15 minute read
Talking Takapuna
Talking Takapuna… your ultimate destination
Escape the cold and wet weather this winter, and warm up at one of the many places to eat and drink and Takapuna.
From family feasts at The Elephant Wrestler, Catnapper Arms and Bird on a Wire, to date nights at Regatta Bar & Eatery, Mexico and Burger Burger, to delicious takeaways from Sal's Pizza, Flying Horse Takeaways and Winner Winner – or take yourself on a cuisine adventure at Nanam Eatery, Tok Tok, Dante’s Pizzeria, Tokyo Bay and Big Tikka – there’s bound to be something for every taste, right here in Takapuna!
Pair a delicious meal with a fantastic show at the Bruce Mason Centre or The PumpHouse, and you’ve got yourself a great night out in Takapuna! From comedy to ballet, to inspiring and creative talks to music and sing-a-longs – there are many perfect combinations to entertain everyone this winter.
Every time you dine or shop in Takapuna, we’re giving you a chance to win over $10,000 worth of prizes, with our Shop and Win competition. Running until the end of July, simply shop or dine in any participating Takapuna business, spend over $20 to receive your unique entry code, then visit our website to enter – and you’re in the draw! You can enter as many times as you like – so the more you shop, the higher your chances of winning.
Thanks to House of Travel Takapuna and Trafalgar, the major prize up for grabs is a guided tour package from Trafalgar valued up to $6,000 – as well as FOUR $1,000 Takapuna Shopping Sprees and a handful of bonus prizes.
This winter we’re also giving you the opportunity to experience Takapuna like never before, with Takapuna Winter Lights 2021! Come together with the community, family and friends for two magical evenings of illuminated art, live music and performance, and support your favourite local bars and restaurants at the same time.
Takapuna Winter Lights is an all-ages outdoor sensory journey weaving through Takapuna’s Hurstmere Green, featuring some of
Come together with the community, family & friends for 2 magical evenings of illuminated art, live music & performance, and support your favourite local bars & restaurants at the same time.
New Zealand’s premier lighting and entertainment creative talents. And what’s more, it’s completely free!
Grab the family, dress up warm and we’ll see you this July 2021 at Takapuna Winter Lights – proudly brought to you by Takapuna Beach Business Association, SILO, AMD, Go Media, DevonportTakapuna Local Board, and Auckland Unlimited as part of Elemental AKL. Visit ilovetakapuna.co.nz or search Takapuna Winter Lights on social media for more information and event updates.
Whatever you’re up to or enjoying in Takapuna this winter, we’d love to see it (or places and businesses you love to visit!), so please tag us: @ilovetakapuna when posting on social media and we might just re-share your snaps!
EVENTS: JULY/AUGUST
• 2 July – Bruce Mason Centre: The Resilience Project • 3-17 July – The PumpHouse: Tim Bray Theatre Co – Vivaldi’s The
Four Seasons • 6 July – Joe’s Eatery: Eat, Drink & Be Monet • 9 July – Franc’s: Late Night Laughs comedy show (every Friday in
July) • 12 July – Bruce Mason Centre: Morning Melodies – Society
Jazzmen • 2 July – Bruce Mason Centre: The Resilience Project • 14 July – Bruce Mason Centre: Heath Franklin’s Chopper – The
Silencer • 15 July – Bruce Mason Centre: Ant Middleton – Mind over Muscle
Tour • 19-23 July – The PumpHouse: Hit the Stage! With Tim Bray Theatre • 23-24 July – Bruce Mason Centre: Ballet Noir – What becomes of the Broken Hearted • 24 July – The PumpHouse: The Greatest Showman Sing-a-Long! • 29 July – 8 Aug - The PumpHouse: The Mousetrap by Agatha
Christie
• 30-31 July – Takapuna Winter Lights
• 30-31 July – Bruce Mason Centre: Te Pō • 6 Aug – Bruce Mason Centre: Wonderland Glow Show • 9 Aug – Bruce Mason Centre: Auckland Principal Brass Quintet • 11-15 Aug – The PumpHouse: The Crucible
Check out all the fantastic photos shared to us by fellow Takapuna lovers! Tag us @ilovetakapuna or use #ilovetakapuna on Instagram to share your pics with us.
PRINCIPAL SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSORS: The Takapuna Beach Business Association appreciates the support of our Gold sponsors…
PLATINUM SPONSORS: The Takapuna Beach Business Association appreciates the support of our Platinum sponsors…
Takapuna Business Profiles
We are delighted to profile some of our local Takapuna Business people and help
Megan McCallum, Senior Partner Personal Banking — BNZ Takapuna/Milford
If there’s a long weekend ahead, how are we mostly likely to find you spending it? Many long weekends you will find me down at our caravan in Raglan (my second favourite beach destination!). Most recently I was helping my husband remove the shower and making sure it is all weather-tight for the winter months ahead. We will be drinking lots of coffee (almost as good as our Takapuna coffees!). What extra skill would you like to learn and why? A bit more patience, how to use a skill saw, how to switch off my phone on the weekends, and how get up and stay up on my paddle board!
