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Saturday, June 14, 2014 www.northernstar.com.au
MEET Your local producers
BYRON MERMAID DANCES WITH SHARKS
BOOKS IN
HER BLOOD
EDWINA JOHNSON OPENS PAGE ON 18TH BYRON BAY WRITERS FESTIVAL AS NEW DIRECTOR
Saturday, June 14, 2014
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WELCOME
From the editor l 10 things to do
INDEX Screenlife ............................................................................30 Relax ...................................................................................31 Arts ................................................................................32-33 Style .....................................................................................34 Big Read .............................................................................35 Easy Eating..........................................................................36 Weekend Cook ..................................................................37 Max Crus ............................................................................38 Wellbeing .........................................................................39 Gardening ......................................................................40 Crossword and Quiz ....................................................41 Explore ....................................................................42-43 TV Guide .................................................................44-45 My View with Damian Bathersby ................................46 Topic of Cancer with Digby Hildreth ...........................46 Book giveaway..............................................................46
Lay Down (Candles In the Rain) with Melanie Safka.
1
Theatre Bye Bye Birdie
Today and until July 5 Directed by Warwick Binney and Paul Belsham, Bye Bye Birdie looks at the impact of a visit by a rock star on a typical 1950s American town. At the Players Theatre in Ballina. Evening performances at 8 pm and Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Details at www.ballinaplayers.com.au.
2
Art Unique Signatures
10 THINGS TO DO nnn t
From today until July 13 An exhibition of meticulously crafted functional objects in rare timbers by artist/craftsman, Paul Roguszka.
Exhibition Hundred Languages Of Children
On now until July 11 This exhibition by Italian artist Reggio Emilia shows children as artists and inventors through a range of photographs, words, paintings and sculptures. At the Southern Cross University Lismore Library. Open on weekdays only from 9am-5pm until Friday and from Saturday, June 21, open weekends 1pm–5pm.
4
Music Melanie Safka
Today The first lady of Woodstock returns to Australia. She has sold millions of albums during a music career that still goes strong. Melanie will perform at the Star Court Theatre in Lismore from 8pm. Tickets available from 6622 5005 or www. starcourttheatre.com.au.
5
Fundraiser Mary Meets Mohammad
Wednesday, June 18 Watch this compelling movie about the first detention centre in Tasmania through the eyes of local Christian woman Mary and Muslim Afghan Hazara asylum seeker. This is a fundraiser as part of Refugee Week 2014. At the Byron Theatre, 69 Jonson St, Byron Bay, from 7pm. $15. www.byroncentre.com.au
the late 1970s honing the craft of performing their songs live and perfecting the art of just being Mental. 18+ Show Ballina RSL, 240 River St, Ballina, from 8pm. $25. www.ballinarsl.com.au.
9
Family
Today and tomorrow The Questacon Science Circus is an initiative of the National Science and Technology Centre with more than 50 hands-on interactive exhibits and fun science shows.
10
Music
Mary Meets Mohammad is part of Byron Bay’s Refugee Week activities.
6
Celebration Lismore Symphony Orchestra 10th Birthday
Today and Tomorrow Old favourites will be on the program, such as Mars from Holst's Planets and the last movement of Dvorak's New World Symphony. At Lismore City Hall from 7.30pm today and 2.30pm tomorrow. Suggested donation for an adult is $20.
7
Theatre What’s Worth Fighting For?
Today Whether it is a crucial global issue, a threat to your local neighbourhood or a personal dilemma, come and share your stories of what you have fought for and watch as the actors bring them to life in drama, movement and music. At the Drill Hall Theatre, Mullumbimby, today from 7.30pm. Cost: Donation.
8
Music Mental As Anything
Today
Mental As Anything with their two original lead vocalists Martin Plaza and Greedy Smith have been touring since
Dipping toes in
Tinder pool Love at first swipe?
Questacon Science Circus
In Byron Bay today from 11am-3pm at the Byron Bay Sports and Cultural Complex, 249 Ewingsdale Rd, Byron Bay, and in Ballina tomorrow from 11am-4pm at the Ballina RSL, 240 River St, Ballina. $5 for children, $6 for adults, and $18 for families.
At The Channon Gallery, 52 Terania St, The Channon.
3
Dane Strudwick plays a 50s star singer in Bye Bye Birdie.
Wendy Matthews
Friday, June 20 Wendy Matthews and The White Horse Band are touring their new album The Welcome Fire, Wendy’s first original album in more than a decade. At the Lismore Workers Club, 225 Keen St, Lismore, from 7.30pm. $33.
Markets Saturday: n Alstonville Farmers Market, Bugden Ln car park, Alstonville. n Lismore Farmers Market, Lismore Showground. n Uki Farmers market. n Kyogle Craft Market, Memorial Hall, Stratheden St, Kyogle n Blue Knob Farmers Market, 719 Blue Knob Rd, Lillian Rock. n Bangalow Farmers Market, 1 Byron St, Bangalow. n Woodburn market, behind Rod n Reel Hotel (off Redwood Ln). n Kingscliff Beachside Market, Marine Pde, Kingscliff. n Maclean Community Market, main car park near Maclean Bowling Club. n Tintenbar Markets, Tintenbar Oval. Sunday:
T
nnn t
HERE’S an app for everything these days – everything. Up until recently if you said “tinder” to me, I’d have responded with: why are we starting a fire? I have to admit I never cottoned on to Snapchat or any of them really. Heck, I’m still trying to keep up with umpteen updates to Facebook. When I caught up with two close friends recently I found myself snubbed for the aura of their iPhones, as they hastily swiped their screens in search of like-minded singles in our radius. The app is called Tinder (for those of you like me, who are a little slow at keeping up with technology). It works by accessing a user’s Facebook photos and “likes”, then uses your GPS co-ordinates to find nearby “matches” who fit your specified age bracket and location. Swipe left to anonymously pass on people’s mugs that don’t appeal to you, or swipe right to connect and chat. “Nexxxt,” my friend would say out loud. So to the left, to the left they swiped, hoping to find err, Mr Right. It seems there are no rules when it comes to dating these days. Apps like Tinder are the new-age way of meeting people at a bar. A little more cut-to-the-chase but not enough romance. So at dinner I became intrigued with the hot-or-not game until a face you’d never forget popped up on the screen: my former high school teacher. Reject, REJECT.
EDITOR Kiri ten Dolle
n Ballina Market (East Ballina Lions Club), Canal Rd, Ballina. n Lismore Car Boot Market, Lismore Shopping Square. n Uki Buttery Bazaar, 1454 Kyogle Rd. n Missingham Bridge Markets, Missingham Bridge, Kingsford Dr, Ballina. To avoid disappointment contact the event organisers to ensure details have not changed.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
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SCREEN LIFE
22 Jump Street Overview nnn t
STARS: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Ice Cube, Peter Stormare, Dave Franco, Amber Stevens. DIRECTOR: Phil Lord and Chris Miller RATING: MA 15+ REVIEWER’S LAST WORD: A traditional affair that offers audiences the same pleasures of Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello.
YOU WILL LIKE THIS MOVIE IF YOU LIKE THESE... UNDERCOVER BUDDIES: Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as hapless cops posing as students in 22 Jump Street.
PHOTO: GLEN WILSON
Plagiarising with aplomb
Bad Neighbours, Ted, We’re the Millers.
Star Profile nnn t
Jump Street directors grab an idea and run with it nnn t BY GEOFFREY MACNAB
I
N AN era in which sequels and reboots of old franchises invariably have more to do with merchandising than cinema, you can’t help but warm to the glee with which writer-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller customise other people’s ideas. They did a wonderful job with The Lego Movie, foregrounding the kids’ toys in a way that will have made the manufacturers happy while also filling the film with ironic and subversive pop-cultural references that kept the parents entertained. Lord and Miller are in equally inventive form with 22
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Jump Street, their follow-up to their own 21 Jump Street, which was, in turn, based on the 1980s TV series about undercover cops that helped make Johnny Depp a star. Whereas new superhero films tend to try to conceal that they are retelling a story that has been told countless times on screen before, Lord and Miller make a virtue of the fact that the new film is intended as a near carbon copy of its predecessor. That’s part of the joke. “Do the same thing as first time. Everybody’s happy,” is the philosophy. In 21 Jump Street, cops Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) infiltrated a high school to catch the dealers of a drug
The new film is intended as a near carbon copy of its predecessor. That’s part of the joke called HFS. The subtle change this time is that they are going undercover at a local university college instead to hunt down the supplier of a new drug called Why Fy. (This enables takers to study with intense focus for four hours and then to party wildly.) The humour here ranges from slapstick to sophisticated, very knowing satire. The film opens with
Schmidt and Jenko trying haplessly to pass themselves off as Mexicans in an attempt to arrest a notorious drugs kingpin, Ghost. For no very good reason, they get attacked by an octopus and end up dangling in mid-air after a collision on a bridge. Tatum is very funny as the taciturn, slow-witted Jenko, who fires off malapropisms. “I am so sorry for being a
homophone,” he says after making an anti-gay joke. He doesn’t know the difference between “carte blanche” and “Cate Blanchett”. By contrast, Jonah Hill’s Schmidt is neurotic, self-conscious – and all inner life. He is nicknamed Maya Angelou after a wildly eccentric attempt at performance poetry. Against the odds, Lord and Miller make us care about characters who could easily seem like grotesque comic creations. – THE INDEPENDENT
22 Jump Street opens on Thursday.
Channing Tatum Other movies: Step Up, Magic Mike, Dear John, White House Down. Quirky fact: One of his first big breaks was when he was cast in Ricky Martin’s music video for She Bangs. Notable quote: “The more you try to look sexy, the lamer it is, so you just have to commit to the comedy.”
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RELAX
Read | Watch | Listen with Helen Hawkes
An amazing tale easily told
A must-read
t
A rough story of war STOKER Munro, a Byron Bay lad, was only 17 when he sailed out of Fremantle on February 14, 1942. He was on “captain’s report” at the time for being “adrift”; a situation which had come about because of a young woman called Susan who stole his virginity and his watch causing him to be late back to his ship, the HMAS Perth. Two weeks after leaving Fremantle, the HMAS Perth was torpedoed by the Japanese along with the USS Houston and the survivors from those sinking vessels were rescued by the Japanese making them prisoners of war. Over the next two and a half years Munro would spend time in Singapore’s infamous Changi prison before being sent to work on the Thai-Burma Railway. From Thailand he was being transported to Japan on the Rakuyo Maru along with more than 1000 POWs when they were torpedoed by American forces. His survival from this shipwreck after spending five days in the ocean is nothing short of extraordinary. Stoker Munro: Survivor is David Spiteri’s second book and it’s an authorised biography of Lloyd William Munro from the time of his leaving Fremantle in 1942 to his return to Byron Bay in 1944. It’s extremely engaging and very under-stated. Spiteri says of his friend Munro: “Like many men of the time, he kept his war to himself. Sometimes when we were talking he would just stop and sit there – I could
EXCELLENT WRITER: David Spiteri.
A CRAGGY Harrison Ford plays Colonel Graff, the man who places all his faith in Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) to defend the Earth from a hostile alien race. This is the screen adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s novel and it is overladen with computer game imagery. Young fans may enjoy.
TITLE: The Lincoln Myth AUTHOR: Steve Berry
More
PAGE-TURNERS
only imagine what he was thinking as he never showed any emotion”. And yet, despite this, there is a depth to the writing which resonated with emotion. This book was an easy read compared to the rawness of Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North because Munro himself does not dwell on the horror of war. However, there is no disguising how
awful and how de-humanising his life must have been as a POW. Lloyd Munro went on to serve with the Royal Australian Navy for many years, but Byron Bay was always home.
Credit: Carolyn Adams – Bookworms & Papermites, Bangalow.
ARTIST: Jose James REVIEWER: Javier Encalada
TITLE: Enders Game RATING: HHH
INTRIGUE RULES OK?
PHOTO: CATHY ADAMS
While You Were Sleeping
New on DVD
nnn t
WHILE You Were Sleeping is Jose James’s fifth studio album and his second album for Blue Note Records. The influence of Jimi Hendrix can be heard throughout the album as much as R&B forefathers like Al Green. Special guests include vocalist Becca Stevens who duets with James on her song Dragon, as well as trumpeter Takuya Kuroda who is featured on the cover of Green’s classic Simply Beautiful that closes the album. While You Were Sleeping is the follow-up to his widely acclaimed
TASTE THE REGION
R&B and jazz steeped No Beginning No End, and signals a new creative direction for the versatile singer-songwriter. That creative shift is heard in tracks like Every Little Thing and Anywhere U Go. Jose’s band adds guitarist Brad Allen Williams to the stellar line-up of keyboardist Kris Bowers, bassist Solomon Dorsey and drummer Richard Spaven.
STEVE Berry is the New York Times bestselling author of the Cotton Malone series and already has a legion of fans devoted to the former Justice Department agent. His latest novel is a juicy mix of intrigue: a flaw in the United States Constitution, a mystery about Abraham Lincoln and a political issue that’s as explosive as it is timely. The action is complicated, so readers will need to follow closely. It includes locations varying from Utah, where the remains of murdered Mormon pioneers have been uncovered; Washington DC, where an elder in the Mormon church is under investigation and the White House is involved; and Denmark, where a Justice Department agent is missing. Can Berry – and Malone – pull it off? Absolutely. Fans of well-researched, testosterone-packed thrillers will enjoy this book.
What the **** Is Normal? by Francesca Martinez: The award-winning comedian was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was two years old. Nevertheless she learnt to reject society’s unhealthy standards of what is normal and strike out for a happy life. This book is her story about how being different can be turned to your advantage if you have the right attitude. Funny and uplifting. A Cornish Stranger by Liz Fenwick: Romance blooms when a handsome stranger arrives at Gabriella Blythe’s door in a remote waterside when she lives with her reclusive grandmother. Cue a spell-binding tale of love and intrigue set against the picturesque Cornish coast. Ideal escapism.
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TITLE: Abandon RATING: HHHP
CATHERINE Burke (Katie Holmes) is a promising student at an elite school who is haunted by her seemingly sociopathic but genius ex-boyfriend. Wade (Benjamin Bratt) is the cop-to-the-rescue who soon becomes a romantic interest. But all is not as it seems.
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Open 7 days - 9am-4pm • 253 Wardell Road, Alstonville 6628 0610 • www.summerlandhousefarm.com.au Saturday, June 14, 2014
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THE ARTS
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What is showing across the Northern Rivers
Journey back to dark side Exquisitely rendered paintings dig deep into our interiors where human and animal co-exist FOR the first time in 25 years, renowned Australia painter and Byron shire resident James Guppy will present an exquisitely executed, evocative exhibition of large mythic tableaus – The Secrets of Dark Contemplation – locally at Art Piece Gallery from July 10.
understood that the road named the Sylvan Way belonged to the elves. The paintings in the show re-enact the ancient dramas that preceded ritual and myth. In the oldest stories from those primitive interior places where human and animal coexist, Guppy finds depth and meaning. As often as not, he is a merciless appropriator, constructing his paintings from details taken from old photos, old masterpieces, flower catalogues and magazines. Some works use models either in conjunction with appropriated material or on their own. He will then either photograph or work from life, whichever is appropriate. At any time his studio walls are covered with many canvases in varying stages of completion. The exhibition runs until July 31.
The world is a dangerous place where dropping your guard can cost everything while vigilance is a boring straitjacket From a start with a point of fascination and scent of an idea, Guppy captures surreal moments, formidable women, anthropomorphic beings and mythic animals in a refined and intelligent approach, appearing both dramatic and lifelike. “I find our placid day-to-day reality untrustworthy,” Guppy says. “It is a busy anesthetic we use to distract ourselves from anxieties about death, loneliness and our many inadequacies. “The world is a dangerous place where dropping your guard can cost everything while vigilance is a boring straitjacket.”
EVOCATIVE SHOW: James Guppy’s Dakini, acrylic on linen, which forms part of The Secrets Of Dark Contemplation exhibition at Art Piece Gallery. In his maturity, he often finds himself returning to these emotional truths. Guppy is much more comfortable in the world of fairytales and myths. As a child living in the north of England these fantastic
stories were his way of understanding the land he was growing up in. It provided a poetry and passion that prosaic history could not give. He would cycle near where the witches of Alderley congregated and
The Secrets of Dark Contemplation will be opened at Art Piece Gallery in Mullumbimby on Thursday, July 10 and open to the public from 6-7pm with a sit-down feast with Guppy from 7.30pm. To book for the dinner, phone the gallery on 02 6684 3446, dinner is $68.
Lionel Richie meme inspires Splendour fun t
Tunnel into crooner’s mind
DRAWCARD: The inflatable model of Lionel Richie’s head.
SPLENDOUR in the Craft is back this year with more glitter and glue guns than ever – even Lionel Richie’s head will make an appearance. Splendour in the Grass ticket holders will be able to crawl through the cranial nerve tunnel to go deep inside Lionel Richie’s subconscious and listen to Lionel’s inner thoughts and voice: “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” The inflatable head of the American singer-songwriter is the
TICKETS: $40 / $35 BOOKINGS: 1300 066 772 or lismorecityhall.com.au/shows/jane-rutter
work of Hungry Castle, who found inspiration from the Lionel Richie internet meme phenomenon and the Hello Music video where a blind girl sculpts his head. The fully immersive and surreal experience has received praise from the likes of Stefan Sagmeister, Rob da Bank and even Lionel Richie himself. It headlined at the UK’s Bestival in September 2013, where 60,000 people bypassed Elton and Snoop Dogg to queue up and get inside Lionel Richie’s Head and so began the world tour. The Splendour Arts program features Australian and international artists in performance, improvisation, street theatre, graffiti, living sculpture, installation and truly epic inflatable sculptures. For the program and workshops, visit splendourinthegrass.com.
Splendour in the Grass ticket re-sale facility opens on Monday, at 9am. Visit moshtix.com.au or phone 1300 GET TIX (1300 438 849).
Saturday, June 14, 2014
ARTS CULTURE CREATIVE t ZOE ROBINSON-KENNEDY zoe@artsnorthernrivers.com.au
Top tips for what's on in the region
ARTS TIP Yahna Ganga by Craig Tuffin A stunning and intriguing exhibition of work by Kingscliff photographer Craig Tuffin, entitled Yahna Ganga, which translates as “yahna” – “to sit or sit down, and “ganga” – to hear; to think; to understand. The works are chiefly portraits, using vintage studio techniques, and represent the varied faces of a proud and honourable Minjungbal people and the intimate relationship they share with the land. Tweed Regional Gallery, open now until August 3.
CULTURE TIP Bye Bye Birdie at Ballina Players Rock star Conrad Birdie (played by Dane Strudwick) is off to the army in this hilarious musical inspired by the hype surrounding Elvis Presley and his drafting in 1957. As a farewell, the rock and roll star is scheduled to sing Albert Peterson’s One Last Kiss and kiss a girl live on television. However, his hip-thrusting makes more than one man in town uncomfortable, many of whom attempt to stop the show. Ballina Players Theatre, Ballina, until July 5.
Check out daily top tips at facebook.com/artsnorthernrivers
CREATIVE TIP Jasmine Hearps-Rooney, artist, Byron Bay In her third and final year of a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Southern Cross University in Lismore, Jasmine works in pencil and charcoal to create photo-realist portraits of celebrities, friends, and animals.
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Local makes international splash
ARTS
MAKING WAVES: Hannah Fraser hopes her footage will focus attention on sharks. Watch the video, Tigress Shark – Woman Dances with Tiger Sharks at youtube.com/watch?v =43Z25E-CrQA.
Deadly dancing partners A professional mermaid and a jig with tiger sharks is attracting world attention, reports Veda Dante t A FORMER resident of Ocean Shores who works as a professional mermaid has captured the world’s attention for her performance protest against Western Australia’s shark cull campaign. Now living in Los Angeles, Hannah Fraser has been filmed dancing on the sea floor with a swarm of tiger sharks up to 5m without any dive or protective gear. Emmy Award-winning cinematographer and photographer Shawn Heinrichs, and the world’s leading authority on predatory sharks, Jim Abernethy, captured the sensational event for an upcoming documentary called Tears of a Mermaid. Hannah hopes the footage, which can be seen on YouTube, will bring international attention to the global plight of sharks. “As I clung to the arm of my safety diver and watched the seasoned shark divers interact with them, I began to realise that the tiger sharks were more aware; more intelligent and interactive that I expected,” said Hannah, who can hold her breath for up to two minutes and swim to depths of 14m. “After learning their behaviour, I
GLOBAL MISSION: Hannah Fraser. PHOTO: TAMER EL-SHAKHS
didn’t find them to be threatening and scary, yet I never forgot the danger represented by being in the ocean with one of the world’s biggest apex predators. “They are like wary wolves. They know their own strength but they don’t take risks.” The 40 year old, who has swum with great white sharks, whales, dolphins, manta rays, stingrays, turtles and seals made her first mermaid tail when she was nine years old. “It was orange, black and gold
with sparkles all over it, and I swam in it all the time in our pool,” she recalled. “My friends would come over and laugh at me but they always wanted to swim with me.” Hannah’s mother Ri Fraser, who is well known for curating the annual Ocean Shores Art Expo, said she encouraged her daughters to trust their own judgement and skill “without projecting my fears on to them”. “I raised Hannah to be independent, creative, and caring; to climb trees, swing on ropes, walk on rooftops,” she said. “She is taking these qualities to quite an extreme.” While Hannah might seem fearless, Ri said her daughter had a healthy respect for the ocean’s conditions and creatures. “Hannah is doing what she loves and I have no worries since her destiny is totally in her hands and this is what she must do for her fulfilment in life,” she said. “She is walking a path that could open hearts and minds, so that rather than fearing and killing our fellow creatures, we might respect them and learn from them.”
I never forgot the danger represented by being in the ocean with one of the world’s biggest apex predators. They know their own strength but they don’t take risks.
Hannah Fraser dressed as a mermaid at childhood home in LA, aged nine.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
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STYLE
Tracey finds the best way to get a kick out of fashion
LEFT: Black ankle boots, $89.95, Sportsgirl, Jonson St, Byron Bay and Molesworth St, Lismore.
Ankle boots TRACEY HORDERN t IT’S a trend that is not going anywhere; if anything, ankle boots are more dominant. There’s a wide variety of styles to suit any outfit. Ankle boots for leggings, jeans, trousers, skirt or dresses. Here is a variety, suitable for all budgets, available online and in local stores.
LEFT: Lauren ankle boots, $195.95, Witchery, Jonson St, Byron Bay.
LEFT: Tigerlily Poncho, $299, ankle boots, model’s own. theiconic.com.au ABOVE: Eos Willow ankle boots, $139.95, theiconic.com.au
LEFT: Burgundy ankle boots, $139.96, theiconic.com.au
Fabulous Mrs Fox
RETAIL THERAPY
t JOHANNA and William White opened the Fabulous Mrs Fox in August 2011 after returning to Australia from a stint living in Argentina. As a couple they always loved buying interesting homewares and art. Today Fabulous Mrs Fox is a treasure trove of vintage pieces imported from overseas as well as locally sourced pieces, such as jewellery, candles and clothing. In the few short years the shop has attracted an extremely loyal following for its eclectic tasteful stock.
ABOVE: Bikie style ankle boots, $39, Big W Lismore Shopping Square and Ballina Fair.
LEFT: Beau Coops ankle boots, $349, theiconic.com.au
10 Park St, Brunswick Heads Phone 6685 0020 www.fabulousmrsfox.com.au
Elk’s Letti Wallet
ABOVE: Chavez Gusset boots, $39.95, Cotton On, cottonon.com.au
WE LOVE
t ELK has a with strong a following for their quality lkeather products. Two range releases each year focus on seasonal colours always in natural hues and created unique esthetic of stylish simplicity using fine quality raw materials sourced from all over the world. In the Northern Rivers, Little Polli and the Blackbird, based in Lismore stock much of the range, drawing shoppers from all over the region in search of accessories. This wallet is typical of the Elk range, unique, practical and stylish.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
LEFT: Spurr, Jess cut out ankle boots, $19.95, theiconic,com.au FAR LEFT: Sophie ankle boots, $195.95, Witchery, Jonson St, Byron Bay.
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It’s time to make your bookings
BIG READ
Byron Bay Writers Festival director Edwina Johnson at the festival headquarters in Byron Bay. PHOTO: MARC STAPELBERG
Thriving in life’s new chapter Edwina Johnson has found joy in her new job as well as childhood memories reading to her son t BY DIGBY HILDRETH IT should come as no surprise that the new director of the Byron Bay Writers Festival had a bookish upbringing. But it was not until recently, when reading some Dr Seuss to her five-year-old son Milo, that Edwina Johnson recalled meeting the great man, who was staying near her home on Sydney’s North Shore. “I was about Milo’s age and can remember walking up a garden path in the dark to meet Dr Seuss. The door opened but I was too scared to look up. I just stared at these legs as our books were taken and signed and returned rather silently to us.” Aside from that slightly intimidating event, books were ever-present in her daily life. “Both my parents are big readers and they always had piles of books beside their bed. The image of the two of them sitting there reading is burned into my memory.” Her parents read to her a lot and in turn she reads to Milo, something which, as well as unearthing hidden memories, provides other pleasures. “I wasn’t prepared for the joy of reading to my son and rediscovering the books I loved. I’m looking forward to reading Peter Pan and The Secret Garden.” Recently she stayed up until 4am finishing M L Stedman’s
I can remember walking up a garden path in the dark to meet Dr Seuss. The door opened but I was too scared to look up. TOP LINE-UP: New York Times’ best-seller M L Stedman is among the international writers at the Byron Bay Writers Festival. “incredible, beautiful” debut novel, The Light Between Oceans, and is “really loving” The ACB with Honora Lee, by Kate De Goldi, one of several Kiwis coming to Byron. Literature has always been at the heart of Edwina’s working life too, despite being an economics graduate. Her favourite unit of study at Sydney University was Italian and she has lived for many years on the Continent and in the UK, where she was born to Australian parents. She helped direct a literary festival for the famous Paris bookshop Shakespeare and Co and had a senior role in the Sydney Writers Festival. Paris was a “bijoux” event, she says, “an intimate experience in
beautiful Paris with these extraordinary writers”, a mere 30 of them compared with the several hundred at Sydney. When invited to apply for the Byron role her first thought was “that’s a big job” and it has, she admits, been four months of hard work. “Milo started in kindergarten the same day I started here. He said he was scared and I told him I was too.” But off he trotted into a school filled with 600 or more strangers and Edwina says “he was brave and that helped me”. “This has been an opportunity to face our fears: to be scared but to accept that as OK, as a part of being human and part of growing. It’s been really good on every level for both of us.”
A self-confessed “worrier”, she says she also has the ability to “come back” from the middle of the fray to a calm place within, “so you’re responding from there, rather than with this manic energy”. Edwina has attended the Byron festival in the past and enjoyed it: “My view of it from the outside was that it was a really happy, relaxed, passionate exploration of the power of writing in every form.” She also admires its focus on Australian writers. “It’s lovely to be able to invite a few internationals to
add an extra – and very special – dimension to it, but I think it is revered as a forum for Australian writers and writing.” Headlining the “internationals” this year is Jeanette Winterson, with whom she has worked and who is also a friend. “On her first tour to Australia, in Adelaide, the tents were packed and you could hear a pin drop as she spoke on why art matters.” If she has a theme for this year’s festival it is to do with landscape and connection: how reading forms our internal landscape, and our writing is influenced by our external landscape. The ocean provides another thematic strand: “It’s so powerful for all of us in Australia. It restores and calms and nourishes us but then you think about how refugees are compelled to throw themselves upon the mercy of the ocean.” “But we don’t want to get too gloomy. Bob Brown’s latest book is called Optimism, so there’s an opportunity to have a positive outlook for the future.” The 2014 event looks like fitting the bill.
BYRON BAY WRITERS FESTIVAL : The Festival runs at North Byron Beach Resort from August 1-3 with workshops starting on July 28. For more festival information or to buy tickets, visit byronbaywritersfestival.com or phone 1300 368 552.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
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EAT OUT
Meet your local producers
Home grown Roast garlic and tomato soup Serves three nnn t
five minutes with t
Ingredients
TOP SALES: Byron Bay Garlic’s Hope Rouya with the brand.
Garlic is such a healthy addition it makes sense we source it locally and from reputable growers
O
RGANIC Byron Bay farmers Will and Vanessa Cotterill “live and breathe” garlic. Passionate about the pungent bulb and its powerful health benefits, the couple first planted a seed in 2007 and today proudly produce red, purple and black garlic varieties as well as a number of gourmet products, including garlic-infused extra virgin olive oils and vinegars, purees and aioli. They have rebranded their business, previously known as the Gourmet Garlic Company, and now trade as Byron Bay Garlic, based at The Farm @ Byron Bay. “This move has allowed us to up our garlic production as well as build our processed product range,” Vanessa says. “Our biggest sellers are still our aioli and our garlic-infused olive oil. “Our most recent product release is our Black Garlic. This is a very slow cooked garlic – taking anywhere from four to eight weeks to caramelise – that has a delightful unique flavour that has been compared to soy and balsamic.” The Cotterills like to keep their farming practices simple, far from modern methods relying on chemicals and a high carbon
footprint. Using holistic, biodynamic farming techniques, they are constantly working on improving the soil their garlic grows in with free-range chickens, compost and green manure contributing to the rich, “living” soil. Harvested rainwater and certified organic fertilisers are used to cultivate garlic that has a full-bodied taste and a freshness that can come at a cost to commercially processed, imported brands. “Garlic is such a healthy addition to our diet it makes sense that we source it locally and from reputable growers,” Vanessa says. Their commitment to ethical farming and a drastic shortage in Australian-grown garlic in recent years has led Byron Bay Garlic to become a household brand and is widely used by chefs in restaurants across the Northern Rivers. “Our new location will allow us to open the farm doors and let people see how we farm as well as purchase garlic direct from the farm shop.”
For more information, visit thefarmbyronbay.com.au or find them at the Byron Farmers Market.
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 200g chorizo, 1cm slices 10 cloves roasted garlic, flesh squeezed from skins 1 tsp chopped rosemary 2 sprigs fresh thyme Sea salt and black pepper 3 skinless tinned tomatoes, crushed ½ tsp smoky paprika 1 litre chicken stock 3 organic eggs 6 slices toasted sourdough
Method Heat the oil in a wide, deep frying pan or shallow casserole dish. Add the chorizo and fry about five minutes until crisp. Squash the garlic to a puree in a mortar and add to the pan with rosemary and thyme and a little salt and pepper. Stir well and fry a further minute. Add the tomatoes, paprika and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat so the broth is simmering and check the seasoning. Allow the soup to reduce a little and, about three to four minutes before you serve, remove the pan from the heat. Slip the eggs into the soup and spoon hot liquid over each to poach them. Serve the soup with the bread.
DINOSAUR CARD SWAP MEET! PLUS Meet the Editor of The Northern Star
Monday June 16, 3.30pm Tuesday June 17, 3.30pm Wednesday June 18, 3.30pm Thursday June 19, 3.30pm Friday June 20, 3.30pm
Goonellabah Shopping Village Casino Shopping Plaza Ballina Fair Lismore Shopping Square South Lismore News
David Kirkpatrick, Editor
Saturday, June 14, 2014
northernstar.com.au
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Missing dinosaurs? Here’s your chance to complete your Prehistoric Dinosaur Card collection! Come along to one of the swap meets listed below and swap your cards with likeminded collectors. PLUS, meet the Editor of The Northern Star, David Kirkpatrick. Its your chance to tell us what you like about The Northern Star and what you would like to see in your newspaper!
Ocean Shores Tavern’s
BRYAN MCGRATH How long have you been a chef? Twenty-seven years. I love that creating good food is the union of science and art. What’s been your best recent dining experience? Ripples in Sydney – good food, a great atmosphere and good company with the whole family. Favourite ingredient and why? Saffron. It has such a distinct flavour that goes well with seafood, not to mention the unbelievable effort people go to to produce it. When you’re not at work what’s your favourite meal you like to cook at home? Baked whole Mangrove Jack caught from the Bruns River. What ingredient do you refuse to use? Frozen peas. Your favourite cuisine to cook and your favourite to eat? Crustaceans; lobster and crab. Who has been your biggest culinary influence? I’ve had so many mentors globally, and through international travel. My inspiration has not necessarily come from the flashiest restaurants. I’ve learned some great stuff from even a little resort in Thailand. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever cooked for? Jackie O. She even left her lipstick kiss and signature on our specials board. What would be your ultimate last supper? Carpet bag Angus Steak stuffed with Sydney Rock Oysters or our beef burger at the Tav is pretty bangin’.
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The Weekend Cook
EASY EATING Serves six nnn t
French-dip BEEF ROLLS what you need: 1 large brown onion, peeled and quartered 1 carrot, peeled 2 stalks celery 1.5kg fresh silverside roast (not corned silverside) or chuck roast 2 cups beef stock – home-made or boxed (cubes are unsuitable) 3 cups water 1/2 cup salt-reduced soy sauce 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 2 bay leaves 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme Freshly ground black pepper to taste 6 long bread rolls, to serve
what you do:
Coriander the coolest of them all The Weekend Cook Maggie Cooper
C
nnn t
ORIANDER is the perfect herb to grow in cooler months. The orangey tang is the ideal flavour to complement most Asian dishes and goes very well with seafood. If you try to grow it in summer you’ll tear out your hair; it bolts to seed in hot weather and you really need to sow seeds every few days if you want a steady supply. The good thing is the seeds are easily saved and are a key ingredient in many curry pastes and marinades (as are the roots – what a versatile herb). I collect the seeds when they are mature, before they all drop, and store them in empty spice jars in a
dark place. They can be ground as they are but develop more flavour if lightly roasted before grinding or crushing, either with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. It’s best to only roast and grind the seeds as you use them; they retain their flavour more when stored raw and whole. Here’s a super-quick and easy recipe with an Asian tang – courtesy of coriander seeds, leaves and a bit of fresh ginger.
Email Maggie Cooper at
salmon with herb vinaigrette serves 4 what you need: 4 Atlantic salmon fillets or cutlets 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger 1 tsp roasted coriander seeds, crushed (see note below) 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves ½ tsp yellow mustard seeds 2 tbsp grated lemon zest 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp white wine vinegar Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste what you do: Note: To roast coriander seeds, heat a dry frypan over medium-high heat. Add coriander seeds and keep the pan moving so the seeds don’t burn. After a minute or so you’ll hear them popping a little and the fragrance will be released. Remove from pan before they burn. Crush with a mortar and pestle. Heat a non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Cook salmon pieces until golden brown (about four minutes), then turn and cook on the other side. Fish should be still rare in the centre, as it will continue to cook after removing from the heat. While salmon is cooking, place remaining ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake vigorously to combine. Place salmon on four plates and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately with vegetables of your choice.
