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: P E O P L E : E A S Y E A T I N G : B O O K S : D I Y : G A R D E N : T R AV E L : E N T E R T A I N M E N T : F A S H I O N : H O M E
Weekend
EASY EATING: Five Valentine’s Day picnic recipes inside.
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WHERE THE GRASS IS GREENER M agdale na Roze finds happine ss in laid-b ack co u ntry life st yl e af te r c i t y sw itch
+ TRAVEL //
H ow fa r c a n yo u dr ive a r o u nd Ta s m ania in u nder a week , wi th n o s e t p la n?
Weekend
+ READ //
T he Chase’s Issa Schul tz’s secret to wi nni ng bi g bucks on a qui z show.
+ HOME //
S i x way s to re ga i n m ore ‘ m e -ti m e ’ i n yo u r l i f e .
Saturday, February 13, 2016
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welcome // in s id e to d ay
Country living’s an enticing lifestyle option WEEKEND EDITOR Kir i te n Do l l e
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T SEEMS the bustling hype of the big cities is losing its shine as a place to live. Where once young people left regional towns for the big smoke in search of work and study, they’re now returning back to their grassroots or flocking to seaside towns. Nearly 20,000 people left Australia’s big cities last year, looking for a better life and more sustainable standard of living in regional towns. More than 80% were aged 25–44, educated hardworking professionals who are enticed by the slower pace, the community-focused surrounds and, of course, more affordable housing. I was raised and spent most of my school life on the Gold Coast when my folks decided it was time for a tree change when I was a teenager. We headed west to a farm where I finished high school and watched as a mass exodus of my classmates moved to the city. Why? The quiet country town lifestyle was “boring”. Sure, there was not a lot of work about, which for some was understandable. I ended up buying a house there at 19 and commuted an hour to university. I was attracted to the laid back lifestyle the “country” offered and housing was relatively affordable. There’s something about regional communities you won’t find in the city. Strangers will say hi when you pass in the street and there’s a real sense of belonging – where I come from in wasn’t unusual to see people riding horseback into town to get their groceries. Meteorologist and new mum, Magdalena Roze made the move from Sydney to Byron Bay’s hinterland where she’s forging a new life with her fiancé chef Darren Robertson. Her social media accounts advocate sustainable living and shopping locally. The slower pace of life is enticing. She might have found the perfect recipe. Studies show regional folk are generally happier than their city dweller counterparts. According to the latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey, those who live in country towns of fewer than 1000 residents and in non-urban areas have significantly higher levels of life satisfaction and wellbeing than those in major cities. Friendly neighbours, the simpler lifestyle, less traffic and feeling safe were contributing factors. What do you like most about where you live?
TRAVEL
EASY EATING
+ inside today READ // Meteorologist and new mum Magdalena Roze talks about leaving behind the bustling frenzy of the city and finding her feet in the country. READ // Better your trivia knowledge with The Chase ‘Supernerd’ Issa Schultz’s tips.
EASY EATING // Roll out the rug for
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 a yellow : symbol, or a magenta : symbol to skip to Home.
READ
your loved one with five Valentine’s Day picnic recipes. Plus Dan and Steph dish up delicious slow-cooked beef cheeks – perfect for a Sunday night in.
TRAVEL // Take the Tasmania challenge. How far around the Apple Isle will you get in six days?
HOME // Six ways to find more ‘me-
time’. Plus cushion queen Tai Schaffler shares her tips for a soft-furnishings overhaul.
YOU // Play it safe to avoid the
emergency room this Valentine’s Day.
SCREEN LIFE // What happens when the ghost of an unspoken lover comes to visit?
RELAX // What would you do if your days were numbered?
MIND // Why you should say ‘I love you’ more often.
: ON THE COVER: Magdalena Roze. Photo: Contributed : CREATIVE: Megan Sheehan and Kiri ten Dolle. : CONTRIBUTORS: Seanna Cronin, Alexia Purcell, Chris Calcino, Tracey Hordern, Maggie Cooper, Matt Sawtell, Regan Drew, Steph Mulheron, Angie Thomas, Maree Curran, Peter Chapman, Ann Rickard, Helen Hawkes, Greg Bray, Vani Naidoo, Jody Allen, Roy O’Reilly and Rowena Hardy. : CONTACT US: weekend@apn.com.au : CONTRIBUTE: contributors@apn.com.au : ADVERTISING: Visit apnarm.com.au or contact your local sales consultant. Saturday, February 13, 2016
Weekend
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t ren d
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IN S ID E R
NSW Premier Mike Baird faced social media flogging after talking up the merits of late-night drinking lock-downs.
wi th S e a n n a C ro n i n
Auntie’s rollercoaster
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F THE current barrage of reality and event TV shows is overwhelming you, then get ready to change the channel. Not surprisingly, it’s Auntie to the rescue with the sweet new observational program Hatch, Match and Dispatch. The factual series, which debuted on Thursday, goes behind the scenes of the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. It doesn’t sound like the most exciting setting for a TV show, but I was pleasantly surprised. Episode one was an emotional rollercoaster as cameras followed individuals and couples facing some of life’s biggest milestones. The office’s wedding celebrants perform an average of 10 weddings a day, making the registry the most popular wedding venue in the state. These nuptials are sweet, but it was the more unusual cases that made for the most interesting storylines. A woman named Pauline nearly brought me to tears with her sad story. Pauline was told at the age of 60, and just days before her mum died, that she was adopted. Her subsequent search for her birth mother had a devastating and unexpected twist. The process of naming babies and adults wanting to change their names also brings up some important issues around identity. Next week’s episode reveals some surprising names Australians have chosen for their babies, including Maximus, Mate and Peanut. On a more serious note, transgender ballet dancer Julia serves as an example of how important a name change can be. The series also humanises the staff, who may be dismissed by some as paper pushers. “It’s nice for people to see there’s so many different facets to what we do,” registrar Amanda Ianna told me. “We were all a little embarrassed to begin with, but the more time they (the cameras) spent with us the more at ease we felt.”
: Duane and Monika get married in a scene from Hatch, Match and Dispatch. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
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ST R A NG E PO LIT IC S with Ch ris Calc ino
Too dumb to choose when we drink?
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HE same old “people die in car crashes, let’s ban the wheel” argument is back from a government intent on throwing the baby (and kebab) out with the bathwater. New South Wales Premier Mike Baird faced a well deserved social media flogging this week after talking up the merits of his late-night drinking lock-down of Sydney’s CBD. On paper, what he said was brilliant. Assaults were down 42.2% in the city and 60% in Kings Cross. Who could argue with those figures? About 15,000 people, it turned out. A few clever amateur statisticians did the sums and decided it made sense no one was getting dog-punched to the back of the skull, since everyone now avoided the city like their creepy uncle with the ear hair. That was businessman Matt Barrie’s chief gripe when he penned an 8000-word essay detailing Sydney’s demise and the death of dozens of award-winning bars and restaurants. “You’ve been tricked into thinking that you have done something wrong, in some way that you are genetically an idiot, or that somehow you have to feel responsible for a couple of random tragic, yet unrelated, events that occurred in the vague proximity of having fun,” he wrote. “Two young men that would be turning in their graves if they knew that their deaths had been hijacked to beat up some moral outrage over the sort of human tragedy that sells newspapers to put up a political smokescreen, push a prohibitionist evangelical agenda, sell a suburb to developers, and boost the coffers of a couple of casinos.” Oh that’s right. Two casinos, one still to be built at Barangaroo, are exempt from the laws. But still... a 60% drop in violence in Kings Cross?
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S o m e o n e h o n e st ly t h o u g h t i t wa s a g o o d i d e a t o s l ap a l o c k- o u t l aw o n e at i n g keb a b s
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wi th Alexi a Purcell
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Well, it turned out Mr Baird’s numbers were a bit fudged. The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research director Don Weatherburn was on the radio saying assaults had already been continually dropping since 2008. Emptying the place just sped up what was already happening. The other part of the law, bottle shops across the state having to shut at 10pm, is mostly an annoyance. But there is still no evidence it has done anything except make it harder to get some take-home tallies when you actually want them – especially if you’re a shift worker who knocks off at 11pm. Worst of all is the war on kebabs. Someone honestly thought it was a good idea to slap a lock-out law on eating kebabs: not one delicious heart-stopping bundle of mystery meat may be sold after midnight. Because apparently kebab shops transform into underground fight clubs when Cinderella’s carriage turns back into a pumpkin. Imagine being a shop owner when that law came in. Anyone who eats a kebab before midnight is obviously clinically insane and not the kind of customer you want hanging around the counter. This attack on freedom of choice might seem far removed, way off there in Sydney-town but state governments love to copy-cat each other, and you can bet all eyes are on how this one pans out. So what is currently only a Sydney problem could very well be gradually introduced all over the place. All in the name of the greater good, of course. Not because we plebs are too stupid to decide when and where we want a beer and some grease.
Strange Politics is a satirical column. Follow Chris Calcino on Twitter: @ChrisCalcino
EVERY week we run a “caption this” photo on our Facebook page. And every week we get some brilliant captions. This week’s photo was this image of a spider in a sink by Danielle Stevens. The majority of the most liked captions referenced the recent spider in the salad bag incident. In case you missed it, video of a spider trapped inside a bag of Woolworths salad mix went viral on social media last week. Here are just a few of the captions: “Phew! I finally managed to get out of that bag of salad!” “I’m just glad to be out of that Woolies lettuce bag!” “Can someone point the way to Woolworths please?” Have a clever caption for this pic? I’d love to hear it. Tweet me at @alexia_purcell.
AT T HE WATE R COOL E R
What’s trending on social media this week : This spider reminded many people of Woolworths.
Alexia Purcell is APN Australian Regional Media’s social media editor. Follow Alexia on Twitter: @alexia_purcell.
