UNO Magazine | Issue 65 | Spring 2024 | Dame Lisa Carrington

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LACHIE STEVENS-MCNAB

Rotorua’s mountain biking superstar

BOY GEORGE

Bringing on a Timeless Summer PLENTY UNDER TWENTY

The Bay’s best dishes under $20

TURKISH DELIGHT

Explore Turkey’s rich history

Lounge Suites

Dining

Sun Umbrellas

5-Year Sun Fade Warranty on Fabrics

$150 Delivery to Tauranga Region

Bask 3-seater sofas, Bask corner sofa, Rock Star sun loungers

PLAY

What’s hot! 18 Lisa Carrington: Back home

Boy George to the BOP

Rotorua’s riding star

Tauranga Club

Budget bites under $20

Jess Easton: Boutique wine

Chelsea Winter recipes 52 Judy Bailey’s changing life

THRIVE

Style status

Fashion forecast

Be thrift savvy

Cashmore Clinic: Laser focus

Hair styles that suit

Spring beauty 72 Elma, the label

LIVE

80 Oliver Road Luxury Real Estate

Award-winning homes

Wallpaper: tastefully textured

Landscaping transformation

Entryway design

How not to waste food

Right-sizing explained

WORK

Jumbo design

Men’s mental health

Mortgage matters

Parenting: Online dangers

We test tech

Dispute Buddy legal app

Tauranga Business Chamber

DIRECTOR

Michele Griffin 021 183 4618 michele@unomagazine.co.nz

DIRECTOR

Rebecca Meyer 027 469 6177 rebecca@unomagazine.co.nz

EDITOR

Hayley Barnett hayley@unomagazine.co.nz

FASHION EDITOR

Nicky Adams nickyadams@xtra.co.nz

DESIGNER

Annabelle Rose

ASSISTANT DESIGNER

Hannah Mahon

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Stephanie Taylor

SUB-EDITOR

Shiree Schumacher

CONTRIBUTORS

Bryony Alexander

Amber Armitage

Garth Badger

Monique Balvert-O'Connor

Katie Cox

Jess Easton

Jo Ferris

Salina Galvan

Stacey Jones

Jahl Marshall

Kathrine McDonald

Karl Puschmann

Jamie Troughton

Jenny Rudd

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This issue we have the pleasure of celebrating our most decorated Olympian, Dame Lisa Carrington. After a fabulous shoot in Auckland, the UNO team can safely say she lives up to her reputation in every way. Fun, easy-going and down to earth, the gold medalist is a true Kiwi icon.

Relentless in her pursuit to become the very best she can be in her chosen sport of kayaking, Lisa surprisingly reveals in her interview with UNO that she never sets out to nail the competition. She’s not out there to win medals, she’s there to do a job she can be proud of. The medals are just a result of that – something she’s happy to have, but doesn’t need. As a professional athlete, it must be incredibly hard to eliminate the pressure of outside competition, but for Dame Lisa, it’s a skill she’s honed over her 35 years. Of course, that skill can be applied to all areas of life – knowing that, to get in the zone and win, you have to remember your biggest competition is always yourself. Her other superpower, in my opinion, is looking so damn young for someone who spends 675 hours per year outside on the water. Her secret, she says, is a good SPF50+.

So, as we hurtle towards the warm summer months, the UNO team has gathered some of the best new SPF products out on the market, as well as some hydrating, protective products to keep your skin (and nails) in tip-top condition. Turn to page 70 to get your skin summer ready.

Heading inward, we’ve also put the spotlight on mental health for this issue, specifically men’s. Kenrick Smith, Mount Maunganui’s amazing sand artist, created the impressive sketches on page 106, including our very own UNO logo in front of the mighty Mauao. Kendrick explains how sand became his sanctuary after finding himself on the edge of a major depressive episode. He now helps others through depression and anxiety with his Rake Healing workshops and mental health coaching.

Along with Kendrick, there are some amazing groups of people here in the Bay who are doing their bit to help combat this scary mental health epidemic our country is facing. Read about these heroes in our community on page 108.

I’m sure all the inspiring folk featured in this Spring issue will help you stay cool and calm as we head into the silly season.

Happy reading!

Hayley, editor

From left: Desiree Osterman, Nicky Adams, Dame Lisa Carrington, Annabelle Rose, Garth Badger and Melissa Brinsden.

skin renewal

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Meet three of our talented contributors who worked alongside the UNO team to bring you the Spring 2024 issue.

Sam Henry

Creativity, connection, continuous learning and making a difference are just a few of the reasons our hair columnist, Sam Henry, loves her job. Having started hairdressing training at just 15, Sam now owns two salons – Shine in Maungatapu, which she opened 14 years ago, and her new salon Studio May in Ōmokoroa, which opened in February this year. The ever-evolving nature of the industry keeps her up to date with trends for her loyal clients and readers. “The connection I make with clients by making them feel incredible is so fulfilling and rewarding,” says Sam.

Bryony Alexander

Bryony’s journey to becoming a full-time photographer began with a film camera in hand, developing photos in a darkroom. That’s where she discovered her passion for capturing moments. “Photography is more than just a profession for me – it’s a vital creative outlet,” she explains. “My perspective is shaped by the experiences I’ve gained from travelling overseas and the life lessons I’ve gathered along the way, all of which I pour into every image I create. I love showcasing the beauty of people and places, connecting with others, and helping them feel at ease in front of the camera.” As we move further into the digital realm, Bryony is excited about media playing an increasingly powerful role in our lives.

Brooke Reynolds

UNO ’s finance columnist Brooke Reynolds started out as a bank teller and worked her way up to bank manager within two years. Over time, she made the move to becoming a mobile personal manager and then a mobile mortgage manager, eventually securing her place as the number one mobile mortgage manager in the country. “What I love most about my career is helping people into houses, giving them security and growing wealth for their future. Now I have so many good success stories to tell, I pride myself on being able to look outside the box and find a solution in even the toughest of situations.”

Sip in style

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What’s

Gin for the win

Strange Nature, New Zealand’s innovative grape-based gin, is winning awards from London to LA. Distilled from NZ sauvignon blanc, it was ranked the number one New Zealand wine and spirit in 2024 at the International Wines & Spirits Competition in London. RRP$89.99. STRANGENATUREGIN.COM

Hot!

We’ve found the latest products for your mind, body and home.

On the Terps

Terps & Co’s alcohol-free drinks are crafted to taste just like your favourite boozy cocktails. Infused with terpenes for a chill vibe, these refreshing beverages are kind to your body – no sugar or nasty additives. RRP$64.99 750ml.

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Rings of rebellion

Karen Walker Jewellery’s latest release features the iconic Girl with a Bow, and the Delicious Cocktail Rings collection inspired by the bold Prohibition-era spirit. The glamorous rings showcase stunning stones such as topaz, onyx and their newest addition – peach moonstone.

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It’s crunch time

Get ready for a treat. Weet-Bix has launched its first-ever chocolate-flavoured cereal, Weet-Bix Bites Coco Crunch. These bite-sized morsels combine delicious chocolate with the trusted nutrition of wholegrains, perfect for breakfast or snacking. RRP$9 from all supermarkets.

Cyclone sweep up

McLeods have snapped up the supreme NZ Beer title at the NZ Beer Awards. Their Double IPA Tropical Cyclone took home the Champion New Zealand Beer title at the awards held in Auckland in August –rising to the top of 700 entries nationwide. RRP$10.99 per can.

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In the bag

Baggu’s Go Pouches are here to simplify your life. These clever pouches keep your bag organised, expanding to hold essentials and laying flat when not in use. Made from recycled nylon, they’re eco-friendly too.

RRP$29.90.

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Liquorice all sorts

Add some colour into your summer sunbathing with a CLICK Sunlounger. Available in 14 colour options, or customise your own unique colours. RRP$1089. DANISHFURNITURE.NZ

Cute and conscious

We’re gaga over the Strawberry and Cream babyccino cup from Chai Baby! Perfectly sized for tiny hands, it’s great for hot or cold drinks and comes with wildflower seeds to support our bees. RRP$24.90. FLOANDFRANKIE.COM

Wax lyrical

Illuminate your space with the natural glow of The Keepers Apothecary beeswax candles. Handcrafted for a clean, long burn, they fill your home with a soothing honey aroma while supporting sustainable beekeeping. From RRP$15. THEKEEPERSAPOTHECARY.CO.NZ

Claws out

The Finders Meat Shredding Claws are the perfect gift for that person who has everything and loves to cook or BBQ. RRP$29.99.

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Thrift Shop Ball 2024

Everyone donned their gladrags to attend this year’s Thrift Shop Ball on August 10 at Totara Street in Mount Maunganui. Thrifting never looked so glamorous!

PHOTOS ELEANOR OXLEY 1. Second runner up: Rahn Sitadevi Lawrence (PHOTO DAVID DUNHAM) 2. Andy Neverman, Hayley Neverman 3. Amanda Hamlin, Sam Thompson 4. Peter Clarke, Dearne Yorke, Kristin Clarke, Susan Magnus 5. Dim Pivac, Serena Steveson, Eleanor Oxley (Preloved Project team) 6. Nainana Azevedo, Nate Anderson, Heike Moegle, Lili Leberknight, Chantelle Laurent, Jose Diaz, Elise Adlam 7. Tali 8. Ruth Dray-Smith, Jason Smith, Dave Merwood, Kylie Merwood 9. Ruby Neverman, Mr Hoojay (dog) 10. Amanda Hamlin (grand winner of the fashion show) 11. Dolly Velvet-Riot (dance performer) 12. Chiccoreli, Tali, Sarah Bronte, Teresa Michels 13. Emma Stokes (third runner up – fashion show – PHOTO DAVID DUNHAM) 14. Glen Callahan, Carla Sargent, Natasha Rainger, Ben Poff, Carolyn Richardson, Darren Richardson, Michelle Shervell (front blue jacket) 15. Rachael Stanway (ball organiser), Huia Hamon, Sarah Crowther (ball organiser) 16. Jane Lawrence, Jamie Hawkings, Rahn Sitadevi Lawrence (second winner – fashion show), Emma Stokes (third runner up – fashion show), George Scott. 17. Serena Stevenson, Patsy Skeet, Christa Loisel, Pia La Joie, Sarah Bronte 18. Ben McLean 19. Charlie Whiteley 20. Amanda Hamlin (grand winner of the fashion show) (PHOTO DAVID DUNHAM) 21. Anne-Tonia Orr, Gemma Holroyd, Amanda Lowry, Heidi Tidmarsh

Tauranga Club

The grand opening of the new and improved Tauranga Club was a night to remember at the Club’s Devonport Towers location on September 7.

PHOTOS BRYONY ALEXANDER 1. Buddy Mikaere, Fiona Sullivan 2. Xi Shen, Christopher Hainsworth, Robert Anderon, Chris Symes, Antoon Moonen 3. Hannah Ralph, Tom Rutherford 4. Annemarie Quill, Will Johnson 5. Deborah Peak, Lee Warburton, Penelope Gray 6. Sarah Webb, Tracey Gudsell, Jenni Cubis, Kirin Erasmus 7. Adrian Pohio, Lania Pohio, Lynda Burch, Martin Burch, Keryl Rickard, Jim Rickard 8. Craig Capamagian, Margot Vancingal 9. Jim Warren, Tanya Horo 10. Diane Hume-Green, Phil Green, Victoria Hume 11. Katheryn Sprattly, Carole Todd, Robyn Lawless 12. Craig Henderson, Susan Taylor, Rod Taylor 13. Tamati Tata, Jill Beedie, Gail Elliott 14. Phil Green, Chris Sutherland 15. Ken Ellison, Bill Capamagian, Tracey Gudsell 16. Jasmeet Kalsi, Ruby Kalsi

Zespri Aims Games 2024

The 2024 Aims Games kicked off at Mount Maunganui’s Mercury Baypark Arena on September 7.

PHOTOS BRIAN JARREAU 1. Mark Leach, Lewis Reid 2. James Jacobs, Tisha Innis 3. Charlotte Haycock, Oliver Haycock, Malanie Doel, Kailia Lee, Karin Copestake 4. James Danyer, Sarah-Jane Bourne 5. Tricia Hudson, Wayne Werder, Kelly Schischkam, Georgia Frame, Maureen Chaytor 6. Chad Hooker, Kathryn Hooker, Michelle Stevens, Rick Powdrell 7. Herb Schuler, Michelle Schuler, Vicki Semple, Cameron Mitchell 8. Daryl Gibbs, Erica Stanford, Melissa Nelson 9. Neil Cuddy DB, John Lea, Jo Jackson, Bryce McFall 10. Huia Ackerman, Jill Weldon, Rose Powdrell, Ron Weldon 11. Simon Cochrane, Sarah Smith, Malcom Smith 12. Andrea Webster, Spencer Webster, Henk Popping 13. Katie Boaid, Angela Werder, Michelle Stevens, Virginija Werder, Monika Werder 14. Sarah Cotter, Anita Hawkins 15. Sorrel Sutherland, Petrina Page, Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Barbershop Co

It was a night of celebration as Barbershop Co opened its second barber shop in Mount Maunganui on July 18.

Escape Festival Launch 2024

Conversations with writers, readers, thinkers and storytellers got well underway as the Bay’s Escape Festival launched on August 29 at Baycourt.

PHOTOS SALINA GALVAN 1. Ayesha Kee, Ashlee Hasting, Monique Barnett, Hannah Wyn, Gabrielle Vincent 2. Robyn Mangos, Kristin Shipton 3. Sue Dewes, John Dewes-Hodgson 4. Ange Kell, Monique Balvert-O’Connor 5. Nelita Byrne, Joanna Thomas, Sarah Dyck, Sarah Cotter 6. Karen Flowerday, Sarah Webb, Rebecca Beale 7. Sue Hoffart, Fergus Lellman 8. Graham Crow, Kimberley Cleland
PHOTOS NESSI RAMOS 1. Jacob Visor from Drift Clothing. 2. Andrea Bartley, Jules Hebbel, Luiz Del Monte, Richard Bartley 3. Barbershop Co cake 4. Adam Johanson, Luiz Del Monte, Jules Hebbel 5. Nessi Ramos, Archel Galang, Adam Johanson, Luiz Del Monte, Jules Hebbel 6. Andrea Bartley, Luiz Del Monte 7. Mount Maunganui Barbershop Co
Wilson.

Beyond the gold rush

As the dust settles on her Paris triumph, Ōhope’s Dame Lisa Carrington contemplates her next chapter. The kayaking legend shares her post-Olympic reflections and the unexpected joys of an unscheduled life.

WORDS KARL PUSCHMANN | ART DIRECTOR ANNABELLE ROSE | PHOTOGRAPHY GARTH BADGER PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT MELISSA BRINSDEN | STYLIST NICKY ADAMS

HAIR + MAKE-UP DESIREE OSTERMAN

Half an hour into UNO ’s chat with Dame Lisa Carrington she makes a dramatic and quite unexpected admission.

We’d been talking about her phenomenal success in kayaking. Not just at the recent Paris Olympics where she claimed an awe-inspiring hat trick of gold medals in the K4 500m, K2 500m and K1 500m kayaking events – astoundingly being the second time she’s accomplished the miraculous feat of claiming three golds – but also how she got started in the sport she now thoroughly dominates.

After three consecutive Olympic Games, a total of eight gold medals, numerous records and the national honour of a Damehood for ‘Outstanding Services to Canoe Racing,’ it’s easy to imagine she was born with a paddle in her hand and had a kayak as a cot.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Kayaking was really just a supplement to surf lifesaving,” she admits with a grin. “But I was fairly good, so I kept at it.”

Lisa didn’t come to kayaking until her teenage years. It’s crazy to think that had the elite athlete, now 35, been fractionally better at her beloved sport of surf lifesaving, her life, Aotearoa’s sporting history and the Olympic record books would all look vastly different.

Maybe she would have smashed it in surf lifesaving the same way she dominates kayaking.

She laughs at the idea. “I wasn’t going to make it to the national teams or anything like that,” she says.

Aside from the bleary-eyed die-hards, Aotearoa awoke on August 11th to the huge news from Paris that Lisa had achieved the impossible; a second successive hat trick of Olympic gold medals following a masterclass performance in the final of the K1 500m.

As the defending champion, she went into the race the favourite, but gold was not a sure thing. Her great rival, fellow Kiwi Aimee Fisher, was marked as a potential upsetter.

So it made for alarming viewing for Kiwis who’d stayed up late to cheer New Zealand on when Hungary’s Tamara Csipes shot off like a rocket at the starting gun. At the halfway mark Lisa was trailing by half-a-boat length, which is massive, and Fisher was stuck fighting for position in the middle of the pack.

If Lisa was as worried as the Kiwi supporters watching on, it didn’t show. The camera frequently zoomed in on Lisa and she looked cool, calm and collected. It did not look at all like she was straining to kickstart any dormant energy reserves. Nor did she look rushed. It didn’t even look like she’d cracked a sweat.

Instead, her movements were fluid and hypnotic, as she smoothly glided up to catch Csipes, pass Csipes and then leave Csipes in her dust. Lisa crossed the finish line with no one else in sight and her famous beaming smile radiating pure joy.

“Carrington, simply unbeatable!” raved the television commentator. “The GOAT [Greatest Of All Time] just keeps getting greater,” Radio New Zealand gushed. “A sporting immortal,” enthused the New Zealand Herald “Yessss!” cheered Poppy, my nine-year-old daughter, when we watched the early-morning highlights.

It was Lisa’s final event of the Paris Olympics. She’d already led the K2 and K4 teams to gold but hadn’t been able to join in the post-race celebrations because her focus needed to remain on her upcoming solo K1 race.

“I could finally take it in, be proud and not be preparing for the next thing because there was no more to prepare for,” she says of the moment she crossed the finish line. “It was cool to be able to embrace my teammates and my coach and my family and let it all sink in. I felt amazement and pride that we as a team had won all three events that we’d challenged ourselves to achieve.”

That was the glorious end. But how did she feel, on the water, at the starting line?

“Part of competing at the Olympics is managing pressure and expectation,” she says.

The way she does this is to question herself. As she explains, gold medals and glory are not what’s powering her outstanding career.

“It’s really understanding the balance of what I’m doing it for. Is it just to win? Just to cross the line first?” she says in a way that makes clear the answer to those two questions is a simple ‘no’.

“Or is it because of all these other things that are important to me? I want to be able to cross the line and whether I’m first or last, be really proud of the performance.”

It turns out that the stress of defending your title against the world’s best, at the world’s premium competition, with the whole world watching, is only half of it.

“Pressure also comes from the expectation of thinking you need to win. Thinking that if you don’t win, you’re nothing. What will people think if you don’t perform?

I can’t attach my identity to thinking that I’m a winner and if I don’t win then I’m not myself anymore.”

“There’s a lot of awareness and self-awareness around what those medals mean,” she says quietly, before adding. “It’s also about keeping your ego in check.”

Which is another surprising admission. Chatting with Lisa is like talking to an old mate. She’s incredibly friendly, quick to smile and down to earth. And when it comes to discussing her astounding accomplishments

she’s almost ego-less, talking of them in a matter-offact fashion rather than the awesome achievements they are.

Still, it must be hard to not believe the hype, especially when you’re routinely called the ‘Queen of Kayak’ and have people falling over themselves to congratulate you − this writer no exception having greeted her with a proudly patriotic congratulation.

“It definitely is,” Lisa admits. “It’s about humility. Just because I’ve achieved something doesn’t mean I’m better than anyone else.”

Then, an example springs to mind.

“If I’m lining up in a queue, and I’m hundredth in line, just because I have medals doesn’t mean I get to jump the queue,” she laughs. “Your medal doesn’t define you. It doesn’t make you a better person than anyone else. You don’t have to be a great person to win an Olympic gold medal. You could be a terrible person and win a medal.”

Lisa’s house may now be north of the Bombay Hills, having relocated to Auckland years ago for training, but her home remains in Ōhope, the picturesque

beach town that’s just a smidge east of Whakatāne. She, her husband Michael ‘Bucky’ Buck and Colin, their pet cavoodle, regularly pop down to see family and friends. They headed there after her triumphant return from Paris.

“It’s a beautiful place to be,” she smiles. “I reckon this summer I’ll be able to spend a bit more time there.”

It was Ōhope’s endless beach that Lisa credits for birthing her love of the ocean, as she recalls a childhood full of adventure playing with friends on the golden sands and playing in its rolling waves.

“We lived right on the water, right on the beach there. That’s where my affinity for the water came from,” she says. “We would spend quite a bit of time in the water, especially when it was stormy and rainy. We’d go out and have a heap of fun surfing on boogie boards or kayaks.”

Wanting her and her elder brothers, Shaun and Brett, to respect the ocean, her parents enrolled them into the Whakatāne Surf Club’s Nippers programme, where Lisa quickly became enamoured with the sport of surf lifesaving.

Ōhope is to thank for Lisa's love of the water, having grown up on the Bay's stunning coastline.

Even at a young age, her focus and determination manifested, and she threw herself into her training, even switching to the Mount Maunganui Surf Club when she was 16 for advanced coaching. Surf lifesaving was everything and she started competing. She was walking the path but it was proving a bumpy road. Then fate intervened.

“My dad heard about a camp that was being held for kayaking. He took me along, just as a supplement to surf lifesaving,” she says of her less than auspicious introduction to the sport.

“From there I raced at a few national champs…” she suddenly cuts herself short. Perhaps worried it sounds like she’s bragging, she almost apologetically says, “There wasn’t too many of us that competed. You could make a New Zealand team pretty − I mean, you had to be a certain level but there really weren’t many of us competing.”

Satisfied she’s played it down enough, she continues. “And then kayaking just became something I did.”

Another thing she recently did is release her first book. Lisa Carrington Chases a Champion is a beautifully illustrated children’s picture book for kids aged four to nine. The book is fictional but based on her lived experience, and follows eight-year-old Lisa conquering her fears and anxieties around her first big kayak race. Lisa hopes it becomes a book series. She started it three years ago, after being approached by

independent publishers Huia. They asked if she’d like to write a book.

“I thought a children’s book would be cool,” she smiles. “I wanted to share the lessons that I’d learned and the lessons I’m still learning. You can be influenced in such great ways at a young age, so having lessons that I’ve learned be woven into what kids are reading at night, or what their parents, grandparents or aunties and uncles are reading them is so cool,” she enthuses.

“I’m so proud of the story.”

She’s also proud that Huia are publishing the book in both English and Te Reo, saying “I’m so grateful that we were able to translate it into Māori, it’s really important.”.

She walks with her Māori heritage, especially when overseas competing in high-pressure events like the Olympics.

“It’s something that I draw strength from, particularly when I’m away. Those are the moments I’m leaning on my heritage and whakapapa to give me strength,” she says. “It’s part of me. But I also use it in a way to keep me humble. To remind myself of who was before me.”

As for what the future holds, Lisa’s in no particular rush to find out. Media have been pushing to discover whether the Queen of Kayaks, the GOAT, will paddle out to defend her titles at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. It’s a tantalising thought; having accomplished the impossible of two gold-medal

“I wanted to share the lessons I’d learned and the lessons I’m still learning... I’m so proud of the story.”

hat tricks, could she go on to achieve the downright unthinkable and win a hat trick of gold-medal hat tricks? The extreme challenge and monumental difficulty of such a feat is inconceivable. Outrageous. Preposterous. But, then again…

For now, however, Lisa’s “taking a breath”.

“I’m still not 100 percent certain on what I’ll do with sport,” she admits after the year she describes as “massive”.

“People tell me I need to go on holiday,” she laughs.

That, however, would be doing something. Instead, she’s enjoying the possibilities offered by all the hours in an open day free of alarm clocks, training and schedules.

“In sport, there’s always a sense that time’s running out because you’ve got to make the most of every moment,” she explains. “Right now, I’m spending all my time being relaxed and saying ‘Yes’ to things that I normally wouldn’t.”

“You know, staying out late and pushing the boat out…” she grins.

After her unprecedented history-making performance in Paris, no one can begrudge Dame Lisa Carrington a few celebratory late-night drinks followed by some late-morning sleep-ins. Los Angeles 2028 can wait.

Before leaving her to some well-deserved relaxation, I sneak in one final question that may provide a hint about her future plans; Has she been out on the water since she’s been back?

“I’ve been out for a few swims,” she beams, gliding past my trap question with all the effortless grace she displayed in the water at Paris.

“But no paddling.”

Lisa Carrington Chases a Champion is in all good bookstores now.

PROJECT: VEKART

When food, culture and creativity collide to make our region the place to be.

BOP welcomes the ‘80s icon PAGE 28

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Rotorua’s riding star

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A man of culture

Eighties pop icon Boy George is on his way to Tauranga to perform. UNO caught up with the Culture Club frontman and solo artist to chat about life, love and all those timeless hits.

“I’m always learning how to be me,” Boy George tells UNO around the midpoint of our chat. As the ornately made-up face of the 1980s globeconquering, new wave band Culture Club, Boy George appeared extremely comfortable in his porcelain-powdered skin.

