UNO Magazine | Issue 55 | Autumn 2022 | Karena & Kasey

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AU T U M N STYLE

INNER CITY R E V I VA L

COA S TA L LIVING

Where to dine

Your local fashion guide

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Flavours of Plenty festival Foraging for fine dining A taste for business Creative BOP lights up Good reads Artist’s signs of the times Eco art to adorn

THRIVE 58 65 66 67

Seasonal style Mens’ wellbeing Focus on fitness Banishing pigmentation

LIVE 70 74 80 84 94

Home with a hue Oliver Road’s luxe listings 4 Seasons’ new store Showhome chic Making an entrance

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Reviving our CBD Leave a lasting legacy Meet Dr Richard Lee Changing lives Risk areas in home renos Columnist Will Johnston

EXPLORE DIRECTOR Michele Griffin 021 183 4618 michele@unomagazine.co.nz DIRECTOR Rebecca Meyer 027 469 6177 rebecca@unomagazine.co.nz EDITOR Hayley Barnett DESIGNER Annabelle Rose

ASSISTANT DESIGNER Alice Rose SUB-EDITOR Shiree Schumacher CONTRIBUTORS Amber Armitage Ana Cotter Desiree Osterman Graeme Murray Jahl Marshall Julia Sich Luke Schroder Monique Balvert-O’Connor

Nicky Adams Stacey Jones Sue Hoffart Will Johnston SUBSCRIPTIONS unomagazine.co.nz/sub PRINTER Webstar DISTRIBUTOR Ovato PUBLISHED BY SAO Media Limited

UNO is a quarterly publication: ISSN 2744-7901 © Copyright 2022. 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.

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Wandering the Waikato Convertible gold Whakatāne weekend What’s on Somerset Cottage Columnist Will Johnston

COVER S H OT BY G R A E M E M U R R AY S T Y LI N G N I CK Y A DA M S HAI R + MAK EU P D E S I R E E OS TE R M A N Kārena wears Verge Callie jacket, $230 from Wendy’s Boutique, Nicolette skirt, $329.90 from Poetic, top, $189.90 from Repertoire.

Kasey wears Jellicoe Patrice dress, $219 from Magazine Clothing.

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P U B L I S H E R S ’

T

he Best, The Better and The Brilliant describe what the last four months have been like in the build up to this issue.

We’d be hard pressed to even call it work.

It’s certainly unlike any other job we’ve ever known.

We’ve met so many incredible business owners, event organisers and community groups who are fiercely committed to remaining positive, all determined to ride these times out and to come through the other side swinging!

There are so many out there, one can’t help but be inspired by their positivity.

If we all spent a few minutes in their company, we’d come away feeling just that little bit happier. Positivity is contagious!

No one represents positivity and enthusiasm for life more than our cover superstar sisters Kasey and Kārena. A more infectious, bubbly and professional duo, you’d be hard pressed to meet.

To have them as our cover story in what’s essentially our very first full-control, all-responsibility issue of UNO has helped lay the foundation for some of the tweaks and changes you’ll notice creeping across the pages.

In this issue is the re-introduction of four stunning fashion pages and, with the help of our local food experts, a tie-in with April’s inaugural Flavours of Plenty

Festival. This is the perfect edition to establish recipes featuring stunning imagery, with ingredients available through local producers and suppliers.

And we have new columnists who have come on board too. Lisa Perko, a Tauranga interior designer whose own home is like a spread from an interior magazine. Plus our old friend Will Johnston is joining us to add his own unique and humorous spin on life in general.

We’re excited to have on board for the very first time Oliver Road Real Estate, who bring with them exceptional local content and imagery, showcasing some of the most beautiful and sought-after properties across our region.

Steadfast is our commitment to continue to deliver the best local stories and inspiration from businesses, creatives, groups and organisations to readers and provide our advertisers and supporters with all they have come to expect and enjoy within each and every issue.

It is our hope that every issue of UNO you read will hold that little element of surprise, that little taste of new, and that breath of fresh air.

Enjoy!

Rebecca & Michele

N O T E

EDITOR’S NOTE Food in the Bay of Plenty has come a long way in the past five years or so. Top-quality cafés, bars and restaurants have been threatening the Kiwi meat-andthree-veg culture for decades, but it’s only now that food has really found its way here on the golden sands. The huge allure of food markets and festivals, fine-dining establishments and cafés that cater to an array of tastes and dietary requirements is now appealing to those that might not have considered the Bay a destination for good eats.

Yes, that could mean more traffic in the long weekends, but it also means more money in pockets and more opportunity for an even bigger food offering in the future.

And that, of course, means more delicious food in our stomachs!

Head to our special food section on page 32 and discover the old and new businesses worth getting a taste of. Then mosey over to the Explore section to see what smaller surrounding towns have to offer. Bon appétit.

Hayley, editor

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CO N T R I B U T O R S

CONTRIBUTORS Meet a handful of our talented writers and photographers, who helped to make this new and improved version of UNO come to life.

SUE HOFFART Freelance writer Sue Hoffart has spent a large chunk of her career chasing food, travel and fascinating people stories for premium publications in New Zealand and overseas.

She was a natural fit to write our cover feature on Kasey and Kārena Bird. “These sisters were utterly delightful,” Sue says. “Warm, honest, funny, smart and full of gorgeous anecdotes about their Maketu childhood, being nurtured and nourished by whānau.

They’re further proof that great things grow in this region and that no amount of parental guidance or puzzlement can suppress a girls’ inner foodie fanatic.”

GRAEME MURRAY Graeme first picked up a camera at the age of 14. Since then, his career as a photographer has led him to shooting world-record wingsuit attempts and walking across Australia’s deserts, being courtside at American basketball games and getting behind-the-scenes access to IRONMAN and Formula 1. Graeme was our photographer on this issue’s cover shoot with Kārena and Kasey. “Shoots are always enjoyable when the subjects are amazing talented humans,” says Graeme. “They’re also friends which makes it even more fun. I also got to work with a great team of people to create the images.”

NICKY ADAMS Nicky has been a writer for more than 20 years, having worked at Vogue House in London where she covered fashion, food, travel and beauty, and writing a travel book on the other side of the world in New Zealand. Today she dabbles with a mix of print, online and commercial writing. “The most gratifying thing for me is writing a piece that the person I’m interviewing feels captures them,” says Nicky. “So when I received an email saying, ‘I love it!’ in response to one of my pieces this issue, it gave me a huge burst of joy.”

STACEY JONES The founder of Kitchen Takeover is a passionate foodie with oodles of successful events under her belt, from star-studded movie premieres like The Devil Wears Prada to pop-up restaurants. She grew up in the UK, studying amongst the dreaming spires of Oxford, before working in the London advertising industry on brands such as Nissan, Sony and French Connection. She also chairs the Board for Tourism Bay of Plenty’s culinary tourism drive, Flavours of Plenty. She is food obsessed – her death row dinner would be oysters, chips and a cold glass of Sancerre.

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TAURANGA | HAMILTON

UNO SPOTTED BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

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Guests marveled at the impressive new ‘Desert Romance’ show home in Palm Springs, Pāpāmoa.

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PHOTOS ERIN CAVE 1. Andrea Howden 2. Karlene Blair, Tracey Anderson and MJ Pitts 3. Paul Walters, Mark Sadlier, Steve Watt, Shane McConnell and Michael Downie 4. Emily Phibbs, Piper McConnell and Nicole Cameron 5. Raja and Palvinder Gill and their children. 6. Amy Corbett and Paul Walters, 7. Chantelle Shaw, Kirsty McConnell and Madeline Whitefield 8. Paul Walters and Carl McDougall 9. Georgia Whelan and Paris Kelly 10. Andrea Howden and Leanne Rich 11. Jackie and Colin Campbell 12. Tracey Stubbing 13. Clyde Andrews 14. El Cartel Food Truck – Miguel and Antonio 15. Carolyn Prescott and Ashley Spiller 16. Ella Moor and Hannah Wise 17. Andrea Lilly and Katrina Hulsebosch 18. Brad Walker and Amy Corbett.

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TAURANGA | HAMILTON

UNO SPOTTED BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

FLAVOURS OF PLENTY Tauranga Chamber of Commerce’s first BA5 for 2022 was a celebration of business and food as Tourism BOP launched the Flavours of Plenty festival.

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PHOTOS SUPPLIED 1. Miriam Hewson and Annie Canning 2. Meg Jones, Jemma Bond and Tuihana Walker 3. Robyn Clark and Raiha Fincaryk 4. Mike Matson and Rachael Reid 5. Chris Symes and Geoffrey Campbell 6. Les Geraghty, Tony Stack and Philipp Wilkens 7. Sonia Tibble, Oscar Nathan and Stacey Jones 8. Tan Phuangdokmai, Kim Kirkcaldie, Raiha Fincaryk and Robyn Clark 9. Valerie Rowe-Mitchell, Cara Phillips, Jasmin Murray, Geoffrey Campbell, Chris Symes, David Hill and Alan Neben.

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KATIKATI FOOD & WINE FEST Sir Dave Dobbyn and other talents thrilled crowds at Katikati’s Avocado Food & Wine Festival, held earlier this year.

PHOTOS CAMERON SCOTT

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Kasey wears Magazine longline jacket, $89.50 from Magazine Clothing. Kārena wears Coop Ruffle and Ready dress, $259 from Wendy’s Boutique.

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WORLDWIDE

WĀHINE In the eight years since sisters Kārena and Kasey Bird wowed the Masterchef kitchen with their home-grown culinary flair, they’ve collected more awards and travelled around the globe showcasing their kai. Now Kasey has an exciting new food critic on board to taste test all their fresh ideas.

WO R DS S U E H O F FA RT / PH OTOS G R A E M E M U R R AY + S U PPLI E D S T Y LI N G N I CK Y ADAM S / HAI R + MAK EU P D E S I R E E OSTE R MAN

B

aby Koaretaia Biel is destined to eat exceptionally widely and well, given the legendary cooking prowess of his mother and aunt.

of milk with her baby’s grandparents and trainee

The Maketu boy was 11 weeks old when mum Kasey Bird and her older sister Kārena flew to Dubai on an official government cooking mission. The television stars and award-winning cookbook publishers travelled to United Arab Emirates in January, to help showcase New Zealand’s culinary culture. During their stay, the pair undertook a cooking challenge, led a kitchen demonstration event, designed a hangiinspired beef dish and created a Matariki-themed multi-course feast for the World Expo.

dahl perhaps? Or a turmeric-laced puree using

But, even while preparing a degustation dinner for international dignitaries, Kasey regularly stepped out of the kitchen with a breast pump to keep her milk supply going in readiness for their return. She did the same thing on flights, in restaurants and while holed up in a quarantine hotel. The jet-setting mum left litres

teacher father Patuara Biel, who sent daily updates and videos of their son. Meanwhile, Kārena has been researching baby food traditions in other cultures, to plan Koaretaia’s first solid meals. An Indian-inspired vegetables grown in his grandparents’ garden. They also like the Chinese tradition of giving teething babies dried fish to gnaw on, though of course theirs would come from Bay of Plenty waters.

The sisters (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manawa) are determined this baby will be raised by whānau, with his feet in Maketu sand and his taste buds roaming the world. It’s a recipe that has certainly worked for them.

Growing up in the coastal village, east of Tauranga, the pair would dash across the road after school to swim or gather shellfish. Their earliest memories revolve around digging for pipi in the estuary, then cooking the molluscs on an old cake rack over an open fire on the sand.

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“It felt so safe, really idyllic,” Kasey says of their Maketu childhood. “It was normal to let kids go to the beach by themselves. Mum could see us from home and our Aunty would whistle and all the kids knew it was time to come home.”

Decades after ticking off Los Angeles and New

“Every Sunday, we would have this big pot luck dinner with all the family and friends, everyone bringing a different dish. And we’re the type of kids, if we saw something we didn’t recognise, that’s what we wanted to try.”

where they happily ate lentils with sausages and

Food dominates their memories. Kasey has always been drawn to the kitchen, while her sister was the eager eater in the family. It was Kasey who caught and smoked her own fish and pestered aunts and grandmothers for lessons and recipes or begged for cookbook gifts each Christmas. Although her sibling had little interest in cooking, she was equally excited by a good meal.

Especially if it involved new flavours.

Kārena recalls marvelling at the magical ingredients – capers, olives, sundried tomatoes – in a salad her aunt brought to the house. Her sister was certain she had found “the nicest thing on earth” after tasting crème brulée for the first time.

Kasey was 10 when the girls’ parents Kerry and Atarangi Bird shepherded the family onto a plane and headed overseas, intent on expanding their daughters’ horizons.

“They always wanted us to know where we’re from and be grounded,” Kārena says. “And they also wanted us to see the world was a big place – to see a world full of possibilities.”

York, London, Paris and Sweden, it is the culinary memories that linger. They still talk about discovering fresh pretzels and just-made lemonade, sushi and Mexican food for the first time. Or the French bistro “really stinky cheese”.

As teenagers, the sisters would scour ‘top 50’ restaurant lists and pool their pocket money before driving to Auckland to dine out.

“When we were in high school, food was all we talked about. While our friends bought concert tickets and clothes and CDs, we would save up money to go and eat in restaurants. We’d take pictures, try new things, then come back to Maketū and try to replicate it.”

Their horrified parents – this dining out compulsion was wasteful according to chartered accountant dad and university lecturer mum – insisted the duo pursue proper careers. Both made choices that now confound them.

Kasey initially studied fashion in Melbourne until homesickness drew her home, where she enrolled in an accountancy degree and found local work auditing health contracts. Her sibling headed to Wellington to begin Bachelor of Commerce studies.

Neither was particularly interested in balance sheets or finance and neither was destined to complete her degree.

“...W H I LE O U R FR I EN DS BO U G HT CONCERT TICKETS AND CLOTHES AND CDS , WE WOULD SAVE UP MONE Y TO G O A ND E AT IN R E STAUR A NTS .”

K ĀRENA

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COV E R

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S T O R Y

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1. Dishing up tastes of home. The sisters host pop-up events such as the “Creation Dinner” at a marae, where pundits enjoy seven traditionallyinspired courses paired with wine, legends and plenty of finesse.

2. New addition baby Koaretaia has mum Kasey and aunty Kārena smitten.

3. The Maketu-born sisters always return to the place they were raised, which both grounds and inspires them.

4. The sisters have visted more than 50 countries in their culinary careers and love showing the world their heritage in homestyle cooking with modern flair.

5. Dessert Kiwi style in Shanghai.

6. On destination in India fliming for Kārena and Kasey’s Kitchen Diplomacy.

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“BEING SISTERS, WE JUST KNOW WH AT OUR ROLE S ARE WITHOUT E VEN TA LK ING A BOUT IT. WE H AVE THIS INN ATE UNDER STA NDING.” K ASEY

DIVISION OF LABOUR

Much of the sisters’ work and home life is deeply enmeshed. They even refer to Koaretaia as “our baby” and Kārena attended a few antenatal classes when the father-to-be couldn’t make it.

But they do take account of each other’s strengths when it comes to sharing the load.

Kasey is the organised one, the logistics and planning expert. She is happiest behind the scenes and her accounting background has come in handy after all; she looks after the finances.

Kārena is the outgoing people person. She’s more bossy, generally takes the lead in the kitchen when it comes to plating food and tends to do the talking in public, though Kasey has plenty to say one on one.

Kārena likes to claim she brings the x-factor to the partnership. “And the humility,” she jokingly adds, as the sisters break into laughter.

“Being sisters, we just know what our roles are without even talking about it. We have this innate understanding.”

Would they ever consider splitting up to pursue separate careers? Especially now there is a baby in the mix?

“We’re not for or against the idea,” Kasey says. “If something came up for Kārena that was really awesome, we’d just be happy for each other. We want what’s best for each other.”

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COV E R

Instead, Kārena decided to attend Le Cordon Bleu cook school in Sydney, while obsessively watching competitive cooking television programme Masterchef New Zealand.

“My flatmates thought I was crazy. I’d never cooked one meal in the flat and on leaving night, they gave me a Masterchef cookbook and wrote ‘Can’t wait till you’re on the cover one day’. They were thinking it was a big joke. I still have that book.”

Kārena only ventured into the kitchen once she was home again, intent on saving and practising for her pending culinary training. With no restaurants nearby and no escaping the family cooking schedule, she threw herself into trialling techniques and trying to outdo her sister when it was her night to cook.

Kārena wears Moss & Spy dress, $619 from Wendy’s Boutique.

Kasey wears Zephyr Harper dress, $399 from Magazine Clothing.

“I was making up for lost time,” she says. “I cooked heaps. I’d watch food shows then recreate it. I learnt a lot.”

Without realising it, the sisters were also amassing a portfolio of images, menus and experiences that would impress television producers looking for talent to feature on the show. A week after submitting their application, the duo had an interview and launched into auditions.

Proud to be taking home the award for Best Lifestyle Programme in 2017 at the NZTV Awards for Kārena and Kasey’s Kitchen Diplomacy.

S T O R Y

The rest is history. In 2014, the Te Puke High School graduates – Kārena is a former head girl – attained national celebrity by winning the reality show Masterchef New Zealand. Their own travel cooking series followed; Kārena and Kasey’s Kitchen Diplomacy saw the pair film 20 episodes in 20 countries over a two-year period, with a host of impressive international cooking engagements on the side.

Trips to Asia and Europe and South America were interspersed with five separate stints in China, work for wine and food companies and starring roles in a food safety programme for the Ministry of Primary Industries. They have also run a diabetes education programme for kuia and kaumātua in a community hall in Murupara. And they have self-published two sell-out cookbooks, the first of which collected an international award. Their third book is expected to hit shelves later this year and will be written entirely in Te Reo, with pages of text and glossy photographs laid out in their parents’ house. Kasey and her husband live across the road and Kārena is a one-minute walk away. Master Koaretaia is passed between all three homes and adored by everyone, including youngest Bird sibling Michaela. Auntie Michaela is an actress living in Auckland but spends plenty of weekends back home, doting on her nephew.

The sisterly success continued as their show was nominated again the following year for the same category.

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Maketū is the well-travelled sisters’ turangawaewae, the place they come home to for a dose of reality and unconditional love. Their mum will ask whether they have done their laundry and insist they place newspaper on the floor while cooking, to mop up any mess. No one cares that Kārena has been dining in an exclusive restaurant overlooking 15,000 fish inside the world’s largest aquarium. Or that she had to pick gold leaf out of her teeth. Back home, she is expected to rinse her dinner plates and contribute to family life.

“Being Māori is really important to us but we almost

“I think it’s what keeps everything in perspective,” Kasey says. “Just being part of the fabric of whānau and community, everyone is just the same.

The timing has been remarkably fortuitous. As Covid

“I like to think we have the best of both worlds, that idea that a modern woman can have a baby and go to Dubai, and eat truffle and go to the marae and be in the kitchen with the aunties. The next generation can have all of that. You can still be worldly and still be really grounded.”

engagements or the television miniseries that saw

It was their grandfather who arrived in nearby Te Puke, from Rotorua, to open a branch of the family’s jeans manufacturing company before moving to Maketū.

But the Birds have had holiday homes in the beach community for six generations; Kasey lives in a house her paternal great great grandparents once inhabited.

In recent years, they learned a Scottish female forebearer opened Te Puke’s first bakery in the 1800s.

“We loved growing up in Maketū. It’s still unspoilt, it’s remained that real quintessential beach town. It’s such a safe haven for us.

