july, twenty-eleven issue ten
JULY 2011
july 1 TEA AND A BICCIE: BRAD ANDERSON 2 CRUMBS 4 WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A CRUST?: KHANDIE KHISSES 6 TIL IT'S GONE 8 30 DAYS OF YES 10 365 DAYS & SMILES 12 FEATURED ARTIST: WADE O'CONNOR 16 FASHION: THE SECRET GARDEN 26 STYLE SPOTTER 28 OLI AND OLE 30 WINTER BEAUTY 32 FOOD 34 MUSIC: FELIX RIEBL 36 BOOK REVIEW 38 CRAFTY FOLK: ZOE INGRAM 40 SHORT STORY: THE DARK PASSENGER
ON THE COVER Photography: Sarah Robertson Model: Tamryn Ridings
Editor Jil Hogan Creative Director / Co-Editor Sarah Robertson Lead Designer / Web Design Rowan Hogan Layout and Design Jodi Nicole Photography Sarah Robertson,Veronica Morland, Cameron Attree, Linsey Rendell Contributors Anna Angel, Natalie Carey, Pauline Skewes, Danielle Lloyd, Bec McGuire Advertising & Marketing advertise@biscuitmagazine.com.au www.biscuitmagazine.com.au biscuit magazine is free and issued monthly. Email contact@biscuit magazine.com.au. ABN 33 407 496 992. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder.
tea & a biccie
I am Brad Anderson and I create Graphic Design and cartoons. I grew up with aspirations of doing something great - stay tuned.
When I was younger all I wanted to be when I grew up was Parker from 'Parker Lewis Can’t Lose'. I realised I wanted to be mysterious when....
When I’m designing I try to outdo myself each time. When I’m interviewed I always exaggerate.
My favourite thing to draw is cartoons...
If I could swap lives with someone it would be... Richard Branson because he’s fearless, takes risks and doesn’t take himself too seriously.
One thing I hate more than anything else in the world is roller coasters, or as I call them, Carnie Death Rockets. If someone went through my Internet history right now they would find Deviant Art, celebrity gossip sites and information on a nice Nigerian prince who urgently needs my help with his finances. The first guitar I ever owned was a Fender Strat.
My professional highlight so far has been designing the Byron Bay Tri Cycling Jersey. You will rarely catch me at the hairdressers.
My favourite song to run to is Just Because by Jane’s Addiction.
If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be Golden Gaytimes. www.biscuitmagazine.com.au
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crumbs.
ART WITH HEART
MUSIC TO YOUR EARS
BIGSOUND
Calling all Brisbanites who fancy a bit of art as well as helping out those a bit less fortunate. Head along to the 2011 Heart Art Show at Jugglers Art Space on July 15, check out a selection of the top Brissy artists and help raise funds for Variety Queensland. Tickets selling quickly – visit www.variety.org.au/HAS.
This month’s been massive for music lovers around the country with a string of festival announcements blowing everyone’s minds. Parklife will see a massive lineup including Gossip, Lykke Li, Digitalism, Duck Sauce, The Naked and Famous and many, many more grace stages in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth in September and October. Tickets from www.parklife.com.au.
Australia’s biggest celebration of breaking artists and industry networking, Bigsound, will hit Brisbane in September with a lineup including The Getaway Plan, Horrorshow, Eagle & The Worm, Trial Kennedy, Evil Eddie and Last Dinosaurs. Visit bigsound.org.au for more.
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And finally, the first announcement for Falls Festival and Southbound includes Arctic Monkeys, Fleet Foxes, Arj Barker, The Jezabels and Tim Finn with many more to come.
WI N
e WIN on chance to s e ss a p n For your le in seaso online b u o d 0 1 of enter e Beaver, . to see Th a zine.com ag m it u c is .b se w lo w c w s at ntrie titions/. E :0 0 pm. au/compe ly, 5 Ju rd 3 2 S aturday
WI N We have fiv Gauci’s E e copies of N ata lie P ‘Best O f Me’ to away. Fo give r your ch ance to w head to o u r co m in, peti on w w w .biscuitm tions page a ga zine.co au. Clic k he m. Competi re to enter now tion close . s July 31.
WIN THE BEAVER Two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster directs and co-stars with two-time Academy Award winner Mel Gibson in The Beaver – an emotional story about a man on a journey to re-discover his family and re-start his life. Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression. No matter what he tries, Walter can’t seem to get himself back on track, until a beaver hand puppet enters his life. ONLY IN CINEMAS 4/8/2011
SPLENDOUR With less than a month to go, the Splendour in the Grass timetable is now out – check it out here. Can’t make it to Splendour? Make sure you’re our Facebook friend for all of the action live from Woodfordia, and don’t miss the August issue for a blow-by-blow roundup of what went on.
