Verve. May 2021. Issue 175.

— AUCKLAND’S FAVOURITE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE — ISSUE 175 — MAY 2021

Public Record Women in Business

— FASHION BEAUTY HEALTH HOME DESIGN/ARTS FOOD/WINE TRAVEL SWERVE

Beyond the Masthead

EXCLUSIVE LIGHTING BRANDS

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WHAT'S INSIDE UP FRONT 8 Beyond The Masthead WOMEN IN BUSINESS 12 Elle+Riley 14 Hatch: Putting All Your Eggs In The Best Baskets 24 Amanda McConchie: The Business Of Influence

HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS 74 Skin Jouneys: Clear Skincare FASHION 88 Choose Denim ART & ABOUT 110 The Theatrical Work of Claudia Kogachi

JAPAN 36 Focus On Design 48 Public Record

FOOD & WINE 132 Our Story: Jamie Yeon & Jon Yip

REAL ESTATE 64 City Living, Heritage Look

WIN 166 Win with Verve

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27 - 29 M AY

AUCKLAND

KIRI TE KANAWA THEATRE, AOTEA CENTRE

A hauntingly beautiful ballet

by Johan Kobborg and Ethan Stiefel SUPPORTED BY

NATIONAL TOURING PARTNER

FEATURING

Touring nationally 12 MAY - 9 JUN

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BO O K NOW

rnzb.org.nz

CAROLINA DINING TABLE / ISLE DINING CHAIR / LONDON BOOKCASE

WESTMINSTER FEATHER SOFA

www.dawsonandco.nz

WORD S —AN DREW KERR

BMW M3

Finely-honed sports saloon bristles with energy.

The letter ‘M’ is incredibly important to BMW NZ. We’re the world’s number one market, in percentage terms, for full-fat BMW M cars and M Performance models. That evocative ‘M’ logo appears on one in four new BMWs sold here. It’s a very big deal.

Such a big deal, in fact, that BMW transformed Hampton Downs Motorsport Park into ‘M Town’ to showcase the potential of the new M3 Competition alongside its M Division stablemates. Also making its debut was the M3’s two-door twin, the scalpel-sharp M4 Coupe.

To set the scene, our M3 was decked out in Isle of Man Green with Merino Kyalami Orange/Black leather. It’s a bold combination that reflects a strident personality. M Carbon bucket seats and carbon fibre trim finishers complete a super-sporting, figure-hugging cabin. Elsewhere, standard equipment includes a carbon fibre roof, staggered 19-inch front and 20-inch rear forged-alloy wheels, M compound brakes, and laser headlights.

So far, so delectable, but what about the driving? First things of note are the urgency of a 375kW straight-six engine upon start-up and the positivity of the 8-speed Steptronic Sport auto as you power out of pitlane. This

conventional, slick-shifting transmission has replaced a twin-clutch unit and nothing is lost in the switch, as a scorching 3.9 second sprint time to 100km/h confirms.

To say the twin-turbo engine has pin-yourshoulders-back accelerative intent is an understatement. The muscular growl is no acoustic fabrication and is ever-present as you devour straights and power out of bends, taking advantage of track-specific M tech.

Equally though, the M3 settles into a luxurious, smooth-riding saloon when the red mist clears and has all the on-board comforts and equipment to make everyday driving a joy.

Our intro, however, was performance focused and with pro instructors demonstrating the potential of TRACK mode on hot laps of Hampton’s National circuit. Activated by an extended press of the M mode button, this mode fully deactivates safety nets that are invaluable on the road and reveals how playful and controllable the new M3 can be at the snaking limit.

Of course, you can also have enormous fun with complete traction in ROAD driving modes by exploring the M3’s myriad configuration options. That’s something we’ll wait to enjoy beyond M Town’s borders.

IN A NUTSHELL BMW M3 Competition 3-litre 6-cyl twin-turbo; 375kW/ 650Nm; 8-speed auto; 19in and 20in light alloys; 4.79m length 1,730kg weight; 0-100km/ h 3.9 secs; 10.2L/100km; from $168,900; bmw.co.nz

T H E

THE ORIGINAL THRILL With power that cannot be contained, the BMW M3 delivers an unmatched level of exhilaration. Get reacquainted with the legend, the BMW M3 Sedan.

Visit Continental Cars BMW to find out more.

Continental Cars BMW 45 - 65 Wairau Road, North Shore. (09) 488 2000. ccbmwauckland.co.nz

UP FRONT

Important message if you are planning to paint a multi-million dollar home in Auckland.

Don’t spend a single dollar until you read our free report The Insider’s Guide to Painting A Multi-Million Dollar Home in Auckland.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Fran Ninow and Jude Mitchell SENIOR WRITER Jamie Christian Desplaces HEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Zanalee Makavani

IN THIS GUIDE YOU WILL LEARN

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ken Khun

Why the first step in your painting job is to identify your I.O. (And why this is so important).

SOCIAL MEDIA Ashlee Lala

The three expensive mistakes to avoid when painting a multi-million dollar Auckland home.

CONTRIBUTORS Manish Kumar Arora, Paris Mitchell Temple, Aimée Ralfini, Vicki Holder, Melanie Dower, Bella Sampson, Andrew Kerr, Zach Thompson, Reuben Somerford

How to quickly tell which painting contractors will do the perfect painting job and which ones won’t.

SUBSCRIPTIONS online@vervemagazine.co.nz

A clever way to make sure you compare ‘apples with apples’ with any painting quotes you receive.

PUBLISHED BY VERVE MAGAZINE LTD 13 Westmoreland Street West, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1021

How to future proof your painting investment so it lasts at least 25% longer.

GST 90 378 074 ISSN 2253-1300 (print) ISSN 2253-1319 (online)

A simple technique for identifying a common painting problem that 63% of multi-million dollar homes have.

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EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES (+64) 9 520 5939 Fran Ninow: fran@vervemagazine.co.nz Jude Mitchell: jude@vervemagazine.co.nz

Go to WALLTREATS.CO.NZ to order your free copy of the insider’s guide to painting your multi-million dollar home in auckland or phone us on 0800 008 168

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Ashlee Lala: ashlee@vervemagazine.co.nz Fran Ninow: fran@vervemagazine.co.nz Jude Mitchell: jude@vervemagazine.co.nz Pam Brown: pambrown@xtra.co.nz COVER IMAGE Jane Burn, Waiheke clay vessel at Public Record Styling: Yuka O’Shannessy Photo: Liz Clarkson

GOLD WINNER OF 2019 MASTER PAINTER OF THE YEAR

VERVE MAGAZINE is published monthly (except in January) and has an estimated readership of 60,000. It is a free lifestyle magazine delivered to selected homes, cafés and businesses in Devonport, Epsom, Herne Bay, Kohimarama, Meadowbank, Mission Bay, Newmarket, Parnell, Remuera, St Mary’s Bay and Takapuna. Verve Magazine is placed in magazine stands for free collection from locations in Auckland City, Devonport, Epsom, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, Mairangi Bay, Milford, Mission Bay, Newmarket, Parnell, Ponsonby, Remuera, St. Heliers, Stonefields and Takapuna. Visit vervemagazine.co.nz for exact locations these magazine stands. Verve is also available from all popular cafés in its main distribution areas as well as in ebook format. Visit vervemagazine. co.nz to sign up for your free monthly ebook. Verve is printed by Ovato. It is distributed by Ovato, Admail and Mailchimp.

The entire content of this publication is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission in writing of the copyright owner. Any material submitted for publication is at the owner’s risk. Neither Verve Magazine Ltd nor its agents accept any responsibility for loss or damage.

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INTRODUCING OUR NEW ITALIAN INDOOR RANGE Traditionally founded in outdoor luxury furniture, Design Warehouse has sought to expand outside its current outdoor collections, broadening its expertise and sense of design artistry to introduce luxury furnishings for the interior spaces. Featuring world-class designs that bring innovative aesthetic elements along with colourful rich fabrics, textures, materials, and silhouettes which work in harmony to deliver excellence in craftsmanship and quality, expressing an artful interpretation of luxury indoor furniture that endures.

Venezia Luxury Swivel Chair (milk and coffee)

Roma Relaxing Swivel Armchair (deep blue)

Siena Sofa with Velvet Cushions (black/white)

Nomade Lounge Chair

Bellagio Relaxing Swivel Chair (black)

Little Wing Sofa (right arm – blue)

Portofino Grand Sectional Sofa (white)

Prezioso Sofa (blue)

Petalo Lounge Chair (dark grey)

137 - 147 The Strand, Parnell, Auckland | 0800.111.112 | Open Daily from 9:30 until 5:30 sales@designwarehouse.co.nz | commercial@designwarehouse.co.nz | www.designwarehouse.co.nz

TOP: Jude taken in her covered terrace with a beautiful light made from French green glass BOTTOM: Taken in Fran's dining room. The artwork is by British artist Janine Roux (an old friend), and hydrangeas are in an antique glass buoy from Vitrine.

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Beyond The Masthead Fifteen years ago, Verve was founded by two lovers-of-life, Jude Mitchell and Fran Ninow. Since then, independent publishing has become a way of life for Jude, Fran and the long-standing small team at Verve who obsessively curate a life-affirming eclection of life, style and happenings in Auckland and beyond, every month.

P H OTO― NE I L GUS S EY

“At Verve we believe a little escapism is good for you.”

Jude standing in front of her son's, Dane Mitchell, artwork, Meanwhere #6, 2020 Digital C-Type Print

Beyond The Masthead

At Verve we believe a little escapism is good for you. Which is why we continuously cultivate light and happiness by sharing the exceptional stories, trends, products, places and upcoming events we’ve discovered. Our mantra is ‘all joy and no judgment’, because Verve exists for your enjoyment. We’re here to inspire, to provoke thought, to positively influence — not to dictate.

With this in mind we invite you, to take what speaks to you and make it your own.

Free-spirited and FREE, Verve is our continuous gift to you.

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Find it everywhere and anyway you need — in-print, online or in your inbox.

Celebrating Verve and all that it means, editors Jude and Fran take some time out to share precious moments outside of work.

Fran sitting in her favourite thinking spot in her lounge.

"The couch is an old one, recovered many times, but really comfortable. The cushions, a collection of old and new. And the artwork is a floral explosion by Emma Bass."

"I love my home! It’s actually a former panel beater's workshop in Grey Lynn. Before being transformed into a home, we could literally drive our car into the living room. Over the years we have made many changes to it, such as a beautiful garden and jasmine-covered terrace. There is an abundance of plants inside and out. It’s a home that naturally lends itself to celebrations of all kinds. It’s quite often full of people, laughter and music and we have hosted many wonderful 21st, 40th and 70th birthday parties, as well as weddings and engagements.

Every piece of art I have in my home is from an artist that is close to me, one of these being my son. I love buying beautiful vases, my latest purchases being from Gidon Bing and an amazingly oversized purple vase from Kartel. My home is my sanctuary." - Jude x “I am a bit of a homebody outside of work and truly in my zone when pottering around the house, in my garden and beach-side neighbourhood. Being a sentimentalist, the most treasured things in my home have a story behind them. Sustainability is important to me too, so I do my best to re-purpose as opposed to buying new. Design and art have always brought me great joy and while I do not yet have all the things just perfect and exactly what I aspire to for my home, I am enjoying the journey getting there.” – Fran x

Verve is Auckland’s favourite FREE independent magazine, and brings you a life-affirming eclection of life, style and happenings every month. Found everywhere and anyway you need — in print, online, or delivered to your inbox.

ELLEANDRILEY.COM

Elle + Riley

Yolande Ellis and Elle Pugh are the talented mother daughter duo behind the stylish and beloved cashmere brand, Elle & Riley. Verve had the chance to sit down with Elle to discuss fashion, life and inspiration.

MAY 2021

How did you get started in fashion?

Fashion was an organic transition for both of us. Yolande worked as a makeup artist and stylist for years, and I worked in retail as soon as I could from a young age.

What motivated you to take those first steps to create the business?

We really felt there was a gap in the local market for luxury cashmere that was accessible all year round. Yolande had previously been to Nepal and met artisans there. The more we discussed it, the more the idea grew.

What’s your favourite piece in the collection?

There are too many to choose, we both love our latest collection, it has everything from cosy cashmere tracksuits, to glamorous off the shoulder sweaters for evenings out. Our new range, made of Loro Piana Italian Cashmere, is a must-have.

When do you find yourself in a creative mindset?

Usually when we’re away at the beach. We find our best ideas bounce off each other when we’re relaxed.

How important is sustainable fashion to you?

Very important. As with any luxury product ,cashmere is an investment and something that should belong in your wardrobe for years. It’s wonderful to have a product that provides such longevity for the consumer. We ensure our garments are not too trend driven, so that they can be worn season after season and be passed down through generations.

What are your three must have wardrobe pieces?

A black cashmere sweater, black blazer and a pair of fabulous black boots.

What has been the most rewarding part of your business?

Seeing how success can be created from hard work and resilience.

We never thought we would be in the position to have 3 (soon to be 4) stores, and when we see people coming in and purchasing a product that we made from scratch; it feels amazing.

How do you unplug from work?

With difficulty! It’s never-ending. I usually take my dog for a walk, watch reruns of Sex & The City, or get in the kitchen and cook a delicious meal for my husband, with a glass of wine.

What was your dream job as a child?

I think I jumped around wanting to be either a lawyer, an actress or a fashion designer! I think if you know what you are born to do from a young age, you are incredibly fortunate. It can take a lifetime to figure that out for some.

What advice would you give to your past self?

Trust yourself. When starting a business you end up with so many people who offer advice, which is great! However, no-one knows or understands your business or your goals like you do, so trust your instincts.

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Hatch

Putting Your Eggs In The Best Baskets

Established in 2018, Hatch is a digital investment platform that enables access to the US share markets for everyday Kiwis. Owned by Kiwi Wealth—a sister company of Kiwibank—as well as steering New Zealanders towards the world’s largest and most liquid share markets, it's keen on getting Kiwi kids involved in learning money management skills early on, too. Verve sits down with co-founder and general manager, Kristen Lunman, to find out more.

Hatching A Plan

“A number of us are from overseas, and we found it very frustrating that there were very few options for New Zealand investors to benefit from the success of the likes of Google, Amazon, Facebook and Tesla,” says Kristen. “So, we started Hatch to create new opportunities for wealth creation for Kiwis.”

During the research stage, the Hatch team made some interesting discoveries about what wealth meant to people.

“The answers were fantastic,” beams Kristen. “Rather than wishing for a private jet, most people were more concerned about choice and freedom—working less hours, having holidays and being able to help their kids out.”

With property investment becoming ever more out of reach for ever more people, Hatch provides a plethora of options to help your savings grow.

“We have a much lower barrier-to-entry than property,” says Kristen. “You don’t need to have a massive property kingdom—which often hurts people and exacerbates the housing crisis anyway.”

The two biggest feature requests were for family trusts, and the ability for parents to buy shares in their children’s names. Incredibly, Kristen says that based on the historical average, an investment of $2,040 in your child’s name in a US S&P 500 fund (includes shares from the USA’s top 500 companies, and a popular, no-hassle option for investors) at birth, which you could then essentially forget about, would be worth $1 million by the time they reached the age of 65 years. But Hatch doesn’t want you to forget about your shares, they want you to get involved—and Kristen makes the point that unlike, say KiwiSaver, your finances aren’t tied up until retirement.

Insider Knowledge

As with any endeavour, it is of course beneficial to have some prior knowledge or experience, but Kristen emphasises that it is by no means essential as Hatch has been designed very much with novice investors in mind.

“You’re buying a slice of a business and giving it time to grow, recognising that that business, and your slice of it, will be more valuable in 10 or 15 years. You may not know a lot about investing, but you might watch a lot of Netflix, and your kids, Disney, and realise that the future of home entertainment is in subscription services.”

Does it become almost like a game that arouses children’s interest?

“I would say less of a game and more about connecting the dots between what they use everyday and businesses that they want to buy. It’s hard to teach a kid about interest or savings or compound growth because they can’t appreciate the future value of their money. There’s no concept of them putting their money to work. But if you ask them, ‘What is the best company in the world?’ they’re likely to say something like ‘Apple’ or ‘Roblox’ and if you ask if they want to own a part of that then they think that that’s really cool. There’s that connection that Roblox is using their money to get bigger. That helps children develop financial literacy.”

Are there options for ethical investments?

“We offer a gateway to over 4,000 shares, and that's a mixture of companies and it's a mixture of funds, which are really just baskets of companies. With selfdirected investments, you get to choose based on your values and interests.

These could, for example, be an interest in space, and recognising that as a growth area of the future—this is very popular at the moment—or it could be investing in innovators of clean energy. Another popular option is SHE, a fund that includes businesses with women at the top level.”

Ethical funds are usually referred to as ESG—'environmental, social and governance'—which grades companies depending on their initiatives, whether it be projects such as offsetting carbon emissions or doing social good are also increasing in popularity.

Finances And Commitment

Kristen laments that there is still a prevailing misconception that investing is only for wealthy, cut-throat Wall Street types, and mainly men.

“We want to normalise investing and make it easier to understand,” she says.

“Hatch offers a fantastic community, there’s a Facebook group where all of our investors can get together and learn from each other. It can be something you do once a year and forget about, or it can become a hobby.”

It’s also important to realise that the markets are prone to dips, that can last months or even a year, but the overall trend is always upwards.

“Short-term, you’re going to have these bumps. Even with the Covid share market-crash, there was 16 percent growth last year. These are publicly-listed companies, and their mandate is to become more valuable so they’re going to find more ways to become more competitive and innovative.”

What sort of numbers should the average professional Auckland family be looking at investing?

“We suggest that you start off by just putting $100 into a company while you get comfortable with the ups and downs and figure out what’s going on. Then, as you get more comfortable, start putting some aside each month, ideally working up to 10 percent of your salary.”

Obviously, the longer you invest the better, but what’s the minimum term you’d recommend?

To find out more visit hatchinvest.nz

“Two to three years. If you need your money back before then, don’t put it in the share market. Who could have predicted two years ago the Covid market crash? If you needed that money out last March, then you would have been in trouble. Shorter periods could be used to help you into your first home, or getting your kids off to uni, or taking that holiday of a lifetime. But longer than that would be great, and best of all, it’s never too late to start!”

K&P

Home Curators

kandp_homecurators

K&P Home Curators

Connecting hearts with homes: it’s a story of who you are and a collection of what you love. Pam and Kate established K & P Home Curators four years ago after being inspired by a gap in the market which has now evolved into a popular service for time-poor clients.

What service do you provide?

How do you work/complement each other?

The term ‘home curators’ suits our style, we’re not interior designers but more alchemists… we turn a house into a home…into a space of special treasures that reflect the client’s lifestyle and history. We believe ‘home’ to be a place that echoes one’s style and passions, reminds us of our past journeys and is a place of comfort and replenishment. We love using what the client already owns, adding to it, upcycling existing pieces, organising and placing while reflecting the client’s own personality. We’re also not precious…we can help declutter, downsize, organise walls to be repainted and art to be hung.

Our talents are complementary. Kate always sees the bigger picture and has an amazing sense of colour, texture, proportions and layers. Pam is the coordinator and loves the harmony between the old and the new and has a great intuition for putting a room together.

But together our true signature is accurately aligning the décor and style with the essence of our clients.

What is K&P Home Curators' point of difference?

We had this idea when we first started that we wanted to be kind to the environment, not throw things away and replace them with bright and shiny. We’ve evolved this now; we’re good at joining what the client sees as fragments and refining them and turning them into a comfortable and pleasurable environment to be in while also reflecting the client’s individual style.

We have no set formula or style. We’re also not scared to get stuck in and clean out cupboards!

We are also here for the time-poor clients and more than happy to make ourselves available on the weekend.

What is K & P Home Curators philosophy?

To create interiors with a sense of integrity and filling them with the client’s own personality, quirks and curiosities. A beautiful home isn’t about size or an expensive budget…it is a story of who you are and a collection of what you love.

What is valued from you by your clients?

I think our clients really value that we listen and take time to interpret. We keep them involved every step of the way. We’re not a big company so we don’t have a ‘formula’ but a bespoke service with attention to detail, quality and genuine care.

kandp.co.nz

silverfoxmgmt.co.nz

Energy, Spark & Radiance Beyond Age Silverfox MGMT is the first agency in New Zealand that exclusively represents models over 30 years old. It first opened its doors in August 2017 by Silverfox MGMT Group, originally founded in Australia. Verve gets an insight into the agency in an interview with managing director, Rebecca Swaney.

A guru said to me, “The universe will meet you more than halfway on this.” So, on days that are challenging and stressful I hold those words close.

Tell us a bit about yourself Rebecca, your backstory so to speak. Working as a PA for many years, a chance

conversation led me to the role of promotions manager in my late 20s in radio where I met my husband, Richard. I later hosted a Sunday morning radio show on the then Viva station. For over 12 years I have been the face of Harrisons NZ on television and their vans! I enjoy this role, presenting in front of the camera comes naturally to me. I’m an ENFJ personality type, which they say is the perfect mix of people person and organiser.

What made you want to own Silverfox MGMT New Zealand? The idea of owning a business started to form

the closer I got to 50. The skill base I have had the business broker ringing me saying, “Have I got a business for you!”

That was Silverfox MGMT New Zealand. Knowing what the founders had achieved with Silverfox MGMT Group Australia, I was excited to see how much further I could take it in New Zealand. It is the perfect fit for me.

What are some of the challenges you faced starting Silverfox? Taking care of every aspect of this business

– invoicing, payroll, social media, scouting, interviewing, training, subbing, marketing – can be a juggle, but you get a natural rhythm going and take care of the big rocks first. My models are sometimes put in situations that are challenging to them. That’s where my people skills come in, to nurture, encourage and listen. Even the most experienced models at times need a 'you’ve got this'.

And the rewards? Working with my models brings me

into contact with their lives and what a joy they all are. They are hugely supportive to me and Silverfox. Getting great feedback from clients and seeing my models bringing brands alive is always a buzz.

Daily practices that help you to deal with life’s stresses. A guru said to me, “The universe will meet you

more than halfway on this.” So, on days that are challenging and stressful I hold those words close.

Every day I start with mind power exercises: visualisations and affirmations. Three or four a week I do a quick 15-minute online yoga. The first thing I do when I sit at my office desk is write down three things that I am grateful for.

What do you think makes your company stand out? The industry is enjoying watching our progress. We

exclusively represent models over 30, with no age limit.

I acknowledge myself in the mix of what makes Silverfox stand out. I bring good energy and great communication to my team of models and clients.

Is there someone who inspires you in your daily business practice, or perhaps who has helped you to get where you are today? The support of my friends

and family when buying Silverfox MGMT New Zealand was invaluable. My friend Lesley Colcord, who is a business coach, gave me excellent advice in the first few months: "Just begin!" My models are hugely inspirational to me.

The confidence they have in themselves is incredible.

The support I have from my model Amanda Bransgrove is priceless – having modelled for over 30 years, there is nothing about this business she doesn’t know.

What do you look for in a model? Spark, energy, warmth, and openness. I work better with models who have a warm and engaging personality.

How has the attitude of brands to using older models changed over the past few years? In the last two years

I have only had two phone calls that have ended with “we don’t use older models”. Most clients I speak with see us as a modelling agency who happen to have mature models aged 30-pus. I want Silverfox to be an agency that adds a new colour palette to brands and to work with brands who want to connect to a wider audience.

What type of older model do you see as being most successful? Someone with their own individual look and

having confidence with their moves. Cameras are clicking continuously, so models need to keep giving new moves.

Availability and flexibility with time is key.

Is there anything else you would like to add? If a brand

or company is thinking of working with Silverfox, don’t think of us only as the mature-age modelling agency, but the agency that brings a spark, a different colour palette, a different feel or a true connection to you and your audience.

We love matching models to your market!

Eat Well, Live Well, Feel Fresh!

Abbie O’Rourke is the founder and owner of Feel Fresh Nutrition, a team of highly qualified and experienced nutritionists who provide science-based nutritional services to help their clients achieve positive diet and lifestyle changes. She tells Verve about her journey building the business of making people feel good.

What inspired you to become a nutritionist? In my mid20s I had the realisation that we have one body. I took this for granted prior to being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. After a year of researching how lifestyles contribute to better health, and understanding the role that nutrition played, I changed from a career in design to nutrition. I went back to uni as a mature student, studied nutrition, and never looked back. Being a nutritionist and owner of Feel Fresh Nutrition is an incredibly rewarding experience.

What prompted you to start Feel Fresh Nutrition, and how long has the company been going for now? The company was born from the realisation that nutrition had reached peak confusion levels for the general public! The vision for this was to be a voice of reason and create a team that could take each client case by case and identify the best way to reach personal goals.

The company has been running for six years. We are entering a very exciting phase off the back of the pandemic focusing on digital innovation to further enhance our services.

There are always challenges to running one’s own business.

Tell us about a couple of yours? Managing priorities within the business plus family is the biggest challenge. The best example occurred 14 months ago. I had spent six months preparing Feel Fresh Nutrition for my maternity leave with baby Ruby. However, level 4 lockdown and the arrival of baby Ruby happened at once. Feel Fresh Nutrition had to be completely rebuilt over the last year.

But, with every challenge is an opportunity. In this instance our team fast tracked many aspects of the business online.

