Verve. July 2020. Issue 166.

— AUCKLAND’S FAVOURITE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE — PRICELESS ISSUE 166 — JULY 2020

Servilles City Works

Creative Space

— FASHION BEAUTY HEALTH HOME DESIGN/ARTS FOOD/WINE TRAVEL SOCIETY SWERVE

Robert Jamison

Innovative thinking

B E S PO KE

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We Chat

UP FRONT

What's Inside Sustainable Homes 8 Robert Jamison 22 Building Small, Living Big Weekend Stays 32 Ten Minuetes with Emma Chisholm of Alpine Wine Tours 40 The City That Forever Steams 2

Food 52 Beef Stew on Pappardelle Recipe 56 Food and Forests for Thought 58 Dine Out at Lupino

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Sustainable Off Grid Homes

Home & Design 66 Simplicity Love Health, Business & Fitness 76 Lucy in the Sky and Microdosing 86 A Day in the Life of Nadia Els Fashion 96 Doorways & Hallways Art & About 108 The Art of July 110 The Power of Immersive Art Win 132 Win With Verve

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UP FRONT

Editors' Notes We received this letter in our inbox and it touched us so deeply that we wanted to share it with our readers, especially as we know that many have lost friends and family to breast cancer.

Ceciline Thai, who is 24 and lives in Epsom, Auckland, lost her mum, Nearadei, to breast cancer in January 2016. Nearadei was 43 when she was first diagnosed in 2012.

I was 16 years old when Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She had her left breast removed, went through chemotherapy and radiation, then went into remission for around a year. Then in 2015 the cancer came back and had spread into her lymph nodes and beyond. Within a few months of her second round of chemo, she went downhill.

My parents kept a lot of this detail away from me. I was in my second year of uni, about to go through my end of year exams when Mum’s cancer came back. I think my parents didn’t want this to interfere with my life.

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It was really emotional watching her deteriorate, I was pretty scared.

I had gone with her when she went for chemo, then during her later stages I was helping to look after her at home.

My favourite memory of Mum was just spending weekends with her and my sister. Weekends were always very family-oriented, where the three of us would go out shopping and have lunches together.

While she was in remission we did a family trip to the Gold Coast and Melbourne. I really cherish those fun times we had together.

If I could speak to Mum now I’d want her to know that I’m doing really well, considering all that has happened. I’ve finished uni and I’ve got a good job. Her passing has made my family closer, which I think she’d be pleased about.

One thing I’d say to others who are watching their loved ones go through cancer is that they aren’t alone. When Mum was having her treatments I wasn’t very open about it, but now I’ve realised how many others have gone through a similar situation. I want people to know there are others who understand what you’re going through, so don’t be afraid to reach out.

This year will be the fourth Pink Ribbon Breakfast I’ve hosted. After Mum died I looked up Breast Cancer Foundation because I wanted to do something in memory of Mum, while also giving back. The first breakfast was at my aunty’s café in Newmarket which I co-hosted with my sister. It was an intimate bunch of just our closest friends and family. I’ve hosted a breakfast every year since and it’s grown – last year we had almost 50 people attend.

Pink Ribbon Breakfast is such a great way to host an event, do it your own way, and help others who have also been through breast cancer. It’s such a nice way for us to remember Mum, she’s still very much part of all of our lives. I love dipping into my creative side and making it something really fun for all of our friends and family to look forward to each year.

Last year I also took on a fundraising challenge for Breast Cancer Foundation – I raised over $5,000 doing a 10-day cycle tour through Cambodia. As soon as I saw the invitation I knew it was a no-brainer.

Both of my parents were born in Cambodia, I hadn’t been there before, and neither of my parents had been back. It was the first time I’d ever solo-travelled and to be able to do it in that country, for a cause so close to my heart, meant so much.

Pink Ribbon Breakfast is Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s biggest fundraising campaign when amazing Kiwis do some good in their communities. The money raised helps fund breast cancer education; innovative projects by some of our country’s top researchers; and supports patients and their families as they navigate through their breast cancer journeys.

And the best thing about Pink Ribbon Breakfast is that anyone can host a breakfast, it can be as small or as large as you like! All you need to do is invite some friends or family around, get your work colleagues or team together, and give them breakfast, morning tea, lunch or dinner. It can be as simple as a cup of coffee and a muffin.

In return, your guests are encouraged to give you a donation to pass onto the foundation.

JO I N FRIEND S AND FAM ILY F OR A P I NK RI BBON BRE AKFAST THI S YE AR. VISIT PINKRIBBONBREAKFAST.C O.NZ F OR MORE I NFORMATI ON

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UP FRONT

Editors-in-Chief Fran Ninow and Jude Mitchell Senior Writer Jamie Christian Desplaces

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Head Graphic Designer Zanalee Makavani Junior Graphic Designer Ken Khun Social Media Ashlee Lala Contributors Manish Kumar Arora, Paris Mitchell Temple, Aimée Ralfini, Jackie O’Fee, Nadia Klaassen, Melanie Dower, Vicki Holder Subscriptions online@vervemagazine.co.nz Published by Verve Magazine Ltd 160 Broadway, Studio 10, Newmarket, Auckland 1023 GST 90 378 074 ISSN 2253-1300 (print) ISSN 2253-1319 (online) Advertising Enquiries (+64) 9 520 5939 jude@vervemagazine.co.nz / fran@vervemagazine.co.nz Editorial Enquiries (+64) 9 520 5939 fran@vervemagazine.co.nz / jude@vervemagazine.co.nz Cover Image Servilles City Works Salon 18 Sale Street, Auckland CBD | 09 378 9799 Photographer: Simon Devitt

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Robert Jamison PHOTO GRAP H E R ― JAMI E TRI MB LE

Bold, innovative and boundary-pushing with his designs, Robert Jamison certainly knows how to make a statement with his architecture.Living and practicing in Belfast he shares his passion for design and creative thinking.

Is colour important to you in a home? Of course. We experience our environment through our senses, and the eye - the organ of sight - is principally concerned with light, colour and form.

Colour and material induce sensation/ feeling in collusion with proportion, scale, light and shadow et cetera, and all are equally fundamental to the creation and feeling of space. We need and want our homes to be a refuge, a sanctuary, a place of retreat, and as architects, designers and creators we are in essence influencing how the space is felt and ultimately impacting on the health and wellbeing of self and other, intended or otherwise. We have a mammoth responsibility.

My approach to colour is about honouring the natural material medium and allowing Nature’s intrinsic properties to be expressed and displayed.

Material and finish are carefully considered relative to the space inhabited and the characteristics sought from feeling Self, and each project is exploratory and experimental.

While our home is understood to be a series of interconnecting rooms with windows to permit natural light to enter, I see home as shelter to the enjoyment of the natural (and manmade) world, which we can manifest more easily in warmer climates and rural settings. I invite my students not to place windows within walls but create transparent edges and put back solid material as desired or required to percolate or control the light.

Further, architecture ultimately should become background to our relationship to Self and other, and with that, the darker the material (or colour) the further the building fabric recedes into the background. The warm and potentially deep hues of timber render it the material of choice, evidenced in the most sublime residential properties.

Hallways, do you like them? I prefer the vestibule to the hallway. Typically in our Northern European building stock the pervasive notion is of entrance door to hallway occupied by staircase to upper private sleeping spaces. In terraced, semidetached pre- or post-war or indeed more current suburban housing developments, hallways over time have become smaller, thus reducing potential for pause, de-robing and transitioning to dwelling spaces from the outside world.

The vestibule is not a route but a room. Fair of proportion, offering a functional space affording opportunity to pause, to sit, de-robe, and hang clothes, with requisite storage for umbrellas and shoes, coats and jackets. A most memorable vestibule experience included a wash hand basin.

The act of cleaning and cleansing before entering the home proper was sublime. Further the invitation to the remove footwear is imperative, if only to illustrate reverence towards our own or others hallowed dwelling spaces.

We love the concept you have that as we age we need to adjust our living styles? Can you elaborate on this? Let’s assume - as India’s holistic medical system of Ayurveda does - that we have three stages of life. Our growth/anabolic phase from birth to mid-twenties; our maintaining/ metabolic phase until our seventies; our declining/ catabolic age until our body withers and dies. Of course, we continue along or within the ever-present now, but as we evolve and as wisdom blossoms we favour alternative ways of inhabiting space. I feel it is absolutely necessary - and a recurring theme in my residential practice ideas and works - that rooms should not be prescribed, but rather hyper-flexible

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in dedicated function. Of course the surviving elements of wash, waste and cooking would be prescribed, unless we take this notion to its very essence and offer living without dedicated spaces.

Fundamentally I am not interested in creating bedrooms, bath-rooms, dining rooms, or indeed living rooms. Rather I suggest creating spaces to be appropriated and offering unique and contrasting characteristics relative to both internal and external conditions and environment, with the potential for patterns to emerge as we evolve through our stages of life, all supported within a simple and reduced spatial organisation.

A traditional architecture design practice aims to expand their portfolio of works by shifting from small scale residential to larger mixed use developments and towards public architecture through competition and invitation. This was my journey up to 2009. Since then I have come to realise the ever-present flaws, perhaps so obvious yet not appreciated, within what I call ‘the apparatus of living’. I felt a pull towards these objects of everyday life before beginning the journey once more through residential architecture and towards alternative building typologies and opportunities. The home is indeed our most sacred building, but our natural rhythms and patterns of (co)habitation must be understood, and gifted the backdrop to our lives in these sacred spaces.

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ARCHITECTURE and the education thereof is the looking and understanding of universe, from the global and soon galactic, to the molecular energetic. Architecture need not only shelter, but can and must nourish and sustain. Buildings can and must heal our energetic beings.

I feel it is rather odd how we celebrate buildings and gift accolades to architects, when the ‘apparatus of living’ within these structures is fundamentally unsupportive of our basic needs. The obvious example is the (throne) toilet. Unhygienic and flawed in its design. Its history is so bizarre it’s fascinating. I see the history of some of this apparatus as kinks in our natural evolutionary trajectory.

As architects I feel we need to first and foremost understand our bio-mechanical needs.

ARCHITECTURE and the education thereof is the looking and understanding of the universe, from the galactic and global to the molecular. Architecture need not only shelter, but can and must inspire, nourish and sustain. Buildings can and must heal our energetic beings. This is all possible, but we must understand Self before we learn how to create these spaces.

We have been distracted from our journey and pulled from our connection to the natural world and I see the errors of Western civilisation as complicit in this distraction. So many paradigm shifts and leaps

in progress have been brought about by greed or selfish desire, to overcome, overthrow, control and tame. Through a drive for more efficient modes of living and standardised structures to shelter, we have lost our connection to the natural, drifting through an existence lacking meaning and potential. However, I feel we can - and must - begin to unlock and reveal the elemental and natural and come back to and provide for the essence of who we are as a species.

It was only by travelling and observing other cultures that it become obvious to me that all is not what it appears to be in our world and that the western paradigm I existed within would seem and feel less advanced than indigenous cultures and nomadic tribes.

Now, I position my practice as a creative endeavour in search of understanding the inner experience with Self, and collectively with other, revealing perhaps new but more reverent modes of living and dwelling.

Where did you study? I studied at Queens University Belfast at undergraduate, postgraduate and as a part-time studio tutor for almost 15 years. Most recently I ran a Masters unit entitled “Without Precedent” with my great colleague and friend Professor Ruth Morrow. The unit’s focus was on material experimentation, a teaching studio on the edge of the syllabus, and periphery of the traditional.

Mark Twain said, “Never let schooling get in the way of your education”. I was determined to understand my world as I moved thought stages of existence, and university presented an opportunity to explore Self. I indulged, was not academic, but enjoyed the architects’ studio and whilst I worked hard, I played hard, exploring other dimensions, expanding my impressions, experiences and potentialities.

If you weren’t an architect what would you be?

I don’t think I am an architect as currently difined.

I have the title struck out on my website. What is an architect anyway? Way back architects didn’t exist and yet there we found beauty and delight in the natural. The etymological root of architect is ‘master builder’ and therein lies the clue. The master builder no longer exists, and the title architect can be attained without setting foot on a building site. So I’m a little confused. I feel the title has lost its truth.

However, I feel architecture is the study of the world we live in, and that study should begin at primary level education. We don’t realise the impact our built environment has on our health and yet we have an illness called ‘sick building syndrome.’ It is a global phenomena but less common if evident at all in the Antipodes where the natural world is more respected and understood for the most part. I have looked at and continue to study the worlds I inhabit,

and have a love for creating shelter. If I wasn’t doing that, I would still be creating. Deep down I feel a folk singer songwriter is waiting to blossom in another life or the next. My lifestyle would always be in the Arts and in service to others. Ultimately, we are all creators.

Favourite home? After closing my London studio in 2009 I would journey with purpose for 6 years. In 2010 I would serendipitously find myself gazing at the stars from a Japanese bath at Lovett Bay, North of Sydney in the home of Ric Le Plastrier. This was a building I had studied and would reference to my students over the years, and here I am in the twilight, on the edge of Ku-rin-gai National Park. Ric is a master boat builder and craftsman. The architect’s architect.

I would wake at dawn and study the details of his plywood construct, a single room, swags on the floor, kitchen and bathing outside under a deep overhang, with utility structure adjacent. Simple and beautiful. In a word, architecture.

A property I would like to explore is Frank Gehry’s L.A. residence. A remodelling of an existing detached suburban house, Gehry has wrapped the existing and unleashed a fascinating spatial organisation and elemental material simplicity.

Your favourite architect? I enjoy the work of Chilean architect Smiljan Radic, Japanese architect Go Hasegawa, and the monumental works of the Spanish practice Ensamble Studio.

In each there’s a sensibility transcending the ordinary, exploring ideas, experimentation and expressing potential in experience.

What is your favourite style of architecture?

Indigenous.

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I suspect you would enjoy the architecture in Bali? Indeed. In a climate where you can get closer to the five elements the building begins to dissolve, and materials employed are only to provide shelter while allowing the outside to enter. Very different in Northern Europe where hermetically sealed boxes are the norm, with small window openings and artificial lighting complicit in and contributing to the dis-ease of the population.

Homes in the UK are mainly brick and concrete, have you designed a stunning home with timber? Yes. My first commission was for a house in the rural setting of County Antrim. I created a timber frame structure on a polished concrete plinth, external skin, walls and roof, clad in tight wrap of western red cedar shingles. It received an international award back in 2008.

We have 'villas' in NZ which were designed by the English, but not for our weather. To allow the sun to come streaming into these villas, the back of the house is 'blown out', do you create a lot of this in the UK? We get tacked on polycarbonate conservatories/glass boxes to the rear of suburban homes. Unfit for use, they are too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. We are animals of nature and we crave the light. We create these boxes and the room leading to the box typically becomes a dark wide corridor, destroying the existing room.

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SUSTAINABLE HOMES

Furthermore, suburban living is ultimate designed by developers, with cookie-cutter house-types peppered across the landscape. Orientation is illconsidered and layout is ill-conceived such that we find conservatories on north-facing elevations.

It’s odd. It simply expresses an inherent disconnect from our natural rhythms, and a lack of compassion for Self.

Favourite architecture in which country?

I have travelled extensively in the Indian subcontinent and I delight in the undesigned.

Architecture without architects that reveals much about spirit, instinct, intuition and our creative energies.

Holiday homes, do you design many of these?

No, we don’t really have holiday homes here as you would in NZ. We have static-caravans. A sub-culture of the population who frequent semi permanent structures in orderly rows typically across fields in coastal locations. It’s a typology no architect has challenged, and one I have been contemplating for some time.

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Tell our readers what your favourite architecture job would be? I want to create a preschool building exemplar. The first public building a child will experience for a period of time outside the home. An education space. I have given this much time and thought and I feel it should be a biosphere. A transparent, non orthogonal shelter and backdrop to a natural environment both internally and externally. Indeed. I feel the holy grail of architecture to be a fully transparent fabric with built in tech to modulate light, capture solar energy and moisture. The fabric then draped over the existing or erected structure - demountable, mobile or permanent - affording a more intimate relationship with the natural world. I am interested in thinking about material at one level, and the creation of new models or building types at another, but all relative to the feeling Self and to spirit.

How has life been for you these past few months? I cannot complain. Life has been good.

A slower pace, more focused but busier. The weather has been kind and homeschooling has been outside exploring the landscape.

There has been a transformative shift from vibrant studio to online consultation, a form of practice that has been so rewarding. Through iPad screen share with sketch software, drawings and images have been analysed and ideas presented over Zoom. An offering of four to six unique ideas per week, unlocking, and bringing joy to new or troubled projects. Following the initial consultation further levels of collaboration are offered and explored. Over these past weeks I have engaged with individuals and families throughout Europe, US, South Africa and NZ. I

feel blessed to be given the opportunity to help others in their quest to find ease and stillness in the spaces they live and dwell.

Favourite design inspiration on Instagram?

The works of Pablo Palazuelo, Jean Petitpas or those artist and architects guided by spirit self, uncorrupted by fashion or taste. I also enjoy landscapes, engineering, tools, and those exploring the same. I love invention, new ways and methods and the natural world.

Magazines for your weekend sofa-side stack?

I don’t read magazines. If I have time I continue with the numerous books I have on the go. Currently Flea’s (of The Red Hot Chilli Peppers) memoir. It’s a divine read. I love the works of Joseph Campbell.

Always the ancient texts are with me and there can always be deeper explorations of the Yoga Sutras, Ayurveda or Vaastu Shastra.

Architectural and design books you treasure?

Essays written by Balkrishna Doshi on Corb and Kahn, the acrobat and yogi. I picked these up whilst visiting Sangath a stop on my solo motorcycle grand tour of India and environs covering some 20k km. Doshi invited me to visit and on arrival requested a lecture to his staff and students on my experiences traveling his homeland. I spent many days in Ahmedabad and before my departure received these works.

Downtime, how do you like to spend this? I have a woodland. 7 acres and much to do. I am creating external rooms and planning internal spaces. The cave and the canopy. When I enter the woodland environment my spirit is held, caressed and nourished. The natural environment is downtime for all. Unbuilt, and pure. I have a 3 year old son Forester, and a 9 year old stepson Mack. We love the forest. I am married to Kate, Ayurvedic consultant and yoga teacher. The woodland is our refuge, our retreat, our meditation room. Our practice space. It’s home. Natural and divine. Om Namah Shivaya.

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SUSTAINABLE HOMES

Sustainable Off Grid Homes

Nano Home PHOTO GRAPHY ― GREG C OX

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Modern Country PHOTO GRAPHY ― WARRE N H E ATH

Cabin Fever PHOTO GRAPHY ― WARRE N H E ATH

Minimalism is a term that is usually dismissed in today's culture of excess due to 'impracticality'. However, it does come with an array of benefits, and the Nano home utilizes these benefits in its modest yet beautiful 17m2 space. Taking inspiration from the bold aesthetics of Japan's traditional Zen Buddhism, the areas within then become defined as "spaces, not rooms. You could use the task room to store clothes or keep your sports equipment. You could have an upstairs study if you don't want to sleep on the mezzanine". Its modularity is also accompanied by its recyclable materials, making it an ode and a worthy blueprint to the sustainable approach.

When one is surrounded by the vastness and beauty of nature, it is only fair that one attempts to let it within their home. This has been the immediate goal for Amanda and Pietro, creating a symbiotic relationship with their surrounding environment and their home, as every angle introduces a carefully framed picture of a stunning sight from outside. Melding influences from the mid-century modern aesthetics, exposed rustic materials, and a smattering of antiques, the house transports its occupants into a simpler time, but not without the many comforts of modernity. Creating a refuge where they can enjoy some peace and retrospection.

Like a low flying nimbus cloud floating atop the KolKol farm in the Overberg, this cabin's curvaceous appearance gives it a gentle presence in the land. It is an inviting haven that doesn't shy away from the terrain which surrounds it, but invites it in to heal its visitors— incorporating the natural shapes of the land into its exterior and interior. Its exposed natural materials cradle its guests, allowing them to reconnect with themselves outside the many stresses of city life.

Providing them with the rare opportunity to peer into nature through a pod of comfort that sits harmoniously with its surroundings.

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Nano Home

JULY 2020

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The 17m2 Pod-Idladla compact home isn’t about minimalism or no-frills economy – it’s about the sheer joy of small spaces.

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SUSTAINABLE HOMES

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Modern Country

JULY 2020

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This off-grid pod home treads lightly on the earth and is a welcome rural retreat for its owners Amanda and Pietro. With its clean, contemporary exterior lines and an eclectic interior mix of mid century modern influenced furniture and a smattering of antiques, it is a comfortable and thoroughly stylish refuge for them and their son Antonio.

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SUSTAINABLE HOMES

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Cabin Fever

JULY 2020

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On KolKol farm in the mountains outside Cape Town, Rudi and Karen Oosthuyse have built a contemporary cabin that combines smart design with meticulous attention to detail.

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SUSTAINABLE HOMES

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JULY 2020

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Recreate These Looks With Resene

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Building Small, Living Big WO RD S — JAMI E C H RI STIAN D ESP L AC ES

JULY 2020

Seven years ago, Bryce Langston, with partner Rasa Pescud, launched the YouTube channel Living Big in a Tiny House to explore and showcase the tiny home movement from around the globe. With nearly 3.5 million subscribers and a view count standing just shy of half-a-million, it’s easily in the top five most successful online New Zealand shows, and climbing.

