Sunshine Coast Profile Magazine December

December 2011

DAVINA SMITH in breaking news KENDALL PERKINS behind the canvas

more than $2,000 in prizes mystyle

a touch of luxury

TRISTAN KURZ power and pride LOUISA RAVEN sweet surrender CAROLINE CAMPBELL the last word

christmas in the tropics LADIES AT LUNCH the ‘meet’ market

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30 hana tolhoek

15

kendall perkins

louisa raven

features 15 view – sweet surrender

Louisa Raven

18 people – behind the canvas

Kendall Perkins

20 homegrown – in breaking news ...

Davina Smith

22 ladies at lunch – the ‘meet’ market

Where do you meet Mr or Ms Right these days?

28 success – power and pride

Tristan Kurz

30 cover – free spirit

Hana Tolhoek

www.profilemag.com.au

60 christmas feature 82 the last word

Caroline Campbell

regulars 6 publisher’s note

39 my style

71 travelfile

8 pinboard

50 style counsel

74 abode

10 he says, she says

54 life

76 business

36 briefcase

66 on the table

80 win

wardrobe

purple reign 42

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publisher’s note

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his year for Christmas I am going to ask Santa for the impossible.

Instead of bringing me a sack-load of perfectly wrapped gifts, all I want for Christmas is … time (and maybe an iPad if there’s one going).

Yes, time. I want more precious moments of time in each day next year, please Mr Claus. More time to play, more time for friends, more time to relax and more time to eat, drink and, well, be merry! All I know is I want time; time off, time to do nothing, time to do everything. Time … a precious, intangible luxury.

This issue we take the time to celebrate life’s little luxuries. We meet 30-year-old entrepreneur and thrill-seeker Hana Tolhoek, who’s in the business of producing liquid gold – STROM, a delectable, top-shelf liquor, its recipe stemming from the mountains of Hana’s birthplace, the Czech Republic. Read this unstoppable blonde’s inspiring story on page 30.

And if luxury vehicles, chocolate or art are

more your thing, you will love our interviews with Eumundi chocolatiere Louisa Raven, international artist and local identity Kendall Perkins, and Coastline BMW’s family man Tristan Kurz (who is soon to become a father to possibly the fourth generation of Kurz in the family business).

And of course, don’t miss our ever-popular Ladies at Lunch interview. This month, our guests discuss all things dating – where do you meet Mr or Ms Right these days? We also catch up with former Coast news reporter Davina Smith who has made it to the big time in Sydney, plus we have Christmas all wrapped up with our special six-page feature.

So what are you going to ask Santa for this year? If only he could grant us all that ultimate wish of just a little extra time in our day … a girl can dream!

Merry Christmas to our loyal Profile Magazine readers and clients. Here’s to a prosperous 2012 for the Sunshine Coast.

visit us on facebook.com/profilemag follow us on twitter.com/profilemag youtube.com/user/profilemagazine

Scan this QR code with your smart phone or web cam.

GENINE HOWARD PUBLISHER / group MANAGING direcTOR

THECOVERSHOOT Many of you will be pleased to see clothing on our cover person this month! Last month’s cover was met with mixed reactions, some good, some bad, but all-in-all one that was certainly talked about!

We thank you all for your feedback and will keep things covered for a while ...

This month our photographer, Alan Hughes, tapped into his creative brain, both behind the camera and on the computer, to produce a stunning alpine-inspired shot of Czech-native Hana Tolhoek. Using infrared photography and some mean Photoshopping skills, this surreal image is just perfect for our cover story. The cover was shot at the stunning Spicers Clovelly Estate Montville – we took advantage of the stunning

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rolling hills and scenery as well as the estate’s beautiful interior for our black and white shots of Hana – all done with a glass of STROM in hand!

We acknowledge Genine Howard for taking creative inspiration from screen icon Marilyn Monroe for the shoot, complete with pin curls (thanks Jessica from Kooshka Hair and Fashion, Buderim, 5456 2570 or www.kooshka.net.au) and sultry makeup by Pru Edwards (www. pruedwards.com.au).

While at Spicers, we took advantage of the stunning location and the gorgeous Hana and added a fashion shoot, using garments from Gingers Boutique, Buderim, 5445 6616. Head to our My Style section to see the results!

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DIVORCE | PROPERT Y | M EDIATION SUPER A NNUATION | CHILDREN’S ISSUES

We put you and your

Family first Leisa Toomey (Accredited Specialist - Family Law) Liz Catton | Suzanne Dillon

SUNSHINE COAST

5413 8900

057_181x126_PROFILE_ACTIVE.indd 1 december 2011

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NORTH BRISBANE

3482 0500

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stolaw.com.au 1/08/11 5:20 PM profilemagazine 7

pinboard

group managing director / publisher Genine Howard

group general manager / publisher Hamish Rose

group editor-in-chief Alli Grant

sub editors Phyl Grant, Stacey Carrick

creative director Kara de Schot

graphic designer Johanna Jensen

sales manager Montville community Christmas Tree

Belinda Brill

december christmas tree trail

Nadine Sullivan

Sunshine Coast Council will kick off the festive season by flicking on the switches of 29 community Christmas trees as part of the annual Christmas Tree Trail. Council will use new scan-code technology to enable passersby to download the ‘story behind the tree’ with a simple swipe of their smart phones!

Jessica Jane Sammut, Candice Jayde Olive, Angela Norval, Jaclyn Paul (intern)

www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov

email

business development manager feature writers

photography Alan Hughes, Katja Anton, Ben Connolly info@profilemag.com.au

december 3 fashion for charity

call / fax

Shop for charity at Blue Illusion Sunshine Plaza’s fundraising fashion parade on Saturday December 3. Enjoy three hours of shopping, starting at 1pm, with 20 per cent of sales donated to SunnyKids (www.sunnykids.org.au). Includes nibbles, champagne and a fashion parade.

drop in

Phone 5451 1803

5451 0669 / 5475 4405 Beach on Sixth, 104 / 65 Sixth Ave, Maroochydore

post PO Box 1065, Cotton Tree, QLD 4558

advertising 5451 0669, sales@profilemag.com.au

december 5 enlightened goddesses christmas dinner Ladies celebrate Christmas in true goddess style at the Enlightened Goddesses’ Christmas Dinner at the 4th Floor Restaurant along the Esplanade in Mooloolaba. Tickets from $50. www.enlightenedgoddesses.com or phone 0402 462 804

distribution 15,000 free copies are street delivered to high traffic areas such as high-end cafes, fashion boutiques, hairdressers and professional offices across the Sunshine Coast, monthly, and online along with an eMAG sent to 6000 inboxes fortnightly

subscriptions www.profilemag.com.au/subscription, $65 +gst (12 issues)

december 9 to 11 baroque christmas concerts Alchemy is hosting a show for Christmas with a series of concerts featuring the best of Baroque – music including Corelli, Marini and Biber – and featuring guest soprano Shelli Hulcombe. Concerts will take place in Maleny, Cooroy and Brisbane. Tickets are $25.

Maleny phone 5494 4397, Cooroy phone 5472 0222, Brisbane phone 3847 1717

december 13 right brain genius seminars Right Brain Genius is on the Sunshine Coast over Christmas to unlock the right side of your brain. Live life more creatively and reap the benefits. Five-week and one-day courses in Peregian, Caloundra and the central-Coast. Keep your eye out for the brain mobile! www.rightbraingenius.com or phone 0408 249 545

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accounts Katherine Allan - accounts@profilemag.com.au

Profile magazine is a free publication (subscriptions available) published 12 times a year by Profile Magazine Publishing Group Pty Ltd. All rights are reserved and the contents are copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of The Publisher, Profile Magazine Publishing Group Pty Ltd (“The Publisher”), their related companies and officers hereby disclaim, to the full extent permitted by law, all liability, damages, costs and expenses whatsoever arising from or in connection with copy information or other material in this magazine, any negligence of The Publisher, or any persons actions in reliance thereon. Any dispute or complaint regarding placed advertisements must be made within seven days of publication.

Inclusion of any copy must not be taken as any endorsement by The Publisher. Views expressed by contributors are personal views and they are not necessarily endorsed by The Publisher.

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he says, she says

luxe

or less this xmas? ll photography ben stone Times are tough. Money is too tight to mention. ‘Budget’ is no longer a dirty word. So it would make complete sense if we all committed to a frugal Christmas this year. But what is it about the ‘silly season’ that makes us, well, silly, when it comes to present buying? Will HOT 91.1FM’s Todd and Sami max out the credit card this year or will their presence be presents enough on Christmas day?

he says

todd and sami

She says

I

t’s almost that time of year … time to celebrate the ‘Festival of Jesus’ by putting on a massive spread, packing up the family wagon and heading up the road to the in-laws’ place. Almost time to shower our loved ones (and some dude in the office we hardly know, ta Secret Santa), with gifts.

Over the last few years my stunning wife has suggested we don’t buy anything for each other and spoil our four beautiful kidlets. Last year I followed her advice, bought her nothing and Christmas day was like a funeral. So as an act of community service I’ve put together the following contract to save young male players from the same fate. Merry Christmas!

Todd’s 2011 “I don’t want a Christmas present this year” treaty I (insert partner’s name) of (insert address) do hereby agree to the following terms and conditions placed upon me by the verbal denouncement of all festive treats from my attractive and handsomely mysterious husband / boyfriend (insert manly name). As publicly stated on the (insert date) I agree to abide by the stringent rules created by the statement “Let’s not get each other anything for Chrissy”…

•• No presents for either party represented in the contract, including surprise gifts that could be construed as Christmas presents or ‘a little something-something’.

•• No angry or disappointed reactions upon receiving nothing from the other party.

•• No bagging the other party to family or friends when you receive what you asked for, which is nothing, because both parties are “concentrating on the kiddies” this Chrissy.

•• No denying the male party special cuddles during the festive season because you didn’t receive anything.

•• No threatening to up and leave on Christmas Day and take the kiddies to your mother’s.

(Although Boxing Day is fine as I’d like to watch the cricket.)

Having read and understood the aforementioned terms and conditions I acknowledge my signature is paramount to the fulfilment of this agreement and willingly commit to the above.

SIGNED __________________________

A

fter Christmas last year I promised my husband we would run away this year and have a week floating around wearing kaftans, putting frangipanis in our hair and reading gossip magazines. My husband pretended not to be excited, but I could tell underneath his masculine exterior that he was jumping out of his skin. I was dreaming of Tahiti. Or Bali. Or Fiji.

Anywhere far away from the madness of the festive season … and the Bruce Highway. That long stretch of bitumen is where we spend two thirds of our day.

Nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ like the fumes of petrol and a boiling hot car.

Last year, we woke up at the crack of dawn and drove to see Mum in Brisbane. Then we packed up again and came back and did family rounds on the Coast … to three homes. At 3:00pm we returned to the Highway of Hell and made the long trip to the Gold Coast to visit my father. By now, most people are having a snooze on the lounge room floor or playing backyard cricket. Not us. I was too busy snapping at my husband to lug in the final gift from the car! We spent the day delivering gifts I had spent months collecting like a bowerbird. I love buying individual gifts and I am really, really good at spending money. I am really, really bad at saving money. But all the gift buying is actually exhausting. Did I mention last Christmas I was 36 weeks’ pregnant and had ankles the size of minke whales and enough hormones running through my body to power Santa’s sleigh?

So this year all of my family and friends are receiving the same priceless gift. It is a copy of Will and Catherine’s royal wedding (truly) and a snow dome with a photo of our gifted shih tzus in it. Treasure them. They will also be waiting for you at my house. No rush.

The trouble with the other part of my sneaky plan to run away is the fact I have managed to yet again max out my credit card. A small glitch!

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Mark Cotterell MASTER JEWELLER

www.facebook.com/MarkCotterell.MasterJeweller

ESTABLISHED 1987

www.markcotterell.com mark@markcotterell.com ph 0410 962 917

december 2011

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coastline BMW feature

powered by Coastline BMW The Sunshine Coast is host to a plethora of entrepreneurs and business leaders who have shaped our great region and inspired us all to achieve. Each month we meet and feature an outstanding business person; we find out what makes them tick, what gets them out of bed every day and of course, find out what car they drive!

This month we meet Minda Lennon, queen of wellness – author, success coach, women’s mentor and owner of Figure 8 Wellness, an online wellness centre for women. Minda is a happy, busy, working mum and wife who loves her BMW!

“It looks hot, drives like a sports car and has heaps of room for my girls and their school, gym, dancing, swimming and tennis stuff!”

