WEEKEND | 13-08-2016 by Kiri ten Dolle

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Saturday, August 13, 2016 qt.com.au

w PE OPL E w EA SY EATI NG w B OOKS w D IY w G A R DE NS w T R AV E L w E NT E RTA I NM E NT w FASH I ON w H OM E

WIN

Weekend

A ROMANTIC WEEKEND AWAY TO PORT DOUGLAS INSIDE

Inside

Her life changed in a snap How a dental assistant became a savvy blogger making money travelling and taking photos

travel

easy eating

home

Find bliss in Malaysia, and maybe share a macaroon or two with a monkey

Say ‘hola’ to granola with three delicious recipes to try out this weekend

Is there a formula to ‘flipping’ property for profit? We ask TV personality Cherie Barber

welcome // inside today

news-mail.com.au Saturday, August 13, 2016

These photos will make you want to quit your job and travel the world... WE EKE ND E D IT O R K i ri t en D o l l e

HERE’S a bumper sticker I saw on a van once on the back roads of Mullumbimby that read: My life is better than your vacation. If it wasn’t for that four-letter word that requires our presence between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, and also pays our bills, I’m sure many more of us would also gloat the aforementioned. But for Lauren Bullen that bumper sticker might ring true. You could argue the 23-year-old Instagrammer-turned-travel-influencer has one of the best jobs in the world. She admits she still pinches herself some days. Her job is to travel the globe in search of ‘wanderlust’ locations and take dreamy photos for her social media pages – and brands pay her to do so. Inside, Lauren reveals how you too could capitalise on your social media posts with her helpful tips. Equally Instagram-worthy is the romantic weekend escape Weekend magazine is giving one lucky reader and their lover the chance to win. The prize includes three nights’ luxury accommodation at QT Port Douglas in a one-bedroom villa, including breakfast daily for two. We’ll hook you up with a lovers’ hamper on arrival, a romantic dinner at the award-winning Bazaar Interactive Marketplace and a SpaQ couple’s massage, including a glass of bubbles. You’ll also receive a Quicksilver Outer Reef trip for two people to the Great Barrier Reef, flights, as well as transfers to and from Port Douglas to Cairns Airport. I can attest this is one competition you won’t want miss, having just returned from four days in Port Douglas myself. Turn over to read the full story and find out how to enter. Good luck!

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HOME

WIN A ROMANTIC WEEKEND ESCAPE TO PORT DOUGLAS INSIDE

EASY EATING

inside today read // Meet the 23-year-old blogger whose photos will make you want to quit your job and explore the world.

easy eating // Three ways to turn granola into

How to navigate your weekend: We’ve colour-coded your magazine for easy reference. Each section listed on the index page is coloured accordingly throughout. If you’d like to skip to Easy Eating look for the yellow at the top of the page, or magenta to skip to Home.

home //

Is there a formula to ‘flipping’ property for profit? We ask TV personality Cherie Barber who has more than 70 renovations under her belt.

closet //

tasty treats.

Going for gold. Plus, how to get spring/summer’s nearly nude complexion and statement eyes.

Win a weekend away to Port Douglas. Discover luxury in Malaysia, plus Italy’s answer to the Camino de Santiago.

screen life // The reviewer’s last word on new

you // Do couples who travel together have better sex?

mind // Why your pursuit of happiness requires a

travel //

animation flick Kubo and the Two Strings.

little hard work.

w COVER: Lauren Bullen. PHOTO: Contributed. CREATIVE: Kiri ten Dolle and Angela Carroll. CONTRIBUTORS: Seanna Cronin, Alexia Purcell, Chris Calcino, Tracey Hordern, Maggie Cooper, Regan Drew, Steph Mulheron, Angie Thomas, Maree Curran, Peter Chapman, Ann Rickard, Helen Hawkes, Greg Bray, Deborah Clarke, Jody Allen, Roy O’Reilly and Nick Bennett. CONTACT US: weekend@apn.com.au. CONTRIBUTE: contributors@apn.com.au. ADVERTISING: Visit apnarm.com.au or contact your local sales consultant.

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Saturday, August 13, 2016 qt.com.au

DIGITAL DEBACLE: Census ‘shemozzle’ leaves Australia with $10 million debt to IBM and red-faced politicians copping the flak.

Insider

w i th S e an n a C r on i n

Games app going for gold

F THERE was any lingering doubt about the way Australians’ viewing habits are changing, then the Rio Olympics has confirmed we are a multi-screen nation. The days of gathering around one screen are well and truly behind us as the popularity of Channel 7’s Olympics app has proven over the past week. The app has topped the download charts for both Apple and Android for the past week and it appears to be the preferred viewing option for sports fans who want to watch content where and when they choose. And the app’s popularity, despite some streaming issues, is only growing. The opening day of the Games attracted an impressive 1.15 million streams, but that number was smashed by day two’s 2.8 million streams. That set a new streaming record for Seven; the broadcaster’s previous best was 880,000 for the first day of the Australian Open. But that record was again broken on day three, when a remarkable 3.1 million total streams were clocked up. That’s more than Seven’s three free-to-air channels combined during the peak viewing period of 7pm to midnight on the same day. The app’s popularity makes sense when you think of sports fans trying to keep up to date with the Games amid work and family commitments. It’s more convenient to watch a two-minute highlights reel on your phone or tablet during your lunch break or commute than it is to sit down for the traditional nightly news. That is confirmed by data from Seven showing the app’s peak hour of streaming is between noon and 1pm. The free version of the app includes 900 hours of live simulcast, 300 hours of bonus streaming, highlights, medal tally, images and athlete bios. The premium version of the app (a $19.95 upgrade) includes more than 3000 hours of HD streaming across 36 channels, catch-up and replay on demand viewing and a 24-hour news channel. Seven also, smartly, partnered with Google to make sure any Aussies searching for Olympics can find TV schedules for individual events in local time so they know exactly when to tune in. The first truly social and mobile Olympics is already a roaring success and so it should be. Go the Aussies!

w Required viewing...gold medallists Emma McKeon, Bronte Campbell, Brittany Elmslie and Cate Campbell after winning the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay. PHOTO: CLIVE ROSE

App of the week

Cash in on social media COULD you be making money from your social media posts? Chances are you have been recommending your favourite brands through product placement without even noticing. Now there’s an app connecting social media users with 3000 or more followers on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter to brands prepared to pay for their posts. Tribe allows you to choose the brands and products you want to work with. You create the content in your own voice and the brand pays you upon publishing your approved post. Download Tribe Influencer for free from the App Store.

w No data was lost (or received) after an alleged attack on the Census website.

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Strange Politics w i th Chr is C al c in o

Calculating the fallout from Census stuff-up

OW about that Census, hey? As far as national stuff-ups go, that was a giant, dribbling soup sandwich on par with head-butting the Queen and shooting her corgis. Senator Nick Xenophon’s civilly disobedient vow to keep his name off the national survey has been rendered a moot point since only a handful of people got their information through before everything went to the dogs. Humiliating, yes. Foreseeable, uh-huh. Kind of funny, in an infuriating douse-your-laptop-in-petrol-and-launch-it-blazingfrom-a-catapult kind of way? Absolutely. Heads will roll after this fiasco and, unfortunately, it will be

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I long for a time when we were so paranoid to believe our government had the know-how to spy on us some mid-level Australian Bureau of Statistics nerd who cops the blame. Labor Senator Sam Dastyari dusted off a criminally underused term to really capture the predicament’s essence: “It is a shemozzle.” Sucks to be Michael McCormack who, until being named the minister responsible for Census last month, was just some faceless backbencher whose name no one knew. His walk-of-shame media conference the morning after was poetry. “This was not an attack.” Yes it was. “Nor was it a hack.” Pfft. “Rather it was an attempt to frustrate the collection of Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data.”

At the water cooler

w i t h A l ex ia P u rc e l l

What’s trending on social media this week w Screenshot of the news post on the Sunshine Coast Daily Facebook page.