PHOTO: DANIELLE STEVENS/ FACEBOOK
Saturday, February 13, 2016
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+ Magdalena has found her new self at Byron Awa rd - w i n n i n g m e te o r o l o g i st a n d tel e v i s i o n p r e s e n te r M a g d a l e n a Roz e i s c a r v i n g o u t h e r own r e a l i t y, w r i te s Van i N a i d o o
C
driven and ambitious to make the change,” Magdalena said. “I love working and I love working with people. I have always lived a fast pace of life and by choice I have worked 18-hour days – when I studied meteorology I was doing breakfast television at the same time which is crazy – so it was hard for me to take a step back and not have those things. “For the first few months of living here I had a bit of an identity crisis and I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do?’ and I really missed what I used to do, I missed all my friends. I couldn’t just turn up to a television studio and work, my previous success was not a given anymore. I had to reinvent myself and find opportunities in writing, in the digital space, with my blog. It was definitely a challenge, I really had to explore my other passions.” It was from those passions that Magdalena was able to put to use in the country the professional skills she honed in the city. Her honesty, turn of phrase and love for food and photography have suggested new pathways and the rapport she continues to hold with everyday Australians has gained her a legion of blog and Instagram fans. “I had always loved food, travel and lifestyle – that was how I started in television but then my career went in a different path,” Magdalena said. “But when I moved here I had the chance to stop and think about what I loved doing and think about pursuing that. Now in addition to my freelance television work, I am writing for food magazines and I have my own blog in the lifestyle space and I am able to work with different food brands on projects, and host events. It’s amazing that it all worked out, but it didn’t come easy, I had to really work at it.”
Ipswich, Meet Your Digital Marketing Expert
Of course, it is not just work keeping Magdalena busy. There is a new man in her life – two-month-old baby Archie. His arrival has meant that the former weather girl has had to acquaint herself with the joys of becoming a mum and although she can’t help but see rainbows and sunshine, she has already had her fair share of squalls as well, detailing her entertaining journey on her blog. “For me it’s important that social media is authentic,” Magdalena said, “and I I am conscious of not putting things up that project a fake life or fake lifestyle. You know it’s so beautiful here that it is easy to take a good photo but I want to keep it real, so I may be in a nice dress in a beautiful market with my baby but my baby is crying at night just like yours. “You can’t change the challenges that come with being a parent but it is easier when you know everyone is going through the same thing. I am a consumer of social media and I see all these photos of new mums and celebrity mums and everything looks perfect, and I know that my first few weeks I really struggled and I was thinking how was everyone else doing it, was I the only one? “And I just thought, you know what, I am just going to put it out there because surely there are other people experiencing the same thing. And I have never before had such a response from the posts I do about the realities of being a mum. I love sharing all this stuff because who knows, the little tips I have picked up may help someone else.” In addition to a doting and supportive partner, Magdalena can also count on a network of friends and family. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, having little Archie has given her a renewed appreciation of her own parents. “I totally appreciate the sacrifice my parents made now,” she admits matter-of-factly. “In fact I can’t even compare my situation to theirs because my mum was fleeing martial law in Poland when she was pregnant with me. When they came
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HEER up, slow down, chill out. That’s the Byron Bay motto, a gentle reminder to follow your fancies, to enjoy life’s little moments to the full. Few towns are better equipped than this coastal paradise to offer up such words of wisdom. Its picturesque surrounds provide the perfect backdrop to showcase its inner beauty – that dreamy balm which is so refreshing to the body and soul. It is within this cocooning environment that award-winning meteorologist and television presenter Magdalena Roze is carving out her own reality. Almost 20,000 people left Australia’s big cities last year looking for a better life and more sustainable standard of living in regional towns. More than 80% were aged 25-44, educated hardworking professionals who are enticed by the slower pace, the community-focused surrounds and of course more affordable housing. For Magdalena, Byron Bay’s charms were sweetened by the professional opportunities it afforded her partner, popular celebrity chef Darren Robertson. Darren owns the successful Three Blue Ducks restaurant in Bronte, Sydney, with fellow gastronomic artist Mark Labrooy and the duo decided to set up a second eatery and produce store on The Farm Byron Bay, an 86-acre working biological farm, which would allow them to have fun with honest food that’s sourced sustainably. “At some point in my life I wanted to do a tree change or sea change but I certainly didn’t think it would be this early on,” Magdalena said. “Our move was driven by a work opportunity for Darren to open a restaurant on a farm and it was such an incredible opportunity to do something unique and meaningful and that could hopefully change things, that it was too good to resist. So here we are, a young couple and a young family making a life for ourselves.” The laid-back calm of Byron Bay is a far cry and a world away from the bustling frenzy of the life Magdalena left in Sydney. She was, after all, a sought-after meteorologist at the top of her game waking up at 3am to do breakfast television and still finding the energy to grace the red carpets of the city’s must-do events at night. Her skill and professionalism were celebrated. The 33-year-old not only covered newsworthy events around the world but also was rewarded for her efforts. So how does someone who has worked so hard to achieve take a step back and slip almost nonchalantly into a supportive role? “I have to say I didn’t mind changing the relationship dynamic but it was hard for me as a person who is really
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read NOW WE ARE THREE: Baby Archie has shown Magdalena Roze the true meaning of long days.
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I ge n u i n e ly t h o u g h t t h at m o t h e r h o o d wa s g o i n g t o b e e a sy.. .
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natural and chemical-free? “It’s funny that it takes getting pregnant or having a child to really start caring about what we put in our bodies,” she said. “I definitely became much more conscious about what I was eating and what I was putting on my skin when I was pregnant. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables, not cutting anything out, but making sure what I was eating was as wholesome and nutritious as possible and sourced locally which is very easy to do here.” It certainly appears that like the many Australians who leave the city each year, Magdalena is finding her feet in her country haven and quickly falling in love with the way and pace of life. There have been a few surprises along the way, the experience of motherhood included, but she is looking
PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED
forward to the challenges ahead and excited about the potential promise. “Archie is such a joy that I just want to hang out with him all the time but there have been enormous challenges, even in these short few weeks,” Magdalena said. “That has surprised me because I used to think I am used to doing breakfast TV waking up at 3am and working 18-hour days – I genuinely thought that motherhood was going to be easy compared to the hard work I’ve done… but let me tell you it’s a whole other world. I am excited about getting back into my television work and there is a book in the works too. But now I am particularly passionate about writing about motherhood, about sharing my experiences and what I’ve learnt with other mothers because the more authentic we can be and the more we can share, the better for everyone.”
ee e Fr us to
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: Darren Robertson and Magdalena Roze are forging a new life in the Byron Nay hinterland..
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to Australia as refugees they didn’t have a dollar to their name, they couldn’t speak the language, they sacrificed everything to come to Australia and give us a better life. “It is difficult bringing kids up as it is, let alone being in that kind of situation where you are in a completely new country, with no language and no money where your skills and university qualifications mean nothing, and to start from scratch. I am blown away by what they did for us.” Her Eastern European heritage may be something that Magdalena now cherishes but that wasn’t always the case. Food, language and tradition were the cause of much teenage angst for a youngster who was desperate to fit in. “It is interesting that it was such a struggle for me growing up and now I am grateful that is where I came from and I am proud of it as well,” Magdalena said. “I look like the typical Aussie but at home my life was totally Polish and Russian. We were eating food at the time that was super daggy and it smelled, things like salami and rye bread and gherkins, things I really wished then they wouldn’t put in my lunch box. “Now, I am glad that I had that because that’s where my passion for food and cooking comes from. I know that Darren and I really want to share that with Archie as well. You know, without even thinking I find myself speaking to him in Polish all the time. I feel like I connect with him more like that because Polish is a beautiful language to talk to a child, it’s cuter, sweeter and more nurturing.” Magdalena is as passionate about where she sources her food as she is about eating and writing about it and what better place than Byron Bay with its emphasis on all things
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+ Meet the IQ (Issa quotient) T h e r e ’ s n o t h i n g t r i v i a l a b o u t T h e S u p e r n e rd ’ s c o m p l e x p u r s u i t s BY S a rah Rex
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Test your brain power
The Supernerd has some questions for you ... Are you smart enough to take him on? Take Issa’s Quiz to find out. 1. Which US city shortened its name in 1831 by dropping a letter “a”, so that it would fit on the masthead of the city newspaper? 2. Who has reserved a final resting place situated next to Marilyn Monroe for when he passes away? 3. Duchenne and Pan-American are both types of what? 4. In which Olympic sport do players wear a sliding shoe and a non-sliding shoe? 5. The city of Riverside, Iowa, holds an annual festival in anticipation of which fictional character’s upcoming birth in the year 2233? 6. What was Clive James describing when he said: “It looks like a typewriter full of oyster shells, like a broken Pyrex casserole dish in a brown cardboard box”? 7. Established in 1961, Hamburger University in Illinois is for people who are studying what? 8. Which American rock musician and film actress has an alter ego called Cherry Koo Koo? 9. The Hen and Chicken Islands form part of which country? 10. Which Australian city – the third most populated in its state or territory – was originally called Hummock’s Hill? ANSWERS
1. Cleveland (originally Cleaveland) 2. Hugh Hefner 3. Smile (Duchenne is considered a genuine smile, whereas Pan-American is considered fake) 4. Curling 5. James T. Kirk (from Star Trek) 6. Sydney Opera House 7. McDonalds Restaurant Management 8. Courtney Love 9. New Zealand 10. Whyalla, in South Australia
