Whether you’re lying on a beach somewhere, walking in the sun or embarking on a classic summertime roadie, ensure your go-to playlists are updated with the best new albums to listen to now. Here, we list four new albums that we have deemed essential listening for the season ahead.
Låpsley Cautionary Tales Of Youth Landing in January, the new album from British, rebel-pop wunderkind Låpsley was inspired by the experiences she had spending lockdown in South Africa, and promises to be a thoughtful, soulful body of work that sees the young but prolific artist talk about love, loss and growth. Song to start with: Dial Two Seven
The 1975 Being Funny in a Foreign Language The new album from indie-pop icons, The 1975, offers a mix of the band’s classic sound with more than a few new tricks. A diverse, richly-layered album, Being Funny In A Foreign Language is as much for the die hard fans as it is for those who are yet to discover the musical stylings of Matty Healy and his crew. Song to start with: Happiness
Arctic Monkeys The Car After a four-year hiatus, Sheffield quartet Arctic Monkeys is back with their highly-anticipated, seventh studio album, which they recorded at a Suffolk monastery with longtime producer James Ford. Expect a combination of both historic and current sounds from one of rock’s most revered bands. Song to start with: There’d Better Be A Mirrorball
Red Hot Chilli Peppers Return of the Dream Canteen Hot on the heels of their critically-acclaimed April album, Unlimited Love, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ second album of 2022 landed in October, and paints a picture of a band still very much at the peak of its creative output. Produced by Rick Rubin, this album is a continuation of the previously untapped well of creativity that Rubin helped the Red Hot Chilli Peppers to discover, and is packed with the kind of music that has long made this band so undeniably iconic. Song to start with: Tippa My Tongue
For anyone feeling like they’ve soaked up enough sun, take some time to soak in some of the best new television series to land on our various streaming services. From Emily Blunt as a revenge-driven Englishwoman in the 1800s Wild West, to the stranger-than-fiction retelling of how Chippendales came to be, these series run the gamut from compelling drama to lighthearted comedy and are sure to keep you thoroughly entertained.
The English In this epic new show, Emily Blunt plays Lady Cornelia, an Englishwoman whose drive for revenge takes her to 1890s Wyoming, as she seeks out the man she believes is responsible for the death of her son and embarks on a perilous journey into unknown territory.
Welcome to Chippendales Expect to be kept on the edge of your seat with this new true-crime drama, in which Kumail Nanjiani stars as Somen ‘Steve’ Banerjee, the Indian immigrant who became the unlikely founder of the world’s greatest male-stripping empire — and refused to let anything stand in his way.
The White House Plumbers Justin Theroux and Woody Harrelson star as President Richard Nixon’s infamous political operatives G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt — the masterminds of Watergate. The story of two men who undermined the President they were trying to protect, this new miniseries is a must-watch.
Blockbuster Set in the last remaining Blockbuster store on Earth, this hilarious new comedy series follows the store’s hardworking manager and his ragtag team of staff as he strives to keep things running while the world rapidly changes around him.
1899 The fates of a group of migrants on a steamship travelling from London to New York take an unexpected turn when the vessel they are on, stumbles upon another mysterious migrant steamship, adrift on the open sea. What they will find on board will turn their passage to a promised land into a horrifying nightmare.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7OUQ9U2qIw
From Scratch Starring Zoe Saldana, this romantic, drama mini-series is based on Tembi Locke’s bestselling memoir, and follows the story of an artist who falls in love with a chef in Italy — a relationship that takes the pair on a life-changing journey across cultures and continents.
When the storied New York-based jewellery house, Tiffany & Co. releases its annual Blue Book, admirers and, most importantly, collectors of fine jewels the world over take note. Having first launched its now widely-lauded tome in 1845 with a focus on engagement rings, Tiffany made history as the first direct-mail catalogue to bring its fine pieces into the homes of Americans.