And a spectacularly successful one at that. “ABS Census security was not compromised. I repeat: not compromised. And no data was lost.” Or received. “At no stage during these incidents last night was any information obtained, nor was there any entry into the system.” By the ABS, or people trying to fill out the ruddy form. Now the government has to work out how to get back the $10 million (paid to IBM to host and manage the Census website) from the 64 people who completed the thing. And Nick Xenophon, that loathsome, responsibility-shirking cad. Oh, how I long for a time when we were so paranoid to believe our government had the know-how to actually spy on us. The official line is that some malicious buggers ran a DDoS attack, basically using a tonne of infected computers to target a single server, accessing it so frequently that it overloaded and the website crashed. Sounds suspiciously like what might happen if an entire country tried to access a website simultaneously and its servers were a bit crap. Even if it was a DDoS attack, how did no one see this coming? It was an embarrassing blow for our tech-savvy champion of all things innovative and agile, and Prime Minister Turnbull will be hunting scalps. Whether it was Chinese hackers getting revenge for Australian Olympian swimming gold medallist Mack Horton calling their Lance Armstrong of the pool Sun Yang a drug cheat, union flunkies undermining the government, gremlins or just plain old incompetence, one thing is clear. Australia will not be switching to online voting any time soon. Strange Politics is a satirical column. Follow Chris Calcino on Twitter: @ChrisCalcino

WHEN news broke that Daniel Morcombe’s killer Brett Peter Cowan had been rushed to hospital after being attacked by a fellow inmate, almost everyone was unsympathetic. “Loving the news today. Hope he doesn't die so this can happen some more,” one commenter wrote on the Facebook post on the Sunshine Coast Daily. “I truly hope they didn't rush and actually took the long way around,” another said. “I feel for the doctors and nurses that have to treat him! I know I wouldn't want to,” wrote another. However, there were a few who didn’t praise the attack. “What a horrible illustration of humanity that so many of us are so keen to see hurt and suffering dealt upon another person. What this man did was horrific and wrong. Wishing him harm does not bring Daniel back or change anything,” another wrote. News of Cowan being doused in boiling water at the Wolston Correctional Centre quickly became a trending topic on Facebook. The post on the Sunshine Coast Daily reached over 140,000 people after it garnered 1500 reactions, 200-plus shares and nearly 450 comments. Alexia Purcell is APN Australian Regional Media’s social media editor.

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Rise of a blogger

qt.com.au Saturday, August 13, 2016

PASSPORT READY: In the past few months Lauren has been to North Queensland, Kenya, Vietnam, Hawaii, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Italy and Paris.

Woman with world at her feet Lauren Bullen was a hobby photographer. Now, at 23, she is paid to travel the globe B Y L e e C o ns t a b le

OU could say Lauren Bullen has one of the best jobs in the world. Her life looks like a postcard…or an album of them. The 23-year-old travel and lifestyle blogger behind Gypsea Lust (@gypsea_lust) has more than 406,000 Instagram followers. Lauren’s job is to travel to “wanderlust’’ destinations and snap photos of her travels. The self-taught photographer’s aspirational travel images have caught the eye of tourism boards that she fronts campaigns for – some with her twin sister Ellie, whose health blog Elsa’s Wholesome Life has attracted a following of similar proportions. You might think standing on a cliff face watching elephants splash and spray as they bathe in a Sri Lankan river is a once in a lifetime experience, but it was on the pristine white sand of Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays that Lauren had to pinch herself. “There was definitely a moment where I thought, wow, this is actually my job. It’s an insane reality. It’s overwhelming but really exciting,” she told Weekend while taking a break in Tangier, Morocco. Since April Lauren’s Instagram followers have quadrupled. “I started my professional Instagram account about a year and a half ago,” says Lauren, who grew up at Lennox Head in northern New South Wales. “It had been my personal account for forever. When I was travelling I just started taking pictures and tagging pages. Then I moved up to Cairns and I really got into it there. I taught myself how to use a camera and edit the photos.” Just on a year ago, Lauren got a job taking photos for Tourism Tropical North Queensland. The job requests grew until she had no option but to give up her day job as a dental assistant. “It got so full on that I was taking time off from work all the time. I quit my job in November 2015 and from then on it’s got busier and busier as my following has grown. “Being a dental assistant wasn’t something I could see myself doing long term. Being an influence on Instagram wasn’t something I planned. It just sort of happened. And as it happened more and more I just thought, ‘whoa’ this is crazy, this is insane, this can actually be a job. And now it’s gotten to the stage where this is a proper business.”

Lauren travels the world showcasing businesses, products and the daily grind of whatever exotic destination she’s in. Her Instagram posts combined with dreamy imagery can boost a company’s online profile in an instant. Lauren met her like-minded partner Jack Morris on her travels through Fiji, and they now combine and share camera gear: a Canon 5d Mark III with a 16-35mm lens, 24-70, a 35mm lens, 50mm lens and a 70-200mm lens. Jack, a former British carpet cleaner, is better known as @doyoutravel by his 1.3 million Instagram followers. “It works really well working together,” Lauren says. “We both have the same aims in what we are trying to create. So it’s like a team effort. I don’t think I could be with someone who is not doing the same thing because so much of my time is being taken up by this.” Lauren’s work can include staying at a hotel for free in return for a post or it could be all expenses paid and the business pays for posts. But mostly these travel influencers fund their food and travel themselves. “In Marrakech, we stayed at a hotel. Jack and I did one post for them each and it grew their account from 2000-3000 followers to about 11,000 each. Both of our posts went viral...it was one of the best posts I’ve ever done. And the hotel got instant bookings. It shows what just one post can do for a business,” she says. And while it might sound like easy work, Lauren believes the secret to her rapid success is being authentic. “We try and pick places and companies that suit what we already do, so it doesn’t look like we are just doing an ad for a resort or a company. They work the best because people see it’s authentic and it’s something we actually like. “Also it’s the imagery. If our images weren’t what they are, people wouldn’t follow us. They see it and they think ‘wow, I want to go there and recreate (what they’re doing)’. They want to go to that hotel. But if a hotel doesn’t have that wow factor we just can’t post any image and expect it to work. “We try and always be in our images, it seems to work better when people can imagine themselves in that place,” Lauren says. While it might be enviable to some, Lauren says it’s a job and a business, which she runs like any other professional would. “It’s tricky because there are no set rules (for this kind of

business). So when you get an email you have to just figure out what you’ve done in the past, what you think it is worth. You look at your following and engagement. “And sometimes you meet people on the road and they give you tips and hints. Most of my emails are negotiating a promotion, working with a brand or travel stuff. You say what you think it’s worth and see what they come back with and you learn as you go. “I’m having trouble because my account is growing so much that by the time I’ve sent a quote a month or so later my rates have gone up.” Gypsea Lust has taken Lauren around the world and several destinations have left an impression on her. “I loved Cappadocia in Turkey (the scene on the cover of Weekend today), it’s one of my favourite destinations,” she says. “And Samoa was another. I’m loving it here in Morocco too. The architecture and everything is really beautiful and interesting. “I loved Sri Lanka. It really surprised me. I love discovering somewhere new and being able to discover it in my own unique way. I love creating imagery. And I love the social media aspect; being able to share it and connect with so many people from so many places. We get positive feedback about how inspiring it is and they love waking up to our images…that’s really satisfying and rewarding.” Lauren says she tries to keep a little bit of routine to her work day, which can prove difficult when changing time zones and catching flights. “Usually in the morning we’ll check and respond to emails, then after breakfast we’ll go out and take photos. The morning and afternoon light is the best. “Our day is pretty normal for a traveller. We’ll visit places, have lunch, but there always has to be time to edit. To get a post up on Instagram, that can take a while with captions and tagging.” After dinner there’s more emails and Lauren finds a local gym to keep up her fitness routine. And when she has time off, Lauren says it’s about lying at the beach or the pool, relaxing and not rushing around. Until now Lauren had never really known what she wanted to do career-wise, but says she has finally found her passion. “I was always sort of lost. I thought about going to uni to do nursing, but I never wanted it enough to ever actually start uni.

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When this all started to happen, I thought, ‘I’ve definitely found my passion’. It’s something I enjoy and most days it doesn’t even feel like work, so that’s a total bonus.” Although she has camped under the stars in the Sahara, got lost among beautiful clifftops in the Greek islands and swum in waterfalls during a road trip through Queensland, Lauren says she’s learned a lot about success and the ever-changing social landscape during her first year in business. “Everyone wants to succeed in this (type of business). To actually stand out, you’ve got to be able to stand out; have a point of difference. Don’t go by following or likes. People can see through that. Be authentic, be real and be yourself,” she says. “I’ve also learnt that you’ve got to let things happen for themselves. You can’t push something too hard. Just enjoy it, do your hobbies and see where they lead. Don’t get too needy for it. I’ve learnt not to take things too seriously. By just enjoying it, it just being a hobby, and not having any big plans for it, things have worked out well.”

w Lauren Bullen and Jack Morris watch over the Maha Oya river in Sri Lanka, where the elephants of Pinnawala Orphanage come to bathe each day. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

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“I was always sort of lost. When this all started to happen, I thought, ‘I’ve definitely found my passion’

How to make the most of your social media accounts

w Lauren Bullen, known as Gypsea Lust on Instagram, has turned her photography hobby into a dream job travelling the world. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Lauren believes social media can be used to encourage and inspire people – she uses it to inspire people to travel and see the world. Her tips: w Be authentic. Don’t photograph or post something just for the likes. w Look for a unique angle. You must have a point of difference. You need to stand out. w Don’t copy others. There is no point doing the same as everyone else. w People in images work well. When people can imagine themselves in a location, they’ll want to go there. w Does this align with my values? Before accepting a job to promote, ask yourself if fits what you’re passionate about? Do I really like this outfit, hotel, experience? w Be in the moment. After you have set up a photo, enjoy the scenery, the place, the experience. w Research your destination before you get there. Check out Pinterest for what’s interesting and what others are posting. w Tagging and captioning are vitally important. Sometimes just the name of the place, location or business in the caption can boost its appeal and how often it will be shared. w Get inspired by other Instagrammers. Lauren follows her sister Elly – @elsas_wholesomelife, @tuulavintage, @taramilktea and @helloemily. You can follow Lauren at @gypsea_lust and Jack Morris at @doyoutravel

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qt.com.au Saturday, August 13, 2016

RELAXATION RULES: The style is casual. Don’t forget to pack walking shoes, a hat, swimwear and sunglasses.

