Avenues, June 2024

The Qestral Travel Club...

Residents from the Burlington Lifestyle Village in Christchurch enjoying Wētā Workshop Unleashed in Auckland… as part of the ongoing Qestral Travel Club activities.

New Generation Lifestyle Villages...

Qestral.co.nz

alpineview.co.nz | banburypark.co.nz | burlingtonvillage.co.nz | coastalview.co.nz

Qestral.co.nz alpineview.co.nz | banburypark.co.nz | burlingtonvillage.co.nz | coastalview.co.nz

YEAH

Exactly, Umm exhibition at South Library until 29 June – art by Roger MacArthur and Paula Smulders.

Mango cream doughnuts at Panadero bakery. The perfect balance of creamy and tart!

Lexus’s new showroom. Officially open on St Asaph Street.

Happen Films on YouTube. Great human-interest docos for a night in!

Resene Rewilding is a mid-toned olive with earthy brown undertones.

TEDITOR’S NOTE

In our nature

he best part of this job, by far, is meeting people. I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with many fantastic individuals who call Canterbury home. They all share a common sentiment with me – they love it here. They love doing business here; they love the food; they love the community.

I’m not quite sure what’s in the water, apart from chlorine, but our region is bursting with innovation and has a truly global reach.

In this issue, we feature incredible homegrown talent and products. There are award-winning lighting designers, a health-tech company revolutionising wait times, a champion of coconut oil collaborating with Pacific Island communities, a sustainable King Salmon farm, and a coffee company investing millions back into Christchurch.

We also hop aboard the World of WearableArt train, visit a dental practice that has prioritised the patient experience, and celebrate what comes from our soil.

Finishing that last jar of the summer harvest’s relish before winter. It was too good!

Scammers getting ever sneakier – don’t click the link!

Forgetting to select “no signature required” when getting a package. It’s like having to wait an extra day for Christmas!

Winter skin woes. Anyone else chapped for days?

Missing the once-in-ageneration Aurora Australis. Thanks, light pollution.

As always, enjoy!

Liam Stretch Editor

NAH

Cocktail Club

Every Saturday, Sunday & Monday 11.30am – 3pm

Cocktails

STARTERS

Fried shallot pancake, cumin salt

Chefs signature spinach leaf topped w mango, chilli, fresh lime and roasted peanuts

Home-made dumpling selection

MAIN

Hibachi grilled seafood skewers, shallot relish, pickled ginger tartare (DF)

Fried chicken with organic sticky rice sauce, kimchi mayo and Chinese celery (GFO/DF)

Chefs signature moong dal, mixed seed salad with avocado and kaffir lime (GFO/VO/DF)

Stir-fried rice, burnt-ends meat combo, spring onion, bean sprouts, garlic, egg and fresh herbs (GFO, VO, DF)

KISHU RIVER KISS

Japanese Kishu plum wine, Mandarin peel infused sake, topped with bubbles

GUAVA TROPICANA

Our special blend of vanillainfused aged rum, guava puree, passionfruit, fresh lime and coconut cream blended to perfection

APEROL & LYCHEE SPRITZ

The classic given a Zodiac make-over. Aperol, lychee liqueur, bubbles and soda

JAPANESE SLIPPER

Premium Vodka, Cointreau, melon liqueur, cherry garnish and crushed ice

BANGKOK BETTY MARTINI

Betty’s take on the classic Pornstar martini.

Vanilla-infused Vodka, passionfruit, fresh lime, BB Thai bitters, sip of bubbles

Avenues.

THE TEAM

Publisher Lisa Phelan lisa@27publishers.co.nz

Editor Liam Stretch liam@27publishers.co.nz

Art Director Lucy Arnold lucy@27publishers.co.nz

GM Advertising Shelley Eccleton shelley@27publishers.co.nz

Food Editor Sam Parish sam@27publishers.co.nz

Accounts & Admin Hilary Armstrong accounts@27publishers.co.nz

PRINT

Blueprint, Christchurch

CONTRIBUTORS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Contributors: Aaron Lee, Emma Maciaszek, Trade Aid, Chelita Zainey, Kim Newth, Hannah Harte, Dr Reuben Woods, Sarah Mankelow, Centuri Chan, Neil Macbeth, Simon Devitt, Ashley Shadbolt, Dean MacKenzie, Sarah Rowlands, Charlie Rose Jackson, Shelley Sweeney, Lynette McFadden, Dylan Mulder, Emily Valentine Bullock, Pink Floyd Experience

CONTACT US hello@27publishers.co.nz Facebook.com/avenuesmagazine Instagram.com/avenuesmagazine Avenues.net.nz

Produced by Twenty Seven Publishers Limited PO Box 36753, Merivale, Christchurch, 8146

THE MAGAZINE CHRISTCHURCH LIVES BY

A day out on the waters of Akaroa Harbour with Akaroa Salmon.

Photo by Aaron Lee

THE MINI RUNOUT.

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Available across selected new and demonstrator MINI models with finance applications submitted, approved and settled with vehicles purchased and delivered between 01.04.2024 and 30.06.2024.

Visit Christchurch MINI Garage or book a test drive today.

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CHRISTCHURCH MINI GARAGE.

Schubert & Beethoven

LOST IN STICKY DATE

Rollickin’s epic Hot Sticky Date Pudding is back for winter! Moreishly datey and moisty. Swimming in house-made butterscotch sauciness and stacked with vanilla creamo, cinnamon love dustin’, brandy snappin’ crumbles, and your favourite Rollickin scoop. Go on, dive right on in! PG warning: Lots of sticky content. rollickin.co.nz

GAMING GAL

Thanks to an outdated stereotype that gaming is only for boys, women have been underrepresented in gaming gear, fits that don’t suit their needs and a niche selection of avatars. But the stereotype is far from the truth, with women representing almost 50 per cent of the gaming community globally, and Logitech G is busting through stereotypes with the Aurora collection. Concepted and created by a team of predominantly women leaders at Logitech, the collection is comfortable, approachable, and joyful. Aurora turns heads with its dreamy aesthetic and gaming-grade performance, this collection has everything you need to play your best while looking your best and having fun!

logitech.com

RIDE IN STYLE

SYDENHAM GEM

After success with its boutique in Kaikōura, Addy & Lou has opened a Christchurch store in Sydenham. Stocking homewares, linen, and furniture, it’s a perfect spot to have some real retail therapy. Inside is also café Little Battersea and florist A Little Bit Floral. Find it at 12 Battersea Street.

addyandlou.co.nz

Pink Limos are hard to miss. Based in Christchurch, this limo service offers a range of experiences, from scenic tourist transportation and exquisite winery tours to unforgettable weddings and kids’ birthday celebrations – all from the fun and glamorous pink-coloured limos. Behind the wheel is Wendy, an expert driver with a heart of gold. Whether it’s the elegance of formal events, the luxury of VIP cruise tours, the charm of local sightseeing, or the thrill of spontaneous fun, she’ll give you a one-of-a-kind experience in their convertible and hard-top limousines. As Wendy says, “Why blend in when you can stand out?”

pinklimo.co.nz

BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS

Piccadilly Bookshop is a treasure trove at Avonhead Mall. The books are hand-picked, and the range is extensive – from an amazing local and New Zealand selection to travel and crime, magazines, and bestsellers. If they don’t have what you’re looking for, just ask, and they’ll get it in piccadillybooks.co.nz

SOFT TIPS

Cuti is here to have your nails and cuticles looking match fit. Cuticle oil is the musthave missing from your beauty routine. The Ōtautahi-based and female-led business makes everything in-house. They use native botanicals like kawakawa and mānuka, alongside jojoba, avocado, camelia, sweet almond, and apricot kernel. These are mixed together to create an optimal blend of active ingredients to leave your nails, cuticles, and fingers feeling refreshed and renewed, and you feeling cute. Passionate about sustainability, they have on offer a 4ml refillable pen and a 30ml bottle, which returns to the cycle with their own recycling programme. cuti.co.nz

IT’S BACK, BABY

NIFTY NOOK

Now located in its new home within Boxed Quarter, Ride On Super Sound is home to records, tapes, CDs, comics, magazines, and band merch, and offers lamp repairs. Open Thursday to Friday, 3–8pm, and Saturday to Sunday, 12–5pm, at shop A105, Boxed Quarter, Saint Asaph Street. rideonsupersound.com

New Balance’s new range is delivering all the Y2K vibes, paying homage to its shoes of the early 2000s. These timeless designs are well and truly back in, like the 2002R. Inspired by the MR2002, a high-end running model originally released in 2010, the 2002R offers a ready-to-wear take on sleek, technical design. A classic mesh upper construction is paired with cutout suede overlays, while a diamond-patterned Abzorb midsole and segmented Abzorb SBS pods at the heel pair an ultra-soft, cushioned feel with a visually distinctive look. Have a rummage in the junk drawer for that old Walkman too. newbalance.com

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8

SERIOUSLY BRASS

Iconic Woolston Brass brings you Seriously Brass: Paganini, featuring guest soloist David Bremner, Principal Trombone of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Don’t miss this special concert showcasing exceptional talent and remarkable music: Land of the Long White Cloud (Philip Sparke), Colors (Bert Appermont), Sambezi (Philip Sparke), The Spirit Within (Ben Hollings), and Paganini Variations (Philip Wilby).

