BNE Magazine Issue 17 by Brisbane Airport

FREE y m our ag az in e

Issue #17 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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STYLE

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escape Getaways

kids will LOVE

cRAZY stays

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INSIDE AMY SCHUMER

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Welcome to your free BNE magazine, brought to you by Brisbane Airport

contents 5

Brisbane Airport News Tigerair’s bold new fares bonanza; BNE launches new online hub; independent premium lounge opens, and more

Brisbane Insider

The art of flowers and plants; vegan fashion; walk in the footsteps of tastemakers, and more

Inside Amy Schumer

She’s the new queen of comedy and she’s headed our way

Style 12 Hot Buys

Gift yourself or someone special one of these stylish treats for the holiday season

Sweet smell of success

A natural beauty brand from Mt Tamborine is a hit overseas

ESCAPE 16 Real Shanghai

Food blogger Kerry Heaney finds out how the eat-and-go menu has changed

What’s new Bar hopping, hotel dining gets a makeover and food is the new lure for shoppers

30 Perfect picnics

Let someone else provide the gourmet goodies and you just pick the spot for a perfect summer picnic

WHAT’S ON 32 Songs from the home front

A unique project turns stories from soldier’s wives into songs for an emotional performance; a wonderland of comedy, music, theatre, film and more

35 Events calendar

Find out what’s happening around the city

A local’s guide to a different side of the city

Win tickets to Shanghai

MY BRISBANE 36 Santa Claus

Enter our competition to win airfares to Shanghai

Crazy stays

Planes, cranes and automobiles are just some of the more fascinating places to stay around the world

Getaways kids will love

From a beachside holiday park to a zoofari, these destinations are fun for all ages

24 Escape extra

Winter festivals in Canada, heli tours in Far North Queensland, glamping in India, and more

FOOD & DRINK 28 Fast food with a healthy flavour

hen we caught up with Santa Claus in a rare break from his workshop (p36) he delighted in telling us what he loves about Christmas and holidays. Like most grown-ups he recalled fondly the holidays he had in his childhood – by the beach as it turns out, not in the icy North Pole – playing with his mates in the mangroves and creeks from sunrise until sunset, fishing and swimming. He said that where he used to play is now part of the urban sprawl but holidays like that do still exist ... see our Getaways Kids Will Love (p22)

He takes us outside the workshop to reveal a few of his favourite things

GALLERY 39 Day in the life

People at Brisbane Airport

NEED TO KNOW 38 Helpful information for

40 43

visitors to Brisbane Airport Destination map Brisbane metro map

29 BNE magazine is published bi-monthly by Brisbane Airport Corporation Brisbane Airport Corporation Corporate Communications and Media Manager: Leonie Vandeven Managing Editor: Heather McWhinnie email: editor@bnemagazine.com.au Designer: Stephen Bryett Advertising sales: Chris May, call 0401 312 312 or email: advertising@bnemagazine.com.au ©2016 Brisbane Airport Corporation. The contents of this publication are not for reproduction, redistribution or reuse by any means whatsoever or in any form whatsoever without express permission of the publisher. Advertising: all advertisements in BNE magazine are the responsibility of advertisers. Advertising is accepted on the understanding that it does not contravene the Trade Practices Act. Responsibility is not accepted by BNE magazine for statements made or the failure of any product or service to give satisfaction. The publication of any material or editorial does not necessarily constitute endorsement of views or opinions expressed. While every effort is made to avoid errors, some information contained in the publication may be superceded.

“Packs a thrill of danger…never fails to elicit gasps from the audience.” - SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

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UNDER THE BIG TOP, SKYGATE BRISBANE AIRPORT (NEAR DFO) Cirque du Soleil and Kooza are trademarks owned by Cirque du Soleil and used under license

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BAC NEWS

Cheap flights bonanza Travellers can benefit from a bonanza of cheap new flights on sale now by Tigerair Australia for new flights from Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast (Proserpine) starting March 2017 and to Perth starting 1 June 2017 as the airline ramps up services from the Queensland capital. Ticket prices start from $79 one way to Whitsunday Coast and from $189 one way to Perth. Flights to Cairns will also get a boost in the new year with four more weekly return services to be added from late March 2017 and one more weekly service added on the Adelaide route, also from March. Already more than 70 per cent of Tigerair’s domestic flights touch down in Queensland and the new services are expected to boost the number of passenger seats it brings through Brisbane Airport to more than 1.5 million per year. For flight details see www.tigerair.com.au.

Airport news online Brisbane Airport has joined local online news site Brisbane Times to launch MyBT Airport, a new web destination that shares news, events and information about the airport precinct, its partner airlines and the growing commercial industry that now supports a workforce of more than 22,000 people in the area adjacent to the Brisbane Airport terminals. The community news site also shares business and careers news as well as tips on topics from health and wellbeing to food shopping, posts hot shots from avid plane spotters and offers special deals from businesses in the precinct, such as Golf Central, Jetts Fitness and Skygate shops. Find out more at https://airport.brisbanetimes.com.au

China Eastern will begin direct flights between Brisbane and Shanghai four times weekly from 17 December 2016. Read our insider’s guide to Shanghai on page 16.

BNE the region’s best Brisbane Airport (BNE) has been named Australasia’s Leading Airport in the World Travel Awards 2016, announced recently at a gala event in Vietnam. The prestigious awards are recognised as the ultimate hallmark of quality in the global travel and tourism industry and winners are selected following a year-long voting process carried out online by industry executives and global travellers. It’s not the only award received by BNE this year. The airport has also been named Best Airport (Australia/Pacific) in the 2016 Skytrax World Airport Awards and rated top Australian airport for quality of service for the 12th year in a row by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Pay-as-you-go premium lounge

Australia’s first independent guest lounge has opened in Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal. Plaza Premium Lounge offers the facilities of a business class lounge such as smorgasbord food and drinks service, connectivity and free WiFi to pay-as-yougo-passengers no matter what airline or what class they are travelling. It’s a concept spreading to major airports around the world and the Plaza network now operates independent lounges in cities such as Vancouver, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and London. The Brisbane lounge is open 22 hours a day and fee for entry is $66. Plaza Premium Lounge is offering customers a discount on entry to the adjacent Wellness Spa with any booking until 31 December 2016. See www.plaza-network.com

25-year link Qantas has been operating regional services out of Brisbane Airport for 25 years and, following the consolidation of three airlines under the QantasLink banner, is now Australia’s largest regional airline, operating more than 2000 flights each week to more than 50 destinations across Australia and to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. QantasLink flies direct between Brisbane and Alice Springs, Hamilton Island, Mackay, Rockhampton and Newcastle and supports a host of community events in the Sunshine State including the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, Winton Outback Festival, the International Air Show at Bundaberg and Charleville Cup. BNE November/December 2016 | 5

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BRISBANE INSIDER

Living sculptures When new restaurant The Croft House Town Kitchen & Bar wanted to design its interiors to be compatible with the heritage of its site, once farmland, and its focus on fresh and sustainable produce they turned to local artist Kirralee Robinson for simple but exquisite wall sculptures that hold fresh and continually growing greenery. Robinson had been a florist for almost a decade before she turned her hand to creating sculptural hanging vases to complement the plants and flowers she worked with every day, particularly the single stems she came to appreciate as her own tastes leaned towards a minimalism. But her designs are not just visual works of art, they are also influenced by sustainability and she works with husband Ash to create vessels from recycled and reused materials. In fact, her first designs were fashioned from chairs that were gifted to them, the natural curve of the wood providing the key to the designs. The pieces are practical and versatile too; plants or flowers can be changed to suit seasons or décor; the vessels commissioned by The Croft House contain plants that grow in water so they only need topping up to ensure a perpetual living sculpture. Some of Robinson’s designs will be part of the Meet the Makers show at artisan, Fortitude Valley, from 29 November to 24 December and she will be at the gallery on 6 December to talk about her work. See www.artisan.org.au and see www.kirralee.co

Great White

The Phoenix

Stegosaurus

Fresh look at flowers Look closely at Michael Zavros’ latest still life paintings and you will soon see they are more than detailed renderings of beautiful blooms – the fin and its reflection of a Great White shark, a Stegosaurus playfully reimagined in a dish of fruit and flora, a phoenix rising majestically from palm fronds. Creatures large and small feature in the collection – a rabbit (hydrangea), a swan (lilies), a jellyfish (hyacinths), a lobster (mixed bouquet), an octopus (gladioli), a Brontosaurus (roses) – and while they appear whimsical recreations, they are perhaps an ironic reflection on fleeting youth and beauty as each one has been painstakingly prepared, photographed then painted by the artist. It’s a body of work Zavros has been working on over the last two years and it will be part of his first exhibition in his home town of Brisbane (or Australia for that matter) for three years. It has been a time-intensive process for Zavros who says the works have

taken much longer to create than anything he has done previously and there was often a time imperative to manipulate his models into their final tableaux before they expired in the Brisbane heat. The Phoenix is the largest and most imposing work, standing more than two metres high, which took almost three months to complete. It was commissioned by the Art Gallery of South Australia for the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art earlier this year, the only one of the works so far acquired for public display – however many others already have been snapped up for private collections between Brisbane and Los Angeles. So it will be a rare treat to view more than 20 of the works, as well as some others Zavros has been working on, at his solo exhibition at Philip Bacon Galleries, Fortitude Valley, from 15 November to 10 December. See www.philipbacongalleries.com.au and www.michaelzavros.com BNE November/December 2016 | 7

BRISBANE INSIDER

Brewing up bio fashion QUT fashion students are showing there’s more to cutting edge fashion than just how it looks. Over the last two years they have been experimenting with bio-textiles and designing clothes from ‘vegan leather’ which were displayed recently at the CreateX festival. The ‘fabric’ is made from fermented kombucha curd and is sustainable, biodegradable, reusable and versatile. It can be cut, stitched, moulded, glued, oiled, dyed, painted, waterproofed and laser-etched. According to QUT fashion academic Dean Brough making kombucha fabric is almost like brewing beer. “We produce it by fermenting tea to form a fastgrowing curd on the surface which we harvest, wash and dry to make a material of a strength and texture somewhere between leather and paper,” he says. So far students, including Alex Bell (pictured right), have made briefcases, handbags, shirts, shoes, vests, jewellery and whole outfits using the material. The products are the result of a unique collaboration between QUT and The Edge, at State Library of Queensland, in the only kombucha bio-textile research program in Australia. Together they are researching how the kombucha fabric can be modified for different purposes from hand-made fashion creations to industrial manufacturing.