If you are cooking this recipe in the oven as opposed to a slow cooker, preheat oven to 110°C. Roughly chop vegetables and place in the base of a slow cooker or heavy-duty casserole dish (a cast-iron pot such as Le Creuset is ideal). Place meat over the vegetables. Pour stock, water and soy sauce over the meat and add garlic, bay leaves, thyme and pepper. Cover slow cooker or pot. Slow cooker: Cook on low for seven-eight hours. Oven: Place casserole pot in oven and cook at 110°C for seven-eight hours. To serve: Remove beef from pot and cover with foil. Skim fat from top of cooking liquid and discard. Strain liquid into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce for 10 minutes. Slice warmed bread rolls in half lengthwise. Slice beef thinly and pile into rolls. Pour a little of the jus on the beef. Offer a little more in small dishes for dipping. Serve immediately.
maggies.column@bigpond.com
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ROGNVALD'S LITH
Saturday, June 14, 2014
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Wine
ENJOY LIFE
$1 Alco-payment B
RILLIANT. RILLIANT. The The Government Government finally finally got got it. it. The The $7 $7 Medicare Medicare co-payment co-payment is is aa fantastic fantastic idea idea and and the the $20 $20 billion billion research research fund fund will will cure cure most most major major ailments ailments by by 2525, 2525, making making aa liar liar of of Zager Zager and and Evans Evans whose whose song song said said the the world world would would end end then. then. Let’s Let’s see: see: $7 $7 minus minus $2 $2 for for the the doctor; doctor; 20 20 million million Australians, Australians, four four visits visits per per year, year, equals equals $400 $400 million. million. Now, Now, $20 $20 billion billion divided divided by by 400 400 million million …cross …cross some some zeroes, zeroes, carry carry one, one, less less $100 $100 million million administration administration costs, costs, take take away away the the number number you you first first thought thought of of … … equals equals 67 67 years years … … Hmmm, Hmmm, Zager Zager and and Evans Evans one, one, Coalition Coalition nil. nil. Okay, Okay, the the numbers numbers don’t don’t add add up, up, by by aa fair fair
Grape Expectations with Max Crus t
But is it fair to slug Jacob’s Creek drinkers the same as Grange drinkers?
Yarnbomb by Corrina Wright Shiraz VINTAGE: 2012 PRICE: $23 RATING: 8.7/10
It’s amazing how wine can open up whole new worlds, hitherto unknown to unsuspecting drinkers, such as that of sinners and weavers and ‘yarn’ types. Google it and give Granny a bottle.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Vasse Felix Heytesbury Margaret River (Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec) VINTAGE: 2011 PRICE: $90 RATING: 9/10
Top of the tree for Vasse, pick the low hanging fruit while you can. This has your average daily requirement of three fruits.
Purple Hands Wines Barossa Valley Mataro Grenache Shiraz VINTAGE: 2012 PRICE: $30 RATING: 8.7/10
Purple lips more like it, as this is difficult to put down once begun. Since many hands make light work, have some mates handy.
margin, margin, no no matter matter how how many many mining mining and and tax tax office office accountants accountants you you put put on on the the case, case, and and best best not not mention mention itit doesn’t doesn’t help help the the Budget Budget one one iota iota either. either. So So maybe maybe don’t don’t stop stop taking taking your your fish fish oil tablets just yet, but it’s still a good idea. oil tablets just yet, but it’s still a good idea. Put Put aa charge charge on on something something everyone everyone does does often, often, and and put put the the money money towards towards something something that that makes makes people people feel feel good good and and live live longer. longer. So So what what about about aa wine wine co-payment? co-payment? Australians Australians consume consume per per capita capita 30 30 litres litres of of wine wine aa year, year, or or 40 40 bottles bottles each, each, equals equals 800 800 million million bottles bottles per per annum. annum. Blind Blind Freddie Freddie (and (and he he probably probably would would be) be) can can see see that that even even at, at, say, say, $1 $1 per per bottle, bottle, the the reward reward is is twice twice the the medi-co-payment, medi-co-payment, with with far far more more health health benefits, benefits, without without having having to to wait wait 67 67 years. years. But But is is itit fair fair to to slug slug Jacob’s Jacob’s Creek Creek drinkers drinkers the the same same as as Grange Grange drinkers? drinkers? ItIt is is for for the the Government Government with with the the medi medi payment, payment, so so why why not? not? Surely Surely even even poor poor people people wouldn’t wouldn’t notice, notice, or or begrudge begrudge an an extra extra dollar dollar for for the the health health of of our our nation? nation? Okay, Okay, they they would, would, so so how how about about aa sliding sliding scale scale or or percentage percentage of of bottle bottle price? price? Research Research dollars dollars could could go go towards towards alcohol-related alcohol-related disease disease and and behaviour, behaviour, and and people people could could still still go go to to the the doctor doctor without without starving. starving. Everyone’s Everyone’s aa winner. winner. Wineries, Wineries, bottle bottle shops shops and and drinkers drinkers will will all all feel feel good good about about saving saving the the Budget Budget and and the the nation’s nation’s health. health. Drink Drink up. up.
Peter Lehmann H&V Pinot Gris VINTAGE: 2014 PRICE: $22 RATING: 8.6/10
Heartland Directors’ Cut (Langhorne Creek) Shiraz VINTAGE: 2012 PRICE: $33 RATING: 8.9/10
It’s a shock seeing the first wine of a vintage. This first 2014 shocked the Crus household… in a nice way.
It’s encouraging to see the correct use of apostrophes, or is it? Encouraging, yes, it is. But is this correct. “Cut it out, Max,” Ms L apostrophised. Let it breathe.
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Health and Beauty
BEAUTY TREATMENTS: Surgery not the only option
Alternative, liquid facelift TRACEY HORDERN tracey.hordern@northernstar.com.au
ONCE upon time if a woman reached a certain age and was not happy with her aging face, there was only one recourse – a facelift. Today, with a plethora of non-surgical treatments including the “liquid facelift” available, some would say, these alternatives are even preferable to surgery. For most of us, as we age, one of the first things we notice is volume loss, jowls can droop, vertical lip lines can appear, as well as aging crows feet and deep lines along the side of the nose called marionette lines. By using a combination of injectable fillers and muscle relaxing products, lines can be minimized or erased and sagging skin can be lifted and filled out. With these injectable products, you can dramatically improve your appearance with subtle but effective results without the downtime or risks of surgery. Like any medical procedure, it is extremely important you choose a skilled practitioner. Start by asking for
With a skilled practitioner and a variety of products a pleasing, natural look can be achieved by replacing this loss of volume personal recommendations from your friends and always ask for qualifications and photos of some of the work they have done. Once you are confident with your choice of practitioner, discuss with him or her what you would like to achieve. It is important to aim for subtle results that improve your looks rather than change them. Brooke Francisco Newberry, a specialist cosmetic registered nurse (RN) with The Layt Clinic describes the “liquid facelift” as a general term for a variety of procedures. “Once a woman would have had a facelift anywhere from her mid-40s to her late 50s but this still would not address the loss of volume,” explains Brooke. “With a
NEW ERA: Injectables have changed the entire industry and have made anti-aging procedures more available than ever before. skilled practitioner and a variety of products a pleasing, natural look can be achieved by replacing this loss of volume.” According to Brooke, today a facelift is mostly used to remove excess skin, usually around the jowl area. Injectables have changed the entire industry and have made anti-aging procedures more available than ever before as the procedures are far less invasive and less expensive than surgery. “Unfortunately you do see – even on celebrities – an over-correction of this volume replacement. This is often noticeable when the eyes appear smaller than what they once were. In my clinic I like to achieve a natural, Australian and subtle look. It is important for the features not to be over filled and protrude – you want the eyes to remain nice and round. “With new products you can even treat around the eyes, where once surgery was the only resort,” explains
Brooke. “With the right products and techniques, you can achieve fantastic results in 15 minutes for a fraction of what surgery would cost.” As a procedure, a liquid facelift is essentially a series of injections that can be done in one session, or spread over several sessions, depending on what you decide with your injector. Rae Harvey RN from Dr Tim Hawkins in Byron Bay suggests to have fillers in one session and a muscle inhibitor injected in another session. Like Brooke, Rae is adamant that the results should be subtle and enhancing, “My results are more Byron Bay than Gold Coast,“ she explains. On average, an entire liquid facelift treatment can take between 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how much you choose to have injected. There may be mild, momentary discomfort from the injections and some swelling and bruising may occur at the injection site. The procedure is safe and rarely associated with any
significant side effects. By choosing a skilled injector, these side-effects are greatly reduced. New fillers on the market are especially well tolerated because they are based on hyaluronic acid which is a natural substance in the body, thus less likely to have allergy issues. Post-procedure, no special care is required and you can mostly resume your regular daily routine straight away. It is important to know that results of a liquid facelift are not permanent and must be repeated every few months with shorter-acting products, or every couple of years with the longer-lasting products. Your injector will be able to advise which products are best suited for your budget and the results you wish to achieve.
For a list of qualified practitioners and further information visit the plasticsurgeryhub.com.au.
WELLBEING
Dealing with night sweats nnn t
THERE are many underlying conditions that may explain night sweats and most of these are not serious. Often, too many bedclothes or an overheated bedroom may explain why night sweating is occurring. This is easily remedied by cooling your environment. Pregnant women and those experiencing menopause often have night sweats and an overactive thyroid can also be the cause. Other conditions including influenza and glandular fever can also cause night sweats as can anxiety and diabetes. Bacterial infections such as boils, abscesses or urinary tract infections can also be the culprit. Night sweats can also be a side effect of some medications including some antidepressants and diabetes medicines. Some people have a condition known as idiopathic hyperhidrosis and are genetically predisposed to sweat a lot for no particular reason. People withdrawing from drugs or alcohol commonly experience night sweats, but this should pass as the withdrawal completes. If the cause is not readily identifiable, see your doctor for further assessment, particularly if night sweats are occurring in conjunction with significant, unintentional weight loss or any other worrisome signals.
How to beat obesity nnn t
Stay active and keep in trim
O
NCE upon a time our nation was filled with bronzed Aussies who kept fit and healthy with active lifestyles. A six pack was a part of your body, not something you put in the fridge, and a run to the shops was literally a run to the shops. Nowadays, with most of us living more sedentary lifestyles, our waistlines are expanding. The Federal Government reports on its Shape Up Australia website more than 63% of Australian adults and one in four children are overweight or obese.
Forget about how a little extra weight can change the way you look. The more important thing is how it can have a negative impact on your overall health. Unhealthy eating and little or no physical activity can lead to obesity. It also increases the risk of developing a chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Shape Up Australia aims to help Australians get back into shape and reduce their waistlines while improving their health and well-being. A good way to check whether you are at risk of
being in the overweight or obese category is by checking your waist measurement. For most people, a waist greater than 94cm for men and 80cm for women is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease. A measurement of more than 102cm for men and 88 cm for women is associated with a greatly increased risk. If your waist circumference exceeds these measures, consult your doctor. These measurements should only be applied to adults and are a guideline for Caucasian men and Caucasian and Asian women. Saturday, June 14, 2014
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Green Thumb
Green Thumb with Maree Curran t
I had killed several cymbidiums before I learned the simple secret
Saturday, June 14, 2014
GARDENING
Showpiece makes the perfect gift ONE of my absolute favourite flowering plants for indoors is a cymbidium orchid. Even though the initial investment is a bit steep, it’s actually much more economical than buying a bunch of cut flowers every week, thanks to their long flowering time. And they will flower again year after year, with a minimum of fuss. Each flower can last for four to12 weeks, and each flower spike has multiple flowers. Since each plant can produce multiple flower spikes, a cymbidium can be in flower for several months. They are a perfect gift. Without a doubt, orchids are one of the most beautiful and exotic of flowers, but they can also be frustrating. I had killed several cymbidiums before I learned the simple secret. Driving through Byron Bay one morning several years ago, I noticed a house with pots of cymbidiums sitting on the patio, in full morning sun, and in full flower. Cymbidium orchids need a few hours of sun, especially from about March onwards, in order to stimulate flowering. We tend to put them into shady places where, if they don’t just rot away, they certainly never flower. A good way to tell whether the light is about right is to check the leaf colour. Yellowing may mean too much sun, deep green can be too little sun, and bright, light green is just right. Dappled light under trees is an ideal position, or alternatively you could put them under shade cloth – 50% shade would be about right. The cymbidiums we grow now are bred from wild orchids found in the mountains of India and South East Asia. The range of colour size, growth habit and shape is now very different from the original species. Colours vary
from rich chocolate browns through to reds, pinks, white, yellow and greens. While cymbidium orchids are not a good choice for a permanent indoor plant, they make a stunning indoor feature if brought inside while in bloom. Cymbidiums are also a fantastic pot plant for outdoor areas. A brightly lit position in dappled light is ideal. They are normally grown in pots, but can also be grown in the ground if the drainage is excellent. Cymbidiums have long, strappy, grass-like foliage. Miniature forms may be only 30cm tall, and the taller varieties can have foliage up to 1m tall. Flowers are held on spikes above the foliage. As a cut flower, cymbidiums can last up to four weeks. You will need to water a couple of times a week in summer, less in the cooler weather. If the flower spikes get wet, they flowers may not last as long as they should, so consider moving your potted orchids under cover, or indoors, when they are in flower. Don’t forget to fertilise for healthy growth. Use an organic-based slow release fertiliser such as Strike Back for Orchids in spring, and supplement this with a liquid fertiliser from September-May. I use Eco-Aminogo and Eco-Cweed as my general liquid fertiliser. I mix it up and spray it on everything, usually with Eco-Oil and Eco-Neem added to increase effectiveness and to control sucking and chewing insects at the same time. Although cymbidiums do like to be tight in the pot, you will need to repot, and possibly divide, every few years.
Maree Curran owns the Eden at Byron nursery, 140 Bangalow Rd, Byron Bay. Phone: 6685 6874.
INDOOR COLOUR: Cymbidium orchids are an good alternative to cut flowers.
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QUIZ
Test your knowledge
WEEKEND QUIZ
Put your grey matter to the test with Weekend’s weekly brain buster t 1. Which star sign is known as the
NAME: .............................................PHONE: ............................... ADDRESS: ...................................................................................... .................................................................................................... L A S T W E E K ’ S W I N N E R : N a n c y C r o s s o f L i s m o r e H e i g h t s w i n s a $ 5 s c r a t c h i e
water bearer? 2. Which city hosted the Australian Grand Prix from 1985 to 1995? 3. Last year, a London court was told that which TV chef was a “habitual criminal”, whose credibility as a witness could not be guaranteed? 4. “We are all worms but I believe that I am a glow-worm,” said which British wartime prime minister? 5. Which tennis star carried the torch into the stadium at the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics? 6. The 2014 NRL season was launched with which player as the official face of the competition? 7. In 2002, which US party girl celebrated her 21st birthday with parties in Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo? 8. In 2013, Denise Richards, the ex-wife of which actor, said she could no longer care for his “violent” twin sons? 9. In a Vanity Fair interview last year, which actor said that despite being with Woody Allen at the time, Frank Sinatra could possibly be the father of her son, Ronan? 10. The death of which Sesame Street character was chosen by the Daytime Emmys as being one of the 10 most influential moments in daytime television history? 11. Which Australian airline recently announced a staff cut of 5000? 12. The movie The Sound of Music was released in which decade (a) 1960s (b) 1970s (c) 1980s? 13. Name the 2013 sequel to the 2005 movie Wolf Creek. 14. Which Western Australian is the federal minister for finance? 15. Enrico Letta recently resigned as prime minister of which country? 16. Son of a Bitch Spur is in which Australian state/territory? 17. In 1907–08, which Australian unsuccessfully fought Tommy Burns three times for the world heavyweight boxing championship? 18. Which former British prime minister died aboard a cruise liner in 1937? 19. Which Australian was recently awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his actions in Afghanistan? 20. The Toyota War was the popular name for the last phase of a conflict between Chad and which other country in 1987? 21. Proverbially, what is the better part of valour? 22. Which country is currently hosting the FIFA World Cup? 23. Eleven days after the killing of which terrorist leader in 2011 were US military staff ordered to destroy all photos of his corpse? 24. Does a motor vehicle odometer measure distance travelled or speed? 25. Scenes for which popular US TV comedy were recently shot on Barrier
Reef islands? 26. Which venue recently hosted State of Origin I? 27. What is the term for the recent scandal in which certain political appointees of Governor Chris Christie conspired to create traffic jams in Fort Lee, New Jersey? 28. Dying recently at the age of 98 was Alicia Rhett, noted for playing India Wilkes in which 1939 movie? 29. In 1967, which England batsman was dropped after scoring 246? 30. Which 1534 parliamentary act declared King Henry VIII the supreme head of the Church of England? 31. Heston Blumenthal is a noted international (a) chef (b) country music singer (c) dress designer? 32. Is South Australia’s Clare Valley noted for producing motor vehicles or wine? 33. Four-time Australian Olympic gold medallist Murray Rose was born in (a) Birmingham, UK (b) Oslo (c) Sydney? 34. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is in which province? 35. “All the things that we’ve been through, you should understand me,” are lyrics from which song? 36. The Orange Revolution began in which country in 2004? 37. In 2006, Michelle Bachelet became the first female president of which South American country? 38. Dying recently, aged 94, was which US singer noted for hits such as Where Have All the Flowers Gone and If I Had a Hammer? 39. Which Tasmanian is generally considered to be the most highly decorated British Empire infantry soldier of the First World War? 40. Fans of which US country music star are known as parrotheads? 41. Centennial Park, Sydney, was officially opened in (a) 1901 (b) 1888 (c) 2000? 42. Which Japanese car manufacturer recently decided to quit Australia in 2017? 43. A tetrahedron has how many triangular faces? 44. The letters CPAP, the machine for assisting patients with breathing problems such as sleep apnoea, stand for what? 45. As part of a sponsorship deal, London’s iconic Oval cricket ground is now known by which name? 46. In which country in 2013 was a 3800-year-old quartzite sarcophagus of 13th dynasty king Sobekhotep I discovered? 47. Which land-locked country has twice won the America’s Cup this century? 48. The name of which element comes from the Greek word for “stone”? 49. What is the two-word term for the defensive feature of some lizards by which they are able to detach their tails? 50. What was the codename for the rescue mission of Benito Mussolini by German paratroopers in 1943?
QUIZ COMPILED BY: Roy O’Reilly ANSWERS: Page 46
Saturday, June 14, 2014
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EXPLORE GEARED UP: Carly Morrissey and Sharna O’Connell get ready to swim with whale sharks.
PHOTO: CARLY MORRISSEY
A dive with a difference
GRACEFUL CREATURES: It’s an amazing experience when you glide with the whale sharks.
PHOTO: MIGRATION MEDIA
Swimming with giants S
Carly Morrissey travelled to Exmouth in Western Australia for a diving experience like no other nnn t
Saturday, June 14, 2014
ILENTLY swimming through the blue-green waters of the Ningaloo Reef, the whale shark I came face-to-face with seemed more scared of me, however I’m not so sure, considering its mouth is big enough to swallow two people. The six-metre-long filter feeder is from a family of animals that are renown for being the largest fish in the sea – and the most mysterious. After a frenetic dive into the ocean from the back of the Sicilia as part of my Ningaloo Reef dive tour and a quick swim to keep up with my guide, I looked down only to realise I was too close to the threatened species. As I took in its size and the beauty of its many luminous spots, I instantly tried to swim away and by the time I got over my shock, I ended up following the gentle giant’s tail into the depths. The whale sharks on our tour were spooked easily and seemed to dive shortly after we entered the water. Sometimes they will stick around and even play with snorkellers, and if conditions are good and the water clear you can get a great photo – unfortunately you could only see a few metres on my tour. The whale shark is still one of
the great mysteries of the deep and they continue to draw people to Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef every year from April to July. I took a tour out of Coral Bay, where I stayed for two nights, but they have tours out of Exmouth too. You are pretty much
I’ve been told that a two-year-old and an 82-year-old have swum with the sharks guaranteed a swim with the sharks, thanks to a spotter plane, and if you don’t you can usually go on the next available tour for free. The whale sharks come to the World Heritage-listed reef every year after coral spawning, which attracts the plankton they feed on. Extending some 260km from Coral Bay to Exmouth, Ningaloo is Australia’s largest fringing coral reef and the only large reef positioned close to land. It is also one of the easiest places to see a whale shark in the world.
The hardest part of whale shark tour, apart from trying to hoist yourself back up onto the boat after a snorkel, is getting over the embarrassment of having to squeeze into a wetsuit. Richo Law, the deckhand onboard the Sicilia, has been doing the tours for two years. “This is the ultimate,” he said. “The holy grail of snorkelling (is) to swim with whale sharks. “It’s the largest fish in the sea. This is a bucket-list alternative to extreme sport.” The great thing about the trip is you don’t need diving or snorkelling experience. Before we get the chance to swim with the whale sharks, the tour guides take us for a snorkel on the outer reef to judge how well we swim and follow orders in the water. I’ve been told that a two-year-old and an 82-year-old have swum with the sharks. It’s a rush to get everyone geared up and into the water, and we enter the water off the back of the boat while it is moving. There’s something about the whale shark that draws people to swim with these beauties. There were tourists from all around the world on my tour, yet no one knows much about them.
Coral Bay CORAL Bay, about 1200km north of Perth, is probably in the running for the most eco-friendly town in Australia. The closest airport is the RAAF base at Learmonth. Head in any direction and you see a stark contrast of blue sky, green plains and endless red termite mounds. As you get close to Coral Bay, three massive wind turbines signal you are close to the town. I’m told they power the whole town. All the accommodation is within walking distance of the beach. Swim out about 100m and you’re on the reef. After two nights in the beautiful and untouched Coral Bay, my travel buddy and I drove north to Exmouth. We took a day trip out to Turquoise Bay in the Cape Range National Park, which is also a part of the Ningaloo Reef. There’s a great little beach where if you walk 300m down and swim out just off the beach you can see some amazing coral and marine life. Ningaloo Reef is host to about 500 species of fish, 300 species of coral, molluscs and many other marine invertebrates. It is less than half a kilometre offshore in some areas and there you can see dolphins, dugongs, turtles and migrating whales.
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with Ann Rickard
EXPLORE
TAKE ME THERE What dreams are made of TAKE me to China and let me walk of the Great Wall of China, this UNESCO World Heritage protected marvel built in 220 BC, under Qin Shi Huang for a united defence system against invasions. Construction continued up to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), when the wall became the world’s largest military structure. Its historic and strategic importance is matched only by its architectural significance and to walk on it is the stuff of travel dreams.
Property of the Week nnn t
Holiday with conscience
Hitting the (great) wall China’s iconic landmark is a must for all travellers nnn t
Travelling Tales with Ann Rickard nnn t
VISITING the Great Wall of China must be on every avid traveller’s bucket list. To step foot on the emblematic wall is a travel dream realised and put away in the ‘I’ll-never-get-overthat-experience’ box. I realised that dream many years ago, and I’m here to tell you, it leaves you more than little goose bumpy. It also makes you breathless. At first, it is the realisation that you are actually there standing on this global icon believed to be seen from outer space. (It doesn’t matter that experts say that’s not true, it sounds good.) After that, it literally leaves you
After I overcame the shock of the steep steps, I then had come to terms with the large number of hawkers on the wall selling cheap stuff. breathless as you contemplate the steep steps every few metres in parts of the wall. These are big vertical stone monsters that force you to heave yourself up with unbecoming awkwardness. Most of the wall is in disrepair, inaccessible. The sections that are open to tourists are tightly controlled, which makes sense when you consider the thousands of people who walk them every day of the year. After I overcame the shock of the
steep steps, I then had come to terms with the large number of hawkers on the wall selling cheap stuff: everything from rude statues of little boys peeing to ‘silk’ scarves. One old and bent woman pleaded with me to buy her scarves giving me her spiel in good English using words touts all over the world use: ‘genuine quality’, ‘special price for you’, ‘not available anywhere else’. We’ve all heard them before. She was so old and so bowed
she looked like a comma, but she seemed genuine and in need so I bought half a dozen of her scarves without even bothering to haggle. The minute the purchase was complete (ie money handed over and secreted away in a money belt hidden in the depths of her old raggedy skirt), she had a sudden and miraculous transformation. Years instantly slipped away from her crooked body. She suddenly straightened, beamed beatifically, pulled up her skirt and sprinted off up the wall almost doing handstands and fairly leaping up the steep stone steps that I had so struggled with. It goes without saying, I then passed a dozen more ‘old women’ selling the same ‘silk’ scarves for at least half her price. ann.rickard@scnews.com.au www.annrickard.com
SUSTAINABLE luxury: Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Australia’s luxury conservation-based resort, has reaffirmed its position as a global leader in sustainable tourism by achieving carbon-neutral status for the fifth year in a row with a carboNZeroCert recertification. The rigorous carboNZero certification validates that the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the resort’s operations have been independently measured and verified in accordance with international standards. It also recognises the resort’s commitment to the ongoing management and reduction of emissions. This latest recertification was made possible through a combination of initiatives over the last year including a strict tree-planting program, the implementation of a dedicated internal ‘green team’ that acts on sustainable issues, and the newly launched Conservation Hour activity, which offers guests the opportunity to assist the resort’s Field Guides with a variety of conservation activities such as tree planting, surveying wildlife, or constructing nesting boxes for birds.
Visit wolganvalley.com.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
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OPINIONS
Topic of Cancer l Quiz answers l My View
Tumour rattles my humour
so I dive back in
THE tumours have flared up again. Nothing too extreme, but enough to wipe the smile off my face, to cast a shadow. Absorbing the news I heap upon myself moralistic judgments about pride coming before a fall and so on, which I can only half dismiss as puritanical, superstitious nonsense. Even as I wrote the words “cancer is ebbing from my life” last week, I feared I was tempting fate; that it was hubristic to be declaring victory in such certain terms. And to joke about relapse being a good career move? Well, that’s just asking for it. More puritanism: I felt the “battle” had been too easily won; I hadn’t suffered enough. Just how much suffering would satisfy that self-flagellating need I don’t know but I may find out as I’ve been suddenly dropped back into that arena. The “battle” is back on and with it the need for fresh acceptance and courage. Now at least I can shed the faux fatalism: in recent months, when people asked me how I was, I’d say “fine ... for now”, as if I were staring at my future with a plucky realism. The fatalism has become more real: with the return of fear and powerlessness, any illusion of control has faded. I suppose I should be grateful I’m as well as I am – that I am alive at all.
The fatalism has become more real: with the return of fear and powerlessness, any Topic of Cancer illusion of control with Digby Hildreth has faded nnn t Right now that’s a struggle. I feel slightly aged by the news, slightly shrunken. I want to cry but that system has shut down for the time being. I am afraid to feel. It’s also a time of guilt and self-recrimination: typically, the reprieve had given me an excuse to slip back into bad old ways. Coffee had become a routine vice (despite knowing how hard it makes the liver work, its stress upon the adrenals); if not coffee, a comforting soy dandelion latte, despite knowing the soy milk used in cafes contains sugar. Ah sugar! A blight on me and many friends; an addiction, a cancer-feeding drug masquerading as a “treat”. A sliver of dried mango here, spoonfuls of apple crumble and ice-cream there: “That’s not going to kill me,” I semi-snarl at those who want to see me stay
alive. But added up, it could. So it’s back to being Mr 110%. Strict veganism. Happily, the ether is full of good angels. A call to my son’s school to bunk off a remedial reading commitment there ends with a warm validation from the secretary: “I’m a big fan of your column,” she tells me, “it’s inspirational.” Moved, I thank her, hang up, and shed a few tears. The grim visage crumbles. I’m energised into grabbing the boogie board and plunging into the surf. It’s a setback, not a death sentence: and even if it were, that’s no reason to stop living today.
Digby was diagnosed with liver cancer 18 months ago.
BOOK GIVEAWAY
GRIPPING, SHARP MOLLEL SEQUEL
NAME: .............................. ......................................... ADDRESS:......................... ......................................... PHONE: ............................. AUTHOR’S NAME: ............. .........................................
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Hell’s Gate AUTHOR: Richard Crompton PUBLISHER: Hachette Australia PRICE: $29.99 It’s nearly a year after the events of The Honey Guide and Mollel is far from his beloved Nairobi in a fly-blown town at the edge of Hell’s Gate National Park. Undercover and investigating the disappearance of several prominent criminals, Mollel suspects the local police are operating a death squad and, what’s more, the only way to gain their trust is to feign an attack on Mdosi, their principal target. To do this, Mollel must get himself thrown into prison.
my exposure
THE man next door knows us better than most people. I’ve never actually met him but his lounge room window faces directly into our bedroom and we see so much of each other it’s almost like he’s one of the family. I know he can see directly into our unit because we can see into his. Not that I look. I made that mistake with the girl who used to live there, accidentally catching her “in the act” with some bloke she’d brought home. Just so there’s no misunderstanding, when I say “in the act” I don’t mean they were rehearsing their parts in a play. Although, now I think about it ... oh, never mind. So I try not to look into our neighbour’s window and while I don’t know whether he ever sneaks a peek across the way at our boudoir, I’m pretty sure he caught an unfortunate glimpse of flesh last week. It was all innocent enough. I’d just read about that bloke who’s started a cleaning service that provides nude or scantily clad young men and women to do cleaning around the home. I was demonstrating to my wife that it was entirely possible to retain one’s dignity while cleaning a ceiling fan and wearing a French maid’s outfit, when a gust of wind blew the curtains back, giving the neighbour more than a glimpse of thigh. I saw him gag briefly, throw his hand over his mouth and run from the room so, in hindsight, he may have got a small eyeful. Why are you looking at me like that? It was only a demonstration to prove a point because my wife was arguing there were certain cleaning duties that should never be attempted while scantily clad. We agreed that ironing or using
MY VIEW with Damian Bathersby t bleach were probably not good ideas and I was arguing my case that cleaning ceiling fans was made no more dangerous by the absence of clothing. Then the curtain blew back ... you know the rest. It was all very innocent and I still believe I made quite a strong case. No harm done. I’ll duck next door and explain the situation to the neighbour when I get a chance. That’s if he hasn’t moved. They seem to have a lot of trouble keeping tenants in that apartment. The young girl before him left soon after I went over to warn her that her nocturnal displays were on full view. Maybe the landlord is hard to get along with.
I was demonstrating to my wife that it was entirely possible to retain one’s dignity while cleaning a ceiling fan and wearing a French maid’s outfit, when a gust of wind blew the curtains back, giving the neighbour more than a glimpse of thigh.
WIN Hell’s Gate WEEKEND has a copy of this book to give away. To enter, fill out the coupon and state the name of the author. Send your entry to The Northern Star by Wednesday. A winner will be announced in next week’s edition.
Not much decent about
Meanwhile, the detective must also investigate a mysterious suicide – a death he might have prevented and which is not quite as it seems. As the investigation unfolds and events take an unexpected turn, Mollel is forced to come to terms with his Maasai heritage and confront the demons of his past. Richard Crompton is an ex-BBC journalist who moved to East Africa several years ago with his wife, a human rights lawyer who worked in Rwanda genocide trials.
ANSWERS: Weekend Quiz 1. Aquarius. 2. Adelaide. 3. Nigella Lawson. 4. Winston Churchill. 5. Maria Sharapova. 6. Anthony Minichiello. 7. Paris Hilton. 8. Charlie Sheen. 9. Mia Farrow. 10. Mr Hooper. 11. Qantas. 12. (a) 1960s (1965). 13. Wolf Creek 2. 14. Senator Mathias Cormann. 15. Italy. 16. Victoria. 17. Bill Squires. 18. Ramsay MacDonald. 19. Corporal Cameron Baird. 20. Libya. 21. Discretion. 22. Brazil. 23. Osama bin Laden. 24. Distance travelled. 25. Modern Family.
26. Suncorp Stadium. 27. Bridgegate. 28. Gone With the Wind. 29. Geoffrey Boycott. 30. Act of Supremacy. 31. (a) chef. 32. Wine. 33. (a) Birmingham, UK. 34. Ontario. 35. If You Don’t Know Me by Now. 36. Ukraine. 37. Chile. 38. Pete Seeger. 39. Harry Murray. 40. Jimmy Buffet. 41. (b) 1888. 42. Toyota. 43. Four. 44. Continuous positive airway pressure. 45. The Kia Oval. 46. Egypt. 47. Switzerland. 48. Lithium. 49. Caudal autonomy. 50. Operation Oak.
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Saturday, July 5, 2014 www.northernstar.com.au
Saturday, July 5, 2014
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WELCOME
From the editor l 10 things to do
INDEX Arts ...............................................................................30–31 Screenlife ............................................................................32 Big Read .............................................................................33 Food.....................................................................................34 Weekend Cook ..................................................................35 Max Crus .............................................................................36 Homestyle ..........................................................................37 Relax ....................................................................................38 Wellbeing.............................................................................39 Crossword and Quiz ..........................................................40 Gardening ...........................................................................41 Travel ............................................................................42–43 TV Guide ......................................................................44–45 Opinions ..............................................................................46
The Timberjacks competition in Lismore will showcase teams from New Caledonia, Brisbane, Sydney and the Gold Coast.
1
Expo 4WD Caravan Camping and Marine Show
Today and tomorrow This event provides a unique opportunity to get the latest on caravanning, motorhoming and camping. At Lismore Showgrounds, Alexandra Pde, 9am–4pm. $12 .
2
Sport Timberjacks International Friendship Series
10
Dan Sultan brings his new album Blackbird to Byron Bay.
nnn t
They only sing about beards; the music is great and the lyrics are hilarious. This is a unique music experience.
THINGS TO DO
Today and tomorrow
3
Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12 On a stretch of Australian highway, two sisters run a family takeaway joint. Food is a feast for the senses with an erotic mix of words and movement that will spice and stir in equal parts. At Lismore City Hall, from 7.30pm. $47. Bookings at 02 6622 0300 or norpa.org.au.
4
Surf Skullcandy Oz Grom Open
On now until Wednesday The event was founded in 2012 by the Le-Ba Boardriders Club. This year’s event has again attracted some of the biggest names in international junior surfing. At Lennox Head Beach, Ballina St, Lennox Head. All day.