“Travel definitely gave us the real deep appreciation of where we come from and of our family.”

It also helped shape their determination to learn te reo. Although they spoke the language as young girls and grew up around it – their mother is a Māori language lecturer – their enthusiasm waned. That interest was reignited through learning about other nations’ culture, language and history and realising they knew too little of their own.

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started to feel like imposters,” Kasey says.” People were so proud of us but we didn’t have the language.”

It was Kārena who pushed for them both to place their international schedule on hold and spend a year at Waikato University’s Tauranga campus, learning te reo full time. They did still squeeze in work trips to Fiji, China and Taiwan before emerging as fluent speakers, at the end of 2019.

slammed international borders shut, their new skill led to new work. Like a string of Matariki-related them teach a master class in cooking, solely in te reo.

Or the nine-course fine dining event that tells the Māori creation story through food.

“I think the best thing about learning it, though, is the feeling we have, feeling complete. And now, having a baby, it makes it all worthwhile. He’s going to have both languages.”

This year will bring another round of speaking engagements and celebrity cheffing roles, including high guest spots in the inaugural Flavours of Plenty festival. Their Hāngī With Kārena and Kasey event promises “a deeply cultural feast” that blends traditional cooking techniques with modern twists, whilst celebrating the Bay’s plentiful plethora of produce.

No doubt there will be more international travel in future, too.

“Always, all the time, we are looking at each other and saying ‘how good is our life?’,” Kārena says of their last eight adventurous years.

“We never take it for granted,” her younger sister chimes in. “We always pinch ourselves.”

Kārena wears Frank Lyman jacket, $429 from Magazine Clothing, Nicolette skirt, $329.90 from Repertoire.

Kasey wears Cashews Laundry gather dress, $369 from Magazine Clothing.

COV E R S T O R Y

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- T H E WAY W E -

P L AY

When food, culture and creativity collide to make our region the place to be.

LIGHT UP YO U R L I F E

Watch the town come alive in May’s After Dark Urban Light Festival PAGE 48

FOODIE F E S T I VA L Enjoy the best in the Bay! PAGE 32

F O R AG I N G F L AVO U R S

Wild ingredients and how to use them PAGE 38

ENTEPRISING E AT S The tastes of success PAGE 44

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BITE OF THE BAY

While some business has slowed across the country, there seems to be an explosion of flavour hitting the Bay food scene. With an array of events under the Flavours of Plenty Festival, and new eateries popping up wherever you look, the variety of choice is now second to none. Read on to discover where to look, what to eat and how it came about.

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UNITING OUR TRIBE WO R DS S TACE Y J O N E S / PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

H

ave you ever thought about what makes a great food destination? For those lucky enough to have travelled globally to the likes of Rome or San Sebastian, or closer to home, like Hawke’s Bay or Wellington, you’ll know that the food experience is original, enticing and delicious. So what gives these places the edge?

As chair of our region’s culinary tourism drive, Flavours of Plenty, I ask myself this question regularly. Understanding this is key to our success in becoming a foodie destination.

We have no shortage of world-class ingredients and talented artisans, now we need to tell the world.

I believe what sets these destinations apart is the ‘vibe’ they have created around their food experience. The unique atmosphere that’s different to any other place. So how do you create a vibe? The answer is through collaboration. By getting a heap of talented local gourmands together and letting them collide around their love of all things food.

That’s why, for the last 18 months, we’ve been bringing together our food community through Flavours of Plenty, powered by Tourism Bay of Plenty. A way to unite our tribe and carve out a unique vibe for our region. The jewel in this crown is the Coastal Bay of Plenty’s firstever regional food festival Flavours of Plenty Festival.

All great food destinations have a regional festival – FAWK, Wellington on A Plate, Toast. Why shouldn’t we?

Over April 7-10, from Whakatāne to Waihi Beach, the Bay will come alive with restaurant nights, workshops, long lunches and more. Our passionate foodies will work together to bring you unique experiences around our plentiful produce.

So, what can you do to play your part? Pick up a programme, round up your friends and buy tickets to an event or two. Support our local businesses. Share a meal.

Learn a new skill. Venture out to a new place. And read on to discover the who, what, where and hows of the talent behind the Bay’s best foodie businesses.

FLAVOURSOFPLENTYFESTIVAL.COM FLAVOURSOFPLENTY

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PLENTY OF FLAVOUR Incredible festival foodie offerings prove there’s so much more to the Bay than good surf and sunshine.

WO R DS S U E H O F FA RT / I MAG E S S U PPLI E D

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hen Flavours of Plenty Festival director Rae Baker moved to the Western Bay of Plenty in March last year, it was a homecoming of sorts.

Although she was largely raised in Scotland and has been living in Queenstown for four years, her Kiwi father attended Tauranga Boys College. She has spent copious childhood summers at Waihi Beach and still has a network of extended whānau and old family friends in the region. Pulling together the festival programme has fast-tracked the newcomer’s food knowledge.

“This festival celebrates a place I’ve loved my whole life,” Rae says. “When we were living in Edinburgh my dad would always say kumara is kumara and jandals are jandals.

“But I’m still learning more about the region.

There have been plenty of revelations, like the fact we’ve got more truffle farms in the bay than in any other region in New Zealand. I knew about the kiwifruit and avocados, but I didn’t know about the chocolate and blueberries, or the macadamias.”

The inaugural Flavours of Plenty Festival, which runs from April 7-10, aims to celebrate the coastal Bay of Plenty’s world-class culinary offerings.

This year’s festival will showcase horticultural heroes through workshops and demonstrations, degustations and pop-ups, restaurant nights and themed in-house menus, cultural and māra kai (food garden) events.

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“Obviously, this region has always been famous for its landscapes and beautiful beaches but we have a really rich food story to talk about and I think it’s about time we did.”

Rae says the Flavours of Plenty steering group, formed by Tourism Bay of Plenty, has uncovered hundreds of food-related producers between Waihi Beach and Ōhope.

The group has also established that the region hosts more than 600 cafes, restaurants and other eateries. In Tauranga city alone, the food and beverage sector generates more than $150 million and employs about 4400 people.

She says natural advantages, such as excellent soil and a sunny climate, are increasingly teamed with skilled growers, scientists, chefs, manufacturers and educators to produce premium products.

“Restaurants are really starting to showcase what’s great and locally grown. Our Toi Ohomai campus has an amazing culinary department and we’re seeing real efforts to connect people to the produce we grow here.

“Personally, we’ve bought a place in Pāpāmoa and I have a vege garden now and, oh my gosh, the tomatoes. My South Island friends can’t believe I don’t need a greenhouse. And, coming from Scotland, there’s no way we have the opportunity to grow avocados and feijoas, lemons, passionfruit and clementines.

LEFT: Mount Sourdough Co just keeps rising.

ABOVE: Get in quick for a craft beer tour, including Mata Brewery.

RIGHT: Mount Eliza cheesemakers are on a roll.

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“I’m loving having access to farmers markets here, with all those people making kombucha or vanilla or sourdough. And I’ve loved taking friends to Dinner In The Domain at the pony club in Pāpāmoa. I’m blown away and it’s time we really started singing from the rooftops about it.”

will have a chance to hear the Langlands’ story and

Markets and the domain dinner are included in the festival offerings, alongside events such as craft brewery tours or a multi-course modern hāngī or a family-friendly cheese-rolling contest run by Mount Eliza cheesemakers.

matching ‘produce box’ to showcase what’s grown and

discover the history, health benefits and science of sourdough. Guests will also get their hands on some dough, learn how to look after and bake the perfect loaf and take home a sourdough starter pack of their own.

As part of the festival, at least 16 eateries will utilise a made along the coast. Judges will pick winners but diners are also encouraged to taste the speciallydesigned cocktails or menu items and vote for

Mount Sourdough Co’s mother-son duo Margaret and Sam Langlands are also promising foodies a new experience. The sourdough starter, which requires regular feeding with a flour and water mix, has been around for at least 15 years thanks to Margaret’s dedication and skill. Both she and her son have been known to take the precious starter along on their respective holidays, in order to keep it alive.

a people’s choice award.

Sam learned baking skills from his former primary school teacher mum and became serious about dough only after working in corporate finance. He was planning to head overseas – flights were booked, visa confirmed – when their small, homegrown bread business grew unexpectedly quickly.

ticketholders visit a truffiere and an olive oil producer

Four years ago, the engineering graduate set up a Facebook page to sell bread baked in the family kitchen at Mount Maunganui. When they outgrew that space, the pair expanded into the garage and developed a range that now includes a spiced fruit version, one with olive and rosemary and another studded with flax and sunflower seeds. These days, Mount Sourdough produces 500 loaves a day from a dedicated bakery and has plans to expand both the team and the small commercial kitchen. While Sam’s airline tickets and visa have long since expired, Flavours of Plenty ticketholders

grazing platters that feature locally-made or grown

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Fife Lane restaurant’s Flavours of Plenty lunch was the first event to sell out, while Sugo restaurant has designed a plant-based ‘king’s feast’ luncheon and Elizabeth Café is hosting a dinner created by Pepper & Me food business owner Cherie Metcalfe.

At Paengaroa, The Mediterranean Escape will see before heading to the Trading Post restaurant in Paengaroa for a degustation dinner.

In Whakatāne, The Good Fusion fashion and food event teams local boutiques and designers with live music and locally-made wine or kombucha as well as products. Proceeds will support a charity that helps families facing childhood cancer. Whakatanē will also welcome diners to a long lunch at the award-winning Mata Brewery, led by brewer Tammy Viitakangas.

“This festival ticks all the boxes,” Rae says. “It’s great for the community, great for people who visit the region, for families. I see the event growing and growing, expanding every year.”

FLAVOURSOFPLENTYFESTIVAL.COM

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TASTE OF THE MED

SAY CHEESE Inspiration for Katikati cheese producers Mount Eliza Cheese comes from the use of traditional recipes and methods that date back centuries.

They’re pushing the boundaries to bring back raw milk cheese-making to New Zealand and making single farm of origin cheese with milk produced from a local small half-jersey herd.

Mount Eliza Cheese is available from selected local stockists, farmers markets and is available online.

MOUNTELIZA.CO.NZ

THE ROAD LESS TRUFFLED Fancy hunting out a truffle? Back for 2022, Kitchen Takeover and Te Puke Truffles have teamed up again to offer foodies a rare and memorable experience that brings together the best of the Bay of Plenty’s produce and people. Join Jed the dog as he hunts out truffles on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11-2pm from June 3 – July 31.

Tickets are $99pp.

Paengaroa is where you’ll find The Trading Post, a destination bistro nestled in an historical farm cottage setting. Serving French and Mediterranean-inspired dishes, with an extensive menu using fresh, seasonal, local ingredients, diners can enjoy brunch in the private courtyard or a meal by the roaring log fire. The Trading Post is a family friendly, dog friendly licensed bistro that you’ll be sure to visit time and time again.

THETRADINGPOST.NZ

KITCHENTAKEOVER.CO.NZ/ TRUFFLEHUNT/

CRAFTY BREWS COMMUNITY CONNECTION The popularity of farmers’ markets is a worldwide phenomenon and a fantastic asset to Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty. The Tauranga Farmers’ Market has been connecting food growers and producers with locals for more than 15 years.

Held each Saturday morning at Tauranga Primary School, families can explore and delight in the fresh and beautiful array of stalls selling local fresh produce.

TGAFARMERSMARKET.ORG.NZ

Based in the sunny Eastern Bay of Plenty, Mata Brewery is the perfect place to relax with family and friends while enjoying a selection of awardwinning craft beers, ciders and delicious food.

With a love for great beer and a passion to brew unique New Zealand styles, this family-run business has been serving the finest, innovative range of award-winning styles since 2005.

Catering for private functions and group bookings, with online purchases available, a trip to Mata Brewery in Whakatāne should be on everyone's weekend menu.

MATABEER.NZ

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WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Foraging for edibles might be the foodie world’s latest craze, but it’s the learnings around our own backyards that keep food lovers coming back for more.

WO R DS J U LIA S I CH

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oraging has grown hugely in the Bay, offering an expanded perspective of wild plants normally considered useless and growing where we don’t want them. Exploring their regenerative role in nature, their healing medicinal qualities, and the powerhouse of nutrition that they contain, makes for fun and satisfying work.

Here’s a guide on what to look for and how to find them.

WOODEAR MUSHROOMS (Auricularia Auricula-Judae) These mushrooms earned their name from the resemblance to the human ear. If you go tramping in the bush, or have access to a patch of bush, you’ll find them growing on dead rotting native trees of mahoe, pukatea, tawa and others. After rain they are swollen, soft, rubbery, jelly like and a rich brown colour. At other times they are dried up and more difficult to identify. Woodears are rich in complex B vitamins, antioxidants and polysaccharides, all good for the heart. I had a Chinese woman staying with me

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who said they are called Mu-er in China, where they grow them commercially on logs. We went to a friend’s patch of bush near Tauranga and she was so excited to be foraging them in the wild.

The Chinese have used them in food and medicine since the Tang dynasty. Woodears were part of early New Zealand history as Taranaki pioneers gathered them for a Chinese merchant who sent them to China, earning the settlers needed extra money.

They are used in soups, broth and stir-fried dishes.

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CHICKWEED (Stellaria Media)

KAWAKAWA BLACK NIGHTSHADE BERRIES (Solanum Nigrum)

It is a huge surprise to many people to learn that black nightshade berries are edible and not poisonous. For some, the belief they are poisonous is so strong it’s impossible to try them, while others find to their surprise that they are sweet with a savoury hint. This plant is commonly mistaken for ‘deadly nightshade’ (atropa belladonna), which is a completely different plant in the same solanum family not growing here. In New Zealand black nightshade is considered a weed, but all over the world, from the Pacific Islands to Africa, Europe and America, black nightshade berries and their young leaves are highly prized for their nutritional value. Black nightshade has the ability to grow where it has been sprayed in orchards and along shelter belts. Those plants are not safe to forage so use ones from clean environments such as your own garden. The plants are spread by birds who love to eat them.

(Piper Excelsum)

This is one of the most important and sacred healing plants in Māori medicine. Kawakawa is a small shrub growing in shade with heartshaped peppery tasting leaves.

The best leaves to harvest are those that receive morning sun with holes caused by a looper moth caterpillar Cleora scriptaria.

The healing properties are increased by the caterpillars eating them. Kawakawa is used to treat cuts, insect bites, stomach and rheumatic pain, skin disorders and toothache as it has a numbing effect. One of its most astounding properties is to draw out infection and I have heard of several dramatic stories where kawakawa’s healing ability worked where nothing else did. The dried leaves powdered can be added to salt along with powdered nasturtium leaves and ground harakeke seeds.

Julia regularly runs workshops which include an overview of wild plants with taste testing and sensory experiencing, a foraging walk to find them and a shared lunch of wild-inspired foods and beverages.

JULIASEDIBLEWEEDS.COM

Chickweed is one of my favourite ‘weeds’ and is found in abundance in cooler, moister times of the year or in shady parts of the garden.

Although considered a ‘weed’ it is a highly nutritious mineral-rich food source and remedy for a plethora of skin, eye and digestive issues. For example, you can take some plant stems and rub them on hot itchy skin to cool the irritation.

The leaves are tender to eat and good in salads. Identify chickweed by breaking the stem and inside you’ll find a stretchy thread. It is a rich source of vitamin C, carotenes needed by the liver to produce vitamin A, folate (B9; folic acid is a synthetic form of folate), calcium, chlorophyll, essential fatty acids and protein. Chickweed delights us with little white starshaped flowers, giving it the latin name Stellaria. I eat this all winter and it’s a plant in which you can grab a bunch, cut it off with scissors and it will grow again.

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Venison with pickled, puréed and roasted pumpkin, Julia’s dhukka and black nightshade berries Serves 4 VENISON LOIN

METHOD – VENISON LOIN

METHOD – ROASTED PUMPKIN

800g venison loin

1.

1.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Peel and cut the pumpkin into 4 equal slices.

2.

Using a peeler, shape the pumpkin into a crescent by following its natural shape.

Reserve the trimmings and off cuts for the purée and the pickled pumpkin.

3.

Line a baking sheet with grease proof paper and put aside.

Coat the pumpkin in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Put onto prepared baking tray and add the garlic and thyme.

4.

Place into oven and cook until soft. Keep aside until needed.

This can be done way ahead of time.

Flaky salt, as needed FOR THE CRUST 1 orange 10g black peppercorns 10g green peppercorns 5g juniper berry

2.

5g horopito ROASTED PUMPKIN ¼ pumpkin Cooking oil, as needed

3.

Salt and pepper, to taste 4 cloves garlic, skin on, lightly crushed

4.

5 sprigs thyme

Preheat the oven to 100˚C. With a citrus zester, remove the zest from the two oranges. Blanch twice in boiling water for one minute, each time using fresh water. Place the blanched zest onto a baking sheet and dry out in the oven for one hour.

Using a mortar and pestle, crush peppercorns, juniper dried orange zest and horopito. Sieve the mixture, discarding the fine powder, retaining the course orange pepper mixture.

Season each piece of venison with salt and then lightly coat each piece in the remaining spice mixture.

Wrap each piece tightly in cling film and refrigerate overnight.

PICKLED PUMPKIN Large pumpkin trimming

METHOD – PICKLED PUMPKIN

METHOD – SAUCE

100ml white vinegar

1.

1.

Put all the ingredients in a fry pan and on medium heat toast, stirring for about 10 minutes.

Don’t allow to burn.

2.

Allow to cool then place in a food processor and pulse carefully to break everything down but not form a paste.

It should be chunky and light.

3.

Store in a dry jar.

100g sugar

Dice the larger pieces of reserved pumpkin from the trimming into a small even dice.

SAUCE

2.

500ml beef stock

Add the diced pumpkin into a pot with pickling ingredients. Bring

50g sugar

to the boil and then let simmer

100ml vinegar

for 30 secs. Remove from the

100ml red wine

heat and leave to cool in pickling

Black nightshade berries

liquor until needed.

(aim

for about 8-10 each person)

DUKKAH SPICE

METHOD – DUKKAH SPICE

½ cup pine nuts, hazelnuts or walnuts

1.

In a heavy-based saucepan, add the sugar and vinegar. Bring to the boil and reduce by half, add the red wine and then reduce by two thirds.

2.

Add the stock and reduce the heat. Simmer until it has reduced to a sauce consistency.

3.

Don’t add the berries until the sauce is reheated and you are about to serve as they can break down too much.

1 cup toasted almonds 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tsp caraway seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tsp dried thyme or mixed dried herbs ½ tsp sea salt

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ASSEMBLY TO COOK AND REST THE VENISON 1.

2.

3.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Heat some oil in a large pan until simmering.

Remove the venison from the cling wrap and sear on all sides until slightly browned all over.

Place on a tray and cook in the oven until the temperature is between 50° to 55°C. Depending on size and thickness of the meat, this

4.

5.

6.

could be about 10 mins to cook for rare.

a line across the plate. Divide

Remove from tray and rest in a warm spot before carving.

the plates and top with the

While the venison is resting, put the roasted pumpkin onto a tray and reheat in the oven.

Reheat the pumpkin purée.

pumpkin. Slice the meat into

Once hot, spoon purée onto serving plates. Use the back of a spoon to spread the purée in

the roasted pumpkin among dhukka. Add the diced pickled 3 or 4 slices per person and fan it out onto the plate.

7.

Add the nightshade berries to the hot sauce and add to the dish to finish. Serve straight away while still hot.

