The beauty industry is a competitive one, overflowing with brands and products that claim to be the last lotion or potion you’ll ever need to buy. In such a saturated market, consumers are more clued up, and more results-driven than ever before. Products need to deliver, and one that certainly makes good on its pledges is Emma Lewisham’s Supernatural Collagen Peptide 72-Hour Crème.
With a formula that took two years to perfect, the 72-Hour crème boasts 30 high-performing and innovative ingredients, including collagen peptides and plant stem cell technology, that have been carefully chosen to repair, regenerate, and protect skin cells for plumping and anti-ageing effects. The powerhouse actives include Pentavitin, proven to provide long-lasting hydration, and Bulgarian Lavender flower, which promotes the release of Beta-endorphin, a neuropeptide that can aid in muscle relaxation, and the softening of fine lines and wrinkles.
A recent round of independent in vivo testing this year found the 72-Hour crème boosts type 1 collagen by more than 20 percent within 24 hours — and outperforms some very well-known, luxury face creams by more than three times in this aspect. Add to this the fact that all Emma Lewisham’s formulations are clean, natural and cruelty-free, and it’s no wonder the brand has won fans in high profile women like Georgia Fowler, Phoebe Tonkin and Irina Shayk, all of whom use the 72-Hour crème.
So, if you’re looking for a product that does all the work to combat dry, dull skin while you slumber, you can’t look past this one. It’s certainly bringing new meaning to the phrase ‘beauty sleep’.
One silver lining of this pandemic for New Zealand’s dining offering, is the return of so many of our country’s top culinary talents to our shores. Joining the recently relocated is internationally venerated chef Matt Lambert, who has been a sought-after fixture of New York’s legendary culinary scene for several years thanks to his Michelin-starred restaurant The Musket Room.
He’s also been operating within New Zealand’s gastronomic landscape from afar, through his role as Executive Chef of Rodd & Gunn’s The Lodge Bar & Dining in Auckland and Queenstown’s The Lodge Bar. Now, Lambert will be able to oversee operations on the ground, a fact he’s very pleased about.
Celebrating New Zealand’s incredible ingredients has remained of central importance to Lambert’s cooking philosophy, and he’s excited to source local produce that he’s proud to serve to guests of The Lodge Bar, and The Lodge Bar & Dining. While consistency is at the forefront of The Lodge Bar’s philosophy, Lambert is always finding and adapting new methods and recipes, working to evolve the offering even further now he’s back on home soil.
Be in to win dinner for six valued at $1,000 at Auckland’s The Lodge Bar & Dining. Simply watch the video above and answer the question ‘How long did Matt Lambert think it would take him to achieve a Michelin Star?’. Click thelink below to enter.
Ponsonby’s much loved Post Office building has seen its fair share of operators in its time. But when the iconic corner site became available earlier this year, restaurateur Hugo Baird (Lilian, Honey Bones) saw the chance to put into action an idea he’d long wanted to actualise: a bustling gastropub.
Having just opened this past weekend, Hotel Ponsonby harnesses the spirit of pubs Baird worked in during stints in Sydney, and that he frequented in London. The sort of go-to meeting place where friends, families, groups and couples come together amidst a convivial, relaxed atmosphere.
Right: Lamb heart, curry leaves and paprika
While the food and beverage offering is elevated far above your typical Kiwi pub fare (as to be expected from the high standard of his other eateries), Baird is clear that the aim is for it to still be approachable; “We’re not too fancy to have fries.”
Expect to find the likes of moreish bites like herby house-made focaccia, able to be supplemented with cured meats like mortadella, Iberian chorizo or ham, duck liver parfait, plus smoked fish rillettes, and poached kingfish with chilli. There’s a good smattering of both fresh and heartier dishes, with cucumbers with stracciatella and dill, and tomatoes and peaches tossed in basil oil harnessing the best of our summer produce, sitting alongside an exquisitely cooked lamb heart dish (trust us) and wagyu beef with bearnaise.
Left: Cucumbers with stracciatella and dill
Those wanting food to supplement a pint or two will be pleased to see Hotel Ponsonby’s upmarket take on classics like battered fish — theirs is monkfish, paired with yoghurt tartare and curry sauce — chicken schnitzel with cornichons and sage; the aforementioned fries; fried squid — and more.
The space, with its soaring ceilings, impressive bar, fireplace and sunny courtyard, has been given a forest green overhaul by both Baird and the team at interior design studio CTRL Space, who felt it was important to create a space that felt authentic given the location inside an iconic heritage building like the old post office. With Baird having successfully made his mark in Grey Lynn with Lilian, CTRL Space aimed to carry through that aesthetic to Hotel Ponsonby, while delivering something new and exciting to the area.