5
Theatre Bye Bye Birdie
Tomorrow Directed by Warwick Binney and Paul Belsham, Bye Bye Birdie looks at the impact of a visit by a rock star on a typical 1950s American town. At the Players Theatre in Ballina, at 8 pm. Details at www.ballinaplayers.com.au.
The Beards
Tomorrow
10
At Albert Park, Lismore, from 8am.
Food (Norpa)
9
Band
At the Great Northern, Byron Bay, from 8pm. $25+bf from moshtix.com.au
A maximum of 35 junior baseball teams will be participating in this tournament with teams visiting from New Caledonia, Brisbane, Sydney and the Gold Coast.
Theatre
I’m exercising my
Workshop Dance and Creative Art
Tuesday until Friday
Lismore will be showing the latest on caravanning, motorhoming and camping this weekend.
6
Music African drumming with Bassidi Kone
Today
World Music Tour with Bassidi Kone from Mali, African drumming performance plus workshop in Byron Bay. At Kulchajam, 1 Acacia St, Byron’s Arts and Industry Estate from 11am. $32
7
Comedy Col Elliott
Friday Promoting both the recent re-release of the double CD set Col-fessions, and the coming release of his book In Between The Laughter, Col is doing what he does best: telling his side of the story. At the Ballina RSL Club, 240 River St, Ballina from 7.45pm. $35.
8
Music Dan Sultan
Tuesday Dan Sultan is bringing his new album Blackbird on tour, after getting rave reviews across the country. A great piece of Australian music by this singer/songwriter. Do not miss. At the Great Northern, Byron Bay, from 7.30pm. $25+bf from moshtix.com.au.
A workshop for children with and without a disability, with guest dance teacher Angie Diaz and art teachers Jeanette Khron, Martina Saville and Katrina Folkwell. Call Sue Whiteman on 66 862520 or 0428 748 294 or email alstonvilledancestudio@hotmail.com for information.
Markets Saturday: n Alstonville Farmers Market, Bugden Ln car park, Alstonville. n Lismore Farmers Market, Lismore Showground. n Uki Farmers market. n Kyogle Bazaar, Kyogle CBD area, Summerland Way n Kyogle Farmers Markets, Stratheden St, Kyogle n Blue Knob Farmers Market, 719 Blue Knob Rd, Lillian Rock. n Bangalow Farmers Market, 1 Byron St, Bangalow n Brunswick Heads Market, Memorial Park n Lismore Makers Market, Keen and Magellan Sts Sunday:
right to eat comfort foods and snuggle down
S
nnn t
lippers, flannelette pyjamas, pumpkin soup and copious amounts of hot chocolate are just some of my favourite harbingers of winter. However, winter’s first sign heralds a switch in my body to hibernation mode. Joggers and gym clothes get pushed to the back of the wardrobe as a ritual marking the change in seasons as my exercise regime goes into idle. The only pull-ups I do involve the blankets and the only punches are to the snooze button. Burpees become furphies when my trainer asks how my program is going and the only time you’ll see my heart rate increase is the race to the kettle to wrap my palms around a hot cup of coffee of a morning. So when I braved the sub-zero temps to hit the gym for the first time in four weeks, it seemed the malaise had spread. Only three people occupied the floor before 8am. A recent study by Galaxy Research found 78% of Aussie women said no to cardio, reporting they exercised less in winter than summer. And 90% of Australians admitted to eating more comfort foods in the colder months. These cravings are commonly linked to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), otherwise known as the winter blues that affect one in 300 Aussies each year. A simple walk in the sunshine daily is the first step. As the days get longer from here on in, you may like to join me in finding motivation in our new resident columnist Mireille Merlet-Shaw as she takes her own fitness journey on page 46.
EDITOR Kiri Ten Dolle
n Alstonville Farmers Market, Bugden Ln car park, Alstonville. n Lismore Car Boot Market, Lismore Shopping Square n Byron Community Market, Butler Street Reserve n Missingham Bridge Markets, Missingham Bridge, Kingsford Dr, Ballina
To avoid disappointment contact the event organisers to ensure details of these events have not changed. Saturday, July 5, 2014
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THE ARTS
What is showing across the Northern Rivers
Gentle giant up in the air The buxom Skywhale will take to the sky during Splendour in the Grass
T
t ZOE ROBINSON-KENNEDY zoe@artsnorthernrivers.com.au
Top tips for what’s on in the region
JAVIER ENCALADA
HE gentle giant presiding over of this year’s Splendour in the Grass Festival will be a 36m by 26m hot air balloon called the Skywhale. The brainchild of Australian sculptor Patricia Piccinini, the balloon can only be described as one of the most intricate and unique air balloons ever to grace the Northern Rivers skies. It is the chandelier of the hot air balloon world. Project manager Rebecca Townsend saw the Skywhale in Canberra last year for the Capital City’s centenary celebrations “and I thought it would be great for Splendour so we proposed it”. The Skywhale has arrived in the Northern Rivers and took a test flight by Byron Bay Ballooning staff on June 29 at Tyagarah. “The structure and architecture of the balloon
ARTS CULTURE CREATIVE
Skywhale is inflated over Tyagarah last week ahead of its debut at Splendour in the Grass. BELOW: Patricia Piccinini pictured with the sculpture.
ARTS TIP James Guppy, The Secrets of Dark Contemplation James Guppy draws his inspiration from old myths and fairytales and stories that shape our most visceral and primitive thoughts. This survey show of work by Guppy combines the humane and animalistic, fact and fiction, dreams and reality into a body of work that is both haunting and whimsical. Art Piece Gallery, Mullumbimby. Opening Thursday from 6pm
CULTURE TIP
THE SKYWHALE
It really looks like an animal, and that’s what gives it an artistic aspect Project manager Rebecca Townsend
inside is quite amazing,” Ms Townsend said. The sculpture is made of polyester fibre with an interior coating to protect it from heat, like hot air balloons, but Skywhale has been painted using a special technique which makes it mythically life-like. “It’s been printed very carefully by the artist so it looks like skin. It’s not bright primary colours, it really looks like an animal, and that’s what gives it an artistic aspect,” Ms Townsend added. “The guys from Byron Bay Ballooning said it’s quite an amazing accomplishment to produce it.”
The Skywhale will only be up in the air for a total of nine hours during the festival. At $3500 for three hours flying high above Splendour, producing the artwork’s exhibition is an expensive exercise requiring an Australian-registered pilot plus five staff. The Skywhale uses liquid propane as a fuel to heat the balloon. “This fuel is considered very
clean in comparison to other fuels available,” Ms Townsend said. The Skywhale will be tethered to the ground during the festival to allow festival-goers to have a closer look to the artwork. Ms Piccinini said the balloon was “something of a meditation on nature and evolution”, which are two things which fascinated her. “Perhaps the Skywhale is a
genetically modified creature or perhaps it is some undiscovered species, or perhaps it is something mythological and entirely symbolic. I think that is up to the viewer. I do think that whatever she is, she is a benign and wonderful presence.” The artwork caused some controvery during its inception in Canberra, receiving a mixed reception when it was unveiled
l The Skywhale is a hot air balloon designed by sculptor Patricia Piccinini as part of a commission to mark the centenary of the city of Canberra. l It was built by Cameron Balloons in Bristol, United Kingdom, and first flew in Australia last year. l The total construction cost was $A172,000 and the balloon has a lifespan of about 100 flights. l The balloon weighs half a tonne and includes more than 3500sq m of fabric.
in May 2013. Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said at the time her eyes “nearly fell out of her head” when she first saw a diagram of The Skywhale’s design, but she had come to like it and believed that it would challenge the perception of Canberra as a boring city. Others questioned its beauty and its value for money, costing about $300,000 to construct. Ms Piccinini said the artwork, with its 10 breasts as wings and peaceful face, is not meant to be beautiful or ugly, but hopes to incite the public to think.
The Skywhale will be featured as part of the arts program at Splendour in the Grass 2014, North Byron Parklands, on July 25-27. Saturday, July 5, 2014
Special screening – Cutie and the Boxer Once a rising star in the ’70s New York art scene, 80-year-old boxing painter Ushio Shinohara hopes to re-invigorate his career as he preps for his latest show. His wife and de facto assistant, Noriko, seeks her own recognition through her Cutie illustrations, which depict their chaotic, yet sustained, 40-year marriage. Lismore Art Space on Friday at 6pm. $5 entry.
Check out daily top tips at facebook.com/artsnorthernrivers
CREATIVE TIP Lou Gumb, digital artist/photographer Wooloweyah Lou may not dedicate 100% of her “doing” time to the craft of design and photography, but she dedicates 100% of her time thinking about it. A relatively self-taught enthusiast, Lou relishes the notion of creating for a living. To achieve this she recently began a Bachelor of Creative Arts at Southern Cross University to develop her craft. The essence of her work is to visually change the viewer’s perception of what a portrait or landscape can be. Using geometry, colour harmony and lighting she is able to manipulate the atmosphere as well as the emotion, imagination and a tad of humour.
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THE ARTS
What is showing across the Northern Rivers
Songs tell story of victory
Bentley Blockade participants set to release CD celebrating success after a long journey MELISSA GULBIN
T
HE NSW Government’s announcement in May of the suspension of Metgasco’s gas mining licence, which had the potential to industrialise the fertile farmland of Bentley, sparked celebratory fireside music at “Camp Liberty” for days. But the joyous jamming was only the outro in the blockade’s long soundtrack of solidarity, community and non-violent resistance. Now, the music that buoyed and documented our region’s most important recent outbreak of democracy will be recorded in the Songs Of The Bentley Blockade CD. Funded by a Pozible crowdfunding campaign, the CD has been spearheaded by local musician Chris Fisher of Fruitbat Music. “Crowdfunding is kinda like asking people to pre-purchase CDs and other rewards so we have enough cash to make it happen. Rewards include a private concert and CD cover credit as executive producer,” Chris said. The CD’s aim is twofold, he explains: “It will be an archive. Something for people to reference for the future. It’s a way of holding
SONGS OF THE BLOCKADE: (Back Row) Chris Fisher, Marcelle Townsend-Cross, Peter Lehner, (Front Row) Roy Gordon, Mookx Hanley, Luke Vassella and Karen Connors will be releasing a CD on songs of the Bentley Blockade. PHOTO: DOUG EATON onto that spirit, providing inspiration for the future. It’s also a way of sharing and promoting the creative spirit that is integral to our social
and cultural movement towards an environmentally responsible future.” The motivations behind the Bentley Blockade music,
Kids get dirty t
Making their own jewellery VICTORIA Spring is synonymous with bejewelled beauty. Her jewellery is bespoke, created from vintage pieces collected from all over the world. While Victoria still creates her pieces for a variety of wholesale and private clients, art galleries and museums, her passion today is working with children. “They are so inspiring and they nurture my own creativity playfulness,” Victoria said. Every school holidays Victoria hosts her popular children’s workshops. Children gather in her beautiful garden studio in Mullumbimby to get down and dirty – and creative. “It’s so interesting. I give them all the same project to get started with, but they all end up doing it in their own creative way,” Victoria said. Most of the pieces the children are given to create their jewellery are from vintage materials that Victoria has gathered over the years. “Kids seem to really relate to vintage pieces. They delve into it like it’s a real treasure hunt.” Many of the children use the workshop to make presents for their parents, siblings or friends. “It’s so sweet how much joy
from the ubiquitous fireside jams to the dawn hymn-like anthems, were as diverse as the music itself. For elder Mookx Hanley music is an act of disarmament. The uke-wielding Aquarius elder had this epiphany at the equally famous Terania Creek Blockade in 1979. He remembered six musos travelling two abreast on a narrow track on their way to their protest shift atop a bulldozer, when they were confronted head-on with six armed cops. Mookx, his heart in his mouth, instinctively grabbed his banjo and played a bluegrass lick, which resulted in an oncoming policeman kicking up his heels and gracefully making way for the protesters. “Right then and there I
realised it’s impossible to have a fear response when confronted by music. It’s a blanket. It’s disarming,” Mookx said. “It’s spiritual money in the bank.” Mookx’s song Let There Be Peace, a favourite sing-along at the blockade, will feature on the CD. For singer-songwriter Luke Vassella, whose Go Gently song became the movement’s unofficial anthem, the role of the musician was to “refresh people’s spirit and comfort those enduring the injustices”. Vassella’s simple anthems, which employed inclusive call
Right then and there I realised it’s impossible to have a fear response when confronted by music and response strategy, were a calming, unifying force. Similarly, popular choir master Peter Lehner, who led The Bentley Choir, said participation in simple songs was a crucial element in the non-violent strategy of the camp. “Singing is a way to calm anxiety. Breathing together is unifying and a great way to relieve those facing traumatic situations.” Chris Fisher’s new song Hand In Hand was written after he attended his first dawn vigil in late March, encouraged by the desire of people to sing along and the need to expand the repertoire of resistance. “In recording and producing Hand In Hand I wanted to reflect the diverse nature and many voices of the Bentley Blockade community. Farmers, greens, Bundjalung peoples, young and old, all standing as one against gasfields invading this land we all call home. All the vocalists and musicians featured in the song were actively involved at the Bentley Blockade,” Chris said. Other contributing artists include Holley Somerville, Steve Andrews, Marcelle Townsend-Cross, Reggae Dan, Terri Nicholson, Anthony Gordon, Garth Kindred, Jodi Jo, Karen Connors, Roy Gordon, Lewis Walker, Laura Targett, Jeremy White, Paul Joseph, Terry Lawrence, Julian Smith. The CD, a heartfelt stocking filler, is set to be sent out before Christmas.
Help Make it Happen n Order your CD or donate for other great rewards at pozible.com/bentleyblockadesongs. For more info about the CD: fruitbatmusic.com.
KIDS LOVE IT: Some of the jewellery made at Victoria’s classes. they get out of making something for someone else,” Victoria said. “I have recently started a new project for the children where they make a friendship piece of jewellery for their best friend, and they keep half of it and give the other half to their friend – and the kids love it.” Other things that the children make include collars for their pet. This is something that the boys really take to.
Interestingly, the workshop is very popular with young boys who really love making unusual pieces. “The stranger the better,” she said. Workshops are open to children all school holidays, from 11am–4pm. Children need to bring warm clothes, as the studio is outside, and a packed lunch. Morning tea is provided. Phone 0402 863 634. Saturday, July 5, 2014
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SCREEN LIFE Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Overview nnn t
STARS: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell. DIRECTOR: Matt Reeves RATING: M REVIEWER’S LAST WORD: This sequel manages to surpass is predecessor in nearly every way, from the script to the performances and visual and technical effects. Andy Serkis deserves special praise.
ON SCREEN: Jason Clarke in a scene from the movie Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
PHOTO: FOX AUSTRALIA
The roles keep on coming Son of a Queensland sheep shearer holds his own in another American hit film
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ITH his steady run of American film roles it’s easy to forget actor Jason Clarke is the son of a Queensland sheep shearer. Born and bred in Winton, Clarke is best known for his roles in Public Enemies, Baz Lurhmann’s The Great Gatsby and Zero Dark Thirty. Clarke was recently cast as the new John Connor in the upcoming Terminator reboot, but cinemagoers will see him this week as the lead non-ape character in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The film picks up 10 years after the events of the 2011 film Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which portrayed the revolution of a band of genetically modified apes led by the chimp Caesar (played
Saturday, July 5, 2014
YOU WILL LIKE THIS MOVIE IF YOU LIKE THESE... Star Trek: Into Darkness, Zero Dark Thirty, The Matrix.
Star Profile nnn t
nnn t via motion capture by Andy Serkis). The 44-year-old Clarke plays Malcolm, a one-time architect who, after the devastation of humanity by the man-made simian flu, becomes a key member of the ravaged human community and also an uneasy ally to Caesar. Q: Why did you choose to be involved in this movie? A: I’d worked with Dylan Clark, who is producing the film; I did Public Enemies with him and Michael Mann. So we’d been through a big extravaganza together before, and he and I got on. He said Matt Reeves was going to (direct) it, and a lot of guys — it was actually Greg Shapiro and Kathryn Bigelow, people from Zero Dark Thirty – they
I wouldn’t say he’s a survivalist. He was a white-collar guy who’s had to toughen up, you know. said, “Matt Reeves is a great guy, so get in there”. And I’d watched the first one, and I thought it was good, I thought it was solid, you know? I thought it was interesting. Q: How is Matt to work with? What’s his style? A: He’s great to work with. Matt’s a guy who’s been around a long time, and loves cinema and loves all different forms… I mean JJ Abrams is a great buddy of his and he’s got that ability to be big, which you need on a film like this.
Q: So your character Malcolm is a family man? A: Yeah, yeah he’s got a kid. He lost a wife, and has a girlfriend. And, they’ve come through 10 years since the last one, and here they are. And it really, truly has been horrendous. Not just because of the virus… Q: Is Malcolm a survivalist? A: I wouldn’t say he’s a survivalist. He was a white-collar guy who’s had to toughen up, you know. Q: How much do you feel
you’re playing a part in Caesar’s story, rather than the movie being Malcolm’s story? A: I think this is Caesar’s story. I really do. Then it becomes our story. Malcolm is a man who is slipping between two worlds. It’s a real tough conundrum for him. Malcolm represents a man who is still open to possibility. Q: How was it working with Andy (Serkis)? A: The work he has is unlimited at the moment. It’d be great to see him go back to (non motion-capture work) as well at a certain point, I guess, when he feels the need or the desire to do that.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opens on Thursday.
Andy Serkis Other movies: Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Quirky fact: Owns one of two prop rings used in Lord of the Rings. The other went to Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins. Notable quote: “Acting is a sort of pressure cooker that allows the fizz to come out the top. God knows what I’d be like if I didn’t have that. Even more animal, perhaps.”
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Chiko Rolls in life and art
A DEEP FRIED LEGEND IS BORN Chiko Rolls were once a hot (or only just warm) takeaway success story
Sex, drugs and Chiko Rolls Two women, one man, some sharp knives and contemporary dance moves combine to make a bowl of minestrone soup. t
nnn t THE CHIKO Roll was developed by Frank McEncroe, a boilermaker from Bendigo who ran an outdoor catering business from the late 1930s, selling pies, pasties and hamburgers at country shows, race meetings and other gatherings. McEncroe packaged and sold frozen foods from a former dairy owned by his family. In 1950, inspired by the Chinese chop-suey roll which he saw being sold outside the Richmond football ground, he developed a similar product – the Chiko Roll. The Chiko Roll made its debut (no doubt in a white serviette), in 1951 at the Wagga Wagga show. The roll had cabbage, barley,
the pressure of transforming the takeaway into a restaurant and the potential for drama is evident. To make it more engaging, as the sisters start to prepare meals for the restaurant, the audience members become the diners. Food combines the talents of Rodgers, who has been working off and on with Belvoir Street Theatre Company since 1996, with the choreography of Kate Champion and her company Force Majeure, and a live cooking demonstration. “We like to call it total theatre,” Rodgers explains. In order to cook a large pot of minestrone soup and loaf of sourdough on stage while acting, dancing and serving “customers”, however, they have had to use a bit of creative licence. “Here’s one we prepared earlier,” laughs Rodgers. Certainly the audience won’t be complaining as they eat their soup. Rodgers never intended the play would be a piece of theatrical naturalism. In another interview, Champion explains there are moments in which it becomes quite magical. “It’s very much about connection; to the audience and to each other, and in a play where two sisters are fighting for connection, Kate’s a brilliant fit to direct it,” says Rodgers. Rodgers and Champion first worked together on Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet with Belvoir Street Theatre in 1997. “I am one of the worst movers in the world onstage and she (Champion) had the challenge of getting me to do some shadow movement on stage,” says Rodgers. Having survived the majority of his life
One sister chose food and one chose sex as a kind of medicine to address what was missing in their lives
The Chiko Roll made its debut (no doubt in a white serviette), in 1951 at the Wagga Wagga show carrots, celery, condiments and meat (beef) wrapped in an egg-batter dough. Production increased with demand and the ingredients were diced and squeezed into a long tube of pastry that was cooked as it moved along the production line. It was then deep-fried and frozen before being distributed. Further deep-frying was required to reheat the roll. At the time of McEncroe’s death (of ischemic heart disease on March 14, 1979), Australians consumed up to 40 million Chiko rolls a year.
BIG READ
BY KARIN VON BEHRENS
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HY is it that girls feel so much pressure to become sexualised at such a young age? “There were two girls who worked at a fish and chip shop up the road and whenever you went in you got these looks that made you feel scared, their mum was always out the back… and there was never a father around,” says writer and co-director of the theatre production ‘Food’, Steve Rodgers. Rodgers says a chance meeting reminiscing with old school friends in Tasmania, discussing their desperation to grow up quickly in their teenage years, combined with his memory of the girls from the fish and chip shop, was the catalyst for the writing of his third play, ‘Food’. Rodgers, who has two daughters and two sisters, says this conversation got him thinking about why, particularly for females, the pressure to become sexualised so young was so strong.
FORCE MAJEURE: Kate Champion (left) is holding dance workshops on Friday at Lismore City Hall. See norpa.com.au for details. Expressing these thoughts and the results of some self-reflection about Rodgers’s own relationship with food, the play delves into the connection between food, sex and emotions, looking at the different vices people use as they go into adulthood in order to make themselves feel complete. The two main characters are sisters
running a takeaway shop at the front of their house on an Australian highway, serving up Chiko rolls. “One sister chose food and one chose sex as a kind of medicine to address what was missing in their lives,” says Rodgers. Throw in a young Turkish traveller, some sharp knives, choreography and
as a working actor, Rodgers agrees that it’s a privilege to be working in the theatre and says there is no other place he’d rather be than in a room with the actors and composer and Kate as a director. “It’s not going to make you rich but it’s a rich life. “When you do that sort of work there’s a kind of communion to it, a coming together of all these different intelligences and feeling,” he adds. “Particularly this play, it’s like coming together at the table.” Food is an exploration of memory and like Rodgers’s previous plays, reflects on family dynamics. Rodgers’s first play, Ray’s Tempest, is about taking responsibility as a father and his second, Savage River, set on the west coast of Tasmania, is also about family. Rodgers is acting in a Griffin Theatre Company production called Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography, writing for television and writing a film script for editor, documentary maker and director Clayton Jacobsen. Food, a collaboration between Belvoir Street Theatre Company and Force Majeure Dance Company is touring Australia, presented by NORPA at Lismore City Hall on July 11 and 12. Tickets cost $47 for adults, $42 seniors, $40 concession and $40 group. Book by phoning 1300 066 772 or at norpa.com.au. The bar, live music and Olive & Luca pop-up diner is open from 6pm.
WIN: The Northern Star has two double passes to give away to Food on Saturday, July 12. Simply fill out the entry form on page 12 for your chance to win. Entries close on Tuesday. Saturday, July 5, 2014
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Meet your local producers
five minutes with
Producing only the best toms
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Serves four to six nnn t
tomato soup Courtesy of Coopers Shoot Tomatoes
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 2 hours
ingredients
QUALITY PRODUCE: Hugh Armstrong from Coopers Shoot Tomatoes.
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OOPERS Shoot Tomatoes are a destination stall at Byron Farmers
Markets. Locals have long recognised the superior quality of their produce. Heather and Hugh Armstrong grow their prized produce from their 40ha farm at, you guessed it, Coopers Shoot. The Armstrong family are long-standing Byron Bay community members, historically dairy farmers. As well as growing a variety of tomatoes, the Armstrong family grows eggplants, capsicums and cucumbers and breeds beef cattle. It started with two greenhouses in 1998. Heather explains their production of tomatoes has grown to more than 2ha.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
“We have become bigger and bigger as the markets have grown. We can’t thank the Byron Bay Farmers Markets enough for their support, we have brought up our family through this business.” The most frequent comment Heather and Hugh receive from their many loyal customers is that their tomatoes “taste like real tomatoes”. “We grow a range, from a normal gourmet tomato that you see on a truss to a variety of heirloom tomatoes. People get really excited about the different varieties that we grow and they have become increasingly popular. We grow these from seedlings in the greenhouse and they usually take up to six weeks to grow.” Some of the varieties grown by Coopers Shoot include cherry tomatoes, yellow, plum,
PHOTO: SUZE MCLEOD
roma, conchita, black Russian and brown berry. The different varieties of tomatoes are suitable for different uses. According to Heather, the king of tomatoes is the beefsteak: “It is a big pink and meaty tomato, it is really delicious and not at all floury. The roma variety is a drier tomato and lower in acidity, so it is ideal for cooking and making sauces. The “normal” gourmet variety seconds are also great for sauces, whereas the smaller, sweeter varieties are ideal for salads. This coming summer Coopers Shoot Tomatoes will be preparing a medley of these heirloom varieties in environmentally friendly packs ready to add to salads.
Find Coopers Shoot Tomatoes at Byron Farmers Market
FOOD
1.2kg ripe roma tomatoes, halved 1 leek, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 4 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons oregano leaves 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock olive oil sea salt and pepper
method Place tomatoes, leek, carrot, celery, garlic and oregano leaves in roasting pan. Cover with aluminium foil and cook slowly for 2 hours. Blend. Pour the puree into the pot, add the stock and heat stirring until hot. Season to taste. Serve hot with crusty bread. Tip: This is such a versatile recipe. To make a pasta sauce just reduce the amount of stock, and add vegies and different herbs to create a more intense flavour. A good dash of honey while tomatoes are roasting brings out their sweetness.
LOCAL FOCUS: Kitchen manager Peter Last
Fire In The Belly’s
PETER LAST How long have you been a chef? I started cooking four years ago at Fire in the Belly. After working for more than 10 years in the industry it was the next logical thing to do. Favourite ingredient and why? Basil is my favourite herb. I use basil in many different ways but the best is in our house-made basil pesto with local macadamia nuts and parmesan cheese. It’s just divine. When you’re not at work what’s your favourite meal you like to cook at home? One of my favourite treats is salmon fillets with steamed vegetables and a nice side salad. What ingredients do you refuse to use? I avoid highly processed foods and ingredients. Your favourite cuisine to cook and your favourite to eat? Asian and Italian. I enjoy cooking risottos and pastas at home but appreciate fast Asian-style stir fries. They’re done in no time and full of crunchy vegetables. Who has been your biggest culinary influence? And why? I have worked with a lot of chefs, but from Evan Whittington and Lindsay Krahenbring I learned the most over the years. They generously shared their knowledge. What’s your favourite produce you source locally and how do you use it? We are getting local organic free-range eggs from Organigrow, which I’m very happy with. We use them for instance in our house-made aioli, but they really show their quality in our breakfast menu. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever cooked for? Actually, that would be my father Walter Last. He loves having me over to cook for him. What would be your ultimate last supper? Just a last coffee will do.
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The Weekend Cook
EASY EATING
home-fried rice serves 4
what you need: 2 cups long grain rice 3 tblspn peanut or macadamia oil 4 free-range eggs 150g chopped ham, bacon or Chinese barbecued pork 4 green onions, sliced 1 cup frozen peas Variations: 200g leftover cooked chicken or 200g peeled green prawns or 200g leftover roast meat
what you do:
Just throw in your leftovers The Weekend Cook Maggie Cooper
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RIED rice is beloved by many Aussies, although the Chinese tend to eat rice steamed rather than fried with all the trimmings. It’s a handy way to clean out the refrigerator at the end of each week as there’s pretty much nothing you can’t put in this dish. Of course, I am assuming that you do clean out your refrigerator each week. If you have any creepy little science experiments lurking in a plastic container somewhere up the back, it’s probably best that you throw that out. But vegetables and leftover cooked meat, as long as they have been properly handled and stored, can be disguised easily. A quick word about cooked rice, however. The best fried rice is made with rice steamed the day before and spread out on a baking
tray to dry out in the refrigerator overnight. This gives you dry grains necessary to prevent the dish turning into a gluggy mess. But cooked rice is a potential source of food poisoning, so cool it quickly after cooking and pop it straight in the fridge. No scraping out the leftovers from last night’s dinner that have been sitting in the saucepan on the stove overnight. Don’t even give that to Fido. Bacillus cereus is a dangerous toxin that can multiply rapidly in foods such as cooked rice and pasta that have been incorrectly stored. Cook in a wok at high temperature.
Email Maggie Cooper at
maggies.column@bigpond.com
The day before you plan to cook the dish, steam the rice as per packet directions. Line an oven tray with foil and as soon as rice is cooked, spread it thinly on the oven tray. Cool to room temperature (about 10 minutes) then refrigerate overnight without covering. Heat 1 tblspn oil in a small frypan. Break eggs into a bowl and whisk with a fork. Scramble the eggs in the hot oil, stirring gently. Remove from heat just before they are set, as they will continue to cook. Set aside. Heat remaining oil in a wok or large frypan. When the oil is just below smoking point (it will shimmer in the wok), add rice. Stir or toss to prevent sticking. Cook for 3–4 minutes, then add remaining ingredients, reserving some green onion slices for garnish. Continue until all ingredients are cooked or heated through; about 4–5 minutes. Add egg at the last minute and heat through. Serve immediately. Optional: Flavour with a sprinkle of soy sauce or a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice.
Makes 12 squares nnn t
apple NUT SLICE what you need: 125g unsalted butter at room temperature 1 ⁄2 cup sugar 2 medium eggs 1 ⁄2 tsp vanilla essence 1 cup plain flour 1 ⁄2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 ⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced 1 ⁄2 cup macadamias, walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped small quantity icing made with 1⁄2 cup icing sugar and juice of half a lemon or 100g dark chocolate, melted (optional)
what you do: Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Grease a 16 x 26cm slice tin and line the base with baking paper. Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla essence. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon together and beat into butter mixture. The batter will be quite stiff. Fold apple and nuts through the mixture and turn out into the slice tin, using a spatula or wooden spoon to spread the mixture out to the corners. Don’t worry if the batter doesn’t cover all the apple; it will soften and spread. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake at 175 degrees for 35 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for five minutes, then turn out onto a rack and allow to cool thoroughly. If desired, place icing or melted chocolate into a piping bag or a sturdy plastic bag with a corner snipped off, and drizzle over the top. Allow to set. Cut into squares. Variation: Use pears and almonds instead of the apples and macadamias, walnuts or pecans.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
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Wine
ENJOY LIFE
Weekend worriers Grape Expectations with Max Crus t
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eekends are special. Okay, spare us the violins weekend workers, just remember you are there for others’ benefit, or Joe will cut your penalties further. Weekends are for reading newspapers, long, lazy lunches, dozy afternoons watching pirated TV such as Breaking Bad, blending into long, lazy dinners, more TV and a book. Weekends are for bike rides, adventures, long, lazy lunches, swimming, croquet, some darts or 8-ball, long, lazy dinners and late night motorsport. Whoever re-badged weekends as home-work spaces – possibly the same person who invented hardware warehouses – deserves to be punished along with the inventors of vertical blinds, Colorbond fences and leaf blowers. However I concede that some work around the house on a weekend is necessary. Correction, I was made to concede this by Ms L. Anyway, none of the positively feudal ‘three jobs and you’re out’ nonsense, we have compromised on a one job per weekend limit. Sure, some jobs are bigger than others, but this should balance out over the ‘domestic’ year.
Cook’s Lot (#168) Chardonnay VINTAGE: 2013 PRICE: $18 RATING: 8.5/10
A hard day hammering one nail, the last thing you want is woody chardonnay. This is ideal then, but it needs a long, lazy lunch afterwards.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Killing a weed, cleaning a cobweb, fixing one fence paling or installing a DVD player are all acceptable, ‘one-job’ weekend duties. However, one must carefully assess tasks lest even such simple things as changing a light bulb unexpectedly skew the balance after accumulating valuable weekend credits through months of tedious summer mowing. Like when the porch light ‘blew’ at Chateau Crus recently. Ms L had chosen the fanciest fittings available at Lights ‘R’ Us, which required changing not one, but four bulbs. To save a few polar bears I went low-energy. Do you realise how much ‘low energy’ bulbs cost? You save on electricity but the bulb makers are making up for it and are making a killing. Do you know how many different types there are, in how many sizes, numbers and colours, and prices? Do you realise how many of those weird shapes won’t fit? A simple single weekend task turns nightmare from which you cannot escape because the bulb’s blown. Mercifully you don’t need bulbs for long, lazy dinners in the dark.
Mitolo Savitar Shiraz VINTAGE: 2010 PRICE: $80 RATING: 9.2/10
Savitar is a mythical dragon-like monster, an apt description for this 15.2% fire-breather, so fight fire with fire and have it with Game of Thrones.
Rosnay (Organic) Freedom (Preservative Free) Red (Shiraz Mourvedre) VINTAGE: 2013 PRICE: $19 RATING: 8.9/10
CALLING something Freedom disaffects a huge segment of the market: climate change deniers, miners, loggers and whale hunters. Serves them right... hard right. Very sustainable and drinkable.
How many wine writers does it take to change a light bulb? Probably depends on how many of these he drinks
Shaw Family Vintners The 9N Shiraz VINTAGE: 2010 PRICE: $25 RATING: 9.1/10
Named after a tractor, a passion of Shaw founder Richard; and why not? More secret men’s business. Must have been a good tractor.
Mount Eyre Neptune (sparkling semillon) VINTAGE: n/a PRICE: $20 RATING: 8.6/10
From the deepest depths of the fridge rises Neptune. Such sexy labelling should be served with hors d’oeuvres and three-pronged swizzles.
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HOMESTYLE
Send details and photos of your home to tracey.hordern@northernstar.com.au
ABOVE: The owner of this house is highly organised and stylish. This is reflected in her non-cluttered lounge room.
LEFT: This lounge room is filled with personal touches and lots of natural wood, reflecting the earthy welcoming personality of the owner of this home. LEFT: Filled with beautiful Asian antiques and artworks, this lounge area is both impressive and comfortable.
ABOVE: This beachside home’s lounge room is light and airy, predominantly styled with the colours of the sea.
ALL PHOTOS BY TRACEY HORDERN
LEFT: Filled with quirky art pieces and vintage furniture, this lounge room is indicative of its tasteful, art-loving owner. ABOVE: The owner of this house is an intrepid traveller with a love of Europe and India, reflected in the choice of soft furnishings.
Lounge style TRACEY HORDERN
N ABOVE: A cottage in the hills behind Bangalow where the winter evenings can be quite cold. The lounge is centred on the slow-combustion heater.
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OTHING welcomes more, or says more about how you live, than your lounge room. This is where you and your family relax, entertain, lounge and live. I love the ways people express themselves in their homes. Some like to reflect their personal style through their choice of furnishings and furniture, others are more relaxed and let a room naturally evolve. While styles and interiors have changed, the essential layout of a lounge room is basically unchanged. Most centre on seating that faces each other for ease of conversation. Some lounge rooms centre on the television; however, many houses now have a dedicated media room.