Port Douglas

Where life’s cares simply melt away

w PHOTO: TEQ

Get sunshine, relaxation and indulgence in equal measure in Queensland’s tropical north TRAVEL

with Kiri ten Dolle

ELAX. That’s the first thing we tell ourselves to do. We’re bouncing away in the back of a shuttle bus with that “we’re on holiday” glee. But we hardly notice the almost complete lack of suspension in the well-travelled Toyota HiAce because we’re too captivated by the scenery unfolding behind each hairpin turn. It’s no wonder the 75km drive between Cairns and Port Douglas is acclaimed as one of the most spectacular along Australia’s coastline. The road snakes around the mountain ranges, which roll into the bleached sand and a glittering aqua stained-glass sea. We wonder if the driver has a hard time keeping his eyes on the road. The last time my husband and I had a night off together was the Blue Moon of July 31 last year. I remember the date because coincidentally it was a “once-in-a-blue-moon” occasion. As he is a chef our days are spent tag teaming: while one’s at work, the other is home/sleeping (and no, only on strawberry moons does he feel like cooking fancy dinners at home). So with

a baby in the oven we booked a romantic “last hurrah” escape to Port Douglas. A babymoon. With a short four days off the hamster wheel, our holiday criteria was simple: sunshine, relaxation and a little indulgence. You feel the tension in your muscle fibres ease upon arriving at QT Port Douglas, our home for the next four nights. Maybe it’s the light, misty rain that falls momentarily as we step into the open-air lobby, the “sha-sha-sha” of cocktail shakers or the cabana-lined lagoon pool that deserves its own postcode. It might be winter, but it’s a beautiful 26 degrees – fitting for a resort that evokes 1950s Palm Springs. We take the first day to lounge by the pool, take a quick dip to the swim-up bar for a “skinny pash” (a calorie-reduced cocktail, or mocktail in my instance, made on agave nectar where “every sip is like a sit up”) and put everything on the room tab. Thankfully, there are no aggressive noodle-bearing children in the pool. It’s quiet and peaceful and I’m not alone. A number of other ladies are baring their bump for a bronzing. Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan echo from the speakers of Estilo bar, where there are also ping pong and pool tables for guests to enjoy. The decor is shamelessly kitsch and the staff are clad in quirky, retro attire. The frivolity continues down to the room. Our one-bedroom apartment is in the Daiquiri Wing overlooking the palm-fringed

EAT, STAY, PLAY: QT PORT DOUGLAS 87 – 109 Port Douglas Rd, Port Douglas Qld 4877 w COST: Two-night Stand package, including accommodation in a Resort Room, welcome cocktails, breakfast daily and one dinner at Bazaar for two, priced from $255 a night. Valid for stay until December 20. w MORE DETAILS: Call 07 4099 8900 or visit qthotelsandresorts.com/port-douglas

pool. The room is white, bright and spacious, set off by a kaleidoscope of colour in the finishing touches. You know you’re in far north tropical Queensland when your room comes with a complimentary pineapple. There’s a kitchenette and living area with a balcony shaded by vibrant heliconias and lipstick palms. The king-sized bed is as comfortable as clouds and big enough not to bury the husband in the umpteen pillows a pregnant lady needs in order to get some shut eye. There’s also a laundrette and generous bathroom with spa bath, complete with pina colada-smelling, rum-infused body

MORE THAN KNOWLEDGE, MORE THAN KNOWLEDGE, YOU’LL DISCOVER BELIEF YOU’LL DISCOVER BELIEF The The belief belief you you can can overcome overcome obstacles obstacles and uncertainty. The belief to challenge and uncertainty. The belief to challenge yourself yourself and and break break out out of of your your comfort comfort zone, zone, the the belief belief to achieve more than you ever thought possible. to achieve more than you ever thought possible. Here, you’ll you’ll Unleash unleash your Here, your fearless. Fearless.

TEQSA: PRV12081

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When you’re ready to peel yourself away from the resort’s banana lounges, you can get a complimentary retro bike and pedal into Port’s heart goodies. Not to mention the Dominos and Pick-up Sticks available for purchase from the mini bar – all adding to the fun, nostalgic vibe. Another cool feature for the environmentally friendly folk is the $10 food and beverage voucher you receive for every night you decline a room remake. Bazaar is QT Port Douglas’s interactive take on a buffet-meets-delicatessen. It’s a great spot to soak up some morning rays once you drag yourself out of bed. Grab a newspaper and a seat overlooking the lilly pad-dotted pond and enjoy a coffee and your choice of the breakfast buffet. The iconic blonde arc of Four Mile Beach is a mere 400-metre stroll across the road to walk off any overindulgence. In the evening, Bazaar offers a culinary sprawl of food including a local seafood station. There’s even a candy bar among the dessert offering so you can fill your pockets for later. After dinner, take a moonlight dip in the indigo-lit pool to wash away what remains of your pre-holiday cares. Or enjoy a movie under the stars at the Moonlight Cinema. Guests get upgraded to “gold grass’’ and comfy beanbags. There’s tasty street food available, another candy bar and licensed bar. When you’re ready to peel yourself away from the resort’s banana lounges, you can get a complimentary retro bike from reception and pedal into Port’s heart. It’s about a 20-minute ride from the hotel (40 minutes by foot) and a great way to explore the bustling Sunday morning markets in Anzac Park. We watch a long-haired chap juice sugar cane lengths – probably from nearby Mossman, the region’s sugar growing centre and gateway to the Daintree Rainforest – using a contraption powered by a stationary bike. The refreshing nectar quenches our thirst as we perch ourselves under some coconut palms and watch the cruise liners trail from the harbour, headed out to the Great Barrier Reef. The township of Port Douglas is laid-back, retaining a real sense of community. Despite a sticky, steamy heat even in July, its atmosphere is chilled and reminds me a lot of Noosa: one street of restaurants and dress shops, bookended by ocean. From the QT hotel you can also climb aboard the Bally Hooley steam train and chug into the marina. It’s worth the $12 return ticket to the marina station purely for the experience. The steam locomotive was formerly used by Mossman Sugar Mill to haul the sugar cane from the fields to the region’s mill. Hemmingways Brewery at the marina is a great spot for sunset drinks and shared plates as the yachts sail in on twilight. After dark, Macrossan St comes alive with live entertainment at most venues. Five bucks will buy you a toad at Iron Bar’s nightly cane toad race – a quintessential FNQ experience. Set at least one day aside to explore the Great Barrier Reef. Quicksilver Cruises will take you out to Agincourt Reef where you can snorkel and scuba and helmet dive in the clearest of waters. Or you can take a scenic helicopter flight. A visit to SpaQ is a must. We surrender to a couple’s massage: a relaxation de-frag for him and a muscle-melting pregnancy massage for me. We leave Port Douglas feeling gravitationless, but there’s nothing like a newborn to bring us back down to earth.

WIN A ROMANTIC WEEKEND ESCAPE FANCY whisking your loved one away to a tropical paradise on us? Winter will seem a million miles away when you’re swanning around poolside, sipping exotic cocktails, exploring the Great Barrier Reef and getting lost in the Daintree. Weekend magazine is giving one lucky reader the chance to win a cheeky, sun-soaked romantic getaway for two to Port Douglas. The prize includes three nights luxury accommodation at QT Port Douglas in a one-bedroom villa, including breakfast daily for two. We’ll hook you up with a lovers’ hamper on arrival, a romantic dinner for two at the award-winning Bazaar Interactive Marketplace and a SpaQ couple’s massage, including a glass of bubbly. But there’s more. The lucky winner will also receive a Quicksilver Outer Reef trip for two people, flights, as well as transfers to and from Port Douglas and Cairns Airport. The total prize is valued at more than $3000. For full terms and conditions and how to enter, see the advertisement below. w QT Port Douglas is Mad Men meets the Hamptons in tropical North Queensland. Set around a large lagoon-style pool (pictured above), the resort boasts 169 spacious rooms and holiday apartment villas perfect for business or leisure travel. Enjoy delicious dining options at Bazaar Interactive Marketplace (pictured top left) and balmy evenings with cocktail in hand. Concierges (pictured left) are on hand to help you plan a bespoke trip. The resort is just a stone’s throw away from the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

The writer travelled with assistance from QT Port Douglas.

