WEEKEND 07-11-2015

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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

CLOSET: What’s the best swimsuit for your body shape?

+

HOPELESSLY DEVOTED O l i va Ne w ton -John talk s life, l ove an d g ivin g bac k

+ TRAVEL //

R id e a “delu xe c a rava n o n water ” in so u t her n F ra nc e

Weekend

+ SCREEN LIFE //

Does Spectre l i ve up to i t s Bond predecessors?

+ EASY EATING // D a n a nd S te ph ’ s i d e a l d ate-ni gh t on a pl ate

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welcome // in s id e to d ay

Still hopelessly devoted to Olivia Newton-John WEEKEND EDITOR Kir i te n Do l l e

T

HERE’S no stopping Olivia Newton-John. At 67 she’s busier than ever.

For the first time in more than two decades, the four-time Grammy Award winner is back in the music charts, only this time with daughter Chloe Lattanzi in a dance re-mix of her ‘80s hit, Magic.

Inside today, ONJ chats exclusively with Tracey Hordern following a recent trip back to Australia with husband John Easterling. While the pair currently live in Florida, with ONJ performing regular shows in Las Vegas, she still regards Australia as ‘home’.

While it may be 37 years since she pulled on the leathers as Sandy in Grease, our English-born Aussie sweetheart is as effervescent about life and looking as fabulous as ever.

Her latest chapter is all about “giving back” through her efforts with Melbourne’s Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness Centre and other philanthropic endeavours. It’s no wonder Australia is hopelessly devoted to ONJ. Also inside today, Ayden and Jess show you how to bring new life to your deck in time for summer.

Plus, it’s Dan and Steph’s sixth wedding anniversary today – happy anniversary! Our kitchen stars share a special date-night recipe inside today, which would go down well with the shiraz Regan Drew says tastes like Kit-Kats – yum!

Have a fabulous weekend.

READ WEEKEND’S EXCLUSIVE CHAT WITH OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN INSIDE

SCREEN LIFE

MAKE

+ inside today READ // Olivia Newton-John talks about

making the music charts for the first time in 23 years.

FIONNULA AND FRANKIE // Will

Frankie get away with her great escape?

And can Fionnula muster up the courage to ask Jim from the Gym on a date?

READ // Les Mis returns to QPAC for the first time in 16 years.

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.

EASY EATING

EASY EATING // Discover the taste of

summer: melt-in-your-mouth blueberry popsicles.

TRAVEL // Enjoy breakfast with the birds in Far North Queensland.

CLOSET // Find the best swimsuit for your body shape.

YOU // Hold the fork, three diet myths busted.

SCREEN LIFE // Can Daniel Craig push the James Bond franchise to new heights?

MIND // Is it time to stop running away from yourself ?

: ON THE COVER: Olivia Newton-John. Photo: AAP/Murdoch Books. : CREATIVE: Jen Gourley 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, Ayden Hogan, Helen Hawkes, Greg Bray, John Grey, 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.

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+ Olivia’s found her happy place A t 67, O l i v i a New t o n - Jo h n h a s a f ul l l i f e p e r f o r m i n g i n L a s Veg a s, i s b a c k o n t h e c h a r t s w i t h h e r d au g h te r a n d i s g i v i n g b a c k t o h e l p t h o s e w i t h c a n c e r, a s Tra cey Horde r n f i n d s o u t .

O

LIVIA Newton-John is at a wonderful stage in her life.

The 67-year-old recently returned to her “heart home” in Byron Bay from Florida where she is currently based. Accompanying her was her husband, “Amazon John” Easterling, a successful importer of Amazonian herbal medicines.

“It’s our home away from home,” Olivia says of Gaia, the Northern Rivers health retreat she co-owns.

“Whenever I am in Australia I always have to make some down time there for me; five days there is like a month’s holiday, reconnecting with the land and the spirit of mother earth.”

For the first time in more than 20 years, Olivia’s also back in the billboard charts. The remixed version of her ’80s hit song Magic, recorded with her daughter Chloe Lattanzi and called You Have to Believe, is No. 2 on Billboard’s dance club charts this week.

Olivia has found her happy place. “I’m so blessed to have had such a long and amazing career. Not only do I get to do what I love, but (laughing) people are still showing up to see me!” she says, acknowledging her role as Sandy in Grease as a game-changer.

“Grease is (still) such a big part of my life. It’s wonderful to see how that film finds a new audience with every generation – I have everyone from grandmothers to their granddaughters in the audience every night.”

When the English-born Aussie sweetheart is not performing shows in Las Vegas, she’s deeply involved with her other philanthropic pursuits and passions, including Austin Hospital’s Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre (ONJCWC) in Heidelberg, Victoria, which she established after surviving a breast cancer diagnosis in 1992.

Q: From the many philanthropic endeavours you are involved in, would you describe this chapter of your life as one of giving back?

A: I would say as you grow older and wiser you feel the need to give back even more. Philanthropic endeavours have always been very important to me. Even as a young girl growing up in Melbourne, I was involved in animal causes, and during my life, saving the forests and dolphins and whales. Of course now, my ONJ Cancer and Wellness Centre – that I am so proud bears my name – in Melbourne is a primary cause and passion. I think everyone needs to find something they are passionate about and do what they can to give back – as often as they can.

Q: Like most of us, you’ve experienced your share of life’s ups and downs, but better than most you seemed to have turned your tougher times into positive outcomes – from breast cancer survivor to spearheading a dedicated hospital (ONJCWC) and co-creating Gaia Retreat & Spa. What was your motivation?

: Gaia business partners Gregg Cave and Olivia Newton-John: they saw a for sale sign and decided to have a look.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

A: The Austin (Hospital) approached me about lending my name to a new comprehensive cancer centre. After seeing the state the old cancer wards were in, I knew I had to help. It was a huge undertaking. I was unsure, so I asked my mum what she thought and she said: “Darling, if this will help people you should do it.” That was it!

During my own breast cancer journey back in 1992 I had the luxury of access to adjunctive therapies, so it was important for me to have a wellness centre on the hospital grounds so that everyone at the hospital could have access to the wellness programs. That became my passion. I am thrilled that in addition to state-of-the-art cancer treatments in the Cancer Centre, the Wellness Centre provides so many other wonderful programs to help heal the whole person, body, mind and spirit – from music and art therapies to acupuncture, oncological massage and more.

For Gaia, the conception is also connected to my mum. She had loved the Byron Bay area (as did I) and, after she passed away, my friend Gregg Cave and I were driving around the area and saw a for sale sign so we decided to look at the property. We both had a vision – a dream actually – to turn it into a place for our friends to gather and relax. Now it has surpassed both our dreams and has become an award-winning healing retreat.

Q: You are such a loved personality worldwide – and have been since the beginning of your career. Why do you think that is?

A: I am not sure really but I have to go back to my mum and my family. She instilled a real sense of self and respect and love for others and the world around you, which is what is really important in life. So I knew how important it was when I started to have some success to not get caught up in all of that fame and celebrity but just be that girl my parents raised.

Q: You perform regularly in Las Vegas, one of the most competitive entertainment precincts in the world. What keeps your audiences coming back? What keeps you motivated to continuously perform?

A: I’m lucky, aren’t I? (Laughing.) I think that I’ve been very lucky to have had some wonderful songs throughout my career, from the country beginnings to today. Grease of course was a huge film. So with that and my other films, and the great songs thanks to amazing songwriters in my life like John Farrar, Steve Kipner and Peter Allen – all Aussies by the way – that keeps them coming back. My motivation is easy: every night when I am on stage, I know that in addition to singing for my amazingly supportive fans, a portion of every ticket sold, thanks to Caesars and the Flamingo, is donated to my Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne. So every night me and my audience are helping someone going through the cancer journey.

Q: How important is Gaia to you and how much involvement do you have in the venture?

A: I am still very much involved in Gaia and its development and evolution. Gregg and I found the property over 12 years ago and it holds a very special place in both our hearts, along with our other directors, Ruth Kalnin and Warwick Evans. On my last visit in September we signed off on some very exciting ventures, especially with the release of our own certified organic skincare range, Retreatment.

Q: Gaia recently won The World Spa Awards for Best Oceanic Day Spa and the World’s Best Day Spa. How does that make you feel?

A: Winning these awards makes all of us feel very proud, knowing we have a brilliant team at Gaia – a team of healers, chefs and staff who consistently come to work with heart. It does raise the bar and put the pressure on every one of us, but in these exciting moments one should always stay grounded. Remember the importance of always going back to basics, be a leader not a follower and stay true to delivering an authentic spa experience – that is something we do well.

Q: For most women, aging can be tough, there’s pressure – especially in the entertainment industry – to maintain youthful looks at any cost. What are your tips to feeling and looking your best?

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Weekend

GREASE IS THE WORD: The film finds a new audience for Olivia with every generation.

: Olivia’s home away from home is Gaia, a Northern Rivers health retreat she co-owns.

A: My tips are pretty easy. I am very aware of what I put in (and on) my body so I try to do as much organic foods and skin care as possible. I also exercise every day – either going for a hike with my husband and dog or playing tennis – I just make it a point to get out in nature at least once a day. I also love to feel the sun on my face for about 10 minutes if I can – it’s a great source of vitamin D. As for my skincare regimen – as I mentioned, our certified organic skincare range at Gaia, Retreatment, keeps my skin feeling wonderful. Aging is inevitable , so you need to have love and laughter in your life – your inner happiness is what shows most of all, and I am the happiest I have ever been at this time in my life.

Q: What are you genuinely passionate about today?

A: I’m passionate about many things. In addition to my wonderful husband John, and daughter Chloe, my animals and friends – wellness is my passion. I think if we took the time to focus more on our wellness we would have less issues with illness and disease and the like. I also continue to be passionate about our planet and all animal life. We need to take care of the world we live in – it’s the only one we have so we have to cherish and protect it.

Q: What really makes you laugh?

