Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorleac in 1966 by David Bailey

These are the best new coffee table books to enrich both your space and your imagination

Be transported with the turn of every oversized page of these picturesque and inspiring coffee table books. From glimpses behind the toile at major luxury fashion houses to discovering far-flung lands, each of these tomes would make a beautiful addition to your collection — or a very special gift.

David Bailey Sumo Edition
Celebrating one of the world’s most influential photographers, this Sumo-sized retrospective from Taschen showcases significant portraits from anyone who was anyone through the 1950s to the 2010s. The Collector’s Edition is numbered and signed by David Bailey, and comes with four book jackets featuring John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Jean Shrimpton, Mick Jagger, and Andy Warhol. Striking a pose, the bookstand is designed by Marc Newson.

Louis Vuitton Manufactures
The ateliers at Louis Vuitton don’t just create luxury accessories, but a sense of savoir-faire fulfilment and individuality. In pursuit of regional expertise and artisanal excellence, Louis Vuitton’s workshops are found in sites of interest all over France, as well as Switzerland and Italy. Featuring exclusive photographs, this Assouline volume is dedicated to those who express their talent through Louis Vuitton.

The Fendi Set
Kim Jones’ fascination for the Bloomsbury Set has been evident since his first couture show as Artistic Director of Fendi in 2021 — inspired by Virginia Woolf’s Orlando. Enriched with excerpts from Bloomsbury members and ethereal new photographs taken by Nikolai von Bismarck with the likes of Naomi Campbell and Cara Delevingne, Jones has created a new ‘Set’, for a new era of Fendi.

Kaws What Party
For fans of pop art and colourful graphics, the pages of this monograph are a feast for the eyes. Brian Donnelly is the American artist and designer professionally known as Kaws, one of the most successful contemporary artists today. Pore over the pages of his best-known multi-media works, from sculpture to installation, painting, fashion, toys and more.

Kuma. Complete Works 1988 — Today
One of the industry’s pioneers for sustainable, contemporary architecture, revered Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has designed many awe-inspiring buildings and structures — including Japan’s National Stadium for the Tokyo Summer Olympics. His ability to blend tradition and innovation, fluidity and sturdiness, will inspire with every turn of the page.

Amazônia Sumo Edition by Sebastião Salgado
A remarkable look at a part of the world that currently feels more distant than ever, Amazônia is simply breathtaking in Taschen’s limited-edition Sumo size. Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado travelled around the Amazon for six years, photographing not only the extraordinary region but the people who live there, and this large-scale collector’s item brings it to life — complete with a Renzo Piano-designed bookstand.

Dior: John Galliano 1997-2011
Among the rotating door of high fashion appointments, tenures as Creative Directors come and go — but some leave more of a mark. As with Tom Ford for Gucci and Phoebe Philo for Céline, John Galliano’s Dior era was iconic. This beauty from Assouline celebrates the best of his exquisite haute couture for the house, in all its eye-catching glory.

Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art by Nigel Borell
This book follows the ground-breaking exhibition of the same name, shown at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki — the largest in its 132-year history. Now, this published collection offers a chance to come back to the works time and time again, as it tells the story of contemporary Māori art from the 1950s to today.

Roaming: Roark’s Adventure Atlas Edited by Beau Flemister
For those who have some lost travelling time to make up for, Roaming is an action-packed bucket list, as recommended by iconic adventurers. The unconventional photographic guidebook regales us with intel, itineraries and tales — from surf expeditions in Iceland and motorcycle journeys through Nepal to cliff jumping in Northern Vietnam.

Culture

While away the weekend with one of these captivating new TV series to watch now
We speak to New York-based New Zealand artist Natasha Wright for the cover story of our beautiful new autumn issue
World-class dining, convivial bars, luxury hotels, and waterfront views collide at Viaduct Harbour — the only place you need to be this weekend

One of the city’s most popular doughnut dealers has opened the doors to a new outpost

If you already follow the Denizen then you will know, some of the best doughnuts in our fair city can be found at Grownup Donuts. As the name tempts, these doughnuts take the concept of a delicious, round dough cake to its full potential — piped full of original flavours, without being overly sweet. Made fresh daily, with zero additives or preservatives, including for colour and flavour, they are not only decadent but decidedly refined too. 