We’re giving one lucky reader the chance to Win a romantic Port douglas escaPe for themselves and their Partner Worth over $3,000! You could enjoy three nights in a 1 bedroom villa at QT Port Douglas with hamper on arrival, breakfast each morning, a romantic dinner for two, couples massage and a Quicksilver Outer Reef trip – plus flights and transfers from Cairns airport.

Visit www.qt.com.au or The QT front counter for full terms and conditions. Promoter is APN Newspapers Pty Ltd of 100 Brookes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006. Promotional period 10/08/2016– 23/08/16. Competition drawn 10am 24/08/16 at 100 Brookes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006. Winners announced in The QT 27/08/16. Total maximum prize value $3,291 (including GST). NSW Permit #LTPS/16/06233.

...one local to another

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Simply head to www.q . . / w and enter your details to be in the running. You could be a winner!

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qt.com.au Saturday, August 13, 2016

EVEN TUSCANY MIGHT NOT BE ROMANTIC ENOUGH FOR U N P R E D I C TA B L E PA S S I O N K I L L E R S

w Travel can lead to romance but it’s like good sex itself – you have to do it right.

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Relationships

Are you getting there enough? Travel’s good for your sex life, it seems ... though much depends on the destination BETWEEN THE SHEETS with Helen Hawkes

INALLY, the secret of lasting romance and hot sex even in long-term relationships – frequent flyer points! Apparently couples who travel together regularly have better sex and the romance lasts long after the holiday has ended. A telephone poll of 1100 adults by the US Travel Association found that 77% of people who travel together as a couple say they have a good sex life, compared to 63% who do not survive airline food and exotic bacteria. Sounds really good in theory doesn’t it, especially if you have platinum status and a desire to have conjugal relations more often. But as anyone who has travelled with their partner knows, it’s not quite that simple. I reckon how much holiday sex you have, before, during or after the holiday, is in direct proportion to how long it takes to research, book and pack for said holiday; how much your partner helps; and, most crucially, your destination.

Anyone who has rushed around madly for weeks trying – single-handedly – to organise work, kids, airline tickets, travel insurance, clothes, bags, transportation and even vaccinations will know that their desire to have sex with their partner on holiday, or at any time in the near future, is exponentially diminished. And if where you go on holiday – and where you stay – wasn’t at least as important to the hot sex and romance equation, there wouldn’t be a honeymoon industry built around those idyllic islands where the bedding is gauze-shrouded and the cocktails cost $20 a pop. Because, let’s face it, two weeks at an overcrowded holiday park near a grotty beach with beer-guzzling bogans is hardly likely to be the same aphrodisiac as a fortnight in Jamaica in a luxury cabana or a week in Paris staying at the Ritz. Not that some people don’t love roughing it, especially with their amour. But when you are mosquito-bitten, sand-covered and sweaty and there’s a pile of greasy pans from tonight’s meal of burnt sausages and, well, burnt sausages, are you going to feel as inclined towards sexual experimentation as if you were sipping a cool drink in a stylish bar on an exotic island, or an historic city, wearing your favourite sexy clothes? Yes, travel can be an aphrodisiac but it’s like good sex itself –

‘‘

Let’s face it, two weeks at an overcrowded holiday park with beer-guzzling bogans is hardly likely to be the same aphrodisiac as a fortnight in Jamaica you have to do it right. So if you are looking for a joint vacation to enrich your relationship, don’t expect to get the same bang for your buck out of the local caravan park as the dream destination you have always talked about visiting together. Even then, perhaps researchers should also have considered those unpredictable passion killers that may put a dampener on even a four-week sojourn in romantic Tuscany or exciting New York: chronic travel sickness, food poisoning, extended airline security checks – especially full body, mislaid suitcases, and hotel rooms – and beds – that looked great in the brochures but now resemble something out of a disciplinary home for wayward boys. Bon voyage!

Signs of common nutritional deficiencies B Y F i o na T u c k

OUR BODIES TELL US WHEN WE NEED MORE NUTRIENTS

PROCESSED foods, high stress levels, medications and drugs such as caffeine, alcohol and nicotine can all deplete vital nutrients from our bodies. 1. Magnesium requirement signs Magnesium is required for more than 300 enzymatic reactions within the body, involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, proteins and neuromuscular communication. Magnesium deficiency is prevalent due to foods being grown in magnesium-deficient soil and the consumption of processed foods. Most of us would benefit from increasing magnesium-rich leafy greens in our daily diet. Signs of deficiency: PMT, chocolate and-or coffee cravings, irritability and anxiety, lethargy, insulin resistance and high blood pressure. 2. Zinc requirement signs Zinc is required for a healthy reproductive system, proper immune system function, and the maintenance of vision, taste

and smell. Foods rich in zinc include fresh oysters, pumpkin seeds, ginger, pecans, brazil nuts, oats, and eggs. Signs of deficiency: White flecks in the nails, acne, purple marking in the skin after breakouts or trauma, stretch marks, lowered immunity, frequent cold sores and poor gut function and digestion. 3. Vitamin C requirement signs Vitamin C is especially effective at protecting cells from damage, fighting inflammation and strengthening the immune system. The adrenal glands need more vitamin C when we are under stress, so be sure to increase vitamin C-rich foods when under stress. Foods high in vitamin C include berries, lemons, oranges, pineapple, kiwifruit, kale, parsley, greens. Signs of deficiency: Dilated capillaries and highly vascular conditions, bleeding gums, pigmented skin, high stress, premature aging due to loss of collagen and frequent colds or infections. Fiona Tuck is Boost Juice’s nutrition expert.

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Luxury in Malaysia

Langkawi’s natural beauty Andaman Resort lives in harmony with surrounding rainforest

GETTING THERE: Malaysia Airlines flies twice daily from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur. Flight time 8hrs 45min. It also offers domestic flights across to Langkawi. The flight takes less than an hour. www.malaysiaairlines.com w STAY: The Andaman Resort offers a wide selection of room types. It also has four unique dining venues that entwine gourmet cuisine with indigenous flavour. www.theandaman.com w DO: River day cruise with Naam. www.naam.bz

w The Andaman Resort at Langkawi is entwined by the natural beauty of Datai Bay. (TOP) The rainforest surrounding the Andaman is alive with animals such as the giant squirrel. PHOTOS: PETER CHAPMAN

TRAVEL

with Peter Chapman

E HAD been driving for about 35 minutes from Langkawi Airport when the driver made a sharp turn, taking us seemingly into the heart of a rainforest. We were entering the natural habitat of our home for the next few days, the Andaman Resort. The Andaman, along with one other luxury resort, received government approval two decades ago to build a tourism venture at Datai Bay, a pristine beach regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world. Metres offshore on the protected bay were magnificent coral reefs teeming with fish. Unfortunately the 2004 tsunami, which devastated many areas of Asia, also hit this tranquil setting. The reef suffered major damage and its recovery has been slow. The Andaman’s owners are assisting that regeneration through a world-leading reef restoration initiative. Now guests at the resort are invited to learn about the project and also take part in the work.