Getting to know... minda My secret to success is …

Meeting this month’s business driver ...

a culmination of an unwavering belief in myself, continually setting big goals and making a commitment to work really, really hard doing whatever it takes.

minda lennon

My mentors are …

What car are you driving?

BMW X1.

What inspired you to purchase your BMW? I love the convenience of an SUV and the compact feel of a sports car – the X1 gives me both!

my clients. Every day I meet capable, powerful and beautiful women who are choosing to live a life of purpose with an abundance of energy, health, vitality, self-respect, self-love, self-forgiveness and self-esteem.

I believe in …

What is your favourite feature of the car?

the positive impact mental health and wellness can have on chronic disease such as depression, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Your unconscious mind has a blueprint of perfect health. It has all the answers and knows how to heal. You just have to hear it and trust it.

The ability to access my BlackBerry, iPod and Sat Nav all through the centre console.

My first job was …

Why do you love it?

It looks hot, drives like a sports car and has heaps of room for my girls and their school, gym, dancing, swimming and tennis stuff!

What is your best driving memory with your BMW? Definitely picking it up from the BMW dealership. I felt like a queen!

I was led out to the pick-up area and the car was literally unveiled like a luxurious gift as the soft cream cloth was slowly pulled back to reveal my new X1. There was even a red carpet for me to stand on to get in on the driver’s side. Just sensational!

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My first car was … a Holden Barina – it was white too!

I love the Sunshine Coast because …

I feel like I’m on holiday every day and it is a mecca for successful, empowering and nurturing women willing to share their knowledge, passions and life lessons.

Coastline BMW

Sales Finance Service profilemagazine Parts & Accessories

sorting through marine slides on my school holidays for my grandfather, who was the Queensland administrator for Surf Life Saving.

770 Nicklin Way, Currimundi.

Phone 5491 9100 The Ultimate Driving Machine

www.coastline.bmw.com.au

NEXT PAGE: MINDA LENNON AND HER BMW X1 profilemag.com.au

coastline BMW feature

BMW X1 sDrive20d. The BMW X1. At first glance a compact X model, on second glance the challenge of getting to know something new. It starts with the design, the BMW X1 has a dynamic shape and an elegant silhouette.

Combined fuel consumption

5.3l / 100km

Acceleration 0-100kms/h

8.1 sec

Test drive today at Coastline BMW, 770 Nicklin Way, Currimundi. Phone 07 5491 9100.

december 2011

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THE COOKING SPECIALIST www.harveynorman.com.au

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view

My idea was to bring a little bit of Europe to Eumundi with a modern contemporary feel.”

Louisa Raven, European chocolatiere, is loved by all on the Sunshine Coast for her award-winning chocolates

words jessica jane sammut ll photography katja anton

What comes to mind when you think of chocolate? Bliss; happiness; heaven; joy; paradise; rapture. Dating back to 1900 BC, chocolate is truly a wondrous invention loved by civilisations throughout the ages, and for Louisa Raven, it is also her calling. Profile Magazine’s Jessica Jane Sammut met the Dutch chocolatiere in her home town of Eumundi for a sample of her delights (and a chat, of course).

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hat is it about chocolate that makes us smile? Thinking about chocolate brings a grin to the most sombre of faces; looking at chocolate triggers an instant rush of delightful anticipation; while tasting chocolate transports us to another world altogether – a world of sensory decadence where nothing exists except that moment in time.

So how about making chocolate? Meet Louisa Raven, Chocolatiere extraordinaire, a woman who can recall first-hand the feeling she gets when stirring that huge pot of melted indulgence. Founder of Cocoa Chocolat in Eumundi, Louisa spends many an hour dreaming up new chocolate treats and giving pleasure to all who come into her shop, knowing that each time she makes a sale, she is forwarding a precious little package of happiness.

What a beautiful profession.

And when I sidle into Cocoa Chocolat to have a chat with Louisa, I have december 2011

to admit, I am intoxicated by the visual display, the aroma and the ambience of the establishment that is her domain, and I am immediately intrigued by how the daughter of a Dutch mother and Italian father found her way to the other side of the world creating chocolate masterpieces.

Born in England, Louisa had a very European upbringing with many trips to her maternal and paternal parents’ countries of origin each year. Fluent in Dutch and Italian before she could speak a word of English, Louisa was raised with a love of food, learning to cook pasta in Italy with her grandmother and sweet patisseries and chocolates in Holland. A very lucky girl indeed. Her mother, also a chocolatiere, taught her daughter the secrets of the trade and Louisa recounts many an hour spent in the kitchen hand-making chocolates by her side.

“I had a very cultural upbringing, especially in terms of cuisine,” Louisa profilemagazine

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view chocolate delights from cocoa chocolat

remembers. “From an early age I had a passion for good food. It was a love I absorbed from my parents.”

At 17, Louisa completed a formal apprenticeship with two chocolate masters in Holland and Belgium and her future, it seemed, was sealed. However, as is often the case in life, nothing is that simple, and Louisa in fact had another passion she was keen to pursue at the time – that of travelling.

“From an early age, I travelled,” Louisa explains. “My parents were great travellers and instilled in my brother and me a desire to explore, to experience, to taste, to grow, and I wanted to continue this for as long as I could while I was young. So what better way than to become an air stewardess for an international airline?”

So this is what Louisa did gaining a position with British Airways when she was 18. By the time she was 21, Louisa had travelled the world twice.

“I loved every moment; travel was in my blood. During my trips away I also used the time to look for inspiration for a chocolate shop. My plan was to open a chocolate emporium of my own when I settled down.”

It was during her travels to the Middle East that Louisa met her husband Malcolm, and this marked the beginning of a mobile anchor in her life.

Louisa travelled with Malcolm for several years following their meeting, but knew he was the man for whom she would trade her nomadic lifestyle for, when the time was right.

“A while after I met Malcolm, my brother emigrated to the Sunshine Coast,” Louisa grins, “and so naturally Malcolm and I came to visit him.

We absolutely fell in love with the region. We travelled extensively around South-East Queensland and kept ending up in Noosa, Doonan, Cooroy and Eumundi. It was then we realised this was where we wanted to call home; it was the most perfect spot for my chocolate shop. It was a very special moment to know that we had found our settling place.”

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Louisa and Malcolm emigrated nearly seven years ago and haven’t looked back.

“We love Eumundi,” Louisa warmly enthuses. “The lifestyle, the people, the markets, the community spirit; it is such a wonderful place.”

She found her current chocolate premises in Eumundi soon after arriving, and after two patient years waiting for Council approval, Cocoa Chocolat was born.

“My idea was to bring a little bit of Europe to Eumundi with a modern contemporary feel,” Louisa explains. “We spent a very long time choosing the premises and then re-designing and fitting them to give people a real experience when they come into the shop. There is even a viewing window from the shop to the kitchen so clients can observe the chocolate being made.

“I love people. I love the feeling that I am sprinkling magic and I try to have a positive attitude towards life and to take pride in everything I set my mind to,” Louisa explains. “When alone, I love to people watch in coffee shops (a very European pastime), and to be near the buzz of a crowd and the swish of water, be it the river or the ocean. The Sunshine Coast is so set up for this.”

It is clear that Louisa is absolutely devoted to her profession and her business, and lives and breathes it each and every day. Now 54 years of age, with no children of her own, it is very apparent that Cocoa Chocolat is her baby, and her truly sublime chocolates confirm this. A myriad of colour, swirls, shapes and patterns, each and every chocolate Louisa makes is like a little work of art and a mini-moment of love combined, and I can’t help but savour every mouthful.

And so I find myself floating out of Cocoa Chocolat to my next appointment slightly giddy and giggly with the heady euphoria of my chocolate extravaganza.

Whoever said chocolate was good for you was certainly right … just take a look at my smile.

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business promotion

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his month we meet Carol Carr, who has worked in real estate since 2005 and joined Henzells this year.

What drew you to a career in real estate?

People, and to be of service.

What do you love the most about your role?

Providing the best service and being consistent with communication.

What is the most frustrating part of your role?

Letting go of the things that are out of my control!

Aside from your job, what is your true passion in life?

I love playing golf.

How do you spend your time off?

Being present, walking on the beach and swimming.

Do you have any unusual hobbies?

Using my ‘Irishness’ to make people laugh.

If you could be on any reality TV show, what would it be?

The Amazing Race. I love travelling and am very competitive.

What do you love the most about living on the Sunshine Coast?

It is real, and it has great weather and great people.

Three words to describe you?

Passionate, positive and motivated.

Favourite holiday destination?

I love holidaying in Thailand.

Most embarrassing life moment?

Having a bat stuck in my hair.

Highlight of your career?

Being in the top 100 in my last real estate company out of 1200 agents in Auckland and Northland.

Highlight of your personal life?

Through self development I am now comfortable in my own skin, after many ups and downs in my life.

Describe your dream home?

One level close to the sea.

How do you unwind?

Playing golf relaxes me.

What’s the best part of your day?

Walking on the beach in the morning.

Motto you live by?

What goes around comes around.

Who is your greatest inspiration in life?

Louise Hay.

carol carr, shot on location at Caloundra RSL

ll photography shawn abrams The big, wide, wonderful world of real estate can be a daunting beast, with so much money on the line and people’s lives and family homes at stake. So, it stands to reason that you wouldn’t want to trust the sale of your property to just anyone. When it comes to making one of the biggest financial transactions you’ll make in your life, you want someone you can trust on your side. With this in mind, meet the stellar team at Henzells Agency, Caloundra – a team of honest professionals who live and work in the local community.

Professionals who, after all, are just like you and me.

www.henzells.com.au AGENCY december 2011

Henzells Caloundra 49 Bulcock Street, Caloundra Qld 4551 Phone: 07 5491 2000 Fax: 07 5491 5166 Email: sales@henzells.com.au profilemagazine

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people

With a personality as colourful as her artwork, Kendall Perkins has proved you can make a career out of art

words angela norval ll photography katja anton

FILLING THE WORLD WITH COLOUR, AUSTRALIAN ARTIST KENDALL PERKINS HAS DEFIED THE ODDS AND MADE A CAREER OUT OF PAINTING. BUT KENDALL IS NOT LIMITED BY TITLES AND SITS DOWN WITH ANGELA NORVAL TO REVEAL THE WOMAN BEHIND THE CANVASES.

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people

M

y daughter started school this year and with this came excitement and challenges. While I have had many moments of pure pride at her achievements, I have also had moments where I am lost for words. I wasn’t quite prepared for the question of, “Am I good enough?” that came as early as prep. And I have heard myself passing-on many life lessons and perhaps a little tough love, just as my parents did for me. Like them, I believe my child can do anything.

bias towards her work, it is her mother’s unfaltering strength that has helped her achieve such success.

With hugely colourful paintings that cover subjects from flowers to sexy burlesque girls, Kendall has made her mark on the art world and continues to be invited to show her work throughout Australia and overseas.

From the moment you meet Kendall it is clear she doesn’t do anything by halves. Confessing to being very driven and surviving on only four hours sleep a night, Kendall’s motto is, “If you are going

I will still be learning right up until the day I die – probably with a paintbrush in my hand.”

While she undoubtedly has plenty of talent, it is this motherly love that has helped artist Kendall Perkins become an international success. As I sit in her cosy studio in Buderim, I wait for Kendall to share tales of working with master painters throughout Asia or sell-out exhibitions in Houston.

Because let’s face it, her career is definitely worth talking about. But the conversation quickly turns to her mother, whom Kendall describes as the wind beneath her wings.

As with other successful artists, Kendall hasn’t been without her critics. One, she tells me, was a teacher who informed her on her last day of high school that no one makes money out of art, so best she go and work in a checkout somewhere.

“I remember thinking … what am I going to do now?” she says.

“I went home and told Mum and she looked at me and said, ‘Don’t listen to them, just follow your dream, focus and keep going Kendall’.”

While Kendall laughs at her mother’s obvious

to do a job, do it properly”.

For this reason Kendall also has her own homewares range, Kendall by Design, and she is currently looking to branch into accessories.

“When preparing for my latest exhibition I could be in my studio until 11:00pm, have a shower, sleep until 3:00am and then be back down here again.”

Kendall’s first priority is her daughters, Brydie and Hatsie, whom she describes as the great loves of her life and her inspiration. She often works well into the night to ensure she doesn’t miss their events, while both girls have been fortunate enough to have received many a life lesson through their travels with mum, painting by her side.

Kendall was especially proud to have Hatsie paint by her side when the pair visited the Cerebral Palsy League in Brisbane to paint with children and adults with cerebral palsy and related disabilities supported by the organisation.

“I felt it was something she couldn’t learn in a classroom and at the end Hatsie said it had been

the most wonderful thing ever.”