Even in an era where androgyny was en vogue, Boy George’s extravagantly glamorous look turned heads. His singular style of bright colourful clothing, big floppy hats and penchant for vibrant eye-shadow, coupled with his sexual ambiguity, almost dared people to try and put him into a box.

“You have to evolve your own ideas of who you are,” he continues. “Let alone being in the public eye and having to live up to an idea of yourself that isn’t really true.”

When UNO calls he’s in Phoenix, USA. He’s on tour with fellow English new wave group Squeeze, and only a few short hours away from going on stage. He describes the setlist as “a real mixture of everything I’ve ever done”, which is a lot more than you might expect.

Between 1982 and 1986 Culture Club released four albums, starting with 1982’s Kissing to be Clever, which reached No.2 in our charts, and was quickly followed a year later by the global juggernaut Colour by Numbers, which nabbed our coveted top spot and stayed in the charts for 46 weeks. As a solo artist Boy George himself has released nine studio albums, seven DJ albums and a whopping 48 singles, to the delight of a dedicated fanbase.

Tonight, he’s headlining the show but he doesn’t mind the order.

“Whether it’s opening or closing, I go on with the same mindset.” Then he chuckles and adds, “But I like the dark better… because I’m a goth.”

That’s one of the curious facts about Boy George. Before taking the vibrant Culture Club to the top with their unique, chart-friendly blend of pop, reggae and soul, he was a diehard goth obsessed with groups like Siouxsie and the Banshees.

“I was a massive Banshees fan and was known as the London Siouxsie Sioux clone,” he laughs. “I used to dress exactly like her. When I first started Culture Club, we were called In Praise of Lemmings. You can’t get any more goth than that!”

It makes you wonder what would have unfolded if In Praise of Lemmings hadn’t taken on a new drummer who did not dig their gloomy vibe.

“When Jon Moss came along he brought his sunshine with him,” Boy George says of the drummer who provided the Culture Club’s distinct groove and would later become his romantic partner. “He was really into pop music and saw something different happening from punk. Jon picked up on what was coming and he saw me as part of that. I ended up being in a band that was much more eclectic. Which is a good thing because it definitely reflects who I am as a musician. I like everything. There’s no music I don’t like.”

When it comes to his own music, he has no pretence. He’s a popstar writing pop songs. The songs have to capture you.

“I’m a melodic writer,” he says. “I’ve got no indulgences. I only write pop songs so I always have a hook. There’s a simplicity to songwriting that

people don’t realise until they’re doing it all the time. It’ll take you five seconds to learn a song I’ve written.”

Fortunately, there’s a little more time than that to learn – or, perhaps, relearn – the words to all his hits. We’re still a few months away from the inevitable sing-alongs that are bound to occur when he hits the stage at Wharepai Domain on January 18, 2025.

The Timeless Summer Tour will be his first-ever shows in Aotearoa. But his schedule is jam-packed before then. He’s got the American tour to finish, a big Christmas reunion show with Culture Club in London, an exhibition of his art to curate, DJ sets to put together for parties he’s playing at and – after all that – he’s applying the finishing touches to an 80s-inspired album he describes as “my version of David Bowie’s Pin Ups ” that’s releasing next year.

Juggling so many different and varied projects suggests a highly disciplined timekeeper and super-efficient organiser.

“Not really,” he laughs. “I don’t think rock and roll people should do timekeeping. It would be disappointing if they did. In fact, I confuse myself with the different things that I’m working on. I just enjoy that craziness. It’s like living in a wild forest.”

He once described Culture Club’s songs as ‘his heart, his life’, as he poured his every emotion into them. Which you might think would have been awkward seeing as the person he was singing about was behind him playing drums.

“No, it wasn’t at all,” he says. “There were times when I would say to Jon, ‘This song is about you,’ and he’d roll his eyes and say, ‘No, your songs are about you.’ And they were, to an extent.”

Thinking back now, he says he’s “shocked at how unradical I was when it came to love”.

Thanks to his flamboyant look and playful ambiguity, he was considered something of a sexual radical in the 80s, but he says that underneath the bright clothes, big hats and bold make-up were “old fashioned” romantic views.

“Back then I was like, ‘I want a boyfriend.’ Now I can’t think of anything more ghastly!” he hoots. “I wish I’d been as free-spirited then as I am now. It’s so funny how your perspective on life and love and all that stuff changes as you grow and go through things.”

“ I love what I do. I respect the audience. And I get more emotional on stage. There’s no hostility ever. There’s only love.”

It must be curious, then, to return to these songs a few decades on. Perhaps similar to reading an old diary.

“Some of those older songs don’t necessarily have anything to do with the way I am now but they have a connection to a past that was important to other people and I respect that,” he says. “I love what I do. I respect the audience. And I get more emotional on stage. There’s no hostility ever. There’s only love.”

Which is when he says he’s still learning how to be himself. That’s because there’s Boy George the icon, and there’s George O’Dowd, the man behind that soulful and emotive voice that captured the world’s imagination in the 1980s.

“Every day of my life I experience how people behave towards me when I’m in sweatpants and how people behave towards me when I’ve got a big hat on and loads of make-up. It is remarkably different,” he says.

“I’ve had to learn to get comfortable with being both Boy George and George O’Dowd. I don’t talk about Boy George like he’s a third person but when I’m dressed up people treat me differently and it’s a whole other thing.”

Then Boy George laughs and says, “When people see me not dressed up they’re like, ‘Oh, do you still do music?’. The answer is, I don’t stop.”

Timeless summer

Promoter and Bay local Glenn Meikle is behind the new Timeless Summer Tour, featuring Boy George. UNO quizzed him about one of the Bay’s biggest events of the summer.

What was your inspiration for creating the Timeless Summer Tour?

At the heart of it, we are in the event business.

We already had the R&B and reggae music genres covered so we wanted to cover a different genre that caters to a different audience. This means we’re providing wide appeal through our events.

An event’s first line-up is crucial to get right.

How did you select the acts?

We wanted top-tier acts that everyone knows and are a lot of fun. These four acts – Boy George, Bonnie Tyler, Little River Band and Starship featuring Mickey Thomas – have big hits that people can sing along to and, for some, reminisce about when those songs were released.

How did they respond to being asked to perform in New Zealand?

They’re excited to come to New Zealand. We’re far away but we live in a beautiful country, which is always appealing.

What is the appetite for live music like here in the Bay?

It’s always strong in the Bay of Plenty, especially in summer. There really is no better place to be in summer. Having live entertainment to cater to local and visitor tastes is an added bonus.

Can we expect this to become an annual part of Tauranga’s calendar?

We’d love for this show to become a staple of Tauranga’s summer calendar. If the demand is there we’ll certainly do our best to make that happen.

Head-long, head strong

Rotorua downhill mountain biking star Lachie Stevens-McNab is representing both his town and his nation on the world stage, carrying with him a whole lot of local knowledge, skill and support.

WORDS + PHOTOS JAMIE TROUGHTON

Earlier this year, Lachie Stevens-McNab finished 32nd in the elite downhill semifinals of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Italy. He was just 0.614secs from making the final. That ’s not the impressive part. Set in the Italian Alps, the Val di Sole track is known as the ‘ Black Snake’; they say there’s venom waiting on every fang-like rock that racers have to bounce over. It ’s one of the hardest courses on the circuit, with riders reaching 65km/h as they drop 550m in altitude over the 2.1km distance.

Let’s set the scene a little more. Not only were the rocks lethal-sharp, they were also slippery thanks to a misty rain, ready to send the slightest mistaken line straight into the trunk of one of the most densely-packed pines lining the trail. At this level and at these speeds, the margin

between triumph and abject disaster is infinitesimal. This round would eventually see 14 of the world’s best 160 riders fail to even finish.

Hang on – there’s more. Going into this season, the Union-sponsored rider had spent the best part of 18 months either injured or recovering. His 20-year-old frame was aching; he broke his back in 2022, while a lingering ankle injury suffered last year means he still struggles to run. Although he’d qualified 10th after the first run, in a small, dark corner of his brain is always the thought: ‘what if it all goes wrong?’.

And the punchline? Lachie StevensMcNab completed all but the first 30-odd seconds of his 3mins 57.713secs semifinal run with no back brakes. He smashed his rear disc rotor just after the start, heading through the Trentino Rocks section, sending the pistons awry.

Anyone with even the slightest concept of physics should stop and think that through for a second. Most of us have

been over the handle bars at least once in our lives but avoiding that fate, racing down a hazard-strewn mountain, making hundreds of split-second survival decisions, almost defies comprehension.

“To not have a back brake was so gnarly,” Lachie laconically muses. “I didn’t crash and got to the bottom but that was probably the hardest run I’ve ever done and there were definitely bits I should’ve stopped. It was so scary but I just kept going and tried to finish it.”

The Rotorua star has had much better results – a week earlier, he broke through for his first World Cup podium at the Austrian round in Salzburgerland, finishing third. A week before that, he was fastest on course in Poland, only to crash in his final run. And, as this edition went to press, the young tyro had just picked up his best elite world championship result in Andorra, the leading Kiwi in 16th spot.

But if we’re judged by our hardest battles rather than our finest, then his

astonishing, headlong descent down a hill in the Dolomites is particularly revealing; the competitiveness, the desire, the unreasonable skill and the tenacity to keep going.

Those that have known the two-wheeled tyro for any length of time will just nod, sagely.

The eldest of three intrepid boys and the son of two dedicated parents, Lachie is, possibly above all, the product of an extraordinary environment. Halfway through his third year, there was the blonde tearaway caked in mud and diving into a soggy puddle at the bottom of the Skyline gondola in Rotorua, while the 2006 UCI World Mountain Biking Championships raged around him.

If ever there was an infusion of environment into character, this was it, as the sleepy geothermal town transformed into a genuine global mountain biking mecca.

So many things have shaped Rotorua into such an influential place for a young rider, starting with the volcanic, pumiceridden terrain – they call it ‘aero-dirt’ –which drains rain so quickly and makes riding year-round so feasible. There are the sweeping hills funnelling into the town basin and, crucially, continued access granted by the iwi-owned forestry operation.

And then there’s the community. “We’ve been a real mountain bike town for a number of years, where most cars have a bike rack on the back or they’re utes with a pad over the tailgate,” long-time MTB enthusiast Dave Donaldson explains. “It's not down to any one individual – more a community that’s been inspired by the mountain biking lifestyle we’re lucky to enjoy – and it just gives me a warm feeling.”

The 73-year-old is a former president of the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club, a former policeman and former deputy mayor of Rotorua. With prodigious support from an enthusiastic committee and especially his wife Shreeve, he was a key figure in getting the world championships to Rotorua all those years ago.

“I’ve no doubt that event inspired a bunch of young locals, and Lachie joins a long list of home-grown ambassadors for the sport here.” He points to current Rotorua-grown stars TuhotoAriki Pene and Jenna Hastings, the likes of Louis Hamilton who, as an 11-year-old, was the ‘sweeper’ at the 2006 Worlds, and Tauranga-based former stars Jon Hume and Vanessa Quin.

BMX beginnings

Pretty soon after his 2006 mud exploits, Stevens-McNab was off on two wheels. Dad Steve – a veteran of the rafting and adventure sports industry – also loved a bit of motocross and as soon as his eldest ditched training wheels, he was fitted out on a 50cc Peewee motorbike.

Coming back from a ride one day, the inseparable pair passed the Rotorua BMX club track and young Lachie was entranced. Soon, he was spending every available hour there.

Even sooner, his desire to win came shining through. By six, he was a BMX world champion. By 11, he’d won three world titles and three runner-ups. Younger brothers Wyatt and Stirling followed him into the sport and Lachie became great mates with Rico Bearman, who has just competed in BMX at the Paris Olympics.

“Every day after school, he’d be asking

to go to the track or the forest and I used to have to say no, just to give him a rest from his bike. It was just mad,” mum Kylee Stevens recalls. “He and Rico really pushed each other growing up, and it was awesome. BMX was amazing family time – every weekend, we’d be going somewhere different to ride and Lachie just loved it.”

Sporting DNA

Kylee has a decent sporting pedigree of her own. She spent 12 years in the White Sox, New Zealand women’s softball team, and her father was a tough-as-teak policeman – at one stage serving with Dave Donaldson – and 42-game provincial rugby flanker for Wellington.

From an early age, Kylee and Steve could see that their eldest son was built a little different. “We kept him busy because he was always so active. And he’s always been quite calculating, from a young age. He wasn’ t fearless but he would quickly work out if he could do something or not.”

BMX fulfilled the racing urge for Lachie but eventually – inevitably – the Whakarewarewa Forest would come calling. “We went to my last world champs for BMX and the year after that was going to be in Columbia.

I was beginning to understand how much money my parents were spending and I wasn’t sure I wanted them to keep spending if I wasn’t really into it. I got my first mountain bike when I was 13 and did my first race soon after and I just started

riding more and more in the forest.”

He first conquered Taniwha – Rotorua’s iconic national downhill trail – as an 11-year-old and by his mid-teens, he’d morphed from a wide-eyed enthusiast to a fully-fledged competitor. He rode in the Oceania champs in 2019, won his first national title in 2020 (under-17) and added his first open national crown this year, as well as his first Crankworx Rotorua downhill title.

“I remember thinking, when I was racing juniors and was 10 seconds off the elite times, 'how on earth could I go 10 seconds faster?’ and all of a sudden, this year, I’m hitting those times.”

Riding the talent wave

One of his early heroes is now a friendly rival on the world stage. Brook Macdonald has been one of New Zealand’s finest downhillers in the past two decades, winning the 2009 junior world title in Canberra and accumulating World Cup podium finishes ever since.

“It’s been a long time since we have had such a wave of good riders come out of New Zealand but it seems like we’ve got more depth than ever, with riders like Lachie, who has had a breakout season and found form with consistent results and a podium along the way,” 32-year-old Brook says. “Kids are starting from such a young age and developing skills so quickly, and we have so much in the way of bike parks and facilities, which puts them in a spot of endless opportunity.”

The key to success, the veteran explains, is consistency – getting everything dialled coming into a season, with comprehensive testing and plenty of miles under the belt.

And that means staying injury-free, which in downhill racing is nigh impossible. Lachie estimates he’s broken more than 40 bones in his body over his racing career, mostly in his arms and wrists, though twin vertebra fractures in 2022 at the world championships in France highlighted how serious the sport can be.

“I hate watching,” his mum confesses. “I just feel sick until they’re down safe. There are huge consequences, going so fast down such a steep gradient, with so many trees, roots and rocks. Injuries are going to happen and you just hope they’re not going to be life-changing.”

That’s certainly influenced how Lachie rides these days. “I don’t try and throw the biggest whips on jumps these days –it’s not worth it – and the biggest thing is that when I’m playing these days, I’m not playing too hard. I’m not going to stop having fun on my bike but I don’t want to be having dumb crashes.”

It’s a level-headed approach from a 20-year-old but somewhat appropriate from one who can sense a big future. “I realised the opportunity I had a couple of years ago and I don’t want to throw that away. I try to make sure I ’ ve done the work and make sure there’s nothing I haven’ t done. There is so much shit you can’ t control but as long as I ’ ve done everything I can, what happens, happens.”

“I realised the opportunity I had a couple of years ago and I don’t want to throw that away. I try to make sure I’ve done the work and make sure there’s nothing I haven’t done. There is so much shit you can’t control but as long as I’ve done everything I can, what happens, happens.”

Windows to history

The CBD is getting a muchneeded glow up, courtesy of acclaimed artist Sara Hughes, the council and over 250 local children.

Anyone who’s ever watched a home renovation show knows that a well-chosen artwork hung on an otherwise plain wall will elevate an entire room. Extrapolate that arty truth to encompass the drab vacant storefronts in Tauranga’s city centre and you start to see the genius of the new public art initiative, Reimagine Tauranga.

Envisioned by renowned artist Sara Hughes and created in partnership with the Tauranga City Council, the exhibition has taken over the windows of eight prominent shops in the CBD. These otherwise standard storefronts, transformed

by creativity, imagination and generous dollops of Sara’s unique style of vivid colours and embrace of bold patterns, tell the story of Tauranga’s rich history.

“That’s a really important aspect of this project,” Sara says. “I ’m fascinated with the history of a place, so I really wanted to bring that in.”

Banish any thoughts of dusty old black and white history lessons. Hughes also reimagined how to bring the past into the present while keeping true to her acclaimed style and the project’s vision of light, colour and creativity. With assistance from Tauranga Museum’s curator Fiona Kean, Sara worked her way through the Tauranga Museum collection, a vast archive of treasured

WORDS KARL PUSCHMANN PHOTOS KATIE COX
Artist Sara Hughes installs the art from more than 250 children.

items from our collective past that includes everything from beach balls to surfboards to newspapers.

“It’s a way to celebrate some of the lesser-known objects, but things that particularly relate to the important beach culture of Tauranga,” Sara explains. “Things like beach balls and parasols or a particular swimming tog pattern. It’s to celebrate and draw attention to these special things that are held within the Tauranga Museum collection.”

The idea was to use the patterns and colours of these everyday objects as inspiration. They may be of historical value and from a museum’s curated collection but these artworks encourage you to look at common items in a new way, to find the artistic hidden in things people don’t usually look at twice, to reimagine the every day. Like, for example, the window given over to celebrating the patterns on beach parasols.

Sara also reimagined what this project could be on a fundamental level. She didn’t want it to be all about her, and her take on Tauranga’s history. Instead,

she wanted to bring in the community, particularly children, and have them contribute in a tangible and very real way.

After viewing the museum collection with Fiona and selecting the items she then ran a series of art workshops at Tauranga Art Gallery and ran classes in different schools all over Tauranga. Around 250 children of different ages, schools and backgrounds all took part and now find themselves contributors to a major public art project.

“They’ve all come together through art, which was also an important part of this for me. Reimagine Tauranga is less about me – it’s not so much my artworks in the eight windows – instead the children created either the objects or the imagery that will be in the windows,” she explains. “I am running it, and the concept of this project is mine, but it’s not my artwork as such.”

She sees herself more as the curator and exhibitor. In fact, when UNO calls she was getting ready to spend a week in the different window locations, installing, hanging and displaying the eight works. All of which will have a plaque detailing the inspiring piece or item and its historic relevance to the city.

A neat twist is that the art will look different depending on when you see it,

with Sara calling on famed lighting designer Richard Bracebridge to illuminate the different works.

“The night aspect of it is very important,” she says. “Because light has such a strong effect in how a city centre looks when it’s lit at nighttime.”

There is one question that’s been niggling; how on earth did they persuade eight shops to give up their window space for an entire year? The short answer is, they didn’t.

“They’re being put into shop fronts that are currently for lease,” she explains. “It’s been great to have the support of the shop owners who believe it’s a good idea to have public art and artworks created by children in the city centre.”

She’s excited about the public finally seeing the project she’s worked on for the past few years. It’s been a massive undertaking, but one that more than lives up to its ambitious title.

“Hopefully it will be something people will be excited to come and see,” Sara says. “I want people to be really intrigued and curious.”

Then she smiles and says, “I think they'll come away feeling joy and excitement, and that will really positively impact their day or evening.”

TAURANGA.GOVT.NZ

“It ’s been great to have the support of the shop owners who believe it ’s a good idea to have public art and artworks created by children in the city centre.”

Art for our sakes

UNO catches up with Deborah McCormick, the newly appointed chair of Tauranga’s Public Art Panel, to find out how our city is about to change for the better.

When you look at Tauranga you see the sparkling glint of the Pacific Ocean, the potential of a city centre revitalising itself, and the excitement afforded by our great outdoors that offers ample activities of escape and recreation to indulge in.

When UNO asks Deborah McCormick what she sees, her answer is simple: “A blank canvas”.

As the recently appointed chair of Tauranga City Council’s new Public Art Panel, hers is an invigorating view. After all, a blank canvas offers only possibility and promise.

So what are we talking about when we say public art? Deborah says the council

has developed a “sophisticated” framework that expertly defines the parameters but, after some light prodding, gives her own explanation.

“My definition is that it’s art in a public space developed with a community. It’s often sculpture or installations, it can be mural or performance,” she explains, noting that public art comes in two flavours, permanent and temporary. Even though the medium and duration can be vastly different, there is a shared commonality.

“All public art comes with a different idea and all start with an artist responding to a site, responding to a brief, and responding to the current issues of the time,” she says. “That’s the exciting part of it.”

Deborah’s worked in the public art space a long time, 25 years by her reckoning.

In 1998, aged 23, she co-founded Scape Public Art in Ōtautahi Christchurch after finishing art school. In that time Scape has commissioned over 250 temporary public artworks and 15 permanent artworks, indelibly enhancing the Garden City.

“I want to bring that experience to this role,” she says of her new position as chair. “I want to learn about the local connections and stories and show how a shared vision can be produced when a group of civic people come together with artists to take art out to the public realm.”

These qualities are what the newly appointed panel of six will be looking for during their three-year tenure as they start envisioning how best to fill our shared blank canvas.

“It ’s one of the first – if not the first –opportunity where a city in New Zealand

Deborah McCormick.

is wholeheartedly placing art and public art at the centre of a lot of very important civic projects,” Deborah enthuses. “This idea of ‘a per cent for art’ model is brilliant in terms of bringing sustainable funding. It ’s a model that ’s been implemented to great success overseas, most notably in Australia and in America.”

Two years ago the council realised they needed to rethink how public art was working – or rather not working – in Tauranga. The solution was the Public Art Framework, which includes a ‘Per Cent for Art’ funding model. As the name suggests, this model allocates one per cent of the budget for any above-ground council-led capital project, to a dedicated public art fund. The independent Public Art Panel provides advice to Council on which projects should receive funding. The Council is staging the implementation, starting at 0.25 percent this financial year, and growing to one percent over the next four years.

“This sits alongside council and development regulations and creates a whole industry for the arts that sustains

itself with jobs, fabricators, consultants and design experts,” Deborah explains. “There’s a wonderful opportunity to build all of that alongside this ‘Per Cent for Art’ model and for Tauranga to become a hub for public art and creativity.”

“People come to cities to see things. That’s why public art is so important. If we want to build cities that are livable and that people want to explore, spend time and linger in then we need to get that human connection back and provide really exciting public space,” she continues. “With good architecture, good landscape design and public art as the jewel in the crown, Tauranga will become a place that people will want to visit as a destination and come back to. Public art needs to be a layer we build the aspirations and plans of the city upon. Part of my role will be to understand how the public art vision of the group aligns with where the city is going.”

It’s hard not to get caught up in her enthusiasm. It’s fair to call her a passionate evangelist. But

that’s exactly the qualities you want in someone who is going to play a key part in steering the look, feel and vibe of our city moving forward.

“There are many purposes to public art, including well-being and connection,” she says. “Public art brings people together. It stimulates learning and thought and connects people to art concepts. It ’s about creativity and creates opportunities to push boundaries and challenge perceptions.”

Since being appointed a month back the panel has already met and begun work. While it’s too early for Deborah to share any details or timeframes, she’s itching to get works underway.

Watch this space.

Deborah is joined on the panel by Darcell Apelu, Shea O’Neill, Kereama Taepa, Alice Tyler and Arohanoa Mathews, who represents Te Rangapū Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana.

TAURANGA.GOVT.NZ/EXPLORING/ ARTS-AND-CULTURE/PUBLIC-ART

“ I want to learn about the local connections and stories and show how a shared vision can be produced when a group of creative civic people come together with artists to take art out to the public realm.”
Examples of the art commissioned by Scape Public Art in Ō tautahi Christchurch.
Fanfare by Neil Dawson.
Stay by Antony Gormley.
Te Aika by Rachael Rakena and Simon Kaan.

Members only

The Tauranga Club may be one of the Bay’s oldest institutions, but it’s got a refreshingly modern outlook. Join UNO as we’re invited inside the famous private members club.

WORDS KARL PUSCHMANN PHOTOS BRYONY ALEXANDER

Intrigue and mystique swirl around private member’s clubs. It seems everybody has a different, although no less fanciful, idea of what might be going on behind their closed-tothe-general-public doors.

Some might picture wood-panelled cigar dens where men in suits gather to wheel and deal over whiskey. Others believe them to be the clubrooms of the rich and famous thanks to decades of being the backdrop for celebrity interviews and late-night paparazzi shots snapped outside their doors. The more imaginative conjure up wild scenes of secret handshakes, hooded cloaks

and arcane rituals acted out to the menace of foreboding orchestral music.

In fact, there are only two things that people tend to agree on when it comes to private member’s clubs; 1) they’re fancy and 2) they’d love to go themselves.

And so it was for this writer when an invitation was extended to snoop around the prestigious Tauranga Club. It wasn’t worded so colloquially, but that’s what I took from the invite, which I hurriedly accepted.