PA C I F I C C RU I S I N G

The project reflects the ethos of the Andaman, a beautiful resort built to complement nature rather than destroy it. When you stay at the Andaman you are nestled into the rainforest surrounds. The sounds of the gentle waves on the bay play a background symphony along with the call of the hornbills and the rustle of the monkeys in the trees around you. When we arrived at the amphitheatre welcoming hall that stretched four storeys high the concierge took us by the hand and pointed to a tree just metres from the resort’s front doors. He showed us a flying lemur, a small animal that glides from tree to tree hunting insects. It was to be one of many encounters we enjoyed with the abundant wildlife over the next few days. Most were thoroughly fascinating, although we did discover that the larger brown monkeys have a liking for sweets. My wife was relaxing on our balcony when her surprise visitor popped in to join her for a plate of delicacies that the staff had kindly provided. This particular monkey seemed to love macaroons, but he didn’t get to join us for afternoon tea again. All sweets after this experience were eaten safely behind glass doors. While the Andaman lives entwined with the natural rainforest it also works hard to provide its guests with the best of traditional Malay cuisine. Seafood bought fresh from local fishermen is a favourite for

Five ships line up for summer season

ROYAL Caribbean is offering big savings for the upcoming summer season, including cruises aboard the newest and most technologically advanced ship, Ovation of the Seas. In just three months, Radiance of the Seas will return to her Sydney home to begin the international summer cruise season. In 2016-17 five Royal Caribbean ships will be sailing in the region – the South Pacific sisters Voyager of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas will join Ovation of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas in Sydney, while Legend of the Seas will cruise from Brisbane. Royal Caribbean’s summer sale is offering up to 30% off all Royal Caribbean voyages departing after September 4 when booked by October 1 this year. w COSTS: Sail Voyager of the Seas’ 12-night South Pacific and Fiji voyage from $1329 a person. It leaves Sydney on January 31. Or cruise the South Pacific for 10 nights on twin sister ship Explorer of the Seas from $1049 a person twin share, leaving Sydney on January 25. w MORE DETAILS: royalcaribbean.com.au, phone 1800 754 500 or see your local travel agent.

visitors who can choose their own fish from the boats on the bay’s shore. A wellness spa plays an important role at the Andaman and it boasts an amazing ambience, perched as it is on the cliff top overlooking the bay. The welcoming nature of the Andaman’s staff is in keeping with Malaysian culture. They are attentive to your wants, but also respectful of your need for privacy. Many Australians have already discovered this resort and we are just another two who will return to forget about life’s pressures for another blissful few days. Our only concern is that it can’t come quick enough.

w Andaman’s V Botanical Spa offers a stunning view from high above Datai Bay. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

The writer was a guest of the Andaman

THAILAND

Beachfront resort’s holiday deal

IF THAILAND is on the family holiday wish list for this year, the Westin Siray Bay Resort and Spa is offering a great package deal for its popular family-friendly resort in Phuket. Guests under the age of 12 dine free and receive complimentary access to the Westin Family Kids Club. w COSTS: From $202 a night for a deluxe sea view room, including breakfast. w MORE DETAILS: Book and stay by October 10. To book, visit the “offers’’ page at westinsiraybay.com.

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w Postcard pictures like this will greet you on Italy’s pilgrimage walk the Via Francigena.

qt.com.au Saturday, August 13, 2016

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

Italy

In pilgrims’ footsteps A walking tour will take you through stunning countryside TRAVEL

with Ann Rickard

OU don’t have to be a walking enthusiast to enjoy a trek in Italy. Even those who dislike walking will change their mind as they ramble through glorious countryside and happen upon hilltop villages of infinite charm. Italy boasts a number of famous walks, including the Cinque Terre, and now, according to active travel specialist UTracks, it is only a matter of time before Italy’s pilgrimage walk, the Via Francigena, becomes as popular as the Camino Way. UTracks general manager Kate Baker says they are experiencing a surge in interest for Italy’s answer to the Camino de Santiago. “More and more travellers are embarking on this long distance hike from high up in the Alps to St Peter’s Cathedral in Rome,” Ms Baker said. As one of the three most important pilgrimage routes in Europe alongside the Camino de Santiago and the peace trail of the Jerusalem Way (which is currently not possible as the route

FIJI

goes through Syria), the Via Francigena has been gaining some serious attention. UTracks’ records show that bookings for their Via Francigena walking tours are up 26% this year from last year. “Part of the appeal of the Via Francigena is that it welcomes about 1200 walkers a year as opposed to the 200,000 plus on the Camino,” Ms Baker said. “And unlike the Camino, which resulted in many towns springing up along the French route, the Via Francigena was structured to run from abbey to abbey, meandering through Italy’s spectacular countryside and classic historical towns and cities such as Parma, Siena, Florence, Lucca, Orvieto and Rome. “We can confidently report that walking routes that are not only picturesque, but also culturally and historically rich, are of high interest among our clients. “Routes that offer authentic gourmet experiences are also increasingly becoming a significant deciding factor when picking tours. All of these considerations have no doubt contributed to the growing interest in the Via Francigena.” Ms Baker says that it is only a matter of time before the Via Francigena becomes as popular as the Camino, noting that the Camino started off with about 1800 visitors a year in the 1980s.

Escape to a private island

SPEND eight nights of indulgence in a Superior Lagoon View room at the Shangri-La Fiji for only $999 a person twin share (valued up to $4020 for two), and two children aged 16 or younger stay for free. Set on the private Yanuca Island – a 45-minute drive from Nadi Airport and accessible by causeway, the Shangri-La Fiji is the definition of tropical paradise with its colourful coral reef and golden private beach. The package includes daily buffet breakfasts, dining experiences, indulgent spa treatments, a daily beer or wine each, three hours of babysitting services and more. The limited offer is available for purchase for one week (unless sold out) and valid until December next year. w MORE DETAILS: See www.LuxuryEscapes.com for terms and conditions or call 1300 889 900.

With best-selling books and a Hollywood movie espousing the trail’s beauty and spiritual benefits, the numbers soon soared. Pilgrims walking the Via Francigena will receive a “credential’’, which is stamped en route to the holy city. Upon arrival and provided they have walked 100km consecutively to reach Rome, they will receive their Testimonium. This is the counterpart of the Compostela, which is obtained on completion of the Camino de Santiago. Historically, this document was important for the pilgrim on his return home to prove that the pilgrimage was fulfilled, and his vows discharged. So if you appreciate unspoilt scenery, the luxury of space and the ability to fully experience the true essence of the Via Francigena, consider doing the walk sooner rather than later, that is, before the masses set in. UTracks offers nine Via Francigena walking tours, eight of which cover sections from the St Bernard Pass on the Swiss border to St Peter’s in Rome. While the seven-day tours are proving most popular at this stage, the 14-day Food Lover’s itinerary is rapidly becoming a favourite as it includes a variety of food and wine tastings, cooking classes and the opportunity to indulge in some of the best products and dishes Italy has to offer. Visit www.utracks.com or call 1300 303 368 for more information.

EUROPE

Dreaming of a white Christmas?

FROM charming villages to great cultural centres, sail the grand waterways on a 15-day Christmas Markets river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest and enjoy the festive sights and sounds along the way. Sample festive delicacies such as mulled wine and hot chestnuts, and shop for handmade gifts and decorations in the traditional markets of Cologne – home to the largest Christmas tree in Germany, as well as Rothenberg, Nuremberg and Vienna. Priced from $7695 a person. w MORE DETAILS: www.scenic.com.au

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INFO SESSIONS

YOU’RE INVITED

TO DISCOVER THE SCENIC DIFFERENCE We’d love you to join us at our free Ever Wondered Sessions to reveal the extraordinary in travel. Covering Europe and South East Asia River Cruising, Canada, Alaska and the USA plus The World’s First Discovery Yacht, Scenic Eclipse, let us introduce you to the Scenic difference.

SUNSHINE COAST Wednesday 31 August Maroochydore RSL Events Centre Memorial Avenue

ROCKHAMPTON Wednesday 7 September Empire Hotel 5 East Street

GLADSTONE Monday 5 September Oaks Grand Hotel 79 Goondoon Street

TOOWOOMBA Thursday 15 September City Golf Club 254 South Street

BONUS OFFERS when booking on the day*

Places are limited and will book out quickly, please register early to secure your seats.

For session times and to RSVP visit SCENIC.COM.AU/REGISTER or call 138 128

*Conditions apply.

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easy eating

qt.com.au Saturday, August 13, 2016

It’s Halliday time in the wine world USE NUT OR SOY MILK

WINE WORDS with Regan Drew

F YOU have any sort of wine nerd inside or near you, you’ll know exactly who James Halliday is. The wine journalism tour de force that is the annual Halliday Wine Companion book has been released and the 2017 Halliday awards have just been presented in Melbourne. Sarah Crowe of Yarra Yering was Winemaker of the Year, Best’s Thomson Family Great Western Shiraz 2014 was crowned Wine of the Year, Larry Cherubino Wines won Best Value Winery, Bondar Wines was anointed Best New Winery, Arlewood Estate was the Dark Horse Winery, and Mount Pleasant was acclaimed as Winery of the Year. The Halliday Wine Companion 2017, RRP $39.99, is available nationally.

T O M A K E PA N CA K E S G LU T E N A N D D A I RY- F R E E w Treat yourself to pancakes with berries and maple syrup.

