Sallow skin, puffy eyes and under-eye bags so big they qualify as extra airport luggage; the classic signs of sleep deprivation are not pretty. Whether it be bedtime procrastination, a tipple too many or just the consequences of hectic day-to-day life — prioritising Z-catching over everything else is often an unattainable feat.
As the reality of a solid eight-hour sleep seems like a distant, vanishing dream, we instead learn to improvise. Thanks to a trove of fatigue-concealing beauty products and techniques, we no longer have to look sleep-deprived even if we are.
Herein is a list of our top picks that will help fake your way to radiant, sleep-fulfilled beauty.
Slip Silk Pillowcase Made from long-fibre mulberry silk and non-toxic dyes, these luxurious pillow slips are made to be anti-ageing, anti-sleep crease, and anti-bed head — an all-round nighttime saviour that won’t upset your bedroom’s aesthetic.
Angela Caglia Cooling Gold Cyro Facial Set The benefits of using cold and iced products on the face are well documented, not least for their de-puffing properties. Keep these gold-plated, ergonomically crafted tools in the fridge until you wish to press them under the eyes and run them along the contours of your face. Within minutes, the appearance of dark circles, pores and fine lines can be reduced, as well as the puffiness caused by fatigue.
From left: Slip silk pillowcase from Superette; Brightening Exfoliator from Ecostore; 3 in 1 Anti-Redness Miracle Formula SPF50 from Rosalique; Gua Sha tool from Ines Store; CODAGE night cream from Spring Store; Angela Caglia Gold Cryo Facial Set from Net-a-porter.
CODAGE Night Cream This emulsion-based moisturiser repairs and nourishes your visage as you sleep — even if you don’t sleep much. Boosting the natural cell regeneration process, it leaves smoother, glowing skin come morning. Spring Spa works this nurturing cream into an array of facial treatments.
Rosalique 3 in 1 Anti-Redness Miracle Formula If your skin tends to be a bit red and irritated when you haven’t got enough shut-eye, this product from Rosalique is a multi-tasking wonder cream. The line is developed specially for people who suffer from very sensitive skin and redness, and its targeted formula can be used as a primer, harnessing α-Bisabolol, Zeolite, Provitamin B5, Urea and Shea Butter to a primer to gently conceal redness. Plus, SPF50 protects from UVA and UVB rays.
Ecostore Brightening Exfoliator A delightful fusion of jojoba beads, New Zealand Glacial Clay and sweet pineapple, Ecostore’s brightening exfoliator clears pores and removes impurities to give a brighter and smoother complexion for a fresh-faced look.
Clockwise from left: Kevin Aucoin lash curler from Mecca Beauty; Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder from Mecca Beauty; Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Enlightenment Illuminiser from Mecca Beauty; Diorshow Brow Style from Dior Beauty; Kosas Air Brow Clear Lifting Treatment Gel from Mecca Beauty; Cheek/Lip Tint from Aleph; Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm from Mecca Beauty.
Finishing Touches If you’re a make-up wearer, these final additions will sit atop all those beautiful products like a dream.
Curl up Curling your lashes is an excellent way to make your eyes appear far more open. The Kevin Aucoin lash curler is highly rated and makes the job painless. Follow with a lick of your favourite mascara.
A healthy flush Bringing colour into your complexion is crucial for a well-rested, full-of-life look. Local beauty brand Aleph’s cheek/lip tint is a versatile and full-proof cream product, with a seamless finish that can be blended with the fingertips. Used on both lips and cheeks, it creates a natural, youthful flush.
Beautiful brows As they say, the brows frame the face and even if you do nothing else, making sure your brows are nicely groomed can be a cheats way of looking perfectly put together. If you need help in the hair department, use a tool like Dior’s Diorshow Brow Styler, a best seller for its ultra-fine, retractable pencil that helps shape and fill in the brows. Set in place with a brow gel — we love the Kosas Air Brow Clear Lifting Treatment Gel.
A dab of highlighter A finishing touch of well-placed highlighter can pay dividends in bringing luminosity to your features. Apply to the cheekbones, cupid’s bow and inner corners of the eyes — you’ll be surprised what a difference it makes. If you’re a fan of a cream product, the Argan Enlightenment Illuminiser by Josie Maran Cosmetics is a concentrated liquid that can also be mixed with foundation for an all-over glow, or for powder, the Hourglass Ambient® Lighting Powder is a cult-favourite.
When winter rolls around and the chill sets in, it’s tempting to prioritise staying warm above all other considerations — including aesthetics and generally how ‘cool’ your outfit is. Luckily, there’s one piece of kit that never fails to keep us toasty while also imparting a hefty dose of style cred to an ensemble: the puffer jacket.
