4 cultural happenings you need to be aware of going into this week

It is inevitable that, at some point during the forthcoming five days, you will find yourself in a situation where conversation runs dry and you are forced to think on your feet in order to ensure that the quiet moment doesn’t spiral into awkward and uncomfortable territory. As such, it pays to arm yourself with a small but interesting mental list of recent cultural happenings and newsworthy moments. Not merely keeping dialogue flowing freely but also ensuring that you look cultured, knowledgable and most definitely ‘with the times’, the following four topical conversation starters are sure to get the ball rolling.

Taika Waititi is set to direct a new series
…and it will be starring English actor Jude Law, no less. The Auteur is a new horror-comedy series that is based on the graphic novel of the same name. The storyline follows a film producer who, desperate to make a great horror movie after a massive bomb, accidentally traps his production on a backlot with a serial killer… being executive produced by Waititi, we can no doubt expect much of his renowned, biting satire laced throughout.

Jacinda Ardern will appear on the cover of Time Magazine
Jacinda Ardern will grace the International cover of Time magazine, marking almost one year since the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Last Friday the magazine unveiled a preview of the cover, showing Ardern — wearing a seasons-old, understated silk top by local label Ingrid Starnes — alongside the subhead “know us by our deeds.” The story, written by Australian journalist Belinda Luscombe, focuses on the attacks and the Prime Minister’s responses during the aftermath.

Friends is returning
It’s been sixteen years since television’s most iconic programme debuted its final episode, The Last One, and now Friends is due to return to our screens — as early as this coming May. The one-off special will be hosted on HBO, and will see the whole crew — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer — reunite for the big moment.

The Thunberg family are releasing a book
If there’s anything that we can take away from the Thunberg family’s latest project, it’s that 17-year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg has had quite the transformation. In the book, entitled Our House is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis, Greta’s mother Malena Ernman tells how her eldest daughter journeyed from a near-mute, 11-year-old into one of the world’s most powerful voices. The book will be released on the 5th March, and is available for preorder here.

Culture

How to: Secure a Table
Why Denizen supports B416 in banning under-16s from social media
Spanning travel, art, and design, these coffee table tomes are seriously worth poring over

Spanning music, art and design, these coffee table books are seriously worth poring over

It’s no secret that we have a penchant for the carefully-curated coffee table book, and are constantly on the lookout for an elegant, intriguing tome to add to our ever-expanding collections. Really, we should be investing in more coffee tables. Nevertheless, here is our top five from the current new releases.

Zaha Hadid: The Complete Works 
by Zaha Hadid
The life and work of Zaha Hadid, whose revolutionary architecture took in everything from Olympic venues to an astounding world-class airport, fills this aspirational coffee table collection of photographs, in-depth texts and a variety of Hadid’s very own drawings. Each page in the beautifully updated monograph is worthy of study and admiration.

Woodblock Wonders 
by Andreas Marks
The weird and wonderful Japanese woodblock print is a phenomenon with no Western equivalent. Sex workers in shop windows are placed alongside samurai swordsmen, kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers, and set against breathtaking landscapes. This XXL edition allows us a glimpse into the marvels of this little-known art, by showcasing 200 of the most beguiling prints — ranging from the 17th Century ukiyo-e Japanese art movement, through to present-day oeuvres.

Peter Saul: Crime and Punishment
by Peter Saul 
Painter Peter Saul is one of America’s most bold and brilliant painters. His tongue-in-cheek, colour-drenched, political pop art is known and admired the world over. The soon-to-be-released Crime and Punishment, a glorious coffee table book that reproduces sixty-five of the satirical works recently featured in his acclaimed exhibition at The New Museum, cries out for multiple coffees and many hours to pore over its exquisite pages. The book also includes work from a number of other artists, and accompanying text from Saul himself.

Window To The World
by David Hockney
Window to the World invites the browser into the creative mind of one of Britain’s most influential artists, English painter David Hockney. Impressively, each page showcases a creation crafted by Hockney using only an iPhone or an iPad. While this fascinates, the true allure of the book lies within the content: 120 Hockney drawings, each one inspired by the view from a favourite window of his Yorkshire retreat. Along with his prodigious talent on display here, this tome offers a beautiful depiction of England’s contrasting seasons.

Before Easter After
By Patti Smith and Lynn Goldsmith
For anyone who longs to learn about the artistic life and original works of legendary Godmother of Punk Patti Smith (that is: everyone, surely?), then Before Easter After will bring some serious coffee table delight. The slipcased book, with its hundreds of previously unseen photographs all taken by longtime friend, and famed rock and roll photographer, Lynn Goldsmith, includes text by Smith. As always, her writing is rich with the trademark Patti Smith originality and word mastery.