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HEN Issa Schultz was a child he found an old Trivial Pursuit board game hidden in a cupboard. In that moment his fate was sealed, for he was to become The Supernerd – one of the smartest men on television. Issa’s dedication to learning goes right back to his schooldays at Noosa District State High School. “When we immigrated in ‘95, we moved to Tewantin… I was a good student, admittedly so. I was well behaved and I didn’t get suspended or anything like that. It might sound lame, but I loved it, I really did. I was fortunate to have that mix of being a good student but not being fixed on one subject. I managed to be one of the four school captains in 2001 for the final year. “The only one thing I may have got in trouble for was music. Music was my passion; in Year 12 I went to many a class where I would instead want to be in the music room practising, but I passed everything comfortably at the time.” Issa admits he still enjoys music, with a violin and piano of his own. “I still play those but not as much as I should. I also play trumpet, French horn and trombone, so when I left school I left them there.” UK born Issa says it took a while for him to feel comfortable with the name Supernerd. “They (Channel Seven) came up with the nickname and I slowly embraced it. At first, way back in May and June before we started filming, I remember thinking ‘oh, all right, I’ll be the Supernerd’. But now I’m fine and I realise it was the right choice,” Issa says. While Issa has a reputation for having a brain the size of a planet, he is quite modest about it all. He says learning new things is something he has always enjoyed. “It’s the sort of thing I do anyway. I’ve always had a natural interest in everything. I sort of intensify it in the last few weeks before I go back into the studio.” Issa was once a TV quiz show contestant himself, having won big on The Rich List and The Einstein Factor. Not only that, but Issa has also won the Australian leg of the World Quizzing Championships three times. He says his track record is a challenge many contestants find irresistible. “We get an interesting array of people who apply. Some are people with family who have put them up to it and some are quiz players. They get a look on their face that says they are on a mission, and they normally know what they are doing because they’ve been on telly before.” According to Issa, study is the secret to having a chance of winning serious money on a quiz show. “We want people who are natural, so be yourself. I reckon maybe just reading the paper for a few days up to the show will even help. You can cram as much as you want, but with newspapers when something current affairs-based is asked, at least you’ve had a chance of it coming up in the paper. “Also, everyone has topics that they enjoy. Read up on those things that you enjoy because it feels less like a chore and it helps your brain. Endorphins go off because you’re learning stuff. I know it sounds simple and there may be questions you’ve never read about, but at least you can go in with the confidence of knowing something. “If we lose we’re giving money away to the contestants. The show needs to give away money, but at the same time we (the Chasers) are treating it as a personal loss. I love seeing people win because I’ve been a contestant and so I know how good it feels to win. If I win it’s great, but then I have to look at four disappointed faces.” Issa adds he and the other Chasers are constantly reading and studying new topics to increase their knowledge and after all that study they are ready to take on a new round of contestants. “I still have a lot of old heavy books, but now Wikipedia is gaining credibility all the time and with other websites you can do so much research. We all approach it quite differently. Brydon (The Shark) likes the taunting and the stirring, which is funny because he’s not like that at all. “When I go out there I sit down and talk to the first contestant, like having a chat. Because it brings the best out
of them and makes them relax. We don’t want them to go pass, pass, pass. “Anne (the Governess) sort of stays to herself. She doesn’t break out of character. Same with Goliath (Matt Parkinson), which was interesting. He is a very focused man, he goes out there and as you know he is a comedian as well, but when he goes out there his concentration levels are really up. He thinks about what he is going to say and he is a man on a mission. “This is why I really love watching the episodes, every show is different. They all have their own little approach. People seriously think Anne never smiles. A lot of the time she does, but she is in character the whole time during the filming.” The latest addition to the Chase Australia cast is Mark Labbett, aka The Beast. “He is wonderful. He’s a lovely chap,” Issa says of his new cast-mate. “He also really is scary. The first time I met him was in the hotel foyer and he texted me and said I’ll meet you by the lift. And the doors opened and I looked up and up and up, he’s just so tall. “He said I hope you don’t mind a chat, and he was fresh off the plane, but he chatted for about two hours. He’s passionate about life. “He is very much a competitor. When he’s playing contestants he really does want to knock them out. He is a big bad beast on camera, but he is actually a really nice guy.” With new episodes in production, Issa says now is the time for people to apply to be a contestant. “People find themselves blurting out answers and we’ve had people win from blurting out an answer, and that’s what I love about the show.”
: Issa Schultz is The Supernerd on the TV series The Chase Australia.
PHOTO: CHANNEL 7
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ea sy eat in g
THE WEEKEND COOK w i th M a g g i e C o o p e r
PHOTO: GLEN DAVID WILSON
+ LOW AND SLOW IS THE KEY TO DELICIOUS SOFT BEEF CHEEKS WITH POLENTA : Berries are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
+ Cooked with love
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
One for the young chefs
T
HE kids are back at school after the long summer holidays, but it’s never too soon to get them involved in preparing food. I worked with a well-known Melbourne chef and cooking school proprietor a few years ago designing a cookbook; she chatted endlessly about how her two children under the age of nine made their own pasta from scratch when they arrived home from school and cleaned up the mess afterwards. It left me feeling like an inadequate parent at the time as my son, a similar age, was hard pressed then to make a sandwich; as for cleaning up the kitchen – umm, no. Today’s recipe is a really easy dessert with jelly and berries. It involves boiling water, which can cause a nasty burn if not handled with care, so help the smaller kids to pour. It’s a bit like trusting your children to go to the shop or cross the road alone for the first time – terrifying, but with proper guidance the benefits are enormous.
Berry jelly delight
INGREDIENTS: : 200g mixed berries : 2 packets port wine flavour jelly crystals : 500ml boiling water : 200ml cold water : plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream, to serve. METHOD: If you are using strawberries in the mix, slice them into bite-sized pieces. Pour jelly crystals into a heatproof jug and add boiling water. Carefully stir the mixture well with a spoon until the crystals have dissolved. Add cold water and stir, then carefully add berries. Stir to combine then pour mixture evenly into four pretty glass bowls. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve berry jelly delights with a big dollop of plain yogurt – the dessert will be sweet enough to flavour the yogurt – or a little vanilla ice cream. Serves 4.
S e r ve s o m e t h i n g s p e c i a l t o c e l e b rate you r l ove f or o n e a n o t h e r .
E AT
wi th D a n a nd Step h M ulheron
T
OMORROW is the day of love. Are you cooking your special someone a delicious meal to celebrate your love for one another? Our delicious soft beef cheeks with polenta are sure to please. They are easy to prepare: basically place them in the oven and leave them be. The longer they cook the better they are – low and slow is the key.
Beef cheeks with chorizo, polenta and bacon crumb
INGREDIENTS: : 4 beef cheeks : Oil, for frying : 200g spicy chorizo, chopped : 1 carrot, diced : 1 clove garlic, chopped : 1 stick celery, chopped : 2 tbs tomato puree : 12 black peppercorns : half a bunch of thyme : 1 bottle of red wine : 1 litre chicken stock. Polenta: : 1.5 litres chicken stock : 300g polenta : 100g butter : 150ml cream : 50g finely grated parmesan. Parmesan and bacon crumb: : 100g parmesan cheese, grated : 100g bacon pieces : ½ cup of panko breadcrumbs : 1-2 tbs of fresh parsley : Salt and pepper. METHOD: To make the beef cheeks: heat some oil in a
casserole pot or a large pot, then seal the meat on all sides and remove. Add the chorizo to the same pot and fry until crispy, then remove. Add the vegetables and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato puree, peppercorns and thyme. Pour in the wine and stir well. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the beef cheeks, chorizo and stock. If using your casserole pot, put on the lid and place in a preheated 130 degree oven for 8 to 10 hours. Otherwise pour all the contents into a large roasting tray and make sure the liquid covers everything, if not add more stock – wrap tightly with foil. When timer has finished, press the cheeks to see if they are super soft. They should nearly fall apart. Carefully remove the cheeks and strain the juices. Place juices in a saucepan and simmer/boil on to the stove top until reduced. Leave it to become thick – taste – then add a small dollop of butter and swirl. To make the polenta, bring the stock to the boil and then add the polenta, stirring well. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, cream and parmesan, then cook for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the bacon crumb by cutting the bacon into small dice and frying until golden brown with the breadcrumbs. Allow to cool. Grate in some parmesan, add a little salt and pepper then finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve the beef cheeks with a good dollop of polenta on the side and top with bacon crumb and reduced sauce. Serves 4. Dan and Steph Mulheron won My Kitchen Rules in 2013. Visit www.danandsteph.com.au
Email Maggie at maggies.column@bigpond.com
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ONE LOCAL TO ANOTHER Weekend
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ea sy eat in g
+ Valentine’s hamper
+ W IN E WO RDS with Re gan Drew v inonotebo ok .com
Ke e p i t s i m p l e , g ra b s o m e f lowe r s a n d g o o n a p i c n i c .
FA ST F I V E
w i th M a tt S aw te l l
I
F YOU didn’t notice, Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. If you’re wondering what to buy your loved one, don’t. My suggestion: take a few of these recipes, a bunch of flowers and maybe a sneaky bottle of bubbles and go on a picnic.
A sum of all parts
C
Fresh oysters with mango salsa
ABERNET merlot is not a single grape type. In Europe, particularly France, wine names have developed over the years due to a mixture of grapes being planted in a vineyard, bottled together and labelled according to place, not variety. But blending still has its place: often one grape will naturally mesh with another or multiple grapes blended to create complexity.
INGREDIENTS: : 12 fresh local oysters : 1⁄2 mango cheek, diced : 1 tbs red onion, diced : 1⁄4 avocado, diced : 1 tsp coriander, chopped : 1⁄2 lime, juiced : pinch sea salt flakes METHOD: Mix the mango, onion, avocado, coriander, lime and salt together in a bowl and top the oysters with the mix. Make sure you keep them on ice.
Yalumba, The Scribbler
The perfect picnic sandwich
Barossa Valley, 2012: Cabernet/Shiraz – also known as the “Australian’’ blend. Cabernet provides smells of pencils, black currant, iodine and lanolin and the shiraz: ripe plums and a hint of white pepper. Deliciously drinkable. Spicy plums march forward while the cabernet cools things down with a touch of mint and plenty of tannins. : Rating: 8/10 : RRP: $22 : Alc: 13.5%
INGREDIENTS: : 1 foot-long baguette : 6 semi-dried tomatoes : 50g feta, crumbled : 6 slices salami : 2 tbs homemade rocket pesto. Pesto recipe: : 1 handful rocket : 1 tbs parmesan : 2 tbs cashews : 1⁄4 lemon, juiced : 2-3 tbs olive oil : salt and pepper to taste METHOD: To make the pesto, place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until all mixed together. Next, cut baguette in half lengthways and spread the pesto over the two sides. On the bottom half layer the rest of the ingredients and close the bun. Wrap in baking paper and tie together with string. Cut in half and share at your picnic.
