When Tronque’s founder set out to create her own below-the-neck body care line, she quite literally set a new standard in natural skincare. Having struggled with her reproductive health, Tanné Snowden discovered the questionable ingredients in the bottles in her bathroom and was determined to create a new luxury range with total transparency.
After two years in development, her Bio-Cleanical® formulas — called such for their intelligent combination of plant actives, and lack of harmful ingredients and endocrine disruptors — are now on shelves.
Not to rush perfection, Tronque launches with three unique products. The Rich as Croesus Firming Butter renews elasticity as it intensely moisturises with nourishing ingredients, including the Marlborough Sounds’ bioactive wakame seaweed and high MGO mānuka honey.
To soften the texture and look of scars, the Soft Focus Scar Concentrate combats uneven pigmentation with not one but four high potency forms of deeply penetrating vitamin C and a complex of bioactive superfruits and antioxidants.
For the ultimate preparation, the Everyday Revelation Exfoliating Serum relies on natural AHAs and BHAs, as well as pineapple enzymes and hyaluronic acid, for gentle exfoliation and optimum cell renewal.
While these beautifully presented bottles have the same levels of high-performance, active ingredients we’ve come to expect in our most admired facial skincare, Snowden is bringing them to the body, so we can find all-inclusive peace of mind.
One of the most important components of a Tronque regime is not found in the formulas — but in the ritual of looking after our whole self. “Skincare means more than just your face,” she says. “Beauty is for head to toe and everything in between.”
When brothers Sam and Noah Hickey launched their fashion brand Asuwere in 2018, they filled a nationwide gap for simple, versatile and high-quality men’s clothing that boasts both ease of wear and everyday polish. Specialising in well-cut yet relaxed separates like linen shirts, organic cotton chinos, t-shirts and sweaters, where Asuwere also sets itself apart is that its core offering is a subscription service.
Recognising that many men don’t really love the activity of shopping, finding it “time-consuming at best and overwhelming at worst”, Asuwere’s membership allows for monthly drops of new product to be delivered to the door of the wearer, taking things like seasonality into consideration.
Each drop builds on the last, so by the end of the 12 months, a full wardrobe of cohesive staples has come to fashionable fruition.
For he who is hard to buy for, we would warrant that an Asuwere subscription is the perfect Christmas gift. Thoughtful, a little unexpected and ultimately something that will get everyday use, what could be better? The team makes it super easy to transfer or swap an item if that month’s one isn’t quite right, and free cancellation is available any time — so there’s really no downside. There’s even a specific Summer Gift Pack, designed to give a taste of the full service over the course of three months.
Those unsure about sizing can pay a visit to Asuwere’s flagship store in Commercial Bay, where every item is available to try. Can’t make it in person? Book a virtual fitting with one of the team, where all your questions can be answered.
So go on, give the gift of great style to a man in your life.
To celebrate Asuwere’s fantastic offering, we have a $1000 wardrobe of instant classics, plus a 6-month subscription, to give away to one lucky Denizen — worth a total of $2000. The $1000 bundle includes a Linen Blazer, Linen Pants, Pima Tee and Leather Low Sneakers.
This Christmas will be one for the history books. No pressure, then, when it comes to selecting the perfect present.
If you are lost for ideas, a meaningful book will fill in the gaps for you. Here Auckland’s leading booksellers share the novels and tomes worth a place under the Christmas tree.
Chloe Blades — Unity Books, Auckland CBD Just in case my husband reads this, Taschen have published Frida Kahlo: The Complete Paintings and it includes pieces that were once lost or haven’t been exhibited in over 80 years. Its XXL size means I can perch it at the end of the dinner table and pretend she’s a Christmas guest. Or, you could hibernate on Christmas Day with Lauren Groff’s The Matrix; her proof proved to be so popular among the Unity team the pages look like they’ve been hit by a high powered wind turbine. Paired with Megan Dunn’s exceptional essays in Things I Learned At Art School, you’re onto a Christmas win.
