In The Can Vintage Edition by HerCanberra

In The

CAN

the

VINTAGE

edition

the

VINTAGE

edition

It’s been six weeks since our first edition of In The Can, slightly longer than anticipated, but then we hadn’t planned to also bring you an amazing fashion pictorial - and extra magazine just two weeks after our intitial publication. We’ve had such a positive response to our first two forays into emags, and I’m chuffed to be able to share more beautiful images from our Vintage Glam shoot, plus tips from the incredible team behind it, in this Vintage edition of the magazine. Also new this month, we bring you never before seen content, like Jiawa Liu’s images from the Lifeline Vintage Gala, and a tutorial on making your own vintage-inspired bracelet. We hope you enjoy...and if you have suggestions for making In The Can even better, we’d love to hear them. Just drop me a line on amanda@ hercanberra.com.au!

EDITOR’S PICKS

Falcon Enamelware from Elseware in Braddon. New fiction from local author, Felicity Volk.

Hit Latorta for cake decorating inspiration!

Until next month...

Contents 4

VINTAGE GLAM Get the look at home with our expert tips.

BLOGGERS’ VINTAGE FINDS Canberra’s vintage fans share their fave pieces.

FREIDA ROME Canberra’s newest online retailer daintily enters the scene. HIPPO CO A new look for an old favourite.

SEEN AT THE LIFELINE GALA Jiawa Liu captures the glitz and glamour. OUR FAVOURITE BRUNCH DESTINATIONS Some of the best ways to start the day!

SOJU GOOD We review Soju Girl...and it’s spectacular.

FIVE MUST-TRY COFFEE EXPERIENCES Ange Mason finds great Capital caffeine.

POLIT BAR We cast our vote on this new cocktail lounge.

SARAH KELLY Jiawa Liu takes a peek inside the wardrobe of this Canberra fashion maven.

50 56

HIGH TEA WITH TURNER Belladonna Took samples the NGA’s Wedgwood Tea Room ROS REVIEWS Man of Steel and The Way Way Back.

FESTIVAL OF THE HUNK Eight movies, four hunks, and lots of fun at Limelight Cinemas BEHIND THE SCENES OF TEASE Axis Hairdressing’s new online reality series.

60 68 74

MY CANBERRA The Merrymaker Sisters share their favourite bits of The Can. ELSEWARE We visit this individual, unique and, sometimes, downright weird Braddon store. TURNER AND SEEING THE LIGHT Heather Wallace tells you what to expect.

A TASTE OF LA TORTA We visit Canberra’s cake decorating mecca.

CLEANSE IT Lesley Johnstone’s Top Five Make Up Removers. THE HAIR YOU NEED NOW Emma Luscombe from Antique Salon shares what’s hot.

LOVE THE SKIN YOU’RE IN Amanda Whitley talks body image. PALEO CHOCOLATE BROWNIES Sweet treats for a healthy lifestyle.

MY MIRACLE GIRL Amanda Whitley tells of the heartache and happiness of having a premmie. NYERI HILARY Shelley Eldridge meets a woman of spirit.

A GUIDE TO ART GALLERIES IN THE CAPITAL Some hidden gems to discover

27 HEALTHY SNACKS Kate Freeman shares yummy eats under 200 calories.

GOOD ENOUGH JUST AS YOU ARE? How do you measure success? DIY VINTAGE STYLE Make your own vintage-inspired bracelet!

100 LIGHTNING Martina Taliano reviews Canberran Felicity Volk’s debut novel. GET YOUR PASSION BACK Kate Neser shares her tips for reigninting interest in your career.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen the stunning images. Now we reveal some new photos and tell you how to get vintage glam at home!

50s

COUTURE It’s all about ladylike luxe, with sheer georgette and lace in rich emerald teamed with classic accessories like long gloves and pearls. Perfect retro waves and dramatic lips complete the ultra feminine look.

The inspiration Jiawa Liu tells of the inspitaion behind model Molly’s gorgeous 50s couture look. “When I met with Mel of Librarian Chic at the The Way We Wear Vintage Show, she had a number of dress options set aside for me. The gorgeous emerald green silk georgette and lace dress had me at ‘hello’, as I knew the colour would contrast beautifully with Molly’s red hair. “Next, Mel and I knew that we wanted the accessories to be analogous colours to pull the outfit together, and it just so happened that she had some amazing black bits and pieces. “We wanted to play with contrasting textures, and to keep with the design brief of a luxe and glamorous look, so we chose furs and suedes, all in black. “My intern, Jennifer was also on hand to play our model for a day. The fun part about styling with vintage is that you never know what you can get your hands on at the time. The result is often quite serendipitous. The look we created was old Hollywood with a decidedly modern feel.”

The face Prep: Samara Gentle started with Arbonne Liquid Foundation and then Ben Nye Translucent Powder to set and add longevity to the makeup. Eyes: For Molly’s eyes, Samara used a cream shadow by Inglot as the base and then an Inglot aqua green for the colour. “To create the ‘flick’, I used Inglot Gel Liner with an eyeliner brush and dragged the line well past the end of the eye for that extra bit of drama. Then to match the eyebrows to the eyes I used Ben Nye brow powder to make them a bit stronger.” Cheeks: On Molly’s cheeks, Samara used Arbonne Blush for colour, MAC Soft & Gentle for glow, and

NARS Laguna for contouring. Lips: The finishing touch was the dramatic deep red lips. Thea used Ben Nye maroon lipstick for a truly retro face.

SAMARA’S TIP Alway apply your eyeliner last as you can smudge it if you go over the top with eyeshadow.

The hair Renee Pound started by blow drying Molly’s hair with a round brush, elevating the root area for body. She then divided the hair into horizontal sections – around 2cm by 2cm in depth and width – and used a curling wand to curl each section. She gave a light spray with light hold hairspray and left to cool, once she’d done Molly’s whole head. Renee then used a paddle brush to brush the curls out in a vertical motion. Once loose, she applied gloss to her hands and made S shapes with the hair all the way around Molly’s, forming curls in the same direction. The result? Glamorous retro waves!

THE ESSENTIALS Stylist:

Jiawa Liu www.closetvoyage.com

Clothing: www.librarianchic.com.au Make Up: Samara Gentle www.sgmakeup.com.au Hair:

Renee Pound www.mekihair.com.au

Model:

Molly Folkard

Photo:

Eric Piris www.redphotography.com.au 7

BOHO beauty Afro prints combine with an ethereal vintage wedding gown and fur to create an ethnic retro take on vintage glam. Pops of orange and turquoise make this a showstopping outfit.

The inspiration Georgia Kartas says that the look that Paris modelled so beautifully wasn’t really planned before she stepped into Hipsley. “Most of Canberra’s vintage retailers generally carry garments that are wearable in day-to-day life, so understandably Hipsley wasn’t too well-stocked in conventional gowns (although if you need a fur this winter, Hipsley is the place to go! But when I saw this wedding dress, I fell in love—it reminded me of my mum’s wedding gown. “Keeping in mind that the outfit was for a ball and not a bride, I focused on some hefty standout accessories. I love bold prints and head wraps, and seeing Shekudo’s collection at Fashfest, the In Your Hands bags by local social enterprise No Sweat Fashions and, online, the work of designer Stella Jean only reinforced that. (Stella Jean is a Haitian Italian designer who combines retro silhouettes with African prints.) “Having interviewed designer Penina Huho a week earlier, I knew that her label stocked beautiful kanga fabrics that would be perfect as a bright head wrap. Luck would have it that our wonderful hair stylist Renee had worn a head wrap herself to Le Dîner en Blanc, so she knew what she was doing!”

The face

“I then used an aqua eye shadow and went under the lash line all the way from the inner eye, bringing it out to finish where the orange ended. Make sure to leave a space on the outer of the eye between the orange and aqua. “I used MAC gel eyeliner to line to top lash line and ended with a slight flick. You want to line the lower water line with a white pencil and set with the aqua shadow, or you can use an aqua pencil. Add the white line on the outer of the eye and under the lash line outer 1/3 use a black kohl and line out between the white and aqua and finish with mascara.” Brows: “Brush up the brows with a clean mascara wand, and fill in the areas you need to with an angled brush and brown powder. Spray a little hair spray onto a clean mascara wand and brush through your brows to keep them in place.” Cheeks: “Use a bronzer with an angle brush to contour the cheekbones. Use MAC Soft and Gentle Shimmer Powder as a highlight on the top of the cheekbones.” Lips: “ I finished the look with gorgeous neutral lips, using Napoleon Devine Goddess in Demeter.

THE ESSENTIALS

Thea Dowie takes you through Paris’ striking look.

Stylist:

Prep: “For luminous skin, I always prep with a light scrub to remove any dead skin, followed by a light moisturiser. Apply a primer - I used Face of Australia.”

Clothing: Hipsley Lane and Huho

Base: “Apply a liquid foundation (I used Arbonne) with a foundation brush and really buff it into the skin for a flawless finish - you can also use your fingers to press and melt it into the skin. Conceal under eye circles with Stila Brighten & Correct and press this in with your finger in a dabbing motion. Lightly powder with NARS pressed powder.” 8

Eyes: “I used an orange eye shadow and covered the whole lid up to the crease, bringing it out in line with the end of the brow, and pressing the powder into the lid for maximum intensity.

Georgia Kartas www.red-magpie.com

Make Up: Thea Dowie 0433787929 or thea.dowie@hotmail.com Hair:

Renee Pound www.mekihair.com.au

Model:

Paris Zorzit

Photo:

Eric Piris www.redphotography.com.au

Eclectic

ELEGANCE Not everyone is up for shiny fabrics and sequins, and that’s ok...vintage glam can be so many different things. Teaming unexpected elements like floaty florals and studded leather can result in an eclectically elegant look that’s straight out of a goth garden party.. Alice’s Wonderland never looked like this...

The inspiration

The hair

“There’s nothing worse than having stylist block days before a shoot,” says Elle of Elle’s Fashion Boudoir.

Model Eleanor’s hair was curled, teased and sprayed into a big delectable hair fantasy; read how Emma Luscombe of Antique Salon transformed her into a modern day Alice...

“With a look I was unsure of, and my confidence waning, I had an epiphany in the form of a quote from Martin Luther Kong: “I had a dream”. “It was a dream I had the day before the shoot that had me waking up at 2am to google pictures. Being such a delicate, almost daytime, dress I chose from Material Pleasures in Fyshwick, I didn’t want to make it boring by keeping the styling too soft. “My dream had me at Alice’s tea party in Wonderland and Marie Antoinette’s Boudoir in France. That’s where my thigh high stiletto boots came into play. It toughens a pretty look whilst giving a gothic touch. My dream transformed to life with help from a team of amazing people. Oh and Martin Luther King.

The face Here’s how Thea Dowie, translated Elle’s vision.

“Eleanor has hair to her bottom! We started using the Cloud 9 micro curling wand - it’s a conical wand that looks like a small ice cream cone - and wrapped the hair in 2cm by 2cm sections around the wand and held for 15 seconds. We used a light foam and a light hairspray on each section to keep them tight. “Once the curls were in, we left for 20mins to cool down - it’s very important not to touch or play with hot curls, as they loose their shape. “ We then ‘ruched’ the hair, twisting sections of hair and pushing up on the ends - like teasing them from the bottom upwards. We continued around the head, and secured with pins at the nape. “To get that matt “Marie Antoinette” feel, I used some spray-on shine and then dry shampoo.”

Prep and Base: Follow Thea’s directions for Paris’ look. Eyes: “I used Inglot 395 from the Freedom System and dusted it across the whole lid. On the inner rim, I used a white pencil and sealed with a cream powder. Finish with lashings of mascara on the top lashes only.” Brows: “Brush up the brows with a clean mascara wand and fill in the areas you need to with an angled brush and brown powder. Spray a little hair spray onto a clean mascara wand and brush through your brows to keep them in place.” Cheeks: “Use a bronzer with an angle brush to contour the cheekbones. Use MAC Soft and Gentle Shimmer Powder as a highlight on the top of the cheekbones and cupid’s bow.” Lips: “Line the lips with a plum lip pencil and fill in with a mix of a light brown and dark maroon lipstick.”

THE ESSENTIALS Stylist:

Elle ellesfashionboudoir.blogspot.com

Clothing: Material Pleasures Make Up: Thea Dowie 0433787929 or thea.dowie@hotmail.com Hair:

Emma Luscombe www.antiquesalon.com.au

Model:

Eleanor Eve

Photo:

Eric Piris www.redphotography.com.au

80s pop

PRINCESS

It was the era of big hair, peplums and tragic pop music...but there’s something irresistable about a modern take on the 80s. Reinvent yourself by putting a modern spin on the trends that defined a generation.

The inspiration

The face

Maddy’s ‘80’s pop princess look was all based around the amazing garment Taylor and she just HAD to work with from Designer Opshop.

Base: Samara Gentle started her 80s pop princess look with the foundation. She used Arbonne Liquid Foundation and then Ben Nye Translucent Powder to set and add longevity to the base.

“I love bold statement pieces, strong lines, bold makeup…images of “power ‘80’s” / glam rock / ‘bigger is better’ came to mind. I am a huge fan of the ‘80’s (Pretty in Pink, Dirty Dancing, Joan Collins and of course Madonna),” says Maddy. “Our 80’s pop princess captures the glamour of an era where women really started to ‘work it’ and were just straight up fierce.”

The hair To recreate Kate’s look, Renee Pound of Meki Hair first sectioned off the part of the hair she wanted to use as the quiff, pinning it out of the way. She then did a high half ponytail to give a base to work with the quiff. “To create the quiff I did a little bit of 80’s crimping and back combed it to help get the height, using De Lorenzo’s Vapour Mist ( a light hairspray) to give hold and keep smooth, and secured the ends with bobby pins. I kept the ponytail tight and smooth near the sides of the head.” She then created 80’s texture with a modern twist by using the triple barrel waver, starting at the nape and working the wave up to the hair in the pony tail. “I then twisted the hair up the top and pinned it so its looks a little like knots, securing with bobby pins. We kept all the knots in the middle of the style to give us a Mohawk type silhouette. Don’t forget to spray with a firm hairspray at the end and also a spray shine to help with lustre!” 12

Eyes: “To create a heavy and dramatic smokey eye I used Inglot eyeshadow, Ben Nye eyeshadow, and Inglot Gel Liner. Then, to match the eyebrows to the eyes, I used Ben Nye brow powder to make them a bit stronger.” Cheeks: On the cheeks was Arbonne Blush for colour, MAC Soft and Gentle for glow, and NARS Laguna for contouring. Lips: Samara finished with Napoleon Devine Goddess in Demeter to keep the eyes a statement.

THE ESSENTIALS Stylist:

Maddy Mendoza-Orubuloye wwww.mummawoosah.com

Clothing: Opshoppers Make Up: Samara Gentle www.sgmakeup.com.au Hair:

Renee Pound www.mekihair.com.au

Model:

Kate Cooper

Photo:

Eric Piris www.redphotography.com.au

Her 14

FOOD

PROMqueen It’s a feminine fantasy come to life...sparkles, swishy layers of sheer fabric, a stack of gold jewellery, and a tumble of sultry waves. Who knew pretty in pink could be so sexy?

The inspiration “ Vintage glam is...it’s grace. It’s glamour,” says Fiona Harris of Canberra boutique, www.opshoppers.com.au. “Vintage glam encapsulates an era of fashion so far from today’s mass produced ‘fast fashion’ (where clothing is made to fall apart). “I’m obsessed with vintage fabrics (silk, wool, brocade, leather, fur) not polyester and cotton that falls apart. I’m a natural tomboy and my personal style reflects that (suits, fedoras, braces, bow ties), but for this shoot I went vintage glamour puss like Grace Kelly.”