Over the years, the release of each new Blue Book has been met with great anticipation by a growing number of celebrities and collectors of rare and exquisite jewellery alike, evolving to become an incredible document on a vast array of the house’s creative wonders. Among them coveted pieces by legendary Tiffany & Co. Designer Jean Schlumberger, whose fanciful creations won over the likes of Babe Paley, Jayne Wrightsman and Audrey Hepburn back in the day. The annual release has seen Tiffany become globally-renowned for the way in which it successfully bridges the gap between its heritage and more modern appetites, successfully moving with the times, while still paying homage to its past.
Victoria Wirth Reynolds Chief Gemologist and Vice President, Tiffany & Co.
In September 2022, Denizen’s Editor-in-chief, Claire Sullivan-Kraus was invited to Tokyo for the unveiling of the third and final expression of Botanica: Blue Book 2022, a collection that brought a new excitement to existing floral themes from The Tiffany Archives. This final iteration drew inspiration from flora such as wisterias, magnolias and orchids, in addition to a number of Jean Schlumberger’s masterpieces.
Embracing the much-admired and collectable Louis Comfort lamp that became an iconic addition to desks and tables throughout the Art Nouveau period and beyond, Tiffany’s artisan’s re-envisioned the petals of a wisteria with hand-carved chalcedony, pear-shaped fancy sapphires and diamonds nestled amongst the petals.
“Wisteria is a homage to the archival Tiffany & Co. flower that also honours Louis Comfort, Tiffany’s colourful leaded-glass creations,” said Victoria Wirth Reynolds, Chief Gemologist and Vice President of Tiffany & Co. “The hand-carved chalcedony petals have these beautiful, translucent hues with an intentional gradation of colour.”
The unveiling of this iteration of the Botanica collection in Tokyo provided many outstanding moments, with each piece more show-stopping and intricately detailed than the next. But perhaps one of the most impressive examples of the maison’s ability to honour tradition and celebrate modernity, was via its interpretation of the orchid. The Orchid Curve necklace beautifully captures the essence of this much-loved flower, but does so in a way that doesn’t necessarily replicate it. Instead the necklace is artfully crafted in a uniquely curved shape with over 38 carats of diamonds set in platinum. In keeping with the new movement towards more versatile, transformable pieces, the undulating necklace even has a removable sapphire, an extraordinary gemstone that can be added for occasions that call for a little va-va-voom.
According to Reynolds, “honouring the botanical splendour and organic curves of an orchid flower, our designers and master craftspeople collaborated to re-envision the flower’s distinctive profile. This theme’s intriguing silhouettes and rhythmic pattern of diamonds modernise the orchid motif while honouring its significance to our heritage, making the two indelibly intertwined.”
The Orchid Curve necklace is one of the most exceptional designs of the Botanica: Blue Book 2022 collection,” Reynolds explains. “The process of handcrafting it was perhaps the most technically challenging, however, and the result is an incredibly innovative work of art. This necklace is sculptural, with organic curves and clean folds. As a necklace, it needs to have flexibility and movement; it needs to be both beautiful and comfortable. We achieved this by custom-cutting hundreds of diamonds to fit each setting. Each diamond has its own movement, and the artisan must conceal the mechanisms that facilitate the organic motion of the diamonds.”
“The designation of “High Jewellery” is reserved for the best of the best in terms of design, rarity, workmanship, and value.”
The designation of ‘High Jewellery’ is reserved for the best of the best in terms of design, rarity, workmanship and value. The natural origin of diamonds and gemstones is essential for any piece to be considered High Jewellery. Reynolds says, “Sourcing gemstones for our collections is a quest to find the rarest, most beautiful, and unusual gemstones in the world. My team and I travel extensively in search of these miracles of nature, and every single diamond and coloured gemstone is selected by hand. As we searched for the perfect coloured gemstone for the Orchid Curve necklace, we were fortunate to find a rare unenhanced sapphire of substantial size with exceptional colour and clarity. Its beauty cannot be overstated.”
