Auckland’s Boutique Magazine.
JULY 2015
— FASHION BEAUTY HEALTH HOME ARTS FOOD WINE TRAVEL SOCIETY
AUCKLAND
CITY BMW
NEW LOOK NEW NAME 7-15 GREAT SOUTH ROAD N
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Editors’ Note Editors’ NoteA STRONG COMMUNITY NO MAN IS AN ISLAND We all know this icon. It is the little sign that encourages us to Fran Ninow and Jude Mitchell share whilst online. Who for instance, can resist sharing Recently we attended the ANZ Newmarket those best buds, Business Excellence Awards dinner. It Budweiser puppy was a splendid black tie affair, celebrated commercials, and what about the little lad at one of our favourite venues, under who stole the show when Pope Francis the copper dome on the roof of Auckland came to deliver his speech in St Peter’s Museum. One of the best features of this Square last October? How many times venue is the 360-degree view across were these clips shared? Billions probably. Auckland, which at nighttime, comes with the added bonus of the shimmering But what is really going on here? Why is sparkle of our city’s lights — truly this simple interaction with other humans beautiful to behold. so addictive? Possibly because behind the scenes, endorphins and dopamine are released into your bloodstream, making you feel that sense of well-being and relaxation, if only for a millisecond.
make Verve possible, many of whom we recognised at the ANZ Newmarket awards dinner. We thank you for being part of the Verve journey and supporting us with your woven into each page of this issue of commitment to advertising on the pages Verve that you have before you. We are of our boutique magazine. We treasure the proud to share this beautiful October fact that along with so many others, you edition with you. are a part of the Verve community, and are proud to be able to share your stories with our readers.
There was so much that stood out at this event. The inspirational speakers, learning more about the sponsors and the finalists, as well as gleaning some interesting facts For many of us, while online-sharing is and stats about Newmarket — a thriving a relatively new experience, sharing is business/retail hub — a desirable place something we have been doing since to be. as babies, we could first share a kiss and a cuddle, a smile, a laugh, and a The lasting memory of this event, however, conversation. Once basic physiological will be how it made us feel. It made us feel and security need of life were met, we lucky, privileged and part of an enduring needed that rush that came from a sense community: one that has a long and of belonging. interesting history, a bright future, and an ambitious present. Life is for sharing. We at Verve Magazine get to share a whole heap of new stuff Over the years our business, Verve each month with you, the Verve reader. Magazine, has afforded us many amazing Products, people, businesses, innovations, opportunities. But by far the best of these emotional encounters, and fabulous has been the chance to get to know prizes, like holidays abroad. We feel the people behind what you see here deeply privileged to be able to share in print: the people who have helped to these good-news stories with you, each and every month, so our lives could not be better.
COMING UP IN THE AUGUST ISSUE:
We hope you enjoy this month’s selection, which includes an unmissable mid-winter opportunity for a holiday for two in sunny Rarotonga.
Fran and Jude
MEN MATTER, LUXURY LODGES & DESIGN COUNTS.
Collaboration, participation, and togetherness: Just some of the qualities
And the Verve team
EDITORS’ CHOICE
Editors’ Pick
MY FOOD BAG — OSMO suitable for the whole family and taking the chore out of Seeing that October issue has a focus on the young at heart, we choseweeknight Osmo. It iscooking an by delivering nutritious, seasonal recipes and add-on to the iPad that enables kids aged 6 —12 to play with real toysquality, in frontpre-measured, of the free-range ingredients to people’s homes device and then have the iPad incorporate these real world objects into the digital each week. Great for those chilly winter evenings! play. It is an awesome game for children that even tech-wary parents will love, and gets the Verve tick. Pre-order for Christmas online. Fran and Jude were lucky enough to experience MY FOOD BAG. www.playosmo.com The helpings were incredibly generous — always enough for leftovers for lunch the next day. The food was creative, inventive and introduced a repertoire of great recipes — call today and Next issue, Verve November — have a trial for a month — you will love it!
Luxury living; Young at heart; Focus on health
VerveMagazine — Verve Magazine —
Editors-in-chief: Fran Ninow and Jude Mitchell Writers: Editors-in-chief: JamieNinow Desplaces and Angus St Clair Brown Fran and Jude Mitchell Layout Design: Writer: J. Parker Jamie Christian Desplaces Contributors: Neil Gussey, Paris Mitchell, Melissa Kachelhoffer, Ryan Design: Renwick, Jackie O’Fee, Jenna Moore, Claire McCall, Billy Aiken, Louise Juliane Kuhnt Richardson Interns: Sophie Giron, Jade Lawford Smith Subscriptions: www.vervemagazine.co.nz/subscribe.html Contributors: Paris Mitchell, Jackie O’Fee, Sarah Sparks, Billy Aitken, Interns:Smith, Bex Davis, Jay Yang Caitlin Rhianna Osborne, Julien Erwin, Melanie Dower, Katie Powell, Caroline Baron, John Moher, Suzy Frazer Subscriptions: email intern@vervemagazine.co.nz
VERVE MAGAZINE is published monthly (except in January) and has an estimated readership of 60,000. It is a free community/ lifestyle magazine delivered to selected homes, cafés and businesses in the following areas: Parnell, Newmarket, Remuera, Meadowbank, Epsom, Mission Bay, Kohimarama, Herne Bay and Stonefields. Copies Verve Magazine are alsomonthly available(except from: Parnell Inc., The Vet, Homereadership Ideas Centre, Just Rentals VERVEofMAGAZINE is published in January) and Strand has an estimated of 60,000. It is –a Meadowbank, LJ Hooker –magazine Remuera, Constant Barfootcafés & Thompson Parnell, Hotels –areas: Parnell, free community/lifestyle delivered to Cravings, selected homes, and businesses inQuest the following Remuera, and Newmarket, Parnell CommunityEpsom, CentreMission and Library, Verve Café, Little Nuffield, Robert Harris Parnell, Newmarket, Remuera, Meadowbank, Bay, Kohimarama, Herne Bay and Stonefi elds. – Remuera, and Level 1, 430are Broadway, Newmarket (above Inc, MiniThe showroom). Verve is also available popular Copies of Verve Magazine also available from: Parnell Strand Vet, Home Ideas Centre,from Just all Rentals – cafés in its main distribution well as in E-book format. Meadowbank, Vincent – Nuffiareas eld St.asNewmarket, Constant Cravings, Barfoot & Thompson Parnell, Quest Hotels – Parnell, Remuera, Newmarket, Parnell Community Centre andNoLibrary, Verve Café, Little eld, S’pacific The entire content of thisand publication is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. part of this publication may beNuffi reproduced or transmitted inand any form or 1, by 430 any means, without prior permission in writing of the copyright owner. Anyismaterial submittedfrom for all – Devonport, Level Broadway, Newmarket (opposite Mini showroom). Verve also available publication is at the risk. Neither Verveareas Magazine Ltd nor its E-book agents accept any responsibility for loss or damage. Although popular cafés in owner’s its main distribution as well as in format.
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Published by Verve Magazine Ltd. by VerveNewmarket, Magazine Ltd LevelPublished 1, 430 Broadway, Auckland 1023 Level 1, 430 Broadway, Auckland Newmarket, Auckland 1023 PO Box 99-288, Newmarket, 1149 PO Box 99-288, Newmarket, Auckland 1149 GST: 90 378 074 90 378(Print) 074 ISSN 2253-1319 (Online) ISSN GST: 2253-1300 ISSN 2253-1300 (print) ISSN 2253-1319 (online) Advertising enquiries: P: +64Advertising 9 520 5939enquiries: P: +64 9 520 5939 E: jude@vervemagazine.co.nz, debbie@vervemagazine.co.nz and E: jude@vervemagazine.co.nz and fran@vervemagazine.co.nz fran@vervemagazine.co.nz Editorial enquiries: enquiries: P: +64Editorial 9 520 5939 E: fran@vervemagazine.co.nz, jude@ P: +64 9 520 5939 E: fran@vervemagazine.co.nz vervemagazine.co.nz jude@vervemagazine.co.nz SEPTEMBER COVER: Caroline Lorinet. Auckland’s Boutique Magazine.
Auckland’s Boutique Magazine.
September Month 2014
— FASHION BEAUTY HEALTH HOME ARTS FOOD WINE TRAVEL SOCIETY
JULY 2015
— FASHION BEAUTY HEALTH HOME ARTS FOOD WINE TRAVEL SOCIETY
JULY COVER: CAROLINE LORINET UNIQUE ORGANIC SKINCARE
AUCKLAND
CITY BMW
NEW LOOK NEW NAME 7-15 GREAT SOUTH ROAD
N E W M A R K E T July 2015
every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information contained in this publication, the publisher cannot accept any liability Theinaccuracies entire content thisoccur. publication is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. No are partthose of this may be reproduced for thatofmay The views and suggestions expressed in this magazine of publication individual contributors and are not or transmitted in any by form or by any means, permission in writing of the copyright Any material submitted for necessarily supported Verve Magazine Ltd.without Verve isprior printed by Webstar and distributed by TOEowner. Distribution. www.vervemagazine.co.nz publication is at the owner’s risk. Neither Verve Magazine Ltd nor its agents accept any responsibility for loss or damage. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information contained in this publication, the publisher cannot accept any liability for inaccuracies that may occur. The views and suggestions expressed in this magazine are those of individual contributors and are not necessarily supported by Verve Magazine Ltd. Verve is printed by Webstar and distributed by TOE Distribution. www.vervemagazine.co.nz
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July 2015
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CONTENTS UP FRONT 6
The End Of An Era — And The Start Of A New One _______________
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Win A Trip To Rarotonga
Bare Minimal
A Life On The Ocean Waves _______________
HEALTH + BEAUTY 12 Science Of Sleep
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Olympics With A Twist
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Posture Correction _______________
JOURNEYS 20
The Waterways Of France
21
Secrets Of Sweden
22
Free And Fun In Finland
24
The Caucasus
26
Lost Worlds
28
Be A better Friend. Holiday Somewhere Interesting.
HOME + DESIGN 54 Homeware
BUSINESS, EDUCATION ______________ + SOCIETY FUR FRIENDS 32 Newmarket Winner 66 Announced
Dress Your Pet this Winter
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Bowerbank Ninow
39
The Balancing Act Of An Executor
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What Is Your Dog Thinking?
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Animals and Ailments
40
Innovative Young People — Method Recycling Is A Beautiful Thing…
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Healthy Dog Food Recipes And Organic Treats
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FASHION 42
ART + ABOUT 72
Nuffield
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Is Your Look Still Working For You?
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Colourful Knits
Music With The Audio Consultant
Crossing Rachmaninoff Cosentino Live At The Civic
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Crossing Love Invades Music: Writing Class With Ben Okri
FOOD FOR THOUGHT 88 Let’s Eat Out
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Airplane Food
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Abby Soares
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Nourishing Treats
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KIDS 78
AUTOMOTIVE 93
Paintings & Polka Dots
Honda
80
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Colouring-In: The Ultimate In Stress-Relief
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Train Your Brain
83
Treat Your Kids
84
How To Keep The Kids Entertained During Winter!
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Iron Luck ____________
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The Performance.net And Kings School Setting the Stage For Life
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LAST WORDS 94 Market Place
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COMPETITIONS 96 Win with Verve!
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THE END OF AN ERA — AND THE START OF A NEW ONE
AUCKLAND CITY BMW, NEWMARKET — LANDMARK DESTINATION FOR BMW IN NEW ZEALAND
It’s not every day that a thirty-year-old business simultaneously undergoes a radical redevelopment and name change. But recently Auckland City BMW in Newmarket navigated their way through an historic transition from the Team McMillan BMW dealership to become Auckland City BMW — a brand experience centre and landmark destination for BMW sales in New Zealand. So how did it all begin? Team McMillan BMW started in 1985 where Dick Smith currently stands in Remuera Road, Newmarket. After shifting to its current Great South Road site and acquiring an adjacent section for its Premium Selection vehicles, expansion followed over the years with MINI added in 2003 and RollsRoyce — ‘The Pinnacle of Motoring’ — in 2012. The group continued to gather momentum by opening the new MINI Garage in July last year, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere — and not to be outdone, the BMW brand was augmented with iBrand and its revolutionary electric i3 and i8 vehicles in November. Underpinning this rapid growth was global research showing that customers sought a more engaging process away from traditional vehicle selling methods, and the perception that dealerships existed only to sell cars — which could make it difficult for those wanting to engage in the buying process at a self-determined pace. Consequently a new concept of selling cars was developed: BMW Future Retail, providing a more relaxed and welcoming environment in which customers can buy cars in a non-pressured manner. This innovative new concept was adopted by then Team McMillan BMW, and to provide the facilities necessary to implement this method of selling, the New BMW showroom temporarily closed in December 2014 for a multi-million dollar refurbishment. After four months the showroom reopened, and with many major changes. Replacing salespeople’s desks (now relocated away from the showroom), are a series of welcoming customer consultation lounges, including large screens for configuring the new car of their choice. The new Guest Services desk with hostesses greet visitors with an offer of tea or coffee in the new Isetta Coffee Lounge, complete with a
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stunning living wall and beautifully displayed lifestyle and accessories products. One of the most significant changes is the appointment of two BMW Product Geniuses. Their purpose is not to sell, but provide information on the various models, help customers select the vehicle that best suits their needs, and guide them through the selling process in a purely collaborative and relaxed manner. An extension of this no-pressure environment is the intention for the dealership to become a landmark destination, welcoming anyone who is enthusiastic about BMW. This evolution in selling cars, together with the extensive refurbishment and new dealership name necessitated a commemorative event fitting for such pivotal milestones. The official star-studded opening ceremony held recently included VIP guests such as The Rt Hon John Key, Prime Minister, who unveiled a plaque now proudly installed near the Guest Services area. Hollywood A-Lister Karl Urban added movie star appeal, and shared photograph requests with the Prime Minister — both of whom were in high demand. Representatives from BMW New Zealand also attended, and departing Managing Director Nina Englert was presented with artwork by Dick Frizzell. “The official opening was a fantastic opportunity for more than 250 BMW enthusiasts to view the impressive new Auckland City BMW and experience a little of what Future Retail means in the dealership environment,” said Dealer Principal, Ian Gibson. “And for us, a person shouldn’t only experience driving pleasure from behind the wheel of a BMW — the ultimate driving experience should begin the moment you step into our dealership.” “As the longest established BMW dealership in New Zealand,” he added, “we thought it appropriate for a remodel and relaunch, particularly as we’re celebrating the dealership’s 30th anniversary this year.” Certainly with an impressive new facility delivering the Future Retail programme, Auckland City BMW’s presence on the motoring landscape seems well assured for at least another thirty years.
UP FRONT
“
This evolution in selling cars, together with the extensive refurbishment and new dealership name necessitated a commemorative event fitting for such pivotal milestones.
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AUCKLAND CITY BMW 7 GREAT SOUTH RD, NEWMARKET, AUCKLAND 09 524 3300 WWW.AUCKLANDCITYBMW.COM
July 2015
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SCIENCE
OF SLEEP
“Sleep can be defined as that reversible behavioural state in which you are perceptually disengaged from, and unresponsive to your environment,” writes Dr Nick Knight in the Independent. “The reversible part is important, for without that, you are in a coma.”
The longest scientifically documented length of time that anyone has ever gone without sleep is 11 days and 24 minutes, a record held by Randy Gardner who was at the time a 16-year-old high school student in San Diego California. Lt. Cmdr. John J. Ross monitored Gardner’s health during the experiment and reported of significant cognitive and behavioural changes such as moodiness, paranoia, memory loss and hallucinations. On the final day Gardner was asked to repeatedly subtract seven, beginning at 100, but stopped at 65 because he had forgotten what he was doing. Following a regular night’s sleep, Gardner appeared to make a full recovery and no long term health problems were reported.
Conversely, a Chinese man allegedly died after 11 days without sleep while attempting to watch every game of the European Cup, but he was drinking alcohol and smoking heavily throughout and his exact cause of death is unknown. “There is no evidence that REM sleep deprivation by itself will kill anyone,” Dr Jerome Siegel, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA, tells LiveScience. For obvious ethical reasons it is impossible scientists could ever allow a human being to see if they could really die through sleep deprivation, but a similar experiment has been done with rats at Chicago University. None of the rodents made it past two weeks. However, Siegel believes their downfall was through stress, rather than lack of sleep, with a surge in the cortisol hormone fatally increasing their blood pressure. “What they’re dying of is being repeatedly awakened, which is quite different from sleep deprivation,” he says. “If you stay up all night, none of this happens.” Fascinatingly, scientists still do not know for absolute certain the reason for our need to snooze. “That’s one of the beauties of the field,” American Academy of Sleep 12
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Medicine sleep specialist Camilo Ruiz tells Vox. “We don’t know why we sleep.” We spend about a third of our lives doing it. From an evolutionary standpoint sleeping makes so little sense as it leaves us so vulnerable to danger so there’s clearly a point. And a highly significant one at that. “Sleep is a fundamental, functional, and fascinating part of your 24 hour lifecycle,” says Knight. “Poorly understood, it functions to help refresh, recharge, and cement learning and memories. Disruption to it can be potentially devastating and leave you drowsy with poorer physical and cognitive functions.” Ruiz theorises that it may also be a time when the brain, “purges or dumps all the toxins that build up during the day,” allowing our brain to “rest and reset itself.” A typical sleeping pattern can be split into four stages. The first three are non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) ones during which you are eased into a deeper and deeper slumber until you reach rapid-eye movement (REM) whereby your brain is fully active, but your body fully paralysed. During the night you will cycle through all
four stages five to seven times. “There’s different theories on why REM occurs,” says Ruiz. “We think that during REM there’s intercommunication between neurons and new synapses are being created. It also helps with memory and concentration. And it’s typically when we dream.” The National Sleep Foundation recommends that we get between seven to nine hours sleep per night, though there are people that can cope with much less. However, it’s not something that we can train ourselves to do. Studies have shown that the amount of sleep each person needs is largely genetic and it’s not just the hours that count. “You can be in bed for 12 hours,” says Ruiz, “but if the 12 hours are bad quality, you didn’t really sleep.” Catching up at weekends doesn’t cut it either. A Penn State University study found that binge sleeping may even have a detrimental effect. Our minds need order. “The brain has a very habitual, routine structure,” adds Ruiz. “It likes to have its solid seven hours every night, seven nights a week.”
“Our average sleep has fallen by less than ten minutes over the last 50 years. Any obesity and its health
HEALTH + BEAUTY
“ If you do need to nod off during the day it’s more likely you’re not getting enough kip come night time. So switch of the electronics, and snooze.”
Many believe modern life is manipulating our sleep patterns for the worse. A study led by Professor Charles Czeisler of Harvard Medical School found that reading electronic books before bedtime results in difficulty nodding off and drowsiness in the morning. “In the past 50 years there has been a decline in average sleep duration and quality,” he says. “Since more people are choosing electronic devices for reading, communication and entertainment, particularly children and adolescents who already experience significant sleep loss, epidemiological research evaluating the long-term consequence of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed.” But Professor James Horne, a sleep researcher at Loughborough University, warns against what he thinks is scaremongering. “Most healthy adults sleep fewer than the notional ‘eight hours’ and the same went for our grandparents,” he tells the BBC.
consequences attributable to short sleep are only seen in those few people sleeping around five hours, where weight gain is small – around 1.5kg per year – which is more easily rectified by a better diet and 15 minutes of daily brisk walking, rather than by an hour or so of extra sleep.” And what of the popular power nap to prop up our daily dozing time? “Anything that makes up for sleep deprivation when it comes in the form of power naps is actually restorative and helps someone remain healthy,” Dr Rahul Mukherjee, a sleep specialist, tells the Telegraph. “What shouldn’t happen is thinking I can do late nights then I can make up for it with power naps. Twenty minutes of power nap during the day is not like a tablet which will definitely work. An hour sleep before midnight is worth a couple of hours sleep after midnight.”
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OLYMPICS WITH A TWIST
The Maasai, a seminomadic group which straddles southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, are among Africa’s most well-known populations, famed for their courage and colourful dress. But, as important as it is to preserve tradition and uphold ancient ways of life, one custom, the slaughter of lions, is thankfully being eradicated to be replaced with the tribe’s own take on the Olympic Games.
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Killing the ‘King of the Jungle’ has traditionally been seen as a rite of passage for young Maasai men, with solo hunts long viewed as the pinnacle of masculinity. In more recent times however, due to dwindling lion numbers, solo hunts were discouraged by the elders in favour of group excursions. Now they want them stopped outright. Lion populations have plummeted in recent decades from 100,000 to as little as 25,000, though the Maasai aren’t entirely to blame. “One day, in 2008, eight elders arrived unannounced at my house in Kenya,” recalls Tom Hill, board director of the Big Life Foundation. “Their
spokesman said, ‘Over 4,000 boys will soon be coming of age. We want to end lion hunting. But we have to create an alternative.’ The young men had heard their fathers’ stories and songs about the lion hunt. So we needed to maintain the cultural thing, but replace it with something that wasn’t boring.” Big Life Foundation was founded by photographer Nick Brandt and award-winning conservationist Richard Bonham to tackle poaching and now protects two million acres of East African land. In 2012, in partnership with the Maasai of Amboseli/Tsavo, they founded the first ever Maasai Olympic Games. Big
Life estimates that a decade ago there were less than ten lions in the Amboseli-Tsavo region and now the Kenya Wildlife Service reckons there could be as many as 120 thanks to conservation programmes and the Maasai Olympics. “If I win, I will spend all the prize money to pay for my university education,” Tipape Lekatoo, an 18-year-old Maasai javelin thrower, tells Reuters. He dreams of studying tourism management in Nairobi.