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Spanning travel, art, and design, these coffee table tomes are seriously worth poring over
The History Of The 90s

5 podcasts that the Denizen office are listening to right now

Like most offices, that of the Denizen comprises a varied bunch of personalities. As a consequence, a vast range of material is brought to the table when it comes to discussions on the quality TV, film and podcasts we’re investing our time in. From lighthearted pop-culture to engrossing conspiracy, these five podcasts are what the Denizen team are tuning into right now.

After Work Drinks
What: Culture
After Work Drinks is essentially just two best friends — journalists Isabelle Truman and Grace O’Neill — shooting the breeze over Friday Night Drinks, and that’s exactly why we’re all for it. With a no holds barred approach the comedic duo discuss everything pop culture, news and entertainment. New episodes, for example, cover the likes of the Harvey Weinstein saga and an unknown dating show that might just be the next ‘Love Island.’ Lovers of The High-Low, this one is for you.

White Silence
What: Documentary
This new podcast from Stuff and RNZ explores the shocking story of New Zealand’s deadliest disaster and is perfect for anyone who loves a gripping conspiracy theory. In 1979, an Air New Zealand jet with 257 passengers on board took off from Auckland Airport, destined for Antarctica. Hours later, everyone was dead. With lies and cover-ups in abundance, White Lies will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about the infamous Mount Erebus disaster.

The 27 Club
What: Music
Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and many more musical icons lost their lives at 27, contributing to what has since become known as the infamous ’27 Club’. This podcast delves into the lives of each and dishes all to the listener via top-notch storytelling, ticking off every wild story and then some.

The Catch and Kill Podcast with Ronan Farrow
What: Culture
Pulitzer-Prize winning Journalist Ronan Farrow’s book Catch and Kill recounts the many challenges he faced while chasing the horrific stories of Harvey Weinstein. Now, his podcast of the same name is here to give us even more of an insight. Each episode is built around an interview with a subject from the book, all of which are direct and frank, and combined with the hours of audio he recorded during the initial investigation.

History of the 90s
What: History
Whether its discussing legendary film Scream and how it gave new life to the horror genre, talking over the details from the Columbine High School Shootings, exploring the rise and fall of the beloved Beanie Baby toy franchise or delving into our collective devotion to TV series Friends, this podcast has you travelling back in time through the stories that defined a decade.

Culture

How to: Secure a Table
Why Denizen supports B416 in banning under-16s from social media
Spanning travel, art, and design, these coffee table tomes are seriously worth poring over

Skin feeling parched? These four, extra-nourishing body creams deliver hydration in spades

If your dry skin is yearning for moisture and hydration, a basic body lotion just won’t cut it — to truly achieve softer, silkier skin it pays to invest in something a little more hard-hitting. From an offering from cult beauty brand Augustinus Bader to an über luxurious La Mer iteration, the following four are the crème de la crème of the beauty world.

Augustinus Bader: Body Cream
Arguably the most googled name in skincare, Augustinus Bader has truly given new meaning to the term cult beauty. Suffice to say, when news broke that the Professor was launching a new product this year, attention was piqued. Harnessing the same Trigger Factor Complex as the applauded The Cream, this new product will offer avid fans rewarding skin rejuvenating benefits from the neck down.

Costa Brazil: Body Cream
The Body Cream by Costa Brazil, a brand from former Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa, only contains around 10 to 20 percent water, and so is brimming with an impressive array of undiluted active ingredients, including Vitamins A, B3, C and E and omegas 3, 6, 9. It is also aloe leaf juice-based, meaning that it packs a seriously hydrating punch. Vegan, cruelty-free and made with responsibly sourced ingredients, this is one moisturiser that deserves pride of place in the beauty cupboard.

Augustinus Bader, La Mer, Dr Barbara Sturm, Costa Brazil

La Mer: The Body Crème
It’s luxuriously thick and whipped for optimum silkiness, but the real magic with La Mer’s The Body Crème lies with its ingredient list. Combining the brand’s famous Miracle Broth, which harnesses the profound healing properties of a particular kind of sea kelp, alongside rare blue algae, La Mer has ensured that its body cream formula is intensely repairing and especially hydrating — upon using, skin feels instantly saturated, cushioned and smoothed.

Dr Barbara Sturm: Anti-Ageing Body Cream 
Dr Barbara Sturm’s silky body moisturiser is specifically designed to cater to ageing skin, and so is jam-packed with a medley of nutrient-rich oils and hard-working antioxidants. Like purslane, for example, an antioxidant powerhouse that helps calm the skin, or the white almond and elderberry blossom extracts, which have profound skin-tightening abilities. Plus, the lightweight texture means it absorbs quickly and easily, so you can slip right into your clothes after applying.

