03 Magazine: July 07, 2023

the 

South 

island 

lifestyle 

magazine 

FREE | JuLY 2023 

THE INIMITABLE BIC RUNGA RETURNS HOME TO CHRISTCHURCH FOR A BEAUTIFUL COLLISION | CHEESE SCONES & BRANDY SNAPS: 

MINT CAKERY’S MICHELLE MORFETT SERVES UP SOME DELICIOUS MORNING TEA TREATS | JIMMY D DESIGNER JAMES DOBSON’S 

VERY STYLISH SOUTH ISLAND SALES TRIP | THE MAGIC OF MUSHROOMS: MEET ŌTAUTAHI’S FAVOURITE FUNGI FANATIC LIV SISSON 

THAT’S A WRAP! OUR PICKS OF THE BEST WINTER COATS | FARM TO WARDROBE: LIVING THE FASHION & FOODIE DREAM IN KUROW

Briarwood Christchurch 

4 Normans Road, Strowan 

Telephone 03 420 2923 

christchurch@briarwood.co.nz 

briarwood.co.nz

4 Magazine | Promotion 

CELEBRATING COMMUNITY 

Christchurch Casinos Charitable Community Trust recently raised a toast to more than 330 deserving 

community organisations across Canterbury and the West Coast with donations of 

over $450,000 and a special evening of celebration and networking held in Christchurch. 

This year, the Christchurch Casinos Charitable 

Community Trust (CCCCT) is giving away 

$451,000 to hundreds of Canterbury and West Coast 

community organisations. The Trust brought them 

together for a night of celebration and networking at 

the Majestic Church in June. 

Giving away over $5.5 million dollars since 1994, this 

year 335 organisations are receiving donations ranging 

from $200 to $15,000. 

“The services they perform with limited resources 

are invaluable and the fact so many are run by 

volunteers is awe-inspiring. We’re honoured to 

support them,” says Brett Anderson, Christchurch 

Casino CEO. 

The focus of this year’s grants are organisations 

catering to youth, the community and wellbeing. 

Sports organisations featured prominently among the 

Trust’s 335 recipients. One, Papanui Boxing Ōtautahi 

Academy, is more than just a boxing gym. They are 

a whānau-centred organisation teaching tamariki and 

rangatahi determination, focus and hard work. They 

are working to empower young people and give them 

a safe space to learn and grow. 

“Surf clubs are another group we made sure to 

assist. They play a critical role in protecting our 

beaches and providing opportunities to young people,” 

says Brett. 

With the cost of living on the rise and New Zealand’s 

economy in recession, the need for assistance is growing. 

More and more businesses and organisations are 

restricting spending and charities are feeling the pinch. 

One organisation, Aweko Kai, is facing this challenge 

head-on by helping vulnerable whānau reconnect 

with the whenua and save money by teaching people 

how to plant, grow and cook their own food. Food 

sovereignty is a vital tool in improving mental health, 

wellbeing, and hauora. Funds from the CCCCT are 

essential to provide incredible programmes like the one 

Aweko Kai is running at Christchurch Women’s Prison. 

With more than 500 groups applying for funding, 

Brett says they were aware they wanted to have a 

bigger impact this year. 

“In previous years, the Trust donated larger sums to 

fewer groups, but this year, we’ve set a giving target of 

$200 to $15,000 to serve more people,” he explains. 

For the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust, 

who must raise $6 million dollars a year to fund their 

essential services, every little bit of money helps. The 

demand on their two helicopters is incredible with 

the Air Rescue Trust performing 700–800 life-saving 

rescue missions each year. 

The Christchurch Casinos Charitable Community 

Trust event, in addition to a well-deserved celebration 

of great work, also opens opportunities for networking 

and collaboration. 

“We’d love to see greater cooperation and 

collaboration across the sector. It’s important for them 

to see they’re not alone, to give, and gain support from 

one another. Beneficiaries of our Trust can learn from 

each other’s successes and failures and explore areas 

for cooperation. Our ultimate goal is to facilitate that 

collaboration, remove duplication from the system, and 

allow these organisations to thrive and do more for 

Cantabrians,” says Barry Corbett, Christchurch Casinos 

Charitable Community Trust Trustee. 

“What a great city I live in! Look at all these 

wonderful organisations doing great work. We feel 

fortunate to help them,” says Barry. 

christchurchcasino.co.nz

6 Magazine | Editor’s note 

Hello 

Ever since I moved to Christchurch in January last year, 

Bic Runga has been on my wishlist of those I especially 

hoped to include in the magazine one day, so it’s an absolute 

dream this month to not only get the chance to interview 

the inimitable singer/songwriter/musician (page 28) but to 

have her on the cover (along with the less photogenic but still 

charismatic chihuahua Chico). 

This issue I also got to chat to Ōtautahi’s resident fungi 

expert Liv Sisson (page 32) – and can confirm she’s a 

lot more fun than that title might imply – as well as the 

wonderful Jess Beachen, who’s living her fashion and foodie 

dreams in the unexpected locale of country town Kurow 

(page 38). 

And to my delight, the incredibly talented James Dobson, 

founder of iconic New Zealand fashion brand Jimmy D, 

agreed to take us along on a (virtual) South Island sales trip, 

stopping in at his favourite spots to shop, stay, eat and imbibe. 

Find it on page 50. 

Finally, as a serious fan of classic Kiwi morning tea treats, 

I’m thrilled to share a few of Michelle Morfett’s (Mint Cakery) 

moreish recipes from her new cookbook (page 61) – think 

golden cheddar and chive scones, cream-filled brandy snaps 

and more… 

Enjoy! 

PUBLISHER 

Charlotte Smith-Smulders 

Allied Press Magazines 

Level 1, 359 Lincoln Road, Christchurch 

03 379 7100 

EDITOR 

Josie Steenhart 

josie@alliedpressmagazines.co.nz 

DESIGNER 

Emma Rogers 

PROOFREADER 

Mitch Marks 

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 

Janine Oldfield 

027 654 5367 

janine@alliedpressmagazines.co.nz 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Aileen Chen, Dana Johnston, Francine Boyer, 

Helen Templeton, James Dobson, Jess Beachen, 

Justin Spiers, Ken Cao, Kim Dungey, 

Liv Sisson, Manja Wachsmuth, Michelle Morfett, 

Neville Templeton, Paula Vigus, Pippa Marffy, 

Rebecca Fox, Sampford Cathie 

Every month, 03 (ISSN 2816-0711) shares the latest in lifestyle, home, 

food, fashion, beauty, arts and culture with its discerning readers. 

Enjoy 03 online (ISSN 2816-072X) at 03magazine.co.nz 

Allied Press Magazines, a division of Allied Press Ltd, is not responsible for any actions taken 

on the information in these articles. The information and views expressed in this publication 

are not necessarily the opinion of Allied Press Ltd or its editorial contributors. 

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information within this magazine, however, 

Allied Press Ltd can accept no liability for the accuracy of all the information. 

Josie Steenhart, editor 

Need help 

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8 Magazine | Contents 

In this issue 

22 

FEATURE 

38 In good company 

Boutique fashion and fine food in Kurow 

Resene 

Grenadier 

COLOURS OF 

THE MONTH 

COVER FEATURE 

28 A beautiful collision 

Bic Runga reveals her distinctly 

Christchurch personality on a 

celebratory tour of the motu 

FASHION 

24 Crack the coat 

A warm welcome to outerwear 

and cosy accessories to see out 

the chilly season 

HOME 

22 Most wanted 

What the 03 team are coveting 

right now 

44 Inspired by nature 

A Wānaka holiday home built 

for a design-loving family 

TRAVEL 

50 Sales tripping 

Jimmy D’s founder and designer 

shares his fave places to eat, 

shop and stay in the South 

• Retrofit & New Double Glazing 

• Timber & Aluminium 

• Windows & Doors 

• Frameless Glass Solutions 

Choose 

Thermoglaz 

for your 

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Thermoglaz your one-stop shop www.thermoglaz.co.nz P. 03 363 5880

FREE | JULY 2023 




THAT’S A WRAP! OUR PICKS OF THE BEST WINTER COATS | FARM TO WARDROBE: LIVING THE FASHION & FOODIE DREAM IN KUROW 

10 Magazine | Contents 

OUR COVER 

the 

South 

iSland 

lifeStyle 

magazine 

Bic Runga and Chico. 

Photo: Aileen Chen 

68 

Resene 

Wood Bark 

READ US ONLINE 

61 

Resene 

Mongoose 

FOOD 

61 Cold snap 

Mint Cakery’s Michelle Morfett shares 

treats from her new cookbook 

ARTS & CULTURE 

32 The magic of mushrooms 

A look inside Liz Sisson’s fun guide to fungi 

68 Art explorer 

Peter Robinson’s Dunedin exhibition, Kā 

Kaihōpara, is an exercise in collaboration 

72 Book club 

Great new reads to please even the 

pickiest of bookworms 

BEAUTY 

26 About face 

The best new beauty products for winter 

REGULARS 

12 Newsfeed 

What’s up, in, chat-worthy, cool, covetable 

and compelling right now 

74 Win 

The ultimate Weleda Skin Food pack, Liv 

Sisson’s Fungi of Aotearoa: A Curious Forager’s 

Field Guide book and Glow Lab’s newest 

bath blends and bath salts 

FIND US ON SOCIAL 

03magazine.co.nz | @03_magazine 

GET A COPY 

Want 03 Magazine delivered straight 

to your mailbox? Contact: 

charlotte@alliedpressmagazines.co.nz 

reCOver YOUr 

LOveD FUrNItUre 

QUaLItY FUrNItUre speCIaLIsts 

www.qualityfurniture.co.nz 

MONDaY - thUrsDaY 7.00am-4.30pm | FrIDaY 8.00am-12.00pm 

(afternoon appointments by request) CLOseD weekeNDs 

424 st asaph street | re-UphOLsterY speCIaLIsts 

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12 Magazine | Newsfeed 

Newsfeed 

What’s up, in, chat-worthy, cool, covetable 

and compelling right now. 

Nice knits 

Everyone’s favourite 

way to get warm 

– and give warmth 

– is back, with the 

return of Standard 

Issue’s Jumper for 

Jumper initiative 

in partnership 

with Middlemore 

Foundation. For every 

jumper purchased 

online or instore, the 

local label will knit 

and gift another for a 

Kiwi kid in need. This 

year’s goal is to knit 

3000 jumpers for the 

cause by the end of 

this winter. 

standardissue.co.nz 

Cafe fair 

From much-loved local hospo legend Tom 

Worthington (of Tom’s) and Will Lyons-Bowman 

(the new cafe’s head chef and winemaker for 

Vita Wines) comes delish new weekday hotspot 

Estelle. Named for Tom’s niece, Estelle is all 

about chicly presented, contemporary comfort 

food – think inventive things on toast, honey 

cake, rice pudding and cream-filled maritozzi. 

@estelle_southwarkst 

Sail home 

‘Te Rā’, an extraordinary piece of Māori cultural 

heritage, is returning to our shores this month, 

and, yay, Christchurch gets to see it first. Held 

in the collection of the British Museum, the 

more than 200-year-old taonga (the only known 

customary Māori sail in existence) has been shown 

to the public only once in its lifetime. Te Rā: The 

Māori Sail, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o 

Waiwhetū, July 8 to October 23, 2023. 

christchurchartgallery.org.nz 

Makers unknown, ‘Te Rā’ [‘the sail’] c.1770–1800. Harakeke, 

kererū, kāhu and kākā feathers, dog skin. On loan from the 

Trustees of the British Museum. © Whakaarahia anō te rā 

kaihau Te Rā Project. Photo: Cultural Heritage Imaging

If you haven’t already been in a discussion where Artificial Intelligence and its 

consequences were part of the narrative then, I can assure you, it won’t be long 

before you will be. 

HEADING 

FOR AN 

FUTURE 

Artificial Intelligence or ‘AI’ (or ‘ChatGPT’, in its 

latest, extraordinarily popular, iteration) put 

very simply and in layman’s terms involves the 

simulation of human intelligence processes by 

computer-based systems. 

It’s not a completely new phenomenon, as 

many of us already utilize technologies that 

allow for this, such as when we access face 

recognition on our phones or summon up the 

ever helpful and obliging Suri for Apple or Alexa 

for Amazon. But the scope for AI to be used to a 

much greater level is enormous. 

You see, it can undertake huge numbers of 

tasks and processes, including repetitive ones, 

with the benefit of never experiencing fatigue. 

It can analyze, categorize and classify millions 

of data points which, when applied in different 

circumstances, can solve complex problems, 

thus making daily lives easier. 

But with this ability and prescribed benefit 

there’s also a deeper question. If it can do 

all these tasks, what does that mean for the 

people who are currently doing them or parts 

of them? And that’s a big question being asked 

in tearooms and boardrooms everywhere. 

I recently received a local building products 

information booklet which had as a headline 

“Is Artificial Intelligence a threat to your job?” 

and it quoted a Goldman Sachs report from 

March of this year that suggested up to 300 

million jobs in America and Europe could be 

affected in the future. This suggests a kind of 

future none of us would happily envisage. 

It didn’t provide a timeline for this to start 

happening, but even posing the question sends 

shivers down numerous spines, including my 

own. The reassuring point the article did make, 

however, and additional research supported, 

was that “critical decision-making, creativity, 

problem-solving, collaboration and activities 

that require human judgment and adaptability 

can’t be duplicated.” 

The very things that make humanity unique 

also remain the most difficult to duplicate 

despite the power of millions of algorithms 

doing their thing – and we can be grateful for 

that. Currently I’m seeing the use of AI in our 

own industry in written applications, where a 

quick question to ChatGPT is able to produce 

smart advertising text, property summaries 

and reports that look and sound both accurate 

and polished, a far cry from some of the ones 

I’ve read over the years. 

So that’s a positive whilst I wait to see how 

else we will utilize the varying technologies. 

