Like the indulgent feasts of bygone eras, the modern dinner party is about more than simply offering everyone their fair share. With Gucci’s SS19 accessories setting the tone of relaxed merriment, this opulent dinner is framed by an air of luxury, encouraging us to remain around the table well after the plates have been cleared.
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Arli leather bag, gloves, silk shirt and vest
Arli leather bag, gloves, silk shirt and vest
GG diamond tights and shoes
GG diamond tights and shoes
Charm belt, Rahja large tote and gloves
Charm belt, Rahja large tote and gloves
Zumi strawberry print top handled bag, mid-heel pumps with half-moon GG and strawberry print tights
Zumi strawberry print top handled bag, mid-heel pumps with half-moon GG and strawberry print tights
Tights, shoes, metal necklace with crystals and triple wrap snake bracelet
Tights, shoes, metal necklace with crystals and triple wrap snake bracelet
Bracelet and large GG canvas backpack
Bracelet and large GG canvas backpack
Image credit: Styling: Margie Cooney, Art Direction: Fran King
Despite ominous morning clouds giving a number of us cause to consider sporting a hat for the day, last Saturday ended up being the perfect afternoon to don our weekend best and congregate at The Heineken Urban Polo. Spending the day watching exhilarating matches and sipping on flutes of crisp Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut and Rosé champagne, guests in the Denizen and Perrier-Jouët marquee were greeted with flowing drinks and floral installations. The talented florists at Wonder Florals were tasked with adorning the space, transforming it into a summer garden where every corner was festooned in verdant leaves and petals in hues of pink.
Taking up a spot that boasted some of the best views of the on-field action and filled with plenty of jovial conversation, the Denizen and Perrier-Jouët marquee proved the perfect place to enjoy everything the Urban Polo had to offer.
In Chino Canyon in California’s Coachella Valley sits a structure that both blends seamlessly with its surrounding environment, and stands as a beacon of intriguing design against the arid backdrop of sand and shrubbery.
Not a private home, the Desert Palisades Guardhouse was designed for the security guards who watch over the surrounding residences, although the creative minds at Los Angeles based design firm Studio AR&D Architects weren’t about to let the building’s functional nature stand in the way of it being an utterly beguiling feat of modern design.
Jutting out from the rolling landscape with its rectangular construction and stoic, straight lines, the Guardhouse was constructed from steel that was left to naturally rust, lending the outside of the building a tone that makes its geometric nature seem, against reason, to fit in perfectly with its wild environs.
This synergistic connection with nature continues inside, where a generous use of glass renders the interiors light and airy — despite their darker colour scheme. Using timber to carry the rustic orange of the exterior, inside, the clever fit-out has resulted in a space that is cool and calm — a sure relief for those battling the daily desert heat.
Tom Dixon Beat pendants from ECC | Vitra Noguchi coffee table from Matisse | Classicon Bell side table from Matisse
Tying in touches of mid-century modern design (the kind we’ve grown to expect from this part of the world) with contemporary, sculptural finishes and a minimalistic colour scheme, the Desert Palisades Guardhouse despite its nature as inherently low-key, is a structure deserving of attention — and we’re happy to oblige.
Translating to ‘barn’ in French, The Grange, located in the recently-opened Smales Farm hospitality precinct, The Goodside, offers an eatery with a sophisticated yet casual ambience.
Staying true to its name, The Grange comprises a collection of spaces including an elegant main dining room, an all-weather terrace, private dining room and functioning greenhouse as well as a large sunny courtyard leading out from the bar. It has been designed in a way where all of the individual spaces connect together to form an idyllic sanctuary, just like a genuine, authentic grange.
The main dining area seats around 40 people, the terrace another 40, while 32 can dine in the courtyard. The sophisticated private dining room will host 18-20 people, and the greenhouse is also open to private dining for more intimate parties of up to 10 people.
Any eatery of this scale requires a hands-on approach by experienced operators, which is most certainly the case with The Grange. Co-owned and managed by Holly Wilson and Nik Stakes who have cultivated a rich understanding of the dining scene with collective experience managing notable local restaurants including Baduzzi, Rata and Madam Woo as well as Melbourne’s infamous Italian eateries Tipo 00 and Osteria Ilaria, and Australia’s iconic Asian fusion restaurant, Chin Chin.