How has retail banking changed over the years? And especially how have things changed because
of the pandemic? I have been with the BNZ for nearly 20 years, starting as a teller on Waiheke Island Megan McCallum where there was a lot of counting cash and cashing of cheques. Over time this has decreased each year as customers change the way they bank with us and the way we serve our customers changes in response. Over the last few years banking has become more sophisticated with customers overwhelmingly choosing online and digital banking. But the personal touch is still important and during lockdown I got a glimpse of that working at one of the few branches that was open to customers. This highlighted how important it is that we make sure that our customers have access to as many channels as possible to complete their banking, a mix of internet, phone, and branch services which I believe we’ve got right at BNZ.
What ways have you found BNZ customers have most needed your support, and what’s been the most rewarding ways you have
been able to help? One of our challenges here at Takapuna is ensuring all our customers are fully supported to use online banking, enacting their Powers of Attorney, and updating their Trust information in line with current and new legislation. There have been significant changes. What makes Takapuna a great place to work? This is my second stint at BNZ Takapuna and it’s great to be back. I love the shopping, the cafés, the restaurants and the beautiful beach; there is always something to feed the soul here, whether it's sitting on the beach looking out over the channel with a good coffee, pampering the body at the many spas or just sipping a good red wine with friends.
Eddie Borrie, Director – MBS Advertising
What do your clients look like? We’ve got clients in a huge range of businesses from industrial and manufacturing to medical and retail. Budgets go from a few thousand dollars into the millions and while each company has different needs, importantly each knows their own message. Our job is to find their customer market and make what they want to say clear and easy to understand.
How is business looking post-lockdown, and what's been the biggest change in the
last 18 months? Initially we were badly hit. With such a big impact on businesses closed, there was a lot less spending on advertising. Luckily, we were at the end of a lease, and shifting into new premises in the Bayley’s Commercial building on Northcroft St helped conserve cashflow. And in the last six months we’ve seen some really strong growth; new clients, joint ventures and cross-promotions, and of course digital opportunities. It’s great to see.
What are the most common mistakes you see businesses making with their placement strategies? And what are your best tips to
avoid them? Probably the biggest mistake businesses make is putting their efforts into the media that they personally engage with. Whereas we are more focused on researching the media their customers engage with. Often, they aren’t the same thing. We essentially work as a broker, so don’t have the same motivation as a media rep to fit your message to a specific station or network, so we save advertisers a lot of money by finding the right mix. What makes Takapuna a great place to do business? It’s got everything… a great range of shops from everyday to high end, and the cafés and restaurant options are getting better and busier. And then when you need a minute away from it, there’s the beach, especially in summer, when there’s a great feeling of energy throughout Takapuna.
Eddie Borrie
PRINCIPAL SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSORS: The Takapuna Beach Business Association appreciates the support of our Gold sponsors…
you get to know who you support when you “Support Local”
Steve Shute, The Elephant Wrestler
When was the last time you had a weekend off? What did you do with it? The last weekend I had off was probably about six weeks ago. I spent the weekend with my family. Nothing over-exciting. When you are in fast paced somewhat "noisy" environment all the time it is nice to just take time to relax and re-engage with the family. What did you think you would grow out of but haven’t? Gosh, so many things!!! I guess that I am still very partial to desserts and sweet things and even as I get older, I still seem to lack the ability to say no to those things. Just means extra time spent with my awesome neighbours at Anytime Fitness!! How is business looking post-lockdown, and what's been the biggest change in the last 18 months? The two biggest challenges we are facing, in my opinion, are: 1) the difficulty in finding staff. We have students that would love to work more but are limited by student allowance regulations. No travellers coming in is also a massive challenge. 2) Getting people out of the habit of socialising at home. This was a very big challenge through the summer post lockdown. What do you think is the essence of a great local? The essence of being a great local is about being engaged with your community. We have a team that is dedicated to making sure everyone leaves happy. We may not get it right every time, but I can assure you my team tries their hardest every day to exceed our locals' expectations. And how does the Elephant Wrestler succeed? I have a great leadership team at the Elephant Wrestler in Adele and Annabel, and together we lead the team from the front. We try our hardest to lead from the front and are all working managers. You can't be a hospitality operator from behind a desk. You need to be in the grind with your team. What are people drinking these days? Low-alcohol, cocktails, craft beers, rose, what's next? I think the trend we are seeing is that people are making "healthier" or more health-conscious choices. We are seeing increased sales in the low alcohol and zero alcohol categories and a serious increase in Steve Shute lower sugar and lower calorie drinks. Seltzers are proving increasingly popular.