Sunday breakfast

Too flippin’ good to resist

Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon

Hunter Valley, 2007: Glows very bright in the glass. Coming out of adolescence and developing maturity: softish almost snow pea, vegetal mulch lift. Palate still has lemon butter over lime pith. The trademark Hunter acidity is still there. No reason to leave it much further, enjoy now and celebrate the structure and flavour. w Rating: 9/10 w RRP: $24 w Alc: 11%

Delicious pancakes really stack up

Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon

Hunter Valley, 2015: Smells lemon and lemongrass, mandarin pith and a little soapy wax. Hunter Valley zest and juicy acidity with lemon-lime fleshiness. This has structure to age, but fun to share a bottle now. Can often be found closer to the $10 mark. w Rating: 8.5/10 w RRP: $14 w Alc: 10%

EAT

with Dan and Steph Mulheron

Mount Pleasant 1965 Vines Rosehill Shiraz Hunter Valley, 2014: From the stellar 2014 vintage and

deftly created by chief winemaker Jim Chatto. Beautiful purple-black colour with aromas of perfect black plums, red fruits and even a hint of liquorice-herby cola. Tightly wound yet earthy palate that speaks of old Hunter with a sympathetic modern viewpoint. Incredibly balanced now, this will easily see out decades in the cellar. w Rating: 9.5/10 w RRP: $130 w Alc: 14% Wines available from major retailers. More at vinonotebook.com

THE WEEKEND COOK with Maggie Cooper

Say stroganoff to additives... and open a bottle of red I WAS reading the back of a sauce packet in the supermarket last week; I’d picked up a sachet of stroganoff simmer sauce out of curiosity and, as always, I was appalled at the list of ingredients – many of which I couldn’t pronounce, let alone spell. I know these things are produced for convenience, to help busy families cook reasonably nutritious meals in as little time as possible, but it only takes a few ingredients to prepare such a simple dish from scratch. A stroganoff sauce, for example, uses onion, mushrooms, tomato paste and sour cream. I also throw in a little red wine if I happen to have a bottle open. This dish takes only a few minutes to prepare and cook. Give it a try next time you want a

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

VERY Sunday is pancake day at our place. There’s 15 minutes of silence as our daughter Emmy devours her pancakes. This week our recipe is gluten-free, so stack them high and gobble them down.

Quick pancakes (gluten-free)

Makes 4–6 large pancakes INGREDIENTS: w 3 ripe bananas w 3 eggs w 3⁄4 tsp of vanilla paste w 3⁄4 to 1 ½ cup of almond meal w 1 ½ tsp of baking

powder w 1 ½ tsp of ground cinnamon w 3⁄4 cup of choice of milk (might be a little less) – cow’s milk, almond milk, coconut milk or vanilla yogurt will work w Fresh strawberries, to serve w Maple syrup, to serve. METHOD: Prepare a medium frying pan over medium to high heat and coat with spray oil. In a small bowl, mash the banana, then add the eggs and mix well to combine. Add vanilla and the almond meal. Slowly add the milk; enough to get a thick batter after mixing. Add a few tablespoons of mixture to your hot pan and flip once the top side begins to aerate. Serve with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup or vanilla yogurt. Visit www.danandsteph.com.au or find them on Facebook – Dan & Steph – My Kitchen Rules.

quick, tasty meal without all the additives. I use fillet steak for a stroganoff as I only cook it a couple of times a year, but if fillet is too expensive, use rump. Don’t use topside or the pre-sliced beef sold as stir-fry; it will be tough and chewy.

Beef stroganoff

INGREDIENTS: w 500g fillet steak (use rump if fillet is too expensive) w 2 tsp plain flour w 2 tbs olive oil w 1 small white onion, peeled and finely sliced w 150g button mushrooms, sliced w 1⁄2 cup red wine (optional) w 2 tbs tomato paste w 3 tbs low-fat sour cream w salt and pepper, to season w chopped fresh parsley, to garnish w fresh lemon wedges (optional). METHOD: Slice beef into thin strips with a sharp knife. Toss in flour and set aside. Heat a frying pan and add half the oil. Cook the onions over a medium heat until starting to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove onion and mushrooms and add the rest of the oil; when pan is heated add the beef strips and cook over medium high heat, turning once. When beef is cooked through, return vegetables to pan and season to taste. Add wine if using and bring to the boil;

ADD A SQUEEZE OF LEMON FOR A BIG LIFT ON SERVING

reduce heat and simmer until wine is almost evaporated. Add the tomato paste and sour cream and cook gently until heated through. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately with pasta or steamed rice. Email Maggie at maggies.column@bigpond.com

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ON THE GO: Granola is ideal for hikers, campers or backpackers because it is nutritious, lightweight, high in calories, and easy to store..

Granola

The go-to dessert Crunch away on a breakfast food at any time of day H O ME M AD E G R A NO LA w i t h E l is e B a rb e r

NCE known only as a much-loved breakfast food, over time granola has diversified to become the perfect kitchen staple for every time of day.

Banana trifle

This is a lovely layered dessert packed with fruit and crunchy granola, and completely customisable. This is my husband’s go-to dessert. Serves 4–8. INGREDIENTS: Pudding – w 370g skim milk w 2 tbs cornstarch (cornflour) w pinch salt w 1 tbs sugar w 2 ripe bananas, mashed w 1 egg yolk w ½ tsp natural vanilla essence (extract) Trifle layers: w 1 banana, thinly sliced w 100g baked granola of your choice w 90g whipped cream (optional). METHOD: Combine the milk, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a saucepan over

medium-low heat and whisk together until there are no lumps. Whisk in the egg yolk, then heat until bubbling and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, and stir in the mashed banana and vanilla. Leave to cool to close to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Layer the ingredients in a glass or jar. Start with the granola, then add the pudding mixture, banana slices and whipped cream (if using). Repeat. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Best eaten on the day it is made.

Homemade Granola by Elise Barber is published by New Holland Publishers Australia, RRP $29.99. Available in book stores and online.

Nothing says healthy snack like a muffin

OT too sweet, these granola-studded muffins make a great breakfast or midday snack.

Chocolate coconut granola muffins Makes 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS: w 185g all-purpose (plain) flour or spelt flour w 15g brown or coconut sugar w 60g cocoa powder w 30g shredded coconut w 2 tsp baking powder w ¾ tsp salt w 1 egg w 250ml milk w 125g plain Greek yogurt or coconut Greek yogurt w 50g coconut oil, melted, or oil w 75g frozen cherries, any excess liquid drained (optional) w 90g chocolate chips (optional) w 50g granola of your choice. METHOD: Preheat the oven to 190C. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cocoa powder and shredded coconut in a bowl. Combine the oil, egg, milk and yogurt in a separate bowl. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir the ingredients together until barely combined – do not over-mix, or your muffins will be tough. Gently fold in the cherries and chocolate chips, if using. Evenly distribute the batter between the muffin cups. Crush the granola, then sprinkle over the top of each muffin. Gently press the granola into the batter. Bake for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Note: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Marshmallows make a sweet treat to have on the run AN OATY twist on a classic treat, these easy and customisable bars have a snappy crunch and a flavourful sweetness.

Marshmallow granola slice

Makes 16 bars INGREDIENTS: w 3 tbs butter or margarine w 200g marshmallows (preferably mini marshmallows) w 610g granola of your choice. METHOD: Grease a 20 x 20cm square baking tin. In a large saucepan, melt the butter or margarine over low heat. Add the marshmallows to the pot, and stir until completely melted. Turn off the heat, and use a buttered spatula to quickly stir in the granola of your choice until coated. Firmly press the mixture into the greased dish until it evenly fills the pan. Leave to cool before slicing into squares and serving. Note: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

THE USE OF MARSHMALLOW IN SWEETS DATES BACK TO ANCIENT EGYPT

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home

qt.com.au Saturday, August 13, 2016

COST CONSCIOUS: The good thing about online shopping is that you can type in ‘shampoo’ and sort the results into unit price order.

Style w i t h T r ac e y H o rd er n

When renovation is purely for profit

At home

ENOVATING property is now a legitimate way to follow your passion while earning through profit. Long before ‘tricking and flicking’ became a national obsession, a 21-year-old Cherie Barber bought her first house in Sydney. Facing a six-lane highway, the property was a disastrous decision and Cherie was driven to sell as quickly as possible. That first renovation earned Cherie $40,000 in profit and she was hooked and on her way to becoming a renovation expert and TV personality, with more than 70 renovations under her belt. Here are Cherie’s Fabulous Five renovation tips: 1. The kitchen is the single most important room to invest in. I have an exact formula that has worked for me, where I allow 2% of the total value of the property to be invested in a full kitchen renovation. 2. Next on the bang for buck list is the bathroom. This is also worth spending 2% of the total value of your property. But be clever. For instance, ensure all the plumbing is on one wall, and you can do things like use tile paint instead of replacing the old tiling. 3. If you do have money to spend on the bedrooms, spend it on the master bedroom. This can be done economically by painting, wallpapering or hanging pendant lights either side of the bed. 4. If you can afford it, allocate 4% of property value on the front of the property as first impressions count! If you can’t invest, then clear clutter, trim anything overgrown and paint where needed. 5. The part of your property you need to spend the least money on is the backyard. Here you can simply tidy, trim and refresh by painting any surfaces. Renovating for Profit provides education and workshops to budding Australian renovators. For more, visit www.renovatingforprofit.com.au.