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This innovative showerhead has us reimagining traditional bathroom design

It is imperative that the bathroom, as one of the most utilised rooms in the home, is practical and functional. But ensuring that practicality remains first and foremost often leads to little care being given to the design. Determined to remind us that aesthetics are just as important as purpose is bathroom fixtures brand Zucchetti.Kos with Closer, its sleek, wall-mounted showerhead.

With the Closer, a creative reimagining of the classic showerhead form has resulted in a silhouette that is reminiscent in aesthetic to that of a sophisticated desk lamp. It is both sophisticated and playful in design, while remaining inherently functional due to a simple three-joint system that ensures multi-directional movement to control and direct the outpouring jet of water. Rendered in smooth matte black chrome, it makes for an undeniably sleek and contemporary addition to any bathroom design.

Available locally from Robertson Bathware, this simple shower room addition is making sure we remember that, sometimes, the devil is all in the detail.

Robertson Bathware

25 Vestey Drive
Mount Wellington
Auckland

www.robertson.co.nz

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By Far, the latest label to land at Workshop, is inciting some serious nostalgia

For those who are wondering, the nostalgia trend isn’t going anywhere fast. Over the past few months, we’ve seen a plethora of esteemed brands pay homage to the cult designs of yesteryear, but there’s one, in particular, that’s long caught our eye — and it’s now more accessible than ever before. New to Workshop‘s impressive repertoire is BY FAR, the Australian-European accessories brand encouraging us to take style cues from the days of old.

Founded by twins Valentina Bezuhanova and Sabina Gyosheva and their best friend Denitsa Bumbarova, By Far is a brand that oozes a very particular kind of ‘cool girl’ style. The creative trio are continuously inspired by the late 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s, and so all of the shoes and bags have been designed with a fun, comfortable and festive aesthetic in mind.

From strappy sandals and circular block heels to the classic baguette bags, the entire range covers a variety of alluring accessories that both feel at once nostalgic and inherently contemporary. Take the Mini Croco bag, for example, which sees a quaint top handle bag crafted from glossy croc-embossed leather, or the Tanya sandal, a barely-there classic that forever remains at the forefront of the fashion scene.

The arrival of By Far to Workshop marks another step forward in our love for all things of the past. Suffice to say, we’ll be sporting its enticing selection of accessories long after future trends have been and gone.

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Quindici Chaise Lounge by Mattiazzi

These are the pieces we’re craving from Simon James’ current sale

The Simon James sale is something that we here at Denizen look forward to with hot anticipation. It is where exquisite homeware and covetable sartorial offerings are found alongside one another, making it possible to update one’s wardrobe and interior space in one fell swoop — and at a fraction of the price we usually would, too. Tomorrow, the sale descends upon Auckland, taking place at both the Upper Queen Street and Herne Bay stores — with up to 70% off a wide scope of selected, desirable items.

Always the go-to for fine home furnishings, it should come as no surprise that we’re already besotted with the medley of homeware that’s on offer. Our favourites include the sleek, wooden Quindici Chaise Lounge by Mattiazzi, Menu’s elegant yet minimalistic Tribeca Franklin Chandelier and the sculptural, handmade range of Petite Pendants from Secto.

Tribeca Franklin Chandelier by Menu, Petite Pendant by Secto

Classic and polished, we’re already envisioning where we would place Menu’s honed brown marble Pepe Mirror in our homes, as are we the captivating cast-iron Spin Candelabra by Tom Dixon. From the enticing fashion line up, we’re particularly taken with the beautiful silk Charlotte Top by Paris Georgia, and the ultra-sophisticated Hartsfield Weekender Tote by Want Les Essentiels.

Pepe Mirror by Menu, Spin Candelabra by Tom Dixon

With such a glorious array of alluring wares on offer, we have strong suspicions that Simon James’ latest sale might just be their best yet. But don’t just take our word for it, we suggest you head to your closest outpost and take a look for yourself.

Design

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5 of the most binge-worthy TV series that you should be watching right now

It’s only February, but we’re already betting that 2020 is the year where television finally meets our lofty expectations. Not only are there now more streaming services than you can shake a remote at, but the current productions are of such calibre that we suspect our collective habit of TV bingeing is only in its infancy. Are you hungry for some prime viewing material? These are the TV shows that we can’t binge enough right now.

