ME Magazine Edition 10

Luxury Lifestyle memagazine.co.nz

Tasty Wild Recipes Luxury Villas & Amazing Places

ISSUE NZ$9.95 Issue 10 8 NZ$9.95

Hololio Arena Polo Cool Clevedon | Delicious Cooking | Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous

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CONTENTS We were so excited to be invited to Hololio Farm, where we dined on a perfect summer’s day lunch, drank fabulous Kirkpatrick Estate Wines and then thoroughly enjoyed an hour of fast-paced polo! Fantastic ME fun! We were joined by Jayne Kiely who is one of NZ’s most sporty females and recognisable TV personalities and Kirsty Cardy, who is now a regular ME Girl and heading to become one of NZ’s most loved celebrity chefs.

COVER: Left to right: Andrea Moore, Neil Baudinet, Bronwyn Jackson (standing), Wendy Baudinet, Simon Kirkpatrick, Kirsty Cardy, Laura Furey, Nathan Goldfinch and Jane Kiely.

POLO ME

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TASTE ME

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ME MEN

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DRIVE ME

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STAY WITH ME

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BUSINESS WITH ME

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ME LIVING

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OWN ME

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ME WOMEN

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SMOKE ME

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TRAVEL WITH ME

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Issue 8 NZ$9.95

directors/publishers Charlotte Carlyle Wilson Denise Michelle Tuson design RedSpark Creative Art Director: Ross Murray Graphic Designer: Stephanie Goodwin make up artists Mandy from Rouge Make Up 0274 966 801 Cheryl Byrne www.cbmakeup.co.nz talent agencies Special thanks to Sara Tetro www.62models.com and Tracy Cameron wwwicanmodels.com printed by Wickliffe Solutions part of Kalamazoo Group me is available by subscription and online at www.memagazine.co.nz Corporate Cabs – Nationally Top Hotels and Lodges – Nationally 8,000 copies printed and distributed Bi-Monthly 5,200 online readers Next Edition: 15 April 2013 subscription enquiries www.memagazine.co.nz advertising enquiries north island: ME Magazine Ltd Level 1, 11 Alma St Newmarket, Auckland 1023 Mobile: 021 50 40 80 Email: denise@memagazine.co.nz south island: Phone: 03 445 1131 | Mobile: 0275 396 326 Email: charlotte@memagazine.co.nz Terms and Conditions: © Copyright ME Magazine Ltd 2013. None of the offers in this magazine are available in conjunction with any other offer. Only while product or service is available. Terms and conditions may change without notice. Some offers have expiry dates. Not redeemable for cash. Some offers are not available during school holidays or public holidays. Some offers are for certain days only. Other specific operator conditions may apply. Some offers are limited to one per magazine holder. The prices in this magazine are indicative prices only. The Publishers are not responsible for any personal damages or loss of property during any of the experiences published in this magazine. The views and comments contained within this article are those of the writers, some may be embellished and some may be speculation.

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ARE YOU HARDCASE . . .

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Quest Farm Ph +64 3 428 3280 Email info@questfarm.co.nz Wanaka Road, RD 3, Cromwell Central Otago, New Zealand

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ME’S HOLOLIO POLO TEAM

Recently I heard an expression, ‘Polo is rugby played on horses’. Some might wonder at this analogy but anyone who has played or watched this fast-paced game will instantly agree. It’s a tough, hard game that not many of us get the chance to play. However, there is now an exciting, safe and very enthralling way to begin a love affair with this ‘Sport of Kings’.

The best way to experience Hololio Farm is to go there; it’s just 35 minutes south of Auckland, in the lush and stunning Clevedon area. The team at Hololio are obviously passionate about what they do and from this passion

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have created something unique and exciting in New Zealand – Arena Polo together with Gate to Plate Polo Experiences.

So what exactly is Arena Polo? It is a trend that has taken off internationally as it provides learner riders with a safe environment in which to play the game. ‘Gate to Plate Polo Experiences’ further enhances the day by preparing banquets of local delicacies and wines, all served on the cool veranda of the pool house, which is available for entertaining pre-match, between chukkas and for post-match celebrations, and is hosted by the Gate to Plate team.

Hololio Farm lends itself perfectly to entertaining corporate groups, for team building exercises, client functions, business meetings, birthday and Christmas parties or any occasion. Gate to Plate caters for small or large groups all year round, weekdays only and booking are essential.

Hololio also offers hoof camps for young riders, boys camps where city

From left: Simon Kirkpatrick, Bronwyn Jackson, Victoria Baudinet, Kirsty Cardy, Rae Poole, Laura Furey, Jayne Kiely, Brian Malloy, Nathan Goldfinch, Andrea Moore, Wendy Baudinet, Neil Baudinet and Olivia Baudinet.

STORY by Denise Tuson | PHOTOGRAPHY by Victor Carter

kids learn to do country things such as clay bird shooting, driving a tractor, tie knots, go eeling etc, the gorgeous pool house is for hire for weddings and celebrations, lessons to learn to ride young or old, play women’s polo Thursday mornings or arena polo in the winter!

Our ME Hololio Team: Wendy & Neil Baudinet are the New Zealand Montblanc distributors and brought along their lovely daughters, Olivia and Victoria, who are actually accomplished riders but had never played polo. Both want to go back for more! Wendy said of the day, ‘we enjoyed a fantastic day out with Olivia and Victoria. This is a great Polo experience, luxury but great outdoors fun that Montblanc owners with an equestrian interest would particularly enjoy.”

Our favourite ‘Rug Lady’, Laura Furey, NZ Manager, Designer Rugs captured other guests’ attention while shooting a Kate Sylvester rug and subsequently she is in discussion with two of them to design and supply

a rug. Designer Rugs, the custom made rug specialists are conquering the interior market with their upmarket and stylish approach to rug design.

As Laura will tell you, ‘we’ve opened Pandora’s Box as far as what we can achieve with rugs. All our designs are custom made, therefore we can make it exactly to your requirements through design, colour or a specific size or shape.’ Designer Rugs also have some exciting new ranges coming through this year. Catherine Martin’s new Art Deco Collection have been utilised in the upcoming movie ‘The Great Gatsby’. And there is also an eclectic and playful range arriving from fashion Icon Camilla.

From Ricoh Business Solutions, Nathan Goldfinch and Claire Dixon worked hard to win the Hololio experience as a sales incentive. Nathan has 10 years experience in the printer industry and is available for a free consultation to talk through document management, archiving solutions, and traditional printer requirements. Claire Dixon has eight years experience in the IT industry and specialises in network efficiency and firewalls.

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Jewellery and Pen by Montblanc

Ed Hitchman takes a swing at Mary Whitehouse’s Aristocakes cupcake tower

The poolhouse

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“Cosmo” Kate Sylvester Rug

by Designer Rugs

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Andrea Moore wearing Flowing Fox dress from her The Hunt collection

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Jewellery by Montblanc

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Ricoh prides itself as a business that changes to match their customers’ requirements. Recently, there has been a paradigm shift from encouraging customers to print as much as possible to printing the least amount required. Ricoh has always been a world leader in printers and photocopiers and offers a complete range from small personal printers to high-end digital production presses.

Andrea Moore and Brian Molloy couldn’t speak more enthusiastically about the day. As Brian said, ‘we had an absolute ball and we had no idea there was anywhere possible to get on a pony and play some polo. We are looking forward to taking the kids out and giving them the same experience.

Coincidently, Andrea’s autumn collection is called, ‘The Hunt’ and is inspired by her late father’s dinner shirt, which she wore to the shoot. ‘My father was part of my business when I started and this is a wonderful way to represent him. The dress I am wearing in the image shown here is called ‘flowing fox dress’ and in the riding shots, I’m wearing dad’s shirt, so there is a wonderful synergy happening. The running horse symbolises the ride of life, the adventure, the falls, the freedom and the challenge – everything that happened on our shoot,’ said Andrea.

Bronwyn Jackson started off a little tentatively but after just a few minutes had gained so much confidence, I saw her encouraging her pony to get after the ball. Bronwyn Jackson is the owner of ‘Aroma Spa’, a holistic spa that offers all the traditional beauty, makeup & pampering treatments but is firstly & foremost an Aromatherapy Spa. This means the therapies are derived from a Medicinal Aromatherapy prospective to ‘treat the cause of the condition’. Each therapy starts with Bronwyn,who personally sources medicinal grade essential oils from growers around the world, making up a therapeutic essential oil blend and/or herbal blend as a result of what symptoms present themselves on the surface of the skin and body and upon the conclusion of each person’s consultation. This personalised blend then gets added to her own base products and is used for the client’s customised therapy. This way, each individual gets ‘customised’ treatments resulting in balancing and strengthening the client’s body systems and resulting in their symptoms healing internally & on the surface of the skin on a long term basis.

This is Aroma Spa’s big point of difference from traditional beauty therapy, where they simply use products for skin types/conditions out of a bottle.

Sounds like a perfect way to finish after a day of polo!

The Kirkpatrick name synonymous with polo and owner of Kirkpatrick Estate Winery, Simon (Kirky) Kirkpatrick, is himself, a great horseman. He thrilled us with his speed and agility in the arena, thanks Kirky we really appreciated you coming up from your Patutahi Plateau, Gisborne Winery.

Thanks to Team TV: Jayne Kiely, Kirsty Cardy, you two are such stars. Jane is busy looking after her family and coaching athletics and Kirsty is on Radio Ponsonby, Tues 9.20am www.themenu.co.nz Team Mont Blanc: Wendy, Neil, Olivia & Victoria Baudinet, www.montblanc.com Ph: 0508 666 8252 Team Fashion Designers: Andrea Moore & Brian Molloy. www.andreamoore.co.nz Ph: 09 360 9640 Team Designer Rugs: Laura Furey www.designerrugs.co.nz Ph: 09 300 6166

During lunch and throughout the day we enjoyed wines from Kirkpatrick Estate Winery, an award winning, boutique single vineyard winery. We savoured three Kirkpatrick wines, each distinctive in style. The KEW 2011 Wild Rosé is an eye catching bold pink that shines in the glass and is dangerously perfect for summer lunches with its wonderful texture and balance of red berries and cream with a touch of sweetness. The 2011 Pinot Gris’ vibrancy and elegance suited our lunch perfectly with its spicy floral aromas of jasmine and pear as well as hints of manuka honey and cardamom spice. The Gewürztraminer’s aromas of lovely rose petal and ginger spice complemented the setting, while our palates enjoyed flavours of nashi pear, lychee and ginger.

Team Aroma: Bronwyn Jackson www.aromaspa.co.nz Ph: 09 631 5862

We are all hooked. I for one have fallen in love with polo and have put my name down to start lessons in March so watch this space for my updates!

And last, but not least, this event would not have happened without: TEAM HOLOLIO: The Polo Chick aka Rae Poole, Kim our foodie, Manu, Kirsty, Silvy, Romiro, Josphina & Henry Jones (one of NZ’s most promising young players) and Ed Hitchman. More thanks to Nick Jones & Josephine Elworthy and Kim. www.hololio.co.nz Ph: 021 985 576 (Ray)

Team Wines: Simon (Kirky) Kirkpatrick www.kew.co.nz Ph: 06-862 7722 Team Ricoh: Nathan Goldfinch, Claire Dixon & Ricoh Office Supplies www.ricoh.co.nz Ph: 09 915 2300 Team Cupcake: Mary Whitehouse, Aristocakes www.aristocakes.co.nz Ph: 09 292 8174 Thanks to Cheryl Byrne, our lovely makeup artist

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WILD AT HEART Glynnie from Glenorchy

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PHOTOGRAPHY by Jim Pollard | STORY by Yvonne Kerr

Fallen Macrocarpa trees shaped by a portable Alaskan chainsaw mill figure the woody parallel rafters overhead in Glynnie Barry’s airy Glenorchy kitchen, balanced underneath by a sleek, veined Totara wood worktop. The elegant neck, head and shoulders of a wild Tahr marks the back wall, its’ flecked, hirsute coat crafted into a shaggy rug underfoot. Fishing trophies and curved Chamois horns dot corners as recipe books and cookery magazines line tabletops.