HEALTH + BEAUTY
GAMES AT A GLANCE There are three levels of competition: local, regional and ecosystem-wide. Warriors receive basic sports training at local level, to compete for selection to one of four teams across the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem. At regional level, each team competes against the three other manyattas (villages) of the ecosystem. ‘Olympics Day’ is the ecosystem-wide event, occurring at the year’s end and attended by international media, celebrities, government officials, friends, family and tourists. Among the spoils are medals, trophies, money and prized bull for the manyatta. There are two female events on game day, who also sing and dance. The 5,000m winners are sent to the New York City Marathon courtesy of the Maasai Wilderness Trust.
Maasai attitudes — and lifestyles — are rapidly changing as western culture is embraced. “You can’t kill a lion, because they can support you,” says Maasai warrior John Kapande. “The tourists will come to see that lion. That will pay for school fees and help us.” Many wish to move away from the nomadic ways and have taken to wearing western clothes, carrying phones and even having Facebook profiles. Their biennial ‘Olympic’ project has been greatly boosted by the support of David Rudisha, a Maasai who won the 800m gold medal at the 2012 London Games. “David Rudisha didn’t become famous because he killed a lion,” says Daniel Sambu, a
Maasai running the Big Life Foundation’s Predator Compensation Fund who advises potential athletes. “He became popular because of his running skills.” The Olympian also attended the very first African event and offered to help train local long distance runner Jacob Lemaron for the New York City Marathon in 2013. “New York City was very different than any place I’d seen before,” Lemaron later told the Wall Street Journal. “It was very cold, but I stayed warm by running.” Words: Jamie Christian Desplaces
July 2015
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It is the early phase of learning in which you need more tuition in order to change strongly ingrained patterns and over time you do more on your own. The more attention you give your new skills and exercises and integrate them into your daily life, the faster it will be.
POSTURE CORRECTION
I have many clients making amazing changes very quickly when they have the desire, dedication and discipline. It is such a pleasure to see.
POSTURE CORRECTION — HOW DOES IT WORK?
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF POSTURE CORRECTION?
A postural assessment tells me exactly what I need to teach you to correct your posture. From the assessment a specific tailored plan is written and the coaching begins.
• Postural aches and drag on your neck, back and shoulders diminish. • Joints can rest easy in their optimal position. • Tightness and tension melts away over time. • You can breath with ease, as the diaphragm and ribcage are not tight and collapsed. • Your nervous system can work freely to supply power to your body. • Your organs can live in their correct place. • Your energy is not under constant drain. • You know how to move, lift and bend correctly so you don’t keep hurting yourself. • You know how to exercise in optimal position to continue correcting your posture. • Your sports-active life will improve. • You look ten years younger with all curves in the right place. • You stand out from the crowd, as nearly everyone else has poor posture. • You look confident. • You become injury free. • You sleep better.
Re-correction starts with learning where your body should be in space. We must know how to organise and stack our body up correctly, just like bricks stack on top of each other. At first these new positions feel very foreign and it is hard to hold them for any length of time. But with consistent reinforcement, education and practice of the specific exercises you learn, over time you will have a fabulous new position that is no longer hard to hold. This is a big learning curve, adventure and re-education of your body in all planes of movement — much more than just standing up straight. We have all heard that we need to put our shoulders back or stand up straight. Not only are these the wrong cues, it is not something we can hold for more than a few seconds. Old patterns diehard and expert help is needed regularly over time to make sustainable change. Below are questions frequently asked about posture correction. CAN I CORRECT MY POSTURE?
Yes, you can definitely correct your posture if you are willing to do the work that is required — if you do decide to put in the time and effort you will have better posture than ever before.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO CORRECT MY POSTURE?
Correcting posture is a long-term project, not a quick fix. If you were learning a language you could learn it quickly or spread it out over a longer time — you might be happy speaking a few words here and there, or you might want to be fluent. Learning to correct posture is the same.
MICHELLE
OWEN 16
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DO I NEED A GYM?
Your programme is developed to suit you and your lifestyle. If you are gym-based we will utilise the gym equipment for your stability and strength-training programme. If not, you can workout from home with a Swiss ball and other bits and pieces. WILL I HAVE EXERCISES TO DO MYSELF?
You will be working on specific exercises the moment you start your coaching. You will have great tools to back up your education. A detailed online programme, as well as each exercise videoed on your phone so you have all instructions to practice at home or gym. No matter what exercise or sport you are doing, correcting your posture will help. If you don’t know exactly where your body position should be, you cannot possibly train it to stay there. HOW DO WE GET POOR POSTURE?
Our bodies have been in poor positions for many years. From childhood we slouch at our desk, carry heavy bags, hang on our hips, fall of bikes or other knocks and bangs. Most of us have never learnt how to hold and move our bodies. Posture gets worse as we age if we don’t address it. This shows up as the hunched over, collapsed position we see in older people as they are too weak to hold themselves up or get out of a chair. We can totally improve with age instead of declining.
CORRECTIVE HIGH PERFORMANCE EXERCISE KINESIOLOGIST POSTURAL & WELLNESS SPECIALIST CORPORATE WELLNESS SPEAKER
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July 2015
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AT 101 FITNESS
DON’T LET RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS RUIN YOUR LIFE
Like you, I love Fridays to bits. Love that joyful end of the week feeling, and the lightness that comes with this special day.
Arthritis is now the leading cause of disability in the United States. There are many forms of arthritis. This article focusses on rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
FAB FRIDAYS
About two months ago I added a new ingredient to my Friday routine: an early morning training session at 101Fitness in Newmarket. It has rapidly become a favourite part of my day, as post-session I feel uplifted, motivated and ready to take on whatever the day has to offer. Tucked away in Morgan Street, 101Fitness is easy to find, as it is the only fitness studio located in a beautifully restored cottage, with plenty of parking right outside the front door. Fitness sessions should be booked online (or by phone or email) prior to your arrival, so when you arrive, your personal trainer is ready and waiting for you. Training is done on equipment carefully calibrated to one’s level of fitness and strength, and meticulous records of progress are kept. Trainers are friendly, professional, encouraging and have good knowledge of the body, exercise and diet. If required (not so necessary in the chill of a winter’s morning), you are cooled with refreshing fans whilst you work out. Changing and shower facilities are tastefully decorated and well-equipped, and best of all, no one else beside you and your trainer gets to see you groaning, cursing, panting and puffing in you efforts to achieve or maintain the svelte inner you, as you work out in complete privacy. Oh and I almost forgot, yummy massages post-training are available too. This tiny space does not really allow for a full description of how much I enjoy and respect the 101Fitness offering, but here are the most standout reasons I will continue to book in with this fabulous fitness studio: •
101FITNESS IS CONVENIENT Conveniently located for those who work/live in Newmarket or close by.
•
101FITNESS IS QUICK Training is slick, quick and easy to fit in to a busy schedule. The equipment is designed in such a way that it can accurately target areas of the body that need working on.
•
101FITNESS IS SAFE I feel safe when using the 101Fitness equipment — and never come away feeling that in my enthusiasm and need to extend myself, I may have injured something. During all my sessions at 101Fitness I have remained injury-free.
•
101FITNESS GETS RESULTS After only six sessions across six weeks I have seen results. I am definitely more toned (my abdomen area is flatter), and I have noticed that areas that lacked strength have become stronger (I get a lot further with arm balances in yoga than I ever have before).
Interested and would like to find out more go? Go to www.101fitness.co.nz.
RA is not about wear and tear, nor how active you were in your youth. It is about your immune system turning on your body, attacking it, causing joint damage and bone destruction. You have to wonder why your body would do such a thing. Why on earth would your immune system turn on the very thing it is meant to protect? There is an explanation, and a solution. Here are some interesting facts about RA: • • • • • • • • •
There is a trigger that turns on RA. It is more prevalent in women than men, at a ratio of 2.5:1. It usually abates in women during pregnancy. It increases risk of heart disease by 220%. People living closer to the Equator get less RA. The incidence of RA increases in women after menopause. Inflammation drives RA. People with RA are usually deficient in some key nutrients. Some of the newer drugs reduce inflammation, but increase the risk of cancer.
By examining these and other related facts, we can learn a lot about the causes of and how to treat RA safely. There are two parts to our immune system. One side, Th1, kills viruses, bacteria and cancer. The other side, Th2, kills parasites and responds to allergies. In people with RA, the Th1 side is dominant. There is a trigger that takes the immune system from attacking ‘invaders’ to attacking itself. Hormones, especially estrogen in women, suppress the Th1 side of the immune system, explaining why RA abates during pregnancy and increases after menopause. With the overactivity of the immune system, there is a lot of inflammation, which further drives RA, but it can also result in clots, which can block the flow of blood to the heart. Vitamin D, from sunshine (Equator) has been shown to be associated with balancing the immune system. Unfortunately, preventing RA is not as simple as swallowing some estrogen, while having a sex change in the sun. But there is a way to fight back. It lies in balancing the body so that it does not attack itself. The treatment programme involves: • • • • • •
Acting quickly to reduce the destruction of bone and tissue. Reducing levels of inflammation naturally. Identifying and eliminating substances causing inflammation. Balancing the immune system naturally. Balancing hormones naturally. Undertaking a specific exercise programme.
At bewell, we test to find out what is driving your RA. We then design a programme for your specific needs. Visit our website for more information about RA. Words: Clive Plucknett
Words: F. Harrison
CALL NOW FOR A YOUNGER BODY 09 940 7744 WWW.101FITNESS.CO.NZ 18
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Dr Bellomo is an American trained medical doctor with 20 years of medical and surgical practical experience. He has a passion for the aesthetic nature of hair restoration and the life changing effect it has on his patients. We endeavour to provide you with a professional, private and personal informative consultation which can be booked by phone at 06 880 0239. Alternatively, you may contact us by email from our website at www.belladara.com. Depending on your preference and date, we can provide consultations both in New Plymouth and Auckland.
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Also perfect for barging is the 300 year old Canal du Midi, which skirts the sundrenched shores of the Mediterranean before meandering inland through small villages, Roman fortifications and famed vineyards. Lined with plane trees and crossed by pretty arched bridges, the Mediterranean weather and pace of life is relaxed and lulls you into unwinding as you cruise sedately along. Perfect for cycling or walking along scenic canals, or simply watching the scenery pass by, in the distance you can see the Pyrenees, whereas closer to hand are vineyards and chateaux offering private wine tastings. A visit to the walled city of Carcassonne, the most complete medieval fortified city in existence, adds historical flavour to the journey.
Chateau-de-Chenonceau
Transformed from working vessels into intimate ‘floating hotels’, these barges offer private cabins, a sun deck, often a spa pool, and a full crew including tour guide and master chef! Sit back, relax and enjoy gourmet cuisine, fine wines and the company of fellow passengers. Tour historic castles, chateaux, vineyards and markets, and spend time in local villages.
THE WATERWAYS OF FRANCE What better way to reach the cultural heart of France than through wine and cuisine? Taking a luxury barge cruise along the picturesque waterways of France offers access to ancient villages and centuries old vineyards, allowing a truly unique perspective on life.
One of the best regions for barging is Burgundy, home to some of the world’s finest wines and arguably the prettiest canal in France. Sitting on the deck of a luxury barge, sipping a glass of Cote de Nuits whilst cruising through vineyards of Pinot Noir grapes is the perfect holiday for a wine lover. Your captain is a wine expert and will take you to Clos de Vougeot, headquarters of the esteemed Chevaliers du Tastevin, and to Beaune’s oldest winery. Wines aside, the fascinating history and architecture of the region can also be explored, from the 13th century Chateau de Commarin, home of 26 generations of French aristocracy, to the fortified outpost of Chateauneuf en Auxois.
Cuisine en route is obviously a highlight, and can be a delicious combination of both Provencal and traditional flavours. Fresh seafood and regional specialities with the excellent local Corbieres and Minervois wines produce an unforgettable repertoire of meals. Barging is also a great way to explore the Loire Valley, Gascony, Bordeaux and beyond, with week-long cruises departing from May to October. As barges accommodate from 6 to 12 passengers, you can simply book a cabin, or charter the whole barge for family or a small group of friends. So go barging, and see a side of France the coach tours never will!
The upper Burgundy Canal offers pleasant cruising between the classic towns of Tonnerre and Venarey. Accompany the master chef to the market and meet the locals who are so proud of their produce, or visit L’Abbaye de Fontenay for a taste of history. Then taste the wine at Saint Bris le Vineaux after touring the Chablis vineyards where it was grown.
BARGING IN FRANCE
Canal-du-Midi, Toulouse
Words: Kate Gohar, Director, World Journeys
PICTURESQUE WATERWAYS BY LUXURY BARGE Enjoy gourmet cuisine, fine wines, ancient villages and historic chateaux, with a full crew including tour guide and master chef.
7 days from $5,948 pp (twin) Flights,tipping & travel insurance additional. Contact your Travel Agent, or World Journeys 09 360 7311 www.worldjourneys.co.nz /worldjourneys
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JOURNEYS
SECRETS OF SWEDEN
Stockholm: Ola Ericson
Three generations of one New Zealand family recently set sail from Helsinki to Stockholm. Aged between 3 and 73 years, they discovered the joys of small sleeping quarters and sharing their space with 3000 other guests.
3.00PM I arrive early to collect Miko from daycare. “Teresa!” he yells at the chef on the way out. “We’re going on a big boat!” She smiles at me. “There’s no secrets in your house,” she says. I smile but laugh nervously as we head out.
9.00AM We look down upon small wooden houses on rocky outcrops as we draw ever closer to our destination. We soon disembark amid the large crowds and catch a bus to the city as Moomin waves us goodbye.
4.00PM Olympia Terminal is full of people as we meet my parents and join a queue to check-in. I’ve chosen a Monday night sailing to avoid the party crowds, but never anticipated the hundreds of children that would be onboard.
11.00AM Stockholm is in bloom and beautiful Swedish people drink coffee in the parks. We take photos of the Palace before having lunch in the Old Town, then wander through alleyways before enjoying ice cream in the sun.
5.00PM There’s excitement in the air as we board the Silja Serenade, with nearly 3000 passengers swarming around us. A man dressed as Finnish character Moomin is swamped by tourists taking selfies. Miko and I head to a large indoor playground as my husband goes to find a bar.
2.00PM My parents visit the Nobel Museum and we find a terrace bar and people-watch with a drink, before meeting up and heading back to our boat around 4.00pm.
8.00PM Now at sea, we head to the ship’s buffet where we find people in a kind of foodinduced frenzy. There’s salmon, meats, salads and desserts, as well as wine and beer on tap. One man stands beside the buffet table, eating from his plate with his hands. We indulge all our own desires but come away feeling good in comparison. 10.00PM The sun is high in the Scandinavian sky and the Swedish archipelago is beautiful beyond belief. Our cabins are comfortable and cosy, despite the fold-down bunks and windowless walls.
Aerial view of Stockholm: Ola Ericson
Red sheds on island: Henrik Trygg
7.00PM We enjoy pre-dinner drinks before dining onboard. After, we hit the duty free store, stocking up on cosmetics and giant triangular bars of Toblerone chocolate. 9.30PM Tired and happy we retire to our cabins and don’t wake until we sail into Helsinki the next morning. As we leave the boat I reflect on the good time we’ve had, three generations, sleeping in windowless cabins and not a cross word between us. I smile at the memory and relief that this time there’ll be no family secrets for Teresa the chef.
Girl in alleyway: Nicho Södling
The Royal Palace: Ola Ericson
Words: Melanie Dower
July 2015
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Outdoor restaurant: Conny Fridh
FREE and FUN in FINLAND It can come as a surprise to visitors that a good cup of coffee in Finland can cost as much as NZ$8. With a little inside knowledge however, there are plenty of fun ways to spend a family holiday in Helsinki — without spending much money at all. Linnanmäki — Helsinki’s amusement park is only open during the warmer months and entry is free. There are many free rides within the park, most of which are suitable for young children. A ride on the towering Panorama is a must to get a bird’s eye view of the city. Natural History Museum — beautifully constructed displays of wildlife scenes offer a fascinating view of Finnish nature in a building that once housed a Russian gymnasium. Entry is free for the last two hours of the first Thursday of every month. Suomenlinna — this fortress island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and there is no charge to enter. There are plenty of tunnels to explore so don’t forget your torch and wear good walking shoes. The ferry ride across is a great way to the see the harbour and is free for children under seven years of age. Free lunch — Finnish schools provide lunch for children right up until their last year of college. During the summer holidays Helsinki City continues to provide free lunches for children in selected city parks. Open to everyone, they are a great way to meet people and enjoy some of the city’s best playgrounds. Check online for details and don’t forget to bring your own plate and fork. Architectural tram ride — children under seven years of age ride for free on Helsinki public transport and so does an accompanying adult if the child is in a stroller. Catch the number 4 tram in Katajanokka, a suburb full of beautiful art nouveau buildings, and continue past the iconic Helsinki Cathedral and various works by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. Enjoy a picnic by the water in Munkkiniemi before making the return journey. Tickets can be used more than once within an hour of purchase and on different modes of transport. Seurasaari Open-Air Museum — this beautiful island is set up with examples of Finnish architecture from across the ages. Free to enter it is connected to the mainland by footbridge and is easily reached by bus from the centre of the city. You can also take your own sausages to grill on the fire pits, watched by the interested groups of squirrels who call the island home.
Words: Melanie Dower 01 — Linnanmäki (amusement park) — Petri Artturi Asikainen/Visit Helsinki; 02 — Suomenlinna (with canon in foreground) — VladimirLiubarsky/Visit Helsinki; 03 — Tram with cathedral behind — Niclas Sjöblom/Visit Helsinki; 04 — Seurasaari — Sakke Somerma/Visit Helsinki; 05 — Family having a picnic — Rami Hanafi/Visit Helsinki; 06 — Natural History Museum (dinosaur picture) — Joni Rousku/Visit Helsinki
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JOURNEYS
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There are plenty of fun ways to spend a family holiday in Helsinki — without spending much money at all.”
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THE CAUCASUS “WHERE EAST MEETS WEST”
The Caucasus is made up of three countries — Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan — the former two are Christian, whereas Azerbaijan is Islamic. Sandwiched between Asia and Europe and an eclectic mixture of Russian, Turkish, Persian and other influences, this is truly where East meets West.
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I did not visit Azerbaijan, preferring to limit my travels to Georgia and Armenia for the time being. The Greater Caucasus Mountains stretch from the Black Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east. They are the longest continuous range in the world, spanning 750 km and, surprisingly, its peaks are higher than the Alps in Europe. The Lesser Caucasus and the Armenian Plateau lie further south and the terrain is dramatically different from that in the north. Over millennia this area has seen the rise and fall of many empires, including the Hellenistic, Persian, Ottoman and Mongol amongst many others. Little more than a decade ago the Russians occupied much of Georgia and Armenia until a number of internal revolutions caused the Soviet occupiers to retreat and declarations of independence followed. Both the Georgians and the Armenians are ambivalent about their time under Russian control. Some long for the ‘old days’ when everyone had a job and housing, and the children went to school. Others found communist control stifling and are enjoying the many benefits that freedom — both economic and personal — affords.
In both countries there is a plethora of monasteries to visit. In fact there are so many that are offered to the tourist that I would advise being selective about one’s choice. Both capitals offer excellent museums, art galleries and musical and dance performances. Restaurants abound, most of which offer traditional cuisine that is very much based on superb meat and cheese dishes. Strangely desserts do not form a staple part of local diet and are very rarely offered in restaurants. High-end shopping is minimal, but the ubiquitous tourist offerings are everywhere on the streets and in markets. Georgia is a beautiful and peaceful country. Blessed with rich alluvial soil, it is literally carpeted with trees and the valleys are a patchwork of luxuriant farmlands, crisscrossed with swift flowing rivers. Snowcapped mountains provide a shimmering backdrop. It is a paradise for walkers and hikers. Old monasteries abound, and most are delicately perched atop the highest peaks. The air is fresh, and the village people are friendly and hospitable.
The three most popular places to visit in Georgia are the capital Tbilisi, the valleys of Svaneti and the mighty mountains of Kazbegi. The capital Tbilisi is a place where the past, present and the future collide. The architecture is a veritable mix of deadly dull Soviet-style blocks, old classical buildings and the ultra contemporary. Jews, Muslims and Orthodox Christians live in harmony and worship alongside each other. Small avenues that wind between rickety buildings, old churches and shaded squares characterize the Old Town. Across the Mtkvari River the ancient Fortress of Nariqala presides over the whole city. A day tour from Tbilisi to visit the much-revered Davit Gareja Cave Monastery is a popular offering. It lies close to Georgia’s border with Azerbaijan in a remote, rugged and arid landscape. That monks chose such inhospitable sites for their monasteries is a wonder, as the effort required to not only carve their monastery into cliff faces but to live in such a parched and unyielding area must have been monumental. Thousand-yearold frescoes adorn cave walls and saint’s tombs. En route from Tbilisi to Batumi, the magical underground cave of Sataplia is famous for its dinosaur footprints and speleothems. Batumi is a seaside town that lies on the coast of the Black Sea. Although somewhat tatty at present, there is an enormous amount of construction going on which will inevitably propel Batumi into the ranks of a highly sought after and very pleasant seaside resort. Shiny new apartment blocks and hotels are sprouting up between their tired and rundown neighbors. The promenade is aglow with neon signs and there is even a casino.
