Life style 20 january 2017

21 August, 2015

life+style The Weekend Sun 1

Classic and contemporary See page 2

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life+style The Weekend Sun 21 2015 20August, January, 2017

Classic, contemporary style Talking remarkable design furniture Word of mouth is a wonderful thing. And after 26 years of building a reputation for selling exclusive remarkable design furniture, Contemporary Classics has definitely got people talking.

So often a customer will return to the Mount Maunganui store and remind the staff and owner Grant Furniss about their purchase 20-plus years ago that’s still going fine.

Grant says the world talks about sustainable thinking, but there are people everywhere selling products that self-destruct in the name of having to come back and spend multiple times.

“Good for the retailer but devastating to our world. Sale after sale to grab attention by retailers says either they have bought the wrong stock again, or there margins are so high they can pretend to be giving a good deal, or maybe they are closing down.”

Business can’t survive on eternal sales if there are no margins, says Grant.

“We have had two sales in eight years only celebrating the opening of a new store [a second Mount Maunganui

store]. “Then the discount was 20 per cent, never 50 per cent. People often ask when we will be having a sale.”

Grant’s response is an invitation to keep coming back. It’s not just their reputation that’s building – so is the number of stores.

A third Contemporary Classics store opens in Cambridge later this month – a new 500m2 store in the heart of Waikato.

Why Cambridge? “It’s easy access for all the surrounding towns including Hamilton,” says Grant. “Auckland customers will also be closer. The town itself has a boutique shopping experience which Contemporary Classics’ style and looks resonate in.”

Grant says for years they’ve recognised a vast following from customers in this area. “To be handy to our Waikato customers will give more reason for them to be inspired to invest in the life products we sell.”

As much as Contemporary Classics is well-known for its huge collection of exceptional outdoor furniture, there is an increase in indoor furniture ranges seen in store.

“This is to cover people who are looking for practical affordable design indoor lounge, dining and occasional furniture that has a classic form that won’t date,” says Grant.

“We have sofa systems with fully removable pure natural linen covers including the arm areas, solid oak extension tables that don’t have the ugly split in the middle and a onehand mechanical shift that operates the extensions in a second.”

He says the new release occasional furniture uses recycled timber in character forms that are different to what can be found elsewhere.

The real success for Contemporary Classics is the team’s eagerness to personally free deliver, offer advice on options, features and benefits of their products – “plus happy smiles when you visit our stores”.

“Sadly our longest serving member, the lovely Jayne, has moved onto a new life opportunity but has been replaced with the very competent Dee Wood who is in the original store on Totara St.” This time of year, Grant says the Mount Maunganui stores have a huge flow of people from throughout New Zealand who visit the store to update themselves on what’s new. “They feast on the wow factor points of difference not available anywhere else in our country.”

Grant and his team extend a warm welcome to Contemporary Classics.

“There’s easy parking for both Mount stores and their closeness makes this a simple, fuss-free experience.”

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Two hundred layers later “People have been very interested. I started selling It’s an unusual art form – dripping hot wax in London, and was part of an installation in the to create images – but one Tauranga woman London Underground. I decided to move back to has embraced it with gusto.

New Zealand at the end of 2014, where there aren’t Local artist Jo Pedersen has been exploring the art form for several years, and says it adds a different dimension to working with acrylic or oil paints.

A self-taught painter, she initially worked with traditional painting methods, such as oils and acrylic.

“After I’d explored those mediums, I heard about a workshop in the United Kingdom, where I was living at the time, about using encaustic wax, so I went along to one or two classes and decided to go from there myself.”

The proper name for it is ‘encaustic wax’, which basically means hot wax.

“So you’re painting with melted wax essentially. You have pigmented wax for colour, or you make the wax and pigment it yourself.”

The use of wax means the paintings have a layered, raised feeling, and therefore have an appeal both visually and in terms of touch. Some paintings can have up to 200 layers of wax.

