UNO Magazine | Issue 52 | Winter 2021 | Sarah Cowley Ross

TOP SPOTS Take it to the ’Bridge

EAT, SHOP, LIVE, PLAY & STAY in the Waikato

Luxe life: ASTO N MA RT IN in Taupō LE XUS Which one is you?

PROPERTY EXPERT

Craig Orr

PEET JE WE LLE R S brings the sparkle

Styling mid-winter Christmas

FOODIE FUN + new favourites SOLERA MAST E R KO N G MADA M E SU N SE T CAM A R OSA ALPIN O ONYX

SPEED + ST R ENGT H

SARAH Co wle y Ross

PLUS WORK: A Supreme Court judge and Mackenzie Elvin Law talk rules Sally Morrison in Vietnam Kiri Randall looks after our departed THRIVE: Real-life success stories with Skin Centre Get in the fit club with Clubfit Beautiful brows with Rebecca Kuruvilla Protect your skin barrier with Epidermis & Sage LIVE: In my last job, I...

A beachfront dream with Barrett Homes Sit down with the Danish PLAY: Feast your eyes on these new restaurants EXPLORE: Doubtless Bay perfection Mike Rudd meets a king and a prime minister

U N M I S TA K A B LY A S T O N M A R T I N THIS IS

EXCELLENCE IN DERMATOLOGY

C H A M PA G N E & O Y S T E R S T HERE’ S AN IGN IT ION IN T HE COM BINAT ION A PUL SE, A VO LTAG E , A CE RTAIN VO O DO O .

TAK EN TO G E T HE R , T HE T WO CAN PROVO K E A DE VIL IS H EN T RANCEMEN T .

O UR OT HERW IS E S U PPRE S S E D S E LVE S COME OUT TO PLAY UN DE R T HE IR IN DIS CRIMINAT E S PE L L. ON E TO O MAN Y OF E IT HE R IS L I K E A L IT T L E ACT OF RE BEL L ION :T HE BUIL DIN G BLO C K OF REVO LUT IONARIES , & RACON T EU R S .

W E LCOME TO T HE BE H IN D T HE S CEN E S OF O U R AN N UAL OYS T E R BAS H . WATCH T HE F ILM @ CLARENCETAU RANGA

P U B L I S H E R S ’

N O T E

BELOW Our team on location at our cover shoot. Clockwise from top left: Matt Genefaas (creative director), Graeme Murray (photographer), Hannah Keys (UNO editorial), Jenny Rudd (editor), Sarah Cowley Ross (cover star), Desiree Osterman (hair and makeup artist).

Kia ora e te whanau!

B

I met Sarah Cowley Ross at International Women’s Day in Taupō this year. The then-CEO of Amplify, Kylie Hawker-Green, had invited us to kōrero at their annual event. Sarah reminded us that having choice is a privilege. And to use it wisely.

I was impressed at the governance roles she had taken on in athletics, while still training to be the world’s best at triple jump back in March. The Olympic athlete competed in London 2012 at the heptathlon, and our writer Nicky Adams rightly points out the kind of superhuman effort it takes to excel at multiple disciplines.

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TOP SPOTS Take it to the ‘Bridge

EAT, SHOP, LIVE, PLAY & STAY in the Waikato

Luxe life: ASTON MARTI N in Taupō LEXUS which one are you?

PROPER TY EXPER T

Craig Orr

PEET JEWEL LERS brings the sparkle

Stylin g

mid-w inter Chris tmas

FOOD IE FUN

and new favourit es SOLERA

MASTE R KONG MADAM E SUNSET CAMAR OSA ALPINO ONYX

I S S U E 5 2 WINTER 2021

His stories are fantastic. Ask him about the time he flew his Buccaneer over the Mediterranean with the bomb compartment full of duty-free booze for his squadron. Another favourite was hearing how to prepare for interrogation if you end up behind enemy lines. Or what it was like searching for war criminal Slobodan Milošević during the Bosnian War. This issue he shares another belter.

Flick to the back and find out what Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin said to Mike in the Knesset building in Jerusalem.

ONE MAGAZIN E FOR ONE BAY OF PLENT Y

efore Mat and I bought UNO in September 2015, the founder used to get his to dad write a few whakaaro (thoughts) on the last page of every issue. I thought it’d be rather nice to do the same. And that’s how my dad scored the gig of his life as an UNO columnist. Mike Rudd led a great life as a fighter jet pilot in the Royal Air Force, taking my mum, Janey, my brother Martin and me round the world on phenomenal adventures in far-flung corners.

ABOVE Editor Jenny Rudd and publisher Mat Tomlinson at the Lexus of Hamilton launch earlier this year.

Every issue, things jump off the page at me and either hit hard or make me smile.

Carmen Dickison, a real estate agent at Bayleys, was awarded a medal for bravery while in the New Zealand Police. Ben Hurley sang Lorde’s “Royals” in te reo Māori on television program 7 Days. Kiri Randall deals with grief every single day in her role as general manager at Legacy Funerals. Sally Morrison volunteered at a leprosy centre in Vietnam, where one woman kept all her worldly belongings under her pillow and, despite having no fingers, loved to sew. Our world is full of the most extraordinary people, isn’t it?

Stay mahana (warm) this winter.

Enjoy the cool air and mellow light under darker clouds.

Jenny and Mat

WINTER 2021 $14.90

9 772253 415009 >

SPE ED + ST R EN GT H

S A R ATHE H

LATEST ISSUE

Co wle y -Ro ss

PLUS WORK: A Supreme Court Judge and Mackenzie Morrison in Vietnam Elvin Law talk rules THRIVE: Real Kiri Randall looks life stories with Rebecca Kuruvilla Skin Centre Get after our departed Protect your skin in the fit club with Sally barrier with Epidermis In my last job Clubfit Beautiful I... Sit with the & Sage LIVE: brows with Danish PLAY: perfection Mike A beachfron Feast your eyes Rudd meets a on these new restaurantt dream with Barrett Homes king and a prime minister s EXPLORE : Doubtless Bay

Read Sarah’s story on page 26 and online at UNOMAGAZINE.CO.NZ

MEANWHILE We’ve been cooking up something pretty exciting: A new-look website!

Read exclusive content and keep up-to-date with the best things in the Bay!

I S S U E

5 2 > CO N T E N T S

- SPRING ISSUE 52 -

CONTENTS SARAH COWLEY ROSS p26

Cover Story 26 / RACING AHEAD Olympic and Commonwealth Games heptathlete redefines her identity and her career.

Regulars 16 / SPOTTED Out and about at our most glamorous local events.

22 / WHAT’S HOT The latest good stuff for your mind, body and home.

COVER PHOTO GRAEME MURRAY HAIR + MAKEUP DESIREE OSTERMAN ST YLING HANNAH KEYS WITH SISTERS + CO

CONTRIBUTORS >

GRAEME MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHER

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SALINA GALVAN PHOTOGRAPHER

CALEB WALSH PHOTOGRAPHER

JAHL MARSHALL PHOTOGRAPHER

JORDAN REID PHOTOGRAPHER

JESSICA LOWCHER PHOTOGRAPHER

BENJAMIN PARKINSON PHOTOGRAPHER

I S S U E

Mackenzie Elvin Law

The way we work Do the

5 2 > CO N T E N T S

p42

mahi .

24 / YOU’VE GOT THE MUSIC IN YOU Learn to play and play to learn at MauaoPAC.

38 / VERY NICE WHEELS Lexus of Tauranga’s staff share their top picks of the luxury cars on the lot.

42 / RULE OF LAW An excerpt from Justice Susan Glazebrook’s recent lecture at the University of Waikato.

44 / PEOPLE ARE EVERYTHING Mackenzie Elvin Law’s like-minded lawyers.

48 / KIRI RANDALL Legacy Funerals honours and celebrates life.

50 / A LIFE OF SPARKLE Take a breathtaking visit to Peet Jewellers.

54 / A BIGGER VIEW Meet lifelong philanthropist Sally Morrison.

59 / FREE NASRIN How you can get involved in this important human-rights cause.

The way we thrive Be

your best self.

62 / TRANSFER STUDENTS Appearance medicine that restores youthful looks using your own body fat.

64 / YOU BETTER SHAPE UP Raise your brow game with this sought-after specialist technique.

68 / STUDYING UP The Malaghan Institute of Medical Research is working hard on a cure.

PEET JEWELLERS p50

MICROBLADING p64

K ATE UNDERWOOD WRITER

VINESH KUMARAN PHOTOGRAPHER

HANNAH KEYS WRITER

uu nn oomm aa gg aa zz iinn ee..ccoo..nn zz

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I S S U E

BARRETT HOMES p72

The way we live A

home from home.

70 / LIVE: COVETED Neutrals and naturals are simple yet special in that oft-neglected haven: Your bathroom.

72 / ENDLESS SUMMER This Barrett Homes dream house isn’t going anywhere despite its clever removable design.

76 / BAYLEYS GOT TALENT You won’t believe what hidden skills these exceptional Bayleys salespeople can boast.

80 / TAKE A SEAT Tauranga’s Danish Furniture brings a lot more than chairs to the table.

The way we play Here for a

SOLERA

good time .

p87

87 / THE CHEF’S PASS Wine bar restaurant Solera is quickly becoming the talk of the town.

93 / HOT SPOTS Madame Sunset and Master Kong add colour and cocktails to the Mount.

98 / LIFE OF THE PARTY Tauranga Party Hire brings the fun to your next function.

100 / BIG NIGHT IN

MASTER KONG p93

MONIQUE BALVERTO’CONNOR WRITER

NICK Y ADAMS WRITER

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ANDY TAYLOR WRITER

Party hosting tips and accessories from the experts.

102 / ALL THE BETTER Hamilton-based Camarosa has all the comfort food you crave this winter.

I S S U E

5 2 > CO N T E N T S

CAMBRIDGE p112

The way we explore It’s about the

journey .

106 / TAKE ME TO THE RIVER ...and the zoo and the gardens in delightful, family-friendly Hamilton.

C0-OWNER + EDITOR Jenny Rudd 021 863 866 / jenny@unomagazine.co.nz

108 / THE NEW EXTRAORDINARY It’s a hard job test-driving the Aston Martin DBX, but someone had to do it.

CO-OWNER + PUBLISHER Mathew Tomlinson 021 222 1474 / mat@unomagazine.co.nz

112 / COME TO CAMBRIDGE Who needs overseas travel when we can visit our local English hamlet?

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Matt Genefaas

120 / AS GOOD AS IT GETS

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Hannah Keys

Fancy a drive up country? Northland is Issue 49 an unsung hero of a holiday destination.

The way we think

SUB-EDITORS Philippa Prentice Katherine Granich

124 / IT’S ALL RIGHT HERE Take a little trip through our local art scene and stretch your mind a bit.

Open

MARKETING MANAGER Charlotte Brown charlotte@unomagazine.co.nz BEAUTY EDITOR + MARKETING Lisa Shea lisa@unomagazine.co.nz

your

mind.

63 / STU STEVENSON It’s good to look great, but better to feel great, says our Clubfit columnist.

SUBSCRIPTIONS unomagazine.co.nz/sub

67 / CONSTANCE SANTOS Looking after your skin’s protective barrier enhances cosmetic treatments.

PRINTER Webstar DISTRIBUTOR Ovato PUBLISHED BY Spectre Publishing Limited

82 / CRAIG ORR

UNO is a quarterly publication: ISSN 2253-4156 © Copyright 2021. Articles and illustrations may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of, nor endorsed by, Spectre Publishing Limited, unless stated otherwise. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of printing, the publisher shall not be held responsible for any actions taken as a consequence of information contained in this publication.

Our Bayleys columnist reaches new heights (and takes a break from hills).

92 / BEN HURLEY Writing for 7 Days had its highs and lows, but always brought the laughs.

119 / NATHAN PETTIGREW Our marine columnist is turning turtle, and you, too, can help.

WOODFIT

127 / MIKE RUDD

p113

NICOLA TRAVIS INTERIOR DESIGNER

STU STEVENSON COLUMNIST

CONSTANCE SANTOS COLUMNIST

KIRI RANDALL COLUMNIST

CRAIG ORR COLUMNIST

A wide-ranging trip down memory lane in the Middle East.

BEN HURLEY COLUMNIST

NATHAN PETTIGREW COLUMNIST

MIKE RUDD COLUMNIST

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TAURANGA | HAMILTON

Ebbett Hamilton TAU R A N G A

An evening of hospitality, entertainment and friendship marked the opening of this grand new premises.

S P O T T E D > L E X U S

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PHOTOS NITA MEYER The invitation said canapés, drinks and entertainment. What an understatement. The new showroom at Ebbett Hamilton and Ebbett Volkswagen had been transformed into a theatre, where operatic superstars Sol3 Mio and friends performed a musical of Ebbett’s 93-year history in Hamilton. The description sounds a bit weird, but it was incredible! The story and music kept everyone laughing and gasping all the way through, there were a few gallons of emotional tears shed, and then every hair stood on end during the haka at the close of the show.

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Classic Flyers played host to the Bayleys team as they celebrated the last year together.

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PHOTOS MEDIA MASTERS 01. Josh Smith, Belinda Sammons 02. Dean and Lea File 03. Phil and Robyn Mangos 04. Karen Gambitsis, Karen Flowerday, Vanessa Williams 05. Rachel O’Dwyer, Nicki Robb, Trina Bird, Stacey Bukes, Aimee Wright, Glenice Cooper 06. David and Wendy Cashmore 07. Karen Flowerday, Heath Young 08. Carmen Dickison, Jenny Fowler 09. Lynn and Brendon Bradley 10. Stephen Shale, Jane Young 11. Lizzy Hayes, Rory Brown, Laura Lees 12. Anita and Jon O’Connor 13. Genevieve Taylor, Gabe Wills, Isaac O’Kell, Lauren Westerby 14. James Waldegrave, Anita and Jon O’Connor 15. Grace Reid, Jordan Messiter 16. Dong Mei, Snow Williams 17. Angel and Nick Fleet 18. Leon Claessens, Kimberly Bain.

UNO SPOTTED BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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TAURANGA | HAMILTON

O F

TAU R A N G A

UNO SPOTTED BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

S P O T T E D > L E X U S

Clarence Hotel The inaugural oysters and champagene event kicked off in style at Bar Centrale in Tauranga.

PHOTOS PABLO CREATIVE

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S P O T T E D > L E X U S

O F

TAU R A N G A

TAU R A N G A

Master Kong & Madame Sunset

S P O T T E D > L E X U S

O F

You only need to look at the colours to feel excited about these two new Mount venues.

Read more on page 93.

PHOTOS JESS LOWCHER

UNO SPOTTED BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

TAURANGA | HAMILTON

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UNO SPOTTED BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

TAURANGA | HAMILTON

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BWN Speakers Series 2021 Day one of inspirational talks held at Trinity Wharf, Tauranga

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PHOTOS SALINA GALVAN. 01. Deeanah Winders, Zoe Trower 02. Jacqui Porter-Thomas, Mary Hill 03. Jenny Rudd, Karen Walker 04. Ruby Mills, Jess Warn 05. Roz Irwin, Barbara Coulthard 06. Jeneene Brader, Eden Marcroft, Tammy Johnson, Helene Nihotte, Olivia Carpenter 07. Pip Loader, Clare Swallow, Gillian Johnston 08. Georgia Clemens, Simone Goldstone, Alexis McStay 09. Chelan Burton-Brown, Deborah Begbie, Bernadette Ryan-Hopkins, Penny Rae 10. Maree Grinlinton, Bridget Ensor, Jennifer Boggiss, Ruby Grant, Rebecca McQueen 11. Stephanie Bennett, Tegan Church, Katie Creamer 12. Bernadette Ryan-Hopkins, Michaela James, Ruth Jackson-Smith.

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Thirty years of generosity in our wonderful community.

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PHOTOS SALINA GALVAN. 01. Tom Thomas, Shay Broomhall, Jordy Gashmeier, Cherry Wills 02. Simon Bridge, Angie Warren-Clarke 03. Claire Wathne, Barb Thompson 04. Nikki Wade, Lyn Hall, Cody Westworth 05. Peter Goad, Margaret Goad, Hugh Reynolds, Heather Reynolds 06. Peter Smith, Mary Smith, Verionca Cahill, Bill Cahill 07. Sue Wright, Sue Wiseman, Cushla Woodward, Marion Lewin 08. Tom Hardie, Robert Hardie 09. Jane Grace, Simon Beaton 10. Sue Van Os, Laura Mueller, Jane Grace 11. Claire Wathne, Barb Thompson.

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PHOTOS MEDIA MASTERS 01. Laura Steele and Melanie Waldron 02. Simon Anderson and Sara Browne 03. Monique Ebert, Vanessa Williams, Renee Mabey 04. Phil and Margaret Richardson 05. Sylvie and Kane Williams 06. Gordon Stewart, Carol Henry, Axel Martinez 07. Grant Child, Steve Trotter 08. Genevieve Taylor, Shae Capewell 09. Lynda and Chris Royal, Deanne Stewart 10. Craig Hilton, Tracey and Trevor East 11. Paula Milner, Jane Young 12. Brittney McComb, Anne Moffatt 13. Craig Sandlant, Karen Worley 14. Simon Anderson, Maree Meehan 15. Kale Kirk, Carlos Del la Varis, Ryder Parker 16. Dynasty Holtz, Matt Te Teira 17. Luke Turner, Danielle Hayes 18. Isaac O’Kell, Lauren Westerby 19. Grace Anderson, Sylvie Williams, Beverly McCormick 20. Vanessa Williams, Monique Ebert 21. Chanda Suri, Janvhi Clark 22. Gaynor and Geoff Monk.

UNO SPOTTED BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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g o t t h e l ate st g o o d s t u ff o b d , y d a n n i d m hom yo u r e. for

ve We ’

Deep-sea treasure ZOE & MORGAN Celebrating the unique nature of freshwater pearls, Zoe & Morgan’s Mutiara necklace looks like a sparkling treasure from the sea, crafted consciously with recycled silver and plated in 22K gold.

ZOEANDMORGAN.COM

at’s h W

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EMMA LEWISHAM The product that has the beauty world abuzz, this pigmentation correction serum has achieved cult status, doing wonders for lacklustre skin, uneven skin tone and textural issues to reveal an ultra-radiant complexion.

Hot! WIN

Keep an eye on UNO’s socials to enter the draw to win one of your own!

Magic dust DUST & GLOW With an entirely waterless formulation, this powder-based detox cleanser and mask ticks all the boxes without the need for nasties. Just shake into the palm of your hand in the shower to create a paste, and glow on the go.

DUSTANDGLOW.CO.NZ

WHAT’S 22 | u n o m a g a z i n e . c o . n z

ZE DE N CIDE R Expertly brewed and bottled in Gisborne from East Coast apples and Hawke’s Bay feijoas, this sun-kissed cider gives back, with 10% of profits donated to Forest and Bird New Zealand.

FRESH FACED

EMMALEWISHAM.COM

Happy apples

SWEET RELEASE G IRL S G ET OFF Ladies, we’re giving you permission for a little me-time. The Missy Mini can help with that; it’s waterproof, USB chargeable with multiple intensity options to suit you.

If the 5-star ratings are anything to go by, you’ll be scheduling self-care every day of the week.

GIRLSGETOFF.CO.NZ

W H AT ’ S

H O T

Bold blend LIBERTINE TEA There’s nothing better than a warming brew in winter, and this organic blend really packs a punch. Balanced with peppery notes, fresh lemongrass and fragrant cardamom, you can sip away with the added benefit of antibacterial and antiviral properties to save you from ills and chills.

LIBERTINEBLENDS.CO.NZ

GOOD AS GOLD WHITTAKER’S When you need a pick-me-up, the latest creation from Whittaker’s will lift you out of the fog. Filled with crunchy nuggets of hokey pokey suspended in creamy milk chocolate, prepare yourself for a delightful nostalgia hit, only better.

Cocktail hour...

