Georgia on my mind

With her emotional, original songs and powerful te reo Māori waiata,
singer-songwriter Georgia Lines is conquering the
New Zealand music industry.

words Sue Hoffart photos Graeme Murray

Having spent seven years striking at doors with her well-shod feet, piano-playing singer-songwriter Georgia Lines has finally entered the room.

Now, for the first time, the unquestionably talented Tauranga Moana artist has enough work to call herself a full-time music professional. She has clocked up more than 2 million streams for her singles – including a recent release in te reo Māori – as well as a self-titled 2020 extended play (EP) record. Her recent national tour comes on the back of other high-profile gigs at Auckland’s Eden Park, Spark Arena, The Civic, and New Plymouth’s Bowl of Brooklyn. Georgia has another EP tagged for release in late July, and is heading across the Tasman shortly, for a week of songwriting alongside other writers and producers. 

None of it has come easily. And she takes none of her recent successes for granted.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” she says cheerfully. “We’re not in the clear yet, but I do feel excited now.”

In 2015, the then-18-year-old told UNO she was ready to face whatever highs and lows the notoriously difficult music industry might hurl her way. Instead of heading to university alongside her peers, the recently graduated Bethlehem College head girl was determined to be an independent artist. At the time, her debut single “Wannabe” had climbed to number six on New Zealand’s iTunes chart within one day. She was prepared to “go all in,” she said at the time. “Not put half a foot in the door, but kick it wide open.”

And boy has she kicked. And kicked. Against a global pandemic and multiple cancelled concerts and tours. Against isolation instead of audiences. Against financial uncertainty and the heartache of lost opportunities. 

When she speaks with UNO this time around, Georgia is finishing songs and making decisions over artwork for a new EP, while juggling interviews and wrapping up two tours. One is the much-delayed six-show, five-city Leave Behind music tour. The other is an annual road show that places inspiring New Zealanders in front of intermediate-aged children. This year’s National Young Leaders Day lineup included a bright young entrepreneur from Dunedin, the national Student Volunteer Army founder, an explorer who lost his leg in a volcanic eruption, and one determined 25-year-old singer.

She had no trouble relating to the resilience theme of this year’s leadership event, and has spoken with her young audiences about dealing with disappointment and online bullies, feelings of inadequacy, or being a people-loving extrovert during lockdown.

“COVID-19 has been really difficult,” the natural optimist admits. “There were many days I wanted to give up and throw in the towel. But my family and friends have kind of carried me through those really disappointing moments. 

“My first EP, in 2020, was released two days before lockdown. I had this big release party planned, even had the merch printed. And we had to pull the pin. That was the start of a string of events, of having to adapt and go okay, all right, we just have to carry on. Have a cry, let go of the emotion, feel what you feel, then pick yourself up and carry on.”

Music itself has also helped. Georgia’s single “Leave Behind” helped her deal with the sudden death of a beloved grandfather. The song addresses grief and the need to relinquish sentimental attachment to her Poppa’s possessions.

And how about those very few nasty online messages that come her way? 

“It’s easy to say words don’t affect me, but they do,” she admits. “No one likes to think they’re doing a bad job, and I’ll probably have to continue to deal with it. But are you going to take the one strange, sideways, negative comment or go, I’m really proud of what I’ve been doing and a bunch of people also think it’s awesome. And again, family have been really good at reminding me I’m really good at what I do, keep going.”

To combat the tough times, she aims to exercise regularly, eat well “80 percent of the time”, periodically switch off her phone, and check in with a psychologist as needed. There are near-daily chats with parents Andy and Sally Lines, who live rurally and own Urban Lounge Interiors. She also shares a tight bond with younger brother Mac, a drummer in her band. The all-important support crew now includes husband Nathan, the intermediate school teacher she shares a home with in Mount Maunganui. They do not, however, share equal wardrobe space; Georgia admits to hogging most of the storage with her shoe collection, fashion pieces, and vintage or op-shop finds.  The couple managed to wed before the pandemic struck, though COVID-19 stymied their honeymoon plans as well as her career aspirations. 

“As humans, we’re really good at adapting. As creatives, you have to be. I feel like I’ve become okay at riding the (uncertainty) wave. I also make a really intentional choice to think, ‘How can I enjoy this and not let the stress of the job weigh me down?’ When you release something, there’s a lot of work to do. A lot of deadlines, all the practical things. So it’s learning to love the process, the chaos.

“All I can do is give 100 percent to the opportunities in front of me, do a really good job of being a good wife, a good daughter, a good friend. And be really good at my job.”

For the last four years, Georgia has worked as a teacher to supplement her patchy performer’s income. She has offered students one-on-one piano and singing lessons, songwriting, and performance instruction, privately and through schools. 

This winter, for the first time, she is too busy to teach. Frankly, she isn’t sure how she managed to fit it in before now, between the rehearsals and songwriting and the hands-on decision-making that comes with being an independent artist. That includes being intimately involved in the production of her own highly stylised music videos, notable for her bold fashion choices as much as her songs.

“Me and my team do everything ourselves. I have my fingers in all the pies.

“I love it all. I love the visual side, too. Fashion is a natural extension of my personality. I’m drawn to colour and fun things. People often say to me, ‘I could never wear that!’ and I wonder if that is a compliment or not. But I don’t actually care. I can express my creativity through putting outfits together, and that feeds into photoshoots and videos. I get to work with amazing brands and borrow amazing clothes.”

An Auckland Museum show with members of the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra called for a high-necked, full-length beaded gown. The release of her extraordinary, goosebump-inducing “Hine E Hine” single saw the singer clad in a bright yellow shirt, with a vast number of oversized hair clips marching down her dark tresses. In July last year, Georgia played a grand piano and sang that same piece at Auckland’s The Civic theatre for the Tuawāhine show that lined her up alongside Anika Moa, Tammy Neilson, Annie Crummer, and Paige.

The waiata choice dates back to her school choir days, though she revisited pronunciation and learned its true meaning in honour of the event.

“It was really, really special, celebrating Matariki and the power of wāhine toa. Everyone on stage was female, we had a full band, and I’m standing there thinking, how am I here, sharing the stage with these incredible women. 

“That was the start of singing in te reo. I felt really honoured to be asked, and I really wanted to take the care to honour the event. I thought, man, there’s something really special about this.”

Although the planned Tuawāhine tour was cancelled courtesy of COVID-19 restrictions, Georgia was subsequently shoulder-tapped to re-record one of her own songs in te reo Māori for the New Zealand music industry’s Waiata Anthems Week. She fell for the language even harder the second time around while transforming “My Love” into “Tōrere”. 

Working alongside “incredible” translator Hana Mereraiha, she was able to instil new layers of poetry and metaphor. 