“I tend to work with texture a lot. It’s different to how you would normally paint.

“You have to work quite quickly, with the way the wax dries.”

Since it’s hard to try and paint realism with wax, her style is abstract-expressionism.

What makes it unique is that, because the way the wax falls, each painting is a complete original.

“No one can actually reproduce that exact same image.” Although the medium is small in New Zealand, her work has generated a lot of intrigue.

many wax artists. It’s a niche market.”

Naturally, people are fascinated with the process.

Recently, Flagstaff Gallery in Auckland took one of her larger panels, ‘Manifestation’, while some of her work is on display in Tauranga at Macandmor Gallery in the Goddard Centre.

For people interested in taking up the artform, she says there are workshops around New Zealand that cater for it. “I might consider teaching in the future, too, but not at present.”

Maintaining an international presence is important for any aspiring artist, and Jo has her sights set on Australia next, mostly as a market.

But she hopes to remain in the Bay and use it as a base from which to work.

Ryan Wood

Photos: Bruce Barnard.

Working with wax to make art

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20August, January, 2017 life+style The Weekend Sun 21 2015

A woman’s choice Bethlehem’s natural birth blueprint Tauranga mothers may not realise it, but they’re paving the way for birthing mums around the country.

The city’s own primary birthing centre, Bethlehem Birthing Centre, has been a hit with mothers and families since it opened in November 2014.

The centre celebrated the milestone of 500 babies born last August, with hundreds more mums receiving postnatal care.

The support of the birthing centre by mothers and midwives alike has not gone unnoticed, and now Bethlehem Birthing Centre is the blueprint for more birthing centres around the country, says founder Chloe Wright.

“Bethlehem Birthing Centre has always been a labour of love,” says Chloe. “Our driving reason to open the centre was to give Tauranga mums another choice of where and how they want to give birth.

“Previously they had the options of hospital or a home birth, but nothing in between.

“The centre is for women having low-risk births without intervention –

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and we’ve found that our mums have completely embraced the concept. The LMCs (lead maternity carers) have been so supportive too – we couldn’t have done it without them.”

Chloe opened Bethlehem Birthing Centre under Birthing Centre Ltd, which is funded by Tauranga-based Wright Family Foundation.

And after the success of the Tauranga centre, new birthing centres are being built in Palmerston North and Lower Hutt, with more planned around the country – and Bethlehem Birthing Centre is the inspiration.

“Mothers in other centres without birthing units have seen what we’re doing at Bethlehem, and are wanting the same service,” says Chloe.

“We have women from other towns and cities emailing us saying: ‘Can we have this too?’

“We’re so proud that Bethlehem Birthing Centre is making an impact.”

With its quiet, sound-proofed and private rooms, beautiful high tea service and intimate post-natal care, some mums have difficulty believing there has been no cost to them.

Bethlehem Birthing Centre achieves that thanks to funding from the

20 January, 2017 21 August, 2015

“The centre is for women having low-risk births without intervention – and we’ve found that our mums have completely embraced the concept”

Wright Family Foundation, which covers the shortfall from district health board funding to ensure the service is free and accessible to all New Zealand residents.

Why is this important? For Chloe, it’s a passion for spreading the message about primary birthing to all women.

“It’s about empowering women to have the benefits of a natural birth,” Chloe explains.

“We support women in the choices they make, and we want them to know that they do have a choice about how they birth. Trust your body – it knows what to do.

“Giving birth is a milestone in the life of a woman – it’s a moment she will remember forever. That’s why it’s so important that she has the opportunity for the birth she wants under the care of her supportive Lead Maternity Carer.”

Primary birthing offers many benefits to both mother and baby, including fewer interventions, shorter labour, faster recovery and facilitating breastfeeding.

Supporting primary birthing is part of the Wright Family Foundation’s imperative to raise awareness on aspects of life including the importance of pre-natal health, breastfeeding and the first 1000 days of a child’s life.