8 June, The Piano eventfinda.co.nz

ZONTA CHRISTMAS TRAIL

Get into the holiday spirit with the Zonta Winter Christmas Trail 2024 on 28 July. Sponsored by Ryman Healthcare and The Christmas Hut, the festive event is a self-drive tour of up to 10 houses throughout the city. Highlights include a vintage Christmas sleigh, decorating demonstrations, and floral displays. Funds support women’s and girls’ initiatives, including scholarships, health programmes, and local charities such as The Canterbury Charity Hospital and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Tickets are available at The Christmas Hut or online.

28 July, various locations zontachristchurch.org.nz

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PINK FLOYD CLASSICS

Relive the magic of iconic Pink Floyd classics with The Pink Floyd Experience in their exhilarating show, a faithful recreation of the legendary 1994 Earls Court performance. These globally respected musicians, with 27 years of expertise, promise a world-class tribute on their New Zealand tour. From Shine On You Crazy Diamond to Comfortably Numb, you’ll be spellbound from start to finish.

22 June, Wolfbrook Arena pinkfloydexperience.co.nz

17–

30

MATARIKI 2024

This Matariki, let creativity be a guiding star. Bring your whānau to Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre for music, exhibitions (pictured is National Treasures by Maungarongo Te Kawa), kapa haka, workshops, kai, light installations, and special mākete. Headline acts include Māmā Mihirangi & the Māreikura, plus Dillastrate x Harmony & Rhythm, both taking to the stage at the iconic Great Hall. Full details online.

17–30 June, Arts Centre artscentre.org.nz

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The Season of

OWN YOUR MIND

Inner Critic to Inner Coach is a new tool to help us all overcome our internal worst enemy. Dr. Bex Bell blends the neuroscience of mindfulness, the inner critic/imposter syndrome, mindset, and behaviour with real-life experience and self-reflection, all in a relaxed tone – just like you’re having a really safe chat with her in person.

MAGNUM R.I.P

The Dead Boy Detectives, starring George Rexstrew as Edwin Paine and Jayden Revri as Charles Rowland, follows these two unlikely post-mortem friends and their unfinished business as they solve mysteries unsolvable in the land of the living. They’re joined by medium Crystal (Kassius Nelson) and Niko (Yuyu Kitamura) in this Burtonesque world as they crack mysterious cases.

IN OUR BACKYARDS

Six-legged Ghosts: The Insects of Aotearoa by Lily Duval, published by Canterbury University Press, explores the place of insects in history, art, culture, and language. Our country’s unique bugs are captured in excellent detail, including their place in te ao Māori, what we’ve learned and what we’ve lost, and the changing discourse – all with excellent illustrations.

COMMUNITY POWER

YouTube documentary maker Happen Films tells the story of Roimata Commons, an urban permaculture food forest in Woolston. The project empowers the community and the democratisation of food, reviving the notion of the Commons, which was once widespread in societies around the world. This short film offers a beautiful window into a world-class grassroots initiative happening in our backyard. While you’re at Happen Films, check out their other content offering a flicker of light in times of often doom and gloom.

GHOSTS ON EVERY CORNER REPERTORY THEATRE

Another icon of Christchurch’s architectural history is the Repertory Theatre. Built in 1929, this flamboyant Kilmore Street theatre had a unique style, captured meticulously by Ghostcat in this scratch build. Suggested by Mike’s (Ghostcat’s) wife as a build, Mike’s favourite features are the LED-lit windows. “These were really intricate and a real challenge to make, as I’d never done that sort of thing before.” This build is sponsored by Avenues.

@ghostcat_mb

We are proud to announce the arrival of Christchurch’s new laser eye surgery.

With advanced technology and wide-ranging experience our expert team now ensures Kiwis get the very best in specialist care and results. Set sight on tomorrow at Southern Eye Specialists.

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Designing heavenly community spaces

Enriching the way people live, work, worship and play through beautiful architecture and interior design

+64 3 366 5445 design@dalman.co.nz dalman.co.nz

BUILDING OF THE MONTH - HOPE CHURCH ROLLESTON

MID-WINTER MARKET TIME

ACanterbury winter favourite, Encraftment Market returns to Pioneer Stadium this June.

Held mid-year, Winter Encraftment Market is a popular showcase of artisan-made, handcrafted goods, offering attendees the chance to get to know the makers behind the products. From art and ceramics to jewellery, homewares, and gourmet foods, Encraftment offers a treasure trove of oneof-a-kind finds.

Unlike its Christmas counterpart, the Winter Market focuses on seasonal delights like cosy knits and winter warmers, perfect for early Christmas shopping. You’ll also find indoor plants, items for your pets, and baby and children’s clothes, among others.

The Encraftment team has partnered with Felt, an online handcrafted goods hub, providing a place to shop online for goods and gifts directly from New Zealand makers. Shoppers and makers alike can talk directly to the Felt team on market days and find out more about their website.

Embracing the ethos of buying handmade, Encraftment champions the uniqueness, quality, and community support inherent in artisanal goods. Buying handmade is one of the best things you can do ethically and environmentally – and to look after your wallet – in fact, you can buy a wallet there!

Handmade items take time, attention to detail, and care to craft. This means they are of superior quality, ensuring longevity that you don’t tend to get with mass-produced goods.

By purchasing handmade, you are supporting small local businesses and contributing to your local economy and community.

These products are also unique and often offer the opportunity for customisation. You can collaborate with artisans to create personalised pieces, making them mean even more.

Held in the depths of the Canterbury winter, weather is not a concern for this indoor market. Organisers assure attendees of a warm and welcoming environment. With free entry and a promise of something for everyone, mark your calendars for 22 and 23 June.

encraftmentmarket.com

Untitled

Artist Dove

Date 2024

Location Climate Action Campus, Avonside Drive

Dove’s signature smooth spray paint style is in full effect in this depiction of a pair of beautiful native birds produced inside the grounds of the Climate Action Campus. The monochromatic paintings of a tauhou (wax-eye) and a korimako (bellbird) are elegant and poised, surveying their surrounding environment. The birds’ stillness is contrasted with the energetic background composed of explosions of dripping paint, a colourful blue ribbon folding back across itself and a sprayed pink line that hums at its edges like a buzzing neon light. The large mural, painted on one of the classroom buildings of The Climate Action Campus located on the former site of Avonside Girls High School, is part of the A-Maze-Ink Project – a collaboration between the Climate Action Campus, the Christchurch City Council’s Graffiti Projects team, and local artists.

Explore more of Ōtautahi’s urban art on a Watch This Space guided street art tour! Email tours@watchthisspace.org.nz for booking information.

watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/1117

Whenua, hau, tangata, kai, rongoa

EARTH, BREATH, PEOPLE, FOOD, MEDICINE

Chelita Kahutianui o-te-Rangi Zainey, Waitaha/Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Kahu/Ngāti Haua

Chelita is a māmā, writer, Kai Rongoā, spiritual mentor, and certified breathwork facilitator. Her passion activates and inspires others to heal and transform their lives into one of aligned purpose, love, and joy.

As Māori, we hold a deep reverence and connection to the soil, whenua, ūkaipo. Our whakapapa, by its very nature, links us directly back to this nurturing source, Papatūānuku, our earthly Mother.

In many of our purakau or origin stories, Papatūānuku was the one who gifted the first human. From her, the first human was moulded from the sacred red soils of Kurawaka, shaped into form by the hands of Tāne and then gifted the breath of life. This first human became Hineahuone, which literally means ‘earth formed woman’, and the story goes that after she was formed and the sacred hau tapu or breath was given, she sneezed, and therefore she lived. And it is from this action that the phrase ‘Tihei Mauri Ora’ comes from.

When I pause just ever so briefly to think of soil, it reminds me of Koanga, spring, the early frosted grounds that give way slowly but surely to warm dirt that can be planted. The tipu (new shoots) emerge, new growth and foliage blossom, fruits arrive, and bellies are filled with the sweetness and juice of an abundance of berries and fruits, which brings a smile to my face to think of it.

As the seasons progress, our soils begin to firm once more, and autumn harvests show the rewards of that summer planting. Rewai (potatoes), kumara, and big, thick-skinned pumpkins come to mind.

I’m blessed to be around a large number of humans who are gifted in the realms of Rongomatane, the ancestor of cultivated foods. I surreptitiously glean lots of gardening and soil knowledge from them.

