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Catherine Milford

@cathmilford

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Writer, foodie. Thoughts, feels & personal substack.com/@catherinemilford?r=53aja9&utm_medium=ios
https://youtu.be/IEErmilHCOs?si=pUZu_H3U0wXkjG2B

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Something special is cooking… 🔥

The tables are set, the kitchen is ready, and the team is putting the finishing touches on our new OCEANO menu.

Every dish tells the story of the Nelson Tasman region—crafted with fire, exceptional local produce, and a passion for creating memorable experiences.

Originality • Craft • Emotion • Adventure • Nature • Opulence

This is more than dinner. It’s a journey around the chef’s table.

We can’t wait to welcome you.

#OceanoNelson #ChefLife #NelsonTasman #FineDiningNZ #ChefTable

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🍊 Warning: This marmalade may cause serious scone addiction… 😏

From peeling and zesting to gently simmering for hours, every jar is packed with sunshine, patience, and just a tiny bit of chef’s stubbornness. ☀️👨‍🍳

Tomorrow these little jars will make their debut at our very first High Tea at the Rutherford Hotel. Fresh scones, beautiful tea… and hopefully nobody asks for the recipe. 😉

Here’s to handmade, homemade, and made with love. 🍊🧡

#ChefVolker #RutherfordHotel #HighTea #OrangeMarmalade #MadeFromScratch

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Yesterday we swapped chef jackets for gumboots and headed into the wild with Trevor and Catherine for a foraging adventure. 🌿

A few hours later we could identify 20 edible plants, a kererū, and approximately 3 things we were fairly sure weren’t weeds. 😅

Who knew the best supermarket in Nelson doesn’t have aisles, tills, or opening hours?

Thanks Trevor and Catherine for an amazing day of learning, laughing, and discovering what’s growing right under our noses.

#ForagingNZ #WakefieldLife #WildFood #NelsonTasman #LearnSomethingNew

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The songs will stay in my head for a long while yet, but the curtain came down on the @naylandcollege production of The Wizard of Oz yesterday - and I loved it.

Personally this was huge for me, because I relearned the violin for it. That may not sound like much as I’m already a viola player, but it was a massive undertaking (quite a lot bigger than I imagined 🤣). If mental challenges stave off dementia, I reckon I’ve bought myself a couple more years at least! Having to not just play a new instrument, but also master the solos and a really very tricky musical (it’s lifted straight from the original, so we were actually playing the way it’s played in the original film - a bit of a wow moment in itself!).

But actually, the lessons were much bigger than that - because it made me remember some important stuff. Experiences like this that you have as a teenager, being part of a team production, are truly, uniquely magical. If you’re lucky enough to be in one, consciously enjoy and mentally capture the memory, because these are moments you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

I learned some stuff about myself too. Music is integral to my life, and I am so thankful I came back to it, after shutting the door on it for almost 30 years. It challenges and excites me; it’s my therapy and it reminds me that there is such beauty to be had in this world - it’s still there, despite all the noise and negativity that often clamours to be heard.

I’m so very happy to have found my own yellow brick road. It’s always there if you looking for it.

#music #musician #wizardofoz #gig #freelance

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In this thoughtful conversation, we explore how ideas come to life, often without loud signals or dramatic beginnings.
Not every meaningful moment is polished or perfect.
Some of the best ones feel raw, unexpected, and deeply personal.

Music that once felt effortless begins to carry new meaning when revisited. It shifts from pure technique to presence, memory, and emotion.
We cover:
• rediscovering past passions
• the hidden beauty of starting again
• why imperfect moments feel more real
• returning to what once felt natural

Some things do not fade with time.
They reveal a deeper meaning.

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Wakefield’s version of a glow-up 🍏✨
From “what on earth do I do with all these quinces?”
to liquid gold in a jar…

Somewhere between the boiling chaos and sticky countertops, I may have questioned my life choices… but look at that colour 😍
If you need me, I’ll be over here pretending I’m a rustic artisan while eating it straight from the jar. #WakefieldNZ #NelsonTasman #HomemadeGoodness #QuinceJelly #FromGardenToJar

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Some dreams don't announce themselves.

They grow quietly in a childhood living room, on a television that never slept, carrying the voices of journalists from across the world into the heart of a family that believed in the truth.

My father loved news. Not as background noise but as a window to the world. And somewhere between those 24-hour news channels and a little girl watching from the corner of the room… I fell in love with journalism.

I didn't know it then. But that love was being planted seed by seed with every headline, every story, every voice that dared to speak.

Fast forward to today.

I am 12,000 kilometers away from that living room.

And here I am sitting with a journalist, recording a podcast.

This isn't just an episode for me. This is a full-circle moment a little girl's quiet dream, finally sitting face to face with the world that inspired her.

I share this with you not just as a podcast clip, but as a reminder:

The things that shape us in childhood never really leave us.

They just wait patiently until the right moment arrives.

Watch this. Feel this. Share this with someone who needs to be reminded that their journey matters. 🤍

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Some conversations stay with you long after they end — this was one of them. 🎙️✨
On Beautiful Chords, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with @musomusing — an exceptional storyteller, editor, musician, and communicator whose journey is as inspiring as the stories she tells.
From shaping narratives across lifestyle, food, travel, and wellbeing, to performing as a violist on some incredible stages, Catherine’s life is a beautiful blend of words and music.
We also touched upon one of the most defining chapters of her life — her life-threatening experiences in 2018. What stayed with me was not just what she went through, but how she chose to rise beyond it. A powerful reminder that a single moment — no matter how difficult — does not define who we are. Resilience, courage, and the will to keep going do.

This episode is about truth, strength, and finding your rhythm again — even after life changes its tune.

🎧 Tune in to hear her story.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEErmilHCOs&t=253s
Apple podcasts: https://shorturl.at/RavYr
Spotify: https://shorturl.at/x7D8L

#Storytelling #Resilience #MusicAndHealing #WomenInMedia #Inspiration #RealStories

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What a day in Wakefield.

The Harvest Long Lunch delivered—big time.
A proper team effort from start to finish, a lot of laughs behind the scenes (and a few “creative” moments 😄), and one long table full of good people, great food, and even better vibes.

This is what it’s all about—locals supporting locals, coming together, and having a bloody good time doing it.

Huge thanks to Simon Gault for bringing the magic (and keeping us on our toes 👀).

Still smiling. Still full. Already thinking about the next one.
#newzealandfood
#nzeats
#eatlocalnz
#nelsonnz
#wakefieldnz

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Zwetschgendatschi (say it fast, I dare you).
Mum’s recipe. Zero shortcuts.
Plums everywhere, buttery crumbs under my fingernails, and the kitchen smelling like childhood + a very serious afternoon tea situation.

Some people pass down jewellery.
In our family, it’s trays of plum cake and the quiet belief that this fixes everything. 💜🥧
Best eaten warm, preferably while standing at the bench “just trimming the edges”.
#Zwetschgendatschi
#MumsRecipe
#WakefieldKitchen
#PlumSeasonMagic
#BakingMemories

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When your mate goes for a swim and suddenly you’re eating like kings 👑🌊
Kina, monster mussels, whelks — all courtesy of Trevor getting wet so we didn’t have to. Absolute scenes.
Big love to Catherine & Trevor for the kind of afternoon that starts with “just a few snacks” and ends with everyone very full and very happy 🍷🐚
10/10 would accept seafood bribes again.
#FromSeaToTable
#DivedNotDelivered
#SeafoodWithFriends
#LuckyUs
#CoastalFeasting

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Pre 21st with special ones 🔥❤️🤌

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