Left to right: Terracotta water pitcher (fourth-st.com), Margi Nuttall vase and Arno Declercq black centipede vases (simonjames.co.nz), Rachel Saunders Macaroni vase (fourth-st.com), Margi Nuttall jug (simonjames.co.nz), Florals by La Femme Fleur (lafemmefleur.co.nz), Background in Resene Hemlock and Resene Stone Age (resene.co.nz).
As we increasingly look at homes as retreats and places of solace, it’s time to update the sanctuary status of our living spaces. Colour has an immediate impact on our wellbeing, so reach for the paint brush and after some meditative strokes, bask in the brilliance of dusty green Resene Hemlock.
Psychologist Rachel Kaplan from the University of Michigan in the US has found that green environments decrease stress levels, so bring nature indoors with Resene Hemlock’s seventies-tinged evocation of lush landscapes.
From an interior design point of view, another reason that green is seen as calming is its place on the spectrum, producing the least amount of eye strain. Add bonus points for being associated with safety and harmony in many cultures.
If you are looking to increase your ‘green’ credentials in another way, Resene has been addressing environmental concerns for decades. Resene’s Environmental Choice approved product range, includes an extensive array of paints that have been independently verified as having no added VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) or having particularly low VOC content.
The lower the VOCs the fresher the air. Resene colours are also tinted using special, no added VOC tinters, so you can get your favourite colour tinted without worrying about added VOCs.
Working from home means there are less people around to judge you by the shoes you wear but that’s no reason for exposing your toes to cold floorboards or stray Lego pieces.
Choosing the right footwear could have a serious impact on your performance, helping you crush deadlines and budgets rather than falling into a black hole of Netflix and ASMR video clips.
Research from Northwestern University in the US shows that wearing specific articles of clothing has a direct effect on your psychology and performance. The term ‘enclothed cognition’ describes the connection between clothing and your psychological state.
So wearing pool slides at home could trick your mind into thinking it’s time for sun, surf and sangria instead of spreadsheets.
Get your brain in gear and launch into working remotely feet first.
The morning commute Get your creative juices flowing, even if it takes you five seconds to get to work from your bed to your laptop. Encased in the athletic Adidas designs your brain is bound to break records that will leave all thoughts of your slippers in the dust.
Wear them with dark wash denim or chinos and keep your feet feeling on top of things.
WIP it good It’s important to reassure your colleagues by chat or email that it’s business as usual. The classic derby polished to perfection instantly gives an instant sense of security. If it worked for grandpa in World War II it will work in 2020.
Presentation pieces Just because you’ve adjusted the lighting, your half-Windsor knot and arranged the books in camera-view behind you doesn’t mean that you’re ready to dazzle your superiors on a tele-conference.
Your feet might be out of view but Alessandro Michele’s signature snake design loafers for Gucci will have your brain prepared to strike (venom optional).
Social distance coffee Some meetings can’t be kept to a conference call, so head to a restaurant where social-distancing measures are in place. This far from basic black boot lets them know you mean business.
If you need to channel your inner architect without conducting a site visit, approach blueprints and plans in the design uniform of a simple sneaker. Swap out gloomy black with feel good blue suede. A matching turtleneck is optional.
End of work drinks Instead of racing to the car park and chasing traffic you can pour yourself a whiskey and congratulate yourself on making it to the end of another day. Things instantly feel better in these fashion forward slippers from Louis Vuitton.
They let your brain know it’s time to relax and you don’t have to worry about getting them scuffed outside your front door.
With seven years spent researching and developing Hyoumankind ergonomic pillows to gain a more restorative night’s sleep, Stephanie Wyborn discovered how the right sleeping position can enhance our wellbeing. This led her to develop the Back Sleep Pillow for people looking to explore back sleeping as a better sleep solution. (It also cleverly converts to a Go Pillow, for everyday support and travel.) Whether it’s the long term anti-ageing benefits, short term recovery, or simply getting a more comfortable rest, it seems there are plenty of benefits to back sleeping.
1. It promotes postural alignment When you sleep on your back, your body weight is distributed evenly, and your spine is aligned. With the spine properly aligned, bones, muscles and ligaments can completely relax after the day’s movement and stresses, and naturally heal themselves as you fall into a deep and dreamy slumber.