The Greenhouse
The interior of The Grange boasts a harmony of modern design and natural elements as vines of greenery are intertwined into the chic shades of black and marble surfaces. The rich oak interior is complemented with plush velvet seating and is warmly lit with simplistic pendant lighting. Designed by co-owner of The Grange, architect Mark Wilson of MDS Design has managed to create a restaurant that is charming and sumptuous while remaining inherently relaxed and welcoming.
The Grange has an extensive drinks menu consisting of boutique wines from around New Zealand and all over the world, as well as a selection of the finest spirits and cocktails. Stakes, having managed numerous restaurants and bars in the past, has developed and diversified his wine palate over the years and is showcasing his discerning taste via his curation of The Grange’s extensive list of beverages.
Citrus poached crayfish & crab with witloof
The kitchen is operated by Head Chef, Regnar Christensen who previously helmed the kitchen at Wellington’s acclaimed restaurant, Ortega Fish Shack. Christensen uses The Grange as his creative outlet utilising seasonable herbs from the on-site greenhouse and local produce to create dishes such as heirloom tomatoes with burrata and basil, citrus poached crayfish and crab with witloof.
Other menu highlights include the charcuterie board with duck liver pate, pappardelle with beef cheek ragu, basil and radicchio and the 12-hour braised lamb shoulder for two.
Coconut sugar figs with buffalo curd, pistachio cake crumble and Moscato granita
Making sure to keep anyone with a sweet tooth satiated too, The Grange offers a delectable array of desserts, featuring classics such as tiramisu, hazelnut parfait and housemade ice cream and sorbet — all of which are elevated by a line-up of wines specifically designed to match. As figs are in season, Christensen has taken advantage of this product to create a seasonal treat (one of our favourites). The figs are roasted in coconut sugar and accompanied by creamy buffalo curd and crushed pistachio cake with a Moscato granita before being finished with a drizzle of housemade fig leaf oil.
Calling The Grange a restaurant would be an understatement. It’s a cultural space for the local community, striving to fulfil all of our gastronomic needs. The all-day menu is not even a fraction of what this place is capable of, where a refined breakfast can segue into a productive working lunch, and a Friday afternoon BBQ session or elevated yet nostalgic Sunday roast present the perfect ways to unwind after a busy week. Whether it’s a quick drop-in meal or a drawn-out, romantic dinner on the terrace at sunset, the new heart of the North Shore will always be ready to give you a superb experience.
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 8am until late Saturday & Sunday: 9:30am until late
Though the summer days are behind us, autumn does give us a little more to work with than the heat allows. This is the beginning of layers, blazers, turtlenecks and trousers (although we’re not advocating dusting off the heavy-duty winter woolies right away). And with the need to wear more, comes the scope for some sartorial creativity — which is why it is one of my favourite times of the year to get dressed.
‘Transeasonal’ is the undeniable buzzword of autumn— bandied about as if it connoted some big, mysterious period of time through which we need to be led, step-by-step so that we don’t (heaven forbid) wear too much or too little. Well, we’re all adults here, and I won’t insult your intelligence by imparting on you another paternalistic ‘guide to transeasonal dressing,’ as if I were revealing the cure for cancer, or the solution to some unsolvable equation. The bottom line is this: as it gets colder, add layers. If too many are added, remove. Groundbreaking.
The other gripe I have with the transeasonal trope is that it often results in looks that err on the side of blandness. Autumn marks a time when new trends and movements emerge on the runways of New York, London, Milan and Paris — in the year’s first fashion month. So rather than being a time to play it safe, it actually offers up the opportunity to experiment with different looks while the weather remains at a relatively mild level.
From the colours everyone is wearing to the reimaginings of past styles, this year’s fashion month has offered up a profusion of autumnal inspo, including a tone I honestly never thought I would wear and a number of new takes on classic pieces. Without telling you how to dress (I think you probably have a handle on that by now) I wanted to outline some of the things I’ve found myself searching for in preparation for the season at hand. The essential things. The things upon which I will build and curate my wardrobe in the lead-up to winter. And the things I counsel you to seriously consider adding to your line-up too.
