Canberra CityNews March 14

Page 1

CityNews  March 14-20  1




4  CityNews  March 14-20


news / the centenary

Toast to the ‘enduring capital’ By Laura Edwards

ON March 12, 1913, a gloved Lady Gertrude Denman stood upon three foundation stones and carefully drew a card from her gold cigarette case, announcing the name of Australia’s new capital would be Canberra. One hundred years later, surrounding the same foundation stones, the centenary of Canberra was marked with an official reenactment ceremony on the lawns of Parliament House. As dignitaries rolled in, members of the public set up chairs and sat outside the grounds to watch on. Guests of honour included Governor-General Quentin Bryce, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Affairs and Local Government Minister Simon Crean and Chief Minister Katy Gallagher. Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, who was invited to attend but not to speak, made a low-key entrance, slipping in to sit in the audience beside former GovernorGeneral Sir William Deane. In her speech, Ms Gillard reflect-

ed on how the process of selecting a name for Canberra “was only the beginning”. “The naming of Canberra completed a remarkable quartet of events – the idea, the site, the plan,” she said. “For the nation, Canberra is our enduring capital. For the world it is a model of urban design and for locals it is simply our much-loved home.” Ms Bryce recalled how Lord Thomas Denman gave the “best speech of his career” at the ceremony 100 years ago. “The city of 2013, would surely meet and perhaps surpass, the hopes and expectations of Lord Denman and all those present at its foundation ceremony 100 years ago,” she said. She said that once the name was chosen, a debate began about how the new capital should be pronounced. The Governor-General’s husband, Michael Bryce, went on to explain how the debate was settled. “The pragmatic decision finally reached was that whatever pronunciation Lady Denman used on the day would become the official version,” he said. “And so it was. On this centenary day, CAN-berra it remains.”

index / contacts Arts&Entertainment 31-33 Canberra Confidential 24 Centenary 5-8 Cinema 32 Dining 33 Garden 34 News 5-14 Politics 14 Puzzles 35 Socials 25-28

Cover: Dentists Mohamed Elfar and Shareif Elhoufy. Story Page 17.

Dr Sue’s our top citizen MUCH-loved paediatrician Dr Sue Packer is Canberra’s 2013 Citizen of the Year.

Canberra is toasted, March 12, 2013: from left, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Governor-General, Quentin Bryce and Mr Michael Bryce. Photo by Silas Brown. And in a stark contrast to the alcohol-free ceremony 100 years earlier, glasses of champagne were placed in the hands of each audience member after official proceedings, to raise a toast to the capital.

Canberra is named, March 12, 1913: from left, Governor-General Lord Denman, Prime Minister Andrew Fisher, Lady Denman and Home Affairs Minister King O’Malley.

Dr Packer first started working as a paediatrician in 1972, and has worked as a community paediatrician with a special interest in child abuse and abuse prevention for decades. Since 1990 she has been the paediatrician to the ACT Child at Risk Assessment Citizen of the Unit in ACT Health. Centenary Year... Her work has involved Dr Sue Packer. close liaison with schools, police, the courts, counsellors, foster care and child protection services, and children’s health services. She was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia in 1999 for her services to child welfare, paediatrics and the community. “Dr Packer has shown an extraordinary commitment to the ACT community, particularly to the welfare of children and young people,” Chief Minister Katy Gallagher says. “She has been a tireless advocate for the safety and wellbeing of children for many years, and for promoting the interests of children wherever possible. “She has turned countless lives around, and has made Canberra a better, safer and happier place for many children and their families. There is no greater testament to her work than that.”

Since 1993: Volume 19, Number 9

Phone 6262 9100 Fax 6262 9111 GPO Box 2448, Canberra City 2601 Chief executive officer: Greg Jones 0419 418196, greg@citynews.com.au Senior advertising executive: Ernie Nichols, 0421 077999 Advertising sales executives: Rebecca Darman 0411 225169 Sara Poguet, 0415 706758 Advertising sales co-ordinator: ad@citynews.com.au Sydney advertising sales: Ad Sales Connect, 02 9420 1777 Distribution: Richard Watson, circulation@citynews.com.au

Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au Journalists: Laura Edwards, laura@citynews.com.au Stephen Easton, stephen@citynews.com.au Kathryn Vukovljak, kathryn@citynews.com.au Arts editor: Helen Musa, 0400 043764 helen@citynews.com.au Design and photography: Silas Brown, 0412 718086 Graphic designer: Leonie Fox Accounts manager: Bethany Freeman-Chandler accounts@citynews.com.au

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Ian Meikle, Level 1, 143 London Circuit, Canberra.

CityNews  March 14-20  5


news / the centenary

A century of fun in One Big Day WORDS: Laura Edwards and Stephen Easton PHOTOS: Silas Brown, Brent McDonald and Andrew Finch

“IF you build it they will come,” says creative director of the centenary of Canberra Robyn Archer – and come they did, in the hundreds and thousands, to celebrate a birthday Canberrans won’t forget anytime soon. As far as parties go, they don’t get much bigger – and with music, entertainment and smiles everywhere you looked, it was a day to counteract recent backlash that Canberra has “no soul,” says Chief Minister Katy Gallagher. “You see what’s around us, how many people are here, and it puts an end to that argument,” she said. Roving activities on the north side of Lake Burley Griffin ranged from the fun to the plain hair-raising: hairdressing show Sienta la Cabeza was a crowdpleaser as brave Canberrans left the stage with green, yellow and pink hairdos, all teased to perfection. Performances from the Royal Military College Band, Paul McDermott and The Gadflys kept crowds entertained, while children had fun trying to lift giant blow up letters spelling “Welcome” and watched giant ants stalk by. “Where’s your mob from” saw people write their birthplace on huge boards, with etchings ranging everywhere from Brazil, Canada and Waramanga. Pat Bailey, of Forde, was in awe of the atmosphere, saying she “had never seen anything like this” in Canberra. “I guess I didn’t know what to expect but I didn’t expect this many people here, it’s awesome.” For Patrick Harris, of Belconnen, there was one highlight he was “extra excited” for. “I brought my family here and we’ll stay for the whole day, but we’re definitely hanging out for the fireworks,” he said. And he wasn’t alone – according to Centenary volunteers people started setting up at prime viewing locations from 3pm onwards. The World’s Longest Bubbly Bar proved to be one of the more popular events, with all of the pre-paid bubbly and tapas sessions selling out before the event. Patrons sat right on the lake’s southern edge and were entertained by musicians floating past on boats as they enjoyed the Centenary Sparkling, one of three special wines produced through the collaborative efforts of several ACT region winemakers. “It tastes very nice,” said Faith Humphries, of Gordon. “This view is gorgeous and you couldn’t ask for a better day. The sun came out for Canberra. I think [the bar] is wonderful, it’s amazing.” And while the 28-degree weather didn’t crash the party – it did mean ice-cream and drink stalls were kept busy all day. More photos and stories at citynews.com.au

6  CityNews  March 14-20


CityNews  March 14-20  7


the centenary / seen at Regatta Point

/ review Orchestra rises to the challenge of ‘Century’

Sarah Bownan, Sarah Jesudason and Jess Warren

Pat Bulger, Joan Armitago, Faye Argento and Kritika Toraskar

Grant Taylor, Robyn Hendry and MLA Dr Chris Bourke

8  CityNews  March 14-20

Michelle Bramston, Rayyan Roslen and Sharina Faizal

Roger and Maxene Tall with Melita and Doug Flynn

Michelle Ferreira and Clinton Hutchinson

Peter and Dot Barclay, Paul Donohue and Cindy Young

Artistic Director Robyn Archer and Olivia Meehan

Ivan and Anna Slavich with Nicola Powell and James Wilson

Minsters Shane Rattenbury and Joy Burch

IT’S a difficult task to review a world premiere performance. There are no benchmarks or expectations. But if the audience reaction is any measure, then the Symphony No. 3 “Century” by Andrew Schultz was a resounding success, drawing a standing ovation, wolf whistles and prolonged applause. Actually, one might think it was written much less for Canberra’s centenary than for the chief conductor of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, for it matched perfectly Nicholas Milton’s energetic style. The orchestra responded magnificently. Each of the three movements was introduced, unaccompanied, by the Centenary Choir, made up of the Woden Valley Youth Choir, the Oriana Chorale and The Resonants. The words, up on the big screen, did

music

Symphony No. 3 – “Century” World premiere, Canberra’s Centenary celebrations, March 11. Reviewed by Clinton White not reflect a particularly celebratory theme and the harmonies often were quite abstract, but the choir handled them superbly. As for the orchestra, no-one got much in the way of rest bars. Everyone was kept very busy. And didn’t the players love it! The music itself occasionally hinted at the all-too-familiar film-score style, so often heard in much of the modern “classical” music. However, it was packed with imagery, tension and mystery, always resolving with a musical sigh of relief.

The CSO in full swing... no-one got much in the way of rest bars. Photo by Andrew Finch


CityNews  March 14-20  9


news Crazy with enthusiasm Athlete Michael Milton has got crazy eyes, says MARK PARTON

Six members of “Hot to Trot”, from left, Chanaye Cross, Kylie Jackson, Samamtha Wilkie, Jessica Adelan, Claire Read and Vanessa Fernandez. Photo by Silas Brown

Heel sisters bracing for blisters THEY’RE farewelling their flats and bracing for blisters – because next month they’ll walk 10,000 steps a day in their highest heels, all in the name of charity. “Hot to Trot”, a group of 10 local girls set up by retail manager and stylist Jessica Adelan, will walk the distance for a week as part of CARE Australia’s “Walk in Her Shoes” challenge. The challenge encourages individuals to raise funds for women and girls living in poverty in developing countries, who spend hours walking for food and water each day, preventing them from attending school or earning an income. Jessica says when she came across the fundraiser it “put things in perspective”.