NATALIE GAUCI Singer Natalie Gauci tells us the tunes she has on high rotation right now: Whilhelms Scream – James Blake. It’s mesmorising and his voice is sexy and soulful. Lady Luck – Jamie Woon. Again voice is amazing and soulful. The production is cool too. Turning Tables – Adele. Magnificent vocal performance and just a beautiful song that I can relate to. Lean Lanky Daddy – Clairy Brown and the Bangin Rackettes – very soulful, makes you want to dance.
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what do you do for a crust?
KHANDIE KISSES When I grew up I always wanted to be... a space rocket. Not a spaceman...I wanted to be a rocket. I wanted to splurge my junk through the sky. My job now is as a filthy dirty stripper. Joking. That's my sarcasm. I am a burlesque performer, occasional model and actress.
The highlight of my career so far was… Performing in Australia was pretty WOW on the wow scale, as was my first standing ovation. That said shooting my first film with legendary Alan Moore and Mitch Jenkins is happening soon so I am pretty excited.
I got into this field... as stereotypical as it sounds, by accident. I was quite happy being a funny bugger who sometimes ‘did dances’. Someone thought I was funny and before I knew it I was on stage power sliding like a pro.
My favourite thing about my job is... signing people's boobs...no wait... That only happened in Canberra. (I felt like a rock star) I love the people who come up and say, ‘Wow! Thank you!’. An audience who aren't pleased is bad for business.
A typical day for me involves... waking up and pretending to be shocked at the amount of glitter stuck to my skin. After a shower one step down from a chemical decontamination shower I check the old email system for any enquiries and reply to any. I may call up one of my agencies to check in and then its either head into town to buy costume supplies or head to my studio for rehearsals. I would at some point get dressed before this. Rehearsals last till long after lunch. If I don't have meetings or a modelling shoot I am home about 5pm and then it's shower and dinner. If there is a show there are no rehearsals and the day is spent travelling to the show and costume packing. After the show is party time or sadly heading home. Nothing as glamorous as people think. Oh and somewhere interjected is an unhealthy amount of soy lattes.
My least favourite thing is... chasing promoters for payment. It sucks. I feel awful doing it. But those tits aren't going to tassel themselves so pay up!
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If you want to get into this field you should… research your arse off for act inspiration, name, history plus everything in between. Know your craft and learn that if you are going to do this professionally you need to damn well act like one. No one likes a diva nor anyone who takes themselves too serious. Be aware people will find out what you do so it might need a rethink before you embark on this line of entertainment.
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photo: haley richardson | www.haleyrichardson.com.au
l i ‘T s ’ t i . e n o g By Anna Angel
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Another glossy silver sticker and a tally mark on the back jacket; I was in the lead. ‘Bucket lists’ of things to do, see or taste in your lifetime are meant as more of a guide than a red flag to a wasted life. When my partner and I discovered 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die in 2008 we took the challenge to heart. That holiday we read our way through scores of classics, marking them with colour-coded stickers. The phase eventually passed, but a few weeks ago I rediscovered the list. I can’t recall ever reading Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, but there it was – my trademark silver dot beside the title. It seems I was so concerned with adding notches to my bookcase that I didn’t even make time to enjoy the conquest. Certainly, people are capable of extraordinary feats and insights when faced with their own mortality, but (sorry, Tolstoy) I don’t think skimming over War and Peace counts among them. Terminally-ill fifteen-year-old Alice Pyne saw an outpouring of support when she posted her ‘bucket list’ online last month. Her blog gained media attention almost overnight, and already thousands of dollars have been donated to charities on her behalf, and businesses have stepped up to help fulfil her wishes. The UK teenager recognizes some of her goals (such as travelling to Kenya) will never be achieved, but the simplicity of most of her dreams is positively moving. Simple things many would take for granted, or even bemoan, are for her a source of hope and fulfilment. Sure, we think it would be nice to have a family portrait taken, to go whale watching, or perhaps stay in a caravan, but life always seems to get in the way. Until, of course, it doesn’t. Alice’s story seems to have struck a chord because she’s realised so young something it takes most of us a lifetime to learn. While our neighbours in Christchurch are facing one disaster after another, Japan is struggling to come to terms with their biggest catastrophe since the Hiroshima bombings, four months after the first tremors hit. When the survivors are finally
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able to rebuild their lives, many will choose radically different foundations. Around a quarter of disaster victims experience what’s known as post-traumatic growth – positive changes following adversity. This isn’t to say their suffering is lessened, but that they foster a renewed sense of purpose, spirituality and a greater appreciation of their life and relationships. Perhaps this explains CNN reports that the number of people seeking partnership and marriage in Japan has dramatically increased since the March 11 disasters, creating a sharp spike in sales of engagement and wedding rings. Bride-to-be Maki Maruta was quoted as saying “the disasters reminded me the importance of family. It’s so important to have someone who is precious to you.” UK researcher Laura Blackie recently conducted a study where she asked participants to reflect on their own death and monitored their behaviours. She concluded in Psychological Science that thoughts of mortality, “can be one of the best gifts we have in life, motivating us to embrace life and embrace goals that are important to us”. But often when we’re isolated from disaster, it’s easy for that inspiration to disappear as quickly as the channel is changed to Bargain Hunt repeats. In the process of writing this article I almost lost my Grandma who, up until that point, hadn’t been on speaking terms with most of my immediate family for reasons I still struggle to comprehend. Differences were put aside on the hospital bed, but now she’s been given the clear bill of health the hostility rages on. While the scare seemed to shake them into a temporary realisation that life is much too short to hold grudges, they’ve been given more time and so, more time to be stubborn. Perhaps it is this same logic that sees many of us put off our biggest aspirations day after day, assuming we always have tomorrow. But if you didn’t, what would you have done differently today?
