Life + Style 16 October 2015

Espresso heaven See page 2 THE WEEKEND

Featuring Fresh flavours | Homeware & gift guide | Fashion trends |

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Queen’s country to Godzone Stephanie’s life-long passion for top-quality service It sounds like the start of a bad joke: A Kiwi and a Pom walk into a bar on Australia Day. But for Stephanie Smith, it was the moment that changed her life – literally. and then it wasn’t.”

That’s because she met Dave Bundle, the Katikati boy who captured her heart in that Aussie pub a year ago.

So instead of heading for the NZ tourist mecca, she and Dave returned to the Bay, where Stephanie has been able to fulfil her dream of opening her own business – The Grange Eatery & Espresso Bar in Otumoetai.

“I love people, and the hospitality industry suits me down to the ground”

Photos: Bruce Barnard

The Newcastle Upon-Tyne lass had been living in Perth for four years, and while she enjoyed the climate and the beach lifestyle, she didn’t fall in love with the place and was ready to move on.

“I was going to head to Queenstown,” says Stephanie. “I’m a big snowboarder so I was going to live the sweet life and gain some hospitality experience. That was the plan –

“Everything fell into place,” she says.

“The spot had been empty for a week and I snapped it up almost immediately.”

Stephanie was destined for a role in the hospitality sector; it’s in her blood. Dating back to 1907, her family have owned Ringtons beverage company since it was established by her great-grandfather.

Her father is managing director, her uncle the chairman, Stephanie and her siblings are shareholders and all the cousins are involved in some way or another – a truly family business.

“I was selling tea and coffee into cafes, restaurants and hotels, that kind of thing.

That’s where my love of coffee shops comes from,” she explains.

But although it’s a big business, Stephanie soon felt like she was “living in a fishbowl”.

“I was keen to get out and explore. It was lovely – the first year away I really found myself and my own voice.”

She worked in a number of cafes, moving quickly to become assistant manager and manager throughout the years, bouncing between businesses, absorbing everything she could and sharing her love of great food and beverages with the café’s customers.

She took a risk moving to Perth to explore

new territory, and while there, in addition to working through coffee shops, she studied her Certificate in Commercial Cookery to take her hospitality skills to the next level.

“I went to university three times and I could go back three times and do a year of each course but nothing suited me,” she says.

“I love people and the hospitality industry suits me down to the ground.”

The Grange is an accumulation of everything she has learnt during the past 10-plus years – everything is made on site from scratch, with a dedication to using the freshest ingredients.

Baked goods line the counter, and you’ll

usually find Stephanie either behind the coffee machine, whipping up a brew, or winning the room over with her smile and charm.

In the few months The Grange has been operating, she’s ironically spent more time behind the counter and less time out in the beautiful Bay that she fell in love with.

She hasn’t made it to Queenstown yet either – but with a wedding around the corner, a holiday is in order.

“I reckon six months of real hard work, then when the wedding comes I’ll be able to do all the touristy things with the family and my new husband.”

Laura Weaser

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Breakfast at its best Why Eggs Benedict is perfection on a plate Tucked away on Grange Road, The Grange Eatery & Espresso Bar stands out like a sore thumb – and in a very good way.

Food photos: Logan Davey

The only café of its kind in residential Otumoetai, it’s like a slice of the big city in the Bay. From the minimalist style of the wooden-topped tables and sling-back chairs, to the industrial lighting and the hanging garden wall, The Grange isn’t your usual.

It’s 8am on a Saturday morning, and we’re one of two other couples onsite to enjoy a hearty breakfast before heading out into a glorious spring day.

The quiet won’t last long, we were informed by owner and host Stephanie when making our booking, and sure enough as 9am rolled around, it was a thriving hub of families, close friends and loved ones all pouring in for their fix of coffee, cakes and culinary delights.

On arrival, we’re greeted by Stephanie herself, who is also our server and coffee extraordinaire for the duration of breakfast.

We choose a seat at the window-seat bar, to enjoy some people-watching and the views of the Kaimais. Although centred on a busy suburban road, the world inside the Grange feels very much removed through its décor and atmosphere, and was a nice refresher to the madness that usually inhabits the Mount at this time.

Having previously chatted to Stephanie when she opened The Grange, the first thing she ever talked about on their menu was the

pulled pork Eggs Benedict – two poached eggs sitting on a bed of house-smoked pulled pork and spinach, drizzled in hollandaise sauce. How did she describe it to me?

“Knee-crumblingly amazing; mouthwatering”. I had to try it.

Unfortunately, I was accompanied to breakfast by my partner, who I had been raving to about the aforementioned pulled pork. Considering himself something of a pulled pork connoisseur, I very graciously allowed him to get the breakfast of my choice – a decision I do not take lightly.

It’s okay, though, because I had a plan B: silverside & kale rosti with poached eggs, spinach and mustard hollandaise (Or, as I like to call it, Eggs Benedict 2.0).

Coffee aside, the real star of the show was our breakfast delights. If I can offer any advice to future Grange attendees, it would be pack an appetite. Indeed, those poached eggs were on a generous bed of pulled pork, lovingly smothered in hollandaise sauce.

As for the rosti, in the past I have had my fair share of thin hash brown-types, but these were hearty portions, packed full of slow-cooked silverside chunks and tasty kale (who knew greens could taste so good?)

Silence ensued as we made our way through our meals. I couldn’t resist sampling the pulled pork and suddenly that generous spirit I had so lovingly shared with my significant other turned to food envy.