“I never expected it to be quite so wellreceived,” beams Bryce. “It all started from me wanting to build my own tiny home. I thought it would be an interesting opportunity to create some videos and create some conversation around alternative housing and maybe inspire a few people. The growth of the channel has been unbelievable and we’re super proud of the show and the response it generates.”

Why do you think that it has been so wellreceived?

“For a lot of people, life is so hectic, and I think they’re drawn to things that may create a little more resilience in their lives, a little more freedom. In addition, while architecture shows such as Grand Designs are great to watch, for many—‘generation rent’ especially—they can be disheartening. Most younger people will simply never be able to build those multimillion-dollar homes, but tiny homes are seen as achievable projects.”

Bryce’s easy-going manner and inquisitive style of presenting no doubt also helps lure and hook viewers, too. No stranger to being in front of the lens (Rasa is the one behind the camera), Bryce has previously starred in Shortland Street and Spartacus. He’s also a talented singersongwriter and in 2018 published his first book, also called Living Big in a Tiny House.

staggering in their imagination and execution, including one legendary example that unfolds from a trailer into a castle replete with turrets.

“One of the earlier tiny houses that had a real impact was in Japan, built by a master craftsman called Mr Tagami,” recalls Bryce.

“Whereas in Western tiny homes, people generally look to find ways to cram as much in as possible, his philosophy centred around only putting in what was necessary. His attention to detail was breathtaking—he even made sure that all of the timber lined up so that the grain ran continuously throughout, with nothing to break up the eyeline and the harmony. It really influenced what I thought possible in small space design.”

Is minimalism something that has always interested you?

“I’ve always enjoyed travel and have moved frequently, spending a lot of time overseas, so never really had the opportunity to acquire lots of things—whether or not my personality leads me to being that way, I don’t know!”

“I think that another reason the show works is that I’m not someone who goes out there pretending to be an expert,” says Bryce.

“Everything I’ve learnt, I’ve learnt on the job. I’m not afraid to ask questions.”

Episodes are generally 15-20 minutes long, covering topics such as innovative DIY tips and ingenious storage solutions (stairs that double as hidden drawers is stand-out example), while following countless folk who have embarked on a tiny home journey. The houses are often Rasa Pescud and Bryce Langston

livingbiginatinyhouse.com

23

Does tiny home living attract a certain personality?

24

“I’m always amazed at the variety of people.

There are so many reasons why people are attracted—for some it’s economic, for others it’s environmental, while many see it as a lifestyle.

There are people from all walks of life, from firsttime buyers to families to retirees looking to free up some capital.”

Bryce does say that there are, however, certain character traits that do help people adjust.

Hoarders, he chuckles, are unlikely to do well, while those living with others need to fast develop good communications skills: “Living, working and travelling with Rasa, we are often in high pressure situations and have learnt to communicate well. It has ultimately been a positive for our relationship.”

Any other lessons that you’ve learnt about yourself, and others, while making the show?

“It has taught me the difference between what I thought I wanted and what I really want. It taught me about the importance of family, of being able to have more time and resources to put into travel and have a life of less stress and with no debt.”

Indeed, it was a feeling of being “priced out” of the Auckland housing market that initially inspired Bryce and Rasa to investigate tiny home living. I ask if he believes society as a whole needs to change its approach and expectations as to how housing is built and of how much space we really need.

“I would rather see change happen organically,” says Bryce. “I don’t want to tell other people that they should live in shoeboxes. People who are excited about tiny homes should have the ability to do so, but if you place you’re priorities in having a bigger space, then that’s what you should do.”

There are also several legal hurdles. Not only do differing countries have different laws about tiny home living, but often councils within those countries—New Zealand included—then have contradictory regulations too. There is usually no issue for folks who have their homes on private land, but for those whose lodgings are affixed to a trailer with no fixed address the law becomes more difficult to navigate.

livingbiginatinyhouse.com

JULY 2020

“Tiny home living has shifted from being a fringe concept to being accepted as something more mainstream,” says Bryce. “Councils are accepting that and offering a greater range of parking, for example. The progress is largely thanks to grassroots activism and lobby groups—the New Zealand Tiny House Association, for instance, is working closely with officials to iron out many of the complicated issues.”

The couple’s tiny house—completed towards the end of 2018—is currently parked up on Bryce’s parents’ property. I ask how they coped during the ultimate tiny home living test: lockdown!

“It was actually brilliant, a really nice opportunity to spend some quality time in the house as we haven’t really had much chance as we’re so busy travelling with the show. We were also part of the bigger family bubble, so it was lovely.”

25

Did it change your perception in any way?

“If anything, it cemented my perception of tiny houses. As we witnessed the pandemic worsen and the financial implications and job losses that came with it, the general feeling among the tiny home community was of relief at not having the burden of rent or mortgages. It felt like we were in a much more secure position.”

Bryce and Rasa's Tiny home in the USA

While the tiny home communities are currently largely online, the dream is to build real-life ones (they are already developing in the US) where residents buy land together and build communal facilities such as laundries, veggie gardens, and spaces for functions and guests to stay. Forging friendships within the global community has, says Bryce, been one of the most rewarding—and unforeseen—aspects of his tiny home adventure so far, as has witnessing the conversion of living-small sceptics.

“We have met a few spouses and partners that needed some convincing to adopt the new lifestyle, but pretty much every one has adapted well and loved it. In fact, many of those who have built a second tiny home have often made it even smaller!”

livingbiginatinyhouse.com

SUSTAINABLE HOMES

Kirimoko Tiny House

By Condon Scott Architects

26

This small house, inspired by a cycle trip and a life lived out of panniers, is defined by a simple gable form and a sturdy black rain screen. The compact 30-square-metre one-bedroom home utilises cleverly crafted spatial devices to pack a lot of punch into a small place without compromising on the scale of the living areas. With a combination of passive house measures and structural insulated panels, virtually no additional energy is required to maintain a consistent level of thermal comfort against the backdrop of the unforgiving New Zealand alpine climate.

Located on a quiet suburban street in Wanaka, an ambitious 30-metre-square footprint was the brief for this unique onebedroom home. The client was motivated by the freedom of living with less and was inspired by a cycling trip where life was lived out of pannier bags.

For architect Barry Condon, this was a satisfying project that has been well received by the community, public and homeowners. “At first I thought it was a bit ambitious – a 30-square-metre footprint isn’t very much space to fit a kitchen, bathroom, sleeping and living space,” says Barry. “I actually tried a few times to make it a little bit bigger, but the client would always push back and try to make it smaller, which was interesting for me because normally with clients I am the one trying to reduce size! Ultimately we landed on a happy medium.”

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020

Despite its diminutive size none of the essentials of a larger home are missing. The house has a full kitchen, bedroom area and living space. The double height volume with its glazed faรงade creates a sense of airiness and space. There is room for artwork, a full sized fridge, two large couches and a coffee table. The design concept was envisioned as a crafted joinery box with not a morsel of space wasted.

Spring-back drawers pull out of each step tread and more storage is concealed under the kitchen joinery in the toe space. The external cladding is restrained but functional, combining asphalt shingles and larch weatherboards.

Passive heating and cooling was considered from the outset and there are minimal openings to the east, south and west to preserve thermal envelope. Constructed using SIPs panels and using passive house principles, the SIPs panels are taped sealed and wrapped in a secondary layer of building paper and ply to maximise thermal efficiency.

Since the client has moved into the home, a ceiling fan and portable heater have been sufficient to regulate temperature on both the warmest and coolest days. The smart energy monitoring system (Smappee) shows a consistent ambient temperature within the house of 20 degrees.

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The project has been the recipient of a number of awards including Winner of the NZIA 2019 Southern Architecture Award and a Bronze at the 2019 DINZ Best Awards.

Condon Scott Architects is an award-winning, Wanakabased practice that has completed over 600 residential and commercial projects in the Otago region over the past 30 years.

LOCATION Wanaka, New Zealand YEAR 2018 PROJECT ARCHITECT Barry Condon PHOTOGRAPHY Simon Larkin

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020

A Room of My Own WO R D S — M E L ANIE D OWER

The concept of a room of one’s own has long fascinated me. As the youngest of three girls and having moved in with my husband-to-be at the age of 21, I’ve spent less than a quarter of my life having a room to myself. As a child I would spend time in the woodshed or the space hidden under the stairs, until spiders or the constant threat of the low ceilings made me admit that even these private hideaways were less than ideal.

Since moving to Finland six years ago, I’ve been fascinated by the tiny mökki, or cabins, tucked amongst the trees on an island just across the water from Helsinki. Connected to the mainland by bridge, the City of Helsinki created campsites here for veterans returning from the war and for families who could not afford a summer cottage of their own.

Over time, site owners have replaced tents with permanent structures built to strict guidelines provided by the city, which allow for a cabin of no more than 14m2. When one came up for sale this summer I jumped at the chance to buy, given how rarely one gets the opportunity to do so. While some of the cabins are still in their original 1940s condition, others like mine have been replaced with simple but more solid wooden constructions.

While the land each cabin sits on is leased from the city, an association of cabin owners takes care of the grounds, compostable toilets and communal sauna.

With no electricity, heating comes from fireplaces and drinkable water is accessible from communal outdoor taps. In winter the nearby Baltic Sea freezes over and so the water is turned off to prevent the pipes doing the same.

Like most places in Finland, nature is left untamed to grow quickly during spring and it is only the weight of visiting feet that marks out the paths to each cabin site. Handsome pheasants and curious squirrels roam freely through the trees, energised by the sunlight which is now present for nearly 24-hours a day after the long dark winter.

Cooking is done outside on a grill and a beach café is only a short walk away and while I feel remotely tucked away among the birch trees, I can cycle to our city apartment in just 15 minutes. It’s the perfect retreat for me, a city girl, now in her forties, longing for some nature and the chance should I want it, to have a room of my own.

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

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Alternative Living with Box™ We forget that our concept of scale and expectations of size has changed dramatically, for both homes and cars, over just the last 40 years. The popularity of tiny homes is a cry for help in an age where the price of land has exploded due to an antiquated feudal land system and easy money (debt), and house building costs are expensive as a result of long, frictional supply-chains and modernism which renders local craft, material and simple construction unfashionable.

Let’s not beat around the bush, tiny homes are challenging (awful) places to inhabit, particularly for those with kids. There is an ideal size for rooms and homes, and it is based on human-scale and ergonomics. That’s not to say that clever design can solve issues of storage, but we need to be very careful that key design principles of space and light are not sacrificed for the desire to downsize. There is plenty of evidence linking poor housing quality to mental health issues. I shudder to think of the impact of small, dark, vertical shoebox apartments in central Auckland which lack basic amenities including connection to community (who can argue that it feels good to be trapped in a small space, many metres above congested and noisy transport corridors?)

Many people think of ‘alternative living’ as growing your own food or being self-sufficiency. The paradox being that inner-city living is really the ‘alternative way’ – self-sufficient, community living is what we’ve being doing for thousands of years before we thought that centralising all essential services and building towns for cars was a good idea.

Which brings us to the important element of community. We rarely give much thought to how the house fits in the context of the community, with other private, business or civic structures.

Communities of tiny homes simply serve to vilify the people who live in them, in the same way that aged care communities or social housing stigmatises the old and the poor. Variety is good, particularly if it is allowed to grow organically within a simple town-planning framework.

So, let’s promote ‘human-scale appropriate’ homes, which use local crafts, patterns and materials, and serve to bond communities.

BOX.CO.NZ

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TEN MINUTES WITH

Emma Chisholm of Alpine Wine Tours

Emma Chisholm, founder of Alpine Wine Tours and the innovative Queenstown Progressive Dinner Tour.

Have you always worked in tourism?

I worked in tourism in Australia in my early 20s working at resorts and have worked in tourism in Queenstown since 2017. I have grown up with tourism in my blood. My grandmother worked on the Earnslaw and Skyline Gondola back in the 1960’s and my parents worked in tourism and hospitality for most of their lives.

What motivated you to found Alpine Wine Tours?

It was founded to offer wine tour experiences which were more boutqiue and personalised, with smaller groups, all inclusive and exclusively for adults to ensure guests can relax, unwind and enjoy themselves.

Why Queenstown/Central Otago?

It’s the amazing place I call home. It also has some of the best pinot noir in the world and our vineyards are only a short drive from Queenstown.

What do you most love about the work?

We are so proud to showcase the amazing boutique wineries in the region. I first fell in love with Central Otago pinot noir after experiencing a magical Peregrine Pinot Noir at my dad’s 50th birthday celebration at The Bunker back in 2005 which went on to sell out after being featured in the New York Times.

“The highs are definitely when we hear back from our guests that it was the highlight of their trip and they had such an amazing time with us.”

You're so passionate about the industry, do you have a central philosophy?

It’s a fun and exciting industry to be in, however it has been challenging postCovid. I took the time to really look at our philosophy which is all about offering our guests an incredible experience with Kiwi hospitality, and

how we can really deliver more. The silver lining since the outbreak has been the opportunity to partner with some of the best restaurants in town including Akarua Wines & Kitchen by Artisan, Amisfield Bistro, Aosta and Eichardt’s Private Hotel.

What, in your opinion, makes the vineyards in your area some of the most special in the world?

The Central Otago wine region is so incredibly special with its amazing scenery and terrior. The magic of the wine reflects all the amazing people involved in the winemaking process who truly do this for the love of it and have such an affinity with the place. It represents that Kiwi can-do attitude and the pioneering spirit of legendary winemakers Alan Brady and Grant Taylor.

What fills you with pride?

I’m proud of all our stunning new restaurant partners and for launching the region’s first Queenstown Progressive Dinner Tour which showcases amazing locations around Queenstown.

Tell us about your team?

Our amazing local wine guide Vicki is a long time local, she is so passionate about the region, our wines, meeting everyone and showing them such a wonderful time. Vicki is also studying towards her Level 2 Award in Wines by the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) which is a globally recognised qualification.

And your customers?

Our guests are food and wine lovers from all over New Zealand and the

world. Whether they join us for a special celebration such as a birthday, honeymoon or wedding anniversary.

We even had a beautiful couple get engaged on a wine tour with us.

The highs and lows of being a tour operator?

There have been a few lately. The highs are definitely when we hear back from our guests that it was the highlight of their trip and they had such an amazing time with us, as well as delivering more incredible tours with the new amazing restaurant partners.

Also, collaborating with Winter Pride to offer the first dedicated ‘Pride Wine Tour’ and of course, tasting all the new releases and older vintages it’s part of our job not that we call it work!

The lows are those unpredictable and uncontrolloable situations like Covid.

Being a small local family business means you don’t have the large teams like some of the larger businesses so you juggle a few hats while working on finding that work life balance.

recently had the best massage of my life from Michelle at Indulge Mobile Massage & Spa. I love exploring like a local, around the lake, a short walk at Bob’s Cove and a wonder through Arrowtown.

Your personal top three dream destinations?

I absolutely love to travel and spent time living in both Melbourne, and London, UK. My wish list is to visit the other top Pinot Noir wine regions in the world, Burgundy in France, Oregon in the USA and after lockdown, I’m dreaming of a tropical holiday which could be any of the Pacific Islands!

“The magic of the wine reflects all the amazing people involved in the wine making process who truly do this for the love of it.”

Lessons learnt these past few months?

There are definitely a lot of lessons learnt and I probably need to spend some time to reflect on it in more detail. The main lessons so far are the importance of looking after staff, and how important it is to your success; having a better 'rainy day' fund; and being able to adapt fast and implement changes.

Besides Alpine Wine Tours, your recommendations for experiences not to be missed while in and around Queenstown?

An epic helicopter trip to Milford Sound with a landing on the majestic Earnslaw Burn with Heliworks. I also

a l p i n ewi n etou r s .c o. n z

Top-bottom: Akarua, Aosta, Emma Chisholm and the team, Emma Chisholm and Ben Bayley at Aosta.

The Perfect Weekend Escape Including an evening with Emma Chisholm, the founder of the Queenstown Progressive Dinner Tour, a MUST-DO when visiting Queenstown.

WORD S — VERVE E D ITO RS

For those of us are working full-time, there is nothing quite like a weekend away; a mini-break that requires the use of ZERO holiday days, is just so good for our minds and souls. Here in New Zealand we are so lucky as there is heaps of choice all within magic travel times, and Queenstown's Lakes District is an easy win. It boasts some of the best natural beauty in the world, with so much to do and choose from.

4:30PM

A few days ago we tested out the theory that a weekend away is a super smart way to vacation, less stressful planning, lower costs and maximum enjoyment - this mini break really did work wonders for us.

Transport awaited and we were soon at QT Hotel, our home for the night.

This modern beautiful appointed QT Hotel sits on Lake Wakatipu’s shoreline, and most rooms capitalise on the lake and mountain views. Located just a few minutes outside the centre of Queenstown, a 10-minute walk will have you at all the bars, restaurants, cafés and tourism operators a soul could wish for.

Arrived at Queenstown Airport Friday afternoon we arrived at Queenstown airport. A few minutes prior to landing we had been wowed by the views of stunning alpine scenery, mesmerising turquoise coloured lakes surrounded by tall mountains, covered in stark white at their peaks, their bases grounded in a soft chocolate colour. It’s not hard to understand why someone named these The Remarkables, because truly – they are.

The rooms were an easy 10 out of 10. Comfortable, warm, decorated in mid greys and whites with quirky art, circular mirrors and floor and hanging lamps. A sheepskin throw and leather bedside book-storage added to the look.

Our rooms boasted a breathtaking view across Lake Wakatipu and the snowy Remarkables beyond.

Bathrooms are gorgeous, with marbled grey floors, subway wall tiles and a giant circular mirror (lit up around the edges – perfect for easy application of make-up). The deep two-person bath was a treat, and a scented soak was mandatory. The complimentary bathroom toiletries are a must-try too. You will want to slip these into your bag to take home – so good are they.

Reds Bar in the QT Hotel

4PM

DAY ONE

QT Hotel

Wi-Fi was easy to connect to and super-fast, and the myriad goodies, tasty treats and minibar spoils available were mind-boggling. There was even the makings of a do-it-yourself martini, extravagantly announced on an ornate copper coloured tray.

We could have set up office here for a week – quite easily.

Amisfield Views from the QT Hotel

7PM

QT Hotel Lobby

6:45PM

Paua from the Amisfield

Alpine Wine Tours – Queenstown Progressive Dinner Pick Up After sampling cocktails at Reds, the bar with a view, in the hotel, Emma Chisholm of Alpine Wine Tours met us in the hotel foyer. Having visited Queenstown on previous occasions we were looking for something that was a just that little bit different. Emma recently started Queenstown’s first progressive dinner experience, an all-inclusive tour that visits three iconic locations, so we were confident it would hit a sweet spot. We were looking forward to an evening of fine wine, food and company.

Amisfield – Hors D’oevres and Wine Matching First stop was at the renowned Amisfield Bistro for an entrée and wine tasting. Being architecture junkies we just loved that everything about this gracious stone building reflected modern central Otago. With its pitched copper roof, recycled timberwork and remarkable stonemasonry, the building cuts a silhouette as sharp as the mountains that guard it. We tasted three wines and learnt that in Central Otago, the pinot noir must be drunk from a special pinot noir glass that boasts a tulip lip. Hors d’oeuvres were divine, with ingredients foraged from the surrounding countryside, infusing our dishes with an element of intrigue. Emma was amazingly informative with her knowledge of local wines having already completed her wine qualification. She was the perfect host for the evening, unobtrusive and delightful.

9:30PM

Eichardts

Eichardts for Desserts and Digestif By now we were getting used to the routine, eat, drink, chat, then jump back into the comfort and warmth of a Mercedes Sprinter to get ferried to the next delightful venue for more to eat and drink.

We continued to be impressed by Emma’s knowledge of local wines and the personalities behind them. For her, they are like old friends. I am pretty conservative when it comes to choosing my tipple; but spending time with Emma gently reminded me that the wine world is far too rich to drink only what I know and like, and that exploring new and different wines is a lot of fun.

Eichardts, possibly Queenstown most legendary hotel, never fails to please. Located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, it oozes history, and a genuine feeling of the many thousands of people to cross its threshold over the past 150 plus years.

Aosta Mains and More Wines Next up was Aosta, situated in the old Saffron premises and next door to The Blue Door, in Arrowtown. Opened last year by Ben Bayley and Michael Hill, Aosta offers the ideal way to pass time on a chilly Otago evening.

The warm buzzy atmosphere gave the feeling one gets when arriving home, and the Italian inspired cuisine served, was mouth-wateringly delicious: the sort of food one has to keep on eating even though full to the brim. It was fun being able to see the chefs at work in the open plan kitchen, as they prepared our chosen dishes – Foveaux Spaghetti and Buckwheat Fusilli. Here Emma suggested some wine options, encouraging us to choose what we like best. We both chose Emma’s recommended pinot noir.

Here we enjoyed dessert (lemon posset or marou dark chocolate truffle cake) accompanied by a choice of apple pie martinis or a rich golden coloured dessert Riesling.

Verdict: Yum! It was indeed the best possible way to end a very special evening.

10:30PM

8PM

Aosta

Back to the QT Hotel Dropped back at to our home for the night – QT Hotel.

Alpine Luxury Tours We wanted to make the most of our short stay in Queenstown so decided to let someone who knows the area like the back of his hand, show us round. Alpine Luxury Tours owner/ operator Lee Saunders, has a passion for sharing the part of the country he knows and loves with holiday makers. Over the years he has built many solid relationships with people in the area, and is able to arrange a bespoke adventure for you at the drop of a hat, ensuring that the time spent on his home turf will be your best Queenstown experience yet.