In the footsteps of tastemakers If you’ve ever wanted to follow in the footsteps of some of the most creative people in the city now you can. Kat Macarthur, founder of Brisbanebased global walking app WunderWalk recruited 10 top influencers from different fields to share their favourite walks which are now loaded onto the app. For example, director of Brisbane Fashion Month and fashion maven Carly Vidal-Wallace (pictured above) has compiled seven of her favourite stops in Bulimba on her Fashionista Off The Beaten Track walk. The walk takes in about a kilometre of Oxford Street, starting from the ferry stop at the river end but, as Carly explains, it can be a day trip once you factor in the browsing, eating, shopping and maybe an off-map visit to the cinema, an iconic building in the area. Her fashion picks on the walk include Frankie and the Fox and costume jewellery specialist Thousand Island Dressing as well as Issada who often do the makeup for her fashion events. Food also figures highly on Carly’s walk and Delizioso is a family favourite – and the gelataria just behind Sugo Mi’s pizzeria is a perfect refreshment break mid-walk. Kat Macarthur says she invited ‘tastemakers’ such as Carly to contribute walks to guide people to places they might not otherwise discover and they range from a ‘creatives’ walk (from the curators of artisan craft gallery) to hidden gems in the city from Showroom proprietor Catherine Roberts. There are also history walks (Art Deco and Taste of the Past in New Farm) an Indie Theatre Walk (by Stan Dup Ensemble) and a street art walk. See www.wunderwalk.com

My circus life

s a senior treasury analyst for Brisbane Airport Corporation Damian Istria has the finances of a multi-billion dollar organisation in his hands – and he loves his job – but it’s never going to give him quite the high he had at his previous job. But then, he was flying through the air as an acrobatic performer with Cirque du Soleil six nights a week, travelling the world with the greatest show on earth and occasionally meeting A-list movie stars backstage. It’s what childhood dreams are made on, but few get to live the dream. Istria (above) did have a head start. At 16 he was already competing for Australia on the national gymnastics team with his own dream to win a gold medal. When a serious injury kept him out of the sport for two years he came back to win his gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, but it did make him reconsider his future and when a friend urged him to send in a video to Cirque du Soleil he did. It was enough to get him an audition but it was a daunting process,

even for the gymnast who was ranked in the top 10 in the world on horizontal bars. Istria admits he wasn’t prepared for what came next. “We were asked things like ‘be the colour blue’ or ‘be a monkey’ and to ‘sing your favourite song’, then ‘climb a rope and sing your favourite song while being a monkey’,” he laughs. He may have been out of his comfort zone but Istria made it to the threemonth training program in Montreal, then was offered a contract. He stayed for seven years. When Cirque du Soleil’s new show Kooza comes to town on 24 November, the Big Top will be raised right next to Istria’s new workplace, BAC headquarters at Skygate, and this time he’ll be there in the audience with his own children and he’ll remember exactly what it was like to be performing – the adrenalin rush of being on stage, the moments when he could see the faces in the audience and felt he was allowing them all to be kids and dream again, that just for that minute he’d made a difference to their lives. BNE November/December 2016 | 7

COVER STORY

I N S I D E

AMY S C H U M E R

Amy Schumer admits she has always revealed more than she should but her storytelling has the world’s attention, on stage and screen and now in a new book

here’s probably not much we don’t know about Amy Schumer now that she’s published her first book – not so much an autobiography as a series of stories from her life. Since the release of The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo there is one story she has told a few times about something that happened when she was 14. She was hanging around with her girlfriends and some boys on their bikes, carrying bags of beer, hoping the police wouldn’t chase them, when the boys goaded them into lifting their shirts to flash them. So they did. But Amy wondered why all the boys were looking only at her and quickly realised she was the only one who had actually flashed them; the other girls had only lifted their shirts to show some bra! That experience, she says, could be a metaphor for her life – always revealing too much. Her comedy has always been frank, particularly about sex, but it wasn’t always clear whether the stories that formed her act were really true or not, testament, perhaps, to her skill as an actor, writer and comedian. However, she is adamant that all the stories in the book are indeed true and based on detailed journals she wrote between the ages of 13 and 23. Just in case you hadn’t heard it before, now we know she grew up rich, for a little while anyway before her father’s business went belly up, and then they were poor. We know her

10 10 | | BNE BNENovember/December September/October 2016 2016

mother had an affair with her best friend’s father and her dad has multiple sclerosis, we know that she’s had only one one-night stand in her life so far, and she met her latest boyfriend on a dating app (the first person she chatted to). But we also know that she adores her brother and sister, likes stuffed animals and doesn’t let the bad stuff get her down. Now she’s living the dream, rich again, collaborating with some of the great comics of the time from Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock to gal pals Lena Dunham and Jennifer Lawrence (they’re writing a script together) and she recently finished filming a movie with Laugh In legend Goldie Hawn who has been coaxed out of a 14-year hibernation to return to the big screen. Hawn admitted she was waiting for the right role to come along. “It had to be funny and it had to be with the right person,” Hawn told entertainment reporters who’ve been trying to sniff out details about the project for months. “If it can’t live up to the expectation, it’s not worth doing, and you want it to be with someone you admire and adore,” Hawn said. Schumer appears to have no trouble attracting the A-list to her. She had just started to make a name for herself as a stand-up comedian when she was asked to do a TV special for HBO. She asked Chris Rock if he would direct and he said yes. He was asked why. “Amy’s real. She just is. She’s not all show business-y and comedian-y.

I feel strong and beautiful. The people I love, love me. I make the funniest people in the country laugh, and they are my friends. I have fought my way through harsh criticism and death threats for speaking my mind. I am alive. I am fearless. – Amy Schumer from her speech at the Ms Foundation for Women Gloria Awards and Gala, 2014

things you didn’t know about Amy Schumer

She colour codes books on her shelves at home. “I saw them color-coded at my sister-in-law’s house and I thought it looked cute so I started doing it. People always point it out and I have a mini shameattack but I love it,” she told The New York Times.

2 she made it to the finals of television talent show Last Comic Standing (after missing out at the audition round in a previous season). She finished fourth and more guest appearances followed, then her own special on Comedy Central, which led to her sketch comedy series Inside Amy Schumer. It’s been an instant hit and bagged some top awards but while a fifth season has been promised no start time has yet been given. Schumer says that although she had always wanted to perform from the age of about 5, she had no grand plan or knew how or if it might work but she’s always liked making people laugh – and clearly she’s good at it. “I don’t do the observational stuff. I like tackling the stuff nobody else talks about, like the darkest, most serious thing about yourself. I talk about life, about sex, and personal stories and stuff everyone can relate to, and some can’t.” And yes, she does believe that her on stage persona is morphing closer to her own. “Now I am more myself. I still say some things that are just the funniest, worst things I can think of, but it’s just more storytelling about the awful moments of my life,” she says. Amy Schumer performs at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall, on 14 December. Her book The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo (published by HarperCollins) is out now.

She openly admits she hates making small talk, especially in an elevator. “Talking to anyone I don’t know on an elevator. (I guess this counts as small talk, which I’ve mentioned several times as something I detest, but it’s even more unbearable in an elevator because you’re trapped!).”

4 Photography by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Her greatest attribute is how normal she is,” he says, a view echoed by Hawn. Film-maker Judd Apatow ‘discovered’ Schumer on radio. He heard her being interviewed by legendary presenter Howard Stern and thought she sounded like she had more than a few jokes to tell. “She was so engaging. She was talking about her dad having MS and what her relationship is like with him. It was very dark and sad, but also very sweet and hilarious and she clearly adores him. I thought, ‘This is a very unique personality and I’d like to see these stories in movies’,” he told Variety at the world premiere of Trainwreck, Schumer’s first feature film as writer and star, directed by Apatow. The film went on to make more than $180 million at the box office. By then, no one would have been surprised that she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2015 and media interviewer Barbara Walters also included Schumer on her list of 10 Most Fascinating People. Next year she will be seen in Thank You For Your Service, a war-time drama produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by American Sniper’s Jason Hall, a part she had to audition for. It may seem a meteoric rise to some but Schumer feels she’s hustled long and hard to get there. She started doing stand-up comedy 12 years ago and it was about three years later

Her favourite book as a child was, and still is, Eloise. “It’s such a glamorous New York story for little girls. She shows no real respect for authority or the status quo. She marches to her own beat. Several years back, my sister commissioned someone on Etsy to put me in an Eloise picture and it’s my prize possession.”

Amy was quite athletic in her high school days. She used to play competitive volleyball and still likes to play when she can; she did boxing for a few years; she’s also good at horseriding and she has a scar on her leg from a surfing accident when she was in high school.

She meditates twice a day for 20 minutes each time to de-stress. In her new book she says, “It helps clear my mind and get rid of stress and it gives me energy.” She also has weekly acupuncture sessions and doesn’t drink coffee. BNE November/December 2016 | 11

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BNE November/December BNE May/June 2016 | 13

STYLE

Sweet smell of success A pure organic skin care collection home grown on Tamborine Mountain has found international success and opens its first Wellness Spa at Brisbane Airport

ihua Song is no stranger to global success. She had built businesses in technology, manufacturing and property investment from Hong Kong to London before a family health crisis inspired her to take a dramatic detour. When her father was diagnosed with cancer the family moved to the Gold Coast for three months during his treatment and a trip to Mount Tamborine during that stay changed her life. Today it’s not only her home but it’s also the base for her latest business success – Jasmin Organics – a premium quality, certified organic skin care collection that is sold in 15 countries. Overseas, Jasmin Organics is a rock star – in Japan it is distributed by beauty market leader Shiseido, in Hong Kong and Hollywood the products are used by actresses and in Paris it has been awarded the highest accolade for its “green” practices – but at home it’s still one of the beauty world’s best kept secrets. However, that may change now that Jasmin Organics has opened a mini day spa at Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal, located inside the Departures area. It offers a top 10 selection of pampering services from the 20-minute express facial therapy or a de-stress back, neck and shoulders massage to a full hour-long body massage, each treatment providing an introduction to the Jasmin Organics products which are chemical-free, fully organic and formulated from ingredients grown at the 15-hectare property on Tamborine Mountain. Only rare ingredients, such as Bulgarian rose and ylang ylang, are imported when necessary. Song (pictured below) began her quest to create a premium range of natural skin care products in Brisbane but it was the quality of the water that drew her to Tamborine Mountain to achieve the level of purity she needed to make the leap from merely ‘natural’ products to certified organic. It took three years to meet all the criteria for certification and the company continues to be audited every year but the ‘farm’, on the edge of a national park, is self-sustainable for all its water and power use. Song also welcomes visitors to explore the gardens and see how the products are made. This month it will be a hive of activity, and not only because honey from their own bees will be ready to be harvested, but many of the flowers will be coming into full bloom and ready for picking. Almost 3o different plants and flowers are grown to produce 48 different essential oils and four skin care product ranges, including three types of lavender, lemon myrtle, camelia, geranium, roses, marigolds and the property is bordered by macadamia trees.