While the puffer jacket’s origins are thoroughly practical, its padded shape has provided brands with remarkably varied fodder for reinvention — from Balenciaga’s oversized iterations to Moncler’s sophisticated silhouettes. Puffers now come in shiny patent fabric, eye-catching prints, saturated shades and with creatively placed stitching, and are worn atop anything from a floaty dress to utilitarian trousers and boots.
The fundamental construction of puffer jackets has also been ripe for technological advancements of late, with some brands creating innovative, new generation padding that offers a creative solution for staying cosy. The Allbirds Trino Puffer is a particularly impressive example, eschewing the traditional use of feather or synthetic down and instead filling its water-resistant, merino/Tencel blend exterior with a lining of Tencel and recycled polyester.
Another local brand, Maggie Marilyn, has crafted its Beyond Puffer from recycled material and reclaimed down, and Prada’s clever goose down jacket is made of Re-Nylon, a regenerated fabric produced from recycled plastic collected in the ocean.
Whatever your tastes, whether you prefer a neutral shade for any time and occasion or a statement-making piece, there’s a cleverly constructed puffer jacket out there that, once you have it, you’ll wonder how you ever did without.
Those who have kept half an eye on fashion’s movers and shakers over the past decade and a half will know French-born writer and illustrator Garance Doré. She was one of the original fashion bloggers, having started her eponymous blog in 2006, and rose to the type of prominence sought by many who would consider themselves fashion authorities.
An influential force before the word ‘influencer’ was common parlance, she was based in New York and was crowned “the guardian of all style” by The New York Times. She had the fashion world in the palm of her hand — before, in 2016, she walked away from it all, to discover what makes her truly happy.
Doré’s power has always been in her voice and her innate ability to connect with her audience through the written word. She went on to create global online style destination Wearedore.com in 2016, a platform driven by a conscious and overarching love of storytelling.
In 2020, Doré moved to Wellington with her partner, actor and writer Graham McTavish, just prior to our first Covid lockdown. She used that time to create L’Île, an even more intimate, paywalled platform where she publishes her insightful essays.
Here, Doré shares some learnings from throughout her incredible journey, from pinch-me moments in the fashion industry, to how her voice has evolved, and what true self-alignment means for her.
Growing up in Corsica, an island much smaller than New Zealand, it was a very close-to-nature-type of childhood. I was in the city for school, but my dad had a restaurant in a place inaccessible by car — you had to go there on a boat or hike for two hours. It was quite remote, and we were allowed to be completely wild there.
When I was as young as 13, I started feeling a lot of frustration. It was a different time, you couldn’t buy things online, but that’s when I became interested in style and culture. It’s the type of frustration that everyone who lives on an island, or has grown up on an island can feel sometimes. This separateness from the rest of the world which, I think, made me who I am. I have an incredible curiosity, always, to explore the world and meet new people, and it gave me a lot of hunger for that.
I was always doodling and drawing. I had a natural talent for drawing anything I could see, so it’s always been a simple thing that I felt was very easy for me. When I was growing up, it was one of those things — you know how everyone encourages you to be artistic when you’re young? Your parents want you to play an instrument, do this and that, but when it comes time to be serious, they say “oh no no, you can’t do that, you have to study to be a diplomat or a lawyer!”
By 27, I finally found the courage to do what I wanted, and I became an illustrator. It was very hard because I didn’t have any contacts in the art or publication worlds, and I hadn’t been taught anything, so I had to learn on my own. So it was a bit difficult, and when I started taking my first steps in the world of illustration and started making my first bit of money, I realised it was going to be so hard to make a living with it… and that’s when I started my blog.
When I started my blog in 2006, everything changed.
There is no society that I know that doesn’t put pressure on the youth to do things by a certain age — whether it’s making a career or having children. And we all spend our life realising it doesn’t work like that. Of course, it’s important to understand the realities of life — but also to realise that within them, there is a lot of freedom.
I was always struggling with these things, until recently I think. I’m 45 now, I’ve grown up, I think I understand who I am, but it takes a long time. So, 31 was very late in many ways, but it’s also a good time, because I’d already learned a few things about myself which helped me be successful — and stop when it was time.
I think maturity is a beautiful thing. And I think being young has its own great aspects, but it’s not a bad thing to do the things we love when we have gained a little bit more maturity and we are able to do them better, in a way.
One thing that I love in fashion is that it’s one of the industries that loves and accepts weirdos, of all colours, ages and all that. I think that’s a beautiful thing, that fashion opens the way for that.
I really see myself as a writer and a storyteller. And the things that happened to me are stories, so I wouldn’t want it any other way. The failures, the successes — you get a richness later, and I think people don’t really talk enough about that.