Travelling through these two countries does present a few challenges, but if you enjoy warm hospitality, good food, exploring history and culture, and stunning nature (in Georgia) while being off the beaten track, then a visit to The Caucasus is a must. Do your research thoroughly, plan well and then pack your bags! The National Botanical Gardens near Batumi are wonderous. Started by the Russian botanist Andrey Nickolayevich Krasnov in the 1880s and further developed during the time of Russian rule, it showcases floral regions from around the world, including East Asia, Himalayas, Mediterranean, South America, South Africa, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia. This is not to be missed! Armenia, although sharing a similar history with Georgia, is notably different. It is totally landlocked, has very little other than copper in the way of mineral wealth and it does not have the lushness of the countryside that abounds in Georgia. In fact, I found it a sad country. Shattered by a massive earthquake in 1988, and abandoned by the Soviets, Armenia looks almost postapocalyptic. The roads are in shocking condition, which makes travelling slow and tedious. The landscape is rather harsh and is littered with ruins and dilapidated buildings. It is totally unclear whether the buildings are still under construction or have simply been abandoned.
The road to picturesque Lake Sevan is tortuous but the remoteness is beguiling and the hotel Tufenkian Lake Sevan is excellent. The problem is that the water is freezing! The Tufenkian Hotel Group has four hotels in its chain around the country and all are top notch. The capital Yerevan lacks the charm of Tbilisi, but its monumental buildings and squares have an attraction all of their own. It is an extremely clean city with a busy market, good eateries and a large serving of museums and galleries. For history and culture buffs Yerevan knocks Tbilisi into a cocked hat — strange for a country that is otherwise so lacking in its proffering’s elsewhere. Most notable and highly recommended is a visit to the house museum of the iconic and crazy artist Sergei Parajanov. Monasteries are again the main attraction in Armenia. Words: Julien Erwin
July 2015
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LOST WORLDS For generations rumours have swirled of a King Kong-like City of the Monkey God in the jungles of Honduras, and earlier this year it was revealed that its ruins had been found. The discovery was actually made in 2012 during an aerial survey of a valley in the region of La Mosquitia, one of the world’s last scientifically unexplored areas, but the findings have only now been made public. The site’s exact location remains secret to prevent looting.
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There are some ‘Lost Worlds’ still home to souls with highly unusual rituals, and rituals which aren’t always friendly. Richard Mason holds the unfortunate title of being the last Briton to be slaughtered by one such tribe. However, his death, as one might expect, didn’t occur during the height of his nation’s empire’s vast rule, rather at the turn of the swinging sixties. In 1961, the 26-year-old adventurer led an expedition through what was supposed to be an uninhabited — and unexplored — area of the Brazilian rainforest. One day, alone in a clearing, he was ambushed and his body found around a week later surrounded by 15 clubs and 40 poison arrows. “Richard was a tremendous man,” Mason’s best friend and fellow expedition member Dr John Hemming tells the Daily Mail. “He was very charming and goodlooking, and delightfully enthusiastic about lots of things, but especially cars, modern art and travel.”
“
There are some ‘Lost Worlds’ still home to souls with highly unusual rituals, and rituals which aren’t always friendly.
Eighty-year-old Hemming is a revered explorer, a former director at the Royal Geographical Society and the author of 12 books, the most recent of which, Naturalists In Paradise, was published earlier this year. He has spent his life developing a deep understanding of the Amazon basin and the people who inhabit it and his work has been recognised by both the British and Brazilian governments. After the body of Mason had been recovered, Hemming returned with a member of the Brazilian Indian Protection Service to leave machetes and fishing tools upon the spot where his friend was slain. “This was a moment of very conflicting emotions,” he says. “Any Indians which may have been watching us in that eerily quiet stretch of forest would find that ‘civilised man’ had replied to their aggression by an attempt to return good for evil.” The tribe in question are known as the Panara. Nearly 40 years later, Heming had the chance to meet one of them. Teseya, by then a tribe elder, recalled “the swish, swish of trousers,” which alerted his people to the solitary British explorer, who, deemed a threat, was killed and, as was their custom, left surrounded by the offending weapons. Putting his arm
around Hemming’s shoulder he said, “That was in the old days when we did not know white men. We did not know there are good white men and bad white men.” As recently as 2006 a pair of fishermen were murdered by the Sentinelese, the world’s last pre-Neolithic tribe, who live on an Indian Ocean island and are said to number somewhere between 50 and 200. The tribe, thought to have perished in the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami, have since made headlines for showering arrows at anyone who dares come within range. The fishermen in question, Sunder Raj and Pandit Tiwari, believed to have been drinking, fell asleep in their boat and drifted to their deaths. The Indian Coastguard did make an attempt to rescue their bodies but were greeted by the usual bows and arrows. Andaman Island police chief Dharmendra Kumar told the Telegraph at the time: “Right now, there will be causalities on both sides. The tribesmen are out in large numbers. We shall let things cool down and once these tribes move to the island’s other end we will sneak in and bring the bodies back.” Survival International is the only organisation dedicated to the welfare of the world’s last tribes — of which they estimate there to be around 70 — offering them education, aid and a voice to the United Nations. “Perhaps no people on Earth remain more genuinely isolated,” say the charity of the Sentinelese, who they believe to be directly descended from the first human populations to emerge from Africa and have probably lived in the Andaman Islands for 60,000 years: “The fact that their language is so different even from other Andaman Islanders suggests that they have had little contact with other people for thousands of years.” Unlike other ancient groups that have embraced certain tenets of the West, the Sentinelese, they say, remain “extremely healthy, alert and thriving.” Back in the bowels of Brazil, last year saw the release of the strangely fascinating documentary, David Beckham: Into the Unknown, which followed the world’s most famous sportsman and three pals motorcycle in search of South America’s largest tribe, the Yanomami, who migrated from Asia around 15,000 years ago. Children of the tribe thought Beckham was “painted” and touchingly tried to rub off his tattoos, but what really brought home the scale of the jungle population’s isolation was not that they’d never even heard of David Beckham (or his pop star wife), but the fact that they had absolutely no concept of what football, or even sport, was, causing Becks to quip, “It’s the first time I have ever had to explain what soccer is to anybody apart from Victoria.” Words: Jamie Christian Desplaces
July 2015
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JOURNEYS
Fifty-two pieces have so far been discovered protruding from the fabled land — already famed for nearby Maya — with many more resting beneath the dirt. The site, thought to include significant burial grounds, lies at the base of a pyramid, with pieces such as ceremonial seats and intricately carved vessels decorated with animals. “The undisturbed context is unique,” Christopher Fisher, a Mesoamerican archaeologist from Colorado State University, tells National Geographic. “This is a powerful ritual display, to take wealth objects like this out of circulation.”
Images: Yanomami child and map with location of the Yanomami
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HOLIDAY SOMEWHERE INTERESTING. Life’s too short to invest hard-earned cash in boring holidays! I’m at the stage in life where I crave excitement and adventure (but not in an intrepid sense, you understand). I want to be inspired, awed, wowed. I want my spirits lifted and to feel transcended. I want beautiful memories of extraordinary things and places. So....
FORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF US..... THERE IS INDIA. There’s nowhere quite like India. It seems to draw us in. You only have to hear the names Delhi, Varanasi, Himalayas or Taj Mahal and it sets off a cacophany of images in your mind, of smiling people in colourful garb, grand structures, majestic landscapes and rich cultural traditions. Of course, your mind will also undoubtedly conjure up visions of cluttered streets thronging with bikes, people and scraggy animals; overcrowded vehicles; child beggars and crumbling infrastructure. Well, that’s India folks. And, that’s probably why the traveller who craves something a little more adventurous and a lot more exotic is attracted to it. BUT, YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE A LOCAL TO SEE THE REAL INDIA. There’s a new tour available that can show you the real India (and Nepal): but in a relaxed, inclusive and luxurious style of travel. It’s a fully-escorted, easy-paced holiday that’ll take you on a memorable journey of discovery through the heart of northern India and beyond. This tour is designed for the discerning traveller. It includes return airfares ex-Auckland, internal flights in India, a trip on India’s fastest train and accommodation in 5-star hotels — all oases from the hustle and bustle of street-life. All the sightseeing, entrance fees, tips, entertainment and diverse meals necessary to enjoy the Indian subcontinent are in there! Extra enhancements include exciting highlights like riding in a rickshaw and on the back of an elephant, visiting an Indian 28
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family in their own home and the amazing spectacle of a sumptuous Durbar dinner. And if this is not enough, there’s two additional optional excursions of a flight to see Mt. Everest up close and a ‘Jeep Safari’ to seek out the endangered tigers at the Panna National Park Reserve. Wow! The land tour begins in Kathmandu, then you fly to Varanasi in India. Next, another flight takes you to Khajuraho. A visit to Orchha is followed by a train ride to Agra (Taj Mahal). Then it’s Jaipur and finally you’re in India’s capital New Delhi.
the best month to be there, Nepal will be well into its rebuild. In any case, we wouldn’t visit any area that isn’t safe. Oh, and another thing: your visit to Nepal is helping the country get back on its feet because tourism is the main source of foreign income. Without it their recovery will be much more difficult.
YEAH, BUT WHAT IF I GET DELHI BELLY? (This from a friend in Mission Bay who spent a day in the bathroom of her hotel suite in Paris, one of the world’s capitals of fine cuisine). Yes, food safety is important to our sensitive western stomachs — wherever we travel in the world — and on our India and Nepal tour your tummies are always on our minds. We will confine our meals and mealtimes to professionally prepared Indian and European cuisine from our high-quality hotel kitchens and banquet venues. We will avoid the temptation to eat on the run. Mmmmm KATHMANDU. HASN’T THAT BEEN WIPED OUT BY AN EARTHQUAKE? Not quite. Parts of Nepal were hit by a devastating earthquake earlier this year, that’s true, and many older structures collapsed resulting in a tragic loss of life, however, most of the country and its historical sites remain intact and waiting for tourists to return. By November,
India and Nepal. A 16 day fully-escorted journey of discovery. Are you inspired? Then seize the day and prepare yourself for an out-of-the-ordinary holiday experience in a truly unique exotic destination. You’ll return home imbued with wonderful memories of extraordinary things, places and people. Go on...do it! Tour designed and operated by EuroVista Holidays Ltd. Tel 0800 850 800. E-Mail info@eurovista.travel Fully escorted, including int. airfares priced from $8989ppts (single supplement $1470) 16 Days/14 Nights. Departing Auckland 09 November 2015 YOU’LL BE HELPING THE PEOPLE OF NEPAL. In addition to the support you are giving to the people of Nepal by staying in their country, a further $200 donation per person will be made to Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan Trust, in your name. Call today for a brochure or download one from the website.
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A LIFE on the OCEAN WAVES The largest collection of fresh water in Southeast Asia is Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake. Its banks support three million people, while the water supplies more than half of the country’s consumed fish. Come wet season, its surface area swells by more than three times its regular size to 10,000 squarekilometres, overflowing into the Mekong River. Chong Khneas is its most famous floating village, found 15km to the south of Siem Reap, it is home to Khmer, Muslim and Vietnamese communities. Among its stilted structures one can find markets, fisheries, clinics, schools and even a basketball court.
A similar settlement exists over the seas of Vietnam’s incredible World Wonder, Halong Bay. These floating villages date back centuries, the largest village, Cua Van, has 130 houses and a population of 600. The floating structures rest dozens of kilometres from the mainland, with fishing, again, being the main source of income, though the community is also a popular tourist attraction too. There is, however, another population of sea dwellers who spend almost their entire lives on the ocean, rarely setting foot on dry land or having any interaction with the rest of the world. They are the Sama-Bajau, a collection of Southeast Asian communities who inhabit the waters of Indonesia and the Philippines. Often referred to as Sea Gypsies or Sea Nomads, they were first recorded by European explorers in 1521, with Antonio Pigafetta noting that they “make their dwellings in boats and do not live otherwise.” Now a peaceful people, they’re history, however, tells of piracy. Less and less traditional Bajau now live on the seas, with some governments resettling them on land or moving them to stilted villages closer to the shore. Dwindling fish numbers and dying coral reefs are also taking their toll. Diana Botutihe was born at sea around 50 years ago and has spent her entire life on vessels no longer than 5 metres and just 1.5 metres wide. She is a member of the Bajau ethnic group famed for their supreme 30
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free diving skills, able to reach depths of 30 metres in search of fish, pearls and coral. The only time Botutihe visits land, reports the Guardian, is to trade such spoils for rice, water and utensils. Because diving is such an integral part of their way of life, eardrums are deliberately ruptured at an early age. “You bleed from your ears and nose, and you have to spend a week lying down because of the dizziness,” says Imran Lahassan of the Torosiaje community. “After that you can dive without pain.” It is not without its dangers however, with some divers regularly dying from the bends. They wear hand-carved wooden goggles with glass lenses and hunt with spear guns fashioned from boat timber, tyre rubber and scrap metal. The people have even evolved with enhanced underwater vision. Photographer Réhahn spent over a week with members of Bajau tribe off the coast of Borneo, snapping and learning about their lives. They have, he says, little concept of age or time and live purely for the present and only for the water. “Children were jumping from a wooden bridge and they wanted me to take their photo,” he tells the Daily Mail. “They were perfect models.” The Frenchman described the children as like “fish in the sea,” and all were happy to see a foreigner, welcoming him “generously” into their lives. Words: Jamie Christian Desplaces
J O I N T H I S E X C L U S I V E I T I N E R A R Y C R E AT E D F O R N E W Z E A L A N D T R A V E L L E R S
Mysterious Vietnam & Cambodia
SAVE $1,500 PER COUPLE
PLUS a FREE Cabin upgrade! When you book by 30 August 2015
21 DAYS
HANOI TO SIEM REAP Departing 4 September 2016 Small Group Travel – max 36 guests
HANOI
HA LONG BAY
Angkor Wat
The trip was amazing! So many highlights; every day was fabulous, the ship, staff and guides were some of the best I have experienced. Cruising with Avalon really is a magical way to appreciate the many varied faces of the mighty Mekong River and the local life that surrounds and feeds off it every day. Kylie - House of Travel Remuera
THAILAND
Hue
SIEM REAP Tonle Sap
Danang Hoi An
VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
KAMPONG TRALACH WAT HANCHEY ANGKOR BAN PREK DAM PHNOM PENH Mekong River HO CHI CHAU DOC SA DEC 7 CAI BE
MINH CITY
INCLUDES 11 night Cosmos Vietnam exploration including hotel accommodation, sightseeing, internal flights and private air-conditioned vehicles 7 night deluxe Avalon Mekong cruise 2 nights accommodation in Siem Reap Breakfast daily plus 17 lunches and 14 dinners Highlights: Hanoi, Halong Bay cruise, Hoi An, Hue, Ho Chi Minh city, Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnamese cooking class, Mekong Delta, Phnom Penh, Cambodian villages, temples of Siem Reap Sightseeing with Local Guides and Unique Local Favourites Port Charges & Gratuities
Land/Cruise FROM
$7,499 per person, twin share
Travel fully escorted from Auckland including flights for an additional $2,900pp
Contact us for full details.
Avalon Suite
e of Travel House Remuera of Travel Remuera If you would like to know more please contact Kylie Masters, 4emuera 4112 351 Road Remuera | 524 Road 4112| 09-524 House of09 Travel Remuera 351 4112 Remuera Road 09 524 4112 | kyliem@hot.co.nz uera@hot.co.nz remuera@hot.co.nz Terms & Conditions: Prices are per person, twin share based on Category B Suite including Cosmos Vietnam land tour and Avalon river cruise. Single supplement available, limited single spaces. Price includes internal air taxes known at time of production; these are subject to change and will be confirmed at time of full payment. A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of $1000 per person is due within 7 days of booking. Full payment must be received by 29 April 2016. Price is based on payment by cash, cheque or direct deposit. Credit Card payments will incur a processing fee. Save $1500 per couple and FREE cabin upgrade applies to bookings and deposits made by 30 August 2015 only. Free cabin upgrade limited to the first 6 cabins booked. Offers are not combinable with any other discounts or promotions. Cancellation penalties and further conditions apply; contact House of Travel Remuera for full details.
On Friday night, 19 June, Newmarket got together to celebrate at the annual ANZ Newmarket Business Excellence Awards, hosted by the Newmarket Business Association (NBA), with major sponsor ANZ Newmarket, and held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. NBA’s CEO, Mark Knoff-Thomas said, “We were absolutely delighted with the night. There was such positive energy in the room and felt a huge sense of pride at the number of highly successful businesses that we have in Newmarket. It was a lot of fun, a giant celebration and delivered in typical Newmarket style. We had 330 attendees and tickets sold out before they officially went on sale.” Mark Hill-Rennie from major sponsor ANZ commented, “The awards went up another level this year. It was great to see and share the joy and pride of all the winners.” This year’s judging panel included business leaders Anne Norman, Rob Fyfe, Tim Alpe, Andy Hamilton, Michael Barnett, Mark HillRennie and Andrew Parsons (New Zealand’s only Professor of Retailing, from AUT). The guest speaker for the event was Geoff Ross from Moa Brewing Company and Trilogy International.
Words: Mark Knoff-Thomas Photos clockwise from left to right: the team from I Love Ugly — winners of the ‘Westfield Newmarket International Retailer of the Year Award’ and winners of the ‘Auckland War Memorial Museum Most Sustainable Business Award’, the Grabone team — winners of the ‘Multi-Media Systems Best Medium / Large Business Award’, the team from Burger Burger — winners of the ‘Marley Loft — ‘Best Restaurant / Bar Award’, the Michael Holmes Premium Eyewear team — winners of the ‘2015 People’s Choice Award’, the team from Alpha Recruitment — winners of the ‘Centrepiece & Pacific Linen Employer of the Year Award’, the team from Best Ugly Bagels — winners of the ‘Best Customer Experience Award’, the MINI Garage Auckland team — winners of the ‘2degrees Best Small / Medium Business Award’ and the ‘2015 ANZ Newmarket Supreme Winner’.
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BUS / ED + SOCIETY
THE ANZ NEWMARKET BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS FOR 2015:
‘Best Customer Experience Award’ BEST UGLY BAGELS ‘2degrees — Best Small/ Medium Business of the Year Award’ (non-retail) MINI GARAGE AUCKLAND ‘Multi-Media Systems Limited — Best Medium/Large Business of the Year Award’ (non-retail) GRABONE ‘Best Café/Restaurant Award‘ (day focus) CARBON GARAGE ‘Marley Loft — Best Restaurant/Bar Award’ (night focus) BURGER BURGER ‘Westfield Newmarket — International Retailer of the Year Award’ (NZ + overseas) I LOVE UGLY ‘Vend — Retailer of the Year Award’ (NZ only) MODES ‘Newmarket Rotary — Young Business Person of the Year Award’ KATHRYN WILSON ‘Centrepiece & Pacific Linen — Employer of the Year Award’ ALPHA RECRUITMENT ‘Auckland War Memorial Museum — Most Sustainable Business Award’ I LOVE UGLY ‘People’s Choice Award’ MICHAEL HOLMES PREMIUM EYEWEAR 2015 ANZ Newmarket Supreme Winner MINI GARAGE AUCKLAND
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BOWERBANK NINOW
A bold new art business, founded by Simon Bowerbank and Charles Ninow, is set to open its doors in August in the heart of Auckland’s premier gallery district. BOWERBANK NINOW will hold both auctions and exhibitions and offer private sales and valuations. Located below Ivan Anthony, beside Michael Lett and across the street from Artspace at 312 Karangahape Road, BOWERBANK NINOW will maintain a full-time gallery programme of primary and secondary market exhibitions by leading New Zealand and international artists. The first exhibition in August will be Theo Schoon. In support of New Zealand one day joining the list of countries who have written artist’s resale royalty rights or Droit de suite into law, BOWERBANK NINOW will become the first art business in New Zealand to offer a voluntary resale royalty of 2.5% of the hammer price, paid at no cost to the vendor or buyer, of any work by a living artist at auction. “We recognise the secondary market as a vital and integral aspect of the art market,” says Mr Ninow. “While the auction market plays an active role in valuedevelopment, we believe it is important that Bowerbank Ninow has a positive, tangible role in fostering contemporary practice,” adds Mr Bowerbank. Resale royalties are the rights of visual artists to receive a certain percentage of the resale price of their work after the original sale, whenever resold by commercial dealers or auctioneers. The rationale is that artists should participate in the increasing value of their art. Resale royalty rights for visual artists were first granted in France in 1920 followed by Belgium in 1921. They now exist in more than 70 countries as well as in California in the United States. BOWERBANK NINOW’s inaugural auction will take place on 25 November, 2015.