2. It supports recovery from injury Back sleeping is helpful following injury, particularly to the upper half of the body — keeping you still and relieving weight and pressure on the affected areas. As with most of us who change positions in our sleep, a pillow designed specially to keep you on your back can stop you rolling onto a sore shoulder, and make for a much more comfortable slumber.
3. It slows the signs of ageing Sleeping face down, pressed against your pillow, is essentially like ironing wrinkles in, as you force the skin on your face to fold and crease. Front and side positions also have the same scrunching effect on the chest, which damages the skin in the delicate décolletage area and creates distinctive ‘v neck’ lines. Creating a consistent back sleeping habit lets wrinkles and creases relax again and become less visible over time.
4. It assists with post-surgery If it’s been recommended that you sleep on your back following a specific procedure, such as eye or breast surgery, a specialised back sleeping pillow like the one by Hyoumankind, gently supports you to stay in that position all night. You can rest a little easier, knowing you won’t roll over and put pressure on the healing area.
I’ve been in the restaurant biz since far too many of you were babes on your mother’s knee and I can tell you the coming weeks are going to be a tough time for us all. That’s why I’m taking the unprecedented step of reducing the number of tables in my restaurants. This uncrowded approach is essential to ensure exceptional hygiene.
I’ll be sharing my time equally between all four restaurants to ensure they remain safe, healthy places for staff and customers alike – and because even after all these years there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
Take care, keep up your sense of humour, and know that for as long as we can, we’ll be here to deliver delicious meals, excellent service and worry-free dining.
The last few weeks have been concerning as we watch our hospitality family around the world suffer and wonder what will happen at home.
We have stepped up our hygiene and taken unprecedented steps to keep our customers and staff as safe as possible and also keep the lights on.
As the situation continues to evolve we’ll update our website and social platforms with any changes such as home delivery or takeaway menus
While we appreciate this is the most serious global health event in our life, it will pass but it will take time… let’s not throw in the towel… let’s tackle it with positivity and kindness.
We have been quick to address concerns in this time of uncertainty – after all, our customers have been Nourish Group’s priority for 20 years.
Along with the extra precaution of sanitising all high touch points every hour, we are imposing strict staff health checks across our 13 sites.
We have also taken care of social distancing issues by increasing the spaces between tables in all our venues.
Customer health and wellbeing has always been and will continue to be our chief concern. We hope your support of our industry continues in these challenging times.
With Coronavirus concerns on the rise, more people are unexpectedly spending time holed-up indoors. One thing to be grateful for at this time of uncertainty is that social isolation comes at a time when television is at its peak (silver linings, and all that). From new seasons of beloved series to new shows, our favourite streaming services are dishing out plenty of quality escapism over the coming weeks — here is the best of the best.
Westworld What: The latest instalment of this sci-fi favourite sees an exploration of the world outside of Westworld, which, for those who are new to the series, is a futuristic, Western-styled theme park where robots help guests experience wild adventures. A few new additions will join the stellar cast, including Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and Vincent Cassel (Black Swan). Length: Three seasons, 28 episodes Where: Sky TV
Ozark What:Ozark is one of Netflix’s more compelling offerings, following family-man Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) as he continues to launder millions of dollars for a Mexican drug cartel. The third season drops on March 27 and will pick things up six months after the season-two finale, Length: Three seasons, 30 episodes Where: Netflix
Schitt’s Creek What: There’s no better time to indulge in funnybone-tickling escapism. Schitt’s Creek has found new life on Netflix with all seasons, including the latest — the sixth and final season — available and ready to be gorged on. Father and son team Dan and Eugene Levy, along with comedy queen Catherine O’Hara, continue to delight as a rich family coming to terms with their reduced circumstances. Length: Six seasons, 68 episodes Where: Netflix
McMillions What: This six-part documentary series tells the explosive story of the infamous McDonald’s Monopoly scam where a complex network of friends and family fraudulently won USD$24 million between 1989 and 2001. The gripping tale is told by all those who participated, including the prizewinners and the FBI agents involved. Length: One season, six episodes Where: NEON
Devs What:Devs is a slow burner, but what it lacks in explosive beginnings it makes up for with an utterly compelling science-fiction plotline. Directed by Alex Garland, (Ex Machina, 28 Days Later) no less. It follows software engineer Lily Chan as she investigates her employer, the mysterious CEO (Nick Offerman) of a Silicon-Valley-esque tech company who might be involved in the disappearance of her boyfriend. Length: One season, five episodes released (of eight) Where: Sky TV
Hunters What: Nazis, Al Pacino and a murder investigation are three things you didn’t know you needed at the crux of a TV series, until now. Hunters is set in seventies New York City and follows a ragtag band of Nazi hunters as they do everything in their power to block an impending Fourth Reich. Length: One season, ten episodes Where: Amazon Prime
Balmy temperatures and bluebird skies arrived just in time for the long-awaited Urban Polo at the Auckland Domain, after last week’s rapid decline into autumnal territory. The finest spot to watch the sporting and social action was the Denizen and Perrier-Jouët marquee, where guests cheered from the sidelines, admired Wonder Florals’ vibrant, Insta-worthy arrangements and sensibly sipped from flutes filled with crisp Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut. Making almost as big an impression as the strapping polo players were Perrier-Jouët’s brand new Grand Brut bottles, sporting a floral Anemone motif created by Art Nouveau master Emile Gallé.