A quick Google search suggests the kinds of 

occupations that have reason for concern in the 

future and given I have colleagues and friends 

in such roles I’m choosing not to highlight 

them. Safer from AI dominance are positions 

like plumbers, painters, barbers, athletes 

and anything where creative thinking, good 

judgement, cultural nuance and the ability to 

read human social clues is needed. 

At the moment I like to think that’s where other 

real estate professionals and I are currently 

found, but we now know you can never, ever sit 

still for too long. 

Lynette McFadden 

Harcourts gold Business Owner 

027 432 0447 

lynette.mcfadden@harcourtsgold.co.nz 

home 

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difference 

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GOLD REAL ESTATE GROUP LTD LICENSED AGENT REAA 2008 A MEMBER OF THE HARCOURTS GROUP 

www.harcourtsgold.co.nz


Smooth operator 

The epitome of cosy comfort without 

compromising on style, slippers from new 

Christchurch-based company Woolfi are an 

absolute treat for your tootsies. Founder Fiona 

grew up on a South Island high country farm and 

launched Woolfi after a growing awareness of 

how underused our strong wool is. “New Zealand 

produces over 100,000 tonnes of strong wool per 

year, yet these days it is costing farmers to shear 

their sheep,” she says. Doing its part to remedy this, 

Woolfi then utilises the ancient art of Nepalese 

felting to create a GoodWeave certified, fair trade 

slipper in three styles and spectrum of hues. 

woolfi.nz 

Limitless creativity 

After launching in 2022, luxury blanket brand Noa Blanket 

Co experienced three sell-out limited edition collections. 

Now, in order to share more of their unique stories, art 

and craft with the world, they’re adding an ongoing range, 

Limitless – a collection of three woven-to-order blanket 

designs ($489 each) with no restraints on numbers. 

noablanketco.nz 

Alpine indulgence 

Warm and elevate your home this winter with the essence 

of après-ski via Glasshouse Fragrances’ limited edition winter 

duo of 380g scented soy candles ($65 each). New addition 

Last Run in Aspen is a transportive scent that captures the 

spirit of fresh powder and luxurious mountainside chalets, 

with pear, raspberry and saffron balanced by notes of amber, 

delicate wildflowers and intoxicating woods, while cult 

classic Fireside in Queenstown (think smoky and spicy with 

splashes of wild orris and guaiac for depth and complexity) 

is back for another season. 

nz.glasshousefragrances.com 

Worth smiling about 

South Islanders who until now have been blinded 

by the bright white smiles of their Auckland pals 

can get amongst, with a new partnership between 

The Whitening Co and The Cosmetic Clinic 

meaning the former’s top teeth whitening services 

(including in-clinic dental grade treatments, 

at‐home products and a soon-to-be-launched 

innovative electric toothbrush) are now available 

across nearly 30 locations around New Zealand. 

whiteningco.nz

LATEST DIGITAL 

ISSUE OUT NOW 

Helping you to make a more informed decision when it comes to property 

Scan here to view 

our latest edition 

www.harcourtsotago.co.nz 

Highland Real Estate Group Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008


Chill pills 

Cool local adaptogenic supplement company Mother Made’s latest release, 

Mood ($39), utilises a single powerful ingredient – ashwagandha – to provide 

much-needed support for the adrenal glands to help to reduce anxiety, 

stress, stabilise blood sugars, increasing energy levels and stamina. “As female 

founders, we’ve been taking more notice of how we feel in relation to 

our hormones and cycle,” says co-founder Jess Clarke. “Through our own 

personal journeys we spoke to hormone nutritionists who recommend 

ashwagandha to those who want to recover from adrenal exhaustion 

(burnout) and the accompanying hormone imbalances.” 

mothermade.co.nz 

Power reds 

Kiwi lipstick queen Karen 

Murrell’s bold new 

Empowered collection adds 

to her already extensive range 

of long-lasting, nourishing 

natural lipsticks ($32) with five 

new shades of empowering 

red with something to suit 

every complexion – from 

pōhutukawa blossom-inspired 

Freedom and rich, browntoned 

Desire to blue-based 

scarlet and Spanish red fusion 

Crimson. 

karenmurrell.co.nz 

Cool collab 

A versatile range of black basics initiated 

by Tania Rupapera, founder of leading 

contemporary Māori design gallery Unity 

Collection, was created in collaboration 

with renowned Auckland fashion designer 

Turet Knuefermann and celebrated 

Dunedin-based artist Jessica Hinerangi 

aka Māori Mermaid. Comprising a 

handpicked selection of Turet’s mostloved 

silhouettes including a kimono, maxi 

and mini dresses, a shirt and an off-theshoulder 

top, the chic capsule features 

signature Māori Mermaid artwork. 

unitycollection.co.nz 

Take it to the bridge 

Don McGlashan – Mutton 

Birds main man, Arts Laureate, 

international face of Aotearoa 

songcraft and, more recently, 

first-time New Zealand Album 

Chart topper with his latest 

album Bright November Morning 

– is set to embark on a 20-date 

tour of his homeland across 

August, September and October. 

The Take It To The Bridge tour 

will showcase Don’s extensive 

songbook in hand-picked intimate 

venues throughout the country, 

including Lyttelton, Karamea, 

Barrytown, Golden Bay, Dunedin 

and Glenorchy. 

donmcglashan.com

The new Grecale Trofeo. 

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Party time 

Expect to be the life of the party with a bottle or two of 

New Zealand liqueur brand Saturdays’ playful collection of 

classic liqueurs. In Peach Schnapps, Triple Sec, audaciously 

green Melon and attention-grabbing Blue Curaçao, you’ll 

be mixing cult retro cocktails from Blue Lagoon to Sex on 

the Beach like Tom Cruise in Cocktail in no time. 

premiumliquor.co.nz 

Wash up all over 

Just as the dry, colder months require more diligence in 

how we look after our hair and hands, the rest of our 

body shouldn’t be overlooked, so Ashley & Co’s new 

Washup All-Over has come just in time. “Our products 

enhance those simple, everyday moments and the shower 

is no exception. Introducing Washup All-Over into the 

fold was a natural extension, it felt like the missing piece 

in our product range. After many requests, we’ve perfect 

the formulation and we’re thrilled to offer nourishment 

from head to toe.” says co-founder Jackie Ashley. 

ashleyandco.co 

Bold cooking 

Brighten up dark and dull winter nights while 

also cooking up a cosy storm with Arrowtownbased 

Biroix’s cast iron cookware in cheerful 

hues of orange, green, yellow and blue. Founder 

Rachel Turner says she wanted to “bring colour 

to Kiwi kitchens” so created Biroix’s range of 

super versatile Dutch ovens ($258) and skillet 

pans ($174) in the fresh, fun shades. 

biroix.co.nz 

Fix up, look sharp 

Refreshingly gender-neutral, personal grooming brand 

Tame recently unleashed on the New Zealand beauty 

market, with premium quality-made trimming tools 

designed for all grooming needs – for anyone and 

everyone who has hair, anywhere. “In the past, razor 

brands have been marketed in a very hyper-masculine 

way,” explains Tame founder Nik McIntosh. “Looking after 

your hair needn’t be macho. We all deserve to look after 

ourselves and present ourselves in ways we’re comfortable 

with.” The first drop includes an electric razor ($127), 

nose and ear trimmer ($67) and a toiletry bag ($47). 

tamegrooming.com


Sip the world 

Celebrate the excitement of the Women’s World Cup 2023 coming to Dunedin this 

month with an extraordinary, limited edition cocktail crafted by The Press Club. The 

talented team at the bespoke bar and restaurant, led by top mixologist Jeremy Jourdain, 

have created 10 enticing concoctions that deliciously nod to the global flavours of 

what’s set to be the world’s most-attended women’s sporting event in history. Enjoy a 

taste of Japan with a fusion of sake, gin, grapefruit and ginger, immerse yourself in 

the vibrancy of Argentina via liquorice, blood orange and lager, go to Switzerland 

(pictured) with chocolate, brandy and cherries, tap into Vietnamese tradition with 

a creamy blend of coffee, condensed milk and rice vodka or try a cool/spicy hit of 

the Philippines with chilli, mango and coconut. For loyal local fans, New Zealand is of 

course represented too, with a must-try tipple that Jeremy calls a “pavlova in a glass”. 

thepressclub.co.nz 

Really good granola 

Serious cereal fans and peanut butter nutters 

– this one’s for you! Two of our favourite New 

Zealand-made foodie brands, Nelson-based nut 

spread experts Pic’s and multi award-winning 

muesli pros Blue Frog have got together to 

create a ridiculously addictive limited edition 

granola. Bursting with a sought-after signature 

Blue Frog mix of delicious goodies including 

local oats, protein and fibre and infused with 

Pic’s Smooth peanut butter, the Really Good 

Granola Peanut Butter Crunch is bound to 

pack a punch at breakfast time. Available in 

supermarkets from early July, RRP$10. 

picspeanutbutter.com 

Smart stays 

Having opened in 2019 with three unexpectedly tumultuous 

years ahead, this year the already iconic 4.5 star, 200-room 

Novotel Christchurch Airport Hotel is celebrating its first full year 

of uninterrupted occupancy. Hotel manager James Wilson says 

as well as tourists, the hotel is attracting business-people “who 

want to work and live temporarily in a purpose-built conference 

setting, with easy access to the buzz and activities of the city, and 

equally easy departure via the airport”. Novotel Christchurch 

Airport hotel also offers the bespoke ‘Flying South’ theatre, which 

seats up to 54 within the airport terminal. This catered facility is 

especially popular with companies that have offices in more than 

one city, allowing them to fly staff into Christchurch and conduct 

meetings, conferences or events without leaving the airport. 

all.accor.com 

Après-ski chic 

New Zealand’s outdoorsy fashion options just took a big jump in the right direction 

with the arrival of cult, Colorado-based Halfdays on our shores (or should we say 

mountains). Founded in Denver in 2020 by 27-year-old CEO Ariana Ferwerda and 

former Olympic skier Kiley McKinnon, the brand was born with a mission to make 

the outdoors more fun, inclusive and welcoming to women. Both ultra-chic and 

performance-driven, Halfdays currently offers two ever-expanding collections, SNOW 

and HIKE, in cuts and colours that will have you hitting the slopes and trails in style. 

halfdays.com

DUBARRY OF IRELAND 

DUBARRY OF IRELAND 

Inspired by Irish heritage, the 

Dubarry range is a contemporary 

collection of easy to wear, 

lasting and beautiful garments. 

From muddy dog walks to 

laidback Sunday brunches, 

Dubarry creates timeless pieces 

to take you on any adventure. 

Available exclusively from 

Rangiora Equestrian Supplies, 

www.rangiorasaddlery.co.nz

22 Magazine | Wishlist 

Most wanted 

From mood-enhancing pops of colour (our current fave is rich red) in everything from 

homeware to jewellery to playful ways to perfume and pieces to get cosy in, 

here’s what the 03 team are coveting this month. 

2 

3 

4 

1 

5 

6 

11 

8 

7 

13 

12 

10 

9 

1. Helen Cherry Clemence silk dress in Rouge, $898; 2. Hej Hej The Mohat beanie in Coral, $100; 3. Bicoca Marset table lamp in Red Wine, $464 at ECC; 

4. Briarwood Medium Zippy purse in Lilac, $79; 5. Meadowlark Wave sterling silver and garnet earrings, $745; 

6. Isabel Marant Sabrine coat in Rosewood, $1898 at Workshop; 7. Glasshouse Fragrances X Barbie Strawberry & Dream soy candle, $65; 

8. Jo Malone London limited edition The Highlands cologne in Mallow on the Moor, $134; 

9. La Tribe Double Strap shearling slippers in Tobacco, $130; 10. Citta Colette cushion cover, $109; 11. Resident Sacha chair in Red, $2990; 

12. Biroix cast iron Dutch oven in Yellow, $258; 13. Ciaté London Best of Nail stickers, $35 at Mecca

O3 ad.pdf 1 29/06/23 1:31 PM 

C 

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Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

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companyofstrangers.co.nz

24 Magazine | Fashion 

That’s a wrap 

Crack the coat this winter with our picks of the cosiest on-trend outerwear, 

from the warm and fluffy to the covetably quilted and the sleek and chic. 

1 

2 

4 5 

6 

7 

3 

8 

14 

9 

11 

13 

10 

12 

1. Obi Macintosh Plaid coat in Ink, $569 at Zebrano; 2. Nicole Rebstock Medium Molten sterling silver hoop earrings, $119 

3. Harris Tapper Everett jacket, $599; 4. Marle Toulon coat, $600; 5. Kate Sylvester Meret jacket in Rose, $699; 6. Moochi Surround coat in Oatmeal, $630 

7. SOPHIE Checks scarf, $92; 8. Briarwood Mandall coat in Camel, $499; 9. Karen Walker Underground coat in Burgundy, $845 

10. Juliette Hogan Daily jacket, $629; 11. Liam Sesame silk scrunchie in Chestnut Brown, $49; 12. Kowtow Quilted jacket in Moss, $429 

13. Silk & Steel Nautica 14k gold-plated sterling silver hoop earrings, $269; 14. Ruby August coat in Khaki, $499

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26 Magazine | Beauty 

About face 

From soft-focus, high-pigment lippies and extraordinary moisturisers to 

cutting-edge haircare at affordable prices and a makeup range that celebrates the 

power of pink, here’s what the 03 team are trying this month. 

Like, totally clean 

As pioneers of the ‘double 

cleanse’, Dermalogica is all 

about achieving ultra-clean, 

healthy-looking skin by 

cleansing twice: first with an 

oil-based cleanser, then with 

a traditional cleanser. But 

sometimes (often) we just 

don’t have the time – which 

is where new Oil to Foam 

Total Cleanser ($115), an 

all-in-one make-up remover 

and cleanser, comes in. To use, 

slightly dampen face, massage 

onto skin and eyes to dissolve 

surface oil and dirt, then wet 

hands to create a foam to 

wash away makeup, sebum and 

sunscreen, before rinsing with 

warm water. 

1 2 

5 

Hair for it 

New from Essano, the 

Exper+ise haircare range 

($26 each) is designed to 

deliver salon-quality results 

for a range of hair health 

concerns that stem from the 

scalp, at affordable prices. 