The face Prep: “For luminous skin, I always prep with a light scrub to remove any dead skin, followed by a light moisturiser. Apply a primer - I used Face of Australia.” Base: “Apply a liquid foundation (I used Arbonne) with a foundation brush and really buff it into the skin for a flawless finish - you can also use your fingers to press and melt it into the skin. Conceal under eye circles with Stila Brighten & Correct and press this in with your finger in a dabbing motion. I didn’t powder Nastia’s skin as we wanted to create a more dewy effect...and she didn’t need it - her complexion was like butter!” Eyes: “I used Inglot 395 from the Freedom System and dusted it across the whole lid. On the inner rim, I used a white pencil and sealed with a cream powder. Finish with lashings of mascara on the top lashes only.” Brows: “Brush up the brows with a clean mascara wand and fill in the areas you need to with an angled brush and brown powder. Spray a little hair spray onto a clean mascara wand and brush through your brows to keep them in place.” Cheeks: “Use a bronzer with an angle brush to contour the cheekbones. Use MAC Soft and Gentle

Shimmer Powder as a highlight on the top of the cheekbones and cupid’s bow.” Lips: “I used a slick of peach gloss and pressed MAC Soft and Gentle Shimmer Powder on top to create a more matte/shimmer effect.”

The hair Emma Luscombe of Antique Salon created Nastia’s effortlessly sexy look...a tumble of loose curls complemented the frothiness of the gown perfectly. She explains how she got achieved this sultry ‘do’. “We went for a look that was two-sided: waved and pinned up on one side (old school glam), and the other side down and brushed very loose (new age glam). “We started by curling the hair with a flat iron. Once it was curled, we pinned up the back and left side into loops, and waved and secured with pins. “Using a light gloss in our hands, we then brushed out the right side, pulling the curls downwards to create length and looseness.”

THE ESSENTIALS Stylist:

Fiona Harris wwww.opshoppers.com.au

Clothing: Opshoppers Make Up: Thea Dowie 0433787929 or thea.dowie@hotmail.com Hair:

Emma Luscombe www.antiquesalon.com.au

Model:

Nastia Zaric

Photo:

Eric Piris www.redphotography.com.au 15

MINIMALIST

chic

When you’ve got great structure and beautiful contrasting fabrics, you don’t need colour to add interest. An assymetric hemline, tulle shawl collar and ostrich feather wrap make for an arresting ensemble, straight out of a Quentin Tarantino film. Sometimes, less is more.

The inspiration

The hair

For Fiona’s second outfit, she drew inspiration from Uma Thurman’s iconic Mia Wallace character in Pulp Fiction.

Emma Luscombe of Antique Salon captured the essence of Uma’s Pulp Fiction incarnation, but had to improvise, as Ashleigh’s hair is significantly longer than the iconic bob.

A monochromatic palette and layered textures are offset by sleek hair and bold red lips. It’s a classic and striking combination that shows it’s sometimes the simplest outfits that are the most striking.

The face Samara Gentle, Make Up Artist, transformed freshfaced Ashleigh into a sophisticated ‘drama queen’. Base: Samara started with Arbonne Liquid Foundation and then Ben Nye Translucent Powder to set and add longevity to the makeup. Eyes: For Ashleigh’s eyes, Samara used a flesh coloured Inglot eyeshadow to add warmth to the eyes. “To create the flick I used Inglot Gel Liner with an eyeliner brush. To match the eyebrows to the eyes I used Ben Nye brow powder to make them a bit stronger. Cheeks: Samara used Arbonne Blush for colour, MAC Soft and Gentle for glow, and NARS Laguna for contouring. Lips: Ashleigh’s lips were the focal point of her face, a dramatic, deep red. Samara used a Ben Nye red lipstick to create a dramatic look. SAMARA’S TIP When wearing a dark or bright coloured lipstick, always line your lips. This prevents your lipstick ‘bleeding’ and keeps it looking straight and smooth.

“As her hair was past her shoulders, we went for the “metro man” inspired look - imparting strength and power. “It’s a fairly simple look to achieve - the key is getting the hair as sleek and smooth as possible. I prepared her hair with foam and dried flat with a wide tooth comb. “I then pulled the hair into five sections and added them into a pony at the base of the hair slowly to get a flat layered pony tail. “We then took some gel and painted it on a section of the pony. Make some ultra glossy, giving an illusion of it being flat against the scalp; and leave some sections gel-free to give a natural looking height.”

THE ESSENTIALS Stylist:

Fiona Harris wwww.opshoppers.com.au

Clothing: Opshoppers Make Up: Samara Gentle www.sgmakeup.com.au Hair:

Emma Luscombe www.antiquesalon.com.au

Model:

Ashleigh Rumble

Photo:

Eric Piris www.redphotography.com.au

FIONA HARRIS

Bloggers’

VINT

We asked four of fabulous Vintage Glam stylists (and share their favourite preloved items. Their finds are a their personalities! Get some inspiration and hit Canb

3 Fiona from Opshoppers’ latest favourite is this Black 70’s leotard with sculpted bust.. Available from www.opshoppers.com.au

MADDY M 0

2 ELLE’S FASHION BOUDOIR Elle, from Elle’s Fashion Boudoir’s favourite vintage find is this 1960s empire waist smock dress with floral embroidery, from Landspeed in Garema Place. Read more of Elle’s fashion musings at ellesfashionboudoir.blogspot.com.au

Op shops and vintage boutiques are great places to find classic accessories, like these gorgeous shades. Maddy from mummawoosah picked them up at her local Salvo’s store!

TAGE

d our Ed) to as individual as berra’s opshops!

AMANDA WHITLEY

finds

GEORGIA KARTAS “I have so many vintage pieces in my wardrobe that it’s difficult to choose my favourite, but I’d have to go with this 1970s coat, “ says Georgia. “It makes me feel like a Russian spy, and has the equivalent weight and practicality of wearing a rug. It’s stupidly warm, and I got it for $70 (including postage!) from a London-based eBay store a few years back. “I’ve been likened to Catelyn Stark from Game of Thrones when wearing it, which can only increase its value, right?” Follow Georgia at www.red-magpie.com

“I’m a sucker for shiny, sparkly things, as these two vintage finds demonstrate,” says Amanda. “ I found the marquisite brooch at Material Pleasures - it reminds me of a watch my mum was given as a wedding present, which was a much-coveted object for me as a young fashionista. I purchased this dress from Hipsley and it’s amazing - padded shoulders, amazing beading, an assymetric hemline, and it fits like a glove. And it only cost $130!

4 19

The launch of

FREIDA Rome

2013 has been something of a watershed for Canberra’s fashion industry: designers and retailers alike. In early August, the newest player, Freida Rome, daintily entered the scene, in a low key launch at The Hub, Canberra Centre. The online fashion store is the product of Canberra woman, Melissa (Missy) Pullen’s, desire to offer women a range inspired by the era of the silver screen. The current range includes dresses, hats, sunglasses and scarves, all reminiscent of a bygone era. “My biggest point of difference is vintage silhouettes and designs that are wearable daily,” says Milly. Fans of vintage, particularly garments from the 40s and 50s, can sometimes be seen as playing ‘dress ups’. Milly wanted to show that vintage shapes and designs can be effortlessly integrated into a modern wardrobe. “I wanted to test ideas of vintage style and provide something beautiful and classic that you can dress up as authentically as you like, team it with a jacket for the office or wear it equally as well on the weekend with a denim jacket and ballet flats.” The boutique is currently stocking US brand, Stop Staring!, well known for creating dresses that flatter the female form. Beautifully tailored and made from quality fabric, these dresses create that perfect hourglass. The gorgeous models at the launch were all sizes from 6 to 16+, and the dresses emphasised their curves, making them look like retro starlets. I am coveting this Ava Eggplant one-shouldered dress… just stunning! Also showcased was Milly’s talent for millinery, the models sporting fascinators she had handcrafted. Inspired by vintage silhouettes and glamour, Freida Rome has some beautiful options for fans of classic lines and feminine styles. Let your fingers do the walking over to the website today! www.freidarome.com.au

Apple and blackberry tart on sour cream pastry with house made vanilla ice cream.

HIPPO CO

a new look for an old fave

The vintage trend is not only reserved for clothing and accessories - one of Canberra’s most loved lounge bars has embraced stylings from bygone eras in its ‘new’ identity. Everything old is new again at Hippo Co, as Amanda Whitley found out on opening night. In 2001, I was working out of the Garema Court building in the middle of the city. Garema Place was a buzzing precinct, with Caffe Della Piazza the al fresco lunch spot of choice. Man, I miss that place. When the sun went down, we would schlep out of our workspaces and climb the stairs to the Asianinfluenced interiors of Hippo Bar, where the smell of incense, the crunch of free pretzels, and some mighty fine and lovingly prepared drinks awaited us. My cocktail de jour was always the aptly named Hippo Smash…so called, because it consisted of sparkling wine, vodka, peach schnapps, a sugar cube or two, and some sliced strawberries. The sight of girls (and some guys) stumbling out the door, slurring “but I’ve only had three drinkshhh” was not uncommon. That little baby packed a punch. Some 12 years on, Hippo Bar has been reinvented, to emerge as Hippo Co – a vastly different beast in look and concept, but with quality drinks remaining the central focus. The fitout has emigrated from Asia to the American midwest, with the new interior boasting a definite ‘ski lodge’ feel. Warm timbers, a whole pack of taxidermic critters, framed vintage prints and retro light fittings create a homey, welcoming feel. For a ‘brand new’ spot, it has a lived-in feel. It’s probably not to everyone’s tastes, but it’s fresh and different, and miles apart from the ‘metro’ look that many Canberra restaurants and bars are going for. There’s so much to look at, but the undisputed attention grabber is the impressive collection of whiskies behind the bar…over 120 varieties. The trend towards whiskey bars that has swept Sydney and Melbourne has made its way to the capital, with owner Sasha Trpkovski confident that Canberrans will acquire a taste for the liquor and learn to appreciate its complexities. A brief look at the cocktail list confirmed that Hippo Co has lost none of its inventiveness with its change of moniker. While I didn’t see a Hippo Smash (just as well, really), I did try The Regent Martini (vanilla

infused vodka, passionfruit puree, agave syrup, apple), and it was ahhhmaaaazing. If I didn’t have to drive, I could have happily settled in for the night. The lovely Phillip Jones, founder of Schmooze and my former salsa partner, was my drinking compan-

“Soju’s menu has influences from all over south-east Asia, with a heavy focus on Japanese, Korean and Thai cuisine...” ion for the evening and he sampled two Plymouth Gin Martinis (below) – one dry and one dirty. A martini connoisseur, he said that “both were very good and made with care, if a little smaller than usual.” The staff were very positive and engaged, and clearly eager to share the new Hippo Co with their customers. With “12 amazing years” behind them, the Hippo Co team look set for many more. In the words of Mr Jones, “I like what they’ve done with the place…”

THE ESSENTIALS When:

Open Wednesday to Saturday 5:00 pm - 2:00 am

Where:

17 Garema Place, Civic

Web: www.hippobar.com.au

Seen at the

LIFELINE vintage gala

The annual Lifeline Gala Ball celebrates the achievements of Lifeline over the year and to raise awareness for suicide prevention. An important date on the capital’s social calendar, it’s also an opportunity to see Canberrans dressed to the nines. Jiawa Liu was there to capture the event’s glitz and glamour. If it’s one thing Canberrans do well, it’s vintage. I saw beautiful floor length gowns in classic old Hollywood silhouettes, decadent fabrics and playful headpieces. See some of them over the following pages. Many reported to me that their pieces were indeed true vintage, sourced from Canberra’s many vintage vendors including Hipsley (Lifeline’s own vintage boutique) and Lifeline sponsor, Librarian Chic. The red and white velvet bustier gown worn by this lovely lady below was actually a bargain purchase from Fash’n’Treasure. The men weren’t to be outshone by their dates, either, and turned out in three piece suits, bow ties, top hats and, as you do, walking sticks. While the Lifeline Vintage Gala Ball was a lively night of delicious food, wonderful entertainment and warm company, on a more serious note, we are

strongly reminded just how important Lifeline is to thousands of Australian who are struggling with mental health issues or are at risk of suicide. Lifeline is an important not-for-profit organization that provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services. Their 24 hours crisis support service is available to on 13 11 14 to call and talk to a trained volunteer about, among many things, anxiety, depression, loneliness, abuse and trauma and suicidal thoughts or attempts. Lifeline currently receives around 1,400 calls each day, 50 of those being from people at high risk of suicide. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged between 15 and 44. Lifeline believes that most suicides are preventable, and is dedicated to a whole-of-community approach to suicide prevention. To donate generously, visit their website.

Our favourite THE ELK & PEA

BRUN desti

Weekend brunch is one of the rare meal times that ticks all t it’s not quite breakfast and not quite lunch – almost anything troughload of bacon? Perfect! We share our favourite brunch

If you’re after something a little different for breaky, then head no further than Elk & Pea in Braddon. They don’t do your traditional eggs benedict or scrambled eggs on toast; their menu is a feast for the eyes and the senses. Instead of banana bread, you’ll find pear and raspberry bread with coconut cream, mexican shortbread and vanilla syrup. Is your mouth watering yet? They also do a fair few vegetarian and gluten free options, like black beans & corn, fried tortilla, avocado, chorizo, salsa, and herb crema (pictured above), making it a good option for people on just about any diet. Blonde Ink.

THE ESSENTIALS Where: 21 Lonsdale St, Braddon When: Monday 8am – 11am Tuesday – Saturday: 8am – 10pm Sunday: 8am – 2pm Contact: 02 6162 0222 or hello@elkandpea.com.au Web: www.elkandpea.com.au

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT I look for a healthy, clean breakfast and can’t go past Mocan & Green Grout. It’s an ethical café that serves fair trade coffee, sources its produce from local farmers, and grows its herbs in the planter at the front door. Choose from delicious dishes like organic pastries from Dream Cuisine; rose scented granola, rhubarb, and yoghurt; and grilled chorizo, fried eggs, corn, avocado. Just really good, wholesome food. Bronwen Stead.

THE ESSENTIALS 1/19 Marcus Clarke St, New Acton South Monday and Saturday 7am – 6pm; Tuesday to Friday 7am – 9pm Sunday 8am – 4pm. 02 6162 2909

NCH inations

MAPLE & CLOVE

the boxes: it’s leisurely, good for all ages, and – because goes. Eggs Benedict? Sure! Yoghurt Parfait? Why not! A h spots and dishes!

3 BEESS & CO

Whether you’re sitting under the leafy trees on a sunny day or snuggled up inside, Beess and Co has scored the trifecta on ambience, service and of course great food. Try the fab spanish omelette – or for a sweet tooth, the amazing ricotta hotcakes. Fiona Dolan.

