Ballooning out from the body in a parade of sculptural forms, statement-making sleeves are shaping up to be this season’s must-wear style.
Whether you go full puff-ball in a dress that’s equally voluminous through the body and skirt, or focus on the arms while juxtaposing a sleek silhouette elsewhere, puffed sleeves are endlessly chic and available in myriad iterations.
While there’s nothing quite like melting into a delicious novel, you can’t beat the gripping appeal of a great non-fiction book. Eye-opening and educational, these recently-released works are sure to expand your horizons.
Belabored: A Vindication of The Rights of Pregnant Women by Lyz Lenz
A witty and irreverent defense of the autonomy of women, this book dives into how history, religion and culture have shaped the way we treat pregnant women, and makes an impassioned case for trusting them to choose how to treat their own bodies.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Examining the underlying caste system that still holds sway in American society, this book’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning author examines the hierarchy of human division. Exhaustively-researched, revelatory and eye-opening, Caste takes us on a necessary journey below the surface.
Successful Aging by Daniel J. Levitin
Debunking the age-old myth that ageing equals unhappiness, neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin outlines evidence-based tools around how we can embrace nature’s course, age joyously, and get the most from our lives.
The Sirens of Mars by Sarah Stewart Johnson
Planetary scientist Sarah Stewart Johnson taps into our fascination with the ‘Red Planet’ by tracing the history of humans’ search for life on Mars. Carefully crafted and superbly told, this beguiling book really holds a mirror up to our anxieties around being alone in the universe.
Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman
What does it actually take to nurture a friendship? Here, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman hilariously and honestly document the journey of their relationship over the last decade. Inspiring and entertaining in equal measure, this book asks us to reexamine how our own relationships are formed and preserved.
Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald
Based around human connections with the natural world, Vesper Flights comprises a series of essays including accounts of wild boar, mushroom hunting, crane-watching in Hungary and the strange phenomena of birds’ nests. It is fascinating and informative, a study in observation from one of the world’s most respected nature writers.
Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
James Baldwin has been here before. Here, Glaude delves into Baldwin’s journey as a longstanding civil rights activist in an effort to highlight, as Baldwin did, a way to push forward even in the face of the disillusionment and despair around race in America.
Empty Planet by Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson
An award-winning journalist and a leading international social researcher make the provocative argument that, contrary to popular discourse, global population is on the brink of decline. Deeply-researched and utterly compelling, this book reimagines our demographic future, and offers guidance on how best to navigate its complexities.
An engagement ring is one of, if not the most, personal things we’ll ever wear. As the intention is for the wearer to be sporting their engagement ring for many years to come, the notion of choosing a ring that reflects the wearer and couple’s individuality is of utmost importance.
Harnessing this philosophy is local engagement ring company Nolan & Vada. Designed and handcrafted in New Zealand, with loved-up customers all over the world, Nolan & Vada specialises in coloured stone engagement rings, the demand for which is on the rise.
“We believe every person and couple is unique, and colour is so personal,” says the company’s founder Bharat Jain. “Our rings help people express this uniqueness, and help their individuality as a couple shine through.”
Colours hold powerful associations, helping us to channel a mood or celebrate a memory. Those who engage in colour therapy will know the power of various shades to manifest particular emotions, and what could be a more beautiful emotion to channel than love and commitment?
The team at Nolan & Vada uses sapphires to create their stunning, bespoke rings. While we all will be familiar with classic, royal blue sapphires, the stones present in various memorising shades: from deep, forest green to sparkling, blush pink. Each stone is rare and sure to appeal to those who eschew the conventional for something even more special.
Nolan & Vada is also a sound choice for those who keep environmental considerations top of mind. Its sapphires are hand-picked from reputable traders who prioritise earth-friendly practices, and most of the metals used are produced from recycled jewellery waste within New Zealand and Australia.
With 50 percent of the company’s sales coming from overseas, people all over the world are choosing Nolan & Vada for custom designs. “The most exciting journey is choosing the gemstones,’ says Bharat. The happy couple might choose a stone that matches one of their eye colours, and the Nolan & Vada team has even helped someone choose a ring that matches the colour of a prized bicycle.
“We work really hard to choose the right gems for the couple, and work around the design on the centre stone.”
Interestingly, in a recent study conducted by the jeweller, 40 percent of the women surveyed said they would seek out coloured gemstones as opposed to a diamond engagement ring. With such demand for their exquisitely designed and finished rings, the team at Nolan & Vada is excited to be growing their horizons, creating sparkling works of art from our corner of the world, helping couples all across the globe capture the essence of their love.