Left: Restaurateur Hugo Baird. Photo: Jeremy Hooper; Right: Fried squid with peppers from the menu
Thanks to the layout, different zones allow for varying moods. TV screens in the front room screen sports matches, while groups of friends or families with young children can dine in the adjacent dining room or relax in the courtyard. Baird’s modus operandi is for Hotel Ponsonby to be an inclusive, welcoming place for all. “I like the idea that it’s accessible to everyone, always.”
Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday: 4pm — late Thursday to Sunday: 12pm – late
Anyone that has used Olaplex will be familiar with the transformative effects it has on the strength, smoothness and overall health of hair. A patented system that noticeably repairs extremely damaged hair, Olaplex works from the inside out to restore the hair’s broken bonds, caused by heat styling, colour treatments, brushing or environmental damage.
Designed to work on all hair types — curly, straight, thick and fine — it’s much more than just your run-of-the-mill shampoo and conditioner. With the full range comprising six effective products, Olaplex can be applied in-salon as part of a colour treatment or as a stand-alone service, then maintained at home.
This summer, it’s all about exploring our own backyard, in both a literal and wider sense. With that in mind, we’ll be making sure our backyards, gardens, balconies, and any other outdoor areas at home are sufficiently comfortable and stylish in continuation of the attention we bestow upon any of our indoor spaces. It goes without saying this involves seeking out the best outdoor furniture and design pieces on offer, and where better to find them than ECC?
Romantic, rambling gardens and contemporary poolside areas alike would benefit from the deceptively simple lines and abundant comfort of the Spool seating. Expertly balancing solidity and lightness, the framing is composed of closely spaced cords that bring to mind weaving spools, and the depth can accommodate plenty of fluffy pillows whether nestled on the sofa or the armchair.
No outdoor area would be complete without somewhere to store requisite cold drinks and snacks for a day spent soaking up the sun. Gordon Guillaumier’s Leaf tables for Roda are an oversized play on nature solidified, rendered in various green-and-grey-toned finishes for a complementary splash of colour. Also from Roda, the multi-functional Caddy bar cart will have us serving cocktails in style with its elegant design and two stainless steel tops that can be removed and used as trays.
An al fresco dining area is well catered to with new arrivals from Royal Botania, including the pleasingly steadfast Conix Oval dining table designed by Kris Van Puyvelde. Able to be rendered in a variety of finishes including concrete, white and black ceramic, a customisable look fits myriad aesthetic briefs — paired with the Exes armchairs, the combination makes for a timeless outdoor centrepiece.
It’s no secret this year has been one of the most challenging in recent memory for restaurants, not to mention the local suppliers that provide them with Aotearoa’s glorious fresh produce. A new project from globally acclaimed New Zealand chef Peter Gordon has opened in Auckland with these suppliers in mind, aiming to offer a platform for showcasing fresh produce from here and the Pacific in a dynamic, multi-layered way.
Named Homeland, the new offering is far more than just a restaurant — although it is that as well. With Gordon and his partner Alistair Carruthers at the helm, Homeland describes itself as a ‘food embassy’, encompassing an all-day eatery, a cooking school, a film studio, a ‘food innovation hub’, and a community space. All with a collective goal to connect people with food, and boost trade.
Right: Smoked kahawai kedgeree
“We want Homeland to be a place where we can teach people about all the amazing produce that exists here, that they didn’t even know was in the country,” Gordon said in a recent television interview. He and Carruthers moved back from London for good in March this year, with Gordon having lived overseas for three decades, and while the chef known as the ‘father of fusion cuisine’ has been an ambassador for New Zealand ingredients all over the world for the bulk of his formidable career, he and Carruthers could see the need for more direct support on the ground.
With its prime waterfront location in Wynyard Quarter (in the site previously occupied by Mantells On The Water), Homeland makes an appealing choice for a meal any time of the day. A comprehensive menu of dishes made with regional, seasonal ingredients has been conceptualised by Gordon and is orchestrated by head chef Nagaraju Sunkara, also formerly of The Sugar Club. A new group of local suppliers will be highlighted every five to six weeks; currently, expect to find the likes of raw milk paneer from Southland, Cloudy Bay clams and vegetables from the gardens at Māngere-based Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae.
At breakfast time, on offer are comforting baked goods like date or three cheese scones with whipped butter; savoury brioches; plus a variety of inventive and enticing dishes from the kitchen — we like the sound of brown rice, miso, apple porridge with tofu cream and oat milk, or smoked kahawai kedgeree; clam fritters appeal, as do Gordon’s famous Turkish eggs. Brunch expands to include the likes of a paua and cheddar toasted sandwich; wood-roasted artichokes with yuzu butter and chilli, the aforementioned paneer, grilled, with rocket, smoked cherry tomatoes, beets and macadamias; and sweets like baked basque cheesecake with roasted tamarillo.