SNAP YOURSELF HAPPY A BUCKET LOAD OF DREAMERS List your life goals at 43 Things, and enlist the support of the online community to keep you motivated.
Let the creative in you tackle 365 Grateful, a daily photo project that asks you to focus on the little details that make you happy. You’ll be surprised at how these tiny realisations can help piece together an entirely new outlook.
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30 days of yes By Natalie Carey
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So there I was; thirty-four years old, married to a loyal man, mother to a spirited and loving daughter, living in a home larger and more modern than any other I had resided in, and driving one of my dream cars. Life was pleasant and filled with many blessings. And yet, inside this deep anxiety I felt was suffocating. On one cool winter’s morning, I woke up like any other day and smacked on my happy face all the while feeling terrible inside. As I sat at the kitchen table in a lump of despair, I had a–would you call it an epiphany? Call it what you like but it transformed my life. As I sat there, the word resistance popped into my mind. The word is often referred to as being the thing that keeps us from experiencing the joy and happiness that we seek in our lives. Resistance is present whenever we experience something or someone in our lives that we label as unpleasant. Simply, resistance is present whenever we do not feel good. When we are happy and relaxed we are allowing life to flow as it is meant to. When we do not feel good, you can be certain it is because we are resisting–we are judging or labelling or interpreting something or someone as being unpleasant and we are pushing against it. So from there the idea to test the theory of resistance was born. That is, I committed to saying yes to everything that unfolded in my life for 30 days. To kick off my yes experiment, I sat down and asked myself to honestly look at my present situation and identify whether I was in resistance mode about anything.
really held a grudge about it. Not only did I resist the fact that he forgot, I resisted the fact that I felt irritated! “You shouldn’t feel irritated,” my head taunted. “You’re smarter and more emotionally intelligent that that!” But the reality was, in that moment, I felt annoyed at him, which is hardly surprising. But it is these little, everyday events that we resist that put us in bad moods that we then carry with us, all the while attracting more negativity without reaslising that we are doing so! So what did I do? I allowed it all to be. I gave myself permission to feel it. I observed the energy coursing through my body. And then I observed it passing. I then found it very easy to put my arms around him because on the larger scheme of things it is hardly a big deal. In the past, I wouldn’t have done this. Instead I probably would have raided the fridge or vented to my mother. All this does is keep the uncomfortable energy lurking around for longer. Many people commented on the change in me after doing this experiment, and I understand why. I can literally feel the difference inside. I feel authentic, I feel empowered. Some people have confused the fact that saying ‘yes’ and allowing makes you a doormat, it makes you passive. Jumping up and down means that you care, that you get results does it not? All I know is that we are all ultimately responsible for our own happiness and that it is entirely possible to be at peace under any circumstance if we drop our resistance.
When I decided I would say yes to everything life gave me, it was not to say I said yes to every person’s request. It means that I said yes to everything that unfolded.
If I order the Thai salad and the waiter brings me the fish, then getting myself in a flap changes nothing. I have been served the fish! I have been looking forward to that Thai salad all week but it’s not here! What are my options? I can send back the fish and wait for the Thai salad. Or I can ask for a refund because perhaps I don’t have time to wait. Or I can eat the fish! The choices are aplenty. But causing a scene is resisting what is and that is a choice too. Only this choice makes me feel crappy because my head is pounding, my temperature is rising and my hands are shaking. All self created. Allowing rather than resisting does not mean you sit there like store dummy. Rather, allowing means you go through life with poise, confidence and grace. And ultimately peace.
So many things happened in those 30 days. And I could see with laser-sharp clarity how it is my thoughts and interpretations about people and circumstances that are responsible for my happiness and not the people and circumstances themselves.