THE ESSENTIALS Shop 5/29 Bentham St, Yarralumla Monday to Friday 7am – 5pm; Saturday 7am – 4pm; Sunday 8am – 4pm 02 6285 0116

I love Maple + Clove in the Realm Precinct – all their meals are cooked on the premises daily, using fresh, local, seasonal and wholefood ingredients. Mr HerCanberra can’t go past the Clove Whole Breakfast (poached eggs, spelt toast, lean beef sausage, preservative-free bacon, grilled tomato, spinach and mushrooms) and I love the spelt honey ricotta pancakes served with agave nectar, chia berry compote and vanilla yoghurt. Can’t wait to try M +C’s own version of ‘Nutella’, made with coconut oil, drizzle of agave, Valrhona cocoa and hazelnuts…served on spelt toast with fresh strawberries. Mmmmm… Amanda Whitley

THE ESSENTIALS Where: Realm Park, Burbury Close, Barton When: Open 7 days for coffee, breakfast, lunch and take-home meals. All-day breakfast Saturday and Sunday Contact: 02 6162 0777 Web: www.mapleandclove.com

Her

CITY

more AND THEN THERE’S...

ELLACURE If you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy a relaxing weekend brunch, Ellacure is always an excellent choice. One of my favourite places to catch up with my friends, we go for the delicious food (try the grilled asparagus, poached eggs, crispy pancetta & shaved parmesan), the friendly and helpful service and the lovely open setting. Michelle Brotohusodo.

Tusmo Café in Forde. My husband and I have a Saturday morning date and we go there. We both have the bacon and egg wrap and it is amazing! Martina Taliano 4th Seed in Queanbeyan – still so good and now expanded indoors! Try the French toast with maple syrup, berries and yoghurt. Catherine Russell

THE ESSENTIALS

Cafe Injoy at Gold Creek. It’s more of a family friendly place but they do a mean omelette!

Where: Cnr of Battye and Braybrooke Street, Bruce

Lesley Johnston.

When: Lunch and Dinner Tuesday to Sunday, Brunch on Weekends Contact: 02 6251 0990 or info@ellacure.com.au

Pork Barrel, across from OPH - great food, lovely location and they bake European breads and pastries every day (above)!

Web: www.ellacure.com.au

diy

Alison Senti

ORANGE & DATE GRANOLA The Merrymaker Sisters tell you how to whipe up a yummy and healthy paleo Orange and Date Granola - perfect for breakfast every day! Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. Combine: the juice of one orange; the finely grated rind of half an orange; half a cup of slivered almonds; one cup of unsweetened shredded coconut; half a cup of linseeds; half a cup of pumpkin seeds; and half a cup of sesame seeds in a bowl. Soak ten medjool dates in boiling water for 15 mins. Drain and place in a food processor. Whiz until a smooth paste forms. Mix the paste into the nut and seed mix until combined. Spread the mixture evenly onto a lined baking tray. Place into the oven for 15 minutes, stirring around every 4-5 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool. Serve with desired milk (we like almond) and toppings, like raspberries, cinnamon and extra toasted coconut!

Treehouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Raspberry Eton Mess

Apple and blackberry tart on sour cream pastry with house made vanilla ice cream.

SOJU GOOD

the perfect fusion

It was a foggy and cold Tuesday night when we ventured in to Soju Girl on Northbourne Avenue in Canberra City – we’d been invited to come and try their ‘modern Asian Fusion’, and Amanda Whitley never says no to offers of food. Or wine. But that’s another story. We’d expected it to be fairly quiet...it was a ‘school night’, after all, and it was perfect weather for couchdwelling. Our first surprise: the carpark closest to Soju (as it’s affectionately known to its devotees) was chockas. Not a space to be found for love or money. “Hmmm,” we said, somewhat bemused. Our second surprise: Soju was pumping. It’s a large space, comprised of three separate rooms (restaurant, bistro and bar - the latter pictured below), and it wasn’t far behind the carpark in terms of available spots. As we discovered later, it’s because Tuesday is 2-4-1 night, where select dishes are available at twofor-one prices, a promotion that seems to be particularly popular with students and others with fine dining tastes, but takeaway budgets. Looking around, there were lots of groups, eating and chatting happily, while digging in to shared dishes. It was a happy and buzzy atmosphere, one that seemed to celebrate the act of dining with friends, and complemented the Soju philosophy, where the menu is designed to be shared. After we’d been greeted and seated (and plied with wine - how happy was I to discover my absolute favourite chardonnay, Stonier, was on the wine list!), Executive Chef, Derek Brown came and had a chat. Our third surprise for the night: Derek said he was preparing a vegan and gluten free menu for us to try. As dedicated carnivores, but with adventurous palates, we looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders and said, “Cool - we eat anything!” Derek paused, looking a little nonplussed. “Anything?” “Yep, anything.” “You’re not vegetarian?” “Nope. But we’re more than happy to eat it!” So, a breakdown in communication somewhere

along the line between us and the PR and the chefs, but in all honestly, it was probably a really great thing to happen. Because we got to experience just how good vegans and coeliacs can have it at Soju Girl.

“Soju’s menu has influences from all over south-east Asia, with a heavy focus on Japanese, Korean and Thai cuisine...” I’d always wondered how vegans could enjoy any kind of variety in their menu (no meat? no eggs? no dairy? no fish? no fun?), but Derek’s cuisine showed meals don’t need to have any meat - or wheat - to be amazingly tasty. Soju’s menu has influences from all over southeast Asia with a heavy focus on Japanese, Korean and Thai cuisine. Dishes are designed to be shared, whether the plates are small or large. Plates are served staggered, not only to compliment the palate but also to ensure that each of the unique flavours can be enjoyed. Derek told us he expected our meal would comprise five or six courses, depending on how hungry we were - we could say ‘stop’ whenever we’d had enough. And so we began. The first course was a bit of a show stopper. A giant (dinner plate-size) sesame cracker, topped with miso chickpea puree and eggplant chutney arrived - the idea was that you broke off bits of the cracker and dipped it into the ‘condiments’. 37

It was a great way to begin the meal - a lovely combination of flavours and perfect for a group, as it encourages a communal style of eating. Definitely one to kickstart the appetite. Next out were two generously sized zucchini flowers, stuffed with sushi rice, and with a kick of soy mirin. I love a good zucchini flower, but these were quite different - coated in rice flour, instead of the usual batter, they had a delicate flavour and crispier texture than the traditional version. A lovely ‘palate cleanser’ of a dish. Our third course was our favourite: Korean ‘gnocchi’ (cylindrical rice noodles) tossed with three kinds of mushrooms: button, oyster and porcini, and flavoured with soy and truffle oil. Oh my. Flavour explosion. This dish was a special, and wasn’t on the Winter menu, but I would go back to Soju for it alone...and I would be a very happy vegan if this was guaranteed for dinner. After this course, Chef Derek took advantage of our declared carnivore status to wheel out some good 38

old fashioned meat: a dish of pig’s trotter with kimchee and scallops. Now, I know you’ve probably got a mental picture of a pig’s foot being wheeled out on a plate, but no. The meat had all been shredded off the bone, and shaped into a flat patty of tender pork. Served with plump scallops and kimchee (spicy pickled cabbage), it was delicious. By this point, our stomachs were reaching capacity, but there was still dessert to come. We chose one, the coconut vanilla pannacotta, lychee jelly and strawberry cloud, and it was the perfect fusion of East and West. The delicate texture and flavour of the pannacotta, the slight chewiness of fresh coconut slivers, and the slipperiness of the lychees and jelly, all came together in a subtle and elegant dessert. Derek chose the other dessert, a deconstructed cheesecake which really showed off his flair and interest in molecular gastronomy. A seemingly random placement of pastry ‘sand’ and various

textures and flavours, were intriguing apart, yet when combined formed an amazing dish. But wait. It was at this point that Chef realised we had never had a Soju cocktail. What is Soju? It’s a Korean distilled alcoholic beverage, similar to sake, and the restaurant has a few cocktails based on their namesake liquor. We sampled the eponymous Soju Girl (soju, midori and house lemongrass syrup with lime, kiwi and cranberry juice), and the Sojutini (korean soju and aloe vera juice, ice, lychee and cucumber). Now, as I said at the start of this article, it was a school night, and I was designated driver, so I sampled the drinks (in the name of research, of course) and left Mr HerCanberra to polish them off. Not long after this, he messaged his colleagues not to expect him in the office early the next day. They were yummy. So easy to drink and just plain fun, the Soju Girl served in a plastic party pail.

what had been an enjoyable night of excellent food and friendly service in a warm atmosphere. We’ll be heading back soon - and we’ll be taking our vegan and coeliac friends!

THE ESSENTIALS When:

Where:

41/43-45 Northbourne Avenue Canberra City

Web: www.sojugirl.com.au Book:

Call 02 6257 5328

As we exited the restaurant, a few hours and two very full and satisfied stomachs later, we reflected on 39

1 ONA COFFEE Yes, I am cheating a little by squeezing two places (ONA Coffee House Fyshwick and ONA Coffee Manuka) into my number one spot, but I couldn’t resist! This Canberra-based, locally owned and roasted specialty coffee company prides itself on ensuring each cup is the best…and boy, do these guys know their coffee.

Five Canberra

COFFE

Angela Mason loves her coffee, especially flat white, but ad in this article – she fears that there will be many, many wo and macchiatos) that she leaves out.

We are spoilt in Canberra with some brilliant baristas and chided by the non-coffee drinking community as being ‘cof given that we pay upwards of $4.00 for just a tiny sip of co the city (still) in the grip of winter, it’s the perfect time to s

Not only do they run a few cafés, but they also roast, wholesale and perfect their craft on a daily basis. ONA has some of the best baristas in town, and you can also learn a thing or two yourselves during their regular barista or latte art courses. The cafés are hip and trendy, without being pretentious. They’re also happy to accommodate my Mum’s regular order of cappuccino, with a “dash of cold milk”. And for those of us with food allergies, wonderful gluten-free baked goods are abundant.

URBAN BEAN

Woden-based public servants will know all about this place; it’s crammed full of Department of Health and Ageing, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and IP Australia workers every day! When I started working in the area, I immediately put a call out via Twitter for its best coffee; Urban Bean was light-years ahead of its nearest competitor. Yes, I am biased because they use perfectly flavoured, roasted and strong ONA Coffee, but the atmosphere is friendly, the coffee fast and I’ve never had a bad experience.

You will also find fantastic food (the gluten-free passion fruit slice is AMAZING) and welcoming staff that remember every name and order. I have converted nearly all of my colleagues to this place.

EES to savour

dmits to feeling anxious about naming only five experiences onderful local flat whites (not to mention lattes, cappucinos

cafés. Those of us who love coffee, and who are often ffee snobs’, hate bad coffee – it’s as simple as that. And offee these days, we don’t want a second-rate cup. With share Ange’s (latest) top five warming coffee experiences!

LONSDALE STREET ROASTERS Some reviews have said this place is a little pretentious, but honestly I love the coffee and the atmosphere. Given that you can never find a seat on a Saturday morning (or any other day for that matter), I think many Canberrans agree and cannot get enough of this very Melbourne-style coffee house. I haven’t tried the food, I don’t think they have too many gluten-free options, but the coffee is rich and made by people that know what they are doing. As Lonsdale Street Roasters is always buzzing, don’t hesitate to share a table with other coffee-lovers, or grab a milk crate and take a seat outside. If there’s no room, just amble down the street to their other digs at 23 Lonsdale Street. Southsiders will also soon be able to experience the LSR taste, with a third venue feted for the Kingston Foreshore.

MOCAN & GREEN GROUT The website says this place (above) conjures the warmth of eating in a good friend’s kitchen and I couldn’t agree more. Yes, you could grab a takeaway coffee, but sit inside and you will quickly realise how comfortable and inviting (perfect in this weather) the area inside is. Serving excellent fair trade coffee (and slightly bitter which I love), local produce and herbs from their own front door, Mocan and Green Grout has also recently started serving a dinner menu of seasonal shared plates. I am yet to try dinner, but I would love to hear from anyone who has.

ROCKSALT I love finding great coffee away from Canberra’s city centre. Head out to Hawker and you will not only find wonderful coffee and food, but excellent service in a really relaxed atmosphere at Rocksalt. Yes, you are looking out on to an IGA and ACTTAB, but you will be so busy enjoying the experience with family and friends you will forget you are in the suburbs. Rocksalt has become a bit of a favourite with my family and I, and also quite memorable – husband and I were signing our mortgage papers at a table outside, in the sun, enjoying wonderfully smooth flat whites and planning our life together… when he spilt his coffee all over the papers. The staff sent out two complimentary coffees and our bank manager laughed, so a happy ending!

THE ESSENTIALS Find out more about our favourite coffee spots by visiting their websites. ONA Fyshwick & Manuka www.onacoffee.com.au/ Lonsdale Street Roasters www.lonsdalestreetroasters.com/ Urban Bean www.urbanbean.com.au/ Mocan and Green Grout www.mocanandgreengrout.com/

POLIT weBAR cast our vote Quiet, intimate cocktail lounges are quite rare in the inner south these days. So when we heard of the impending opening of “a discreet, warm cocktail lounge where the influential can relax, network, and enjoy themselves in the heart of Canberra’s parliamentary entertainment triangle,” we went along on its first night ‘softly’ open - all in the name of research! Amanda Whitley has more. I don’t get out much. And I don’t really dig crowds. And I was really quite upset when my favourite inner south drinking hole, Julep Lounge, closed several years ago. It was a hushed, intimate little place to catch up for a quiet drink and a chance to gaze on the happenings of Franklin Street, Manuka. So, I was uber-happy to get along to the opening of Polit Bar. Did we like it? Yes, we did. It had the perfect combination (for people of my vintage, anyway) of comfortable seating, luxe fitout, a great variety of beverages, and yummy food). And it looks set to become HQ for the inner south’s movers and shakers…the first people we spotted were Schmooze’s Phillip Jones, and later, The Canberran’s Nic Crowther (who described the space as ‘sumptuous, like a glomesh handbag’). The gold rope fringed wall certainly gave it a certain je ne sais quoi. Not to mention the crystal chandeliers. The drinks list is comprehensive – from the responsible “Wellbeing Boosts”, which are recommended to kick off your night – to the, er, dangerous. Fernet Branca Hip Flask or Absynthe Fountain, anyone? Service is friendly and unpretentious, whether it be from owner Mary-Jane, the roguish waiter with the Scottish accent, or the pretty kohl-eyed waitress. It’s clear that this is a new enterprise, but everyone is eager to please and very accommodating. The menus come encased in vintage Government booklets, like “The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia” and “Assisted Passages to Australia” (which, just quietly, we reckon would have been provided to my husband’s parents when they emigrated in 1970). It’s a cute touch.We decide to go with drinks first: me, a bubbles, and Mr HerCanberra, a “Bitter and Twisted”; a rather (as the name suggests) bitter appertif, inspired by recent political events. I’m not a cocktail drinker, but it has an amazing citrus aroma that seriously tempts me to convert. 44

And then we’re tempted by the Opening Night menu – we choose the Zucchini Fritti with Paprika Yoghurt; Gin-Cured Ocean Trout with Smoked Trout Parfait and Pickled Fennel; and Braised Pork Belly

“The space is sumptuous, like a glomesh handbag...” grilled with Korean style kim-chi, apple batons and pork crackling. Honestly? Really, really good. The zucchini balls were the best I’ve ever had – light and fluffy, not doughy and heavy like so many you have. And the other dishes were also scrummy. Bottom line? Polit Bar looks set to be a fantastic place for a quiet drink and a chat, far removed from the busy pub scene of Public just downstairs, and perfect for political geeks. While Origin may not be playing on the tv screens scattered throughout the space, you can be sure that Election Night will be. And with the demise of the Tally Room, aren’t we all looking for a new HQ?

THE ESSENTIALS Where:

8 Franklin Street, Manuka.

When:

Open 4pm til late, Wednesday to Sunday.