Naturally, what started as a stall around Auckland markets by Daniel and Annie Black, Grownup Donuts quickly lassoed the interest of lovers of doughnuts and opened three stores in quick succession — out west in Henderson, north in Wairau Valley and central in the city on Anzac Avenue.

With their doughnuts selling out daily, getting to one of these locations has become a kind of sport for doughnut spotters. Their fourth store on Great South Road in Manurewa, fortunately, has added a new pitstop to keep up with the fervid demand. 

One look at the cabinet will make any doughnut run worthwhile. While flavours change each fortnight, you can expect to see the gleaming likes of a Homemade Strawberry Jam with Vanilla Coconut doughnut, or Belgian Choc with Glazed Boston Cream, Creme Brulee and a classic, Vanilla Bean Cream Custard. Not to mention a variety of vegan options too. 

Available to take away as a single precious ring, or in multiples from four to up to 100 (yes, you read that right) it’s worth securing a box to be shared with all your significant others. While we are sure they won’t last long once you show off your score, the freshness of these doughnuts means they are best devoured on the day of.

Opening hours:
Wednesday to Sunday: 10am — 8pm
(Unless sold out prior)

Grownup Donuts Manurewa
185 Great South Road
Manurewa, Auckland

www.grownupdonuts.nz

Gastronomy

Heading south soon? The Barrel Room is Ayrburn’s exquisite new subterranean bar & event space that should be on your radar
Escaping the city for the long weekend? We round up the best eateries up and down the country
The wait is over — we present Denizen’s definitive guide to the best hot cross buns for Easter 2024
Onda bed by Paolo Piva for Poliform from Studio Italia

Embrace the joy of sleeping, and wake up in the right style of bed with our picks of the best

Ensure your bed is as restful on the eye as it is for your slumber by choosing known, unifying shapes. Poliform’s Onda bed is based on a simple curved line, a whole that acts as a base and headboard. The Desdemone bed by Nada Nasrallah and Christian Horner is inspired by a shell found on the beach, while the covers for the Tufty-Bed are divided into a series of squares, like a languid Chesterfield sofa. Whatever your style, beds with in-built, upholstered headboards create a sense of continuity and comfort.

Tufty-Bed by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia from Matisse
Tatlin-Soft bed by Rodolfo Dordoni for Minotti from ECC
Dorothy Bed by Opera Contemporary from Sarsfield Brooke
Desdemone bed by Nada Nasrallah and Christian Horner from Ligne Roset
Fenton bed from Tim Webber Design
Jack bed by Jean Marie Massaud for Poltrona Frau from Studio Italia

Design

Matisse unveils an exquisite new flagship showroom, home to some of the most renowned design brands in the world
Porsche Presents: The Drive with Sarcha Every & Leanne Crozier 
Warm up your space for the season ahead with the tactile, Supertexture collection from The Rug Company

The Living Room at Park Hyatt Auckland launches a veritable vegan afternoon tea experience

It’s widely believed that afternoon tea began as a parlour fancy around 1840, when Anna Russell, the Duchess of Bedford, wanted something to fill that ‘sinking feeling’ she had during the yawning afternoon. She requested light food and a pot of tea (usually Darjeeling) to be brought to her private quarters so often, she began inviting a few friends to join her. The Queen took note, and it was soon a must-attend social event on the Victorian calendar — gradually evolving to include more elaborate fare such as finger sandwiches and scones with clotted cream.

Purveyor of all things delightful and sweet, The Living Room at Park Hyatt Auckland is progressing the historic court tradition even further with a five-course, vegan afternoon tea brought to life by Executive Pastry Chef Callum Liddicoat, together with Chef de Cuisine Andreas Pfyl.

Taking the change of season as inspiration, late strawberries keep a roasted carrot and almond petit gateaux company, as well as a mini crisp apple verrine. The scones are served with a smooth coconut yoghurt and, for a well-rounded offering, the savoury dishes include beetroot tartare and polenta with kumara. 

The small bites are full of flavour and texture — something we’re sure would wow even the most discerning duchess as she overlooks the water at the Park Hyatt’s Living Room, where the vegan afternoon tea is served.

Afternoon tea reservations are available Wednesday to Sunday, from 12pm to 4pm. Bookings can be made here.