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Poached Feijoa with Kawakawa Ice Cream and Passionfruit Gel Serves 4 POACHED FEIJOAS

METHOD - POACHED FEIJOAS

4 large feijoas

1.

Using a small sharp knife top and tail the feijoas. Placing the fruit on its end, start at the top and run the knife down the side to remove the peel.

2.

In a saucepan big enough to fit the feijoas snugly, bring the butter, vanilla, sugar, apple juice and lemon juice to the boil. Add the cinnamon stick and simmer until the sugar has dissolved.

3.

Add the feijoas and place a lid onto the sauce pan. If you have no lid, cover with tinfoil. Cook very gently for 3-4 mins and remove from the heat. Leave to cool in the liquid still covered.

4.

These are best served at room temperature or slightly above. So they are best made a couple of hours before serving.

50g butter 5g vanilla paste 125g castor sugar ½ cinnamon stick 100ml apple juice 10ml lemon juice

PASSIONFRUIT GEL 165ml water

METHOD - PASSIONFRUIT GEL

50ml passionfruit pulp (no seeds)

1.

Whisk the water, passionfruit juice and sugar together in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium to high heat and bring to the boil.

30g sugar

2.

Once boiled and the sugar is dissolved, add the agar agar and over a medium to high heat whisk the liquid back to the boil and simmer for 30 seconds.

3.

Remove from the heat and pour into a shallow container and refrigerate until set.

4.

Purée in food processor until smooth.

5.

Reserve aside in a squeeze bottle until ready for use.

3.5g agar agar

Chef’s note To stop the ice cream from moving around the plate when serving, put some crushed plain biscuits in the bowl and rest the ice cream on that before serving.

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ASSEMBLY 1.

Put the feijoas into 4 serving bowls.

2.

Spoon over a little bit of the cooking liquor.

3.

Place dots of the passionfruit gel in various sizes into the bowl.

4.

Add a scoop of the kawakawa ice cream and serve.

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Passionfruit and Pineapple Sage Caprioska PASSIONFRUIT SYRUP

METHOD

ASSEMBLY

8 ripe passionfruit

Note this recipe makes more than you need, but you can store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in a sterilised jar.

Keep one lime wedge aside for garnish.

1 cup water 1 cup sugar

1.

1.

Make the simple syrup by gently heating the sugar and water in a saucepan, stirring regularly until it dissolves.

In a boston glass, muddle rest of the lime and pineapple sage.

2.

2.

Scoop out the passionfruit pulp then add to simple syrup and leave to steep for 4 hours.

Add passionfruit syrup and vodka.

3.

3.

Sieve out the passionfruit seeds. Take care not to press the seeds or it will make the mixture cloudy.

Fill with ice and hard shake for 30 seconds.

4.

4.

Transfer the simple syrup to a clean storage jar and refrigerate.

Pour into chilled short glass filled with ice and garnish with a pretty flower.

COCKTAIL 40ml vodka 40ml passionfruit syrup 1 lime 3 pineapple sage leaves

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LIVING THE FOODIE DREAM The Bay’s smorgasbord of emerging food offerings creates a perfect mix of businesses that not only make great food but also dish up some fantastic stories to boot.

WO R DS M O N I Q U E BALVE RT- O ’CO N N O R PH OTOS VAR U N CH AU H AN + S U PPLI E D

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hen it comes to Bay of Plenty foodie success stories, there are many tasty morsels to choose from, with great yarns to share. Avenue Pizza started dishing out pizza from a tenpin bowling venue, while the Pepper & Me founder must alert NZ Post when she has a promotion on – so they can prepare for the product onslaught. UNO introduces you to a man who’s just nuts about nuts, as well as a business wiped out by lockdown. But there’s a silver lining, thanks to New Zealanders’ love of pudding.

AVENUE PIZZA

All are doing great things and have more ideas on the boiler. Like Matt Gillon whose business unashamedly deals in the decadent. Dessert lovers really need to keep Pudding in the Bay, so this talented baker can fulfil his next business dream.

“I’d love to one day have a dessert bar with cocktails and music. I’m imagining warm brownie with a scoop of homemade icecream on top and a cocktail to match. It would be a nice place for adults to hang out.”

You reckon? Bring it on, we say!

The voice and the guitar strumming are being given a rest as the pizza flipping has taken over.

Jo Thompson and his wife spent years travelling around New Zealand and Europe as musical duo Joseph and Maia, before returning to Tauranga to start a family, and thrill the tastebuds of pizza lovers.

“I found my hometown was seriously lacking in the pizza I’d seen scattered around the world. I started teaching myself to make it (with many failed attempts) and got a bit obsessed.”

His business partner, Tom Davidson, jumped in with his decade of pizza experience and the two started honing what evolved into Avenue Pizza, which opened at Tauranga’s tenpin bowling establishment in 2018. Late last year Avenue Squared opened at 103 Maunganui Road with plans to also re-establish in Tauranga before winter.

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The two believe having a naturally leavened sourdough product sets them apart – “more of a challenge, but it yields a better result”.

“It’s fun to hone a craft using old techniques, to be part of something that starts from just flour and water but develops into delicious food,” says Jo. Their meatball pizza is most loved by regulars, and for Jo and Tom it’s the simple and classic Margherita.

Avenue Squared offers Detroit-style pizza. Cooked in square tin pans the crust is fluffy (more like focaccia bread). When Avenue Pizza reopens in a Tauranga CBD location, it will offer the same round pizzas of the tenpin bowling venue days.

Be ready to be bowled over though, as this pizza duo is into “refining”.

“We want to push the quality as far as we can,” Jo says.

AVENUEPIZZA

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PUDDING New Zealand’s first Covid-19 lockdown was “brutal” for Matt Gillon’s boutique kombucha-making business, so he got baking.

The second lockdown had the opposite effect – a booming new business, thanks to the brewery becoming a bakery. Matt’s chocolate brownie and its white chocolate blondie counterpart quickly gained fame.

“I thought, ‘Let’s give a straight-to-the-customer service a whirl’.”

He created Pudding, set up a website, put it up on Facebook and Insta and “it went mental”.

“Some days, during lockdown, I was sending out 70 to 80 boxes of brownie a day, all over the country (a surprising number went to the South Island too),” tells Matt, whose family and friends helped with slicing and packaging when he got “slammed”.

“There were really long hours. I started with a regular oven that was on 18/20 hours a day and I was going to bed at four or five in the morning.”

Things have quietened since lockdown (still plenty of business though).

A foodie all his working life, Matt started out at Bethlehem’s iconic Somerset Cottage and did his chef training. He has an engineering degree too, “but missed the food”.

He bakes all his product, working with a basic recipe that he modifies.

His product is available online and at select coffee carts (Piccola Espresso, Nitrous Coffee Bar). While Pudding is brownie and blondie focussed, cookies also come out of Matt’s oven, and he’s been known to make impressive wedding cakes.

Overall public favourite? Milk caramel and chocolate brownie; with raspberry and white chocolate blondie close behind. Some are “supremely naughty,” he grins.

“Basically, I like producing really high-quality food that’s bad for you, but delicious. Pudding is the fulfilment of this dream.”

PUDDINGS.NZ

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PEPPER & ME Little did Cherie Metcalfe know that helping friends with lactating issues would lead to the birth of a booming business.

People were making lactation cookies and Cherie thought she’d instead put the likes of fenugreek seeds and fennel into a salt. And so, it started and soared.

“It worked really well, and I moved from that to making spices for the general market.”

Today Cherie’s Pepper & Me business (named after her first-born) offers 45 products, many with quirky names (Italian Stallion, The Aioli Grail, Saucy Tart Tartare). Man Grind is the best seller, followed closely by Sesh Oil. Cherie’s favourite is Za’taar.

“It has a really nice Middle Eastern flavour that’s not too intense. It’s great with lamb, chicken and veges too. Flatbreads, dips, hummus, wraps and pita are my favourite foods right now and Za’taar works perfectly with them.”

Pepper & Me is stocked in about 130 stores nationwide, including New World. Equally as busy as the wholesale market are online sales. And Cherie has her own store in Tauriko now (her knife range and recipe book can be found there too).

Success stories are all the better if they’ve come from humble beginnings and such is Cherie’s case.

This chef is pleased the days of cooking mince and making jam sandwiches at an early childcare centre, in order to make ends meet, are long gone.

She is living the dream.

“I am completely and utterly obsessed with food, the endless creative possibilities that presents, and the joy it brings to people.”

Always up for a challenge, she says the next one may be a dispatch centre in Australia.

PEPPERANDME.CO.NZ

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SMALL BATCH “I’m like a pig in mud in this business,” says Nick Parker, who’s just celebrated at year at the helm of Small Batch.

Nut butters and spreads are happily batch-crafted for serious flavour at his Mount Maunganui base.

Cashew, hazelnut and peanut butters, to be exact, and streichcreme. On the day UNO visits, Nick’s lunchbox indicates he’ll be feasting on sandwiches spread with streichcreme (Tuscan with Roasted Red Peppers this time).

As many satisfied customers already know, streichcreme is a combination of sunflower seeds, cashew nuts and eggplant flavoured four different ways. As well as the Tuscan option, there’s Mediterranean Olive, Garlic and Garden Herb, and Roasted Beetroot and Ginger.

“Described as a vegan paté, it ticks lots of boxes as its high in magnesium and vitamin E, it’s gluten free and delicious,” Nick says.

The majority of Small Batch customers are crushing on Super Butter, however. Full of peanut, almond, cashew, brazil nut, chia seeds and flax seeds, it’s little wonder it boasts a five-star health rating.

Nick - a career chef, who says he’s a “sold-out foodie, ruined for anything else” – says there’s room in the market for his “wonderfully fresh”, batch-crafted product. His competitors are of the size that requires production outsourcing, which comes with the risk of losing artisan control.

It’s a business that’s developing. Thanks to joint ventures with local artisans there’s other tempters such as Choc Peanut Butter and Honey Peanut Butter.

In a nutshell… Small Batch deals in product that tastes great and is a wholesome dietary option. it’s sold online and, in many quality, artisan stores countrywide SMALLBATCH.CO.NZ

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P L AY > C R E AT I V E

B O P

AFTER DARK Creative BOP’s urban festival is bringing light to dark times.

WO R DS LU K E SCH RO D E R I MAG E S S U PPLI E D

“EVENTS LIKE THIS INSPIRE EVERYONE TO CR E ATE FOR THE SA K E OF IT, TO E XPLOR E NE W MEDIUMS AND PUSH THE ENVELOPE A LITTLE .”

– EMILY WOOLERTON

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P L AY > C R E AT I V E

I

t’s easy to walk around Tauranga’s city streets without paying any close attention to the big blank walls of surrounding buildings. Concrete slabs and featureless façades line the streets, designed to be forgettable, non-intrusive enclosures for the businesses contained behind them. But for some clever minds these walls represent a far more exciting opportunity. They will soon become canvases for creativity as artists light up public spaces with an eclectic mix of colourful shapes, short films, abstract imagery, and innovative lighting technologies that will show the city in a new light.

This exciting initiative is being brought to Tauranga

by Creative Bay of Plenty, with funding support from Creative New Zealand. Trustpower has come on board as the major corporate sponsor, alongside partners Downtown Tauranga, Tauranga City Council, Priority One, Veros, Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust and Toi Ohomai.

After Dark Urban Light Festival is an all-new art experience that will see a range of artworks transform Tauranga’s CBD into a gleaming playground full of exciting, illuminated installations. For 10 days in May a selection of luminous artworks will form a unique art trail across the central city through a mixture of video projection, freestanding sculptures, glowing alleyways, short films, and creative uses of vacant spaces. The festival is designed to be a self-guided journey spread across multiple sites within Tauranga’s CBD that encourages people to walk around the city discovering the various installations and the magic within.

It may not seem like a logical time to be running a new festival given the recent wave of event cancellations, postponements, and ongoing uncertainty, however with some clever thinking and careful planning After Dark is designed to be able to proceed regardless of traffic light settings or gathering restrictions. Because the festival isn’t fixed to a particular day, time, or single location, all those attending can be spread out from each other and stay socially distant whilst still enjoying all the festival has to offer.

“We’ve intentionally designed a covid-friendly format that allows people to participate from a distance and at their own leisure”, says project manager Luke Schroder.

“People can view any artwork at any time on any evening

B O P

during the 10 days of the festival and still have the same great experience.”

After Dark will be an opportunity for families, friends, and individuals of all ages to share in an exciting and fresh artistic experience described as a ‘tapestry of illuminated creativity’. After Dark explores themes of connectedness in our society, specifically connections to people, culture, and nature. These connections make up the themed ‘threads’ of After Dark and serve as inspiration for new works created for the festival.

Emily Woolerton is one local artist creating a new artwork specifically for After Dark. As the creative mind behind Mount Maunganui design studio Calico and clothing label The Know, Emily is no stranger to creating fun designs and out-of-the-box visual ideas.

For the launch of her first clothing line, Emily used video projection to transform Pāpāmoa photography studio Suburbia into an exciting visual feast of giant slurping noodles, animated playing cards, floor-to-ceiling curtains made of poetry, and a brand-new fashion collection on display.

“Normal moments became jarring by placing them in the centre of attention. Someone eating noodles is an average, everyday occurrence – until that person is five metres wide and you can see every detail. It became an immersive experience, where people were both transfixed and horrified by the ordinary.”

With a mind for design and an eye for detail, Emily is looking forward to creating a new piece to be exhibited at After Dark later this year. Her artwork titled ‘Critical’ is a creative look at our need for human connection and examines how we are wired to thrive through relationships with one another instead of getting lost in our own insular worlds.

Emily is excited to see creativity fostered in the Bay of Plenty through projects such as After Dark and is looking forward to seeing the vibrancy it will bring to the city.

“One of the beautiful things about art is how it brings people together, and it’s really exciting to see events like this build the culture and atmosphere in Tauranga.”

AFTERDARKFESTIVAL.COM

After Dark Urban Light Festival runs from Friday May 13 to Sunday May 22, 2022 in Tauranga CBD and is a free-entry event suitable for all ages.

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P L AY > B O O K

R E V I E W S

BETWEEN THE LINES

FL AVOUR BOMB: FA S T FR E SH FUN K E TO FOR K IWIS

The team from Books A Plenty in Tauranga review their top three books of the season.

SELF/LE SS

AViVA Pan Macmillan RRP$30 In this debut novel by Australian singer/songwriter AViVA, we follow 17-year-old Teddy as she uncovers the truth of her home, a walled-in city full of strict and unrealistic laws where she is forced to conform with the rest of the general population; no drawing, no dancing, no sexuality, no cinema, no music, no natural love, and overall, no self expression.

However, after discovering a secret society called The Underground, Teddy finds herself drawn to a world of freedom.

This book will take you on a journey of friendship, new-found power, decision making, conflict, and a whole lot of discovery.

Kiarni says, “It’s an easy read, suiting readers 12 and above.

“The ending felt a bit rushed and the climax somewhat unoriginal, but I think this book would satisfy those who are new to dystopian themes and, overall, I think it was an awesome read!”

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Belinda MacDonald Penguin Random House NZ RRP$45 Belinda MacDonald, joint winner of My Kitchen Rules NZ in 2014 and now head chef/vlogger to The Ketogenic Switch, loves creating super-fast modern keto dishes with clever twists to make you smile. There are more than 150 recipes of main meals plus a great mix of fat bombs, sweet treats, keto breads, crackers, summer party fare and a particularly vibrant veggie section.

Says Sheree, “The recipes are written by a Kiwi, for Kiwis. I tested out the Crispy Hemp-Crusted Chicken and also made the Torta Montenegro with Autumnal Blackberry Yoghurt Jellies. I loved that all the ingredients were easy to purchase at our local supermarket. Both recipes were easy to follow, full of flavour and didn’t last long with a teenager in the house! I will definitely go back to this book for weekly meal inspiration for our family.”

WIN

All the books reviewed in this edition of UNO!

THE L A NGUAGE OF FOOD

To enter the draw scan the QR code below and enter your details Annabel Abbs Simon & Schuster RRP$38

The Language of Food, by the award-winning author of The Joyce Girl, is described as the most thought-provoking and page-turning historical novel you’ll read this year. Eliza Acton, despite having never before boiled an egg, became one of the world’s most successful cookery writers, revolutionising cooking and cookbooks around the world.

It’s England, 1835 and poet Eliza dreams of seeing her words in print. But, when she takes her new manuscript to a publisher, she’s told that ‘poetry is not the business of a lady’. Instead, they want her to write a cookery book.

Eliza leaves the offices appalled, but in order to survive she’s forced to consider the proposal.

Never having cooked before, she

is determined to discover the poetry in recipe writing. Together with her 17-year-old assistant, they broke the mould of traditional cookbooks and changed the course of cookery writing forever.

Reviewer Sheree, not usually a fan of historical fiction says, “Annabel has done an amazing job of combining true aspects of Eliza Acton’s life into a fictitious story. When Eliza is cooking you almost feel like you are there with her taking in the smells and sounds of the kitchen. The Language of Food is a beautiful novel covering history, food, feminism, relationships and more through the journeys of two inspiring women and the different worlds they are from.”

74 Grey Street, Tauranga Ph 07 578 6607 info@booksaplenty.nz www.booksaplenty.nz

BOOKSAPLENTY.NZ

booksaplentynz

P L AY >A R T I S T

P R O F I L E

B

MASTER OF RUST Artist Alex Milne ditched his corporate job in Auckland and moved to the Bay to focus on creating pieces inspired by the lost American dream.

WO R DS A N A COT TE PH OTOS CO LI N LU NT & K I M WE S TE R S KOV

ay of Plenty artist Alex Miln is obsessed with rust. His striking, three-dimensional pieces drip and drizzle and splatter with it, each work the result of up to a thousand hours of painstaking, detailed, skilful effort. If you look closely, you can see that Alex’s rust has many, many colours in it – light and dark browns, blacks and blues, pinks and greys. “There is so much beauty in rust,” he says. “I could paint it all day.”

And he pretty much does. Alex gave up his corporate job in Auckland six years ago and now works afternoon shifts at a local petrol station in Pāpāmoa so that he can paint in the mornings when the light is best. He is truly dedicated – as you need to be when it can take six months to a year to finish just one artistic creation.

Alex calls his art practice ‘signtology’. His works, mostly very large, are made of wood-shape-like signs – the type of broken down, faded neon sign you might see outside a dilapidated motel in the American Midwest. Hence the rust.

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P L AY > A R T I S T

“THERE IS SO MUCH BEAUTY IN RUS T. I COULD PAINT IT A LL DAY.”

“My art is deeply rooted in Americana,” Alex says.

“It’s a statement about broken societies, decaying societies, fallen apart societies… the myth of the quintessential American dream, which is also a New Zealand myth. I think it’s important we question the stories we tell ourselves.”

It has taken decades for Alex’s art to come to fruition.

He enjoyed success as a young artist in Auckland in the early 1980s, becoming a finalist in a prestigious Auckland arts award and holding a solo exhibition at a Symonds Street café soon after. He began investigating his uniquely personal style of art after spending time in Europe and North America where he took photos of old signs. “I travelled through the American Midwest, listening to people’s life stories and taking in the scenery from the back seat of a greyhound bus. This was supposed to be the richest country in the world, but it looked as if it was dying. Seeing that ignited a fire within me. It’s still there, and it’s been the focus of my art ever since.”