Disappointingly, I was not given a secret password or for that matter a burgundy velvet cloak. Instead, only simple directions to the Devonport Towers in the heart of Tauranga’s CBD, and the

instruction that I’d be buzzed up to the fifth floor.

On this particular Thursday, the Club is a hive of activity. Not of members, conversing in the lounge, enjoying a drink at the bar, reading in the nook, engaging in private discussion in one of the soundproofed meeting rooms or enjoying a meal while luxuriating in the wide-open panoramic views of the sparkling harbour that takes in Welcome Bay right round to the Mount. That will all come.

Instead, builders and craftspeople diligently add the finishing touches to the modern, stylish remodel that saw the Club close its doors for the better part of two years. At the time of UNO’s visit, the grand re-opening is just over a week away.

“Everything ’s coming together,” smiles new executive chef, Ian Harrison, who

local foodies will instantly recognise as the award-winning chef behind the delectable Sugo Restaurant. As opening day creeps closer, Ian’s busy finalising the fine details on the new menu he’s created for the club − which, in a first, also now includes breakfast.

Right now, however, there’s one critical component on his mind.

“The cocktails I haven ’ t got to yet,” he smiles. “It’s crucial.”

He describes the new menu as, “unique, but not trying to be clever,” which translated from chef-speak means diners will be presented with a modern, seasonal menu with classic dishes made with as many locallysourced products as possible.

“With this view, I’ve tried to keep as much seafood on there as possible,”

“For members, it ’s their space, their lounge, their dining room. A lot of members see it as an extension of their home. There’s a real personal touch here. We get to know the members and what they like, and we cater for that.”
Left: Tracey Gudsell, The Tauranga Club president on opening night.

he says, gesturing at the majestic harbour. “It ’s not a seafood restaurant, but there’s seafood and Kiwi classics on the menu. The food that everyone wants to eat,” he says, before adding, “but with a high spin on them.”

That phrase also works as a handy summation of The Tauranga Club itself; a Kiwi classic with a high spin on it. As Phil Green says when he greets me at the new brass-plated doors, “The Tauranga Club is 130 years and some months old.”

Phil is the Club’s vice president and the architect behind the ambitious renovation, which was born out of less-than-ideal circumstances. Last year’s horrifically rainy summer saw water seeping into the building.

“That whole summer it just didn't stop raining,” Club president Tracey Gudsell explains. “It was basically raining through

the ceiling, which led to black mould getting into the building. We just had issue after issue after issue.”

They immediately closed down for the safety of staff and members. But rather than be disheartened by the closure and the year of remedial work the building needed, Tracey and Phil instead saw the silver lining of that wet rain cloud.

“It was our opportunity to come back refreshed whilst we were closed sorting those issues,” Tracey says, with Phil adding, “It gave us a chance to reset.”

Their plan was to modernise the Club, not just for 2024 but beyond. This meant a complete reimagining and revamp of the space. Walls were knocked down, rooms added, new furnishings bought in, artwork hung, and splashes of colour tastefully added, new carpets, ceilings, lighting – the list goes on. All in aid of creating an inviting and welcoming space for people to enjoy and want to spend time in. “A modern sanctuary,” as Tracey calls it.

The main area is now a versatile space that can be easily divided to create different-sized spaces, meaning the Club can accommodate conferences, seminars or meetings while still accommodating diners and the recreational needs of its members. But it can also be opened right up to allow for bigger functions like weddings, anniversaries or even, in one instance, a 21st.

“We also have a dance floor we can put down,” Phil grins.

As well as modernising, a big focus of the redesign was to highlight and reinforce the social aspect of belonging to a club. They wanted a place where people could feel comfortable whether working, entertaining or mingling.

“Members get to know members, and you can walk up and say ‘Hello,’ and it ’s not weird,” Tracey says. “I don't find it easy to go out on my own, but at the Club I do. I come here and there’s old friendly faces or someone that I can walk up to and say ‘Hi,’ and feel comfortable because

I ’m in a club environment where you ’re all part of that community. You can be as visible or as private as you like.”

Fittingly, The Tauranga Club was started over drinks, most likely a few whiskeys, by a chap named Lieutenant Colonel Roberts. His first name is unknown but the club he masterminded on the night of March 31, 1894, is incredibly well known.

“There was a meeting in the back bar of the Star Hotel, where he decided to get a group of people together, basically a gentleman's club,” longtime member and unofficial Club historian Jock McIntyre says.

“It grew to around 100 members relatively quickly, but it wasn't until about 1912-1914, that a guy named Sharp came on board. He had a couple of shillings in his pocket and bought this piece of land and donated it to the Club.” He laughs softly and says, “It was a fairly decent thing to do.”

With Sharp’s involvement and a new

location, the Club began attracting the professionals that he interacted with every day as a founder of the well-known law firm Sharp Tudhope.

“There were lawyers, accountants, doctors and so on,” Jock says. “Sharp got all the professional people of Tauranga together and got this thing going properly.”

The times may have changed but The Tauranga Club is still the place for likeminded professionals to gather, even 130 years on. Interestingly, it was never officially labelled a “gentleman’s club”, even if that was its original intention, and today Tracey and Phil estimate the gender balance to be evenly split. The member base includes the expected movers and shakers of Tauranga but also young professionals looking for a place to work, network and relax, right through to older members who have been with the Club for decades.

The pair are rightfully enthused about The Tauranga Club and as they talk I begin to greatly appreciate its appeal. It’s an office away from the office, a place to take

potential clients you want to impress and somewhere to make invaluable contacts. But it’s also a place to chill out and not talk shop. Somewhere to meet people for a sophisticated drink or take a special someone for a romantic harbour-lit meal. It really can be whatever you need or want it to be.

“We ’ ve always maintained we ’re the best-kept secret in Tauranga,” Tracey smiles. “We’ve got views no one else does. We have the ambience and the personal service,” Tracey says, her passion obvious. “For members, it ’s their space, their lounge, their dining room. A lot of members see it as an extension of their home. You can bring your family and your friends here and it feels quite different to turning up at a restaurant. There ’s a real personal touch here. We get to know the members and what they like, and we cater for that.”

Of course, you do have to be a member − or with a member − to enjoy it, although Phil does point out honourary memberships for one-off visits, like hotel guests enjoying breakfast or people attending an event are allowed.

This leads directly to the big question I’ve been saving up; how exactly does one become a member of one of Tauranga’s oldest and most prestigious institutions?

“That ’s a secret,” Phil jokes, before spilling the beans. “No, there’s not a secret handshake or anything like that. You apply to be a member, that's no problem at all, two committee members review that, and then you ’re nominated in. If you’re not known to us, we’ll meet, have a coffee and then nominate you. It's a reasonably easy process.”

With the renovation nearing completion, they’re excited for members to once again enjoy full use of their club. Whether that’s business, pleasure or a bit of both − The Tauranga Club has the versatility to accommodate. It truly is a sanctuary.

“It’s somewhere different, and with a bit of a wow factor,” Phil smiles.

Sitting here, enjoying the comfort, ambience and, of course, those priceless views, it’s impossible to disagree with him.

“We’ve always maintained we ’re the best-kept secret in Tauranga. We’ve got views no one else does. We have the ambience and the personal service.”

Plenty under twenty

Craving a night out without breaking the bank? Here’s part one of Stacey Jones’ guide to the Bay ’s tastiest budget bites.

In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, the thrill of finding a cheap meal for under $20 has never been greater. While supermarket prices soar – $6 for a cucumber, $20 for a block of cheese (the world has clearly gone bananas), this only heightens the joy of discovering a tasty ‘cheap eat’.

Restaurants are able to buy in bulk, support local producers, and, best of all, save you the hassle of washing up.

I took to the local Facebook notice boards for our locals’ top spots and was met with hundreds of suggestions. Clearly, we’re all feeling the pinch and on the hunt for the same thing… So this month, we are diving into the best budget-friendly meals available in the Bay of Plenty for under $20.

Let’s kick things off with a standout deal at Astrolab on Tuesdays. For just $12, you can enjoy a delicious burger paired with a beer or a soft drink. Yes, you read that right – $12! The burger is well-seasoned, the salad is fresh, and it ’s a steal. Just

remember, the more beers you drink, the less sweet the deal becomes. Arrive early to secure a spot, as it gets busy. For more burger deals, check out Palace on Mondays for $10 cheeseburgers, or Central Coast Takeaway with their burger, fries, and soda combo for $17. They have a small amount of seating too so you can eat in or take out.

Next up, Hello Bahn Mi offers Vietnamese yumminess for $14.50. Choose from tofu, pork, or chicken, or indulge in their other favourites like pho and summer rolls. For Thai cuisine, Leks Go Thai in P ā p ā moa serves mains under $20, perfect for sharing. This leaves some change for a bottle of wine! Meanwhile, Hawker House in the Mount offers Asian-inspired dishes for just $15 from Monday to Friday, 12-3pm. The beef rendang roti is top of my list.

Crossing the bridge to Matua, Café Istanbul tempts with Turkish flavours. A chicken or lamb iskender is just $17, offering a fresh, healthy meal. Over at Café Istanbul in the Mount, similar dishes, as well as a not very Turkish lasagna, are priced right at $20 and under. LoLo’s offers a Turkish wrap that's more stuffed

than the Harbour Bridge at rush hour for $14, making it a true budget buster.

No article on Kiwi budget meals would be complete without mentioning fish and chips. Although prices have risen with the cost of fish, it remains a worthwhile option. Bobby ’s in Greerton and Tauranga CBD serves a piece of fish for $6. Just watch out for the seagulls! Bay Fish Packers also promise value, along with Matua Fish and Chips.

For a budget-friendly lunch, head to Miss Gee ’s Bar & Eatery with their $15 menu featuring ramen, burgers, hawker rolls, and a green curry salad. Or visit The Barrel Room from 12-4pm for a $15 lunch with salads, burgers, bowls, and pizzas. Speaking of pizza, Basilico got a lot of local votes. The margarita squeaks in at $19.90 and is generously sized – perfect for sharing if you ’re not feeling too greedy. For even tighter budgets, Pizza Library offers $10, 10-inch pizzas every Monday.

Next month, we ’ll explore Japanese, fried chicken, sandwiches, Indian, and dumplings. In the meantime, visit these budget-friendly spots, support local businesses, and savour every bite.

Miss Gee's
Flavours of Plenty Bobby's

Pure and simple

Sometimes

a wine can taste great in the moment,

with a stunning setting and cool tunes playing. But what happens when you strip all that back? UNO wine columnist Jess Easton finds out.

It’s the ultimate test of a wine maker’s prowess – to see if your best vintage still sings while being sipped from a coffee mug, sitting on the floor.

Thanks to Matt Connell’s easy-going Otago charm and remarkable ability to produce wines that transcend the vessels they’re served in, he passed that particular test with flying colours.

That day remains one of my most memorable wine tastings, short on ceremony but long on delight. Matt’s distributor, Provenance NZ’s Rachel Baillie, called me one Tuesday afternoon to say they were in town, had a spare half an hour, and could they drop in?

The only problem was that I was in the middle of moving; in fact, the last boxes were lined up outside the door.

Did I mention it was also my birthday? There was a lot going on. I was possibly in trackies and in the middle of a final deep clean.

Rachel and Matt breezed in, we scrambled some coffee mugs from a box, raised a toast to spontaneity and then I truly celebrated my birthday in style.

Matt’s Rendition Pinot Noir is a hand-crafted, sitespecific, boutique wine at its finest. He’s cleverly brought the fruit forward and then hidden it behind

a silky subtle structure. It is incredibly well balanced, whether sipped from finest crystal or cheap porcelain.

And his Chardonnay is Chablis-style, crisp and interesting. He showcases the very soul of Central Otago, built on quartz reefs, gold nuggets, crisp winters and balmy summers.

Matt and his wife Beth have been involved in the wine industry for nearly a quarter of a century, combining hospitality experience, horticulture management and a passion for viticulture.

Each vintage they produce is unique – a tribute to the site it’s harvested from. On Matt’s most recent visit to Tauranga, we swapped moving house-vibes for a late-afternoon salt-infused beach, and he introduced us to his Area 45 Dry Muscat.

It’s a rare variety and needs to be treated carefully, so the heavy floral bouquets and whiff of lollies don’t overwhelm – instead, Matt’s trademark structure and dry finish takes you by delightful surprise.

Nothing is more surprising, mind you, than sampling something truly delicious in unexpected circumstances. I can definitely recommend it.

Jess Easton is a director and owner of Kitchen Takeover and St Amand, complementing her career as a Tauranga-based lawyer.

Bursts of flavour

Summer is coming and Chelsea Winter is bringing her signature flair to your table with some zesty dishes that are bound to become faves.

Roasted Beetroot Salad

There’s an air of sophistication to this salad. It celebrates the sweet, earthy beauty of the beetroot, which remains very much the star – but the lovely orangey vinaigrette enhances what’s there and livens it all up with citrus tang.

PREP 20 minutes

COOK 1 hour 30 minutes

SERVE S 4–5 as a side

INGREDIENTS

6 beetroot (1.5kg), trimmed

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

8–10 fresh thyme sprigs

2 tsp liquid smoke (optional but delicious)

½ cup crumbled feta (plant-based if preferred)

chopped fresh mint or coriander

pinch chilli flakes (optional)

Vinaigrette

zest of 1 orange

¼ cup orange juice

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice or red wine

vinegar

1 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

½ tsp salt cracked pepper

Nuts

¾ cup macadamia nuts

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp maple syrup

METHOD

To roast the beets, preheat the oven to 200°C regular bake and line a casserole dish or deep roasting dish with baking paper.

Place the beets in the prepared dish, massage in the oil, then toss in the thyme. Season with salt and pepper all over. Drizzle with the liquid smoke (if using).

Lay a second sheet of baking paper over the dish (this helps stop steam escaping) and cover with the lid or a tight layer of foil. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the beets are easily pierced with a sharp knife. Remove from the oven.

To make the orange vinaigrette, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skins (the flavour will have penetrated through to the beets). Cut the beets into thin round

slices. Put them in a large bowl with half the vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine and set aside.

To make the candied nuts, put the macadamias in a small pan with the oil and fry over a medium-low heat, shaking the pan often, until golden all over. Add the maple syrup and cook for a couple of minutes until it’s all sticky and caramelised and turning golden brown. Season with a little salt and pepper and transfer to a plate to cool down (the caramel will harden). Chop roughly before serving.

To assemble, arrange the beetroot slices slightly overlapping in a large shallow bowl or a platter. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette then scatter with the candied nuts, feta and herbs. Finish with a crack of black pepper, a small sprinkle of salt and a pinch of chilli flakes if you like.

INGREDIENTS

400g pearl couscous

1 tbsp vegetable stock powder

½ cup roughly chopped pistachios or pumpkin or sunflower seeds

3 tomatoes, cut into 1cm dice

1 small cucumber (170g), cut into 1cm dice

1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced on an angle

2 cups loosely-packed finely-chopped fresh parsley

1 cup loosely-packed finely-chopped fresh mint

2 tsp sumac (optional) zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fine black pepper

Vinaigrette

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

METHOD

Cook the couscous according to the packet directions, adding the stock powder to the water. Drain, toss with a little olive oil and set aside. Allow to cool fully before making the salad.

Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake. Place the nuts or seeds on a small tray and roast for about 6 minutes, until slightly golden and fragrant. Give them a stir partway through if you like.

Toss the tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl with 1 tsp salt and leave to sit for at least 10 minutes. Drain off and discard the liquid.

To make the vinaigrette, place the ingredients in a bowl or jug and whisk to combine.

To assemble the salad, place the cooled couscous in a large serving bowl. Add the drained tomato and cucumber,

Tabbouleh

This classic, stunningly fresh and flavoursome salad is hugely popular for good reason. It’s stunning served next to a protein as a simple meal, or proudly proffered as a bring-along for a potluck dinner or part of a summery barbecue spread.

PREP 40 minutes

COOK 15 minutes

SERVES 6 as a side

spring onions, herbs, sumac (if using), lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add the vinaigrette and toss to combine.

If you like, the tabbouleh can be served immediately — but it gets tastier if you let it rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to come together.

Serve sprinkled with the chopped nuts or seeds and topped with your choice of the pomegranate seeds, preserved lemon and/or extra sumac.

Tips & swaps

• For another gluten-free option in place of the couscous, you could pulse half a medium cauliflower in a food processor to make ‘rice’. No need to cook it.

• You can use halved cherry tomatoes instead of the regular tomatoes if you have them.

Zingy Potato Salad

This feels like a ‘grown-up’ potato salad – it may not be slathered in creamy mayo, but it’s still satisfyingly luscious to eat. That mouthwatering, mustardy, garlicky vinaigrette is popping, and those are all the flavours that tasty little steamed potatoes just luuurve to wallow in.

PREP 20 minutes

COOK 15 minutes

SERVES 4–5 as a side

INGREDIENTS

1–1.25kg baby new potatoes

4 gherkins, very finely sliced fresh dill sprigs, for garnish

Dressing

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 shallots, finely chopped (about 1⁄2 cup)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp chopped capers (optional but yum)

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

2 tsp dijon mustard

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp dried dill or 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

2 tsp salt

½ tsp fine white pepper

METHOD

To make the dressing, combine the ingredients in a jug or shake in a glass jar. Leave to sit for at least half an hour to infuse.

To make the salad, boil or steam the potatoes in salted water until just tender, but not mushy. Keep checking the progress, and when they are done, drain well and return to the saucepan. While they’re hot, add the dressing and toss to combine. Don’t worry if a few potatoes break up a bit – that’s nice.

Leave to cool to room temperature, then stir in the gherkins. Check the flavours and season to taste with salt and pepper if you think it needs it. It’s fine covered and left out for a few hours, and can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for a couple of days.

Serve at room temperature, topped with extra dill.

Tips & swaps

• If you don’t have baby new potatoes, you can use larger waxy potatoes and cut them in half.

• Use floury potatoes if you don’t mind it all going a bit mushy.

Extracted from Tasty by Chelsea Winter. Photography © Tamara West. RRP$55. Published by Allen & Unwin NZ.

Lemon Cream Pie

If you’re a lemon fan (and honestly, who isn’t?), you’re gonna want to try this because I have not held back on the zesty citrus injection. It’s such a refreshingly easy recipe to make – I especially love the crust part because there’s no precarious rolling, flipping or transferring of pastry and no faffing with baking beads or sagging during cooking. Just smoodge the base evenly into the tin, bake naked (the tart, not you), cool, then add the cooked lemon filling (also a cinch to make).

PREP 40 minutes, plus 6+ hours setting time

COOK 15 minutes

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

Base

½ cup ground almonds

½ cup brown rice flour

½ cup buckwheat flour

2 tbsp tapioca flour, arrowroot flour or cornflour

⅓ cup coconut sugar

2 tsp psyllium husk

½ cup coconut oil, melted but not hot

2 tbsp just-boiled water

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling

2 cups full-fat coconut cream

½ cup + 1 tbsp agave syrup or maple syrup

3 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp plant-based butter

3 tbsp lemon zest

½ cup lemon juice

¼ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup cornflour mixed with ¼ cup plant-based milk to make a slurry

To serve (optional)

fresh berries, such as raspberries, blueberries or sliced strawberries

edible flowers

whipped cream (plant-based if preferred)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake and have a 23cm round pie tin, tart tin or springform cake tin ready.

To make the base, combine the ground almonds, flours, sugar, psyllium husk and a pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the coconut oil, hot water and vanilla. Stir until the mixture just comes together.

While it’s still warm, crumble two-thirds of the mixture around the edges of the tin (the sides of the crust will be a little thicker than the base) and press it 3-4cm up the sides of the tin (you can use the back of a dessert spoon for this). You want the edges to be an even thickness. Crumble the remaining dough over the base and press it down into an even, smooth layer (you can use the back of the spoon or the base of a metal measuring cup for this). It should end up about 5mm ( ¼ in) thick. Take care that it’s not too thick where the base meets the sides, or it ends up like a massive wedge. Lightly press down any jagged ridges on the sides with a finger. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before filling.

To make the filling, place the coconut

cream, agave or maple syrup, oil, butter, lemon zest and juice, turmeric and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir in the cornflour slurry. Place over a medium heat and stir constantly with a whisk until thickened – it might take a while, then suddenly start thickening, so don’t leave it alone. It should start to bubble a bit and be the consistency of thick, shiny custard.

Remove from the heat, transfer to a mixing bowl and to allow to cool – don’t refrigerate it. If you like, you can lay a piece of clingfilm on the surface to stop a skin forming.

When the filling is lukewarm, whisk it quickly to smooth out any lumps, then scrape it into the baked crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set properly – leave it overnight if you can.

When ready to serve, scatter the top with berries and edible flowers (if using).

Serve with whipped cream on the side if desired. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two.

Tips & swaps

• Dairy-free whipping cream is now available at all good supermarkets.

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That’s amore

Two talented Italians are taking foodies on a culinary journey of their own traditional favourites.

PHOTOS ECHO PHOTOGRAPHY

Childhood friends Nicholas Alessio and Francesco Letizia have been surrounded by the rich tapestry of Italian cuisine their whole lives. So it’s no surprise to either of them that the two Italians would become obsessed with it.

Now Bay locals are lucky enough to experience that obsession through Nicholas and Francesco’s business, aptly named The Italians.

Showcasing the best of Italian cuisine, with a special focus on homemade pizza, gnocchi and fresh pasta, each dish they make is crafted with traditional recipes and the finest ingredients, ensuring an authentic taste of Italy.

Originally from Rome and Sardinia, Nicholas and Francesco’s Sundays were

always spent surrounded by family, sampling cherished family recipes that were influenced by the lively street food culture and enticing aromas of bustling streets in their legendary hometowns.

Although life initially led them in different directions, their shared love for food, lifelong learning, and the closely guarded kitchen secrets passed down by ‘ la nonna ’ have remained at the heart of their journey.

Together they now cater to weddings and events, offer private dining experiences, and provide master classes on how to make authentic Neapolitan pizza.

No matter what they cook up together, the main aim is always to introduce the best of Italian street food and take diners on a culinary journey through their home lands.

‘Any evening or event can be turned into a gourmet Italian feast – you just need to know who to turn to.’

Other delectable offerings The Italians specialise in include tiramisu, cannoli and arancini. These beloved treats are made with the same care and passion that define their entire menu, delivering the true essence of Italian culinary artistry. According to Nicholas and Francesco, any evening or event can be turned into a gourmet Italian feast – you just need to know who to turn to.

THEITALIANSNZ.COM

Francesco and Nicholas inside their beloved food truck.

Still evolving

Judy Bailey reflects on purposeful ageing, what brings her joy, and her feelings of imposter syndrome ahead of her Tauranga literary festival debut.

Aserendipitous call from Harper Collins publishers sparked a new chapter in Judy Bailey ’s illustrious career. New Zealand ’s beloved former broadcaster, once affectionately dubbed “ Mother of the Nation”, has penned a book that ’s now whizzing off bookshop shelves.

This exciting opportunity came after Judy had been contemplating the ageing journey and its challenges. “When the chance to write about it arose, I embraced it wholeheartedly – just as I ’ve approached life’s adventures throughout my years.” Her book, Evolving, is set to be a focal point at Tauranga’s literary festival, Escape, where Judy will be speaking later this month. Between engagements, she might even squeeze in a visit with her former TV news anchor colleague, Richard Long, now based in Tauranga.

As for the title, Judy laughingly confesses she “stole” it when tennis great Serena Williams served it up in a quote. “People were constantly asking her how retirement was. She said, ‘I am not retired; I am evolving.’ That’s how I feel about it.”

Retirement is such a hideous word. Look in the dictionary. It means things like ‘to go to bed’. “Evolving is what we are doing – from one stage to another – and that can be equally rewarding and fulfilling, as we still have a contribution to make,” says Judy, who will turn 72 the day she presents at Escape’s morning tea event on October 18.

In a sense, the book has enabled her to champion the cause of the elderly, whom she feels often get “a really bad rap”. “Older people are sometimes dismissed; considered past their use-by date. They shouldn’t be lumped into a universal aged category. The over-60s age group is enormously diverse, and this age group has an enormous amount to offer still.

Many remain vibrant and intelligent, contributing members of society with a lot to offer. We need to think proactively about our ageing and not just let it happen to us. It’s not all downhill to the zimmer frame.”

Judy says writing Evolving has been an exploration of her journey and a discovery of how she can live her best life after 65. There’s much that many people will relate to, with learnings aplenty. Personal experiences and science are melded with the subjects tackled including taking care of your body and mind, navigating health scares, dealing with dementia, grieving loved ones, Botox, organising finances, wills, power of attorney, end-of-life care and enjoying the finer things.

Readers are enjoying simple messages and a few surprises in this ‘dip in, dip out ’ book, she says. “There are things we instinctively know to do to take care of ourselves –common sense things involving sleep, fresh air and good diet. But there are some helpful tricks along the way. For example, foregoing the sunnies on the morning walk so we can get some UV rays on our eyes. Things like the importance of going to bed and getting up at the same time, even on weekends, to maintain our circadian rhythm. “What I have discovered along the way, really, is the people who should be reading this book are those in their 40s and 50s, as what you are doing then has a huge bearing on how you age.”