Helen Wadsworth — Dorothy Butler Bookshop, Ponsonby I am excited about a new book by Gavin Bishop out this month. It’s called Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes — and portrayed in Gavin’s unique and beautiful way, the gods and heroes of Māori mythology and legend. I think that every New Zealand family should have one of these to pore over at home. A perfect Christmas gift!
Jenna Todd — Time Out Bookstore, Mount Eden I would recommend gifting any book written by a New Zealand author, bought from a New Zealand bookshop. We have an incredible literary community here in Aotearoa and these books and stores need to be shared! Such as: Things I Learned at Art School by Megan Dunn — the perfect gift for anyone creative, especially if they had an eighties childhood.
Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly — a Māori/Russian/queer/Auckland rom-com. It’s so funny, I loved it! Uprising by Nic Low — for anyone from or who lives in Te Wai Pounamu, or for readers who love an adventure story and a MUST READ if you’re Kāi Tahu.
Carole Beu — The Women’s Bookshop, Ponsonby Several of my favourite authors have new books out and I’ll be recommending these for Christmas. Sarah Winman who wrote When God Was a Rabbit and Tin Man, has just published Still Life, a marvellous novel set predominantly in Florence. She writes vivid characters who are capable of loving each other with generosity and acceptance.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is one of my all-time favourite novels. Ann is publishing, in time for Christmas, an inspiring collection of autobiographical essays called These Precious Days. I loved their wisdom and compassion. Elizabeth Strout, famous for the extraordinary novels Olive Kitteridge and Olive, Again, has a new one out as well: Oh, William! All I can say is “Oh Elizabeth, you’ve done it again”!
Andrew Maben — Novel, Herne Bay My pick for Christmas gifts this year is any of the gorgeous Assouline Travel series. We have all been starved of travel for too long, plus they look amazing on the coffee table. I haven’t got a favourite, I love them all.
Olivia Spooner — The Booklover Bookshop, Milford Many New Zealanders have a love affair with gardening and exploring beautiful gardens around the country. A perfect Christmas gift for them (and wannabe gardeners like myself) would be In the Company of Gardeners – Inspirational Gardens and Inspired Gardeners of New Zealand. It contains gorgeous photography and entertaining stories about the origin, inspiration, and development of some of the most magnificent gardens throughout NZ.
David Peirse — Dear Reader, Grey Lynn Our Christmas catalogue details about 100 book gifts across a range of genres as the appeal of a book is such a personal thing. I’m looking forward to reading Jonathan Franzen’s Crossover, and Amor Towles’ latest, The Lincoln Highway. I’m expecting beautiful writing within respectively, a family drama set in 70s USA, and a comic travel novel. Also, a plug for Michael Cullen’s biography, an incisive and enjoyable overview of NZ politics and labour party thinking since the 70s and a portrait of a very bright, thoughtful and generous spirit. Still Life by Sarah Winman is a sumptuous book full of empathy and wit.
Comfortable and inviting, what could be better than a round chair to curl up in? The circular shape can work to bring contrast and interest to a room; when juxtaposed with more structured lines a round chair can soften a space, or echo other round shapes like lighting, mirrors or sculptures.
Bonacina 1889 Palla chair from ECC, Ottoman armchair from Ligne Roset.
Riva 1920 Maui chair from Matisse, Moooi Bart armchair from ECC.
A classic from kitchen whizz Miss Polly’s Kitchen, these fresh and succulent prawn dumplings are filled to the brim with umami flavours.
