Celebrating Kapiti - Spring/Summer Oct 2022

Being able to shine a light on various people and businesses is what this magazine is about.

Throughout these pages you’ll meet a lot of amazing people in a wide range of workplaces.

This ninth edition features a wide range of stories including Ōtaki’s spectacular Milk Station and Anam Cara Gardens event venues, supersize furniture specialists Big Mac Slabs, Q&A with actor Cohen Holloway, Alan Wehipeihana artist profile, everpopular Fishermans Table, forwardfocussed Seaside Skates, book designer extraordinaire Vida Kelly, the delicious Kāpiti Chocolate Factory as well as Louis French Patisserie, stunning Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve, four eateries in the regular Taste of the Town, and more.

We have enjoyed getting out and about, talking to lots of people, and learning lots of interesting stuff too.

Shout out to the team for all their hard mahi putting this together and we hope you enjoy it reading it.

- David Haxton

BROUGHT

YOU BY NZME KĀPITI

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296

Kāpiti Rd, Paraparaumu

Book panel by Alan Wehipeihana and Chris Maclean called Wai. The artwork repurposed moisture damaged books Kāpiti and Waikanae

Contents

The Milk Station

This has to be one of the finest venues on the coast. It’s grandeur and attention to detail is something to behold. The main area certainly has the wow factor and is reminicient of a famous train station in Paris. A wide range of occasions are catered for.

Vida Kelly

When you walk into a bookstore, the chances are you’ll see Vida’s work. Studying in London and working as an art director at Pan Macmillan before moving to New Zealand, Vida has become one of New Zealand’s best know children’s book designers.

Anam Cara Gardens

If you’re looking for a wedding venue with stunning gardens then look no further. This venue has extensive gardens which are simply amazing in the warmer months. The reception area is also special. You’re certainly in good hands on the big day too.

Seaside Skates

Want to join the trend and take up a funky new activity which is booming post-Covid? Seaside Skates are making the craze accessible in New Zealand while advocating for the small-wheel community in Kāpiti.

Alan Wehipeihana

Meet one of the coast’s many artists. Alan had lot of jobs before becoming a fulltime artist in his forties. This widely admired humble artist has created a lot of interesting artworks over the years including some specialised commissions.

Kāpiti Chocolate Factory

Sarah Abaniel has taken on the running of the Kāpiti Chocolate Factory which has been on the coast for 30 years. A visit will definitely leave a sweet impression.

Taste of the Town

The coast has plenty of places to dine in or takeaway including Maclean St Fish Supply, Sunlong Takeways, Lokanta, and Thai Marina. Each has gained a strong and loyal reputation among its customers.

Fishermans Table

This dining institution has been satisfying customers for decades with its trusted menu, smorgasbord salad boat, and amazing seaviews. Its origins date back to a spirited woman who fronted a government minister about creating a restaurant next to a new piece of highway.

Louis French Patisserie

Master pastry chef Louis Sergeant is doing his part to bring a little bit of happiness into the world, one French patisserie item at a time.

Big Mac Slabs

Making picnic tables out of macarocarpa quickly grew from a hobby to a business for Andy Harvard and Steph Smith. Now they have a thriving creative centre which supports local artists and businesses.

Cohen Holloway

You’ve seen him on the silver screen, on the television, or even walking around the community, but what makes this multi-talented actor and singer tick? It’s time to go backstage for a Q&A and get a few insights about the industry too.

Waikanae Estuary

This 80h ecological paradise is well looked after by a volunteer army. It’s a constant work in progress but the results are a testament to many people who care for it. Soak up the beauty of this environment via a flat, gentle and winding track.

Kokomea PurePod

Te Horo’s Kokomea is the seventh PurePod to open in the country. The concept is all about taking you away from distractions to a place where you’re surrounded by natural beauty, with only glass between you and the stars at night.

Back in the Day

Step

Cocktails

and check out a

black

white photographs from yesteryear on the coast.

The Milk Station

There wasn’t much happening at the former Rahui Milk Treatment Station when owner Lyndia Wood bought it in the mid-1980s.

The depot, well-known by many people over the years especially because it was a big employer and social hub, had closed its doors a long time ago and was derelict.

But walking through the empty buildings, devoid of life, Lyndia became increasingly excited about its potential.

Inspired by the grandness of the Gare du Nord railway station in Paris, and love of Italianate architecture, she felt she could create something special at 35 Rahui Rd, Ōtaki.

Slowly but surely, with a lot of help, and various alterations, the depot would transform into The Milk Station which is a stunning world-class venue that caters to all occasions from weddings to conferences and everything in-between.

Lyndia’s initial focus was the grounds, covering four acres, with Ross Woolley onboard as a gardener, before attention turned to the buildings, with Gordon Hansen overseeing everything.

Centre stage is the grand hall, which was the depot’s hub dating back to 1926, that is the heart of The Milk Station operation, and can cater to about 150 people.

With its high ceilings, tiled floor, bespoke arches, chandeliers featuring test milk bottles, to steel-framed windows, the area exudes a sense of grandeur that is warm and inviting.

Various furniture is featured, including a sideboard dating back to 1697, which was sourced during Lyndia’s time as an antique dealer.

There are also a few surprises including a storage room converted into a guy’s room, and a milk chilling room turned into a toilet block.

A mezzanine level creates more seating capacity and leads to an extensive outdoor decking area perfect for firing up a barbecue during the warmer months.

Next to the main dining area is the pump room which is a great spot for people to get their dance groove on.

A commercial kitchen is where the food is prepared by trusted caterers.

Walking through an archway leads to an accommodation wing split over two levels with veranda and balcony views.

The accommodation was built at the depot between 1933 and 1935, when the milk processing factory was in its heyday, but things started to wind down in the 1950s as refrigerated trucks meant milk didn’t need to be kept on-site, and various co-operatives saw places like the depot close.

The accommodation is a far cry from what it was because of a major overhaul which now includes 20 well-appointed rooms of differing sizes and layouts featuring baths and walk-in showers. One has been configured for people with a disability.

Words by David Haxton

“Sending the bride and groom off to the bridal suite, at the end of the night, with a huge smile on their face. That is probably the biggest reward.”

An inner open courtyard is delightful with sky views, lots of greenery, metal stairwells, and more.

Disaster struck when there was a roof fire but out of adversity came a new roof featuring tiles from Spain, and steel framing, which had been hidden pre-fire, became a courtyard feature.

The gardens, which have a Mediterranean feel, feature a wedding aisle where there is a fountain created out of recycled parts of the depot.

Surrounding paddocks comprise a citrus orchard, olive trees, a huge avocado tree, and lots more.

Also on the property is a former Catholic church, dating back to 1872, which has been converted into a house perfect for the bride and bridesmaids to get ready in, while a former manager’s cottage has the groom and groomsmen covered.

And there is an accommodation reception area which doubles as a cosy place to have breakfast.

The venue’s day-to-day manager is Norbert Koptisch who married Lyndia’s daughter Nicola in the venue’s first wedding on April 23, 2011.

Norbert, with a background in five-star hotels and fine dining, runs a well-oiled operation, with the focus simply on making sure the client gets the best service possible.

Asked what he enjoyed about working at The Milk Station, Norbert said, “Sending the bride

and groom off to the bridal suite, at the end of the night, with a huge smile on their face.

“That is probably the biggest reward.

“It’s not the financial side at all, yes it pays the bills, but all my life I have loved looking after people and making sure they’re as comfortable and satisfied as possible.”

The Milk Station is a Historic Places Trust grade two listed building.

Photo / Jenny Siasoi

Rachael is changing Real Estate in Kapiti.

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Vida Kelly shares about the art of book designing

Vida Kelly has worked with famous authors and illustrators from around the world, some while in London, but many from the comforts of her home in Raumati South.

Vida Kelly doesn’t agree with the age-old saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover,’ but she has a reason to be biased.

The Raumati South resident originally hailing from England is a children’s book designer who has worked with some of the world’s most famous authors and illustrators. Yet, if she’s doing her job well, you will barely notice her work.

“I dislike the question ‘What do you do?’ when I meet new people because so many people think I must be an illustrator or author. It’s always my most dreaded question because most people don’t know book designers exist. It’s not an easy thing to sum up – art directing and designing.”

