The friendly team from Eves Bethlehem have some hot tips to ensure your home is always in sell-worthy shape!

Caring for Your Home Year Round: Seasonal Home Maintenance Tips

Owning a home in New Zealand is one of life’s great milestones but it also comes with the responsibility of keeping your property in top shape. Here in the Bay of Plenty, our coastal climate brings its own unique challenges, from salty sea air that can wear away paintwork, to humid conditions that invite mould if not managed. Staying proactive with seasonal maintenance helps protect your biggest investment, ensuring your home stays comfortable, healthy, and efficient all year round.

Summer: Sunshine, paintbrushes, and prevention

With long daylight hours and reliable weather, summer is the perfect time to tackle big maintenance projects.

• Paint and exterior upkeep: Warm, dry conditions are ideal for repainting, staining decks, or repairing cladding and fences. Paint adheres best when humidity is low.
• Check your roof: Inspect for cracked tiles, rust patches, or lifted flashing before the next wet season.
• Service your air conditioning or heat pump: Clean filters and schedule a service to keep it running efficiently before winter.
• Garden care: Trim back trees and shrubs to keep them clear of gutters and roofs.
• Keep an eye out for Bugs: Ants, flies, and other insects that thrive in the warmer months. Seal entry points, clean food surfaces regularly, and consider natural repellents or pest control if needed.

Autumn: Prepare for rain and cooler days

As leaves fall and the temperature drops, preparation is key.

• Clear gutters and downpipes: Essential before heavy rain sets in – blocked gutters can cause overflow and dampness.
• Check drainage: Ensure stormwater drains and soak holes are clear, so water flows away from your home.
• Seal gaps and draughts: Inspect windows and doors for gaps that let in cold air. Weather-stripping is a quick, cost-effective fix.
• Service heating systems: Whether it’s your fireplace or heat pump, autumn is the time to get everything ready for regular winter use.

Winter: Stay warm, dry, and vigilant

During the colder months, focus on keeping warmth in and moisture out.

• Check for leaks: After heavy rain, inspect ceilings and walls for signs of damp or water stains.
• Ventilation: Run extractor fans and open windows when possible, to prevent condensation and mould.
• Insulation: Check that your ceiling and underfloor insulation are intact and effective, it’ll make a noticeable difference.
• Safety checks: Test smoke alarms and ensure your chimney or flue is clear before lighting fires.

Spring: Refresh, repair, and rejuvenate

After months indoors, spring is the season to breathe new life into your home.

• Deep clean: Wash windows, decks, and exterior walls to remove mould, mildew, and salt build-up.
• Garden reset: Fertilise lawns, tidy garden beds, and refresh outdoor spaces ahead of summer.
• Plumbing check: Look for any slow leaks or drips that may have developed over the winter.
• Plan ahead: Book tradespeople early for any summer renovation projects, they book up fast!

A little regular maintenance goes a long way

Seasonal home care might sound like a lot of work, but staying on top of it saves time and money in the long run. By taking a proactive approach, you’ll extend the life of your property, boost its value, and keep it a place you love to call home.

At EVES, we know your home is one of your most important investments. Whether you’re looking for advice on maintaining your property, buying, or selling, our local experts are here to help.

For more homeowner tips, talk to your local EVES team today.

Big news for donut lovers (and coffee fans too). Dunkin’ has officially landed at Bethlehem Town Centre with the first Dunkin’ store in Tauranga.

Famous around the world for their iconic donuts, Dunkin’ brings all the classics you know and love, plus a whole lot more. Chocolate frosted, strawberry, Bavarian and vanilla donuts…. all the classics! Fresh, delicious and dangerously easy to say “just one more” to.

But Dunkin’ isn’t just about donuts.

You’ll also find a full range of hot drinks, along with iced teas, iced coffees and thick shakes, perfect for a mid-shop pick-me-up, a summer cool-down.

Whether you’re grabbing something sweet on the go, meeting a friend for a coffee, or introducing the kids to their new favourite donut spot, Dunkin’ has already become a fast favourite for locals.

You’ll find Dunkin’ right next to Subway at Bethlehem Town Centre.

👉 View the full menu at dunkindonuts.co.nz

More reasons to love summer? Easy. The food.

There’s plenty to spice things up and cool you down with The Coffee Club’s summer menu, including two delicious limited-time treats.

Lobster Roll
Fresh, cheesy and straight from the sea. This flavour-packed lobster roll is served with chips and salad for the ultimate summer meal.

Cookie Time Shakes
Treat yourself to the ultimate Cookie Time shake. Choose a classic milkshake or extra-creamy thickshake, packed with chocolate goodness and topped with whipped cream, Cookie Time cookies and sprinkles.

You’ll also find summer favourites like the Chicken Caesar, Mexican Chicken, and Grilled Haloumi & Maple Roasted Pumpkin salads, plus burgers, sandwiches, flat grills, tacos, and all the classics you know and love.

Need something cool? Try cold foam drinks, deluxe frappes, real fruit smoothies and all your iced favourites. Yum.

