Viva Vol 2 - November 2020

Island. Auckland.

MAGAZINE

Mangawhai. Waiheke

Fashion to Make You Smile Holiday Vibes

Napier.

New

Plymouth.

Gisborne.

Wellington.

Kaikōura.

Mangonui.

Christchurch.

Wanaka.

Dunedin.

COMING HOME TO AOTEAROA

, Let s Dance!

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VOLUME TWO

ISSUE 02

2020

REMOTE ESCAPES

LILI SUMNER RETURNS TO HAWKE'S BAY

ENDLESS SUMMER

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WELCOME TO VIVA — VOLUME TWO

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FAR LEFT: Editor Amanda Linnell. MIDDLE: Behind the scenes shooting the recipes for our pool party menu, deputy editor Johanna Thornton, stylist Lauren Freeman, recipe editor Angela Casley and photographer Babiche Martens. ABOVE: Creative and fashion director Dan Ahwa on the move. LEFT: Photographer Guy Coombes shoots Lili Sumner in the Tūtaekurī River in Hawke's Bay.

Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten to discuss his collaboration with the iconic New Zealand artist, the late Len Lye. Van Noten insightfully revealed his determination to not look to the past, but to look forward, for beauty with optimism.

I am blessed to work alongside a talented and passionate team and while creating this magazine we spent a lot of time discussing what would connect with you, our readers, and the psyche of the nation. Coming home was a phrase that came up often: coming home from lives abroad, coming home to family for the holidays, coming home to who we are as people and as a community, and from this, coming home to who we are as individuals. Discovering what is important and what we truly value. We are a nation of travellers, and living at the bottom of the world it has always been part of our DNA to get out and explore. Summer is a time to rediscover Aotearoa, support our

EDITOR'S LETTER

local industries, and fall back in love with our backyard. Our cover star, international model and filmmaker Lili Sumner, captures this beautifully in our fashion story ‘Lilian’ which follows her return home to Hawke’s Bay. This shoot is personal, every location meaningful, places that have stayed close to her heart as her career has soared and her horizons broadened. Yet, as she writes in her essay on page 54, returning home has been key to her journey.

This past year has given us all the gift of realising how lucky we are to live in a land so full of beauty, space and freedom.

This is what we celebrate right now, in this magazine. Here’s to a wonderful summer!

AMANDA LINNELL EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY Babiche Martens

t’s summer! Let’s celebrate! Never before has a season been so longed for, and the desire to shake off the weight of winter and the stresses of a year filled with so much uncertainty felt so strong. Knowing we can count on long balmy days and the simple pleasures that come with them fills my heart.

The chance to swim — before breakfast, after breakfast, in the golden light of the late afternoon, under the stars at midnight in inky cool blue water.

When you find yourself lying on a hilltop gazing out across the ocean laughing with friends, or dancing under the moon to your favourite DJ. When it’s too hot to go outside and afternoon siestas reading books in the cool of the house or under a tree are the only forms of activity that are warranted. In cities when the streets are quiet and empty, and a peacefulness abounds. When going to a friend’s after work for a cold beer on the deck rolls into a night of long conversations and life epiphanies...

The joy and opportunity of summer are the essence of this issue: fun fashion, bubbles to party with, great summer reads, music to turn up loud, and dishes to feast on — all the things that make summer so special.

As we look around the world, the sense of freedom we have right now is so precious. As a result, one of the great themes that resonate with the incredible people that have contributed to the pages of this magazine is a shared sense of gratitude. Another is being able to look forward with optimism and lightness.

Creative director Dan Ahwa had the privilege of interviewing the respected

VOLUME TWO

EDITOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR DEPUTY EDITOR ART DIRECTOR SENIOR DESIGNER COMMERCIAL EDITOR BEAUTY EDITOR RECIPE EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS

COMMERCIAL & MARKETING HEAD OF AUCKLAND SALES HEAD OF CREATEME AND AGENCY OPERATIONS GM INTEGRATION GM COMMERCIAL PUBLISHING GM COMMERCIAL INTEGRATION COMMERCIAL INTEGRATION MANAGERS COMMERCIAL INTEGRATION SPECIALIST GM BRAND & MARKETING SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER PRODUCTION PRODUCTION EDITOR SUB EDITORS

SALES OPERATIONS DIRECTOR PRODUCTION MANAGER PRINTING DISTRIBUTION NZME EXECUTIVE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MANAGING EDITOR CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER CHIEF RADIO & COMMERCIAL OFFICER LEGAL COUNSEL & COMPANY SECRETARY CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Amanda Linnell Dan Ahwa Johanna Thornton Imogen Temm Lucy Casley Emma Gleason Ashleigh Cometti Angela Casley Jo Burzynska, Andrew Clifford, Guy Coombes, Annabel Dickson, Jo Elwin, Grace Gemuhluoglu, Kath Gould, Ginny Fisher, Lauren Freeman, Lydia Hamer, Carolyn Haslett, Mohamed Hassan, Dominic Hoey, Julie Hill, Chloe Hill, Elle Hunt, Liz Hyun, Alana James, Leisha Jones, Russell Kleyn, Fredrik Larsson, Ant Low, Babiche Martens, Amy Mcmurdock, Jesse Mulligan, Natarsha Orsman, Sophy Phillips, Felicity Potae, Portia Prince, Karl Puschmann, Juliette Sivertsen, Julia-Ruth Smith, Mara Sommer, Lili Sumner, Ashford Thompson, Stephen Tilley, Zoe Walker-Ahwa, Simon Wilson, Nancy Zhou Neil Jackson Greg McCrea Margaret Hawker Chris Rudd Danielle Tolich Sam Glasswell, Andrea O’Hagan Lucy Janisch-Fitzgerald Sheryl Dunlop Monique Hodgson Isobel Marriner Courtney Whitaker, Jill Stanford, Sue Baxalle, Maureen Marriner, Rebecca Barry Hill Lee Miller Jon McDonald Ovato Ovato Michael Boggs Shayne Currie Paul Hancox David Mackrell Laura Maxwell Katie Mills Wendy Palmer Allison Whitney Matthew Wilson

EDITORIAL OFFICE

NZME, 2 Graham St, Central City, Auckland 1010, New Zealand Postal address: Private Bag 92198, Victoria St West, Auckland 1142, New Zealand Phone: (09) 379 5050. Email: viva@nzherald.co.nz For subscriber enquiries call 0800 100 888 or visit Viva.co.nz/subscribe For advertising enquiries email: advertise@nzme.co.nz

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CONTENTS

46 ON THE COVER

Lili Sumner watches the sunset along Ahuriri Beach, Napier. Wixii tank top $245.

Pounamu drop earrings, $420, from Walker & Hall Vintage. Missoni beach towel, $365, from Tessuti.

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PHOTOGRAPHER

Guy Coombes FASHION DIRECTOR

FASHION

Dan Ahwa HAIR AND MAKEUP

Kath Gould ASSISTANTS

Felicity Potae and Ashford Thompson

BEAUTY

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30 Welcome 10 Contributors 12 Hot news 19 Thoughts on freedom 26 Bands on tour 30 Chaii's phat rhymes 36 Dries Van Noten 40 Playful shoes 45 Lili Sumner 46 Fashion forecast 58 Big dress energy 62 Warm-weather looks 72 Summer shopping 82 Political nail art 87 Radiant makeup ideas 88 Beauty bulletin 95

A festive eye spy for all to see, Find something that would look good under the tree.

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FOOD & DRINK

HOME & DESIGN

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88 Acids 101 102 Probiotic skincare 104 Kaleidoscopic gelato 107 Young chefs 108 How to dine out 114 Battle of the bubbles 117 Pool party recipes 120 Food & drink news 129 Artful reads 133 Design notebook 137 Holidaying in Mangawhai 138 Artist Karl Maughan 144 Remote getaways 150 Stockists 161 Viva digisphere 162

THERE’S ALWAYS A

Reason to Celebrate

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CITTADESIGN.COM

Right Now MAURI ORA

On December 5, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki will launch Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art, the biggest survey of contemporary Māori art the gallery has presented — and with the footprint of seven major shows, the largest in the gallery’s history.

The exhibition is free to the public and features more than 300 artworks by 111 Māori artists, from the 1950s to now. In the 20 years since the last survey show of its kind, the contemporary art scene has seen much dynamic development that deserves to be profiled and celebrated, says Auckland Art Gallery curator Nigel Borrell (Pirirākau, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whakatōhea). “Contemporary Māori art is one of the most distinct expressions — it couldn’t exist anywhere else. Our connection to the land, our cultural practices and beliefs are intimately entwined in our place in this land.” Alongside iconic works by some of Aotearoa’s most significant artists, such as Ralph Hotere, Fiona Pardington and Michael Parekowhai, are specially commissioned pieces by Emily Karaka, Ana Iti and Reuben Paterson. A new, two-storey-high installation work based on the female deity Hine-nui-te-po has been produced by Mata Aho Collective in collaboration with artist Maureen Lander; and Shane Cotton has cocurated an exhibition room featuring contemporary Māori artists alongside the gallery’s historical art collection.

The pandemic has been challenging for public institutions the world over, says Nigel, but it has also led to a period of self-reflection and a “reinvestment in our own stories”, giving Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art the breathing space to take centre stage. Here's to a unifying experience in an otherwise isolating year. Aucklandartgallery.com

Tane Mahuta – Manos Nathan Legacy (2015) by Ngatai Taepa.

RIGHT NOW

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Right Now ELEGANT ARRIVAL

They say Italians do it better — arguably true when it comes to the complex yet glamorous work of Haute Jewellery. In time for gifting season, Auckland CBD welcomes a new boutique to lower Queen St’s luxury neighbourhood with the arrival of Bvlgari’s first store in New Zealand.

Reflecting the contemporary Italian jeweller’s timeless design ethos, the store (designed by architect Peter Marino) is a sleek new offering from the brand.

"New Zealand is increasingly developing as a precious treasure chest for the world of luxury as it is considered one of the countries with the most impressive results amongst main international retailers and an increasingly important market to have a presence in,” says Jean-Christophe Babin, group CEO of Bvlgari. For those in the market for something special, the boutique officially opens its doors on Friday December 18 with a range of accessories including jewellery, timepieces, luxury bags and fragrance. Featuring in the brand’s latest campaign Mai Troppo — an ode to life, joy — is supermodel Lily Aldridge, British actress Naomi Scott and Euphoria star Zendaya (pictured). 75 Queen St

Chill Out Sessions For those who prefer to save a little for the imagination, this summer take your cues from the recent spring/summer 2020/2021 collections and consider languid, loose fabrics and silhouettes in tranquil hues to help you feel cool, calm and collected.

L-R: Jacquemus; Valentino; Michael Kors; Hugo Boss; Chloe.

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RIGHT NOW

PATTERN POWER

American designer Kelly Wearstler, revered for her pattern-clashing prowess, has a knack for producing organic textiles with a bold, contemporary twist. Meet Graffito, one her abstract graphic fabrics in a fine cotton and linen blend. The playful design pictured in fern comes in eight colourways: onyx, sand, linen, ivory, salmon, teal, graphite and deep sky. Brilliant as a bespoke cushion, curtaining or for reupholstering a mid-century modern chair — anything draped in this beauty will add a bit of Hollywood regency flair to your interior. Available at Warwick Fabrics. Warwick.co.nz

ky Town n Fu 4 Cool Things s We’re Wearing Around The Country

NAPIER: Bazaar crystal earrings $55. 2/91 Bridge St, Ahuriri. Bazaartheempire.com CHRISTCHURCH: B Essentials polo top, $79, from Ballantynes. Cashel St Mall.

Ballantynes.co.nz DUNEDIN: Le Specs sunglasses, $159, from Belle Bird Boutique. 327 George St. Bellebird.co.nz HAMILTON: Hey Monday heels, $179, from Shine & Rossellini.

371 Victoria St. Shinefashion.co.nz

FEEL GOOD FASHION

HOME TURF

Sera Lilly’s new collection of Friday Flamingo designs are out and we’re in love. The New Zealand designer launched the label almost a year ago, meeting the demand for bold colours, fun prints and inclusive shapes for curvier body shapes.

Even better, they’re affordable (the Aaliya dress, pictured, is available by pre-order for $130). Her new dresses, skirts, jackets and PJs are vibrant and feminine, aimed at women tired of the lack of style and variety available to them — much like Sera herself, who designs with her own curvy figure in mind. Previously released as seasonal collections, this time there’s even more choice. New designs will drop each month, with a limited number of garments in each design and size, and a pre-ordering system in place to help customers avoid missing out. Fridayflamingo.com

Pony up for the hottest event of the new year. Viva is the exclusive media partner for The Lexus Urban Polo, an event that brings the high-paced game cityside – hitting the grass in Christchurch’s Hagley Park, February 20, and Auckland Domain, March 20. It promises to be a spectacular day, with a side-line fusion of great music, fashion and food. Whereas traditional polo is played with four players per team on a 4ha field, the Urban Polo has three players per team on a smaller field, allowing better visibility, and the rush of players thundering past. New Zealand’s upand-coming polo talent will be competing, and it’ll be a novelty to see horses back in the Auckland Domain, where they were kept and trained before the war. Urban Polo, Auckland Domain, March 20, 2021.

Urbanpolo.co.nz/buytickets

RIGHT NOW

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3

Right Now

Who: Wellington singersongwriter and producer who conjures up beats, folk, electronica and R&B into a sonic concoction she’s dubbed ‘electric blue witch-hop’.

What: Her new album Archetypes is out January 22.

Why we’re excited: We’ve long been fans of Estere’s unique styles, and on her new record she worked with Stew Jackson, the producer of Bristol’s trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack to create a sound she’s calling future-forward throwback.

Sounds like: We’ve only heard the first single 'Calculated Risk' but if the rest of the album sounds as daringly inventive it’s going to be a safe bet.

The Sounds of Summer Whether you’re hitting the surf, sand or simply staying indoors this summer you’re still going to need some new music to vibe to. Karl Puschmann has a selection of new and upcoming albums to suit whatever mood you’re in

1

BENEE

Who: Grey Lynn pop sensation and previous Viva cover star who went viral on TikTok, was interviewed by Elton John, sold out Spark Arena and won all of the awards at all of the things for two years in a row before releasing an album.

What: Hard as it is to believe, her debut record Hey u x only just dropped.

Why we’re excited: Like someone who’s washed down three cans of Red Bull with a fourth, we’d been getting jittery waiting for Benee to release something more substantial than an EP. Now she has.

Sounds like: A playlist you’ve made to suit any mood. Benee genre-hops with reckless abandon. There’s plenty of catchy pop quirk, post-disco grooves and auto-tuned vocals, but shades of anxiety, self-doubt and loneliness creep in to lend some depth.

22

ESTERE

2

MILEY CYRUS

Who: Former Disney star who came in like a wrecking ball on a wave of enfant terrible antics, shock tactics and big pop bangers.

What: You can rock out to her seventh album Plastic Hearts now.

Why we’re excited: Because we’re stuck in the 80s, and in her latest reinvention Miley has ditched the pop to embrace the glossy FM rock sound of the big-hair era.

Sounds like: Miley spent lockdown studying a ‘Best of the 80s’ music video playlist on YouTube. In the lead-up to the album drop she gave Blondie’s 'Heart of Glass' a convincingly hard edge, and the album’s first single 'Midnight Sky' channels the spirit and sound of 80s Stevie Nicks.

Rock on!

RIGHT NOW

4

DIRTY PROJECTORS

Who: Absurdly talented experimental art-pop band who push at the boundaries of accessibility.

What: The 20-song anthology 5EPs. Why we’re excited: During this year the diverse five-piece has steadily released wildly different EPs that each saw a different member take the lead. It’s all been building to this double album.

Sounds like: They could be EPs from five different, equally great, bands. But for these upcoming summery nights you’re gonna want to spin either the deep head-nodding electronic soul grooves of Flight Tower or the breezy, beachy Brazilian bossa-nova of Super João.

5

KACY & CLAYTON AND MARLON WILLIAMS

Who: Our brooding pop hero teams up with an acclaimed Canadian duo.

What: The album is called Plastic Bouquet and it’s out on December 11.

Why we’re excited: It’s the first new music from Williams since 2018’s brilliant, charttopping, Make Way for Love.

Sounds like: You’re in Nashville in the 1950s. It’s deeply authentic Americana and suitably old timey; the songs sound lived-in and like they’ve seen a few things. Marlon and Kacy’s voices combine beautifully, with a Johnny Cash and June Carter sound.

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Right Now

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1

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Ruby Resort 2020.

A Bigger Splash (2015)

5

Maryam Nassir Zadeh spring/summer 2021.

6 7

SIGN OF THE TIMES:

Bohemian Rhapsody Postcard memories of holiday raves in the sun, artful trinkets and organic textures conjure a carefree disposition, perfect for summer days 1. Ibiza Bohemia by Maya Boyd and Renu Kashyap (2017) published by Assouline, $135, from Time Out. 2. Gavin Burton Kanuka Burl bowl, $183, from Woodenbowl.co.nz.

3. Ray Ban sunglasses, $164, from Sunglass Hut. 4. Zoe & Morgan gold-plated necklace, $242, from Walker & Hall. 5. L’Opera Bitter Orange Aperitif, $55, from Hastingsdistillers.com. 6. Second Female top, $299, from Maman. 7. Something Like A War by Kindness (2019).

8. ABS Objects glazed, handmade vase, $340, from Makers' Mrkt. 9. Dior spring/summer 2020/2021.

See stockists on page 161.

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RIGHT NOW

9

Many of us have come home, some of us are still overseas, and all of us With summer on the horizon, we asked prominent New Zealanders

SEASONS

BY MOHAMED HASSAN DAVID TRUBRIDGE, designer "Summer is a dirt track to the beach. Bare feet on the sand.

Peeling down the curl of a wave, riding the immense energy of distant ocean.

Slipping under the surface into waving kelp beds.

Finning into dark overhangs, looking for the fine black tendrils of crayfish feelers.

Skipping over the waves on a sailboard, until the shore is a faint line, a flying fish skimming alongside, the water an ocean-clear blue.

Summer is that intense, bare-skin connection to nature everyone needs.

It lets us breathe in tune with land and sea.

It is freedom from all that keeps us apart from life’s vibrancy, from exhaust fumes, angry drivers, congested roads, from spirit-numbing urban suffocation.

It is soft evenings when warm sun-glow lingers on flesh, and fresh seafood waits to be eaten, a worn sea shell in your pocket."

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T

his time last year I was so pale I began to question my identity. It was my first winter in London and I was not physically or emotionally prepared. The bone-chilling cold. The need to constantly wear four layers of wool, gloves and sturdy socks for every excursion. But mostly I was ill-prepared to face the apocalyptic darkness that fell across every living and non-living thing each afternoon. The street lamps would illuminate my walk to work each morning, and they would still be alive when I left.

As a brown man born on the outskirts of Cairo, our family home nestled by desert and unrelenting sun, I now watched my complexion desaturate in the mirror. I mourned my melanin, starved and fading in the Atlantic gloom.

Meanwhile, my Instagram was flooded with photos from another world, my friends back home in New Zealand teasing me with endless stretches of blue sky. Story after story of juicy steaks bathing on a backyard grill.

Bare legs stretched over faded white timber in a bach in Whitianga or Paihia or Nelson.

are contemplating what a privilege it is to roam free in Aotearoa. to pen their thoughts on this liberating state of being I could smell the sea salt licking their skin, the February breeze dancing through their coppery curls.

As a good friend I hearted all of their photos, but inside I was seething with jealousy.

It’s probably a stretch to describe this year as fortunate, but in many ways I feel like I lucked out. Stumbling out of my first London winter, I returned home to Auckland just as the gates of pandemic careened open. As the rest of the world grappled with altered realities and heightened uncertainty, I found myself enjoying the new privileges of safety and freedom of movement.

Last month I flew to Christchurch, then to Wellington, then back to Auckland and walked around cities, gathered with hundreds of people in confined spaces and listened to poetry readings. I shared coffee with new and old friends at cafes without masks or social distancing, or even a nagging whisper of doubt about whether the invisible adversary, that which shall not be named, was present.

Meanwhile my friends back in London, and in Istanbul and New York and Melbourne remained vigilant.

And now, as the country has shrugged off a season of lockdowns and apprehension, and I've endured my second consecutive winter, the first sweet laps of summer heat are washing over us. It feels good to walk

along Takapuna beach in the early evening with chocolate gelato in hand, watching the sunset splattering amber and purple streaks over Rangitoto.

All over the country, those with means and time at hand plan bach getaways, hiking excursions to Abel Tasman or Tongariro, or at least a Christmas splayed along a beach with family. The days are beginning to bleed into each other, the endless daylight beckoning our weary limbs back into the ocean.

Not all of us are spoilt with these choices, and for many, the realities of this year’s challenges won’t fade with the advent of the next. There is still so much to work through, build upon and confront going forward into a post-pandemic world.

But under a December sun, at least we are blessed with a seabreeze, Vitamin D and God’s own country. Not only that, but my tan has finally returned.

KATE SYLVESTER, fashion designer "All I want to do now and all summer long is swim in the sea.

After a year that has been all about confinement and anxiety, jumping in our big beautiful, endless sea is the perfect tonic.

Wayne and I are going on an old school, back-to-basics roadie. We are throwing a mattress in the back of the truck, a gas burner and billy to make a cup of tea and we are heading north. We will park up wherever we fancy, live on fish and chips and icecream, shower very infrequently at friends farflung baches and swim, swim, swim.

Mohamed Hassan is an award-winning

I’m desperate for it. Everything

journalist and poet from Auckland and

this year has been too complicated

Cairo. In 2017 he won the Gold Trophy

— I’m so sick of having to think!

at the New York Radio Awards for his RNZ podcast series Public Enemy. His

I can’t wait for empty idle days, an enormous empty cleansing

new collection of poems, National

sea and our infinite empty blue

Anthem, was published by Dead Bird

sky smiling down on me."

Books in 2020.

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MICHAEL MEREDITH, executive chef and owner, Mr Morris "Summer for us is all about enjoying time together outdoors, walking, swimming and of course, summer barbecues. We are very lucky to have a lovely spot up north where we normally spend our summer holidays. Being out of Auckland and away from all the noise in a small bay with hardly any people around, enjoying the star-filled sky at night, family time and just relaxing, is freedom to us. This year with the opening of our new restaurant, Mr Morris, it may be a different story and freedom may just be having a night off to have a picnic down at the beach with my family. Either way we are very blessed and nothing beats a New Zealand summer."

ASTLEY NATHAN, Flava radio host "One of the biggest lessons I learned in 2020 that gives me a sense of freedom was a quote from good friend Paora Puru: ‘Knowing who I am enhances me like nothing else can.’ Lockdown allowed me to go soul-searching and the best place to soul search is in nature. The best time to get in nature is summer! I can’t wait to explore my backyard a bit more.

I’ll be spending my summer break in Northland where I feel most at home outside of Auckland."

MICHAEL ASHTON, celebrity make-up artist and brand founder "As the rest of the world is in a state of flux I feel an incredible sense of freedom being back home in New Zealand. My tūrangawaewae.

My place of belonging. Where my values, work ethic and mana were cultivated. I’ve spent the past 14 years living and working abroad ... many years away with bases in Europe, London, Los Angeles, New York and thousands of air-miles under my belt. Balmy nights spent with friends and family, the smell of freshly caught seafood on the barbecue, chilled New Zealand rosé and pohutukawa trees in bloom are the iconic New Zealand summer moments and memories I will always hold close to heart."

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N

o one wants to be proven right by a pandemic. But when coronavirus took hold in February, air travel collapsed, and my world contracted to my London flat, a small, superstitious part of me felt grimly validated.

I knew this would happen. Not exactly this, but something like it — to end our golden, global run.

To be a New Zealander overseas is an exceptionally privileged position that I think few of us take for granted. For years, I’d felt I had it too good. I was able to explore the world, to test myself, while secure in my claim to a country that I would always be glad to return to: the best of both worlds, guaranteed by a black passport.

As a dual citizen of New Zealand and Great Britain, my life more or less evenly split between them, I go to say “capsicum” instead of “pepper” and “pants” instead of “trousers” but with an accent that, to some ears, registers as posh.

In the past I have capitalised on this duality, disavowing BoJo as not my prime minister (though, in truth, I have been gone too long to vote for Jacinda) but insisting on my Britishness when anyone brings up the Lord of The Rings films, or

ELLE HUNT IS A FREELANCE JOURNALIST BASED IN LONDON, WRITING MOSTLY FOR THE GUARDIAN. SHE GREW UP IN NEW ZEALAND, WHERE SHE WORKED AT THE DOMINION POST AND RADIO NEW ZEALAND.

D I S T A N C E

BY ELLE HUNT

Wellington’s “celebrity cat”.

But as lucky as I have felt to be both of Aotearoa and elsewhere, something about that position always struck me as chancey, like I was exploiting a loophole that could not possibly remain open for long. There just seemed something fundamentally precarious about being able to pay a month’s rent to cover 19,000km — to pass a year without winter.

As I put down roots in London, I worried that I would one day be forced to choose a side of the world — either by my parents, invoking some sort of blood bond to compel me back to New Zealand, or by the climate crisis finally rendering hemisphere-hopping infeasible.

My anxiety was sufficient to share it with a therapist, who responded with a shrug: “It’s only ever a plane ride away,” she said.

But for how long, I thought. A different therapist might have said that I was really afraid of losing my freedom, or autonomy, or identity (the flipside of belonging to two places, after all, is being of neither one).

In any case, in February, those fears became real, and many more grave ones besides. The

CULTURE

very real threat of coronavirus did not make it any less agonising for Kiwis in London and elsewhere to make the call: where was home, if you could no longer have two?

I chose to stay put, and have been hugely fortunate to weather the pandemic, thus far, largely unscathed. But eight months on from that initial exodus — as England braces, too late, for a second lockdown and New Zealand is rewarded for its swift and uncompromising response — I doubt my decision daily.

But there can also be something oddly clarifying about the worst-case scenario.

My expectations of this new world, of hard borders and brutal bottom lines, are more modest. Freedom no longer means the ability to go back and forth between hemispheres, to have it both ways, to enjoy a year with two summers.

These days, it is hard won — or, in Britain, dangled as a reward for making it through the next four weeks of winter.

New Zealand has never felt further away.

But even as I cannot make use of my black passport, I have never been more grateful to have it.

FREEDOM

BY DOMINIC HOEY

DOMINIC HOEY IS A POET, AUTHOR AND PLAYWRIGHT BASED IN TĀMAKI MAKAURAU. HE HAS RELEASED BOOKS, FILMS, RAP ALBUMS AND "TALKED SH*T" ON STAGES AROUND THE WORLD. HE IS CURRENTLY HOCKING HIS NEW ZINE BAD ADVICE FOR GOOD PEOPLE AND TRYING TO CONVINCE THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY TO PUBLISH HIS NEW NOVEL.

My dad lives in a ghost town 3 hours north of nowhere more of a ghost village really a handful of shacks and rotten villas tossed across a valley Where only the rain works a 9 to 5 I can tell you how to get there if you want head north from the city leave that mess of concrete gossip in the rear view turn off on state highway 12 until you hit dirt roads cutting through dead hills and just when you think you’re lost there will be a bridge and you have arrived my parents bought the land 20 odd years back when they were still together and broke people could afford such things there was a shack no power just rats dancing around a pot belly stove a night that talked of barking dogs and gunshots like Matakana after the apocalypse now my father lives there with his ducks and goats and books whenever I can I flee north in my beat up Toyota Corolla a soundtrack of dated rap music and ghost podcasts eat a vegan pie at the giant BP get stuck in Wellsford buy beers in Dargaville and as the sun melts into the hills I pull up to my dad’s driveway at night the stars so loud you can’t sleep so we stay up drinking with the fire talking politics talking nonsense talking of the past but in that way where you leave out the parts that burn when you remember the only running water is the river after a couple of days everyone stinks of smoke and hangovers we visit my dad’s mate homemade spirits that will kick your ass into tomorrow and stories about people I’ve only ever seen on album covers take another drink floating in the warm waters of the couch no reception in the ghost village writing by hand like it’s 2003 my phone sleeping in the glovebox unanswered emails pressing contorted faces to the screen thoughts wander aimless as the animals domestic is a pejorative up there eventually gigs and deadlines drag me back to the city crossing the hills my phone resurrected everyone yelling about nothing like it’s everything driving into the horizon thinking how the city is a disability CULTURE

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There’s no denying Aotearoa is the best place to be when it comes to live music right now. We talk to some of our favourite musicians about spending their summer on the road travelling between gigs and festivals

ROAD

LEFT TO RIGHT: Yery Cho (Imugi); Gabriel Everett (Foley); Paige; Ash Wallace (Foley); Tristan Deck, Ben Sinclair, Elizabeth Stokes and Jonathan Pearce (The Beths); Hollie Fullbrook (Tiny Ruins); Grace Moller (Laiika); Melowdownz; Heidi Simpson (Laiika); Ben Lemi (Trinity Roots); Carl Ruwhiu (Imugi); Reb Fountain. LOCATION: 13th Floor Studio, Symonds St, Auckland. 13thfloor.co.nz MUSIC

PHOTOGRAPHY: Stephen Tilley

TRIPPIN' 31

PAIGE BEN LEMI OF TRINITY ROOTS

I

f you don’t have Trinity Roots’ seminal album Home, Land and Sea in your collection, can you call yourself a Kiwi? In between touring with his Trinity bandmates Warren Maxwell and Rio Hemopo this summer, Ben Lemi is working with his new band, Dawn Diver.