“It almost feels that it has captured the meaning of the song in a way that the original didn’t. I am still in the baby stages of my te reo journey, but it has been an absolute privilege to learn, and I am really loving it.” 

In the meantime, fingers are crossed as summer shows start to line up and she dares to look ahead a little further.

While Georgia struggles to recall the exact detail of the dreams she chased as a teenager, she has no doubt her goals have shifted.

“It’s less of that ‘play a big show in a stadium in New York’. Though that would be nice. If we end up with kids, I want to still be loving what I’m doing, to be able to be a mum and do a good job of that, but also release music and play shows.

“In 10 years, what I’d love to be doing is writing music I’m really proud of.”

georgialinesmusic.com

Sister act

Good things come in threes – and Nectar, the third hospitality venue from sisters Jess Mackenzie and Shelby Rafferty, certainly brings charm and class to Tauranga’s social scene.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor / Photos Erin Cave + supplied

When Jessica (Jess) Mackenzie and Shelby Rafferty say Tauranga’s new hospitality offering named Nectar delivers something excitingly different for the city, best believe them.

Not only are the two sisters the owners/creators of Nectar, they also know their patch. Located at 97 The Strand, Nectar is but a hop, skip, and jump from The Crown and Badger and Volare – both owned by this young duo. Jess (30) and her parents bought Crown and Badger five years ago, and about a year ago, Shelby (26) returned from her nursing job – and lengthy pandemic lockdowns – in Melbourne to secure an ownership interest in all three places. Jessica has assured her there will be time for a breather on the buying front now that property number three has been purchased! After all, the sisters are “super excited” about Nectar and are loving watching an appreciative public become acquainted with this new offering on the block.

It's hard, they say, to define Nectar’s “excitingly different” vibe within a mere sentence. So, they offer a few…

“It’s a premium venue without the pretentiousness. It’s a place to hang out and it incorporates some Melbournian kind of fun.

“It’s an all-day eatery (a day and night place), a place to relax with special occasion food in an inviting atmosphere. 

“Think big-city vibes, not standard café food. It’s not a café and not a wine bar. The food’s delicious and flavour-wise diners can expect to be pushed and challenged. There are lots of sharing plates to suit Nectar’s social theme.

“There are couches by the fire, high leaners, mid-height leaners, tables, and booths. There are power plugs and USB chargers everywhere as Nectar is wired for connectivity. It really is a hangout.

“It offers a sense of elegance. It’s also relaxing and classy, approachable and fun. It’s a balance between lots of wonderful things – and a place where people want to be.” 

It is also an undeniably beautiful place, in terms of both locality and décor. Jess has been making eyes at the building (long-time home to Japanese restaurant Tikara) for the last four years. 

“I have stared out at it from the Crown and Badger, thinking, ‘I need that big site with its full sun.’ When I knew it was coming up, I knew we had to get in quick. It’s so beautiful, and has water views too,” she enthuses. The corner site can sit 48 inside comfortably, but 150 all up when the pavement area is included.  

Sitting inside is inarguably a delight, thanks to interiors with wow. 

“There’s greenery galore – it’s a bit of a jungle,” Shelby laughs, adding that there’s a lot going on, but it works so well. Décor delights include glossy green tiles, oak features including a wall in a stunning herringbone pattern, hand-blown glass light fittings of varying shapes, gorgeous upholstery, rimu and tawa floorboards, and walls of green (painted by Shelby and Jess). There’s also rainforest-themed wallpaper and a dramatic, 2.5 metre-tall mural featuring a woman at one with plants. It’s “unique and empowering and perfect.”

The seating booths and oak features were created by Christchurch company Harrows, and Auckland’s Sophie Burns of Burning Red Interior Design masterminded the interior design. Other than that, the focus was very much on local creatives, from both the big details to the small. The entire fit out was tackled by Mt Maunganui-based Ramma Construction, the dramatic mural is the work of local artist Millie Newitt, and the water jugs are from the pottery wheels of Waihi’s Laughing Pottery. As for the logistical side of things, Jess, who has a management degree and extensive international hospitality experience, did much of the project management too, working alongside the Ramma Construction team. 

Being hands-on and full-on is how Jess and Shelby rock. But they have, of course, called on key people as part of Nectar’s ongoing team. People like Martin Allan, who designed the menu and is executive chef (he’s ensured there’s lots of plant-based food, and meat and fish can certainly be found on the menu). And people like bar manager Katie Short, who has created cocktails especially for Nectar. 

“She does a bloody good Bloody Mary and a magnificent matcha cocktail called You’ve Met Your Matcha,” Shelby attests. Nectar also boasts an extensive and very good wine list and great coffee, too.

Also an integral part of the team is Jess and Shelby’s mother, who still does the books but admits it’s quite tricky these days with so many moving parts. Their “very grounded” dad remains an encouraging mentor, who keeps them moving forward. The couple (who raised their children in Gisborne) have retired to Russell, happily leaving their daughters to thrive at the coalface. And thriving they are.

Says Jess, “It’s been a long journey and a big logistical exercise. We signed the lease about 18 months ago, but have been dreaming it up for a long time.  

“We are super excited about this, and super excited for Tauranga, too.”

@nectar.eatery

A Winter kitchen

In contrast to the less-is-more theory, Isis Winter believes sometimes more is just more.

Words Jo Ferris / Photos supplied

Isis and Cam both have a passion for homes – either selling them as Cam does, or renovating them, which is Isis’ specialty.

Having renovated around 20 houses, she loves working within the confines of existing architectural style. Built in 1999, their current home is nearing the completion of a full refurbishment. Most recently, the all-important kitchen.

“This home lends itself to ‘contemporary traditional’ which, although it sounds like an oxymoron, actually works really well. Something old, something new, with a healthy dose of luxury for good measure.”

And this kitchen has oodles of that. Dark cabinetry, heavy-duty marble and splashes of brass.

Looking to international trends to design something not often seen locally, the Winters are self-confessed Pinterest addicts and agree these types of platforms open up a world of ideas that can guide a direction with more confidence.

Whakatane-based Beaver Kitchens were totally on board in what became an all-encompassing team effort. Interestingly, it started where Cam and Isis wanted to finish – marble benchtops throughout the kitchen into the scullery, requiring two separate insets for butler’s sinks.

“It was a risky call to design and order pre-cut marble from overseas before doing anything else. Especially given that all other choices were made in context of a small sample piece of what would eventually become the star of the show: an island measuring 2700x1700mm, encased in 60mm marble with a stunning waterfall end.”

With the old kitchen stripped out, only minor changes were required to the structural layout.  

“The kitchen is very much its own space, with wrap-around windows providing views across the grounds. A natural open connection exists with the dining space, through to the family room and formal lounge.”