This brings me to my other favourite connection to soil – Rongoā Māori – our beautiful native plant medicine. Kawakawa, horopito, totara, and titoki are just a few of my favourite plant allies that have healed more than a few ailments in my time, from spider bites to colds and flu and everything in between. My son has grown up with the tikanga of “Put Mummy’s balm on it” to the point he does so for others now, a true taonga tuku iho, an example of gifts passed on from our ancestors from one generation to the next.

My final mihi or acknowledgement of the beauty and abundance that the soil of our Earth Mother provides is actually to some energies that will too soon be a point of focus for us all. The Matariki season is nearly upon us, and in this time, we mihi to the many stars that form the constellation. One of these stars is Tupu-ā-Nuku, the star associated with kai grown in the whenua. As the cold surrounds us, and we gather to celebrate the ending of one year and the dawning of another, take a breath, give thanks for this beautiful earth and its soil that gives us so much nourishment and sustenance and send your blessings up to the stars to celebrate yourselves and your whānau.

Te toto o te tangata he kai, te oranga o te tangata, he whenua, he oneone While food provides the blood in our veins, our health is drawn from the land and soils

The only constant is change

No woman stays the same. Diagnosis and treatment doesn’t have to either.

That’s why we are so proud to help guide New Zealand’s medical community with the latest advancements in gynaecological practice. For a long time women have been told our pain or discomfort is “normal”. But those days are over. Gynaecological research and development is more active than ever – and this gives us more options for addressing your concerns when they arise.

It’s why we continue to stay on top of new research findings and updated surgical techniques while collaborating with specialists across other disciplines too. It’s how we can offer attentive, expert, and evidence-based care, staying up with the times, and right by your side.

Meet our specialists at coga.org.nz

Period pain | Fertility preservation | Menopause management | Endometriosis management | Urinary incontinence | Pelvic organ prolapse |

Hiatt Chambers, 249 Papanui Road

COFFEE COUTURE

Hot chocolate or turmeric latte? Warm up your winter wardrobe with rich and spicy tones.

Moana Road Sunglasses, $40 hapa.co.nz | Mega Monogram

Wishing Star Earrings, $220 adelestewart.felt.co.nz | Tom Ford Myrrhe Mystère $890 ballantynes.co.nz | Nova Ecopossum Crew Sweater, $399 Brown Boot, $529 headoverheels.co.nz | Deadly Ponies Pleated Pouch, $469 headoverheels.co.nz

Woven Handspun Merino and Silk Scarf, $250 littlestpipknit.felt.co.nz

Sulphur Crested Frockatoo, Emily Valentine Bullock, Australia

Digitally Grown, Dylan Mulder, New Zealand

ART CARRIAGE

Great Journeys New Zealand, as a major partner of World of WearableArt (WOW), is offering a unique opportunity to embark on a rail trip that is truly one of a kind.

Design and art lovers are invited to hit the tracks aboard Great Journeys New Zealand’s VIP WOW Train, coupled with tickets to the 2024 WOW Show.

Wellington City is set to be awash with some of the most creative minds in the worlds of art and design. With organisers promising a “breathtaking spectacle,” WOW consists of a competition open to anyone over 18 from around the world. Designers enter from the worlds of fashion, industrial design, architecture, art, and many more. This culminates with a jawdropping show which is this year called DREAM AWAKE. Here, imagination becomes reality; you will be drawn into six awe-inspiring realms where the boundaries of theatrical spectacle, live music, dance, aerial choreography, and wearable art are pushed to the extreme.

Great Journeys and WOW have teamed up again after two sell-out years to make this incredibly unique experience accessible to the regions. And the journey there is as easy as can be, all from the comfort of their luxe railcars.

There are two packages available, departing from Auckland and Christchurch, aboard the Northern Explorer train, Coastal Pacific train, and Interislander ferry. However, fashion and art aficionados should not delay because the Auckland Northern Explorer route is already sold out.

Mainlanders should rejoice, with a few slots still available on the Coastal Pacific. The Coastal Pacific departs Christchurch and Kaikōura and will take passengers through some of the best of New Zealand’s scenery, along with plenty of theatre and magic.

The three-day packages start from $1995, and the luxury starts even before you set off. Right from the departure platform, the unique journey reveals itself. Experience a pre-boarding VIP WOW welcome, complete with a specially curated WOW goody bag, a special WOW-themed morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea. But the pièce de résistance? You will have the unique opportunity to see some incredible works of wearable art up close, so you can appreciate the detail of what goes into an award-winning wearable art design.

While revelling in the magic, you’ll traverse New Zealand’s stunning landscapes aboard the Great Journeys VIP WOW Train. From rolling meadows to soaring viaducts, each leg of the journey offers breathtaking vistas that serve as the perfect backdrop to your adventure.

Once reaching Picton, the journey takes to the seas as guests go aboard the final leg of the tour with an exclusive lounge aboard the Interislander.

As the ferry glides into Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington, the excitement only continues to mount. The following day, you’ll head along to the phenomenal World of WearableArt Show. Here, premium ‘A Reserve’ seats await. From there, all that is left to do is to sit back and marvel at the artistry before you as the show unfolds.

The WOW Train VIP Experience promises an unforgettable journey, departing from Christchurch on 4 October 2024. Don’t miss your chance to experience one of the greatest stages on Earth first-hand. Book your ticket now and prepare to be dazzled by the wonder of World of WearableArt.

greatjourneysnz.com

Six treatments to try this winter at Transform Clinic.

RENEW YOUR COMPLEXION

Winter means IPL Fotofacial season at Transform Clinic! Combining RF and IPL energies in one pulse, ELOS offers a more effective treatment to target blemishes and boost collagen. It targets sun damage, freckles, pigmentation, veins, and redness, leaving a smoother complexion.

RELAXING WITH RESULTS

3 TRANSFORM YOURSELF

The Dermatech Facial delivers radiant results and relaxation. Luxury and Refresher facials use Dermatech, a skincare range with science-backed formulas, proudly made in New Zealand.

2

5

GLOW WITH FOTONA!

Fotona’s medical-grade laser uses two wavelengths to tighten and rejuvenate the skin. Its ‘Glow and Go’ treatment is a no-downtime laser skin tightening option for those seeking real results without downtime.

INSTANT GLOW 1

SKIN BOOSTING!

Injectable biostimulators improve skin quality and glow by promoting collagen and elastin production and adding intense hydration. They boost glow and overall skin health, perfect for winter.

transformclinic.co.nz

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4

SMOOTH AND RADIANT

Microneedling with Procell Therapies enhances cell renewal and collagen production with less downtime. It tightens, brightens, and rejuvenates the skin, reducing fine lines, wrinkles, acne scarring, large pores, rosacea, and pigmentation.

Hydrafacial offers instantly glowing skin. This multi-step facial uses vortex technology to cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate. It is customisable with booster serums and LED for brighter, smoother, clearer skin.

YOUR TIME FOR SELF-CARE

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FACE FORWARD

The new Revlon Illuminance Gel Serum Blush visibly plumps cheeks, blending makeup and skincare with hydrating 80 per cent Water-Infused Glycerin. Accompany with a Revlon Essential Brush for effortless application and coverage. revlon.com

2 FITTING EXPERTS

3 SCENT TIME

It’s about comfort and quality at The Fitting Room – your bra fit specialists. Tired of wearing uncomfortable bras that aren’t working for you? At The Fitting Room, the friendly, expert fitters will help you find the best style and size for your body. Prima Donna Lingerie (style ‘Novaro’ pictured) is one brand of many, with patented under-wires famous for their comfort and support. For D–K Ccup size lingerie and swimwear, book your fitting online. thefittingroom.co.nz

4

Jean Paul Gaultier has released two new exotic scents. Le Beau Paradise Garden, an aromatic woody eau de toilette, blends green fig with coconut water infused with powerful sandalwood. La Belle Paradise Garden bursts with vanilla, splashed with iris and blue water lily. farmers.co.nz

LESS WRINKLES, MORE LIFT, NEEDLE FREE!

EMFace has finally arrived in Christchurch! EMFace is a non-invasive facial lifting treatment that uses revolutionary technology to improve facial muscle density and stimulate collagen and elastin production. Currently, it’s the only device that can address and reverse the two main causes of ageing: which are loss of facial muscle tone and loss of collagen. EMFace creates lift, restores volume, and reduces fine lines in the face by toning the underlying facial muscles to provide an overall refreshed, tighter, and smoother complexion. See if this treatment is right for you at the Skin Rejuvenation Clinic! skinrejuvenationclinic.co.nz

FEATURE

Homegrown

There’s something truly special about Canterbury.

Those over the next few pages are marching to their own beat and crafting something extraordinary.

There’s Felt, a vibrant platform connecting creators of high-quality locally made products with discerning customers. Then there’s Nightworks, an internationally acclaimed lighting design firm founded by the visionary duo Ben and Kiri Wahrlich. Streamliners, a Christchurchbased health technology company, is revolutionising patient care by reducing wait times and enhancing systems for millions worldwide.