10  CityNews  March 14-20

Laura Edwards reports

“I like the concept of walking in someone else’s shoes, and walking the same kilometres a woman on the other side of the world would do,” she says. “We might walk to the city and back in our lives, but they’re actually walking all that way just to get essential things like food and water. “This basically invites you to imagine walking in the shoes of these women and girls living in poverty, and every step you take can empower them to lift themselves out of poverty. We decided to make it a little bit harder by wearing heels.” The girls will wear pedometers to measure their daily distance and plan to walk

around Lake Burley Griffin in heels to boost up their kilometres. “I can’t say I’ve ever walked around the lake in high heels, so there’ll be a few blisters,” Jessica says. “A few of us work in retail, so we’re used to wearing heels each day, but not the really high ones you might wear for 20 minutes and get sore, so it will be interesting for me.” The girls hope to each raise $500 for the charity through online donations. And Jessica says men are welcome to join in, too. “Maybe then they’ll see what all the whining is about,” she laughs. To register for the “Walk in Her Shoes” challenge, on from March 18-24, visit www. walkinhershoes.org.au

IN my experience, everyone who skis down a snow-covered slope at more than 200 km/h will, by definition, have crazy eyes. In Michael Milton’s case they’re not crazy “I-want-tokill-you” eyes, but more “sharing-the-enthusiasm” sort-of way. When he’s talking about something that he’s passionate about, you just can’t keep your eyes off his. His enthusiasm is infectious. Spend time with Milton and you realise how unremarkable your life is. Michael lost a leg to bone cancer at the age of nine, but this has never stopped him from doing anything. This is the bloke who has won 11 Paralympic medals and competed at the highest-possible level in two distinctly different sports. This is the man who clocked a staggering 213 km/h on a downward ski run. He was diagnosed with oesophagael cancer in 2007. I still can’t believe he made it to the Beijing Games as a cyclist less than 12 months after major surgery and chemotherapy... but he did. I went for a bike ride with Michael last week. He took me and a few others for a spin around Lake Burley Griffin as the sun set on a gorgeous autumn day in Canberra. This is a part of his latest venture, which is intriguingly called “Big Foot Adventures”. I had no idea that there is a bush training track around Parliament House. Michael

Milton’s eyes… crazy or what? took us on a ride around it before having a bite to eat on a blanket out front of Old Parliament House. We were heading down Parliament Drive and Michael looks across at me, with those crazy eyes, and says: “I’ll race you to Federation Mall.” Luckily, he had gear trouble, which gave me an early break. I went into the sharp left turn with an eight-metre lead, but he’s much more a thrillseeker than me and I was smashed on the turn. He raced to a two-bike-length lead as we straightened for the run home. I didn’t think I’d peg him back on the flat. I got out of the seat and went hard… and I got him, nailed just before the line! It must be said that I had a road bike and he had a mountain bike, but when you can beat a champion like Michael Milton, I’d claim it as a win even if he wason a tricycle and I had a Harley. When we have a rematch, I’m sure we’ll both be on road bikes and he’ll have me on toast. More information at bigfootadventures.com.au Mark Parton is the breakfast announcer on 2CC.


news

briefly

Surgical star to share secrets

Open church

PURSUING a career in a maleLaura Edwards dominated industry can be reports “isolating,” says Dr Fiona Wood, but the director of the WA Burns I think it’s no secret, you eat, sleep Service was never one to be put and look after your wellness.” And she says the support of other off by a challenge. women is important, particularly

The 2005 Australian of the Year and mother of six has been a household name since she was propelled into the media spotlight for her groundbreaking spray-on skin treatment coming to the rescue of burns victims in the 2002 Bali bombings. “Human energy is really precious, there’s no point wasting it by being average,” Dr Wood says. “We all need to be the best that we can be... I don’t think I ever really doubted myself.” This month, Dr Wood will share the secrets of her career success with Canberra women, at a breakfast run by online organisation Business Chicks. She says juggling six children with a high profile career takes “a lot of energy,” but it can be done. “You never quite switch off – I’d call it more switching channels,” she laughs. “It sounds really boring, but you just need to make your own energy.

in male-dominated industries. “When I first started out, I found myself in a career where there weren’t many women at all, I still am, although it’s changing slowly... so for a long time I was quite isolated,” she says. “I’m seeing an increasing number of female surgeons though, and I think that we, as women, are in a position of strength and should use our energy to work out what we can contribute and how we can facilitate each other, it’s very much Dr Fiona Wood... “Human energy is really precious, there’s no point wasting it my ethos. “I’ve had an incredible amount of by being average.” own cells in a regenerative process, “I think working as I do, you see support along the way.” This support was “phenomenal” eliminating tissue rejection and how devastating a burns injury can be, but to see people recover is so during the Bali bombings, she says. speeding up healing. The skin is “close to tipping humbling. It keeps you motivated to In the biggest peacetime emergency evacuation of Australians, point” for worldwide use, Dr Wood keep going.” she and her team worked around says. “In a few weeks I’ll be going to Dr Fiona Wood will speak at the the clock for five days with patients, some with burns on up to 90 per cent Germany for a users’ meeting, and Business Chicks Breakfast on March of their bodies, using her patented it is building and building over 27 at Hotel Realm. Registration from time, so to get to this point is incred- 6.50am for a 7.15am start. Visit busiinvention of spray-on skin. nesschicks.com.au for more details. The treatment uses a patient’s ible,” she says.

ST Matthew’s Anglican Church, in Wanniassa, is holding an open day on Saturday, March 16, 10am2pm. There will be stalls and activities for children, including a free jumping castle and games inside the church hall.

Bilingualism for kids A FREE seminar and discussion session for families, teachers, early childhood educators and others interested in bilingualism and developing children’s skills in more than one language will be held at the University of Canberra, 2pm-5pm, Saturday, March 23. Bookings and more information at actbilingual. weebly.com/events.html or email canberrabilingual@ gmail.com

Tax the rich JOHN Passant, from Socialist Alternative, will talk about “taxing the rich to pay for better public education, health and transport” in Room G52, Haydon-Allen Building, ANU at 6pm on Thursday, March 21. All welcome.

Tower of power MORE than 600 people are expected to take part in the Annual Camp Quality Verti-COOL Challenge on Black Mountain, Sunday, March 24. The challenge has different categories to suit all ages and fitness levels. Participants can choose to take part in the Challenge – a race up the 403 stairs of Telstra Tower; or for the more daring, the Ultimate Challenge – a race from the bottom of Black Mountain to the top of Telstra Tower. More information and registration at mycampquality. org.au/verticool

CityNews  March 14-20  11


news

mum in the city

Parenthood, welcome aboard the ride for life! By Sonia Fladun

WHEN my children were infants and I was dealing with sleepless nights, temper tantrums, chronic exhaustion and the stress of questioning everything I was doing, I used to look enviously at other parents racing around with their older, more mobile and much more robust-looking offspring.

Hat, gloves and the committee with a punch... from left, Anne Dunstan, Christine Waring, Kylie Krinas, Tarni Greenberger, Ros Kewley and Belinda Notaras. Photo by Silas Brown

Is this the town’s top charity team? COULD this be the most successful fundraising committee in Canberra?

Libby Hill

The group of eight women know how to host a party and are the force behind the Hats and Gloves High Tea, an event aimed at assisting schools for children with special needs. Now in its fifth year, what started out as afternoon tea at Government House for about 70 people has become one of the highlights of the social calendar for ladies who lunch. To be held for the first time at Gandal Hall, this year,organisers are aiming to raise $150,000 – a significant increase on the $30,000 that was raised in the event’s first year. The committee members are Kylie Krinas, a mum of four who works for SAP and is the co-owner

of children’s store Wolfie; Belinda Notaras, who has four sons and is co-owner of Caphs Restaurant and Wolfie; renowned milliner Christine Waring, who also has four children and volunteers at Malkara school; Anne Dunstan, a mother of three, who is on the Cranleigh P&C; Nadia Sullivan, a mum of two, who is also a teacher at Canberra Boys Grammar; Ros Kewley, who has one son and works fulltime for KBR; Sehida Frawley, a mum of three who works for SAP and Tarni Greenberger, who also works for SAP. Kylie Krinas says the group has been friends for some years. “In the weeks leading up to the Hats and Gloves event we are all frantic and sleep deprived… jug-

12  CityNews  March 14-20

reports

gling families, work commitments and the demands of pulling an event of this size together. We all enjoy the time together and have a ball doing it,” she says. “It’s a great cause and it makes such a difference to so many beautiful children and their families and that means everything to us. To know we make a difference makes it all worthwhile.” This year’s Hats and Gloves will be held on March 21, with every dollar from ticket sales and money spent on the day going to Cranleigh school. “This year, the aim will be to raise money primarily for the Cranleigh School, which provides an early intervention and preschool program for children with developmental delays, as well as a primary school program for students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities,” Kylie says.