“It’s the first time I’ve led a project so I’m looking forward to sharing that music with keen ears.”

One of my favourite memories of being on the road was my first European tour with a group called Urban Tramper. We were close friends from high school so the dynamic was pretty supportive and easy.

The tour was six weeks of gigs with four of us and gear crammed into a little Peugeot 308, staying on couches and floors, and although I wouldn’t sign up for that kind of touring now, back in my early 20s I was loving every moment! My fave memory was in Paris sitting at the edge of a canal in the 11th arrondissement on a mild summer afternoon. The area was crammed with people chatting through their lunch breaks, and I was excited to be sharing what seemed like a quintessential Parisian experience with my close friends. We had just spent €7 on some delicious red wine and cheese and everything seemed perfect.

I see a lot of value in having that sustained amount of time on the road because you get to really know the people you’re touring with. It’s the conversations

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that happen on the long drives where you can get down to the nitty gritty about UFOs, and also have a good laugh about shenanigans from the previous night’s gig. Also, if you’re playing a decent run of consecutive shows then the music starts to gel in really special ways.

It is hard to wind down after a show because I’m often feeling so stimulated by the whole experience of performing.

Then maybe you have a five-hour drive the next morning to get to an early afternoon soundcheck (or you’re flying to Perth), so the sleeping hours start to get reduced, and, if you’re not careful, your health starts to suffer. I always look out for any supermarket with fresh fruit or a good sushi place.

My top road tripping song is 'Wuthering Heights' by Kate Bush. Kate’s music reminds me that you can do things differently and that can be beautiful.

When I arrive in a new town I’ll walk around to get familiar with the energy of the place. I like discovering venues that are old and quirky with strange architecture and stories in the walls.

This summer apart from sharing new musical experiences with Trinity and our audience, I’m looking forward to getting out of the city and going for some decent bush walks.

TRINITY ROOTS play Oakura Butlers Reef, Jan 4, Taranaki; The Coroglen Tavern, Jan 6, Coromandel; Black Barn, Jan 7, Hawke's Bay; Homegrown Festival, Mar 20, Wellington.

PAIGE performs at Rhythm & Vines, Dec 30, Gisborne; Bay Dreams, Jan 3, Mt Maunganui; with Six60, Jan 16, Waitangi; Soundsplash, Jan 23, Raglan; with Six60, Feb 27, Hamilton; Outerfields, Mar 6, Auckland; Waterbourne, Mar 13, Auckland; Homegrown, Mar 20, Wellington.

Peachy Keen, Apr 3, Wellington.

MUSIC

H

er career may have started as a 14-year-old posting covers on social media but the thought of spending this summer performing at some of the country’s biggest festivals fills 23-yearold Paige Tapara with excitement. While slowly building her online following, Paige spent her teens busking in Auckland before being signed by Sony Records and being given the nod of approval by superstar Billie Eilish.

My favourite road trip was last year on the way to open for Six60 in New Plymouth. We were starving and stopped at a cafe in Te Kuiti that had this amazing pumpkin quiche that I still think about to this day.

The best thing about being on the road is getting to know the people you’re travelling with. I like that my band members and I are all experiencing something that we’ll remember our whole lives.

The one song we always play when we’re travelling is 'Hummingbird Heartbeat' by Katy Perry, because my band and I love Katy Perry and bubblegum pop.

When I arrive at a new location the first thing I do is eat, go to the $2 shop and buy glitter, get to the venue, soundcheck, play games, get changed, apply glitter.

My top tip is put your fingertips out the window if you’re feeling car sick.

THE BETHS Q

THE BETHS play at

Black

Barn, Dec 19, Hawkes Bay; Le Currents, Dec 27, Taupo; Bay of Islands Festival, Jan 8, Kerikeri; Nostalgia, Feb 13 Christchurch; Outerfields, Mar 6, Auckland; Peachy Keen, Apr 3, Wellington.

learning experience. We did ‘One Sweet Day’ by Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey on this recent tour. Amazing tune.

We always take a travel-size cricket bat and a tennis ball with us on tour. Ben, our bass player, made one from scratch that perfectly fits diagonally in a suitcase. If you can take a rest stop somewhere that has a grassy area, 15 minutes of running around and throwing the ball is a nice way to loosen up and move around when you’re sitting in the van all day.

We're looking forward to spending summer with loved ones. We’re looking forward to going to the beach. We’re looking forward to seeing a lot of live music! And we are incredibly grateful that we can do these things safely in New Zealand.

MUSIC

Singer-songwriter Yery Cho and producer-beatmaker Carl Ruwhiu are Imugi, the electronic-pop duo who create silky stream-ofconsciousness music with an eclectic mix of influences.

They have released their second EP, Dragonfruit, just in time for summer.

On our trip down to Rhythm & Vines last year we stayed in a little cabin in the mountains out of Gisborne and shared ghost stories with the lights off. The sky was so beautiful and clear. It’s wild how bright the stars get out of Auckland.

Being able to be present with friends and focus on the show is the best thing about touring. Other commitments and stresses fade away for a little while. It’s a privilege →

IMUGI

uite literally the best band in the land after winning Best Group, Best Alternative Artist and Album of the Year at the Aotearoa Music Awards, The Beths — Elizabeth Stokes, Jonathan Pearce, Ben Sinclair and Tristan Deck — know the value of touring and have life on the road down to a fine art. Couch surfing, listening to lengthy podcasts and playing band cricket helped them survive last year’s tour through the States, Europe and the UK, promoting their album Future Me Hates Me. For this year's award-winning album Jump Rope Gazers the band was prepped to get back out there — instead, they’ve been busy at home, creating videos and juggling gigs between lockdowns.

Here, lead singer Elizabeth Stokes imparts her experience of life on the road.

I don't know if it was fun at the time but in early 2019 we did a winter tour of the States and Canada. Growing up in Auckland we’ve not had much experience with snow at all. So rolling down highways behind a fleet of snow ploughs, -20C outside, was such a new and fascinating experience. It wasn’t exactly fun, but I have fond memories of it. Particularly of seeing Lake Erie frozen solid.

The best thing about being on the road is having a conversation that you wouldn’t have had if you hadn’t been in a vehicle together for 40 hours in the last week.

Whether that’s talking about just how much death terrifies you, or really honing in on the minutiae of what makes your Ringo impression sound ‘better’ than your Paul.

The worst thing is that when you’re on tour, you need to take the fastest route between two cities. Which means you’re basically on motorways the whole time. We’ve driven tens of thousands of kilometres all over the world and, to be honest, motorways all look pretty similar.

And motorway road-stops are all pretty boring places to eat. If you’re on a road trip and can take the scenic route, do it!

If it's a long drive we start the day’s playlist with ‘Am I Honest With Myself, Really’ by Chas Jankel. It’s a 13-minute disco odyssey and I highly recommend it.

On a shorter trip, start with ‘Palm Singing’

by Bressa Creeting Cake, especially if it’s a sunny day.

To kill time on tour there's a game we play, I think it’s inherited from the Lawrence Arabia band, called Baker’s Dozen where you choose a song and listen to it 13 times in a row. It sounds punishing, and it can be depending on the song. But it’s incredible how every listen you can hear something you didn’t hear last time. It’s a

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IMUGI to have that even for a brief moment. There is a sense of accomplishment touring. Like, hell yeah, we made it this far, we’re with our friends, exploring and doing things we love!

On our roady playlist is 'Comb My Hair' by Pretty Boy Aaron, Bruhnice and Tesia; TodayIsMine2020 by Lion Dixon AKA Dalyan RD; 'Serious' by NEKO; '800db cloud' by 100 gecs and 'Poppin'

by Rico Nasty.

When we're not playing, you'll find us joking around, heaps of DMCs, dumb rap battles, going for walks, making songs, journalling, reading and day dreaming. Carl has 100,000 skills including shuffling and being a kendama and yoyo master; we could watch him spinning tricks forever.

It's been a while since we've played and we’ve been working on our live set. We are really excited for summer festivals as the lineups are all local. There have been disappointing lineups in the past with tokenistic representation but some of the festival organisers have done a dope job this year. There are so many incredibly talented POC in the local music scene who would absolutely kill it at festivals. They deserve more recognition and opportunities.

There is enough room for everyone and our existence in these spaces is hard when it feels so inaccessible to BIQPOC. Straight out of lockdown we went into the studio with Ben Lawson at Red Bull studios and have been working on our next project, so keep an eye out.

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HOLLIE

FOLEY IMUJI play their first ever headline shows to celebrate the release of their Dragonfruit EP at Meow, Dec 9, Wellington, and The Tuning Fork, Dec 10, Auckland. Plus R&V, Dec 31, Gisborne; Splore Feb 26-28, Tapapakanga.

FOLEY is hitting the road and playing R&V, Dec 29, Gisborne; supporting Six60, Jan 30, New Plymouth; Peachy Keen Festival, Apr 3, Wellington.

HOLLIE FULLBROOK performs as Reid & Ruins at The Mayfair, Dec 11, New Plymouth; Royal Opera House, Dec 12, Whanganui; Xspace Baycourt, Dec 13, Tauranga.

And then as

FULLBROOK

L

ongtime friends Ash Wallace and Gabriel Everett are indie-pop duo Foley.

They write and produce all their tracks together and are launching the new summer single, ‘So Personal’.

Some of our favourite memories have been on the road to Rhythm & Vines each year — everyone is just always in an amazing mood and so pumped for what’s to come, so you end up singing along to so many road-trip bangers, and really sinking into the vibe for the long haul.

Being on the road is just being able to play music and do the things you love with a whole bunch of other like-minded people. It’s like hanging out with your best mates 24/7. Nothing’s better than that. You get to see firsthand the way fans feel about each song. It's hard to imagine people actually listening to your songs but when you’re on the road you get to see them all singing along and enjoying themselves which is probably the most tangible your listeners get!

Look out for our summer single ‘So Personal.’ It’s a classic Kiwi summer guitar track, we’re super proud of it. Get it on the summer roadie playlist!

Tiny Ruins with Trinity Roots at Oakura Butler's Reef, Jan 4, Taranaki; The Coroglen Tavern, Jan 6, Coromandel; Black Barn, Jan 7, Hawke's Bay.

MUSIC

H

ollie's band Tiny Ruins is recording its fourth album, while she also continues her 21-date Reid & Ruins nationwide tour with Nadia Reid where the friends play solo, and together.

Being on the road brings on a floaty feeling that's really liberating — until that floaty feeling and lack of sleep starts making you feel disconnected from reality and people at home.

On a drive around the East Coast, near Ohope is the Ohiwa Oyster Farm where you can find great fish and chips and anything else you could possibly want crumbed or battered, a pineapple fritter perhaps. You look out over the water from a picnic table and it’s just a classic.

A bit of Blondie never goes astray on the road, especially if driving alone.

To kill time on tour sit in laundromats and watch soap operas while you wait for your clothes; the smell and atmosphere is comforting.

Mindlessly wander large pharmacies, visit graves, play Bananagrams, repeat phrases/ jokes that make no sense outside of the tour/bandmates.

Always have on hand lemon honey and ginger, a small hottie (water bottle, that is) and a large coat with a hood.

I'm looking forward to raspberries from the garden for the first time, long walks with dogs, camping over NYE, long summer evenings with friends and finishing our next album.

LAIIKA

B

est friends Heidi Simpson and Grace Moller wrote and performed their first song at a dinner party when they were just 13 and now, six years later, they’re riding on the success of their debut single ‘Crush’, released in October. Influenced by 70s disco and the 80s synths of Huey Lewis and the News, Laiika mixes the whimsical with the cutting edge.

Our favourite road trip memory was driving up to Leigh Sawmill with a bunch of friends to play a gig opening for The Beths.

While driving we both love to listen to ‘Art Angels’ by Grimes, ‘Future Me Hates Me’ by The Beths, and ‘Born to Die’ by Lana Del Ray because it was so influential on both of us when we were younger.

The first thing we do when we arrive in a new town is seek out the best coffee and slice. We always travel with water and, importantly, a fully charged phone with songs downloaded.

This summer we can't wait to play festivals, soak in the sun, go to the beach every day, swim and spend as much time as possible with friends.

LAIIKA has a new video Crush that you can check out on YouTube, and they perform this summer at R&V, Dec 31, Gisborne; Waterbourne Festival, Mar 5, Takapuna Beach.

MELODOWNZ Look out for new episodes of Kava Corner on YouTube. He plays Northern Base, Dec 30, Mangawhai; The Other Side, Dec 31, Whangamata; Bay Dreams, Jan 3, Tauranga; Bay Dreams, Jan 5, Nelson. Bay of Islands Music Festival, Jan 8; Nest Fest, Jan 9, Hawke's Bay.

REB H

ot off the back of a sold-out nationwide tour celebrating the release of her self-titled album and Flying Nun debut, which signified a major move in direction from folk/ alt.country to a sound more influenced by the likes of Nick Cave and Patti Smith, Reb Fountain has a busy summer planned.

The best thing about being on the road is live music. Because all the work — sometimes months or years in the making — culminates in the moment you step on stage. That space and time I share with you is the best.

Worst thing? Running out of gas.

I've been on so many roads, with so many stellar people, and so many memorable scenes ... including eating a carrot and losing my front tooth just before I got on stage. On the way to a gig in Wellington being stuck behind a huge slip on the desert road and playing songs and selling CDs to the folks stuck in their cars. Running over a kangaroo.

Solving the world’s problems and finding new ones over and over again. Rivers and lakes and seas that give you respite and refuge from the endless toil. Friends. It’s all good.

It's rare we have down time on tour.

FOUNTAIN MELODOWNZ Sitting in the van is all the smoko you get … but even then, if you’re not driving you’re counting merch, making a poster, debriefing about the night before or trying to nod off so you’ve got enough energy to do it all again when you land.

Touring is a non-stop business which is why I always bring my togs. If there’s ever a chance to swim we make that a priority — Moeraki Boulders Beach, Kauaeranga River, motel pool … we’re in.

Always try to nap if you can. If you wanna sing that night, don’t talk for hours in the van. When you talk for hours in the van, learn to appreciate your newfound Marianne Faithfull/ Tom Waits on-three-packs-of-cigarettes tone. Remember you always get nervous.

Don’t forget you never let your nerves stop you from doing what you love.

Smash it.

We are so privileged to be able to participate in the creative arts in Aotearoa. It’s a luxury other countries and other communities cannot afford right now. We have a unique opportunity to grow and develop artists, artistry and audiences and I for one will be doing my best — both as punter and performer — to get out there and build.

MUSIC

REB FOUNTAIN plays The Yot Club, Dec 28, Raglan, with The Chills; TSB Festival of Lights, Dec 29, New Plymouth; Rhythm & Alps, Dec 31, Wanaka; Whare Flat Folk Festival, Jan 1-2, Dunedin; Splore, Feb 2526, Tapapakanga; Auckland Arts Festival, Mar 7.

A

vondale MC and Polynesian poet Melodownz brings reggae, soul and hip-hop to his urban rhymes and stories. When he’s not performing you’ll find him working at the Grey Lynn mental health art space, Toi Ora Trust.

My best road trip was back when I was 18, me and all my bros were on the benefit, we all chipped in $100 for our Cody’s, weed, food and gas to go down the line to see these chicks that we met off the internet. It ended up being the wildest adventure and most memorable. Our car over-heated, we got pulled over by the police on my learner's and my bro had a warrant out for his arrest.

The chick that I went to see’s brother walked in on us and we got into a scrap with some boy racers. Best time ever.

Being on the road is about experiencing new surroundings and scenery, and the different flora and fauna. I love going to places I’ve never been to. Sharing laughs and jokes, new experiences, hangovers and exhaustion with the tour gang. I love trying new food spots and finding the local plug.

I like it when fans know I’m in the area and bring Aotearoa delicacies like creamy paua, raw fish, fried bread or crayfish — soul food cooked with aroha. All the kaimoana.

On my road trip playlist is Trinity Roots ‘Aotearoa’ and FKJ feat Bas ‘Risk’.

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"DID

this come out of the vacuum drawer of a Hitachi fridge?

Cos it’s simply too fresh.”

So reads a comment by a fellow named Heath Johns under the video for Chaii’s Nobody Know on YouTube, and it’s a valid question.

I’m on the phone to rapper-producerengineer Chaii (Mona Sanei when she’s at home), even though we’re mere streets away from each other in central Auckland. I’ve been trying to catch her for ages but she’s been impossible to reach, because she’s too busy blowing up. In 2020, while many of us have been sitting stationary on the same spot of carpet for months, staring into space, she’s been stealthily amassing a global fanbase, all from the relative safety of her NZ HQ. Her work, described by music writers as “genre-defying”, merges hip-hop with the sounds and rhythms of traditional Persian music, notably the 6/8 time signature, famous for forcibly propelling the listener out of their chair and on to the nearest dance floor. Any sweetness in her vocal is offset with dark, dirty beats and glitchy, fuzzy production. “It’s less about complex musicality and more about the sounds I use and manipulate. I really like experimenting ... chopping things around, simplifying things, making it more rude, I guess.”

In the video for Nobody Know, multiple Chaiis perform outside a pink stucco villa in California, their outfits the exact same blush shade as the architecture, causing her to blend, chameleon-like, into her surroundings.

The lyrics, plucked straight from a freestyle meant as a guide vocal, are basically an ode to not bothering to fit in.

NOBODY KNOW BY CHAII

WHAT YOU LOOKIN’ AT NOW I’M BACK NOW DOING THIS STILL DOING THIS 21ST CENTURY AIN’T NOBODY MESS WITH ME NOBODY GIVE A DAMN

Julie Hill charts the epic rise — and phat rhymes — of Persian-Kiwi rapper Chaii

PHOTOGRAPHY: Babiche Martens STYLING: Dan Ahwa MAKE-UP ARTIST: Liz Hyun 36

MUSIC

Mona collaborated on the track with producer Soraya LaPread in Auckland, then met US producer Sylvia Massy, known for her magic touches on albums by Tool, System of a Down and Johnny Cash, in Oregon, where they zhooshed it up further using vintage microphones and instruments.

It’s now the soundtrack for a scene in the new Netflix film The Old Guard, in which Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne kick each other’s butts on a plane, and has had more than a million views on YouTube.

Covid-19 has meant Chaii couldn’t make it to her debut at South by Southwest festival in Texas this year, or to shows in the US and Europe as planned, but the world has come to her anyway. In April, her song South was crowned Rolling Stone magazine’s Song of the Week. In June, she became the only Kiwi

CHAII WEARS KOWTOW JACKET, GEORGIA ALICE SKIRT. KATE SYLVESTER SHIRT (NEXT PAGE).

MUSIC

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MUSIC

artist picked for Spotify’s emerging artist programme, RADAR. Fashion house Fendi used her music in a worldwide campaign, the UFC and Fox Sports Australia commissioned her to make a promo that aired during the NRL Grand Final and her tunes appeared on the soundtracks for video games Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 and FIFA 21.

It’s not too shabby for someone who committed to doing music full-time only at the start of last year, when she dropped her stunning first single Digebasse (“enough” in Farsi). Featuring the Nigerian-Australian rapper B Wise, it conveys sadness and exhaustion at how people from the Middle East are perceived and portrayed.

DIGEBASSE

MIMOONIM TA AKHARE SA’FFE

(ENOUGH)

(WE STAY UNTIL THE LAST PAGE)

BY CHAII

MIBINIM IN DONYA CHEGHAD SAKHTE (WE SEE THIS WORLD IS HARD) MICHARKHE TA AKHARIN LAHZE (SPINS UNTIL THE LAST MOMENTS) HARCHI KE DARI BEDE BABA DIGE BASE (EVERYTHING YOU HAVE, GIVE, THAT’S ENOUGH)

A week after its release, the Christchurch terror attacks were committed, and suddenly the prescient tune was attracting hundreds of thousands of pairs of ears and eyeballs.

In July this year, Chaii released her EP Lightswitch, each of the six tracks accompanied by music videos directed by Mona and shot “guerrilla style” in Oman and California, along with her fiance and collaborator, Frank Keys, director of photography Abe Mora and stylist Brooke Tyson, in a variety of epic and prosaic locations.

She chose California because it’s home to many of her relatives and is the world’s largest Persian music community outside Iran. At the time she’d been researching the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when countless musicians and other artists were forced to leave Iran after their work was banned and many of whom ended up in LA. While in Oman, she played a gig “at this cool nightclub that’s like the inside of a cave,

which was really buzzy. We checked out some other rappers too — the music there is awesome.” She shot three of the six videos there, because it was as close as she could get to her hometown, Ahwaz in southern Iran, without endangering her crew.

“In Iran, where I’m originally from, it’s still got a way to go. For women, it’s pretty much illegal to rap. You kind of can in the underground but it’s a bit of a risk, depending on the subject you’re rapping about. For women musicians, you can’t be solo but you can be in a group, singing — so orchestras, choirs, big bands — but not rap, which is known for getting political.”

Her dad, a doctor with an adventurous streak, brought the family to New Zealand when Mona was 8, having never been here before. “He travelled a lot during his career and it was on his friend’s recommendation — he’s quite ballsy like that.” She remembers a few bewildering weeks of understanding no English, then the magical moment, less than a year later, of becoming fluent, but not the struggle in between. “I guess you play a lot as a kid, so it’s less talking and more, ‘let’s play football or play in the playground’, so you don’t talk much.”

Despite having two languages to do it in, she’s still not big on chat. “I find it easier communicating or expressing things through music. I just enjoy making music and hiding away. Ninety-nine per cent of musicians are like that. I mean, you can’t really tell, because we’ll be on stage performing and talking to a lot of people, but you can still be an introvert and push yourself to be like that.” I call this being a fake extrovert. “Yeah, that’s a great way of describing it!”

Mona’s been working on her rhymes since she was an Eminem-mad teenager at Auckland’s Epsom Girls Grammar, where she also dabbled in audio production.

After school, she studied spatial design at AUT, where she made “a lot of installations and cool, arty pieces” but still found herself sneaking into the recording studio when she was meant to be doing design assignments. So, after graduating, she enrolled at the SAE Institute to study audio engineering, going on to mix sound live at

gigs and on recordings — the most recent being Jess B’s excellent EP New Views.

Learning how to make things sound clean and perfect as an engineer motivated her to do the opposite as a musician.

“Coming from a background of audio engineering, where you’re trying to make things sound as great as possible, I just want to take those tools and use them in a different way — break the boundaries and rules, and the way we’re told to use them.

I think that’s why people see it as different, because I leave the imperfections in there.

I like it to sound unfamiliar.”

On top of her myriad skills in the studio, on stage and behind a camera, she’s also a flamenco guitarist, an oil painter, a fisherwoman and a stunt driver (in the Kiwi comedy film Alien Addiction). So it’s probably a wise call when she says she doesn’t plan to confine herself to one genre, or even one artform, forever.

But for now, the accolades for her music just keep rolling in. This month, Cyndi Lauper added her track Trouble to her GIRLS Spotify playlist, and she was nominated, along with Keys, for Best Producer at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards. And, even before Lightswitch was released, she was already cooking up a new batch of tunes, and “they’re real cute”. She served up the first of these in October: Wow (Look at Me), co-written by Kings and Lawrence Arabia, about being a slave to social media.

Also in October, she and her band — Brandan Haru on drums and Keys on keys — practically burned a hole into the grounds of Mt Smart stadium with a scorcher of a set that formed part of a 22-hour concert celebrating the launch of FIFA 21. Fans could visit the pages of 40 artists, one after the other, including Tame Impala, Anitta and Dua Lipa. Chaii’s set came straight after Diplo’s.

In an ice-green sweatsuit and yellow sneakers that matched the banana bunches on her bucket hat, she began with South, a holy synthesis of trap, southern Iranian drum patterns, bouncy bassline and the unforgettable lyric: “Me skinny but my rhymes so fatty”.

YOU TOLD ME THAT RAPPIN’ IS HANDSOME

SOUTH BY CHAII

GOTTA HAVE PASSION, GOTTA HAVE SASS MAN GOTTA BE G WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FASHION I BE ON STAGE AND I’M MAKING IT HAPPEN

Recorded on a beautiful spring day, the stands poignantly empty behind them, the whole set was shot in just one take. “I’ve played football for most of my life, so it was awesome to see what it feels like for the players when they’re in the stadium.” And, despite the empty seats, she and the band were clearly having a blast.

“I’m still hyped!” she says. “My dreams keep coming true. It’s awesome.” •

CHAII PERFORMS AT WE LOVE AOTEAROA, DEC 19, AUCKLAND; ELECTRIC AVENUE MUSIC FESTIVAL, FEB 27, CHRISTCHURCH; SPLORE, FEB 26-28, TĀPAPAKANGA; HOMEGROWN MAR 20, WELLINGTON. MUSIC

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THIS PHOTO: Dries Van Noten.

Photo / Fe Pinheiro. RIGHT: COLOUR FLIGHT by Len Lye (1938) film still, courtesy Len Lye Foundation and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.

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FASHION

Free Thinkers As one of the 20th century’s most original artists, New Zealander Len Lye produced groundbreaking work, inspiring a compelling posthumous 'collaboration' with Dries Van Noten. The revered Belgian fashion designer talks to DAN AHWA about tripping out on Len’s psychedelic progressive art and why this joyful collection has proved to be the perfect antidote to a perturbing year

‘In

the end, everything is just the same’ is the English translation of the Samoan term ‘Tusalava’, and the name of artist Leonard Charles Huia Lye’s pioneering experimental film that premiered at the London Film Society in 1929. The animated black and white film painstakingly created with 4400 individual drawings is one of Lye’s most prolific works and showcases the progressive mind of one of Aotearoa’s beloved art figures. It’s moving imagery at its most primitive, yet still modern 90 years later.

Combining his love of Māori, Aboriginal, Samoan and modernist influences in his animated works, much of Lye’s multimedia universe evolved to include everything from moving image to kinetic sculptures, painting and poetry; before psychedelia was a thing in the 60s, Lye’s swirling graphics and kaleidoscopic symphony of colour was already making waves three decades earlier.

For Dries Van Noten, Belgian fashion designer and alum of the influential collective ‘Antwerp Six’, it’s a world not far removed from his own passion for print, colour and movement.

Despite living in entirely different decades — Lye died in 1980 just as Dries graduated from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts — their progressive kindred spirits were connected earlier this year via the internet.

“I Googled him!” laughs Dries, the 62-year-old beaming via Zoom from his elegant Antwerp office. “I knew I wanted to focus on colour, lightness and movement.

When I was researching related ideas online, Len’s name would pop up often and so we looked deeper into his work and found it was exactly the mood we wanted to convey.”

Framed by a backdrop of vintage oak cupboards inherited from the local courthouse, Dries — once described by The New York Times as “one of fashion’s most cerebral designers” — is simultaneously elegant and candidly frank when talking FASHION

about his work — specifically his new spring/summer 2021 collection released during lockdown in October.

“I didn’t know much about him, and in fact your fellow countryman Tim Blanks (Business of Fashion’s editor-at-large) who is knowledgeable in contemporary art, even asked me ‘who is that?’” Dries says laughing.

“Len is quite obscure — he touched so many different things. He knew so many different people and lived in so many different cities and yet at the end, he’s not so well known. Yet you can feel the quality, how modern and forward-thinking he was.”

The unique connection to the Christchurch-born artist’s work — arguably one of the most original thinkers in 20th century art — feels natural. Lye’s exploration of movement, colour and light is not far removed from Dries’ own appreciation for bold colours, clashing prints and rich embroidery. His conceptdriven designs have referenced everything and everyone from the macabre and emotive world of artist Francis Bacon to the glamour of Ziggy Stardust.

“I asked my team ‘what message do we want to send out?’ and it became very clear that it had to be something really beautiful — but it has to be a beauty which doesn’t make you nostalgic. It couldn’t be the type of beauty that made you say, ‘Oh, in the past, everything was better for me’. For me, it had to be a very optimistic beauty.”

Lightness, freshness and colour proved fundamental starting points for the designer and his team, who worked closely with the Len Lye Foundation in New Plymouth, with support from specialists at Ngā Taonga and the Govett Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre.

