EXTRA SWISH

I’m a bit jealous because I think Ann Gregor-greene, manager of Peppers on the Point, might have a better job than mine, although I’d concede that she has put in some extremely hard yards recently having to turn a 90% international-facing business into an offer to entice locals to the table. But turn it she has and it is wonderful to see this special space with its gorgeous artworks and carefully considered nooks and crannies now becoming more accessible to all. The original homestead was built in 1903 with the current incarnation being transformed into a lodge by Ron and Jamie Main in 1977. In-house restaurant The Mains serves breakfast, brunch and dinner using produce from its garden, eggs from its own chickens and local products. Chef William Foote heads the operation assisted by head chef Ali Wakefield and Mirai Sato and Syvelle Toyer. Together they deliver a menu that is a tremendous showcase for New Zealand flavour. Keep an eye out for a range of special events created by Ann that promise to be outstanding and might give you the opportunity you need to take a sneak peek inside this grand old mansion. themainsatpeppers.co.nz

I hadn’t truly considered the weight of the words ‘estate to plate’ until I visited Treetops Lodge. This elegant lodge and its 1000 hectares of private native forest and pristine wilderness is really something quite unique. Yes, it is opulent, but somehow it is suffused with the essence of home. A very beautiful, rustic, larger than life, ridiculously expensive home. The villas are nestled in peaceful seclusion and surrounded by magnificent birdsong, the rooms in the heart of the lodge are surrounded by lush lawns. Rusa, sambar and sika deer, buffalo, feral pigs, pheasants and peacocks roam the estate and you can hit the trails and experience everything this wildlife wonderland has to offer on foot, by mountainbike, on horseback or 4WD. What was sold as a short early morning stroll to Bridal Veil Falls had me a little hot and bothered until I reached the pinnacle and just stared at that pristine and unbelievably beautiful water cascading in all of its glory just for me. Suitably humbled, my trip back down was not so hard because breakfast and the spa beckoned. Of course, as would be expected, the spectacular sun-dappled kitchen is the hub where everyone gathers while chef Felipe Ponce enthusiastically prepares an ever-changing menu for his guests; a menu that pays great tribute to the allimportant estate-to-plate philosophy. Delwyn Namulo is the consummate host and sommelier Ashwin Thomas is a joy. Summer packages now on offer at treetops.co.nz.