Gastronomy

Heading south soon? The Barrel Room is Ayrburn’s exquisite new subterranean bar & event space that should be on your radar
Escaping the city for the long weekend? We round up the best eateries up and down the country
The wait is over — we present Denizen’s definitive guide to the best hot cross buns for Easter 2024
Photo: Grant Matthews © Netflix Inc

In celebration of Jane Campion’s record breaking Academy Award win, we get a deep insight into her cinematic process

Jane Campion is enjoying this moment. After winning the Silver Lion for directing at Venice for The Power of the Dog, her triumphant return to feature films after 13 years, and soaking up the New York Film Festival applause at Alice Tully Hall, the director settles into a soft sofa at Netflix’s   after-party at Tavern on the Green. She had taken a detour from moviemaking to create eight episodes of Sundance TV’s lauded series Top of the Lake (2013-2017), which starred Elisabeth Moss and Holly Hunter, back home in New Zealand. Campion smiles as she tells me about the fun she’s having creating marketing materials for The Power of the Dog with Netflix, which won the hardboiled 1920s Western in a bidding war at Cannes 2019, before production began in January 2020 in remote Central Otago, New Zealand.

As with many of Campion’s films, the director seeks out ways to reveal the hidden depths of the human psyche, to pinpoint emotions in subtle and nuanced ways, whether it’s the toxic toll of keeping a secret (The Power of the Dog), exuberant sexuality (Hunter and Harvey Keitel in The Piano), or passionate first love (Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw in Bright Star). Even as she basks in recent accolades, it’s hard to recall that Campion has often struggled to find support for indie films like the John Keats romance Bright Star, which failed at the box office but inspired admiration from the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Sam Mendes, or misunderstood Meg Ryan vehicle In the Cut, which is being re-examined for its #MeToo themes. Campion took the television detour partly because moviemaking — at least, the uncompromised bravura sort that Campion favors — had become too damn hard.

Which is why the director, now a robust 67, wasn’t messing around when she committed to The Power of the Dog. Having written and directed seven features over two decades, from Sweetie in 1989 through Bright Star in 2009 — winning the 1993 Palme d’Or for The Piano as well as the Oscar for Original Screenplay and the second-ever directing Oscar nomination for a woman — the auteur made sure she did everything she could to ensure success for her eighth film. On the 3rd of December, it took home Best Director and Best Actor for Benedict Cumberbatch from the New York Film Critics Circle, two wins that could repeat on Oscar night, as well as Best Supporting Actor for Kodi Smit-McPhee. Here’s how she did it.

Jane Campion at the 74th Annual DGA Awards (left) and the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards (right) wearing Christian Dior Haute Couture.

Nail down the right project.
Campion chased down Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel, which producers optioned at least five times but never made. Both Paul Newman and Gerard Depardieu were eager to play Savage’s twisted creation Phil Burbank, who as embodied by Cumberbatch, will be remembered vividly for years to come. Campion managed to convince Canadian producer Roger Frappier, who had already acquired the rights, to go with her instead of someone else. “It’s sort of a post-western, like a ranch story,” she told me in Telluride. “Nobody’s got a gun.”

Find strong producers.
The director brought on Top of the Lake producers Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See-Saw Films (Oscar-winning The King’s Speech), as well as British producer Tanya Seghatchian (The Crown), who first helped Campion to finance Bright Star in the UK. BBC Films supported initial development as Campion and Seghatchian brainstormed for 10 days in a London hotel, laying post-it notes on a huge French oak kitchen table until they had broken down Savage’s saga into a streamlined structure for a two-hour movie.

“The truth about Jane and her films is that she is, without a doubt, a pioneer,” said Seghatchian on the phone. “She has invariably been ahead in an industry not ready to go to those corners. For the first time, she embraced a male story driven by a male lead. That kind of energy historically she put into finding a space for the unheard female voice. She’s the master of desire and yearning.”

Jane Campion and Benedict Cumberbatch on the set of ‘The Power of the Dog’. Photo: Kirsty Griffin © Netflix Inc

Execute a precise, detailed script. 
As she prepped the script, Campion consulted with Brokeback Mountain author Annie Proulx, who wrote the afterword to Savage’s book and confirmed the director’s take on Burbank’s sexuality. “The book is more sly about [Phil’s] gayness,” said Campion. “But because there were all the muscle-man magazines and Bronco Henry, it’s pretty obvious. The decision was when to reveal it. Would we have any images of Bronco Henry? He’s a powerful ghost. One of the rules I made was no flashbacks. We would move chronologically. It gives the audience a sense of security, what they can get to know and what they can’t. Flashbacks too easily explain things. They cause a relationship with reality I just don’t believe in. Things are always more complicated.”