A matching bar unit is that link – an extension into the dining area that houses the compulsory drinks’ fridge and cabinet, where normal glass doors give way to brass netting.

Brass is a statement feature and the perfect complement to the kitchen cabinetry’s smoky darkness. The colour is two-tone; Slate on lower units and soft grey Lana above – finished with brass drawer pulls, knobs, tapware from ABI interiors and pendants from Hinkley’s Clarke collection, sourced through Vogue Lighting.

While eyes draw initially to the striking combination of light marble and dark cabinetry, the cook station is hard to ignore.

A dual-fuel Falcon range was a clear choice. However, there was slight concern as to how country or modern this key component should be. In search for balance, the Winters’ decision was made when a preferred model became available in almost the identical colour of cabinetry. Lucky! The Elise is no longer produced.

The bespoke rangehood was all Beaver’s Michelle McAnulty – creating this unique and one-off piece – and another reason why the Winters cannot praise Beaver’s entire team enough for their endless patience and passion.

Dark, engineered oak flooring, while not part of the kitchen per se, is an essential element. This entails 190mm planks within the kitchen, and a stunning herringbone pattern using 610mm pieces throughout the dining, lounge and entrance - all framed and connected by brass inlays. Each space offers tones to the next – clear connections with the flooring and brass, but also subtle nods – such as the herringbone tiled splashbacks and herringbone flooring elsewhere.

A work of art. Finished on time, on budget. Preferring edgy design, while paying respect to timeless style, Isis says their kitchen was inspired by this notion. She also admits both she and Cam are the complete opposite of minimalists.

Which is why their story ends where it began:

“60mm marble benchtops, two-tone cabinetry, brass-knurled handles, a bespoke timeless rangehood? Sometimes more is - just more.”

oliverroadestateagents.com

Secret garden

Pulling from Hawke’s Bay’s Black Barn, Glenorchy’s Blanket Bay, and Huka Lodge in Taupō; Te Māra commands equal status as one of Bay of Plenty’s finest country homes.

Words Jo Ferris / Photos supplied

From its secluded plateau in Whakamārama hills, the timeless design and nuance of this property applauds the collaborative approach of architectural and interior designers. But it’s mostly down to the lady of the house, whose vision entailed matching her dream home with a garden that would eventually embrace it.

Bare land five years ago, the home now melts into a garden, blending symmetry and corridors to frame the outstanding coastal views, an orchard and home for chickens, as well as a poolside haven and meandering pockets where potager gardens and herbs interweave seasons, colour, and inspiration.

Two te māra, Yoshino cherry trees, grace the entrance and give the property its name. That it took just five years to cultivate the depth and scale of this garden heaps further praise on the owners. Both the garden and home look and feel like they have been entrenched in seclusion far longer. Which was the plan from the outset, of course.

For the home, the brief was small but detailed – emphasis on “home”. Its intimate embrace graces every corner. It is somehow familiar, yet utterly unique. The tone and texture rest on the seemingly complicated, yet incredibly simple way each element fits like Lego. In fact, the owner utilised her son’s Lego bricks to construct her vision.

Architectural designer John Little was delighted by this novel approach.

“I style my designs on the enduring principles of good scale and proportions – and simple form.”

Based  on that, and nodding to good New Zealand vernacular, the result is a three-bedroom ranch-style dwelling with verandah corners and garden pathway to the separate garage and studio accommodation. This intimate unit also bears Te Māra’s name in booking circles, and is deservedly ranked with A-reserve popularity. Black dominates the exterior board and batten and corrugated roofing to show how a simple building form and modest materials can successfully execute unpretentious expense. 

Built by Mark Leppard with refined detail, the home’s north orientation follows the sun. Colonial timber joinery matches the underlying approach of a simple country cottage. In truth, there’s nothing simple in the way every detail is meticulously crafted. The house simply belies its age, thanks to its timeless affinity and connection with the scenery and outdoor flow. 

The family relationship focuses on a farmhouse kitchen that celebrates infinite craftsmanship and French influences. High studs throughout enhance space. Dining and fireside gathering all revolves around togetherness and that familiar sense of home – one that invites entertaining for large occasions. As living slips into the cosier intimacy of the library snug, this home embodies its appreciation for privacy, while remaining connected and true.

Interior designer Terry Walsh says what separates this home is its use of materials.

“The painted timber joinery visually illustrates what an investment into signature elements can achieve. Other materials have been kept honest with their simplicity. The client and I always knew what we aspired to. It’s a no fuss look, while capturing a luxurious feel, combined with ‘less-than-perfect’ aspects.” 

Wire-brushed herringbone flooring runs the length of the passage and living areas to instil that initial sense of age. European tiling in bathrooms and laundry feature patterned styling that also flatters the appeal of legacy, while heritage hardware throughout accentuates the significance of detail.

Beamed ceilings and battened walls unite the symmetry, while various angles and stud heights accentuate each room’s mood. But the gabled height of the lounge, with its concrete fireplace and antler chandelier, draws immediate attention.

Bespoke finish is epitomised by the owners’ ability to source individual pieces – for the home itself and personal collectables gathered over the years. Built-in units have no place in the likes of the bathrooms or laundry. Stand-alone pieces instil the intrigue of antique heritage with the knowledge that nothing else exists in the delivery of these rooms.

It was important to set the foundation for the furnishings that were to come. Whether it’s the flooring from Auckland’s Artedomus, delicious hues of Porter’s Paints personalising each room, or the final dressings with lighting, drapes and imported antique items from Auckland’s Vitrine store; the extent of detail and placement of beloved items honour every layer of design expertise. 

In his first visit, Cam Winter from Oliver Road Luxury Real Estate says Te Māra is one of the finest country homes in the Bay of Plenty. 

“This truly world-class, seemingly-effortless execution of magazine-worthy interior and timeless architectural design is a pleasure within which to spend a single moment, let alone a lifetime. It’s also available for inspection by qualified buyers and those interested should visit our website for more information. “

Oliverroadestateagents.com

The Art of Crafts

Mount Brewing Co. gets creative in the craft beer department

Words Nicky Adams / Images Cam Neate + Untitled Studio

Twenty years ago, if you said craft beer, the mental picture would probably involve a huge drinking vessel and a handlebar moustache. Fast forward and the rest of the freethinking beer drinking world has wised up to the delights of a craft beer.

