One of Australia’s most influential food ‘tweeters’ is officially teaming up with the country’s best selling avocado oil to help promote her “favourite” ingredient.

Bridget Davis, known as “The Internet Chef”, has built an entire business off her social media presence on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, and has now become the exclusive brand ambassador for Grove Avocado Oil in Australia.

Her 16,486 Twitter followers (@bridget_cooks) look to Davis for inspiration in the kitchen and will now learn why Grove Avocado Oil is a must-have product for foodies and is used by professional chefs all over Australasia. Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone has a favourite necklace but imagine being able to transform it into an entirely different piece of jewellery with a simple ‘click’.

That’s the idea behind Esteem’s latest jewellery collection entitled “Beautiful Soul”. The Australasian company’s versatile October range includes a stunning ‘Circles and Crystals Pendant’. The simple chain and sparking diamante ring looks gorgeous on its own but a number of different ‘enhancers’ can then be added to transform both its length, style and overall look.

Esteem director and designer Pauline Kelly says the enhancers allow women to create on-trend statement pieces without having to buy an entirely new necklace. Individual enhancers also make an eye-catching addition to handbags or other accessories.

About Esteem Jewellery

Esteem jewellery is not available through stores, but through representatives who host parties and sell to their networks. The company was founded in 1996 to build the esteem of those women involved, and supplies a unique range of earrings,bracelets and chains to really take an outfit to that next level without costing a fortune.

There are many myths about avocados in New Zealand: how to choose, store and ripen them and even how to cook with them. It’s probably because avocados didn’t feature highly in our grandmothers’ kitchens.

Here are a few quick tips and tricks to dispel the myths: Read the rest of this entry »

A favourite destination, enjoyed for too short a time; the rare chance to step outside of everyday existence and reawaken the senses: travels end but the journey continues as memories live on in cherished objects and continually embellished stories. With the Sojourn Collection, Weitzner captures the lasting impressions a temporary stay can leave behind – from the delight in an unexpected flea market find, to the warmth of a sun-kissed lounge chair by the sea, to the colorful fantasy of a foreign movie poster. Ten new styles bring the faraway home with materials and patterns that take on the quality of souvenirs, and add a depth of experience to any interior space. Whether in the language of tea leaves, cinema or Italian letters, these walls do talk! Read the rest of this entry »

A new local promotion giving away a coveted computer device may benefit the Tauranga economy according to research released by the New Zealand Computer Society (NZCS).

EOL, Tauranga’s leading wireless internet company, is giving customers who sign up for a 24 month wireless broadband account with EOL – from next week until October 31^st – a free 7 inch full HD Android Tablet with touch screen and stylish keyboard case valued at $550. Read the rest of this entry »

Tauranga’s biggest venue has launched its new branding, heralding a new era of recreational sport, entertainment and corporate hosting for the Bay.

Baypark General Manager Ervin McSweeney says the new look represents the extensive range of facilities, programmes and national and international events available for the community whilst still remaining true to their existing core values and speedway. Read the rest of this entry »

Tauranga City Aquatics Limited (TCAL) is renewing its information campaign to ensure the public have all the facts about the proposed Mount Hot Pools redevelopment as it nears a critical stage in the decision making process. Read the rest of this entry »

Wonderfully vivid tones and brilliant colour harmonies define the beautifully presented Manuel Canovas Collection for 2011.

An infinitely appealing feature of the collection is the vibrant use of colours, owing its inspiration to the warmth and charm of Provence – a salute to an enviably relaxed and sophisticated way of life.

The distinct delights of the New World – where Rio meets Brasilia – are uniquely created by emphasis on exotic flowers, painterly abstracts and opulent textures.

The influence of a clear, bright palette – intense greens, scintillating turquoise blues and splendid shades of pink, in company with elegant prints and delicate embroideries – all add distinction.

A supremely versatile collection, richly imagined, is offered in a choice of luxurious woven plains, classic stripes, both formal and informal, and compelling colours. Excellence in fabric design, determinedly fresh and effortlessly chic, suggests a timeless yet contemporary appeal, the complete collection forming the perfect complement to the finest of the 21^st century interiors.

The latest Manuel Canovas collection is available at Atelier Textiles, New Zealand’s premier textile house.

ABOUT ATELIER TEXTILES
Atelier Textiles is New Zealand’s oldest indent textile house, supplying New Zealand with the world’s leading and best international textile brands including: Colefax and Fowler Group (Colefax and Fowler, Manuel Canovas, Jane Churchill, Larsen), Rubelli Group (Rubelli, Dominique Kieffer, Donghia), Jim Thompson, Sahco, Casamance, Creation Metaphores and more. There’s also Atelier’s Wool Collection – a boutique selection of fine New Zealand made wool and furnishing fabrics.