A: I love to laugh and there is humour in every situation if you want to see it. Laughter keeps you young. My daughter is very funny and always entertains me – I love Ron White too.

So many things make me laugh but, probably when I do something silly – that is just, well silly. You have to be able to

Weekend

‘‘

I love t o lau g h a nd t he r e is hu m o ur in e ve r y sit uat io n if yo u wa nt t o se e it . Lau g hte r kee ps yo u yo u ng . laugh at yourself.

Q: When you’re not performing or helping to raise funds or awareness for your dedicated causes, how do you like to spend your time?

A: That’s easy. Just relaxing at home with my husband and animals and, spending time with my friends, my daughter and her fiancé James, and my grand dogs Peanut and Jelly.

Q: Do you consider yourself Australian? And are you still friends with Johnny Farnham and other Australian entertainers you grew up with?

A: Australia is my “heart home” and I love every minute I get to be back here. As for Farnsie, yes, we are great mates.

He was a guest at my ONJ Gala for my hospital last year and then turned into a wonderful tour that we did earlier this year, Two Strong Hearts. I’m thrilled that the CD debuted at number one and the DVD has been number seven for seven weeks – oh, and we just got an Aria Award nomination. Some other close mates include Barry Gibb, and he too just supported the ONJCWC by being our guest star at this year’s gala. It was a

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

magical night that raised a lot of funds for the ONJCWC. Q: You very much blazed the trail for Australian actors and entertainers to try their luck in the US – was it very hard at the time?

A: It was different – not sure if I would say it was hard as I didn’t know any different. I had so much fun! Since there really weren’t that many other Aussies who had a lot of success in the USA, except possibly Helen Reddy, it was more about the wonderful songs and producers that I had early on in my career. If you had told me when I was starting out that I would be recording songs by Aussie writers and producers in London that would be country hits in America I would have never believed it.

Q: You currently have a hit with your daughter Chloe Lattanzi in celebration of the 35th anniversary of Xanadu, putting a hip new spin on the 1980 hit song Magic. How was it collaborating with your daughter and do you see yourself working with her more in the future?

A: I am so excited. Chloe is such a beautiful talented young woman and I am just thrilled to see this song together being such a success. She wrote new verses with Dave Audé and Vassy (another Australian songwriter) and John Farrar let us use the original chorus. It was, pardon the pun, “magic” the way it all came together. And here it is number two on the Billboard Dance Chart. I am so excited – probably more so for Chloe because it’s her first Billboard hit. As for working more together, I hope so – she’s so talented.

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relax

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+ Fionnula urges Frankie to wake up and smell the coffee Sum m er re a d i ng s er i es

It ’ s we e k fo ur o f F i o n n ul a a nd Fra nki e’s C h ristma s C ountdown a nd Fran kie is te stin g t he f r ien dship .

F I O N N U LA AN D F RAN KIE’S C H R I STM AS COU N TDOWN

by An na D a n i e l s

: FIONNULA I’M writing this from an internet café on Sukhumvit Rd, Bangkok. Frankie’s on the computer beside me. Of course Lynnie freaked out when I told her Frankie was in Thailand.

“Don’t shoot the messenger, Lynnie!” I’d said when she gave me a furious look. She’d immediately wanted me to down tools and bring Frankie back, but I had two weddings booked in for the Friday, and so I finished the working week, and flew over today.

Truth be known, the salon could have managed without me, but I’d mustered up the courage to ask Jim from the gym out for coffee, and not even Frankie absconding to Bangkok could dissuade me.

I was so proud of myself. On the Wednesday just gone, I gritted my teeth, crossed the bridge to the northside, and headed to Silhouettes, where I found Jim rolling out our yoga mats for the 6pm Abs, Butts and Thighs class.

A group of girls were standing around him, stretching and laughing, and I almost chickened out, but then he turned and saw me and I went straight up to him and said, “Jim from the gym, my friend Frankie has run away to Thailand and I need to bring her back this weekend, but would you like to have coffee with me on my return next Monday at Michel’s Patisserie on the southside?”

He smiled and said, “Jim from the gym? No one’s called me that before.”

I heard some of the girls giggle behind their 10kg weights and could feel myself turning scarlet. But then, just as I was about to leave he said, “I’d love to come, I’ll lock in coffee with you next Monday.”

Then he smiled at me again as if he really meant what he said, and I went so weak at the knees I may as well have done 1000 squat jumps.

By this stage I was too flustered to exercise, so I made some excuse about having to pack for Bangkok, and haven’t seen him since.

So, now you can appreciate the urgency of my quest to bring Frankie back... not only did Lynnie challenge me to do so (I sensed she would have banished me if I’d refused) but I need to get back for my coffee date with Jim!

: FRANKIE I FREAKING love Bangkok. I’m never coming home. I regret that mum and dad were so worried about me, but I’m fine. I have honestly had the best week of my life.

I checked into a hostel on Sukhumvit Rd, and immediately joined forces with Margie and Jess, the two Canadians I found loitering in the foyer.

They were booking a tour of the Patpong area with the hostel’s limousine driver, Chai, and asked if I’d like to come along.

Of course I said yes, and the next thing I knew Chai and Margie and Jess and I were whizzing around the red light district in Chai’s “limousine”, which turned out to be a Hyundai Excel.

I felt such an exhilarating sense of freedom. It was like I was 25 again. And don’t think I didn’t remember mum’s challenge to me last week to get a job.

I’m happy to report I’ve been in and out of all the bars along Sukhumvit Rd this week, and some of the staff even mentioned there could be work.

I know Fionnula came all this way to get me, and that she Saturday, November 7, 2015

has a hot date to get back for with Jim from the gym on Monday, but I honestly think Bangkok could be the answer.

: LYNNIE KEN and I married when we were both 24. We’ll have been together 40 years in January. We have three beautiful children and are now able to plan our trip around Australia. I’d dearly love for Frankie to settle down.

I know she’s felt the lows of loss, but she’s got to get her confidence up again, and jump back into life. Is jumping on a jet to Bangkok the solution?

I suppose only she can answer that.

Clearly she doesn’t want to be here, at home with Ken and I, but to be honest, thank God she has this option. Upon reflection, perhaps the fact that she does know this support’s there is part of the problem.

Maybe if Ken and I weren’t here, she’d be forced to fend for herself and take responsibility for her circumstances. I’d never change the locks of course, but believe me it’s definitely an option if all else fails.

I suppose, if I didn’t have all these dogs (Poppy included, mind you) I might take off on a whim to Thailand too. At least it would get me away from those noisy removal trucks next door. : Next week: Will Fionnula make it back in time for her date with Jim from the gym? And will Frankie ever return from Bangkok? Find out next Saturday. PS You can always catch up online if you’ve missed a week.

This column is brought to you by the travel experts at Flight Centre.

Follow Frankie to Bangkok for four nights’ accommodation at the Sawasdee Sukhumvit Soi 8 hotel including return airfares from Brisbane from $795pp. Call 133 133 or visit http://www.flightcentre.com.au/holidays/bangkok for more details.

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re a d BACKED BY THE BEST: No expense has been spared to give the audience the ultimate theatre experience.

: Simon Gleeson ... at the pinnacle of his career.

: Simon Gleeson, left, and Hayden Tee in a scene from the musical Les Miserables.

PHOTOS: MATT MURPHY

+ Les Mis reworked B e l ove d m u s i c a l r e t u r n s t o Q PA C f o r t h e f i r st t i m e i n 1 6 yea r s S e a n n a C ro n i n

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HE world’s longest-running musical, Les Miserables, makes its long-awaited return to Brisbane next week.

The beloved show returns to QPAC for the first time in 16 years. But this 25th anniversary reworking is quite different to the 10th anniversary shows Queensland theatre-goers might fondly remember.

Cameron Mackintosh’s new and improved production features a reorchestrated score, new costumes and modernised staging including backdrops based on the paintings and drawings of Les Miserables author Victor Hugo.

While the sets may appear simple at first, projections are used extremely effectively in this new Les Mis. A simple change of colour to one of Hugo’s moody

Weekend

landscapes can completely shift the mood of a scene.

Thanks to advances in projection technology the backdrops can also shift to simulate various environments, from the pitch and fro of a ship on the ocean to Jean Valjean’s heroic journey through the sewers of Paris.

“I was really nervous about what they were going to do with it; the original version of the show is very special to me,” actor Simon Gleeson tells Weekend.

It’s a bit of an understatement really, considering Gleeson had memorised every word of Les Mis by the age of 12 and landed his first professional theatre role straight out of WAAPA (the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) in Mackintosh’s 10th anniversary tour.

He now stars as central character Jean Valjean, an ex-prisoner whose life on the run is changed when he adopts a young orphan. In June the 37-year-old won a Helpmann

Award for his performance, which has him on stage for nearly all of the three-hour show.

“I couldn’t believe it when I was offered the role, then I went ‘Oh my God, how the hell am I going to do this?’ ’’ he says.

“Certainly right now it feels like the pinnacle (of my career so far) to be in a show of this size and this particular one because it means so much to so many people.

“To be able to spend that much time with an audience is such a gift.”

The show is also close to the heart of Gleeson’s co-star Hayden Tee, who previously starred as Marius in London.

The New Zealand-born, NIDA-trained actor has also received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Gleeson’s on-stage nemesis Javert, a ruthless policeman who hunts Valjean for decades across France.

“Audiences’ reactions (to Javert) have been fascinating; Perth booed a lot at curtain call,” Tee laughs.

“I never saw him as a villain… he is the antagonist though.

“Like in life, no one’s right or wrong; they’re just doing what they think is best in that moment.”

Gleeson, Tee and their co-star Patrice Tipoki (Fantine) fly overseas next year to star in Mackintosh’s international productions of the new Les Mis. Gleeson will perform in the Manila and Singapore seasons, while Tee is off to New York to play Javert on Broadway.