Created using cutting-edge 

technology, the collection 

of shampoos, conditioners 

and treatments comes in 

four targeted clean beauty 

haircare regimes (Hydration 

+ Shine, Strength + Repair, 

Growth + Volume and 

Detox + Exfoliate). 

4 

Out of the ordinary 

New from the cult beauty brand, The 

Ordinary’s Natural Moisturising Factors + 

Beta Glucan ($28) is a lightweight gel-cream 

that promises to provide topical delivery of 

skin-identical natural moisturising factors, 

ceramides and beta glucan. The next big thing 

in moisture, research shows beta glucan is 20 

percent more hydrating than hyaluronic acid. 

The Ordinary’s beta glucan comes from reishi 

mushrooms and is also a great antioxidant. 

Highly recommended for oily/acneic skin types. 

Think pink 

Lovers of pink will be 

swooning over the latest 

release from Hermès 

Beauty – the Rose 

Hermès collection – 

with three new shades 

of ultra-light, highly 

pigmented blush enriched 

with subtle mother-ofpearl 

micro-particles for 

an iridescent finish, plus 

a rosy lip enhancer, 

joining the range of 

luxurious refillable beauty 

objects designed by 

Pierre Hardy. Pictured: 

Hermès Silky Blush in 

Rose Cuivré, $135. 

Colour that cares 

Seeking a long-lasting matte lippy that gives a soft-focus effect but doesn’t 

dry out your precious pout? Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Lip Blur ($60 at 

Mecca) is here, and it’s as good as you’d expect from the international 

queen of beauty. Getting technical, the range of eight hues uses innovative 

powder-blur technology to deliver bold colour with a perfected, powdermatte 

finish that feels weightless on the lips, hyaluronic acid for instant 

hydration that also helps lips retain moisture over time, and a film-forming 

resin to create a smoothing, subtly blurring layer that ensures colour stays 

put for up to 12 hours without flaking, creasing or feathering. 

3

Empowering the future 

health workforce 

The 22nd annual Pegasus Health Workforce Development 

Scholarship ceremony was held at Tūranga (Christchurch 

Main Library) on the evening of 8 June. The scholarships 

were established by Pegasus Health in 2001 to support 

Māori, Pasifika and CALD (Culturally and Linguistically 

Diverse) students who are currently studying towards a 

health qualification. This year, a total of 15 scholarships 

were granted, and the evening was brimming with 

laughter and a strong spirit of kotahitanga. 

Keynote speaker Hector Matthews, Director Consumer 

Engagement and Whānau Voice, Te Whatu Ora, spoke 

about the importance of commitment to creating change. 

He implored the scholarship recipients to commit to 

making the health system in Aotearoa a place where 

Māori, Pasifika and CALD voices are heard and honoured. 

Sidney Wong, Chair of the CALD Health Advisory Group, 

spoke of his experience, as a child of migrants, in “having 

to navigate this health system that was never designed 

for us”. These words were supported by many of the 

scholarship recipients who shared their personal journeys. 

Fijian recipient Esther Vuluma is studying towards a Bachelor of Counselling. She spoke 

from the heart and shared her feelings of not being able to find her place in a social 

services setting built by and for Pākehā. 

“This is what I’ve always wanted to do. I hold onto this passion because I feel this is my 

purpose. It’s not easy, but I’m not just doing it for myself and my community… I’m doing 

it for other indigenous cultures. And I know that our voices are of value, our culture is of 

value, and our heart is of value,” Esther said. 

Two-time recipient Kirstyn MacDonald (Ngāti 

Kahungunu), spoke highly of Pegasus Health 

when passing on some words of advice to her 

fellow students. 

“I highly encourage you to take any opportunity 

that Pegasus Health give you. They truly honour 

their word and support the transition of tauira 

into the workforce,” Kirstyn said.

A beautiful collision 

The inimitable, magical, multiple-award-winning 

musician Bic Runga sways our way this month while 

taking much-cherished 11-time platinum album Beautiful 

Collision on a 20th anniversary celebration tour. 

INTERVIEW JOSIE STEENHART 

PHOTOS AILEEN CHEN

Feature | Magazine 29 

“Christchurch has changed so much since I was living 

there... As a city, it’s a lot better in many ways but 

there’s something about the people that’s very down 

to earth and real, which hasn’t changed.’’ 

Firstly I just want to say thank you for adding Christchurch to the tour! Yay! Ōtautahi is 

your hometown – does it hit differently to play here? 

Christchurch has changed so much since I was living there 29 years ago. As a city, it’s a lot 

better in many ways but there’s something about the people that’s very down to earth and 

real, which hasn’t changed. 

I’m proud to be from here. I know there’s something of my personality that is distinctly 

Christchurch, as in, even though I live in Auckland now, it’s never really felt like my home. 

Do you get to visit much? And what do you get up to/where do you go while you’re here? 

I don’t get to Christchurch as much anymore as my sisters and mum all live in Auckland. 

I see old school friends when I’m here though, and my favourite thing to do is drive over the 

Port Hills to Governors Bay or Lyttelton. 

There’s always a good new place for coffee to try out in the city, and I love how 

Christchurch has always been a good place for live jazz bands and outdoor music. 

I love the Botanical Gardens and the Arts Centre and I have a real soft spot for the 

Canterbury Museum. I love how it’s barely changed since I went there as a kid. 

In 2021, you wrote ‘No One Walks This Night Alone’ to mark the 10th anniversary of 

the Christchurch earthquake – how did that come about? 

The Christchurch City Council asked me to write a song for the 10-year anniversary of the 

earthquakes, they had a very specific brief which was kind of about moving on from the 

trauma of what had been a full, arduous decade for everyone. 

I tried my best to write something that captures that feeling, it was a real honour to do this, 

as it’s quite an old fashioned thing for a songwriter to be asked to do, to write a song to mark 

an event. 

It was a shame we couldn’t perform the song with a choir, as we went into a Covid 

lockdown just as I arrived in Christchurch to perform it. But one day I hope it will be 

performed as a choral piece, as intended.


“I know there’s something of my personality that is distinctly Christchurch, as in, even 

though I live in Auckland now, it’s never really felt like my home.” 

You’ve said Beautiful Collision is your favourite album... 

Beautiful Collision brings back really good memories of when 

I was making it, I spent three years on this record. It wasn’t 

an easy three years but the things that are most difficult are 

usually the most personally rewarding and enduring. 

And do you have a favourite track/s? 

I still like all of the songs on this album, I was trying so hard 

to not write anything that I knew I’d find embarrassing 

later! That was my main objective at the time. 

What is it about the album that you think resonates 

with people so strongly? 

I was just trying to be really honest with these songs. I think 

when you’re being really honest and straightforward with 

yourself sometimes that speaks best to other people too. 

You’re songwriting again, how has that been, and any 

hints on when we might hear something of what you’ve 

been working on? 

I will play a few new things as part of the performance of 

the full Beautiful Collision album. It’s a good chance to show 

people where I’m at, it’s really fun to play new songs for 

the first time. 

Has much changed for women in the New Zealand 

music industry in the last 20 years? 

The music industry is simply difficult for anyone, but a 

recent APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) 

study showed that women and non-binary songwriters only 

make up around 21 percent of their membership. Songwriting 

should by no means be a gender-specific job of course, so 

perhaps there are obstacles that need to be addressed. 

The biggest change of awareness I’ve noticed in this 

industry over the last 10 years has been the willingness 

to address mental health, sexual harm and systemic 

discrimination of all kinds. 

I’m excited to have been able to hang around this long to 

see this happen when none of it seemed to be something 

anyone could discuss with you or help you with. There’s 

a lot of support now with SoundCheck Aotearoa and 

MusicHelps addressing these kinds of issues. 

You’ve always been a supporter of New Zealand fashion, 

what are some local favourites? (You spent your first 

paycheck on a NOM*d cardy?!) 

I kind of can’t believe how many awesome designers we 

have in Aotearoa. Penny Sage, Gloria, Entire Studios, Rory 

William Docherty, Zambesi, Karen Walker, Kate Sylvester, 

Kowtow, Mahsa, Helen Cherry; the list is endless. 

I think with a lot of creative industries in New Zealand, 

we grow up aspiring to what we see out of Europe, Asia 

and America but with an outsider’s perspective that adds 

its own flavour. 

Finally, since Chico is our coverstar alongside you, tell us 

a little about him? 

My dog Chico is a little old man now, but he still seems 

pretty young and spritely. We got him as a puppy 13 years 

ago. People think of chihuahuas as loud and yappy but 

Chico has always been really mellow. I think he knows he’s 

the old man of the house, he’s very good at communicating 

with us after such a long time in the family. 

I’m not looking forward to no-more-Chico, but I did 

recently see a chihuahua in the Guinness Book of Records 

who was 23, so there’s hope! 

Bic Runga’s The ‘Beautiful Collision’ Tour plays 

Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal, July 21, 2023.

The magic of mushrooms 

A trip to Stewart Island first planted the spores of Liv Sisson’s passion 

– now the Christchurch-based writer/forager/foodie with a penchant 

for colourfully painted nails is sharing her love of the (not so) humble 

mushroom with the world via a fun new book about fungi. 

INTERVIEW JOSIE STEENHART 

WORDS LIV SISSON 

PHOTOS PAULA VIGUS


Your first “real” encounter with fungi was on Stewart 

Island in 2015 – tell us a bit about that? 

I was studying at Otago on exchange for a semester. 

It was my first time in Aotearoa New Zealand. So 

everything about this place I now call home was 

completely novel to me. Especially the ngahere (forest). 

I went down to Rakiura Stewart Island to do a tramp 

and I was transfixed by all the colourful lichen. Even in 

the dead of winter there were lime greens, bubblegum 

pinks, yellows, oranges, eggshell blues. They enchanted 

me. Lichen isn’t one thing, it’s a fungus and algae living 

together in symbiosis. Together they create unbelievable 

colours, textures and forms. 

And how did your obsession grow from there? 

I love to document things so I started photographing and 

drawing lichen and other fungi. And then googling them. 

I just kept looking and researching. And repeating that 

process over and over again. 

I fell in love with looking for these curious and 

charismatic organisms. It’s just so fun. It brings me a 

childlike joy to go out in the bush and look for the tiny 

wonders there, rather than just rushing past. 

Looking for fungi allows me to step back into the 

eyes-wide-open, full perception mode I was in on Rakiura 

– when the wonders of our native ngahere were still 

completely new and mysterious to me. 

Do you have a favourite fungi? 

It’s stinkhorn season. They are full of personality. They 

have wild forms. Some look like red octopi emerging 

from below. Others are phallic. 

Tūtae kēhua can be found across the Ōtautahi CBD at 

the moment. Visually it looks like the outline of a soccer 

ball – you’ll get what I mean when you spot it. These 

amaze me. They are completely otherworldly. 

You currently live in Christchurch, what brought you 

here and how is the local fungi scene? 

I got great value out of that semester at Otago – 

a funguy – my Uni Flats neighbour eventually became 

my partner. Duncan. He’s the best. We moved to 

Christchurch together after reconnecting several 

years later. 

The local fungi scene here is amazing. We have porcini 

in Hagley Park. Truffle farms in North Canterbury. And 

many amazing local chefs who serve up amazing fungifocused 

dishes year-round. 

Three top pointers for fungi foraging in the 

South Island? 

It’s actually always fungi season – we even have great 

edible fungi in winter here. Autumn gets all the glory 

though because that’s when porcini pop up. 

So I suppose the first tip is: go always. And the 

second would be: go slow. Rushing will usually leave 

you disappointed. And being in a hurry is when people 

get hasty. 

Which leads me to the most important pointer, which 

is: always get a positive identification before consuming. I 

explain how to do this in my book. It’s a bit nuanced but 

is all about going on your own learning journey, figuring 

out what to look for when trying to identify your finds, 

and building your own foraging practice. 

How did the book come about? 

My friend Marty Jones is very creative and first gave me the 

notion that I could write a book. That was at the beginning 

of 2020. I lost touch with the idea during Covid but I kept 

looking and researching. And working on my writing. 

When Fantastic Fungi came out on Netflix I saw the 

public interest skyrocket in the topic. And while the 

shelves at my local library had some great New Zealand 

fungi field guides, I wanted more. Something with stories 

and big photos and the foraging side of things too. 

So, I put together a pitch. And with the help of so, so 

many, the book became real. 

What’s next for you? 

I just got a new job in tech and I’m still working on my 

writing. Mostly I’m writing about food for The Spinoff. 

I’m interested in our food system and how we might fix 

it. I’m also curious about the TV world. And t-shirts. I’ve 

got some fungi tours coming up and a few trips around 

the motu planned to share the pukapuka. 

I’m excited. And so grateful to my Ōtautahi community 

who have really wrapped around me and the book. I 

couldn’t have done it without them. 

“I went down to Rakiura Stewart Island 

to do a tramp and I was transfixed 

by all the colourful lichen. 

Even in the dead of winter there 

were lime greens, bubblegum pinks, 

yellows, oranges, eggshell blues. 

They enchanted me.”

34 Magazine | Feature 

“When I first moved to 

Ōtautahi Christchurch, 

I didn’t really know anyone. So 

when the owners of 

a small mushroom farm 

offered to show me their 

operation, I went.” 

The fungi of Aotearoa are fascinating, freaky and fantastical. 

We have a powdery white fungus that hunts bugs. A 

basket-shaped species that can move around. A lichen named 

after Jacinda Ardern. And a blue mushroom on our $50 note. 

We have others that glow in the dark, and a few that can kill 

you, liquefy your liver or send you to outer space. And these 

are just the ones we know about. 

Like our flora and fauna, the fungi of Aotearoa have evolved 

in isolation. They feature brilliant hues, alien textures and 

unique personalities that often can’t be found anywhere else. 

I left Rakiura with an eye for lichen, and from that trip 

forward I saw them literally everywhere I went. Lichen covers 

7 percent of the Earth’s surface; it even grows on my 1995 

Isuzu Bighorn. 