Jasmin Organics Wellness Spa is now open at Brisbane Airport Photography by Trevor King International Terminal, Departures. For more information, stores or to buy Or visit Jasmin Organics at 197 online see www.mimco.com.au Long Road, Tamborine Mountain, 60 minutes south of Brisbane in the Gold Coast hinterland. See www.jasminorganics.com 14 | BNE November/December 2016

Natural beauty Aloe Vera The healer. Used for centuries in skin healing and soothing. It is a multi-purpose skin treatment that helps prevent skin damage and may also assist with natural sun protection. Avocado The nourisher. High in antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamin C to help prevent free radical skin damage which can lead to premature ageing of the skin. Avocado oil has also been shown to reduce UV radiation from sun exposure because of the high content of vitamin E. Chamomile flower The soother. Its calming effects on the skin can ease inflammation and may help to soothe or eliminate rashes and other skin irritants. Lavender The stimulant. It has an uplifting aroma and is favoured for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Also known as a circulatory stimulant, the oil derived from the lavender plant helps to reduce breakouts and increase blood flow which boosts skin cell turnover for a clearer looking skin. Rose Hip The refresher. Rich in vitamin C and a variety of anti-oxidants it helps to prevent bacteria on the skin and helps to rejuvenate new skin cells. Rose Otto The balancer. The oil extracted from the delicate rose petal is often used for perfume due its intoxicating aroma, but it also helps to balance and nourish dry or ageing skin. Used every day, rose oil boosts skin radiance and provides essential nourishment to reduce fine lines and has been known to decrease redness and hyperpigmentation.

ESCAPE

real SHANGHAI

fter the Wendy Deng affair I decide against claiming I’m related to Rupert Murdoch and go with saying I’m the son of Kerry Packer. Mrs Wu smiles politely but I doubt she has any idea who James Packer is and I don’t get much more than a cursory glance up and down. I’m taking a walk in Shanghai’s People’s Park just past noon on a Saturday and have stumbled into one of the world’s oddest markets – it’s called the marriage market or “blind date corner” and already a gaggle of pensioners has gathered near the main entrance of the park, each sitting behind an umbrella with a card pasted on it listing details about their son or daughter in the hopes of making a marriage match. Typically those with sons list their age, job, salary and that he has an apartment and car – considered prerequisites in modern, materialistic Shanghai. For the girls the details are more scant, listing age, job, educational background, personality and height. Each also has a list of the requirements for a potential match. It has been estimated that by 2020 as many as 24 million men in China will be unmarried and unable to find a wife so it’s a competitive market and 200 or more umbrellas can be displayed each Saturday and Sunday afternoon. At one umbrella a mother is grilling a father about his son. “Which university did he go to and was it full-time?” “How much money does he make?” The father wearily replies; some of the parents have been coming for years and chances of success seem slim. Mrs Wu admits that her 28-year-old daughter, who works in a bank, has no idea that she is there but, like many parents, she has given up waiting for her daughter to find a husband and decided to take affirmative action. Nearby across a lotus-filled pond another pensioner is playing a Nagoya harp accompanied by a warbling lady. With limited space in most people’s apartments parks offer an extension of the living room for most Shanghainese, particularly the retired. Early in the morning they gather to do tai chi, while the days are punctuated by impromptu musical performances. Finally at night they, along with any available square, are taken over by the so-called dancing aunties. Middle aged 16 | BNE November/December 2016

and older, they dance to loud music ranging from traditional ballroom melodies to Lady Gaga.

Sights by sidecar Andaz Hotel is a brisk walk away in the Xintiandi area, now a fashionable art and entertainment precinct behind the facades of traditional shikumen buildings. At the modern hotel I await my ride – a sidecar which can trace its vintage to the 1930s era BMW R71. My Shanghai Insiders guide, 26-year-old Abi Li, pulls up on a China Post green Changjiang 750 sidecar and seems at home on the motorcycle. “I grew up in a sidecar as my godfather was a policeman and had a police sidecar. I remember from when I was about 5 until age 12 spending time in the sidecar going here and there,” she explains before we set off. It’s an exhilarating ride low down on the road, zipping through busy Shanghai traffic – well, the actual speed is only about 25km/h but it feels faster with the engine barking loudly as we go and the wind whistling around my head – helmets are available but not compulsory to wear, adding to the thrill of the ride for anyone used to stricter western road rules. Our first stop is the 1933 Old Millfun building which hides a gruesome past behind its Art Deco façade. Today its five levels are a labyrinthine web of concrete bridges, stairways, cloisters and massive halls that house galleries, creative spaces and contemporary art that have erased any sign that this once was the city’s main abattoir. Back in the sidecar we continue on through southern Hongkou and the area where Jewish refugees found sanctuary during WWII in Shanghai then across the iconic Garden Bridge to the Yu Gardens old town. Instead of going to the tourist-swamped centre we dive down a back street of traditional houses where locals are busy going about their lives. That’s the trademark of Shanghai Insiders tours, guides aim to take visitors off the beaten path. “I enjoy showing foreigners the big contrast of modern and traditional which can easily be found in Hongkou and the old town

Shanghai Insiders touring

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Behind the bright lights and flashy skyscrapers of new Shanghai, Mark Andrews discovers the quirky charm of the old city The old abattoir is now an arts hub BNE November/December 2016 | 17

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“The contrast of modern and traditional is what Shanghai is made of and where its charm lies” for the traditional part and among all the skyscrapers and office buildings for the new. They can feel that this city is full of energy, creativity and productivity. Plus there are the former concessions [French, American, British communities] and all the Laszlo Hudec [a prolific Hungarian architect in pre-war Shanghai] buildings. I think these are what Shanghai is made of and where its charm lies.” Tours are tailored to what visitors are interested in and can last from one to four hours. Often there’s no set route and an emphasis on local knowledge shows visitors a side of Shanghai they otherwise might not see.

From top: The Xintiandi district is a fashionable art and entertainment precinct; parents gather at ‘the marriage market’ in the People’s Park to find a match for their adult children; posters at the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre

Colourful history The basement of an apartment building seems an incongruous location for a museum but hiding beneath a complex just off Huashan Road the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre is one of the most unique in the city. It is a private passion and a labour of love for owner Yang Pei Ming who started collecting the posters more than 30 years ago, afraid they would be lost to history forever if destroyed during the political changes over the years. Since the 1990s he has amassed more than 6000, although only a fraction of that amount is on display in the two-room centre. Shanghai was once a centre of printing propaganda posters and they offer a glimpse of life in modern China, from the calendar girls of the 1930s to the Cold War posters of the 1950s and 1960s. Certainly from the 1950s the content became a lot more political and the bulk of the collection dates from the communist takeover in 1949. In the earlier years they started to attack people labelled as enemies within China and then moved on to the western powers. In one poster of the era a Chinese dragon boat races past caricatures of the Americans and British in a floundering boat. Near the museum entrance are three seemingly identical paintings of the founding of the People’s Republic by artist Dong Xiwen. Dated 1953, 1956, and 1972 a closer look reveals a changing sea of faces behind Mao Zedong as those in favour shifted with China’s tumultuous history.

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Real food Nanjing Road is one of the main shopping streets in Shanghai and home to international brands ranging from cheap mass market H&M to luxury Louis Vuitton. Wujiang Road, just behind Nanjing West Road (Nanjing Xilu) subway station, used to be full of local food shops but in the lead-up to the 2010 World Expo it received a thorough makeover and while it is still an eating destination it’s been mostly taken over by international chains. However, hidden on the second floor of a shopping centre is one of the last bastions of the old food street, Yang’s Dumpling. Most guide books about Shanghai talk about xiaolongbao – small soup dumplings – which are delicious but they are not really everyday food in Shanghai. Shengjianbao are their rough cousin, bigger with a gruff exterior yet a similar soupy heart designed to satiate the hunger pangs of the workers. They are cooked on huge covered iron skillets then water is added and they come out with crisp bases. There’s an art to eating any kind of soup dumpling or else it’s easy to scald either yourself or fellow diners as hot liquid spurts across the room. The trick is to bite a small hole in the wrapper and suck the juices out. As shengjianbao are quite large it’s also easier to use a spoon to hold it rather than chopsticks for this stage. Then dip into vinegar and devour. Yang’s is a good introduction to where the locals eat. The cheap prices are affordable to most and the taste attracts people from all walks of life. There’s an English menu so ordering is easy and after collecting my dumplings from the window I end up sharing a table with a young woman who talks to me in English. She tells me that she’s recently returned from abroad and this is one of the tastes from home she misses. As she leaves my next dish arrives, thin cellophane noodles with beef in a curry soup. Shanghai is a large city and the traffic can be slow moving and so although taxis are cheap it’s often easier to hop on the subway train. With 14 lines operating most places in the city centre are easy to get to and I’m on my way to Jiashan Road station where I meet Helen Liu from Cook in Shanghai. I’m joining one of her classes along with couples from Germany and Finland. First Helen takes us to a nearby wet market where locals go to buy their groceries to find the freshest ingredients – and it’s quite an experience. We see things like duck blood, live fish and live toads

EAT being sold alongside tofu. While it’s a traditional style of shopping in Shanghai Helen scans a QR code from a vendor to pay for her goods by smartphone. Helen’s classes are promoted as ‘home-style’ and that’s exactly what they are – there’s no shiny commercial kitchen set-up – once the shopping is done we go to a nearby apartment. Inside chef Ding from Anhui province has already made some preparations but we are soon put to work chopping. Ding shows us how to slice the beef sideways at an angle. Next we marinate the chicken and beef. The first dish we cook, gong bao chicken, a popular dish in Australia, is cooked a little differently here and our beef with peppers dish turns out spicy rather than with the more familiar black bean sauce. Surprisingly, in both cases we deep fry the meat very quickly at the beginning before stir frying. We also make shao mai, a kind of dumpling stuffed with sticky rice, meat and mushrooms. Classes are small, limited to just six people, and last about four hours. In each class you eat the food you prepare and can take it away if it’s too much to finish. Everyone prepares two to three dishes in our class and, full on my afternoon’s work, I know I won’t need dinner. China Eastern Airlines will operate direct flights between Brisbane and Shanghai four times a week on board A330 aircraft from 17 December. It services a broad network of destinations across China, Europe, North America and Asia from its base at Shanghai’s Pudong Airport

WAYS 1 Lynn

99-1 Xikang lu (Rd) Modern Shanghai-style food in a stylish environment. Weekend lunch dim sum is popular.

2 Mr & Mrs Bund

6th Floor 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (East One Rd) Pricey French restaurant with well executed food and a great view across the Huangpu River to the modern buildings of Pudong.

3 Lost Heaven

38 Gaoyou Lu (Rd) Romantic restaurant in the former French Concession serving up high quality Yunnan-style food from the south west of China.

4 TMSK

Unit 2 No.11, Xintiandi Square, Lane 181 Taicang Rd Stylish restaurant serving up largely European but supposedly fusion food in a traditional Shanghai lane house with live Chinese music.