What could be more romantic than that?
New to Sarsfield Brooke from the renowned artisans at Opera Contemporary of Italy, the Raoul server side tables embody the contemporary luxury so prized within the company’s Italian-made furnishings.
Refined yet sturdy, with linear and curved lines working in harmony, the Raoul server side tables are crafted to dress the home with sophisticated elegance, rendered with a rippling marble top and metal base. Its ingenious design cleverly overlaps a sofa or ottoman, providing effortless integration and practicality — a boon when versatility is a key consideration of the space.
Opera Contemporary offers fresh and appealing solutions for those looking to update their interiors with luxury furnishings, and represented in this is a bespoke viewpoint, blending tradition and innovation. Harnessing these ideals, the Raoul server side tables are able to be configured in a range of different shapes, sizes and finishes, offering tailored possibilities to the individual that make for exquisite additions to the contemporary home.
Local clean beauty pioneer Emma Lewisham is on a roll. Her eponymous range of luxurious, scientifically-backed skincare is renowned nation-wide for its high performing results that use 100 percent natural ingredients — from targeting pigmentation with the cult favourite Skin Reset Serum to the recently released Supernatural hydrating night range.
Now, the brand has turned its hand to another, very important, step in our skincare routines: cleansing. “I’ve wanted to release a truly efficacious, but 100 percent natural, cleansing range that was true to our brand’s core for many years,” says Lewisham. “I believe cleansing is often a second thought; people don’t place enough importance around properly cleansing and exfoliating. It’s the underdog of the skincare industry, and I’ve set out to change this.”
The latest additions to the product artillery are the Illuminating Oil Cleanser and Illuminating Exfoliant, both working hand in hand to encourage a radiant, clear visage.
The Illuminating Oil Cleanser is a daily go-to, containing 23 high performing actives that bathe the complexion with hydration and antioxidants, nutrients and vitamins. Aiming to detoxify, brighten and hydrate the skin’s complexion, the formula harnesses a signature blend of four prized flower enzymes that gently exfoliate away dead skin cells. It also transforms into a milky emulsion on contact with water, meaning its finish is residue-free, a boon in the world of oil cleansers.
Regular exfoliation is an important partner for daily cleansing. It helps to stimulate cell turnover, revealing smoother, fresher skin, and aids with product absorption.
Emma Lewisham’s Illuminating Exfoliant contains natural lactic acid (also known as AHA) derived from maize, and willow bark (BHA), functioning in tandem to break down the dead skin cells and excess sebum buildup. For those who like the feeling of a good scrub, round jojoba beads exfoliate the face physically yet gently, and wonder-ingredient Pentavitin replenishes hydration, holding 1000 times its weight in water.
From her clean ingredients to the positive environmental effects of her new refillable, recyclable Beauty Circle program, Emma Lewisham’s vision is considered every step of the way — and we (and our skin) are all the better for it.
If there’s any designer who’s going to entice us into new suit after being told for most of the year that leisurewear reigns supreme, it’s Helen Cherry.
The first drop of the prolific New Zealand designer’s summer 20 collection has launched, showcasing in abundance the easy elegance the brand is known for.
With Cherry’s trademark sharp tailoring receiving an update, we’re particularly drawn to the Rae blazer, an effortlessly sophisticated jacket that is anything but staid, thanks to its relaxed silhouette. Rendered in ink wool melange, a piece like this has myriad styling options for the nine-to-five and beyond.
Paired with the brand’s ever-popular Cigarette pant — also crafted in matching dark blue wool this season — and a shirt or T-shirt, it’s a look that commands instant polish. The Flynn pant is another versatile staple this season, featuring a wider, longer silhouette that lengthens the legs and hangs stylishly over the ankle.
Whether elevated with heels or finished with sneakers for casual cool, there’s no denying Helen Cherry’s suiting remains both a timeless and irresistible addition to the modern woman’s wardrobe.
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, chances are you have heard about East Street Hall, the new collaborative venture from the hospitality maestroes behind Bar Céleste and Annabel’s wine bar — Nick Landsman, Emma Ogilvie and Henry Mitchell Temple.
Situated just off Karangahape Road on East Street, in what used to be the community hall of the Samoan Church, the soaring mid-century space is airy and light-filled, with an eye-catching colour palette curated by renowned interior designer Katie Lockhart and a large courtyard out the back.