When I left Aotearoa and returned to my university in 

Virginia, USA, lichen still held my attention. I sketched them in 

my art classes and collected tiny samples during my geology 

field work. I borrowed an electron microscope to look at 

them as closely as possible. 

One day, while walking down the street I grew up on – a 

route I’d taken hundreds of times – I got struck by lichening 

again. This time, what I noticed was Amanita muscaria, the 

classic red and white toadstool. How, I thought, could 

something so wild, so whimsical, so strange, exist in real life? 

And could it have been there all along? 

In that instant, my childhood home – the most familiar place 

in my world – became mysterious; an unexplored dimension 

was suddenly on my doorstep. 

I returned to this same spot almost daily. I got to know red, 

orange, brown, yellow, green, blue and purple fungi. All were 

fascinating. 

How had I spent 20 years not noticing these characters? In 

the midst of becoming ‘bemushroomed’, I met a Kiwi, fell in 

love, returned to Aotearoa and kept falling head-first into my 

fascination with fungi. 

Mycologists (fungi scientists) aren’t in agreement on how 

many fungi species are out there. Guesses range from two 

to five million, but as one Kiwi mycologist put it to me, “Our 

best estimate is… a shit tonne.” 

Some species are mushrooms, but the majority aren’t; 

they’re lichens, moulds and mildews, and most, like yeasts, 

are microscopic. At this very moment fungi are in you, on 

you, floating by on the breeze, and living in the soil beneath 

your feet. 

Fungi are a requirement of life. Without fungi, Speight’s 

would be just water and sugar. We wouldn’t be able to 

eat plants. Marmite wouldn’t exist. And neither would 

modern medicine. I can’t think of a topic that fungi doesn’t 

somehow sponsor. 

On this journey, fungi have become my teachers. They 

have filled my days with colour and wonder. They dot the 

landscape of my memory, and even pop up in my dreams. 

New information is constantly emerging about our fungi: 

we’re only just beginning to understand these magnificent 

organisms. As I’ve gotten to know them, I’ve foraged for fungi 

themselves, but for their stories and teachings, too.


EDIBLE FUNGI 

Skipped straight to this bit? That’s understandable. Wild 

mushrooms are some of the most romantic and special 

ingredients out there. Fungi can make delicious and 

nutritious food. I’ve loved learning how to forage for fungi 

and remember lots of my finds individually. From field 

mushrooms to tawaka, there are more than a few tasty 

species to find out there. 

Of course, fungi foraging is not a new practice. Māori 

culinary tradition includes fungi as food (and medicine) 

alongside the other bounties the native bush offers. Over 

a dozen fungi species have been recorded as being used in 

Aotearoa as food resources. 

Going slow while foraging fungi is always key. Double-check 

you’re allowed to forage in the area where you’re looking. 

Investigate if the area might be sprayed. Take your time to 

get a positive ID. And make sure you forage respectfully, 

reciprocally and safely. 

In my experience, foraging fungi is a game of inches. It’s 

unlikely that you’ll find multiple new-to-you edible species that 

you can positively identify on just one walk. I think of it like 

making good friends. It’s hard to add a bunch to your inner 

circle all at once. And if you hurry, you could end up with 

some bad/toxic ones in the lot. 

I’ve only ever been able to add one species at a time to the 

group I ‘know’. And sometimes these additions are spaced out 

by months or even entire seasons. 

Experimenting with foraged fungi in the kitchen is a whole 

other adventure. I’m still learning about fungi to forage, and 

how to use them. It’s a foodie journey without end, really. 

• If you want your mushrooms to remain firm, sweat them 

off. Put them in a hot pan with a bit of oil and cook 

them out, but don’t add salt – the salt will draw out the 

moisture and the mushrooms will quickly go soft and 

stick to the pan. 

• Dice them up to make a mushroom mince. Add a bit of 

oil to your pan to spread the heat around evenly. When 

it’s hot, add your mushrooms. Once you start to see 

them caramelising on the edges, add a bit of water, white 

wine or vinegar to de-glaze the pan. You can add your 

mushroom mince to just about anything. 

• If you’ve got heaps of mushrooms, you can always 

dehydrate them. Slice them, then leave them in a sunny 

corner on a baking tray, or in the oven with the door 

open at a low temp and under supervision. Store and 

add to soups and stocks. Or powder them to make your 

very own umami sprinkle.. 

FUNGI AS FOOD 

The world is your oyster mushroom. That’s how one top 

New Zealand chef described the world of edible fungi to me. 

Heaps of us have unhappy memories of slimy shrooms 

being served up to us as children. Even me. Fungi, though, 

make fantastic and often surprising food. 

Here are some of the most interesting fungi foods I’ve 

come across in Aotearoa. Slippery jack mushroom burgers, 

grilled over charcoal, with a dash of pine oil, served over a 

bed of creamy mushroom-stock polenta. Mushroom mince 

dumplings. A porcini mushroom chocolate mousse Yule log. 

Those first two dishes come from Max Gordy, and the third 

from Vicki Young – both are top Wellington chefs. When we 

think outside of the ‘mushrooms on toast’ box, we find that 

fungi offer us untapped foodie potential. 

People who don’t like mushrooms just might not have tried 

the right one yet. There’s such a wide scope out there, a huge 

amount of diversity, and they’re good for you too. To cook 

with mushrooms at home and make them sing, follow these 

tips gathered from some of the best chefs and fungi fans 

around Aotearoa. 

• Tidy them up – use a tea towel or pastry brush to 

remove dirt or debris. If you want to wash them, wash 

them gill side down, otherwise water will get trapped in 

the gills and make them slimy.

36 Magazine | Feature 

“The local fungi scene here 

is amazing. We have porcini in 

Hagley Park. Truffle farms 

in North Canterbury. 

And many amazing local chefs 

who serve up amazing fungifocused 

dishes year-round.” 

GROWING YOUR OWN 

The journey of finding, identifying and safely 

foraging edible fungi is fun, but it isn’t fast. It takes 

a while to build up your knowledge and skill. In 

the meantime, though, you can grow your own 

edible mushrooms. 

Little mushroom farms doing just that can be 

found up and down Aotearoa. When I first moved 

to Ōtautahi Christchurch, I didn’t really know 

anyone. So when the owners of a small mushroom 

farm offered to show me their operation, I went. 

Taylor and Susan, who are now my friends, 

started SporeShift Mushrooms to grow fungi food 

in a way that’s good for people and the planet. 

They taught me that growing mushrooms can 

be super-sustainable. You can grow indoors in 

a controlled environment with little waste, and 

you can use vertical space, too, which massively 

increases output per hectare. 

Agricultural and forestry waste products can be 

used as the growing substrate, and what remains 

after the mushroom harvest can be turned into 

nutritious garden compost. 

Almost anyone can get into mushroomgrowing. 

Starting out with a mushroom grow 

block is probably the way to go – these can 

be purchased online from SporeShift and other 

producers around the country. If you go well 

with those and really want to go further, you can 

make your own grow blocks. This is a big jump 

up, though – you’ll need a flow hood, a sterile 

environment and lab equipment. 

If you’re not keen to turn your garage into a lab, try co-planting 

in the garden. Studies have shown that wine cap mushrooms, for 

example, can boost corn’s ability to produce delicious ears. These 

mushrooms are prolific decomposers, they digest organic matter in 

the soil, and this adds nutrients to the system that the hungry corn 

eagerly convert into sweet kernels. 

To start companion planting with fungi, add woodchips and 

mushroom spawn to your soil. This can be purchased online. Wine 

caps, and other tasty species like the phoenix oyster mushroom, can 

be grown this way. 

Edited extract from Fungi of Aotearoa: A Curious Forager’s 

Field Guide by Liv Sisson, photography by Paula Vigus. 

Published by Penguin Books, RRP$45. 

Want to be in to win one of three copies? 

Turn to page 74 to find out how.

Modern Real Estate 

EST. 2012 

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the Tall Poppy Christchurch team are the 

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Farm to wardrobe 

Sixty kilometres inland from Oamaru, the small rural community of Kurow 

is a somewhat surprising spot to find a fabulous frock shop – but for Jess Beachen 

it’s the perfect place to pursue her fashion (and foodie) dreams. 

WORDS JOSIE STEENHART | RECIPES JESS BEACHEN


ABOVE: Photo: Dana Johnston 

OPPOSITE: Photo: Francine Boyer 

Nestled in the Waitaki Valley, Kurow 

– formally a gold rush service 

town, then a base for the Waitaki 

Dam construction, and of course the 

hometown of All Black Richie McCaw – is 

perhaps an unexpected spot to find a 

delightfully chic fashion boutique brimming 

with beautiful things. 

But Jess Beachen, designer/founder of 

clothing label Jessica Flora and owner of 

In Good Company (which stocks her own 

brand along with a considered edit of 

locally made accessories and homeware), 

was unfazed when she moved to the tiny 

town (population under 400) last year. 

“I moved down to Kurow at the 

beginning of 2022, and have loved calling 

this beautiful area home,” she says. 

“Growing up on a farm in Hawke’s Bay, 

I never imagined being able to combine 

my love of fashion with a rural setting, 

so it’s pretty amazing that I get to live 

in such a rural community and run a 

business from here.” 

It makes sense then, that while Jess is 

designing garments that wouldn’t look out 

of place in any international fashion capital, 

she’s doing things a little bit differently. 

“Jessica Flora is my namesake brand 

that we launched in 2021, we are a 

made-to-order clothing line that focuses 

on celebrating the good, with a strong 

emphasis on our footprint, but without 

sacrificing style. 

“I look at this as an opportunity to 

put my stamp on the industry, but in a 

way that still fits with my own morals 

and values.” 

Jess says the made-to-order model is 

win-win. 

“It allows us to keep our production low 

and on-demand, and also to make changes 

to the fit and design to ensure each 

customer receives something they love.” 

Even better: every piece is made 

locally – either by Jess herself, by Renee 

in Christchurch or by Jodi and Donna 

in Oamaru. 

“Renee has been our rock from the 

very beginning and has the most incredible 

knowledge around fit and construction,” 

says Jess. 

“I moved down 

to Kurow at the 

beginning of 2022, 

and have loved 

calling this beautiful 

area home.”

LEFT & OPPOSITE: Photos: Pippa Marffy 

FOLLOWING PAGE: Photo: Dana Johnston 

“Jodi and Donna have also been incredible to bring on board and 

help with our growing orders – and live close enough to home 

(Kurow) for a morning visit before the shop opens!” 

Then there’s the worms. Jessica Flora’s fabric offcuts and paper scraps, 

along with coffee grinds and food scraps from the cafe across the road, 

are fed into Jess’s on-site worm farm, the rich composting results of which 

are then used in her vege garden “to continue the cycle nature intended.” 

“Caring for Mother Earth has been deeply embedded in me from a 

young age,” says Jess, “so it only makes sense to look after the soil that 

gives us the resources to live and thrive in”. 

And the freshly grown garden produce ties into yet another circular 

element of the brand – supper clubs. 

The host of a popular London supper club in a former life, Jess has found 

a way to cleverly work the delicious community-focused concept into her 

current enterprises by hosting shared dining experiences around New 

Zealand at the launch of each collection to date. 

“I originally hosted a supper club for 35 people when I lived in London, 

and absolutely loved the whole process,” she says. 

“It felt like a natural fit for me to join the 

supper clubs in with Jessica Flora. It was 

a way to bring in my love of cooking, and 

I’ve always loved hosting people around a 

table and sharing my creations in the kitchen 

with friends. 

“And it also ties in nicely with our footprint 

as it allows us to bring in the waste aspect 

and incorporate that into the worm farm 

with the fabric scraps. 

“I hosted quite a few last year – I’m yet 

to put on one this year, potentially I will in 

Kurow and Christchurch around August – 

but I would book out a venue/house in a 

region and put on an event where I cook a 

three-course meal for 15–35 people, and 

they get to shop the range and sip cocktails 

and champagne.” 

Connecting to her customers and 

community might not be as straightforward 

as if she’d set up in the big smoke, but so far 

the rewards outweigh the challenges. 

“Given that we are so rural, we are very 

remote. So it is hard to connect with likeminded 

people in the industry at times. But 

thankfully it has been overridden with many 

highs over the last two years. Winning Best 

Emerging Business at the Waitaki Business 

Awards last year has been a highlight along 

with opening the shop and hosting our 

supper clubs around the country.” 

The heritage storefront of In Good 

Company, an elegant classically columned 

facade that faces onto the town’s main street 

and connects to her studio/workroom at 

the back, is the final piece of Jess’s pretty 

business puzzle. 

“My partner Matt’s mum owns the most 

amazing cafe and lodge across the road, 

Waitaki Braids, and acquired this building too, 

which has accommodation behind the shop 

to extend the lodge. 

“Matt’s whole family were amazing at 

helping get it set up last winter, sanding and 

painting to lift it up and give it the fresh feel it 

has inside now. 

“It was built in 1846 I believe, and what is 

super cool is the building was first used as 

a tailoring and merchant store – so it feels 

special to bring it full circle.”

Recipe | Magazine 41 

Shatta 

Add chillies and salt to a jar and 

shake together. 

Add remaining ingredients and 

shake again. 

Cover with a lid and refrigerate for up 

to one week (if you leave up to three 

days this helps preserve the chillies and 

enhance the flavour, but can be used 

earlier if needed). 

Aubergine 

Turn oven to 180°C. 

Cut aubergines into large-sized wedges 

and place in a bowl and sprinkle 

with salt. Mix the salt through and 

cover with a tea towel and leave 

for 10 minutes. This draws out any 

moisture. Dab dry once done. 

Place aubergine on oven tray with a 

decent amount of olive oil, salt and 

pepper and roast for 30 minutes, or 

until they start to golden. 

