QCM The Melbournian Queenslander Issue 2

ISSUE 2 SERIES 1 2014 FREE

TASTE FASHION HEALTH TRAVEL CULTURE

WRITER OF CHANNEL 10 HIT SERIES ‘OFFSPRING’

MICHAELLUCAS PARTY TRICKS, PRETTY ACTORS AND CATERING

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CONTENTS ISSUE 2 SERIES 1 2014

TASTE

COVER FEATURE MICHAEL LUCAS

Dutch De Jour Food Friendly Wines The Myths Of Decaf

CULTURE

We chat to the writer of Channel 10 hit series ‘Offspring’, Michael Lucas, about his new project ‘Party Tricks, and his love of Pretty Actors and Catering.’

FASHION

THE MELBOURNISTICS PART ONE

Getting Sticky Fingers Buskers By The Creek Flea Stall

One Man Show Cameron&James Ralph Lauren Polo Redfaced StyleNow

Dutch

words by Alex Borst imagery by Alex Borst www.alexborst.com.au

When you think Tomatoes you think Italy, when you think Seaweed you instantly think Japan, it’s like Olives and Greece or Chilies and Mexico, but what comes to mind when you think Kale?

We’ve seen a massive popularity boost from this nutritiously dense vegetable over the past few years and I don’t want this to be another article hounding you about how good it is for you or that it’s the latest superfood. We’ve all seen the Kale trend come, and now its is beyond a trend, its here to stay. If you speak with any Dutch person you’ll soon found out that it has played a massive part in our cultures cuisine for centuries past.

I have vivid memories of eating Kale at lease once or twice a week as a child and my parents always had a crop growing in our vegetable garden, as it was difficult to source from supermarkets here in Australia 20 years ago.

Part One of our ‘The Melbournistics’ series showcases Surfers Paradise bar/restaurant Black Coffee Lyrics

HEALTH

Depression VS Exercise

TRAVEL

Exploring UK & France

QCMagazine T/A Dare Empire eMedia Productions www.qcmagazine.com.au Contributors Simone Cotterill, Alexander Borst, Eve Henley, Lisa Johnston, Dylan Adler, Cindy Jensen, Brodie Laurie-Rhodes, Brett Page, Cameron Dixon, Justin James, Shane Allan, Georgia Tribulet Imagery Contibutor Supplied, Dollar Photo Club Design Dare Empire eMedia Productions With Special Thanks Lee Brenton, Brett Sabell, Cindy Jensen, Sheryl & Paul Grant, Shane Matthews, Shannon & Paul Cassidy, Lesley Heron, Tony Roberts, Rick Johnson, Tony Boulton, Tamarie Buckland, Karla Heron, John Couch, Christine Dowton, Andy Moran, Andy O’Connor, Denise Gray, Carole Boswell, Tyran Holmes, Yolendi Gregory, Shane Johnston, Jenna Cooksley, Bianca Harrison, Jeff Muller, Ricochet Hair, Cameron Gage, Victoria Castell, Rhys Gleeson, Vicki Gillick-Bennett

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It’s true to say that Kale is defiantly an on trend food but in fact I’ve been brought up on it, as well as my parents, my grandparents and for as far as we can remember.

The Dutch call it Boerenkool, which literally translates into Farmers Cabbage, (boer = farmer & kool = cabbage). It was a staple in any Dutch household as it was easy and inexpensive to grow and the tradition has continued to be carried down.

I recently went on a trip back over to The Netherlands and was surprised to see this Borenkole still available on many menus and even served to me by my aunties once or twice while there.

As Tomatoes are to Italians so is Kale to the Dutch and what better way to find out the best way to cook this vegetable from the Dutch themselves. Dutch cuisine hasn’t yet been brought into mainstream culinary culture but the Dutch defiantly have a unique cuisine of their own that is worth exploring.

Cooked through mashed potatoes and served with bacon and a smoked sausage is the best way the Dutch will serve you their Kale. The way we eat kale might not sit to well with the incredibly health conscious (which are usually kale’s biggest fans) but this dish is sure to satisfy, its hearty, simple to make and yet simply delicious. >

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My mother has been gracious enough to share with you her recipe that has been handed down for generations. I’ve also taken this recipe and re-created it with a modern twist. Two kale based recipes, now you have no excuse not to get through the colder winter months without a cold.

Stamppot Boerenkool

words by Lisa Johnston Wine Muse www.winemuse.com.au

(Traditional Dutch Kale and Potato Dish) 1.5 KG Potatos (peeled) 1 Large Bunch of Kale (chopped) 300g Bacon (cut into pieces)

75g Butter Qtr Cup Milk Pinch of Salt Sweet Mustard Pickles

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces and put then into a large pan, cover with water and bring to the boil, boil for about 25 minutes.

For the last 5 minutes add the Kale and continue to boil.

Strain away the water and return the kale and the potatoes to the pan. Add the butter, milk and a pinch of salt.

With an electric mixer, mash the potatoes and kale together until the potatoes become a creamy mash.

In the meantime, fry the bacon in a fry pan until crispy and add to the potato and kale; including all the bacon fat and give it all a good stir.

Serve with a spoon full of Sweet Mustard Pickles and enjoy.

Traditionally this is served with a Dutch smoked sausage call Rookworst all though I prefer it without.

Now this is my take on the tradition Dutch dish. I’ve taken the basics, substituted a few ingredients for other forms and added some different flavours.