Having been christened last week with one hell of an opening party, East Street Hall has already solidified its reputation as the place to go if you want to let loose — however, the culinary offering is anything but an afterthought.
The focus is on Jewish Israeli fare, a diverse cuisine loved by the East Street team for its freshness and vegetable focus. Being half Jewish, Landsman also grew up eating the style of food, simple yet delicious and varied, and both Ogilvie and Landsman ate a lot of it during their time living in Paris.
Helming the East Street kitchen is head chef Henry Onesemo, whose CV spans the likes of Apero, Lillius and Michael Meredith’s previous fine dining restaurant Meredith’s. When the team was deciding what cuisine to serve at this new venture, they looked at what was missing or could be added to within Auckland’s food-scape, and while Céleste and Annabel’s are both Euro-centric, a Mediterranean lean felt right for East Street — food that’s easy to share, moreish but also healthy, and goes well with a fresh, herbaceous cocktail.
Snacks span flatbreads, flavourful dips like baba ghanoush, capsicum tapenade, a daily hummus — the one we tried was fragrant with toasted fennel seeds — and spiced nuts. Small plates encompass a beautiful raw snapper dish with green chili, red onion, coriander and harissa; a falafel plate; Israeli chopped salad; and smoky, charred kumara, served with crème fraîche and dill.
Larger dishes comprise a whole roast cauliflower, simple yet singing with savoury flavours, served with schug (a Mediterranean herby hot sauce) and tahini; chicken schnitzel; and a beef short rib. Rich and tender, the short rib is plated with a creamy, silken cauliflower puree and a deeply concentrated jus. The Pita section is sure to be a popular go-to, with fish, lamb and falafel options served with fresh herbs and sauces.
In-keeping with Céleste, and increasingly Annabel’s, East Street’s wine list features predominantly organic, natural wines, including an impressive selection of magnums — may we suggest the magnums are a clever ordering tactic if you’re with a group and want to cut down on time spent waiting for a drink. The spiced margarita is extremely moreish, as is the generously proportioned gin and tonic.
With a strong events focus, the team at East Street Hall is set on becoming a dynamic, cultural space, with DJ Soraya LaPread curating the music offering, and plenty of room to hold any number of happenings. And, even if your eventual goal is to let your hair down and have a boogie, with the excellent culinary offering we suggest you get there early enough for dinner.
East Street Hall
5 East Street
Auckland CBD
While much of the city’s population might be heading out of it to make the most of the last long weekend before Christmas, even if you’re sticking around Auckland that doesn’t mean you’ll be at a loss for great things to do.
From fun music gigs to live theatre; movies and tasty food events, here are some suggestions to enliven your Labour Weekend.
Eat some delicious food:
Food Truck Fridays – Britomart
Get the long weekend feeling started early for Friday lunch with a selection of the best street food in town right in the city centre. Find the likes of Double Dutch Fries, The Hungry Swine, Captain Crepes, Miso Ra, Che Lucio BBQ and more down at Takutai Square from 11am – 2pm today, Friday 23rd October.
BabyG Burger pop-up – Grey Lynn
Judging by the length of the queues for BabyG Burger’s last pop-up, you’re going to want to be punctual for this weekend’s pop-up at The Cater Station on Richmond Road. Expect some of the most over-the-top, delicious burgers in town, complete with double smash patties and all the trimmings.
See the details on the BabyG Instagram here.
Check out a new opening:
Despite this year’s challenges for the hospitality industry, there have been no shortage of new openings to bolster the local restaurant scene. Take the long weekend as a chance to pay one of the city’s brightest new bars and restaurants a visit for leisurely long lunch, a laidback dinner or simply to cheers to the long weekend. May we suggest a chilli margarita and a swipe of hummus from cool new hangout East Street Hall, a frosty beer and a steak sammy from brew pub Churly’s, and a visit to Josh Emett’s new venture Onslow for its now Insta-infamous chocolate souffle.
Go for a walk:
Get a nature hit with one of the many fantastic walks in the Auckland area. From easy strolls to more challenging hikes, there’s something for every inclination and level of fitness. Find our round-up here.
