In Short

Mile High Grub

It’s certainly the most inventive way of improving upon a Michelin-starred meal that we’ve heard of – by serving it in space! Céleste is a sky-high concept collaboration by world-renowned Paris-based architect Joseph Dirand and luxury space travel company Zephalto that plans to send the public on a low-carbon galactic voyage as early as 2024 – and bookings are open now! Céleste is the name of the first spacecraft, which is not a rocket but an elegant, pressurized capsule that will rise to the stars suspended beneath a stratospheric balloon. “We wanted the experience to feel residential, not like a spacecraft,” Dirand tells Architectural Digest. “It had to be extremely pure and humble.” The 6-hour flights will rise 25km above the Earth and cost around $209,000.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Back in March, Finland was named the world’s happiest country by the World Happiness Report for the not-too-shabby sixth year in a row, with Aotearoa placing a respectable 10th place. But you don’t need to move to Lapland to move up the rankings, just follow the advice of happiness professionals such as psychology expert Stella Grizont, founder and CEO of Woopaah, which focuses on workplace wellbeing, who tells Time that life satisfaction comes from “being true to yourself and all the emotions that come up”. Eighteen experts were interviewed and though not all agreed on all the secrets to happiness, common habits included socialising at least once weekly and pursuing hobbies such as art, music, and cooking 5-6 times per week. Spending time in nature, meditating and exercising were also key. Recently published book The Good Life included research that followed 700 people since 1938 and concluded strong relationships to be “intrinsic to everything we do and everything we are”.

Gut Feeling 

Research recently published in the National Institute of Aging found a link between the condition of our gut microbiome – a collection of microscopic organisms like bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that reside in our intestines – and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The significance of the relationship between our brains and bellies has been long known, with the gut providing around 90% of our body’s serotonin which is responsible for regulating the likes of sleep, mood, and digestion. Our stomachs even have their own nervous system – the enteric system – leading them to be known as our bodies’ ‘second brain’. “It can function completely independent of the brain,” Purna Kashyap, professor of medicine and physiology at the Mayo Clinic, tells National Geographic. “If I were to just cut out your entire intestine and put it on the table, it would still move.” Our gut microbiome, one of five major bodily microbiomes (along with skin, respiratory, mouth, and urogenital), should be supported by eating a diet rich in veggies, legumes, whole grains, fermented and prebiotic foods. Breastfeeding for at least six months has also been shown to boost babies’ gut health. 

Fudgey Fun

Inspired by becoming sick of seeing perfect food cooked and presented perfectly, the Fudgey Wudgey Chef has attracted a sizeable social media following by keeping it real in her kitchen. The Auckland chef – who has no culinary training and grew up in a household with a mother who’s a terrible cook “sorry mum!” – is the antihero the online culinary world needs, creating no-nonsense, mainly vegetarian dishes (“protein’s too expensive!”) from whatever’s in the freezer and pantry: think the likes of rice and frozen veggies. The irreverent videos are shot in a very normal – if at times chaotic – kitchen using lots of quick cuts, dramatic camera angles and amusing special effects and voiceovers. Expect much ingredient abuse like veggies dropped into pans from great heights, and condiment bottles and onions used for tenpin bowling – you have been warned! Search out the foodie fun on TikTok

@fudgeywudgeychef and Instagram @fudgeywudgeyone.

Shining Solo

Parenting is possibly the toughest of jobs for even the most organised and capable of folk, but for those doing it alone it can feel twice (at least!) the workload. Very Well Family’s five tips for single parenthood including setting clear goals, being well organised, being both firm and flexible, and not being afraid to ask for help. Twenty percent of Kiwi families have a single parent, some of whom were recently surveyed by the Mako Mama Single Parents Project. The report, which interviewed more than 3,500 solo parents – mainly mothers – found that nearly seven out of 10 low-income single mums had been treated unfairly, experiencing discrimination which had affected areas of their lives such as housing or unemployment. A third of Pacific mothers also said that they had difficulty in accessing things needed to feel connected to their culture while four out of 10 were struggling to afford healthy food and clothes. The project recommended setting up a portal that listed all of parents’ entitlements in one place, greater access to childcare subsidies and better training for those dealing with the parents.

Midwives Miffed No More

Kiwi midwives have long been considered among the best in the world – though the pay has not always reflected their training leading many to either quit or seek employment across the ditch where their wages – and even conditions – are better. News of the 15% pay increase for more than 1,150 midwives employed by Te Whatu Ora – along with a $3,000 lump sum and graduate starting rate of nearly $73,000 – will hopefully go some way to rectifying the exodus which as resulted in a 40% shortage. Co-leader of the midwifery union MERAS, Caroline Conroy, says that though there are still some outstanding issues to resolve, the pay equity deal – five years in the making – “pleased most midwives”. Alison Eddy, chief executive of the New Zealand College of Midwives, echoes those sentiments, but says that though midwives now feel more valued, there’s still urgent work needed to be done to attract more talent to the industry.