“Many students have associated sensory, communication impairment or a physical disability.” The funds raised will be used to build an outdoor learning space, easily accessible from the classroom, for children with high support needs and children with autism. This will also allow children, including those in wheelchairs, access to the Liberty swing and outside playground. With such a rapid growth in the success of the event and the amount of money raised, Kylie says they are working towards establishing a foundation that will enable the committee to raise money for all the schools in Canberra that provide education and support to children with special needs. Tickets are $145 and can be purchased from hatsandgloves.com.au

More often than not they would encouragingly tell me: “Don’t worry, it does get easier.” Some years on, I can say there’s truth in that observation. But it’s also the case that one set of worries morphs into new challenges. Now I have sleepless nights worrying whether I can manage to fit a quick grocery shop sometime between work and the kids’ gymnastics, swimming and ice-skating lessons; how to get the kids to focus on their reading, spelling, maths and other homework; how to find the time to hunt down all the gear for my son’s forthcoming camp, and why the hell he won’t use a public toilet if it looks a bit iffy but is willing to take a shovel and dig his own commode in the bush? That’s the big challenge these days, managing time, multitasking and juggling a multitude of issues and worries. Meanwhile, my other half engages in some desperately important mobile phone call and is frantically turning my handbag upside down looking for a pen and paper (really, as if I would have that in my bag amidst sun hats, brekkie drinks, bandaids, spare kids’ socks and undies, a pair of prank handcuffs, a mermaid Barbie doll and just a few things for myself). All the time I’m worrying about our six-yearold daughter who is showing signs of OCD having spent the last half hour adjusting the turnover on her white school socks so they match perfectly, down to the millimetre. Then it’s time to take our geriatric and increasingly incontinent dog to the vet before scrambling late into the brief respite that is work. Later in the day, as I race to get to the kids’ school before 3pm pick up and get them to afternoon tutoring, I’ve got a small window of opportunity to get to a pet shop in search of dog nappies and something for the kids to nibble on before gymnastics and then homework. As I drive I briefly ponder the possibility that there will eventually be some easing up in the pace – sometime long after the teenage years, when the kids are all grown up and have left home. But I think not, at least not until my husband and I have acquired walking frames and by then we may well be hobbling after a bunch of exuberant grandkids. Parenthood – it’s a chaotic, wild, rollercoaster of a ride. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I got on board. But if I’m honest, I just didn’t fully appreciate quite what I was getting into in what really is a ride for life.


CityNews  March 14-20  13


opinion

dose of dorin

Forget spin, it’s not all about Julia and Tony IT would seem that, for Canberrans, the major-party battle for the 2013 election between sitting Labor member Andrew Leigh and Liberal Elizabeth Lee, in Fraser, and between sitting Labor member Gai Brodtmann and Liberal Tom Sefton, in the seat of Canberra, is of little interest.

14  CityNews  March 14-20

Despite being among the safest seats in the country, the reality is that voters in the ACT believe they are voting for Prime Minister Julia Gillard or Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. At the moment, it is a similar story in the Senate – although the ructions over the Liberal Party preselection just might make them a little more vulnerable to a challenge from the Greens. Labor scored some great victories running personality politics particularly with Gough Whitlam and later Bob Hawke. The “Kevin 07” campaign seemed to achieve the same outcome for Kevin Rudd. The trouble is that this sort of campaigning is based on spin. What started as spin has eventually become the “big lie”. This is the sort of propaganda that comes back to bite the hand that feeds it. We do not have a president. We have a Prime Minister. Even the words spell out the truth: “prime” is an adjective meaning the first, of most importance. Traditionally, the Prime Minister is described as the first amongst equals. It is not surprising that Labor in Victoria is describing newly elected Premier Denis Napthine as illegitimate because he “knifed” former Premier Ted Baillieu. They are simply playing the same card that the Liberals use on Gillard. We do not have a presidential system of government, but rather vote for our local member who, in turn, helps to choose the Prime Minister. However, the lie has been repeated so often that it has in effect become reality. How many people believe they have a choice at the September 14 Federal election between Gillard and Abbott? The reality is that this “lie” is so pervasive that even Kevin Rudd came to believe that he had been directly elected, Presidential style, by the people and the elected members should have no say in whether he should remain. Ironically, many of those now baying for Gillard’s blood and Rudd’s return to the top spot are the same people who argued that the

Michael Moore politics

original replacement was illegitimate because he had been “elected by the people”. Unfortunately, presidential style campaigning emphasises personalities rather than policy. In Australia, as in other developed countries, oppositions have realised that being negative and attacking the person is much more effective than just attacking policies. And the mainstream media is guilty of playing a significant role. Negativity sells more papers, brings more audience to the television news and gets more talkback comment. And negativity works best for oppositions. It should be no surprise then that the destructiveness is largely focused on the personality rather than the policies of the incumbent. Comments are common on what Julia wears, the size and shape of her bottom, her haircut, whether or not she tells the truth and so on. She is painted as quite an unpleasant personality. A few years ago, when she was in opposition, I had the pleasure of sitting next to her for an evening through a dinner. My own perspective is that she is a delightful conversationalist, a highly intelligent person and is really committed to Labor ideals. None of this ever seems to come through in a media with a preference for running sensational negative stories. The presidential style leader of the Liberal Party is not subjected to the same level of negativity from the Government. Well, not yet! The focus of the Government is rightly on governing the country. The focus will change as we get closer to the election and certainly if Abbott becomes Prime Minister. Already, there are accusations about his attitude to women and women’s rights. Expect to hear further discussion on the size of his ears, the conservative nature of his clothes – although this seems less significant in men than women – his over-the-top obsessive-compulsiveness with cycling, swimming, fitness and religious ardour and his persistent pretence of being “the man” in his fluoro shirts and hard hats. Our Westminster system has now become so heavily based on personality politics maybe it’s time to change our constitution, adopt a republic and elect a real president. Michael Moore was an independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly (1989 to 2001) and was minister for health.


CityNews  March 14-20  15


16  CityNews  March 14-20


A1 Dental Care / advertising feature

Dentists share passion for their patients As A1 Dental moves into its third year, the practice on the shores of Lake Ginninderra wants to extend its gratitude to the ever-growing list of patients who support it. ACCORDING to the proud and passionate owners of Beconnen’s A1 Dental Care, Dr Mohamed Elfar and Dr Shareif Elhoufy, they have a lot to thank their patients for. “We would like to thank our patients for supporting us by sending their families and friends. We have become very busy”, says Mohamed, who has just been admitted to the Royal Australian College of Dental Surgeons. “Shareif and I started working part-time, sharing one treatment room; we now have three rooms and we will be fitting-out a fourth room this month.” The third dentist in the practice is Dr Graham Jones, who has been working in Belconnen since 1980. A dental hygienist will also be joining the practice soon. The team offers a comprehensive range of dental services on site, and has a visiting anaesthetist for intravenous sedation (sleep dentistry). Shareif and Mohamed believe it is their role as dentists to look after more than just teeth. They also check airways, breathing patterns, soft tissues and the head and neck muscles used for chewing, and look out for the signs of oral cancer as well. “We can train our patients to change their breathing patterns to improve their general health for the long term,” Shareif says. “Especially in young kids, it can affect their life a lot.” While A1 Dental has operated out of its well-appointed rooms in Lakeview Square for just two years, the good friends have been practising dentistry together for nearly 15 of the 23 years they have been friends. “I know him better than his wife,” jokes Shareif, explaining that they met at

university in Cairo, Egypt. “I moved to Australia in 2004, and Mohamed came two years after.” After deciding to move to Canberra simply because it was the capital city, Shareif was charmed by its safe, relaxed lifestyle. “After I came here I thought it was a very good place to raise a family,” he says. “I started my family here, both of my children were born in Canberra, they go to school in Canberra and my wife is happy with the lifestyle here.” “We’re not going anywhere,” Mohamed agrees. “Our lives are here.” Both say it’s the feeling of satisfaction from helping people and relieving their pain and discomfort that made them choose a career in dentistry. “Our patients feel it; we like what we do and we have a passion for it,” says Mohamed. “Our staff are also very passionate and we’re spending a lot of time training them clinically, and training them communications-wise. So there’s a passion, there’s love. We’re all here like a big family together and our main aim is to give the best service in the most gentle and proper way for our patients.” As practice owners, they are also passionate about providing their patients with a comfortable, welcoming environment and access to the latest techniques and equipment, sparing no expense on the latest high-end technology. “The first thing we do is try to make a friendly, calming atmosphere when you step into the practice, [through] our staff and the way we treat our patients,” says Mohamed, pointing out the LCD screens mounted above the chair.

Dr Mohamed Elfar, left, and Dr Shareif Elhoufy... passionate about providing their patients with a comfortable, welcoming environment and access to the latest techniques and equipment. “Many of our patients say that their experiences here have been totally painless, which is something we are very proud of”. The pair take communication very seriously, sending all staff to communication courses in Sydney six times a year to support their patient-centred approach to dental care.

“Most of the public have these bad impressions and childhood memories that hold them back from going to the dentist and I understand that – I’m one of them!” says Shareif. “But the best thing in dentistry today is the communication. “At the end of the day it’s the patient’s

teeth, not our teeth. We try to help, we try to give advice, then if the patient accepts the treatment, we give the treatment.” Mohamed and Shareif are proud of their “booming” practice and want to make sure all their patients know it is wholly owned by them, and they are committed to being part of the community for years to come.