FROM SEEDLIP

SPICE HIBISCUS MARGARITA

WHITTAKERS.CO.NZ

60 ml Seedlip Spice 94 15 ml agave syrup 30 ml hibiscus tea (cooled) 10 ml fresh lime juice METHOD Lightly muddle all ingredients in a shaker.

Add ice, shake and strain over ice.

GLASS & GARNISH Serve in a rocks glass with spiced sugar salt rim (salt, granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg).

Garnish with a star anise.

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Overnight success

BOOT CAMP

LIN DE N LE AVE S

SOLECT

Restore and replenish dry winter skin with this luxurious night cream, packed with anti-ageing properties to regenerate and firm the skin while you sleep. It’s perfect for mature and sensitive skin, with organic white tea and nourishing marshmallow.

No matter what the weather or activity, these boots are your ultimate workhorse for winter. Ready for anything, they’ll keep you looking stylish with waterproof brown leather and a pop of bright green, and are comfy on all terrains of modern life.

LINDENLEAVES.COM

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HOT! unomagazine.co.nz

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WO R DS N I CK Y ADAM S / PH OTOS SALI NA GALVAN

H

aving flexed my musical chops at an early age by mastering “London’s Burning” on the recorder, I was a little taken aback to be told by my music teacher as a young teen that I was tone deaf. The bubble of my fledgling pop career burst by the harsh words of Mr Crabb, I never picked up a musical instrument again (unless you count the triangle in the Christmas nativity play), and although my children have each shown some musical ability, I can lay no claim to being the genetic source of their talent.

24 | u n o m a g a z i n e . c o . n z

Music trends have moved with the times, though, and it’s fair to say that the array of possibilities now open to young (and not so young, for that matter) learners is extensive – and, more than that, exciting.

Here in Tauranga, we’re lucky enough to have among our options the Mauao Performing Arts Centre (MauaoPAC) based at multi-function venue Totara St, which offers tuition in every avenue you could imagine.

No longer must parents be subjected to the screech of a recorder, when the array of instruments to choose from at MauaoPAC includes guitar, ukulele, bass, keyboards, piano, percussion, saxophone, violin and voice. In group classes and one-on-one lessons, there are up to

ca

le ar n at M a

u

Guitar, ukulele, bass, drums and percussion, keyboard, piano, saxophone, violin, voice, kids choir, PLUS production and live sound.

C? PA

Great teachers are instrumental in developing a certain gift that keeps on giving, and UNO knows where you can find one.

u yo

ao

You’ve got the music in you

n

PAC

W h at

W O R K > M AUAO

W O R K > M AUAO PAC

Every term, all the students play at a concert in live music venue Totara St. The crowd goes wild!

12 tutors available who operate out of four rooms. The idea is to immerse the students not just in their lessons, but in the whole scene; some of the tutors are jobbing musos (until recently L.A.B frontman Joel Shadbolt taught here), and at the end of every term, a concert is put on in the high-tech on-site venue.

Budding Billie Eilishes or not, this experience blows the kids’ minds.

Although the thought of igniting and facilitating their children’s creative passion tops many parents’ to-do lists, like anything, it has to be the right fit.

“People who are musically trained have been proven to have better working memory skills.”

Tauranga’s Carly Stewart sends her son to MauaoPAC for electric guitar lessons and her daughter to voice classes.

She says she loves the culture because, “It has a laid-back, family feel, and the go-with-the-flow vibe fits nicely with the whole music scene”.

When it comes to the benefits of being part of this community, Carly says, “It’s so important and has become a huge part of our lives. The temptations out there for teenagers are real and being passionate about music helps kids focus on the right stuff.” She also enjoys the end-of-term concerts. “They’re a definite highlight. They give the kids something to work towards – and parents love it too.”

It’s not just the musically gifted who reap rewards. Music can open a window for anyone to a truly wonderful world.

Aside from the joy it brings in the moment, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Neuroscience studies prove that music can enhance brain function in children, and it helps to develop the left side of the brain, related to language and reasoning.

People who are musically trained have

been proven to have better working memory skills, which helps them to remember things even while their minds are busy with other matters.

As someone with a shocking memory, this leads me to think it’s not just children who should be encouraged to pick up an instrument. Playing music also requires concentration, and in this day and age when technology cultivates an unhealthy desire for immediacy, training the brain to focus on something for sustained periods is invaluable.

Whether you have the next member of Sol3 Mio in your home or just a kid who loves to bang on a drum, MauaoPAC offers a joyous, encouraging environment for all.

Add to this the confidence-building attached to any kind of performing, and even the ‘tone deaf’ like myself will come away richer. As German philosopher and composer Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.”

MAUAOPAC.CO.NZ

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Racing ahead:

SARAH COWLEY ROSS The Olympic and Commonwealth Games heptathlete’s journey to redefine herself is about leaning hard into her core values and carving out a career where sport still takes centre stage.

WO R DS N I CK Y ADAM S / PH OTOS G R A E M E M U R R AY + S U PPLI E D S T Y LI N G H A N N A H K E YS WITH S I STE R S & CO / HAI R + MAK EU P D E S I R E E OS TE R MA N N

COV E R

S T O R Y > S A R A H

C OW L E Y

R O S S

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C OV E R

S T O R Y > S A R A H

C OW L E Y

R O S S

High jump at 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Credit: Getty Images

T

o reach the standard required to represent your country as an Olympic and Commonwealth Games athlete is extraordinary. To reach that standard across multiple disciplines is, in my view, verging on superhuman.

To be so talented, disciplined and dedicated, and still be a wellbalanced, grounded and thoroughly lovely person – surely that’s impossible? Apparently not.

Aotearoa heptathlete Sarah Cowley Ross is all of the above and more.

If you’re a little hazy as to what a heptathlon actually involves, to clarify, it’s a combination of track and field events that requires both speed and power. Over a period of two days, athletes compete in a total of seven events: A 200m and 800m run, the 100m hurdles, and the high jump, long jump, shot put and javelin.

Heptathletes are given points for their best performance in each, then ranked according to the highest overall score.

Sarah competed in the heptathlon event at the London 2012 Olympics, where she placed 26th out of 38, having previously placed 10th out of 12 at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, she narrowed it down to the high jump, placing ninth out of 24.

Although these are the events that have garnered her the most attention, they’re only the pinnacle of myriad incredible achievements during the course of her career.

I’d presumed the world-class athlete would be a certain type of person, perhaps buzzing with pent-up energy.

In fact, I found her to be warm, relaxed and only identifiable as an athlete by her long, lithe legs and an aura of fitness I sometimes fantasise about possessing 28 | u n o m a g a z i n e . c o . n z

“A lot of times people have said, ‘You’re too nice to win – you’ve got to be more mongrel.’ But I can turn it on and off when I need to. I’m very competitive.”

myself. So deceptive is her demeanour, it’s hard to imagine her out on the field, mentally slaying her opponents one by one.

With a smile, Sarah tells me, “A lot of times people have said, ‘You’re too nice to win – you’ve got to be more mongrel.’

But I can turn it on and off when I need to. I’m very competitive. I always want to win, but that’s changed in the sense that I’m quite comfortable with who I am, so I don’t need to win Pictionary every time!

I’ve also changed in that now I want to win for the collective – for communities.”

Sarah was born and raised in Rotorua; her mother Robyn Cowley is New Zealand European and her father Jerry Cowley moved to New Zealand from Samoa when he was seven. Sport was always an integral part of family life; Jerry (who sadly passed away when Sarah was 19) represented New Zealand in basketball, and her brothers Garrick and Richard are also blessed with more than their fair share of sporting prowess.

Sarah says that when they were children, there was an expectation that they incorporate sport into their daily life, but not at the expense of other things.

“Looking back, we were allowed to be kids, and play was a big part of our lives.

I was just fortunate that I had brothers who were better than me physically and who unconsciously pushed me. I was just always trying to keep up. Later, they’d join in my training sessions. My brothers are two of my closest friends, and when I reflect on my journey, it’s been a family one.”

By the time Sarah reached intermediate, she was keen to shine at netball. In fact, it was her love of netball that initially sparked her passion for sport. “I really wanted to be a Silver Fern – Bernice Mene was a hero to me. Half Samoan, she played netball and did athletics at a young age, and that was it – I wanted to be her. When I was 12, I went on my first representative trip to Dunedin and sat next to her on the plane, which was amazing. Then she came and watched us compete; she’d been in the same competition when she was young. Seeing

Tokyo 2020 TVNZ presenter “For the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, I’m excited to be presenting alongside Toni Street and Scotty Stevenson on TVNZ. We’ll bring all the top sporting moments to you; the Kiwi news and more will be beamed straight back into our homes in Aotearoa.

I’ll be cheering on my friends like Emma Twigg in the rowing single skulls. and the Black Ferns Sevens Sisters team.

And, of course, I can’t wait to see how the athletics events unfold.”

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What is a heptathlon?

The first four events are contested on the first day and remaining three on the second day.

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200 100m hurdles

High jump

Shot put

200 metres

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800 Long jump

Javelin throw

800 metres

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London Olympics 2012, 100 metre hurdles. (Left to right) Eliska Klucinova (Czech Republic), Nataliya Dobrynska 2008 Olympic Champion (Ukraine).

Credit: Getty Images

Governance roles “A significant part of my work right now is as Chair of the New Zealand Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission and as a board member of the NZOC. Through the athlete advocacy work, we’re on a mission to increase the mana of the athlete voice in New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth movements and influence, where appropriate, the New Zealand sporting system.

Athletes are very goal-oriented people, and want to see action come out of the mahi. It’s vital they see their opinions being voiced.”

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C OW L E Y

R O S S

“When I was eight, I watched the 1992 Olympics and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. My greatest potential in athletics was heptathlon as I was a natural jumper.” your heroes is powerful – and Sandra Edge and Chantal Brunner are others I really looked to as well.”

At high school, it was clear that rather than just excellent, Sarah was gifted.

She began representing New Zealand at 16, and life became very busy with events and the overseas travel that came with it. That’s not to say her studies took a back seat, though.

“I was never not expected to go to university,” says Sarah. “Sport is a vehicle. I got awarded the Prime Minister’s Scholarship, which funded two degrees, and I would’ve preferred to have been training. But I know the value of education, so I got a Bachelor of Health Sciences so I can work as a physiotherapist, and I’ve also got a BA in Communications.”

It’s hard not to be blown away by the sheer commitment that would have been involved in juggling study and part-time work with training and competing as

a heptathlete, which is essentially a case of taking the top level of each code and multiplying the expectation by seven.

The sheer physicality involved is mindblowing, and alongside this the mental capacity required to keep up the momentum not just for a short burst, but for 48 hours. Adding into the mix the recovery time for each event and the fact that different sports are known to “peak” at different ages, how is it possible to excel?! I feel exhausted even contemplating it.

“It would’ve been a lot easier to pick one sport,” admits Sarah. “When I was eight, I watched the 1992 Olympics and I knew that’s what I wanted to do.

My greatest potential in athletics was heptathlon as I was a natural jumper.

I was resistant for a long time because I knew it would be hard and I’m not naturally a thrower, but in 2005 I roomed with a heptathlete and realised it was what I was most suited to. Five months later, I made the Commonwealth Games.”

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ABOVE New Zealand Olympic Committee Board Members with Governor General, Dame Patsy Reddy and Sir David Gascoigne 2020. Credit: Getty Images.

“For so long in my life, I knew what I was aiming for, so to then have a blank canvas was hard.”

Throughout this time, neither Sarah’s dedication nor her family’s support wavered, something that brought both amazing highs and undeniable lows.

“Everything was focussed on the performance,” she says. “My friends were buying houses and I had a dollar in my bank account because I’d spent it all on supplements and massages. There were times when I was like, ‘I’m 28 and I haven’t done what I want in athletics yet, I’m single – what am I going to do with my life?’ You finish in your 30s with a lot of great skills but very little job experience.”

Still, Sarah says her ultimate high was when she qualified for the Olympics in Götzis, Austria. “I knew I was in good shape, but a really significant moment was in the high jump when I jumped 191; at the time my best had been 184.

I was really free. For a long time, I’d put 32 | u n o m a g a z i n e . c o . n z

a handbrake on my life, and for the five years previous I hadn’t improved in the way I wanted to. For a long time, something had been holding me back.

A year before, I probably wanted to quit, but I managed to turn it around, and in that high jump I finally unleashed what I was physically capable of. It was one of the purest moments of my life.”

The decision to step away from the world of international athletics in 2014 was similarly momentous, but at the same time natural. There was no big blow-out, no horrendous injury – the timing just seemed right.

“I felt done,” says Sarah. “I was 30 and it seemed like a good time to retire. I got married the next year and in 2015 we had our first child, Max.” He was followed by daughter Poppy two years later.

Nevertheless, going from training for

TOP 2020 New Zealand Track and Field Championships. Returning to compete in the triple jump and finishing 2nd. Credit: Alisha Lovrich.

RIGHT 2012 London Olympics, competing in the heptathlon.

five hours a day to a desk job was a huge shift, which Sarah says she struggled with. “For so long in my life, I knew what I was aiming for, so to then have a blank canvas was hard. Immediately after retirement, I worked in marketing for one of my sponsors, Asics, and I loved the job, but I wasn’t expressing my physical gifts through a sport I love with people I love around me. And not being outside was a massive thing too.”

Part of Sarah’s journey became identifying a new set of goals to satisfy

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“I felt done, I was 30 and it seemed like a good time to retire. I got married the next year and in 2015 we had our first child, Max.”

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“I ‘do’ athletics, but it’s not who I am. There’s a lot more to me than I realised, and sport is a mechanism for living my values.”

her competitive nature. The excitement of becoming a mother was also part of the process, and the physical changes of pregnancy meant another mental shift.

“It was a transition out of elite sport and out of a body I was used to being in, so I didn’t recognise myself,” says Sarah.

“In some ways, it was a release for me to eat anything because I’d been on a performance diet.”

Fuelling her body differently was freeing, “but liberation created a disconnect about who I was and who I was becoming. I had no control – well, I had control over the chip packet! – but not over what was happening to my body.”

Throughout this challenging period, Sarah was supported by her husband Angus Ross, a former Olympic sportsman who competed in bobsleigh events. Now a sports scientist, Angus was the perfect person to guide her on what she needed to do to stay well and nurture herself.

For the past few years, Sarah has been on a journey to redefine who she is. Her days are very different and elements of her psyche have undoubtedly changed, but acknowledging her core values has been central to her next chapter. “Selfacceptance became a really big part of who I wanted to be,” she says. “I ‘do’ athletics, but it’s not who I am. There’s a lot more to me than I realised, and sport is a mechanism for living my values, which are legacy, and love and courage.”

These days, Sarah says, her life is like a heptathlon. She’s equally passionate about all her projects, including Olympicsrelated governance positions, work as a marriage celebrant and as a columnist for online forum LockerRoom (at newsroom. co.nz), for which she exclusively covers women, advocating for them in sport.

“I’m really grateful to shine a light on people and provide a platform for these stories to be heard,” Sarah says. As she well knows, it’s vital that young athletes coming through the ranks can find someone to identify with. “I know the power of seeing women in sport.”

Sarah also acts as an Olympic ambassador in schools. Through talking about her own journey, she brings the Olympics to life for our youth and encourages kids to be active. An exciting upcoming role is covering the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games for TVNZ. Sarah’s thrilled to be a part of this; she’d watch the Olympics regardless, but in this capacity she gets to communicate what’s going on to our whole country. Plus, she says, she’s constantly looking for ways to stretch herself, and the buzz of live TV is similar to the rush of competing.

Despite moving out of the international arena, Sarah certainly hasn’t left sport, and still trains for and competes in triple jump events. “In 2017, I needed something to train for,” she says. “I always really wanted to do the triple jump, and I was highest ranked in Aotearoa. After I had Poppy, I thought I’d try it again, so last year I did and came second at the Nationals. This year, I had a back injury and got third.”

I marvel that she can switch back to the training and diet regime required.

“It’s amazing that I still have that,” she concedes. “I can still turn it on. Saying no to things I know won’t help me is empowering.”

That’s just another reason why Olympian Sarah Cowley Ross is a cut above the rest.

SARAHCOWLEYROSS

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EXPLORE!

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W O R K > T H R I V E > L I V E > P L A Y > E X P L O R E unomagazine.co.nz

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WO R K > L E X U S

E

Very nice wheels Lexus of Tauranga’s new showroom is open in Elizabeth Street. The passionate team share their picks of the luxury vehicles in the showroom.

WO R DS M O N IQ U E BALVERT- O’CO N N O R PH OTOS JAH L MARSHALL + SALI NA GALVAN

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ngage in a chat with Mike Ranstead about the new Tauranga Lexus car dealership he runs, and chances are he will talk more about people than cars.

That’s not surprising, given this Tauranga branch manager and his team are heavily focussed on offering exceptional customer service. Many Tauranga locals have already had a taste of it as the Lexus dealership opened its Elizabeth Street showroom in June.

Mike says that even though he heads an automotive dealership, he considers he and his team work within the hospitality sector.

“We don’t want people to feel as if they are moving into the process you traditionally find in the automotive

W O R K > L E X U S

industry. When we open our doors to them, we are inviting them into a comfortable, welcoming space where they are our guests – we are sharing our hospitality with them.”

He passionately talks about how the premises is up for the task, “looking on point” and offering a sense of walking into a hotel foyer rather than a dealership.

It’s a perfect setting for talking about dream vehicles.

“We invite people to sit and have a conversation with us about how we

“The response has been outstanding.

We have experienced a huge amount of warmth and positivity.” can help them. The initial dialogue is not necessarily about the product – it is more about what they want to achieve from a vehicle buying experience,” Mike enthuses.

In discussing the importance of customer service, Mike reverts to the Japanese term “omotenashi”.

“Omotenashi is about anticipating the needs of others without expectation of reward. In other words, the experience we are giving to customers is given whole-heartedly.

It is about ensuring that when they leave here, they’ve had a memorable experience that fits with what they would expect of the quality and premium Lexus brand.”

In the short time the Lexus showroom has

been open in Tauranga, plenty of people have experienced this special welcome.

“The response has been outstanding.

We have experienced a huge amount of warmth and positivity,” Mike says.

Amongst those calling in is a steady level of Lexus owners, coming in to say hi, checking out the site, booking their Lexus in for a service, and coming to talk about what the future holds. Those new to the Lexus experience are also calling in. There’s a strong inclination to know more about hybrid technology, and Lexus has a significant range of hybrid models, Mike says.

Customer service the Tauranga Lexus way includes all sorts of added touches.

Imagine coming in to have a test drive and returning to find your car washed.

How about receiving a bar of chocolate and a hand-written thank you note after getting your car serviced? And what about a bottle of champagne to celebrate when you make a purchase.

It’s all part of the “hand-on-heart” hospitality Mike and his team do so well.

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WO R K > L E X U S

Mike Ranstead Branch manager

Lily Matenga Sales coordinator

Eye-catching styling combines with a spacious and driver-centric cockpit in the ES300h F-Sport. This seventh-generation Lexus ES (executive sedan) is a mid-size luxury sedan with an all-new chassis that allows for the dynamic exterior design and, teamed with front and rear performance dampers, turns this sedan into a very competent driving vehicle. I enjoy touring around in it, seeking out less-driven roads to find hidden gems, and the ES F-Sport gives both the range and the handling on those country roads.

The UX250h F-Sport is our entry-level Lexus SUV and a compact vehicle well suited to my on-the-go urban lifestyle. It’s perfect for zipping around town, and the self-charging hybrid engine makes it super economical - especially in the notorious Tauranga traffic.

The F-Sport interior finish option with the red upholstery makes a real statement, and the front-seat styling with additional side bolsters gives fantastic support during longer drives.

I also love the enormous boot, and the rear window shade is really handy on hot, sunny days.

I also love the wireless charging pad and remote touchpad that allow me to stay connected while I’m out and about, as well as provide easy access to features such as maps, music and climate control.