But if you enter the children’s section of a bookshop, the chances are you will see her work.

Vida’s career in book design started after attending Norwich School of Design.

Heading to art college because she loved art, Vida loved all the different disciplines the course started with including photography, illustration, animation and design.

When the course became more specialised, she headed along the graphic design route because that’s where a lot of jobs were – that and she wasn’t convinced she wanted to be an illustrator.

“I wasn’t quite sure I was good enough for illustration so I went into the design side of the course which aimed towards you getting a job at a design company.”

But one project changed Vida’s direction.

“We had one project in the second year where someone came in and did a course on children’s book design.

“It was only a week-long project where you took a fairytale, made a dummy, did some rough illustrations and planned out what would go on each page but I just loved it.

“I felt even in that one week that it changed my thought process as to what I might do.”

Doing placements at a number of design companies around London and not feeling quite right about it, Vida instead started sending her CV to book publishers.

Receiving a reply from Harper Collins and taking on a maternity cover role, Vida said as soon as she started it felt right.

“It was instantly rewarding. I got to work with these amazing illustrators and still got to do some drawing myself. It ended up being the best of both worlds.”

Very quickly the tables turned and Vida had one of her college tutors bring in illustration work to be considered for a book.

Moving on to work for Penguin, Vida was involved in the re-covering and modernisation of the Roald Dahl titles.

“Roald Dahl at that point had been very popular, but middle fiction children’s books (ages 9-13) were gaining popularity and it was taken for granted that Roald Dahl would always sell.”

With more competition in the market, the publishers decided to re-cover all of Dahl’s titles and turned them into a market research project. Because Dahl was no longer alive, a host of people from the Roald Dahl Foundation along with the famed illustrator, Quentin Blake were involved.

“The whole children’s book team submitted cover designs along with designs from other

Words and pictures by Rosalie Willis

“Working as a designer, you always really care about the book but you always have to get approval from other people – it’s not just your baby, you’re part of a wider team.”

professional designers. The books were tested on children, with the children observed through oneway glass to really see what they reacted to.

“I took a really different approach with my design going really bright and out there, and for some, I used Pantone colours.”

From all the designs Vida’s was chosen and she went on to work on the whole Roald Dahl collection, developing a relationship with Blake.

With Blake redoing all the illustrations for the novels, Vida started doing the colour treatment for his work.

“I took the black and white drawings, got prints of them onto watercolour paper and painted on the colour in his style, imitating what he would do. It was weirdly harder than I thought, but really good fun. He gave me lessons at his studio and I learnt so much about colour from him. He makes it look so easy, but everything he does is so considered.”

Receiving a lot of guidance on the first book they worked on together, gradually the feedback lessened as Vida became more in-tuned with what he wanted. “The first book that came back without comment was amazing.”

Vida has continued to do colour treatment of classics like Joyce Lankester Brisley’s Milly Molly Mandy even after moving to New Zealand.

“It amused me that I’d be sitting in Raumati South painting Matilda for all these classic books.”

Stepping up to be the art director of picture books and gift books at Pan Macmillan in London, Vida’s success has largely been due to her openness to freely share her ideas and work collaboratively with a team.

“Working as a designer, you always really care about the books but you always have to get approval from other people – it’s not just your baby, you’re part of a wider team.”

The wider team includes the author and illustrator along with the book publishers, editors and even sometimes book stores.

Since moving to New Zealand Vida has transitioned to working for herself, taking on jobs as a contractor rather than an in-house designer.

Originally moving over for just six months with her Kiwi husband Luke who is also a designer,

the couple has stayed ever since, and now live in Raumati South with their three kids.

“It was quite daunting when we first moved here because I didn’t know if I would get work.”

Vida was able to continue getting some work from publishers back in the UK along with colour treatment for Blake as she started reaching out to New Zealand publishers.

“Coming to New Zealand, more people own their own businesses so it’s a lot more normal. I don’t know if I would have taken the risk to work for myself if I’d stayed in London.”

Working on New Zealand books has helped Vida navigate and learn not just about Kiwi culture but Māori culture too.

“Being English, it’s really special for me to work with some of these books that are special to New Zealand.”

Recently Vida worked on Matariki Around the World: A Cluster of Stars, A Cluster of Stories by Rangi Matamua and Miriama Kamo which came out in time for New Zealand’s first public holiday celebrating Matariki.

“I’ve been able to learn so much about New Zealand Māori culture and feel really privileged to be able to work on books like this.

“I feel very lucky to be involved in producing such New Zealand content.”

Working a lot with New Zealand author and illustrator Gavin Bishop whose work includes retellings of Māori myths has been particularly special.

“Gavin does books that are really valuable for New Zealand - books people will end up keeping as a classic on their bookshelves.

“A number of them are up for PANZ Book Design Awards this year.”

Not a stranger to the awards, in 2020 Vida won the Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book and went on to win the supreme award, the Gerard Reid Award for Best Book for Mophead by Selina Tusitala Marsh.

“Mophead was a really fun book to work on. It was author Selina’s story all about her upbringing of mixed descent, trying to find her way in the world.”

When she was asked to work on the book Vida said Selina had done the drawings herself, but they weren’t quite there.

“I took all her drawings, had a play around with them and she ended up redrawing them all after we worked out our approach.”

When designing a book, Vida is there throughout the whole publishing process.

“It’s always important to have the right feel and to get the pacing right.”

For Mophead this meant printing on heavy sketchbook paper and the text, in the judge’s words, “interacted seamlessly with the hand-drawn type”.

“A picture book is a work of animation. The page turn is really important - you have to make people want to turn the page,” Vida said.

Not only has Vida worked with famous people, but books she has worked on have been given to famous people including one of Jacinda Ardern’s favourite children’s book Tulip and Doug which Ardern gave to Prince William.

“In a way, if I do my job well you don’t know I’m there because it just works and you don’t think about it.

“I want to be able to work to make the best books I can and for it to be considerate of the illustrations and the story, bringing them together seamlessly.”

Photo / Jo Moore

Anam Cara Gardens

Words by David Haxton

Couples seeking a garden wedding don’t need to look much further than Anam Cara Gardens.

There are so many options in the extensive gardens to find exactly the right spot to make those important lifetime vows.

The gardens, spread over four hectares, were established in 1978 by Cynthia and Bruce Coe who originally called it Coehaven.

Cynthia, a poet and a ballerina, had a vision for the gardens, and more importantly, made it happen with stunning execution.

Busloads of people would come to visit with Cynthia showing them points of interest, selling them plants, and reading poetry while they enjoyed a picnic lunch.

The property at 150 Rangiuru Rd, Ōtaki Beach, is now owned by Teresa and Tim Grigg who hire out Anam Cara Gardens principally as a wedding venue.

Teresa was working in a corporate job while Tim was, and still is, running his successful electrical company Turn You On Electrical, when they bought the property in December 2017.

Both knew Ōtaki Beach well having owned land there as well as family connections.

They thought the property would be ideal to get married at and possibly use it as a wedding venue.

Five weeks after buying the property they were married there.

“It was really good,” Teresa said.

“We got to experience what it was like to get married here and use that knowledge to get into the business because we knew nothing.

“It’s been awesome.”

The property quickly became a popular wedding venue which soon prompted Teresa to leave the corporate world to help take Anam Cara Gardens to the next level.

Covid put a spanner in the works but the business survived and bookings are strong again.

Playing a role in a couple’s special day was a happy experience.

“It’s so lovely to be involved in such a joyous occasion,” Teresa said.

Tim, despite his commitment to his thriving electrical business, plays a central role too.

“My husband is quite a romantic, which is funny because he’s a tradie, but he loves weddings, and he loves people.

“He runs the day of the wedding and we have a venue manager too so they can take turns.

“Tim loves hosting and will do anything for anyone.

“My husband is quite a romantic, which is funny because he’s a tradie, but he loves weddings, and he loves people.”

Photo / Mel Waite

“We’ve got a little golf cart and he’ll take the kids for a ride to see the alpacas.”

Couples hire the property and have exclusive use of the gardens, a beautiful modern house as well as a function centre for the reception.