The incredible thing that I notice is, the less I resist, the less I seem to even attract things that are displeasing to begin with. Lao Tzu said ‘Do less, accomplish more’ and I can only say that when you start to go with the flow, this is exactly how life begins to unfold.
In one instance, my husband forgot our anniversary, and I
30daysofyes.blogspot.com
The things I came up with were hardly earth shattering, and I fully understood that many people were experiencing hardships far worse than my petty gripes. However, resistance is resistance; whether in relation to something big or small, the outcome is the same. Immediately I could see the anxiety I was feeling inside was entirely because of the way I was interpreting my life situation.
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365 days& smiles . 10
JULY 2011
Thanks to the fond memories I have of my father Peter, I am obsessed with chasing my dreams big and small. He said “young heart, run free”. This I must do. By Pauline Skewes. You know one of those days where you feel as though the whole world is resting heavily on your shoulders? Those days where you seem to get every red light on your way to work and getting out of bed happens to be the hardest things to complete on you’re to do list? Well I happened to have endured ‘one of those days’ every day for what seemed like a very long year; the year where most girls that age would be skipping in pure happiness from their pending adulthood, was ironically the year that I was metaphorically chucked in the deep end. I had just turned 21 as I began to drown from the heaviness of losing everything in my life at the time; I moved out from my house after many disagreements with a very difficult housemate, I lost my first real job due to a company re-structure and I lost my beloved father to his short and sudden battle with cancer. And with too many days spent wondering if the poisonous bug that found its way into my chest, stripping me of my ability to smile was ever going to go away. Time became my best companion and ultimately, I began to swim. My task at hand, 365 Days & Smiles, is something I greatly feature within my blog What Peter Said. It represents the gathering of evidence of the things that made me smile every single day for one year. A collection of images of the little things that allow the daisy carefree days that I used to have make an in demand come-back. 365 Days & Smiles is faithfully how I see the world; some days clear as bright blue skies and other days; blurry and a little cloudy. It is because of this little mission of mine that I have come to appreciate a Sunday afternoon spent doing nothing at home, having coffee with an old friend while exchanging stories, being given flowers from my boyfriend ‘just because’, wearing a brand new pair of shoes and watching my cactus plant forever grow. It’s by pausing life to take a photograph of these little things that has me walking around with a contagious smile on my face and suddenly stopping every now and then to smell the flowers. www.whatpetersaid.com
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WADE O’CONNOR
Melbourne based visual artist, Wade O’Connor has been taking his painting seriously for the last twelve months after undertaking a short course at ‘CAE’, which aided in firing up his inspirational juices. He has followed this course up with further study at Melbourne University. Wade mainly works with acrylic, but has found himself of late dabbling in the worlds of oils and stencils. One piece can take anywhere from 2 days to several weeks, depending on the required size and details. Contact: swadeo1@hotmail.com
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WADE O’CONNOR
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RIGHT: Blue Floral Chiffon Dress – St Vincent de Paul. Bowler Hat – Paddington Antiques Centre.
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fashion
TH E SECR E T GA R DE N Photographer: Veronica Morland Assistant Photographer: Cameron Attree Model: Sarah (Atherton) @ Viviens Hair and Makeup: Jenny Ockenden (of 'the Maketrix' Make-up Artistry) Wardrobe Stylist: Adelaide McKenzie www.biscuitmagazine.com.au
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BOTH: White cotton shirt – Ladakh. Skirt – stylist’s own. Black belt – stylist’s own. Beaded Sultan Hat - Marchá Designs (Vintage) www.biscuitmagazine.com.au
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LEFT: Velvet Spanish Bolero – stylist’s own. Peach Georgette Gown – Woolloongabba Antique Centre. RIGHT: White cotton shirt – Ladakh. Tuelle and heavy delustered satin skirt – stylist’s own. Black belt with gold clasp – stylist’s own. www.biscuitmagazine.com.au
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LEFT: White lace one-piece – stylist’s own. RIGHT: Black Velvet and Tartan Taffetta Gown – stylist’s own. Red Felt Hat – no label, Paddington Antiques Centre. www.biscuitmagazine.com.au
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BOTH: Blue Floral Chiffon Dress – St Vincent de Paul. Bowler Hat – Paddington Antiques Centre.
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style spotters. Captured by Linsey Rendell
Emily Emily is wearing boots from Zu; Urban Outfitters jacket; mustard tights from Myer
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Jey Jey is wearing Alannah Hill cardigan, skirt and collar; Sleek Geek glasses
fashion
Ben
Beau
Ben is wearing Ralph Lauren shirt; Jack London shorts; Palmone loafers Beau is wearing Song for the Mute pants; Gail Sorronda shirt; Ruby Prankstar necklace; Dogstar belt
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oli&olé.