On returning to New Zealand, Alex tried to recreate the neon signs in his photographs as three-dimensional art but couldn’t make it work. In fact, it took nearly a decade to figure out that a combination of ply, balsa wood and strips of aluminium would create a frame that was large and sturdy but still light enough to lift

It took another decade for Alex to patiently build his first body of work. While much of it reflected the Americana theme, he also experimented with Kiwiana/ Māoriland pieces. “We have our own myths and perceptions. We have myths about racism, about having free and open access to beaches. We need to challenge those myths.”

In 2015, three decades after coming up with the original concept, Alex was finally ready to go public.

“I thought the best way to get known was to enter art awards,” he says. It worked. That first year, he was a finalist in the Wallace Art Awards. The following year, in 2016, he was a double finalist in the National Contemporary Art Awards and winner of the Miles Supreme Award. At the time, Miles Award judge Ane Tonga described his entry Genuine Miles as “an incredibly clever play on form, function and medium that kept me coming back”.

Other kudos followed. More award recognition, then a successful solo exhibition in Wellington in 2019 and involvement in a Cuba Dupa group exhibition in the city the following year. He is currently collaborating with Peter Alsop, author of Selling the Dream, the Art of Early New Zealand Tourism, to develop a collection to exhibit in Wellington in 2024/25. Peter is writing the words that will go on Alex’s rusty old signs.

Why neon? “It’s expressive, it creates interesting

Unfortunately, Covid-19 has unravelled plans to take his art to the United States, in many ways its spiritual home. “My work is very distinctive, which I like, but that has its downsides – people either love it or they hate it.

It can make some people feel a bit uncomfortable.”

shapes and forms. Neon is the pinnacle of signage.”

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and hang on a wall. After prepping the ply surface, Alex’s technique then involves applying up to 11 coats of oil paint, layering in a slightly translucent way to give depth. Aluminium tubing takes the place of neon.

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P L AY > N AT H A N

F

INSPIRED

BY NATURE Marine biologist Nathan Pettigrew carves out an artistic line of work in the form of sustainable wearable arts.

WO R DS N ATH A N PE T TI G R E W PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

rom a very young age, there have been two things that I’ve always been interested in: art and wildlife. Whether it was dinosaurs, snakes, birds of prey or marine life, I was captivated by these formidable predators for as long as I can remember. Back then, my artistic passion came through by way of pencil and paper, and even in art class when we had to draw landscapes, there was always an eagle or a whale off in the distance somewhere within the image. To me, leaving an animal out would just be wrong.

At the age of 16, I took a carving course at the Tauranga Historic Village. The course was 16 weeks long and was predominantly based around wood carving. But partway into the course, when the Kokiri was broken into and all of our artworks and chisels stolen, it was decided we would finish by doing a bone carving of a hei matau, or hook, with just a few simple files.

This style was my favourite, but it would

P E T T I G R E W

be another 15 years before I would pick up the files again and have another go.

While in my early 30s, I began producing pieces that came straight from the heart.

Little did I know that the pieces would one day be in high demand.

When people started switching to a more sustainable way of living I felt I needed to offer an alternative to cow bone and focus more on deer antler (which sheds yearly) and Corian, a man-made synthetic material often used in production bench tops.

Although these wearable arts may have changed in certain forms or material, there is something that has not changed, and that is what it means to someone when passing these taonga on. People will often tell me they received a necklace and have since passed it on to the next generation, or a loved one. I love this more than anything, as part of the individual, their mana, is passed on with the carving itself.

For me, it really doesn’t get any better than that.

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THRIVE Look and feel the best version of you.

STYLISH S TA P L E S

Love your wardrobe PAGE 58

TREND ALERT

Fashion to fall for this autumn PAGE 61

SKIN S AV I O U R S What’s new?

PAGE 62

PIGMENT PROBLEMS Treatments that work PAGE 67

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

T H R I V E> FA S H I O N

STYLE STATUS

1.

Wardrobe staples to see you through autumn and beyond.

2.

WO R DS N I CK Y A DA M S PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

KEY PIECES Practical and fashion aren’t words very often uttered in the same room, let alone sentence, however this autumn there’s as much excitement about stomping boots and cargo pants as there is about glam wear.

Increasingly, fashion has become less about the latest look and more about personal preference. While there will always be trends, there is more of a comfortable middle ground, and statement dressing means rocking your own style. Tiered, Nap, Regency core – these are all umbrella terms for splinter groups of romantic vintageinspired skirts and dresses that are not just cool but also comfortable.

Meanwhile, shirts are oversized, pants are loose and low slung. The dropped waist that’s been hanging around for a while is showing no sign of moving on, but there’s still plenty of scope to avoid this if you don’t feel like re-hashing this early naughties vibe.

A seasonal staple is the trouser suit, and for an effortlessly stylish fashionforward look, be bold in monochrome.

The ultimate in feel-good fashion will welcome in the change of seasons – bright, joyous and ready to rock.

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1. WOOL PIPERS SNEAKERS, $185. ALLBIRDS.CO.NZ 2. SEED TAILORED BLAZER, $219.90 AND HIGH WAIST SUIT PANT, $149.90. SEEDHERITAGE.COM 3. BLAK SALINA DRESS, $289.

WENDYSBOUTIQUE.CO.NZ 4. WONDER WALLET, $99. HIDEVIBE.CO.NZ 5. JAVA PANT, $349.90.

REPERTOIRE.CO.NZ 6. MCCARTY TOTE, $339. DUFFLEANDCO.CO.NZ 7. AIRY TEE, $269.99.

MOOCHI.CO.NZ 8. IVYLEE COPENHAGEN IOWA BOOTS, $529. SHOO.CO.NZ 9. AHLEM VIVIENNE SUNGLASSES, $500. SECRETOPTICS.CO.NZ

T H R I V E > FA S H I O N

TRENDING NOW Most wanted this season.

1.

2.

1. CHARM SLIP, $369.90.

REPERTOIRE.CO.NZ

2. CAMILLA & MARC BROOKS MAXI DRESS, $1,020.

2.

SISTERSANDCO.CO.NZ

3. SECLUDE MIDI DRESS, $389.99. MOOCHI.CO.NZ 4. JOURNEY BOOT, $449.

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5.SEED RIB SQUARE NECK CAMISOLE, $89.90, RIB CARDIGAN, $149.90 AND RIB SPLIT MIDI SKIRT, $149.90.

SEEDHERITAGE.COM

1.

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3.

5.

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4.

DRESS IT UP COLOUR & TEXTURE This autumn will see some brilliant colourways – shades of purple, pinks, greens, blues, and of course all the beautiful autumnal tones that make for such fabulous seasonal staples.

Mood-boosting colours will be paired with gorgeous textures: with everything from tulle to feathers, to Chanel-esque tweed. Throw in exaggerated silhouettes and feature sleeves, and the result is fun to frou frou. For everyday comfort-wear, corduroy has been re-imagined. Not only does it add feature texture to your look, but it makes a hardwearing denim alternative to add to your wardrobe.

1. DAVID POND VINTAGE FLOWER SKIRT, $300. GEORGEEDWARD.CO.NZ 2. ROMY FLARES, $490. TWENTYSEVENNAMES.CO.NZ 3. SPLIT HEM JUMPER, $289.90. REPERTOIRE.CO.NZ 4. CURATE DRESS, MISS A PLEATER $279. WENDYSBOUTIQUE.CO.NZ

One easy-to-wear and endlessly stylish look that is perfect for this season is a slip dress paired with matching jumper combination, this 2 for 1 is ageless, flattering and uber chic.

Meanwhile, if the thought of a bodycon resurgence in the form of a ribbed dress makes you feel just a little bit queasy, don’t panic. There are plenty of grown-up ways to wear a body-hugging dress that will celebrate your form and will sit nicely in your wardrobe alongside your go-to shift dress.

Pick a maxi length and a decent weight knit; this will be more forgiving than you might think, or a full-length knitted skirt can be a good way of dipping your toe in the trend. Another look that has been around for a while – the cut out – has not just gathered traction but evolved. Cut outs have become more clever, with elegant keyholes and diamonds at the navel, as well as open backs and spaces on the hips. Throw on a western-inspired boot for an instant element of cool.

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T H R I V E> FA S H I O N

LOVE AND LUXE LIST Spend or save.

1.

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2.

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ME TIME CARRIED AWAY Tan has come through on the catwalks as on trend for handbags and it’s the easiest way to kick-start the new season’s look.

This has to be the ultimate hue to invest in as it will never date; a timeless classic tone. If sticking to a darker look, consider going for a cocoa tone – a colour to match any outfit.

1. YU MEI CLAUDIA TOTE IN COCOA DEER NAPPA, $1,495. YUMEIBRAND.COM 2. WILLOW SHOULDER BAG, $459. SABEN.CO.NZ

A man’s watch is the quintessential unisex accessory. The subcategory of the sport luxe watch that has been trending is the retro-style diving watch, where robust and fully functional are keywords. For a sleeker, but equally nostalgic look, keep it on point with a classic style time piece. Minimalist in design, the interchangeable strap allows you to mix and match with outfits.

1. CITIZEN GENTS PROMASTER WATCH, $699. PASCOES.CO.NZ 2. CLASSIC MEN’S DANIEL WADDINGTON CLASSIC SHEFFIELD 40MM, $339. WALKERANDHALL.CO.NZ

1.

1.

BEAUTY BASIC Sunscreen application can be easy to forget in autumn, however a dry sunscreen powder is the perfect answer. Coming in a refillable cannister with a flow-through brush, Jane Iredale’s Powder Me will brush over your makeup for an easy application. BareMinerals Powder is recommended as a top-up to your sunblock, and will instantly brighten your look.

1. JANE IREDALE POWDER ME SPF30 DRY SUNSCREEN, $115. LOCAL STOCKISTS FOUND AT PSBNET.NZ . 2. BAREMINERALS LOOSE FOUNDATION SPF15, $52. MECCABEAUTY.CO.NZ

All prices correct at time of going to press.

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

2.

PUT A RING ON IT

2.

Elevate any outfit with a piece of funky jewellery. A signet ring makes a statement, and the aesthetic can be taken in any direction, whether nostalgic, dainty or androgynous.

Coloured gems are a great way to match jewels with your outfit, and a black stone will take you from day to night seamlessly.

1. 9CT GOLD DIAMOND SET SIGNET RING $2,995. HAMMONJEWELLER.CO.NZ 2. ONYX KNUCKLE DUSTER GOLD RING, $289. CATHYPOPE.CO.NZ

T H R I V E > FA S H I O N

FASHION FORECAST

Forward plan from head to toe for next season.

PUFF IT UP You’d be hard pressed to remember when the puffer jacket wasn’t on trend. This year it’s not just jackets, but puffer coats and even dresses that the fashion squad have wrapped up in. For a pared-back look, the longline quilted jacket is a sleeker version of this fashion fixture.

@ELISABETH FRANCHI

@_KATEMOSS AT THE BAFTA’S AFTER PARTY

@ ALBERTA FERETTI

@ CHRISTIAN VIERIG

SHEARLING DELIGHT

LONG FOR LEATHER

HEIGHT OF FASHION

Shearling and faux shearling as outerwear have made quite the comeback and can be seen in everything from full-length coats to jackets, boots to bags. Rather than just a snuggly lining, shearling is the star of the piece, whether as trim or as the entirety of the outerwear.

From full-length to floor sweeping

The beauty of trends that boomerang

and longline, leather coats are hugely

back is that oftentimes when they

versatile and surprisingly practical.

return they come back new and

Both leather and pleather (vegan leather

improved. The platform shoe and

or faux) are wonderfully weatherproof

boot has been supersized by celebrities,

and can be paired with everything from

who are pairing sky-high heels with

jeans to evening wear. While black is

micro minis, regardless of the season

eternally elegant, there are other equally

or chill factor. Play it safe with a thick

en-vogue colour options – beige and

flatform or take it to new heights with

cream are just as timeless.

a full-on platform.

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T H R I V E> B E S T

I N

B E AU T Y

FACE FORWARD As we make our way out of the warmer months, mature skin can start crying out for repair. Sun damage and stress mean it could be time for correction. And it’s never too late for new beginnings.

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SMOOTH OPERATOR Age Management Moisturizer Treatment Cream stimulates new collagen and elastin production below the skin surface, which corrects free radical damage and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. Containing a proprietary blend of 15% Glycolic acid and healing botanicals, this product replenishes the skin’s hydration for healthy, ageless skin. Treatment Cream is nongreasy, lightweight and pure. Perfect for all skin types. RRP$125 SKINCENTRE.COM

BLOCK AND PROTECT This New Zealand-made range of gel-based sunscreens is packed with all the right ingredients, vitamins and antioxidants, and none of the nasty ones. The range is manufactured sustainably, making it the ultimate eco-friendly protector. Skinnies SPF30 RRP$35.50, Conquer SPF50 RRP$42 and Tinted SPF30 RRP$39.50 DAVINCICLINIC.CO.NZ

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

INSIDE JOB Osmosis Regenerate provides tools the skin and liver need to accelerate repair with the perfect blend of collagen and other critical amino acids, along with the perfect balance of fat-soluble vitamins to maximise the benefits of Vitamin D. RRP$179 EPIDERMISSAGE.NZ

THE NIGHT IS YOUNG AlphaRet Overnight Cream FACE is a unique combination of an AHA and retinoid that reduces the appearance of wrinkles in as little as four weeks.

Offering revolutionary double-conjugulated retinoid that provides moisture to help counteract dryness and antioxidants, which helps to protect against external free radical damage.

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wake

up to

tranquility...

T H R I V E > F R E S H

C OAC H I N G

“STRESS MANAGEMENT IS KEY TO OVER ALL WELLNESS. YOU CAN’T THRIVE IF YOU’RE UNDER THE PUMP AND STRESSED ALL THE TIME.”

Anna Veale from Fresh Coaching.

MEN AT WORK Understanding the link between mental and physical health can be life changing.

WO R DS N I CK Y A DA M S | PH OTOS SALI N A GA LVA N

W

hile there’s an increased understanding around male mental health, it’s still daunting for many men to admit they may be struggling, or to be introspective enough to untangle the knots they may have found themselves in. Anna Veale from Fresh Coaching feels passionate about men’s mental health “because it’s not being talked about enough.”

With a background in sports therapy, massage and performance coaching, Anna is able to look at the complete mental and physical wellness of her clients.

Part of her skill set is her training as an Ayurveda coach. One of the world’s oldest alternative medical systems with roots in ancient India, it’s described as a

knowledge of life, as it looks at the body and mind as one.

“In the Western world we tend to think that the body and mind are separate.

Ayurveda takes the whole body into consideration. Your physical, psychological and spiritual self – it looks at sleep, nutrition and natural rhythms. Over the last two years of specialising in coaching men, I’ve honed in on amalgamating what makes an awesome human being, and what makes men thrive.

And that’s getting both body and mind on the same page so that the client can reach his true potential.”

If you want to improve physical fitness, you would seek out a personal trainer, says Anna. To improve your mental health, it’s just as important to train with a professional. “Coaching is for the

person who recognises a negative pattern.

For example, they press snooze every morning, grab a pie on the way to work and then go through the motions in their job. This person tends not to be present with their family, then goes to bed feeling unfulfilled. He’s living an average life.

Coaching takes you from saying you want a connected relationship with your wife, saying you want to be the CEO of your business, to taking action to make it happen. It helps you find the missing link and get in touch with what’s important.”

Anna finds that when her clients can’t see the best in themselves, they can’t then get the best from themselves. Underlying stress can tip the balance of both mental and physical wellbeing. “This can be on any spectrum, but stress management is key to overall wellness. You can’t thrive if you’re under the pump and stressed all the time.” This is where Anna and Fresh Coaching come into play. Anna has recently developed the four-step Spartan Habit Changer Online Coaching Programme, which has been “designed specifically for busy men who need to be reminded to dial down and look after themselves in order to perform at their best.” An all-encompassing kick-starter course, this five-week remote commitment could be a gamechanger. Anna also offers 1:1 coaching for men who are stuck and ready to make positive change.

FRESHCOACHING.ME

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

IT’S YOUR TIME Clubfit’s Stu Stevenson says it’s time to take control of your health and wellbeing now, not tomorrow.

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or most of us, the past two years have been challenging, both mentally and physically,

and it looks like 2022 is shaping up to be the same. Although we can’t always control what is happening externally, we do always have the choice to prioritise our own health and wellbeing.

Exercise has the unique capacity to help us both cope with stress and develop resilience. The positive effects of regular exercise are broad and well documented.

Don’t just think of exercise as physical –

the routine and commitment to regular movement will benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing.

Let’s forget the phrase ‘Go Hard or Go Home’. Find a way to move your body that makes you feel great and stick with it! Don’t wait for the right time or the pandemic to be over to focus on your own personal wellbeing. Start now and look after yourself, so that you can better cope with life’s challenges and responsibilities.

When choosing the right gym for you, make sure that your membership includes a personalised workout programme to get you started, access to a range

of exercise options (for lots of variety) and ongoing support.

The team at Clubfit will work with you to achieve your wellbeing goals. They are with you for the journey.

They offer a goal-setting session and workout programme to get you on your way. If group fitness is more your thing, they offer over 50 classes a week ranging from Spin Classes to Body Balance.

But remember, the only person that can get you moving is you.

CLUBFIT.CO.NZ CLUBFITBAYVENUES

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T H R I V E > S K I N

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

E X P E R T

Constance Santos owner of Epidermis + Sage.

Constance Santos from Epidermis + Sage shows you how to treat unsightly pigmentation from the inside out.

PH OTOS SA LI N A GA LVA N + OS M OS I S N Z

B

rown spots or dark patches occur when your skin produces too much of the pigment melanin. Most commonly, there are four different types of pigmentation issues: melasma, post inflammation, liver spots and general sun damage.

There’s always an increase in people seeking pigmentation treatment after a hot summer as each of these forms has one common element – they are all made worse by the sun.

When treating pigmentation, often the problem is not just skin deep. There’s usually an internal driving force behind it and so long-term results come from removing that trigger before treating the issue externally. This comprehensive approach is better at ensuring any bothersome pigmentation doesn’t return.

Melasma, often called hormonal pigmentation, mainly affects women.

It’s symmetrical on both sides of the face and often has a vascular component.

Birth control, pregnancy and exposure to hormone disruptors (pesticides) are common causes. It may occur because the liver is overloaded and not coping, so we’d look at liver support to aid the detoxification of hormones, BEFORE

followed by specific skincare and treatments. With this type of pigmentation, it’s important to stay away from laser and IPL treatments, as melasma is sensitive to heat and these will only worsen the pigmentation.

Post inflammatory pigmentation (PIH) is caused by injury or trauma to the skin.

The skin is a very clever organ and will form a little pigment umbrella over any damage – so while we may not like its appearance, it’s there for a reason. An example of PIH is seen in acne sufferers, in the leftover brown marks after an acne spot heals. To treat this successfully, we need to discover what is causing the inflammation on the skin, target that first and then we can start working at improving the appearance of the pigmentation.

Liver spots are large flat brown or dark spots appearing on your skin. They are usually age related and will not fade on their own in the way a freckle might.

We see these start to appear on women (and men) around the age of 50, and we treat them in the same way you would treat sun damage. Depending on the size, we sometimes target them with advanced peeling, to fade them on the surface, while at the same time targeting DNA damage and liver repair.

AFTER

Epidermis + Sage has designed a skin membership for beauties dedicated to their skin health.

The EVEN skin membership has been tried and tested with incredible results.