Lee collected us from the hotel at nine on the dot.

Buzzstop

9:30AM

9AM

DAY TWO

Alpine Luxury Tours

Buzzstop First up was Buzzstop, owned by Nick, a fifth generation beekeeper, and located in a 60-yearold beautifully renovated, sheep shearing shed with polished red beech floors. The need for coffee was soon satisfied, by a fine flat white made using Roar Coffee Beans, unsurprisingly roasted in the heart of Southland, the small batches ensuring an unforgettable aromatic taste. Fresh cream dough nuts were impossible to resist.

Buzzstop is not all about the coffee however, but more about honey, and Nick was soon in his element telling us all about local artisan honeys, introducing us to honeys we had never seen in Auckland before, and demonstrating the process of honey collection, from start to finish.

If you ever need to find out the difference between mÄ nuka and other honeys, umf or Leptosperin, Nick’s your man. He knows it all.

Buzzstop Cafe

Before departing Buzzstop, we were able to purchase a few items from the gift shop, including of course a couple of jars of local honey, and some honey soaps.

11:30AM

Arrowtown

1PM

Arrowtown

Akarua Wines & Kitchen by Artisan

On to Insta-worthy Arrowtown, South Island’s historic crown jewel. Lee regaled us with stories of his grandma who owned the first pottery shop in this quirky goldrush village, and introduced us to The Gold Shop, an oldfashioned outpost for local gold specimens, jewellery made with flakes of gold, and pearls.

By 1pm our stomachs were growling. A lunch stop was in order, and where better for a long lazy lunch then at Akarua Wines and Kitchen by Artisan. Located in the historic Walnut Cottage, built in the 1870s as an office for the local Wakatipu Flour Mill, it's literally the best spot to spend a lazy hour or two in the sunshine on a perfect blue sky day in Central Otago. Those of us who feel the cold can keep warm with cosy blankets and an inside fire is also available. The food was divine: I enjoyed a salad RUA poached pears / Whitestone blue / crushed hazelnuts / lavosh / watercress, while Jude chose Duck liver pate / macerated prunes / persimmon / crostinis.

The lovely Ali introduced us to a selection of their cellar door wines, a delicious golden buttery chardi, a clean on the palate with a hint of fruit sav (my fave), and the unique Siren Bannockburn Pinot Noir.

Akarua Wines & Kitchen By Artisan

2:30PM

Glenorchy and Paradise

5PM

Glenorchy

Farewell Queenstown

Tummies full, and feeling relaxed – we climbed back into the Mercedes and Lee headed us over to Glenorchy, along what is rightly recognised as one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Soon we were standing at the northern most end of Lake Wakitipu, admiring the views and taking snaps of the much-photographed Glenorchy Shed. Then on to Paradise! While some say Paradise was named after the paradise duck, common in these parts, the incredible natural scenery and breathtaking vistas provide enough evidence of it’s apt naming: we felt as if we had found heaven on earth. Heading back along the Glenorchy Road, we could have stepped out for a leisurely stroll around the beautiful and historic Bob’s Cove, but chose to revisit this next time we are in this stunning part of our amazing country, as our flight home beckoned.

Lee dropped us at Queenstown airport. We had already checked in so literally walked straight onto the flight, and were soon being treated to those record-beating breathtaking vistas from our seat window, as we bid farewell to this most stunning part of the country we call home.

And yes – a weekend vacation is definitely a thing and worth doing at least once a month.

WEEKEND STAYS

The City That Forever Steams WO RD S — JAM I E C H RI STIAN D ES P L AC ES

Queenstown might well be the birthplace of adventure tourism, however, Rotorua not only offers its fair share of adrenaline-fuelled activities but also represents the birthplace of tourism in Aotearoa having long before lured Victorian visitors to marvel at its volcanic landscape (including the legendary Pink and White Terraces sadly destroyed during the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886). Those tectonics also first tempted Māori to the region, and now that rich indigenous culture too serves as a massive tourist draw. Around a third of the city’s population is Māori and the spirit of manaakitanga— hospitality and kindness—runs as warm and deep as its subterranean springs.

Rotorua sits at the southern shore of its eponymous lake whose most prominent feature is Mokoia Island. According to Māori mythology, the monolith served as the site upon which the warrior, Tutuanekai, and the maiden, Hinemoa, sealed their forbidden love (two streets are now named after them). Mokoia has hosted a village for Māori and missionaries and now serves as a wildlife sanctuary for endangered birds. So, while the city is unlikely to win any urban beauty awards anytime soon, the combination of its cultural and natural splendour—coupled with the fact it’s a mere three-hour drive from Auckland— makes it a must-do.

SOAK The lakeside Polynesian Spa has been soothing souls (and soles) since the 1800s and rightly remains one of Rotorua’s top rest and relaxation attractions. Lesser known Hell’s Gate is positioned over the region’s most active volcanic field, its moon-like landscape shrouded in dense plumes of steam as the ground hisses and bubbles beneath your feet. It’s also home to the southern hemisphere’s largest hot waterfall (pictured above) that was said to help heal Māori warriors after battle. Alas, visitors are unable to follow bathe here, but there are opportunities to soak in volcanic mud baths and take a dip in some sulphur spa pools overlooking the park. There are opportunities to sample some hāngī and try your hand at carving, too. Half-an-hour drive south of Rotorua, there is a chance to bathe beneath a waterfall replete with a natural hot spring at Kerosene Creek—and this hidden gem is free.

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020

WALK The Redwoods Treewalk is a Rotorua icon, navigating a series of 12m-high boardwalks and suspension bridges strung between massive redwood trees that, come nightfall, converts into a fairytale-like wonderland replete with hanging lanterns and light shows (pictured right). A couple of super strolls closer to downtown include the Sulphur Point track that winds past wetlands with water birds, and Kuirau Park which has some splendid geothermal features including mud pools and hot springs—all for free. Those looking for something a little more challenging should consider the Rainbow Summit Track that takes in crater lakes and affords views of some of the wider region’s biggest hits such as Mount Tarawera, Lake Taupō, and Tongariro National Park from its 743m peak.

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BIKE Your probably didn’t realise that Rotorua is a world-renowned mountain biking destination that hosts international competitions, but you don’t need to be world-class cyclist to enjoy its infinite trails. Thrillseekers have another excuse to head up the Skyline gondola aside from the views, luging, or dining at Stratosfare; its Gravity Park cradles 12km of forested and downhill trails for all levels, and more than 130km of tracks snake through the enchanted Whakarewarewa Forest, including the impressive grove of Californian redwood trees (pictured left).

Rotorua also serves as the starting point for the Te Aha Ari Cycle Trail, a 48km Great Ride that stretches all the way to Waikite Valley, passing heaps of volcanic attractions along the way.

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WEEKEND STAYS

ADVENTURE

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From kayaking to jet boating, and zorbing to ziplining, Rotorua has it all, but the star adventure attraction is undoubtedly white-water rafting on the Kaituna River that affords some Grade 5 rapid riding that can be tackled by novice paddlers.

While rapids are usually formed by boulders just beneath and peeking through a river’s surface, here they’re formed by an uneven—but smooth— riverbed meaning not only is the raft unlikely to crash into anything, but if you do wind up in the drink there’s little danger of banging into some rocks. There are plenty of calm spots to steady the nerves in between the several sets of rapids, and the chance to ride three waterfalls including the 7m Tutea Falls, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. Incredible fun.

THE LAKES The region isn’t referred to as the ‘Lakes District’ for nothing.

Rotorua, the largest of 18 local lakes, may be explored courtesy of a kayak, a jet boat, a stand-up paddleboard, or the Lakeland Queen, New Zealand’s only stern-wheel paddle-driven liner.

Opt for the Twilight Wine Cruise to be rewarded with vino and appetisers as you watch the sun set. The gorgeous nearby adjacent lakes of Tikitapu and Rotokākahi—or Blue and Green Lakes—may be viewed via the Blue Lake Track that winds thorough native forest and past secluded beaches. Though you may swim or kayak Tikitapu, Rotokākahi is privately owned. Lake Tarawera is arguably the region’s most beautiful, surrounded by dense bush and host to Hot Water Beach where hot springs flow directly into the shallows. It’s a lovely half-day hike to get there and you can book a water taxi back (or both ways, if you prefer).

DRINK AND DINE Unfurling for only around 100m at the lake end of Tutanekai Street, the indoor-outdoor precinct of Eat Street positively pulsates. An eclectic array of bars and eateries means visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to dining and drinking options, including Thai, Indian, Italian and plenty of premium gastropub fare. Brew Craft Beer Pub has an awesome selection of boutique brews, as does Ponsonby Road Lounge Bar. A handful of establishments also regularly host live music slots adding atmosphere to the entire strip, further enhanced come nightfall by some expansive fluorescent mood lighting. Further afield, reached via the Skyline gondola, Stratosfare affords some high-end dining from the top of Mount Ngongotaha with Lake Rotorua and city views.

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JULY 2020

THERMAL ATTRACTION The infamous sulphur smell that permeates the Rotorua air and the ever-present scattering of steam plumes serve as permanent reminders of the subterranean rumblings that serve the city’s star geothermal parks. Though the volcanic attractions are plentiful, they do have each have their own character which eliminates that if-you’ve-seen-one-you’veseen-them-all feeling. Pōhutu, which translates as “constant splashing”, the southern hemisphere’s largest active geyser, erupts up to 30m at Te Puia, a park also home to a kiwi house and a wealth of traditional Māori architecture, while Wai-O-Tapu is

among the most popular geothermal wonderlands owing to its array of dazzling colours, most notably around the iconic Champagne Lake. The world’s youngest geothermal system awaits at Waimangu Volcanic Valley (pictured above) which packs plenty of greatest hits into its forested craters, including marble terraces, belching fumaroles, and bubbling pools of mud. The valley was formed following the eruption of Mount Tarawera and culminates at Lake Rotomahana where visitors may embark upon a cruise to the site of the Pink Terraces with the massive volcano looming in the near distance.

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WEEKEND STAYS

Only the Best The Village Picnic After gaining a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, Philippa Potaka spent 20 years overseas working in five-star hotels and high-end restaurants. Latterly, she helped set up The Bach Eatery – an award-winning Kiwi-inspired restaurant in Sydney.

Despite success in Australia, she yearned to come home and began dreaming up a home-based business in New Zealand.

Philippa came up with The Village Picnic. Based in Matakana, it delivers carefully-curated gift and picnic hampers for all occasions – whether it be for a mystery date, a corporate function or Friday night nibbles after work – with the emphasis on locally sourced contents.

“I’ve always been a big supporter of boutique New Zealand made products and Matakana is like a foodies paradise. Some of them we used with great success at our restaurant in Australia.”

Order a Village Picnic hamper and your choices to fill it include Matakana smoked salmon, Puhoi cheese, Matakana chocolate, and kombucha from Omaha.

To complement the local selections, Philippa has scoured the country for artisan producers of the best charcuterie, pate, seeded crackers, cheese and smoked snapper.

“I have an eye for detail with my hospitality experience, a sustainable conscience and a taste for good things,” she says.

Gift selections can include beautifully recycled timber chopping boards, eco friendly Earth Candles made with upcycled beer bottles, beeswax wraps and even a large platter in the form of a mini picnic table with fold-up legs.

Meanwhile, picnic baskets come with a compostable, insulated pouch to keep chilled items suitably cool.

In addition to having the right items, Philippa says presentation is a key part of The Village Picnic approach.

She uses traditional Māori woven flax baskets, handmade in Mangawhai and says no two baskets are the same. It is important that I curate with the recipients taste and style in mind for the customers budget and occasion.

“I love to see people enjoying good quality food around the people they love,” she says.

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Save 10% if you stay two or more nights from now until 22nd October 2020.

PR OVINCIA L PICNIC & H AND PICKED HA MPER S Carefully Curated • Locally Sourced • Eco-Friendly

Delivered Nationwide 027 912 0710 P HI L I P PA@VILLAGEPICNIC. CO. NZ V ILLAGEPICNIC. CO. NZ

S

et in a private gated peninsula just a few minutes’ drive from the township of Russell, Donkey Bay Inn offers exclusive luxury accommodation in a spectacular setting overlooking the stunning Bay of Islands. Cooled under a huge living roof and harnessing solar power from the sun, the Inn is fully energy efficient.

Arrive to something quite unique – enter through an intriguing garden tunnel into the inn’s private courtyard.

Four exotically styled suites and rooms feature wide views of the bay. Balconies or terraces offer private relaxing areas. Discover four-poster beds to relax and luxuriate and spectacular ensuites with organic toiletries in each room.

ONETANGI ∙ WAIHEKE ISLAND

Unwind and enjoy the stars in one of our two outdoor tubs overlooking the ocean on the edge of the peninsula.

Stroll down a meandering sculptured pathway and steps to a secluded sandy naturist beach.

Complimentary transfers by a vintage Daimler to and from Russell for evening dining, or to take the local ferry to Paihia It’s everything you never expected.

JULY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS STAY FOR 3 NIGHTS, PAY FOR 2 NIGHTS Book online or give us a call

141 THE STRAND, ONETANGI, WAIHEKE ISLAND 09 372 4484 ∙ 021 225 3929 INFO@THESANDSWAIHEKE.CO.NZ WWW.THESANDSWAIHEKE.CO.NZ

DONKEYBAYINN.CO.NZ 38 LONG BEACH RD, RUSSELL 027 240 9109 ENQUIRIES@DONKEYBAYINN.CO.NZ

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Drink The Wild Air WO R D S — J O WIC KHAM

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It all started from being a child free to roam and sleep in the forest. After 17 years working as a photographer in Auckland I found this place. Glamping. Luxury in the wilderness.

and flushing toilet. Be transported to your glamping site via electric cart. Balance and rejuvenate in the pared-back surrounds, take a bath in the forest clearing, drink in the pure fresh air and the serenity of the forest.

Is there anything better?

WILD FOREST ESTATE TIN BOX Set in nature with an outdoor bath and fire pit this converted shipping container makes the perfect romantic getaway and weekend retreat. This solar-powered glamping site is operating fully off the grid and is deliberately without a Wi-Fi connection though it is the only site within mobile range. Inside is a comfortable queen size bed and luxury linen bedding with an indoor bathroom including shower and flushing toilet. The space has an outdoor covered kitchen with a barbecue and gas hob. Be transported to your glamping site via electric cart. You can be assured of tranquility and a minimal carbon footprint. Get super close to nature and RELAX!

Into a dream where magic becomes real, 35 acres of forest full of moss and lichen, teeming with birds. Three rivers meet, an amphitheatre of wild forest in a secluded corner of Northland. A 1910 kauri bushman’s cottage, added to by a clever architect in the 1980s. A tent pitched in the trees and a converted shipping container above the canopy of the forest. A place to listen for the quiet of the stars and the moon. To drink the wild air.

WILD FOREST ESTATE HIDEAWAY Escape civilisation to this incredible and peaceful Kauri Coast weekend getaway. The historic 1910 Kauri Bushman’s Cottage has been decorated with luxury fabrics and a selection of vintage pieces collected over many years. Reconnect with nature on your own private deck surrounded by native New Zealand forest next to a stream. Hear the call of the kiwi along with tui, kereru and ruru. Travel just 3km to Trounson Kauri Park and experience kiwi in the wild.

WILD FOREST ESTATE GLAMPING Discover this isolated slice of Kiwi paradise and stay in a lotus belle tent set in the forest. Revel in native birdsong.

At night, explore the stars of the southern sky. This solarpowered glamping site is operating fully off the grid and is deliberately without a Wi-Fi connection. You can be assured of tranquility and a minimal carbon footprint. The space has an outdoor covered kitchen with a barbecue and gas hob. Inside is a comfortable queen size bed and luxury linen bedding with a covered bathroom including shower

W I L D FO R E S T E S TAT E. C O M

JULY 2020

Fly in for the Weekend and Bike It Now! Fly into Queenstown and one hour later you are tucked up in your accommodation in the and historic village of Clyde.

Delight in an iconic dinner experience at one of three excellent restaurants. Clyde offers a wide range of accommodation, all superb, however if you are after something that is truly special, look no further than Oliver’s Lodge and Stables.

The next day, activities beckon: Choose between a One Day Wonder on the Otago Central Rail Trail or the Roxburgh Gorge Trail. Enjoy a wine-tasting at the local Clyde Village Vineyard, and end the day with another memorable dining experience.

The next morning you will be returned to Queenstown Airport to leave for your chosen destination, or choose to extend your stay

for an extra night and complete both one day wonders.

All of this can be booked directly through Bike It Now!, who will take care of all your arrangements ensuring that everything is as personalised as possible These trails are suitable for all abilities, and a wide range of bicycles to choose from ensures that everyone’s preferences are covered.

The OCRT is suitable for all ages and stages, the Roxburgh Gorge requires confident riders with being a little more technical. Bike It Now! has the right bikes for riding these trails, including the latest E Bikes.

IN FO@ BIKE ITN OW.C O.NZ | B I KE ITNOW.C O. NZ | 0 8 0 0 2 4 5 3 6 6

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Come cycling in stunning Central Otago. Check-in with the experts, we personalise everything to your needs.

YOUR SOUTH ISLAND HOLIDAY STARTS HERE 23–28 SEPT

Spring Blossoms in Central Otago

6–11 OCT

D’Urville Island & Marlborough Sounds

14–19 OCT

Majestic Tour Queenstown-Doubtful

Great multiday adventures for everyone. Two day fantastic rides. Long weekends and our awesome One Day Wonders.

Sound O/N Cruise 29 OCT–2 NOV

North Canterbury Art & Gardens

4–9 NOV

West Coast Highlights & White Herons

9–15 NOV

Molesworth Station & Upper West Coast

21–28 NOV

Stewart Island, Catlin’s & Milford Sound

EARLY BOOKINGS RECOMMENDED 03 314 7220 · 0274 351955 info@southislandtoursnz.com southislandtoursnz.com

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles” Tim Cahill

CONTACT: 0800 245 366 NZ freephone INFO@BIKEITNOW.CO.NZ | BIKEITNOW.CO.NZ

A family-friendly, rural, stylish eatery nestled in beautiful gardens near Drury. Just 1km from the Drury off-ramp you’ll discover Red Shed Palazzo.

Tucked off the motorway down Jesmond Rd and nestled amongst the beautiful and tranquil surrounds. Red Shed Palazzo is a stylish, yet relaxed, eatery that's family- and dog-friendly!

The menu boasts items from creative breakfasts to well-balanced lunches with everything from gourmet omelettes to fettuccine with smoked salmon and sun-dried tomatoes.

Run by owners, Paul and Kristina Smith, the cafe is open from Wednesday til Sunday. You’ll enjoy tasty innovative cuisine in a laid-back environment that also serves delicious ALLPRESS Coffee. The fully licensed cafe has a full range of Mount Riley wines.

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Winner Rural Cafe Of The Year

The gorgeous garden surroundings are the perfect place to hold your wedding or any special occasion, with an abundance of trees and water features. This stunning, quiet oasis of plantlife is available to hire for functions and offers beautiful photo opportunities aplenty.

Red Shed Palazzo specialises in wedding, birthdays and any special function.

Sunday marketS

Red Shed

Palazzo

www.redshedpalazzo.co.nz

Weddings - Birthdays Red Shed Palazzo large logo.indd 1

or any special occasions

9/07/2015 10:26:36 a.m.

Breakfast/Lunch – licensed

OPEN 5 days 8.30am - 4.00pm Wednesday - Sunday

WINNER RuRal CafE of thE YEaR

16 Jesmond Rd, Karaka Ph (09) 294 6687

Email: eat@redshedpalazzo.co.nz

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JULY 2020

Be My Guest Waiheke Be My Guest offers a hand picked portfolio of fabulous holiday homes in Waiheke’s most sensational locations.

Whether you are looking for a beach holiday, to celebrate a special occasion, get away from the city and chill, or the perfect spot for a family holiday, they have the perfect property for you. Their service is excellent, by making the booking process a breeze and providing the most useful information and insider tips to help you enjoy the island, along with the warmest of welcomes.

Needing a break? How about an island getaway?

Be My Guest Waiheke are the people to talk to! We have properties for every occasion - large, small, family friendly, dog friendly, luxurious, perfect for a romantic break or a large family get together! Talk to us now...

ESCAPE TO WAIHEKE

BOOK NOW 0800 400 248 BEMYGUESTWAIHEKE.CO.NZ 49

P ho t o C red it : R a c he l G il l es p i e

LOCATION High Country Cabin Twizel, Mackenzie Country, South Island, New Zealand, 7999 VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

CONTACT Instagram: @highcountrycabin hello@highcountrycabin.co.nz highcountrycabin.co.nz

WEEKEND STAYS

The Inn At The Convent Taumarunui.

Welcome To Our Beautiful Historic Boutique Bed & Breakfast Accommodation located in the heart of the Ruapehu district

Why visit?

• • • • • • • •

Golf course (Rated Top 50) Forgotten World Highway Forgotten World Adventures Lauren’s Lavender Farm Timber trail Great walks Whanganui River 55 Minutes to Whakapapa

The Inn At The Convent 9 High St, Taumarunui Ph: +64 7 896 7764 Mobile: + 64 (0) 21 974772 theinnattheconvent.co.nz 50

ity c e h pe t a c s E NZ FAMILY OWNED WINERY

LAWN BAR CELLAR DOOR WINE TASTING RESTAURANT EVENTS

WWW.THEHUNTINGLODGE.COM

WAIMAUKU,

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AUCKLAND

BISTRO & BAR

#supportlocal

Freedom Farms crispy pork belly, organic baby carrots, baked fennel and cauliflower crush

09 60 0 3 2 5 9

9 1 U PLA ND RD, REM U ERA Morell is an owner operated bistro and bar set on the leafy corner of Upland and Benson Roads, Remuera.