👉 View the full menu at thecoffeeclub.co.nz/menu

Bettie Monroe has opened a bright new summer popup shop at Bethlehem Town Centre. Designed by Helen and Lucy, Bettie Monroe offer a curated mix of unique NZ-made designs alongside a few handpicked international labels.

Discover effortless summer styles that celebrate comfort, colour, and individuality.

Bettie Monroe’s styles are created for women of every age, shape, and size — made from ethically produced fabrics, including 100% organic bamboo 🌿. Luxuriously soft, breathable, moisture-wicking, and eco-friendly. Comfort that feels as good as it looks!

Pop in to their Main St store – just along from Options Gifts, and meet Helen, Lucy, and the Bettie Monroe team.

Goode Brothers Pasta School runs on the first and last Tuesday of every month, and it’s exactly as good as it sounds.

Fresh pasta, killer cocktails, and zero homework.

You’ll learn how to hand-make pasta just like Nonna would approve of, whip up sauces that instantly level-up any dish, then hit pause halfway through for a Negroni masterclass, thanks to the legends at Campari. Finish strong with a shared sit-down dinner (yes, pasta… obviously) with your fellow classmates.

It’s hands-on, belly-filling, cocktail-shaking fun with plenty of personality – perfect for date nights, team catch-ups, or a birthday bash that actually feels like a treat.

Tickets are $65 per person and include:
🍹 Drink on arrival (Campari Spritz, house beer, bubbles, or non-alc)
🍝 Hands-on pasta class + fresh pasta to take home
🍊 Negroni masterclass (one cocktail each)
🍽 Shared pasta dinner
📜 Take-home recipe cards and your very own rolling pin

Good to know:
Full payment is required at the time of booking to lock in your spot.

Come hungry.
Leave happy.
Possibly start judging store-bought pasta forever.

Spaces are limited and payment is required to secure your spot. BOOK HERE

Last Christmas, we launched A Starry Night in Bethlehem, our very own storybook, inspired by the magic of Christmas at Bethlehem Town Centre. Full of beautiful illustrations featuring our popular decorations – and Santa – coming to life at night, it’s available (all year) at PaperPlus for just $5, with 100% of sales donated to local charitable groups.

And, thanks to your incredible support, not only did we make donations to Tauranga Women’s Refuge and Home Start to help make Christmas more special for some awesome kids… there’s more!

We’re thrilled to share that a further $1000 has been donated to Bellyful Tauranga, who help our community connect by delivering free meals to families with babies and young children who are without a support network or facing a tough time.

From the team at Bellyful:

Bellyful Tauranga – Filling Bellies, Warming Hearts

Bellyful is a volunteer-led charity nourishing whānau and connecting communities by delivering free meals to families with babies and young children who are without a support network.

Bellyful provides free meals to whānau with babies or children under 12 who are facing tough times – whether it’s illness, bereavement, stress, isolation, pregnancy, miscarriage, or baby loss. Our support is for families without a strong support network, regardless of their financial situation.

A few ready-to-eat meals, delivered by a friendly face, can be a real sanity-saver during overwhelming moments.

Thanks to our incredible volunteers, sponsors, and supporters, Bellyful is delivering care and connection to families in 25 communities across Aotearoa – all completely free of charge.

Since 2012, Bellyful Tauranga has been quietly supporting local families through some of life’s toughest moments. We’re one of 25 Bellyful branches across New Zealand and cover a large area – from Katikati to Te Puke – making us one of the busiest in the country.

A Huge Thank You to Bethlehem Town Centre
We’re thrilled to thank Bethlehem Town Centre for their generous $1,000 donation to Bellyful Tauranga. This support helps us buy ingredients and packaging so our volunteers can keep doing what they do best – cooking and delivering meals to local whānau who need a hand.

By the Numbers – Bellyful Tauranga’s Impact

In 2024, our amazing team of 68 volunteers:

• Delivered 3,366 meals to 601 families
• Supplied 386 meals to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU)

Since our beginnings nearly 13 years ago, we’ve delivered:

• Over 22,000 meals
• To more than 4,500 families

With your continued support, we’ll keep filling bellies and warming hearts across the Bay.

If you’d like to volunteer, refer a family, or learn more, visit bellyful.org.nz.

Big news from Patrick’s Pies Gold Star Bakery — apprentice baker Srun Keo has taken out this year’s Bakels Apprentice Pie Maker Award! And it doesn’t stop there… fellow apprentice TayHak Hour also brought home second place!

See Sruns inspiring story below, and here are all the winners:

1. Srun Keo – Patrick’s Pies Goldstar Bakery
2. TayHak Hour – Patrick’s Pies Goldstar Bakery
3. Banjamin Crosby – The Baker Tirau
4. Thomas MacGibbon – Sydenham Bakery
5. Creag Fraser – Rangiora Bakery
6. Brooke Rowbotham – Rangiora Bakery
7. Monica Estefania Rivera Suarez – Fairlie Bakehouse
8. Justin Faulkner – The Clareville Bakery
9. Lianna MacFarlane – U-Bake
10. Janine Peligrino – Fat Bastard Pies

Apprentice Pie Maker winner motivated by hope

Srun Keo of Patrick’s Pies Goldstar Bakery in Tauranga has won the Apprentice Pie Maker Award for 2025 and he’s now hoping that his skills as a baker will help reunite his family.