Current events remind us that it sometimes pays to avoid the perils of the outside world and work from home. To get things done your home office needs to be more than a refuge, offering aesthetic satisfaction, along with stimulating expressions of your own personality.
Whether you are a pared-back minimalist or a fan of classic and traditional desks, Sarsfield Brooke allows you to create inspiring surroundings making it that little bit easier to meet your next deadline.
Minimal Nobody abides by the adage of a tidy desk leading to a tidy mind more than a minimalist. Avoid the colour wheel completely and opt for refined, utilitarian furnishings in a monochromatic scheme, like the solid oak Dimitri Writing Desk and the sharp Segno Chest of Drawers. Blacks, whites and greys provide a distraction-free backdrop while effortlessly exuding elegance and refinement.
Sego Chest of Drawers, Dimitri Writing Desk, Maya Dining Chair, Desire Bar Cabinet, Dimitri Bookcase
Traditional Those with classic tastes generally put cosiness and style first. Be sure to invest in a desk chair that really goes the extra mile in terms of comfort, like the luxurious, cushioned Georges Desk Chair. Add gravitas to your room with an intriguing artwork, like the delightfully abstract Electric Blue Artwork by Novocuadro of Spain.
Manon Writing Desk, Bon Ton Table Lamp, Georges Desk Chair, Electric Blue Artwork
Modern Contemporary offices provide a very sleek and simple atmosphere. To achieve this aesthetic, prioritise rustic timber over other materials and keep furnishings straightforward and unadorned. This Canaletto walnut Victor Cabinet with glass doors easily teams pairs with the uncomplicated style of these upholstered H5 Chairs. Decorate the space with flourishing houseplants to truly tap into the current trends.
Seta bookcase, Segno bookcase, Victor bookcase, Prisma desk, H5 chair
Experimental It is a place of work, but the home office doesn’t have to be restricted by seriousness and sensibility. For those who want to inject a dose of personality into a space, quirky home furnishings that play with texture, colour and design are key. The Erik Desk, for example, adds some spice to a space with its rhomboid-patterned drawers and cylindrical metal base, while the Lula Table Lamp gives the room a sense of playfulness via its acorn-reminiscent shape.
Erik Desk, Victor Sideboard, Quartz Cabinet, Lula Table Lamp
Picture this: It’s a fairly ordinary Friday morning, and as far as my routine goes, it’s business as usual. Well, with one minor difference. This Friday, when I pull up to my client meetings, I’m behind the wheel of the new 2020 Maserati Levante 350 GranSport — and I have to say, it feels good.
Before you start thinking that I must have won Lotto, let me set the record straight. It was, in fact, because I had selflessly volunteered my test-driving services in the name of quality journalism, that I found myself in the driver’s seat of an SUV that was proving most of my assumptions about its kind very wrong.
Leaving my first meeting that day, I pulled into the flow of traffic with an air of confidence, the signature Maserati purr from the pneumatic valves of the exhaust system daring people to stare as I glided elegantly past (and pretending not to notice when they did).