MORE LL .CO. N Z

Husband and wife duo Daniel and Sarah Morini warmly welcome you to come and enjoy their delicious autumn menu, while supporting a local and community establishment.

At Morell Bistro kai is much more than food.

It’s about whānau, friends, community. How we source ingredients matters, and suppliers are all small business operators.

The menu, created by owner-chef Daniel, of Italian-Māori, descent shows you where we come from and where we are going.

Seared tuna sashimi, wasabi mayo, burnt chilli dressing and crispy squid ink tapioca wafers

OPEN 6 DAYS

Always inspired by the roots of familiglia, and manaakitanga, the Māori tradition of hospitality, everything we do is presented to you with aroha, care and pride.

YO U R LO CAL B ISTRO

Get Cosy In The Kitchen This Winter!

Food Writers New Zealand has released its first electronic cookbook, Cosy, which promises to deliver new ideas for delicious, hearty fare, while also raising money for Meat the Need, a national charity with a goal to supply much needed meat to City Missions and Food Banks throughout New Zealand.

The e-cookbook is just $10 and contains a collection of 40 achievable, family style, winter recipe contributions as well as a series of thought provoking food stories from Food Writers New Zealand members.

For more information or to purchase a copy of the electronic cookbook, go to foodwriters.org.nz

JULY 2020

Beef Stew on Pappardelle Brooke Lyons Ensure your casserole dish has a tight fitting lid to seal in all those wonderful beef juices. Otherwise you will find it helpful to place a disc of baking paper directly over the beef and sauce before placing on the lid.

Use a vegetable peeler to pare off a strip of orange rind.

Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 2 1/2 hours Serves 4

Method Preheat the oven to 170°C. Cut the beef into 2.5-3cm pieces and roll in the seasoned flour.

Ingredients 500-600g stewing steak – such as chuck steak or cross-cut blade steak 2 tablespoons seasoned plain flour 3 tablespoons olive oil

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and when hot, add the beef pieces, in batches, so not to overcrowd the pan. Brown beef on both sides, transferring to a casserole dish as you go.

Lower the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until the vegetables are beginning to take on a bit of colour.

Pour in the wine, if using, and allow to bubble up and reduce, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the beef stock, herb bundle and pared orange rind. Bring up to the boil, then pour over the beef in the casserole dish.

The liquid should just cover the beef.

1 red or brown onion – finely sliced 1 carrot – finely diced 1 stalk celery – finely diced 1 cup red wine – optional 1 cup beef stock – or more if needed 1 bay leaf, 2-3 sprigs thyme and 2 parsley stalks tied with kitchen string 1 strip of pared orange rind

Cover dish with its tight fitting lid and place in the oven.

Cook for 2-2.5 hours until the beef is meltingly tender.

Taste for seasoning, adding extra salt and pepper if needed.

Serve beef stew with cooked pappardelle and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. A big bowl of steamed green vegetables will finish the meal.

To Serve cooked pappardelle 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves – roughly chopped

P H OTO G R AP HY – TAM WEST

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JULY 2020

Chocolate Croissant Tray Baked Pudding + Salted Cocoa Cream Fiona Hugues My youngest kid, and a few of his mates for that matter, will do most things for a buttery French pain au chocolat. Routinely they will dig directly inside to extract the chocolate, leaving a few scant traces of pastry lying about like Hansel and Gretel did (perhaps so I can find them later in case they get lost). This cinch of a dish is one way to get them to eat the lot. With a dollop of salted cocoa cream on the side, it will lure chocolate fiends of any age. Simply whack everything in a baking tray and thrust it in the oven. No, not your kids, just the pudding.

Prep Time 15–20 mins Cook Time 30 mins Serves 4–6

Method Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake. Lightly grease an ovenproof baking dish, about 20cm x 26cm x 5cm.

Heat the cream and milk until almost boiling. Add the dark chocolate and set aside to allow the chocolate to melt.

Pudding 300ml cream 150ml full cream milk 100g dark chocolate – broken into small pieces

Put the croissants in the baking dish, cut side up (they should fit snugly). Tuck a square of milk chocolate inside each croissant half.

Whisk together the eggs and sugar, then slowly whisk in the warm milk and cream. Pour this mixture evenly over the croissants, ensuring all pastry is soaked.

6 large croissants – cut in half 12 squares milk chocolate 3 large eggs

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is crispy.

1 tablespoon caster sugar

To make the cream, beat the cream, cocoa, sugar and salt together until it forms soft peaks. Transfer to a small bowl.

Add a little pinch of extra salt and dust with a little more cocoa if wished. Serve with the pudding.

Salted Cocoa Cream 250ml single cream 2 tablespoon dark cocoa powder – plus extra if wished 1 tablespoon icing sugar 1/3 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt flakes – plus extra for sprinkling

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Food and Forests for Thought WO RD S — JAM I E C H RI STIAN D ESP L AC ES

KLAUS LOT Z

JULY 2020 Growing up near the small Bavarian hub of Würzburg, there’s no way that the young farmer-cum-educator to-be, Klaus Lotz, could ever have predicted his town’s unusual design would not only shape the rest of his life but influence communities in the Amazonian jungle and Aotearoa’s far north.

“It had been built, quite sinisterly, to be self-sufficient in preparation for the war,” he reveals. “Everyone had to have a garden with goats and chickens. My grandfather was a deeply passionate gardener and grew a lot of food, so that’s how my interest in agriculture began.”

LATIN LANDSCAPES Thanks in part to some family connections, nearing the end of high school in 1984, the green-fingered teenager was offered the opportunity to head to the Brazilian rainforest where he would work alongside legendary Swiss farmer Ernst Gotsch.

Gotsch is widely revered for developing a revolutionary agricultural technique known as syntropy that uses native and introduced plants to nourish soil in order to rejuvenate forest and farmland that most would long since have given up on.

“Way back then, you may as well have told people you’d had an invitation to work in a space lab,” recalls Klaus with a chuckle.

“I was so far out of my comfort zone. We were living in makeshift tents made from tarps, with no mosquito nets, and we were having to hack through the jungle with machetes. I was working alongside local labourers who looked like pirates! It was such fun working with them, but the days were so tough. I had no idea up until that point how much the human body can work.

It was a very empowering experience, and wonderful to part of—though it didn’t always feel like it at the time!”

The following years were spent studying, working and teaching between Germany, Bolivia and Brazil. Then, 16 years ago, Klaus moved with his wife, Vanessa, and young children, Frida and Josh, to Northland where they established their PermaDynamics farm in Matapōuri.

Combining syntropy and permaculture (a holistic system whereby all elements work together, and nothing is wasted), Klaus developed a food forest that grows all manner of crops—including nonnatives like tamarillos, macadamias and bananas. Produce from the forest is sold at local markets, and the family also run onsite workshops.

“I can’t help myself from creating a food forest wherever I go,” says Klaus. “When

you work with syntropic techniques, the results are so fast it blows your mind.

You can turn these ugly, unproductive wastelands into beautiful, regenerative food forests that throw food at you yearround. You just want to do that, to show everyone how it works, to share it. It’s such a no-brainer that you wonder why we ever produce food in any other way.”

He also uses his cattle dung to make biogas for domestic fuel. I ask if such techniques could be adopted on a mass scale.

“It can work on a large farm, but it would need to be broken into smaller sections.

The whole point of permaculture is that you don’t segregate the production processes, you integrate them.”

Klaus points to the enormous amount of waste produced from, say, a 1,000-hectare dairy farm, that winds up in an effluent pond.

“In permaculture, you’d ask, ‘How can you create more opportunities and livelihoods from the same piece of land?’ The waste could be converted into biofuel that warms a hot house that grows vegetables.

This business could be run by another company. You might want to put tree rows in your paddock to give the cows more shade, prevent erosion and increase soil fertility, so maybe there is somebody who could take care of the farm forestry, do the pruning and process the timber.

People could also support each other if someone is sick or wants a holiday. This is the philosophy behind permaculture on a mass scale—shared infrastructure.”

It seems to make so much sense, why isn’t it more widely adopted?

“One of the reasons is that energy and resources are still relatively cheap. It’s also labour intensive. Unfortunately, anything complex—which permaculture systems are, just like nature—we try to dumb it down all of the time for agriculture, to make it simple, and we pay the price for in terms of degenerated landscapes and food quality.”

BIRDS AND THE BEES Not only does Klaus’s farming system replenish the soils but lures more creatures to the land thus creating a selfsustaining circle of life.

“I love eating,” says Klaus. “I love to just go out and work in the forest and shove things in my mouth—mandarins, mountain paw paws, whatever you come across while you’re working tastes much

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

better than when you eat it off a plate. I also love hunting in the section. The land’s insane productivity attracts heaps of possums, which are easy to shoot when they go up the inga bean trees. They’re a very good, clean meat, and of course we don’t want them in the bush. And we get wild pigs which I can use to stock up the freezer. We can easily feed ourselves from our 1.5-acre plot.”

The farm even gets some free labour by way of the birds!

“The birds bring in a lot of stuff from the surrounding bush,” says Klaus, “so there is quite a bit of native forest that grows through our forest that would easily replace it if we were to step back. They work nicely together.”

When the family first moved to the area, Klaus taught agriculture at nearby NorthTec college, so, he admits, didn’t notice the ever-burgeoning bird population on his land. Now, he can’t get enough of his circle of feathered friends, which even includes some resident kiwi.

“Kiwi like our system because, over the years, we converted hard, compacted soil into something really soft and spongy,” he says. “Especially in the drier months, they can really get their beaks in there to find the worms.”

Tui, too, are big fans of the nectar from the banana flowers.

“Tui numbers have shot up big time. We had a tui nest in a tree over the deck just outside the house with chicks in it and one night the mother came to our French doors and began scratching at them. I went out to see what was going on just as a morepork was flying off with the last chick. The tui had come to us for help which is quite crazy when you think about it. So, they certainly appreciate our presence, as we do theirs.”

Klaus says he doesn’t even listen to music these days, he’d rather listen to the birds.

“I do play the flute though,” he adds, “and sometimes it feels as though I’m communicating with them.”

What a beautiful thing.

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FOOD

Dine Out at

Lupino

WO RD S — VI C KI H O L D E R

On a chilly autumn night, Lupino is packed with old friends, gathered together in the warmth by the fireplace, clutching globes of red wine over pasta, pizza and tiramisu.

In summer, the outdoor tables will be full of patrons enjoying the sea view over the road, quaffing oysters and Italian prosecco as the sun sets over Mission Bay. Lupino is a rare, unpretentious gem with hearty food, great service and an extensive wine list.

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When he found the restaurant last year, Scott Denning saw an opportunity to evolve it into something more stylish; a modern bistro that’s accessible for everyone, with a choice of wines by the glass.

Down came the dated paintings on the walls and the Italian themed paraphernalia hanging from the ceiling.

You won’t find any checked tablecloths here. Scott upgraded the kitchen equipment, the cutlery and glasses.

Setting the scene with a black and white photo of two elderly women crossing a road in Rome covering a whole wall, the backdrop to wooden floors lit with bare Edison bulbs, he created a hip, friendly vibe.

It was BYO, but Scott switched to a wine list befitting a proper neighbourhood Italian bistro. It’s been carefully curated and you won’t find supermarket wines in the mix.

There’s Peregrine Saddleback Pinor Noir from Central Otago, Windrush Empire Chardonnary from Marlborough and Hawkes Bay’s Pyramid Valley Cab Franc from New Zealand, and some beautiful Italian reds like the Montecampo Montepulciana and Tricerchi Brunello di Montalciano. At the higher end, there are some chiantis and barolos. Watch this space because he’s adding some French wines too.

The food focuses on fresh ingredients and the pasta is handmade on site. There’s lots to choose from.

“I’ve taken a bit of a punt and gone with a good-sized menu with the confidence that we’ll be busy. Fortunately we are,” says Scott as he scans the bustling room. “We’ve had a great response from the locals since we opened and we’re going from strength to strength.”

Scott has packed each dish with delicious, exciting details. The evening we went, the market fish was hapuka that melted in your mouth, served with crunchy broccolini, tomato sauce and a charred eggplant puree that tasted like smooth, edible smoke. The Chocolate Creameaux balanced dark chocolate cream, cacao nibs, crunchy hokey pokey and a salty knob of peanut ice cream for the perfect contrast. It was rich and decadent. We savoured every bite.

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JULY 2020

Lupino is a rare, unpretentious gem with hearty food, great service and an extensive wine list.

The restaurant is open evenings from Tuesday to Saturday and Thursday to Sunday for lunches. Scott is rolling out a new Sunday lunch menu and will rotate the proteins each week – “maybe pork, then beef, then a three-course offer”. Special desserts like apple tarte tatin will pop up as a weekend treat.

It’s kid friendly too. On weekends, if you come in early ice cream is included in the family meals.

While the lockdown initially caused a few supply difficulties especially with the European products, Scott quickly sorted that out, sourcing local growers and farmers and an Italian wine importer. This lets him constantly evolve the dishes for seasonality.

Whenever you go, you’re sure to find the atmosphere lively at Lupino. The food is fabulous, the service great.

Melody will keep you entertained and you’ll never be bored with the everchanging menu.

Updated and revived as a classy, modern eatery, Lupino is a welcome addition to the seaside restaurant mix in Mission Bay.

Luckily, the sudden downturn also rewarded Scott with the chance to pick up a stable of fantastic, experienced staff who had been made redundant elsewhere.

Melody, the effervescent restaurant manager who you may remember from her three-year stint at Prego in Ponsonby, has grateful patrons in the palm of her hand with her impeccable timing and relaxed, easy charm.

She has big plans of her own. By summer, she’ll be dishing out the espresso martinis and an array of even fancier cocktails.

Expectations run high from those who have checked the Lupino website. Scott has an impressive reputation, having cooked in such luminary establishments as Le Gavroche and Pied a Terre in London. He was head chef at Auckland’s prestigious The Grove and spent many years abroad adding to his culinary experience, working for wealthy clientele on super yachts and setting up restaurants in Moscow and St Petersburg.

Yet Scott explains, Lupino has no pretensions of fine dining. “We’re trying hard to stay accessible, doing good hearty meals and we’re working our way towards wine matching,” he says.

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Juno Winter Gin Cocktail Ingredients 50ml Juno Winter Gin 20ml lemon juice (fresh squeezed) 15ml lychee syrup/juice 10ml coconut cream 10ml St Germaine Elderflower Liquor 5ml Heddadura Agave Syrup (plus extra for garnish) 1x egg white rose petals (dried) or small flowers for garnish

Method Prep garnish first. On the edge of your glass (going downwards) with a pastry brush gently make a line (about 1cm wide) down using the agave nectar. Hand add your dried rose petals gently pressing down so they stick to the side of the glass, have some more on hand for your final garnish too.

Add a pitted lychee to the bottom of the glass as well (you will pour the cocktail on top of this).

Pop your remaining ingredients (gin, lemon, agave, lychee syrup, St Germaine, coconut cream) into your cocktail shaker followed by the egg white. Don’t be worried if you see the coconut cream separating it will mix when shaken.

Top with ice and shake hard and fast until you see the egg white foaming nicely.

Double strain into your glass and add the remaining rose petals in a line following the one on the glass.

Enjoy!

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

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Order online junogin.co.nz Available at: Liquorland Newmarket, Caro’s Wines, Liquorland Boutique Remuera, Cahn and Finlay Wines and Spirits, Kiwi Liquor Ponsonby

FOOD

Puglia Restaurant Owner Cosimo Shares his passion and inner secrets of his Italian heritage and love of Italian cuisine.

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Can you tell us a little about your background?

I’ve been working in the hospitality industry for more than 25 years. We moved to New Zealand in 2014 and I worked for a well-known Italian restaurant in Herne Bay and after that in Takapuna. Finally, last year, I made the call and opened my own Italian restaurant.

Tell us about your workshops?

I’ve always loved making handmade pasta at home so a couple of years ago I thought: “Wouldn't it be a great idea to share my knowledge with people that would like to learn how to make some fresh pasta?” That’s how I started holding my workshops. People have the chance to learn how to make real fresh pasta following the ancient Italian tradition and in different cuts, using a classic pasta machine.

When did you first learn to cook, and who taught you?

When I was just a child my grandma Francesca taught me how to make fresh pasta and bread.

I used to spend hours and hours in the kitchen with her making orecchiette and tagliatelle. My mum is an excellent cook too and passed me a lot recipes and tricks of the Italian cuisine in general.

Both these women are my true inspiration.

Most people love the Italian culinary culture, why do you think this is?

I think people love Italian cuisine because of its richness and taste. Everything is made using simple and fresh ingredients. Italian cuisine is also very varied, every region has its own traditions and distinctive style from risotto of the north of Italy to tortellini of Emilia Romagna or fresh pasta of the south.

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Your food philosophy?

My food philosophy is to keep it simple, use fresh ingredients, and add heaps of passion and love!

Anything else you would like to add?

Follow us on Facebook @pugliarestaurant and Instagram @pugliarestaurant. Support local businesses!

Pantry staples?

Italian spices, flour, semolina flour, extra virgin oil, balsamic vinegar, parmesan, mozzarella, tomatoes, eggs, and cooking wine.

And a very special thanks to our head chef Hamish Barbour who has worked with me over the last six months and helped me make all this real. He brings to Puglia his knowledge of Italian cookery learnt in Europe and Australia. Hamish graduated from AUT in 1997 and worked in Auckland until an OE to Germany turned into five years of cooking and living. After Europe he returned close to home working in five-star resorts and popular restaurants in Sydney, including The Italian Village Restaurant in the Rocks. Returning to NZ for family reasons, we are now happy to have Hamish cooking our delicious Puglia cuisine.

Italian restaurants that have inspired you?

Ristorante Don Carmelo in Cellino San Marco, Puglia; and La Divina Pizzeria in Arona, Lake Maggiore.

Your food hero?

My grandma and my mum of course! But also chef Cannavacciuolo.

Current favourite dishes on your menu?

Orecchiette Puglia with anchovies, pecorino cheese, broccolini and cherry tomatoes; and Orecchiette truffle, with Italian truffle paste, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, parmesan and parsley.

Your Sunday routine?

Wake up late, spend some time with the family, then off to the restaurant.

Who cooks at home?

When I’m home, me of course!

3 top tips for making the best lasagne or bolognese?

1.

Use homemade pasta sheets 2.

Cook Bolognese ragu following the authentic Italian recipe (check out our Facebook page!)

3.

Use fresh besciamella sauce

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HOME & DESIGN

Simplicity Love Gabrielle Toledano

Curved Walls

Gabrielle Toledano designed the ribbonlike walls that curve their way through this Parisian Apartment. Toledano wanted to create a ‘light element’ that would create dimension and interest in the beautifully neutral home. The floors are of the timeless herringbone pattern, and the lighter wood walls provide a strong contemporary look and feel to enlighten the space. Toledano created a seamless design addition to the Parisian apartment, which is beautifully executed and provides a focal point to the already impressive space.

Fornasetti

Metafisica Candle

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Pierno Fornasetti was a versatile and eclectic Italian artist with a stellar creative flair that inspired many. Fornasetti candles are housed in a handmade ceramic vessel that displays the candle beautifully inside, and the intricate design on the outside.

Designed with the inquisitive nature of humankind in mind, the sophisticated candle will fill your senses and your home with a delectable scent. After the candle has fully burnt, you are left with a vessel that can be turned into a decorative piece, or a vase.

COS

Padded Coat Wrap Collar COS takes inspiration from art, design and architecture, and celebrates connections through unique collaborations. The Padded Coat with Wrap Collar is no exception to this, and is a cold-weather classic with a modern twist. To keep you that little bit warmer, this coat has a detachable collar that can be added and removed as you please, making it superbly versatile. This coat is a staple for the colder months.

BoConcept

Granada Table Create an urban dining experience with this superbly built dining table, designed

by Morten Georgsen. The solid pedestal base is slim to allow for more leg space, and the tabletop features a clever built-in extension leaf that takes the table from a four-seater to an eight-seater.

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020 Atelier Oslo

Cabin Norderhov

Cabin Norderhov by Atelier Oslo is a seasonal, eco-friendly retreat overlooking Lake Steinsfjorden. The layout of the home revolves around a central glass and metal fireplace that burns beneath a suspended mantel. The fireplace is surrounded by hexagon tiles cut from marble, which gives the area a modern focal-point. From a stunning feature in summer to a source for ultimate warmth and comfort in winter, this fireplace is simplistic but wonderfully designed, and is an inspiration for any home.

Matisse

Wiggle Side Chair From Matisse Designs, this side chair is sure to create interest in the home with its sculptural form, designed by architect Frank Gehry. Included in his furniture series ‘Easy Edges’, this chair involves the use of an everyday material: cardboard.

With a relatively basic shape to the seat, the bottom holds all of the design with its curved edges to create additional shapes within your lounge setting. It will stand the test of time due to it being constructed with the exemplary skill of an architect and accommodates the comfort and durability that you desire.

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Nendo

Mai Square Handle Handbag Japanese design studio Nendo recently partnered with Up to you Anthology on a new handbag design called Mai. The Mai series of leather bags takes on a completely new design, as the bag is constructed from a singular piece of laser-cut leather that has been dyed with a plant derived tannin. The flat piece of leather is shipped to the customer, who then easily assembles it at home simply by pushing a few rivets through the precut holes. The bag then transforms from a two-dimensional piece of leather to a three-dimensional functional bag.

