Latest news with #Ogilvie
NZ Herald
26-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Bar Céleste announces closure, ending five-year run in Auckland
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bar Céleste (@bar_celeste) Landsman and Ogilvie opened Bar Céleste in 2019, taking over the space formerly occupied by Revel Café. The relaxed wine bar was the couple's first bricks-and-mortar operation, though they'd already built a loyal following in Auckland through their pop-up dinners under the banner La Pêche Projects. In a review that touted Bar Céleste's French charm and late-night verve, Viva's Dining Out editor Jesse Mulligan dubbed the self-styled neo-bistro Auckland's best new opening of 2019 'by a long shot' and scored the restaurant 19/20. That same month, Canvas restaurant reviewer Kim Knight visited the eatery and described the restaurant's signature dessert, a chocolate ganache served with flaky sea salt and olive oil, as 'less of a pudding and more of a small, chocolatey bridge between how we used to eat and how we'd like to eat now'. Though their menu largely centred around modern reworkings of classical French dishes such as carottes râpées and bavette steak with beurre maître d'hôtel and jus, reflecting their time living and working in Paris, the couple also included culinary influences from closer to home. A version of raw fish salad ota ika was often available on the menu as an homage to Ogilvie's Tongan heritage. To meet market conditions during its half decade in business, the restaurant adapted its approach a number of times. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, the restaurant operated under the name Cantine, a takeaway-only model that served burgers, sandwiches and cookies. Last winter, the restaurant rebranded as Pizzeria Céleste, a seasonal pizza bar pop-up serving New Haven-style pizzas and organic wines. Returning to its wine bar format in September 2024, the restaurant launched promotional campaigns to encourage business, including an Oyster Happy Hour in which the bivalves were offered for $3.50 each Wednesday-Saturday between 5pm and 6pm. Last year the business earned a spot on Viva's list of Top 60 Restaurants in Auckland. Deputy Editor Johanna Thornton praised the restaurant's adaptability and stated, 'there's no better place to enjoy a glass than Céleste's outdoor tables in the early evening sun'. The closure sees Bar Céleste join a growing list of venerated Auckland Eatery's winding down their operations in recent months. Last week Tokki, a celebrated Korean restaurant in Milford announced they would have their last service on June 21. In April Ponsonby Road Bistro announced it was closing after 18 years in operation, and Sid and Chand Sahrawat announced they were closing their restaurant Kol, citing challenging trading conditions. In December 2024 a quarterly report from the Restaurant Association of New Zealand outlined that national restaurants and cafes sales reached $1.8 billion, down 2.5% year on year, 'underscoring continued challenges for dine-in services as customers tighten discretionary spending'. The report stated that 57% of surveyed Restaurant Association members reported worse or significantly worse profitability compared to the same period in the year prior. A downturn in customer numbers was cited as the biggest challenge for operators, with 38% of respondents identifying it as their primary concern. Announcing the closure of Bar Céleste the hospitality duo hinted at potentially re-visiting the format in years to come. 'While this chapter is coming to a close, we're looking forward to carrying what we've built at Bar Céleste into future projects — and we hope to cross paths with many of you again soon." Landsman and Ogilvie also operate Gloria's, a sandwich deli in Downtown Auckland's Commercial Bay precinct. The daytime eatery first opened in 2022, a few doors down from Bar Céleste on Karangahape Road, taking over the space that formerly held their natural wine shop, Star Wines.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ogilvie Fleet wins Medvivo deal
Ogilvie Fleet has secured a new partnership with urgent care provider Medvivo to supply a bespoke fleet mobility solution aimed at improving vehicle uptime and operational efficiency across Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire. Part of the HealthHero Group, Medvivo provides out-of-hours and emergency care services in the South West. The organisation required a reliable and flexible fleet solution to meet its complex response needs. According to Vic Hemmings, Facilities Manager at Medvivo, Ogilvie's 'human approach' and 'transparent cost breakdown' were key factors in the decision. 'We've worked with providers who treat you like just another number in a call centre,' Hemmings said. 'Ogilvie assigned a dedicated team to manage our account—and that's exactly what they've done.' Ogilvie has delivered the first 13 Kia Sportage vehicles, fully equipped for emergency use. The fit-out includes NHS-compliant livery, additional lighting, telematics, and dashcams. The fleet is supplied under a full contract hire and service, maintenance and repair (SMR) package. Medium-term rental and spot hire options are also included to ensure flexibility. Mark Beattie, Business Development Manager at Ogilvie Fleet, said the partnership began through discussions around Medvivo's rental needs but evolved into a wider contract hire agreement. 'It became clear there was an opportunity to provide a tailored, full-service solution,' he said. Further vehicle orders are expected as the partnership develops. Ogilvie, which operates nearly 25,000 vehicles across the UK, continues to expand its offering in the healthcare sector with a focus on operational resilience and customer-specific solutions. "Ogilvie Fleet wins Medvivo deal" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ogilvie Fleet wins Medvivo deal