Caramelised fig and prosciutto salad
Ben Glaetzer, Wallace
INGREDIENTS: : 3 figs, cut into 4 wedges : 50g crumbled feta : 200g rocket : 40g brown sugar : 4 slices prosciutto, torn into chunks : 15ml balsamic vinegar : 15ml extra virgin olive oil METHOD: Place the cut figs on an oven tray and sprinkle with sugar. Place figs under the grill on high for 3-5 mins or until sugar has melted and started to bubble. Remove and allow to cool. In a salad bowl place the rocket, feta, prosciutto and the figs. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic.
: Caramelised fig and prosciutto salad.
Chocolate-dipped strawberries with Nutella filling
INGREDIENTS: : 1 punnet raspberries : 1 tbs sugar : 60ml orange liqueur (or fresh squeezed orange juice) : 3 passionfruit, pulp removed : 1 bottle of your favourite bubbles (or soda water for a non-alcoholic option) METHOD: Place the raspberries, sugar and orange liqueur in a food processor and pulse until combined. Stir in passionfruit pulp. Place 1-2 tsp mix in bottom of wine glass and top with the bubbles.
INGREDIENTS: : 200g dark chocolate : 1 punnet strawberries : 1⁄4 cup crushed hazelnuts : 1⁄2 cup Nutella METHOD: In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Dip the strawberries one at a time into the chocolate and then into the crushed hazelnuts so they stick to the chocolate. Sit on
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
baking paper until chocolate is set. When set cut the top off the strawberries and with a melon baller, scoop out some of the inside. Place Nutella in a piping bag and fill the centre of the strawberries.
Summer lovin’ bubbles
Barossa Valley, 2014: Shiraz/Grenache – originated in southern France’s Rhone Valley, but old plantings from the Barossa work well in harmony: 78% shiraz from 80-year-old vines and 22% grenache from centurions. Ripe and full, the spice from the shiraz tempered by raspberry jubey, almost fun, plump grenache. Approachable now yet built for the medium term. : Rating: 8.5/10 : RRP: $22.99 : Alc: 14.5%
Di Giorgio Family Wines, Emporio
Coonawarra, 2013: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc – modelled on the wines of Bordeaux, France. Smells of deep cassis/black currant, cedary oak, mint and plum pudding. Merlot’s sweet fruit pokes a small, flavoursome hole in the broad sheet of cabernet’s structure and the cab franc is used like dusty violet seasoning. Black fruited, layered, elegant and structured. : Rating: 9.5/10 : RRP: $23 : Alc: 14.5% Glaetzer and Yalumba Wines available from major retailers. Di Giorgio from selected retailers and www.digiorgio.com.au.
TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH YOUR QT Great travel ideas, deals and adventures every Tuesday and Saturday in the QT ...one local to another
www.qt.com.au PRINT | ONLINE | MOBILE | SOCIAL Weekend
Saturday, February 13, 2016
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+ The Tassie challenge Tac k l i n g t h e A p p l e Is le in l es s th a n a week
NATIONAL GEM: Tasmania remains Australia’s best-kept secret but a bucket list destination nonetheless.
: The Neck and Truganini Steps at Bruny Island.
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T RAVEL
wi th S h i rl ey S i n c l a i r
T
HE Great ’Round Tasmania Challenge isn’t a new reality TV show to give The Amazing Race a run for its money. Rather, it became my personal quest to see how far an average, time-poor couple could drive around the Apple Isle in just under a week, with no set plan. Tasmania remains Australia’s best-kept secret – a bucket-list destination that is big enough to offer wide and varied holiday experiences but small enough to be enjoyed in a relatively short visit. Driving from Launceston in the north to Hobart in the south, for example, is an easy three-hour drive on good roads and uncrowded highways. Our first trip to Tasmania 20 years ago was a three-week driving holiday with children – so we had plenty of time for exploring national parks, bushwalking and finding playgrounds. Think: walks in Cradle Mountain and the Freycinet Peninsula, visiting tranquil Russell Falls and the Hartz Mountains, taking in Launceston’s Cataract Gorge chairlift, as well as the hauntingly beautiful Port Arthur historic site. But this time, our plan of attack was different.
FIJI
PHOTO: SHIRLEY SINCLAIR
We still wanted to be engrossed in beautiful scenery, learn more about the state’s convict past, and discover new towns. But good food and wine had become our priority, along with more luxurious accommodation than our previous caravan parks and campgrounds. The overnight Spirit of Tasmania II vehicular ferry from Port Melbourne to Devonport helped us take the sure but steady route so we were completely relaxed before we arrived and on completing our journey. We were more than chuffed at what we accomplished in six days in between. : DAY 1: Devonport to Stanley (via the scenic route of Elizabeth Town, Sheffield and Lake Barrington). HIGHLIGHTS: Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm and Restaurant at Elizabeth Town served up a scrumptious breakfast of pancakes with raspberry jam, banana, bacon and fresh raspberries and a latte with raspberry dusting. A discovery tour of the historic and scenic murals of Sheffield gave us a chance meeting with The Emporium’s quirky owner and music lover Mark Beech-Ross. At nearby Lake Barrington, we marvelled at a wakeboarder doing flips in training. A late-afternoon chairlift to the top of The Nut at Stanley was followed by a welcome rest with drinks and dinner at the historic Stanley Hotel. Our boutique suite accommodation @VDL Stanley – in a bluestone building on the shores of
Sheraton at half price
THE white, sandy beaches and warm, blue waters of Fiji await on this half-price luxury escape at Sheraton Fiji Resort. Holidaymakers can enjoy five relaxing nights in an Ocean Breeze Room, including daily breakfast, free wi-fi, return airport transfers, free kids’ club and discounted meals for children. The deal is valid for sale until February 29 and for travel from February 15 to March 24 and again from October 30 to December 26. On picturesque Denarau Island and only 20 minutes’ drive from the airport, the resort offers an array of dining and leisure activities including golf, swimming, water sports, dedicated kids’ play areas and fun kids’ club. Guests at Sheraton Fiji Resort have access to all the facilities at the adjacent Sheraton Denarau Villas, The Westin Denarau Island Resort and Spa and the Denarau Golf and Racquet Club, including a choice of 17 restaurants and bars.
: COSTS: From $699 a person. : MORE DETAILS: www.travelonline.com or 1300 883 887. Saturday, February 13, 2016
TAKE ON TASMANIA
: TRAVEL: Spirit of Tasmania: www.spiritoftasmania.com.au : STAY: @VDL Stanley: 16 Wharf Rd Stanley Tasmania 7331. Phone (03) 6458 2032. Email: info@atvdlstanley.com.au Brickendon Colonial Farm Village (Pumpkin Cottage): Brickendon Estate, 236 Wellington St, Longford. (03) 6391 1383 Salamanca Wharf Hotel: 17a Castray Esp, Hobart. (03) 6224 7007. www.salamancawharfhotel.com : EAT: TMK: On board Spirit of Tasmania Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm: 9 Christmas Hills Rd, Elizabeth Town. (03) 6362 2186 Salamanca Wharf Hotel Cafe: www.salamancawharfhotel.com/dining Bruny Island Traveller Six-Course Gourmet Bruny Island Day Tour: www.brunyislandtraveller.com.au Stanley Hotel: 19-21 Church St, Stanley. 1800 222 397
Stanley Bay – is the former Van Diemen’s Land Company Store, dating from 1843. : DAY 2: Return from Stanley to Arthur River, on to Longford. HIGHLIGHTS: We braved the chilly gusts at Edge of the World – Tasmania’s most-western point at Arthur River – with nothing but 40,000km of ocean to Argentina. : DAY 3: Longford (rest day). HIGHLIGHTS: Our accommodation at Brickendon Colonial Farm Village allowed us to walk in the footsteps of history around the World Heritage-listed Convict Site buildings, make friends with farm animals and take the 50-minute stroll by the Macquarie River to neighbouring Woolmers Estate. : DAY 4: Longford to Bay of Fires and St Helens to Hobart. HIGHLIGHTS: The Whitsundays-like Bay of Fires has powdery white beaches, crystal-clear blue water and granite boulders covered in orange lichen. That night, we strolled around the Hobart waterfront and had drinks at Knopwood’s Retreat in Salamanca Place before a restful night at our Loft Penthouse at Salamanca Wharf Hotel. : DAY 5: Hobart to Bruny Island return. HIGHLIGHTS: Eating fresh Get Shucked oysters, climbing more than 200 steps to Truganini Lookout for 360-degree views at The Neck and lunch at Bruny Island Premium Wines. : DAY 6: Hobart to Devonport (via the scenic route to Ouse, Bothwell and the Great Lake) HIGHLIGHTS: A wrong turn resulted in being surrounded by a flock of newly shorn sheep on the gravel road from Ouse to Bothwell. The pretty town of Bothwell is home to the Australasian Golf Museum and Ratho golf course, which is the oldest in the nation. So we did it: about 1700km of bitumen and gravel roads; more than 1600 photos; countless sheep; and two aging bodies less exhausted than expected. *The writer paid some of her expenses and was a guest of Spirit of Tasmania, @VDL Stanley, Brickendon Colonial Farm Village and Salamanca Wharf Hotel
EUROPE CRUISE
Two journeys with Scenic
ENJOY two Scenic river cruises, including return economy airfares to Europe, from $8820 a person twin share. Save 50% on the 11-day Breathtaking Bordeaux river cruise when combined with the nine-day Black Sea Explorer. Valid until Monday, February 29.
: MORE DETAILS: Call Scenic on 138 128 or visit www.scenic.com.au. Weekend
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BUSINESS CLASS UPGRADE FROM $1,995pp* LIMITED RELEASE. WILL SELL OUT.