Braised Kale with Crispy Pancetta and Feta Polenta 1 Bunch Kale 1 Cup Chicken Stock 2 Gloves Garlic 100-150g Thinly Shaved Pancetta

food friendly wines

Feta Polenta 1 Cup Polenta 3.5 Cups Water 40g Salted Butter 150g Feta

Remove the stalks from the kale, as well as the stalk that runs through the middle of the leaf and finely chop.

Crush and chop the garlic and fry in a little olive oil until fragrant and then add the chicken stock.

Once the stock has reduced by half add the kale and sauté for about 5 minutes while constantly tossing.

Cut the pancetta into small pieces and fry in a fry pan until crispy.

Wines that rate highly on the ‘food friendly’ scale Have you ever wondered why there are times when your favourite wine seems to have a personality change when you take it to dinner.

Sometimes it even happens right before your eyes. Usually it will happen with the wines that offer massive fruitiness in a glass that may be good drinking while you are sitting talking with friends or a glass while waiting for dinner. The wines that we prefer as aperitifs are not necessarily the wines that work well with food.

Two of the usual culprits are the pungent and herbaceous very ripe sauvignon blancs, often coming from New Zealand and high alcohol, incredibly rich fruited and powerfully bodied Australian shirazs. These are the type of wines that are big and bold with lashings of sweet fruit. However, just like an over-loud friend, these wines tend to overshadow the food that we eat and not offer many synergies with what is on the plate. They tend to take over and make everything else seem to lack flavour in that moment.

All grape varieties produce wines that marry well with food. There are some great examples of sauvignon blanc and shiraz that are very food friendly indeed. Wines that work well with food tend to be wines that have elegance at their core. They are lighter, more medium bodied, textural and will often have a savoury edge just to add some interest. They do not fight with the flavours and aromas of the dish in front of you. Instead, the wine adds additional dimension and character to the conversation without elbowing everything out of the way to become centre stage.

This is why red grape varieties such as fragrant pinot noir and savoury sangiovese and white wines made from lightly oaked chardonnay, marsanne of any age and zesty pinot grigio are good all-rounders when it comes to matching the dish of the day.

They are also often wines that will find more friends around the table too as these wines have a good chance of beguiling even those stuck in a ‘I only drink .’ rut. >

For the Feta Polenta.

Bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan.

Gradually add the polenta while constantly whisking.

Once all the polenta is added, add the butter and continue to cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until the polenta has thickened, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and crumble feta through the polenta.

Serve immediately with the braised kale and crispy pancetta.

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Here are five to try tonight, they make good wines to have at home just in case: McGuigan’s Semillon Bin 9000 2013 ($13) - Not the best semillon that I have tasted this year, BUT the best under $20 it could be. Apple and pear with a little sugar to smooth out the palate. Finishes with a crunchy apple crescendo but a good food wine that is just right for the warmer weather.

Tahbilk Marsanne 2013 ($19) - This 2013 vintage is looking remarkably pretty with spicy floral notes to the sun ripened pear and zesty lime held together with some minerality. A dry white wine that is juicy and the flavour continues to build in the mouth and takes on a savoury edge which adds dimension to the otherwise pure fruit.

Rymill MC2 2010 ($19) - All decked out in stylish yet simple black labelling. Red berries, spice & savoury cigar box and herb notes are soft and elegant. This is a very well priced wine that will satisfy the fussiest wine drinker while providing enough interest to keep everyone talking.

Shaw and Smith Shiraz 2012 ($44) - To my mind it is a benchmark for elegance in Australian Shiraz. The blueberry and cherry fruit is kept lively with a sprinkle of pepper.

The oak stays low key merely providing a smooth canvas, allowing the purity of the detailed fruit to shine. A great complement for dinner.

Love a cask? - the Winesmiths’ Tempranillo 2012 is full of juicy cherry and red fruit flavours. It is juicy, with a tannin structure that gives support to the fleshy, soft fruit. At $18.99 for 2 litres, this works out to be about $7.10 per 750ml bottle equivalent. That is a whole lot of value delivered in a small brown paper box.

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THE MYTHS

OF DECAF

words by Eve Henley Quest Coffee Roasters

If you visit the social media pages on specialty coffee on a regular basis you may be familiar with the phrases ‘Death before Decaf’’. These phrases are mostly accompanied by a photo of a die-hard double espresso drinker who has the text inked into the skin of their bicep. Or you may have seen the hipster barista at your local coffee shop pull up an eyebrow when asked for a decaf. This is the drink that is also referred to as “the why bother”.

So we can conclude decaf is uncool; a coffee that is missing its most vital ingredient, CAFFFEINE. It’s obviously something the drinker should be a little ashamed of. People rather die than drink decaf right? Wrong!

Whether you like it or not, we are currently witnessing a serious increase in decaf consumption. It is a trend that started not too long ago, possibly due to intolerance of caffeine in general, health reasons, pregnancy or people trying to limit their intake during the later hours of the day to not to disrupt sleeping patterns. Some coffee lovers still want to enjoy the taste of their favourite beverage, so decaf is on the rise.

As there are many opinions about the good and bad of decaf there seems to be equal amounts of confusion about the health benefits and the way it’s processed.

Let’s see if we can debunk some myths.

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There is no caffeine in decaf; there are a couple of different standards worldwide with the US guidelines stating that coffee needs to be 97.5% caffeine free before it can bare the label decaf. The standard in Europe sits at 99.9%, so on and so forth.

