Enough has been written about the Coronavirus toilet paper buying frenzy to create a lifetime of bathroom reading, but a lot of experts, not so much in the field of loo paper but in human psychology, I have put it down to the need to hold onto some sense of normality when much of it...
Dancing with the stars Experience the work of some of the ballet world’s most acclaimed choreographers in the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s upcoming performance, Venus Rising. A myriad of themes showcase the dancers as they leap and sping over an ocean of light or look for the beauty in that which is broken, offering audiences...
Antebellum Get ready for another freaky horror from the producers of acclaimed films, Get Out and Us, starring musician, actress and all-round entertaining superstar, Janelle Monáe. Monáe plays successful author, Veronica Henley, whose happy life is turned into a horrifying reality, forcing her to fight to unravel the mystery and break free. Looking to be...
I’d name my autobiography… Easy Tiger – Finding Balance in the Culture of Busy To me success means… Success means I’ve inspired my teams, friends, family to dig deep, prioritise their self-care and thrive at what they do. Best advice I’ve been given… Many years ago during my time at Amazon and Microsoft,...
I’d name my autobiography… “Unwritten”. The story is just beginning! To me success means… Happiness in all aspects of your life – be it your career, educational aspirations, physical goals, family and friends. Best advice I’ve been given… “Everything happens for a reason”. This piece of advice means a lot to me because...
I’d name my autobiography… Flirting with the line To me success means… Living your purpose Creating happiness within your home Giving some belief in someone each day to unlock some inspiration in them Adventure Growing yourself, getting uncomfortable Best advice I’ve been given… You create your own reality. I made my first...
Ask a scientist to discover and they will experiment. They will spend years and years going through the same type of equations, playing with different figures and statistics to get to a concrete, final result. Ask a stonemason to build a cathedral and they’ll spend decades laying brick after brick. Ask a true artist to...
Fake Baby. The title of Amy McDaid’s debut novel – the draft of which won the Sir James Wallace Prize in 2017 – drives darkly yet comically at those tragic moments of relief and reprieve in escaping the stark reality of life-altering loss, along with the relatable drudgery of daily disappointments in tow: the theft...
Jet-setting across the globe may be off the cards for the foreseeable future, but one can still dream of romantic sojourns spent in the city of lights, drinking fine red wine and indulging in buttery pâtisseries while overlooking the streets of Paris from a quaint, yet ever-so-small balcony. Yes, that may be the most clichéd...
The Seine flows as an iconic landmark on the Parisian landscape. A monumental 777 kilometres long, the river stretches through the northern part of France, weaving through Paris, before spilling out into the English Channel. With 37 bridges traversing it in the City of Lights, residents have plenty of options to pass over the Seine...
It has been four years in the making and finally, last month marked the opening of Auckland’s much-anticipated luxury shopping precinct, Commercial Bay. Boasting premium retail stores and some of the best food and beverage offerings from Auckland’s world-class hospitality industry, the city’s CBD has never before seen such glamour all under one roof. One...
As the soft, amber stage lights rose on the Radio Music Hall in New York, Stefani Germanotta’s voice rang out in a haunting yet delicate Soprano shrill. A fallen ghost-silver chandelier, teetering on its side behind her, had interrupted her introduction. The shot cuts to Stefani’s face, hidden behind a crystal-sequined mask with white feathers...
Owned and run by Hawke’s Bay-based entrepreneur and health enthusiast Luci Firth, Adashiko is at the forefront of the collagen movement in New Zealand and helps to restore the skin and body from the inside out. We talk to Luci about her journey and vision for the future. Tell us a little bit of...
Warm Aura Hand-poured and NZ made, Bentley & Hart One by One, $59, fills the room with opulent scents to add a dose of luxury to ‘me’ time. Pout Treat Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm, $35, is a covetable tube of shea and murumuru seed butters that instantly hydrates the lips and gives...
Hair Here Currently dominating the social media hair scene across Australasia is MONDAY – an affordable salon-quality hair care line in supermarkets that’s cruelty, SLS and paraben -free. Following seven stages of R&D, this pink pump bottle delivers 11 amino acids and plant extracts to ensure efficacy without the crazy price tag. For those blessed...
Lucy Vincent Marr is a renowned beauty icon in New Zealand who has truly mastered the art of luxury natural beauty with her brainchild, sans[ceuticals]. As you’d expect, the products are made ‘without’ all of the nonsensical things such as animal testing, synthetic colours and fragrances, sulfates, silicones and the A to Z of petroleum-based...
With the onset of the colder months, nothing beats the solace of bundling into a snug, cozy corner and warming our chilly cockles in front of a crackling fire. Though with plummeting temperatures and fluctuations from freezing outdoors and blustery winds, to overheated workspaces and heat pump-dry homes, it is hardly a comfortable time for...
If The Knit Fits As is typical for New Zealand, our winter tends to stick around for longer than the calendar dictates. And so it is time to strap your wardrobe in for the long haul and invest in some quality knitwear, sure to get you through the chilly months ahead. Whether it be turtlenecks,...
Give your usual winter uniform a shake up with a spike of colour during these dark days. Sustainable Kiwi brand, Kowtow, brings colour to the fore for the AW20 collection, with primary pops interspersed among more subdued tones on curved shapes and lavish silhouettes. Photography by Umit Savaci...
With winter in the rear-view mirror and the change of seasons ushering in sunny showers and flowers finally in bloom, just as we naturally adjust our wardrobes to adapt to the warmer climes, our skincare routine calls for a refresh too. In adjusting to the warmer temperatures, higher UV levels and rise in humidity,...