The way a lounge room is styled reflects not just the owner’s taste, but lifestyle and location. A beachside house is more likely to use fresh light colours as a feature. A cottage in the hills would typically centre on a fireplace for comfort and ambience. If you want to freshen up your living space one of the easiest and most affordable ways to achieve a new look is to replace soft furnishings. Cushions – and in fact anything made of fabric – should be replaced regularly, as the nature of soft furnishings is they will wear out. Luckily there are many great, affordable options to express yourself and to enhance the room you most enjoy in your home. Saturday, July 5, 2014
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RELAX
Read | Watch | Listen with Helen Hawkes
Nick Earls explores the reality of fading significance in Analogue Men t
The rites of relevance ANDREW Van Fleet is on the edge of 50 and his life is as much of a mess as any of ours. He’s been forced to change career from a prestigious private equity job to general manager at a lowish-brow radio station. On his first day, he meets a receptionist called Venice (pronounced Vuh-neece), gets caught googling the word “penis”, and has a run in with the station’s star Brian Brightman, a character obviously based on some of commercial radio’s favourite shock jocks/hosts. At home he’s strangely out of place, since his last job meant he was hardly there. Now he is getting re-acquainted with his wife, his hormonal teenage son and daughter and the everyday minutiae of life when you’re a middle-class parent with teenagers. There’s his father in the granny flat too, once a radio legend, now in declining health with his only companion an unendearing dog. Brisbane writer Nick Earls, whose writing has been compared to that of Nick Hornby (About a Boy), has a light touch that is about the “everyman”. Van Fleet is coming to terms with the challenges of middle age – his expanding waistline, hunched posture and dodgy piriformis muscle among them, as well as marriage and teenage children. Earls attacks this humorously. “My body with no known diseases is more like a pale hairy barrel with the arms of a different model hung on the
Brisbane author Nick Earls writes of midlife realities.
GETTING TO LIKE OVE TITLE: A Man Called Ove AUTHOR: Fredrik Backman
PAGE-TURNERS
sides... Perhaps I’m just entering my wagyu years, face down in the feed trough, muscles silently marbling.” Van Fleet has a sneaking feeling that he’s on the outer, headed to a place where, like his father, he is no longer relevant. Meanwhile the annoying Brightman is a missile out of control, enamoured with his own pranks and prattish personality.
Earls has written 19 novels, including children’s fiction, and his books have appeared on bestseller lists in Australia and Britain. Two of his novels, 48 Shades of Brown and Perfect Skin, have been adapted into films. Analogue Men is the perfect read for anyone who is grappling with a mid-life crisis.
ARTIST: Willie Nelson REVIEWER: Javier Encalada
Saturday, July 5, 2014
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More
Band of Brothers
BAND Of Brothers is Nelson’s first album of predominantly original material in nearly two decades, debuting the master tunesmith’s first major batch of newly-penned songs since his Spirit album in 1996. The influential songwriter, whose early successes brought pop and country together with unforgettable standards like Crazy (Patsy Cline), Hello Walls (Faron Young), Funny How Time Slips Away (Billy Walker), Night Life (Ray Price) and many others, has added nine new essential songs to his classic catalogue.
A must-read
New on DVD
TITLE: Enough Said RATING: HHHH
THIS is the kind of movie girlfriends recommend to their single friends to show them you can find love at any age. Enough said. Fortunately great acting (Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late James Gandolfini) and a clever script save this film from being just another sickly romance.
IN 2011 Backman became an overnight success when one of his blog entries “Personal message to stressed blond woman in Volkswagen” became the most linked entry on Facebook ever, with 600,000 shares. Clearly this is a writer who knows how to manipulate the human heart strings. A Man Called Ove has been a number one bestseller across Scandinavia. Perhaps that’s because it’s a very human tale about a man, who on the surface, isn’t very lovable. He’s not as young as he used to be and he’s had his fair share of sadness to bear. As a result, his outer shell is one few bother to penetrate. But when a neighbour accidentally flattens his letterbox one morning, the stage is set for an unexpected friendship that changes both Ove and his community.
Face Off edited by David Baldacci: If you’re a thriller fan you’ll love this collaboration between 23 of the world’s favourite crime writers. Face Off includes the first meeting of Ian Rankin’s Rebus and Peter James’s Roy Grace; a case for Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie and Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch, and a mystery starring Lee Child’s Jack Reacher and Joseph Finder’s Nick Heller. The Spring of Kasper Meier by Ben Fergusson: This debut novel is based on an intriguing premise. Kasper Meier is an ordinary German in post-World War Berlin who is approached by a young woman who blackmails him into searching for a British pilot. Before long he realises that what he thought were random killings of members of the occupying forces are connected to his own situation.
Old Favourite
TITLE: A History of Violence RATING: HHHH
VIGGO Mortensen is a family man with a small town coffee shop whose life is suddenly changed when he foils a robbery with an act of violence. This David Cronenberg film pulls no punches in unmasking a mild-mannered man who made bad choices.
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Do more with superfoods
Superfoods: Enhance your lifestyle and wellbeing
Concussion TRIO OF EXPERTS: Recipe judges Jacqueline Alwill, Jennifer Hawkins and Jody Vassallo. PHOTO: HELEN HAWKES
Enter your super recipe C
ALLING all healthy cooks. It’s time to show off your recipes for a chance to be published and to win some of great prizes. Bangalow home economist Jody Vassallo is one of the judges behind Australia’s first crowd-sourced Superfoods Cookbook and Guide. The award-winning recipe writer and food stylist who has spent the last 20 years creating recipes that inspire people to eat well says the cookbook will give everyday budding chefs the chance to share their exciting new recipes as well as grab $25,000 in prizes including kitchen and cookware. She says the Bioglan Superfoods Project is now open to all Australians
SUPERFOODS Superfoods can include everything from broccoli, blueberries and oats to quinoa, oily fish, spinach, nuts and seeds, brown rice and more. When creating superfoods recipes, cooks are encouraged to consider taste just as much as nutritional benefits.
who want to share their healthy recipes and inspire others to cook nutritious meals. Jody is one of a panel of judges that includes Jennifer Hawkins, who is the ambassador for Bioglan SuperFood and Jacqueline Alwill, a nutritionist, personal trainer and mother who is passionate about healthy eating. Jennifer says: “The SuperFoods Project is about showcasing Australia’s inspirational healthy cooks and advocates, and to inspire people to make healthy food choices. And, as a part of the judging panel I’m really looking forward to seeing (and tasting) what Australia is made of!” So what is a superfood and what should you be focusing on for a chance to win? According to Jacqueline: “Superfoods are a unique group of incredibly nutritionally dense foods that can truly enhance your health. “We have a great understanding of their healing potential through ancient civilisations’ use of these foods in their staple diet and therapeutically.” She says the key to superfoods in your diet is frequency and creativity. “You will see changes to your health by consistently integrating superfoods within meals and snacks throughout
WELLBEING
the day,” she explained. Jody agrees: “Adding superfoods to your diet will lead to increased energy and vitality and better immunity. “Think of eating superfoods like taking a super vitamin pill, only they are natural.” With the help of the other judges, she will be going through recipe entries and choosing which ones to test. “The winning recipes will then be shot at a studio in Sydney,” said Jody. And, as for what she is looking for as a judge, Jody offers these tips: “The recipes should be simple and not contain too many hard-to-find ingredients. “I encourage people to enter fresh, healthy recipes using superfoods. “They also need to remember that sometimes the simplest combinations create the best recipes.” During her impressive career, Jody has authored 30 cookbooks including ones for people with diabetes, celiac disease and a range of food intolerances and allergies. She has also worked as a consultant for Jamie’s Ministry of Food, helping in the setting up of their centres and food trucks. “I also write a diet blog for Jamie Oliver’s website,” says Jody, who
You will see changes to your health by consistently integrating superfoods within meals and snacks – Jody Vassallo
describes Jamie as an inspirational person to work with. Jody has a new cookbook, Beautiful Food that is based on the concept of eating for your Ayurvedic body type, out on October 1. If you want to enter a superfoods recipe, better get out your food processor and your best pots and pans and get cracking. Competition is expected to be intense.
nnn t SPORTS Medicine Australia is urging all junior contact sports codes to exercise extreme caution. Former Sydney Roosters team doctor and SMA spokesperson Dr John Orchard says it’s crucial that all junior sporting codes have personnel trained in the recognition and management of concussion and are aware of the recommended guidelines in relation to return to play. “Children have significant physical, physiological and development differences that place them at long-term risk if sports-related concussion is not managed appropriately,” he says. “Currently fewer than 20% of concussed children are actually diagnosed with concussion. “This needs to change – if there is any doubt at all, sit them out.” Dr Orchard says if any player is displaying symptoms including loss of consciousness, confusion, memory disturbance, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea and/or unsteadiness, coaches and trainers should immediately remove the player from the field and not allow them to return to play.
Entries close Sunday, August 31. For details go to www.bioglan.com.au /superfoods
Saturday, July 5, 2014
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CROSSWORD NUMBER 1882
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QUIZ
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WEEKEND QUIZ
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1. 2. 3.
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“You’ll be thinking of me. Somehow I will know. Someday when I’m lonely wishing you weren’t so far away,” are lyrics from which song?
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44
7. 8. 9. 10.
45
46
Which Australian played in his first Wimbledon singles final in 1954, his fourth in 1974 and won none?
47 48
49
ACROSS 1. Prevail 6. Glue 10. Male bird 11. Swimsuit 12. Sprightly 14. Boyís name 15. Positive votes 16. Water mass (6,5) 18. Dictator 19. Sat around idly 20. Next 22. Sacred places 24. Graceful deer 26. River wall 28. In disguise 29. Dishonourable 30. Retained 32. Apportioned 35. Caulking agents 38. Private matters 39. Winding ski race 41. Maniac 42. Fundamentals 43. Brood 45. Transport cost 46. Riddle 47. Young cow 48. Unit of weight 49. Unpunished (4-4) 50. Length
The letters BRF, the phenomenon when a woman looks “thoughtfully sad or angry for no reason”, stand for what?
50
DOWN 1. Runs a business 2. Wet weather 3. Far East 4. Publications 5. Large spider 6. Intimidatory 7. Percussion instrument 8. Girlís name 9. Occurrences 11. Nonproductive 13. Long steady look 16. Urging 17. However 20. Kingdoms
21. Ova 23. Revoke 25. Precise 26. Musical note 27. Wet soil 31. Apprehending 32. Appraises 33. Under obligation 34. Representative 35. Sewed 36. Sugary fluid 37. Prehistoric era (5,3) 40. Amalgamation 41. Risks 44. Granny, for one 45. Type of cheese Solution to No. 1881
S T E E P L E W O R R S T RO NOR FOL K A G O F I MP E S ARCASM U M I NCOMP A APOGE E A X E A P E RME DRY ROT E S E I MP RU T AC T I C G N T I N F E C I D L E R S O U N E I MP E R T S T AMP A U U R P ARA L Y RE NA L O E E E ENDURA R I DE S Y S
S A E NGBOX O S I R I OUS E R T RAB L E L I D AB L E U UP D E N T I E R T I ON N AS I N E NC N S T U T I C T E HA T NC E L T WE E
L V O D L C RA N I O M P I L AS N T R E D I R L E N KE
NAME: .............................................PHONE: ............................... ADDRESS: ...................................................................................... .................................................................................................... LAST WEEK’S WINNER: Dick Beattie of Casino wins a $5 scratchie Saturday, July 5, 2014
Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo is better known as which star of M*A*S*H?
Doctor Conrad Murray was paid $150,000 per month to be which US superstar’s personal doctor?
42 43
5. 6.
Which Argentinean star was expelled from the 1994 FIFA World Cup and banned for 15 months after testing positive to drugs?
38 39
Is the number of squares on a chess board 64 or 100?
4.
29 30
Was King George VI or King Richard I known as “the Lionheart”?
Which English celebrity cook recently said that she wore an unflattering burkini swimsuit on a Sydney beach last year because her ex-husband didn’t want her to get a tan?
25
27
28
32
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18
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Put your grey matter to the test with Weekend’s weekly brain buster
13
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Test your knowledge
A Norwegian museum recently agreed to return to the owner’s family a painting by which French artist, looted by Nazi chief Hermann Goering?
11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Slim Dusty was born in 1927 in (a) Kempsey (b) Kirribilli (c) Kyogle?
21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
Which board game involves moving through rooms to solve a
Is Wednesday or Saturday named after the god Woden?
Which major international cycling race begins in Leeds this weekend?
day?
Which two states recently had general elections on the same Cramps is in which Australian state/territory?
At the age of 17 in 1985, which German became the youngest Wimbledon men’s singles champion? Name the capital of the Pitcairn Islands.
Which English writer recently launched the novel Be Careful What You Wish For?
E S I E S T C E R MS I SH B ED H AY V ED O S S E ND
Who was the only US president to have served as Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court? In 1994, how did Colombian player Andres Escobar die soon after scoring an own goal during his team’s loss to the USA in the FIFA World Cup?
murder?
Which Australian state capital is sometimes known as the Emerald City?
Queens?
Is Flushing Meadows in the New York borough of Manhattan or Proverbially, how many stitches are saved by a stitch in time?
In 1977, which Swedish pop group was photographed in the water of a Swan River beach where sea lions moved into camera range?
26.
In which 1979 movie did Graham Chapman play Brian Cohen, a Jewish man who was born on the same day
as Jesus Christ and next door to the stable where he was born?
27. 28. 29.
Who is the federal member for the New South Wales seat of
30. 31.
The letters VLAD, Queensland’s so-called anti-bikie laws, stand
32. 33. 34. 35. 36.
The weight of an Oscar statuette is (a) 1.9kg (b) 3.9kg (c) 9.9kg?
Grayndler?
The Nile River flows through which three national capitals?
Which outback Queensland hotel featured in the 1986 movie Crocodile Dundee was recently sold for about $1 million?
for what?
The name of the effective “wingless” formation used by England at the 1966 FIFA World Cup was the (a) ostrich (b) penguin (c) dodo?
The name of which star sign is Latin for “twins”? In 1901, who died at Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight?
Whose song, The Cup of Life, was used to promote the 1998 FIFA World Cup? In a recent federal parliamentary debate about Qantas, which opposition MP quoted a character from The Simpsons TV show and described the government as a bunch of “cheese-eating surrender monkeys”?
37. 38. 39. 40. 41.
In Banjo Paterson’s poem, The Man from Snowy River, who “made his pile when Pardon won the cup”? Which unofficial republic was in existence in south-eastern Nigeria from 1967 to 1970? What was Melissa Johnson’s memorable performance at Wimbledon in 1996? Name the solar system’s only large moon which orbits in the opposite direction to its planet’s rotation. The parliament of which African country recently legislated to allow men to marry as many women as they wish (a) Egypt (b) Kenya (c) South Africa?
42. 43.
Does the earth take about 265 or 365 days to orbit the sun?
Vere Goold, the Wimbledon men’s runner-up in 1879, was later sent to France’s notorious Devil’s Island for (a) murder (b) bank robbery (c) treason?
44. 45. 46. 47.
Which South Australian Liberal leader recently urged voters to “vote Labor tomorrow”? Which French leader hung the Mona Lisa in his bedroom?
Following her Wimbledon singles final loss in 1993, who wept on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent? The recently detected waves of gravity that rippled through space immediately after the Big Bang were predicted by which scientist?
48.
Who recently stood down as federal assistant treasurer during a NSW Independent Commission of Corruption investigation?
49. 50.
people”?
The name of which African country means “land of honest
Name the first Australian to compete in the Summer and Winter Olympics.
QUIZ COMPILED BY:Roy O'Reilly ANSWERS:Page 46
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Green Thumb
GARDENING
Most useful & most easy Green Thumb with Maree Curran t
If you are new to gardening, then growing some basic herbs is a great way to begin. And if you are an old hand, then it’s easy to slip a few of your favourites in, or expand your collection
H
ERBS are among the easiest to grow and most useful of all plants to have on hand. You don’t even need a garden; just a pot or two will be sufficient to supply your basic needs. When planning your herb garden, focus first of all on the herbs that you most like to use. Freshly picked coriander and basil are far superior to that bought in any shop, as they deteriorate rapidly after harvest, so these are good ones to grow. It’s a bit cool for basil now, but coriander is easy to grow in the cooler weather. Plant basil in spring. Parsley and chives are herbs that you will use frequently if you can just duck outside and snip a few leaves. Easy to grow and longlasting, these are two good herbs to start with. Some herbs, like coriander, basil, and dill, are annuals and will need to be replaced frequently. I usually grow these in my vegetable garden. Others, like bay trees, rosemary and thyme, will grow for years, so you can incorporate them into more permanent parts of the garden, or establish them in large pots. While we’re mostly familiar with the culinary uses of the most popular herbs, such as parsley, coriander, chives and rosemary, there are many other uses for herbs around the home. Thyme, marjoram, oregano and pennyroyal all make great groundcovers. Pennyroyal is very effective at repelling ants, fleas and mosquitoes, so plant it outside where you (and your pets) like to sit. If herbal teas interest you, then why not try some mint, lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena or bergamot. Pick fresh leaves, infuse them in boiling water for a few minutes, then add a little honey or lemon if you please. Enjoy it hot, or chill it to make a refreshing iced tea. I love mint tea, so easy to make, lovely and warm in winter, or chilled in summer. The medicinal properties of some herbs have been known for centuries. Brahmi, also called the memory herb, promotes brain activity. Sage makes an excellent gargle for sore throats, is an ancient remedy for anxiety, sleeplessness and liver disease and is said to aid digestion, so it is often teamed with rich foods such as game and pork. Aloe vera has a remarkable ability to aid in skin disorders, and, being a succulent, is incredibly tough. Lavender is often grown just because it looks so beautiful, but it is also an extremely useful herb. Use it for flavouring icecream, repelling moths in the linen closet or making a relaxing bath infusion. Lavender
TASTIER: Freshly picked herbs are far superior than store-bought varieties. dentata, or French Lavender, is a hardy variety that does well here even in our humid climate. It likes a hot sunny position, and is well suited to pot culture. Lavender will tolerate coastal exposure too. While most herbs thrive in a warm sunny position, some, like mint and
coriander, will tolerate, and even prefer, a moister, shadier spot. If you are new to gardening, then growing some basic herbs is a great way to begin. And if you are an old hand at gardening, then it’s easy to slip a few of your favourites in, or expand your collection.
Photo: Iain Curry
Maree Curran owns the Eden at Byron nursery, 140 Bangalow Rd, Byron Bay. Phone: 02 6685 6874.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
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EXPLORE
UNDERGROUND MAGIC: Vietnam's enormous caves are becoming an increasingly popular destination for travellers. Paradise Cave (pictured) is 31km long, and visitors can walk up to 7km inside. PHOTO: MIKE ROWBOTTOM
Find a heart of darkness G
Jenny Munro discovers an underground wonderland during her travels through Vietnam nnn t
EARED up with swimwear, lifejacket, helmet and headtorch, our tour group kayaks downstream on a river in rural Vietnam, towards a cavern in the cliff face on the opposite bank. We disembark and walk along a wooden platform into the mouth of a 20m-high cave, switch on our headtorches and wonder what’s in store for us. We follow our guide through knee-deep water as the daylight fades and our excitement grows. We come out of the water but sand turns into mud as we enter a kind of tunnel at the side of the cave, walking single-file through the narrow archways. We sink into the mud – some up to our thighs – and as the space widens, many of us lose our inhibitions and embrace the thick brown liquid playfully – covering arms, legs and even faces. This is certainly a unique kind of beauty treatment. Three days earlier, my partner and I had disembarked from an overnight train from Hanoi at little-known Dong Hoi, headed for the even lesser-known Phong Nha. It almost missed our radar with Hue, Danang and Hoi An beckoning, but a little more inquiry led us to see that Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was home to some hidden gems. Under the mountain range lies a
vast network of more than 300 huge caves and grottos – only a fraction of which have been explored. The area is only relatively new on the tourist map, with the national park being declared a World Heritage area in 2003 and the caves only opened to the public in
We follow our guide through knee-deep water as the daylight fades and our excitement grows recent years. The largest cave in the world, described as being able to fit inside it a whole Manhattan suburb – skyscrapers and all, was discovered here in 2009, although access is restricted for tourists. The homely Phong Nha Farmstay, overlooking rice paddies 8km south of Phong Nha village, runs a number of tours to many of the other caves in the area. The farmstay is owned and run by Australian-Vietnamese couple Ben and Bich Mitchell, who have played a key role in developing infrastructure in the area to
accommodate the growing tourism industry, with the goal of providing employment to locals and boosting the economy of the local villages. Getting muddy is just one of the options available to you. We went on the farmstay’s popular National Park Tour (one day, about $65), of which the main attraction is Paradise Cave. The mud fun takes place at the aptly named Dark Cave, at the end of the tour. Oxalis Adventure Tours is another locally run company which specialises in caving and jungle trekking. The Tu Lan caves one-day tour (about $85) is probably one of the more challenging tours on offer, and takes you out of the national park and off the beaten track. The 14km trek takes you through farmland, jungle, creeks and of course, navigating caves. The last 120m before lunch requires you to swim through a cave, coming out at a secluded waterfall and swimming hole – a picturesque location for refuelling before the afternoon’s trek back. While it will take some time for Phong Nha to grow into its newfound popularity, once the word gets out, it is sure to become a must-see stop for any visitor to Vietnam. * The writer was a guest of Phong Nha Farmstay and Oxalis Adventure Tours.
Did you know? PHONG NHA-KE BANG NATIONAL PARK DESIGNATED a Unesco World Heritage site in 2003, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park contains the oldest karst mountains in Asia, formed about 400 million years ago. Riddled with hundreds of cave systems – many of extraordinary scale and length – and spectacular underground rivers, Phong Nha is a speleologist’s heaven on earth. Its collection of stunning dry caves, terraced caves, towering stalagmites and glistening crystal-edged stalactites represent nature on a grand scale, and are beginning to create a real buzz in Vietnam as more riches are discovered. Serious exploration only began in the 1990s, led by the British Cave Research Association and Hanoi University. In 2005 Paradise Cave was discovered, and in 2009 a team found the world’s largest cave – Son Doong. Until recently, access to the national park was limited and strictly controlled by the Vietnamese military. Some sections remain off-limits, but things are gradually opening up.
SEE YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT FOR MORE TOP DEALS OF THE WEEK HOLLAND AMERICA LINE’S 2015 GRAND WORLD VOYAGE WHEN MS Amsterdam departs Fort Lauderdale in Florida on January 5 next year, the cruise will span 114 days and call at 45 ports in 25 countries on six continents. Offered a refined and elegant “home away from home,” Amsterdam guests will enjoy gracious service, superior amenities and many special Grand Voyage experiences. For guests who have less time on their hands, eight segments ranging in length from 22–57 days are available from departure ports along the route. Highlights of the round trip Fort Lauderdale journey include 11 overnight calls in some of the world’s most exciting cities. Onboard amenities are elevated to the highest
Saturday, July 5, 2014
level. With nearly one crew member for every two guests, the finest service is nearby. A different dining experience is offered daily, with the opportunity to enjoy food and fine wines from across the world. COSTS: The Grand World Voyage is available to book for the full cruise, or in segments, starting at 22 days. Cruise fares are per person, double occupancy. Rates start at $22,999 for Amsterdam’s 114-day cruise departing January 5; $7499 for the 35-day segment from Fort Lauderdale to Sydney departing January 5; $4999 for the 22-day segment from Sydney to Singapore departing February 10 and $9099 for the 41-day segment from Sydney to Dubai departing February 10. MORE DETAILS: 1300 987 321 or www.hollandamerica.com.au
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with Ann Rickard
EXPLORE
TAKE ME THERE Underwater playground TAKE ME to S.E.A. Aquarium and let me be immersed in the magical marine world seen through the planet’s largest window to the ocean. This underwater wonderland has more than 800 species of marine animals including majestic manta rays, napoleon wrasse and enormous goliath grouper. This is one cool place. www.yoursingapore. com
Property of the Week nnn t
Take part in cultural trip
Opening a new world Singapore’s S.E.A. underwater experience is truly mind-blowing nnn t
Travelling Tales with Ann Rickard nnn t
THE first time I put my head in the water on the Great Barrier Reef, and peered through my face mask, I didn’t know what to expect. Actually I hadn’t thought much about it. Doing the reef was on the bucket list of our family and something we felt obliged to do. I hadn’t thought beyond that. So after doing that disgusting but necessary thing of spitting into the mask and donning giant flippers, into the water I jumped and dipped my face in. It was in 1989 and the reef was a wonderland of brilliantly coloured coral, schools of multi-coloured fish, and canyons of intrigue
And I didn’t have to spit in a mask or get wet to feel that same exhilaration. and mystery. To a woman from Melbourne who’d led a city life and had never before donned a snorkel and mask, it was nothing short of a blinding, wonderful, exhilarating miracle. I had a similar mind-changing experience at the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore not long ago. Here was all the rapture of the underwater world that had first awed and thrilled me, housed in the largest aquarium in the world. And I didn’t have to spit in a mask or get wet to feel that same exhilaration.
I had walked through the glass tunnel beneath fast-moving sharks in the S.E.A. Aquarium, past the large glass tubes of dancing jelly fish back-lit with red and blue lights. I had wandered through walkways flanked by glass where manta rays, gargantuan gropers, Napoleon wrasse and other giants of the sea glided past in their marine habitats unaware of the hundreds of visitors photographing them. I had seen coral reefs and shipwrecks and been super impressed, but when I came to the
main viewing area, the world’s largest window to the sea, I stopped dead in disbelief. At first, the vastness of this viewing window distracted me from the life within. This was huge, too big to comprehend. Fish, mammals and marine life from the Strait of Malacca and the Bay of Bengal, to the Great Lakes of East Africa and the South China Sea, went about their gliding business inside this enormous water world. Once I recovered from the scope of this magical underwater world, I stood for hours, hypnotised, enthralled. And when you sometimes feel you are a jaded traveller after years of globetrotting, isn’t that a good thing? ann.rickard@scnews.com.au www.annrickard.com
Deal of the Week
Cruise News
nnn t
nnn t
Enjoy Europe in ‘off season’
View Rockies in sweet ride
WINTER wonderlands: Topdeck is offering a 5% early payment discount for all winter trips booked and paid in advance with the launch of its new Europe in Winter program. There are 26 winter trips on offer including Christmas and New Year packages, an Austrian skiing adventure and add-on itineraries through Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Israel. A range of discounts are available including a 5% early payment option for trips
ALASKAN adventure: Ride the Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf service, cruise Alaska and finish with a luxury two-night post-cruise stay in Anchorage, just one of Cruiseco’s new 2015 Silversea ultimate worldwide cruising holidays. Picture yourself exploring the best of North America and Alaska on a 16-night fly, cruise, land and rail adventure. The package includes international airfares from Australia to Calgary, returning
booked and paid in full six months in advance. The leading youth tour operator has introduced a new “Euro Hotel” style trip, which features accommodation in unique and charming three and four star hotels.
The new 28-day Winter Expedition journeys through England, Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland and France. Visit www.topdeck.travel or your local travel agent.
from Anchorage with Qantas; and a seven-night Calgary to Vancouver Tour exploring the Canadian Rockies, which includes a two-day Rocky Mountaineer train journey in GoldLeaf service. Port charges, government fees, hotel and air taxes are part of
CONFUCIUS says: embark on a cultural journey of discovering Confucius’s rich heritage in Beijing, as well as in the legendary philosopher’s birthplace of Qufu, and soak up the spirit of traditional Chinese philosophy with Shangri-La hotels in these cities. Check in to China World Hotel in Beijing for a two-night stay and visit the 700-year-old Temple of Confucius, one of China’s most revered sites. Sample authentic cuisines at the hotel’s Summer Palace restaurant. Immerse yourself in Confucian history and legacy with your DVD copy of the film, Confucius. After a two-night stay in Beijing, travel to Confucius’s hometown of Qufu for a two-night stay at Shangri-La Hotel, Qufu, where a chauffeured hotel limousine and guided tours await to take you to three must-visit Confucian heritage sites. At the hotel’s Shang Palace, feast on the authentic delicacies from Kong Family Cuisine, where legendary dishes such as Kong Mansion’s Eight Treasures and “Gingko” Poetry Rites are showcased. At the end of your stay, a hotel limousine transfer will take you back to Qufu’s high-speed train station.
More via email: reservations.cwh@ shangri-la.com
the package price. Choose from a collection of 30 departures with Silversea and Cruiseco to a plethora of worldwide destinations, and awe-inspiring ports between January and December 2015. More with your travel agent or on www.cruising.com.au. Saturday, July 5, 2014
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OPINIONS
Exercise your French l Topic of Cancer l Quiz answers l Sex in the Shire
Getting sprung means...
By George, it’s easy
getting motivated Keep it together Week 2 I DON’T know about you, but if a phone number comes up on my mobile with no name, I don’t often answer. It’s Saturday morning, almost a week has gone by since my last personal training session with Michelle. I was walking inside the house, having just returned from yoga, when the phone rings. I pick up the call. “Hi Mimi!” the woman’s voice said. “I have some breaking news for you.” Okay, I thought, it must be someone who knows I work for the paper. “Mimi has not been to the gym at all this week,” Michelle says. Bummer, the belt I have to wear when I go to the gym has dobbed on me. “Yes I know, I am not going to try to give you excuses, but I have been to yoga so I didn’t do nothing,” I explain. “What about 4pm tonight?” Michelle asks, “I will be there training myself.” Yes, I replied cheerfully, even though this was not part of my plan today. I worked out for an hour and earned some points towards my weekly challenge. But that’s where it ended. I set my alarm for 5.30am a couple of mornings to get to some classes at 6am. The darkness and the cold put me off, so I slept a bit longer. This week I was way too busy
Exercise your French with Mireille Merlet-Shaw nnn t googling all sorts about fitness, exercise and food – that was my workout. I downloaded a few apps; I think the best one so far is a running app called Run 5k. There are a few around that are great if you have never run before. I have tried free apps and paid ones and they are all pretty good. Just pick the one that suits you best. The one I have is to train to run 5 km in eight weeks. And you have to train, three times a week, for 30 minutes, not that long really when you think about it, so no excuses for not exercising. I start with a five minute warm up walk, then run for a minute before dropping back to a walk for a minute and half.
This week I have also cut out sugar. I didn’t realise I was so addicted to it. When I need it I use coconut sugar This week I have also cut out sugar. I didn’t realise I was so addicted to it. My cravings are beginning to subside, though it’s not easy. When I really want sugar, like in my coffee, I use coconut sugar. Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index (GI) of 35 compared to cane sugar which has a GI of 68. Low GI will allow a slow release of energy, meaning you don’t spend it all at once. It’s great to use in your cake recipes when you want to reward yourself with a bit of sweetness after you have been working out for the week. Rewards are important. How are you going with your new fitness regime?
Mireille.Merlet@ northernstar.com.au Follow Mireille’s progress on Instagram, @mimstar14.
I find that just being present
really floats my boat MY YOUNG friend Seth took me out on the Brunswick River in an inflatable craft this week, and rarely have I experienced such hours of utter peace. For a minute I regretted not having spent more of my life messing about in boats, but this was no time for looking back and feeling sorry about anything. It constituted an opportunity, a moral imperative, to relish the moment and soak up the silence and serenity. Alone, except for the birds, a few fish and a fast-moving stingray, we moved languidly through the clear green water, between thick stands of mangroves, musing about the turn of the tide, lulled into a state of timelessness, of carefree, endless boyhood, by both the primeval setting and the simple Huck Finn fun of it. The highlight was tying an old rock onto a bit of cord and chucking it overboard to serve as anchor while we lay in the warming winter sun, saying nothing and feeling no need for words. Seth usually takes to the water with his brother, so it was a privilege to be invited along, and, as is often the case with physical effort, it created more energy within me than it took out. In fact, the outing began a Saturday, July 5, 2014
Topic of Cancer with Digby Hildreth t period of surging strength as well as a disturbing and resettling of the emotional silt. My own brother has been visiting from his home up near the Arctic Circle, bringing with him, inevitably, the full fraught psychodrama of familial memory. But we spent refreshingly little time digging up ancient history, preferring to sit quietly, talking over a host of current issues. He has health challenges too, and in the light of these I forget my own problems. The flood of physical wellbeing – of bodily power – reinforced the inner strengths, integrating respect, affection, acceptance into the mix.
Bathed in sunshine, preternaturally clear skies and warm ocean and the easiness of family both old and new; these feel like special days – a child’s summer hols, impermanent perhaps, but with a future empty of fears and expectations. I feel fully alive, connected to the Earth and its inhabitants, nurtured by the simplest of circumstances. Two mates in a boat, dozing, letting the time drift by; two brothers, different in most respects, hugging with all the strength their knocked-about bodies can muster; a teenager showing kindness to his ageing uncle, getting to know him a little. These halcyon days will pass and outrageous fortune is probably preparing a serving of niggles and setbacks for us. For now, any difficulties are in my mind. Cancer is a mere chance companion, like a hitch-hiker, who will either get out at the intersection, as agreed, or mug me and leave me by the roadside to die. Time will tell: today I am oblivious to either option. The present is overwhelmingly beautiful.
Digby was diagnosed with liver cancer 18 months ago.
SHOULD you ever marry a “perennial bachelor”? It’s a vexing question if you’ve landed your own George Clooney. Swiss author DH Barkley, author of George Clooney: From Bachelor to Betrothed. (www.clooneythebook .com), says her mother’s advice was that you should never marry a longstanding bachelor, as they were set in their ways and unaccustomed to compromise. But leopards can change their spots, argues Barkley, who points out that Warren Beatty, after a string of relationships with beautiful women, married in his mid-50s. “More than 20 years and four children later, he and actress Annette Bening are still together – no small feat in Hollywood,” she says. Here are her seven ingredients for long-term romantic success, no matter how old or crusty your bachelor. 1. Similarity: “Research shows if we want our romantic relationships to last, we should search for homogamy in a partner – that means someone similar to us, particularly in values. Borne out by several studies, showing that similarity between partners for various characteristics, including age, background, intelligence, socio-economic status and values predict greater relationship success. Opposites may attract but, in the long term, they are likely to repel.” 2. Realistic expectations: “No one is perfect, and it is quite normal to feel we don’t like our partner from time to time.” Actually it’s also quite normal to feel like you might want to take to them with a blunt instrument but those keen to stay out of the legal system avoid this route. 3. Friendship: “After the first flush of love is over, we need a true friend to weather day-to-day life.” Friendship goes the distance, lust rarely lasts,
ELIGIBLE BACHELORS DO YOU know an attractive single man who is a successful businessman, farmer, philanthropist, greenie, chef, fireman or more? We are looking for the 12 most eligible bachelors in the Northern Rivers. Subjects must be willing to be photographed and interviewed. Send photo and details to weekender@northernstar.com.au by Thursday.