Decaf contains harsh and/or harmful chemicals; the decaffeination process has come a long way over the years. You can now enjoy the benefits of the Swiss Water and Mt Water Processed Decaf that gets rid of 99.9% of the caffeine and is certified organic. A lot of people still refer to the Roselius Process. Roselius’ method used benzene, which is a cancer-causing chemical and therefore no longer commonly used. Talk to your barista or local coffee roaster about which process is used to decaffeinate their coffee.

Decaf tastes bad; when decaf was first developed, the process was harsh and stripped away a lot of the preferred flavours and aroma. The process these days is a lot more refined and we can preserve the delicate tastes in a bean all through the decaffeination and the roasting process. Decaffeinated beans go stale like other caffeinated coffee, and we see a lot of problems with cafes over-ordering decaf and letting it sit too long on their shelves. Rumour has it there are some cafés on the Coast that think it’s acceptable just using the last part of the shot to make an espresso coffee “decaf”. This results in a poorly extracted shot and a coffee with just below caffeine levels, but nothing close to decaf.

Decaffeination takes away all the health benefits of the coffee; most of the health benefits from coffee come from the antioxidants part of the polyphenols contained within the coffee. The level of caffeine within the coffee doesn’t make a difference to that neither does the decaffeination process.

So do yourself a favour. Go to a café that actually serves a Swiss Water Process organic decaffeinated coffee and a has barista that loves making it fresh and enjoy a coffee at any time of the day.

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MICHAELLUCAS

PARTY TRICKS, PRETTY ACTORS AND CATERING

He is one of the brilliant minds behind Channel 10 Hit Series ‘Offspring’. Writing for arguably the most popular and talked about series last year, and yes, he is partly to blame for the death of our beloved Patrick Reid.

We asked Michael about his upbringing and writings as a child. “I grew up in a mud-brick house in Eltham, in the northern Melbourne suburbs. Strangely, in recent years my childhood home has proven to be quite a popular filming location. The ‘Kath and Kim’ movie used it for the home of Marg Downey’s therapist character. So Glenn Robbins has sat in our lounge room, stark naked. As a family, we’re quite proud of that.

I did write a lot of stories. Embarassingly, a lot of them were essentially fan fiction; imagined sequels for movie franchises I was obsessed with, like ‘Superman’ and ‘Indiana Jones’.

Pretty much my favourite childhood hobby was wandering around lost in thought, imagining stories for characters I loved. Pretty good prep for being a TV writer.”

As a professional writer, it seems a obvious progression to write a novel, we asked Michael if this had ever crossed his mind. “No I’ve never really considered writing a novel. For me, the great thrill of script-writing is participating in the production process, seeing ideas be realised by a talented crew, be it film, TV or theatre. Writing a novel seems terribly solitary, with absolutely no catering, nor any access to pretty actors (two of the main reasons I’ve stayed in this industry).” >

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Writing for the Channel 10 hit series ‘Offspring’, we were interested to know if when writing the lines for such powerfully individual characters if Michael ever found the characters crossing over into other characters? (eg A Billie line coming into Nina’s script?) “The characters in Offspring feel so distinct, and I can hear their voices so clearly, there’s hardly ever times when the distinctions blur. Distressingly though, I’ll often notice my own voice creeping into my dialogue a little too much. I tend to be very verbose and a bit stuttery, so often when I write a long, broken sentence with too many words in it, I’ll think, “Hang, on, that’s you.” (Or, in overwritten Michael-speak: “Wha—No—hang on—you’ve basically morphed that piece of dialogue into a total and utter Michael-fest”). That kind of style conveniently seems to work for the character Nina (we’re unnervingly similar), but for any other character, I have to be careful.”

Thinking Michael was the only male writer of the 3 core writers for ‘Offspring’, we were embarrassed to find our research was flawed, but wondered how the writers settled writing disputes. “Yes, there is another guy! The three are Debra Oswald, Jono Gavin and myself.

When the three of us are plotting the series, it’s usually a love-fest, but occasionally we’ll see things differently, and have different instincts. The best thing to do in those situations is just to embrace the different perspectives and discuss them. Inevitably, really good, rich story comes out of it. And most of the time, we arrive at a version that works for everyone.

A couple of seasons back, I didn’t immediately spark to the idea of Nina learning that Darcy (John Waters) was not her biological father. I couldn’t feel the emotional reality of it at first.

But my initial resistance turned out to be an asset, because it led to great deal of discussion and interrogation. And now, some of those scenes between Asher, and her on-screen parents are real favourites. I find them funny and incredibly moving. So you really can make a virtue out of disagreement.”

popular media identity, played by Rodger Corser… and someone Asher’s character had an affair with a decade ago. So it’s quite a juicy high concept premise—what if two former lovers found themselves political opponents? It’s also a look at ‘personality politics’, the marketing of our leaders, and what it’s like to live and work in the public eye, in the digital age. Really different territory to Offspring, but I’ve always been fascinated by politics, and by the 24-hour news-cycle, so I’ve been enjoying it immensely.

Michael is listed as an ‘extra’ in a number of different projects within his CV, we asked Michael about the possibility acting in the future. ”I’m not an actor at all! I occasionally appear as an extra or as a bit part, because (a) it’s cheap for the production – they’re already paying me! And (b) as mentioned earlier, I love catering and pretty actors. Plus it’s good to spend a full day on set, get a deeper appreciation for everyone’s work. And to take pics for Instagram, of course.