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About the directors: Simon BOWERBANK holds a Master of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Arts (hons) with first class honours from University of Auckland. Simon managed Ivan Anthony, one of New Zealand’s most preeminent dealer galleries, for five years. At the beginning of 2014 he joined Webb’s as a Senior Fine Art Specialist. Outside of both of those positions, Simon has written for publications, curated exhibitions and worked with artists directly, putting Creative New Zealand proposals together and helping them with participation in art fairs. Charles NINOW holds a Master of Fine Arts with first class honours from University of Auckland. For close to half a decade Charles worked in the Fine Art department at Webb’s auction house. As one of New Zealand’s foremost auctioneers, Charles has conducted landmark sales for works by prominent New Zealand artists such as Colin McCahon, Bill Hammond, Andrew Mcleod and Tony Fomison, among others. Charles’s knowledge of the New Zealand secondary art market is formidable and highly sought-after. He is regularly called upon to provide valuation advice to leading New Zealand institutions.
Simon Bowerbank +64 21 045 1464 Simon@bowerbankninow.com 312 KARANGAHAPE RD NEWTON AUCKLAND WWW.BOWERBANKNINOW.COM
Charles Ninow +64 21 053 6504 Charles@bowerbankninow.com
RETIREMENT LIVING at its best!
BUS / ED + SOCIETY
DEATH CAFÉ’S: A CUP OF TEA WITH A SLICE OF MORTALITY
FIRST STAGE OF APARTMENTS NOW COMPLETE Recently completed and available for inspection, Ranfurly Village’s Mt Albert apartments offer the latest in contemporary retirement living.
APARTMENTS NOW SELLING
Ranfurly Village offers one of central Auckland’s finest retirement lifestyles. Construction is underway on our next stage – the Mt St John Apartments. Choose from a selection of beautiful, spacious one, two and three bedroom apartments. “My parents had wonderful retirement years and enjoyed a lifestyle that is very similar to what is now available at Ranfurly Village” Judy Bailey CONTACT BEV DYSON FOR AN APPOINTMENT TODAY:
(09) 625 3420
Sales office located at: Historic Ranfurly House, 539 Mt Albert Road, Auckland
Are you dying to know the truth about death? Do you love a good flat white and a morbid chat about immortality? Then maybe you should consider visiting a Death Café. I know what you’re thinking, why on earth would I want to visit such a terrifying place?! But in actual fact, death cafes are designed to be quite the opposite. The idea of a Death Café is for strangers to gather, drink tea and discuss death. Their objective is to increase awareness of death with a view of helping people make the most of their finite lives. These café’s are run as non-profit organisations and have no intention of leading people to any conclusion, product or course of action; they simply wish to educate the public about death.
Are you thinking of investing in
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY?
I am a specialist throughout the Auckland commercial property market. Feel free to contact me with regard to your sales or leasing requirements or for an overview of the Auckland commercial property market.
The idea of dying can be quite a daunting one and one that many of us tend to avoid talking about. The idea of speaking openly in a group about it is supposed to create a calm environment and help you to understand that death doesn’t have to be something to be feared. Death Café is a ‘social franchise’ meaning that people who sign up to the guide and principles can use the name, post events to the website, and even talk to the press as an affiliate. Death Café’s have really taken off and have spread quickly across Europe, North America and Australasia. Over 2020 Death Café’s have been offered since September 2011, which just goes to show the popularity of this concept. So if this sounds like something you would be interested in then why not try running a Death Café or finding one near you and help breathe life into conversations about death.
ranfurlyvillage.co.nz
JONATHAN LYNCH +64 21 900 611
jonathan.lynch@colliers.com
colliers.co.nz
number ONE
Words: Rhianna Osborne
July 2015
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QUINOVIC VIADUCT
SHORT OR LONG TERM THAT IS THE QUESTION “How do I get the maximum return from my rental property?” Do I rent short-term or longterm? What’s the best solution for me? This is a good question and the answer is all about the property and how it’s managed and presented. Quinovic Viaduct is your specialist in short-term corporate rentals in Auckland City, Ponsonby, Parnell and the city suburbs. Why can we rent a one bedroom apartment for $1750.00 per week in the Viaduct on a short-term rental and yet on a long-term rental in the same apartment will only give you $700.00 per week? (We have similar examples for two and three bedroom apartments/townhouses) It’s all about location, presentation and what is the value added product you are presenting to the corporate or holiday tenant. We offer a one stop solution for the tenant with our apartments/ townhouse or executive homes,
which come with some of the following included. 1. 2.
3.
4.
• •
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Premiere locations. Sun, views, facilities, decks, entertainment areas, car parking, (these depending on the property selected). The rates are inclusive of power and gas credit, unlimited internet, basic Sky TV or better, plus water. Weekly servicing of the residences from our professional cleaning company, they also provide the following: Quality linen, towels, tea towels, soap, dishwasher liquid, washing power etc. But most important of all, we try very hard to match the tenant to the right property and offer a short list of quality options for the tenant to choose from. Last but not least, we are accountable to deliver results for the owner, as the owner works in the company and is always accessible to the investor/owner.
Yes, it’s important to have quality stock, but offering the right solution with quality service is what makes difference.
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Quinovic Viaduct is your specialists in short-term corporate rentals in Auckland City, Ponsonby, Parnell and the city suburbs.
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DAVID GRAHAM PRINCIPAL | QUINOVIC VIADUCT 027 299 9122 | 09 302 1998 DAVID@QUINOVIC-VIADUCT.CO.NZ WWW.QUINOVIC-VIADUCT.CO.NZ 36
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RUDY’S PC SERVICE
RUDY’S TIPS ’N’ TRICKS
?
“Do you have a laptop or PC that is not performing well anymore? Whether it is old or only a few months from new and not giving you what you need, I have a solution for you.”
Check out our new website www.rudys.co.nz which has new laptops tablets and PC’s that you can purchase directly. Backup drives and all computer related products. Also links to our Remote Support and general information.
800GB! The cloning process is a direct copy of your existing system, so everything is the same except it will run faster for you.
Do you have a laptop or PC that is not performing well anymore? Whether it is old or only a few months from new and not giving you what you need, I have a solution for you. Instead of replacing your machine I can install a Solid State Drive or SSD to replace your existing hard drive. These SSD’s can typically operate at up to ten times the speed of a SATA mechanical type hard drive. If you don’t store a lot of data we can provide a 60GB SSD drive, clone your existing HDD to the new SSD, and also put your old drive in a portable USB caddy for you as backup or extra storage. If you need a bigger drive we can supply SSD drives at 120GB, 240GB, and even up to
As a special Christmas offer for November, I am offering to bundle the SSD offer with a complimentary internal dust out of the laptop or PC and software tidy up of temporary files and clutter in the operating system for only $69.00 including GST. Normal price $95.00. At Rudy’s PC Services we can help you set up the best solution for your needs. Call us about anything regarding your computer and we will be glad to advise you and fulfil your requirements. We are all about making long term relationships with our customers. We give ongoing advice and support. Often for free! Like us on Facebook and share with your friends and family. Phone 09 579 7809 or email rudy@rudys.co.nz.
Rudy's Verve Mag advert.pdf
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29 ROBERT STREET, ELLERSLIE, AUCKLAND 1051 09 579 7809 INFO@RUDYSPCSERVICES.CO.NZ WWW.RUDYS.CO.NZ
There are many reasons why you will love retirement living at Remuera Rise, and one of the most appealing aspects is the fact that we can provide high quality, personalised care into each of our luxury apartments. Whether you require temporary care a few hours a week or more comprehensive care, the level of support can be tailored for you, depending on your needs. We recognise how important it is to you to be cared for within the privacy of your own apartment, surrounded by all the things you cherish. If this is the level of support and comfort you have been looking for, then talk to us today!
We have beautiful, one-bedroom apartments available now, priced from only $399,000. No car, no problem! At Remuera Rise you have public transport and fabulous shopping located at your doorstep. We are a five minute walk into Newmarket and a six minute train trip to the city. At Remuera Rise you also have the added reassurance that all of our care is backed up by our boutique 12-bed Care Facility on site. We go out of our way to make you and your family feel welcome and at home — and if you have friends or family visiting from out of town, they can stay in our special luxury guest suite.
Remuera Rise is registered under the Retirement Villages Act 2003. Registration number 2557887 | Energi J15359
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All the care you need in the comfort of your own home.
BUS / ED + SOCIETY
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EF AG E L IL IF D V OR L E F IX
Phone 0800 00 15 85, visit 30 James Cook Crescent, Remuera www.remuerarise.co.nz or view our yadsruhT Waiheke Island village at www.wrv.co.nz
YAD NEPO
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LOOK OUT FOR THE EAST-WEST LINK These days, I’m no stranger to the journey from Auckland Airport to suburbs of the Epsom electorate. One of the areas that can hold things up is the Onehunga-Penrose area.
LANDLORDS AND HOLIDAYS
Landlords, are you aware that if you are out of New Zealand longer than 21 consecutive days you must have an agent in New Zealand looking after your tenants and property?
This could be a member of your family, but the best option is for the landlords to engage a property manager. There are so many things that can go wrong, but an experienced property manager will handle these problems for you. Just Rentals will look after your property for you for these short terms while you are out of the country, and we will also rent for casual landlords. It really is amazing what can go wrong on these occasions. Just to mention a few: water leaks, rent arrears, tenants wanting to give notice, appliances needing repairs... the list goes on. So it is very reassuring to know that your tenants and your valuable property are being well cared for while you are on holiday.
At the moment we have lots of properties for rent, tenants giving notice and moving on; also new landlords giving us their properties to rent. Usually at this time of year, as winter sets in, our rental stock is low, as people are reluctant to give notice and move on. But it is all busy at the Just Rentals office and if you can’t call in to talk to us at our friendly, warm office, go to our website to view our quality rental stock. Remember we are a pet friendly office and we love to place tenants with their furry babies in our properties. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Good Renting Sylvia
The friendly team specialising in home rentals and property management.
Visit our website at www.justrentals.co.nz 40 St Johns Road, Meadowbank Office Phone 09 528 4818 After Hours Phone 09 521 2539 Fax 09 528 4816 Email justrentals@xtra.co.nz
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Auckland is booming. But with growth comes traffic congestion. To keep the city moving the government is investing heavily in transport infrastructure, across all modes. Thanks to a recent announcement by Transport Minister Simon Bridges, we are starting to see some of the results of that commitment. The Onehunga-Penrose industrial hub is a significant contributor to our economy — generating $5 billion per year in GDP and employing over 64,000 people. Many of our largest distribution and logistics facilities are based in the area because of its access to key road and rail routes, but its heavy congestion is slowing freight movements and restricting growth. We need to address these congestion issues to ensure that we can meet the future demands for cross-city, eastwest movements that projected growth rates in Auckland are going to generate. The New Zealand Transport Agency and Auckland Transport have announced a preferred route has been chosen for the East-West Connections project. The project has been brought forward as a result of its inclusion in the Auckland Accelerated Projects package,
announced by the Prime Minister in 2014. This is a $375 million package to accelerate key transport projects in the city. $10 million of that investment was focussed on speeding up the investigation of options for the East-West Connection. When the project is completed, the East-West Connections project will improve freight flow through the Onehuna-Penrose hub, improve public transport through dedicated bus lanes between Māngere, Otahuhu and Sylvia Park, and improve pedestrian and cycling facilities in the area, with 5.5km of new or improved routes. The Link is one of many major investments the government is making around Auckland. We have spent $340 million on the Victoria Park Tunnel, $150 million on the Newmarket Viaduct, $1.4 billion on the Waterview Connection and $1.6 billion electrifying metro rail in Auckland, just to name a few. And with future plans such as the Puhoi to Wellsford highway, the City Rail Link, and the wider Auckland Accelerate Package, we’re set to continue our investment in Auckland’s future. We are fully committed to developing the infrastructure our largest city needs in order to prosper and grow, so we can improve living standards for Kiwi’s all over New Zealand.
HON PAUL GOLDSMITH MP NATIONAL LIST MP BASED IN EPSOM WWW.PAULGOLDSMITH.CO.NZ PAUL.GOLDSMITH@PARLIAMENT.GOVT.NZ 09 524 4930
BUS / ED + SOCIETY
The BALANCING ACT of an EXECUTOR SO, YOU’VE BEEN ASKED TO BE AN EXECUTOR OF SOMEONE’S WILL? Jacqui Beilby
For many people, being appointed executor can be both a special honour and a fraught dilemma. After all, it’s one matter to be chosen, it’s another to be faced with the reality of doing the job. Managing, finalising and administering an estate when someone passes away can be a complex, time consuming and highly technical process. There are legal responsibilities, potential commercial decisions to make and delicate family relationships to be mindful of. It’s all quite a balancing act. Then there are certain tasks which require legal assistance, such as applying to the High Court for probate or conveyancing where there is an estate property to be dealt with. “The biggest challenge that a private executor tends to face is managing difficult family dynamics whilst fulfilling a role that is new to them and dealing with the loss of a loved one,” says Jacqui Beilby, Public Trust Manager, Executor Assist.
Beilby says since the launch of Executor Assist she’s felt a wave of relief from many private executors and lawyers Public Trust has partnered with. “Just to be able to talk to someone about the difficulties they’re facing and be heard has been quite cathartic for them.” Beilby is quick to point out that fees for Executor Assist are based on the work done, not on a percentage of the estate. “They’re calculated fairly on a combination of fixed fees and hourly rates which are agreed and documented directly with you.” “Executor Assist can give you as much or as little help that you need to ease the burden at a difficult time.” For more information go to: www.publictrust.co.nz/executorassist. Words: Sarah Sparks
“
The biggest challenge that a private executor tends to face is managing difficult family dynamics whilst fulfilling a role that is new to them and dealing with the loss of a loved one.”
PUBLIC TRUST LEVEL 3, 205 GREAT SOUTH ROAD GREENLANE, AUCKLAND 8.30AM TO 5.00PM MON TO FR WWW.PUBLICTRUST.CO.NZ 0800 783 932
As a result many executors feel like the proverbial meat in the ‘Will sandwich’ when juggling a lack of time with the expectations of being responsible for carrying out the administration of a Will, complicated by shifting societal dynamics. Just as society had changed, Public Trust saw the need to change its traditional 143 year old model by unbundling some services to make it easier for executors, so they had greater choice and flexibility. This led to the development of ‘Executor Assist’, a tailored solution offering as much help as needed from applying for probate, estate administration or support distributing an estate. “What we saw happening all of the time was a real cry for help from private executors. We also saw an opportunity to step in and support busy solicitors who saw value in outsourcing such a service.”
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INNOVATIVE YOUNG PEOPLE
METHOD RECYCLING IS A BEAUTIFUL THING… Circle: Husband and wife team India and Steven Korner Square: A four bin Method recycling station designed for modern, open plan offices
Method was co-founded by India and Steven Korner. Their first product is the Method Recycling Station, which makes recycling a simple, stylish component of the modern office — with bins you can be proud to have in your office. Before the Korners bought their own business selling commercial bins, they each had related careers. India studied graphic design and worked in commercial property and Steven was a mechanical engineer, specialising in plastics design. Both were surprised at the poor quality of recycling solutions available for modern offices. Recycling systems were an afterthought — in conflict with the style created by architects in sophisticated corporate environments.
VERVE WANTS VERVE WANTS TO TO BE INVOLVED GET INVOLVEDWITH WITH INNOVATIVE YOUNG INNOVATIVE YOUNG PEOPLE STARTING AA PEOPLE STARTING BUSINESS. BUSINESS.
Despite recycling at home, few businesses made the transition to recycling at work, yet many wanted to practice sustainability. With the increasing popularity of open-plan office design and activity-based spaces, the Korners wanted to develop a bin that was flexible and convenient to use, fitting into the aesthetic of the modern office. The Method Recycling Station was launched in early 2015, after over two years of research and design. Designed and made in New Zealand the Method Recycling Station provides a sleek, upmarket solution for recycling. Individual bins lock together to form a recycling station of between 1-5 bins, instead of desk bins. The Method Recycling Station enables the number, location and recycling streams to change with the changing needs of the office. Rubbish is sorted at source, saving cleaners’ time and costs. The patented Method bag retainer hidden in the lid of the bin prevents the bag falling to the bottom when rubbish is placed inside. This makes the bin easy to empty as ‘bag falling’ was an annoying problem for cleaners. The ugly plastic bag is hidden, creating a clean, sleek aesthetic. Method bins are sold to business and resellers throughout New Zealand, including a who’s who of New Zealand’s top companies as well as supermarkets and universities. Method is launching a closed ‘push to open’ lid bin and other desktop recycling acessories in August 2015. The new products, which are currently being trialled, share the design aesthetic of the Method Recycling Bins: sleek, modern and innovative.
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MORE INFORMATION AT WWW.METHODRECYCLING.COM
www.vervemagazine.co.nz
IF YOU ARE STARTING A BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING SEEMS OUT OF YOUR BUDGET WE WANT TO HELP YOU! EMAIL FRAN@VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ OR JUDE@VERVEMAGAZINE.CO.NZ
BUS / ED + SOCIETY
LITTLE THINGS MATTER IN MARRIAGE Don’t get lazy about love. Any couple can strengthen their marriage by remembering that love is more than a feeling. You want your love to last? Sure, we all do. But not everyone does what it takes to make it happen. Indeed, half of the marriages out there will fail. The number one reason cited for why couples call it quits? They simply fell out of love. If you want to stay in love, you have to work at it. Thankfully, it isn’t big, sweeping changes, lavish anniversary gifts or exotic getaways that make the difference. Marriage experts agree that it’s the little things that matter most. Think about what life was like when you first started dating. I’ll bet you saw your spouse through rose-coloured lenses and assumed the best most of the time. Fast-forward to now: do you focus more on the flaws or on what your spouse gets right? Choose gratitude, and you’ll feel the difference. Next, consider the words you use with your spouse. Say “I love you” before you part or at the end of the day — the effect will be more than momentary. Tell her she’s beautiful, whether it’s when she first wakes up or when she’s gotten dressed up for date-night. Tell him you’re grateful for everything he does for your family. Even asking, “how was your day?” shows you care. Now ask yourself, what have I done for my spouse lately? Actions speak loud and clear. It doesn’t have to be repainting the house or making a 7-course meal to get your spouse’s attention. Little things like a glass of orange juice in the morning, a foot rub after a long day, or a love note on the steering wheel say “I love you.” These are the little gestures that create affection in a marriage and show your spouse that his or her happiness is your happiness. Don’t get lazy about love. Any couple can strengthen their marriage by remembering that love is more than a feeling. Love is a verb. Love is about investing in the little things that show you care. It doesn’t take long. It just takes commitment. If you want to stay in love, then get to work loving your partner every day. Words: Heidi Poelman, author of The Two-Minute Marriage Project: Simple Secrets for Staying in Love
WIN UP FOR GRABS
TWO X COPIES OF THE TWOMINUTE MARRIAGE PROJECT BY HEIDI POELMAN Entering Verve’s competitions is simple. Like our Facebook, facebook.com/VerveMagazine, then visit www.vervemagazine. co.nz/competitions/ and follow the directions. Good Luck!
WWW.EXISLEPUBLISHING.CO.NZ
Tomorrow’s innovators Girls’ School Open Day Friday 7 August Please register at www.saintkentigern.com ph 520 7696
July 2015
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NUFFIELD Cream fleece track pant, crew fleece top, maroon cap and classic slip on shoes, all from Superette. Headphones and watch from MIMCO.
Left: Crushed berry high neck knit, leather trim fringed poncho and blue skinny jeans all from Witchery. Tote bag from MIMCO. Platform loafer from Runway Shoes.
Right Top: Burgundy spotted knit top and midi jacquard skirt both from Alannah Hill. Borrowed from the boys look shoe from Runway Shoes. Sunglasses from Gorman.
Right Bottom: Black fedora hat from Superette. Tunic style paisley print dress from Vincent. Belt from Witchery.
Right: Midnight blue pantsuit worn with merino polo, accessorised with stunning beaded orange earrings, all from Gorman. Navy blue ankle boot with platform sole from Runway Shoes.
Left top: Two-tone jumper by Karen Millen. Left middle: Longsleeved gathered blouse from Witchery.
Left Bottom: Vintage black jeans and black leather biker jacket, both from Stolen Girlfriends Clubs. Worn with a dipped hem jumper by Karen Millen.
Right: Navy ponte v-neck ďŹ t and are dress by Alannah Hill. Worn with burgundy and embossed snake skin Alannah Hill heels, accessorised with a soft crushed berry scarf from Witchery, watch and a mesh origami envelope style clutch both from MIMCO.
Left Top: Suede-look jacket and skirt, teamed with a navy top, all from Flo & Frankie. Squaretoed pumps with gold coloured heels from Gorman.
Left Bottom: Valery dress in midnight blue coloured velvet from Huffer. Fedora in crushed berry woollen fabric. Worn with borrowed from the boys, laceups from Runway Shoes.
Model wears Gorman’s exclusive print mega moth dress, with fitted bodice and circular skirt; rose gold bangles by MIMCO.