2017 EUROPE RIVER CRUISING PRE-RELEASE OUT NOW
GEMS OF THE SEINE
JEWELS OF EUROPE
UNFORGETTABLE DOURO
11 Day Cruise Paris > Paris
15 Day Cruise Amsterdam > Budapest
11 Day Cruise Porto > Porto
From $6,315*pp INCLUDING RETURN FLIGHTS TO FRANCE* or upgrade to business class from $1,995pp*
From $6,695*pp INCLUDING RETURN FLIGHTS TO EUROPE* or upgrade to business class from $1,995pp*
From $6,625*pp INCLUDING RETURN FLIGHTS TO EUROPE* or upgrade to business class from $1,995pp*
INCLUDES: all 29 world-class meals • top-shelf complimentary beverages all day, every day • private gala dinner and classical concert at Benedictine Palace
INCLUDES: all 41 world-class meals • top-shelf complimentary beverages all day, every day • private Viennese concert at Palais Liechtenstein
INCLUDES: all 29 world-class meals • top-shelf complimentary beverages all day, every day • fine dining experience and traditional music performance at Burmester Cellars
50% off Diamond Deck upgrade save up to $3,345 per couple* Only available until 23 March 2016 unless sold out prior
INFO SESS IONS
We’d like to invite you to take the Scenic route at our information sessions. Discover why we at Scenic believe that every element of river and ocean cruising should be extraordinary. Extraordinary experiences, levels of luxury, service and destinations. BRISBANE GOLD COAST MOOLOOLABA For venue details, times and to RSVP visit SCENIC.COM.AU/RSVP or call 138 128 SPECIAL OFFER ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE EVENT
138 128 SCENIC.COM.AU Visit scenic.com.au/agents for your nearest Scenic Agent *Conditions apply. Prices are based on per person twin share in AUD ex SYD/BNE are strictly limited and subject to availability. For new bookings only. Pricing correct as of 5 February 2016. Prices include $300pp/$150pp discount when payment of full cruise is due by 31 May 2016. Diamond Deck upgrade not combinable with business class offers. For full terms and conditions refer to 2017 Europe Pre-Release brochure or visit scenic.com.au/terms. Scenic ABN 85 002 715 602. SNPR2809
Weekend
Saturday, February 13, 2016
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t rave l THE SIMPLE LIFE: Up in Corfu’s stunning mountains is another world well worth exploring.
+ White-knuckle express
.
T R AVEL
wi th A n n R i c k a rd
H
ERE’S a joke for you. A Greek priest and Greek bus driver died on the same day and found themselves knocking on heaven’s door together. St Peter opened the door and said the house was almost full and he had room for only one of them. He chose the bus driver. Understandably the priest was affronted. “Why a bus driver?” he asked, outraged. “I am a priest. I have lived by God’s rule. I pray every day.” “I know,” St Peter said. “But you are only one man praying. When a Greek bus driver is at the wheel he has 45 others praying behind him.” Our guide told us this joke while 45 of us on the bus prayed and held on to hand rails with white knuckles as our driver inched his giant vehicle around tight bends at terrifying heights. There were no guard rails between us and a messy long-drop death.
We were on a shore excursion to a village on the Greek island of Corfu from the cruise ship Niew Amsterdam during a 12-night Romantic Mediterranean cruise sailing from Venice to Barcelona with glamorous ports of call in between. We chose this shore excursion because it was different to a wander around the old town or a visit to the better known village of Paleokastritsa, one of the most beautiful of all Corfu’s villages and a renowned Greek beauty spot. We were driven high up into the mountains on an alarmingly steep and tightly winding route to visit the tiny village of Lakones. All of us were wobbly with relief to reach the top safely. Corfu is known as a beach holiday destination rather than for its small mountain villages. It is home to glamorous resorts, lively clubs and bars, high-end and budget restaurants and tavernas. But up on the green mountain it was another world, one of serenity and leafy charm, light years away from sand, sea and sunburnt holiday crowds. “Because of the Greek financial crises many people from
Athens have returned to their holidays homes in Corfu to live,” our guide told us. “They now live a simple life here in this village, growing vegetables and fruit trees, maybe an olive tree, keeping a couple of chickens, living simply like their forebears.” Looking around the sunny village with its altitude of 182 metres and breath-sapping views over the mountains to the glittering sea, we appreciated its reputation for having one of the top 10 views in Europe. An air of well-preserved charm prevailed, a tranquillity of yesteryear. Every house and building had stunning mountain and ocean views. I am sure it made most of us on the bus yearn for an easy life like that of the returning Greeks from Athens. Living in a small house with the sea sparkling way below, stepping outside to feed chickens, collect eggs, examine tomatoes, inspect basil, dig up a few potatoes for lunch... could it be any more idyllic? Well, yes... later in the day meeting mates in the taverna for a glass of locally made plonk, looking forward to another day in paradise. But the other side to Corfu is also appealing: glamorous hotels, sun-soaked beaches, non-stop parties, the old town with its fortress and monuments. Corfu is appealing on many levels. Just make sure you choose the right bus driver. ann.rickard@scnews.com.au
GREECE
Island-hopping getaways
PETER Sommer Travels is about to lay anchor on a series of unforgettable yacht expeditions among the most remarkable islands and ancient sites of Greece. Four upcoming cruises will set out across the Aegean Sea aboard traditional wooden gulets, visiting breathtaking islands, picturesque villages and fascinating ancient ruins. Hosted by expert guides with academic backgrounds in history, art and archaeology, each tour combines the remarkable history of ancient Greece with an idyllic sea journey and a chance to sample the superb local food and wine. Catering to small groups of up to 18 guests, they travel at a gentle pace from island to island, avoiding the crowded tourist haunts to reveal unspoilt coves and lesser-known gems among the ancient lands.
For full details and bookings email info@petersommer.com or visit www.petersommer.com.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
C o rf u h a s m a ny ma g i ca l s pot s, j ust b e s ure to ch oos e you r bu s dr iver car e f u lly
ARNHEM L AND
Culture and photography
CULTURAL Connections Photography Tours will return to Arnhem Land when photographers Lynn Gail and Seng Mah host an expedition exploring the rich culture of the Yolngu people in an eight-day expedition among Yolngu homelands from September 10-17.
More on culturalconnectionstours.com or contact Lynn Gail on 0422 427 161. Weekend
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make RUSTIC FINISH: You can put as much effort as you like into the finish of the timber top.
TIP: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL YOUR TOOLS ON HAND AND DON’T PANIC
: STEP 1: CHOOSING YOUR TIMBER
PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED
+ Wood work
: STEP 2: PREP Lay your two pieces on the ground butting them up next to each other. Now with a tape measure and a pencil mark both pieces at 200mm intervals. Now using your biscuit jointer, cut your slots into the sides of the timber at the corresponding pencil marks.
: STEP 3: GLUING AND CLAMPING
How t o m a ke yo ur ow n timb er b ench tops Tools:
D IY
w i th Ayde n a n d Je s s
: Tape measure : Pencil : Drop saw : Drill : Philips drill bit : Biscuit Jointer : Belt sander : Sanding block : Rags : F clamps.
Materials:
W
E HAVE hit the ground running since getting our final building approval last fortnight and my body can already feel it. I’ve been clocking up 12 to 14 hours a day just clearing our block ready for plumbing, electrical and footings, but you could say we are defiantly used to it. My arms are starting to resemble Popeye’s after four days on the chainsaw. It’s amazing how much a parcel of land visually changes going from an overgrown mess of weeds and vines and eight-foot grass to mowed, chopped and cleared. We installed our Envirocycle tank yesterday and it feels great to have something done that you can actually see. I even cut some split posts out of a tallow wood and red gum that needed to be removed. I cut about 20, saving us a total of $163. But it wasn’t really about the cash, more the fact that the
: 200mm x 3600mm solid timber : 16 x 100mm ‘L’ brackets : 8x5/8x6 pan head screws : Exterior PVA Glue : 240 grit sand paper : 20mm Biscuits.
fence will be a talking point for as long as we live there and we love timber. I will be installing the fence in about a month, so stay tuned for a complete run down on how to build one. Speaking of loving timber, in week one of Reno Rumble I made a timber bar for Kyal and Kara’s lounge room. It was very similar method to the table top I made in the elimination round of The Block and the ones at the MCG challenge we did with Josh and Charlotte. You can put as much effort as you like into the finish of the top but some times a rustic style timber top looks more appealing than a high gloss varnished one. You can even make new tops for your kitchen or laundry using this method.
JOIN OUR
QT KIDS
CLUB
Insert a bead of exterior PVA glue into all the slots. Now insert a timber biscuit into all the slots on one of the pieces of timber. They may need a tap in with a hammer. Press the two pieces together and clamp them together with your F clamps. You can use some old pieces of timber to protect the top from the F clamp marking or gauging the edge. Also be careful what’s underneath your top, as the glue will seep out and stick it down to the floor. You can use some old newspaper to line the floor. Let dry for 24 hours.
: STEP 4: SANDING AND CUTTING Remove the clamps and using a belt sander with 240 grit paper, sand the whole thing top and bottom to your desired finish. Using a drop saw cut off a neat end. You can now measure out two legs and top to your own size and using the drop saw again cut all your pieces.
: STEP 5: ASSEMBLE Using your tape measure and your pencil, measure in at either end of the top 100mm. Now using your drill, pan head screws and ‘L’ brackets, fix the legs into the top inside and out. Use about eight L brackets on each leg.
: STEP 6: FINISH With a sanding block, sand the whole top and legs by hand with 240 grit sand paper. We lightly oiled ours to give it a real natural look.
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: TOP TIMBER: It is easy to make a timber bar or even timber kitchen bench tops following theses steps.
To save time choose a timber that has been dressed. That means timber that has been milled to size with four flat edges. You want to choose carefully, only selecting the straightest timber you can find. The wider the better also, as there will be less biscuit joining to be done. Our table is 400mm wide, so two pieces at 200mm will be perfect.