GET TING THE MOST BANG F O R Y O U R R E N O VA T I O N B U C K

Save dough in the kitchen It is possible to feed a family for less than $100 a week

Make your own STAY AT HOME MUM with Jody Allen

EOPLE almost fall over when I tell them I shop for four people on less than $100 a week. My husband travels a lot, sometimes two or three days every week, which means there are some nights when I don’t have to cook for four people. The kids don’t eat too much (they are only two and three years old) so thawing out and cooking a meal based on 500g of meat plus extra ingredients just doesn’t make economical sense. Here are some tips I use to save our family money:

Upsize it

You can bulk up a lot of meals (such as quiches, casseroles, spaghetti bolognaise) with assorted grated vegies. These could include carrots, zucchini, potato, pumpkin, eggplant, sweet potato – anything you have in the fridge (some people use rice too). Not only does this make your meal go further, but picky kids don’t know they’re eating vegies.

Waste not, want not

Pop your leftovers in plastic containers, write on them what they are and quantities (if necessary) and what date they were cooked. Save leftovers for those lazy Sunday nights. Containers that are microwavable are great for partners to take to work for lunch as well.

Make extra w Cherie Barber.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

It takes an extra five minutes to make an extra meal. Plus, if there are uncooked meals ready to go in the freezer, you’re less likely to order out for takeaway.

I have recently started making my own pasta, spaghetti and pizza bases. It is easier, cheaper and tastier than the ready-made stuff. I’ve calculated that making enough pasta for one or two meals costs me about $0.80 and about the same for two pizza bases. Yes, it takes about 20 minutes longer, but I can guarantee you once you taste and feel the difference, you will never buy the packet stuff again. And always raid the freezer! You’d be surprised how quickly you can accumulate “extras”. Every two months, empty your freezer and pantry out, itemise everything and plan your meals using those ingredients.

Get with the times, shop online

I have been shopping online now for four years. Would you believe I have never, not once, been grocery shopping with my kids? I go straight to the Specials page on the website, see what meat is on special and use that as a guide for my weekly meal plan. The good thing about online shopping is that you can type in shampoo and you can sort the results into unit price order. Yes, delivery costs $5 but I easily save between $50-$75 by shopping online (no impulse buys). And, no cranky hungry kids in tow.

Don’t be afraid to slum it

My husband is embarrassed when our shopping is delivered because 90% of our shopping is generic brands. I don’t see the difference except for some fancy packaging, so why pay an extra dollar? Try it and if you don’t like it, all you’ve really done is saved yourself some cash. More at www.stayathomemum.com.au

Touch of Brazilian vibe will liven any space WHEN it comes to interiors, there are many beautiful Brazilian trends to be inspired by, according to TheHome.com.au’s senior stylist Marj Silva, who was born and raised in Brazil. “Brazil is all about rhythm and cross-culturalism. The immense fusion brings a very interesting mix to the table, and the mix of vibrancy and colours can amp up any home,” Marj says. Here, Marj lists her top five ways to bring a bit of Brazil into your home: w Add rhythm. Make your eyes dance by visually adding multi-focal points to a room. Let a statement piece chaise, a colourful couch, an out-of-this-world coffee table and big hanging prints fight for your attention. w Pattern and print: Don’t be afraid of mixing patterns and prints, as long as you vary them on the scale and keep the colourways linked. For instance, too many small,

tight patterns can be hard on the eyes, whereas a mix of small and big prints is quite harmonious. Make sure to add in some neutral colour blocks, such as black, beige or white, to give the eyes a rest from the pattern party. w Take the outside in. See the beauty in the unusual, like those magnolia branches that are yet to blossom, an abandoned tree stump or the unusual flowers around your neighbourhood (admit it, we are all guilty of the occasional sneaky picks from the neighbour’s garden!) and bring them into your home to add a bit of Mother Earth quirkiness. w Don’t be afraid of colour. Think bright pinks, yellow, oranges, turquoise and bring them all together for a happy home result. w Bring your travels home. Don’t be shy to group your mismatched travel finds from all over the world. It will add an exotic touch to your home and give guests an insight into your world. Organise your finds by colour, size or material and keep the taller pieces in the back to add some dynamic.

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Saturday, August 13, 2016 qt.com.au

RAINBOW FRUIT: Capsicums are most commonly green or red but come in a range of colours including yellow, black, brown, mauve and orange.

T H E S P E C TA C U L A R F L OW E R S RANGE FROM WHITE THROUGH TO PINK, RED, YELLOW AND MAUVE

In my garden w i th Ang ie T h om as

w The versatile red capsicum.

w The drought tolerant kangaroo paw.

Rejoice in beautiful bells

PHOTO: GHEORGHE COSOVEANU

Natives

Paws for thought Not many flowers say Australian like the hardy anigozanthos GREEN THUMB with Maree Curran

ANGAROO paws (anigozanthos) are one of the most internationally recognised Australian flowers. Their curiously shaped paw-like blooms come in a range of colours and heights, and provide a wonderful display in the garden and in pots. They make a great cut flower. Kangaroo paws have a clumping growth habit with strappy leaves. The flowers have a felt-like appearance and are carried on stems above the foliage. A mature plant can produce more than 30 flower stems in a season. Colours range from white through pink, red, orange, yellow, mauve and even green. Generally speaking, the taller varieties, and those with green leaves (rather than the bluey or grey foliage) are the stronger growers. They will last for many years in the garden. Varieties like Big Red, Yellow Gem and Big Orange fall into this category. The dwarf forms have a shorter life span, flowering almost year-round for a few years. They are best treated as an annual or short-lived perennial. Because they flower so profusely, they are fabulous in pots. Bush Pear is a good one with blush pink flowers, and Bush Blitz is a lovely orange-burgundy. Caring for your kangaroo paw is easy. First, choose a very sunny, well-drained position. When planting, ensure that the

crown of the plant is no deeper than it was in the pot, as planting too deep will encourage disease. Once established, they are quite drought tolerant, but they will require some water to flourish. They will appreciate an application of fertiliser a couple of times a year. Water stress at flowering time will cause the flower stems to bend or fail altogether. Try to keep the foliage and the crown of the plant dry when you water. Remove spent flower stems at the base, removing the entire flowering shoot, leaves and all. If you are growing the tall varieties, you can prune the whole plant back to ground level after flowering to promote a great flush of flowers the following spring. In their natural habitat, kangaroo paw have a deep root system, enabling them to survive in dry periods. So if you are growing your paws in pots, it’s best to choose a deep pot to give that root system room to develop and make them less reliant on frequent watering. Leaf blackening will sometimes occur when leaf or flower stem tissue dies. There are many causes, including frost, excessive humidity, too much or too little water, pesticide damage, and disease. Fungal conditions will also cause black or brown marks on the foliage. The spectacular flowers more than compensate for the occasional challenges encountered.

PHOTO: MEGAN POPE

HETHER roasted, marinated, chargrilled, stuffed or used in salads, pesto and stir fries, capsicums are delicious, versatile and easy to grow at home. Yates Capsicum Giant Bell is large, crisp and juicy, having glossy fruit that changes from bright green to a rich, sweet red when mature. Fruit can be harvested when green or left until turning vibrant red. In mild and warm areas, sow seed directly where they will grow or raise them in trays of seed-raising mix and transplant when the seedlings are 6cm high. Warmth is essential for good fruit set, so in cool areas delay sowing until spring. Capsicum Giant Bell can be grown in a vegie patch or in pots. They love full sun but will also tolerate part shade, so are ideal for growing on a sunny balcony. Before sowing capsicum seed, improve the soil or potting mix with Dynamic Lifter. The rich organic matter absorbs water like a sponge, helping to keep plants moist and also providing gentle, slow-release organic nutrients. When the seedlings are a few weeks old, start feeding each week with a liquid plant food suitable for fruiting vegies like capsicum, tomatoes, chillies and eggplant.

Aphid watch

A lush green winter vegie patch is a wonderful (and delicious) sight but can also be irresistible for aphids. Lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower are particularly susceptible. Aphids can deplete plants and also transmit plant viruses. Check vegies regularly, including the undersides of leaves and stems. Aphids can be green, brown, black or grey and are great at camouflage. Weekly sprays of organically certified Nature’s Way Vegie and Herb Spray will help keep aphids under control. And there’s no withholding period – simply wash vegies before eating.