We created new online products, which strengthened and diversified the business. We run a successful online nutritional programme that the team is proud of. This wouldn’t have happened in 2021 if it wasn’t for the pandemic.

But the rewards are many? Running a business means that no two days are ever the same. I am motivated by the challenges my work presents. I value flexibility and innovation. Having the opportunity to work with incredibly talented people keeps my enthusiasm levels sky high.

Tell us more about your food philosophy. Food in its simplest form is best for health. It's important to have a healthy mindset to enjoy food in a celebratory or comforting way. I believe in the

80/20 maxim where 80% of our food choices are unprocessed and nutritious, allowing 20% of our diet the flexibility for less healthy options. Balance is key and high levels of restriction is unhealthy.

For people who might be starting their healthy eating journey, what changes can they expect? Are the benefits the same for everybody? Benefits most people experience when they start eating well is increased energy levels, weight management, plus pride in themselves. Clients find a new sense of adventure when cooking and confidence with their food choices. Benefits vary as everyone begins at a different starting point. Each and every one of us have different goals, bodies, pasts and expectations.

What words of encouragement do you have for people who might feel daunted about starting this journey?

Every step you take in the right direction has an impact on your health. We remind clients that ‘slow and steady wins the race’. Take one step at a time, be kind to yourself, undo any old habits. Your health journey gets easier with time. We help build the foundation of creating healthy sustainable changes that are embedded for life.

Feel Fresh Nutrition has a new recipe programme coming up; what is that all about? We have designed an online eight-week programme with the purpose to recreate what we can achieve in the clinic face-to-face but more accessible affordable way for everyone.

The programme provides community support and group coaching for accountability purposes. We provide all the practical tools a person needs when wanting to eat healthier; shopping lists, seasonal recipes for every dietary preference, concise meal plans, and support with habit formation and goals.

We teamed up with some wonderful chefs so your meals are guaranteed nutritious but utterly delicious. The feedback we have had worldwide is incredible and the next programme kicks off 1 June. It’s for those wanting help with weight management, increased energy, better digestion and better habits with food. We believe that nutrition is key to good health and should be available to everyone, no matter where you live or how much money you have. feelfreshnutrition.com

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LO UI SE G RAY

P HOTO G RA P H Y: ST EP H EN RO BI NSON P H OTO G RA P H Y

The Face Behind The Face

When a rose bush is exposed to a frost or a drought, it suffers and has to be nursed back to health with proper care and nutrients. Our skin, explains Louise Gray of Louise Gray Skin Care in Mission Bay, is no different.

As a dedicated skincare specialist, Louise and her highly experienced and dedicated team are all about assisting the health of the skin through a combination of treatments and diet advice. Unlike many of the beauty salons around, they don’t do ready-made facials or injectibles. Nor do they offer spa-type pamper sessions.

Hers is a serious skincare business, established to help people understand how the skin works and restore it back to glowing health so it can cope with all the things life throws at it.

Louise was previously a nurse working in intensive care.

Rather than move into management, the traditional pathway, she wanted to stay in a patient-based role that allowed her to help people face-to-face, which led to her training in skincare. At the time, there were a lot of dermatologists and/or beauty salons but nobody was offering a good, common sense skin clinic with a mind to the medical reasoning behind the treatments. It seemed an obvious niche for Louise.

In tandem with her skincare knowledge, her medical background helps her to treat the cause not just the effects, resulting in long term change for the client.

“Many people have skin concerns,” she says, “either as a result of stress, ill health, lifestyle or ageing. Repairing

Treatments That Work

She has effective treatments for every sort of skin problem.

“If you’re stressed”, she says, “your skin might be red. You might have rosacea or pre-rosacea or have an outbreak of dermatitis. We’d probably use a lot of LED treatments – lots of lights that stimulate the APT in the skin. It recharges the cell’s flat battery and kickstarts them so they can fix the problem. It’s amazing,” she says.

When clients visit Louise’s Kepa Road clinic, they start with a consultation to check their skin and diet. One of the most basic pieces of advice she offers is to take vitamin A and omega supplements which regulate the skin’s oil production and improve hydration. The other thing she recommends is using a good sunscreen.

“Often you need other things but if you’re on a limited budget, start with those things.”

Most of her clients have an issue with their skin or a complaint they want to fix. Louise and her team can work out the correct treatment programme for the best result and she has spent a lot of time researching the best professional products like Dermalogica, Ilcsi and the Mesoestetic, that are really active to correct the skin.

Louise doesn’t believe in quick fixes. “If you have a problem, you need to take things slowly and surely. Less is best. We don’t want to overdo it and make the skin go into panic. We offer ingredients that are like a crutch to help the skin repair and then strengthen. You can’t strengthen before you repair.”

the vital functions of the skin and gives incredible results.”

She has a lot of excellent treatments for ageing. If people have a big event, for example a family wedding coming up and they want to look good, Louise puts them on a collagen induction therapy programme that will start to get their skin functioning better and help with collagen and elastin production. Again, it gives incredible results.

For many consultations, they make 3D images with software that lets them see the not so obvious damage underneath the skin.

Many mothers bring their teens in for advice on acne issues because they want them to hear it from an expert.

“It involves a lot of talking about how skin works. It’s good basic skincare. Sometimes we do peels and/or LED lights. We clear the skin of congestion so the skin can start functioning properly. A lot of the time, you can work through acne with probiotics and home care.”

“Pigmentation is a massive issue for many people. For this we use the Mesoetetic range from Spain. They have a programme called Cosmelan, an intensive professional treatment designed to reduce dark spots. It reactivates

Louise also does electrolysis for hair removal in conjunction with IPL. “It’s soul-destroying for many young people and you can see the confidence return as we resolve the issue.”

To complement the skincare, Louise offers make-up sessions, bringing in the Jane Iredale makeup range sales representative to spend time with her clients showing them how to apply products correctly.

“Once going to see a skin care specialist would have been regarded as a luxury. Now, it’s like going to the dentist and it should be a part of your health routine.”

“Your skin is bathed in light that plumps the deepest layers.”

Makeup Too

the damage is usually possible with a combination of internal things and topical treatments. If you don’t take the internal vitamins and probiotics, skincare won’t work.”

There are so many things you can do to help your skin look better.

Why not make the face you show the world, the bestlooking face it could possibly be? Maybe it’s time to make a booking with the Louise Gray Skin Care team.

“It’s always changing because there is so much available.

But you can feel bombarded and overwhelmed.”

Shop 2/224 Kepa Road Mission Bay

09 528 9010 louisegray.co.nz

Amanda McConchie

The Business of Influence WO R D S —VIC KI HO L DER P H OTO — O LIVIA WIMSET T

MAY 2021

“Invest in your marketing little and often. Savvy businesses understand the importance to continue their commitment to their brand presence through rapidly-changing markets and are usually the ones that come out stronger than before.”

When Vania Jewellery, a start-up contemporary artisan brand appeared on the front cover of Viva magazine and the owner, Vania Truchsess, scooped a prestigious collab with Karen Walker, you can bet competitors were abuzz with, "How did she do it?"

It’s a secret that lifestyle brand PR professional Amanda McConchie of The Business of Influence is happy to share.

Amanda doesn’t take full credit for Vania’s profile-raising success. But she can divulge that her client had good advice and knew the right steps, which gave her the confidence to pursue her dream.

“She’d already had success with a pop-up store at The Bloc and she’d worked with some cool influencers who were wearing her designs, something I proposed.”

Amanda put together a media database for Vania and advised her how to approach the right people, making sure she tailored her angle as sharply as possible.

“I gave her some media coaching. It was a step-by-step of how you get noticed so she could go out and DIY with ease.”

Vania is just one of Amanda’s many brand success stories.

She has numerous different ways of working with people, depending on the product, who they want to influence and how much they want to spend. Through public relations, marketing and brand awareness strategies, The Business of Influence helps clients to raise their profile and monetise their output to become successful brands in their own right. The end result is transforming clients into full-fledged entrepreneurs in New Zealand.

It starts with a complimentary consultation to scope out what they’re about.

“From there I work on a briefing document with their objectives. Sometimes there’s a lot of hand holding to arrive at a social strategy. Or they want a mission statement, help determining brand values and communications pillars. I have retainer clients that ask me to get the brand up and running.

Then I have ad hoc projects where I put together a deck of ideas to roll out.

“We also look to partner with other brands that share the same values because we need others to shout about them as well.”

Surprisingly, she does it all online from her new home in Tokyo where she arrived with her husband, who had been seconded by the dairy industry to work in the Tokyo office, just as Covid hit in 2020.

The plan was to return to New Zealand every few months. That couldn’t happen. But it didn’t phase the girl from Pukekohe who established her own business in 2018 after having worked in the media and PR for 10 years.

She’d been responsible for two of Pead PR’s biggest accounts including My Food Bag and L’Oreal, among others. Initially, when she left, she wanted to help influencers and digital entrepreneurs that she’d encountered at Pead PR. “There wasn’t a lot of mentoring support for them. Often, they fell into the industry by accident. I thought, someone needs to get on board to help these people whose innovation and objectives often didn’t mesh with traditional agency methods and lengthy, costly campaigns.”

But when business slowed during the early Covid lockdowns, she expanded her focus more widely, targeting small businesses. Many clients now track her down through Instagram and social media channels. And she’s pleased to report she’s at full capacity. Business has taken off since January 2021 as a variety of new brands have sought out her more affordable, personalised service.

Amanda has definitely found a niche, particularly with lifestyle and fashion brands. And she’s helping clients to unlock their potential so they can compete with the best in their industries.

Follow Amanda at thebusinessofinfluence.co.nz to keep up to date with her next ventures.

Chasing a Unique

Hawke's Bay Wine Story WO R D S —VI C KI H O LDE R

Lime Rock Wines is a small but stunning nine-hectare vineyard on limestone hills in central Hawke's Bay that punches well above its weight.

Specialising in pinot noir, which is unusual for Hawke's Bay, they also produce aromatics and they’re perhaps the only North Island New Zealand producer of Grüner Veltliner, a grape variety grown predominantly in Austria.

The vineyard has collected five-star reviews from New Zealand’s most acclaimed wine writer, Michael Cooper, who has also declared their Grüner Veltliner wine as a rare, potential classic. The wines are available in some of Auckland’s top restaurants including Josh Emmett’s Onslow and the Oyster Inn on Waiheke, as well as in Hawke's Bay’s Piku, Bistronomy and Napier’s Central Fire Station.

At the vineyard’s helm is Rosie Butler, a winemaker with a laboratory background who started in the industry in 1974 at Montana Wines and helped with the first two vintages in Marlborough. After furthering her Winemaking and viticulture studies at Roseworthy College in South Australia, where she met her husband Rodger Tynan, she returned to Montana for five more years. She then returned to Adelaide where she worked at Petaluma Winery in the Adelaide Hills, and other wineries, and taught wine appreciation. Rodger was working in the outback as a rangeland ecologist with the South Australian Environment Department.

In 2000, when Rosie’s brother suggested they return to the family farm in Waipawa to develop a vineyard on a steep limestone slope that was less suitable for grazing, they leapt at the chance. With Rosie’s wine-making experience and Rodger’s ecological background, it was the perfect challenge for the pair who appreciated the unique site with its soft, three-million-year-old limestone, high altitude and sunny north-facing slopes.

Their idea was to produce wines that truly expressed the environment and they set about

planting in a more sustainable way. That meant no under-vine cultivation to control weeds, but allowing them to grow to provide habitat for beneficial insects that help to control vineyard pests. They planted using a water-jet to make holes for the vines, so no ripping of the soil that could lead to water erosion down the slopes.

These vineyard practices aimed to protect ecological processes in the soil and to maintain the vineyard as an ecosystem. Rodger even invented a new word to call this: 'vit-ecology' instead of viticulture.

“We were ahead of the time,” explains Rosie, “as some top vineyards, such as in the Gimblett Gravels, now do the same.”

They also planted native trees and shrubs like hebes for biodiversity and to provide winter habitat and food for beneficial insects, such as parasitic wasps that help to control caterpillars. Small white flowering plants (alyssum) grow at the end of the rows to provide a corridor of pollen and nectar for parasitic wasps and other insects.

Back in 2001 not a lot of sophisticated virus testing had been carried out on rootstocks so they sourced vine cuttings from the Hawke's Bay Wine Improvement Group and planted these on their own roots without grafting on to rootstock.

They were also careful to use methods designed to reduce the chances of viruses and other pathogens from entering the vineyard.

The location, far from most other Hawke's Bay vineyards, proved a challenge and the fact they produce mainly pinot noir – a variety more common in Martinborough and Central Otago – meant they were not part of the Hawke's Bay wine branding story which talks about chardonnay, syrah and cab merlot.

→

So Rodger and Rosie had to think outside the box just to get noticed.

They developed The Limestone Loop – a series of top things to see and do – to bring people to the area. “We thought, if you give people a loop to drive around, they’ll come and visit.”

The trail around the Raukawa Range, via State Highway 2 and back via State Highway 50 and Tikokino, showcases award-winning wineries, local shops, original homesteads, cafes and markets giving insights into the region’s history.

In many ways, Lime Rock Wines has its own distinctive story to tell.

"It’s rare to have a limestone site with north-facing hills sloping from an altitude of 270m to down to 230m. We keep grass mown in the frost season so the cold air drains away. That’s an advantage as they don’t get frosts. The limestone is free draining and adds structure and flavour to their wines.

Lime Rock Wines 601 Tikokino Road, RD3 WAIPAWA, 4210 Central Hawke's Bay 06 857 8247 wine@limerock.co.nz limerock.co.nz

“Because of the altitude, we’re about three weeks behind northern Hawke's Bay production.”

And while they produce pinot noir, it’s a different style from the rest of New Zealand, more like those from Burgundy in France.

“But it’s the limestone that makes us very special,” says Rosie.

As you look around the cellar door, a huge fossilised oyster shell nestles among the wines on display.

It’s one of a few precious shells they found while working the limestone.

“Because the soil is full of organic seashell matter, you can almost get a lick of oyster when you taste our wines,” smiles Rosie.

You sense, although it has been a lot of work, developing this vineyard has been a labour of love.

Theirs is a passion borne of a deep love for the land.

“I always thought it would be amazing,” says Rosie.

“It’s not posh. They’re very natural surrounds – just a shed with a cellar door and we can have functions here. People feel relaxed when they come.”

One of the first thing Rosie does when people arrive is to drive you to the top of the hill so you can look down on the sweeping curve of the rows. When the leaves on the vines have turned gold in the autumn, it has an indescribable beauty. And the expansive view across the plains to the Ruahine Ranges is breathtaking.

Rosie and Rodger produce extraordinary, sophisticated wines. They’re up there with the best in the world. Lime Rock Wines vineyard in Waipawa is truly worth a visit, even if you don’t do the loop. Give them a call.

However, after 20 years of coaxing the vineyard to perfection, it’s time to move on and this unique little gem is for sale.

A Conversation with Rose Barbarich, Founder of General Collective

Rose, on the left, with her amazing side kick Sarah Langstone-Ross.

Seven years ago Rose had her first son and began making baby products along with a bunch of creative friends. Wishing to showcase their products on some sort of platform by doing something quite different, they came together and put forward a curated market experience, and General Collective, grew from there.

What was the biggest challenge you faced getting General Collective off the ground?

To be honest, it just grew organically. With the help of word-of-mouth and social media, we actually had a strong following from the start. There was a lot of interest in the curated aspect and General Collective grew naturally from there—and continues to do so.

What are some of the benefits for small businesses in getting involved with these markets?

First and foremost is the exposure these businesses and craftspeople get. They also get to meet clients and obtain valuable direct feedback as far as their products are concerned; especially helpful if they are an online business. Our markets also help them to build their customer base.

Having an event-based business must have been challenging over the past year?

Post the lockdowns, we picked up many new brands, probably due to the fact that many people had to change jobs while others lost theirs. Covid and the lockdowns gave them the push to start something new. We have also found that there is a fresh passion to support local. All of these things have helped to grow our business.

What has been the most rewarding part of having General Collective over the past eight years?

Without a doubt, seeing people thrive and witnessing their success stories. I have seen many small start-

ups grow into viable businesses, displaying amazing growth and making really good money.

General Collective showcases stalls selling a great variety of handmade creations; what are some of your favourites?

• Claybird Ceramics – this boutique ceramic studio is a long time fave, with Yon Kavvas having been with us since the beginning.

• Gerty Brown – Morag—Gerty was her grandmother’s name—is a longstanding General Collective creative and makes original and eclectic cushions and accessories, including the ever popular girlband.

• Olivia Bezett – Olivia started with us when she was 16 years old—and she is 21 now. She is a full-time artist and does mainly pencil drawings of animals, each adorned with a quirky twist.

What should first-time visitors to your market expect?

A curated collection of unique and original New Zealand designs and handmade products, packaged in an upscale market experience. Everything at a General Collective market is high standard and our food offering is amazing. There are activities for the kids, too. Our markets are a one-day showcase of New Zealand creativity.

Any valuable lessons learnt?

Believe in yourself and keep the focus. That which you focus on will grow!

How do you destress?

I go hard at the gym, and my garden is my happy place. generalcollective.co.nz

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Meet Dr Ineke Meredith of Fur Love

Dr Ineke Meredith, surgeon, and founder of Fur Love, speaks about surgery and her new beauty brand for dogs.

How many dogs do you have and what breed are they?

I had a beautiful caramel labradoodle.

Charli. Sadly she passed away in September of 2020 at the very young age of seven years. I was, and still am, heartbroken. We were inseparable. My friends knew if they were inviting me for dinner, my plus one was Charli. But she was such a humans' dog. When I found out she had a liver packed full of cancer on the Wednesday, I called my cousins and friends and everyone who loved Charli. I told them all to come and spend time with her and kiss her goodbye. Our house was packed full of people from that moment until Sunday night. And then we had to say our last goodbye on Monday morning. But it was incredible. We had flowers spilling out our front door. She was definitely a gift to everyone who met her.

What are some similarities and differences between surgery and business?

Both require incredibly hard work for sure. When I first started the company, of course I consulted widely, and there was no shortage of people telling me how hard business was. I usually replied that I was a surgeon, and quite capable of working hard. But business is very hard.

It requires a lot of passion and conviction before you have something that actually works. The main difference for me is that medicine is very prescriptive. It has to be. There are well defined pathways for patient care based on high quality evidence to ensure the best possible patient outcomes. I have found that with business, one has to be more flexible.

One word I love is 'pivot'. You have to be able to pivot when something doesn’t work, and pivot quickly. I enjoy that challenge. You are always thinking and moving.

Biggest challenge?

It’s deciding what advice to take, and what to leave behind. Of course, everyone has an opinion and likes to give advice. I am a surgeon, so definitely people were looking at me like I was crazy. But I knew it was a thing that could live. I had been reading veterinary literature, because I couldn’t find anything for Charli that she needed.

I knew there was a gap that Fur Love could fill. I have spent over 10 years training in surgery, and business doesn’t go with that. So I had to spend a lot of time reading and learning. I still do! I took a couple of business coaches, and I have tried to develop a very wide network to harness knowledge which is both good and bad. The analogy would be for a patient who is seeking opinion after opinion after opinion. If you see five professionals for a problem, you will come out with five different recommendations. It is frustrating, but for me, this just means that there is no right way. My biggest challenge has been navigating this. I have to be mindful to keep the positive with me, and remain resolute in my goals and self-belief.

What is ahead for you?

Keep learning and growing. I love surgery. I love my commitments around this. Just before Covid shut the world down, I presented at an International Cancer Meeting in Egypt on Breast Reconstruction and Radiotherapy. I love the acquisition of knowledge. And for business, I am addicted. I love it.

The ability to be inventive, and make something that doesn’t exist, that’s fun. I guess you could say I am pretty lucky to be able to do all this.

For full interview visit Verve online and search ‘Fur Love’

Cocktail Hour with Amy Alexander of JMR Cocktail and Co.

MAY 2021

After discovering the delights of a J.M.R ready mixed cocktail in our hotel bar a couple of weeks ago, we simply had to catch up with the woman behind these stunningly presented hand-crafted bottled cocktails.

You got your start managing bars and restaurants as well as organising events; what made you passionate about starting a cocktail business?

I have always loved working in the hospitality industry and I am super passionate about people, food and beverage.

After years of working late nights in the constraints of four walls, I wanted to be able to have creative freedom and work for myself. It felt like a natural step to start a business and bring those same cocktails I was serving to people from behind the bar anywhere, not just in your traditional bar setting. I am a classic cocktail fan myself, so when it came to launching the initial range (Gin Martini, Negroni, Old Fashioned, and Manhattan), it was a no brainer for us.

How did J.M.R. Cocktail & Co come about, and how long has the company been going?

We wanted anyone to be able to enjoy a perfectly mixed cocktail anywhere. We both agreed on the struggle that exists to find a consistent, well-made cocktail outside of a decent cocktail bar. Born was the concept of J.M.R Cocktail & Co where you would be able to open your fridge, minibar, or picnic basket, and have a perfectly mixed cocktail to drink. The company was founded in 2017 and we slowly seeded into select stockists in 2018.

We were the first of our kind doing slightly boozier readyto-enjoy bottled cocktails in New Zealand. There was a lot of education that needed to take place in order for people to shift their traditional mindset from the current RTDs on the market. We really stand by our quality and blending skills and I know when people try our range, there's no question that's the case. Our aim was then and still is now for you to enjoy a well-made drink anywhere.

What was the most challenging part about getting the business off the ground?

My own fear of failing. It's terrifying putting yourself out there for potential public scrutiny. I’m incredibly sensitive and I take things ultra-personally, which can be really tough at times. I remember when I first started talking

with people about the concept, I would often receive comments such as, “Oh, so you’re just making an RTD?” And yes, the short answer was 'yes', but our cocktails were and are nothing like some of the traditional RTDs on the market. They are hand-blended and made to classic recipes with a dash of filtered water which helps replicate the crucial dilution process you’d otherwise receive in a cocktail bar.

For you, what has been the most rewarding part of owning a cocktail brand?

There are so many things! I really love connecting with people. The tasting and event side allows me to continue to do so. I love collaborating with fellow creatives like Yu Mei and YAKISODA. I love that J.M.R is a touch of luxury in people's lives, we’re that little sparkle you didn’t know you needed, a conversation-starter when you arrive at a dinner party with a bottle in hand, that perfect drop in the fridge after a long day or the cocktails of choice for someone's special occasion.

What do you see for the future of the brand? Is there anything you want to do or anywhere you want to take it that you haven’t yet?

2021 is all about collaborating with fellow Kiwis, popups, growth in the retail industry and hotels now that our borders are opening back up. With events coming back online, I’m not only keen to get J.M.R to a trade show near you, but I am very excited to build up our drinks catering side of the business too. This year is all about cementing our position in New Zealand as the number one bottled cocktail of choice!

What is your favourite cocktail in the J.M.R. range?

My go-to would be our Negroni with an orange zest or our Gin Martini with a big juicy green olive.

For more information visit jmrcocktail.com

Full interview available at vervemagazine.co.nz

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Meet Megan

Founder of Megan Dempsey THE CLINIC

Megan Dempsey is the founder of Megan Dempsey THE CLINIC, a cosmetic medicine clinic in St Heliers that specialises in Botox™, Dermal Fillers, Laser, advanced clinical skincare and specialist skin treatments. As a highly qualified Registered Nurse, she has worked at some of the most reputable and well regarded public and private hospitals in both London and Auckland. Megan has also developed her very own sunscreen called, ULTIMATE BLOCK™.

MEG AN D E MP S EY.C O. N Z

Was it always a dream of yours to start your own Skin and Cosmetic Medicine Clinic? My love of working with people and helping others has always been my driver. After completing my Degree, I worked in a wide range of clinical settings before training to become a breast cancer nurse specialist in London. Working closely with Cosmetic Doctors, Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons over the years definitely inspired my passion and love for the Appearance Medicine side of the business it wasn’t until circumstances changed that I plucked up the courage to open my own Business. Megan Dempsey THE CLINIC, something I truly never dreamed I would do.

You’ve described your work as “a fine balance between art and science”. Can you explain this? There is a real need for trusted practitioners in our industry. Anyone can learn a skill, but when it comes to the face, we wear it every day, it is the focal point, and intrinsically linked to how we feel about ourselves. My highly skilled Team of Registered Nurses and I truly care about getting it right. It takes years of training and I believe it is definitely a fine balance, you must have a keen eye for detail and symmetry of the face, combined with a deeper understanding of Anatomy and physiology in order to safely and confidently deliver the best treatment outcomes.

The art is in being able to maintain character and expression whilst minimising fine lines, volume loss and improving skin health. Our aim is to always provide a fresh natural look that is right for each client.

What motivated you to develop your own sunscreen? This idea developed over several years, returning home after London I became acutely aware of the severity of our sun and its effects on the skin from living in New Zealand.

Even more frustrating was how hard it was to find a decent sunscreen. Many of the sunscreens available were chemical based and did not seem to work not matter how high the SPF number on the bottle was.

On a personal level, three close family members have had a melanoma. I really felt I wanted to do something to make a difference, to change the way people think about and apply sunscreen (not just during the summer months). Creating something suited for daily use in place of a moisturiser that would help provide protection all year round, a sunscreen that actually worked and one that I could trust to recommend safely was my goal.