But I’m far too self-conscious and far too hammy to ever do serious work as an actor.

After what was essentially a national mourning of ‘Patrick’ in episodes 12 and 13 of last season, we wondered if Michael found it hard personally to end the life of a character in the storyline. “I’ve only ever been involved in a character’s death once—which was Patrick in Offspring, and yes it was epic! In all honestly, it felt like a year of grieving—first there was a very tearful plotting process in mid 2012, then the writing and editing of scripts, the discussions with actors, rehearsal, shooting. The episode wasn’t locked until mid 2013, and at every stage we were all surprised at how affected we were. All of us - writers, directors, actors - admitted there were times we went home and cried. Once I burst into tears working in a café!

The only way to write that sort of thing well is to really go there psychologically and imagine what it feels like from every characters’ perspective. My father died a few years back, so I thought a lot about that, and I spoke a lot to my mum in detail about her grief.

After everything we poured into it, I was worried it might go to air and no one would care particularly! I kept reassuring Matt, who played Patrick, ‘this will be long remembered, trust me!’ But really, I had no way of knowing. So when it exploded, even though it was slightly insane, and I had grieving fans baying for my blood, I was extremely proud. We’re very desensitized to death on screen, but that death really, really resonated. It was worth the year of loopy, emotionally fraught behaviour.”

We saw recently that Michael had a very interesting project coming up, we asked Michael to shed some light. “‘Party Tricks’ is another collaboration with Imogen Banks and John Edwards – the producers of ‘Offspring’. It’s a six-part political drama starring Asher as a state Premier. Just as she’s facing an election, a new opposition leader is announced… a

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8.30 WEDNESDAYS

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words by Brodie Laurie-Rhodes & Justin James Images courtesy Black Coffee Lyrics www.blackcoffeelyrics.com

Black Coffee Lyrics was probably the first place I visited on the Gold Coast which made my brain spit out the word “Melbournistic”, don’t bother looking that up, it’s not an official word I’m told.

‘Melbournistic’ is a word I invented to describe the feeling which is very similar to De Je Vu, its like your stepping into a place that is undeniably Melbourne in style, feel, and atmosphere, BUT you are not in Melbourne. It can happen anywhere I’m sure, but I’m finding I’m experiencing it all over the Gold Coast. Every month I will showcase another one of ‘The Melbournistics’.

Black Coffee Lyrics is the brainchild of Mark, Nick and Dave. Having no real experience in the field of hospitality; Mark being an Engineer, Dave a carpenter and Nick studying business at university. All three boys are well travelled and spent long periods overseas, they are friends who share a common hunger for good food and beverages in a great atmosphere. At the time there was nothing on the Gold Coast which had this when they were looking around for a location. Which was not long before they found this great space and came up with the idea of what we now call Black Coffee Lyrics.

One of the initial experiences one encounters when arriving at BCL is the décor. “The interior has been an on going project since day one. With a number of donations and gradually sourcing more and more furniture, building tables out of reclaimed doors and then eventually building proper tables to replace them, fixing this, doing a bit of work on that, until eventually, it became what it is today. We would sit back and brainstorm ideas for different sections of the shop. These brainstorming ideas is exactly what you can see today with a bit of elbow grease.”

BCL has grown from a tiny little lane way coffee shop serving lasagna and lattes to a fully grown restaurant/bar with three different food menus (breakfast/lunch/dinner), a full bar with huge selection of wine, spirits, beers and cocktails,and an atmosphere to boot. “The Menu has evolved since we started. We hired a head chef who happened to >>

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have a lot of experience in fine dining. This is where we took the menu, more of a share plate theme over 2 years ago. There wasn’t anything like this on the Gold Coast with the atmosphere and drinks list that BCL has, and this is where we have ended up today.”

When asked about any specialities. “One speciality which must be tried upon a visit to BCL is the Espresso Martini cocktail where we have our own house blend roasted in Byron Bay and converted into an espresso liquor by award winning local distillery Mount Tamborine Distillery.” But what this fine food? ”Our food menu is designed and prepared by our head chef Daniel Wehling who has put his all into creating dishes that excite every palate whether it be breakfast lunch or dinner.”

It’s always interesting to see such unique establishment, but its just as interesting to see if or how the business expands. “We have opened a take away venue in Mermaid Beach called Alfred’s Diner. At its early stages, just opened in January this year. We plan on expanding this venue in the near future, so we will keep posted on that one, but who knows what the future holds for us, considering where we are today is beyond what we ever imagined, its impossible to say where it could eventually end up. And we are always up for a new challenge.”

Black Coffee Lyrics Upstairs Shop 40/41 Centre Arcade, 3131 Surfers Paradise Blvd Surfers Paradise, QLD, Australia 4217 Tue - Fri: 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm, 5:00 pm - 12:00 am Sat - Sun: 8:00 am - 12:00 am

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getting

STICKY FINGERS words by Dylan Adler Image courtesy Sticky Fingers

Australia’s music scene has always been received locally with a raised eyebrow, with average talent and recycled idioms being so rife that it more often than not leaves the Aussie listener more than underwhelmed. So when a homegrown act comes along that has teeth, substance, and offers original unique material you must grab their merch, tracks and scream from the rooftops monologues of love and support.

Sticky Fingers are a band that fall into the aforementioned and with the Australian leg of their latest tour recently completed and their passports cleared for an international tour, I’m expecting to hear a lot of screaming from the city skylines.