For a brand that is known for its playful approach to fashion, it’s little wonder that Gucci’s Pre-Fall 2020 campaign recruited the company of some four legged friends to star alongside their more commonly-used models. Harking back to a time of innocence and spontaneity and taking inspiration from the utopia of Arcadia, the campaign calls...
Whether it’s starting a new business or making the switch to working from home, having a well-appointed home office is a good start in tackling the challenge. A sleek desk anchors the space, while nifty accessories and storage solutions lend a helping hand in nailing productivity. Style Tip Make a desk in a common space...
One way to spread the love and brighten someone’s day is with a small, thoughtful gift. From decadent sweet treats and pamper products, to practical accessories for the eco-friendly, there really is something for everyone, regardless of your budget. Style Tip Consider making a donation to a worthy cause on behalf of a friend....
Be it honing one’s culinary prowess, flexing the green thumb or simply curled up in a luxurious reading nook, lockdown has certainly caused many of us to re-think the way we utilise our time. Despite the hustle and bustle of daily life resuming, retaining even just one practice you grew to love over those weeks...
Two young refugees in the desolate beauty of Tehran, a Californian surfer cutting through the perfect wave, this year’s Sony World Photography Awards showcases a diverse subject matter from the lens of more than 100 talented photographers. Now in its 13th year, the Awards are considered to be one of the most prestigious in the...
Neuroscientist and co-founder of Chia Sisters, Chloe van Dyke talks to M2woman about the importance of refocusing on nutrition while on the go and how our nutritional needs have changed now that we are leaving the house and getting back to normal life. What is your background? I have a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience,...
We all know the Danish philosophy of hygge (pronounced hoo-gah), which conjures cosiness, calmness and contentment from the small things in life – a quality moment’s pause with those you love or some time for yourself curled up in your own hyggekrog or cosy corner. And there’s lagom, Sweden’s frugal doctrine of not doing too...
In times of uncertainty, it is the small luxuries that help to pick us up. A sweet treat, a relaxing bubble bath or perhaps a soothing face masque. And Kiwi-owned collagen brand, Adashiko, has just the masque to keep your skin smooth and hydrated during these Winter months. The Collagen Gel Masques are the Winter...
Wither Hills, as a brand, is intrinsically connected to Marlborough and that connection has helped them to become one of our most iconic wine producers, but when it came to their first-ever Syrah and Merlot varietals, they had to go further north. The new Merlot 2018 and Syrah 2018 are from Hawke’s Bay rather than...
In the depths of Winter, even the name of this cocktail will have you reaching for your cashmere and sidling up to a blazing fire. Though it is served chilled, its rich and warming flavours showcased in this offering with the robust flavour of Mount Gay XO rum (the “dark”) balanced with the refreshing tang...
Wither Hills is in the business of making wines and it is something that they take seriously, but in order to talk about the brand, we need to also celebrate a couple of other great New Zealand companies. An award-winning architecture firm and an award-winning construction firm. This kind of trio doesn’t tend to have...
This article was intended to be a look at the very suave new packaging for Wither Hills but to be honest, that part kind of speaks for itself. It looks great; it has some lineage to the iconic labels of late and it takes a slightly more artistic, painterly and emotive approach in its homage...
Amidst the endless plethora of new drinks coming out of the cocktail movement, there is good reason why we keep coming back to time-honoured classics such as the Old Fashioned – suave, smooth simplicity being key in the case of the Grandfather of the modern cocktail. Mount Gay Rum has just given us another with...
If there were one drink that could transport you straight to an island paradise, toes firmly planted in sand and umbrella in glass, it would be this Tiki Tiki crafted with Mount Gay XO, finished with a quintessentially tropical medley of Summer season flavours – vanilla, cinnamon, lime and coconut. Tiki Tiki Recipe: 45ml...
When choosing the brands for this article, I thought what does iconic mean? So, I headed to the dictionary. The Oxford Dictionary definition of iconic is, Iconic adjective /aɪˈkɒnɪk/ /aɪˈkɑːnɪk/ being a famous person or thing that people admire and see as a symbol of a particular idea, way of life, etc. an iconic image/building/figure/brand...
Wither Hills is a well respected wine brand here and around the globe, but behind the beautiful branding and labelling is a blend of hard work, weather and land variables, years of knowledge, science, craft and passion. Head winemaker, Matt Large takes us through the journey. Is there a place or a time that...
Feeling a bit sad after this winter? You’re not alone. Seasonal affective disorder is something that many Kiwis find themselves battling from – starting in May and lasting until around September. Most scientists are still scratching their heads on what causes the so-called winter blues, but most can agree that it usually links back to...
As you relax in the sun, admiring views of sparkling sea and lush native bush while sipping a glass of Marlborough wine alongside a platter of fresh local seafood, you feel that satisfying glow of achievement that’s because you’ve just walked to Furneaux Lodge along the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds, a place...
The past few months have created a huge upsurge in online traffic and communication. Throughout March, April and May, Google in New Zealand saw an increase in use of approximately 70%, and Facebook saw about a 60% increase in traffic. This massive increase has pawned various opportunities and underlined the importance of a digital strategy....
Two things prompted me to write this article. The first, a diary reflection that Cameron Sims wrote when he was hitch hiking in the South Island after finishing his university degree and the second, an interview with Ben Shewyn, an expat Kiwi, owner of Attica restaurant, currently residing in Melbourne. In these challenging times, it...