It’s a prized, native New Zealand scene, naturally themed for the wild food pleasures about to be served by culinary genius Glynnie Barry. The

Glenorchy woman is a passionate climber as much as she is a chef and forager of fresh ingredients. Nothing distracts from the food. Elaborate clothes, hair styling and make-up are not in this picture – just local, creative, inspired cooking.

I’m back in New Zealand just one month after five years in Ireland and what a way to reintroduce my palette to native Kiwi food. I’m blown away.

I had a mistrust of venison before this day (I’m now blaming below par dishes served elsewhere) and wild chamois had never passed my mouth.

The addition of Glynnie’s elderberry syrup adds sweetness to both meats that is often lacking. I’m a fiend for seafood in every form and Glynnie’s deconstructed crayfish cocktail recipe using Japanese sambaisu adds another dimension to the Fiordland crustacean.

Glynnie’s eight year old son and hunter ‘Dart’ captured the meat in our Asian inspired starter, wild Paradise duck now wrapped in rice paper rolls, flavoured with sweet Balinese sauce and a sprig of mint plucked from the back garden, served with a Vietnamese nuoc cham dipping sauce.

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The Asian influence is a tantalising thread in Glynnie’s dishes, adding a bit of heat here, a citrus tang there (lime flavoured sea salt gives her whitebait a kick, as does lime juice added to venison and chamois five minutes before cooking), or a hint of spice. Trained by Australian chef David Thompson, of the first Michelin-starred Asian restaurant in London, the zest for spices stayed with Glynnie as her career moved from Port Douglas in Oz, to Sydney’s esteemed Bathers Pavillion restaurant, then to New Zealand at Arrowtown’s revered Saffron restaurant to serve as second chef for 10 years. Her love of foraging has produced one of the most mouth-watering super seasonings I’ve tasted – harvested, dried and powdered wild porcini mushrooms. She cites British celebrity chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver as her faves – chefs that align closest with Glynnie’s love of ‘peasant food’, freely available ingredients in nature.

Glynnie calls her fledging business ‘Delicious Cooking’ that has evolved since 2010 to cater to groups of every shape and size – packages offer corporate menus, winery lunches, birthdays and weddings or on a larger scale, film production and crew catering. Work is flowing in, keeping Glynnie plus friend and Front of house Manager Heather Vincent on their toes.

Heather’s background is in the film industry – she helps Glynnie most with props and food styling. “People eat with their eyes,” Heather says. The two women are close friends, and share a love and understanding of food. They work silently beside each other, no need for questions. “We never say no to work,” Heather laughs. Glynnie juggles her own bookings with work from Wanaka-based catering company Flying Trestles. The future, Glynnie hopes, will attract more clients who trust her personal style of cooking, allowing her the freedom to design her own menus. She’s well on the way.

Her other love, climbing, introduced partner Gordon (‘Gordy’) Watson, now father of her three children. Fly fishing and hunting guide Gordon is a sixth generation Glenorchy man, who proposed to the women of his dreams as they hung off Half Dome, the second biggest cliff in California’s Yosemite Park. “I’m only going to bring you down off this cliff if you’ll marry me,” he joked, as Glynnie “freaked out” on the edge (she once cracked a Grade 27 level climb, pulled off by only 10% of climbers in the world). A heart-warming story, and though the couple aren’t married, three children testify to the bond (or terror?!) cemented from a great height that day.

Gordon’s hunting clients are spoiled, gifted with takeaway lunches prepared by his partner – picnics of homemade smoked salmon pies, gluten-free orange-cake and Chinese coleslaw.Yum.

To wash each delectable dish down, stunning Riesling, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. We are treated to homemade elderflower champagne as a bubbly, cleansing beverage. Even the serving mechanism is creative, used baked bean tins wrapped in handwritten labels of handmade paper (organically made from bits of wood, tree bark, old magazines and beetroot dye by Heather or ‘H’ as Glynnie affectionately calls her) tied with a rustic, brown twine.

After her third child – Cash (3), following Dart (8) and Moana (10) – and after 20 years of cheffing, Glynnie was at home, but knew she needed to keep her creative juices flowing. She began to host demonstration lunches in her kitchen with mother-in-law Gale Watson, marketing cheaply through facebook. Glynnie would teach eight recipes in one-on-one sessions or groups, and demonstrate matching wines. The word got out about her exciting, creative menus that championed local produce, clients soon travelling from Invercargill, Christchurch and Dunedin. “I loved it,” Glynnie says, “I had total control over the menus so I was able to try dishes like blue cheese icecream with quince sorbet and walnut praline. I was able to get really creative.”

Glynnie’s kids arrive home from school to devour delicious whitebait with warm sourdough bread from the oven, distinctive by its tangy flavour that complements creamy blue Gibbston cheese beautifully. At the age of 10, Moana is already able to whip up pancakes or French toast for her friends at the drop of a hat. I ask her what her favourite meal is cooked by her mother? “Lamb chops,” Moana says, hands in the air, her eyes sparkling, “... and icecream cake.”

Served up with energy, warm enthusiasm and a sprinkling of culinary and foraging education by Glynnie, backed up seamlessly by her right wing woman, friend and neighbour Heather Vincent, this cheffing partnership distills the down-to-earth essence and simplicity of Glenorchy. Both women will enter the Glenorchy Wild Food Challenge on February 23.

I know where I’ll be, check out how they got on at our ME Magazine Facebook page.

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Crayfish Cocktail

(GF)

Matched with Ohau Gravels 2011 Sauvignon Blanc available online from www.winefood.co.nz You will need 1 Crayfish tail-plate size (or prawn meat for prawn cocktail-400gm) Cucumber ribbons (use a potato peeler) Avocado (mash with lime juice & zest, salt & pepper) Red onion (slice super thin with the grain-running top to root) Fresh lime Caviar Fancy lettuce leaves Cocktail sauce *Caramel Tomatoes x 4 400ml Good quality/non flavoured mayonnaise 1 x fresh lemon juice & zest 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Puree tomatoes and pass through a sieve (use a dessert spoon) into a bowl, add all other ingredients, season with black pepper, salt & lemon juice if needed.

Cook the Crayfish in a large pot of boiling well salted water, the size will determine the cooking time, for a plate size (one person portion)

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around 11 mins. When the time is up put the cray into a sink with ice to immediately halt the cooking process. When the cray is cool, take scissors, chop along both sides of the soft skin on the underneath part of the tail, pull the skin off and the flesh out of the shell. Clean out the waste tube and chop into bite size pieces. Arrange crayfish meat in the bottom of three wide 150-250ml preserving jars, place cucumber, red onion, avocado, 2 or so lettuce leaves & cocktail sauce all separately on top of the cray meat, top the avocado with caviar. Put the lid on the jar and refrigerate until serving.

*Caramel Tomatoes 4 large, ripe, vine tomatoes salt and pepper balsamic vinegar

olive oil soft brown sugar

Take the top and core out of the tomatoes and slice them in half hemispherically. Put them in a tray, cut side up lined with baking paper(nothing else, no oil, salt or pepper) in a low oven-150-170 degrees Celsius, after 20 mins splash some olive oil and salt and pepper over the tomatoes and put back in the oven for 40 mins or until they are starting to crisp around the very edges. At this stage sprinkle 1/2 tsp of soft sugar on each piece and some balsamic vinegar over the fruit, you can add some more olive oil if you think they look a little dry, put back in the oven for 10 more minutes until they look caramelised.

RisottoCromwell Basin Rabbit/Porcini (GF)

Matched with Mount Brown 2009 Pinot Noir from the Waipara Valley available online from www.winefood.co.nz You will need 300gm arborio rice I brown onion finely diced 100gms butter Olive oil Parmesan Cheese Chopped Chives

1 lime 2 cloves of garlic 2Tbsp porcini powder White wine Fresh Lemon Juice *Braised Rabbit 200gms

1.2ltrs Chicken or vegetable stock hot on stove Fry, over moderate heat in heavy based pan – onion, garlic, butter porcini and oil, season with Cracked Black Pepper and salt. Pour rice into a sieve and wash under running water for 10 seconds.

Once onions are clear lower the heat, add rice and stir pretty much constantly (the rice should be ready 20 mins from now) until rice is coated with oil and butter and is quite hot. Put heat back to moderate and splash in 2 cups of white wine, the rice should sing/sizzle. Stir in the wine, when there is no liquid left add a cup of stock and stir in until absorbed and continue this until rice is al dente (20mins), should have only just a tiny crunch. Check seasoning add rabbit and about 50g of cheese, sprinkle with lemon juice and parmesan cheese and fresh chopped herbs.

*Braised Rabbit 1 whole rabbit 1 brown onion roughly chopped 1 bottle of beer or cider

1 litre chicken stock 1 carrot roughly chopped Fresh thyme & Bay leaves

Chop the whole clean rabbit into 7 pieces-2 back legs, 2 front legs and chop through the back bone twice. Soak meat in a brine solution of 1 tbsp salt to 1 cup water for 1 hour. Take rabbit out of the brine and pat dry, sprinkle with pepper & porcini and give a little colour in a casserole dish on medium heat. Once all meat has some color add all other ingredients and braise in 155’C oven for 2½ -3hours until the meat has just started to fall off the boneyou must watch and test for the last hour as this meat is easy to overcook. Leave to cool once this stage has been reached, strip the meat off the bone for pies or risotto, or serve when warm with seasonal salad and a creamy mashed root vegetable.

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Paringa White bait/Lime Salt/ Sesame QP (GF) Matched with Woven Stone 2012 Pinot Gris from Ohau available online from www.winefood.co.nz You will need NZ white bait 1 tbsp bonito flakes Ground black pepper 1 lime zested Sesame oil

1 cup gluten free corn flour Pinch of paprika ¼ cup rock salt QP mayonnaise 4 cups frying oil

Mix together flour, bonito, paprika & pepper in a large bowl, have another bowl on standby with a wide sieve to help with cooking the bait. Set aside.

Put the rock salt into a mortar & pestle with the lime zest on top, mulch together to make lime salt.

Mix some QP in a bowl with fresh lime juice and a few drops of sesame oil to taste. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok to 180°C, as the temp is approaching cooking temp, sprinkle ½ a cup of the bait onto the bowl with the flour, shake around to coat the fish, with the other bowl beneath the sieve pour the flour and bait into the sieve to separate flour from fish and carefully dump the floured fish into the hot oil, you should have a lifter ready as the whitebait will cook in 20 seconds, quickly lift onto paper towel and sprinkle with lime salt asap, serve with sesame lime mayo.

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Rice-Paper Rolls Matched with Mount Brown 2011 Riesling from the Waipara Valley available online from www.winefood.co.nz

You will need Small rice papers Shredded Duck Julienne - carrot, cucumber & spring onion Vermicelli noodles-soaked and cut Fresh shaved coconut Mint leaves Oyster sauce

Dipping Sauce 1 Tbsp sugar or mirin 1 clove garlic 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp water 10 slices of red chilli 2 Tbsp fish sauce

Set up with - a bowl of warm to hot water, all the prepared ingredients and a serving platter. While rolling each paper soak the next one in the hot water. Roll the soft paper around all ingredients except the mint which you will put into the last fold of each one ensuring the leaf is visible through the last layer giving you a presentation side. For the dipping sauce, mix all ingredients and pour into a sauce bowl and serve with rice paper rolls.

Balinese Duck Marinade 4 large red chillies 6cm fresh ginger 4tsp galangal

8 cloves garlic 12 eschalots 2tsp turmeric peanut oil

Stuffing 1 lemongrass stalk 2 Tbsp Kecap Manis 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

4 bay leaves Celery leaves 8 Tbsp oyster sauce

Set oven to 160째C. Puree all marinade ingredients with peanut oil to form a paste, pour into a large bowl and roll the duck around to cover with marinade paste, coat inside the cavity also.