ES300h F-Sport

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The UX (urban explorer) range starts at $59,900, making it a more affordable luxury car. The hybrid engine is costeffective but powerful as well, giving the smaller model an added sporty flair. My favourite design feature is the F-Sport front grille, with its distinctive mesh pattern made up of multiple L-shaped motifs.

UX250h F-Sport 3.5L Petrol Hybrid

2.0L Petrol Hybrid

Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission

Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission

160 kW

135 kW

Total system output (engine & hybrid system)

Total system output (engine & hybrid system)

4.8L /100km

4.5L /100km

Fuel consumption (combined)

Fuel consumption (combined)

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Mitchell Handcock Sales consultant

Damon Bowe After Sales Consultant

The RX450hl is a luxury mid-size SUV and the topselling Lexus SUV in New Zealand. My fiancée and I are big adventure people and often spend our weekends doing long journeys in search of good times. Whether visiting family in Kerikeri, going on Coromandel surfing missions or popping over to Lake Tarawera to wakeboard, we find the RX gets us there feeling relaxed and refreshed.

Perfect for my passion for performance-style cars, the IS350 F-Sport (IS stands for intelligent sedan or intelligent sport) is a compact yet powerful sedan that not only has exclusive tuning implemented into the suspension springs, shock absorbers and electric power steering, it is also paired with luxury driving comfort. Its ground-hugging form lowers its centre of gravity and improves agility while driving – ideal for anyone who enjoys fast cars and wants a race-car feel.

I’m 6’4”, and with the recent addition of a dog, our family is beginning to grow even bigger, so the RX (radiant crossover) 450hl’s blend of space and comfort is a must for us. Its black interior with bamboo trim makes it look sophisticated and modern. My top feature would have to be the Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto. Seamless smartphone connectivity combined with the touchscreen display makes everything very convenient.

LEXUSOFTAURANGA.CO.NZ

RX450hl

IS350 F-Sport

3.5L Petrol Hybrid

3.5L Petrol V6

Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission

8-Speed sport direct shift automatic

230 kW

232kW

Total system output (engine & hybrid system)

Max power

5.7L /100km

Fuel consumption (combined)

9.5 L/100km Fuel consumption

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WO R K > M AC K E N Z I E

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Rule of law: Guiding principle or catchphrase?

In the first of a series of annual public lectures, Supreme Court Judge, the Honourable Justice Susan Glazebrook, asked an important question. Here we print part of her response.

WO R DS J U STI CE S U SAN G L A Z E B ROO K PH OTO S U PPLI E D

The question I pose is whether the rule of law is a guiding principle or a mere catchphrase. For the United Nations at least, the answer appears to be not just a, but the guiding principle.

They say it’s the foundation of friendly and equitable relations between states, and the base of fair societies. It is fundamental to international peace and security and political stability; to economic and social progress and development; and to protecting people’s rights and fundamental freedoms.

It’s an all-embracing concept.

Let’s look first at freedom. The United States prides itself on being the oldest democracy in the world and the land of freedom. In her recent book, Caste, Isabel Wilkerson points out that for the first 246 years of what is now the United States, the vast majority of African Americans were slaves who, as she puts it, lived under the terror of people who had, by law, absolute power over their bodies and who faced no sanction for any atrocities they conjured up.

Wilkerson notes that it took a civil war, the deaths of three-quarters of a million soldiers and civilians, the assassination of a president and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 to bring the institution of slavery in the United States to an end. Or was it in fact at an end?

After an all-too-brief period of 12 years, known as Reconstruction, the federal government withdrew from the south and left the liberated slaves in the hands of those who had enslaved them.

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And, as Wilkerson says, these people designed a labyrinth of laws to put Black citizens into indentured servitude, to take voting rights away, to control where they lived and how they travelled, and to seize their children for labour purposes.

These laws became known from the 1880s as Jim Crow laws and spread throughout the south and even to a degree in the north, and basically legalised racial segregation. They were backed up with extreme violence by individuals and organisations such as the Ku Klux Klan. Although that violence was not legal, it may as well have been, as the perpetrators operated with impunity.

And the courts were complicit right to the top. The segregation laws were given the seal of approval in 1896 by the notorious US Supreme Court decision of Plessy v Ferguson, which concerned a Louisiana law segregating carriages on railways. The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine.

The Jim Crow laws were not just a temporary aberration. They remained in place for some 100 years, mostly disappearing only as a result of the civil rights movement after World War II. Their dismantling has not, however, meant equality.

Before we get too complacent, let us look at New Zealand’s historical record of unjust laws, in the context of the treatment of Māori. The law has a lot to answer for, despite the guarantee of equality in Article 3 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which gave way in the face of the rapacious hunger for land from the colonisers.

Substantial areas of Māori land were confiscated under the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863, including in Waikato and Tauranga. The process was continued with the establishment of the Native Land Court in 1862 to investigate titles to Māori land.

It was not compulsory for Māori to bring their land before the Native Land Court – they were theoretically free to leave their lands in customary title if they wanted to. In practice, however, virtually all land still in Māori ownership in 1865 was brought before the court and converted to freehold title.

The result was individualised titles that took little or no account of the collective nature of Māori society and that could be, and were, readily sold. In traditional Māori society, land is not something that can be owned or traded. Instead, Māori belong to the land. It forms an essential part of their collective identity, with

“Before we get too complacent, let us look at New Zealand’s historical record of unjust laws, in the context of the treatment of Maori.”

W O R K > M AC K E N Z I E

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This event was in partnership between Mackenzie Elvin Law and the Faculty of Law at University of Waikato’s Tauranga campus.

Career highlights As well as being a Tauranga Girls’ College alumna, Susan studied at the University of Waikato before moving to Auckland to complete her studies.

1971

Tauranga Girls’ College

Qualifications University of Auckland: MA (1st Class Hons), LLB (Hons), Dip Bus (Finance) Oxford University: DPhil in French legal history

The public lecture by Supreme Court judge the Honourable Justice Susan Glazebrook was well attended by law students and members of the public, including our editor Jenny Rudd.

a spiritual link between the land and the people. From the majority of the North Island being held by Māori in 1860, by 1939, only scattered fragments remained.

Land alienation had profound effects on Māori society as it destroyed the collective relationship of the whānau and hapu unit to the land. It thus had serious impacts on Māori social organisation, the effects of which are still being felt today, with serious inequalities in health, education and socio-economic status, and massive over-representation in the criminal justice system.

All of which goes to highlight that the law can really be a terrible thing.

To me, this clearly means that a definition of the rule of law that limits itself to merely formal requirements cannot be supported.

So what does all this say about Aotearoa New Zealand and the rule of law? I would suggest that, until the effects of the unjust laws of colonisation are reversed, the rule of law can only be considered a work in progress. The new place of Te Tiriti and tikanga in the law is a start.

As an overall conclusion on the rule of law generally, I’ll finish where I began. The rule of law is a guiding principle as long as it includes human rights, access to justice and, I would add, redress for historical disadvantage. If that is the case, it’s also an appropriate catchcry for a better and more just world.

1998

President of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association

2000

Appointed to High Court

2002

Appointed to Court of Appeal

2007

Chair of Institute of Judicial Studies

2012

Appointed to Supreme Court

2014

Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the judiciary

2021

President of the International Association of Women Judges

WATCH THE FULL LECTURE AT bit.ly/3hfiYAa

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People are everything Like-minded lawyers at Mackenzie Elvin Law identify core values.

WO R DS N I CK Y ADAM S PH OTOS WAY N E TAIT + S U PPLI E D

A

s a company that believes in being accessible to its clientele and grounded in its approach to law, Mackenzie Elvin Law has carved out a niche that certainly sets itself apart.

Founded in the early 1980s by Fiona Mackenzie, husband Graeme Elvin, and good friend and longterm business partner Marcus Wilkins, from the outset all three valued long-term relationships, recognising the value of interconnectedness with their clients. They didn’t believe in the model of just selling legal services for a fee. Despite exceptional reputations in their field – or perhaps because of them – the solid three chose to remain tight-knit.

However, the last few years have seen a need to grow to meet

demand, and as a result the business has expanded from the original three partners to seven, and a team of 30-plus staff.

Nevertheless, the same core values that the firm was based on have remained at the heart.

Chatting with two of the partners, Rebecca Savage and Tom Elvin, what becomes very clear is that from their perspective the growth of the firm has been strategic, rather than simply reactionary. What is also obvious is the wonderful synergy between the colleagues; Rebecca is empathetic and quick to connect with, and is exceptionally smart (she boasts a Masters of Law from the University of Cambridge), experienced and a wonderful communicator. Tom is someone you innately want to helm your ship: Simultaneously focussed and sharp, but still humorous and

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WO R K > M AC K E N Z I E

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“Not only are his legal skills amazing, but there’s a whole pile of personal attributes that give you a lot of confidence.”

invested. Both agree that the common thread running through all the partners are the key qualities of competency, capability and cultural fit.

Maturing over the last five years or so into a more diverse entity, expansion started with the addition of Tom Elvin.

Having worked in Auckland since he graduated, Tom brought experience in commercial property and construction law in both a corporate environment as well as with a small boutique specialist.

Tom could see that within Mackenzie Elvin was “the opportunity and timing to grow and transition from a tightly-held business into a more complex organization which could serve the growing city and beyond.”

Being intentional about the company’s transformation has been driven by the

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pillars; Fiona, Graeme and Marcus, and it has meant a specific controlled and intentional growth. For Rebecca, a chance meeting with Tom in 2018 led to another with Fiona, and straightaway Rebecca knew that she had met her perfect match, even though it meant a change in the scope of law she was practising. “Fiona and I just clicked really well and had such a strong connection.”

For Tom this proves the firm’s founding values were continuing on, through the new generation; “Rebecca has admirable attributes, style and competency, and knew that she could have a meaningful and fulfilling career with us.” Clearly the move from litigation to family law is serendipitious for Rebecca; as she reflects on how she loves bringing her compassion and ability to listen to every case.

Thomas Refoy-Butler, a good friend of Tom’s, had – unbeknown to him – been earmarked as the perfect fit for the company. With a high level of experience in civil litigation, a practice area the firm was keen to move into, Tom started the “slow burn” of luring him to Tauranga and into the fold. Sure enough, he moved from Auckland and the already established relationship allows for a dynamic that, says Tom, is “like adopted siblings – you can disagree in a meaningful and effective way and get the best outcome.” Rebecca agrees. “Not only are his legal skills amazing, but there’s a whole pile of

At Mackenzie Elvin Law, all new clients are seen by a partner.

W O R K > M AC K E N Z I E

“Part of working here means that you’re part of the community that you’re living in. If you need to do that in work time, we make space for it.” personal attributes that give you a lot of confidence.”

From left, partners at Mackenzie Elvin Law: Tom Elvin, Rebecca Savage, Graeme Elvin, Fiona Mackenzie, Marcus Wilkins, Jason Bywater-Lutman and Thomas Refoy-Butler.

Jason Bywater-Lutman is the latest addition to the team of partners, and similarly was identified as someone with unquestionable business acumen. What sets him apart is not just his level of competency and effectiveness in his field of commercial property, but, as Tom notes, the fact that “he holds himself with a very high level of decorum and respect; he fits what we stand for and what we are building.”

With the change of pace in what started out as a family firm, now comes a much more intentional

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commitment to maintaining the original ethos. By treating staff well, the company has employees that have been with them for over 30 years. Community ventures have always been strongly supported, spearheaded by Fiona, Graeme and Marcus. Indeed, Fiona and Marcus partnered with the University of Waikato Tauranga Campus to put on the Justice Susan Glazebrook talk, which was both an investment in the University and a way of facilitating discussion about wider legal issues. Community-vested projects are massive for them, as Tom points out: “Working here means that you’re part of the community that you’re living in. If you need to do that in work time, we make space for it.”

Ultimately, the culture and the professional fit are important because they allow Mackenzie Elvin Law to achieve its central purpose – which is the service it provides. How the company sets itself apart remains the same as ever: Accessibility. Tom is clear: “We make sure that every new client is seen first by one of our decision makers; a partner. We want to understand exactly what you are going through, and how we can help.”

MACKENZIE-ELVIN.COM

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K

iri Randall faces grief every day of the week.

Hers is a job full of big emotion; showing compassion, care and empathy for people in the midst of what might be some of the hardest days of their lives.

It’s a lot to shoulder, but Kiri and her dedicated team are prepared to help carry that load, understanding personally how difficult loss can be.

Kiri Randall Tasked with the responsibility of honouring and celebrating life has given Legacy Funerals’ general manager Kiri Randall a whole new appreciation for hers.

I NTERVI E W LI SA S H E A / PH OTOS SALI NA GALVAN

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“We’ve had staff lose people in the last year that they never expected would have died before their time.

So the reality is that it happens for us, too. We can relate so deeply to the people that come to us in that moment.”

Their commitment to care became even more meaningful last year, when COVID-19 restrictions impacted our ability to say goodbye.

W O R K > L E G AC Y

F U N E R A L S

Uniquely, Legacy Funerals is owned by a charitable trust, so all of their profits go back to the community.

This has enabled families and the Legacy team to give over $3.1 million to local charities, schools and clubs.

“We did everything so that families were with their loved ones as long as possible. Once they came into our care, we made sure they had a proper farewell, we had someone say a committal; if the family prepared a eulogy, we read it on their behalf. We took video of the burial for the family so they could feel like they were part of it.

It was an incredibly challenging time for everybody and we just wanted to help them through it as best we could.”

If that seems outside the traditional idea of a funeral, Kiri explains that today, traditional services are no longer the norm. Her team is guided entirely in what they do by the wishes of the deceased, their family members and friends.

“Funerals don’t have to be limited to churches. We have them in our own venues, we have them in orchards, at the beach, at surf clubs; we’ve even had one on a barge. Whatever the person’s life was about, that’s what we want to reflect in the service. It can be in the morning, the evening, we can have their favourite foods served. We want it all to be individualised and a true celebration of their life.”

While funerals are as much about

“We’re not promised tomorrow, and we’re always faced with that in what we do, so it makes me appreciate what I have in a different way.” a moment to reflect and say goodbye for those loved ones left behind, Kiri says it’s as important to them to care for the deceased as much as the living.

do, so it makes me appreciate what I have

They have a team of qualified funeral directors, qualified embalmers and they’re committed to continuous training to ensure they offer a professional service at the highest standard.

be there to support them in the good and

“It doesn’t mean we charge more than any other funeral home; it just means that we’re doing our very best, because that’s what we’re all about.”

For Kiri, it always comes back to truly honouring the lives of those that have passed; something she sees as a responsibility that has gifted her with a whole new perspective.

“We’re not promised tomorrow, and we’re always faced with that in what we

in a different way. I can appreciate as a mum that the best thing I can do is be an incredible mother to my children, to the bad. For my staff, I want to focus on their health and wellbeing, to make sure they’ve got the tools and support they need to do what they do well.”

“It’s also made me appreciate my community. I’ve learnt that life isn’t perfect but I’m so blessed to have good people around me. I love having good conversations, with all kinds of people, from all walks of life. I want to learn from them. Ultimately, being in this line of work has really taught me to appreciate life.”

LEGACYFUNERALS.CO.NZ

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WO R K > P E E T

J E W E L L E R S

A life of sparkle If you’re yet to visit the chic new showroom of these stars of the jewellery scene, this tale might take you there.

WO R DS M O N I Q U E BA LVET- O ’CO N N O R PH OTOS H A R RY VA N H E E R D E N + J O R DAN R E I D

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WO R K > P E E T

A

dding a new jewel to its crown is paying off for one of Tauranga’s oldest businesses. Peet Jewellers is close to celebrating the first birthday of its elegant and welcoming Willow Street showroom, which has proven to be a hit among a growing customer base.

Until the August 2020 opening of this store, the 50-year-old business had been

J E W E L L E R S

jewellery design and manufacturing enterprise, where the Peet name still graces the door.

“That didn’t need to change because it’s not about me, it’s about what we do here,” says Harry, who’s been a jeweller for about 25 years – the last eight as the owner of Peet Jewellers.

Harry has ensured the business’s fine reputation has been maintained, while expanding it to include the Willow Street showroom and twice as many staff

based upstairs on Wharf Street. Rest assured, traditionalists – that space ABOVE You can just glimpse owner Harry van Heerden through the shop window.

still remains as both a retail outlet and creative studio/workshop. It’s not unusual for David Peet to pop in to see how his successor, Harry van Heerden, is getting on at the helm of this high-quality

Harry has ensured the business’s fine reputation has been maintained, while expanding it to include the Willow Street showroom. unomagazine.co.nz

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WO R K > P E E T

J E W E L L E R S

members, including two apprentices.

Requests for jewellery repairs and unique designs are also on the rise.

Having had hands-on involvement in its design and fit-out, Harry takes special pride in the Willow Street showroom.

“I locked myself in for about a month and built what we have here today,” he says.

What we have here includes royal blue walls interspersed with copper panels, sheer blue curtains, bamboo-framed cabinets and counters, chic light fittings and polished concrete floors. Harry’s pooch, Jackson, a papillon-chihuahua cross, particularly fancies one of the blue velvet chairs.

Harry established must-haves when devising the décor. Bamboo was one – he loves its warmth and sustainable

Peet Jewellers also repair jewellery in-house too.

They take care in selecting the perfect materials to suit the original piece.

qualities. Another was a minimalist and stylish ambience to reflect the business’ mood and culture.

“I’ve designed this space to include a comfortable desk to sit at and talk about jewellery and design; there’s a creative, open and collaborative workspace in the

“We can make anything jewellery-related.

One of the more unusual things we’ve made is a ring out of volcanic granite rock.”

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centre for discussing design and repairs; and I wanted the storefront to appear open, merging the outside and inside – hence the cabinets are minimalistic,” he says. “Finally, it was important for me to have a jewellers’ workbench visible, to show that we’re more than simply a jewellery outlet.”

Jewellery design remains a passion for Harry, who completed a goldsmith apprenticeship in South Africa before taking a break to explore other industries.

Radiography, marine rigging and a stint leading safaris filled his time before his

WO R K > P E E T

J E W E L L E R S

Bubble rings can be created from new gems too, with some of the combinations including white and yellow diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds. Harry tells of designing one for a customer made from own and her mother’s diamonds. “She was in tears, because she feels she now has her mum close to her all the time. We see a lot of customers cry with joy!” art form beckoned again.

These days, coloured stones are an inspiration, along with making versions of the “bubble ring” often created from customers’ own stones.

The ring features a selection of small and usually varied gems, and is a bespoke offering that’s really taking off.

ABOVE Harry’s bespoke bubble rings can combine old and new stones for a one-of-a-kind memento.

“Over the years, you collect or inherit different jewellery, or you might have an earring that’s missing its friend,” says Harry. “Or it could be that you have a ring that’s fragile and nearing the end of its life, or that involves a setting you no longer like.

We suggest creating something new to incorporate these – and one way of doing that is a bubble ring.”

Many of Peet Jewellers’ customers are mature people who are buying for a significant birthday or anniversary, or using inherited money to splash out a bit. “We can make anything jewelleryrelated,” says Harry. “One of the more unusual things we’ve made is a ring out of volcanic granite rock.”

Peet Jewellers also offers on-the-shelf pieces ready for purchase, and a range of estate jewellery. As for what’s trending? Simpler designs, yellow gold, and big, coloured stones.

And as for where Peet Jewellers is heading, Harry anticipates opening yet another retail outlet and enjoying many more creative days pushing design boundaries to ensure their customers keep saying “Wow”.

PEETJEWELLERS.COM PEETJEWELLERS

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T H R I V E> S A L LY

M O R R I S O N

A bigger view You’ve gotta give it to lifelong philanthropist Sally Morrison – she’s one very special woman.

WO R DS M O N I Q U E BA LVE RT- O ’CO N N O R PH OTOS JA H L MA R S H A LL

I

t’s been 18 years since you first wrote about me,” says Sally Morrison. “Frog Cottage,” she prompts, and I’m transported back to the character greenand-white home she owned on Tauranga’s Devonport Road.

and more. I may be slightly vague on the details, but I forgive myself, and for a good reason that has nothing to do with the passing of time. Quite simply, such memories are superseded by my recall of Sally’s philanthropy. What I remember with great clarity is Sally’s volunteer work at a Vietnamese leper colony.