Light-induced pigmentation is caused by UV light but also can be a result of persistent blue light exposure from your phone or devices. The dark patches seen on the skin’s surface is the result of a dribbling melanocyte cell no longer able to regulate the amount of pigmentation being released.

There’s only so much the cell can take before it starts misbehaving and releasing excess pigmentation. It sees that constant light source as something it needs to protect the skin against, and makes more pigmentation without the ability to regulate it. Whipping it off with a peel will not keep it at bay.

Repairing DNA damage at the same time as treating the surface is an important step.

Treatment will be different for each type of pigmentation. It can be effectively treated, but just as the pigmentation didn’t happen overnight, results won’t occur overnight either – after all, pigmentation is usually the result of years of triggers. For this reason, we offer our clients a plan of up to a year’s worth of treatment for optimal, long-lasting results.

EPIDERMISSAGE.NZ

LEFT: Before and after one month of using Osmosis Regenerate, Catalyst AC-11, Rescue, Renew, Elevate and Recovery.

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7 CLARKE ROAD, TE PUNA 3176 INFO@SANDALIHOME.CO.NZ | 07 552 4556

SANDALIHOME.CO.NZ SANDALIHOME

- T H E WAY W E -

LIVE

Celebrating the places and spaces we call home.

LUXURY LIVING Oliver Road Estate Agent’s homes to vie for PAGE 84

B R E ATH O F F R E SH AI R

The new one-stop-shop for all your outside entertaining needs PAGE 80

A GRAND ENTRANCE Step-by-step advice from our design expert PAGE 97

CLEVER CO LO U R

Tips for impact PAGE 70

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

L I V E> I N S P I R E D

EASY AS ONE TWO THREE Choosing colour palettes for your home can be tricky so here are three formulas to keep it simple.

S T Y LI N G AM B E R AR M ITAG E PH OTOS WE N DY F E NWI CK / F L A S H S TU D I OS WALL CO LO U RS R E S E N E PAI NTS

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L I V E> I N S P I R E D

Stylist tip When using minimal colour contrast or a tonal look, add loads of texture in your material choices to keep the space rich and interesting.

One tone Tonal looks can be achieved by layering multiple strengths of a single paint colour (eg half, double, triple) or similar colours but at varying depths, creating a modern pared-back aesthetic.

Walls painted in Resene Sakura (far left) and Resene Wafer (main wall). Floor finished in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt.

Pillar and mirror painted in Resene Brandy Rose. Ercol room divider (shelf) $4,350 and Karimoku lounge chair, $2,590, both from Good Form.

Artis floor lamp, $289.90, Lighting Plus. Ria 3 Seater Sofa, $1,499, Lotus Side Table with Storage, $299, both from Danske Mobler. Leland Natural rug, $1,139, Spencer ivory cuchion, $109, Meru Blush Pink fur, $259, all from Mulberi. Still Waiting poster club print, 70x100, $265, Slow Store. Asili soapstone dish, $229, Talo coffee cups, set of 4, $99.60 from Citta. Nevada round mirror, $129.95 (painted in Resene Brandy Rose) from Mocka. Books stylist’s own.

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Two tone Create a strong dual colour combo by choosing a contrast of warm and cool colours (pink vs. blue) – one that is a soft and the other very strong and punchy, so there’s a nice push and pull between the two. This is great way to visually define multiple areas withinin an open plan layout or highlight a space or favourite artwork.

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Walls painted in Resene Half Resolution Blue (front) and Resene Wafer (back). Floor finished in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt. Ercol room divider (shelf) $4350, CC-Tapis stroke rug, $11,575 and Warm Nordic Dwell lounge chair, $3,225 all from Good Form. Oakley Hall Table, $1,999, Danske Mobler. Hasami porcelain mug in grey, $48, Simon James. Original artwork, $POA by Claire Stapleton. Asili soapstone dish, $229, Talo coffee cups in pink, set of 4, $99.60 from Citta. Vintage lamp and books stylist’s own.

L I V E> I N S P I R E D

Triple threat Adding a third colour to the palette creates grounding when you combine tones that balance each other out – use one deep, one mid and one soft tone. Make sure two of the colours harmonise eg the Resene Wafer and Resene Crail are a tint and tone of each other, with the bright blue adding contrast.

Wall painted in Resene Wafer and headboard in Resene Crail, round vase painted in Resene Sakura. Floor finished in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt. Warm Nordic Dwell lounge chair, $3,225 from Good Form.

Barn side table, $249 from Danske Mobler. Agros rug in Straw, $679, from Mulberi. Rattan Woven pendant, $55, Kmart. Rosewood King duvet, $229, pillowcases, $30 each, from Foxtrot Home. Original artwork, $POA by Claire Stapleton. Moon table lamp, $359, Otto vase, $119, Velvet quilted throw, $189, Juno throw (blue), $249, Alba cushion cover in Cobalt, $74.90, Maggie cushion cover (back right), $89.90, Cabin cushion cover (front), $84.90, Talo coffee cups, set of 4, $99.60 all from Citta. Books stylist’s own.

Tonal

Contrast

Triple

Testpots and A4 drawdowns from top in Resene Wafer, Sakura and Resene Brandy Rose.

Testpots and A4 drawdowns from top in Resene Wafer and Resene Half Resolution Blue.

Testpots and A4 drawdowns from top in Resene Wafer, Resene Crail and Resene Half Resolution Blue.

L I V E> O L I V E R

R OA D

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AG E N T S

CLASS OF THEIR

OWN

The luxury real estate experts set to bridge the gap on the coast.

WO R DS M O N I Q U E BALVE RT- O ’CO N N O R PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

O

liver Road Estate Agents is adding to its already impressive repertoire.

The luxury and lifestyle specialist agency has launched a refresh, adding a “coastal” focus to its town and country offerings.

In addition, marketing includes architect, builder and interior designer recognition.

“Impressive creativity, high value, and talented effort have gone into the homes we market and this deserves acknowledgement.”

The company has proven itself to be hugely successful in the absolute upper end of the Tauranga market. Now there are plans to “fill the gap for a truly specialist approach” over the bridge. The highly impressive number 98 Muricata Avenue, for example, is one of the first in its coastal collection.

Accolades and client testimonials whole-

Oliver Road is led by two passionate professionals – Cameron Winter and Jason Eves – who say their company is poised to deliver exceptional results to Mount Maunganui and Papamoa clients and curate experiences for buyers that transcends what the market is used to.

going on to win Best Real Estate Agent in Asia

“We work with a very limited number of clients, and their unique properties, to ensure we are able to consistently deliver a world-class service which includes valuation, discovery, finishing, luxury furnishing, marketing, negotiation, and a wraparound settlement concierge service,” Cam says.

demonstrate without question that these two

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heartedly endorse this three-year-old company’s approach. The Bay of Plenty company were awarded Best Luxury Real Estate Agency in New Zealand last year at the Asia Pacific Property Awards, and also nabbed Best Real Estate Agent in New Zealand, Pacific. But it didn’t stop there. They also beat out the competition in Best Real Estate Agency Marketing New Zealand and scored runner up in Best Real Estate Agency Single Office.

Their more than 158 five-star reviews and their support staff are doing more than just talking the talk.

As Jason says, “Be the best. It’s the only market that’s not crowded.”

L I V E> O L I V E R

R OA D

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AG E N T S

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L I V E> O L I V E R

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MURICATA MAGIC More than a home, this retreat represents the spell-binding epitome of innovative design, craftsmanship and pure allure.

WO R DS M O N I Q U E BA LVE RT- O ’CO N N O R PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

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he departing residents of 98 Muricata Ave tell their house it’s been a privilege knowing it. Leaving isn’t easy, but this couple say they have “more chapters in life to ride”.

This address, which they’ve called home since August 2019, is like a tranquil retreat right in the middle of the hurly burly of Mount Maunganui. “It’s been an absolute privilege living there and, in keeping with that privilege, we have kept it absolutely immaculate,” they say.

While originally built for a celebrity chef, those now selling have been its first residents.

They are joined by many when it comes to singing its praises.

The home’s builders, JC Builders, describe it as “a work of art”.

Its architectural designer, Jason MacDonald of JMAC, says it presents a marriage of “meticulous innovative design, masterful craftsmanship, and an absolute refusal to compromise on quality”.

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And the interior design team from Gezellig Interiors speak of its bespoke features.

Think imported Turkish wall tiles, aged brass fittings, porcelain benches, and hand-blown glass light fittings.

Beyond the alluring, sophisticated exterior of modern cedar and dark accents, cleverly contrasting natural mediums enhance the home's warm and light aesthetic. As do walls of both polished concrete and cedar feature, and oak cabinetry and custommade organic fixtures.

All social spaces, including, as one would expect, an incredible cooking zone, are situated on the ground floor, and movement is open and flows from street entry out to a large protected outdoor room at the rear of the property. A natural, light-infused stairwell, with open tread stairs, leads to the upper level’s retreat-like sleep spaces.

While the home is only one accessway from the beach, there’s water closer at hand, courtesy of a swimming pool.

You name it, this property has it.

OLIVERROADESTATEAGENTS.COM

L I V E> O L I V E R

“... A N A B SO LU TE R EFUS A L TO COM PROM ISE O N Q UA LIT Y.” JASON MACDONALD, JMAC

R OA D

E S TAT E

AG E N T S

L I V E> O L I V E R

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AG E N T S

“... A S T U N N I N G H OM E TH AT OOZES COUNTRY AND CONTEMPOR ARY CHAR M.”

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AG E N T S

SANCTUM OF SERENITY This country estate masterfully combines nature and nurture, from the spectacular views through to its timber and glass pods, to the bountiful orchard and garden.

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oard and batten Lawson Cypress embraces this Mana Ridge beauty of a home, contributing significantly to its country estate ambience.

Architectural designer Adam Taylor says its architecture delivers an approachable rustic feel that is at the same time modern.

Its makeup is a celebration of timber, an infusion of natural light, and a neutral palette. Its current owners (the house is listed with Oliver Road Estate Agents) say the combination of these elements result in a “peaceful sanctuary”.

The home comprises three pods. One is dedicated to the main living area with its high-pitched and barn-like aesthetic, while another includes a bedroom zone.

The remaining pod features garaging with a guest suite above. A glass-walled linkway, connecting the first two, offers spectacular views (it’s easy to get distracted by the city’s night lights when journeying between pods).

Sited up high, this 1.4 hectare property – which includes an orchard and potager vege gardens – also enjoys expansive green views, and Mauao in the distance.

The house opens up on all sides, with the walkways and courtyards between the pods creating pockets of intimacy. There’s a place outdoors for every time of the day and every season.

Adam tells how, in a nod to its rural neighbourhood, the design references a cluster of farm buildings joined together to make one whole.

Three years ago, homeowners and Adam were joined on this house project by an impressive team of creatives – namely Jacqui Mitchell of Twill Interiors, Michelle McDonnell of Michelle McDonnell Landscape Design, and the Lighthouse Group building team. The result is a stunning home that oozes country and contemporary charm.

23 TE AUHI WAY, MANA RIDGE

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L I V E> 4

S E A S O N S

A PLACE TO GATHER

PH OTOS JAH L MA R S H A LL

“WE KNOW INVESTING IN OUTDOOR S PAC E S C A N S I G N I F I C A N T LY IMPROVE PEOPLE’S LIVES.” JOHNNIE CAMERON, 4 SE ASONS CEO

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L I V E > 4

S E A S O N S

Immerse yourself in the outdoor entertaining experience of Tauriko’s recently opened 4 Seasons’ flagship store.

I

n recent years, more importance has been placed on creating welcoming spaces for outdoor socialising. So, the new 4 Seasons on

Taurikura Drive is stepping up their game to help people create their dream outdoor home areas in the most inviting way. More than offering worldclass outdoor living products, such as spa pools, swim spas, fires, BBQs, outdoor furniture and heating, this showroom invites you to experience how your own outdoor space can feel. Bring your togs and test out a spa, tantalise the senses with cooking demos on the BBQs, and chill out in the stunning dream backyard ‘gather area’ in store.

Head of marketing Cate Cameron says the Tauriko showroom is the result of many months of hard work by their head of retail business development, Monique Palmer, and the team at Adrian Nancekivell Design (AND). “Our vision from the get-go was to transform the outdoor living shopping experience by creating a space that does justice to the amazing products we offer and, most importantly, that inspires Kiwis to make their outdoor living the heart of their home.”

CEO Johnnie Cameron says, “New Zealanders for the most part still don’t think much about their outdoor living areas as amazing spaces for gathering. Instead, they think about them in a more compartmentalised way – a place for the kids to play, a place where you cook on the BBQ, or a place where you eat outside when

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INSPIRING KIWIS TO MAKE THEIR OUTDOOR LIVING THE HEART OF THEIR HOME.

the weather is nice. We know investing in outdoor spaces can significantly improve people’s lives – we want to transform New Zealand’s outdoor living culture and see our country glowing with enriching gatherings, where family, friends and neighbours are more connected than ever before’’.

The customer experience really goes beyond that typical browse-pay-and-go approach. Be inspired to create your own place to connect with friends and family. Enjoy the Galaxy Spas Immersion Room, where you can soak under a starry sky ceiling with ambient music and lighting, and a shower room with towels waiting for you once you’re finished. Then whet your

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appetite in the BBQ Cooking Demonstration Area, where later-in-the-year classes and demos will show the BBQs in action with delicious recipes to taste.

Visit store manager Eleonora and her team of knowledgeable consultants for personalised recommendations on a wide range of BBQs, outdoor furniture, umbrellas, indoor and outdoor heating, swim spas and spa pools. They can help make your home the very best place it can be.

Open seven days a week, from 9am to 5pm on 33-37 Taurikura Drive, Tauriko.

4SEASONS.CO.NZ

What’s for sale.

What it’s worth.

Discover thousands of property listings right across the country and estimated values based on the very latest sales figures.

Be property prepared with OneRoof.co.nz

L I V E> H O M E S

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Hudson, Simon Hunt, Amy Bourke and Madeliene.

BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE Just like the timber homes they make, this couple has created a business that’s built to last.

WO R DS H AY LE Y BA R N ET T PH OTOS SA LI N A GA LVA N + S U PPLI E D

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Fraemohs’ conventional builds often include stunning timber features, as seen here in their show home.

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The Fraemohs show home is located at Three Creeks Estate, Ohauiti.

T

wo years ago, Tauranga locals Amy Bourke and Simon Hunt brought Fraemohs Homes to the Bay of Plenty. The company’s ethos of healthy, environmentally sustainable, Scandinavian-style homes has proved very popular with Bay locals.

Simon has 20 years of building experience in New Zealand and overseas and Amy runs Blank Canvas Catering, one of the region’s top catering businesses. Her Masters degree in business and marketing background, along with the couple’s deep roots in Tauranga, have made their Fraemohs Homes franchise a huge success.

“To find good quality, local products, we research and network and actually spend time seeing what’s out there and thinking of better solutions,” says Amy. It’s a practice that has served them well in the Covid era. As overseas supply shortages become

“ SUSTA IN A BILIT Y IS AT THE HE A RT OF EVERYTHING WE DO. IT COMES FROM O U R OW N FA M I LY VA LU E S .”

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more prominent, Amy and Simon have been able to deliver on solid timber homes by sourcing locally and using their own factory and processing plant with Fraemohs.

“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do,” says Amy. “It comes from our own family values.

My granny was a greenie way back before it was cool.

I remember her rubbish container was a little honey jar and it would take her a month to fill it. Simon’s grandparents were the same and so it was passed down through our parents. I think we just naturally apply it to all areas of our lives.”

Solid timber homes are strong, durable and built to last. Fraemohs’ homes are built of sustainable New Zealand pine and are classed as carbon negative, meaning they actually reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. The trees used to build the home capture and store CO2 as they grow in the forest and, when the trees are harvested, they’re replanted with more carbon-storing trees.

“The need to be sustainable was accelerated when we had our own kids,” explains Amy. “Creating a better planet for them to live on, or a planet for them to live on full-stop, is so important to us. It’s a responsibility

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Crafting your kitchen and cabinetry dreams into reality. as a business owner now to be considering sustainability, and I just don’t know if there’s much of a future for businesses that are not.

“From the minute we bought Fraemohs Homes two years ago, we have committed to giving back to our community. As time’s gone on, we’re able to make more and more of an impact as the business has grown. I did the same with Blank Canvas, which is in its sixth year now. We regularly deliver food to families in tough situations, give food to charities with the aim of having zero wastage and we work with Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and the Tauranga Women’s Refuge.”

The couple say their long-term aim is not in the quantity but the quality of the homes they build, and helping to be a part of the solution to New Zealand’s housing crisis, without taking advantage of it.

OHAUITI, TAURANGA FRAEMOHS.CO.NZ/BAY-OF-PLENTY

K ITC H E N S | B E S P O KE C A BI N E TRY | R E N OVATIONS | D ES IGN

Philanthropy is another large part of Amy and Simon’s ethos.

taurangakitchens.co.nz 027 201 4630 27 Enterprise Drive, Tauranga

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G.J. Gardner Tauranga South franchise owners Kirsty and Shane McConnell.

A SHOW OF ROMANCE This Palm Springs-inspired show home may be brand new, but a nostalgic-yet-modern use of art deco sensibilities hark back to its exotic desert namesake.

WO R DS M O N I Q U E BALVE RT- O ’CO N N O R / PH OTOS JA H L MAR S H ALL

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hey say home is where the heart is, and G.J. Gardner’s new Pāpāmoa show home may just set yours aflutter.

Named Desert Romance, 9 Monticola Drive, Palm Springs really is a stunning marriage of form and function from the inside out.

G.J. Gardner Tauranga South franchise owner Kirsty McConnell enjoyed working on the architectural and interior features, with its light and airy ambience and “modern art deco twists”.

“We wanted to do our own spin on a Palm Springs theme. Art deco sensibilities are part of the Palm Springs aesthetic so we’ve referenced that in features throughout the home,” Kirsty says, adding that curved walls and cabinetry, detailed

circular brass fittings, and generous tropical planting inside and out are obvious examples.

The single-story show home, spanning 321 square metres, including alfresco, is multi-gabled and clad primarily in San Selmo ‘Cashmere Grey’ brick. White-painted board and batten also features as a popular home owner choice, and adds to the exterior’s appeal. So too does the driveway, with white seashells embedded in its lightly hued ‘Horotiu’ concrete.

The show home may be recently completed, but care has been taken with the landscaping to ensure large tropical plantings give it immediate substance.

The home is positioned on the section to allow for a large family-sized swimming pool, something that would complete the Palm Springs look nicely.

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Inside this four-bedroom home, there’s not far to travel for the first glimpse of Kirsty’s desired décor, featuring “art deco with a modern twist”. The entranceway includes DecoForme half-round oak detailing from floor to ceiling. Decoforme features in the kitchen Island cabinetry, master bedroom as a headboard, and also behind shelving in the transitional hallway between the main living area and master suite.

Another décor touch of significance is the use of brass throughout and in circular form where appropriate – for example the light fittings. Most obvious examples include the huge brass rings that interlink to form the media room’s dramatic light fitting. A singular brass ring was selected for above the dining table, while a roundedged hanging pendant over the kitchen island also draws the eye. Orbital lights, hanging in clusters of three encased in a brass fitting, are stunners in the whitetiled bathroom and en suite.

The brass theme also impacted on the show home’s coloursteel roof, Kirsty points out. The colour – which many people comment on – is Colorsteel Lichen, and presents as a brass hue.