Ingredients: Serves 4 as a starter
Dumplings: 30 gyoza wrappers 450g raw prawns 1 large spring onion 3 garlic cloves 2 cm piece of ginger 1/3 cup coriander 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil
Sauce: ¼ cup hot water 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp sesame oil 1.5 tbsp chilli oil, chunks and all (however add less if you aren’t a chilli fan) 1.5 tbsp black Chinese vinegar 6 tbsp soy sauce
To serve: Handful of chopped spring onions Sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds
Method:
1. Blitz the dumpling ingredients together in a food processor. 2. Add a teaspoon of filling to the middle of the gyoza wrapper, wet one side of the wrapper in the middle and then fold the two outer pieces together, pinch two sides into the middle and then do the same again. 3. Mix together the sauce ingredients starting with the water and sugar then add the sesame oil, chilli oil, black Chinese vinegar and soy sauce. 4. Ready a pan on medium heat, add ½ a cup of water and about 3 tbsp of oil, place half the dumplings in the pan with the lid on. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, then put the lid on and then leave them to sizzle away while the water evaporates. You will need to do this in two batches or use two pans. 5. Plate the dumplings with the sauce and garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy immediately.
Nostalgia is hard to describe definitively, but when it does occur, you can’t miss it. For some, catching a saccharine whiff of Impulse Body Spray from a passer-by can instantly transport them back to being a young girl prepping for the school disco. For others, an unexpected Facebook memory of a photo taken while travelling can ignite an oxymoronic state of sorrow and content, a simple reminder of wonderful people and places that they’re unlikely to ever encounter again. For many, it’s a feeling that arises when taking a bite from one of their mother’s home-cooked meals. She’s no Gordon Ramsay, but the warm childhood memories it elicits is enough to make the meal a wondrous one.
To sum it up in one word would be to call it bittersweet. For the most part, it feels warm and comforting, but it often comes with a tinge of sadness. It’s a natural human reaction we all experience, and a common one at that: most people wax nostalgic around once a week, with some even experiencing it around three to four times a week. But exactly why we experience it remains arguable, considering that science, despite psychologists analysing the phenomena for the past few decades, is still yet to land on a categorical conclusion.
Once, nostalgia was actually considered a form of mental sickness, derived from the Greek terms ‘nóstos’ and ‘álgos’, which mean ‘return’ and ‘pain’ respectively, it suggested internal suffering due to a sense of homesickness, and was deemed such a bleak affair, that some declared it the cause of crippling mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
Understanding has evolved since those times though, and now various psychologists believe that, instead of igniting the depression flame, nostalgia can actually work as the extinguisher. An applauded 2012 study by Routledge, of the University of Southampton, concluded that nostalgic reflection increases self-esteem, strengthens social connectedness, improves mood and imbues life with meaning. It runs on the thesis that those who are already suffering from feelings of discontentment or low self-worth are able to reach into their personal reservoir of nostalgic memories and find some comfort in them.
With this in mind, nostalgia is now regarded as a sort of in-built, psychological medicine, that people can take a dose of in order to conjure up the material they need. Most often, nostalgia materialises memories of close relationships, or beloved places, making the person feel as though they are supported and strengthened by those dear to them. Reflecting on past events can also aid mental states by serving as a reminder of the times difficult challenges or failures were overcome — the mind is simply serving a pep talk that states, if you did it then, then you can do it now.
If these theories are to be believed, then nostalgia could be a valuable tool, but that’s not a suggestion to start living in the past. We don’t recommend you procure your childhood toys from the basement and parade them around at all times, simply to bring about the soft memories of sleeping with them as a child, or keeping two-sizes-two-small denim shorts so that you can reminisce on the summer days when you looked good wearing them. Do not try and acquire a teaching position at your junior school so that you can relive your adolescent carefree spirit and definitely do not waste all your time watching reruns of Friends — it’s funny, but at some point, we must all move on.
For fear of missing the present, by no means should you spend all your valuable time searching for nostalgia, but if you do randomly find yourself recalling a memory that ignites a warm feeling inside, and you’re wishing that you could relive that particular moment, then give in — your mental state might just thank you for it.
Missing the buzz of Hotel Ponsonby? Us too. The perfect accompaniment to the formidable gastropub’s delicious takeaway offering, try your hand at making their delicious Enzoni cocktail at home. It’s sure to shake things up.