Actually, there have been several stories over the years highlighting her gardening prowess, beautifully bedecked homes

We settle down to chat in Sally’s Mt Maunganui apartment, where she tells me that the leper colony chapter of her life

“We sat there in the middle of nowhere in a street that was like another planet – so much poverty – and we were spellbound.

started back in the 1990s. A fellow Tauranga Sunrise Rotary Club founding member spoke to her about his auntie, a Catholic nun, and her work in Vietnam.

Sister Sheila O’Toole went to Saigon during the Vietnam War, was held hostage in a prisoner-of-war camp, and was one of the last people to depart from the US embassy in 1975. She returned to Vietnam in 1992, spent another 12 years there and is the most decorated New Zealander in relation to Vietnam.

Enthralled, Sally filed away the Sr Sheila information, vowing to one day hunt her down. That day came later that year, after Sally’s daughter Trinity celebrated her 21st birthday.

“I thought Trinity had had a reasonably good life and I wanted to show her how other people lived,” says Sally. “I took her to India for a month and on the way back we called in to Vietnam to see if I could meet Sister Sheila O’Toole.”

Sally’s life path changed when “a lady, just about in rags” pulled up on a motorbike to meet this inquisitive fellow Kiwi. “She sat down and told us about her service at a leper colony. She’s the most amazing, bravest woman I’ve ever met.

“We sat there in the middle of nowhere in a street that was like another planet – so much poverty – and we were spellbound. She took us later to Ben San [Leprosy Centre], which was then run by nuns. It took about three-quarters

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T H R I V E > S A L LY

M O R R I S O N

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T H R I V E> S A L LY

M O R R I S O N

LEFT One of Sally’s patients who, despite having no fingers or legs, still loved to sew everyday.

Everything she owned was kept under her pillow.

RIGHT A young man in his late teens is treated by Sally at the Ben San colony.

of a day to get there from Ho Chi Minh.

It’s walled, barbed-wired, and there were guards. I thought, ‘This challenge is a bit of me’ and that’s how it started.”

Sally went back to her Sunrise Rotary Club armed with the news that there was a lot of good they could do there, and got the desired support. An initial step was acquiring a licence so she could teach the nurses at the centre (none of whom were registered) how to look after leprosy patients. This was in the late 1990s and over the next 14 years, Sally visited voluntarily seven times for two-week

stints of teaching and nursing. Nurses from other hospitals attended her lessons and she thinks she trained about 50 staff over the years. Sally left them her training manuals so they, in turn, could help others.

“It was very hands-on,” says Sally.

“I’d help deal with the head lice, which were crawling; I’d massage lotion into the skin of those with scabies [previously they’d been scrubbed with pot mitts]; I’d go in at night and sit with the dying; and the nuns would teach me Vietnamese and I’d teach them English.

“The people there had so little. I used to take nail polish over and they treated it like absolute gold. They’d line up so I could paint one or two fingernails (that’s all they

had) and they – women and men – loved it. The nails on every finger they had left would be painted a different colour.”

While there, Sally stayed at the colony in a bedroom where netting was a blessing as the spiders were “as big as dinner plates”. Initially, there was no hot running water, but Sunrise Rotary changed that by putting in solar heating.

They also sent a container full of goodies including spare beds from the hospital she owned, Oakland Health. She also brought furniture, linen, games, felt pens and colouring books for the children at the school within the colony. Both contributions were life-altering.

Then there was the goodness that came from Comvita; namely, $149,000 worth of wound-care product. The healing effect that had on the leprosy patients blew Sally’s mind.

Sally’s missions to Vietnam continued until 2007. That same year she sold Oakland Health, having bought it 27 years earlier. Back then, it provided for 19

“I look back and think Rotary is one of the best organisations in the world. This wasn’t about me.”

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T H R I V E > S A L LY

M O R R I S O N

“Read about people with grunt, be a bit mouthy like me and stick up for yourself and your basic principles.” helped start Tauranga’s first Lioness Club, the Tauranga Festival, and her precious Tauranga Sunrise Rotary Club, and judged competitions involving enterprising young people. The Queen’s people took note. “I got a gong,” smiles this New Zealand Order of Merit recipient.

Sally can’t park philanthropy. These days, she and some other women are part of a giving circle with the Acorn Foundation. “We put money in the can every month, then give it out,” she says, citing Women’s Refuge and disadvantaged children among the recipients.

BELOW Sally (in yellow) during a visit to the Ben San colony.

medical patients, mostly aged-care and a few young, severely disabled people.

Under Sally’s watch, it grew to support more such patients, plus others with traumatic brain injuries, young patients, post-operative orthopaedic care and war veterans from Wellington, and offered aggressive and slow-stream rehabilitation and physiotherapy services, palliative care and a meals-on-wheels service. Apartments and a hydropool for rehab were added, which saw it catering for 102 people in-house and about 140 outpatients.

They were busy days, but there was always time for doing charitable good. Sally held governance positions at organisations such as Private Hospital Association and the Acorn Foundation. She

She remains “neurotic” about New Zealand’s health system. It just doesn’t provide well enough for the many needs out there, she says.

Amid time with friends and family (her grandchildren live nearby) and beach walks with her two dogs, Sally is writing a book to inspire people to act on their dreams. “It’s not a look-at-me story,” she says. “It’s about how even if you come from nothing – I came from a state house – you can achieve whatever you like, with effort. My advice is to always surround yourself with a good team of supportive people. I couldn’t have done anything by myself – I owe whatever I’ve done to a team of people.

“Read about people with grunt, be a bit mouthy like me, and stick up for yourself and your basic principles,” is her advice.

Sally concedes she’s done good in her time but quickly adds that she doesn’t need awards, flowers, a red carpet or stories written about her. “If I get a smile, I’m as happy as a pig in mud.”

ROTARYTAURANGAAM.CLUB

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W O R K > N A S R I N

“If these feelings of disgust all over the world could be united into one common action, something effective could be done.” like the elderly lady who have protested against the mandatory hijab law.

In secret, Iranian men and women have risked arrest to film Nasrin’s story.

Free Nasrin No one is too small to make a difference. Amnesty International in Aotearoa are asking for the release of Nasrin, a human rights lawyer jailed in Iran.

WO R DS J E N N Y R U D D / I MAG E S S U PPLI E D

A

BELOW Panel discussion after the film, with Theresa Gattung, Dame Silvia Cartwright and Ghazaleh Golbakhsh.

t the end of the movie Nasrin, an elderly woman stands on a stone wall at the side of the road in Iran, and waves her headscarf on a stick, much like you’d wave a flag. This was a defiant and illegal act, with grave consequences. In Iran, women and girls are not allowed to leave their homes without covering their hair with a headscarf and their arms and legs with loose clothing. It’s hard to imagine something which signifies joy and celebration in some parts of the world can be punishable by jail in others.

Nasrin Sotoudeh is a human rights lawyer in Iran. She has been sentenced to 38 years in prison, plus 148 lashes, for defending women

The movie was screened in Auckland’s SkyCity Theatre by Amnesty International, who have been campaigning for Nasrin’s release.

Amnesty International started in 1960 with one man’s disgust at the treatment of two Portuguese students, who were imprisoned for seven years after raising a glass together in a toast to freedom.

Peter Benenson said, “If these feelings of disgust all over the world could be united into one common action, something effective could be done.”

Amnesty International mobilise their 10 million supporters worldwide to put pressure on decision makers and create change to support basic human rights, because tyrannical and oppressive leaders and governments still react to the same pressure that Amnesty founder Peter Benenson recognised. And that’s what the Nasrin movie was all about: Shining a light on what has happened and showing her oppressors that the world is watching.

Amnesty filmed the documentary of Nasrin’s work and arrest to make more people aware they take action. When you look at these huge cases, it can feel like it’s too big for one person to make a difference. But it’s not – everyone has something to give, to effect change for millions of people, like Nasrin.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Watch the film at NASRINFILM.COM Sign the petition to free Nasrin at AMNESTY.ORG.NZ

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T H R I V E> S K I N

C E N T R E

Transfer students Fat transfer can restore youthful contours to your face, hands and body, can be wonderfully rejuvenating and also improve scarring; here, two people share their experience of the day-stay procedure at Tauranga’s Skin Centre.

I NTERVI E W LI SA S H E A / PH OTO S U PPLI E D

Face Facts UNO: What led you to try facial fat transfer?

I felt good in myself, but then I’d look in the mirror and I’d look so tired! It aged me beyond my years.

Was there any preparation required before your procedure? The only prep I recall was not drinking alcohol for two weeks prior – and that’s never a bad thing.

How did you feel in the lead-up? I couldn’t wait to get it done! I’d been given lots of information from the Skin Centre and they were there for me if I had any questions at any time. I was so looking forward to not looking exhausted anymore – to looking like I had as much energy as I felt I had.

How did you feel afterwards? There was a bit of swelling that subsided in the first few days, but I took a week off work so I’d feel completely comfortable with how I looked when I went back. The pain was minimal, just a bit of a dull ache in my thigh where the fat was taken from; there was no pain at all in my face.

I followed the instructions for the pain medication and I was good as gold. I had to sleep propped up for a few days, but that wasn’t a biggie.

Do you love the results? I had the procedure about six years ago and I’ve never looked back. My face still looks and feels totally natural – which it is!

– and I don’t look tired anymore. I’m so much happier with my appearance.

How did you find your experience at the Skin Centre?

The staff at the Skin Centre were so caring and informative. They made the whole procedure and aftercare really easy.

What advice would you give to someone considering facial fat transfer? For me, it’s a no-brainer.

The procedure’s straightforward and the results are great – and long lasting.

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Body beautiful UNO: What led you to try body fat transfer? Being smallbusted, I’d always joked about wishing I could transfer some fat from my problem areas to my chest, so it felt like a dream come true when I found out about this procedure! I was attracted to this solution knowing there was nothing artificial that would be inserted into my body.

Was there any preparation required before the procedure?

To ensure it was successful, I had to wear a pump expansiontype system regularly for some weeks prior. This worked to make space for the fat to be placed in.

How did you feel in the lead-up? I was mostly excited as it seemed like the perfect solution to something I’d always thought about but hadn’t expected to be possible. I had a lot of faith in Dr Salmon and the team at the Skin Centre. Any nerves I had were put at ease by their kindness and professionalism.

How did you feel afterwards? I was deliberately cautious with all my movements and activities. I was a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn’t any worse than I’d expected and with some regular pain relief for a day or so, I was comfortable. Planning ahead to allow myself time to recover was also important for the success of the treatment.

Do you love the results? It’s been a couple of years, and I’m still really happy with my results. I feel like I got back what I had before children and a little more, yet look really natural – plus, the shape of my breasts has improved and my body confidence has too.

How did you find your experience at the Skin Centre?

I could not fault the experience I had. The atmosphere was relaxed and I was supported through all stages of the procedure and my recovery.

What advice would you give to someone considering body fat transfer? To me, it seems like one of the most natural ways of enhancing what you already have, leaving you with a natural shape and feel. I’m really happy I did this for me.

SKINCENTRE.COM SKINCENTRENZ

T H R I V E> C L U B F I T

Stu Stevenson It’s all good to want to look great, says our Clubfit manager fitness columnist, but is that your true measure of success?

PH OTO H U NTE R STU D I OS

W

hen it comes to health and fitness, there are many ways to define success and measure your results, but the real question is: What do they mean to you? It’s not what others tell you they should be or what social media leads you to believe.

Figure out what you want from your

body and from an overall health perspective. Then create your own success metrics that are less about the number on the scales and more about how you feel. Consider these questions when measuring your health and wellness progress: How do you feel? Paying attention

to your mood and energy level is a great indicator of whether you’re on track or not.

How quickly do you recover from exercise? Are activities that were once

challenging becoming easier? As we get fitter and stronger, it’s important to reflect on how much easier exercise becomes (and remember that progressive overload is a simple yet often underrated exercise principle).

Can you lift more, run further, last longer? Even a marginal improvement is progress.

How well are you sleeping? Improved sleep quality over time is an indicator of success. More sleep (we should aim for a minimum of seven to eight hours each night) and less stress will also give you a better chance of achieving your health and fitness goals.

What’s your resting heart rate?

A normal resting heart rate for adults is between 60-100 beats per minute.

Checking that yours is either stable or slightly decreasing over time is a simple fitness test you can perform when you wake up each day, going old school with a watch or with a wearable device that’ll do the counting for you.

“Of course, it’s good to look great, but it’s more important to feel great and have a body that can perform when you need it to.”

What do you weigh? Actually, this simple measurement isn’t always as helpful as people think. In fact, if you’re going to measure your body weight, it’s important to assess it alongside your body composition (the proportion of fat and non-fat mass in your body). No matter what your goal, focussing on building or maintaining lean muscle sets a platform for success.

True fitness success is more than just achieving a certain body composition or look. Of course, it’s good to look great, but it’s more important to feel great and have a body that can perform when you need it to. Although there’s nothing wrong with having a weight-loss or aesthetic focus, it can take the joy out of exercising and make it a punishing journey, so I encourage you to work with a coach in an environment that promotes positivity around goal-setting and a balanced approach to defining success.

At Clubfit, we can work with you to create a fun, sustainable workout plan that’s focussed on making you feel good – plus all Baywave members receive a free Evolt 360 body scan to help you track your health and wellness journey.

Here’s to your success!

CLUBFIT.CO.NZ CLUBFITBAYVENUES

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T H R I V E> R E B E C C A

K U R U V I L L A

You better shape up Raise your eyebrow game with this sought-after specialist technique.

WO R DS N I CK Y ADAM S / PH OTOS SALI NA GALVAN

S

imultaneously enhancing and taking years off your face, well-shaped, defined eyebrows have become the ultimate beauty weapon – and there are a million Instagram posts to prove it. With the world’s love of fuller brows growing by the day, for many, microblading has become a must, and for those who have naturally thinner brows, might have mercilessly overplucked in the past or are noticing theirs thinning with age, this treatment has become the answer to a beauty prayer.

Microblading is a technique whereby the eyebrows are semi-permanently drawn onto the face using a tool to which tiny blades are attached. In the hands of a highly trained technician, anaesthetic is applied to the skin and medical-grade ink is implanted using fine strokes. The realistic-looking result is beautiful brows that remain perfectly manicured for up to three years.

UNO: What drew you to microblading?

REEBZ: I’ve always loved doing eyebrows. Because of my background in the industry, it was important to me to choose the very best microblading course, which is the Phibrows technique, using the highest-quality ink in the world.

After this, I completed an additional Perfection course, involving one-toone training.

Rebecca (Reebz) Kuruvilla of Otumoetai’s Kuruvilla Beauty Design has been a practicing beauty therapist for 34 years, and during that time has become well known for her skill and passion for eyebrow shaping.

UNO sat down to talk about how, through additional training in the art of microblading, her greatest professional skill has been taken to the next level.

I found it was a real advantage to know eyebrows before I started and have the knowledge of anatomy and physiology that you learn as a beauty therapist.

You have to be able to understand how ink is going to work with different skin types; not everyone can have this procedure done and you’ve got to know who’s compatible. I can assess all of this in my initial consultation.

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“My clients are really happy to have easyto-maintain brows that look amazing.”

The before and after transformation of one of Reebz’s happy clients.

What does the process involve?

After the initial consultation and pre-care summary, clients return for their first treatment. This takes two to three hours, and then there’s basic aftercare of three to four days – simple things like ensuring you don’t sweat or overheat. A month later, the client comes back to repeat this process.

My salon is based at my home in a very private and highly sterile environment that I can control. Having grown up in a family of doctors, this is something I feel strongly about. My parents had a medical practice at the Mount and my brother is a surgeon, so you can imagine how important maintaining good systems and medical hygiene is to me.

What kind of reactions do you get from your clients?

They are really happy to have easy-tomaintain brows that look amazing. I don’t follow trends, I just give back my clients the brows that best suit their face shape.

It’s often the shape they had originally had. And now it looks even better.

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A P P E A R A N C E M E D I C I N E TA U R A N G A

T H R I V E > S K I N

E X P E R T

Constance Santos Little good can come of cosmetic treatments if your skin’s natural barrier isn’t functioning well, says our expert Constance of Mt Maunganui’s Epidermis & Sage. Here’s how to get yours sussed.

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our skin has a protective barrier that functions to keep good things in and bad things out, such as bacteria and pollution. It’s made up of skin cells, and oils like fats, ceramides and omegas. That barrier is sometimes called the lipid layer or acid mantle.

Keeping your skin barrier healthy is vital for good skin health and optimal function.

There are lots of things that can impair its function such as poor product usage, environmental factors and diet.

An impaired function can lead to chronic skin conditions. Dermatitis, eczema and acne as well as dry, irritated skin are often the signs of a poor barrier function, as is skin that ages rapidly.

There are some fantastic beauty treatments out there – including needling, microdermabrasion and peels – but if your skin’s barrier isn’t healthy, you won’t get the benefit from them. It all comes down to your skin’s ability to make good, healthy, organised collagen. Most of these

treatments work by stimulating a healing response, which produces healthy collagen through the controlled creation of a wound that sends the skin into repair mode. If your skin’s barrier is already impaired, you don’t want to add extra inflammation to the mix. Your skin is already concentrating on repairing itself and it can only do so much, so when it’s overwhelmed with an inflammatory response, activities like collagen production become a lesser priority.

How do you ensure your skin has a wellfunctioning barrier? It needs to stay in balance. For example, make sure you are having enough Omega-3 in your diet.

If you aren’t getting enough, it’ll show on your skin. Another simple way of repairing an impaired barrier is to use a great cleanser (I recommend the Roccoco Botanicals Pore Cleansing Oil or Roccoco Botanicals Soothing Cleansing Oil) that works to restore balance to the barrier function.

“Don’t forget, though, everything’s connected. What you eat and drink also affects your skin and gut.”

Constance Santos, owner of Epidermis & Sage.

Don’t forget, though, everything’s connected. What you eat and drink also affects your skin and gut, which makes taking essential fatty acids (EFAs) effective too (I recommend Pure Encapsulations EFA Essentials). Doing so will nourish your skin from the inside, and they’re anti-inflammatory as well.

As I said, balance is important. Omega-3 is the best EFA for the skin. Omega-6 and Omega-9 also have good benefits, but too much Omega-6 can actually be inflammatory, so it’s best to talk to a skin therapist and get the right blend and dose for you.

EPIDERMISSAGE.NZ EPIDERMIS_ AND_ SAGE

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WO R K > M A L AG H A N

I N S T I T U T E

Studying up Little old New Zealand’s Malaghan Institute of Medical Research is working to cure cancer – and fight COVID-19 too.

WO R DS A N DY TAY LO R / PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

K

ate Sheppard, Ernest Rutherford, Edmund Hillary… Kiwis have a history of aiming high. We also have a history of being somewhat averse to blowing our own trumpets, preferring instead to fly under the radar and just get stuff done – and there are few better examples of that than the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, the Wellington-based, internationally recognised institute that’s world-famous everywhere but here.

The Malaghan story started in the early 1960s, when the idea of an independent research institute was first floated.

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Due to a lack of facilities and financial support, relatively little medical research was carried out in New Zealand at the time, but a dedicated group of local medical professionals wanted to change that. With funds from a trust established by the Wellington Medical Research Foundation and the Wellington division of the Cancer Society, the Wellington Cancer & Medical Research Institute was opened in 1979, in rented premises at the Wellington School of Medicine.

By 1986, the name had changed to the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research in recognition of the generous support by Len and Ann Malaghan, the Wellington couple whose

humble milk bars selling milkshakes and ice-creams had grown into the Tip Top company. Len was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 56 and, together with Ann, he established a research trust.

On his death in 1961, Ann made further donations and their descendants continue their legacy today, with son Graham currently serving as chairman of the board and other family members also playing important roles.