Pawel, Head Brewer at Mount Brewing Co. has been brewing beer for over ten years, and when he chats about his path, its’ clear he has followed his passion. Polish by birth, growing up he spent time in Belgium, where an appreciation of craft beer is a given. As a student studying economy and finance, while his friends were spending their money partying, he was chasing beer festivals around Europe. “At this time the craft beer revolution had started in Poland, but it was expensive for a student. To drink good beer, I started making my own.” A student exchange year in northern Mexico fired his passion further – “I met a lot of home brewers – this area is very influenced by the United States, and the US is on the top of the craft industry. That completely opened my mind. They have 7,000 breweries there. They’re pushing the boundaries and that’s a huge inspiration for the rest of the world.”  More travel ultimately led back to Poland to finish his Masters, before heading for Indonesia: “I left there super thirsty and dry” bound for New Zealand, where he had already secured a job with Mount Brewing Co.

Six years later, and Pawel leads the team of Leonie (who hails from Germany), Tom from the UK and American, Drew. “I’m surrounded by amazing people – my team are quite easy-going guys, and that’s what makes me happy.  I want to believe the craft industry is a mix of science, art, and a little bit of chaos.” The advantage, Pawel says, of being a small brewery is that “we’re experimenting quite a lot. We have a lot of freedom for creativity. Here we have four brewers with different backgrounds and experiences, so all of us have an individual sense of taste; for me the industry is about people. When I’m drinking, I can pick the personality behind the beer.” His own signature styles? – “I like dark beers, hoppy, fruit addition, barrel aged beers. I combine different ingredients to create nice balance – and I like to shock with flavours. Leonie mixes herbs and flowers, Tom has a European style, our American brewer likes brown ales.”

With 60 beers on the menu plus seasonal additions (not forgetting their ciders and gins brewed under sister company MBC) there is constant innovation here at the brewery. Pawel is excited about the upcoming Brewers Guild Award, and I wonder what else drives him. “It’s an evolving industry, you must learn something every day to be on top of the market. It’s very challenging as well as demanding, but it gives me a lot of satisfaction when I see people enjoying my beer.”  So, where to next for Mount Brewing? “We want to push the boundaries. There’s a huge space to explore in rich flavourful beers and expand the barrel aged beers. Our goal is to be available in any place in New Zealand – supermarkets and bars. We want to be known for good quality beers.” 

Quick Fire Q & A

If you’re not drinking beer, what else?

Wine –a foresty, berry Shiraz or buttery Chardonnay chased with Oysters.

What is something people wouldn’t know about brewing beer?

90% of the job is basically cleaning!

Your favourite beer?

Golden Hour, Mermaids or Crazy Hazy for a catch up with friends – something dark for dinner. Like a child, I can’t pick a favourite.

Most popular brews?

Currently the Hazys (an unprocessed, unfiltered beer) which is a beautiful creation between hops, yeast and malts.

Special memory?

My first beer I made here for a coffee festival won a medal on the Brewer’s Guild Award.

Inspiration?

My travel experiences

Mountbrewingco.com

A touch of glass

Palm Springs meets mid-century modern in this Thorne Group show home.

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor / Photos supplied

There’s much that shines at the latest Thorne Group show home in Papamoa, but there’s one feature that’s an indisputable standout.

Clever design showcases just how the outdoors can be celebrated within the framework of a house. Take a bow, Thorne Group architectural designer Jon McAlpine.

While “indoor-outdoor flow” has become a cliched description, this Palm Springs house is next level in this regard, with an internal garden and many walls of movable glass. There are a total of seven stacker doors, plus a few sliders, that open the house up to its architecturally landscaped gardens. The solar-powered home is a lesson in how it’s possible to both inhabit a building yet reside with nature. 

This is evident from the get-go. Of immediate impact upon entering the home is its central atrium garden with a maple tree adding to the Japanese garden ambience. Glass walls surround this garden that’s open to the sky, with the two long walls featuring stacker doors, enabling the house to welcome the outdoors – both the garden and the sky – in.

That’s but the start. The home’s main living area wraps around an outdoor deck (topped by a slatted roof allowing for beautiful, filtered light and airflow.) Thanks to walls of glass, the view from the kitchen island travels over the dining room table to this deck, then through to the lounge and beyond to the expansive kwila deck out back that overlooks a man-made waterway. All these walls of glass are stacker doors, so the house can be opened from the kitchen right through to the deck at the back of the property. The hallway linking the kitchen to the lounge also features stacker doors opening to the covered outside area. There are, in fact, a total of six stacker doors in this main living hub, including one off to the side of the kitchen island where the side garden can be accessed. Along this same wall, the dining room’s built-in window seat languishes below a deep window with panes that also slide right back. 

Then there’s the freestanding bath in the en suite, positioned behind, yes – moveable glass – so there’s a sense of bathing outdoors. Raised planter boxes provide privacy in this area facing the man-made waterway. 

Given the home’s interconnectivity with nature, it’s little surprise that timber is beautifully showcased, and that Annique Heesen from Gezellig Interiors has ensured natural hues abound in the interior design choices. 

Attention-grabbers on the exterior of this single-level home are its curved vertical shiplapped cedar walls, and a boardwalk of timber leading to the front door. The cedar is repeated in various key places indoors. The foyer is an immediate example, with its cedar wall and ceiling creating a seamless connection from exterior to interior spaces. Cedar also features in the main bathroom, on the wall dividing the master bedroom from its en suite, and is the cladding of choice for the outdoor fire surround – the view of which can be enjoyed from all the main living areas.

The cedar happily cohabitates with the home’s eco-friendly cork flooring and wool carpet, and with the many attractive displays of American oak; this timber is used for the kitchen cabinetry, for example, and to frame cavity slider doors featuring beautiful reeded glass. 

There’s much to delight throughout this house. The kitchen skylights with automatic rain sensors, for example, or the solar generation with battery storage, or the limestone kitchen island bench, the traditional plaster render in the lounge and on the kitchen splashback and overhead cupboards, and the carport (with great road-side appeal) in lieu of a garage. 

The multi-functionality of one of the three double bedrooms also hold appeal. This bedroom features a double bed that folds down from the wall, has its own entry via an external sliding door, and incorporates a dual-access bathroom. It can easily be shut off from the house to form a private visitors’ pad or a workspace. The home does, however, already feature an office. Both the office and a super-sized scullery are sited behind the kitchen’s back wall. 

Adding to the overall appeal is the fact the home has been designed to gain 6 Star Homestar accreditation. “Eco-friendly materials and finishes” and “sustainability” have been guiding words in this showhome project. Along with the design itself, all the fixtures, fittings, and materials have been meticulously thought out and calculated to ensure they comply within Homestar guidelines. As expected -- given the many glass walls -- the design optimises passive solar energy, too.

The design brief for this house was Palm Springs with a mid-century modern approach. That box, and so many others, have been ticked. It’s little wonder that word on the street, surrounding this Montiicola Drive address, is that this house will be one to watch out for at architectural awards time.