Mix stuffing ingredients in a bowl and then fill cavity as much as possible. Cover duck in a double layer of tinfoil (or banana leaves then foil) and roast on a tray in the oven for 4hrs on 160째C. Let the duck cool (not too much) before stripping meat from the carcass (the meat should fall off the bones).

Use this meat in rice papers, in a fresh Asian salad or noodle dish.

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Quince/Crab Apple Jelly Matched with the exceptional Lynfer Estate 2012 Rose from the Wairarapa available online from www.winefood.co.nz You will need Some Quinces or Crab Apples Sterilised Preserving Jars

White sugar

Wipe any fluff off of the fruit and plunge into a full sink to wash any dust off. Put the whole fruit into a large pot and cover with lots of water. Bring to the boil and soft boil until fruit completely falls apart when poked. Use a stick blender or a potato masher to break down the fruit as much as possible (if the mash is not particularly watery you can add more water and bring back to the boil for a minute).

Set up a sieve over a large container or pot with a t-towel or muslin cloth lining the sieve to catch the fruit pulp. When the mash has cooled slightly (not too much) ladle with a measuring jug or coffee cup into the sieve. This part of the process can take some time, it is good to be patient, don’t force the pulp through or you will end up with a cloudy product, just let the juice fall off the pulp and periodically empty the pulp into the compost bucket.

Measure the fruit juice and for every litre of liquid add 2 ½ cups of sugar, bring to the boil and reduce to a syrup stage, you will recognise this when the spoon you are stirring the pot with will form a sticky syrup on it, or you could keep a saucer in the freezer and drop on a little of the liquid, when cool draw a line with your finger through it and the line should hold. Also taste the syrup, if it is too tart, more sugar by the ½ cup to taste.

Once the liquid reaches the syrup stage, you will need to keep a close eye to see when the jelly stage has been reached.You will need to have a saucer in the freezer and keep testing, when the liquid sets to a jelly on the cold plate take off the heat and let cool slightly before pouring into sterilised preserving jars.

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Wild Venison/ Parsnip&Celariac/ Elderberry (GF) Matched with Septima 2011 Malbec from Argentina available online from www.winefood.co.nz You will need 2 medium parsnip 1 medium celariac Up to 1 ½ cup pouring cream 2 cloves fresh garlic ½ cup tamari Cracked black pepper 1 Tbsp porcini powder 10 elderberry flower splays 2 cups white sugar Approx 700gm Venison (Use a good cut, fillet or Denver leg) To begin, take venison out of the fridge and sit covered on the bench to bring to room temp, then peel and roughly chop the root vegetables and swim in cream in a saucepan. Put vegetables on a low heat and let simmer away until they fall apart when you poke with a fork. Puree or mash, season, cover and set aside.

Marinate the venison (leave the fillet whole or cut the Denver leg into fillet size strips) in soy/pepper/garlic/porcini, leave for 5 mins. In a very hot fry pan, sear the venison on each side for approx 2 mins.

Put into a 180°oven for 4 mins-Rare 7 mins-MR 9 mins-Medium 12 mins-WD, rest the meat for 5 mins, season with salt. While meat is resting reheat the mash and lay on a platter or plates as a nest for the meat, just before serving pour some elderberry syrup on and around the meat. Garnish with fresh herbs/sprouts/snow peas from your garden.

Elderberry Syrup recipe Pick 10 heads of Elderberry from an Elder tree at least 50 metres away from any road. Plunge into a bucket or sink of cold water to wash off any dust. In a large saucepan cover the berries with water and bring to a boil, let boil for around 5 mins. Let the liquid cool a little before straining off the berries, pour the liquid back into the large pot, now add the sugar (for every litre of liquid add 1 cup sugar), boil to a syrup stage, you will recognise this when the spoon you are stirring the pot with will form a sticky syrup on it, or you could keep a saucer in the freezer and drop on a little of the liquid, when cool draw a line with your finger through it and the line should hold.

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Bracu Restaurant & Pavilion Auckland’s finest country restaurant & wedding venue

Bracu, nestled amongst the olive grove of the stunning Simunovich Olive Estate, offers elegant and contemporary dining in a truly exceptional setting. Experience the exquisite dishes prepared with seasonal offerings from the Estate’s own gardens and passionate local producers, while you relax on our all-weather verandah or inside the magnificently restyled Kauri villa.

Just a few steps further into the olive grove is the tranquil Bracu Pavilion, ideal for functions and weddings with classic charm and sophistication paired with modern facilities.

For an exhilarating experience, on the Estate you will find four professionally designed Clay Target Shooting fields, suitable for both men and women of any level of experience.

Bracu Restaurant & Pavilion are awe-inspiring venues for any celebration or occasion.

Your time at Bracu will be a memorable experience.

Glazed Jowl of Pork with Basil, Smoked Tomato & Cured Swordfish Belly

By Mikey Newlands, Head Chef of Bracu Restaurant Glazed Pork Jowl 2 Large Pork Jowls - trimmed 15g White Peppercorns 500g Water 70g Salt 3 Star Anise Thyme 50g Ginger

200g Tamarind Pulp 500g Ice 15g Coriander Seeds15g 200g Olive oil

Toast spices in 2L saucepan until fragrant, add the salt, thyme & ginger,stir.

Add water & bring to boil, stirring to dissolve salt. Pour salty spicy mix onto ice & stir until cool, forming a brine. Place jowls into brine for 8 hours.

Remove jowls & dry on a cloth, strain retaining spices, discard liquid. Place each jowl into vacuum pac bag, add oil & reserved spices &seal on full pressure, cook at 82°c in a temperature controlled oven or water bath for 8 hrs. Alternatively, submerge t jowls with olive oil & spices in a casserole.

Cook at 120°c for 2.5 hrs or until soft and falling apart. Remove skin & excess fat & trim into two pieces each, reserve in fridge. Place oil & chill in fridge until completely cold, strain off oil, (this can be used several times), the resulting cooking juices should have set firm like a jelly. Bring this to the boil & strain through a fine sieve into a saucepan, reduce this by half & stir in the tamarind pulp, reserve this glaze.

Basil Pureé 100g Basil, stalks and all

50g Spinach

25g grape seed oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the greens & cook for 4 mins. Remove & chill in iced water. Squeeze out remaining moisture, place in blender, turn on to full power & drizzle in oil, blend to a smooth pureé, do not blend for too long as it will turn it brown. Reserve in the fridge covered in tin foil to protect the colour.

Cured Swordfish Belly 400g Swordfish Belly 20g salt 5g Fennel Seeds 5g Thyme

20g Sugar

Trim the belly of its skin & any blood spots. Toast the fennel seeds in a pan, add salt & allow to cool. Mix in the sugar & thyme, cover belly in salt mix, cure for 7 days. After this time remove from cure, it should have turned into a liquid by this stage due to the removal of moisture from the fish.

Dry on a clean cloth & freeze. Slice thinly, reserve in fridge. Using a sharp knife slice a long thin piece of belly, brush lightly with grapeseed oil & grill

until crispy. Cut another piece and deep fry until really crispy, season with ground white pepper.

Smoked Tomatoes 10g salt 25g wood chips

10g sugar 2g black pepper 8 Cherry tomatoes – I used Curious Croppers

Bring a pot of boiling salted water to the boil & plunge the cherry tomatoes in for 5 seconds only. Remove & peel, marinate in salt, sugar & pepper for 25 mins. Place a pan over a high flame & add the wood chips. Place the tomatoes in a stainless steel container & half cover with tin foil, when the chips catch alight snuff them out with a large pan or plate & pour into container, covering tightly with the tin foil. Leave to rest for one hour.

Caramelised Yoghurt 100g Buffalo yoghurt – I use Clevedon Valley Buffalo yoghurt 2g of honey – I use Cammell’s honey Place the yoghurt & honey into a vacuum pac bag & seal on full pressure.

Place in a pan of simmering water, cook very gently for 5 hours. After this time the yoghurt should have split into a beige caramelised curd & a yellowish whey. Strain off the whey which can be used for marinades or to season soups & sauces, it’s great with lamb! The curd sets like feta and should be crumbled into small pieces.

Garnishes Basil shoots

Olive sugar

Finishing the dish Take a heavy pan & place a piece of greaseproof paper inside & heat gently.

Place a tablespoon of grapeseed oil inside. Place jowls in pan on what would be the skin side down. Caramelise slowly until deep golden brown.

Add glaze, reduce it around the jowls to leave them hot inside & give them a glossy, shiny finish.Using large white plates, place the glazed jowl slightly off centre. Take the basil pureé & using the back of a tablespoon leave the spoon mark on the plate to give the pureé a ‘3d’ effect. Leave the pork jowl by itself & use the colours of the tomatoes, olive sugar and yoghurt as a contrast to the brilliant green pureé. Finish with the swordfish belly, I have used all three types mentioned above but one is fine! Enjoy!

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SIR

DINE-A-LOT

The duke – you blew us away!

The Bay of Islands is famous for its magnificent coastal scenery, gorgeous islands, sunny days but not necessarily the best food. However, one man seems responsible for a revolution within the restaurant business in this area.

Anton Haaghs is the ‘Governor’ at The Duke of Marlborough, in Russell, which we visited with our celebrities for dinner while we were in Paihia on our photo shoot. The Duke uses professional wait staff, rather than relying on seasonal workers, and the service was exceptional! The Duke’s astounding chefs worked the pass to perfection and we dined on the most glorious seafood, duck dishes and lamb, all served up as though we were dining at the Savoy in London.

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We had a couple of top sportsmen with us, and when we went into the kitchen to thank the chefs for the extra effort they had gone to for our group, they said they had no idea who was with us. Showing typical Kiwi humbleness, we had to force them to come outside for a photo!

The refurbishment completed at the Duke of Marlborough is exceptional.

They have enhanced the bones of this historic building, bringing it back to its former glory days. We were all blown away with our evening in the Bay and it had nothing to do with the wind that weekend!

For some romance, special family time or a night away with your best friends visit www.theduke.co.nz you will not be disappointed!

Photography courtesy of | Kirtsy Gibson

Queenstown’s new Jervois Steak House A fusion between Jervois Steak House and Euro, two iconic restaurants in Auckland, is the description I would use for Simon Gault and Richard Sigley’s newly launched Jervios Steak House in Queenstown.

With local produce used to enhance the menu, such as the whole blue cod, watercress and our favourite sides and sauces from Jervois and Euro have been combined in the menu to offer a superb selection of food, served with steak knives handmade in the South Island. Roxi, who Simon has brought down from his Auckland restaurant, is heading the team on the floor, and displaying excellent service for which Simon’s restaurants are renowned.

The local wine list is super comprehensive. Simon and his team spent many

hours researching and tasting the Central Otago wine offerings to perfect their list. The cocktail bar techniques on display are like watching a circus performance.

Don’t worry, Jervios Steak House in Auckland is still going and more popular than ever, which led Simon to invest over a million dollars in fitting out this two level foodie’s paradise in Queenstown.

Just across the stairs from the Lone Star in Queenstown, the downstairs area comprises a cocktail and oyster bar, with the main dining and private dining room upstairs.

This is a bloke’s paradise, and proving popular with corporates coming to town for those important ‘business dinners’ along with the fastidious high end locals. Simon continues to not just meet expectations, but to exceed them - and they don’t only serve steak!

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A Day in the Life

Chef at Northburn Station, There are many aspects to Northburn Station. There’s the organic vineyard, which grows Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay grapes.

Then there is the winemaking, undertaken by Richard Broadhead, whose hands-off, traditional approach allows the wines to express the site. There is also the high country station which is farmed by owner, Tom Pinckney, and produces top quality merino wool. And finally The Shed Cellar Door, Restaurant and Function Venue, the heart of which is the kitchen.

A chef’s day at Northburn Station begins with picking fresh produce from the kitchen garden.