Sticky Fingers first formed in 2009, when drummer Beaker and bass player Paddy came across Dylan Frost busking one night out the front of the Coopers Arms hotel in Newtown. From there the band has grown into a

multicultural motley crew, defining themselves as “If the Clash, Pink Floyd and Arctic Monkeys are three beads of sweat that meet rolling down your back, Sticky Fingers are at the bottom licking it up.”

The band comprises five under 25 year olds, however their age should not suggest that they are green when it comes to touring. They’ve been rocking show to show with ever growing crowds for the past two years.

The Sydney five piece rocked the Gold Coast’s Coolie Hotel and Melbourne’s Corner Hotel (to name a few venues on their mammoth Aussie tour) setting crowds alight with their signature garage / soul / reggae beats. Tracks like Headlock, Brother Be and Freaking Out show off the band’s versatility when listening to them from your pocket, but it’s not until you see them live in action that you have really heard Sticky Fingers.

Front man Dylan Frost’s vocals translate extremely well from studio recordings to live on stage, bringing the kind of light and shade into his voice that can only be trained from the experiences in life of disappointment and delight. For a band comprised of early 20 year olds, they have an accomplished musical arsenal that they effortlessly tap into when united under the banner of the band.

The boys released Gold Snafu (the title of their 2014 tour), the first single from their forthcoming album in February this year and are aimed to drop the debut album Land of Pleasure Mid 2014 for the world to get their grubby mitts all over. If you are a lover of reggae and supporting home grown music then definitely check these guys out, you wont regret it; supporting the Australian music scene is very good for you.

Stand out tracks include Brother Be, Eddy’s Song and Juicy Ones.

Contact Dylan for more information or to be considered for Review in QCM dylanadler@qcmagazine.com.au

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IMAGINE YOUR BUSINESS HERE...

Issue Three specials include artwork contact us now www.qcmagazine.com.au only 6 pages remain

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ONEMANSHOW words by Cameron James Dixon Photographer: Andrew Wilson from Dirty Love Photography Stylist: Ryan D Cotteril Model: John Zheng Hair & Makeup: Lyla Care Photographer: Steph Doran Stylist: Amy Johnston Model: Dylan A Peck

Cameron James Dixon began his label without any real experience in the field itself, instead relying soully on his raw creative talent and a will to succeed in the industry, Cameron recounts “Sometimes I look back these days and wish I would have spent more time doing work experience, or an internship or even the possibility of just working full time for someone else but at the time my own label was something that I needed to do, even if it didn’t work. I look at where I am now and tell myself that although what I’m doing isn’t conventional and standard work experience, if I was ever to go for another job later in life well there won’t be many people that can say they’ve achieved what I have.

Cameron & James officially launched on Sunday the 16th of September 2012 at the Fine Design Market in Doncaster, Melbourne.

Prior to this, two years of research, marketing strategies and branding, as well as work on samples and aesthetics built Cameron & James prior to it ever seeing the light of day.

The inspration for Cameron & James came about when I realised there was a lack of fashion forward sustainable and eco friendly fashion for men. When I started researching into sustainable menswear, I found the majority of what I was looking at was fairly beige not only in colour but in design. I wanted to create something that was current and trendy but still have a cause and meaning behind it.

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After studying sustainability at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and doing some volunteer work, sorting through clothing at the Brotherhood of St Laurence I realised how destructive the fast fashion movement was having on our environment. I knew this was something that I didn’t want to further contribute too.”

With a colourful history thus far, built quite literally from the ground up, we asked Cameron how he foresees the growth of the brand, “Cameron & James is continually growing and developing as a business. Each season we add in extra pieces to improve the variety we stock. I’m always doing short courses in my spare time to develop and improve skills that can benefit and help grow C&J. We also are a supporter of Undress Runways which is a National Sustainable fashion show that travels around Australia showcasing eco friendly, sustainable and ethically produced designers from around Australia. Being a part of this has really helped grow and expose our business to the general public and has also helped me flourish and grow as a designer and believe more in my work and what I can achieve. It’s also an amazing platform to connect and socialize with other industry professionals.

Even though 2013 was a bad year for C&J having to scale back our growth considerably.

We’re happy to say we’re getting back on track and looking forward to the future. We’re hoping to move into our own studio again very soon which means we will be able to do more pop up shops throughout Australia.

We’re also looking forward to developing and fleshing out our current range to include bottoms, underwear and the one thing we’re always asked for WOMENSWEAR! Our idea for Cameron & James is to continually grow and expand the business into an Australian version of American Apparel and continue to produce ethically in Melbourne, Australia.”

www.cameronandjames.com

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DEPRESSION EXERCISE

words by Simone Cotterill QCM Guest Personal Trainer HardCore Fitness

In Australia alone over 1 million people currently suffer from some form of depression and another 2.3 million from anxiety. The social impact of living with depression is staggering, with 900,000 suicides each year world wide, 2,000 being in Australia alone.

What I have found throughout my years as a personal trainer is that most of my clients have had some form of depression and in all cases they have been prescribed medication. What really concerns me is that none of them were ever told about the affects exercise can have and how it can help then shake off the symptoms of depression.

When it comes to exercise it is proven to be beneficial to those with mild to moderate depression and that exercise is an effective relatively unused form of treatment that can help with regaining control of your thoughts and feelings, therefore improving self esteem and the sense of hopelessness.

Through my own personal experience and as a personal trainer, doing exercise daily definitely improves your self esteem and your mood.

