What do some of our friends in fashion, design and food have planned for their Christmas break?
KATE SYLVESTER, fashion designer
Where?
Our very classic, humble Kiwi bach in Mangawhai, with my sister and her family.
What doing?
Swimming, reading, fishing, laughing, cooking, dancing, bowling, batting, sleeping.
Wearing?
I'll pretty much alternate between my "Minette" shirt dress and "Alberta" print dress.
Eat and drink at?
Fried fish with eggs for breakfast at the Fishing Club as the sun comes up; burger and a beer at the pub as the sun goes down.
Your summer read?
Life, Keith Richards' memoir. Gloriously iconic and gloriously bitchy.
Shop at:
I am hopelessly addicted to Bennetts of Mangawhai's hand-made chocolates and they have a well stocked gourmet market on site too.
Packing tip:
I believe in the more is more approach; pack every square inch because you never know what whim will strike!
Christmas wishlist?
Big smiles and hugs from my sons - it's all about them.
Holiday essentials?
I can't live without my coffee grinder, Italian parsley, limes and Invisible Zinc sunscreen.
Wish list?
Kate Sylvester "Elizabeth" swimsuit (it's the best cut ever), Bensimmon sneakers and a pair of Jac and Jack aviators.
SIMON WRIGHT and CREGHAN MOLLOY WRIGHT, owners, manager and executive chef of The French Cafe
Where?
We are going to our bach in Whiritoa. It's pretty basic; two bedrooms and an open plan lounge kitchen area, but it's got a large deck and big garden and it's a great place to relax. We have lots of friends coming which will be great. Creghan's sister has hired the house next door for 10 days and friends are coming with a caravan. It's going to be madness but lots of fun.
What doing?
Hopefully as little as possible. After the craziness of Christmas we just want to regroup as a family and unwind.
Wearing?
Weather permitting, shorts, T-shirt, jandals and a hat. There's no fashion in Whiritoa and we pack pretty light and very casual.
Eat at?
We probably won't be eating out anywhere over the holiday. We always take heaps of food with us and I love to cook. But fish 'n' chips on the beach is a definite for us.
Your summer read?
I'll be reading Quay by Peter Gilmore and Noma by Rene Redzepi. They're both cookbooks but we much prefer fact to fiction. Creghan has a stack of books she has been waiting to read all year starting with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and my must-read is Potty Training in One Week by Gina Ford.
Shop at:
There's a fantastic orchard just a few kilometres outside Whangamata which we go to every few days to pick up supplies. It always has beautiful veggies and stonefruit. We also take a lot of preplanted herbs and salad greens with us which Creghan started planting in November.
Packing tip:
Our best packing tip would be to pack light and sensibly. Creghan has no idea how to do this; she really likes to take everything just in case!
Christmas wishlist?
A pair of sunglasses and a Terry's chocolate orange; Creghan would really like a box of Roses chocolates - it's a bit of a ritual and they were forgotten last year (she has them for breakfast Christmas morning).
Holiday essentials?
Good wine, good music, and lots of good food. We have lots of games, a table tennis table, fishing, kayaking.
TRACY RUTHERFURD, Romantique owner
Where?
My partner Nic and I are going to Hawkes Bay for a week to have Christmas in Havelock North. We have two Christmas days: one with my family in the Waikato on the way down and the other on Boxing Day with my husband's family. We have rented a bach on the beach in Haumoana for a week, for a much-needed break to relax. Even though we go away a lot we don't get to stop and slow down. My daughter and my best friend are coming down to stay with us for a few days. We haven't stayed at this bach before as we usually stay with Nic's parents but the family is burgeoning with children and we need to have time out. The second week we're staying with friends on Waiheke and then heading up north to another bach in Whangarei Heads with some other friends.
What doing?
We always go for a long walk on the beach or in the reserve with our Airedale Terrier Max, or to the Tukituki River for a swim first thing in the morning. We meet family or friends for a catch-up. We mostly like relaxing over a good bottle of wine and great food at the local wineries with friends and family. It's really all about family when we are there, but we also like having time out together to recharge.
Eat and drink at?
We love eating at Pipi's in Havelock, an amazing bohemian-style restaurant painted bright pink, with great food served on eclectic dishes and cutlery. The vodka and feijoa drinks are delicious as are the pizzas. They're opening a new bar across the road just before Christmas too. Elephant Hill Estate Winery in Te Awanga is fabulous for lunch; elegant, with good food and a lovely view. Clearview Winery has great outdoor appeal sitting among the vines. We love to take friends and have a game of petanque in the garden there. We love a really good coffee and we search far and wide to find one: Bay Espresso is one of the best. It's in Karamu Rd and they have fair trade coffee, but they don't like dogs so we usually get one to go.
Wearing?
I always pack too much as I don't know what we might end up doing. We drive down because we have Max with us, so I get to fill the car up, as opposed to having one small suitcase when flying. I don't wear jeans as a rule, so my Trelise Cooper sunfrocks get thrashed at this time of year - I like to wear feminine clothes.
Packing tip:
If in doubt pack it, but only if you have a car or an obliging husband.
Shop at:
I can't go by Blue Moon Collections in Havelock without saying hello; owners Sandra and Lorraine have an amazing eye for furniture and knick-knacks. You can always find something different.
Holiday read?
I have been reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, an amazing book and because we have just been to India it seems more poignant. After that one I will be reading Ken Follett's latest mammoth historical saga The Fall of Giants.
Wishlist?
A house in France. And Trelise Cooper's gorgeous new range of jewellery.
