Imagine having a peaceful oasis available, ready and waiting to help you escape the frantic pace of day-to-day life. That is exactly what you’ll be privy to at The Spa at Park Hyatt Auckland, where exclusive spa and fitness membership programmes offer access to all of its state-of-the-art amenities.
Your exercise regime would no doubt be much more enjoyable to stick to with Park Hyatt’s fitness membership. This package’s benefits and inclusions include access to the fitness centre, 25-metre infinity pool and hydrotherapy area between 6:30 am and 9:30 pm. You’ll also enjoy a host of gifts and discounts including a $150 gift certificate, 25 percent discount on Spa treatments, 20 percent discount on Spa retail items, a 10 percent discount at the hotel’s eateries Onemata, The Living Room, Captain’s Bar and The Pantry — plus, a welcome gift pack on arrival.
Parking (or lack thereof) won’t get in the way of a good workout, with complimentary valet parking (subject to availability) for up to 3 hours when using the fitness centre.
If regular pampering is more up your alley, a membership to The Spa will keep your skin sparkling and your muscles relaxed in a more permanent way than just an occasional appointment. Access the hydrotherapy facilities, infinity pool and the fitness centre when you’ve booked in for 60-minutes and above, plus you’ll receive a $150 gift certificate, and the same discounts as the fitness membership on treatments, retail items and the restaurants. Tranquillity on tap? Sounds heavenly to us.
Pricing: Spa Membership Minimum 12-month contract $150 sign-up fee $600 yearly fee per person
Fitness Centre Membership Minimum 3-month contract $150 sign-up fee $410 per month individually $700 per month for a couples’ membership
Perusing gallery walls is one of our favourite pastimes. Challenge your perspective and elevate your surroundings with this selection of refined masterpieces.
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Into The Drop Zone by Lara Merrett
Into The Drop Zone by Lara Merrett
2018
Acrylic and ink on linen and canvas
183 x 174cm
Available from Sumer Contemporary
Mary-Jo Rapini (NDE) 2003 by Peter Stichbury
Mary-Jo Rapini (NDE) 2003 by Peter Stichbury
2021
Oil on linen
1600 x 600mm
Available from Michael Lett
Flare by Judy Millar
Flare by Judy Millar
2021
Acrylic and oil on canvas
2100 x 1600
Available from Gow Langsford
Poet Streets by Matt Arbuckle
Poet Streets by Matt Arbuckle
2020
Acrylic and oil stick on knitted polyester voile
820 x 620 mm
Available from Two Rooms Gallery
Seascape #22 (Orange Dawn) by Harry Culy
Seascape #22 (Orange Dawn) by Harry Culy
2014
Archival pigment print framed with art glass
812.8 x 1016mm
Available from Parlour Projects
With a name meaning ‘let’s go’ in Korean, Gaja has us ready to say the same to all our nearest and dearest after eating there only once. The charming 50-seater eatery is a brand new addition to Ponsonby Central’s hospitality stable, and specialises in flavourful modern Korean fare that appeals for both daytime and after dark consumption.
Gaja’s artworks were commissioned by local artist Marcus Watson.
Run by Managing Directors TJ Pak and Josh Humberstone, Pak says he and his team are keen to get Aucklanders familiar with the concept of ‘suljibs’ — a Korean word that directly translates to ‘alcohol house’ or ‘bar’ — and the culture within them that is based on the sharing of food dishes and soju.
While, in the West, some of us might be most acquainted with the sweet, flavoured soju that accompanies a night on the karaoke mic, traditionally the type of soju enjoyed with meals is much cleaner in taste — more like sake. There are several etiquettes around enjoying food and soju as a group, and at Gaja they’ll be explaining this culture to diners in order for people to understand it and therefore get even more enjoyment out of it.
Since our visit, we’ve learned that soju should always be shared — not sipped from the bottle or poured for yourself. Lift up your cup with both hands when someone is pouring soju for you, and you should down your first shot in one. This last point left a pleasant warm feeling spreading through the chest, which helped the food go down that much better.