Campion’s screenplay starts at the pivotal moment of change in the relationship between brother Montana ranchers Phil and George Burbank (Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons), when submissive George defies his brother’s control and marries widow Rose (Kirsten Dunst). “We weren’t needing loads of back story,” said Seghatchian. “We base it on the relationship between four central characters who do figure eights.” Thus the pairings of Phil and George, Peter [Kodi Smit-McPhee], and his mother Rose, Rose and Phil, and Phil and Peter, “unfold like a dance, where the relationships of the four central players weave around one another.”

If Phil reveals his wounds as he reacts to George’s unexpected defection by cruelly undermining Rose (driving her to drink), so is enigmatic Peter tougher than his slim effeminacy might suggest. “It is a David and Goliath story,” said Campion. “Both of them are gay, actually.”

Take the scene when Peter walks in his giant-brimmed cowboy hat past a line of hooting cowboys — and then walks back again. Is he being provocative? “That scene haunted me because it is so brilliant [in the novel],” said Campion. “There was a change. And Phil called him over. It’s more to do with his courage, and his cool about, OK, being called out as a ‘faggot.’ And Phil knows who he is. And the boy’s handling it and he’s walking straight back down, not around or anything else. Phil’s impressed.”

Cast against type. 
Campion also committed to telling the story mainly through Phil’s perspective. She needed an actor who could carry the scenes when Phil takes off his grubby cowboy gear and finds solace swimming alone, lying on the grass in his grotto, drawing a soft scarf across his bare chest. “She cast somebody who could be vulnerable in that sacred place,” said Seghatchian, “and open up and allow the memory of Bronco Henry to feel real. She made the decision not to show Bronco Henry on screen. It had to be somebody who could hold that close in their head and allow us to have access. The capacity to love was part of who Phil is. In terms of Benedict’s capacity to act, she knew he could do the technical challenges of being an American cowboy.”

Cumberbatch’s sensitivity in the 2012 BBC drama Parade’s End caught Campion’s attention. “I’m pretty sure a lot of men can do the outer gruff stuff,” she said. “But can they go to the other place? The thing I love about Phil is he’s a lover. He takes risks for it. That he falls in a way for Peter or has love in his heart is one reason why you can handle his character, as he is stretching into something else.”

Campion made some key movie adds: Phil’s shrine to Bronco Henry and scarf, virtuosic banjo and whistle, and constant cigarette puffing. (Cumberbatch succumbed three times to nicotine poisoning.) The actor dug into intense three-week cowboy boot camp, from horse-riding and rope-throwing to castrating bulls, and stayed in character on set, keeping away from Dunst and Smit-McPhee. “Phil is an educated soul,” said producer Iain Canning in an interview. “Masculinity in its toxic form is his prison. It’s the complicated legacy of the masquerade of what masculinity is meant to be.”

And Cumberbatch submitted to wearing cowboy jumpers, chaps, and cowboy woolies. “Sexy,” said Campion. “It’s about his presentation of himself as a man and the exhaustion of that. Because it’s difficult for men, especially if you have a secret. The secret is that he loves men. Or in particular, Bronco Henry. We’re dangling the charismatic aggressive masculine identity and deconstructing that.”

Jane Campion on the set of ‘The Power of the Dog’. Photo: Kirsty Griffin © Netflix Inc

Fight for time.
The producers knew Campion was making an expensive movie because she demanded enough time to execute well. Shooting in Montana would have been much more costly. When Campion spotted the shape of a dog in the Home Hills in Central Otago, “she knew that would be able to be the home for her and the movie,” said producer Emile Sherman.

It had a “mythic, epic feeling about it,” she said. The director insisted on leaving some wriggle room for weather and mistakes, even losing Elisabeth Moss to another start date because it wasn’t worth sacrificing her own schedule. “It’s really important to her that she never feels like she’s rushing through a show,” said Sherman. “She wants to feel like she has the time to get the performances. She’s an immersive director, she likes to bring the cast and crew into the experience of the characters and the time, to sit within the landscape.” Campion even had Dunst and Thomasin McKenzie scrub the floors with period brushes.