A visit to Dulux ensured a paint colour match, to grace the media room’s walls, albeit with verdigris pigment. The majority of the home’s other walls are white, to beautifully complement the honey-oak colour of the DecoForme timber.

G.J. Gardner Tauranga has three in-house interior designers. Kirsty encourages collaboration for the best result when making the show home’s many décor choices.

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L I V E > H O M E S

Also working with Kirsty on her vision for the show home architectural design was Renata Kelly from Cornerstone Design. Her plans include detailing such as the home’s high stud and big gable ends – perfect for enabling and emphasising the view of the Pāpāmoa sky. The house enjoys a 2.7m stud throughout, with vaulted ceilings in the Family and Media rooms which takes the height to a spacious 3.2m.

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It’s a light-infused home, thanks in part to the gables (which by their very nature, feature a high pitch and hence allow plenty of light in) and to skylights.

“There are amazing skylights above the kitchen area and the skylight cavity is quite special – a lot of work has gone into that to make it a feature. You have to see it to appreciate it,” Kirsty enthuses. Skylights also feature in the gabled roof of the outside seating area.

The outdoor gas fire ensures the appeal of this area remains high in winter.

Another pleasing aspect of the home’s layout is that the kitchen can be accessed from the main living area and the media room (although a cavity slider can close this room off if desired). This well-appointed kitchen has two working zones, and – in a break from the norm – features a sliding window where a splashback would traditionally be. It’s just perfect for feeding food out to the alfresco dining area.

A wander through captures other points of interest, such as the stand-alone bath in the main bathroom; a separate powder room; and oversized bedrooms with in-built cabinetry, cupboards and shelving.

That’s but a taste. There’s plenty to fall in love with in this romantic home affair.

GJGARDNER.CO.NZ

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L I V E> COV E T E D

E

WARM WELCOME UNO’s new interiors expert, Lisa Perko from Wantem Design, offers tips and tricks to make your home more inviting, comfortable and a joy to live in.

PH OTOS JA H L MA R S H A LL + S U PPLI E D

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veryone’s path into the world of interiors is different. In my case, it was more of an evolution. I was in my 30s when I remodelled my first home. I still remember the feeling of excitement having this blank canvas to work with; reconfiguring floorplans, paint colour, furniture and the thrill of watching the transformation take place. Once it was finished, I sold it and did the same thing to my second home and then third.

Fast forward 10 years of buying-selling-moving in Vanuatu and then Auckland, I found myself relocating to Tauranga, looking forward to the next project.

However, I upset the apple cart by falling in love with the property I was working on and wanted to stay.

I decided this time to stay in the house, but, missing the rush of a new project, I knew I must be hooked.

So I went back to school and earned a Diploma in Interior Design, so I could continue transforming

L I V E > COV E T E D

homes. And I could not be more grateful for where I ended up.

dictates how the area can be decorated.

design columnist, I thought it befitting to

The important factor here is not to block

talk about the place where you first enter

the natural walkway.

a home: the entryway.

If space allows, start with a console table.

of your home. They also provide a functional purpose of taking off shoes, hanging bags and coats, depositing keys and letters.

SH OWRO

O

T

seating and voila!

For narrow spaces, focus on the wall space

artwork and seating.

decorative hooks for bags and coats.

Styling is all about putting together a

STEP TWO

Your entranceway is the first impression of your home and all it takes is a little know-how to transform it.

M

@danishfur niturenz

artwork or a mirror. Leave as is or add

For instance, mirrors, artwork and

to start.

www. da n i sh f u r n it u re . n z

the wall space above the console with

instead. Add items that take up little bulk.

your entryway, follow my steps on where

5 3 U nu toto Place, Tauri ko, Tauranga

bowl for keys, books, vase or plant. Fill

a console table, decorative décor, mirror,

a wow factor. No matter what the size of

VISIT OUR

To personalise the look, add items like a

Typically, entryway furniture consists of

combination of the above items to create

RIKO

Assess the size of your space. This

For my first entrance as UNO’s interior

Entryways provide the first impression

AU

STEP ONE

With your layout now configured, for continuity, make sure to choose furniture that complements the rest of your home.

STEP 3 Enjoy!

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Confidential personal service

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We'll put our heart and soul into selling it.

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WORK

Stories about the everyday passions that drive us.

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Using social media success to feed those in need PAGE 104

SW E E T SERVICE

A dessert-only restaurant’s in town!

PAGE 102

C I T Y R E V I VA L

The exciting new wave of enterprise energising Tauranga’s town centre PAGE 98

B E CO M E A M E N TO R

How you can change lives forever

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PAGE 110

WO R K > D O W N T O W N

TAU R A N G A

COMING OF AGE Tauranga city centre shakes off its recent reputation as a ghost town, with a redevelopment led by passion, determination and true entrepreneurial spirit.

PH OTOS SALI NA GA LVA N

A

local business owner rolls up his sleeves washing dishes in his favourite café, gifting hours to the owner who has too many staff away self-isolating. Across the street two entrepreneurs stack native plant extracts on the shelves of their start-up business that has a big vision to reforest New Zealand. A block away two new business owners are riding the crest of the boom in book sales, flying in the face of the digital age. Around the corner a new business owner opens for another day at Tauranga’s first dessert-only restaurant, across the street from the $200 million Farmers retail development, just opened. Down on the Strand an ambitious restauranteur looks at design plans for her third city centre restaurant, soon to open.

Where is all this entrepreneurial innovation, grit and investment coming from and why? Isn’t our city centre dying? Isn’t that what people have been saying?

Truth is, Tauranga city centre is far from dying. Ask the passionate CBD business owners and they’ll tell you the doomsday claims are misinformed and likely from

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people who haven’t visited in a while. Sure, it’s been tough. The city centre’s been taken to its knees in recent years, and there’s still work to do, but there’s newfound optimism, energy, growth, opportunity and real investment that’s making a difference. A significant one.

So, what’s pulling it all together? There’s the projected $1.5 billion of development planned or underway in the city, the new civic precinct development with an inspirational vision to create a more connected city with a strong sense of identity. There’s close to 20 new developments forecast for coming years – spanning office buildings and apartments, a new courthouse, council facilities and an expanding university. But there’s more than that too.

Alongside the developments springing to life there’s a growing mindset of people infiltrating and dominating the city centre. Progressive, innovative, passionate people opening or advancing boutique, unique stores, eateries and businesses that you can’t find elsewhere.

People who see opportunity with excitement, obstacles as a challenge and community building as a way of life.

Our city centre is in revival.

WO R K > D O W N T O W N

Smile and inhale T

hat pretty much sums up what customers do when they walk into the Boho Store.

Sitting pretty on Devonport Road, this little store is packed with goodness; from native plant extracts and wellness products to crystals. It’s not so much a store as an experience and that pleases co-owners Jess Elliot and Callum Armstrong. A lot.

“People say the vibe in this store is really awesome,” says Callum.

“Instead of pretty pictures on the walls, we tell the stories behind all our products. It’s an uplifting place where you can be you and nurture your wellness.”

“It began as therapy,” explains Jess. “When my youngest was four months old I started Little

Love Bugs; handmade wooden baby accessories. Then I drew on my health and beauty background and started making potions and lotions again and Boho was born.

I met Callum, who was making and selling Manuka Essentials products and it was a perfect fit.”

Callum started Manuka Essentials to create demand for native plant extracts, knowing that if he could build consumer products out of the extracts he could make it more profitable for farmers to plant manuka and reap the benefits for the environment. “It works well with all our other products instore, they’re eco-friendly, handmade, high quality, featured brands. For me it’s an obligation to make a long-term difference. I didn’t help the environment by going into business. I went into business to help the environment.”

TAU R A N G A

Open just a few months, Boho has already had success stories of brands in store that have now outgrown them. They see that as a good thing. Endings are new beginnings.

“We thrive on seeing the brands that we stock instore become empowered, grow and evolve. The outcomes for both our suppliers and our customers are exciting and enriching to see,” says Jess.

As for their city centre location, they say it was about bringing the soul back into retail. “There are lots of cool, quirky, boutique stores here and more opening all the time. It’s turning into the place you want to go and it’s pretty cool being a part of that.”

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TAU R A N G A

New chapters

W

hen you’ve spent so much money in one bookshop and you figure you might as well buy it, you know you’re buying a passion. That’s exactly what Scott and Sheree Brown did when they purchased long-established Books A Plenty late last year.

But why buy a bookshop in a digital age and in the middle of COVID? Why not?

“We looked globally at what was happening in bookshops.” explains Sheree. “They’re bigger than ever! COVID reading has taken off and independent bookshops globally have taken on a second life.”

With e-book sales declining to around just seven percent, young readers growing daily and Book Tok and Bookstagram holding their own against Tik Tok and Instagram, Scott and Sheree are riding the crest of a growth wave.

“There’s a real trend back to the tactile book.” explains Scott. “Maybe it’s because so many people are spending time on zoom meetings that they want to get away from their mobile devices. There’s massive growth in classic novels and young readers.

It’s good for the industry. New writers are pushing the industry forward, broadening the offerings to meet demand from growing sectors.”

Having an established and loyal customer base helps. “The shop’s been here for over 40 years.

It’s an iconic destination. I think that’s the same for a number of the local, family owned boutique stores in the city centre,” says Sheree.

“We had a new staff member start. She had the impression Tauranga’s CBD was dead. But she can’t get over the number of people coming in. People are quick to run the CBD down, but they should come and see for themselves. It’s very much alive and will only get better and better.”

Scott agrees. “If people want to appreciate the revitalisation of the CBD they need to come and support us and be part of it to help us grow.”

BOOKSAPLENTYNZ BOOKSAPLENTY.CO.NZ

“THE SHOP’S BEEN HERE FOR OVER 40 YEARS. IT’S AN ICONIC DE STIN ATION .”

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TAU R A N G A

Nectar of the goddesses

W

ho doesn’t love Sundays? No one it seems as much as Jess Mackenzie, owner of the Sunday Group. The name penned for her growing line-up of hospitality venues in the city centre.

First there was Crown and Badger, bought five years ago once Jess returned from Europe with dreams of taking her hospitality experience to the next level.

With 13 beers on tap and all food made from scratch it’s a little different from what you normally see in a pub. But that wasn’t enough for this young entrepreneur. Next she gobbled up Volare.

“Crown & Badger was a great place to start and get to know the community. Then I jumped on board next door at Volare. It’s a really special venue that’s been around since 2004. It’s another calibre of dining so we get to experience that different side of customers.

They really treasure their time at Volare.”

Getting Volare bustling with a focus on fresh Italian ingredients matched with the finest New Zealand products has paid off. But Jess wasn’t ready to sit still.

Nectar will soon open on the Strand alongside her other venues. “Nectar is a new concept for Tauranga.

An all-day eatery where people can come and hang out. From breakfast to an espresso martini in the evening. It will be fresh and funky with a Melbourne influence. It’s not a restaurant, bar or café. It’s a place to be, to connect. I’m calling it the unicorn in the hospitality industry. It’s exactly what Tauranga is missing. Freedom to choose what you want, when you want it.”

With sister Shelby returning from five years in Melbourne to join Jess in the Sunday Group there seems little stopping these visionary women.

“By establishing the Sunday Group we are providing career development to our staff. There’s more flexibility to move people around, train, upskill and empower them by keeping them as part of the team.

They have a career rather than just a place to work before or during university.”

CROWNANDBADGER CROWNANDBADGER.CO.NZ

“ THE Y H AVE A C A R EER R ATHER THAN JUST A PLACE TO WORK BEFORE OR D U R IN G UNI V ER SIT Y.” J E SS MACKENZIE

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A DV E R T I S E M E N T 8

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Downtown Tauranga’s Millie, puts the spotlight on some of her local Downtown Tauranga favourites.

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8

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downtowntauranga.co.nz

9

Soupa Juice from Pluto Jerusalem falafel from Falafel Metro Flat white from Mt Zion Coffee Sage bundle with crystal from The Boho Store Kapa haka kotiro from Craniums Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo Instant Film camera from Carters Photographics Vege summer rolls, duck confit, and flaming coconut prawn from Zozo Asian Street Food Zambesi coatdress from High St Boutique Handmade local ceramics at The Pottery Studio

WO R K > D O W N T O W N

TAU R A N G A

Save room for dessert

S

o, you’ve got a sweet tooth? Would you like

wine with that? Welcome to the new way to treat yourself.

But First Dessert was born over food.

Owner Adele De’Arth was out with friends and had enjoyed a main but the dessert, not so. From the spark of a conversation of what could be, came the birth of what is. Tauranga’s first dessert-only restaurant. “I wanted desserts that people would love and are familiar with, but with a twist, to make them exciting and different from anyone else. There’s no one else doing what we are doing.”

In hospitality since 15, Adele knew getting the right team was critical.

“We gave our head chef Kasper full creative freedom. He created and we tasted and chose what went on the menu. All desserts are prepped and made on site from scratch. We are licensed too, so customers can dine in and treat themselves to a cocktail, beer or wine with their dessert, or grab something to take home.”

Development opening across

Finding the ideal location came easily. “As soon as I walked in, I knew it was perfect for But First Dessert. It had everything I needed and, with all the developments happening around us, I knew it was the most perfect place to be. With the new Farmers

community up here. This city

the street from us we are already seeing an increase in foot traffic.

It’s created a real buzz around us. Yes, we opened in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, but we’re doing okay.

I’m loving seeing some regulars coming back in. It means we are definitely doing something right.”

“There’s a great sense of centre is definitely the new place to be. Lots of people bag it and I don’t get that. I say we are definitely on the rise up.”

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WO R K > FA R M E R

AU T OV I L L AG E

Marie, Makaia and Anna cook up a recipe for teen success.

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WO R K > FA R M E R

AU T OV I L L AG E

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Local food charity Kura Kai is bringing whānau and the wider community together.

WO R DS N I CK Y ADAM S / PH OTOS SA LI N A GA LVA N + A LIG N CR E ATIVE

M

akaia Carr seems to be someone who sees an opportunity, an opening, or a need and gets in there and plugs that gap. A successful early social media influencer, in May 2020 she saw the opportunity to use her platform to make a difference. Now, together with Marie Paterson, Anna Watkins and a team of volunteers, she uses her position in the online space to spearhead social change in the form of charitable trust Kura Kai. The charity is making such a big impact in the Bay that it caught the attention of Farmer Autovillage. The car dealership, based in Mount Maunganui, recently celebrated 30 years in business, and to thank the community for its support in achieving this milestone, chose a number of local charities to invest in, one of which is Kura Kai. Farmer Autovillage generously donated a long-lease Nissan Qashqai, which allows staff to stay mobile and connected. As managing director Mike Farmer says, “Kura Kai is an organisation that has all the values that we support, that works within our community as well as the wider community, so is very valid and worthwhile getting behind.”

Kura Kai is a volunteer-driven service designed to support whānau across New Zealand. Funds are raised to donate chest freezers to high schools, which are then filled with food that can be accessed by the students.

With social needs putting added pressure on our youth, Kura Kai sees this as a multifaceted way to help our teenagers. Makaia herself is passionate about keeping

our kids in school. “My drive has always been helping rangatahi and getting in at that age of teenagers and high schools. Purely because I left high school early.

I was a teenage mum and I understand the struggle to get through education.” This backdrop drew Makaia into a space of promoting female self-belief and empowerment. As her public profile grew as an influencer, along with her thousands of followers came an increased desire to find ways in which her influencing could be used for greater good. “I was asking myself how we could all be better using our platforms – something that came with age and self-assessment.”

It was the first lockdown of March 2020 that bought things into focus. “People were losing jobs, whānau were struggling – students were being sent home from school to look after kids, leaving school to get jobs to support their whānau – all that stuff was really coming to the forefront. I was open to looking at ways I could use my social media to help.” At this stage Makaia and her family were living in Auckland when Gemma, a follower from Tauranga, messaged asking if Makaia could put a shout out to her followers for meal contributions to the compassion freezer at Otumoetai Primary School. This Makaia did, and within a week 80 meals had arrived.

The more Makaia found out about the system, the more she liked what she heard. “I loved how it was really grassroots, that it was direct with kai going straight to the whānau. I think there’s such a beauty in that way to help. Especially in a Maori whānau, where showing up with kai is such a beautiful way to show love

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WO R K > FA R M E R

AU T OV I L L AG E

and manaakitanga.” She looked for a way that she could develop her support into a more cohesive concept. Via her social media she was able to, not only raise awareness, but also fundraise. Buying more freezers for more schools was a start point, followed by accruing volunteers to cook and coordinators to organise. Quickly the dots were joined, and Kura Kai was born. Makaia and her family moved to Pāpāmoa, and the Bay became the heart of the national charity.

Then Makaia’s personal life nose-dived. Her marriage fell apart, and she was floored. During this time what she found was that all she wanted to do was cook, cook and cook some more, so it made sense to reach out and find a team who could take over the other operational aspects of the charity. In June 2021, Marie Paterson joined initially as admin/fundraising manager, then general manager. “I’ve worked with volunteers for over 20 years, and I love this sort of mahi.” With fresh eyes Marie could see the vast opportunities that could grow from the amazing seed Makaia had planted. “I wanted to focus on making Kura Kai more sustainable, relying less on volunteers.” With Anna then joining as brand manager, the focus is now the future.

Marie and Makaia identified it was important for the charity

Kura Kai supports

31

high schools across Aotearoa.

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to become more student led. The pilot programme being rolled out sees the students cook to provide the meals for the charity.

The beauty of this concept is that the rangatahi themselves become empowered by being a part of it. As Makaia says, “one of the messages we want to push to our rangatahi who are teenagers is that they can contribute to society and do something positive, looking out for whānau or neighbours. It’s a resource they can pull from.” Marie’s focus has been how to make Kura Kai more sustainable by relying less on the volunteers, and importantly, Marie says “youth help youth”.

Of course, there is still a drive for additional help to meet the need. Along with more volunteer coordinators, the next step is to encourage businesses to engage in ‘corporate cook ups.’

The ultimate goal is to fund a commercial kitchen, which would allow groups to come in and create, but importantly volunteers could cook and distribute to the areas where the communities themselves are unable to afford to fill the freezers. Now, with the help of the new team and Farmer Autovillage, increased brand awareness will hopefully bring volunteers flooding to the table.

KURAKAI.CO.NZ KURAKAI_NZ KURAKAINZ

There are over

300 volunteers.

In the last year,

18,600 meals were delivered.

WO R K > L E G AC Y

LASTING LEGACIES Kiri Randall from Legacy Funerals explains the importance of giving back.

PH OTOS SA LI N A GA LVA N

G

ifting back profits to the community is by no means a new concept, but it’s not a common one in today’s business world. Which is surprising considering how much a business gets back if they choose to go down this road. For us, it’s built into the way we run.

Legacy Funerals here in Tauranga and its sister funeral home in Cambridge are both owned by Legacy Trust, and as far as I’m aware, the only funeral homes in the country to operate as not-for-profit businesses. This means it isn’t owned by any individual or private organisation.

The charitable trust was established in 2007 after the founder, former funeral director Greg Brownless, travelled to Thailand to assist with the repatriation of the deceased lost during the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004. Greg owned a funeral business in Tauranga, Greg Brownless

Funeral Homes, but after that lifechanging experience, he returned and set up Legacy Trust, vowing to make a difference in his own small part of the world.