One ‘big, big thing’ of concern is alcohol consumption in New Zealand and the fact that it’s increasing among the older population. Many drink as a stress release, but alcohol actually increases stress and is really bad for the heart and brain, Judy informs. Far from sanctimonious, Judy says she’s the first person to enjoy a glass of something. While she keeps herself fit and healthy and eats reasonable food, she does have “a big hankering” for blue cheese and chocolate. Life’s too short to not enjoy those things, she smiles.

In writing Evolving, Judy has referenced Harvard University longitudinal studies and spoken to geriatricians and gerontologists and other academics. It’s reassuring, she says, that they are saying similar things, so the research is robust. She’s heartened by the fact there’s “amazing” research being conducted in New Zealand around ageing and that we have a professor of ageing.

Judy’s own evolving continues to involve some paid work. Since reading her final TV news bulletin in 2005 she’s enjoyed other broadcasting stints, some promotional work and she continues to write about inspirational women and travel. She loves Africa, “with a passion.” Botswana (the Okavango Delta) is one of her favourite places. Paris and Italy also get a mention. A wonderful amount of time is also spent with family – she and her husband Chris have three children and eight grandchildren who all live near their Auckland home. Judy and Chris also enjoy being at their Flaxmill Bay property.

Anywhere with a good book is also a very happy place, Judy says, citing Where the Crawdads Sing, Lessons in Chemistry, and The Axeman’s Carnival as much-enjoyed reads. Escape will be Judy’s first time presenting at a literary festival. With that comes a massive sense of impostor syndrome, she confesses. She’s not sure she’s sufficiently “literary”. Neither, she says, is she totally comfortable with being called Mother of the Nation. “So many other people would wear that title so much better than me. I’ve been called it for decades and always feel embarrassed by it.” As for Judy’s own longitudinal, constantly evolving journey, she says she hopes to have “a couple of decades of useful life” left in her.

Judy’s visit to Escape has been sponsored by Craigs Investment Partners.

“Evolving is what we are doing – from one stage to another – and that can be equally rewarding and fulfilling.”

Whakairo by Kereama Taepa

Inaugural Patrons project and centrepiece to our 2025 reopening programme.

Love seeing your gallery flourish?

Join a group of like-minded supporters catalysing significant visual art projects.

Become a Patron with an annual membership — for more details visit artgallery.org.nz.

Between the lines

UNO’s top new reads from around Aotearoa.

My Father’s Suitcase

The Survivors

Distilling 20 years as a New Zealand courtroom reporter to present insights into the minds of the accused, and victims’ worst nightmares, award-winning true-crime writer

Steve Braunias retells 12 mysteries of human nature. He looks at how people choose to survive their own lives, and their decisions, desires, impulses and failings, and presents the stories with unparalleled mastery. From gruesome murders, a chance meeting gone awry, and self-imposed exile, Steve introduces us to fascinating characters who face the ultimate character test.

A story of family secrets, abuse, betrayal, and breaking free, this gripping tale of resilience and survival offers hope to others who have experienced family violence and suffered at the hands of a sibling. As the author, Mary Garden, unpacks her life of growing up in the Bay of Plenty in the 1950s and ’60s, she explores the troubled relationship between herself and her younger sister Anna. She reveals complex layers of intergenerational trauma, including the baggage of her deeply flawed father and the secret her mother kept from all of them, revealed only after her death.

The Mosaic

Dealing with issues of separation, The Mosaic offers a hopeful message; that beautiful things can be made from broken pieces. One day, Mum’s vase breaks, and everything changes. All of a sudden, Frankie’s Dad doesn’t live at home anymore, and Nana has come to stay for a while. Frankie’s life has broken apart just like the vase, and she feels upset and lost. Then Nana has an idea. Written in response to the author’s own experience, The Mosaic is an optimistic children's book about parental separation and the healing power of art.

Atua Wāhine

Atua Wāhine: The ancient wisdom of Māori goddesses draws on

proverbs and traditional stories to illustrate how the energy and wisdom of 17 atua wā hine can help us navigate modern life, inspire or foster creativity, and guide us through cycles of change. An exploration of self-awareness through Māori ancestral knowledge, it focuses on four key themes: a way to make sense of the world; wā hine as the creative source; natural cycles; and the ability to be self-determining. A book not only for wāhine but for all readers.

Early Maritime Tauranga

Local Tauranga historian Trevor Bentley’s latest book, Early Maritime Tauranga, explores the lives of Polynesian migrantsettlers

and local iwi who navigated the waters of Tauranga Moana in various waka for centuries, with an extensive bibliography and firsthand accounts from local iwi and hapū. Through descriptions of Tauranga’s maritime landscape, vessels, and the individuals who sailed them, Bentley reveals the significant impact of these early interactions. The book highlights the contributions of local hapū during Tauranga’s shipbuilding and provisioning booms and details the captains and crews of the region’s initial trading fleets.

Julian

the

Bird’s-eye view

Julian Godfery’s unique interpretation of the world is captured in his intricate artworks.

Artist Julian Godfery happily admits his biggest source of artistic inspiration is his mum.

He has been making art since he was five years old and actually inspired her to begin painting again 20 years after she graduated from art school. His mum is well-known artist Jane Galloway, whose work can be found on greeting cards, paintings and prints in galleries around New Zealand. Her full-time artistic career began 25 years ago after she was inspired by art Julian made for

a kindergarten fundraiser. Now their work is displayed together in the same Waikato galleries.

Here, UNO talks to Julian about his passion for art.

UNO: What drew you to your particular style of art?

I like doing detailed drawings in pen and ink. I have been inspired by watching mum do realistic watercolours, which she used to paint on paper stretched over the dining table. She would cover the work with blankets and a plastic sheet

will be in
‘Artists at Work’ gallery over Raglan Arts Weekend.
Bay of Plenty’s authorised repairer for:

whenever we wanted to have a meal. I got to see what she was making up close. I always carry a sketchbook and pens with me when I go to my day base at Enrich Plus in Hamilton.

What’s it like to grow up in an artistic household?

From when I first started school, my parents always worked on a daily diary with me and I got to illustrate the stories of what happened each day. I was obsessed with the Home Alone movie series for a long time, so a lot of my drawings were about designing traps to catch the robbers. I still have most of the diaries 30 years later.

Who or what are your greatest inspirations?

My mum did a series of paintings called “There Is No Planet B”, which showed New Zealand birds flying over motorways and cities. They inspired me to do drawings of towns and birds too. I have done a lot of owl paintings and some of chickens because I like drawing the feathers. My mum’s favourite is called “Midnight Morepork”.

What has been your favourite piece to make and why?

Because I love owls I think “Night Owls”

is one I still really like. Also, over the Christmas holiday, I spent weeks drawing a big piece on watercolour paper. It was called “Invisible Magic” and was what you can see in water when you use a microscope. Mum is always getting me to look for new subjects for drawings on my tablet. I entered it in the IHC Art Awards a few years ago and it won the People’s Choice Award. Then I sold it at the auction, which was really exciting.

How long have you been living in the Waikato and what do you love about it?

I lived in Raglan until I was 21. Mum’s house is next to the estuary and harbour so I get to see herons, tui, spoonbills and fantails flying very close by all the time. I moved into supported living in Hamilton but I still come home regularly and I always bring my sketchbook to show mum what I’m working on (and to watch the All Blacks games).

What are your future plans in terms of your art?

I would like to have another exhibition at my Mum’s gallery in Raglan. It’s called Artists at Work and sometimes

I go there to draw while she works in the gallery. At Labour Weekend in October I always take part in the Raglan Arts Weekend where I show my latest drawings. We used to have an open studio at home and heaps of people would come to look at our work but now we can have it at the gallery. I look forward to it every year because I get to talk to people about my art. I’m working on a playlist of music for the weekend but mum says she wants to ok it first.

Where can we find your artwork?

Come and visit me over the Raglan Arts Weekend to see my latest artworks at the Artists at Work Gallery. My work can also be seen in The Little Gallery, Tairua and Whangamata; Soul Gallery, Hamilton; Heritage Gallery, Cambridge; Artists at Work Studio and Gallery, Raglan.

Raglan Arts Weekend is a self-guided tour of artists’ studios being held from October 26-28, 10am to 5pm daily.

RAGLANARTSWEEKEND.NZ

ARTISTSATWORK.CO.NZ

Find prints of Julian’s work at PALMPRINTS.CO.NZ

Style status

Say hello to a warm weather aesthetic.

Cool comfort

Wardrobe staples ahoy. Longevity is the biggest drawcard, so look to a light cover or trench, a pencil skirt, trouser suit and jeans, which all have the potential to play a part in your spring capsule collection. The camel-coloured skirts (which you can try styling with a black or pale blue top for a change), muted tailoring and crisp white shirts that indicate simplicity are in vogue, and are a look that resonates with those that want to lower consumption and make the ‘what to wear’ question easy to answer. If you loved the New York minimalism epitomised by 90s icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who died tragically 25 years ago, you’ll be celebrating the fact that her superstylish legacy is inspiring the current heightened love of a sleek capsule wardrobe. Arm yourself with a sharp blazer, perfect tee and jeans with a slim loafer, or a slip dress and flat slingback for the ultimate streamlined look. Whilst we’re all clear on the widening trouser leg, waistlines feel like they’ve been yo-yoing up and down to the point of not knowing what’s in and what’s out. I think it’s fair to say that super Y2K low is generally a youth move, and anything north of that is fine. Mid waist is a comfy fit without a doubt, but high is looking to make its way back for next year, with designers such as Loewe showing under-bust super high at his Spring/ Summer 24 fashion show. Really high can be smoothing when covered with an on-trend buttoned untucked white shirt –after all no-one knows what lies beneath. Skirts are still big news though, with lots of lengths to play with, the latest being the return of the midaxi. No prizes for guessing this falls to above ankles, below mid-calf.

1. BEAMS COAT $690, GLORIA.NZ

2. AMARA SLINGBACK $289, KATHRYNWILSON.COM

3. SIENNA SINGLET TOP $89, NZ.KOWTOWCLOTHING.COM

4. ALEXANDRIA DRESS $249, BLAK.CO.NZ

5. HALLE BAG $499, SABEN.CO.NZ

6. VELVET BRACELET, GOLD, $950, JASMINSPARROW.COM

7. HELENE SKIRT $279, NZ.KOWTOWCLOTHING.COM

8. LEILA LOAFER $359, KATHRYNWILSON.COM

9. DARIA BOYFRIEND JEANS (RIZZO) NEUW DENIM $199.99, SERVICEDENIM.CO.NZ

Trending now

Most wanted this season.

Spring fling

While sheer skirts and dresses may feel whimsical by day, they are the ultimate in cool sophisticate for the evening, screaming the boho chic synonymous with high-end designer Chloe. Currently seeing a huge red-carpet fashion moment, being modelled impeccably by the ultimate fashion muse Sienna Miller has certainly helped bring this look into the mainstream. Unless you pick a more robust layered tulle, you’ll find a single layer chiffon needs careful wear, so if it’s an investment piece then be mindful of snag hazards. This look calls for delicate jewels and accessories and a sleeker choice of footwear; a little kitten heel, strappy sandal or even a Mary-Jane flat will finish the look nicely. The word jumpsuit may send a shiver down your spine – and not a joyful one – but don’t be hasty. There are so many elegant and ageappropriate versions, the practicalities of not being able to go to the toilet simply fade into the background. Having been given the high fashion treatment, it’s hard not to get excited about some of the really flattering all-in-ones hitting the high street. You can’t miss the European inspired aesthetic of bold prints – Italian summer themes reign supreme, all Versace and la dolce vita rolled into one glorious burst of vibrant colour. The lightweight fabrics, layered jewellery, matching trouser sets together with dropped waists and puff sleeves all play to the frivolity of spring. The fashion obsessed will have tapped into Nicole Kidman’s latest Netflix series The Perfect Couple. Reflecting a world of American wealth, it’s perfect inspiration for spring event wear, with everything from structured gowns to layers and frou-frou, and an array of looks that can easily be emulated from the high street. When it comes to colours, take your pick from light blues, butter yellow, red – joyful shades will be everywhere.

Step up to step out

Man up to the season ahead with an elevated look.

It’s that time of year when invitations start arriving with the ubiquitous ‘smart casual’ dress code. For women this can be a little perplexing, more so as the cultural definition of both smart and casual has changed hugely over the last decade. For men though, it’s nothing short of a ‘what does this even mean’ as everyone starts furiously ringing round other attendees to find out if it’s a tie, or no tie, shorts, long trousers… help!

Life stage is another factor. While women are often conscious of the oldschool perception of ‘age appropriate’ this is equally outdated for both males and females, particularly when you see some of the middleaged male role models currently taking centre stage – Daniel Craig and Brad Pitt, we’re looking at you. Finding your personal balance of still looking invested but allowing your style to mature along with you is pivotal.

Without a doubt there’s been a shift in emphasis onto the male of the species. Midlife men have had a celebrity boost in the style stakes with trendsetters such as the aforementioned Daniel Craig, who hitherto would not have ranked as a fashion icon; however he has shaken off sleek conservative style and before our eyes adopted a more rugged on trend vibe.

A real go-to would be a polo shirt. It doesn’t need to be branded but would likely be one that wasn’t covered in slogans. Short or long sleeve shirts are equally fine, and the shirt by no means has to be plain. Dress pants tend to be

sneakers, even designer ones, are probably lower on the list than a more professional style shoe – however you would really need to consider the event and crowd you will be with.

Make the most of being more confident in your choices:

Wear the clothes, don’t let them wear you: Even if you love the idea of going out in a blaze of glory, consider whether a more ‘out there’ look would just end up being the talking point, as opposed to a more subtle style choice.

Be authentic: If you’ve always been a surf dude in Billabong shirts and jandals then a total switcheroo would be weird. But there are plenty of summery shirts from smaller Australasian brands that do a really good job of well-cut short sleeve shirts in a breezy print that elevates the surf look to a smarter or more mature feel.

Pick an area of interest –don’t go for multiple: Try a shirt with detailed stitching, a suit in a bold colour, or ‘pricking’ or hand stitching on the edge of lapels.

So, with this it’s clear that when navigating the spring/summer smart casual code, the parameters are wide.

chino style and fabric is often a cotton twill. Tailored linen would be fine but leave the Ibiza drawstring ones in the island holiday pile. A linen suit is great for warmer weather but be mindful that linen naturally inclines to crease. Women are slowly making the shift from skinny over to a wider leg trouser, and men are following in their wake. Rather than skinny, a straight leg is a great smart/ casual option. Depending on the event,

Change up the corporate colour wheel: Light coloured suiting, while still polished, feels less stuffy. A taupe suit will look spring/summer ready and less like office wear. Light grey looks good; two shades can be put together tonally very easily.

To tie or not to tie: Ties are increasingly less common outside of the boardroom. A suit with a shirt with the top button undone is widely acceptable, and you can add the trimmings of pocket kerchief and cufflinks. A step up would be the top button of the shirt fastened.

Letting loose

The pajama look trend of oversized shirts and relaxed pants or boxers can be tricky to pull off when it’s not on the catwalk – but it’s not impossible. And it scores huge points for being seasonally appropriate and hugely comfortable. The key could be in the accessories – lots of jewellery and carefully paired shoe and bag combination to show that this is in fact a very deliberate outfit not a moment of menopausal madness.

Steal the limelight

‘Brat green’ – otherwise known as lime – is the colour that’s trending for Summer 24. Popularised by a British popstar, Charli XCX (if that means absolutely nothing to you, you’re not alone), apparently ‘the girls that get it, get it’. Aside from its pop culture context it was already in the mix as a summer favourite after appearing on the catwalks. It can be mixed with more than you might imagine, from black to gold to burgundy, grey, navy – even sky blue.

Fashion forecast

Look ahead to summer 24/25.

Aye aye, captain

What’s summer without a Breton stripe? With the call having gone out to the high fashion mavens to make the ordinary extraordinary, there’s been a host of classic styles given a lift. So, mariners’ stripes are looking hotter than ever, and nautical styles, from sailor collars to gold naval buttons, are a trend we can all get behind.

Fashion faithful

I honestly didn’t see this one coming, especially after culling all capris from my wardrobe some time ago. But here it is, and not only are they on the runway: the trend-setting and sealing Hadid sisters have both been seen wearing them, as has Kendall Jenner, so we can consider it official. Forever throwing Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot vibes, capri pants or pedal pushers can be styled in multiple ways, and we’ll be seeing them in every form from leggings to trousers to denim.

Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier
Ruffled Coperni
Emilia Wickstead
Vic toria Beckham

The gift of thrift

No longer just a budget-friendly option, recycled fashion has transformed into a cultural phenomenon – with celebrities and brands joining in.

Historically, ‘thrifting’ or sifting through rails of musty clothes at op shops, was a rite of passage for most teenagers. Driven by a desire for fashion, a general lack of ability to fund this desire, and a love of the individuality that recycled clothes provide, it was always a fun pastime, a social event, and went hand in hand with the euphoria of finding a hidden gem amid the piles of old ladies’ undies.

I think it’s a fair call to say the landscape on this has changed dramatically over the last ten years. The rise of online shopping has produced a generation of consumers who are happy to forgo physically being part of the hunt. More importantly the explosion of uber cheap fast fashion via Shein and co has meant that the art of op-shopping has essentially re-branded to appeal to a new generation and to hold the interest of the devoted forager. Like anything it’s all in the presentation, and ‘pre-loved’, re-fashion, ‘up-cycled’ and ‘vintage’ have

a far greater feel-good factor. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; now thrifting is recognised for what it is, not just cost effective, but a way of recycling and thereby saving at least a little of the impact that disposable fashion has on the environment.

For most people when they think of thrifting the main destination would still be charity shops. A win-win situation, the hope is to come away with goodies while simultaneously helping a worthy cause. These stores (Salvation Army, St Vincent’s, Waipuna Hospice) do still form a big part of the thrifting gold mine, and canny op-shoppers will research both the demographic of the areas where items are donated from and specific shops to find which are likely to hold the most bounty. The adage one man’s trash is another’s treasure is never truer than in a charity shop – so if you’re after designer labels, it’s not uncommon to find incredible pieces that simply would not have stood out to the (possibly less fashion savvy) person pricing the item. A friend once called me in a frenzy after buying a brandnew pair of current season $1,800 boots for $20 – a coup indeed, and whilst this is an extreme example, it’s not uncommon to find top-end labels.

While many still generously donate to charity stores, the trend for regular wardrobe clear outs has meant that recouping some money for pieces has become more popular. The DIY online space has grown dramatically – Trade Me is a generic way of offloading, however specific clothing websites such as Designer Wardrobe, and newlyestablished Tikiteboo (which aims to connect conscious consumers) have gone from strength to strength; some offering to sell on behalf of vendors. Depop has a global presence and is something of a mecca amongst youth culture for circular fashion. Even celebrities are getting in on the act – Elton John recently put a collection up for auction on Ebay with profits donated to a charity, while the Kardashians run their own website of Kast-offs. Locally there are a number of physical boutiques that specialise in on-selling quality and vintage pieces. Nine Lives at the Mount showcases not just quality labels but also super cool one-off retro items. Recycle Boutique at

Bayfair has multiple branches nationwide so will move stock through its various stores –advantageous for both consumer and vendor. For bulk buying, Turning Point Textiles at Historic Village opens the first Thursday and Friday of every month, and you can fill a bin bag for $5.

Along with foraging for high-quality or unique pieces, the concept of thrifting embraces the idea of finding something with the purpose of re-modelling it into something else. Hardly an original concept (previous generations would unravel and re-knit woollen jumpers), it’s certainly a way of extending the life of a garment. Increasingly this is also a strategy that is being looked at by eco-conscious designers. Some, for example, will seek out excess fabrics from textile mills and take that as the design start point, rather than the other way around. Other brands such as ‘Reclaimed Vintage’ (from ASOS) have been established purely on the premise of repurposing and utilising dead stock. This is a clear shift in the way the fashion industry is working, demonstrating it’s not just consumers who are looking to upcycle.

A fast-growing trend that sits along the concept of additional shopping options is clothes rental. With its popularity fuelled by both a tighter economy, a desire for less ‘stuff’ and a generation coming through who place less emphasis on ownership, rental can be the perfect solution not just for event wear, but to simply refresh your wardrobe. Re-framing the idea of borrowing for a one-off black tie or wedding, renting has moved into the space of offering options for all manner of occasions requiring general pieces you just might not be equipped for. Some people use it to tide them through weight fluctuations, or to find pieces for off season holidays. Mostly online, rentals often offer try-ons either at a physical location or by pre-booking the items.

Alternative shopping in whatever form, whether physical or online may take a little more effort. However, before deciding it’s not your jam, weigh up the benefits – our culture of over buying means that there are many, many pieces that still have labels on, that are lightly worn or are totally unique out there being upcycled rather than going to landfill.

Recycling – process of reuse to prevent the item being wasted

Upcycling – transforming unwanted clothes/materials into something new and often better

Sustainable fashion –responsible use of resources, low environmental impact, fairly treated workers.

Repurpose – changing the function of the initial garment into something better

Fast fashion – on-trend items rolled out at a fast pace

Eco fashion – produced without harming the environment from organic/ recycled materials

Eco friendly – low environmental impact, no pesticides, less water etc

Ethical fashion – made according to the labour and human rights laws

FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY

Blank canvas

Leanne Cashmore from Cashmore Clinic explains the wonders of new-age laser technology with the introduction of the

Ultra MD.

Clients often ask, what is one thing I can do to improve my skin? The most obvious is sunblock. Sun protection is the number one thing you must do. But, of course, I can never give an answer for just one treatment.

There are so many skincare options out there today, with clinics promising all sorts of treatments to turn back the clock. Good skin is a result of a combination of those treatments, and taking care of it is much like going to the gym. Consistency over a long period of time is the only way you really see results.

Starting with active skincare will make a difference, but it will take time. For a quicker fix, in-clinic needling and peels will produce fast results, but laser treatments will work even faster.

No one wants pain or downtime and, finally, the laser gods have listened. The recent release of the amazing Ultra MD laser means there’s no pain (with numbing cream applied prior, you could almost fall asleep), skin is only a little flushed when you leave, and it feels a bit like fine sandpaper for about a week. All much more manageable than the old laser treatments. Prior to machines like Ultra, conventional resurfacing lasers would cause pain with days or weeks of downtime to recover.

With Ultra, when the old skin sheds, the new layer is much brighter, smoother and fresher, and after a course of three to six treatments, you will have less pigment, sun damage and fine lines.

The way it works is that it creates tiny thermal zones in the skin, prompting the body to quickly generate new tissue. It increases permeability with minimal mechanical disruption to the outermost layer of skin

and also treats mild to moderate cases of actinic keratosis, benign pigmented lesions, lentigos, and freckles across the face, neck and décolletage.

A roller system is used, gently gliding over the skin, which takes as little as five minutes to 20 minutes, depending on the surface area and produces instant results for pigment and sun damage, tone and texture.

The Ultra can be combined with other machines as well to get incredible results. Using the Secret RF and Ultra MD for a double whammy treatment at one time can cause the most amazing skin rejuvenation. And combining the IPL Veloce and the Ultra MD treats pigmentation at a deeper level.

Unlike other laser treatments, the Ultra can be used on any skin type at any time of year.

There’s nothing else quite like it being used in clinics at the moment. So, when anyone asks me what is the number one treatment that will make a difference, right now I would say Ultra MD is the one.

EXCELLENCE IN DERMATOLOGY

The shape of you

Ready to find your perfect hairstyle? Here’s how to choose cuts that flatter your face shape.

Before heading to the salon for your favourite celebrity’s haircut, take a moment to consider which style will suit you best. Understanding your face shape can make a world of difference to which hairstyle works for you – and help you avoid that dreaded post-fringe regret. If you’re unsure about your face shape, grab an eyebrow pencil – or similar – that wipes off easily, trace the outline of your face in the bathroom mirror, step back, and voilà!

Square = Minimal cheekbones, wide chin, square jawline.

Round = Curved edges, round chin, full cheekbones.

Heart = more length than width, wide forehead, narrow jawline.

Oval = pronounced cheekbones, soft curved chin, narrow jawline.

Square

Nice and soft chin-tocollarbone layers will soften a strong jaw. A side parting with side-swept bangs will minimise a wide forehead. If your hair is wavy or curly, a middle parting with a few short

layers that fall over your forehead and softly around your face work well. Any length that ends at the jawline is going to emphasise the width of your face.

Round

A blunt straight across fringe will enhance your cheekbones while a deep side parting will emphasise your bone structure. A shoulderdusting length for straight hair is most flattering, or wavy hair can be slightly longer to mid-back. Consider long layers as these elongate your face shape.