“Once we saw Len’s films, my first thought was these originated from the 1960s psychedelic movement. But it was quite strange when you see the films and hear this kind of Josephine Baker type of music. You quickly realise it’s not the 60s, it’s actually the 30s. I thought ‘Wow, this is 41

LEFT: Len Lye (PERFORMANCE WITH PETALS), 1970.

Courtesy Len Lye Foundation Collection, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.

RIGHT, FROM TOP: Len's ART THAT MOVES manifesto rendered on a dress; COLOUR FLIGHT by Len Lye (1938) film still, courtesy Len Lye Foundation and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision; Women's and menswear looks from Dries Van Noten's spring/ summer 2020/2021 collection. Photos / Viviane Sassen

really amazing’.”

Trust is also a key component of working remotely these days, and the 18,000km between Antwerp and New Plymouth required flexibility and patience between both camps in order for Dries to be fully immersed not only in the work itself, but in Lye’s way of thinking.

“It would be a little sad just to say, ‘Okay, this image is nice, let’s replicate it on fabric’,” says Dries. “It really was about the whole idea of Len’s mind, the craft of how he created prints directly on the celluloid — that scratching, stencilling and painting on the film for me was so important.

“Of course, when you work, you make mock-ups, you make try-outs, you see what’s working, what’s not working. So it’s really something that develops and grows.

“We were allowed also to make different colour combinations — but still respecting his way of putting colours together and the overall atmosphere. The Foundation provided us with plenty of support, information and flexibility, which was a true collaboration.”

Amalgamating both his menswear and womenswear collections as a digital presentation for the first time in Dries’ 34-year career, the collection’s accompanying photos and film were shot

by Dutch photographer Viviane Sassen on Rotterdam Beach and in studio, to better showcase Lye’s art projected onto models’ faces and garments.

“There is one dress that features a manifesto from Len about movement entitled ‘art that moves’, which was completely handwritten on the dress.”

Such creative freedom is a rarity in a world filled with clothes designed by marketing teams, and while no longer 42

privately owned — the Dries Van Noten company sold a majority stake of the business to Spanish group Puig in 2018 — the purity of design is even more pronounced in collections such as this.

“I wanted to have a future for the company, but I think we proved that it can be also a different way. Even when you’re not privately owned, you can still be a very creative company and do very unexpected things — even in the middle of a pandemic.”

Case in point: the brand opened its first concept store in LA in the former heritage building once occupied by Opening Ceremony on La Cienega Boulevard and, in May, Dries released an open letter to the fashion industry calling for a fundamental reassessment of its operations.

“I think the pandemic really ignited that belief that if we don’t try to change something now, we never will change.

Fashion became a rat race. The bigger groups started to add more product.

Designers had to have dresses ready for delivery in November and winter coats in May — which was complete madness.”

For his local fans who might find pieces from long-time stockists Scotties or Zambesi, there’s a universal language and appreciation for his designs that Dries simply puts down to creating garments — like Lye’s approach to his art — that does not date.

“What we try to do is create clothes that can live long lives. We try to tell a story, but afterwards I forget the story and I design clothes one by one. I really try to ensure every garment has a reason of being.

“What we hear quite often is people sometimes put garments away for a couple of years, and they rediscover these and wear them again. And this makes me always happy.” • FASHION

CORE FUNDERS

B O O K N O W A A F. C O . N Z

MAJOR GRANT

Fashion

Stack 'em up Fashion loves a hybrid — case in point, the shoe that’s not a platform heel, yet not quite a flat. A flatform! While we’re all doing our best to stay grounded right now, an elevated platform sandal is a great option for summer occasions when you need a little boost — without sacrificing comfort. A platform wedge is another great alternative to a heel, providing the perfect height for some of the season’s ankle-grazing skirts and dresses.

Need some outfit inspiration to work with a

flatform sandal? May we suggest you channel the 1930s resortwear stylings of Dame Maggie Smith’s character Mrs Castle in Evil Under The Sun, the film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s book, with her holiday shirts tucked inside a pair of languid palazzo trousers, a pair of flatform espadrilles peeking from beneath.

G&T optional.

Elvio Zannon 'Lagoon' flatform sandal, $295, from Wallace Rose; See by Chloe 'Rina' platform wedge, $590, from Scarpa; Elvio Zannon 'Cuoio' flatform slides, $295, from Wallace Rose.

FOR MORE SUMMER FASHION VISIT

STYLING: Dan Ahwa

VIVA.CO.NZ

PHOTOGRAPHY: Babiche Martens

FASHION

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PHOTOGRAPHER

Guy Coombes FASHION DIRECTOR

Dan Ahwa MODEL

Lili Sumner

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Lilian FOOD + DRINK

CHANGING TIDES

Wixii top $165.

Lemaire trousers, $650, from Scotties.

Sylvester hat $99.

Childhood memories come to life as one of our most successful modelling stars and budding film-maker Lili Sumner returns from New York to her beloved hometown of Napier, Hawke’s Bay. Wearing a selection of carefree summer fashion, Lili catches up with loved ones, and reconnects with the land and sea that have helped shape her creative free spirit. There’s no place like home 47

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VISIT VIVA.CO.NZ TO WATCH LILI’S SHORT FILM FROM OUR SHOOT IN HAWKE’S BAY.

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Nature is the elixir for tired eyes, and a drive out to the sprawling Waimarama beach is an opportunity to blow out the cobwebs and take a refreshing dip in the ocean, overlooking Te Motu-o-Kura/ Bare Island in the distance.

Left: Lili wears Paloma Wool top, $169, from Black Box Boutique. Penny Sage dress $320. Juliette Hogan trousers $499. Birkenstock sandals $230. Cowrie shell necklace, stylist’s own.

HOMEWARD BOUND

A trek through the nature trail of Puketapu on a warm summer’s day offers plenty of opportunity for reflection.

Lili wears Camilla & Marc pullover jacket $420. Levi’s skirt $100. Adrienne Whitewood hat $59. General Sleep socks $45. Veja boots, $299, from Playpark by Karen Walker. Michelle Brown 100 per cent recycled rubber tyre feather earrings, $49, from Adrienne Whitewood. CT Flyweight carabiner, $15, from Aspiring Safety. Paper Bag Pantry eco-bottle $24.

Macpac hiking backpack $550.

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FOOD + DRINK

LA VIE EN ROSE

A pit-stop to the iconic Pipi's Pizza in Havelock North. Lili enjoys a crisp glass of locally produced rosé and a fresh salad al fresco style. Wixii blouse $245. Zambesi coat $650.

Meadowlark earring $409 (a pair).

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WHAT THE WATER GAVE ME

Standing in a section of the braided Tūtaekurī River, Lili cools down in a vintage Miss Youthcraft dress, $90, from Go Jo Recycled Clothing. Vintage pounamu earrings, $420, from Walker & Hall Vintage.

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FOOD + DRINK

MILK & HONEY

Atop the majestic Te Mata Peak, Lili takes in the grandeur of Hawke’s Bay’s sweeping landscape. Kate Sylvester dress $499, and bag $149. Standard Issue recycled denim vest $199. Vintage 9ct rose ‘Kia Ora’ locket, $1780, from Walker & Hall vintage.

General Sleep socks $65. Church’s loafers, $835, from Scotties.

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How Fat the Bees Are

BY LILI SUMNER

I

find standing still very difficult.

Standing still and straight while being pinned and ogled. My knees turning purple, my ears picking up phrases of French flitting around me. My new vocabulary consisting of clothing items: gilet, manteau, robe, tailleur, jupe.

I remember a very thin and famous stylist accidentally letting out a curt parp of a fart which everyone ignored. With a cigarette in her left hand and a Haribo in her right, she ordered and directed the seamstress working on me.

There is a halo of exceptionalism floating around those top few and no one dares to question them or to call out their farts.

I thought myself a bit of a Polly Maggoo.

Laughing to myself while turning the

phrase 'model savant' around in my head, as if it were true that the airbrushed face had to be an airhead, too. I remember one certain successful-in-the-90s British photographer, not once but three times, joking with me that the book I was reading was upside down. Thanks mate, so funny.

I thought this better than university. I could leave, I told myself. But then I would be in one place. And all these places, the volume of them, could not yet be traded for anything of more worth.

I still wanted to watch people. I still thought of my experience as my wealth.

I’ve always placed stories as paramount.

I’ve only dated men who could tell good stories, and the ones who start to repeat

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themselves usually get the boot. From 16 to 26 I collected all sorts of stories.

When I first got to New York I hated it. I was 17 and it was too much for me. I didn’t get it and I was in love (or something like it) with someone back home. I quit modelling and moved back to New Zealand for all of three months. The itchy scratchy came back and I negotiated a contract to model in Japan for two months and booked my onward ticket to London. Four years in London and four years in New York.

The first two years in New York I would wake up beaming and thinking oh my god, what will I do today. Anything, anything is possible. It’s like living at the edge of a tenacious sea and flinging yourself to the tide each day. And I missed the sea.

London and New York, the difference was supreme. England is an extension of New Zealand in its Anglo-Saxon buttoned lip and its self-deprecating humour, its embarrassment and its tea and toast and fish and chips. America is this rude bastard of a place that teaches you quick-smart how to sell yourself.

It was in New York I learned to live alone. In the beginning I felt blue about not being seen or heard, not being near to others. Physically, the closest person I knew was Betty down the hall. Betty had two cats, one with three legs. She let the cats roam the hallways and I let them roam my oblong of a studio apartment. I stopped hearing Betty’s voice through our shared window shaft, and learned that she had died while I was away. Sometimes I went to sleep thinking about Betty and whatever happened to her cats. I certainly didn’t want to die alone in a studio apartment in New York.

I liked to create my life like a painting; the right album, the right light in the right corner and the right book, the right feeling to go into with the right music; piecing everything together like writing a film.

I could live entirely within my own movie.

Sometimes new lines and new characters surprised me but mostly I wrote the plot.

I started writing screenplays. I would stand straight and tall like a good model, being pinned and prodded while I wrote in

my head. Then I would get on airplanes and trains and type it all out on my laptop.

On Avenue A in my first flat I, for the first time, experienced true joy at being alone. I would put my key in the door on the fourth floor and a feeling of absolute contentment would flood me.

Here, I am unobserved. I am outside the circle of anything relating to my home, history, friends. No one to keep me in check for who they think I am, who they think I should stay. It was here I invited select people back, here I could relate to strangers as a stranger too. Something hard to find at home.

I remember walking home with no plans for the evening and that perfect dark-blue sky of just post-sunset New York expanding in my eyes, thinking, I am exactly as I want to be.

I probably would have continued another four years in NY if the virus hadn’t swung in and wrestled me out. Wrestled me out and placed me down in a soft land.

A land where you don’t wake up with twists of anxiety and excitement in your stomach. Where you wake up to tūī and lawn mowers. The bounds of what might happen safely within reason. Safety though, is a privilege.

I have to talk about the smell of home.

First, of course, it hits you when you exit the airport. Then it floats in and around you constantly. Citrus flowers blooming and grass and jasmine and ocean. It sounds like a description for laundry detergent but how else can I explain it?

It’s the thing you forget until you come back. How fat the bees are, how fat the bees are Janet Frame wrote.

Another thing about home; it walks you back over all the stepping stones of you.

Even on a night out in Auckland, kids from primary school, intermediate, theatre class, high school, ex lovers and old friends, all come over to chin-wag. And I like my place in history. In this corner of life where real things happen and happened to me.

Writing this, I am on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, at the edge of the world and the centre of something quite good.

FAMILY MATTERS

Lili visits the horse yard in Bayview to see her nieces riding.

Frankie McElhinney sits atop her horse Lara (left) and Zana Crow with her horse Holly. Lili wears Mahsa blouse $510. Kowtow jeans $259. Boonies gumboots $165.

WARM EMBRACE

The nostalgia of New Zealand wool blankets continues to stand the test of time. Local blanket aficionados Fresh Retro Love have a collection of reloved and new wool blankets, made and stitched in New Zealand. Fresh Retro Love blanket $299.

RIGHT: Ruby shirt $169.

Mina shorts $295. Boonies gumboots $165. Vintage bone pendant, $18, and vintage New Zealand headscarf, $45, from Go Jo Recycled Clothing.

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HAIR AND MAKE-UP

Kath Gould

FASHION ASSISTANTS

Felicity Potae and Ashford Thompson.

With thanks to Hawke’s Bay Tourism.

For full stockist details turn to

PAGE 161.

SOFT LANDING

Above: Taking time out at the family home in Ahuriri, Lili is surrounded by art, music and literature — and the sound of native birds in the garden.

Daylight Moon Studio dress $420.

NATURAL TALENT

Left: Wearing an ethereal tiered silk dress with handdyed flowers by Felicity Potae, a fashion student from the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) in Hawke’s Bay, Lili displays her support for the creative talent from the region.

Felicity Potae dress (POA).

Church's loafers, $835, from Scotties. Socks, Lili's own.

BURSTING THROUGH

Right: Sunkissed in the art deco mecca of Napier’s waterfront. Lili wears a Jimmy D top $190 and Jasmin Sparrow earrings $649.

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FASHION FORECAST

FULL NOISE: New York fashion darling Christopher John Rogers' spring 2021 collection builds on the designer's penchant for fantastical colour and print.

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FOOD + DRINK

C'est La Vie

While we may feel nonplussed about what to wear right now, the moral of the story is that anything goes. Fun, funky fashion is what we desire; from buzzy prints to bold hues, these mood-elevating ideas will help you stay upbeat

BY EMMA GLEASON & DAN AHWA

ADDITIONAL VALUE

What: Weird layering. Challenging the order of putting on clothes and the consensus of what pieces go together.

Trying something left of the middle feels liberating, and the creative challenge of a layered look gives your brain some juice.

Why: Wonderfully weird, irreverent layering is a strategy that speaks to rulebreaking and youthful naivety.

How: Consider pants with skirts, shorts over leggings, bras over shirts, and vests over everything. The result is disconcerting in a good way, and visually interesting with an eccentric mix of layers and proportions.

THE CLASH

What: Clashing prints. Complex in theory yet simple in reality, conflicting patterns always feel delightfully rebellious. Funky?

Sure. Mismatched? Even better.

Why: Perhaps it’s the childlike attitude of pairing different prints together, the satisfaction of breaking fashion rules, or maybe it’s the idea that if one bright print can lift your mood, two or three can be even more impactful.

How: Throw caution to the wind, and layer up prints you love. Spots, stripes, florals and motifs all make surprisingly happy bedfellows. The key here is texture and colour — one kindred hue running throughout can tie things together, or committing to a similar textile in different prints can communicate intention. That said, going buck wild sometimes has the most vibrant result.

PRAISE THE SUN

If

there has ever been a time to embrace the fun and frivolity of getting dressed — it’s now. Summer is synonymous with feel-good fashion; the freedom of good weather and the vibrant nature of summer clothes are powerfully uplifting, and there is a palpable sense of delirium after what has been a dystopian year. Here in Aotearoa, with our relative freedom, summer feels worth celebrating. Fashion feels optimistic and brave — breaking rules and challenging what is good taste — and while minimalism has its place, life is too short not to express yourself or explore a more outrageous way of dressing.

This year has put our wardrobes in the blender (frou-frou party dresses for the couch, pyjamas for anywhere) and the merging of work and home has led to more flexibility, as office dress codes have been eroded further, and there’s more compassion for what we put on to go out.

The old rules don’t apply, and the entire fashion system has been turned upside down — with schedules deconstructed, collections

streamlined. Designers have reflected on the status quo and found it wanting; taking a breath for the first time in years, they have remembered what they first adored about fashion — falling in love with it all over again, and finding themselves once all the noise has been turned down. The result is collections that take risks, feel bold, reject prescribed trends and push boundaries.

Through a local lens, what we wear expresses the freedom we’re enjoying. We’re lucky, but we also want change, so we’re dressing with rebellious optimism and shopping local. Add to that, every event that does happen feels precious. Forays into the outside world still have a novelty factor, so we’re making the most of it, with everyone wearing their best outfits — not necessarily the fanciest or most expensive, but the ensembles that make us feel phenomenal and show who we are.

More than ever, what’s “in” and “out” feels irrelevant, so instead we look at how to have fun with fashion, ignite joy, and what to wear to do so.

ABOVE: Wellington-based label Havilah. RIGHT: Miu Miu spring 2021, Missoni spring 2021, Sacai resort 2021.

FASHION

What: Sun emoji-inspired style. Channel that cheerful, curvaceous emoji that’s in frequent use at this time of year — subtlety is overrated, and head-to-toe yellow is an easy yet striking fashion move.

Why: One-colour looks are surprisingly easy to execute, when each piece is in the same spectrum, everything matches.

Yellow is a famously uplifting colour, it’s eye-catching and representative of the sun, sand and flowers of summer.

How: Lean into the sunshine vibes with volume and ruffles, and explore the spectrum of sunny shades; yolky hues, marigold, lemon, butter yellow, turmeric — all are evocative, upbeat and thoroughly wholesome.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Gucci spring 2021, Stella McCartney Resort 2021, Tory Burch, spring 2021.

BOTTOM: Johanna Ortiz spring 2021, Rodarte spring 2021, hat by local label Companion, Dries Van Noten spring 2021, We11done spring 2021.

OPPOSITE: Auckland brand Checks Downtown.

ECLECTIC AVENUE

LOVELY FLOURISH

What: Kitsch. Like camp, it is slippery to define but you know it when you see it — nostalgic yet kooky, it’s a sentimentally tongue-in-cheek reinterpretation of things that were once deemed bad taste, cliché or tacky. An evolution of the more literal and derivative kitsch of recent years, the new kind of kitsch is steeped in irreverence.

Rather than acerbic irony, we prefer taking a more appreciative approach.

Why: Kitsch is fun. Silly, sentimental and light-hearted, it’s a mood-elevating aesthetic that makes sense after a heavy year. It also rejects rules and classism.

How: It’s a look that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Vintage pieces with an air of costume are a funky, sustainable investment, while contemporary kitsch is often layered with meaning and satire. Seek out characterful garments and unexpected accessories — pick something you thought was bad taste and challenge your eye.

What: A versatile scarf. A slow-burning trend from the past few summers, scarves have really come to the fore this season — though as a holiday accessory they’re really quite timeless.

Why: The adaptability of a nice scarf is particularly apparent during warm weather — it can help you cover up, reveal, or add a finishing touch. With so many ways to execute a scarf into a look, they’re very personal and a delight to experiment with.

We love how they add a splash of print and colour, and are often souvenirs, keepsakes or heirlooms. Lovely.

How: Wear a scarf babushka-style for a quaint look (and to prevent your hairline getting burned), tie one nonchalantly around your neck à la Jackie O, or channel Destiny’s Child and wear it as a bandeau top. They can also go in your ponytail, as a headband, on your bag, or tied to a belt loop.

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FOOD + DRINK

EXTRA VALUE

What: Funky jewellery. Fine, tasteful jewellery is timeless, but this summer is all about taking up space and wearing your identity and interests with pride.

Why: Adornment has been a way to communicate belonging, status, and self since the dawn of time; it’s a celebration of who we are, a display of what we value and a way to connect with others — all things that foster joy and happiness.

How: Invest in the work of contemporary jewellers, small makers, vintage finds and anything that resonates with you. The best jewellery is sentimental and personal, and hand-me-downs from mums, aunties and other relatives are particularly special.

FUN ON TOP

SOMETHING TO SAY

What: Funky hats. 'Tis the season for a decent hat, both sun-smart and fun.

Why: Our intense UV rays require extra care when we're out in the sunshine this summer. A nod to 90s raves, there's a plethora of colourful and brazen bucket hats about for every gender — bonus points for a bucket and face-mask matching set, or you could try a wide brim hat that's unapologetically fabulous.

How: Find a hat that works with your shape, head and face — fit is crucial here. For maximum impact, keep the rest of your look neutral. But then again, anything goes right?

What: Slogan tops. If a picture says a thousand words, then a well-executed slogan T-shirt vocalises a whole book.

Loud, proud and passionate, they capture the movements that have underpinned the year with striking simplicity.

Why: Discussion has defined 2020. Voices are loud, and there’s a feeling of ‘now or never’ underlining the calls for change. Fashion, as always, reflects what’s going on. The new generation of slogan T-shirts are smart, witty and well designed — and above all create an uplifting sense of hope for the future and for change. Artists and musicians are also turning to apparel to connect with their audience and platform their work, adding to the interdisciplinary aesthetic of the category.

How: Exceptional design and bold colours elevate the simple slogan T-shirt, and add layers of optimism and hope. Pair one with a boxy blazer for a nostalgic look.

MANIC ENERGY

Photos: Getty Images, supplied.

What: Trippy prints. Psychedelic patterns, tie-dye and strange colour combinations that hark back to the youthquake era of the 60s.

Why: A desire for non-conforming ways of self-representation and the need to feel free. From concert posters (Benee's recent trip-happy tour posters illustrated by Jack Irvine) to surreal video presentations from New York-based label Collina Strada — the more freaky the print, the better.

How: A print that makes you feel deliriously happy is a good way to start. Try one key print and a block colour accessory for added joy. We suggest starting with the kaleidoscopic prints from local labels Maaike, Juliette Hogan and Zambesi.

EYE FULL

What: Jazzy sunnies. Big, small, coloured and sculptural, sunglasses have broken out of the box.

Why: An essential yet not pivotal part of the outfit, eyewear is the perfect vehicle to inject some playful spirit into your look.

How: Funky sunglasses can be the hero of a minimalist look, or if you want to get really out there, have them as big and bold as the rest of your ensemble. •

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FREE FORM

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ELEGANZA EXTRAVAGANZA

A dramatic gown that plays with proportion, this silk twill dress from Harris Tapper evokes modern glamour. Harris Tapper dress $789. Karen Walker hat $160.

Vintage beaded necklace, $25, from Go Jo Recycled Clothing.

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MONOCHROME MUSE

A black and white graphic print dress from emerging label Layplan is a terrific way to turn heads.

Layplan dress $540. Stuart Weitzman boots, $990, from Scarpa.

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HOT IN THE CITY

From the aptly titled ‘Exploding Woman’ collection, this passionate scarlet-hued dress from Kate Sylvester is enough to stop traffic.

Kate Sylvester dress $679. Burju x Kiira Harper dance heels $250.

TWISTED FIRESTARTER

Give summer’s saturated brights a whirl - earthy and organic linen is transformed by a zesty citrus hue. Wixii dress $285. Georgia Alice shirt $699. Veja sneakers $220.

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IN FULL BLOOM

A dress for every hour of the day, this Juliette Hogan number radiates a sunny disposition, a mood that captures the essence of summer dressing. Juliette Hogan dress $679. Dr. Martens sandals $269.

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PUMP UP THE JAM

A swirling, psychedelic crescendo of colour makes this fluid print dress from Jimmy D perfect for cutting loose — and cutting shapes. Jimmy D dress $660. Stuart Weitzman boots, $990, from Scarpa.

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BIG-TIME SENSUALITY

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Pause for effect in this softly layered dress with artful florals and an easy silhouette. Aje dress $545. Standard Issue skivvy $149. Karen Walker Jewellery 9ct gold earrings $1799, and 9ct gold whistle pendant $1729.

Windsor Smith shoes $160.

PAINT BY NUMBERS

Maaike’s kaleidoscopic print enhances the big, bold energy of this midlength summer dress - a parasol in the same fabric is a surprising addition to this joyful ensemble.

Maaike dress, $495, and parasol (POA).

Dr. Martens sandals $269.

MODEL

Julia-Ruth Smith from Red 11

PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT

Ant Low

HAIR AND MAKEUP

Sophy Phillips at Common People For full stockist details turn to PAGE 161.

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It's a coastal feeling as model Natarsha Orsman packs light for a seaside jaunt in Wellington wearing summer's greatest hits. From sheer layers to clashing prints and standout swimsuits, there's plenty of sartorial fun to be had

Looks Like Summer 72

FASHION

ARTS & CRAFT

Opposite: A scenestealing hand-crocheted top from Wellington brand Havilah adds playful texture and colour to a neutral midi skirt from Mina, $345. Havilah vest $280. Meadowlark anklets, from $599 each. Hat, $120, from Soup Fashion Recovery.

Lucinda Barrett earrings, $459, from Caughley.

ONE AND ONLY

A bright one-piece swimsuit worn with a fluid longline cardigan is an elegant take on colour blocking. Ruby swimsuit $169. Paris Georgia cardigan $579.

Meadowlark necklace $375.

STYLIST

Chloe Hill

PHOTOGRAPHER

Grace Gemuhluoglu

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LIGHT & LOOSE

Made from repurposed sari fabric, this unisex shirt from Lucky Dip is one of a kind, $450, from Precinct 35.

Georgia Alice bustier $749. Havilah skirt $350.Jasmin Sparrow earrings $649.

Meadowlark anklets, from $599 each.

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SUITS YOU

A classic Moontide bikini, $85, becomes an elevated seaside ensemble with a modern print skirt from Massey graduate Jing Hé, bold gold jewels and a versatile print scarf. Jing Hé 00/01 skirt $220. Walker & Bing scarf, $220, from Caughley. Harris Tapper headpiece (worn in hair) $109. Mars earrings, $285, from Caughley.

Jasmin Sparrow necklace $899.

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WASHED ASHORE

Fresh blue tones and crisp white make for nautical colour-blocking perfection, especially when offset with textural vintage accessories.

Kowtow tank $79. Molly Perkinsons shirt $320. Paris Georgia skirt $569.

Necklace $245, bangle, $350, and Jamin Puech bag, $145, from Hunters & Collectors. Arowm earrings $35.

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SCENE STEALER

Like a pearlescent shell shimmering in the sand, this pleated leather D LY P bag with detachable strap is a tote to take anywhere.

Harris Tapper dress $469.

D LY P bag $699. Lucinda Barrett earrings, $459, from Caughley.

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HATS OFF

Wide-brimmed hats are the practical accessory of the season, combining sun protection with style. Karen Walker hat $160. Wixii top $165, and shirt $175. Georgia Alice skirt $699. Jasmin Sparrow earrings $629.

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SHEER INTENT

See-through layers are a sophisticated way to add colour with a softly-softly approach. Zambesi top $495. Wixii bra top $125, and linen wrap $145.

Gemma Lee bikini bottoms $79 (worn under).

Meadowlark necklace $375. Baina towel $110.

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MAKE A SPLASH

MODEL

Tarsha Orsman at KBM

Classic florals meet classic Kate Sylvester with this weighty linen dress, $499, teamed with a red floral scarf, $40, from pre-loved clothing treasure trove Soup Fashion Recovery.

Jasmin Sparrow earring $649 (for set). Meadowlark anklet, from $599.

FASHION ASSISTANT

Lydia Hamer

HAIR & MAKEUP

Alana James For full stockist details turn to PAGE 161.

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Dress Ups

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A casual sundress in a lightweight fabric will see you through summer, no matter the occasion Rachel Antonoff spring 2021.

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WEAR IT WITH

Gucci Jackie 1961 bag $3030. Specsavers ‘Coldwater Sun RX' sunglasses, $169 for 2 pairs single vision. Louis Vuitton sandals POA. Daniel Wellington watch, $299, from Walker & Hall. Dolce & Gabbana Fruit Collection Lemon 150ml eau de toilette $340.

10 1. Wallace Cotton dress $160. 2. Sills dress $499.

3. Kowtow dress $339. 4. Ruby dress $299. 5. Sportscraft dress $259. 6. Seed Heritage wrap dress $280. 7. Hej Hej dress $280. 8. Jane Daniels dress $635. 9. Kate Sylvester dress $499. 9. H&M dress $40. 10. Sarah Bell dress $439.

11. Mina dress $550. 12. Penny Sage dress $320.

See stockists on page 161.

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Golden Days

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Stay sun-safe and cool with these summer essentials, ideal for the beach and poolside soirées Dries Van Noten spring 2021. Photo / Viviane Sassen

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20 1. Wallace Cotton dress $120. 2. H&M one-piece $35. 3. Deadly Ponies surfboard $1400. 4. Dior hat $1450.

5. Ruby shirt $169. 6. Kowtow shorts $169. 7. Seed Heritage dress $170. 8. Karen Walker sunglasses $359.

9. Birkenstock sandals $230. 10. Sportscraft shorts $110. 11. Hakinakina sun top $190, and high-waisted bottoms $150. 12. Baina pool towel $110. 13. Summer by Ali Smith, $34, (Penguin). 14. Galamaar bikini top $250, and bottoms, $200, from Mei Lan. 15. Nisa swimsuit $209. 16. Louis Vuitton one-piece $1320. 17. Karen Walker towel $140. 18. Environ Rad Shield Mineral Sunscreen $93. 19. Jane Iredale D20 Hydration Spray $59.

20. Sunday Supply Co beach umbrella, $279, from Father Rabbit. See stockists on page 161.

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Junya Watanabe spring 2021.