Shaina Mote

Chiron Jacket The Chiron Jacket is a timeless cropped jacket with wide sleeves and an oversized shawl collar that drapes effortlessly over the shoulders. It wraps beautifully around the body and ties to close with a belt. It comprises of 90% wool and 10% cashmere, making it soft to the touch and warm for the colder months.

WO R D S – NAD IA KL A AS S EN

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

HOME & DESIGN

Elite Kitchens: Local. Legendary 68

Elite Kitchens’ owner Hamish Ross proudly guides Verve around his stylish showroom, sliding open draws and doors that, like the wardrobe of Narnia, reveal improbable hidden spaces. Shelving seamlessly spins, unfurls and unfolds, magically multiplying in surface area while making everything easier to access and often eliminating the need to reach or bend. Next door, the workshop hums, cabinetry proudly stands in various stages of completion and the scent of sawdust lingers in the air. Hamish greets all his craftspeople by name. In today’s ever-decentralised manufacturing and business worlds, Elite Kitchens emits the romance of a cottage industry. Any work that needs to be done off-site is always delegated to folk in Auckland.

“I’m very aware of the fact that this business has been around for over 60 years,” says Hamish, “and has been an integral part of the community for a very long time.”

Previously a partner in a leading legal firm, it’s been an incongruous journey for the affable businessman who’s also a doctor of philosophy in law and an America’s Cup stalwart of 25 years (a photo of his gorgeous, 122-yearold yacht, Rainbow, hangs on his office wall). Looking for a new challenge six years ago, this was one business opportunity that was too good to miss.

cabinets, and there is ample opportunity for clients to sit with the designer and meet the cabinet maker and see their kitchen being made. It’s a lot more of a hands-on process. Many clients, don’t bother, but the opportunity is there!”

There is even an opportunity to view the kitchen built in the warehouse so that clients may request any last-minute tweaks or adjustment to the detailing or the layout. The whole process takes, on average, as little as four weeks, while the initial design consultation is free.

“It used to be that the kitchen was hidden away at the back of a house, but now it represents the home’s heart,” says Hamish. “It is the living room, it is the lounge, it is where you spend most of your ‘awake time’.”

Getting down to the nitty gritty, it is also your home’s most valuable room.

According to Westpac, every dollar spent on your kitchen and bathroom sees a $1.50 increase in the value of your home.

“It used to be that the kitchen was hidden away at the back of a house, but now it represents the home’s heart.”

“What sets Elite Kitchens apart is that we are a manufacturer, not a shop front,” says Hamish. “Our designers work closely with the guys making the

“That’s a whopping 50 percent return and a heck of a lot better than most investments!” says Hamish. “Elite’s designers help guide you how to best get the best value return on your investment. It’s not just our kitchens that are designed around you, it’s also our service. Our designers make your kitchen dreams come to life so that your new kitchen will soon be part of the family.”

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The Elite Recipe Elite: Making Kitchens Count Since 1958 Elite is trusted by the nation’s leading architects and building companies and is the first choice for many renovating their dream home.

Key ingredients in kitchen construction include communication, care, and expertise. Elite staff is not only on-hand to steer the design process, but to answer any queries that arise along the way. They can even strip out your old kitchen and hook you up with plumbers and electricians when it’s done.

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Built to last, Elite uses—excuse the pun—'top-drawer’ European fittings by the likes of Blum, Hafele and Hettich, their moisture-resistant boards incorporating environmentally certified wood products.

Not just kitchens, Elite’s bespoke builds include study nooks, vanities, and entertainment units.

You’ll likely spend more per square-metre on the kitchen than any other room in the house, so be sure to make it count.

2

Check out the Elite seasonal specials, they can help out with all budgets. But remember, cheapest is not usually the best option in the long-term, your kitchen is an investment as well as a purchase.

Like a well-stocked spice-rack, Elite provides a palette of cabinet finishes and colours. Choose from the likes of gloss finishes in white or champagne tones, matte cabinets in blues, greys or warming neutrals, and wooden finishes in oak and graphite with natural finishes that showcase their distinctive grains.

Add a benchtop. Stainless steel is still has its place, but more popular are those forged from engineered stone of crushed granite. Ceramic is the worktop of the future, so tough hot pots can be placed directly on to it (it is a pricier option but getting evermore competitive).

3

Choose features such as taps and handles before stirring in innovative features like stovetops or charging mats incorporated into the worktops that eliminate not only the need for unsightly wires, but arguments about who unplugged whose device!

4

Place in the workshop, visit as required and watch your vision rise. Tweak if necessary before it’s packaged and sent to your home.

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HOME & DESIGN

A Question of Balance 70

It’s an interesting dilemma. Naturally, you want your new kitchen to stand out and be the star attraction in your home, but in the same breath, you don’t want it to compete with the rest of your décor, or distract from the beautiful natural vistas you may have from your living space.

This kitchen, in a newly completed home that occupies an enviable site overlooking the Hauraki Gulf, is a case in point as it has magnificent views and a stunning new interior. Richard Cripps, owner of Kitchens By Design, says that it was one of those dream jobs to be involved with, but it took careful planning to achieve a balanced result for his clients.

“Being given a brand-new space to work with is always exciting, but it also has its challenges,” says Richard's designer. “Our clients’ original brief was for their new kitchen to be black and white, but I worked with them to flesh out that idea, to tone it down and create something with a bit warmth, but still had punch, giving them the monochromatic look they asked for, to tie it back into the décor of the rest of the house.”

The designer says the biggest impact you can make in any kitchen is your choice of cabinetry. Here, he opted for a textured timber veneer, stained grey. This helped provide warmth and also softened the cabinetry’s impact on the rest of the room. “To give my client the black-and-white element she asked for, I designed a black island, clad in a durable engineered stone that has a bold white vein running through it. I chose a matt finish to stop glare and reflections – because it’s in a high-sun space – and I also built in a wine fridge on the dining side of the island, as my clients are big on entertaining.”

For the benchtop along the back wall, the designer specified a 5mm steel plate that wraps up and around the entire cooking zone. “Our client had seen something similar in a magazine and loved the idea of it. It certainly helps add a bit of visual interest and also fits nicely with the grey stain of the wood veneer – as does the playful, round-patterned tile used for the splashback, which was also their choice.”

Adjacent and separate to the main kitchen is a large, walk-in scullery. “It’s a long, narrow space with a slim, slot window at one end,” explains the designer. “In here, we made the finishes a lot more utilitarian, moving away from the textured timber finishes and opting for smooth, easy-clean surfaces. We also specified a white benchtop to break up the dark-grey cabinetry.”

Overall, the ‘flat’ finishes and darker tones employed in this kitchen have helped it take a back seat ahead of the views that rightly dominate the open-plan living space, fulfilling the designer’s goal of striking a perfect balance between standing out as the beautiful kitchen it is, and subtly blending into its environment.

If you’re thinking about putting in a new kitchen, give one of the team at Kitchens By Design a call, or pop into their Auckland-based showroom at 3 Byron Ave, Takapuna, ph: 09 379 3084. And for inspiration, take a look at their website at kitchensbydesign.co.nz

Visit our showroom today.

3 Byron Avenue, Takapuna (09) 379 3084

An entertainer’s kitchen with exquisite design details.

kitchensbydesign.co.nz

HOME & DESIGN

Big Brands Online

Kiwi service at its best!

It's well known that ‘cheap’ purchasing options for home appliances are not always the wisest choice and the number of different brands to choose from leads to a daunting experience.

We’re seen as a refreshing option for people who want to choose an appliance from the comfort of their own environment, without having to trudge around appliance retail outlets trying to obtain the information they require.

‘Extended care’ sums us up really. Our business is a reflection of our integrity and honesty that has earned us a reputation for reliability, which includes offering manufacturers' warranties on everything we sell.

Thankfully, Big Brands Online provide front-to-back service, discussing your desires and presenting options for your consideration. We offer brands such as Award, Bertezonni, Eurotech, Indesit, Parmco, Steel, Trieste, and Whirlpool.

Brands that are well-designed, look sleek and modern and stand the test of time.

Aside from price, what separates Big Brands Online from the other retailers is our extended service. This philosophy revolves around genuine extended customer care which is why the relationships we establish endure with clients long after the sale is completed. Customer care ensures the customer is advised of their appliances journey from purchase to delivery, including carriers tracking advice to make sure the appliance is delivered in a timely manner.

The website hosts listings of our entire current range, including some seriously priced sale items you won’t want to miss out on! Every product is listed with full specifications, dimensions and instructions, so you can be confident in your purchase before you even add it to your cart.

To foster ongoing relationships, we promise to do what’s right by you. Every experience you have with us will be positive.

We enjoy relationships that live beyond warranty periods and want to keep it that way. Our reputation is everything to us.

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Big Brands, Better Prices

EUROTECH

50cm Gas Hob/Electric Oven ED-GEFC50-WH

OXFORD

90cm Steel Black Gas Hob, Electric Oven X9F-6-NF

WHIRLPOOL

Crisp/Grill & Steam Microwave MWCF25B

CALL US 0800 67 33 77 · BIGBRANDSONLINE.C O.NZ

JULY 2020

100% Natural New Zealand Beeswax Candles Are Perfect For Any Occasion 09 524 5890 • RETREATNZ.CO.NZ RIALTO CENTRE: 163 BROADWAY, NEWMARKET 73

The friendly team specialising in home rentals and property management.

The “A” Team of Property Management and Rentals.

A family business that specialises in rentals and property management, we offer you friendly professional service. We are the best in the business, let us prove it to you.

Real Estate is a very competitive industry by any standards, and it is uncommon to find a true ‘team approach’ among top performers, Just Rentals proves that it can be done.

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HOME & DESIGN

Retire at Home Many retirees want to be able to stay in their homes as long as possible. With the support of Elderly Assist you may be able to stay in familiar surroundings much longer than you thought.

Elderly Assist has launched a new service to help you stay in your home and stay safe.

Together we work out a plan to suit your current and future needs. We partner with organisations that bring knowledge and practical advice and services to make your entire home environment - house, garage, shed, garden - organised and safe.

Our professional team at Elderly Assist have been assisting our clients declutter, pack up and move to a new home for many years. We now bring those same levels of expertise and care to our new service - helping you stay safely in your own home.

Staying in your own home is not as difficult as you may have thought with the guidance of Elderly Assist We can: ∙ Talk to you about your current living situation, physical mobility and any concerns you may have. ∙ Give independent advice. ∙ Introduce you to services to enable you to maintain your independence and stay in your own home and community.

Call us to arrange a time to discuss the support you require to Retire at Home 0800 839 874

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VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

www.elderlyassist.co.nz

Think over 5,500 happy residents in 28 villages.

We’re proud to report our happy residents recently gave us an impressive 96% resident satisfaction score.

That’s a lot of thumbs up.

Come and see why our residents love the Summerset life at Summerset Heritage Park. Our stunning range of brand-new 2-bedroom apartments are available now from just $650,000!* Contact our Sales Manager, Lisa Nelson today to book a private appointment to view our show homes, plans and pricing.

*Licence to occupy.

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09 950 7960 | summerset.co.nz/ellerslie

Lucy in the Sky and Microdosing WO RD S ― JAMI E C H RI STIAN D ES P L AC ES

In April 1943, Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann wrote a memo to his boss at pharmaceutical company Sandoz explaining that he’d had to leave his laboratory early having felt “a remarkable restlessness combined with a slight dizziness”. Back at home, the chemist described a “not unpleasant intoxicated-like condition” accompanied by an “extremely stimulated imagination”. With the sunlight causing a sudden discomfort, Hofmann closed his eyes to an “uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures” alongside “extraordinary shapes” whose colours were “intense” and “kaleidoscopic”. Hofmann had, via skin absorption, unknowingly microdosed on a chemical compound he had earlier developed (unsuccessfully) to stimulate respiration and circulation. The compound was a lysergic acid combination, or LSD.

JULY 2020

“If you’re microdosing, you might even forget you’re doing drugs in the first place,” writes Simone Kitchens for The Cut. “The amounts are sub-perceptual, without seeing the side effects.”

A few days later Hofmann, informing no-one but his lab assistant, decided to experiment further.

Swallowing a miniscule 250 millionths of a gramme of LSD, Hofmann expected little to happen until his intake increased significantly, which he planned to do in equally infinitesimal incremental measures over the following days. But, less than one hour after the first dose, the scientist wrote in his journal “...feeling of anxiety, visual distortions, symptoms of paralysis, desire to laugh”.

Hofmann needed to be escorted home by his lab assistant as he essentially experienced a ‘bad trip’ replete with dizziness and malevolent hallucinations. A doctor was called but could find little wrong with his patient other that dilated pupils.

Even Hofmann’s pulse and blood pressure were fine. Soon, Hofmann’s fear gave way to a feeling of fabulousness. Writing of his state the following morning in his memoir, LCD: My Problem Child, Hofmann recounts how, with heightened senses, everything “glistened and sparkled in a fresh light” as if the world was “newly created”.

A NEW REALITY Animal tests were equally compelling. Cats dosed with acid became afraid of mice, fish swam strangely around their aquarium and, most fascinatingly, spiders changed the way they built their webs.

Though the arachnids’ architectural prowess was greatly diminished following large doses of LSD, smaller hits resulted in spiders crafting webs that “were even better proportioned and more exactly built than normally”. Hofmann grew ever more convinced that LSD posed no risk to his health and continued with his self-experimentation.

The following years saw Sandoz manufacture LSD under the name Delysid as a treatment for mental health issues, even recommending psychiatrists drop some acid to better understand their patients!

The notorious Project MkUltra (which was actually 162 separate projects) saw the CIA carry out secret tests during the 1950s on thousands of Americans—often without their consent—while attempting to harness LSD’s powers as a weapon of mass mind-control to be used during the Cold

War. Two decades later, the US Senate concluded the project not only violated citizens’ rights but demonstrated “a fundamental disregard for the value of human life” with long-lasting psychiatric, occasionally fatal, consequences. As later noted

by Hofmann, LSD’s effects’ unpredictability is its “major danger”.

By the mid-1960s Sandoz had stopped manufacturing LSD. It was banned in the US and the UK in 1966, and in 1967 in New Zealand, the year, of course, that also spawned the Summer of Love. LSD had gone mainstream within the counterculture, embraced by artists, musicians and writers, inspiring 1960s’ masterpieces such as The Beatles’ Revolver and Tom Wolfe’s tome, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. It was one of many drugs of crammed into the trunk of the car in the riproaring road trip of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter S Thompson’s semi-autobiographical novel, and spawned new musical genres such as acid house and psychedelic rock. LSD certainly didn’t appear to hamper the genius of Steve Jobs either, who revealed taking the substance to be one of the more important things he’d ever done (and that Bill Gates would have been “a broader guy if he had dropped acid”).

TINY HIGHS Rather than seeking new dimensions of consciousness, millennials are now microdosing for everyday purposes, more likely to be searching for ways to grow their property portfolio rather than their hair. As the name suggests, 'microdosing' is the ingesting of a minuscule amount of LSD (or sometimes magic mushrooms) usually to the tune of one-twentieth to one-tenth of the traditional recreational amount.

“If you’re microdosing, you might even forget you’re doing drugs in the first place,” writes Simone Kitchens for The Cut. “The amounts are subperceptual, without seeing the side effects. They’re still themselves, users say, only a little better.”

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

>>

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HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS A way of enhancing, not escaping, everyday life, microdosing (which, it should probably be pointed out, is still illegal) is said to increase energy, bolster focus, enhance creativity and better mood; some even claim it helps kick addiction (or, at least, swap it for a less harmful one). The trend can be traced back a decade to Silicon Valley types turned on by the preachings of pioneering LSD researcher and psychologist James Fadiman in his book, The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide.

In 2018, the first ever placebo-controlled microdosing trials of LSD took place, and the results, Scientific American reports, showed it “appreciably altered subjects’ sense of time, allowing them to more accurately reproduce lapsed spans of time”. Though the study did not definitively prove microdosing to enhance mental capability, it did point to “a compelling story on how LSD alters the brain’s perception and cognitive systems in a way that could lead to more creativity and focus”.

A controversial 2015 study even concluded LSD made the brain more “complete”. Lead researcher, Dr Robin Carhart-Harris—the first scientist to test LSD on humans in 40 years—reported how the drug “unified” the brains independent networks responsible for the likes of vision, movement and concentrations. While our thinking becomes more rigid with age, under LSD, our brains almost

resemble those of a child, “free and unconstrained”.

Last year, clinical psychologist Rosalind Watts of Imperial College London told the Telegraph of a small study that showed magic mushrooms to reduce symptoms of depression. She believes microdosing to harbour interesting potential, “for creative mood management, PMT, anxiety and a whole host of things”, but laments the lack of scientific studies. Auckland University will belatedly embark on such a study this year (delayed due to coronavirus) that lead researcher Dr Suresh Muthukumaraswamy hopes will make up for 50 years’ worth of potentially missed opportunities owing to LSD’s global prohibition. He describes microdosing as “an underground phenomenon”, yet scientists still have little clue about the cognitive consequences.

Countess Amanda Feilding, founded of the Beckley Foundation that promotes drug policy reform, first took LSD in 1965, and describes microdosing as “adding a little sparkle” to the everyday, “like a psychedelic vitamin”. Many of those she knows— but won’t name—that microdose “enthusiastically” are Silicon Valley types responsible for “some of the big breakthroughs of our time”.

Perhaps another San Francisco-inspired Summer of Love is just over the horizon. We sure could do with it.

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HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

Q & A W I T H S E R V I L L E S P L AT I N U M S T Y L I S T

Monique Hoareau

When did you know you wanted to be a hairdresser?

When I was a little girl, my mum always cut my hair. On special occasions, she would style my locks with flowers.

She also happened to be a hairdresser from Wellington.

It’s no surprise that I am my mother’s daughter.

How would you describe your hairdressing? My style is like a chilled, crisp glass of champagne. It’s bubbly, it’s fun and it’s worth every penny you spend on it.

What is your favourite part about working in the new City Works salon? Well, in the early '80s when I was younger, so much younger, I met Paul Serville: a teacher, a confidant and my mentor. Working at City Works gives me the opportunity to work alongside my friend Paul once again.

Outside the salon, where can you be found? Usually, I’m in my garden or walking the beach and sometimes I can be found fossicking through the bric-a-brac all around Auckland.

Who would you like to have dinner with dead or alive?

That’s a really tough question. I would give anything to have one more dinner with my papa.

Can you give a brief overview of your personal beauty routine? Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. The best quality sunblock I can afford. My personal beauty routine?

Cleanse, tone, Botox.

Trends you're currently loving? Trends and fashion go round and round. What I love to do is collaborate with my clients, to shape, cut and colour a style that works for them.

Architect Jack McKinney Jack won NZ House of the Year 2019 and designed Amano restaurant.

Painting/mural Ross Lewis Ross has done murals in bars around the world and recently completed a mural in an old monastery that was converted into a bar in New York. Inside the painting in the salon, he has hidden a King Kong for the clients to try to find.

Lights (bubbles) Clooney’s restaurant Mirrors 56 mirrors in total City Works Depot Another creative space produced by James Brown and Simon Rountree who have also done the scrapyard in Grey Lynn, Ponsonby Fire Station and own Tournament Carparks

P hoto g raphy — Si mon D evitt

About Servilles City works

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What are some of your favourite things about Auckland? Working in the middle of town, I soon get my fill of the hustle and bustle of city life. The sounds and smells of the big smoke.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I am a gal from the west, come sundown I dream of my little home in Piha.

SERVILLES CIT Y WORKS 18 Sale Street, Auckland CBD 09 378 9799 | servilles.com

HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore-Tight Toner Glow Recipe This ultra-gentle vegan, exfoliating watermelon infused toner will leave skin supple and bouncy.

Enriched with non-irritating, effective acids that help to decongest skin and unclog pores. Hyaluronic acid and cactus water deliver deep hydration and nourish the skin. Suitable for all skin types. Available from MECCA.

Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Promise Created by master perfume Dominique Ropion for Frederic Malle, this is a fragrance for men and women.

Promise features two precious varieties of rose; rose essence from Bulgaria and rose absolute from Turkey that are lifted by apple, pink pepper and clove, and bound to a sensuous base of patchouli, cypriol and labdanum. Stocked exclusively at MECCA.

Super Lustrous Nail Enamel Revlon Your go-to for gorgeous colour, is NEW and improved with salonquality formula, a redesigned brush and expanded shade range.

The high gloss, full coverage colour applies easily with the new precision-engineered brush that perfectly fits the nail bed so you can apply just the right amount of colour. Nails are left protected with a chip-resistant film formulated without formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, camphor and DBP.

Feeling Good 82

D.S. & DURGA Crystal Pistil Formulated as a layering fragrance enhancer, or to be worn in delicacy on its own, this soft crystalline fragrance is inspired by the humid parts inside a flower, and a memory of orange blossom water being liberally sprinkled in the air at the entrance of a market in Morocco. With the intent to make the invitingly balmy aromas of orange blossom water last as a fragrance.

Stocked exclusively at MECCA.

Celery Green Cream Volition Beauty Think of it as a glass of (celery-packed) green juice for the skin. Volition's famed Celery Green Cream was concocted by gymnast Nastia Liukin. “I'd been drinking celery juice for years and I wondered... if it's so good for my body, I can only imagine what it'd do for my skin,” she says on how she came up with the idea. Available from MECCA.