People can apply directly to the Trust for

So how does Tauranga’s local community benefit? Families who choose Legacy Funerals to farewell a loved one pay a normal fee and, after our usual operating costs are taken care of, the profits are returned to the local community. The Trust has gifted over $3.6 million since its inception directly back to local Taurangabased charities, secondary schools and clubs. Not only do our families appreciate that in choosing Legacy’s service, their actions make a real and tangible difference to our local community, but our staff really value being part of a socially minded business too. Day to day we provide a caring and compassionate service to our families and it’s nice knowing that this extends far beyond our funeral homes through gifting our profits.

allocate our profits accordingly. We do

funding and our directors and trustees meet every month where we review applications from schools, community groups and charitable organisations and also have some organisations that we regularly donate to. Waipuna Hospice is one local organisation that we are a principal supporter of. Close to $300,000 has been donated to assist the Hospice, helping to provide specialist palliative care for patients living with a lifelimiting illness.

Greg’s Thailand experience completely changed the way the business worked and is therefore changing lives. In turn, this way of working gives us a greater sense of purpose in our everyday working lives.

LEGACYFUNERALS.CO.NZ

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WO R K > CO R S O N

D E N TA L

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT A quieter coastal life was a big drawcard for London celebrity dentist Dr Richard Lee and his family, but the move is also a great gain for the Bay. PH OTOS JA H L MAR S H ALL

T

here’s a new hotshot in town as award-winning cosmetic dentist Dr Richard Lee swaps

the bright lights of London and British TV cameras for the Bay of

“I love helping people regain their confidence and fall in love with their smile.

I’ve had people come to see me because they’re going for a promotion at work and feel that their teeth don’t reflect who they are. After treatment they forget

Plenty sunshine, joining Tauranga

about their insecurities and just shine,”

dental practice Corson Dental.

Richard says.

Richard, who has showcased his dentist

“In London, I saw a patient a year after

wizardry on British TV’s Extreme Beauty Disasters, is one of only eight dentists in London to have achieved accreditation with the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. His television appearances

completing treatment with me. She told me that her smile transformation had given her the confidence to get engaged. Being in a career where your work can have such a profound effect on someone is hugely rewarding. People can be deeply

broadened his reputation for having the

embarrassed about their smile and lifting

ability to transform lives and help people

that weight can be an emotional journey

create the smile of their dreams.

for some.”

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

Now in Tauranga, Richard is building a new life with his Kiwi wife Sherree, who was born and raised in Palmerston North, and their two sons, Henry aged eight, and Freddie aged five.

“Sherree came to London when she was 25 for a two-month overseas experience and ended up moving back to New Zealand 15 years later with her husband and two sons,” Richard jokes.

“For her, it’s been a weird mix of memories and culture shock, but we’re enjoying the new, slower pace of life. New Zealand is an extremely beautiful country, and it’s great to be able to enjoy it as a family. We can see how living by the beach will change our day- to-day lives. The boys love it.”

W O R K > C O R S O N

D E N TA L

“A F T E R T R E ATM E N T T H E Y FORGET ABOUT THEIR INSECURITIES AND JUST SHINE.” DR RICHARD LEE

Making appearances on TV screens

international courses before becoming an

across the world, Richard looks back on his

active member of the British Academy of

experiences fondly. Before filming Extreme

Cosmetic Dentistry. From there, he became

Beauty Disasters, which sees leading

one of the few dentists in the UK to gain

experts from the cosmetics industry help

his accreditation in 2013.

victims of botched surgery, Richard did a series of advertisements for corporate

Richard has now joined the team at Corson

multinational Proctor and Gamble,

Dental in Tauranga to bring his cosmetic

travelling to Buenos Aires and Vancouver.

dentistry know-how to help Kiwis, offering

These were shown all over the world to

a range of services to help his patients fall

improve dental health.

in love with their smiles.

Richard began his journey into dentistry

Corson Dental was established in 2004 by

in 1999 after graduating from Birmingham University with a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery. After working in general practice for a few years, Richard spent time in Florida, going through The Dawson Academy and training at other renowned

Mu

lti-a ward

a winning dentist , Rich

ee rd L

.

Jennifer Corson. Jennifer says the small yet highly skilled team is delighted to have Richard onboard.

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WO R K > G R A E M E

D I N G L E

BEING THE CHANGE

PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

“IT IS THE GR E ATE ST GIF T WE C A N GIVE TO CARE AND NOT JUDGE.” DAN ALLEN- GORDON, WESTERN BAY OF PLENT Y MANAGER

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W O R K > G R A E M E

D I N G L E

The Graeme Dingle Foundation improves the lives of our youth by not only equipping them with skills to build bright futures, but opening their eyes to the exciting possibilities around them. And it’s not just the children who are benefiting from the foundation’s programmes.

A

ccomplished adventurer, mountaineer, author, artist, filmmaker and philanthropist Sir Graeme Dingle knows how to squeeze the very most out of what life has to offer – and he sees it as his calling to equip New Zealand’s youth with the same limitless sense of possibility. More than 25 years ago, he pledged to improve our country’s concerning youth statistics, and so the Graeme Dingle Foundation was born. The vision is to positively impact the lives of our tamariki, and make Aotearoa the best place in the world for children to flourish.

Today, Graeme and partner Lady Dingle, Jo-anne Wilkinson, are proud to see the foundation’s programmes reach 28,000 school-aged rangatahi across the country. The programme seeks to improve self-esteem, educate about positive choices and values for health and happiness, offer practical life skills and impart a sense of adventure. The ultimate goal is a positive attitude, useful skills and real future possibilities.

But creating an aspiring generation requires inspiring role models and this is where the foundation’s mentor program plays a crucial and highly-rewarding part in its success. Lynette and Dave Gillies of Z Energy have mentored five students between them. They were involved with the Graeme Dingle Foundation through Z Energy’s ‘Good in the Hood’ initiative, when the foundation’s Western Bay of Plenty manager Dan AllenGordon approached them about mentoring. Although experienced in business coaching and management, mentoring rangatahi was totally new to them. However, not only was the mentor training day extremely helpful in preparing them, they also found the foundation always available for support if needed.

So what does the role of mentor involve? The expectation is to meet up once every fortnight but to have contact once a week, with fun group activities for all the students and their mentors arranged periodically throughout the year. “The idea is to find things to do together that create space to talk,” says Dave. And

although the experiences they have shared with their mentees is impressive – surfing, mountain biking, mud runs, baking and cooking at their home as well as work experience and community events within Z – Dave insists the most important thing is to simply lend an ear to the young people under their mentorship. “It’s important to listen to both what they say and what they don’t say” says Dave. Lynette agrees, “Listening skills are the biggest thing you need. Often you don’t need to talk, just to listen.”

Both Dave and Lynette speak enthusiastically about what they’ve gained from mentoring. “The opportunity to learn about yourself is huge,” says Dave. Lynette says young people have shown her a different view of the world. “It really opened my eyes and reinforced that we must listen to young people more. They have so much to offer.”

What advice would they give to people considering mentoring? “Just do it!” says Dave. “An hour a week is not a big commitment to make a huge difference. When you see where these students end up after their mentoring period, it’s awesome.” Lynette says mentoring has improved her own personal growth, too. “You give, but you get so much back. The feeling you get when you see them go from where they were, to blossoming young adults, is just amazing.”

Dan Allen-Gordon says, “Our mentors come from all walks of life, but the thing they have in common is passion to make a real difference in the challenging world our rangatahi face. Every one of us that overcame major obstacles as a young person has had a significant adult help us succeed. It is the greatest gift we can give to care and not judge.”

The Graeme Dingle Foundation Western Bay of Plenty reaches over 3,700 tamariki and rangatahi each week with their programmes. They cater to young people aged 5 to 18, helping the participants to thrive and understand what they have inside is greater than any obstacle they may face. A key part is mentoring, and for both the students and mentors this represents an extremely rewarding, and life-changing experience.

DINGLEFOUNDATION.ORG.NZ

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

E LV I N

HOME TRUTHS Jason Bywater-Lutman and Thomas Refoy-Butler from Mackenzie Elvin Law explain the legal considerations around home renos.

Jason Bywater-Lutman

I NTERVI E W N I CK Y A DA M S / PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

Q

I’m thinking about renovations to my property. What are the risk areas I should be aware of?

Renovating your home can be both exciting and terrifying. What you don’t need is the added stress of legal issues when things go wrong. Read on to find out about new home building laws and how to navigate and prevent problems with future renos.

JASON: Construction can seem scary, but builders usually follow a defined process and use one of the many standard form contracts available, including a free basic construction contract released by NZ Standards. The type and value of your renovations dictate which types of contract you should use. When building, the first step is to pick your builder, get the plans and a quote, then come and see a solicitor to talk through the contract. Any contract over $30,000 must be in writing.

THOMAS: It doesn’t have to be a substantial engagement; we highlight the risk areas, which gives our clients the ability to query and clarify any points with the designer/ builder before the contract is signed. It is much better to have those discussions up front – not halfway through the project.

JASON: Most contracts are designed to make sure the builder gets paid regularly.

The Construction Contracts Act protects the builder and makes it harder for you to hold money back from them. If you want to hold money back, you need a good reason and to follow a proper process, which we can help with.

THOMAS: The Construction Contracts Act is a “pay now, argue later” regime. It is important to understand that the onus is on

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the homeowner to articulate the grounds upon which they’re not prepared to pay for work they’re not happy with. If that’s not communicated in the right way, and promptly, the payment claim becomes valid and enforceable as a debt due, even if there are issues with the work from a homeowner’s perspective.

JASON: If a problem arises with the build, a ‘handshake deal’ to fix the problem doesn’t stop you paying for work you may not be happy with. You need to speak to your solicitor and follow the processes set out in the contract you signed and the Construction Contracts Act. THOMAS: At the conceptual phase, when you’re looking at plans and engaging with a designer, talk to your builder about your wish list – if you can find an established working relationship between designer and builder, that’s key. When they can work harmoniously the job runs in a far more streamlined, cost-effective manner. Ideally, your contractors are not learning to work together for the first time on your project.

JASON: To avoid issues, focus on quality communication. If you or the builder change something, the best thing you can do is have a conversation about what the change is, how much it will cost and how long the change will take. You should always record these discussions in writing and share them with the other party.

THOMAS: The important point for a person building, or renovating, their home is to understand what they are agreeing to.

What costs are fixed and won’t increase, what can increase and by how much are important issues that need to be grappled with and will vary from builder to builder.

How long things will take to be competed

Thomas Refoy-Butler

and who is responsible for the costs of delays should also be clearly set out.

JASON: The builder does want to do a good job, because happy clients are their best source of referrals. Having a clear understanding of each parties’ obligations and expectations at the start of the construction process is essential.

MACKENZIE-ELVIN.COM

WO R K > S P O N S O R E D

WRAP IT Matt Batchelor and Lance Uhlmann love their toys. And they know how to look after them.

PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

Y

ou’ve bought the car of your dreams. It looks amazing. But you want it in a colour that no one else has. With AutoWraps the choices are limitless. And even better, wrapping your vehicle protects the paintwork from stone chips and fading from the sun. So when it’s removed the car looks brand new again, keeping your investment in tip-top condition.

AutoWraps was set up by Matt Batchelor and Lance Uhlmann. Matt owns Tauranga’s Rutherford Signs, who’ve been in the industry since 1976. Lance has been wrapping vehicles for the last 20 years. Both are car and

boat fanatics, so they set up AutoWraps with its own dedicated workshop on Hocking Street, Mt Maunganui, and kitted it out with the best equipment in the industry, to look after your pride-and-joy while it’s being transformed.

Lance explains how it works: “We use a self-adhesive vinyl to wrap the vehicle; small hatchbacks, supercars, boats, caravans, you name it, with a matte, gloss or satin finish. And it doesn’t have to be all over, we can do digital prints on part of the car which is a popular option for branding your business. One of my favourite jobs was a full wrap of the hull of a large fishing boat, in a matte camouflage which we designed in-house for a private owner.”

HOW IT WORKS 1. The team at AutoWraps takes photos and does a full measure up.

2. Select from thousands of colours on file, bring in your own design, or the in-house graphic design team can custom design something for you.

3. You’ll see a mock-up before work starts.

4. Pick your car up from Hocking St after two to three days, all ready to go.

5. To remove the wrap or change it out is easy. The vinyl’s taken off using specialist equipment, leaving no glue residue, with perfectly-preserved paintwork underneath.

AUTOWRAPSNZ.CO.NZ

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WO R K > W I L L

J O H N S T O N

WILL JOHNSTON Meet UNO’s new columnist – a veteran radio announcer who now wields a hammer. Want a new home? Not only will he seal that deal, he’ll marry you, too.

PH OTO S U PPLI E D

I

t was the 4th of August 1983 when I was birthed. Ok, no, we aren’t going to do my whole life story… Fun fact though, I have one sister, she’s eight months older than me. Let that land. She’s adopted. Not that weird in the end. However, when they adopted her, my parents had no idea they were a month pregnant with me. Surprise! Jury’s still out on whether that was a good surprise.

Until recently, I was mainly a radio announcer on The Hits, for 20 years.

I say mainly because who has just one job anymore? I still have a local Saturday morning show (9am-12pm on 95FM… shameless!) But I’m now a real estate auctioneer. What a learning curve THAT has been for the last eight months!

I took a leap and changed career because I thought, if I don’t do it, I’m always going to wonder what it would’ve been like.

When you have those thoughts, you’ve already sub-consciously made the decision, right? I’m also a big fan of helping someone achieve something, being in front of a crowd and connecting, so it makes sense that I’m a celebrant, and MC, too. I have great work stories.

I did a wedding two weeks ago where someone had to be taken away in an ambulance because they were passed out drunk at the table… before dinner!

But enough work chat.

Let me give you a snapshot of my personal life. In my spare time I like to do literally nothing. My ideal night right now would be on the couch, pizza in one hand, beer in the other watching something varying between sport or MTV’s Catfish.

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I’m a simple man, the key is making peace with that and then outsourcing anything in your life that is complicated, right?

I have a twoyear-old ginger cavadoodle named Bear. He’s motivated by two things only; ball and food. Much like me.”

Every Tuesday, I MC a quiz at The Tauriko Pub Co. and have two glasses of red wine and some waffle fries while I’m doing that. On a school night, I know! Crazy.

And I’m not even sorry!

I got married last year to Tiffany.

Yes, she’s nine years younger than me.

Yes, I love that. Yes, she’s the best person I know and makes my life one million times more worthwhile. Gush, gush. We live at the Lakes, but I wish we lived by the beach. Or at the very least by an actual lake.

I had a chat with my wife this morning about me being the most likely person I know to get Covid; auctioneer, celebrant and MC… I probably interact with over 200 people on a quiet week. Downside = Covid. Upside = all those people have awesome, hilarious, unique and important stories. Those stories and my experiences are what I’ll cherry pick just for you in every issue of UNO forever…

Or until they get sick of my drivel and sack me. Catch you next issue!

RADIOWILL

- T H E WAY W E -

E X P LO R E Hit the road and explore our surrounding treasures.

WEEKEND G E TAWAY Discover Whakatāne and Ōhope PAGE 124

CRUISE CO N T R O L

Head out on a roadtrip in style PAGE 120

WA I K ATO WO N D E R S Food and adventure for all PAGE 116

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

E X P LO R E>WA I K AT O

COAST TO COAST A family road trip across the Waikato results in a long weekend full of fun, adventure and even a little romance.

WO R DS HAY LE Y BAR N ET PH OTOS HAY LE Y BA R N ET T + S U PPLI E D

W

hen you’re based on the golden shores of Pāpāmoa it can be hard to find holiday destinations to beat our everyday living. With that in mind, my family and I decide that swapping white sand for the wild, rugged West Coast’s black beaches is all that’s needed for a change of scenery.

It’s been a while since I visited the little town of Raglan. So long that I really don’t remember much of it at all. These days I have a seven and four year old in tow, along with a grumpy 44 year old, and road trips can be a bit more of a challenge compared to the old carefree days. There’s food stops and toilet breaks to consider, and if you forget the kids’ sick bags, you’ll spend much of the trip trying not to throw up yourself. Needless to say, you have to plan carefully.

To break up the trip, we would need some pretty good distractions, and what’s more distracting for children – and 44-year-old Lord of the Rings fans – than a village made for Hobbits?

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HOBBITON In the past we’ve whizzed by the sign for Hobbiton many times, mumbling that we must visit someday. Now, I can’t believe we waited so long. This extraordinary movie set is designed with such attention to detail that it’s hard to believe Hobbits are only a figment of JRR Tolkein’s imagination. At 12 acres, the sheer size of the place is impressive. A tour takes two hours and consists of a 20-minute break at the famed Green Dragon Inn, where you get to try the delicious Southfarthing

beer or cider, made by local brewery Good George. The set is located on a vast sheep farm owned by the Alexander family, who themselves help to set the scene as you learn how director Peter Jackson came upon the site, how the village was set up and all the hilarious stories that ensued during the creation of a giant hobbit hole in the middle of the Waikato. The kids are entertained and it’s a great way to incorporate a little hike on a lovely sunny day.

HOBBITONTOURS.COM

E X P LO R E>WA I K AT O

ALPINO, CAMBRIDGE If you haven’t been to Cambridge

One particular jewel in its crown

lately, chances are you’ll be

is Italian eatery Alpino, situated in

surprised at how much it’s changed

the historic old post office building.

over the years. The once-sleepy

We stop here for lunch on our way

township that you simply drove

through to Raglan and sit under

through, and maybe stopped at for

their shady umbrellas on the street,

a sandwich, is now a thriving hub

perfect for people watching and

Italian village – easy to do when you’re enjoying authentic Italian food. I can vouch for the ravioli and the kids can highly recommend the almost-authentic-but-perfect-forkids Hawaiian pizza (and free ice cream cones).

for serious shoppers and foodies.

pretending you’re in some quaint

ALPINO.CO.NZ

WAIHINE MOE CRUISES’ SUNSET CRUISE Lucky for us, Karl’s dad is down from Auckland and visiting Raglan. As soon as we arrive we promptly leave, taking off on a romantic sunset cruise, and surprising Granddad and his partner with the delightful task of putting the kids to bed.

The weather is perfect, the water like glass, and although the crew of Waihine Moe assures us the sunset is usually much better, we’re treated to a beautiful skyline of pink and orange hues. The cruise takes you south along the Raglan Coast and ends up gliding past the famous Pancake Rocks, while feeding you fish’n chips from Raglan Fish and offering beverages from a stocked bar.

The captain educates on the history of the area and throws out some fun facts, including the prices of each mega mansion you can spot. It’s my kind of history lesson. And it turns out the cruise is just the relaxing experience we need to prepare for our big day ahead.

RAGLANBOATCHARTERS.CO.NZ

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RAGLAN TOWNSHIP There’s something special about Raglan that attracts people from all over the world and, as a result, it offers an eclectic mix of shops, eateries, bars and galleries. Its tiny township is only made up of a couple of streets, but they’re brimming with creativity on a Saturday morning. Some particularly recognisable ventures were born here, like Raglan Surf Co, Raglan Food Co and Raglan Roast, to name just a few. It seems attaching Raglan to your name will give it instant recognition as being part of a rapidly growing creative business hub. We take a walk around the shops and discover everything from quirky secondhand stores, to trendy gift shops like Florals and Finds and sophisticated designer clothing stores like Atamira.

ROCK IT KITCHEN Sitting on the bank of a stream is an old woolshed that offers perfect dining for families. The expansive lawn gives kids and dogs plenty of space to run about while you sip your wine on the vine-covered deck. It’s perfect for an extended family lunch. The food is to die for and there’s plenty to suit all tastes.