Web: www.politbar.co

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My mantra is matchy matchy! You can have a lot going on, but I love to incorporate a colour twice to bring it all together. It can be as subtle as your earrings or your shoes and bag in harmony.â&#x20AC;? 46

SARAH KELLY

inside her wardrobe

Sky high heels, Chanel and the 60’s – these could be the words to describe an original Bond girl, or they could perfectly describe the enticing personal style of Canberra’s very own style maven, fashion consultant and business owner, Sarah Kelly.. Jiawa Liu takes a peek inside her wardrobe. Known for her many desirable statement outfits (one of which saw her take out Myer Fashions on the Field at the Melbourne Cup in 2009), Sarah has been making her passion for fashion a career with her consultancy business, Fashion Empire. Having admired her impeccable style at various events, I’ve always wondered what treasures lay within this savvy business woman’s wardrobe. I was, therefore, understandably stars truck when Sarah agreed to be interviewed for my ‘Her Wardrobe’ series. In this series, I delve into the diverse personal styles of real Canberran women. I arrived at Sarah’s home to find her (numerous) favourite pieces beautifully arranged around her sitting room. In one corner was her collection of vintage furs and in another, her most iconic outfits. If that wasn’t enough, strewn across the room was a dizzying array of accessories, jewellery and bags in all the colours of a dreamy candyshop window. It was immediately apparent that the world is Sarah’s hunting ground for beautiful designer masterpieces. Fashion, after all, is as much about acquisition as clothing oneself. Notable pieces on her sartorial trophy rack include the coveted Mary Katrantzou printed bell skirt dress and the Comme des Garcons trench dresscum-cape made famous by Victoria Beckham. But the big designers aren’t the only names on Sarah’s hit list, she is also an enthusiastic patron of Canberra’s local talent. The gorgeous one of a kind mod chic dress Sarah wore at our meeting, for example, was by none other than Canberra’s own Suzan Dlouhy (of label SZN). The dress fitted exactly with Sarah’s 60’s siren persona. But don’t be fooled into thinking that you can’t achieve Sarah’s polished style unless you can get ahold of designer pieces. Sarah is a lover of fashion, whether this high end of high street, and there are just as many pieces in her repertoire from chain stores as boutiques, her most frequented brands including ASOS and French Connection. Her amazing two

piece brocade tank and trouser ensemble, for example, was a chain store steal from the latter. What’s most uncanny about Sarah’s style is that she always looks so perfectly put together, whether she’s dressed to the nines in head to toe prints, or chilling on the weekend in off-duty sweater and jeans. So how does she do it? Coordination is key, Sarah says. “My mantra is matchy matchy! You can have a lot going on, but I love to incorporate a colour twice to bring it all together. It can be as subtle as your earrings or your shoes and bag in harmony.” However, no matter how great the outfit, it most certainly always comes down to one thing: hair. Sarah emphasises that a great hair style makes a world of different to the entire look. “The effort made there speaks volumes about your outfit and has the power to finish the look every time.” As for shopping for the perfect pieces, Sarah always pays attention to fit and proportion. Her advice is that everyone’s body is subtly different, and the goal is finding ‘the right cut for your own figure, whether it’s in jeans, a skirt or jacket’. The fashion consultant’s own personal formula is simple: fitted pants, tailored blazers, and ankle boots – lots and lots of them. While Sarah is definitely a ‘maximalist’, and loves her big prints, unconventional cuts and head turning accessories, she buys and wears only those styles that look good for her figure and fit with her personality. Every piece in Sarah’s collection is just so…well, ‘her’, even with the most outrageous of her pieces, like her metallic pink candy wrapper themed clutch and the bright neon green jumpsuit. So perhaps the insight I am taking away from my peek into Sarah’s personal style is—now, forgive me if I start to make fashion sound like a martial art—to dress yourself well, you have to know yourself well! 47

The artworks of one of Britain’s greatest painters not enough to get you to the National Gallery of Australia? How about high tea? Belladonna Took samples the Wedgwood Tea Room, all in the name of research, of course!

Joseph Turner (1775-1851) is one of Britain’s greatest and most prolific artists. In his lifetime, he churned out 550 oil paintings, 2000 watercolours and more than 30,000 paper works. And, like every true Englishman, he would have also in his lifetime drunk endless cups of tea. Tea is so quintessentially linked with the English, so what better way to combine your viewing of the current Turner from the Tate: the making of a master exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia than with a very English high tea? The National Gallery’s Turner High Tea is one of the special features of the Turner from the Tate exhibition. The exhibition is indeed impressive, showcasing 110 of the artist’s works ranging from his dramatic and subliminal landscapes and idyllic pastoral scenes to his dark and brooding seascapes. You can read Heather Wallace’s excellent review of the exhibition later in the magazine. However, for me, an unashamed addict of all things high tea, I must confess that it was the charming pop up Wedgwood Tea Room set up in the Gallery to coincide with the exhibition that excited my senses even more so than the works of the great master himself. 50

The Turner High Tea package aims to introduce classic elements of the traditional English afternoon tea. The package includes entry to the 1.30pm exhibition session, followed by high tea at the Wedgwood Tea Room at 3.00pm. After viewing Turner’s 110 works and becoming quite ravenous as a result, my girlfriend and I enjoyed afternoon tea at the Wedgwood Tea Room. It’s a very elegant affair. The Tea Room has been set up to recreate a traditional English tea room-with all food and drink served on fine Wedgwood china, of course. The beautiful Wedgwood crockery with their intricate floral designs and bright colours certainly added a touch of class. On arrival we were led to our table and each treated to a glass of sparkling. Then a two-tiered platter filled with delicious savoury and sweet treats arrived. On the savoury tier, there was a selection of ribbon sandwiches (whiskey smoked salmon, poached chicken and the high tea staple, cucumber) as well as smoked bacon and cheddar tarts with red onion marmalade. As for the sweet treats (my favourite part of any high tea), we indulged in a delicious petite poached rhubarb, orange and custard tart, a scrumptiously fluffy raspberry butter cake with raspberry frosting and

High

TEA

with Turner

white chocolate, and a very decadent bitter chocolate and hazelnut praline bar with cracked candy topping. On top of all that, we were also served a plate of freshly baked scones which we dolloped with generous amounts of lemon curd, clotted cream and strawberry jam. And of course, there was the tea. A selection of Wedgewood loose leaf teas and T2 teas were provided. We started with Wedgwood Original English Breakfast, and towards the end settled our very full and very satisfied stomachs with cups of refreshing Darjeeling. My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed high tea at the Wedgwood Tea Room. After viewing the Turner exhibition, we could think of no better way to relax and discuss the great master’s works (as well as life’s other important matters!) than over cups of tea and a two-tiered platter filled with delectable treats. High tea is available every day during the exhibition until September 15, 2013. The High Tea Package (including exhibition ticket) can be booked via Ticketek. Cost is $64 per person ($55 for NGA members and $59 for concession holders).

If you have any dietary requirements, please contact catering (Anita.Xiao@nga.gov.au.) at least two days prior to your booking. The Wedgwood Tea Room also serves a morning cream tea and a ploughman’s lunch during the exhibition. For more information, visit the exhibition’s web page at www.nga.gov.au /Exhibition/

THE ESSENTIALS Where:

National Gallery of Australia Parkes Place, Parkes

When:

Every day until 15 September

Cost: $64pp Web:

www.nga.gov.au /Exhibition/Turner/

Book:

www.ticketek.com.au

Bookings close one day prior to the exhibition date. 51

Ros’

REVIEWS

Man of Steel

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. The hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind. imdb but really, do you need a synopsis? Doesn’t everyone know who Kal-El, Clark Kent and Superman are? Didn’t you ever tie a curtain on your back when you were little?

ther pinned a Superman kite above my cot.

Let’s get the hot flash moment out of the way up front. Oh. My. Goodness. Henry Cavill is good looking. He is quite masculine and ridiculously wellmuscled for his role as Superman.

It has not been easy getting Supes back to the big screen – Bryan Singer (brain behind the X-Men films) had a go with Brandon Routh in the role. Three people liked it. I was one. However the muchlauded sequel never eventuated and Supes wallowed in a development hell that was surely built from red kryptonite. Actors were attached and released. Directors came and went. They got so far with Nicholas Cage that there are fully suited screentest stills around the internet … but nothing eventuated. Until Christopher Nolan (the brain behind Batman’s Dark Knight reboot) got interested. He developed an idea that became a screenplay by David S. Goyer and a film by Zack Snyder.

A tidbit from imdb trivia just for HerCan readers: director Zack Snyder said that he really wanted to include a shirtless scene of star Henry Cavill because you see him in a form-fitting body suit where he appears extremely muscular. He said the audience would think it was all rubber muscles, but it was important to show them it was indeed Henry Cavill’s body in that suit and that it was all real. Thank you Zack Snyder. Thank you Gym Jones (trainer for all those yummy Spartans in 300 as well) and your bodybuilding regime. Thank you. Now let’s focus on Man Of Steel. I received a text from my brother in London the day it opened there urging me to ‘slap your money down and see this film’. As it I wouldn’t. As if I could ignore the superhero who has been part of my life since my grandfa52

In the last few years we have seen a rebooted Batman and a twice-rebooted Spiderman but until then there were only a few characters who had appeared in several movies, played by different actors. James Bond. Jesus. And Superman. Those red boots are big ones to fill – but let’s agree not to discuss the curse that supposedly goes along with them?

This film would not exist if Nolan had not been able to find a hook, that frisson of an idea that would again make this most noble (but let’s face it, square and old-fashioned) superhero resonate with our time. So how does a chisel-chinned, boy scout of a superhero invented in the 1930s remain relevant in today’s jaded world? How does an alien hide among us for so

long? How does a pair of glasses hide someone’s true identity from a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist? I’ll answer the last one first – he doesn’t in this version. I love Amy Adams’ version of Lois Lane. She is ballsy, smart and pretty tough. She has Superman’s number from the outset and before she gets to know him has discovered his loneliness, his isolation and his Kansas upbringing. Much more believable of such a go-get-‘em reporter as Lois is always depicted as being. However that is not the hook, the hook is – in a post 911, terrorised world – how would we react to discovering an alien amongst us? How would his adopted family raise him to protect him from that fear? Showing how aware Clark Kent is of being an outsider gives this Superman an edge that makes his origin story not just good but compelling. I loved it. Best use of flashbacks this year too. We leap from Krypton exploding to an adult Clark on a fishing trawler and only see his childhood in a series of beautifully cut flashbacks. In these big Russ is surprisingly effective as Jor-El, Kevin Costner makes the most of every minute of screen time but Diane Lane (whom I have always liked) seems awkward and hesitant as Martha Kent. But I am being picky and there is so much to love – I love that Morpheus is Perry White, that there was never a Superboy, that his suit is basically Kryptonian underwear and that his ‘S’ is actually a symbol meaning ‘hope’.

I love that his superpowers kicking in is very frightening for him. The young actors portraying him growing up (who glory in the names Dylan Sprayberry and Cooper Timbeline) do a wonderful job in these crucial scenes. I also liked that learning to control his powers becomes the one advantage he has over the bad Kryptonians (commanded by a seething Michael Shannon as General Zod) when they arrive. Great power needs great control. Good message. Don’t wreck your planet by ravishing its resources is not a bad message either. I really love that he is frustrated, sometimes frightened and bloody determined. He has emotions, he has moments of weakness, he has no idea of what he is meant to do with his life but he can’t stop himself from helping people. I even love the final scene of Clark as a little boy. Twee, but I loved it. There are just two things I don’t love: the endless battle and the colonel. The wholesale destruction of Metropolis goes on for several scenes too long. I got the idea. Superbeings can fling one another into buildings and topple them. Ok. Move on. As for the colonel, he is played by Christopher Meloni so all good there … but he can apparently be everywhere and do everything. He commands an arctic base, heads up a strikeforce and flies a bomber. One suggestion Zack Snyder – a few less dollars on CGI and a few more on expanding your cast … But my brother is right – slap down your money and don’t miss this film. 53

Ros’

REVIEWS

The Way, Way Back

Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park. Ros Hull reviews The Way, Way Back. I was a guest of Limelight Cinemas Tuggeranong at a preview of this film, and the manager asked us all to take his mother’s advice – if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything (about the film).

I am making it sound too worthy and not entertaining. It really is a good film, with lots of quirky moments and good laughs – and some of the world’s best comedies do rise out of sad or desperate circumstances.

I have something to say. I loved it.

Two of the three writers of The Descendants (the best drama gorgeous George has ever done) wrote and directed this film: Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. Yes, both are equally credited as both – like the Wachowskis, but not related to one another. They also both act in it – as one super laidback and one highly-strung employee of the water park respectively. They are good, they are talented but they aren’t the best actors in this piece – oh no, there’s more.

A small American film with a small, common story to tell, it has an exquisite balance of humour and drama, joy and awkwardness, coolness and desperation. If I had cringed just a little more I would have sworn it was British! It is so good it is Cannes worthy. It is Sundance worthy. And it is funny. The very first scene sets the pace and the theme of the film perfectly, with Duncan’s mum’s boorish boyfriend (played to perfection by Steve Carell – I hated him) talking down to Duncan as mum (Toni Collette) and his own daughter sleep. They are driving to a coastal town for summer so they can bond and try to become a family. It isn’t going to happen and your heart aches for Duncan from that moment. Apparently it is a scene from real life too, which just makes it sadder. It happened to one of the writers as a teen – but what great karma that a moment like that can be the inspiration for what is an uplifting film. Not a chest-thumping ‘I’m a winner’ conclusion, more a satisfying ‘I can get through this’ indie vibe. The town where it was filmed (somewhere in Massachusetts – I think) could have come from a shabbily golden time like the 1970s, particularly given Steve Carell’s Yank tank station wagon and the dated water park, but the problems the main characters work through are timeless. Divorce, disappointment, raising children, fitting in, not fitting in – and how it just takes one or two people to be on your side for you to see a light at the end of the tunnel. 54

The young actors are all great. Liam James as Duncan carries the film effortlessly and Anna Sophia Robb is as good as she was in Bridge to Terabithia (and yeah, ok, she is in The Carrie Diaries – yawn). But there is still more. Toni Collette gives mum Pam just the right mix of desperation, hope and doubt and, as always, she adds grace to the whole film. Amanda Peet and Rob Corddry are tacky fun and Maya Rudolph is perfect as the only actual adult at the water park BUT wait, there’s more. I’ve already mentioned how good Steve Carell is in his part but Allison Janney also steals every scene she is in as a disappointed, drunk divorcee – she is loud, she is sloppy and she is fabulous in her role. Still, I’ve saved the best for last. Sam Rockwell. Possibly the most underrated actor in America. His Owen, the owner (or perhaps manager) of the water park, who befriends friendless Duncan is an essay in tiny gestures, voice inflections and small facial movements that convey exactly what he is thinking and what he wants to do. He is fantastic. And he dances. It really is worth seeing.

Win a

GIRLS NIGHT

at Festival of the Hunk!

Eight movies, four hunks, and a chance to get together with your friends, mums and sisters to celebrate and swoon over Hollywood’s finest male specimens. That’s what Limelight Cinemas in Tuggeranong are promising with their Festival of the Hunk, launching Wednesday 4 September and continuing through until December! From now until the end of the year, Limelight will be celebrating one hunk a month, screening a brand new flick and a classic favourite every couple of weeks. Tasha-Lee Lyons, Limelight’s Marketing and Events Co-ordinator, says the the Festival came about because of their desire to do something different, and create a strand of movies which would appeal to all women young and old “Women love a girls’ night, out so we want to ensure each Festival of the Hunk screening is an event where women can have a good time and enjoy a night out. Everything at these special nights will be specially targeted towards women, including goodie bags and special choc-top and beverage combos!”