When I came into the fashion industry, my point of view and my naivety were the things that made me special. I was coming from the viewpoint of a complete outsider in fashion, I had nothing — I didn’t have any network, no aunt that was working in fashion, I parachuted myself there. And I think that’s what made it so fun.
It was brutal in many ways, for me. There were many hard moments and I’ve talked about them — but I’m not against that. I don’t think it’s bad to go through shit, in your personal and professional life. I don’t like the idea of everything having to be smooth.
My definition of success is being aligned with myself. Being conscious of my centre, and knowing that I have created a home inside that I can go back to. It’s something that you achieve but you also don’t, really, because you can always go further. And that’s a little bit spiritual, I would say. In my opinion that’s the only way, because external success is a little fleeting — it comes and goes.
Photo: Erik Melvin.
I met Peter Lindbergh a few times, and he photographed me. I always come back to meeting him as a standout memory, because not only was he a fantastic photographer, but he was also, in my experience, such a wonderful person.
The problem is that when you meet your idols, you can be disappointed. And that happened a few times in my career — I met a lot of people in the world of fashion and a few of them kind of disappointed me. Sometimes they weren’t the person I had imagined, or they weren’t as interesting as I thought they would be, and that’s kind of a let down. But he [Lindbergh] was up there for me.
I was sitting next to Rihanna at fashion shows, I was friends with Kanye West, all those things are regular. I called Pharrell Williams to give me my CFDA Award, and he flew from Miami to do that. Those were interesting moments, but the thing is, when you start getting into these circles, these people are just people.
Sometimes I would pinch myself, like “I cannot believe I am so lucky”. But also, there was a lot of shit going along with it, and at some point it was just not aligned with who I was. I thought “oh god, this is really not me, I can’t post a photo of myself in a bathing suit on a yacht”, but I could see everyone around me doing it. The backstage of all that, is that nobody is actually enjoying this because everyone’s doing photoshoots.
I’m glad I did it, because I came back with the stories and experienced things that I’ll probably never experience again, but I’ve never missed it.
Writing has always been like the water I drink. I don’t have to explain, there are no questions. It just comes as it wants, and I don’t try to create anything other than what my writing is — I actually write in English, and I’m French… I don’t have literary pretensions, I just want to get my ideas across.
The voice I had in my thirties is very different to the voice I have in my forties. Through the years I was describing in fashion, it was very funny, caustic, hysterical. I miss that, because I was completely crazy, and that was awesome in my writing. It’s almost like I was on drugs or something. And I was — not on actual drugs — but I was high on dopamine from all this excitement in my life.
Sometimes I look back and wish I could feel that feeling. I remember, I needed to be in a certain state of excitement and I’d write a text in like half an hour. But, what was born when I started finding more peace inside was much more deep. Even the subjects I talk about are very personal — they always were, but now they’re calmer, maybe less funny but more profound.
The question of the general trend of oversharing is an interesting one for me because that’s something I’ve done for more than 15 years. I think as an artist of any kind, you can’t just stop because everybody’s doing it, if that’s your way of doing things. And when it’s going to change and people won’t do it anymore, I might keep doing it. That’s what I’ve always done. I would love to write fiction one day but this is how I breathe, the writing and the intimate part of it. The way I’m coping with it today, is having created this very small community [L’île on garance.world].
I created L’île when I was in New Zealand, in Wellington. I had slowly stopped writing on my blog, because it was just like the world of social media, it had become too big, I didn’t know who I was talking to anymore. When I started my community, it felt like friends — it felt very close, and it got really successful right away because I think the people who knew my writing wanted to read me again.
The same cycle had started again, where I was looking at my numbers, and that’s when I decided to start a community. So I did a paywall, which means that the people that want to read me are actually committed. I wanted a space where I felt protected. The world was cruel enough, that I didn’t want to throw myself into it that way.
The way I write, I like it to feel intimate. So that’s what I set out to do.
It’s not a question of what we say, it’s a question of how we say it. As a writer, you can say everything, and touch on any subject — and actually that’s our mission, to make the human experience understandable and have a point of view.
People who meet me after reading me say there is no difference, and it’s always been like that. Who I show, and who I am… I’m kind of mysterious-less.
With all the things I’ve explored through being in fashion, I would say my view on style hasn’t changed much. I think style is a wonderful self-expression tool and that’s what it should be. I’ve always been about having a few things that we love. I still have a lot of clothes compared to a guy or something, but I’m pretty minimal, I’ve always been like that, very French, in a way. A great pair of 501 jeans, a pair of flats, a pair of heels. It’s like cooking — too many ingredients and you lose the plot. So, I think a few ingredients always make the best recipes and that’s how I see style.