Tipoki will star as Fantine on London’s West End. It’s likely to be the start of a new chapter in their respective careers: Mackintosh helped to catapult original Les Mis stars Marina Prior and Anthony Warlow to international fame.

“It’s great to feel backed like that; no expense is spared to give the audience the experience they should have,” Gleeson says.

“You know you’re backed by the best sound, the best lighting, the best costumes. You just know you’re in the best version of a show you can be.”

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century revolutionary France, Les Mis spans several decades and through its main and supporting characters explores the universal themes of broken dreams, unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption.

Les Miserables plays QPAC’s Lyric Theatre from Tuesday to January 10, 2016.

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+ THE WEEKEND COOK w i th M a g g i e C o o p e r

ea sy eat in g

+ Add some romance S e r ve u p a d ate n i g h t s p e c i a l .

: Substitute grated apple and pecans if you have no bananas.

PHOTO: MAGGIE COOPER

E AT

wi th D a n a nd Step h M ulheron

F

RUIT bread is the perfect treat to keep in the freezer for unexpected guests. Slice it after cooling and layer the slices with freezer wrap and seal in a bag; that way you can remove one piece or a dozen.

Banana and coconut bread, an old favourite of mine, is simple and versatile. It will keep for ages in the fridge, and can be sliced and frozen for up to three months.

Banana coconut bread

INGREDIENTS: : 2½ cups plain flour : 2 tsp baking powder : 1 tsp ground cinnamon : 1 cup caster sugar : 2 large free-range eggs : 300ml milk : 1½ tsp vanilla essence : 2 cups shredded dried coconut : 2 very ripe bananas, mashed until smooth : 75g unsalted butter, melted : a little icing sugar : extra unsalted butter : marmalade OR maple syrup OR fresh strawberries.

METHOD: Preheat oven to 180C, or 170C if you are using a dark-coloured loaf tin. Grease and flour a 21cm x 10cm loaf tin. Sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Add the caster sugar and make a well in the centre.

Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla and pour into the well in the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in coconut and mashed bananas, then pour in melted butter; mix until just smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin, and bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour. If top starts to brown too much, cover with foil. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes.

Remove from tin, slice and serve sprinkled with a little icing sugar with butter on the side, or cool completely on a wire rack if you are freezing the bread. Serves 8-10 Email Maggie at maggies.column@bigpond.com or check out her blog herebemonstersblog.com

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SHARE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER

: This recipe is from Dan and Steph’s second cookbook Meat & Sweet, which is available from their website.

PHOTO: GLEN DAVID WILSON

Lamb shank with tomato fennel pilaf

INGREDIENTS: Lamb – : 3 tbs of vegetable oil : 4 – 6 lamb shanks : 1 onion, roughly chopped : 3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half : 1 x 4cm large piece of ginger, peeled and grated : 2 x 440g tin of crushed tomatoes : 750ml of dry red wine : 200ml of chicken stock : 4 whole cloves : 2 cardamom pods : 2 tsp of coriander seeds : 1 tsp of cumin seeds : 1 cinnamon stick : 1⁄4 cup of mint leaves, roughly chopped to serve : Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Tomato and fennel pilaf – : 1 cup of long grain basmati rice, soak in cold water for 30mins : 1 onion, finely sliced : ½ green capsicum, finely diced : 4 mushrooms, finely sliced : 1 tomato, diced : 4 tbs oil : 2 cups water : Salt and white pepper. Spice paste - : 1⁄4 cup of coconut oil : 3 cloves of garlic : A pinch of ground cinnamon : 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and grated : 1 1⁄2 tbs of fennel seeds : 3 green chilies : 1 tomato, chopped : Water to blend. Mint yogurt – : 250g of Greek natural yoghurt : ½ bunch of mint.

METHOD: Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. In a casserole dish, heat the oil over medium to high heat on the stove.

Season the lamb with salt and pepper and then place in the casserole dish to cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the onion to the casserole dish and cook until softened (about 7 minutes). Next, add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, followed by the red wine and boil for 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, cloves, cardamom, coriander, cumin and cinnamon and bring back to a boil. Add the lamb shanks and any juices from the plate. Put lid on and place in the oven to braise for 2 hours,

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turning once, until the meat is very tender.

Transfer the lamb to a bowl and cover with foil. Strain the braising liquid into a large pot and skim off any fat. Boil the sauce over high heat until reduced to 2 cups – about 20 minutes – then season with salt and pepper.

Add the lamb to the pot again, cover and simmer over low heat until heated through for about 3 minutes.

Now for the pilaf. In a frypan over medium heat add some oil, then add onions and sauté for about a minute. Add the capsicum and mushroom. Stir and cook on low heat for 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl for later. In a blender, add all the ingredients for the spice paste and using some water, blend into a smooth paste. In a large pot, add the spice paste, the other chopped tomato and salt. Cook for 2 minutes. Add presoaked rice into the pan – stir for a minute. Add 2 cups of water. Cook on high heat until the water begins to boil. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Add the cooked onion and capsicum mix and stir through.

Herbed yogurt: in a mini processor add the mint and 2 tbs of the yogurt. Blitz to form a paste, then stir this through the remaining yogurt. To assemble, serve this dish with a generous amount of pilaf, 1 or 2 shanks on top, spooning over some sauce on to the shanks and then minted yogurt on the side. Serves 4.

Dan and Steph Mulheron won My Kitchen Rules in 2013.

Visit www.danandsteph.com.au or find them on Facebook – Dan & Steph – My Kitchen Rules and Instagram – danandsteph13.

Until the end of 2015, you’ll get a free photograph in your print advertising for all Motoring, Real Estate, Buy & Sell and Notices ads or a free company logo in your Employment print advertising when you book via our online self-service system.

T p st a classified, visit www.finda.c m.au r www.n rt ernstar.c m.au/classifieds

6180862aa

Special treat for visitors

SPECIAL DISH TO

ODAY is our wedding anniversary. How those six years flew past. It’s quite overwhelming to look back at what we have achieved together. We both said in our vows that we can’t wait to build our empire and now it’s slowly growing. So, given the special occasion, we thought we would share a beautiful dish ideal for a date night with your special someone.

Free photograph/logo in print adverts available via self-service only.

Offer valid to December 31st, 2015

One lOcal tO anOther Saturday, November 7, 2015

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+ + Bountiful blueberries

W IN E WO RDS with Re gan Drew

F i ve f u n ways t o m a ke t h e m o st o f t h e s e l i t t l e m a r ve l s t h i s s e a s o n Blueberry coffee cake

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FA ST FI V E wi th M a tt S aw te l l

A

S SUMMER approaches, the price of blueberries drop and they become more readily available. Full of antioxidants, blueberries are great to snack on as they are, but today we show you how to get creative with these little healthy pearls of fruit. Here are five ways you can use blueberries this season.

Blueberry and yoghurt popsicles

INGREDIENTS: : 2 cups fresh blueberries : 2 cups Greek yoghurt : 1⁄4 cup honey : 20ml lemon juice.

METHOD: Blitz blueberries and lemon juice in a blender to form a rough puree. Pass mix through a fine mesh strainer squeezing – discard the solids (optional). Next, combine yoghurt and enough honey to desired sweetness. Divide yoghurt mix between icy pole moulds, then top with blueberry mixture. Using a skewer swirl the mixture in the mould.

Freeze until set. For a dairy free option, replace yoghurt with coconut yoghurt or coconut milk.

INGREDIENTS: : 1⁄4 cup butter, softened : 3⁄4 cups castor sugar : 2 eggs : 250g sour cream : 1 tsp vanilla : 2 cups flour : 2 tsp baking powder : pinch salt : 1 cups fresh blueberries : 1⁄2 cup brown sugar 1⁄2 cup walnuts, crushed.

METHOD: Cream together the butter and castor sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined. Fold in the blueberries. Pour half the mix in to a greased cake tin. Mix the brown sugar and walnuts together and sprinkle over the cake mix. Pour the remaining cake mix in to the tin. Using a skewer run through the cake mix to swirl the brown sugar through the batter.

Bake for 1 hour at 170C.

Blueberry pancakes

INGREDIENTS: : 375ml milk : 1 egg : 2 tsp vanilla : 2 cups self raising flour : 1⁄3 cup sugar : 1 1⁄2 cup fresh blueberries : butter for greasing : Cream, ice cream or Greek yoghurt, to serve : maple syrup.

METHOD: Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar. Make a well in the flour and add the milk, egg and vanilla. Whisk together well and fold in the blueberries. Heat a pan on medium heat and brush with some butter. Cook pancakes 1-2 at a time. Makes 12. Serve with cream, ice cream or Greek yoghurt with maple syrup.

Blueberry blast smoothie

INGREDIENTS: : 1 cup almond milk : 1⁄2 cup fresh blueberries : 3⁄4 cup fresh strawberries : 1 scoop frozen yoghurt.

METHOD: Place all ingredients in a blender until combined.

Serves 1.

Baked brie with blueberries

INGREDIENTS: : 1 wheel of brie cheese : 1⁄4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice : 2 tbsp sugar : 1 tbs butter : 1 cup blueberries : 1 tbs cornflour : 1 tbsp chopped mint.

METHOD: Place orange juice, butter, sugar and blueberries in a small pot on a medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Mix the cornflour with a little water until combined and add to the mix. Boil for 2 minutes to make a blueberry syrup and set aside.

Place brie in the middle of a cast iron pan. Place in oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes until soft. Remove from oven and top cheese with blueberry mix. Serve in pan with crackers.

: Blueberry vanilla popsicles.

PHOTO: JENIFOTO

One of the Best shiraz

G

REAT Western, in the Grampians region of western Victoria, is a small country town with a rich wine history and home to Best’s Wines.

Some of the first vineyards in the area were established

by Henry Best in 1866, and stayed under his stewardship until 1913, when Henry passed away aged 81.