You’re a busy woman, how do you make sure you’re looking after yourself? This is still a work in progress! I am not a fan of the word ‘busy’ as I believe that everyone is busy coping with the ups and downs of life, whether you work or not.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have the support of my highly skilled Team and my husband who has helped me to navigate my way through the past 7 years of owning my own business. Spending time with family and friends is so important to me, walking, enjoying nature and sharing the outdoors with them is what fills up my tank. Planning ahead and booking these things in advance is key for my personal health and wellbeing.

Dans le Jardin with Joanna

Joanna Rogers is warm and personable and makes you feel like you have known her forever. Together with husband Warren, she founded and has been running Jardin for the past 9 years. Verve caught up with Joanna in their new Parnell showroom.

What motivated you to start Jardin?

With the benefit of hindsight I think the Jardin journey began way back in the early 2000’s. We renovated a terrace house in London including fully landscaping the garden and incorporating three outdoor seating areas – I’m not sure the English climate really warranted three outdoor seating areas! Maybe I just needed every opportunity to soak up the sun when it was there. A detour via Sydney presented the opportunity to buy an inner city garden store which evolved into a contemporary outdoor destination focused on balconies and small urban gardens. The final step was a move back to NZ and an opportunity to represent French outdoor brand Fermob allowing us to focus all our attention on such a great quality, design-lead outdoor furniture brand. I have always loved creating spaces to sit, entertain, relax and enjoy the sunshine outside. Now I get to work with our customers to create these spaces every day.

Tell us about the Jardin difference – your usp in other words?

At Jardin we are focused on finding the right outdoor furniture solution for each space and the families who will love it. A great outdoor space will be the inspiration for long leisurely lunches with friends, a relaxing morning coffee, predinner or theatre cocktails or even large family gatherings. As well as offering all the practical solutions we want to help create spaces that make your heart sing and inspire more such gatherings of friends and family in the garden. The Fermob collections offer so many choices, I mean how often do you have 24 colours of dining chair to choose from? After working with the brand for nearly 15 years now we can help navigate those decisions and find the perfect solution.

As lovers of design, what do you feel are the small discernible differences between European and other home and living design?

European design is in the details but it’s born from centuries of inspiration. With a rich history of design to inspire and inform present day designers and a focus on quality, the results are invariably visually beautiful. The subtle combinations of perfect proportions, gentle curves and clean lines lead to a finished product that is just stunning. Another element often overlooked is the practical side of product design – it is not just form but a product must also function exceptionally well and this element is given the highest priority by the European designers Fermob works with.

You have just moved your showroom to Parnell. Tell us a little more about this, how things are going etc.

We’ve been quietly planning a move to the city side of the bridge for a couple of years now. As the Fermob collections continue to expand, and demand for something new and different has increased, we were rapidly outgrowing our North Shore showroom. Parnell is such a vibrant, design oriented area and our new showroom really allows us to show off the Fermob collections to a market that appreciates the uniqueness and personality of these stunning products.

Any design inspirations?

Gardens are my design inspiration. I absolutely love beautiful gardens regardless of the design stye. Whether it’s an arid garden, a tropical retreat or a formal English parterre garden, I’m passionate about the opportunity to visually enhance the garden with stunning furniture that compliments the design.

FOCUS ON DESIGN

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JAPANESE DESIGN FREQUENTLY MAKES REFERENCE TO THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF TRADITIONAL JAPANESE ARTS WHILE ALSO BEING CONTEMPORARY, SLICK AND MODERN. THE STYLE’S CLEAR, STRONG VOICE RANGES FROM SIMPLE DESIGN, GEOMETRICS AND SPOTS OF COLOUR TO LOUD MASCOTS, CUTE PATTERNS AND CARTOONS. FROM MINIMALISM TO POP, WE OFTEN SEE JAPANESE INFLUENCE IN THE FIELDS OF ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN. WE TAKE LOOK AT SOME RECENT STUNNING EXAMPLES.

TETOTE NOTE

GET THE LOOK WITH RESENE

RESENE C’EST LA VIE

RESENE DOVER WHITE

YOSHIHIRO KATO ATELIER

RESENE FLOTSAM

Tetote Note designed by Yoshihiro Kato Atelier is a minimal five-story concrete office block with oblong windows, located in Nagoya, Japan.

RESENE GHOST

The square and pure white building located on a 100-square-metre site is called Tetote Note. Tetote means handshake in Japanese, and it signifies the collaboration among the designers, the clients, and those involved in its creation.

RESENE BREATHLESS

RESENE IN THE MAUVE

WE HOTEL TOYA KENGO KUMA & ASSOCIATES

A nursing home located by Lake Toya in Hokkaido, Japan has been transformed into a boutique-type hotel of wood and fabric, with locally sourced cedar logs applied to both the interior and façade to create a space of comfort.

A cave-formed space with pleated cloth interiors afford views across the lake, while guest balconies sport fragrant hinoki (cypress) bathtubs that may be enjoyed overlooking the spectacular landscape.

CLT PARK HARUMI KENGO KUMA & ASSOCIATES Japanese architect Kengo Kuma used cross-laminated timber to build a temporary pocket park pavilion and exhibition space in Tokyo.

Called CLT Park Harumi, the complex was being used as a temporary facility in Harumi, Tokyo for a period of one year from its completion up until the fall of 2020, when it was to be relocated to the city of Maniwa in Okayama Prefecture as a permanent structure.

GET THE LOOK WITH RESENE

RESENE KALGOORIE SANDS

RESENE MANHATTAN

RESENE SAND

RESENE JUST RIGHT

RESENE MAI TAI

RESENE SANTE FE

SHANGHAI MOTOR SHOW KENGO KUMA & ASSOCIATES

A new textile of triaxial weaving was used to create three-dimensional origami-like fabric for borders between booths at an art installation at the Shanghai Motor Show. Rather than the two traditional warp and weft textile components, triaxial weaving incorporates three yarn components to enable the fabric’s shape retention for a longer period of time.

The geometry of Muira weaving was applied to make pleats to generate a three-dimensional collection of small rhomboids, with the fabric named ‘cloud’ in tribute to the shadows thrown out by the pleats. The cloud may be easily dissembled and reassembled to enable ease of transportation around the world.

The Japanese Design Edit 2

Pleats Please Issey Miyaki High-Neck Technical-Pleated Top

1 Sacai Summer Spring 2021

5 Takumi Kohgei Grande 3P Sofa

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Ryosuke Harashima Under The Hazy Moon

Shoji Open Shelf

3

4

Ariake Beam Side Table

Hasami Porcelain Round Bowl & Tall Bowl

6 Scholten & Baijings Colour Wood Table

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Ariake Shoji Screen

Saito Wood Magazine Rack

publicrecord.shop

Takayuki Watanabe Takayuki Watanbe creates sculptural, tactile ceramics in the Doki* (earthenware) style. He lives and works in the mountainous peninsula of Izu, Shizuoka, He decided to settle there, beneath Mount Fuji, after he travelled around the world famous pottery regions as he likes the clay which contains high minerals by active volcanos.

Takayuki lives closely with nature. He sources his own clay, which he fires in a kiln that he has built.

He approaches potterymaking like a scientist – he experiments with old and new materials and techniques to make innovative, original ceramics.

Takayuki’s work is highly regarded and considered equal to the master ceramists he has met and studied under.

→

Public Record

A SELECTION FROM PUBLIC RECORD

Shiho Hayashi Highly regarded, leading ceramicist from Gifu, Japan.

The elegant form combined with the contrasting tactile texture represents her signature, and one that attracts fans from around the world.

Her solo show has kept her busy for the past two years.

→ A SELECTION FROM PUBLIC RECORD

A D O C UME NTARY BY JO H N NAK AS H IMA

George Nakashima Woodworker

NAK AS H I MAD O C UME NTARY.C O M

Image per kind courtesy of Webbs.

George Nakashima was the architect turned craftsman-designer who changed woodworking by embracing the 'imperfections' and natural character of nature. The grandson of a Samurai, this American Nisei, embarked on an around-the-world, several-year journey during the Great Depression. He was a seeker looking for a way to have a meaning in his creative life. He actually found life-changing answers in Japan and French India. He returned to America with the special knowledge he found and used it to create designs the world had never seen before. The documentary features rare interviews with George from the 1980s, his last decade of life. Through interviews with his family, woodworkers, design historians, they reveal how to understand this complex man who embraced the natural, the simple, and fine craftsmanship.

Tastes of Japan From food to fashion to film and the most fabulous of architecture, we’re massive fans of all things Japan here at Verve (but mostly the food!) and two of our favourite things right now are the Netflix show, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories, and the good ol’ hibachi grill.

Smoking!

Nothing makes seafood, meats and many vegetables so lipsmakingly satisfying as being cooked over smoky charcoal, and few things do it as efficiently, subtly, or deliciously as the hibachi grill. The grill, which takes its name from an eighthcentury Japanese cooking, or ‘fire’, bowl also fuelled by charcoal, is as famed for its functionality as for the flavour that it imparts. The relatively tiny device is easily portable, making it a firm favourite for beach barbecues and park picnics, as well as in kitchens and gardens at home. The grill is traditionally powered by the Japanese binchotan, a pure, premium charcoal made from oak that is odourless and noted for not interfering with the food’s natural flavours. But the fuel is expensive and sometimes hard to source, so the Thai charcoal of thaan, made from fruit wood, is a fine and popular substitute.

Following the hibachi grill’s multiple appearances on MasterChef Australia in 2020, sales skyrocketed by an astonishing 1,600 percent, but its most amusing media appearance came the year earlier courtesy of Ariana Grande.

In celebration of her single ‘7 Rings’ the popstar opted to get the song title tattooed in Japanese characters upon the palm of her hand then showcased it on social media only to be told that her 七輪 inking didn’t signify ‘seven rings’, but rather translated as the fabled barbecue grill.

Feast for the Senses For anyone that’s already been, Netflix drama Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (pictured) will instantly transport you back to the atmospheric streets and alleyways of the Japanese capital, and for those who have yet to have had the pleasure, it’s pretty much the next best thing–just the tonic during these troubled times of border closures and crises. Near-half-hour snapshots of beguiling conversations and life stories take place in an intimate restaurant setting, where close-ups of lovingly crafted dishes are captured with such consideration that you can almost taste the food as the steam seemingly permeates through your television screen.

The eatery opens only between midnight and 7am; “when people head home, that’s when my day begins” so comments the proprietor who we know only as ‘The Master’ and who, aside from his scarred face, gives little about himself away. His menu is just as vague and mysterious, but if he has the ingredients—or you can provide them—then he’ll cook whatever you desire. Episodes take place around specific dishes that mean something to that episode’s particular characters, whether they be a TV actor-turned cab driver, a porn star, or a scientist. In the security of the cozy environment, and protected by the darkness of the night, fears and secrets are spilled as easily as the warm sake and noodle soups. A hidden gem of a restaurant, within a hidden gem of a show, like a priest or a therapist The Master listens, as he sates his customers’ appetites, and lightens their souls.

Crispy Green Beans In Sesame

Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 4–6

The white sesame seeds are subtle in flavour, and pair well with the saltier, though lighter in color, soy sauce— usukuchi shoyu. It is possible to use the more common dark soy sauce instead.

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Ingredients 400g green beans, topped 6 tablespoons white sesame seeds 2 tablespoons usukuchi shoyu 2 tablespoons mirin 1 pinch flaky salt

Method In a pot of boiling salted water, blanch the green beans for 30–90 seconds, depending on thickness (they should only be half cooked). Refresh under cold, running water until cool to the touch. Drain, shake off, and pat dry in a clean tea towel.

Cut on the diagonal into 4 cm pieces. If unusually thick, make acute diagonal cuts so the pieces are thinner.

In a small, dry frying pan, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat until fragrant, shaking the pan and lifting off the heat if needed to avoid scorching. Transfer immediately to a suribachi (grinding bowl) or spice/nut grinder and process until the oils come out. Stir in the usukuchi shoyu, mirin, and salt until smooth, taking care to scrape down the sides, so as to not leave any precious sesame particles.

Toss the green beans with the dressing and serve.

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves: 6

There is no end to the local simmered foods of Japan. This one comes from the northern area, and is both hearty and rich to satisfy during the cold months.

Simmered Chicken And Vegetables

Ingredients 6 tablespoons rice vinegar 100g lotus root 6 small taro roots (150g), peeled 24 thin or 12 medium green beans, topped 1 block (250g) konnyaku, cut into short, 5mm thick batons ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt boiling water 1 small carrot, scrubbed ½ small burdock root (100g), scrubbed 2 tablespoons canola (rapeseed) oil 300g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm cubes 2 large or 4 small dried shiitake, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes and drained and thickly sliced 2 ½ cups (600ml) Katsuobushi Dashi 2 tablespoons mirin 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons sake shichimi togarashi (seven-spice powder), optional

Method Bring a medium pot of water to a boil with 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Peel the lotus root, halve lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 5 cm half-rounds. Blanch the lotus root for 1 minute. Scoop out with a wire-mesh sieve. In the same pot of water used to blanch the lotus, boil the taro roots for 3 minutes. Drain, halve lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 5 cm half-moons.

In a pot of boiling salted water, blanch the green beans for 1 minute. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Cut crosswise into diagonal pieces about 3cm long. Rub the konnyaku with the salt, place in a wire-mesh sieve, and pour a steady stream of boiling water over it for 10 seconds.

Cut the carrot into 3cm triangular chunks (rangiri; see page 446). Slice the burdock crosswise into 2cm diagonal pieces and place in a medium bowl filled with cold water and the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar to avoid discoloration.

In a heavy medium-large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the ingredients one at a time, starting with the hardest and ending with the softest: carrot, burdock, lotus root, taro root, konnyaku, chicken, and shiitake. Once the oil has evenly coated the ingredients, in 3–4 minutes, add the dashi, mirin, soy sauce, and sake. Place an otoshibuta (drop lid) or pan lid directly on the vegetables and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Stir in the green beans and continue cooking until all of the vegetables have softened and are cooked through, 5 more minutes. Stirring might cause the vegetables to break into pieces, so best to pick up the pot in two hands, and roll it around to distribute the simmering liquids for even flavouring.

Serve hot or cold, garnished with shichimi togarashi, if using.

Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 6

Negi does not have the toughness of a Western leek and melts down to a lovely silky texture when stir-fried. While still not widely available outside of Japan, more and more Western farmers are growing negi, so check your local farmers' markets. And in the meantime, fat scallions (spring onions) substitute admirably for negi.

Stir-Fried Negi With Miso

Ingredients 150g akami no usugiri, thinly sliced pork shoulder 1 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoons sake 2 usuage deep-fried tofu pouch, optional Boiling water, optional 1 tablespoons gold sesame oil 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger 1 small dried red chile, seeded, finely chopped 2 medium negi or 6 fat scallions (spring onions) 200g, cut crosswise into 2 cm pieces 100g bok choy, cut crosswise into 4cm pieces 4 shiitake, stems discarded and caps quartered 2 tablespoons barley miso 1 tablespoon mirin

Method Cut the pork across into 2 cm pieces. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and sake. Toss with the pork pieces to evenly coat.

If using the usuage, place in a wire-mesh sieve and pour a steady stream of boiling water over it for 10 seconds. Shake off and cut into 2 cm squares.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat until starting to shimmer. Add the ginger and chile and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Scoop up the pork with your hand, letting the marinade drip through your fingers, and drop the pork into the frying pan. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the meat whitens, 1–2 minutes. Slide in the negi, bok choy, shiitake, and usuage (if using) and stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked through, 3–5 minutes.

Japan: The Cookbook by Nancy Singleton Hachisu $70, phaidon.com

In a small bowl, stir together the miso and mirin. Scrape over the vegetables and toss off heat until incorporated. Serve hot or at room temperature. Leftovers are fine reheated or cold.

Hibachi Japanese Barbecue

Ingredients

sliced beef large prawns onion shiitake mushrooms pepper leek yakiniku sauce 100ml soy sauce shichimi Japanese chilli powder 1 glove garlic grated ginger 1 tbsp sesame seeds ½ tbsp sesame oil 4 tbsp sugar ½ tbsp spicy chilli paste (optional)

Method

To make the yakiniku dipping sauce, add the soy sauce, sugar, shichimi, grated garlic and grated ginger into a bowl and mix well.

Sprinkle in the sesame seeds as you continue to mix the other ingredients. Then add the sesame oil in the same way while you mix everything together. Put a small amount of the finished sauce into smaller serving bowls for each person.

Slice all your meat and vegetables into small, thin bitesize pieces before lighting up your barbecue or begin heating the grill plate on a portable stove on the table.

Start adding the meat and the vegetables to the grill and allow to cook for a few moments before turning over and finish cooking on the other side. Of course, the finer that you slice the ingredients, the fast they will cook.

To order you very own Hibachi email Vector Systems Ltd: sales@vectorsystems.co.nz

Once the food is cooked, take from the grill plate or barbecue, dip into your sauce and enjoy!

Serve with rice.

MAY 2021

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STUNNINGLY DESIGNED STAINLESS HIBACHI Sit outside and keep warm whilst cooking on your Hibachi Dinner parties are easy when everyone cooks their own. Eat, converse and relax all at your own pace.

This is how life should be! It’s social and loads of fun.

Email sales@vectorsystems.co.nz to order your HIBACHI

vervemagazine.co.nz

OKONOMIYAKI

Serves 1 Ingredients

Method

30g 40ml 1pc 150g 5g 10g 60g 60g

Prepare the vegetables. cabbage, 5mm x 5mm and green onion, chopped.

okonomiyaki flour water egg cabbage green onions tenkasu (tempura crisps) okonomi sauce your favourite topping (pork sliced/shrimp/bacon) mayonnaise, as you like aonori, as you like kastuobushi (bonito flake), as you like *Use any kinds of veggies, meat, fish as you like.

Cook topping ingredients first. You can put whatever topping you like! Transfer them from the pan to that plate.

Add flour and water to a bowl with the egg, vegetables and tenkasu. (Regular size for 1 serving) 15cm width, 2cm height.

Mix it enough to let air in.

Set the pan on low heat. Add some oil and the mixture and cook for 5 minutes.

Flip it and cook for another 5 minutes.

Place the pancake onto the plate and cover with Okonomi sauce. Add some mayonnaise, green seaweed, bonito flake, and your favourite topping on okonomiyaki as you like.

You can buy these Japanese ingredients at your selected Japan Mart, japanmart.co.nz

Energy and Positivity

Sachie’s Kitchen celebrate their 11th birthday on 5 May 2021

Sachie is the founder and chef of Sachie’s Kitchen, Australasia’s largest Asian cooking school (sachieskitchen.com). Sachie is very proud to be voted as NZ’s number one cooking school, the business has won a slew of awards, and is regularly featured in the media as one of the to-do activities in Auckland and New Zealand. There have been over 50,000 happy cooks who have been delighted to learn about the Asian food culture.

Originally from Aichi, Japan, Sachie arrived in New Zealand as a university student in the mid 1990s, attaining a degree in Chinese and Chinese family-inlaws! Her love for cooking grew as she eagerly watched her mother and auntie’s cooking whilst sharing their knowledge of and passion for generations of family secrets. Having spent a decade being schooled by some of New Zealand's and Japan’s leading chefs, Sachie’s dream was to pass on her passion for Asian culture and cuisine by demystifying the perceived complexity of Asian cooking, making it easily replicated at home. Drawing from a variety of sources including traditional family recipes handed down through the generations, Sachie adds her own unique style to her recipes, ensuring fun and tasty Asian food is accessible to everyone.

Sachie’s Kitchen offers: • Asian Cooking Classes as well as private functions • Virtual Cooking Classes is launching soon • You can pick up your LUNCH from Sachie's Kitchen: Mon - Fri 11am until 2pm sachiekitchen.com Sachie From Sachie’s Kitchen

vervemagazine.co.nz

REAL ESTATE

The Real Deal Sara Dai Freeland is a California-born, multi-award-winning New York City real estate agent for the De Niro Team at Douglas Elliman. Verve caught up with her to find out what she most loves about working and playing in the Big Apple, and what it takes to make it in the city that never sleeps.

“When I was a little girl, I dreamt of becoming a doctor, but my maiden name is Dai, pronounced ‘die’, and I’m pretty sure most people would not want to be greeted by a Dr Dai!” she chuckles. “Then I became interested in journalism and dreamt of becoming the next Jane Pauley who is a television anchor for a news magazine programme called Dateline NBC. I actually interned for Dateline during my senior year at university, and after graduating college I worked for the Fox News network. The hours were long, and I often got stuck working the crappy overnight shifts and between shows the crew would sometimes let me practise reading from the teleprompter on camera. I realised that I was terrible!”

Sara is the child of first-generation immigrant who arrived in the US, from Vietnam, with “literally nothing”.

“My parents put themselves through school while working and trying to raise my older brother and I so that we could have a better future,” she recalls. “My mom is a very determined and strong-willed woman. From her, I have learnt that hard work and persistence pays off, that if there is a will, there is a way. I very much live by that motto.”

MAY 2021

Are there any other philosophies that you live and work by?

“I used to work hard-play hard, but that’s tough nowadays with two little ones. I am constantly juggling between mommy-ing and working— thankfully I have an uber-supportive husband—but regardless, in work or in my personal life, I am always honest and treat everyone with integrity and respect. I try to be thoughtful and caring and a good listener. I also believe in karma – what goes around comes around. Sometimes life can just dish you crap, but that’s okay, that’s life—the good and the bad.

Accept it and carry on.”

What first attracted you to real estate?

“In 2006, after having worked in the media, PR and even with the Miss Universe Organisation, I discovered that my dear friend Raphael De Niro was looking for an assistant. One thing led to another and we’ve been working together ever since. I didn’t know much about real estate, but there was a lot of opportunity to generate good income and meet people from every type of industry – when you think about it, everyone needs a roof over their head! I’m a people person and there is no better feeling when you are able to work with friends and family and also find them their dream home.”

Sara cites Raphael as among her most significant mentors, and, when asked what she most loves about the industry jokes that it’s all about “the money!”

“On a serious note, I do love that I get to work with so many interesting people from all walks of life,” she continues. “I also love interior design and architecture, which I obviously get to see a lot of. Every day is different which keeps things really fresh and interesting.”

And what do you most love about the city?

“The energy, the fast pace, and the mindset that anything is possible. It’s a gigantic melting pot of culture. Everything is at your fingertips. Plus, the food—the food is fantastic!”

And any gripes?

“That’s a tough one, I’ll have to come back to it!”

Sara responds that she doesn’t usually ‘kiss and tell’ (and even sometimes has to sign non-disclosure agreements when working with high net-worth or high-profile clients) when asked about her most memorable sales but reveals that purchasing her first apartment is one of her proudest moments.

“I was just about to turn 30 years old, had worked my ass off and saved all my pennies,” she goes on. “There were no spending splurges on shoes or handbags—which is very hard to do when living in the fashion capital— but it meant that I bought a sweet little two-bedroom flat with a garden in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Best of all, when I sold it six years later – I made a profit of over $1 million dollars, so I’m definitely proud of my investment skills!”

During the pandemic, Sara and her husband, bought a holiday house two hours north of the city to enjoy with their two young children, Phoebe and Alfie: “Our weekend escape, surrounded by the most gorgeous nature.”

Aside from being with her family, Sara says that she’s happiest when basking in sunshine “on a beach and completely shut off from technology”.

She misses travelling dearly and is looking forward to catching up with her parents in LA and husband’s family in the UK when things return to some kind of normality.

Words – Jamie Christian Desplaces

“This past year has solidified even more so that nothing is more important than your family and loved ones,” she concludes. “I feel so incredibly blessed to have spent so much time with my husband and children, watching Phoebe and Alfie develop the special bond that brothers and sisters have—it makes my heart melt. I used to be—and maybe still am—a little OCD. I can be very particular and meticulous about things. But now I try to not sweat the small stuff. I try to let things go.”

City Living, Heritage Look

MAY 2021

“Onehunga Mall has a rich history. We wanted to be part of that history but also tell the story of now. We’re not trying to replicate. We’re the new kid on the block. We’re forming a ribbon in time of good urban contributions from each era.”

The Onehunga Mall Club Way back in 1973, Queen Street Onehunga was closed to traffic, renamed Onehunga Mall and reopened as a pedestrian shopping precinct. And though the Mall opened to cars again in 1996, it retains that friendly, bustling village feel of earlier days and is tipped as one of Auckland’s most desirable up-and-coming suburbs.

In the heart of that village, where the local Workingmen’s Club once stood, a landmark tower with large and liveable apartments will rise, offering residents outlooks to the four corners of Auckland.

This is the second Onehunga project for seasoned developers Andrew and Tim Lamont of Lamont & Co, the company behind a number of successful urban living precincts, including SKHY on Khyber Pass, which won the 2020 NZ Architecture Award for multi-unit housing, and Fabric of Onehunga, a pocket neighbourhood between Spring Street and Victoria Street. Just like Fabric, The O.M.C apartments have captured the attention of home owners and seasoned investors, all moving quickly to choose their point of view.

Looking at the project, it’s little wonder. The 1,808m2 site at 158 Onehunga Mall will set a quality benchmark, offering 102 homes over eight storeys, each with either one or two bedrooms ranging from 50-94sqm, excluding balconies and terraces.