One of the most popular pieces on display from the famed French visionary, Jean Schlumberger, and inspired by his work in The Tiffany Archives, is the legendary ‘Bird on a Rock’ brooch, set with a vibrant array of gemstones that gave a new dimension to Schlumberger’s masterful creations. While the original ‘Bird on a Rock’ — which highlights Schlumberger’s deep love of nature and movement — was designed in 1956 with the iconic Tiffany Yellow Diamond, the brooch has since been recreated with some of the world’s most incredible coloured gemstones. Every coloured gemstone for each ‘Bird on a Rock’ is hand-selected and hand-set by Tiffany’s artisans. Intriguingly, ‘Bird on a Rock’ has fast become a desirable and collectable lapel brooch for men, as Sullivan-Kraus witnessed at the Botanica: Blue Book Gala held in Tokyo, where many of the male guests were spotted donning their sparkling new acquisitions proudly upon their tuxedo lapels.
The Empire Diamond necklace, and The Empire Diamond converted into a ring from Tiffany & Co.
But in a room filled with exquisite glimmering stones, and delicate craftsmanship, it was hard to ignore the presence of the incredible ‘Empire Diamond.’ A recent acquisition for Tiffany, the 80-carat oval shape, D colour and internally flawless diamond and its design, make it the second most expensive (after the legendary 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond, which is not for sale and has been labelled as “priceless”) ever created in the jewellery house’s history, and said to be in the vicinity of $USD30 million. The show-stopping necklace was a reimagined version of the 1939 World’s Fair Necklace and features the 80-carat Empire Diamond as the centrepiece of its flexible necklace. But the most interesting part is that it can also, rather brilliantly, be converted into a diamond ring, with an 80-carat centre stone, in a platinum setting, again making it uniquely transformable. “This twist to the Tiffany Empire Diamond allows the wearer to adapt it to their personal style and enjoy the diamond in multiple ways. The transformability is a testament to Tiffany’s incredible skills and modern engineering capabilities,” says Reynolds.
The showcase in Tokyo was a true reflection of Tiffany & Co.’s legacy of innovation and creativity, while the pieces within the Botanica: Blue Book 2022 collection marked the arrival of a new era of transformative, high jewellery designs — pointing to jewellery collectors’ growing calls for magnificent pieces that can be worn every day.
In the name of research, our editors tend to spend a lot of time sourcing and trialling beauty products. We’ve found that there are those which instantly wow us, and others that have left a foul taste in our mouth (or blemish on our skin). More often than not, it’s hard to decipher those that are actually brilliant without investing a whole lot of time, money and wishful thinking. But, in a big to take you beyond the hype, we have managed to whittle down a short list of the products we use and swear by — the ones that really work.
The Eyelash Serum RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner This iconic serum became a mainstay in our routines earlier this year as we collectively opted out of lash extensions in favour of a more natural approach. Formulated to enhance eyelashes to their full potential, the swift, noticeable results have drawn compliments far and wide.
The Face Oil Naked & Thriving Renew Face Serum Every beauty regime calls for a purpose-made night-time serum for the time when your skin naturally regenerates. Naked & Thriving’s hero product is intensely hydrating and corrects and enhances by gently exfoliating skin with natural alpha hydroxy acids that refine and reveal a radiant and smooth complexion, all while you sleep.
The Eye Patches Deepology Deepcare+ Serum-Infused Microdart Patches More than a mere eye-patch, these serum-infused patches are versatile enough to use all over the face. Harnessing innovative, microdart technology to deliver a targeted serum deep into the skin’s dermal layers, this is the next level in at-home skin treatment. Hylauronic and amino acids, peptides and trehalose all come together to nourish fatigued, aged and dry skin, and significantly reduce wrinkles with time.
The Cult Skincare Noble Panacea If you haven’t heard of this skincare brand, it is widely considered the pinnacle of its kind. Created by a Nobel-Prize-winning chemist, Noble Panacea represents a breakthrough in skincare technology, and stands apart for its use of patented, OSMV™ Technology, which delivers active ingredients precisely into skin cells, improving their potency by up to tenfold and offering utterly unparalleled anti-aging results. Each of this brand’s products come as individually-packaged sachets, designed to guarantee the perfect daily dose and maintain the optimal potency of each formula.