When exercising, your body releases endorphins, these endorphins send signals to the brain and reduce the feelings of pain and create what we like to call the “runners high”, which helps us gain a more positive outlook on life. After a few months of exercising I have found that my clients have a definite change in Regular exercise is proven to : mood, self esteem and are happier not Reduce stress only with the goals they have achieved Help with sleep through exercise but their overall health Fight of anxiety and well being. I also find with most of Boost self esteem them that with advice from their general practioner they begin cutting back on their medication and slowly but surely in time they can be taken completely off them.

So give it a go and see what a difference it will make to your daily life and overall health and well being.

Before starting you must take into account your physical fitness whether you have

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any conditions that may stop you from doing certain activities. So, it’s best if you have any injuries to check with your health care provider first.

With the added health benefits of: Increased energy levels Lower blood pressure Strengthened bones Reduced body fat Increased muscle tone

When it comes to choosing the right type of exercise or activity really think about what it is you love and then make your move. Exercise should be enjoyable and fun so maybe get into boxing, a dance class or simply get out there and run. Anything that will increase your heart rate will make a difference, so grab a friend, your partner and go, it’s never too late to feel great!

Eating healthy can also help lift your mood, with our diets today generally leaving us feeling sluggish after eating a plate of food because it has no nutritional value or is high in fat and salt.

Although there is no cure for depression through eating a particular “diet,” foods that are high in antioxidants and nutrition will help the overall treatment of depression and get your body feeling less sluggish. High antioxidant foods and foods that are high in nutrition are crucial to your overall health and can make you feel better, let alone slow the signs of aging and give your skin a more even texture and glow.

Eat food that is high in nutrients Foods that are high in nutrients help the body’s growth, wellness and repair. Our body needs nutrients such as protein, antioxidants, carbohydrates, minerals and small amounts of good fats. Without these our body becomes deficient and our body does not work to it’s full capacity and often leads to illness.

Foods to eat - Eat smart OR complex carbohydrates like whole grains and vegetables, avoid those sugary cakes and biscuits. Eat sources of protein like chicken, turkey and tuna that are rich in the amino acid tyrosine. Tyrosine may help to increase dopamine and norepinephrine, these chemicals help you feel more alert and help with concentration.

Eat more high antioxidant rich foods with vitamin C, E and beta carotene that combat the affects of free radicals within your body. Beta carotene Foods : apricots, pumpkin, broccoli, spinach, sweet potato and cantelope. Vitamin C rich foods : broccoli, grapefruit. kiwifruit, blueberries, strawberries and tomatoes. Foods rich in Vitamin E : nuts, wheat germ, seeds and vegetable oils.

Enjoy a healthy lifestyle and feel the difference exercise and healthier eating can change the way you feel and they way you look.

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Ralph Lauren POLO RED words by Justin James images for editorial use only

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Ralph Lauren, born Ralph Lifshits in New York City in 1939, is the man behind the hugely successful Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand and the subsequent myriad of different labels of Home-wares, Jewellery, Manchester, and even paint.

The latest mens fragrance offering from the house of Ralph Lauren, Polo Red, not to be confused with Big Pony No 2 with its similar red flacon, seemed to flop after the relative hype for its upcoming release both here and in the states. Now, when I say hype, I do not mean the hype created by any advertising campaigns, but the hype created simply by fragrance aficionados across the world. The advertising campaign put together for this fragrance was as dull as it was unrelated. We have Nacho Figueras, the Argentine Polo player/model, looking as bored as ever, racing cars and boats (not a horse in sight mind you) in what I can only imagine was director Bruce Webber’s idea of a take on the commercial for the 1980’s series ‘Nightrider.’ The print adverts that were run are just as dull and are also eerily similar to the Nightrider promotional posters.

Moving away from the questionable promotional campaign and onto the fragrance itself, we have a fragrance that lacks anything ‘special’ to set it apart from 100 other releases this year. It has been dubbed ferocious and fiery, fiery I’ll pay, ferocious though, not so much. The scent opens with red grapefruit blended with cranberry and Italian lemon. Here we get the fiery fresh citrus accords which are pleasing. We then move on to the heart of red sage, saffron, and a seemingly MIA lavender note. Although with the top notes so overpowering its hard to distinguish the heart and base. Base notes for Polo Red are listed as red wood, hot amber, and coffee beans. In both my skin and blotter tests I failed to catch the red wood or coffee accords, but rather found the base to be a sweet hot powder which increased its powderyness as the scent dissipated.

I find the fresh citrus opening quite appealing, as personally I am a big fan of the fresher cologne style fragrances, but I feel the heart is lost, and the base just doesn’t give what is promised, I expected an almost Thierry Mugler B*Men style base for this after reading the composition. This fragrance by Olivier Gillotin is definitely not the best to come from this nose who brought us Donna Karen Be Delicious and Ermenegildo Zegna Z Zegna. I feel the interpretation of this brief was either ignored or not supplied to the perfumer.

It seems that the definition of a masculine fragrance has changed in recent years. I’m not sure how or by which design house, but the idea of a masculine scent has been turned on its head. I still run with the premise that a true masculine scent is deeply woody, with resin or leathery notes. In history, lavender was the basic masculine base for a fragrance.

Now it seems that has all been thrown out the window with majority of the new mens fragrances being either vanilla or citrus based. I touched on this in series one of Prince Of Cologne, Diesel Only The Brave episode, the figurative ‘moving of the goal posts’, masculine fragrances are becoming more feminine, and feminine fragrances are becoming so intensely sweet and sickly that women are starting to desperately search back for historical fragrances from Chanel and Guerlain.