When it feels like you’ve wrung every possible podcast recommendation dry, it’s time to seek out juicy new endorsements from a trusted source. This curated edit of the latest intriguing series is sure to serve you well, covering true crime, design, and everything in between.
Spectacle: An Unscripted History of Reality TV While you might be one of those people who dismisses reality television for its ‘low brow’ drama and derivative storylines, over the last 30 years, it is a genre that has attracted huge audiences and has come to reflect our culture in real-time. Here, host Mariah Smith delves into the fascinating history of reality TV, one show at a time, revealing its true importance.
The Apology Line There once was a Manhattan number that would allow anyone who called to apologise anonymously for something they had done. This podcast follows the fascinating (and true) story of the man, known as ‘Mr. Apology,’ who was on the other end of those calls, and how, after hearing people confessing regularly to things like drug dealing and murder, he decided to do something about it.
The Redesign of Everything In this thought-provoking new podcast, produced in New Zealand by Circularity — a company that works with businesses to offer circular innovation support and sustainable solutions — hosts Louise Nash and Ella Gordon-Latty speak to the changemakers, designers and practitioners working towards a better way of doing business for people and the planet.
Spy Affair Deception, sex and betrayal collide in this gripping, six-part miniseries that unpacks the story of Maria Butina — the charismatic Russian woman who arrived in the United States on what she claimed was a diplomatic mission but who ended up being jailed by the FBI as a foreign agent. From its high-stakes players to its dodgy backroom deals, this podcast might sound like fiction, but the reality is far juicier.
Depresh Mode with John Moe Promising a productive, relatable and sometimes funny dialogue around mental health, this podcast comes at a time when discussions of this nature are (thankfully) becoming increasingly common. Host John Moe speaks to comedians, authors, musicians, actors and big names in the entertainment and arts industries about their own personal struggles around mental health and how they overcame them.
POOG Comedians and best friends Kate Berlant and Jacqueline Novak delve into the trillion-dollar beauty industry by trying products and practices and consulting healers and experts to see if anything cuts through the industry’s glossy facade. Is it wellness they are seeking? Or just the thrill of the chase?
The humble cardigan has proved to be not so dowdy after all, as it endures another season at the top of our wishlists. The versatile staple is, nowadays, crafted in increasingly polished iterations, with a luxurious cashmere button-up proving the ultimate layering piece, or a printed cardigan an easy yet eye-catching statement.
While an overarching inclination towards more relaxed silhouettes still reigns supreme, this season the breadth and variance of knits mean you are encouraged to gravitate towards whichever suits your existing wardrobe and aesthetic preferences best.
Here, we have compiled some of the most stylish cardigans for your consideration.
Standing proudly on the water’s edge of Sydney’s Gunnamatta Bay, this sprawling family residence was designed to reflect the sensibilities of those residing within — an Australian husband and Spanish wife and their three young daughters. Born from a collaboration between Jorge Hrdina Architects and the renowned Akin Atelier design (most known for its high-end hospitality and retail fit-outs) this house, much like its owners, harmoniously pairs a laid-back, Australian aesthetic with a sleek, European vibe and the result is truly delightful.
Lounge Chair by Pierre Paulin for Artifort, 529 Rio Coffee Table by Charlotte Perriand for Cassina from Matisse.
With the owners inspired by a mid-century, Brazilian sensibility and wanting their home to capture the feeling of a luxurious, boutique hotel, the brief called for a creative and custom approach. Considering the home’s seaside location, the team at Jorge Hrdina focused on connecting the house to its surrounds, grounding it in its coastal landscape via materials like sandstone, concrete and timber and maximising the abundant natural light that would bounce off the undulating bay.
The five-bedroom home virtually cascades down to the water, with 14 transitional levels — 10 of which make up the house itself — providing a spacious, flowing floor plan that affords the family of five plenty of opportunity to enjoy time together or time to themselves.
Mr Chair by Mies Van Der Rohe for Knoll from Studio Italia.
Flos Snoopy Lamp by Achille & Pierre Giacomo Castiglioni for Euroluce from ECC, F598 Groovy Chair by Pierre Paulin for Artifort.
Inside, Akin Atelier utilised a foundation of polished concrete, walnut timber, rattan and bronze on which was added warm, textural details, pops of colour and intriguing, often well-known furniture pieces (think Faye Toogood’s Roly-Poly Chair, a Castiglioni Snoopy table lamp and a Pierre Paulin Groovy chair in cream bouclé).