PHOTOGAPHY: NEIL GUSSEY MAKE-UP: IMELETA KELLETT MODEL: DANIELLE WILSON STYLING: VERVE MAGAZINE CLOTHING: NUFFIELD STREET, NEWMARKET LOCATION: THIEVERY | LEVEL 2 | 203 KARANGAHAPE ROAD | AUCKLAND
N O OW PE N
N O OW PE N
N O OW PE N
THREE NEW STORES ARE COMING TO NUFFIELD ST
WELCOME TO THE STREET WHERE FASHION LIVES
westfi eld.co.nz/nuffi eldstreet facebook.com/nuffi eldstreet
BALM ST NEWMARKET 09 524 5787 Model wears Chance Sweater, price $290.00
www.hartleysfashion.co.nz
IMELETA KELLETT MAKE-UP ARTIST
BY APPOINTMENT: jemo_kellett@yahoo.co.nz 021 02345 404 09 908 3862 48
www.vervemagazine.co.nz
KRYOLAN CITY
CANDLE
FASHION
THE FACE BEHIND
COLLECTION
Exclusively from Belloro Fine Jewellery
A drop of wax runs down the lit candle, it takes on the colour of the light of the flame, it changes into a thousand liquid forms. Another drop follows, and then another, finally coming together to form an elongated shape in the wake of many other golden drops. Tiny sculptures, fantastic natural jewels, the gifts of nature. This stunning range of Nanis Italian fine jewellery is made in 18ct gold. Belloro Fine Jewellery can organise your own unique combination with a choice of yellow, white or rose gold. A selection of cabochon stones in, pink quartz, blue topaz, amethyst, citrine, smoky quartz, green onyx (as pictured), white moonstone, pink moonstone and full gold which has a hand engraved finish. Kryolan City, located in the heart of Newmarket on Broadway is the make-up injection that New Zealand has been waiting for. Midge Holding, the woman behind its arrival is a welltravelled and knowledgeable master of make-up.
CALL IN TODAY TO SEE THE CANDLE COLLECTION OF FINE JEWELLERY ALONG WITH OTHER STUNNING, UNIQUE, EXQUISITE PIECES.
From the notable BBC Television School of Make-up to the British production sets of Doctor Who, Midge has an enviable CV most make-up artists merely dream of. “I’ve worked with an extensive list of names and productions in my time across the globe.” Midge values the German-based and family-owned company Kryolan because it hasn’t stopped researching and developing new products since it was founded 70 years ago, saying, “Kryolan is the most diverse and pioneering cosmetic brand that covers the make-up industry, from touch-up tools in a woman’s handbag to graphic cosmetic effects seen in popular horror films.” Kryolan has more than 16,000 high quality make-up products and accessories in their range, including high definition make-up, special effects and airbrushing for television, film and theatre. The new flagship and e-commerce store brings this exciting and pioneering range of products to make-up artists in New Zealand for the first time. But it’s not Midges first dealings with Kryolan — she first identified with the brand in her days training as a makeup artist at BBC in 1977. She saw it as an industry changer, saying, “even as a trainee, Kryolan caught my attention with its easy-touse and highly pigmented products, which can be used at either end of the make-up spectrum. Be it basic daily enhancements or heavy-duty effects for the camera. They’re an inspiring brand. Since they were founded in 1946 they have never experimented on animals and they manufacture all of their own products.” Midge will continue to run the Newmarket and e-commerce store, with exciting ventures in the mix, involving the top make-up artists of New Zealand and customer events. From those freshfaced and new to make-up or seasoned experts wanting to top up their kits, everyone is welcome at Kryolan City. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.KRYOLAN.COM OR CALL 09 520 4553.
Shop 4, 25 Teed Street, Newmarket, Auckland www.belloro.co.nz Private appointments available: 09 522 8620 jewellery@belloro.co.nz July 2015
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IS YOUR LOOK STILL WORKING FOR YOU?
“
Change can be frightening, and if you’ve held on to a certain look for many years believing it makes you stand out and is your ‘signature’, you may be unaware of the need for it.”
She was in her mid to late 50s, a free-spirit with a quirky dress sense to match. She owned her own business and it was struggling. Although an unlikely candidate to spend time with a stylist, she came to see if I could help her with her image — and in so doing, help revive her flagging business. She explained that she would pitch for high-end work, but was no longer getting the jobs. Most of her time was now taken up with odd jobs to keep the money coming in and cover her costs. Part of a stylists’ role is to be honest with our clients, not to just tell them, “you look great”, but in fact to sometimes say, “what you are wearing is undermining who you want to be.” Often, we hold on to a look for too long. For this woman, it was her hair. She was a brunette who wore her hair below shoulder length with a centre parted, but with a fluorescent pink stripe either side of her face (I know fashion is flirting with this right now, but this was unusual then, especially for a woman of her age). When I asked her about the stripes she said, “When I was in London in my early twenties I couldn’t get any work. So, some punk friends and I dyed these stripes into my hair, and I got the next job I went for — I’ve kept them ever since.” I suggested that we remove them, as they were no longer serving her, and bravely, though somewhat reluctantly, she agreed. Her new look took ten years off her, she looked far more polished and professional. We kept a creative flair to her dress sense, but in an accessible and stylish way (out went the thrift shop purchases) that made her clients see her as more credible. Change can be frightening, and if you’ve held on to a certain look for many years believing it makes you stand out and is your ‘signature’, you may be unaware of the need for it. Perhaps it’s time to ask yourself, “is this still working for me?” Be prepared to be honest with yourself, and maybe it’s time to make a change? Words: Jackie O’Fee
JACKIE O’FEE IS THE OWNER OF LEADING PERSONAL STYLE CONSULTANCY SIGNATURE STYLE. LET US HELP YOU MAKE THE CHANGES YOU NEED TO MAKE WITH YOUR PERSONAL PRESENTATION, WITHOUT LOSING WHO YOU ARE. CALL US ON 09 529 5115, VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.SIGNATURESTYLE.CO.NZ OR POP INTO OUR 35 BROADWAY, NEWMARKET STUDIO FOR A COFFEE AND CHAT.
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WINTER SALE
18b Osborne St, Newmarket facebook.com/x.plainofficial x-plain.co.nz
PONSONBY BOUTIQUE 14 St Marys Road 09 378 4770 PARNELL BOUTIQUE 417 Parnell Road 09 379 9870 online@thecupboard.co.nz www.thecupboard.co.nz
WINTER
SALE
UP TO 50% OFF Loobie’s Story • Sills David Pond • Toby • Catalyst • Obi • Paula Ryan • atemgir • Artstyle Blackstone • Chalet • New London Jeans
SUPPORTING NZ DESIGNERS
114 Main Highway Ellerslie Open Mon-Fri, 9:30-5, Sat 10-4 09 579 3535
www.sashaboutique.co.nz
July 2015
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FASHION
X-PLAIN
The most luxurious selection of cashmere at wixii.co.nz
Words: Paris Mitchell
Mohair Jumper from The Mercantile $219
COLOURFUL
KNITS The winter wardrobe staple we know as knitwear. Ideal for various occasions, for the office, walks or parties. This seasons favourite go-to knits have been selected in the most beautiful array of colours.
Textured High Neck Knit from Witchery $149.90
Chloe Cashmere Turtleneck
Isabel Marant ‘Marius’ cardigan
from net-a-porter.com
from netaporter.com $468.90
No Sleeve Cotton Knit $220 For the most incredible handknitted pieces visit harrywere.com
Cami in Blush from Standard Issue $140
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FASHION
Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered By Ceramide™ Night Cream Elizabeth Arden introduces the latest addition to the brand’s breakthrough Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide skincare collection that continues to challenge the effects of stress on the skin. Flawless Future Night Cream supports skin’s nighttime renewal process to help counteract the visible effects of stress on the skin, brightening and evening tone while easing the appearance of fine lines. $104 at Elizabeth Arden stockists nationwide
Sans [ceuticals] Nourishing Hair Hydratant
BARE MINIMAL
Packed full of goodies such as avocadin lipids, phytoceramides and amino acids, Sans [ceuticals] Nourishing Hair Hydratant will quench and protect hair, leaving it smooth and glossy. This deluxe formula contains the latest in colour-safe technology to give your colour extra staying power. $43 at Stephen Marr Salons and sansceuticals.com
The winter weather tends to steal moisture away from our skin, which is why it’s important to defend yourself against the elements. Verve chooses basic beauty care suitable for the face, body and hair that will help maintain smoothness and suppleness all season long.
Aesop Body Cleanser
MAC Lightful 2-in-1 The science of skincare meets the beauty of makeup, all presented in one innovative product. M·A·C’s latest Lightful creation holds two potent formulas — a hi-tech treatment serum and an incandescent tint. Used together, both formulas target a multitude of skin concerns, from dark spots and dehydration to uneven skin tone/texture, chock-full of ingredients and vitamin C to promote robust brightening. $120 from all MAC stores
‘A Rose By Any Other Name’ body cleanser is an Aesop staple. A low-foaming formulation containing botanical extracts of the highest caliber and rose petal oil, gently yet thoroughly cleanses skin and delights the senses. At World Beauty and Aesop.com
Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Body Cream With the cold blustery weather upon us and the nights drawing in, winter is not the season to neglect the skin below your neck, even though it’s probably covered up most of the time. Trilogy introduces Ultra Hydrating Body Cream — with a touch of natural mineral mica to reflect light, this body cream works to restore and enhance your skin’s naturally healthy glow. $29.90 at Trilogy stockists nationwide July 2015
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ECC NOSTALGIA PENDANT Designed by Dima Loginoff for Studio Italia Design
COCKTAIL CHAIR by Marcel Wanders for Moooi
TANK BARWARE by Tom Dixon
WWW.ECC.CO.NZ ECC 39 NUGENT STREET | GRAFTON 09 379 9680
CUSTOM MADE LINEN LAMPSHADES on bleached aged buffet, with original Libby Griffin artwork in background.
UNIQUE JACARANDA BRANCH SIDE TABLE with glass top — 600mm diameter; photographed next to stump stools.
TREES ORIGINAL SOLID OAK TRIPOD STOOLS upholstered with calfskin boasting studded detail; photographed against original artwork on black Mongolian sheep hide.
WWW.TREESFURNITURE.CO.NZ TREES CO 99 NUFFIELD STREET | NEWMARKET
TREES
URBANO INTERIORS NATUZZI 858 3 SEATER Top Italian leather and design $4290
NATUZZI 923 3 SEATER Top Italian leather and design $2980
WWW.URBANOINTERIORS.CO.NZ
NATURAL LINEN 3 SEATER Loose ďŹ tted cover and cushions $1695
URBANO INTERIORS 21 DAVIS CRESCENT | NEWMARKET 09 524 7959
HARROWSET HALL
SWAN PRINT CUSHION Gorgeous swan print cushion $165 also comes in comforters, duvets and pillowcases. New season ranges from Bianca Lorenne in store now CHECK THROW Rug up for winter with one of these gorgeous check throws made from wool cashmere and mohair. Made in Ireland and priced from $249 each
WWW.HARROWSETHALL.CO.NZ HARROWSET HALL SHOP 7 | 21 NUFFIELD ST | NEWMARKET 09 524 4452
MARIUS OCHRE THROW A stunning new colour ochre in soft knitted throw from the winter collection at Harrowset Hall. 180cm x 130cm $229
TRENZSEATER
HYERES CHANDLIER Is a new chandelier imported from Eichholtz which features a large collection of half round acrylic and nickel strands shaped in a triangular design. The Hyeres is in-store and available to view on our website.
CHATEAUX DINING TABLE Is a gorgeous new dining table, inspired by a French antique with an intricate parquet pattern design on the top, inlayed with walnut and finished with a hand planed, aged timber finish. This table we have made exclusively in New Zealand and is available in different sizes. The Chateaux table is in-store and available to view on our website.
WWW.TRENZSEATER.COM TRENZSEATER 80 PARNELL ROAD | PARNELL 09 303 4151
FLEMING ARMCHAIR Is a new armchair that Trenzseater had made exclusively in this fabric selection from Andrew Martin. The FLEMING armchair features silver stud detail on the arms, the frame is made in a beautiful, soft Andrew Martin velvet with a contrasting seat in a new Andrew Martin vintage crest design. This armchair is in-store and available to view on our website.
POYNTERS LONGHORN SOFA BED by Innovation Modern, contemporary design with a simple hinge mechanism that converts to a double bed in seconds.
CUBED 140 SOFA BED by Innovation Converts to a double size sofa bed in seconds. Perfect for tasteful, compact environments. Width 150cm.
WWW.POYNTERS.CO.NZ POYNTERS 10 MORNINGSIDE DRIVE | KINGSLAND 09 815 1580
BIFROST SOFABED by Innovation A sophisticated queen size bed with deep pocket spring mattress.
BLACK AND WHITE DIAMOND TUB CHAIR A timeless colour combination in a modern, diamond zig zag pattern. Classic black and white colours will lend themselves to any interior. Upholstered in jute and wool and accented with metal studs (RRP $2,490).
FRENCH COUNTRY VERSATILE DRUM TABLE One of our best sellers. The irregular indented pattern in solid iron adds texture and contrast to any room. The rich copper finish, is a feature winter trend and will add impact to any living space (RRP $345).
DRUM TABLE Bold, geometric shapes are a stand out feature on this durable black iron industrial drum table. Available in two sizes and perfect as a side table, coffee table or bedside table (RRP $449).
WWW.FRENCHCOUNTRY.CO.NZ 0800 503 500
ALLIUM DAY BIRGER ET MIKKELSEN HOME A stunning new collection of votives, vases and other homewares from Day Birger et Mikkelsen. From $69
AURA SILVER DOTS DUVET A sprinkle of black and silver dots on a white linen background and pretty mint reverse. Duvet set from $210
WWW.ALLIUM.CO.NZ ALLIUM 11 TEED STREET | NEWMARKET 09 524 4242
COPPER PLANT STAND It’s all about metallics and bringing the outdoors in! New in-store is this dream combination. This standing, real copper planter with black stand is the must have home accessory. Find the perfect spot, add the perfect plant and enjoy! From $289
WHITE LAUNDRY BASKET Woven with Kaisa grass known for its sturdy nature $59.99. Full collection of baskets available in store.
TRADE AID ABACA LAMPSHADES A modern addition to any home, handmade in the Philippines. Available in two sizes and ямБve colours. From $34.99.
HAND WOVEN BAMBOO STOOL Crafted by artisans in Bangladesh $69.99.
NATURAL STRIPED RUG Beautiful hand woven durrie rugs made from 100% cotton. See in store for our full collection.
WWW.TRADEAID.ORG.NZ TRADE AID NEWMARKET 370 BROADWAY | NEWMARKET TRADE AID CITY 28 HIGH STREET | CITY 09 307 0884
LE MONDE HOME
MANHATTAN CLUB CHAIR and CUSTOM MADE CUSHION
PEACOCK LINEN DINING CHAIR
CUSTOM MADE SHADE AND RATTAN BASE LAMP
WWW.LE-MONDE.CO.NZ LE MONDE HOME 69D ST. GEORGES BAY ROAD | PARNELL 09 377 9518 LE MONDE PONSONBY 36 POLLEN ST | PONSONBY 09 376 2993
HOME + DESIGN
SO MUCH TO SEE. ALL FOR FREE.
visit our showroom
auckland 09 368 7694 51-53 the strand, parnell - hamilton 07 854 9495 530 river rd www.forma.co.nz | www.facebook.com/formafurniturenz
July 2015
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Quality Sleep Quality sleep can make all the difference to your good health and well being. We are a family owned business and our focus is on helping you find the best quality sleep possible. When the time comes for you to update your bed - let us help you find the right one.
every night
Best Prices every day
Do not buy a new bed without seeing us first
BOTANY
NEWMARKET
Crowhurst St Cnr With Khyber Pass Rd 500 Ti Rakau Drive Opp BP Connect Next to Harvey p 520 4337 p 274 3695 www.dreambeds.co.nz
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HOME + DESIGN
Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler Co. is one of America’s oldest and privately held companies employing over 30,000 people worldwide.
ABOUT KOHLER Kohler is a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bathroom products, engines and power systems; premier furniture and tile; and owner of the two of the world’s finest five-star hospitality and golf resorts — one in Kohler, United States and the other at St Andrews, Scotland. Kohler bathroom products are well known for providing the total bathroom solution that strike a perfect balance between form and function. Kohler finds inspiration in the world of art and pioneers new concepts to ensure customers enjoy the finest in bathroom design. Kohler New Zealand purchased Englefield, a privately owned, Kiwi-founded bathroomware company in 2000, based in Glenfield, Auckland. The full ground level frontage of their head office is being converted into a Kohler and Englefield brand technical showroom, featuring new finishes, new products and a fresh approach to advising and helping people choose their ‘dream’ bathroom. The technical display is located at 133 Diana Drive, Glenfield. As this new facility is not totally complete, in the meantime please ring 09 980 6800 to make an appointment so that we can better serve you and meet your requirements.
KOHLER 09980 6800 WWW.KOHLER.CO.NZ 33 DIANA DRIVE, GLENFIELD
July 2015
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QUEST PARNELL
QUEST CARLAW PARK
QUEST NEWMARKET
8 Heather St | Parnell ph 09 337 0804 reservations@questparnell.co.nz www.questparnell.co.nz
15 Nicholls Lane | Carlaw Park | Parnell ph 09 304 0521 host@questcarlaw.co.nz www.questcarlawpark.co.nz
31-39 Davis Cr | Newmarket ph 09 520 3000 host@questnewmarket.co.nz www.questnewmarket.co.nz
For family or guests, business or leisure, you can rest easy knowing that Quest can provide you and your loved ones a home away from home. Stay for one night, one week, or longer.
HOME + DESIGN
www.homestagers.co.nz facebook.com/dmihomestagers
all@homestagers.co.nz 0800 DMI HOME (0800 364 4663)
TIPS FROM AN EXPERT KITCHEN DESIGNER Shane George enjoys applying the latest international design and technology trends to New Zealand living. Shane brings to each project a comprehensive practical knowledge and exquisite design flare. Why use Shane as your kitchen designer? Shane is detail focussed. He invests the time and thought into each project so every space, component and element of your new kitchen is considered. As a creative thinker, Shane is not satisfied with providing just a ‘run of the mill’ design for you. He will create the unexpected, something truly beautiful and exciting.
7 MELROSE STREET, NEWMARKET KITCHENSBYDESIGN.CO.NZ MONDAY-FRIDAY, 9AM-5PM 09 379 3084
it also needs to function really well for your lifestyle. A well thought through, designed kitchen makes use of each inch of available space and has a very considered flow that should be unique to you and the people living in it. How do you make sure we don’t get overwhelmed by all of the steps involved in attaining a new kitchen? Work with experienced good people. A successful new kitchen renovation is a team effort, invest time in the process and enjoy it! What’s the hottest thing ‘off the press’ at the moment available in New Zealand?
What’s a must-have in kitchens you are designing this year?
Beautiful metal finishes used on cabinetry or as an accent like a range hood. Super hard wearing ceramic bench materials, fantastic new drawer systems.
It might seem obvious, but as always it’s good design! You may have beautiful materials and finishes in your kitchen but
Call into Kitchens By Design showroom today to meet Shane...
KITCHENS | BATHROOMS | LIFESTYLE SPACES
ABIANEE Importer and Designer of Fine Hand-knotted Persian Rugs Est. 1986
RUG CLEARANCE SALE EVERYTHING MUST GO Lease running out
Make an offer! Let始s talk through a deal! Enjoy the art of these master weavers and pass it on to future generations.
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Antique | Vintage | Patchwork | Contemporary | Custom
THE DOG COAT COMPANY
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READ MORE ON PAGE 95 ...
IN GOOD COMPANY
“Classically tailored to elevate your dog’s style and made from imported Italian cashmere with supple leather buckles, this decadent coat is a must have for all sophisticated hounds, this winter.”
If you simply Google ‘cashmere coat’ your search reveals a pedigree of top designers and luxury retailers — Burberry, Harrods and Saks 5th Avenue, to name a few. Amongst these top fashion houses, you’ll also find Christchurch boutique business, The Dog Coat Company, whose own cashmere coat, rivals that of something you’d wear yourself. Classically tailored to elevate your dog’s style and made from imported Italian cashmere with supple leather buckles, this decadent coat is a must have for all sophisticated hounds, this winter.
Wool is the gold standard when it comes to winter warmth — sustainable, breathable and comfortable. At The Dog Coat Company, we believe your dog deserves the luxury of wool too. We use natural fabrics to produce our range, which features traditional tweeds and trendy tartans in addition to our opulent cashmere. But, our favourite is the cozy Dog’s Pyjamas, which are 100% wool, with no buckles or belts — simply find a puddle of winter sun, curl up and enjoy. And with the recent spate of torrential ‘downpaws’, the practical and essential Storm Jacket is a must to ward off that wet dog smell. In fact, purchase a Storm Jacket and receive a complimentary embroidered ‘Wipe Your Paws’ towel, while stocks last. Find a dog coat for every occasion at www.thedogcoatcompany.co.nz.
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DRESS YOUR PET THIS WINTER Whether you’re a lover or a hater, dog fashion is well and truly here. Canines are quickly becoming the mirror image of their owners, and with the days and nights getting colder have you considered wrapping up your pooch? There are both fashionable and functional reasons for your furry friends to go couture; it’s all about alternative living for today’s modern dogs.
WHAT IS YOUR DOG THINKING?
But, do not try and force your Chihuahua to squeeze into a sequined vest, no matter how beautiful it may be. Some dogs just aren’t into it and you are likely to end up with one unhappy puppy by the end of the day.
Your canine companion is likely constantly by your side, following you around like a shadow, but is he dreaming of you? Does he feel guilty about stealing that sandwich crust off your plate? Does he really like watching television? After decades of research neuroscientists have begun to answer such questions.