The Line Up Kicking things off is Channing Tatum, with the alsobloke-friendly White House Down hitting the cinema for a gala preview event on Wednesday 4 September, followed by…ahem…Magic Mike on Wednesday 18 September. Maybe keep that one ladies only. Perennial favourite, George Clooney, is next up, with his brand new sci-fi thriller, Gravity, also starring Sandra Bullock, screening on Wednesday 2 October. Two weeks later, on Wednesday 16 October, it’s the award-winning comedy-drama, The Descendants.

Heading up the third month is a man who has been a fixture on the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ lists for 20 years, Brad Pitt. This time, the cult classic, Fight Club, will whet your appetite on Wednesday 30 October, followed by the Ridley Scott blockbuster, The Counselor on Wednesday 6 November. Rounding out the year is Leonardo DiCaprio. The festival spans his career, starting with the film that arguably launched him as a leading man, Titanic on Wednesday 27 November, and closing with the biographical black comedy film from Academy Award winning director, Martin Scorsese , The Wolf of Wall Street on Wednesday 6 December.

Win Tickets to Festival Of The Hunk! We’re having a bit of a girls’ night out! Limelight Cinemas have got 15 double passes to give away for opening night (Channing Tatum! 4 September!) and five additional double passes that can be used at any time throughout the Festival. Want to join the fun? Leave a comment on the website by 5pm next Wednesday 28 August letting us know your favourite hunk and why you love them…

THE ESSENTIALS What: Festival of the Hunk When: From 4 September to 6 December 2013. Where: Limelight Cinemas, Level 1, Tuggeranong Hyperdome, Anketell Street, Greenway ACT. Phone: 6293 6100 57

Behind the scenes of

TEASE

Recently, Amanda Whitley walked in the door of Axis Hairdressing after a 10 year absence. And promptly walked out again. And then walked back in, this time her every move recorded by two cameras. A film crew isn’t something you usually see in a Canberra salon…but this wasn’t an ordinary day; it was the first day of filming for Episode 4 of Axis’ reality YouTube series, TEASE. It’s a light hearted look at what goes on in the salon and shines a positive light on Canberra, its people, and the hairdressing industry.. We go behind the scenes. We gave you a little taste of TEASE last month, but I was keen to learn more about the series’ concept. When I suggested a ‘behind the scenes’ peek at production, Adam Ciaccia (Axis’ specialist haircutter) couldn’t have been more enthusiastic, saying “hell you can have a cameo!”

colour to bring out my eyes, and some layers around the front to frame my face); and the ‘reveal’. The process of colouring and cutting was also captured in small snippets, the camera flitting between both Cassie and I, following us from the chair to the basin and back.

A bit of a backstory (doesn’t every good reality show character have one?) Adam used to cut my hair for a couple of years in the early 2000s. He took me from a mousey brown bob to a platinum crop, which I loved, and I probably would have kept that style had he not become too ridiculously popular and unable to be booked in for the once-every-fourweek-cut-and-colour demands of my high maintenance ‘do’. After that, I became something of a hairdresser nomad.

As Adam cut, we chatted about how TEASE came about. Like most great creative concepts, it began with the spark of an idea, a chat amongst friends, and enthusiastic collaborators. One day, he was chatting with his mate, Jamie Wilson, founder of Coordinate, and said ‘someone should make a reality tv show about hairdressing’. A couple of months later, Jamie rang, and said ‘c’mon, let’s do this!’

So it was something of a reunion. And when Adam says “I never forget anyone,” he’s not kidding. He remembered the style and even the chair where he used to cut it. Oh, and he said I hadn’t changed a bit, which gets him bonus points. So, what actually goes on in filming a TEASE episode? It’s a surprisingly minimalist and unintrusive operation. The TEASE crew consists of two camera operators, one armed with a small mini DV cam and the other, a digital SLR, and that’s pretty much it. It’s all very natural and unscripted, which makes the slick finished product even more impressive. On the day of my moment of fame, there were two of us in the salon – Cassie Gillis from PLAY – The Dance Agency, and me. Other footage would be shot the following day on Axis’ weekly training day, where hair models descend on the salon to have their tresses chopped and coloured and styled. There were two main ‘on camera’ pieces: the consultation, where Adam and I talked about my hair and what he proposed to do (a darker semi-permanent

TEASE is obviously a significant investment for the Ciaccias in time and money. Yes, it’s smart marketing, but it really does reflect the passion they have for showing people that Canberra is more than just politicians – that it’s a lively city with a creative soul. It’s great to see a local business taking a chance and doing something different, and it appears that TEASE is gaining quite the audience. Episode 1 has clocked up over 10 500 views, Episode 2 almost 16 500, and the just-released Episode 3 already boasts nearly 1 500 views. And with the Ciaccias’ new salon due to open on Braddon’s buzzing Lonsdale Street in September, there are some even bigger things in store. But, like all good reality tv shows, you’ll have to wait to find out…

THE ESSENTIALS What

TEASE

When:

Episode 4 is out now!

Web: www.axishair.com.au/tease.php 59

CANBE

Last year, we introduced the “My Canberra” series, prom we don’t play ‘tourist’ enough in our own hometowns. W don’t explore too far afield…we don’t uncover all this c boutiques, the fabulous coffee shops and providores, the So, ”My Canberra” is a chance for Canberra women to their favourite things to do. It’s about encouraging us all

This week, we introduce you to the merrymaker s healthy by following a primal and paleo and clean lifestyl observations and have never felt better, inside and out. A

FAVOURITE EATS We work in Tuggeranong and we can’t go past Little Instanbul on Anketell Street for a quick, fresh delicious lunch. The mixed seafood salad is our go-to. The staff are friendly and the food always pleases. Maple & Clove (above) in the Hotel Realm precinct was a little miracle for us when it opened. Lots of paleo-friendly meals with fresh organic ingredients. The smoothies are tasty, the big breakfast is satisfying and there are still so many items still to try!

GET ACTIVE! We love the lake run/walk! Lake Burley Griffin is so beautiful and a great way to see the major sites of Canberra. There are also so many great spots for bushwalking and hiking.We have ticked off Mount Ainslie and Mount Taylor, we still want to hike Namadgi National Park and all other surrounding mountains.

ERRA

mpted by the HerCan Team’s observation that all too often, We get caught up in our neighbourhood favourites that we city has to offer. The little e great little secret gems that too few people know about. share their favourite places to eat, drink and shop, and to try new things and to see our town through fresh eyes.

sisters - two Canberra sisters who love to live fit and le. They share their stories, healthy recipes, ideas and And they LOVE Canberra. Here’s why:...

FITNESS ESSENTIALS Club Lime is our place to get hot and work up a sweat! We also love Bikram Yoga in Kingston for body and mind. Pretty gym clothes? lululemon in the Canberra Centre! This shop makes living in our track pants a lot more acceptable! Our favourite health food shop is Natural Living at the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets - it has an amazing range of coconut products, seeds, nuts and more to make eating healthy easy.

MORE MERRYMAKING! You can savour the merrymaker sisters’ recipes each weekend on HerCanberra. To get even more of their inspiring recipes and ideas, visit their website at www.themerrymakersisters.com/

Ingrid Jonach

ELSEW

individual, uniqu sometimes, d

If you’ve wandered around Lonsdale Street Tra should), you may have come across a small sp called Elseware and it’s unlike anything else yo

If you’ve wandered around Lonsdale Street Traders in Braddon (if you haven’t, you really should), you may have come across a small space filled with curious vintage objects. It’s called Elseware and it’s unlike anything else you’ll find in Canberra. Elseware stocks homewares and taxidermy, as well as vintage and industrial curios. On any one day you can walk in and see a stuffed impala head from Africa sitting next to a 1940’s meat slicer from the old JB Young store in Kingston (where Me and Mrs Jones is now). Old street signs rest on reupholstered chesterfields, and farming equipment sits happily next to architectural remnants. Their products are individual, unique and, sometimes, downright weird. Founded in 2010, Elseware started as an online shop, selling vintage and industrial remnants. When an opportunity arose to open up a real bricks-andmortar store in Braddon’s Lonsdale Street Traders complex, the team jumped at the chance. Owner, Lorenzo D’Ambrosio says his passion for vintage curiosities and industrial remnants is hereditary. “My parents are both avid collectors and scavengers and have a great appreciation for old things. My dad emigrated from Italy, and on his arrival here he was shocked that Australia had so few historical objects around (obviously they’re everywhere in Europe). 62

“My mum is local (from Cooma) and together they used to travel all around the Canberra region, going to clearing and estate sales picking up pieces of the past. I used to love tagging along, watching how they bid on things. I remember finding it amazing that we’d turn up with nothing and end up leaving with a truck load of treasures.’ Some of Lorenzo’s favourite pieces include the American Pronghorn from Wyoming; a pair of plaster church angels from a demolished church in Newcastle; the huge Sacred Heart of Jesus currently in the shop (found in Forbes); and the plaster bust (is she a dramatic opera singer, or a busty Countessa?) gracing the shop’s front window. The popularity of vintage has boomed in recent years, and it’s a trend that isn’t confined to clothing, with people discovering the beauty of objects from previous eras, and how they can add something special to their living environment. Lorenzo explains the fascination: “I think in today’s throw-away culture, owning something that has been around and stood the test of time is comforting. “Vintage pieces add a sense of history and can settle an interior. The juxtaposition of new and old is the best, though in my opinion, modern homes always benefit from history and history benefits from having

WARE

ue and, downright weird.

aders in Braddon (if you haven’t, you really pace filled with curious vintage objects. It’s ou’ll find in Canberra...

a new positive context in the current environment.” “The key to using vintage pieces in modern homes is moderation and balance. You don’t want your house to look like an op-shop, nor do you want you vintage pieces to look like an island of old surround by an ocean of modern. “Start with an empty room or space and add pieces of different eras until you feel the balance is right. Don’t be afraid to change it up either. Living is made up of constant change so there’s no reason why your interior shouldn’t be the same.” So, where does Elseware find these objects and curiosities? Lorenzo says the answer is “everywhere, and anywhere, and all over the place.” “We do a lot of regional scouting and property clearing, visiting estates and rambunctious clearing sales. We hit up Melbourne more than Sydney, and Adelaide more than Perth; however; we’re always open to discovering new cities and towns and villages. It’s generally the places you least expect to find treasures where the best treasures are.” Elseware also has friends worldwide who they rely upon to pick out the best objects in other places – from Melbourne to Malmö, they have merchants on the hunt.

But it’s not all about the old. Elseware is also on the lookout for newer products which complement their vintage finds, like the new Falcon Enamelware they ship from the UK – it’s not vintage but it speaks of a time when household items were made to last and not be replaced within the year. And there are some exciting innovations involving local talent underway. “We’re working on a range of softwares, cushions and tea-towels, pillows and throws, which will have an Elseware spin on them. We’re collaborating with local artists and printmakers and they should hit the store in September. We’re pretty excited about these!” says Lorenzo. Caught the vintage bug? Why not get out there and find your own preloved pieces. Lorenzo says that research and time are key. “The more of both will ensure you don’t get taken for a ride and, in some happy circumstances, you might score the bargain of the century. Also, don’t worry about the cost. If something was only $2 but fits perfectly into your decor and makes you happy, then it’s priceless. Things don’t need to be expensive to be perfect!’ Turn the page for Lorenzo’s five favourite pieces! 63

Lorenzo’s five

FAVES

PALM POTTING POTS

“These little pots were used to grow palms in the French Mediterranean city of Toulon. We managed to get 200 of them and they are so cute. Perfect for a votive candle or your own little nursery, probably not for palms though given the climate in Canberra.” $10 each, less for multiples.

2 IL BAMBINO DI PRAGA “I love this plaster statue of the Infant of Prague. I got him from a market stall in Rome, from an old black-clad Nonna who, if I understood correctly, either got him as a wedding gift or was suggesting he was perfect for a wedding gift.

THE ESSENTIALS Where: 6/27 Lonsdale Street, Braddon When: Open 10am to 4pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Phone: 0404 062 336 Web: www.elseware.com.au

Ok, ok I couldn’t understand everything but I smiled and nodded a lot! Apparently this type of statue is usually given as a wedding gift or to expectant mothers, or even sometimes buried in the garden to ensure good weather, although I wouldn’t recommend doing the last one.” He’s $120.

HENRY WINDSOR “I got this guy in Brisbane. He’d been sitting in storage for 20 years and was sorely in need of some TLC. Once he got back to Canberra, we stripped the cushions of the original leather, which was torn up and ragged. We then covered the new cushions with an upholstery grade woven fabric in a soft warm greyscale. As an added touch we salvaged some of the original seating leather and used that to remake new buttons for all three cushions. Lovely.” Was $1800, now on sale for $1650. 65

FRENCH FLAGS

“Alright, another French find from the Marché aux Puce St-Ouen de Clignancourt (flea market) in Paris. Beautiful alone, or as a pair, these two are original, old and fragile. I can imagine some peasants from Les Misérables waving these as they sing La Marseillaise. They were also a pain in the neck to get back to Australia! Can you imagine the look the airline attendant gave me when I asked her to stow them?” $200 each or both for $350.

5 FALCON ENAMELWARE “Ok I love this stuff. If you love enamel but don’t like using ‘vintage’ cookware this is perfect for you. We’ve got baking sets, pie sets and prep sets available. Made in the UK, it can be used on the stove top or in the oven, and Enamelware is solid stuff. Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel, it is durable, smooth, and chemically-resistant. Dishwasher and oven safe up to 270 degrees, it can be used on gas and electric hobs and won’t burn. If you drop it, it might chip but that only adds to its character in our opinion.” 5 piece Pie Set $110; 5 piece Bake Set $110; 6 piece Prep Set $120.

A guide to

ART GAL

One of our favourite things about Canberra is the dynam each week, the scene is active and offers work to interest familiar with the big public institutions – but what about t Charlene Ogilvie-Smith shares whatss out there to fill an

BEAVER GALLERIES Just up the road from the Mint in Deakin, this lovely art space (below) has been operating since 1975 and considers itself the “the largest privately-owned gallery in Canberra”. Beaver offers Canberrans a chance to see works by some of Australia’s best and most well recognised contemporary artists. A number of the gallery’s regular exhibitors are locally based. Owned and run by Martin and Susie Beaver, it also boasts a gallery shop with a range of objects d’art, and an inhouse licensed café, The Palette, which serves morning and afternoon tea as well as lunch.

CHAPMAN GALLERY If you are in the market for ethically sourced, beautiful Aboriginal art, Chapman Gallery, at 1/11 Murray Crescent in Manuka is the place for you.

SOLANDER GALLERY Established in 1974, this is the gallery where you will see the who’s who of Australian art – the big names like Olley, Boyd, Sibley, Shead, Brack. Joy Warren is an absolute institution in the Canberra art scene, and word on the street is that Solander’s days are numbered, so get yourself there soon. Find it at 10 Sclich St, Yarralumla. 10am-5pm Friday – Sunday. 68

The Gallery was established in the suburb of Chapman in 1976 by Judith Behan, and has been operating in its current venue under the Direction of Kristian Pithie since 2007. Chapman Gallery began specialising in Australian Indigenous art in 1983, and was one of the first Australian galleries to ethically represent Aboriginal artists by selling art sourced from community based art centres. The exhibition calendar also features shows from well known non-Indigenous artists, and the overflowing stockroom offers some remarkable works

LLERIES

mic art scene. With at least one or two shows opening t the whole realm of visitors. Most people would be the smaller spaces? The locally run little gems? empty Saturday afternoon in a slightly different way.

in the ACT PAINTBOX FINE ART Paintbox fineart opened at 32 Lonsdale Street in Braddon in 2005, headed up by Directors Steve and Anne Watson.