Anam Cara Gardens has a list of caterers for people to choose from and has various contractors on-call.

“We just use the best, we think, that know weddings, so we can guarantee a seamless event,” Teresa said.

The two-storey house, which is an ideal place to stay before and after the big day, comprises four ensuite bedrooms as well as an annexed apartment (bridal suite) which allows for two more rooms.

A spacious kitchen and dining area lead into an inviting lounge with garden access.

The house doubles as a corporate retreat especially in the wedding off-season when the months are colder.

The function centre, which can cater to 120 people although 80 to 100 is the ideal number, has a dining area, huge dance floor, bar, and kitchen for the caterers.

It opens out onto an expansive garden area including a large lawn area where picnic tables, outdoor games and more can be set up.

Some of the garden sheds towards the back of the property have been converted into an area called ‘the groom’s quarters’.

The quarters, which are rustic with a modern edge, have a pool table, dart board, Sky Sports, Star Wars Lego display, and loft accommodation.

A small gardening team keep the gardens in tiptop shape while an arborist company looks after the taller trees.

Anam Cara Gardens certainly is a special venue set among beautifully maintained gardens.

Photo / Mel Waite

Photo / Jo Moore

Skate into summer with Seaside Skates

Words and pictures by Rosalie Willis

Wheeling around with confidence and class, the staff at Seaside Skates make you want to own a pair of roller skates as soon as you walk through the door.

Their ability to confidently operate a store with wheels attached to their feet, paired with the candy store vibe of the shop makes it impossible to walk out of the shop without being instantly inspired to try the fast-growing small-wheel sport.

With the global pandemic causing chaos and people forced to stay close to home, new trends started popping up around the world, with old trends such as roller skating regaining popularity.

United by their love of roller skating, roller derby, and their desire to find an indoor roller venue in Kāpiti, a small group of people came together to start Seaside Skates, a skate shop selling everything you need to roller skate off the back of the sport’s revival.

First conceived back in 1743 by Belgian-born inventor John Joseph Merlin for actors to mimic ice skating on stage, the invention of the roller skate caused quite a stir.

His first specifically designed skates were produced in 1760, however the combination of his skates lacking brakes, his lack of balance and his eccentric personality did not bode well as he attempted to show them off while playing the violin at a masquerade party - promptly ploughing into a mirror, breaking the violin and injuring himself.

The idea was recognised by inventors of the time but it was James Plimpton who ‘revolutionised’ the roller skate in 1863 by designing quad skates.

Not only did James create the quad skate but he manufactured demand by establishing the

New York Roller Skating Association, opened the first skating rink at a Rhode Island resort in 1866 and gave skating lessons in the 1870s.

He didn’t stop there either, marketing the roller skate as an appropriate activity for men and women to do together, allowing young Victorian couples to meet without the rigid chaperoning they were normally bound to.

With both children and adults alike looking for activities to provide mental relief from pandemicfatigue and an activity which can be done both solo and in an acceptably socially distanced way, the whimsical nature of roller skating is having a resurgence.

Seeing the revival online during the pandemic Kirsten Slade, Nate McCall, Merryn Mcauly and Georgina Bollinger started Seaside Skates, a skaterowned business in Paraparaumu selling everything related to skating.

“We were originally thinking of running an online store to help fund the roller sports venue but we found our current spot in Ihakara St when looking for warehouse space,” Kirsten said.

With street appeal “the space presented itself” and provided them with the opportunity to create a designated space where customers could come in and try on skates.

Starting with one brand of roller skates in the shop when they opened last year, Seaside Skates are now New Zealand’s distributor for Chuffed Skates, Riedell, SureGrip, Randal, Destructo, Moxi, IQWT, and SISU.

They stock quad skates, longboards, surfskate boards and dance boards along with a number of select skateboard brands and all the bells and

Roller skating has seen major growth since the Covid-19 pandemic hit with people young and old taking up the retro pastime.

Seaside Skates staff from left, Georgia Bollinger, Nate McCall, Kirsten Slade and Chantal Daisy Martin. Absent: Merryn Mcaulay.

“We’re the only place in New Zealand where you can try on all these kinds of skates and figured between us we have seventy years of skating experience to share.”

whistles needed by both beginners and experienced professionals.

Spearheaded by Nate, Seaside Skates have chased down direct relationships with manufacturers in the United States and Europe also managing to reduce the carbon footprint of products that were previously only accessible to New Zealanders through a distributor in Australia.

“We found a lot of the stuff in New Zealand was flying over our head twice,” Nate said.

“So we’ve been able to one-by-one set up accounts with manufacturers who will come direct to us which means that we can have great prices as we’re cutting out the middle man in Australia.”

Now bursting at the seams with products Kirsten said, “We have everything from kids adjustable skates to the ability to build custom skates for people who have been riding for years and want everything from the bearings to the wheels and axels.

“So much of the enjoyment and your performance depend on the surface you’re skating on, the wheels on your skates, how tight your trucks are and whether you like a low or a high boot.

“We have a lot of people calling us knowing exactly what part they want and we are able to import it for them.”

Originally thinking they would be supporting the roller derby market, the family business has also taken off.

Selling children’s adjustable skates has proven popular, especially with the free skating lesson given with each pair.

“It’s important to show people how to use them, because if you got them for Christmas and went out and fell over straight away, you probably wouldn’t be very into it for very long.

“We’re the only place in New Zealand where you can try on all these kinds of skates and figured between us we have seventy years of skating experience to share.”

Selling skates is just one part of what Seaside Skates do. “We also teach skating, help run roller events such as a roller prom in Wellington.”

While campaigning for a roller venue in Kāpiti is an ongoing long-term project, educating their customers and the wider community is an important part of what they do.

They are also a voice asking for accessible trails and paths for small wheels around the region.

Seaside Skates work with New Zealand roller skating royalty Ivy Bates who runs Let’s Roll Coaching to provide lessons and mutually support each other’s endeavours.

“Let’s Roll Coaching is another skater-owned company that we have connected with, also sponsoring their girls skating team.

“It catches girls at a time when they might be dropping out of sport and is all about providing life skills focusing on the experience each girl on the team has.

“It needs to be centred on sport, it needs to be centred on giving them some skills they can take away if they don’t want to skate anymore or get injured and can’t skate anymore – concrete skills not just memories.”

The team learn practical skills like how to put on and run events, test equipment for Seaside Skates and help Ivy coach the younger kids.

With its roots in leisure popularised in the late 1800s by James Plimpton, roller discoes repopularised roller skates in the height of the disco craze of the 1970s.

Roller skating has also been associated with the American civil rights movement and has constantly been a safe haven for marginalised groups including women and the LGBTQ+ community.

This spilled over to New Zealand and there was a big manufacturing presence in the 1960s-1980’s when roller skating had its heyday.

“Manufacturing was really popular here for a number of years but with everything else from that time it just died out in the 1980s,” Nate said.

“It’s been about 40 years since anything has been made here, so we are hoping to set up a GoFundMe to start producing New Zealand poured roller skate wheels.”

With both children and adults alike looking for activities to provide mental relief from pandemic-fatigue and an activity which can be done both solo and in an acceptably socially distanced way, the whimsical nature of roller skating is having a resurgence.

With a plastic manufacturer already lined up, the team at Seaside Skates are wasting no time getting involved in not just the Kāpiti community, but the wider skating community.

After almost a year the team are as committed as ever to finding an appropriate roller sports venue in Kāpiti.

“It’s been a great way to engage with the wider community that also want a new venue,” Kirsten said.

“We’re going to make it happen - we’re working towards it.”

As for why people should get into skating, Kirsten said with creative freestyle, street and skate park skating, it’s important there’s an opportunity for creative flow.

“It’s really important that our brains have time to do and experience that.

“Kids don’t really get enough of that freedom and the statistics are showing there’s a drop-off in enrolment in organised sports.

“Kids don’t want to be regimented, so there’s been a huge uptake of kids skating because it’s highly individualised and creative.”

“It’s also social - you can stand there and just hang out while taking turns doing runs,” Nate said.

“Adults too, when they come in and want lessons, there’s often something that’s going on… people have come in and said roller skating is the best therapy – and it is,” Kirsten said.