HUMMUS & ROASTED AUBERGINE 

Serves 6–8 as a starter 

SHATTA (PRESERVED 

CHILLIES) 

8 chillies, roughly chopped 

1 teaspoon salt 

3 tablespoons cider vinegar 

½ cup extra virgin olive oil 

HUMMUS 

2 tins chickpeas 

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

150g tahini 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

Salt 

AUBERGINE 

2 aubergines, cut into large wedges 

Olive oil 

TO SERVE 

¼ cup pine nuts, roasted 

¼ cup parsley, finely chopped 

Extra virgin olive oil 

Hummus 

If using tinned chickpeas it is a good 

idea to remove the skins by rubbing 

them between tea towels to loosen the 

skins, and pick out and discard. This 

helps create a much smoother hummus. 

Add chickpeas to a pot of boiling water 

and simmer for 15 minutes, removing 

any foam that appears with a slotted 

spoon. Drain and save the liquid. 

Add chickpeas, cumin, tahini, garlic, 

lemon juice, salt, a couple of ice cubes 

and a dash of the saved liquid to food 

processor and blend till smooth. 

Check consistency and flavour, add 

more liquid, lemon or tahini to 

desired taste and continue to blend 

for a few more minutes. This creates a 

super‐smooth result. 

Plating 

On a shallow plate, spoon out hummus 

onto base. 

Add the roasted aubergine and shatta. 

Top with roasted pine nuts, chopped 

parsley and a good swirl of extra virgin 

olive oil. 

Enjoy with sourdough bread and butter 

as a wholesome starter.

42 Magazine | Recipe 

BEEF FILLET WITH HORSERADISH SAUCE 

Serves 4 

BEEF 

1kg beef fillet 

2 tablespoons dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons seedy mustard 

HORSERADISH SAUCE 

200g feta 

2 tablespoons horseradish 

Salt and pepper 

CHIMICHURRI 

½ cup olive oil 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

½ cup finely chopped parsley 

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced 

2 red chillies 

1 teaspoon coarse salt 

Turn oven to 100°C. 

Place beef into a high-walled oven tray and cover with dijon, seedy 

mustard and a decent amount of salt and pepper. You can do this in 

advance and marinate to enhance flavour. 

Place in the oven and cook for 2.5 hours or until the meat 

temperature reaches 55° at the low temperature. Depending on the 

size of the fillet this may need to be adjusted. Keep an eye on the 

colour, if it is colouring the outside too early, cover with foil. 

Make the horseradish sauce by simply placing all ingredients in a 

food processor and blending to smooth. Set aside in the fridge. 

Again, with the chimichurri, simply put all ingredients in a food 

processor and blitz till the parsley is all broken down. 

Once beef is cooked, bring out of oven and cover and sit for 

10 minutes. 

Slice to desired width for serving. 

Place beef on plate, and top with the horseradish sauce, chimichurri 

and any leftover chopped parsley.

FROM YOUR BACKYARD TO OUR BOARDROOM 

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there are innovative products in our own backyard 

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additionally, the winner 

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successful applicants to present their 

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Shop online now at ballantynes.co.nz City Mall, Christchurch PHONE (03) 379 7400

Inspired by nature 

A Wānaka holiday home built for a design-loving Dunedin 

family is full of bold, eye-catching elements that nod to nature. 

WORDS KIM DUNGEY 

PHOTOS SAMPFORD CATHIE

Home | Magazine 45 

P 

rivate and understated on the outside, this Wānaka home is full of surprises. 

Two wings extending from the entryway create a canvas for bold, 

contemporary interiors. 

There’s dramatic stone on the kitchen island, vibrant green tiles in the 

scullery, a statement pendant light over the dining table and a dreamy mural in 

the powder room. 

The owners have holidayed in Wānaka for the past 20 years and now spend 

half their time there. The rest of the year they live in Dunedin. 

The couple decided to build after years of renting holiday homes and trying to 

find a suitable house to buy. 

Tired of the stairs in their Dunedin home, they wanted a single-level property 

that was easy to live in and had direct access to the outdoors. It also needed to 

feel like a relaxed, well-designed retreat for their extended family. 

“As a family, we’re really into architecture and design and art,” the owner says. 

To bring their vision to life, they enlisted designers and builders Home Factor, 

who happened to own a site in the Meadowstone area with privacy, mountain 

views and a creek as a backdrop. 

Director Priyanka Sareen describes the 240m 2 house as a modern sanctuary, 

with open entertaining spaces and plenty of room for guests to stay in style. 

The exterior is clad in cedar, its tawny shades reflecting the tussock and rock 

of Central Otago; an oversized front door pull, made from aged brass and 

supplied by Desejo, creates an immediate sense of intrigue. 

Two of the bedrooms open to the outdoor entertainment area and all three 

have en suite bathrooms. 

The house is all about friends and family having a laid-back, luxurious 

experience and that flows through to the living area. 

“It’s super styley, but you can still relax, wander around in your bare feet and 

spill crumbs,” the owner says. 

Special features include the green tiles laid in a herringbone pattern in the 

scullery and en suite, and the green- and grey-toned Brazilian granite used on 

the kitchen island. 

The living/dining space is separated by a double-sided fireplace, which is 

vented through the floor to maintain a sense of openness and connection 

through the home.

46 Magazine | Home 

“It’s super styley, but you 

can still relax, wander 

around in your bare feet 

and spill crumbs.” 

A cosy media room off to one side sometimes doubles as a bedroom 

for their grandchildren. 

Each light fitting in the house serves a purpose, such as anchoring an 

open, airy space or highlighting an artwork or piece of furniture. This 

includes Desejo’s ‘Space’ light, which hovers over the dining table. 

Bi-fold doors lead to a louvre-covered outdoor living area complete with 

a wood fire and cedar-clad, stainless steel hot tub. 

Landscaper Mike Burrows brought in large-grade plants, including a 

15-year-old Japanese maple, to instantly give the section an established feel. 

The project earned Home Factor a gold award in the Master Builders’ 

House of the Year southern regional competition. 

“They and their team of tradesmen were key to the successful outcome 

and an absolute joy to work with, particularly as the house was built 

during Covid restrictions and lockdowns,” says the owner. 

Many of the ideas in the house came from Priyanka, who is also the 

company’s architectural and interior designer. 

Having a Central Otago base for their friends and family is great, the 

owner adds. 

“There’s stuff to do and there’s always a relaxed atmosphere, which is 

not necessarily the case in your permanent home.” 

“We like the fact that everybody enjoys being there.”

48 Magazine | Promotion 

DIRECTORY 

HOME & LIVING 

RESENE 

Bring the beach home to enjoy year round with the Resene We Speak Beach 

collection of colourwash hues, inspired by hazy summer days at the beach and 

Resene’s popular weathered colours. Use on walls, ceilings, flooring, furniture and 

décor where you want to emulate the soothing, lived-in style of a beloved bach or crib, 

a haven away from busy everyday life. Choose one hue or combine them together into 

a palette. Available from Resene ColorShops. 

resene.co.nz 

LITTLE RIVER GALLERY 

Botanical forms beautifully recreated in steel, these 

Jane Downes ‘Nikau’ vessels are striking freestanding 

sculptures for your indoor or outdoor space. 

Available in both rust ($900) and stainless steel 

($1500), 200 x 200 x 600mm. 

littlerivergallery.com 

NEVÉ 

Inspired by the idea of letting 

time slip away as you curl up in a 

well-worn leather chair positioned 

fireside in a cosy, wood-panelled 

library, Nevé’s stunning new limited 

edition winter fragrance ‘First 

Chapter’ captures the essence of a 

perfect winter evening. Opulent and 

nostalgic, the heady fragrance opens 

with subtle notes of violet, peony, 

plum and vanilla before melting into 

a warm base of leather, patchouli 

and musk. Enjoy as a large ($64) 

or medium ($48) black wood wick 

candle, travel tin candle ($30), room 

spray ($36) and car diffuser range 

(refill duo, $20) throughout the 

chilly season. 

neve.co.nz 

ANY EXCUSE 

Available in three colourways, these beautiful Klippan blankets are made 

from 100 percent brushed Gotland wool and perfectly capture the classic 

and timeless nature of Scandinavian design. 130 x 200cm, $259.99. 

anyexcuse.co.nz

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS 

with Tim Goom 

Winter is the 

time to prepare 

for Summer! 

As winter settles in and the days grow colder, it’s easy to think 

that your garden should be left to hibernate until spring arrives. 

However, seasoned gardeners know that winter is a crucial time to 

lay the groundwork for a vibrant and thriving outdoor space come 

summertime. In this article, we’ll delve into the essential tasks to 

tackle during the winter months, from fertilising and mulching to 

trimming and weeding. Let’s dive in and get your garden ready for 

the sunny days ahead! 

Preparing the Soil 

The first step in winter garden preparation is to rejuvenate the soil. 

Start by adding fertilisers and mulch to replenish the nutrients that 

plants may have depleted during the previous growing season. Fertilisers 

provide essential elements, while mulch conserves moisture, regulates 

soil temperature, and suppresses weed growth. A generous layer of 

compost is also beneficial, as it enriches the soil and improves 

its structure. 

Trimming and Weeding 

While many plants may appear dormant during winter, it’s an opportune 

time to trim back older leaves and remove dead branches. This promotes 

healthier growth when spring arrives. Additionally, tackle any weeds on 

warmer winter days to prevent them from taking hold and competing 

with your wanted plants. 

Checking Irrigation 

Winter is the ideal time to assess and adjust your garden’s irrigation 

system. Ensure that the levels are set correctly to avoid overwatering, 

which can lead to root rot and other problems. Adequate hydration is 

crucial, but finding the right balance is key. Proper irrigation will create 

an environment in which your plants can flourish. 

If you are considering a more significant overhaul of your garden, with 

design and construction components, the cooler months (when you are 

less likely to be entertaining outdoors) are the best time to start your 

project, so you are ready for summer entertaining. 

The key Principles of Landscape Design include 

by Goom 

• Unity: Creating a sense of harmony and cohesion in your garden is 

essential. Achieve unity by incorporating consistent themes, colours, 

and textures throughout your outdoor space. 

• Balance: Striking the right balance between elements, such as 

hardscaping and softscaping, creates a visually pleasing landscape. 

Consider the placement of trees, shrubs, and other features to 

achieve equilibrium. 

• Simplicity: Sometimes, less is more. Simplicity in landscape design 

emphasises clean lines, uncluttered spaces, and a sense of calm. 

Avoid overcrowding your garden with too many plants or features. 

• Proportion: Maintaining proportion is crucial for creating a visually 

appealing garden. Consider the size and scale of various elements. 

• Focalisation: Every garden needs a focal point—a feature that draws 

the eye and anchors the design. This could be a stunning tree, a water 

feature, or a beautifully crafted sculpture. 

• Rhythm: Your garden should have a sense of flow and movement. 

Incorporate repetition, such as the use of similar plantings or 

hardscaping materials, to create a rhythm that guides the eye 

and creates visual interest. 

• Contrast: To add visual impact and create depth in your garden, utilise 

contrast. The interplay between light and dark, rough and smooth, 

creates an exciting and dynamic landscape. 

Good enduring design is a carefully considered process which adds value 

to your property and takes time, incorporating the above principles- so 

now is the time to act. Call Goom Landscapes today to book a time, and 

I will come to discuss how to transform your outdoor space and extend 

your living into the outdoors for summer! 

The champions 

of landscape 

design and build. 

6 AWARDS - 2022 

DESIGN | MANAGE | CONSTRUCT 

Create a Lifespace with us. | goom.nz 

IDEATION-GOM0172

South Island sales tripping 

Founder/designer of cult Kiwi fashion brand Jimmy D, James Dobson travels the south 

several times a year on sales trips, showcasing his latest collections to his stockists around the 

island – so he’s something of an expert on where to stay, shop, eat and imbibe. 

WORDS JAMES DOBSON 

Contrary to popular belief, fashion can be an isolating 

occupation, especially in the lead-up to finishing 

a collection. There are many long hours spent in the 

workroom cutting samples, re-cutting samples, working 

out the yields, doing costings and order forms, and just 

generally being riddled with anxiety and asking yourself 

questions like “Is this collection too commercial? Or too 

out there? Is this fabric print we’ve developed unique or 

unwearable? Is there something in the collection for our 

younger customers or is it all too young?” It’s a lot. 

So, for me, getting on the road with our new 

collection and visiting all of our amazing stores has 

always been a complete breath of fresh air, and an 

opportunity to recharge, get re-inspired and generally 

just treat myself with some amazing food and cute 

accommodation – the ultimate antidote to months of 

being riddled with self-doubt. 

Here is a town-by-town rundown of how a typical 

South Island sales trip rolls out, and my favourite places 

to eat and stay along the way! 

(Generally we try to do the whole South Island sales 

trip in four days/three nights, so the ‘stay’ options are 

indicative of that, and not that the other places don’t 

have great options!)

Travel | Magazine 51 

LEFT: The Muse Christchurch Hotel. 

BELOW: A Jimmy D collection on the road. 

OPPOSITE: Jimmy D founder/designer James Dobson. 

Photo: Ken Cao 

Nelson 

EAT 

Hardy St Eatery: For a quick and deliciously inventive 

breakfast in a beautiful space, and killer coffee. 

SHOP 

Palm Boutique: Owned by Hannah Parker, Palm is 

where we stock and has the perfect roll call of New 

Zealand designers, as well as some unique international 

brands like Baum und Pferdgarten and Ilse Jacobsen. 

Christchurch 

EAT 

Earl: I’ve spent many a sales trip having a solo lunch or 

dinner here – their pasta is second to none and I’ve 

even dashed in for a quick salad (and Sav) to balance 

out all the carby road trip food. 

Londo: This small, perfectly formed restaurant is not 

to be missed. The peach, stracciatella, finocchiona and 

oregano dish last time I was there was life-changing. 

Smash Palace: A trip to Christchurch wouldn’t be 

complete without a drink here. Super unpretentious 

vibe that attracts everyone from art kids to craft 

beer aficionados – there’s nothing better than 

huddling around a heater and eating one of their 

incredible burgers. 

Child Sister: I don’t feel like I’ve been to Christchurch 

if I haven’t squeezed in a breakfast here – I love the 

bustly energy and LOVE the ‘shrooms’ and the kimchi 

rice omelette. 