CityNews  March 14-20  17


ACT Seniors Week

March 17-24

‘Live Life’ week bursting with activities ACT Seniors Week officially kicks off on Monday, March 18 with the Chief Minister’s Breakfast at the Ainslie Football Club, featuring a keynote address by the ACT’s Senior Australian of the Year, Dr Jim Peacock.

But according to the official program, the celebration of Canberra’s elders starts on Friday, when Lanyon homestead opens its doors to seniors free of charge. Calthorpes’ House in Deakin and the Curley family cottage at Mugga-Mugga are extending seniors the same courtesy on Saturday and Sunday respectively. On Monday afternoon, there’s a free martial arts class for over-55s at Hughes Community Centre, and the Royal Military College Band will play two free shows on Wednesday at the Vikings Club Erindale for the Chief Minister’s Concert. This year’s theme is “Live Life”, which carries a double meaning, according to Paul Flint, the executive director of Seniors Week organisers COTA ACT. “The theme is deliberately ambiguous,” Paul says. “For seniors it’s about encouraging them to do something new and different, but it’s also a practical demonstration of all the things older people already do in our community.”

18  CityNews  March 14-20

On Thursday, there will be a Seniors Expo at EPIC with people on hand from a range of interesting groups to join, and various non-government and government service providers on hand to give advice. “The idea is that people can come and they can actually talk to the different providers, or groups and organisations they might want to join,” says Paul. “It’s more intimate in the sense that you can sit there and talk

about your issues, ranging from things like Centrelink to providers of care services through to a whole lot of organisations that older people are involved in.” CALVARY Hospital and ACT Medicare Locals will be at the Seniors Expo, encouraging older people to sign up for a Personally Controlled eHealth Record, which is completely free and allows doctors, pharmacists and

other health professionals to easily look up key information such as prescriptions, allergies and major past treatments. Andrew Heslop from Calvary eHealth, says there are lots of benefits to signing up to eHealth, and seniors who do so on the day will go into the draw to win a “decadent afternoon tea” for four people at the Hyatt Hotel. “The eHealth Record system is a new initiative from the Australian Government, designed to connect all the doctors and nurses who are involved in your healthcare, wherever you are in Australia,” Andrew says. “It connects all the doctors and nurses involved in your healthcare immediately and you can decide which of your previous doctors’ visits and prescriptions to include.” He says the eHeath record is just a secure online summary of important parts of your medical history, not a full historical list. “If you’re an organ and tissue donor, that can go in there as well. In the future it will also be able to contain x-rays and results of other diagnostic tests such as blood tests – just the significant pieces of medical information that would be important to share between doctors.” The records also have the potential to save time and money too, with the results of one test being available to multiple doctors, for example. And the benefits to older people

who have a large number of prescriptions are clear, with all doctors and pharmacists being able to access the same up-to-date information. “Also, if you’re brought into hospital and you aren’t able to communicate, but you have an eHealth record, the doctors will be able to see straight away what you’re on and if you have an allergy to any type of drug,” Andrew says. Carers can also be given permission to access the records by calling Medicare, he says, “and just because you have an eHealth record doesn’t even mean you need to use it yourself; you would still have the reassurance that the doctors and nurses can use it.” Seniors Week 2013 closes with a big concert at Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park on Sunday, March 24. “The idea is that it’s for all generations,” says COTA ACT’s Paul Flint. “You can bring your parents, grandparents or your grandkids. You can have a picnic and there’s music and entertainment for all age groups, from dancers to the Sing Australia choir. The finale is our event to celebrate Canberra for the Centenary so we’re welcoming people of all ages.” For a full program of more than 200 Seniors Week special offers and events and to book ahead, contact COTA ACT on 6282 3777.



20  CityNews  March 14-20


all about Narrabundah

advertising feature

Love for a ‘little village’ in the middle of town Narrabundah means “little hawk” in the Ngunnawal language, according to the plaque placed by artists Susie Bleach and Andrew Townsend on their “site marker” installation at the local shops on Boolimba Crescent. NARRABUNDAH is home to more of Canberra’s indigenous population than any other, which is one reason Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service chose to relocate there. Winnunga traces its beginnings back to 1988, when it was originally set up as a temporary medical service for the Tent Embassy by Aboriginal health advocate Olive Brown, who named it “strong health” in the Wiradjuri language of NSW. Over the years, the service has moved around a bit; first to Civic and later to Ainslie shops before moving into its current building in 2004. The new, larger premises have allowed its services to expand to serve 3800 clients a year from the ACT and surrounding parts of NSW. CEO Julie Tongs says when the health centre first moved to Narrabundah nearly a decade ago, the area was struggling against the same economic and social pressures that have forced many of Canberra’s little suburban shopping centres to fall into decline. “Now the house prices have gone up and there’s much more activity,” she says, adding that she likes to think Winnunga has

Dr Fiona McDonald. played a part in breathing new life into the area. Although the service has grown out of the Aboriginal community, to serve the Aboriginal community, its basic GP services can be accessed by any of the local residents. Non-indigenous people make up about 20 per cent of Winnunga’s clients. “As an indigenous service, we provide holistic care for indigenous people, so we look after not only their physical health but also their dental health, their social health and their emotional health,” says Dr

Fiona McDonald, a GP who has worked at Winnunga for 13 years. That holistic healthcare team includes Aboriginal counsellors, support and liaison staff working together with doctors, practice nurses, midwives, dentists, psychologists and psychiatrists. Clients can also access diabetes clinics, a drug and alcohol program, men’s and women’s groups, an audiologist, a podiatrist and a physiotherapist. “We work with some of the most vulnerable people in Canberra, but I’m not sure there’s ever been a serious incident,” says Julie Tongs. “We don’t get vandalised and we don’t get graffitied; that’s the respect the people who access our service have for us, because we respect people and we’re not here to judge them.” ALONG with its connection to the suburb’s name, the artistic installation at the shops speaks of another part of Narrabundah’s character. “The steel elements, power poles and pebble mosiac refer to the European construction workers who made Narrabundah their home in the 1950s,” the plaque tells us, and the names of some of those post-war migrants can be seen up on the wall of the nearby Harmonie German Club on Jerrabomberra Avenue. “In 1950, AV Jennings the builder used to build houses in Ainslie, Yarralumla and O’Connor, but they didn’t have any

carpenters,” says Chris van Reesch, the club’s manager. “So Jennings brought out a group of Germans straight after the war, because they’re very good carpenters.” There are about 30 remaining members of the group, he says, who still hold a yearly reunion at the club. “This is all hand done,” Chris says, pointing to the woodwork around the main bar. “They also worked up in the Snowy Mountains, and they came back here and decided to build their own club.” That was in 1961, when Germany was divided into the Stalinist east and capitalist west, and perhaps the most interesting piece of memorabilia owned by the club is a three-tonne chunk of the Berlin Wall. It’s the only confirmed piece of the wall in the Southern hemisphere and one of very few outside of Berlin. The Unification is another yearly celebration at the club, but Chris says the Cold War is “in the background now” for the members who lived through it. Plenty of other elements contribute to the club’s atmosphere, like a giant jigsaw puzzle on the wall, printed with a German castle, or the authentic Bier Keller, a downstairs beer hall often used for birthdays or meetings. Upstairs is the aptly named Knuckles restaurant, which is often packed with fans of its big, crackly pork knuckles. When we visit on a Friday afternoon, Chris is preparing the large auditorium for a German diplomat’s farewell party, and the

Knuckles Restaurant. front bar for its weekly live music. Although no longer in its heyday, when it boasted a downstairs rifle range and hosted acts such as John Farnham and AC/DC, Chris says the place is still doing well. With a tinge of sadness, the German Club’s Dutch manager points out that lots of other ethnic clubs in Canberra have been forced to close over the years. “We’ve still got our head above water,” he says. “A lot of other clubs haven’t. They’re all struggling, so that’s why I’m trying to keep the A three-tonne chunk tradition going.” of the Berlin Wall.

CityNews  March 14-20  21


all about Narrabundah / advertising feature BACK at the Narrabundah shops, there are a few businesses that have stood the test of time, like Danny’s Bakery, which Anne and Danny Collins have operated for the past 24 years. We’ve got two boys and a grandson, a daughter and granddaughter,” Anne says. “All of us work together.” When we visit at lunchtime, she points out we are too late for most of the day’s products, as Danny puts a new batch of loaves in the oven. The business specialises in sourdough – even sourdough Easter buns – which it sells through IGA supermarkets all over the ACT. “As a matter of fact, Danny laughs at sourdough,” says Anne. “He’s 66, and sourdough to him is just plain funny because when he was an apprentice, it was just bread. “That was what bread was back in the ‘50s and the ‘60s. Now we’re all back to sourdough again, but he’s just doing what he was trained to do all those years ago.”

Her weekly classes have introduced a lot of people to the hobby and some former students still occasionally drop in to see her, while others just keep coming back. “I’ve got one student who’s been coming since 1986. Well, I don’t know if you could still call her a student, she’s more like a piece of the furniture,” she laughs. A COUPLE of doors down from Dollworks is Narrabundah Hair Studio, a new addition to the shopping centre as of last October. “Before that we’d both been up at the Red Hill shops,” says owner Linda Zafiris, referring to herself and co-owner Deb Harris, her former employer. “I’d been there for 20 years and Deb had been the owner for 14 years.” Linda explains they left Red Hill because it was undergoing a massive renovation, but says the new salon is going to stay put. “Our intentions are to stay here because we’re just loving the surroundings,” she says. “There’s a lot of people around and we’ve noticed there’s all different walks of life in Narrabundah, but everyone seems to be friendly to everyone else. “We’re getting a lot of new customers from the Narrabundah area; even though we still have our old clients, I think people in Narrabundah like to support the local shops.” Linda points out that parking at the new location is easier than at Kingston and Manuka, but still in the same area, near a lot of businesses and government offices. The full-service salon is open Tuesday to Saturday and with no apprentices, Deb and Linda do everything. “We look after our clients from start to finish so it’s a very personalised service,” Linda says.