Cinematographer Ari Wegner (Lady Macbeth), who had shot a commercial with Campion, came on for a year ahead of the movie, willing to give up other gigs to devote herself to prepping for Campion’s demanding shoot. The two women storyboarded the movie, figuring out every lens to capture both the breadth of the landscape and character intimacy.

The final movie came in — with Netflix absorbing the extra costs of COVID safety protocols when they returned to production after lockdown, between $USD35-39 million.

Jane Campion and Benedict Cumberbatch on the set of ‘The Power of the Dog’. Photo: Kirsty Griffin © Netflix Inc

Listen to her collaborators.
Surrounding herself with smart voices is the Campion way. “She’s very generous in the creative space,” said Seghatchian. “She’s strong enough to know what she wants and able to allow another voice to prod, question, engage, offer opinions and not be distracted by it, use the dialogue in a creative and open way, and make it fun and creative.”

Cumberbatch was able to engage in spirited give-and-take with Campion. “She’s an exceptional human being and an extraordinary talent because she also has a vulnerability,” he said at Telluride, “which is human, and as an artist, which leaves her open to collaborate. And she takes you to places that you can only dream of. And to go on this dark psychological journey playing Phil was just a lifetime’s highlight.”

Even though Campion meticulously planned the shooting script, bleak New Zealand locations, and complex camera moves, the director was open to changes on set. “She sees it 360 as writer and director and responds to the moments, choices, and compromises,” said Seghatchian. “She’s not dogmatic or instructive. Jane and the crew made the space real, which meant creating everything from scratch.”

Campion wooed back her An Angel at My Table production designer Grant Major (Oscar-winner for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), who took on the Herculean task of building, in just a few months, the elaborate two-story Burbank ranch house, barn and stockyards on the vast wind-swept, snowy plain in time for the start of the January shoot when the grasses would burn gold. At one point, 130 carpenters were hammering away. (Detailed soundstage interiors came later, seamlessly united with exteriors via Jay Hawkins’ VFX.) “It was one of the coolest sets I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Dunst. “The house was rich with real wood, and everyone was constantly painting it.”

When Major asked where the title came from, Campion dug into Psalm 22:20: “Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.” It’s about Jesus on the cross when he’s dying. “The atmosphere is full of guts and anguish, and blood and suffering,” she said. “And in a way, sexuality is like human suffering. As the title stands, it’s a kind of warning. The power of the dog is all those deep uncontrollable urges that come and destroy us, you know?”

Jonny Greenwood was always on Campion’s mind. She got to know him while he was a composer in residence in Australia and brought him on early to send her ideas. She encouraged him to go with his instincts on using the lonely aching rough sounds of plucked strings and an atonally tuned mechanical piano.

Even during the editing process, as notes came in from Netflix about clarifying key plot points, Campion would consider them and within a few days get back with fixes and workarounds. But she stuck to her guns on the ending. Even though she filmed a clear explanation of the shocking denouement, which comes as a surprise to most viewers who then try to retrace the steps laid out in the film, Campion decided not to use it. “We didn’t need it,” she said. “The audience felt the rules. They go with you. It’s a slow burn.”

Culture

While away the weekend with one of these captivating new TV series to watch now
We speak to New York-based New Zealand artist Natasha Wright for the cover story of our beautiful new autumn issue
World-class dining, convivial bars, luxury hotels, and waterfront views collide at Viaduct Harbour — the only place you need to be this weekend
The 47th-floor penthouse at Seascape, custom-designed by Y6 Interiors.
The 47th-floor penthouse at Seascape, custom-designed by Y6 Interiors.
The 47th-floor penthouse at Seascape, custom-designed by Y6 Interiors.

How Seascape’s impending penthouse apartments will offer a new level of personalised luxury

Here in New Zealand, a connection to the elements is an essential part of the everyday for many, intrinsically tied to our national psyche. Even in our biggest city, we’re used to space, expansiveness and the peace that arrives with taking a moment to breathe in our clean, clear air. We are envied globally for our best-of-both-worlds lifestyle — and this is about to be taken to a whole new level with the imminent arrival of luxury high-rise apartment development Seascape. 