Sex in the Shire with Helen Hawkes t sadly. 4. Equality: “This means we have balanced power in the relationship, we can act independently of our partner’s control, influence their actions, and participate equally in decision-making,” says Barkley. Most of all, we’re not the only one who does the dishes and cleans the loo. 5. Commitment: This does not refer to a mental health institution but about making the relationship a priority. “It’s also about having ties together, such as joint possessions and family, which help keep us glued together during rocky times.” In other words, if it’s too hard to split the sofa/kingbed/DVD collection, why get a divorce? 6. Understanding: “As mentioned in Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, many of our relationship troubles start because men and women are more different than we may think. When women have problems we want care and understanding, but our partner offers solutions; and resentment builds as we feel we were not listened to. To help solve his problems we try to be supportive by offer comforting, unsolicited advice, but our good intentions make him feel smothered and controlled.” Given this, let’s settle for just a smidgen of understanding. 7. Conflict resolution: Conflicts are normal and inevitable in any partnership, and it seems that mutually satisfactory resolution to disagreements is key to the continued harmony, satisfaction, and even survival of the relationship, says Barkley. Under no circumstances should your partnership remind people of the Middle East conflict. n Note: 50% of the author’s net proceeds go to Clooney’s charity Not On Our Watch.
ANSWERS: Weekend Quiz 1. King Richard I. 2. 64. 3. Nigella Lawson. 4. Things We Said Today. 5. Alan Alda. 6. Diego Maradona. 7. Michael Jackson. 8. Ken Rosewall. 9. Bitchy Resting Face. 10. Henri Matisse. (Woman in Blue in Front of a Fireplace). 11. (a) Kempsey. 12. Wednesday. 13. Tour de France. 14. South Australia, Tasmania. 15. Tasmania. 16. Boris Becker. 17. Adamstown. 18. Jeffrey Archer. 19. William H. Taft. 20. Shot dead in a car park. 21. Cluedo. 22. Sydney. 23. Queens. 24. Nine. 25. ABBA. 26. Life of Brian.
27. Anthony Albanese. 28. Juba, Khartoum, Cairo. 29. Walkabout Creek Hotel. 30. Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Bill. 31. (b) penguin. 32. (b) 3.9kg. 33. Gemini. 34. Queen Victoria. 35. Ricky Martin. 36. Bill Shorten. 37. Harrison. 38. Biafra. 39. First centre court streaker. 40. Triton. 41. (b) Kenya. 42. 365 days 43. (a) murder. 44. Steven Marshall. 45. Napoleon Bonaparte. 46. Jana Novotna. 47. Albert Einstein. 48. Arthur Sinodinos. 49. Burkina Faso. 50. Paul Narracott. (Summer 1984, Winter 1992).
Saturday, June 21, 2014 www.northernstar.com.au
DR OZ SAYS ...
It’s time to get ‘real’ about health
Saturday, June 21, 2014
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WELCOME
From the editor l 10 things to do
INDEX Arts ................................................................................32-33 Screenlife.............................................................................34 Big Read .............................................................................35 Easy Eating..........................................................................36 Weekend Cook ..................................................................37 Max Crus .............................................................................38 Homestyle ..........................................................................39 Relax ....................................................................................40 Wellbeing.............................................................................41 Crossword and Quiz ..........................................................42 Gardening ...........................................................................43 Travel .............................................................................44-45 TV Guide .......................................................................46-47 Opinions ..............................................................................48
The Lismore Lantern Parade is the most important community family-friendly activity in the Northern Rivers winter calendar.
1
Cars Drag Races
Tomorrow Summerland Drags will run its second 2014 event. Entry for adults is $20, competitors $60 and children under 15 are free. At the Casino airstrip from 9am–2pm.
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Festival Lismore Lantern Parade
Today
10 THINGS TO DO nnn t
THE parade has become a great family activity on the Northern Rivers winter calendar. There will be entertainment, music and fun all afternoon.
Tomorrow
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Tomorrow HOLLEY is a 10-year-old singer. She is a protector of the planet, animals and people and has been a member of Earth Guardians since 2012. Club Lennox, from 2pm. Visit clublennox .com.au for details.
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Event Soup Kitchen’s Winter Fundraiser
Tuesday, June 24 Georgina Pollard will be the MC of this yearly event with a fantastic line-up of acts including Warren Whitney, Blind Busker, Acapelicans, The Bridge Street Choir, One Breath and the Winsome Gospel Choir. St Andrew’s Anglican Church from 7pm. Entry by donation.
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Party Delicious
Today
It is Delicious’s fourth anniversary, and to make it extra special, DJs Lady K
Frente is celebrating the 21st anniversary of their album Marvin with a double CD and a national tour. Star Court Theatre in Lismore from 8pm. $45.
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The Big Gig
Ballina RSL Club from 7.30pm. Free gig.
Russell Morris and his band will headline the Northern Rivers Community Foundation annual music fundraiser.
Holley Sommerville
Friday, June 27
Doug Chappel has been a professional comedian for more than 10 years and is an energetic performer with hilarious facial expressions, astute observation and charm.
Russell Morris
Music
Frente
Thursday, June 26
Fundraiser
Bangalow Bowling Club, 21 Byron St, Bangalow from 2pm. $45 +bf via Oztix.
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Music
Comedy
Lismore CBD from noon today. For details go to www.lanternparade.com.
3
Russell Morris for the Northern Rivers Community Foundation fundraiser.
Markets Saturday:
The Future of Farming is the theme of the 30th annual Primex exhibition. and 1iSAMURAi will be joined by Vonnstar live on saxophone. Lismore City Bowling Club, Lismore from 9pm.
7
Exhibition Primex 2014
n Alstonville Farmers Market, Bugden Ln car park, Alstonville. n Lismore Farmers Market, Lismore Showground. n Uki Farmers market every Saturday morning. n Kyogle Bazaar, Kyogle CBD area, Summerland Way n Blue Knob Farmers Market, 719 Blue Knob Rd, Lillian Rock. n Bangalow Farmers Market, 1 Byron St, Bangalow
I give you my word,
I find this
teen talk to be totes adorkable
A
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DORKABLE will make a debut in the Collins English Dictionary in October. The adjective, used to describe someone “socially inept or unfashionable in a charming or endearing way”, was popularised by New Girl actor Zooey Deschanel and recently won a Twitter poll ruling it as proper English. It commonly precedes hashtags accompanying photos of dogs donning Diors in the Twittersphere, but now can be said aloud and used in essays, crosswords and Scrabble. Other portmanteau contenders for dictionary inclusion were felfie: a farmer selfie; fracktivist: an activist who protests against fracking (this one isn’t so bad) and Gaybourhood: a gay-friendly neighbourhood. Traditionalists are reeling. I don’t blame them. Enough with shortening words and adding unnecessary Zs or ‘ies’. Urban lexicons have become a part of everyday vernacular, like the word ‘grouse’ did in the nineties, but what’s next? Amazeballs: when something is so amazing, you can’t just say amazing. Did you see Sharknado on TV last night? It was amazeballs. Totes: a shorter, more convenient word for totally, used commonly by teenage girls on average 26 times a day. Oh em gee, Harry Styles is totes cute. Cray cray: nonsensical slang used to signify crazy on a whole other level. Dude, that party was cray cray. Woe-is-me’ing: a modern adaptation to express sorrow and misfortune, or in other words, glorified moaning. Shakespeare would be turning in his grave. Now don’t you YOLO me.
EDITOR Kiri ten Dolle BOOK GIVEAWAY WINNER: The winner of last week’s book, Hell’s Gate, is Julie Causley of Maclean. Books can be collected from the Northern Star office in Goonellabah. ID must be shown.
Ends today Primex is the region’s premier primary industry exhibition with 12 exhibitions at one venue. Features include Northern Rivers Motor Show, Pacific Beef Trade Expo, Truck and Machinery Expo, Sustainability Program and a variety of exhibits – home, lifestyle, tourism, education, livestock, horticulture, real estate and much more. Exhibition and Event Centre, Bruxner Hwy, Casino 9am–4pm.
8
Dance Winter Solstice Bush Dance
Today
The Radical Faeries present a bush dance in celebration of the winter solstice featuring the Bush Bandicoots and other local artists. All proceeds to Lock the Gate Alliance. Rock Valley Hall, 7pm–midnight. $20.
Enjoy the homegrown delights at the markets this weekend. n Mullumbimby Community Market, Stuart St Sunday: n Bangalow Village Market, Showgrounds n Nimbin Market, Cullen St n Missingham Bridge Markets, Missingham Bridge, Kingsford Dr, Ballina To avoid disappointment contact the organisers to ensure details of these events have not changed.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
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THE ARTS
What is happening across the Northern Rivers
All the way with LBJ Lisa Black Jewellery is bespoke, with each piece handmade using the finest materials. TRACEY HORDERN ONCE in a while, design transcends the practical and is the poetry of form. Lisa Black Jewellery (LBJ) are such designs, her beautiful bespoke jewellery is rightfully housed in an art gallery, Art Piece in Mullumbimby. So much more than mere baubles, Lisa Black Jewellery evokes an emotional response; her truly beautiful designs resonate deeply and tell a story. Like many good tales, Lisa Black’s story began in New York where she developed an early appreciation of jewellery sifting through her grandmother’s collection of old jewels. These remnants of old gems, both precious and semi-precious collected from Manhattan’s lower east side would be the start of Lisa Black’s love of reincarnating some forgotten or broken treasure and creating something cherished anew. Educated with a background in environmental design and landscape architecture, then later fine
Horn Dream Catcher Earrings.
arts and horticulture, Lisa’s myriad studies have contributed to a strong foundation in truly understanding design. Based in Byron Bay, today Lisa benefits from being married to one of the world’s leading authorities on tribal and oceanic art, Robert Bleakley. Their constant travels unearth unexpected, precious ethnic pieces that are given a twenty-two carat gold twist to enhance the ancient materials with an added sophistication. Each piece of Lisa Black Jewellery is bespoke and handmade using the highest quality materials. Mixing cultures, ages and raw materials in a passionate melting pot - shells, pearls, bone, old tribal beads, rubies and gold are spun into hypnotically beautiful designs.
LEFT: Filipino Shell Disc earrings.
LEFT: Pink Spondalus & Ayoka Pearl Drop Earrings
Available at Art Piece Gallery 70 Burringbar St, Mullumbimby Phone: 6684 3446.
RIGHT: Exquisite 22 carat gold rubies and pearls.
Shakespeare’s epic tragedy on screen
The truth is out there, if you know how to look
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King and chaos
Simon Russell Beale stars in the National Theatre’s King Lear.
PHOTO: MARK DOUET
ACADEMY Award-winning film director Sam Mendes (Skyfall, American Beauty) returns to London’s National Theatre to direct Simon Russell Beale in the title role of Shakespeare’s epic tragedy, King Lear. When the aging Lear decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters according to which of them is most
eloquent in praising him, his favourite, Cordelia, says nothing; Lear’s world descends into chaos. Shakespeare’s original version of King Lear has been regarded as one of his supreme achievements.
The National Theatre’s King Lear screens at Palace Byron Bay Cinema today at 1pm.
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THE proposition that no absolute truth can be found is no excuse for surrendering the search. Writing is commonly a journey, and the pursuit of truth a worthy motivator. Renowned author and journalist Chris Masters will present a workshop titled ‘What use is truth?’ today in Byron Bay, drawing on half a
TICKETS: $40 / $35 BOOKINGS: 1300 066 772 or lismorecityhall.com.au/shows/jane-rutter
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Chris Masters century of truth seeking to outline techniques for uncovering facts, developing ideas and forming narrative.
The focus of the sessions will be practical, revealing techniques for gaining co-operation, knowing where next to look and managing burgeoning research. What use is truth? with Chris Masters is on today from 10am-4pm at Byron Community College. Cost: $75 members, $95 non-members. Phone 6685 5115 to book
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What is happening across the Northern Rivers
ARTS CULTURE CREATIVE
TUNE IN AS PART of his extensive Australian tour, Lloyd Cole will present a series of conversations about how musicians can survive in the age of Spotify and other commercial streaming services at the University of South Australia in Adelaide and the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), in Hobart. In 1999, Cole attempted to take over the digital distribution of his music via his own website and decided to learn how to build his own web page. It took him a year to get it up and running. “I still want to make music. It’s still the only thing that I know I can make a living out of to look after my family,” he said. Cole describes online music platform Spotify as “the only outlet for music we can’t make a living from. It’s impossible”. “I have just got the rights back of my albums from the 2000s and I don’t think I’ll let Spotify have them because it’s insulting how much they pay us,” he says.
ACCLAIM: Lloyd Cole is performing at Lismore’s Star Court Theatre on July 12.
Perspective of age The English songwriter has found new ways to sing his old hits with The Commotions. t
JAVIER ENCALADA
THE ARTS
t ZOE ROBINSON-KENNEDY zoe@artsnorthernrivers.com.au
Top tips for what's on in the region
parade bands, street theatre, music, carnival dancers, illuminated puppets, fire art and pyrotechnics. Lismore CBD, Saturday, June 21.
CREATIVE TIP
ARTS TIP In (Two) Art, group show Darren Bryant, Little Boy This ambitious exhibition, curated by Joseph Eisenberg, presents new work by 60 of Australia’s leading artists. The twist in the exhibition is that the 60 artists are 30 pairs of artist couples. In (Two) Art explores the subtle similarities found between the works of two artists who are also lovers; confidants; friends; and life partners. Grafton Regional Gallery. Until June 29.
Tamsin Ainslie, illustrator, Murwillumbah Working from her home studio in Murwillumbah, Tamsin Ainslie illustrates children’s books, designing book covers, drawing, painting and printmaking. She has also just started creating these ceramic spoons. See northernriverscreative.com.au
CULTURE TIP Lismore Lantern Parade The Lantern Parade celebrates community, art and nature with arts, crafts, workshops, regional cuisine, a spectacular parade, lanterns,
Check out daily top tips at facebook.com/artsnorthernrivers
PROFILE
LLOYD Cole’s latest album Standards (2013) is touted by critics as his best work since his time as lead singer of The Commotions. In front of a cup of tea after arriving from New Zealand on Tuesday, Cole sat down for a chat about his new music and Australian tour. Are you pleased with the positive reception Standards has received? I am happy with the record, but my job is not to decide which one of my records is the best. The worst thing that can happen in anybody’s career is not getting noticed. For some years in the mid-2000s it felt a little bit like that. It’s nice to be closer to the mainstream that I have been for a while. Is it true Bob Dylan’s album Tempest influenced the production of Standards? No, it wasn’t quite that simple. I was asked to review Tempest in 2012. Then I listened to the album and the thing that struck me most about it was I don’t think that Bob Dylan had any idea how old he
l Lloyd Cole, 53, is an English singer songwriter known for his role as lead singer of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions from 1984 to 1989 and for his subsequent solo work. l His latest album, Standards, was co-funded by fans and released in June, 2013. is. Personally, I was too acutely aware of how old I had been for the last 10-15 years. I worried too much about what was appropriate music to make at a certain age. What can people expect from your live show? There are some songs that I wrote as a young man that, to try to reproduce them the way they were done then would be futile. I try to find ways to play songs that I still want to play. For instance, I do a version of Rattlesnake that does not sound anything like the original version. It has the same melody but it has no beat and I sing it almost in a cappella.
Then I listened to the album and the thing that struck me most about it was I don’t think that Bob Dylan had any idea how old he is Lloyd Cole
Are you working on a new record? When we get stuck in the snow at home in Massachusetts, I’ll probably start doing some recording in the winter. Have you been writing while you are touring? It’s easy to write in the solitude of your hotel room, but when I’m touring I want to be out and about in the town I am at.
Catch Lloyd Cole live on Saturday, July 12, at the Star Court Theatre in Lismore. $45 + bf from www.starcourttheatre. com.au or phone 6622 500.
Splendour in the Craft nnn t
Singles set up a date with arty ‘friends’
I
F YOU’RE looking for someone special, the glitter to your glue, then you won’t want to miss Splendour in the Craft’s ‘friends with benefits’ art classes. The Sydney-based duo Matt Branagan and Chester Garcia behind Workshop will run speed dating-cum-craft sessions for singles who hit Splendour solo. We’re offering 32 singles the opportunity to come together to get crafty,” Mr Branagan said.
“The idea is 16 girls and 16 guys will rotate their way around the room doing eight different craft challenges. “It’s really a bit of an ice-breaker to speed dating – some people do the craft, while others just talk.” Workshop will also host a tattoo illustration class with Australian hip hop artist 360. Interested Splendour ticket-holders must register at the craft tent on the day. For more, visit splendourinthegrass.com.
PRINTS CHARMING: Splendour in the Grass singles can mingle in the craft tent. Saturday, June 21, 2014
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SCREEN LIFE
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Overview nnn t
STARS: Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Peter Cullen. DIRECTOR: Michael Bay RATING: M REVIEWER’S LAST WORD: A bulked-up and convincing Mark Wahlberg helms the new human cast in this fourth instalment in director Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise.
YOU WILL LIKE THIS MOVIE IF YOU LIKE THESE... ON THE ATTACK: Bumblebee takes aim in a scene from the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction.
PHOTO: PARAMOUNT PICTURES AUSTRALIA
Teen actor is transformed Nicola Peltz says the filming of the latest Transformers movie had a fun family dynamic
Guardians of the Galaxy; I, Robot; Godzilla
Star Profile nnn t
nnn t
T
HERE’S a new family at the heart of the latest Transformers film. Mark Wahlberg plays Dad and hero-in-the-making Cade Yeager, a struggling inventor who accidentally discovered a rusted Optimus Prime four years after the events of the previous film. Earth has mostly recovered from the great war between the two races of alien machines, the Autobots and the Decepticons, but peace doesn’t last long. Rising talent Nicola Peltz plays Wahlberg’s on-screen daughter Tessa. It’s the 19-year-old’s first blockbuster film and her biggest role after the TV drama Bates Motel. In this Q&A Peltz talks
Saturday, June 21, 2014
about working with director and action guru Michael Bay and an all-star cast. Q: In the story you have lost your mother. So, what is the relationship between your character and her dad like? A: I love that human element of the story. There is a great father-daughter relationship. That is my favourite aspect of the movie. Q: So there is a fun banter between your characters, which gets even funnier when he finds out you have a boyfriend? A: Yes, he doesn’t know I have a boyfriend or that he is a race-car driver. So, when the character of Shane comes into the mix, my father is so shocked.
Stanley is great at improvising, and I would have to literally pinch my leg to avoid laughing and ruining the scene It’s really funny when they all get into Shane’s car and find out about each other. It was a fun dynamic to play. Q: Apart from all the action, the film also has a lot of humour? A: Oh yes. And not just with Mark and Jack Reynor, who plays my boyfriend, but also with the characters of TJ Miller and Stanley Tucci. Stanley is great at improvising and I would have to literally pinch my leg to
avoid laughing and ruining the scene. Q: Did you improvise a lot? A: I did, which was so much fun. We had a great script but then we would also banter back and forth. And some of those takes ended up being Michael’s favourites. Q: How did you prepare for the role? A: Jack and I went through boot camp for a month before we started filming. We were in
the gym eight hours a day. Q: And you did most of the stunts yourself, right? A: Yes, because Michael likes to put you in as much as possible to make it more real. And I love it, because I’m always down to trying things. Q: What should we expect from this movie? A: Transformers: Age of Extinction is a huge production that also has these intimate moments people can relate to. The action sequences are so much fun and amazing to watch but the movie also has a beautiful human element to it. Transformers: Age of Extinction is in cinemas on Wednesday.
Stanley Tucci Other movies: The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, The Lovely Bones. Quirky fact: Was roommates with Ving Rhames during their time together at the State University of New York at Purchase. Rhames, whose first name is Irving, credits him for first calling him “Ving”. Notable quote: “Even as a kid, I felt much more comfortable on stage than I did in real life.”
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Dr Oz on Australia’s obesity epidemic
BIG READ
Doctor delivers real truth Australia is ranked among the fattest nations in the developed world and TV personality Dr Oz believes we have to get ‘real’ about our health, writes HELEN HAWKES t
H
Frankenstein foods
E’S television’s most recognisable doctor. Dr Mehmet Oz was a regular on The Oprah Winfrey Show and now has his own gig – the Dr Oz Show. He is also an award-winning researcher and a cardiothoracic surgeon at the cutting edge of preventative health care. Dr Oz directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New YorkPresbyterian Hospital and has co-authored several New York Times best-sellers including You: The Owner’s Manual.
Friends of the Earth are currently calling on food authorities to regulate the inclusion of nano-particles in foods. Genetically modified foods must have their GM status identified if introduced genetic material or protein is present in the final food. However, exceptions include foods where GM ingredients are highly refined, such as cooking oils, margarine, sugars, starches, chocolate and baked goods, foods made at bakeries, restaurants and takeaways and foods from animals that are fed GM feed. Dr Oz believes all such foods should be labelled “because people have a right to know what they are eating”. His message is to eat unprocessed and avoid human-made foods as much as you can.
Walk to work, walk up the stairs or do some callisthenics... Being active helps as does meditation, which I do for 20 minutes a day
Your mum was right Eat your vegies. They’re saving your life. “Broccoli, for example, is so good for you because the liver can’t keep up with all the toxins in the environment but this vegetable helps detox your body,” he said. Kale, blueberries and root vegetables are also super foods that will help fight disease. Eat organic if you can to cut down on chemical load, but if you can’t afford organic, wash your vegetables well and peel them. If you’re always throwing out fresh vegies because you don’t get time to use them, go frozen. “Frozen vegies have about 90% of the health benefits of fresh,” Dr Oz said.
Dr Oz
While he was in Australia for New Idea’s Get Real About Your Health special report, we asked him about how to get real.
Biology of blubber
Healthy fats
FUTURE HEALTH Prebiotics and probiotics are part of a bright, healthy future, according to Dr Oz. He said greater understanding of how gut bacteria helps keep the whole body healthy will lead to more specific prescriptions of good bacteria for the individual
PHOTO: AAP
With people in the Western world currently weighed down with an epidemic of obesity and ill health, including diseases such as diabetes, stroke and cancer, Dr Oz said we are victim to “the biology of blubber”. Australia is today ranked among the fattest nations in the developed world with 14 million Australians overweight or obese. Dr Oz said part of the problem is that we are eating things our bodies don’t recognise and can’t process. Diets high in chemicals are interfering with our metabolism and our health. We are also increasingly eating food as a way of dealing with stress. “In trying to cope with the emotional side of life we are using the fork at the end of our hand,” Dr Oz said. It was crucial that we eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible and avoided the deadly “whites” of processed food, he said. Research confirms that white foods – white breads, cakes, pasta – cause increased insulin release which can increase fat in the body. Dr Oz believes governments need to subsidise healthy not unhealthy foods to encourage us to eat well. “At the same time we need to look after ourselves to prevent disease from happening in the first place. You don’t find health in a hospital,” he said.
Healthy habits As well as being overweight, being stressed can predispose you to diseases ranging from heart attacks to cancer. Dr Oz said the solution is not complicated but does involve self
discipline. He advocates 30 minutes a day of physical activity. “Walk to work, walk up the stairs or do some callisthenics,” he said. For heart health, exercise at moderate intensity. For bone health, add extra resistance.
A word of warning for the desk bound: Every hour you sit raises your mortality risk. Be the person who gets up and talks to friends rather than sends an email. To deal with stress, get enough quality sleep – eight to nine hours in
general. “Being active helps as does meditation, which I do for 20 minutes a day,” Dr Oz said. “Also limit caffeine after lunch. It takes 10 to 12 hours to metabolise.”
Dr Oz is a big fan of butter, especially for cooking because it has a high smoke point, although he also uses coconut oil. “The body knows how to deal with butter,” he said. Margarine is made of hydrogenated fats and contains trans fats that many health authorities argue are bad for heart health. What about canola oil, that you’ll find everything packed in these days? It’s all about getting the ratios of Omega 6s and Omega 3s right, said Dr Oz. Canola oil is an Omega 6 while foods such as fish, walnuts and flax seeds contain Omega 3s. You can try a supplement too, like calamari oil which is a sustainable, eco-friendly option. “Currently people are eating about 20 Omega 6s to one Omega 3,” Dr Oz said. “The healthy ratio should be about five to one.”
The gluten-free trend You may think you are doing the right thing not eating wheat but, if it’s not essential (ie you don’t have celiac disease), proceed with care. “If you eat a gluten-free food, remember the wheat has been replaced with something else like a binding agent or fat,” Dr Oz said. Read labels, always. Saturday, June 21, 2014
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Meet your local producers
EASY EATING
five minutes with nnn t
Harvest Cafe’s
WILLIAM JANE Makes 10 jars nnn t
Eggplant pickles Courtesy of Mary Pinzone
Ingredients 2 eggplants (skin left on), cut into 1cm cubes 4 cloves of garlic 50g fresh ginger 2 red chilies (add more if you prefer) 1 ⁄2 cup vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp spoon ground cumin 1 tsp whole cumin seeds 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground tumeric 1 cup wine vinegar (white) 2 ⁄3 cup sugar
Method VALUE ADDED: Mary Pinzone shows off her range at Byron Farmers Market.
PHOTO: VEDA DANTE
Season’s treats BY TRACEY HORDERN
I
T’S hard work producing fare for our markets. Mary Pinzone and her partner from Pinny’s Products are taking a well-deserved holiday, and like most who live and work on the land, this holiday is seasonal. On their productive hectare of land near Ballina, the garlic is in the ground and the winter vegetables are sprouting, ready for their return and market in two weeks. Eating seasonally is easy when you shop at the markets and health-conscious people everywhere know that eating in sync with nature is how we are meant to eat. Expect to find at Byron Markets Pinny’s
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Products’ three types of kale (Tuscan, purple and curly green). Kale as everyone knows is super healthy and is wonderfully adaptable (kale chips, salads, roasted, in soups, baked, with pastas etc). Other winter crops on sale at Pinny’s Products include citrus fruits (timely vitamin C), garlic, English spinach, parsley, silverbeet, endive, snowpeas, purple beans, chilies and their well-known, high quality eggplants. As well as fresh produce from the garden, Pinny’s Products feature delicious value added products as Mary calls them. These are products that are freshly sourced from an abundance of seasonal crops and then processed into a
variety of delicious jams, marmalades and chutneys. Mary has created her own recipes, such as her version of kasundi – a tomato relish based on an Indian recipe. “It has a hint of heat but it’s not overpowering,” says Mary. “The secret is fresh ginger, garlic and turmeric.” Another Pinny’s Produce original is her eggplant pickle, “With a bit of kick, it’s perfect with crusty bread or served on the side with steamed rice and fresh vegetables.”
Find Pinny’s Products at the Byron Farmers Market
Put the cut eggplant into a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse well and dry on absorbent paper or clean tea towel. Blend the garlic, chilli and ginger in a food processor until it is a fine paste. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion for two minutes until soft. Add the garlic paste and the spices and cook for another two minutes. Add the eggplant and cook for a further five minutes until the eggplant has softened. Add the vinegar and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Spoon into sterilised jars. It can be stored in a cool dark place for months.
How long have you been a chef ? Eight years. Baking always interested me from an early age, but it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to do work experience at a patisserie in Melbourne that I actually considered it as a career. I was offered a job after the week and went from there. What’s been your best recent dining experience? Funnily enough it was at Harvest itself. Chef Josh Lewis has a Produce Dinner every month, showcasing the best produce from the region in each of his dishes. His ability to innovate and create is on another level. Favourite ingredient? I hated hazelnuts when I was a kid, but they have quickly grown to become my favourite over the course of my career. There is nothing quite like opening the oven to the smell of roasted hazelnuts. When you’re not at work, what’s your favourite meal you like to cook at home? I’m not much of a chef outside of pastry, but I do like to cook up a good pumpkin and feta risotto. What ingredient do you refuse to use? Margarine. Growing up on a dairy farm taught me that there is no substitute for butter. There is no way I would resort to using margarine in my pastries. Your favourite cuisine to cook and your favourite to eat? French and French. Most of my inspiration comes from French influences and techniques. They have some of the best pastry chefs in the world because pastry is such an integral part of their culture. Who has been your biggest culinary influence? My biggest influence has come from Michael Nadell – my boss and mentor at the patisserie I worked at in London. He had worked in the industry for well over 40 years, so had a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with me. What’s your favourite produce that you source locally and why or how do you use it? Raspberries and blueberries from Buckley’s Farm. I mainly use them for jams or fruit gels on desserts. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever cooked for? There’s been a few, but my favourite was a birthday cake for a nun at Westminster Abbey.
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The Weekend Cook
EASY EATING
Serves four nnn t
Chicken SAUTE CHASSEUR what you need:
salted caramel sauce makes 1 cup
what you need:
Unlikely blend flavour winner The Weekend Cook Maggie Cooper
S
nnn t
ALTED caramel is all the rage – and what’s not to like? An unlikely blend of rich sweetness and a hint of salt, it rings all my bells although I can’t explain why. Chefs and chocolatiers use the evocatively named fleur de sel (flower of salt) – a Portuguese hand-harvested sea salt to enhance the unique flavour. It’s difficult to source in Australia and I’ve found that Murray River or Himalayan pink salt or Maldon sea salt flakes are a suitable substitute. All are more suitable than regular granulated table salt, which is, well, too salty. For the same reason I use unsalted butter so I regulate the amount. You don’t want the salt to be the
overwhelming flavour, just an intriguing zing on the tongue. Pour the warm sauce over good vanilla or chocolate ice cream, or allow the ice cream to soften out of the freezer for 15–30 minutes and gently swirl the sauce through before returning to the freezer to firm up. You want ribbons of sauce, not caramel ice cream.
Email Maggie Cooper at
maggies.column@bigpond.com
1 cup caster sugar 90g unsalted butter 125ml pure pouring cream (not thickened or double cream) 1½ tspn Murray River pink salt, Himalayan pink salt or Maldon sea salt flakes
what you do: Place sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring gently with a wooden spoon. When sugar has melted to a thick brown toffee, add the butter carefully – be cautious as the sugar will spit a little. Stir the butter into the melted sugar and stir for two to three minutes over the heat. Be careful to not let it burn. Slowly and carefully add the cream; the mixture will spit again. Stir until the mixture comes to the boil and cook for a minute. Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Pour into a clean jar, cover and refrigerate if you are not using it immediately. Will keep for two weeks refrigerated. Warm before using by standing jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes, or microwave for 10 seconds on high.
4 skinless free-range chicken breasts 4 tblspn olive oil ½ cup chopped green onions 250g small mushrooms, sliced 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 1 can good peeled, crushed Italian tomatoes ½ cup white wine ½ cup chicken stock 2 tblspn chopped fresh basil OR 2 tspn dried basil salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish pasta to serve
what you do: Heat the oil in a frypan over a medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and brown well on each side. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Reduce heat and add green onions, mushrooms and garlic. Saute over low heat, stirring gently, until the green onions soften. Add tomatoes and white wine; increase heat and bring to the boil. When liquid has reduced by half, add stock and basil. Return to the boil, then add chicken. Reduce heat and cover pan; simmer for 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Adjust seasoning; if the stock is a bought one, you won’t need to add extra salt. Dust chicken with chopped flat-leaf parsley and serve immediately with pasta and a steamed green vegetable.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
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Wine
ENJOY LIFE
And they call it puppy love T
Grape Expectations with Max Crus t
Bleasdale (Langhorne Creek) Potts’ Catch Verdelho VINTAGE: 2013 PRICE: $19 RATING: 8.6/10
If you sometimes need a soft white, not too bright, not too fat, like some of my friends, then verdelho is just right.
Yarrh Cabernet Sauvignon (Canberra District) VINTAGE: 2010 PRICE: $25 RATING: 8.9/10
Cool climate cabernet on a cool night is a cool option, yarrh? Cool. Very drinkable no matter the weather. Good wine for pirates, yarrh me hearties.
BUY PHOTOS
Churchview St Johns Margaret River Zinfandel VINTAGE: $35 PRICE: 2012 RATING: 9/10
The younger sibling to the 2013 Max Crus trophy winner is just as big (16%) but a bit ‘puppy’ clumsy by comparison.
Heemskerk Abel's Tempest (Tasmania) Chardonnay Pinot Noir VINTAGE: 2011 PRICE: $32 RATING: 8.8/10
As a mark of my uncouthness, I thought Shakespeare’s Tempest was a person, even after studying it at school. Perfect for pre-theatre drinks.
LOOK F THIS IC OR ON!
paws and tiny teeth make people dote on her and surely see us as just as cute. Alas there is a downside to being utterly consumed by love. The grizzling at night. The big soft poos, the puddles of piddle. The frustration of something always under foot. The filthy car, the hair that vacuum cleaners can’t suck. Brand new vomit on brand new outfits. All just 21⁄2 minutes before you are expected somewhere posh. The perpetual revelation of broken things, of missing things, of running in front of cars, staying out at night and getting pregnant or causing it. Mercifully the downside of puppies is nowhere near as bad. One can grow accustomed to the lingering smell of wet dog on the couch, lounge and beds, and everything within cooee torn to shreds – which I am happy to regale new parents about whenever I get the opportunity. Here, grab a glass and I’ll tell you about the time she pooed on the neighbours’ newspaper...
Ferngrove Frankland River King Malbec VINTAGE: 2011 PRICE: $32 RATING: 8.8/10
Scary name for a dog. King, not Malbec, while king spider sounds positively terrifying. However it is in fact an orchid, quite unintimidating, like the wine itself.
SNAP UP OUR PICTURES FROM THE NORTHERN STAR Seen yourself in the paper? Thought a photo on our online website looks ‘picture perfect’ ? If you want to purchase a Northern Star photo, now you can!
Visit the Buy Photos section online to browse our photo library. www.northernstar.com.au/buyphotos
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ONLINE NOW!