STAY 

The Muse Christchurch Hotel: You can’t beat the 

location, the price and the sleek and well-designed 

rooms – also, it has a rooftop bar, what’s not to love? 

SHOP 

Plume: Is home to Jimmy D in Christchurch – seeing 

it sitting next to labels like Comme des Garcons, 

Rick Owens and Dries Van Noten is a little pinch-me 

moment every time.

52 Magazine | Travel 

Sherwood Hotel, Queenstown 

Timaru 

EAT 

Arthur St Kitchen: I always make sure I run in and grab 

one of their punchy coffees and incredible black olive and 

cheese scones! 

SHOP 

Chillis & More: Truly a one-stop shop, with everything from 

Wrangler Denim to… Jimmy D! With a great selection of 

gifts and even a cafe tucked down the back. 

Oamaru 

EAT 

Tees St Cafe: Great coffee, delicious pies and incredible 

pastries – last time I was there I grabbed a dulce de leche 

doughnut and it was amazing. 

Riverstone Kitchen: Between Timaru and Oamaru we 

always have to stop at the incredible Riverstone Kitchen 

en-route, whether it’s just to grab one of their insanely good 

sandwiches or sitting down for one of their seasonal dishes 

showcasing local produce. You won’t be disappointed, I 

promise! Also take time to check out the Riverstone Castle 

in the distance. 

SHOP 

Housekeepers Design: Even if I wasn’t stocked here I 

would still go out of my way to visit. This store has a great 

selection of local clothing labels as well as the best curation 

of homeware you’ll find in New Zealand. Set in the old part 

of Oamaru in a huge historic building, they have everything 

from designer couches to designer whisks – you won’t leave 

empty‐handed! 

Earl, Christchurch 

Dunedin 

EAT 

Side-On: Is always my first port of call in Dunedin, whether 

it’s for one of their legendary cardamom buns, a jar of their 

homemade ‘bang bang’ chilli oil, or a sit-down moment with 

something quirky like halloumi and fried cauliflower on toast 

or hungover carb vibes with a breakfast burger. Yum. 

Pizza Bar: We ate a lot of pizza on our last sales trip and this 

was by far the best. I’m ‘hot honey’ obsessed, so the salami, 

napoli, mozzarella, ricotta, hot honey and chilli was my fave. 

The garlic bread with artichoke dip is droolworthy. All washed 

down with some great natural wines. 

SHOP 

Plume: You probably already know about it because it’s an 

absolute institution. Plume houses the best international labels 

in an iconic two-storey shop, with the best, most babe-ing 

staff (who always seem to be playing the best music).

Perky’s Floating Bar, 

Queenstown 

Travel | Magazine 53 

Queenstown 

EAT 

Perky’s: A bar on a boat floating on the 

beyond picturesque Lake Wakatipu, where 

you can BYO bites. Grab burgers from the 

iconic Fergburger, knock back some wines 

and pretend you’re on your own episode of 

Below Deck. 

Side-On, 

Dunedin 

Odd Saint: If your evening at the 

aforementioned Perky’s ends up being a big 

one, let Odd Saint pick up the pieces with 

an Egg McBlighty bun – their riff on the 

McDonald’s classic, jazzed up with a gourmet 

sausage patty and ‘copycat HP sauce’. Bloody 

Mary optional. 

STAY 

Sherwood Hotel: In my mind this is the only 

place you can stay in Queenstown. Set out of 

the town in Frankton, the hotel’s former days 

as a crummy motel are faintly visible but only 

to act as the perfect unpretentious foil to its 

cosy luxuriousness. Think polished concrete 

floors, cork walls and heavy woollen blankets. 

Hell, it even smells restful. I guarantee if you 

stay here you won’t want to leave the confines 

of the hotel, and luckily even the restaurant is 

incredible, so you don’t have to. Pro-tip: Grab 

a negroni that comes premixed in your own 

little flask and head out to the fire pit with a 

blanket – dreamy! 

Wanaka 

EAT 

Arc: To be honest, usually we do sales in Queenstown and our lovely 

Wānaka stockists schlep over the Crown Range to us, so I haven’t had the 

pleasure of sampling a whole lot of what Wānaka has to offer food-wise, 

but this place came highly recommended and did not disappoint. Scampi 

dogs, parsnip gnocchi and the veal croquettes were all insanely good, and 

the molten chocolate fondant finished me off in the best possible way. 

SHOP 

47 Frocks: The best edit of the best New Zealand designers (which 

I feel very humbled to be included in) with staff that take their jobs 

super‐seriously and know their sh*t. Beautiful buying, beautiful shop, 

beautiful people. 

Invercargill 

EAT 

The Batch Cafe: Does a hearty breakfast and 

delicious better-than-home-baked treats, but 

if I’m in a hurry I have to run in and grab a 

cheese roll – it would be rude not to. 

SHOP 

Yours Faithfully: Is set in one of Invercargill’s 

oldest buildings, and used to be the local post 

office, hence the name. Owner Mary-Jane has 

filled it with a curated selection of NZ’s finest 

as well as some quirky international labels you 

probably won’t find anywhere else.

Motoring | Magazine 55 

A luxury experience 

WORDS JOSIE STEENHART | PHOTOS SHAUN JEFFERS 

Dawn is rising over the mountains in hues of peach 

and our breath is visible in little puffs into the 

snow-crisp air as the small group of lifestyle media from 

around New Zealand (and by this, I mean Auckland, plus 

Christchurch-based me representing the south) gather 

on the grandly sweeping driveway at the entrance of 

Gibbston Valley Lodge. 

While last night we wined and dined in a stunning private 

dining room downstairs (I know, it’s a hard life), today 

we’re all business – putting the brand new fully electric 

Lexus RZ 450e through its paces in the Central Otago 

terrain – but luckily, with Lexus, even business is done in 

luxury and style. I could get used to this. 

Yes, there are a lot of technical details that ensure 

driving the RZ is a premium experience – even on 

the still-icy hairpin turns of the Crown Range (if you 

know you know) – but a few of my personal favourite 

elements are the highly efficient and very pleasant 

Lexus-first radiant heating system (particularly on this 

chilly early winter day), reassuring safety technology, the 

smooooooth driving experience on any road conditions 

and sooooo much interior space. 

The impressive battery range means we can 

travel in relaxed comfort from Gibbston Valley to 

the exceptional Rippon winery in Wānaka to the 

breathtaking shores of Lake Hawea, on to Cloudy 

Bay’s lush digs in Northburn then back to Queenstown 

without batting an eyelid. 

There are two RZ 450e variants, Core and Dynamic, 

and while I wouldn’t turn down either (lol), the Dynamic 

has a couple of dozen extra features including a power 

dimming panoramic roof that’s pretty much made for 

sailing through the breathtaking scenery of Central 

Otago, 20” black and machine faced alloy wheels (slick), 

dreamy Ultrasuede seat fabric and Lexus Teammate 

Advanced Parking (look mum, no hands!). 

Call me superficial (don’t actually) but as an 

appreciator of good design, it would also be remiss if I 

didn’t mention just how gorgeous the RZ looks. 

Lexus calls the RZ 450e the “halo model” of its 

electric fleet as it is the marque’s first dedicated Battery 

Electric Vehicle (BEV) and leads the fresh approach 

to the future of its BEVS, and its brave design and 

aerodynamic silhouette beautifully expresses the vehicle’s 

elevated personality. While the side profile of the RZ 

is unmistakably Lexus, the front and rear feature a 

completely new Lexus Electrified look that’s all sleek lines 

and sharp angles. Something you need to see for yourself! 

Lexus continues to push its design inspiration and 

practices, drawing on the ancient Japanese principle 

of omotenashi – a concept that describes one’s ability 

to anticipate the needs of another, even before they 

arise – in everything they do, and utilising the traditional 

Japanese art of takumi in its craftsmanship. 

While it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert, 

becoming a Lexus takumi master takes more than 

60,000 hours of meticulous attention to detail. In the 

Lexus fleet this translates into impeccable, artisanal 

details throughout, such as the unique signature spindle 

grille. For every Lexus grille, we’re told, hundreds of 

drawings and clay models are developed to perfect each 

part. And that’s just one example of many where takumi 

is used. I’m no car expert, but that is a nice touch. 

Last but definitely not least there are six chic exterior 

colour choices: Ether Metallic, Sonic Copper, Graphite 

Black, Sonic Shade, Sonic Quartz and Sonic Iridium, that 

are all as amazing and stylish as they sound, plus three 

additional two-tone choices for the Dynamic. 

Pricing for the RZ 450e starts at $141,600 + ORC, 

with Lexus dealerships taking orders now for this 

exciting new model. If you haven’t considered a BEV yet, 

now is the time. 

lexus.co.nz

Enjoy a 

BEVERAGE 

OR TWO 

The Press Club boasts a diverse cocktail menu and 

skilled mixologist, Jeremy Jourdain. Like a welltrained 

chef, Jeremy approaches cocktail-making 

as a science, carefully considering the freshness of 

ingredients, techniques, and flavor combinations. 

His drinks tell a story and leave a lasting impression, 

drawing inspiration from velvet surroundings 

and conversations with guests. Don’t miss the 

opportunity to explore The Press Club’s latest 

cocktail menu, available now. 

thepressclub.co.nz

EVERYDAY INSPIRATION 

From dried pasta and lentils to tinned tuna and tomatoes, we’ve got heaps of 

quick, easy and tasty recipes you can whip up with pantry staples!

Easy egg fried rice 

Fried rice is a family favourite, and this homemade version 

is quick and nutritious! Eggs, rice and frozen vegetables are 

pantry staples that can be found in most Kiwi homes, and 

this recipe brings them together in comforting harmony. 

Five-ingredient tomato curry 

This quick and easy tomato curry is not only delicious 

but can lend itself to many dietary requirements. 

Ready in under 30 minutes, this will be your new 

weeknight go-to. 

Serves: 

2–3 

Prep time: 10 mins 

Cooking time: 10 mins 

Serves: 

4–6 



1 tablespoon rice bran or vegetable oil 

2 cups (400g) cooked rice 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

3 eggs, beaten 

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

1 tablespoon oyster sauce 

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

½ cup frozen vegetables of your choice 

15g butter 

Finely sliced spring onion, if desired 

Bring a wok or large pan to a high heat with the oil. Once 

heated, add the rice and garlic, then stir-fry for 4–5 minutes. 

Push the rice to the side of the pan, and pour the beaten 

egg into the empty side. Stir to scramble, then stir through 

the rice. 

Pour the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil 

into the rice. Stir to combine, then fold through the 

frozen vegetables and cook for 3–4 minutes or until 

cooked through. 

Add the butter and stir until melted, then serve 

immediately. 

Serving suggestion: Garnish with sliced spring onion 

if desired. 

1 onion, finely diced 

½ cup tandoori or korma curry paste 

600g total diced firm tofu (diced chicken or drained 

chickpeas also work) 

2 x 400g tinned tomatoes 

1 cup cream or coconut cream 

To serve: rice, naan or flatbreads, coriander 

Bring a large pan or pot to a medium heat with a drizzle 

of oil. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3–5 minutes 

or until softened. Add the curry paste, and cook while 

stirring for a further 2–3 minutes. 

Add the diced protein, and cook for 3–10 minutes 

dependent on required cooking time (see note, below). 

Next add the tomatoes and cream, stirring to combine. 

Season with salt and pepper, then leave to simmer and 

reduce for a final 5 minutes. 

Serve with curry alongside rice or bread, and garnish with 

coriander or crispy curry leaves if desired. 

Note: If you’re using a base of diced chicken, make sure 

to cook the chicken thoroughly before serving. If you are 

using tofu and/or chickpeas, 3–5 minutes in step 2 will 

be suitable.

Vegetarian 

bolognese 

Switch up your regular spag bol 

with this super simple vegetarian 

version! Packed full of hidden 

veggies and hearty lentils, this 

family favourite will be ready in 

40 minutes – the ultimate winter 

warmer. (Pictured on page 57) 

Serves: 4 



Tuna & sweetcorn pasta bake 

Some nights require a bowl of comfort food, and this tuna and sweetcorn 

pasta bake is a family-friendly delight that will be ready in under 40 

minutes! Using pre-made Pams Alfredo Pasta Sauce, this meal requires 

little effort for a scrumptious result. 

Serves: 

6 



400g dried pasta of your choice 

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil 


½ broccoli, cut into small chunks 

1 x 410g tin sweetcorn kernels, drained 

1 cup frozen peas 

1 x 425g tinned tuna chunks in spring water, drained 

2 x 395g Pams Alfredo Pasta Sauce 

1 cup grated cheese 

Preheat your oven to 200°C fan bake. Bring a pot of salted water to 

a boil, and cook the pasta as per pack instruction, but cook for 1–2 

minutes less than indicated or until the pasta is still firm to the bite. 

Drain, and set aside. 

Bring a heavy-based frying pan to a low to medium heat, then add the 

butter to melt. Sauté the onion for 2–3 minutes, then add the broccoli 

and cook for a further minute or until the broccoli has begun to soften. 

Add the corn kernels and peas to the vegetable mixture, then stir 

to combine. Next, flake the tuna chunks into the vegetables, then 

add the alfredo sauce. Season with salt and pepper, then mix until 

fully incorporated. 

Fold the cooked pasta through the tuna and vegetable sauce, then transfer 

to a baking dish. Scatter the grated cheese over the top, then place into 

the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden and bubbling on 

the sides. 

Once cooked, leave the pasta bake to cool for 5 minutes, then serve 

and enjoy. 

1 carrot, grated 

1 large celery stalk, grated 

1 large brown onion, grated 

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 

2 x 400g tins Diced Tomatoes 

with Chilli and Herb 

1 x tin lentils, drained and rinsed 

350g dried spaghetti or fettuccine 

1 cup grated parmesan 

Olive oil 

Add a splash of olive oil to a large 

saucepan over medium heat. 

Add the carrot, celery and onion 

and sauté for 7 minutes until the 

vegetables are soft, tender and 

beginning to caramelise. 

Add the garlic and sauté for a 

further 3 minutes. 