The Malaghan Institute relocated to a purpose-built facility at Victoria University in 2004, and this year it celebrates 55 years of achievements in

BELOW Professor Mike Berridge, leader of the cancer cell biology group.

WO R K > M A L AG H A N

I N S T I T U T E

“The general philosophy of the Institute is to try to use the immune system to treat disease.” cancer research, asthma, allergy, gut health, infectious diseases and other research. Its work is recognised and applauded around the world – not bad for what started out as a group of futurefocussed Kiwis buoyed along by the generosity of the proprietors of ice-cream parlours. And the best is yet to come.

“The general philosophy of the Institute is to try to use the immune system to treat disease, including developing cell-based therapies that we hope will minimise and ultimately cure cancer,” says Professor Mike Berridge. Mike is the Institute’s cancer cell biology group leader, a published author and a one-time semi-finalist in the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards. He’s worked around the world but is most passionate about the research being carried out right here.

“Using your own cells as opposed to a drug created in a lab has numerous benefits, and in our studies so far we’ve had up to 20 percent success rates in this – though we’re currently constrained to leukaemia or lymphoma,” he says. “In the future, we hope to develop this process to address aggressive cancers like breast

ABOVE Each year, Kimberly and Peter Mitchell (centre and centre left) host a golf day at Summerhill Estate to raise funds and awareness for the Malaghan Institute. At far left is the founders’ son and Malaghan chair of the board, Graham Malaghan. At far right is his wife, Dale Malaghan. Tall, dark and handsome centre right is UNO publisher Mat Tomlinson.

or pancreatic cancer.”

Although the Malaghan Institute’s work on cancer remains incredibly important, the last 18 months have proven its worth. “Alongside our cancer studies, the Institute has had a focus on immunology since 1994,” says Mike. “We’ve had extensive experience with the flu, which we know is not that different to Coronavirus, so when [COVID-19] first appeared, it was relatively easy for us to consider how we might be able to contribute to New Zealand’s response to the virus, particularly by helping to inform the decision-makers here of what course we might take.”

As part of the newly established Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, Ohu Kaupare Huaketo, the Malaghan Institute has an important role in informing the government on what the pandemic would look like and how best to move forward, and Mike believes the right calls were made.

“We had a very abrupt response here in New Zealand, and while there have certainly been some blips along the way, we’ve increasingly got to grips with what we need to do to control the virus.

Yes, it’s been a learning experience, but it’s been the same the world over, and the rest of the world is far from being anywhere near the levels we’ve achieved.

There will certainly be some issues with the mechanics of the vaccine programme, which is to be expected, but we’ll work through those – Kiwis are good at that.”

He has confidence in the vaccine programme, noting that the international effort to beat the virus this way has yielded real results. “I think we’re using the best vaccine available. It’s already been administered to hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and here in New Zealand we’re approaching one million vaccinations. Of that, barely one percent have had some kind of adverse reaction,

ABOVE The Malaghan Institute is part of the newly established Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, Ohu Kaupare Huaketo.

and only one-10th of that one percent have been serious, with no fatalities.

I understand people’s concerns with something so new, but I also think we’re seeing that as more people are vaccinated, there’s more acceptance in the community. People have to think not just of themselves but of their community, and compare the short-term inconvenience to the long-term safety of everyone.”

What of the anti-vaxxers among us?

“That group is very difficult to penetrate with regard to reason,” says Mike.

“We’re only going to get on top of this disease if we get 80 to 90 percent of the community vaccinated, so we all have a part to play. Instead of focussing on a very small minority who believe this is all a plot, let’s engage with the vast majority, who’re willing to play a role in beating this virus.”

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L I V E> COV E T E D

1.

THE E XPE RT

Nicola Travis

2.

3.

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7.

4.

6.

B athrooms are usually small spaces, so keeping the styling simple is key. Use accessories like beautiful towels and fun bath mats to elevate the space and reveal yo u r perso n ality, adding luxurious soaps and candles that will both look and smell good. To bring warmth into the room, incorporate natural materials s uc h as t imber an d rattan i n t he form o f a basket or stool. Many plants thrive in steamy bathrooms, so finish the look with some l us h po tted green ery.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT 1. Metal Curved pendant by MR RALPH. 2. Curvature double hook by FERM LIVING from SLOW STORE. 3. Ceramic Wave dish from ORNAMENT. 4. Acacia basin by TOMORROW’S CONCRETE. 5. Plant from COOL PLANTS. 6. Blob mirror by MADE OF TOMORROW. 7. Tapware by ABI INTERIORS. 8. Yubi Blossom gloss mosaic tiles from TILE SPACE. 9. Laundry basket from BOHÈME HOME. 10. Rustic recycled elm stool from THE IMPORTER. 11. Doric bath

by MEEK BATHWARE from ARTEDOMUS NZ. 12. Bethell towels by BAINA from PAPER PLANE. 13. Ora marble toothbrush holder by CITTÀ. 14. Maiko curved vanity

by THE CUSTOM SPACE. 15. Timeless silver linear mosaic tiles from TILE SPACE.

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L I V E> B A R R E T T

H O M E S

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L I V E > B A R R E T T

H O M E S

Endless summer Laura and Mike from Barrett Homes have built their dream home.

And they are big on doing the same for others.

PH OTOS JA H L MA R S H A LL / WO R DS J E N N Y R U D D

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L I V E> B A R R E T T

H O M E S

V

isit the Barrett Homes office in Pāpāmoa and you’re sure to be impressed with the décor.

With timber detail, polished concrete flooring, plush rugs, leather couches, stylish cushions and potted plants, the reception, showroom and boardroom areas resemble spaces you’d see featured in interiors magazines. You may be left with the sense that if the workspace of this bustling business looks this good, the homes must also be pretty amazing – and you’d be right.

When building their own home, Barrett Homes’ Laura and Mike Bryant put their team to work on a custom-designed creation. Laura says it’s a fine demonstration of her team’s passion and skill in bespoke design and builds, an area of the business which they’ve extended to meet the burgeoning market.

“We Initially built to the specifications of a removable home with a floating floor, so it could be removed easily in the future and replaced, instead of adding to it or knocking it down,” says Laura. “Having said that, now 74 | u n o m a g a z i n e . c o . n z

“We initially built to the specifications of a removable home with a floating floor, so it could be removed easily in the future and replaced, instead of adding to it or knocking it down.”

it’s finished, we love it 100 percent as it is and it isn’t going anywhere!”

The couple and their children Maddie and Beaudie moved into their Pāpāmoa Beach home this time last year, after the scheduled 20-week build was completed.

The property was previously home to a bach; only the green expanse of a reserve separates it from the water.

“The bach had wooden interior walls and I wanted to keep that vibe, so all the walls and ceilings of our home are plywood,” says Laura. “If you were to take everything out of this house, you’d be left with a wooden box, in the nicest way.

It suits my love of natural-themed décor.

This isn’t the typical big house on the beach; we kept it nice and simple inside.

It’s really about the view and the different spaces we have created for our family and friends to enjoy.”

L I V E > B A R R E T T

ABOVE The whole house is set out into zones and maximises the view of the ocean.

As such, the uncomplicated design features a central hallway that connects to three bedrooms (one with an ensuite), a bathroom and an office; the laundry is in the hall, behind a sliding door. At one end of the hallway is a double garage, while at the other, a barn door links to an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. Accessed by triple-stacker doors, an alfresco area beyond this extends the living area and offers beautiful ocean views.

Outdoors, the design team came into their own. Every inch has been transformed into a entertainer’s dream, set out into zones. All within 220m2, the family have a bunk room, sauna, spa, swimming pool, two outside showers, a storage space and fully equipped pool house with its own kitchen, a pizza oven, dining and lounge area. Laura says the entire area is well used all year round.

“In summer, it is our home – we live out there. Most people put a separate lounge or extra bedroom in the house, but we did that outside. Part of our bespoke design was to create these separate zones that can be shut off, rather than having all of this in the house.”

H O M E S

Dressing their new home was pure fun, says Laura, who loves how the plants and timber accents pull the natural theme together. Black venetian and roller blinds blend with the black joinery and dark kitchen, while the white benchtop and barn door provide splashes of light.

The walls in the bathrooms are covered with floor to ceiling white tiles.

Laura has injected some lovely touches into the children’s bedrooms, such as the whimsical tent bed and canopy.

Wardrobe doors aren’t a thing in these rooms; instead, each child has a multifunctional storage space with a hanging rail, drawers and shelves on which to display the likes of Lego collections and other childhood treasures.

“We’ve ensured that our home includes details that specifically suit how we like to live – and that’s the beauty of the Barrett Homes bespoke service,” says Laura. “Whatever the client wants, the client gets.”

BARRETTHOMES.CO.NZ BARRETTHOMESNZ

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L I V E> B AY L E Y S

Bayleys got talent What does it take to make it in real estate? For these professionals, innate skill, learned experience, special gifts and backgrounds that are anything but ordinary all have something to do with it.

WO R DS M O N I Q U E BA LV E R T- O ’CO N N O R

Tauranga

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Fresh out of law school, Michael Parker headed not to chambers or a courtroom, but to the ski fields. “When I graduated, I decided to follow my absolute passion of ski instructing full-time,” he says.

It was a job he’d worked at part-time during his university holidays, including on North American slopes during New Zealand summers.

“It was a fantastic industry to be in and I met some interesting people,” he says.

Those people included Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, and Dick Marriott of the prestigious hotel chain, no less.

Carmen Dickison

Carmen’s gold was later joined by a medal for services to the police, in recognition of time spent doing a sterling job as a police presenter on the TV show Crimewatch.

Hamilton

Michael started his career at Tūroa in 1996, working as a race coach and general ski instructor, then moving up the ranks to become fully certified under the New Zealand ski instructor system. Further progression led him to ski school management positions in New Zealand and the US. He spent 16 consecutive southern and northern hemisphere winters in the job before deciding it was time to enjoy a summer and stay put in one country.

Carmen Dickison in her New Zealand Police days.

Bayleys salesperson Carmen Dickison is a brave woman with a gold medal to prove it. Not only is she a recipient of the New Zealand Police Gold Merit Award for Bravery, she was also the first female police officer to formally achieve a bravery award. According to the citation, constable Dickison had only been in the police for six months, when, “without regard for her own safety, she apprehended an armed violent offender who was terrorising a family in their own home.”

Michael Parker

Now based in Tauranga, Carmen spent her 16 years in the police force in Wellington, also working in Youth Aid and as a detective. “Working with youth was very rewarding,” she says.

“I felt like I made a difference and helped turn lives around, whether it was helping them find a passion or linking them with mentors.”

While doing all that, Carmen was also studying part-time, gaining a marketing and communications qualification that she later used in her roles as marketing manager for an art gallery and then an architecture firm – eventually leading to her current position as a residential salesperson at Bayley’s Tauranga.

“It’s a part of my life I’ll never regret – I even met my wife through skiing,” says Michael, who made the move to real estate after returning to Hamilton to give his dad a hand in the property development industry for more than 10 years.

L I V E> B AY L E Y S

Aaron Paterson Hamilton Teaching and rugby paid Aaron Paterson’s bills before he joined the Bayleys team. Upon leaving Lindisfarne College, he took a gap year working at a private boys’ school in London, and resolved to return to the school armed with a teacher’s qualification. And he did, six years later – qualified as a geography and physical education teacher.

During Aaron’s second stint abroad, he met his wife Shani in Spain – a long way from her Dunedin hometown. They had settled in the Waikato when Aaron secured a two-year contract playing rugby for the Hokkaido Barbarians in Japan.

Ultimately, he and Shani’s growing family was a catalyst for their move back to the Waikato, where Aaron initially returned to work at Cambridge High School. Then, in 2005, a friend encouraged him to become part of the Bayleys family – and he’s never looked back.

Today, rugby remains part of Aaron’s life.

He referees for his local senior premier competition; does TV match official work for the NPC, Super Rugby and international test matches; and, thanks to his four children, coaches junior rugby too.

“I’m passionate about giving back to the game that’s given me so much,” he says.

Aaron in his job as a test match official

Angela Finnigan Hamilton Before she worked for Bayleys at Hamilton’s Tamahere/Matangi branch, Angela Finnigan was a high-level equestrian, a role that saw her eventing at England’s famous Badminton, as well as identifying local equine talent and accompanying the promising horses to their new homes in the US, UK, Italy, Ireland and even Tahiti.

Although, she says, “That part wasn’t as glamorous as it sounds.

I’d be with the horses in cargo planes. On one trip, for example, I was on the same cargo flight as

40 horses. I sat on the floor among the hay. It was pretty rough!”

In the 1980s, Angela lived in England, where she produced young horses for sale as eventers.

She also owned the equine stunner Face the Music, which Mark Todd rode to success at the Burghley Horse Trials in the 1990s.

When Angela returned home to New Zealand, it was to Cambridge, where she continued producing young horses, ready for export.

Today, her home base is surrounded by race tracks, but her equestrian days are over.

“I’m a bit of an all or nothing person, and these days my all is real estate,” she says.

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L I V E> B AY L E Y S

Rachelle Jackson Hamilton An invitation to Rachelle Jackson’s for a meal is a covetable prospect. She is from a large “food-focussed” family and has been a foodie for as long as she can remember.

Rachelle headed straight into the food scene as a school leaver. Armed with a polytechnic qualification, she then spent nine years as a chef in top restaurants in Auckland and Hamilton (a “pretty magical” time, as she recalls it) before fulfilling a longtime ambition to open her own café. Circa Espresso was the name of the Hamilton eatery she established at the tender age of 26 and owned for nearly four years, until deciding the hours weren’t compatible with having babies. (It’s now named Scotts Epicurean.)

“I had a huge passion for cheffing and culinary culture, and I still have – you don’t get rid of that,” she says. “It’s now a hobby and part of my creative side. Being a foodie is neat – everyone loves you!”

The bookshelves in Rachelle’s Hamilton home are laden with cookbooks. She makes everything she can from scratch, is a fan of Italian food, and has been dipping into Asian cuisine of late. Oh, and her hero is Al Brown.

Stephen O’Byrne Raglan When you ask Stephen O’Byrne about his past working life, you’d better make yourself comfortable. This Raglandwelling Irishman has many a yarn to share, starting with his 15 years as an underwater cameraman in the dive industry. One day, he’d be photographing the sardine run in South Africa, the next, it’d be World War II wrecks in Papua New Guinea, or great whites feeding, coral spawning or turtles mating.

The assignments were many and wonderfully diverse, and that’s how he found New Zealand – he was sent here to get footage of the Poor Knights Islands.

Stephen’s underwater escapades have also included being a freediving instructor; the chatterbox can hold his

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Steven and Michelle O’Byrne have both had fascinating pasts, making this duo a stand-out team.

own breath for eight minutes. On terra firma, he worked in the merchant banking industry and serious fraud office in London. He established a sports sales business in the UK and worked in e-learning and web management for leading agencies in the Netherlands.

His partner in life and work at Bayleys, residential and lifestyle salesperson Michelle, also has an interesting backdrop to her property career that helps set her apart from the pack.

While living in London, she worked with the Royal Park/Metropolitan Police’s mounted department, and even led a guard change at Buckingham Palace.

L I V E> B AY L E Y S

Matt Clutterbuck Tauranga From shearing gangs in Northland and his time spent as a rural banking manager to a salmon farm in the Atlantic Ocean, Matt Clutterbuck has tackled an interesting job or two. And that’s not to mention the prestigious sporting accolades he scored along the way.

These days, lifestyle and country sales manager Matt lives in Mt Maunganui, but he was raised on a sheep and beef farm in Northland, where work as a shearer served him well during his school and university holidays.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago, but before earning that degree, he acquired a diploma.

Between the two he had a great gap year in his early twenties, during which he travelled to Ireland, where he played rugby and worked on a salmon farm.

Matt has played NPC rugby for both his home province Northland and the Bay of Plenty, and another sporting highlight was playing for the All Black Sevens side in 2014.

But his prowess extends beyond rugby – he’s also a world-champion waka ama (outrigger canoe) paddler, with gold and bronze medals to prove it.

Anthony Merrington Cambridge If Cambridge-based Anthony Merrington suggests joining him in taking out the boat, you’ll be in safe hands. You may not be in for a tame time, though – this sailor has competed at Whitbread and America’s Cup level. At one stage, he had the Olympics in his sights.

Anthony, who grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches, has been sailing since he was seven and started competing with his older brother about a year later.

Fast-forward a decade or so and he went on to spend 15 years racing yachts around the globe as a professional sailor.

He competed in the Volvo Ocean Race (formerly the Whitbread Round the World Race) three times – in 2001-2002 with a Swedish team, in 2005-2006 on an American boat, and in 2008-2009 with an Irish team. More action came courtesy of the 2007 America’s Cup campaign in Valencia, where he was part of the Swedish team that made it to the semifinals. He also fronted up for almost every major international offshore yacht race up until 2009, when he ended his sailing career.

Anthony takes the helm and still loves to be out on the water.

Living landlocked in Cambridge is no problem for this Bayleys star. For years he’s competed on the water with teams out of Sydney, tackling 15 Sydney to Hobart yacht races and winning overall four times.

BAYLEYS.CO.NZ

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L I V E> DA N I S H

F U R N I T U R E

Take a seat Importers of ethically made pieces carefully crafted from sustainable materials with a wealth of design history behind them, Taurangabased business Danish Furniture brings a lot to the table.

WO R DS A N DY TAY LO R / PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

A

conversation with Drew Copestake makes it crystal clear that Danish furniture is his passion – in fact, he loves it so much that he and partner Karin own a business named just that.

In just over a year, they’ve taken it from strength to strength; Danish Furniture, which imports and distributes indoor and outdoor pieces from Danish design company Houe (pronounced how-ay), has 10 retail outlets around the country and a spacious new showroom in Unutoto Place, Tauriko.

Tauranga-born Drew had previously worked in adventure tourism as 80 | u n o m a g a z i n e . c o . n z

a white-water rafting guide, first in New Zealand from the age of 16 and, later, all over the world. But in 2019, he joined Houe as a sales manager and a new love affair began. He loved the product, he loved the role, and he loved seeing how people reacted to the innovative styling and design of the furniture, so when the opportunity came up to buy the business, he and Karin – a chartered accountant Drew describes as the brains of the business – grabbed it with both hands.

BELOW Karin and Drew Kopestake at their Tauriko showroom in Tauranga.

L I V E > DA N I S H

F U R N I T U R E

ABOVE The ‘click’ outdoor dining chairs in 16 colours are a favourite.

They’ve not only picked it up, they’ve run with it. The company has won numerous awards, including three prestigious German design awards for their furniture. The most recent of these was in 2020, when they were recognised for the Falk chair made from recycled plastic waste, turning an environmental problem into a thing of beauty.

ABOVE The ‘Level’ outdoor lounge setting comprises modular pieces you can set up as you please. RIGHT ‘Siko oak’ lounge and dining chairs are simple yet well-considered.

“When other European countries were using industrialised processes to make furniture, the Danes went back to traditional craftsmanship and natural materials.”

“We bought the business the day we went into lockdown last year, which was frankly terrifying!” he says. “There were quite a few sleepless nights, but we went on to have a fantastic season and the biggest issue has been keeping up with demand as shipping schedules have been disrupted. When people ask me what I do and I say I import Danish furniture, I get one of two reactions: They either say, ‘Oh, nice!’ or ask what the big deal is about Danish furniture. People have either already fallen in love with it or want to know why it’s so special – and I enjoy responding to both of those reactions.”

So, what is the big deal about Danish furniture? “Danish furniture really kicked off after the Second World War,” says Drew. “When other European countries were using industrialised processes to make furniture, the Danes went back to traditional craftsmanship and natural materials, clean, minimalist lines and great design. So when you think about great mid-century design, you think of Danish furniture, and though Houe is a relatively young company, having only been around since 2007, they’ve really embraced Denmark’s tradition of design.”