In 1920, Henry’s son Charles sold the vineyards and winery to another local vigneron: William Thomson and son Frederick Pinchon for £10,000. The Thomson family are still there today, now into their 5th generation and with winemaker Justin Purser at the helm, the next 150 years are looking good too.

Riesling, 2015

THE smells jump out of the glass with lime skins, black tea, musk and boiled lemon lolly sour/sweetness. Quite high acidity but it never becomes shrill. There’s lovely creamy lemon fleshiness to this wine which balances and plumps out the lime and green apple. The Great Western region boasts some of Australia’s top marque rieslings, and this can be counted amongst them. : Rating: 9/10 : RRP: $25 : Alc: 13%

Bin No.1, Shiraz, 2014

GOSH this is good. Forget big bruising alcoholic shirazes, this is made for elegant drinking. “Kit-Kat” chocolate and wafer smells, with a little mint and spiced purple plums.

The flavour is on the savoury side and there’s plenty of tannin (that grippy, drying stuff on your gums), but that adds to the adventure. Cool and dignified. : Rating: 9/10 : RRP: $25 : Alc: 14%

Cabernet Sauvignon, 2014

THE back label claims: “If Great Western didn’t grow such great shiraz, it would probably be just as famous for its cabernet sauvignon”. Not sure on that claim, but this is unique and not in a bad way. Leafy, moist tobacco, crushed blackberries and pencil shavings. : Rating: 8.5/10 : RRP: $25 : Alc: 14% Vinonotebook.com

LOSE WEIGHT Forever!

‘My $69 professional group hypnosis: a jump-start and a long-term solution.’

A ttend this two-hour hypnosis seminar and start losing weight—for good this time. Charles and

Gail Borden (siblings) are world-renowned. They’ve helped over 650,000 in their U.S. clinics and seminars.

This program was inspired by research at University of California.

During your seminar Borden’s powerful hypnosis will be like “flipping a switch in your mind” to turn off food cravings. It will cause you to eat healthy foods, so you will begin losing weight immediately. The focus: increasing your desire for natural exercise, eliminating desire for large portions, sugar, night snacking, salty snacks, emotional eating … and more!

T

he hypnosis is pleasurable, easy to do and can be life-changing.

Simply register at the door.

Charles Borden Gail Borden Founder, Borden Award-winning, Method, 33 yrs. leading professional Hypnotherapist, 22 yrs. U.S. practice

www.bordenmethod.com FAQ, testimonials, more …

Register at door 20 in early. Fee only $69 – cash, credit card or cheque – $10 discount er erson for grou s of 3 or ore. Free parking.

©2015 Charles Borden,Carlsbad,California.Presented by Middle Way Ltd.dba The Borden Method.

LISMORE • MON, 9 NOV 1pm TO 3pm or 7pm TO 9pm Lis ore Gateway motel, 99 Ballina Rd Bring ad for Charles’ Free e-book, 4 Ingredients to Make You Thin

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Across France by boat

MAKE MEMORIES: Get some friends to come along and you can enjoy the holiday of a lifetime at reasonable cost.

Tr ave l l i n g s e d ately a l o n g the C a n a l d u M i d i i s a b u c ke t l i s t h o l i d ay

: Picturesque villages line the waterways throughout southern France. Off the boat and onto your bike, it’s a great way to explore the delights of France.

: The Canal Du Midi can present some tight challenges on the way, but it’s all part of the adventure when you tour southern France by motor launch.

.

T RAV E L

wi th Pete r C hapm a n

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WORK colleague told me a few years ago about a wonderful holiday he experienced in southern France.

His family combined with his best mate’s clan to hire a large motor launch from Le Boat and travel along the Canal du Midi for a week.

His enthusiastic recounting of a trip he rated as one of the best his family had ever taken convinced me that I needed to experience this unique holiday.

It took me three years to finally get organised, but the wait was worth it.

This is a trip you need to do with good like-minded friends.

Constructed in the 16th century, the Canal du Midi is a 240 kilometre channel that crosses southern France, linking the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans.

The waterway was closed to commercial boats more than 25 years ago and is now reserved exclusively for pleasure boating.

The Le Boat group seized on this opportunity and now

SAMOA

Saturday, November 7, 2015

PHOTO: PETER WATERHOUSE

charters a flotilla of different sized motor launches that ply the canal.

These include smaller 13-metre boats, suitable for just a few, right up to their largest Vision boats that can comfortably cater for 10 people.

These vessels feature three double cabins all with ensuite, a barbecue sun deck and a super large kitchen and dining area equipped with full size fridge and stove.

They really are an extra large deluxe caravan on water.

Our seven-day trip took us from Port Cassafieres on a 100km journey through quaint villages and some of the larger towns of southern France.

This is a “slow down” type holiday. Even if you want to speed up by putting the throttle down it will only result in the boats ambling along at around six knots.

You don’t need a boat licence, but you are well advised to pay plenty of attention during the two-hour boat introduction lecture and test drive.

The canal is fairly narrow at around 22 metres and the bridges and locks you will encounter can be a little challenging, but that’s all part of the fun.

You can hire some bikes to explore the villages, but we found the best way was just to go for a stroll. If you take bikes everyone needs to be a competent cyclist and you also need

Canal du Midi

: Highlights: Nestled in the Languedoc wine region, the Canal du Midi is an ideal locale for wine tasting holidays.

You can tour vineyards, visit wine caves and taste free samples.

You’ll see stunning cathedrals, grand chateaux, ancient ruins and medieval cities.

Museum fans will love Castelnaudary, Beziers, Narbonne and Toulouse. : Le Boat www.leboat.com.au

to remember they do drive on the “wrong” side of the road.

As for experiencing arrogant French wherever we went, it was just the opposite. Locals greeted us with a smile and many spoke enough English to be able to give us directions.

Like typical tourists we were always getting lost.

Stopping in at small villages each day, grabbing fresh baguettes, duck pate, local wines and cheeses, was a journey made in heaven.

Considering your Le Boat journey provides you with floating accommodation, cooking facilities and transport, the holiday is quite reasonably costed.

Grabbing a few friends to experience the holiday with you reduces the pain in the wallet.

Great savings for resort guests

It’s festival time

SEABREEZE Resort in Samoa has released two deals where guests can save up to $900 for two people per villa. All deals are on sale until December 31, 2015.

Seabreeze Resort is the ultimate in boutique luxury, nestled in a private secluded bay on Samoa’s famous south-east coast of Upolu. The resort provides the ideal romantic getaway for honeymooners and couples or those seeking luxury and intimacy.

Stay a minimum of five nights and receive a $190 food and beverage credit per villa, one 30-minute massage per person and champagne breakfast daily.

Stay a minimum of seven nights and receive a $250 food and beverage credit per villa, one 30-minute massage per person and champagne breakfast daily. : COSTS: A five-night stay at Seabreeze Resort starts from $835 a person and a seven-night stay starts from $1169 a person. : MORE DETAILS: www.seabreezesamoa.com

BE QUICK and save 60% at the Palm Boutique Hotel in beautiful Cambodia.

Stay just in time for the traditional Water and Moon Festival where citizens and tourists gather for one of Phnom Penh’s largest celebrations and enjoy fireworks and boat races.

Spend your time away exploring Phnom Penh’s historic temples and palaces and squeeze in some shopping by visiting one of Phnom Penh’s many markets. : COSTS: From $83pn. Book and stay by: November 30, 2015 : MORE DETAILS: 1800 687 236

CAMBODIA

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CANADA & ALASKA

END OF EARLYBIRDS Must book by 30 November Don’t miss out on your chance to secure the best offer for travel to Canada in 2016.

With Scenic, the perks and privileges come included. You can look forward to a full range of luxurious benefits that will enhance your experience throughout your journey.

Exclusive stays at the full range of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts Verandah staterooms on board your cruise View rooms in Lake Louise and Banff The intimacy of small group touring – a maximum of 40 guests Scenic Enrich – unforgettable and exclusive once-in-a-lifetime experiences Scenic Freechoice Dining – a choice of wonderful dining options to suit your mood or tastes Fully escorted touring Return airport transfers, at your convenience Scenic representatives to assist upon arrival and departure Expert local Tour Directors Complimentary Wi-Fi internet access at all Fairmont Hotels and Resorts And of course all tipping and gratuities

Spectacular Rockies & Alaskan Cruise 21 Day Tour & Cruise Vancouver > Vancouver Glacier Bay

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INCLUDING RETURN FLIGHTS TO CANADA*

Lake Louise 2

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138 128 SCENIC.COM.AU Visit scenic.com.au/agents for your nearest Scenic Agent *Conditions apply. Prices are per person, twin share in AUD. Offers are strictly limited and subject to availability until sold out ex SYD/BNE. Non-refundable deposit of $1,000pp due within 7 days of booking. RPCW includes flights and air taxes up to $740pp. Flights in economy L class with Air Canada once sold out surcharges will apply. Earlybird offers available until 30 November 2015. Price is based on 17 April 2016 departure. Prices correct as of 3 November 2015. For full terms and conditions refer to 2016 Canada, Alaska & USA Brochure and Earlybird flyer or scenic.com.au/canada. Scenic ABN 85 002 715 602. SNPR2606

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+ Talk to the animals

EATING IN: A holiday in Port Douglas needn’t be expensive for a family if you know where to look.

Me a l -t i m e wi l dl i fe t o p s o f f a perfec t Po r t D oug l a s g etaway .

IF YOU GO:

T RAVEL

wi th A n n R i c k a rd

D

ID you know a crocodile can live until it is 100 and keep growing for all of its long lifetime?

That little bit of knowledge – given with a smile at the Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas – is enough to keep you awake at night should you be crazy enough to be, say, strolling, fishing or camping anywhere near their territory.

But at the Wildlife Habitat you can view these huge beasts from the safety of a boardwalk with a reassuringly tall fence.