The dinner menu also looks divine, with a slow braised lamb shoulder dish sitting alongside a miso-braised beef cheek with kūmara gnocchi and mascarpone; plus clams with silverbeet and quinoa in a coconut ginger miso broth and sides like wood-roasted kūmara with kawakawa pesto.
From left: Peter Gordon and Alistair Carruthers; Homeland’s cooking school
Homeland’s cooking school will open to the public on the 6th of January, offering accessible yet useful lessons like how to become a master with pulses, how to whip up excellent salads, the secrets behind Gordon’s extensive repertoire of baking, and more. Community days where different migrant communities gather to share recipes and food culture are also part of the plan for Homeland, drawing on and celebrating the rich culinary tapestry of our beautiful home.
It would be safe to say that many of us have emerged at the end of this tumultuous year with an undeniable feeling of ‘what the hell just happened?’
But here we are, with border controlled freedom on the horizon in the form of summer holidays spent in Godzone. And, if all goes to plan, and we can make it through this period unscathed, with the promise of a magical vaccine on the horizon, we may never need to suffer the ills of confinement again.
So prepare yourself for the long lazy days of summer ahead, by getting your hands on the latest copy of Denizen. In this issue we’ve gathered a gang of inspiring New Zealanders, who share their personal stories via our ‘What I Have Learned’ series. Actor Sam Neill, who’s just returned to our shores from filming Jurassic World: Domination shares his feelings about fatherhood, his acting process and what it’s like to make it big in movies. Supermodel Georgia Fowler reflects on some of her most starstruck moments working in fashion, while singer/ songwriter Neil Finn describes what it’s like performing in front of a huge audience, and we get to know America’s Cup legend Brad Butterworth, and ask him the tough questions, like just who will win the coveted cup next year?
Speaking of the America’s Cup we have all you need to know about the very exciting season of sailing that kicks off in December, including a handy map that highlights where all the action will be happening on Auckland’s waterfront this summer.
We also round up the very best of summer hospitality in the form of our favourite places to eat, drink and generally be merry. We showcase the best products you need to know in the world of beauty, and we introduce more great local escapes and experiences that can enjoyed right here on our shores, including an epic luxury RIB boat that can be chartered for day trips on the Hauraki Gulf, or to get up close to the America’s Cup action.
So this summer, when you’re spending time at the beach or holiday home, among the detritus of combined dishwashing for the masses of gathered family and friends, remember what we’ve accomplished as a country, and hold tight to the knowing the tightness and bonds that form over the long lazy days of summer in New Zealand, yield the real soulful connections that make life worth living.
Denizen’s summer issue will be released from Monday 30th November.
Australian artist Jonny Niesche is hot property. Best known for his iridescent paintings that shimmer with pigment, being with Niesche’s work can be a seductive sensory overload as well as a ticket to an elegant futuristic realm.
Materially fetishistic, his practice is celebrated for bold chromatic expanses and saturated tones that dissolve from one hue to the next in an unfolding play of light and colour. The effect is intensified by the indistinct edges between bands of colour that surround dark middle ground. These reductive forms that hum and vibrate with vivid colour are often set against metal and mirror, offering shifting, alluring experiences of form, space, and movement.
As one tone blurs and dissolves into the next, a silky insubstantiality of pure colour and sensation emerges. The glowing neon tones and soft pastels that flow from a mysterious centre are finished with reflective rims, mirroring the viewer back to themselves in a surprising encounter with the art work.
For his first solo exhibition in New Zealand this November at Starkwhite, Niesche pulled out all the stops, extending his practice off the wall to create a total architectural environment. Poikilos is a spatial, immersive experience carefully constructed from the ground up. Offering Starkwhite visitors a vastly transformed experience of the space than they might have known previously, each element in Niesche’s intentional composition contributes to the creation of a spatial ambience that hedges us towards the emotional and slightly unknown. Crisply bright and filled with lushly seductive surfaces, the exhibition seeks to destabilise perception, offering an architecture to sharpen the senses.
In February, Niesche will also have a solo presentation at the Auckland Art Fair recreating the atmosphere of his Starkwhite exhibition. A practice that draws equally on formal elements of twentieth-century art and the shiny allure of popular culture — he has previously drawn on colours from David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane album cover and Debbie Harry’s 1970s make-up — Niesche’s disco-era glamour fused with New York minimalism is sure to prove one of the fair’s must see presentations.