Go to a market:
When there’s an extra day tacked onto the weekend, spending a few hours wandering around one of Auckland’s many great markets is even more relaxing and enjoyable. Embrace a road-trip vibe while still staying relatively close to home by heading out to Clevedon Farmers Market on Sunday 25th October, where you’ll find all manner of delicious food and fresh produce. Or, pick up some nifty knick-knacks at the Mission Bay Art & Craft Market on Monday 26th October. From clothing for both children and adults, to jewellery, local art, honey and jams, furniture and more, you could even pick up some Christmas gifts if you’re feeling organised.
Go to a gig:
Soaked Oats at The Tuning Fork
Known for their infectious, upbeat sound, four-piece indie-band Soaked Oats are sure to have the good vibes flowing for their show at The Tuning Fork tonight. The boys will be trying out some new material onstage, and will be supported by a few surprise acts. If you can’t make it to the Friday show but are keen to check them out, they’re also playing up at Leigh Sawmill on 25th october.
Find tickets for The Tuning Fork here, and Leigh Sawmill here.
Pluto at Leigh Sawmill
After almost a decade away, iconic New Zealand rock band Pluto is back. To celebrate the release of their fourth full length album, IV, they have announced an intimate performance at the Leigh Sawmill this Labour Weekend. Luxuriate in the band’s multi-layered sound and high-energy live performance on Saturday 24th October.
Doors open at 8:30pm, find tickets here.
Get cultured:
Mary Poppins – The Civic
Why not take some time out in the theatre this weekend with the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious musical, showing in an all-new New Zealand-produced season this October. Running through to Sunday, 1st November, find show and pricing details on the Auckland Live website here.
Back on the Big Screen
WIth slim pickings of new movies coming out this year, Events Cinema has brought back old favourites for fans to relive the magic in theatres. Playing this weekend at the Queen Street cinema as part of the Back on the Big Screen series are two action-packed thrillers: Predator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Friday 23rd October at 8:45pm, and The Matrix on Saturday, 24th October at 8:30pm. You could also catch Baby Done, the much-anticipated new comedy starring New Zealand comedian Rose Matafeo, Christopher Nolan’s new blockbuster Tenet, and the whimsical remake of The Secret Garden.
Night Lights at MOTAT
The whole family will love this stunning light installation at MOTAT this weekend. Designed by both New Zealand and global artists, Night Lights at MOTAT also features live music, aerial performance, food trucks, and much more. Showing from 23rd October – 25th Oct, 7pm – 10pm.
Find tickets here.
Fans of Behemoth Brewing Company’s prolific New Zealand-made craft beers will be pleased to know the brewing company has a new home in Mount Eden, and it also serves excellent food.
Named Churly’s Brew Pub & Eatery, in homage to the company’s cute little mascot, the venue is located on the corner of Charles Street and Dominion Road, and is bound to become a popular neighbourhood favourite.
Owners Andrew Childs and Hannah Miller Childs each bring a great deal of passion and experience to the venture — Childs founded Behemoth Brewing seven years ago, and now has hundreds of stockists countrywide, while Miller Childs is a trained chef and the brains behind A Lady Butcher, offering ethically, sustainably and locally produced New Zealand charcuterie, bespoke curing and butchery classes. Both businesses are to operate out of Churly’s, with a huge beer brewing room currently under construction out the back and impressive temperature-controlled drying rooms for A Lady Butcher’s meat.
Setting itself apart from other pubs in the city is the team’s philosophy of making nearly everything themselves, in terms of the components of each of the food menu’s dishes. While the menu is meat-focused, thanks to Miller Childs’ principled approach to butchery Churly’s works directly with the farms to source everything in the best way possible, butchering it all by hand onsite with no machinery.
“I’m about knowing where our food comes from — the whole story,” explains Miller Childs. “I feel that if you’re going to eat meat, you should meet the farmers, and also eat the whole animal.” We’re all far too used to only eating prime cuts like steaks, she says, but her team are all about being low-waste and using the whole animal.
The overall vibe skews American-style, with head chef Dan Sedlack bringing his expertise from the USA and Miller Childs hailing from Portland, Oregon. The menu comprises both sharing dishes and mains like burgers, sandwiches, schnitzel and mushroom tacos for vegetarian diners.
Churly’s’ signature roast beef sandwich is among the best we’ve tried, with pepper-crusted sheaths of roast beef that were expertly sliced by hand using a butchery technique called seam-cutting, getting rid of sinew to avoid any chewiness. Served in Il Forno sourdough with horseradish and pickled garlic scape (stem) aioli, whipped goat’s cheese, rocket and tomato, it’s heaven between two slices of bread.