Set to be the tallest residential building in the country when it is completed, the soaring presence of this Peddlethorp-designed, Shundi Group-developed project stakes its place on Customs Street East, mere strides from the bright lights of Britomart and all the inner-city has to offer. Owing to its unparalleled height, not only will Seascape’s residents be in the midst of the action, they’ll also be able to enjoy that much-desired sense of space thanks to breathtaking views across the Waitematā Harbour and to the Hauraki Gulf beyond.

This sense of luxurious amplitude is to be at its peak within Seascape’s penthouses, the composition of which will not only be finished to an exquisite standard, but will be entirely unique inside — each one able to be customised to the specifications of the purchaser’s tastes and requirements.

There are five penthouses in total, which will take up a whole floor each — plus the master penthouse, which will sprawl sumptuously across the top two floors. UV-treated, ultra-clear, floor-to-ceiling glass is to offer a breathtaking outlook from over 130-metres in the air, supported by the innovative lattice mega-brace.

Inspired by New Zealand’s dialogue between land and sea, one that Seascape takes its name from and will bear witness to from on high, this particular penthouse pictured (on level 47) has had each element customised by Y6 Interiors to form a meticulously considered narrative. It is a completely one-off design, emotively textured and harmoniously realised.

On stepping into this penthouse’s entryway, richly dark-hued timber panelling will create a cocooning space to give an immediate feeling of comfort — and beckon the eyes towards the light shining from the dining area’s sweeping windows.

Open plan dining, kitchen and living areas will embrace almost 270-degree views of Auckland Harbour and Rangitoto and, in contrast to the intimate entrance, a lightness will be infused throughout, which mirrors the coastal environs. Features like a showstopping marble kitchen island will create textured liveability, while layers of materiality are designed in collaboration with local makers like Monmouth Glass Studio and Wilson & Dorset. Y6 Interiors has sourced elegant yet inviting furnishings exclusively for this project, from the likes of Simon James, Minotti and Amura.

While all four bedrooms will have ensuites, the master bathroom is to be a veritable haven of underfloor-heated, spa-like serenity — glimmering green marble, volcanic stone and organic lines will juxtapose Seascape’s linear structure. The rainwater shower is to be especially unforgettable, purposefully placed on the building’s perimeter so residents will almost feel as though they are showering outdoors (minus any prying eyes, thanks to the building’s height). 

Wrapping around the penthouses will be extensive, 270-degree enclosable balconies, the real pièce de résistance of this lofty structure. Imagine hosting dinner parties, overlooking the glimmering lights of Auckland city at dusk, or simply taking in the horizon whenever you wish. 

It’s not just within the penthouses that a feeling of personalised luxury will permeate — from the moment residents step through Seascape’s ground-floor doors, the highly polished standard will be evident. A stunning, grand lobby will feature an abundance of smooth marble tiling and glistening accents. Residents-only amenities are to include a pool and fitness facilities, and an expansive podium terrace complete with in-built seating and verdant planting, which is sure to be a hub for rubbing shoulders (should you wish) with your equally tastemaking neighbours.

They’re not making any more land, or so the age-old sentiment goes, but Seascape doesn’t have any issues with space as it stakes its place in the sky.

www.seascapeauckland.co.nz 
www.y6.co.nz

Design

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Warm up your space for the season ahead with the tactile, Supertexture collection from The Rug Company

This destination bakery is well worth seeking out for its delicious pies, breakfast sandwiches and more

Bakeries are a dime a dozen, but finding a truly mouthwatering bread in your local neighbourhood is more of a challenge. With the addition of Rollers Bakery, the people of Northcote (and across the city, really), can enjoy sumptuous baked goods throughout the week thanks to a few local friends who wanted to set up shop in their old stomping ground.

Tamara Tait, Judah McDonald and Laurence Woodhouse have spent nearly two decades in the hospitality industry, but Rollers is their first foray into baking a space of their own. The idea began over a few drinks at The Beer Spot — now the bakery’s next-door neighbour — and throughout last year’s lockdown it finally became reality. Rollers is the perfect blend of Tait’s barista experience, McDonald’s time spent as a chef and Woodhouse’s 19 years baking both on the Shore and over in London.