“Even the seat cushions were made from 98 percent recycled polyester, and they looked great,” says Drew. “Houe also uses sustainably sourced materials, including bamboo, which has strength properties unrivalled by any other wood and grows incredibly fast.”

HOUE proves that an ethically produced and sustainable product can still be great looking. “People typically look at our range and say, ‘Wow, that’s really different, but in a good way,’” says Drew. “It’s stylish, colourful and contemporary. Life’s too short for boring furniture. Everyone has to sit down and eat, whether indoors or outdoors, so you might as well sit down on something that’s beautiful and made sustainably. We believe the future is brighter when we combine great design and environmental sustainability.

It’s an affordable luxury.”

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L I V E > P R O P E R T Y

E X P E R T

Craig Orr Our Bayleys columnist is hitting new heights at work and play, and has ideas for how you can too.

W

ell, I did it! I officially conquered the More FM Mt Everest Challenge, and I’m stoked to be able to say that I raised more than $1000 for St John. Climbing the Mount 38 times in 50 days was so tough that I gave myself two weeks off walking up any kind of hill afterwards.

We’re so lucky to have Mauao Mt Maunganui to exercise on. I love the way it sits proudly at the end of the peninsula and has such an amazing presence to it.

My seven-year-old daughter was one of my best supporters. She has a real competitive streak and would join me walking up the Mount a couple of times each week, often picking a fellow climber halfway up and trying to beat them to the summit. I made it my mission to beat my best time of 13 minutes from the base to the top. I ended up 11 seconds off it!

But I definitely felt my fitness improve.

I recruited some of my colleagues to join me for the odd climb and managed to get a few other mates up off the couch.

Overall, it was super fun and a fulfilling experience – particularly the mental challenge and camaraderie. I’d highly recommend anyone considering tackling it next year to go for it.

Speaking of the couch, my wife Natasha and I have recently finished some exciting home renovations at our place at the Mount. We’ve just had a pool dropped in, and added a cabana and done up the deck. It completely opens up our property and stretches out to our neighbour’s.

We feel really lucky to be part of such a cool neighbourhood.

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“With a short supply of options for potential vendors to purchase and a tight market, replacing housing stock can be challenging.”

Tash and I lived here before we had our daughters, and we’ve always loved it.

Investing in our first house in Bethlehem was a big step. It was a big home with plenty of space inside, but two years ago we found a 1960s-style home at the Mount and couldn’t resist getting back to beach life.

Our kids don’t seem to mind having less space – they’re happy being by the beach, the mountain and their friends. It’s super convenient and offers a really relaxed lifestyle. I’ve enjoyed getting involved in my daughters’ school, establishing local friendships, giving back and feeling like we’re part of the community.

At Bayleys, I’ve just had the biggest month ever. I’m 10 years into marketing properties for sale and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I’m a bit of a late bloomer in terms of my career trajectory, as I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I was about 35. Real estate was always of interest, but it wasn’t until I took the leap

ABOVE Tash and Craig whizz up 232m as often as they can together.

that I realised how much of a passion it was. I just love helping make people’s dreams become reality.

We’ve been in a really buoyant market recently, but it feels like it’s beginning to cool slightly. With a short supply of options for potential vendors to purchase and a tight market, replacing housing stock can be challenging. That’s why winter’s the perfect time for people considering selling to take that step, because there’s less competition.

I’ve been sharing some videos about open homes and the market on my Instagram page, so have a look for the inside scoop. I do free market appraisals, so if you’re curious as to what your place is worth, give me a shout and I’ll be happy to help.

BAYLEYS.CO.NZ/CRAIG-ORR CRAIG_ORR_BAYLEYS

Furniture and homewares from around the globe, right here in Tauranga.

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123 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui

27 Enterprise Drive, Tauranga

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These

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belly!

CIT Y COOL

Wine bar Solera p 87

HOT SPOTS

Colour and cocktails p93

PART Y PIECES Put the fun in your function p9 8

Desser t first at Hamilton’s Camarosa p1 0 6

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The chef’s pass Serving culinary wonders in a cool, city-style setting, Solera has quickly become the talk of the town.

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ruffle oil is being drizzled over cheesecake, polenta skewers toast happily on the hearth and a Jerusalem artichoke is getting crowned with shards of fire-dried aubergine purée.

It’s all go in the kitchen at Solera, Mt Maunganui’s newish restaurant within a wine bar setting. And, if you (wisely) opt for one of the seats at the chef’s pass, get ready to watch a whole host of such culinary wonders unfold. Plus, the chefs are more than happy to dish up information about what they’re working on.

Solera is the baby of Chloe Ashman and Nick Potts – the result of an idea born out

of lockdown. The couple moved to the Bay of Plenty a few years back, armed with years of impressive hospitality experience, Chloe as a sous chef at some of Melbourne’s best restaurants and Nick as a front-of-house manager.

Managing a team of 60 in restaurants with serious credentials (among them those owned by top New Zealand chefs Nic Watt and Sean Connolly) was all in a day’s work for Nick.

OPPOSITE Grilled octopus and fresh oysters are stand-out dishes.

ABOVE Owner Nick (left) leads front of house and Neil is the master-mind behind Solera’s menu.

Initially, the couple had no intention of owning a restaurant, so worked at local establishments including Clarence and

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“We knew what we wanted to open – we just gauged that by where we’d like to eat ourselves.”

Fife Lane, but with last year’s lockdown came a lot of time for thinking. They thought it was time for a leap, noticing a potential gap in the Mount market.

“We thought we may as well have our own place,” says Nick. “We knew what we wanted to open – we just gauged that by where we’d like to eat ourselves.

We knew we wanted a wine bar setting, but Solera is very Melbournian in that it’s not just a bar. There’s something great to eat here too.” It appears the multitudes concur. Solera bustles.

Nick felt a restaurant with seating for about 40 was the way to go. “We have three chefs and three – and sometimes one more – working front of house, and with that number of seats, regardless of how busy you are, the same team can manage. Also important is the fact we’re open only five days a week, because I want the same chefs delivering their same food every time, so we can control consistency.”

TOP The roaring fire behind the bar, fed with mānuka and oak timber, adds an unmistakable ambience and aroma.

OPPOSITE Soybean-glazed duck with grilled cabbage and blackberry jus.

BELOW Polenta with blue cheese and seeds.

Solera’s offering is described as “modern hearth cooking” and the menu is created around sharing plates.

Head chef Neil Sapitula tells me the hot faves appear to be the ash-cured kingfish with ginger, coconut, kawakawa and lime; the roasted cauliflower with camembert, walnuts, parmesan and pine nuts; and the apple and pear tarte tatin with ginger and kaffir lime icecream. As for Neil’s favourite – that’d be the Jerusalem artichoke with aubergine, kimchi and chili.

Neil hails from the Philippines and has also worked in restaurants of high repute, in Hong Kong and Indonesia.

He’s ably assisted by Kiwi chef Cameron McKenzie, with Nicolo Batani adding some Italian to the mix.

The trio is united in prioritising flavour over technique and presentation.

There’s also a focus on fermentation – cases in point being the inclusion

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OPPOSITE Kingfish and lamb are popular dishes on the menu.

TOP LEFT A seat at the chef’s pass promises a front row seat for the action.

TOP RIGHT The basque cheesecake, infused with yuzu and finished with layers of torched parmesan and truffle.

There’s a strong commitment to local ingredients and the menus are printed in-house, so they’re easy to alter to suit what’s in season.

of the aforementioned kimchi, and the shiitake mushrooms that are pickled, smoked on the fire, then added to the pork belly skewer. Most items on the menu have a slight Asian influence – the wagyu beef, for example, is marinated with soy and togarashi spice mix.

The kitchen’s big open fire is fed with mānuka and oak timber, and incorporated as much as possible in the cooking (which is also a delightful spectacle). The kingfish cured by ash from the night before is but one example. There’s a strong commitment to local ingredients and the menus are printed in-house, so they’re easy to alter to suit what’s in season.

There’s certainly plenty to raise your glass to at Solera, and of course that

includes the incredible wines. The unique list celebrates New Zealand drops and includes grape varieties many diners may not be so familiar with, exclusively from smaller wineries. Chenin blanc, malbec and viognier are joined by chilled red wine and an orange wine (white wine made the same way as a red.) All are offered as a standard 150ml pour and as a 100ml pour, with the latter geared towards those who are driving or wishing to try a larger variety of wines. There are cocktails too.

Solera has been in business since Easter, but word has spread, and Chloe and Nick are happy to report that “it’s going very well for us.” Diners like me can only say, “Thank you very much.”

SOLERA.NZ

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G U Y

Ben Hurley How long is a piece of string?

Our comedian columnist can’t confirm, but ask him about 12 years writing for 7 Days and he’ll tell you a thing or two.

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hey say a week is a long time in politics; I’d say that’s true of anything in the news. So much can happen in a week! The zeitgeist flits, reverses and somersaults as haphazardly as a moth that’s flown in a window at night. We’re more informed than ever but with shorter attention spans.

There’s always a shinier piece of foil to attract the attention of the magpie that seems to be nesting in all of our brains.

I’ve worked on news-based comedy panel show 7 Days for more than 12 years and it’s this ever-rolling, speed-gathering, snowball of current events that makes programmes like ours work. That, good talent and even better editing.

I was pretty much involved with the show from day one, from helping to conceptualise it to naming it – although there has been some debate about that.

Production company The Downlow Concept championed the cause, found the money to make a pilot episode and got TV3 on board. When we got the green light to make the first 12 episodes, one of the top executives at the network said to me, “I guess we’ll see how long it lasts” with a casual sarcasm I’ve not forgotten over the past 400 or so episodes.

News-based comedy panel shows were not a new idea then, and we all knew that.

It just hadn’t really been attempted in New Zealand before. Shows like Have I Got News for You in the UK had been running for years. I’d worked as a sort of ghost writer for Mock the Week during my time in Britain, and it was this experience that got me hired as head writer for 7 Days, a role I proudly filled until last month.

“How do you write for a show that’s made up?” people have persistently asked.

Well, the head writer helps put the show together, decides which news stories will be discussed and writes the jokes that host Jeremy Corbett tags the “real answer” reveals with. But if you’ve been to a live recording or one of the live shows that tour New Zealand at the end of every year, you’ll know there’s a weight of material thrown out on stage that comes directly from the irreverent, dark and often twisted minds of the panellists.

Comedy writing isn’t a science. I’ve definitely made incorrect calls – jokes that don’t work, are too rude, reference something too obscure or simply aren’t funny. That’s where the editors come in.

They’re magical women and men who sit in windowless rooms, staring at screens, filtering out the rubbish and making us look good. If only real life could be edited before it went to air.

Ben Hurley with other funny friends Matt Okine and Justine Smith on TV3’s 7 Days.

Comedic missteps aside, the highlights during my time on the show have been numerous, like recording in a packed Auckland Town Hall and writing the song Jon Toogood sung with a full choir about the America’s Cup. Appearing on the show with one of my British comedy heroes, Griff Rhys Jones, and leading a haka version of Lorde’s song “Royals” in te reo Māori are also memories that are hard to beat. But mostly, the highlight was weekly, making a show with my mates where we tried to come up with the silliest, rudest and most entertaining way to present the news. I’ve laughed till I cried, and probably the opposite too.

For anyone who’s wondering, I’ve not been fired and the show must certainly go on. I’ll still appear on it as a panellist from time to time, but I’m leaving my weekly writing job for new challenges – because if you think a week in the news is a long time, imagine how long 12 years writing about it is.

“For anyone who’s wondering, I’ve not been fired and the show must certainly go on. I’ll still appear on it as a panellist from time to time.”

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Hot Spots Madame Sunset and Master Kong add colour and cocktails to the Mount food scene.

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PREVIOUS PAGE The interior of Master Kong is all Asian street-market Disney movie.

ABOVE Master Kong, left and Madame Sunset, right, meet in the middle with a huge, covered courtyard. BELOW LEFT + RIGHT Sake-cured salmon with wasabi mayo and the famous Fifi cocktail, both at Master Kong.

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group of friends happened to mention that they had just tried the newly opened Master Kong and Madame Sunset bar/ restaurants. Located downtown the Mount, these sister venues bring something fresh to the area, just in time to carry us through the winter slump. An exciting addition to the already deliciously diverse Tauranga food scene, anticipation was high to check out what these venues are adding. Straight away it’s clear to see that both Master Kong and Madame Sunset have an appeal that will span genres and age groups. While Master Kong offers an Asian street food menu in a relaxed, quirky-styled restaurant, the adjoining Madame Sunset caters to a modern Pacific style cuisine in an uber-cool bar and drinking space. Situated next to

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each other but joined by an indoor/ outdoor sheltered courtyard area, the beauty of this setup is that you can tailor your experience to cover off two totally different venues or menus without having to move very far at all.

Living vicariously through my friends’ fun Saturday night out, I was eager to hear all the details. They had based themselves at Master Kong, and feedback was a resounding thumbs-up.

Four funky mums of young children (who don’t get to go out as much as they would like) can be a tough crowd to please, so my interest was piqued when the rave reviews covered all bases from the fast, friendly service to a fun, buzzing atmosphere. The décor immediately gives you a feel for the kind of experience expectation.

The layout is clever, with lots of nooks and areas that give just enough privacy for groups, while still feeling connected to what is happening all around you.

Modern, bright and fresh, the vibe is

BRUNCH Come and get your Kong Cha every weekend!

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Tiki Luau Madame Sunset is your Friday night cocktails and BBQ destination.

reflected in the menu. With food designed to be shared, there is a mix of flavourpacked Asian-fusion street food dishes, offering everything from dumplings and fried cauliflower (delicious, and reasonably priced) to banquet-style meals. All sound tasty and there’s enough variety to make sure even the pickiest eaters (I’m including myself in this) can find something. Then of course there were the limited-edition handcrafted cocktails, which again caused a bit of excitement in the retelling – “quite delicious” by all accounts.

Spurred on by the reports of the latest hot spot, I thought I would check out the appeal of the eateries as a lunch option.

I walked straight into the Madame Sunset side of the complex and was quickly seated on the plump velour cushions of a cosy, brightly coloured booth. The feel is of retro Hawaiian tiki – kitsch, but tastefully so.

There’s so much to look at, whether you’re facing over towards the Mount main street, across at Master Kong, or towards the bar area that bursts with exciting possibilities, it’s hard to move from all the visual stimulation and concentrate on the menu.

RIGHT Not just an evening

location, Madame Sunset really packs a punch with a fresh and tangy lunch menu.

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ABOVE The plush curved booths at Madame Sunset.

OPPOSITE Make sure your timing’s just right as you take the first sip.

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For drinks and an easy meal Madame Sunset is super-seductive; it’s easy to see that this is the perfect place to start at lunch, and yet you could still find yourself chilling out as the sun sets over your Mai Tai. While the food menu is pared down, the tantalising cocktail/drinks menu dazzles with options. The smaller menu doesn’t hold you back, though, as you could order dishes off the menu from either venue. The Pacific vibe of the food style at Madame Sunset was, for me, tempting a few taste buds, and I couldn’t move past The Kamano Poke Bowl (which, incidentally, was deliciously zingy).

I also noticed that a late-night menu is offered, again servicing both restaurants, but particularly handy for Madame Sunset when you need a snack to tide you over as the night progresses. There were plenty of friendly, helpful staff on board to cater for an impressive service too.

The feel from both restaurants is that these guys are bringing something exciting to the table, and not just in a literal sense.

MASTERKONGTHEMOUNT.CO.NZ MASTERKONGTHEMOUNT MADAMESUNSET.CO.NZ MADAME_SUNSET MADAMESUNSET

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PA R T Y

H I R E

Life of the party This big-hearted Tauranga hire company puts people first – and the “good” into good times.

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hrowing a party is always worthwhile; an excuse to catch up with family and

friends, to celebrate occasions and successes. And while a big event might seem daunting to put on, the people that have made throwing parties their business have a knack for pulling it all together.

“Our whole purpose is to take the stress out of holding an event,” says Nathan Dolman, who bought the business with 98 | u n o m a g a z i n e . c o . n z

wife Amy in 2018. “With any occasion, there’s so much to think about and so much to do, so we really see our job as not only supplying equipment but also helping to take out all the background noise, and making sure nothing’s missed.” The couple do this in all sorts of ways, like delivering supplies for a weekend event on the Thursday, making for an easier Friday for their clients.

Amy, a former teacher, and Nathan, with his background as a bank manger who values seamless organisation, have extensive experience in all sorts of events

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PA R T Y

H I R E

LEFT The Dolman family from left Ella (10), Nathan, Amy and Logan (8).

BELOW + RIGHT Hire beautiful table settings, classy chairs and everything in between.

“I love helping people, and that’s what we’re all about – problem-solving and making sure things go smoothly and efficiently.”

like private dinners, weddings and corporate events. They know what works and what doesn’t. They’ve seen every kind of event you could imagine. Nathan in particular has been involved in the industry since he was young. His aunt and uncle owned a party hire company for many years, with Nathan working alongside them for pocket money back in the day. And now their children Ella (10) and Logan (8) are right in the mix.

“We’ve involved the kids in the business from very early on,” says Amy. Amy says their business is always looking toward the future. Sustainability is top of mind for the couple, with the model of the business a naturally smart choice for the planet. “It makes sense that you’d hire items for a party, instead of buying something only for it to gather dust.”

Tauranga Party Hire has everything from

table settings, all kinds of glassware and plates – to furniture, lighting, PA systems and marquees. “If we don’t have something, we’ll do our best to find it and save you having to search it out from somewhere else. We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop,” adds Amy. Ultimately, it all comes back to making any party a stress-free event. Amy says that at the heart of everything they do, is enabling their clients to celebrate a special occasion without a hitch.

“I love helping people, and that’s what we’re all about – problem-solving and making sure things go smoothly and efficiently, so you can concentrate on enjoying your event. It’s a real privilege to have a hand in someone’s perfect day.”

TAURANGAPARTYHIRE.CO.NZ TAURANGAPARTYHIRE

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P L A N N I N G

Big night in If you’re planning to host a party at home or any sort of casual get-together, these party hosting tips and accessories from Tauranga Party Hire will help keep your gathering fun and stress-free for everyone.

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Styling 101: Think about layers, a tablecloth, place mats, table runners and napkins. Bring in different textures, too. Then play with different heights when decorating. Ambient lighting with candles can really set the mood.

Take a seat: Chair selection is actually an important part of your event styling.

Say no to organza bows in matching bridesmaid tones and opt for something white and simple. TPH Chiavari chairs or a simple Italian folding chair are both great options.

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Feast your eyes: Food can be really decorative when it’s artfully displayed as a grazing table. Work with what’s in season; as long as it’s filled with assorted flavours and textures, you can’t go wrong. Adding hints of greenery always adds to the aesthetic.

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P L A N N I N G

Room for all: If you want rustic charm, these trestle tables are the answer!

Easy to assemble and with minimal styling, they can really set the scene for a beautiful, rustic affair.

Raise a glass: For a more formal look, go for a simplistic flute or wine glass matched with a stemless glass. The retro champagne saucer glasses are a great way to add a bit of character to your table. Here, it really adds a bit of chic to this rustic setting. Keep the continuity with the glassware styles.

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Plate up: The team at TPH can advise you on what plates and glassware you’ll need depending on your menu.

Style your plates in a stacked formation; white is always the perfect colour choice when it comes to crockery selection.

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Styling by Nicola Travis

Flowers from Handpicked

Food from Grace and Graze

Tableware from TPH

Simple touches like a folded napkin can really impact the end result. For a more formal look, I folded the soft sage napkin neatly with a touch of rosemary, a cinnamon quill and baker’s twine. To go with the rustic setting, I chose an artfully knotted lush olive-green napkin.

We love creating untamed, natural floral designs to enhance the space for your special occasion and really make it memorable. My favourites for this time of year are Thryptomene, Leptospermum, Hellebores and winter sweetpeas.

We get a lot of compliments on how we incorporate each customer’s style, colours and preferences in our grazing tables and platters. We love celebrating the season, with citrus fruits and mulled wine and settling in next to the fire.