5 Jesse

41 Tianping Lu, near Huaihai Xi Lu Small local restaurant serving unpretentious genuine Shanghai food.

BNE November/December 2016 | 19

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Crazy stays If travel is all about the experience then let it start with where you spend the night and swap a bland hotel room or hostel dorm for a more unique bedroom

Head for the heights City oasis James Fry has created a private oasis right in the heart of Melbourne’s laneway network … so private that there’s an unmarked entrance and only guests are given the directions and the code to access their accommodation. Notel is definitely not a hotel. Parked on the rooftop of a city car park are six fully renovated and restored 1970s Airstream trailers that Fry imported from the US at a mammoth cost of more than $90,000 each. Each one (pictured below) was lifted onto the rooftop by a 50-tonne crane and has been refitted with five-star facilities including queen size bed (with comfy posture mattresses and super soft bamboo sheets) a compact ensuite and an outdoor deck. Complimentary WiFi, Netflix and mini bar (stocked with piccolos of French champagne and gourmet chocolates) are included. There is no concierge but help is at hand 24/7 if necessary and there’s no restaurant or in-room dining – but the best of Melbourne is within walking distance and there’s good coffee just downstairs (hand-delivered to your ‘suite’ in the morning). Notel has been open only a few months and, like Faralda in Amsterdam (above), already has become the darling of the fashion crowd and a popular venue for events. Weekends are booked out months in advance. Costs from $395 per trailer per night. See www.notelmelbourne.com.au Fly direct between Brisbane and Melbourne with Jetstar, Qantas, Tigerair and Virgin Australia

Sipping a cocktail while soaking up the view from a spa pool 50 metres above ground may sound like just another luxe experience except when it’s from the top of the Faralda Crane Hotel (pictured above) – a feat of engineering in its recreation as an exclusive three-suite ‘hotel’, built-in broadcast studio (at 15 metres up) and Panorama lounge. What used to be simply Crane 13 for decades since the 1950s, and a workhorse in the shipyard of NDSM across the river from the centre of Amsterdam, is now a go-to hideout for DJs, musos and creative types on the edge of the transformed artsy quarter – Louis Vuitton, Samsung and the James Bond franchise have all had launches there. The makeover has been authentic and the crane’s arm still moves gently in the wind, offering up a slightly different view depending on the weather. A lift whisks guests up to the double suites (situated from 35-50 metres up) and each one includes a freestanding bath with spectacular views from the window across the River IJ (pronounced ‘eye’), while a more thrilling way down is to do the bungee jump from the top. Faralda can turn on the luxe experience for guests with limousine transfers from Schiphol Airport, a bodyguard and hostess at your disposal (at extra cost) if required. Prices start from about $650 per night per room (or more than $900 per night on weekends). Champagne breakfasts and mini bar snacks are included but NDSM has been declared the third most trendy area in the world and guests are perfectly placed to explore the dining options on the doorstep, from smart French to funky beach club. See www.faralda.com Fly from Brisbane with Singapore Airlines, Etihad or Emirates for onward connections to Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Grounded in Stockholm It might be hard to get a good night’s sleep squeezed into an economy seat on a long haul flight but it’s a different story for budget-minded guests on board the Jumbo Jet 747-212B parked permanently on the ground at Arlanda Airport, Stockholm (below). The Jumbo jet was built in 1976 and had travelled far in service to Singapore Airlines and Pan Am before it was repurposed as the Jumbo Stay hostel and repositioned to have a commanding view of the taxi-runway. The interior of the aircraft has been completely remodelled to create 33 rooms, from four-share dorms (under $70 per night) to the double room and ensuite in the cockpit (under $300 per night). Every nook and cranny has been utilised and there are beds in the (former) engine room, the wheelhouse (under the plane) and an observation deck on the wing that is a popular viewing platform in the summer and has been used for weddings. Visitors, too, can ‘walk the wing’ in the summer and call in for refreshments at the café and bar inside the jet hostel, even if they are not staying there, and it’s just a short shuttle bus ride from the terminal. See www.jumbostay.com

Emirates flies direct between Brisbane and Dubai with onward connections to Stockholm, Sweden

Fantasy retreat You might well ask “Mira Mira on the wall which is the weirdest place to stay of all?” and Carl Ward’s fantasy retreat is bound to be near the top of the list. Mira Mira, less than two hours south east of Melbourne in rural Gippsland, began as a retirement project for Ward’s parents who wanted to fulfil their wildest imaginations when they set out to build accommodation on their 22-hectare retreat. One soon led to another and the fantasy creations eventually caught the eye of visitors who wanted to stay while they explored the surrounding country in the foothills of Mt Baw Baw. Today the region is popular for its art and gourmet trails, fishing, bush walking and four-wheel drive tracks. Mira Mira is located in Crossover and guests may well wonder whether they have crossed into another dimension when entering through the mouth of Magog to the underground ‘Cave’, or the Gaudi-inspired ‘Tanglewood’ (right) where there are no straight lines, or across the pond to the Japanese-style ‘Zen’ retreat. Each is a self-contained two-bedroom ‘cottage’ set out of sight from each other with kitchens and shower or bath facilities and heating for colder months (Mt Baw Baw is a ski area in winter). Prices from $400 for two nights (minimum stay) midweek, from $500 at weekends. See www.miramira.com.au

Hanging in the forest There’s no doubt that just getting to your room in one of Canada’s Free Spirit Spheres (above) is an aweinspiring experience – each of the three pods is suspended amid soaring cedar, maple and fir groves in a forest on Vancouver Island and access is by raised walkways, spiral stairways and short suspension bridges – and yes, the spheres do sway slightly in mid-air, but that just makes it even more appealing to lie-in in the morning. Owner Tom Chudleigh set out to mimic nature when he created the spheres and, like nuts, they are light with a tough skin, while suspension ropes that tether the pods to the trees function much like a spider web – strong, a little stretchy and resilient to hang securely. Chudleigh has also borrowed from sailboat construction and interior style with compact interiors fashioned mostly from wood, windows like port holes and space-saving features – for example, the largest pod features a murphy-bed that pulls down from the wall. The compact design also means that bathroom facilities are on the ground, a path best not attempted in the middle of the night. Naturally, there are some great adventures to be had nearby – sea kayaking, nature and cave tours and ziplining across canyons. Prices range from about $175 per night for the single size pod to $314 per night for the largest double pod. See www.freespiritspheres.com Fly direct between Brisbane and Vancouver with Air Canada

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ESCAPE Zoofari Waking up to a giraffe peering over the fence is something you’d be more likely to expect in Africa than Australia but it’s all part of the experience during a sleepover at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. Zoofari lodge accommodation overlooks the paddock where giraffe, zebra, buffalo and eland (antelope) roam. While they can be viewed comfortably from the deck, the highlight of an overnight stay is getting up early for the sunrise safari. Or there’s an option to stay at the Billabong Camp tent site and head out at night on a nocturnal tour to view native animals before settling in around the campfire to toast some marshmallows and enjoy a supper under the stars – and spot some free-ranging animals. See https://taronga. org.au/taronga-western-plains-zoo Jetgo flies direct between Brisbane and Dubbo six times weekly

Getaways kids will love Beach holiday park

Farm stay Cedar Glen is a cattle property that has been in the Stephens family for 100 years and a farm stay with current owners Nigel and Sabrina is a step into their daily lives. The working farm is home to a menagerie of horses, cows, pigs, sheep, turkeys, ducks, peacocks and chickens which all need feeding every day – and guests pitch in. That means early morning rises to milk the cows and making sure the animals are fed morning and evening before you are! It’s an action-packed stay with lessons on boomerang throwing and whip cracking before an afternoon tea of damper and billy tea, twilight 4WD tours for the best views of the surrounding Lost World Valley and Lamington National Park or choose to go horse riding, bushwalking, birdwatching, swimming and fishing. Accommodation is in historical cottages on the farm. Cedar Glen Farmstay, Beaudesert, Queensland. See www.cedarglen.com.au

Red Rock is a little beach village at the end of a long stretch of undeveloped coastline on the edge of a national park and the local North Coast Holiday Park is a family treasure. Who needs a pool when you’ve got the South Pacific Ocean to play in? The biggest decision here every morning is whether to go surfing, swimming or snorkelling, tackle the 10km Angourie Coastal Walk (and see how Red Rock got its name), explore the pristine Corindi estuary by canoe or fish from the beach or river. There are plenty of powered and unpowered camping and caravan sites, some cabins and a cottage here but the beach tents (for a family of four) are the pick of the park – complete with ensuite, fresh linen and an outdoor patio – and they book out quickly so plan well ahead for this one. Rates from $110 per night (midweek) or $115 (weekends) for two people. Find out more at www. northcoastholidayparks.com.au/park/info/red-rock

Fly Corporate flies between Brisbane and Coffs Harbour 12 times weekly

Wet and wild adventure Sea World has got plenty going for it as a family getaway, great rides, shows, beach across the road, a resort on the spot. A recent survey by website Booking.com shows that a great pool ranks tops with kids age 5 to 11 among the most important things to have on a holiday and Sea World not only has a 50-metre lagoon pool and waterfall, there’s a SpongeBob aquatic playground as well. But teens aged 14 and over will be more intrigued to go behind the scenes for activities such as Trainer for a Day, learning about not just dolphins but polar bears, seals and the rescue program at Sea World, or just get up close and personal with the penguins. Sea World, Main Beach, Gold Coast. Find out more at www.seaworld.com.au BNE November/December 2016 | 23

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Winterlude in Canada

Get high in the far north Eric Webb knows from experience some of the best views of Far North Queensland are from the air and now the pilot who once mustered cattle from a chopper has launched a charter tour business to share those views with others. “My own favourite day’s flying is when the blue of the Great Barrier Reef contrasts against the green of the Wet Tropics rainforest and the red of the Gulf Savannah,” says Webb, so he created the Signature Tour Series to show off the diversity of the landscape to visitors. For example, the Colours of North Queensland flight soars above the peaks of Bartle Frere and Bellenden Ker, swoops into the Johnston River Gorge and includes a guided tour of the world’s longest lava tubes at Undara Volcanic National Park, then it’s back to the rainforest and the remote Blencoe Falls as well as Australia’s highest single drop waterfall at Wallaman Falls before returning to Cairns over Hinchinbrook Island, Dunk Island and the Great Barrier Reef. Short trips take in places such as the little-used Wangetti Beach between Palm Cove and Port Douglas. Tours range from 30 minutes to five hours or more and carry three to nine passengers. See www.helitoursnq.com.au Fly direct between Brisbane and Cairns with Jetstar, Qantas, Tigerair and Virgin Australia