Designed by Ashton Mitchell Architects and to be built by Kalmar Construction, The Onehunga Mall Club is set to offer exceptional contemporary living among the evolving heritage suburb of Onehunga, with plenty of nods to the rich historic setting.

Andrew Lamont, director of Lamont & Co says: “We wanted to provide architecturally stunning, high quality housing in Onehunga, and have worked carefully with our architects and planners to redefine what quality apartment living looks like.

retains the heritage of the Workingmen’s Club that once stood in its place, says Clifford Paul of Ashton Mitchell Architects.

“Onehunga Mall has a rich history. We wanted to be part of that history but also tell the story of now.

We’re not trying to replicate. We’re the new kid on the block. We’re forming a ribbon in time of good urban contributions from each era.”

“A lot of the design cues have been taken from the previous Workingmen’s Club. You will see that in the signage, the wayfinding, patterning in walls and screens, mesh in the carpark – inspiration has been taken from the rich textures of the Workingmen’s Club carpet design. We’ll incorporate some of those nostalgic elements. It’s a place where people came to have a yarn and a social time and we want to take that history forward.

Quality bones There is nostalgia aplenty here. Yet the nods to history combine with a modern feel and all the trimmings that you’d expect of a high quality Auckland apartment.

The design is unmistakably contemporary, with quality built into the bones of the building. Set back from the road so as not to disrupt the feel of the frontage, levels above the podium offer 360 degree views of One Tree Hill, the greenery of Mt Wellington and Māngere Bridge, the drama of the Manukau Harbour and Heads beyond; outlooks that you’ll be able to enjoy from your balcony or terrace, some as large as 48sqm.

Space maximised Inside, the apartments are efficiently designed. Every square metre is considered, says Clifford, so that even the smallest feels spacious and comfortable with adequate storage, and no wasted space.

“The Onehunga Mall Club will enrich the already vibrant social fabric of the area. Located in the heart of one of Auckland’s most upcoming suburbs, The O.M.C will appeal to first-home buyers, professionals, downsizers and investors alike.”

Each air-conditioned home will be fitted with premium Fisher & Paykel appliances, and will include timber details, carpeted bedrooms and tiled bathroom. Soren Liv designer furniture packages will be available for purchasers convenience.

Historic nod, modern twist

With podium car parks, bicycle parks, and storage units, as well as 20-30 restaurants, cafes and eateries within a stone’s throw, The O.M.C has all the conveniences of the suburbs with the social life and proximity of the city. Due for completion at the end of 2023, these gems are selling fast.

Designed with brick construction on the majority of the exterior, recessed entries on the street and proportions that are in keeping with the rest of heritage buildings along the Mall, The O.M.C

REAL ESTATE

Inside, the apartments are efficiently designed. Every square metre is considered, says Clifford, so that even the smallest feels spacious and comfortable with adequate storage, and no wasted space.

Walking distance to…

Did you know…

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Dressmart Shopping Mall Mr T’s Cafe Everybody Eats Onehunga Neighbourhood Eatery The Good Home Restaurant Japanese Sashimi Bar Ajimi Onehunga Cafe Brothers Beer & Juke Joint Manukau Foreshore Walkway Gloucester Park The Landing Restaurant and Bar Onehunga Wharf Saltwater Burger Bar Enchanted Forest Mini Golf

• Until 1956, a tram line connected Onehunga to Auckland CBD. • In 1893, Onehunga elected the first woman mayor in the British Empire.

• There was a zoo in Onehunga from 1912 till 1922.

• Onehunga was possibly the first New Zealand village to have a free public library.

• The name Onehunga means a beach composed of sand and soil.

Register your interest at onehungamallclub.co.nz

Fast Fact Check •

Address at 158 Onehunga Mall

•

Retail at ground level

•

102 apartments – 1 and 2 bedrooms

• 8 storeys elevated over 2 floors of podium carparks •

By Lamont & Co, developers of Fabric of Onehunga and SKHY

•

Design by Ashton Mitchell Architects

•

From 50-94sqm

•

Construction starts early 2022

•

Completion end of 2023

•

Views to Mt Wellington in the east, Mangere Bridge and mountain in the south, Manukau Harbour to the west and One Tree Hill to the north

•

Prices range from $550k to $1.250m

•

Display suit is open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 3pm or by appointment

New Zealand Housing Market Continues To Experience New Record Highs

Wendy Alexander, Acting Chief Executive, REINZ

March was another incredibly strong month from a price perspective with 12 regions and 32 districts across the country seeing record median prices. The national median also reached a new record, increasing by $46,300 since last month, showing just how much pressure has been placed on house prices and how we desperately need more supply to come to the market.

Additionally, we’re seeing houses sell at their fastest pace in a March month ever and we’ve seen the highest percentage of auctions the country has ever seen since REINZ began keeping records, showing just how quickly the market is moving.

Looking forward over the next couple of months, we would expect house prices to continue rising, but we hope this will be at a slower pace than we’ve seen over the last six to 12 months. Hopefully the re-implementation of the LVRs, changes in government policy and the move towards winter will slow the rate of growth down a little, but only time will tell what effect they will have.

The number of residential properties sold in March across New Zealand increased by 31.2% when compared to the same time last year (from 7,408 to 9,721) – the highest for the month of March in 14 years.

In March, 12 out of 16 regions saw annual increases in sales volumes, including Auckland, West Coast, Waikato, Canterbury and Nelson.

March’s result is much higher than many commentators would have expected, as on 1 March the first tranche of the LVR restrictions came back into effect with investors

requiring a 30% deposit and owner-occupiers requiring a 20% deposit. Therefore, we would have expected sales volumes to slow a little as buyers took this into account, however, it might just be that we need a few more months for this to really start to take effect.

The REINZ House Price Index (HPI) for New Zealand, which measures the changing value of property in the market, increased 24% year-on-year to 3,756 a new high on the index.

In March, the median number of days to sell a property nationally decreased two days from 30 to 28 when compared to March 2020, the lowest for a March month since records began.

Highlighting the continued popularity of auctions as a successful sales method, March saw more than a third of all properties sold by auction (34%) - the highest percentage of auctions we’ve ever seen in New Zealand.

Inventory levels continue to fall, placing pressure on the housing market as the total number of properties available for sale nationally decreased by 6.1% in March to 19,437 down from 20,702 in March 2020 – 1,265 fewer properties compared to 12 months ago and 8,791 fewer properties than in March 2019.

At the top end of the market, the percentage of properties sold for $1 million or more increased from 20% (1,485 properties) in March 2020 to 34.8% (3,386 properties) in March 2021 – the highest percentage of million-dollarplus properties ever sold.

Real Estate Insight with Luke Crockford How long have you been in real estate?

I have been in real estate since 2013, after 10 years of working in marketing and advertising for a local independent radio station called George FM in Ponsonby.

As I have worked alongside brands for product launches, branding advertising, events and also have dealt with many advertising companies over the years, I have found that, with my network of people, real estate was a natural progression for me as I was always connecting people. Hence, my tagline, 'connecting people with property'.

Why Ray White Ponsonby?

Overall, I find that the total market share that Ray White Ponsonby has is of huge benefit to my clients. Being able to offer buyers I work with more quality stock and also having more agents in the office actually helps my vendors as well when it comes to selling their property.

I find the team environment and culture at the Ponsonby office to be inspiring and extremely helpful. Working under a franchise business (which currently owns Ray White offices in Ponsonby, Mt Albert, Birkenhead and Grey Lynn) allows me to work closely with the owner who also wants the best for me, my business and my clients.

How easy/hard is it to get listings?

Over the last few months with the housing market being what some are saying is the best in 35 years, it has been a little tougher than normal. This is because most of the local homeowners have all been looking for their next property and with the uncertainty of limited stock on the market it has created a bit of a bottle neck of people wanting to move and sell, but wanting to buy first. It is very much like a puzzle because as soon as one or two decide to put their properties on the market it starts to free up all the other people who are looking. About 70% of my clients who I work with are in the Grey Lynn and Westmere areas and most are looking to move within a two-kilometre radius. So, therefore I am always dealing with qualified buyers as well. I like to keep my business simple which is why I only manage a few listings at a time so that all of my clients are getting 100% of me. There are so many stories that I have heard where people hire an agent and never actually see them throughout the campaign which is upsetting to me as when you hire an agent you expect that to be the person you are dealing with.

Is home staging still prevalent in this rampant market?

Yes - 100%. Staging adds so much to a property and helps make it easier for buyers to visualise what can be done with the property and how it may look. Showing the property’s potential also helps to increase the perceived value of what a property is worth. As an agent you cannot beat having a good staging company in your real estate toolbox as well as builders, gardeners and painters which I have in my corner to help my clients get the very best when it comes to putting their properties on the market, or just touching up around the house. Real estate is not one dimensional anymore, a good real estate agent will have all the connections that help make the process as easy as possible.

How do you build a client relationship to ensure their needs are met?

For me it is just an organic process from living in the area for as long as I have. Relationships can start just by seeing people at the local school, in the supermarkets, open homes or even at the local markets on the weekends.

From there it is just a natural progression of touch points, this leads to them asking questions such as advice on renovations, what their house is worth, what properties have sold recently in the area and some asking about other properties in other areas – they are all just conversation points that lead to trusted relationships. My time is the most valuable thing I can give someone and I am happy to help people with the questions that they have.

There is a genuine feeling that people get that I am not just out for a listing, for me it is important that I am helping. I do have a proven process for achieving superb results and so eventually that conversation comes up.

What do you enjoy most about real estate?

I enjoy working for myself as this also allows me to have the flexibility in my family life to spend time with the children. I also love the variety of people I connect with on a day-to-day basis, it keeps life interesting.

What does a day in the life of a real estate agent look like?

There is just not enough room to put down what there is to do on any given day. It starts on the phone by about 7.30am and I get off the phone around 5.30pm. In between and after this there are usually several buyer meetings, presenting offers, going over photos for new listings, meeting stagers and photographers at properties, catching up with vendors and buyers to keep the communication open, following up on appraisals — the list goes on! Most important for me is contacting my vendors every day to keep them in the loop and up to date. It is a 24-hour-a-day business.

Ray White Damerell Group Limited Licensed (REAA 2008)

Luke Crockford Connecting PEOPLE with PROPERTY Grey Lynn & surrounds

021 277 8565 luke.crockford@raywhite.com

@LukeCrockfordRealEstate @lukecrockfordraywhite

HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

Ageing Later Words – Jamie Christian Desplaces

“We're at the point where we're starting to understand ageing at a cellular level,” says Greg MacPherson. “There is so much research out there, but it’s quite complex. I wanted to make it more accessible, to encourage people to think—and begin doing something—about it, because we have strategies to slow the ageing process, and the sooner people get cracking, the better.”

70

Making “specific, healthy lifestyle choices”, Greg says, may dramatically affect “how well we age and how long we live”, theories he delves deeper into in his recently published book, Harnessing the Nine Hallmarks of Aging: To Live Your Healthiest Life. The tome tells of DNA’s vital role in the repair of damaged cells, and how by adopting certain habits such as eating well, fasting regularly and being mindful of sun exposure, may stifle—or even reverse—the ageing process.

Greg is a pioneering pharmacist who founded Aotearoa’s first online pharmacy, Pharmacy Direct, in 1997. Seven years later, he then also founded the nation’s first robotic medication dispensing service for aged care, before becoming CEO of a world-renowned Kiwi biotechnology company in 2012.

Greg’s latest endeavour, SRW Laboratories, is a science- and research-based company that creates all-natural products designed to slow ageing.

“We're healthy when we're young, because we've got the hormones and the molecules and the energy to repair and maintain and all of these things,” continues Greg. “So, the only difference between a 10-year-old that falls over and cuts their knee and bounces back, and a 90-year-old that doesn’t, is the fact that the DNA and the energy is not working as well.”

Greg tells Verve that the knowhow is now there to get elderly bodies to respond to illness and injury as efficiently as a young person’s body would. There is, he adds, no reason why we shouldn’t be regularly reaching triple figures while still in “reasonably good shape”: “This is the paradigm shift.”

So, could the solution to curing age-related ailments such as cancer and Alzheimer’s also rest with stalling ageing?

“Billions of dollars are being spent on research for Alzheimer's, cancer, heart disease and the like, and to some extent they're making progress,” says Greg. “But within the past decade, scientists have started to realise that they are symptoms of ageing, so why not deal with that. It has kicked off a lot of research, and that’s where the ‘nine hallmarks’ come from.

They’re targets that people can focus on to slow down ageing.”

How important is our genetic makeup in defining how we age?

“Genes account for 20 percent of the picture. In terms of such things as, say, your height, you can’t change that. But the other 80 percent concerns how we act, which turns on and off certain genes. So, if you’re sitting on the couch consuming too many pints and pies then you’re activating different genes to the ones associated with running and cleaner lifestyles.

Those are the genes that lower inflammation and stimulate hormones which improve brain function. The trick is to ‘switch on’ as many of the good ones as you can for them to become fixed compounds over time.”

Greg wants us to take the same attitude to health and ageing as we do to finances and retirement: “You use interest to compound the effect of that money over time. Well, you can do the same thing with your health—the work you do in the early days will compound, meaning that you can remain healthy well into your 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond.”

What’s more, he insists that’s it’s never too late to make a start.

One of SRW’s most fascinating products is a DNA test that tells you your biological age—essentially whether your cells are ageing faster than your chronological age.

HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

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“Some people in their 50s can have a biological age of 70, and others of a 30-year-old.”

“Some people in their 50s can have a biological age of 70, and others of a 30-year-old,” says Greg. “It’s about good management, about turning on those good genes. If you’re at the wrong end of the scale, it’s changeable. You can start to lose weight, get exercising and eat cleaner to drag that biological clock in the right direction.”

What role does positive thinking plays in ageing?

“There are two elements to that. If you tackle ageing with a positive frame of mind, you literally will age more positively.

But if you're chronically stressed then the telomeres, which are the protective caps on the end of your chromosomes, will shorten faster which increases the chances of ill health, while reducing the chances of surviving disease or a heart attack.

It’s really important to remain positive for your healthiest self.”

Does gender also play a role?

“No-one’s quite worked that one out. There are definite health advantages with oestrogen—it’s interesting that when women reach menopause then their risk of having heart disease very quickly catches up with the men’s. So, it may be that those extra 40 years of having oestrogen might slow the ageing process down. But there are reasons for everything in nature, and maybe just for a social construct there are benefits to having women live longer. Maybe it’s their prize, getting a bit of a break from us for a few years!”

Greg also talks of the social implications of a world full of “youthful 100-year-olds”.

“I think it’s a positive thing. If you are healthy and in your 90s, not a burden on the healthcare system, then just think of the wisdom and the mastery that you can contribute to society.

On the flip side, there will be population growth, but in the developed world, we are not actually replicating enough to sustain our population, so this may all be perfectly timed. The world population is going to be 9.7 billion by 2050, and mostly in South Asia, Africa and South America. Much is happening to increase education and empower women in those regions, which will lead to a drop in fertility rates, so that will ultimately level it all out.”

At its most basic, human level, Greg believes “healthy ageing” is simply about making the world, “a richer and more diverse place”.

“It’s not just you, it’s about the people around you. If someone can experience their daughter or son getting married, then the planet will be all the better for it. Too many people go too young and maybe just by starting a strategy around healthy ageing when you’re younger, or even in your 50s or 60s, then that can impact the people around you in a positive way. At its core, that’s what this is all about.”

Find out more about Greg and his work at harnessingtheninehallmarksofaging.com and srw.co.

Lovely by skin institute Lovely by skin institute are your Skin & Body experts. Offering customers the loveliest of appearance treatments with superior technology in a more convenient way. The Lovely team help you make the most of your natural beauty so you can look good and feel good every single day.

All treatments are performed by highly trained Registered Nurses and Beauty Therapists, with the medical oversight of Skin Institute Doctors.

The Lovely by skin institute team give the lowdown on advanced skin treatments Dermapen 4™ and Ulfit skin tightening.

Skin Needling With Dermapen 4™

Ulfit

With so many different skin treatments out there promising to address concerns such as acne, fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage and pigmentation, how do I know if Dermapen is the right treatment for me?

Ulfit has been described as “a face-lift without the knife.” So can Ulfit replace a facelift and can I expect similar results?

Dermapen 4™ treats a number of skin conditions on all different skin tones and conditions, including, but not limited to; hormonal pigmentation, sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture, scaring, stretch marks, problem skin and general skin rejuvenation. We also offer Dermapen 4™ for Pigmentation using Brite Lite which helps reduce the appearance of deep seated pigmentation such as melasma, age spots and sun damage while improving skin tone and texture.

How many treatments do I need and how quickly will I see results? Will the results last?

While the best results from Dermapen 4™ will not happen overnight, you may notice a smoother, brighter, and more radiant appearance within several days of treatment. 3-6 treatments are required depending on the skin concern and maintenance is required. We recommend committing to the full treatment plan as recommended by your beauty therapist, to see the best results for your skin.

I hate needles! Does Dermapen hurt?

If a customer wishes to opt for numbing cream prior to the treatment, this is an option.

What is Dermapen?

The Dermapen 4™ treatment uses a disposable single use tip which has 16 tiny needles that penetrate the upper layers of skin to a depth of 3mm. The treatment causes 1 million channels to your skins surface. This causes natural growth factors to be released and pushes nourishing hyaluronic acid deep into the skin, improving inter-cellular communication, stimulating the repair of the DNA in the cells and improving the overall structure/function of the skin

Ulfit is a non-surgical and non-invasive skin tightening and facelifting treatment. It contours, tightens and lifts in the targeted areas and requires no downtime. It is ideal for those that want to tighten areas such as the forehead, eye area, cheeks, jowls, wrinkles, chin and décolletage.. Some people notice a difference soon after treatment. Long term results develop over time as old collagen is regenerated with new collagen. As this collagen regeneration process continues, improvement will be seen at approximately 6 weeks and continue up to 12 weeks after the initial treatment. We recommend two treatments three months apart, then one treatment every 12 18 months. Ulfit treatment also contours and tightens areas of the body such as arms, abdomen and knees.

How does this process work?

Ulfit uses advanced high-intensity focused safe ultrasound (HIFU) energy to firm, tighten, lift & contour face and body skin.

It involves a hand-held ultrasound device being passed over the treatment area while transmitting high-intensity, focused ultrasound energy to generate a heat point of up to 75 degrees celsius, deep in the skin’s layers. This creates localised tissue damage which kick starts the body’s wound-healing process, stimulating collagen regeneration and skin tightening.

What does the treatment feel like?

As this is a non-surgical and non-invasive, you can expect the treatment to be significantly more comfortable in comparison.

During treatment you can expect a warm bubbling sensation under the skin, and you may experience some discomfort due to how deep the ultrasound technology penetrates.

lovelybyskin.co.nz to find out more

Skin Journeys Discover your Skin Journey™ to Live your Best Skin with Clear Skincare Clinics

To book your FREE consultation and treatment today, visit clearskincareclinics.co.nz

SKIN + ACNE I N J E C TA B L E S LASER CLINICS

See the results and transform your skin with your chosen Skin Journey. Get the best results and value when you combine your chosen Skin Journey with your at-home Clear Skincare regime.

Don’t know where to start? Let our expert therapists guide you, with FREE, no-obligation skin, laser and cosmetic injecting consultations. Mention Verve magazine and receive a FREE* Express Microdermabrasion or FREE* Underarm Laser Hair Removal!

The team will assess your skin and recommend a Skin Journey to help you live your best skin. It’s clear the team at Clear Skincare Clinics love what they do and helping clients on a journey to really live their best skin!

Finally, skincare that’s easy! Clear Skincare Clinics have designed perfectly packaged Skin Journeys to take your skin from A-to-Beautiful!

These in-clinic treatments and at home skincare programmes will get you on track to the skin you have always wanted. There are a range of Skin Journeys, from 2–10 weeks.

Hydration + Glow Is your skin dying for a drink?

Hydrate, nourish and plump dull and dehydrated skin.

Deepest Clean This two-week programme is designed for the squeakiest clean that will leave your skin a congestion-free zone.

Posh Polish Step up your skincare routine with this clinical crowd-pleaser. Get an exfoliation only a clinic can deliver.

Party Perfect Radiant skin that everyone will notice.

Glow Getter Get the ultimate healthy-looking glow with this 10-week programme of celebrity favourite treatments.

Fresh Refresh Hit refresh and wake up tired skin with this 10-week programme that boosts healthy cell renewal.

Hydration Hero Drench and quench your skin with super hydrating peptides and actives for healthier, more hydrated skin with this 10-week programme.

Age Defying Repair and rejuvenate skin, with these collagens boosting in clinic treatments.

Collagen Kickstarter Get your anti-ageing regime up and running with this perfect two-week kick-start.

Age Defender The best anti-ageing defence? An awesome offence!

Total Rejuvenator Serious about anti-ageing, this 10-week programme is our ultimate in rejuvenation. Tackle lines, wrinkles and pigmentation all-in-one.

Pore Patrol Shrink pores and even tone for a flawless finish – #nofilter in 10 weeks.

Pigmentation + Redness Reduce the appearance of flushing and redness. Lighten and fade sun damage and pigmentation.

Acne + Scarring Clear skin starts here. Break the acne cycle and stop future spots and breakouts.

Pigment Perfect Sun and age spots? Dark patches? Correct and perfect with this pigment-fading 10-week programme.

Redness Rescue Save your skin from flushing and rosacea with this complexion perfecting 10-week programme.

Deepest Clean This two-week programme is designed for the squeakiest clean that will leave your skin a congestion-free zone.

Signature Acne The famed, drug-free programme for consistent recurring acne. This treatment is the number one clinical acne treatment. Available in fourand 10-week programmes.

Teen Clear Gentle but powerful 10-week programme to give pre-16-year olds clear skin and a bucket load of confidence.

Breakout Banisher Random breakouts? Sudden congestion? Banish it with this 10-week programme of power peels for breakouts.

Scar Eraser Don’t let acne leave a trace. Smooth and fade scars with this powerful resurfacing collagen induction 10-week programme.

Auckland 09 220 6520 Howick 09 600 3850 Mission Bay 09 600 3860 Newmarket 09 520 0057 Ponsonby 09 220 6000 Takapuna 09 485 3290 Milford 09 600 3810 Chartwell 07 262 0108

BUSINESS/EDUCATION & SOCIETY

SKIN SEC RETS Beauty Engine Nourishing Hand Cream with Lanolin and Honey Transform dull, dehydrated hands with Beauty Engine Nourishing Hand Cream, inspired by the healing powers of nature using iconic natural ingredients that work together to calm irritation, strengthen the skin barrier and defend against damage stemming from environmental pollution as well as the never ending work piled onto our hands! Beauty Engine has developed a formula that is super absorbent and rich in antioxidant vitamin E to nourish, smooth and soften the skin without the greasy residue. beautyengine.co.nz 2

Adashiko Collagen Ceramide+ Body Serum Great skin does not simply depend on genetics - your daily habits as well as lifestyle and environmental factors all influence your skin's texture, pigmentation and appearance. There are a wealth of products and treatments out there and at the end of the day, caring for you skin is very personal, there is no onesize-fits-all approach. To help minimise overwhelm, we’ve curated a few hero skin products and treatments to keep in mind.

The future in skincare is here, next generation innovation, introduction the first collagen serum treatment for the body, with an advanced blend of skin-loving, nourishing ingredients that penetrate deeply for 72 hours of hydration, even after showering. The ultra-light weight serum texture absorbs fast to quench dry and dehydrated skin with all over glowing and transformative results. Perfect for all skin types, even sensitive. adashiko.com

vervemagazine.co.nz

FEBRUARY 2020

FaceTime Immortal Facial

About Face A-Zyme peel

A serious treatment to get some serious results. Welcome to the Immortal. FaceTime’s Immortal Facial was designed with the innovative combination of DMK Enzyme, Dermapen 4 Collagen Induction and Healite II Rejuvenating Light Therapy. Made to tighten, lift, revitalise and renew. It is time to rebuild your skin's core strength and create youthful and vibrant results. Become immortal.

The powerhouse of all anti-aging treatments is a noninvasive skin rejuvenation treatment that combines antiageing ingredients - Retinol and Bromelain to refresh, hydrate and plump skin. The A-Zyme peel works quickly to dramatically diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, even skin tone and improve overall skin luminosity. aboutface.co.nz

facetimeclinic.co.nz

3

essano Hydrating Rosehip range

Megan Dempsey THE CLINIC

It's the cult beauty oil that made essano New Zealand's #1 natural skincare brand, and now it's better than ever. essano introduces the new-look packaging of it's famous Hydrating Rosehip range.The new Rosehip Oil is still 100% organically grown and cold pressed, but now it's handpicked and processed by smallholder farmers and their families who control and own the land they work on in Patagonia Austral - a pure untouched region in the extreme south of Chile renowned for the quality of rosehips.

Megan Dempsey THE CLINIC is dedicated to the very best techniques in Botox™, Laser, and advanced clinical skin treatments. Their registered nurses are passionate about skin and slowing the ageing process. They use only the purest scientifically proven, active natural ingredients.