It is not only her love of art that Kendall has passed on to her daughters, but her commitment to charities, including the Cerebral Palsy League, Bloomhill and the Cindy Mackenzie Breast Cancer Foundation.

Coming from a poor upbringing herself, Kendall vowed that if she were ever in a position to help someone she would.

Donating more than 40 paintings a year to worthy causes, as well as her time, Kendall has many a story of walking away from a charity event feeling 10-feet tall.

“I get so much out of it because if I can paint with them and brighten someone else’s day I’m happy.

“I keep a painting of artist Rachael Brook in my studio because she is truly inspirational. She paints with her mouth because she is unable to use her hands due to cerebral palsy. I am in awe of her.

“I am also proud that it is now part of my girls’ life as well and they understand that; that is what we do.”

She credits the people around her as the real fabric of her life.

“I listen to every piece of advice anyone has given me because it might be able to help me in the future. My whole career is a process of growing and learning and I will still be learning right up until the day I die – probably with a paintbrush in my hand.”

With the amount of life experiences Kendall has already acquired, whether in her ‘heavenly’ Buderim or at an invitation-only exhibition in Italy, the next phase will certainly be exciting.

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homegrown

in breaking news ... ll words alli grant

so much travel these days – we try to get back. Flying into Coolum feels like ‘flying home’. The second we step off the plane we always say how relaxed we feel straight away. There’s something so comforting and familiar about the Sunny Coast. profile: When you head back for a holiday, what are the ‘must-do’ activities on your to do list? davina: My husband will go for a surf at the Coffee Rocks at Maroochydore for “old time’s sake”. We might take a walk along the Alex Headland or the Maroochy River at dusk, climb Mount Coolum, go strawberry picking or explore Maleny and Montville. profile: What did you love most about life on the Sunshine Coast? davina: I really loved my work on the Coast. It was the best way to see the entire area – driving somewhere new every day, meeting and interviewing different people and attending the various events. My favourites were the Kite Festival, Noosa Food and Wine Festival, and the Gympie Muster. We never had an excuse to be bored – there was always something on.

This month in HOMEGROWN, Alli Grant catches up with former Sunny Coast WIN news and weather presenter Davina Smith to chat about life in the big smoke (with Channel nine) and what she misses about her former home.

D

oes the gorgeous blonde in the photo look familiar? She should – Davina Smith was once a much-loved WIN reporter and presenter on the Sunshine Coast. These days, Davina is a reporter with Nine News in Sydney who dabbles in presenting on national shows like TODAY.

profile: Tell us about your current role at Nine – what are you up to? davina: These days I am working as a reporter for Nine News in Sydney. My husband and I made the move two-and-a-half years ago after he was transferred with the army. The last 12 months have been absolutely amazing – so much travel, covering so many unbelievable stories and meeting the most inspiring, courageous and generous people. I went to Christchurch for the earthquake, covered the Queensland floods and recently followed US President Barack Obama during his visit to Australia. I occasionally do a bit of presenting for Nine, like a recent stint on TODAY. For me, I just love working ‘live’ – whether that’s presenting or reporting at the scene of an unfolding story. profile: Tell us about your time on the Sunshine Coast. davina: I spent three years working for WIN Sunshine Coast, between 2006 and 2009. It was always my goal to work in that office – to enjoy the Coast’s lifestyle and work in a really dynamic, young newsroom. When I arrived, station manager Andy Vautier gave me a huge opportunity to also present the weather – it’s something I’ll always be grateful for. profile: Do you get back to the Coast often? davina: We have friends and family on the Coast, but both our jobs involve 20

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profile: Favourite place to eat (or drink) on the Sunny Coast? davina: Key Bar for karaoke on a Friday after work! We’d often grab Thai Seasons takeaway then head to Mooloolaba Beach. We loved the Organic Café in Maroochydore for a morning coffee and treat, and The Spirit House and The Boat Shed for romantic dinners. profile: Can you share a few career highlights with us? davina: I remember presenting the weather for WIN News one day at Australia Zoo with Steve Irwin, a few months before he passed away. I was so terrified and nervous, but he was so incredibly kind and patient – he even gave me a few tips. I’ll never forget that day. Getting to know Bruce and Denise Morcombe, while working on the Coast, was a huge honour. I don’t think I’ve ever met a couple like them. As individuals, they are so brave and determined. As parents, they are the ultimate role models. The difference they have made in so many lives – well there are no words for that!

For Nine Sydney it would have to be covering the US President’s visit to Australia. Our Queensland flood coverage was also significant. Toowoomba is my hometown and to watch what unfolded in January was so much more than just a news story. In the days that followed I was working on the ground around the Lockyer Valley – it was tough, but it was a huge privilege. profile: If you weren’t a TV presenter, what would you be? davina: A florist. I love flowers. They can mark every special occasion, and they say everything words can’t. I like the idea of brightening a stranger’s day.

Not sure how I’d cope with the early wake-up call to head to the markets every day though! profile: What motto do you live by? davina: Love with all your heart. And always put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Do you know of a former Sunshine Coaster achieving great things in their chosen field? Drop us a line at editorial@profilemag.com.au.

profilemag.com.au

•

• •

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Sunshine Coast Fertility Specialists: Dr George Bogiatzis, Nr Denise Donati, Dr Rebecca Matthews (Scientific Director), Dr Kirsten Morrow, Dr James Orford (Medical Director)

Sharing your journey for life

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ladies at lunch

“I went on a blind date with the most gorgeous man and we’ve been together for two years.”

Jeniene Grice

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“My friend said ‘You should meet that guy there, he’s got a sexier red sports car than yours’.”

Sue Scarlett

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1. debbie chappel 2. sandra wills 3. shirley cornish 4. suse burke 5. sue scarlett 6. jeniene grice 7. rococo cheese board

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ladies at lunch

the ‘meet’ market words jaclyn paul ll photography belinda brill ll sponsored by genesys wealth advisers and boq maroochydore ll venue rococo noosa

As hard as we try, there’s no escaping the fact that meeting ‘the one’ isn’t always easy and you might just have to kiss a few frogs along the way. Is it that we’re just looking in all the wrong places? Or are we just trying too hard to find the right guy? Whatever the reason, Jaclyn Paul investigates the ‘meet’ market at this month’s Ladies at Lunch.

W

e all know a couple whose ‘how we met’ story could be straight out of a fairytale book. It’s always interesting to hear the unique, unexpected or even embarrassing ways people meet their significant other. Whether it’s through a forbidden office romance, a friend of a friend, or an awkward website dating agency where Photoshop is your best friend, the ‘meet’ market remains a topic that is the focus of much girly banter and juicy gossip, making it a favourite discussion over lunch.

Where should you go to meet the man or woman of your dreams?

As finding Mr Right can be a challenging task at any age, we ask a group of happily taken ladies how they managed to meet their other halves, and to share their experience in the ‘meet’ market.

Joining Profile Magazine to discuss the topic today at Rococo Noosa are seven lovely Sunshine Coast women who have well and truly done their time in the ‘dating and relating’ scene, emerging with their soulmates and a few juicy stories to share.

This month, lunch is co-hosted by Sandra Wills, owner of Genesys Wealth Advisors – a long-term supporter of our Ladies at Lunch series.

Our gorgeous guests are Jeniene Grice from IVF Sunshine Coast, Shirley Cornish of Shirley Cornish Counselling, Debbie Chappel from Revival, Sue Scarlett from I Cherry Shoe, Suse Burke of Suse Foods, Profile Magazine’s sales manager, Belinda Brill … and me, intern at Profile Magazine. profile: So ladies, how did you meet your partners? sandra: I met my current husband 12 months after I left my first when I had two babies, so I

december 2011

wasn’t looking for a relationship at all. One of my very close friends had a barbeque and Tony just happened to pop in to deliver some glasses and my friend invited him to stay. That’s where we met.

It’s been fabulous for 20 years. He’s my soulmate. jeniene: A few months after I separated from my first husband after 26 years of marriage, I was thrown into the meet market and I had no idea and no inclination of meeting anybody. A friend of mine said ‘I know a sparky, you should go on a blind date’, so I went on a blind date with the most gorgeous man and we’ve been together for two years. shirley: My current husband and I used to play squash together. We came across each other when we were still married to our partners at the time and we were continuously put in the same team.

So we played together for many years and then eventually when our marriages ended, we took up together simply through realising after all those years of playing squash together, how fond we were of each other. sue: I was single for 15 years after my first marriage ended and I never went out on my own as a single female. It was Saint Patrick’s Day and I went out to Irish Murphy’s with a friend, and David [my current husband] was standing at the bar in front of us and my friend said, ‘You should meet that guy there, he’s got a sexier red sports car than yours’.

He introduced me to him and we talked all night. suse: I met Hamish through one of my dear friends who moved up to Noosa – Hamish was training her. She invited him to a New Year’s Eve dinner.

I’d never met this guy but I had heard some things about him and didn’t think anything of it, but when he walked into the house I just remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, he’s beautiful’. One of my

gay friends was sitting next to me and he thought the same, so I looked at him and told him to back off. debbie: I joined the company he was working with and he said, ‘You’re going to have to come down to Sydney for some extra training’. Well, I got more than extra training. We kind of just clicked. profile: What are your thoughts on internet dating? debbie: I was really interested to hear how all of us have met our partners, because none of us have met anyone on the internet. My girlfriends have tried all that. One lady I know – it was all she did for years and years and then she just met someone at work who she’s now still in a relationship with. suse: When I got out of a year-long relationship after some time had elapsed, I thought, ‘Right, I’m going to find a husband’, so I tried the internet thing. I remember doing up a profile and was absolutely terrified that someone I knew would see it! It was a huge conundrum, but when I got into it, I got right into it. I would book a 6:00pm date then an 8:30pm date because I knew I needed to ‘find him’. It was a bit of a mission, but it was all fun and I’ve met some lovely people. It was all in the experience. shirley: It’s really interesting though. As a relationship counsellor, I find that the majority of my clients are in their late 30’s to 40’s age group and it’s very rare to have them come and they’ve met online. Maybe that’s a newer thing. profile: Can you trust people you meet on the internet? belinda: I think you can have that element of not being truthful or saying things you normally

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ladies at lunch

“I think the best way to pick up someone is to have a puppy.”

Debbie Chappel

our lunching ladies discuss meeting mr right at rococo noosa

wouldn’t say. I think people are a lot more comfortable saying things online that they would not normally say to somebody’s face. sue: I knew a guy who dated through RSVP. He lined the people he met up for coffee dates, and the amount of times he was offered sex was amazing. In the car park, on the beach or on the first date! Then he got really confused with which one was married and which had kids, but he’s now met someone through RSVP and they’ve been together for three or four years. jeniene: I knew an interesting fellow who was very wealthy, but he didn’t want who he was meeting to know, so they wouldn’t choose him because of his wealth. So when he put his profile on RSVP, he said he was a forklift driver and he met this girl and they’ve been married for about six years now. Must have been an added bonus for her when she found out the truth! profile: How do you meet people? debbie: I think the best way to pick-up someone is to have a puppy. belinda: My old boss in Sydney used to walk her dog down Bronte Beach every morning and she would always pass this really lovely guy who would always stop and say hello. He would always be walking with his brother and of course, she thought they were a gay couple. But one day he asked her out for coffee and they started seeing each other after that. So they were just walking their dogs and then fell in love. profile: What about men with babies? suse: Women gain a softness when they see a man with a baby. jeniene: When I met Russel, probably the thing that most attracted me to him was the fact that he had raised his two daughters. So there was a nurturing and softness thing. profile: So where do you go out to meet men? jeniene: I used to go out to Habits at Cotton Tree. It was the place to go because there were people my age there that had been newly single or people in their late 40’s who hadn’t met anybody.

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So by the time you get to that age and you’re still single at 40 or 50 and all your friends have somebody else, you’re just trying to get to know people you haven’t met before. belinda: They call Fridays the ‘meet’ market. I went on a hen’s night that ended up there and it was a real eye-opener. There were people there that had just met hooking up on the dance floor.

It made me feel like such a mum. I was so out of touch and felt like I had to ‘nana’ everyone. jeniene: Imagine someone older having to jump back into the ‘meet’ market. It’s a complete culture shock. They’d probably stay away from Fridays though. profile: What about your kids – what approach do they take? sandra: My 21-year-old is hilarious. He just tells me things that you shouldn’t discuss with your mother. He told me at his 21st birthday party, ‘Mum, see that leggy blonde over there? She’s going to be my girlfriend by the end of tonight’.

They’re now dating. belinda: A man who knows what he wants and he’s gone for it! sandra: My other boy who’s 22, he’s been in a relationship for five years. They’re just soulmates.