While the rest of Australia goes skiing in Whistler, more intrepid travellers can enjoy winter in Canada and mingle with the locals by detouring to one of the cool carnivals across the country. For foodies Winterlicious in Toronto is a gourmand’s delight as more than 200 of the city’s best restaurants offer up creative cuisine in fixed price menus and the program bursts with cooking classes, tastings, pairings, demonstrations, dinner theatre performances and intimate chef dinners from 27 January to 10 February 2017. For adventurers, canoes race across the ice-choked St. Lawrence River and back during Quebec Winter Carnival from 27 January to 12 February, a dogsled race winds through the narrow, snowy streets of the Old City and there’s skating in the shadow of the ramparts of the only walled city north of Mexico. Or strap on some skates on the world’s largest ice rink, the Rideau Canal (pictured), almost 8km long, in Canada’s capital Ottawa where the country’s 150th birthday celebrations will take off with a bang from 3 February and keep sizzling for more than two weeks during Winterlude. Fireworks, sleigh rides, tobogganing, snow sculptures, a snow maze and the Winter Brewfest are all part of the fun. For intrepid wanderers the Yukon Quest dog sled race takes off from Whitehorse in Yukon Territory on 4 February for the 1600km race to Fairbanks, Alaska across the icy wilderness of northwest Canada. Think you can brave the 40 below zero temperatures to watch competitors in their quest to share in more than $120,000 in prize money? For entertainment lovers music, circus arts and theatre are in the spotlight for Montréal en Lumière which takes over the Quartiers des Spectacles from 23 February to 12 March. Find out more at www.keepexploring.ca

Indian safari Once a checkpoint on any backpacker’s world safari India, and Rajasthan in particular, is the new go-to for five-star wildlife safaris. Asia travel specialists Insider Journeys has unveiled a range of glamping experiences to view India’s wildlife up close – including a chance to see the elusive Bengal tiger from the Khem Villas in the Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan. Crocodiles, jackals, hyenas, desert fox and jungle cats also come out to view from the camp’s wild grasslands. Accommodation is provided in tents built using natural local materials such as bamboo to blend in seamlessly with the environment. Alternatively, Chhatra Sagar is an oasis famous for birdwatching with more than 200 species seen on its lake and camel treks are the way to spot wildlife and visit local villages from Manvar or Osian Desert Camps. See www.insiderjourneys.com.au Fly direct from Brisbane to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways for onward connections to Jaipur, Rajasthan 24 | BNE November/December 2016

Fly direct from Brisbane to Vancouver with Air Canada for onward connections in Canada

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Locals on tap

Five-star lounge for Qantas

There’s no excuse not to see a city just like a local even if it doesn’t have a free Greeter program like we have in Brisbane. Day tour specialists Urban Adventures (a division of Intrepid Travel) has launched Locals on Tap, a program of meetups in 50 cities around the world (so far) which puts travellers in touch with local tour guides for a one-to-two hour walk through the city’s heart followed by a catch up at a local café or bar for a casual Q&A about everything you want to know from navigating public transport to best eats, even underground concerts or chic shop openings. Urban Adventures already hosts more than 140,000 travellers on day tours each year in 154 cities in 91 countries and so its local guides are experts in their field. For now there are 50 cities on the Locals on Tap list – from Cairns to Copenhagen, Marrakech to Moscow, Bangkok to Berlin and beyond and Urban Adventures is giving away 100,000 Locals on Tap tours until December. Register for a chance to win one of the free Locals on Tap tours with the promo code LOTBNE at www.urbanadventures.com/localsontap/

Qantas has opened its new multi-million dollar two-level International Premium Lounge at Brisbane Airport with five-star facilities, including shower suites. Celebrity chef Neil Perry directs seasonal menus, from breakfast dishes to hot and cold buffet selections, and coffee is served from an all-day barista bar. A complete redesign of the airline’s domestic lounges will follow, to be opened early in 2017. Queensland is where it all began for Qantas and it operates 57 direct international services from Brisbane each week.

Qantas flies direct between Brisbane and Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Los Angeles, Noumea, Auckland and Christchurch

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Tamworth

The Yarra Valley in Victoria is well-known for its wines but the lesser travelled trail along the Melba Highway uncovers some pleasant surprises, including the family-owned Mandala Wines at Dixon’s Creek (which earned high points for 2012 vintages of its Prophet and Matriarch pinot noirs and its Compass chardonnay in the 2016 edition of James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion) where Luca Radaelli also serves up mouth-watering food at DiVino Ristorante. Some wineries offer accommodation with stunning views such as Sutherland Estate and Balgownie Estate or the more rustic B&B at Fergusson Winery, and the wisteria arch at the award-winning Alowyn Gardens is a must-see. Download a map at https://visityarravalley. com.au/places-to-go/top-trails/melba-highway-trail Fly direct between Brisbane and Melbourne with Jetstar, Qantas, Tigerair and Virgin Australia

Image: Destination Tamworth

Yarra Valley detour

It’s the country music capital of Australia and hosts a festival second only to Nashville so more direct flights between Brisbane and Tamworth have started just in time for bookings ahead of the city’s Country Music Festival from 20-29 January 2017. Regional airline Fly Corporate’s new flights are well-timed for weekend breaks (departing Brisbane late Friday and returning early Monday morning) and the one-hour trip each way also makes it an easy commute during the week. For more information on flight times and to book see www.flycorporate.com.au Fly direct between Brisbane and Tamworth with Fly Corporate

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TASTE

Eating out with the family need not be a diet hazard as Kerry Heaney discovered at lunch with dietitian Kate Di Prima

ast food isn’t what it used to be. Not only have menu selections changed but some outlets are consulting dietitians to analyse their dishes while others are listing calorie values on the menu. According to dietitian Kate Di Prima (pictured above) proprietors are trying to make it easier for people to find the healthier options they want but there are some simple guidelines everyone can follow. “For someone who is looking after their health a plate should be one-quarter protein such as chicken, seafood, legumes or tofu, onequarter carbohydrate in the form of a wrap, bun, pasta or potato, and half salad or veggies,” Di Prima says. But how easy is that to follow when you’re out shopping with the kids? To find out I joined Di Prima for lunch at the new al fresco Skygate Dining precinct where a number of new cafés and diners have recently opened.

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First stop is Burger Urge where salads have been recently added to the menu. A healthy start. Di Prima liked the chicken, grilled sweet potato and kale slaw salad. “It has more than three serves of fibre in the salad and vegetables. It’s big enough to be shared between two for lunch and has a decent serve of grilled chicken without crumb coating, plus healthy fats and antioxidants with the addition of seeds (505 Cal/2082 kJ),” she says. The salads have been so popular that Burger Urge is already looking to expand the range, and it offers no-bun burgers and wraps as low carb options on the menu. The Portuguese-influenced menu at Zambeekas is based mostly on grilled chicken with light sauces for a flavour burst. “The five chicken tenders with garden salad is great for a light lunch,” says Di Prima. “The fresh grilled chicken has no heavy coating and comes with a fresh garden salad (330 Cal/1360 kJ) that covers at least two vegetable and salad serves for the day.” At Mexican-style Burrito Bar, Di Prima’s choice is the Naked Burrito, an achiote chicken salad with lime rice, black beans, corn salsa, mexislaw and pico de gallo (tomato salsa) topped with guacamole and no tortilla (400-500 Cal/16002000 kJ). “There’s an amazing amount of salad and healthy protein in this option. It’s light on fat, supplied from good fats in the avocado and not weighed down with masses amount of bread.” At Sushi Rail the prawn salad with a teriyaki chicken roll and a tuna salad and cucumber roll (about 450 Cal/1854 kJ) are Di Prima’s pick. “This is a filling lunch and a great way to obtain a variety of protein with tuna, prawn and chicken. Cucumber and nori add the vegetable/salad serve.”

Sushi Rail

But what happens if you don’t have a nutritionist along to help with the selection? Caffe Cherry Beans has the answer. It not only lists the calorie/kilojoule value of every dish on the menu it also notes the average adult daily intake (8700kj) at the bottom. Even with the hollandaise sauce, Eggs Benedict with ham (560 Cal/2310 KJ) from the all-day breakfast selection still comes within the healthy choice range. “Poached eggs, rather than fried, and plenty of salad make all the difference,” says Di Prima. While Caffe Cherry Beans has a standard menu that is consistent in all their stores, individual cafés do include special items on their own menu and Skygate will be introducing healthy selections based on super food ingredients for summer.

Find out more about dining options at Skygate, next door to DFO and during Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza playing in the Big Top nearby from 24 November at www.skygate.com.au. Follow foodie blogger Kerry Heaney at www.eatdrinkandbekerry.com.au

BARHOP Tomcat may be one of Brisbane’s

newest bar stops but it looks like a dive joint straight from the ’80s – and that’s deliberate. It’s laidback, low-lit and it’s two bars in one – the graffiti splashed main bar with craft beer, cider, a changing menu of cocktails on tap and supersize pizzas to share, or there’s the secret corner of the Boiler Room which takes the drinks orders up a notch. The highlight: buy a bottle of Remy Martin or Louis Xlll cognac and it will be locked in a copper closet for your personal use on return visits. Open Thursday to Sunday nights from 5pm at Level 1, 210 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley.

16 Antlers offers a different perspective of the city overlooking City Hall and King George Square from the 16th level of the Pullman Hotel. Tasting plates can be ordered from the in-house Tapastry menu and DJs step in on Friday nights to set an upbeat mood for the weekend ahead. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 3pm until late. The highlight: star-gazing while sipping a mint fresh Bushel Spritz fom the cocktail menu. Pullman Hotel, corner Anne and Roma Streets, city. For information see www.pullmanbrisbanekgs.com.au

Customs House has opened up its riverside courtyard for Sunset Spritz, a summer season pop-up bar open Wednesday to Sunday each week, serving up fresh tasting plates with chilled drinks and a front row seat to a spectacular view of the Story bridge and the riverscape. The highlight: free canapés served 5-6pm on Wednesdays help get over the midweek hump. Customs House, 399 Queen Street, city. See www.customshouse.com.au

Centres in foodie wars

Changing flavour of hotel dining Hotel restaurants used to be known more for their convenience than their creativity but that is changing as a wave of inventive chefs take charge in the kitchens – in Brisbane Pete Evans guides the menu at Asana (Capri by Fraser), Cobey Davies is settling in at Lennons (Next Hotel) and more recently Richard Mellor has taken the helm at The Croft House Town Kitchen & Bar attached to the Sebel, also in the CBD. The Croft House is a showcase for local talent – from Wolff Coffee Roasters (owners of Dandelion and Driftwood, Hendra) to craft beer from Newstead Brewing and even plates from ceramic artist Susan Simonini. As its name suggests this is country fare reinvented for the city from its grab-and-go gourmet sandwiches to the Butcher’s Board of cured and smoked meats, farmhouse terrine, pickles and chutney for shared grazing and wine pairing. Open seven days for all-day dining from early (6.30-7am) until late. At the corner of Charlotte and Albert Streets, call 3224 3549 or see www.thecrofthouse.com.au