There is a simultaneous strength and softness to the interiors here; the former communicated via colourful marble (each bathroom is rendered in its own tone), bold art, solid timber lines and unapologetic material layering; the latter, created using sumptuously curved furnishings and rounded joinery. By embracing the idea of contrast, the team at Akin Atelier has perfectly captured the intriguing dichotomy between the owners’ Australian and Spanish roots — which is part of what makes this home feel so inherently unique.
Counterweight Rectangle Sconce by Fort Standard for Roll & Hill from ECC.
Highlights include the spacious master bedroom, which, from its incredible views, generous ensuite, walk-in-wardrobe and separate sitting room and study, feels like something you might expect to find in a high-end hotel; the poolside bar, made from polished form concrete and rounded stone and set into its own recess on the side of the house; and the daughters’ bathroom, rendered entirely in Norwegian rose marble.
From the outset, this spectacular residence delivers a masterclass in colouring outside the lines. In playing with how various tones and tactile layers might fit into a home that is both mid-century-inspired and inherently contemporary, the designers discovered a middle ground that has resulted in this warm, inviting and unique ‘forever’ home for a discerning family to cherish.
Clockwise from left: Haberdashery by Molly Timmins from Sanderson Contemporary, 1968 Table by Gallotti&Radice from ECC, Flos Snoopy Lamp by Achille & Pierre Giacomo Castiglioni for Euroluce from ECC.
Clockwise from left: Ming’s Heart Chair by Poltrona Frau from Studio Italia, Sea Fog Paint from Resene, Typography Staff Wall Sconce by Rakumba from ECC, 529 Rio Coffee Table by Charlotte Perriand for Cassina from Matisse.
Craving a taste of luxury? While our appetite for pizza and burgers never ceases, our hunger for the finer things in life is undeniable. From the likes of aged steak and crayfish to gold leaf and truffle, the city’s poshest plates are a deliciously lavish affair. When nothing but the best will do, dig into the fanciest dishes in Auckland.
Mushroom & truffle bao bunsfrom The Grove The ever-popular bao gets the fancy treatment courtesy of fine dining stalwart The Grove. Its rendition sees a mushroom bao bun stuffed with truffle emulsion, pickled onions and raw mushroom for good measure. A true study of umami flavours, this is one vegetarian bite even the most ardent carnivores won’t be able to resist. Love truffles? Discover our round-up of the very best truffle dishes in town.
Onslow’s crayfish eclairs.
Crayfish eclairfrom Onslow Trust chef Josh Emett to take this bakery favourite and elevate it to delicious new heights. Instead of the expected cream filling and standard chocolate icing, a lush Fiordland crayfish mixture is spooned between crispy choux pastry. A herby hint of basil rounds everything off to create a bite-sized delight that tastes just as good as it looks.
Gnocchi Parisienne from Euro Think you know gnocchi? Euro’s latest offering from its new Parisian-inspired winter menu uses choux pastry base (rather than the traditional potato base) for a French twist on an Italian favourite. The result is rich, pillowy soft gnocchi that when paired with Fiordland crayfish ragu and a blanket of melted Emmental cheese, is lavish to say the least.
Onemata’s pāua risotto.
Pāua risotto from Onemata While pāua fritters have long been a fish ‘n’ chip shop favourite, this iconic mollusc is considered a high-flying delicacy overseas — prized as one of the most expensive seafood one can buy. In Auckland, one of the most delicious renditions around can be found at Park Hyatt Auckland’s Onemata restaurant, where it is speckled through risotto, swirling with shiitake mushrooms, miso butter and finished with an onsen egg.
Gold leaf Snickers bar parfait from SoulBar & Bistro There would likely be an uproar if Soul Bar’s beloved Snickers bar parfait disappeared from the menu, and for good reason. This dessert is decadence at its finest, taking the chocolatey, nutty flavours of the classic confectionery and transforming it into a gold-swathed work of art.
Culprit’s bone marrow.
Bone marrow with marrowmite and ‘Vogels’from Culprit Nothing says opulence quite like warm marrow scooped straight out of the bone; its rich, butter-like spoils glazing your lips with every bite. A labour of love to prepare, Culprit’s take on this meaty treat sees rendered and whipped bone marrow with marmite accompanied by housemade Vogels-style toast and a wedge of lemon.
Sanchoku Wagyu scotchfrom Botswana Butchery Tucking into a good steak is one of life’s great pleasures, as the team of Botswana Butchery prove time and time again. Its Butcher’s Block selection is brimming with mouthwatering eye fillet, sirloin and rump — but it’s the Sanchoku Wagyu scotch fillet that catches our attention every time. Pair with your choice of accompaniments — the likes of truffle and bone marrow butter and duck fat potatoes are here to take indulgence to the next level.