Danny’s Bakery owner, Danny Collins. ANOTHER longstanding business at the shops is Dollworks, owned by Ria Warke, which has also been around for over 20 years. The shop is one of only a handful that support the hobbyists who make and collect porcelain dolls and accessories. One of the key aspects of Dollworks is the “doll hospital”, Ria says. “I love doing restorations and repairs, and I work on porcelain dolls as well as celluloid.” She also repairs a lot of teddy bears and stuffed animals, and has all the accessories such as wigs, socks, shoes, eyes, teeth and even voice boxes. Ria picked up the hobby in 1979 and opened her business five years later, after encouragement from her husband. Now she has clients from up and down the east coast, and some from as far away as Melbourne and Darwin. “It really is a totally enriching hobby to do. You not only do the doll making, but also dressmaking and things like that, that lead on from it.” Ria can also cast replicas of old dolls from the 1800s, or reproduce more modern ones that come from places such as Germany, where many of the best doll sculptors are found.

22  CityNews  March 14-20

Narrabundah Hair Studio. JUST around the corner is another new addition to the rejuvenated local shops, Barry Thomas, who has run the Narrabundah Newsagency since November. Along with all the goods and services you’d expect from a newsagent, the shop is also a licensed Post Office. Barry lives in Calwell and says his early impression of Narrabundah is of a secluded, self-contained community, despite the suburb’s

Dolls from Dollworks.

Newsagent Barry Thomas and shop assistant, Kathryn McGregor. proximity to major urban centres. “It’s like a little village all on its own, even though we’re in the middle of Canberra,” he says. BRENT Dayton of Australis Realty also sees Narrabundah as both one of Canberra’s most conveniently located suburbs, as well as one of its greenest. “It’s a changing area,” he says. “It’s definitely modernising because people see value in it. It’s leafy and green, but it’s also very central, very strategically located.” Brent called Narrabundah home when he first moved to Canberra from Canada, and says he is still kicking himself that he didn’t buy in at the time. But although prices have risen a little since then, he says it’s still great value for investors and first-home buyers. “When you look at factors like schools, golf courses and shops nearby, Narrabundah has it all. It’s close to the lake shore, Fyshwick and Civic, and you just go over Hindmarsh Drive and you’re in Woden. It’s a really easy jumping-off point.” At the moment, Brent is selling a few newly built units in the Crestwood Estate on Jerrabomberra Avenue, another part of the suburb’s ongoing transformation. “Its still a great opportunity; I think it’s really going ahead,” he says. “For investors, the area rents out really quickly – I did six apartments in two weeks. It’s a high-demand area, driven mainly by a lot of new graduates and government employees who want to get near the Parliamentary Triangle, and it’s a bit more affordable than Red Hill, Forrest or Griffith. “I’ve had quite a few rentals in Narrabundah and I always rent them very quickly and at top dollar. They’re comparative to Griffith prices for rent, so you’re getting a good return on your investment.”

Newly built units in the Crestwood Estate on Jerrabomberra Avenue.


CityNews  March 14-20  23


Centenary Confidential In Guard we trust! HOT weather and speeches took a high fainting toll on the elite, ceremonial troop, the Federation Guard, at the toffy, no-public-allowed, Canberra birthday ceremony in front of Old Parliament House on March 12. Snapper Silas Brown counted nine down during the blah-blahs, with most casualties, apparently, hitting the lawn during the Governor-General Quentin Bryce’s speech towards the end. And as the dignitaries departed in a blinding blur of immaculate, white Commonwealth vehicles, long-suffering ratepayers will be buoyed to know that Chief Minister Katy Gallagher slipped away in a little, silver Honda Odyssey.

Mahogany Row will doubtless be grimacing at the naive, nasty pie-in-Archer’s-face critique of One Very Big Day by John-Paul Moloney, ACT editor for “The Canberra Times”. Moloney took the blunt instrument of boonerism to the subtleties of the memorable day in Commonwealth Park and even CC blanched at his bogan call to bring back the dreadful Birdman Rally. Seriously. One certain way to fill the Kings Highway to the coast would be his suggestion of livening things up by getting “the Snowy Hydro Southcare rescue helicopter to run through some training drills on the lake. Set something on fire and have our firefighters show off their skills putting it out.” There’s nothing like drills and skills to draw a crowd! Not to worry, Paul, the tired, old, cost-effective Canberra Day format will be back next year; St Robyn will have flown on to other things and we’ll all remember the extravagance and entertainment of One Big Day with genuine nostalgia, despite its catering wrinkles.

All light on the night Beyond our ken! KEN Nichols and the management crew at the fabulously profitable “Canberra Times”, the ones who decided to throw all kinds of goodies at Robyn Archer’s Centenary of Canberra and rise above the media pack as a major sponsor, must be dreading the next Centenary thank-you cocktails.

24  CityNews  March 14-20

IF there’s one thing Canberrans know about celebrating, it’s fireworks, and the Centenary birthday show certainly ended with a fabulous crackling, bang that had even the most hardened “oohing” and “ahhing” as our municipal dollars disappeared delightfully up in smoke. Congratulations on the wider staging – a la Sydney Harbour – as the simultaneous burst of colour and movement lit every corner of the lake.

But what was with the staccato presentation? It stopped. It started. It stopped again. Then, in one final burst, they threw everything into the sky and grumbles in the dark turned to gasps of delight.

Cats in hats TAMS Minister Shane Rattenbury was looking very fashionably sun smart, sporting a trend-setting (for cabinet ministers) porkish-pie hat amid the bevy of VIPsters keeping an eye on the ungrateful, milling proletariat from the regal heights of Regatta Point during the One Big Day in Commonwealth Park. And, clearly, Liberal MLA and patriot Steve Doszpot was having trouble squeezing his scone into his souvenir Centenary hat at the birthday ceremony at Old Parliament House.

Know something? / confidential@citynews.com.au

Words mean what?

Too late?

WHAT was with the big words everywhere, CC wondered after a bewildering trudge around the otherwise splendid Big Birthday? There were the bleedingly obvious: “Justice” adorning the High Court, “What?” emblazoned on Questacon and “Centenary” on OPH, and the oblique, on the little boats running around the lake labelled “Beneath” and “Reflect”. The ferry was labelled “Flow”, a word that even the captain admitted he had no idea what it symbolised.

CC was askance to see on Page 2 of the “Sydney Morning Herald” a quarter-page ad on Canberra’s official birthday – March 12 – urging readers to come to our “One Very Big Year” with 40 per cent of the attractions listed already over!

Pattie eclipsed

Tired & unemotional! A CC deputy sheriff was out and about on the Big Weekend’s Friday night. “Went to the national gallery with friends for the French evening and they ran out of champagne by 6.45pm!” she reports. “Then we went to the pop-up bar, near the flags on the lake, and they had run out of beer (by before 8pm) so we wandered over to the Spiegel Garden in the Senate Rose Gardens. That bar was no longer serving alcohol… only soft drinks. “So we looked at the lights on the buildings and walked to Brodburger (not being able to find any food in any of our wanderings and absolutely starving). We got there and they had run out of meat to make burgers. Maybe Canberra isn’t quite ready for a year of celebration?”

NATIONAL ‘60s singing legend Little Pattie (Amphlett), put on a star turn singing, despite the cruel sound mix, Petula Clark’s hit “Downtown” to fond footage of Civic at “Imagining the Capital: Canberra on Film”, the archive’s one-night-only, Centenary show at the Senate Rose Gardens. In being introduced by the ebullient artistic director David Sequeira, Pattie, who is also a board member at the National Film and Sound Archive, said she had brought three tops to Canberra, but opted for a hand-made sequin number because the other two would have clashed with Sequeira, resplendent in a red shirt and “THE show must go on,” a philosophical Mark a pixelating black and white jacket. Parton told CC in explaining how he had to start his breakfast radio show on 2CC from his mobile phone, broadcasting a Black Opal preview that morning from Thoroughbred Park. Timing of the “CANBERRA Times” listed a new and link to the radio station went awry leaving Parto unexpected performance for the Big with one choice – his phone. Normal services Birthday bash: returned after the first ad break, seven minutes Noon-12.50pm: Royal Military College Bank. later.