The Paintbox stable boasts finalists of prestigious art prizes such as the Archibald, Moran, Portia Geach and National Portrait prizes, the Alice Bale, Dobell and Fleurieu Biennale. The price-tags and content of the works at Paintbox is targeted at the corporate market, although some smaller works, or pieces from lesser known artists, go at rates more accessible to the private collector.

EVERYTHING NOTHING PROJECTS If abstract art is your thing, you must visit the new kid on the block, everything nothing projects (ENP). ENP relocated from the former Center Cinema building to Lonsdale Street Traders earlier this year, and focuses on geometric abstract art including minimalism, op, pop, conceptual art, text based art and monochrome painting. Director David Sequeira is himself an accomplished artist in this genre, and the works in this small space are consistently interesting, often challenging, and definitely worth a look.

M16 ARTSPACE M16 (seen above)is an artist-run initiative, featuring studios and galleries. Housed in Fyshwick for its first 25 years, M16 relocated to the Blaxland Centre , the old Griffith Library, in 2010. Find it at 21 Blaxland Crescent Griffith 12pm to 5pm Wednesday - Sunday 69

CCAS Home to the emerging and experimental artists of the region, this is the place to be challenged, intrigued, perplexed and, perhaps, impressed. Their website describes Canberra Contemporary Art Space (Gorman House and Manuka), otherwise known as CCAS as â&#x20AC;&#x153;one of a national network of contemporary arts organisations dedicated to the generation, presentation and promotion of innovative contemporary visual arts practice in Australiaâ&#x20AC;?.

Flash Interiors

PHOTOACCESS Located at the Manuka Arts Centre, photoaccess is an ‘incorporated community organisation’ that offers courses and exhibition opportunities to local photographers from beginners to professionals. The Huw Davies Gallery is the only community gallery space in the ACT dedicated to the photo based arts. photoaccess members are given multiple opportunities to show their work at group shows each year.

STRATHNAIRN This hidden gem is located in a converted 1920s homestead on the north-western outskirts of Canberra.

ANCA Like M16, Australian National Capital Artists is a combined studio and gallery facility, located in Rosevear Place Dickson. ANCA Gallery has operated since 1992 with the support of Australian National Capital Artists Inc. and the ACT Government.

The space has been housing arts activities since the 1970s, with the Strathnairn Arts Association taking charge in the early 1990s. If you’ve never taken the drive out past the Magpies Golf Club on Stockdill Drive, Holt, it is definitely worth your time. Opening hours are very limited, but if you can make it you will be delighted to find a little space out of time just outside the city.

THE ESSENTIALS Beaver Galleries: www.beavergalleries.com.au Chapman Gallery: www.chapmangallery.com.au Solander Gallery: www.solander.com.au Paintbox Fine Art: www.paintboxfineart.com

MEGALO Offering a range of fantastic courses in printmaking, as well as an active exhibition program and artist studios, Megalo Print Studio and Gallery (above) is a truly special feature of the Canberra art scene. The organisation has recently relocated to 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston from its former home in Watson. A great place to learn the basics of screen print, woodcut, etching and more.

ENP: www.everythingnothingprojects.com CCAS: www.ccas.com.au ANCA: www.anca.net.au M16 Artspace: www.m16artspace.com.au Megalo: www.megalo.org Photoaccess: www.photoaccess.org.au Strathnairn Gallery: www.strathnairn.com.au 71

TURNER and seeing the light The name Turner was one Heather Wallace had always associated with prim watercolours, depicting a bucolic paradise in 19th century Britain. In reality, Turner was witness to, documenter of, and commentator on, decades of extraordinary events that included natural disasters, political upheavals and social change. If he was alive today, he would no doubt be an influential voice in social media, with images framed as much by his ideals as the light he captured.. Heather tells what you can expect at Turner from The Tate: the Making Of A Master. In his lifetime, Turner produced 550 oil paintings, 2000 watercolours and more than 30,000 paper works. The majority are held at London’s famous Tate Gallery, but until 8 September, a selected number are on show at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) in the exhibition Turner from the Tate: The Making Of A Master. It’s fair to say the exhibition overturned all the vague impressions I’d had about Turner’s work. The NGA deserves praise for how it is curated, showing how Turner tackled subjects over years and decades and how his style set the scene for Impressionism decades after his death in 1851. The common element is Turner’s use of light and colour, bringing extraordinary depth to each subject. His evolving style was most obvious for me in the collection of maritime paintings. A piece from the early 1800s, showing a British victory over a Dutch fleet, is controlled and precise. Details like the aloft Union Jack and the structure of the ships are clearly defined to convey a message about Britain’s mastery of the waves. As a piece of propaganda it shows the strength and confidence of a nation in a time of war. In contrast, a piece 30 years later is Turner’s interpretation of the sinking of a convict ship bound for Australia’s shores: 133 female convicts drowned when the Amphitrite was ripped apart and her captain refused French assistance to rescue the women, claiming his orders were to set them down only in New South Wales. Only three of the women survived. The incident caused outrage and Turner’s depiction mirrors that anger. The canvas is a violent maelstrom, colours swirl together showing the violence of the storm. It is a world of chaos, the only glimpse of the ship is its listing mast. Unlike the earlier work where controlled composition is a statement of power, here the colours crashing together capture the tragedy. 72

Moving through the exhibition also means taking a tour of 19th century Europe. Rome, Venice and the Alps all feature, so if you’re feeling the travel big bite, this is a good way to see the world through the eyes of a kindred spirit. You also have a hint of what Turner would have made of Australia’s scenery in the beautifully set out Family Activity Room. This is a space purposedesigned to give parents and children the chance to experience Turner in a unique way. Full of goodies ranging from iPads, crayons and aqua brushes, the room conveys the sense of light and space in Turner’s work. A wooden rowboat full of seaside treasures invites young sailors to climb aboard and find their own artistic inspiration, while coloured LED lights illuminate their adventures. A panorama is projected against one entire wall, with central images from the collection framed by video recordings of Canberra and the southcoast that bear uncanny similarities to Turner’s own landscapes. And finally, budding artists can help build up a colourful mural by adding transparent vinyl shapes to clear perspex panels mounted over a painted seascape, all the while exploring how the translucent shapes change colour over different base pigments. Whether your interest is in art, history, travel, social commentary or adventure there is something for all ages to enjoy, and to be struck by Turner’s light. Turner from The Tate: the Making Of A Master runs until 15 September, and is supported by a full calendar of events ranging from masterclasses, film screenings (including Pride and Prejudice and Master and Commander), high tea and talks. The Family Activity Room is open from 10 am – 5 pm Mon-Sun including public holidays.

A taste of

LATORTA

A joint birthday for her girls was a good excuse for Amanda Whitley to check out Canberra’s cake decorating mecca, Latorta. A veritable treasure trove for ‘serial cakers’, it didn’t disappoint. Growing up, a cake from the Australian Women’s Weekly Birthday Cake Cookbook was something of a tradition in our family. There was a real sense of anticipation in the weeks (perhaps months) leading up to each birthday, as my sister and I would pore through its pages and present our desired cake for that year to our mum – it was something really special. So, when I became a mum, I made a deal with myself that I would do the same – each year, I would make my girls a birthday cake of their choice from scratch. And it’s become something that I enjoy just as much as my daughters. We’ve had ladybirds, Barbie princesses, number cakes, whatever was the ‘flavour of the month’, so to speak. But this year, well, it was all about the spots. Stuffing around on Facebook one day (as you do) I saw this amazing Spotty Dotty cake…it looked pretty enough from the outside, but cut it open and the plain cake was filled with colourful dots (cake pops of various bright shades.) One look and I was hooked. In previous years, I’ve trekked all over town for cake supplies – from Gold Creek to Queanbeyan – but this year, I was headed for Latorta – the mecca for passionate Canberra cake decorators. This was the excuse I had been looking for, to wander the aisles, filling my basket with things I absolutely ‘needed’ to have. And so, armed with my Spotty Dotty tutorial, I headed to Majura Park and entered cake decorator heaven. A bit about Latorta: its products can be broken down into three categories – the basics (cake boards, fondant, icing colours); kids birthday (novelty cake pans, branded cake toppers); and specialty items for semi-professional decorators. As an amateur enthusiast, it had more supplies than I’ve ever even thought of… My haul included: a silicone cake pop mould; seven 74

coloured food gels; a round cake tin (smaller and deeper than the others in my baking cupboard and with an AWESOME push out design…seriously, I am in love with this thing – just push up the silicon-sealed base and your cake pops out!), a cake board, a white chocolate mud cake mix, and spotty birthday candles. I’m going back for a cake carrier… as soon as I figure out where I’m going to keep it at home. Storage issues. Being the curious type, I was keen to find out the story behind Latorta…so I tracked down owner, Michael Fraser, to ask him some questions. Michael isn’t someone you’d typically think of being behind a cake decorating supply store – he’s young and he’s male, for starters. But he’s a smart entrepreneur – his family has been involved in kitchenware retail for years and he noticed the popularity of cake decorating was building in the region. “People were hungry for specialised products but had to travel around town and pick up little bits and pieces from different stores. I felt that a one stop shop, linked by a community of decorators, would genuinely help people while inspiring them to give cake decorating a try,” he said. “In my research, I found people were genuinely confused and frustrated by the fact that they had an idea for a cake but were unsure where to start. I also noticed that semi-professional decorators or hobbyists often had to travel far and wide to get their supplies. It was time for Canberra to finally get its own cake decorating store!” I asked Michael about his typical customer base. There are people like me, who are keen to make a celebration cake; and then there are those who have a real talent for cake decorating, and regularly turn out amazing works of edible art. Michael calls these people ‘serial cakers’ – people for whom cake decorating has become a passion.

“As word spreads about their hidden talent, more and more friends, family and work colleagues are asking them to make them a cake for an event- which often means they are making multiple cakes a week! They might even transition into starting their own businesses selling their cakes,” says Michael.

Thursday and Saturday in their in-store kitchen, and they show people how to do things that they may find difficult, or provide inspiration.

“Like any great hobby, it gives people something to work on, strive for and perfect. Becoming great at something like cake decorating provides a sense of achievement and identity.”

If you’re keen to take your interest further, you can enrol in one of Latorta’s full day courses – because you walk away with a cake you have decorated on the day, it’s a great idea to time your course to coincide with an event or birthday. Over the next couple of months, you can decorate a round cake with bow (using ganache and fondant), or learn how to airbrush!

Having followed Latorta’s Facebook page since the store opened, I’ve seen some amazing photos of customers’ creations and their instore demonstrations and courses. Demonstrations are held every 76

This month, you can learn how to make a lolly cake; create ‘people moulds’ and gumpaste animal figurines, or focus on gluten free baking.

But back to me. My Spotty Dotty Cake didn’t require

fondant or ganache or airbrushing, but it did have cake pops inside the mixture, making the construction a wee bit more technical than my usual projects. I’m pleased to say that it worked an absolute treat (although next time I’ll do it in two layers – I’ve never been very good at reading recipes) and the crowd of five and seven year-olds were very, very impressed. I’ve never really been a fan of cake mixes, but I spotted Latorta’s White Chocolate Mud Cake mix (1kg!) and it was amaaaaazing. Moist and moreish and just yum. The cake pop moulds delivered; the gel colours were amazingly bright; I’ve already raved about my new cake tin, and the ‘Birthday’ candles were the perfect spotty topping. The only downside? It’s 12 months

until my next birthday cake adventure…but I’m sure I can find another excuse to visit Latorta before then. After all, who doesn’t love cake?

THE ESSENTIALS Where: 17 / 18 Spitfire Avenue, Majura Park Shopping Centre When: Mon – Thu: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm | Fri: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm | Sat: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm | Sun: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Phone: 02 6257 1248 Web: www.latorta.com.au 77

27 healthy

SNACKS under 200 calories

Your snacking habits have the power to either make or break your weight loss or healthy eating success. Nutritionist, Kate Freeman, generally doesn’t recommend snacking because it’s often associated with bad food habits such as skipping meals and choosing packaged and convenience foods that are high in salt, fat and sugar and low in nutrition. Snacking in itself isn’t all bad, so as long as you’re eating properly throughout the day and are organised enough to ensure healthy snacks are on hand. Kate shares some healthy snack ideas that are under 200 calories each:. 1. 1 banana 2. 20g nuts & 50g dried fruit 3. 1 carrot & 2 tbsp hummus 4. 1 apple with 30g sliced low fat cheese 5. 2 celery sticks & 1 tbsp peanut butter 6. 150-200g yoghurt 7. 2 oranges, 1 carrot & 1 cup baby spinach in a blender. Blend well. Drink pulp and all. 8. 1 regular skim cappuccino 9. 1 small (90g) tin of tuna and 2 vita wheat crackers 10. 1 carrot & walnut muffin 11. 1 punnet blueberries & 4 squares of extra dark chocolate 12. 1 quinoa and linseed ball 13. 2-3 mandarins 14. 75g ricotta cheese and 5-6 strawberries 15. 1 cup sugar snap peas 16. 10 multi-grain rice crackers with 2 tbsp hummus 17. 1 small wholegrain muesli bar 18. 1 boiled egg 19. 1 tbsp peanut or nut butter on 1 slice grainy bread or toast 20. Fruit & vegetable tasting plate 21. Small tin of corn kernels, drained and rinsed 22. Small tin baked beans in tomato sauce 23. Fruit salad (1 cup of melons, berries, cut fruit etc) 24. 20g nuts & 4 squares of extra dark chocolate 25. 1 cup skim milk 26. 1 serve sweet potato soup 27. 1 pear & 30g goats cheese 79

CLEAN

Makeup removal…it’s an important subject! We can slath you get it off? Here are Beauty Editor, Lesley Johnston’s, fi

EVE LOM C

SHU UEMURA CLEANSING OILS The reasons why you should consider using an oil to remove your makeup and cleanse your face is all scientific…if you use a soap or a detergent it will strip away all the oils, including the natural skin oils that protect your face; whereas oil will break down oil. The oil cleanser easily picks up and breaks down your makeup, and when you wash it off you’re left with soft beautiful skin that is perfectly clean, and there won’t be any redness or rushing to apply your moisturiser afterwards.

PURITY BY PHILOSOPHY

If I could use only one face cleanser for the rest of my life, it would be Purity. It works in a similar way to the cleansing oils in that it breaks down your makeup while not overstripping the skin, but it has more of a face wash feel to it. It also claims to tone and hydrate at the same time as cleansing, so you only need this one product – and one bottle will last you forever! 80

Eve Lom is the world’s most sought after facialist; following for her products. It took Eve years to perfe with no preservatives, colourants or fragrances so it

The secret here is to use the muslin cloth to remov you’re getting perfectly clean while getting rid of any be left dry and tortured. It deserves all the accolade the most luxurious and most effective cleanser, this

NSE IT

her it all on in about a million different ways but how do five favourite face cleansing makeup removing products.

CLEANSER

; she has a six month waiting list and a huge cult fect this cleanser, and it is all completely natural ts great for sensitive skins.

ve the product; this also acts as a mild exfoliant, so y dull dead skin, and it’s hydrating so you will never es and titles it has received, so if you’re looking for is it!