“It is because you’re doing something that you typically enjoyed as a child, giving yourself an opportunity to play, giving yourself an opportunity to fail.”

That, or an opportunity to fight it out in a feisty roller derby scrimmage.

First conceived back in 1743 by Belgian-born inventor John Joseph Merlin for actors to mimic ice skating on stage, the invention of the roller skate caused quite a stir.

Alan Wehipeihana

On the first floor of the Holtom’s Buildings, in Beach Rd, Paekākāriki, Alan Wehipeihana is deep in concentration as he puts the finishing touches on another artwork.

His environment is an artist’s paradise with heaps of space to work in, a regular flow of customers to have a yarn with, and close to cafes for that caffeine fix or bite to eat.

The floor, with various rooms, has also become a collective art space for a dozen artists called the Paekākāriki Art Studios.

People can wander through the studios and see the artists at work as well as view the many artworks that are exhibited.

The collective formed recently after the building had a lot of earthquake strengthening and other improvements.

Alan has been working in the building long before the collective came to fruition though.

The 71-year-old has come a long way since he decided to become a full-time artist at the age of 42.

Born in Taihape, it wasn’t long before his family moved to Kāpiti and settled in Raumati Beach.

Alan attended Raumati Beach School, then Kāpiti College, where art wasn’t on his radar, before going to Victoria University because it seemed to be the thing to do at the time.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do so just followed the crowd to uni but that didn’t really suit me at all so I pulled out halfway through the year and got a job as a rubbish man.

“In those days you weren’t able to put a bin out in Wellington so we had to carry bags from people’s backyards.

“There was me and two Jehovah’s Witnesses in the back while the driver was an exCommonwealth Games boxer for New Zealand.”

He married Janet Mclean, who he knew since college, and they bought a place in Tasman St, Wellington.

Alan would have a wide variety of jobs before art came calling many years later including postman, landscape gardener, house painter, lawnmower, haymaker, pea harvester, and biscuit maker.

While working in Wellington, Alan was introduced to stained glass by Chris Maclean who was working in Willis St.

“I was interested so he imported some tools for me including soldering irons.

“I used to pull a lot of old glass out of windows and create a lot of designs.”

When Janet became pregnant they decided to leave city life for the peaceful haven of Paekākāriki.

They bought a house in Ames St where they would raise their three children Hannah, Kate and Ben.

Words by David Haxton

“We took a few along to museum shops, and things like that, to see if anyone would be interested in buying them, and they were, so at the age of 42 I gave up my postie run much to people’s horror.”

One day Alan found some fine grain limestones on the beach in the Wairarapa and took them around to his carver friend Daryl Gray in Pingau St.

“I did a couple of scribbles on the stones and came back to see him a few weeks later and he had carved them.

“I really wanted to learn to carve stone so every day after work from my postie run, for about two years, I went to his studio and we carved stones.

“We took a few along to museum shops, and things like that, to see if anyone would be interested in buying them, and they were, so at the age of 42 I gave up my postie run much to people’s horror.”

He set up an art studio in the basement of his Ames St home and then moved into a downstairs studio in the Holtom’s Buildings after his marriage ended.

Stonework led to wood carving, which led to painting and mixed media, and more.

He moved from his studio into the first floor of the Holtom’s Buildings which offered a very expansive space to work from.

“In the beginning, I had the whole top floor.

“I took over from Gary Freemantle who used to have a gallery and flat on the first floor.

“It was an artist’s dream really.”

Throughout the years’ Alan has created countless artworks, held numerous exhibitions, and sold artwork around the world.

“In the beginning, I pushed my artwork out everywhere [to galleries] but I’ve gone off the boil a little bit now and pretty much sell most of my stuff from here now.”

Alan remembers creating anchor stones for an AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Various politicians such as Jenny Shipley, Helen Clark, and Don McKinnon took anchor stones overseas as gifts.

And Jim Bolger “put one of my stones into a time capsule in the Philippines”.

One of the more quirky pieces of artwork included using the spines of Reader’s Digest books.

“I used to see the books in the second-hand shops.

“They were cheap and no one seemed to want them, and I thought ‘how the hell can I use them?’.

“So I put them onto half round mouldings, which meant you could saw them, nail them, do whatever you like, and made patterns.

“The books had to be cheap because there were about 343 book spines in the artwork.”

The artwork caught the attention of a visitor to the gallery.

“One day a woman was looking at it and said ‘do you want a law library?’

“I called Daryl in and we ended up going into judge’s chambers, Court of Appeal, and places like that, to source law books.

“We ended up getting a commission by Parliamentary Services when they found out what we were doing, and our artwork, called Poutama, now hangs in Parliament Buildings.”

Alan has had a few short stories published, and there’s talk of writing a book, though he’s not keen on deadlines.

He’s just happy focusing on creating more artwork.

“It’s a nice feeling to be so engaged with something that you’re not aware of anything else going on around you.

“It’s almost like a meditative process.”

Sarah and the chocolate factory

Opening in Kāpiti in 1992 and quickly becoming one of the country’s biggest chocolate distributors, the Kāpiti Chocolate Factory started after Featherston woman Lenore Nysse’s husband bought home a box of decadent chocolates from a Europe trip.

Inspired by what she was eating, Lenore started experimenting, making her own chocolates and testing them out on her friends and family before selling them at markets.

Originally named Nyco Chocolates, the business started in the 1980’s and moved to Kāpiti in 1992, growing to the point where it produced chocolate for the likes of Deka and Farmers.

“They would distribute and export chocolate, run three shifts a day - it was almost a 24-hour a day operation, seven days a week,” Kāpiti Chocolate Factory owner Sarah Abaniel said.

“It was a big operation for a while until the marriage broke down and things fell apart in 2014.”

Between then and now the business went into liquidation, Auckland based company Chocolate Brown purchased it and tried to run it from a

distance for a year, before putting it back on the market.

“Chocolate Brown bought it – they had more of a boutique, artisan style of production rather than mass production and they tried to run it for a while but it didn’t last long.”

It was Sarah’s husband, James who then spotted it for sale on Trade Me in 2018.

“He said to me ‘there’s a chocolate factory for sale in Kāpiti, we should go have a look’.

“We came up on Easter Saturday, had a look around, and then a few weeks later he told me he’d made an offer and they accepted it.

“I think James just thought it would be fun and something a bit different.”

Just like that, and to the delight of their two children, Sarah and James bought a chocolate factory.

“The kids tell their friends at school that their parents run a chocolate factory and I don’t know if they really believe them, but my son has a really sweet tooth, he loves chocolate and thinks it’s great.”

Kāpiti Chocolate Factory may have gone through many changes over the last 30 years but the tried-and-true recipes remain.

Words and pictures by Rosalie Willis

Rebranding

Taking on the business in 2018, Sarah and James rebranded it to become the Kāpiti Chocolate Factory and have slowly been growing it back up after all the upheaval since 2014.

This meant closing the shop for a number of months to focus on growing their commercial contract work.

Slowly growing the business was going well until Covid-19 came along.

“A lot of our business is contract work making chocolates for companies that sold them to tourists and had them in souvenir shops. That was a big chunk of our business, so we had to look at how we were going to ‘pivot’.”

Kāpiti Chocolate Factory took Covid-19 as an opportunity to increase their own brand presence which meant selling chocolate under their own name and increasing their direct-to-consumer online presence.

In September 2020 they also purchased Kako Chocolates which has added artisan chocolates and embossed chocolates to their offering. This means businesses can get their brand printed directly onto the chocolate rather than just printed onto the packaging as they do for companies such as Tommy’s Real Estate.

“We can put their brand onto both the packaging and directly onto the chocolate.”

Contract manufacturing is also a big part of their operation, producing chocolate that is used by other food manufacturers in their products, such as Talley’s ice cream or combining with other food producers such as Dark Horse to make coffee chocolate.

Different from the likes of Whittaker’s or Wellington Chocolate Factory, the Kāpiti Chocolate Factory buy chocolate rather than doing the beanto-bar process.

“You won’t see us in supermarkets competing with other brands because we focus more on contract manufacturing and corporate branded products.