Thornegroup.co.nz

Chase the sun

Say goodbye to the winter chill. The Cook Islands heat is calling

Te Manava Luxury Villas & Spa

As the days get chillier and we cosy up by the fire in our winter woolies, it can be difficult not to daydream about sun kissed beaches and warm summer breezes. Blessed with endless days of glowing sunshine and balmy temperatures, travelling to the Cook Islands is a sizzling temptation for Kiwis this winter as summer is just a short flight away! 

 If you’ve caught the case of the winter blues and are in need of an uplift, research from Booking.com reveals that getting away on holiday is said to be the form of self-care in 2022 (more so than daily exercise or mindful meditation!) with over three-quarters of people (79%) affirming that travel helps their mental and emotional wellbeing more than other forms of rest and relaxation. Here are Booking.com’s top Rarotonga destinations for the ultimate tropical getaway.

Te Manava Luxury Villas & Spa is a beachfront paradise for travellers wanting to live their summer day dream. Overlooking the beautiful Muri Lagoon, these luxury villas offer a truly 5-star experience with a private pool and patio. Guests can make the most of the island life with free use of kayaks, so they can spend their days on the glowing blue water taking in their surroundings. The Te Manava Spa offers relaxing therapies including massages and pedicures, so travellers can really unwind and recharge at the end of their holiday. Furthermore, these villas are ideal for the eco-conscious traveller as they’re a Booking.com Travel Sustainable property.

Crystal Blue Lagoon Villas

Inspired by the turquoise water of Muri Lagoon, Crystal Blue Lagoon boasts stylish modern villas in an idyllic beachfront location. This tranquil retreat features an infinity pool with breath-taking sea views, where guests can truly feel like they’re in paradise. 

Guests are able to enjoy free use of snorkelling gear, so they can hop from pool to lagoon and explore all of the beautiful reefs nearby.  These self-contained villas offer guests privacy, with all of the required facilities to ensure they have everything they need for their stay. 

Ocean Spray Villas

The beachfront Ocean Spray Villa offers incredible panoramic views of the lagoon, beach and the Pacific Ocean, so Kiwis will be able to truly immerse themselves in the ‘beach bum’ life while they chase that summer feeling. The spacious, homely rooms have an almost ‘Bach’ like vibe, so Kiwis will feel right at home when they’re chasing more of those summer days. 

Muri Beachcomber

Situated right on the beach, Muri Beachcomber offers direct access to Muri Beach and its extraordinary white sand. The crystal clear water looks like something off of a postcard, guaranteeing travellers a real slice of paradise! 

Guests are given free access to kayaks and paddle boards, meaning they’re able to make the most of the island lifestyle and cruise over the stunning ocean waters all day long. Whether you want to swim in the outdoor pool, snorkel in the lagoon just metres from the property, or book in scuba diving and sailing, guests can be sure they won’t find themselves bored here.

Coast to coast

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

Words Hayley Barnett Photos Hayley Barnett and supplied

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

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

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

Hobbiton

We’ve whizzed past the sign for Hobbiton many times, mumbling that we must get there someday. Now, I can’t believe we waited so long. This extraordinary movie set is designed with such attention to detail that it’s hard to believe Hobbits are only a figment of JRR Tolkein’s imagination. At 12 acres, the sheer size of the place is impressive. A tour takes two hours and consists of a 20-minute break at the famed Green Dragon Inn where you get to try the delicious Southfarthing beer or cider, made by local brewery Good George. The set is located on a vast sheep farm owned by the Alexander family, who themselves help to set the scene as you learn how director Peter Jackson came upon the site, how the village was set up and all the hilarious stories that unfurled during the creation of a giant hobbit hole in the middle of the Waikato. The kids are entertained and it’s a great way to incorporate a little hike into a lovely sunny day.

hobbitontours.com

Alpino, Cambridge

If you haven’t been to Cambridge lately, chances are you’ll be surprised at how much it’s changed over the years. The once-sleepy township that you simply drove through, and perhaps stopped at for a sandwich, is now a thriving hub for serious shoppers and foodies. One particular jewel in its crown is Italian eatery Alpino, situated in the historic old post office building. We stop here for lunch on our way through to Raglan and sit under their shady umbrellas on the street, perfect for people watching and pretending you’re in some quaint Italian village. Easy to do when you’re enjoying authentic Italian food. I can vouch for the ravioli and the kids can highly recommend the almost-authentic-but-perfect-for-kids Hawaiian pizza (and free ice cream cones). 

alpino.co.nz

Waihine Moe Cruises’ Sunset Cruise

Lucky for us, Karl’s father is down from Auckland and visiting Raglan. As soon as we arrive, we promptly leave, taking off on a romantic sunset cruise and surprising Granddad and his partner with the delightful task of putting the kids to bed. The weather is perfect, the water like glass, and although the crew assures us the sunset is usually much better, we’re treated to a beautiful skyline of pink and orange hues. The cruise takes you south along the Raglan Coast and ends up gliding past the famous Pancake Rocks, while feeding you fish’n chips from Raglan Fish and offering beverages from a stocked bar. The captain educates on the history of the area and throws out some fun facts, including the prices of each mega mansion you can spot. It’s my kind of history lesson. And it turns out the cruise is just the relaxing experience we need to prepare for our big day ahead.

raglanboatcharters.co.nz

Raglan township

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

Rock It Kitchen

Sitting on the bank of a stream is an old woolshed that offers perfect dining for families. The expansive lawn gives kids and dogs plenty of space to run about while you sip your wine on the vine-covered deck. It’s perfect for an extended family lunch. The food is to die for and there’s plenty to suit all tastes. I try the fresh new poke bowl and Karl devours the bao buns. This renowned cafe is located just outside of town. It’s easy to find on the same road that heads out to the surf beaches. 

rockitraglan.co.nz

Raglan Rock

Karl and I leave lunch to head next door to Raglan Rock. Raglan is an outdoor adventurer’s dream and this newcomer to the scene specialises in rock climbing, canyoning and caving. While I’m keen to throw myself over a waterfall, Karl suggests what he thinks is a more leisurely pursuit - mountain biking. And so I find myself pedaling up a mountain on a humid summer’s day, wondering if he might be regretting his decision - not that I’d dare ask. Despite the weather, our fitness levels, and that mountain being more of a hill, the course (Te Ara Kakariki) is full of exhilarating twists and turns and it’s only down the road from the Raglan Rock base, where we picked up the bikes. 

raglanrock.com

The Workshop Brewing team

Workshop Brewing

One of Raglan’s newest and fastest-growing businesses is a brewery located in an old trucking depot just off the main road in town. It’s only a short stroll from where we’re staying, so we ditch the kids (again) and stop in to see what all the fuss is about. Workshop is made up of a few local guys who got together to create some amazing beer. One of them, Matt Williams, describes their core philosophical principals as genuineness, quality, sustainability and creativity, and on our visit it’s evident that the boys have achieved all four. Matt takes us on a journey from his days living in Tofino, Canada, where the seed for the business was planted in his mind, to how fate threw the boys together once back in his hometown. Spoiler alert - they end up in an old workshop finally realising their combined dream of creating Raglan’s first local brew. 

