Sure, the food on your plate is what it’s all about… But have you ever walked into a restaurant and been lost for words? This new category is all about celebrating two of our great loves; mouthwatering food and really good design. Think of those eateries that people visit just to get the iconic snap; a space that leaves you drooling for more than just the menu. We’ve rounded up some of the best in the city, but we know that taste is subjective (and you’ve got a good eye), so vote for your pick of the best restaurant interiors below. Of course, if there’s a jaw-dropping you think we may have overlooked, be sure to add it in the comment box.
Everybody who votes goes in the draw to win one of three $1000 vouchers to be spent at one of the American Express Local Dining Collection locations — a list of which can befound here.
Voting has now closed. The 2022 Denizen Hospo Heroes presented by American Express will be announced in the Winter issue of Denizen magazine (released on 23rd May, 2022).
The Denizen Hospo Heroes 2022 ‘Best Interiors’ Shortlist:
You don’t have to go green to bring the outdoors-in. If you’re more calmed by cream, style it with organic wooden accents in the realm of walnut and cedar, and complement the warming palette with brass undertones. Then, simply let the light shine in.
Left: Hamptons Home by Athena Calderone. Right: Perkins Home by Maison Trouvaille.
Perkins Home by Maison Trouvaille.
Atkin Home by Maison Trouvaille.
Alfred sofa by Roberto Lazzeroni for Flexform from Studio Italia.
Left to right: Cask XL ottoman by Expormim from ECC, Pebble Weave Wool rug from Nodi Rugs, Morgan accent table by Kelly Hoppen from Frobisher, Mila sconce by Matthew McCormick from ECC.
Boss Executive table by C.R. & S. RIVA1920 from Riva 1920 from Matisse.
Left to right: O Fruit bowl by Hem from Tim Webber, Dip candle holders from Tim Webber, Dama side tables by Poliform from Studio Italia, Cabin dining chair by Timothy Oulton from Dawson & Co.
Easter is already upon us and despite the fact that there are a raft of delicious bun offerings in Auckland (see our exhaustive list here) there is something so comforting about being able to whip up a batch of hot crossies at home.
So, who better to turn to for a foolproof hot cross bun recipe than Liv Glazebrook from @kitchenoftreats? Our go-to for all things sweet and delicious, Liv’s recipes have seen us seriously step up our game in the kitchen — and thank God for that. If you want to impress the extended family this Easter, perhaps this recipe for easy, at-home hot cross buns is just the ticket.
Kitchen of Treats Hot Cross Buns
Makes 12
Ingredients:
For the dough: 1/2 cup lukewarm milk 1/2 cup lukewarm water 1/2 cup brown sugar 4 tsp active dried yeast (don’t forget to check the expiry date!) 75g butter, melted 1 large egg 1 tsp salt 4 cups high grade flour 3 Tbsp mixed spice 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves 1 ½ cups sultanas (or raisins, or apricots or figs or chocolate)
For the crosses: ½ cup flour ½ cup cold water
For the glaze: 1/4 cup sugar 3 Tbsp boiling water
Hand-kneading Method:
1. Measure the warm milk, warm water and one tablespoon of the brown sugar into a large bowl, then sprinkle in the yeast. Stir to ensure yeast dissolves before adding 2 cups of flour. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 30 minutes. 2. In another bowl mix the melted butter and remaining brown sugar, then beat in the egg, salt, spices, and sultanas. Add the risen yeast mixture and the remaining flour and mix to make a dough just firm enough to knead, adding a little extra flour if necessary. 3. Knead with the dough hook of an electric mixer or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes or until the dough forms a soft ball and springs back when lightly pressed. Add the dough back to the mixing bowl, cover and leave in a draft-free place until it’s doubled in size – usually an hour or two – it depends on the temperature of the surroundings, among other things. 4. Divide the dough evenly into four pieces then each of these into 3 or 4 (12 – 16 in total). Shape each piece into a round ball and arrange in a square or rectangular roasting pan (lined with baking paper), leaving about 1cm between each bun. Cover and leave in a warm place until buns double in size and puffed up into ‘proper’ bun size (they don’t rise any more when cooking, like cakes do). 5. To make the crosses, whisk flour and water together until smooth, placing in a piping bag and form crosses on the buns. 6. Bake at 225°C for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. 7. While the buns are baking, whisk the sugar and boiling water in a heatproof bowl until dissolved (microwave on high for 20 seconds to help dissolve the sugar). 8. Brush the syrup on top of the buns as soon as they come out of the oven. 9. Serve warm with lots of butter.