Phone show

Dancing bankers?


scene

more photos / www.citynews.com.au

At Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes, Thoroughbred Park

Caterine Miller, Trish Buchanan and Leanne Moffitt

Edie and Peter Stubbs

MLA Mary Porter and Ian De Landelles

Liz Zutt and Robyn Chesterton

Cathy Hudson, Phil Tardif, Sarah Bourke, Chris Bourke, Ellie Yates and Mick Gentleman

Emily Norton, Tracey Lefevre, Brook McBride and Rhonda Wright

Leanne and Paul Berger

Paul Meiklejohn, Phil Tardif and MLA Brendan Smyth

Debbie Daniel, Lina Weiss and Daniela Daniel

At Racing Minister’s Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes cocktails

Danika Anderson, Terri Bush, Jasmine Wren and Telesha Westaway

Claire Mooy and Garth Andrews

Michael Hunt and Rhonda Wright

Ray and Debbie Redman, Mark Kalleske and Sarah Jackson

CityNews  March 14-20  25


scene

more photos / www.citynews.com.au

At the Oscar Gala for National Breast Cancer Foundation, Hellenic Club

At French Film Festival, Palace Cinema

Front, Kayla Tonna, Jenny Harrison, Robyn Tonna, Kerra-Lee Highmore, Cheynee Ailkov, Alisha Tonna, Natalie Alexsoski and back, Kyleigh Moir, Jess Scardoni and Lauren Dzanic

Stephanie Zeccola and Genevieve Kelly Lena Britton and Bettina Soderbaum

Russell Koehne and Venus Asawapoom

Kevin and Tracey Mitchell with Karen and Peter Bradley

Pauline Coyte, Robyn Thomas and Rachel Coyte

Jess Hartmann, Catherine Kelly, Edwina Johnson and Kirsty Bunfield

Amy Hewson, Jean Robertson, Gaye Reid and Matt Hewson

26  CityNews  March 14-20

Liz Mahoney, Erin Lamson, Jo Hallissy and Kayla Tait

Amanda Woods, Petrea Simeon and Manila Galli

Romaine Kwesius, Elsa Goursolle, Diane Deane, Rosemary Cassidy and Jacqui Hawkins


CityNews  March 14-20  27


scene

more photos / www.citynews.com.au

At UN Women International Women’s At ‘Glorious Days - Australia 1913’ At National Portrait Prize function, Day lunch, Convention Centre launch, National Museum of Australia National Portrait Gallery

Kelly Charls and Virginia Haussegger

Julie Mckay and Fran Raymond

Susan Blain, Alice Tay and Lois Fordham

28  CityNews  March 14-20

Andrea Ho and Catherine McGrath

Gesima Olney, Laurie McDonald, Louise Curtis, Lyndell Tutty and Veronica Wensing

Kathleen Plowman, Emily Mackintosh, Vanessa Goss and Prof Daniela Stehlik

June Oscar and Kim Anderson

Angela Rooke, Karina West and Therese Osborne

Dr David Headon, Dorte Ekelund, Judy West and Jeremy Lasek

Sue Rider and Lucy Micallef

Sarah Aylott, Janece Rodney and Chris Watkins

Michael and Sophie Stearn

Sue Langford, Peter Rees, Jessica Adelan and Samanatha Wilkie

Trish Kevin, Ben Hattingh, Janelle Low and Tegan McAuley

Diana Cooper and Meredith Hinchliffe

Janelle Low and Ben Hattingh

Kerry and Doodie Herman

Marcus Baseler, Felicity Ray, Hamish Ta-me and Annette Mackintosh


CityNews  March 14-20  29


30  CityNews  March 14-20


arts & entertainment

Wendy Johnson Tapas with a warm iHola!

Arts editor HELEN MUSA talks to a couple of local boys making good...

Damien thrills to creating a hum

With a leap and a bound, Lewis finds success IT’S been just a leap and a bound for gymnast and circus whizkid Lewis West to winning a gold medal at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris.

By Helen Musa

THE excitement in Damien Hall’s voice is palpable as he tells me about the coming harbour production of “Carmen” for Opera Australia. He even hums a little bit from the toreadors’ chorus. Hall, you see, is in the chorus for this second manifestation of Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, grand opera staged on a pontoon at the foot of Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquarie’s Point. “Carmen’s got the greatest hits that’ll have the average punter humming the tunes on the way home,” he says, “it’s really thrilling.” OA has gone over the top, too, describing Carmen as “the fiery seductress” and Don Jose as “the lovestruck soldier”, while the set will feature six Hollywood-style letters spelling out “Carmen”. Hall is plainly a happy man. He was in the chorus last year for “La Traviata” on the harbour and tells “CityNews” about the sheer excitement of the venture. “This kind of performance is not so much a night of entertainment, but is an event,” Hall says. “They really hit the nail on the head with ‘Traviata’,” he says. “It felt like walking into space with all the fairy lights, the night sky above, there was something magical about it.” And just as last year, there will be spectacular fireworks at the end. At 39, Hall may seem to be a latecomer to opera, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Raised in Queanbeyan, where his mum still lives, he trained under Canberra singing teacher Patricia

Singer Damien Hall... “I got over the desire to grandstand by doing all those principal roles in Canberra.” Davey, who also taught soprano Lorina Gore. After appearing in shows such as “My Fair Lady” and “Les Miserables”, and taking on the presidency of Canberra Philharmonic, he auditioned in 2006 for “Operatunity Oz”, got to the semi-finals and, almost immediately, was offered a role in the chorus for OA’s “The Pirates of Penzance”. With two thirds of his year now occupied with OA, Hall loves where he is. “I don’t personally feel the pressure to become a principal,” he says.

“I got over the desire to grandstand by doing all those principal roles in Canberra. It would be a gift beyond description to be a full-time chorister with Opera Australia.” Whether you’re Milijana Nikolic playing Carmen or Hall playing a toreador, the challenge is the same – “how to maintain contact with your audience, it’s a big space to fill.” Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour: “Carmen”, March 22-April 12, bookings to operaonsydneyharbour.com.au or ticketmaster.com.au

Born in Canberra on Australia Day, 1988, West grew up in the national capital until age 18, gaining his earliest circus experience with youth group Warehouse Circus while studying at Deakin High and Narrabundah College, then heading straight to the National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne. We’ll soon see this dazzling circus star at the Canberra Theatre in “Wunderkammer,” literally “cabinet of curiosities”, a showcase of chills and thrills. High flying Lewis West... earliest The production is by Circa, circus experience with youth group Brisbane’s remarkable circus and Warehouse Circus. physical theatre company, whose director, Yaron Lifschitz, says he aims to meld “quantum complexity with make the audience feel something”. high entertainment into a sinuous In Melbourne, he studied with fugue of great beauty”. professional clowns who taught “Wunderkammer”, West tells us, commedia dell’arte and audience draws on the idea of the boxes or reactions, but really, he says, “there’s cabinets in which rich Europeans no better way to learn than to get up collected and classified unusual in front of an audience and present objects. A meteorite might sit next to what you’ve got so that they like it”. a pineapple, for instance. He’s in the right company for that. He describes “Wunderkammer” as Circa travels the world as a showcase “a circus take on burlesque, cabaret of what young artists can do. and skills, where we take a bit of “It’s constantly interesting and everything and mix it up”. challenging,” West says. As they try to “charm and delight the audience”, he says, the challenge “Wunderkammer”, Canberra Theatre, is to jam-pack the entertainment with March 26-28, bookings to 6275 2700 or virtuoso skills and – much harder – “to canberratheatrecentre.com.au

CityNews  March 14-20  31


arts & entertainment

Now for the serious side of the COW WHILE it was fun that Canberra Opera Workshop was known as “COW”, its official new name, Canberra Opera Inc., has a lot more gravitas. That, director and founder David Reedy, right, tells us, will be matched by an ambitious program to come. ARTISTS Max Cullen and Margarita Georgiadis are throwing a “grand gallery opening” for their new venture, the Picture House Gallery & Bookshop, at 82 Yass Street, Gunning, 11am-2pm, on Sunday, March 17. They’ve got George Washingmachine & the Agitator playing from noon. Sounds like the best kind of excuse for a drive in the country. CANBERRA choreographer Liz Lea is everywhere. Now she tells us she’s just scored funding from the Music Board of the Australia Council to commission musicians Bobby Singh and Sandy Evans to create a score for her next solo work, “Kapture”, intended as a companion piece for the black cockatoo dance, “Magnificus Magnificus”, previewed at AIATSIS some weeks ago.

Helen Musa arts in the city

THE Basketry Gathering will be held for the first time in Canberra from March 21 to 25 during the year of the Centenary. It’s a specialist residential get-together, but for the public there’s the afternoon market, 3pm-5pm, on March 23 at Greenhills Centre, Cotter Road, and “Rhyme and Reason”, a survey of basketry by delegates at Belconnen Arts Centre, Tuesday to Sunday, until March 24. THE “Shire of Villages” Artists Trail will be held over the weekend of March 23-24 around Crookwell, Gunning, and Laggan and Pejar. Local artists will open their studios between 10am and 4pm, when you can purchase art without added commission. More information at crookwellgallery.com TUMUT Art Society has its 56th annual Art Exhibition opening at 6pm on Friday, March 22, with $5000 in prizes. Michael McCormack MP will open the show, with champagne and refreshments on hand. Another excellent excuse for a drive in the country. ARIA Award-winning songwriter and 2009 Australian Songwriter of the Year, Tony King, will be at the Spiegel Garden with his partner Kris Ralph (Nina Vox) and their band Beautifully Mad on Thursday, March 21. King, Ralph and Spiegeltent owner David Bates were involved in the radio comedy series “How Green Was My Cactus”. Bookings to spiegeltent.net or tickets at the door.

