Hello, hello!

It feels impossible to have reached the final days of 2022, yet here we are. This month we have a pleasing recipe utilising frozen fava and edamame beans and take a deeper look at lawns as a resource-draining colonising plant. We also speak with Heidi Billington, owner of The Tonic Room, sharing how we, as individuals, have the power within ourselves to achieve wellness.

This past year has been challenging for most, and for us, it was one filled with ups and downs—all of which we’re taking as deep teachings and feeling grateful. As we get older, we’ve learned to take all of these experiences and integrate them into our being. And the holidays are an ideal time when we find more stillness, and rather than being full, it can be a time for rest and introspection.

We hope that you also have the time and space to look deeply at the lessons given and find ways to move forward and to re-focus. For us, it is our medium to long-term goals that provide the structure and nourishment we need for the new year and beyond. We are called to re-evaluate our values and what is worth our time, investment and resources as we pour fire into our careers and passions. And now, we celebrate our capacity for rebirth, an innate ability to renew, reflect and awaken. In these final days of 2022, what plans will you make? Set your intentions.

A marriage of freezer findings, garlic and shallots, this is an easy and vibrant side dish to toss together to enjoy alongside roasted potatoes or mashed with a green salad.

Here we discuss the rise of invasive, imported grass species—the modern lawn and how changing the landscape to make it suitable for a different incoming culture is an act of colonisation. We view lawns as an extension of racial capitalism associated with suburbian frivolity and question why we have lawns and golf courses when we could have flowers and bees instead.

Heidi Billington is the founder and creator behind the Tonic Room, a holistic store and spa located in Tāmaki Makaurau that enacted a shift in how people take care of themselves. A naturopath here, Heidi shares her love for wellness and all she’s learned with us.

With the ever-changing social media landscape, we knew we would not be supporting ourselves through brand partnerships, and display ads are not aligned with our editorial code of ethics. And while this provides us with editorial freedom, it certainly reduces our ability to generate tangible income from our passion project. We know people read our content, which is what we have always dreamed but we are now at a crossroads where the reach of our publication is increasing—which is excellent news, but so are maintenance costs.

So instead of a paywall, we created a Gumroad profile so you can decide how you would like to support us. Gumroad is cool because we can create a membership community, which is what we have wanted to do. We have a $5 per month tier and the option for you to pay what you want, so if you are not in a position to, you can type $0 and still continue to receive our newsletters—both work towards supporting our content endeavours. Your readership has value to us also, and we did not want anyone left behind. We’re so excited for what’s to come. Stay tuned in!

1. In 2022, I started volunteering at A+W, aka Architecture+Women New Zealand, an organisation born in 2011 which aims to promote women working in the field of… guess what? Architecture. A+W shines a light on individuals too often undervalued and under-represented in Aotearoa. This year, the group marked a big double coup. First, winning the prestigious inaugural Kāhui Whaihanga NZIA John Sutherland Practice Award for their ongoing contribution to equity and progress in New Zealand Architecture. And by supporting the launch of a fantastic book, Making Space, written by 30 leading women architects, architectural historians and academics and edited by historian Elizabeth Cox. Making Space tells the untold story of the hundreds of Aotearoa female designers who contributed to New Zealand Architecture, landscape and urban spaces. A significant contribution to New Zealand’s architecture and social history, putting the records straight.
   
   
2. Staying in my field, this is an in-depth article on indoor air quality to learn and remember that health issues start in our home and what we can do about it. Spoiler, it’s easier to take action if you’re not renting, and it involves putting pressure on governments to pass supporting policies.
   
   
3. My partner Benoit has wanted some easy-to-wear slippers for a while, so I got him the All bird Sugar Sliders for Christmas. They tick all the boxes with a funny design and are super comfortable. Made of SweetFoam®, a sugarcane-based green EVA, and recycled polyester, walking on them is like walking on bouncy cushions!

1. I can thank the algorithm for this. Each month I donate to the SPCA. I also follow them on Instagram and a raft of other animal advocacy groups, so I probably interacted too much with @littlestepsmatter and @hopeforbalidogs — both Bali-based and doing incredible work. At some point, my feed was ultra depressing. I started saving all these posts, thinking at the end of the month, I would give a bit to a few because, at the very least, that offers a more positive and hopeful outlook regarding elevating animal cruelty. But advocacy is not solely monetary—sign petitions. They take a minute and do work. Greenpeace got live exports banned last year. Now they’ve set their sights on ending mud farming. Here are a few of the charity groups working hard for animals worthy of your dollars or signature—@safenewzealand @rainforestactionnetwork, @tilthecowscomehomeau, @soidogfoundation, @animalsasia, @hsiglobal, @four_paws_international, @endinganimaltestingnz.
   
   
2. If you want to find the best in natural beauty and support a woman-owned, small business, go directly to the Tonic Room. This beautiful holistic store and treatment space has vetted all products, so you do not have to. Contrary to my initial thoughts, price points for brands like Tata Harper and Josh Rosebrook retail competitively with major beauty retailers. And if you are yet to set up an account, you can use my referral code to create an account and save 10% off your first order.
   
   
3. For the last few months, Aesop has had no room fragrance in stock online, and the last time I checked, I saw incense. I burn a lot of incense which led me to their Newmarket store to smell them all and eventually buy myself a box and gift one. The box unfolds like origami, and you can smell the complex woody scents through the layers of packing materials. And when they burn, the smoke is released in such a delicate way. Everything Aesop is magic.

Thoughts, questions, you can always direct reply to these emails.
We look forward to hearing from you!

Tracey Creed & Amandine Paniagua