We visited the Wildlife Habitat not for the crocodiles but for Breakfast with the Birds, a Port Douglas institution (the crocs were a daunting add-on in the vast and lush grounds).

Breakfast with the Birds is a delightful experience as long as you don’t mind curious birds hopping on your plate, or for that matter, your head. We loved it.

Beneath a massive canopy in an astonishingly realistic wetlands environment, you sit down to eat your fill of tropical fruits, eggs, bacon, pastries... the lot, while a variety of birds fly, swoop, roam and even talk around you.

Colourful lorikeets, chatty parrots, somnolent owls all keep you company at breakfast. They do the same later in the day for Lunch with the Lorikeets.

It is easy to spend a day in this cool and tropical milieu, a place that immerses you in three different interactive environ-

: Reflections of Port Douglas – 70 Macrossan St, Port Douglas; (07) 4099 4555; reflectionsofpd.com.au. : Wildlife Habitat – Port Douglas Rd, Port Douglas; (07) 4099 3235; wildlifehabitat.com.au. ments (rainforest, wetlands, grasslands).

You mingle freely with the animals and birds – apart from the crocs and a couple of haughty cassowaries – on elevated boardwalks and footpaths.

The experience is all the more joyful if you have children with you. Their innocent rapture is infectious and you find yourself as excited as they are.

We have a strong affection for Port Douglas, especially in the winter months. Our dream is to spend our retirement winters there.

At Reflections on Port Douglas, a small, boutique complex of just eight two-bedroom apartments, you are right in the heart of all the glitz of Macrossan St and just a few metres from the famous Four Mile Beach, yet you are secreted away in a luxuriant mini-hideaway..

Family-friendly and personal, the complex is owned and operated by Carmel, a long-time local who gives you all her attention and local knowledge.

Unlike many of Port Douglas’s big resorts with big prices to suit, Reflections of Port Douglas is affordable and, with beautiful-

: REAL TWEETER: Enjoy colourful company at Wildlife Habitat’s Breakfast with the Birds.

PHOTO: COLYN HUBER

ly equipped kitchens, cooking for yourself makes a stay even more inexpensive.

We particularly loved the pool area, private and cool and perfect if you have children (in our case, grandchildren) with its shallow area dipping over into the 15-metre heated pool.

Port Douglas in the winter is perfect and Reflections of Port Douglas is now our go-to place.

The writer was a guest of Wildlife Habitat and Reflections of Port Douglas.

BORNEO

8 DAY WILDLIFE WONDERLAND ADVENTURE

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www.travelbay.com Saturday, November 7, 2015

THIS TOUR INCLUDES: 7 nights' accommodation ranging from an island chalet to jungle lodges and a 4-star hotel 15 meals included - enjoy the delights of Malaysian cuisine All airport transfers, overland & water transport All entrance and sightseeing fees English speaking guide Borneo is a wildlife wonderland with some of the world's oldest and most bio diverse rainforest

Watch orangutans swing through the jungle the Bornean rainforest is one of the few remaining natural habitats for orangutans Spend the night on a turtle conservation island watch green turtles lay their eggs and release newly hatched babies into the ocean 3 Kinabatangan river cruises - spot proboscis monkeys, crocodiles, monkeys, birds - there is an abundance of wildlife to be seen along the river banks Explore Sandakan and its history - including the Australian War Memorial

Visit our website www.travelbay.com for a range of great tours, cruises and holidays around the world.

Or call one of our friendly travel experts on:

Free call 1800 020 020 7 days a week

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make FIND OUT HOW TO RE-L AY YOUR DECKING – YOU’LL BE AMA ZED AT THE DIFFERENCE IT CAN MAKE.

: STEP 1: MEASURE UP We need to work out how many metres of decking you are going to need. Using a tape measure simply measure the length of your deck and multiply that by how many planks are down and that’s your lineal metre (L/M).

: STEP 2: PREPPING This looks like a really daunting task but once you get a rhythm going, ripping up the old decking is actually quite fun.

Use your hammer to tap your crowbar between the decking and your joists. (Your joists are the large timbers holding your deck up). Now using your hammer or the claw end of your crowbar, pull out all the stubborn nails that stayed in the joists. For the really tough ones you can grind them off or simply knock them in using your hammer.

: Ayden and Jess used stringybark decking on Reno Rumble earlier this year.

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

+ You can redeckorate How t o r e p l a c e your ol d wo rn- out ve randa Tools: DIY

w i th Ayde n a n d Je s s

: Tape measure : Pencil : Handsaw or dropsaw : 3mm drill bit : Drill : Crowbar : Hammer.

Materials:

: Decking of your choice : 50mm annular groove decking nails : Stain : Pack of 6mm builder packers.

: STEP 3: CUTTING AND FIXING It is a lot easier to nail and cut as you go, especially if you’re re-decking by yourself. Starting at one end place your timber down on to the joists and see where it ends. It has to end halfway over a joist so you can join the next piece. If it doesn’t, using a pencil and tape, mark the centre of the next joist down. Now using a handsaw or dropsaw, cut your decking to length. Repeat this until you reach the end of your deck. Your first off-cut is now the first piece on the next run, which can be started at the opposite end from the first run.

But before starting the second run, nail your first run off using a nail gun and galvanised nails. Alternatively you can hand nail – Jess and I have hand nailed our first deck and it wasn’t the quickest and you could say a few barnies might have happened throughout the day. If you pre-drill all the nails it makes it a lot easier, so do yourself a favour and hire a nail gun. There are a lot of products on the market and different ways to fix your decking, such as screws or hidden fixing.

However, nailing is the cheapest. Now you can start your next run. This time we are going to hold a 6mm builder’s packer between the two runs of decking – this gives you your gap.

Keep going until it’s all covered in brand new, beautiful decking. For a better finish try and scatter your joins so they are away from each other.

: STEP 4: STAIN

W

HAT a week! Halloween, Melbourne Cup, staking out our build and the grand opening of the new RSL prize home right on the beach on the Gold Coast, which Jess and I helped style and create. Yes, you read correctly – we are finally getting started on our build. After four months planning we are now ready to do our first cut into the ground, followed by 67 concrete piers and plumbing, hopefully all before Christmas. We had hoped to also have all our footings concreted in as well to give us a great start next year, but it doesn’t look like that is achieveable. Sometimes I

wish we were building on The Block or Reno Rumble as things just get done. I don’t know how our new neighbours would feel though if we worked 24 hours a day for four months. I also think we would probably double the cost.

Imagine getting a quote from your tradies to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week? That’s why it was doubly important to find great tradies. Jess and I always knew we would complete our rooms each week because our tradies had our backs. Today, we show you how to re-lay your decking – you’ll be amazed at the difference it can make.

We love clear stain as the timber should be the beauty, not the stain. But if you can’t source the right timber or budget is a constraint, drop in to your local hardware store and check out their samples and application of your preferred stain. : Tip: On the grand final of Reno Rumble we used stringybark decking and it looked amazing. For the build of our home, we are using tallowwood decking – not only because it’s Jess’s favourite timber, but its durability is unbelievable. I think it will outlast us, which means I’m only going to deck our deck once.

Find out how our newsroom ticks!

Contribute a story, discuss local news and see how we prioritise the stories that impact our community most.

Z

J a b a’ r a a & caf , ca t ay n v b 19 f 9a

6188539am

JOURNOS ON TOUR

Each month our editorial team will visit a different local café on the Northern Rivers to hold a daily news conference and you’re invited to come along and get involved.

...one local to another

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+

+

FA SHI O N with Kiri ten Dolle

STAY AT H O M E M U M w i th Kate D av i e s

Buy the right swimsuit for your body shape

I

’LL be the first to admit, feeling sh*t hot in a bikini is practically impossible after having children. I’ll also admit that not everyone feels this way, which is freakin’ spectacular – but for the few of us who have been left a little scarred and saggy, being this summer’s ultimate beach bunny doesn’t come easy. However, in the glorious world of fashion design there are swimsuits that have been designed for the self-conscious and in case you were not aware of this until now, there are also different bikinis for different body shapes. : Triangular body shape If your hips are larger than your bust and your waist is small, choose a bikini that will offer you the coverage you need for your butt. This means that you might have to purchase separate pieces in different sizes in order for them to match the size of your bottom, and also your top. Try to bring the focus to your boobies. Although they are on the smaller side, you can add a bit of padding, some ruffles and colour to take the focus away from your hips. Also try for a fairly high-cut bottom to create the illusion of longer, leaner legs. : Rectangular body shape If you have broad shoulders and a small waist and hips, then you will want to try to add some curves to the equation, which isn’t too hard to achieve. Go for extras like ruffles, beading and pleating. They add bulk and visual interest, and can create the illusion of volume and at the same time draw attention to your bust and to your hips as well.

If you’re more of a one-piece gal, go for something with a belt at the middle. : Hourglass body shape An hourglass figure means your hips are almost or even equal in measurement to your bust, plus a nicely defined waist. Saying this, you can pretty much wear anything and look amazing, but if you really want to emphasise your womanly figure, look for string bikinis and halter tops that will allow you to show off your great body. If you are skinny, the classic bikini is the one for you. : Inverted triangle body shape If you have small hips, a large chest and wide shoulders, it means that you must look for a bikini created for inverted triangle shapes. The top you choose must have straps and an under wire. If you cannot handle an under wire, look for something with thick straps and made from a thick fabric. In addition, make sure the top you choose can provide you the coverage you need. You can choose a string bottom without any problems.

More at www.stayathomemum.com.au

+ .

ST Y L E w i th Tra cey Ho rd e r n

The (head) case against frivolous fascinators I LOVE fashion, but I’m going to go out on a limb here. I loathe fascinators. Useless, ugly and often expensive. I just don’t see the point of them. An article in an Australian newspaper this week revealed a fascinator with an even more fascinating price tag of $3 million.