The charcuterie board is, as expected, topnotch, with free range pork hock terrine, wagyu bresola, free range pork coppa cured with oak-smashed paprika out of Dunedin, and all the crackers and pickles also made in house. Washed down with a pint of one of the many craft beers on offer, it’s sure to be a summer sharing staple.
Dessert is tweaked regularly but we can safely say no one would be unhappy with the blueberry cinnamon donuts we tried, served with toasted meringue for decadent dipping.
Wednesday night at Churly’s is Prime Cut night, where a board is drawn up with the best of the best cuts of meat, sold by the 100 grams. While the focus is obviously all things carnivorous, Miller Childs explains they always accommodate vegetarian and vegan eaters, so everyone comes away from Churly’s satisfied and happy.
A good-sized outdoor area is currently sheltered by a marquee but will be a fully-fledged garden bar by December — however, we recommend getting yourself down to this brew pub much sooner than that.
Opening Hours:
Open 7 days
Sunday – Thursday: 11am – 10pm
Friday & Saturday: 11am – Midnight
Churly's Brew Pub & Eatery
1A Charles Street
Mount Eden
We’re allowed to mix and mingle once again, and thank goodness for that as party season is ramping up just in time for the scariest night of the year — although the year in general has been pretty scary, so why not lean in even further?
There are plenty of fun things going on to get into the spooky spirit, so get your costume sorted and sink your (vampire) teeth into one of these events.
‘HALLOWEEN’ with Nathan Haines & Frank Booker at Hopetoun Alpha
The crew at Holiday Records know how to throw a good shindig, and this one’s bound to be a doozy. Held within the soaring space of Hopetoun Alpha on Beresford Square, local music legends and longtime collaborators Frank Booker and Nathan Haines will be getting the dance floor pumping with a DJ set that spans disco, 80’s boogie and everything in between.
Saturday 31st October 5pm – 11pm, Hopetoun Alpha, 19 Beresford Square.
Find tickets here.
Rio Funk – Day of the Dead edition at Saint Alice
Embrace the vibrance of the Day of the Dead with Rio Funk, the biggest baile funk party in New Zealand, held at Saint Alice. Spooky revellers will have plenty to boogie to with Brazilian music, Dj’s and samba passion dancers in the line-up – and you’d better put effort into your costume, as the best Day of the Dead or Halloween costume will win a bar tab.
Saturday 31st October Rio Funk Day Of The Dead Party, Saint Alice, Level 1/204 Quay Street, Auckland. Doors open 10pm.
Find tickets here.
Margarita specials at Frida
Viaduct Harbour Mexican hotspot Frida Cocina Mexicana & Tequila Bar is celebrating Halloween longer than just the day itself with a special margarita menu on offer for the whole week in the lead-up. At $12, the special margaritas will be impossible to resist — all that’s left to decide is whether you’ll go for the Rosita, with tequila reposado, fresh lime, grapefruit with a salt rim; Morado, containing silver tequila, fresh lime, elderflower liqueur, blackberries, agave and a sugar rim; or Amarillo, a fragrant mix of silver tequila, fresh lime, charred pineapple, mint and a chilli salt rim. The venue will also be decked out with Day of the Dead decorations, and a live guitarist will be playing on 1st November.
Monday 26th October – Sunday 1st November, Frida Cocina Mexicana & Tequila Bar, 85/89 Customs Street West, Auckland CBD.
Day of the Dead Party at Ghost Donkey
What better place to celebrate Halloween and Day of the Dead than Ghost Donkey, Auckland’s must-visit hub for mezcal and tequila. The team will be celebrating in true Ghost Donkey fashion with a special cocktail menu, Mexican bites on offer, giveaways, face-painting, DJ’s and their very own mariachi band.
Saturday 31st October, Ghost Donkey, Level 2, 1 Queen St, Commercial Bay, 6pm – 12am.
Find tickets here.
After Dinner Club Halloween on K’ Road
Join the scenesters for a party at Anthology Lounge on Karangahape Road, hosted by Mac Mylo and Marc Moore, with special guest Hurricane Emily also spinning some tunes to get the guests in the dancing mood. Anthology Lounge is directly below Cotto on K’ Road, RSVP here for free entry, and remember: costumes are compulsory — no dress-up, no entry. So, dress to impress.
Saturday, 31st October, 9pm – 3am, Anthology Lounge, 375 Karangahape Road.
Find more details here.
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