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

Lil Fleur Byredo Relatable and nostalgic all at once, Byredo's new rose scent tells the story of the unfiltered teenager; complex, emotional and real. Both gourmand and fresh, this spritely fragrance is sweet like Turkish delight, with a crisp start and grounded base.

Stocked exclusively at MECCA.

Marilyn's Hairdressing is proud to introduce you to their new stylist PAUL KENNETT Make an appointment today and enjoy the Introductory offer with Paul: Half head foils, cut and blow wave for $250 Please call 09 524 4710 or go online to marilyns.co.nz to book an appointment.

Mention this advert to enjoy an introductory offer today Offer valid until end of August, some conditions apply

Marilyn's 13 Shore Road, Remuera | 09 524 4710 | marilyns.co.nz

HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

Hair Today P HOTO GRAPHY – AD RIAN MAL LO C H

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Top New Zealand stylist Danny Pato talks to Virginia Larson about desperate hair-days and leaving Covid-19 lockdown.

Hairdresser Danny Pato loves dressing up. One of the joys of the job, he says, is being able to turn up to work in a bowler hat or a baseball cap – or like now, a black trench coat over trousers tucked into long socks in a dashing update on knickerbockers.

One accessory he never imagined wearing at his Ponsonby hair salon, however, was a hospital-blue, elasticised face mask. But protocols at salons under Covid-19 alert level 2 were strict: clients had to be separated, numbers limited, and track and trace records kept. The close contact of stylist and client also called for masks and industrial quantities of sanitiser for the regular cleaning of seats, bench-tops, basins and tools, and there was no complimentary coffee or wine, while magazines were BYO. Masks and sanitiser aside, D+M Hair Design quickly recaptured its cheerful buzz while following health department rules to the letter. Well, not exactly to the letter.

D+M’s online health and safety message to clients had touches of Danny’s sass and humour: “We’ve missed you, but sorry, no hugs, kisses and handshakes.” And fair to say, between the “be clean” and “be cashless” instructions, the government’s guidelines for salons did not demand: “Be honest. If you’ve succumbed to colouring your own hair during lockdown, please let us know...so we can make sure we allocate you enough time to correct any mishaps.”

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020

Desperate hair-days towards the end of the country’s two-month lockdown did lead to some regrettable homedyes. Hairdressers were overwhelmed with bookings and walk-ins as level 2 ticked over in May. A few barbers who announced they were opening just after midnight, for a bit of fun, arrived to find queues of the wild-haired and shaggybearded forming outside their doors.

When we visit, Danny and his business partner are running their 12 stylists in two separate teams so every second client station can remain empty to maintain social distancing. The two teams are working two days on and two days off over seven days; long shifts, with the salon booked solid for eight weeks.

“This team is family; hairdressing is a very mobile industry, but more than half our staff have been with us for 10 or so years. In those first two weeks of lockdown I was calling staff daily. As a business owner my first priority was about looking after our people, financially and emotionally. We were able to top up the government wage subsidy to 80 percent for the first four weeks and keep everyone on. Our landlord helped out with the salon lease. Then we had to start re-booking clients, really, I didn’t slow down until the last week or so of level 3.”

Danny spends precious little time in low-gear. As well as being co-owner and a full-time stylist at D+M, he enters hairdressing competitions, runs seminars, trains stylists, writes industry commentary for media, and organises

charity projects. Trophies line the reception desk at the salon, among them four graces, golden arms outstretched, represent consecutive New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year titles won at the Australasian Hair Expo Awards from 2016. On the salon walls are large framed photographs of his award-winning 2018 Mélange collection – a tribute to strong, proud women of the world, with a nod to the #MeToo movement and, closer to home, the five sisters he grew up with in his sprawling Greek family. The portraits are works of art, with Danny’s creativity woven into every facet, from fabrics and jewellery to makeup and the hair, of course.

Most recently, he won the Best Video award at the 2019 AIPP (Association Internationale Press Professionnelle Coiffure) Awards in London. Last January he was a finalist in the 2020 International Hairdressing Awards in Madrid.

The events Danny had planned for the rest of 2020 have been cancelled or postponed. That includes the big international competitions and, at home, New Zealand Fashion Week and Auckland University of Technology’s Fashion Design School Rookie Show that he’s thrown himself into for the past three years, complementing the students’ youthful inventiveness with dazzling hair creations – bobbles and bows, sleek shingles, shots of shimmery blue fabric-frosting, hair-clips in fan formation above the forehead.

Even during the quiet, tail-end of lockdown, Danny volunteered to take a tutorial for a Facebook Live-streamed hairdressing seminar, organised by two Australian colleagues. Close to 4,000 people from all over the world tuned into sessions over the week-long event. The sittingroom of Danny’s elegant villa became his stage. “I set my mannequin stand on a table. My partner videoed the session on my iPhone and viewers fired questions at me while I worked. I made some wonderful new contacts, exchanged cheeky emails...”

It’s often said hairdressers provide two services – a haircut and therapy. Having got his staff through the worst of the Covid-19 lockdown, Danny knows his listening and counselling skills will be in demand as clients return, some having lost jobs or struggling to keep their own businesses afloat.

“One of my first clients when we reopened at level 2 was an Air New Zealand employee who’d just lost his job. I wanted to hug him, but couldn’t.

“It’s a sad, difficult time for many. Hairdressers will be lucky if this a ‘lipstick recession’ like the GFC, when people put off buying big-ticket items but kept their hair and beauty appointments. For me, one good thing that came out of lockdown was it gave me time to rethink things, appreciate relationships and consider how much we all depend upon each other. Simply, we’re better together.”

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

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A Day In The Life Of

6:30

L E F T: NADIA RI G HT AN NAL I S E

About 2-3 times a week, I’ll start my day with a Reformer Pilates workout before work. I always feel so good after a class. Because I sit in front of a computer for a lot of my work, I can always feel when my body needs a good stretch! Reformer Pilates has changed my life, and I’m a little obsessed. It’s definitely a moment where I can zone out, and focus on only me. I also always complete my morning skincare routine to set me up for the day. I feel more awake when my skin is fresh and I can then face anyone with confidence.

No two days are the same for me at Syrene HQ. I work really closely with our marketing assistant, Annalise. She’s like a little sister to me. We love to work on photoshoots together and create fun mood boards during brainstorming sessions. We’re both very particular and attention detail is key, so we spend our time going over very important details that make all the difference in our marketing campaigns. Now that we’ve launched online with Mecca, up next is working on the marketing plan for when we launch into stores in August.

As soon as I get home, I get myself ready for the evening starting with my evening skincare routine.

There’s no better feeling than cleansing the makeup and oils off my face after a busy day in the office or out and about at a shoot or meetings.

I start with a double cleanse with the Syrene Aquagel Oil to Foam Cleanser, it’s a great makeup remover, then I go in with the Aquagel Refreshing Toner to remove any excess residue. A couple of nights a week, I’ll apply the Aqua Hydrating Masque to sleep in, my skin drinks it up in these cooler months! I then pour a glass of red.

19:00

This is usually the time I sit down to have dinner and relax. Because I look at a screen all day and am very active on social media for work, I tend to get a bit drained from looking at devices! SInstead I sometimes bring out my clay and create ceramic pieces after dinner or in the weekends.

18:00

8:00

I’m a very organised person and love a good list.

Late afternoons, I tend to go through ticking off my to do list from the day as well as writing priority lists for the following day including personal life admin that I need to get done.

16:00

I’m a morning person when it comes to work, so I tend to get strategy and writing work done while I’m sipping on my coffee. I also prefer scheduling meetings before lunch as a meeting over coffee is the best. Since lockdown, our team has been working from the office a couple days a week and the other days from home. When we’re all in the office, I’ve focused this time with my team to catch up. We all work really closely and hard together. Now that we’re the first Kiwi brand to have launched into Mecca, we’re constantly brainstorming creative ideas to further grow Syrene as a global brand.

We often do photoshoots in the afternoons to catch the beautiful sunlight in our content. I love seeing written ideas turn into beautiful images! If we don’t have a shoot planned, I’ll often spend the afternoons researching and planning new ideas to implement and before lockdown, there were many exciting trips to Australia too as we continue growing Syrene globally.

14:00

Caffeine comes next – my favourite time of day. I just absolutely love it, not only the taste but I think it’s also the ritual. That first sip instantly sets me up for the day and I often go for a second, around 1011am when I’m in brainstorm mode.

8:30

Marketing Manager at Syrene Skincare

12:00

I love starting work early, especially if I’m heading into the office so I can focus in a quiet space. I set my alarm early for the days I work in the office.

7:00

Nadia Els

syreneskincare.co.nz

JULY 2020

My Story is Actually Yours!

Although we celebrate 15 years this year with Louise Gray Skin Care, I actually celebrate 22 years of business within the professional beauty therapy industry. My business career started with Every-Body Skin and Body Care in Remuera in 2001 which I renamed and relocated to Mission Bay in 2005. Over this time my story has actually become yours, let me explain...

Having spent my previous life as an intensive care nurse I quickly realised that you cannot compartmentalise things. Things need to be functioning effectively together for your body to maintain health and the same is true for your skin. The correlation between illness and skin fascinated me, why did certain health conditions present certain conditions on the skin? Then when health was restored, these skin conditions were alleviated. So, this is where my journey started – your journey, a journey to skin health.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK. Your skin, I believe is nature’s barometer into what is happening internally. Stress, hormones, diet and lifestyle will all eventually be highlighted on the surface. There is no hiding from it. All of these factors will in turn shape how your skin is presented and how we will age. So, when you first visit Louise Gray Skin Care I always start with digital skin imaging. This is to document your current profile and it will also be referred to as we progress on your journey.

It is also shaped by your past and heritage. We now have the technology to take a deep dive into this realm with SkinDNA testing. A true look at how your skin actually functions and what it actually needs at a cellular level.

Sometimes what is presented on the surface is a reaction to what has been used or how the skin has been treated previously. It is a fascinating process and I enjoy working closely with these reports to ensure you are achieving unprecedented results.

I am very proud of my team, who I affectionately call, my team of ‘thinking therapists’. An interesting term but true on every level. We all work together, we take the results from your initial consultation, digital imaging and SkinDNA to look at the best pathway for you. Nothing is prefabricated at Louise Gray Skin Care, as your skin changes day-to-day, week-to-week. Treatment-wise it is also a journey, we ensure that your skin is stable and able to receive advanced services before we start.

I CALL IT YOUR JOURNEY - AS THAT IS WHAT IT IS. My team and I look forward to having the pleasure to work with your skin in partnership. It is a partnership that is formed, ensuring that you are either working towards or maintaining optimum skin health. In reality, if the skin is functioning correctly it can handle anything that age, environmental stress, diet and lifestyle throws at it. It is your story, so let us shape it together.

LOUISEGRAY.CO.NZ • 09 528 9010 • SHOP 2/224 KEPA RD, MISSION BAY

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“We have been leaders in micro-current and body contouring treatments in Auckland for 18 years.” says Sue Crake, owner of Finesse Face and Body in Remuera.

What are the benefits of the Diana Micro-current Facial Toning Treatment? ✓ Raises and lifts forehead and eyebrows ✓ Smoothes crows’ feet ✓ Smoothes and lifts upper eye area ✓ Detoxifies the lower eye area ✓ Lifts and defines the cheek area ✓ Tones and reduces sagging jaw line ✓ Reduces formation of lines to the lip area

What happens during the treatment?

After a thorough cleanse, hypoallergenic pads are placed on the key muscles of the cheeks, jaw line and neck. Probes are used to tone the delicate eye area. The muscles are activated by means of a micro-current. Facial contours are lifted and the features become more defined.

What does the treatment feel like?

The pads on the lower facial muscles can be adjusted to contract and relax to a level that is comfortable to the client. The probes deliver the current to the upper facial sheet muscles, with the sensation being felt throughout the forehead and scalp, similar to having your hair combed.

A course of 12x thirty-minute treatments is recommended (these can be done weekly although 2-3x per week is ideal).

CALL TO BOOK A CON S ULTAT I ON 591A REMUERA RD, REMUERA ∙ 09 520 5331 FINESSEFACEANDBODY.CO.NZ

HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

WORKOUT BECAUSE YOU LOVE YOUR BODY, NOT BECAUSE YOU HATE IT So many women loose confidence as they grow older. With our busy lives, fitness often falls by the wayside and we end up frustrated and unhappy with our bodies.

Here at Eastside Studio we bring you back into movement in a fun safe haven of effective training.

Other facilities include Infrared Sauna, Ayurvedic Massage Therapist & Naturopath.

Bring personal back into personal training and BOOK NOW. First consultation complementary, contact Wendy

09 379 2706 or 027 649 9451 WWW.EASTSIDESTUDIO.CO.NZ 90

Elstree Pharmacy Come and see us for fantastic gifts for all ages, all of your family’s health needs and excellent advice.

Ample free parking. Stockists of Innoxa Skincare, Styli Style, Cosmetics and Stella and Gemma Jewellery.

145 WEST TAMAKI RD, GLEN INNES | 09 528 3636 ELSTREEPHARMACY@XTRA.CO.NZ

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

WINTER SPECIAL

Four areas for the price of 3

SAVE $600 JULY ONLY

Coolbody practitioner Yvonne Marvin

You Can Now Spot Reduce Unwanted Fat Before Summer

RE SU LTS AF TE R TWO SE SSIONS IN N E R AN D OUTE R TH IGH S

■ No pills or exercise, no down time ■ Non-invasive ■ We can do 4 areas at the same time ■ We guarantee our results BEFORE TREATMENT

As a qualified personal trainer, Yvonne knows how best reshape your body with the use of the machine and give you tips.

AFTER TWO TREATMENTS

To book call 09 360 0055 or call Yvonne on 021 923 430 for a FREE CONSULTATION

26 COLLEGE HILL , FREEMANS BAY COOLBODYNZ@GMAIL .COM • 021 923 430

HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

Looking To Transform Your Life For The Better?

Many people are recreating their life right now and seeking confidence to decide what changes to make.

Spiritual health can be part of that transformative shift after some deep soul searching.

The single biggest problem towards empowerment is FEAR. Many people FAIL to overcome life obstacles because they are afraid to confront themselves, and who they truly are, especially if they don’t like what they see in the mirror.

The tarot helps people to look honestly at who they are and what they are putting out into the universe — thoughts, behaviours, and opinions — and whether it is impacting positively or negatively.

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For example, if you are carrying anger, then that anger will manifest in your life negatively. We reap what we sow. Often customers faced with challenge will receive tarot cards that embody conflict such as the seven of wands, the tower, or five of swords.

Recently, I talked to a stranger who asked me how we help people. I explained that we specialise in spiritual health, healing, change and transformation using the tarot and reiki through coaching and advice.

I said that if we can count the number of times we experience conflict in a week we are doing something wrong. He admitted he had never thought of that because in his culture conflict is how they solve problems sometimes.

I explained that external conflict often means we are at conflict within ourselves. Sometimes we need to reconcile something painful within ourselves to gain peace, harmony and balance.

We attract what we put out into the universe. Maybe it’s time to seriously consider how to better transform your life.

For enquiries and a professional tarot reading hmtarot.co.nz

COVID-19 MEDICAL RESEARCH – THE FIRST 100 DAYS FREE SEMINAR SERIES In April the Auckland Medical Research Foundation awarded more than $500,000 to seven emergency, fast-tracked projects through its extraordinary AMRF Covid-19 Research Fund.

Find out what three of these esteemed researchers have learnt in their first 100 days: The impact of social isolation among older people Professor Merryn Gott, Monday Aug 3 The impact of the pandemic on nurse welfare Dr Matthew Roskruge, Monday Aug 10 Anti-viral treatments against Covid-19 Dr Daniel Furkert, Monday Aug 17 To register for these free seminars, go to medicalresearch.org.nz AMRF is New Zealand’s largest independent funder of medical research. AMRF was established in 1955, and in its 65 years has invested more than $80million into a wide range of medical research.

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020

Clinic42 Hyperhidrosis If you’re one of those people who dread meeting someone new as that means shaking their hand, then you’re not alone. Almost five percent of the population suffer from hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating of some kind. Most people are familiar with excessive underarm sweating but few people discuss sweating palms or soles of the feet with their healthcare professional.

A lovely 19-year-old girl spoke to me recently, and in passing, while discussing university life, stated that she was too scared to have a partner as she didn’t want to hold hands with anybody. For a moment I was shocked that something so commonly overlooked would have such a huge impact on someone’s life. On further enquiry, she also mentioned that she struggles to write as her pen slips out of her hand, she hates shaking people’s hands and is constantly rubbing her hands on her clothing. When I mentioned that there was a solution and suggested treating her with botulinum toxin, I thought she would never agree as she may perceive it as too extreme. However, as it had such a significant impact on her life, she did agree and we decided to only inject her dominant hand.

Writing is no longer difficult and the dread of physical contact is no longer a concern. This treatment has literally changed her social and work life.

The treatment takes approximately 30 minutes and gradually wears off over time. Most people would repeat the treatment every six months. Costs vary from $4001,100 depending on the number of units required and whether one or both hand is treated.

If this sounds familiar and you are concerned about excessive sweating, I hope that this inspires you to discuss this with a qualified health care professional.

If you are interested in learning more about botulinum toxin treatments for hyperhidrosis or any of the wide range of cosmetic treatments available at Clinic42 please contact us to arrange a 30-minute complimentary nurse consult. Alternatively, call and book with one of our four cosmetic physicians, who will be happy to discuss your concerns, and the best treatment approach for you.

09 638 4242 | 321 MANUKAU ROAD, EPSOM | CLINIC42.CO.NZ

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THE CREAM THAT WORKS

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT

EAST DAY SPA eastdayspa.com

SPRING STORE springstore.co.nz

SPRING SPA springspa.com

319 REMUERA ROAD, CNR NORANA & REMUERA RD S H O P S 2 0 9, W E S T F I E L D N E W M A R K E T 3 0 9 B R O A D WAY, N E W M A R K E T W W W. H A R T L E Y S . C O . N Z

SHOP LOCAL, SUPPORT LOCAL

6 6 0 2 LW L A R K J A C K E T 6562XBT PEDRO JEAN

DOORWAYS & Photographer: Neil Gussey Hair and Makeup: Nikki Lovrich Models: Fiona - Silverfox MGMT New Zealand and Tanner - Red 11 Model Management.

Location: Fitzroy Hotel Richmond Road

HALLWAYS FIONA WEARS: Kowtow Gingham Hand Knit Sweater and CAMILLA AND MARC Zaylee Skirt.

FIONA WEARS: Zambesi Alpaca V Neck, COS Knit Skirt and Kathryn Wilson Manhattan Boot.

TANNER WEARS: R.M. Williams Signature Long Sleeve T-Shirt, Working Style Navy Knitted Jacket (worn underneath), Working Style Herringbone Drawstring Trouser and Zambesi Boss Coat.

JULY 2020

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Top TANNER WEARS: Working Style Khaki Green Utility Jacket, R.M. Williams Loxton Jean and Strangely Normal Scarf. FIONA WEARS: COS Longline Jacket and COS Trouser.

Bottom FIONA WEARS: COS Knit T-Shirt and Trouser.

TANNER WEARS: R.M. Williams Loxton Jean, R.M. Williams Collins Shirt and Working Style Chelsea Boot.

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

FASHION

FIONA WEARS: COS Knit Sweater Dress. FIONA WEARS: CAMILLA AND MARC Lily Hoodie. TANNER WEARS: COS Cable Knit Sweater and R.M. Williams Loxton Jean.

Opposite Page TANNER WEARS: Strangely Normal William Morris Shirt.

FIONA WEARS: CAMILLA AND MARC Jonah Coat and Zambesi Nomad Hat.

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020

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EXTRAORDINARY JEWELLERY FOR UNCOMMON PEOPLE

182 PONSONBY ROAD, AUCKLAND

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@ d e b rafa l l ow f i e l d j ewe l l e r

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

FASHION

Marc Jacobs Fall Winter 2020

Classic Coat – Paris Georgia $949 parisgeorgiastore.com

Your Winter Investment

Prada Fall Winter 2020

Coat – Penny Sage $995 pennysage.com

The appeal of coats lies not only in warmth but the fact that you don’t have to overthink what to wear in the mornings. Investing in a well-made coat will elevate any outfit you choose to throw on and add longevity to your wardrobe for colder seasons to come.

Duster Coat – Paris Georgia $890 scottiesboutique.co.nz

Marc Jacobs Fall Winter 2020

Jacket – Low Classic $759 workshop.co.nz

Shearling Jacket – Acne Studios $4,529 workshop.co.nz

Fendi Fall Winter 2020

JULY 2020

The Wonder of Retinol WO R D S – PAR I S M ITC H E L L TEM P L E

Retinol – a powerhouse ingredient derived from vitamin A, which is one of the body's key nutrients for boosting cell turnover. "It's added to topical skincare products to promote skin renewal, brighten skin tone, reduce acne, and boost the collagen production," explains New York City dermatologist Whitney Bowe, MD. Retinol works to enhance the skin’s radiance and visibly improve the look of fine lines, wrinkles, acne and oiliness. With the ability to help skin cells create new, healthier cells, retinol will improve overall skin structure, tone and texture.

Rules of retinol •

•

•

Retinol Reform Shani Darden $159 inesstore.com

Steer clear of retinol if you experience rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis as retinol can make you more vascular meaning that you will end up with more inflammation and thereby worse symptoms of whatever it is you are suffering from.