Top left: Gang Jeong Eggplant.
Speaking of food, Gaja’s is delicious, with chefs Riley Min and Tako Yang harnessing the fundamental Korean bases of spicy, fermented gochujang, soybeans and soy sauce to create a menu that mixes dishes of traditional Korean origin with Western twists, and Western dishes with Korean tweaks.
While the lunch menu comprises a selection of bowl-based ‘dupbab’ dishes for a quick bite (these are made with various tasty proteins served over rice), the rest of the offering is designed to share. ‘Gang Jeong’ eggplant is a highlight; pieces of eggplant that have been cooked until impossibly soft in the middle, deep-fried so they’re crispy on the outside with a sticky gochujang glaze and yoghurt sauce.
Gaja’s fried chicken employs the same, deliciously sticky flavours, only meat-ified, and the ‘Sunset’ salmon is a fresh plate of cured king salmon with various pairings that is both a joy to look at and to eat.
Gaja’s Sunset Salmon, cured overnight in Hwayo soju, orange and beetroot, severed with smoked cho-gochujang, avocado creme and chives.
The Kimchi fried rice, a traditional Korean favourite, is comforting, salty, savoury and hard to stop eating once you start. Topped with a fried egg, it’s a great side to any of the other dishes. We also loved the Ddukbokki — described as ‘the closest you’ll get to Korean pasta’, addictively chewy rice tubes that resemble elongated gnocchi are served in a thick gochujang sauce, infused with bone marrow and finished with a topping of tempura crumbs and green onions.
We gobbled up Gaja’s Korean take on prawn toast, with a juicy prawn and corn filling sandwiched in miniature fried toasties, served alongside a sweet and slightly spicy dipping sauce.
Right: Premium Hwayo soju is the perfect accompaniment to a meal at Gaja.
From small snacks to medium and larger dishes, there is plenty on offer for carnivores and vegetarians alike. Drinks-wise, as well as wine and beer, and a selection of sojus (including non-flavoured, flavoured and premium varieties) there is a selection of cocktails, most of which harness the same fusion vibe of the food. The signature ‘Hwaju’ cocktail is a fruity yet sour concoction of cherry soju, dark rum, pineapple, lemon, cranberry, cherry bitters and egg white, while an ‘Espressoju Martini’ sees premium Hwayo 41 soju added to the traditional coffee-based recipe. The ‘Seoul Spritz’ also sounds intriguing, a refreshing mix of gin, prosecco, blueberry soju and soda.
With the Ponsonby Central complex and surrounding area currently undergoing substantial reinvigoration, it’s set to become even more of a dining destination than it already is. With its lighthearted yet thoughtful offering, Gaja is set to be leading the pack.
Top left: the Menbosha prawn toast.
Is there a new opening you believe should be on our radar? Let us know at [email protected]
With the swarm of skincare options on the market, our daily routines can become a little cosmetically confused. Taking time to create a tailored routine takes the guesswork out of your skincare, so all you need to do is apply, and appraise the results.
Codage Paris Skincare has developed the holy trinity of skincare steps — Prepare, Act, Protect — for a stunning complexion. It’s about finding the right ritual for your skin and adding one last step — Repeat.
Codage Paris’ daily skincare guide (below) will help you regain and maintain that dewy, healthy glow long term.
Prepare Always double cleanse daily and exfoliate once a week.
We suggest the light texture of the Codage Paris Cleansing Cream, rich in organic shea butter and coconut oil, Moringa extract and apricot seed oil for the mornings. The uniquely silky Cleansing Balm melts into an oil and then works into a milk emulsion to nourish, soothe and detoxify in the evening.
The Peeling Lotion is a weekly toner, packed with highly concentrated AHA hydroxy acids and new generation PHA acids to resurface, hydrate and regenerate all in one. Perfect for all skin types, all you need is a quick swipe over the skin, once a week to keep the skin looking slick.