Eating out at the shops never tasted so good as shopping centres invest millions making over their food courts, and nowhere is the competition keener than on the Gold Coast. Hot on the heels of Pacific Fair raising the bar with the opening of Aquitaine Pacific in its ‘Resort’ precinct, the yakitori and whiskey bar Torii and dessert bars Cowch and Lello Lello Gelati – all open for evening dining even when the shops are closed – Robina Town Centre is fighting back with the opening of The Kitchens – a massive $160 million two-level remodelling of its food marketplace. This is no ordinary food hall – celebrity chef and Masterchef judge George Calombaris has chosen it to be the first location in Queensland for his Jimmy Grants souvlaki bar; Jemma Gawned has brought her Naked Treaties organic, raw, vegan, sugar-free and dairy-free desserts and drinks from Byron Bay; while Melbourne institution Levezzi Gelateria has also moved in. Local Coast stars are also in the spotlight here including hot food truckies Fiery Deli bringing South American street food to the space and William Wu in a new venture, Fish Lab by William Wu; and for anyone who aspires to be more like them there are classes at Icon The Cookery School, which will be open seven days at The Kitchens. See www.robinatowncentre.com.au

William Wu BNE November/December 2016 | 29

TASTE

Perfect picnics 1

From a delicious brunch for two to a lavish high tea there’s a picnic made to order for almost any occasion. Here are five of the best …

IN THE PARK

The City Botanic Gardens is Brisbane’s oldest park, a sprawling 20 hectares of tree-lined avenues, spongey lawns and ornamental ponds that provide a tranquil respite from the city buzz just metres away. Once upon a time the area was planted with food crops by convicts to feed the prison colony before it became designated a ‘Botanic Reserve’ and was used as an experimental farm to test the growing conditions for all sorts of species from fruits (mango, pawpaw, grape vines) to trees (poinciana and jacaranda) and even tobacco. The park’s great shady boulevards – Bunya Walk that skirts the river’s edge and Weeping Fig Avenue – are centuries old. A picnic here after a free guided walk or during a self-guided walk is a delight any day of the week in summer. A family picnic basket prepared by The Gardens Club (once the curator’s cottage and now a café) in City Botanic Gardens includes fresh-made sandwiches, tropical fruit salad, cold drinks and a selection of sweet treats made by Brisbane cake artisan Judy C for four people; cost $60. Or a couple might like the snack basket of olives, pickles, deli meats, dips, cheeses and sweets by Judy C as well as cold drinks for $50. There’s a refundable deposit on the picnic basket of $20 and baskets need to be returned by 4pm on the day but that leaves plenty of time to linger over lunch. Baskets can be ordered on the day at the café (and prepared while you wait), or in advance. To order call 3012 9606 or order online at http://thegardensclub.com.au/picnic-baskets/ To find out more about City Botanic Gardens see www.brisbane.qld.gov. au/facilities-recreation/parks-venues/parks/city-botanic-gardens

Cathy Hallewell’s picnic hampers are tailored to special occasions and she’ll deliver almost anywhere within cooee of her Gold Coast base (beyond the Gold Coast metro area there’s likely to be an additional delivery fee) – whether it’s to the beach or a backyard. Cathy also has some of her own favourite picnic spots to suggest to out-of-towners or anyone lost for choice – for example, the Gold Coast’s own secret garden, the Botanic Gardens at Benowa that not even many locals know, or Paradise Point Parklands. Cathy (pictured below) packs hampers for two to 10 people or caters for party picnics for 10-50 people and hamper packages start from a Rise and Shine brunch menu to the romantic Love and Sunshine hamper for two. However, feeling the need for a sweet pick-me-up on a sunny afternoon, our pick is the Gold High Tea which includes fresh-baked scones with raspberry conserve and vanilla bean cream, gourmet sandwich bites, triple chocolate brownie bites, signature sticky date and salted caramel buttercream cupcakes, Lindt chocolate-dipped strawberries and macarons. Rug and cushions are provided with the hamper and all equipment. Primary school teacher Cathy is a passionate baker and makes all the delicious items on her menu so hampers are only available for delivery at weekends and need to be ordered a week in advance. Cathy has an eye for style and her picnics are lavish with attention to detail. Prices start at $140 for two (Love and Sunshine). To order call or text 0417 791 425 or see www.picnicperfection.com.au/shop/hampers

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

30 | BNE November/December 2016

LAVISH HIGH TEA

CRAFT BREWS AND BAGUETTES

Garry Flynn, head chef at Malt Pier, Newstead is behind the picnic hampers available from Malt Traders (pictured right) which include a three-course gourmet selection of specialty produce. Selections change seasonally but a hamper menu might include prosciutto, marinated olives and fig jam, steamed chicken breast, beetroot, candied walnut and spinach salad and baguette, mini lemon meringues and choc caramel tarts, double brie or vintage cheddar and gluten free wafers. Hampers include San Pellegrino drinks but Malt Traders specialises in boutique craft brews (such as Prancing Pony from Adelaide Hills and Moo Brew from Hobart alongside some of Brisbane’s best known brewers) and biodynamic or organic wines (such as Cullen from Margaret River, WA, Battle of Bosworth from McLaren Vale, SA, or Te Whare Ra from Marlborough, NZ) so staff can recommend the perfect match to the hamper meal. Hampers can be ordered to collect from Malt Traders at Emporium, 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley or 10 Market Street, city with a range of picnic spots nearby – including the rolling lawns in front of Newstead House, just a few minutes walk from Malt Pier and offering expansive river views to the cruise ships in port at Hamilton, the shores of Bulimba opposite or up river to Teneriffe. Cost $75 for two people (not including beers or wines). Order 24 hours ahead and basket can be returned next day. See www.maltraders.com.au

ECO-FRIENDLY EATS

It was the city’s beautiful parks and the outdoor lifestyle they encourage that inspired Chloe Smith to start The Picnic Goods when she moved to Brisbane and she makes up home-made picnics with locally-sourced ingredients from the Wandering Cooks foodie haven in South Brisbane. Chloe describes her picnic packs (pictured left) “like a weekly fruit and veg delivery with all of the contents already made into something delicious to eat (and a few extras)”. Selections change each week according to ingredients freshly picked and hampers include things like dip (spicy carrot is a specialty) and crunchy crudités, cold meats and pickles, cheeses, salads, bread, a savoury tart, fruit and a sweet treat (such as pavlova) from New Farm Confectionery. Chloe’s aim is to promote sustainability and small scale growers and makers in South East Queensland. The Picnic Goods packages are plastic-free and designed to be packed down for compost, the recycling bin or to reuse. Cutlery, plates and napkins are biodegradable. Hampers can be collected on Saturdays and Sundays from Wandering Cooks or New Farm Park – both on the doorstep of some top picnic spots. In December Moonlight Cinema returns to New Farm Park and Smith offers a Movie Night hamper ($45) that can be collected from 4pm on weekends. A Classic Hamper ($75) has enough food for four people but prices range from $25 (cheese selection). Order at least two days ahead, call 0406 724 398 or see http://thepicnicgoods.com

ITALIAN FLAVOUR

It’s only steps from Popolo’s kitchen to one of the best picnic spots in Brisbane – the lawn at River Quay on the river’s South Bank which serves up crystal clear views of the city’s rising skyline over the water. Popolo packs picnics to order (pictured right) with an Italian flavour from a menu including antipasto, arancini, fried olives, pizza, calamari, salads and soft drinks, in retro-style baskets with rug, cutlery and napkins. The lawn immediately in front of the River Quay restaurants is licensed for BYO. Before lunch a wander through South Bank Parklands will meander past the Epicurious herb garden, under the iconic Bougainvillea archway and on to the city beach. There’s often yoga or tai chi in the park in the early mornings and busy market stalls at weekends. The best way to get there is by City Hopper or CityCat ferry. Hamper packages start from $55 for two people to about $80 for four plus a deposit of $20 for the basket which is refunded when it is returned. Pre-booking is recommended. To order call 3846 7784 or see www.popolodining.com BNE November/December 2016 | 31

WHAT’S ON

SOLDIER’S WIVES

find their voice

eb Suckling (pictured right) was involved in a number of community music projects – songwriting with long-term homeless people at Roma House in Spring Hill and with communities in the mining rich region of southern Queensland’s Surat Basin – when she first thought of telling the stories of women whose partners had served in conflict. “It’s something you rarely hear about and songwriting is an excellent platform to help people tell their personal stories. The Anzac story is such a part of the fabric of our country and I really wanted to look into the stories around the women and the families,” she says. For the next two years Deb and a small band of Queensland songwriters embarked on an extraordinary journey across the state to hear those stories from women whose partners have served in the military for more than 60 years, from WWII to the present day. They travelled to towns such as Chinchilla and Goomboorian, cities such as Cairns and Roma, speaking to more than 100 women aged from 25 to 104. “They all had different backgrounds and experiences but their stories have similar themes of love, loss, upheaval through all sorts of deployments through the Pacific, Asia and the Middle East, of fear for their partners while they are away and sometimes anger for the way their partners have been treated when they get home, or suffering through their partner’s PTSD (and their children’s PTSD when it is passed on), but also their strength in raising their children – often on their own,” Deb says. One song, ‘Daddy is bulletroof’ was written with two children in Dalby, Jack and Lillee Yewsang, when they were 8 and 10. Their Dad had served in seven deployments in the Middle East and was away at the time the song was written so it talks about how they feel about him coming home. They later performed the song in Sydney and their Dad came home from Afghanistan to hear it. “The women opened their hearts and bared their souls. Most of the time we would write with them on the spot, sitting down over a cup of tea and working together on lyrics that best suited their story and finding out the musical styles they liked. It was a very emotional process. There have been lots of tears, laughs, hugs and long-term relationships have been built.” Deb and her collaborators wanted to share the stories to raise awareness and understanding of the commitment and sacrifices of the soldier’s wives and their families and they received assistance from the Anzac Centenary Arts and Culture Fund so they could record the songs and eventually tour regional areas of Queensland to perform them. They have also performed in Sydney and Canberra and now there are plans to extend the project interstate and tour nationally. In the meantime their first album The Soldier’s Wife is available on iTunes. Deb Suckling and her band of songwriters Roz Pappalardo, Jackie Marshall, Emma Bosworth, Lydia Fairhall, Kristy Apps and Melinda J. Wells come together again to perform the songs from The Soldier’s Wife project on Remembrance Day and it’s perhaps fitting that on 11 November we, too, pause to hear their stories. The Soldier’s Wife, Old Museum, Bowen Hills, 11 November. Tickets $33.50. See www.oldmuseum.org

32 | BNE November/December 2016

WOMEN IN FOCUS on festival screen From the boisterous, wildly colourful and loud Indian film Parched (below) to the slow-burn tension of Personal Shopper, a thriller from French director Olivier Assayas and starring Kristen Stewart, women are at the heart of some of the best films in this year’s selection for the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival (BAPFF). Another is the documentary Ella, by Brisbane-based filmmaker Douglas Watkin who charts the journey of Dubbo-born ballerina Ella Havelka as she becomes the first Indigenous dancer to be invited to join the Australian Ballet Company. This is just a smidgin of the diversity in the program of more than 80 feature films, documentaries, shorts and cinema classics which includes many award-winners on the international film festival circuit. A restored copy of 1970s Australian classic Storm Boy, adapted from the Colin Thiele novel, will also be screened. BAPFF, from 23 November to 4 December 2016, various locations. See www.brisbaneasiapacificfilmfestival.com