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Steal the show in dazzling pieces destined to light up the night

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1. Wynn Hamlyn top $650. 2. Dior necklace $2500. 3. Bvlgari watch $46,100. 4. Marle top $260. 5. Paris Georgia skirt $630. 6. Sisley Le Phyto-Rouge Lipstick $78. 7. Harris Tapper top $499. 8. M.A.C True Or False Lashes $28. 9. Ruby dress $229. 10. Tiffany & Co. bracelet POA. 11. Kathryn Wilson wedge heel $269. 12. Wynn Hamlyn dress $700. 13. Creed Virgin Island Water 100ml $449. 14. Tom Ford Soleil Neige Shimmering Body Oil $156. 15. Mi Piaci heels $260. 16. Dries Van Noten bag, $1400, from Scotties.

17. Marle dress $420. 18. Harris Tapper dress $699. 19. Gucci heels POA. 20. Napoleon Perdis Metalslicks Liquid Eyeliner $35. 21. Bvlgari bag $5250. 22. Louis Vuitton cocktail shaker $1410. See stockists on page 161.

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LINE

Apply adhesive eyeliner

LASH

Press lashes on top

Go!

Instant application

www.beautyreview.co.nz

QUICK & EASY. REUSABLE. CRUELTY FREE.

Try all 3 lash styles using the Glam Xpress filter on Instagram!

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GLAM BY MANICARE

Available at Chemist Warehouse, selected Pharmacies and Farmers Department Stores nationwide.

Beauty

Claws For A Cause Let your manicure be your megaphone, writes Ashleigh Cometti Lindsay Lohan appearing in court with “f*** you” painted on her middle fingernail.

Dolly Parton rubbing her acrylic nails together during the intro of 9 To 5. Lizzo’s over-the-top nail art designs and Cardi-B’s sculptural talons.

These are all iconic nail-art moments that tiny-canvas enthusiast and nail technician Tanya Barlow says inspire her craft.

She says that although nail art as a form of personal expression is not new, it’s certainly gaining momentum. “Lately,

people have been craving a small sense of control or achievable luxury, almost like getting a tattoo that only lasts 3-4 weeks,” she says.

Tanya created a “vote yes” design for a client ahead of the cannabis referendum, who requested a glittery green nail featuring swirling clouds, mini joints, green ticks and the Green Party logo.

It’s this form of nail art that takes activism to the next level. The size-positive designs Tanya created for Viva Volume 2 (pictured) help communicate her passion about body neutrality. “I had already painted a set of nails with these fat body outlines and wanted to revisit them — they’re inspired by a tattoo artist @ruffenough on Instagram,” she says.

“I wanted to paint bodies and bellies and boobs that looked like mine, saggy and soft and full of abundance, with the hopes that someone might see them and think of their own bodies with kindness and compassion.”

Ready to dip your toe (or finger) into the trend? Check out our gallery of the most memorable nail art at Viva.co.nz/beauty.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Babiche Martens

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Sunshine Daze Dewy skin gleams in dappled sunlight. Sunset shades dress eyes, cheeks and lips.

Flushed and sun-kissed features fake an I-just-got-home-from-the-beach glow.

Dive into the best looks of the season — playful, fresh and fuss-free PHOTOGRAPHER

Carolyn Haslett

MODELS

Amy Rose McMurdock & Portia Prince

SUN SOAKED

Welcome hazy days and hot nights with bronzed, glowing skin (faux, preferably). “This look is all about the new M.A.C bronzing collection,” says hair and makeup artist Carolyn Haslett, who is responsible for the beauty looks on these pages.

“I started by using the Strobe Body Lotion in the shade Bronzelite on Amy Rose’s neck and shoulders. Next, I bronzed her face with the Strobe Face Glass mixed with a darker shade of the Face and Body Foundation for an even-toned glow. To set liquid products in place and add a little more luminosity, I picked up M.A.C’s Medium Face Fan Brush to apply the Radiant Matte Bronzing Powder to her cheeks and around her temples.”

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IN LIVING COLOUR

Fake a fuller lip with a highly-glossed power pout in shades of burnt orange and watermelon pink. For a vibrant effect with minimal effort, Carolyn used a small lip brush to paint L’Oreal Glam Shine Balmy Gloss in the shade 910 Bite The Maracuja on Portia’s lips.

“These are great and you can wind them up instead of using a sharpener,” Carolyn says of the retractable crayon. For on-the-go application, leave the brush behind and smooth over lips for the dual benefits of a balm and gloss in one, or make a bolder statement by pairing with a lip liner in the same shade. Portia wears Karen Walker sunglasses and Silk & Steel earrings.

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COOL ME DOWN

Nothing says “refreshing” like a cooling facial mist on a scorching hot day. In between shots, Carolyn spritzed Portia’s face with the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra Fine Mist to “gloss skin up”, revive her makeup look and offer skin a dose of hydration. “The aim was to ensure skin was kept as nourished as possible,” says Carolyn. She achieved this during the prep phase, too, where M.A.C’s Lightful C + Coral Grass Softening Lotion Spray was used to deeply moisturise Portia’s skin and even out her skin tone before makeup was applied. Model’s own jewellery.

FEVER PITCH

This season, blush isn’t limited to cheeks alone. Why should they have all the fun when there’s temples, eyelids and brow bones to play with? As one of summer's stand-out trends, over-the-top blush has been spotted everywhere from the runway to real life, which is good news for those with naturally flushed cheeks. This peachy-hued draped blush look was created using a combination of M.A.C Powder Blush in the shade Bright Response, mixed with M.A.C’s Glow Play Blush in the shade Peach Pink, which Carolyn swept upwards from cheeks to temples and over eyelids. The result is an ethereal, soft and romantic look that’s easily buildable. In lieu of a peach blush, try your hand at bright pink or magenta to take blush up several notches. Portia wears Kate Sylvester dress, Silk & Steel earrings.

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ANYTHING BUT MELLOW

It’s high time to bring your yellow eyeshadow out of hibernation. Prepare to dip your brush in shades of buttercup, lemon, mustard and citrine. Not only is yellow eye makeup an excellent way of brightening up your eyes, but it pops against a barely there base. Here, Carolyn used the new Mecca Max Zoom Liner in the shade Canary to create a floating eyeliner (or negative space eye look). She drew an extended cat-eye, then a clean line just above the crease of the eye and connected the two at the outer corner of the eye. The key to achieving this look is working with a creamy, fine-tipped eyeliner, one that offers maximum colour payoff but still glides on smoothly sans smudging. For maximum impact, Carolyn used a small eyeshadow brush to lightly press M.A.C Eyeshadow in the shade Chrome Yellow to set the liner in place and increase its opacity.

MAKE MINE MONOCHROME

Achieve all-over radiance by selecting the same shade to dress eyes, cheeks and lips, and look after your bank balance with multi-purpose formulas that can be applied to multiple areas of the face.

Carolyn created sun-kissed skin and eyes by prepping skin with M.A.C’s Strobe Cream, followed by M.A.C’s Face and Body Foundation mixed with M.A.C Face Glaze in the shade Deep Bronze. Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush in the Sparkling Bellini added dimensional colour to cheeks. The same peachy hue is reflected on lips and eyes with M.A.C Lip Balm in the Pretty Me Up and M.A.C Powder Kiss Soft Matte Eyeshadow in the shade Strike A Pose. The finishing touch was a dusting of highlighter from the M.A.C Hyper Real Glow Palette.

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HAIR + MAKEUP

Carolyn Haslett ART DIRECTOR

Ashleigh Cometti MODELS

Amy Rose from Red 11 + Portia from 62 Management

FOR MORE BEAUTY POINTERS, VISIT VIVA.CO.NZ

GLOW UP Dewy, hydrated skin will always be the look du jour when it comes to warm weather beauty. Create the kind of post-facial glow we all aspire to by layering a lightweight foundation or a tinted moisturiser with your highlighter of choice. Carolyn used Bobbi Brown’s Intensive Skin Serum Foundation SPF25 and paired it with Revlon’s Skinlights Face Glow Illuminator on the high points of the face — think brow bone, cheekbone, bridge of the nose and cupid’s bow. Those with oilier skin may prefer to use a powder highlighter on top of your base product instead — it’ll help prevent your highlighter from melting into your foundation.

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Viva + Dilmah

Fresh Thinking Through a turbulent year Y25 has provided enriching guidance and support; Viva caught up with two emerging entrepreneurs on the Y25 list to talk bright ideas, burnout, and challenging the status quo

W

hen the New Zealand Dilmah team first sat down for a cup of tea with Angela Barnett from YWCA they were instantly inspired by the work they’re doing for women.

Back in Sri Lanka the Dilmah family have been actively involved in women’s empowerment year, which individually doesn’t sound like a initiatives through their MJF Charitable lot but if 1000 households were giving back Foundation for many years, alongside their that would be $35,000 a year! To get to the ’Small Entrepreneur Program’. Hearing how point where there are thousands of dollars the latest YWCA project, Y25, was supporting being redistributed back to initiatives would Aotearoa’s young women really rang home and be amazing.” they wanted to do what they could to support.

Also looking at how to build a more ethical From challenging gendered industries future is Charlotte Nield. Committed to and pursuing change-making businesses to reducing food waste, she created Wild & inspiring others to do the same, New Zealand’s Whipped, which makes nutritious (and youth are something to be proud of. YWCA’s delicious) plant-based ‘nice cream’ using Y25 project aims to spotlight trailblazing fruit seconds that are diverted from landfill; young women from around Aotearoa. The Y25 bananas are its base, and they are list and leadership programme brings rlotte Niel the fi fth most wasted food in together 25 young women aged a d Ch New Zealand. Environmental between 15 and 25, connecting sustainability is a core pillar them with organisations and the of Wild & Whipped, and she media, while also fostering an believes it’s essential for enduring support network. Like businesses to put the planet all the women on the Y25 list, ahead of profit and create a closedKelly Johnson and Charlotte Nield loop economy. “Ideally, there would share a forward-thinking approach, be no end of life as a ‘used’ product and their start-up businesses address would become an ‘input’ for something else — issues like circularity and social good. such as our banana skins into compost.”

Kelly is the 22-year-old founder of Her Both young women say the Energy, a power retailer that also lly Johnson e community spirit created by the Y25 delivers community change.

K programme was inspiring. They “Customers sign up, pay their felt privileged to be at the Y25 Hui electricity bills as normal and and share their experiences and we then give back a significant dreams — especially significant portion of our profits to local in 2020. “The YWCA has not only women’s charities,” Kelly encouraged and supported my explains. “We want to turn a vision throughout this turbulent year, necessity that everyone pays for into but has provided the space to connect an opportunity to give back at no extra with a whole community of women who are cost.” Her Energy currently supports initiatives also doing amazing things in their own fields,” that include The Aunties and Loving Arms says Charlotte. “It can be easy to get caught up in Te Awamutu. For Kelly, success is focused your own mission. One of the beautiful things on impact and purpose. She sees social about the Y25 list is that we are composed of enterprises as the future, and is committed such a diverse group of wāhine, each taking a to scaling up Her Energy to create tangible stand for what we believe is important, and each change in the community. “An average working to change the world in our own way.” household with us will donate around $35 a

From left, Kelly Johnson, Ashleigh Dick, Charlotte Nield, Mikayla Stokes, Melleza Hodge, Aleisha Amohia and Tulsi Lathia at the Y25 hui in August. Photo / Susanne Axelsson For Charlotte, navigating the competitive food industry, Y25’s mentorship has helped a great deal. “These mentors have helped to extend my network and self-confidence, helping me to stay on track.” In the electricity sector, Kelly’s women-focused electricity company is unique, and she describes the industry as very male-dominated. “I have really struggled to find examples of female leadership in the electricity sector that I can learn from.” Luckily Y25 provides an integral network of leadership and support from other women.

One of the most important lessons provided

by Y25 is the importance of asking for help, and avoiding burnout — separating business from personal life can be hard for small business owners and solo start-ups, but checking in with yourself is vital to running a healthy business. So is reaching out. “It’s okay to ask for help if you need it,” Charlotte says. “One of the most valuable things I have learned from this experience is that we are not alone, and we do not have to do everything on our own.”

It’s a sentiment that Kelly shares, and she says being able to connect through Y25 with others in a similar position helped her feel less alone. “When I first started Her Energy, it was easy to feel a little bit like I needed to prove that I could do this on my own,” Kelly admits. “There was probably a bit of imposter syndrome there. To have access to a community that gives support freely and without judgement is invaluable.”

Above all, Kelly encourages other aspiring entrepreneurs to go with their gut.

“There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in terms of how business works.”

Nominations for Y25 2021 open in February – discover more: ywca.org.nz/y25 Learn more about Dilmah’s work supporting women and community: Mjffoundation.org

The Beauty Bulletin SKINCARE

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FRIDAY FEELING

A few products done well was the modus operandi of Summer Fridays when it first landed on our shores back in 2018. Today, the much-hyped beauty brand is best known for its range of masks, which promise to address everything from jetlagged to congested skin. New to the range is its Cloud Dew, $74, a lightweight gel cream launching at Mecca on January 26. It’s loaded with good-forskin ingredients including hyaluronic acid, ceramides, minerals, and amino acids to hydrate and retexturise skin.

Meccabeauty.co.nz

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SQUEAKY CLEAN

Rinse away the day with Augustinus Bader’s The Cleansing Balm, $120, a solid balm that melts upon contact with skin to remove dirt, oil and makeup.

The brand’s patented TFC8 technology boosts the skin’s regenerative function while helping to decongest pores. Use in conjunction with the 100 per cent cotton muslin cloth supplied for added exfoliation. Available from mid-December at Spring Spa. Springstore.co.nz

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New in for Skin

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Seek out the newest innovations and ingredients to summer-proof your skincare regime

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It’s proved a popular pick for wellseasoned skincare buffs and novices alike, and now Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base has been reimagined for the delicate eye area. The new Vitamin Enriched Eye Base, $95, is a multi-vitamin eye cream that helps to nourish, hydrate and plump under-eyes.

The 2-in-1 formulation also acts as a primer, aiding concealer to swipe over skin seamlessly.

Available from mid-January from selected department stores

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FUTURE FOCUS

Usually, it would be a bit much to agree something is legendary purely because its moniker says so but the ingredients list of Shiseido’s new Future Solution LX Legendary Enmei Ultimate Renewing Cream, $799, is so impressive, the description rings true. The cream contains two rare ingredients — enmei herb and green treasured silk, both of which are sourced from Japan and target the 12 visible signs of ageing. Available from selected department stores

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AFTER DARK

Take advantage of the nocturnal hours by slathering on this skin saviour right before you slumber. Aesop Sublime Replenishing Night Masque, $170, is best suited to those with dry, dull, uneven or fatigued skin, and looks to vitamins B, C, E and F to hydrate and replenish skin. From Aesop signature stores, selected department stores and Aesop.com

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From plumping glosses and portable palettes to pretty cheek tints and stay-all-day powders, the newest wave of makeup must-haves offers something for everyone

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Avoid a makeup meltdown this summer with a dusting of translucent powder to lock down your foundation. Try Aleph Beauty’s new Prep/ Finish Powder, $69, which extends the life of your makeup while combatting blue light and pollution. Unlike other setting powders, which can be drying or induce a cakey effect, this powder helps to set foundation or act as a base for eye products. Bixa Orellana seed controls sebum production, making it an ideal option for those with oily skin. Available from December 9 from Alephbeauty.com

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With a new season comes the opportunity to switch out your formulas for a lighter variety, which is why we’re glad to have discovered Max Factor’s new Miracle Second Skin Foundation, $33. The hybrid formula contains 87 per cent naturally derived ingredients, including coconut milk for the kind of hydration you wouldn’t expect from a foundation. Lightweight and blendable, Miracle Second Skin Foundation is infused with pre- and probiotics to support the skin’s own renewal system, and also contains SPF20 for added sun protection.

Farmers.co.nz

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GOT THE POWER?

Plump, hydrated lips will always be in vogue, and M.A.C’s new Powerglass Plumping Lip Gloss, $40, will help you achieve just that. High-shine and high impact, this plumping lip gloss

recruits ginger, capsicum and menthol crystals to increase stimulation to lips — offering a subtle sting and intense cooling effect. The collection of 18 shades draws inspiration from comic book superheroes, with names like Captain Glam, Not Your Love Interest and Marvel At This.

Viva loves the shade Pleased As Punch (pictured) a bright neon pink. From M.A.C boutiques, selected department stores or Maccosmetics.co.nz

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BLAST OFF

Sparse brows and short lashes causing you bother? New from Covergirl is its Lashblast Lash & Brow Serum, $25, which is infused with bamboo extract, biotin, peptides and castor oil, and promises 24 per cent thicker, fuller and stronger lashes and brows after one month of continued use. Available from Farmers and The Warehouse

BEAUTY

THE X-FACTOR

Tame unruly brows for up to 12 hours with Xbrow Eyebrow Gel, $22, a colourless, waterproof gel that sets eyebrows in just one swipe. The spoolie brush collects brow hairs and coats them in the lightweight formula. No clumping, no flaking, no residue, just bold, fluff y brows all day long. Theskinwardrobe.com

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IT’S A SNAP

When she’s not coordinating runway shows for Savage x Fenty, Rihanna is formulating mini eyeshadow palettes like this one from Fenty Beauty.

The new Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eyeshadow Palette, $44, includes six eyeshadows in either matte, glitter or shimmer finishes. Each mini palette can be snapped together, so you can keep 12 of your most-loved shades together.

Sephora.nz

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THE CHEEK OF IT

Fake that “just kissed” flush with the new Peach Bloom Color Blossoming Lip & Cheek Tint, $42, from Too Faced.

The gel formula reacts to your skin’s pH levels to create a custom flush of colour on lips and cheeks. Available from December 29 from Meccabeauty.co.nz 7

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SMOOTH OPERATOR

Your BEAUTY store DISCOVER THE GREAT RANGE OF PREMIUM BRANDS AT LIFE PHARMACY

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From fine fragrances to must-have beauty and skincare, discover the best luxury brands on the market this summer.

Our knowledgeable staff can help you select the right product for you or the perfect gift for that special someone.

With over 60 stores nationwide, your local Life Pharmacy is your home of premium brands.

NED & O

lifepharmacy.co.nz

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Scents of the Season

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VALENTINO VOCE VIVA

100ml eau de parfum, $253 We couldn’t go past including Valentino’s newest perfume in our roundup, especially considering our title is in its name. Valentino Voce Viva is designed to inspire the wearer to use their voice to both express and live out their dreams. It makes sense, then, that the campaign is fronted by pop star Lady Gaga, who not only shares her Italian heritage with the house, but acts as the embodiment of its values. The floral woody scent highlights Italian bergamot and spicy ginger extract, a bouquet of white flowers, and unexpected notes of crystal moss accord, sandalwood and vanilla. Available from selected Farmers department stores and pharmacies

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MARC JACOBS PERFECT

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SISLEY EAU DU SOIR SKIES

100ml eau de parfum, $390 Every year, Sisley reveals its limitededition Eau du Soir collaboration scent.

This year, the global beauty giant teamed up with French-American artist Sydney Albertini for Eau du Soir Skies, a chypre floral fragrance with top notes of citrus fruits and pepper, a heart of white flowers alongside syringa, rose, iris and clove, and a base of musk, amber, patchouli and citrus. The juice is housed in a glass vessel adorned with one of Sydney’s artworks — a dream-like blue and pink sky — and is topped by a sculptural, silhouetted gold cap. Available exclusively from David Jones Newmarket CARIBBEAN DREAM

50ml eau de parfum, $135 Dreaming of an island escape?

Us too, which is why we’re reaching for this locally produced scent to evoke the feeling of lazing about somewhere sunny. Developed by media personality Erin Simpson and New Zealand fashion designer Jakob Carter, Caribbean Dream opens with fruity top notes of plum, pear, mango, lemon and mandarin, before unfolding to a floral heart of rose, lily and jasmine, with a warming dry down of vanilla, sandalwood and patchouli.

Chooice.co.nz

100ml eau de parfum, $199 Capturing the essence of Marc Jacobs’ playful side is Perfect, the new eau de parfum named after a tattoo of the word “perfect” on his wrist.

Adopting the same floral characteristics for which his scents are known but with a surprising twist, Perfect sees juicy notes of rhubarb and daffodil combine with smooth almond milk, before giving way to cedarwood and cashmeran in the dry down. The bottle is wholly unconventional, too, a classic parfum silhouette dressed with a mish-mash of colourful charms — each one representing Jacobs’ irreverent style. Available from selected department stores

1 Mure et Musc, $310, is a hand-carved L’Artisan Parfumeur Moyen Boule de

terracotta sphere that creates a unique olfactory experience in the home, emitting a balmy blend of lemon, white musk and blackberries for up to 12 months.

Tessuti.co.nz

2 Rid spaces, objects and self of bad juju Thieves & Co. Sage Smudge, $46.

with this handmade smudge stick, woven together with Californian white sage, lavender and roses to cleanse energies, promote relaxation, happiness and a sense of calm. Thievesandco.co.nz

3 Stone, $15, takes its inspiration from Ecoya Lagoon Fragranced Ceramic

the festive season in the Pacific Islands, with notes of coconut, sea salt and vanilla, laced with heady frangipani and rose.

Green fruit and white musk combine for a warming base. Hang the ceramic stone in your linen cupboard or wardrobe to lightly scent for up to one month. Ecoya.co.nz

4 is not your average oil burner. The

Cire Trudon La Promeneuse, $529,

decorative diffuser is designed to melt wax cameos using its in-built night-light to diffuse fragrance into the air. Take your pick from four scented cameos (Abd El Kader, Ernesto, Odalique and Solis Rex) which last for a minimum of eight hours’ burning time. Worldbrand.co.nz

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Aesop Brass Oil Burner, $215, makes

mantelpiece. Simply put five to 10 drops of your preferred oil into the oil well and light a tea light candle underneath. From Aesop signature stores, selected department store counters and Aesop.com/nz

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Australian skincare label Frank Body is encouraging us all to get to the bottom of the issue with the launch of its new Perky Sculpting Body Hydrator, $27. The caffeinated cream is said to help diminish the appearance of stretch marks and cellulite, while leaving skin hydrated and nourished. Key ingredients include Frank Body’s signature Robusta coffee to stimulate blood flow and firm skin, combined with antioxidantrich acai and shea butter.

Meccabeauty.co.nz

TOP TO TOE

Think of the new Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment 8pk, $102, like a facial for your body.

Each textured towel is jam-packed with alpha beta acids, enzymes and bakuchiol to address dry or rough skin, uneven skin tone, visible blemishes, keratosis pilaris or ingrown hairs. To use, massage the folded towel onto clean skin using circular motions. As the towel starts to dry out, unfold another section and move to another area of the body. Continue until the towel is completely dry. For best results, use twice per week after showering. Available from January 26 from Meccabeauty.co.nz

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HANDS ON

Three handy things to help you nail your next manicure

1

Essie Nail Enamel in the shade Souq Up The Sun, $18, from the brand’s Summer 2020 collection has us dreaming of days spent exploring Morocco.

From selected department stores and pharmacies

2

Sally Hansen Good. Kind. Pure.

Hardener, $17, helps to protect against breaking, cracking or splitting, and is free from harsh chemicals, parabens and animal-derived ingredients.

From selected pharmacies and Farmers.co.nz

3

Celebrate natural nails with The Dry Gloss Manicure Kit from Bare Hands, $69, which includes a moon-shaped glass file, oil brush pen and cuticle sticks.

Inesstore.com

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INNE R

Sponsored

Join the Clique

HAIR

Ahead of the Curve

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t’s the New Zealand fitness brand with the cult following, and now Clique has upped its sustainability game.

Co-founders Bex and Carena West talk tights, recovery, and embracing change.

Whether your tresses are coily, wavy or straight, these new-release products, tools and initiatives are hair to help

NICE 'N' NATURAL

For spun-like-silk hair, consider adding Evolu Silkening Shampoo and Enriching Conditioner, $30 each, to your repertoire. New Zealand Manuka honey and pure essential oils of juniper and sweet orange feature in Evolu’s Silkening Shampoo, which ups the ante on volume and restores shine.

The all-natural blend is gentle enough for daily use, and works to leave hair and scalp feeling squeaky clean. For best results, follow with Evolu’s Enriching Conditioner, which contains natural fortifiers and humectant botanicals to protect against environmental damage, strengthen and hydrate lengths. Evolu.com

THIRST TRAP

Give dry or damaged hair a much-needed drink with The Mr. Smith Luxury Masque, $67. The formula is enriched with the brand’s signature Vegan Hydration Complex, with organic caviar lime, mountain pepper and aniseed myrtle to deeply moisturise hair while smoothing the hair follicle and boosting shine. Caviar lime is rich in alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which help hair to become more manageable by improving its condition and strength, while Australian mountain pepper contains vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant to nourish hair and encourage new hair growth. Adorebeauty.co.nz

THREE GOOD THINGS: COLOURFUL TOOLS TO TRY Tidal Hair Waver, $95, from Tidalhair. co.nz.

Ghd Platinum+ Wish Upon A Star Collection, $395, from Ghd elite salons and Ghdhair.com/nz.

Dyson Airwrap Styler Limited-Edition Copper Colourway, $849, from selected retailers or Dyson.co.nz.

BEAUTY

What’s new from Clique?

Our most recently announced product is actually a revamp of our most popular product — Clique Classic compression tights. These are the tights that we’re known for! Not only do they provide compression benefits, they’re also ultra-comfortable, flattering, don’t slip down and are squat proof. The main difference is that we have changed the composition of our classic fabric to be made of 76 per cent recycled fibres. As of October 2020, all our compression tights and performance tops are constructed using fabric we have developed with recycled post-consumer plastic bottles. Our packaging is also all fully home compostable, and all our products are shipped in R3pack compostable shipping bags, which are made from plants.

Is it true your tights are “squat-proof”?

Yes! Clique fitness tights are engineered to ensure that they are squat-proof — this means they don’t go see-through when you squat or bend over. In order to ensure our tights never go see-through, we managed to find a different way to have our fabric knitted that meant the opacity was increased but we didn’t need to make our fabric thicker.

Why are compression tights a must?

Wearing compression tights during a workout wraps the muscles to help reduce muscle shock and damaging vibrations. During and postexercise, compression helps with faster muscle repair of damaged tissue by increasing blood flow — this removes lactic acid from the muscles and increases fresh oxygenated blood which assists with soreness and improves recovery.

Discover the Clique range at Cliquefitness.com Read more on Viva.co.nz/CliqueFitness

BEAUTY REPORT

ACIDS 101

Most skincare acids can be categorised into two prominent acid families — alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs).

As a trained medical doctor, former professor of dermatology and the head of research and development for exclusive French skincare line Biologique Recherche, Dr Philippe Allouche is well-versed in skincare acids and their benefits to skin.

Dr Allouche breaks down the distinction between AHAs and BHAs by explaining how the molecular structure between the two differs, meaning each is absorbed differently by the skin.

“Alpha hydroxy acids are small molecules derived from fruit sugars or milk with exfoliating power,” Dr Allouche says. Think malic acid, citric and lactic acid.

“Their small size allows them to penetrate deeper into the first cell layers in order to break the bonds between corneocytes [the outermost part of the epidermis] and facilitate the natural exfoliation of the skin,” he says.

He adds that the effects of AHAs on the skin also differ depending on their concentration — at a low concentration AHAs help to moisturise the skin because they stimulate the production of amino acids (which in turn keep it hydrated).

Highly concentrated AHAs have keratolytic effects, meaning they exfoliate and smooth the skin.

At the other end of the spectrum are beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), like salicylic acid.

“Beta hydroxy acids are more liposoluble [fat or oil soluble] than alpha hydroxy acids, which will allow them to be more easily inserted into the pores of skin and give them purifying properties,” Dr Allouche says.

BHAs have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which render them an excellent option for oily or acne-prone skin.

There’s a third hydroxy acid to familiarise yourself with too, says Elizabeth Arden field sales and education manager Rebecca Hollowood — polyhydroxy acids (PHAs).

“Polyhydroxy acids are the second generation of AHAs. Due to their gradual penetration into the skin, PHAs exfoliate in a milder manner. PHA molecules also attract water molecules, which in turn moisturise your skin,” she says.

Strap in for a crash course in beauty chemistry, as ASHLEIGH COMETTI uncovers the benefits of acids and why they're the key to glowing, radiant skin

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earning the ins and outs of skincare often feels like you need a PhD. Even more so when it comes to acids, with their scientific sounding names that seem better suited to a laboratory than your bathroom cupboard.

But these skincare MVPs need not be feared — when used properly they can pave the way to a glowing, radiant complexion.

Acidic skincare is a broad category, with some forms drenching skin in hydration (we see you, hyaluronic acid), while others are especially efficient at ridding the skin of the dead cells that cause dullness and uneven skin tone.

There are the usual suspects — hyaluronic, salicylic, ascorbic — but throwing some of the lesser-known acids into the mix like mandelic, tartaric and malic is enough to send anyone into a Google search frenzy.