Instead, maybe start with a simple bandana around their neck and see how they take to it, this should help you decide whether your pet likes to be dressed up or prefers their own furry coat. If this sounds like something you and your pet would be keen to try, then don’t go out and buy the most designer, doggy Dolce and Gabbana piece to start off with, as your dog may mistake it for a new chew toy. A plain old jacket from your local pet store should suffice for your pet’s first dressup experience. Over the past few weeks, it is likely that you and your pet have started to feel the cold more than usual and, for you, keeping warm is as simple as adding another layer, but this
may prove a challenge for your poor pooch. Be aware that dogs can easily overheat, so if you want to try and warm up your pet make sure to keep it light, nothing bulky or too heavy. So if you think your pet would appreciate a few more layers to help them through the cold winter nights, then a little sweater or puffer jacket would not only do the trick, but your dog will look more fashionable than ever. Words: Rhianna Osborne
Dogs have the same brain structure that produce emotions in humans; they also have the same hormones and undergo similar chemical changes during differing emotional states. They even have the hormone oxytocin, which is involved in love and affection, so it seems reasonable to suggest that dogs also have emotions similar to ours. However, the mind of a dog is roughly equivalent to that of a 2-year-old child, so it is important not to get too excited about this concept. Dogs go through their developmental stages much faster than humans do, attaining their full emotional range by the time they reach five months. Much like a toddler, a dog has the basic emotions of joy, fear, anger, disgust, excitement, contentment, distress, and even love, but a dog does not and cannot develop more complex emotions such as guilt, pride or shame. Although you may argue that your dog has shown signs of guilt when he slinks behind the couch or puts his tail between his legs, this is simply a sign of fear. The dog
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has merely associated the act of misbehaving and the owner finding out about it with a scolding or some form of punishment. Most dogs show little interest in the average television set due to their remarkable visual abilities. The average person cannot see flickering of images above 55 cycles per second, whereas dogs can resolve flickers at 75 cycles per second, so images appearing on a box in the center of the room appear less realistic and less worthy of your pup’s attention. However, as high-resolution televisions refresh at a much higher rate, pooches are starting to become very interested in newer technology HDTVs. Therefore, I think it is more than fair to say that dogs have feelings too. So the next time you say, “he’s just a dog, he doesn’t understand,” maybe you’ll think twice about just how sensitive your pooch really is.
Words: Rhianna Osborne
GOES WRONG . . .
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V.I.P. BEDS FOR VERY IMPORTANT PETS
WHEN RAW-FEEDING A raw diet provides optimal species-appropriate nutrition, and glowing good health — but only if the diet is well planned. Things can go terribly wrong if you lack the right information (see the story below). Fortunately — it is easy to get it right. KEEP IT SIMPLE... • An appropriate raw diet mimics what a cat or dog would eat in the wild • Raw meat, bones, organs, and tripe • From a variety of the best quality prey species available • Nothing else added WHEN IT GOES WRONG… Two kittens, raised on a meatonly diet, presented to us with severe lameness — their bones weakened by a lack of calcium. The body tries to maintain a balance of calcium in the blood and the bone. Meat-only diets lack calcium. When the blood can’t grab calcium from the diet, it grabs it from the bones instead, weakening them. On a well-planned raw diet of meat, bones and organs, ample calcium is absorbed
from the diet into the blood — the body keeps the bloodbone concentrations steady by depositing calcium into the kitten’s bones. There are many other complex nutrient interactions (which explains the long ingredient lists on processed foods). Luckily, nature gets the balance right for us. At Raw Essentials we spend considerable time researching carnivore nutrition, and analysing our approach to raw feeding to ensure that we are helping people get the best out of raw feeding. Oh, and it is often not too late to reverse damage caused by nutritional imbalances — so if you know of any raw-feeders that need a bit of guidance, please let them know we are here to help!
The production of V.I.P. wool filled bedding for dogs kept inside is in full swing as colder weather arrives. They come in two forms; either as a mattress or as an oval V.I.P. Bed. Mutt Mattresses are covered either in tartan or camel coloured cotton corduroy.
Their prices range from $40.00 for a Banana Box bed for car or home, to $250.00 for a large Great Dane size mattress in corduroy. V.I.P. Beds range from cat to Labrador size, have high sides, carpet base and a nest mattress of wool ball filling. They are an attractive piece of furniture as well as being a ‘heavenly haven’ for the dogs. Having a dedicated place for the dog has a calming effect, as they are content to recline and observe the household’s doings without continually investigating and being in the way and causing chaos. For working dogs and others kept out of the house, Tough Stuff double sacked wool filled sacks are a very economical solution. They wear well, are easily re-covered with $5.00 extra sacks and are continually in demand. Prices are $50.00 to $55.00 depending on size of kennel or trampoline bed.
A couple of large sheep stations in the Taihape region have written to say how pleased they are after a year of use with multiple sheepdogs. Empty sacks are being ordered to ‘jazz up‘ the Tough Stuff, ready for the next winter in the snow line. Grateful letters flow in from both pet and working dog owners, as the wonderful wool does its therapeutic work, warming joints, easing arthritic pain and generally giving more ‘oomph’ to the dog. Both V.I.P. pillows for Very Important Passengers and larger bed pillows are filled with smaller balls of knopped wool blown through a centrifugal force, and continue to pleasure children and adults. At $28.00 and $45.00 they are a wonderfully comforting gift, giving years of good sleep. Wool continues to warm bodies and hearts.
SEE LETTERS AT WWW.VIPBEDS.CO.NZ RING BARBIE CASSIDY @ 06 858 9766 FOR BROCHURE OR TO DISCUSS YOUR DOG. June 2015
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ANIMALS AND AILMENTS The health benefits of owning a pet are now well-known: increasing happiness and general well-being while reducing everything from stress to obesity. In the United States for instance, a National Institutes of Health study concluded that dog-owners had better after heart attack survival rates than those without furry four legged friends. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, owning a pet decreases cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure, while psychologists have discovered pets develop empathy in children and help autistic kids improve their socialisation skills. It is now clear that canines can save lives on a more immediate level too. An article in the Guardian reports of two trained bomb-sniffing dogs being able to detect prostate cancer in urine samples with more than 90% accuracy. Another dog in America, reports the BBC, can sniff out undiagnosed thyroid cancer tumours with an 88% success rate. Cancer Research United Kingdom says that though routinely using dogs would be impractical, finding the chemicals which the canines could smell could lead to new tests. Dr Donald Bodenner, chief of endocrine oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where the experiment was conducted, described dogs’ capabilities to sniff out minute amounts as “unbelievable.” “The medical community over the next few years is going to have great appreciation [for them],” he added. There is, however, a collection of other creatures historically used for medicinal purposes that aren’t so cuddly, and they may just be making a comeback. Earlier this year, a number of clinics in London’s prestigious medical hub, Harley Street, were reported by science experts to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) for making what they claim were misleading statements following a BBC documentary in which they promoted alternative therapies. The series, called Inside Harley Street, showed, among others things, the use of leeches to suck the blood from a man suffering from back and shoulder pain. According to London Leech Therapy, the blood-suckers can be used to help treat conditions such as depression, fatigue, skin diseases, insomnia and varicose veins. Science charity The Good Thinking Society, who lodged the complaint, say there is no evidence to back up their claims. Leeches have been used since the Biblical age for medicinal purposes with practitioners believing the blood-letting to provide relief for countless conditions. The world is home to around 300 species 68
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of leeches of which only one can be administered to humans (the rest can be found on such places as the inner nostrils of Saharan camels and the rectums of African hippos). The human-‘friendly’ variety sports ten eyes and stomachs, six hearts and a three-jawstrong sucker that leaves a scar similar to the Mercedes-Benz badge. Yelena Titova, who heads a factory which breeds leeches for the medical industry in Russia, says their bite boasts “an entire drugstore” of proteins and enzymes which stimulate blood circulation, lowers cholesterol, boosts metabolism, helps treat diabetes, infertility and a whole lot more. “There isn’t a single field of medicine where leeches are not used these days,” he tells Al Jazeera. “Though, I’m not saying it’s a panacea.” Substance secreted within leeches’ saliva have been proven to help prevent clots and numerous studies have also shown there to be benefits from varying forms of blood-letting. One,
In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of maggots as a valid “medical device.” Bred from sterilised fly eggs and kept in teabag-like packages to prevent them from escaping and developing into flies, the creatures are placed on wounds, where they consume dead flesh and ignore healthy tissue. Their benefit as an effective ‘antibiotic’ has been known for thousands of years, but scientists are now learning more. A study published in the Archives of Dermatology in 2012 found that maggots removed more dead tissue more quickly than standard surgical procedures, while another study, published in Wound Regeneration and Repair discovered that maggots also leave secretions in wound which further clear infection. Perhaps the most stomach-churning treatment of all, however, is the use of parasitic worms which are either ingested or allowed to crawl through the skin. The intestinal parasite, which routinely sickens and kills hundreds of millions of people each year, may also heal wounds and even prove useful in the treatment of lung disease according to a report published by Nature Medicine.
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published in the journal BMC Medicine, found it to reduce blood pressure and levels of bad cholesterol, while increasing levels of the good. Another study published by the American Medical Association found that those who donated blood twice a year reduce their risk of strokes and heart attacks.
“Last year, Mitch, a bearded collie, was hit by a courier van. His most worrying injury was lung damage. He spent an entire weekend under the expert care of the Animal Emergency Centre, who, quite literally, saved his life. We are so grateful and have so much admiration for their professionalism.” — Don Wilson
The study authors found that proteins produced by the immune system to fend off the invaders enhance our body’s capabilities to reduce inflammation and fight infection. “This orchestrated enhanced wound-healing response, which includes control of harmful inflammation and direct mediation of wound repair, may have evolved in the host to mitigate harmful effects of the considerable acute tissue damage these large multicellular parasites can cause as they migrate through essential organs,” lead author William Gause tells LiveScience. “In this regard, these parasites, or parasite products may potentially be used to treat acute lung injury.” Words: Jamie Christian Desplaces
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In the United States for instance, a National Institutes of Health study concluded that dogowners had better after heart attack survival rates than those without furry four legged friends.
OPEN WHEN YOUR REGULAR VET IS NOT!
(09) 849 2121 97 CARRINGTON ROAD, MT ALBERT WWW.ANIMALEMERGENCY. CO.NZ
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5 HEALTHY HOMEMADE DOG FOOD RECIPES AND ORGANIC TREATS
W
hen I adopted my dog a few years ago, I kept feeding her the same commercial brand of dog food she had eaten at the kennel. A few months after, she started to develop rashes and dry skin. In a desperate attempt to get my poor girl to stop scratching, I started reading up on dog food ingredients and learned that most commercial dog food contains meat byproducts, fillers, and general junk I didn’t want my dog eating.
To save some money, I started looking into different homemade dog food and treat recipes and found that I could save money by making my dog’s meals and snacks. In addition to the cost savings, the food I make for my dog is much healthier than commercial dog food. Most homemade dog treats keep for a week or more, and you can freeze homemade dogfood, so you always have some cheap, healthy alternatives on hand for your pup.
After that, I switched to organic dog food and treats, but that started to get very expensive.
Below are my favourite homemade organic dog food and treat recipes that you can try at home.
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES Dogs love peanut butter, and these cookies are a great way to sneak some fish oil into your dog’s diet. Fish oil improves your dog’s coat, making it shiny, soft and healthier. Look for organic peanut butter at your grocery store. Many commercial brands of peanut butter have unhealthy hydrogenated oils and additives. Better yet, make your own peanut butter using raw peanuts and peanut oil, and processing the mixture in your food processor. INGREDIENTS • 2 cups of flour (white or wheat, if your pup has no wheat allergies) • 1 cup of rolled oats • 1/3 cup of smooth peanut butter • 1 tablespoon of honey • 1/2 tablespoon of fish oil • 1 1/2 cups of water
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DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. 2 Mix the flour and oats together in a large mixing bowl. Pour in one cup of water and blend until smooth. Add in the peanut butter, honey, and fish oil and mix until all the ingredients are well blended. 3 Slowly add the water until the mixture has a thick and doughy consistency. 4 Lightly flour a cooking surface. Roll the dough onto the cooking surface to create a 7mm thick sheet. 5 Use a cookie cutter to create shapes. Place the cookies onto a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. 6 Allow to cool completely before feeding. Pro Tip: If the dough is too sticky to roll, slowly pad more flour onto the dough ball.
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CHICKEN JERKY I give my pup these chicken jerky treats as an alternative
ORGANIC DOG TREAT RECIPES
These treats have a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and meat your dog will love. By purchasing organic ingredients, and sticking to low-sugar and low-fat options, you can keep your dog healthy as well.
to the store-bought raw hides. The jerky is tough and chewy, so it keeps my dog occupied for a while, and the chicken has a good amount of protein, which is good for a dog’s muscle structure.
sweet potatoes for the chicken in this recipe. Sweet potatoes make a healthy, vegetarian alternative.
INGREDIENTS • 2 to 4 chicken breasts
If your dog loves to chase ice cubes around the kitchen, then he’ll love these frozen treats. They’re made from human grade ingredients and include fruit juice and carrots, which give your pup an added vitamin boost. Yogurt has calcium and protein, and can help your dog digest food.
DIRECTIONS
1 Preheat the oven to 95 degrees Celsius.
2 Remove any excess fat from
the chicken. Turn the chicken breast on its side and use a paring knife to slice the chicken breast into 3mm thick strips. 3 Set the strips on a baking sheet. Bake for 2 hours. 4 Check the chicken before removing from the oven. It should be dry and hard, not soft or chewy. Allow the chicken to cool completely before serving. 5 Store the jerky in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Pro Tip: You can substitute
FROZEN YOGURT POPS FOR DOGS
Note that this recipe calls for non-fat yogurt, which is a much healthier alternative to other types of yogurt, especially if your dog is overweight. INGREDIENTS • 170 grams container of plain, non-fat frozen yogurt • 1 cup of no-sugar added fruit juice • 1/2 cup of carrots, minced
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DIRECTIONS
1 Add the yogurt, fruit juice, and carrots
into a medium-sized bowl. Stir until the ingredients are smooth and well-blended. 2 Drop the mixture into the ice cube trays by spoonful. 3 Freeze until the ingredients are solid. Pro Tip: Use hard plastic trays instead of the softer rubber ones to make the treats. The treats are easier to remove from a hard tray.
TURKEY AND VEGETABLE DINNER This basic dog food recipe includes turkey for protein and vegetables for added vitamins and minerals. Turkey has less fat than beef, making this an ideal recipe for pups that could stand to lose a few pounds. • • • • • •
INGREDIENTS 4 cups of water 450 grams of ground turkey 2 cups of brown rice 1 cup of carrots, chopped 1 cup of green beans, chopped 1 tablespoon of fish oil (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1 Cook the ground turkey in a non-stick
skillet over medium heat until the meat is cooked through. 2 Add the brown rice, turkey, and water to a large pot and bring to a boil. 3 Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until the rice is soft and tender. 4 Add the carrots and green beans and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. 5 Allow to cool before serving. 6 Store extra dinners in the fridge for up to five days. Pro Tip: Avoid using heavy oil to brown the turkey. The high fat content of the oil may upset your dog’s stomach.
DOGGIE CHILI Dogs need large amounts of protein to keep them healthy and active. Your pup should get the majority of his protein from whole meat sources, such as fresh chicken. Beans also have a good amount of protein.This recipe blends chicken, beans, and vegetables to create a healthy and tasty mix.
HEALTHY DOG FOOD RECIPES Homemade dog food is healthier than the mass-produced dog food brands, and significantly cheaper than most of the organic dog food brands. Making your own dog food does take a bit of time, but you can make extra and store it in the freezer. Feeding your dog homemade dog food can reduce the risk of skin allergies, boost their immune system, improve their digestive system and give them renewed energy.
• • • • • •
INGREDIENTS 4 chicken breasts 1 cup of kidney beans, drained 1 cup of black beans, drained 1 cup of carrots, diced 1/2 cup of tomato paste 4 cups of chicken broth DIRECTIONS
1 Remove the excess fat and dice the
chicken breasts into nickel-sized pieces.
2 Cook the chicken breasts in a non-stick
skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. 3 Add the chicken, beans, carrots, tomato paste, and chicken broth into a large pot and cook over medium heat until heated through — about 10 minutes. 4 Allow the mixture to cool before serving. 5 Store leftover chili in the fridge for up to five days. Pro Tip: You can add a 1/2 tablespoon of fish oil to this recipe. The flavours are strong enough that even picky eaters won’t notice the added healthy ingredient.
FINAL WORD
While most dogs can handle a variety of different treats fed in small doses, some might get an upset stomach if you switch foods too quickly or too often. Before you start making your own homemade dog food, talk to your vet and ask if he or she has any special ingredient suggestions, as some breeds may be more prone to food allergies than others. After getting your vet’s approval, switch your dog’s food over gradually, slowing mixing in a homemade dish with your regular food over the course of several days. Have you made homemade dog treats or organic dogfood before? What have the results been like? Words: Angela Colley
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MUSIC
WITH THE AUDIO CONSULTANT
All music is reviewed using Focal speakers and Devialet or Musical Fidelity amplifiers.
FEVER RAY FEVER RAY
JENNIFER AUSTIN TAKE ME WITH YOU
OF MONSTERS AND MEN BENEATH THE SKIN
If you’ve been watching the recent television series Vikings and wondered where the amazing title track originated from, this is the album. Released in 2009 If I Had A Heart was Fever Ray’s lead single of her début solo album Fever Ray, and it was subsequently picked up in 2011 for Vikings. Fever Ray (real name Karin Dreijer Andersson) is a Swedish electropop musician and vocalist who was previously part of the electronic music duo The Knife and prior to that a vocalist and guitarist in an alternative rock band in Sweden.
The début album from this promising local Auckland singer/songwriter features an exciting mix of dance, pop and heart-felt love songs. Originally from the United States, Jennifer and her French husband now reside in Auckland (after a couple of years spent in Melbourne). Austin has here had the time to focus on her music, and in conjunction with her producer, mPhatic, has produced an impressive first effort.
This Icelandic folk-pop band wowed us with their amazing début album My Head Is an Animal in 2012, full of lush and diverse sounds with passionate lyrics and mythical storytelling; with traces of the style of (fellow Icelanders) Sigur Rós, as well as Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Mumford & Sons. Now in 2015 they are back with their second album Beneath The Skin.
Full of raw honesty and emotion this album travels from the energy of pumping dance tracks like Dangerous, to soulful honest and heartfelt slower numbers like Take Me With You. We really like this album and look forward to more from Jennifer. See last month’s issue of Verve for our interview with her! Available on CD, iTunes and other download services.
They call their new effort, “more personal and introspective,” however, it has been described as containing, “cryptic love songs built on moody guitars and keyboards and rolling tom-tom beats contrasted with optimistic rock songs.”
Four singles were released from this album, including the wonderful When I Grow Up as well as the hauntingly powerful lead single mentioned above. Critical reception was high, and the album is enveloping and rewarding with lots of detail and depth — drawing you in — much in the style of Kate Bush and (as one other reviewer commentated) Yellow Magic Orchestra. This is not dance electronica akin to The Knife, but a deeper, more compelling and thought provoking sound with elements of triphop. Available on CD and iTunes.
Words: John Moher
Hi-Fi Quality Bluetooth Speakers $599
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From our perspective this is another solid effort by the indie folk-pop Icelandic quintet — and well worth a listen. Available on CD and iTunes.
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W W W. T H E A U D I O C O N S U LTA N T. C O . N Z
ART + ABOUT
THE PERFORMANCE.NET AND KING’S SCHOOL: SETTING THE STAGE FOR LIFE
A
t King’s School in Remuera, acting is actively encouraged.
A visit to the school a few weeks ago left an indelible impression of an environment that is kind and nurturing: an enlightened environment where young boys are happy and fulfilled. The list of alumni says it all: that, along with a solid preparatory school foundation, your sons can achieve greatness. (And remember, greatness comes in many forms). According to Headmaster Tony Sissons, the seeds of that greatness are planted not only in the classroom and on the sports field, but also on the stage. For ten years, all boys at King’s School have participated in weekly performing arts classes, run by professionals from The Performance.net. The boys receive worldclass tutoring in dance and drama. The King’s School annual production is always a highlight of the school year. Tony Sissons realised some time ago that the performing arts had as much to do with developing a young person, promoting their personality growth and arming them with essential life skills as it did with honing skills in drama, dance, singing and playing musical instruments. There are many good reasons why The Performance.net will next year be celebrating its eleventh year of artistic partnership with King’s School. For example:
· The boys are taught and inspired by qualified performing arts tutors, some of whom they get to see on the professional stage and on television. · King’s School annual productions directed, choreographed and coproduced by The Performance.net, are top notch, with no hiccups, no melt-downs and confident young performers feeling prepped and ready for anything. · King’s School teachers are left to concentrate on teaching core curriculum subjects, as opposed to pouring their time
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The Performance. net doesn’t just prepare young people for the stage — it prepares them for life.
” and effort into directing these high
quality productions. · The boys’ appreciation for some of the literature covered in the English curriculum is far greater, because they are bringing to life many of the characters and stories in their acting classes: Shakespeare one week, Roald Dahl the next. Rather than take away from the boys’ learning, The Performance. net classes actually enhance them.