We love sharing our knowledge to help people create something really special, without the stress.

You want to be able to sit down, relax and enjoy your dinner party, so it makes sense to plan ahead and make things easy on yourself.

NICOLATRAVISINTERIORS.COM

HAND-PICKED.CO.NZ

GRACEANDGRAZENZ.COM

TAURANGAPARTYHIRE.CO.NZ

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All the better Just over the hill in Hamilton, an already-popular eatery has stepped things up a notch.

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new head chef and a change of menu for winter are adding to the already good times at café and restaurant Camarosa. Owners Danielle and Kamal Dhillon are thrilled to welcome two new team members; Italian chef Davide Martinenghi, who has 25 years of experience in international dining, along with general manager and wine connoisseur Neeraj Agrawal.

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Pork belly with Thai buckwheat noodle salad, red nam jim, chili caramel and cashews.

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Back by popular demand for the winter menu at the Hamilton eatery are a host of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options to cater for everyone. Camarosa is famous for its keto fried chicken dish, which is gluten-free. Meanwhile, meat lovers can rest assured that the locally sourced menu includes New Zealandgrown meat, hand-cooked pasta and

Trust The Chef specials. It’s a farm-toplate experience over long lunches and intimate dinners.

Hamilton born and raised Danielle and Kamal have ensured it’s not just the menu that makes winter dining here appealing.

The interior is full of warm timber tones coupled with stone, a fireplace provides a cosy ambience, and the back deck is covered and includes drop-down screens, heaters and blankets for alfresco dining.

“Kamal designed everything with the architects, including the water feature,” says Danielle. “Camarosa provides a nice environment for all seasons.”

Danielle and Kamal at Camarosa Eatery and Ruakura Berry Shop, where the Waikato’s local produce takes centre stage.

and international wines and spirits, selected by wine specialist Neeraj.

As Camarosa’s regular followers know, this spacious eatery (it can cater for 300) is nice and handy, located only 10 minutes from the CBD and close to the University of Waikato with lots of free parking. But it’s also proving increasingly popular with out-of-towners – no surprises there.

CAMAROSA.CO.NZ CAMAROSAEATERY

In summer, the deck with the view of the strawberry fields at Ruakura Berry Farm is very popular. The Dhillons bought the farm (now the Waikato’s biggest pickyour-own field) in 2014 and established Camarosa four years later. There’s a berry store on site and, as you might expect, the fruit pops up on the menu too, alongside dégustations and à la carte options. The drinks menu features local

“In summer, the deck with the view of the strawberry fields is very popular.”

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- T H E WAY W E -

EX PLOR E

Itchy feet and

dusty passport?

Let’s

explore our own luxurious backyard .

To the manor

Kinloch with the Aston Martin DBX p1 0 8

TRIP TO THE TRON

Family-f r iendly Hamilton p1 0 6

ENGLISH ROSE Classy Cambridge p1 12

GO NORTH Nor thland’s hidden gems p12 0

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E X P L O R E > H A M I LT O N

Take me to the river ...and the zoo, and the gardens – UNO’s Hannah Keys has hot tips for a weekend getaway in the Waikato.

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ith a free weekend and the whole family to entertain, we decided a trip to Hamilton was on the cards.

Searching Booking.com, I found a gorgeous house just outside the city and right on the river; signed myself, my children Nico (7) and Inez (2), and my parents Janet and Roger up for two nights; then set about planning an itinerary that explores some of the city’s hot spots.

STAY ON THE RIVER

On the first morning we woke up to a gorgeous sunrise and the surprise of the view looking out over the river.

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When we arrived at our accommodation, On The River, after dusk on Friday evening, the air was heavy with the scent of eucalyptus.

Fire and electric blankets on, we settled in with hot chocolate and felt right at home.

This architecturally designed house is an absolute winner for group travel, with a huge kitchen and living areas in the main dwelling, along with four bedrooms.

In the morning, the full majesty of the property was revealed, including its big outdoor space, rambling gardens and pebbled pathways leading down to the banks of the Waikato River. It would have been easy enough to snuggle up for the day and enjoy the serene scene at our doorstep, but our littlest travel companions put a swift end to that idea.

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DO WAIKATO MUSEUM This trip was a reminder for me of the history Hamilton offers, from the early architecture lining the streets of the central city to the museums. We visited the Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, taking in the fantastic exhibition of Marti Friedlander photography and the E Hina e! E Hine e! display exploring the contemporary relevance of female Maaori and Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) ancestors.

There’s an interactive science gallery for kids as well.

We also visited the Classics Museum, an impressive collection of classic cars and memorabilia that was a trip for both young and old.

HAMILTON ZOO As soon as the kids caught wind of the fact that Hamilton has a zoo, it rocketed to the top of the to-do list. Actually, it was just as appealing for the adults, proving to be an enjoyable wander through a really-quite-beautiful compound. The animals’ enclosures are structured in such a way that you’re able to have the kind of close encounters you wouldn’t get elsewhere; think zebras scratching their backs on the fence a metre in front of you and giraffes having their lunch an arm’s length away.

HAMILTON GARDENS We caught a break in the winter weather that let us explore the otherworldly Hamilton Gardens.

We’d all either never been or not visited for a good decade, so we were all greatly impressed by these meticulously designed and transportive gardens, which left us feeling inspired and surprisingly well-travelled as we headed back home over the hill.

Breakfast at Hayes Common was a hit for all.

EAT HAYES COMMON Near the river in Hamilton East is the very cool Hayes Common. Reservations are a good idea, but we were lucky enough to nab a table outside on the fly, and it was well worth braving the cold for.

The eggs Benedict and maple-soaked crêpes went down a treat, while my winter salad was a taste explosion, with house-cured salmon, smoked beetroot and a touch of citrus.

GREY STREET KITCHEN We also stopped in for coffee and cake at Grey Street Kitchen, which is co-owned by two-time New Zealand barista champion Dove Chen. The food here is delicious; I had my eye on the gluten-free gnocchi with Hamilton-grown oyster mushrooms.

Our stay at On The River was courtesy of BOOKING.COM. I found the app so easy to use and the flexible cancellation policy meant I was happy to book without hesitation.

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M A R T I N

The new extraordinary Did somebody say take Aston Martin’s new DBX to one of Taupō’s most luxurious lodges?

You don’t have to ask twice.

PH OTOS VI N E S H K U MA R A N / WO R DS S TE VE V E R M E U LE N

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E X P L O R E > A S T O N

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t’s never a bad day in the office when an invitation arrives to drive something a bit special and stay in a lavish setting. I seldom get to enjoy that perk with the family in tow, so when the opportunity arose to showcase Taupō’s beautiful Kinloch Manor and earn some serious brownie points with my wife and son, I grabbed it with both hands. The transport?

Aston Martin’s DBX. “Well, okay. If I must.”

The DBX is infused with a sense of adventure that bodes well for a family getaway. Even so, I didn’t quite know what to expect. After all, a debut foray into a high-riding, Labrador-toting SUV model isn’t without risk for any

M A R T I N

sportscar brand, not least one with more than a century of pedigree, such as Aston Martin.

It’s all too easy to be blinded by nostalgia, but that’s simply not a realistic view of how we prefer to get around these days. SUVs from sportscar brands are the new normal. Or, at least in the DBX’s case, the new extraordinary.

Inside the DBX is a superbly appointed cabin, richly perfumed by the leather covering over almost every surface.

Aston Martin’s focus remains on the driving experience, and this goal hasn’t been complicated with superfluous technology, as can be the case with German counterparts. Rather ironically, however, the Brit brand actually relies quite heavily on German tech, leveraging the expertise and scale of Mercedes-Benz for quality audio and infotainment systems.

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M A R T I N

A central dial allows for the navigation of all functions and there are just three basic driving modes. You don’t need to be an IT guru to navigate your way through the media, navigation and drive functions. Critical information, including the sat-nav map graphic, can be presented within the highresolution instrument cluster ahead of the driver as well.

Despite relying on external suppliers for some elements, Aston Martin chose to be the master of its own destiny and develop a unique SUV chassis. The end result is deeply impressive.

The DBX disguises its mass well, utilising double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. Mechanically it’s very advanced, but also benefits from the latest in air suspension tech that adjusts both compression rate and ride height.

Electronic torque vectoring to each wheel helps keep the 2.2-ton vehicle on the driving line and 48-volt active

anti-roll bars and adaptive dampers also keep body roll to a minimum. Believe it or not, the DBX exhibits less roll than the smaller, sportier Vantage.

Meanwhile, the wellplanted all-wheel drive system delivers traction and torque management for optimum acceleration on corner exit, or sure-footedness if you really want to go off road.

En route to Kinloch, my family and I settled in comfortably while the 542hp (404kW) V8 ate up the miles ahead.

What felt like no time at all passed before we were on the country back roads of the Kinloch area, 20 minutes northwest of Taupō. Bright autumnal yellows and reds flashed past the DBX’s panoramic glass roof as we purred towards our destination.

We couldn’t help but voice a collective “Wow!” as we entered Kinloch Manor’s grounds. Despite being shrouded in low cloud, the vista remained deeply impressive, with Lake Taupō dominating the horizon.

Kinloch’s central lodge rises from the landscape like a white stone fortress, while blackened-timber-clad suites nestle sympathetically into the hillside.

Everything’s presented within the surrounds of a manicured golf course.

“The DBX disguises its mass well, utilising double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension.”

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LE IXVPEL>OGRUED> SAESLTLO B N U MI LA DR ET RI N S

“You can also hire the entire venue, and have up to 100 guests enjoy canapés, food boards, and a bar station”

“It’s like a painting,” my son aptly suggested as we approached.

The rendered stonework and generous use of monolithic slabs of timber continue throughout the lodge and dining area. Everywhere you look, beautifully detailed bespoke craftsmanship adorns the environment, from the smallest detail such as a bone domino set, to more substantial elements like the counter-weighted steel fireguards that hang in front of huge open fires, and the black timber

in which you can lounge in by the fire

The entire Kinloch experience is simply world class. We often forget just how magical our own backyard can be and investing in local luxury is arguably a far more rewarding experience in the world we inhabit right now. As for the DBX, it certainly presents a compelling case for luxury you can take with you when you leave.

with a wine, soak up the views, plan

ASTONMARTIN.CO.NZ

ceiling with a 3D geometric form encompassing the generous square footage of the lodge.

There’s a European and antipodean hybrid feel to Kinloch’s architecture and décor. It’s homely but doesn’t feel like home, with comforting spaces

some activities and chat before retreating to your accommodation.

ABOVE + BELOW The comfortable setting and gourmet meals at Kinloch Manor will wrap you in luxury and comfort.

panoramic views of the lake, while another large front deck replete with sun loungers invited relaxation. We knew we wouldn’t be catching many rays on this autumn visit, but lighting the wood burner (one of two fires in the twobedroom suites) and kicking back for a few hours in the lavish surrounds was the ideal way to leave the day’s busy schedule behind. While my wife soaked in the enormous tub, my son and I took a golf buggy to the course for a scenic tour, and some driving and putting practice.

Our suite offered up another premium experience all its own. Two terraces opening onto the golf course provided

Thanks to Luxury Lodges of New Zealand and Kinloch Manor for making our stay possible.

For more information on Kinloch Manor’s packages, contact Holland Clarke & Beatson at hcbtravel.co.nz.

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Wo o d f i t A touch of French craftsmanship in the Waikato. p113

Onyx Restaurant Cheers and beers in this well-known favourite eatery. p114

Tawa A r c h i te c t u r e High-performance houses for serious energy efficiency. p115

Alpino Fancy an authentic taste of Italy? It’s right up the road. p116

Cambridge Kitchens Beautiful kitchen workspaces you can live in and love. p117

COME TO CAMBRIDGE Our cover star’s hometown is more than just an English-style hamlet – there’s a lot going on.

I NTERVI E WS H A N N A H K E YS O PEN I N G PH OTOS M I CH A E L J E A N S

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Cambridge Raceway A well-loved local institution with a historic past. p117

Sunday Society Furniture with soul, and stories to tell. p118

E X P LO R E> C A M B R I D G E

Woodfit A Frenchman brings his craftsmanship to the Waikato.

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pending time in France fills you with an appreciation for the inherent style of its inhabitants; everything they make or wear seems to be impeccably considered. And Cambridge is lucky enough to have a Frenchman of their own, adding his elegant eye and skilfully handmade furniture to the line up at the Matangi Dairy Factory.

COME ON IN Faustin says his workshop door is always open, and welcomes people to pop in to check out his latest projects.

Faustin Duprat settled in the Waikato to set up his Woodfit workshop after studying and working in Paris, designing fit-outs for Louis Vuitton stores and BMW showrooms.

“They were awesome projects,” says Faustin.

“I learnt so much about the importance of design and finesse.”

Now making furniture, he takes his ideas along the whole process from design, through building prototypes, to crafting the final product with his own two hands.

is in custom-made designs like bathroom vanities, shelving units, side tables and beds.

“It’s so special to have something unique and handmade; a one-off piece that is exactly as you would like it to look, working as you need it to function, made specifically for your space. That’s a piece of furniture you’re really going to love and appreciate.”

Faustin works with carefully sourced timber, combining it with steel, leather and natural fabrics, weaving innovation and technical ability with his love of traditional methods to create beautiful, functional pieces.

“Today’s homeowners often have a very clear vision of how they want their home to be, and I love helping them bring that dream to life.”

WOODFIT.CO.NZ 452B TAUWHARE ROAD, TAMAHERE

“It’s so rewarding to start from nothing and then get to see the object finished in front of you, something that started in your mind.

It’s beautiful.” These taonga are then passed on to a new owner.

One of those pieces that originated in Faustin’s mind’s eye was the Winglet, a limited edition marriage of American ash wood and powder-coated steel. Alongside these special showcase pieces, a large part of Faustin’s work

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Onyx Restaurant A long-time Cambridge favourite.

O

nyx is a well known spot in the heart of Cambridge that has been operating now for 18 years.

with their generous seating capacity

Owner for the past five years, Terry McDonnell, says he’s proud of his team and how they satisfy Onyx’s very loyal customer base.

wines from their extensive selection.

“This is a really well-known place with lots of dedicated customers, and with Cambridge growing like crazy we want to stick to what we do best, which is give everyone who walks in the door a consistently great experience.”

duck, Onyx also offers delicious

Two of the team who are well-known to the regulars are Neeraj Mamgain (Cheta), who has worked at Onyx for 10 years, and Brent Hawken, the head chef, who has been at Onyx for 15 years. Terry says they’re incredibly hard-working and never stop smiling.

Onyx is the go-to whether you’re

Situated just off Victoria Square, Onyx is as perfect for a last-minute lunch just as it is for a special event,

excellence every time they visit.”

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and function room.

The menu caters to a range of tastes and dietary needs, with all the Kiwi favourites you can pair with

From breakfast classics like eggs Benedict, to drool-worthy gourmet pizzas like the tikka masala or roast mains including the crowd favourite: Fresh market fish. You won’t be able to say no to the delectable desserts like the apple pie with blueberry compote or the salted caramel and meringue ice cream either.

passing through for a coffee, or celebrating a special occasion – and Terry says you can always expect the highest standard.

“Our customers can expect ONYXCAMBRIDGE.CO.NZ 70 ALPHA STREET, CAMBRIDGE

CHEERS AND BEERS Onyx has a dedicated function space upstairs and craft beers on tap from Sawmill Brewery.

E X P LO R E> C A M B R I D G E

WHAT IS A PASSIVE HOUSE? A Passive House, or Passivhaus, has to meet specific non-negotiable requirements in order to be certified.

It is designed and constructed to achieve a consistent internal ambient temperature (around 20 degrees Celsius) with little to no heating or cooling. Tawa use specialist modelling software to balance energy losses and gains of a home during the design phase.

Tawa Architecture High-performance houses that suit you down to the ground.

PH OTOS A A RO N R A D FO R D

W

hen Brooke Cholmondeley-Smith of Tawa Architecture finds out what the client wants and needs from their new home, he takes a thorough approach, with many factors in mind.

“We believe homes are a collection of many parts; our ideals, unique lifestyles, our specific needs and the rituals we live our lives by. A place of comfort, shelter and retreat from the outside world.

We believe in the power of simplicity of form and a pared-back material palette.”

The Tawa team manages the entire process, from the architecture to interior design and everything in between.

They also transform existing homes.

“We work with an exceptionally skilled

team that we’ve spent many years with. When you put a specialist architect alongside expert craftsmen, you get something pretty amazing at the end.”

The added bonus of working with Brooke and his team is their extensive technical knowledge in Passive House (Passivhaus) construction. It’s one of the most internationally recognised standards for building energy-efficient homes. Tawa built the second-ever certified Passive House in New Zealand and they believe healthy, sustainable and energy efficient homes should be a given.

“By carefully balancing a timeless aesthetic with measurable sustainability, you’ll feel the benefits for a long time to come.”

TAWAARCH.CO.NZ MIKE SMITH DRIVE, CAMBRIDGE

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Alpino Immerse yourself in the heart and soul of Italy.

T

hose of us lucky enough to have visited Italy pre-COVID will recall a classic scene in our minds, perhaps a packed piazza filled with intimate restaurants, and incredible aromas of food and wine lingering in the electric atmosphere.

That celebratory Italian spirit has been captured a little closer to home at Cambridge restaurant Alpino, thanks to two people who know it by heart.

Owned by Italian-born Noel Cimadom and Riccardo Carminati, along with Noel’s wife Kim Smythe, Alpino (which you might also recognise from the Mount) serves the soul of Italy on a plate. “When you enter Alpino, you feel so welcome, you get amazing service and good food,” says Riccardo.

“The overall experience is about fun and enjoyment. The restaurant is always full, and the essence of it is truly Italian. You could have this restaurant in Milano and it would be packed; we’ve really put our soul into it.”

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To ensure a completely immersive experience, the wine list is flush with Italian labels, many offered by the glass to complement your dish. Riccardo says the menu goes from the simple yet flavourful pizzas to more formal mains, such as the 55-day aged beef, the porchetta, and the ravioli handmade with locally grown pumpkin and ricotta by head chef Branislav Petkovic.

“We can source ingredients from Italy, but we’re at a point where we’re almost revisiting Italian food with what we have here,” says Riccardo. “It’s still authentic Italian food, but incorporating local elements takes it to the next level.”

Italy can wait – we’re taking a trip to Cambridge instead.

ALPINO.CO.NZ 43 VICTORIA STREET, CAMBRIDGE

IMMERSION COURSE Eat your way to Italy in Alpino’s warm, welcoming surrounds that will transport you to sunnier climes.

E X P LO R E> C A M B R I D G E

Cambridge Kitchens and Bathrooms A beautiful kitchen should also work like a dream.

I

t's the most important room of the house. Owner of Cambridge Kitchens and Bathrooms Elizabeth Karam understands the demands of this functional space that never sleeps, the place where family and friends gather every day.

She designs for high performance and impact, with considerations like spatial planning and traffic flow efficiency.

Starting off in the fashion industry and moving into the world of interiors and kitchen design has given Elizabeth a deep understanding of both function and form.

“It’s all about proportions and balance.

I’m not just interested in how it looks,

I’m passionate about engineering and physics, too. Everything has to work well.”

Her passion is for kitchens that look a million dollars, and work efficiently for the whole family. Throughout her unique career path she’s never subscribed to fads; favouring timeless and classic designs that don't date.This is particularly important with kitchens, given how long they need to last before being updated.

Offering a truly personal service, expert project management, combined with the highest quality products and a trusted local team, Elizabeth ensures a stress-free process and a beautiful result every time.

CAMBRIDGEKITCHENS.CO.NZ NORFOLK DOWNS, CAMBRIDGE

Cambridge Raceway With a rich racing history, this local institution now offers so much more.

F

rom humble beginnings as the local Trotting Club, the Cambridge Raceway has evolved over the course of 100 years to become a multi-purpose venue like no other around.