It’s a label high on luxury and street cred, with a fashionable and functional twist. Catching up with designer Shameelta Pirie – the woman behind the brand – I am offered a sneak peak at a fashion label with heart. By Danielle Lloyd.
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fashion
You’ve just launched the capsule collection for Oli & Ole this past autumn. How do you feel about the launch of the brand? Really good; we have a high focus on brand recognition with a product that’s high quality and affordable and it seems to have taken off well and to my expectations. Oli & Ole seems to embrace all the feel-good factors of luxury, versatility and style. What inspired you in the making of this collection? My inspiration was due mostly to the fact that I wanted high quality and affordable bags for myself, without having to spend $1,000–$2,000 for something unique. What has been your most memorable moment so far as a designer? It’s been challenging, tough and a huge investment, but one that has been ultimately worth it. To see the bags on ladies shoulders and the guys messenger bag out and about, makes me feel that I have achieved my vision.
What trends are you excited about for spring? Structured handbags in bright colours and my show-stopper bag which is a unique surprise. What gets the creative fires burning? The last month was spent by the fireplace in the country with a glass of red in hand designing the Spring/ Summer collection. What are the five things you can’t live without? Wine, scarves, sunglasses, my pillow and cheese. Ten years from now you will be… Sitting in the Maldives drinking martinis...kidding! I’m hoping to have a wide range of products, whilst being a strong & recognised fashion label in the market. Where does the brand name Oli & Ole come from? After two brand names were not able to be registered (as they were already taken), it took one night with wine and my cat Olli as the inspiration, who spent the night sitting next to me as a consoling friend!
You are a HR Manager by day and an accessories designer by night. Does this make you feel like you’re leading a double life? Not really, it’s my creative outlet and release. I enjoy the extra challenge and manage my time so I give both worlds 200%. I have a great team of people at O&O and my designs usually develop on holidays and weekends when I chill out. What’s next in line for the brand? A casual shoe range – in recent research Harvard University have said that barefoot runners have less impact when their feet hit the ground–so I’m designing lightweight lace up shoes for men, women and children. As a brand you contribute regularly to a few charities. These organisations must be close to the heart? These charities are very close to my heart and they do such fantastic work! (Oli & Ole proudly supports: Sane Australia; RSPCA Corporate; Opportunity International Australia). Oli & Ole’s seasonal palette of sumptuous accessories can be found at oliandole.com
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By Rebecca McGuire
Meet me in person and you’ll soon observe that I know as much about beauty as I do about fashion, and, when to shut up. What I do know however is that it’s bloody freezing, and my skin is peeling, and I consequently look like a leper. Because I prefer to not look like a leper, I spoke with someone who is ‘in the know’ regarding these kinds of winter-based atrocities; skin guru and Mirror Beauty owner, Emma Carl…
Emma’s background: Internationally trained skin therapist and medical aesthetician • Recipient of an international scholarship to study undergraduate degrees in both the medical and medical physics arena in the USA. • S hortlisted for the Queensland Young Achievers Award in Career Achievement for her dedication to the beauty industry in 2004. • Featured columnist for industry magazines. After whining for a bit about the condition of my skin, I decided to get over myself and do my job, and ask questions for you, dear readers. Pure selflessness on my part. So, here they are:
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What’s the number one skin concern over the winter months? I’m guessing dryness, as I currently look like a bit of a leper (yes, back to me already)… With the weather becoming cooler the surrounding atmosphere tries to absorb moisture from everywhere – this also includes our skin, leaving it feeling tight, and this can lead to flakiness. Dehydrated skin can lead to a number of skin concerns depending on your natural oil flow. If you are an oilier skin type, skin can become oilier in the winter months due to it producing oil as a defence mechanism to hold more moisture within the skin. If you have drier skin, a lack of moisture in the skin can make fine lines and wrinkles appear more prominent due to dehydrated skin having a creepy and sometimes flaky texture. So whether you have oily skin or dry skin, a majority of your skin problems will be amplified over the winter months due to lack of moisture. What’s the biggest myth about skin care during the cooler months? The biggest myth is that you have to swap to a ‘heavier’ cream over the winter months – this is not always the case. While you do need to increase moisture content within the skin, that doesn’t necessarily mean the thicker the cream, the better. A good moisturiser should act like a cling wrap to keep that moisture in. Talk to a trained aesthetician to see if your moisturiser is achieving what you want it to achieve. Drinking water isn’t enough; you need to moisturise internally and externally.
beauty
What’s a ‘secret’ beauty trick you can share with us? Give yourself a ‘mini facial’ every time you cleanse, tone and moisturise. Products work so much better when you take the time to massage them in. The warmth of your hands increases the effectiveness of the product; the massage movements of your hands increase your circulation therefore increasing the skin’s receptiveness to active ingredients. Plus everyone deserves a little treat at the end of a hard day’s work. What’s the most popular beauty treatment at the moment? In winter our most popular treatments are always body treatments. Exfoliating dead skin away in these winter months is important, as dehydration leads to the appearance of flaky skin on the body as well as the face. Don’t neglect your body this winter; it needs moisture too! What’s a beauty trend you’re predicting to be the ‘next big thing’? I think that now the stigma attached to non surgical cosmetic enhancement, such as muscle relaxants and/or cosmetic fillers, has decreased. This allows people to broaden their mind and know that they can achieve the results to look like a more radiant and youthful them without the fear of looking ‘plastic’ or obvious that they have had a little tweak.