It’s free to join! Ages birth to 12. First name ................................................................................................. Surname..................................................................................................... Address ...................................................................................................... Telephone..................................................................................................
Age ............................................Date of birth......................................... Male
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QT KIDS - EVERY TUESDAY IN THE QUEENSLAND TIMES!
Send this completed form to The Queensland Times QT Kids, PO Box 260, Ipswich Qld 4305 or drop into QT reception, 260 Brisbane St, West Ipswich.
Weekend
Saturday, February 13, 2016
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Weekend
h ome TAKE TEN: You’re doing a job, so invest in yourself, take breaks and recharge your batteries.
+
STYL E
with Tracey Ho rde r n
Choose cushions you love for instant uplift
U
PDATING your cushions creates a wonderful opportunity to overhaul the look of your space. But there are a few things to remember when choosing the right cushions for you and your space, says Bandhini Design designer Tai Schaffler. “We like to think of our cushions as art for our lounges and beds,” Tai said. “So when you choose your cushions, choose as you would art – based on what you love. “If you have a passion for a particular textile, fabric or colour, then go for that, because every time you walk into your lounge or bedroom and see your cushions, you’re going to feel uplifted.” Choose a large “hero’’ cushion to build your collection around and always use a lush feather insert for maximum indulgence, Tai says. Smaller lumbar cushions are also great on a sofa or chair as they support the lower back. For the bed, Tai suggests choosing a pair of large European cushions and one long, lumbar cushion for your back to create supreme comfort. Bandhini Design sells into some of the biggest retailers in the world, including Neiman Marcus. So what does Tai foresee as the major trends, both here and overseas? “Gold, gold, gold!” she says. “Gold with black, gold with white; it’s huge. “Navy with white for a nautical, more casual look, or navy with beige are also very popular now.” Bandhini Design also creates a range of outdoor cushions for around the pool and on the veranda.
ADD A DASH OF GLAM WITH GOLD HIGHLIGHTS
: Soft furnishings from Bandhini Design are available at www.bandhini.com.au. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
: Set aside some “me time’’ to relax and do what you want to for a change.
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
+ Six ‘me-time’ ideas
As mums we s o of ten put everyon e ahe ad of u s on t he t o-do list of lif e .
STAY AT HOME MUM wi th Jo dy Al len
M
OST mums declare they just don’t have the time in this season of life to do the things they would enjoy, the things that fill them up and restore them. Relaxation is a remote idea. But just like any job, you need to have breaks, recharge your batteries and make sure you can continue to do your job without burning out. 1. Let it go As a simple first step to building a self-care routine, look at your existing week’s routine and try to let go of one thing each day. Find something that is either for others or is something unfulfilling (like your daily time wasters – whatever they are for you) and replace it with something you enjoy and will fill your “tank” even a little bit. 2. Take time to be creative Iron less or not at all and create something instead – a scrapbook page, a journal entry, or spend 15 minutes with your camera if you want to be creative. 3. Curb your time on social media Cut out 15-30 minutes of your aimless online time and focus on enjoying something with your full, undivided attention – drink an entire cup of something hot and savour it, sit outside and take in nature and let your heart rate slow down, go for a walk, eat your lunch slowly, or make a phone
call and connect with someone. 4. Rekindle your love for reading If you love to read, but never have time alone when you actually have energy to read, then wake up 15 minutes earlier and read in bed when you can, or maybe create a quiet reading time with your family in the afternoon or evening where everyone reads or looks at picture books for 15 minutes (or more) while you enjoy a chapter of your own book. Kids can learn to be with you without needing your 100% attention for 15-plus minutes. 5. Early lights out Shut down all technology 30 minutes early and do something you have been missing lately – a warm bath, some exercise, draw, write a blog post, listen to music, have a chat with your other half over a glass of wine, get extra sleep. 6. Develop a 15-minute ‘me-time’ habit If you currently spend no (or little) time on yourself start with 15 minutes a day and build from there. Ask yourself what you need most and honour that. If you need or want something that requires more time then make it a priority and find a way. Consider swapping babysitting time with another mum, clear dates in advance with your family and mark your time in bold red letters on the calendar. Me time can be alone or with others, the key is to spend time focused on yourself however you need it. Jody Allen is the founder of Stay At Home Mum: www.stayat homemum.com.au
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P ROD UC TS
Say I love you with a cushion
Saturday, February 13, 2016
: Lover Cushion, $109,
: Kiss Hug Cushion, $15,
: Love Cushion, $10,
Pony Rider, www.ponyrider.com.au
Target, www.target.com.au
Kmart, www.kmart.com.au Weekend
PAGE 15
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Weekend
g ard en
MAKES SCENTS: Roses make a beautiful gift for Valentine’s Day and they are a breeze to look after.
+
IN MY GARDEN
with Angie Th oma s
Say it with roses THE JUNGLE EFFECT IS AMPLIFIED BY MASS PLANTINGS ON THE UPPER LEVELS
: Hotel lobby guests enjoy a coffee in a lush, tropical garden atmosphere.
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
+ Tropical Canberra? Ye s, t h i s e x o t i c g a rde n ’ s in a n at rium i n a h otel l ob by .
G REEN THU M B wi th M a re e Cu r ra n
I
’M SITTING here enjoying a morning coffee in a lush, tropical garden. I do find myself taking time out in garden settings whenever I can, so there is nothing unusual about this, and I usually wouldn’t mention it. But this time it’s a bit odd, because I’m in a hotel lobby. In Canberra. It’s an atrium, really, in the centre of the hotel. The roof is white, and my guess is that it provides about 50%-80% shade. It’s bright and airy. It must be heated in winter or most of the plants in here would not survive Canberra’s bitter cold. The gardens are created using a combination of large, round planters as well as ground-level plantings. The planters are constructed of what looks like a roughish concrete, painted a rich charcoal colour to complement the dark grey stone-effect floor tiles. The jungle effect is amplified by mass plantings on the surrounding upper levels. As a gardener, I’m always interested in observing how plants are used, how they perform in different conditions, what works well together. Here, the upper storey is provided by several different types of palms, and a couple of bunya pines. There are some magnificent clumps of rhapis palms – the largest is about four metres tall and two metres wide. It fills one of the large
raised beds, and is just beautiful in its simplicity. There are also some kentia palms and a couple of giant strelitzia. There is what looks like a very tall bangalow palm in one of the beds, but I fear its time here is limited because it has almost reached the roof. In the middle storey there are smaller palms as well as a few tree ferns, some small fiddle leaf figs, strelitzia reginae (bird of paradise), philodendron Xanadu, ctenanthe, aglonoemas, and the broad, deep green leaves of dracaena Janet Craig. Groundcovers include ficus pumila (creeping fig), pothos, and, the biggest surprise, tradescantia. You probably know it as wandering jew (a dreadful name), that plant that we gardeners in tropical and sub-tropical gardens view as a terrible weed. Here, it looks just gorgeous. This is very much a foliage garden, but it is by no means boring, thanks to plenty of variation in foliage texture and colour, as well as form and growth habit. The colour scheme is quite muted, relying primarily on different shades of green, with some accents provided by variegation. It’s easy to get seduced by the beauty of flowers, and build gardens that rely on them. But this garden demonstrates how showcasing foliage can create a garden that is interesting all year, not just for the few months that a plant is in flower. Got a gardening question? Email maree@edenatbyron.com.au.
: A scented rose makes a great Valentine’s gift. PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
A POTTED scented rose makes a beautiful gift for Valentine’s Day and will last for years. Here are some tips for caring for your potted rose (to keep your Valentine happy): : Liquid fertilisers are an excellent way to feed potted roses. When used each week they provide a regular supply of nutrients to help keep roses flourishing. Potassium-fortified Yates Thrive Roses and Flowers Liquid Plant Food provides the right combination of nutrients to promote healthy foliage and encourage lots of gorgeous flowers. : Trim spent flowers from roses. This will help keep the plant tidy and promote more flowers. : Keep an eye out for pests and diseases, which can ruin both leaves and flowers. A quick spray of ready to use Rose Gun Advanced will control the most common insect pests and diseases on roses. : Potted roses can dry out quickly in hot summer weather, so make sure you water them regularly. The best way to see whether they have enough moisture is to lightly scratch into the surface with your finger. If the potting mix feels moist and some sticks to your finger, leave watering for another day or two. If it feels dry or dusty, it’s time to give the rose a drink. Did you prune your garden roses in January? The flush of lovely fresh leaf growth and flower buds that a summer prune will encourage can also attract sap-sucking pests like aphids. Aphids are easy to control with a quick spray of Rose Gun Advanced, which targets the aphids you can see as well as the aphids that are hiding in among the leaves and stems. Angie Thomas is expert horticulturist from Yates
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P ROD UC TS
You’ve got mail
ALL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FROM BUNNINGS
Weekend
: The Elite Centric Rust Pillar Letterbox is geometric in style and has the appearance of weathered steel, RRP $275
: The Hugo pillar mailbox is manu-
: This Elite Letterbox is made from
: The Pakman Parcel Delivery Box
factured from 304 stainless steel for maximum durability against rust and corrosion, RRP $410.
lightweight GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) to suit most modern home facades.
comes in white, sand and charcoal colours, RRP $69. Saturday, February 13, 2016
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Weekend
s t uff
+ Leave the pub out of public policy ideas
+
GADGETS
with Geoff Egan
W hy r u i n a g o o d s e s s i o n w i t h s o m e p o l i t i c i a n ’ s l ate st b ra i n b u b b l e ?
‘‘
.