Many city based chefs would be green with envy at the daily availability of ’fresh from the garden’ fruit, vegetables and herbs for their diners. The Shed’s menu will often include specials created with ingredients pulled from the earth that morning.

New Zealand born Tineke Davey qualified as a chef in Christchurch and trained in Australia. Working in the private chalets of French ski resorts and on super yachts in the South of France and the Caribbean, Tineke cooked for superstars such as Premiership footballer Wes Brown. She returned to New Zealand and joined the Northburn team as Head Chef in 2009.

If the kitchen is the heart of Northburn then the wine is its soul. The vineyard was planted in 1999 and has been producing intense and concentrated Pinot Noir ever since. Understanding wine, its nuances and aromas, is a vital part of Tineke’s role. The Shed has won a wine tourism innovation award for two years running with its wine and food matched tasting offered daily at the Cellar Door. Five wines are tasted, with four of them matched with a

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in Central Otago

tasty morsel to accentuate the wines flavour and texture .

The Shed offers wine pairing with its lunch menu as well. The Farm Gate Board showcases an array of Northburn and local produce, and is fantastic with the Northburn Station Riesling 2009. The Duo of Whitebait is superb with the fresh and lively Pinot Gris 2012. And the Northburn Merino dish, a mainstay on the menu, is served with the rich and voluptuous Pinot Noir 2009. The Merino is sourced from the high country farm and is available for purchase from the Farm Gate shop in Northburn’s Cellar Door. Tineke liaises with General Manager, Paul Tudgay, on seasonal menu changes that reflect the wine style and produce availability.

Weddings, functions, and events are a huge part of Northburn Station. With a seating capacity of 200 guests, they require careful planning and attention to detail. Tineke regularly liaises with brides and conference organisers to ensure that Northburn delivers exactly what is required and exceeds expectations. A menu’s planning and design is often completed over a glass of Northburn Station wine!

In the kitchen, Tineke leads her team through a busy summer lunch service. Seeing guests enjoying her cuisine is the most rewarding part of Tineke’s job.

45 Northburn Station Road Cromwell, Central Otago www.northburn.co.nz

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ESCAPADE ME BEN MAY, BLAIR TUKE & BEAUDEN BARRETT HAVE A DAY OUT ON THE LUXURY VESSEL ESCAPADE 34 |

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Auckland Anniversary weekend presented the ME team with a great opportunity to head off early Friday afternoon on an escapade to the beautiful Paihia, the centre of tourism in the Bay of Islands.

PHOTOGRAPHY By Ruth Lawton

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Blair Tuke demonstrating the versatility of the Line 7 Casual range available exclusively through Farmers Trading Co. Blair showcasing a Line 7 Squadron Jacket

Blair wears a Line 7 Inshore Jacket in Platinum/Carbon

Ben wears a Line 7 Inshore Jacket in Red/Carbon

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Ben May showcasing a Line 7 t-shirt available exclusively through Farmers Trading Co.

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The boys enjoy Heron’s Flight grape juice while the Bradley Smoker does the work and relaxing in a range of Line 7 casual clothing available exclusively through Farmers Trading Co.

Honey from BeesOnline, Heron’s Flight Wine

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Skincare by Manuka Doctor

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Escapade Cocktail (makes 2) 5 oz Crystal Head Vodka Juice of 1 small lime 1T Honey (see www.beesonline.co.nz for the best honey for this cocktail) 1T Water Lime to garnish Combine honey and water and heat until honey is dissolved.

Allow to cool. Add honey-water combination, lime juice, and Crystal Head Vodka to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, and strain into cocktail glasses. Add lime.

This drink is really delicious. It is sweet, tangy, and somehow the lime and honey allow the flavour to really shine.

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Blair showcasing another great Line 7 t-shirt

Special Thanks To: Escapade is available for charter through Sarena Harper, New Zealand Sotheby’s International Luxury Rental Homes.

Sarena Harper, Luxury Rental Homes Manager To view their Luxury Rental Homes Portfolio go to: Website: www.nzsothebysrealty.com/luxury-rental-homes Phone: +64 3 450 0489 Mobile: +64 275 896 133 Email: nz.luxuryrentals@sothebysrealty.com 37 South Yacht Charters www.37southyachtcharter.com and Contact Fleur Tomlinson Email: fleur@37southyachts.com Line 7 Clothing – Celebrating 50 years of fashion in 2013 www.line7.co.nz The owners of the Luxury Power Boat ‘Escapade’ for hosting our celebrities, Blair Tuke, Ben May and Beauden Barrett For the Skincare www.manukadr.co.nz and Honey supplied by Beesonline Cafe Waimauku www.beesonline.co.nz Herons Flight in Matakana www.heronsflight.co.nz Puhoi Valley Cheese www.puhoivalley.co.nz Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Head Vodka www.crystalheadvodka.com Moa Beer . . . again, the branding on the bottle ‘Beer for Olympians’ really impressed our Silver Medalist Blair Tuke! www.moabeer.com The fantastic guys at Neat Meat, now also at Ponsonby Central www.neatmeat.com Glengarry Wine for the Piper Heidsieck www.glengarrywines.co.nz Bradley Smoker www.bradleysmoker.co.nz The Bradley Smoker was a great hit with everyone on board they all gathered around the same way as they do a barbeque.

We stayed in the Sea Spray Suites, Heritage Boutique Collection in a gorgeous, waterfront suite. These suites are beautifully appointed and so close to the ocean that you feel you are sitting on the beach. www.heritagehotels.co.nz

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Drive ME Richard Bosselman

Richard Bosselman is an award-winning motoring journalist whose work has appeared widely in New Zealand magazine, daily newspaper and on-line media. He is married, lives on a rural property in the Manawatu and, at age 51, finally realised his boyhood Scalextric ownership dream. Bless.

Station wagons - how sporty or sexy can they be? Seems a stupid question once you meet the heroic and hedonistic Audi S6 Avant. Could anyone whose first impression of Audi’s largest sporty station wagon is based on its patent practicality raise a hand?

As I thought. No one. Understandable. It’s an S6, so of obvious usefulness, the sensibilities of its substance gets shoved aside by the sizeable swank and simply sensational sizzle. Well, look at it … widened haunches, lowered suspension, giant wheels, brake calipers embossed with S6 logos, melonswallowing exhaust pipes. Carbon brakes optional. ‘S’ isn’t for subtle.

Lest of all with this engine. A twin-turbo, four-litre V8 that was previously restricted to premium Brit belter, Bentley. Though detuned to ‘just’ 309kW and 550Nm, it does fast very well indeed, with 0-100 in 4.7 seconds and probably reaching a capped 250kmh in the time it’ll take a judge to disregard any argument for daring go there. And because it has magic allwheel-drive and F1-wide tyres, nothing is wasted.

What you get abiding by NZ rules is about 30 percent of what this $159,900 (rising to $167k here) offering will give, but at least there’s lots of mid-range muscle and it’ll mooch on part-throttle. But beware the devil within: It requires minimal provocation, gaining speed effortlessly and with surprising subtlety.

The power is such an all-conquering guilty pleasure that suggests this generation has gone a bit ‘lite’, given the last had a Lamborghini V10, hold no water. Downsizing doesn’t dilute performance authority but helps efficiency, further abetted by automatic idle stop/start and a cylinder-on-demand that deactivates four of the eight cylinders at low load. Maybe the claimed 9.6 litres per 100km combined is achieved only if you drive like you would in a retirement village stashed with speed cameras, yet still a positive.

The driving? Quattro gives ultimate traction. Those huge Pirellis give massive grip. Both lend huge confidence in corners. It’s still not the beall in agility or in steering feedback, but does well for its size, a positive reinforcement of the significant weight loss.Yet don’t get too much into Rohrl-playing; arrive at a corner too fast and there’s no disguising the mass and another challenge is the ride. Audi sports suspensions tend to be as stern as East German border guards used to be and though adaptive air suspension takes some edge away, it is not a soft car. Chiropractorempowering qualities emerge on rugged surfaces.

The cabin is highly luxurious, naturally, with detail reflecting the sporty persona; alloy trim and electric-adjust sports seats are smart, and it’s loaded with gadgets, even a WLAN hotspot.

As much as the S6 leaves impression that it is as bonkers as a wagon dare gets, true Audi-philes know it as a interim step. S models are always bettered by RS editions. The RS6 Avant, the fastest wagon on earth, is coming.That’s when everything changes. Except the generous, clobberswallowing dimensions of the load area. But who cares about that?

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NZ Sotheby’s International Realty Launches . . .

LUXURY RENTAL HOMES AND ON THE WATER OPTIONS WITH SARENA HARPER

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Top left, Top right; Cashmere Villas located on Queenstown Hill. Bottom left; Sarena Harper from NZ Sotheby’s International Realty Luxury Rental Homes. Bottom right; Millvista, overlooking Lake Hayes.

If you are a corporate, individual, family or a group of friends, here is a new and guaranteed way of securing your luxury break or business trip, with the flair of the New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty Brand.

Newly launched at the end of 2012, New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty has opened its Luxury Rental Homes division to compliment their company’s established property sales. The division is managed by Sarena Harper who has worked with New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty since 2005. Sarena brings with her a wealth of experience in both residential and commercial property management combined with a background in luxury tourism (including stints with the rich and famous on super yachts in the Mediterranean).

The New Zealand Sotheby’s International Luxury Rental Homes is an experienced, reliable and trustworthy management company dealing with private luxury accommodation, functions and venue hire. With over 600 offices worldwide, the Sotheby’s International network can access key markets that are otherwise untapped through regular marketing initiatives.

The division was developed due to ongoing enquiries from new and existing

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clients of New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty for an investment option as well as accommodation and venue requests. The Luxury Rental Homes portfolio comprises a broad range of select property throughout the greater Queenstown region including central apartments, boutique villas, private houses, hideaways, country escapes and lodges as well as luxury yachts based in Marlborough and Auckland respectively. With the majority of the properties and luxury yachts available all year round, all of the luxury rental portfolio that Sarena offers, provide a unique and unforgettable experience for the discerning.

“The typical guest is a seasoned traveller or corporate who enjoys

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luxury accommodation and privacy with family or friends. They seek the opportunity to truly relax and experience as little or as much of what their surrounds have to offer. This could be a family holiday, golfing trip, group of friends, couples getaway, or businesses looking for the luxuries of homes away from home,” says Harper.

NZ Sotheby’s International Realty Luxury Rental Homes have affiliated partners with key operators in order to provide further service should this be requested by a guest. Services include, but are not limited to, property maintenance, personal assistance, concierge, private transport, yacht chartering and private chefs. Harper says, “any service can be catered for

Previous page top left, Muna Moke, Alpine Retreat, bottom left; Forty Two, Central Queenstown, bottom middle; ‘Pacific Eagle’ master cabin, Marlborough, bottom right; Valhalla Lodge, Lakeside Estate. This page; top left; Ekara House, Queenstown Hill, bottom left; Commonage Villas, Queenstown Hill; Top Right; Pacific Eagle, Marlborough Sounds, middle right; view from Millvista, Lake Hayes; bottom right; Leeds Lane, Queenstown Hill.

through our key providers that we personally recommend. If a guest or owner has a service request, our partners are on hand to deliver however large or small. Whatever dining recommendation they are after, we can provide a list of eateries from family restaurants to fine dining with special offers exclusive to our guests.”

Showing her true skills of bringing luxury and people together, Sarena from Sotheby’s spent time recently on one of her luxury yachts ‘Escapade’ while it was in the Bay of Islands. Here we showcase just one option of Sarena’s luxury rental portfolio which was enjoyed for a day by Ben May from the Hurricanes; Beauden Barrett, All Black and Blair Tuke, Olympic Silver

Medalist for sailing at the London Olympics. Their highlight for the day and something that most super yacht owners and friends enjoy was, “jumping off the top of the boat into gorgeous New Zealand water, thanks Sarena!”