HERE is nothing worse than parents who go on about their children. Right from the word go parents can’t help themselves, regaling innocent bystanders with just how clever their kids are, from the first poo, to the first step, to the first word, to their first trophy... for just turning up. Mothers practise and refine these conversations at coffee shops where they can block the footpath and all other conversation all morning. Alas this obsession only abates after the first child’s arrest, drug rehab or same sex admission, any or all guaranteed to mercifully stem the flow of genetic pride. However there is actually one demographic worse than adoring parents who can no longer engage in actual, interesting stuff, and that is new puppy owners... And since you brought it up – how cute are those big ears, big eyes, tiny teeth, huge paws, the boundless energy, the cleverness, the cunning? Our new pup’s big ears, big eyes, big
Saturday, June 21, 2014
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Send details and photos of your home to tracey.hordern@northernstar.com.au
HOMESTYLE
ABOVE: Nadine hand knitting tea-dyed silk throws in her sitting room. Nadine plans to sell these throws through the gallery. The beautiful painting above her is by famed local artist Emma Walker.
LEFT: Even the smallest room in the house is a showcase for Nadine’s personal art collection.
ABOVE: Nadine still teaches cooking, now from her beautifully designed kitchen. Most of Nadine’s food has evolved with a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean slant that features our region’s fresh and fabulous produce.
ALL PHOTOS BY TRACEY HORDERN
LEFT: The dress is from Little Peach in Bangalow and the pom poms are from Strangetrader’s pop up shop sale.
LEFT: The spare room, with Nadine in reflection, surrounded by lovely artful details.
aRT pIECE hOME TRACEY HORDERN t
M
ABOVE: Nadine Abensur’s Cranks Bible cookbook is now highly collectable, fetching up to $360 a copy on Amazon.
ULTI-talented Nadine Abensur moved to Australia after a successful career in London, most notably as a well-known chef at famed restaurant Cranks and author of the Cranks Bible. Since Nadine’s arrival in Australia, she has been operating Art Piece Gallery in Mullumbimby, the Byron shire’s most prestigious commercial gallery. Nadine is responsible for introducing the work of highly regarded local artists to the wider public. Some of the artists Nadine represents are James Guppy whose show opens next month at the gallery and Emma Walker. Other artists include Dale Rhodes, Charly Wrencher, Zom Osborne, Michael Cusack and jeweller Lisa Black. Nadine recently bought her home, also in Mullumbimby. “It was an old lady’s house; she had lived in it for 34 years,” explains Nadine. “The colours were salmon pink, with
lots of brown and beige and dark brown wood everywhere – but it had very good bones. So I have just made it light and bright and contemporary. I also knocked down a few walls and opened it up. It’s not quite finished yet, but already it is so different because it is so light-filled and fresh.” Nadine’s home is unsurprisingly filled with art, books and music. The walls are all white, leaving space for her many paintings and art pieces to take centre stage. Nadine is very creative, music, food and books are evident in every corner of the house and she is learning the flute. As if that wasn’t enough, she is set to co-lead a tour to Morocco, a food and art tour that will take place this November. Nadine is also in talks with a publisher to catalogue her creative story and her many travels and adventures in art and food that have taken her to most corners of the globe. Saturday, June 21, 2014
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RELAX
Read | Watch | Listen with Helen Hawkes
A must-read nnn t
TALE FROM THE HEART TITLE: The House on Carnaval Street AUTHOR: Deborah Rodriguez
Return of the Mail-Order Bridegroom ARTIST: Ed Kuepper
THE new CD features acoustic reworkings of earlier Kuepper classics spanning material by The Saints, Laughing Clowns and, of course, Ed's lengthy solo career. Inspired by the success of 2013's inaugural Solo and By Request show and his first acoustic recording from the 1990s.
Director and author John Waters. PHOTO: AAP IMAGES/ ADRIAN SANCHEZGONZALEZ
Xscape
ARTIST: Michael Jackson
EPIC Records, in conjunction with the estate of Michael Jackson has released Xscape, an album of new music by the king of pop. The project features eight new tracks. Epic Records had unlimited access to the four decades of material.
New on DVD
TITLE: Just One Day RATING: 3/5
ANDY Garcia is an uptight cardiac surgeon who, while taking his son to view a university, runs into a free spirit with an overachieving daughter. Dislike slowly turns to love but, as they are both attached, what will they do about it? Charming, kooky, but a little sad.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
John Waters's latest novel is best kept for the very open-minded t
Wonderfully weird I HAVE been enjoying John Waters's wonderfully weird Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America. It's a psychedelic feast of imagination, humour and irreverence, mixed with plenty of liberal and gay politics, as well as sex. Waters, the director of films including Hairspray and Pink Flamingos, tells his tale in three acts – the first is his best scenarios of what might have happened when he stuck out his thumb with a sign that read “I'm not a psycho”, the second is what he hoped wouldn't happen and, third is what actually happened. This is a no-holds-barred fantasy by “America's most beloved weirdo”, from an anecdote about a friendly drug dealer who hands him piles of cash to finance his films to a tale of a terrorising gun-toting drunk who holds him hostage. It is also extremely lurid reading, including as it does what are
It's a psychedelic feast of imagination, humour and irreverence, mixed with plenty of liberal and gay politics probably Waters's favourite sexual fantasies. So, while this book can be recommended to the very open-minded, I will also suggest some cold weather reading for those of more restrained taste. Thrillers, it seems, are just the thing to heat the blood in winter, although more likely to disturb the psyche than any of Waters’s amusing imaginings. Currently on my nightstand are:
n The Silkworm, by Robert Galbraith: The second in the highly acclaimed series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike, this book finds our hero trying to track down the brutal killer of a novelist who has written a poison pen novel. n Top Secret Twenty-One, by Janet Evanovich: Look out Evanovich fans. Smart-mouthed bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is on the case of a missing used car dealer and dealing with death threats, assassins and feral chihuahuas. n Terminal City, by Linda Fairstein: The former chief of the sex crimes prosecution unit of the New York County district attorney knows how to spin a tense tale. Assistant DA Alex Cooper and detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace are on the hunt for a serial killer whose signature is a symbol carved into his victims’ bodies.
IF YOU read The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul and loved it, you'll enjoy the author's seachange memoir. Rodriguez’s family faced kidnap threats after the publication of that book and she was forced to flee Kabul, leaving behind friends, as well as the beauty school she helped found in Afghanistan. Making her new home in a seaside town of Mexico she sets about learning Spanish and rediscovering herself. Rodriguez is founder of the non-profit organisation Oasis Rescue that aims to teach women in post-conflict and disaster-stricken areas the art of hairdressing and her story comes from the heart.
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Healthy eating and living
THE GOOD OIL What was once considered good advice has now been debunked
Macadamia oil is a star HELEN HAWKES WHAT do you get when you combine one of Australia’s top chefs with one of Australia’s top oils? Delicious cooking that is actually good for you. Many people are confused about the best type of oils to eat and it’s true that some in the scientific community are too. While once we were told to avoid butter in favour of margarine, that advice has since been debunked and, meanwhile, oils such as coconut have made an appearance in “healthy” diets. Once we were also told to avoid oils altogether but now we’re encouraged to consuming healthy oils like olive oil for heart health and lowering inflammation. Macadamia oil is another oil that sounds too appetising to be good for you but is actually one of the stars of good health. For starters, it’s a rich source of mono-unsaturated fats – 10% higher than olive oil. And it is low in omega-6 fats that have been associated with cancer and cardiovascular disease – macadamia oil is an omega-3. (The healthy ratio is about five omega-6s – such as canola oil – to one omega-3 but many of us consume way more omega-6s than this.) Other healthy facts: just 40g of macadamias can lower cholesterol levels by around 5-7%, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke; and macadamias are an excellent source of protein, calcium, potassium, fibre and antioxidants. Of course they are quite high in kilojoules too, so enjoy in moderation. Switching to macadamia oil for your cooking, not just using it dribbled on salads, dips or your favourite foods, will also pay dividends. That’s because it has a high smoke point of 210 degrees, meaning you won’t create unhealthy compounds when you heat it or lose nutrients and it is resistant to oxidation and so has a long shelf life. The nutty, buttery taste is also delicious in stir fries, marinades or salad dressing and you can use it for pan frying or baking. Here Steve Snow, of Salt in Kingscliff, shares his recipe for Piri Piri Chicken. “I learnt this from a grandmother in Portugal,” says Steve. “It’s an awesome barbecue recipe.”
Many people are confused about the best type of oils to eat and it’s true that some in the scientific community are too Piri Piri Chicken: Serves 4 Ingredients 1 x medium chicken, butterflied and cut into quarters (any good butcher will do this) 100ml (1⁄3 cup plus 1 tbsp) freshly squeezed lemon juice 150ml (1⁄2 cup) Brookfarm macadamia oil infused with lime and chilli 1 small red birdseye chilli – seeded and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 60ml (1⁄4 cup) cider vinegar 1 tbsp Spanish paprika 2 tsp sea salt Method Combine the garlic, sea salt, chillies in the mortar and pestle and pound to a paste. Add the Spanish paprika, vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil and work the ingredients into a marinade consistency. Arrange the chicken in an oven tray and pour the piri piri marinade over the top. Work it into the skin with your fingers. Leave to marinate for a minimum of two hours or overnight preferably. Preheat the barbecue to a medium heat. Place chicken pieces on grill, bone side down and allow to brown. Turn and brown the chicken on all sides. The more colour you get, the better the flavour. Place the chicken in a clean tray and cook in the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes or until the juices run clear. Serve with a simple green salad or steamed greens.
BACK IN FAVOUR: Once we were also told to avoid oils altogether but now we’re encouraged to consume healthy oils.
SMOKING POINTS FOR COMMON OILS You can check out where to buy Brookfarm Macadamia Oil at www.brookfarm.com.au
210 degrees macadamia oil 191 degrees olive oil 177 degrees coconut oil
WELLBEING
STRICT FOOD CHECKS NANOMATERIALS are already in the Australian food chain, in food, packaging, coatings and agricultural chemicals, says Friends of the Earth. In a report, Way Too Little, the organisation suggests that Food Standards Australia New Zealand needs to take more action to ensure our foods are safe. Campaigner Jeremy Tager says: “... the number of products containing them (nanomaterials) is expanding rapidly. And the number of peer-reviewed studies indicating health concerns with certain nanomaterials has grown significantly since we issued our first report... in 2008.” “Animal studies of nano titanium dioxide show that it can damage DNA, disrupt the function of cells, interfere with the immune system, cross the intestinal tract and cause organ damage. Food products containing nano titanium dioxide shouldn’t be on the market unless the manufacturers can demonstrate that it is safe.” The organisation is calling for an immediate moratorium on the use of nanomaterials in food, pending full safety assessments, and the establishment of a mandatory register to allow the tracking of these materials through the food chain.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
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QUIZ
Test your knowledge
WEEKEND QUIZ
Put your grey matter to the test with Weekend’s weekly brain buster t 1. The name of which car ma-
NAME: .............................................PHONE: ............................... ADDRESS: ...................................................................................... .................................................................................................... L A S T W E E K ’ S W I N N E R : H . M a r c z a n o f E va n s H e a d w i n s a $ 5 s c r a t c h i e Saturday, June 21, 2014
nufacturer is Latin for “I roll”? 2. Does Australia or California have the larger population? 3. The Lansdowne Cup is a rugby trophy for tests between Australia and (a) Ireland (b) New Zealand (c) USA? 4. Who is Australia’s secondlongest serving prime minister? 5. “You get a shiver in the dark,” are lyrics from which song? 6. The official motto of which TV show city is “corruptus in extremis”? 7. “You dirty, yellow-bellied rat,” was a line said by which actor in the 1932 movie Taxi? 8. Who sang the James Bond movie theme, Nobody Does it Better? 9. Name the only father-son combination to play State of Origin for different states. 10. The star BPM 37093 (V886 Centauri) is nicknamed after which Beatles hit? 11. Stolen in England in 1966, the original FIFA World Cup trophy (the Jules Rimet Trophy) was found under a hedge by a dog named (a) Pickles (b) Tickles (c) Zickles? 12. I Dreamed a Dream is a song from which musical? 13. Alice Herz-Sommer, the oldest known Holocaust survivor, died recently at the age of (a) 100 (b) 105 (c) 110? 14. ‘The Big Show’ is the nickname of which Australian test cricketer? 15. Cane is in which Australian state/territory? 16. Which Facebook chief recently donated over $900m to a Silicon Valley charity? 17. Mowgli was a young boy in which Rudyard Kipling book? 18. Who carried the Australian flag at the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony? 19. The Execution of Emperor Maximilian is a series of paintings by which 19th century French artist? 20. The Great Charlemagne is the national anthem of which European country? 21. Which word, beginning with ‘a’, can be part of the human body or additional material in a book or document? 22. Was singing star Shirley Bassey born in Uganda or Wales? 23. Which tennis grand slam event begins next week? 24. Arrested recently after mobile phone intercepts and drone activity was Joaquin Guzman, the most powerful drug lord in (a) Austria (b) Iran (c) Mexico? 25. Who was selected to compose the original draft of the United States Declaration of Independence?
26. Who played the title role in
the 1960s TV show Gidget? 27. Which triple Olympic gold medallist was recently found barefoot and shirtless, looking for his four-year-old son in a Melbourne casino? 28. Strawberry Fields is a MI6 agent in which 2008 James Bond movie? 29. Name the capital of the US Virgin Islands. 30. FIG is the world governing body of which sport? 31. Which two elements combine to form water? 32. The second given name of superstar Michael Jackson was (a) Abraham (b) Jacob (c) Joseph? 33. Is pomology the study of English people or fruit growing? 34. Which 1960 movie told of a group of seven gunmen hired to protect a small agricultural village in Mexico? 35. Which Australian starred as Mitch Brenner in the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds? 36. In which 2013 movie did Woody, a cantankerous, elderly man mistakenly think he’s become a lottery millionaire? 37. A New York coroner recently reported that which Hollywood star died from a fatal mixture of cocaine, heroin and prescription pills? 38. Closing Time was the 1994 sequel to which 1961 novel? 39. The White Sea is an inlet of which larger sea? 40. Which US president was assassinated in 1901? 41. The term for the scoring zone in curling is the (a) cabin (b) house (c) shack? 42. A demisesquicentennial is how many years (a) 75 (b) 125 (c) 140? 43. In 1802, which French leader established the Legion of Honour? 44. The “dance floor” is slang for which golf term? 45. Which game is played on a plastic mat with rows of blue, green, red and yellow circles and has a spinner attached to a square board? 46. Tony Abbott is the federal member for which New South Wales electorate? 47. Named after a British mathematician, which branch of mathematics studies the conditions under which order must appear? 48. Who recently won his eighth Kellogg’s Ironman Series title? 49. In 1917, the American public learnt that which president had undergone secret surgery on a yacht for a cancerous growth in his mouth in 1883? 50. Members of the NSW Legislative Council are elected for how many years?
QUIZ COMPILED BY: Roy O’Reilly ANSWERS: Page 48
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Green Thumb
GARDENING
Good time to plant roses Green Thumb with Maree Curran t
Mr Lincoln is a deep red with a rich fragrance. I also love Violina, for her huge, soft pink sweetly scented blooms
Maree Curran owns the Eden at Byron nursery, 140 Bangalow Rd, Byron Bay. Phone: 6685 6874.
ROSES are perhaps the most loved flower of all. With their gorgeous blooms and that wonderful fragrance, they have inspired countless poets, artists and gardeners. Lots of people say that you can’t grow roses on the North Coast, but just take a drive through the more established parts of Lismore, Bangalow, Mullumbimby or Byron Bay, and you’ll see that’s nonsense. Winter is a great time to plant. You can purchase beautiful, strong, bare-rooted roses for less than half the price of the potted specimens available at other times of the year. As a general rule, bare-rooted roses are at least two years old. They’ve been grown in a field, then been dug up and had most of their roots and leaves chopped off. Then they’ve been packed into boxes with some wet newspaper, or maybe in bags of sawdust, and sent all over the country. I reckon that if they can survive this, they can survive just about anything. I have a few favourites. Mr Lincoln is a deep red with a rich fragrance – perhaps the best red rose there is. I also love Violina, for her profusion of huge, soft pink sweetly scented blooms. She used to sit next to Mr Lincoln at the back of one of my vegetable garden beds, surrounded by chives and thyme. They all got along very well together. But when my vegie garden was renovated, Mr Lincoln didn’t survive the move. Violina is managing okay, next to Double Delight (yellow petals with red tips, and wonderful perfume) and the new RSL Rose (extraordinary rich, velvety tones, but not much fragrance). But I’m sure Violina will be delighted when I plant a new Mr Lincoln near her. I have room for four more, and am enjoying the exquisite torture of choosing which will go into my garden. Iceberg is a classic white, very hardy and free flowering but not as strongly perfumed as some others. Double Delight and Peace are gorgeous, as is Seduction. And then there’s Just Joey, Apricot Nectar, Perfume Passion, and so, so many others. Roses need a sunny position, at least six hours of sun a day, good drainage, and plenty of organic matter in the soil. To minimise the risk of fungal diseases, ensure that there is plenty of airflow around the roses – they don’t like to be crowded by other plants. To plant a bare-rooted rose, dig a nice wide hole that will easily accommodate
the roots without bending them. Add some well-rotted compost or manure to the soil. Form a mound in the bottom of the planting hole, and spread the roots over the mound. Adjust the height of the mound so that the grafting point is level with or just above the soil surface. Fill the hole with soil and drench with seaweed solution to stimulate root development. According to the Queensland Rose Society, you should then not water for two weeks. Roses are heavy feeders, so fertilise frequently throughout the year. A little bit often is better than lots all at once. My roses love a diet of cow manure, Searles 5in1, Healthy Earth fertiliser and lucerne mulch. Spray fortnightly with a seaweed solution to help prevent fungal diseases. Roses are pretty drought-tolerant. As with many plants, a deep watering once a week is better than a light sprinkle every day, because it will force the roots down into the soil. Don’t go digging around too much around your rose bushes – any deeper than 5cm may cause damage to the topmost roots. Pruning can seem a bit daunting, but it’s really easy. Cut flowers or remove spent blooms 5mm above an outward facing leaf node to promote more blooms. Remove dead or diseased wood whenever you notice it. You can control powdery mildew and black spot by spraying with certified organic Eco-Fungicide when required. Aphids love the soft new shoots and buds. Just blast them off with a hose, squash them or spray with Eco-Oil. Plant some ladybird attracting plants such as yarrow nearby, because ladybirds love eating aphids. Other good companion plants for roses include chives, marigold, scented geraniums, parsley and thyme, which may help ward off aphids. Lavender, sage and catmint are also beneficial. Plant rose companions at least 30cm away from the roses so you don’t disturb their roots. Make sure you only plant low growing things close to the plants. I once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: “no good in a bed, but fine up against a wall” – Eleanor Roosevelt
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GROWING TIPS: Roses need a sunny position, at least six hours of sun a day. A deep watering once a week is better than a light sprinkle every day.
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Idyllic getaway
The Big Red Bash will feature some of Australia’s leading artists, including John Williamson and Kasey Chambers.
Cast away for Fiji W Rae Wilson soaks up island food, sun and fun in Fiji nnn t
Saturday, June 21, 2014
HERE once Fiji resort menus featured shrimp cocktails and fish and chips, there are now incredible flavours woven through truly unique offerings worth raving about. Taking the influence of the Indian and Chinese migrants as well as the traditional vegetables grown in Fiji, restaurants are dishing up meals worthy of any fine dining experience in Australia. The tempered spices dance on your palate, while the delectable kuchlas, chutneys and yoghurts mean each bite can have a different taste explosion in your mouth. Castaway Island chef Lance Seeto, who was born in PNG but grew up in Melbourne, is one of the expatriate chefs taking a leading role in the change. He said Fijian food was traditionally simple because the islands had never been colonised, the Indians never shared their curries and the Chinese did not pass on their stir-fries. But Mr Seeto said this culture combination has presented a rare opportunity to set Fiji apart on the international food scene. Since arriving in Fiji more than five years ago, Mr Seeto has shared recipes through a weekly newspaper column and his own TV show – aired throughout the southern Pacific islands.
THE FACTS Castaway Island n Four restaurants. n Two pools – one with water features to muffle the kids’ glee; the other an adult pool with a swim-up bar.
“Having a kitchen full of chefs that sing is probably the most stark contrast I’ve ever seen – instead of swearing, as most chefs do in most kitchens in the country,” he said. Mr Seeto said indigenous people still owned 95% of the land, which gave them control over their destiny. “Food security comes with that land. Fijians can stay at home under the coconut tree, they've got protection of their food – from the ocean to the farms,” he said. The 70-hectare Castaway Island is covered in rich tropical rainforest and surrounded by vibrant coral reefs. There are 66 bungalow bures with traditional Fijian-style thatched roofs and hand-painted tapa cloth-lined ceilings. Apart from lying around in a hammock, taking a dip in the pristine emerald ocean or eating food in the award-winning bare-foot 1808 restaurant – there is one true nearby highlight.
Monuriki, one of the Mamanuca Islands about 20 minutes from Castaway Island resort, is where Tom Hanks filmed Cast Away. It is the perfect spot for some champagne while floating in the turquoise shallows and admiring the now famous view. Aku, who takes resort guests snorkelling and diving, helped the movie producers transfer all the cords and camera equipment onto the island. He said he and other Fijians became friendly with Hanks, even teasing him with the odd prank. “He's a nice bloke, a good guy,” he said Aku described how Hanks arrived to film Cast Away with strict boundaries. “He didn't want people to touch him and he was walking with bodyguards everywhere,” he said. “After two days ... he would just walk around the resort without a bodyguard. “He was enjoying himself on the island, drinking cava at the staff quarters.” There are 30 dive sites, a wreck and two beaches to choose from when staying at Castaway Island. There are four restaurants and two pools – one with water features to muffle the kids’ glee and another adult pool with a swim-up bar. n The writer was a guest of Outrigger Resorts Fiji.
BIG RED BASH AN AMAZING MUSIC EVENT THE countdown is on for the outback music event of the year and it’s time to get organised. The Big Red Bash at Birdsville is on July 9–10, and tickets and packages are still available through Ticketek. Hundreds of revellers will descend on the Big Red sand dune to watch some of Australia’s most recognisable music legends rock the stage for the Big Red Bash, including Daryl Braithwaite, James Reyne, Ross Wilson and Joe Camilleri. They’ll be joined by icons John Williamson and Kasey Chambers, performing at an unforgettable venue. The natural amphitheatre on top of Australia’s largest sand dune on the edge of the Simpson Desert played host to John Williamson last year and has inspired the unique music event that is billed as the experience of a lifetime. Fans are advised to book now for places on the Big Red Dune and to secure camping and caravan sites at Birdsville. For more information, visit www.bigredbash.com.au.
PHOTO: JASON MALOUIN
EXPLORE
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with Ann Rickard
EXPLORE
TAKE ME THERE A fountain to behold TAKE ME TO ROME to stand in front of the Trevi Fountain, the largest baroque fountain in the city and one of the world’s most recognised icons. Legend says if you throw a coin in the fountain, you will always return to Rome. No wonder thousands of visitors throng to this beautiful fountain each day to have their turn at coin throwing.
Property of the Week nnn t
Time to hit the slopes
Let me take a selfie Securing the perfect travel shot in front of famous landmarks is mission impossible nnn t
Travelling Tales with Ann Rickard nnn t
WOULDN’T it be nice to visit each of the world’s most famous structures, stand before it and have your photo taken? It could be a pleasant travel mission. But the more popular the landmark, the more difficult it is to secure a photo of just you and you alone with a famous icon. Ever tried to have your photo taken alone in front of the Eiffel Tower? Bet there are at least a dozen others in your photo. Tried to capture a photo of just you and your mate on the Great Wall of China? No hope whatsoever. I have a number of photos of
The most difficult place to try and be photographed alone, even if you are a dab hand at the selfie, is the Trevi Fountain myself standing in St Mark’s Square in Venice with hundreds of others around me, and even more hundreds of pigeons at my feet. Even as far back as 1970, when so many fewer people were travelling, I tried, and failed, to get a shot of myself in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. No chance. There I am in an old and faded photo taken way back then with a dozen others in my frame, all with their arms out in a holding gesture so it would appear as though they were propping up
the leaning tower. The most difficult place to try and be photographed alone, even if you are a dab hand at the selfie, is the Trevi Fountain in Rome. You’ll be posing in front of the fountain with hundreds of others, cameras, phones and iPads pointing and flashing all at once. Even on a relatively quiet day, you might sit on the edge of the fountain, smooth your hair, straighten your clothes, have your mate all ready with the camera but a dozen others will cross in front of
you and ruin your shot every time. We attempted a photo shoot some years ago in the height of summer when it seemed as though every traveller in the world had descended upon Rome especially to throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain. After at least 20 attempts with me angrily waving my arms at thoughtless people shoving in front of me, all we ended up with were a dozen photos of me in front of the gorgeous fountain, scowling and fist waving with an angry twisted mouth. Selfies now give us a little more leeway to keep others out of out shots, but try as you will, bet you can’t succeed in getting yourself alone with the fountain backdrop. Good luck with it. ann.rickard@scnews.com.au www.annrickard.com
PEPPERS, Mantra and BreakFree have deals ready for the ski season in Mt Hotham in Australia. Peppers Rundells Alpine Lodge and Mantra Tullamarine Hotel have teamed up with HothamBus to offer a couple-focused getaway, combining accommodation and coach transfers to and from Melbourne and Mt Hotham ski fields. Stay overnight at Mantra Tullamarine Hotel before boarding the HothamBus transfer the next morning. The Bus ‘n’ Bed offer, staying in an executive room plus bus transfer, starts from $129 a person. Skiers can then enjoy a four day/three night package at Peppers Rundells Lodge from $686 a person twin share in low season and from $873 a person in high season and includes one three-day ski pass valued at $298, daily breakfasts and one dinner at Graze Restaurant. Located in the picturesque off-piste village of Dinner Plain, just 10 minutes from the Mt Hotham ski fields, Peppers Rundells Alpine Lodge boasts the Onsen Day Spa and dog sledding.
More on 1800 468 426 or visit www.hotham bus.com.au or www. peppers.com.au /rundells and www. mantra.com.au/ Tullamarinehotel.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
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OPINIONS
Exercise your French l Topic of Cancer l Quiz answers l Sex in the Shire
No time to waist at my age, so
Revisiting relationships
I’ll even try exercise Back for amour I HAVE always had a love-hate relationship with exercise and sports in general. I have tried a few things, but never really stuck to it. I noticed the weight has been creeping up on my hips and thighs over the past year. After a bit of research, I discovered once you get close to 50 your metabolism slows down, which translates to extra kilograms and body fat. My jeans are too tight – all my clothes really – and my midsection is starting to resemble a muffin top. I am one of those women who never had a weight problem until now. I used to think Mireille Guiliano’s best-selling book, French Women Don’t Get Fat, was true, but it must only apply if you live in France. My French physique, it seems, hasn’t kept up with the laidback lifestyle that is the custom in Australia. I don’t like it and I need to do something about it. I eat well; I am always cooking lots of greens and munching down salads. So what I am missing? EXERCISE……. Surely, there’s something else I can do? Unfortunately not. I have always found excuses not to find time to exercise. So after trying to work out what I was going to be able to sustain, I decided yoga would be
Exercise your French with Mireille Merlet-Shaw nnn t a good start to ease my way into a regime. I will be doing a six-week beginner course. It’s great to go back to the basics of yoga, and learn the postures (asanas) at a slower pace. There are so many yoga classes around; you need to choose the one that sits best with you. I am doing Yoga White Lotus in Lennox Head. I went to a few casual classes to try it out and loved it. We start and finish by singing a mantra that brings everybody’s energies together. It’s taken many hours of contemplation and compromise but I’ve have also signed up to a 12-week Feel Better Naked program at Riverside 24/7 Fitness in Ballina. It’s close to home so there’s
I used to think Mireille Guiliano’s best-selling book, French Women Don’t Get Fat, was true, but it must only apply if you live in France no reason for excuses. I have met up with my trainer Michelle, who has talked me through the program and how rewarding it is, but I am not sure I believe her just yet. I have never liked gym. It scares me, to be honest. I have never felt fit enough to join one. I start next week. My goal is lose 8-10kg in the next 12 weeks. I want to quit cigarettes – yes I have started again and this time, I am finished for good – and be able to run 5km by mid-August. Over the next 12 weeks I will share with you my progress, my frustrations and food ideas. Are you joining me?
Mireille.Merlet@ northernstar.com.au Follow Mireille’s progress on Instagram at mimstar14.
It’s a surreal thing, finding
hope in far horizons I’M BACK in Aurukun, miles from anywhere, and once again I am peculiarly moved by my experiences here, which consist of little more than walking around the town and countryside and talking with anybody who will give me their time. It is a surreal place, where few of the usual rules apply, and with an un-nameable quality that leaves me feeling richly alive, humbled, and seeking to better understand what it is to be a human being. The sensation has something to do with the weather, which is blustery and hot; with being isolated amid millions of hectares of tropical rainforest and serpentine waterways under infinite skies; and with the slow pace of life. But it has much more to do with the people, weird, wonderful, sometimes wild, yet possessing an innocence and inner beauty that survives despite lives of hardship and the impoverishment of their culture. I’m aware I am a visitor here and that these people and I will be forever separate, but it is partly these unfathomable differences that make every successful “meeting” so rewarding. These moments of identification and connection have a warmth Saturday, June 21, 2014
Topic of Cancer with Digby Hildreth t and sincerity that I rarely find in the outside world, where vulgarity, greed, dogma, egoism and waste dominate contemporary culture. I am an ignorant outsider, and like all tourists, prone to making naive, half-baked generalisations about “the natives”, but the language of the heart I am able to speak here brings with it a longing for age-old values that I miss in my own community. Underlying this fundamental human pleasure, this unspoken discovery of common ground, there is a poignant theme, one which perhaps explains why I feel so emotionally charged here; and
that is the presence of death. As in most Aboriginal communities, it is a subject never very far away: premature death through disease, suicide or violence is an everyday reality, and it is set within the context of the dying off of traditional culture, even the extinction of an entire people, a tangible threat that is immensely saddening. What does this have to do with having cancer? Simply that for me, as for the people of Aurukun, the prospect of an imminent ending endows life with a heightened sense of urgency, of seriousness. While I don’t want to belittle the importance of play (indeed, I dreamt of the surf every night I was there, and we have laughed a lot), it’s not enough. The strange and gentle conversations I have in Aurukun contain within them enough hope to persuade me that healing in the lives of the local people is possible, both individually and culturally. It is an extension of the hope I locate and nurture in my own spirit, and I want passionately to do my bit, however tiny, to help to strengthen it in theirs. Digby was diagnosed with liver cancer 18 months ago.
I ONCE dated a winemaker who had the kind of cellar that makes connoisseurs weep. He used Grange as a trading tool when he was short of cash. I used to joke, after I broke up with him, that the thing I missed the most were the dusty bottles of French chablis and the climb into the underground cellar before dinner. In truth, I was rather fond of him and sorry to end the relationship, although for good reasons. After all, good men are hard to find and, deep down, he was one. Recently I received an email from him asking to get back in touch. That’s the thing with the internet, you are easily traceable, which is why they have the block function on Facebook although they should have digital AVOs. He’s now the director of a Californian winery and, I have to say, their product looks very tasty. We’re 10 years older, maybe more. But the real question is; are we wiser and have the things we fought about stopped mattering or do they matter less? The even bigger question is should anyone ever go back to a failed relationship? Plenty of people do. Romantics will argue that love deserves a second chance. He could have been the one but you missed it, they would say. Or, you’re both older now, you know better than to argue about silly things. The more pragmatic among us would suggest and, quite rightly so, that you broke up for a reason and unless that reason’s changed, second time around is a terrifically bad idea. Unfortunately I am both: a romantic and a pragmatist, depending on the current cycle of the moon. Or maybe I can just see both sides of
If you’ve ever been tempted to have a second go at a relationship you’ll understand the difficulty I’m having deciding
Sex in the Shire with Helen Hawkes t the argument. More than that, I’m an optimist and I have a good imagination. I can picture us laughing about the things we fought about – you were jealous of my dog? Really? You got tetchy after a few too many glasses and, unfortunately, that was quite often. And, from his point of view – you didn’t really like my kids or my ex-wife. (She was the one who grew jasmine on her front porch because she knew he was allergic to it. When he picked up the kids, he couldn’t stay more than five minutes without his face swelling and his eyes watering.) Well, the dog’s gone, although there’s a new one in its place and the kids have flown the coop but he’s still a winemaker and possibly still easily irritated after a few glasses of merlot. On the plus side, he’s very funny, clever and well-travelled and he does have a kind of rugged charm. If you’ve ever been tempted to have a second go at a relationship you’ll understand the difficulty I’m having deciding whether I should put the first, and then the second, toe in. Yes, Elizabeth Taylor may have married the same bloke multiple times but she was a bit of a fan of the whole marriage concept. Anyway, I’m not talking wedded bliss, maybe just a long-distance date or two and a few shared glasses of Californian chardonnay. Think of it this way. It’s the ultimate New Age act of recycling. I’m not wasting an old boyfriend, I’m repurposing him circa 2014. If you call me anything, call me ecofriendly. Just don’t tell me I told you so when the whole thing pans out exactly the same way it did in 2004.
ANSWERS: Weekend Quiz 1. Volvo. 2. California. 3. (a) Ireland. 4. John Howard. 5. Sultans of Swing. 6. Springfield. (The Simpsons). 7. James Cagney. 8. Carly Simon. 9. Steve Rogers (NSW), Mat Rogers (Qld). 10. ‘Lucy’ in the Sky with Diamonds. 11. (a) Pickles. 12. Les Miserables. 13. (c) 110. 14. Glenn Maxwell. 15. Western Australia. 16. Mark Zuckerberg. 17. The Jungle Book. 18. Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin. 19. Edouard Manet. 20. Andorra. 21. Appendix. 22. Wales. 23. Wimbledon. 24. (c) Mexico. 25. Thomas Jefferson.
26. Sally Field. 27. Grant Hackett. 28. Quantum of Solace. 29. Charlotte Amalie. 30. Gymnastics. 31. Hydrogen, water. 32. (c) Joseph. 33. Fruit growing. 34. The Magnificent Seven. 35. Rod Taylor. 36. Nebraska. 37. Philip Seymour Hoffman. 38. Catch-22. 39. Barents Sea. 40. William McKinley. 41. (b) house. 42. (a) 75. 43. Napoleon Bonaparte. 44. Putting green. 45. Twister. 46. Warringah. 47. Ramsey Theory. 48. Shannon Ekstein. 49. Grover Cleveland. 50. Eight years.