Ostro’s Beef Wellington.
Beef Wellington from Ostro When it comes to the luxury of putting time, effort and dedication into a dish, Ostro’s Beef Wellington would always come out on top — as it would for its exquisite execution, of course. If you think the decadent pastry encasing each slice of Wellington is heaven, wait until you take your first bite and discover the beef is perfectly cooked right the way through, meltingly medium-rare. Now that’s luxury.
Black Angus 150 day grain-fed rib-eye from The Lodge Bar & Dining While we’re on the subject of next level steaks, it’d be remiss of us not to mention The Lodge Bar & Dining’s sumptuous rib-eye. Cooked, as everything is on the menu, with utmost finesse, it is paired with a moreish sauce au poivre (pepper sauce) and all the trimmings to make sure it’ll be a meal to remember.
Ponsonby Road cafes and restaurants are primed on prime real estate for long lunches and even longer waitlists. But as the sit-down eateries stretch out down the street, a new kid just around the corner — Fat Belly Deli — is switching things up.
Situated as an aside on Franklin Road, the gourmet sandwich shop offers 10 sensational styles that can be grabbed on the go, or with a make-your-own option for those that want to give the menu a run for its money.
The new opening is a combined effort by four co-owners who, between them, have owned popular bars in Christchurch. “For various reasons, including Covid, we’ve all inadvertently ended up back in Auckland again,” says one of them, Fraser Hepburn. “Everyone’s brought something to the table, which has made it easy.”
From left: Fat Belly Deli interior; French baguette with ham and cheese.
That no-fuss philosophy permeates across the shop. In the former Flowers on Franklin space, it has kept its exposed brick walls and added a large counter and deli chiller to line up along. But what to order when it’s your turn?
Smokey and the Bandit is a moreish mouthful of smoked cheddar, bacon, pulled pork, jalapenos, onion and chipotle sauce (with or without chilli). If you have a sweet tooth, The Tangy One is an uncanny yet delicious combination of tasty cheddar, strawberry jam, ready salted chips and mayonnaise.
You can’t go wrong with the classics, such as the Reuben on rye and French baguette with ham and cheese. For those going it on their own, the ingredients are the usual fresh fare, from pickles to pastrami. Wrap it up with ciabatta, French bread, focaccia, rye or a brioche bun — delivered early each morning by a neighbouring baker.
The Reuben.
To be able to serve those on their way to work, Fat Belly Deli opens at 7am, at least an hour earlier than those establishments that have been up late the night before. Breakfast specials, including a bacon and egg roll and coffee combo, are available until 9am. You might want to pick up a sammy (and sweet patisserie) for lunch at the same time, with pre-made options ready to go, or made in the time it takes to brew Mojo’s signature blend.
This is just the beginning for Fat Belly Deli, which opens its doors on weekdays, but hopes to extend to weekends soon. Finding hospitality staff due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic has been a challenge, but Hepburn is confident they will get over any growing pains.
Fat Belly Deli is located at the top of Franklin Road.
The team plans to expand on the menu and offer seating on a small mezzanine floor to the back of the store. Come spring, there will be an outside set-up with a canine-friendly space — the owners’ pets are listed as company directors on the website, so they are sure to be there.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 7am — 3pm Currently closedweekends
Is there a new opening you believe should be on our radar? Let us know at [email protected]
If we were to tell you that our human anatomy shares at least 50 percent of the same DNA as another living organism, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Apes, definitely. Chimpanzees, sure. Pigs, maybe — at least in the case of a certain indelicate former US president. But mushrooms? Not quite.
Surprising to many, a mushroom shares over half of its genetic makeup with humans due to a shared common ancestor — one which branched away from plants some 1.1 billion years ago.
This means that humans are more closely related to mushrooms than many plants are. And while this may seem like an unnecessary piece of trivia, it’s far more important than you could ever imagine.
This genetic connection has led to mushrooms playing a pivotal role in medical research, with around 40 percent of all pharmaceuticals being derived from mushrooms — everything from Penicillin to anticancer treatments — and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
While the majority of us may believe that mushrooms are nothing more than a delicious accoutrement to pasta, pizza or steak, the humble fungi have so much more to offer. Said to be able to help with everything from immunity support and cognitive function to energy and relaxation, the broad applications of the recently anointed ‘superfood’ are vast and promising, and it’s largely due to how many species there are.
The fungi family is extensive, with more than 1.5 million varieties discovered, of which a small percentage serve as mind-bending psychedelics and an even smaller percentage are lethal. The rest, however, exhibit a seemingly endless stream of benefits.