Sarena Harper, Luxury Rental Homes Manager To view their Luxury Rental Homes Portfolio go to: Website: www.nzsothebysrealty.com/luxury-rental-homes

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Expect something

special

First Class Service At An Affordable Price • Taxi Services • Airport Transfers • VIP Confidential Transport • Special Events & Functions • Smart Business Service • Account Holder Option • Eftpos and Credit Card payment accepted • Smart phone booking application available 48 |

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when you travel with us

Locations & Reservations Auckland (09) 377 0773 Wellington (04) 387 4600 Christchurch (03) 379 5888 Queenstown & Dunedin 0800 789 789 Book online at www.corporatecabs.co.nz Me | 49

Have people made Chinese imitations of your products, and if so, how do you counter-act that?

We have faced the problem of counter-fit shoes and we have dealt with these cases by protecting our signature designs with intellectual property.

Usually we contact businesses selling the shoes to ask them to stop selling them and this is usually enough to make them stop.

What is the biggest challenge of starting up a luxury brand business?

Getting the brand name established is a big challenge. If clients are paying a great deal of money for shoes they usually would like the goods to be branded and know about the background of the company. Clients like to see celebrities wearing the shoes and also know the goods are of highquality.

What has been your biggest hurdle in business in the last couple of years?

We started Aruna Seth right in the midst of recession, which was tough. A great deal of retailers had over-stocked and we were an unknown brand.

We fought through and established ourselves with over 50 stockists worldwide, plus we are in Harrods, which is awesome.

Entrepreneur ME Aruna Seth – THE QUEEN OF SHOES Aruna Seth, the hot UK-based shoe designer has an impressive client list. Hailing from a multicultural background, designing beautiful shoes literally “runs in her genes”.

An Aruna Seth shoe stands for luxury, sophistication and A-list glamour. And when Pippa Middleton sported her shoes for the royal wedding, Aruna’s brand value further skyrocketed. UK based Aruna Seth is the toast of the style circuit these days and gave ME an exclusive insight into her business life.

What motivated you to start a luxury fashion product?

I have always been a fan of designer shoes and I used to wear designer shoes like Gucci to school. My main goal is to build a brand that stands the test of time, a brand which lasts a long-time into the future. I’d love ladies to be wearing my shoes in thirty years’ time.

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Do you think entrepreneurs are made or born?

My feeling is that it depends what environment you are in. For example I have been brought up in an entrepreneurial environment with my family as my father grew his business. Also if you are surrounded by entrepreneurs and good mentors this may spur you on to do something entrepreneurial.

Did you feel any pressure from your family to succeed?

I have a family heritage in shoes, my father has been making shoes for over 40 years and he is my biggest inspiration. Designing and creating beautiful shoes is in my blood. My father has worked extremely hard over decades to build up a successful shoe empire; he is my biggest influence and has pushed me to do well in this business.

Do you find it easy to balance your life between work and play?

I work very long hours on my brand so the only hobbies I really have time for is shoe shopping. Also I think it’s important to keep fit and healthy so I attend the gym or do a video DVD whenever I can; exercise helps you work and in my downtime I like to switch off and do Pilates which is great for turning off the phone for an hour and escaping from everything.

What is the biggest challenge you face with the Internet as a sales tool for your business?

The Internet isn’t really a challenge, it is a massive help in selling shoes.

We’ve just launched a great new website which is simple for shoe shopping.

Plus we use Facebook a great deal as this provides a second platform to sell our shoes.

What philanthropic activities are you involved with?

I have family in India so I support charitable activities in this region.

What is the biggest mistake you see new businesses make?

Investing in branding the look of the business and having no client base. It is all very well having a fancy company but if you don’t have clients to sell a product to then you may not have a business.

What drives you? Why do you do it?

I’ve seen my father build up a successful business and I’d love to do the same. Also, I love shoes so being able to make your own styles that you love is the best feeling ever.

Do you set goals for yourself in business and personally?

I am very strict on myself; you have to be, as you have no boss to look up to.You have to set goals and targets for getting into certain department stores and do everything you can to achieve those goals.

Any words of advice to people who hesitate to try new things?

Life is short, so take the risk; you haven’t got anything to lose!

Do you have another entrepreneur you look up to?

All the way through starting this business one of the things I’ve done is look for mentors to guide me. I’ve taken advice from Aldo who has a global shoe company and also important owners of other big shoe brands.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER FROM ARUNA SETH At ME Magazine we love Aruna Seth shoes, and to show her devotion to New Zealand, Aruna is offering ME Magazine readers free shipping to New Zealand for the month of March and a free Aruna Seth brooch with every purchase!

Just go to www. arunaseth.com and tell them you are from New Zealand and read about Aruna in ME.Magazine!

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Life is Beautiful . . . at Bendemeer PHOTOGRAPHY by Miles Holden | STORY by Charlotte Carlyle Wilson

Previously utilised for a fashion, wine and food photo shoot for ME Magazine, we just had to come back to Bendemeer to explore this property some more.

It is difficult to explain the grandeur of this property just up the road from Lake Hayes in Queenstown, but in a few words Bendemeer offers two options, an Events Centre with their 5 Star ‘Bendemeer Woolshed’ at the entrance to this gated Lifestyle Subdivision or some lucky families have the opportunity to purchase a section in Bendemeer which is an uber cool tussock coated lifestyle subdivision.

We took on Creating Tracks - a Queenstown Bespoke Holidays company - to host our regular ME Magazine ‘Celeb’ Justin Marshall, and his wife Nicolle, by ‘creating’ a fantastic day and evening at Bendemeer that Nicole and Justin will not forget in a hurry.

Greg Rooke, founder of Creating Tracks, a seasoned traveler, international

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executive, keen golfer, and a man who has no understanding of half measures is genuinely larger than life. It’s no surprise his holidays are as well, combining experiences that are truly unique and unforgettable while allowing travelers the freedom to choose what’s right for them.

Greg started off by introducing Bob and Sue Berry, to Justin and Nicole, Bob and Sue are the founders and owners of the world famous Whitestone Cheese company in Oamaru. Bob and Sue had recently purchased a plot within the Bendemeer Subdivision, to build an understated, but of course fabulous, new home. Greg brought along one of his regular private chefing couples, Liz and Danny who specialize in local, fresh and uniquely presented meals which never fail to delight Greg’s clients. Settling down to some local Quest Farm Wines - from the foothills of the Pisa Range in Central Otago with the Winemaker himself Mark ‘Mac’ Mason. Greg’s team had expertly matched Mac’s wines with each of the dishes.

Mark (Mac) Mason and Michelle Crawford of Quest Farm live and work at the stunningly beautiful Quest Farm Winery, located in Parkburn, nestled in the foothills of the Pisa Range, just near Cromwell. 20 hectares of the 150 hectare site are planted in 18 different vineyard blocks. The range of soils,

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aspects, altitude, clone and rootstock combinations allow Mark and Michelle to craft 36 blending components that go into producing Quest Farm wines.

Their single vineyard pinots are handpicked, small batch fermented, hand lunged, basket pressed wines, made off the grid with passion.

The simple set up of lunch on hay bales, with salmon caught that morning

by Greg’s Creating Tracks lake bound team, was being cooked on the open fire next to the lunch setting outside the back of the Bendemeer Woolshed, made for a fabulous session in the sun.

Greg Rooke’s head of Operations, Wayne “Taz” Dawson, is one of those New Zealanders who defines the kiwi spirit of quiet overachievement. Taz is a master of just about every outdoor activity you can imagine, and a greatly respected mountaineer. He is the kind of guy you need in this part of the world that is both beautiful and wild. Greg and Taz had planned an exciting morning of some of Justin and Nicole’s favourite activities so Taz whisked them off into the Bendemeer Lifestyle Subdivision for fly fishing, rabbit shooting, golfing and walking in the mountains. Back at the Pavilion in the middle of the subdivision, Mac the winemaker was ready and waiting to talk through his range of wines, and the biggest cheeseboard ever ‘compliments

of Whitestone Cheese’ was on the table and waiting for everyone to enjoy.

The pavilion in the middle of the subdivision is an architecturally award winning building, concrete bunker style, built into the natural landscape, on a lake with a jetty, with Moeraki style boulders coming out of the water.

There is no better way to spend time than on the deck of this Pavilion basking in Central Otago sun tasting some of Central Otago’s best with an entertaining winemaker. Nice work Greg and Taz from Creating Tracks!

Back down to the Bendemeer Woolshed for some beers, a round of poker with the boys and Broken Shed Vodka cocktails from Wanaka by one of the barmen from the outstanding new Tapas and Cocktail Restaurant from Arrowtown, ‘La Rumbla’. Justin lost the poker but was a super good sport about it; at least his prize at the end of the day was a night with friends in the chic rooms at the 5 star Bendemeer Woolshed. We heard they ended up dancing all night in front of the outdoor schist endowed fireplace. Thanks for coming Justin, even with complete jet lag having recently returned from a commentating trip, the Creating Tracks owners Greg and Taz’s amazing energy inspired Justin all the way. I am sure we will be seeing Justin and Nicolle, at the hidden gem that is Bendemeer, again!

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Taz’s Venison Quest Matched with Quest Farm Pinot Noir 400 g Fillet/Denver Leg 1 Red Chilli 1 Clove Garlic 1t Fresh Coriander 1t Black Pepper

1t Flaky Sea Salt 1t Parsley 1t Mint 2T Olive Oil

Chop and blend all ingredients together to make a thick paste. Spread evenly over the whole piece of succulent venison and chill for at least 1 hour. On an extremely hot BBQ plate or pan, sizzle on all sides, to completely seal and brown. Most importantly remove from heat and rest for 7 minutes. Serves two lucky Pinot Noir drinkers.

Order your Quest Farm Pinot Noir from www.questfarm.co.nz Whitestone Blue Cheese Dressing Aioli Chives Liberal Amounts of Whitestone Windsor Blue Cheese Crumble Cheese through Aioli and add chopped Chives

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Creating Tracks Fresh Lake Fish Recipe Matched with Quest Farm Rose 1 Wakatipu Trout or Salmon, gutted and cleaned thoroughly (ensure any bad tasting fluid is removed) 2-3 Manuka sprigs 1T Liquid honey Prepare a wood fire so you will have a mound of lovely hot glowing charcoal/coals. Line the fish gut cavity with honey and twist the Manuka sprigs into the cavity - this will keep it open for even cooking and add a subtle distinctive Manuka flavour.

Wrap newspaper tightly around the fish. Use about 4-5 pages and wrap each one separately and tightly around the fish. Submerge the wrapped fish in clean fresh water for a few minutes. Drain the excess water and pop the fish directly on the glowing coals and mound the coals around it. Leave in fire for 17 minutes (longer for a bigger fish - ones around 1-2kg). Turn the fish over for another 5 minutes. Essentially you are steaming the fish with honey and Manuka. The paper will char but not burn as there is no oxygen between the sheets. Remove from the coals and unwrap, as you get closer to the fish, the steam and heat will intensify, and the last sheet should leave the skin adhering to it .The flesh will be moist and easily come off all of the fine bones leaving a perfect skeleton of your trout or salmon intact. Drink with a glorious Quest Farm Central Otago Rose!