GET LOST inWonderland It’s that time of year we’re ready for a carnival and Wonderland delivers with a program that packs 31 shows of surprise and delight into 14 days. From the Game of Thrones parody Graeme of Thrones to the Bombshell Burlesque Revue and a celebration of Nick Cave’s Murder Ballads, Wonderland is a feast of circus, comedy, music, physical theatre, magic and cabaret burlesque, but perhaps best of all the audience gets in on the act in Gruesome Yarns. Brisbane’s funniest improvisers spin some disgusting family-friendly tales, all completely made up on the spot from audience suggestions, inventing improbable plots, hilarious characters and plenty to keep all the family entertained. Wonderland, Brisbane Powerhouse from 24 November to 11 December. See www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

THE MAGIC OF MATILDA Matilda the Musical comes to the Brisbane stage with an envious pedigree – the original story by Roald Dahl is one of the favourite children’s books of all time, the Royal Shakespeare Company is behind the production, muchawarded British set designer Rob Howell created the fantastical world of Crunchem Hall on stage and Australia’s own Tim Minchin (now based in LA), wrote the music and lyrics – which has earned the show a world record-breaking number of awards, including 13 Australian Helpmann Awards (from 13 nominations) seven British Laurence Olivier Awards and four Tony Awards. Dahl’s story is almost 30 years old but the mischievous Matilda who defies authority and plays terrible tricks on anyone who crosses her is as engaging and hilarious as ever. Good family fun with a happy ending. Matilda the Musical from 25 November to 12 February 2017 at Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane. Tickets $55-$175 plus fees, call 136 246 or seewww.qpac.com.au

Missy’s

SYMPHONY

Fresh from a few months touring and writing in the US, Missy Higgins will fuse her live band with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra for a special performance of hits and new songs as part of a new concert series. She admits it was a challenge that has taken her a while to accept. “This is a perfect opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone and try something different.” Missy Higgins Orchestral Concert Series, 18 November, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Tickets from $101.75 plus fees. See www.missyhiggins.com

Play dead If you’re prepared to do (almost) anything for 18 minutes of fame then contemporary arts centre Metro Arts wants to hear from you. The centre wants to ‘recruit’ 32 stand-ins for dead bodies for a new performance project called I Stand In which will be part of Deathfest from 12-20 November. Successful volunteers will be oiled and wrapped in a shroud by artist Julie Vulcan in what she calls a death washing ritual and ‘bodies’ will be required for about an hour – 18 minutes of it in performance – on 18 and 19 November. Deathfest explores our understanding of and attitudes towards death and grief through performance, music, visual art and discussion. Register your interest to volunteer by 11 November at www.metroarts.com.au/ deathfestvolunteers/

I Stand In by Julie Vulcan BNE November/December 2016 | 33

WHAT’S ON

Stormy

WEATHER AHEAD Andrew Bovell’s play When the Rain Stops Falling has been acclaimed for its intricate dissection of family ties and now it is to be staged by Brisbane Arts Theatre. The play is immediately intriguing – it opens in Alice Springs in the year 2039 when a fish falls from the sky and lands at the feet of Gabriel York, smelling of the sea! It’s also challenging – the story spans 80 years, four generations and two continents as it connects the dots between York, his father, his grandfather and his own son along a trail that leads from 1950s London to Uluru and the coast. It’s a journey of love, loss, betrayal and survival but there are moments of humour and hope that make this enthralling until the end. When the Rains Stops Falling, Brisbane Arts Theatre, Petrie Terrace, 19 November to 10 December. Tickets $40 each. See www.artstheatre.com

BASIL is back

Fawlty Towers may have been one of the shortest series on television, airing for only two seasons, but its success has lived on for 40 years and that is set to continue with the show Fawlty Towers Live, adapted for the stage by its original star, John Cleese. It’s a faithful reincarnation of the series – die-hard fans might even recognise the three episodes the show is based on – and by all accounts the jokes are still funny, a credit perhaps to Australian comic actor Stephen Hall (left) who steps into Basil Fawlty’s manic shoes this time around. Fawlty Towers Live, from 28 December at Playhouse QPAC, South Brisbane. Tickets $77-$137 plus fees. See www.qpac.com.au

LA BOITE PRESENTS

A S T R E E T C AR NA M E D D E S I RE B Y T E NNE SSE E W I LLI AMS 15 OCT – 12 NOV 2016

BOOK NOW LABOITE.COM.AU LA BOI TE TH EATRE COM PA N Y La Boite Theatre Company is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland

34 | BNE November/December 2016

La Boite Theatre Company is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its funding and advisory body

WHEN WHAT

WHERE

NOVEMBER

JAZZ FUSION

An early lesson the boys from BadBadNotGood learned from their jazz instructors was not to listen to their instructors ... or they may not be where they are today. When one of their early collaborations, blurring the boundaries between jazz and hip hop, was given the thumbs down by a panel in their jazz program, they released the track on YouTube anyway. It caught the attention of rapper Tyler, the Creator and he stepped in to help the video go viral. Earlier this year BadBadNotGood launched their fifth album and continue to surprise critics with their genre-bending instrumentals. BadBadNotGood plays Max Watts, West End, 7 December. Tickets $50.90. See www.livenation.com.au

Smokie Live

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

Making a Murderer

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

Ronan Keating

Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane

From 8

Julian Meagher and Tim McMonagle

Edwina Corlette Gallery, New Farm

The Delta Riggs

The Triffid, Newstead

Digital Expo

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

Supanova

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

Delta Goodrem

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

Kiss Me Kate in concert, Opera Q

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

From 12

Tartuffe, Queensland Theatre Company

Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane

Deftones

Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens

QSO on Sundays Passion & Romance

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

From 16

The Art of Dr Seuss

Mitchell Fine Art Gallery, Fortitude Valley

Tribute to Elvis

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

Rat Pack from Vegas

The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley

At Last – The Etta James Story

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

Kooza, Cirque du Soleil

The Big Top, Skygate, Brisbane Airport

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals

Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens

Lighting of the Christmas Tree

King George Square, city

Birds of Tokyo

The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

Cremorne Theatre, QPAC, South Brisbane

The Story of Brisbane

Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm

DECEMBER

First Open House Fresh from playing Big Sound and the launch of her first EP, breakout solo talent Rebel Yell (Grace Stevenson, below) will bring her industrial techno sound to the first Open House event alongside audio-visual duo friendships, hot Brisbane DJs Sezzo Snot, Sullivan, Baby Mama and others. Open House has been organised to be an inclusive event in a safe space at the Foundry, Fortitude Valley and to help raise funds for local community radio station 4ZZZ. Open House at The Foundry, Fortitude Valley, 19 November, tickets $24. See www.thefoundry.net.au

1-2

Flume

Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens

From 1

Graeme of Thrones, comedy

Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm

The Monkees 50th anniversary tour

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

1-4

Brisbane Dance Festival

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

2-3

QSO Symphonic Santa

The Courier Mail Piazza, South Bank Parklands

From 3

Moonlight Cinema

New Farm Park

QSO Choral Handel Messiah

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

Coldplay, A Head Full of Dreams Tour

Suncorp Stadium, Milton

9-18

The Enchanted Garden illumination

Roma Street Parkland

9-23

The Nutcracker, Queensland Ballet

Playhouse, QPAC, South Brisbane

Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols

Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens

Giggle & Hoot’s Magical Christmas

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane

The Wiggles

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane

10-18

Christmas Movies in the Park

Amphitheatre, Roma Street Parkland

16-17

Keith Urban

Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall

16-23

Christmas Beach Cinema

Streets Beach, South Bank Parklands

16-24

Christmas Parade

Queen Street to King George Square, city

19-23

Christmas Carols

The Courier Mail Piazza, South Bank Parklands

20-23

Christmas Fireworks

Clem Jones Promenade, South Bank Parklands

The Spirit of Christmas

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Brisbane BNE November/December 2016 | 35

Photography, main image, by Eric Wang

MY BRISBANE

santa claus As Santa prepares for another busy Christmas he took a break from the workshop for a rare interview ...

hat’s your favourite Christmas event in Brisbane? There are so many great events all over SouthEast Queensland at Christmas but some of the best for me are lighting the Christmas tree in King George Square, the Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols on the Riverstage in the City Botanic Gardens and Mrs Claus is a big fan of the Christmas Markets at South Bank. Where can people find you this year? I will be at South Bank’s Christmas Market from 16 to 23 December and Mrs Claus and our chief Elf will join me on 16, 17, 22 and 23 December, then I will be making a side trip to Dolphins Leagues Club, Redcliffe on 18 December. What’s the most common thing children ask for? Lego and Barbie are still popular requests from the under 5s but after that age electronic devices are the top pick for both boys and girls. A couple of Christmases ago the iPhone 6 was on top of a lot of lists because it was quite new but many of the younger boys and girls still ask for trucks and dolls or scooters and dress-up costumes.

36 | BNE November/December 2016

Any unusual requests? I have been asked for unicorns and occasionally I am asked by children for an elf to help do their chores. Animals are quite popular – from puppies and pussycats to ponies. They can be quite hard to deliver. Sadly, sometimes I am asked to bring back a family member who has passed away, or a parent who has been separated from the family because the child misses them. Those requests bring a tear to my eyes every time. You have sent out many presents over the years, any tips for where the rest of us might find some great Christmas shopping? Mrs Claus likes making things so she loves fossicking around markets such as the Riverside markets in the City Botanic Gardens every Sunday and, of course, the Christmas Markets at South Bank where many craft people show off their wares for sale. Mrs Claus says she can find anything for anyone there, no matter how quirky – I don’t like to give away her secrets but she finds most of the gifts for our own family there! I am more traditional and love wooden toys like the ones my ancestors used to give out many years ago, or the educational and eco-friendly toys you can still find in stores such as biome or Knock On Wood at Sinnamon Park.

SANTA’S Many people think you live at the North Pole but I’ve heard a rumour that you live in Brisbane? Where do you live? My ancestors are from the North Pole but I grew up in Brisbane and live in Everton Park.