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

workshopbrewing.co.nz

Hamilton Gardens

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

Hamiltongardens.co.nz

Will Johnston

Meet UNO’s new columnist – a veteran radio announcer who now wields a hammer. Want a new home?

Not only will he seal that deal, he’ll marry you, too.

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

Until recently, I was mainly a radio announcer on The Hits, for 20 years. I say mainly because who has just one job anymore? I still have a local Saturday morning show (9am-12pm on 95FM… shameless!) But I’m now a real estate auctioneer. What a learning curve THAT has been for the last eight months! 

I took a leap and changed career because I thought, if I don’t do it, I’m always going to wonder what it would’ve been like. When you have those thoughts, you’ve already sub-consciously made the decision, right? I’m also a big fan of helping someone achieve something, being in front of a crowd and connecting, so it makes sense that I’m a celebrant, and MC, too. I have great work stories. I did a wedding two weeks ago where someone had to be taken away in an ambulance because they were passed out drunk at the table… before dinner! But enough work chat. 

Let me give you a snapshot of my personal life. In my spare time I like to do literally nothing. My ideal night right now would be on the couch, pizza in one hand, beer in the other watching something varying between sport or MTV’s Catfish. I’m a simple man, the key is making peace with that and then outsourcing anything in your life that is complicated, right?

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

Every Tuesday, I MC a quiz at The Tauriko Pub Company and have two glasses of red wine and some waffle fries while I’m doing that. On a school night, I know! CRAZY. And I’m not even sorry!

I got married last year to Tiffany. Yes, she’s nine years younger than me. Yes, I love that. Yes, she’s the best person I know and makes my life one million times more worthwhile. Gush, gush. We live at the Lakes, but I wish we lived by the beach. Or at the very least by an actual lake.

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

Prioritise you

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

For most of us, the past two years have been challenging both mentally and physically, and it looks like 2022 is shaping up to be the same. Although we can’t always control what is happening externally, we do always have the choice to prioritise our own health and wellbeing. 

Exercise has the unique capacity to help us both cope with stress and develop resilience. The positive effects of regular exercise are broad and well documented. Don’t just think of exercise as physical – the routine and commitment to regular movement will benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. 

“Don’t wait for the right time, or the pandemic to be over, to focus on your own personal wellbeing.”

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

When choosing the right gym environment for you, make sure that your membership includes a personalised workout programme to get you started, access to a range of exercise options (for lots of variety) and ongoing support. 

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

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

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

Clubfit.co.nz 

Lasting legacies

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

Photos Salina Galvan

Kiri Randall from Legacy Funerals

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

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

The charitable trust was established in 2007 after the founder, former funeral director Greg Brownless, travelled to Thailand to assist with the repatriation of the deceased lost during the Boxing Day tsunami in 2006. Greg owned a funeral business in Tauranga, Greg Brownless Funeral Homes, but after that life-changing experience, he returned and set up Legacy Trust, vowing to make a difference in his own small part of the world. 

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

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

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

legacyfunerals.co.nz

Men at work

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

Words Nicky Adams / Photos Salina Galvan

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

With a background in sports therapy, massage and performance coaching, Anna is able to look at the complete mental and physical wellness of her clients. Part of her skill set is her training as an Ayurveda coach. One of the world’s oldest alternative medical systems with roots in ancient India, it’s described as a knowledge of life, as it looks at the body and mind as one. 

“In the Western world we tend to think that the body and mind are separate. Ayurveda takes the whole body into consideration. Your physical, psychological and spiritual self – it looks at sleep, nutrition and natural rhythms. Over the last two years of specialising in coaching men, I’ve honed in on amalgamating what makes an awesome human being, and what makes men thrive. And that’s getting both body and mind on the same page so that the client can reach his true potential.”

If you want to improve physical fitness, you would seek out a personal trainer, says Anna. To improve your mental health, it is just as important to train with a professional. “Coaching is for the person who recognises a negative pattern. For example, they press snooze every morning, grab a pie on the way to work and then go through the motions in their job. This person tends not to be present with their family, then goes to bed feeling unfulfilled. He’s living an average life. Coaching takes you from saying you want a connected relationship with your wife, saying you want to be the CEO of your business, to taking action to make it happen. It helps you find the missing link and get in touch with what’s important.”

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

freshcoaching.me

Spot the difference

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

Brown spots or dark patches on your skin occur when your skin produces too much of the pigment melanin. We most commonly see four different types of pigmentation issues in our clinic, namely, melasma, post inflammation, liver spots and general sun damage. We will always see an increase in people seeking pigmentation treatment after a hot summer as each of these forms has one common element – they are all made worse by the sun. 
When treating pigmentation, often the problem is not just skin deep. There is usually an internal driving force behind it and so long-term results come from removing that trigger before treating the issue externally. This comprehensive approach is better at ensuring any bothersome pigmentation doesn’t return. 

Melasma, often called hormonal pigmentation, mainly affects women. It’s symmetrical on both sides of the face and often has a vascular component. Birth control, pregnancy and exposure to hormone disruptors (pesticides) are common causes. It may occur because the liver is overloaded and not coping, so we’d look at liver support to aid the detoxification of hormones, followed by specific skin care and treatments. With this type of pigmentation, it’s important to stay away from laser and IPL treatments, as Melasma is sensitive to heat and these will only worsen the pigmentation.

Post inflammatory pigmentation (PIH) is caused by injury or trauma to the skin. The skin is a very clever organ and will form a little pigment umbrella over any damage – so while we may not like its appearance, it’s there for a reason. An example of PIH is seen in acne or eczema sufferers. To treat this successfully, we need to discover what is causing the inflammation on the skin, target that first and then we can start working at improving the appearance of the pigmentation. 

Liver spots are large flat brown or dark spots appearing on your skin. They are usually age related and will not fade on their own in the way a freckle might. We see these start to appear on women (and men) around the age of 50, but there are targeted topical treatments and IPL which can significantly lighten their appearance.

Sun damage is caused by UV light but also can be a result of persistent blue light exposure from your phone or devices. The dark patches seen on the skin’s surface is the result of a dribbling melanocyte cell no longer able to regulate the amount of pigmentation being released. There’s only so much the cell can take before it starts misbehaving and releasing excess pigmentation. It sees that constant light source as something it needs to protect the skin against, and it makes more and more pigmentation without the ability to regulate it. So, whipping it off with a peel will not keep it at bay. Repairing DNA damage at the same time as treating the surface is an important step. 