NEUTROGENA I bought the Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser as an emergency because I had gone away for the weekend and forgotten my usual products, so I popped into a supermarket and chose this cleanser because it was cheap and it said it removed makeup... and its really good! It is foaming, so if you have extremely dry skin this probably isn’t for you, but the foam is gentle and you do get a very clean feel. Definitely removes all makeup, so if you’re after a cheaper alternative this is one to consider!

DR MURAD’S

Dr Murad’s Energizing Pomegranate Cleanser pumps out as a foam, which is a fun new way to use cleansers. The pomegranate is supposed to give your skin a healthy glow and it also contains witch hazel to help break down excess oil. I liked using it – it has a pleasant smell and the foam is a bit of fun. If you have an oilier skin type then this would be a great cleanser for you! 81

BALAYAGE The number 1 requested colour all over the world is the “Ombre” or “Balayage”. This is a hair colouring technique that creates colour blending throughout the hair! Why we love it? Well its easy to apply, it’s cost effective and it looks natural and funky at the same time. A word of warning: it can go horribly wrong… Please make sure you cover all aspects with your stylist about levels of lightness throughout the hair and desired tone or reflect. For example, if you want a cool/ash blonde or warm/honey blonde. We can sometimes forget to confirm desired tones and there are a lot of “orange” ends getting around! 82

the hair

YOU NEED

right now

We may been in our last official month of winter, but us seasoned Canberrans know we’re in for a fair few cooler days before we can truly welcome the warmth of Spring. If you’re a bit over the cold and the proliferation of blacks and greys and neutrals in the winter wardrobe..why not give your look a new lease on life, than with a new ‘do’! We asked Emma Luscombe of Antique Salon what hair cuts, styles and colours are the must-haves for winter. Here’s what she had to say! This season, we are seeing quite a few styles that are adaptable to women of all ages and stages: textured fringes, Gatsby inspired bobs and waves, the reign of the ombre, and blunt and bold cut and colours.

The Blunt Bob

The Kate Moss Fringe

The cut that we love in cooler seasons is the long blunt bob. Cutting the hair with more weight on the ends and through the layer, and using scissors with a serrated edge to create more body and bounce through the hair. And remember, just because you are not “layering or texturing” your hair, it does not mean you can’t create beautiful body - some blunt bobs have the most body and movement in them - more than a layered cut! Choppy, loads of texture - can be worn front on, split with a middle part, or to the side. A great way to add a little bit of funk and freedom for medium to long locks.

Match this with a gloss block colour : chocolate, honey-tones or beige golden blondes, and you can create a beautiful, strong feminine look that goes with any outfit (including scarves on cold mornings!) 83

The Great Gatsby

TOP TIPS FOR WINTER HAIR We are all a little Gatsby crazy at the moment and are seeing lots of beautiful short and sharp bobs being cut back in, as well of lots of waves, finger curls and curves being placed in hair when styling. The style is fantastic for a powerful feminine look which can also be adapted by the adding of scarfs, jewelled accessories or headbands.

GET THE LOOK! Antique Salon are currently having a 1/2 price cut and colour sale. Available for new bookings only, Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Katie, Orla or Claire. Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be used with any other offer, and is valid to the end of August. Email bookings@antiquesalon.com.au to book a time.

1. Shine on Add a semi/glossing treatment in on your regular service at the salon - it will add shine and make the hair glow throughout the duller months. 2. Be Direct Use the nozzle on your blowdryer it directs the heat flow and stops frizz. You will get a smoother, longer lasting blowdry! 3. Safety First! Remember to turn off your heat appliances - in winter, there are more house fires some due to straighteners left on. 4. Use Protection In the cooler months we tend to use the blowdryer more. Make sure you use a leave in treatment- not only to protect your hair from heat, but also lock in your colour and add protein and strength into the hair.. 5. Tame the frizz Fog, mist and rain = frizzy, fuzzy locks. Make sure you use a smoothing product or frizz serum to tame the hair. Smooth Infusion Style Prep by Aveda is amazing - 12hours of built in humidity defence, heat protection and smoothing control.

MIRACLEgirl If Amanda Whitley had to name one defining incident that changed her life (and indirectly led to HerCanberra being created) it would be the premature birth of heryoungest daughter. Long time readers may already know Sophia’s story… others may be hearing it for the first time. Amanda first wrote many of these words back in 2009, during a particularly difficult time…but she got her happy ending.

A little over five years ago, I was in Canberra Hospital. I was 30 weeks pregnant with my second daughter and things weren’t going so well. Six weeks before, feeling a little peaky, I had walked out my office door – and I never went back. Within 24 hours, I was admitted on bedrest and that’s where I stayed until 31 July, 2008 when Sophia Rose was born at 30 weeks. For nearly six weeks, I had fairly calmly dealt with events. I coped with the utter isolation of living in a 3m x 3m hospital room with really only the midwives and Dr Phil for company (and a wonderful next-door roomie called Katrina). I had managed the heartbreak of being away from my husband and daughter (who turned two while I was in hospital). I honestly thought I’d endured the worst. But nothing could have prepared me for the fear I felt when they lifted my little girl from my belly…and I saw just how tiny she was. I glimpsed all 1.43kg of her – briefly – before she was whisked away to the The Centre for Newborn Care (NICU). She was surrounded by a tangle of wires; her sweet face obscured by the tube that was breathing for her. And then she was gone…and the rollercoaster journey began.

other parents, I watched her through the plastic windows of her humidicrib and willed her better. After days of feeling an almost physical pull to embrace her, they finally placed her on my chest and she nuzzled in – screaming blue murder when they took her away. And my heart knew she recognised her mum. For 71 days, we existed inside the NICU bubble. Our outside life became a logistical nightmare as we struggled to arrange care for Olivia around Drew’s work commitments, breastfeeding and ‘cuddle’ times. We had good and bad days. We watched countless other babies get better and go home, and there were times when I didn’t think we would ever leave. I rarely let myself think the worst, but there were times when I really didn’t know if she’d make it…and there are just no words to describe the gut-wrenching emotion that provokes…I won’t even try. But, eventually, nearly four months after I was first admitted, we did. And it dawned on me that getting her home wasn’t the end of our struggle…but just one hurdle crossed.

I thought I was tough. My husband, Drew, and I had already survived the heartache of miscarriage, infertility, and assisted reproduction. But honestly? Nothing can prepare you for watching your child struggle to stay alive. The loss of control is shocking; the situation surreal…such a stark contrast to the first few sleep-dazed, pyjama clad weeks of getting to know my first daughter.

The first two years were tough. Sophia has chronic lung disease. Sounds worse than it is but, basically, her lungs aren’t much chop and a cold for any other kid could mean pneumonia for her. So, even though we got her home, she needed five medications per day to keep her well. Even today, whenever she gets a cough, we’re on edge. We’ve been lucky that the last 2.5 years have been hospital free (I think I have developed a TCH phobia from far too much time within its four walls).

The hardest thing for me was not being able to hold her for five days. She was so little, so fragile, that even stroking would agitate her. So, surrounded by the constant alarms of monitors and the grave faces of

Any parent of a premature baby will tell you that it’s a hard slog. But some have it worse than others. Whenever I would feel sorry for myself, I would remind myself of the mum whose little boy (born at

24 weeks) was still in hospital aged 17 months – he had experienced the total of just one week ‘outside’. His mother would catch the bus every single day from Belconnen to visit him…I was in absolute awe of her strength. I remember her saying to me one day “Samuel was born on a Wednesday, and so every Wednesday I tell myself I am one week closer to having him home.” Then there was the mum who had delivered twins – one who died at birth, and the other who had been diagnosed with a severe genetic disorder right after the birth. “We’re hoping we’ll be able to take him home for at least a few weeks,” she said. “But he’ll never be able to breathe or eat by himself.” Every single day in NICU was a mix of heartbreak and hope. A few weeks ago, my baby girl turns five. There was a time when I never thought we’d see that day, so to see

her happy and healthy and bright and funny and just so full of life is such a happy occasion. Those difficult times seem like a lifetime ago. Recently, I had to submit her birth certificate with her primary school enrolment form and my mind boggled at the “Birth Weight: 1430 grams” field. But we’ll never completely forget. There are things that even time can’t erase – Sophia’s hands still bear faint scars from the lines that once crisscrossed her body. I remember cupping her tiny head in the palm of my hand…the twig-like limbs that jerked and strained against the tangle of wires that were her lifeline. But most of all, I remember her feistiness; her determination to fight… even when she hardly had the energy to breathe. And I think how incredibly lucky we are to have her here. Alive and perfect.

Nyeri Hilary

A WOMAN of spirit

Canberra has some incredible women, a fact acknowledged by the annual Woman of Spirit Awards, presented by Lifeline and Clear Complexions. Last year, Shelley Eldridge attended the event with the intention to interview the winner, but was struck by the fact that there were so many great women in one room. She took on the task to interview as many as she could, believing all their stories were worth sharing.. This is Nyeri Hilary’s... Nyeri Hilary believes spirit is having resilience. She understands resilience more than most: she was in an abusive relationship for ten years, escaping a cult, and went through 12 court cases over five years to fight for the custody of her children. Nyeri is a school teacher, and this is obvious in her gentle and unassuming nature. We order French Toast at a local cafe, and although we’ve only met once before, she treats me like an old friend and the conversation between us flows easily. Nyeri sips a hot drink and tells me about her past, her present and her hopes for the future. In 2007, Nyeri, a mother of three, was sitting in the ‘church’ with a ‘Bible’ on her lap. She believed in God, but struggled with the rules of the cult she was part of. The patriarchal fundamentalist religion she was born into treated the women like second hand citizens. Women were not allowed to wear pants, jewellery, makeup, cut their hair, or speak out against their husbands. She had been a victim of sexual abuse as a teenager, and was suffering at the hands of her husband’s domestic violence and emotional abuse at the time. She remembers clearly sitting in the ‘church’, thinking that the situation was so wrong, and that she could no longer accept it for herself and her children. At that moment, she made the decision to leave her marriage. Nyeri left not only her husband, but her church, lifelong friends and many of her family members. At 35 years of age she was completely alone and fighting to keep her children with her. During the period of three AVO’s (Apprehended Violence Order) and 12 family law court cases, Nyeri 88

was forced to sell her new home to pay for the huge legal debts. She was not just fighting her husband, she was fighting her husband with the support of the cult. They were helping fund his legal costs, and when going to court, ministers, family and friends would come to support him. Nyeri went through seven lawyers, as some wouldn’t take on a case against this big organisation. She tells me, “I remember being alone at court and there being seven people on the other side with my exhusband.” The cult she had managed to extricate herself from tried to defame Nyeri, to paint her as a scarlet women and make ongoing allegations about her mental stability. One of the ministers told her “You don’t know what domestic violence is, there needs to be blood on the ground and you need to be bashed.” This is wrong – abuse can be physical and/or emotional. The National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service for people living in Australia outlines more details into how to define and identify abuse. Nyeri reached a point where she was feeling emotionally burnt out, and booked herself into a holistic health retreat for three weeks. While there, her house was burgled; all her mail and cheque books were stolen. Nyeri had to deal with identity theft and bank accounts being tampered with, she was suffering from complete exhaustion and fell ill. “On my return I suffered chronic migraines and dangerously high fevers. I was involuntarily admitted to an Adult Mental Health Unit. I spent six weeks there until it was proved that I was not psychotic. I had viral-induced delirium.”

During Nyeri’s stay, she was stalked by lesbian inpatients, witnessed a miscarriage, saw Aboriginal girls physically abused, narrowly avoided being raped, and saw drug addicts crash tackled and sedated on a regular basis. “It was a horrific experience, and on top of that my parents tried to secure guardianship of my children, so their father took them out of school and wouldn’t let me see them for over three months. In the end, I had to get a recovery order to return them to my care, as I had residential court orders all along.” Nyeri kept strong during this difficult period of her life by writing, reading, walking, practising yoga and listening to music. She learnt to meditate and exercise regularly to deal with her constant levels of high stress. In 2012, Nyeri’s protracted legal proceedings and trauma were behind her and she yearned for a fresh start. Nyeri and her children moved to a place where she didn’t know a single soul. She bought tropical fish and guinea pigs to welcome the children into their new home. You can see the pride in her eyes as she talks about her children. Nyeri assures me that they are now secure, mature, autonomous and well-adjusted little people. Coping with large amounts of stress is something that Nyeri realised she could share with others. She wanted to equip children to manage pressure with stress neutralising techniques that she had proved to be so effective. She did further courses and studied massage, and now teaches specialist ‘Baby Massage’ classes for parents/carers of young infants in the local community. She is also a qualified instructor for the ‘Massage In School Program’. This promotes cognitive down time for students, teaches hands-on respect, positive relationships and team building. It opens children up to talk in a safe, nurturing environment and calms the classroom down. The program is internationally accredited, and Nyeri is now the NSW Representative for the ‘Massage In School Association’ (MISA) in Australia. She is passionately involved with making a difference to students, and is part of a team working to have it endorsed under the National Australian Curriculum. The Annual Conference for MISA is being held in Canberra today, where Nyeri hopes to develop vital links with those decision making personnel in the Education Department. Now 39, Nyeri describes her experience of joining the ‘real world’ feeling like, “scales falling off your

eyes and the world opening up.” Nyeri was 35 years old when she brought her first piece of jewellery; at the age of 36, she purchased her first pair of brand new denim jeans. At 37, Nyeri painted her nails for the first time, hot pink! She was 38 when she first had a television in her home, but doesn’t understand my astounded reaction. Nyeri has written 12 children’s books and is working with a publisher and illustrator to have her first book published by the end of this year. She shares her excitement about this creative venture and has a personal goal to collaborate with a different illustrator for each one of her books. At the beginning of our interview, Nyeri ran her hands through her short hair, saying “I was worried you wouldn’t recognise me, with my hair.” “I did it for ‘Shave for a Cure’ at the school I work at – four staff members and one kinder student raised just under $5,000,” she said. “At the cult I grew up in and that I was part of from birth, women were not allowed to cut their hair, so having it cut on stage was very freeing. It was such a healing experience…I was crying on stage.” This is how I like to think about Nyeri: she is strong beyond measure, and stood up for herself and her children in very difficult circumstances; but I think of her as a teacher, shaving her head for fundraising and crying, with children looking on and not understanding the story behind her hair or why she is in tears. Nyeri is clearly a Woman of Spirit. If you feel that you or someone you know could be in an abusive relationship please visit or call www.1800respect.org.au/

DO YOU KNOW A WOMAN OF SPIRIT? Each year Lifeline Canberra recognises special women from our region as Women of Spirit. They are women who have overcome adversity and given back to the community in an inspiring manner. The award honours a woman who, in overcoming her personal adversity and making positive change in society, inspires others to make a difference in their local community. Nominations for The Women of Spirit Award 2013 open soon…start thinking about your worthy nominee! 91

Love

THE SKIN you’re in

It’s easy to think that only young woman were affected by ‘body image’ issues. But Amanda Whitley is 40 and has two kids, and she knows that’s not the case. These days, her girlfriends are more likely to be coveting Fraxel laser than wanting to squeeze into a monokini but, as she writes, the wishing we looked different or better doesn’t go away. As women, we are bombarded with popular media images of other women on a daily basis. This generation of teens and young women more than any before it…the internet and social media have meant that our exposure to ‘the perfect body’ is more pervasive than ever. Celebrities these days come from the size 0 cookie cutter; most models are waiflike; even the mannequins in store are impossibly slender. It’s a hard ideal to achieve…in reality, only about 5 to 10% of women are in the height and weight range of models. But you don’t have to be overweight to have Body Image issues. And this is important. Because it’s not how we look that’s it the heart of body image…it’s how we think we look…and it’s an oversimplification of the issue to dismiss body image as only being relevant for girls who want to lose weight. You can be a size 6 and have body image issues. Or a size 16. Maybe you hate your freckles. Or your wrinkles. Because, look at any actress, and they don’t appear to have skin blemishes, and their skin is always taut and flawless. Perhaps, like Nicole Kidman, they have discovered the world’s most effective sunscreen… or perhaps it’s botox or fillers or airbrushing. But, too often, the answer seems to be to trot out plussize models on the runway; or put Jennifer Hawkins un-airbushed on the cover of Marie Claire (I don’t know about you, but knowing Jennifer Hawkins looks that good without touching up didn’t really make me feel a whole lot better about my cellulite). Wouldn’t it be more sensible to just think ‘diversity’ rather than a kneejerk reaction to the usual ‘one-sizefits-all’ perfect image? If the crux of the body image problem is that what we see in popular media makes us feel less positive about our bodies, isn’t it logical that we could solve it by making sure there are images representative of all shapes, sizes and colours?