The Whitener Snow Teeth Whitening Snow’s at-home teeth whitening system is a cut above the rest. Utilising ultra-concentrated (read: non-damaging) UV technology a patented serum, and a method that is controllable from your phone, beware of the numerous imitators, this product works wonders to restore teeth to their pearly white state in a matter of weeks.
The Body Buffer Biotyspa Cellulite Cup This small but mighty tool, works to reduce cellulite and tighten skin in the privacy of your own shower. Working on a similar principle as cupping, it breaks down cellulite by eliminating toxins and reducing water retention, flushing them from below the skin to leave a smooth dimple free surface.
Queenstown is one southern destination that always provides a raft of culinary inspiration — thanks, in part, to the innovative minds at Future Hospitality Group. When we heard rumours that the group had opened a brand new spot, Odd Saint, it filled us with a new desire to head south for the summer to experience it ourselves.
You may know Future Hospitality Group from its current venues, a portfolio that includes Little Mez, Margo’s, and newly-minted ‘New Zealand’s Best Bar’, Little Blackwood. Odd Saint complements these impressive destinations but also sits as a unique establishment — a bistro-style eatery that puts a deliciously creative spin on an otherwise traditional menu, offering what the owners call ‘global soul food’.
The vision for Odd Saint’s space, which sits adjacent to the iconic St. Peter’s Church (hence the somewhat biblical name), is a cafe that caters as much to the early-morning brunch crowd as it does to those seeking an indulgent long lunch. Set in a sunny, north-facing spot, with a courtyard and garden area surrounded by trees and a vibrant fit-out designed by Studio Collective to foster a welcoming vibe, this eatery is both comfortable and cool.
At Odd Saint, food is a collaborative effort — in a sense. The inspiration for the menu was found in the various travels of new owners James Ace and Bert Haines, as well as Co-Owners Matt Tobin and his wife, Jamie Orr-Tobin. Executive Chef Tobin’s Midwest US lineage is on show too, where elements of American diner fare (although more refined) can be found on the menu, alongside a raft of classic dishes that showcase local ingredients in unique ways.
Here, dishes like the Po’Boys (a Lousiana classic) somehow sit perfectly alongside the likes of Duck Fried Rice and a refreshed version of a Kiwi Big Breakfast. It’s a delicious cultural melting pot of cuisines which, if you ask us, perfectly encapsulates the international destination that Queenstown has become.
“In Queenstown there are plenty of great cafes, but we felt no one was really pushing the boundaries beyond the standard staples,” Ace tells us. “So we decided to be a little bit brave, a little bit cheeky and bring a menu to the table that’s a little bit odd.”
And if you’re thirsty, you’re in for a treat here too. Alongside delicious eighthirty coffee, there’s an expansive menu of tasty tipples that features the best local wines and beers. These are served alongside coveted international labels and reimagined cocktails designed to capture the convivial essence of this locale.
Having only opened yesterday, we’d suggest Odd Saint as an essential stop-in on any southern summer travels. We’ve also been told that the plan is to expand into a dinner service in the new year, where we can expect similarly inspired fare all day long. It really is the kind of fun, tasty destination that Queenstown has been missing, solidifying Future Hospitality Group’s status as some of the best culinary and hospitality minds in the wider Otago region.
When thinking about what to buy the person who puts their health and well-being first, you can’t go wrong with a piece of designer sports equipment, a practical accessory or an activity they can fold into their daily routine. From high-end headphones to informative smart jewellery, here is our guide to gifting for the fitness fanatic.
Studio Reformer from Your Reformer Create a Pilates studio experience in the comfort of your home with one of Your Reformer’s elegant-looking reformer machines. Simple and understated and available in two neutral colours, these machines have all the bells and whistles to accommodate any level of Pilates routine — from beginner to advanced — and will make working out at home easier than ever before.