Bread Maker Method:
Measure all ingredients (except fruit) into the bread machine. Set to dough cycle and press start (add fruit when the cycle indicates to do so with a ‘beep’.) When the cycle is complete, shape and bake as per above.
Liv’s Top Tips:
Use High Grade flour (if possible), it has a higher gluten content so works better with the yeast.
Check your yeast hasn’t expired and is still ‘active’
Make sure that your salt is thoroughly mixed into the flour, if salt comes in direct contact with yeast it will reduce its effectiveness
Soaking fruit prior to mixing will prevent the dried fruit taking moisture out of the dough – Cover the dried fruit in a bowl and cover with boiling water (or orange juice that has been warmed on the stove.) Seal/cover and leave for an hour or so. Drain the fruit in a sieve before using.
Be patient and let your dough rise in a warm, draft free spot until it has doubled in size. Let it rise again after shaping it into buns.
For defined ‘crosses’ make sure your cross mixture isn’t too runny, if so, add more flour.
For a great fruity alternative to the sugar/water glaze mix 4 Tbsps of Apricot Jam with 1/3 cup of water. Place water and jam into a small saucepan over low heat and stir until jam dissolves. Bring to the boil for 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat. Immediately brush glaze over warm hot cross buns.
Got a hot date? It doesn’t matter if you’re sharing a meal with a new squeeze or an old flame, picking the perfect restaurant is serious business. Whether your ideal setting is cool and casual or elevated and impressive, a reliable date night locale will provide the perfect atmosphere, allowing good food, great drinks and scintillating conversation to flow. We’ve all got a type, and while we’ve rounded up the shortlist, we thought it best for you to take your pick of the suitors. Vote for your favourite date night spot below — and be sure to let us know if there’s somewhere you think we have overlooked.
Everybody who votes goes in the draw to win one of three $1000 vouchers to be spent at one of the American Express Local Dining Collection locations — a list of which can befound here.
Voting has now closed. The 2022 Denizen Hospo Heroes presented by American Express will be announced in the Winter issue of Denizen magazine (released on 23rd May, 2022).
The Denizen Hospo Heroes 2022 ‘Best Date Night’ Shortlist:
There’s nothing better than settling into a satisfying new TV show at the end of the day. From series informed from popular podcasts (WeCrashed and The Dropout) to whole new tales including Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby’s new comedy Our Flag Means Death, there is a moving new show for every mood.
WeCrashed Podcasts have quickly become the most entertaining form of IP as several high-profile audio series are optioned for the small (but mighty) screen. One of the most anticipated limited series from this new well of inspiration is WeCrashed — based on the source material from Wondery. Attracting Academy Award-winners Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway in the lead real-life roles, WeCrashed is the chaotic business-meets- pleasure story of Adam and Rebekah Neumann, the narcissists who built WeWork — one of the world’s most valuable startups (worth US$47 billion in under a decade) until, within a year, its value plummeted. Watch on Apple TV+
Severance What if you could leave everything that happened at work behind you each day? Severance explores an unnerving experiment in work-life balance, where employees undergo a procedure to surgically divide their memories between their corporate and personal lives. Directed and executive-produced by Ben Stiller and starring Adam Scott and Patricia Arquette, this artful thriller goes down the rabbit hole of company agendas, and convoluted consciousness. Watch on Apple TV+
Pachinko Told in three languages, and across generations, this historical drama series is based on the acclaimed novel by Min Jin Lee. Epic in scope and intimate in its immediacy, Pachinko begins with a forbidden love and follows the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant family to Japan. It’s set to make international stars of Lee Min-ho and Japanese–New Zealand actor Anna Sawai. Watch on Apple TV+
Reacher Much more on the mark tone-wise than Tom Cruise’s humourless turn as Lee Child’s titular hero, the new iteration of Reacher is a fun, rollicking watch that stays true to the original written series. Action buffs, this is one for you. Watch on Amazon Prime Video
The Dropout Based on the enthralling ABC podcast, The Dropout uncovers the true story of Elizabeth Holmes and her out-for-blood biotechnology company, Theranos. Amanda Seyfried plays the role of the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire, who promised to revolutionise health care, but was instead convicted of criminal fraud. Watch on Disney+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFE8ASwxmpA