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StyleNOW

Been a blonde for the past year and have the damage to show for it?

Well now is your chance to change it up and let it grow! Show just a hint of your roots and let them peak through for a too cool to care finish.

Cool, natural tones are back this season and we have seen a great deal of them in Paris and New York fashion week. Letting your natural colour grow out seems to be trending this year.

We are seeing lots of girls embracing their mousey brown hair and tousling it around with a few loose curls.

Ladies, ‘Ombre’ is definitely here to stay for another season! Heading into winter we are going to see more of the warm coppers and deep reds. Try adding a touch of copper to your ‘Ombre’, you might be pleasantly surprised.

It’s extremely hard trying to find what is in and figuring out if it will suit you. Picture and lots of reference is always a great thing, passing around to a few hairdressers and listening to what they have to say might just help you get an idea.

words by G Tribulet Ricochet Hair and Beauty images for editorial use only

With new trends emerging each day, it’s hard to keep track of what’s in and what’s not. The Gold Coast is renowned for having its own laid back and beach style, but over the past few years that attitude is changing. The Gold Coast is fast becoming more aware of what is trending in the big city and being en pointe in hair trends is more important than ever.

‘THE LINE’

Over the past year many men are choosing to wear a short back and sides then leaving the top slightly longer creating movement and something to style. Since having seen styles from fashion week and new trends that have hit the big cities, we have seen the introduction of a distinct shaved line. ‘The line’ as it is referred to, has boomed, especially with men under thirty-five. Using ‘the line’ to create a disconnection between the short back and sides and a long sweeping top makes the cut more edgy and fashion forward; an option many men are looking to take.

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COPPER OMBRE

SLIGHT REGROWTH WITH BLONDE

BARK BLONDE/MOUSEY BROWN

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words by Brett Page Flea Stall www.fleastall.com.au

Having always had a strong interest in design and good creative ability Brett decided to get serious about his passion a few years ago and commenced his graphic design diploma. Upon completion of the course in 2012, Brett moved from the Gold Coast to Sydney due to greater career prospects. It was while working on a few different projects, that the idea of Flea Stall was born. Now back on the Gold Coast Brett is working on Flea Stall full time.

We asked Brett, why Flea Stall? “The primary motivation for creating Flea Stall was based on my first-hand experience as a market stall holder. The first challenge that became apparent to me was exposure of my product. Starting out, selling your product/s as a market stall holder can be a tough gig. Not only are you responsible for the supply of stock, you are also trying to launch a new product and get the product ‘out there’. You may know that online is an option but you may not have the funds for, or understanding of, websites and you may also know selling in stores could work but you may not have the know-how on how to establish this. Along with the challenge of exposure, the two main questions I was regularly asked were … ‘Do you have an online store?’ and ‘where else can I buy these?’ And short of giving out personal details, the only place my products were readily available were the markets. I found this was a common theme for many other stall holders.

The reality is that markets have been the launching avenue for many iconic Australian labels/brands! So I want to give everyday people a platform and a community where they can still do their Market stall for 8 hours a week and have their product available with maximum exposure worldwide, twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week!”

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We also wondered how the concept of ‘Flea Stall’ was born, “The concept of Flea Stall stemmed from a visit to Glebe markets. I was at the markets and came across an amazing t-shirt from an up and coming designer. After a conversation with the designer, I realised that if I was still living in Queensland I would likely have never even known this shirt existed.

So with that awareness, and the understanding of the magnitude of markets available Australia wide, I thought, what else am I missing out on? So after a few weeks of Research and planning I had designed and launched Flea Stall.”

With a great concept and an obvious gap in the market being filled, we were interested to know where Brett thought his brainchild would go, “On the 22nd of February Flea Stall launched, starting small with only 25 items. In just two short months, it is now selling over 250 items and gaining Sellers and customers every day! We have over 2000 visits to the site each week from all over the world! My objective for Flea Stall is to create Australia’s largest online Market store! I love that Flea Stall permits the public access to shopping that they otherwise may never have access too! Before Flea Stall, you may have never been exposed to that interstate amazing t-shirt line, that small town jewellery designer or any product that you never knew you’d love!

In the future, I’d love to see Flea Stall operate its own regular weekend markets and even expand to stores in cities around Australia!”

Stall holder “mini showcase” over page >

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ST HAMILTON DESIGNS

UPCOMING

St Hamilton Designs hasn’t been around forever, but isn’t planning on going anywhere anytime soon. Based out of Melbourne, St Hamilton Designs in the creative outlet for Scott Wearne, a experienced carpenter by trade and his partner Alexandra Boroughs, who has been working in the Australian Fashion Industry for over 10 years. The combination of their skill sets has exploded into a flurry of exquisite on trend products that whilst using sustainable and recycled materials, making every piece individual, still maintain an affordable price that means their creations are attainable for everyone.

Design inspirations are a daily occurrence for St Hamilton Designs. Every piece that is made has a rustic edge, and with the use of recycled materials, this means that every item is individual. From old industrial buildings, plantation homes in southern America, restored residential housing spaces, natural materials and plants. St Hamilton Designs has an ability to look forward with their deigns whilst keeping in touch with the products original roots.

Flea Stall was an original concept in which we were able to make our products readily accessible to everyone without losing any of our business identity. The ease in which customers can browse, select and also find information on our company was extremely attractive, and there was no hidden costs or fees.