Even when they were around 16 when they started dating, I thought, ‘This sounds ridiculous but I can see these two staying together for the rest of their lives’.

So there you have it. Even after being thrown into the ‘meet’ market when least expected, there’s always hope for us women, and sometimes the right guy is found in the most unexpected places.

Whether it’s through the odd game of squash, someone you have met at work or on a blind date you were secretly going to bail on, sometimes it’s all about being at the right place at the right time and taking each opportunity as it comes.

Ladies, keep your eyes open wherever you go – the right guy could be just around the corner, although you might have to fend off your gay best friend first!

ROCOCO NOOSA Noosa’s award-winning restaurant and bar Rococo is well-situated on the holiday hot-spot Hastings Street. Taking its cues from the flavours of France and the Mediterranean, the menu is designed to fully complement all aspects of Noosa with the produce of the region providing inspiration for the menu.

Rococo offered exceptional service throughout the whole dining experience on our visit, with our antipasto platter arriving in a timely manner – and with a smile! Make that many smiles … we couldn’t believe our eyes when we spied the two-and-a-half metre board filled with a mouth-watering selection of sizzling prawns, half shell scallops, watermelon ginger oyster shots, charred asparagus and other delights … it was more than enough to satisfy the whole table of eight – and some!

For our mains we sampled the butternut pumpkin salad tossed with olives, charred asparagus, Persian fetta, organic tomatoes, rocket leaves and balsamic, and the wild mushroom risotto with porcini butter, fresh peas, rocket and pecorino. Perfectly portioned for lunch and delicious, as you would expect from a restaurant of Rococo’s calibre.

While we were all tempted by dessert – and learnt a valuable lesson to leave room next time – we simply couldn’t fit another thing in … okay, just an espresso or two. Dessert – consider yourself on notice … definitely leaving just a little space on my return visit.

Rococo Noosa is open seven days a week, from Monday to Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Rococo Noosa 42 Hastings Street, Noosa Heads 5474 9600 www.rococonoosa.com.au

profilemag.com.au

Why visit Harvey Norman® Maroochydore for

cooking appliances?

Because of what you will experience...

At Harvey Norman® Maroochydore you can count on your friendly, knowledgeable staff to make your shopping experience an enjoyable one. We are totally committed to ‘excellence in customer service’ and ensuring you get the most out of your purchases.

Complimentary Cooking Demonstrations are held each week showcasing some of the world’s finest cooking appliances.

Our fully trained demonstrator, Stephanie, will run these sessions and make your kitchen appliance choice fully informed!

We will take the time to guide you to products and technologies that reflect your individual requirements.

Plus After you have

made your purchase we encourage you to come back in for one-on-one sessions with our Cooking Demonstrator to ensure you get the most out of your new appliances.

There is simply no better way to buy a cooking appliance!

Michael Ryan

Franchisee - Electrica l

NO-ONE DOES KITCHENS BETTER! • Pre-Purchase Cooking Demonstrations • Extensive product range and expert guidance • Post Purchase Cooking Demonstrations • Continued support for the lifetime of your product • Purchasing privileges for life • Excellence in customer service

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THE COOKING SPECIALIST www.harveynorman.com.au

Shop 5, Sunshine Homemaker Centre, 100 Maroochydore Rd 5452 7144 (Computers/Electrical only) Harvey Norman® stores are operated by independent franchisees.

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But it doesn’t end there!

To make life even easier we can also organise installation for your new appliances and removal of your old.

business promotion

rachel hutchinson

Ellerfield Financial Planning is a leader in its field, its success backed by ethics, a long history of helping individuals reach their financial goals, and a ‘family’ ethos.

Ellerfield would like to introduce Rachel Hutchison, who has been kind enough to share her family’s experience of working with a financial planner. Rachel is married to Stephen Hutchison and lives and works in the beautiful Twin Waters here on the Sunshine Coast. Together, they have two primary school-aged children – Emily and Thomas.

What prompted you to consider working with a financial planner?

We were doing our tax returns and had a couple of questions for our accountant at Keating and Associates regarding the best way to redirect some extra money we were trying to save, as well as the CPI increase in our salary. He recommended that we have a chat with Ellerfield as he realised that he was not able to answer some of our more involved questions and they were best qualified.

Why did you choose to work with the financial planner you selected?

We had several meetings with the Ellerfield team before any firm plan was implemented or any fees discussed. We felt that they wanted to get to know us on a personal level first and then on a professional level. We have made, and will continue to make all decisions together with their team – nothing is assumed, and everything is discussed at length to make sure that we are comfortable with their recommendations.

What were you hoping to achieve by working with a financial planner?

We knew that we could afford to repay our current mortgage, but it was probably going to take until we were approaching retirement the way we were going. We needed to consider how we were going to afford to retire and still live the great lifestyle we were used to. We also needed to look at being able to afford private schooling for our kids – this was always our dream, but we were not sure it was financially possible with such a short time frame as our oldest child was already in Year 6.

Has your financial planner helped you achieve these goals?

It is a work in progress but we are now able to see that all our goals are very possible. Ellerfield has been very proactive in showing us how we are

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going to be able to achieve our longer term goals in regards to a comfortable retirement, private schooling, and also how to have that overseas holiday we have dreamed about.

Could you explain how “ellerCentral cash flow management” has helped your family on a day to day basis?

We have always had a budget, and we follow budgets and forecasts at work, so we knew what they were. Ellerfield made us realise that unless you are constantly reviewing and following it, it is easy to just spend the extra cash in the bank account on a whim. I now know exactly where we spend our money on a weekly and monthly basis. We know that we are rapidly reducing our mortgage and also making more conscious and informed decisions on whether we really need that impulse buy. I still can go shopping and buy the clothes I like, the household bits and pieces, and the gifts I like to spurge on, but I also make sure that it fits the budget we have created.

Could you explain what the Ellerfield “MRP” is and why you chose to implement this strategy for your home mortgage?

Ellerfield’s Mortgage Reduction Plan is tailored for each client. For us, it meant small but important changes to how we could reduce our morgage quicker and more effectively without having to sacrifice. We had the standard variable rate home loan but changed it to a line of credit. We now have our salaries paid directly to our line of credit each week, which in turn reduces the interest calculated on a daily basis. Our day to day expenses are all paid for on our credit card which we pay in full at the end of the month. I also update our monthly budget regularly so I can see how much we have spent for the month and make sure we are not overspending.

Simply by doing this for the past eight months we have already made big inroads into reducing our debt.

Has your financial planner been able to help you in any areas that you did not expect?

We had no life insurance, income protection insurance or serious illness insurance, so if anything had happened to either of us we would have had to sell our beautiful home just to keep going. Ellerfield is also about to help us with improving our superannuation situation – that is the next step.

Would you recommend your financial planner to friends and family?

Without hesitation! They have certainly made us feel more in control of our financial future and we are very much included in all the decision processes.

They have the expertise to guide us, but we do not feel that they have taken over. We feel more in control of our finances and future than ever before.

Phone 5476 8744.

First Floor, ‘Ballinger Place’, 3-5 Ballinger Road, Buderim, Qld, 4556 www.ellerfield.com.au

Ellerfield Pty Ltd ( ABN 13010991081) trading as Ellerfield Financial Planning is an Authorised Representative of GWM Advisor Services Limited (ABN 96002071749) an Australian Financial Services Licensee, Registered Office 105 – 153 Miller St, North Sydney, NSW 2060. This advice may not be suitable to you because it contains general advice that has not been tailored to your personal circumstances. Please profilemag.com.au seek personal and tax advice prior to acting on this information.

december 2011

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success

power and pride words candice jayde olive ll photography ben connolly

Tristan Kurz is an expectant father, a grateful grandson and a committed carrier of his family’s legacy in the car sales industry. He sits down with Candice Jayde Olive to talk about the pride, the pressure and the prestige involved in running Coastline BMW.

TRISTAN KURZ

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success

I

’m in a big, tough, working-class family from western Sydney, so I was an adult before I set foot in a car that was worth more than a few thousand bucks. Our family cars were big, creaking monsters, with roof lining tacked into place and baby seats bolted into the back. The sliding door of one of these character-filled people movers came off in my hands as I tried to shut it on the first day of high school, to the amusement of dozens of my peers. My first car, an ’89 Sonata, overheated at a petrol station and started billowing black smoke a week after I bought it. The helpful station attendant hurled a fire extinguisher into my hands and ran.

At 20, working as a bartender in a prominent Darling Harbour hotel, I covered for a valet on his lunch break and got to drive a BMW around the block for the owner (twice). It was then that I realised that some cars are more than people movers. Sitting in the immaculate leather driver’s seat, the steering wheel warm under my fingers, the engine barely humming and the air smelling faintly of cinnamon and pine, I was aware that every cog, wheel, spring, sheet of metal and scrap of fabric in the vehicle meant something. It had all been achieved. I was sitting in the culmination of someone’s lifetime of struggle, planning, waiting, expecting, hoping, building and saving. This wasn’t a car; this was someone’s baby.

Try to imagine the incredible pressure of selling someone one of these lifetime achievement symbols. Tristan Kurz is in the business of doing so every day. The third in a family line of owners and operators of Coastline BMW, Tristan tells me that his is a unique occupation with challenges and rewards in equal proportion.

“You want the experience to be perfect for every customer, every time.

People wait their whole lives to walk through our doors and drive out in one of our vehicles. The pressure is intense.

“At the same time, when you get it right the feeling is incredible. I have customers who tell me they bought cars from my grandfather, my dad, and now they want to work with me. Customer loyalty is one of the best parts of this job.”

Coastline BMW is a multi-award winning business, earning titles in the BMW trophy eight times, National Dealer of the Year three times and Finance Dealer of the Year five times, among a host of other awards. It is a business that was built from the ground up by tough nut Karl Kurz, a German immigrant who arrived in Australia at the end of World War II. “You can imagine the kind of time he had; a six-foot-two, blond-haired, blue-eyed German direct from the other side of the world. He arrived with a spare change of clothes and a bottle of rum on a boat from Italy, found a girl in Victoria and decided he was going to marry her and forge a place in the car business in Australia. Needless to say, there was plenty of friction with the locals.”

Karl established a business selling cars for Toyota, with a spare show room for BMWs. In the first year, he sold six of the luxury cars. Today, his son, Robert, and grandson, Tristan, turn over $55 million annually in the same business.

december 2011

Tristan recalls times when he has worked in the lowliest of positions, and it was his self-determination and the people around him that made every moment worthwhile.

“No matter what you are doing, you have to make it fun. There was a time when I was employed cleaning toilets in Paris. Not overly lovely, but with a bit of the right music blaring in the background, things became half enjoyable.”

Tristan will soon be celebrating the birth of his first child, another milestone he will never forget.

I have customers who tell me they bought cars from my grandfather, my dad, and now they want to work with me.”

“In the beginning, when my wife Coralie was pregnant, it seemed like something you could disbelieve. When she started showing, I was blown away. I started thinking: ‘That’s our child in there. This is really happening’.

“There isn’t a night that we don’t sit on our porch and watch the water and think about how lucky we are. Anything to do with the ocean, Coralie and I are just mad about. We head to the beach every morning. It’s a place that makes you feel small, makes you realise what you have and what’s ahead of you.”

Life, for Tristan, is an ever-ticking clock with moments easily stolen by his commitments.

“Around the time I turned 30 I realised for the first time that we don’t live forever. This scared me more than anything. As a result of this I make a huge effort to not only not bring my work home with me but to really make the most of my free time. Coralie and I are always gallivanting around the countryside on some poorly-planned adventure. The great secondary benefit of this is that it has made me both enjoy work more and want to work harder.”

When I ask Tristan if he expects his child to carry on the family business, his answer is less rigid than I expect.

“In my family we expect everyone to do what they love. I’ve got a sister who’s a civil engineer, another who’s a teacher. My brothers are in law and shipping.

This is a really different job, and I don’t think everyone aspires to do it. I know one thing, and that is that the business will go on, in one way or another.”

Life is full of symbols that mean something to us, items that represent the goals we set ourselves. It might be a car that you glide around the streets in, a humming, shining machine you have saved for all your life. It might be a house you sit on the porch of, taking stock of the things you’ve done and the places you’ve been. It might be as simple as a piece of paper handed to you on a stage or a trophy sitting in a cabinet. For Tristan, success lies in the car lot on Niklin Way, where he arrives each morning with keys in hand to carry on a tradition his grandfather started decades before. With any luck, he’ll be doing it for decades to come.

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cover story

I had moved from an idyllic stable childhood in the mountains and snow, to a nomadic one in Australia, changing houses, schools and states on a regular basis.”