In this ‘City’ all is not what it first seems “Broken City” (MA)

Dougal Macdonald

OF the good moments in Brian Tucker’s debut cinema screenplay for producer/director Allen Hughes in this New York-based political melodrama, the closing minute or so gives best satisfaction. Russell Crowe plays mayor Hostetler, seeking re-election so he can finagle an urban redevelopment program that will bring him great wealth. Seven years ago, Hostetler pulled strings to get cop Billy (Mark Wahlberg) acquitted of murdering a drug mule. Now, as an election looms, it’s time for Billy, now a private investigator, to return the favour by photographing Mrs Hostetler (Catherine Zeta-Jones) with a lover. That man is Paul (Kyle Chandler) who is also campaign manager for Hostetler’s opponent Valliant (Barry Pepper). Much in “Broken City” is not what it at first seems. The plot unravels at a measured pace that works hard to deliver good credibility. The film might not have taken harm from tighter ed- Catherine Zeta Jones and Russell Crowe in iting, but that would have deprived us of some views ‘Broken City’. of aspects of the city not often depicted in movies. Allen and Tucker have made something superior A nominee for best foreign language film in this to a potboiler, a parable about the hazards that the year’s Oscars, “Barbara” delivers its story with style and structure of modern communities impose on those dramatic power. The film’s entertainment values may not follow convention, but they are certainly there. ambitious to govern them. A strong cast delivers a At Palace Electric satisfying credibility in its examination of plot issues that are par for the genre – money, power, jealousy, honesty, violence, death, political venality. “Oz: The Great and Powerful” (PG) At Hoyts and Limelight DRAWING indiscriminately from L. Frank Baum’s 18 Oz-based novels for children (of whatever age), Sam “Barbara” (M) Raimi’s film for Disney looks handsome, with special GERMAN writer/director Christian Petzold’s film, effects meeting expectations, but offers little novelty. exploring the dilemma of personal satisfactions Defining the target audience for its many dark pascompeting with moral obligations, has few of the elesages poses difficulties. Travelling conjurer Oz (James ments that automatically proclaim box office success. Franco) finds himself whirled away in an aerostat from But that’s no reason not to see it and tell friends. a Kansas sideshow and deposited in the fantasy land to Barbara (Nina Hoss) is a GP who, to be with a lover, which Dorothy and Toto would later come in search of has applied for an exit visa. In East Germany before the wonderful wizard of Oz. reunification, that is a no-no. To ponder her transgresThe king of Oz is dead. A trio of witches is stirring sion, she gets sent to work in a small rural hospital. The up political trouble about the succession. Mila Kunis is Stasi periodically turn over her apartment in search of Theodora who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the incriminating material. West. Rachael Weisz is Evanora, mentoring Theodora By telling Barbara’s story without haste, Petzold and exploiting her wickedness. Glynda (Michelle enhances its tensions. She has a cash stash hidden Williams) is their sister, a white witch allied with the under a roadside boulder. Her lover has given her populace. details of the plan to collect her from a deserted beach Oz says he is a wizard to gain access to the royal and take her to Denmark. treasure chamber. Most of the film is spent waiting Crucial to the plot is teenager Stella, delivered to for the truth about his venality, greed and moral the hospital by police, treated by Barbara and her shabbiness to surface in preparation for the inevitable colleague Andre (Ronald Zerhfeld). As invitations military showdown to sort the goodies from the to reverse our understanding of previous moments baddies. It’s all kid-stuff. In “Alice In Wonderland”, Tim glide through the plot, we must discover Barbara’s Burton did a better battle. responses by implication more than direct declaration. At all cinemas

Gallery for wooden art with a FOUNDER of Bungendore Wood Works, David Mac Laren, has been called a “journeyman”, but the expression “polymath” suits him much better.

32  CityNews  March 14-20

Now as his brainchild, known simply as “The Wood Works,” turns 30, he’s reflecting on a less-thanordinary past. At different times he’s been an auto body shop finisher, a student of mechanical engineering at Yale, a ‘60s ANU graduate in literature and philosophy and a playwright with the New York Theatre Ensemble. More significantly, in 1972 he saw

a “Help Wanted” sign in a Manhattan woodworking gallery and, like a man possessed, set himself on a journey to learn his craft, a journey that would in 1977 take him to Bungendore. The interim story could better be told over a good glass of red, but briefly, the arrival of the late George Ingham to head up the new Canberra School of Art’s Wood Workshop and wood artist David Upfill-Brown to establish a workshop in Tharwa, coincided with Mac Laren’s decision in 1983 to open an exhibition of fine Australian timber woodwork in the heritage-listed “Bungendore Store,” opposite the present day gallery.

It’s been a huge success story. In 2001, the gallery hosted a visit by the James Renwick Alliance from the US, whose members spent $45,000 in less than 40 minutes. That’s not unusual. Annually, 125,000 visitors come to the gallery, which regularly wins State, Territory and national tourism awards that add to the lustre of nearby Canberra. As well, it has established itself as a venue for jazz and classical music. Eleven years ago a heartbreaking fire swept through Mac Laren’s workshop and all his tools, timber and work in progress were lost. In re-building the business, he decided to spend more time


arts & entertainment

Black day looms as the alarm goes off By Helen Musa

minutes silence. “We watch people being people,” Mulvaney says, “and see people getting up having breakfast, having to go to the toilet… it’s a reminder of stuff that we will do – and that it can get taken away in a moment.” It is well known that Mulvaney has suffered a life-threatening health Mulvaney, last seen here playing condition, but she doesn’t think that Lady Macbeth for Bell Shakespeare, is influenced Drummond in casting her. an award-winning playwright, but here “People may draw similarities,” she she is an actor, in a play with a searing says, “but I think it was because I did a real-life background. good audition. I wanted the part and I Centred on Rose, the character Mulva- fought hard for it.” ney plays, and roughly follows the story She loves Rose, who is exuberant, of Gill Hicks, the Australian who survived annoyingly ambitious, an Aussie the London Underground bombings of woman who feels trapped in London 2005, but lost both her legs. and who loses both her legs just an This production is a coup for the hour after we meet her. “She’s sitting director of Adelaide’s Brink Producthere on a train, a woman with no tions, whose director Chris Drummond legs – she has to make a choice at that sealed a deal with the hosting company moment.” English Touring Theatre and top British Will she decide to go on? Will she playwright Bryony Lavery to create keep her drive? “I guess we’ll leave that up to the a play dealing in some way with the audience,” Mulvaney suggests, “Bryony London bombings. Lavery is “top of the crop”, Mulvaney asks the audience, ‘you make up your says and the resulting play is a piece of minds – would you choose life?’” classic construction, starting when the “Thursday,” by Bryony Lavery, at The alarm clock goes off on the first day, Playhouse, March 20-23. Bookings to July 7, 2005, and finishing a year later 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre. when the survivors of the bombing com.au meet at the Tube station for two-

WHEN I catch up with Kate Mulvaney by phone to Adelaide, she’s in the last stage of rehearsals for the play “Thursday”, coming soon to the Canberra Playhouse. Patatas Bravas, Piquillo and Pulpo.

Tapas with a warm iHola A NEW Taperia Española has recently opened in Kingston with a warm iHola! Are you with me so far? If not, here’s the rough translation. A new Spanish tapas bar with a warm hello. But, wait, what about the meaning behind the name – Bodega de Pintxos? Easy. Bodega is a cellar of food and/or wine and pintxos is miniature dishes (individual bites of food). It’s a fun journey through Spanish food and culture when you visit and the experience is designed around enjoying good conversation, wine and food. Bodega de Pintxos used to be Lunico Ristorante, both owned by Joe Pelle, who also

Gambas al Ajillo.

Wendy Johnson

tapas (from $12 to $30 – but that’s for the highly coveted Jamon Iberico, thin slices of dining Spain’s famous ham, aged for 40 months). You can’t go Spanish and not try Chorizo, operates Joe’s Gelato Sweet Treats. which was a super kickstart for us. It wasn’t The décor features a massive display of wine grisly, or fatty, but dense, loaded with great bottles – more than 200. Sandy coloured brick spices and yumbo in a red-wine jus and walls and rich, earthy colours are predominant roasted-garlic sauce. and some tables are created with wine casks We stayed mostly with tapas and, although (base) and thick wooden slabs (top). On my first I was dying to try braised chicken liver, my visit, there was a fair bit of outdoor seating, but dining partner turned up her nose ever so on my second, there wasn’t (don’t know what’s slightly, so I changed tack and ordered the going on here). Cochinillo, suckling pig roasted for 12 hours The menu is divided into sections, including and served with balsamic escabeche (an Pintxos ($4 each), Cazuelas, casserole-type age-old traditional Spanish sauce). The meat dishes cooked in clay pots (mostly $24), and was to die for and we soaked up the sauce with fresh bread. Not wanting to get too “meat heavy” (actually, we wanted to but guilt got the better of us) we next chose Verdura Asada, tossed seasonal veggies served in a terracotta dish. It wasn’t super light, but we enjoyed it. And, for fun, we tried Piquillo from the Pintxos menu, lovely roasted baby bell pepper stuffed with mud crab meat and spicy escabeche. Next time, I’ll throw in a salad for good health. The wine list features several excellent Spanish varieties, including a 2010 Anxo Albariño ($12 a glass). For eight people or more you can ramp up the fun and have a Paella party ($45 a head) or a Tapas party ($39 a head), which you’ll no doubt want to wash down with a few jugs of Sangria ($26). Bodega de Pintxos, no BYO, no split bills, 27 Kennedy Street, Kingston, call 6295 0777.