We enlisted the help of five skincare experts to find the acids that should feature in your skincare line-up, and how best to use them.

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BEAUTY

THE A-LIST

So, you’ve scored yourself an A+ on hydroxy acids. But how well do you know your lactic from your mandelic? Your glycolic from your citric? Put your knowledge to the acid test with our handy guide

ASCORBIC

What is it? Ascorbic acid (also known as L-Ascorbic acid) is a form of vitamin C and works to protect skin from free radical damage. It inhibits melanin production, lightening pigmentation and reducing dark spots.

Best for: All skin types.

Commonly found in: All skincare.

Pros: Unlike other acids, ascorbic acid is not an exfoliant, and helps to even out skin tone and boost radiance.

Cons: Ascorbic acid is highly unstable, and begins to oxidise as soon as it's exposed to air. It works best when fresh, so ensure your product pick factors this in. An amber bottle with a dropper is your best bet.

Try it: NIOD Ethylated L-Ascorbic Acid 30% Network, $95.

HYALURONIC

What is it? “Hyaluronic acid is a non-exfoliating acid and is found naturally in the body and skin,” says Caci skincare trainer Linda Sharrem. “Its function is to draw and bind water to the skin and keep the skin plump.” Other names for hyaluronic acid in skincare include hyaluronan or sodium hyaluronate.

Best for: All skin types.

Commonly found in: All skincare, particularly serums, masks, moisturisers and eye creams.

Pros: Hyaluronic acid’s humectant properties work wonders on dry and dehydrated skin, helping to protect against trans-epidermal water loss. It also layers easily with any other acid, including ascorbic, glycolic and salicylic.

Cons: “If you are prone to puffiness, high doses of hyaluronic acid can create more puffiness as it draws more water to the area, so be wary of this,” Sharrem advises.

Try it: Elizabeth Arden Hyaluronic Acid Ceramide Capsules Hydra-Plumping Serum, $165.

GLYCOLIC

What is it? A powerful AHA that helps improve radiance, and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and pores.

Best for: Ageing or acne-prone skin.

Commonly found in: Toners

and serums.

Pros: The exfoliating agent helps to leave skin brighter and more hydrated, and is a great jump-off point for those wanting to start peels.

Cons: As the smallest of all AHAs (in terms of molecular weight), it penetrates deeply into the living part of the skin’s epidermis and can be irritating. For this reason, glycolic is best suited to experienced skincare acid users.

Try it: YSL Pure Shots Night Reboot Serum, $120.

CITRIC

What is it? Citric acid is an AHA with skin exfoliating benefits due to its comedolytic [anti-acne] and keratolytic [skin-softening] properties.

Best for: Oily or acne-prone skin.

Commonly found in: Cleansers and serums and as a pH adjuster or a preservative in foaming products.

Pros: Citric acid’s astringent properties mean it works well to refine the skin surface and brighten the complexion, while dialing down inflammation and redness.

Cons: Being too heavy-handed with citric acid can lead to skin stinging and burning.

Try it: Glow Lab Age Renew Resurfacing Cleanser, $20.

FERULIC

What is it? More antioxidant than acidic, this plant derivative helps protect against free-radical damage, and works well when combined with vitamin C and E. Best for: Ageing skin.

Commonly found in: Treatments and serums.

Pros: Ferulic acid is also a popular pick for its ability to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Cons: Because of its origin, some people with a sensitivity to gluten (oats or bran) may experience an adverse skin reaction.

Try it: Biologi Bf Restore Face and Body Serum, $77.

A LESSON IN LAYERING When it comes to adding acids into your skincare regime, it's a good idea to see a trained therapist.

If products are layered incorrectly, you risk causing adverse reactions like redness, sensitivity and other skin irritations.

BEAUTY

LACTIC

What is it? This hydrating AHA helps to exfoliate dead skin cells, revealing a more radiant complexion. It also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and dark spots.

Best for: Acne-prone skin.

Commonly found in: Peels and serums. Pros: “At a low pH, lactic acid is an exfoliating agent; it increases the elimination of dead cells and improves cell renewal. At a higher pH, it is a hydrating agent,” says Dr Allouche.

Cons: Overusing lactic acid or using a high concentration can lead to skin irritation, Hollowood warns.

Try it: Codage Peeling Lotion, $115.

MANDELIC

What is it? “Mandelic acid is a water-soluble AHA that offers superficial exfoliation,” says Nafisah Abdalla, science communications associate manager at Deciem. “It does so by targeting the outermost layer of the skin and promotes its shedding.”

Best for: Its high molecular weight means it’s a milder form of exfoliation, so is good for first-time users of topical acids.

Commonly found in: Moisturisers, serums, toners and masks.

Pros: It helps to regulate sebum production, unclogging pores and reducing inflammation, which can result in fewer breakouts.

Cons: Mandelic acid is tolerated well by most skin types but if sensitivity occurs, cut back to using every other day.

Try it: Environ Tri BioBotanical Revival Masque, $105.

SALICYLIC

What is it? Tracey Pedersen, national education manager for Clinique, explains salicylic acid helps to release dead skin cells while treating dryness and fighting bacteria.

Best for: All skin types, but is well suited to acne-prone skin.

Commonly found in: Serums, cleansers, moisturisers and spot treatments.

Pros: The superficial exfoliant has purifying properties to smooth imperfections and fight against blackheads, ingrown hairs and dandruff.

Cons: Salicylic acid may irritate the skin if used in a too-high concentration.

Try it: Clinique Even Better Clinical Radical Dark Spot Corrector + Interrupter, from $134.

See stockists on page 161.

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BEAUTY REPORT

Wonder Bugs It’s time to learn that bacteria aren’t bad. ASHLEIGH COMETTI investigates the good kind that exist naturally on our skin, and how using probiotic skincare helps them to thrive

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robiotics have crept into our consciousness, popping up in everything from kombucha to smoothie supplements, kefir and yoghurt.

While the gut-loving benefits of consuming probiotics are hardly a new concept, it’s the impact probiotics have on the skin microbiome that’s attracting the most attention.

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Here’s everything you need to know about what the skin microbiome is, how to know if yours is under threat, and how to fix it (hello, probiotics).

MAKING SENSE OF THE MICROBIOME

One expert who is well versed in the skin microbiome and how best to care for it is Caroline Parker, head of education for Dermalogica New Zealand.

“The microbiome is the community of microorganisms that live on the surface of our skin,” Parker says. “Traditionally we think of bacteria as being 'bad', but the skin’s microbiome plays an important role in some of the skin’s key processes — like regulating the pH of the skin to support healthy enzyme function. The microbiome is also a key part of the immune function of our skin and blocks bad bacteria. It is a critical part of the health of our skin.”

Astonishingly, there are more than one trillion bacteria living and metabolising in and on our skin. Of that number, there are more than one thousand different species of bacteria, the diversity of which, Parker says, is hugely important to skin health.

Put simply, the more strains of bacteria your skin has, the healthier your skin will be. This theory is supported by Professor Richard Gallo, a leading medical scientist in the fields of immunology, skin biology and the microbiome.

Speaking recently at the Lancome Skincare E-Symposium, which homed in on the microbiome and its function, Gallo explained how a balanced microbiome is the key to healthy skin.

“What we’ve learned is, in healthy conditions, with a balanced function of the microbiome, we have normal host immune response, we have good wound healing, able to resist infectious diseases,” he says.

“Whereas if the microbiome is out of balance, we see the onset of skin diseases, skin infections, and an inability to heal.

So, keeping the proper function and the amount of microbes in balance on the skin is key to microbiome health in skin.”

In the same way that our gut is home to trillions of good (and bad) bacteria, so too is our skin. Sure, it’s enough to make you squirm. But think of the bacteria living on your skin as your first line of defence against infection and environmental damage, your BFF when it comes to regulating pH levels, and your secret weapon to keep skin looking plump, dewy and healthy.

BEAUTY

UNDERSTANDING THE SKIN-GUT AXIS

Turns out, our skin microbiome and gut microbiome are intrinsically linked.

The skin microbiome shares a connection to the colonies of bacteria lining our intestines, which is why consuming a diet rich in probiotic foods is said to improve skin health from the inside out.

STAYING ALIVE: Probiotic products are a big business, with these wonder bugs being added to all manner of serums, moisturisers and eye creams for their benefits to the skin microbiome. Photography / Babiche Martens

Ready to send in the good bugs? Here are the best probiotic skincare products to support the health of your skin microbiome:

1 This link is known as the skin-gut axis, RawKanvas co-founder Simona Valev says.

“Each person has a unique microbiome that is determined by genetics, environmental factors like diet, sleep and stress, medical history and medications. If your gut becomes overrun with bad bacteria and the digestive balance is off, this may lead to an inflammatory response in the skin,” she says.

Think of the balance of bacteria lining the gut like a maths equation: good bacteria > bad bacteria = optimal skin health, Valev explains.

When this balance is thrown out, by things like antibiotics or eating junk food, the bad guys multiply and outnumber the good guys, damaging the lining of the intestines and causing toxins to enter the bloodstream. This manifests in the skin in the form of breakouts, rashes, rosacea and eczema.

MICROBIOME UNDER THREAT

Skincare commentators have noted our quest for imperfection-free skin has caused us to become a little too clean.

It’s been touted by many as the hygiene hypothesis — where our obsession for cleanliness can interrupt the natural acid mantle of the skin.

“Antibacterial products get rid of bacteria on the skin’s surface, but they don’t differentiate between good and bad bacteria, they simply remove all bacteria,” RawKanvas co-founder Shannon Lacey explains.

“Overuse of antibacterial products can actually cause an imbalance in the skin microbiome, which makes us more susceptible to germs. Eliminating good bacteria from the microbiome can play a role in flare-ups of rosacea, dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff, fungal infections, inflammation and breakouts.”

THE BEAUTY OF BIOTICS

One of the best ways to keep your skin microbiome in check is to add the right kind of bacteria to the skin in the form of probiotic skincare.

In the same way that taking probiotic supplements help to rebalance the gut and address inflammatory disorders, probiotic skincare has a similar effect when applied topically.

Chances are you’re familiar with prebiotics

and probiotics, but there’s a third form to acquaint yourself with too — postbiotics.

SO, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

1. Prebiotics promote the growth of microorganisms, acting like the fertiliser needed to feed micro-organisms.

2. Probiotics are the living micro-organisms themselves, and can alter the microflora of the host.

3. Postbiotics are the chemical byproducts of micro-organisms.

When added to skincare, Valev says prebiotics help make the environment on your skin more beneficial for good bacteria to grow, while probiotic skincare acts as a protective shield against bad bacteria, therefore helping to decrease inflammation, dryness, itching and irritation and to slow premature ageing.

Probiotics (micro-organisms) perform at their best when coupled with prebiotics (fertiliser), which is why you’ll often find both working synergistically in cleansers, serums, moisturisers and masks.

Postbiotic skincare nurtures the skin microbiome by topping up good bacteria, fighting off bad bacteria (in the form of pollutants and excess sebum) and boosting the skin's immune response.

The benefits of incorporating probioticinfused skincare into your regime vary depending on skin type.

Dry, sensitive skin: Those with dry or sensitive skin may benefit most from using probiotic and prebiotic skincare, due to this particular skin type being more prone to irritation and inflammation.

Oily skin: Parker recommends prebiotics and probiotics to ensure a balanced pH, resulting in healthy skin. “Oily skin often has an imbalanced microbiome — due to the over secretion of oil which causes acne-causing bacteria to thrive, or due to over-cleansing,” she says.

Acne-prone skin: Valev suggests trialling probiotic skincare to help create an optimal environment for the good bacteria on your skin to fight against breakout-causing bad bacteria.

BEAUTY

Dermalogica Active Clay Cleanser, $75, recruits probiotics to deeply purify and balance oily skin. It’s formulated with kaolin clay and activated binchotan charcoal to absorb impurities and excess oil while protecting the skin’s natural lipid barrier (therefore keeping the skin’s microbiome intact).

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RawKanvas The Limelight: Brightening Probiotic Lotion, $75, is a vegan solution that aims to reduce the appearance of breakouts and redness, while brightening and hydrating the skin.

Additional ingredients like kakadu plum and hyaluronic acid help to promote a more radiant complexion.

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Lancome Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate, from $137, contains a powerful combination of seven prebiotic and probiotic fractions to strengthen the skin’s microbiome and target 10 visible signs of ageing. The high concentration of active ingredients, including yeast and bifidus extracts, improves skin texture, tone, elasticity and firmness.

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Elizabeth Arden Superstart Probiotic Boost Skin Renewal Biocellulose Mask (4 pack), $95. This biocellulose sheet mask contains Elizabeth Arden’s 2X Probiotic Complex that helps to boost the appearance of a healthy, glowing complexion, while optimising the skin’s microflora and improving its natural defences. It fits snugly to facial contours while drenching skin in other skin-loving ingredients, including glycerin, sodium hyaluronate (a derivate of hyaluronic acid) and essential lipids that are naturally found in the skin.

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See stockists page 161.

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Grassfed

N Z B E E F, L A M B & VENISON D E L I V E R E D TO YO U R D O O R

www.greenleabutcher.co.nz *For rural delivery we recommend organising an alternate address due to the perishable nature of our product.

Image courtesy of Deer Industry New Zealand

Food + Drink

Kaleidoscopic Cones Icecream really does make everything okay and Black Peak Gelato is making sure that the people of Wanaka and Queenstown are enjoying the good stuff. Drop in around 3pm when school’s out and the store feels Willy Wonka-ish, full of excitable children choosing the flavours they’d like in their cone today — the staff almost encouraging procrastination as they offer little tasters.

Owner Jon Mactaggart, who has just opened his second store in Queenstown Central (the Wānaka store has been open nine years) wants it to be an experience and says, “It’s a fun environment to be

PHOTOGRAPHY: Fredrik Larsson

in because you’re making people happy.”

That happiness doesn’t fall short on adults, either — this is quality gelato and sorbet handcrafted in the Wānaka store to a recipe Jon garnered from a homemade Italian ice cream shop in his childhood home of Bright, Victoria. Fresh produce is used, so there’s plenty of Central Otago berry and stonefruit sorbets. Gelato takes on a bit of whimsy with childhood favourites and very grown-up flavours with interesting twists. Black Peak’s cookies and cream has Tim Tams rather than Oreos, while pieces of Crunchie make up the

FOOD + DRINK

hokey pokey. The stores have a rotation of more than 80 flavours throughout the year, with 18 in store at one time. They like to keep it seasonal and there’s always a mix of fun, boozy, nutty and classic flavours to keep everyone smiling. Look out for the old Bedford gelato truck at the base of Cardrona in winter and at events around the Central Lakes region.

Find Black Peak Gelato at 123 Ardmore St, Wānaka and at Frankton’s Queenstown Central. Blackpeakgelato.co.nz — Jo Elwin

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Cooking With Heart Inspired by family recipes and traditions and a desire to reconnect with their roots, these young chefs are championing the food of their culture in Aotearoa, writes LEISHA JONES

LOVE ON A PLATE

If you are lucky enough to have attended a Cook Islands wedding or birthday party, you might be familiar with the festive spread of dishes that colour the overflowing tables. There are squares of deep yellow baked cassava, raw fish marinated in coconut cream, and island potato salad, stained pink with beetroot and presented on a bed of frilly lettuce like a beautiful cake. But dishes such as this — maniota, ika mata and minus — are largely absent from the mainstream foodscape, something the owners of Doe Donuts, Grace Tauber and Shenine Dube, are brightly optimistic about changing.

The high school friends founded their business on their love of island food — Grace’s mum is from the Cook Islands and Shenine’s parents are Fijian-Indian — specifically, Cook Islands doughnuts, a staple of their upbringing and a recipe learned from Grace’s mum. Denser and more durable than your average doughnut, they walk the line between sweet and savoury, equally enjoyable dunked in a cup of tea or a bowl of seafood chowder.

Tweaking the original recipe over the years to be more receptive to different flavours, their island-style doughnuts are filled and glazed with luscious curds, fresh fruit compotes and dreamy custards that are technically perfect; you would never know their makers are self-taught. “It’s a cultural thing,” says Shenine. “In Island and Indian families, you come together and all the women cook. It’s just something you do. We learned from our mums and they were self-taught too.”

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Shenine and Grace learned how to cook from their mothers, Prem Dube (seated) and Ra Nio-Akai,and Grace's grandmother, Tiava Nio.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Babiche Martens

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Island influences are always present in their doughnut flavours, and they have been known to sell Polynesian desserts such as coconut rolls and pineapple pie. Following requests from friends and followers about where to get island food, they recently introduced what Grace calls “love on a plate”, a selection of dishes made the traditional way and offered once a month on a pre-order basis. “We just love island food,” says Grace.

“We are so excited to show people how much work goes into it and just how good it is. When promoting these plates, I’ve also been trying to educate people on how it’s made, what it might taste like and the consistency.”

Grace says preparing a feast like this takes a few days and a huge part of the cooking process is spending time with family. Almost all the dishes are either cooked or marinated in coconut cream and many have a sweet element such as the banana poke, a darkpurple pudding-like dish made from overripe bananas which are boiled then baked with tapioca. When served alongside barbecued fresh fish, beef chop suey heavily fragranced with ginger, and a basket of golden Raro doughnuts, it’s a unique island marriage of sweet, savoury and salty flavours that blend together joyfully in one sunny plate of food.

It’s this carefree feeling, of good times spent with family, that the duo hopes they convey through sharing their cuisine. “It’s such feel-good food,” says Shenine. “It also comes with a lot of emotion because there is so much effort that goes into it and you are eating it with the people you love.”

And at the moment, that sounds like the next best thing to a holiday in the islands.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Nancy Zhou

A huge part of the cooking process is spending time with family

SOME LIKE IT HOT

Before opening Miss Peppercorn in the seaside suburb of Sumner, Christchurch, Nicole Zou ignored warnings that her Sichuan food would be too much for untrained taste buds. “People told us we would fail because Kiwis are not used to authentic spicy Chinese food. But I was confident that we would do well.” She says the challenge has become part of the dining experience. “People are thrilled by the sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, they have started to talk about it and bring more people back to try it.”

Nicole believes tolerating spice is a skill that can be learned. Some of her customers couldn’t eat spicy food at all and have slowly worked their way up to hotter dishes on the menu. While the most well-known flavour is the prickly tingle of Sichuan peppercorns — which Nicole imports from China for the most authentic taste — there is more to the cuisine than tongue-numbing heat.

The dishes range from sweet, sour and deeply savoury, to pungent and musky from the use of preserved vegetables and toasted dried chillies.

In most cases customers are given the choice to adjust the spice level to suit their tastes, but there are certain dishes that can’t be altered. These include whole duck heads, sliced beef and tripe salad, and pork intestine chicken, swimming in a dangerously vivid bright red oil. They used to be on a separate “secret menu” but people kept requesting them so now they are available to everybody, all the time. “We keep these dishes FOOD + DRINK

as spicy as they are supposed to be in Sichuan, because we don’t want to compromise the authenticity. But we are so happy to see more and more customers working through this part of the menu and really enjoying it.”

Following a move to New Zealand in 2015 with her husband, John Zhang, Nicole says she fell in love with hospitality and opened her restaurant in 2018 driven by nostalgia and longing for food from home. Her family passed on a lot of recipes for their opening such as cucumber salad and braised beef but it is the hand-pulled noodles, which are freshly made to order to keep the texture elastic and silky, that are Nicole’s favourite dish to cook. “My dad used to be the best noodle-maker in my hometown, Chengdu. They are my comfort food. But in New Zealand, most noodles are Taiwanese, which are much thicker and harder than the ones in Sichuan. I missed those real authentic noodles.”

John works in the restaurant too — he only started cooking with a commercial wok when they opened, a skill that normally takes years to perfect, but in a short time he’s mastered the art and delivers dishes with perfect wok hay. Nicole says their quest to constantly evolve and bring new dishes back to New Zealand sees them return home each year to seek fresh inspiration, refine their skills and gather new recipes, so the rest of us only have to travel to Sumner to get a taste of Sichuan.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Babiche Martens

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Twice a year, at Easter and Christmas, Elie Assaf cooks for two days with his mum before the family gathers around the table to share a meal of typically Lebanese proportions. The food is simple, elegant and plentiful — piles of handmade pastries, herbaceous tabbouleh and chilled arak — and the process of eating is a leisurely one, punctuated by conversation, laughter and dancing. It’s this experience he wants to share in a cookbook and dinner series, inspired and named after his mother, Yola.

The Assaf family moved to Wellington from Beirut when Elie was 10. Despite growing up around food and working at the family restaurant, Phoenician Cuisine — which they still own and operate today — Elie was a fussy eater, preferring cheese toasties to Lebanese food. A visit to Beirut at age 16 opened his mind to its food and flavours and he returned with a renewed interest in cooking with his mum.

He went on to open two restaurants in Wellington — Five Boroughs and Five and Dime — but wasn’t cooking Lebanese food. “I knew how to do it all but I wasn’t paying attention to the fact that I’ve got this skill underneath me that I should be using and that defines me as a person.”

In 2017, he visited Beirut during olive harvest and worked at his uncle’s orchard. Every day he cooked lunch for the workers with his aunty; old school dishes that were “familiar but new” and began documenting his family recipes. “I felt like I had been missing a huge part of my life. I thought, I need to get this stuff down on paper not just for myself but for my cousins in New Zealand, for our traditions to continue.”

He moved to Auckland last year and became head chef at Williams Eatery, where his identity now peppers the menu.

It’s subtle in places — a flurry of fresh herb salad or a dollop of smoky eggplant flesh — more obvious in others ­— the soujouk sausage is made using a family spice mix and served on charred, chewy pita; and the silkiest hummus in town, one of Yola’s recipes, is served on toast with charred onions and butter beans.

The recipes in the Yola cookbook and dinner series will be traditional, with no adaptation of Elie’s style or ideas, “There is something special about the way Mum does it and I just want to preserve her skills and her legacy. She has worked so hard for us to be where we are, to have these skills, to even be in New Zealand. So honouring her and her hard work is initially what this is about.”

At the dinner series, which will coincide with the book's release later in the year (visit Yola.elieassaf.com for updates), Elie says people can expect Lebanese dishes they haven't seen before, including raw

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THE DINNER IS THE PARTY

dishes, and lamb tongue served cold with herb salad. The book, with sections on hot and cold mezze, barbecue and a chapter on hummus, will also detail how to eat the Lebanese way. “In Lebanon when you go out, you don’t go out to night clubs, you go out to have dinner, but the dinner turns into the party. It’s a four-hour experience of eating, dancing, sheesha. It’s about not being in a hurry to move to the next event. This is the event. We’re here to eat and we are here for each other’s company.”

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OIKOS

E SMASHING STEREOTYPES

Greek restaurants are often recognisable by the decor: the chairs are blue, the tables are white, and there’s a mural of a Santorini sunset somewhere on the walls. But Theo Papouis says he wanted to steer clear of cliche when he opened his Wellington restaurant Oikos, where there’s not a kitsch cultural artefact in sight and the essence of Greece comes from the rustic food and lively vibes. “I wanted this to be all about the food. I didn’t want you to feel like you were in a souvenir shop.”

Theo says his father had an old-school Greek view of cooking as a profession; having worked in the industry as an immigrant he knew it was hard and wanted something better for his son, urging him to “use your brain, not your hands”.

But Theo didn’t listen. He finished culinary school then went to work in the UK and on to Cyprus — where his family are from — where he was the personal chef to the American ambassador for five years.

There he became deeply acquainted with his culture, honed his Greek language skills and spent long balmy nights at taverns with good friends. He learned how to make fresh halloumi and cooked over charcoal, foraged for wild greens and herbs, and became accustomed to a laid-back style of eating. “One of the things I loved about my time in Greece was that you go to a tavern and you don’t even look at the menu.

You just say you want small plates and you get fed from start to finish.”

Back in Wellington, the sharing menu at Oikos recreates this experience as tables are laden with pita bread, tzatziki, village salad, sesame112

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Russell Kleyn

THE WAY IT COMES

crusted feta, grilled chicken skewers and slowroast lamb shoulder. The restaurant sits across the road from a Greek church, in a building that used to be a house, the old floorboards and musty green walls adding to the homely feeling.

It’s loud, relaxed and in no way stuffy, tables get moved and diners shuffled around to make more space. “I never imagined that I would have a restaurant where we don’t have enough seats and have to turn people away because we can’t fit them in. It’s like having a dinner party every night where I’m the host.”

Theo operates with a Mediterranean mindset, making his own filo pastry, pasta dough and pita bread; and growing cabbage, cavolo nero, broad beans, lettuce and strawberries in a small garden out the back of the restaurant. He celebrates the diversity of Greek cuisine beyond what most Kiwis are familiar with. Salty cheeses, honey, lemon, herbs, mint, oregano and thyme are easily recognisable as staples of the Greek pantry, but a glossary down the bottom of the menu helps to decipher the less common, such as tyrokafteri spiced whipped feta; hilopites, a small square Greek pasta; pasteli honey nut brittle; and loukaniko, a house-made sausage fragranced with garlic and paprika.

On some nights, the restaurant transforms into a rowdy tavern with live music, carafes of wine and ouzo, and very rarely Theo lets one Greek cliche slide. “When I opened I swore a plate would not get smashed in my restaurant,” but it’s so much fun that, sometimes, he can’t resist. “I don’t try to advertise it, because it’s a lot, but occasionally I will order some plates and we will drink ouzo and really smash it up.”

FOOD + DRINK

Kimchi and fried chicken have acted like a gateway to Korean cuisine over the past few years, the former popularised for its guthealing health benefits, the latter simply for being delicious. But Paul Lee and his wife, Lisa, wanted to give the people of Ponsonby, Auckland, a more authentic taste of Korea when they opened their restaurant, Ockhee, earlier this year.

Yes, there is fried chicken on the menu (and yes, it’s perfectly crisp, sweet, spicy and damn tasty), and there is kimchi, albeit the seasonal kind, persimmon in winter and stuffed cucumber in spring. But the rest of the menu reads like a homely Korean kitchen with dishes learned from Lisa’s mum, such as myeolchi guksu, a wholesome noodle soup made with anchovy broth and thin wheat noodles; and bo ssam, slices of slow-braised pork served with pickled sesame leaves, radish kimchi and the tiniest dried shrimp that pack a huge salty punch.

“She wanted Kiwis to eat Korean food the way it is supposed to be, not Westernised at all,” explains Paul. “We are the only Korean restaurant in Ponsonby so we have to do it the right way. Not compromising ourselves. I think it’s easy to succeed when you give people that sweet, salty stuff but we just wanted to be proud of ourselves and do it the right way.”

Paul and Lisa met on a working holiday in 2012 and decided to make New Zealand their home. Lisa studied cooking and Paul worked his way around hospo — you may have seen him smiling over the coffee machine at Camper Coffee. They began their search for a space three years ago and just before Covid hit went back to South Korea to source furniture, inspiration and recipes.

Lisa immersed herself in research, studying fermenting, pickling, vegetarian temple food, and even learned how to make Korean rice wine. She spent time with her mum, who cooks based on instinct and measures in handfuls, sprinkles and dashes while Lisa scrambled with her notebook and scales trying to document it all.

With an entirely Korean kitchen team, everything is done the traditional way at Ockhee. Lisa says time and effort goes in to the preparation, there’s a lot of pickling and fermenting, all the sauces are made from scratch and the soup bases simmer for hours. The contemporary spin comes only when the food is plated. Paul explains that Korean dishes would normally be served with soup, rice and vegetable dishes on the side, but Lisa combines the elements into one main dish to serve it in a modern way.

The drinks list features natural wines and soju cocktails, and the sleek restaurant space blends Korean-made furniture and crockery with art made locally by Paul’s friends.

At times, Lisa has questioned how some might respond to the more authentic dishes on the menu. She worried a dish

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Babiche Martens

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called muk muchim — squares of mung bean jelly tossed with soy sauce, chilli powder, sesame and a salad of red onion and chives — might be texturally too confronting, but people loved it. Paul says opening during a pandemic has been a roller coaster, but seeing people react to their cuisine in this way — especially a younger generation who are new to Korean cuisine — is such a joy, and that’s what keeps them going.

OCKHEE

FIND MORE FOOD FEATURES AT VIVA.CO.NZ

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Dine Like a Pro After 500 dinners out, Viva food reviewer JESSE MULLIGAN has learned a thing or two about how to eat well

LEFT: Osteria and wine bar Lilian. RIGHT: Dessert and rhubarb punch from Pasture; tomatoes and bread from Bar Celeste; charred octopus and curd from Onemata. Photos: Babiche Martens; Rebecca Zephyr Thomas

FUN BEATS FANCY

There are no white tablecloths at Bar Celeste, a Parisian style bar-eatery on Karangahape Road. But on my birthday this year, when I could have eaten anywhere, this was the place I chose — a few years ago for my big 40th, I went to the similarly low-fuss Orphan’s Kitchen. If fine dining is the catwalk of the industry, places like Celeste are your favourite pair of jeans — comfortable, sexy and almost always appropriate. Early on, I equated special occasions with expensive restaurants, but after one too many meals where the food overshadowed the conversation, I’ve now decided the greatest compliment you can pay a great friend is to take them somewhere busy and noisy. Save five-star dining for those times you want it to be all about what’s on the plate.