Hana Tolhoek was shot on location at the elegant Spicers Clovelly Estate in Montville. ON COVER: Hana wears SUBvert ‘Minstrel’s Prayer’ ruffle dress in beige by local TAFE fashion designer Rachel Sheehy, RRP $220. The label can be purchase from Lush Wardrobe, Mooloolaba or online from SUBvert’s Facebook page. For private orders customers can contact 0431 53 8800. Jewels by Gingers Boutique: Adorne Heart and Cross Bracelets, RRP $25, Adorne earrings, rrp $79. Hair by Kooshka hair and Fashion, Buderim and makeup by Pru Edwards. Shoot styling by Genine howard and photography by Alan Hughes.

THIS PAGE: Hana wears Fur vest (Available Winter 2012) over Katherine Paint by Numbers Dress, rrp $149.95 teamed with Fabienne Semi Precious Stone Necklace, rrp $159. All available from Gingers Boutique, Buderim. Phone 5445 6616

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words jessica jane sammut ll photography alan hughes ll shoot styling genine howard ll hair kooshka hair, buderim ll makeup pru edwards

A woman of two cultures. a woman of adventure and challenge. a woman who has had to find her place in the world when her home was always moving. Profile’s Jessica Jane Sammut meets Hana Tolhoek, thrill-seeker and entrepreneur, who didn’t think twice before taking on the global liquor giants when starting her business, instead believing in the power of taking chances and living life to the full.

L

ipová-lázně: a beautiful village set high in the mountains in the Czech Republic. Not somewhere you will find featured in many holiday snaps, but a treasure to those in the know, and the birthplace of Hana Tolhoek, a lady who lives and breathes snow, altitude, fresh temperatures and adventure like no one I have met before.

Extremely pretty with a crown of naturally platinum blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, Hana typifies the stereotype of the attractive Eastern European, and exudes the warmth and hospitality of one too. Yet behind this beautiful, friendly exterior lies a fierce entrepreneur, a woman who refuses to be tied down, and the founder of one of the most high-end privately-owned Australian liquors, STROM, stocked only in premium establishments across the southern hemisphere. Competing with global alcohol giants and multimillion dollar marketing budgets, STROM was devised and is operated from the Sunshine Coast.

I, for one, love a good wine, a cold beer, a clean gin or a potent raki, but the national Czech spirit I had not tasted or heard of. That is, until introduced to me by Hana. Traditionally-made from the European beech tree, Hana and her team at STROM have brought the spirit to the Australian market and infused it with Australian flavours, creating the most unique and decadent experience I have encountered. As I sip, Hana’s eyes sparkle with satisfaction as she watches me sample “the spirit of the mountains” as she puts it, and I want to understand how Hana had the guts and inspiration to take on one of the most competitive markets in the world, placing a product from the Czech Republic into a foreign arena. It takes some doing. This 30-year-old blonde bombshell from the Sunshine Coast has infiltrated the big boys’ playground.

I can only imagine the energy and commitment required to do so.

So let’s go back. Hana was born and raised in Lipová-lázně with her older sister until the age of 10, when her parents moved to Melbourne. It was an utter culture shock – everything from the climate to the schooling to the language was a total change.

“I didn’t speak any English whatsoever,” Hana remembers. “I started school december 2011

It was a moment in my life I will never forget. All my time working day and night was justified in that minute.” and couldn’t initially communicate at all. I also could not get my head around how casual manners and behaviours were; I was used to a strict communist environment. And in terms of education, I felt I had taken a step backwards.

In Lipová-lázně, I was already learning academic subjects such as chemistry and physics, whereas those subjects were a long way off here.”

Hana was not the only one who struggled with the change in pace. After arriving in Australia, her parents sought to find an area which mimicked the life they had had in Czech and consequently they moved the family 16 times across seven different schools in the seven years after they immigrated.

“It was very hard to make friends,” Hana recalls. “I had moved from an idyllic stable childhood in the mountains and snow to a nomadic one in Australia, changing houses, schools and states on a regular basis.”

It was during this time, that Hana began to find refuge submerging herself in her passions and this gave her some comfort.

“I had always been a bit of a tomboy – full of adventure, and when I was in high school I decided I wanted to be a pilot. By this time, we were living on the Sunshine Coast and I would spend weekends at Maroochydore airport helping out. I got to know every pilot and every flight. So began my love of aviation.”

However, soon after, when Hana started her flying lessons, she found she suffered from motion sickness and this revelation knocked her sideways as her dreams of becoming a pilot were dashed. In typical Hana style, she picked herself up and dusted herself off to realise that if she could not fly her own plane, she could perhaps instead own one, and this triggered a burning desire to work as hard as she could to make this vision a reality.

“It was difficult as I didn’t know what I was going to do for a career,” Hana

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So many people settle for a life they do not necessarily choose and I could never do that.”

says. “I started business college. I became a flight attendant with Sunshine Airlines. I went travelling with my sister.

I worked in 30 different corporates in two years to get the feel of what suited me. Ultimately, I finally realised I wanted to go into business in sales and marketing.

“It was then that a huge Austrian sleep system company started in Australia and I began a role with them, coldcalling in telesales. My mother was not impressed as she felt it was not going to lead to anything, but within a few months I had been promoted to sales, and soon after I won salesperson of the month several times and then salesperson of the year. Not long after that, I was offered a position as sales leader for Victoria and Tasmania and was invited to set the company up in these states. I was going from strength to strength and knew I had found my niche.

“I moved back to Melbourne to start my new position and used to spend the winters in the mountains there or in the peaks of the South Island of New Zealand. I also got married in this time to my sweetheart, an aviation engineer I had met on the Coast when I was 19, and so everything was slotting into place.”

However, while the living was high, literally and metaphorically, Hana was working 17 and 18-hour days, and although she made $15 million in just over two years for the company, she found that she was starting to look for the next challenge; a challenge of her own.

“I didn’t mind the constant travel with work or the long hours and relentless targets, but I began to think that if I could do all this for someone else, I could this for myself.

“My parents and I had talked for a long time about bringing over our traditional Czech spirit to Australia and

I knew this was the adventure I had been looking for and now was the time. I was ready.”

And that is just what Hana did. Collaborating with her parents who had the know-how with regard to making the spirit, Hana was to be the sales and marketing arm of the entity, taking the product to market. It was a huge gamble.

“The recipe had been with my family forever,” Hana smiles. “My aunty used to be an official taster at the major distillery near where I grew up and my parents were devoted to creating the spirit. It was the national spirit of the Czech Republic, after all. My parents offered me their unwavering support and my dad especially was so excited to see me chasing my dream. We knew we had to amend the recipe slightly for the worldwide market and so started a very thorough process of researching flavours and ingredients to enhance the spirit.

“I am extremely health-conscious, and so one of my goals was to have the spirit remain as ‘clean’ as possible, with no additives. After much testing and investigation, we used grapes from the Barossa Valley distilled five times, together with six ingredients from the mountains, the main one being beech tree extract [which is where the word ‘STROM’ comes from, which is Czech for beech tree]. We knew we had something special. We got the licence approved here on the Sunshine Coast and I officially quit my job in Melbourne and moved back to the Coast.”

In a very brave move, Hana sold a residence she had in New Zealand to fund the project and moved into a shed on her husband’s parents’ property on the Coast.

“It was like going backwards again,” Hana recalls, “I

RIGHT: HANA AT THE STROMSPONSORED WORLD HELI CHALLENGE 2011 IN NEW ZEALAND FAR RIGHT: PROUDLY DISPLAYING A BOTTLE OF STROM, HANA SITS HIGH ON A MOUNTAIN TOP IN NEW ZEALAND BOTTOM: STROM AMBASSADOR MIKE BASICH (INTERNATIONAL SNOWBOARDING LEGEND), HANA, AND TONY HARRINGTON (FOUNDER OF THE WORLD HELI CHALLENGE)

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Life is an amazing adventure ready to be discovered every day.”

THIS PAGE: Hana wears What Katie Did 1940’s-inspired ‘Harlow’ underwear, pearl necklace (both stylists’ own), Sybella Dress Ring rrp $89, Adorne earrings, rrp $79 both available from Gingers Boutique, Buderim.

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hana tolhoek

Hana Tolhoek is a strong, capable woman – a woman who is taking on the mega brands in the super competitive liquor industry with her own brand, STROM

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had come from a lucrative role with money to burn, to a life of watching the pennies, living with my in-laws and working for no immediate monetary return. But it was the life I wanted; the adventure I craved.”

Over the next year or so, Hana underwent an extremely steep learning curve to ensure she got her product right, and in June 2009, STROM was released onto the market.

“I decided to place STROM at the high-end of the spectrum as it is not a spirit to be guzzled; it is a spirit to savour and experience,” Hana explains. “It is now stocked in some of the most prestigious outlets this side of the hemisphere including the Hyatt Regency, Emporium, The Bowery, The Laneway Urbane and Versace. I have also created a very strong brand presence with the use of my other loves – aviation and snow – with snowboarding legend Mike Basich now representing STROM.” In fact, STROM went on to sponsor the gala awards night at the World Heli Challenge 2011 – an incredible feat in such a short space of time.

“I cannot compete with the liquor giants’ marketing spend, so what I do is give my time and my commitment to the right projects. I had the most magical moment at the Heli Challenge when I found myself standing at the top of a mountain surrounded by nothing but mountain peaks and fresh snow, holding a bottle of STROM, while STROM-branded helicopters flew overhead. It was a moment in my life I will never forget. All my time working

day and night was justified in that minute.”

I get the feeling from Hana she is not going to give up the grip she has on this ball held tightly in her hands. After such a long time searching for her place in the world, Hana has certainly found it, and having just taken 11 flights in two weeks to promote STROM across America before chatting to me for this article, it seems she has no plans to slow down. Instead, she has committed herself to another one of her passions, as sales and marketing representative for Helimods, a company which covers all aspects of the helicopter modification / customisation process – another venture close to her heart with her love of aviation. Hana really is driven by her dream.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive and go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who come alive,” Hana says.

“This is a quote by Howard Thurman, and I think of it often. It is so true. So many people settle for a life they do not necessarily choose and I could never do that. Life, to me, is about challenge, taking chances, following what you feel, listening to your inner voice. People talk about living for the weekend and I cannot understand that. It doesn’t matter what day it is, you should love it. Life is an amazing adventure ready to be discovered every day.”

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business promotion

Be Wealthy ‘n’ Wise Have you noticed tHat wHen some people invest in property tHey seem to tHrive and build a massive portfolio, wHile otHers seem to struggle, get stuck on one or two properties or worse still sell because it’s eitHer not working or tHey can’t manage tHe Holding costs.

Christine Childs from Think Money shares the fundamentals of setting yourself up to be a successful property investor. “With the right mentoring and training pretty much anyone can build a substantial property portfolio in five to 10 years. It’s all in the way you manage your money and plan your portfolio,” Christine says. Christine and her team at Think Money provide a personalised, comprehensive education system that supports you though every step of the journey, from debt reduction to wealth creation, empowering you with the knowledge, systems and mentoring to achieve success.

Contact Christine Childs Mobile 0419 744 193 chris@thinkmoney.com.au

Phone 5430 4777 55 Sugar Rd Maroochydore

CONTROL YOUR MONEY

WORK YOUR MONEY

MAGNIFY YOUR MONEY

Don’t Let it Control You

Most people work for money – we teach you to make money work for you!

Once you have control over your money and you have learned how to make money, it’s time to magnify your money and start CREATING WEALTH USING PROPERTY!

Think Money specialises in teaching people, just like you, to do their banking differently, managing your money to reduce your debt, not your lifestyle and take back control of your life. Once you have the knowledge about how to beat the banks at their own game you will be surprised to watch the years fall off your mortgage, and paying high interest on credit cards will be a thing of the past. Our debt reduction specialists teaches the key elements to successful money management that will last a lifetime.

Chris has been there … and done that, and has put the system together, not from theories and information about what should work, but from years of experience of creating wealth using property herself.

Our Wealth Coaches encourage you to keep moving forward, what ever stage of the property investment journey you are on.

Chris and her team teach you to treat your investing like a business, keeping your investments and personal income quite separate.

We teach our clients the secret to buying 10 Properties in 10 years and how to manage the holding costs, and we hold your hand through every step of the process.

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“You don’t realise until you sit down with a professional, that changing the way you do your banking will make everything fall into place. We are still on the same income but our debt reduction has just been amazing. Our stress level is a lot lower now and we are so happy.

From thinking just a few months ago things were insurmountable, we have not only got our finances under control, within the next couple of months we will be heading towards buying our second investment property.”