Our Flag Means Death Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby are taking to the high-seas with their swashbuckling new comedy, Our Flag Means Death. Inspired by the true 18th Century tale of ‘The Gentleman Pirate’ — when a retired British army major (Darby) turned to piracy and sailed alongside Blackbeard (Waititi) in what is known as one of the worst midlife crises on record — it has all the wit and whimsy we have come to expect from Waititi. Watch on Neon
Landscapers In one of her most remarkable roles yet, Academy Award-winning darling Olivia Colman stars alongside David Thewlis in Landscapers. The four-episode limited series is inspired by the true story of Susan and Chris Edwards, an unassuming British couple at the centre of an extraordinary investigation when two dead bodies are discovered in the garden of a Nottingham home. Watch on Neon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNn8YJYAyEo
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber This is the story of one of Silicon Valley’s most successful (and disruptive) unicorns, from the book of the same name. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Uber Co-founder and CEO Travis Kalanick and Uma Thurman as board- member Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post, this limited series is one wild ride. Watch on Neon
From warm brown and beige to fresh cream and soft peach, the underlying tones of the season are the kind we might usually expect to find in a barista’s cup. Subdued but sophisticated, this trend makes a statement in a subtle, understated way, promising to energise any look without being too obvious about it.
Put some extra pep in your step with pieces like Anine Bing’s classic coat from Muse Boutique, Alexandre Vauthier’s sumptuous boots from Faradays or Acne Studio’s bucket bag from Workshop — all examples of how new season neutrals are taking cues from coffee.
CLOCKWISE from top left: Bottega Veneta Hoop earrings FROM Net-a-porter, Anine Bing Dylan coat from Muse, Garrett Leight Ace Prosecco Sunglasses from Parker & Co., Alexandre Vauthier Geraldine Boots from Faradays, KAIA NORTH/SOUTH SATCHEL from Saint Laurent.
CLOCKWISE from top left: Isabel Marant Lecce leather belt FROM net-a-porter, Matteau Summer Chino from Muse, Vanessa Bruno Jovanka houndstooth jacket from Workshop, belt bag from Gucci, Loewe Leather Chelsea boots from Net-a-porter, Lamé GG jacquard cardigan from Gucci.
CLOCKWISE from top left: SL 214 Kate sunglasses from Saint Laurent, Heritage trench coat from Burberry, Reversible Check and Monogram Cashmere Scarf from Burberry, Cargo Shorts from Moncler, leather and fabric boots from Prada, acne studios musubi midi bag from workshop.
It’s time to celebrate the best local haunts. These are the places that act as magnets, drawing people near and far to the little slice of Tāmaki Makaurau they call home. A good neighbourhood restaurant is a community in and of itself, welcoming patrons with the same warmth whether you’re on a first-name basis or simply passing through. The beauty of these eateries is they’re your ultimate local, and there’s no one better placed to decide than you. Cast your vote below, and if there’s a neighbourhood eatery you believe has been overlooked, let us know in the comments.
Everybody who votes goes in the draw to win one of three $1000 vouchers to be spent at one of the American Express Local Dining Collection locations — a list of which can befound here.
Voting has now closed. The 2022 Denizen Hospo Heroes presented by American Express will be announced in the Winter issue of Denizen magazine (released on 23rd May, 2022).
The Denizen Hospo Heroes 2022 ‘Best Neighbourhood Eatery’ Shortlist:
Poring over industry data, it’s clear millennials and (drinking age) Gen Z’ers are imbibing less alcoholic beverages than their predecessors. While there are many factors at play, one of the main reasons given is the want of wellbeing — which is only amplified by time spent in lockdowns.
“We are more aware than ever how alcohol fuels a range of mental and physical health issues,” says Tyler Martin and Sophie Heatley of Yes You Can. “Being stuck at home, we naturally found ourselves drinking less and noticing a huge change in how we felt. We don’t want to give up how ‘clear’ we feel as we navigate what the world looks like moving forward.”
Taking matters into their own hands, the couple developed a beverage brand that challenged preconceptions of the non-alcoholic category — Yes You Can. Over months of refining its formula alongside world-class mixologists and food technologists, they created a multidimensional flavour profile that actually tastes and feels like classic alcoholic cocktails. Its proprietary ‘Flashback’ blend of all natural botanical extracts creates a burn at the back of the throat — without leading to those other kinds of ‘flashbacks’ after a night out drinking.