A trench – this classic piece really can do no wrong, whether you opt for one in its more traditional, timeless form, or one that throws caution to the wind with delightful abandon (we’re talking patterned, patent and transparent). Maybe you take a leaf out of J.W Anderson’s book (who created one of the most major trench moments of the season) and go for volume. Or embrace a change of tone inspired by Jacquemus’ pink iteration. However it materialises, this is the undeniable coat of the season so embrace accordingly.
A.W.A.K.E Mode | Christian Dior | J.W Anderson | Simone Rocha
Something orange — a colour I never thought I would wear again after a particularly enthusiastic bout of donning it as a 12-year-old, orange is indeed, the new black. Seeing salmon-coloured skirts, apricot bags, carrot-toned trousers and tangerine tops, the wave of orange was seen as much on the runways as it was outside the shows. From Saint Laurent to Mulger to Lanvin to Loewe to Off-White to Eudon Choi to Sies Marjan — when I say it was everywhere, it was everywhere.
Intriguing hosiery — what better way to layer, after all, than with a pair of coloured, patterned or plain stockings. Although we think leaving the latter out wouldn’t be such a bad idea this season. Brands like Burberry and Gucci swathed models’ legs in colour and pattern, elevating looks out of the realm of the expected.
Clockwise from top left: Versace | Burberry | Shrimps (both) | Gucci | Versace
A statement dress — think about the attention Molly Goddard garnered for her incredibly-layered, tulle frocks or Simone Rocha’s consistent commitment to exaggerated silhouettes. A bold dress need not be relegated to special occasions or grand dress-codes. It would seem the new way to wear a dress, whether it be long, asymmetrical, frilly, voluminous, lacy or colourful, is with a pair of your favourite flats or sneakers and a devil-may-care attitude.
Saint Laurent | Prada | Molly Goddard | Christian Dior
A long skirt — with The Row’s consistent championing of modest, sleek silhouettes and Hedi Slimane’s second outing for Celine heralding the return of iconic 70s motifs and bourgeoisie style — it would seem that the long skirt is being placed as one of the pieces of the season. Making its comeback in modern, block colours, pleated textures and heritage fabrics, the long skirt will offer something different to your typical, tailored trousers.
The act of enjoying a heart-warming glass of red wine is something that is universal but the world of wine can feel like a web of senseless phrases and confusing processes that aren’t always easy for us to get our heads around. After a recent query from a friend who really had no clue what a wine decanter was, nor any idea how she should be using one, I decided to dive into why decanting was seen as integral to the serving of certain wines, as well as how to do it properly and which vessels to use.
Why should we decant? There are two main reasons why decanting wine has become common practice. The first is because it helps to filter out sediment from the wine, resulting in a clearer, sharper taste and more pure colour. For older bottles of red wine or port, this can prove imperative where the colour pigments have bonded with tannins and fallen out of the solution. Sediment can result in a wine sporting a cloudy colour, or gritty, bitter taste. Ironically, sediment in a bottle of wine can be an indicator of high-quality, which is another reason why more expensive drops are more frequently decanted before serving.
The other reason for decanting has to do with its aeration properties. Though a topic of debate (apparently) in the wider wine community, the central idea is that giving some wines exposure to oxygen will open up their flavour profiles, making them more vibrant, especially with wines that are highly tannic or full-bodied.
How to decant? 1. Choose the wine you will be serving in advance, and stand it upright for at least 24 hours — this will send the sediment to collect at the bottom of the bottle
2. Take out your decanter of choice (see below for some of our favourites)
3. Remove the cap and cork from the bottle of wipe and wipe its neck clean
4. Hold a light under the neck
5. Begin to pour the wine into the decanter slowly, without stopping at all until you reach the end. The emptier the bottle gets, the slower you should pour.
6. Stop when you see the sediment reach the neck of the bottle
7. You may serve straight away if you wish, otherwise, the rule of thumb is that older, more delicate wines should be served after sitting for around 30 minutes or so, while more full-bodied varieties can sit for closer to an hour.