“Understanding the ‘why’ and ‘how’ can make a vast difference to outcomes,” Chloe explains.

Offering comprehensive post-natal care in a gentle and nurturing manner is a key focus of the centre –

all with the aim of giving each baby and mum the very best start in life together.

That means delicious and nutritious meals, support with establishing breastfeeding, and making sure mums feel ready to take their baby home.

“Everything is done from a place of respect, kindness, nurturing and warmth,” says Chloe.

“Those first few days of a baby’s life are so important for bonding, and we support not only mums but also partners and families.”

Mothers typically stay three nights after giving birth at the centre, but can opt to receive ongoing help with breastfeeding after they’ve gone home.

“The birthing centre’s approach to women’s health is very holistic, involving women’s whole families.

We recognise it takes a village to raise a child.”

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January, 2017 life+style The Weekend Sun 2120August, 2015 Get out in the summer weather on a bike from Anebike.

Summertime - and the living is easy Sun, sand and surf – it’s the perfect summer recipe. Spending time outdoors is easy during summertime, whether you’re making the most of the outdoor furniture and entertaining friends over a barbecue or riding the city’s cycleways. Or why not bring summer indoors with funky summer-themed cushions?

Summer living is in style at Furnish. Check out their fabulous range of fun cushions and beach towels.

20 21 January, 2017 August, 2015

life+style The Weekend Sun 7

Make the most of outdoor living with stylish pieces from The Design Depot.

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January, 2017 life+style The Weekend Sun 2120August, 2015 Ravioli with sage butter sprinkled with grana padano cheese.

Perfect pasta If you want a super quick and delicious meal, the fresh frozen pasta range at Vetro Mediterranean Foods delivers perfectly. These Italian fresh pastas have stunning flavours and are of such high quality that you don’t need to do much to achieve a restaurant level dish.

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Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli Melt 25 grams of butter in a fry pan and add some chopped fresh sage or dried. When the ravioli are done, drain and gently mix them through the butter. Serve with a sprinkle of grana padano or if you want a stronger flavour, pecorino romano.

For an extra flavour boost, add 1 teaspoon of orange zest – sprinkle with grated grana padano (and a little zest to decorate).

Artichoke Ravioli These are fabulous with a little crushed amaretto biscuit, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of grana padano cheese.

Porcini Mushroom Tortellini Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of porcini powder in a fry pan, mix through and sprinkle with parmigiano reggiano.

Buffalo Milk Mozzarella Ravioli Melt 25 grams of butter, 2 tablespoons of milk and 100 grams of gorgonzola dolce (sweet) – gently mix through and sprinkle with grana padano.

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life+style The Weekend Sun 9 Jenny Pountney and Karen Cleasby

Understanding is everything Support services for cancer patients Pinc & Steel gives hope, strength and courage to many cancer patients throughout the Bay of Plenty.

Therapist and physiotherapist Cath McFadyen says it’s about minimising the side effects from cancer and the associated treatments.

“We empower clients. They are often told what they can’t do, or shouldn’t do. We ask them what they want to do and help them get there.”

For two Tauranga women, the programme was invaluable on their journeys to health.

Jenny Pountney says Pinc & Steel was the only support she found in terms of physical help. “Cath’s knowledge was very reassuring, and particularly important in helping me deal with my scars, and the physical side of the operation.”

Jenny had to weather not only a mastectomy, but a failed reconstruction which, she says, is fairly common. Jenny has the all clear, but says some of the side effects of chemotherapy have an undesired

longevity, or permanence.

She says Pinc & Steel’s services are vital when eight women a day are diagnosed with breast cancer in New Zealand. “I was told I was a survivor. I didn’t want to survive, but Cath helped me do more than that. That was the biggest benefit for me.”