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e midst of the Nothing feels better in th food. icy season than comfor t thing can compete When it’s cold outside no h wrapped in a blanket with sitting on the couc ur favourite and slowly savouring yo home-cooked meal. bring you a simple, We’ve done our best to meal which is cheap, classic and soul-warming e and guaranteed to quick and easy to prepar m the inside out. leave you feeling warm fro ubarb Crumble with a Enjoy our Apple and Rh a glass of wine. mug of hot chocolate or SON BY SAR AH ROBERT
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JULY 2011
Rugged Winter Crumble (Apple & Rhubarb) (serves 4)
sips & nibbles
WHAT TO DO:
• Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. • Melt 25g butter in a saucepan and add ½ cup caster sugar and rhubarb. Cook for approximately15 minutes on a medium heat. • Add the apple and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or until rhubarb begins to break down. WHAT YOU NEED:
• Remove fruit from the heat and place into greased ramekins.
150g butter – chopped
• Mix remainder of butter, oats, brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg and flour in a large bowl using your fingers.
½ cup oats ¼ cup plain flour 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 large stalks of rhubarb – cut into 3cm chunks 3 Granny Smith apples – peeled and cut into chunks ¾ cup caster sugar 1 ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg
• Combine until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs and then spoon into the ramekins atop the fruit. • Place the ramekins on the mid level of the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. • While the crumble is baking, whip cream with a whisk until thick and stir through ½ tsp cinnamon and 2 tsp caster sugar. • Once the crumble is cooked, top with whipped cream and serve on a cold winter's night.
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by Jil Hogan JULY 2011
interview
“I didn’t expect to make this kind of album.” Not the regular, glowing description you expect from an artist describing their debut solo album, but for Felix Riebl, most commonly known as front man of The Cat Empire, this is just how it’s happened. Riebl’s album ‘Into The Rain’, due for release on July 15, developed after returning from living in New York in 2009. He was writing songs for another project which is still in progress and taking time out from touring, when his relationship at the time ended. “I came home and within in a week I’d basically written the album. And the album wrote itself in a week as well,” he says. “It kind of really came out of a bad emotional place and yet the music seems to be quite fresh in a lot of ways. It’s really surprising as it came out of such an emotional space.” When I speak to Riebl he’s in Athens, amongst the strikes and rioting, writing songs again for another album. “It’s really interesting over here. I have kind of a connection to the place because my father is an ancient Greek teacher and I’ve always loved the myths. "It’s been really interesting associating my feelings of history of the place with the stories and getting to know modern Greece and talking to people - especially in the last week.” 'Into The Rain' plays like a story, and with Riebl as narrator you share in the exhilatating highs and crushing lows. “The thing I’m most proud about in this album is the fact that it’s a story from beginning to end.
"I love listening to whole albums and I feel that this album’s a whole piece of work as opposed to one or two songs and that's the thing that makes it work." The album is much more mellow than the tunes he is well known for, and similar in vein to Cat Empire songs like 'Miserere' or 'No Longer There', which were initially recorded for Riebl’s solo album. “When we played those songs in a Cat Empire show, they required a very different tone of mood for them to be able to work at a show. So this tour is going to be sort of a show in that space the whole time – so closer and much more personal." No stranger to the Aussie touring circuit, Riebl will return to Australia to hit the road in August, this time as a solo act. “This tour is so very different to what I’ve done for so long with The Cat Empire. The music is the type that really requires people to listen and to enter into a space as opposed to a band that’s really theatrical. “I feel like it’s a part of myself as a songwriter and performer that’s always been in me but it’s been hidden away on the context of a big showy band. So now it’s time for me to do that kind of a show – I’m looking forward to it.” Catch Felix Biebl in Newcastle (3rd August), Sydney (5th August), Melbourne (7th August), Byron Bay (24th August), Brisbane (25th August), Adelaide (26th August) and Perth (27th August). Check out www.facebook.com/felixriebl for more.