FAVOURITE THINGS

Christmas markets South Bank

How many children do you think have visited you over the years at South Bank? Over the last 30 plus years I have had more than 100,000 children visit me at South Bank and more than 300,000 in South East Queensland. Many have visited me every year until they grew old enough to bring their own children to see me. I can even remember some of the presents they asked for. Of course, this is only a fraction of the children I see all over the world each year. What’s been one of your most memorable experiences? Talking to all of the children and receiving a present from some are great pleasures, but holding a newborn experiencing their first Christmas or having a parent of a child tell me that they sat and talked to me when they were a child are wonderful experiences. How will you spend Christmas with your own family? On Christmas Day I will visit the children having lunch at Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast but after that Mrs Claus and I and our number one Elf will visit other family members here and interstate – we have two babies having their first Christmas this year so I’d like to be there with them even if it is not until Boxing Day, so Santa will be doing some overtime this year. Any favourite spots you like to go? When we’re not busy working with the elves, Mrs Claus and I leave the red suits at home and go to Vito’s Espresso Bar (768 Stafford Rd, Everton Park in the Woolworths Centre) for a coffee. Vito and his staff are very friendly and quick if you need to get a coffee and go, or you can sit and enjoy a coffee with breakfast or lunch. The coffee is good – I like a flat white

with an extra shot and Mrs Claus likes her cappuccino with honey instead of sugar – and they serve breakfast all day. What do you like about your neighbourhood? Everton Park is a fantastic suburb only about 15 minutes from the city and it has many convenient facilities nearby, including several shopping centres, easy access to highways that go north and south and the airport is only 10 minutes away. All these things make it very central for everything that I do and quite quick to get wherever I need to go.

Coffee break

Vito’s Espresso Bar

What’s your favourite meal to eat out? Mrs Claus and I both love seafood and we visit Morgans Seafood at Scarborough (Bird of Passage Parade) at least once a week to enjoy the takeaway fresh prawns, crabs and oysters or hot food from the selection of fish, calamari, mussels, cuttlefish and prawn cutlets. We eat it overlooking Deception Bay and sometimes buy extra prawns to take home. What’s a favourite way to spend the weekend after a manic Christmas? Sometimes we like to spend time on the Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast relaxing on the beach, but by then I have swapped my Santa suit for board shorts and an Hawaiian shirt. When I was growing up I spent a lot of Christmases at Dicky Beach and Currimundi at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. We’d play for hours in the bush and on the dunes, go in for lunch then go back out again and play around the shores of the lake. It’s more built-up now. Mrs Claus grew up at Kirra on the Gold Coast so we have enjoyed the best of both. I like bushwalking and the hinterland, from Lamington National Park to Mount Tamborine has many places to enjoy that.

Seafood by the bay Morgans, Scarborough

Wooden toys

biome eco stores BNE November/December 2016 | 37

NEED TO KNOW AIRPORT AMBASSADORS

Welcoming volunteers are available to answer questions and offer directions to visitors within Brisbane Airport’s Domestic and International Terminals. Look for ambassadors wearing bright blue shirts if you need assistance and our team of Chinesespeaking ambassadors wear red shirts.

BNE PARKING

Convenient, secure and undercover short and long-term parking is available within walking distance to both terminals. For special offers and full product offering including valet, car washing, the new AIRPARK and more see www.bne.com.au

TERMINAL TRANSFERS

Passengers transferring between the terminals can travel via the free Transfer Bus which departs at regular intervals from Level 2 International Terminal and Level 1 Domestic Terminal and travels via Skygate.

TRANSPORT BOOKINGS Coach, rail, limousine and corporate car bookings can be made at the Visitor Information Centre, Level 2 International Terminal or Level 1 Domestic Terminal.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

TransLink is the local bus, ferry and train public transport network stretching north to Gympie, south to Coolangatta and west to Helidon. See www.translink.com.au or call 13 12 30.

TAXIS AND AIRTRAIN

Taxi ranks are located kerbside Level 2 International Terminal and Level 1 Domestic Terminal. Airtrain provides regular rail links between Brisbane Airport, Brisbane city, Gold Coast and TransLink network as well as terminal transfers. Tickets available in the terminal or at the station.

BNE Maps + More Download the Brisbane Airport app to access important flight information, terminal maps and parking, shopping and dining options at the airport. Add your itinerary and more. Available free for iPhone and Android at Google play and App Store. 38 38 | BNE November/December July/August 2016 2016

IMPORTANT INFORMATION Visitor Information Centres For information about accommodation, tours, transfer tickets and general enquiries, Visitor Information Centres are on Level 2 International Terminal and Level 1 Domestic Terminal (Central Area). Currency exchange Travelex currency exchange and transfer facilities are on Levels 2, 3 and 4 International Terminal and Level 2 Domestic Terminal near Gate 23. Baggage lockers Find small, medium and large lockers for short and long-term hire at the terminal entrance to the public car park at the International Terminal, at either end of the Domestic Terminal, or next to the bus stop at Skygate. Tax Refund Scheme (TRS) The TRS enables you to claim a refund, subject to certain conditions, of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) that you pay on goods bought in Australia. See www. customs.gov.au or call 1300 363 263. Lost property International: enquiries to Visitor Information Centre, Level 2; call (07) 3406 3190 or email international@sqt. com.au. Domestic: enquiries first to your airline. Qantas call (07) 3867 3264, Virgin Australia (07) 3114 8150, Jetstar (07) 3336 1752 or email Tigerair at ttbne.ops@ aerocare.com.au before contacting the Visitor Information Centre on Level 1; call (07) 3068 6698 or send emails to domestic@sqt.com.au Disability access Lifts, travelators, ramps, aerobridges, rest points, accessible parking spaces and toilet

BRISBANE AIRPORT’S APP has been updated with enhanced features, including a new social sign-in through a Facebook or Google account providing access to exclusive offers, a new booking section for airport parking, rental cars and hotels and a quick link to add flight details to a My Trip or Track feature (above). There’s also help in the shop section to find duty free products and information about purchase limits and selected content is also available in Japanese and Korean, as well as simple Chinese language. Free from Apple store and Google Play facilities are in place for passengers with limited mobility or disabilities. Airlines are responsible for assisting passengers with disabilities within terminals. Passengers should refer to their airline’s policies prior to booking their ticket. There is no porter service or any form of direct assistance provided at Brisbane Airport other than any assistance that may be provided by the passenger’s airline. WiFi access Free WiFi access up to 1GB at International Terminal and central area Domestic Terminal.

Local amenities Skygate is Brisbane Airport’s retail and dining precinct, a short free ride on the Transfer Bus from the terminals. There are more than 130 stores, including brandname factory outlets, a 24/7 supermarket, hairdresser, gym, restaurants, chemist, medical clinic, hotel, beauty services, barber, tavern and golf leisure centre. Prayer Room A multi-denominational prayer room is located at International Terminal Level 4. Police For assistance at Brisbane Airport telephone 13 12 37. Acknowledgement In keeping with the spirit of reconciliation, we respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which Brisbane Airport stands, and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.

DAY IN THE LIFE

Whitney Gorlitz behind the desk at Typo, Domestic Terminal

Katelee McTaggart from the Hunter Valley, NSW gets some makeup tips from Katarena Frangiosa at Mecca Maxima, Domestic Terminal

More than

17 MILLION

passengers travel through

BRISBANE AIRPORT’S DOMESTIC TERMINAL each year. These are just a few snapped on their journey by Brisbane photographer Marc Grimwade

Stormtrooper Joseph Niutta, from Melbourne, arrives in Brisbane for his Bucks party

Chayce Lowe arrives from Townsville for a modelling course in Brisbane

Kai qi Wang and Sophie Guan wait out their flight to Sydney on a lounger in Virgin Australia’s departure area

Harry Vecellio, 6, enjoys cake and hot chocolate at Watermark Books and Café before a flight to Sydney with mum Catherine

Luke Vogel from Brisbane at Fonzie Abbott before a flight to Gladstone

BNE November/December 2016 | 39

BRISBANE TO THE WORLD

Tokyo (Narita) Seoul

Japan

South Korea

Guangzhou

Dubai

Shanghai* (Pudong) China Taipei Taiwan

China

United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates

Hong Kong China

Manila

Philippines

Bangkok Thailand

Singapore

Denpasar

Port Moresby Papua New Guinea

Indonesia

Honiara

Solomon Islands

BRISBANE

Brisbane to the world

To 74 destinations direct from Brisbane and beyond

*Flights start December 2016.

Vancouver Canada

Los Angeles USA

Honolulu

USA

Darwin

Nauru

Cairns

Nauru

Cloncurry Mount Isa

Port Hedland Alice Springs

Longreach

Samoa

Birdsville

Espiritu Santo

Emerald

Thargomindah

Nadi Fiji

Bundaberg Charleville Fraser Coast (Hervey Bay) Roma Miles Quilpie BRISBANE St George Toowoomba Cunnamulla Moree Narrabri

Noumea

New Caledonia

Biloela

Rockhampton Gladstone

Windorah

Vanuatu

Whitsunday Coast (Proserpine) Hamilton Island Mackay

Moranbah Barcaldine

Blackall

Apia

Port Vila

Townsville

Perth

Port Macquarie

Dubbo

Norfolk Island Australia

Newcastle

Albury

Canberra

Melbourne

Auckland New Zealand

New Zealand

Christchurch New Zealand

Dunedin

New Zealand

Queenstown New Zealand

Map not to scale. Please note airlines and destinations are current at time of print.

Lord Howe Island

Sydney

Adelaide

Wellington

Armidale Coffs Harbour Tamworth

Launceston Hobart

GETTING TO THE CITY M4

Route Number

Exit Number Train Line

TO SUNSHINE COAST

Main Road AirportlinkM7 & Clem Jones Tunnels Brisbane CBD Service Centre

Nudgee

Banyo

BRISBANE AIRPORT

W ay

Nundah

Boggy Creek

DOMESTIC TERMINAL

So ut he rn Cr os s

Gympie Road

Sandgate Road

Airp ort Driv e

Chermside

Stafford

TO CITY

Albion

Lytton way otor yM ewa Gat

ra ge og En

ross Way rn C

Lutwyche

th S ou

Clayfield

INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL

terial Road t Ar Ea s t -Wes

Mo tor way

Stafford Ro ad

Breakfast Creek

Hamilton Eagle Farm

77 Enoggera Creek

Bowen Hills

M1 Aquarium Passage

RI V E R

Bulimba

Newstead

By pa s

Kelvin Grove Inn e r C i

Wynnum West

Spring Hill

Paddington

Morningside 15 33

BRISBANE y wa tor Mo ific Pac

West End

Main Street

Milton Co ro na tio nD riv e

BRIS BANE

Por tO fB risb ane

Windsor

Road nnum Wy

New Farm 23

Manly R oad

Norman Park TO GOLD COAST

* Map not to scale.

BNE November/December 2016 | 43

K rque d OO u Sol ZAeil Ci

Photos: Matt Beard | Costumes: Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt | ÂŠ 2012 Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil will perform its new production, KOOZA , in their iconic Big Top at Skygate Brisbane Airport from November 24. Just a short walk away from the Big Top, enjoy overnight accommodation at Novotel Brisbane Airport or a meal and refreshments in Catalina Restaurant prior to the show!