O N A L I G H T E R N OT E w i th G re g B ray
O
VER the years I’ve spent a little bit of time in pubs, purely for research purposes, of course. So when I hear a TV or radio commentator attack some politician’s latest brain bubble with the statement, “This wouldn’t pass the pub test!” I always wonder where these clowns drink. My last conversation in a pub was a witty debate about who was the funniest comic from the 1970s, Dave Allen or Paul Hogan. Although things went rapidly downhill when some eavesdropping drongo demanded it was Ugly Dave Gray. Occasionally, a political topic will rear its head, but before things turn nasty we’ll quickly agree that they’re all a bunch of crooks, then start squabbling about whose shout it is. Look, I’m not saying we don’t discuss matters of high import, but it depends on who you’re talking to, what time of day it is and how much they’ve had to drink. But politics is one of several topics I usually try to steer clear of, because generally I go to the pub to get away from this sort of thing, i.e. reality. Still, when the mood takes me, I’m a great listener, particularly if someone’s happy to pay for the drinks while
+
G ADGET REVI E W
with Geoff Egan
Smart strap on the way
Fra nk ly, I’ m no t kee n o n t he ‘ pub test ’ be ing use d t o pr e ssure po lit ic ia ns int o fo r m ing , o r c ha ng ing , public po lic y. P e r so na lly, I’ d pr e fe r t he o pinio ns o f fo lk no t a ddic te d t o a lc o ho l, g a m bling . . . chewing on my ear. As a result I’ve heard some interesting political views, some of which have made Clive Palmer sound like the voice of reason. Frankly, I’m not keen on the “pub test” being used to pressure politicians into forming, or changing, public policy. Personally, I’d prefer the opinions of folk not addicted to alcohol, gambling and bumming cigarettes. Still, I may be hanging out at the wrong pubs and perhaps it’s time I dusted off my good thongs and sampled the conversations at some different watering holes. Purely in the interests of research, of course. Greg Bray blogs at www.gregbraywriter.wordpress.com. Find him on Facebook: Greg Bray – Writer.
: CONNECTING a thermometer to your phone might not seem like a natural fit but the Flo uses smart technology to give precise readings and help track temperatures. Preorder on Kickstart from $20.
: THE Fitbit Alta is sleeker and more fashion oriented than previous fitness devices. Designed to be more like jewellery than a gadget the Alta still provides the same fitness tracking information you expect. Price $199.95.
SMART MONEY: NFC technology in the strap lets you pay without pulling out your phone or credit card.
PEBBLE has managed to last in the smart watch market despite tech giants like Apple and Samsung getting involved. The Pagare Smart Strap is a third party addition to the Pebble Time watch which adds contactless payments to the Pebble Time. Although Australia is not one of the first places the Smart Strap will be shipped the developers have promised negotiations with banks are ongoing. Preorder on Kickstarter from $69.
: BIKE helmets are a impossible to store. But the Headkayse is a foldable foam helmet that promises to provide better protection than existing designs. Preorder on Indiegogo from $130.
IS THE FAMILY HAPPY WITH THE WEEKLY MEALS? Have you run out of ideas? For inspiration make sure you get Wednesday’s QT for four pages of Easy Eating family meal ideas...one local to another
www.qt.com.au PRINT | ONLINE | MOBILE | SOCIAL Saturday, February 13, 2016
Weekend
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you
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+ From emergency with love
Putting pen to paper... now that’s a novel idea .
W H Y N OT T RY
w i th Reb ecc a G a l l e h aw k “I WROTE to you every day for a year!” Noah yells to Allie as they rekindled their love in my favourite movie, The Notebook. Writing letters seems so obscure these days in a technology driven society. When I was 13, I would write and post letters to my friend after she moved away. I’d eagerly check the mailbox to find that I’d been sent a letter in return. Now 22, all I get is bills, junk mail, and the occasional online present I buy myself. It seems txhat in 2016 snail mail has lost its cool. But why? As my Valentine is away this year, I was considering what I could do to surprise him through the distance. I decided to post a letter, snail-mail style. It seems that I’m not the only person who still likes the idea. Pilot Pen Australia this week revealed 80% of people consider a love letter a romantic and thoughtful gift. Pen to paper is a bit scratchy and you soon realise how dependent we have become on digital technology. It’s hard to believe that I have lost some of the essential skills of writing. I have to buy an envelope, because I don’t own any. And I have to find some stamps before I slip it into the big red box. Stamps have recently increased to $1 too, so it wouldn’t be affordable for Noah to post every day for a year in real life. I’ll probably have a Skype dinner date with my partner tomorrow too, but in true, old-school romance, I hope he smiles from the surprise of the handcrafted letter that arrives in his mailbox, probably on Monday. Snail mail takes its sweet time, so unless you posted one during the week, your letter won’t get there tomorrow. You can always hand deliver it, hide it in a little place they’ll find, or sneak it in their mailbox yourself. And finally, a note from myself as a hopeless romantic: a love letter has a place in any day.
: Win a heart with an old-fashioned love letter. PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
P l ay i t s a f e a n d l ove you j u st t h e way you a r e .
B ET W E E N T H E S H E ETS w i th Hel e n H aw ke s
I
HAVE a true confession. I self-harm for sex. Recently I had to have a contact lens removed from my eye socket after I failed to extract the thing myself after a hot date. I was too vain to wear my glasses. Consequently I spent three weeks suspecting I had something in my eye. I did. That little sucker was jammed right in there and it wasn’t coming out anytime soon. When I went from brunette to blonde – blondes have more fun – my scalp was so pink from the bleach that I needed to apply soothing cream for two days. I still love being blonde and don’t intend going back even if it hurts. Men are nicer to me. A week or two ago I twisted my ankle on my bike while trying out a new regime that promised to reshape my thighs. It certainly reshaped my ankle. I spent three hours in Accident and Emergency, getting it x-rayed and strapped. Other I-hope-I-get-more-sex injuries include hot wax on my underarms, laser burns to my face and sunburn on my bottom. I suspect that when I stop being interested in the opposite sex, my life will be much less eventful. I offer up these tales as words of caution, if you have been considering doing something “special” for Valentine’s Day. A canvas of friends and acquaintances who shall remain unnamed, although my brother-in-law is one of them, reveals that shaving and waxing what we’ll call the Garden of Eden still remains a very popular why-don’t-I-freshen-the-relationship-up-a-bit technique. Usually it results in nicks to small arteries or some kind of allergic rash. That being the case I would suggest February 14 is not the time to get a Brazilian for the first time, or to have everything lasered. I would also recommend against any untried cosmetic procedure, such as Botox or fillers, to give you that “fresh” look before a romantic dinner. You simply never know what could go wrong and better to experiment in a
less-pressured time frame. A sudden fitness effort, or a determination to master all positions in the Joy of Sex, is also a good way to keep the osteopath or physiotherapist in business if you’re not 21 anymore. I remember my boss arriving, after a weekend camping with the new boyfriend, in a particularly bad way. Pole dancing can have the same effect. So, this Valentine’s Day, play it safe in more ways than one. Buy a new dress, sure, or a nice shirt. But, when it comes to your body, love yourself just the way you are. Accident and emergency is busy enough and do you really want those interns telling dinner party stories about you long after you have been bandaged and sedated?
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
RACING TO BE A WINNER Earn some extra cash from our handy 8-page race liftout every Friday ...one local to another
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Saturday, February 13, 2016
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Weekend
s c reen life THE HAUNTING: 45 Years is an intimate portrait of a marriage shaken to its core by things left unsaid.
45 Years
: Stars: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James, Dolly Wells. : Director: Andrew Haigh : Rating: M : Reviewer’s last word: This slowly paced, understated and very British film is an interesting story about the effects of things left unsaid and features nuanced performances from its two stars.
Star Profile: Charlotte Rampling : Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling in a scene from the movie 45 Years.
: Quirky fact: The British rock band Kinky Machine wrote a song about her, simply called Charlotte Rampling. It includes the line “I always wanted to be your trampoline.” : Best known for: Broadchurch, The Eye of the Storm, Swimming Pool. : If you like this movie you’ll like these: Carol, Trumbo, Brooklyn, Youth. : Quote: “I think you have to earn beauty. You can use it or abuse it however you want when you’re young. It’s a God-given gift … have fun, but don’t be obsessed with it.”
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
+ When silence divides W hat happ e n s wh e n t h e g h o st of a n uns poken l over comes to v i s it? .
S C R E EN LIFE
wi th S e a n n a C ro n i n
D
IRECTOR Andrew Haigh embraces melancholy in his latest film 45 Years. The acclaimed film, which scooped Best Actor and Best Actress on its debut at the Berlin International Film Festival, is an intimate portrait of a marriage shaken to its core by things left unspoken. The drama follows Geoff (Tom Courtenay) and Kate (Charlotte Rampling) as unexpected news threatens the preparation of their 45th wedding anniversary party. One week before the celebration a letter arrives for Geoff containing news that the body of his first love has been discovered in the icy glaciers of the Swiss Alps. Kate continues to prepare for the party, but she becomes increasingly concerned by Geoff’s preoccupation with the
letter and the startling revelations about his former life. The film shatters the idyllic picture many of us have of the assumed bliss that comes from a long marriage. “I’m all for melancholy; it’s the British way,” Haigh tells Weekend. “I’ve been spending a lot of time in America, where melancholy has a negative connotation. In Britain we understand the nature of melancholy. It has a kind of sweet sadness about it, almost like you’re sad about the possibility of something or what could have been and hasn’t been. “It’s very much part of the British psyche, but it’s very different than misery.” Kate is the driver of the film, which is told from her perspective rather than her husband’s, as in the short story Haigh adapted into a feature film. Rampling is nominated for an Oscar for her nuanced performance as Kate, whose life, as Haigh puts it, has been thrown into “quiet chaos”. “Someone staring out a window doesn’t mean anything
without something going on in their head, and Charlotte’s good at drawing the camera closer and into her,” he says. “Even if you can’t fully articulate what she’s feeling, she’s definitely feeling things. “Kate’s afraid if she vocalises how she feels, if she talks to her friends about it, that she doesn’t know what’s going to happen. She’s afraid of releasing it into the world and she tries hard to forget about it and move on.” Haigh likens the effect of Geoff’s former lover on their relationship to a ghost story. “I saw it like a haunting by a woman who’s long dead. She’s not a threat but she still seems to be there affecting both of them,” he says. “It’s like a thriller but in a very minor key. She’s trying to piece together the pieces very gently and he’s revealing things and not revealing things.” The film’s success has taken Haigh’s career to the next level. Recently wrapping up his work on HBO’s TV series Looking, he plans to shoot his next film in Portland. 45 Years opens at limited cinemas on Thursday, with a wider release on March 10.