CULTIVATING KIWI TALENT

Aotearoa is full of skilled makers and designers, and a Christchurch-based digital platform makes it possible to find and buy their products all in one place.

Online marketplace Felt was founded in 2007 by Canterbury designer Lucy Arnold and has become a go-to site for finding high-quality products by Kiwi makers.

As Felt celebrates its 17th birthday this month, more than 1500 artists, designers, and craftspeople are selling their work on the site. Felt offers the chance to discover new and growing talent, buy beautiful, meaningful products, and make genuine connections with real people.

By creating a direct connection with local makers, Felt’s model means that your purchases directly support small business owners, who in turn provide for their families.

Christchurch woodworker John Robertson started his Felt shop, Wood and Chisel, in 2020 and has experienced that connection as both a maker and a buyer.

“I think most of us are surrounded by everyday objects that lack beauty and creativity. Things that we have no connection to. When you buy something handmade, you get the chance to invest in that person, and invest in their skill development. You know where it came from, what it’s been made with, and the skills used to make it. There is a closeness to the product that doesn’t come with mass-produced products.”

John’s business grew in classic Kiwi fashion, taking root in his garage. “We kind of decided it was a waste to park a car in a garage when that space could be used for something creative. So that’s where I work. It’s small, but it is amazing what can be done in a small space when you put your mind to it.”

“I was super happy when I got my first sale on Felt to a complete stranger in Wellington. It’s a nice feeling to sell to someone who is not

a friend. You know then that someone values the work and isn’t just helping you out.”

Plenty of Felt sellers share John’s story, their journeys often beginning with making beautiful things for family and friends, discovering a demand for their work, and finding a way to turn their talent into a business.

For this growing group of sellers, developing artisan skills requires time and dedication. Every purchase supports the cultivation of these talents, helping to retain them within our communities. This also contributes to building resilient communities connected with makers who create durable, repairable products, reducing our reliance on often poor-quality items and unreliable shipping during times of turmoil.

The team at Felt has seen a surge in support in recent years, as people reassess how they spend their money and the impact of their purchases. While buying locally online is convenient for shipping, the added appeal of shopping on Felt is that investment in the growth and resilience of the local creative economy.

Lucy explains that while one of Felt’s strengths is its digital presence, its true essence lies in connecting people with exceptional products.

“You can buy anything from anywhere right now, but so much of what’s available to us is just not sustainable. Things are manufactured on an inhuman scale. Buying from local makers may cost more, but there’s so much more value in the quality and human connection.”

Meet the Felt team and many Felt sellers in person at Winter Encraftment Market on 22 and 23 June at Pioneer Stadium.

felt.co.nz

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Sterling silver sixpence and spoon handle bracelet by Orchid Blue, orchidbluenz.felt.co.nz; Hand carved tōtara coffee scoop by John Robertson, woodchisel.felt.co.nz; Handmade kete by Souly Fibre, soulyfibre.felt.co.nz; Ceramic tumblers by Hilary Cowburn, wellhandled.felt.co.nz.

INNOVATION HELPING MILLIONS

Local company Streamliners is making an impact globally as it fulfils its mission to improve the health and wellbeing of people worldwide.

What started as a simple online guide to help GPs assess and manage heart patients into specialist services in Canterbury is now a comprehensive tool for more than 600 conditions used by GPs, nurses, and other health professionals across 60 health systems who care for 35 million patients around Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.

HealthPathways provides clinicians with quick access to the latest global evidence and best practice. It gives them instant guidance, including what questions to ask and what treatments are available. This is combined with hyper-local information on what specialist care is available for patients in their region.

Streamliners celebrated a milestone in April with the opening of its new campus in Ōtautahi Christchurch, where 120 of the company’s 150 employees work. The company is an example of the booming local health tech sector that makes Christchurch stand out on the global stage.

“One of Christchurch’s greatest strengths is as a leading hub for innovative, future-focused businesses. Streamliners is an important part of the health-tech community in Christchurch, which is significant because health-tech is one of the city’s four high growth clusters or focus areas,” says Ali Adams, ChristchurchNZ CEO.

Wales introduced HealthPathways nationally last year and reports reduced waiting lists and referrals. The pathways help to identify and reduce the “risk of location impacting access to care that can result in inequitable healthcare between regions”.

National pathways were introduced in New Zealand and Australia during the Covid-19

response when health recommendations were being updated at a rapid pace.

The pathway development process has benefits too. It brings general practitioners and hospital specialists together, where new solutions to challenges can be designed by the clinical care teams and then shared for everyone to follow.

HealthPathways is delivered by Streamliners, a company owned 80 per cent by the Joined Up Systems Trust (JUST), which aims to support the integration of health and social services. The other 20 per cent is owned by Te Whatu Ora. This structure was implemented by the company founders last year to make sure that corporate profit motivations would not overtake the company’s mission to improve the health and wellbeing of people around the world.

Streamliners CEO Stella Ward joined the team in January 2024. She has been recognised for her advocacy in digital health throughout her career.

“Streamliners contributes to the broader knowledge economy here in New Zealand with our weightless export capabilities. We’re world leaders at providing timely, accurate, contextualised information to educators and health professionals so that they can address the educational and health needs of the individuals they serve. We are enablers of integrated health and social care systems – an integrated care system delivers better quality care and health outcomes. Our HealthPathways products and services bring policy into practice at scale. Being part of our global community creates a network effect where we can deliver on our purpose – to improve the health and wellbeing of people around the globe.”

streamliners.co.nz

LIGHTING MAKERS & CREATORS

Christchurch’s award-winning artisan lighting studio, Nightworks, is making a global impact with its hand-finished, bespoke products lighting up chic interiors from New Zealand to Europe and North America.

Nightworks Studio founders Ben and Kiri Wahrlich cut their teeth in industrial design and graphic design in Australia, where they first made waves in contemporary lighting design through their Sydney studio, Anaesthetic. Not long after their first child was born, they decided to move back to New Zealand and chose Christchurch as their new home.

“It was an easy choice,” says Kiri. “The future of the city was exciting: we saw an opportunity to put our mark on Christchurch, and it was a great, new city for our kids to grow up in.”

A shared love of mid-century architecture led the couple to the classic Poynton House in the heart of the city, where they set up Nightworks in 2019. Their first large commission here was a statement chandelier for the Public Trust Office building on Oxford Terrace. Building on their award-winning Code Pendant system, they created a stunning centrepiece to complement the building’s heritage character. This project ignited Nightworks’ profile across the world.

“We have recently installed a similar suspension in the home of an art collector in Washington, along with custom pendants in the Florida home of Paul Fireman, the founder of Reebok.”

Similar suspensions are being installed in some beautiful Christchurch homes in the coming months.

Nightworks’ bespoke Tasman family of modular pendant lighting, expressing a gentle waving form, is another design triumph, having won a 2022 NZ Best Design Award (Gold), a

2022 Australian Good Design Award and a prestigious 2023 Red Dot Award in Germany.

“We’re one of only three New Zealand companies to have won a Red Dot Award last year,” says Ben. “There’s nothing else like the Tasman pendant in the world. It’s unique and tells the story of our connection to the Tasman Sea, with each colourway in the range referencing colours we see in our coastal environment.”

Kiri and Ben bring complementary strengths to Nightworks. As creative director, Ben works on all product development while Kiri manages the studio. Having started out as a team of two, they now employ five others and are in the throes of recruiting for an eighth team member.

“Customisation, adaptation, and providing altered solutions is something we’re leaning into a lot now – so much so that we have outgrown our current production space,” says Ben. “We’ll be moving into a new dedicated production facility in the second half of this year while still keeping our existing space in Poynton House as our showroom and offices.”

Nightworks continues to light up spaces around the city with innovative, unique solutions. One of their recent commissions involved designing and creating gorgeous custom wall lights, featuring Oamaru stone, for the recently reimagined Untouched World Christchurch retail store.

One to watch this year is an upcoming new release, the La-De-Da Pendant. Designed as a large contemporary centrepiece, this pendant was well received at a recent soft launch at Auckland Design Week.

nightworksstudio.com

PLANT SMART

With winter here, Avenues gets some seasonal advice from Southern Woods’ Ashley Shadbolt.

Wetter weather can bring mould and other ailments. How can we protect and treat our plants? FreeFlo Copper is a great natural product for preventing fungal and bacterial diseases. We stock a fruit and veg-specific and a general-use version, both organic certified.

Do you have a favourite tree? Every season brings a different favourite tree. At the moment, autumn colours are at their best, so if you have the space, you can’t go past a Claret Ash (Fraxinus angustifolia ‘Raywoodii’). For smaller backyards, Cornus ‘Eddies White Wonder’ is a great option.