Before

After

When it comes to even skin tone, we always advise our clients to:

1. Find a really great mineral sunblock. Chemical sunscreen can cause heat within the skin, making pigmentation worse. Reapply! Sunscreen needs to be applied every 2.5 hours (there are some easy reapplication options out there, including our Skinbetter Science sunscreen compact).

2. Use your recommended products both day and night. These should include tyrosinase inhibitors, vitamin A and, niacinamide and vitamin C.

3. Cover up, wear long sleeves and look for shady areas. If you are dedicated to fading or preventing pigmentation, make sure you always have a hat and sunnies to throw on.

Treatment at our clinic will be different for each type of pigmentation. We have a range of services which can work in combination to give you the best possible outcome. It can be effectively treated, but just as the pigmentation didn’t happen overnight, results won’t occur overnight either –  after all pigmentation is usually the result of years of sun exposure or other triggers. For this reason, we offer our clients a plan of up to a year’s worth of treatment for optimal, long-lasting results.

*Epidermis + Sage has designed a skin membership for beauties dedicated to their skin health. The EVEN skin membership has been tried and tested with incredible results. 

epidermissage.nz

After Dark

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

Words Luke Schroder - images supplied

It’s easy to walk around Tauranga’s city streets without paying any close attention to the big blank walls of surrounding buildings. Concrete slabs and featureless facades line the streets, designed to be forgettable, non-intrusive enclosures for the businesses contained behind them. But for some clever minds these walls represent a far more exciting opportunity. These walls will soon become canvases for creativity as artists light up public spaces with an eclectic mix of colourful shapes, short films, abstract imagery, and innovative lighting technologies that will show the city in a new light.

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

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

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

“We’ve intentionally designed a covid-friendly format that allows people to participate from a distance and at their own leisure”, says Project Manager Luke Schroder. “People can view any artwork at any time on any evening during the 10 days of the festival and still have the same great experience.”

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

Emily Woolerton is one local artist creating a new artwork specifically for After Dark. As the creative mind behind Mount Maunganui design studio ‘Calico’ and clothing label ‘The Know’, Emily is no stranger to creating fun designs and out-of-the-box visual ideas. For the launch of her first clothing line, Emily used video projection to transform Papamoa photography studio Suburbia into an exciting visual feast of giant slurping noodles, animated playing cards, floor-to-ceiling curtains made of poetry, and a brand-new fashion collection on display.

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

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

Emily is excited to see creativity fostered in the Bay of Plenty through projects such as After Dark and is looking forward to seeing the vibrancy it will bring to the city.  “One of the beautiful things about art is how it brings people together, and it’s really exciting to see events like this build the culture and atmosphere in Tauranga.”

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

Food for thought

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

words Nicky Adams / photos Salina Galvan + align creative

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

Makaia Carr seems to be someone who sees an opportunity, an opening, or a need and gets in there and plugs that gap. A successful early social media influencer, in May 2020 she saw the opportunity to use her platform to make a difference. Now, together with Marie Paterson, Anna Watkins and a team of volunteers, she uses her position in the online space to spearhead social change in the form of charitable trust Kura Kai.

The charity is making such a big impact in the Bay that it caught the attention of Farmer Autovillage. The car dealership, based in Mount Maunganui, recently celebrated 30 years in business, and to thank the community for its support in achieving this milestone, chose a number of local charities to invest in, one of which is Kura Kai. Farmer Autovillage generously donated a long-lease Nissan Qashqai, which allows staff to stay mobile and connected. As managing director Mike Farmer says, “Kura Kai is an organisation that has all the values that we support, that works within our community as well as the wider community, so is very valid and worthwhile getting behind.” 

Kura Kai is a volunteer-driven service designed to support whānau across New Zealand. Funds are raised to donate chest freezers to high schools, which are then filled with food that can be accessed by the students. With social needs putting added pressure on our youth, Kura Kai sees this as a multifaceted way to help our teenagers. Makaia herself is passionate about keeping our kids in school. “My drive has always been helping rangatahi and getting in at that age of teenagers and high schools. Purely because I left high school early. I was a teenage mum and I understand the struggle to get through education.” This backdrop drew Makaia into a space of promoting female self-belief and empowerment. As her public profile grew as an influencer, along with her thousands of followers came an increased desire to find ways in which her influencing could be used for greater good. “I was asking myself how we could all be better using our platforms – something that came with age and self-assessment.”

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

The more Makaia found out about the system, the more she liked what she heard. “I loved how it was really grassroots, that it was direct with kai going straight to the whānau. I think there’s such a beauty in that way to help. Especially in a Maori whānau, where showing up with kai is such a beautiful way to show love and manaakitanga.” She looked for a way that she could develop her support into a more cohesive concept. Via her social media she was able to, not only raise awareness, but also fundraise. Buying more freezers for more schools was a start point, followed by accruing volunteers to cook and coordinators to organise. Quickly the dots were joined, and Kura Kai was born. Makaia and her family moved to Pāpāmoa, and the Bay became the heart of the national charity.

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

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

Of course, there is still a drive for additional help to meet the need. Along with more volunteer coordinators, the next step is to encourage businesses to engage in ‘corporate cook ups.’
The ultimate goal is to fund a commercial kitchen, which would allow groups to come in and create, but importantly volunteers could cook and distribute to the areas where the communities themselves are unable to afford to fill the freezers. Now, with the help of the new team and Farmer Autovillage, increased brand awareness will hopefully bring volunteers flooding to the table.  

kurakai.co.nz

farmerautovillage.co.nz

Warm welcome

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

photos Jahl Marshall + supplied

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

Fast forward 10 years of buying-selling-moving in Vanuatu and then Auckland, I found myself relocating to Tauranga, looking forward to the next project. However, I upset the apple cart by falling in love with the property I was working on and wanted to stay. I decided this time to stay in the house, but, missing the rush of a new project, I knew I must be hooked.
So I went back to school and earned a Diploma in Interior Design, so I could continue transforming homes. And I could not be more grateful for where I ended up. 

For my first entrance as UNO’s interior design columnist, I thought it befitting to talk about the place where you first enter a home: the entryway. 

Entryways provide the first impression of your home. They also provide a functional purpose of taking off shoes, hanging bags and coats, depositing keys and letters. Typically, entryway furniture consists of a console table, decorative décor, mirror, artwork and seating.

Styling is all about putting together a combination of the above items to create a wow factor. No matter what the size of your entryway, follow my steps on where to start.

Step 1

Assess the size of your space. This dictates how the area can be decorated. The important factor here is not to block the natural walkway. If space allows, start with a console table. To personalise the look, add items like a bowl for keys, books, vase or plant. Fill the wall space above the console with artwork or a mirror. Leave as is or add seating and voila! For narrow spaces, focus on the wall space instead. Add items that take up little bulk. For instance, mirrors, artwork and decorative hooks for bags and coats.