YOUR WEEK’S TV NEWS Your guide to what’s on the box every Thursday in The QT ...one local to another
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Weekend
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Weekend
relax
+ Death’s legacy of life + A f u n ny, c o m p e l l i n g a n d h e a r t b r e a k i n g r e a d
EDITOR’S PICK: Whip up fresh, nutritious and simple family meals from the pages of Real Delicious.
F OODIE FAVO U R IT ES with Kiri ten Dolle
Real Delicious
R EV I E W by Reb ecc a G a l l e h aw k
By Chrissy Freer: A beautifully-presented cookbook that makes your mouth water just looking at it. It contains more than 100 healthy, wholefood recipes and best of all, they’re easy. You’ll never be stuck for dinner ideas again.
E
VEN in their darkest days bestselling romance authors Amy Andrews and Ros Baxter still found light in the pain of their mother’s breast cancer. A couple of years after she passed away, the time and distance gave the sisters a new perspective that inspired them to write their latest novel, Numbered. The novel follows the story of Poppy Devine, a mathematician and many-time loser in love, as told through the eyes of her boyfriend Quentin and best friend Julia. They begin to navigate an emotional journey when Poppy is diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. Poppy aspires to cross off her old bucket list and start living, turning her energy into determination. The list includes travels through Paris, Italy and Tuscany and sleeping in glass igloos under the Northern Lights – adventures both Amy and Ros have aspired to do themselves. The novel doesn’t shy away from raw emotions, making the reader feel sadness, anger, love and laughter. This is articulated through the authors’ own personalities imbedded into their characters. Ros said she enjoyed writing the voice of character Quentin. He is much like a male version of herself.Julia’s sassy and devoted character is a combination of Amy and their mother. They draw on their mother’s favourite quotes and sayings in Julia’s personality, creating a personal memoir to their mother, who was always their inspiration. The pair said writing Numbered together was almost like reading a new book itself. The plot was planned, but as they alternated sending each other their continued character chapters, the book began to grow and find its own voice. Numbered is a novel about living. An inspirational journey about life, it makes you think about what would you do if your days were numbered.
Eat Right For Your Shape
By Lee Holmes: The ancient Indian healing system of Ayurveda is about living in harmony – mind, body and spirit. Find practical advice to eating for your own ‘dosha’, or shape. It also includes yoga and breathing exercises.
Blood Sugar: Healthy Meals
: Numbered is by Amy Andrews and Ros Baxter, published by Harlequin Mira, rrp $29.99, available from bookstores and PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED online.
Ros and Amy’s top romantic bucket list escapes
: Numbered authors Ros Baxter and Amy Andrews.
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R EV I E W
N EW ON DV D
The Martian
WHAT do you do when help is 140 million miles away? Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is on a manned mission to Mars when he is left behind. He must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
by B a r b a ra S e a l ey
Hester and Harriet by Hilary Spiers WHO would you expect to find in an English country village? Probably a vicar, a publican and a community organiser. Not in this tale. We are first introduced to two elderly widowed sisters, Hester and Harriet, and, as we proceed, we meet some rather dull cousins, their son who is everything but dull, a lost girl with an intriguing story, her baby and the investigator who is searching for her. The village bus shelter houses a classically educated homeless man, who enjoys the odd tipple and further Weekend
: An overwater bungalow at Bora Bora : Sunrise at Uluru : A gondola ride in Venice : Staring up at the Northern Lights from a luxurious glass igloo : Staring out over the rooftops and sparkling Mediterranean Sea in Mykonos : A hot air balloon ride over the pyramids in Egypt : Sleeping under the stars on the roof of a 4WD in the middle of nowhere : A freshly prepared local meal, sipping wine and overlooking a vineyard in Tuscany
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By Michael Moore: Diabetes needn’t leave you stuck in a gastronomic wilderness. Renowned chef Michael Moore’s recipes balance ingredients to maintain health without compromising taste.
flavouring comes from a handful of other characters. Add to this mysterious and dark happenings in the village and you have Hester and Harriet. Spiers has created a lovely holiday or weekend read here with smart, funny and quirky main characters who go on a journey of discovering things they didn’t even realise were missing from their lives. This is an easy, entertaining read perfect for long summer days or that rainy Saturday afternoon.
: Hester and Harriet by Hilary Spiers, rrp $29.99, is published by Allen & Unwin and available from book stores and online. Saturday, February 13, 2016
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Weekend
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min d
+ Say ‘I love you’
TEST YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Quiz compiled by Roy O’Reilly.
M I N D YOU
QU I Z
1. Beginning with “s”, the name of which Japanese food means “sour-tasting”?
w i th Rowen a H a rdy
T i m e i s s h o r t : te l l t h e m e ve r y c h a n c e you g e t
2. Did New South Wales or Western Australia win the 2015-16 Matador Cup for interstate one-day cricket? 3. Who said he would pay for the marble top of a table damaged during a party in his parliament house office on the night Malcolm Turnbull became prime minister? 4. Is the colour of the circle on the Aboriginal flag black or yellow? 5. Last year, Ahmed Fahour, the CEO of Australia Post, refused a bonus of (a) $29,000 (b) $290,000 (c) $2.9 million? 6. In 1994, who succeeded FW de Klerk as president of South Africa? 7. Boomahnoomoonah is in which Australian state/territory? 8. Last year, which former federal Labor minister described Kevin Rudd as a “megalomaniac”? 9. “I want to be your sledgehammer. Why don’t you call my name?” are lyrics from which song? 10. Three popes held office during which year of the 20th century? 11. From 1982 to 1992, did Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy play for the Brisbane Broncos or Canberra Raiders? 12. Which type of rock is slate (a) igneous (b) metamorphic (c) sedimentary? 13. Which South African double-amputee Olympic runner was last year released from prison and put under house arrest? 14. A Dutch-led, multi-national investigation found that which airline’s flight MH17 was shot down by a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile in 2014? 15. In 1888, was serial killer Jack the Ripper active in London or New York? 16. How old is Malcolm Turnbull? 17. Who won the 2015 Australian MotoGP? 18. Name the smallest planet in the solar system. 19. Baldwin Street, reputedly the world’s steepest residential street, is in which New Zealand city? 20. The name of which Adelaide beachside suburb is a palindrome? 21. The Bank of Sweden funds which major international award “in perpetuity” from an endowment established in 1968? 22. “The Clockwork Orange” is the nickname of the underground railway in which British city? 23. Name the host of this year’s Oscars.
: None of us is ever aware of when we will have our last conversation with the people we love.
I
F ALL of the cards, flowers and gift suggestions everywhere you go are not enough of a reminder (it can be hard to escape!) you may still not realise that it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow. If this is news to you and you have a current partner then you still have time to do something lovely for them. For me, while respecting that it’s everyone’s choice to celebrate certain days, holy or otherwise, I think it’s a shame that we have to nominate a particular day to do that. So let’s talk about love. My husband has taught me to tell those I love that I love them and not just as a mumbled one-off but on a regular basis. I was beyond grateful for this guidance when I decided to follow Nick’s lead and close every phone call and conversation with my parents who lived in the UK with “I love you”. Up until then I don’t think they had ever actually told me they loved me directly, although I knew they did and they both showed their love in different ways. Mum would shower us with gifts and dad was the hugger and listener. You may have experienced something similar. Some months after starting this new approach I started to get “I love you too” back, first from one and then from the other and it came both as a surprise and a delight. I can only guess how uncomfortable that was for my parents having grown up in the era they did, particularly with strict and detached parents in my mum’s case, and yet once
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
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I c a n o n ly gu es s h ow u n c o mf o r t a b l e t h at was f o r my p a r en t s . . . they said it they seemed to become more comfortable. I’ve now started to do the same with my sisters who are also overseas. And over the years I have come to believe that with love there is no “sometimes” or “this much”. You either love someone or you don’t. Sometimes it may not feel like love because we disagree with them, dislike that thing they do or get embarrassed by certain behaviour but to me that’s what real love is. Loving someone and accepting them just as they are, every day, unconditionally and that can be challenging at times. I’m grateful to Nick because those I love know that I love them and when my parents passed away, even though I didn’t get to be there with them at the end, I knew they knew too. None of us is ever aware of when we will have our last conversation with the people we love or they with us. So even though it may not come naturally and feel awkward to begin with, tell them you love them; tell them today; tell them every day. What are you waiting for? Rowena Hardy is a facilitator, performance coach and partner of Minds Aligned: www.mindsaligned.com.au
NEXT SATURDAY IN WEEKEND
24. Which 1889 Auguste Rodin sculpture commemorates the six leading citizens of Calais who offered their lives to England’s King Edward III in 1347 in return for sparing the city? 25. Beginning with “s”, what is the term for the Hindu practice of the burning to death of a widow on her husband’s funeral pyre?
ANSWERS
1. Sushi. 2. New South Wales. 3. Tony Abbott. 4. Yellow. 5. (c) $2.9 million. 6. Nelson Mandela. 7. Victoria. 8. Peter Garrett. 9. Sledgehammer. 10. 1978. 11. Canberra Raiders. 12. (b) metamorphic. 13. Oscar Pistorius. 14. Malaysian Airlines. 15. London. 16. 61. 17. Marc Marquez. 18. Mercury. 19. Dunedin. 20. Glenelg. 21. Nobel Prize for Economics. 22. Glasgow. 23. Chris Rock. 24. The Burghers of Calais. 25. Sati. (suttee).
Saturday, February 13, 2016
+ SCREEN LIFE //
T he Coen brothers g o to Hol ly woo d i n Hai l , C aesar!
+ EASY EATING //
He l p save th e pl a ne t. Me at-f re e Mond ay m a d e e a sy.
Weekend