“Covid-19 has definitely changed what we do, but we had a massive Easter and had never seen the shop so busy.”

Throughout all the change, many staff have remained, some who have been working in the factory for more than 20 years using the same tried and true recipes.

The chocolate process

Kāpiti Chocolate Factory runs demonstrations for groups - especially popular in the school holidays and for groups from local retirement villages.

During the demonstration, you will learn about the process the chocolate goes through in the factory after being brought in from worldwide chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut.

Depending on what the chocolate is being used for either couverture or standard grade chocolate is used.

“They make the top grade, couverture chocolate which is really premium and is what we use for the artisan Kako Chocolate.

“It’s really top-notch chocolate because of the high percentage of cocoa butter in it.

“We then buy a standard grade for most of our other products but it also depends on what our customers want.”

At the chocolate factory, the chocolate is then melted down, moulded and fillings are added if needed.

“We buy it in, melt it down, mould it and add our own fillings if needed.”

Hundreds of moulds are available and the factory can also make customised moulds to create unique products.

“The most interesting chocolate we have made was probably an ear we made for a hearing company.

“We also worked with Tuatara to make their bottles with the scales into chocolate.

“While the product didn’t get out, it was fun to be involved with a project like that, doing something really different.”

Loving local and growing with the coast DelaneyMitsubishi opening the doorsonnew facility

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“Welove beingpar tofa nd supp or ting th eloc al comm unit y. Kapiti hasa genuin eloc al fe el and hastob eone of th eb est places to live in NewZeala nd ”.

Dela neyMitsubishi’sn ew premises op ensits do orsinSepte mber this ye ar

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Taste of the Town

Sunlong Takeaways

St Paraparaumu

This is my go-to takeaway place especially because of the absolutely sensational nasi goreng.

Nasi goreng is a dish combining fried rice, pork, chicken, beef, vegetables and seasoning.

It has always been 10/10 every time I’ve ordered the meal which is pretty amazing considering I’ve been a regular for about two decades.

Another favourite of mine is the lemon chicken.

Henry and Shirley Su, pictured, have owned the shop for well over 20 years and run a very well-oiled operation.

“Business has been very good,” Shirley said.

The menu has always stayed the same and their cooking has always been onpoint.

They simply know exactly what they’re doing and they do it mightily well.

Street Fish Supply

This place will be a strong contender for your consideration when it’s time for a feed of fish and chips.

It’s probably the coast’s longest standing specialist fish and chip shop dating back to the early 1960s when Wayne and Dianne Phelps owned it.

A young Tim Rees used to work in the shop, in 1978 for a few years, preparing fish, after completing his butchery apprenticeship.

By about 1998 he bought the shop which he has owned since.

Running a well-established fish and chip shop for a long time has been a passion for him.

“I love cooking good food for good people.”

The fish is sourced from Wellington, Napier and New Plymouth while the potatoes are freshly peeled each day.

The food is cooked in beef fat, which gives it a great flavour, while canola oil keeps vegans happy, and there’s also a gluten-free batter available too.

People often give lemons from their trees and leave with a free feed or voucher.

Tim likes to support local so sources the hamburger buns from Ben’s Buns bakery across the

Peer over the counter and watch Henry expertly moving food around the wok, or Shirley cooking on a hot plate, and you’ll see what I mean.

Sunlong has a large blackboard featuring a lot of food options from chow mein, chop suey, fried rice, specials, foo yung, sweet and sour, soup, burgers, toasted sandwiches, deep fried, and fish and chips.

The most popular food is chicken fried rice, and sweet and sour pork.

“We sell quite a lot of sweet and sour pork every week,” Shirley said.

The place is always busy especially Fridays to Sundays when people are looking to treat themselves.

While all the food is yummy and on-point, it’s the friendly, polite and efficient nature of Henry and Shirley, and their team, which stands out too.

road, and beef patties from Kāpiti Coast Meats a few doors down.

The menu is extensive with everything you’d expect from a fish and chip shop.

“The homemade paua fritters are beautiful.”

Tim and his staff run the business like a military operation so wait times are quick but it sometimes pays to ring an order through when there’s a rush on.

Maclean

Paraparaumu Beach

Thai Marina

You certainly won’t leave hungry after dining at this authentic Thai restaurant.

Not only will you have a delicious meal packed full of flavour, but you’ll be back for more as well as telling others how impressed you were.

The menu has a wide variety of options from appetizers, soup, curries, spicy salad, noodles and rice, steamed dishes, stir fried to grill and sizzling dishes.

Basically everything and more that you’d expect from a Thai restaurant.

A couple of customer favourites include the sizzling roasted duck and the crispy pork.

Kudos to owner Supawadee Jantaruecha who has put her heart and soul into the business over the last 13 years.

Supawadee, who grew up in

Phuket, has a work ethic that is second to none and the result is a restaurant that continually maintains a high standard in both food and service.

Food comes out in a timely manner, even when its busy, and wait staff are attentive and courteous.

The dining area is spacious so you won’t feel cramped, and it’s tastefully decorated to create a nice ambiance.

The kitchen is a well-oiled machine with the chefs knowing the recipes right down to the finest detail.

The friendly restaurant is perfect for couples, families and larger groups.

It’s fully licensed but you can bring-your-own wine too such as a bottle of gewürztraminer or riesling that you’ve been keeping for that special meal out.

Who doesn’t like peeling back the tin foil and chomping into a delicious kebab?

Kebab aficionados will rejoice when checking out this authentic Turkish kebab house.

The kebabs and iskenders are next-level with sliced meat, a dozen sauce options, lettuce, carrot, onions, marinated red cabbage, tabbouleh, jalapenos, hot baby peppers (from Turkey) as well as dips ranging from hummus, beetroot, tzatziki, babu ghanoush and spicy walnut.

Simply put - everything is packed full of flavour making every mouthful a delight.

Also on the menu is vegetable falafel, mucver courgette, eggplant, halloumi grilled cheese and mushroom.

I particularly like the yellow-coloured hot baby peppers which are really tasty and not off-the-radar heat wise. Jars of hot baby peppers are available too.

The hot chips are tempting and come with a secret seasoning.

While the takeaway option is great, this place is worth dining in with lots of space and comfortable seating.

It’s very clean, tastefully decorated and set in a prime location with heaps of parking at the front entrance.

Tugra Akbaba, from Turkey, and his team, do a sterling job serving up great food.

“We try to do our best all the time for customers.”

You can’t ask for anything better than that.

Kāpiti has a number of top-notch takeaway and restaurant options.

David Haxton checks out a few of the various eateries.

Fishermans Table

In between serving food and drinks in the Kaka Tearooms, near the summit of the Paekākariki Hill Rd, Presh D’Ath was a bit concerned. A long way below, between Pukerua Bay and Paekākāriki, the government was building a motorway.

While the tearoom was doing well, with lots of customers, the numbers would likely drop a lot when the new coast road opened.

Presh, sensing a possible new opportunity, which would lead to a new eatery, which would in time become the well-known Fishermans Table, decided to take action.

“After the grand opening [of the new road] on November 4, 1939, by the Minister of Public Works Bob Semple and his wife, Presh decided to go and see him and present her case for a rescue of some kind,” Presh’s son Michael D’th wrote in his boyhood memoirs.

“In this she was most successful.

“She obviously impressed Semple to the extent that he liked the idea of a tearoom/restaurant gracing the northern end of his road — the Centennial Highway. “Consequently he authorised its construction and this was done using parts of the old tearoom and an in-the-way cottage from Pukerua Bay.

“The new tearoom was named Centennial Inn, coinciding with New Zealand’s centenary in 1940.”

Business was steady at the inn as customers, including passengers on Newmans coaches, found the new restaurant easy to get to, enjoyed the extraordinary sea views, and loved Presh’s cooking who had many culinary strings to her bow.

She was also a very good piano player which saw the inn become very popular especially with the US Marines who were camped in and around Queen Elizabeth Park as they prepared for battles in the Pacific.

The origins of the coast’s well-known restaurant started with the chat between a tearoom owner and a senior government minister.