IF IN DOUBT, BUY BUBBLES

We

are so incredibly lucky to live in the one country on this giant, infected space globe where eating normally at a restaurant is something we can do. We should not only be grateful, our gratitude should weigh on us so heavily we can hardly think of anything else. We should be singing happy songs on street corners, frolicking through city parks, writing love poems to the team of five million. But we are human, so we have already forgotten how lucky we are — and almost forgotten the national lockdown even happened.

Doesn’t mean you can’t take a moment now and then though. This issue of Viva celebrates life in Aotearoa and this particular column asks you to stop and be thankful for dining out. Thankful to whichever supreme being nudged you toward the right birth canal that would deliver you, kicking and screaming to a hospital bed in the greatest country on

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We talk about gratitude, and ordering a glass of cold, bubbly wine is a perfect way to take a breath and enjoy where you are.

Restaurant cocktails can be underpowered and overpriced, but bubbly never disappoints. If you can, buy local rather than Champagne — it tastes just as good and costs half as much — and, if you want extra Covid-recovery points, buy local local, from a winery that isn’t owned by a Japanese conglomerate or an American billionaire (this isn’t always black and white, but if in doubt drink Daniel Le Brun or Quartz Reef ).

Earth, where the soil is verdant and capable of feeding the whole nation in times of crisis; where clever people in spotless kitchens take the harvest and turn it into something you could never recreate at home; where, in 2020, you can handshake, mouthkiss or share moist breath with almost anybody you like without catching the plague — a sentence that has no possible chance of ageing badly due to unexpected border lapses between the time I type this and the time you read it.

The autumn pause we all took to stay at home with our families led to a reappraisal of habits we’d all taken for granted. Now that we’re allowed out again, I think we should apply these same fresh eyes to visiting restaurants — to think about why we do it and what we get out of it. So how does one eat out well? Here are some things I’ve learned in the 500 or so meals I’ve enjoyed as a professional restaurant critic.

FOOD + DRINK

YOUR WAITER IS YOUR FRIEND

When I’m reviewing I always ask the person serving us a few questions to find out how much they know about the menu.

If my guest is choosing a glass of wine, I often suggest they take some advice from the waiter, and I’m always surprised how reluctant they are to do it. Older men in particular seem to regard it as a personal weakness to ask for help, but they should see it as a strength: anyone smart enough to ask the person who pours wine all night for their recommendation will end up with the best and biggest pours of the evening.

While we’re talking service, bear in mind the slogan posted prominently in the toilets at Coco’s Cantina in Auckland: “A person who is nice to you but not nice to your waiter is not a nice person”.

That word “waiter” may as well be “Uber driver”, “barista”, “cleaner” or “helpdesk operator”; take advantage of the daily opportunities you have to show kindness.

FORGIVE MISTAKES

People make them. Well, not you and me, but other people who haven’t got their stuff together as we have. So learn to overlook the “it could have happened to anyone” slip-ups like misheard orders and save your stress for the big stuff, like not caring enough about keeping you alive.

A friend of mine with a severe allergy once was served nuts after a waiter very specifically promised there would be none, so she had to immediately leave dinner to go to the hospital. The restaurant staff refused to call a taxi until she’d paid them for the meal that had just poisoned her.

Now, that’s a mistake.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE BILL

OVER-ORDER, TAKE SOMETHING HOME

Okay, so this isn’t for everybody, but I feel that at the very least I need to order one thing from every different section of the menu which these days can mean something raw, something grilled, a pizza, a shared plate, some fish, a salad and a steak. Most places are happy to wrap up leftovers to go and it is a lovely way to enjoy the food with new enthusiasm the following day at lunch — it’ll work out cheaper than UberEats. Choosing a non-meltable dessert to go is another little workaround I’ve been employing lately — Lilian’s tiramisu tastes even better when you’re home on the couch watching new episodes of The Crown. (This rule also has a sub-rule: when a waiter offers to bring you a dessert menu your answer must always be “yes” — it displays a generosity of spirit even if you don’t end up buying anything.)

FIND JESSE'S RESTAURANT REVIEWS AT VIVA.CO.NZ

Sometimes they put something extra on there by mistake, but more often they leave something off — ringing up two beers when you actually had three, or forgetting the dessert wine you ordered in a panic when you ran out of booze and still had a few mouthfuls of Eton Mess to go. Now, it’s not for me to tell you that you should 'fess up and let them know you owe them a little extra money but I can tell you the rewards for doing so: fantastic karma, goodwill from the staff and supporting local businesses in a very meaningful way. Like I said, not for me to emotionally bully you into it — but if you at least read the bill closely, you’ll be fully informed when you make your choice.

Showing respect, paying close attention, and remembering to have fun — these are the foundations of good reviewing, but it’s a pretty good credo for anybody heading out to a restaurant. We should remember not to take things for granted at the best of times — right now, it’s more important than ever. •

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Viva + SodaStream

Soft Focus for Summer

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150mL Soda Press Co Organic Old Fashioned Lemonade Syrup 70ml gin or vodka SodaStream sparkling water Sliced kiwifruit, cucumber & orange Juice of 1 lemon Basil leaves

45mL Soda Press Co Organic Pink Grapefruit Syrup 35ml blood orange gin SodaStream sparkling water Pink grapefruit slices Fresh rosemary

30mL Soda Press Co Organic Tonic Syrup 35ml lemon gin SodaStream sparkling water Lemon wedge Sprig of lemon thyme

Add syrup, alcohol, lemon juice, fruit and herbs to the jug and half fill with ice. Pour over SodaStream sparkling water and stir through. Serve in your favourite glasses.

Place grapefruit slices and ice in a highball glass. Add gin, syrup, fill with SodaStream sparkling water, and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Put ice in a glass tumbler and pour over gin. Add syrup, lemon wedge and SodaStream sparkling water. Garnish with lemon thyme.

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Photography / Yuki Sato Stylist / Victoria Bell

Local sparkling wine is coming of age, writes JO BURZYNSKA , with the finest examples entering the ranks of the world's best. But how does it stack up against European fizz?

One

of the earliest New Zealand wines to receive a review was a sparkling style. The French explorer Dumont d’Urville reported sampling “a light white wine, very sparkling and delicious to taste” back in 1840. Despite this early indication of the potential of Kiwi fizz, Aotearoa only started to get serious with its sparkling in the 1990s. In contrast, a cornucopia of effervescent styles has been made across the traditional vinegrowing regions of Europe for hundreds of years. So, have we caught up? And what are we up against from the Old World?

The climate has to be cool for grapes to retain the natural acidity essential for top bubbles. New Zealand certainly nails this, with climates in our southern wine areas in particular comparable to those of northern France, where Champagne is located. Add to this, weather that’s largely more reliable than that of the famed French sparkling region, combined with the less extreme effects of global heating that have been challenging Champagne in recent decades, and we have something of an advantage.

What New Zealand lacked was experience. But it hit the ground running, through an assemblage of passionate local producers and a dash of French savoirefaire. This French influence spans from the trailblazing wines of 12th generation Champagne winemaker, Daniel Le

Brun (now behind No 1 Family Estate), to various New Zealand-Champagne collaborative projects. These include historic partnerships between Champagne Deutz and Montana; Champagne Marc Chauvet and Quartz Reef; as well as ongoing cross pollination between Cloudy Bay and its LVMH Champagne stablemates, and the recent Marlborough venture between Pernod-Ricard NZ and Champagne Mumm.

Local sparkling wines are coming of age, with their best now entering the world’s highest echelons. In Marlborough, this excellence is being promoted by the Methode Marlborough producers. To develop greater richness and complexity in their wines, these are united in using the methode traditionnelle — the high-quality bottle-fermented sparkling winemaking system pioneered in Champagne — and in ageing these in bottle for a minimum of 18 months, which is more than required for non-vintage Champagne.

Methode traditionnelle, using the classic Champagne grapes of pinot noir and chardonnay, accounts for most of New Zealand’s top fizz. It can’t yet beat European countries for sheer range of styles. One of these is prosecco, made in Northern Italy from the Glera grape. With its bubbles swiftly brought on in a tank, it’s a style that’s fresh, uncomplicated and far cheaper than methode traditionnelle

FOOD + DRINK

wines. This accessible combination has seen its sales explode in recent years, both internationally and now here.

Sparkling styles are starting to diversify in Aotearoa. A small but growing number of wineries are experimenting with the newly-hip old-school ‘methode ancestrale’ sparkling technique. Also known as petillant-naturel or pet-nat for short, its wines are bottled part-way through fermentation, which finishes in bottle, where the yeasts often remain, resulting in a wheat-beer-like haziness. This fermentation forms a gentle effervescence that varies — along with dryness — depending on when you drink them in their evolution. Made from a wide variety of grapes and their combinations, pet-nats are a far more interesting phenomenon than the recent Kiwi sparkling sauvignon trend, with a vibrant drink-now style of which we’ll doubtless be seeing more.

In a matter of decades New Zealand has without a doubt established itself as a top sparkling wine-producing nation.

Not in terms of quantity, given we currently import over three times as much sparkling wine than we export. However, in terms of quality, our bubbles are getting stronger by the year and show no signs of bursting.

Over the page are six sensational examples from Aotearoa and six benchmarks from Europe, so you can taste the best of both worlds for yourself. →

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International Fizz Contenders

Mas Candí Brut Nature “Corpinnat”, Spain 2017 $29 “Corpinnat” is a group of winemakers formerly making their wines as Cava. They banded together to make quality wines solely from Cava’s key Penedes region, rather than the far wider area from which Spain’s classic sparkling style can currently be made. This is a seriously good example, with a rich and ultradry palate of ripe apple and toasted hazelnut counterpoised by a citrusy freshness.

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Alberto Nani Organic Extra Dry Prosecco, Italy NV $22 A prosecco like this demonstrates the delicious drinkability and great value that’s made the style such a hit.

Light, fresh and pure, delicate lemon and crunchy pear fruit combine with subtle hints of honeysuckle in this bone-dry organic example of prosecco at its best.

Champagne Assailly Cuvée du Patron Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV $68 Smaller “grower Champagnes” are where a lot of the excitement is at in the Champagne region at present, offering interest and often great value, as is the case with this example. Made organically from a single vineyard by fourth generation vignerons, its harmonious palate displays notes reminiscent of honey and ginger cake, with ripe apple fruit, rich yeasty notes and silky acidity.

Champagne Lanvin Cuvée Selection Brut NV $43 While Champagne does not come cheap, not all is expensive. This is certainly the case with this great value example that can hold its own in quality terms alongside its far pricier peers. It’s crisp and elegant, with lifted lemon and green apple fruit and a complex yeasty undertone.

Champagne MarionBosser Premier Cru Brut 2012 $80 Another gorgeous grower of Champagne, which both for its quality and as a vintage wine is incredibly well-priced.

Beautiful mature and savoury characters meld in its rich notes of salted roast nut, toffee and tobacco, cut with crisp fresh apple and citrus that linger on its long finish.

Champagne Perrier Jouet Grand Brut NV $70 Perrier Jouet is a “Grande Marque” (a group of the largest established Champagne houses) whose Grand Brut — made from grapes sourced from 50 different villages — is a consistently impressive nonvintage. Soft and creamy in the mouth, its elegant palate fuses notes of baked apple, white fruits, and hints of almond biscuit, with bright citrus and mineral.

FOOD + DRINK

Bubbly Team New Zealand

Cambridge Road Naturalist Martinborough Petillant Naturel Blanc 2020 $30 A pretty and perfumed petillant naturel made from a blend of muscat and riesling.

Don’t be deterred by its cloudy appearance, its flavours are clean and pure, in a dry white fruited palate threaded with notes of jasmine and honeysuckle, hints of spice and honey, and a twist of bitters.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Babiche Martens

Johanneshof Emmi Methode Traditionnelle Marlborough Brut 2011 $49 Similar to Champagne, Johanneshof ’s sparkling wines are matured in an underground rock cellar. Its flagship style spends nine years there on its yeast lees (more than the minimum for vintage Champagne). The result is this richly flavoured wine with savoury and biscuity notes, juxtaposed by fresh apple and mandarin fruit, supported by a vibrant spine acid.

Mumm Marlborough Vintage Rosé 2015 $40 In partnership with its Champagne house, Mumm, in Marlborough Pernod Ricard has developed both this impressive vintage rosé — that came top in my local sparkling rosé tasting — and equally impressive Brut NV. Perfumed and elegant, the rosé blends red fruits and rose petal florals with a touch of yeasty richness, all wrapped in a creamy mousse.

Daniel Le Brun Methode Traditionnelle Marlborough Vintage 2010 $40 A rich aged methode traditionnelle from a label now owned by Lion, this layers notes of ripe apple, almond paste, breadcrust, spice and a savoury character, lifted by a line of fresh citrus.

It's impossible to get an aged vintage, or such complexity, in a Champagne for anything close to this price.

Rockferry Marlborough Blanc de Blancs 2015 $50 Power and refinement are balanced in this complex Marlborough Methode Traditionnelle. The boldness of its smoke, spice, savoury and gingerbread opulence is countered by the freshness of its pure white fruits and bright lemony acidity.

Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate Methode Traditionnelle Central Otago Brut NV $33-$40 From this organic and biodynamic estate, the Quartz Reef NV exhibits a refined and pure dry palate of fresh green apple fruit, bright citrus, a hint of sweet pastry and white flowers. This is a consistently elegant example and local sparkling classic.

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STYLIST

Lauren Freeman

RECIPE EDITOR

Angela Casley

PHOTOGRAPHER

Babiche Martens

Pool

Party

Enjoy light summer bites and zesty cocktails, preferably with the sound of water lapping gently nearby

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FOOD + DRINK

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PG. 124

Citrus Ceviche with Chardonnay Vinegar and Fennel Oil

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FOOD + DRINK

PG. 124

Sumac Beef Carpaccio with Bean Puree

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Citrus Ceviche with Chardonnay Vinegar and Fennel Oil

Sumac Beef Carpaccio with Bean Puree

don’t have a blender, just chop

SERVES 6 When you have had enough

carpaccio is a beautifully aged

the ingredients for the chimichurri

of pan frying your fresh catch this

fillet of beef and simple flavours,

finely, mix in a bowl and voila! Try

summer, try this ceviche recipe,

allowing it to melt in your mouth.

this recipe with white fish for the

which is raw fish lightly cooked

Freezing the beef before slicing

same delicious result.

in a citrus marinade. Vibrant yet

makes the job a lot easier. Use the

delicate, this makes for the perfect

sharpest knife you own for this.

Five-Spice Salmon and Chimichurri SERVES 6 If you’re on holiday and

INGREDIENTS

SERVES 6-8 The key to a good

plate at any drinks party.

600g skin-on salmon fillet

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp five-spice powder

MARINADE

500g beef fillet

1 tsp olive oil

2 limes

2 tsp sumac

CHIMICHURRI

½ lemon

BEAN PUREE

1 cup parsley

1 tsp sugar

400g tin white beans

½ cup oregano

½ tsp salt

1 clove garlic

¼ cup dill, plus sprigs to decorate

600g kingfish fillet, skin removed

1 tsp lemon zest

1 green chilli, seeds removed

SALAD TOPPING

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp smoked paprika flakes

1 lime

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

½ lemon

TOPPINGS

1/3 cup olive oil

1 orange

150g goat's cheese

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp chardonnay vinegar

2 radishes, sliced thinly

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp fennel oil

½ cup pomegranate seeds

Limes wedges to serve

Handful of microgreens

Parsley leaves to garnish

METHOD

METHOD

1 Tbsp orange juice

1. Remove any pin bones from the

1. Juice the limes and lemon and

1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses

DRESSING

salmon and cut into 3cm pieces.

combine in a bowl with the sugar

TO SERVE

Place them into a large bowl with

and salt.

½ roasted red pepper

the five spice and oil, tossing gently to combine well. Set aside.

2. For the chimichurri, into a blender place the parsley,

2. Slice the kingfish very thinly and lie in a flat dish. Pour over the

½ tsp sumac ½ spring onion, sliced thinly

marinade, cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.

METHOD 1. Roll the beef in the sumac until

oregano, dill, chilli, paprika,

3. For the salad topping, peel and

garlic, olive oil and vinegar,

remove the segments from the

evenly coated. Heat a heavy-based

pulsing until well combined.

lime, lemon and orange. Place

frying pan to a high heat and sear

Season with salt and pepper.

them into a bowl, tossing with the

it on all sides for 30 seconds.

chardonnay vinegar and fennel oil.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and

3. When ready to cook the salmon preheat a barbecue hotplate to

4. When ready to serve, remove the

refrigerate. Thirty minutes before

a medium heat. Cook the salmon

fish from the marinade and drain

pieces skin down for 2 minutes

off the excess juices. Display

serving, place the beef into

then flip for a further 2

on a plate and sprinkle over the

minutes. Serve with a dollop of

citrus and micro greens. Season

drained beans, garlic, zest, olive

chimichurri, lime wedges and

with a little extra freshly

oil and lemon juice into a blender

dill sprigs.

ground pepper.

the freezer.

2. For the bean puree, place the

and blitz until smooth.

3. When ready to serve, spread the bean puree onto a large platter.

GET THE LOOK. POOLSIDE: Lab Luisa 1LT carafe, $280, from Tessuti; amber rib tumblers, $101 set of six, from Citta

Remove the beef from the freezer

Design; French Courone citrus saucer, $198, from Tessuti; Rachel Carley Ceramics Sunray plate in Dijon, $54, from Tessuti;

and slice paper thin, arranging

stack of Rachel Carley Sunray plates, $54 each, Tessuti; Cutipol Goa white and gold spoon, $121, and fork $127, from Studio

it on top of the puree. Top with

of Tableware; Sea Green Pols Potten jug, $80, from Corso De' Fiori; Coem glazed porcelain 45x90cm Moonstone white tiles

crumbled goat's cheese, radish

used throughout from Artisan Collective; other items, stylist’s own. SALMON: White Sunray Rachel Carley plate, $54, from

slices, a sprinkle of pomegranate

Tessuti; cocktail glass, glass bowl, plate, fork, cloth stylist’s own. CARPACCIO: Tumbler, as before; cloth, pink glass, plate,

seeds, parsley leaves and a

little bowl and spoon stylist’s own. CEVICHE: Cutipol Goa white and matt gold spoon, $121, and fork $127, from Studio of Tableware; French Courone citrus saucer, $198, from Tessuti; Trend Wahoo 2x2cm glass mosaic tiles from Artisan $29

drizzle of dressing.

4. Into a small bowl combine the

for 31.6cm2 sheet. COCKTAILS: Pols Potten antique brass platter large, $157, from Corso De' Fiori; tumblers, as before,

pepper, sumac and spring onion.

everything else, stylist’s own. DESSERT: Cutipol Goa white and matt gold dessert spoons, $42 each, from Studio of Tableware;

Serve on the side.

Kate Spade New York Melrose Avenue cocktail glass, $85 set of two, from Studio of Tableware. Stockists on page 161.

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FOOD + DRINK

PG. 126

Pistachio, Ginger and Rosewater Icecream

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cheer s

DRINKS BREAK!

Pistachio, Ginger and Rosewater Icecream SERVES 8 Make this icecream ahead of time and remove from the freezer 20 minutes before serving. The flavour increases as it softens.

Dried rose petals are easy to make, and they’re a beautiful garnish. If you have plenty, use to decorate the cocktails, too.

INGREDIENTS 500ml cream, lightly whipped 250ml thick yoghurt 1 tin condensed milk 2 tsp ground ginger 200g finely crushed pistachios 1 Tbsp rosewater 1 cup dried rose petals METHOD 1. Line a loaf tin with tinfoil, leaving it hanging over the edges.

2. Into a large bowl place the cream, yoghurt, condensed milk, ginger, 150g pistachios and rosewater, stirring until well combined. Pour into the tin, smooth the top, cover and place into the freezer overnight or until ready to serve.

3. Turn the oven to 80C. Spread the petals on a tray and bake for 10 minutes, turn and continue for a further 5-10 minutes or until they are crisp. Watch them closely as they bake quickly. The petals

TEA CITRUS SPRITZ

GIN AND BASIL SMASH

POMEGRANATE MARGARITAS

will turn a slightly darker shade.

MAKES 1 JUG

MAKES 1

MAKES 6

Allow to cool on a wire rack

2 Earl Grey tea bags

½ cup basil leaves

1 cup tequila

before storing in an airtight jar.

1 cup boiling water

2 shots gin

½ cup triple sec

¼ cup honey

1 shot lemon juice

¼ cup lime juice

½ cup mint leaves

1 shot sugar syrup

2 Tbsp sugar syrup

½ cup white rum (or to

Ice

½ cup pomegranate

bowls sprinkled with the

taste)

Basil leaves, to garnish

4 cups ice

remaining pistachios and crushed

¼ cup lemon juice

rose petals.

Ice

METHOD

Sparkling water, to top up

1. Muddle the basil leaves

4. Remove the icecream from the freezer 20 minutes before serving.

5. Serve scooped into decorative

Extra pomegranate, to garnish METHOD 1. Fill a blender with ice.

Mint leaves and cucumber

in the base of a

slices, to garnish.

cocktail shaker. Add

Add the tequila, triple

ice, the gin, lemon

sec, lime juice, sugar

METHOD

juice and syrup and

syrup and pomegranate,

1. Place the tea bags into

shake vigorously. Strain

blitzing until well

into glass.

combined.

the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove and stir through the honey. Cool.

2. In a large jug combine the tea, mint leaves, rum, lemon juice, half fill with ice and top up with sparkling water.

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FOOD + DRINK

FIND MORE RECIPES AT VIVA.CO.NZ

Viva + Pernod Ricard

ith more time spent at home this year, cocktail hour has cemented its position in our evening routines. Whether you adore entertaining others, or prefer to enjoy a moment of alone time at the end of the day, elevate the experience with a sophisticated (and well-stocked) drinks trolley. A classy addition to the living room, drink trolleys and bar carts were essential in well-heeled homes from the 1920s to the 1980s. Their recent return to favour captures the decadence of those eras, reinvented in a thoroughly modern way.

Superior drinks trolleys call for all the accoutrements of elegant imbibing – a top shelf roster of spirits and liqueurs like The Glenlivet 12yo whisky and Beefeater gin, fashionable glassware, and a flourish of seasonal florals for decoration.

1 2 3

4

8 5

6 10

1. G.H. Mumm Champagne 2. The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve Whisky 3. The Glenlivet 12yo Whisky 4. Perrier-Jouët Champagne 5. Malfy Original Gin 6. Ki No Bi Gin 7. Chivas Regal Scotch 13yo 8. Beefeater Blood Orange Gin 9. Monkey 47 Gin 10. Malfy Con Arancia

9 7

Credits: Drinks trolley, pink crystal carafe, and blue crystal bowl from European Antiques. Kmart cocktail glasses.

H&M Home goblets. Champagne bucket and flutes from French Country Collections. Monmouth Glass glasses.

Photography / Yuki Sato. Stylist / Victoria Bell.

Deliciously deep and earthy, Fig is the latest addition to Le Creuset’s palette of classic colours and trend-leading hues. Fig’s rich tones perfectly show off the functional beauty of Le Creuset cookware, with a sophisticated elegance that will find itself sitting pretty in any kitchen or tabletop. The collection includes an assortment of Enamelled Cast Iron cookware, oven-to-table Stoneware, and Kitchen Accessories.

Shop the collection at Le Creuset Auckland Boutique | Westfield Newmarket | 09 303 3539 or Le Creuset stockist near you.

Sponsored

Cocktail Class

The Dish

CULT COOKING

A

new way to drink whisky that oozes modern glamour, the aptly titled ‘The Glenlivet Royale’ is a stylishly simple cocktail to have in hand this party season.

Combining two chic classics and inspired by luxury lounge bars it’s a sight to behold; the rich amber hue of the single malt Scotch mingles with effervescent G.H Mumm Champagne to create a drink that’s decadent and effortless — attributes we all try to channel as party season heats up.

The bold and brash pages of South African-born chef Duncan Welgemoed’s new cookbook Africola aren’t dissimilar to the vivid food, decor and metal music on offer at his hip Adelaide restaurant of the same name. Here, he serves African food that’s sour, hot, salty, sweet and in-your-face, heroing vegetables and grains. Before opening Africola in 2014, Duncan earned his stripes at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, The Fat Duck, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Bistro Dom. Africola heralded a return to the food of his childhood and the cookbook is a riotous collection of African-inspired vegetables, grilled and smoked meats, flatbreads, pickles, ferments and desserts, styled to perfection against clashing prints, textiles and collage, like the Beetroot Salad of the Gods (pictured). Africola: Slow Food, Fast Words, Cult Chef (Allen & Unwin, $55).

A New Leaf

Because we all need a bowl that looks like a cabbage.

Raphael salad bowl, $170, from Redcurrent.co.nz FOOD + DRINK

The Glenlivet Royale: 30ml The Glenlivet 12yo 15ml honey water (1:1 ratio) 15ml lemon juice 80ml G.H Mumm Champagne Lemon twist to garnish

For more recipes and inspiration visit TheGlenlivet.com Instagram: @TheGlenlivet_ANZ #TheGlenlivet #OriginalByTradition

TAPA TIME

SS THE

Seltzer PA

There’s a new drinks category taking New Zealand by storm. Hard seltzers combine spirits with sparkling water and a dose of fruity flavouring. Seltzer just means sparkling, and hard, well, that means boozy. Most hard seltzers are mixed with gin or vodka, some are beer or cider-laced. We have one of each New Zealand-made variety to share.

1. EVERYDAY WEEKEND

is a premium hard seltzer combining fruit, sparkling water and vodka but with no artificial colours, sweeteners or preservatives. The flavours are unique to New Zealand, with Te Puke kiwifruit, Gisborne lime, Hawke’s Bay pear, apple and feijoa and mānuka honey, each with fun and quirky illustrations. 10 pack, $28, available at selected liquor outlets 2. ZEFFER CIDER CO

The Hawke’s Bay company has combined its cider into a seltzer range. Crafted using slow fermented Hawke’s Bay apples, sparkling water and 100 per cent real fruit, Zeffer’s new seltzer flavours include watermelon, guava, and orange and grapefruit. 10 pack, $29, from select liquor outlets 3. CLUB SETTER SELTZER

is a refreshing beer-based seltzer made from five ingredients and available in two flavours, watermelon and strawberry, and tropical, from NZ brewery DB. With natural fruit flavours and no artificial sugar, Club Setter Seltzer is 100 per cent natural — perfect for the discerning drinker.

10 pack, $27, from select liquor outlets

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CELEBRATORY CHAMPERS

Champagne house Piper-Heidsieck has launched a special limited-edition bottle and gift box to commemorate 100 years since American Prohibition. PiperHeidsieck’s signature Cuvee Brut NV, the 1920s-inspired bottle, $65, is labelled as a ‘Prohibition Edition’ and called ‘Piper Brut’, the name it was known as at the time. The limited-edition reflected the brand’s audacious history. This saw it launch Piper-Heidsieck-flavoured chewing tobacco to ensure consumers didn’t forget its taste during Prohibition, and embark on bootlegging missions to supply the US with its Champagne via French territory.

LOCAL FLAVOUR

Husband-and-wife team Jo and Dave James of Juno Gin started making gin in 2016, designing a bespoke copper still and experimenting with botanicals from their New Plymouth headquarters. With a focus on sustainability and provenance, Juno Gin includes orris root from Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa coriander seed, and limes from the North Island’s East Coast. Their limited-edition seasonal gins combine unique flavours like yuzu and horopito leaves they forage themselves.

The latest release is bright and fresh with notes of rose and pepper. Summer 2020 Gin, $44, from Junogin.com

FOOD + DRINK

Oh, how such a simple thing as a slice of Martinez Chorizo Extra on a piece of bread can transport us to Spain. It might be made in New Zealand (Central Otago’s Cromwell), but it’s as authentic as chef Vaughan Stanley and Spanish wife Nadine Martinez can make it. When the couple settled back in New Zealand their frustration that much of the chorizo available fell short on flavour and processing methods led to the creation of Martinez, producers of Spanish sausages and charcuterie. You will find exceptionally good sausages and charcuterie under the Martinez label but it’s the Chorizo Extra that has us excited because it’s platter season, and these cured sausages require no cooking, keep for months in the fridge and their intense flavour and richness mean that a little goes a long way. Add them to the store cupboard staples list these holidays. You can order Martinez products online at Sabato.co.nz, in gourmet food stores and select supermarkets.