Their focus is to achieve the best possible results for your skin, so you can look and feel great at any age. To make a booking please call on 09 575 3607 or email reception at reception@megandempsey.co.nz

essano.co.nz

megandempsey.co.nz

vervemagazine.co.nz

BUSINESS/EDUCATION & SOCIETY

Lovely by skin institute FREE skin analysis Lovely by skin institute are your skin and body experts. The key to glowing skin is making sure you have a skin treatment plan that is customised to you. The best place to start your skincare journey is to book in for a FREE OBSERV® 520 skin analysis with one of their experienced beauty therapists.

The OBSERV® technology diagnostic tool gives you an indepth picture of what’s going on beneath the outer layer of your skin, as well as what the future looks like for your ageing process. Your Lovely therapist will analyse your skin and devise a bespoke skin treatment plan, ensuring a skin care journey that will show results. Book in for a FREE OBSERV® skin analysis today.

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Earth's Kitchen Earth's Kitchen SPF50 sun protection, is a NATRUE certified and multiple Global-Award winning all-natural alternative to harsh chemical sunscreens. Transparent, water-resistant, cruelty free, reef-safe and smells lush!

Designed by Jules Bright, naturopath, reg. nurse, medical herbalist and concerned Mum - a 20-year journey that put NZ on the map providing the world’s healthiest sunscreen.

This next level product that won gold and silver in the global awards, is nourishing for us and our planet, regenerating our skin, forests and coral reefs. eksunscreen.com

lovelybyskin.co.nz

Linden Leaves Moisture Replenishing Cleanse and Care Set Cleanse and nourish your skin morning and evening with these gentle, natural essentials from Linden Leaves.

NATRUE certified, this set is designed for dry and sensitive skin types with the natural skin benefits of organic white tea and nature’s skin foods. Made with love in New Zealand.

For a limited time save $20 on Regenerating Night Cream or any skincare product set at lindenleaves.com with the code VERVE*. lindenleaves.com

Spring Spa LED Light 28-Day Programme 10 LED light therapy sessions over 28 days. Imagine having skin so radiant and youthful that others will notice and compliment your look. A dewy glow with results after one session, but lasting, visible youthful skin in less than one month. A course of the LED light treatment helps soften the appearance of the skin by improving skin's natural ability to renew and repair. Red and Near Infra-Red Programme taken every three days over 28 days.

10 x 45min and 30min sessions. springspa.com

vervemagazine.co.nz

Yvonne Marvin.

Practitioner for CoolBody.

MAY SPECIAL: 4X AREAS FOR $1,800, SAVE $600 Guys, Belly Fat is the Most Dangerous Fat! It's around your organs, dieting will only shrink it. Freeze it and it's gone for good!

Target the Butt and Downsize It BEFORE TREATMENT

AFTER 3 SESSIONS ON BELLY AND HIP AREA

6x areas for $2,700 Includes $300 Gift voucher for Sapphire Appearance Medicine Clinic

Don't hesitate to call for a FREE CONSULTATION, appointment necessary.

28 College Hill, Freemans Bay coolbodynz@gmail.com

To book call 021 923 430 for a

FREE CONSULTATION

Cosmetic Tattooing and Semi-Permanent Makeup

Tina Beauty With over 10 years' experience in cosmetic tattooing, Tina specialises in microblading brows, powder ombré brows, lip tattooing, ombré eyeliner tattooing and other skin treatments including microneedling, skin tag removal and skin tightening.

She has also gained titles in PhiAcademy as Philbrows artist, Philings artist and Philash artist.

Tina’s passion is helping anyone who would like help to feel more confident, as well as saving an hour of putting makeup on every morning! Tina will also give away a microblading session to anyone who has experienced hair loss as a result of cancer treatment free of charge. tinabeauty.co.nz

Semi-permanent makeup and cosmetic tattooing makeup allows us to actually claim that 'we woke up like this'. Semi-permanent makeup is a form of tattooing so the application process involves injecting pigments into the skin between the dermis and the epidermis using microneedles.

Permanent, on-point brows to perfectly applied lipstick to even faux freckles; you can basically do it all. Say 'adios' to hour-long morning routines.

Below are the best in the business.

Woven Ink Internationally trained with over 18 years experience in the beauty industry Claire Smith has had the privilege to be mentored by the very best in the business. It’s with this background and eye for detail that lead her to starting Woven Ink. Specialising in natural looking cosmetic tattooing of the brows and lips, customising each procedure to enhance her clients beauty. wovenink.co.nz

The Tattooed Heart Debbie has been in the cosmetic tattooing industry for six years, specialising in the hand tool method of tattooing for brows and liner. With an extensive background in beauty therapy/makeup, she understands brows are not one-size-fits-all, catering to all ages, individual styles and needs.

She is based at The Tattooed Heart, a reputable and long standing tattoo studio on K' Road, Auckland. thetattooedheart.co.nz @cosmetictattooing_tth

Flōrēns, Cosmetic & Medical Tattoo by Catherine Catherine is a highly regarded specialist in 3D areola tattoo post-breast reconstruction surgery and can also help improve scarring and even scalp hair loss by using the latest micro-pigmentation nano-technology by Amiea. With extensive experience as a registered nurse in plastic surgery and a Diploma in Fine Arts, Catherine from Flōrēns is a top cosmetic and medical tattoo artist. She also creates stunning eyebrows and other permanent makeup – Flōrēns – to bloom. Obligation-free consultations available. florens.nz

Wake Up With Make Up Michelle O’Byrne, founder of Wake Up With Make Up, has over 30 years’ experience in beauty.

Michelle is highly sought after as a permanent makeup leader, artist, trainer and advanced skin therapist, meaning you are in safe hands with this exceptional beauty expert. Take a look through her treatment options with detailed descriptions to find something suitable for your needs. wakeupwithmakeup.co.nz

Flawless Brows

by Emma Grundy Emma is one of New Zealand’s leading cosmetic tattoo artists. She specialises in cosmetic tattoo treatments including feather touch brows, ombré brows and lip tattooing. With an extensive range of knowledge and a true passion for the industry, you can trust that you are in the best hands. Emma is known for creating the most natural looking cosmetic tattoo for each individual. flawlessbrows.co.nz lashandbrow.nz

Rediscover Vitamin C in Skincare W IT H THE N EW A-OXITIVE RA N G E BY AVÈNE Eau Thermale Avène is known for the naturally soothing and softening properties of it’s iconic Avène Thermal Spring Water. In response to the pollutants we are surrounded by in our modern environments and lifestyles, Avène dermatological laboratories have released a new range of A-Oxitive Products which are all lavished with Avène Thermal Spring Water.

What is oxidative stress and where does it come from?

Oxidative stress is a direct consequence of consistent exposure to a number of aggressors including UV, pollution, screens, junk food, stress, and so on. For most of us, oxidative stress is constantly present in our environment so it’s very hard to avoid.

eau-thermale-avene.co.nz

What are the effects on our skin?

The direct consequence is a series of chain reactions that can cause various types of damage, including alteration of the lipid membranes and DNA, with a risk of cellular damage. Aesthetically, this manifests itself as uneven skin texture, first wrinkles and fine lines, loss of tone, and accelerated ageing.

Avène has recently released a new range of A-Oxitive Products. What are the key ingredients in these products that will help to fight against this oxidative stress?

To help fight against this oxidative stress induced by our environment and our lifestyles, Avène has developed a chrono-active ProVitamin routine that cares for your skin day and night. The ProVitamins C and E combine together in these products to produce an antioxidant shield complex, by reinforcing and stimulating the skin’s natural defence mechanisms to promote cell-rejuvenation.

These ProVitamins, in the form of stabilised precursors, guarantee a gradual release, a regenerating effect and antioxidant protection throughout the day. Perfect for all skin types, even the most sensitive.

What age group and skin types will benefit the most from these products?

While any age group will benefit from these products, they are most recommended for ages 30-plus, or anyone who is looking for an effective solution to the first signs of ageing. All of these products are perfect for all skin types, even the most sensitive.

How do these products work together to ensure a complete routine from morning to night?

The Antioxidant Defense Serum is designed to protect, smooth and hydrate giving you a fresh, radiant complexion that is vibrant with energy, making it a great product to add to your morning beauty routine. The Antioxidant Water-Cream is a great complement to this product, with it’s 'Snapchat filter effect', leaving your skin glowing with transparent coverage. Finally, the Night Peeling Cream will restore and boost cellular activity, soothing fine lines as you sleep. As an added bonus, this product also includes evening primrose oil for a guaranteed 'fresh wake-up' effect.

How does Avène Thermal Spring Water enhance these products?

Avène Thermal Spring Water is soothing by nature with anti-irritating properties, so it’s especially great for those with sensitive skin. With it’s hydrationboosting molecules, it will also help to lastingly replenish the skin.

Image caption: A-Oxitive Vitamin C serum, delivering a dose equivalent to 15% pure vitamin C. Available in Life Pharmacy for $64.99.

SMOOT HER MORE CONFIDENT YOU! Finesse Face and Body Clinic is proud to be the first truSculpt iD provider in New Zealand, as part of an exclusive partnership with Cutera.

TruSculpt iD is the latest technology available to permanently and noninvasively remove body fat. “We have been leaders in non-invasive cellulite and body contouring treatments in Auckland for 19 years,” says Sue Crake, owner of the Remuera salon.

How does truSculpt iD work? truSculpt iD uses a unique form of monopolar radio frequency energy that penetrates evenly and deeply and is able to treat the entire fat pad — from skin to muscle. Given each patient’s unique biological complex, the truSculpt iD is able to adjust the energy output to ensure the most effective treatment for each person. Realtime temperature control and monitoring sensors ensure the therapeutic temperature level is reached in the fat, while maintaining a skin temperature of 3-4°C cooler.

How is treatment performed?

An initial evaluation is performed to frame the desired treatment areas. A total of six hand pieces may be used to target an area that is larger than three CoolSculpt cool max applicators (approximately 12 SculpSure applicators). Each hand piece is gently applied using a piece of double-sided tape. A cummerbund is then wrapped around the body, ensuring full contact. Patients experience mild heat, with an overall high level of comfort during the 15-minute session.

Call to book your FREE consultation and assessment

How do I know if I am a candidate?

Unlike other non-invasive fat removal procedures such as CoolSculpt and SculpSure, truSculpt iD does not have any body mass index (BMI) or weight restrictions.

Almost anyone can be treated with the truSculpt iD.

TruSculpt ID Benefits — — BEFORE

TWELVE WEEKS AFTER ONE TREATMENT

— — — — BACK ROLL BEFORE

BACK ROLL TWELVE WEEKS AFTER ONE TREATMENT

—

— 591a Remuera Road, Remuera 09 520 5331 finessefaceandbody.co.nz

Unlike CoolSculpting, there is no mark where treatment ends Treats an area 3x larger than CoolSculpting’s coolmax (largest applicator) From just 15 minutes!

Painless Suitable for males and females Tightens the skin by remodelling collagen Amazing results — some patients have reported over 35% reduction in fact (***measured by ultrasound in clinical trials) Treats ALL areas including the abdomen, love handles, bra rolls, chin, thighs, arms and calves

How many treatments will I need?

Ninety-five percent of patients will only require one treatment per area! We can treat as many as three areas in a single 15-minute session!

Is the treatment painful?

No! Patients report the treatment feels like a warm stone massage. Some feel the heat in the first minute to be a bit intense but then adjust to the treatment.

How long before I see my results?

Results such as firming, improved skin tone and texture, and some reduction, will be noticeable immediately; however, fat cells are removed over a period of time and maximum results will be achieved at 12 weeks. There's an average of 24 percent fat reduction on a treated area, in one treatment.

GATHR. Jude and Fran (Verve’s Editors) are excited to bring you their own online shopping platform.

Here is a sneak preview – please go to vervemagazine.co.nz/shop and treat yourself or buy a gift for a loved one.

It will be posted to you delicately wrapped. ↓

Kari Gran Essential Cleansing Oil $38 NZD

The Kari Gran essential cleansing oil gently removes impurities from the skin, including makeup, and lifts away pore-clogging oils with a silky, non-tugging slip. Contrary to popular myth, using an organic oil-based cleanser does not cause the skin to become oily. In fact, just the opposite is true. Traditional cleansers often fail to adequately hydrate and may cause the skin to overproduce natural oil as a result. This organic oil cleanser balances the skin’s natural oil production with a dose of intense hydration.

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Lakoko At Peace Room & Linen Spray $35 NZD

At Peace Room & Linen Spray from Lakoko is a grounding and calming blend to relax your nervous system and soothe you into a deep and peaceful sleep. A citrus undertone balances and restores happiness to all.

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Lakoko Woodland Room & Linen Spray $35 NZD

Woodland Room & Linen Spray from Lakoko is an infusion of uplifting green and citrus botanicals matched with woody cedar, reminiscent of a walk through the bush of Aoteraoa.

Imbued with anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties to create a healthy living environment.

↓

Becca Project Dreamer Essential Oil Small Candle $55 NZD

Dreamer Candle is designed to calm the farm and chill with a soothing fusion of lavender, chamomile and sandalwood.

The addition of sweet orange and calming petitgrain makes Dreamer the perfect way to soothe your nervous system and ready yourself for slumber.

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Kari Gran Kari Gran Body & Bath Oil $48 NZD

The Kari Gran Body & Bath Oil is a unique blend of organic oils designed to replenish skin’s essential moisture leaving the body supple and satin soft. Ideal for all skin types, especially those with dry, parched skin.

Becca Project

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Giggle Essential Oil Solid Fragrance $39.50 NZD Giggle Solid Fragrance allows you to lighten up and get your giggle on with an uplifting blend of mandarin, patchouli and rose. Peru balsam and English lavender add to the calm sense of happiness while the mimosa scent creates a real 'happy hour' feel.

Men's Beauty FAQ With Max Dawson from OneMan

At OneMan, we don’t think you need an excuse to practise good grooming habits, or participate in a little self-care for that matter, but, if you need a little push, here are a few tips for lighting that fire.

Have a think about it. Say you’re taking someone new out, showing up well-groomed is not only a sign that you respect yourself, but it shows that you respect them, too. Plus, it increases your chances that the date will end...well, amorously.

What hair styling products do you recommend: pomade, cream or clay? How much do we need to use?

Pomade may be your best friend when you’re wanting to look sharp for a meeting or interview, but if it’s time to play it cool and relaxed try switching out your pomade for a styling cream or a clay, which still has plenty of hold to keep your style in place but gives a more natural and textured finish.

Work a dime sized amount into towel-dried hair, use your hands to shape your style, and let it air dry for a casual, modern look.

Should we exfoliate the face and body?

If you want a bright, shining face, rather than not looking like you have ever washed your face before, exfoliation is the key. Exfoliating your body will help get rid of the dead cells hanging around on your arms and legs (and anywhere else) and leave every inch of your body feeling smoother than ever. Look for a scrub with smaller particles if you have body hair and make sure to rinse thoroughly, so particles don’t stick around and make your chest hair feel sandy.

Cologne or deodorant?

Wearing a fragrance is good, wearing too much fragrance is well, not so much. Nothing sends a potential mate running the other way faster than smelling like you just walked through a cloud of cologne. The trick with wearing cologne is putting on just the right amount as to invite someone to lean in closer but not leave your scent all over them after they go in for a hug. Think of a good-smelling natural deodorant as an extension of your cologne. It shouldn’t overpower everything else but enhance your overall vibe with a clean scent. Reserve it for special occasions and use it only when you need to feel especially put together.

Dealing with Acne Acne is a common skin disorder affecting approximately 85% of the population.

While it commonly occurs between the ages of 12-24 years, and is activated by hormonal changes, it can also occur in children or later in life. And while we tend to notice acne on the face more it can also involve the neck, chest and back.

Acne is caused by the dysfunction of the hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland. While the exact cause of acne is not fully known a number of factors are usually present: • genetic factors • change in hormone levels • acne bacteria (propionibacterium acnes or P acnes) • enlargement and blockage of the hair follicles • inflammatory response Common triggers for flare ups of acne in sufferers include: • polycystic ovaries • drugs including steroids, hormones and anticonvulsants • use of occlusive/comedogenic makeup or skincare (products that block the pores) • diets high in dairy and high glycaemic foods In the past, acne was often ignored and considered part of puberty, leaving many people with permanent 'ice pick' scarring and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Acne can be classified into three categories: mild, moderate or severe. Symptoms typically range from: • blackheads and whiteheads • inflamed papules and pustules • nodules and pseudocysts

There is a wide range of acne products available on the market, but selecting the right one can be confusing and daunting. Often patients come to us after finding themselves in a cycle of self-selecting products that are too harsh, and dry out the skin, then stopping and having a flare-up which results in going out and spending more money on products, and on it goes.

At Clinic 42 we recommend a simple routine that aims to prevent formation of acne at the initial stages when whiteheads and blackheads begin to appear.

With careful skincare management you can maintain a balance in the oils in the skin, strengthen and protect the skin barrier, as well as reduce the inflammation and promote healing.

Other patients prefer to come to Clinic 42 as their GP may be inexperienced with acne, while all our doctors are familiar with the latest advances in acne medication and able to discuss and prescribe various options.

Our main message is that you don’t have to put up with the discomfort, social embarrassment or potential long-term scars and discolouration. There are options available, whether it’s for you, your children or your spouse, and we are here to help.

If you would like to book an appointment to see one of our four doctors to discuss acne or any of our other treatments please contact our reception on 09 638 4242 / reception@clinic42.co.nz

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Capsule Collection

Deadly Ponies

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BMW NZ Deadly Ponies and BMW are proud to present the first Deadly Ponies x BMW M capsule collection, made-to-order and now available for pre-order via exclusive access at the Deadly Ponies website.

shape, texture and structure explored in Deadly Ponies’ mainline Voyage collection, handcrafted with luxurious Italian embossed double-faced bovine leather.

The Deadly Ponies x BMW M capsule is inspired by the electrifying colours Isle of Man Green and Sao Paulo Yellow, seen on the recently revealed BMW M3 Competition Sedan and M4 Competition Coupé.

With innovative updates to classic pieces, and streamlined new additions including a sumptuous overnight bag for weekend escapes, as well as a satchel for elevated daily commutes, the Deadly Ponies x BMW M capsule offers a touch of luxury for any occasion.

To reflect the sleek shape of the latest M highperformance duo, the Deadly Ponies x BMW M capsule is designed in myriad shapes with sleek simplicity, and handcrafted in Deadly Ponies’ own eco-atelier located in the mountainous region of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The unisex collection is underpinned by refined

This first collection between the two luxury brands marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration. This first partnership explores a synergy in the realm of design and luxury; following collections will examine other synonymous values between both brands, such as resource circularity and sustainability.

The Deadly Ponies x BMW M capsule collection is made-toorder and is available for pre-order via exclusive access at deadlyponies.com

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FASHION

New Zealand Cashmere

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Cashmere is adored and loved by fashion designers and luxury fashion houses around the world and for very good reason…cashmere is an extraordinary fibre and their customers love it. It’s incredibly soft, fantastically warm and beautiful to wear. No other fabric screams special, unique and distinctive in the same way. It is for these reasons this amazing fibre continues to be so highly sought after woven and knitted into the softest most exquisite fabric.

MAY 2021

“What hasn’t changed is the demand, positioning and value of cashmere. In the prestige and luxury fashion world, it reigns supreme and we can be part of it. ”

One of the 'noble fibres', cashmere sits alongside vicuna, camel, qiviut (musk ox), merino and yak. Only 6,000 tonnes of cashmere is produced annually, mainly in China and Mongolia. This compares to more than two million tonnes of wool. The international cashmere market is about US$3.1billion of the US$60 billion natural fibre market and is growing at 3.86%.

David and Robyn Shaw farm this beautiful fibre and their cashmere goats as part of their farming business on the north side of the Catlin Ranges in South Otago. Their unique flock has been built up over 35 years of breeding. It is an accumulation of numerous flocks over that time and selected lines of the best from thousands of animals across Australia and New Zealand. Today they farm over 1,800 goats, approximately 800 kids being born this spring.

The cashmere is superb quality, being super white, long, high curvature and as fine as 12 microns. Breeding has produced fluffy high yielding cashmere fleeces. Fibre genetic traits have very high heritability so genetic improvement is rapid. Most kids are born white and produce high-value fine cashmere. The best does now shear up to half-a-kilo, with a value between $110 to $150 per kilogram depending on grades. Cashmere down from the hogget fleeces (10 months) averaged 14 microns and the doe flock averaged 16 microns.

Goats grow cashmere as a winter coat. The fleeces have two fibres – guard hairs and down. The down typically grows from the longest day to the shortest and naturally sheds in the spring. It is collected by shearing in August before it releases from the skin and falls on to the ground. Being a double fibre fleece cashmere has to go through special dehairing machines which separate them.

David and Robyn’s company New Zealand Cashmere has been working closely with highly regarded Christchurch leisure fashion house Untouched World and Lower Hutt yarn manufacturers

Woolyarns to grow supply. These companies were both pivotal in developing the now famous possum merino blends for the luxury wool market. Both companies are excited about showcasing New Zealand cashmere and its unique provenance and heritage story.

Working together as trusted partners farmers to consumer, they can deliver sustainability and traceability throughout the supply chain.

New Zealand Cashmere is now offering the opportunity for likeminded farmers to work with them to develop the national flock into a resurgent, premium, export industry. An increasing group of farmers is working with New Zealand Cashmere establishing new flocks. They are actively encouraging new starts and can assist with advice and genetics.

Goats make great farm animals. They integrate well with other stock enhancing clover growth which help cattle and lambs grow faster. All weeds become valuable forage – thistles, briar, broom, blackberry, wilding pines. Being very environmentally friendly they have a light footprint, avoid waterways and are perfect for nutrientchallenged catchments and pastoral farming that requires new prospects. Starting from the resilient feral population, these special goats now provide the opportunity to produce a superpremium fibre in regions outside the normal merino range. Ferals thrive and have adapted to New Zealand since Cook released goats on his first voyage in 1773. With some wool struggling to cover the cost of shearing these goats provide a real alternative.

They multiply quickly and lower costs and can be added at low intensity without displacing existing stock.

Current cashmere volumes are growing but the early target is 25,000 goats. This would initially supply 5-10 tonnes of cashmere.

The market could consume many times that.

David and Robyn Shaw are excited about what they see as the renaissance of a dormant New Zealand cashmere industry.

FASHION

Shop the latest and the very best of the best in top fashion brands sourced from both local and international labels. THREADS is your one-stop shop for all things designer.

Threads lets you fill your wardrobe with high-end fashion such as Acler, Cecilie Copenhagen, Sass &Bide, One Teaspoon, Rough Studios and D.O.F. to name a few. Happy shopping!

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Neil Hanna is a craftsman, designing and sculpting exquisite pieces of jade and mother pearl jewellery.

Stockist – Pacific Gallery or ring Neil Hanna on 021 611 220

vervemagazine.co.nz

NE I LH AN N A

D E S I G N

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Left to Right: 1. Ashwell Rollneck – Cream Marle 2. Graydon – Cream Marle 3. Scarf & Beanie – Silver Marle 4. Mara Funnel Neck – Charcoal 5. Ashwell Rollneck – Misty Jade 6. Amy V-Neck – Forest

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Adrian Sutherland: Moonlighting

With his incredibly easy-going nature, approachability, and no-nonsense delivery, it’s little wonder that Ngāti Porou gardener Adrian Sutherland has become a social media sensation in the online horticultural world of Aotearoa and beyond—not to mention a bit of a Gisborne local celebrity. A fame that also comes with a few perks.

WO R D S —JAMI E CHRI STIAN DESP L ACES

MAY 2021

“I was always aware of the moon’s role in life because my grandparents, aunties and uncles would always be talking about it with regards to fishing and eeling as well as gardening.”

“Every now and then people say, ‘Hey you’re that guy!’” he chuckles. “Mitre 10 have generously given me a couple of gift vouchers and Hansa were kind enough to gift me a mulcher—which is great because I’ve been doing my mulching with my mower and it’s been getting a bit of a thrashing!”

SEEDS SOWN In 2018, Adrian Sutherland established One Minute Gardening, an ongoing catalogue of social media videos “that may or may not be interesting, informative or amusing”. Around 15,000 Facebook followers are proof that his self-deprecation may be misplaced, but that’s all part of Adrian’s charm as he welcomes viewers to each video with a massive smile and a “kia ora from the garden”.

“I’ve always been interested in learning about different things, and in recent years it has been gardening,” Adrian tells Verve. “But I always found it really frustrating watching videos on YouTube as the first 30 seconds would be jingles, and I’d get annoyed waiting for it, then the person in the video would take the next minute or two explaining what it is they’re about to talk about. I thought that if I ever I did anything like this, I’d try to make it as quick and painless as possible! I figured if I can’t say anything of valuable or be interesting or mildly entertaining on one minute, then, you know, I don’t want to waste anyone’s time as most people don’t have that much time to waste. So that’s how One Minute Gardening came about.”

Adrian says that it’s the simplicity of his messaging that most appeals to novice gardeners and isn’t afraid to admit that he too has to still look things up.

“I try to reply to every single comment and always do my best to answer questions,” he says. “But sometimes if I don’t know I’ll point them somewhere where I think they might get a better answer than I can provide with my scope of experience.”