Got a gardening question? Email maree@edenatbyron.com.au

Angie Thomas is a horticulturist from Yates

Garden products

The show must go on: colourful flowers to sow now All products available from Bunnings

w Gerberas come in a wide mix of bright colours. Bearing flowers from spring to autumn, they go well mass-planted in garden beds and pots. They also make great cut flowers. Pohlman’s Gerbera Mixed, RRP $8.85.

w Daphne “Eternal Fragrance” produces tight flower clusters at the tips of green foliage in a strong flush in spring. Compact in growth and forming a natural domed habit, it is an ideal solution for containers, borders and as a small hedge. RRP $11.75.

w Borage has bright blue star-shaped edible flowers. Its leaves are used in salads and cooking to add a delicate cucumber flavour. Borage is also used in traditional medicine and will attract bees to your garden. Mr Fothergill's Borage Star Flower Seeds, RRP $3.48.

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qt.com.au Saturday, August 13, 2016

Fashion wi th K ir i te n Do l l e

Beauty

Going for gold

Nearly nude face tops SS16 trends SHU Uemura international artistic director Uchiide San shows you how to achieve a “nearly nude” complexion with modern eye, as seen on David Jones’ spring-summer fashion launch for 2016. w Sun-kissed, dewy, holiday glow 1. First prep the skin with the Shu Uemura Glow Creator. This multifunctional primer works to enhance make-up finish and deliver a natural glow. 2. Next apply the Shu Uemura Face Architect Smooth Fit Fluid Foundation in shade 743 Rich Beige to give a bronze, healthy glow. 3. A light contour is then applied using Nude Atelier Collection Tint In Gelato in Nudy Brown to create a barely-there sun-kissed contour. 4. Cheeks are brightened and defined with Glow On Blush. 5. Finish the complexion with the Stage Performer Invisible Powder, to set the make-up and blur imperfections no matter your skin type or tone. w Light, luxe, nude lips 1. Lips are given a subtle hint of colour with Nude Atelier Collection Tint In Gelato in Nudy Brown, which glides on creamy and sets semi-matte – perfect for a wearable spring/summer look. w Natural, defined and clean brows 1. The brow is crucial to the look, however not the main focus. Use Shu Uemura Eyebrow Manicure. w Simple graphic eye-liner 1. We are keeping the focus on the skin and the eyes simple for this spring-summer look. 2. Use Nude Atelier Palette in Cool with a focus on the Rosy Brown and Rosy Taupe to bring a natural, healthy colour to the socket. Finish the lashes with a simple slick of Ultimate Natural Mascara in Black. 3. Bringing a modern edge to a simple summer look, apply Lasting Gel Pencil Eyeliner on the crease, for a fresh take on a classic winged eye.

WE ARE KEEPING THE FOCUS ON THE SKIN

Black and gold ... are you game? THE OFFERING: First row - w Headphones, $24.95, Cotton On, www.cottonon.com; w Life Style Bag, $29.95, Cotton On, www.cottonon.com; w L'URV Men are From Mars Halter Crop, $69, Myer, www.myer.com.au. Second row - w Fashion Yoga Mat, $49.95, Cotton On, www.cottonon.com; w Shiva Puffer, $169.95, Witchery, www.witchery.com.au; w Active Mesh Shorts, $6, Kmart, www.kmart.com.au; w Ice Watch, $139, David Jones, www.davidjones.com.au.

w Shu Uemura for David Jones SS16. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Third row - w Nike Air Max 1 Premium iD sneaker in gold, $250, Nike, www.nike.com.au; w Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Mascara, $48, David Jones, www.davidjones.com.au. Fourth row - w Speed Rope, $6, Kmart, www.kmart.com.au; w Perforated Logo Tote, $89.95, Country Road, www.countryroad.com.au; w Race Fever Tank, $19.95, Cotton On, www.cottonon.com.

We love w i t h K i r i t e n D o l le

New beauty buys to lust over w Did you know you can achieve a faux tan in the shower? St Tropez’s Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion will give you a flawless glow in three minutes. Apply like a shower gel, wait three minutes, then rinse. Say goodbye to waiting for hours for your tan to dry. RRP $39.95. Stockists: 1800 809 282.

w Restore the smoothness and strength of your tresses with TRESemme’s new Botanique shampoo and conditioner range. Infused with coconut milk and aloe vera, the formula is paraben, dye and silicone free, and safe for colour-treated hair. RRP $6.99/390ml, $10.99/750ml. Stockists: Priceline.

w With age, our skin’s lipid production declines, leading to a weakened external barrier and a reduction in natural repair. SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 refills intercellular lipids to restore fullness, texture and radiance. RRP $183. Stockists: www.advancedcosmeceuticals.com.au.

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Saturday, August 13, 2016 qt.com.au

Losing my religion

Gadgets

w i t h G e of f E g a n

Sister V made me the Other I am today When it came to shattering self-esteem there was nun better ON A LIGHTER NOTE with Greg Bray

OU are a disgusting little boy who will grow up to be a terrible man!” screeched Sister Vindictive. Folks, I was 13 and, according to Sister V, I was the worst Catholic since Genghis Khan. Sister V was my Grade 9 teacher and nothing like the gentle, smiling, singing nuns from the Sound of Music or Sister Act. I can’t remember a single thing she taught me, but can instantly recall every insult she hurled in my direction over the course of that painful year. “You’re stupid. You’re wrong. You’re wicked. You’re lazy. You’re… etc, etc.” As a result, for the next 30 years, whenever I felt slightly proud of any achievement, Sister V’s voice would pop up from the dark recesses of my mind. “You’re a fake, and a disgrace, and will soon be exposed as the nasty liar you really are!” Years later, at a high school reunion, I stumbled across a tribe of fellow graduates from the Sister V School of Low Self-Worth, and was delighted to discover she hadn’t singled me out for special treatment after all. Apparently, Sister V was an equal opportunity abuser who left a trail of shattered self-esteem wherever she went.

Gadget review w i t h G e of f E g a n

The mouse is grouse WHEN a mouse works you barely even think about it. But as soon as it doesn’t work on whatever surface you are sitting at it’s incredibly frustrating. Logitech’s MX Master tries to fix that with a mouse that works even on plastic or glass. If you use multiple devices the MX Master also has a convenient button for switching between three devices. The MX Master feels heavier than a basic mouse – heavy if you’re lifting it but solid for regular use. The mouse also uses a rechargeable battery that can still operate while it’s plugged in – meaning there is no downtime if you run flat. Price $169.95.

SHOP LOCALLY LY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO SHARE IN THE HE

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‘‘

Sister V was nothing like the gentle, smiling, singing nuns from the Sound of Music or Sister Act. I can’t remember a single thing she taught me, but can instantly recall every insult she hurled in my direction

w BATTERY packs that can charge a laptop are heavy and hard to carry. So HP just combined one with a backpack. The HP Powerup Backpack contains a massive 22,400mAh battery – enough to charge most laptops or an average smartphone about 10 times. The battery is likely too big for the backpack to be used as carry-on luggage on a flight, though. Australian price TBA.

Now, if a single year under Sister V’s care had left us feeling slightly insecure, imagine how horrendous it must be for kids growing up with a parent who uses the Sister V De-Motivational Method (patent pending). Still, Sister V made me the man I am today. Someone who prefers to encourage rather than criticise. Someone far from perfect (not exactly an earth-shattering revelation) but trying hard every day to be a slightly better person. And finally, someone who ticks “Other’’ in the Religion box on Census night, then scrawls “Suburban Philosopher’’ in the space below. Sister V would be disgusted.

Greg Bray blogs at www.gregbraywriter.wordpress.com. Find him on Facebook: Greg Bray – Writer.

w FORGET normal wireless charging. The OvRcharge promises floating charging. By adding a special case on to your phone or tablet the charging page uses magnets and wireless charging technology to charge your devices in mid-air. Pre-order from $208.

WHAT’S INSIDE? Logitech’s MX Master features 40-day battery life, five buttons and Bluetooth connectivity.

w The MX Master.

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

w VIRTUAL reality headsets are becoming more and more popular. Now Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is trying to take on Samsung with a phone-powered headset. And to set the Mi VR Play apart they are being released with leopard print, denim or camouflaged colour schemes. Price TBA.

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Purchase anything from a participating City Pride Business between Monday 1st August to Wed 31st August 2016 to receive an entry form for your chance to WIN one of three shop locally gift wallets valued at

$2500, $2500 & $5000*

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Check your QT daily for the participating stores and businesses to get your ENTRIES !! MAJOR SPONSORS