people using bikes to get to work? It works all over the world, I am sure we could manage it here. Tauranga.

We really enjoyed having family dinners, which isn’t standard for us, as I’m not home much during dinnertime. Also, having a full-sit down Italian lunch every day was fantastic: glass of wine in the sun and a siesta after (if allowed by the boss).

We did a lot of biking with the kids, my son Raffi almost made it on his two-wheeler

My father’s an amazing cook! He can turn his hand from Asian fusion to classic baking, to authentic Māori cuisine. So, during lockdown, I thought I’d tackle his curry puffs. Fresh ingredients is a must: ginger, chillies, garlic, coriander, onions,

Noel Cimadon, Clarence Bistro & Hotel, and Alpino

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hot curry powder, potatoes, kumara, minced chicken and puff pastry. I chose to bake mine instead of deep frying, and remove the chicken. I served them with Thai Chilli sauce. I got the thumbs up from my wife and children. The real test will be to make a batch for my father and read his facials closely, to see if I’m worthy of his recipes. Cooking has been fun and a practice I plan to continue after lockdown.

Kelcy Taratoa, artist & educator Lockdown was a wonderful break from materialism — shops were closed and I was unable to do any online shopping.

My two children weren’t asking for any new toys and I wasn’t tempted to buy anything either. It was refreshing and it made me realise how little we really need. It was a lovely, much needed time together as a family.

Amelia Jonck, Features Inc I have to admit, at the beginning of the lockdown I felt anxious about not knowing exactly what was going to happen. But I did appreciate being able to be at home and spend time with my family, and do stuff around the house and the garden.

But I also had the time to look at how to grow my business and adapt to the market. It was a time for re-discovering ideas and putting them in place.

Nicolas Pagani, The Snag Co We’ve become closer as a family, creating daily routines and rituals that bring us joy. And with our team, we have become more focused and have a clear pathway forward that brings a great amount of energy, relief and also enthusiasm.

Rebecca Anderson, Chaos & Harmony 48

We cherished unhurried family time.

The kids cooked and baked, and played board games, and we watched family movies. The slow pace of life was wonderful and was a time we’ll cherish forever. I also loved seeing the way the Little Einstein teachers were welcomed into the homes of our students during our Distance Learning Programme.

It was such a positive way of keeping alive connections and relationships.

Our Zoom calls helped everyone get through a very uncertain time.

Louise Booth, Little Einsteins Montessori There were many positives of lockdown for me. First of all, for the past five years I have had a business open 364 days a year, so not having to worry about anything was a mental break. I also got to do things to my house, which I never thought I’d have time to do — I painted my exterior fence and half my house inside (I’ve never painted before). I loved having all the time in the world to cook — usually it’s rushed. And of course, having a beer at lunch or opening a nice bottle of vino mid-arvo wasn’t frowned upon during lockdown. Or was it?! Not in my house anyway!

George Gibson, Henry & Ted, Elizabeth Cafe & Larder and The Coffee Project

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Wedding Belles

Weddings are back on, so you can plan your beautiful event.

We get key inside advice from Assemble, a group of local companies that offer expertise ranging from design and marquees to food and florals.

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Is choosing a time of year to get married just about the weather?

LL Weather definitely plays a huge role in a summer wedding date being so popular, but also I think it’s the vibe. Summer evokes a laidback, holiday feeling. Choosing when to get married when booking with LL should be based on a few factors, including marquee size, heating options and weather back-up plans. Any season is perfect, it’s just great to weigh them all up.

NB The weather plays a part — but we think more about the seasons. Although summer weddings are great, the variety of produce isn’t always prolific. Planning menus for spring and late summer/early autumn is what gets us excited. Think asparagus, spicy rocket, peas, broad beans, juicy ripe tomatoes — they add an element of difference to your wedding menu.

OMH Plan your wedding date around your favourite season. You’ll enjoy it more and it opens up the fun on how to style, flower and add personality to your day. For example, a September wedding could have brighter florals, a Karen Walker long-sleeve dress and a veil for that spring wind, along with fresh, crisp styling elements.

How soon should I start planning my wedding? Are there any vendors I should lock in first?

LL At the moment, we are booking out about 18 months from the wedding day.