Words by David Haxton

The lease from the Ministry of Works changed a few times until the ministry freed itself of its landlord duties which led to proprietors Mr and Mrs P J McGowan, who had taken over in 1952, granted a lease in perpetuity.

By 1977 Peter Andrews changed the inn’s name to Fishermans Table.

Murray Goodman and some others trade marked the name in 1981 as there were many Fishermans Table’ around the country and they weren’t working together.

In 1993 Bernard Parker, Jim Petrie and Steve Mulholland introduced the ‘all you can eat from the salad boat’ which was a marketing masterstroke that continues today and is a magnet for customers.

Mauricio and Karym Torrealba have owned the restaurant since 2016 but had worked there earlier so knew what made it tick.

“Its ongoing success is the consistency of what we offer,” Mauricio said.

“It has never sought to be fashionable, but has always remained in fashion, because of the classic style of its food and service.”

The restaurant has good menu variety, is known for its speed and service, and has an affordable price point.

The carpark is a good indicator in how popular the restaurant is as it’s packed most times I’ve driven past at lunch or dinner time.

The restaurant’s popularity has continued with the arrival of Transmission Gully motorway.

“We are a destination.”

And with less traffic along Centennial Highway, the restaurant is easier to access too.

The restaurant has also offered employment

for many people including a number who have worked there for many years such has Dawn Melrose who retired after 43 and a half years. Chef Vern Lancaster started in 1982, with a few stints elsewhere, and Vince Takiwa has been cooking for customers since 1997.

With Mauricio and Karym at the helm, and a passionate and hardworking crew, this dining institution has a bright future.

“We, as the current owners, feel blessed to be part of history and what it means to the village and the Wellington region,” Mauricio said.

“We are committed to improving all areas of the business as well as the property so that it can be enjoyed for many more years to come.”

Louis French Patisserie:

Decadent desserts with a slice of happiness

Louis Sergeant has moved production of his delicate patisserie cakes to Paraparaumu, spreading happiness with every mouthful. their business and money issues forced them to close the store.

Hailing from Calais in France, esteemed pastry chef Louis Sergeant has gained a large following in the Wellington region for his macaroons, developing 45 decadent flavours.

After humble beginnings at market stalls around the city, Louis has moved north, opening a food truck in Porirua and two stores in Kāpiti.

Settling into life on the coast, Louis now lives around the corner from the factory shop on Rimu Rd where he produces edible works of art using traditional French techniques and Frenchimported ingredients, infusing happiness into each treat.

“I always like when you give a nice patisserie cake to someone, you get a smile in return - you bring happiness into the world,” Louis said.

Baking since the age of 16, Louis worked in top establishments around Europe, from France to Switzerland and Germany before coming to New Zealand 14 years ago.

“I started cooking with my mum and my grandad because in France it’s not good to invite guests in without being hospitable.

“When we invite guests over we always try to make something beautiful - starters, main and dessert.”

While 14 years in New Zealand has done little to lessen his strong French accent Louis has become one of New Zealand’s most renowned pastry chefs after stints at Wellington’s Hippopotamus Restaurant and running his own self-titled establishments.

Despite creating delicious treats which were devoured enthusiastically by customers, when Louis and his business partner tried to grow the business they were hit by earthquakes that affected

Louis had to tell 20 employees and say they were shutting with only four days’ notice.

Starting again under the name Croissants & Co, Louis is once again running a French-inspired patisserie bringing authentic flavours, not just a French flag.

“In French patisseries, it’s like fashion, we like to combine colours and flavours to produce the whole package – with a nice box and a nice cake inside.”

Louis said it’s about the whole experience, just like when you go shopping.

“When I go overseas I do a lot of shopping and it’s always a good feeling when you come away with nice bags full of clothes, treating yourself.

“That’s what French patisserie is about - you get a nice cake in a nice box and you’re bringing a little bit of happiness into this world.”

When asked what his favourite patisserie item is Louis said it’s too hard to choose.

“When you’re a foodie it’s very hard to say what your favourite dish is, it’s like choosing your favourite movie.

“I would have to say it’s probably macaroons because there are so many different flavours and colours.”

Macaroons are the perfect treat because not only are there many different flavours to choose from, they are small enough to not feel too guilty eating them.

With 45 different flavours to choose from Louis rotates the flavours depending on demand.

“At the moment we offer 12 flavours but in my book we have around 45 different flavours.”

Words and pictures by Rosalie Willis

“I always like when you give a nice patisserie cake to someone, you get a smile in returnyou bring happiness into the world.”

Currently working on mojito and champagne flavours, Louis hopes to offer a summer box full of cocktail flavours.

“I think this will be very popular, especially for Christmas gifts.”

While the cocktail box is bound to be a success Louis said there are plenty of flavours that haven’t worked and are always working out how to keep authentic French flavours while adapting to the New Zealand palate.

“I always try to bring the quality and flavours of France instead of just putting a French flag on the building and saying ‘hey we’re French’.

“But you do need to adapt to the palate of each country.

“For example, here in New Zealand, you have sweet butter chicken - in India, it’s not sweet.

“We also have to keep evolving as your palate constantly changes over time.”

Making patisserie items is a longer, more technical process than normal baking.

The delicate cakes are baked, before being placed in a blast chiller and snap frozen in order to be glazed.

“We take them from ten degrees to minus forty degrees in eight minutes.

“This means there’s no water, no germs.

“When the cake is very cold we pour the glaze which gives you the nice gloss on top.

“Each day we get them out, glaze them and decorate them.”

Many of the cakes are inspired by fashion such as the soft pink three-tiered Marie Antoinette cake, pictured, which is a long-time favourite.

The patisserie items are also made locally after previously being made at a commercial kitchen in Shelly Bay on the Miramar Peninsula of Wellington.

After driving from Shelly Bay up to Raumati every day, Louis acquired a commercial kitchen on Rimu Rd a year ago making the business a truly local operation.

All patisserie items are now made onsite and shared between the two Kāpiti sites, the Porirua food truck, market stalls and are available via home delivery.

“In French patisseries, it’s like fashion, we like to combine colours and flavours to produce the whole package – with a nice box and a nice cake inside.”

When Emily Griffinbought abackpack for her sevenyearold friend, she had no idea that it would take her down apath that would lead to fifteenyears of sustainable partnerships.

The setting wasPushkar,inthe Indian region of Rajasthan, whereEmily was hoping to equip her friend with abackpack, uniform and pen. The three items,basicas theywere, were the minimum requirements forhim to attend school.

Twodayslater she caught her friend in the market. He had sold his backpack and uniform and wasback to begging for money.

It wasthis experiencethat made Emily realisethe entrenched natureofpoverty in Pushkar.Emily,who wasworking as a nurse at the time,had spent twoyears in India, with most of that time spent in the region. “It wasthe oppositetoeverything I’d ever known before,” she says. “The women wear colourful and vibrant saris.InIndia, people aregifted saris formanydifferent occasions.Theyare made from arangeof materials including silk and cotton.”

Emily setupher business while still working as anurse.The ideawas to repurpose old and discarded saris and to upcycle them intoWestern styled clothing. She worked closely with twolocal familiesinthe region, who she chose intentionally becauseshe knewtheywould treattheir employees well and giveback to the local community.

The upcycled clothing filled aniche in NewZealand with women who wanted something comfortable and colourful, that felt nicetowear. Emily frequently hearsthe claim “I bought atop from you. Every time Iwearitsomeone complimentsmeorasks me whereIgot it.

“I love that it bringsconnections between random strangers,”saysEmily

Pushkar is aregion that reliesheavily on tourism. They, likeus, have suffered from the cessation of travelling brought by Covid. Emily sees the business as creating anew lifeline of employment forpeople in the region, particularly forremote villages in the desert that don’thavemany opportunitiesfor income

Caravan &Co’sshop can be found at Otaki Yard on State Highway1, or visit their Wellington storein DukesArcade,corner of Willis and Manners, Wellington.

SOURCED ARTISAN

FROM

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Caravan&Cofounder Emily Griffinwith her friend Sonu in Pushkar,who helped inspirethe brand

Sturdy and strong slabs of macrocarpa with smooth, rich wooden tops are the hallmarks of Big Mac Slabs furniture.