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Saturday, May 31, 2014 www.northernstar.com.au
PHOTO: MIREILLE MERLET-SHAW
Saturday, May 31, 2014
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WELCOME
From the editor l 10 things to do
INDEX Screenlife ............................................................................30 Relax ...................................................................................31 Arts ......................................................................................32 Big Read .............................................................................33 Local Producer ...................................................................34 Weekend Cook ..................................................................35 Easy Eating..........................................................................36 Max Crus .............................................................................37 Style ....................................................................................40 Wellbeing.............................................................................41 Gardening ..................................................................42 & 43 Crossword and Quiz ..........................................................44 Travel ..........................................................................45 & 47 TV Guide ....................................................................48 & 49 Old Wives Tales with Ann Rickard ....................................50 Through my Eyeswith Damian Batherbsy ........................50 Topic of Cancer with Digby Hildreth..................................50
KNIGHT IN: Grace Knight and Bernie Lynch of Eurogliders will play Lismore.
1
Fundraiser The Rig Gig
Today It’s time for simmos, protectors and supporters to dance and celebrate. Special performances by Kevin Borich, Marshall O’Kell & The Pride, Bourbon Street, The Black Star Band, The Swamp Stompers and Hussy Hicks. At the Lismore Workers Club, from 7pm. $20.
2
Theatre
10 THINGS TO DO nnn t
Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls
Today, tomorrow and next week This play, set in a Queensland country town in the mid-60s, is a bittersweet Aussie comedy. Tickets at Noah’s Arc Lismore, online at lismoretheatrecompany.org.au or at the door.
3
Gute Nacht
Today and tomorrow Vox Caldera Chamber Choir’s midwinter concert will range from the serious Bach’s motet Jesu Meine Freude to the sublime Josquin, Debussy, Bruckner and Montiverdi. Today at the Uniting Church, Keen St, Lismore, from 7pm and tomorrow at St Kevin’s Church Hall, Deacon St, Bangalow, from 3pm..$20
4
Piano Natasha Vlassenko and Oleg Stepanov
Tomorrow This much-loved husband and wife piano duo, renowned both internationally and at home, will play compelling works for four hands as well as solo pieces. At the Byron Community Centre from 2pm. Bookings at www.byroncentre.com.au or phone 66 856 807. $30.
5
Comedy Arj Barker: Keeper or crapper
Today Join Arj as he digs through his notes and tries to figure out which jokes will make it into his new show, and which ones will end up getting flushed away. At the Byron Theatre from 8pm. $25.Bookings at www.byroncentre.com.au.
SHINING BRIGHT: The Neily Diamond Tribute show will be a fundraiser for the Meerschaum Vale Hall.
6
Tribute The Neily Diamond Cabaret Show
Today
The Neily Diamond Show is a tribute to the man and his songs. You can expect to hear all Diamond’s legendary songs and some of the many hit versions recorded by other artists. At the Meerschaum Vale Hall, cnr of Wardell Rd and Marom Creek Rd, Meerschaum Vale,from 7.30pm. $10. .
7
Festival Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow
Today It’s a big night of comedy from some of the world’s funniest comedians. This year’s line-up includes Cal Wilson, Greg Behrendt, Harley Breen, David Quirk and Beau Heartbreaker. At the Ballina RSL, 240 River St, Ballina, from 8.30pm. $30.
8
Exhibition Art at the Airport: Emma Walker
On now until the end of June Three major works by leading contemporary Northern Rivers artist Emma Walker.
New herbal tea range
Brewing up help for kids
At Ballina Airport art space.
9
Event Beef Week
Today and until Tuesday The fun continues this weekend with the Show-n-Shine Car Show, live music, street parade, rodeo, Mr Beef competition, Fly In and Ute Muster, and plenty more. At different locations across Casino, all day. For details visit www.casinobeefweek.com.au.
At the Rochdale Theatre, 603 Ballina Rd, Goonellabah. Functions at 8pm today and 5pm tomorrow.
Choral
ON SHOW: Artist Emma Walker is exhibiting at Ballina Airport.
10
Music Eurogliders
Friday, June 6 Eurogliders are recognised for the quality of Bernie Lynch’s song writing and vocal harmonies and the dynamic live performances of lead singer Grace Knight. At the Lismore Worker’s Club Auditorium, from 7.30pm.$30
Markets Saturday: n Alstonville Farmers’ Market, Bugden Ln car park, Alstonville. n Lismore Farmers Market, Lismore Showground. n Uki Farmers Market every Saturday morning. n Kyogle Farmers Market, Stratheden St, Kyogle. n Blue Knob Farmers Market, 719 Blue Knob Rd, Lillian Rock. n Bangalow Farmers Market, 1 Byron St, Bangalow. n Drake Hall Markets, Community Hall, Bruxner Hwy, Drake. n Yowie Country Markets, Community Public Hall, Unumgar St, Woodenbong, last Saturday of the month. Sunday: n Alstonville Farmers Market, Bugden Ln car park, Alstonville. n Lismore Car Boot Market, Lismore Shopping Square. n Byron Community Market, Butler St Reserve. n Missingham Bridge Markets, Missingham Bridge, Kingsford Dr, Ballina.
To avoid disappointment contact the event organisers to ensure details of these events have not changed.
Jules Allen is a true inspiration nnn t
I
T’S the age old saying: it takes a village to raise a child. This is particularly true for children who can’t live with their own families. Right now nearly 16,000 children in New South Wales depend on others for their upbringing, their future. Individuals like Lennox head mum Jules Allen, who features in our Big Read this week, are a true inspiration of mine. The mother of four has opened her heart and her home to 29 foster children over the past 12 years. Post-MasterChef, she is continuing her efforts in supporting women and children who are victims of abuse and exploitation here and overseas with the launch of a new herbal tea range. She is also and ambassador for National Adoption Awareness, alongside Deborah Lee-Furness. Yet the ever so humble Jules says she considers herself “quite lazy”. If that’s not some motivation to get you going this weekend, the least you could do is log on to her website and buy some tea when it launches today. I know I will be. Have a great weekend.
EDITOR Kiri ten Dolle
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Saturday, May 31, 2014
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SCREEN LIFE
Edge of Tomorrow Overview nnn t
ACTION: Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in a scene from the movie Edge of Tomorrow.
PHOTO: DAVID JAMES
Blunt takes on action role English beauty packs on the muscle for new blockbuster nnn t BY SEANNA CRONIN
P
LENTY of attention is given to the fitness regimes and long hours actors spend in the gym to prepare for Herculean-type film roles. But it’s much less often we hear about a woman bulking up for her new blockbuster. English beauty Emily Blunt, who made her international breakthrough as a
weight-obsessed secretary in The Devil Wears Prada, packed on the muscle for her first action role as Special Forces warrior Rita in the sci-fi movie Edge of Tomorrow. Blunt stars opposite Tom Cruise in the film, which is set in the near future when the human race is battling an invading alien army. Their characters, who have found themselves in a time loop where each time they die
PRESENTS
I thought it was the most unusual love story I’ve ever come across, if you can even call it that in battle they wake up to repeat the same day of brutal combat over and over again, team up to use their Groundhog Day-like circumstance to change the
course of the war. Q: What was it about Edge of Tomorrow that resonated with you and made you want to be a part of this film? A: Well, there were two things that drew me to the project and those two things are Tom Cruise and Doug Liman. I just thought that was a pretty epic combination. I’ve admired Doug’s work for so long and I think he’s sort of carved out new space within a genre, which is very appealing to me when it comes to a sci-fi movie especially. And Tom ... there’s no one better than Tom Cruise. So, in my first foray into the action world, it was very cool to have him as a support system showing me the way, really, because this movie and this type of role is new for me. But I loved the story. I thought it was the most unusual love story I’ve ever come across, if you can even call it that. And I was really drawn to playing that
character, because she’s such a bad-arse, so lethal and emotionally shut down. So, it was just exciting for me to play someone who might be the toughest person I’ve ever come across. Q: What can you tell us about Rita and some of the qualities of this character that you enjoyed bringing out? A: Well, she is a lethal weapon, and that really is because she also contracted, if you can call it that, Tom’s character’s ability to reset the day. She no longer has this power, but at one point she did, so she’s become this lethal fighting weapon. But what’s happened is that in the process of having to relive each battle, I think she’s become very hardened. She’s pretty much lost everyone that she’s ever cared about, and has probably had to lose them over and over and over and over again. So I think that has shut her down emotionally in many ways. She’s pretty inaccessible when it comes to someone wanting to have some kind of relationship with her or some kind of friendship.
Edge of Tomorrow opens on Thursday.
STARS: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Paxton, Kick Gurry, Noah Taylor. DIRECTOR: Doug Liman RATING: M REVIEWER’S LAST WORD: A thrilling blockbuster that keeps up a fast pace thanks to its Groundhog Day-like repeat premise. The Edge of Tomorrow is sharp and it’s great to see Emily Blunt in the battlefield rather than as a damsel in distress.
YOU WILL LIKE THIS MOVIE IF YOU LIKE THESE... Oblivion, Elysium, District 9.
Star Profile nnn t
Tom Cruise Other movies: Top Gun, Mission: Impossible, Jerry Maguire. Quirky fact: Had ambitions to be a priest and at the age of 14 was a Franciscan seminary student. Notable quote: “I always tell young actors to take charge. It's not that hard. Sign your own cheques, be responsible.”
REVIEW
Grace of Monaco SPONSORS
STARS: Nicole Kidman, Tim Roth, Parker Posey, Milo Ventimiglia. RATING: PG IN CINEMAS: Wednesday. WHILE Nicole Kidman looks the part in this drama about the personal life of Hollywood star Grace Kelly after she married the Prince of Monaco, the film’s royal characters and subject matter are handled more like a melodramatic soap opera than with the weight they deserve.
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RELAX
Read | Watch | Listen
A must-read nnn t
STARTLING INFORMATION TITLE: Poisoned Planet AUTHOR: Julian Cribb
New on DVD
TITLE: Enough Said STARRING: James Gandolfini, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Catherine Keener
THIS is one of the most lovable movies of recent years. A divorced and single parent, Eva (Julia Louis Dreyfus) spends her days enjoying work as a masseuse but dreading her daughter’s impending departure for college. She meets Albert (James Gandolfini) – a sweet, funny and like-minded man also facing an empty nest. As their romance blossoms, Eva befriends Marianne (Catherine Keener), her new massage client. Eva finds herself doubting her relationship with Albert as she learns the truth about Marianne’s ex.
NEW BOOK: Author Peter Grose. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
Author reveals a remarkable story of wartime valour t
Courage in adversity Old Favourite
TITLE: High Society STARRING: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly
THIS is the musical remake of the fabulous The Philadelphia Story that starred the equally fabulous Katherine Hepburn. Tracy Lord, is an upper class spoiled woman who, having been through one marriage to likable musician CK Dexter Haven, is entering another with a stuffy social climber. Dexter and Mike Connor, a reporter covering the nuptials, help Tracy realise who she really should marry. While the grouping of Kelly, Sinatra and Crosby seems like it couldn’t fail, and it is one of the most popular musicals, if you’ve seen The Philadelphia Story, this will come off second best.
IN HIS acclaimed history An Awkard Truth, Peter Grose revealed the compelling story of the attack on Darwin by the Japanese in 1942. Now, in A Good Place to Hide, Grose looks at the war in Europe and an isolated community in the upper reaches of Loire Valley that worked together to save the lives of 3500 Jews, right under the noses of the Germans and the soldiers of Vichy France. “They kept their heads down, they kept their mouths shut and they
stuck together to offer sanctuary and shelter to over 3500 Jews in their small villages in the isolated upper reaches of the Loire. “This is one of the great modern stories of unknown heroism and courage,” Grose writes. It is the story of a pacifist Protestant pastor who broke laws and defied orders to protect the lives of total strangers. It is the story of an 18-year-old Jewish boy from Nice who forged 5000 sets of false identity papers to
save other Jews and French Resistance fighters from the Nazi concentration camps. And it is the story of a community of good men and women who offered sanctuary, kindness, solidarity and hospitality to people in desperate need, knowing full well the consequences to themselves. Powerful and richly told, A Good Place to Hide speaks to the goodness and courage of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
Another page-turner nnn t
LEAPING into a nature conservation project in the Simpson Desert with your new husband is one thing – coping with the reality of 45-degree heat, drought and isolation in the face of an unplanned and difficult pregnancy is quite another. Fortunately, Karen Harrland survived to tell her tale, in her book Spinifex Baby. In it she reflects on both the beauties and the hardships of outback living.
Title: Spinifex Baby Author: Karen Harrland Karen conjures up wonderfully evocative images of life in the desert, that sit beautifully alongside the minutiae of daily life as a new mother, including her battles to push a pram up a sand dune and coping with the realisation that the first solid food her baby ate was a massive blowfly.
WE WANT things to be cheap, convenient and useful. Our food arrives contaminated with pesticides and wastes, wrapped in plastic made of hormonedisrupting chemicals. We bathe and dress our children in petrochemicals. Even our coffee contains miniscule traces of arsenic, cup by cup adding to the toxins accumulating in our bodies. Man-made chemicals are creating a silent epidemic. Our children are sicker; cancer, obesity, allergies and mental health issues are on the rise in adults; and, frighteningly, we may be less intelligent than previous generations. A poisoned planet is the price we pay for our lifestyle, but Julian Cribb shows we have the tools to clean it up and create a healthier, safer future for us all.
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Saturday, May 31, 2014
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THE ARTS
What is showing across the Northern Rivers
Novel idea
ARTS CULTURE CREATIVE t
Organisers celebrate coup of securing top author to headline Byron Bay Writers Festival in August BYRON Bay Writers Festival, in collaboration with Sydney Opera House and Brisbane Powerhouse, will bring celebrated author, Jeanette Winterson, to Australia in August. Festival director Edwina Johnson is thrilled to have secured Winterson for her 2014 Australian tour. She believes audiences in Byron Bay, Sydney and Brisbane will be captivated by Winterson. The Guardian (UK) recently listed Jeanette Winterson as being one of the world’s Top 10 writers to see live. “She walks on with such confidence and never has any barrier between herself and the audience.” Jeanette Winterson OBE is one of the most acclaimed authors of our time. Whatever the genre – novels, screenplays, essays and journalism Winterson takes risks and challenges us to think differently about identity and relationships. At 15, Winterson’s teenage love affair with another woman came to light. She was condemned by her church, leading to her expulsion from the community and her decision to leave home. She worked odd jobs,
ZOE ROBINSON-KENNEDY zoe@artsnorthernrivers.com.au
Top tips for what's on in the region
from an ice-cream van driver to a funeral parlour make-up artist, supporting herself as she obtained her English BA from St Catherine’s College, Oxford. She would go on to write more than 15 books, including the celebrated novels: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, The Passion and Sexing the Cherry. Her most recent work includes the memoir, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? and the horror novella about witchcraft and superstition, The Daylight Gate. “Byron Bay Writers Festival is delighted Jeanette Winterson will deliver the 2014 keynote address and to have negotiated her East Coast tour to include events at both the Sydney Opera House and Brisbane Powerhouse,” said Johnson. Byron Bay Writers Festival will feature more than 100 authors. The program includes some of Australia’s best writers and thinkers from Malcolm Fraser, Clare Wright, Julian Burnside and Tim Flannery to ML Stedman, Ashley Hay, Alex Miller, Andy Griffiths and many more.
Byron Bay Writers Festival, Friday to Sunday, August 1-3. (three-day early bird pass from $195). The festival will also include writing workshops from July 28. Early bird tickets are on sale until the full program is announced. For more festival information or to purchase early bird tickets visit byronbaywritersfestival.com or call 1300 368 552.
Duo: Learning the ropes May 31 – July 13 Over the last four months Lismore Regional Gallery carried out a fantastic project called Duo: learning the ropes, in which five young people got a unique opportunity to have one-on-one sessions in the studios of local professional artists as a creative mentoring exchange. Through these regular meetings, the ‘duos’ have created new works for exhibition across a range of mediums.
WRITE ON: Jeanette Winterson will speak at the Byron Bay Writers Festival.
Arj Barker takes new routine to the people t
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HEY THERE: Arj Barker performs at the Byron Theatre tonight.
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
ARJ Barker is heading back to Byron with his Keeper or Crapper 2014 tour, where the audience gets to tell him whether to keep the jokes in his routine or not. “I try to cut out as much as I can with the jokes, keep it to the necessary information as it’s easier for people to follow and keeps the laughs coming closer together,” he told us. “But then some jokes need to be built slowly. I like it when the crowd are sitting there going, ‘Is (he)
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Saturday, May 31, 2014
serious?’.” “I am going to injure your face, not in a serious way, but you are going to have sore cheekbones,” he said. While he loves to make people laugh, Barker prefers to stay on the bright side of comedy and veers away from dark humour. “I have never forgotten that I am a comedian and it is my job to make people laugh but I like a good message in a joke,” he said. Barker said he had always received a warm reception from his Australian fans. “I have more fans here than I do in my own country,” he said with a laugh. Being a comedian is tough when you are first starting out but Barker would recommend comedy to anyone. “You have the freedom to make your own hours and if you love to travel and can make a living; go for it,” he said.
Arj Barker, Byron Theatre, Byron Bay, tonight from 8pm to 9pm. Full $25 / Conc $20 (ages 15+). Go to byroncentre.com.au
Yamba Writers Festival The first chapter of the Yamba Writers Festival opens this month as a celebration of the written word that has the power to stimulate, agitate, unite, delight, and inspire. The Festival hopes to promote a culture of reading and ideas, especially to young writers, and to enhance the vibrancy of the Clarence Valley and beyond. Join in the conversations with international, national and local writers that may inspire you in the pursuit of your own literary path. Star of the Sea Conference Centre, Yamba, today and tomorrow from 9am to 5pm.
Check out daily top tips at facebook.com/artsnorthernrivers
Kylie Bridges, artist, Clunes A painter and illustrator who also works with graphic design, Kylie is influenced by her love of colour and pattern. She is also commission artist working in portraits or artworks for specific interiors and homewares, stationery, branding, business cards and marketing materials. Kylie includes imagery to both represent her aesthetic style and communicate with the viewer.
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Jules Allen local hero
BIG READ
IT’S NOT ABOUT THE CARERS Allen thinks policies regarding adoption and fostering need to be based on the child’s cultural needs nnn t AUSTRALIAN couples looking to adopt have welcomed action in breaking down the barriers surrounding overseas adoption. With an announcement earlier this month of an agreement for adoption with South Africa, long-term foster carer and adoption parent, Jules Allen accepts that in many cases, some children may be better cared for in Australia. “I am very open minded about it, but I also think we need to be careful. “It’s such an arrogant illusion to think that because we have a lot
TEA BREAK: Jules Allen has cared for 29 foster children over the past 12 years, and will be the subject of this week’s episode of Australian Story on ABC TV.
Busy mum to so many
PHOTO: MIREILLE MERLET SHAW
Lennox Head’s Jules Allen launches tea range to assist women and children in refuge t JAVIER ENCALADA
Fostering is not about them, it’s about the children of material stuff that we know better.” Having spent many years caring for children in foster care, she says it is not always for everyone. “You need to know your limitations. “Some people say to me ‘I couldn’t foster because I could not give the children back’ but people need to understand fostering is not about them, it’s about the children you are caring for. They need to stop judging the children and their families and offer just the love and support they need. “I think we need to have centres set up where families can go with their adoptive or foster children when they are in crisis, because we do not have this kind of support at the moment.”
AS A former MasterChef contestant, adoption and foster care advocate, entrepreneur and single mother, it’s hard to find a definitive label for Lennox Head’s Jules Allen. She radiates strength, the kind that allowed her to care for, and offer her love to, a couple of twin boys with Down Syndrome for months. That kind of strength that is not limited by good intentions and acts to make others’ lives better. Over the past 12 years she has cared for 29 foster children. Jules Allen is a local hero. She is mother to four kids: two sons, Jay and Ishy (both 15), and daughters Elisha, 19, and India, 16. But her family is a blend of her own, adopted and foster children. She still puts together her children’s lunch boxes. It is one of the ways she expresses her love for them, through healthy, delicious food. “At some point during the day they are reminded that they are loved,” she said. “If I ask you what is the one dish that sums up your childhood, you’ll go there straight away. You’ll go to a place, a smell that wraps you up like a blanket. “The kids that come to me have never had that.” Following the birth of her son in 1999, Jules relocated from Melbourne to Lennox Head where she started working in child protection. It was at this time that she recognised the need for foster carers and started taking children into her home. After nine years in child protection, Jules moved into working as a
WATCH IT l Australian Story airs on ABC1 on Monday 8pm and Saturday 12 noon. l ABC 24 repeats the program on Saturday 4.30pm and Sunday 6.30pm. counsellor at Shearwater, The Mullumbimby Steiner School. For the last two years she has run a private practice working with teenagers in crisis and their families. Now she wants to expand her work to support parents, carers and families of children experiencing trauma. “I have a Social Science degree and my field is working with traumatised kids. That is my background and I struggle sometimes. Imagine if you had no skills in this area?” Jules’ dedication earned her the Byron Shire Council’s Working with Young People Award in 2012. In addition to counselling, she helped in the rebuilding of a women and children’s refuge in the Solomon Islands in 2008 which inspired her to set up the Women And Children’s Care Initiative Incorporated (WACCII); a not for profit organisation aimed at providing and supporting refuge for women and children who are victims of abuse and exploitation. Jules is still executive director of this organisation and is currently working on broadening the focus areas of WACCII. She became a household name in 2013 when she became a contestant on MasterChef Australia. “I am very grateful for how much I learned about cooking during
A still from the ABC's Australian Story program showing Jules (middle) with her children Ishy, Jay, Elisha and India.
MasterChef Australia 2013 contestant PHOTO: NETWORK TEN Jules Allen. MasterChef,” she said. “It was like three years of learning condensed in four months,” she added. It was after MasterChef that she was approached to become an Ambassador for National Adoption Awareness, alongside Deborah Lee-Furness and Hugh Jackman. She is also Ambassador for Foster Care Australia, the Pyjama Foundation and Brookfarm. Jules also supports Hagar, a specialist aftercare agency that works
with women and children who have survived trafficking and severe abuse in Cambodia, Afghanistan and Vietnam. Jeep also gave her a role as the Charity Ambassador and continues to offer support to Jules in her many charity roles. Now, Jules is launching her own brand. She has released Jules Allen Tea and all profits from this new venture will benefit WACII, Hagar and a new project to teach people in a tight budget to prepare nutritious meals for their families. “I am not sure how this project is going to shape up, but I do want to support parents to offer the best food for their children even if on a small income,” she said. Jules Allen Tea offers seven types of therapeutic teas. We asked Jules where does she get all the energy and time to do so much. “Someone asked me the other day ‘What do you do in your spare time?’ and I don’t feel like I do enough. I actually think I’m quite lazy.” ABC TV’s Australian Story followed her every move for two weeks in Lennox Head and another two in Melbourne for a 30-minute program to air this Monday at 8pm.
Jules Allen’s new range of tea is now online at www.julesallen.org. Saturday, May 31, 2014
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Local produce
EASY EATING
Newrybar and Chorizo croquettes
New era for cheese factory R
EFRESHING the name and adding a new cheese club is the reason behind a recent name change by Bangalow Cheese Company. From the end of this month, the company will trade as Byron Bay Cheese Company. The good news is the artisan, farmhouse-style cheeses and cultured butter will all still exist and the award-winning flavours will remain the same. Byron Bay Cheese Company has recently purchased a permanent site in Byron Bay and will operate its cheese factory premises at The Farm at Byron Bay. Head cheese maker Rhys Burley said he was excited to announce the Byron Bay Cheese Club to customers. “It has been five years since I joined the company and am very much looking forward to our new cheese factory, making new cheeses and taking our Byron Bay Cultured
Butter to the next level,” he said. The business has been operating since 2007. Their cheeses are made with locally sourced milk from Friesian, Guernsey, Jersey and Brown Swiss cows, free from preservatives and stabilisers. The Triple Cream Brie, Nashua Wash Rind, Brooklet Brie, Newrybar Semi-hard and the Byron Bay Smooth Feta are some of their most popular products among chefs and home cooks. The Creme Friache is stunning in pastries and desserts.
Byron Bay Cheese Company is available at northern NSW farmers’ markets, selected Queensland markets and various delis and retail outlets or www.byronbaycheesecompany. com.au.
WIN A POLARIS OUTLAW 50 QUAD BIKE
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Method Whisk one of the eggs in a medium bowl. Press the potatoes through a ricer into the bowl. Add the Newrybar cheese, Byron Bay Butter, Salumi Chorizo, shallots, parsley, nutmeg, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper, to taste. Mix gently with a rubber spatula until evenly combined. Using your hands, form the potato mixture into 5cm logs and place on tray. Continue until all the potato mixture is used up. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Now to set up crumbing station. Beat the remaining egg in a shallow plate. Put the breadcrumbs in another shallow dish and plain flour in a third shallow dish. Roll a croquette in the flour till coated then egg until coated, then in the breadcrumbs, and place it on a plate. Repeat with remaining croquettes. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Pour enough rice bran oil into a heavy-bottomed pan to reach a depth of 3cm. Heat the oil over medium heat, and fry the croquettes a few at a time, turning, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining croquettes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm.
Five minutes with nnn t
Belongil Bistro’s
CHRISTIAN POULSEN
How long have you been a chef? 25 years. I began washing up in a steak house kitchen when I was 15. I intended to take up a degree at university when I was 18 but ended up getting hooked in a top kitchen and never looked back. What’s the story behind Belongil Bistro? My wife found a little ad in the local newspaper and we decided to draw up a business plan. With good knowledge of the local market after four years in Byron Bay hospitality we thought we’d have a good shot. What’s been your best recent dining experience? Breakfast at Cobb Lane in Yarraville, Melbourne. I had a traditional English Breakfast with house black pudding and homemade HP sauce etc. Favourite ingredient? Potatoes – the varieties are extensive and what you do with them requires different varieties. If you understand how they cook and what their composition is they can be a lot of fun. What ingredient can’t you live without in your kitchen? I think the onion family is the single ingredient that demands use in nearly all cuisines but the specific variety must apply. What’s your favourite meal you like to cook at home? Slow roast shoulder of lamb in the Weber kettle over charcoal for three hours. Who has been your biggest culinary influence? My grandmother. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with her as a child, watching, smelling. I was quite solitary and later slotted into kitchens very easily. What’s your favourite local produce and how do you use it? Local baby watercress. We use it to garnish some of the dishes. It has a peppery flavour which works well with the sea salt we offer our customers. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever cooked for? It’s a difficult question because we don’t always know who we’re cooking for. I cooked for Elton John’s 50th birthday celebration at The Ivy in London. That was exciting. Princess Margaret was amusing too given that her aide kept topping her up with her own bottle of gin throughout the meal while I was at L’Escargot in Soho. What would be your ultimate last supper? Silky Mediterranean fish soup with scallops, café de Paris butter and toasted ciabatta. The processes to make the soup delves deep into our ethics as chefs. You have to see it to understand it.
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Serves 6 Ingredients 200gm freshly grated Newrybar cheese from Byron Bay Cheese Co 1 Salumi Chorizo (diced finely and cooked till crispy) 3 large eggs 6 cooked potatoes (boiled) cooled 2 tablespoons of Byron Bay Butter, melted 3 tablespoons finely sliced fresh green shallots 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Pinch grated nutmeg Pinch Smoked paprika 2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup of plain flour 1 cup fresh bread crumbs Rice bran oil, for frying
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The Weekend Cook
EASY EATING serves 4–6 as a side dish nnn t
pomegranate TABOULI
raspberry balsamic vinegar makes one cup
what you need: ½ cup frozen raspberries, thawed juice of one fresh lime ½ cup aged balsamic vinegar 1 tblspn brown sugar
Rich flavours of balsamic vinegar The Weekend Cook Maggie Cooper
B
ALSAMIC vinegar has been the darling of Aussie chefs and home cooks alike for a decade or so; the Italians, of course, knew about it long ago. Its rich, dark, sweetish tang adds a tantalising taste to many dishes, even fruit (strawberries sprinkled with freshly cracked black pepper and balsamic are a delight). Last year I visited a friend who produced a long, dark bottle from her pantry and introduced me to balsamic syrup. Since then I’ve found many versions and learned to make my own for a fraction of the cost of bought varieties. Believe it or not, you can drizzle it
nnn t over ice cream, use it as a marinade for roasting meats (yummy with quail) or in a salad dressing. My latest experiment is a raspberry-flavoured balsamic syrup, delicious dripped over cooked seafood such as the seared scallops I have used here or caramelised root vegetables. It’s rich and you only need a little. It’s easy to make but be careful; hot balsamic vinegar can spit a little on the stove, and this recipe will be hotter than boiling water owing to the sugar content. Store in a dark bottle in the refrigerator.
Its rich, dark, sweetish tang adds a tantalising taste to many dishes, even fruit Email Maggie Cooper at
maggies.column@bigpond.com
what you do: Place raspberries and lime juice in a non-reactive saucepan (such as stainless steel or ceramic). Bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes. Blend with a stick blender or in a food processor and pass through muslin or a sieve to remove seeds. Combine the strained liquid with balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, return to the boil and cook, stirring, until it thickens into a syrup. Do not leave unattended and be careful as the syrup will spit and be very hot. Remove from heat and pour into a hot sterilised bottle. Store in the refrigerator after opening. Serve drizzled over cooked seafood such as seared scallops or roasted, caramelised root vegetables.
what you need: 1 cup buckwheat kernels OR barley OR cracked wheat 1 cinnamon quill 75ml olive oil 100ml lime juice 1 tspn ground cumin seeds 1/2 tspn sea salt 1/2 tspn mild chilli flakes (optional) 2 large pomegranates, arils and juice removed to make 1 1/2 cups 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 1 punnet baby Roma tomatoes, halved what you do: Cook buckwheat, barley or cracked wheat in lightly salted boiling water with cinnamon quill for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Combine oil, lime juice, cumin, chilli and salt to make a dressing. Pour over cooked grain, leave for 20 minutes. Add 1 cup of the pomegranate arils and all the juice, parsley, mint and tomatoes; season to taste. Garnish with remaining arils and serve. Serves 4–6 as a side dish.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
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PHOTO: ALISTAIR BRIGHTMAN
WITH CELEBRITY CHEFS DAN AND STEPH
News on the vine nnn t
Don’t miss it
The cooks we love
Starting next Saturday we will feature a new regular column with tips and recipes from Dan and Steph Mulheron
Dan and Steph will be sharing cooking tips and recipes in a new weekly column nnn t By PETER CHAPMAN
I
t was 2012 and life was good for Dan and Steph Mulheron. Both were enjoying rewarding jobs and also the easy lifestyle Hervey Bay offered them. They decided that the only thing they needed was to bring a child into their world. Unfortunately they were told they had to go through an IVF program, but they were confident things would happen. Fate had it that Steph didn’t fall pregnant and that triggered them embarking on a course that was to change their lives. Sitting back they planned to give the family idea another try, but at the same time they wanted to make a change. After attending a major concert and meeting the stars backstage, Dan turned to his bride of eight years and told her that he wanted to “be
I turned to Steph and said let’s do it and we put our application together that night someone”. With that thought firmly planted in his mind he took great interest when he saw a television advertisement on Channel 7 a few weeks later calling for people to join 11 other couples on MKR’s new series. “I turned to Steph and said let’s do it and we put our application together that night and sent it off,” Dan said. “The next morning we woke up late and when I checked my phone I had five missed calls from a Sydney number. It was Channel 7 and they asked me if we were serious about the application. “I ran and got Steph out of
bed and told her what had happened and said we better check that application and make sure we can do everything we said we could do,” he said. It took three months to go through the application process and that included doing a dummy filming as MKR producers asked them to cook four meals all in 15 minutes. They passed that hot kitchen test and it’s now history that they went on to take all before them in MKR, winning not only the judges over, but thousands of fans across Australia. The home viewers related to the knockabout bloke and the wife who always had a smile on
her face and kitchen dramas in hand. The world has spun for them since that victory and after a whirlwind publicity tour of Australia they have now settled down in Hervey Bay. They are writing two cooking books, titled Eat at Home, with Dan and Steph. The first book will be released in October this year. What has taken up most of their energy is a small breakfastlunch restaurant they have opened on the Esplanade at Hervey Bay called Eat. It has been an outstanding success and their greatest problem has been finding a table to seat those waiting at the door. Steph is looking after a regular food column featuring recipes and tips and the good news is this will now be featured on our Saturday Easy Eating page across all APN dailies.
McGuigan’s top drop INTERNATIONALLY awarded Australian winery, McGuigan Wines, has released its most premium wine to date – a super premium 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz known as The Philosophy. Handcrafted in a traditional claret style, the wine represents the vision and drive of McGuigan winemakers and is the culmination of four generations of McGuigan family winemaking. Speaking about The Philosophy – which was more than a decade in the making – Neil McGuigan, chief winemaker, McGuigan Wines, said when I first re-joined the business, I put a challenge out to the McGuigan winemaking team to create a true, icon wine for our brand. “My philosophy on making wine is simple. Every day you need to have the ambition to craft a super-premium wine; it channels the energy and focus to be on quality at every step of the process and pretty soon that attitude flows across your entire portfolio. The Philosophy is made from the two red varieties that made Australian red wine famous – namely cabernet sauvignon and shiraz – and uses premium fruit from the Eden and Clare Valley districts in South Australia. It has a complex nose with blueberry fruits, mocha and vanilla – showing power, refinement, elegance and incredible length on the palate, with pronounced fine grain tannins and solid longevity.
FOOD: Wagyu steak RATING: 96/100 RRP: $150
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ENJOY LIFE
Wine
You’re better off not gambling W Grape Expectations with Max Crus t
e’ve never had it so good: A budget to get us off our bums and wiping those of politicians and the wealthy; work until an hour before we die; and a fuel tax to clean up the air and save a few dolphins. Does it get any better? Well, the age-old pastime and distraction from our painful political prison, footy tipping, just got more distracting. No one uses the equally age-old office footy tipping form from this newspaper any more (do they?), following the introduction of convenient online versions.
Footytips.com will even tip for you if you’re too lazy, or incompetent, but now there’s added incentive guess the correct margin for a match and you win $20
from Bet-ezy. A pack of ciggies, five beers, or three doctor visits. Too easy. Okay, you have to register with Bet-ezy first, which will cost $10 (minimum) of your own money, which in turn will incur a $4 fee from your credit card provider because it will be deemed a cash advance. Hmmm, bit like politics eh? Giveth with one hand and taketh with the other. But hey, you’re still $6 in front. Except according to experienced betting sources, even if you win, you can never actually claim the original $20 as your own. Better still, within microseconds of accepting Bet-ezy’s generosity you will receive a phone call from them saying they will give you even more money, a dollar for dollar bonus for every bet, up to $100. Why aren’t these people running the country?