For starters, the Raceway is the home of harness and greyhound racing in the Waikato, with a full calendar of events throughout the entire year.

Raceway events manager Vicky Riley says their race meets are all open to the public and generally free entry.

“We also have The Clubhouse Sportsbar and Cafe on-site which is open six days a week; it’s got a real family feel to it,

with lots of room for the kids to run around in this beautiful setting.”

The biggest development in recent years for the Raceway has been the growth of the function centre, with multiple different spaces that can be used for events outside of race meetings.

“We’ve had weddings, through to birthdays, corporate workshops; we can handle whatever you’re looking for, from up to 100 in a corporate setting to 500 for a cocktail party format.”

With many of the spaces looking out with fabulous track views, the location offers a truly unique surrounding.

CAMBRIDGERACEWAY.CO.NZ

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The Sunday Society Every piece of furniture has its own soul, and a story to tell.

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Although Kristyn can’t currently travel, her connections in Europe ensure that fresh stock continues to arrive.

That was Kristyn Thomas’s mindset when moving back to New Zealand after years abroad. The only problem was finding the kind of furniture and décor she loved most; vintage, beautifully-crafted, one-off pieces from Europe.

THESUNDAYSOCIETY.CO.NZ 452 TAUWHARE ROAD, MATANGI

ecorating our homes is the ultimate way to express ourselves. We tend to fill them with the things we love the most; those pieces that tell the unique story of our lives and travels.

With the renovation of their 1900s villa underway back in 2017, Kristyn, her husband Sam and their three children took a working holiday to Europe, filling a container to bring back.

“We found so many amazing pieces, so we set up a showroom at home.

Then I went back for more!”

Eventually the business outgrew their home. The Sunday Society now operates both their retail showroom and restoration workshop from the historic Matangi Dairy Factory, mixing new with old in the space.

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“I just love seeing people walk through our doors, taking in the space, and enjoying a sense of discovery finding their own treasures to take home; the same feeling I get when I’m sourcing in Europe.”

Now’s the time to visit Cambridge.

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT Vintage, antique and industrial sit side by side with handmade and bespoke homewares.

T H I N K > N AT H A N

P E T T I G R E W

Nathan Pettigrew Our marine columnist marvels over a piece of living history that survives against all odds.

PH OTOS NATH AN PET TIG R E W

M

illions of years ago, landdwelling turtles started evolving towards a life at sea. They survived the great asteroid blast and outlived their dinosaur cousins by having a slow metabolism and feeding on easy pickings and scraps. Prey for larger dinosaurs had died off, yet the turtles lived on.

Today, there are seven species of marine turtle around the globe, and New Zealand has five of them, the most common being the leatherback, named after its soft, leathery “shell”. What’s this ocean-voyaging reptile – which can grow up to 900kg and two metres long – doing off our coastline?

Leatherback turtles can regulate their body temperature to remain warmer than the surrounding water. Because of this unique ability, they’re seen here in New Zealand and as far north as Alaska,

Leatherback turtles feed on those little jellyfish we find in the shore, and it is thought to be one of the reasons they are attracted to our coastline.

“Ah, the mighty leatherback turtle – survivor from the dinosaur era and swimming right here in our backyard.” making them the most widespread turtle in the world. The deepest of divers, down to 1km, they also spend their entire lives at sea, with the females only going ashore to lay eggs. The males never touch land again after leaving it as a hatchling.

The reason these giants visit us is often right at our feet. During late spring and summer, you may have noticed jellyfish washed up on our beaches. These organisms make up the majority of the leatherbacks’ diet, and although relatively little is known about leatherbacks’ movements, we know that the abundance of jellyfish attracts them to these parts.

the teams at the Auckland Zoo and Kelly Tarlton’s. The specialists in this field do an amazing job of rehabilitating and helping the animals they can.

Some remain in-house for up to two years before being released.

How can the rest of us help? Plastic has a hugely negative impact on our wildlife, and reducing our usage and dealing with it is something we can all do every day. It’s a major issue in the water as it resembles jellyfish, so if you see it on the ground, pick it up; if you spot it in the water, get it out.

During the busy turtle months, in my capacity as photographer for Dolphin Seafaris, it’s not uncommon for me to see them further offshore in blue water – sometimes up to three a day. But this is not to say they’re doing well as a species. In fact, the truth is far from it.

If you happen to find a turtle on the

Endangered worldwide, thousands of leatherbacks (and other species) succumb to commercial fishing nets set out by trawlers each year around the globe. Boat strike and the depletion of nesting areas also threaten their lives, as do plastic bags, which they mistake for being a food source.

DOC via their website: doc.govt.nz.

A few species, mainly green and loggerhead turtles, require help from

beach, it’s sick. No turtle lands here for any other reason than illness, so the best thing to do is report it to the Department of Conservation on their hotline: 0800 362 468. You can also report any other turtle sightings to Ah, the mighty leatherback turtle – survivor from the dinosaur era and swimming right here in our backyard.

It’s an absolute privilege to see one swimming happily, so let’s all do what we can to help them thrive for many more years to come.

MARINE_LIFE_KAYAKER

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As good as it gets UNO editor Jenny Rudd discovers Northland is home to the ultimate beach and more perfection besides.

WO R DS J E N N Y R U D D / PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

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f you mention Northland to anyone in Aotearoa, it’s often met with sighs of longing. People love it.

Warmth, beauty, isolation – the best things come in threes.

The top of our country has that delicious feeling of being a gazillion miles from anywhere, and there’s so much to do! This is the second year in a row my family and I travelled up there in the school holidays, and I feel like we’ve barely touched the surface. But here are my top picks – so far – from the land where the sun always shines.

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ABOVE The world’s most perfect beach, Maitai Bay on the Karikari Peninsula.

S TAY

E X P L O R E > N O R T H L A N D

On the HomeAway app, on this trip we rented a holiday house in Coopers Beach dubbed As Good As It Gets. It turned out to be a fair description. The property was on the water’s edge in a private bay, so we were able to snorkel straight from our doorstep. This little town overlooking Doubtless Bay also had everything we needed to keep us happy, including a great supermarket, a dairy selling ice creams by the beach, and a spot for playing housie with my mum on the Saturday night.

STRETCH We blew away any lingering cobwebs with daily strolls at Taumarumaru Reserve between Coopers Beach and Cable Bay. An oversized grassy knoll, the scenic reserve has lots of tracks that take you up to some great vantage points from which you can gaze out over the ocean.

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“We went out around the coast with our four teens to swim through caves, holding rocks so we could sit on the bottom and look up at the fish floating around us.”

Just up from Coopers Beach is Maitai Bay at the end of the Karikari Peninsula, which curves around the top of Doubtless Bay. As we walked over the lip of the carpark and onto the top of the dunes, I saw a dream-like fantasy beach spread below us – white sand in a perfect crescent with rocks sprinkled at either end. While younger children stood in the shallows and dipped their heads beneath the surface to look at baby squid, my husband, UNO publisher Mat Tomlinson, and I snorkelled in bright blue water, which was teeming with wildlife thanks to the no-take rāhui. We went out around the coast with our four teens to swim through caves, holding rocks so we could sit on the bottom and look up at the fish floating around us.

SUNRISE

SNORKEL

Most mornings we kicked off with some sunrise fishing on Tokerau Beach. It’s the quintessential start of a day for a Kiwi on holiday. The kids loved it, although their interest in waking up at dawn waned as the week went on and they realised our fishing skills weren’t bagging us any fish.

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E X P L O R E > N O R T H L A N D

Head further north to Te Paki’s giant sand dunes, where you can rent a boogie board and tear down the slopes on your stomach.

I’d never seen dunes this size before, and the view from the top was spectacular, all the way back to Ninety Mile Beach. Going really fast down seriously steep dunes made us laugh a lot, so here a top tip: laugh with your mouth closed when you’re tearing downhill.

At the bottom of the dunes, you can follow the Te Paki stream to the west coast in a 4WD to check out the endless beach.

SNACK

A few minutes drive from our Coopers Beach base was the Mangonui Fish Shop. As well as exemplary fish ’n’ chips, they sell all things kaimoana at this picturesque spot on the water.

If you’re not too full after your meal, see if you can manage an extra treat from their fine array of $5 desserts.

We had to go back again so I could have the ice cream sundae and half a pint of chocolate mousse.

On your way up to Te Paki, you should stop at the Container Café in Pukenui for a paua pie. Put it in your sat-nav: 4229 Far North Road. They’re worldfamous in New Zealand.

The Northland website has some great ideas on things to do and places to stay. Plan your trip out here.

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E X P L O R E > A R T

T R AV E L

It’s all right here Take a trip and fill your mind with the riches of art we have right here, at home.

WO R DS J E N N Y R U D D

T

he bio on Art Travel’s Insta page made me smile: Art tours and independent travel for art lovers – Auckland, New Zealand, and “eventually”, the world. It was clearly written by owner and lifelong art lover Glen Armstrong who, in another life, ran a busy House of Travel office in Auckland.

“I’ve always had Art Travel, but now I get to spend all my time in it. It’s a reminder that every corner and region of Aotearoa is packed full of art, culture, and creative people. They are just waiting to be asked to share their stories,” says Glen.

TOP Tauranga Art Gallery director Stephen Cleland and Gabby O’Connor’s exhibition The Unseen.

ABOVE Tawhai Rickard’s exhibition The Misadventures of Te Kuri (courtesy of Paul Nache Gallery and the artist).

“It’s a reminder that every corner and region of Aotearoa is packed full of art, culture, and creative people.”

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E X P L O R E > A R T

Each art tour focusses on a region of the country. The groups are small and friendly – usually around twice the people that attended this tour. The Bay of Plenty was the most recent tour, with Tauranga Art Gallery Director Stephen Cleland and Tawhai Rickard, an exhibiting artist in the gallery, giving the group a talk and personalised tour of Tawhai’s work The Misadventures of Te Kuri.

The tour started with a visit to sculptor Jaime Jenkins’ studio, and included an afternoon cuppa with artist and activist Tame Iti in Rūātoki on the edge of Urewera.

If the thought of spending a few days immersed in the toi (art) culture exploring the stories and richness in each of our regions appeals to you, take a look at some of Glen’s upcoming tours.

ARTTRAVEL.CO.NZ

TOP Bell sculpture by Jaime Jenkins to raise money for Artists in Beirut.

TOP RIGHT Lisa Chandler, The Dividing Line.

ABOVE Murals on the art tour.

RIGHT A woven shelf by Jaime Jenkins (courtesy of Jhana Miller Gallery).

DESIGNS BY MARK CASHMORE DESIGN

FIND UPCOMING TOURS ONLINE AND BOOK AT info@arttravel.co.nz or 0800 323 333

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T H I N K > M I K E

R U D D

Mike Rudd Sate your appetite for international travel by journeying with our ex-fighter-pilot columnist as he recalls a formative trip to the Middle East – complete with an audience with a prime minister and a king.

D

uring the early 1990s, when I’d been in the Royal Air Force for over two decades, I was exceptionally privileged to attend the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in London to study full-time for a year. The course wasn’t about warships, tanks and combat planes, it was about how the world works – what makes it go wrong (frequently) and how to anticipate, manage or head off failures. The purpose of the college was to make the world a safer, more stable place for all. It was absolutely fascinating.

My fellow students (known as members) were not your usual classroom crew.

There were 90 of us from 41 countries, including Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Chile, Egypt, England, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, Zambia and Zimbabwe (these are the ones I can remember 30 years on). We had one thing in common: Everyone was very experienced in security and stability in the widest sense.

As well as military personnel, there were police officers, diplomats, civil servants and members of the CIA. We even had an ex-terrorist who’d joined a regular army.

We were exposed to a daily diet of speakers from academia and politics, diplomats, specialists in many fields and senior military personnel. Because everything that happened at RCDS was under the Chatham House Rule, the talks were riveting and frank. The underlying causes of friction and conflict were dealt with thoroughly. Nationalism, balance of power, poor communication, greed, religion, ideology, territory, poverty, water and food all featured. And analysis often revealed a different picture to what had been promoted. For instance, the Northern Ireland period known as The Troubles is often characterised as a purely religious conflict, but the reality is more complex.

We were split into groups and sent off to study a region of the world in order to answer an exam question. Our group was given the Middle East and our question was: What are the prospects for peace in the Middle East? As is so often the case, the simpler the question, the harder it is to answer. This particular experience at

“We were exposed to a daily diet of speakers from academia and politics, diplomats, specialists in many fields.”

RCDS has left me with a lifelong belief that the way to address an issue properly is through careful consideration of as much fact and as little preconception as possible.

There were nine of us in our group, including an American civil servant; Chilean, German and British naval officers, and two of the college’s permanent staff to guide and observe us as we set off for Oman, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Syria to investigate peace prospects for the Middle East. It’s worth noting that our trip took place in 1994.

It was four years after Gulf War 1, seven years before the 9/11 attacks, and nine years before the invasion of Iraq and the declaration of ISIS. Itineraries were arranged by the UK embassies and assisted by ex-RCDS nationals in each country. The access we were given to senior people in governmental, military, industrial, education and cultural institutions was in all cases superlative. We nominated a team photographer, who took pictures of the amazing sights of the people, deserts, antiquities and events. I believe that we came away after five weeks with a genuine, decently accurate appraisal of the region and a good answer to our question. In addition to the serious study, it was a great opportunity to compare and contrast the history and culture of the Arabic countries and Israel.

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First stop, Oman. Observed to be a calm, wellordered and respectful country, it was one of the rich oil and gas states of the Arabian Gulf – and it showed, although a visit to its southern border with Yemen and viewing the well-armed observation posts dispelled any idea that the feeling of peace and security should be taken for granted. Another visit to the naval base in Musandam at the northern end of Oman was spectacularly scenic and included a soberingly close-up view of the Strait of Hormuz, the tiny bottleneck with Iran through which many of the world’s oil tankers transited.

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Next, we arrived in Cairo. Our alert and muscular Egyptian Army coach-driver had a machine gun tucked by his side and navigated the chaotic traffic of Cairo assertively. We loved Egypt and were shepherded carefully for a great tour of a country that at the time was under a strong disruptive threat to much-needed tourism by a terrorist group. Egypt saw itself as less than fully Arabic, with more than a touch of contemporary European culture, particularly in the academic and industrial fields, and not as an oil-rich country with wider economic dependencies than the Gulf states. Most of our group took up the offer of a dawn trip on a small, traditional sailing boat on the Nile. It was memorable because of the beautiful scenery and the silence, but also for our acceptance of a tin can of “tea” made from water scooped by the skipper from the very murky-looking river. His sales patter talked me into it; he said that whoever drinks from the Nile would return to visit again. Muggins here suffered no ill effects and I’m still waiting for round two.

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BELOW A dawn trip on the river Nile. Mike (far right) accepts a drink made from Nile water, sold to him by the entrepreneurial skipper (centre).

ABOVE At the Great Pyramids in Cairo. Mike’s green shirt and navy trousers feature heavily throughout the five weeks. He describes it as a capsule wardrobe.

Israel was enjoying a good spell. Arriving in Tel Aviv signalled the start of another glorious set of ideas, sights, sounds and scents. It was impossible not to be moved by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust History Museum. And I was surprised that places in the Bible like Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Sea of Galilee and Bethlehem were real places. We were escorted by Palestinian officers through the Gaza Strip, and they also showed us the forced relocation of housing around Jerusalem.

But the greatest honour of all in Jerusalem happened in the Knesset building, where our group had a 40-minute private audience with Yitzhak Rabin, the then-serving Prime Minister of Israel. To say that he was an impressive person is to do him a disservice. His passion and commitment to a peace process with the Arab nations, including the Palestinians, was truly remarkable and totally convincing. I asked him if he ever lost heart through the setbacks and dismissal of other voices of his belief in peace. He paused, looked at me with weary but penetrating green eyes, and said, “Young man, you would not ask that question if you had understood what I have just told you.”

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ABOVE The Holocaust History Museum, Yad Vashem in Tel Aviv.

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A road trip from Jerusalem took us over the Allenby Bridge across the river Jordan near Jericho. It is 381 metres below sea level and had been recently reopened as part of the IsraelJordan peace treaty. If you haven’t visited the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, you are missing a real gem. The Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, is a world-beating 60km valley of red sandstone, desert and granite, and the 2000-year-old Nabataean city of Petra is deservedly a UNESCO world heritage site.

Check out the trailer of the Lawrence of Arabia film, which was shot in Jordan.

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ABOVE Yitzhak Rabin (in a dark suit), Israel’s then-Prime Minister, receives Mike’s group for a private audience at the Knesset building. Mike stands next to Rabin in a yellow tie.

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The final leg of the tour took in Damascus, the capital of Syria.

As a previous French colony that had, in recent years, developed a defence relationship with Russia, Syria was somewhat different to the previous countries. The city felt livelier than Jordan’s capital, Amman.

The French influence was evident in the cuisine, the extravagance of the décor, and the lively atmosphere in the shops, markets and music.

Beautiful Damask cloths were in the stalls of the souk. Our escorts were more like minders and, though courteous, were rather more watchful than we’d been used to in the previous four weeks!

But, again, the memory of Jordan was dominated by a private audience for our group with King Hussein of Jordan. He spoke frankly and positively about the value and prospect of his relationship and work with Yitzhak Rabin.

He, like Rabin, seemed a person of great presence, insight and commitment.

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RIGHT Mike with Admiral Sir Ian Forbes in the Syrian desert.

BELOW Bedouin woman at Palmyra, Syria.

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We stayed in the city of Palmyra, a beautiful oasis and one of the great crossroads of the ancient world. Our group received a briefing by an official in the Ministry of Defence, which was unscripted and delivered in a rather provocative style. He accused us, Margaret Thatcher, and a few others of being CIA agents, which contrasted somewhat with the more diplomatic style of many of our other briefings.

But a real highlight of the visit was being introduced through an interpreter to a Bedouin family camped in the desert between Damascus and Palmyra. This encounter made me suddenly conscious that we’d seen the nomadic Arabic Bedouin in all of the five countries we’d visited. We’d travelled thousands of miles through different countries, yet the majority of the population (less so in Israel) spoke the same language (with minor dialectic variations), ate the same food, and had the same religion and a very similar culture. Contrast that with, for instance, Europe, where a journey of less than 100km separates people with different languages, cuisines, religions and cultures. This reinforces the view that the people of Arabia have a different sense of belonging to a wider nation than their leaders do.

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On our return to London, all the groups were given a few days to prepare a presentation on their tour and question. Our group chose me to deliver our analysis, and we prepared an atmospheric and affectionate slideshow set to the theme music of the Lawrence of Arabia film. This played for five of our allocated 15 minutes, followed by an account of our voyage of discovery and observation. It must have been a success, because of the eight groups, ours was selected to be presented at an evening event attended by a number of Foreign Office and Defence Ministry senior officials. I think the selection was because of the slideshow and the music (which appeared to have held the other groups spellbound), as well as the clarity and integrity of our answer.

We identified a realistic prospect for peace in the Middle East, provided the main proponents, Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein, stayed engaged in the process.

A year later, Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated and, three years after that, King Hussein died of cancer.

We weren’t to know at the time, but our incredible five-week journey took place during an historic turning point. Our group finding was, I believe, correct. But the ultimate significance of the demise of those two great warriors-turned-peacemakers will, sadly, never be known. What is certain is that they did their best.

Mike and wife Jane.

HISTORY REPEATS Our RCDS Class of 1994 has had a good turnout for annual reunions. We were fortunate to be invited to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for our 25th anniversary in 2019 to mark both the significance to us of our initial tour and our respect for what the country stands for: Stability, respect, moderation and humanity.

Twenty-five years on, we repeated much of our original itinerary, including a royal reception, this time with the late King Hussein’s son, now King Abdullah II. Modernisation was evident, particularly in education and urban development, and the Palestinians were integrated and no longer in refugee camps. The spirit, history and values of the country were confirmed to be alive and well. This exceptional and vivid trip down memory lane was made even more fun this time as I went with my wife, Jane.

Ad Deir (The Monastery) in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra.

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