What’s a common mistake people make when choosing plants for their homes? Commonly, the problem isn’t the plant but rather their care, and more often than not, these plants are being killed by kindness… overwatering and planting too deep. At this time of year, unless fruiting or undercover, plants should only need watering weekly at most. When planting, use the top of the mix in the pot as your guide, matching this to your soil level.

Is there anything new at Southern Woods that excites you? As a nursery, we change with the seasons. This winter, we are stocking our largest-ever range of potted fruit trees. Unlike the commonly purchased bare-root fruit trees, these are a year older, wiser, and closer to peak production.

With winter, what jobs should we be doing? Winter is a great time to prep. Top up mulch

and remove any seeding weeds from your gardens to save you an even bigger job come spring. Once soil moisture levels recover after an unusually dry autumn, plant deciduous trees, especially fruit trees, so they are settled and ready to roll come spring.

For those wanting to enhance the biodiversity of the garden, what should they do? There are a range of options to enhance your garden’s biodiversity. Start with a good 100mm deep layer of mulch, encouraging a wide range of insects while improving soil fertility and water-holding capacity. Layer your plantings, increasing the habitat available to insects and birds. Lastly, have plants that flower/fruit at different times of the year, thus giving more reason for birds to make your garden a permanent home.

What grows well in marginal soil? Most natives handle marginal soil, having evolved over millennia to suit New Zealand conditions. Another popular plant that can handle tough conditions is the range of Lomandras, native to Australia. These are available in a range of colours and sizes. Lastly, and very much out of the ordinary, Echium wildpretii are amazing bi-annuals and a favourite of our garden centre team.

Ashley’s last word? As the days grow colder and darker, boil the jug, park on the couch, and jump on our website for all your plant needs. With freight to your door nationwide, you can purchase your plants from the comfort of your own home!

southernwoods.co.nz

Your turn to live the good life.

Blending country lifestyle and modern living, The Clearing offers fully serviced and pre-fenced sections in the thriving town of Amberley in North Canterbury. Only 40 minutes from Christchurch and available from $199K, this is your escape from the city bustle, a chance to pursue the quarter acre dream, and relish a flat, low-maintenance section surrounded by a breathtaking landscape within a community that embodies the essence of a good life.

Come on in...

Growing green fingers

Lynette McFadden

Business Owner & Mentor, Harcourts gold @lynette_mcfadden

Igrew up admiring anyone with them, green fingers, that is … and I still do.

It’s when I consider this that I invariably think of my grandparents, all of whom were exceptional gardeners tending large vegetable patches in an effort to feed equally large families. I’ve always believed the ability to take a seed to a fully-fledged plant that can be eaten or enjoyed, as well as the transition from a barren space to a flourishing garden, is something very special, and I have fond memories of enjoying the art of gardening right up until we moved into our current home.

Although I’d started with ideas of collecting grey water for irrigation, inviting a local beekeeper to drop off some hives in anticipation of honey in the future, and envisaged planting large pots with seasonal bulbs and herbs, I wasn’t able to do any of it.

It seemed that the old line of not having enough time eroded my best intentions, and this probably coincides with the changes being reported by those who study lifestyle and gardening trends.

Trends, as we know, come and go.

A fitting example probably includes the transition from the large lawn areas that dominated the fifties to the eighties and took up many a dad’s Sunday to the much more compact spaces you see now. Courtyards, shrinking section sizes, a desire by absolutely everyone to have more time to enjoy themselves, and the gradual acceptance of fake lawns have set new standards.

And these trends determine and influence the properties that are built and purchased today.

Over my lengthy professional tenure, I’ve seen this change first-hand. These days, I hear couples making it clear that they want easy, low-maintenance living – and this includes the garden space – which is a long way from purchasers I met in the early 2000s who saw land, and a good amount of it, as the pinnacle of success.

Another trend, with its origins in the past but now deeply relevant as we face a cost-ofliving crisis, is the Grow to Eat movement.

At least I’ve been able to adopt some of the principles by growing a number of my own herb varieties, having become heartily tired of seeing store-bought herbs in their little white dishes wilt within 30 minutes of being rehoused on my bench at home. So by growing some of your own produce, you can enjoy nutritional value, gain a sense of fulfillment, save time by not visiting the supermarket, and often save money too.

The last and final trend, and if you’ve noticed it during spring and summer in our beautiful Hagley Park and other public gardens, well done, is the planting of planet-friendly wildflower gardens. These were undertaken throughout our fair city to “provide a pop of colour whilst benefiting insects and the environment.” Not only do they provide a habitat for pollinators and help the soil, they also reduce the need for mowing and therefore reduce our carbon footprint.

So, if you’re not green-fingered, try being green-minded (no politics intended) and enjoy this beautiful earth of ours.

HOME

Coffee and cream

The soft neutral tones of the new Carve stoneware dining range from Nood meet between the warming brown of Resene Yogi and the creamy biscuit beige of Resene Biscotti.

The Carve dining range features a distinctive natural stoneware finish and unique linear pattern, adding character to any table setting. The organic forms of the Stone Age Smoosh and Arch vases bring both light and shadow with Cream Faux Branches to echo the Resene colours. Pair light and dark shades from the same colour family for a soothing look. Here, the golden ginger tan of Resene Yogi feels connected to the golden cream of Resene Biscotti.

Carve Plate Side Clay; Carve Dinner Plate Clay; Carve Bowl Clay Large; Carve Bowl Clay Medium; Carve Olive Bowl Clay; Carve Mug Clay; Stone Age Smoosh Vase Bone; Stone Age Arch Vase Bone; Autumn Faux Branch Cream from Nood. Resene Yogi and Resene Biscotti from Resene ColorShops.

Resene Yogi Resene Biscotti

to all the members of the Harcourts gold team who were acknowledged as part of Christchurch's Top 30! You are exceptional professionals and you stand out for your expertise and authenticity.

CAMERON BAILEY NO.1

SALES CONSULTANT, RESIDENTIAL SALES CONSULTANT & AUCTION LISTER IN CHCH

MARK O'LOUGHLIN NO.12

SALES CONSULTANT IN CHCH & NO.1 INDIVIDUAL SALES CONSULTANT IN CHCH

MILENA BARTLETT NO.27

SALES CONSULTANT IN CHCH

MICHELLE FU NO.3

SALES CONSULTANT IN CHCH

JACK MILLIGAN NO.15

SALES CONSULTANT IN CHCH

MARK WANG NO.4

SALES CONSULTANT & NO.2 EXCLUSIVE LISTER IN CHCH

HARRISON JOSEPH NO.18

SALES CONSULTANT IN CHCH

Special mentions for their achievements in the Christchurch Awards.

Leeann Marriott for ranking No.3 for Individual Sales Consultant in Christchurch.

Claudia Mills for ranking No.2 Property Manager in Christchurch.

MARY TURNBULL NO.10

SALES CONSULTANT IN CHCH

DEBBIE SOPER NO.26

SALES CONSULTANT IN CHCH

LEEANN MARRIOTT CLAUDIA MILLS

Congratulations Harcourts gold on an outstanding result at the Harcourts Christchurch Awards!

CHRISTCHURCH

TOP REGIONAL OFFICE FOR AUCTIONS - PAPANUI

TOP REGIONAL OFFICE FOR REVENUE - PAPANUI

TOP REGIONAL OFFICE FOR REVENUE PER SALES CONSULTANT - PAPANUI

Talk to any of us today and kickstart your real estate journey with the No.1 Harcourts Office in Christchurch.

Harcourts gold Business Owners From Left to Right: John McFadden | Lynette McFadden | Chris Kennedy | Cameron Bailey | Michelle Fu

BY DESIGN

LEFT WITH A SMILE

Jenny Kim, owner of Studio Dental, gave Fabric a simple brief: create a space that was more than a dental clinic, redefining what it could be.

To Jenny Kim, creating a dental space that felt welcoming and calming was essential.

“Dental clinics can often feel intimidating and clinical, so it was important to design a space that alleviates anxiety and comforts patients the moment they step in.”

This sense of calm begins even before patients enter the space. From the streetside, its soft, white exterior extends a welcome.

Also noticeable from the exterior is Jenny’s cultural heritage. Fabric’s lead architect,

Mitchell Coll, incorporated elements of traditional Korean houses known as Hanoks in the designs. These houses comprise three key components: a stone base, columns, and latticework. The Studio Dental building’s simple box form is elevated to a distinctive landmark through the inclusion of a latticework screen. The screen adds movement to the building when approached or passing by – both during the day and when softly lit at night. It is already iconic along Papanui Road.

WORDS Liam Stretch PHOTOS Simon Devitt

ARCHITECT Fabric BUILDER Mike Newman Builders

“It’s a reflection of my journey, blending my cultural background with my professional aspirations, aiming to transform how dental care is perceived and experienced,” Jenny says.

This design also allowed easy tie-in into the surrounding neighbourhood, with several established character homes nearby.