Add the tomatoes, lentils and 

a cup of water and season 

generously with salt and pepper. 

Bring the sauce to the boil and 

then reduce to low and simmer 

for 20 minutes. 

While the sauce is simmering, 

cook the pasta as per packet 

instructions. Serve the bolognese 

over the spaghetti and top with 

the parmesan cheese. 

Top tip: This dish can easily be 

made vegan – just leave off the 

parmesan and make sure your 

pasta is vegan-friendly! 

Top tip: Replace the tinned tuna in this pasta bake for tinned salmon, 

chopped ham or cooked chicken to suit your or your family’s preference.

Mozzarella-stuffed 

meatballs & spaghetti 

Level up your weeknight spaghetti and meatballs 

with our mozzarella-stuffed take on the classic! 

Packed with flavour and an oozy, cheesy centre, 

these meatballs are not to be missed. 

Serves: 

4–6 



500g prime beef mince 

1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs 


1 whole egg 

½ cup panko breadcrumbs 

100g fresh or block mozzarella, 1cm cubed 

Extra virgin olive oil 

1 carrot, finely diced 

1 large celery stick, finely diced 

1 x 510g jar Pams Pasta Sauce 

300g dried spaghetti 

Grated parmesan and basil to serve, if desired 

Preheat your oven to 200°C fan bake. In a bowl, 

mix together the beef mince, dried herbs, half of 

the diced onion, egg, and panko bread crumbs until 

well combined. Season generously with salt and 

pepper, then mix to incorporate. 

To assemble the meatballs, take a heaped 

tablespoon of meatball mixture in your hands and 

flatten. Press a cube of mozzarella into the centre, 

then wrap the mince around the cube and roll into 

a ball. Set onto a baking tray, and repeat with the 

remaining meatball mixture. 

Place the meatballs into the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until 

golden brown. While the meatballs are cooking, place a heavy-based 

pan over a medium heat with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Sauté 

the onion, carrot and celery for 5–6 minutes or until the vegetables 

have softened. 

Add the Pams Pasta Sauce to the pan, then lower the heat and leave 

to simmer until the meatballs are cooked, stirring occasionally. Once 

the meatballs have cooked, submerge in the pasta sauce and leave 

over a low heat for 10 minutes while the spaghetti cooks. 

Cook the spaghetti as per pack instruction. Once cooked, drain, then 

add to the meatballs. Toss gently to coat the pasta in the sauce, then 

transfer to bowls or plates. Garnish with grated parmesan and basil 

leaves if desired, then serve and enjoy. 

HASH BROWN 

COTTAGE PIE 

SIX-INGREDIENT 

PUMPKIN ALFREDO 

BEEF KOFTA & 

SPICED LENTIL STEW 

For more recipes head to newworld.co.nz

A mint morning tea 

Fabulous foodie and brilliant baker Michelle Morfett celebrates her very first cookbook 

(and shares some mouth-watering morning tea recipes with 03!). 

WORDS & RECIPES MICHELLE MORFETT | PHOTOS MANJA WACHSMUTH


It feels weird writing about myself and what I’ve been up to the past 

eight years, but it is so crazy thinking back. 

It all started as a market stall at the Hobsonville Point Markets in 2014 

when I was 22. I was selling mini cakes, making cake orders for market 

customers, and running my stall at different markets around Auckland. 

I would tell my market customers that I’d love to have my own little 

shop one day, and then one day one of those customers messaged me 

through my business Facebook page, saying she had driven past a shop 

space for lease in Point Chevalier and thought it would be perfect for me. 

I viewed the shop and instantly knew this was happening. 

So I signed the lease and did a little shop fit-out with barely any money 

to spend. I opened the doors of Mint Cakery in April 2016, with the help 

of my boyfriend at the time, Darren, who is also a chef. He’s now my ex, 

but we are still business partners to this day. 

For a long time we did everything ourselves – the baking, making 

coffees, serving customers – and it was an exhausting time! We learnt so 

much though. 

We moved Mint Cakery from our tiny shop in Point Chev to a bigger 

space in Ellerslie in September 2018, which is where we are now. With 

the help of our amazing team, we make lots of cakes to order, donuts, 

cinnamon buns – everything sweet. 

I have always loved baking and business. I have a little book that I have 

been writing ideas in for the past 10 years, which I call my ‘Spontaneous 

(and not well-thought-out) decisions book’. So cringe, but it’s a whole 

heap of little biz ideas for market stalls, from marshmallows to ice cream 

sandwiches, food caravan and café ideas. 

I hadn’t written in the book for a long time, but I randomly found it 

when I moved house in 2021 and looked through it again. There is a page 

with the timeline of how I wanted Mint Cakery to go, and in there I’d 

written that in 2017 I would write a cookbook. 

I’m a bit late to the party six years later, but I just thought I had to do 

it. It would probably be the one thing I’d regret in my career if I didn’t do 

a cookbook. 

I decided straight away I wanted to go down the self-publishing route – I 

didn’t even think of doing book pitches to publishers; I wanted to learn 

how to do it all from start to finish. I was definitely naive to how much 

work and different elements go into getting a book to print and I did 

everything in the wrong order, but you live and you learn. 

I should probably add that I started this cookbook journey when my 

son Isaac was just five months old. This intro is the last thing I am writing 

for the book, and he is now fifteen months old. Looking back, I don’t 

know what I was thinking – shop work, baking, baby aaaaaand book stuff 

was pretty hectic. 

The only time I had to write recipes was in the evenings or when my 

husband, Jordon, was driving the car and I could work on my laptop in the 

passenger seat. Trying to type with Isaac at home was almost impossible 

because he’d just bang on the keyboard – even if I gave him another 

laptop to bang he still just wanted my one! 

The vibe of these recipes is delicious but easy, and there’s also a few 

extra baking techniques that should help make you a better baker. This 

also requires a pinch of effort, but you will always be the favourite family 

member or friend if you are bringing sweet treats to share, so it’s worth it!


CHEDDAR AND CHIVE SCONES 

These scones are so delicious. Old-school vibes with the 

cream and lemonade, but they also make them super 

easy to whip up. Add anything you like to them, too! 

Bacon, spinach, feta, red onion; the list is almost endless. 

Serves: 8 

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Bake time: 15–17 minutes 

DRY 

500g flour, plus extra for dusting 

2 tablespoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon pepper 

25g chives, finely chopped 

200g grated cheddar, plus extra for the top of each scone 

WET 

250ml cream 

250ml lemonade (I use Sprite) 

Preheat your oven to 190°C fan bake. Line a baking tray with 

baking paper. 

Sift your flour, baking powder, salt and pepper into a large 

mixing bowl. Add the finely chopped chives and grated 

cheese. Mix with a large metal spoon or knife to combine. 

Pour your cream and lemonade into the dry mixture and mix 

until it has just come together and forms a soft dough. 

Lightly dust your bench with flour and tip the scone dough 

out. Dust the top of the scone dough with flour so your hands 

don’t stick, and gently shape it into a rectangle. 

Cut the dough into 8 squares and place each scone onto the 

baking tray. Top each one with grated cheese. 

Bake for 15–17 minutes, until golden. Check them at the 

15-minute mark. If they are nice and golden, take them out; if 

not, a couple more minutes will do the trick. 

Best served warm out of the oven with a heap of butter – yum!


BLUEBERRY 

CREAM CHEESE 

MUFFINS 

I’m going to call it and say this 

is the best muffin recipe ever. 

So easy and delicious. This is the 

perfect base recipe to add any 

type of fruit, nuts or chocolate. 

Serves: 12 



DRY 

250g flour 

200g caster sugar 

20g baking powder 

½ teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

WET 

2 eggs 

250ml milk 

75ml canola oil 

1 teaspoon vanilla essence 

200g frozen blueberries 

250g cream cheese 

Preheat your oven to 165°C fan bake. Line a 12-hole muffin 

tin with baking paper cases or generously spray with oil. 

Sift the dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl, 

set aside. 

Put all of the wet ingredients into a separate small bowl. 

Gently whisk together to break up the eggs and combine. 

Add your wet mixture into your dry mixture and whisk to 

combine. Once there are no lumps in your batter, change 

to using a spatula. Fold in the blueberries until they are 

only just evenly dispersed. Too much mixing at this stage 

can make the blueberries’ colour run and turn your batter 

purple, so mix gently to avoid this. 

Divide the mixture evenly amongst the holes in the muffin 

tin. I like to use an ice-cream scoop with a trigger to easily 

release the batter into each hole. If you don’t have one, two 

dessert spoons will do. Once the muffin tin is full, get a 

teaspoon and place a scoop of the cream cheese onto each 

one. Don’t push the cream cheese down; you want to be 

able to see it on top. 

Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the 

middle of a muffin comes out clean. Once they are out of 

the oven, leave them in the tin for 30 minutes until they 

have cooled down. They will collapse on themselves if you 

pull them out of the tin too early.

BRANDY SNAPS 

I almost wish I had never made my own 

brandy snaps, because now I will never 

be able to eat store-bought ones ever 

again. I use gardening gloves when I’m 

rolling the brandy snaps so I don’t burn 

my fingers! 

Makes: 10–12 



220g sugar 

220g unsalted butter 

120g golden syrup 

220g plain flour 

20ml lemon juice 

½ teaspoon ground ginger 

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Line 

three flat trays with baking paper. 

Put the sugar, butter and golden syrup in a 

medium-sized saucepan over medium heat 

and stir until it starts to bubble. 

Remove the saucepan from the heat, and 

whisk in the sifted flour and ginger. Then 

whisk in the lemon juice. 

Using a small 50mm retractable ice-cream 

scoop or two dessert spoons, place scoops of 

brandy snap onto the baking trays, leaving a 

lot of room between each so they can spread 

as they will triple in size. Use a palette 

knife to spread the brandy snap mixture 

into rectangles. 

Bake for 8 minutes. Check to see if they are 

golden; they may need another 2 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and roll the brandy snaps over something round 

– I use stainless-steel cannoli tubes. This must be done when the brandy 

snaps are still warm and pliable. If they set and start to break, warm in 

the oven for 1 minute to re-soften. 

When the brandy snaps are set, pull the cannoli tubes or other 

moulds out. 

When ready to serve, fill with whipped cream. To make them even 

more delicious, pipe in some salted caramel. 

The unfilled brandy snaps can be stored in an airtight container for two 

weeks. Fill with whipped cream just before serving. 

Baker’s tip: To make the brandy snap pieces or shards that we use as 

decoration in a lot of our baking, bake the brandy snaps but don’t roll 

them up. Keep them flat and break up when they are cool.


APRICOT CRUMBLE TRAY BAKE 

This slice has cake vibes, but with the base being so thin and 

the crunchy crumble topping, I reckon it slips into the slice category. 

Use any fruit you have on hand, and it will be delicious! 

Serves: 12 

Prep time: 45 minutes | Bake time: 30 minutes 

BASE 

150g unsalted butter, melted 

100g brown sugar 

1 egg 

1 tsp vanilla essence 


2 teaspoons baking powder 

½ teaspoon cinnamon 

½ teaspoon mixed spice 

½ teaspoon salt 

½ cup ground almonds 

410g can of apricot halves, roughly chopped 

CRUMBLE TOPPING 

90g unsalted butter, melted 

50g oats 

50g brown sugar 


25g thread coconut 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon salt 

Mint Cakery by Michelle 

Morfett, photography 

by Manja Wachsmuth. 

Published by Mint Cakery, 

distributed by Bateman 

Books, RRP$45. 

Preheat your oven to 170°C fan bake. Line a 

20cm x 20cm square tin with baking paper. 

To make the base, put the melted butter, 

brown sugar, egg and vanilla into your 

stand mixer bowl with the paddle 

attachment, or use an electric beater. Beat 

until combined. 

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, 

mixed spice and salt together into a 

separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture, 

along with the ground almonds. 

Press into the prepared slice tin and smooth 

the surface off with a palette knife. Bake for 

20 minutes. 

While it is baking, mix all of the crumble 

topping ingredients together in a mediumsized 

bowl. Set aside. 

Take the slice base out of the oven and top 

with the apricot pieces. Scatter the crumble 

topping over the apricots. Place back into 

the oven for 15 minutes, until the crumble 

is golden and crunchy. 

Remove from the oven and leave to cool 

completely before cutting into 12 slices. 

Serve with whipped cream. 

Store at room temperature for two days or 

in the fridge for four days.

Art explorer 

Born in Ashburton, raised on a farm in 

Methven, a student at Canterbury University’s 

prestigious Ilam art school and a recent resident 

of Dunedin, Peter Robinson’s latest exhibition, 

Kā Kaihōpara, at the Dunedin Public Art 

Gallery, is one of his most important to date. 

WORDS REBECCA FOX | PHOTOS JUSTIN SPIERS

Art | Magazine 69 

LEFT: Peter Robinson, Kā Kaihōpara, 

2023. Installation view, Dunedin Public 

Art Gallery. 

There’s always an element of terror when an artist 

presents their latest work to the public in a solo show 

no matter how many exhibitions they have taken part in, 

Auckland artist Peter Robinson says. 

He has been exhibiting for 30 years and says it is still 

nerve-racking and frightening. 

“It doesn’t lessen – if anything it gets more.” 

So in his latest exhibition Kā Kaihōpara, at the Dunedin 

Public Art Gallery (DPAG), he decided to invite artists 

who have supported his career, life and the arts over the 

years to exhibit with him. 

“I wanted to see what it felt like to have that kind 

of support, to bring people along with you, and the 

experiment paid off. I found it a very rewarding, 

comforting experience.” 

More than 80 artists have exhibited alongside him, 

including many Dunedin artists and teachers and students 

from Dunedin Art School. He also wanted to acknowledge 

Antony Deaker (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe) for the work he has 

done for the arts in the city, and artist Madison Kelly (Kāi 

Tahu, Kāti Māmoe) whom he is mentoring through the Arts 

Foundation Te Tumu Toi 2023 Springboard programme. 

“It was thinking about changing from an individualistic 

mode of operating to more community-based. It’s a 

gesture in that direction.” 

