Organising and bringing groups to Dunedin to coincide with Fashion iD week year after year is always exciting. Dunedin was once again glowing in sunshine and on clear windless days my good friends helped to create the “WOW factor. Starting with dinner at Bacchus overlooking the Octagon and the evening lights of the Town Hall and St Pauls, the owner Stephen ensured we had a table by the window and personal service. My best friend Betty enlightened the following morning with a walk through the centre of the city, past many of our colourful street art, poking noses many stunning renovated old buildings and ending with the essential coffee in Vogel St.
A drive along the coastline to Moeraki and lunch at Fleur’s is always a highlight. She is a remarkable woman. Famous for her iconic seafood restaurant and her no nonsense approach to her food and service she is always delighted to see my groups each year and naturally hugs everyone as we depart.
Nothing beats driving along the top of the Peninsula to visit Larnach castle on a perfect calm sunny day,. With Port Chalmers and Taiaroa Head in the distance and the city sitting behind us, it was almost too much to take in on the windy narrow road. The Castle was quiet after a busy tourist season. Following a wander through the house and gardens it was very pleasant sitting with a coffee watching the gardeners meticulously trim the topiary hedges complete with tape measures and rulers.
As part of Fashion week I helped with the planning of a Long Autumn lunch at Glenfalloch, along with Hannes and Melanie. He is an amazing chef and produced a selection of elegantly stunning seasonal treats from the cutest finger food in little cones to marinated salmon, a selection of meats all on one plate for a main and a picturesque dessert that looked like a ribbon on your plate. During lunch I interviewed Dunedin Fashion Designer Charmain Reverley and we chatted casually about what she brings to the Dunedin Fashion scene and the highs and lows of this cut throat industry. She is a remarkable young lady and she also talked about her passion which is Roller Derby, a highly physical fast extreme sport and which she now represents NZ internationally. On such a beautiful day, in a stunning Autumnal garden this was a very lovely event and hopefully it will have happened again next year.
After 14 years the Fashion iD committee changed the programme and dispensed with the Railway Station Event. Individual designers held their own collateral events over the week and the International Emerging Designer night was held over two nights in the Dunedin Town Hall. It was a magnificent professional event that was a slick, eye-popping spectacle. It took a while to know what to watch first. Wave after wave of collections, from outstanding creative designers all over the world walked around the ground floor and up to the circle passing directly in front of our seats. Friday night was the awards night and I know my group were all enthralled by the whole event.
From Dunedin through the orchards of Central Otago – all in a glow of orange, red and yellow, we firstly stopped in Ophir for Orange and Dates scones and a coffee. Walking around my friends Susie and William Cockerill’s ever increasing garden in Ophir is always a treat and or the gardeners in my group it is fascinating to visit gardens in this dry Central Otago landscape and see what grows and what doesn’t. A late lunch sitting high up in the Bannockburn hills at Mt Difficulty , it wasn’t hard to enjoy a wine tasting of the wines followed by a platter lunch, before heading for the first of 2 nights in Wanaka.
I think It’s imperative and indeed essential to taste and drink wines from the region you are visiting. (no matter where) Central Otago is one of New Zealand’s premium wine regions and in particular Pinot Noir. Vineyards carpet the land extensively on both sides of the Clutha river all the way from Cromwell to Wanaka and now produce a wide-ranging and very successful selection of wine varietals. Consequently, our delicious dinner at Bistro Gentil was accompanied by Mt Maude wines from Wanaka.
Wanaka provides a quiet day in the middle of our week – time for some shopping, walking and reading in the comfort of the Lakeside Apartments. The ever popular Italian Francesco’s was a fun restaurant to dine at to complete out leisurely day.
So… Day 5 is onward to Queenstown over the impressive crown range but before our delectable long lunch at famous Amisfield winery we had time for a quick coffee and walk in Arrowtown and my annual visit to Janet Blair’s outstanding garden. This meticulous creative garden is now probably over 20 years old and Janet’s attention to detail could never be surpassed. Sadly, she is having to deal with the loss of several large trees which fell in recent storms. But, I always feel privileged to walk through her own private garden world. Amisfield never fails to provide an inspiring lunch and the chefs choice this year started with a pan fried oyster with a thyme branch tooth pick, vegetarian beans and parsnip to look like marrow bone, blue cod baked in a kelp bag and roasted quail. Consequently, not many wanted dessert!!
The newly refurbished St Moritz overlooking Queenstown Bay was our last 2 night stop. With the Earnslaw floating past and many boats toing and froing, it meant the lake view rooms had plenty to watch all day. I had great intentions of providing a few seafood treats for our post Amisfield dinner but to my horror, my apartment room didn’t have any cooking facilities except a Microwave. For those that know me you would understand I would never cook anything in a microwave!!! The raw oysters were no trouble, and I ended up beating 2 eggs in a pudding bowl, adding whitebait, spreading it on a bread a 2 butter plates and cooking each for 1min10sec on medium!!!! Thank goodness the kitchen chilled the blue cod for me to take home!!!
On the 2017 tour we visited the Glenorchy camping ground under construction. Complete with hard hats and high vis vests we toured this visionary concept to a build that was to be a completely sustainable complex, which would run off the grid and meet the requirements to be awarded the international ‘Living Building Challenge’.This year I was excited to visit the completed camping ground opened only a month before.
But, firstly, the gardener Sue at the exclusive Aroha retreat gave us an insight into growing produce on sight in unbelievably difficult conditions. She explained and showed their sustainable environmental practices and how they provide a wide range of organic produce for each retreat.
Five minutes away is the top of the lake village of Glenorchy and the amazing camping ground it now has. Our personal tour was organised by the new camp manager Peter Kerr. From the construction, absolutely outstanding creative décor and stunning over all appearance I have difficulty to put into words the intricacy of the whole complex. From the composting toilets, recycled water, solar heating and lighting, insulation, use of recycled materials and above all the beauty. Aspects like a shiny stone path which goes from the entrance through the living room to the courtyard behind and represents the meeting of the Reece and Dart Rivers is incredible. It accommodates families, couples, backpackers and single people with open spaces providing barbecues and a large open fire to socialise in. Maybe next year we need to stay!!!
Rata was my choice for our last night dinner. A night to remember after a memorable week with once again a terrific group of women from Taranaki and Auckland. This trip is all about showing off our southern hospitality and my town of Dunedin and my region of Otago.
It was loads of fun and we had lovely lovely week.
Next year the Fashion iD is a week later and I will probably do the tour starting in Queenstown and finishing in Dunedin. It is a very small tour group of 8 maximum, so look out for the dates around the middle of May 2019 and come and be wowed in the South..