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Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris | Review by Danielle Lloyd
Sookie has a knack for being in trouble’s way; not least when she witnesses the fire bombing of Merlotte’s, the bar where she works in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Since Sam Merlotte is known to be twonatured, suspicion immediately falls to the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but before she can investigate, something even more dangerous comes up. Sookie’s lover Eric Northman and his ‘child’ Pam are plotting something in secret, but they seem determined to keep Sookie out of it. But as their plans gradually become clear, Sookie finds the situation is deadlier than she could ever have imagined. Introducing Dead Reckoning to the masses! The eleventh book in the popular urban fantasy, Southern Vampire Series (a.k.a the number one bestselling Sookie Stackhouse novels) that chronicle the extraordinary life of Sookie and a horde of supernatural friends and enemies. Written by Charlaine Harris and transformed into the popular HBO series True Blood, Dead Reckoning seems to be in the throes of a finale – sealing plots left open for future exploits and toying with our attachment to the characters.
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This gives weight to the rumour that Ms Harris will end the series with book thirteen, which can only mean two more gripping tales are yet to come! Fans will know what to expect with the latest offering from the series – a wild ride where the mundane world slips away to be replaced with the magical and Otherworldly – think warring vampires, homicidal shapeshifters, witches, werewolves, demon lawyers, and faeries with an agenda. This new tome literally rockets into the stratosphere with a glittering array of intrigue, angst, and surprising plot developments that didn’t disappoint in the page turning stakes. Sookie once again gets drawn into vampire politics, murderous schemes, plus a whole lot of faerie drama, combined with truly imaginative fantasy and conflict, served cold on a bed of bloody violence and a dash of romance – the perfect recipe for an urban fantasy novel. Dead Reckoning is worth the read for dead-icated fans, and for those who love the vampiric world of the supernatural!
www.biscuitmagazine.com.au
crafty folk
zoe ingram
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Tell us about what you create: I create illustrations and sell them as prints. Tell us a bit about your background – what path led you to do what you do? I’ve always loved drawing. I can remember the first time I coloured in without going over the lines, I was so pleased with myself. I also remember obsessively drawing 'fashion illustrations' at the age of 8 on reams of old-style computer paper that my mum brought home from her work. I was always in the art department during my free time at school and it was there that I was introduced to textiles and designing for textiles by my art teacher, something I’d never even considered before as an art form. From school, I did various art & design courses at local colleges and it became more obvious to me that I wanted to get involved in textiles. I spent 4 years at university in Scotland studying surface and pattern design which included a lot of drawing and visual studies and hands-on screen printing as well as technical studies which involved examining fibre structures and scouring raw sheep wool (not pleasant)
and history of art. When I finished my degree there were no jobs going in textiles so I decided to give graphic design a shot. I landed a job in a design agency in Scotland and basically learned on the job from some great people. Around 2005, not long after my first daughter was born, I stumbled into the blogging world. My eyes were opened to a whole other world of creativity out there and it spurred me on to begin creating my own things. And so I have been illustrating and selling my prints ever since. It was a bit trial and error at the beginning but I’m finally starting to find my style and hope to continue to develop it. What’s your favourite piece that you’ve created? I have just started working on a series of illustrations and I think this is my favourite so far. Everything that I do is my favourite at the time I’m working on it until the next piece begins. My most popular pieces are my Kaleidoscope prints and also an older print which I don’t sell any more which was of a cat called Cooper. Chec Zoe Ingra k out m youngrep 's work @ ublic.com .au
Where do you get your inspiration? I get my inspiration from everywhere. Packaging, textiles, things my kids say or do, kids tv programs, movies, people, animals, nature, food, books, magazines, interiors... the list could go on. It’s sometimes hard to channel that so I started up a tumblr blog purely for collecting things that I like and that inspire me. What’s your creative process like? I’m pretty random while I’m working although I do usually have quite a strong idea of what I want to do. I very rarely sketch which is perhaps a bit strange and not at all how I worked while studying, but I usually have such a strong visual in my head that I can see it kind of like a picture already. I work digitally and sometimes incorporate hand drawn elements in my work. I guess I like trial and error and every new thing I work on I learn something new. I’m pretty impatient too so the instant results I see from working digitally is good for me. I would love to have a dedicated studio so that I could get more hands on and begin using paint again or perhaps even set up a small traditional printing studio, something I used to do everyday.