Heart

Thinking of going short? Heart-shaped faces are perfect for the pixie cut. Curly wavy hair? To balance the forehead width, encourage fullness around the shoulders with layers.

Oval

Heavy shaping around the face with layers, starting just below the eyes will make your face look fuller. If hair is long, avoid all one length.

SHINEHAIRCO.CO.NZ
PHOTO SALINA GALVAN

MAKE SPRING YOUR TIME TO SHINE

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Spring forward

Our beauty must-haves as the sun shines through.

A sunny disposition

As the days get longer, give your morning skincare routine a boost by incorporating Antipodes’ new Supernatural SPF50+ Ceramide Silk Facial Sunscreen. This all-natural mineral sunscreen packs a serious punch when it comes to sun protection, but doesn’t leave any pesky white residue behind. It sits silky smooth under makeup, too. RRP $62.

ANTIPODESNATURE.COM

Tint the town

For more confidence on those ‘no makeup days’, Protect Tinted Moisturiser SPF50 Mineral Sunscreen evens out skin tone beautifully, leaving a glowy finish without the grease. Crafted by a renowned skin cancer expert in Aotearoa, this bestseller provides all day sun protection for true peace of mind, with hydrating hyaluronic acid to boot. RRP$89.

HEALTHYSKINLAB.COM

Why SPF is the most important step in your skincare ritual

If there is one thing that all dermatologists can agree on – it’s that UV exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer and signs of premature ageing. Whether your skincare regime uses vitamin C or retinol, your efforts towards healthy-looking skin will be greatly reduced without daily protection from the sun. Using a high protection SPF every morning is the best investment you can make in your skin.

ANTIPODESNATURE.COM

Adventure awaits

Sensitive skin and sunblock aren’t always a match made in heaven. ZOOP provides a plant-based alternative that’s kind to skin of all ages, made right here in New Zealand. Their SPF40 Water Resistant (4hrs) Performance

Sunscreen is especially formulated to stand up to New Zealand’s elements, as well as the sporting nature of Kiwis. RRP$29.99.

ZOOPSKIN.CO

Go get ‘em

Reduce bathroom clutter and enhance skincare with the Back to Basics bundle from Get Good Face. With a cleanser, hydrating serum and nourishing face oil, plus handy reusable makeup removal towels, your routine is stripped to the bare basics but is anything but. This affordable bundle prioritises hydration and barrier repair, suitable for teens through to mature skin. RRP$160.

GETGOODFACE.CO.NZ

Tailored approach

Skincare sustainability encompasses many things, from ingredients right through to packaging disposal. Tailor take this a step further with their multi-purpose range, reducing the need for multiple products in your repertoire. Their recently-launched Elevate: Skincare Boosting Mask exfoliates, soothes and hydrates, as well as enhancing the effectiveness of serums and moisturisers that follow. RRP$49.50.

TAILORSKIN.CO

Man’s best friend

Two Dudes new SPF15 Daily Moisturiser is a ‘two birds with one stone’ approach for men. With harakeke, vitamin C and of course SPF, self-care newcomers are able to hydrate and protect without too much of a faff around. We love that 10 percent of profits are donated to men’s mental health, so you’re positively impacting more than just the man in the mirror. RRP$22.

TWODUDESPROJECT.COM

Tough as nails

Nothing quite completes a look like a freshly perfected manipedi. Ensure colour looks its best from day one by prepping ahead with Manicare’s dualaction Cuticle Remover & Exfoliator. This multitasker sorts out dry cuticles and brittle nails, so polish glides on smooth and lasts the distance. RRP$24.99.

MANICARE.CO.NZ

Dog Behaviour Training

Get the connection with your dog using a more natural approach.

Dog Training Lessons - One on one at our training centre, online or at your home

Group Training Workshops

Train & Board

Dog talks for public & corporate speaking events

If you want a different resultdo something different!

A perfect day

Blurring the line between play and sleepwear, Tauranga local Rachel Jones’ children’s label tells a story of nostalgia and charm.

Dreamed up after leaving the fashion industry, Rachel credits her designs to her two daughters, for whom she took five years off to raise. Rediscovering the magic of childhood with her girls brought Rachel back to her passion, with the label offering sweet silhouettes, natural fibres, quality materials and Liberty prints.

Tauranga-based, Elma creates feminine and timeless clothing for girls aged 1 to 10 and, with longevity in mind, Rachel hopes that once a child outgrows their Elma piece, it will be passed on, continuing its story as it is handed down from one child to the next.

Her most recent line, named A Perfect Day for the 2024/25 season, is a mixture of floating gingham and florals, perfect for a summer’s day.

ELMATHELABEL.COM

ELMATHELABEL

Rachel with her daughters Margot (left) and Daphne.

CHOOSE FURNITURE THAT LASTS A LIFETIME.

Silkwood Living is proud to offer quality sustainable choices, which means you can feel great about your purchases.

Manufactured in the USA, the Breezesta, Berlin Gardens and Artifex collections are constructed from a product called “Poly Lumber” which is made from recycled milk bottles. Renowned for its vast design range and amazing comfort, each piece comes with a warranty ranging from 20 years to lifetime, that protects your purchase from fading, cracking, splintering, peeling, rotting, and insect damage.

Sweet serenity

Create a relaxed coastal style through the use of lighter tones that echo the serenity of the landscape along with the materials found within it.

STYLING AMBER ARMITAGE @ MARIGOLD
PHOTOS WENDY FENWICK @ FLASH STUDIOS WALL COLOURS RESENE PAINTS
Walls painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Meringue and through doorway in Resene Alabaster. Floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Large planter painted in Resene Spacecote Flat in Resene Foundation and small pot on table in Resene Yogi. Felix Arc 3 Seater Sofa, Seb Balance Coffee Table, Porto Console and Livia Occasional Chair from Soren Liv. Margin Table Lamp (on console) and Kizu Portable Lamp both from Slow Store. Mitchell Floor Rug from Freedom Furniture. Ottavio cushions, Creative Homes and Easy Wins books, from A&C Homestore. Round marble tray, stylists own.

Wall painted in (base colour) Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Open Seseme with Resene FX Paint Effects tinted in Resene Foundation applied over the top. Floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Porto Block Side Table from Soren Liv. Riley Boucle Queen Bed from Mocka . Mitchell Floor Rug from Freedom Furniture. Oatmeal Stripe Pillowcases, Khaki Stripe Duvet, Natural Gingham Euros and Oatmeal Quilt, all from A&C Homestore. Olive Green linen pillow slips from Foxtrot Linen . Lamont 3 Light Table Lamp in Brass from Lighting Direct.

Stylist’s tip

When it comes to coastal colours, think light and breezy shades of whites (Resene Meringue), tans (Resene Open Seseme) and blues (Resene Morning Haze).

Tongue and groove wall painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Morning Haze. Floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Blair King single bed and Blair Six Drawer from Mocka . Toffee Gingham duvet set in King Single, from A&C Homestore. Kizu Portable Lamp and Spade Chair by Please Wait To Be Seated, both from Slow Store. Woven Sage cushion, Check mini pot, Check tray, Dr.Suess book and squishy toy, all from Kmart . Artwork, stylists own.

Resene Meringue (walls) is a sweet whipped cream, warmed with a taste of candlelight.

Walls painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Meringue and floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Classique Oval Dining Table from Soren Liv. Arch Dining Chairs in Avalon Piccolo by Ellison Studios from Slow Store. Louis 340 Squat Pendant from Lighting Direct . Wheel Bowl, Brooklyn Tumblers in green, Algarve Tablecloth, Acquacotta, Healthy Kelsi Travel Kitchen and Easy Wins books, all from A&C Homestore. Check vase from Kmart

Walls painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene Meringue and through archway in Resene Alabaster. Floor finished in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy. Felix Arc 3 Seater Sofa from Soren Liv Alva armchair and Isola Side Table by Ellison Studios from Slow Store. Mitchell Floor Rug from Freedom Furniture. Roger Floor Vase, Alberti Jar in chalk, Creative Homes and Easy Wins books, from A&C Homestore. Haus Floor Lamp in Black from Lighting Direct . Artwork, stylist’s own.

53 Unutoto Place, Tauriko, Tauranga www.danishfurniture.nz
LEVEL2 Modular outdoor lounge. Right & Left sofas, Chair, Ottoman, Coffee and Side table. Available in 12 Sunbrella Heritage colour options.

Safe harbour haven

This unique piece of paradise on Tauranga Harbour presents a legacy of idyllic living that’s as quintessentially Aotearoa as it is rich in heritage and grace.

WORDS JO FERRIS

While debate continues about the America’s Cup being defended on the other side of the world, there is no denying this sailing spectacle draws spectators into its magic once racing commences. There is also no better time to focus on nautical magic of another kind – one enriched with its own history in a quiet haven by Tauranga Harbour; and defending a different tradition with similar admiration.

In an ironic twist, it was thanks to a European businessman, nearly a quarter of a century ago, who cast his eyes to this side of the world. Recognising the extraordinary beauty

of Tauranga Harbour, with its inlets and idyllic locations, he developed a characteristic homestead. Nestled in a secluded waterfront spot – complete with an approved geothermal bore –this property has transcended the passage of time. It has retained its heritage while being expanded and modernised over the years into a property of significance.

Immersed within the privacy of native trees, bush and birdsong, views command arguably the most intimate and certainly romantic scenery a harbour could offer. The sprawling residence bathes in all its beauty – the original homestead, plus a separate yet connecting wing; designed and finished in keeping with the character of its parent. The nautical theme dominates the essence that

instils a spellbinding aura in every aspect of life here. It blends English heritage with American tradition. Far from being in competition for the honour of victory, however, it is a marriage of perfection; caretakers of an idyllic sanctuary destined to be passed on to future generations.

The homestead follows colonial lines – fully wrapped in verandah extensions that shelter wicker-chair settings to gaze across the harbour scenery. Extending out to sun-drenched decking, this area meets the guest house for evening gatherings around the fire. Steps from here lead down to a lawn ribbon, before weaving through the bush to the waterfront below.

There are four bedrooms in the main wing of the home. The ensuite master and one other bedroom gaze across the harbour; both opening to the verandah. Remaining bedrooms open to the rear

verandah and out to the swimming pool. Spacious, open-plan living is entertainment central – a gourmet kitchen, dining and lounge offering access points either side of the wrap-around verandah. This handshake with the guest quarters extends the entertainment value for those grand occasions with family and friends.

However, privacy is also assured for guests with two more bedrooms, a large open-plan living space supported by a kitchenette, a bathroom and laundry, while a second shower room provides direct access to and from the pool. A generous rumpus lounge in this wing is another meeting point for both homes, while also offering various options. It could be a games’ room for teens, a gym, a workplace – or an intimate venue for small functions.

A private geothermal bore fuels a central heating system via a state-of-the-art

heat exchanger, together with areas of hydronic underfloor heating. The pool is year-round enjoyment also, benefitting from the same system. Space is something this property isn’t short of. Budget has never been an issue with its journey through time. While housing the best that money can buy, it has maintained that rare quality of presence in a humble, understated way. True wealth doesn’t flaunt itself. It assumes privilege with grace.

Plummers Point Road is envied for its place within Tauranga Harbour and the properties that share the lifestyle. This property, however, claims that rare distinction that only time brings to the narrative. History brings the heritage of yesterday, while today’s approach can preserve it for future generations.

266C Plummers Point Road

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Manner born

Within the gates of this Te Puna country estate lies a sanctuary of warmth, elegance and luxury.

Aphrase once coined by William Shakespeare to the ‘manner born ’, having acquired genteel tastes by virtue of having been born into a privileged class, aptly embodies this property’s timeless sense of class. Nestled in one of Te Puna’s exclusive ribbons, the serenity embracing this home instils an aura of a country manor. Gated entry and cherished seclusion enhance the sense of nature and rambling space amid stately grounds.

The home’s dignified presence blends architectural influences from English and American estates. While there is a sense of formality in the welcoming drive in, it’s the feeling of ‘home’ that attracted these owners. They didn’t build it, but they have enjoyed 10 wonderful years within this graceful haven.

Interior design is distinguished by split levels and the delicious chocolate tone of solid oak joinery and flooring. The

kitchen’s cabinetry – complemented by marble benches and a cook’s stove –gives privacy for cooks, yet connection where it counts. Parquet flooring instils further contrast with the sandstone finish in family living – its ambience heightened by jarrah trusses, cushioned window seating and significant glazing. Cantilevered doors open up patio corners to the east and west, before entertaining glides out to the rambling garden and playground lawns.

Moods change in the formal lounge with its dark-panelled walls, open fireplace and plush drapes – definitely somewhere to cosy up with mulled wine once the drapes are drawn. A handy wine cellar hides beneath the stairwell, while a powder room exudes the luxury of an exclusive club.

Bedroom design caters equally to family convenience or guest privacy – two in their own wing, separated by a bathroom and both opening outdoors to enjoy garden scenery. The main bedroom is five-star opulence – upstairs on its own – and large enough for a lounge setting

that opens to a balcony that reigns over the estate.

An office and laundry keep study and housework in their own space – smart design once again highlighting this home’s brilliant approach to function and flow. Nuanced features enhance daily routine, while accentuating its natural presence.

A large, separate shed with a handy toilet, is a multi-purpose escape for hobbyists or car enthusiasts. Beyond that, a garden shed – complete with power – supports an edible garden. This property is a foodie paradise – numerous fruit and citrus trees, vege beds and asparagus patch.

Born from a former kiwifruit orchard in the ‘90s, this property blends timeless heritage with the warmth of a country cottage – all within short drives of Bethlehem’s town centre and schooling on one side and Te Puna’s boutique café and shops on the other.

42 Clarke Road, Te Puna OLIVERROADBAYOFPLENTY.COM

Utsukushii uchia beautiful presence

Zen living finds its essence in this award-winning home that overlooks the lush Ōmokoroa fairways.

WORDS JO FERRIS

Respected for its courteous etiquette and culture, Japan’s minimalistic approach to architecture is also revered. Bay of Plenty’s Design Builders bowed to that inspiration with this home overlooking Ōmokoroa Golf Course.

Winning a gold award in the 2024 showhome division of Bay of Plenty’s regional Master Builders’ House of the Year, the home exudes an innate Japanese persona. It was a photo of a Japanese garden that stirred Design Builders BOP owner, Sam Perrin’s imagination. The result embodies Japanese serenity and dignified finesse.

While the minimalist style appears simple, it is anything but. Every detail, every nuance is designed to blend and flow; integrate, yet stand out. A bespoke front door welcomes you into a foyer with builtin units – a feature that invites removing shoes as is the Japanese custom.

Open-plan family living maximises space, while streaming natural light from carefully placed glazing and a skylight. The off-white decor is accented gently with the honeyed allure of natural timber in custom cabinetry, autumn hues in furnishings and statement punctuations of brushed bronzed tapware.

Shoji cedar sliding dividers continue the Japanese theme – fibreglass inserts emulating rice paper to infuse filtered light and privacy when needed. This is showcased superbly in the master suite, where its stunning oval bath is the ultimate romantic touch. Backdropping this is a wall of panelled Yakisugi, or shou sugi ban – an ancient Japanese process that preserves wood through charring. Coming in several formats – from low level to jet black; the strongest process here is a dramatic contrast to the muted terracotta tone of the concrete bath –and repeated against the powder room’s statement clay vanity.

Polished concrete flooring is practical

and functional. Not only does it harness solar warmth; it boasts zoned hydronic underfloor heating, while luxurious wool carpet massages the toes in bedrooms and media room. This lounge is a subtle departure – thanks to its sunken element, papered walls and intimate vibe. Family living is closely linked with the bespoke kitchen, with its island drawcard and barista alcove, while a beverages’ bar gives dining its personal touch.

Seamless outdoor flow features cantilevered glazing that opens to a vast outdoor area. A sheltered lounge gazes towards the 10th hole, while a superb cafe corner showcases a spectacular barbecue kitchenette, before slipping out to full sun and evening toasts around the fire pit.

A masterpiece in design and execution, this latest offering from Design Builders BOP deserves a bow – low and long.

13 Fairwayview Drive, Ō mokoroa OLIVERROADBAYOFPLENTY.COM

Good as gold

Quality workmanship meets impeccable design for these Registered Master Builders House of the Year Bay of Plenty and Central Plateau Award winners.

Beachfront bliss

A stunning renovation has transformed this cute bach into a cosy oceanfront haven.

Built by Reside Construction, this beachfront family bach not only won the overall Supreme Renovation Award, but also the Builders Academy Renovation Award $1-$2 million Category, and Gold. With breathtaking views of Waihi Beach, this impeccable build has been renovated to last.

The original dwelling has undergone complete modernisation, with the addition of a pool, and low-maintenance materials designed to withstand coastal conditions.

The addition of robust aluminium cladding and roofing ensures longevity and the Flashclad Dualboard Vertical Cladding System is a nod to the building’s original board and batten exterior. The addition of spacious decks and louvre roofs were added to allow year-round entertaining.

Revamped spaces include a master suite on

the oceanfront elevation, with its own lounge, opening up to the stunning views by an overwall sliding door, to share as an additional space enjoyed as part of the bedroom.

In additional living spaces, the kitchen/diner and another bedroom flow seamlessly along the oceanfront. And the bunkroom and bathroom off the pool area is the perfect escape for the younger generations.

This is a compact and easy-living bach that has cleverly incorporated everything needed for multiple holidaying families, including many modern home comforts – central heating and air conditioning and a Smart home security system which can be monitored remotely.

Reside Construction also won the Builders Own Home Category and Gold for another entry. Both properties have been selected for the Top 100 House of the Year 2024 National Awards.

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Mount marvel

This Valley Road residence not only fits seamlessly into the landscape, but elevates the standard for modern living.

What once stood as a 110m2 relic from the 1950s has now been reborn as a contemporary marvel on Valley Road. This Gold Award winner not only meets the client’s dream of an open, sun-soaked haven but also stands as a testament to innovative design, overcoming challenges, and the collaborative effort between the clients and the architectural team.

The homeowners actively engaged in the design process, immersing themselves in the old property ’s daily rhythms, optimising the new house’s positioning relative to the sun’s movement.

The challenge of building on the sand dunes meant there was a large hump in the site and means the house follows this contour, creating a unique layering that integrates with the land. From the garage

up to the living area and down to the pool, each level is meticulously planned. The commitment to eco-friendly practices extended to the demolition of the 1950s home, with an effort to recycle materials. Reclaimed Sanselmo Clay bricks were chosen for their energy efficiency, sound insulation and organic composition that emits no VOCs. These bricks also facilitate moisture escape, promoting a healthier indoor environment.

The electrical selections reflect a modern approach to energy efficiency, with LED strip lighting triggered by sensors, a zone-controlled heat pump, and infrared heaters in the outdoors. Outdoor lighting is designed for efficiency, triggered by photocells to minimise unnecessary energy consumption. The result is an ecofriendly, functional modern paradise.

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Black beauty

The proof is in the pudding for this functional and spacious Ōpōtiki home.

Diane and Tony’s stunning home in Ōpōtiki, built by Landmark Homes Eastern Bay of Plenty and Rotorua, boasts incredible craftsmanship, breathtaking views, and personal touches, like cathedral-style windows and a bold red front door.

As the only House of the Year awardee in 2024 for the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Landmark Homes EBOP and Rotorua couldn’ t wait to get started on this spacious home which overlooks the rolling hills and the water beyond.

Their clients, Diane and Tony, say their favourite spot is the kitchen. With cathedral-style windows, a high gabled

ceiling, and wide opening sliders leading out to the large, covered deck. “It’s a beautiful space,” she says. “I love how functional it is, and the views are breathtaking.” A standout feature is the letterbox window, offering a picture-perfect view and serving as a unique splashback.

Diane and Tony are thrilled with their new home, describing it as everything they dreamed of and more. They’ve created a functional space that they love, and their satisfaction speaks volumes about the quality and craftsmanship of the home. The Regional Gold award was the cherry on top, a wonderful recognition of all the hard work and dedication that went into their home.

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“It’s a beautiful space – I love how functional it is, and the views are breathtaking.”

Textured tones

Margaret Gill from Guthrie Bowron Tauranga explains how the emerging trend of Quiet Collected Luxury is transforming wallpaper choices.

The worlds of interior design and textile fashion are more intertwined than ever. Weathered silks and linens, as well as shimmering nuances of silver, rock and gemstones all remain refined and understated.

These days, people are more confident in experimenting with varied textures throughout their home. For example, plaster walls mixed with wooden floors and feature murals with textured wallpapers.

The emerging trend of ‘Quiet Collected Luxury’ is being seen within highly textured, softer tone-on-tone coloured wallpapers.

Reflected in new collections we see crafted dark wood grains, curved arcs and geometrics, recycled materials, aged velvets and stone washes that emphasise texture and silhouettes.

When following these trends, it’s best to choose effortless tactile finishes that will age gracefully, rather than going with the slick and new. Think handwoven textiles, wool fabric, complex stones and expressive

woods. The subtle sophistication of mixed materials in a room conveys an artisan, collected interior.

The mandate is to embrace the artisan movement, celebrating handmade and one-of-a-kind pieces.

We see this in beautiful wallpaper collections such as Khroma Aquila Arc Desert or Aquila Gigi Copper (both pictured above).

Plain wallpapers are now in fact anything but plain. They are soft and luminous, and can encompass nuances of what we see in nature. For example, silk, linen, bark, leaves and shimmery night skies. This captivating layering of tonal understated beauty serves to cocoon a living space.

We are also seeing a resurgence of aged patina, muted colour palettes and more uneven or quirky patterns being introduced to wallpapers, whether this be across velvets, damask, arc shapes or animal prints, it adds an extra layer of faded luxury to the overall appearance.

Whatever you decide on, it’s best to consult an interiors or wallpaper specialist, who can offer advice on styling and what will suit best with your current aesthetic.

Entertaining a dream

Nichola Vague of Nichola Vague Landscape Architect, in collaboration with Shawn Williamson Building Ltd, reveals her latest masterpiece in Te Matai, Te Puke – a stunning transformation that turns an ordinary backyard into a lush entertainer's paradise.

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UNO: What was your overall aim for this project?

Nichola: Our goal was to transform the existing backyard into a cosy entertainer ’s retreat with multiple options for lounging, seating and dining. The garden lacked a coordinated style, so we addressed that in the design. We created a journey through the garden via a series of ‘rooms ’, connecting indoor and outdoor spaces while maximising opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. A crucial part was creating a generous covered dining space for year-round use.

Did the client give ideas and preferences in terms of the style and how did you apply those here?

The clients wanted to maintain a connection with the relaxed rural setting while updating the useability of their property. We aimed for a contemporary casual

garden style that connected with the existing home layout. We referenced materials from the house within the garden – corrugated metal, timber, and natural stone. The lush planting provides a beautiful backdrop, focusing on foliage textures. You can see the clients’ personality in the colourful seating and various garden sculptures.

What kind of budget were you looking at and did you stay within that range?

The project was a close collaboration between the client, myself, and the build team. We stuck to budget of $100,000 while making on-site adjustments during construction to meet budget requirements and address layout opportunities as they arose.

What were the biggest challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

One major challenge was blending the new elements with the existing rural landscape. We selected materials to reflect a casual landscape setting, fitting in with the clipped shelterbelt trees and local orchards. The Oztech retractable roof was perfect - it doesn’ t look out of place and is high enough so it doesn’ t compromise light levels in the house.

How long did it take?

The main development was completed within five months, which was expected given the complex elements. Since then, after meeting with the clients, we’ ve been periodically adding to the garden planting and features. We’re currently preparing for the upcoming Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival, where this property will be featured on the trail.

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LUXURY ON A ROLL

Bakewell’s latest luxury fireplace will have you fired up for the outdoor party season.

W hen Wayne Bakewell sought the ideal outdoor fireplace, he quickly realised nothing on the market met his needs. He envisioned a stylish, durable design that could be relocated, used for cooking, and taken along when moving homes. Unable to find the right solution, Wayne drew on his engineering expertise from the superyacht industry to create a fireplace that matched his vision.

The latest design from Wayne’s Te Puna workshop is the Limousine Outdoor Fireplace – a luxurious evolution of the popular Statesman model. This centrepiece boasts a wider 2480mm base, offering ample storage for firewood and a broad surface perfect for serving platters or drinks. The expanded design enhances visual appeal and allows for convenient food warming, ensuring your culinary creations stay at the ideal temperature throughout gatherings.

Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the Limousine features authentic firebricks, a stainless-steel flue, and heat-deflecting elements for optimal performance. Its sleek black finish and convenient wheels make it both attractive and practical for any outdoor setting. Whether hosting an intimate dinner or a backyard party, the Limousine Outdoor Fireplace is sure to impress. More than just a source of warmth, it’s a statement piece that blends functionality with refined taste, perfect for the discerning homeowner.