Act Serums are the skin transformers, so you cannot miss this step. Always apply before moisturiser.
Serum No. 3 – Radiance & Energy is an elixir of powerful hydrators, antioxidants and Botox-like proteins, perfect for restoring brightness to the dullest, complexions.
The hero product of Codage Paris, Skin Recovery, targets stem cells to strengthen and regenerate skin, soothe redness, soften, and reduce blemishes. It’s anti-aging and first-aid for skin all-in-one.
Protect When it comes to protecting creams, focus on the eye area and the face separately.
The Day Cream provides highly concentrated, Codage Nutri-Elements to balance oil and moisture levels in the skin — offering the most radiant day-to-day protection. Packed with a vegan viper venom-mimicking peptide, the Botox-like effects are paired with exotic plum extracts to offer plump, hydrated, youthful skin.
Because the skin around the eyes is different to the face, The Eye Contour Cream is a velvety-smooth emulsion, especially formulated to intensely moisturise the eye contour without weighing it down. Dark circles are deflated, puffiness is kept at bay, and contours are lifted and fine lines smoothed for noticeably brighter eyes.
To reinvigorate your skincare regime, we’re giving one lucky Denizen the chance to win the ultimate Codage Paris skincare experience. The winner will receive a one-on-one consultation to tailor the perfect routine for their skin, including $500 worth of Codage Paris products thanks to Spring Store.
When your chosen thirst quencher is beer, the pouring process is of equal importance as the brewing one. In honour of World Beer Day on Friday 6th August, we consulted the savoir-fairest of them all, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, to verse ourselves in the five steps to a ‘Perfect Pour’. Follow them all to ensure that each and every Peroni is enjoyed at its best — prego.
1. The Vessel If possible, use pre-chilled, clean glassware — the former will help keep the beer crisp and cool while the latter will ensure the beer’s flavour profile isn’t tainted by any cleaning products. It might be obvious but it’s often overlooked. (Ideally, you’ll have a Peroni glass on hand with a shape that enhances the bubble effect and, therefore, the overall taste.)
2. No Contact For hygiene reasons, never touch the glass or the beer with the top of the bottle. The outside of it may not be clean and you could transfer dirt into the glass, spoiling its taste and appearance. No one wants that.
3. The Pour When the glass is half full, slowly straighten it to an upright position. This will ensure that the beer retains the perfect carbonation, enabling you to deliver the desired 3cm head.
4. The Head Allowing the beer to settle with a head of dense foam will help to enhance the subtle, delicate volatiles (substances generated by the yeast that evaporate at low temperatures). Volatiles are responsible for the beer’s fruity and hoppy characteristics and having a decent head acts as a net for them, as well as augmenting its aroma.
5. Leave a Little … in the vessel. You might have noticed that Peroni’s glasses hold a lesser volume than the bottle. This is so imbibers can keep their beer cool by topping it up with the colder product from the bottle.
After a year when many of us felt much of what we thought was certain sliding away, a superb exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki reminds us that we’re not alone. Featuring a mixture of works by leading contemporary and historical artists, All That Was Solid Melts was conceptualised during 2020 as a much-needed balm of solace and cultural beauty amidst the collective tumult.
It was led by curator Juliana Engberg, an award-winning and internationally acclaimed art expert with a reputation for overseeing groundbreaking, engaging events and exhibitions. As Auckland Art Gallery’s Senior Curator Global Contemporary, her work is valued for its authentic approach and her holistic understanding of site, context and history coming into play with not only art, but events that captivate the public.
From left: Curator Juliana Engberg; ‘All That Was Solid Melts’, (installation view), Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2021
“Throughout history, there have been many times of difficulty and, as a collective, we find ways to get through them — albeit not without deep loss and grief,” says Engbeg. “Art, in particular, can be a way to help regenerate. Within disaster also sits the future, and we wanted to reflect that in All That Was Solid Melts.”