Judging for the award took place in Auckland yesterday, June 11, with 24 apprentices waiting anxiously by their phones to hear if the judges had given them the winning score.

For Srun, whose bakery trainer is none other than Patrick Lam, seven times Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Award winner, the phone remained silent!

Patrick Lam says: “It was very exciting this morning and he kept checking his phone so that Brent (Brent Kersel NZ Bakels managing director) could call but basically it was the wrong number! Brent had to ring my number to get him. When I see on the phone that Brent is ringing me I say, ‘must be the winner then’.”

Still, there is no mistaking the excitement in Srun’s voice: “I feel so happy! This is my first time at entering and I was so nervous.”

The Apprentice Pie Maker competition is judged on two categories: Mince and Cheese and Gourmet Meat.

Srun explains the way his gourmet meat pie developed: “In our bakery one flavour of the pie is garlic prawn and I like the taste of that. I thought to try another meat like chicken to go with the garlic sauce but it wasn’t good. So I was asking the boss’s opinion on what can improve the flavour and he give me a lot of opinions. Finally, because everybody liked the chicken, I put the chicken in the garlic sauce and I thought to add some vegetables, some leeks and I tasted it and it was good. I added a bit of cheese. Then I give to my boss and he said it good, really good.”

For Srun’s mince and cheese pie, he layered the cheese to give the flavour a rich mince and gravy taste blended beautifully with creamy melted cheese. His pastry had just the right level of top lift, glazing and golden colour. But it was in the Gourmet judging that his chicken with leek, garlic sauce and cheese stood out from an impressive range of internationally inspired flavours.

Patrick says on a visit back to Cambodia he met up with Srun and his family, who he knew, and he offered Srun a chance to come and work for him in New Zealand. Srun was already a baker producing cakes and bread.

The prospect of working and living in New Zealand was a great opportunity for Srun and his wife, who also works in Patrick’s bakery, but they felt they could make a better go of it if they left their young son in the care of their family, hoping that they could eventually get permanent residency in New Zealand and bring him to their new homeland. This award will look good in Srun’s employment records and he hopes it will go towards making his new life here complete with his son.

“Three years ago he came to New Zealand to work for me as a baking assistant and then he thought he might go to NZ Bakels for the apprenticeship certificate (NZ Certificate in Trade Baking) because it would be a good thing for him. He joined last year to be an apprentice,” says Patrick.

Drop in to try one of the latest award-winning pies!

Goode Brothers is here! Your all new ‘Kiwitalian’ local at Bethlehem Town Centre. Goode Brothers is all about goode food and goode times, serving up a unique fusion of hearty Italian cuisine and good ol’ Kiwi hospitality, so whether you’re in the mood for indulgent pizzas, hearty pastas or tasty burgers, there’s something for everyone – including the kids.

Goode Brothers is proudly part of Star Group, New Zealand’s largest hospitality group behind Master Kong, Latitude 37, The Postman’s Leg and more than 50 other venues across the North Island.

Making every moment memorable, whether it’s a casual family get-together or a special celebration, Goode Brothers offers the perfect mix of delicious food and drinks in a welcoming atmosphere (complete with Garden Bar, and a playground out back for the little ones). Come for the food, stay for the vibe! Keep an eye on our socials, and follow Goode Brothers, for weekly specials, fun for kids, pasta classes, and so much more!

Open 11.30am – late daily. For bookings, visit: Goode Brothers Bethlehem website or phone +64 7 282 7282

Bethlehem Town Centre is delighted to present its very own Christmas story, A Starry Night in Bethlehem. This enchanting tale reveals the magic that unfolds after the sun sets and the stars come out to play.

For a minimum donation of just $5, you can bring this beautiful story home and help spread the joy of Christmas throughout our community. Every dollar raised goes directly to support local charitable groups, with 100% of the proceeds helping those in need this holiday season.

You can purchase your copy today from PaperPlus Bethlehem and other select stores at Bethlehem Town Centre. Keep an eye out for the posters and in-store displays to find your nearest location.

Together, we can make this season truly magical.

UPDATE: A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has purchased a copy of A Starry Night in Bethlehem so far. Your generosity has made it possible for us to donate to Tauranga Women’s Refuge, helping some awesome children have the best Christmas possible.

Do you know a group that could use an extra boost this Christmas? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know!

On September 2nd we hosted the winner of our $2k Main Street Giveaway, Nicky. Being a good sort, she chose to share her prize with a friend. So, Nicky and Natalie enjoyed a day of pampering with hairstyling, treatments and product from Rodney Wayne, manicures and pedicures at Majestic Nails, lunch at The Orchard, goodie bags with sweet treats from 232 Cakery and Options gifts, and, of course—shopping!

Thank you both for being such awesome winners.