Step 2

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

Step 3

Enjoy! 

Into the swing of it

Whakatane and Ohope have so much to offer all types of visitors, and golf lovers will find this corner of the country equivalent to a hole in one.

WORDS Hayley Barnett / PHOTOS Supplied

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

DO

Whakatane Golf Club

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

Ngā Tapuwae o Toi

Meaning Footprints of Toi, this walkway captures the essence of Whakatane District. The track includes three major scenic reserves – Kohi Point Scenic Reserve, Ōhope Scenic Reserve and Mokorua Scenic Reserve. Head in a clockwise direction and experience the full 16km round trip with its amazing clifftop views, native bush and secluded beaches. Or do one stretch and get the Bay Hopper bus back to the start. 

Ohope Beach Golf links

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

Ohope Harbourside Trail

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

EAT

1. L’Epicerie Larder

This French café, located in the heart of Whakatane, offers homemade breads and pastries that will immediately transport you to a quaint French village. There’s also great coffee and a whole host of other delicacies to get your tastebuds singing.

2. Fisherman’s Wharf

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

3. Moxi

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

4. The Comm 

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

5. Gibbos on the Wharf

Serving fresh seafood and the classic fish’n chips, the Whakatane institution that is Gibbos on the Wharf gives the option of taking away or dining with a view. Bargain prices and good quality food have made this one of the town’s most visited takeaway joints.

6. Cigol

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

whakatane.com

A show of romance

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

WORDS Monique Balvert-O’Connor / PHOTOS Jahl Marshall

They say home is where the heart is, and G.J. Gardner’s new Pāpāmoa show home may just set yours aflutter. Named Desert Romance, 9 Monticola Drive, Palm Springs really is a stunning marriage of form and function from the inside out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The brass theme also impacted on the show home’s coloursteel roof, Kirsty points out. The colour – which many people comment on – is Colorsteel Lichen, and presents as a brass hue. A visit to Dulux ensured a paint colour match, to grace the media room’s walls, albeit with verdigris pigment. The majority of the home’s other walls are white, to beautifully complement the honey-oak colour of the DecoForme timber.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

gjgardner.co.nz 

Sensory overload

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

WORDS  Cameron Officer / IMAGES Josh Hilliam

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

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

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

And here’s an example now.

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

The DBS Superleggera Volante features a clutch of iconic nameplates on one car. With DBS, Aston Martin revived an iconic nameplate that first appeared in 1967, while Touring’s famous mark – Superleggera (or “Super lightweight”) – was once again introduced to the bonnet of an Aston Martin with the coupe version in 2018. 

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

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

Naturally, there are no mechanical changes under this beast’s broad bonnet. Aston Martin’s all-alloy 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 remains in-situ, with the power (533kW) and torque (900Nm) to send the open top GT from standstill to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds. This is undoubtably the fastest Aston Martin convertible in the company’s history.

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

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

The DBS Superleggera Volante has been tuned to provide harmonics that are synonymous with an Aston Martin GT, helped along immeasurably by the car’s quad exhaust system. At lower speeds, you can hear the mechanicals doing their thing up ahead beyond the firewall. There is a satisfying burble that you never tire of. Under acceleration, the soundtrack – beyond the car’s looks, its sumptuous interior, or premium badge – becomes the absolute reason why you hanker to drive this car. 

It isn’t all fire and brimstone if you don’t want it to be, however. Like its hard top sibling, the DBS Superleggera Volante features a series of dynamic driving modes, which bring their own level of noise to the party (along with modifying the dynamic parameters of the car’s acceleration, steering feel, and firmness). 

In GT mode, the engine note simmers, but select Sport or Sport Plus and the acoustics become progressively more intense. Conversely, if you wish to make a subtle getaway for that day trip in the country without disrupting the neighbours, the Volante also has a ‘quiet start’ mode which masks the usual aural drama with a quieter, low-key alternative on start-up.

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

The electronically operated roof is an advanced fabric system which continues the silhouette of the roof line and incorporates no less than eight layers of insulation and acoustically enhancing materials. 

This particular Volante is even more special, customised as it is with striking Aston Martin ‘Commissioned by Q’ exclusive Golden Saffron paint. Yes, that’s right: Aston Martin has its very own ‘Q Branch’. A bit like the employer of the car’s most famous enthusiast driver, James Bond, the Q Division takes care of special-order modifications for customers, allowing for truly bespoke Aston Martin models… just without the headlight-mounted machine guns.

Further to the dazzling exterior paint, this Volante also features an interior that is a mix of Aston Martin Special Metallic Black Leather with California Poppy welt and quilting stitching, twill satin carbon fibre inlays, and special sill plaques. It’s certainly worth the attention to detail in the cabin when you can stow the soft top and have it on show.

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

GILTRAP.COM

A class of its own

The luxury and lifestyle experts bridging the gap on the coast

Words Monique Balvert-O’Connor / photos supplied

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

The luxury and lifestyle specialist company has launched a re-fresh, adding a “coastal” focus to its town and country offerings. 

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

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

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

In addition, marketing includes architect, builder and interior designer recognition. “Impressive creativity, high value, and talented effort have gone into the homes we market and this deserves acknowledgement.”

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

To top it all off, RateMyAgent and Google both gave the company a 5.0 star rating.

As Jason says, doing things well is the only way to do things. 

Muricata magic

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And the interior design team from Gezellig Interiors speak of its bespoke features. Think imported Turkish wall tiles, aged brass fittings, porcelain benches, and hand-blown glass light fittings.

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

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

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

You name it, this property has it.

Oliverroadestateagents.com

All seasons’ sanctuary

This country estate masterfully combines nature and nurture – from the spectacular views through to its timber and glass pods, to the bountiful orchard and garden, it encompasses a sanctum of serenity.

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

Architectural designer Adam Taylor says its architecture delivers an approachable rustic feel that is at the same time modern. Its makeup is a celebration of timber, an infusion of natural light, and a neutral palette. Its current owners (the house is listed with Oliver Road Estate Agents) say these things in combination equal “peaceful sanctuary”.

The home comprises three pods. One is dedicated to garaging with a guest suite above, another houses the main living area with its high-pitched and barn-like aesthetic, and the remaining is a bedroom zone. A glass-walled linkway, connecting the latter two, offers spectacular views (it’s easy to get distracted by the city’s night lights when journeying between pods).

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

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

Adam tells how, in a nod to its rural neighbourhood, the design references a cluster of farm buildings joined together to make one whole. (There’s always the opportunity to add a further pod.) 

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

23 Te Auhi Way, Mana Ridge

Oliverroadestateagents.com