A marquee is a big-ticket item, so it’s best to secure it as soon as you have a date and location. Numbers and furniture choices can be chopped and changed in the year leading up to the wedding.

OMH We recommend beginning your wedding planning at least a year in advance. Your first port of call should 52

The crew behind Assemble LL Hire is a marquee and furniture hire

company, offering timeless furniture and New Zealand-made Clear Marquees.

No Biggie Food is an event catering

company with super-delicious, seasonal food that’s made or grown in the Bay. Royal Laboratorie is a Hamilton-based

boutique event hire and design business that specialises in tableware and decor.

On My Hand is a creative event company

with expertise in floral design, planning, styling and coordination.

Tble.Linen offers the country’s largest

selection of 100 per cent linen napkins, tablecloths, runners and soft furnishings.

be your venue, then work on your furniture, photographer, caterer and florist. This allows plenty of time to communicate with each vendor and align your ideas with your budget. It might pay to begin booking in-demand vendors not long after your venue, as some vendors’ summer dates are booked out two years in advance.

How do I go about setting budgets for each vendor?

LL Get quotes then ask what you are getting for the price. Will they set up? What is the process leading up to the wedding day that’s included? Our clients usually make initial contact for our look book and pricing before going forward with a comprehensive quote. It means there is no shock or no questions around the price.

RL Get quotes from everyone you really like and then narrow it down. List your priorities — this will help assign money to areas you feel are important.

↑ The talented Assemble lineup, from left to right: Shaye Woolford, On My Hand; Sarah Jackson,

No Biggie Food; Lizzie Turner, Tble.Linen; Lucy Burke, LL Hire; and Marie Corkill, Royal Laboratorie.

OMH A lot of furniture and hire companies have prices on their websites or you can email for pricing. We give out pricing guides to all enquiries, so you can do a rough estimate yourself.

I’m having a marquee — any tips about bringing everything in?

LL Vendors are key. Get their advice and use them to your advantage. It’s not actually as overwhelming as it can feel. We work closely with vendors to ensure a streamline and stress-free pack in and pack out.

NB Think about where you’ll set up the caterers — ideally we like a discreet area that’s not too far from the marquee. If it’s a bit of a hike, talk to your caterer about extra staff so the food can be served quickly.

RL Seek advice from vendors about how to limit the amount of transportation to your wedding. Often we work with other vendors and can bring things on behalf. Consider local basics when you can, for example

portaloos. Have a good pack-in and pack-out plan, and ensure you ask friends and family to help. Allocate jobs!

OMH Work out a rough guest list, secure your caterer then decide how you want to run the day. Then you’ll have firm decisions to guide you on the amount of tables, chairs and tableware you’ll need, as well as how and when you’ll serve drinks and food.

Other elements, like lounge furniture, florals, styling and signage will flow from there.

What are some (cost) effective ways to surprise my guests/make a statement?

LL I love a statement cocktail — something that guests receive on arrival to set the tone for the night. Maybe Batched cocktails, which are delicious, premixed and cost effective — just shake and pour.

NB After the ceremony, surprise your guests with an oyster/raw seafood bar. It’s always a huge hit and not as expensive as you think.

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We also encourage clients to think about a late-night snack — the look on guests’ faces when we bring out trays of cheeseburgers or mini-pies is one of pure happiness.

RL Have a post-dinner drinks menu — special wine or cocktails served for only an hour or two. Also, you could leave handwritten notes under your guests’ plates to show your appreciation.

OMH Adding a feminine floral to each female guest plate adds another layer of detail and is a lovely touch.

TL An out-there or creative seating plan.

Think more ‘installation vibe’ than just ticking a box. This can be a really fun way to bring in colour and texture too.

It doesn’t need to be expensive, but can create a wow factor to your day.

How do I make the bar area a feature of the event?

LL A bar feature can wow your guests on arrival. At LL we create a statement bar — like our blush or wooden bars — so they stand out on their own with a hit of colour or a neon sign. Add a decal or a huge bar floral arrangement... It’s endless what you can do and there are no rules.

NB Charismatic, fun-loving bar staff are a must.

RL Create an attractive social hub where people are naturally drawn. Use things like lighting, layouts of outdoor furniture, maybe creating a couple of pods. Select a bar that will complement your whole space.