Cath says Pinc & Steel staff are a sounding board, coach, friend, counsellor, motivator, and cheerleader. “Often, we’re on the scene longer than most surgeons, nurses, radiologists, or oncologists, and help clients regain the sense of control they’ve lost to outside forces.”

Karen Cleasby agrees. “Cath and her team made me feel comfortable. I’d been a businessperson my whole life, and going through the journey I went through, I lost who I was and my ability of what I could be. Pinc & Steel gave me an environment where I felt safe.

“Everyone’s journey is different, but when you’re diagnosed, you enter a numb world. At Pinc & Steel, you meet people who understand that.”

Karen says friends and family get it, but they don’t get it. “They’re dealing with their own emotions.”

Pinc & Steel Cancer Rehabilitation Trust services aren’t funded.

The next big fundraising event is Run for Life, on Sunday, April 2, with a 5km walk/run, 10km run, and 10km team option.

Karen took part in Pinc & Steel’s Move Over Cancer Starjump Challenge in November. When asked if she’s training for the Run

A family affair

Abron Group and Lighthouse Group have just launched four exciting new subdivisions – Highfields Crossing at Katikati and 262 On The Reserve and The Grove on Western, both in Omokoroa.

The second stage of Norfolk Rise at Brookfield is due for release next year.

Lifestyle & design

choices

House and land packages each of the subdivisions, are available in but sections are also available for purchase.

Buying a section

and building a new home vision, courage takes and trust.

Beach bach

At first the intention was to renovate the 1920s cottage on a tiny section close to the beach.

But on closer inspection Mike realised time had taken its toll and option was to re-create the best the quaint cottage.

So successfully has this been done that from the outside it’s hard to tell this is a new build, which is among the reasons judges in the 2016 House of the Year were impressed with so it – and presented Belco Homes with a Gold Award, Category Win, and to top it off a Gold Reserve Award.

Traditional weatherboards clad the exterior double-glazed aluminium and the windows are set frames. Inside, matai into timber flooring salvaged from the original cottage is a feature of the living area at the front of the house.

What was the kitchen has become a modern with separate toilet. bathroom A floor-to-ceiling storage unit of drawers, shelves and cupboards maximises hall space

and the two bedrooms.

Solar panels provide hot water and the home is wired for sound throughout, adding to the holiday atmosphere.

In this part of the home the finish is true to the 1920s era but the kitchen-living area, which leads from it, combines both traditional and new.

skylights and two extensively glazed walls.

And there in the very same light and airy room, meals can be enjoyed, or taken out onto the deck and lawn. This is truly a heart of the home kitchen in the best traditions of Kiwi beach bach living.

Large doors, which open wide, let the outside in and encourage enjoyment of the pleasant back yard where wooden decking leads from the living area to the private lawn big enough for at least a couple of tents to accommodate holiday guests. The garage also serves as a bunk room.

The long galley style design provides Beach living is all ample space for about enjoying several people to the work ocean, so the provision together. There’s of an outside a conventional electric shower is an asset stove and an impressive too. solid fuel oven too, so feeding a small In designing this summer army or home, Kathy and keeping winter time visitors Mike gave thought about warm is no problem. now and the future.

The room’s polished Currently, it’s a concrete floor can wonderful holiday cope with sand home for a teenage family and spills too. and friends, which will in the future be enjoyed The large and attractive by grandchildren room has a too. high stud and is And eventually, become a cosy, filled with light comfortable thanks to and practical retirement haven.

Kitchens are often the preserve of the ‘resident chef ’ but this one has been designed so anyone and everyone can be part of meal preparation – at any time of the day or night.

A DEVELOPMENT

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The Grove on Western, timelines, making Western Ave Omokoroa, at the end of sure contractors also has several and suppliers are pre-sold sections where they need with Abron being to be to get your the principle construction build completed company on many on time. “This, of those contract along with our builds. involvement at the start of the Norfolk Rise at planning process, Brookfield in Tauranga adds value, insights is a 37-lot development and cost-saving with 16 house and design features land packages in to our client’s investment,” Stage 1A also sold. says Abbie.