A budget to get us off our bums and wiping those of politicians and the wealthy and work until an hour before we die You will be flooded with offers, not the least the likes of this one from Korea…“Hey there! Stan is here. I get your mail coz u have interested in good sport tips, remember?” “… this awesome service…earned 7850 Euros, bet for three months…try, you won't regret!” Now, what to do with your new, vast, free winnings? Forget Stan, these are much safer bets.
TRY IT: Lilly Pilly Estate ‘Tramillon’
When it comes to sav blanc, the colder the better - the region. Alas this year not even Orange, let alone Hell, looks like freezing over.
Brothers in Arms Side by Side Malbec VINTAGE: 2012 PRICE: $27 RATING: 9/10
Richmond Grove Limited Release Watervale Riesling VINTAGE: 2012 PRICE: $23 RATING: 8.9/10
Sometimes you need a sweeter red, like Friday nights, and Sat. Well, Sunday would be okay, or Monday…fruit up.
WIN
Groovy label, groovy name, groovy combination,, this is almost worthy of another Austin Powers movie. Bring on the chilli calamari.
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Be careful to whom you give this, more mature types might think you’re making a statement. Otherwise have it with erudite conversation about geology.
Lillypilly Estate ‘Tramillon’ (Gewürztraminer/Semillon) VINTAGE: 2010 PRICE: $15.50 RATING: 8.5/10
MagellaRose - Lismore’s home of retail therapy!
A POLARIS
Attach two entry coupons, published Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday in The Northern Star, to an entry form, found in Monday and Thursday’s paper. Post your entry to Polaris Competition, PO Box 423, Lismore NSW 2480 by 12pm on Friday 20 June, or you can drop your entry into the barrel at the Polaris site at Norco Primex by 2.30pm Saturday 21 June.
So steely, this is like an old friend you haven’t seen for ages, with a dry sense of humour and just as satisfying.
Angullong Fossil Hill Shiraz Viognier VINTAGE: 2012 PRICE: $24 RATING: 8.7/10
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Ross Hill (Orange) Pinnacle Series Sauvignon Blanc VINTAGE: 2013 PRICE: $30 RATING: 8.9/10
74 - 76 Magellan St, Lismore Ph: 02 6622 8053 Buy online at www.magellarose.com.au Saturday, May 31, 2014
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visitbrisbane.com.au
Paint the town pink BRISBANE FESTIVAL Grab your diary and mark the dates for the always incredible Brisbane Festival. This pulsating event will paint the town pink this September with an exciting program of music, theatre, dance, comedy, circus and more. The festival opens on 6 September and will run every night over the three weeks. Including world and Australian premiere performances, the iconic Sunsuper Riverfire will be the explosive finale on 27 September and is set to draw the attention of the entire city. The full Brisbane Festival 2014 program will be announced in late June, with tickets on sale from 25 June. Across Brisbane 6 – 27 September brisbanefestival.com.au
Hint
The best vantage points for the spectacular Sunsuper Riverfire are at South Bank and Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Take a picnic and watch the sky come alight.
© Shutterstock Photography
Spring/Summer fashion
Broadway’s number one show
MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION FESTIVAL
The most awarded new musical and Broadway’s number one show will thrill Brisbane at the Lyric Theatre from 15 February 2015. Awe-inspiring and spectacular, WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane is Queensland’s foremost consumer fashion event. Showcasing Spring/Summer collections, the festival will return for its ninth year from Sunday 24 – Friday 29 August. Featuring some of the most desirable labels in Australian fashion, alongside the best of local Queensland designers and retailers, the festival presents a tantalising range of the season’s hottest trends.
Join the ticket waitlist today.
Tickets are on sale now through QTIX.
Queensland Performing Arts Centre From 15 February 2015 qpac.com.au
24 – 29 August Brisbane City Hall mbff.com.au
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PAGE 40
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STYLE
Top these TRACEY HORDERN t EVERYONE is talking about this incredibly warm start to winter. As I write this I am in a cool air-conditioned office after pounding the pavements in almost summer heat. So where does that leave us for showing off all our smart winter jackets and lovely winter woollies? I think they may be stored for even a while longer. I know I keep saying this, but a girl’s best friend is a wardrobe staple of long sleeve tops. I swear they are good for eight months of the year. So while I hit the stores this week, no one was looking at the heavier clothing and everyone was picking up a long sleeve top. Here’s a selection of reasonably priced tops available in stores now – and locally.
ABOVE: Long sleeve top, $59.95, Just Jeans, Lismore Shopping Square, Ballina Fair and Byron Bay.
LEFT: Phoenix Oversize Square Top $179, Phyllis & Mimosa, 1/20 Fletcher St, Byron Bay.
LEFT: Light cotton top, reduced to $59.95, Sussan, Lismore Shopping Square.
RIGHT: Long sleeve top, $49.95, Just Jeans, Lismore Shopping Square, Ballina Fair and Byron Bay.
BELOW: Long sleeve top, two for $30 or $24.95 each, Cotton On, Lismore Shopping Square, Ballina Fair and Byron Bay.
Star Court Arcade
RETAIL THERAPY
t TUCKED away in the heart of Lismore is the iconic Star Court Arcade, home to some of the best retail in the Northern Rivers. There are several vintage shops, including the well-known vintage collector Roslyn White’s shop, Black Angel (pictured), an excellent source for high-end vintage clothing and accessories. There are also several fantastic homeware and fashion outlets, such as Maddeson & Eve, that are home to upmarket homewares and stylish clothing and accessories. Quality recycled fashion is found at Etika and there are wonderful Japanese homewares and collectable kimonas at Kanzashi. Star Court Arcade Molesworth St, Lismore
Marionne de Candia’s Mx Skin Care
WE LOVE
t NO ONE knows the secret of great skin better than Marionne de Candia. Marionne is an internationally recognised spa guru who specialises in facial skin. Based at Rae’s on Wategos, the rich and famous fly in for Marionne’s signature facials (just ask Elle McPherson). Marionne has now developed her own range, Mx Skin Care. Her friend and talented artist David Bromley has designed the beautiful artwork. The Mx Skin Care range includes science-based, effective, natural skincare – aging with grace. PO Box 1648 Byron Bay, 2471 www.mxskincare.com info@mxskincare.com Saturday, May 31, 2014
ABOVE: Striped top with lace detail, $69.95, Sussan, Lismore Shopping Square. RIGHT: Long sleeve top, two for $30 or $24.95 each, Cotton On, Lismore Shopping Square, Ballina Fair and Byron Bay.
ON SALE SO MANY stores have sales on, and almost all the stores have at least a clearance rack. Sussan is offering 50% off many clothes, including current styles; there is a further 30% off sale items at Sportsgirl and Cotton On, with a special $20 sale rack. Phyliss and Mimosa has its annual 50% of most clothing starting this weekend, the perfect chance to grab one or more of the beautiful silk kaftans. Next weekend is one for those who love vintage – it’s the great Old & Gold festival in Brunswick Heads. From next Saturday 8.30am, the entire town embraces the garage sale and visitors come from far and wide to grab a bargain. The local shops get in on the act with wonderful Old & Gold windows and lots of vintage bargains. Join the crowds and walk from house to house in search of treasure. If you love vintage clothing, Sabina Dods’s at 43 Fingal St is an emporium of collectable vintage at affordable prices. The Ye Olde Church Garden Fair always has some great bargains and the gorgeous ladies from the Brunswick Heads CWA will be hosting a devonshire tea, while Brunswick Heads Public School is hosting a Treasure Trove.
LEFT: Hole Slub Tee $69, Phyllis & Mimosa, 1/20 Fletcher St, Byron Bay.
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WELLBEING
health, beauty & fitness
GOOD JUNK: Tasty recipes made with dextrose-pure glucose, a healthy alternative to table sugar
Quit the sweet poison DAVID GILLESPIE has changed the eating habits of thousands of Australians with his bestsellers on the dangers of sugar, Sweet Poison, The Sweet Poison Quit Plan and The Sweet Poison Quit Plan Cookbook. Alongside his wife Lizzie and chef Peta Dent, David brings us this beautifully illustrated cookbook which features more than 80 recipes, from Anzac biscuits, lamingtons and brownies to Pavlova, baklava and donuts.
COCONUT & LIME SORBET Ingredients 1½ cups dextrose, 2 cups water, 1 lime, zest removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, 2 cups coconut milk Method Put the dextrose, water and lime zest into a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until the dextrose has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and simmer for five minutes. Stir in the coconut milk. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn according to manufacturer’s directions until frozen. Spoon into four glasses to serve. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two weeks.
SWEET TREATS: Pecan pie, made without table sugar, passionfruit souffle and coconut and lime sorbet.
PASSIONFRUIT SOUFFLÉS
PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED
Method melted butter, for greasing 100g dextrose, plus extra for dusting 150ml passionfruit pulp (from about 7 passionfruit) 1 tablespoon cornflour 3 teaspoons water 5 egg whites Ingredients Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush six 1 cup capacity ramekins generously with melted butter, then dust generously with extra dextrose and put onto a baking tray. Put the passionfruit pulp and ¼ cup of the dextrose into a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the dextrose has dissolved. Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil. Mix the cornflour and water in a small bowl to form a smooth paste. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cornflour paste. Return the pan to the heat and cook, whisking continuously, for one minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until cold. Whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add the remaining dextrose and continue to whisk just until stiff peaks form. Add a large spoonful of egg white to the passionfruit mixture and stir with a large metal spoon until combined to loosen the mixture. Gently fold in the remaining egg white. Fill the ramekins to the top with the soufflé mixture and run a palette knife across the top to make a flat surface. Run your thumb around the inside of the rim of each ramekin to help the soufflés rise evenly. Bake the soufflés for 10–12 minutes or until risen and golden. Serve immediately.
PECAN PIE Ingredients ¾ cup dextrose ½ cup glucose syrup 40g unsalted butter 3 eggs ¼ cup thickened cream 2 teaspoons vanilla essence, or to taste 125g pecan halves Thickened cream, to serve (optional) Sweet pastry 1 2⁄3 cups plain flour, sifted 2 tablespoons dextrose ¼ teaspoon baking powder, sifted 180g cold unsalted butter, chopped ¼ – 1⁄3 cup iced water 1½ teaspoons vanilla essence, or to taste Method To make the pastry, process the flour, dextrose and baking powder in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, gradually add the water and vanilla and process until the mixture comes together to form a smooth dough. Shape into a disc, then wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Lightly grease a 34 cm × 11 cm rectangular tart tin. Roll the pastry out between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Line the prepared tin with the pastry. Trim the edges using a small, sharp knife. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Put the dextrose, glucose syrup and butter into a saucepan and stir over low heat for 2–3 minutes or until melted and combined. Transfer to a bowl, then add the eggs, cream and vanilla and whisk to combine. Pour into the tin and top with the pecans. Place the tin on a baking tray. Bake the tart for 1 hour or until golden and set. Cool completely. Serve with cream, if desired. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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InMyGarden
Queensland Garden Expo
GREAT IDEAS
nnn t BLOOMIN’ FUN: People of all ages and skill levels f lock to the expo. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
Maze Victory Greenhouse ($2799) QUICK and easy to assemble, this greenhouse allows you to grow fruit, vegetables and plants in all seasons. Great ventilation and strong polycarbonate panels are durable and clear, giving a glass-like effect.
Bumper show for 30th ONE of Australia’s largest gardening events, the Queensland Garden Expo, will this year celebrate its 30th anniversary as it attracts more than 35,000 gardening enthusiasts and horticultural experts from across Australia and New Zealand to the Nambour Showgrounds between July 11-13. After planting the seed to build a successful gardening event in 1985, organisers could not have imagined that 30 years later the Sunshine Coast expo would offer an action-packed program including 125 free lectures and demonstrations across eight stages, as well as more than 360 exhibitors and displays by more than 55 nurseries selling more than 40,000 plants a day. Queensland Garden Expo event manager Marion Beazley believes the strength of the event, which started as a one-day event with 30 exhibitors and 300 visitors, lies in its ability to attract both the most avid and the most amateur gardeners. “People of all ages and skill levels
The majority come to get gardening advice and to improve their gardening skills – Marion Beazley
flock to the expo and it’s not only to stock up on plants – the majority come to get gardening advice and to improve their gardening skills thanks to the interactive nature of the event and the wealth of knowledge on offer across the speakers and exhibitors,” Ms Beazley said. “The event really does cater to every gardening need, whether you have a few pot plants or acreage or anything in between. The event provides access to the latest in gardening equipment and accessories as well as the much-anticipated release of new
plant varieties which has people queuing down the road on the opening day. “We’re looking forward to another great year in regard to high profile speakers including appearances from hot favourites like Costa Georgiadis, Jerry Coleby-Williams and Angus Stewart of ABC Gardening Australia, ABC Radio host Annette McFarlane, garden guru Phil Dudman and horticultural expert Clair Levander.” Other highlights include the Giant Kitchen Garden which incorporates a totally organic food court and lectures and workshops on creating a sustainable garden; the free Plant Clinic where a dedicated team of gardening experts offers free personal advice; and the Landscape Garden Displays where local landscapers create inspirational gardens from a blank canvas at the expo every year. The expo will once again commemorate gardener extraordinaire, columnist and long-time radio and television
personality Colin Campbell with the Colin Campbell Gumboot Auction, which follows the great success of the Colin Campbell Garden Shed Auction last year, where enough money was raised to support five community garden projects. “This year’s auction introduces a new twist, with expo visitors given the opportunity to bid in a silent auction for gumboots that have been decorated by a number of well-known local identities and celebrities,” Ms Beasley said. Kids can enjoy activities including street performers, musicians, the children’s playground and food stalls and special interest activities. The Gardeners and Gourmets Celebrity Dinner will be held on Saturday, July 12 at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort. The ticketed event will feature gardening presenters and experts. The Queensland Garden Expo is held at the Nambour Showgrounds, Coronation Ave, Nambour on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Visit www.qldgardenexpo.com.au.
Uplift liquid fertiliser ($10.33) THIS Yates organic product is a complete garden fertiliser with a unique composition of five beneficial ingredients to ensure the garden flourishes, no matter what plants are grown. An easy screw-on cap eliminates mess with no extra effort.
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Potting scoop ($2.64) THIS Fiskars Nyglass scoop is a comfortable gardening hand tool ergonomically designed for hassle-free use. Resistant to abrasion and organic solvents, this is a durable tool with a 25-year guarantee.
CATCH THEM ALL! C
W We’re going back in time and giving away a set of two FREE Prehistoric Dinosaur Collection cards each day. F Plus a chance to win T-Rex figurines. The kids’ll love P ‘em (and they’ll have fun learning too)! Grab the paper every day for your Prehistoric Dinosaur Collection token. Present it to a participating newsagent to claim your set of two cards.
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Saturday, May 31, 2014
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Green Thumb
Green Thumb with Maree Curran t
Zygocactus are incredibly hardy and easy to grow ... like all epiphytes, they need excellent drainage
Maree Curran owns the Eden at Byron nursery, 140 Bangalow Rd, Byron Bay. Phone: 6685 6874.
GARDENING
This plant celebrates short days in fine style PLANTS respond to the changing seasons in many different ways. In autumn, the shorter days and cooler nights cause the leaves on deciduous trees to colour and eventually fall. The shorter days also cause several plant species to flower. One of these is zygocactus, a member of the cactus family that celebrates the shorter days in style. In fact the name was changed a few years ago, and what we know as zygocactus should now be called Schlumbergera truncates. In Europe and America they are known as Holiday Cactus or Christmas Cactus because they flower at Christmas time. But Australian gardeners still tend to call them zygocactus. You might not recognise any of these names, but you will almost certainly recognise the plant when you see it, with its distinctive fleshy, flattened, segmented leaves that grow in an arching formation from the base of the plant. The unusually shaped, very brightly coloured flowers emerge at the end of these leaves. The blooms are often a bit shimmery, and range in colour from white through pinks, lavender, coral, orange and red. Although they are a member of the cactus family, they are not desert plants and they are not thorny. They come from the jungles of Brazil, a humid area with high rainfall. Like many bromeliads,
zygocactus are epiphytes, which means they depend on other plants for support, but not for nutrition. In the wild, zygocactus grow in trees, where they enjoy sunlight filtered through the canopy. You could experiment with replicating those conditions in your garden. They are especially well suited to tall pots and hanging baskets as they do tend to hang rather than grow upright. Zygocactus are incredibly hardy and easy to grow. Like all epiphytes, they need excellent drainage. Some experts suggest a cymbidium orchid or bromeliad mix, but you could also use a premium potting mix, but not a cactus mix. They are best in a partly shaded situation. Allow the plants to dry out between waterings. Use a slow-release fertiliser in spring and again in mid to late summer. The flower buds start to form in about March. Lighter-coloured flowers can get pink or purple colourings if the temperature drops suddenly when the buds are newly opened. The stems are brittle and break easily. Be very careful when you are moving your plants about if they are in bud or flower as it is easy to damage them. But it’s not all bad news – they are very easy to grow from cutting. If some pieces do fall off, just let them dry off a little, pop them in some potting mix and they will COOL CHANGE: Lighter-coloured flowers can get pink or purple colourings. probably grow for you.
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Lure of the Cook Islands
Beauty is breathtaking I Brigid Simeoni idles back her hectic life for some laid back magic in the Cook Islands nnn t
DYLLIC white sands. Crystal-clear waters as far as the eye can see. The soothing sway of coconut palms as the sun sets. Kia Orana – and welcome to the Cook Islands. With its abundance of natural beauty, it’s easy to see why this Polynesian paradise has become a popular destination for weddings. However, there is more to the Cook Islands than just stunning scenery. It’s the characters and the culture that will stay with you long after your holiday glow fades. After you arrive to a sea of smiling faces in the capital of Rarotonga, the Punanga Nui Markets is an ideal way to see the main town, Avarua, with the streets bustling with locals and tourists on scooters. The island is perfect for people hoping to indulge in some relaxation on the beaches while those keen to explore can get a better grasp of the layout and history with a Cook Islands Tours Orientation Tour. The boutique accommodation options are ideal for travellers hoping to experience the destination in style and the thatched roof beachside huts at the Royale Takitumu provide a private haven to relax in comfort. While out and about, the vibrant cuisine will not disappoint travellers hoping for a taste of something
new. Ika mata – fish marinated in citrus juice and served with coconut cream – becomes a firm favourite, along with delicious drinking coconuts and taro, a root vegetable grown on the island. A visit to the Mooring Fish Cafe is a must for a fresh seafood lunch, while the Progressive Dining Tour – which visits three homes for
The stories Pa tells ... will ensure this is one tour you will not forget entree, main and dessert – offers fabulous food and a glimpse into the lives of local families. Another tour that will not fail to leave an impression is Pa’s Nature Walk. He arrives glistening with coconut oil with leaves tied around his limbs as he leads the group through his property, picking fruit and pointing out natural remedies. The stories Pa tells while leading the scenic mountain walk – from miracle cancer cures to the rock he uses as a pillow – will ensure this is one tour you will not forget. There is no shortage of things to see and do in Rarotonga but a trip to the Cook Islands would not be
complete without visiting Aitutaki. It’s only a 45-minute plane ride away so many travellers opt for a day tour to see the lagoon but you might regret not spending a few nights to explore further. The warm welcome and special touches at the Etu Moana resort make it an ideal option for a relaxing stay. The new attraction of the Punarei Cultural Village is an excellent way to learn more about the island’s ancient culture. Tour guide Ngaa Kitai Taria speaks passionately about the history of Aitutaki and the importance of keeping tradition alive and teaching schoolchildren the “dying art” of carving. The tour includes an earth oven lunch that visitors help to cook. The following day it’s time to get on board the Te Vaka Cruise and finally see the lagoon’s breath-taking turquoise water. Sensational snorkelling, a tropical lunch and time to explore One Foot Island make the lagoon tour an ideal way to finish our stay. A quick flight back to Rarotonga and our Cook Islands escape ends with a spectacular dancing cultural show and buffet feast at the Te Vara Nui Cultural Village. The event is clearly a hit with tourists and a great time to reflect on a wonderful week with the people of paradise. * The writer was a guest of Cook Islands Tourism.
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
EXPLORE WARM TIMES: Visitors to the Cook Islands will find smiling faces will greet you throughout your stay.
Enjoy a magical holiday A MIX of coral atolls and volcanic islands – a good few of the nine southern islands of the Cooks could be listed as “must see before I die”. An idyllic climate, stunning scenery, warm-hearted people and a desirable way of life where “hurry” has not been coined. The Cook Islands epitomises the perfect island paradise. Rarotonga – the main island – and Aitutaki – breathtakingly beautiful – dominate the call of the conch. Stay Royale Takitumu (Rarotonga) and Etu Moana (Aitutaki) See Punanga Nui Markets, Titikaveka Village Church, Punarei Cultural Village Do Cook Islands Tours Orientation Tour, Progressive Dining Tour, Pa’s Nature Walk, Te Vara Nui Cultural Village, Te Vaka Cruise (Aitutaki) Getting There Air NZ flies once a week direct to Rarotonga from Sydney leaving at 9.15pm, Saturday. The flight takes around six hours.
SEE YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT FOR MORETOP DEALS OF THE WEEK ONCE-IN-A LIFETIME SOIREE THROUGH PNG ON TRUE NORTH EXPLORE the heartland of this mysterious country in November and December. There are very few places left on Earth that feature an abundance of untouched wilderness, pristine coral atolls, towering volcanoes and ancient tribes that have remained largely unchanged by the ravages of the modern world. But Papua New Guinea is one of those places and True North’s Sepik Soiree adventure offers a completely in-depth experience for the keen adventurer. With two departures in 2014, True North’s 12-day Sepik Soiree begins with a charter flight from Cairns to Kavieng. From Kavieng, True North navigates its way to the Sepik River via remarkable groups of volcanic islands and coral reefs which offer some of the best fishing, diving and snorkelling in PNG. Guests explore one of the greatest river systems in the world via swamplands, tropical rainforests, mountains and
local villages. In addition to its Sepik Soiree itinerary, True North offers two more PNG experiences, the 11-day New Adventures and a shorter duration six-day itinerary. Daily activities on board True North include scenic walks, fishing, snorkelling, cultural events and flights in the ship’s helicopter. COSTS: The 12-day Sepik Soiree (Nov 11-22 and Nov 22 to Dec 3, 2014) from $16,695pp. The 11-day New Adventures in Paradise itinerary (Dec 3-13, 2014) from $15,695pp. Includes return charter flights from Cairns. The six-day Archipelago Adventure (Dec 13-18, 2014) from $8495pp. ALL 3 TOURS INCL return charter flights from Cairns. MORE DETAILS: 08 9192 1829 cruise@northstarcruises.com.au.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
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EXPLORE
PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED
with Ann Rickard
TAKE ME THERE Dine high in the sky TAKE ME to the world’s highest alfresco restaurant, Sirocco, on the 64th floor of the Lebua State Tower in Bangkok, but Breeze Restaurant (pictured) one floor below will do too. A current warning about travelling to Bangkok means discounts at high-end Bangkok properties, including Lebua. Up on the 64th floor you will enjoy a five-star refuge above the political fray. More information on www.lebua.com/ state-tower Monitor www.smarttraveller.gov
Property of the Week nnn t
Castello has character
Five-star glamour ....at a modest cost to travellers nnn t
Travelling Tales with Ann Rickard nnn t
EVERY Aussie who has visited Thailand has fallen in love with the country and its people, so it is sad to see one of our beloved holiday destinations in turmoil. I visited Bangkok late last year and saw life going on at its usual busy pace (although I didn’t venture into any protest areas). But now while it can appear to be business as usual in the city, and it is essential to be aware of potential trouble spots, it is a time to support a favourite holiday destination. The Smart Traveller website will keep you informed. Over the years I’ve been a regular visitor to Bangkok and love its street culture as much as I love its
The sprawl of the city at night with millions of twinkling lights is mesmerising. high-end luxury. The first time I stayed at Lebua State Tower I spent the duration at the Tower Club on the 59th floor trying to prop up my jaw. Up there in the sky with all of Bangkok spread captivatingly before you, you can see and feel the frantic pulse of the city, but in the quiet cosseted comfort of your suite, you can’t hear it. The roads so far below appear like thin ribbons, the traffic might be frantic but it is silent to you. The sprawl of the city at night
with millions of twinkling lights is mesmerising. At Lebua’s Sirocco restaurant, the world’s highest al fresco restaurant with its circular Sky Bar glowing and changing colour every few moments, and with Bangkok’s A-listers sipping Hangovertinis (Hangover II was filmed there), and with the Chao Phraya river snaking its tranquil way through the city way below, it’s pinch-me-am-I-dreaming stuff. Unfortunately, or fortunately from whose point of view you look at it, a
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country’s distress means bargain deals for visitors and at the moment, Lebua has dramatic discounts and exciting packages for accommodation and dinners in its luxurious State Tower (21st to 29th floor) and its Tower Club (51st to 59th floors.) The privileges and add-ons are outstanding: welcome cocktail, breakfast at its Cafe Mozu, cocktail-making classes, private photo opportunities on The Dome at Lebua rooftop, personalised multi-course dinners at the My Sirocco, Mezzaluna or Breeze restaurants. This is a rare chance to experience five-star glamour for a modest cost. Obviously terms and conditions apply and you’ll find all details on www.lebua.com/tower-club and www.lebua.com/state-tower. Monitor www.smarttraveller.gov
THE 12th century Castello del Nero Hotel and Spa in the lush Chianti region in Italy has reduced pre-paid rates starting from about $485 per room – and other extras if you pay before June 3 with the Virtuoso luxury travel network across Australia and New Zealand. The offer is valid for accommodation until December 28, and includes daily buffet breakfast, spa credit, one entry to the Spa Heat Experience, complimentary wi-fi, and shuttle service into Florence and Siena, for up to two people in one guestroom. Castello del Nero Hotel and Spa features a luxury spa, swimming pool, and tennis courts. The property has been converted from a medieval castle to a sumptuous five-star retreat in 300 hectares of rolling hills, vineyards and olives groves outside Florence. The restaurant serves traditionally Tuscan flavours, and can arrange a course of cooking lessons during your stay. Situated in the town of Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, in the heart of the Chianti wine region, this luxury hotel is the perfect location, regardless of your reason for travelling.
More on www.virtuoso.com.au.
20 Day New Zealand Rail, Cruise & Coach Holiday Special Departure 7 March 2015. EExperience the romance of 4 rail journeys, the majesty of 5 scenic cruises including an overnight on the Milford Sound and the luxury of coach touring. Visit all the ‘best of’ attractions on the North & South Islands and be escorted by a professional Tour Guide. ALL INCLUSIVE Tour includes airfares, taxes, accommodation, most meals, sightseeing & attractions.
5693
PER PERSON, TWIN SHARE FROM INCLUDES RETURN AIRPORT ** TRANSFERS
$
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For a brochure call Casino Travel Shoppe on 02 6662 6255 Saturday, May 31, 2014
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www.northernstar.com.au
OPINIONS
Old Wives Tales l Topic of Cancer l Quiz answers l Through my eyes
Go on holidays and discover
Why men have it easy
The joys of packing It’s pretty sweet living as a bloke
I’M packing up and clearing off. The good news for those who like me, it’s temporary. Bad news for the rest of you. I am off on my annual jaunt to climates more warm and sunny, and quite frankly I deserve it. When you go away for six or more weeks in one gulp, packing becomes a thing of importance. It’s essential not to over pack, especially these days with airlines strict about excess baggage. If you’ve ever suffered the humiliation of having to unpack your suitcase on the floor at check-in to cram excess stuff into your hand luggage while an impatient crowd behind you checks out the contents of your case, you’ll know that humiliation. But it is also imperative to have enough in your suitcase to stand the test of time. Three pairs of undies, three pairs of shoes. That’s a pretty good starting point. I’ve been with travellers who couldn’t move from one destination to another because their underpants were still drying on the bathroom rail. With three sets, you’re never going to be held up by a pair of damp undies – don’t say you don’t learn anything from me. Shoes should include one sensible pair for walking (relieved to hear that?), one pair of sandals and one pair of something attractive. Everything should mix and
I’ve been with travellers who couldn’t move from one destination to another because Old Wives Tales their underpants with Ann Rickard were still drying. nnn t
match. If a top doesn’t go with every bottom, ditch it. That’s my theory anyway. I am not a good packer; perhaps you share the same inadequacy. Fortunately, I have the good providence to be married to man who holds the title of World’s Champion Packer. That man can fit another half a suitcase of clothes into an already bulging case. I learnt of his intolerance of wasted suitcase space the first time I thoughtlessly packed my walking shoes without stuffing them first with pants, bras and socks. “There is too much air in your suitcase,” he complained as he undid my slapdash work, rolling t-shirts into thin cigar shapes to fit inside something else, like putting together the pieces of an intricate jigsaw. Now my role is to sit on the
bed and supervise his packing, offering helpful instructions: “make sure that little black dress is on top”, “careful of my gin bottle, don’t want to spill a drop”. Very supportive of me. The man is also good when travelling for his canny ability to come up with something appropriate just when it is most needed. He is a man who is thoughtful beyond comparison, probably the World’s Champion Travelling Companion, and no, you can’t have him for your next trip. I will be back next week with a final column before my departure.
Ann.Rickard@ scnews.com.au www.annrickard.com
Good friends stock me up with
Garden goodies
A VISIT to my old friends at Seedsavers in Byron Bay sees me staggering out under a load of cuttings, seeds and seedlings and a bottle of reishi mushroom tincture, determined to bring greater diversity to my own rather humdrum vegie patch. Jude and Michel Fanton grow the blood red reishi mushrooms on logs in their overflowing garden and Michel is presently playing guinea pig for the immunity-boosting brew, which he makes in a variety of formats. He urged me to do my own research on the reishis, for while they have been widely used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine, Michel is unsure about their suitability for someone with liver disease. My naturopath would baulk at these mushrooms, and all such organisms, as he believes fungus plays a large part in causing many diseases, cancer among them. I’ll talk to him and follow his advice, of course, but I know he would not object to anything else grown in the Fantons’ culinary cornucopia. Here are just some of the goodies they heaped upon me: n stems and leaves of celery taro or Tahitian spinach, rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, Saturday, May 31, 2014
Topic of Cancer with Digby Hildreth t potassium and vitamins A, B, and C; n the perennial, peppery Lebanese cress, good in salads or pesto; n several of their garden’s five varieties of chicory, whose bitter taste stimulates the liver. Jude tells me chicory is a dietary secret of the French, who eat it in a salad to aid digestion after a fatty meal. n tulsi, a member of the basil family, whose Latin name, Ocimum sanctum, gives an indication of its great significance in Hinduism. The “holy basil” is used widely in Thai cuisine and ayurvedic medicine, where it is
IT’S taken me a few years to realise, but I have finally come to the conclusion that men have got it easy. Yep, you heard it here first. It’s pretty damn sweet being a bloke. According to an article I was reading (in a women’s magazine, of course), men have every reason to be happier than women. And it’s not just the whole nine months of pregnancy followed by 30hours-of-pain argument that they keep throwing at us. Nope. It seems there are many other reasons we’ve got it easy, including the fact we can take our shirts off when we go swimming. Yes indeed. The battle of the sexes boils down to the fact men can swim topless. Okay, I’m in favour of equality. If that’s what it takes to make women’s lives easier, don’t let me stand in the way. But, of course, I’m being silly. I am reliably informed there are a lot of other reasons men have it easy. The fact we only have to shave our face and neck copped a mention. So did the fact we can wear shorts no matter how bad our legs look. We can live with just three pairs of shoes; we don’t get moody every month and we instinctively know which way to turn a nut on a bolt and whether a job requires a flat screw-
My naturopath advised me against consuming anything that didn’t have nutritional value: it’s a waste of (internal) space, he said. considered an elixir of life. n amaranth, another sacred crop, this time of the Aztecs, whose seeds contain high quality protein, calcium, iron and other minerals. It is also highly digestible. My naturopath advised me against consuming anything that didn’t have nutritional value: it’s a waste of (internal) space, he said. I took his dietary warnings to heart but have been wobbling a little since receiving a clean bill of health. Watching the effervescent Fantons gambol about in their garden has put some steel back into my resolve. Digby was diagnosed with liver cancer a year and a half ago.
We can live with just three pairs of shoes; we don’t get moody every month and we instinctively know whether a job requires a flat screwdriver or a Phillips’ head
Through my Eyes with Damian Bathersby t driver or a Phillips’ head. Most of our phone conversations are over in just 30 seconds and we can get three pairs of undies for less than $10. And the list goes on. We can never be pregnant. Check. The same hairstyle lasts us for years. Check. Car mechanics tell us the truth and don’t talk down to us. (Seriously? I challenge that one.) I was keen to shoot the argument down in flames by pointing out the reasons it’s tough being a bloke. Like the fact the lawn doesn’t magically mow itself every weekend; the garbage doesn’t miraculously put itself out for collection each week and women never have to pretend they know how to fix that knocking noise coming from under the bonnet of the car. Then I thought, “what the heck. It’s an argument I’m never going to win anyway”. So yep, I admit it. It’s much better to be a bloke. Who else could admit defeat in an argument, yet still come away feeling like a winner?
ANSWERS: Weekend Quiz 1. (c) 90. 2. Panama Canal. 3. (c) French monks. 4. Peter Pan. 5. New South Wales. 6. Miley Cyrus. 7. Twitter. 8. Lady Gaga. 9. Usain Bolt. 10. Caspian Sea. 11. Clive Palmer. 12. (c) 800m. 13. Cold air. 14. BHP. 15. Eight. 16. Senator David Johnston. 17. Stieg Larsson. 18. The Northern Lights. 19. Les Darcy. 20. Archbishop Daniel Mannix. 21. (b) Joseph. 22. Higher (348m). 23. (b) Governor-general. 24. (a) Slovakia. 25. Mrs Robinson.
26. Ural Mountains. 27. Ireland. 28. Claude Monet. 29. Watergate. 30. Malcolm Fraser. 31. Peter Cosgrove. 32. (c) Red. 33. Fiddle. 34. India. 35. Lego. 36. 95. 37. Life of Pi. 38. No other competitors. 39. The Bulletin. 40. Evita. 41. Sally Pearson. 42. Red. 43. Myer. 44. Sinai Peninsula. 45. Brendan Fevola. 46. Statue of Liberty. 47. Hamlet. 48. Allan Wells (1980). 49. Norseman. 50. Howard Florey.