OMH Flowers and lighting, always! Bars are one of the most visited areas of a wedding, and often the other focal point to the bridal table, so it’s worth investing in. Think about suspending florals above it, creating large arrangements with candles, or adding a decal to make it original.

TL Great graphics! Your signage and your 54

↑ The bar is often one of the focal points at a wedding, so it’s an area worth investing in.

stationary can make or break these spaces sometimes. Work with a great designer.

Choosing a style for my wedding is hard — do you have suggestions?

LL A wedding should always reflect you and your partner. Gaining inspiration from social media etc is fun and exciting, but don’t let it overwhelm you. I’d also gain inspiration from your vendors. Talk to your florist and hire company, send them some of your key ideas and ask for their input and thoughts.

RL Style comes back to your personal taste and your background. If you grew up at the beach and love a more casual setting, embrace this with your wedding design.

If you love modern style, create a wedding that reflects this. You will be attracted to certain vendors because of their style.

OMH Be true to yourself, don’t follow trends. Further to that, build on the venue you’ve chosen; look at complementing

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↑ There are lots of places to source inspiration for wedding styling, from Pinterest to your vendors.

it with a similar vibe but elevated with your personal taste.

TL Pinterest is a great resource! You can find yourself in what I like to call a Pinterest Rabbit Hole and it can be so inspiring.

If you’re really not sure but feel the look and atmosphere is really important to you, I would highly recommend hiring a stylist.

What’s your go-to advice for wedding planning?

LL Don’t be afraid to buck trends and do what YOU want.

RL Choose two to three key areas of your wedding you want to highlight and invest in them. For example, catering, florals and 56

tableware. Pick the best photographer you can afford. And don’t be afraid to do something different.

OMH & TL Hire a wedding planner.

NB Work with great vendors.

Come to Assemble!

Assemble is an appointment-based pop-up event where the team collectively meet potential and booked clients. You’ll see the season’s new pieces, view the range of hire items and talk practicalities. Groups will be able to discuss anything with the vendors, and play out ideas using linen, tableware and florals while finalising choices.

The next Assemble is 9am–5pm, 4 July in Mt Maunganui. Book: llhire.com/assemble

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Funny Guy

By Elric James

Illustration by Christopher Duffy

“If you tell the truth about how you’re feeling, it becomes funny.” — Larry David

Humour is a funny thing. What inspires it?

Why do we feel the need to recite jokes and make each other laugh? Before the ability to speak, and thus tell a joke, I imagine our cave dwelling ancestors would’ve used laughter as a signalling function; a way to defuse potentially life 60

threatening conflicts, as if to say: I have no beef with you! I also assume these troglodytes would’ve sneered and howled when they were tickled by one of their cromies (cro-magnon homies), although that response would’ve been mostly involuntary and entirely unattractive.

But of course our species has evolved since the Old Stone Age and we’ve obtained the necessary cognitive skills to fully embrace humour: speech, intelligence, awareness of the social environment, the ability to think abstractly and, most importantly, an understanding of meme generators. That’s not to say we no longer lose control when someone, or something, stimulates our somatosensory and anterior cingulate cortices i.e. tickles us, it’s just that nowadays we find ourselves increasingly ‘in our feelings’.

That’s why comedy is often born from the sense of being an outsider, like you’re looking at society from a distance and observing just how bat-shit crazy it is. I think of Seinfeld as an early pioneer of this type of observational comedy. It’s been said that Larry David, the show’s cocreator and star of Curb Your Enthusiasm (oft described as Seinfeld on crack), told the writers to use stuff from their real lives, but have the characters do the thing you wish you’d done in the moment. The end result — a show that displayed contempt for everyone and everything. And audiences couldn’t get enough it. Why? Because the truth is funny. We revelled in seeing an on screen depiction of our errant inner lives. Like the cavemen before us, these comedians made an art form of behaving badly.

And in further proof that the more things change, the more they remain the same; it still feels like humour and laughter are born from that same innate urge to protect oneself. It’s a mechanism for coping; a way to manage feelings of despair by reappraising life’s absurdities in a humorous way. For example when I lost my job during the Covid-19 lockdown, people said I’d need to adjust to being poor. I said please, I worked in retail

— I was already poor. Besides, I stopped using that term long ago. I identify as pre-rich. What I’m trying to say is, humour forces a change of perspective. By reconsidering something upsetting in a comical manner, you’re guaranteed to notice an increase in your wellbeing.