Explaining that the exhibition is simultaneously historical, modern and contemporary, she says: “The selection of work segues between styles, eras and epochs and indicates a wide expanse of time that makes it feel lush and sensuous.”
Leading contemporary artists included are Douglas Gordon, whose photographic work ‘Private Passions’ begins the exhibition; British visual artist Tacita Dean, with her inventive film ‘JG’ showing on loop; Katie Paterson’s ‘Fossil Necklace’, comprising 170 spherical beads carved from fossilised material strung on a single strand; Pierre Huyghe and his surreal, unsettling and thought-provoking film ‘(Untitled) Human Mask’ — and many more.
Sophie Anderson, After the Earthquake, 1884, (installation detail), Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Viscount Leverhulme, 1924
These are interspersed with historical works such as Sophie Anderson’s 1884 oil painting ‘After the Earthquake’, Juan de Juanes’ ‘Saint Sebastian’ from the 16th century, and Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s 18th century engravings, ‘Visions of Architectural Downfall’.
Viewed as an assemblage, these artworks take the viewer on a visual journey, demonstrating how art can help us make sense of things in times of strife and face the future with renewed resilience.
All That Was Solid Melts is currently closed, but will reopen once restrictions are lifted, showing until Sunday the 10th of October 2021.
A man of more talents than meet the eye, the renowned architectural photographer is also a published author, educator and, we’ve noticed, an adroit meme curator. Here, he puts aside the camera and picks up the pen to give us an insight into his personality.
What do you look like?
What is your favourite thing to photograph?
What makes you smile?
What scares you?
What is something you have never done but would like to do?
Describe yourself in a meme?
What is your secret talent?
What animal do you relate to?
What is your worst habit?
Who or what would you love to photograph?
What is your secret vice?
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Rolling into Britomart and bringing its signature, deliciously fresh offering, Oji Sushi has just opened a new store and it’s set to be an instant hit with the lunchtime crowd. Having set up shop in the space formerly occupied by Fukuko bar, the team are delighted to be bringing Oji’s high-quality sushi, salads and bowls to even more people with the third iteration of the store (the other two are located in Commercial Bay).
Once again, it was Izzard Design that took care of an interior refresh, with branding and design studio Seachange creating the visuals; the studio even won gold at the 2020 Best Awards for Oji’s brand identity. Particularly striking details are the front door, with an eye-catching orange, spherical tint on the glass, and the tonal tiling. While Oji Britomart is ideal for ‘grab and go’, it also has seating to enjoy a meal onsite.
From left: The store’s design was undertaken by Izzard Design and Seachange; Chicken katsu donburi.
While there’s no shortage of sushi stores in Auckland, where Oji sets itself apart is its emphasis on locality, sustainability, less waste and more taste — and its Britomart store is no different. “We keep it simple,” says Savor Group founder Lucien Law. “We just make everything we do, everyone we work with and every ingredient we use the best possible.”
From sustainable South Island salmon from Glory Bay to hand caught tuna, free-range chicken and locally-grown greens, Oji’s offering is a far cry from stodgy sushi that hides a smidgen of filling in a rice-overwhelmed roll.
The sushi is hand-rolled fresh, daily, onsite and can be made fresh to order. Exclusive to Oji Britomart is a delicious selection of rice paper rolls, available filled with tofu satay, poached shrimp, roast Peking duck or char siu pork, with various dipping sauces that include hoisin, peanut and sesame; herb lime and soy, and vegan almond butter. Another Britomart store special is the ‘Ebisu Premium Roll’, a collaboration with sister venue Ebisu just next door.
From left: A collaboration with sister restaurant Ebisu has created the premium roll; There is a small selection of seating available to enjoy a meal onsite.
For those who prefer a bowl-based meal to eat in or takeaway, there is a selection of hot ramen and donburi, as well as colourful salads that come packed with vegetables and protein. There will be regular meal deals throughout the week, and $1 cups of miso with every order.