Adrian also adopts the Māori lunar calendar, maramataka, a practice that sees him tend to his

plants, fruits and vegetables depending on the cycle of moon and its gravitational pull. The technique involves splitting the month into two—the first phase when the moon ‘grows’ to its full size, and the second phase when it retreats again. The organic gardener says that during the first half of the month, the moon uses vegetation almost like straws, sucking from the earth and drawing nutrients into the structures, creating the most optimum conditions for growth; while the second stage of the cycle sees the moon’s energy directed back into the earth towards the roots.

“I was always aware of the moon’s role in life because my grandparents, aunties and uncles would always be talking about it with regards to fishing and eeling as well as gardening,” says Adrian. “I’ve done a lot more research in recent years, and it’s fascinating to see how the moon not only influences the tides, but things like the water table.”

GROWING A COMMUNITY Adrian remembers there being “a few tomato plants” around the place as a child, and his grandparents having a garden “on their bit of land”, but he certainly didn’t grow up in a green-fingered family in his Tolaga Bay community.

“One of the things that triggered my interest was a teacher called My Green,” he recalls. “He was a visiting teacher from the US who taught science and horticulture and at some stage he planted some broccoli seeds. When it was ready, we went down to the school garden to pick what was back then, to us kids, a very weird-looking vegetable, which we fried in a pan with butter above a Bunsen burner. It was absolutely beautiful—not of this world—and has stuck with me my whole life.”

Through his teens and into his 20s, Adrian’s love of growing plants and veggies (“and some plants which weren’t strictly legal!”) flourished, with greater influence from older friends and family who advised on the likes of “sheep pooh and seaweed”. Now, he beams,

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“I love helping to grow a community of gardeners where people can meet online or in person and discuss things.”

it continues to be a real whānau affair, with his wife, Bong, also enjoying tending to her organic fruits and veggies, and their five-month-old daughter Lily Melody “hopefully getting her fingernails dirty soon enough”.

“We have a quarter-acre section that is more of an orchard and veggie garden, but the nutritional value that I get out of it is not as great as the personal value I get from it,” he says. “Being among nature, noticing the bugs and worms and being aware of the seasons— eating the produce is almost like a bonus.”

Another bonus from his agricultural endeavour is the community and camaraderie that have blossomed from his online channels.

“I love helping to grow a community of gardeners where people can meet online or in person and discuss things,” says Adrian, who also works for the MāoriAnglican Church, teaching folk how to grow food at home. “I find the simplicity of gardening at this time of my life so appealing. It’s just so enriching, pulling up some carrots to take inside for dinner, and I want to encourage others to try it, and to feel the same.”

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR Adrian reckons it’s a myth that people are born with ‘green fingers’ like most things in life (and quite literally when it comes to gardening), you’ve simple got to put in the hours and get your hands dirty. For those that don’t want to hold off until spring when “basically anything can grow”, he offers a few pointers for the colder months to get the gardening bug.

• Go and get something that’s easy to grow like silverbeet or spinach that that’s easy to plant and nurture, rather than attempting to grow something from seed.

• Grab a few punnets of your favourite vegetables and put them in pots or buckets with holes in. Add compost and water regularly.

• Compost! Not only does it prevent a load of excess waste heading to the landfill, but creates a satisfying cycle whereby organic leftovers are used to create new life: “It really gives you a sense of contributing to nature, and working in harmony with it.”

Follow Adrian’s journey on Facebook or Instagram @oneminutegardening

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HOME & DESIGN by

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Garden Centres

GREEN THUMBS & GOLD MEDALS As autumn descends into an array of gorgeous golds and reds, it’s worth getting the garden ready for winter. When it comes to planting this month, get the last of your winter veggies in now and continue planting hedging and trees.

Vegetables

We’re proud to be plant-people, but we’re chuffed to find out our customers think we’re as good with people as we are plants. So good that we’ve won a gold medal in the Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards. Thanks to everyone who gave us a big green thumbs up!

Seedlings If you are quick, you can still get winter veggie seedlings in, including cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, leeks, kale and lettuce.

Garlic and Shallots Start planting out garlic and shallots when they arrive later this month. Plant into deeply forked beds mixed with lots of compost and sheep pellets. Plant approximately 15cm apart with the tip of the bulbs just clearing the surface.

Seed Potatoes New-season seed potatoes have just arrived in stores.

Choose and plant the early season varieties now, such as Ilam Hardy, Rock, Swift and Jersey Benne to have them ready in time for Christmas.

What To Plant This May

Fruit Now is the best time to plant feijoa and citrus trees— mulch well with More Than Mulch both in pots and in the ground (depending on varieties). If you are looking at including some deciduous fruit trees on your property, start planning for where they might be planted before they start coming into stores in June. Remember, leave at least four metres between each tree.

Trees & Shrubs Dry Tolerant There are many hardy, dry tolerant plants now available, including leptospermum, leucadendrons, and grevillea.

Best for properties that get little maintenance.

Colour After a bit of permanent winter colour? Plant colourchanging nandina, lush blooming camellias or highly fragrant daphne.

Flowers Instant Colour Add a dash of colour to old hanging baskets, pots or the garden by planting some of our annual flowers, including alyssum, primrose, polyanthus, stock, cyclamen, sweet peas, pansies and calendula.

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HOME & DESIGN

Autumn Coloured Leaves are Falling and so are the Temperatures The wood has been delivered for our fire and the chimney has been cleaned.

Chimneys must be cleaned every year under the rules of your home insurance.

This month is also good time to trim those trees and shrubs which have grown so ferociously.

Just Rentals are organising the chimney sweep for all our open fires and wood burners. Remember, under the Healthy Homes Standard an open fireplace is considered a draught and must be boarded up if not being used by the tenants.

We have been very busy working towards getting all our management properties compliant. Calculations have to be done with the government-supplied Heating Calculator to work out which size heatpump is required. So far all of our properties have required heatpumps.

There are many other requirements such as windows must close tightly with no gaps, and rangehoods and fans must

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be vented outside of the kitchens and bathrooms. Remember to check your insulation as the requirements have changed and your property many no longer be compliant.

We have had a large increase in casual landlords seeking our services to rent their properties. I am sure this is due to some of the bigger companies no longer taking on casual renting due to the increased risk of penalties from the Healthy Homes Standard. We also are considering this.

Yes, it has been busy – lots of paperwork and calculations that have been done.

The rental business is changing for landlords, so be aware of this as the fines are considerable.

Just remember, a warm tenant is a happy tenant.

Sylvia Lund Director

10 8

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Big Brands,

Even Better Service Since 2009, Big Brands Online has been delivering New Zealanders quality home appliances at unbeatable prices.

country who provide after-sales care, along with easy access to parts if required.

From their online store, Kiwis can peruse and purchase from a huge range of whiteware, large and small appliances.

From their base in New Zealand, the Big Brands Online team has aligned itself with the world’s top brands, some of which have been in business themselves for decades.

It’s this emphasis on customer service that has helped Big Brands Online build a great base of happy customers. This enthusiastic, attentive approach ensures the company has a lot of repeat business and ongoing customer referrals, which they’re always happy to receive.

The central philosophy of Big Brands Online – and the secret to their success – is superior customer service.

They say that their relationships mean the world to them, and everything they do revolves around understanding each client’s unique needs.

Maree’s background in business management and sales made owning and directing Big Brands Online a natural progression for her. Her philosophy is to treat customers in the way she’d like to be treated!

Led by owner-operator Maree, the team of staff provides hands-on service via email and phone, just like any quality retail operation. They’re honest in all their dealings, reliable, and reputable, offering manufacturer’s warranties on everything they sell. Big Brands Online even has a network of service agents throughout the

“I enjoy greeting people, discussing their needs, and assisting them to make a decision that best suits their needs,” she says. “For me, a purchase encompasses the whole journey, not just the sale.”

To browse the complete range of products available at Big Brands Online, visit their website: bigbrandsonline.co.nz

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The Theatrical Work Of

Claudia Kogachi The large, colourful two-dimensional surfaces of Claudia Kogachi profile the conflicts of the artists personal life. When viewed through the lense of the artists Japanese heritage, these works stand defiant and non-lecturous, which makes for a refreshing experience in today’s politically themed art world.

Words — Aimée Ralfini | Photography — Ophelia King (Main Image), Anna-Marie Ott (Studio Shots)

Since graduating Elam in 2018 Claudia Kogachi has been on an upward trajectory of creative output throughout Aotearoa. Having recently completed two conjunctive solo shows, one in Wellington the other in Auckland, with another scheduled for The Dowse opening May 29, It is high time our readership is introduced to the visual theatre of Claudia Kogachi.

Her painterly style is bold and unapologetic, the narratives within her work are presented using simple descriptive shapes and lines.

Details such as tattoos, stubble and hair are illustrated with paint in a cartoon style. The settings surrounding her subjects use little to no depth-of-field, creating a colourful, decorative two-dimensional surface, full of theatre, honesty, and humour.

As a child growing up Kogachi travelled to Hawai'i every year and stay with her grandparents. In 2015 she did an exchange, attending the University of Hawai’i. The curriculum structure is different from New Zealand’s in that you can choose what you study by skill. It is here Kogachi learnt about weaving and it is also where she learnt to paint.

The artists first major show post graduating was Mother and Daughter on Hiatus in 2018. It featured her turbulent relationship with her mother at an imagined a series of competitive events, sorting out their disputes. Of this the artist stated, “This arena of sporting events categorises my disharmonic relationship with my mother into that of humour rather than stigma.” A relatable Illustrative analogy the artist has continued to use as a means of processing interpersonal challenges.

That same year the Kogachi received the 2019 New Zealand Painting and Printmaking award for her painting Mom Wait Up. No stranger to accolades, Kogachi also gained First Class Honours from ELAM School of Fine Arts.

Above — Claudia Kogachi, Mosquitoes Claudia | Below — Claudia Kogachi, Mosquitoes Jordie. Both courtsey of Jhana Millers.

MAY 2021 In 2020 painting supplies were deemed non-essential; however, yarn was available, prompting a move to textile. Using an industrial tufting gun, the artist created a series of rug-works around her recently departed Jiichan (Grandfather) in Hawai’i, as she processed the grief. Since then, rugs have featured in most of the artists exhibitions – and there have been many, notably The New Artist Show 2020 at Artspace Aotearoa, where the subject covered different forms of labour that Kogachi had undertaken to support her art practice.

“These textiles depict frenetic activity; both in the illustration of labour, and as the outcomes of meticulous, labourintensive fabrication. This series comprises a continuation of Kogachi’s engagement with autobiography, illustrating her introspection about economic and professional uncertainty...”

— Artspace Aotearoa, 2020

In April this year Kogachi exhibited her first series of paintings since getting out of lockdown with Jhana Millers in Wellington.

It Is What It Is continues with the examination of the artists interpersonal relationships in the current. This series expresses niggling irritations Kogachi found herself having to navigate over the summer of 20/21 with difficult people.

“…They show Kogachi and her partner being assaulted or impeded by a variety of creatures as they attempt to go about their business. In The one with the mosquitoes, the couple lies in bed. Jordi — who framed all the works in the exhibition — sleeps, but he has clearly been bitten by the eponymous insects. Kogachi is awake, her face a picture of anxiety. Both figures are presented in an unglamorous fashion, stressing their vulnerability.

The scenes are more immediately credible than those in her earlier paintings. While few people box in the lounge, many are bugged by sand hoppers while sunbathing. As before, however, deeper narratives are at play. The artist speaks of anxieties and frustrations that she has experienced recently, in the context of individual relationships, and as a consequence of issues affecting broader communities, such as the local art scene. Kogachi keeps the precise irritants covert. But she amps up the intimacy in other ways. The works include personal features, like freckles and tattoos.”

— Francis McWhannell for Jhana Millers, 2021.

With burgeoning interests in landscape design and an expanding practice in rug making, Kogachi promises to be an artist with a fruitful career. Currently she is working on a new series of paintings for an exhibition at The Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt later this month and a group show at Hastings City Art Gallery later this year. We look forward to seeing how the next chapter of Claudia Kogachi’s life expresses itself visually through her work.

Claudia Kogachi was born in Awaji-shima, Japan, in 1995. She holds a BFA from the University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts. In 2019, she won the New Zealand Painting and Printmaking Award. She has exhibited extensively in New Zealand and Hawaii. Based in Eden Terrace the artist can be found online claudiakogachi.com

Left: Jacinda Arden for American Vogue | Right: Vogue Cover Ukraine

Still Life Words – Jamie Christian Desplaces

Over more than three decades, Hawke’s Bay-born, Bondi-based photographer Derek Henderson has quietly established himself as one of the most sought-after snappers in the business, exhibited all over the world and shooting travel and art and fashion for the likes of The New York Times Style Magazine, i-D, and Vogue (British, Australian and US). Fittingly, his most well-known picture— certainly on these shores—is one that merges his love of landscapes with his knack for capturing the essence of his subjects; an already iconic image of Aotearoa that sees Jacinda Ardern standing tall before a windswept west coast beach surrounded by craggy green and grey headlands that was featured in that 2018 edition of Vogue in which she was famously labelled the “anti-Trump”.

Marlon Williams Australian Vogue

ART & ABOUT

“I was incredibly impressed with how engaging she was,” Derek tells Verve from his Sydney home. “I was glad to have taken my daughter along—she was only 11 at the time, and I wanted her to meet a woman, a young woman, in such a position of power. Thirty years ago, if you were to tell people that you’re a Kiwi, more often than not you were met with ambivalence. Now, everyone thinks it’s amazing, and wherever you go people say that they wish they had our prime minister.”

Horizons

When Derek—who started out as a wedding photographer’s assistant—bid farewell to Aotearoa in the late 1980s with dreams of making it in the fashion world there was, of course, no cheap mass air travel, Twitter or Instagram.

“It used to be that you felt extremely isolated in New Zealand,” he says. “So, my generation, and even a few after, felt compelled to travel and experience the world. It was unrealistic to become a fashion photographer based in New Zealand, you needed to be somewhere like London or New York. Now, technology has certainly made New Zealand feel less cut off, but there is still a darkness to it that I think can be quite polarising.”

Do you think that the landscape and environment effects the psyche of the people?

“Definitely. The steep mountains, the narrowness, the forest. It is quite dark.

It’s moody, which is something you can channel into creativity, and explains why there are so many creative people in New Zealand, but it can also have its downside in terms of mental health.”

Sydney, Derek continues, is among the most spectacular cities in the world, and one he could never leave permanently. He admits to having a love-hate relationship with both Australia and New Zealand—where he still spends plenty of time for work and play—to the point where “it’s almost like I live in the middle of the Tasman Sea!”

MAY 2021

Finding Photography

Road trips around the backcountry of Aotearoa left an indelible mark on his still-developing creative mind as a youngster; memories Derek attempts to recapture in The Terrible Boredom of Paradise, a compelling series of photographs that hover between the bleak and the beautiful—think big skies, tired dwellings, abandoned businesses, towering ridgelines, and vibrant beehives.

“That was me revisiting the places that our parents would drag us to, you know, with the caravan in tow,” he recalls. “It felt like going to the end of the world, really, which is where you might as well be on South Island’s West Coast. It was those glimpses out of the car window that I had fond memories of and wanted to recapture as an adult.”

Derek describes himself as a scrawny and unremarkable child who was quite comfortable “hanging out alone and observing”. Though his workingclass family weren’t gallery regulars or particularly into the arts, they knew the value of it and were supportive of Derek pursuing his dream.

“Far from being perceived as being cool, back in the early ‘80s, photography was seen as nerdy,” he laughs. “Anyone can take a picture now. I’ve shot covers on my phone and I’ve heard of a photojournalist who uses their smartphone instead of a camera—not only is the technology now good enough, but it means they blend in more and are less likely to get shot at!”

Do you have a preference between shooting on film or digital?

“I still do prefer film—the results are just more unique. Digital can make you a bit lazy when it comes to composing pictures, you don’t need to look as hard, and you don’t have to take as much care.”

Does it add a little more mystery too, not quite knowing how the pictures will turn out?

“Yes, there is that element, also. You have more control, and as the photographer, you have to say, ‘You’ve got to trust me.’ I actually just shot a cover for Vogue on film.”

Are people skills as important as technical ones for a photographer?

“I think so. The technical side should become second nature, plus, you should have a good idea of what you’re going to do before the shoot even begins. It’s the rapport with the sitter that’s incredibly important. You don’t necessarily have to get along with them—sometimes you have to push their buttons to get a reaction—but the worst thing in the world is a picture of someone who looks bored out of their brains. You must make them feel engaged with the process.”

Derek has said that he’s always been fascinated by the human condition, and I ask him if the past year has altered his views on humanity and the planet that we inhabit. Days after our chat, he was due to fly back into New Zealand to visit his elderly mother—the first time he will have been home since the borders closed in 2020. Obvious tragedies aside, Derek hopes that recent events will force us all to slow down.

“But whether that happens remains to be seen—that monster just takes over and keeps wanting more, eating more, and taking more,” he adds. “My work’s always been about how we live in the world, how we relate to the rest of the world—the environment, other human beings—but I think it's really turned me more towards what we can do to preserve the natural world. How we can co-exist with it in a practical sense in a way that everyone can be involved.”

It's not about, he concludes, about going off and living in the bush by yourself or with your family, because not everybody can do that: “But we've all got to work out a way where we consume less.”

See more of Derek’s work at derekhenderson.net

The Art of May

Words Aimée Ralfini

Where are the artists this season? In the following galleries of course! Enjoy this May’s round up of visual and intellectual ambrosia for The Art of May.

Sione Monu Courtesy of Artspace

→ 6 – 22 May

Mercury Plaza

Birds of a Feather Kairau ‘Hazer’ Bradley & Manawa Tapu

6 May – 3 June

Kairau Bradley. Courtesy of Mercury Plaza

Manawa Tapu (Tristan Marler) is of Te Rarawa descent. He is trained in traditional wood carving and specialises in tā moko. In this exhibition he presents his Lovebirds series – an exploration of erotica through the use of kōwhaiwhai patterns. Hazer (Kairau Bradley) is a post graffiti artist of Ngā Puhi descent. The figurative birds in Hazer’s work are a reflection of his ancestral heritage, a symbol of his tūpuna and a gateway between this world and the afterlife. Birds of a Feather reflects the common ground Tapu and Hazer have found through their interests, beliefs and explorations around their Māoritanga, honouring it through highly stylised visual expression.

Studio One

Ambient Plasticity Brendan Moran

13 – 15 May

Faces of Cairo Ilan Wittenberg

Out of Shape Paul Darragh

Inspired by occurrences of phenomenological strangeness drawn from scientific and philosophical ideas, Moran uses painting as a site to explore material and metaphysical propositions. Wittenberg specialises in documentary street photography full of emotion. This exhibition takes you on a tour of the Cairo and its people, in his signature style of timeless monochrome. Awarded Auckland Photographer of the Year 2020, it’s well worth a visit.

Paul Darragh is a painter based in Mt. Maunganui. He works with acrylic, house paint, spray paint and airbrush techniques, using flat colour and distorted pattern to manipulate depth on medium to large format canvas. Out Of Shape is a response to a recent injury suffered by the artist and the emotional and physical process of recovery. In this series the artist focuses on muscles and bones in their skeletal context and how they fit and rely on each other within the body.

15 May – 9 June

Monster Valley

OrexArt

The Kitchen’s Secrets Stephen Allwood

← On until 15 May

Artspace

Sovereign Pacific / Pacific Sovereigns Rangituhia Hollis, Ana Iti, Alex Monteith, Sione Monu, Gary Ross Pastrana Curated by David The, each artist was given two concepts as prompts from which to create a new work for this series of digital works. The first idea, Pacific Concretism, sought to explore 'errant modernisms' – artworks at junctions between traditional forms of visual art and other forms such as experimental literature. A second idea, Sovereignty, asks; what would a Sovereign Pacific artwork look like outside of traditional western ideas of influence and form. Well worth checking out with an excellent selection of emerging and established digital artists.

Allwood is an award winning painter of the New Zealand domestic settings. Kitchen machines, especially older, industrial ones, hold the artist's fascination with their high metal polish and glass surfaces that speak of the solidity of their past. Slightly softened with use over time, these majestically painted icons pay homage to a past when things lasted for years.

On until 22 May

Michael Lett

Bluets Richard Frater & Pauline Rhode Bluets presents work by Berlin-based Richard Frater and Canterbury-based Pauline Rhodes. The exhibition is a duet that addresses concerns with intricate, material entanglements between the human and non-human as well as built and natural environments.

ART & ABOUT

18 May – 13 June

Sanderson Contemporary

Kahukura, Better Biculturalism John Tootill

18 May – 19 June

Starkwhite

Essentials Bill Henson Bill Henson is a photographer of the human condition, ambiguity, and transition. Brooding landscapes that border on the painterly and cinematic join portraits ripe with potential and intensity. Essentials presents a selection of the celebrated artist’s most iconic largescale colour photographs, tender and striking images that have cemented Henson’s reputation as Australia’s leading contemporary photographer. Included are works commissioned by the Paris Opera where Henson turned his lens to an audience in full devotional contemplation.

vervemagazine.co.nz

Stephen Allwood. Courtesy of Orexart

Abstract in nature and quintessentially Māori in style, Tootill’s works are a blend of art and technology. Using Adobe Capture, he digitises the colours of plumage from our native birds. He then applies these ripples of colours across a patterned surface indicative of tukutuku and background elements from Māori carving. These clean, colourful, abstract paintings will appeal to a wide audience and suit contemporary interior spaces.

Stephen Allwood

Opens Saturday 15 May 2pm-4pm Until 9 June

Tools of the Trade

Kenwood. Oil on canvas, 1240mm x 935mm

Swift Whip. Oil on canvas 1240mm x 855mm

For years, Wairarapa-based painter Stephen Allwood has drawn inspiration from the day-to-day events of his semi-rural lifestyle.

Recently, he and his partner acquired a bakery in Martinborough, and it’s this venture that’s prompted this new body of work. In Tools of the Trade, Allwood celebrates the solid, industrial equipment he works with every day: mixers, slicers and beaters. The retrofuturistic machines, with gleaming surfaces and sensuous curves, are set against rough wooden shelves where they speak of trade and the tools and skills that are passed down from one generation to the next.

Orexart 221 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby

021 213 4449 orexart.co.nz

Reuben Paterson Dilana

Page Galleries 29 April – 22 May 2021

Page Galleries is delighted to showcase an exclusive collaboration between artist Reuben Paterson (Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāi Tūhoe, Tūhourangi) and Dilana Rugs.

While renowned for his works made with glitter, the Aucklandbased artist regularly engages with a variety of materials and formats within his practice – including painting, sculpture and digital art – and has previously collaborated with a number of leading designers. This latest project with Dilana has resulted in an impeccable creative partnership. Dilana established its Christchurch workshop in 1980 and since then has worked with recognised New Zealand artists to create limited edition rugs that offer a synergy of artistry, design, luxury, and comfort. The graphic nature of Paterson’s practice, which combines modernist traditions of pattern and form with traditional Māori motifs, has been beautifully translated into a small edition of hand knotted and tufted rugs based on traditional Persian techniques.

Coupled with these rugs are a series of Paterson’s inimitable glitter paintings – featuring botanical, designs, optical patterns, and kōwhaiwhai – and a series of sculptures made up of stacks of colourful crystal forms that reach upward to the firmament.

For Paterson, the exhibition reads almost as a history of his practice to date. Together, these works act as a bridge between the earth and ether, the land and sea, and everything that is traversed amid. In Māori terms these designs are the heroic passage of whakapapa on a journey to the primeval parents of Ranginui the Sky Father and Papatūānuku the Earth Mother.

Reuben Paterson Light up the World, 2021, glitter on canvas, 1000mm x 1000mm.

Image courtesy of the artist and Page Galleries.

Photo: Bridget Webber

REUBEN 29 APR PATERSON 22 MAY 2021 DIL ANA PAGE GALLERIES

PAGEGALLERIES.CO.NZ

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INFO@PAGEGALLERIES.CO.NZ

UPCOMING EXHIBITION

Sara Langdon Salt & Light II & Matt Payne The pairing of Matt Payne and Sara Langdon sees the coast meet the mountain, the salt meet the light. In this exhibition of new works from these two talented artists, we are invited to contemplate our familiar terrain with an eye cast toward serene detail.

“The aim for me is to capture the essence of what it is I’m painting. It can be an emotion, a feeling or a mood. I am fascinated by how an image is just tiny bits of colour joined or linked together like some sort of code.”

Payne does not merely imitate nature; he is bringing painterly fragments to a breathtaking realism. The large scale of Payne’s paintings provides a deep sense that we might simply walk right into the composition, with the water lapping at our feet.

“I’m responding to the beauty I see in the landscape, the green terraces and craters changing with the light, views of the dormant volcanic forms differing from one location to the next. A graceful dance of shadow and light”.

With an understated and fresh approach to landscape realism, Auckland based contemporary landscape artist, Sara Langdon, invites the viewer to contemplate the mountains themselves, rather than the usual views taken from the summit.

Salt & Light II will be on display at Parnell Gallery from 11 – 25 May View all works online at parnellgallery.co.nz

Hybycozo 2019, Escape Quest

Queenstown community switches on winter with

LUMA Southern Light Exhibition

While the nights are getting longer, Queenstown is preparing to switch on winter with the return of LUMA; a sensory journey bringing together illuminated art, light sculpture, performance and community over four days (4 – 7 June, 2021).