“We are so impressed with all we have learned about property investing since joining Think Money. The Wealth Retreats, workshops and personal coaching sessions have put us on track to having a great property portfolio, and a secure retirement. We love the fact that we can not only go to live events, but also have a library of video master classes, software and tools that we can use at home when it suits our busy lifestyle. Think Money are just gold!

“Think Money has changed our lives.

Chris and the team have managed in 12 months to triple our property portfolio at a time when we thought we would have to wait another two years to invest again. Just by changing the way we were doing our banking – and learning to run our property portfolio like a business – we now have the freedom to have a great lifestyle and still grow our portfolio! With the support of our wealth coaches we were definitely able to reach and surpass our goals faster than we could on our own.”

Caz and Bill Think Money Debt Reduction Clients

Kara and Paul Think Money Education Client

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sunshine Coast | BrisBane | Gold Coast | Central Queensland | australia Wide think Money have the programs tools and mentoring systems, no matter where you live – call us today! 5430 4777

www.thinkmoney.com.au december 2011

briefcase

the art of fashion.

F

or many women, finding the right clothing is important and also a real struggle at times.

Whether it’s the style, the colour, or how it flatters your figure, fashion is an important part of a woman’s life that shouldn’t be compromised.

Alice Griffiths is a big believer in this, and as co-owner of Gingers Boutique, her passion for fashion allows her to help everyday women look and feel their absolute best.

Through years of experience as a fashionista, it was essentially the modelling side of fashion that injected Alice into the industry. “When I was young I used to model quite a lot. I did work for the David Jones catwalk, Myer catalogues and parades for department stores. In tandem, I had a real estate business as well,” Alice explains. After years in the field of real estate, Alice soon found herself working as an interior decorator and more recently, opening a boutique with her good friend Allanah Powell.

With her sights set on fashion, Alice finds great pleasure when it comes to helping clients. “There’s a real joy in it, when you’re dressing someone who

words jaclyn paul ll photography genine howard

hasn’t got a lot of confidence or is insecure about a certain type of clothing and dressing them in a way that really suits them. It reignites an interest in themselves where they go away feeling really good.

But having them come back and ask you to do it all again, well that’s just the best feeling.

“I’d say a beautician has that same sensation and any stylist who gets to transform someone would have that same sense of reward,” she explains.

When she’s not assisting in the store or decorating homes, Alice spends her time using her artistic flair on her beloved garden. “I’ve got quite an extensive garden that I really love. That’s probably my biggest project hobby that is constantly being worked on, much to my husband’s disgust and frustration,” she confesses.

While dressing your best might be a challenge faced by everyday women, it’s refreshing to see that someone like Alice, with an eye for aesthetics, is able to use her experience in the field to make this day-to-day routine an enlightening one.

alice griffiths

family guidance.

I

t’s always a distressing time for those dealing with family legal matters, but for Lucy Towey, not only is it her job, it’s her passion to help guide families through these tough times.

Working in family law as the newest addition to the Mumfords Lawyers firm, Lucy has always been family-oriented at heart – she migrated from the UK with her partner Philip to be closer to his family.

While she has predominantly handled family cases for the past five years, Lucy finds it extremely rewarding to help people regain control of their lives. “I feel as if I’m helping people who come to me when all sorts of things are going wrong in their lives, where I have to stay objective and give them a pathway to move forward,” Lucy explains. “It’s one of those situations where I need to give them options and help them make sense of all the mess they’re going through.”

With experience in other general practice areas, it’s the family cases that Lucy finds especially rewarding.

“It’s very pleasing being able to give people a sense of direction. Obviously, there’s the technical side of law where you’re using the legislation and all of the

words jaclyn paul ll photography shawn abrams

skills you’ve been trained with, but you then have the added benefit of helping people and making a difference for them. Without that, they’d be lost.”

Lucy’s recent move to the Sunshine Coast after living in New Zealand for the past three years has been an ideal change for her. “I’m really enjoying it.

It’s definitely a change in lifestyle from Auckland and it’s the change Philip and I have always been looking for. It’s such a relaxed place with great weather, something I’m probably not used to.”

On her time off from helping families, Lucy looks forward to exploring new places. “We did a lot of bushwalking in New Zealand and we’re really excited about exploring the Sunshine Coast. We’re going from town to town, all the way up to see all of the different features.”

While handling family law might be deemed as a difficult case for most, Lucy has found it a challenge she is passionate about. She’s definitely one of those lucky people who have found happiness though their everyday work, allowing her to truly connect with families by helping them find happiness again.

lucy towey

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Property Style

With Grant Smith

Grant Smith, director licensee of CENTURY 21 Grant Smith Property, Sunshine Coast, knows real estate.

In fact, not only is he classed in the top 2 per cent internationally for CENTURY 21, he was Australia’s youngest CENTURION award winner for five years in a row. Not bad for a boy from Buderim! Each month, Grant shares his secrets to the property market with Profile Magazine readers …

We have never come across such a passionate and dedicated estate agent, he went above and beyond his call of duty, certainly achieving above our expectations.

A & P Mendes

Speak with Grant Smith 0410 21 21 21 grantsmith.c21@century21.com.au facebook.com/grantsmith.c21

december 2011

the secret to sales success GRANT SAYS … Now that you have selected your agent its important to get the marketing and styling right.

1

Choose the right method of sale. There are many different options, however, it is important to liaise with your agent and communicate your ideas and thoughts.

Remember your agent is the expert. They will guide you through the right process for your sale – albeit an auction or listed price.

2

Ensure your marketing program, as selected with your agent, best represents your property. Research recent sales in the area and the marketing programs that supported these sales. You can oversell or undersell your property with the wrong marketing and this could cost you thousands when it comes to your net figure.

3

Liaise with your agent to ensure your open for inspection is set at times that best suit the aspect and location of your property. This could include twilight inspections.

4 4

Ask your agent what they plan to do to attract the most appropriate buyer for your property. Ensure they are following up with potential buyers and communicating this feedback to you. profilemagazine

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LAST SEASON’S FOOTWEAR

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WEEKDAY SALES 28th - 30th Dec 9am - 4pm WEEKEND SALES Saturday 10th Dec 10am - 3pm Saturday 17th Dec 10am - 3pm Saturday 24th Dec 10am - 2pm

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your ultimate guide to fashion and beauty

style counsel

meet salita matthews window shopping

what’s hot in fashion profile loves

luxurious lingerie

vanity case

pamper time wardrobe

PURPLE REIGNS IN SUMMER FASHION beauty advice

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS

window shopping

my favourite things ...

I love fashion. Well, realistically I just love dressing up and luckily I am in a position where I get to do it a lot!

A big thanks to Gingers Boutique and Hats by Sandy A for my recent outfit for Melbourne Cup (pictured top right with Profile’s Belinda Brill) and to Jess from La Vida for my head-to-toe Sass & Bide outfit (pictured right) for the launch of Pacific Prestige’s new Land Rover Evoque. I would never have thought I would suit the cool, hip style of Sass & Bide, but it just goes to show that you don’t have to be stuck in a style rut. So this summer, branch out and try and few brave new looks – perhaps you’ll embrace a few of my favourite finds this month?

on cover: La Vida Martini cabo san lucus dress, RRP $269.95. La Vida Mooloolaba. Phone 5444 8833

GENINE HOWARD PUBLISHER / group MANAGING director

showcase event Join the team at Gingers before the Christmas party rush on Friday December 9 for an exclusive preview of Renee Blackwell handmade jewellery. The event commences at 5:00pm and includes complimentary champagne.

Phone the team on 5445 6616 to book

backwards is forward Virtual shoe store ShoeSales has just celebrated its birthday by launching a range of retro-inspired shoes like this nauticalthemed, ‘70s-inspired Boop Nautical heel (RRP $89.95), perfect for our Sunshine Coast summer. Head to their online store to check out hundreds of shoes that break every rule in the style bible previously followed by fashion mavens – from clashing prints to colour blocking – and they are perfectly in fashion!

shaken and stirred Mooloolaba boutique La Vida has recently introduced wearable label Martini. These well-priced summer garments will be snapped up, so hurry in.

La Vida, Zanzibar Resort, The Esplanade. Phone 5444 8833 40

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www.ShoeSales.com.au

we love We found this gorgeous summer dress when interviewing fashion designer Salita Matthews – Climbing Moon Dress. Featuring Arabic print with a gold braided strap, the dress is priced at RRP $390 and is available online at www.salitamatthews.bigcartel. com or at Mélange Boutique in Brisbane. profilemag.com.au

business promotion

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wardrobe

purple eign shoot styling genine howard ll photography alan hughes hair kooshka, buderim ll makeup pru edwards

Known as the colour of royalty and divinity, purple reigns supreme when it comes to elegant, timeless fashion.

Key statement pieces in vibrant colours require little else ‌ except perhaps a royal throne!

Spicers Clovelly Estate was once a private home which has been converted to boutique luxury accommodation. Guests are made to feel at home in the stately property, just minutes from the heart of Montville THIS PAGE: covergirl Hana tolhoek wears Monti Principles Black Pant, rrp $139, Katherine Paparazzi silk top, rrp $139.95, and Adrone earrings, RRP $79. All available from Gingers Boutique, Buderim. Phone 5445 6616 OPPOSITE: Spicers Clovelly Estate is the perfect setting for a weekend brunch or lunch. or take time out to relax in the stately guest lounge.

Hana wears Katherine Ultramarine Silk Dress, rrp $239.95. Makeup by Pru edwards, www.pruedwards. com.au and hair by Jessica, Kooshka Hair, Buderim. Phone 5456 2570, www. kooshka.net.au. model’s own shoes.

Photography by Alan Hughes

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wardrobe

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wardrobe

THIS PAGE: Hana wears Worship Off the shoulder Dress, rrp $99, and Cat Hammill bracelet (set of six in blue, RRP $79.95) from Gingers Boutique, Buderim. Phone 5445 6616. Model wears own shoes.

Guests can enjoy private weekend retreats in this stately guest house (www.spicersgroup.com.au/property/ spicers-clovelly-estate)

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profile loves

give ‘em the slip

bedroom heels

Nancy Ganz The Allure Lace Slip, RRP $159.95. Available at selected stockists and the new online store at www.nancyganz.com.au

My Boudior by Dames & Divas Kimono-inspired silk bedroom heels in Kuro (black) and Aka (red), RRP $159.95. Available exclusively online at www.damesanddivas.com.au

A TOUCH OF

luxury Smalls, undies, knickers, undergarments – whatever you call them, they are the items of clothing we wear most often though often go unseen. This month, add a touch of luxury to your wardrobe with these exquisite lingerie pieces … they are so beautiful it’s a shame to hide them!

bra queen Renee Mayne (www.braqueen.com.au) is the bra queen. As Australia’s number one bra critic, she is immersed in all things lingerie and is passionate about educating women to help them find their perfect bra, honestly and unbiasedly.

space age The Amoena Mia bra range, RRP $89.95, (that uses the same technology that protects astronauts from extreme temperatures) range with Comfort+ technology features six unique product lines in sizes 10 to 24, from a C cup to a G cup. Briefs are available for each style and are priced from $29.95 to $34.95. Amoena Australia is proud to support the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre as a platinum partner with the Amoena Mia collection.

For stockists phone 1800 773 285

sexy and supportive Mimi Holliday Lingerie always delivers. It is an awardwinning company that specialises in sexy, supportive lingerie that is so well made you never want to take it off. RRP starts from $109.95. www.damaris.co.uk

“If you are going to spend a little extra on your bras, you want them to last,” she says. Renee has offered some tips for bra shopping.

full of glace

•• The underwires must sit flush against your chest; this gives you separation and enhances support and comfort.

Glace in ivory scallop lace, RRP $80.80. Available from www.intimatecouture.com.au

•• The band should fit snugly on the loosest hook, when it stretches you can tighten it to ensure optimum support.

•• There should be no gaping or spillage in the cup.

•• You should be able to fit two fingers under your bra straps; they shouldn’t dig in or slide off your shoulders.

•• The band needs to fit even from front to back.

•• Your nipples need to sit halfway between your shoulders and your elbows.