Feel free to experiment with decanting (if you have a couple of bottles you don’t mind experimenting with) to familiarise yourself with the process and its results. Extreme decanting using specific aeration tools and often lasting much longer than an hour should only really be undertaken by the connoisseurs, but if you want to try your hand at it too, by all means.
Which decanters are best?
When it comes to the question of which decanter to buy, it certainly isn’t one size that fits all, but there is one brand we would always turn to without a second thought. Riedel, one of the world’s foremost makers of stemware and glassware has a wide range, even creating particular types of decanters to suit different drops (although if you’re just starting out, there’s no need to get too specific). Available locally from The Studio of Tableware, the latest Riedel decanters are set to be the perfect sculptural centrepieces for your next dinner party — and these are our favourites.
The Garden City has played host to Working Style’s Managing Director, Chris Dobbs on many occasions. Whether visiting Christchurch for work or play, Dobbs has narrowed his favourite places to eat, drink, stay and visit down to a finite list of what he deems to be the best — and considering his penchant for the finer things, we’re quite happy to take his recommendations on board.
Stay I head down to the Garden City fairly regularly to visit our Working Style store in Merivale, and I always stay at the Hilton’s Chateau On The Park DoubleTree hotel. The staff are extremely welcoming, and the secluded setting really helps me to wind down after a long day of travel and work. The valet service is also fantastic (which is a huge plus for me) and I can always rely on my garments being perfectly pressed after suffering the inevitable wear and tear of travel.
The clams at Inati
Eat Over the many years I have been visiting Christchurch, I have definitely whittled my favourite places down to a definitive list. The Terrace offers a range of eateries in one location, meaning that it’s always easy to find something to suit my mood – whether that’s a cold beer or a bite to eat. Inati is another favourite and I always go for the ‘Trust Us’ sharing option (the chef here definitely knows best).
Terrace Tavern at The Terrace
For breakfast, I’ll usually head into town to Hello Sunday for a shakshuka or eggs benny. It’s the perfect place for a mid-morning pick-me-up and I love its low-key fitout (inside an old Sunday school).
Hello Sunday
Drink If I’m looking for somewhere nice and casual to wind down at the end of the day I’ll head to Number Four. The wine list is brilliant, and it’s just down the road from our store.
Culture I always try to find time to pay a visit to the Christchurch Art Gallery, which is currently showing Gordon Walters: New Vision — just down from a run at Auckland’s Art Gallery. I checked it out when it was in Auckland, but I think I’ll go for a refresher when I visit Christchurch later this month. If I’m after a more boutique experience I’ll drop by the Nadene Milne or Jonathan Smart galleries.
Michael Parekowhai’s Chapman’s Homer at Christchurch Art Gallery
Chateau On The Park — Christchurch, a DoubleTree by Hilton
Denim jeans reflect whole lifetimes in their frayed pockets and faded patches. Those vintage 501s you picked up at some obscure second-hand store, for instance, bear wear and tear like hard-earned battle scars — each pull telling a story, every imperfection a memory — and the comfort felt from putting them on, unparalleled.
Until recently, the road to finding the perfect vintage Levi’s was unavoidably arduous and labour-intensive. For most, spending hours sifting through denim racks only to find something that would eventually have to be taken to a tailor just wasn’t worth it, leading to most of us settling for baggy fits and mass-produced options as standard practice. Noting this disconnect between what people wanted from their jeans and what was readily available, Re/Done denim created a niche for itself and changed the game in the process.
Founders of Re/Done – Sean Barron and Jamie Mazur
When Sean Barron and Jamie Mazur decided to launch their small, e-commerce site back in 2014, they couldn’t have foreseen the cult following it would eventually garner. Born from the simple idea of making it easy for people to find a pair of jeans that felt vintage but fit like new, the duo decided to source well-worn Levi’s 501s and re-work them to suit modern styles and sizing. They had three objectives: to restore individuality to the luxury fashion space; to keep important heritage brands relevant; and to create something that perpetuated sustainability. And it wasn’t long before their unique denim brand became a favourite among the young Hollywood set, breaking the duo into the big leagues.