www.biscuitmagazine.com.au
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The Dark Passenger | By Natalie Carey
To the outside world, Kathy Burden was a quiet, gentle young woman who kept to herself. She was of medium build with shoulder length, light brown hair and was somewhat unremarkable in appearance; she looked much older than her 29 years. “Christ bitch, I’m friggin’ starving. Where’s my fucking breakfast? I’m wasting away here,” boomed a deep and all too familiar voice. ‘Wasting away? Fat chance of that,’ Kathy thought brazenly to herself, as she hurriedly cooked greasy bacon and eggs for her fat husband, before rushing out the door to go to work. She was married off when she was just twenty. After falling pregnant, the last nine years of Kathy’s life had been spent working to support her useless, disgusting slob of a husband, while he sat at home on the lounge all day drinking beer and getting larger by the hour. Her baby, a boy, had been stillborn; an event which Tom hated her for and never let her forget, both verbally and physically. Kathy hated him just as much; deeply, vengefully hated him. And yet day after day, year after year, she stayed in the same life. What Tom didn’t know however, was that Kathy harboured a friend; a friend that was frequenting her life more and more regularly. Eighteen months ago, Kathy met a dark passenger who had been riding beside her ever since. While she had been walking through a shopping centre after work a year and a half ago, she had noticed a plain brown bag with white handles sitting on a bench. Almost like she was being magnetically pulled towards it, Kathy had found herself sitting next to the bag and peering inside. Inside was a lone red lace bra. Nothing else. Just a bra. As Kathy reached in to touch the bra,
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very suddenly she felt like her head was going to explode and her vision started to blur. She thought she heard the words ‘I am here’ but she couldn’t see where they came from, no one was near by. Her ears ringing, the room started to spin and she felt like she was losing consciousness. Help me, Kathy thought, please someone help me as she slipped into darkness. When she gained consciousness, Kathy found herself sitting in a smoky bar sipping a dry martini. She felt different. Strong, sexy, powerful. Nothing like she had felt in her life. She tried to think but could not recall how she got to the bar. Her head felt fuzzy. When she looked down at herself, she realised that her work blouse had two buttons opened revealing the edges of the lacy red bra that she had found in the shopping mall earlier. For a moment, Kathy started to panic. She had no idea what the time was, but it would have to be late, she thought with dread knowing what would be waiting for her when she got home. But her panic was short-lived. Another wave of power washed over her and she didn’t care if she were late. How long had she been sitting here? She glanced around the bar and exchanged a long look with a scruffy, dark-haired man who had been starring at her as he nursed a drink. Kathy stood up and boldly approached the man saying, “Come with me,” and without another word, Kathy and the stranger left the bar. “What’s your name?” asked the man as they stepped outside in to darkness. “Red”, Kathy heard herself reply in a silky voice that was unfamiliar. “Enough talk”. In silence, they crossed the road and walked along a tree-lined path leading into an empty park.
short story
Alone at the park, Red unzipped the man’s jeans, pushed him down on the ground and climbed excitedly on top of him. As she lifted up her skirt, she kissed him hard on the lips and silently took from him what she wanted. As the man started to moan as he reached climax, Red picked up a large rock laying near by and slammed it down on his scull, screaming in manic delight as she heard the crack of bone. Red’s heart was racing madly as she cast the rock aside and tore at the mans face with her fingernails, screaming in rage. She started to feel her head spin and she laughed wildly before quickly passing out. When she woke up, Kathy was sitting in her car, the red lace bra sitting innocently beside her in the brown bag with white handles. Shaking her head in confusion, she felt a flood of relief as she realised she must have been dreaming, but her relief was short lived as she noticed her blouse covered in blood. That was eighteen months ago. To this day, she is still unclear what happened. What was continuing to happen. Did the lacy red bra have some sort of voodoo power that could make her do things she would never dream about? Was it meant for her? Why was it that she found it? Or was she losing her mind? All she knew was that every two or three months she would find herself in the bra, in exactly the same situation. Sitting in some shady bar, drinking a dry martini. But she was no longer Kathy, instead she was someone called Red, a raunchy femme fatale who liked to sleep with strange men and then bash the hell out of them.
Red evolved over the months. Along with the red bra, came black stilletos, black gloves, black mini-dress and a long black wig. Kathy thought she would have been caught by now. She actually didn’t care if she was. But no one ever came for her. She assumed that it was because she had never actually killed anyone. And that the men would be too humiliated to say that they were used and bashed by a woman. “Bitch, I said what the fuck are you doing?” Tom boomed again interrupting Kathy out of her thought. “Get me my fucking breakfast, I have stuff to do today”. ‘Yes, stuff,’ she thought to herself. The most you will do today is move your fat arse from the kitchen to the lounge room. Kathy was overcome by a powerful energy that almost overwhelmed her consciousness. When Kathy didn’t answer after what seemed like an eternity, Tom turned around to look at her. “Bitch, I said… who the fuck are you?’ he demanded in surprise. There in the kitchen stood a woman with long black hair, black gloves, black stilettos and a red lacy bra peeking out under a black mini dress. “Red”, the woman replied, ‘And here’s your fucking breakfast.’ And with that, Red raised the heavy frypan of bacon and eggs and slammed it down on Tom’s head, over and over and over again.
She loved every minute of being Red, never once feeling an ounce of guilt for the hurt she inflicted on the strange men.
www.biscuitmagazine.com.au
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