· As the boys create characters on stage, build camaraderie with other cast members and experience the exhilaration of performance, their confidence soars. This belief in themselves inevitably spills into other areas of the school curriculum. Furthermore, thanks to The Performance. net classes, King’s boys are absorbing and developing important life skills: · They learn how to improvise and how to bridge the gaps when there is a performance hiccup. · Every actor, no matter what role he is playing, needs to ‘step up’, thus learning important lessons about leadership and accountability. · The boys’ teamwork skills are enhanced. · Most of all, the boys learn confidence, and how to speak out and speak up. All these things stand King’s boys in good stead for future success in their careers, relationships and life adventures. Research continues to prove the positive impact of the performing arts on any student’s physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. WWW.THEPERFORMANCE.NET WWW.KINGS.SCHOOL.NZ
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CROSSING RACHMANINOFF It’s a bitterly cold December evening in Lamezia Terme, Italy. The orchestra has tuned up, the conductor and the pianist are onstage, the audience is silent and ready. The stage is set for a one-off performance by the Orchestra Filarmonica Calabria of Piano Concerto No 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, the composer’s famous ‘comeback’ composition.
The pianist is Italian born, Auckland-based Flavio Villani and he is about to play the concert he’s been waiting for all his life. Here too, to witness and film this momentous culmination of one man’s dreams, are New Zealand director Rebecca Tansley and her film crew, recording the final act for their documentary of Flavio’s moving odyssey: Crossing Rachmaninoff. Every life is a journey, every person’s road a different one, everyone’s destination personal to them. For Flavio Villani, this night in Teatro Grandinetti was the confirmation he had sought from years of dreaming, struggling and searching for a life that he had to invent for himself. While his schoolmates were into football, pop and girls, Flavio the teenager was rocking out to Rachmaninoff No. 2 at max volume in his bedroom in tiny Nocere Superiore - population 25,000 - in the southwest of Italy. ‘The climax of the first movement used to give me goose bumps. I thought I would never be able to play it, but I also thought how cool it would be if I could.’ I wonder: why this concerto? ‘Because it’s beautiful, full of melody. It’s easy to fall in love with; it’s so grand and full of passion. It’s cathartic for me to listen to; it’s so powerful that you forget whatever it is you have on your mind.’ And as a gay classical music-loving teenager in conservative, provincial Italy
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the son of a general in the Italian army to boot – Flavio had a lot on his mind. ‘I had some conflicts with my father as a teenager, but the real struggle I won’t say was with him,’ he explains. ‘The real struggle for me was growing up with no role model to follow in what has now become my life path. I had no concept of how I could ever work or support myself as a musician. ‘
But not everybody has the opportunity, or desire, to play music, I say. Flavio is unperturbed. ‘Of course, but everybody should learn how to listen. Listening has become the background to our lives. We should be thinking about the quality of what we listen to as well. We would never expect our children to learn everything from a simple, nice book. That same sort of caution should be given to music choices.’
Maybe unsurprisingly, there was little support at home at that stage for his musical ambitions – emotionally or practically. ‘I found my own teachers and caught the bus to the main province (Salerno) to have lessons,’ he says. The first piano we had in the house was when I was 16. But I can’t blame my family for that. If you grew up with the idea that the best a musician could do was play in the local band, would you take this vocation seriously?’
But back to Rachmaninoff and that teenage dream. Says Flavio: ‘There are many pianists. This is just one more concerto performance in a vast sea of concerto performances. I had the luck that its journey has been documented in Crossing Rachmaninoff . But it took this particular journey for me to learn that the only confirmation I can ever find is within myself.
It’s been a long and circuitous journey since those uncertain days, but Flavio has just celebrated seven years in New Zealand, finally living his dream of a lifestyle wholly based around making and sharing music. *** In ancient Greece, Flavio tells me, the study of music was compulsory; an integral component of Classical education as well as everyday life. ‘When you play music, somehow every part of your brain is working and stimulated,’ he says. ‘It’s like a festival in your brain.’
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A piece like this concerto stays for life and it will always be evolving with me. This is not a culmination. This is just the start.
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‘CROSSING RACHMANINOFF’ IS PREMIERING AT THE NZIFF AT THE CIVIC THEATRE ON SATURDAY 18TH JULY AND PLAYS AGAIN ON TUESDAY 21ST JULY. Words: Suzy Fraser
CONSENTINO LIVE AT THE CIVIC
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Consentino, the three times Australian award-winning magician, is bringing his spectacular live shows to Auckland’s Civic Theatre this August. He is renowned for expertly fusing sleight of hand magic, magnificent illusions, and death-defying escape artistry to keep his audience on the edge of their seats. I sat down with the grand illusionist to get to know the man behind the magic and the secret to his success.
Magic is so much more powerful live, it starts to play with your mind and that’s when it becomes a lot more potent.
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Rhianna: How long have you been practicing magic for? Consentino: Over 15 years. I started as a 12-year-old kid, it was just for fun, but as I matured it became my part time job. I started because I was a very shy kid growing up and spent a lot of time at the library because my mum was the school principal. I had a lot of learning difficulties as a kid and she would read these magic books to me, so I got into it because of the reading, the side effect was that I started learning the tricks. R: Who would you consider to be your inspiration/idol? C: Definitely Harry Houdini. At the time, he was the world’s first superstar, there were no rock stars or celebrities; he created that whole thing, it didn’t exist.
R: What was your big break/claim to fame? C: The answer people probably expect to hear is coming runner up on Australia’s Got Talent, but I had done a lot of groundwork and television and radio before I got there, and I think it’s because of that work that I was able to approach Australia’s Got Talent from a different perspective than most other acts. I didn’t take the opportunity for granted, I knew what I was getting myself into and I knew how to capitalise on it. R: What is it about your shows that sets you apart from other illusionists? C: Most magicians focus on one particular genre, whether it be street magic, stage magic or escapes, but we do all of it. Everything from the television show we put in the stage show. It’s kind of like being a muso and saying I’m going to rap and then
sing and then dance — we put all of these aspects together. R: What should people expect to see in your upcoming Auckland shows? C: They can see aspects of my television show, as well as the illusions and the escapes close up. Magic is so much more powerful live, it starts to play with your mind and that’s when it becomes a lot more potent. R: What are your goals for the future? C: Short term — to do more television shows and more touring, but the overall goal is the same as when I started: to make magic a respected art form, hopefully as respected as when Houdini was around. Words: Rhianna Osborne
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LOVE INVADES MUSIC:
Writing Class with Ben Okri BLOGGER AT WWW.LOVEWORDSMUSIC.COM AND WRITER, CAROLINE L. BARRON, ATTENDS A MASTER CLASS WITH BOOKER PRIZEWINNING AUTHOR, BEN OKRI.
Ben Okri brims with mana. He wears a well-cut black jacket over a crisp, white shirt and a jaunty beret. He carries an Atomic coffee cup, and under his arm, his latest book and a slim, orange volume whose spine I crane my neck the entire class to read. His posture is perfect, regal almost, and his movements are considered. He links his manicured hands in front of him, as if cradling something precious, and his eyes journey about the small classroom (which, embarrassingly, may or may not be double-booked), taking the measure of the twelve students in front of him. We watch and listen — awe-struck — little birds waiting for him to drop wriggling, veteran worms of knowledge. ‘I have my doubts about this,’ he begins. I am aghast. This is only the second master class he has taught in his thirtyfive-year career. I ache in my potential deficiency. For the next hour and a half, he challenges us to, “avoid the words that are easy to write,” and focus on, “the power of suggestiveness.” He sets two writing exercises: the first to describe a dull, brown map of Tonga hanging on the wall (“thank you, that is poetry,” he says of mine, whilst I blush like a teen); the second is to tell a story beginning: “I opened the front door and there was a tiger.” Our convener, author Paula Morris, takes part and aces it. We are proud little birdies. “The world is not fixed, it depends on the quality of sorcery we bring to it.’ — Ben Okri Okri shot to fame when his 1991 novel The Famished Road won the Booker Prize 76
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for Fiction that year. I read the book as a sixth-former and my reading life (and writing life) was forever altered. Until that point I’d been thieving a Stephen King or a Wilbur Smith from dad’s stack of library books in the wardrobe. I’ll always love King, but Okri showed me that a different kind of book exists in the world — I just had to look for the magic.
of the master’s programme whip and whirl into some kind of Nabokovian filter through which I watch Okri speak.
“The poetic lines are the ones that move us the most — little magic potions that release the richness of the world that it is a writer’s duty to evoke.” — Ben Okri
I smile. Just like that, he imbues even my blog with an air of magic.
He inscribes my copy of The Age of Magic with, “best wishes for a magical writing life.” I ask if he minds me writing about him on my blog, www.lovewordsmusic.com. “Love invades music?” he says.
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“As long as you write with a touch of magic,” he says. “By the way, where is the dust jacket?”
We talk a lot about magic today. His The world is not latest book, The The pale blue cover is Age of Magic, has fixed, it depends on smudged from days of been described as: being taken in and out of the quality of sorcery my handbag on the bus. magical realism; part narrative and we bring to it. part allegory; and “Well it’s beside my bed, by Okri himself as so it doesn’t get dirty.” woven with “dream logic.” It is the story He stares at me. “I’ve of a television crew’s never heard that before.” journey from Paris to Basel in Switzerland, en route to Arcadia And I, Ben Okri, have never seen so much in Greece, and the eerie weeks beside the magic in one small double-booked (but we lake and mountain in Basel that follow. worked around it) room. Braided through the poetic narrative is the darkness of a fairytale and the philosophy P.S. The book he carried was John Keats’ of personal happiness. poetry, The Eve of St. Agnes. “The world is rich with possibility” — Ben Okri
Ben Okri appeared in New Zealand courtesy of the Auckland Writers Festival.
All of these layers — Okri’s influence on my reading and writing; being mid-way through my first novel and the intensity
Words and photos: Caroline L. Barron
Brought to you by The Kauri Museum and The Old Post Office Guesthouse in Paparoa.
WIN
ART + ABOUT
The image (left) is from the vast documentary archive collection at The Kauri Museum. You, the reader, need to submit a caption that describes the thoughts of those depicted in the image. Finalists for the caption contest will appear in the August issue of Verve magazine, along with the winning entry.
UP FOR GRABS A family pass to the award winning The Kauri Museum in Matakohe and one night’s accommodation and breakfast for up to two people at The Old Post Office Guesthouse in Paparoa (valid until December 31, 2015)
THE KAURI MUSEUM and THE OLD POST GUESTHOUSE
TERMS AND CONDITIONS Entry: All entrants must submit a caption below the photo in the July edition of Verve magazine. Submissions to the contest must be received by Sunday 19 July (midnight) in order to be eligible; entries received after that date will be deemed ineligible to win. To enter the competition, email admin@kaurimuseum.com with subject heading: Winter Weekend Getaway Caption. Please include contact details for notification purposes of winning entry. Any resident of New Zealand age eighteen or older is eligible to enter. Judging: A panel of judges consisting of staff and volunteers from The Kauri Museum will select the winning entry, and will be based equally upon the criteria of originality, wit and relevance. One entry per person; multiple entries will be disqualified. FOR ENTRY CRITERIA (INCLUDING TERMS AND CONDITIONS) VISIT WWW.KAURI MUSEUM.COM
THE KAURI MUSEUM 5 CHURCH RD | MATAKOHE 0593 | NEW ZEALAND WWW.KAURI-MUSEUM.COM
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PAINTINGS & POLKA DOTS “Artists to my mind are the real architects of change,” wrote William S. Burroughs, “and not the political legislators who implement change after the fact.” It’s a sentiment echoed by one of the most revered and intriguing creative minds of our time, Yayoi Kusama. “Artists should protest all the time,” she tells Time Out London, “because there are still many problems in the world with democracy and human rights and because there is a big gap between the wealthy and the poor.” Kusama is, according to the Art Newspaper, “the poster girl for the globalisation of contemporary art”. Notable accolades for the 86-year-old include the Asahi Prize, the National Lifetime Achievement Award and the Ordes des Arts et des Lettres. A 2014 museum attendance survey revealed Kusama to be the world’s most popular artist, attracting over two million people to a retrospective — including her iconic polka-dot and mirror installations — in South and Central America alone. In 2008 a painting of hers sold at New York’s Christies for US$5.1 million, a record at the time for a living female artist and she was the first Japanese woman to be bestowed with the prestigious Praemium Imperiale. But, nationality, she says, should be an irrelevance. “I don’t want to be seen as a Japanese artist,” Kusama tells the Financial Times. “I just want to be able to explore my art freely in an international context.” The likes of Claes Oldenburg and Andy Warhol have cited her as an influence.
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Artists to my mind are the real architects of change.”
Kusama’s upbringing was a troubled one. She claims to have experienced hallucinations and severe obsessive thoughts — often of a suicidal nature — since childhood and to have suffered physical and mental abuse by her mother. “My parents were a real pain,” she continues. “I couldn’t stand it.” Though she describes her mother and father as “conservative”, their relationship both with each other, and their daughter, was certainly a strange one: “When I was a child, my father had lovers and I experienced seeing him. My mother sent me to spy on him. I didn’t want to have sex with anyone for years.” Kusama admits to then developing an “obsession” with it. “I wanted to be an artist from an early age,” she tells the Telegraph. “I couldn’t help sketching the things around me…. Painting saved my life: when I wanted to commit suicide, my doctor encouraged me to paint more.” In 1957, aged 27, after spending time in Tokyo and later France, the artist moved to America: “I was alone — very strange for a young Japanese girl. I spent all my time on my work and burned through the dollars I had. I lived in poverty, often painting furiously to survive cold and hunger.” Kusama also sought counsel from Georgia O’Keefe. “I first came across an image of hers in a book of images of animal bones in the desert,” she tells Time Out. “I thought it was wonderful and wanted to communicate with her.” A longstanding correspondence between the two artists developed. Kusama became a fixture of the New York avant-garde scene, focussing on sculpture and installations. During the 1960s, she organised peculiar events — regularly involving nudity — at places such as Central Park and Brooklyn Bridge in protest of the Vietnam War. She even penned a letter to the United States President, Richard Nixon, offering to have “vigorous sex” with him if he withdrew his troops from the Southeast Asian nation. Towards the end of the decade she began painting polka dots on naked performers, a pattern that has since become her calling card. Kusama returned to Japan in 1973 due to sickness and began writing stories and poems of a surreal nature. She soon checked herself into a Tokyo psychiatric hospital from where she has lived and worked ever since. It is still important for her to “communicate through her paintings” and when asked by Time Out if fame has taken its toll, she replies that she would still like to become even more so. She tells the Financial Times that her main message is to “stop war and live out the brilliance of life.” She wants to keep her profile as high as possible, “even after I have died.” Discussing an upcoming exhibition of her work at Tate Modern she asks, “Do you think they will like my art in London?” and describes the growing attention her work is now receiving as the best moment of her life. “When I was in New York I spoke better English,” she says, “but now I am painting all the time and I’ve forgotten everything. I love painting so much that nothing else matters.” Words: Jamie Christian Desplaces Images: Circle: Yayoi Kusama; Square: The installation’s mirror room, Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, is brilliantly simple — it’s a room in which the walls, the floor and the ceiling are mirrors.
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KIDS
Polka Dots and Me
Pumpkin
Dizzying Infinity Rooms and Paintings
George Clooney x Yayoi Kasuma
The Queen of Dots — All works pictured on this page are by Yayoi Kasuma.
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Colouring-In:
The Ultimate In Stress-Relief
The French, who know a thing or two about depression, are pioneering a new form of stress relief. So, stressed-out adults‌ felt-tip pens, pencils, crayons and brushes at the ready: adult colouring-in books are now the thing, and craft-loving, artsy people the world over are regressing to the mental age of seven. Of late, busy city-dwellers are turning to crayons and felt-tips for their soothing and therapeutic qualities. While in the past people had to wait until they had children to sneakily rediscover the joys of colouring-in, now you can proudly colour in — not an eyebrow raised. In fact, why not colour in this intriguing illustration above? (Crayons not provided.) Enjoy.
BRING COLOUR TO OUR INSTAGRAM Colour the picture, take a picture and tag us on Instagram. Find us: www.instagram.com/ vervemagazine
KIDS
Paint & Create in action
Paint Your Own Ceramic Studio Plates Bowls Mugs Platters Tiles
Birthday Parties Hen Parties Baby Hand/Footprints Coffee Groups Holiday Fun Family Fun Personalized Gifts Workplace Corporates Team Building Tile Murals Schools, Studio and Mobile Service
OPEN MONDAY BYAPPOINTMENT APPOINTMENT OPEN MONDAYTO TOSATURDAY SATURDAY BY Call Nicola: 521 9125 Call Nicola (09) 521 9125 28 Temple Street Meadowbank Meadowbank paintcreate@xtra.co.nz www.paintcreate.co.nz
BRUSH ON FUN FOR EVERYONE Individuals Groups Families Friends
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ANSWERS: 1. Tennis shoes 2. Bear in the woods 3. Summersault 4. Lost in space 5. Big mouth 6. You are too wise for me 7. Highjacking (high jack king) 8. Off the record 9. Greek to me 10. Back to square one 11. Point blank
U R YY 4 ME 6
SLPOASCTE 4
2 me
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WBOROARDS 2
MOUTH
9
10 5
ISSUES ISSUES ISSUES ISSUES ISSUES
ISSUES ISSUES ISSUES ISSUES ISSUES
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OFF 8
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R+R NaCl
ISSUES
Q J
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7
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Can you figure out what phrases are being represented by these words?
Train Your Brain
TUBEROSE
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01 —ANIMAL CUSHIONS — or art for the wall, very light in weight. Made of felted wool. A product from the UK. A lot of fun for children and adults!
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02 —TWO DARLING WELL-DRESSED BEARS — from Moulin Roty, made in France. The perfect gift . Look forward to hearing from you. 03 — MIFFY LAMP — Made in Scandanavia Ideal for a bedroom, as it has its own dimmer. Miffy and friends have always been a child’s favourite.
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04 — BEAUTIFUL CLASSIC SHAWLS — fine enough to go through a wedding ring. White with a lace knit border pattern and finished with a satin ribbon. Dusky pink and dreamy blue, with a web-like edge.
TREAT YOUR
WWW.TUBEROSE.CO.NZ 2 WALTON ST | REMUERA 1050 | AUCKLAND 09 520 5635 SHOP@TUBEROSE.CO.NZ
MATISSE
KIDS
WWW.MATISSE.CO.NZ 99 THE STRAND | PARNELL | AUCKLAND 09 302 2284 DESIGN@MATISSE.CO.NZ
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01 — PINGY — Designed by Eero Aarnio. Manufactured by Magis. Materials Rotational-moulded polyethylene 02 — MICO — Designed by El ultimo grito. Manufactured by Magis. A diverse, multi-purpose object. Material Rotationalmoulded polyethylene. Suitable for outdoor use. 03 — LE CHIEN SAVANT — Designed by Philippe Starck. Manufactured by Magis. Children’s chair/desk. Dimensions 35cm (h) x 79.5cm (l) x 24cm (w). Material Rotational-moulded polyethylene. Suitable for outdoor use.
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How to keep the KIDS ENTERTAINED during winter! Keeping the kids entertained can be hard work at the best of times. Then winter approaches and the cold weather sets in, meaning those bike rides and trips to the park become less frequent. This is the time to get creative and think outside the box. So here are three simple ideas that cost you nothing and will keep everyone including mum, happy!
01 BAKING — This is an effortless and fun way to spend a few hours, with the added addition of a tasty treat to end. Allow the children time to find a recipe they love and get the ingredients ready to go when the inevitable rainy Saturday arises. You can photograph the stages and get the kids to re-write out the recipe with drawings and photos to accompany it. Creating their very own recipe book, tried and tested!
So the next time the weather turns, don’t feel the sudden dread of, “what can I get the kids to do?” There are plenty of things you can create and enjoy in the comfort of your own home for little or no money at all.
Words: Katy Powell
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ARMBANDS V iFLOAT KIDS Despite their popularity, swimming experts advise against using inflatable armbands. Although they can help a child to float, they can slip off, deflate and lead to drowning. Inflatable armbands do not prevent drowning, as they don’t fast track their understanding of how to float, and can create a dangerous false sense of security. Additionally, inflatable armbands teach children to float in a vertical position, which is incorrect because swimming is usually done in a prone position. The iFLOAT provides a sense of security during the early stages of water discovery. It encourages the learner to move from the initial vertical to the desired horizontal position so that simple swimming movements can be tried. Once water confidence is attained, the iFLOAT will assist with teaching survival strokes such as breaststroke, arms and back floating with flutter kicks. Also the iFLOAT can’t be deflated nor be punctured. •
02 INDOORS TREASURE HUNT — Following clues and finding prizes is always fun no matter what the age! So think about writing out a set of clues you can hide around the house when the kids have gone to sleep, ready for the following day’s after school activity. If you are short on time (or inspiration) there are loads of great websites that have clues pre-written for you. All you need to do is print and cut them out and hide them! Simple, free of charge and can played in the warm!
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CREATE YOUR OWN CINEMA — Going to the cinema can be an expensive outing, especially when you reach the popcorn counter. Creating the experience and fun of the cinema at home is the perfect way to spend some quality time together while keeping the whole family entertained. Move the couches round, draw the curtains and make the popcorn, you can easily rent, borrow or buy a dvd for a lot less than a trip for five to a local screening.