You might have caught a taste of the bakery’s pies making the rounds on social media. With a perfectly flaky and buttery crust, and every filling imaginable, these are the pies that dreams are made of. Everything is baked in-house thanks to the trio; having built the bakery from scratch, there’s nothing they can’t do. And that’s what sets them apart — Rollers offers the whole experience. Working with Ozone coffee for the perfect morning pick-me-up, this Northcote bakery redefines the ‘tradie breakfast’.

Their pies don’t discriminate either; there are plenty of options for plant-based lovers. With a vegetarian coconut curry and a veggie bake being some of the most delicious flavours, you can still treat yourself on meat-free Mondays. But the crowd favourite? That’s the steak and cheese pie, made with only the best quality ingredients.

For those craving something sweeter, the doughnuts have been flying out the door. “When people say they remind them of their childhood it’s a pretty cool buzz,” says McDonald.

Rollers opened its doors early last month, but with isolation periods and the current chaos, the team had to take an early break. On Wednesday this week, they re-opened their doors, ready to serve the crowds of the Shore once more. And while opening in a pandemic does come with its own stresses, it’s given the team time to ‘iron out the creases’ and keep it small and simple in this constantly-changing realm, giving them room to grow.

Since opening, they’ve had endless support from the community, with a crowd lining up out the door on the first day. Although the trio have spent years in the industry, they say it makes the 3am starts all the more worth it.

Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday: 6am — 3pm

Rollers Bakery
54 Northcote Road,
Northcote, Auckland

Gastronomy

Heading south soon? The Barrel Room is Ayrburn’s exquisite new subterranean bar & event space that should be on your radar
Escaping the city for the long weekend? We round up the best eateries up and down the country
The wait is over — we present Denizen’s definitive guide to the best hot cross buns for Easter 2024

In a league of its own, this collaboration between Aesop and Rick Owens should be on your wishlist

In a union that has been aptly described as ‘health goth’, two of the coolest creators in their respective industries have come together for a collaboration promising to leave you feeling serene and sultry, all in a moment of self-care.

Aesop has enlisted the help of design deity Rick Owens for this latest capsule that includes a very limited run of an Aromatique Candle and a Travel Kit featuring a selection of body and hair care products, a jersey wrap, and the specially created Stoic Eau de Toilette with accompanying ceramic beads.

Travel Kit.

These have been designed to reflect Owens’ appreciation and admiration for the brand, bringing together his favoured products — Coriander Seed Body Cleanser, Resolute Hydrating Body Balm, Classic Shampoo and Classic Conditioner.

Stoic Eau de Toilette, a new fragrance, arrives in the space between the two brands. Spicy aromas of Black Pepper and Coriander Seed reflect the radicality of Rick Owens, while Frankincense and woody notes speak to the Aesop story.

Aromatique Candle.

But where the two brands truly converge is in the Aromatique Candle, which pays homage to Owens’ gothic-inspired aesthetic, in a stone that is reminiscent of architecture on its own. Following the same design principles as Owens’s furniture collection — blending of the futuristic and the ancient — the ceramic vessels make the most perfect addition to any mantlepiece.

Both built on a desire for serenity, a dedication to simplicity and an appreciation of considerate, nonconformist design, the synergy between Aesop and Rick Owens is the perfect harmony we’ve only been wishing for.

This collaboration is exclusively stocked on aesop.com and at Aesop Auckland City from Friday 25th March.

Wellbeing

Give your pout a high shine finish with this edit of the best lip oils to shop now
This month-long deal is the only excuse you need to book a tranquil treatment at Sofitel Spa right now
Auckland’s newest reformer studio offers group classes, private sessions, and the perfect place to practice
Tuna and jalapeño Tostadas from Azabu Mission Bay

My Year of Magical Eating: Our editor-in-chief gives some valid justification as to why children should never be an excuse for staying at home

In this regular new column, our Editor-in-chief embraces her long-held passion for food, sharing the unexpected, fascinating and delicious experiences from restaurants, bars, pops-up and cheap and cheerful spots all across the country.

My family and I have been dining at Azabu since it first opened its doors in Ponsonby in 2016. During the winter months, it is our Sunday evening go-to, but on a hot and steamy summer Thursday, we instead opt to head to the beach to take in the salt air, have a swim and then retire to our old faithful, Azabu — Mission Bay style. The open air courtyard is just perfect for when you’re dining with children. It’s the ultimate family dining experience. There’s something comforting about the consistently exceptional food served at Azabu, which is probably why we — along with the majority of food fanatics in Auckland — return to it week after week.