“What we also wanted to do was talk to the surroundings. We kept the bulk of the building on the site back from the road, similar to those 1940s character villas. With latticework, they can be all sorts of different designs, but we created a design that is similar to the fenestrations in windows of the villas surrounding it,” Mitchell says.

Moving inside, the patient was carefully considered. Here, the team, including Fabric, SemiCreative, and Mike Newman Builders, had to create an interior “that alleviated anxiety, transforming a traditionally stressful environment into a tranquil space”. They’ve used natural light, warm tones, and textures to create flowing spaces that guide patients

through their visit in a way that feels intuitive and stress-free. State-of-art technology is also throughout the space.

This approach to patient comfort is reflective of Jenny’s overall commitment to enhancing every aspect of the dental experience.

Despite only having 300 square metres to work with, the team has managed to incorporate seven studios, two sterilisation rooms, a waiting room, and all of the necessary medical and disposal equipment.

“With all that it still feels spacious. The user experience is what I’m really proud of,” Mitchell says.

The building also has a low environmental impact, achieved thanks to pre-build embodied carbon calculations.

The timber elements enhance the day spa feeling, but as a commercial space and medical facility, significant fire protection was required; a challenge overcome through “excellent coordination both on and off-site”.

Joinery crafted by Bates Joinery throughout the space uses durable laminate and melamine products tied together with sleek aluminium profile handles. A curved reception counter and waiting area, finished in American White Ash veneer with timber battens and engineered stone tops, gives a luxurious, warm, and inviting feel to the space. batesjoinery.co.nz

“Ninety per cent of the walls on the ground floor had to be fire rated, including the mid floor – this meant that running services to these areas was much more challenging. There was an extreme amount of passive fire protection that went into this building, and it was great to have our team of professional sub-trades and builders working on this,” builder Mike Newman says.

They also came up against a tight timeline.

“We had to be on time and on budget, and we had to have a really smooth transition for Jenny to get out of her old building and into the new one, essentially overnight,” Mitchell says.

Collaboration between trades and the owner saw a seamless transition for Jenny and her dental team into her new space.

“This was one of the best projects we’ve ever been involved with. The client was awesome. The other side of it was Mike’s organisational skills. That was just absolutely critical, especially in a medical business,” Mitchell says.

To Jenny, the end product is “more than just a dental clinic; it’s a place where care meets craft”.

“Our practice is built on the foundation of compassion and innovation. We not only focus on providing excellent dental services but also ensuring that every aspect of the patient’s experience is positive.”

fabricarchitecture.co.nz | studiodental.nz

Odeon is inspired by Mediterranean dining culture and shared plates. Highly recommended weekend brunch. Open for brunch 6 days a week. From 11am Tues-Fri, from 8.30am on Saturday and Sundays

165 Gloucester Street, Christchurch | odeon.co.nz

COCONUT OIL AND CHAI

Hot Chocolate

With winter here, this delicious combination of chai and chocolate is perfect for warming you up, all the while nourishing you from the inside out.

bluecoconut.co.nz

SERVES 1

Chai spice mix

¼ tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 cardamom pods

5 cloves

½ nutmeg, grated

Hot chocolate

150ml coconut milk

100ml full-fat milk or any plant-based milk of your choice

½ tsp chai spice

1 tsp agave or maple syrup

1 tsp Blue Coconut oil, either virgin or refined 70g dark chocolate

Mix the ground spices together. Crush the cardamom and cloves with a pestle and mortar (or rolling pin) and add them to the ground spice mix, along with the finely grated nutmeg.

Pour both milks and chai spice into a small pan and bring to a near boil. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to infuse for 30 minutes. Then, strain the milk through a fine sieve, return to pan, add agave or maple syrup, and heat to about 60°C. Add the dark chocolate and coconut oil, then give it a good whisk.

If you have a coffee machine with a steamer wand hand, you can froth your drink until airy!

PALATE

WELCOME

TO THE HARBOUR

For forty years, Akaroa Salmon has been a leading salmon producer, combining quality and sustainability – a local hero.

Akaroa Salmon is a testament to the coexistence of tradition and innovation in a truly homegrown story. It’s a 100 per cent New Zealand-owned partnership that includes Ngati Porou, Ōnuku Runanga (the guardians of Akaroa), and the founders, the Bates family.

With a rich history of farming in Banks Peninsula dating back to 1866, the Bates family embarked on a new journey in 1985 with the establishment of Akaroa Salmon. Starting with a single experimental pen in Lucas Bay, they worked closely with the local community and iwi to help pioneer King Salmon farming.

Duncan Bates and his father, Tom, worked the farm. Duncan used to live nearby in a cabin and row out daily in a wooden dinghy to feed the salmon, regardless of the weather. This hands-on experience over nearly forty years makes them closely in touch with their salmon and their environment.

However, they’re quick to embrace innovation and were the first King Salmon producer to work out how to replace wild-caught fish oil in their feed with farmed and fermented algae – an innovation that saw them win the Future Adaptation award from Seafood New Zealand last year. This algae reduces the pressure on wild-caught fish but also ensures healthy omega-3 levels in their salmon.

In addition, they never use antibiotics, hormones or GMOs in their feed, and their King Salmon are never treated with pesticides. All of this is extra work, but based on their ethos of ‘better not bigger’, they’ve found customers who care enough to support them over the years.

They’ve recently purchased a hatchery in Waiau, after searching for the best alpine

spring water to raise their salmon from eggs. Here, they grow the smolt out for six months until it is ready to be sent out to the cold ocean waters of Akaroa Harbour – keeping the whole life cycle locally grown here in Canterbury.

Their status as the smallest ocean-based King Salmon farm worldwide is not a weakness;

Akaroa Salmon maintains low stock density in 120-metre pens, providing ample space for the slow-growing King Salmon to thrive. Rigorous seafloor monitoring, as well as not using antifouling paints on their nets and vessels or artificial lighting on their farms, ensures minimal disruption to nearby marine life.

Akaroa Salmon boasts a remarkably low carbon footprint compared to other proteins, trailing only behind tofu, mussels, and oysters. Akaroa Salmon’s Nik Mavromatis says they are passionate about ‘farm to table’.

“People can come down to the Wainui wharf in Akaroa or to our factory store in Wigram to get the freshest fish; we even have the option to buy direct from our hatchery near Waiau.” Nik mentions they are striving to improve the access Kiwis have to fish and hopes they choose to engage more with their local fishers.

At the factory, the fish are filleted into different cuts “with something for everybody to try”. They’re also hot- and cold-smoked.

“We use the same old-school smoking recipe, free from anything nasty. It’s just mānuka we get from the West Coast and Marlborough sea salt – that’s it.”

Akaroa Salmon has won gold at the Outstanding Food Producer Awards for the last four years, and this year took home the Champion award in the ‘Water’ category for its fresh sashimi-grade fillet.

akaroasalmon.co.nz

PALATE

TRUE BLUE

For John Drew, coconut oil is the solution to many contemporary health woes – it’s a product he’s passionate about.

John Drew’s journey into the world of coconut oil began with a profound realisation during his years running a medical practice: health could be approached through food. This led him to delve deep into the properties of coconut oil.

“Coconut oil became incredibly obvious once we researched it as a tool to resolve a number of physiological presentations of concern,” he explains.

However, to integrate coconut oil into medical practice, it needed to meet medical standards, which meant refining it. Thus, Blue Coconut was born, transitioning from a garage operation in Little River to a purpose-built factory in Hornby.

Blue Coconut produces two main products: Refined Coconut Oil and Wild Virgin Organic Coconut Oil. According to John, coconut oil’s applications are vast, but its true potential lies in its unique properties that make it bio-ready for consumption.

“Coconut oil is unique because it’s largely made up of lauric acid, a type of saturated fat also found in human breast milk,” John elaborates. “This chemical composition allows it to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream, making it bio-ready for our bodies.”

He explains how lauric acid plays a crucial role in providing immediate energy to the brain, promoting satiety, and aiding in weight loss.

“Lauric acid is immediately available to the brain, so the brain gets a free lunch and tells the liver that you don’t need to store fat. So, as a weight loss tool, there’s nothing better. And for a satiation tool, there’s nothing better because the brain has got what it needs.”

Moreover, refined coconut oil’s stability and neutral flavour make it an ideal cooking

oil. John says its natural properties, like its interaction with omega-3, also enhance a meal’s health potential.

“It’s called the friend of omega. So instead of 45 per cent of your nutritional value and fish being destroyed, either in the cooking process or in the gut, cooking it in coconut oil immediately protects it and transports effortlessly into your system for you to enjoy the nutritional value of those beautiful omega-3 products.”

For John, coconut oil represents a departure from the mindset of the past three decades. “Society is coming off a thirty-year experiment where fat was the bogeyman,” he notes. “But the body and brain actually need fat, especially saturated fat like lauric acid.”