Helping us gain a better understanding of the idiosyncrasies of mushrooms is renowned author and entrepreneur Tero Isokauppila. This self-professed fungi fanatic is championing the mushroom movement and has propelled the cap-topped saprophytes into wellbeing stardom following the launch of his superfood company, Four Sigmatic, in Finland.
Since its US debut in 2015 the holistic start-up has won the world over with its impressive range of innovative mushroom supplements, which have been featured everywhere including Forbes, Vogue and Gwyneth Paltrow’s health-centric Goop.
Isokauppila grew up foraging for mushrooms with his brother and physiology professor mother in Finland (where his father was an agronomist) and when he decided to run a marathon, he used the knowledge he had acquired of wild foods and the human body to help in his training.
It was during that time that he stumbled upon the cordyceps, a particular type of stamina-boosting mushroom that not only vastly improved his training, but also inspired the idea that was to one day become his business.
While the newly-found mushroom was stimulating for the body, however, the same couldn’t be said for the tastebuds. So before long, the Finnish foodpreneur began searching for a simpler, more palatable way to consume it. Thus, mushroom coffee was born — not too surprising given Finland’s well-documented fondness for java (the country is the biggest consumer of coffee in the world).
Described as a “fruity, medium roasted cup of coffee,” Isokauppila’s brew promises no lingering fungi flavours, no jitters, no morning crashes, and no funky stomach repercussions either.
Plus, for those who aren’t partial to a cup of Joe there’s an array of other salubrious beverages on offer, including hot chocolates, elixirs (perfect for smoothies) and mochas all spiked with one ‘shroom or another.
But with so many different types of mushroom out there and an equally comprehensive number of products, it can be difficult to know where to start. Isokauppila’s advice?
Begin your journey with the main four: Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Chaga, and Reishi. Reishi, often referred to as the ‘Queen of mushrooms,’ while still relatively unknown in the Western world has been used in the medicinal systems of Asian countries for years.
Not only can it boost the immune system and help to reverse liver damage, but the fungi is also described by Isokauppila as “the sleep and stress” shroom, thanks to its properties as an all-natural sedative. (You can find this in Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Cacao Mix, which serves as the ultimate nightcap.)
Lion’s Mane is another species to note and is set to be your brain’s new best friend. The small, round, ivory-coloured mushroom, topped with cascading icicle-like spines similar to the strands of a lions mane, is an all-natural nootropic proven to strengthen memory, help with concentration and boost creativity. It is also, according to this mushroom maverick, “one of the only foods to have neuroprotective properties.”
Chaga, native to Isokauppila’s home country, “has incredibly high antioxidant elements,” while Cordyceps helps to support energy, stamina and athletic performance — both appear in the Four Sigmatic’s Instant Mushroom Coffee, but the list of mushrooms with magic properties doesn’t end there. Those on an aesthetic quest should acquaint themselves with the shiitake and the maitake — the first of which is believed to be a powerful skin booster, while the latter, proven to aid weight loss and digestion.
The thick-bodied Porcini mushroom contains more protein than any other commonly consumed vegetable and can help to settle down inflammation, while the petite-capped Shimeji is used in some treatments for asthma. The Turkey Tail mushroom boosts immunity and fights disease and the long-stemmed Enoki contains a plethora of antioxidants. It’s clear that when it comes to the mushroom kingdom, no two are quite the same.
While there are many wellness-boosting fads that come and go, it seems that mushrooms are offering something far more tangible than the usual trends. “Humans and fungi have been working together synergistically for thousands of years,” explains Isokauppila, “and although this may seem like a trend to the Western world — it is anything but.”
Whether you’re looking to expand your culinary horizon or just switch up your morning brew, it seems you need to be jumping on the mushroom wagon. They’re ultimately the true panacea, and they’ve been underfoot all along.
These local wellness brands are also making the most of mushrooms:
Mother Made: Kiwi best friends Emily Blanchett and Jessica Clarke were driven to create Mother Made after living overseas where functional mushrooms are prevalent. Their 100 percent natural, organic mushroom powders are sustainably grown, stylishly packed in recycled cardboard and are targeted for a variety of needs from pepping you up in the morning to helping relax you at the end of the day.
Misty Day Plant Potions: Nutritionist, naturopath and herbalist Rachel Dawson channels her wealth of holistic knowledge into creating Misty Day’s comprehensive powders and tinctures. Harnessing the power of functional mushrooms, she mixes them with other potent ingredients to increase the wellness boost — her Power Potion, for example, supports healthy heart function, energy and stress relief with beetroot powder, ginger, Cordyceps extract, Eleuthero herb extract and Astragalus herb extract.