The armband doesn’t enable a child to float on their tummy because their centre of gravity is not supported, but the iFLOAT does because it’s attached at their chest. The armband doesn’t enable a child to float on their back by themselves (same as above) but the iFLOAT does. The armband doesn’t enable a child to learn how to kick because they are not in the right position to do so (the armband keeps a child in a vertical position only) the iFLOAT enables them by helping a child understand their balance. The armband can deflate and scare a child for life, the iFLOAT can’t. The armband makes arm movement restricted, because it’s attached to the arms; the iFLOAT gives free movement of arms. The armband can’t be used in a bath (not enough water) the iFLOAT can and will also help kids be more confident on their back. It is hard to know how much you have to inflate the armbands without hurting your kids arms but there is no need with the iFLOAT.
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WATER CONFIDENCE AND SURVIVAL SWIMMING SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR EVERYONE
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IRON LUCK
Every cell of our bodies contains iron. Among the most essential of minerals — best sources include green leafy vegetables, lean red meat, tuna and whole grains — iron’s main function entails red blood cell production, which is involved with the transferral of oxygen from blood to organs and tissues, and some protein regulation. Our bodies are capable of storing any excess of the mineral but prolonged periods of low consumption may lead to a condition called iron deficiency anaemia.
To get involved visit www.luckyironfish.com
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Iron deficiency is the world’s most prevalent nutritional disorder and though it mainly affects those in poorer countries, it is the only nutritional deficiency to significantly impact the developed world too (though these countries are obviously far better equipped to deal with it). The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that an astonishing 2 billion people — nearly a third of the human race — to be anaemic, with it being more common in women and children and made worse through the spread of infectious diseases such as malaria, AIDS and TB. According to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, half of all anaemia cases are due to lack of iron, accounting for over 800,000 deaths each year — 71% of which are in Africa and Southeast Asia. Iron deficiency in youngsters impairs mental and physical development, while for adults it makes manual labour extremely difficult and drastically increases the risk of women dying during labour. The WHO warns of a crisis of “epidemic proportions” which affects more than just health, also “bringing serious economic consequences and obstacles to national development.” Timely treatment, they say, can restore personal health and “raise national productivity levels by as much as 20%.” It is the poorest, least educated and most vulnerable who are “disproportionately affected” and yet, “it is they who stand to gain the most from its reduction.” One simple and ingenious device may just help do that. It’s called the Lucky Iron Fish. In 2008 Canadian Dr Christopher Charles visited Cambodia and was shocked at the state of health of many of the nation’s villagers. “They
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have a really poor diet,” Charles tells the BBC, “a big plate of white rice and maybe a small cut of fish. That’s their two meals a day. And it’s just not meeting their nutritional requirements.” Iron-rich foods and supplements were simply too expensive for most rural Cambodians, as are cast-iron pots, but, inspired by those culinary items, Charles came up with the novel idea of instead using a block of iron to be placed inside their cooking pots. The difficulty was in actually convincing the women to use them. Most opted to use the blocks as door stops instead. After a chat with some village elders, Charles discovered that the kantrop fish is considered a symbol of good fortune and so forged his blocks to replicate them. “People associated it with luck, health and happiness,” says Charles in an interview with the Atlantic. And, true to form, anaemia rates in the village were razed. A Lucky Iron Fish can provide a whole family with threequarters of their daily iron intake for up to five years. In just a year it has won a host of gongs, including the Commitment to Action Award from the Clinton Global Initiative University and it was named, “one of five innovations that will change the world,” by McLean’s Magazine. And Dr Charles will settle for nothing less. Though, he adds, salvation may not always come in the form of a fish. That’s the beauty of it, and the reason it will hopefully be embraced by cultures the world over: “If we go to sub-Saharan Africa, or a dry area where fish is not an important part of the diet, we could very easily change it to a different symbol of luck.” Words: Jamie Christian Desplaces
BEST WALKS IN AUCKLAND CENTRAL
If you’re sick of those tweens at the gym, and don’t want to get in the car and drive for 30 minutes, below are the popular walks in your area, as approved by my mother!
Auckland Domain
Close to the Newmarket shops, Parnell and Grafton areas, the 10 hectare Auckland Domain is more than just a car park for the Museum, or a Saturday morning sports complex. With public gardens, a big open oval for the dog, or kids to run free in, and ample parking both within the park itself and on its outskirts, this park covers all bases. You may want to avoid the area on Saturday mornings, but otherwise the Domain is a great place to have a quick picnic, run a few laps or take a leisurely walk.
Mission Bay/Kohimara Beach Boardwalk
One of Auckland’s most popular areas, the Eastern Bay Beaches are a favourite amongst locals and travellers with picturesque views and numerous cafes, this boardwalk is a must try for anyone looking for a good day out. The dog will need to be on the leash in the summer months, and between 9am and 9pm in the winter months, as the spot is often bustling with families. Regardless, they’ll love getting their feet wet on or off leash. If you’re looking to run, the boardwalk early in the morning or late at night is best, as not everyone abides by the lane conventions, and negotiating the leisurely walkers does quickly become tedious.
Mount Hobson
If you want to work those glutes, leave the kids behind, grab the dog and head up Mount Hobson. Become one
with nature as you scale the gravel track up this mountain and enjoy the unobstructed 360 views of the city, and surrounding areas. If you’re careful not to trip on the cow pats (side note: there are cows on the mountain), this walk can be a really nice way to watch the sunset and get that cardioworkout at the end of the day.
Victoria Park, Auckland Central
This park boasts an exercise area for the dog, skate-park and playground for the kids, whilst also conveniently situated alongside the Victoria Markets; so it doubles as the perfect stop for that morning coffee or breakfast smoothie. With ample parking and seasonal sports played at the weekend, Victoria Park is an all in one destination for the family to enjoy.
Westhaven Promenade/ Loop Walk
If you’ve got an athletic dog, or equally athletic child, then the newly opened Westhaven Promenade may be for you. Stretching from the Auckland Harbour Bridge to Wynyard Quarter, you can cover this 2km area by bike, or foot, with parking available at the public ramp at the Westhaven Marina. With views spanning across the marina and city skyline, this waterfront walk links up with the Royal Yacht Squadron, as well as the Sitting Duck Café, Beaumont Street pier and Victoria Park.
Words: Caitlin McKenna
THE ODDLY EXCITING WORLD OF DWARF FRUIT TREES The title may be a stretch, but then I’ve been somewhat overexcited about fruit trees for years. I even enjoyed being put to work, without pay, digging hundreds of holes in heavy clay for my parents. Which probably means that I’m fairly odd. And now, after a few years of being treeless, I may have overcompensated. For despite recently moving house several times, I currently have half a dozen citrus trees, three figs, a dwarf peach, a pineapple, and four different types of berries. Which can be a bit of a pain when moving, but has also come in handy as I’ve learnt heaps and get fruit.
WHAT TO GROW ? PEACHES AND NECTARINES I’ve yet to experience a summer that couldn’t be improved with copious amounts of peaches and nectarines. Thankfully several dwarf varieties are available and can be grown in large pots. However, unlike regular peaches and nectarines, most dwarf varieties aren’t selffertile. So it’s best to grow these trees near another dwarf or full size peach or nectarine tree.
space for a small tree or want to try your hand espaliering. Apples often require a pollinator, so check before you buy. CITRUS If you’re planning to grow a citrus tree in a pot it’s best to select a tree grown on a dwarf rootstock. Trees will grow to around 1.5-2m.
dwarf varieties: peaches such as Garden Lady (semi-self fertile), Pixzee, Honey Babe, and Rose Chiffron; and the Nectarine Nectar babe.
There are loads of different varieties available. But if you’ve only got a bit of space Lemon Meyer and Limequats are a great option, as they will, once they’re established, provide fruit nearly all year round.
Each tree grows to around 1-1.5m.
POT GROWING
APPLES There are two types of dwarf apple trees available: dwarfing varieties, and varieties grown on a dwarf rootstock. Dwarfing varieties such as Bolero, Polka, Waltz and Blush Babe are the best sort of trees to grown in pots and are fairly low care. While trees on a dwarf rootstock are great if you’ve
Sadly, size matters. A larger pot makes it easier to keep the tree well watered and well fed. Half wine barrels are a perfect size, though anything bigger than a 40l pot will work. But if you’re unsure, pop into to your nearest Kings for some advice. Words: Billy Aiken KINGS PLANT BARN
This brightest new star in the city might be hidden away in an underground basement, where the fare is an upmarket experience appealing to an upmarket crowd.
Cassia is a bold experiment to launch a restaurant in an unpretentious environment, whilst being a place to indulge in interesting and adventurous food. There has never been a Punjab restaurant in Auckland quite like this. The arrow to the restaurant’s quiver is a menu that most diners would not be familiar with. Whether seated at the bar or the dining area, the atmosphere is warm, relaxed, but noisy. If you’re an audio-phobe you should steer clear of the buzz amplified by the concrete walls and ceilings, as this will do nothing for delicate ears. The menu is wafer thin, producing inspired dishes from a large open kitchen brigade and is ferried to the tables by a small army of super-performing waitresses. There’s generosity in serving sizes and flavours of dishes, such as onion kulcha with coriander relish ($6), fennel brioche, spiced chicken, cucumber, almonds ($8), seared scallops, apple, swede and tomato consume ($16), tuna and prawn, kasundi, daikon and curry foam ($22), tandoori fish, dry korma, smoked yogurt, cucumber ($22), delhi duck, kumara, lychee, herbs ($34), kerela pork belly, curry leaves. Not too fussy nor too complicated, there’s also a touch of sophistication to the vegetarian menu, with dishes such as fried eggplant, mushrooms, curd, mint ($18), roasted carrot, leeks, cashews and coriander ($17), potato and cauliflower, burrata, spinach, cashews ($17). Desserts ($17) take a classic view, in which you can submerge yourself in such delights as cardamom panna cotta, chocolate kulfi and tropical fruit. The wine list is pricey with nothing under $50, and divides its loyalties between local and imported vintages, with a modest selection by-the-glass. And the verdict? Although a casual dining experience, this is one of those infrequent occasions when a restaurant genuinely distinguished itself by delivering a lesson in just how a restaurant should be run. While portions aren’t huge and prices aren’t small, there’s no disputing the quality with the food. It’s light, fresh and artfully presented. Above all else, the swift, smart and polite service underscores the experience. There is a no bookings policy.
There is no denying the excitement in the air when you’re mid-flight and you hear the announcement that meal service is beginning. What will this glorified television dinner bring? Will it be a white bun or whole wheat? The possibilities of what you may be presented with are endless, so what is it about airplane food that is so mysterious? Why does no one ever stop to question where it comes from or where the leftovers go? I think it’s time to delve into the world of precooked meat and processed vegetables and find out the truth about what’s being served at 35,000 feet.
An Unexplained Phenomenon Firstly, why does airplane food taste so average? Well truthfully, it’s actually kind of our own fault. When travelling at such a high altitude, the cabin humidity drops by around 15%, with less humidity in your throat, the transport of smell and taste to the brain can slow and be decreased by up to 50%, which is the equivalent of having a bad cold. The average passenger’s perception of saltiness and sweetness decreases by up to 30%, meaning that the perfect chicken parmigiana will not only taste completely different, but will require a heck of a lot more salt in order for it to be well seasoned.
Words: Dennis & Rosamund Knill
In terms of where the food comes from, LSG Sky Chefs are the largest airline catering company in the world and produce over one million meals per day. They partner with more than 300 airlines across the globe as well as serving in 191 airports.
LUNCH: WEDNESDAY TO FRIDAY DINNER: TUESDAY TO SATURDAY MENU: 8 CUISINE: 8.5 WINE LIST: 7.5 SERVICE: 9 DÉCOR: 7.5 VALUE FOR MONEY: 8
When it comes to leftovers, there are some very strict rules surrounding what happens; some airlines go so far as to fire any employee who is caught taking food off the plane. The rules are especially enforced on international flights in order to comply with the country’s agricultural and border laws. However, more lenient airlines allow employees to share the remains, but generally leftovers are allowed to leave an airport if arrangements have been made for it to be donated locally.
CASSIA 5 FORT LANE STREET AUCKLAND 09 379 9702 WWW.CASSIARESTURANT.CO.NZ 88
AIRPLANE FOOD
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So there you have it, if you are planning a winter escape, then rest assured that airplane food really isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be, your entrée-sized meal is perfectly fit for consumption. Words: Rhianna Osborne
FOOD 4 THOUGHT
CeLebrATe WiTH uS. Come schmooze with Peter Gordon and his team on Sunday 2 August to toast The Sugar Club’s 2nd birthday. To celebrate, they will be holding two separate events and if you wish, you can attend both for $175. Lunch will be a relaxed four-course seated affair including platters of deliciousness, shared tables and wines from Man O’ War. $120 includes wine, 12.30pm–3.30pm. Just before sunset, canapés and Man O’ War wines will be served, plus Nathan Haines will be performing live. $80 includes bubbles, wine and canapés, 5.30pm–9pm. bookings are essential. Subject to availability. Host responsibility limits apply. r18 for the service of alcohol. 09 363 6365 • thesugarclub.co.nz Level 53, Sky Tower, Auckland
SKYA6537 TSC 2nd Birthday - Verve (180x133) 1.0ƒ.indd 1
24/06/15 12:45 PM
Cooking Class with Des Harris
6pm on Tuesday, 14 July
Join the award-winning chef, Des Harris, for an evening of exceptional yet approachable dishes that can be recreated at home. Classes start at 6pm in the stunning Gaggenau kitchen at Sabato with canapés followed by three tasting plates. Des Harris is the Executive Chef at Clooney, a restaurant synonymous with remarkable dishes that reflect seasonality.
Register now to learn to
Bookings are limited so
cook similar recipes as seen
get in touch now at Sabato
in this issue by Des Harris.
www.sabato.co.nz
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July 2015
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ABBY
SOARES Abby Soares runs Nourish Health and Nutrition, a busy coaching practice where she specialises in supporting women to reclaim their energy and health. Here she shares ideas on how to keep kids healthy during the school holidays.
Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m a mama of three cool and crazy boys aged nine, seven and four years old. I’m a knowledge seeker, surfer and lover of organic wholefoods, as well as a registered nurse and holistic health coach. I work with clients over a six-month period to ensure the lifestyle changes they make are sustainable and are not overwhelming. I also specialise in gut and digestive health. What are some challenges of keeping children healthy over the holidays? Boredom is a major trigger for poor food choices. When we’re outside in nature and enjoying each other’s company, our bodies feel great and we’re more likely to crave foods that mirror this. When we’re watching television or playing on the iPad however, we start to crave things such as sugar and processed foods. Why is it important not to just give in and eat junk for a few weeks? What we eat directly affects our mood and behaviour. If you want to enjoy your kids’ company over the holidays I suggest sticking to food as it comes in nature. When kids eat processed and packaged food their little bodies are riddled with
sugar, colours, preservatives and flavours. These chemicals excite their brains causing hyperactivity, inattention and mood swings. How can parents support kids to enjoy healthy eating? Most important is role modeling. It’s important for children to see parents buying, preparing, eating and enjoying healthy food. Our attitudes towards food have a significant impact on our children. It’s also important to remove junk food from the home. If you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it. Make it fun and clean out the cupboards together these holidays. Teach your kids to read labels and get rid of anything that is advertised on television or has more than five ingredients on the label. Encouraging children to help in the kitchen is also a fantastic way to get them to eat real food. When they’ve made a salad themselves they’re much more interested in eating it.
and play dates. Our bodies can handle the occasional bit of junk as long as the majority of our food is nourishing. Be organised. Pack lunch boxes for your kids (and yourself) and take them on every outing. Always have fruit on hand to tide you over until you get home. Make a pact as a family to eat real food and keep each other accountable. For recipes, information and inspiration follow Nourish Health and Nutrition on Facebook.
Words: Melanie Dower
Surefire ways to eat healthy these holidays? Use the 90/10 rule, where 90% of your food is whole foods and the rest you can’t control. This will include birthday parties
REGISTERED NURSE | NUTRITIONIST | HEALTH COACH NOURISH HOLISTIC HEALTH & NUTRITION LTD 4735311 | 0272766268 | WWW.NOURISHHOLISTICHEALTH@WORDPRESS. COM | WWW.NOURISHHEALTH.CO.NZ | SEE 2 HEALTHY RECIPES ON PAGE 92
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NOURISHING
TREATS
HEALTHY COCONUT ICE BASE:
Blend three cups desiccated coconut and one cup dates until sticky. Press into a lined slice tin.
TOPPING:
Blend three more cups desiccated coconut, Âź cup melted coconut oil, one teaspoon grated beetroot and one tablespoon of honey, until sticky. Spread over base and press with fingers until spread evenly. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut, cut into slices and refrigerate until set.
CACAO CHOCOLATE
SLICE BASE:
One cup cashew, one cup dates, three cups desiccated coconut, one teaspoon of vanilla paste, 1/2 cup liquid coconut oil, blend and press into lined dish.
TOPPING:
100g cacao butter melted, 30g cacao powder, 2 tablespoons of honey, blend and pour over base. Refrigerate till set, slice and serve with herbal tea The sweetness from the dates and honey and fat from the coconut are a match made in heaven. See those sugar cravings disappear whilst providing your body with beautiful nutrients to nourish your cells. 92
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RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABBY SOARES WWW.NOURISHHEALTH.CO.NZ
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July 2015
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WIN WITH VERVE THIS MONTH! METHOD OFFICE RECYCLING STATION
MADAM WOO
The Method Recycling Station makes recycling a simple, stylish component of the modern office — a bin that organisations are proud to have in their workplace.
Madam Woo Takapuna is the second collaboration between celebrity Master Chef Judge Josh Emett and successful restaurateur Fleur Caulton and the pair are set to bring their brand of genuinely fresh and fun hospitality and big flavours to the North Shore later this July. Whether you are popping into Madam Woo for an Asian inspired cocktail and dumplings at the bar or for dinner with friends, you are sure to experience a genuinely unique dining experience.
Open plan recycling addresses the needs of today’s offices, offering flexibility, visibility and promoting a collective effort to achieve sustainability goals. Individual bins lock together to form a recycling station (between 1-5 bins) which can be customised to suit and rubbish is sorted at source, saving cleaners’ time and costs. View our website for stockists — www.methodrecycling.com/stockists UP FOR GRABS — one station of 2 bins — a landfill bin and a co-mingled recycling bin. Method bins retail at $175 + GST per bin
UP FOR GRABS — Lunch Banquet for 4 with a round of Madam’s famous Singapore Sling cocktails for the winner.
*To enter simply follow the instructions below. Conditions apply.
*To enter simply follow the instructions below. Conditions apply.
DEADLY PONIES
WIN A NIGHT OF POWER AND PASSION
If you haven’t heard, Deadly Ponies have opened another store in the heart of Osborne Street and we couldn’t be more excited! To celebrate we are giving you the chance to get your hands on Mr Dipalopagus Cheetah in black, the ultimate bag for those who dare to indulge their wild side.
The NZSO and Verve are giving away a double pass to Power and Passion.
Up for grabs — One Deadly Ponies Mr Dipaolopgus Cheetah in black
UP FOR GRABS — 2 x tickets to Power in Passion and a signed programme book and poster.
*To enter simply follow the instructions below. Conditions apply.
*To enter simply follow the instructions below. Conditions apply.
Email your contact details to competitions@nzso.co.nz with the subject line Verve Magazine
Don’t miss our competition to win a trip to Rarotonga (page 29) as well as two other awesome competitions on pages 77 and 39! *Entering Verve’s competitions is simple. Like our Facebook page, facebook.com/VerveMagazine, then visit http://vervemagazine. co.nz/competitions/ and follow the directions. Good Luck!
FOR LEASE
235 Parnell Road, Parnell
Retail – 165.50m² (1,781.42ft²). Located in the heart of Parnell with excellent exposure. Refurbished premises ready for access August 2015. Onsite car parking available
Jared Halligan Mobile: (021) 770 371 Email: jah@78.co.nz Jason Galea Mobile: (021) 775 699 Email: jsg@78.co.nz Or contact your local agent TENANCY: Restaurant/Cafe
AREA (m²)
AREA (ft²)
NET RENTAL ($/m²)
STATUS
95.50
1027.95
625
Available
425
Available
Deck
70.00
753.47
Total
165.50
1781.42
Car Parks
$65.00 + GST p.w each
OPEX - currently budgeted at approx. $105/m². All other tenancies are leased.
16 York Street, Parnell 131.40m² (1,414.38ft²). Full height frameless glass provides excellent exposure and natural light. Internal partitioning provided for two offices and boardroom. Onsite car parking available.
Emlyn Lloyd Mobile: (021) 838 726 Email: ejl@78.co.nz Belinda Masfen Mobile: 027 662 0400 Email: bpm@78.co.nz Or contact your local agent TENANCY: Ground Floor
AREA (m²)
AREA (ft²)
NET RENTAL ($/m²)
STATUS
131.40
1,414.38
325
Available
Car Parks OPEX - currently budgeted at approx. $85/m²
$55 + GST p.w each
www.78.co.nz www.78.co.nz
Discover your suburban oasis Visit Kensington Park this weekend and discover a lifestyle like no other. Just 35 minutes from Auckland, Kensington Park is an established community on the stunning Hibiscus Coast - a short walk from Orewa’s shops and breathtaking beach. Striking, architecturally-designed homes, townhouses, apartments and duplexes rest on easy care, parklike grounds. Facilities include a heated pool, sauna, petanque area, fully-equipped gymnasium and 7, 8 and 9 decile schools nearby. It’s a suburban oasis that combines the freedom and tranquility of seaside living, with security and an easy care lifestyle.