Modelled by Kate Peck, the fascinator was made by Myer milliner Natalie Bikicki with international jeweller John Saturday, November 7, 2015

Blue crush

D oub le i t up or dres s it down – do de n im any way you wan t Denim is a wardrobe staple this summer. Go back to basics with classic blue shades for a casual yet versatile look. Team with white crisp cotton or soft jersey, and tan accessories.

FIRST ROW (from left) - : Bandeau Shirt, $129, Country Road : Morocco Clutch, $49.95, Sheike : Linen Shirt Dress, $69.95, Suzanne Grae : Mira Sleeveless D-Ring Shirt Dress, $89.99, Forever New : Cotton Tunic Shirt – Chambray, $29, Target : Denim Cami, $99.95, Country Road : Denim Pencil Skirt, $99.95, Witchery.

SECOND ROW - : Cut Away Swing Top, $79.95 and Mid Blue Tencel Short, $99.95, Seed Heritage : Cabin heel, $160, Mollini Shoes : Isola by Megan Gale Gypset Balconette Maillot one piece, $199.95, David Jones : Cropped Denim Jacket, $49.95, Cotton On : Cooper Espadrille shoes, $24.95, Rubi Shoes : Daisy Duke Shirt, $119.95, Seafolly.

Calleija and was previewed at Flemington during this week’s Birdcage fashion event.

The bejewelled leather-and-latex black crown with its hundreds of precious jewels came with its own security team.

Fascinators are neither a hat nor a headpiece. They are at best a frivolous head decoration. Who can forget Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice’s ridiculous choices of fascinators at the wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton? They almost upstaged the bride’s sister’s comely derriere!

Hat maker to the stars Phillip Treacy declared to the London’s Sunday Times only last weekend: “The era of the fascinator is officially over – and I’m delighted!” Now that the high priest of headwear has officially deemed fascinators passé, it’s time to invest in some real headgear, a hat or at least an item of clothing that serves a function other than exhibiting fascinatingly bad taste.

Perhaps it’s the flood of women pictured on Facebook during spring race season, usually self-snapped pouting with obligatory glass of bubbly in hand with their ugly, pointless, attention-seeking fascinators, that has put me off.

: Princess Eugenie of York and Princess Beatrice of York at the wedding of Prince William and Kate in April 2011.

PHOTO: IAN LANGSDON/AAP

I like an item of clothing that serves a purpose. I’m sorry if my anti-fascinator stance offends, but that’s the joy of an opinion piece. While I’ll happily praise a genuine new talent or trend, I think I’ve made my case against fascinators.

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Weekend

Build a pot water feature

FR ANGIPANIS ARE TERRIFIC IN POTS A S THEY GROW QUITE SLOWLY

: Frangipani flowers are usually seen in white, yellow and pink, with multicoloured forms also very common.

T h i n k t r o p i cs, th i nk fra ng ipa ni

G REEN THU M B wi th M a re e Cu r ra n

T

HERE is probably no flower that symbolises the tropics better than the Plumeria, commonly known as the frangipani.

The species we are most familiar with is Plumeria rubra.

They are usually seen in white, yellow and pink, with multicoloured forms also very common. Deep red ones are becoming easier to get, as is the lovely white semi-double form called Bali Whirl.

Frangipanis are useful small trees. They are terrific in pots as they grow quite slowly. They are tolerant of drought and salt-laden winds, and fill the evening air with their heady fragrance throughout summer. They are deciduous, dropping all their leaves in winter to regrow in spring. Some people don’t like the bare branches, but a well-shaped specimen is lovely even in winter, when they look quite sculptural.

Some other, less common forms are now more widely available. Plumeria obtusa, also called Singapore White, has glossy, deep green leaves with a more rounded tip, and large, intensely fragrant white flowers. In our climate it will retain most of the leaves throughout the year if planted in a really warm position. There is also a dwarf pink form of Plumeria obtusa, called Petite Pink which has small pale pink flowers and only grows to about one metre tall.

: Caulking gun : Shovel : Paintbrush : Large pot : Pot conversion kit : Pond and fountain pump : Premium transparent pool silicone : Bitumen paint : Conduit

PHOTO: PRAIWUN

+ Heady fragrance .

Tools and materials:

Plumeria pudica has unusual hammerhead-shaped, bright glossy green leaves, and it grows in a vase-like shape. It is sometimes called Everlasting Love or Bride’s Bouquet. It grows more quickly than other plumerias and reaches a height of 3-5m. This one isn’t fragrant, but it makes up for that by being pretty resistant to the frangipani rust that can occur on other varieties. There is a pale pink form of this now available too. The leaves are a slightly different shape, but it is pretty similar in other respects.

All frangipanis prefer a sunny, well-drained position. Keep them drier in winter, and feed with a good quality balanced fertiliser a couple of times during the growing season.

Not much bothers these beautiful tropical plants other than frangipani rust, which causes unsightly yellow pustules to form on the undersides of the leaves. The leaves may then fall prematurely, and, although it won’t kill a mature tree, it can weaken young plants.

To keep trees rust-free, diligently remove all fallen leaves, and spray the undersides of the leaves with a fungicide every few weeks with certified organic eco-fungicide, or Mancozeb, copper oxychloride, or wettable sulphur. Use a horticultural oil to help the fungicide adhere to the leaves.

Remember that the spores are carried on the wind, so it’s very difficult to keep the rust at bay if there are other infected trees in the neighbourhood.

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

: Step 1: Prepare your area First, prepare the area where your water feature will go.

You may need to remove some pavers or bricks. If it’s going into lawn, dig a small hole for the pump to sit in. You should also bury conduit in the ground underneath so an electrician can hook up power to your water feature. : Step 2: Waterproof your feature pot Apply a couple of coats of waterproofing membrane, such as bitumen paint, to the inside of the pot. Allow to dry. : Step 3: Dig your hole for the sump The sump is part of the conversion kit that keeps the water level consistent and acts as a filter. You’ll need to dig a hole so you can drop the sump in level with your surface.

Compact the ground underneath your sump to provide a stable base. Place the sump in the hole and using a spirit level, line up the top of the sump with the surface around it. This will make sure the pot sits level. : Step 4: Install your pump inside the sump If you’re not sure what size pump to choose, go for a bigger size. This will make sure you have plenty of power to get the water to the top of the pot. Remove the lid of the sump and place the pump inside the support chamber. Feed the pump cord through the chamber side hole, then place the pump and support into the bottom of the sump. It should easily click into place. : Step 5: Attach the sump top to the base To attach the top of the sump to the base, use the pump attachment. One end connects to the pump and the other goes through the base and into the pot. That end has two rubber washers, one of them will go underneath the sump and the other inside the pot. : Step 6: Feed the power cord through the conduit Feed your power cord through the conduit and attach it to the unit so you have power for your water feature. You may need a qualified electrician to install a power point. : Step 7: Seal up the sump Inside your kit is a flange to seal up the sump. This needs to go through the hole and into the vinyl tubing below.

Silicone around the outside to seal it. Then carefully place the pot on top of the flange and into position.

For a video, visit: www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice

+

IN MY G ARD EN w ith Angi e Th o m a s

This week in the garden ...

Weekend

: Summer flowering shrubs like gardenias, hydrangeas, hibiscus and geraniums are beginning to put on their summer display, so apply liquid plant food to supply the nutrients needed for lush foliage and gorgeous flowers.

: Plan ahead for the festive season

: Tulbaghia Dark Star, known as

by planting pots and troughs with quick and easy summer annuals – salvia, cosmos, dwarf zinnia, globe amaranthus and petunias. They’ll add cheery festive colour, and all thrive in hot sunny positions.

society garlic, is very hardy, long-flowering clump-forming perennial which requires little water and minimal maintenance, and has evergreen foliage for year-round interest.

: Spring roses are in full bloom now. Deadheading spent flowers, applying regular water (at the base of plants) and fertilising encourages new growth and promotes new flower stems and foliage for repeat blooms well into summer.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

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Weekend

you

+

CONSTANT BARRAGE: We get mixed messages about food, healthy eating and body shape from an early age.

W H Y N OT T RY

Switch back-up files to the cloud to be on the safe side

BY K i e ra n S a l s o n e

T

HE old narrative was simple. Open your word processor, type what you have to say, save it to your computer.

Print it, email it, delete it – everything was done from a spinning platter via a magnetic needle inside the box under your desk. We then began to back things up, which initially meant saving it to a second spinning platter somewhere else under your desk.

Now, as the week of research I just lost can attest, we know to be even more careful than that.

It’s fun to talk about the cloud storing our business’s data and our emails being stored in the cloud and what have you, but deep habits are keeping a lot of us from saying goodbye to software and storage kept in our houses and saying hello to putting all of our creative, business, and academic processes entirely online.

How would you do this? Most of us can do without Microsoft office. Google Docs has everything most of us need to write, budget, and present for free and entirely backed up in the cloud, available everywhere from any device.

Why would one do this? Well, the week of research I just lost is a good reason. I have six terabytes of storage attached to my network at home and every six hours all of my work is backed up in two different places. Now, while I was feeling great for being so responsible, the HDD I keep all my work on died in a final kind of way.

“That’s okay! I’m a clever boy and I have everything backed up as of about two hours ago!”

Except I didn’t. About a week ago someone accidentally knocked a key network cable out of my router and none of the backups went through. I lost everything I’d done since then. So why not try moving from the physical gear in front of you to a cloud-based bunch of software? It might save you plenty of tears down the road.

: Drinking water is vital but the quantity needed for good health has many variables such as the climate, how active you are and the person’s age.

PHOTO: ANNA OMELCHENKO

+ Diet myths busted Yo u c a n t a ke a l o t o f w h at you h ave b ee n t au g h t w i t h a p i n c h o f s a l t .