Flash Reflex Training System Kit from BlazePod On a mission to reinvent the idea of training for athletes and fitness fanatics, or for anyone seeking to break through barriers and reach their full potential, BlazePod created a groundbreaking new exercise system designed to provide an immersive training experience that can be done from anywhere. The Flash Reflex Training System works to heighten the senses and sharpen focus — whether you’re working on performance, fitness, or rehabilitation. The kits can be used to specifically help with different skills in sports like tennis, soccer, martial arts and more, and are connected to an app that delivers targeted information to help improve performance. This system is a must for any aspiring sportsperson.
AirPods max from Apple A definite step up from the everyday AirPods, give someone the ultimate listening experience with a pair of Apple’s elegant take on headphones — the AirPods Max. Available in a range of colours and with in-build noise-cancelling capability, these headphones can offer up to 20 hours of listening on a single charge, and will deliver some serious oomph to your favourite summer playlists.
Oura Ring Gen3 from Oura There is no better way to help someone keep on top of their New Year’s resolutions than with the ultimate smart ring, the Oura Ring Gen3. An innovative, engineering breakthrough, this ring is the sleekest piece of wearable tech on the market, able to accurately deliver informative health insights to its wearer via high-grade sensors that monitor sleep, activity, recovery, temperature, heart rate, stress, and more. Offering a simple but meticulous method of keeping track of health holistically, the Oura ring is a must for anyone seeking to understand how they can improve their sleep, fitness and wellbeing in a meaningful, long-lasting way.
Dumbbells from Louis Vuitton Sporty pursuits are given a sophisticated edge with these monogrammed, two-kilogram dumbbells from Louis Vuitton. Proving that practicality need not get in the way of style — even when it comes to the daily workout — this iconic French Maison has paired the recognisable motif with Monogram Flower engraving at the end of each dumbbell, finishing them with soft, Epi-leather handles which just so happen to be resistant to perspiration marks.
Play Two Padel Racket from TWOTWO Developed by legendary Swedish product designer Fredrik Magnusson, the Play Two Padel Racket is the best piece of sporting equipment for some on-court fun this summer. Featuring a mathematical 7° curve (optimising the resonance of the strike surface, and delivering incredibly smooth hits), an anti-vibration heart (which makes it more gentle on the player) and non-aerodynamic design (creating a non-laminar airflow, which allows the user to cut cleanly through the air), this racket is not only a feat of engineering, it also just looks really really good. So confident are the designers in their product, in fact, that the Two Padel Racket has a 90-day risk-free trial. The perfect gift for someone who loves to hit the court.
RecoveryAir Pro from Therabody For the person who loves to push themselves to the limit, give them the gift of some much-needed R&R with Therabody’s innovative RecoveryAir Pro. This incredible tool harnesses customisable leg compression via unique inflation cycles to deliver pressure massage which flushes toxins, encourages circulation and speeds up recovery. Essential for any budding athlete.
While this year’s cinematic season might be close to its final curtain, there is plenty of cause for excitement still on the horizon, with a number of exceptional films set to land on our shores early next year. One you’ve likely heard about is Babylon (in cinemas on the 19th of January 2023), a Damien Chazelle-directed affair that showcases Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie at their most excellent, and speaks to the early days of Hollywood in all of its hedonistic glory. As such, we think the only way to celebrate Babylon’s release is with a luxurious celebration befitting its wild narrative, which is why we have teamed up with the recently-opened Silky Otter Ponsonby and Paramount Pictures to offer one lucky Denizen and 14 of their friends a private screening — complete with delicious food and beverages (delivered throughout the film, of course).
With all the hallmarks of a new classic, Babylon is an original epic set in early Hollywood — often referred to as the era’s golden age. It chronicles the triumphs, tribulations and teething issues of the industry’s stars during the great transition from silent to sound films in the late 1920s, and captures the chaotic glamour that is so entwined with our understanding of this era via stunning cinematography, detailed costumes and some truly excellent performances by its cast. Here ideas of indulgence, influence, sumptuous luxury and wild abandon are cleverly interwoven with performances by Pitt as Jack Conrad, a former silent-movie star trying to figure out where he fits in Hollywood’s new world, and a truly fantastic Robbie in the role of Nellie LaRoy, an up-and-coming actress on the cusp of a new age.