Now in its seventh year, LUMA has a proven track record as a cornerstone arts and culture event. Governed by a registered charitable trust, LUMA is orchestrated by a passionate group of volunteers that believe in the connection and inspiration that the event brings to the community.

LUMA Chairman, Duncan Forsyth, says that in no small feat, LUMA continues to attract more than 500 contributors including artists, organisers, volunteers and ambassadors from across the region.

“Queenstown is such a unique petri-dish of global influence, on a local culture. With such diversity in our community, we have an incredible pool of artistic talents; both established and up-and-coming. LUMA is our chance to showcase that incredible creativity in a high calibre, four-day event.

“Over the course of the long weekend, the Queenstown Gardens will be transformed into a creative outdoor stage of visual arts, performing arts, music, film and digital media.

Every installation represents years of development from a variety of collaborators,” he says.

LUMA has gained worldwide recognition and multiple awards for creativity and leadership in sustainability. In 2019, LUMA attracted nearly 60,000 domestic and international visitors.

LUMA Southern Light exhibition will be held in Queenstown Gardens over Queen’s Birthday weekend, form 4 – 7 June, 2021. For more information, please visit luma.nz

And while LUMA kicks off at candlelight, there is plenty to explore during the day in beautiful Queenstown. AJ Hacket Bungy is offering a Verve magazine reader a double pass to LUMA this year, alongside a Nevis Bungy Jump; New Zealand’s highest jump at a daring 134 metres. Take the trip, explore the nightlights and dare to jump – what better way to spend the long weekend?

MAY 2021

The She ff lf O

Bookety Book Books Bookety Book Books is a New Zealand Independent online book store. All of our books are chosen to challenge and inspire, move and to shake, our books are exclusively superb, but inclusively selected from a wide and wonderfully diverse range of authors from home and abroad.

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones Silver Sparrow is set in 1980s Atlanta, told in two parts through the eyes of Dana Yarboro and Chaurrise Witherspoon, two ‘half’ sisters, but only one of them knows it. Their father James Witherspoon is a bigamist. Dana is his daughter with his second wife Gwen, and Chaurisse is the daughter of his first wife Laverne. And while Dana and Gwen very much know about Chaurisse and Laverne, Chaurisse and Laverne have no idea about them in return. This is the ultimate ‘the grass isn’t always greener’ story, where both sisters has something the other doesn’t have, and desperately wants.

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart Contrary to its title, this story predominantly centres around Agnes Bain, a glamorous and complex Glaswegian housewife struggling with alcohol addiction. Stuck raising her three children, Shuggie being the youngest, in a rundown housing settlement amongst a closed down mining town where Agnes was abandoned by her second husband. This is the tender love story of a mother and son.

Prepare to have your heart strings tugged on in this sad, funny, completely gripping and utterly moving exploration of how far we will go for the ones we love.

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason Sorrow and Bliss is a coming-of-age novel of a woman turning 40. It is about relationships, love, motherhood, mental health and ultimately what makes us human. Mason’s ability to pinpoint the most relatable of human traits, and turn them into a dry satirical joke, is in my opinion, the defining point of this novel. ‘This book is both funny and sad’ is the perfect synopsis, because it is both, truly funny, and truly sad. booketybookbooks.co.nz

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What's On in May

8 May Batch Winery: 129 Carson’s Rd, Waiheke Island

Gin and Tonic Experience

V ERV E'S PI C K

Immerse yourself in a wide range of heavenly-scented botanical gins in the beautiful wilderness landscape of Waiheke. The Batch Winery will collect guests from the ferry terminal in a private shuttle. Enjoy high tea and a glass of bubbles whilst you drink in stunning views of the Coromandel and Sky Tower.

Learn the history of gin, before making your own concoctions. Gin & Tonic Experience $95.

WO R D S — B E LLA SAM P S O N

MAY 2021

1—15 May ASB Waterfront Theatre

Single Asian Female

Michelle Law is an award-winning Chinese-Australian writer/actor who has become a sensation across the Tasman. Her show Single Asian Female has consistently sold out and had spectacular reviews since its debut in 2017, largely due to Law’s blend of authenticity, bliss, and raw tragedy, all expertly mixed with a generous sprinkling of sharp wit and humour. Two of the shows feature audio description and NZSL.

1—23 May Auckland-wide

Comedy Fest

There are plenty of great comedy shows going on around Auckland and the country! From award-winning seasoned professionals and fresh faced nominated comedians.

Personally, we recommend Two Hearts, SNORT, Eli Matthewson, Michèle A’Court and this year’s Billy T James nominee solo shows. Or, discover a fabulous new comedian!

Tickets available from the NZ comedy festival website.

11—16 May Auckland-wide

Auckland Writers Festival

Get inspiration and insight on some fantastic texts, from a vast range of authors and artists throughout the Auckland Writers Festival. Due to restrictions, this year is a celebration of 200+ incredibly talented NZ authors and 20-plus international authors recently based in Aotearoa. Such as Neil Gaiman and Nobel prize winner Sir Kazuo Ishiguro. Spread across six jampacked days, expect: discussions, readings, performances and debates. Ranging across all literary types, age ranges and price points; including free events.

21May St Lukes Church, Remuera

Beethoven NZ String Quartet

In celebration of Beethoven’s 250th anniversary, the New Zealand String Quartet are celebrating the monumental composer with an expansive tour throughout New Zealand. Come experience first-hand why Ludwig van Beethoven’s work remains amongst the best classical music ever composed. Focussing on his earlier works and middle period, the New Zealand String Quartet will showcase his own universal language.

22 May Life Central: 25 Normanby Road, Mt Eden

TedX Auckland

Sit back and let 15+ experts teach you about their area of knowledge in a concise, immersive and engaging manner.

A diverse range of speakers will launch from the themes of constructing a promising future and optimism. Ticket includes child care facilities, food and opportunities to meet the authors during the breaks.

27—29 May Kiri Te Kawana Theatre, Aotea Centre

Royal New Zealand Ballet Giselle

The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing ballets greatest romantic story, Giselle. RNZB have performed it across the globe, with stellar reviews. Giselle is a masterful fusion of every element that makes ballet special: human characters, beautiful choreography, a romantic story, tragedy and mesmerising choreography that ranges classical ballet to folk dance in a magical setting.

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Tokyo Ride

RADFF21

RADFF21

Box Office Tokyo Ride 06 MAY

George Nakashima Woodworker 06 MAY

Showing at the Resene Architecture and Design Film Festival 2021, Tokyo Ride follows, Bêka & Lemoine are who celebrated architecture documentarymakers, having previously screened Moriyama San, an exploration of a house designed by Ryue Nishizawa and its quirky owner, Mr Moriyama.

Here they return to Tokyo's busy daily life and press record on a road movie with the architect. In a very diaristic and personal way, the film takes us on board Ryue Nishizawa's vintage Alfa Romeo for a day of wandering in the streets of his Tokyo.

Finding You

Showing at the Resene Architecture and Design Film Festival 2021. The documentary film by nephew, John Nakashima, peels back the layers of George's remarkable spiritual and creative development. While his furniture in particular, which he began crafting relatively late in life, is well documented—elegant, unexpected marriages of natural and modernist forms in rich, sometimes ancient woods, frequently celebrating whirly burls, unfinished edges, and the like, the film honours the life experiences that ultimately informed the designer's wholly unique and hugely influential aesthetic.

Son of the South

13 MAY

20 MAY

While studying abroad in Ireland, accomplished young musician Finley (Rose Reid) meets heartthrob movie star Beckett (Jedidiah Goodacre) shooting his latest medieval fantasy blockbuster. Sparks fly between the unlikely couple who inspire each other to find the strength to be true to themselves. But when forces surrounding Beckett’s stardom threaten to crush their dreams, Finley must decide what she is willing to risk for love.

Set during the sixties civil rights movement, Son of the South is based on the true story of Bob Zellner (Lucas Till), a Klansman's grandson, who is forced to face the rampant racism of his own culture. Defying his family and white Southern norms, he embraces the fight against social injustice, repression and violence to change the world he was born into. Executive Produced

by Spike Lee, the film is based on Bob Zellner's autobiography The Wrong Side of Murder Creek: A White Southerner in the Freedom Movement.

A Night Out at

Berkeley Cinemas Established in the 1930s, this historic art deco-inspired theatre has been sprinkling cinematic magic into the lives of generations of filmgoers ever since.

WO R D S — BE LL A SAM P S O N

Once upon a time, a trip to the movies was something special to make a day or evening out of. Berkeley Cinemas still retains this. The unique and intimate waterfront complex, in one of Auckland’s most treasured suburbs, is well worth the trip. Established in the 1930s, this historic art deco-inspired theatre has been sprinkling cinematic magic into the lives of generations of filmgoers ever since.

From the moment you walk into the lounge, you’re in a plush yet stylish space with plenty of comfortable seating options. If you arrive early, or want to relax a little afterwards with a refreshment, the lounge has gigantic windows that showcase a stunning view across Selwyn Reserve out to the beach and Rangitoto Island.

The staff are friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable about everything from the films to the rewards programme (which has great senior, and family discounts). Booking is a breeze, either do it in person or go through the Hoyts website.

They’ve also got plenty of children’s films on throughout the year, perfect for the holidays and weekends. You can easily make a day of it — go to the beach, grab a meal at one of the fabulous

cafés or restaurants, and catch the latest cinematic masterpiece or superhero flick; how it’s meant to be experienced! The blockbusters delayed globally due to Covid-19 are starting to hit the screens late May. They also have a great lineup of snacks, along with the usual suspects like popcorn and ice creams.

Did we mention the parking situation? If you use the Parkmate app and inquire with the staff they will give you a voucher code for two hours free parking in the carpark behind the cinema. Yes, you read that right, free parking, in Auckland!

If you’re craving a fun night out, there are great bars nearby to get you ready for one of their special screenings, like ladies’ night. The cosy venue is ideal for date nights and Mission Bay is a stunning option for a post-film moonlit stroll.

That’s one of the many special things about Mission Bay, although it’s a part of Auckland central, the seaside suburb feels timeless, removed from the bustle of the city. Everyone has great memories associated here, and it’s still a tried-and-true place to establish new ones for any age group. No matter who you are - Berkeley Cinemas make it their mission to add a little magic to your day. Come experience it for yourself!

Jamie Yeon & John Yip Jamie Yeon and John Yip met in 2012 and bonded over a love of food.

They’ve since got married, lived overseas and returned to Auckland, opening their restaurant Omni last year.

Jamie

John

We met at a mutual friend’s pot-luck party. During dinner I thought John was quite funny and then I was doing the dishes and he came to help. I was quite surprised and agreed to have dinner another night. John had just returned from Sydney and I had moved to New Zealand by myself earlier that year, so he became just like family.

We met at a mutual friend’s dinner party. Jamie seemed really positive and energetic, with a nice smile and was always laughing and getting involved in conversations. She had a good aura so I asked her if she’d like to meet up and it went from there. We both worked in hospitality so we understood the lifestyle and could adapt to each other’s schedules. This industry is quite demanding and I’ll probably never have a Saturday night off - that’s why I think most chefs meet their partners at a restaurant.

I work in the front, greeting and serving customers. I also work at the bar and look after the wine list, while John works in the kitchen. Our restaurant is very open and we are a very small team so John sometimes helps me out the front as well.

I try to keep work and home separate but sometimes on our days off I’m working on the wine list and John’s working on kitchen ideas. Sunday is our rest day so I cook something hearty and Korean, because John doesn’t like to cook at home because our kitchen is small. I’m in charge there, so I cook and tell him to set the table and we swap roles.

John’s very creative and a fast learner. Sometimes we argue, but we always hug each other and make up. We always have to feel sympathy for each other, as we both work hard, so we have to think about the other person and look after them. We’ve known each other for a long time now and feel comfortable together. John knows everything about me.

We’re both passionate in our fields of kitchen and front of house, which is a dream combination. We wanted to accumulate as much experience as we could, so I went to Scandinavia and Jamie went to Korea and then we moved to Hong Kong and Melbourne together. There’s more opportunity and room to grow here in New Zealand though and it’s a nice place to raise a family.

When it comes to business, I’m more the go-getter and Jamie’s more laid back. She’s very organised and will always meet a deadline, but she leaves things to the last minute, whereas I like to do it right now. She does a lot for us at home and takes good care of me when I’m there and then I take good care of her when we’re at the restaurant.

At Omni we are very ourselves and a lot of people say going there is a personal experience. We don’t go out of our way to impress anybody; we are who we are and I think the restaurant reflects that. Jamie is very thoughtful and she almost seems to know what you need or want without even telling her. She’s very attentive and I think that’s why she’s so good at her job and being a partner, it’s so natural for her.

atomni.co.nz

When we had a day off, we would go to the beach or to dinner as we both love food. We got married in 2016 and went to Hong Kong and Melbourne and worked in different restaurants. We always knew we wanted to do something together back in Auckland, so we decided to come home and opened Omni in July 2020.

WO RD S — MEL AN IE D OWER | P H OTO — REUBEN S O MERF O RD

Our Story

Oysters & Albariño Everyone knows that oysters and champagne are a perfect match, but oysters and Albariño are where it’s at and they are such an outstanding combination that you must try it this bluff season!

I was recently invited to attend the inaugural Smith & Sheth Oyster and Albariño event at their gorgeous urban cellar door and wine lounge in Havelock North. A lovely Sunday afternoon with the wines flowing, over 300 dozen oysters being freshly shucked before our eyes and live music that had everyone toe-tapping under their tables. I was treated to an amazing tasting of the CRU Chardonnays, the Howell, Mangatahi and Heretaunga, all from the 2018 vintage. A stunning lineup of distinctly different styles to suit every chardonnay-lover. This spot is a must-visit next time you’re in the Hawke’s Bay, the knowledgeable and attentive staff will guide you through a tasting of their amazing range of wines or order a glass and sit back and enjoy the beautiful interior or sunshine in the courtyard.

Cru Heretaunga Albariño 2020, Hawke’s Bay 5 Stars, The Wine Writer

The grapes were hand-harvested and whole bunch pressed, then fermented using a combination of wild and inoculated yeast strains. The wine was aged in oak barrels for 10 months on lees to develop texture in the finished wine and bottled unfined.

Vegetarian- and vegan-friendly.

The gorgeous aromas are a combination of apricot, peach, honeysuckle, orange blossom and a salty breeze, and I couldn’t wait to taste them. A rich and textural palate filled with stone fruit and citrus with a zing of intense, mouth-watering acidity adding structure and a lovely salty mineral note on the long, lingering finish. Amazing!

Rías Baixas DO in Spain is the spiritual home of Albariño (pronounced alba-reen-yo) where some vines are almost 300 years old. Portugal has the next largest planting which is not surprising as this variety loves sunshine but thrives in coastal breezes.

Albariño is planted all over the world, most notably California and Australia, but New Zealand is now producing some lovely examples too. Traditionally its weighty mid-palate and high acidity have made it a standout variety, but leaner, fresher versions can be found. Keep your eyes peeled at your local wine retailer for Sileni, Villa Maria, Coopers Creek, Babich, Neudorf and the delicious CRU Albarino and serve alongside anything from the sea; calamari, ceviche, crayfish or prawns, and oysters of course!

eurobar.co.nz

N EW AUTU M N MENU

Shed 22, Princes Wharf, Auckland

Late Summer Corn & Tomato Curry Serves 4

This is a summer kind of curry. It’s bright in flavour, with sourness from tamarind offsetting the sweet tomatoes and corn, all levelled off with the calming creaminess of coconut milk.

Ingredients

Methods

2 teaspoons fennel seeds 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds coconut or groundnut oil 2 leeks, washed and roughly shredded 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped 1 green chilli, roughly chopped 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk 2 tablespoons tamarind paste 1kg tomatoes, small ones halved, big ones quartered, or 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes the kernels from 1 large corn on the cob or 175g tinned/frozen kernels 2 large handfuls of chard or spinach, washed, leaves roughly shredded, stems sliced

You will need a large shallow pan for this; a big frying pan would do. Put the fennel and coriander seeds into a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind until you have a rough powder.

Put your largest frying pan or wok over a medium heat, add the ground spices and mustard seeds and push them around the pan, toasting for a couple of minutes, then tip into a bowl.

To Serve lime-spiked yoghurt (plain yoghurt of your choice mixed with lime juice and zest) rice warm rotis or chapatis

Seasonal Variations To make this in autumn or winter, which I often do, use tinned cherry tomatoes, frozen corn and some roasted or very thinly sliced raw butternut or winter squash.

Put the pan back over a medium heat, add a little oil, the leeks and a pinch of salt, then cook for 10 minutes until soft and sweet.

Put the toasted spices back in the pan and stir.

Add the garlic and chilli and stir around the pan for about another 5 minutes or so. Next, pour in the coconut milk, add the tamarind, tumble in the tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes on a mediumhigh heat. You want the tomatoes to lose some of their liquid and the coconut milk to intensify and thicken.

Next, add the corn and greens (sliced stems and leaves) and cook for another couple of minutes until the greens have wilted.

Serve with lime-spiked yoghurt and rice, or rotis or chapatis.

Chocolate & Almond Butter Swirl Brownies Makes 12

Chocolate and nut butter, a flavour friendship rarely bettered. If you can’t have nuts, then sunflower seed butter will work here, too. To make your own nut butter, blitz raw or roasted nuts for a minute or two until you have a coarse powder, scrape down the sides and blitz again until you have a smooth paste. If it looks dry at that point, add a little coconut or groundnut oil, and blitz again. Sweeten with a little honey, maple syrup or vanilla, if you like.

Ingredients

Methods

For The Chocolate Batter

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and line a 20cm x 20cm brownie tin with baking paper.

200g dark chocolate, chopped into 5mm chunks (150g for melting, the rest for the top) 100g coconut oil 100g white spelt flour 100g golden caster sugar teaspoon baking powder 2 organic eggs, or 8 teaspoons flaxseed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

For The Almond Butter Batter 75g golden caster sugar ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 organic egg, or 4 teaspoons flaxseed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste 100g smooth almond butter

For The Non-Vegan Brownies For the chocolate batter, melt 150g of the chocolate (saving the rest for the top) with the oil in a small pan over a low heat. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the eggs and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour in the melted chocolate and give the batter another stir until the chocolate is mixed through. Make the almond butter batter by whisking together the sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla, whisk again, add the almond butter, stir until well combined and set aside. The batter will be thick.

For The Vegan Brownies Follow the steps above, replacing the eggs with the flaxseed.

For the chocolate batter, mix 8 teaspoons of flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of warm water in a separate bowl. For the almond butter, mix 4 teaspoons of flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of warm water in a separate bowl. For both mixtures, leave to thicken for 15 minutes before using.

Dollop alternate heaped spoonfuls of each batter into the tin.

Once all the batter is in, use a butter knife to swirl it in figures of eight. Top with the remaining chocolate, pressing each piece slightly into the batter, then sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the brownies are just set with a little wobble and the almond butter swirls are golden. Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin completely before cutting.

Recipe extracted from One: Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones. HarperCollins. RRP $54.99

Sofitel’s restaurant on the Viaduct has recently undergone a makeover and renamed La Maree (translated: 'The Tide'). The cuisine here at times has been a bit of a hit and miss affair lending weight to the notion that hotel restaurants do not rival Auckland’s discerning dining out scene. Being a seafood restaurant the menu is devoted to seafood but with a slight detour with meaty mains to satisfy carnivores and vegan dishes to keep the vegetarians fed.

DENNIS AND ROSAMUND KNILL

LET’S EAT OUT LA MARÉE

The engaging synergy between the sea and land is well executed with a menu that is back on form with seasonally influenced and creative food tempered by reassuring flavours.

21 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, CBD Licenced 09 354 7478 sofitel.com

Menu Cuisine Wine List Service Décor Value for Money

8 7.5 8 8.5 8 7.5

In the kitchen is Marc De Passorio a contemporary chef with a French attitude and two Michelin stars under his belt and a menu scattered with seafood delights. As one of the first places in the city to get serious about seafood no meal is complete without a menu harvested predominantly from our backyard. Included are two oldfashioned virtues as a seafood platter ($185), mussels, oysters, scallops, clams scampi, Alaskan crab served with mayonnaise lemon, apple vinegar and bouillabaisse ($89) mussels, lobster, clams, scallops and fish fillets.

Conservatives can relax as you can still get oysters on the shell ($3055), crayfish ($MP) served with risotto and parmesan, line caught market fish ($43) served with vegetables, cauliflower cream and lychee, yellowfin tuna ($44) marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil, poached octopus ($42) with watercress and spinach. For true blue meat eaters eye fillet ($45) with creamy leeks, caramelised onions, mushroom cream and potato fondant and lamb rack ($45) served with potato mash, mushroom and fricassee. Sides are predictable ($12-14), green salad, steamed vegetables, fries and potato mash. Desserts ($20 to $22) cover the fruit and chocolate bases with aplomb And they’re serious about wine offerings with a long list that showcases local heavy-hitting vintages including some great finds from their last bottle selection. Classic stuff, all of it, as long as you watch what you’re drinking. Either way the list deserves more drops by the glass.

And the verdict? Portions aren’t huge and prices aren’t small with dishes lacking in ingredients. However dining here is largely satisfying supported by engaging free-thinking waiters that make for a tangible culinary experience.

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BI ST R O & B A R

91 UPLAND RD, REMUERA • 09 600 3259 • MORELL.CO.NZ

Ebb-Dunedin is a contemporary neighbourhood hotel that provides relaxed luxury on your journey. Dunedin's history and coastline is the inspiration for the hotel.

Ebb–Dunedin

Ebb-Dunedin is a contemporary neighbourhood hotel that provides relaxed luxury on your journey. Dunedin's history and coastline is the inspiration for this one-of-a-kind hotel, designed by local architect Gary Todd and Sydney-based interior architect Indyk Architects, both bringing their characteristic eclectic flair to Ebb's interior.

To respect the past and provide a modern influence for the future, Ebb is designed as a strikingly modernist building primarily of concrete, steel and glass, with a scale that is considerate to, and yet juxtaposes the composition of the adjacent heritage, commercial and residential buildings.

As locals, it was important to the developers that the hotel captured a sense of Dunedin, so they commissioned local artist and collaborator Simon Kaan to create an artwork to be printed onto the 20m long glass facade. The artwork depicts the heads of the Otago Harbour, with the view of the land and sky from the sea, the view Polynesian travellers saw when first arriving to the tidal flats of Otepoti Dunedin by waka.

The hotel was named Ebb because of the site's historic location on the edge of the tidal flats of the Otago Harbour before the land was reclaimed. Each level has its own distinct atrium lounge above covered internal gardens for guests to enjoy a drink or read a book, surrounded by the work of national artists exhibited on the walls.

Ebb also houses Ebb-Café, that serves local and seasonal food to hotel guests and the good people of Dunedin. A place to come together over fresh food and the best coffee in town, Ebb-Café is run by writer and chef Alison Lambert, who's knowledge and enthusiasm for delicious, healthy food brings joy to the community.

82 FILLEUL STREET, DUNEDIN 03 260 6800 EBB-DUNEDIN.CO.NZ

Dunedin is a unique destination, renowned for its music, food, wine and design. Surrounded by South Pacific seas, it combines rugged and picturesque landscape, perfect for wild and woolly walks, with historic city sites and a buzzing contemporary city scene.

So, whether you fancy a drink or a walk on the wild side, you'll discover it all in this foodie natural paradise

T A S

M A

N I A

It is time to stop dreaming and start travelling and what better place to take your first adventure in over a year then a visit to Tasmania? A 7- to 8-hour flight from New Zealand, this unspoilt charming landscape is home to some of the most amazing and unparalleled sights. Getting to explore this southern part of Australia has been this for too long, only possible virtually. But now - with travel opening up this could be your reality.

The Southern Lights Considered the best place in the southern hemisphere to see the southern lights, Tasmania is close enough to the south pole, and in the most remote parts (Cockle Creek, being the southern most point, comes highly recommended), the sight can take your breath away. As the bioluminescence lights the water below and the southern lights light the sky above, you could be tricked into thinking you were somewhere unworldly.

Marakoopa Cave A cathedral chamber you don’t have to enter a church for, this cave system will fill you with a natural perspective and some amazing photos to keep everyone ohhing and ahhing at your page. A cave system encompassing streams, long passages and caverns, this underground landscape will leave you in awe, and as one of the best places to see glow worms in Australia, this is something not to be missed.

Totem Pole Cape If you are looking for a picture that will show your athleticism and daredevil nature, look no further than the totem poles in the Tasman National Park — 65m high, this would be an accomplishment for anyone. If you are like me, simply photographing these structures (and the people who climb them) is enough of an accomplishment! This is an experience not to be missed.

Wineglass Bay A bay shaped like a wine glass is on anyone’s list and after a half day walk in this beautiful area you can get a bird's-eye view of the 'wineglass', a bay located within Coles Bay Tasmania. Inviting turquoise water encircled by golden sand and forest, this bay is sure appealing to the eye. One of the top 10 beaches in the world; see it from above and get an enviable shot before heading down for a glass of wine next to the water.