TAURANGA’S FAVOURITE GARDEN STOP

For Fruit Trees, Ornamentals, House Plants, Giftware, Pots & Garden Decor

Visit the Cafe while the Children enjoy the playground BLOOM CAFE

Open daily 9-3pm

Spring is the time to plant your favourite ICAN HARVEST VEGE SEEDS

For more information pick up a FREE copy of the Ican Harvest brochure.

Pretty as a picture

Spring is here, and it’s time to spruce up your garden to create a beautiful space you’ll enjoy through summer and beyond.

The Bay of Plenty is so named for a reason. We are really lucky as we’re able to grow a wide range of fruit and vegetables successfully. If you plan well, there will be something in your garden ready to eat pretty much any time of the year.

To start you off, here are my top tips for organising and growing your perfect garden that provides a versatile menu, as well as an attractive area to enjoy all year round.

• The key to any garden is good sun and soil, so to prepare, add a composting mix, such as iCan Premium Compost or Premium Planting mix, or Real Blood & Bone & Sheep Pellets when planting.

trees are ideal for smaller gardens or containers.

• Incorporate vegetables into your existing garden or pots for both function and aesthetics. After clearing out any old tired plants, create borders with parsley, silverbeet, or herbs for a unique look.

• Tomatoes are top sellers at this time of year, but ensure you go for the best. Grafted Tomatoes are hybrid varieties which will produce a heap of healthy delicious tomatoes. We grow all our tomatoes at home in big pots with handles, so you can move them around easily.

• For a pop of colour, add mass plantings of annuals like petunias, marigolds and salvias in garden beds, pots, and hanging baskets.

165 Moffat Road, Bethlehem PH 5764777

Open 9 - 4.30, 7 Days decorgardenworld.co.nz

• For a decorative touch, try espaliering fruit trees like plums, apples, or pears along fence lines or planting them as hedges to shape your garden into rooms. Feijoas make excellent screening and hedging plants, while dwarf citrus

• For an extra touch of unique Kiwi style, add some Morris and James handmade pots to complete your garden makeover.

Exquisite wedding attire for the mother of the bride or groom, stunning outfits for race day, balls, and cocktail events, we offer a curated collection to make every occasion unforgettable. Don’t forget the finishing touches - our accessories are designed to complement and elevate your look.

Book your free personal styling session today.

Picture this: you’ve just stepped through your front door, and instead of a cluttered hallway, you’re greeted by a space that feels like a warm hug. That’s the power of a well-designed entranceway. It’s not just about first impressions; it’s about creating a smooth transition from the outside world to your personal retreat. A home’s entrance should be light and warm, seamlessly echoing the palette and materials found throughout your home. Think of smart storage to banish clutter with a spot to drop your keys and a bench seat where you can slip off your shoes. Artwork is an easy way to add impact, but so will a stylish tonal rug. A mirror creates an illusion of space, while stunning lighting can provide that designer wow factor.

Interior designer Kathrine McDonald shares her top tips for a beautifully curated and inviting entranceway.

1. La-De-Da, choose from 2 sizes & 4 finishes, $2,327, from nightworksstudio.com. 2. Stroke 1.0 Rug by CC-Tapis, 300 x 160cm, $14,325, from goodform.co.nz. 3. Ceramic Pirout Vase Raw White by Louise Roe, $355, from slowstore.co.nz. 4. Block Floor Mirror by Ellison Studios, $1950, from slowstore.co.nz. 5. Maytime Kristina Dam Curved Bench, $3189, from madisons.co.nz. 6. Maytime Kristina Dam Contour Sculpture, $814, from alliuminteriors.co.nz. 7. Classic Travertine Crosscut Honed & Filled, 600x600x20mm, $159.85 per sqm, artedomus.co.nz. 8. Lorne Entrance Mat in Natural, $ 115, from threaddesign.co.nz. 9. Amber Lane Lava Rock Home Diffuser in Soft Leather, $129, from threaddesign.co.nz. 10. Maytime Pure Sabrina Bench 1.8 or 2.1, from $1661, from kingandteppett.co.nz. 11. Thread Design Felted Wool Door Stop in Grey Marle, $89, from threaddesign.co.nz. 12. Axel Daybed in Oat Boucle, $3,809, Elsie Side Table in Matt Ocean Marble and Matt Dark Oak, $1,355 from sorenliv.com. 13. Maytime Kristina Dam Contemporary Kelim Rug, $2014, from alliuminteriors.co.nz. 14. Lily Bowl, $329 from authorceramics.com. 15. Ceramic Balloon Tray 07 in Vintage Glaze by Lousie Roe, $765, from slowstore.co.nz. 16. Chronicle Side Plinths, $675, from timwebberdesign.com. 17. York Bench seat, $3660, from timwebberdesign.com

The cost of wasting food

As thousands of Kiwi families struggle to make ends meet, it’s astounding how much food the average household wastes each year.

In New Zealand, households discard around $1.13 billion worth of food every year, contributing to the global issue of food waste. Approximately one third of the world’s produced food for human consumption is being lost or wasted annually. The impact of wasting food goes beyond just the financial cost. It also contributes to unnecessary energy

and natural resource waste, and the large amount of food that ends up in landfills generates methane, one of the major causes of global warming.

The root causes of food waste often stem from overbuying and not consuming what was purchased before it goes bad. Many people shop without a plan or a list and end up buying more than they need, which leads to food spoilage and ultimately being thrown away.

Top tips for home meal planning

Meal planning is a valuable strategy for saving time and money, particularly in today’s busy world. By creating a weekly meal plan, you can purchase only the necessary food items and utilise what you already have in your pantry and fridge.

1. Check your inventory: Begin by assessing what you already have in your fridge, freezer and pantry. Pay attention to the expiration dates of existing food items, and aim to incorporate these into your meal planning before they expire.

2. Create a freezer inventory: It’s easy for food to get lost at the bottom of the freezer. Consider making a freezer whiteboard where you can jot down all the items you have in the freezer so that nothing is forgotten.

3. Utilise leftovers: Transform your leftovers into new meals – create soups, stir-fries, or casseroles. Freeze extras for later or repurpose them into creative dishes to minimise waste.

How to shop smart

Making a meal plan is a fantastic way to shop smarter. By already knowing what you need for the coming week, you are less likely to make unnecessary purchases. Here are some top tips to help you shop more effectively and avoid impulse buys.

1. Have a shopping list: Keep your shopping list visible, such as on the fridge, and remember to take it with you when you go shopping. Alternatively, snap a photo of it on your phone to ensure you don’t forget it. A list can help you stay focused and avoid making impulse purchases.

2. Stick to your list: Before adding items to your cart, ask yourself if you really need them and if they are on your list. If the answer is no, it’s best to bypass the item.

3. Buy what you need: Avoid bulk purchases unless you are certain that you will use all of the items before they spoil. For example, if your meal plan calls for a couple of carrots, opt for loose carrots instead of a 2kg bag.

Keeping your food fresh

Effective food storage not only extends the shelf life of your groceries but also provides you with greater flexibility in meal preparation and consumption. Here are some top tips for smart food storage to help minimise waste and maximise the longevity of your food.

1. FIFO method: Implement the “first in, first out” method. When you unpack groceries, move older products in your pantry, fridge or freezer to the front, and place newer items at the back. This approach encourages you to use older foods before they expire.

2. Monitor and adapt: Keep track of the food items you are disposing of on a regular basis, and consider recording these instances in a diary for a week. This can help identify patterns and adjustments in storage practices that could potentially extend the lifespan of your food.

3. Label “Eat Me First”: Items nearing their expiration date should be labeled as “eat me first ”. Utilise your meal planning to incorporate these products into your recipes and avoid unnecessary waste. By incorporating these sustainable practices into daily life, households can contribute to reducing food waste. These methods offer practical and efficient ways to manage and recycle food waste, ultimately minimising waste and benefiting the planet.

Kate Fenwick is Tauranga ’ s own BIN-fluencer and waste-free warrior.

LUXURY LAKESIDE RETIREMENT

Pacific Lakes Village is set amongst tranquil park like grounds and private lakes. Spacious modern villas and terrace houses have been designed to create a vibrant community, providing an ideal setting for your active and independent lifestyle.

The village’s main community facility, The Pavilion, is currently under construction. Positioned on the lakes edge, this impressive building will house an eatery, lounge bar, library, art studio, beauty salon, wellness suite and extensive recreational facilities. Experience our community first-handshow home available by appointment.

What is right-sizing?

Sarah Parry from Testament

Interiors offers tips for moving to

a new space.
PHOTO

As with nature’s seasons, a person’s life follows cyclical patterns. Each life stage has its beauty and challenges, and each one prepares us for the next. Right-sizing is about embracing change and finding value in every one of those stages.

Most people know what downsizing is, but the term right-sizing is less familiar. Downsizing can cause feelings of loss due to changing circumstances, but the process of right-sizing is quite the opposite. It’s about being mindful of what you require in your new home and what items are most suitable for you, your current situation, and the future. Right-sizing means adapting to a new living environment that better suits your stage in life. It empowers you to take control of your life so it feels right, and you can enjoy this new chapter.

There are many reasons why people want to right-size, whether they’re newlyweds, relocating, having children, breaking up, blending families, dealing with the passing of a loved one, becoming empty nesters or retiring. People can undergo the process of right-sizing multiple times as they journey through life. As we all know, life is full of ups and downs and crossroads.

When you realise the home you are currently in is no longer right for you and it is time to move, it’s important to have a plan in place that ensures your new home and décor are the right fit for your new lifestyle. You’ll have to decide what items to let go of, what to keep, and what new items you may require.

At the later end of life, it’s important to include family members in this process so that everyone knows what’s happening and your wishes are known and documented. I always recommend making a living will of possessions to sit with the main will so that unwanted items are offered to family or friends first and everything taken to your new place is clearly listed

as to who gets what. This saves your loved ones from heartache and disagreements about family heirlooms after you have passed and will help ensure your legacy lives on and can continue to tell a new story.

Right-sizing tips and tricks

1. Declutter – Go through your house and eliminate items that are no longer required. This helps you decide which items are important.

2. Plan – List items that will go to the new space. This will help you see what’s left to rehome. A layout plan enables the clients to visualise the new place with their furniture inside and decide if they require anything new.

3. Prepare – Have a container of essential items, including scissors, can opener, jug, mugs, water glasses, pens, tape, notepad, rubbish bags and some snacks. This saves you having to unpack boxes to find the basics.

4. Systemise – Labelling and colour coding your boxes and containers help you to place items in the correct spaces and avoids double handling.

5. Use a right-sizing expert – Save yourself and loved ones the stress of moving by using an expert who can help guide you through the process. If the thought of moving and unpacking fills you with dread, an expert can even set up the place so all you have to do is walk in and start enjoying your new chapter of life.

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You have a choice. Choose Karaka Pines and reap the rewards.

Stories about the everyday passions that drive us.

The art of sand

Raking inner peace PAGE 106

Men’s health

Support that changes lives PAGE 108

The woman’s fund

Empowering those in need PAGE 112

Designing for change

In a world of profit-driven corporates, Jenny Williams of Jumbo Design is helping create a different picture – one of compassion and community.

Amove from Auckland to the Bay two years ago was a way for Jenny Williams to really sink her teeth into something a bit more bite sized. Having been immersed in the corporate world for

years, Jenny and husband David had recently had a taste of what it was like to give back to their community and decided purpose-driven business suited them much more than the corporate world.

“Really, it ’s small businesses and charities that are keeping our country ticking over at the minute,” says Jenny, co-owner of Jumbo Design, the name of which was her nickname as a toddler. “I take it as a term of endearment!”

“I finally realised that art and compassion had a way to work together. I had the power to invoke change through art.”

Together with David, Jenny has created a business that specialises in branding and design for small businesses and charities, and charge differing fees based on the client.

Striving for integrity became a key factor for the couple when they started working with a charity called Steps For Life Foundation, focused on supporting youth in the fight against childhood obesity.

“It started pretty randomly,” explains Jenny. “I was at the gym and finishing a workout when one of the guys who worked at the gym came and plonked himself next to me and asked, ‘do you reckon you could help my sister and I out with a website?’ So began 10 years of working with the Steps for Life Foundation.”

Sadly, the charity had to stop work over Covid lockdowns and hasn’t had the funds to start up again since. But it was Steps For Life that was the catalyst for Jenny to realise she had a way of helping other charities and not-for-profits through her design work.

“I finally realised that art and compassion had a way to work together,” she says.

“I had the power to invoke change through art.”

Today, from her home in Te Puke, she markets her skills towards charities and small businesses as a way of giving back.

“David and I are at a point in our careers where we have the ability to help others,” explains Jenny. “There are so many businesses out there doing good that

don’t have the budgets big corporations do, and there’s also a lot of cowboys offering services for extortionate amounts of money. We don’t think that’s fair. We negotiate a price that is equitable to the client.”

Of course, they still work for large companies, but Jenny hopes to get to more clients who are helping to make a difference in the community.

Known as “the Geek ” by family and friends, David is a full-stack developer who also specialises in SEO and Google Analytics. Jenny’s strengths and passion lie in designing and crafting brands that make businesses and charities shine in a competitive market. But the best part, she says, is meeting and connecting with people.

“It’s fun helping those small guys, seeing the satisfaction they get from the work you do for them,” says Jenny. “And I love going for coffee catch ups, even if it’s just for a chat around future plans.”

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Jenny, David and dog Lexi have made Te Puke their home and work base.

Serenity in sand

From the depths of personal turmoil to creating a career through artistic expression, Kenrick Smith’s journey is a testament to the healing powers of nature and mindfulness. UNO talks to him about discovering sand art, working for Ed Sheeran and his passion for improving our country’s sobering statistics on mental health.

On a quiet Wednesday morning at home in Pāpāmoa, mental health coach and father of two, Kenrick Smith, tunes in to the soothing sound of the ocean and focuses on his breath during his morning meditation. A newfound daily ritual he has come to rely on. But life hasn’t always been this zen.

In 2020, while living on a lifestyle property in the Kaimai Ranges with his artist-wife Jasmine and new baby, Kenrick’s world was cut off overnight due to a global pandemic. His successful wedding photography business ground to a halt due to lockdowns and he felt

isolated, anxious and navigating personal turmoil. “I had a recent back injury, was recently diagnosed with ADHD and my marriage was struggling – I was in a bad place,” he reflects candidly. “Looking back now, I was on the edge of a major depressive episode.”

On a family trip to the beach during lockdown, he felt inspired by the wide open spaces of his Hawkes Bay rural childhood, found a stick and began drawing. A basic circular design with a piece of driftwood, soon evolved into regular trips to the beach to create large-scale mandalas, using a variety of tools to reflect textures, patterns and shapes in nature. “Sand art became my sanctuary," he shares. “It was where I found peace.”

Over the next year, while attending marriage counselling and researching his own neurodiversity, Kenrick also discovered the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. He started sitting on the sand for five minutes, focussing on the sound of the waves, the feel of the sunshine, listening to the birds, and the wind on his face. “Then I would head to the sand and design. The difference was amazing.”

What started as personal catharsis soon blossomed into a business with a goal to “help others feel this way.” From needing to take annual leave to run his first workshops, Rake Healing now hosts regular corporate groups, schools and private classes – helping hundreds of adults and children to experience the

benefits of time reconnecting with nature, exploring your creativity and using sand as your canvas.

He says the change in clear shift in wellbeing from the beginning of a two-hour workshop to the end, still surprises him. “From CEO’s to five-yearolds, getting out in nature and creating something artistic has a profound positive effect for our brains and bodies. For some people meditation and mindfulness can be a scary, unknown thing. In reality, it is about being aware of your surroundings; it’s about putting down your phone and watching your kids at the playground; going for a walk at the beach and listening to the sounds around you, or doing something creative to allow you to focus on the present.”

A phone call from a Warner Music spokesperson last year, culminated in Kenrick’s first international commission – a large sand-art design of a Sycamore tree, designed on the Mount main beach near Moturiki Island. Kenrick was chosen alongside eight other international sand artists to create a design to represent a song on Ed Sheeran’s album Subtract. “Sycamore was chosen for New Zealand; it is a sombre track with heartfelt lyrics of struggle and loss so I felt like it was the perfect collaboration,” explains Kenrick.

Through this and other collaborations with national and international brands and causes, Rake Healing has enabled more conversations around mental health and fuelled a desire for Kenrick to support more New Zealanders navigating mental health challenges.

Yarns With Rick, is his latest venture into mental health coaching and support,

where Kenrick channels his experiences into guiding others through life’s tumultuous seas. “Like many Kiwis, depression and anxiety wasn’t discussed in my family, school or community growing up. When you’re in a dark place, it’s critical to let others know what you are going through, and connect with others – both friends and professionals who have been through what you are.”

“I see Yarns With Rick as a compass,” he explains, “to help individuals navigate their inner landscapes and find their true north.” Through retreats, workshops, and online resources, he aims to dismantle stigmas around mental health and empower individuals and communities with practical tools for resilience and self-compassion.

With a passion to help neurodiverse youth and adults thrive in life and be all they can be, Kenrick runs monthly meet-ups for men, regular adventures in nature for guys and girls and is about to launch a series of online courses.

“We need to normalise conversations about mental health,” he urges, “and provide practical tools for facing painful experiences. Nature provides a wonderful environment to allow people to discover a pathway back to themselves. For me, it was everything I needed when I needed it.

From a young Dad, struggling with his own mental health, to getting outside and soaking up the healing power of nature, Kenrick’s goal is to empower more New Zealanders to access the tools they need to harness mindfulness, resilience and self-compassion, so we can all thrive as people, parents and communities.

“Nature provides a wonderful environment to allow people to discover a pathway back to themselves.”
Kenrick’s top tips for mental health:

Get into nature

Nature is so calming for the body and mind. Put your phone away and walk to the beach, go to a park or walk around the block. Moving your body increases blood flow and reduces stress, so often challenges can be easier to deal with after a good walk.

Acknowledge your emotions

Often we are trying to avoid the negative emotions in our body. If you can actually acknowledge what you are feeling, to yourself outloud, in a journal or to a friend – often clarity, peace and perspective follows.

Turn the problem around

Now you ’ ve acknowledged what’s going on, turn it around. Taking a previously negative emotion or experience and turning it around can help hugely. If you’re feeling worried, what could be the opposite of those feelings? Concerned can also feel calm, anxious might feel confident and scared could feel secure.

Moving mountains

Globally, on average, one man dies by suicide every minute, and in New Zealand, the number of suspected self-inflicted deaths for males is 2.5 times that of women.

Ahead of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month this November, UNO spoke to four Bay of Plenty locals, leading mental health initiatives to challenge the status quo of men’s health and help Kiwi men live longer, healthier lives.

WORDS KAREN CLARKSON

In 2004, while living in London, Robert Dunne was introduced to Justin Couglan, one of the original ‘Mo’ Bro’s’ from Movember – the international movement changing the face of men’s health. He grew a moustache and ran Europe’s first event for the leading men’s health charity. Twenty moustaches later, Robert lives in Whakamarāma and works as the country manager helping the organisation tackle the

three largest health issues affecting men; mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

“Over the past 21 years, Movember has definitely put men’s health on the map,” explains Robert. “Globally, we fund 1,300 men’s health projects and have attracted seven million supporters since we began.”

Across the motu, Robert and his team work alongside organisations like the Mental Health Foundation, Fire

Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), NZ Rugby, and Māori health providers, funding health programmes to transform health outcomes for Kiwi men. He says in his 14 years as country manager, the most significant shift he has seen is the acknowledgement of suicide and poor mental health as a major health issue.

“Mental health doesn’t discriminate. From teenagers to grandparents, Pakeha to Pasifika – I have met CEOs, celebrities, athletes and All Blacks all struggling with their mental health.

Rob Dunne, Movember country manager.

Just like our physical health, we need to prioritise our mental health – and with the right knowledge and support, we can influence the outcomes.”

Of the 45 men’s health partners Movember supports locally, 16 of these are dedicated to improving men’s mental health and suicide prevention.

“Navigating the nuances of mental health is difficult, and getting the right information and support to the right person at the right time is a balance that I don’t believe New Zealand invests enough resources in. While there is an increasing number of programmes available, it is important to note that we’re just at the start of the journey to moving the needle on our statistics.”

He says one important step is to effectively report mental health and suicide, including measuring and linking incidences of depression. In partnership with Otago University, Movember is

funding a national men’s health report (to be released in 2025) – a milestone initiative which will present data to showcase the real face of men’s health in Aotearoa and aims to affect change nationally, including within government.

“We need to fully understand why men are struggling, how to support them to overcome their personal challenges, and how government, non-government organisations, iwi and community can work together. The encouraging part is that while we have issues to overcome, there are many wonderful people doing incredible work to create change within our communities.”

Kōrero and cardio

One such organisation is Men Making Miles – a Tauranga men’s mental health support group dedicated to improving mental wellbeing by combining physical activity and meaningful conversations.

“Many Kiwi men were raised with the ‘harden up bro’ attitude, bottling up our feelings and resorting to destructive habits to feel better. We are determined to break the mindset that it’s weak to speak up.”

Clockwise from top: Josh Darby, Movember project manager; Russell Wood, FENZ deputy chief executive; Robert Dunne, Movember country manager. Duncan Woonton and Eru Piwari from Men Making Miles. A boxing class at Men Making Miles.

Founded in 2021 by Duncan Woonton and Eru Piwari, the not-for-profit was inspired by Duncan’s martial arts sessions with Eru – a professional mixed martial art (MMA) athlete and combat trainer. As Duncan and Eru both faced their own mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction, their training sessions soon turned into a form of counselling.

“Like most New Zealand men, we kept our personal challenges to ourselves, but we realised talking and training turned out to be incredibly supportive,” says Duncan. “This sparked the conversation about the benefits of combining cardio and conversation, creating a supportive space for men to connect, share and train together.”

Men Making Miles runs free fortnightly sessions for men from Eru’s gym, Unleashed Training Academy. Sessions begin with group discussion, where

“We often live so far out of ourselves, the practice of coming in to feel, to step away from the demands of life, and sense how we really are, is so powerful and so needed for all of us.”
Kristin Borchardt, Nook Yoga and Pilates

participants take turns discussing their mental health challenges and discuss strategies to incorporate into their daily life. “Then we do a martial arts workout together catered to all shapes, sizes and skill levels,” says Duncan.

The group has attracted men from all backgrounds, most of whom are struggling with depression or anxiety, without the knowledge to tackle it and feeling too ashamed to talk about it.

“Creating an environment where other men share helps others open up too. Many Kiwi men were raised with the ‘harden up bro’ attitude, bottling up our feelings and resorting to destructive habits to feel better. We are determined to break the mindset that it’s weak to speak up,” explains Duncan.

Duncan says the response from the community has been incredible. “It gives us the confidence to continue with our goals to work alongside regional counselling services, launch a community outreach programme and ultimately launch Men Making Miles nationwide.”

Creating calm in the chaos

Kristin Borchardt, experienced yoga teacher and owner of the Nook Yoga and Pilates studio, says in the past 18 years, while building a yoga community in Mount Maunganui, she is encouraged by the increasing number of men seeking out the therapeutic benefits of yoga to support their mental health and wellbeing.

Specialising in stress management, Kristin says living in a fast-paced world operating from a place of stress where our adrenal system suffers, yoga can provide a beautiful way of supporting our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

“Each asana (pose) compresses our muscles and joints, improving circulation and providing a deep internal massage. Returning to our breath and finding stillness offers us the chance to rewire the nervous system, nourish our adrenals and shift us from a state of stress to calm,” says Kristin.

Unleashed Training Academy
Slow Flow and Yin
Nook Yoga and Pilates

Kristin, who runs yoga retreats in New Zealand and Bali for men and women, and has worked with a number of organisations teaching yoga to male employees, says the biggest shift alongside the rise in men arriving on the mat is the move away from dynamic practices to slower modalities.

“Slow Flow and Yin are now the first classes to book out on our schedule. These slower practices, where we hold the pose for longer, supported by blankets and props, cultivate a stronger energy flow towards vital organs, where deeper therapeutic benefits can be felt.”

Kristin says for many yoga has changed their life and provides a toolbox to manage stress. “We often live so far out of ourselves, the practice of coming in to feel, to step away from the demands of life, and sense how we really are, is so powerful and so needed for all of us.”

Recreating the village

Choiwee Moon is on a mission to turn around New Zealand’s youth mental health and suicide statistics.

“New Zealand is in a mental health crisis, especially among young tāne,” explains the educator and trauma-informed wellness coach, who has recently launched a rites of passage programme for teenage boys.

Mātua Rautia – The Warrior’s Village is a six-month programme open to young men aged 13-18, with a mission to inspire boys to believe in themselves while gifting them life-long skills designed to enhance their mental, emotional and physical growth.

With a background in prevention work that has a focus on mental health, suicide, depression, and domestic violence, Choiwee says the stigma and shame around mental health, particularly men’s mental health, is still widespread.