Yes You Can launched in September 2021 with three flavours to sip and savour — a zesty orange Spritz, a refreshing G&T, and a highball, but low- stakes, Dark & Stormy. While Covid restrictions affected hospitality sales at first, they had a successful soft launch online and were inundated with distributor requests for New Zealand and Australia (the latter is where they are currently based). Most immediately, they’re thrilled when they see someone holding one of their cans, or even seeing them squashed in a recycling pile on a morning walk around their Sydney suburb.
Martin, who was an Olympic Water Polo player before starting a sportswear brand, and Heatley, a New Zealander who worked at Google before pursuing postgraduate studies in Psychology, see themselves as being a small part of the cultural shift for those who wish to be sober, or even slightly more sensible. “A shift where mindful drinking and essentially mindful socialising is the new norm.”
The plan is to rapidly expand Yes You Can, including its global product range, distribution, talent, marketing and strategic investment. Cracking open the mindful drinking movement, while cultivating devoted followers? Why yes, they can.
It’s always a good time to think about what you could be doing to give back to the community and those in need. In this series, we highlight initiatives that we deem worthy of your support — and this is certainly true of the youth support and mentoring organisation I Have a Dream.
The Philosophy Founded in 2003, the team at I Have a Dream believes all children deserve the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive, working from the ground up to affect positive, long-term, generational change. The programme is based on the original work of the U.S. foundation of the same name, and focuses on providing children and young people with access to the resources they need to succeed, academically and otherwise — along with consistent, caring adults (known as Navigators) to guide and support them.
Who they are The foundation is helmed by CEO Chris Twiss, who has joined the team after over 25 years in venture capital and private equity investment and technology innovation spaces. Trustees are renowned fashion designer Kiri Nathan, Chief Executive of Ki A Ora Ngātiwai health trust Lynette Stewart CNZM and Director of Educational Initiatives at the University of Auckland, Professor Graeme Aitken, while Ice Angels founding member Scott Gilmour is the chairperson. On the ground is a dedicated team of Navigators who, guided by Team Manager Mo Matautia-Tepania, currently work within the Tikipunga, Otangarei and Totara Grove communities of Whangārei.
What they do Working with its Dream Partner Schools, I Have a Dream offers the services of a consistent, caring adult (Navigator) for up to 15 years of a child’s schooling life, providing mentoring, tutoring, life coaching and support. Aiming to instil values of higher education, career aspirations and life success, they ensure every child has the resources, opportunities and networks they need to succeed. At this stage, the intention is to be present in the Whangārei community for a long time, working holistically and in partnership with family, schools and the wider community.
How to get involved There are several avenues for supporting I Have a Dream. A number of volunteer positions are available — on a regular or as-needed basis, such as after-school programme assistants, mentors, tutors, guest speakers and more. If you have a particular skill you wish to share, get in touch and let them know. Should you want to do something even more impactful, signing up to be a mentor is hugely rewarding for both the mentor and mentee. For at least a year (but ideally long term), mentors are a consistent, dependable and respectful presence in a young person’s life, providing one-to-one guidance, support and encouragement — and demonstrating how valuable a good role model can be.
As the organisation is completely privately funded, it relies on the support of generous donors to operate, so financial contributions are welcomed via one-off or recurring payments. Monetary donations can enable a child to participate in an event or programme they might have otherwise been denied, and ongoing monthly payments will enable a child to receive the entire I Have a Dream programme and Navigator support.
When a chef is at the top of their game, they create far more than just a plate of food. Often, they are crafting a narrative, celebrating both culture and tradition; innovation and provenance. The amount of drive, inventiveness and skill demonstrated by many of our local chefs is, we think, certainly worth celebrating. Have your say below, and remember, you can nominate anyone you think we may have missed.
Everybody who votes goes in the draw to win one of three $1000 vouchers to be spent at one of the American Express Local Dining Collection locations — a list of which can befound here.
Voting has now closed. The 2022 Denizen Hospo Heroes presented by American Express will be announced in the Winter issue of Denizen magazine (released on 23rd May, 2022).
The Denizen Hospo Heroes 2022 ‘Best Chef’ Shortlist:
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