Ogilvie Fleet has secured a new partnership with urgent care provider Medvivo to supply a bespoke fleet mobility solution aimed at improving vehicle uptime and operational efficiency across Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire. Part of the HealthHero Group, Medvivo provides out-of-hours and emergency care services in the South West. The organisation required a reliable and flexible fleet solution to meet its complex response needs. According to Vic Hemmings, Facilities Manager at Medvivo, Ogilvie's 'human approach' and 'transparent cost breakdown' were key factors in the decision. 'We've worked with providers who treat you like just another number in a call centre,' Hemmings said. 'Ogilvie assigned a dedicated team to manage our account—and that's exactly what they've done.' Ogilvie has delivered the first 13 Kia Sportage vehicles, fully equipped for emergency use. The fit-out includes NHS-compliant livery, additional lighting, telematics, and dashcams. The fleet is supplied under a full contract hire and service, maintenance and repair (SMR) package. Medium-term rental and spot hire options are also included to ensure flexibility. Mark Beattie, Business Development Manager at Ogilvie Fleet, said the partnership began through discussions around Medvivo's rental needs but evolved into a wider contract hire agreement. 'It became clear there was an opportunity to provide a tailored, full-service solution,' he said. Further vehicle orders are expected as the partnership develops. Ogilvie, which operates nearly 25,000 vehicles across the UK, continues to expand its offering in the healthcare sector with a focus on operational resilience and customer-specific solutions. "Ogilvie Fleet wins Medvivo deal" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
San Francisco Chronicle
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F.'s 22-year-old free movie tradition has been canceled
Sundown Cinema, a decades-old outdoor film series, has been canceled this year due to the ongoing financial struggles of its organizer, the San Francisco Parks Alliance. Layoffs and other difficulties have plagued the nonprofit organization for months, prompting them to pull the plug on the free outdoor screenings just ahead of its usual summer season. The annual event series has been held at parks around the city since 2003. 'We do not currently have staff on board to produce Sundown Cinema,' SF Parks Alliance CEO Robert Ogilvie told the Chronicle. 'For us to be able to afford to have the staff to do it, we would have to have the right level of funding.' Sundown Cinema programming typically begins in May, running through the early fall. Last year's lineup featured seven screenings including 'Labyrinth' (1986) at Glen Park, 'Selena' (1997) at Dolores Park and a special cut of Bay Area archivist Rick Prelinger's 'Lost Landscapes of SF' (2024) and at Duboce Park. It was created by the San Francisco Neighborhood Theatre Foundation in 2003 under the name Film Night in the Park, and the organization joined forces with the alliance in 2019 to rebrand and broaden its audience. Each event costs around $40,000 to produce, according to Ogilvie, who has been serving as CEO of the organization for two months. He said that the SF Parks Alliance used to receive more grant funding from the city, which helped offset costs. 'That has dried up as the city struggles with its own budget deficit,' Ogilvie said, adding that they also used to have around five or six activation staff on hand that helped out with Sundown Cinema, among other events. 'As of the end of April we do not have any,' he added. A total of eight staff members were let go at the end of last year, and another six were laid off last month, as a result of the nonprofit's financial woes, leaving the organization with only 13 paid employees, four of whom work part-time. The SF Parks Alliance serves as a fiscal sponsor, helping to fund projects and events at parks so that these small groups, such as the Buena Vista Neighborhood Association and North Beach parks group, don't need to hire accounting staff or obtain nonprofit status on their own. A recent Chronicle report found that the organization has been struggling to reimburse several community organizations that it helps to fund, which has led it to divert funds from staffing to better support these partners. Just last week, the San Francisco Film Festival partnered with the SF Parks Alliance for a packed pre-season screening of 'The Fog' (1980) at the grassy Civil War Parade Ground as part of the San Francisco International Film Festival. 'Despite the fact that it was April, hundreds of people showed up and celebrated being in the park together until late in the night,' SFFilm's Executive Director, Anne Lai, told the Chronicle. 