Rebecca Bowering is owner and managing director of Atelier Textiles and an expert in the industry. She regularly travels to key trade shows around the globe including Maison et Object in Paris in late January, MoOD in Brussels in September, the Decorex and Focus shows in London late September and also the Monaco Yacht Show.

Atelier Textiles’ main showroom is based in Auckland’s Mount Eden, with an additional one in Christchurch at the Mainland Design Centre. Atelier sells to a team of interior designers, architects and specialist retail stores around the country and will recommend an interior designer for members of the public who are interested in purchasing. Everyone is welcomed into the stylish warehouse showroom spaces to browse and experiment with the latest collections.

Credit Union North has just this week released its new brand and strapline, ‘Easy banking’.

Credit Union North Chief Executive Russell Syme says the changes to their existing brand were made after research showed a significant opportunity to reach more Kiwis who would benefit from  their financial services.

“Our customers understand the excellent value and service we provide, however our refreshed branding will enable us to take our message to a wider audience,” says Syme.

The existing brand colours (orange, black and white) have remained the same, however subtle changes have been made to the logo including the move from portrait to landscape and the introduction of colour to the font.  The previous strapline, ‘Succeeding together’ has changed to ‘Easy banking’.

“The main role of Credit Union North is to help customers with their finances. This new brand better communicates what we do and that we are easy to deal with. For people unfamiliar with credit unions this is very important.”

The new brand signals a change of position in the market for the organization  and a move to being more mainstream.  Syme says Credit Union North has a distinctive point of difference from regular banks which appeals to their customers and could appeal to many more New Zealanders.

“As opposed to regular banks, Credit Union North is not a registered bank, rather it is a mutual organisation and not-for-profit, therefore it’s more affordable and has lower fees. However we offer similar services such as everyday banking, lending for loans and mortgages, insurance services and savings and investment accounts.

“We pride ourselves on being helpful problem solvers and community minded. We want to make banking easy for our customers by making the process simple and giving them the time of day.
And we think our brand clearly represent that.”

The new Credit Union North branding rolled out on the 3rd of July along with the other six regional NZCU Credit Unions around the country.

A new TV advertising campaign is running nationwide in conjunction with the launch of the new brand.  Credit Union North branches will start to change  signage to the new brand over the next few weeks.

High levels of beta-sitosterol are just one of the many nutrients proving New Zealand avocado oil could be the healthiest oil in the world.

The Guinness Book of World Records lists avocados as the most nutritionally complete fruit in the world – which means that cold pressed extra virgin avocado oil could be one of nature’s most nutritionally complete oils.

New Zealand avocados contain the highest levels of beta-sitosterol (the plant sterol which has been proven to lower cholesterol absorption) of any avocados grown internationally.

Grove Avocado Oil has an 80% share of the avocado oil market in grocery in New Zealand and 100% in grocery in Australia. Managing director Brian Richardson says they only use New Zealand grown avocados to produce the oil.

“Our avocado oil is 100% natural, extra virgin, and cold pressed. Along with high beta-sitosterol levels, it also contains a higher percentage (72%) of healthier mono-unsaturated fats than olive, rice bran and canola oils.”

Avocado oil has a unique and complex blend of lipids, phytochemicals, vitamins (A, C, B-6, E, D), omegas, and antioxidants. And the good fats in avocados have been found to increase vital nutrient absorption.

Grove’s cold pressed avocado oil is also a source of Lutein, a compound which has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer and age-related macular degeneration – a leading cause of blindness in the elderly.

It’s also been endorsed by the Heart Foundation in New Zealand and Australia for its high ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. All Grove avocado oils wear the heart foundation tick and contribute to heart health.

While this ‘superfood’ boosts a long list of nutrients vital to our health and wellbeing, its also an extremely versatile oil to cook with.

The unique composition of avocado oil makes it suitable for high temperature cooking. With the highest smoke point (255C) of canola, olive and rice bran oils, Grove avocado oil takes longer to breakdown, making it a healthier oil for pan-frying, stir-frying and barbequing.

Even as a dressing for salads avocado oil is a healthier alternative to regular salad dressings, as the good fats in the oil help the body to absorb beneficial carotenoids found in fruit and vegetables.

The rich, smooth, sumptuous green nectar is light in consistency with a mild nutty taste that enhances the natural flavour of foods, rather than overpowering them.