Don’t believe me, believe science.

It tells us that humour encourages laughter, and laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones, while bringing balance to the immune system. So excuse me while I maintain a sense of playfulness in the face of a global pandemic — like when we were discussing horoscopes in the group chat the other day and someone asked what my birthstone was. I replied: rock bottom — it’s better for all of us. I don’t always keep it together, mind you. There were a couple of weeks there that I put off showering because I was going to exercise first, but then I never exercised, so then I never showered. I was in a real pickle.

Okay, that last joke isn’t mine.

A friend sent it to me while we were trapped in our caves during Alert Level 4.

Regardless of whether or not you appreciate the dry self-deprecating charm of Twitter humour, you’ve got to respect the homie for trying to reduce my stress hormones during quarantine (social distancing rules meant that stimulating my somatosensory and anterior cingulate cortices was not an option).

P.S. Laughter is contagious, make sure you spread it.

SEINFELD TV Series 1989–1998 Created by Larry David & Jerry Seinfeld CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM TV Series 2000–present Created by Larry David

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Delicious

Fife Lane

Recipe by Fife Lane

Delicious Tucked away in Central Parade, Fife Lane is a stylish haven for food and wine lovers.

Excellent quality New Zealand steak and seafood are the menu stars here, and now the cooler months are upon us, comforting options abound; think Savannah beef cheek with a side of creamed silverbeet and leek. Even better with a glass or two of Waiheke’s renowned Stonyridge Larose alongside. This red wine is a new addition to the already impressive wine room and Fife Lane is the only Bay of Plenty restaurant to serve it.

It’s also the ideal choice for events, with no less than three spaces for group bookings; all separate from the main area but close enough to enjoy the room’s buzz.

The fireplace is lit and there’s a welcoming cocktail at the bar with your name on it — what are you waiting for? fifelane.co.nz @fife_lane @fifelanekitchen

↑ An aged steak cooked on the Mibrasa oven (which gives it a delicious charcoal grill aroma and flavour) is a menu highlight. → The welcoming dining room. ← Fife Lane’s warming chowder (recipe overpage).

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Delicious

Seafood Chowder SERVES 4–6 50g butter 1 small onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, finely diced 1 stick celery, finely diced 50g plain flour 500ml seafood stock (see recipe below or use store bought) 150g fish*, cut into 3–4cm chunks 1kg mussels*, scrubbed and cleaned 100ml cream Chopped parsley, to garnish

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Melt butter in large pot over medium-low heat, add onion, garlic and celery, and cook until onion has softened. To make a roux, add flour and stir until it makes a paste and starts to bubble. Slowly add stock, while still stirring, to achieve a smooth chowder consistency.

Just before serving, stir through your choice of seafood (you don’t want it to overcook), cream, then season with salt and pepper. Serve in a preheated bowl with a sprinkling of parsley, and crusty ciabatta or Turkish bread on the side. * Use any seafood you fancy — clams, scallops and prawns are also good, but you can just use fish, if you prefer. You could add smoked fish, too.

Seafood Stock You can buy seafood stock, but to get the best results, make it from scratch. Use whatever you have on hand, but here’s a general recipe: Place fish frames (or mussels other seafood) in a large pot with chopped carrots, onion and celery, and 3–4 dried bay leaves and peppercorns.

Cover with cold water and gently simmer for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 1 hour, then sieve.

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Protect Our Natives The team from Native is on a mission to make it easy for consumers to support conservation programs, and have fun doing it! Native is New Zealand’s first Hard Sparkling — essentially alcoholic sparkling water and real fruit, resulting in minimal sugar and carbs, with no additives or preservatives. For every can of Native sold, you’re supporting conservation projects; for example Native has partnered with Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre to sponsor kiwis from hatch to release.

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This winter, ice cream cakes and crumbles will also be available to order. Weekly deliveries to Tauranga and the Mount — check out the flavours online. mountmade.co.nz @mountmade @mountmadeicecream 67

“I pursued a new career by chance, but now can’t see myself doing anything other than teaching. I love being at work and I have such a great team.”

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