Order your Quest Farm Rose from www.questfarm.co.nz

Thanks to: Ms Sarah Cairns – plan your next event, party, dinner, product launch, romantic night away or just a great time of any description at the Bendemeer Woolshed www.bendemeerwoolshed.co.nz And to organize everything, phone Greg and Taz from Creating Tracks in Queenstown www.creatingtracksnz.com, Ph: 027 422 8452, Email: operations@creatingtracks.com The team at Moa Beer www.moabeer.com Mark ‘Mac’ Mason and Michelle Crawford www.questfarm.co.nz PJ from La Rumbla Tapas Bar and Restaurant - Arrowtown www.facebook.com/larumbla.arrowtown The Team at Broken Shed Vodka - Wanaka www.brokenshed.com Nicola from Coast New Zealand for their fabulous Weekender Bags www.coastnewzealand.com Bob & Sue Berry from Whitestone Cheese www.whitestonecheese.co.nz Owners at the Bendemeer Lifestyle Subdivision www.bendemeer.co.nz or www.lifeisbeautiful.co.nz And the terrific Mr. and Mrs. Marshall

PHOTOGRAPHY By Jacqui Van Dam

LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS

The award winning Commonage Villas have been home to many of the rich and famous since they were built a few years ago. The Team at the Commonage happily recounts times celebrities have stayed, leaving during the day to go into Queenstown for coffee or lunch, in various disguises. Petrified when they come to stay that the privacy of these villas will not allow them freedom during their filming or holidaying experiences, staff told ME, “usually within 24 hours, they say to us, it’s amazing how private the villas are, we wouldn’t want to stay anywhere else, they are gorgeous. Disguises start falling off, layer by layer, until after a few days, they just roll into town for their coffees and shopping and no one bothers them.”

Queenstown has always been a joyous destination for international superstars. Because of that reason, the town and its people are used to private jet landings, film crews and people such as Shania Twain owning or staying in the region so heads are not often turned for the sake of autographs or nosiness.

With this in mind, a few years ago clever developers, Wayne Foley, Ross Marett and Bert Govan, decided to build the most glorious townhouse/ villa complex ever seen in Queenstown, and they certainly achieved that.

The Commonage Villas are nestled into Queenstown Hill with all the familiarity of Swiss Alpine chalets. Standing in the middle of Queenstown and looking up at the Hill, there is no doubt of the spectacular nature of the complex. The high net worth networking opportunities if you live or holiday on Queenstown Hill are impressive. This area really is the equivalent of Auckland’s Paritai Drive, showcasing the most spectacular houses and holiday homes in the South Island perched on the magnificent Queenstown Hill. There are now only two villas left for sale at the Commonage, in a town where fractional ownership and renting back into an accommodation pool can be a successful investment option with possible tax benefits, the options for purchasing one of the remaining Commonage Villas as a family home, holiday sanctuary or clever investment will no doubt impress.

With the interior design of all the villas having been expertly crafted by Queenstown Interiors, no expense has been spared on the fixtures and

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fittings. The leather-fronted lift within each villa saves the legs and makes for an easy retirement option. The country-style kitchen is gorgeous for when you want to bring in a private chef for dinner for two or a large group of friends.

The fireplaces in the lounges make for excellent memories of stories told with friends around you while sipping on a gorgeous Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir, especially in the ski season when the mountains are covered in that sugar dust that makes everyone smile.

I still enjoy the nostalgic thoughts of my days living at the same level that the Commonage Villas are built on at Queenstown Hill. Times such as when we had ten people for my birthday dinner and brought in chefs and waiters for the night and watched the town’s lights twinkling throughout the night and then woke up late to the Earnslaw steamship gliding through the calm waters of Lake Wakatipu, these times made me feel rich in friends and surrounded by the mountains. The Commonage Villas will do the same for you and your family. A wonderfully luxurious and spacious home at Queenstown’s most prestigious address, the Commonage Villas, 15 Kerry Drive, Queenstown Hill!

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Only 2 of 14 Left for Sale in Queenstown Swiss Alpine style 5 star Villas

Special Thanks To: Ross and Wayne at the Commonage Villas available for Accommodation Rental or to Purchase at: www.commonagevillas.com Makeup applied by Mandy Erskine from Rouge Ph: 0274 966 801 Private Chef: Chris Whiting www.privatechefnz.co.nz Ph: 021 0298 1372 Beatrice: from Louis Vuitton Queenstown www.louisvuitton.com Mike Collins: dresser to the stars from Detour Clothing www.facebook.com/ DetourClothing Brendon from Smartcars Queenstown: for the new Audi Q7 available for hire Ph: 03 409 2424

Commonage Villas is a landmark development on Queenstown Hill. The development consists of 14 large, alpine-style residential homes.

The very essence of style and taste and an unbeatable combination of premium location and international architectural design.

To enquire for outright purchase or fractional ownership phone Ross Marett on 021 999 813 or Email ross@villasqueenstown.com

www.icanmodels.com www.mtdifficulty.co.nz www.brownsnz.com

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HISTORY FOR SALE

A popular trend at the moment is to buy into that slice of paradise that is the ‘Otago Central Rail Trail’. With QC’s, barristers, entrepreneurs and Aucklanders leading the charge, such as the owners of Olivers in Clyde and the Pitches Store in Ophir, which are both receiving 5 star reviews, here is an opportunity for you to obtain a piece of this historic and charming region.

Add on those ‘special touches’ and you will gain maximum room rates for accommodation on the Otago Central Rail Trail.

We sent along our intrepid photographer, Nigel Peterson, for 24 hours at The Mill B & B in Oturehua, just 60 kilometres from Alexandra in the South Island.

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In 1885 quarried stone was used to construct this mill for grinding the wheat once grown in the Ida Valley. In the early 1900’s the mill closed but was re-commissioned for a few years during the First World War. It’s now hard to believe that for much of the 20th century it was mostly a derelict, convenient though leaky, hay shed. Since the 1980’s a number of owners have been involved in the slow rescue process of The Mill. When Maureen and Duncan purchased the mill in the late 1990’s much of the reconstruction was complete, but the garden and grounds are very much their work. So too is a saffron crop. Guests are welcome to participate in harvesting the delicate and pricey spice from April to mid-June, which Maureen and Duncan sell locally and throughout New Zealand.

Just 500 metres away from The Mill, is some Kiwi ingenuity brought to life at Hayes Engineering, a rural engineering works made from mud brick and corrugated iron. Ernest Hayes's small workshop was established in 1895.

By the 1930’s, the business established a worldwide reputation; providing farmers with everything from wire strainers to windmills. The works have been well preserved and appear very much as they did when they were in full operation. We thoroughly enjoyed a wander through the restored 1920 homestead and received a guided tour of the factory.

After our arrival, some local wine and relaxation, Duncan dropped us at

the Oturehua Tavern for dinner. The five-star comparable meals were a reasonable $25 per head, completely unexpected from a small town tavern.

It just goes to show how high the standard of food and beverage is on the Otago Central Rail Trail.

I have no doubt that a new owner could add some additional five-star touches to this distinct Otago Central Rail Trail B & B! This could be your Central Otago hideaway, redolent with history and country charm.

To Enquire about this Hot Property FOR SALE Phone: Jean Morgan on +64 272 280 278 Email: jmorgan.cromwell@ljh.co.nz Marketing Consultant, LJ Hooker Cromwell – Licensed REAA 2008, Central Realty 2010 Ltd. MREINZ POA - Ref: FQ8HG on www.ljh.co.nz

Accommodation at The Mill B & B is two queen rooms with ensuites (one featuring a beautiful claw foot bath), and a twin room with shared facilities.

The second of the three storeys has a lounge for guest use.

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MISS

SPA-A-LOT

Forget IPL, The Spa at The Hills have the latest option in looking glamorous . . .

The Spa at The Hills has always provided, since the day of opening, one of the best spa facilities in New Zealand, and now they have another feather in their cap for helping people fulfill their dreams of perfection.

With IPL being used to reduce wrinkles and other skin issues being a popular trend of our readers, but unfortunately producing hugely varied results, The Spa at The Hills have got the alternative ‘Clear + Brilliant’, the latest technology equipment in the region, once again showing that their spa facilities are supreme.

Clear + Brilliant is the latest technology in laser skin treatments which helps to prevent the early signs of ageing and helps to maintain long-lasting, healthier, younger and more radiant looking skin.

Amy Bennetts who is The Spa Manager at The Hills in Arrowtown says she has been treating post-pregnant women, among others, and had amazing results with the skin defects they experienced through pregnancy, along with helping other clients of The Spa obtain younger and fresher looking skin. Amy has been using the Clear + Brilliant technology for 8 months now, and is more than happy to stand proudly behind her achievements with the technology.

Amy says “The Clear + Brilliant technology is a revolutionary unique and safe system that corrects skin tone and is designed for the ranges of both female and males that seek a simple, smart solution to slow the skin’s ageing process. The entire treatment takes an hour and topical anesthetic is applied to numb the skin, then 25/30 minutes to treat the face and neck.

Downtime is minimal; skin appears gym-flushed and can stay that way for an hour or a 24 hour period – dependent on the sensitivity of the skin. Over the course of the next week the skin goes through a healing process, then new fresher, brighter skin is revealed.”

Makeup can be worn immediately following this process, and a minimum of 3 treatments is recommended, best results show after 4 to 6 treatments.

Treatments are $450 for one session, or 3 sessions for $1100.

The Spa at The Hills, Rapid 164 McDonnell Rd, Arrowtown Phone: 03 409 8290 www.thehills.co.nz

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Clevedon Mystery Box PHOTOGRAPHY by Victor Carter | STORY by Kirsty Cardy

When I was approached by ME to have a weekend in Clevedon visiting local food producers and a couple of special places, I couldn’t wait for the day to arrive. The schedule looked pretty full on, including a polo arena lesson, but I love to challenge myself and so with mallet at the ready, we swung into a day of gourmet delights and fun!

On one of the hottest days of the year we piled into Trisha Murdie’s blissfully air-conditioned Black Rabbit Tours van. Arriving at Bashford’s Barn, we were enthusiastically greeted by Mr ‘Mr Beaumont’, Jillian Bashford-Evers’ six-month-old miniature schnauzer and ‘the new canine

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face’ of Bashford Antiques. Inside the Barn it felt like we had stepped into a storybook of wonderment, a haven of tranquillity with an incredible selection of antique furniture together with an eclectic mix of other riches from the past.

Set picturesquely amongst the Clevedon Nurseries, Jillan has transformed an old army barracks into her home, welcoming treasure-trove seekers into her ‘living showroom’. The forward-thinking idea works wonderfully well and rather than feeling you are intruding upon her living areas, you feel very much at home and want to recreate the same feeling in your own

environment. I chose some lovely pieces for my kitchen, including a quaint china cheese cloche, something I wouldn’t ordinarily think of buying.

From the peacefulness of Bashford’s Barn we drove on to the serene River Estate Olive Oil where fruit-laden trees produce seriously good-tasting olives and oils. Barry and Sheryl Wade hand select only the best fruit to bottle in to their magnificent, award-winning olive oil.

We enjoyed an olive tasting, the highlight hard to chose: the oils or Barry’s infectious smile and vibrant commentary. This really is a boutique estate at its finest, producing premium New Zealand extra virgin olive oil. I was keen to try the complete oil range, which includes Leccino, Frantoio, Tuscan Blend, Chemlali, Koroneiki, and Picual. Barry also makes a great Dukkah, perfect for dipping your freshly oil-drenched bread in! Next time you’re at the Clevedon or Parnell market, stop by The River Estate stand and have your own private tasting, I guarantee you’ll be as impressed as I am!

My boys love crunchy honeycomb and were straight into the Cammell’s Honey I took home! Michael Cammell is a wealth of honey knowledge; the family has been in the business for over 30 years, and is also extremely friendly and entertaining. We laughed a lot while enjoying a selection of fine honeys, all made from their network of trusted beekeepers across the country and filtered and packed in their Clevedon premises.

Every Cammell’s Honey has a distinguishing flavour from the creamy butterscotch in their Kamahi honey to the distinct maltiness of the Rewarewa while summer shines through in their popular Pohutukawa, Manuka and Pasture honeys. I love using it in my cooking and it makes a great glaze.

I used this honey to glaze the smoked eel we picked up from the Mulleez Smoked Seafood Ltd. Our timing could not have been better, arriving just

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as the smoked salmon needed turning. Craig and Carol Robertson smoke a selection of fish, including salmon, kahawai, mullet, warehou, gemfish, mussels, roe and eel.Yes, eel!

And what an amazing product it is, if you haven’t tried it, please do! It is very mild with a texture similar to snapper and a taste that is just sensational.