Martinez.co.nz

THREE

l Cafes o o C TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR

2

1

Sponsored F.G. SMITH EATERY, NAPIER

From the Eat Drink Share group in Hawke’s Bay, the smooth hospitality operators behind Opera Kitchen (Hastings) and Picnic (Napier) and soon-to-open Italian restaurant Il Pirata, is F.G. Smith in Napier’s historic Ahuriri district. A cafe by day and events space by night, Smiths (as it’s known locally) has a breezy industrial warehouse-meets-gallery feel with concrete floors and white walls. It adjoins homeware store Jak & Co (previously Aroha & Friends), through a sliding door and has the buzzy feel of a concept store, with great coffee (Allpress) and cabinet food. The large courtyard is a drawcard, but it’s the Ahuriri neighbourhood itself that is part of the charm — a regenerating seaside suburb with a mix of industrial buildings, art deco relics and historic fisherman’s cottages.

9A Ossian St, Ahuriri, Napier

Health That Glows Through

B

lendabombs from Tom & Luke are the perfect addition to supercharge your next smoothie — created to help support immunity, nourish gut health and enhance your natural glow.

Blendabombs are made here in New Zealand from wholefood ingredients that are free from GMOs, refined sugar, soy, dairy and gluten.

There are three great variants: Immunity, Happy Tummy and (with a beautifying collagen booster) Glow.

SIDE-ON CAFE, DUNEDIN

What do you get when two Kiwis return home from working at some of Melbourne’s highly regarded food and coffee establishments? An outstanding cafe in Dunedin that makes everyone wish it was their local. Owners Alan Baxter and Renee Hope have put plenty of Melbourne’s understated coolness into Side-on’s fit-out and menu, which is relatively plant based but chef Alan wouldn’t label it as such, saying there’s no specific reasoning around what they serve other than it being yum. Alan worked with Dave Verheul at Town Mouse and Embla, and says he’s applying Dave’s ‘all ingredients are equals’ philosophy. If there is meat it is often secondary to vegetables. They’re not a poached egg and smashed avo on toast kinda place, but you will find egg, chopped with smoked warehou and potato salad, or fried under a bed of kale with kasundi on toast. You will find plenty of toast — they make bread in-house and it’s incredibly good. In fact, Side-on is as much bakery as

it is cafe. They bake bread every day except Sunday for purchase instore. They also specialise in laminated and enriched doughs, so their croissants, pastries and brioche are on par with the bread, and the cakes come mile-high, smothered in buttercream and featuring homemade preserves. Go say hi, you’ll find them at 326 Moray Place, Dunedin. Side-on.co.nz

3

SATURDAYS, CHRISTCHURCH

Decorated in icecream-parlour pastel tones, Saturdays is a beachfront cafe in Christchurch’s New Brighton, its name celebrating the suburb’s history as one of the first places to trade on the weekends in Christchurch in the 60s. It opened in May 2020 next to the new He Puna Taimoana saltwater hot pools, both of which add fresh vibrancy to this seaside suburb. 195 Marine Parade, New Brighton, Christchurch

FOOD + DRINK

Glow Smoothie Recipe: 1/4 cup coconut yoghurt 1 cup coconut milk 1/4 cup boysenberries 3/4 cup blueberries 1 Glow Blendabomb Break up the Blendabomb, add other ingredients, blitz for 60 seconds.

Serve and enjoy immediately!

For more recipes and inspiration visit Tomandluke.com Facebook: @tomandluke Instagram: @tom_and_luke #SmoothieSuperpower #TomAndLuke

Eat Shop Work Play Central Located in the heart of Frankton, just a few minutes drive from Queenstown Airport, the new Queenstown Central Shopping Centre has over 40 stores.

Discover locally-owned fashion boutiques, beauty pampering, outdoor adventure, specialty grocery and homeware, or fuel up at Foodies Lane and The Market for café, takeaway, and dine-in experiences.

Open 7 days a week with free 3-hour parking it’s the perfect spot to get-it-all-done, and-have-a-bit-of-fun, central – Queenstown Central.

19 Grant Road, Frankton, Queenstown www.queenstowncentral.co.nz

@queenstowncentral

Design Book Club A covetable collection of the latest and greatest art and design books, ideal for gifting, and perfect for creative coffee table stacking A picture book for adults, Shining Land: Looking for Robin Hyde tracks the life of New Zealand poet, journalist and war correspondent Robin Hyde, visiting pertinent locations from her life and work, photographed

by Haru Sameshima and told by novelist Paula Morris in a dynamic collaboration. $45, Massey University Press A trio of books from Thames & Hudson to add to the bookshelf include Truth Bomb: Inspiration from the Mouths and Minds of Women Artists by Abigail Compton, $55, a colourful compilation of pioneering and established women artists from around the world; Design Lives Here by Penny Craswell, $65, showcasing standout Australian residential architecture and interiors, and Flower Art by Makoto Azuma, $90, which collates Makoto's mind-bending flower art and botanical sculpture in striking settings, like orbiting the earth or under the sea.

See more books over the page...

BOOKS EDITOR: Johanna Thornton PHOTOGRAPHY: Babiche Martens

DESIGN

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Sponsored

Money Talks Mint Asset Management is shifting the goal posts for investment. Founder Rebecca Thomas tells Viva why

T

he finance world is changing, and the meaning of investment is expanding beyond profit and return to encompass social good and ethical responsibility. Mint Asset Management is part of that shift, demonstrating what accountable investing can be in everything from their work with the New Zealand Super Fund, to investing the savings of everyday New Zealanders. The company’s savvy, smart and shoe-loving CEO Rebecca Thomas spoke to Viva about the evolving world of asset management, growing the New Zealand economy, and why spending is as important as saving.

Can you tell us a bit about Mint?

Mint are an independent, New Zealand-owned funds management business who are the experts in investment. Think about it like the specialist you are referred to by your GP; we’re a tight team of highly experienced investment managers who don’t just work for Mint but own it. As a result, we’re quite well recognized as a high-quality investment house by people in-the-know.

Why is socially responsible investing integral?

I do think that there is a broad understanding that financial returns are only part of the story and the social impact of what’s done is also incredibly important. Mint are SRI (socially responsible investing) investors because we believe companies who pay attention to ES&G (environmental, social and governance) factors do better in the long-term. It’s also part of this concept of the social license to operate, which is that companies have a range of stakeholders — not just their shareholders — and a duty of care to the community, to their employees and to other parties.

How much money would someone need to invest with Mint?

For our retail investors, we take regular savings

from $250 per calendar month, and if you have people putting a lump sum with us, they can put in as little as $5000. Obviously, our large customers invest millions of dollars with us, but all of our investors appreciate the fact that all Mint’s funds have daily liquidity. This means that if your circumstances change you can switch or sell your investment and the proceeds will be in your bank account within three business days.

What do you spend your savings on?

For me now, it’s about holidays and experiences rather than material things. Savings give you options and choices about what you spend your money on — and it’s bloody important to spend it. The real beauty of it is — as we tell our older generation of clients here — that they must spend it and enjoy it. That’s the whole point of having this financial freedom.

Also, and this is simplistic I know, but the whole point about shares is that you are directing money to companies that you want to do well, and that you believe can grow faster than the underlying growth rate to the economy — so you’re trying to make GDP go faster in your country. That is the difference between productive and non-productive assets; buying a house doesn’t create the same amount of productivity and wealth that investing in shares or bonds does, so all of it is about making the bloody boat go faster and that’s good for New Zealand.

What led you to finance, and to New Zealand from the United Kingdom?

I was working in London as a barrister in 1986 and when the 1987 crash happened many of the firms corporatized and went on a mad dash to hire postgraduate trainees with diverse skillsets like accounting or law. I got headhunted and never looked back. As for New Zealand, my husband got a job here and within a few weeks of moving, I became the chief investment officer of ING.

REBECCA’S TOP TIPS FOR INVESTING

1. Start as early as possible with small amounts. Compounding of returns over time is paramount.

2. Keep going in good times and bad. T his means you will get some exposure at lower valuations.

3. Diversify. Own different types of investments to spread your options.

4. Reassess your risk appetite as your circumstances change over time.

5. Think about risk in terms of how you would feel in a worst-case scenario, if you lost a certain percentage of your savings, to help you set realistic long-term goals.

6. Think about your savings in three buckets. Short term needs, medium and long term. The highest risks you take should be with the long-term money you lock away and don’t think about day to day.

7. Do not look at or think about your savings day to day or month to month.

You don’t look at your house value every day. Financial assets go up and down all the time but it’s the long term that counts.

8. Get some advice from an independent Authorised Financial Advisor. This is money well spent and will help you set a framework and some goals. They will also do the homework for you on which managers and securities to select.

9. Be sceptical. If something looks too good to be true it probably is.

10. Enjoy spending it as you go. You can’t take it with you. Give gifts to family, friends and charity if this is what makes you happy.

Rebecca Thomas is CEO of Mint Asset Management.

The above article and opinions are intended to provide information and does not purport to give investment advice.

Books

↖ I NEVER MET A STRAIGHT LINE I DIDN'T LIKE

↑ BILLY APPLE LIFE/WORK

A collector’s tome in the making, the second book from Mary Gaudin and Matthew Arnold documents the modern architectural movement that rippled through Christchurch in the 1960s, with 12 incredible homes from the period designed by Warren & Mahoney, Ian Athfield, Nicholas Kennedy and more. $80, from Straightlinebook.nz

With more than 200 of Billy Apple’s colour illustrations, Billy Apple Life/Work by Christina Barton is the first major study of the artist's work as a pioneer of pop and conceptual art. The book chronicles the artist's (born Barrie Bates in Auckland, 1935) 60-year career in London, New York and Auckland. $75, Auckland University Press

↔ ME, ACCORDING TO THE HISTORY OF ART

New Zealand artist Dick Frizzell takes readers on a western art history lesson, from cave art to Cubism, recreating significant paintings and artworks by the likes of Rubens, Cezanne and Picasso (pictured, right) in an effort to "clarify, demystify and deobfuscate this mad business we call art". $64, Massey University Press

← A CENTURY OF COLOUR IN DESIGN

→ ENDLESS SEA

This pint-size hardback is a sweet celebration of colour in design, with 250 innovative objects from Bauhaus to Memphis style and the stories behind them, as told by David Harrison. Find a curated collection of furniture, fabric, lights and decorative objects that demonstrate how colour has defined key design pieces over the last century. $45, Thames & Hudson

135

DESIGN

Written by Frances Walsh and photographed by Jane Ussher, Endless Sea surveys the New Zealand Maritime Museum’s collection and explores our maritime history through 100 captivating objects from shipbuilding tools, to paua shell lures, canons and model ships.

A beautifully presented book with rich, full-page photos, it’s an ideal gift for seafaring folk, and lovers of boats and ships. $70, Massey University Press

↑ WONDERLAND

The iconic, hand-painted aerial photos of Leo White of Whites Aviation, produced over 50 years from 1945, have been compiled into a book by Peter Alsop. White’s handcoloured photos found their way into many New Zealand homes, with beautifully composed aerial images (such as Cape Kidnappers, pictured) at a scale previously unseen.

A delight from start to finish. $50, Potton & Burton

Comfort without compromising on style Shop our new season cooling range now.

Product shown: Ultra-Slim Tower Fan DCTFDC97

Minimalist design I Quiet I Powerful I Efficient Available from all major retailers

dimplex.co.nz

NATURAL TOUCH

Citta’s new summer collection takes on a sun-warmed colour palette and tactile textures according to their head of design, Imogen Tunnicliffe. “Natural materials and traditional weaving techniques celebrate craftsmanship,” says Imogen, of the hardwearing fabrics that cover many of their new season cushions.

Look out for the introduction of jute and hemp to the textile stable, along with hand-woven linens, raw silk and organic cotton.

“Jute and hemp are both incredibly efficient sources of renewable material due to their fast-growing ability,” she adds.

Tactile textures are paired with illustrations of garden flowers, sculptural forms and scenes inspired by daily life. The designs were originally hand-painted in Citta's Auckland studio by Imogen and her textile design team. Cushions from $50 at Cittadesign.com

OTHERWORLDLY LIGHT

Design Notebook Planet-friendly homewares, artful lighting and tactile textures to covet

These cheeky lanterns are the latest from American designer Stephen Burks. The designer’s work frequently touches on the meaning of handicraft and the humanity of those who create it. The collection began as an exploration of abstract figurative design when he was invited to exhibit in South Africa. Stephen developed The Others as a response to the misinterpretation of places and people less known. “I imagined a colourful community of dreamers, full of personality, gazing back at the rest of the world with ambition and pride. They appeared to me, almost like ambassadors or guides into our imagination,” says Stephen. The lanterns are handwoven and can be arranged in totem-like stacks. Pairs of hand-made acrylic eyes are available as whimsical accessories. With an aluminium frame and marble nero marquina bases, these lanterns are made for the outdoors and come in a range of colours, with an innovative LED outdoor lighting system that is rechargeable by solar panels or cable.

The Others by Stephen Burks for Dedon, from $2449, available from Dawson & Co

BALANCING ACT

OUTDOOR ALERT

The new Bell Chair by Magis is both stylish and eco-conscious, made from recycled polypropylene. This was sourced from the waste generated by Magis’ own furniture production line, and from the local car industry. The egg-shaped chair is half a normal chair's weight (2.7 kilos), fires out of the moulding machine at breakneck speed and is stacked on to a pallet ready for delivery. This perfectly formed chair with C-shaped legs can be stacked up to 24 high — warning to party people, not to be sat on when stacked!

Bell chair by Magis, $175 each, from Ecc.co.nz 137

DESIGN

Glass and brass work in harmony in this modernist sculptural floor lamp by New Zealand designers Douglas and Bec. Referencing the wire sculptures and mobiles created by American sculptor Alexander Calder, Auckland designer Rebecca Snelling looked to achieve balance and suspension with two hand-blown glass balls teetering on delicate brass arms. Available in a range of coloured glass; pictured is bronze green — the camel, blush and midnight hues also bring a splash of subtle colour to interiors. The natural brass will develop a rich patina over time, adding to the longterm appeal of these locally made, artful lamps. The Line Duo Floor Lamp, $1520, from Douglasandbec.com

Taking

138

PHOTOGRAPHY: Simon Wilson

off up

DESIGN

Perched high on a headland, this coastal bach nestles into the contours of a Mangawhai outcrop, providing a spectacular nest for one lucky Auckland family, writes GINNY FISHER

North

139

On

a summer afternoon, you may well find one of the owners of this Mangawhai holiday home snoozing in their hanging chair at the tip of this dart-shaped house. “It’s a little bit like being in the cockpit of a plane or a boat,” he says of the deck located off the master bedroom at the apex of the home designed by Auckland architect John Irving.

With views to the east, over the Hen and Chicken Islands, the private deck space is a sublime spot for bird-watching, and following the billowy clouds casting their shadows over Bream Bay. “The house is basically a north arrow,” says John, who swiftly sketched up the design during his first site visit. And surprisingly, the clients didn’t change a thing from his first presentation. “That never happens,” he adds.

The dart design allowed the 200sqm house to face north, while blocking out the only visible neighbour, and providing

140

ideal locations for all three bedrooms, one at the front and two at the rear, all enjoying different aspects of the rugged views. “The shape of the house was really just a direct response to the typography of the site,” he explains. “You’d think a triangle form might be a bit awkward, but it ended up working really well. Even though it is a strange shape, you don’t perceive it as such when you arrive. It actually looks more like a farm building with a gable on one end.”

The Auckland-based homeowners had been searching for a section that was within reasonable driving distance from Auckland, yet wasn’t overpopulated or built up. “We were after a feeling of isolation, but we also needed to be able to jump in the car after work on a Friday and still enjoy part of the evening,” he says. The solution was found after friends who had looked at the Breamtail Farm development, tipped them off.

The working farm located between DESIGN

Mangawhai Heads and Langs Beach had been developed into a gated coastal community and all 41 sites have expansive sea, coastal and country views. The owners of the Dart House were not only blown away with the vistas, but were also sold on the conservation values of the project.

Each resident has access to 186 hectares of preserved kauri forests and wetlands, where birds and wildlife thrive. Kākā, bellbirds, red-crowned kākāriki and the Northland brown kiwi can all be found here in the bushlands.

The rambling walking and riding trails span more than 20km and loop into the coastline, which includes Mangawhai Beach and a few smaller beaches tucked in among rocky outcrops. “We spend a lot of time walking the tracks or driving the quad bike down to the pavilion and pool area near the beach,” says the homeowner. The trip is just a five-minute ride from the Dart House, or 10-minute walk down the hill.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A 4m-long table from The Vitrine has prime position in the dining area; the striking cedar cladding was chosen for its rustic appeal and ability to blend with the surrounding bush; the gabled roof gives the triangle-shaped house a farmhouse facade from this angle.

His partner says they have got to know many like-minded neighbours and families since they built. “A few families live at the farm full-time and we’ll often organise cooking competitions down at the pavilion, or one of the neighbours will pop in and pick up our son on the quad bike,” she says.

In addition to a residents’ swimming pool, games room, tennis court and cooking area, there are also plans to put in a basketball court. Each property owner leases back their part of the land to the sheep farm and, apart from providing rural appeal, the lease monies keep the residents’ fund flush to offset the costs of maintaining the conservation areas. “I think my favourite view is over the farm. The sheep and cattle come right up to our fenceline, it’s pretty cool,” she says.

The bucolic view is also on the sunset side and most nights there is a spectacular show of colour, filling the evening sky with shades of pink, peach and purple.

There are two deck areas off the middle of the living area, one on the east and one on the west. Depending on which way the breeze is blowing, the couple set up camp and often spend hours lying on the deck watching the clouds, the light and the water. “It’s a spectacular changing picture,” she says.

The couple split their duties when it came to the building process. The nuts and bolts of the exterior build were left to the man of the house, who says cedar, clad over dark-painted weatherboard, was chosen for its rustic appeal and the fact that once it greys off, it recedes into the bush. One of the more unexpected aspects of the build was the complexities related to the unusual floor plan. “Little did I know the triangle shape would increase the cost of, well, everything, due to odd shaped boards, windows and joinery,” he says.

Even so, he is thrilled with the result, admitting the master bedroom, which has 141

LEFT: The black glass splashback in the kitchen reflects the everchanging ocean views. BELOW: A swinging chair from Dawson & Co.

“And the rugs hide the dog hair.” The owner had difficulty finding a dining table long enough for the space, so she ended up at French antique importers The Vitrine who had a 4m trestle top they ended up making into a table. She also sourced from them an antique bench that sits to one side of the table. The 'Ta' dining chairs were found at Auckland’s Dawson and Co as were the 'Raft' bar stools.

In the master bedroom, a black stained ply bed from Tim Webber takes centre stage, while in her son’s room a custom bunk bed set in black was designed by Studio John Irving Architects. The two sling chairs from Madder and Rouge were a gift from wife to husband after the land was purchased and the swinging chair where her husband loves to snooze was found at Dawson & Co. “We always know where he is when he’s disappeared.”

At this stage, artworks appear only in the bedroom, featuring works from the owner’s Pacifika art collection and framed pieces of school art from her son’s bedroom.

“I’m looking for a piece for the only wall in the living area that can take an artwork — my husband was actually quite pleased there weren’t too many places for art here — not that we need any distraction from the view.” •

windows on both sides that open to dense bush in the west and the sparkling ocean to the east, is his favourite room, whereas it might not be his wife’s. “I don’t sleep that well when there is a full moon!” She’s sold on the expansive kitchen that features a 6m raw-concrete bench — poured on site, as it was too large to transport. “The kitchen is in the widest part of the house, so you can see the farm and sea views from the helm.”

For good measure, John threw in a visual trick in the kitchen to capture the vistas.

The black glass splashback acts like a subtle mirror. “It’s not as narcissistic as a standard mirror,” says the architect, who positioned it just below eye level so you wouldn’t be staring at yourself all day. Rather the ocean views are moodily reflected back at the stool dwellers and the chef.

Part of the brief was that the interiors needed to be robust, easy-to-clean and informal. “When I’m designing a holiday home, I think about informality, and

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the materials have to be bulletproof and the kitchen, especially, needs to lack the banality of everyday life.” John specified cedar ceilings and cabinets with push catches, while plasterboard was avoided entirely.

“The palette is warm and dark as there is plenty of light in the house,” he says. The homeowners selected matte-black stained floorboards to work with the overall cedar and black theme.

“We live in a villa in Auckland, so we didn’t want anything white. We were looking for a slightly moody, mid-century modern look,” she says. “And it’s just as lovely on a windy, cloudy day as it is on a bright day.”

ECC lighting features throughout the home – above the kitchen island is the 'Running Magnet' by Flos. Also from ECC, in the living room, armchairs by Ritzwell add mid-century appeal. The Nodi rugs were chosen for their softness and texture.

DESIGN

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hile the thought of a tropical holiday right now is enough to excite our travel-starved senses, a trip to Fiji, just a three-hour plane ride away, will also unearth a trove of cultural, luxury and artisan gems that make a visit here the complete package. Fiji is one of the few countries in the world to have maintained “Covid-contained” status since May 2020.

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STAY Tokoriki Island Resort If you want to amplify the romance in your life, there’s nowhere more suitable than the boutique luxury of Tokoriki Island Resort. The ideal destination for a child-free escape or honeymoon, you’ll enjoy your own tropical outdoor shower and lush landscaped garden surroundings at your Fijian-style air-conditioned bure.

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Kokomo Private Island True escapism awaits at Kokomo Private Island. This unique paradise retains all its natural beauty while also intertwining traditional Fijian design and contemporary living throughout the entire island. Privacy is king here; there are 21 beachfront villas, five luxury residences and the option to

do a complete island buyout. Arrive in style with your private sea plane and relax into the ultimate wellness holiday.

Kokomoislandfiji.com Wakaya Club & Spa Lush, undisturbed rainforest and pristine white beaches are the setting for Wakaya Club & Spa. Situated on 2200 acres, the resort, with its 10 guest bures and two private luxury villas, is surrounded by an incredible diversity of plants and fauna, and stunning lagoons. Dip your toes in its surrounding sea waters and exquisite coral awaits; Wakaya is proud to have Fiji’s only marine reserve at its shore, home to giant clams, vibrant coral and a plethora of sea life.

Wakayaresort.com SHOP Samson Lee Well, if it’s good enough for Jacinda… Fashion designer and boutique fashion label Samson Lee has made quite the name for himself, having personally dressed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on her official visits to the Pacific Island nation. With exquisite pieces, such as vibrant kaftans, Samson’s designs ensure the heart and style of Fiji remains with you wherever you go.

Facebook.com/samsonleefiji Rise Beyond the Reef Bring a little of the tropics into your home with the beautifully crafted wares of Rise Beyond the Reef. From gorgeous tableware and accessories to gift items, these handmade objects fuse traditional Fijian craft methods with contemporary style and design. Better still, Rise Beyond the Reef is an active non-profit organisation that helps improve the lives of rural women and children.

Risebeyondthereef.org INDULGE Dusk Till Dawn Spa Treatment Let yourself be completely immersed in

relaxation with the ‘Dusk Till Dawn’ package at Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort. A team of professionals will be on hand to pamper, starting with drawing you a private outdoor bath, accompanied by a platter of fresh seasonal fruit. You’ll then be treated to a full body scrub and a 60-minute tensionreleasing body massage, along with a light spa meal that will replenish you before a peaceful night’s sleep.

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Overwater Bungalow At Likuliku Lagoon Resort you can access the ocean from your own private balcony in one of 10 beautifully appointed bures sitting majestically above the coral reef – Fiji’s first and only authentic overwater accommodation. An island haven of subtle luxury for adults only, this wilderness retreat is designed to respect and honour Fijian cultural values, traditional designs and architecture.

Likulikulagoon.com Private Island Picnic Guests of Yasawa Island Resort & Spa are lucky enough to be surrounded by 11 beautifully secluded beaches (voted #4 in the World by Expedia) and included in your stay is a luxury picnic on one of them.

Choose from a selection of deliciousness, order a bottle of champagne and you are ready to be delivered to your private beach for a day of decadent spoils.

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Petal to the Metal Karl Maughan’s large, lush oil paintings take viewers up fluorescent garden paths through surreal floralscapes.

The release of his first monograph is a testament to a lifetime of artistic dedication to the wonders of the garden, writes GINNY FISHER

The

artist Karl Maughan and I are having a good laugh. We both attended the same miniscule country school in the middle of Manawatū. What are the chances? He texts me a faded black and white photograph of a blond boy, knee high to a grasshopper, laden with a leather satchel waiting for the Colyton School bus. It was here in the Manawatū, where rhododendrons bloom big and bright and where the fertile soil is kind to flowers and shrubs, Karl became inspired by gardens, particularly those lovingly created by his mother, Lesley.

“Mum had a fantastic cottage garden with several perennial borders and many larger trees planted near the edge, all of which now are very big. She has a great sense of the whole feeling of a garden, she planted for colour and shape,” he says on a call from the home in Wellington he shares with novelist Emily Perkins and their three children.

Green-thumbed Lesley went on to complete a diploma of horticulture and later became a landscape designer and teacher of horticultural science at Massey University. Karl, now 56, went on to meticulously and prolifically paint gardens — and only gardens — for the next 30odd years.

“I can’t say exactly how many paintings I have completed, probably around 400.

The big ones (2200mm x 1500mm) take

THREE KINGS by Karl Maughan, 2016. Oil on canvas, 1370 x 1830mm. Private collection.

Image courtesy of Cameron Drawbridge.

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ABOVE: SALAMANCA ROAD (detail) 2014. Image courtesy of Tobias Kraus.

BELOW: Karl Maughan in his Wellington studio, 2020.

Image courtesy of John Crawford.

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me a couple of weeks.”

Such a large well of eye-popping work makes for spectacular diversity within the 150 plates in his decadent book, Karl Maughan. The paintings take their titles from the roads where residential gardens are located — Zig Zag, Speedy and Colyton Rd, or well known, open-tothe-public gardens like Gorden Collier’s Titoki Garden in Taihape. And from the plots he visited while living in London and travelling to France, especially Monet’s Garden, which still provides inspiration today.

In the 252-page book, Karl’s intricately painted gardenscapes break up memorable stories from the painter’s life, from varying perspectives of teachers, friends, painters and art historians.

Artist Hannah Valentine and art historian Gabriella Stead — employees of Karl’s representing gallery, Gow Langsford — pen a thought-provoking overview of the artist’s life and his chosen subject matter: “The garden provides a backdrop for joyous moments, like birthdays and weddings ... providing solace and calm in times of stress ... And, in recent days, confined to the space of our homes ... a space of reprieve.”

Dick Frizzell, who taught Karl at Elam, writes the foreword and introduces Karl fondly and candidly: “ ... his big long legs carrying him about with pace ... Karl’s solution was incredibly old-fashioned.

Paint what you know ... what you love. Just paint it. Don’t overthink it. Stop talking!”

Stories of Karl’s childhood and formative years in the Manawatū are shared by Dr Linda Tyler from the University of Auckland, an art historian and associate professor who has followed Karl’s artistic career. She writes: “In

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using his last eight shots on a roll of film to document his mother’s garden in Guildford Street in Ashhurst in the summer of 1986, Maughan set himself up with the imagery which would sustain him not only for the first year of his Master of Fine Arts at Elam but also for the next four years.”

Karl was an only child, and grew up surrounded by creatives, a literary pack mostly, headed up by his late Geordie father, C. W. (Bill) Maughan, who was very involved in the arts, theatre and music, all the while working as an economist.

In the late 1970s, after falling off his motorcycle and receiving a modest payout from ACC, Bill left his Treasury job and became a landscape gardener. Alongside other creative pursuits, his father was an accomplished painter and writer and published a children’s book during this period. Karl recalls listening in on many drunken sessions his father shared with poets Sam Hunt and Alistair Campbell.

Karl says his father was an interesting artist but, being an Englishman at a time when Colin McCahon had heralded the dawning of a new age in landscape painting, driven

by New Zealanders, he felt a bit out-ofplace and ended up not pursuing painting in a serious way.

Karl recalls a frustrated Bill making an impressive and colourful bonfire of his unsold paintings when the family moved from Colyton near Feilding to Ashhurst in the Manawatū in 1977. “I remember the crazy coloured flames — from all the oil paint, and the 3D sculpture he’d made of Mum going on the fire too. He decided to keep the head though,” he laughs. Bill eventually went back to economics and became a professor at Massey University, while the young Karl had already begun drawing obsessively. “There weren’t as many distractions in those days, so if you were bored, you’d just draw.”

So came art school at Elam, and the gardens he had started painting for his Masters solidified his painting language.

There are many poetic passages in the book — reflections on the connections between art, gardening and happiness. Linda writes: “As nature shaped and trained by human hand, gardens are themselves works of art ... so Karl Maughan’s paintings are art made from art. His gardens are empty of human presence, offering a sense of both sanctuary and the freedom to roam alone, unobserved, contemplating how a herbaceous border might represent the fine balance between order and chaos.”