The family business has been operating since 2003 after Steph Smith met arborist Andy Harvard at a business coaching course she was running in Masterton. Andy owned Problem Tree Solutions and was working as an arborist in the area.

Finding himself chopping down a lot of old macrocarpa trees after their life as shelter belt trees came to an end, Andy ended up with piles of macrocarpa trees in the paddock.

“After 60 years of life they get a bit wobbly and need to be chopped before they fall down because they could fall in any direction on top of the new ones which have been planted,” Big Mac Slabs co-director Steph Smith said.

“He ended up with all these logs in the paddock and one day saw a mill on the side of the road for sale. He decided to buy it and taught himself how to make

outdoor furniture from the trees he was chopping down. When it was raining Andy and his workmates started making furniture to keep themselves busy.”

By the time Steph met him, Andy had been making outdoor furniture from macrocarpa slabs for a two years and Big Mac Slabs was starting to take off.

“I was working as a business coach at the time and Andy attended one of the training courses I was running. He was the only person who I had to take out of class and say, ‘You need an attitude adjustment or you can’t come back after morning tea’,” Steph laughs.

However, a romance ensued, the picnic tables became the core of the Andy’s business and with Steph’s marketing and business management experience, together they turned it into a thriving business.

“I said if I’m going to take on Big Mac, it’s going to become big.”

Words by Rosalie Willis

Big Mac Slabs co-directors Steph Smith and Andy Harvard.

Big Mac Slabs has grown from a hobby to a thriving business for owners Steph Smith and Andy Harvard.

Big Mac Slabs: Furniture that lasts the test of time

Furniture

When Steph got involved she implemented measuring, making Andy cut the slabs to specific lengths, rather than just winging it based on the size of the log.

“I said you’re going to cut it to the right length so people know what to expect.”

With sustainability being a core value of the business, during creation of the furniture no materials are wasted. “The process of milling happens on site, with everything used right down to the offcuts which are used as firewood and the wood shavings which can be used on the garden.”

Macrocarpa trees are not native, but are hardy Californian trees which are easy to dry out and don’t require treatment making them ideal for picnic tables which will be eaten off.

Once cut down the macrocarpa is air-dried naturally in the yard for at least two years before being coated with a special water based UV reflector which increases the lifespan of the furniture.

“The coating stays on it even when the wood stretches and if you maintain it, it should last a lifetime.”

Picnic benches for commercial clients are a large part of the business because of their durability.

“Councils buy our benches and picnic tables because they need them to stand the test of time as well as the challenges of New Zealand’s weather.”

Because the slabs need no preservatives or chemicals schools and kindergarten also make up a large part of their business.

Growth

In 2009, the Plimmerton site was opened to service the increasing demand for the naturally produced, New Zealand made furniture. Masterton was not the place to grow the business as it was logistically hard getting products out of the Wairarapa.

Plimmerton was easier access for trucks to pick up the furniture and meant less handling and change overs, reducing the risk of damage between distributors and the environmental footprint from transport.

As the business continued to grow Steph and Andy started looking for a site which could further meet their needs and growth aspirations to have their manufacturing and retail onsite together, but found it hard with resource consent, twice missing out on places in Pauatahanui.

Eventually they came across their current location on Mazengarb Rd in Paraparaumu which was formally a mushroom farm and had been sitting empty for ten years.

Battles for resources consent ensued after concerns around noise were raised by neighbours, but after support from the community, the business eventually moved onto the site in 2015.

“It was absolutely derelict as it had been empty for ten years,” Steph said.

“We had to do a lot of work to convert it. We needed a big building to make furniture in but we didn’t need all the other buildings.”

However the site had the access they needed to get logging trucks in and out.

Moving the manufacturing to Paraparaumu, they now had two sites operating with furniture being sold from both Plimmerton and Paraparaumu.

This worked for a while but over the Christmas of 2019 too many customers got confused about where to pick up their orders from that Steph and Andy decided to close the Plimmerton site.

Creative Centre

The large site provided potential to expand their business, and a suggestion from local glass artist Caren Ashford to use the space for artists to display their work sparked the creation of Big Mac Creative Centre.

“We hadn’t thought about having anything like it but after talking to Caren I started ringing everyone I knew that had anything to do with galleries to get the run down on how to open one.”

The creative centre was opened in 2016 with six artists and is now home to over 80 artists, providing a place for creatives in Kāpiti to showcase work and develop their art into a business.

“For someone like Caren who has a disability, we provide a space where she can display her work because she can’t have people coming to her house all the time.

“Being able to have a permanent display and not permanently be there works really well for her.”

The space allows up and coming artists to display their work and gain confidence.

“There are a number of people who do their art part time and have other fulltime jobs, or just lack a little bit of confidence in their art and need a place like this to get their work out there.”

With a marketing and business management background Steph uses Big Mac’s large following to help the artists reach bigger audiences and helps them commercialise their art so they can make significant sales.

Artist Holly Chapman now works at Big Mac Creative Centre four days a week and spends the rest of her time painting.

“When I went to art school I was told that my art was not serious enough,” said Holly who paints funky animals with colour and humour.

“It’s amazing being able to sell my art and be supported by Steph at Big Mac. She’s helped me make cards, and coasters from my work and monetise it in a way that sells.”

This has enabled Holly to quit her former job in aged care and live out her dream as an artist.

Donna Noble is another artist who has gained confidence from having her work at Big Mac. Creating stunning art from pumice and hanging

artworks which spin in the wind, Donna works part time in the creative centre with Steph saying, “She’s just a different person at the centre now, she’s gained so much confidence in herself and her art”.

Kāpiti Arts Trail

The number of artists increases from 80 to well over 100 during that Kāpiti Arts Trail each November.

“While the arts trail is on there are demonstrations running so visitors can see how things are created and perhaps get inspired to create themselves,” Steph said.

“The creative centre is a place to gather ideas, inspiration, art, sculpture, homewares or furniture so that the visitor can create their own version of a dream home or garden.

“It’s just amazing when the arts trail is on, we have a cafe running, have live music and people are welcome to come down with their picnic blanket and hang out. It’s such a cool vibe.”

“The process of milling happens on site, with everything used right down to the offcuts which are used as firewood and the wood shavings which can be used on the garden.”

My Kāpiti

Home is ... The Kāpiti Coast is the best place to live in New Zealand besides Wanaka or Taupō or Waiheke or Bay of Islands or Rotorua or Gisborne.

What inspired you to get into acting? I got into acting after loving performing in my band Quiet Earth. I have the best of both worlds now by acting and singing with The Māori Sidesteps.

A weekend at home is generally ... Kids sports, then cricket for myself in summer, and hanging in the backyard with my pizza oven.

Training to become an actor involved ... Going to Toi Whakaari as I had no formal training until then. It gave me great insight and grounding into acting and also provides a Bachelor of Arts if I decided to go into a different field.

It’s time to meet film/television/ stage actor, comedian, singer and all round good sort Cohen Holloway.

Some of the things I enjoy about living on the coast are ... The best thing on the coast is the new motorway. Its made getting to Wellington so much easier. And the old state highway is like a personal holiday route. The community is tight and caring up here and the weather is pretty good in summer. It’s nice to live by the ocean too.

Being an actor requires a range of skills including… The main skills for being an actor are having a thick skin and being patient for work to arrive. Not every role is suitable for the skills you need to pay the bills. So having a life outside of acting is key to survival.

My go-to local eatery is ... I love Robert Harris cafe in Coastlands. The big breakfast is the best on the coast and the staff are always great. My favourite takeaway is Sunlong Takeaways. Their fish burger with added egg and cheese is my goto.

The most satisfying acting role to date was I have too many favourite roles I’ve played. I think more recently my role in Bellbird opposite Marshall Napier, who recently passed away, is my favourite. He was a gifted generous actor and the film is a little gem.

Role preparation involves ... A lot of time, from haircuts and bad moustaches, and more. You can walk around Kāpiti for three months with blonde hair and a mo and people think that’s your choice of look, but it’s actually a film you’re getting ready for. The main thing is not bringing the characters home. You have to leave them at the door. I think it is self-indulgence to go around as your character outside of work.