Roh Rennie, Administration Manager — Shore City Shopping Centre
What does your ideal day off look like? My ideal day off would involve spending time with my fiancé Aaron and our daughter Sienna. We would have breakfast at our favourite café on the Shore, Street Organics in Takapuna, followed by a spot of shopping and a walk along the beach with our dog Maya. Then we’d spend the rest of the day relaxing on the couch and watching ‘Friends’ re-runs. What is the best part of your job? What makes it so great? I really enjoy working with our small but tight-knit team. We work hard but we also love to banter and have a good laugh. I also enjoy that despite working in an office, we are able to have face-to-face interactions with our customers and retailers.
Roh Rennie
Shore City has been a part of Takapuna for over 45 years; what do you think are the most exciting changes? And what things are
still just great the way they are? The opening of New World and the upgrade works to the Centre have been the most exciting for me. The Centre looks modern and fresh with a beach vibe that captures the essence of Takapuna.
The introduction of our licence plate recognition system in the carpark has also been a highlight. Our ticketless system will roll out in the coming months, meaning we can utilise the latest technology to operate the car park more efficiently and provide a seamless experience for our customers.
The Centre has and continues to offer a stress-free shopping experience with its relaxed atmosphere and its offer of three hours free parking. The food court downstairs is looking amazing – and delicious! Where are we most likely to find you grabbing a lunchtime bite? It really depends on what I’m craving on the day. At the moment, I’m loving the classic fried chicken at Buns & Rolls – simple but delicious!
PLATINUM SPONSORS: The Takapuna Beach Business Association appreciates the support of our Platinum sponsors…
Intimate confessions
Let’s talk about sexual wellness and your most private parts.
Why do we need intimate treatments?
There are many reasons why people may want to take charge of this area of their health - whether they are post-childbirth, going through menopause or just have a desire to increase intimacy in their relationship.
Back in the old days, female sexual pleasure was a taboo subject. Today we recognise that good sex is an important part of intimacy in relationships and has many proven health benefits too.
Another major reason to address wellness in this area is to improve bladder leakage, which is very common in women especially after having children.
At The Face Place we recognise that it can be daunting to seek intimate treatments, so we’re here dispel the myths, break the stigma and offer world-class treatment with honest advice and friendly support.
Our intimate wellness treatments at The Face Place are safe, effective procedures designed to improve pleasure and wellbeing – they're not about making you look or feel a certain way simply to please a partner.
What exactly are these intimate treatments?
We have two different technologies that can help enhance sexual enjoyment and minimise bladder leaks for women: the O-Shot and ThermiVa. And we haven’t forgotten about the guys either with our innovative P-Shot treatment!
Here’s your guide to all three.
The O Shot
The O-Shot is an all-natural, painless and non-surgical procedure using platelet-rich plasma (the healing parts of your own blood). It can rejuvenate and revitalise vaginal and clitoral function, giving you dramatically improved sensitivity to significantly enhance your sex drive. It is also an effective treatment for stress urinary incontinence, the unintentional urination that can occur during physical activity.
All of these concerns can be addressed with the O Shot: • low desire • difficulty reaching orgasm • difficulty becoming aroused • painful sex • leaky bladder • urinary incontinence during physical activity, laughing and/or sneezing
How it works
PRP uses tiny injections of your own platelets and plasma isolated from a small sample of blood to 'tell' your body to repair whatever tissue you put it into, and rejuvenate it at a cellular level. This sample is obtained from you with a simple blood draw. Your PRP is then injected into the specific sites we want to rejuvenate, flooding the area with stem cells and growth factors.
As well as increasing clitoral responsiveness, the O-Shot activates stem cells in the localized region and these muscle tissues are able to regenerate and improve their strength and ability to prevent unexpected leakage.
ThermiVa
ThermiVa is a revolutionary non-surgical treatment using radiofrequency energy to help rejuvenate the vagina to tighten it, minimise discomfort of external labia lips, increase lubrication and treat stress urinary incontinence.
It’s popular with all ages - patients from ages 21 to 80 have been treated with ThermiVa. However this treatment is especially popular for patients wishing to restore the vagina after the physical effects of childbirth.
All of these concerns can be addressed by ThermiVa • stress urinary incontinence (SUI)/leaky bladder • sagginess/laxity of the vagina • lack of lubrication and excessive dryness • discomfort from external labia lips
How it works
ThermiVa uses controlled radiofrequency energy, to gently heat the labial and vaginal tissue to enhance the growth of new collagen, whilst also improving blood supply and nerve tissues.
For the guys - P-Shot
Like the O-Shot, this advanced treatment uses platelet-rich plasma, a concentrated form of your own blood, rich in growth factors. Tiny injections of your PRP into the areas that are most important for sexual response can lead to improvements in firmness of erection, blood flow and circulation, sexual stamina, sensation and pleasure. Two treatments are recommended. Some patients experience instant results, others by the 3-month mark.
Be assured that our entire team can offer you a safe, confidential space to talk about our advanced intimate wellness treatments.