But Blue Coconut’s impact extends beyond personal health. By sourcing coconuts exclusively from Pacific Island communities, the company supports local economies and promotes fair trade practices. Proceeds from the sale of Blue Coconut Oil contribute to initiatives that improve village health and education across the Pacific Islands.

“With each jar of coconut oil purchased, consumers not only enhance their own health but also contribute to the wellbeing of communities across the Pacific.”

In addition to its culinary and community benefits, coconut oil serves as a versatile topical treatment, possessing antibacterial and antifungal properties. “It’s great for gardening as simply wiping it on your hands gets rid of any soil nasties,” John remarks, “and it’s an effective makeup remover.”

John is a steadfast champion of the benefits of coconut oil; he hopes consumers will also embrace them.

bluecoconut.co.nz

Credit: Trade Aid

PALATE

CHAMPIONING COMMUNITY

The country’s leading specialty fresh coffee brand*, Hummingbird Coffee Roasters, dates back more than 30 years to a roastery founded in Christchurch.

Originally Garden City Coffee, George and Sue Cowper bought their local coffee roaster and café and rebranded it to Hummingbird Coffee. Their son Nick now leads the business in New Zealand.

“Hummingbird actively supports the people who both grow and drink our coffee, which means we donate to local initiatives and choose fair trade green beans,” Nick says.

“Our purpose is to empower people to make a positive impact through something as simple as their daily brew.”

In 2004 Hummingbird became a champion of fair trade in New Zealand, being one of the first in partnership with Trade Aid to directly import fair trade, organic, green coffee beans.

Now a national brand, the company still maintains direct relationships with coffee growers and pays a premium for these beans. Since 2005, this amounts to an extraordinary $10 million in premiums paid to tens of thousands of growers and their families in 10 countries.

“As a leading specialty coffee company, it’s always about delivering distinctive, memorable coffees. But we’re also committed to doing so in a way that aims to positively impact the communities our business reaches and the planet we live on.”

Following the devastating 2011 earthquakes that destroyed Christchurch’s CBD, the Hummingbird team established a pop-up café in the Re:Start container mall, helping to revitalise the inner city block. A new Re:Start coffee blend was created, where 30 cents from every 200g pack was donated to help rebuild the badly damaged Court Theatre.

Now known as Hummingbird’s Green Bean Fund, this charitable initiative donates $1 from every $100 of green coffee beans

Hummingbird buys to local communities within New Zealand.

In early 2023, as a national Crisis Response Partner to the Student Volunteer Army (SVA), Hummingbird donated $50,000 to support communities displaced by the Auckland floods. This then extended into the SVA’s efforts to help people and communities on the ground in Hawke’s Bay following the devastating Cyclone Gabrielle. An ongoing financial contribution and partnership directly supports SVA clubs across Aotearoa, ensuring volunteers are equipped with PPE, trained in crisis response, and are fully empowered and ready to support our communities when crisis hits.

On home soil, Hummingbird supported Christchurch regeneration initiative The Green Lab to establish the Mairehau Neighbourhood Garden with a $10,000 donation. Funds helped cover the labour costs of working bees, build compost containers, purchase plants, install a polytunnel and a crucial water mains tap.

This year, Hummingbird continues its Christchurch regeneration journey with a new partnership supporting The Green Lab in building a Christchurch-first sensory garden in the city’s Red Zone. The Avon-Ōtākaro Nature Play Park is thoughtfully designed to foster a deeper connection with nature. This highly accessible space aims to promote biodiversity and sustainability through a multi-sensory experience. When the park opens in June, visitors will explore a sound zone, a lizard and butterfly garden, a sensory rope trail, and active nature play areas.

The park exemplifies the Cowper family’s original vision, which is that the Hummingbird brand is all about creating authentic and positive social impact.

hummingbirdcoffee.com

Sam Parish @sam.parish.food

PIEROGI JOINT

466 Tuam Street

@pierogijoint

These Eastern European dumplings from Pierogi Joint are paying homage to the potato with their delicious fillings. My absolute favourite is the Babushka filling, packed with salty bursts of bacon. Whenever I swing by the Saturday farmers’ market in Riccarton, I always make sure to indulge in a variety because, well, more is more! And let’s not forget about the loaded version with kraut, chorizo, and sour cream – it’s the perfect handheld meal for navigating the bustling markets. Interestingly, the name ‘Babushka’ carries special significance, meaning ‘grandmother’ in both Polish and Russian, which served as the inspiration for owner Kate to launch the business. You can now also find these Christchurch-made Pierogi stocked in grocery stores all over the country!

Spud dreaming

Whether it’s loaded fries, filled dumplings, or elegantly peeled taters turned into a beautiful piece of crispy layered artistry, these are some of the best potato-centric (and potato-proud) dishes I’ve tried in Christchurch recently.

BISON BBQ

13 Tidal View @bisonbbqnz

Any excuse to smother hot chips in a smokey, meat-laden chilli that’s been lovingly cooked for hours and is brimming with flavour is always fine by me. Bison sits proudly on the waterfront along the new coastal walk in Ferrymead (also a great recommendation), offering breathtaking views towards Sumner and New Brighton. This is the spot for sun-drenched winter days and chilly nights. Fairy lights adorn the courtyard, creating a magic atmosphere, while the smells of wood-fired cookers subtly fill the air, stirring up a sudden hunger in your taste buds. The service at Bison is top-class, and the food is as generously drenched in care and love as my chips are in chilli. Head chef Jon has truly knocked it out of the park with his culinary creations. Make your way here for food that’s been treated with the utmost care. Let there be meat.

ROCA

134 Oxford Terrace @rocabar.chch

Sitting at Roca’s marble bar, gazing into the bustling kitchen with bottles of champagne chilling in ice, is a treat for all the senses. But when a plate of layered crispy potato latkes arrives, nestled in a smooth garlic toum sauce and sprinkled with mild Aleppo chilli flakes, you’d be forgiven for thinking, “How do I stop my guests from trying these so I can devour the whole plate myself?” Or maybe you’re a better sharer than I am. Paired with Roca’s signature wood-fired flatbread, to be torn into without hesitation, as well as the date-glazed eggplant and sour cherry confit duck leg. The potato is just the beginning at Roca (in fact, it’s just a side). This is the spot for a leisurely lunch in Christchurch, with views overlooking the Avon; you’ll never want to leave.

POMEROY’S OLD BREWERY INN

292 Kilmore Street

@pomeroyspub

Editor Liam Stretch had mentioned the garlic butter chips at well-known Pomeroy’s were worth a try. But little did I know what I was walking into. Thick cut, crispy, and dripping in a delicious, frothy garlic butter that sends each bite to peak yum! These chips aren’t just on another level; they set the bar for how all hot chips should be judged. The addition of garlic butter is pure genius (almost cruel, really). How have I not tried these before? I highly recommend getting your hands in and giving them a good toss to ensure every chip is generously coated before indulging. With an extensive selection of beers on tap and a petfriendly beer courtyard or cosy indoor dining complete with a roaring fireplace, I already know where I’ll be spending many lunches and dinners this winter. Pomeroy’s has indeed taken chip perfection to new heights!

BEST SHARED

FANCY A FINANCIER?

Introducing Sweet Soul Patisserie’s Financier Gift Box: four delectable options of Financier-style cakes available for online purchase and nationwide delivery. These are perfect for tea gatherings and for sharing a taste of the Sweet Soul experience. This addition is now a permanent delight in the Sweet Soul line-up.

sweetsoul.nz

WINTER WARMER

The cool winter air is here, and we’re in full nesting mode, chasing comfort food, ambient lighting, and soft red wines. So we’re heading to Earl for the simple, good stuff, like housemade pasta and locally sourced proteins with seasonal vegetables served by great humans. Their modus operandi? Arrive as a guest, leave as a friend. Book tonight.

earl.co.nz

TREAT BOX

Chocolatiers Mind Your Temper craft award-winning treats in their Christchurch kitchen. Indulge in their finest creations with the Happy Melts Bonbon Collection, a colourful box featuring Spiced Orange, Blackforest, Cointreau and Hazelnut, Thai Milk Tea, Apple Tarte Tatin, Miso Caramel and Hazelnut, Earl Grey and Cookie, and Banoffee Pie.

mindyourtemper.co.nz

PLANT A COOKIE

Auckland-based Vegan Treatery’s bakers love whipping up plant-based goodness. A standout treat that caught our attention at Avenues HQ is the Triple Choccy Chunk Cookie. Crafted from their signature chocolate brownie cookie dough and loaded with Whittaker’s chocolate chunks and creamy white chocolate, it boasts a perfect balance of crisp edges and a soft, gooey centre. They deliver these goodies nationwide. vegantreatory.co.nz

CAPPUCCINO MEET-CUTE

The Coffee Hut is a new addition to the Ilam community, taking up residence in a space previously occupied by an ATM. This hole-in-the-wall café at the Waimari Road shops serves up some excellent brews. It’s the perfect spot to take your reusable coffee cup and grab a drink before you head on with your day.