“Many men feel misunderstood, isolated, lonely and unsure even how to get the help they need. We need to go upstream and recreate the sense of tribe that our young men are missing,” she says.

Participants in Mātua Rautia – The Warrior’s Village build and learn

“Many

men feel misunderstood, isolated, lonely and unsure even how to get the help they need. We need to go upstream and recreate the sense of tribe that our young men are missing.”

Choiwee Moon, The Warriors Village

The Warriors Village team from left: Paul Anthony, Choiwee Moon, Jethro Campbell and Glen Callahan.

resilience, purpose, emotional regulation, and communication skills, while undergoing four rites of passage over six months – breathwork, cold water immersion, a hikoi and a sweat lodge initiation. By facing discomfort in a supportive environment, they develop personally and bond with their peers.

The team of male facilitators or ‘pou’ are all strong, resilient, compassionate, knowledgeable men from different backgrounds, and through their own life experiences, inspire the boys to see potential in their own lives, says Choiwee.

“Every boy is already a fierce, powerful young man. Our job is to provide a space to express themselves, to be fully accepted and support them to develop into well-adjusted, conscientious, grounded men, able to navigate all of life’s challenges.”

Suicide and depression

To get help, phone Lifeline 0800 543 354 or text 4357.

Ripples of change

The Women’s Fund is a group creating a community dedicated to empowering other women and whānau in the Western Bay of Plenty. Co-founder Hayley Nelson talks to UNO about how it came to be, and how being empowered as a child by the strongest woman she knew led her to where she is today.

On the eve of Mother’s Day earlier this year, Hayley Nelson stepped up to the podium to speak at the Western Bay of Plenty Women’s Fund breakfast held in Tauranga. She stunned everyone with her own mother’s tragic story in which she battled mental illness, before succumbing to it by taking her own life.

Hayley became her mother’s primary caregiver at the age of 13, after a car accident left her injured – something Hayley understood as a cry for help. She learned to take care of not just her ill and injured mother, who

suffered from bipolar affective disorder and post-natal depression, but also her three brothers and their home, all while attending high school.

Somehow, amidst the chaos of her life, Hayley managed to travel the world at just 16 years old, before returning to study and work for a number of major banks in clientfacing and leadership roles.

Tragically, her mother committed suicide when Hayley was 24 years old. But despite this, her own resilience, Hayley says, is down to being raised by this “superhero mum” who did all she could with the limited resources she had to hand, while struggling to maintain her mental health.

Clockwise from top left: Hayley Nelson, Avah Smith, Christie McGregor, Anne Pankhurst and Keryn Jarvis.

Today Hayley is the general manager of Craigs Investment Partners in Tauranga, and the co-founder of the WBOP Women’s Fund, made up of influential local women looking to give back to their community by helping other women in need.

“When I think about why I wanted to give back, I reflect on that 13-year-old,” says Hayley. “I wondered how we could look after those children in similar situations, with mothers suffering from something they know nothing about. I think of my brothers, of the trauma they’ve been through, and I feel for the seven-year-old, or that 10-year-old, or that 19-year-old who later lost his mum and didn’t even understand her illness. Kids any age can be really confused by people’s actions.”

It’s a situation that far too many families face, but today the amount of resources and information available is far greater than it was when Hayley was growing up. Her aim is to tap into that and become a connector between charities and those who want to help.

Together with her long-time friend Keryn Jarvis, she started building the Women’s Network as a way to access philanthropic groups and businesses, to raise funds and then give those funds to charities that help women, girls and whānau in need.

“In the beginning, a Giving Circle felt like a good way of achieving that,” explains Hayley. “But then we thought, actually, let’s go bigger. There’s lots of different people doing amazing work and we know that it’s hard to raise funds at the moment. So we thought, hey, let’s utilise our work, our contacts, and boost other organisations in the process. That’s really

“I wondered how we could look after those children... with mothers suffering from something they know nothing about.”

what it’s about – just helping people to help others.”

Hayley was inspired by the likes of the late Chloe Wright, who built the Bethlehem Birthing Centre and Kids Start. “Something I remember hearing from her was around the importance of maternal wellbeing in mothers,” says Hayley. “She knew something needed to be done and she was trying to do all she could to help in that space. It’s like all these things have been pointing me towards this path, saying, this is something you need to do to give back in some way, whether it’s financial or inspirational.”

It turns out it was both. Hayley and Keryn began talking with the Acorn Foundation, who at the time was represented by Emily Golding. Frances Mole has since taken her position.

“And then I thought, right, anything that happens in this town Anne Pankhurst knows about or wants to be involved in. So I reached out to the Tauranga Business Chamber, who Anne was with at the time.

“Then Anne was keen to have a lawyer on board,” Hayley continues. “Both of us knew Christie McGregor from Copeland Ashcroft Workplace Lawyers quite well and we knew she was involved with the Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support, which focuses on sexual assault awareness. And I wanted to get a youth voice in there as well, which is really important. So I reached out to Priority One, and Avah Smith put her hand up. She was one of the young female leaders in their INSTEP programme. She’s been a delight. It’s such a good group.”

Together the group helps to organise

fundraisers through their member’s businesses, as well as getting the word out through their respective contacts and organising their own events throughout the year. Next Mother’s Day, the WBOP Women’s Fund will announce the charities their members have nominated, voted for and donated to. “But we don’t want to become an events company,” cautions Hayley. “Our focus is on connection.”

So how did she come to be such a master connector herself, I ask. “I think my background has something to do with it,” she says. “Changing schools and moving towns, I had to learn to meet people. Now I’m not afraid to talk to anybody, or introduce people because if you don’t, you don’t get to meet anybody and you end up sitting in the corner on your own.”

It seems to be Hayley’s tenacity and resilience which has led her down this path – something she knows she’s lucky to have. But she also knows it takes more than resilience to get through tough times. It also takes support from others. “I remember in the 1980s my grandmother took me to the Schizophrenia Fellowship – it was the only place to get information on mental health and wellbeing – so that I could understand a little bit around what was happening with my mum. That was all that Nana knew she could do. But it was a really helpful thing for me. I became more curious, more compassionate and understanding.”

That’s what Hayley hopes to do for these charities through the Women’s Fund –reach out and do the best she can ACORNFOUNDATION.ORG.NZ/GIVE/ WOMENS-FUND

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Securing the right home-loan structure for your lifestyle is important for achieving your financial goals. This decision requires a thoughtful conversation with your financial adviser, taking into account various factors such as your current and future affordability, interest-rate trends, long-term objectives, potential changes in your financial situation, and your spending habits.

The home-loan market offers a wide range of products designed to accommodate different financial circumstances. Among the most popular options are fixed-rate loans, which provide stability and predictability. These loans lock in an interest rate for a period ranging from six months to five years, allowing you to plan your repayments without worrying about fluctuations. With a fixed-rate loan, you can also make additional payments to build equity more quickly, and some lenders allow lump sum contributions of up to five percent of the loan balance.

Variable loans are excellent to work alongside a fixed loan or on their own to offer you flexibility, rapid repayment and reduction of interest paid. There are three types of variable loans, each offering unique advantages:

Revolving Credit: This is where you have part of your home loan on the floating rate. It acts as a transactional account with a credit limit, where interest is calculated only on the outstanding balance. It ’s ideal for those who like easy access to funds and flexible repayments.

Flex your finances

Brooke Reynolds of Rapson Loans and Finance explains how structuring your home loan to suit your lifestyle could save you thousands in interest and shave years off your mortgage.

Floating-rate loans: These are independent loans that allow you to make lump-sum payments in addition to the minimum required payment at any time. This flexibility helps reduce your interest costs. Some floating-rate loans also offer the option to redraw funds, providing you with even more financial flexibility.

Offset loans: These clever structures link to your transaction and savings accounts, reducing interest by offsetting your loan balance against your account balances. This means that when your account balance matches your loan amount, your repayments contribute directly to the principal.

Your natural financial behaviours should guide your loan-structure choice. If you tend to spend leftover money, a fixed-rate loan with increased payments might help you manage interest more effectively. Savers who dislike frequent account transfers might prefer an offset loan. For those who enjoy actively managing their finances, revolving credit or floating rate options could be ideal. However, be aware that not all floating loans allow withdrawals, so it ’s crucial to consult your financial adviser for specific details and recommendations tailored to your situation.

Your financial situation evolves, and so should your loan structure. Regular reviews with your adviser ensure your lending continues to meet your changing needs and goals. Remember, the ideal loan structure adapts to your lifestyle, not the other way around. By understanding your options and working closely with a financial expert, you can create a home-loan strategy that supports your goals and secures your financial future.

RAPSON.CO.NZ

“Your natural financial behaviours should guide your loan-structure choice.”

Protecting nest eggs and generating consistent returns

First Mortgage Trust’s (FMT) conservative investment strategy and stringent lending requirements have enabled them to consistently weather market fluctuations. Over recent years, they have delivered stable returns to investors, with a recent annualised return of 7.44% after fees and pre-tax, bringing positive news to their investors.

CEO Paul Bendall says, “We strive to provide peace of mind investing. We want our investors to feel reassured their money is in steady hands. FMT has a great track record of providing consistent returns, and in our 28 years of business, no investor has ever lost a cent of capital, even during the GFC.”

Proven Track Record

FMT has demonstrated an impressive track record of delivering consistent returns, even in times of market uncertainty. This impressive accomplishment is a testament to FMT’s disciplined approach, their risk management strategy, the expertise of their team, their local property market knowledge, and their unwavering commitment to the preservation of investor capital.

Consistent Returns in Uncertain Times

“We know these are uncertain times, and people are cautious, especially when it comes to investing and deciding what to do with their nest egg and savings. Living costs and inflation are high, and this can be hard for savers.

We understand this, and that’s why we are pleased to have been able to deliver consistent investment returns. And because of our consistent investment returns and the peace of mind we provide, we’ve seen many of our investors invest more with us and recommend us to their friends and family,” says Paul Bendall, CEO.

How FMT Works

FMT’s investment model pools your funds with others, with FMT actively managing the fund to ensure it works hard for you without undue risk. They do this primarily by providing loans to NZ property owners seeking finance. Income is derived from these loans and distributed or reinvested quarterly (after fees, expenses, and tax are deducted) based on your preference.

Consistent and Steady Returns

FMT is known for protecting capital and providing consistent, steady returns. They have never lost any investor’s capital ever, and while past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance, FMT is proud of its track record and committed to maintaining it.

Quickly Accessible Funds

Unlike mainstream bank term deposits, your money isn’t locked away for a specific term. FMT provides a simple withdrawal process that normally makes your funds available within a few days.

Friendly and Personable

At FMT, they operate an 0800 number with ‘real people’ who can provide the answers you need when you need them.

It’s simple to get started, and you only need a minimum investment of $500 to get underway. Thereafter, minimum top-up investments of $100 (or more) can be made via lump sums or as regular contributions to suit you and your investment goals.

To learn more about FMT give the team a call on 0800 321 113 or visit fmt.co.nz or come along to one of their

Thursday 7th November, 10:30am Te Awamutu Bible Chapel, Chapel Drive, Te Awamutu Investor Meetings

Wednesday 13th November, 9:30am Matamata Civic Centre, 11 Tainui Street, Matamata

Tuesday 19th November, 5:30pm Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club, 90 Keith Allen Drive, Tauranga

Wednesday 20th November, 9:30am Baypark Convention Centre, 81 Truman Lane, Mount Maunganui

Thursday 21st November, 9:30am Fairview Golf & Country Club, 34 Sharp Road, Aongatete

Paul Bendall CEO, FMT

Dodging dodgy content: A parent’s guide

Parenting

Place educator Holly-Jean Brooker helps us navigate dangerous content across the vast digital landscape.

In today’s digital age, the internet is like the Wild West full of fascinating discoveries but also some dangerous territories. Whether it’s explicit material, violent imagery or inappropriate language, dodgy encounters are almost inevitable.

So how can we equip young people to handle these encounters?

Set up good filtering

First things first, the internet is designed for adults. Start by installing really good filtering on all devices and wifi.

Engage in conversation

Begin by talking to your kids about the internet before they start using devices. Explain that while the internet is full of amazing resources and entertainment, it also has some content that can be disturbing or inappropriate. Reassure them that they can always come to you if they see something that makes them uncomfortable and it won’t be their fault.

Many kids fear devices being confiscated so make it clear that your priority is to help them understand and process what they’ve seen, not to punish them or take away their devices. Creating a sense of trust and openness will make it easier for them to approach you when they need support.

Shush and listen

When your child wants to talk about something they’ve seen online, give them your full attention. It’s upsetting when we hear our kids have seen something dodgy, but try to stay calm and avoid jumping to conclusions or reacting with anger or fear. Instead, be curious, ask open-ended questions to help them express their feelings and thoughts.

Your role is to be there for them, offering reassurance and guidance and empathy.

Use real-life examples

Kids can relate better to conversations grounded in reality. Share age-appropriate examples of dodgy content they might encounter, such as inappropriate comments on social media or disturbing images in a game. Ask them questions, like ‘What would you do if you saw something upsetting that made you feel weird’? And ‘Why do you think people might create or share this content’? Reassure them it’s okay to feel confused or upset by it.

Discussing real-life examples helps demystify the concept of dodgy content and gives kids the tools to identify and respond to it appropriately.

Set clear boundaries

Establishing guidelines for device use can help mitigate exposure to inappropriate content. Set time limits with parental controls and keep devices in shared family spaces to monitor what your child is accessing. Remember that no filter or rule can completely block out all dodgy content.

Focus on building self-control and good judgment, as these are the best tools your child can have in navigating the digital world. Reinforce that your door is always open for discussions about anything they find online.

Reaffirm your support

Above all, make sure your child knows you’re there for them, no matter what. Reaffirm your support and trust regularly, and remind them that they can talk to you about anything, whether it’s something they’ve seen online or a question about their favourite movie.

By keeping the lines of communication open, you help your child develop resilience and confidence in handling whatever they encounter online. Together, you can navigate the challenges of the digital age with understanding and support.

PARENTINGPLACE.NZ

Designing digital safety

Partnering with Samsung, Tauranga local Rory Birkbeck has built world-first technology to keep our kids safe online.

Rory Birkbeck isn’t someone you’ll find on a pedestal, raging against the injustices of the world. The millennial dad and long-time Tauranga resident can often be found checking emails at a local cafe after dropping his two children at primary school. But behind the scenes, Birkbeck is building world-class technology to tackle one of the most critical global issues of our day: keeping children safe online.

In June, Safe Surfer, the social enterprise Birkbeck founded in 2016, partnered with tech giant Samsung to release a world-first: the Kid-Safe Smartphone and Tablet, designed with kids’ safety at the core. It is the result of nearly a decade of work at Safe Surfer, developing and refining software that monitors and safeguards internet use, and a collaboration that allows safe tech to be built into Samsung Galaxy devices and tablets. “For the first time, parents can choose robust, innovative products designed to meet the highest standards of safety and performance. These smartphones and tablets are built with safety by design.”

Birkbeck’s passion for online safety began when he started out in IT in the early 2000s, around the dawn of social media. As the platforms evolved around him, his concern grew — tech development was out-pacing safeguards, and he worried that the most vulnerable would pay the price. “There’s so much potential for good with technology. Opening up free learning and discovery to groups who’ve been excluded is so exciting.”

Birkbeck is passionate about giving young people a chance to harness their creativity and the technological abilities they pick up by osmosis, and has taught coding to Tauranga teens and mentored young developers.

Through growing Safe Surfer, Birkbeck noticed the increasing gap between product design and development and the after-market products required to make them safer. “I grew more convinced that to build a future where kids are truly safe online, we were going to have to be working at the design level. Safety couldn’t be an afterthought anymore.”

Guided by this principle, Birkbeck and his team worked with Samsung to build Safe Surfer filtering technology into the phones and tablets, allowing parents to monitor every feature via a remote app. That means the camera can detect and block nudity, messaging features and apps are scanned for bullying, violence and grooming, and web browsers filter millions of harmful URLs. The Kid-Safe Smartphone and Tablets offer tiered levels of access, so they can grow alongside kids’ needs and maturity, while never compromising safe practices.

The Kid-Safe Smartphones and Tablets are available now in Australasian markets, but Birkbeck has a global vision. “We’re seeing a shift. Parents everywhere are passionate about online safety, because these are our kids. They deserve the best of the best and not basic-level compliance where safety is concerned. As developers, the onus is on us to think about our audience and take responsibility for the potential harms that software and platforms can cause.”

Birkbeck believes the entire market will be challenged to respond to this new innovation. “Our mission is to build technology that honours our kids, protects their attention and educates them. We see this all the time in the ‘real’ world — kids know that the concept of ‘swimming between the flags’ is there to protect them, and that’s what we want to bring to the online world. I feel proud to be part of this, and excited to see where it will go.”

KIDSAFEPHONE.NZ

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Tech testing corner

Karl Puschmann tries out the latest and greatest gadgets.

Ditch the desktop and lose the laptop. The exciting new category of PC Handheld systems squeezes a powerful computer into the palms of your hands. If you need to work hard but also want to play hard then this is for you. The Legion Go has top-of-the-line specs, a colossal, gorgeous touchscreen and detachable controllers. Whether navigating Excel or aiming a sniper shot, simply slide the controllers off, attach the included base, and enjoy mouse-like precision. Like all handheld PCs, battery life is just a couple of hours. The included travel case is a superb touch that encourages portability, but due to its size the Go is more suited for home use or lunch breaks as opposed to playing on the daily commute. At your desk, the Go has enough ports for a power cable and all your peripherals, as well as an HDMI port for connecting a monitor. This transforms it from a powerful gaming handheld into a full-blown Windows computer. Truly, the best of both worlds. RRP$1450.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Shake the cobwebs off your exercise gear as this best-in-class smartwatch will inspire you to get match-fit for another glorious summer here in the Bay. The most noticeable upgrade is the brilliant and large screen. This is 50 percent brighter than previous models and is simply phenomenal. Best of all there’s no hit to battery life, which lasts an impressive two days between charges. Internally, the smartwatch’s monitoring of health, exercise, sleep and heart rate data has been improved. Apple’s three rings of Exercise, Movement and Standing again proves compulsively addictive to complete each day, encouraging your fitness journey. The built-in compass and Backtrack function ensures hikers will never get lost as it traces your route to guide you back to civilisation. Divers can jump into the Depth app which logs dives, water temp and maximum depth. Despite its sleek, classy look the premium titanium body is rugged enough to handle everything on offer in our adventurers' paradise. But if all that sounds exhausting, rest assured, it also tells the time really, really well. RRP$1599.

Quirky tech

SaunaPod

Get your sweat on with a portable sauna. The health benefits of regular saunas are well known, including muscle relaxation and stress reduction. With a 2000w steam chamber, it ’s said to be hotter than a traditional sauna, and it ’s durable but lightweight enough to take on your summer holiday. So if you can stand the heat, get into a SaunaPod.

RRP$595.

GETVITALPLUS.COM

LUMIRO LED Neck Reading Light

This is an ingenious alternative to a bedside lamp and can be considered essential for any avid readers going camping this summer or taking an overnight flight. Simply hang it around your neck and you ’ll be able to light up your book without disturbing anyone. With its 270-degree rotation, three different light temperatures and whopping 10-hour battery you ’ll blitz your book backlog in no time. RRP$27.

MIGHTYAPE.CO.NZ

Wireless Bluetooth Headband

If your earbuds have a habit of falling out while exercising, or if you like to doze off while listening to soothing music, then this could be the solution for you. This sporty headband houses a removable wireless unit inside, allowing you to stream music or podcasts and also remove it for washing after a heavy exercise session or sweat-inducing nightmare. RRP$29.95.

NOTSOCKS.CO.NZ

Law and order

Jenny Rudd’s Dispute Buddy app, which organises all your communications into a timeline for legal disputes, is emerging as a game-changer in legal tech.

PHOTO AMY BELLE CREATIVE

UNO: What is Dispute Buddy?

Jenny: We create timelines of texts, messages, and emails for people in legal disputes so their disputes can be solved quickly and fairly.

How does it work?

You upload your texts, messages, and emails into our system where they are merged into a timeline. Your lawyer then groups them into bundles of messages according to the issues of your case. Then your timeline is exported into a court-ready document. Like many apps, it sounds really simple, but it’s quite complicated to design and build. Although the business started in Tauranga, our team works remotely, which means we are able to attract the best talent in the world. At the moment, our team is spread across Aotearoa, Australia, the Philippines, and Portugal.

Tell us where you’re at with the business at the moment.

In September this year, Dispute Buddy was selected as one of only two New Zealand startups to be accepted into Techstars Sydney, a programme that accelerates tech startups through investment and mentorship. It’s the world’s biggest pre-seed investor, and we beat over 500 applicants to take one of 12 places in the Sydney cohort.

How hard was it to build this type of app?

I know I don’t look like the standard Silicon Valley tech bro. I’m a 50-year-old with five children living in Mount Maunganui. It’s not easy but you can definitely build a global business from a small coastal town in New Zealand. I’ve already bought, built, and sold a business (along with my husband Mat), which led to investing in tech startups, and then gave me a taste for building one. Aotearoa’s an amazing place to build a company, and we have world-class talent and ideas here. But the bulk of the investment dollars are overseas, and that’s the fuel we need to set us alight. Our early investors include New Zealanders Dame Theresa Gattung, the CEO of Taupō’s economic development agency, Rick Keehan, and Danny

King, who owns a prominent law firm in Sydney. But it became clear pretty quickly that there was an appetite for our dispute resolution software in Australia, so that’s where we’ve attracted investment from, too.

How did you get the app off the ground?

Tech startups are hard to get to profitability, because usually you are building something that hasn’t previously existed in the world, so the demand for it is unknown. Then, on top of that, they can take a few hundred thousand dollars to build, before you have a single customer. You need to be driven by something that will keep you getting out of bed on the (many) days that things feel impossible. I am fuelled by the deep need to solve inequality, because I think it ’s the way we’ll solve so many other problems in the world. I think the people who’ll solve poverty and hunger are likely to be those who’ve experienced it, and have a deep understanding of the causes and the barriers to getting out.

DISPUTEBUDDY.CO

“Aotearoa’s an amazing place to build a company, and we have world-class talent and ideas here.”

YOUR LOCAL BAY OF PLENTY DAYS

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A day of empowerment

This year’s Tauranga Business Chamber BWN Speaker Series was a dynamic gathering of inspirational women who really brought their A game.

GALVAN

There’s something about a room full of talented, likeminded women that can only be described as electric. This past May, Baycourt Theatre was charged with that very energy as nearly 400 attendees gathered for the Business Women’s Network (BWN) Speaker Series, themed ‘Bring Your A Game’.

This year’s event didn’t just meet expectations – it shattered them. From the moment the first speaker took the stage, it was clear that this was no ordinary day of networking and presentations. It was a day of genuine connection, raw honesty, and, above all, empowerment.

Each speaker brought her unique perspective and expertise, touching on topics that resonate deeply with women at every stage of life and career. Niki Bezzant opened up the conversation on menopause with a refreshing candour, providing invaluable insights that were both relatable and practical. Kylie Wilson didn’t just talk about resilience; she had the audience on their feet, proving that mental toughness is just as crucial as physical strength. Chelsea Winter, a beloved figure in the New Zealand culinary world, shared her journey from home cook to national icon, offering a blend of humour and hard-earned wisdom.

But it wasn’t just the speakers who made the day unforgettable. The event’s

success was also thanks to the support of its sponsors: Principal sponsors, Craigs Investment Partners and Cooney Lees Morgan, as well as Premier sponsors, YRW, KingSt, and Mediaworks. Partner sponsors, including Port of Tauranga, Kale Print, Pillar Consulting, Westpac, and Toi Ohomai, played a crucial role in ensuring the day was one for the books.

As the day came to a close, attendees were ready to bring their A game to every aspect of their lives. The anticipation for next year’s event is already building, promising another chapter of inspiration, growth and connection.

TAURANGA.ORG.NZ/BWN-SPEAKERSERIES-2024

PHOTOS SALINA
Chelsea Winter.

INVESTING IN TOMORROW

Unlisted commercial property funds are creating accessible real estate investment opportunities for Kiwis.

While residential assets may be the familiar property investment option in New Zealand, unlisted commercial property funds offer an alternative to real estate ownership in a sector presenting exciting growth opportunities as the commercial environment evolves.

Oyster Property Group is one of New Zealand’s leading unlisted property fund managers and, for more than twenty years, has been providing New Zealanders with easy access to commercial property investment opportunities.

With $1.8 billion in assets under management, Oyster purchases quality properties of significant scale in the office, industrial, and large-format retail sectors, then executes strategies on behalf of its investors to deliver monthly income and the potential for long-term capital growth.

Oyster Property Group’s General Manager – Property, Fabio Pagano, says it’s Oyster’s robust in-house management capabilities and value-add strategies that appeal to their investors.