What is your advice to someone getting into acting? Do it because you love it because there are a lot of downtimes with no work. Most people quit because they get no work and can’t survive. I just focus on fatherhood when I’m home. That makes me just as happy.

My favourite summer escape would have to be ... I love Taupō for an escape. Taking the small boat up the line and going fishing and pulling the kids on the biscuit. The thermal pools are great and Rotorua is also a quick drive away.

Some of my favourite films, not involving me, are

My favourite films are anything with Gary Oldman in them. I never realised he was the same actor in Dracula and Immortal Beloved. To me, an actor who doesn’t play themselves over and over in different films is who I aspire to emulate.

“You can walk around Kāpiti for three months with blonde hair and a mo and people think that’s your choice of look.”

Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve

Words by David Haxton

One of the most gentle and pleasant strolls in the district can be found through the Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve.

It’s important to stay on the main track which winds its way through this ecological paradise.

About 54,000 people used the track, which includes a boardwalk stretch, last year which shows how popular it is.

The reserve, on either side of the Waikanae River, is home to a wide variety of birdlife.

And it’s a place where a huge amount of restoration work has been happening courtesy of an army of volunteers.

The reserve’s origins started with considerable pioneering lobbying by Sir Charles Fleming, an eminent scientist and Waikanae resident, throughout the 1980s.

Sir Charles enjoyed the area but was concerned about the encroachment of development and the sprawling scrub not to mention pests.

Twenty hectares of sand dunes by the river mouth were set aside as a nature reserve in 1987, and eventually expanded when the Department of Conservation (DoC) was formed , to some 75 hectares, and gazetted as a scientific reserve in 1994 with its own regulations to protect some rare plants only found in estuarial waters.

A recent addition of five hectares, kindly donated by a private landowner, has pushed the reserve’s coverage area to 80 hectares.

The Waikanae Estuary Care Group, which formed in 2004, has about 100 members who are involved in strategic planning, land development, management of resources, growing planting and weeding of native plants, pest management, weed management, signage, education, scientific studies and more.

Two years after it formed, the group received set up grants from Greater Wellington Regional Council for three years of clearing and planting.

The group, which is a registered charity, follows an ecological plan, written by native plant ecologist Isobel Gabites, in 2010.

It gives about 4000 hours of volunteer labour every year and raises all its funds for the entire operations.

The group, which has a nursery, has produced and planted over 70,000 native plants of some 50 species to date.

It has a signed agreement with Doc, in 2019, to take care of most areas of operation in the reserve.

It was one of the first groups in the lower North Island to sign such a community agreement with the department.

By 2020 the group helped DoC start the Waikanae Jobs for Nature programme with a paid group to start clearing large areas of gorse and blackberry for future planting.

The main track entrance is located off northern Manly St, Paraparaumu Beach, or via a side road at the junction of Otaihanga Rd and Makora Rd, Otaihanga.

▸ Bird and butterfly photos by Roger Smith.

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Kokomea PurePod

Kāpiti’s first Purepod luxury eco-cabin.

‘

But what are you supposed to do there?’ I keep getting asked, ‘nothing,’ I reply. That’s the point.

Kokomea PurePod is a luxury eco-cabin nestled between olive trees and grapevines, overlooking Kāpiti Island, in Te Horo.

Newly built and opened under the PurePod brand earlier this year, Kokomea is the seventh PurePod to open, the only one in the North Island.

Taking a 10-minute walk from the secure carpark, down a small valley and up the other side to a secluded field, the glass cabin is nestled next to a line of olive trees with nothing else around to distract you.

The walk is intentional. It takes you away from prying eyes and noise, to a peaceful place of silence and solitude. Surrounded by nothing but nature, the PurePod offers you an opportunity to connect with the natural world.

In a world so connected by technology, the PurePod concept is all about taking you away from distractions to a place where you’re surrounded by natural beauty.

The one-bedroom cabin is bound to feel spacious when every single wall is made from glass. With 360 degree views from bed, and the glass walls also doubling as doors, the cabin is designed to blend into the environment and provide as minimal distraction from the setting as possible.

The beauty of staying at a PurePod is that heading inside doesn’t mean the party is over. With the pod made completely from glass, including the ceiling, you can stargaze from bed. While the cabin is far from the noise of traffic, you will instead be woken up by a chorus of bird song and the glow of the sunrise.

Have you ever showered with a view overlooking farm hills, a vineyard and the ocean, all at the same time? This is what you can expect here. When you get over the thoughts of ‘what if someone sees me’, the shower is a spot you won’t want to leave.

A food hamper is available featuring Kāpiti’s famous cheeses for afternoon tea (or humus and pesto if you opt for the dairy free version like we did). Dinner is a selection of vegetables cut and seasoned for you, ready to go on the BBQ alongside either marinated chicken (what we had), steak, beef or lamb and potatoes. With everything prepared for you, this is a deluxe

version of a heat and eat meal. Fresh fruit rounds off every meal with breakfast featuring an especially delicious homemade granola.

If you don’t opt for the food hamper, Waikanae has plenty of options including Long Beach and The Front Room Coastal Eatery for dinner. Or check out the Bus Stop Cafe for a coffee in Te Horo if you’re staying over the weekend.

The beauty of Kokomea PurePod is that there is nothing here to connect you with the outside world – well nothing to connect you to people anyway. No Netflix, no wi-fi, no television.

Instead of fancy devices, the facilities here include a telescope and star map.

Unfortunately for us, while we were lucky enough to watch a sparkling sunset setting between the clouds next to Kāpiti Island, the clouds which had been threatening to cover the sky all day were now above us, providing cloud cover as darkness fell.

There’s something about nature which makes you think big. Perhaps it’s all the trees around providing my brain with more oxygen, or perhaps it’s the wide-open spaces that make all the worries seem small, but either way, the PurePod takes you away from the worries of life and provides you with a place to dream. Huddled beneath a blanket, we stayed outside on the deck for hours, talking and dreaming in the open air.

Words and pictures by Rosalie Willis

By the time we head inside for bed, the clouds are starting to thin out. As more and more twinkling stars begin to pop their heads between the clouds, enough come out, convincing me to stay awake and use the telescope to see what other stars are in the neighbourhood.

Looking through the telescope at the craters on the moon while lying in bed, the experience was well worth the late night.

For those adventurous souls, book a trip to Kāpiti Island and for those active ones, head to the prestigious Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club for a round of golf.

If you’re after boutique shopping Raumati Village is your place to go, and don’t forget the beach right down the road in Te Horo. Outlet shopping in Ōtaki is also just 10 minutes up the road

This is not the place you want to take your children. Made from glass with no privacy, it’s probably best to say this is a place that’s best for a romantic getaway.

The PurePod is accessible to anyone who can walk on uneven ground for 10 minutes. While it is a bit of a hike to get there, the good thing is that you should only need to do it once because after you arrive you won’t want to leave.

Created to showcase the natural landscape surrounding it, the PurePod could not be built without incorporating a sustainable energy source.

Running off solar power and using local water, the pod is also backed up by a gas califont to ensure heating is plentiful year-round regardless of the amount of sunshine hitting the solar panels.

Ecostore products and refillable dispensers in the shower used for shower gel, shampoo and conditioner all add to the minimalisation of plastic use.

While designed to provide minimal disruption to the environment, PurePods also support The Cacophony Project, a not-for-profit venture that aims to help make New Zealand predator-free by bringing back the ‘cacophony’ of bird song.

www.purepods.com

“As more and more twinkling stars begin to pop their heads between the clouds, enough come out convincing me to stay awake and use the telescope to see what other stars are in the neighbourhood.”

Back in the Day

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Paraparaumu Airport, 1954.

Lifeguards at Paraparaumu Beach, 1977.

Loading a Bristol Freighter, Paraparauum Airport, 1956.

Paraparaumu School 60th jubilee, 1949.

A Paekākariki rugby team, 1939.

The first standard railcar, Paekākāriki, 1939.

Paekākāriki Beach, 1957.

Paraparaumu Beach, 1967.

Paraparaumu Beach, 1972.

Ōtaki township 1947.

Kāpiti Bowling Club, 1956.

Copperfields, Paraparaumu Beach, 1970s.

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