Abron has among “We aim to create its staff highly homes that are skilled professionals achievable for all with expertise in New Zealanders, land development and in communities that project management have street appeal. and also works closely with local “We provide all builders, subcontractors, the features that engineers and surveyors Kiwis look for who they know in a lifestyle and and trust. in a lifetime investment.

“We aim to The company utilises make the building a detailed project experience easy management system and enjoyable, that manages while making new friendships along the way.”

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Abron Group is both property developers and home builders – and what’s more, the Tauranga based company is owned by the Scott Family with founder Howard as director, son Cameron as operations manager and daughter Abbie “It also represents The Abron management the marketing and a significant team: administration investment whether Howard, Abbie manager. and Cam Scott. it is a first or subsequent home,” The fact that Abron Kerikeri, Nelson says Abbie Raleigh and Auckland’s is a family business of Abron Group.

North is a strong point Shore. Cameron, of difference because who has a background clients are dealing in farming, earthworks with the company’s “We understand and construction, how daunting building owners, who take joined the business a very personal new home can a in the early-2000s pride appear to be, which in and ensuring Abbie in 2014, the new subdivisions is why we take a personal reinforcing the Abron strong family interest in our clients Group develop culture of the business. and the houses and their project. it builds are We listen to you of the very highest and standard. work tirelessly Abron Group is to deliver on your primarily a land vision, with your overall Abron Group was developer, currently budget and practical founded in working in joint requirements at Tauranga in 1998 ventures with Lighthouse the core.”

by Howard, who Group. Home had been involved in construction has land developments also been a focus in in recent years with up to 75 homes built annually.

beauty Gold miners’ cottages are part of Waihi Beach’s heritage so it is fitting that Mike and Kathy Bell of Belco Homes chose to honour the past in their beach retreat.

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Vision and courage because the process begins with bare land and a set of plans – not a ready-made house and garden to walk through. And trust because someone else is going to turn those plans into a home for you.

Highfields Crossing, in the heart of Katikati, will have a total of 61 lots with nine in Stage 1 already sold.

At 262 On The Reserve, Omokoroa’s sportsgrounds,bordering 21 house and land packages are pre-sold and six house and land packages are now available in stage 2A.

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for Life, she laughs. “I’m a bit of a naughty one, even though I used to be a fitness guru.” Karen used to own and manage a gym. “I like to turn up and be part of it; but it’s not about winning for me, it’s about doing.

When I first moved down I did the Tauranga marathon, and I walked it.

To me, it was about achieving it.”

For more information, visit: www.pincandsteel.com and: www.runforlife.co.nz Karolyn Timarkos

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20August, January, 2017 life+style The Weekend Sun 21 2015

A model lifestyle Selecting surf and sun Mount Maunganui’s Melanie Jayne had a choice to make. A fantastic career opportunity in Auckland, or summer fun with son Ezekiel Bevan.

It wasn’t a tough choice. “For me, as a mother, family time is more important than any job. He’s 14 going on 18, and I’ll never recapture a summer with him at this age if I lose it.

“I’m holding on to the younger years when he still needs me.”

Choosing Ezekiel over work continues a lifestyle trend for the woman who moved to the Bay of Plenty in 2006 from land-locked Palmerston North.

“My agent [Tanya Horo from Bay of Plenty Actors] has always said to me I would get more work if I was in Auckland. I’d get bigger opportunities, and more film and TV opportunities.

“But I’d rather have lifestyle than fame and riches.

I manage to get my fill of industry work, and still be able to live in a place I love.”

It does mean the “industry work” needs supplementing, so Mel works part-time at a local surf shop. It’s the ideal job for this self-described mermaid.

“I’d rather have lifestyle than fame and riches”

Melanie Jayne and son Ezekiel

Melanie Jayne’s cover shoot for Russell Meek’s novel

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“I love being close to the water, and getting out in the ocean.”