“It’s strange to sit down and say, ‘oh well I’m going to be an author now’,” Meg Mason tells me of the transition she had to make from magazine writer to fully-fledged novelist over the last few years. “For me,” the New Zealand-born, Sydney-based author continues, “the prize was definitely writing fiction and it felt like such a lofty goal… it was hard to think of it as something I could just do.” But do it she has, and to a level that most writers can still only dream of.
It was with her third book (and second novel) Sorrow and Bliss, that Mason seemed to find her literary feet, penning what she describes as a 350-page confession from a place of wild abandon, truly believing that no one would actually read it.
This came after a year-long false start which had seen her struggle to write a novel that, in the end, even she didn’t like. “The harder I tried, the more I could see that effort on the page,” Mason says, “and I could feel my confidence bleeding out.” Ironically (but, as is so often the case) it wasn’t until Mason relinquished the expectations around her new work, that it was able to morph seamlessly into the narrative that has since captivated so many.
“There were a couple of things that let me suspect that Sorrow and Bliss was different,” Mason divulges, “for one, I still really loved it at the end of the two years it took me to complete, and for another, I had found the whole process of writing it such a joyful experience.”
A book that is told through the self-effacing and humorous voice of its searingly honest narrator, Martha, Sorrow and Bliss handles heavy topics like mental health and the dissolution of a marriage with a balanced, relatable realism. It is the way Mason has confronted her tough subjects with an energetic, almost light humour that has seen this novel find such quick success — and not just with the everyday reader.
Last year, after an impressive bidding war, Mason finalised a deal with New Regency that would give the US-based production company the rights to turn Sorrow and Bliss into a film.
And considering that it was the company responsible for such blockbusters as 12 Years A Slave, The Revenant, Birdman and Bohemian Rhapsody among many others, Mason was so confident in New Regency’s ability to adapt her story with respect that she is leaving the screenplay up to them too.
“Sorrow and Bliss will be challenging,” she tells me, “because its time span is massive, and it has been written as an internal monologue, which is hard to translate onto film. I would like to do a screenplay one day but this isn’t the one I want to learn on.”
For Mason, then, while Sorrow and Bliss continues to grow, it’s time to move on to something new. “I’m writing a new book,” she says, excitedly, “and it feels like I’m back at the beginning. I don’t want to write another book like Sorrow and Bliss, I want to explore other ideas that will force me to learn. So now, it’s just me and a word document, feeling weird about my job,” she pauses, “but I’m constantly grateful. Someone is going to make me do a real job if I stop being able to do this one, and I’ve managed to avoid that for so long, so I just have to keep going.”
Meg’s 5 Favourite Books Owls Do Cry by Janet Frame “For its beauty, for the way it plays with form, for Frame’s concerns as a writer which, having read this book first in my late teens, clearly made a huge, lasting impression on me and I am similarly obsessed (without being similarly gifted!) with family, loss, motherhood, memory, madness. (And especially at the moment, for the connection to New Zealand.) The thing that was most striking to me when I picked it up again last year, twenty years after that first reading, is how incredibly brave it was. A woman writing in Palmerston North in the 1950s being as bold in style, as completely unconcerned with the rules and, it seems, no thought for who the audience might be.”
Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido “This novel came out in 1982 but feels so contemporary. It’s the one that when I was setting out to write Sorrow and Bliss, I thought of as the goal as far as mixing humour and pathos in the same book/paragraph/single line. The beautiful female protagonist loses a baby in the course of the narrative and yet, you come out of it thinking of it as a funny book which is quite an astonishing feat.”
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill “A few pages into reading it, just after it came out in 2014, I remember having to pause because I was so overwhelmed with the sense of having found the perfect book. It’s incredibly short, yet manages to capture the beginning, middle and end of a marriage. I have read it so many times and there is always something new in it that needs screenshotting.”
The Complete Patrick Melrose Novels by Edward St Aubyn “This series deals with the darkest possible subject matter; the protagonist is a heroin addict and survivor of an abusive childhood, but he’s still — to flip that whole topic on its head — incredibly likeable. I don’t think I could ever read the books again but I remember roaring through them the first time. If I could write anything as compulsive one day, I’d be incredibly happy.”
Fox 8 by George Saunders “I have no idea how you even sit down and begin another novel when your previous one just won the Booker Prize. This is Saunders’ follow-up to Lincoln in the Bardo and it is the most hilarious, amazing, surprising thing I’ve ever read. Just a few thousand words, told by a fox who has learned to speak English, all spelt as a fox might spell. It seems so light and funny to start with and then absolutely catches you out at the end with its huge emotional import.”
For more exclusive access to what the city has to offer, engaging content, excellent imagery and thought provoking commentary on the life that surrounds you, subscribe to Denizen magazine now.