WEEKEND WELLNESS w i th Hel e n H aw ke s

F

ROM the time we are children, there are so many mixed messages about food, healthy eating and body shape that by the time we reach our teens we are already torn between conflicting facts and advice, says Bahar Etminan, the author of Rescu Me! Here dietitian and nutritionist Linda Polivnick busts some diet myths:

baked goods, cold meats and pre-made sauces. Eating less salt is better for your health. Swapping to a wholefoods diet will help and going cold turkey, off the saltshaker, for a few meals will readjust your tastes.

Is red meat risky?

Water and weight loss

Salt – shake it off ?

Extract from Rescu Me! by Bahar Etminan (Harlequin MIRA) at all good books stores. You can find out more about careers, wealth, health, wellbeing, fashion and beauty at www.rescu.com.au

Often red meat gets a bad rap because it is high in saturated fat and sodium. However, meat contains many key nutrients such as iron, zinc and vitamin B12 that are difficult to get from plant-based foods. However, a little bit of meat can go a long way. Eating too much processed meat, like smoked, cured or salted smallgoods and ham, bacon and salami,] has been associated with bowel cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends limiting meat to 500g a week.

: Moving from physical data storage to cloud-based software could save tears down the road.

PHOTO: SCYTHER5

‘‘

T h e Wo r l d Ca n c er Re s ea r c h F u n d r ec o mmen d s l i mi t i n g meat t o 5 0 0 g a we ek .

We all need salt to survive but too much can be harmful, causing our blood pressure to increase and placing added strain on the heart. The biggest contributors are bread and

Do you need to consume eight glasses every day to stay hydrated and trim fat? The short answer is no. There is no evidence that drinking water will help us lose weight. So how much H20 should you drink? Fluid needs vary a lot between people, especially the elderly, people who live in hot climates and those who are very active. Check that your urine is a little yellow to clear in colour. Bright yellow urine with a strong smell is a good indicator that you are dehydrated.

+

WE LOVE

Quick fixes and luscious lips : Get luscious lips with natural Lanolips Cranberry lip salve. It’s made of lanolin, 100% cranberry extract and vitamin E. $13.95. Stockists: Priceline or (02) 9315 9315.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

: Looking for an alternative to Botox? Instantly Ageless temporarily tightens the skin on areas that have lost elasticity so you see fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles and under-eye puffiness diminish within minutes. $96.80 for 50 sachets. Stockists: 1800 104 833 or www.jeunesseglobal.com

: Sun is out, legs are out. If you’re after a sunkissed tan, sans the orange, here’s your answer: Dove’s Summer Glow,combining nourishing moisturiser with a boost of colour. You control the depth by simply applying gradually.

RRP $10.52/400ml. Stockist: 1800 061 027.

Weekend

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Weekend

s t uff

+ You’re on a roll when you have toilet paper

+

GADGETS

with Geoff Egan

O u r a n c e st o r s d i d n ’ t h ave s u c h a n i nve n t i o n at h an d .

‘‘

O N A L I G H T E R N OT E w i th G re g B ray

F

OLKS, hold up your left hand and take a good look at it.

Did you use it to wipe your bottom today? No? Well lucky you, because quite a lot of people around the world did.

For many cultures, eating with the left hand is considered offensive, and now you know why.

Ripping bits of newspaper off a nail inside an outdoor dunny is definitely a step in the right direction, and also means you have something to read if there is enough light and the swarms of flies aren’t too thick.

Personally, I don’t miss the old outhouses; the stench rising from the pit below mixed with the smell of sawdust and the collection of creepy, crawly wildlife made for a memorable, and often speedy, toilet experience.

Still, as bad as “thunderboxes” were, they were a major leap forward from our ancestors who had to “mop up” with grass, leaves or the edges of smooth stones.

The Romans preferred a sponge on a stick, while other societies used old cloth, or clumps of wool to remove their dags.

Meanwhile, ancient mariners employed the end of a frayed

+

G ADGET REVI E W

with Geoff Egan

Weigh up your control

Ro m a ns pr e fe r r e d a spo ng e o n a stic k , w hile o t h e r so c ie t ie s u se d o ld c lo t h, o r c lum ps o f wo o l. . .

rope which was left dangling over the side of the ship to be cleaned by the rolling waves, while no doubt leaving some interesting patterns on the hull.

Anyway, my sudden interest in the history of bottom wiping occurred recently as I sat frustrated in what turned out to be a paperless cubicle.

Fortunately I did find a rather inventive way out of my predicament, and while I won’t go into details, I would like to heartily salute the people who placed the numerous paper advertising flyers inside the extremely glossy, non-stick pages of the magazine I had just bought.

Thanks to them, I am gratefully typing this column with both hands.

Greg Bray blogs at www.gregbraywriter.wordpress.com.

Find him on Facebook: Greg Bray – Writer.

: THE Beeline could be the simplest way to make your bike smarter. Instead of providing turn-by-turn directions to your destination, it gives you a direction and lets you chose the route. Price and availability TBA.

: IF FUTURAMA is your style guru and you’re wanting a wrist-mounted computer, look no further. The Rufus Cuff falls between a tablet with a strap and an oversized smart watch. Preorder on Indiegogo for $350.

CUSTOM: The Elite has been designed for pro gamers and can be customised separately for different games.

: STICKING an electronic device in a hot oven might be a bit daunting but it is what the Meater is designed for. The smart thermometer notifies your phone when the oven hits a selected temperature. Preorder for $80.

PO B PU AC LA K R DU D E EM T O A N D

!

IF YOU’VE ever wondered if spending more than $70 on an Xbox controller is worth it then the Xbox Elite controller might not be for you.

The Elite controller is completely customisable – with removable thumb sticks, changeable direction pad and extra paddles which can be added onto the back of the controller.

But at $199 the Elite is hardly cheap, nearly half the price of a new Xbox One. But if customising every aspect of a controller is for you it might just be worth it.

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Register by contacting Nichole Miklos-Woodley on nichole.miklos@apn.com.au or 0403 191 404 today.

DMS

Weekend

ARM DIGITAL MARKETING SOLUTIONS Saturday, November 7, 2015

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Weekend

s c reen life BACK WITH A BANG: Spectre lurches between adrenaline-filled stunts and introspective invocations of Bond’s past.

Spectre

: Stars: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux. : Director: Sam Mendes : Rating: M : Reviewer’s last word: Spectre is an exhilarating James Bond spectacle that really didn’t need to add depth.

Star profile: Lea Seydoux

PHOTOS: SUSIE ALLNUTT

: Daniel Craig in a scene from the movie Spectre.

+ As good as Bond gets But S pe c tr e strug g l e s i n i t s l ater st a g es a s it tries to h ave th i ng s b oth way s S C RE EN L I F E

with The I n d e p e n d e nt ’ s G e o ff rey M a c n ab

W

HAT always haunts new James Bond movies is the memories of their predecessors.

Spectre follows on three years after Skyfall, the most successful 007 film at the box office. It is obvious that director Sam Mendes and his collaborators are desperate to push Bond to new heights. They are pushing for better stunts, more complex plot twists and greater emotional intensity than the Bond films have managed before.

Early on, they succeed brilliantly. An astonishing pre-credits overture sees Bond, on a rogue mission to Mexico, among the revellers during The Day of The Dead.

Other stop-offs include Rome, the Sahara, Tangier (for the Bogart flavour) and, good for the snow scenes, Austria.

There is an old-fashioned feel to the filmmaking. One reason that the budget is so vast (reportedly close to $300

: Quirky fact: Alongside Jane Campion, Seydoux and her Blue is the Warmest Colour co-star Adèle Exarchopoulos are the only women to be awarded the Palme d’Or at The Cannes Film Festival. : Best known for: Blue is the Warmest Colour, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, The Grand Budapest Hotel. : If you like this movie you’ll like these: Skyfall, Quantum of Solace, Sicario. : Quote: “I like to play deep characters and it’s nice to have deep emotions, but it’s also nice to just have a distance and to have a sense of humour with what you do as well.”

million) is Mendes prefers to film the stunts for “real” wherever possible rather than to rely on digital trickery.

When Bond is struggling for the controls of a helicopter that is whirling furiously out of control over Mexico City or treating a plane as if it is a souped-up snowmobile or racing through the alleyways of Rome while making small talk with Moneypenny, the sequences look “real”. Thomas Newsman’s stirring music adds both to the excitement and to the grandeur of the storytelling.

Death is very much the theme in what is one of the more morbid entries in the Bond series.

“Look around you, James. Everything you believe in – a ruin!” he is taunted. It is made clear that Bond is a killer but also, in his more reflective moments, that he feels remorse and regret for some of his actions.

There is an unusual darkness in the romantic scenes too.

Bond is involved in the death of people very close to both the Italian widow Lucia Sciarra (a striking cameo from 51-year-old Italian diva Monica Bellucci) and the beautiful young doctor

Madeleine Swan (Lea Seydoux).

As ever, there are those in Whitehall who feel that Bond is an embarrassing anachronism and should be consigned to the scrapheap forthwith. Andrew Scott (Moriarty from Sherlock) plays Max Denbigh (“C’’), the new boss of the Centre for National Security, who believes in mass surveillance and wants to get rid of the “double 00’’ section altogether.

Where the film risks coming unstuck is in its probing into Bond’s own past. There are several references to his childhood and an accident on the slopes involving his parents which left him “a poor little blue-eyed orphan”.

Uber-villain Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz) uses Bond’s memories to torment him. Bond responds with playground-style insults about Oberhauser being nothing more than a lonely, jealous voyeur.

In the final parts of the film, Mendes struggles to overcome the essentially formulaic nature of any Bond film. What he has delivered, though, is a vivid and tremendously well-crafted action thriller, seeped in 007 history and tradition.

Bond may throw away his gun at one stage but we are left in no doubt that he will soon be back.

Spectre opens nationally on Thursday.