Even when idle, the Levante 350 GranSport has a certain ‘I’m loud and I’m proud’ character, call it a testament to the marque’s Italian pedigree and its commitment to an aesthetic of refined luxury. With a design comprising sleek, clean lines that run from a magnificent front grill all the way down to a perfectly-formed rear, the body of this car is so well-shaped, it would make the Kardashians jealous. It has that new-car smell that makes you feel like you’ve made it, an infotainment system so vast that you’ll end up sitting in your driveway for hours simply trying to make a decision (but with wealth comes options, right?) and hand-stitched leather so soft and carefully-detailed that a drive to the shops will feel like stepping into an Italian fashion atelier. With its trademark Maserati tridents embossed on all of the headrests, this car is Italian by name and Italian by nature.
Deciding it was time to put the Levante 350 GranSport through its paces (because what kind of test-driver would I be if I simply judged the car on its looks alone) I headed West, choosing the infamous winding road out to Piha as the ultimate testing ground. Once on the motorway, I switched into Sport Mode, and dropped down a gear, which really gave her a chance to open up. She handled it very, very well. And although I knew that under the perfect curves of her bonnet sat a Ferrari-built Twin Turbo V6 engine, I was still somewhat surprised that a car of that size could handle my Formula 1 aspirations with such grace and effortlessness. We got up to 100km/h in just six quick seconds, but despite being tempted, I decided to hold back from pushing her to reach her top speed of 251km/h. I didn’t want the team at Maserati to have to cough up for a speeding ticket on my watch.
Piha proved a good choice. Part of the beauty of the Levante 350 GranSport, is that it was designed to allow the driver to feel every twist and turn, with suspension that enhances ride comfort and handling. I truly felt like I was on a racetrack, even if I wasn’t driving at eye-watering speeds. The fact that she’s a high-performance SUV that handles like a sports car, really made me feel like I was getting the best of both worlds. The standard features in the Levante 350 GranSport include front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot alert, rear camera, keyless entry and dual-zone climate control, all the bells and whistles that will take you from A to B in total comfort and style.
Our time together was short and sweet, and saying farewell to my weekend whip was not easy. I was faced with a brutal reality check when I stood, like an idiot, at the driver’s door of my basic run-around expecting keyless entry, before suddenly realising I had to actually find my keys and press the unlock button. The dream was over, so there was only one thing left to do: buy a Lotto ticket.
One of autumn’s most eagerly-anticipated events, the Italian extravaganza that is Cinema Peroni, returned to Britomart on Thursday. It was the ideal way to (almost) round off another long and busy week. Auckland’s finest-looking film buffs assembled at Takutai Square, walking the Cinema Italiano carpet before indulging in crisp beer, refreshing cocktails and an impressive, three-course meal from Amano. After a traditional treat of popcorn, garlic, olive & caper fusilli, chargrilled chicken with tomatoes and refreshing gelato was served to guests as they got cosy beneath their blankets and enjoyed the thought-provoking film, Happy as Lazzaro.
Considering the high population of busy corporates thirsting for a drink when the clock hits 5pm, finding a bar within the CBD once required a spreadsheet and a great deal of hope. Then Little Culprit came on to the scene with its one-of-a-kind concoctions and food offerings that go beyond the usual bar fare, quickly becoming the go-to spot for inner-city locals.
Owners and operators, Kyle Street and Jordan MacDonald are renowned for their limitless imaginations when it comes to gastronomy. Pork-stuffed roast duck and whipped bone marrow butter at their contemporary restaurant, Culprit are just some of the creations that have helped cultivate the pair’s reputation as fearless chefs.
Bloody Mary with Culatello ham
Right across the street from Culprit sits Little Culprit, the elevated bar and wine lounge further validating their edgy reputation, while proving that their creativity extends from food into the realm of beverages. The latest daytime cocktail menu (available from Tuesday — Friday, 12pm until 4pm) features never-seen-before libations, including a Bloody Mary adorned with Culatello ham and a Bellini with lacto-fermented peaches — perfect for weekday power meetings.
Grazing Board
In celebration of the new daytime offerings, Street and MacDonald have included a Daytime Graze board featuring premium cold cuts of meat, Culprit’s iconic creamy chicken liver parfait and a new smoked fish savoury waffle. This is part of our giveaway, along with eight cocktails for you and three friends.
*This competition is closed.*
Make sure to keep an eye on Little Culprit’s social media for any updates and changes on opening hours.
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