Must order: No visit to Azabu is complete without a few rounds of Tostadas; whether with lobster, tuna and jalapeño or seared beef and truffle, these are the real deal.

Hot tip: I challenge you to find a better kids dinner in town. The bento box is filled with every child’s dinner dreams; fried chicken, salmon avocado sushi, dumplings, fried rice… If your child doesn’t devour this, you’re doing something seriously wrong.

Siso is to Remuera what Andiamo is to Herne Bay; a beloved local where the food is consistently good, the interior is warm and inviting, and everyone seems to know your name. And despite the fact that we actually live in Herne Bay and should not know anyone here, having children that go to schools in the area means we definitely have a new place to call our local in the Eastern suburbs. Embracing a Mediterranean vibe with a strong emphasis on Greek food, Siso’s menu is so delicious, we find it hard to get beyond all of the tasty baked pita, dips and small plates such as market fish crudo with pickled chilli, cucumber and crème fraîche; spinach pie with goat feta and filo pastry; local octopus in a puttanesca-style sauce. You get the jist — Siso is a one-way ticket for your tastebuds to the shores of Mykonos, and let’s be honest, it’s probably the closest we’ll get to the real thing for a while. 

Hot tip: The private dining room is perfect for a gathering of friends and family. Unlike many private rooms, you’re still connected to the main restaurant and can enjoy the people watching (or the people watching you), while still remaining connected to your group.

There’s an unspoken battle going on in the kitchens of the city’s top bakeries, and that’s the tenuous question of who in fact creates the best sourdough. While most of you thought you had perfected the best loaf during lockdown — lord knows you’ve had two years to master the art and idiosyncrasies of keeping your starter alive and demanding that it produce the perfect fluffy bread — I would be VERY surprised if you have managed to actually get anywhere close to the superb Sprouted Wheat Sourdough from Amano. It’s crusty on the outside with a soft ever-so-slightly chewy centre. There is simply no better sourdough in town in my opinion. So throw the towel in honey, there’s seriously no point when there’s this level of superiority on offer. The Kraus’ have ours on Sunday mornings at home, served with avocado and tomato — or with another firm family favourite, fresh hot smoked salmon from the Kotare Smokehouse in Westmere.

Hot tip: Sprouted wheat makes for a more complex and highly textured loaf, that stands up well to just about any topping and toasts like a dream.

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After more than two years of renovations, Dior finally re-opens the doors its iconic 30 Montaigne address

It’s been a lifetime since we’ve visited Paris. It’s a city that epitomises romantic indulgence; sipping wine by the Seine, eating pastries for breakfast and watching the Eiffel Tower twinkle in the night sky. And then there’s the luxury fashion houses, the homes of couture, where we could happily spend our days.

Perfectly aligned with the re-opening of our borders, the iconic realm of Christian Dior, 30 Montaigne, has re-opened its doors after more than two years of renovations, and no detail has been overlooked.

But 30 Montaigne is more than just an address; it has been said that the space was one of the designer’s greatest loves. It is a place that has seen the maison’s collections come to life for more than 75 years, becoming an emblem of Parisian elegance and haute couture in its own right. “It had to be 30 Avenue Montaigne — I would set myself up and nowhere else!” Christian Dior himself famously said.

And while many original elements of this iconic location remain, the space has undergone a metamorphosis, offering a realm of possibilities to the clientele who shop there. Dior himself described the building as a “refuge of the marvellous”, and it now exists as a space that honours the heritage of the brand, while pushing it into the future.

The architectural tour-de-force was orchestrated by Peter Marino and is home to a dazzling boutique housing the latest ready-to-wear and accessories, an alcove entirely dedicated to beauty, fragrances and wellbeing and three gardens created by landscape designer Peter Wirtz.

30 Montaigne goes on to introduce the exhibition space La Galerie Dior, a tribute to Christian Dior’s first vocation as a gallery owner, and the Monsieur Dior restaurant and Dior pâtisserie, guided by French chef Jean Imbert. Not least of all, La Suite Dior is a quintessential Parisian ‘private apartment’ inside the store that offers guests personal shoppers and other perks — including the keys of 30 Montaigne for the most memorable of nights, where dreams really do come true.

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