Despite Babylon being very much its own unique entity, industry insiders have already made comparisons to the likes of The Wolf of Wall Street and The Great Gatsby (in which Robbie and cast-mate/Executive Producer Tobey Mcguire have both starred, respectively), telling the tale of Hollywood in a way that only Chazelle, with his Academy-Award-winning eye, could do.
And if you haven’t had the chance to experience Ponsonby’s new cinema, Silky Otter, yet, we think there’s no better setting to watch a film of this calibre. Offering an intimate, comfortable and private theatre with large, luxurious chairs and personalised service, the experience of watching a movie at Silky Otter feels exactly the kind of atmosphere in which a film like Babylon should be enjoyed.
Whether you lean towards accessories that are classic, adventurous or typically trend-driven, there is a raft of new sunglasses for men and women available to suit any style or taste. Because whatever you may think about the unusually rainy start to summer we’re having, a pair of reliable sunglasses is absolutely essential for any sleek, seasonal look — and will be your best friend when the sun does finally decide to show up.
In a bid to elevate summer hosting sessions, we called on Chef Hercules Noble to create a trio of summer cocktails guaranteed to impress any guest. After all, hosting should be a seamless process with an impressive end result, and Noble’s selection of tipples offer just this. Using Schweppes’ most beloved cans of fizz, the result is a raft of refreshing, modern classics perfect for sipping on all summer long.
According to Noble, the key to cocktail success is a little bit of preparation, such as extracting your own cucumber water for a refreshing Moscow Mule (as simple as blending and squeezing) or making your own sugar syrup for a Whisky Fizz (that can be adapted with your favourite fruits and spices). For Noble’s take on a frozen negroni, the Cherry Boulevardier, all you need is a blender to create a big batch at once — idyllic for summer hosting.
Once you’ve nailed the basics, which are surprisingly easy to do, you can get creative with your own takes on the recipes that follow. Noble has swapped the Mule’s traditional Ginger Ale for Schweppes Soda Water, making it a lower-carb take that retains its vibrant hue. Elements like egg white in the Whisky Fizz add to the theatrics (the hallmark of impressive cocktails), making them sure to impress but easy to put together in a moment, so guests never go thirsty.
One last step? Always be sure to chill your glasses. For Noble, this is as non-negotiable as a Negroni.
While we know that New Zealand has a reputation for being one of the most sought-after golfing destinations in the world, there is one new addition that proves it. Te Arai Links is a brand new golf course and accommodation tucked into a picturesque, coastal landscape about an hour north of Auckland. Designed as much for avid golfers as it is for those who love good hospitality, or anyone simply seeking an incredible setting to which they can escape, Te Arai is made up of two pure links courses (one designed by the world-renowned Coore & Crenshaw and the other by Tom Doak — responsible for the course at Tara Iti), as well as a selection of architectural accommodation designed by Studio John Irving, alongside an elevated restaurant and a casual eatery on the putting green.
Here, design has been put at the forefront, with every inch of Te Arai offering a masterclass in restrained luxury. This, of course, includes the furniture. Pieces that balance practicality with polish, like the Jackson Easy Chair and Porter Side Table by Devon, help to create the perfect nooks in which guests can sit back, relax and take in their breathtaking surroundings, or observe all the action on the green.
In fact, the use of Devon’s outdoor pieces makes perfect sense in the context of Te Arai’s overarching design approach. For nearly 50 years, this local brand has released collections that prove how practical materials and long-lasting design can actually be used to enhance the aesthetic of any space. Devon has mastered a delicate (and rare) balance in its pieces, creating pieces that will both withstand the New Zealand elements for years and look sleek and sophisticated in any kind of outdoor space. See inside Te Arai’s impressive accommodations below.
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