While Karl agrees gardens represent order over nature and perhaps our battle to tame the wild within us, he is also rather straightforward as to the reason he paints gardens. “Flowers are a language I use. Once you have a language in art, if that works, then why move away from that? Right now I can think of at least 30

PENELOPE ROAD by Karl Maughan, 2009. Oil on canvas, 1830 x 1500mm.

Private collection. Image courtesy of Gow Langsford Gallery.

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Installation view, SOUTH, 2019, Milford Galleries, Dunedin.

Image courtesy of Glenn Frei.

gardens I want to paint and so many more in the future. I’ve never needed to paint anything else.”

His process starts with photographing gardens he admires; Gordon Collier’s garden in Titoki Point has been a lifelong favourite, but he says it was recently sold and has become overgrown. “That’s a problem in New Zealand. Gardens grow so quickly, at some point you have to start ripping out plants and trees.” Once he has compiled a diverse array of photographic imagery, Karl creates a composition that pleases him by piecing together parts of each photograph in a collage-like fashion.

“The photos give me structure, then I’ll find a good composition. If I want more red here or there, I’ll take another piece of another garden and add it in there.”

He’ll grid up the painting from the photos and then comes the paint — thick, and lustrous, clean in colour, high key and uplifting. “These days I am using much thicker paint, and I tend to use darker greens, as opposed to black. I’m also adding more oil to my paint to give it that flowing quality.” While he is known for his intense colour — “I look at some of the paintings I made 10 years ago and think, ‘God, that’s a lot of colour’, ” — Karl is becoming more interested in foliage over flowers. “I am painting foliage first and building around that. When you look at greenery, there are so many colours in there anyway.”

Any suggestion that painting must come more easily now, is quickly quashed. “I still

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battle with paint and I stuff up a lot.

I scrape it off, rub it away, cut it out, it’s a bit like gardening really.”

His own garden in central Wellington is tiered and steep, with vegetables and many of his beloved blooms, including those iconic rhododendrons and hydrangeas.

Of his gardening on canvas, he adds in his typically laid-back tone: “I’ll chuck in a few perennial flowers, like the cornflower, but I like to go hard with one particular flower like a rhododendron, then I’ll stop doing that and paint hydrangeas.”

Friend, writer and fellow artist Phil King, who is based in the UK, writes wistfully of Karl’s early career days spent in a dingy, shared warehouse studio in London’s East End in the 90s. “There, in that ultimate inner-city environment, he made something restorative bloom, as always, with his light touch. Like a latterday Matisse, he offered a sense of utopian promise in his paintings, superficial yet profound and nourishing ... I remember how modest his ambition seemed ... endlessly painting plants. But there he was, day after day painting them, enjoying the colour and creating the light in our dark environment.”

It was here in London, Karl found light in his personal life too, marrying writer Emily Perkins and raising three children in Shoreditch. Many successful exhibitions later — with works in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū and the Wallace Arts Trust —and internationally

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in the Saatchi Collection and the Arts Council Collection, London.

Karl finds himself living in Wellington — the place he was born in 1964. His art studio is colourfully described by poet, painter and writer Gregory O’Brien. “A winter garden or greenhouse. Sun from its west-facing windows warms the afternoon room where paintings-in-progress hang from nails along an adjacent wall. Karl doesn’t use an easel. Like a gardener, he wanders, brush-in hand, between the stretched canvases, going along the row, adjusting or introducing a new element.

He has the tanned complexion you would expect of a horticulturalist rather than a painter. He wears shorts, year-round, Roman sandals or sneakers. A jagged line of yellow from a loaded brush leaves a sunlike iridescence along the upper edge of a flower shape, and another, and another.

The opposite of pruning or picking flowers.

Back the brush goes to the lunar landscape of the palette, and here it comes again.”

In the other half of Karl’s studio is his legendary library of art and literature books that provide him with references and solutions for solving pictorial problems. “When you become an artist you become closer to other artists,” he says.

Other sources of inspiration, particularly for background ideas, often pop up on old TV shows. “Yeah, I’ll often photograph the TV,” he admits laconically. Shop windows are also a source of inspiration.

His wife Emily once told him she thought his paintings could be construed as quite menacing. This appealed to Karl.

“You place these beautiful things in the foreground but there’s also the feeling that something could jump out from behind them.” And then there is the amped-up, bright light he is known for that gives his work a hyper-real quality. It’s always the middle of a sun-drenched day and dissecting these colourful, claustrophobic spaces with just a smidgen of a sky, there is a path leading you to a place you might not necessarily want to go.

But you go there anyway because, as Karl’s friend, Greg puts it, “The garden is everything.”

KARL MAUGHAN edited by Hannah Valentine and Gabriella Stead, Auckland University Press, $80.

DONKEY BAY INN

There’s Nowhere Quite Like It! From the moment you walk through the sunflower-yellow curved tunnel and into in the almond shaped courtyard, it’s clear that you’ve arrived somewhere unique. Donkey Bay Inn combines outstanding architecture with 5-star luxury, opulent furnishings and a distinctly relaxed New Zealand vibe.

One of their friendly team will greet you and give you a tour before showing you to your room. And there’s a lot to see.

The generous open plan dining and kitchen space opens onto an enormous deck with unobstructed ocean views, (one of the best things about this property is that you enjoy incredible sea views from almost every room, including the bathrooms!).

Other common areas include a beautiful library and a large retro bar/lounge area which, like the rest of the resort, is packed with original art and collectibles. Tucked discreetly in the garden is an open-air bathroom featuring two deep oval baths, just perfect for a soak while you take in the sunrise or night sky. Or you can take the private access down to the secluded beach below.

Donkey Bay Inn has just 4 rooms and suites and each offers stunning ocean views with private sitting areas and balconies. Three have king-size, 4-poster beds and no two rooms are furnished the same. There’s a touch of whimsical and a lot of colour in the décor, all of which creates a truly memorable experience.

To ensure the ultimate relaxation this property is child-free, unless you book the whole resort.

Christmas overseas… Right here in New Zealand!

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In need of a solitary holiday? Retreat to these six secluded — and mostly WiFi-free — getaways, perched atop private peninsulas, nestled in spectacular backcountry and hidden among the olive groves

The Great Escape

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PurePods Kaikōura LOCATION Kaikōura PRICE From $590 per night VISIT Purepods.com

The idea of going "backcountry" typically evokes images of hiking boots, long socks and shorts, a giant backpack and a night in a tent or DOC hut. But going backcountry with PurePods is an image of luxury, isolation and endless views of nature, while retaining that off-grid simplicity so many intrepid travellers seek. You might still need decent boots for a short hike to the hut but PurePods are remote five-star backcountry huts made mostly out of glass, to make you feel as if there’s nothing standing in the way of you and the farmland, mountains or ocean surrounding you.

There are several PurePods scattered in locations across the South Island, but a particularly spectacular example is the Manakau hut in Kaikōura. To get there, you’ll need to drive about 20 minutes out of the Kaikōura township, followed by a 10-minute hike through a grove of kānuka trees to get to the pod. The escape provides a total digital detox as there is no WiFi and it is completely off-grid, using solar energy for heating. That means there is no air conditioning, but there are blinds and ceiling shades if it becomes too hot in the sun.

It’s not unlike living in a mini selfcontained glass box, away from shops, noisy vehicles and other people, as well as a total immersion in nature with views everywhere you look. The night sky is unpolluted, which makes it perfect for stargazing, so a telescope and star map are provided, as well as some books and games.

You’ll also have views out to the Kaikōura ranges including the mighty Mt Fyffe, towering more than 2600m over the region. The pod is fully self-catered but meal kits can be provided, with a Weber barbecue outside. Ideally, you want to stay on a clear night, so you can gaze up through the glass panels, knowing it’s just you and the galaxy in that very moment.

Although this kind of isolation might feel daunting, just think of the satisfaction that'll come with surviving a digital-free experience. The PurePod would make a romantic escape for a couple but it is also perfect for a solo retreat for a traveller with an appreciation for isolation and a desire to disconnect from the world.

—Juliette Sivertsen

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The Glasshouse LOCATION Taiharuru, Whangārei PRICE $1250 per night, minimum stay two nights VISIT Araroa.nz

This architecturally stunning hideaway sits on a secluded 8ha at Whāngārei Heads. You’ll feel immersed in nature while enjoying luxurious comfort, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls showcasing 180-degree ocean views out over this private peninsula.

The Glasshouse is a majestic onebedroom retreat, snuggled in among ancient pōhutukawa trees on the Kauri Mountain Point Estate. It’s a remote escape, but without the hard work of needing to hike through a bush to get there, as you can drive straight up to this little slice of luxurious paradise, or land at the helicopter pad. No expense has been spared and the property is completely sheltered and hidden from the rest of the world. With a private beach, you’ll feel like you have an exclusive island to yourself, with only birdsong and the sounds of the ocean to distract you.

There are views of nature from every angle, even in the bathroom. Technically it

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is an "outhouse" a few steps away from the main house, but it’s as fancy as they come with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall offering views of the ocean through the bush.

There’s a large deck, which provides the perfect spot for morning yoga or reading a book, but a favourite spot for many guests is the rockpool, which is filled with saltwater reticulated via solar energy. Once you’ve had a soak in the pool, rinse off in the freshwater shower before heading to a sun lounger to take in TRAVEL

the views for the rest of the afternoon.

If it cools down at night once the summer sun has dropped below the horizon, an outdoor fireplace provides the perfect spot to unwind outdoors.

Inside, there's a fully equipped designer kitchen with a Nespresso machine, builtin Ipad-controlled sound system and WiFi available. It’s the perfect stay for couples who want a secluded hideaway but don't want to sacrifice comforts.

— Juliette Sivertsen

Slate Hut LOCATION Garston, 45 minutes south of Queenstown PRICE From $120 per night VISIT Welcomerock.co.nz/slatehut

If you’re a hiker or mountain biker with a keen sense of adventure, The Slate Hut offers a totally private shelter on a highcountry working farm near Queenstown — complete with your very own tramping and biking trail. The area is known as Welcome Rock, a nationally-protected 2000ha high country station.

The hut is simple and proudly rustic, sleeping up to four people, and has a basic gas cooker, utensils, a longdrop toilet and an outside bath. There is no power, which means it has no heating, but it’s positioned near the highest point of the private trail, on the ridgeline at 1000m, and is quite the suncatcher. From the hut, you’ll have panoramic views over the surrounding mountains, valley, tussock, beech trees and impressive natural schist rock formations. It’s a dream spot for those who crave isolation and self-dependence, but are keen for a more intrepid escape.

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Naturally there’s limited cell coverage, making it the perfect isolation station.

The hut is about 2km from the carpark, so you’ll need to hike or bike in; expect the hike to take about 40 minutes, carrying all your gear with you. You will need to bring food for your stay as well as toilet paper and sleeping needs such as a sleeping bag, pillows and bags for your rubbish.

However, you can upgrade to a package that includes food, linen and towels.

Don’t forget to pack a torch as well. The private hiking and biking trail is 27km long, and 21km of it was built with a pick and shovel, including its stone bridges and waterways. For mountain bikers, the trail is considered an Intermediate/Grade 3 cross-country ride, and for hikers it is a backcountry track so make sure you have sturdy footwear. The Slate Hut is a unique getaway for adventurous spirits.

— Juliette Sivertsen

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Connells Bay Cottage LOCATION Connells Bay, Waiheke Island PRICE $400 per night, $50 per person for each extra guest VISIT Connellsbay.co.nz

There’s a sweet relief that takes over on the ferry to Waiheke Island. The expanse of water between the island and the mainland is a cathartic release, as the stressors of city life are left behind.

The charm of Waiheke Island is even more pronounced when you delve deeper inland, past sprawling Onetangi Beach, down the winding bend of Orapiu Rd, and eventually cruising along the metal road of Cowes Bay to arrive at the quaint Connells Bay. This peaceful retreat is owned by passionate art and theatre lovers John and Jo Gow, who have, for more than two decades, cultivated this lush 25ha property, studded with a vast collection of contemporary New Zealand sculptures.

From titans such as Bob Stewart, Fatu Feu’u, Michael Parekowhai, Phil Price, Gregory Kregar and Neil Dawson to the new vanguard including Dane Mitchell and Fiona Connor — the works are diverse and are there to be enjoyed over an early

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morning walk or an afternoon picnic.

Aside from the artful distractions, the Victorian-style guest cottage is a sweet two-bedroom villa with private access to the beach and gardens. Upon checkin, John and Jo include complimentary provisions: bacon, eggs, milk, and fresh jam, and if you’re lucky, you might befriend the property’s charming cat, JJ. The journey here may be slightly intrepid (it's a 40-minute drive from the ferry), but it’s worth the effort if you’re looking for a place to get away from the world in an inspiring setting. A 4WD is preferable if you're making your way here, as the driveway from the main road of Cowes Bay is extremely steep. Make sure you are fully stocked, as you'll want to make the most of the property and not have to venture back and forth for essentials. If you really need to get away from the luxury of having this place to yourselves, there are restaurants and vineyards nearby including Peacock Sky Vineyard, Passage Rock Wines Bistro and Poderi Crisci, (a beautiful spot to linger over lunch).

For those wanting to escape and switch off and be left to their own devices with the convenience of a sprawling green estate and private coastal views (and a friendly cat) — this is the place to be. — Dan Ahwa

Waiheke Island

SUMMER WINE & DINE From

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This summer, set sail across the beautiful Hauraki Gulf for an afternoon or evening of indulgence at one of seven destination restaurants on Waiheke Island.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES by Neil Dawson at the Connells Bay sculpture park on Waiheke Island. Michael Parekowhai's MANGU. A botanical piece by photographer Ann Shelton.

Minaret Station Alpine Lodge LOCATION Wanaka PRICE from $2950 for a three-night midweek stay VISIT Minaretstation.com

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If you want to truly get off the grid, and are in possession of a few extra dollars due to a cancelled trip to Europe this year, then the luxurious Minaret Station is a must.

The only way into this 20,000ha station located on the far side of Lake Wanaka, is by helicopter, and from the minute you take off you know this is going to be an experience unlike any other.

The journey is breath-taking, crossing the glistening blue lake before peeling off and following a fast-flowing stream up into a secret valley — on one side an ancient beech forest, on the other towering schistcovered mountains where over 10,000 wild deer graze.

The chopper hovers in front of a thundering waterfall before the valley opens up and you finally set eyes on the lodge in the distance. You may be 1000m above sea level, but the lodge and its four chalets are dwarfed by the towering landscape that stretches another 2000 metres up, up, up into the endless blue sky.

Tempting as it is to spend your days here lazying around in awe of the landscape, why not get amongst it? After a gourmet breakfast, be swept away (by helicopter, of course) on a bespoke adventure into a remote corner of this wilderness playground — mountain biking, hunting, backcountry fishing or heli-skiing. There’s the option to ‘pop’ over the Southern Alps and explore the wildlife of the west coast (coming back with some crayfish and whitebait for dinner, no doubt), or head south to the Dusky Sounds, over mountains and rainforests, and explore remote parts of the Fiordland National

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Park that, accessible only by boat or helicopters, very few people ever get to experience. Or maybe it’s as simple as a Champagne picnic on a mountain-top, or a day experiencing the machinations — from mustering to shearing — of this working station. Or you may prefer to keep your feet on the ground and head off with a guide on one of the many walking tracks that lead you deep into this immense landscape where keas fly so close the red feathers of their underwings provide an exhilarating shot of colour in this fawny landscape.

At night, guests gather in the lodge for drinks and then dinner around the communal table, and share tales of the day’s derring-do over a menu created by resident chef Al Wilson. Think manukasmoked rainbow trout caught by a fellow guest, served with macadamia nuts, followed by Dusky Sound crayfish tail with burnt butter, celeriac, apple and fennel. For a main, Te Mana lamb with eggplant, chard, spring onion, hazelnuts and endive. The dessert, a chocolateblueberry souffle with coconut sorbet.

And this is just one night.

High on life, a stroll down the boardwalk, guided by the moon, will take you back to your luxury chalet. And, before rolling exhausted into the giant bed, you will want to soak in the outdoor hot tub. With the air crisp and fresh, the silence soothing, and a galaxy of stars overhead, you can't help but marvel at your insignificance on this mighty planet, and give thanks for sharing an experience unlike any other. — Amanda Linnell

The Green Rabbit LOCATION Mangonui, Far North PRICE From $250 per night, minimum two nights VISIT Canopycamping.co.nz/ green-rabbit

For a cosy cabin stay with lots of personality, The Green Rabbit just outside of Mangonui offers a nurturing escape from the world. This cute pitchedroof sanctuary with a beautiful timber interior sits on the edge of Northlanding Olive Grove in the Far North, on the banks of the Oruaiti River. The olive grove has more than 500 trees, which are harvested to produce the Shaken Down olive oil. It takes about four hours to drive there from Auckland, and is about a five-minute drive from Mangonui.

Entry to the property is via a keycode at the gate, so you can be assured you’re in a private, tucked-away location.

You’ll feel a million miles away, relaxing with a book in the little bed nook while gazing out through the large window to the olive trees, or watching the sun go down while lying in the hammock outside. An outdoor bath is the perfect place for stargazing on a clear night.

The cabin is fully self-contained but the hosts can provide you with a homemade pancake breakfast kit if you choose. There’s a small fridge, a twoburner cooktop and a barbecue outside.

Basic cooking supplies including coconut oil, salt, pepper, tea and coffee are provided. The cabin is powered by an off-grid solar system. There isn’t any WiFi to allow you to disconnect, although there is some mobile reception, albeit a bit patchy. The bathroom has a shower, hand basin and a composting toilet.

Set the mood for your stay with the

selection of vinyl records available to peruse and play, and lounge on the private deck outside or while having a wine as you soak in the outdoor bath.

If you have a kayak or paddle board, bring it along for a paddle down the river, or head to the nearby Cooper’s Beach for a swim. If it gets a little cool at night, the cabin has a gorgeous tiny woodburner, adding to the cosiness and character of this fun little hideaway. It’s a cute escape for couples or solo travellers, and has plenty of personality and charm.

— Juliette Sivertsen

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VIVA NOTES

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HAND CRAFTED Asili borrows its name from the Swahili word meaning essence, genesis, the source of something. The refreshed homewares collection from this fledgling New Zealand brand is a true celebration of the materials and makers that formed its latest series. Handcarved and crafted by artisan groups in Uganda and Kenya, CLASS ACT

within a Fairtrade framework

Servilles Academy students are driven, bold, creatives eager to

that supports its makers, Asili’s

learn and better themselves. They come from a diverse range

contemporary designs strike a

of backgrounds, places, cultures, viewpoints and values. They

natural harmony between the

are following their dreams and passions, sometimes against

ornamental and the functional

their family’s wishes. Training providers often focus on the

that perfectly complement

achievements of graduates, their wins once in the industry.

each other and the home; like

This is, of course, a reason to celebrate, but Servilles Academy

this flower pot, $690, and high

are making a point of celebrating students while they are still

bowl set, $200.

studying and at the beginning of their journeys. The academy’s

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current advertising highlights this through utilising the skills and talents of their students as both artists and models, creating a unique and aspirational environment ready for the next generation of hair, barber and makeup creatives.

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CHEERS TO CUVÉE No.1 Family Estate is New Zealand’s only specialist Méthode Traditionelle winery. Their range is hand-crafted by owner and winemaker, Daniel Le Brun, in the time-honoured traditions of his family in Champagne.

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of citrus and stone fruit — perfect

with immunity, gut health and your natural glow in mind; these little cubes

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over the festive season.

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VITAMIN SEA Bring Fiji’s wellness secrets into your home. Nama Fiji’s main ingredient comes from the ocean — nama are also called ‘sea grapes’. Found in the Yasawa Islands, nama is the key ingredient for this organic beauty and spa product range, and sourced through a sustainable harvesting programme that provides income opportunities to Fijian women.

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ON THE WATCH The elegant design of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch3 includes a sleek stainless steel finish, genuine leather strap and a precisionrotating bezel. It’s available in premium hues including Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze. You can monitor your blood oxygen, use it to help plan fitness workouts and even improve your running form. Spotify integration allows for direct streaming (4G model), downloading playlists (Bluetooth-only model).

Galaxy Watch3 starting from $749 RRP Samsung.com/nz CREATOR’S CHOICE The ideal combination of versatility, mobility and cutting-edge tech, the new HP ENVY laptop makes it possible for all levels of creators to capture, create, and bring digital concepts and ideas to life.

HP ENVY 15 is available to purchase now via Noel Leeming, Harvey Norman and PB Technologies starting from $3799.

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DRY SPELL Take a break from wet-washes and blow drying without sacrificing an ounce of style.

Joico Weekend Hair Dry Shampoo not only ISLAND ESCAPE

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Enjoy the best of Waiheke Island with Fullers’ Summer Wine & Dine

the longevity of your hair colour. With oil-

tour, and set sail across the beautiful Hauraki Gulf for an afternoon

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or evening of indulgence at one of seven destination restaurants on

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Viva Directory

Exquisite, hand-embroidered, luxurious cushions and gifts. www.donnahoyledesign.co.nz

Buy your unique Christmas Champagne Gift, couriered to your home.

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*As featured in VIVA. You must be aged 18 or older to participate in this promotion. Price is per bottle for exclusive grower Champagne Assailly Grand Cru Cuvee du Patron. 6 or more 10% discount. Single bottle price inclusive of courier delivery $72 for Auckland metro. $75 for North Island. $78 for South Island. Based on single bottle price. Valid until 20.12.2020.

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Explore Waitangi Treaty Grounds with the whole family.

Children are free and receive a discovery trail on arrival. Explore two new museums, learn more about our history during the guided tour, watch the carvers, and enjoy an action-packed cultural performance.

0800 9248 2644 www.waitangi.org.nz

Flowers perfect for every home & every occasion Our bouquets are hand-crafted by local artisan florists using the freshest and most beautiful stems available. Interflora can deliver a special bouquet or flower arrangement to your loved ones anywhere in NZ or overseas – when you care but you can’t be there.

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Fashion

Beauty

ALEPH BEAUTY Alephbeauty.co.nz BARE HANDS from Inesstore.com BIOLOGI Biologi.com.au BOBBI BROWN from Farmers.co.nz CHOOICE Chooice.co.nz CLINIQUE Clinique.co.nz CODAGE from Springstore.co.nz CREED from Worldbrand.co.nz DAVID JONES Davidjones.com DERMALOGICA Dermalogica.co.nz DOLCE & GABBANA from Smithandcaugheys.co.nz ELIZABETH ARDEN Elizabetharden.co.nz ENVIRON from Psb.net.nz FARMERS Farmers.co.nz GLAM GLOW from Meccabeauty.co.nz GLOW LAB Glowlab.co.nz JANE IREDALE Janeiredale.com L'OREAL from Farmers. co.nz LANCOME from Farmers.co.nz LA ROCHE-POSAY from Adorebeauty. co.nz M.A.C Maccosmetics.co.nz MARC JACOBS from Lifepharmacy.co.nz MECCA Meccabeauty.co.nz MURAD from Caci.co.nz NAPOLEON PERDIS from Adorebeauty.co.nz NIOD from Adorebeauty.co.nz RAW KANVAS Rawkanvas.co.nz REVLON from Farmers.co.nz SEPHORA Sephora.co.nz SHISEIDO Shiseido.co.nz SKINSMITHS from Caci.co.nz TOM FORD from Smithandcaugheys.co.nz YVES SAINT LAURENT from Farmers.co.nz

Design & Food

ARTISAN Artisancollective.co.nz AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY PRESS Aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz BLACK PEAK GELATO Blackpeakgelato.co.nz CITTA Cittadesign.com CORSO DE FIORI Corso.co.nz DAWSON & CO Dawsonandco.nz DOE DONUTS Doe.co.nz DOUGLAS & BEC Douglasandbec. com ECC Ecc.co.nz F.G SMITH Eatdrinksharehb.co.nz FATHER RABBIT Fatherrabbit.com GOVETT-BREWSTER ART GALLERY Govettbrewster.com I NEVER MET A STRAIGHT LINE I DIDN’T LIKE from Straightlinebook.nz MAKER’S MRKT Makersmrkt.com MARTINEZ CHARCUTERIA Martinez. co.nz MASSEY UNIVERSITY PRESS Masseypress.ac.nz MISS PEPPERCORN Misspeppercorn.co.nz OCKHEE Ockheedokey.com OIKOS Oikos.co.nz POTTON & BURTON Pottonandburton.co.nz SATURDAYS (03) 382 0266 SIDE-ON CAFE Side-on.co.nz TESSUTI Tessuti.co.nz THAMES & HUDSON Thamesandhudson. com.au THE STUDIO OF TABLEWARE Thestudio.co.nz THE VITRINE Vitrine.co.nz TIME OUT Timeout.co.nz

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Mangawhai.

Waihe ke

Island.

Auckland.

Napier.

New

Plymouth.

Gisborne.

Wellington

.

Kaikōura.

Mangonui.

Christchur

ch.

Wanaka.

Dunedin.

COMING HOME TO AOTEAROA

Fashion Make Yoto Smile u

Le ,s Danct e!

MUSI CIAN S ON TOUR CHAI I’S PHAT RHYM ES BEST NEW ALBU MS

Holiday Vibes

PART Y MEN U FANTASTI C FIZZ ARTY READ S REMO TE ESCA PES

DRIE S VAN NOTE N ON LEN LYE'S PSYC HEDE LIC LEGA CY

LILI SUMN RETU RNS ER HAW KE'S TO BAY

VOLUME TWO

ADRIENNE WHITEWOOD Adriennewhitewood.com AJE Ajeworld.co.nz BAINA Shopbaina.com BIRKENSTOCK Birkenstock.co.nz BLACK BOX BOUTIQUE Blackboxboutique.com BVLGARI Bulgari.com BURJU Burjushoes. com CAMILLA & MARC Nz.camillaandmarc.com CAROLINE SILLS Sillsandco. com CAUGHLEY Caughley.com CHECKS Checksdowntown.com COMPANION Companion-store.com DAYLIGHT MOON Daylightmoonstudio.com DEADLY PONIES Deadlyponies.com DIOR Dior.com D LY P Dlypstudios.com/nz DR MARTENS from Westfield Newmarket, phone (09) 887 9409 FATHER RABBIT Fatherrabbit.com GEMMA LEE Gemmaleesuits.com GENERAL SLEEP Generalsleepstore.com GEORGIA ALICE Georgiaalice.com GO JO RECYCLED CLOTHING Gojorecycledstore.co.nz GUCCI Gucci.com H&M Hm.com/nz HAKINAKINA Hakinakina.com HARRIS TAPPER Harristapper.com HAVILAH Havilahlabel.com HEJ HEJ hej-hej.co HUNTERS & COLLECTORS Huntersandcollectors.net.nz JANE DANIELS Janedaniels.co.nz JASMIN SPARROW Jasminsparrow.com JIMMY D Jimmyd.co.nz JULIETTE HOGAN Juliettehogan.com KAREN WALKER Karenwalker.com KATE SYLVESTER Katesylvester.com KATHRYN WILSON Kathrynwilson.com KOWTOW Kowtowclothing.com LAYPLAN Layplanstudio.com LIAM from Rubynz.com LEVI’S Levis.co.nz LOUIS VUITTON Louisvuitton.com LUCINDA BARRETT Lucindabarrett.com LUCKY DIP Luckydipclothing.com MAAIKE Maaikeandco. com MAMAN Maman.co.nz MACPAC Macpac.co.nz MARLE Marle.co.nz MAHSA Mahsa.co.nz MEADOWLARK Meadowlark.co.nz MEI LAN Meilan. co.nz MINA Minaforher.com MI PIACI Mipiaci.co.nz MOLLY PERKINSONS Mollyperkinsons.com MOONTIDE Moontide.com NISA Nisa.co.z PARIS GEORGIA Parisgeorgiastore.com PENNY SAGE Pennysage.com PRECINCT 35 Precinct35.co.nz RUBY Rubynz.com SARAH BELL Sarahbell.co.nz SCARPA Scarpa.co.nz SCOTTIES Scottiesboutique.co.nz SEED HERITAGE Seedheritage. com/nz SILK + STEEL Silkandsteel.co.nz SOUP FASHION RECOVERY Fashionrecovery.co.nz SPECSAVERS Specsavers.co.nz SPORTSCRAFT Sportscraft.com STANDARD ISSUE Standardissue.co.nz SUNGLASS HUT Sunglasshut.com VEJA Veja-store.com WALKER & HALL Walkerandhall.co.nz WALLACE COTTON Wallacecotton.co.nz WALLACE ROSE Wallacerose. co.nz WINDSOR SMITH Windsorsmith.com.au WIXII Wixii.co.nz WYNN HAMLYN Wynnhamlyn.com ZAMBESI Zambesistore.com

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