The exhibition was made while Peter (Ngāi Tahu) was in 

Dunedin as the Aotearoa New Zealand Visiting Artist for 

2023. He created the larger sculptures, did a lot of drawing 

and worked out the presentation of the exhibition while in 

the city.

70 Magazine | Art 

Peter Robinson, Kā Kaihōpara, 2023. Installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery. 

“I did a lot of exploring, feeling it out, looking into new 

territory, who is there and who came before, which 

informed my work.” 

Another Dunedin link is the extensive use of aluminium 

in the show, which is a nod to the late artist Ralph Hotere, 

who Peter was very aware of as a young artist. 

“He was a very important figure to me and I was 

conscious of his activism, particularly in terms of smelting. 

A lot of the material expresses ambivalence towards this, 

on one hand, wonderful material and, on the other, very 

problematic material.” 

Peter, who represented New Zealand jointly at the 2001 

Venice Biennale and won the Walters Prize in 2008, uses the 

aluminium crudely, bending it to show a “lovingness towards 

and a hatred of it”. Much of the material, especially the 

powder-coated woodgrain, was deleted stock or end-ofline 

material. 

“It was leftover stock that I was able to somehow 

use productively.” 

There is also a lot of paper in the exhibition, as Peter 

began thinking about paper’s role in colonial processes. 

“As an instrument of colonialism it is, oddly enough, one of 

the most violent tools with treaty documents and legislation. 

Again, with many of my works in the exhibition there is this 

violence enacted on the materials, an aggression, a hostility 

acted on the paper. 

“Again, there is this love for the material and a hatred for 

the material enacted.” 

Bringing the threads together posed a challenge for Peter. 

He began thinking about how often artists are entering 

the unknown. 

“The studio can be void. You turn up to it; you kick things 

around; some things are interesting; some things are not. 

A lot of the time you are uncertain about what is going 

on, what you are doing. It’s interesting and it’s disturbing or 

anxiety‐provoking. 

“You are trying something new. It might not be a new 

contribution to the world, but it might be a new idea for you 

as an artist that you can share with someone else.” 

The idea that what artists are doing is exploring came to 

him very late in the piece. 

“In the last week it came to me this idea of an artist 

exploring, entering unknown territory that was unfamiliar, 

and developing strategies to deal with that. I started thinking 

of this notion of an artist as an explorer.” 

All the artists who have joined him in the show showed 

the courage to explore and step into the unknown, he says. 

Just as the audience becomes the explorer on entering 

an exhibition. 

“The viewer is invited to construct their own narrative of 

the work. I think they can trust that it is not deeply arbitrary, 

that there is someone behind the work that has done some 

conceptual groundwork but at same time can trust they are 

allowed to explore the material and construct their own 

narrative from the installation. It is a matter of imparting 

creativity to the viewer.”

FREE | JULY 2023 




THAT’S A WRAP! OUR PICKS OF THE BEST WINTER COATS | FARM TO WARDROBE: LIVING THE FASHION & FOODIE DREAM IN KUROW 

Art | Magazine 71 

The theme of exploring also ties into the last show Peter 

took part in at the DPAG, Paemanu: Tauraka Toi, A Landing 

Place. He sees the exhibition as the next chapter. 

“Once the waka has landed, this is getting off the waka to 

start exploring.” 

So he titled the show ‘Kā Kaihōpara’, meaning explorer. It 

is also a tribute to Paemanu, the Ngāi Tahu artist collective, 

which has been very “kind and supportive to me”, he says. 

Peter sees this exhibition as reaching back to the beginning 

of his career. In his early days in the 1980s and ’90s, his work 

played a part in bicultural debate, becoming renowned for 

its provocative and controversial treatment of racial issues, 

ethnicity and identity. 

“I feel like I’ve met the character that made my early work, 

the younger man with an attitude who had discovered some 

things about the world and had few things to say. There’s 

hostility, aggression, a sense of humour. I feel my early work 

has returned with a little more circumspection and maturity.” 

Interestingly, Peter’s childhood was spent in a very 

traditional Kiwi way, on a farm at Methven. Yet he grew 

up with an interest in art “much more so than farming” so 

went on to study sculpture at the Ilam School of Fine Arts in 

Christchurch from 1985 to 1989. 

“There is something about that environment that has 

informed my work – maybe not so much this work, formally 

speaking. In other work, living on the Canterbury Plains 

growing up informed the way I organised my work often. 

Often small things were laid across a large plain, intensified 

by the scale variation and often with nothing on the wall so 

there was a white backdrop.” 

While he has great fondness for growing up in the mid- 

Canterbury region, the flipside of that time and place was 

that it was very Pākehā and the education system did not 

offer any te ao Māori (Māori world) or tikanga (customary 

practices or behaviours). 

“As sad as that is, it is kind of productive to reflect upon. 

It allows for a certain kind of thinking which enables one to 

wonder how to deal with that problem not so much for 

oneself as for others, or maybe it’s both.” 

Peter is now an educator himself, an Associate Professor of 

Fine Arts and Associate Dean – Māori at the Elam School of 

Fine Arts at the University of Auckland. 

It is something he has done for many years, except for a 

hiatus when he lived in Berlin, Germany, in the late 1990s to 

early 2000s, even though he thinks it is a very undervalued 

profession in New Zealand. 

“Teaching is very important to me, as important as my 

art practice. I really enjoy the craft of teaching and thinking 

about the craft of teaching, and I like how you can make a 

contribution to the community as a teacher. And there is a 

lot of satisfaction in seeing young people develop not just as 

artists but as people.” 

He has included some of his present and past students’ 

work in the exhibition as well. Peter is interested in breaking 

down the hierarchy between teacher and student, artist and 

non-artist, and merging the roles of curator and artist. 

“It occurred to me just recently teaching and art practice 

can be meshed, and with this exhibition there are drawings 

by my current Studio 1 [first year] painting students.” 

Back in Auckland, he’s working on upcoming exhibitions, 

including one in Whangārei next year, although he’s not 

as active as he was while in Dunedin on the residency. 

Discipline is the key to juggling teaching and his own practice, 

he says. 

“It was amazing – I received so much support from the 

Dunedin School of Art. I got such a good impression of the 

school. I enjoyed the facilities and dialogue. It’s a partnership 

with the [Dunedin Public Art] gallery, and the support I got 

there, too, is marvellous.” 

Looking at the exhibition as part of his career “objectively 

as an insider” he sees it as one of the most important ones 

of his career. 

“It wouldn’t have happened without that kind of support… 

and the time. It is amazing what can happen with that.” 

Peter Robinson, Kā Kaihōpara, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, until July 23, 2023. 

01 July - 24 July 2023 

OPENING - 01 July 2023 

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iSland 

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magazine 

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lifestyle magazine, 

free across the 03. 

03magazine.co.nz 

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+64 3 325 1944 - littlerivergallery.com 

art@littlerivergallery.com - Main Rd, Little River

72 Magazine | Read 

Book club 

Great new reads to please even the pickiest of bookworms. 

WINNING REVIEW 

YOU'VE BEEN 

READING 

GEORGE: A MAGPIE MEMOIR 

Frieda Hughes | Allen & Unwin, $40 

From the painter/poet daughter of (in)famous writers Sylvia 

Plath and Ted Hughes, who lives in the Welsh countryside 

with 14 owls, two rescue huskies, an ancient Maltese terrier, 

five chinchillas, a ferret called Socks, a royal python and her 

collection of motorbikes, comes this endearing true tale of 

“miniature magpie fury” George, who Frieda rescues after a 

storm and becomes besotted by. 

DICE 

Claire Baylis | Allen & Unwin, $37 

The first novel from New Zealand-based writer (and former 

law lecturer) Claire Baylis, Dice is an incredibly compelling 

courtroom drama, told through the eyes of each juror as the 

trial unfolds and evidence is presented, withheld, fragmented 

and retold by different witnesses. “Dice achieves what the best 

fiction achieves: it draws us into the story on a deeply personal 

level, coaxing us to consider what we would do in the same 

situation,” says award-winning Kiwi author Catherine Chidgey. 

DID I EVER TELL 

YOU THIS? 

Sam Neill 

Text Publishing, $55 (hardback) 

Sam Neill is a national treasure. 

Everyone has seen a Sam 

Neill movie, but this doesn’t 

necessarily promise a great 

memoir. The book delivers. Sam 

Neill has had an extraordinary 

career, lived life to the full, 

met an incredible number 

of interesting people, but he 

can also write well. And what 

shines through in this book is 

his self-deprecating humour and 

his sharp sense of irony. The 

stories range from childhood 

memories, to life in Hollywood, 

to battling a very aggressive 

form of cancer. It’s funny, sad, 

honest and emotional. 

– Trish Allen 

WHAT ABOUT MEN? 

Caitlin Moran | Penguin, $40 

So, what about men? Why do they only go to the doctor if 

their wife or girlfriend makes them? What is porn doing for 

young men? Is their fondness for super-skinny jeans leading to 

an epidemic of bad mental health? Are men allowed to be sad? 

Are men allowed to lose? Have men’s rights activists confused 

‘power’ with ‘empowerment’? A frank, funny and galvanising 

exploration of masculinity, and a manifesto for male allyship, from 

million-copy bestseller and feminist powerhouse Caitlin Moran. 

WAVEWALKER: BREAKING FREE 

Suzanne Heywood | HarperCollins, $38 

A 7-year-old girl on a 70-foot yacht, for 10 years, over 50,000 

miles of sailing… This memoir covers Suzanne’s astonishing 

upbringing living entirely on her family’s boat, Wavewalker, 

through storms, shipwrecks, emergency hospitalisations, isolation, 

being abandoned in New Zealand and very limited schooling. 

From the bestselling author of What Does Jeremy Think?, 

Wavewalker is the incredible true story of how the adventure of 

a lifetime became one child’s worst nightmare – and how her 

determination to educate herself enabled her to escape.

Read | Magazine 73 

PICCADILLY PICKS 

BILLY BUSH: A FRONT 

ROW VIEW ON LIFE 

Kingita Ngahere (Bush) Te Pohe 

Upstart Press, $40 

How to become one of the 

most respected rugby players 

of his generation. Not his claim 

or words, being a modest man 

and an initially reluctant rugby 

player. Billy was raised in a small 

rural village, the 16th child of his 

mother. His father worked in the 

timber mills. From here his family moved, along with the 

timber industry, to Apanui, Whakatāne. Bill was a promising 

swimmer with little interest in rugby. At just 14, he was 

encouraged to apply for work and was taken on at the 

Marsden Point oil refinery. 

In 1968, Bill’s mother died and in due course Bill decided 

to head south to Christchurch, where he came to rugby 

in an unexpected way, moving from Belfast RFC to 

Canterbury, from Canterbury Māori to Māori All Blacks 

and from Canterbury to All Blacks. 

Bill’s continued loyalty to his teammates, mentors and 

Belfast Rugby Club was celebrated at his book launch by a 

huge crowd of supporters. Bill, an eloquent public speaker, 

proved that it is his voice you hear in this book. 

– Neville Templeton 

VENETIAN 

GARDENS 

Monty Don & Derry 

Moore Penguin, $100 

(hardback) 

Think Venice! Think 

gardens! Think Monty 

Don! A fabulous 

264-page, hardcover 

coffee table book 

describing over 500 

Venetian gardens 

– the Venice that your average tourists are not privy to! 

These are the private gardens of Venice, stunning in their 

splendour, surrounding 18th- and 19th-century grand 

buildings at every turn. 

From the vineyard at the Cipriani Garden to the small 

park at Giardini Papadopoli, all the gardens have their 

own story, exquisitely told by Monty. He has captured the 

essence of this extremely private garden: visits here are 

rarely granted. 

For 60 years, Derry Moore has been photographing the 

ochre hues of grand buildings and unique garden views of 

Venice. Monty’s poetic descriptions of these hidden gems 

enhance the bold beautiful colour plates on each page. 

My personal favourite was the last in the book – the 

Palazzo Gradenigo. 

– Helen Templeton 

WIN WITH PICCADILLY BOOKSHOP 

READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY? 

Send us 50–75 words on why you recommend it, with the title and your first and last name for publication, 

to josie@alliedpressmagazines.co.nz and you could win a $25 voucher to spend at Piccadilly Bookshop. 

we love books 

www.piccadillybooks.co.nz 

Shop 1, Avonhead Mall Corner of Merrin Street & Withells Road, Avonhead | P. 358 4835

74 Magazine | Win 

Win with 03 

Every month, 03 Magazine sources a range of exceptional prizes to give away. 

It’s easy to enter – simply go to 03magazine.co.nz and fill in your details on the 

‘Win with 03 ’ page. Entries close July 24, 2023. 

Feed winter skin 

Just in time for the much-needed mid-winter skin 

fix, we have the ultimate Weleda Skin Food pack to 

give away to a lucky reader. Multi-award winning and 

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a cult beauty classic, beloved by makeup artists, 

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the pack includes Skin Food 30ml, Skin Food Light 

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Make some me-time 

From much-loved New Zealand-made skincare brand Glow 

Lab comes a premium bath range of luxurious Bath Blends 

and Bath Salts in heavenly ‘Sleep’ and ‘Hydrate’ variations, 

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four new releases (RRP$56 per pack) to give away. 

glowlab.co.nz 

Fun with fungi 

Enjoyed reading about Christchurch-based fungi fanatic Liv 

Sisson on page 32 and want more? We have three copies 

of Liv’s wonderful new book Fungi of Aotearoa: A Curious 

Forager’s Field Guide (RRP$45 each) up for grabs! 

penguin.co.nz 

PREVIOUS WINNERS 

TOM Organic period product pack: Ella Hodgson; Nevé car fragrance diffuser & refill: Trish Allen; 

YUM granola & pancake packs: Charlotte Rutherford, Lyn Clucas 

*Conditions: Each entry is limited to one per person. You may enter all giveaways. If you are selected as a winner, your name will be published in the following month’s edition. 

By registering your details, entrants give permission for Allied Press Magazines to send further correspondence, which you can opt out of at any stage.

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03 Magazine: July 07, 2023

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