It’s also a great way to keep up with the play with the youngsters. “They keep me up-to-date with music, fashion and what’s trending.”

Mel started modelling in her early-20s, after seven years in the IT industry. She was earning good money, but this creative woman was feeling stifled in the corporate world “One day I woke up and thought: ‘You know what, I want to be doing what I love – which was acting’.”

Getting started was a challenge for someone without the necessary experience to produce a portfolio, so she applied a little Kiwi ingenuity. “I wrote my own schizophrenic-themed short film, helped produce it, and acted every character so I could show versatility.”

Using the short film as a calling card worked.

“I sent it to one of the top agents in Auckland, and she agreed to represent me. I did a few TV commercials, a feature film, a web series, and a lot of international work.”

She spent a week in the United States filming the music video ‘Racks’ for rapper Won-G, has been to Bali for shoots, done producing work and TV commercials in Australia, and is soon to be the new social media face of the Motor Trade Association.

“I think people who struggle to change a tyre can identify more readily with me than with Greg Murphy,” she jokes.

She’s also the cover model for the latest novel in ‘The Khalada Stone’ series by Russell Meek, ‘A Dark Heart Rises: Part 1’. Russell is another Mount Maunganui resident who’s chosen lifestyle over business opportunities.

Visit Melanie at: www.instagram.com/ melaniejaynenz Karolyn Timarkos

20 21January, August, 2017 2015

Escaping the rat race Choosing the beach over work New Zealand photographer and author Russell Meek has left the rat race behind. After two decades of globetrotting, the Kiwi landscape and commercial photographer and author has moved from Auckland to Mount Maunganui.

“I’d just come back from overseas, and Auckland seemed too expensive to go back to and set up again.

“A friend of mine had a nice place overlooking the beach at the Mount. My life can get quite chaotic, so it’s nice to have a relaxing place to come back to and write in peace.”

Russell has received critical acclaim for the first two novels in his sweeping

fantasy adventure series ‘The Khalada Stone’. The third novel ‘A Dark Heart Rises: Part 1’ was recently released, and had a huge number of pre-orders. Russell shot the cover, which features Mount Maunganui model Melanie Jayne, another local who chose lifestyle over work opportunities.

Shooting his own book covers and trailers, he goes a little further than most to capture a sole image.

“For the Dark Heart cover I travelled to Zhang Jiajie in China.”

“I immerse myself in the landscape, live and breathe it, and draw inspiration for scenes in the books. I love reading books that are evocative of an area, so that’s how I write.”

He’s sold about 5000 copies of the first two novels, a major achievement in New Zealand, where local authors struggle

to attract the following of international writers.

He shared a panel at Armageddon Auckland with Terry Brooks, author of ‘The Shannara Chronicles’, and prolific British humorous novelist Robert Rankin. And his books are available from Whitcoulls, a notoriously difficult achievement for an independently published author.

Now Russell’s gearing up for the next big thing, after Tanya Horo from Bay of Plenty Actors agreed to represent him as an author. Russell wants to capitalise on the success of the books, and get a TV series up and running.

“We’re doing it in little stages, similar to how I’ve built the book’s success. I’m looking to take the following from here and Australia, built that up, and then take it over to America.”

Russell says he’s done as much as he can on his own. “For me, as a self-published author, to have to compete with the big publishers is really hard. They’re the ones who advertise their authors’ books. I have to pay for advertising myself.”

Being represented by Tania is vital to his future success. With the power of an agency behind him, the path should get easier. “Once we get the ball rolling, it will go beyond just me trying to promote myself. There are a lot of other people getting interested in the development of Karolyn Timarkos it now.”

‘The Khalada Stone’ series is available at Whitcoulls, or www.thekhaladhastone.com

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life+style The Weekend Sun 21 August, 2015

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