Trowutta Arch

Words Nicole Healy @dreamingoftravelnz

Instagramable views don’t have to take you all day. In fact the Trowutta Arch is a short 10-minute walk along the track creating a natural doorway between what seems like two different worlds. On one side green and lush rocks and foliage surround you, and on the other, jagged and dry rocks are all the eye can see. Be mesmerised by this unusual phenomenon and natural occurrence.

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MAY 2021

Introducing

Parohe Island Retreat Parohe translates to 'a relaxed, easy going mood' and that is exactly how we want you to feel as you arrive at our rugged oasis situated on Kawau Island, the jewel of the Hauraki Gulf.

Offering wellness-infused retreats and events, Parohe is surrounded by native bush alive with songbird. Nature trails for all fitness levels alongside hidden contemplation points offer precious moments of reflection, allowing you to connect with a renewed, undiluted sense of self.

Our approach to wellness is simple. We want you to feel good in your body so you can experience a freedom of movement and an exuberance of energy that enables you to get the most out of life.

Our connection to the land has led us to adapt best practices in regenerative agriculture. Parohe has a colourful microcosm of helpers including bees, chickens and llamas (natures lawn mowers). Our organic produce provides a broad spectrum of quality nutrients that

support healthy digestion and immunity.

It’s not just our food that will nourish your soul. Our retreat hosts embody a culture of Manakiitanga – a warmth and generosity of hospitality. Your guides to daily yoga sessions, land and water activities. If it’s relaxation you crave, unwind in our outdoor sauna, pool or soak in a bath under the night sky and take in the constellations.

Our luxury accommodation is thoughtfully designed, a minimalist approach speaks towards a deepening connection with nature. Bespoke inroom amenities crafted here in Aotearoa include naturopathic herbal teas from Forage and Bloom and sumptuous spa products from our neighbours at Aotea on Great Barrier Island.

All are welcome at Parohe, our packages are inclusive so once you book, all you need to do is arrive. We invite you to explore our slice of paradise because something this magnificent is too good to be kept a secret.

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DISCOVER NEW ZEALAND’S NEWEST WELLNESS RETREAT Wellness infused escapes and events that inspire a deepening connection with nature and a renewed sense of vitality.

Located on Kawau Island on twenty hectares of native bush. A collection of twenty luxury bedrooms in cabins, cabanas and a three bedroom villa. Accessible via ferry, boat, helicopter or seaplane.

All packages include daily yoga classes, activities, meals and refreshments. Plant based menus designed by culinary artist Sam Lewis in collaboration with our in house naturopath.

WELLNESS | REGENERATION | ADVENTURE

A wellness lover’s dream, our facilities include an outdoor sauna, baths, pool with spa treatments available. Relax in a hammock or get your heart racing with land and water activities.

The ideal location for your next event, contact our team for complete or partial venue hire.

We look forward to welcoming you! parohe.co.nz Book Now

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SWERVE

Driving Design with Jason Woodside

Jason Woodside’s work is characterised by vivid colours and fades with contrasting bands of patterns and shapes. Taking inspiration from textiles, light and nature, Woodside plays with various bold textures and public exterior settings to generate visual cohesion and optimistic emotions. Verve caught up with Jason to chat about his latest collaboration with Volkswagen New Zealand.

You’ve worked on a substantial number of collaborations over the years, including major brands such as Samsung, Adidas, Getty Museum, Vans and of course Volkswagen. How do you determine which brands you will collaborate with and what drew you to working with Volkswagen?

I think with Volkswagen and my approach to all collaborations begins with like-minded values and general chemistry between the people involved. Volkswagen New Zealand has honestly made me feel like I’m part of the family. It’s such a pleasure to work together to achieve a positive and inspiring outcome for this community.

Your work is instantly recognisable by its bold, bright qualities. What emotions do you hope to evoke with your work and how does this link to the emotive qualities of driving the all-new Volkswagen Golf?

All my work is stripped down to evoke optimism and positivity.

Through collaborating with Volkswagen on the launch of the new Golf, I wanted to touch on celebrating the heritage of the Golf as well as the new model. The art side of things was a perfect partnership as I consider movement and environment critical components to creating a finished artistic product.

In your opinion can vehicle design be influenced by pop culture?

Absolutely! I think it’s a good balance of sticking to the integrity of the art as well as being open to the movement of pop-culture.

Can you draw any parallels between your artwork and the interior design of the all-new Volkswagen Golf?

Yes totally - considering the vehicle's clean lines and the positive emotion it creates through nostalgia, I can easily draw parallels.

Having spent the last 20 years in New York City you’re now living and working in New Zealand. How does geographic locale influence your work?

Over the years I have found that the surrounding elements play a big part in my work, in particular lighting and landscape.

Finally, when can we expect to see your latest work that you’re creating in response while driving the all-new Volkswagen Golf to eight iconic locations in NZ?

We are actually right in the middle of our national tour creating that content now, which we are very excited about - stay tuned!

Moving to New Zealand has allowed me to have more space and tranquillity as well as spending time with family and embracing the beautiful environment. I have found this clear headspace to be a perfect platform to promote and nurture creativity.

VERVE REVIEWS

The All-New Volkswagen Golf

WO R D S —AS H LEE LAL A

P H OTO S ― C HR IS D I L LO N

Whether or not you’re a car guy/gal, and no matter what age bracket you sit within, surely we can all agree that the Volkswagen Golf is an iconic, familiar and trusted hatchback. And it deserves to be so, having built up this reputation since the model launched over 45 years ago.

Into its eighth generation, the all-new Volkswagen Golf represents the classic Golf with innovative twists.

Cockpit The all-new digital cockpit is perhaps one of the most outstanding examples of this modernisation. Sliding into the driver's seat of the all-new Golf R-Line, I immediately noticed just how few buttons there are on the dashboard.

If your visual aesthetic tends towards minimalist design, this is the car for you. Rather than separate knobs for the likes of climate, music, volume and so on, everything is operated from the 10-inch touch screen infotainment system, with clean graphics that mirror the display of Apple devices. A favourite feature for me was the Smart Climate System, which contains five easy to understand modes of operation “Clear View (demist the windows)”, “Warm Feet”, “Warm Hands,” “Cool Feet”, and “Fresh Air.” Instead of trying to manually create the perfect air temperature, I’m free to concentrate on driving. Also allowing me to do this is the head-up display which uses the windscreen as a projection surface, showing speed and navigation instructions at eye level in front of me so I don’t have to take my eyes off the road.

This modern, minimalist design extends to the gearbox too.

There are two buttons, one for the parking break and one to put the vehicle in park, with an all-new shift-by-wire gear knob for the eight-speed automatic gearbox. An advantage of this is how much space it saves up in the centre console, not to mention the feeling of ease generated from the electronic connection between the gear leaver and the transmission.

Exterior As for the exterior, the all-new Golf design looks even sleeker on the outside with a leaner front grille and imposing lower-profile bumper. LED Headlights with automatic dipping is now standard across the range, giving the Golf a striking presence on the road. Other exterior features include tinted glass on the rear and back windows and four (fake) chrome effect exhaust pipes.

It’s a sporty looking car for those of us that don’t want a sports car.

Driving and Safety In a typically out-of-nowhwere Auckland downpour the vehicle felt comfortable and safe to drive. The Travel Assist systems will alert you if you veer too far from the centre of your lane, and can also monitor the distance of the vehicle in front. An LED signal on the exterior mirrors will let you know if there is a vehicle in your blind spot.

All of these are reassuring features, especially when you’re tired at the end of a long working day, sitting in Auckland traffic.

Other driver assistance systems such as autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring can help reduce the severity of braking or avoid an accident. Thankfully, I didn’t have a need for this technology during my time in the car, but knowing it is there gives an extra feeling of security.

To sum up, the new Golf is an easy, practical modern hatchback that makes the daily commute an experience to look froward to. For someone like me, a working professional in my late 20s, this car positions itself in the gap between out-of-my league luxurious and economy car. The all-new Volkswagen Golf looks set to continue its legacy of being a vehicle for every generation.

PG COMMENTS

Farewell

15 0

Authorised by Paul Goldsmith, 107 Great South Rd, Epsom

to Verve Readers

NATIONAL LIST MP BASED IN EPSOM PAULGOLDSMITH.CO.NZ 09 524 4930

After nine years of regular columns in this great magazine, I’m having a refresh of my communications. So this is my last Verve column.

Thanks to Fran, Jude and the team at Verve for the opportunity to have my say for so long. And congratulations to the Verve team for thriving as long as you have, through booms and busts, changes in fashions and the usual tribulations of business. And you’ve done it with style!

network, starting work on the City Rail Loop, the Northern Busway.

It’s a pity there hasn’t been as much progress in the past three years – new roads are largely off the agenda, the City Rail Loop is grinding slowly to its conclusion, road cones, bike lanes and reduced speed limits are slowing us down.

The businesses featured in Verve are the heart and soul of our community – hundreds of people over the years taking their ideas and products to the world, striving first to survive and then to succeed.

Housing has been another theme. National in government was too slow to respond to the unexpected surge in immigration from around 2012, which, combined with low interest rates, added pressure to a housing market that was undersupplied. Jacinda Ardern promised to fix the problem four years ago – but sadly it’s got much worse.

The main theme of my columns has been to demonstrate an understanding of the realities of business – especially small business. That it’s tough. It can be rewarding and exhilarating – but it also relentless and competitive. And too often, government – both central and local – are thoughtless in the costs and complications they bring.

Changes to the RMA are years away.

Kiwibuild was a flop. And rentals have gone up substantially, in large measure because of the many costs the government has added to landlords. Private landlords have withdrawn from the sector and this has led to a surge in demand for state houses and temporary housing.

New regulations, taxes, levies, higher wage costs, rules – many with big penalties if mistakes are made – all make it more difficult to survive. Good government is careful and disciplined in the way it adds to these costs – and indeed, look to reduce costs. I’ll carry on the fight on your behalf.

Now thousands of families and children are living for long periods in motels. The cost of housing remains one of our greatest challenges – the solutions are not simple, but start with making it easier and cheaper to build new houses and apartments.

Other themes recurring over the years have related to the transport challenges Auckland faces. During the years of the National government we made real progress in Auckland – the Waterview tunnel was transformational, the electrification of the rail

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New Zealand has a great future, and we can make progress on the challenges we face.

I’ll keep working away as the National MP based in Epsom, to present policies that will made a difference.

Haere ra.

P A N O R A M I C

T HE ALL-NEW ELECTRI F IE D JA Z Z AVA ILA B LE TO B UY O N LINE OR IN- STO R E FR OM THE 1S T OF M AY

W I N D S C R E E N

www. ho nd a. co . nz

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Stepping Up To The Plate “Trades make up on average five percent of the country’s GDP,” says Emma Kaniuk, founder of Tradespeople, Aotearoa’s only online directory of women and gender-diverse people working in the trades industries. “It’s estimated that there’ll be 56,000 new jobs in construction by 2029, and with the high level of new housing projects, infrastructure, and people staying home and doing up their houses rather than travelling, it’s an industry crying out for more workers.”

Garry Fissenden, CEO of Skills Consulting Group, says that, with a shortage of apprentices across all industries, the more women that step up to the plate the better. “If you are only hiring from 50 percent of the population, then that skills shortage is much, much worse,” he says. “Research has shown that women apprentices are better at customer service, more reliable and easier on the equipment.”

However, though the trend is moving in the right direction—with the percentage of new female apprentices being twice as high as the percentage of all new apprentices—the overall numbers are still low. Only around 10 percent of people in the trades industry in New Zealand are female, with less than half of them on the tools.

Emma says that the lack of encouragement for women to enter into the industry is because of the misconception that they are seen as less capable than their male counterparts, “if they are seen at all”.

Words – Jamie Christian Desplaces

“When I talk to the builders listed on Tradespeople, strength capability isn’t really an issue,” she adds. “There are lots of technologies on site now, and also, if heavy lifting is needed, you just share the load. Probably the biggest thing is being work-fit, in terms of being on your feet all day, but that’s just time. Most of the work is about precision and craft. And that’s not gendered.”

MAY 2021

Female plumbers are especially rare in New Zealand, with only 44 registered, while the number of women glaziers totals just eight. But, says Garry, there’s a promising pattern of clusters, for once a workplace has a female apprentice, then “they tend to add more”; and it’s clearly beneficial to a company’s client base too, with more “residential customers specifically asking for women”. Which is little wonder when examining the likes of a 2017 survey that eight in 10 Kiwi consumer purchasing decisions were influenced by women, yet they didn’t feel that tradies treated them as well as they did the men.

“Anecdotally this is an industry with ingrained attitudes which aren’t always welcoming, and it’s an industry built on networks, so it can feel very much a boys’ club,” says Emma. “On the flip side it is often women who are the lead customers — the ones managing household renovation projects and have typically found the industry dismissive or patronising.”

“The public reaction to Tradespeople had been overwhelmingly, and amazingly positive,” says Emma. “The demand is outstripping supply right now—which is its own kind of challenge!”

The Tradespeople boss beams that she receives weekly emails about the positive impact that the site has had on the lives of both the workers and customers, and of how it has inspired heaps of women and those from the rainbow community to start their own businesses as they now have a way of reaching an audience “who really wants to hire them”.

“Many customers have said it’s the first time they’ve felt safe hiring a tradie.”

Power To The Tradespeople!

“A couple of years back I had some work done on my home and I didn’t know any builders, so I used a directory, and hired a number of tradies,” says Emma. “I had a mixed experience. Some were really helpful people, while others were intimidating and aggressive. I really reflected on that and thought about how others might have found this experience. It’s in your home, and it’s invariably people you don’t know. I realised many of my friends and wider network were on the lookout for recommendations of female tradespeople, but couldn’t find them.”

And so the foundations for Tradespeople, the only company of its kind in New Zealand, were laid. The online directory is one of a collective of organisations focused on changing the narrative of these male-dominated industries.

“Every time someone sees themselves represented, it means they are part of the national story and that they matter and are valued, and that people like them can be part of that, too,” says Emma. “When people from different genders or backgrounds are seen as the norm within the trades and not the token, we’ll start seeing more diverse, safer, healthier industries.”

Tradespeople’s code of care, both for both tradies and people using the site, includes the stipulations such as respecting people’s homes, providing clear written quotes, , paying promptly, and respecting tradies’ — especially women’s — profession and expertise.

Not from a trade background, Emma never expected to be a champion of this kind of change—but she’s sure glad it’s begun.

“I went into it solving a need. I think, like most things, if you realised where something is going to lead you, you might not do it! I think being an outsider is exactly what is needed to create meaningful, transformative change. Tradespeople is for everyone: for people who want a choice when hiring tradies, and for those who currently aren't aware of these people and their companies, and the services they provide.”

MAY 2021

Celebrating ‘breaking ground’ of

The Foundation

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Around 100 guests celebrated ‘breaking ground’ of The Foundation, a premium retirement village being built on Blind Low Vision NZ’s historic Parnell precinct. Mayor Phil Goff, Councillor Desley Simpson, future residents who have purchased apartments, project partners and consultants marked the occasion with champagne and canapés in a transformed Jubilee Hall, reflecting the village’s distinctive blend of historic and contemporary design. The Foundation is a unique partnership between village operator and developer, Generus Living Group and Blind Low Vison NZ.

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Captions: 1. Guests 2. Mayor Phil Goff, Graham Wilkinson, Generus Living Group 3. Nigel Cooper, Greenstone Group, Stewart Harris, Macintosh Harris, Lynne McVicar, Generus Living Group, Andy Bowden, Greenstone Group 4. Guests 5. Flowers 6. Guests 7. Guests 8. Bev Dyson, Generus Living Group and Guests 9. Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, Graham Wilkinson, Generus Living Group, Judy Small, Blind Low Vision NZ 10.

The Nacey Haines Duo

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Well Bred?

Though technically not a rescue dog, we found our then 14-week-old puppy on Trade Me from a lovely family in Wellington whose older dog simply refused to accept him. And though not technically a ‘designer dog’, he is a very cool-looking crossbreed that garners so many compliments that my partner and I gave serious consideration to one day breeding from him.

However, the more I researched, the guiltier I felt about even giving it a moment’s consideration.

WORD S —JAMI E C H R I STIAN DES P LAC ES

PETS

Well Bred? continued...

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“Adopting from a reputable animal rescue organisation not only helps the individual animal,” says Dr Vaughan, “but it alleviates the problems caused by oversupply and assists in reducing the problem of unwanted companion animals.”

In 2019 in an interview with ABC, the creator of what is arguably the original designer crossbreed, the labradoodle, lamented his canine creation to be a “Frankenstein’s monster” and his “life’s regret”. Australian breeder Wally Conron created the labradoodle in the late 1980s to help out a blind lady whose husband suffered allergies, by crossing a Labrador and a poodle and, inadvertently opening “Pandora’s Box”: “Why people are breeding them today, I haven’t got a clue,” he muses. But it’s easily answered by a quick scan of the multi-thousanddollar price tags of designer puppies on sites such as Trade Me—which, in 2018 made the admirable decision to ban the sale of brachycephalic, or ‘flatfaced’, breeds the pug, the British bulldog and French bulldog owing to their propensity to suffer breathing and other health problems compounded by irresponsible breeding practices (Google ‘original British bulldog’ to see how decades of selective breeding have altered its appearance).

the health and history of their pooches have they put in? The world generally does not need so many more dogs, and, as any kennel club will testify, the main purpose of producing pups should not be for financial gain, but to improve the breed.

One of the biggest misconceptions about the many popular poodle crossbreeds, for example, is that the puppies will automatically be low-shedding and hypoallergenic—traits most associated with the poodle parent. But this won’t necessarily be the case, depending on the type of dog that it was bred with—and that’s even if you get the crossbreed (or pure breed) that you think you’re paying for.

“Vaccination, parasite treatment and desexing records should be provided to the adopters or buyers, along with microchip and council registration.”

“The popularity of some breeds and specific crossbreeds has triggered a surge in demand for puppies which has driven up prices for their puppies, creating a lucrative market for scammers and unscrupulous breeders,” SPCA scientific officer, Dr Alison Vaughan, tells Verve. “Prospective owners should satisfy themselves that there is no detrimental effect on the health or welfare of the animal being bred or on the health or welfare of the offspring produced.”

Which brings us on to the greatest and most obvious point—there are already simply far too many dogs in shelters awaiting a forever home. The SPCA alone houses around 4,000 animals across its 35 national centres, and in 2020 it was reported that Auckland Council euthanised nearly 7,000 of its shelter dogs in the previous financial year (the SPCA opposes the euthanasian of healthy and behaviourally sound companion animals).

Unscrupulous breeders aside, while one-time or hobby breeders may mostly be decent folk with a genuine love of dogs, how well-equipped are they to be breeding canines, and how much research into

Of course, it’s no-one’s business how anyone else chooses to spend their hard-earned dollars, but surely if you’re considering handing over the kind of cash that’s the equivalent of the price of a halfdecent used car, you’d rather it went to someone who’s put the work in to gain the expertise to ensure that you’re getting the healthiest of pups?

Dr Vaughan says that in an ideal world, the SPCA “advocates for independent regulation and inspection of all breeding establishments”. Before purchasing a pooch, it’s essential to view the mum and her pups together, and to never go through with the sale “if you have doubts about the puppy or the situation”.

The SPCA, she adds, “opposes the breeding of puppies, kittens and other animals in both private and commercial undertakings without regard to the availability of good homes”.

“Adopting from a reputable animal rescue organisation not only helps the individual animal,” says Dr Vaughan, “but it alleviates the problems caused by oversupply and assists in reducing the problem of unwanted companion animals.”

vervemagazine.co.nz

MAY 2021

SPCA tips for potential pooch parents • Before adopting or buying a dog, consider whether the breed will suit your lifestyle, home, and family situation, especially whether the dogs’ exercise, training, mental stimulation and social requirements can be met. “It’s also important to know the ongoing costs of veterinary appointments, food, housing, boarding/minding, insurance, training, fencing and annual local government registration fees,” says Dr Vaughan.

• Never purchase animals from puppy farms—breeders whose primary motivation for breeding is to produce large numbers of animals for profit. Puppies from these operations may be sold via the internet, newspaper ads, markets, car boot sales, pet shops and sometimes at the puppy farm itself.

• To grow into well-adjusted adult dogs, puppies must be socialised to the many sights, sounds and experiences they are likely to come into contact with throughout life. “The

sensitive socialisation period in dogs begins at 2-3 weeks and continues until about 12-14 weeks,” says Dr Vaughan.

“And under the Code of Welfare for the Temporary Housing of Companion Animals, puppies must not be offered for sale or rehoming before eight weeks of age, so socialisation needs to begin before they arrive in their new home.”

• Puppies must also be vaccinated and treated for parasites, microchipped and registered. An agreement should be made with the adopter or buyer prior to sale or rehoming, that the dog will be desexed based on veterinary advice, unless sold or rehomed to a registered breeder.

• Desexing dogs is the responsible thing to do. “Some people believe that female dogs should have a litter before they are desexed, but this is not the case,” says Dr Vaughan. “Desexing dogs offers many health benefits, including protecting them from reproductive cancers and other diseases.”

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HOROSCOPES manish@manishastrologer.com

WORDS & INSPIRATION — MANISH KUMAR ARORA

TAURUS

20 APR – 20 MAY

GEMINI

21 MAY – 20 JUN

It is a good month concerning professional life. You should be enjoying yourself. Taking life at its own pace, you will also not insist on your own agenda at home too.

Love ties are coming up for review, and the need to put the past behind you becomes insistent. Some of you will be determining whether a romantic relationship is strong enough to be brought forward.

Your inspiration for new knowledge that you might want to obtain in the course of your experiments and researches will increase. For those in business, this is a financially rewarding period. Some business contacts will mature into close personal associations with friendship and open style of communication fast-forwarding this arrangement. You will end the month on a high with rainbow-hued hopes of a great financial future.

CANCER 16 8

21 JUN – 22 JUL

Public engagements, new business associations, and renewed professional contracts top this month. A few agreements or documents connected to profession will also be revisited or redrawn, with fresh set of opportunities and possibilities. It is a month of intense emotional churning leading to sea-change in the way you have been viewing and approaching your intimate personal life.

Adventure, travel, and higher learning call to you.

LEO

23 JUL – 22 AUG

It’s a great time for making new resolutions. Your desire to learn, share ideas, and improve your skills is powerful.

Moneywise, more expenditure than income is indicated this month. Conversations with friends and acquaintances can be eye-opening, propelling you along a new path of discovery. This month would be beneficial in helping transform fledgling romances into potential commitments and contractual relationships.

SCORPIO

23 OCT– 21 NOV

SAGITTARIUS

22 NOV – 21 DEC

You open this month’s balance sheet with carry forwards from last month. This will exclusively apply to finance and family relationships. Some aspects of financial dealings may have to be re-worked with partners and collaborators.

Straightening out domestic problems will also be necessary, and this sets the stage for pleasant relations with family and a more organised home life in the second half of the month.

This is a feel-good time for you, when you feel the need to make a fresh start. You will also introspect and reflect on minor irritants faced at home and try sorting out personal issues. A surprising new friendship could develop this month. Slowing down, going down-memory-lane, being retrospective, introspective and reflective - these can sum up your internal journey for this month.

CAPRICORN

22 DEC – 19 JAN You are setting your sights on the future instead of worrying about the past, and setting your sights high! There may be unexpected events that free you from confining situations.

Financial concerns and mix-ups lift by mid-month, when a new budget will be helpful. Relationships will experience ebb and flow and romantic notions and ideas will be replaced by cool logic and pragmatism.

AQUARIUS

20 JAN – 18 FEB Motivation to make money is strong this month, The work you do could find financial support or your work may be related to supporting others’ talents and resources. The latter part of the month will find the moody Aquarians shying from friendly interactions and staying away from social engagements. Peace will reign supreme and you will enjoy the company of your family and friends over food, fun and frolic.

VIRGO 23 AUG – 22 SEPT You are making exiting new contacts and reconnecting with old friends. You are keen on sharing your personal philosophies with others and are especially intrigued with other points of view. Restlessness with routine is sure to get you out and about. Health wise, you will be in top form, brimming with vitality. Singles may be meeting new romantic interests or experiencing a rejuvenation of romance in existing relationships.

PISCES

19 FEB – 20 MAR

LIBRA

ARIES

21 MAR – 19 APR

23 SEPT – 22 OCT

Energy for improving your skills and getting projects going runs extremely high this month, and taking some extra time to tend to projects that have been on hold will be fulfilling.

You may do tight-rope walking, balancing a busy work front and demanding home life. You will also be involved with hectic behind the scene activities and sorting out irritants and frictions that would unexpectedly crop up in the relationships.

New ideas are abundant, and your energy levels run high.

Some form of tug of war when it comes to finances could be irksome but clearing up financial matters will do wonders for your outlook. Academically inclined Pisceans, pursuing courses on public relations, communications, and media management will perform well and come out with flying colours. Home life will remain animated, busy, and involving.

Aggressive communication is the keyword for this month, as you go all out to promote your business ventures or professional skills. This vigorous and energetic campaign will prove to be a boon for career minded Aries. Strong energy for new beginnings in close relationships is with you. Stimulating changes in the realms of friendships, group connections and business plans are on the horizon.

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