Unfortunately, the messages the media surrounds us with are confusing and hypocritical…one week, Who magazine jumps on the ‘healthy body image’ bandwagon, plastering their pages with skinny celebs and shrieking ‘Starving To Death!’ The next, it’s full of pics of starlets who’ve dared eat a bowl of pasta for lunch, captioned with ‘piles on the pounds!” or pregnancy rumours. Is it any wonder our collective head is spinning? For women my age, there’s a huge pressure to be ‘yummy mummies’…I mean, did anyone see the pics of Miranda Kerr resplendent in her Herve Leger bandage dress, impossibly flat tummied just four months after giving birth? I was barely working out how to shower before midday when my babies were that age, let along back into my pre-pregnancy clothes by that point… If I saw those images in my hormonal post-baby haze, I would probably have spent the day sobbing into a block of Cadbury. I’ve never made a secret of my tricky history with food – I suffered from bulimia for several years as a university student, which you can read about here. I firmly believe the more we talk about body image, and the more we examine why we aren’t happy with the way we look, the better our chances are of giving women the support they need to have a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. Makeup Free Me want to help create a world where women love and celebrate who they are. Their mission is to empower women to develop and nurture positive body image, and they are working with charities already in this space to help bring their vision about through the Makeup Free Me campaign. On Friday 30 August, they are encouraging women all across Australia to take on the challenge of going without makeup. It’s only 24 hours but for many of us it’s a challenge. By going makeup free we’re showing the world that beauty is more than just skin deep. 93

Paleo

CHOCOLATE Who says chocolately goodness can’t be part of a healty, clean-eating lifestyle... The Merrymaker Sisters show you have to make a wholesome, delicious treat here’s their recipe for Paleo Chocolate Brownies!

WHAT YOU NEED

Brownies

WHAT TO DO

for the brownies

the brownies

350 grams sweet potato, peeled, cooked and pureed. five eggs. one third cup of natvia. one teaspoon vanilla extract. one third cup coconut oil melted. half a cup of raw cacao powder. half a cup of coconut flour. one tablespoon of cinnamon. one cup of macadamia nuts roughly chopped.

Line the base of a 20 x 20 centimetre slice tin with baking paper and preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. Start with the brownie. In a food processor/mix master combine the sweet potato and eggs until fluffy (this will take around two minutes on high speed). Add the natvia, melted coconut oil and vanilla and mix well. Sift the raw cacao powder, coconut flour and cinnamon into the mixture. On low speed, mix the batter until well combined. Add the macadamia nuts and stir well. Pour the batter into the lined slice tin and smooth the top evenly with a rubber spatula. Place into the oven for fifteen minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool on a wire rack before spreading the frosting evenly on the top.

for the frosting 100 grams pitted dates, (soaked in boiling water for at least ten minutes). one avocado. one teaspoon of vanilla extract. one quarter cup of almond milk. two teaspoons of natvia. two tablespoons of raw cacao powder.

the frosting Drain the dates and whiz in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Add the flesh of the avocado and mix again until really smooth. Add the vanilla extract, almond milk and natvia, whiz again until combined. Now to make it chocolatey! Sift in the raw cacao powder and mix until the mixture turns glossy and smooth. Taste test the frosting (YUM)…Spread the frosting evenly onto the cooled brownie. Cut the brownie into squares and serve with delicious toppings.

GOOD ENOUGH

just as you are?

When Emma Grey of WorkLifeBliss co-organised her 20-year school reunion, she had a couple of emails from women who didn’t want to attend because they didn’t feel they’d ‘done enough’ since school. They didn’t feel far enough ahead in life: in their careers, in love, financially, physically or because they hadn’t had children when the majority had. Two decades after leaving school, they were still comparing themselves unfavourably to classmates. Still using the narrow measures of success that they’d been taught inadvertently. I loved school. Loved it. My sister ‘hated’ her experience at the same school two years later. A poll of each of our year groups may find a mix of ‘lovers’ and ‘haters’ and I’d be interested to know how those responses are measured…

Comparison is the thief of joy. ‘Success’ is a ‘thing’ – always has been, always will be. And we must make peace with it if we’re ever to tap into the ‘happiness potential’ that exists all around us.

Looking back now, I seem to recall only lip service being paid to the ‘road less travelled’. A wide variety of activities was always on offer but, at the end of the day, there were certain career paths that were valued more highly than others.

Each semester I sit in the high-school auditorium and watch my daughter receive another academic prize, and each semester I tear up with pride when I gaze across the hall and see my other daughter, who is yet to win a prize at this assembly, lighting up when her sister crosses the stage. She’ll go far…

These tended to be the career paths requiring the kinds of tertiary entrance scores that made headlines in the newspapers each December. Others received guidance behind the scenes, but not so much ‘glory’. If they were covered in the annual magazine the story was buried further back, near the wrap-up of the athletics carnivals. Someone showed me a school newsletter this week and I couldn’t help but notice the ironic placement of photo after photo of high-achieving students, including the profiling of champions in various sports (7th in the world in one case) and myriad astonishing feats academically, musically and artistically (all of whom do deserve praise) - right beside this: ‘As I Am Day’ is a celebration of ourselves for who we truly are. It raises the issue of students being doubtful in their qualities. Everyone is different and unique in their own way and these qualities should be recognised …’ The problem is, unless you’re Bridget Jones being wooed by Mark Darcy, then ‘just as you are’, if you’re not a stand-out success, is often overlooked. It’s rarely headlining in school newsletters. The problem is not peculiar to that particular school, and it doesn’t end after school either…

That sense that we’re never ‘enough’ – not good enough, not fit enough, not pretty, smart or successful enough is a perfect match for Facebook’s trademark theme of ‘Look at moi and the highlight reel of my fabulous life’, which is now the subject of clinical studies into depression.

If I was given a list of ‘success markers’ and could pick out five for my children, I’d choose these: Creative freedom (an ability to fully and confidently express all of who they are, free of a fear of judgement or comparison); Big-heartedness (and the deepest of personal connections because of their kindness); Resourcefulness (and the capacity to rise from a fall); Endless personal growth (in whatever direction makes them happy); and Humour (the vehicle through which we survive challenges). We live in a world where ‘What do you do?’ is one of the first questions we ever ask. It usually means ‘What do you do in exchange for money?’ because that’s where the emphasis has been placed in our culture. Our schooling and career achievements are important, and deserve to be acknowledged. Fast forward to our final days, and what we did in our careers will be part of our story (and probably a big part), but it won’t be the whole book. Were we kind? Were we resilient? Did we laugh a lot? Did we contribute? Did we love? Were we content in our own skin? Somewhere, buried in the answers to those questions is my definition of success. What’s yours?

Vintage-inspired

BRACELET Make your own! WHAT YOU NEED

Materials 1 antique brass hexagon locket 1 antique brass “I love you” locket 1 25mm antique brass filigree locket 14 small assorted brown fire-polished beads 10 medium assorted brown fire-polished beads 10 large assorted brown fire-polished beads 5 8mm brown lustre crystal donuts 1 antique gold dragonfly toggle clasp set 5 4mm antique gold daisy spacers 18cm antique brass fine Figaro chain 5 4mm antique brass jump rings 39 antique brass head pins with ball ends

Tools you’ll need Chain-nose pliers (two pairs) Round-nose pliers Wire cutters

WHAT TO DO Thread each of the fire-polished beads individually onto a head pin. Trim each head pin to 1cm from each threaded bead. Use your chain-nose pliers to bend the 1cm wire end at a right angle. Then, use your round-nose pliers to grip the wire end and roll your pliers toward or away from you (whichever feels more comfortable) to create a loop on each head pin. Now take five head pins and, onto each, thread on one spacer and one crystal donut. Again, trim each head pin wire to 1cm from each bead grouping and then make a loop on each. Use two jump rings (one at each end) to attach your clasp pieces to the ends of your Figaro chain length. TIP: Use two pairs of chain-nose pliers to open your jump rings - grip the jump ring at each side of the gap, before twisting your pliers away from each other to open. Reverse the action to close. This will give you a nice, clean closure that will make your jewellery design more secure. Use the remaining three jump rings to attach the lockets to the chain section nearest your toggle clasp loop. Using the head pin loops you created earlier, attach your beaded head pins along one half of the Figaro chain, working your way along from the lockets and positioning the larger beads near the lockets and ending with the smaller beaded head pins - to attach each of these, use your pliers in the same manner as you would for your jump rings, to open and close your head pin loops. KITS for this project are available to buy online at www.wishwarebeads.com.au To see more beautiful beading projects like this one - visit www.digitalbeading.com.au. Digital Beading Magazine is Australia’s largest beading magazine and only dedicated digital jewellery-making publication. Issue 5 on-sale now!

LIGHTNING by Felicity Volk A road novel, a tale of magic realism, a story of two outsiders finding each other, and a search for identity saga. Lightning, an ambitious, finely written debut novel from Canberra’s Felicity Volk, is all of these and more., as Martina Taliano found out. “Amid the chaos of sweeping bushfires, Persia gives birth alone at home with tragic consequences. Traumatised and grieving, she travels north, and encounters Ahmed, a refugee fleeing deportation and his past in Pakistan.” So begins a road trip to the dead heart of Australia, a journey that transcends the limits of ordinary experience. In Persia and Ahmed’s world, ancient winds wreak havoc across generations, lightning ignites flames that both destroy and rejuvenate, and water drowns then delivers. Lightning is an odyssey that crosses continents and centuries, exploring identity, connection and our yearning to reveal ourselves even when cloaked in crippling grief. A moving meditation on finding hope in the rubble of our lives, Lightning celebrates the way our stories and their telling keep us alive when all else is pulling us under.” Local author Felicity Volk released her first novel early in July, following the success and awards from her collections of short stories. Felicity studied English literature and law at the University of Queensland before joining Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. After diplomatic postings in Bangladesh and Laos, and following the birth of her two daughters, she began writing for publication. With fellowships from the Eleanor Dark Foundation (Varuna – the Writers’ Centre) and a grant from Arts ACT, Felicity wrote a collection of short stories – several of which have won awards – and her first novel, this 376 page epic read! She is now working on her second novel. Felicity has a way with language that transports you to a time where you may have experienced a similar feeling. The first page of the novel describes the winds that remind me of a hot summer when I was 15. The following is an extract describing the mad winds: 100

“They flapped through the city with dervish destruction, kicking up dirt, ripping washing from lines, scattering newspapers along the parkways, tugging at hair, leaving grit in the mouth and at the corners of eyes. The winds whistled to one another from each edge of the city, twisting, writhing, gusting, making dogs bay and snarl at undisclosed threats, cats flatten themselves to the ground and domesticated birds beat themselves against the wire of their cages. At night, people who had been caught on the streets during the fury would blow the brown dust of these gales into tissues.” When I read this the cold wintery air around me dissolved as my memory of those days took over… that’s what the talented Felicity Volk does, she draws you into the story.

MEET THE AUTHOR In our second Book Club event for the year, we’re offering you the chance to discuss Lightning with the author herself! It will be your chance to ask all those burning questions of Felicity Volk and enjoy a relaxed night of conversation with a great bunch of women. The event is being held at 6:30pm Wednesday 18 September at Dialog Business Centre, 4 National Circuit, Barton. Cost just $12 per person. RSVP by Monday 16 September by emailing amanda@hercanberra.com.au.

Kestine and her daugher. 101

Getting your

PASSIONback Lost your passion for your job? This means that you had it once. So how do you get it back? Kate Neser shares some practical steps. but says there is no ‘right’ career path – listen to your heart, and follow your bliss…

Step One: Defining what works for you Think of a time when you were really enjoying your job – either the one you have now, or one you had before. What was it that made it enjoyable – what are the factors that you can define that gave that job some spark? Most people can come up with a list of things pretty easily. Mine includes a range of factors including: job content, people, skills or capabilities required, and goes something like this… A supervisor I respect and can learn from, a team of people I enjoy working with, problem-solving, the right amount of ‘challenge’, some degree of having to meet deadlines, high levels of communication, and I always like to have a sense that my work is making a difference in the world. Other things that might factor in could be geographical location, financial reward, employment conditions, future career path options. Once you have identified your list of things that are important for you, it can be worth the effort to prioritise them and even give them a weighting. This can force you to be realistic about what is important to you – is location a deal-breaker? Or are you willing to compromise on the ‘where’ for better career path options, or money, or making a difference? How do you want to balance your commitments between ‘work’ and ‘life’? Which factors would you rate the highest? This exercise in itself can sometimes be enough to reconnect you with why you loved your job in the first place. You may realise that there are only a small number of factors which are currently not being met, and that the reasons you took your job in the first place still exist and are entirely valid. Just getting in touch with what is important can be enough to make a difference.

Step Two: Reality check How does your current job and/or your current career path match up to this set of criteria? Did the job match the criteria when you started there? Has the job changed over time, or the criteria? Or has the ability of the job to meet the criteria dwindled – for 102

instance if learning is of high importance, then your current role may not mean you are learning anything anymore. Or has your supervisor changed, with negative effect on the way the job meets your needs? Again, it can be useful to rate your job and/or career path against your list. Where are you doing well, and where are you rating badly?

Step Three: Consider your options Having taken these steps, some fairly straightforward messages will fall out of the analysis you have done. Are you bored, not learning enough, not being challenged? Or is it the content that doesn’t inspire you anymore, or is it the team or your supervisor which is getting you down. So – what can you do about it? If you are finding it difficult to come up with options, ask others, what options can they see that might not occur to you? Can you meet some of your criteria within your job by asking for new challenges, taking on new tasks, teaching old tasks to new staff members, doing some formal study or some training? Or can you meet some of your desired outcomes outside your job – doing some volunteer work, taking on a new challenge or hobby? Again, once you have thought of some options, give them a ranking – how achievable are they, are they long-term or short term, which ones attract you most?

Step Four: Take Action Decide what you need to do to implement some options. You don’t have to choose just one option. Perhaps discussing with your supervisor some options for taking on new challenges or doing some training might open up new opportunities. And for some of the things that are important to you, it may be possible to meet these needs outside of work, at least for a while. Perhaps taking on the Treasurer’ role at the preschool or sporting group might develop some new skills, or meet your need to be learning new things. Perhaps there are some CIT courses or volunteer options that may spark new interests.

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