Gigi Hadid, Kaia Gerber and Kendall Jenner in Re/Done denim
The Re/Done process is simple in principle, but hands-on in practice. Sourcing vintage Levi’s denim from all over the world, the company brings it back to its Los Angeles workshop to be unpicked and restitched into the modern classics they are known for today. Using older machines (some dating back to the 40s) so as to maintain the denim’s vintage integrity and old-school feel, the repurposed jeans — each individually handmade — are turned into high rise, ankle crop, straight skinny and flare cuts, and rendered in today’s sizes. And despite Re/Done’s serendipitous ascent, driven by early backing from models on the rise (Gigi Hadid etc) and sustained by being in the right place at the right time, this label has continued to expand its vision, now offering leatherwear, swimwear, clothing and a variety of denim styles including skirts, shorts and jackets. An important fact for anyone wanting to buy into the hype is that for every pair of Re/Done jeans bought, the company offers its customers free repairs for life. So, if that rip happens to fall slightly too close to a crotch seam, you can send your pair back to the Re/Done headquarters for a thorough stitch up.
Recognising the need for Re/Done’s offering in New Zealand, Workshop has (much to our delight) introduced a selection of the brand’s denim, clothing and accessories into its stores. Available styles include the High Rise Ankle Crop and the Stove Pipe jeans, alongside various iterations of the Classic Tee and Dad Cap, which ensure all our bases are covered for the upcoming seasons.
So next time you’re struggling to find the perfect fit, look no further than this revolutionary label reworking our favourite styles into pieces that will last a lifetime.
Forget notions of whisky’s only purpose being to warm your cold winter heart. Despite its reputation as a fireside companion, whisky is essential to a number of refreshing drinks we indulge in when the weather’s warm. Light, thirst-quenching and thoroughly drinkable, these Chivas-based cocktails are the perfect summer libations.
1. Chivas Collins Place two slices of green apple at the bottom of a glass and pour over 50ml of Chivas 12. Fill the glass with ice and add in 100ml of lemonade and 50ml of soda water before stirring. Garnish this crisp, perfectly-balanced cocktail with a wheel of lime and prepare to feel instantly refreshed.
2. Morning Glory Fizz Into a cocktail shaker, squeeze 5ml of fresh lemon juice before adding 10ml of white sugar and a dash of Pernod Absinthe. Then add 50ml of Chivas 12 and 25ml of egg white. Shake the mixer dry before adding in ice and shaking again. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass and top with soda water. This is sure to banish that hangover like nothing else.
3. Hoots Mon Spritz Add 12.5ml of Lillet Blanc to a glass before pouring in 12.5ml of sweet vermouth. Add in 50ml of Chivas Extra before topping with ice and stirring. Set aside a chilled glass of soda water and a lemon twist before pouring the alcoholic mixture over the soda and garnishing for a drink that hits the palate perfectly.
4. Rob Roy Start by pouring 50ml of Chivas 12 into a mixing glass and adding 12.5ml of Lillet Rouge and 12.5ml of Lillet Blanc. Top with ice and a dash of Angostura bitters before stirring. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with an orange twist for an elegant evening concoction.
Dark colours are known to absorb vast amounts of light and heat. And while the intake of light gives these hues their depth, the heat factor means that tones on the shadier end of the spectrum have the potential to become unbearably hot after exposure to sunlight. This, of course, relates to a house as much as it does to a dark sweater in January or the steering wheel of a car that’s been parked in the sun all afternoon. If a homeowner has decided to finish their property in a sleek exterior of say, dark brown or grey or black, they can be sure that if rendered in regular paint, that house will have some serious temperature issues come summertime.
Luckily, we don’t deal with regular paint, and Resene (the pioneering powerhouse behind paint that borders on technological genius) has come up with a simple solution. Its CoolColour range is innovatively designed to allow darker colours to be used on roofing or the outer walls of houses without any concern for how that might effect the temperature inside. The paint in question is still able to absorb light, but when it comes to the sun’s infrared rays, is far more reflective than its run-of-the-mill counterparts. As a result, the heat build-up is much slower (in fact, it never actually reaches the ‘you could fry an egg on it’ stage) which in turn, stops the usual transfer of heat from the property’s exterior to its interior.
So do your air-conditioning unit (and power bill) a favour and manage the temperature of your home from every angle. Beyond just saving you money, it will make the place you go to relax, that much more inviting.
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