213A Waimairi Road | coffeehut.co.nz

COFFEE ON THE CORNER

No. 186 Café is a local haven nestled on the corner of Yaldhurst and Nortons Roads in Avonhead. The team, always ready with a warm smile, serves exceptional coffee and a variety of leaf teas. They are open for brunch and lunch, offering à la carte and cabinet food, including delicious gluten-free slices.

186 Yaldhurst Road | 186cafe.co.nz

FRIENDS IN FOOD

They say the best things in life are shared, and that’s at its most true with food.

Victoria Street’s bustling café, Majestic at Mayfair, emphasises this philosophy with its new season’s brunch offerings.

Executive head chef Nick Tatom has teamed up with some of his industry mates – trailblazing food creatives he has met and worked with throughout his 18-year career – to create a winter menu.

Nick characterises this menu as a unique blend of collaboration and nostalgia, a culinary journey you won’t find anywhere else.

The seasonal menu is a testament to the culinary prowess of the globally experienced chefs who have graced the kitchens of renowned Christchurch eateries, including James and Cynthia Bagrie, formerly of Caffeine Lab; Samson Stewart and Max Perry of 5th Street; Darren Wright, formerly of Chillingworth Road; Shafeeq Ismail of Story and Odeon; and Ian Badger Foster, formerly at No 4.

On the menu, you’ll find firm favourites for brunch, all with a twist thanks to the innovative thinking of the foodie minds behind them.

There is Max Perry’s OG steak sandwich, served with toasted milk bread, harissa mayo, Bones pickles, wagyu beef, and loose greens. Samson Stewart’s spiced blueberry Bircher muesli with cardamom oat clusters, fruit and blueberry textures, and blue spirulina coconut foam. Shafeeq Ismail has created a kedgeree with eggplant kasundi, crispy oyster mushrooms, marinated feta, and brown butter tadka.

Alongside these sure-to-be classics, there are Nick’s signatures. But don’t stop at brunch; the Majestic at Mayfair transforms into a cocktail bar come the afternoon. It’s also a perfect spot for high tea, with sweet delights and savoury bites crafted by the inhouse patisserie chef paired with your choice of tea, coffee, French sparkling or Moët.

You’ll find the Majestic at Mayfair at 155 Victoria Street, central Christchurch, on the ground floor of the Mayfair Hotel. majesticatmayfair.com

WINTER’S HERE

MAKE ME BLUSH

Dancing Water Wines presents their Pinot Noir Blanc, enticing with a delicate pink hue. Inhale the delightful scent of strawberries and cream, then dive deeper into notes of white flowers and creamed chocolate. On the palate, experience a rare blend of delicate lightness and profound richness. Dry and linear, yet textured, it promises endurance. This is a wine that captivates with its grace and lasting allure.

dww.co.nz

HOLLANDIER

The Hollandier, from Zodiac’s bartender Nick, is delivering the mid-year Christmas vibes. Using Advocaat – a Dutch egg and brandy-based liquor that is a little like eggnog – vodka, Creme de Cacao White, and Creme de Cacao Brown, you’ll be warmed from the inside out. This is a perfect one to make to fight the winter blues. Find this recipe and more at avenues.net.nz.

zodiacbar.co.nz

From Greytown Distilling Company comes Frostbite Gin. Crafted with a precise blend of pink peppercorns, garden mint, and lemon peel sourced from the personal gardens of the GDC director, it embodies New Zealand in a gin. To experience what they refer to as the ‘Frostbite gasp’, drinkers are encouraged to inhale post-sip. This is best stored in the freezer for an even frostier bite.

greytowngin.com

ICE, ICE, BABY

Official imaging partners

Reform Radiology has teamed up with Canterbury Rams and Mainland Pouākai basketball teams as their official imaging partner.

Paul Mouthaan, Reform Radiology’s General Manager, says, “Through these partnerships, our clinical team provides a comprehensive range of sports imaging services, including X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound, and Musculoskeletal Interventional Procedures. We help ensure your favourite players return to the court as quickly as possible.”

Reform Radiology knows that for anyone with an injury, whether you’re a weekend sports player or an elite professional, the number one priority is to get a rapid, detailed, and accurate diagnosis.

“We feel privileged to assist you on the road to recovery and ultimately getting your fitness back on track.”

Caleb Harrison, Canterbury Regional Basketball Foundation’s General Manager, says their partnership with Reform Radiology supports their high-performance

service team in having the most accurate and timely diagnostic information to support their athletes.

“Their experienced and caring staff perform rapid imaging and contribute to a collaborative approach to aid our athlete’s performance and well-being. Reform Radiology specialists are experts in sports imaging and have installed the most cutting-edge imaging technology available in the South Island.”

“Through the support of Reform Radiology, the Canterbury Rams, Mainland Pouākai, and Mainland Eagles Academy are able to support the next generation of young people. This support allows the Rams and Pouākai players to visit schools throughout the region, delivering coaching and mentoring sessions to encourage a more physically active, connected, and vibrant community.”

Left to right: Canterbury Rams SF Taki Fahrensohn, CRBF General Manager Caleb Harrison, Reform Radiology General Manager Paul Mouthaan, and Canterbury Rams Head Coach Judd Flavell.

An ode to hemp

Hannah Harte

Patreon: HRMNZ | @hannah_harte_

Throughout my lifetime, I have had the fortune to reside in gorgeous rural areas such as Takaka in Golden Bay and Banks Peninsula. Herb and vegetable gardens, large and small, have been a staple for me, but it wasn’t until I tried growing food in smaller, urban plots that I became fully aware of just how precious good soil really is. In cities, my kale is infested with aphids, and silverbeet attracts white powdery mildew. My beloved citrus tree is covered in horrible ‘passion vine hoppers’, and even plants like mint have struggled. I never required pesticides in the countryside or even compost, but now constant, unending weeding and soil conditioners are vital. After decades of growing and harvesting my own produce, I have become defeated and lost my momentum for gardening.

This is a very small-scale perspective of a much wider issue: soil quality. Some agricultural methods have left Aotearoa’s terra firma contaminated and depleted. We rely on the earth to feed us, but, in some cases, we have let economic growth dominate while neglecting the environment, with little thought for generations to come. Yet there is a solution available to us as a nation, a species that is already being utilised by some forward-thinking individuals: hemp. The incredible plant

cannabis sativa cultivars is non-psychoactive and an incredibly useful material. The fact that hemp is still not seen as a viable resource after becoming legal to grow with a license in 2006 is one of the great tragedies to befall our nation, which continues to predominantly rely on exports of milk, meat, and wood. The damage that some practices continue to do to our once pristine waterways and topsoil is nothing short of horrific.

It is hard to understand why we continue the status quo when we already have an ideal alternative, one that can literally undo the damage done to soils. Hemp requires little to no pesticides or care, grows at a phenomenal rate in any climate and costs very little to produce. It can be made into milk, plastics, sturdy, durable and lightweight building and housing materials, insulation, animal feed, artwork, and recyclable paper. It can generate biofuels – a great substitute for fossil fuels – and could cease our dependence on other countries to provide us with petroleum. Hemp is even being used on the site of the Chernobyl disaster, clearing contamination by means of phytoremediation and clearing radioisotopes and other toxins from the air, soil, and water. We have the solution to an environmentally friendly means of income for our country to use here and export right in front of our noses. The time is now, and we must act.

ILAM Kaitlyn

“I’ve been doing compost workshops for the community for four years. But I guess composting for the past eight years.

“It originally started because we moved, and our house came with the compost bin. I was curious to know what it was, so we started composting, but like, just chucking stuff and not really knowing what we’re doing. Then pumpkins and potatoes just started growing out of it.

“I got into gardening during lockdown. My French teacher gave me some broccoli seeds, and I grew those. Then, obviously, you go through the journey of discovering soils are really important to grow healthy kai.

“When I was in Year 13, I was volunteering at an orchard, and I ran my first compost workshop. It was pretty cool. And then people just wanted me to keep doing them. Me and my sister got an internship at the Council doing compost education for the community, but my compost passion actually came from hearing about Kaicycle’s composting programme in Wellington. I want to set up a composting business like that.

“Me and my sister started Compost Club at uni last year. Our main aim is to make composting more accessible and commonplace on campus, especially for students because we find that students want to compost, but they don’t know how or they don’t have the resources. We go to their flat, and we run a mini-workshop for them, come back three weeks later, and check out how it’s going.

“I’ve taken a break this semester from burnout.

“I just find it hard to say no; you get to that position where your body makes you say, no, I can’t do any more. I feel like, in the environmental space, people burn out a lot.

I guess why I’ve struggled with saying no, is because I feel like I can change the world. But no, I can’t! We need everyone to do their little part to make a change.

“I’m really passionate about cooking and growing healthy kai, and having a slow life. And I haven’t done that yet. But I’m working towards it.”

facebook.com/humansofchch