+

R EV I EWS Wh at ’s n e w on th e bi g screen

Knight of Cups

CHRISTIAN Bale stars as a screenwriter living in LA who tries to make sense of the strange events occurring around him. Audiences too might struggle to make sense of the film’s unconventional format, which is like a giant montage of evocative images. : Stars: Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett. : Rating: M : In cinemas: Thursday.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

He Named Me Malala

WHILE this film certainly gives audiences a greater sense of who Malala Yousafzai is on a personal level, and is at times surprisingly funny, there’s a sense it’s not substantial or in-depth enough for her incredible life story so far. : Stars: Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Khushal Yousafzai. : Rating: PG : In cinemas: Thursday.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

THIS fun but utterly ridiculous romp follows three friends who put their scouts training to the test as they battle zombies in an attempt to save their town from the undead. If you’re looking for a serious zombie outing, then this isn’t it. : Stars: Tye Sheridan, David Koechner. : Rating: M : In cinemas: now.

Weekend

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Weekend

relax

+ There is no cure H au n t i n g n ove l p a i n t s a d i st u r b i n g p i c t u r e o f t h e f ra g i l i t y o f s o c i e t y

+

EDITOR’S PICK: Find Me is a hell of a read by an accomplished writer.

WORDS AN D MUS IC

Undercover

R EV I E W by Jo h n G rey

By Danielle Steel: A book filled with thrills, tragedy and survival. How two very different people living seemingly parallel lives filled with tragedy and despair will attempt to overcome obstacles to survive. What will it take to regain their trust in humanity, love and faith?

– Sharon Cross

T

HE disease has shattered North America. All over the land, people have lost their memories and died horribly, and there is no cure or explanation.

Joy – a lost soul, addicted to cough mixture and broken by her abused and abandoned past – is one of the few who are immune, and she is now trapped with other survivors as a guinea pig in a nightmarish hospital in the middle of a snowbound nowhere.

Joy’s back story is revealed bit by bit as we see the hospital life through her eyes, surrounded by the questionable Dr Bek and his hazmat-clad medical staff, and by a thinning number of patient/inmates – for not all survivors are immune.

But Joy has found out the identity of the woman who gave her up for adoption, and she determines to escape from the hospital to find her.

This is a haunting fever dream of a book, painting a disturbing picture of the structural fragility of our society and the psychological fragility of the people in it.

Laura van den Berg’s powerful descriptions of a decimated, chaotic nation and the lost individuals surviving in it will linger long in the reader’s mind.

Wet Dog

By Sophie Gamand: There are few things so simultaneously sad and funny as the face of a wet dog. This coffee table book contains nothing else, and it’s a sweet collection of long-suffering canines, including the internet-famous rescue dog Marnie.

– John Grey

The Silver Lining

Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap: Crooner Bennett joins pianist Charlap and his jazz ensemble to play The Songs of Jerome Kern – well, 14 of them; Kern wrote more than 700. No surprises here, but some fine performances.

– John Grey

: Find Me by Laura van den Berg. Publisher: Penguin Random House. RRP: $32.99. Available as an e-book.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

+

NIKKI Gemmell, author and newspaper columnist, was desperate to get her kids away from “those wretched screens”. Enter a new hero for primary school kids: Coco Banjo. The Coco Banjo series is smartly targeted at upper primary school kids and in many ways looks like a book written and drawn by a clever, creative, very individual 12-year-old girl. Full of sketchy drawings, overstated exclamations and funky word art, this is as much a comic book as a short novel. The day is “so delicious” that Coco decides to stay home from school (on her private Sydney Harbour island where she is supposed to be watched over by mum’s friend, aging rock star Rick Ragger). It does not go to plan. The story has secret signals to best friends, a funky teacher, a far from funky headmistress – “What does Miss Trample collect? The tears of children (except Coco’s)” – a mean girl, a misunderstanding and a joyful ending. It’s a bit of fun, and a celebration of people who are crazy, cool and different.

YOU N G R E A D E RS

w ith Jo h n G rey

Coco Banjo Is Having a Yay Day

by N.J. Gemmell

+

N EW ON DV D

Jane the Virgin

A 23-year-old virgin is accidentally artificially inseminated. Jane’s life is turning into a telenovella, complete with forbidden romance, intrigue and murder. Lovely show, hilarious narrator, clever writing, lovable characters.

– TME Grey

Publisher: Random House Australia. RRP paperback $14.99.

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Weekend

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Saturday, November 7, 2015

PAGE 20

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Weekend

min d

+ Time to stop running

TEST YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Quiz compiled by Roy O’Reilly

+

M I N D YOU

QU I Z

1. After a journey of more than nine years, the $700 million spaceship New Horizons recently sent photos of which dwarf planet to Earth?

2. Is the 1700km Bruce Hwy in Queensland or Western Australia?

3. The numbers 6, 28, 496 and 8128 are the first four of which kind of numbers (a) odd (b) perfect (c) prime?

w i th Rowen a H a rdy

T h e o n ly t h i n g you h ave c o n t r o l ove r w h e n i t c o m e s t o c h a n g e i s yo u r s e l f

4. The Australian men’s and women’s teams in which sport are known as the Volleyroos?

5. Snoopy and Charlie Brown were the names of modules for which US space mission (a) Apollo 10 (b) Apollo 12 (c) Apollo 14?

6. In 1993, which leather-coated former Victorian premier appeared on ABC TV’s The Late Show singing I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll?

7. “I don’t want to spoil the party, so I’ll go. I would hate my disappointment to show,” are lyrics from which song?

8. Whose 20-minute onscreen time won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in the 1979 movie Kramer vs. Kramer?

9. Who holds the record for number of weeks (302) as the world’s top-ranked men’s tennis player?

10. Omega is in which Australian state/territory?

11. What will be used in NRL matches next year to reduce the time taken for scrums and line dropouts?

12. Is Harvard University in Maryland or Massachusetts?

13. The minimum length of a movie to be eligible for a Best Picture Oscar nomination is how many minutes (a) 20 (b) 40 (c) 90?

14. For the last 30 years, Warren Buffett, the world’s third richest person, has taken an annual salary of about (a) $100,000 (b) $1 million (c) $10 million?

15. Jordan Spieth won the 2015 US Open golf title at the age of (a) 21 (b) 41 (c) 61?

16. The equator passes through which three South American countries?

17. The wife of which US politician recently told a group of London schoolgirls she had to do her homework at 4am because her home was too cramped and busy to concentrate at any other time?

18. Claire Mary Teresa Rawstron became better known as which New Zealand opera star?

19. Which Australian surfer recently fought off a shark during an attack in the final of a contest in South Africa?

20. Anna McNeill Whistler was the subject of which famous 1871 painting?

21. Following religious oppression by the Communist regime after the Second World War, which country was officially declared the world’s first atheist country?

: Often, we get caught up in the belief that if we change the circumstances, we change the outcome.

H

AVE you ever heard the phrase, “wherever you go, there you are”? I use it quite frequently, but what is your interpretation?

I explain it like this: have you ever moved on from a friendship, a relationship, a job, town, country or continent believing that if you changed that part then everything would fall into place as you wanted it to? What happened? What changed, if anything?

The chances are that it probably felt like a great choice at the time, you got excited by the new opportunities it would present, went through with the change and then waited for things to improve. Then maybe days, weeks, months or years later you found yourself in the same position with the same frustrations and disappointments. What was going on?

If that’s ever happened to you and you think back to that time and what it was you wanted to change, I would suggest that the main reason or driver for the change was an external one. In other words, something outside you that was causing some discomfort – a relationship, job situation etc. And it’s an indication of how we can get caught up in the belief that if we change the circumstances we change the outcome and, while that may be true in some cases, often it’s not.

The answer lies within.

The only thing(s) you have any control over when it comes to change is yourself; that complex, unique and fascinating

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

blend of everything you have experienced in life so far that makes you who you are (values, beliefs, culture, events etc) and gives rise to your thoughts, mindset, emotional response and behaviour. You do not have the power to change anyone else; you have to be the change.

So it starts with you and if you are unwilling or unconscious of the need to change, then “wherever you go,

‘‘

You d o n o t h ave t h e p owe r t o c h a n ge a nyo n e el s e; yo u h ave t o b e t h e c h a n ge. there you are”. And you will create your own Groundhog Day so everything will seem the same over and over.

How to change? Internal shifts are needed and it’s time to explore where you may be getting in your own way and creating what you don’t want. Once you become aware of any internal barriers, start to make changes (coaching supports this) and you’ll find improvement follows quickly.

Is it time to stop running away from yourself?

Rowena Hardy is a facilitator, performance coach and partner of Minds Aligned: www.mindsaligned.com.au.

NEXT SATURDAY IN WEEKEND

22. The name of which animal comes from the Latin for “quill pig”?

23. The king of which country was recently crowned

by Australian retired Methodist minister D’Arcy Wood?

24. In 1963, who became the first woman to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean?

25. The letter ‘K’ in the name of retail giant Kmart stands for what?

ANSWERS 1. Pluto. 2. Queensland. 3. (b) perfect. 4. Volleyball. 5. (a) Apollo 10. 6.

Joan Kirner. 7. I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party. 8. Meryl Streep. 9.

Roger Federer. 10. New South Wales. 11. Shot clock. 12. Massachusetts. 13. (b) 40 minutes. 14. (a) $100,000. 15. (a) 21. 16. Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador. 17. Barack Obama. (Michelle). 18. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. 19. Mick Fanning. 20. Whistler’s Mother. (Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1). 21. Albania. 22. Porcupine. 23. Tonga. (King Tupou VI). 24. Betty Miller. 25. Kresge.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

+ READ //

Rachael Tay l or tel l s We ekend about j oi ni ng the M arvel Un i verse i n the new Netf l i x seri es Je ssi ca Jo nes.

AND + FIONNULA FRANKIE //

W i l l Fi onnu l a m a ke i t b a c k i n ti m e f or h e r d ate wi th Jim f rom th e g y m ? A nd wi l l Fra nki e e ve r re tu rn f rom Ba ngkok?

Weekend