Do not apply during the day, only at night. Retinol makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays and sunlight decreases the efficacy of the product.

Introduce retinol slowly and gently.

Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion The Ordinary $21 inesstore.com

Retinol Clearing Oil Dermalogica $151 dermalogica.co.nz

A-Passioni™ Retinol Cream Vanishing Elephant $131 meccabeauty.co.nz

Celestial Black Diamond Retinol Oil 111Skin $344 meccabeauty.co.nz

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Stina Randestad

FASHION

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J a ke L i u

id International Emerging Designer Awards Finalists Judged By Star-Studded International Panel

Mark your diary – winners of the 2020 iD International Emerging Designer Awards will be announced in a premiere online video presentation on Friday 7 August.

In an exciting international first for the iD International Emerging Designer Awards, the 32 finalists collections will be announced in a video presentation after judging by a star-studded panel of international fashion experts. Filmed in bedrooms, hallways and parks across 14 countries in Covid-19 lockdown, the video awards presentation is being edited by world-leading production house NHNZ.

J ordy n S mi t h

Moving online with the iD International Emerging Designer Awards in partnership with Otago Polytechnic means organisers have been able to assemble an unrivalled panel of 16 jurors from five countries. Judging will take place over the next two months and the winners will be announced live online and also at a glamorous event at Dunedin’s Otago Polytechnic. The iD International Emerging Designer Awards video will be available on Viva.co.nz, Not Just a Label and iddunedin.co.nz Following the announcement of the jurors’ choice of winner on 7 August, viewers and fashion lovers from around the world will be invited to vote for the Otago Polytechnic’s People’s Choice Award. They will be able to choose from wonderfully-curated collections of vibrant fashion submitted by the finalists.

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020

M E NS WE A R

2020 Winners to be announced Friday 7 August

19 O’CONNELL ST, AUCKLAND · 09 309 0600 STRANGELYNORMAL.COM

A n n a Ham b ira

S hr in Roy

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Shop the Marigold & Amber Edit

Call 027 224 1714 or visit marigoldandamber.co.nz

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JACKI E O ’ FE E IS OWN ER O F AUC KL AN D ’ S L EADIN G PER S O NAL ST YL E C O N S U LTAN CY, S I G NATU R E ST YL E . IF YO U’D L IKE TO N O LON G E R F EEL ANXIO US ABO UT THE CLOTHES YOU WE AR , S HE’D LOVE TO HEL P. CAL L 09 529 5 1 1 5 O R EMAIL CR EW @S I G NATU R EST YL E .C O. NZ

To start with, Jackie helped me to understand the colours and styles that I should be wearing. This made a huge difference to my shopping but I was still nervous.

Then I had to find a mother of the groom outfit for my son's wedding which was mid-July in Maui when we were in winter mode. I was desperate and really worried about letting them down if I didn't have something special to wear.

So I went to talk to Jackie in tears and she was amazing. We talked about the wedding and what was happening. Important as it was being held in the grandmother's garden rather than a hotel.

Jackie then took over and it was wonderful. She went to shops and found outfits in my size, colour and style. Then she took me there so I could try them on. It was so easy and she found things that were going to be perfect in the hot weather. They were outfits that I would never have found on my own. When I found the right one and we bought it I was excited but then suddenly realised that I needed more than just the outfit so Jackie sorted that out as well. by the end of the afternoon I had everything from beautiful blue sandals and new bag to jewellery and even a slip I needed to go under the dress which I would have missed.

Signature Style

10 6

As a personal stylist I am lucky enough to do something that I love every single day. When I started Signature Style I thought I was going to be working in fashion, I had no idea that the favourite part of my job would be the people I get to work with. I have the best clients. One recently left me a Google review that just about made me cry. I’m sharing it with you: Shopping for clothes has always been a challenge for me as I am larger than most and had no confidence around what I should be wearing.

Then Jackie helped me to work out the makeup to wear. As someone who doesn't wear a lot of makeup it was such a relief.

The wedding was a huge success and I felt confident and relaxed instead of my normal unsure and nervous.

Thank you so much Jackie. Your are an angel and you are so natural that you always make me feel special which is a relief when I have always felt so stupid around clothes. Pam

稀攀戀爀愀渀漀

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

JULY 2020

Shop the latest and the very best of the best in top fashion brands sourced from both local and international labels.

THREADS is your one stop shop for all things designer. Threads lets you fill your wardrobe with high-end fashion such as Sass & Bide, One Teaspoon, Rough Studios, Rails and D.O.F to name a few. Happy Shopping!

threads.co.nz hello@threads.co.nz 107

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

Kat h r y n S teve n s. C e ll. C o u r te sy o f W h ite sp a c e

The Art of July 10 8

Winter solstice has passed, it’s time to gently unfurl yourself into a gallery and absorb the fresh ideas, textures and colours our local artists have on display. Let their visual expression soothe away all your mid-winter tension, tickle your soul and galvanise fresh neural pathways to a better you. For this month’s art wellness, I prescribe:

JOY RIDE Enjoy the thickly painted tangle of sweet peas and blooming roses by Katherine Throne at Sanderson Contemporary in Newmarket. Saccharine in texture, yet nostalgic in palette, these works cast a youthful glow on all who behold them.

On until 12 July Find out more at sanderson.co.nz

READING HANDS Bask in the twisting, folding, deconstructed, process-driven, abstract surfaces pulled together by Matt Arbuckle. Righteously bold and unapologetic, these works will leave you empowered with renewed vigour and a sharpness of vision.

On until 18 July Find out more at tworooms.co.nz Kat h e r i n e T h ro n e . C o u r te sy o f S a n d e rs o n C o nte m p o ra r y

WO R D S — AI MÉ E RAL FIN I

JULY 2020

LILAC LEMON LIME Playful, rhythmic and full of joy, this latest series by painter Kirstin Carlin celebrates the process of painting itself! The works evolved as a means of escapism during recent turmoil and the uplifting energy that radiates from them as a result is pure ambrosia.

On until 18 July Find out more at melanierogergallery.com K i rs t i n C a r l i n . C o u r te sy o f M e l a n i e Ro g e r G a l l e r y

SURFACING If architecture is more your vibe then the works of Kathryn Stevens will be right up your open-plan alley. Inspired by the urban environment Stevens monochrome grids and planes blur the interface between the surface and the space beyond.

On until 30 July Find out more at whitespace.co.nz

THE IMPOSSIBLE GARDEN Amidst the historic surrounds of Alberton House sparkles a new series of artwork from photographer Emma Bass. With intertwining paint, photography and collage these works grab your eyes and lure you in. An absolute treat of a show to experience within the historic homestead environment.

On until 30 August Find out more at emmabass.co.nz A podcast interview with the artist is now playing via artache.com

M at t A r b u c kl e . C o rd s . C o u r te sy o f Two Ro o m s

NZIFF The New Zealand International Film Festival hits home-screens later this month. Perfect mid-winter date-night material – at home! That’s right, this year its programme will be available online.

The NZIFF runs from 24 July - 2 August Find out more at nziff.co.nz

Em m a Ba s s . O d e to Ba l t h a z a r Va n d e r As t & M at i s s e . C o u r te sy o f t h e A r t i s t

ART & ABOUT

The Power of Immersive Art WO RD S — AIM É E RAL FI N I

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In March 2018 Te Papa expanded its creative offering to the public of New Zealand with the opening of Toi Art – a new gallery space spanning two levels of the museum, and a pivotal addition acknowledging the importance of creativity within our culture.

Leading the charge is head of art, Charlotte Davy.

A woman with expertise in creative direction, facilitation and arts strategy, her role as head of art sees her constantly scanning the horizons of creative expression and developing ways to integrate new ideas alongside the bigger issues Te Papa aims to tackle as an institution.

Indra's Bow , 2018 by Tiffany Singh. Photograph by Maarten Holl. Courtesy of Te Papa

Davy was born in Geraldine and grew up in South Canterbury. She left for the ‘big smoke’ of Wellington to study art history at Victoria University. She came from a socially-minded family, her father a minster, her mother a nurse. From a young age she was exposed to the power of art by the likes of Tony Fomison, Colin McCahon and Rita Angus to name a few, and remembers how the works made her feel. It was these formative experiences that fed her curiosity to learn more, to understand artists and explore the depth behind their work.

“Te Papa attracts all sorts through our doors, they’ll come to Te Papa and find themselves in a gallery...

It’s my job to help create a pathway into arts for the multiplicity of people who visit, one that will establish future connectivity... “ – Charlotte Davy It’s no easy task engaging a nation with its own art collection, but it is important for future generations to make the connections with our journey of expression as a South Pacific nation.

Art plays many roles in society, it gives us the opportunity to experience ourselves, and it is something we can present to the rest of the world. Its ability to affect social outcomes, especially in times of social recovery, such as now, is undoubtedly one of the most satisfying elements of working in the field.

Charlotte Davy, 2016. Photograph by Michael Hall. Courtesy of Te Papa

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A lifelong advocate for creativity and what it stands for, Davy is attuned to the power immersive art can have on a person, and the conversations it ignites. She is constantly figuring out ways in which to maximise a person’s experience of art when they visit the museum.

For example, Nike Savvas’ artwork Finale: Bouquet, an installation reminiscent of an energetic ticker tape parade frozen in time, “left people feeling emotionally moved”.

Savvas’ herself remarked in an interview with curator of contemporary art Nina Tonga: “I hope the experience of Finale: Bouquet is empowering, that it engages the viewer’s sensory and interpretative faculties by encouraging participation on a physical, optical, perceptual, and experiential level.”

Other such engaging works include artist Tiffany Singh’s Total Internal Reflection and Indra’s Bow. The artist believes engaging with the arts can improve physical and mental health. The installation invites you to choose a colour based on how you feel, which then illuminates the space, creating an evolving communal light sculpture.

Total Internal Reflection , by Tiffany Singh. Photo by Maarten Holl. Courtesy of Te Papa

Singh’s work Indra’s bow, says Davy, “Gives people such joy. As well as holding space visually, the work smells and changes, it’s holistic. People come back and re-view the work in the same visit. The kind of connection that can be made with immersive works has real impact... Returning to an artwork can be very powerful, it gives people a sense of ownership to their art collection."

It is important to remember Te Papa’s art collection belongs to us all. Something which, during these unsettled times of great illumination, is a reassuring investment we have made, together as a country.

tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/art/ finale-bouquet/about-finale-bouquet

Finale: Bouquet , 2019 by Nike Savvas. Photo by Maarten Holl.

Courtesy of Te Papa

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ART & ABOUT

Q&A with Holly Morgan of morganmade “ 11 2

While travelling Scandinavia and Japan I fell in love with ceramics, and felt so intrigued to give wheel throwing a go.

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What inspired you to start the art of pottery? While travelling Scandinavia and Japan I fell in love with ceramics, and felt so intrigued to give wheel throwing a go. I had recently moved back to New Zealand after living and working in Liverpool St in London, and I craved a slower life. My husband and I moved to Whangamata on the Coromandel peninsula, and I had started a cleaning business. My new life gave me an open mind to new careers and opportunities. With little money spare, I saw that Laughing Pottery in Waihi were doing wheel-based lessons. I signed up for a lesson and immediately fell in love.

I was actually teasing Andrew during the lesson saying, “This is awesome! I should've got in touch to be your apprentice!'"

And amazingly, while I was there, his apprentice came in and handed in her resignation. I don't know whether it was luck, fate, or being in the right place at the right time. Either way, I am incredibly grateful to Andrew and Ann for their wisdom, kindness, and for taking me on. It was one of the best years of my life.

What do your pieces mean to you, on both a personal and professional level? This is a great question. Personally, I feel like the pots have filled a void. They're an expression of my soul, my intention, and I am able to tell stories through them.

Professionally, they challenge me, I have only scraped the surface of where I want to go and what I can learn with pottery.

My story has just begun, and I'm excited to see where it's going to lead me.

Did you ever feel discouraged throughout your journey as a ceramic artist? Definitely, but that's human nature. I've discovered that I naturally put myself down as a way to justify how I feel. It's not healthy, and it's something that I'm working on. I love my job though, that uplifts me and most of the time it blocks out any negative thoughts.

Do you ever get artistically stuck? Funnily enough it's when I have spare time that I get stuck. Running a business, making

JULY 2020

the product, making time for relationships, renovating a house and trying to fill my bucket is a busy lifestyle.

But I think that's when I am most productive. I get into the flow of what needs to be done, and focus on what the next thing to do is. Once I've completed the cycle from making to final firing, I start again. Once orders are completed I'm left with some time to myself to expand on my ideas, create new glazes, designs and products. It's often hard to get started, and hard to pick up ideas that are just a scribble on a piece of paper or an obsession with a colour; time is a real luxury when you're self-employed.

When customers order one of your pieces, what is the biggest challenge you face? If it's a custom design, I just hope they like what I've done! So much of the process and finished product are left up to the kiln. You can plan, test and trial how it's going to look but really, until you do that final firing, you won’t see the finished result. It’s the part I have no control over, but I kind of love that. It's bittersweet.

What has been the peak of your career so far?

This is an interesting question as I've only been touching clay for two years and it really depends on how you measure your success. Is it determined by a magazine article, or something you've achieved in becoming better at your practice. For me, making 250 travel mugs in 13 days for Amano's staff Christmas gift was an achievement. Or in recent days I've been upping the amount of clay I've been throwing on the wheel to 6kg and have had some successful throws. My new goal is to comfortably throw 10kg by the end of the year. Working with Wither Hills on the launch of its new syrah and merlot varietals has been fantastic too.

Tell us how your recent partnership with Wither Hills came about? The wonderful team at Wither Hills admired my work, found me online, and approached me. The fact that I made and crafted my pieces in Hawke’s Bay, where the grapes in the red wines are grown, was a bonus. This meant there was a really genuine connection.

What was the inspiration behind the ceramics you created to celebrate the launch of Wither Hills’ new syrah and merlot? We came up with the idea to make a special blend of Te Awanga scoria, found on the beach next to where the Wither Hills grapes are grown in the Hawke’s Bay, to create a unique range of tableware that could be enjoyed with a glass of red over the winter season.

Have you tried the new wines? Yes! I love them! I feel like Wither Hills is the perfect partner for me to work with. The merlot is an easy pick if you are wanting something smooth for an after-work drink, warm, plum flavours that you want to savour. A good go-to. The syrah was a little more complex and peppery. I think it would be a great wine to match with your favourite homecooked meals. Both proud wines in their own way, I didn’t have a preference.

What are your goals for the near future? I own and run a small studio and store called 'morganmade' in the art deco quarter of Napier, where I make my pots in the window, sharing the creative process with the public. I want to expand on my pottery lessons, run a few workshops to help people understand the making process a little more, and create a few new ranges before summer gets here. I'm feeling very inspired by the Mediterranean at the moment.

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ART & ABOUT

WHAT'S ON? Words — Nadia Klaassen

Abstract Ceramic

Live Jazz Trio

1 July

1 July ― 30 September

Experimental Abstract Ceramic Sculpture Class

Big Wednesday Fresh Comedy

Suitable for beginner to intermediate level makers, this ceramic sculpture class focuses on using hand-building techniques to develop your skills in building a ceramic sculpture. The class builds foundation skills in forming, joining and creating texture, while exploring the imaginative potential of abstract ceramic forms. Allow your creativity to flourish as you're supported in a process of experimentation to create your own sculpture. It will be held at the Clay Centre.

Live comedy is back at The Classic Comedy Club! Big Wednesday is a fresh comedy night packed with at least 10 comedians to get you laughing all night long, with a guest MC to keep the comedy alive between acts. The venue now has exclusive table seating for two, four or six people to maintain social distancing, but that won't stop the comedy from rolling. With fresh lineups every Wednesday, you will leave wanting to come back for more each week.

6:30pm–9pm, $280 145 Marua Road, Ellerslie theclaycentre.co.nz

8pm, $16.38 321 Queen Street, Auckland CBD comedy.co.nz

2 July ― 1 October

4 July ― 2 August

Live Jazz Trio

Antique & Collectors Market

Celebrate the beginning of level 1 with a classic cocktail and the sweet sound of jazz at the Wynyard Grill. Immerse yourself in the culture and origin of jazz, complete with a relaxing environment to enjoy with family and friends.

Auckland’s best jazz bands will come to life, as acts rotate weekly for a refreshing musical experience. Suitable for all ages, the whole family can come along to enjoy. With free admission, spend your Thursday evening at the Wynyard Grill. You won’t want to miss out!

The Avondale Racecourse hosts the Antique & Collectors Market which combines a wide variety of unique items such as Asian ceramics, New Zealand pottery, jewellery, vintage tools, Victorian books, antique furniture, original oil paintings, retro clothing and homewares. The market is held on the first Saturday and following Sunday of every month. There is free entry and parking Saturdays, and on Sundays parking is $3.

The entry fee is $2.

6pm–8pm 142 Halsey Street, Auckland CBD wynyardgrill.co.nz

noon–5pm 90 Ash Street, Avondale FB: Antique & Collectors Market

JULY 2020 26 June ― 1 August

Drive-In Movies By MOTAT The Drive-In by MOTAT is back! Watch movies such as Jurassic Park, The Blues Brothers, The Shining, Labyrinth, and Bridesmaids from the comfort of your own car. At just $30 per car, this is great value and there are plenty of movie snacking options: fries by Double Dutch Fries, popcorn by Organic Knowledge and hotdogs by Fritz. The big screen is provided by The Travelling Cinema Company and is the largest drive-in outdoor screen in NZ, so you will be sure to enjoy the movie from every part of the venue.

7pm–10pm 805 Great North Road, Western Springs motat.org.nz

The Shinning

9 July

11 July ― Onwards

13 July ― 16 July

Learn How To Make Perfume

Mt Eden Village Craft Market

Matariki on Karangahape Road

Join the Perfume Playground to design a luxury crafted scent, specially formulated just for you.

Choose from over 100 naturally derived top and middle perfume notes, alongside the highest quality essential oils. Throughout the class, you will learn about perfume composition, blending techniques, as well as bottling the fragrance.

Scent expert Aviva van de Heever guides you through the class and is certified in flower essences and aromatherapy, and the science and art of perfumery is covered in these classes.

The Mt Eden Village Craft Market features a large selection of locally handmade crafts which are all beautifully created by expert crafters. It is a fantastic event to celebrate local crafters as you browse the many stalls that the market has to offer. Whether you are looking for a gift or something for yourself, there is plenty to choose from, and are all handmade by Kiwis. Come and support our small local businesses by joining the Craft Market from 10am to 4pm on the second Saturday of each month.

Explore Karangahape Road through a series of exhibits and tours between 13-16 July in celebration of Matariki 2020. Matariki signifies the start of the Māori New Year, and Karangahape Road holds a special place to the Matariki festival as it was the only street in central Auckland with a Māori name, as it predates European settlement. Come together for this all ages event to celebrate Matariki with stalls and people all around. Karangahape road comes to life with this wonderful celebration of Aotearoa.

6:30pm–8:30pm, Starting from $99 1B Ponsonby Road, Grey Lynn perfumeplayground.co

Mt Eden Village Centre, 449 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden, mtedenvillagecentre.co.nz

Karangahape Road Auckland matarikifestival.org.nz

23 July ― 9 August

25 July

New Zealand International Film Festival

An Orchestral Rendition of Fleetwood Mac

Run by a charitable trust, NZIFF curates a fantastic selection of expertly crafted films from around the world from documentaries to short films. The trust returns a percentage of the box office revenue back to the filmmakers. This year, the event will be shown entirely online, and includes a virtual red-carpet and filmmaker Q&As. Without having to leave the house, audiences can connect and share a viewing experience, and to discover films.

Alternative Symphony bring their unique orchestral rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours to Auckland for an unforgettable one night show.

Songs from Fleetwood Mac’s most successful LP will be performed by The Transatlantic Ensemble and their band, presenting a unique reimagining of some of Fleetwood Mac’s most iconic songs.

Sing your heart out during this unmissable event celebrating one of the most famous bands in history, Saturday 25 July!

nziff.co.nz Vist the website for more information

8:00pm–midnight FB: An Orchestral Rendition of Fleetwood Mac

Under the Silver Lake

Endings, Beginnings

The Box Office July Picks

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July

9

July

Now Showing

Red Shoes And The Seven Dwarfs!

Starring the voice talent of Chloe Grace Moretz and Sam Claflin, Happily ever after gets a new beginning in Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs! On Fairytale Island, one out of a dozen people are either a prince or a princess, quite literally. Out of dozens of princes, a special group called the Fearless Seven (F7) are known to be the finest of them all. The princes have been cursed and turned into dwarfs, and now seek the red shoes of a lady in order to break the spell, although it will not be easy.

Endings, Beginnings Starring Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan and Sebastian Stan, Endings, Beginnings is the story of a 30-something woman navigating through love and heartbreak over the course of one year. During that time, she will unlock the secrets to her life in a sudden turn of events and in the most surprising of places.

Love Sarah A young woman wishes to fulfil her mother’s dream of opening her own bakery in Notting Hill, London. To do this, she enlists the help of an old friend and her grandma. Starring Celia Imrie, Rupert Penry-Jones.

Fastest Ski Bug Ever!

New, Local And Fun! Tineenio Beetl Weevl Bug was born on the Remarkables mountain range. After a dollop of snow flips him onto the tips of the fastest skis, Tineenio realises he loves the speed and adventure! Then when a crazy bouncing snowball appears, Tineenio along with his two new friends Keer and Fini Falcon work together in this fast paced adventure to save the ski field from disaster!

