A Moment of Calm with Webster’s Tea
Inside the Te Puna tea shop blending ritual, flavour and family. Words Rachel Hart, images Brydie Thompson I consider myself a jittery person. Jumpy. A bundle of nerves. My two young children (love them as I do!) don’t help matters, and neither does my morning coffee. But this week, I discovered two things that can […]
My Croatian Kitchen
Both sets of Helena Nuic’s grandparents came to New Zealand from Croatia. While West Auckland was home, Helena says she grew up with strong ties to Croatia, via the language, music, stories and, of course, food. She explains, “My Croatian Kitchen began as a way to preserve the memories and traditions passed on to me […]
A Grand Caper
Words by Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images by Ashlee DeCaires Throughout the Mediterranean, capers grow wild. I remember my first visit to Sicily and having a lush caper bush growing with abandon down a rocky wall pointed out to me. After that, I saw them everywhere. And this is something I point out to my hairdresser, Paul […]
Let’s Split
Words and images by Vicki Ravlich-Horan My first night in Split was not ideal. Delayed flights ending in lost luggage meant I arrived around 9pm needing to buy the basics – toothpaste, deodorant and clean undies! Luckily this is Europe and even on a Monday night the town was still buzzing. With the essentials sorted […]
Bloomin Brilliant
Words Vicki Ravlich-Horan Images Ashlee DeCaires Frankton School caretaker Murray Ivory believes flowers brighten your day. Visit Frankton School in the summer months and you will experience this first-hand. A few years ago, rushing to drop my daughter at the holiday programme held at Frankton School, I was compelled, despite my lateness, to stop in […]
A Designing Life
Words Denise Irvine, Images Brydie Thompson Creating a home environment that looks and feels good sounds simple. Yet it is so easy to get bogged down by the myriad choices and plethora of products available today. Consult a good interior designer and you may discover how quickly they hone in on your individuality and seem […]
Thorne Group – Homes Built with Foresight
Words Liz French, Images Bryde Thompson for Thorne Group While 80 may be the new 60 and many people are enjoying good health into their twilight years, there is good sense in planning your future home so you can enjoy an environment that will evolve as you do. It’s not just about retirement or mobility; […]
Bold, Beautiful Bali
Words and images by Sandy Crooks Stepping out of the airport in Bali, you feel that whoosh of the tropics – warmth, noise, smells. For me, this is the point where my shoulders drop and tension seeps away. Bali is a place of such richness – colours, customs, flavours. No matter how many times I […]
Audi Day out – Whangamata edition
Words and images Vicki Ravlich-Horan After a week of relentless rain, the sun came out for our second annual Audi Day Out. This is the day that my Instagram feed belies reality and will have you believe I swan around the region driving luxury cars, meeting great people and eating delicious food! We meet at […]
Festive Wreath Workshop
Join Venetta from Where the Cornflowers Grow for a fun night out making a beautiful natural wreath. Using a natural twig base that can be reused year after year, along with fresh foliage, dried textured elements, and festive Christmas ribbon Venetta will show you how to create a beautiful, eco-friendly wreath to adorn your door […]