ATTRACTIONS FEATUREINTERVIEWS

EM RUSCIANO

MIND OVER MATTER

LISA CHAPPELL

ACTOR/PERSONALITY

HIP HOP MUSICIANS

ACTOR

FIRASS DIRANI ACTOR

THEMELBOURNISTICS

THE PADDOCK MIAMI

BSKT CAFE NOBBY BEACH

GREENHOUSE FACTORY - KIRRA

ISLAND LUXE BYRON BAY

FASHIONSHOWCASES

SEEKINGMORE

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38

exploring

UK&France

words by Shane Allen International Traveller

A few years ago I found myself with an excessive amount of annual leave built up and after a stressful time at work I decided to take it.

Now that the decision had been made and money had been transferred I had the exciting task of planing a rough itinerary, researching attractions, accommodation, tours, transport options and making notes on essential tourist translation.

The four weeks between deciding to go to Europe and actually going went really quick, and my first destination was London. Mum dropped me off at the airport and I was on my way! Thirty hours later I was walking out into the cold out the front of Heathrow airport! I boarded the train to the city and found my way to my hostel to get settled.

I didn’t do much on my first day, after the long haul flights and little sleep I was far too tired and crashed out early. My first morning in London I woke to find a group of American tourists chatting quietly in the room, they saw me wake from my ‘passed out’ state and introduced themselves. After a brief conversation in which I had told them that I hadn’t planned-out my trip down to the day they invited me to join them sightseeing. We got ourselves ready and headed downstairs for what would become the standard complimentary all-you-can-eat hostel breakfast [great environment to meet other travellers and energise yourself for the day ahead] and we set out. We jumped on the tube and headed for some of the

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usual tourist attractions; St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace [the list goes on!]. It was unbelievable! I was half way around the world standing in these amazing locations and seeing them with my own eyes. We enjoyed our brilliant tour and I realised that it wouldn’t be so difficult to make many great new friends over the course of my trip [I’ll admit I had been worried that I’d be too shy to approach and meet people and end up spending a large chunk of my holiday exploring alone]. My new American friends were leaving London early the following morning so I did a little social networking and found a local to take me out to breakfast and give me a few pointers on what to do with my day. I got together the essentials for the day [map, money, camera and my iPod] and headed to Camden town market WOW! Several hours later and after a lot of ‘window’ shopping, some amazing food, coffee and spending too much money for day two of my holiday I made my way to Soho to grab a drink with my new mate.

I explored London for five days, took loads of photos, enjoyed a lot of food, had numerous rides in double decker buses and glimpsed endless shops selling souvenirs leading up to the royal wedding. It was time for the second leg of my adventure, Paris! I bought my Eurostar ticket and departed the St Pancras train station en route to Gare du Nord, Paris.

Repeating my routine arriving in a new city, I followed the map to my Paris hostel. I woke on my first morning in Paris and left the hostel alone to do some wandering, I made my way to the Paris Metro and caught a train to the Eiffel Tower. The moment I first saw La Tour Eiffel stretching up to the sky was undeniably the highlight of my holiday!…..needless to say, there were many photos taken. My first visit saw me climb the stairs to the second level and view the city from this amazing structure. I went back to the Eiffel Tower a few days later with some people from my hostel, we caught the elevator to the top to view the city at night. I spent five amazing days in Paris “The City of Light”, spending hours admiring the beautiful works of art at du musée du Louvre [and getting a little lost along the way] and joining numerous walking tours through the spectacular city. The tour guides shared amusing facts and history through the gardens of the Château de Versailles and down the streets of Montmartre.

Over the course of my trip I toured many other cities. I made many friends with fellow travellers and locals, seeing many great sites and sharing amazing experiences. I’ll admit it would have been much easier to travel with a partner or friend but I feel that by travelling alone I forced myself to open up and break out of my comfort zone and in the process I got to know myself better. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would very much recommend this type of adventure to anyone wishing to travel.

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Thanks to Love Street Studios, a singer/songwriter competition is also scheduled at Currumbin Creek Tavern, with substantial prizes up for grabs. Soundlounge are offering one lucky winner the headline act at their Original Seeds Showcase and cash is also for the taking.

Festival participants will also benefit from extensive media publicity, with QCM jumping onboard as a media partner. We plan to keep our readers updated with event snapshots and are offering a feature article on category winners.

Over the weekend, artists in motion will also be showcasing their talents and international festival fare will be available to tempt all tastebuds.

Stay up-dated and follow Buskers by the Creek on Facebook - the 18th and 19th October will be a weekend you won’t want to miss!

Have you got what it takes to wow a crowd? “Buskers by the Creek” event organisers want you!

On the 18th and 19th October, Currumbin’s Winders Park will become host to a weekend of fun, flavour and flair!

Along with the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary confirming Star Sponsorship for the event, organisers have already locked in an array of performers and artisans eager to get involved in the Gold Coast festival first.

Energy Entertainments has a spectacle in store for all, combining kung fu, fire and dance. A diverse line-up of singers, songwriters and bands are also confirmed on the bill, all adapting their stage shows to suit. Performance poet Louise Moriarty plans to deliver with an uplifting twist and Free Like Me will add an Austra-Venezuelan element to the weekend’s line-up.

Buskers by the Creek Proudly Sponsored By...

If you’ve got talent and want to get involved, contact 0421 035 432 or email talent@buskersbythecreek.com.au