Fastest Ski Bug Ever! is a bright, colourful children’s picture storybook with real personality. It has a lovable, quite unique main character

in Tineenio Bug and an innovative original storyline and setting. It touches on problem solving, courage, fun, belief and team work.

Local author Nicola Jae Whitley loves writing stories and designing amazing characters for children to enjoy, it’s been her hobby for years.

She is excited that her stories are now blossoming into life for your children, grandchildren, god children, nieces and nephews both local and overseas to enjoy.

RRP $20. Stockist areas: Auckland, Hamilton, Queenstown, Wanaka, Arrowtown, Christchurch, Dunedin. All stockists details are on nicolajaestorybooks.com

Fastest

Sk i Buegve r !

Written by Nicola Jae Whitley Illustrated by Stevie Mahardhika

Join Tineenio on his ride to become the fastest ski-bug ever!

Auckland Stockists: The Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop, Paper Plus St Heliers, Takapuna, Eastridge and Remuera. nicola@nicolajaestorybooks.com

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THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT ALL GOOD BOOKSELLERS AND CAN ALSO BE ORDERED DIRECT FROM GRAHAM’S WEBSITE COMMISSSION WORK CONSIDERED 021 104 0452 | graham.young.art@gmail.com GRAHAMYOUNGARTIST.COM

Graham’s latest book New Zealand – A Painted Journey published by New Holland Publishers features images of 47 paintings from his travels around the country in search of the uniquely interesting Kiwi places to paint. The book covers a large part of the South Island as well as some favourite spots in the North Island.

HOROSCOPES Aries

21 March – 19 April You feel more confident and secure, and can do more to increase your sense of security and safety in life. Love matters are mostly easy and amiable. You need to be nurtured and encouraged, and you’ll do the same for those you’re close to. You’re more open to other cultures and ways of living, and want to learn more about them. You may come across as more emotional, moody, and sympathetic.

Taurus

20 April – 20 May You want to expand your life and your world. The more boxed in you feel, the more you want to blow through the walls around your life and run free. You have more mental energy and can do a lot of investigating into subjects and ideas before pursuing any of them.

You see how much the world has to offer you, and you want to have new experiences, and see new parts of the world for yourself.

Gemini

21 May – 20 June You can pursue new money-making opportunities, take on a second job, or start a side gig for extra money. Your confidence may be higher than usual. You’re compromising and fair, and you strive to bring balance and harmony into your life. If you’re in a relationship, you can commit more fully to your partner. If you’re single, you crave more commitment in your life. You can commit to a project, idea, or person in some way.

Cancer

21 June – 22 July You can begin a transformation of some part of yourself or your life. You can research anything, and you do so thoroughly. You’re interested in the darker side of life, things that are taboo, and take a serious approach to everything. You can be informed of some secrets, and are more secretive yourself. You can bring more intimacy into your life, or start an intimate relationship.

Leo

23 July – 22 August You can be more optimistic about the direction your life is taking, and feel good about your goals. You are more sensitive than usual, with everything impacting you at a deeper level, but you try to hide it from everyone and retreat when you feel upset. This is a good time to get a lot of work done, and to deal with your health and daily life.

You can come across as more logical, judgmental, and quiet.

Virgo

23 August – 22 September You can be more inspired, creative, and artistic, and want to create something special. You can also seem more like your true self. Your dreams can be a focus, and you can get closer to achieving your dreams if you’ve been working hard and smart, or encounter more roadblocks if you haven’t. Love is complicated, private, and intense this month. You can also be more emotional if you feel things are out of place.

Libra

23 September – 22 October Your creative self can become more dominant, and a creative outlet can be good for you now. You may get a chance to expand your business and this expansion will increase your earning and ultimately you will also be able to save a lot of money. You have the chance to improve your financial position, either by stabilising cash flow or finding new ways to make money altogether.

Scorpio

23 October – 21 November You are especially magnetic and persuasive in this month. You are willing to work especially hard for security, and you are also quick to defend your values. You can be more organised, try to bring more structure into your life, and demand perfection of yourself. You’re driven to have better financial security, and the more money you have, the more secure you feel.

Sagittarius

22 November -21 December You need more balance in your life so you feel mentally at ease, or it becomes difficult for you to process anything intellectually.

You’re willing to make compromises with anyone, and are good at negotiating deals and being a mediator. You can pay attention to the details, do work in your community, or see a sibling or neighbour in the spotlight. You may find that you’re on the go more than usual.

Capricorn

22 December – 19 January You can get further along your life path, or feel that you need to change your direction completely. You have energy to deal with your spirituality, and are driven to explore your spiritual self. You can become interested in the metaphysical, and explore spiritual topics.

You love conversation and want to be around other people. You may also expect your love relationship to be deeper this month.

Aquarius

20 January – 18 February You feel most like yourself when you’re taking time to do the things you love to do most, and allowing yourself to embrace your inner child. You want to be playful and have fun, and need breaks from work regularly or you get grumpy. If you’re in a relationship, you can be more emotional with your partner, or vice versa. If you’re single, you can meet someone you feel a karmic link to.

Pisces

19 February – 20 March You begin the month with broad vision and enthusiasm. This is a good month for travel and exploration, but career or reputation matters can get tricky at times. Some of you are up for a promotion or raise. You derive less pleasure from being with those you’re closest to, and may opt to spend more time alone. You come across as more scattered, social, and intellectual.

WO RD S & I N SP I RATI O N — MAN I SH KU MAR ARO R A | MANI S H @MANIS HASTRO LO G ER .C O M

JULY 2020

Book Club These books are up for grabs. Please visit the competition page for more information about how to enter.

Last Survivor Tony Parks Greed. Joanne Flack is on the run - suspected of stealing a rare African plant thought to be extinct and worth millions of dollars. Danger. Sonja Kurtz is hired by the CIA to hunt down Joanne and find the link between the missing plant and a terrorist group hiding out in South Africa. Treachery. Joanne is a member of the Pretoria Cycad and Firearms Appreciation Society who take it upon themselves to track down the plant... and the traitor in their midst who is willing to kill for it.

Win all these books.

Visit the competition page to find out more information.

119 The Hidden Wife Joanna Rees Paris, 1928. Having fled London, Vita Casey has established a new life for herself, keeping a low profile as a dresser at a cabaret hall. But despite the fun, hedonistic lifestyle she leads, Vita longs for a proper career and to re-kindle her dream of designing lingerie. When an opportunity to work for famous couturier Jenny Sacerdote presents itself, Vita grabs it with both hands and is soon exposed to an altogether different side of Paris society. Before long, romance blossoms in the unlikeliest of places.

Staying Alive Dr Kate Gregorevic By the time we turn 60 most of us will still have one third of our lives to live. How well we live these years will depend on our health: are we agile and disease-free? Or dependent on medication and physical assistance? In Staying Alive you'll discover the science on how you can avoid or manage the major diseases that impact us as we age, including heart health, diabetes and dementia, and boost your everyday behaviours to improve your enjoyment of life.

KYLIE LAW Kylie Law creates mixed media artwork from her Wellington home. She exhibits throughout New Zealand and welcomes commissions. Works can be viewed at kylielaw.co.nz Instagram – kylielaw.artist | Facebook – kylielawartist

VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

on the shoulders of giants CELEBRATING HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS

heart and soul SARA FRIZELLE Head of Digital Learning and Year 9 Coach

There are teachers who teach, and then there are those who enable students to thrive in a changing world.

We’re proud of our teachers and you will be too.

Our hand-picked teachers are not only dedicated professional educators, but they all share an unsurpassed desire to see their students succeed academically, socially and emotionally.

Impressed? So are we! Find out more on our website.

Now accepting applications for 2022. www.kristin.school.nz

We believe they are the most passionate collective of teachers in the country.

above and beyond GABRIELA MALDONADO

Head of Languages Faculty

heart and soul HAMISH MOUAT

Artistic Director, Major Productions

the extra mile SARAH BACKHOUSE-SMITH

Year 7 Homeroom Teacher and Associate Dean

a cut above JASON GURNEY

Middle School Assistant Principal (Teaching and Learning)

EDUCATION FEATURE

St Paul's Collegiate School

Tihoi Venture School

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Tihoi Venture School is the second campus of St Paul’s Collegiate School, located on the edge of the Pureroa Forest near Taupō, and is an adventure camp for Year 10 boys. It is a challenging environment but through community living, a quality academic programme, and wide ranging outdoor pursuits, Tihoi gives St Paul’s students the best possible opportunities to grow.

This unique 18-week back-to-basics programme is designed specifically for 14-year-old boys. For two terms of the academic year, these boys are stripped of modern technology such as television and mobile phones, and placed in houses with seven age-mates, regular schooling and outdoor experiences.

Here they learn to live and work together, taking responsibility for their own housekeeping, preparing their own meals on wood-burning stoves and meeting a range of personal and social challenges.

Each week they spend three days in the outdoors and four days in the classroom where they participate in a rigorous academic programme in all mainstream subjects.

Outdoor pursuits include white water rafting, sea kayaking, sailing, rock climbing, mountain craft, caving, bush survival, tramping, mountain biking, canoeing, abseiling and the high ropes challenge course. All Tihoi staff have extensive training and the qualifications needed to supervise outdoor pursuits.

The outcome of attending Tihoi Venture School is the confidence gained in these young men which builds their resilience and develops their independence. This programme gives them a valuable head start into their senior years and life beyond school.

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STPAU L S.S CHO OL .NZ

chool.nz stpauls.s

It might surprise you to know that a large number of our boarders here at St Paul’s, come from the Auckland region. It’s a measure of the quality of our school and our totally unique Tihoi Venture School programme.

With high expectations, we consistently achieve some of New Zealand’s best academic results. More importantly, we aim to help each and every one of our students achieve personal bests in all areas of their school life.

DISCOVER MORE Find out why more and more Auckland students are choosing to board at St Paul’s, visit stpauls.school.nz for information and details of upcoming Open Days and Information Evenings. Or to request a prospectus, email: m.smith@stpauls.school.nz

EDUCATION FEATURE

Learning is outside the box at St Peter’s, Cambridge St Peter’s, Cambridge is a different kind of learning environment. With space to learn, space to thrive and space to think differently, students are prepared for a new and exciting future.

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With a proud tradition stretching back to 1936, St Peter’s is now one of the most respected co-educational, independent day and boarding schools in New Zealand, with a roll of over 1,150 students, ranging from Years 7 to 13. The split of boys to girls is roughly 50/50, a ratio the school works hard to maintain, enabling equal opportunities for all students.

Over the past two years the school has introduced a Wellbeing Curriculum which serves to give students the life skills required in this fast-paced world. Wellbeing themes and toolkits are common place and during the recent lockdown, both sports and wellbeing staff delivered weekly toolkits to the students to keep them focussed and upbeat.

St Peter’s is pleased to offer limited Year 7 boarding scholarships for 2021. Enquire now to director of admissions, Claire Pollock at clairep@stpeters.school.nz

The facilities are beyond enviable, students have their own chapel, Harry Potter-style dining hall serving hot meals to all students, equestrian centre, heated swimming pools, auditorium, velodrome, business and entrepreneurial centre, golf driving range, a fully equipped sports centre and is surrounded by its own demonstration dairy farm – Owl Farm.

Both the NCEA and International Baccalaureate pathways are offered.

stpeters.school.nz | (07) 827 9899

Years 7 – 13 Boys & Girls Day & Boarding Christian Character

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JULY 2020

The Primary Focus of Auckland International College (AIC) is Academic Excellence

Auckland International College (AIC) focuses on academic excellence and preparing students for the world’s leading universities. AIC is a small school in Blockhouse Bay where the mix of local and international students creates a rich and diverse atmosphere. Supported by outstanding academic staff, year after year students achieve top marks in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).

Specialist university counselling staff support AIC students as they research, apply to and prepare for the world’s leading universities. University counselling support begins in Year 11 when students first start exploring their options, continuing through to Year 13 when the offers of place come in. The counsellor overseeing US and Canadian applications encourages students to apply to a wide range of universities – from a 'stretch' application to an Ivy League college, to some solid fall-back options. The counsellor in charge of applications to UK universities is an expert on the common application process. Since the first class graduated in 2006, AIC alumni have gone on to graduate from Harvard, Stanford, and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The list is long and impressive and there are too many universities to list. Our students go to UCLA, Caltec, MIT (Massachusetts, not Manukau) and all the top universities in Canada. They go to the London School of Economics and University College London. They study fine art in New York. Our alumni have created friendship and career networks spanning the globe. A number of students choose to stay in New Zealand or travel no further than Australia. AIC alumni are now doctors, teachers, scientists, financers and business people who continue to make us proud of their achievements.

AIC students are diligent, resourceful and resilient. In the words of AIC’s principal, Mike Parry, they go further, apply themselves more fully and engage with tasks more completely than he has experienced in other schools.

If you are someone with high aspirations, keen to travel from Blockhouse Bay to the world, and you haven’t already finished high school, please do come and check us out.

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Academics thrive here. Small classes.

Great teachers.

Every day is an open day at AIC. Come and check us out.

www.aic.ac.nz ph 09 3094480 | admissions@aic.ac.nz

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BUSINESS, EDUCATION & SOCIETY

P RO S PA

What it Really Takes to Pivot Your Business Successfully Businesses may pivot out of opportunity or a need to survive.

We asked business leaders who have successfully made the leap what it takes to pivot their small businesses successfully – and what hindsight has taught them.

CUSTOMER LOYALTY ISN’T GUARANTEED Just because you’re renowned for a particular service or product doesn’t mean that the same customer loyalty will automatically transfer when you make a pivot.

After a decade in business, florist Claire Sawyers had grown to three stores in Auckland and an online presence. But she came to realise that operations were less efficient, and more expensive, than they could be.

“Being trusted in a category we weren’t originally known for was a challenge,” Gunn says.

That ultimately led to her downsizing and repositioning Roses Are Red as a purely online business.

Meanwhile, New Zealand marketplace TheMarket launched in July 2019 with a strong focus on consumer goods, including homewares, fashion and lifestyle products.

But the stage 4 Covid--19 lockdown forced it to bring forward existing plans to expand its presence in essential grocery – a pivot implemented in just four days, explains Sarah Gunn, its general manager of trading.

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LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES A business pivot will often involve some up-front establishment costs. However, it also presents an opportunity to deliver efficiencies.

Despite initially costing one-third of her revenue, pivoting online allowed Sawyers to not only slash costs and reduce headcount, but to cut her opening hours.

“We partnered with reputable companies such as Foodbox and gained the support of the community by offering frontline workers a 15% discount on groceries.”

GET THE RIGHT EXPERTISE Both agree that having the right people and skills are crucial to making a success of any pivot.

“One of the things that really helped us act quickly was developing a Covid-response cross-functional team to develop and implement our strategy to not only survive, but to thrive at a time where ecommerce was a key opportunity,” says Gunn.

For Sawyers, the crucial component has been finding web support relevant to her business and industry.

“There are many people out there who will build you a website, and it’s very easy to spend a lot of money on something that’s not going to do the transactions for you,” she explains.

“So, find someone specialised in creating the type of thing you do.”

The blog was provided by Prospa, New Zealand’s small business lending specialist. Visit prospa.co.nz for more information.

Paul Goldsmith

National List MP Based in Epsom 107 Great South Road, Greenlane 09 524 4930 paul.goldsmith@parliament.govt.nz paulgoldsmith.co.nz paulgoldsmithnz

Funded by the Parliamentary Service.

Authorised by Paul Goldsmith MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington.

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JULY 2020

Business Advice We Trust Marksman Business Development are client and customer acquisition experts. We are business development advisors based in Waikato, Auckland and BOP. All industries, all sizes, with over 25 years of successful experience and results. If you want more clients and customers, contact us.

HOW WE WILL INCREASE YOUR PROFITS We specialise in all marketing, sales, and business development. This combination of expertise is unique.

It is this combination that needs to work synergistically in order for your business to gain more clients or customers. Gaining clients and customers is more than just marketing. Sales and business development is just as vital, and most often overlooked.

The sales aspect, as you know, is by far the hardest part for all businesses. Marketing without sales (and vice versa) is often a waste of time, money, effort and resources. There are many facets of business and staff performance that, regardless of marketing spend, will not result in increased clients or customers unless corrected.

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This means you may qualify for help to pay for our services such as: training workshops, courses and coaching that build the management capabilities of their owners, operators and key managers.

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Contact Sue for expert advice about your property or tenants.

Corporate Cabs is New Zealand's leading taxi company and has been operating in New Zealand for more than 25 years.

Whether you are building a new home, renovating an existing home, decorating or just shopping for ideas then Home Ideas is the place to get inspired.

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BIO GROW CERTIFIED since 2000. Your wellness store. Passionate about all things organic. Shop online or on site.

Enjoy authentic French pastries and bistro meals at La Fourchette. We are close to the beach and are family-friendly.

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O RO NEG RO Contemporary New Zealand jewellery and greenstone design.

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JULY 2020

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SIMPLY WO NDERFU L

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Stunning ladies fashion in Auckland. Find your new go-to items at Simply Wonderful.

An independent bookstore with an independent spirit, since 1988. Time Out is a community hub and haven for bibliophiles. If we can't find you the perfect book on our shelves, we'll order something in just for you.

Remarkable breakfasts and brunches.

Sunny deck or indoor dining. All food made on the premises. Amazing coffee. We also have a children's menu.

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The Point Chev Beach Café was launched on Jan 2017 and has rapidly gained a reputation in excellent cuisine, coffee and a welcoming service. Being situated beside the beach, it’s the perfect location for a family outing, a romantic date or just an ice cream!

For bookings or to discuss private functions please contact us on: 09 815 6636 | 506 Pt Chevalier Rd, Auckland | ptchevbeachcafe.co.nz

HELENA MARIE

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MARKETPLACE

Experience the beauty of premium quality European vintage

127 SYMONDS ST, AUCKLAND • AVANTGARDEDESIGN.CO.NZ

Champagne Bucket AVAILABLE IN THREE COLOURS, IN STORE AND ONLINE

Over 3000 items of clothing and accessories instore

62A BENSON RD, REMUERA OPEN 7 DAYS The home of fine film in Newmarket.

See session times at rialto.co.nz.

164 Kitchener Rd, Milford Shop online at: www.paintedbird.nz @paintedbirdnz

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B R I D G E WAY

C INEMAS

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JULY 2020

EXCELLENCE IN VETERINARY CARE FROM POOCH TO GIANT DOG CAT FRIENDLY CLINIC

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Is Your Dog Slowing Down?

RETIREMENT LIVING at its best!

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Dogs love to run but often old age, arthritis and joint pain can make this difficult.

Time to give your dog ‘Active Again’ a blend of natural food oils that possess potent lubricating properties that gives your dog more flexibility and mobility.

Proven by NZ Vets to work exceptionally well.

Apartments available to view - by appointment only CONTACT BEV DYSON FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY: (09) 625 3420

ranfurlyvillage.co.nz

539 Mt Albert Road, Auckland

The Village’s modern care facility, Ranfurly Hospital offers private care suites with dedicated staff providing residential care services in a supportive and caring environment. For more information about availability and services please contact Julia Nessim, Health Services Manager on 09 625 3400. ranfurlyhospital.co.nz

For more information or order online visit: lifetimehealth.co.nz 027 489 3489 sales@lifetimehealth.co.nz

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WIN WITH VERVE

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Entering is simple. Visit vervemagazine.co.nz and click on 'WIN', then follow the directions, not forgetting to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @vervemagazine. Good luck! *T&Cs apply

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1. Seedlip Espresso Martino Cocktail Gift Box

Shake it Up this Winter with the Cook & Nelson + Seedlip Espresso Martino Cocktail Gift Box. Not drinking, or drinking less but still in need of a treat?

We hear you, so we’re giving away the ultimate Seedlip non-alcoholic cocktail kit.

Up for grabs ― Seedlip Espresso Martino Cocktail Gift Box valued at $109.

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2. RNZB Venus Rising

Ease out of the winter darkness and experience Venus Rising, the brand-new production by the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Up for grabs ― 2 x tickets to Venus Rising

3. Cricut

Cricut is a creative technology company dedicated to encouraging new ways for people to get creative at home.

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Up for grabs ― Cricut Smart Cutting Machine

4. Book Giveaway

Up for grabs ― 1 x copy of The Hidden Wife Joanna Rees, 1 x copy of Last Survivor Tony Parks and 1 x copy of Staying Alive Dr Kate Gregorevic.

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RYMAN PIONEERS TAKE A WEIGHT OFF YOUR MIND. When you choose a Ryman village, you know you have access to everything from independent and assisted living, to a range of care options. Even if you don’t need it now, it’s a weight off your mind to know it’s there, so you can make the most of life. It’s another example of how we’re pioneering a new way of living for a new retirement generation.

There are 11 Ryman villages throughout Auckland - in Orewa, Birkenhead, Devonport, Greenlane, Henderson, Hobsonville, Howick, Lynfield, Remuera, St Heliers and Pukekohe.

independent living

A selection of homes are available now One, two and three-bedroom townhouses and apartments

Each is unique, distinctive and a reflection of the area. Nine of our villages have townhouses and apartments available now.

Our Henderson and Hobsonville villages are under construction and have plans available to view. To find the village that’s right for you, call or have a look online: 0800 000 290 rymanhealthcare.co.nz

One-bedroom and studio serviced apartments featuring a kitchenette and ensuite

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Our base weekly fee is fixed for life* and our deferred management fee is capped at 20%. *Some conditions apply.