Again, Mulleez has a stall at Clevedon and Pokeno Sunday markets, La Cigale, Britomart, Oratia, Howick on Saturday and Ranui on Friday night. They sometimes pop up elsewhere if they are able to!

Next on our itinerary was a visit to Anthony and Angela Tringham, owners of Curious Croppers, and growers of fantastic tomatoes as well as other culinary super stars of the vege world.

With an array of interestingly named tomatoes such as Little Horrors, Choctails, and Red Kiss, you know for sure the Tringhams have a great sense of humour. We devoured a selection of produce, all freshly picked, while Anthony talked about the flavours, with quips and metaphors to wine styles, no wonder Trisha said this stop is one of her customers’ favourites!

Mouth-watering and tantalising, tomatoes with such flavour are, unfortunately, rare to find. It’s really worthwhile to track down Curious Croppers produce. Bread dowsed in River Estate olive oil on top of Clevedon Buffalo Mozzarella with a sprinkling of salt, pepper and basil, has to be one of the quickest and most delicious meals you can make in your own kitchen!

Curious Croppers also grow three types of aubergines, a great ingredient for a summer or autumn ratatouille, and super hot chillies that come with a warning! But, I am perplexed. I said that Anthony and Angela grow super star vegetables, having met their daughter, Olivia, I’m tempted to change that to super star children for Olivia, and her brother, Max, help out on the market stalls – real super stars!

By now we were all hanging out for a tasty lunch and we were relieved to come across Ciao Bella, a just too gorgeously quaint rural café that is postcard worthy beyond belief!

Owned by the lovely Ivana Boyd, who has stocked the shelves with a serious selection of great produce, delicious ice creams as well as serving a huge selection of fresh meals, this is one café I can highly recommend for a day out in the country.

We ate lunch on the big wooden benches in the courtyard that has recently been protected from the elements. Coffees came out in big brown cups, no small city-sized cups here, and no city prices either. The meals were large and excellent value, and most importantly, tasted fresh and delicious!

With happy tummies, we headed for a little retail therapy in the country village of Clevedon. The Clevedon Woolshed was our first stop where I found the perfect chef’s boots, which of course, weren’t made for this purpose but they looked super comfortable! Susie Schroder has owned The Clevedon Woolshed for 10 years and is full of joie de vivre and has found a great array of products for her spacious shop. Service here is just what you expect in a country store, friendly and relaxed, and visitors are made to feel welcome.

I loved the selection of interesting ceramics and pottery from around the country, the super soft possum/merino/silk blend of woollen garments and accessories, and gorgeous jewellery. The sheepskin and calfhide boots are a hot item right now and I know the ME team might just be back to pick out a pair very soon!

Acorns of Clevedon is also full of wantable New Zealand-made gifts, accessories and stylish homeware, all displayed in an historic building that oozes country charm. Acorns is run by another fantastic Clevedon woman, Diane Cunningham who has a keen eye for style.

Dressed immaculately, Diane’s shop is just as picture-perfect with the best range of cool gift cards I have ever seen to accompany a beautifully wrapped gift from Acorns.

I loved the pink-toned glassware, but then I saw the candles, French soaps, table linens … so many different things to choose from!

We all fell upon the RM Williams range of leather shoes and clothing, not stocked by many shops. I could have spent a lot longer lingering in shop but as we had already decided to come back in the weekend, it wasn’t too hard to leave ... for now.

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Following shopping, we decided to do what most people do in Clevedon: horse riding! Off to Hololio Farm and onto polo ponies we went!

Hololio Farm is stunning in for its setting, structures, ponies and, again, the people. Recently The Hololio Pool House has been established as a premium meeting and entertaining facility for small to medium groups. With a huge, in ground swimming pool and large outdoor table, this is perfect for private and corporate functions.

Quickly changing into our riding gear, Rae Poole, the host for Corporate Arena Polo Experiences, explained their ladies programme for the arena polo part of the operation. Hololio offers the only arena polo in New Zealand and it is a great concept and very popular in England. Three players per team play with an over-sized, soft ball and if you do fall off, which no one has so far, the playing surface is also soft. Arena polo is played year round, and the high walls ensure the ponies never run off with their hapless riders! Men are also welcome, but ladies, this is a truly great experience, go on, give it a go!

Neither of us fell off our remarkable ponies; they sure know how to play polo and we had a great time! I can’t wait to go back and have another game.

After the adrenalin of the polo, we had a break on our way to John Hill Estate. We were amongst their first customers to try their very original

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platter. Huge wooden boards, overflowed with great ingredients, including a blue Clevedon Buffalo cheese, Curious Cropper tomatoes and River Estate produce. This is a really spectacular platter and the homemade relish and local sausages, salami and prosciutto showcase the fabulous variety of food being produced in the area. I was very impressed that John Hill Estate had gone to such lengths with their platters and sourcing the best ingredients possible. Of course, their Estate wines are a perfect match to the platter and we enjoyed a glass of the crisp Pinot Gris.

John Hill Estate also produce a very easy drinking Cabernet Franc, a fun and refreshing Syrah Rose, an elegant Syrah and an oak aged vintage port, which funnily enough I remembered having on the Estate many years ago.

By now I was feeling ready to unwind and spend a night of comfort at Carolyn Bull’s, Auckland Country Cottages. These self-contained, modern cottages, cutely named “Fantail” and “Tui”, must have one of the best rural and sea views, including both coasts, in New Zealand. Only open since mid 2011, the two separate cottages allow for total privacy and both have decks complete with furniture to sit on outside with a cool glass of wine and let your eyes wander over the beautiful countryside.

Only 35 minutes from Auckland, it is the perfect country retreat and after a day collecting produce, you can easily assemble a platter yourself or prebook one to be ready on your arrival. Unwind, recount the day’s events and watch the sun depart for the day is simply magical. I think the Cottage is a

great idea for either two couples or a girls’ weekend away, or for a lovely weekend of romance in the country! The next morning Carolyn served us a continental breakfast of gluten-free muesli and home-made yoghurt.

On our way home we called into Bracu Restaurant where I met Mikey Newlands - Head Chef. Mikey has my dream job - a country restaurant with a great vege garden. The meal he created for us was simply spectacular, the flavours and textures were unique. Mikey is passionate about using local and seasonal ingredients and makes hero’s from cuts of meat and fish that many chefs would throw away. We could have spent hours talking food and techniques. In my mind he is an artist - a food artist.

Clevedon is full of interesting characters, only too happy to stop and chat about the amazing area and what it produces. It’s a fabulous region and thanks to Trisha Murdie for driving us around and keeping us on schedule!

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Honey Glazed Eel on Eggplant Puree with Lemon and Olive

By Kirsty Cardy Matched with John Hill Estate Hunua 2011 Syrah For the Eel 2 TSP Cammell’s Honey 2 pieces of Mulleez Smoked Eel River Estate Olives - to serve Preheat oven to 180ºC. Use a pastry brush to cover the eel with a thin layer of honey. Place in oven for approximately 10 minutes or until eel is warm through.

For the Eggplant Puree 2 x Curios Croppers Eggplants, roughly chopped 2 TBSP butter 1/3 cup cream Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the eggplant is tender. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly. Move all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth.

Special Thanks To: Bashford Barn - Gillian Bashford-Evers, 50 Parish Line Road, Clevedon www.bashford.co.nz, open Sundays only 11am – 5 pm, or by appointment Ph: 09 361 5142 River Estate Olive Oil – Barry & Sheryl Wade, 150 Wades Rd, Whitford www.riverestate.co.nz, Ph: 09 530 9180 Cammell’s Honey - Michael Cammell, 20 Thorps Quarry Rd, Clevedon www.cammellshoney.co.nz, Ph: 09 275 6457 Acorns of Clevedon – Diane Cunningham, 9 North Road, Clevedon www.acornsofclevedon.co.nz, Ph: 09 292 9324 The Clevedon Woolshed – Susie Schroder, 1 Clevedon-Kawakawa Rd Clevedon Village www.clevedonwoolshed.co.nz, Ph: 092928615 Curious Croppers – Anthony, Angela, Max & Olivia Tringham, 124 McNicol Rd, Clevedon, www.curiouscroppers.co.nz, Ph: 09 2928 734 Mulleez Smoked Seafood Ltd – Craig & Carol Robertson, 310 McNicol Rd, RD 5, Clevedon, www.mulleez.mobi, Craig: 0274 712 144, Carol: 021 712 144 Hololio Farm & Corporate Arena Polo Experiences – Rae Poole, 116 Monument Rd, Clevedon, Pony Park: 110 Monument Rd, Clevedon Ph: 09 292 9099 www.hololio.co.nz Ciao Bella – Ivana Boyd, 439 Papakura-Clevedon Road, Ph: 09 292 9229 Auckland Country Cottages – Carolyn Bull, 267 Creightons Rd, Clevedon, www.aucklandcountrycottages.com, Ph: 09 292 9008 John Hill Estate – Kelly Davis, cnr John Hill & White Rds, Hunua, www.johnhillestate.co.nz, Ph: 09 292 4929 Black Rabbit Tours – Trisha Murdie, www.blackrabbittours.com, Ph: 09 530 8686 And special thanks to the team at Bracu Restaurant and Mikey Newlands, www.bracu.co.nz, Ph: 09 236 1030 For more information on all the fantastic things to do and places to go in Clevedon, visit www.clevedon.co.nz

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SMOKE Me

Fresh Smoked Fish Pie

by Croydon Cole using the Bradley Digital Smoker Matched with Heron’s Flight Rosé Dolcetto 2012 300g fresh smoked fish (I used Trevally) Brine: 2 cups each salt and sugar 1.5lt water mix together. (This will cover 4 fillets from two 1kg fish) 1.5 Tbsp butter 1.5 Tbsp all purpose flour 2 cups milk (warm) Juice of half a lemon White pepper to taste Chopped parsley, lots!

Flaky Puff Pastry Extra milk for glaze 1/2 cup grated tasty cheese, more if you like.

1 Tsp tarragon mustard or any other if you prefer.

Fish Mix the brine ingredients together then add fish to the solution, making sure it’s covered. Refrigerate for 2hrs. Set up your Bradley smoker for 88°C oven temp and smoker timer for 3.5hrs. Leave the vent at the top fully open. Place brined fish skin side down on the racks and let the Bradley Digital Smoker do its work. (At 88°C your fish will not become dry or over cooked).

Sauce Gently heat the butter in a saucepan, add flour once butter is melted, stirring constantly add mustard and then slowly add the warm milk till you have a nice creamy texture. If it gets a bit lumpy,

switch to a whisk. Cook the sauce for 20 mins on a low to medium heat. Add cheese, lemon juice and pepper, keep stirring! Test your sauce for thickness, adding more milk if necessary.

Puff Pastry Lid Preheat oven to 210°C. I used a pre-made flaky puff pastry from Paneton exquisite! Roll out and cut your lid slightly bigger than your ramekin then brush with a little milk. Place lid on baking tray in the middle rack with no obstructions above, this pastry grows!

Cook till golden brown and crisp. Set aside When your fish is done, bring sauce back to a simmer, you may need to add a little cold milk if it has thickened after standing (but wait till your sauce is hot before you do this). Flake fish into the sauce, add chopped parsley but don’t stir too vigorously as your fish will turn to mush and you want nice big chunks. Test for seasoning; put your fish into your ramekins, pop on the pastry lid and ready to eat. Delicious!!

Note: Any pre-smoked fish will do just take it out of the fridge at least an hr you add it to your sauce.

I also smoked some garlic, eggplant, tomatoes, chilli’s and mushrooms whilst the fish was smoking at 88°C and quails and poussin at 127°C. Everything came out full of flavour to be used in pasta dishes, sauces or dips - there are no boundaries with the Bradley Digital Smoker - just your imagination!

Croydon is now taking over as Head Chef at Cranky Franky’s Diner, Queenstown, pop in to meet him there!