Ingredients: Serves 1
30ml Peddlers gin 30ml Campari 20ml lemon juice 15ml sugar syrup 5 muddled red grapes Ice Frozen grapes for garnishing
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a shaker, shake well and strain over ice. 2. Add two frozen grapes to garnish and enjoy.
Ever since Ada opened its doors in conjunction with The Convent Hotel almost one year ago, the Grey Lynn restaurant has been a firm favourite in the city for its Italian-inspired dishes and striking yet welcoming dining space. If you can get a table (it is often quite hard to do so, so in-demand is Ada), we can’t think of anything better than spending the evening elbow to elbow with a date at the bar, or sharing a meal with a group at one of the tables underneath the soaring atrium.
Pizza frittas.
Head chefs Hayden Phiskie and Johnny Price have a knack for creating decadent yet balanced fare that centres on exquisite handmade pastas, signature pizza frittas with various toppings, and sides like beef short rib with ‘nduja.
Currently, due to restricted alert levels, Ada of course can’t open for dine-in customers — but it does have an excellent takeaway offering to be enjoyed in the comfort of our own abodes.
From left: Ricotta and pistachio cannoli; beef short rib.
Take home the aforementioned pizza frittas, topped with the likes of tomato and stracciatella; asparagus, lemon and ricotta; ‘nduja and taleggio — and more. Pastas change regularly, but expect something akin to ricotta cavatelli with saffron, mascarpone and asparagus, or fazzoletti with beef cheek, fennel and chives. Sides-wise, that beef short rib is sublime when paired with a baby cos, creme fraiche and lemon salad, or perhaps some duck fat potatoes if you’re feeling extra decadent. And why not finish off with a chocolate panna cotta or ricotta and pistachio cannoli for dessert?
While we wait eagerly to return to Ada in person, we’ll happily enjoy its enriching provisions in any form — luckily for all of us, its takeaways are just the ticket.
Proving that great things come in small packages, these micro bags are every bit as chic as their full-sized counterparts — and have us leaving the kitchen sink at home.
Wanting to capitalise on the beautiful bones of a post-war penthouse in Melbourne’s South Yarra, a busy young professional turned to renowned interior designer Tamsin Johnson to conceive and execute a full renovation.
Johnson was effectively given a creative carte blanche — the client putting crucial decisions in her expert hands — and a relationship of mutual respect was established, which infused the finished home with a sense of calm cohesion.
Adopting a modern, monochromatic palette, interior designer Tamsin Johnson chose the Neowall sofa by Piero Lissoni for Living Divani, available from Studio Italia, in white for the living room.
Adopting a modern, monochromatic palette throughout the apartment, Johnson cleverly laid down foundations on which she added surprising detail, intriguing touches and moments that transformed the residence into a place the client could come home to and entirely relax.
From the sculptural furnishings to the custom-made pieces that Johnson commissioned, including a bronze framed mirror, the bedheads, most of the wall lighting and the entry console. Here, boldness is evoked with strong, steel-framed windows and doors (original features), stoic black chairs and artwork and mirrors made to stand out from the white walls via their darker frames.
At the same time, a light, airy feeling defines the overall vibe of the penthouse, achieved (on the surface) through a liberal use of white tones and natural textures, but inherently down to the way Johnson reconfigured the floorplan, entirely redoing the bathroom and the kitchen. The latter space, according to Johnson, is her favourite in the home.
The Le Bambole 07 Armchair by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, available from Matisse, adds a comforting touch to this serene living room.
Dramatic in a subtle, textural way, the kitchen is almost theatrical in its proportions and finishes. Wanting to create something special, Johnson commissioned a local metal worker-cum-artist to create the matte, brushed-metal cabinets and benchtops that make up the shell of the space, and chose to render one corner entirely in Calacatta viola marble — creating a moment that demands a double-take.
Like the rest of the apartment, the kitchen embodies that balance of high design and homely-ness that Johnson does so well — resulting in a residence that is as pretty as it is practical — a crucial combination for a busy client who wanted something low-maintenance and luxurious.
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