Kate Mulvaney, who plays Rose... “I did a good audition. I wanted the part and I fought hard for it.”

big heart in developing special working relationships with “woodies” from around the country. The human factor, for him, became as important as the commercial outcome. It has, in the end, become a gallery for wood, but with a heart.

–Helen Musa

Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, Kings Highway, Bungendore, 30th Year Celebration Events: “Masters of Craft”, woodworks by Geoff Hannah, Tony Kenway & Scott Mitchell, opening 3pm, Saturday, March 23, all welcome, runs to April 30. And that night, “Jazz at the Wood Works”, The Hannah James Trio, 7pm, bookings essential to 6238 1688.

David Mac Laren... reflecting on a less-than-ordinary past.

CityNews  March 14-20  33


garden

Fabulous and floriferous Cedric Bryant gardening

CHRYSANTHEMUMS and dahlias are two of autumn’s most floriferous plants. The small-flowered varieties of Chrysanthemums are just coming into flower in our garden. The origin of these wonderful plants has largely been lost in time. One of the original varieties was Chrysanthemum coronaries, originating in the Mediterranean. At some time it was introduced to the Orient, where it has become popular as a vegetable using the young leaves that are often added to soups. Chrysanthemum flowers have been associated with China since the 7th century AD and, more lately, in Japan and Korea, where they have popular Chrysanthemum festivals. They are one of the main features in the flower pavilion at the UK’s Chelsea Flower Show. In Australia, we associate the big chrysanthemums with Mother’s Day. The smaller-flowered varieties are great for planting in the garden or in containers and hanging baskets on even the smallest balcony. They readily divide or simply grow from cuttings and are great as a starter plant for children to grow. MANY people saw the amazing display of dahlias at the recent Horticultural Society of Canberra’s flower show. Dahlias provide the brightest flower display at this time of the year from compact, low-growing

Chrysanthemums... colourful favourites in autumn.

Dahlia flowers... brightest display at this time of the year. varieties to large varieties illustrated here. Dahlias are very easy to grow from tubers and the time to look for these is when they have finished flowering over the next month. The Society will have an extensive range for sale at its November flower show.

United they stand THE NSW Road and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) proposes to totally remove Braidwood’s spectacular line of poplars, so enjoyed by tens of thousands of travellers to the coast. The move is due to some motorists driving into the trees and, unfortunately, killing themselves. This is no fault of the trees! The pictured avenue of Golden Poplars was planted in 1936 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the reign of King George V. Local arborist Dennis Dempsey, whose family has lived in the area since 1838, tells me the town’s population is up in arms. “I have grown old with these trees as they were only 10 years old when I was born and I have seen them grow and mature,” he says. Surely, commonsense must prevail or are we to remove every roadside tree or even street trees due to incompetent drivers?

What is your opinion? Email me at cedricbryant@grapevine.com.au with your views.

It’s time to... • divide perennials such as campanulas, asters after flowering; • plant seedlings of English spinach, silverbeet, leeks; and seed of peas and broad beans (the latter in well-limed soil); • plant all manner of berries and currants; sow sweet peas; • think about taking out petunias now past their prime and replacing with pansies and violas for winter colour.

Month by month with Mary

34  CityNews  March 14-20

SURELY, not another month-bymonth book on gardening? So many are merely coffee table books, but rising above these I commend you to Mary Horsfall’s “Gardens for All Seasons” (CSIRO Publishing paperback, 336 pages, $49.95) for one very good reason – the publisher. CSIRO has an exemplary record in publishing books of substance to do with the soil. Best-selling author Horsfall has an amazing track record with previous books including “EcoFriendly Garden” and “The Miracle of Mulch”. Her month-by-month guide details her own gardening year, which is applicable for all gardeners. She writes about growing the

full range of ornamental plants and fruit and vegetables; then provides recipes based on the harvest and activities for kids in the garden. This is also the only such garden book I know of that includes bush fire preparation and first aid.


puzzles page Joanne Madeline Moore your week in the stars / March 18-24

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

With mighty Mars charging into your sign (and joining up with Uranus), Rams are full of energy and enthusiasm. However, in your haste to get things done, watch that your impulsive nature doesn’t cause an accident or land you in hot water. Think things through and try to keep a cool head! Friday is the day to turn the charm factor up a few notches, as Venus vamps into your sign.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Don’t be a bashful Bull... it’s time to be proactive! With Mercury moving forwards (and your ruler Venus shifting into dynamic Aries), use your networking skills to find a job, drum up business, attract extra clients or customers. If you have green thumbs, then Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are fabulous days to get into the garden and plant seeds and seedlings.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Have you been suffering from communication chaos, computer hitches or transport glitches? Thank goodness Mercury (your ruling planet) moves forwards early in the week – life should start to settle down. It’s a wonderful weekend to broaden your mental horizons as you read, write or research, plus connect with family and friends locally and internationally.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Life’s complicated for Crabs at the moment. Your emotions are set for a rollercoaster ride, and you may feel confused about changing circumstances throughout the week (especially at school or work). Wednesday is the Equinox, so try to find some equilibrium in your busy schedule as you strive to get the balance right between your professional and personal lives.

General knowledge crossword No. 399 24 To be hypersensitive to certain Across things, is to be what?

1 What is an alternative term for an antenna? 8 Name the garment consisting of loose trousers, usually with a bib and shoulder straps. 9 What are small, usually roughly built houses? 10 What do we call a person with great power of endurance? 11 Name the prolific US inventor, Thomas ... 12 In Hinduism, what is a spiritual guide? 13 Name one of Australia’s champion golfers, Craig... 16 What is the ceremonial headdress of a bishop? 19 What is a subtle emanation said to surround the body as an atmosphere? 21 Which successions of images are present in the mind during sleep? 22 What describes a level of quality which is regarded as normal? 23 Which word designates a style of printing in which the letters slope to the right?

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

Are you capitalising on Jupiter jumping through your career zone? Influential people are happy to help you... all you have to do is work up the courage to ask. A close relationship flourishes, as you find novel new ways to communicate and connect. Plus any problems you’ve had with computers or cars should also start to improve, as Mercury moves forwards again.

2

3

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

2 Name one of Australia’s monotremes. 3 Which tooth in the anterior part of the jaw is adapted for cutting? 4 To be falling well behind in a race is termed as what? 5 Which part of the skull encloses the brain? 6 That which is unlawful is referred to as what? 7 What do we call the important elements of a thing? 13 Of which nationality was Omar Khayyam? 14 When one sells directly to consumers, one does what? 15 From which part of the ship did pirates perform hangings? 17 Which country is poetically known as the ‘’Emerald Isle’’? 18 Name the horse that won the 1948 Melbourne cup. 20 Which person is dependent on a habit?

4

5

6

7

8 9 10 11 12 13

14

15 19

16

17

18

20 21

22 23

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

If you expect family and friends to be punctual and cooperative then you’ll be disappointed, as they continue to surprise you. A professional or domestic problem is brewing, so do all you can to diffuse it diplomatically. Attached Librans – find ways you can add extra pizazz to the partnership. Singles – if you’re looking for love, you’ll have to be proactive and innovative.

Down

Solution next week 1

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Restless Lions... you’re keen to step outside your comfort zone, as Mars and Uranus shake up your adventure zone. So it’s the perfect week to plan a heavenly holiday (or grand adventure) for some time soon. And has there been some uncertainty involving an intimate relationship? With Mercury moving forwards again, you’ll find the fog will gradually start to lift.

25 When one cleans up, one does what?

24 25

Sudoku hard No. 99

Solution next week

Don’t get stuck in a Scorpio rut! It’s time to shake up your daily routine and be more spontaneous. Loved ones and colleagues will appreciate the change. And, if you have health issues, don’t sit around hoping they will magically disappear. Mars and Uranus encourage you to be proactive about finding solutions... and don’t dismiss exploring alternative therapies.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

The Moon and Jupiter join forces, which increases your optimistic and generous nature. A domestic project that was previously delayed may suddenly get the green light... but be careful what you say to a fiery child, teenager or friend. Are you sick of being single? With Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus in your romance zones, love is waiting where you least expect it!

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Is your home the haven you’d like it to be? Venus moves into your domestic zone (from March 22-April 15) so it’s time to clean, de-clutter and beautify your living space. But how will you decide what to keep and what to discard? Draw inspiration from birthday great William Morris: “Have nothing in your house which you know not to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Attached Aquarians – Jupiter helps you come up with a grand romantic gesture that sweeps your partner off their feet. Singles – love is likely with someone from another country or culture. Mighty Mars revs up your rebellious side on Saturday, which increases your impatience... and the likelihood of accidents. So slow down, before you blow a fuse!

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Have you been feeling more confused, forgetful and misunderstood than usual? Mercury stops reversing through your sign this week, so you’ll start to see things more clearly. With four planets powering through Pisces, you’ve got plenty of creative ideas swirling around in your head at the moment. Don’t be a frazzled fish! If you pace yourself, you’ll make pleasing progress. Daily astrology updates at www.twitter.com/JoMadelineMoore Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2011

Solutions

Crossword No.398 F L I A S N C E W E E L E F A R R E L

S S T I O R R U A P R T T I C H L E C

D E R E E S D E O N C U C L I V S T I

O G G R X C E M W E L I I N N E S U M A L I N O N

E R E R P L L I C M A O L L A U S O C

Sudoku med No.99 E L A T S A N G N T E E Q U T I L E A

CityNews  March 14-20  35


36  CityNews  March 14-20


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.