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vintage inspired Sally Jones has designed a vintage-inspired collection called Honeymoon that is perfect leading into summer. The attention to detail is superb and the structure is fantastic, not to mention how gorgeous it is. RRP starts from $139.00. Visit www.sallyjones.com.au

deliciously decadent Creme Brulee in champagne silk satin with black polka dot, RRP $80.80. Available from www.intimatecouture.com.au

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vanity case

bling brush Vani-T Kabuki brush, RRP $43.95. This opulent Kabuki brush with diamantes is of the highest quality. We love it as it is so, so soft and applies mineral makeup with ease. Plus it looks charming! Available through selected beauty salons, spas, hairdressers and online at www.vani-t.com

silk appeal

naughty but nice Savvi Bijoux Secrets chocolate inkwell and plume, RRP $72.68. The plume will look fabulous on your bedside table along with the delicious chocolate inkwell plus an eye mask to add a dash of daring to this Victorian-themed Savvi set. It’s deliciously naughty! Available from www.savvi.com.au

Slip silk sleep pillows, RRP $59.95. Ever woken up with a ‘sleep-crease’ on your face? While the creases usually go away later the same day, they are an indication of the damage done to your face when sleeping on a cotton pillowcase. Available from www.slipslip.com and Cozmedics clinics Maroochydore and Noosa. Phone 5409 4466. www.cozmedics.com.au

pamper time

pure gold Leorex Booster Gold, RRP $159.95. Containing true gold, Leorex Booster Gold is a non-invasive Botox alternative that aims to instantly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin’s surface for up to eight hours. Available at selected salons and online at www.leorex.com.au

Add a little luxury to your vanity case with these glamorous bathroom (and bedroom!) treats. bronze shimmer

Sax Bronze shimmer powder and puff shimmer powder and puff, RRP $14.95. Sweep on a shimmering, sunkissed glow from head to toe. A luxurious lightweight shimmering bronzing powder that is applied with a luxury pampering puff to give your skin an instant dazzling bronze glow. Lightly powder your body and décolletage using the luxury pampering puff. Available from selected stockists and www.saxcosmetics.com

glitz and glamour white and bright Pola Whitening System, RRP $550. This professional take-home tooth whitening system includes the entire kit and all appointments required. This system will allow you to quickly and easily reverse many of the discolourations in your teeth.

Visit www.polawhite.com

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Models Prefer Highlighter Quad in Glitz and Glamour, RRP $9.99. Create a gorgeous glow by combining the four sections of colour to brighten and accentuate features.The four shades can be applied on their own or combined to give a fresh, natural look to light up your face or body. Available exclusively at Priceline stores Australia wide. Visit www.priceline.com.au or phone 1300 88 44 11

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mystyle

ll photography ben connolly

Sunshine Coast fashion designer Salita Matthews is making a name for herself in the fashion world, having studied and worked in New York. she is now onto her fourth collection of unique garments – inspired by her travels and influenced by her family of artisans. We catch up with Salita as she catapults to fame in the fashion world.

profile: What do you love most about your job? salita: I really love that my trade allows me to have a creative outlet to express myself. Plus, I not-so-secretly love that I can pack up and travel anywhere in the world that I want at the drop of a hat. profile: What looks can we expect to see this season? salita: My recent travels to Morocco have been the major inspiration for my current summer collection. I’ve incorporated a beautiful monochrome Arabic print in one of my first attempts at producing my own custom fabric prints, and the graphic goes perfectly with the desert colour palette I have selected that consists of mustards, burnt reds and burnished metallics.

salita matt

hews

profile: Who is your favourite designer? salita: There are so many exciting designers out there both in Australia and internationally right now that I couldn’t really choose one! I personally like to purchase vintage clothing and also buy from independent designers as well as jewellers. I also love buying from local artisans at markets and quirky boutiques around the world. profile: How would you describe your own style? salita: My mood usually determines the way I dress, so from day-to-day it can change. Lately, I’ve been channelling a more bohemian vibe, wearing a lot of accessories and contrasting textures. I love putting unexpected and unpredictable pieces together and putting my own stylised twist on a look. profile: What is your fashion inspiration? salita: My global travels and witnessing unique and varied cultures of the world and how they put together traditional wear is a strong inspiration of mine.

The rock ‘n’ roll world of music greatly inspires me also – I love looking at old pictures of The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. Their styles were so wild and exotic for their generation, and so fun and dramatic. profile: What is your fashion fetish? salita: Noisy jewellery! I jingle-jangle a lot with rings on my fingers and bells on my toes … I’m not very good at sneaking up on people. profile: What do you always have in your handbag? salita: I’m very minimal in that I don’t even carry a handbag most of the time.

If I were to take a handbag out it would mainly be empty and just worn to enhance my outfit! Oh and I’m known at times to carry a bottle of Tabasco sauce with me to spice up my food! profile: What is your best style tip? salita: Find your own rhythm. Not everyone can get away with wearing the same clothes as a celebrity or a model, but you can put your own twist on their look to suit yourself and your figure. I think people really need to work out what shapes and lengths suit their bodies. Discovering what colours suit you is also essential.

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advice

a very hairy christmas with Wade Blackford Another year is almost behind us and Christmas is just around the corner, so here are a few tips for the festive season to keep you, your friends and family looking great for the holidays.

Remember your hair is a really important part of who you are. When your hair is looking great and feeling healthy, so are you. It’s the same for your friends and family, so just in case you’re stuck for gift ideas, there are some awesome hair care gift packs out at the moment for the whole family, including the man of the house.

If you want to take it a step further for that someone special, why not go to your regular salon or find out where they go and grab a gift voucher? I’m sure the salon will be more than happy to help you with choosing the appropriate

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service, and let’s face it, no one feels better than when they walk out of the salon with a new do.

Top three hairy presents this Christmas

One of the most popular presents at Christmas time is a straightening iron. Without a doubt, salons sell out of these hair must-haves every year, so if you’ve got notions of grabbing one get in quick before they’re all gone.

A hint to all the ladies out there. Start dropping hints to your other half now, including where they can pick up your favourite brand of iron, because every year on Christmas Eve we get crazed husbands running into the salon trying to get their hot little hands on one. By that time they would have a better chance giving Santa himself a call on the reindeer hotline and paying in milk and cookies.

2. A straightening iron (my pick would be the H2D linear series RRP $229)

1. A voucher for their favourite salon

3. A hair care product pack (my pick is KEVIN. MURPHY for the ladies and American Crew for the guys).

Until next year, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Strut Hair and Beauty 5443 5605 www.struthair.com.au

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advice

a new era – pearl plasma with Dr Alison Jamieson The first decade of the 21st century has brought a number of changes, discoveries and medical advances within cosmetic medicine that have influenced how we choose to embrace the ageing process.

We are becoming more educated and inquisitive about the options available to us and value both expertise and choice when considering a cosmetic procedure.

Therefore, it is more important than ever that practitioners stay ahead of the game by attending national and international conferences and generally being aware of any changes and developments within the industry.

I regularly participate in the research and development of advanced cosmetic rejuvenation techniques and I’m frequently inspired by the medical advances within the industry.

One of the latest advances in skin rejuvenation procedures is a dual-acting treatment – Pearl

Fractional laser combined with Platelet Rich Plasma.

Pearl Fractional represents the most advanced technology in fractional lasers, providing an ideal combination of volumising results and rapid recovery. With the Pearl Fractional laser, patients notice an immediate improvement in their complexion, greatly reducing the signs of ageing. Over the long term, continual structural changes in the skin are seen, including increased volume and firmness, sun damage repair and collagen stimulation.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) utilises the patient’s own healthy platelets to deliver growth factors into the skin, stimulating more fibroblastic activity, leading to collagen production. PRP is massaged into the skin immediately post Pearl Fractional treatment to boost the effects of the treatment.

of their skin, the clarity of their complexion and a reduction in their wrinkles and pore size. They get especially excited about the concept of PRP, a natural way to boost the effect of the laser treatment. The procedure is safe and easy to tolerate and the recovery is reasonably quick.

This combination procedure effectively treats the entire face and is uniquely effective in the delicate periorbital (around the eyes) and perioral (around the mouth) areas. Other areas suited include the chest, neck, forearms and the back of the hands. It is also very effective for improving acne scarring and smoothing the appearance of raised scars.

COZmedics Medispas – Noosa, Maroochydore, Ascot, Kenmore 1300 792 299 www.cozmedics.com.au

Patients love this new treatment program because they see results in the texture and tone

Want younger and healthier legs?

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Wrinkle treatment Dermal fillers Liquid FaceLift Natural Lips LipoDissolve (fat dissolving injections)

Visit us online at www.sunshineveinclinic.com.au december 2011

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life

don’t be a stress statistic with Maggie Wilde It has been reported that stress-related illness has almost doubled since 1990. When stress levels occur over long periods, or when multiple causes happen one after the other without recuperation periods, our physical and emotional health is compromised.

3. Type ‘A’ personalities: analytical, high achievers, can be quick to anger, competitive

Recent studies show that stress causes more than 60 per cent of illness, and that it can cause ‘sympathetic dominance’, meaning the fight and flight response is more dominant than it is helpful. It’s like revving the engine permanently.

It creates higher levels of cortisol, which can cause numerous issues including weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Unmanaged reactions to stress have also been linked to cancer and heart disease.

6. Work: long hours, deadlines, presenting, job interviews

There are different causes of stress, as follows, and everyone has different coping mechanisms.

Symptoms of stress can include: Weight loss or gain, mind racing / unhelpful thoughts, problems concentrating, irritation / anger issues, muscle tension and pain, headaches, digestive problems, high blood pressure, excessive fatigue, anxiety, hair loss or skin problems and unwanted behaviours, such as excessive drinking.

1. Emotional issues, illness, grief or loss 2. Change: house moves, marriage / divorce, career or financial difficulties

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4. Internal conflict: feeling trapped doing something you dislike 5. External conflict: neighbours, family

between

friends,

7. Sleep issues 8. Trauma: accidents, being witness / victim to a traumatic event 9. Hereditary / learned behaviours: when parents don’t have appropriate reactions to stress children do not often learn appropriate coping mechanisms

Avoid becoming a stress statistic! Take time to regularly imagine a peaceful sanctuary – pretend it is real (the mind doesn’t know the difference).

Do regular ‘power breaths’ – press your palms together and take 10 fast, deep belly breaths.

Imagine writing ‘relax’ in the air (repeat it in a gentle inner voice as you do). Look outside / get fresh air. Rub or tap specific stress reduction acupoints (including the ball of the foot, middle finger on the left hand, wrist of the left hand and webbing between the thumb and index finger).

Stretch regularly (like a yawn). Lighten your day by wearing smiley faces on the soles of your shoes (take a peek regularly) … or swing on a swing!

Top tip: Learn self-hypnosis. In hypnosis, you automatically move from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system. This means you relax into the ‘rest and digest’ mode to help you heal.

Maggie Wilde Stress Reduction and Weight Loss Hypnosis Centre 1300 664 544 www.maggiewilde.com

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Problems with motivation, happiness, exercise, excess fat, libido and energy? Get your mojo back in time for a great Christmas.

Eating well and exercising are crucial to being healthy, but the body is reliant on a few other things to be able to be happy, motivated, build muscle, lose fat and produce energy. Three of those things are the right balance of food groups in your diet, protein absorption and good nutrients.

Good nutrients, along with proteins, produce dopamine levels in the brain, further making adrenalin, so you have the energy you require to do the exercise you need to achieve the changes in your body you desire. Dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter that controls motivation, happiness, drive, libido and energy.

Dopamine is made from tyrosine – an amino acid, B6, folate, zinc, magnesium, B complex, vitamin C and iron.

Depression is very common in today’s society, making it hard to get out there and exercise.

Both dopamine and serotonin deficiencies are the main causes of depression. Serotonin is also increased in production when you improve your protein absorption and nutrient intake. If depression has been a concern for you, it may be another sign that you have poor protein and nutrient absorption.

Balancing fats, proteins and carbohydrates in the diet makes a huge difference when it comes to getting results with exercise, once you have the energy to do it. Muscle growth and weight loss occur easily when you balance your food groups properly, as too much of one compared to another can influence your production of insulin. Insulin will send a message to your body to either gain or lose weight. You need to make sure your percentages of each food group are correct, while keeping your portion sizes adequate, but not more than you require.

Your body will tell you when you are not eating enough, but will not often tell you when you are eating too much.

are manufactured. You should check this if you are weight training and notice no change in the muscle, or cannot lose weight. You may also notice flat moods as protein is required to make your brain neurotransmitters, hormones, motivation and energy.

By addressing each of the above factors, you will have much greater results with the same effort, while improving your mood in the process. If you would like to know more, book a free half hour consult to discuss your options or register for an upcoming free webinar on the causes and treatment of anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other conditions.