'So it's particularly sad to learn of the cancellation of the rest of this year's series. … We wish the leadership team much fortitude with hopes that the series will return next year.' Noise Pop has also partnered with the SF Parks Alliance to promote Sundown Cinema via advertising on DoTheBay. Representatives confirmed that the event platform's partnership with the series ended last year. While it's unclear if any of Sundown Cinema's previous sponsors plan to take the reigns of the beloved tradition, Ogilvie hopes that this is just a temporary setback for the SF Parks Alliance, and said they are viewing it as a pause with the hope that they can bring it back for future seasons with enough fundraising. 'I am absolutely hoping to be able to resume,' he said. 'I came here to try to get this organization on a sounder financial footing so that we can do all the great things that we have done for San Francisco.' Loyal attendees of the San Francisco film series can get one last fix at the previously announced June 7 screening of 'Wicked' during the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, which is set to proceed as planned, without the alliance's help.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Psychologist reveals how 'urge surfing' can help you beat cravings in 5 simple steps
We all have cravings that pop up throughout the day. My current temptations include the urge to eat all the leftover Easter eggs in my home at 3pm daily, and itching to check Whatsapp the minute I sit down to watch an hour-long drama that I've sworn I'll concentrate on phone-free. It's likely you can think of more than a few insistent cravings of your own, but psychologists have a tip for tackling them, and it's called 'urge surfing'. Forget all images of battling waves off the Cornish coast – this type of surfing is all conducted in your head. It's a mindfulness technique that can successfully help with food cravings, among other temptations, and basically involves 'surfing the urge' in your mind. Whether that's the urge to overspend, gamble, eat rubbish food or any other behaviour that temporarily lights up the reward system in your brain despite being detrimental in the long-term, this is a good way to tackle it, with numerous studies backing up its effectiveness. So how does urge surfing work in practice? The first thing to remember is that an urge is just an urge – you have the choice over whether or not you act on it. As psychologist Dr Claire Ogilvie writes in a blog pos t on the topic, you should ask yourself 'If I act on this craving, will I be acting like the sort of person I want to be? 'Will it take me closer to, or further away from, where I want to get to?' If the answer to the first question is yes, then crack on – there's little reason why you shouldn't satisfy that urge. But if the urge isn't going to help you reach your goals, then instead of embarking on an internal struggle that only make the craving more powerful, try this technique instead. Think of the urge as a wave: it starts off small, builds to a powerful crescendo, and then dissipates as it hits the shore. Cravings are the same. They build in intensity to a peak, and then subside. 'When you're in the grips of a craving, it can feel like the intensity will never stop building, but this isn't true,' says Ogilvie. And the good thing is that the more you practise overcoming you cravings this way, the easier it will become to recognise your triggers and tackle the urges you don't want to give in to. 5 steps to beat urges 1: Recognise the urge When a craving first hits, observe what's happening: what specifically are you craving? How does this feel in your body? Tune into the physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions associated with the urge. Do this without any self-judgement or resistance – a key part of the technique is self-acceptance. 2. Name the urge Give words to what is happening (this can be done out loud, silently in your head, or in a note on your phone if you wish). I.e. 'I am craving a piece of chocolate'. 3: Prepare for the wave Take some deep breaths – because you're not going to try and push this craving away, you're going to give it space to expend all its energy. 4: Observe the urge running its course Here is the really tough bit. It's time to watch the craving as it builds, peaks and then dissipates. It could be helpful to rate the intensity of the craving on a scale of 1 to 10 as you go. You could also visualise an actual wave in the ocean, rising in intensity before cresting and subsiding, which you ride without giving in to any impulsive actions. Ogilvie says: 'Your mind will probably start telling you stories about how you're 'weak', or how if you just give in today you'll be able to resist tomorrow. These are just more waves - try not to get tangled with these thoughts and just notice them. It can be helpful to keep a bit of distance from these thoughts by saying to yourself 'I'm now having the thought that I want to smoke and that I'll always be a smoker'. It's just a thought and the craving part of your brain trying to convince you to give in to the urge.' Remind yourself that the urges will eventually pass if you allow them to. 5: Shift back to the present As your cravings subside, bring yourself back into the present moment. Shift your focus to your surroundings or the rhythm of your breath. You can pat yourself on the back if you have successfully managed to ride the wave. But remember, just as with learning to surf, everyone falls off the board sometimes – so don't beat yourself up if you don't have a 100% hit rate. Perfection is impossible, but by practising the technique of urge surfing repeatedly, it should become an easy but powerful habit to fall back on in the future.