The Stranger
What: Netflix’s new nail-biting thriller series opens on a mystery woman revealing a powerful secret to a man about his wife, and delivering a devastating blow to his seemingly perfect life. The eight-parter is brought to life by a plethora of fine British talent, including The Hobbit‘s Richard Armitage as lead character Adam Price, Antman and The Wasp‘s villain Hannah John-Kamen and Ab Fab‘s brilliant Jennifer Saunders.
Where: Netflix

Little America
What: Writers Kumail Nanjiani, Emily Gordon (both of The Big Sick) and Lee Eisenberg (formerly of The Office) have joined forces to create this series inspired by the true stories of immigrants in America. Each episode tells a different tale, from a Nigerian student exploring Oklahoma’s cowboy culture, to a young boy who discovers his parents have been deported.
Where: Apple TV+

Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens
What: Crazy Rich Asians‘ funnywoman and actress, Awkwafina, stars as Nora Lin in this new comedy scripted series. Based on her own beginnings in New York’s Queens, it follows her as she navigates young adulthood in the Big Apple with her whacky family grouping of cousin, dad and grandma.
Where: Sky TV, Comedy Central

The Goop Lab
What: The first episode of this Netflix newcomer kicks things off in Jamaica, where a group of Goop staffers are cross-legged on the floor, ready to use mushrooms to explore psychedelics in a therapeutic setting. A spinoff of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop enterprise, this series of The Goop Lab ventures into “ideas that may seem out-there or too scary” — whether that be vampire facials, psychedelics by the beach, or diving into a frozen lake. One person’s gobbledy-goop may be another person’s treasure. 
Where: Netflix

The Outsider
What: Stephen King’s spooky novel has been adapted for television and, while the novel didn’t exactly make waves, it looks as though the series sure as hell will. Jason Bateman is bloody (in the literal sense) brilliant as Terry Maitland, a man who is suspected of the grisly murder of an eleven-year-old local boy. There is irrefutable evidence that places him both at the scene of the crime, and also 200 miles away at the exact same moment…
Where: Neon

Culture

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Why Denizen supports B416 in banning under-16s from social media
Spanning travel, art, and design, these coffee table tomes are seriously worth poring over

Here’s why Clicquot In The Sun is the best place to soak in all the action at this year’s BMW NZ Polo Open

Elegant, lavish and filled with revelry, the BMW New Zealand Polo Open is widely regarded as the pinnacle event of the summer. The prestigious sporting event is a cause for celebration that is hotly-anticipated by discerning Aucklanders, and this year is set to be no different. In fact, we’re betting that this year is causing more excitement than ever, given that Veuve Clicquot — the renowned brand is now in its ninth year of partnership with the event — is bringing forth a specially curated experience at the Veuve Clicquot Marquee at which tickets are available for purchase for the first time.

Taking place on Saturday 22nd February at the Clevedon grounds, the event — aptly entitled Clicquot In The Sun — will provide a magnificent place to kick back and soak in all the polo action. Festivities will kick off at 11am in the marquee, which, to pay ode to Madame Clicquot, nods to nostalgia and retro-chic. The same elegance will be brought to life via the Veuve Clicquot Portrait Photo call, which will encourage guests to capture their own Clicquot in the Sun moments from the event.

Boasting exceptional views of the best local and international Polo talent alongside live music and a chic and playful atmosphere, it’s fair to say that the Veuve Clicquot Marquee is proffering an unparalleled experience at this year’s BMW NZ Polo Open. So desirable is the event, in fact, that for the very first time Veuve Clicquot is offering strictly limited tickets — so for those who are interested, we suggest you lock your places in now. To purchase tickets at a special Denizen price, click here, and enter DENIZENVCP where prompted.

Clicquot In The Sun will take place at the Veuve Clicquot Polo x BMW NZ Polo event on Saturday 22nd February, at Clevedon in Auckland between 11am and 6pm. Tickets can be purchased at a special Denizen price by entering the DENIZENVCP code.

Culture

How to: Secure a Table
Why Denizen supports B416 in banning under-16s from social media
Spanning travel, art, and design, these coffee table tomes are seriously worth poring over

Shades of olive, emerald and khaki are encouraging us to go green this season

Embrace 50 shades of green this season with the verdant trend putting olive, sage and emerald in the limelight. Whether you regularly don this shade or still need a little convincing, the pieces coming out of some of our favourite brands are putting the idea of green in a whole new light.

Papier wide brim hat from Gucci, Possum cashmere crew neck from Elle + Riley, Keep it together dress from Maggie Marilyn, Bottega Veneta leather ankle boots from Net-a-Porter, Dior Book Tote Animals Embroidered Canvas Bag from Dior, Rotate Nancy snake wrap top from Workshop
Rika Dante pants from Workshop, Mr Leight sunglasses from Parker & Co, Prada cashmere sweater from Net-a-Porter, RTA Harlow trench from Superette, Emerald and diamond halo ring by Sutcliffe, Neverfull MM bag from Louis Vuitton
D ring trench by Paris Georgia, Sylvie 1969 small top handle bag from Gucci, Stella McCartney Esther cut out sneakers from Scarpa, Isadore ivory sunglasses from Karen Walker, Ganni printed crepe blouse from Workshop, Cushion cut green tourmaline earrings from Partridge Jewellers, Lock Me bucket bag from Louis Vuitton

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