Drinks-wise, you simply must try the store’s premium in-house juice brand Oji Jusu, made in Kumeu from cold-pressed, organic fruit. Or, if a crisp cold beer is more your vibe, Oji is licenced with boutique Japanese beer on tap.
So, should you be struck with a sushi craving, we suggest you make your way to Oji’s sleek new Britomart outpost, for a goodness-packed bite on the go.
Is there a new opening you believe should be on our radar? Let us know at [email protected]
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10AM — 4PM Closed on Monday.
From the get-go, this terrace house in Paddington, Sydney has held a special allure all of its own, having been architecturally designed and built in the 1970s to incorporate open plan living, lofty ceilings and a central staircase. When renovating it for a busy family of five, the team at interior design firm Tom Mark Henry were excited to embrace these original aspects while creating even more connection between the spaces of the split-level abode.
The kitchen was cleverly flipped to provide access to a new level below, and to accommodate the addition of a butler’s pantry. With soaring, three metre-high steel and glass doors that open onto a verdant rear courtyard, the kitchen and dining area is truly the most spectacular aspect of the house. It is also the bustling hub for a family that loves to entertain, a space of gathering and respite that sees abundant use every day.
Requiring appliances that are both highly functional and integrate cohesively with the overall design, the team looked to Fisher & Paykel. The integrated Column refrigerator and freezer are concealed seamlessly within the joinery, with ample capacity and variable temperature zones including a ‘pantry mode’, that increases the space available for food storage and helps keep it fresher for longer.
The family’s love of entertaining is further supported by a Fisher & Paykel Minimal all-black 90cm induction cooktop, complemented by touchscreen ovens (also from the Minimal collection) subtly installed within the cabinetry. With the 76cm Touchscreen oven in place as the main oven and the 60cm Touchscreen on the side providing extra capacity, large gatherings are a breeze.
Seeing as the owners are now encouraged to cook more (and have even got their young children learning too), these superior appliances are a prime example of technology that not only slots effortlessly into day-to-day life, but enhances it.
Architect — Tom Mark Henry Styling — Atelier Lab Photography — Pablo Veiga
When it comes to a regular exercise routine, finding something that yields results regardless of fitness level and time availability can be a challenge. Whether an occasional weekend walk is the extent of your prowess or you are a professional athlete, EMS training will be a positive addition to your exercise regime.
For those who aren’t familiar, EMS training is an acronym for “electro-muscle stimulation” and describes a unique form of strength training, whereby small impulses activate your muscles during a bespoke workout regime. These impulses activate up to 90 percent of the body’s muscles, meaning a 20-minute session can deliver a high-intensity workout that equates to 90 minutes in the gym. Now, that’s efficient.
Boutique workout studio fu/nis EMS training has been helping a vast array of Kiwis achieve their fitness goals since it opened on Shortland Street in 2016. The only EMS studio of its kind in Auckland, it has proved so popular that a second location has been opened to bring the offering to even more clientele — and North Shore locals, count yourself lucky because fu/nis’ stunning new studio is on Takapuna’s Hurstmere Road.
Founded by Catrina Kuehler and now co-owned by Kelly Percy, fu/nis specialises in workouts that are designed to challenge the mind and body. With upbeat sessions led by motivating personal EMS trainers, each individual’s needs and abilities are catered to, and there is a remarkably low barrier for entry given EMS training does not require a base level of fitness.
And, the recommended dose of sessions per week is just one or two — incredibly, even this is enough to improve both physical and mental wellbeing. The studio itself is an airy, modern and naturally spacious environment in which to work out, with a community space that can be used before or after sessions as needed.
“At fu/nis you can be in and out in 30 minutes, as gear, water, and towels are provided, so guests can show up with nothing but themselves — making it more convenient than ever to prioritise their health,” says Kuehler. “Physical exercise makes up just one part of overall wellbeing, and due to the session only taking up 20 minutes of your time, it gives people time back in their day to enjoy more forms of self-care in addition to exercise.”
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