Is there anything better than relishing a balmy evening outdoors with a glass of something good in hand? In honour of warmer weather and longer evenings, we’ve rounded up some of the city’s coolest hidden courtyards. From the lush and leafy to the cute and cosy, these courtyards are the place to be.
Clay Natural wine and delicious bites can be enjoyed in peace out the back of Karangahape Road wine bar Clay, where the courtyard catches the golden afternoon sun. While the menu changes weekly, you can always expect excellent small plates, an irresistible handmade pasta dish (or two) and some of the best pizza we’ve ever tasted.
East Street Hall The hottest place to be on a balmy summer’s night, East Street Hall’s out-back area draws crowds of enthusiastic revellers in droves, and is handily shielded from the view of passers’ by. Settle in with a fresh, herbaceous cocktail and a plate of silky hummus on the side if you’re feeling snacky.
Pasta & Cuore There’s nothing better than a romantic Italian meal under this eatery’s verdant trellis, cosily hidden from the hustle and bustle of Mount Eden Road. Bonus: This humble eatery is also home to some of the best pasta in Auckland.
From left: Clay’s sun-soaked courtyard; Beau is tucked away in Three Lamps
Conch Rain or shine, night or day, Conch’s out-back area is cosy and comfortable, with private booths that always make us feel at home. Sit pretty from 4pm with Happy Hour, which will see you sipping tap beer and rosé for the nice price of just $7. There’s also a tasty menu of handmade tacos, arepas and pizzas if a bite or two is in order.
Beau Nestled in Ponsonby’s Three Lamps, wine bar Beau enlivens the area with its tasty bites, great drinks and hidden, sunny courtyard. The menu is perfect for grazing, with picks like oysters, charcuterie and prawn po boys sitting alongside small plates and large plates such as roast cauliflower, fried chicken and fresh ceviche.
The Kimchi Project This Korean-inspired eatery on Lorne Street is a must for its light-filled courtyard at the rear, filled with plants and hanging lamps. Open for brunch, lunch and dinner, this all-day eatery deserves a visit any time of the day. As its name suggests, kimchi is the star, with dishes such as kimchi waffles fries, kimchi seafood laksa and kimchi fried rice showcasing its deliciousness.
To honour the latest release of Church Road TOM, revered chef Ben Shewry has crafted a recipe that, much like Chris Scott’s winemaking philosophies, centres on simplicity and quality ingredients, harmonising to create delectable flavours.
Sirloin steak, salsa verde butter and kale mashed potatoesrecipe Serves 2 or 4 if doubled
Salsa verde butter 120g salted butter, softened 2g finely chopped garlic 40g flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped 60g basil leaves 20g capers 30g cornichons, roughly chopped 20g wholegrain mustard 1⁄2 tsp lemon zest Salt and white pepper to taste
Method Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until well combined but not completely smooth. Set aside at room temperature until needed. This can be made the day before and stored in the fridge.
Kale Mashed Potatoes
Kale salad 60g kale, shredded 4mm wide with a knife 1⁄4 clove garlic, finely chopped 10g finely grated parmesan 8g olive oil 10g lemon juice Salt and black pepper to taste
Mash 400g peeled Desiree potatoes, cut into quarters 85g milk, hot 85g salted butter, diced and at room temperature Salt and white pepper to taste
Method Begin by making the kale salad. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside until needed. Store in the fridge if making ahead of time. For the mash, simmer the potatoes in a saucepan with a pinch of salt until tender. Drain well and return cooked potatoes to the pan. Place the pan over a very low heat and allow potatoes to dry out for 1 minute. Pass potatoes through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Add butter and mix well, then add milk and continue mixing until the butter has melted completely and the mash is smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Fold the kale salad through the mash.
Steak and pan sauce 2 x 250-300g sirloin steaks from your favourite butcher, thick cut 30g finely diced shallot 1 clove garlic, finely diced 40ml Church Road McDonald Series Cabernet Sauvignon 1 tbsp oyster sauce 30ml olive oil 30g butter Salt and black pepper to taste
Method Heat a heavy frypan over a medium heat. Season steaks liberally with salt and black pepper. Pour olive oil into the pan, add steaks and sear on all sides. Cook in the pan over a medium heat to your preferred doneness. Remove steaks from the pan and place on a plate in a warm place. Turn heat to low and add shallot and garlic to the pan. Cook gently for 4 minutes or until cooked and fragrant. Add wine and simmer gently to deglaze and reduce slightly. Add oyster sauce and butter, remove from the heat and whisk well until butter is emulsified into the liquids. The sauce should be thick. Check seasoning. To finish, place a large spoon of kale mash on each plate, then the steak alongside the mash. Spread a tablespoon of salsa verde butter on each steak. Finish with the sauce.
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