I should not have surrendered. It was worth it though, as the connoisseur gave the pulled pork his seal of approval.

We left feeling immensely satisfied – and certainly didn’t need lunch that day.

However, if you’re still feeling hungry, there are all manner of sweet treats available, from brownies to blueberry muffins, old-fashioned cheesecakes, and oatmeal and yoghurt

muffins, and all made on site.

With The Grange now open for dinners too, if that’s the standard of presentation, customer service and mouth-watering, knee-crumbling quality on offer, expect to see me back again Laura Weaser for more.

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16August, October, 2015 life+style The Weekend Sun 21 2015

Cool creations for spaces and places

Signature pieces with that ‘X factor’, from Style X Lab.

Hand Painted Cherub Chest; Barocco Dining Chair with cushions in a variety of styles, colours and fabrics; Virginie Carver with Brown and White Goat Hide.

Available in store at Tilly &Tiffen or online at tillyandtiffen.co.nz

16 October, 2015 21 August, 2015

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From the Limon Cushion range.

Available at Neptunes Linen Chest and Gifts.

See Prestige Framing for all your framing needs (Box frame example pictured).

A unique range of homewares and gifts available at Good Regards, from art prints to funky cushions.

Contemporary art and gifts available at The Funky Lizard.

SPRING SALE ON NOW

NEW STORE OPENING SOON! Inter national

By Greerton Furnishings

TAURANGA CENTRAL 683 CAMERON ROAD

156 Chadwick Road Greerton Phone 07 578 2028 OPEN 7 DAYS www.greertonfurnishings.co.nz

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October, 2015 life+style The Weekend Sun 2116August, 2015

“The way you dress is an extension of your personality”

What do your clothes say about you?

Hannah’s passion for fashion Heels or sneakers, dresses or jeans – whether you dress to impress or just for comfort, you can tell a lot about someone by their clothes.

Even if you’re adamant you don’t care about fashion, your clothes make a statement.

Your outfit is some kind of communication to the world about who you are and how you’re feeling.

Papamoa’s Hannah Davis is always keeping up with the latest trends. You’ll never catch her wearing anything out-of-date. She’s stylish, modern and fashion-forward.

What does Hannah’s fashion tell us about her? The 29-year-old loves to shop.

A sneak peek into her wardrobe tells us more. There’s running shoes, gym gear, equine apparel, including riding jackets and riding boots, and shades of white and blue – most with the latest labels sewed to the inside.

From this, we know Hannah is a horse rider and she likes to run. Her favourite colours are blue and white, and she definitely knows how to dress.

Her taste in fashion possibly stems from her Zimbabwean roots. This fashionista was born in a country which has its own successful Fashion Week and is the birthplace of fashion designer Farai Simoyi, who’s behind one of American rapper Nicki Minaj’s fashion line.

The label-loving lass moved to Tauranga from Africa seven years ago. Life here is much different for Hannah.

“The biggest difference is more time is spent running the house as well as working, although I do enjoy these tasks,” says Hannah, referring to her past in Zimbabwe where it’s common to have live-in maids.

“There is better infrastructure in New Zealand and everyone is well looked after.

There is a good safety net here, which we lack in Zimbabwe.

“In Zimbabwe, we are accustomed to frequent power cuts, poor roading and food shortages. Zimbabwe is also a landlocked country, so it’s a great pleasure being close to the beach here in Tauranga.”

So there’s no doubt her New Zealand wardrobe features a few pairs of bikinis.

From Zimbabwe to Tauranga, Hannah’s had to adapt to the fashion trends here.

And what are those fashion trends? “Very eclectic,” says Hannah. “There is a reasonable range of fashion available locally and online.”

Being able to buy clothes both over the counter and at the click of a button is

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“With the growth of online shopping, we wanted to offer fashionistas value”

Photos: Tracy Hardy

important to Hannah, as access to fashion in Zimbabwe was difficult.

“People are restricted because they cannot shop online due to the poor delivery services, so they do not have access to the broader range of designers,” says Hannah.

“People from Zimbabwe have to travel to South Africa and typically buy from the likes of Zara, Guess, which are very similar to Australia and New Zealand.”

It’s why she and co-director Janie-Lee Maisey started a coupon site for online shopping www.goskey.co.nz, where fellow fashionistas can shop online for discounted designer brands and well-known labels, whenever and wherever they want.

“Because people can shop online whenever they want, there is a wider range of fashion lines, and it gives people in smaller areas access to the full range of designers and retailers,” says Hannah.

“With the growth of online shopping, we wanted to offer fashionistas value in the form of discounts, which is currently only available with printed coupons in bricks and water stores.

Plus, it’s convenient, classy and current.

“We love the convenience of online shopping, we avoid maddening crowds, pushy sales assistants and searching for parks,” says Hannah.

“We also want value, the freedom to shop 24/7 from wherever we are, and to know each retailer stands behind their brands.”

For work, social outings or family events, there’s an outfit for every occasion and Hannah has an outfit picked out for all events. She knows what to wear and when, and explains all of this in her fashion blogs on the Goskey site.

Her fashion may say she’s an up-to-the-minute gal, but Hannah’s not about to judge if a T-shirt and jeans is your outfit of choice. You’re bound to spot her in a casual get-up at some point – Levi’s, Lee or Wrangler, of course.

Zoe Hunter

next issue on 30 October.

life+style The Weekend Sun 7

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life+style The Weekend Sun 21 August, 2015

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