“Oyster investors are diversifying their portfolios with institutional quality real estate assets that are managed by experts and supported by long-term strategies to maximise their value.

“We don’t just buy assets and sit on them – we’re active fund managers. A big part of this is developing and delivering business plans designed to extract optimal returns from each property we manage on our investors' behalf.

“We actively seek opportunities to increase the value of the asset over time. So, while the investment is passive for our investors, it is anything but for the team at Oyster.

“The way we work, live and play in New Zealand is evolving at pace – our focus is on positioning our properties to meet the needs of investors, businesses, tenants and wider New Zealand, well into the future.

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EXPLORE

Hit the road and explore our surrounding treasures.

Weekend in the city

A girls’ getaway to the Big Smoke doesn’t disappoint.

Having lived in Aotearoa’s largest city for many years of my adult life, I’m no stranger to its amazing attractions. But, as a city does, Auckland seems to transform every time I return. New shops, restaurants and hotels pop up faster than an Intercity bus on Hobson Street at rush hour.

So when a friend suggested we leave our families for a weekend in the Big Smoke, I jumped at the chance. Shopping, cocktails, amazing food and great company – what more do you need from a girls’ getaway? Said friend arrived early on Friday to pick me up. In jumped two other tired mums, and we all miraculously mustered up the energy to head straight for the shops.

SHOP

Sylvia Park

Sylvia Park is perfectly positioned for anyone south of Auckland. We pulled right in off the motorway in time for lunch at one of the many restaurants at the mall’s alluring food alley near the entrance. After some traditional Vietnamese pho – and some not-sotraditional cocktails – at Vietflames, we hit the shops. We only had a couple of hours to spare so prioritised all the major brands like Zara, H&M, Country Road, Decjuba and Gorman, as well as the two big make-up and skincare chains, Sephora and Mecca. Yes, we have a few of these in the Bay, but the bigger offerings provide far more variety and options.

Westfield Mall Newmarket + Nuffield Street

The next mall on the hit list was one I hadn’t visited in years. It may have just opened last time I was here, and boy has it changed. Newmarket’s Westfield Mall offers all your usual middle-of-the-road stores but also has great women’s clothing shops like Assembly Label, Sass and Bide, Seed Heritage and COS, as well as the high-end stores such as Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton and the luxe department store David Jones, all of which I successfully avoided. Three hours free parking gave us just enough time to get through the mall. The building is also perfect for kids with a covered playground, Event Cinemas and plenty of food options.

The top floor is dedicated to dine-in eateries, while the food court offers plenty of healthy food options, and your usual takeaway fare.

Of course, we had to get across the road to Nuffield Street too. A jewellery sale at Karen Walker had us standing outside in line for 20 minutes just to get a look at the new collection. Once we entered the store, free coffee and bowls of candy kept our energy and spirits up just enough to meander down the rest of Nuffield Street, to experience all its great offerings.

Ponsonby Road

Ponsonby has always been a boutique haven for shoppers, but since the addition of Ponsonby Central it now has the glue to hold it all together – and a pinpoint for the Uber to stop smack bang in the middle of the energetic suburb.

Ponsonby Central
Westfield Mall Newmarket

Still staying in line with the boutique-focused vibe, Ponsonby Central offers pop-up stores and café s but also a vintage shop, a food market and Wallace Cotton, which remains a permanent fixture. Across the road are two of my favourite stores – the Women’s Book Store and Mag Nation, and a bit further down is the famous Scotties Boutique and Zambesi. Of course you can’t go past Workshop and Karen Walker (again), and the many little vintage shops tucked between bars and café s. I could stay here all day.

Commercial Bay

This new mall in downtown Auckland is obviously designed to cater for the harbour cruisers, but there’s a great amount of variety for your casual shopper here too. It has everything from H&M, General Pants and Lululemon, to Kiwi designer stores, Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss. There’s also some great eatery options with fine dining restaurants such as Ahi, PONI and a whole lot more upstairs.

STAY

QT Auckland

When looking for accommodation, QT Auckland suited us to a T. Centrally located between the Viaduct and Wynyard Quarter, the hotel is a short walk from the downtown shops and restaurants, and a quick Uber to Ponsonby, Parnell and Newmarket. Its quirky decor is surprising when you walk in from the street. The 20-year-old repurposed office building still fits in with its commercial neighbourhood, yet the interior’s sophisticated character, combined with its avant-garde style, makes you feel as if you’ve travelled to Paris or Berlin. We were offered bubbles on arrival and invited to the rooftop bar where they were celebrating the addition of a new bubbly to their menu. We were planning to go straight up but were so impressed with our rooms that we decided to lounge around in them for a while beforehand.

EAT

QT Rooftop Bar

On our first night at the QT we didn’t even think about leaving the building. We headed up to the top level for a few drinks before dinner, which was booked down on ground level at Esther. The views at the rooftop bar are spectacular, and the cocktails went down a treat after a hard day of shopping. Sipping divine drinks while enjoying the stunning views of the Viaduct and Waitemata Harbour was just what we needed. The place was already packed at 5pm, and somehow got busier as the night wore on. This was obviously the place to be.

Esther

Fronted by top international chef, Sean Connolly, everything about this Mediterranean-inspired restaurant is designed to impress, especially the food. The slow-cooked roasted lamb was a definite highlight, along with the Truffle Fonduta with ciabatta and black Perigord truffle. Even breakfast is quite the international food journey with strong Middle Eastern, Asian and Spanish flavours to get us ready for another day of shopping. Dishes such as the Khach a Puri, Baked Shakshuka and Tortilla Espanola were a delight to the taste buds, enough energy for the body and offered just the right amount of stodge to soak up our cocktails from the night before.

Daphnes Bar Taverna

Keeping with our choice of old-timey-turnedtrendy-named restaurants, we booked in at Daphnes in Ponsonby for Saturday night. The service was on par with the incredible food, especially when one over-excited friend accidentally flung a whole glass of red wine all over another friend’s newly purchased white Karen Walker blouse. The waiter was immediately to the rescue with laundry tips and expert dabbing. As well as the great wine selection, I would highly recommend the raw scallops, oyster mushroom skewers and grilled chicken.

Shop the Avenue

Tauranga's Eleventh Avenue sells an eclectic mix of fashion, food and fabulous finds for any occasion.

Wendys Boutique

In the bustling heart of the plaza, you ’ll discover Wendys Boutique, a designer clothing store where women of all ages can truly find their style. With an impressive selection of top brands from New Zealand and beyond, including Zoe Kratzmann, Trelise Cooper, Lolly’s Laundry, and Juliette Hogan, it’s a fashion haven waiting for you to explore.

WENDYSBOUTIQUE.CO.NZ

WENDYSBOUTIQUE

WENDYSBOUTIQUE.NZ

Blanc Flowers & Gifts

Tauranga Knitting Centre

For over 30 years, Tauranga Knitting Centre has been a hub for knitting and crochet enthusiasts. Offering a wide range of quality yarns, needles, patterns, and accessories, the shop caters to all skill levels. With friendly, knowledgeable staff and a warm atmosphere, it’s the ideal spot to find inspiration and supplies for your next creative project.

TAURANGAKNITTING.CO.NZ

TGAKNITTING

TAURANGAKNITTING

Tauranga’s premier florist brings you the finest selection of fresh and dried flowers, elegant bouquets and arrangements. The store also features a range of gifts, from wines and chocolates to candles, puzzles and books, and offer same-day delivery for orders placed by noon to Tauranga, Ōmokoroa, Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa.

BLANC.CO.NZ | BLANCFLORIST _BLANCFLORIST

HairStyle

Meet Nic Apaapa and the expert team at HairStyle, Tauranga’s hub for beautiful, healthy hair. With experience at Fashion Weeks, VMAs, and international stages, Nic invites you to elevate your hair journey, offering personalised consultations and professional expertise.

HAIR.STYLE.TAURANGA

M.M Linen

Wake up rested and inspired with M.M Linen’s Spring/ Summer 24/25 Collection. The Botanica Poplar Bedspread Set, pictured here, offers understated style. Blend plain and patterned layers for a versatile, enduring style.

MMLINEN.COM | MMLINEN

Synergy Vitality Spa

Synergy Vitality Spa has been established at Eleventh Avenue for well over 20 years. Offering clients a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the spa’s professional therapists are devoted to their jobs and strive for perfection in all their treatments. These include advanced skin treatments such as IPL for pigmentation and red veins, Black & White permanent hair reduction, as well as anti-aging rejuvenation and PCA peels.

SYNERGYSPA.NZ | SYNERGYVITALITYSPA

Delicacy and Juz Catering

Delicacy Café has been delighting food lovers since 1998, serving up beautifully crafted dishes and exceptional coffee. With a talented team creating fresh, flavourful meals daily, and their cabinet selection is a feast for the senses – from gourmet pies to delectable slices, there’s something for everyone. Plus, Juz Catering offers home-cooked meals and catering for any occasion.

JUZCATERING.CO.NZ | JUZCATERING.CO.NZ

DELICACY_JUZCATERING

The Luxe Club

The Luxe Club is a family-owned boutique offering bespoke jewellery and accessories. Established by Carmen and daughter Hannah, it features high-quality, handpicked pieces from New Zealand brands like Saben, Status Anxiety and more. Customers are welcome to browse and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Popular services include custom designs for weddings and events alongside jewellery repairs.

THELUXECLUB.CO.NZ

The secret garden

A whimsical wonderland lies hidden in Hamurana for storybook lovers of all ages to discover. With a story of her own, the creator has found freedom in its magic.

If it wasn’t for a giant wooden carving of the majestic lion from Narnia sitting at the entrance to Jenna and Brent Austin’s farmyard property, you’d be convinced you were lost. Hamurana’s Enchanted Storybook Nook is hidden away in the back of what looks to be a rundown greenhouse with a small cabin attached.

“You can see people wondering what they’re in for when they arrive,” laughs Jenna, her long blonde curls contrasting

against a black fur coat and bright red lipstick. She teeters on high heels as she walks across the grass to greet us.

It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Jenna has just finished tidying up after a birthday party and is rushing back to the house to put her youngest child – one of four – down to sleep. I assume the get-up is part of a character for the party, but she wasn’t involved. This is simply how she dresses day to day, even on the farm, even with four children. Once you see the hidden garden for yourself, Jenna’s eccentricities suddenly make sense.

viewing the property, before we bought it. I knew instantly it could be transformed into a secret garden. Brent suggested we turn it into a chicken coop, but by that point my imagination had already taken flight and planned the entire thing.”

Brent is a builder and agreed to build the cottage at the beginning of the shade house, which is where you enter the garden through the “Narnia wardrobe” – an antique wardrobe Jenna had bought years ago from Trade Me.

As a child, Jenna was captivated by the movie The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. “Discovering an entire world through an old wardrobe was beyond magical to me,” says Jenna. “I actually purchased that wardrobe with the intent of one day building a secret door behind it that entered into my own secret space whenever we found our forever home.”

Many of the layouts have changed and evolved since its inception but the one thing that remains the same is the yellow brick road which meanders through the entire garden. Fast-forward a few years to its near completion, you can now enter through the wardrobe into a snowy Narnia scene, complete with a lion and lamppost. From there the brick road leads you through all Jenna’s favourite books and movies as a child. Hansel and Gretel, Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, The Wizard of Oz – the list goes on.

Just upon entering the small wooden cabin we’re amazed. Made to feel as if you’re stepping back in time, the beauty is in the details. There’s a reading nook and a secret entrance to the restroom, complete with a faux library wall. The large glass drink dispenser labeled ‘Drink Me’, with a tasty potion inside, is the perfect start to our trip into a literal Wonderland.

“The whole concept began in my mind the second I saw the space,” explains Jenna. “Brent and I discovered a hidden, abandoned shade house when we were

“The whole concept really was just for me,” says Jenna. “I never intended it to be for anyone other than myself. Sure, I delighted in the fact that I could take my kids in there to have tea parties and for them to experience their very own wonderland in their backyard but that was by no means my goal. My driving force was my depression and constant need to get reprieve from the emptiness I feel on a daily basis.”

Jenna has suffered from depression and anxiety for most of her life, ever since she was diagnosed with anorexia at age 14. She was hospitalised four times, and although she’s won the battle with her eating disorder, the feelings associated with it have never really left her.

“I notice when I’m creating I’m immersed in the moment, and all the pain and

“It’s not just a garden to me, and the outpouring of messages I’ve received proves it’s not just a garden to others either. It really touches people and captures the nostalgia of their childhoods.”
Clockwise from left: Jenna's daughter Charlotte inside her Hobbiton hideaway. Jenna's grandmother depicted as Glinda, the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. Charlotte and Jenna. The Oompa Loompa Hutt, inspired by Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

negativity and the screaming chaos in my head almost ceases to exist. Creating a place full of all my favourite childhood books and movies felt so magical.

“It wasn’t that I wanted to escape into a different reality and be a little girl again. I can’t really explain it, so I typed into Google “nostalgia and healing” and this article came up that said ‘actively reminiscing on happy moments or joining in activities that are tied to positive memories can be emotionally soothing’.”

Jenna’s core memories from when she was a child were of tiny tea parties with her grandma, and the happiness she felt when watching her favourite movies. “I was able to revisit a time when life was calm and joyful and happy.”

When Jenna got started on the garden she commissioned her friend, artist Maria Hermans, to paint a storybook-inspired mural. “She went above and beyond and

exceeded my expectations,” says Jenna.

Maria also struggles with mental illness and, over time, both Jenna and Maria gained a tremendous amount of positive focus and satisfaction from creating the garden together.

Maria continued to paint more and more, filling up the garden walls as the years went on. Sadly, Jenna’s grandmother, Gloria, passed away recently. In one of the murals, Maria used a photo of Gloria when she was 18 years old to depict her as Glinda, the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz

For Jenna, turning 40 this year has coincided with opening up the garden to the public.

“I’m blown away at how something that simply started off as a personal passion project is now fast becoming a special destination for the young and old to visit,”

she says. “I’m really starting to enjoy being able to share what is essentially the very essence of who I am, as well as the adversity I have overcome and am still to overcome. It’s not just a garden to me, and the outpouring of messages I’ve received proves it’s not just a garden to others either. It really touches people and captures the nostalgia of their childhoods.”

Jenna points out there’s still space to extend the garden, but for now she’s content with allowing the public through and hiring out the space for the occasional party.

“I might look at hiring a fairy entertainer, so we can hold fairy parties,” says Jenna, who has hung up her own fairy wings for now. “Maybe I’ll focus on catering to the adults in a coffee cart.”

Book via Facebook Messenger: THEENCHANTEDSTORYBOOKNOOK

Throw Turkey into a travel conversation, and you’re sure to get an animated response. From those that looped it in on their OEs, to those who are fizzing to book their own trip.

Seen as a rite of passage for many New Zealanders, with the deep connection to

Turkish delight

Bridging Europe and Asia, Nicky Adams explores the melting pot that is Turkey.

PHOTOS NICKY ADAMS + SUPPLIED

Anzac Bay held dear, most Kiwis would admit to this being on the bucket list.

A land that offers diversity in spades, there is the multi-cultural pull of Istanbul, where east really does quite literally meet west, the opportunity to pay your respects at Anzac Bay, the magic of Cappadocia with its homes built into the hills and underground network, and

stunning Mediterranean beaches. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

I visited Istanbul over 20 years ago, and it was a revelation to look at the city again with a fresh perspective. The blend of cultures is something you can’t take for granted and was a real joy to see.

Side by side Muslims and Christians rush around, and the city celebrates both

faiths with a rich history. The landmarks are of course every bit as spectacular as they appear in the glossy pages of travel mags; yes, there are crowds and queues but time it right and you can get lucky. And it’s certainly worth the wait – the Blue Mosque is majestic, Hagia Sophia breathtaking, the Topkapi Palace a symbol of Ottoman splendour, and the Dolmabahce Palace (on the shore of the Bosphorus) the architecturally innovative ‘upgraded’ home to the Sultans from the 1800s. Walk through the Yerebatan Underground Basilica Cistern built by the Romans, a strangely beautiful attraction, mesmerising and eerie in equal measure. Meanwhile a trip along the Bosphorus by night lets you hear the beating heart of the city as it shimmers and shines in all its glory.

It’s hard to resist the most touristy of tourist attractions – a visit to the Grand Bazaar. This is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world dating back to 1453, and the icing on the tourist cake is a guided walk across the rooftop. Showcased in Skyfall, the James Bond movie where Daniel Craig shot across on his motorbike, you’ll find yourself balancing on teeny-weeny ledge

ways high above the city, putting one foot tentatively in front of the other. Those with height issues would find this marginally stomach churning (no OSH here) – but the vista below is incredible. Both inside and outside the Bazaar are gazillions of tiny stalls with marketeers peddling their wares; some fabulous, some not so much. It’s hard to get out without having committed to a Turkish rug, which, if you do your research and buy from someone reliable, is potentially the purchase of a lifetime. If you don’t get a rug you have to at least buy the Turkish delight – these delicately flavoured jellies are addictive. The sweet shops are themselves an experience, rammed with ornate delights you’ll likely be regaled with stories of the Ottoman Emperors, the birth of boiled sweets and a million other things you never knew, while being pumped with Turkish coffee and baklava. This is a very hospitable nation.

The ancient, cobbled streets are bathed in baking sunshine but cooled by a breeze from the Baltic – ice cream vendors are everywhere, and pathways are peppered with tiny kittens and wide-eyed cats. Just as you wonder

how they’re all so well fed, you see a passerby open their handbag and scatter cat food for these street dwellers. Feeding the strays is apparently a quirk of the city, but with the end game of keeping rats at bay – the Turks are no fools. The tradespeople and cab drivers are also always up for a bit of bartering – it doesn’t take long to get past the embarrassment of a good haggle.

Istanbul is a feast not just for the senses, but also the stomach. I chose to do a walking food tour through the city; it was wonderful touring the back streets, where cafes are crammed into the narrowest lanes, serving Turkish tea to customers on slouchy sofas. Stopping at historic sights and trying every type of traditionally-made Turkish fare from breakfast eggs to spicy koftas and Doner Kebab, I was loving the rich, flavoursome dishes – until I was faced with the minced lamb intestines, at which point I became extremely squeamish. The older parts of Istanbul are captivating and sit alongside the newer flasher areas – as a city it certainly feels wealthy, and the lavish hotels reflect this – the tourists are as

The balloons create a surreal day-break vista.
Nature is the architect of the cave homes in Cappadocia.
Exploring the tunnels and caves of Kaymakli underground city.
Istanbul’s grand Blue Mosque.

diverse as the natives. Staying at an international chain certainly offered every luxury – but came at a cost, Turkey is not the cheap country some remember from their backpacking days. It’s easy to get around, taxis are plentiful, but some run without meters so it’s worth having an idea of fare otherwise you’re fair game to be charged a very steep tourist rate. As a place with a turbulent past, it was heartening that everywhere you looked there was a strong police presence, and entrance to every hotel and mall involved a bag screen.

Moving on from Istanbul, an airconditioned coach ride to Anzac Bay was an easy way to travel, and still allowed us to get there in good time to thoroughly immerse ourselves in the experience. It is so many things to so many people, and deserves the time spent walking along

the beach and meandering through the gravestones, reading the inscriptions and thinking about the huge sacrifice and loss. It’s emotional on a different level, even if you have no direct link to the fallen soldiers. The on-site museum is also a place of reverence; nicely laid out to give visitors the opportunity to become engrossed in the moment.

Travelling onto Cappadocia, a region of central Turkey known for its otherworldly landscapes, is to experience a different side to Turkey altogether. Soft volcanic rock formations amongst undulating hillsides feel closer to a film set than reality. Again, the history is at the forefront, as you weave through dusty streets, with houses, hotels, bars, and restaurants all burrowed deep into the rock face. Staying in a boutique hotel with rooms set high in the rocks, this felt

“Drifting cloudlike above beautiful dusty landscapes, the skies filled at sunrise with a fleet of colourful balloons was a natural as well as physical high.”
Above: The intricate vaulted ceilings of the Blue Mosque. This image: Taking to the skies above Cappadocia.
Akbas Cemetery and Memorial honouring fallen Turkish soldiers during Gallipoli.
Getting fired up for a magical ascent.

luxurious, even though the room was reminiscent of something from The Flintstones. Of course, Cappadocia is home to the balloon rides – and as someone who visualised my time would be spent poolside with feet firmly on the ground, I was not planning on adding this to my ‘to-do’ list. Nevertheless, I dug deep, and I’m so glad that I did –the whole experience felt reassuringly safe; drifting cloudlike above beautiful dusty landscapes, the skies filled at

sunrise with a fleet of colourful balloons was a natural as well as physical high. This area is peppered with ancient underground labyrinthine cities built by residents sheltering from invading forces, and for the non-claustrophobic, a tour through Kaymakli, the most historic of them all, is a must. Thought to date back to as early as the fourth century BC it’s insane to think whole communities lived self-sufficiently underground for years at a time – and

even more crazy to think for some it was as recent as the second world war.

If you want artisanal keepsakes, then this is the place to find them, as silver and local pottery are the artefacts to shop for in this part of Turkey. Ornate pieces are hard to resist, and there are plenty of manufacturing shops that mean you can be confident you’re buying the real deal. A visit to this area wouldn’t be complete without exploring the famous Fairy Chimneys. Located deep in the dusty hillsides, these natural marvels are simply incredible. Wandering among these distinctive landscapes, you can’t help but be awestruck at the natural wonders of this country.

With temperatures that can reach heady heights, the beaches of Turkey are tempting, but can get crowded. Spring and Autumn are lovely times to visit, especially if you want to do lots of sightseeing. In Turkey everything is diverse – from the landscapes to the cuisine – and it’s this that makes every step of the trip feel fulfilling and joyous. With an abundance on offer, it’s fair to say Turkey leaves you wanting more.

The Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia are natural rock formations shaped by volcanic activity and erosion.
Istanbul’s Eastern and Western influences, create a dynamic city rich in history and culture.

Ōmokoroa’s taste of Italy

Marko Velickovic transforms fresh local ingredients into authentic Italian dishes at the beachside ‘trattoria’ Alma.

Marko Velickovic comes from a long line of chefs. His family’s restaurant in Serbia has been in business for more than 50 years. And after spending 10 years cutting his teeth at some of Europe’s best Michelin star restaurants, it comes as no surprise that he only accepts the absolute best ingredients for his own eatery here in the Bay.

Ōmokoroa’s Alma offers an Italian-inspired menu specialising in hand-stretched Roman-style pizza and homemade fresh pasta using local ingredients, as well as premium imported products from Italy.

The Serbian with a passion for Italian cuisine made the move to the Bay from Croatia six years ago. “It’s a funny story actually,” Marko smiles. “A friend called me from New Zealand and said, ‘you need to move here. No one knows how to cook!”

On arrival, he was snapped up by Alpino in the Mount and stayed as head chef for two and half years. But he yearned for more life outside the kitchen. "I quit and set out to buy a boat. Then another friend called and said, ‘I’ve found this place that’s perfect for you.’” Back then, the Ōmokoroa site was in dire need of a revamp but, being right on the

water, Marko recognised its potential. Together with his business partner, Ewelina Large, they dove straight in. Suddenly his dream of a work/life balance went up in smoke and he found himself working seven days a week and throwing all his money into the set up. “I’m not sure why I thought that was better than spending my days on a boat,” he jokes. However the worst was yet to come. On opening day the country went into its first Covid lockdown. “It was terrible. But we worked hard on the place during lockdown and then the day we opened again was the day of the tsunami warning.”

Despite the cruel setbacks, Alma eventually opened its doors, drawing attention from Cuisine, who listed them in the Good Food Guide and awarded them the title of Favourite Destination. The restaurant has since won a Judges’ Choice Award in the 2023 Plates of Plenty for its Fagottini con fungi e tartufo. Today Alma is widely known to be one of the best Italian eateries in the region. All Marko’s hard work is paying off. “Foodies recognise the difference when you go the extra mile,” he says.

Heading into summer, Alma is definitely a destination spot to put on the foodie wish-list.

ALMAEATERY.NZ

SCULPTURE'S TO INSPIRE

Hand created in recycled Aluminum with highly skilled artisan hands of Indonesia. The creative original person Timboel who sadly passed away last year leaves his village with the ability to continue making these incredible pieces from the many mould's of years gone by . As an artist Timboel had the prestige of aspiring to being the Dean of Art for Yogyakarta University. His life size sculptures have made their way into many beautiful gardens and home spaces of the world.

Looking for a worthy form to use as a focal point in your garden or home ?

There is a large range in stock in New Zealand due to the popularity of these stunning pieces . The prices are fair when considering the time and energy to create them and freight them in their wooden crates.

Investment ART that supports the needy families not the greedy ones.

Visiting our stores gives you a chance to get close and appreciate the quality and beautiful form these are.

7 Clarke Road, Te Puna | 503 Maunganui Road, Central Parade 134 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna | Ph 075755573

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