I try the fresh new poké bowl and Karl devours the bao buns. This renowned café is located just outside of town. It’s easy to find on the same road that heads out to the surf beaches.

ROCKITRAGLAN.CO.NZ

RAGLAN.NET.NZ

RAGLAN ROCK Karl and I leave lunch to head next door to Raglan Rock. Raglan is an outdoor adventurer’s dream and this newcomer to the scene specialises in rock climbing, canyoning and caving. While I’m keen to throw myself over a waterfall, Karl suggests what he thinks is a more leisurely pursuit – mountain biking.

And so I find myself pedaling up a mountain on a humid summer’s day, wondering if he might be regretting his decision – not that I’d dare ask.

Despite the weather, our fitness levels, and that mountain being more of a hill, the course (Te Ara Kakariki) is full of exhilarating twists and turns and it’s only down the road from the Raglan Rock base, where we picked up the bikes.

RAGLANROCK.COM

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E X P LO R E>WA I K AT O

WORKSHOP BREWING One of Raglan’s newest and fastestgrowing businesses is a brewery located in an old trucking depot just off the main road in town. It’s only a short stroll from where we’re staying, so we ditch the kids (again) and stop in to see what all the fuss is about. Workshop is made up of a few local guys who got together to create some amazing beer.

One of them, Matt Williams, describes their core philosophical principals as genuineness, quality, sustainability and creativity, and on our visit it’s evident that the boys have achieved all four.

Matt takes us on a journey from his days living in Tofino, Canada, where the seed was planted in his mind, to how fate threw the boys together once back in his hometown. Spoiler alert – they end up in an old workshop finally

HAMILTON GARDENS When I suggest a visit to the gardens on the way home no one seems overly enthused. The weather is about to pack it in and everyone’s a bit tired from the weekend. But these aren’t just any old gardens and I’m confident everyone will perk up once we enter the enchanting world that is Hamilton Gardens. And I’m right, of course. This free attraction is focused on the different types of garden design. There’s New Zealand’s first traditional Māori garden, the Japanese Garden of Contemplation, the Italian Renaissance Garden, and the kids’ favourite – the Surrealist Garden (aka Alice In Wonderland). You could spend all day floating through the 21 gardens. We only manage to get through six in an hour before hitting the café. I highly recommend staying for lunch after working up an appetite on a walk around the gardens. The menu is impressive and the food will definitely hit the spot for adults and kiddies alike.

HAMILTONGARDENS.CO.NZ

realising their combined dreams of creating Raglan’s first local brew.

Offering a lager, a ‘Raglan’ pale ale and a particularly delicious APA, the team are quickly outgrowing their workshop and have plans to take over more space in the near future. You can check out their cute little bar once Covid restrictions are relaxed and cast your eye over some seriously cool artworks, from a stack of local artist friends, on display all around the brewery. It really is a feast for the senses.

WORKSHOPBREWING.CO.NZ

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E X P LO R E> G I LT R A P

SENSORY OVERLOAD The speed, the sound, the colour. Take Aston Martin’s ultimate GT, the DBS Superleggera, subtract the roof, and hit the accelerator.

WO R DS C A M E RO N O F FI CE R / I MAG E S J OS H H I LLIA M

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E X P L O R E > G I LT R A P

W

hen you consider the lineage of the sports car, the convertible outdates the hard top. It’s curious to be reminded of this fact when considering that, for most modern manufacturers, the range rollout now usually always goes hardtop first, soft top second.

Sure, the gap between the two models being shown off to the public is decreasing, as carmakers realise the two variations usually appeal to very distinct parts of their audience and both subsets need satiating.

Helping to shorten the timespan between the coupe and roadster versions of your favourite premium sports car in the modern era, is also the underlying fact that, now more than ever, manufacturers aren’t in the business of softening the edges for the drop top. Roof mechanism and associated structural changes aside, the convertible is no longer a slight concession – if anything, it adds a whole new visceral element to the experience.

And here’s an example now.

Starting with the sublime Aston Martin DBS Superleggera – the Brit brand’s flagship ‘Super’ GT – as a base probably gives this dazzling machine the ultimate leg up.

nameplate that first appeared in 1967, while Touring’s famous mark – Superleggera (or “Super lightweight”) – was once again introduced to the bonnet of an Aston Martin with the coupe version in 2018.

A collaboration that originally paved the way to the DB4, 5 and 6 Mark 1, the DBS Superleggera pays homage to the craftsmanship of the famous Italian coachbuilder in a new century.

If anything, the Volante extends the aerodynamic extremism of the hard top even further. Aston Martin knows a thing or two about maximising surface airflow, showcased in full effect by the very shape of the car. At the front, the car’s splitter and air dam help accelerate airflow underneath the front of the car to keep it suctioned to the road and assist with cooling by feeding air to the front brakes. Those side strakes behind the front wheel arches aren’t just decorative features either: they draw more air from the front wheel arch to reduce lift and aid with high-speed stability.

Naturally, there are no mechanical changes under this beast’s broad bonnet. Aston Martin’s all-alloy 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 remains in-situ, with the power (533kW) and torque (900Nm) to send the open top

The DBS Superleggera Volante features a clutch of iconic nameplates on one car. With DBS, Aston Martin revived an iconic

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E X P LO R E> G I LT R A P

GT from standstill to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds. This

It isn’t all fire and brimstone if you don’t want it

is undoubtably the fastest Aston Martin convertible

to be, however. Like its hard top sibling, the DBS

in the company’s history.

Superleggera Volante features a series of dynamic

It’s also the best sounding. But you probably already figured as much.

Aston Martin considers the deep baritone soundtrack delivered by the car’s powertrain as a “critical hallmark” of the Volante experience. No sound, no soul in other words. But the Volante – with the roof down of course – delivers all the soulfulness you could wish for.

driving modes, which bring their own level of noise to the party (along with modifying the dynamic parameters of the car’s acceleration, steering feel, and firmness).

In GT mode, the engine note simmers, but select Sport or Sport Plus and the acoustics become progressively more intense. Conversely, if you wish to make a subtle getaway for that day trip in the country

The DBS Superleggera Volante has been tuned to

without disrupting the neighbours, the Volante also has

provide harmonics that are synonymous with an Aston

a ‘quiet start’ mode which masks the usual aural drama

Martin GT, helped along immeasurably by the car’s

with a quieter, low-key alternative on start-up.

quad exhaust system. At lower speeds, you can hear the mechanicals doing their thing up ahead beyond the firewall. There is a satisfying burble that you never tire

Noise aside, that fold-away roof does remain a further defining feature of the Volante.

of. Under acceleration, the soundtrack – beyond the

The electronically operated roof is an advanced fabric

car’s looks, its sumptuous interior, or premium badge

system which continues the silhouette of the roof line

– becomes the absolute reason why you hanker to

and incorporates no less than eight layers of insulation

drive this car.

and acoustically enhancing materials.

“ T H I S I S U N D O U BTA B LY T H E FA S T E S T ASTON MARTIN CONVERTIBLE IN THE COM PA N Y ’S HIS TO RY.”

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E X P L O R E > G I LT R A P

This particular Volante is even more special, customised as it is with striking Aston Martin ‘Commissioned by Q’ exclusive Golden Saffron paint.

Yes, that’s right: Aston Martin has its very own ‘Q Branch’. A bit like the employer of the car’s most famous enthusiast driver, James Bond, the Q Division takes care of special-order modifications for customers, allowing for truly bespoke Aston Martin models… just without the headlight-mounted machine guns.

Further to the dazzling exterior paint, this Volante also features an interior that is a mix of Aston Martin Special

Metallic Black Leather with California Poppy welt and quilting stitching, twill satin carbon fibre inlays, and special sill plaques. It’s certainly worth the attention to detail in the cabin when you can stow the soft top and have it on show.

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante certainly doesn’t play second fiddle to the legendary coupe. It sets its own mood, cuts its own dash, and makes a sound that you’ll instantly fall for. Lower the roof and listen to the roar.

GILTRAP.COM

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E X P LO R E>W H A K ATĀ N E

INTO THE SWING OF IT Whakatāne and Ōhope have so much to offer all types of visitors, and golf lovers will find this corner of the country equivalent to a hole in one.

WO R DS HAY LE Y BA R N ET T PH OTOS S U PPLI E D

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E X P LO R E>W H A K ATĀ N E

H

ead south from Tauranga for one hour and you’ll find yourself immersed in the beauty and flavours of the Whakatāne District – a place which has come a long way in recent years. Yes, it still offers the same stunning coastline scenery, bush and beaches, but have you experienced its unbelievably tantalising array of cafés, restaurants and bars? Add to that two of the country’s best golf clubs and you’ve got yourself an easy weekend getaway to remember.

DO WHAKATĀNE GOLF CLUB This 18-hole championship course is just a five-minute drive from Whakatāne township and offers excellent lush fast greens with fairways that are mostly flat and forgiving. Its greens are great for approach shots, while there are some where accuracy is essential. The lounge bar and restaurant/café serves meals and snacks and, if you don’t have time to get there during the day, there’s the nine-hole Twilight Golf held on Thursday evenings.

NGĀ TAPUWAE O TOI Meaning Footprints of Toi, this walkway captures the essence of Whakatāne District. The track includes three major scenic reserves – Kohi Point Scenic Reserve, Ōhope Scenic Reserve and Mokorua Scenic Reserve.

Head in a clockwise direction and experience the full 16km round trip with its amazing clifftop views, native bush and secluded beaches. Or do one stretch and get the Bay Hopper bus back to the start.

ŌHOPE BEACH GOLF LINKS Some say this is one of the best links courses in New Zealand and it’s plain to see why. Amazing views of the ocean and Whakaari/White Island keep visitors coming back for more. Its superbly-maintained course has been described as a hidden gem and boasts a refurbished clubroom lounge, a bar and café and is a premier destination for events.

ŌHOPE HARBOURSIDE TRAIL Stretching out over three kilometres, this harbourside trail is perfect for those looking for a nice walk, run or short bike ride. The walk is located along the shoreline of Ōhiwa Harbour and has been designed to ensure the least disruption to the environment while offering stunning views.

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1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

EAT 1. L’EPICERIE LARDER This French café, located in the heart of Whakatāne, offers homemade breads and pastries that will immediately transport you to a quaint French village.

There’s also great coffee and a whole host of other delicacies to get your tastebuds singing.

2. FISHERMAN’S WHARF Head to one of Ōhope’s best restaurants for great views and even better fish tacos. Hang out with a beer or wine on the spacious deck and try the excellent seafood and steak, or take away from the handy window and explore Ohiwa Harbour

3. MOXI If you’re after a classic Kiwi café, look no further than Ōhope’s Moxi. The Hangover Breakfast will see you through the day, while the pancakes won’t disappoint.

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4. THE COMM Beer lovers tend to flock to The Comm in Whakatāne for the Good George offerings, great atmosphere and mouth-watering food. They’re open from breakfast through to dinner and even cater to the kids.

5. GIBBOS ON THE WHARF Serving fresh seafood and the classic fish’n chips, the Whakatāne institution that is Gibbos on the Wharf gives the option of taking away or dining with a view.

Bargain prices and good quality food have made this one of the town’s most visited takeaway joints.

6. CIGOL You could argue Whakatāne’s Cigol is aptly named.

It means ‘little town’, but there’s nothing small town about this Korean fusion restaurant. Giving off some serious urban vibes, the restaurant offers everything you want from a Korean foodie experience, but with a Pacific twist.

WHAKATANE.COM

E X P L O R E > U N O

A D D R E S S

B O O K

ADDRESS BOOK Find all the right people, in all the right places If you’d like to feature in UNO’s Address Book email rebecca@unomagazine.co.nz

Wright Rohde is a home, a safe space to be brave for young performers; working with industry professionals to collaborate and push the boundaries to achieve their performance goals.

Manage, organise and plan so you can enjoy life, not juggle life littleredhouse@outlook.co.nz littleredhouse.co.nz

Be seen in good company.

Be seen in UNO.

Wright Rohde Theatre, Performing Arts Tuition 021362204 Elise & Natalie wrightrohde@gmail.com | wrightrohde.co.nz

Giving you time to work on your business, not in it.

Tauranga’s first public art gallery hosting local, national and international art exhibitions and events.

108 Willow Street, Tauranga

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Approachable, friendly, innovative & professional. I specialise in providing bookkeeping and accountancy services with a focus on quality outcomes.

Specialising in accounting services for small to medium sized businesses, I work with you onsite or online, whatever works for you.

Accounts Assist Kathy Chadwick | 027 241 5243

Service your vehicle with Lexus of Tauranga and receive one hour vehicle detailing for free as well as 10% off your first.

Lexus of Tauranga service all makes and models so give them a call to get a quote and make a booking today (07) 577 0880

p U g n i Com

E X P L O R E > E V E N T S / F E S T I VA L S

Events around the Bay

MOUNT MAUNGANUI HALF MAR ATHON

AOTE AROA 100KS IN 30 DAYS May 1-30 Tauranga People of all ages, genders and capabilities can commit to 100ks on foot, on water or wheels (bikes, wheelchairs, scooters), or all three, to raise money for Breast Cancer Support Service Tauranga Trust.

Sign up at 100KSIN30DAYS.NZ , pay the registration fee of $50, seek sponsorship, don your pink t-shirt, get moving and share your activity on social media.

PL ANT FEST Sunday April 10, 9am – 1pm Tauranga Race Course New Zealand’s favourite indoor plant event is back for a third year!

Your favourite vendors plus some new and exciting additions will be coming together in 2022 to bring you the biggest and best indoor plant event in New Zealand.

EVENTBRITE.CO.NZ

SPEEDWAY – CLOSING NIGHT Saturday April 16, 6:30pm – 10pm Trustpower Stadium The southern hemisphere’s fastest traffic jam!

BAYVENUES.CO.NZ

Saturday April 30, 8am – 12pm Main Beach, Mount Maunganui Come explore Mount Maunganui for a running festival, including a 21km half marathon, 10km and 5km options. Take in the best of Mount Maunganui with a weekend full of entertaining options and highlights of the region. The course is flat and fast and will finish on the beautiful beaches of Mount Maunganui, where you can celebrate your efforts with friends and family.

MOUNTMAUNGANUIHALFMARATHON.CO.NZ

ALBI & THE WOLVES – SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL Thursday May 5, 7:30pm - 9:30pm The Little Theatre, Whakatāne Albi & The Wolves are an acoustic trio that creates a huge sound using only an acoustic guitar, an electric violin, a double bass and their voices.

WHAKATANE.COM

AF TER DARK URBAN LIGHT FESTIVAL Friday May 13–22 Tauranga CBD (free entry) For 10 days a selection of luminous artworks will form a unique art trail across the central city through a mixture of video projection, freestanding sculptures, glowing alleyways, short films, and creative use of vacant spaces.

AFTERDARKFESTIVAL.COM

TAUR ANGA JUNIOR TOUGH GUY AND GAL CHALLENGE Tuesday June 14, 8:30pm - 12:30pm Trustpower Baypark Arena, 81 Truman Lane, Mount Maunganui This is a chance for primary and intermediate aged kids to get involved in New Zealand’s biggest mud run series, in a version tailored especially for them!

EVENTPROMOTIONS.CO.NZ

7 DAYS LIVE Sunday June 19, 7:30pm Trustpower Baypark Arena, 81 Truman Lane, Mt Maunganui Don’t miss this show – part quick-fire standup from the country’s best, and part completely uncensored and unedited 7 Days show.

PREMIER.TICKETEK.CO.NZ

BWN SPE AKER SERIES – BRE AKING BOUNDARIES Thursday, June 23 Be inspired, empowered and uplifted at the BWN Speaker Series.

Our mission is to connect Bay of Plenty women in business with other business women, with a view to build a community of people all looking to make positive change.

TAURANGA.ORG.NZ/BWN

LE AVING JACKSON Friday June 10, 7:30pm – 10pm Baycourt Addison Theatre For more than 40 years Johnny Cash and June Carter enthralled audiences around the world with their songs of life, love and heartache. A love story played out through some of the greatest songs ever written.

PREMIER.TICKETEK.CO.NZ

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CREATING & INNOVATING Hospitality really is at the heart of this restaurant.

WO R DS N I CK Y A DA M S PH OTOS N ECO WI E R I N GA + S U PPLI E D

B

ethlehem’s Somerset Cottage has something of a multifaceted footing in the food world. In addition to offering an unforgettable dining experience, it runs cook schools and provides the option of accommodation in an architecturally designed adjoining studio. It is unique not just because of its ‘dine, learn, stay’ ethos, but also because, under owner/operator husband and wife team Anne and Rick, Somerset Cottage has been creating cherished food memories for over 36 years, which in hospitality is monumental.

Anne and Rick are respectively front of house and chef, and a mutual respect of the importance of each other’s roles goes a long way in their recipe for success. Anne has a unique gift in that she combines an efficient professional manner with friendliness and open humour. Rick is reserved, with modesty masking his mastery and expertise.

He is miles away from the stereotype of bullish, egotistical chefs – in fact the thought of him raising his voice, throwing a tanty or melting down over a split sauce is frankly laughable.

This calm, understated vibe is what defines Somerset Cottage, and the fact that Anne and Rick actively shy away from the limelight is in some way what has allowed them to seamlessly evolve from the small BYO restaurant that 130 | u n o m a g a z i n e . c o . n z

started in July 1986, to offering the symbiotic foodie experience that they excel in today.

With a keen eye on the advances in dining expectations, they understand the need to move with the times. As Anne points out; “We’ve evolved on a food front, but also on a wine front – the drinks are no longer just about wine, increasingly it’s about cocktails and nonalcoholic options. Food has progressed immensely: people’s dietary requirements have necessitated that. We’ve embraced a vegan menu – as a long-established restaurant you have to offer the dishes that you are strongly associated with, but at the same time if regular customers don’t see change, some of them critique that - hence our weekly menu that accommodates the seasons.” Ironically, a regular diner I spoke to tells me, she often feigns delight at the array – then circles back to the tried-and-tested favourite dish, Sauteed Squid, every time.

While the food is exquisite – so much so that my visiting best friend smuggled vacuum-packed items back to Melbourne with her – the cook schools are at once informative, interactive, engaging, and entertaining. Held with Rick demonstrating and Anne explaining, the intimate vibe and the wealth of knowledge means that even the most timid home cook comes away with tips

and the know-how to recreate restaurantquality dishes. After the cooking demonstration the group together enjoy a long lunch and paired wine: the bonhomie and jokes flow as freely as the wine, and Anne remarks with obvious pleasure that “it just works.”

With the cook schools attracting participants far and wide, Anne and Rick made the decision to build a loft-style studio next door. According to Anne, “We had a vision – a small, intimate space that’s all about the bush – a space to decompress.” Whether just for a ‘staycation’ or to visit the restaurant or cook school, it’s a stunning standalone experience.

With a stubborn determination to remain under the radar, Somerset Cottage is a beguiling mix. It offers world-class food yet prizes the relationships with its customers above any accolade. While moving with the times – you’ll find Anne gleefully telling tales of sourcing the latest New Zealand distilleries – some things haven’t changed for 30 years; you will no more find yourself charged for your side dish than be allocated a restricted dining time slot.

You are here for the experience – and the team will do its best to ensure it’s an unforgettable one.

SOMERSETCOTTAGE.CO.NZ

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