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Amazing Places you may not know about

A new, half hour authentic Maori cultural performance, including spine-tingling challenge outside, followed by a full performance, including waiata (singing), poi, and the famous haka, inside the beautifully carved meeting house at Waitangi is a must do, showing 3 times daily. www.waitangi.org.nz

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TRAVEL WITH Me

With public and private pools and massage facilities, the Glacier Hot Pools at Franz Josef is nestled in lush rainforest, a haven of natural tranquility.

The pools are the perfect way to experience a blissful state of pure relaxation after hiking the Franz Josef Glacier. www.glacierhotpools.co.nz

It would be hard to imagine a more perfect view than the one from the bathtub at Azur Lodge in Queenstown. Azur has nine free standing open plan villas and a main lodge with a stunning guest lounge that includes nightly New York style cocktail evenings! ME Magazine awards it ‘Best in World’ for Bathtub! www.azur.co.nz

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Positioned on Larnach Castle land in Dunedin, is ‘Camp Estate’, a glamorous Country House. The 5 spacious bedrooms are luxuriously decorated in neo classic style. With bespoke catering & exclusive let options, a perfect place for weddings, family parties & corporate retreats. www.larnachcastle.co.nz

A favourite of ME Magazine’s Editor, Denise Tuson, Concepts 10 10’s bespoke, once-a-week workout is result-proven and manageable. It fits perfectly into Denise’s busy lifestyle and they offer free trials.You’ll return for the convenience and the results, just look at Denise for the proof! www.concept1010.co.nz

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TRAVEL WITH Me

To get on Queenstown time, hop off your plane, and get as fast as you can to Amisfield. Their iconic stone building which houses Amisfield’s Bistro and Cellar Door is the first stop for those in the know, book a table or even if they’re busy drop by for a Wine Tasting or a glass of Pinot! www.amisfield.co.nz

Village Life in Queenstown Featuring the recently launched Hilton Lakeside Residences Since the inception of the 5 star destination, Kawarau Village, in May 2011, home to Hilton Queenstown and the Kawarau Hotel, the Village has become a popular hang out for holidaymakers, the rich and famous, and locals alike.

The facilities at the Village are so comprehensive that once you arrive, you don’t have to leave, and include: a day spa, swimming pool, hot tub, steam room, sauna, fitness centre, conference facilities, and a cinema. For dining, their signature restaurant features Peter Thornley’s divine dishes at Wakatipu Grill, the relaxed Stacks Pub, a gorgeous cocktail bar with Tapas

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STAY WITH Me

Menu, Me & Mee Noodle Bar, and The Lake Counter Delicatessen, which is a favourite with locals. Great coffee ensures everyone’s tastes are catered for. Brown’s Ski Shop for the winter months and D’or Hair and Beauty which originated in Arrowtown, complete the amenities.

So when Hilton Queenstown opened the doors to an additional 42 stunning residences, the Hilton Lakeside Residences - one and two bedroom hotel residences with apartment style facilities - we were excited.

These residences offer the independence and flexibility of self-contained accommodation, with all the style and services of a Hilton.

The Residence’s incredible location, positioned on Lake Wakatipu, is maximised by generous sun-drenched balconies or terraces from each apartment, which are both feature outdoor furniture. The inside word from ME Magazine is that if you want to see the lake from your apartment in this

complex, ensure you book an apartment on the first floor or above, but if you want to just wander out of your door onto the lake choose a ground floor residence which has ample seating for friends who come to visit you while you are staying.

The kitchens in these residences are fully equipped with everything you would require to cater for a dinner party for up to eight people. We love cooking at ME Magazine, so we thought this was an excellent bonus.You can entertain at the dining room table, enjoying a beautiful meal prepared in your own kitchen, or have meals delivered from in-room dining or one of the several restaurants onsite.

We relaxed until the small hours catching up on the years gone by with friends and family in front of the feature gas fireplace, which added instant ambience and warmth to our stay.

Don’t forget to make time to bask in the Village’s ‘Pinot Pit’, where you can relax around the circular open fire, situated on the lake edge. Enjoy a Central Otago Pinot, a glass of champagne, or that special coffee at the end of the night. We have even been known to order our meals while relaxing in this spot, too engrossed in conversation to leave with the locals and holidaymakers - a special place indeed! www.queenstownhilton.co.nz

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MONTBLANC SPORT LADY DIAMONDS

Experience sports luxury with this 34.5mm diameter stainless steel sports watch; white mother-of-pearl dial set with 11 diamonds, bezel set with 11 diamonds and a Montblanc Diamond, quartz movement, date display, polished stainless steel bracelet with triple-folding clasp, waterresistant to 200m. RRP $5,900 Available from the Montblanc Boutique, 87 Queen St, Auckland (opening midMarch) and Kirkcaldie & Stains, Lambton Quay, Wellington.

CHEF SERIES

Neat Meats and Josh Emett have created Chef Series, a range of delicious take home meals that really do put the celebrated chef right into your kitchen! The bourbon and brown sugar pork ribs, were a great hit with our team on the Escapade shoot. We love the boys at Neat Meats and as it’s too hard to choose our favourite Chef Series meal, we just keep having to try them all!

Neat Meats are now also at Ponsonby Central as well as The Strand Parnell. www.neatmeat.com

PASSIONBERRY ME

New cocktail range PASSIONBERRY has just debuted and is the only premium ready pour cocktail made with 50% real NZ strawberries. A luscious bright red and truly authentic strawberry alcoholic cocktail, PASSIONBERRY, is best served well-chilled in a sophisticated martini glass.

Naturally high in Vitamin C and surprisingly low in calories PASSIONBERRY is sure to be a fresh and fruity cocktail classic! Available from select liquor stores or online at www.passionberry.co.nz

From Sweetbreads to Sweet Awards,

Ben wins again

in queenstown!

ME readers will remember us profiling Ben Batterbury when, after a few tense moments about eating lamb glands, we delighted in the most delicate, rich and tender sweetbreads ever imaginable - a real treat!

Ben’s gastronomy at the prestigious True South Dining Room, located within the 5 star The Rees Queenstown, continues to receive considerable acclaim with the restaurant receiving a 2013 Beef & Lamb Excellence Award for the second year running. Already a 2012 Beef & Lamb Ambassador, Ben says his Moroccan Spiced Lamb, along with a Wakanui Beef Cheek and Thin Steak, were the dishes that clinched the win, judged through anonymous assessment.

Ben is also one of just a handful of New Zealand chefs to be quoted in the newly released international restaurant guide, ‘Where Chefs Eat’. Set to be a best seller, this restaurant bible features 400 top chefs recommending everything from Michelin-starred dining rooms to casual burger bars. Ben is proud to reveal the secret eateries of the south to the world. We too are just as proud.

True South Dining Room at The Rees Queenstown, 377 Frankton Road, Queenstown www.therees.co.nz

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what’s hot with me

Strong 2 years on

The Pullman Auckland has flourished since its takeover and re-brand in January 2011, with its strong focus on first-class accommodation and services cementing its position as one of the leading 5-star hotels in New Zealand. The success of the rebrand is evident in the recent re-launch of the outstanding Spa at the Pullman which has been lauded as the top hotel spa in New Zealand by TripAdvisor. In addition to its exquisite spa, upscale restaurant and sophisticated rooms, the Pullman’s location also makes it a popular choice. Located in Auckland’s CBD near Vector Arena, guests can enjoy a drink in the lobby bar before heading out to enjoy the Auckland night life.

Pullman Auckland Cnr Princes St & Waterloo Quadrant Auckland Ph 09 353 1000

Queenstown Group Golf Breaks

There would be few luxury hotels in the world that could rival the spectacular setting of Eichardt’s. The understated elegance of the Hotel interior opens up to reveal the breathtaking panorama of it’s alpine surrounds. Eichardt’s in conjunction with one of the town’s most professional group golfing providers, now offer golfing packages to you and your friends and family. Phone them to discuss your ultimate golfing break, in the World Class Resort that is Queenstown!

Ph 03 441 0450 www.eichardts.com

Corporate Travel MADE EASY

VR Hotels and Apartments are offering spectacular corporate accommodation specials throughout 2013. Choose homely comforts with full kitchen and laundry facilities as well as unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi, ideal for both short and long stays. Having successfully implemented the ‘Corporate Travel’ strategy at The Quadrant Hotel in Auckland. With a strong focus on guest relations, the Corporate Associate offers all corporate guests a direct point of contact to fulfil the desired requirements. For more information contact us or follow VR Hotels and Apartments on Twitter and Facebook.

VR Hotels and Apartments Ph 09 915 1900 or 0800 874 683 www .vrhotels.co.nz

Artisan Alchemy

Artisan Restaurant & Bar in the Bolton Hotel, Wellington is launching the Artisan Alchemist blog –sharing craft, recipes and industry secrets. Filling everyone in on special events and introducing local businesses whose produce is crafted into the delicious meals served in Artisan every day.

Executive Chef, Sahil Hussein, will assume the title of Artisan Alchemist and he can’t wait to get his first rush of inspiration typed out and available for diners, locals and food enthusiasts to read. The blog will be available on their new look website www. artisanrestaurant.co.nz Bolton Hotel Corner Bolton & Mowbray St Wellington Ph 0800 996622 www.boltonhotel.co.nz

Magnifique Weddings

Sofitel’s sense of style and excellence in service they take care of absolutely everything. Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa provides for all aspects of the celebration, from the wedding reception with award winning New Zealand cuisine, to beautifully designed accommodation for guests to the perfect honeymoon destination in the ‘magical south’. A unique service they provide is subject to your level of spend, the Hotel gifts you additional experiences with their compliments when you book a wedding, for example; cruises, tandem bungee jumps for the Bride & Groom, quad bike adventures for the groomsmen finishing with spa treatments at Le Spa and helicopter landings on The Remarkables Mountains for the Bride & Groom!

Wedding Enquiries: Email jayne.stewart@ sofitelqueenstown.com or Phone 03 450 0045

The Portlander App

“Steaking their claim” - this time in the App world, Portlander Bar and Grill brings a gourmet lunch and coffee to your fingertips. With this free and easy to use App you can order your $3 coffee while you’re on the train to work, then pick it up as you walk by Portlander on Featherston Street.

Or you can save every minute of those precious summer lunch breaks and pre-order lunch from your desk. With options like delicious $10 takeaway burgers and an assortment of fresh side orders, lunch with Portlander’s new App is chef quality, convenient and affordable!

Portlander Steakhouse 75 Featherston St, Wellington Ph 04 498 3785 www.rydges.com

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THERE’S PURE GOLD AT ROCKBURN “Our first Air NZ Gold medal was in 1999 and we have since gone on to win consistent recognition at the Air NZ Wine Awards, including the Champion Open Red Trophy in 2007 and both Champion Pinot Noir & Champion Open Red Trophies in 2008. Late last year our Rockburn Pinot Noir 2011 won the Fairfax Media Champion Open Red Wine Trophy at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards for 2012.

Very few other wine producers have displayed such prowess at delivering both quality and quantity to the wine drinkers of New Zealand. All too often trophy-winning wines are in such limited quantities consumers can’t even find them let alone drink them, but we are happy to advise that we have the 2011 vintage available now for our customers. The Trophy rounds off an absolutely stunning period of awards for Rockburn’s Winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis earlier in the month being named Finalists Choice Trophy winner for the Australian Wine Society’s Young Winemaker of the Year awards; Double trophy at the Bragato Wine Awards, receiving Champion Reserve Wine and Champion Pinot Noir.”

- General Manager Paul Donaghy

ORDER ROCKBURN WINES ONLINE AT WWW.ROCKBURN.CO.NZ

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Me GALLERY

www.coastnewzealand.com

FREE SHIPPING 104 Quay St, Britomart, Auckland

Tribeca Collection

F.L. BONE Est. 1885

LA CORNUE

LUXURY - QUALITY - EUROPEAN STYLE

AGA

INNOVATION - TRADITION

HASTINGS www.flbone.co.nz

QUEENSTOWN The Junction, 54 Gorge Rd

AUCKLAND 03 442 8423

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