With low dietary protein or poor absorption, your muscles cannot grow or repair. Your muscles are the engine of your body that burn calories – the more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn and the faster your metabolism will become. For anyone who is training, you require at least three to six protein meals daily, you also need to be absorbing it through the gut. Absorption of protein is often taken for granted. If you’ve been ill, or are a little older, there may be a lack of bacteria in the gut necessary to form a complete amino acid chain, which is where many of your proteins

www.advancedwellness.com.au Jodi Chapman B.H.Sc. Naturopath Suzi Le Fanue BSc(BMed) ND Naturopath & Nutritionist

Advanced Wellness & Behavioural Centre 5443 1987 44 Baden Powell St, Maroochydore

Gift certificates available for Christmas

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Three sessions for only $198* *Limit one per person

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life

pregnancy – a testing time with Dr James Moir You cross your fingers and wait nervously for the home pregnancy test to do its thing. A few minutes later, you have the answer you’ve been waiting for – and your journey towards motherhood begins.

At your initial visit, your GP or obstetrician will discuss your medical history, perform an examination and health check, perform a pap smear if it is due (or overdue!) and estimate when your baby will be due. If your period dates are uncertain, or if you have an irregular cycle, the doctor will ask for an early scan to work out the dates. You will usually have a blood test for the standard antenatal screening tests and sometimes to check the level of pregnancy hormone in your blood.

The initial blood test will check your blood group and antibody screen (to make sure there is no blood group incompatibility between you and the baby). From this point, assuming you are healthy and have no complicating factors, you should visit your doctor every four weeks until the 26th week of pregnancy.

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After that, the tempo picks up a little with fortnightly visits until the 36th week. In the ‘home stretch’ you will see your doctor every week. Your doctor will check your blood pressure, feel your abdomen to check the size and position of your baby and check the baby’s heartbeat.

repeat the tests for anaemia and any blood group incompatibility (a blood count and antibody screen). If it is high, a more formal two-hour fasting glucose tolerance test is required to confirm whether or not you have gestational diabetes or not.

Other routine testing can be split into each of the three trimesters (three month periods of the pregnancy). Additional tests in the first trimester include the Down Syndrome screen, performed between 11 and 14 weeks – best performed at about 12 weeks.

Other third trimester screening includes follow-up scans for women with low-lying placentas, and further antibody screening at about 34 weeks for women who are Rhesus-negative.

In the second trimester (18 to 20 weeks), another ultrasound is performed, to check the baby’s size, the physical appearance of the baby, including the brain, heart, abdominal structures and limbs. Although very minor defects might not be detected even with modern ultrasound scanning, major defects, including spina bifida, are reliably picked up at this scan. The position of the placenta is also noted.

Although antenatal screening is not compulsory, very few women have objections to it. We appreciate every woman will do all that she reasonably can to ensure safety for themselves and their baby in the course of the pregnancy, and be fit and ready for the big day – your baby’s birth day!

Moir Medical 5444 0799 www.moirmedical.com.au

In the third trimester, usually between 26 and 28 weeks, we screen for diabetes of pregnancy and

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life

infertility can be isloating with Denise Donati

Infertility is an extremely isolating experience. This is exacerbated because infertility and the death of a child are taboo subjects. As a society, we have difficulty dealing with these sad experiences.

Most couples take their ability to have a child for granted. However, one in six couples worldwide who would like to have a child are unable to do so, and it can be a very painful experience. For those who remain childless, infertility is a life-long disability with life-long emotional consequences.

Christmas is a time for celebration of a special birth in history. It is a time for families – a time for children. The Christmas holiday season can be stressful for infertile people as this time can be a painful reminder of a longed-for child. The pointers below present some useful strategies for dealing with these difficult, child-centred celebrations.

Decide to: •• Plan to see your parents or other family members a week or two beforehand so they know you care about them. This will leave you

free to spend the day quietly.

•• Be selective about the invitations you accept to parties – in particular, those where there will be lots of children or pregnant women.

Remember, you don’t have to accept every invitation.

•• Be ready to respond to questions from friends about when you plan to have children. Think through the situation and plan your response.

You don’t need to give details. A quiet, “No, we don’t have children,” is sufficient.

•• Be kind to yourself by doing some things you really enjoy such as bush walking, going to the theatre, planning a special holiday or just immersing yourself in a good book.

•• Express your appreciation to your friends and family who have supported you throughout the year. Stay in touch with other friends who understand your position and may be able to offer support.

•• Plan to develop your own traditions and rituals to celebrate special occasions. This will give them meaning, while reducing

painful reminders about your infertility and childlessness.

•• On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day you may like to give your partner a small memento to recognise their commitment to becoming a parent.

Decide not to: •• Feel guilty about not participating in all the traditional family celebrations.

•• Pretend there’s nothing wrong and carry on with ‘business as usual’.

•• Be caught off-guard by unexpected or embarrassing questions about your plans to have a family.

•• Expect others to understand your pain. Refer to it briefly and ask that they support you by respecting your choices.

Fertility Solutions Sunshine Coast and Bundaberg 1300 FERTILITY (337 845) www.fssc.com.au

NoosaCare Inc.

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• Ageing in Place • Permanent and Respite Accommodation • Extra Services Available

december 2011

Carramar, Tewantin

186 Cooroy Noosa Rd, Tewantin Qld 4565 Ph. (07) 5449 8799 Fax. (07) 5449 0195 Email. carramar6@bigpond.com.au

Kabara, Cooroy

20 Topaz St, Cooroy Qld 4563 Ph. (07) 5447 7355 Fax. (07)5442 5199 Email. kabarahostel@bigpond.com.au

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mouth myth busters: part two with Dr Simone Ricketts Continuing on from last month when I noted that the human race is often fascinated by myths, here are a few more intriguing tooth and mouth myths debunked.

Myth: Applying aspirin directly to an aching tooth will ease the pain.

This is not true, and in fact the aspirin, which is an acid, can burn the gum tissue. Taking the aspirin with water orally may ease the pain in the short-term only.

Myth: Mouth rinses alone can cure bad breath.

Research shows that mouth rinses only reduce bacteria numbers in the short-term. In fact, alcohol-based mouth rinses can worsen bad breath. It is better to brush and floss the teeth, and even brush your tongue (remember everything you eat passes over your tongue as well as your teeth). Have a professional clean with your dental hygienist.

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Myth: Thumb sucking can cause buck teeth.

Myth: Getting older inevitably means getting long in the tooth.

Eighty per cent of children suck their thumbs.

Even babies on prenatal ultrasounds have been observed sucking their thumb! However, generally only thumb sucking after age five, when the adult teeth start appearing, can cause alignment problems.

This expression really means having chronic untreated, gum disease. Thus your gums have been exposed to long-term inflammation and bleeding, causing them to shrink, making your tooth actually appear to be longer. Gum disease is treatable and preventable.

Myth: Losing one tooth won’t affect the rest of the mouth.

Myth: Gain a child, lose a tooth.

Losing one tooth, aside from the obvious aesthetic issues, causes something like a domino effect ... i.e. the neighbouring teeth tilt inwards, making bigger gaps between many teeth and the opposing biting teeth grow longer when there is no longer a tooth to bite against.

Myth: Hard bristled toothbrushes are better for your teeth.

Use only soft toothbrushes as hard bristles will wear away tooth enamel, causing root exposure and sensitivity.

This is absolutely untrue. Calcium is not depleted from the mother’s bones and teeth by the baby.

Gingivitis (bleeding and inflammation of gums) affects up to 70 per cent of pregnant women.

However, this is totally preventable with good brushing and flossing twice daily.

So mothball these myths and pamper your pearly whites instead.

Smile by Design 5443 2888 www.smilebydesign.net.au

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life

therapeutic paraffin wax with Tyson Franklin Podiatrists, rehabilitation specialists and medical professionals have endorsed the use of paraffin wax for its therapeutic properties for many years, and have long known that paraffin therapy is a viable way to speed healing and an ideal way to soothe muscle and joint pain.

Paraffin wax is a natural product and has been laboratory tested to be hygienically safe to use.

It is colourless, tasteless and odourless. The heat produced by the application of paraffin wax increases the blood supply to the area being treated and traps moisture from underlying layers of the skin, resulting in rejuvenated and nourished skin.

This type of paraffin therapy reduces pain and stiffness around joints by removing excess fluid from surrounding tissue while providing lubrication.

Within a podiatry clinic, paraffin wax footbaths allow patients to receive therapeutic heat treatment by dipping their foot into a pool of heated, medical-grade paraffin wax. The process involves dipping the foot into the paraffin wax three times, then placing the feet into a plastic sleeve. The feet are then wrapped in towelling to retain the heat and allowed to sit for about 20 minutes.

This penetrating heat is optimal for people suffering from: 1. Arthritis 2. Bursitis and bunion pain 3. Muscle spasms and soreness 4. Chronic joint pain

Therapeutic paraffin wax also aids in the reduction of skin dryness by providing deep moisturising, leaving the skin looking and feeling great, which is perfect for people with cracked heels and other dry skin disorders.

If you’re pain-free and have no dry skin concerns, your feet will still feel better after a therapeutic wax footbath. However, it is not suitable for people with diabetes or other circulatory-type problems.

If in doubt, you should discuss your concerns with your podiatrist prior to treatment.

Proarch Podiatry 1300 776 272 www.proarch.com.au

5. Joint stiffness 6. Ankle soreness and tendonitis.

• • • • •

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christmas gift guide

the festive season

me chr rry istm a

s!

It’s officially here … December, which means the jolly fat man in the red suit will be here any day! While many of us have already decked the halls, put up the tree and wrapped the presents, don’t fret if you’re yet to finish your Christmas shopping. Here are our last but not least present picks for the Christmas tree this year. Merry Christmas!

festive bubbles

a little bit cuckoo What a great gift for the creative kid in your family – and a fabulous way to teach them to tell time. The recipient of this gift will be able to decorate their own cuckoo clock. It comes flat-packed and ready for assembly, taking it from 2D to 3D with a bit of DIY action. RRP $39.95 and available at www.myfavourite.com.au.

secret santa supplies So you’ve forgotten to pick up your secret Santa present for the office Christmas party and you just can’t bear the thought of battling the Christmas shopping crowds? Just pop into your local Coles supermarket. With great last-minute buys like this The Stig Top Gear body wash, RRP $10, or a Miller & Moore bath trio set (featuring crystals, lotion and body butter), RRP $5, you will definitely avoid a ‘Grinch’ situation this Christmas.

say it with socks I can hear Dad groan now, “No more socks and jocks!” But thanks to Sock Hop, (www.sockhop.com.au) the man in your life will be thrilled to receive a couple of pairs of socks, featuring a range of innovative designs. Themes include beer, car, fishing, superhero and even ninja socks. With all socks priced under $16, they make the perfect stocking filler.

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Celebrate Christmas with a bottle of Australia’s favourite moscato – with bubbles! The new Brown Brothers Sparkling Moscato and Sparkling Moscato Rosa will add a touch of sparkle to your festive celebrations – great on the Christmas table or as a special gift for the wine lover in your family. RRP $16.50, available from major retail outlets Australia-wide.

toy story talking Your little one can create his / her own Toy Story adventures with Toy Story electronic talking figures, featuring Buzz, Woody and Jessie. Our pick is Buzz, with a chest plate and wing tips that light up, an anti-gravity belt that can be activated with the push of a button and the ability to say some of his favourite phrases, Buzz Lightyear brings intergalactic fun to real life like never before! RRP $73.99, available from Target, Kmart, Toys ‘R’ Us and all good toy retailers.

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christmas gift guide

sounds of summer Compact and stylish, this Yamaha sound system consists of a sound bar and receiver / subwoofer, which can be conveniently positioned near the TV. The sound bar has three speakers for clear dialogue from movies and TV programs. Yamaha’s Air Surround Xtreme reproduces 7.1-channel surround sound with high quality and excellent imaging. A generous gift for the one you love at RRP $699 from Harvey Norman, Maroochydore, 5452 7144.

stirred, not shaken Finest

grab a holster jelly bargain There’s not a woman on the planet who wouldn’t squeal with delight at the site of a pair (or three) of Holster jellies under the Christmas tree.

This year, Holster Fashion in Noosa is clearing out its last season’s styles prior to Christmas. Snap up a super special – Queen jelly (clear black) on sale for RRP $31.47, Holiday jelly (clear) – one of Dannii Minogue’s favourites – on sale for $23.50, and Triangle (clear) priced at RRP $29 – all 50 per cent off 2010-2011 prices! Stocks are limited so head to Holster Fashion’s showroom, 6-55 Gateway Drive, Noosaville.

Enjoy...

This two litre round jug with stainless steel stirrer, RRP $39.95, from Salt&Pepper (www.saltandpepper.com. au), is just the right size for a pitcher of festive egg quality delicacies produced locally nog or fruity punch. If you’re giving it to a friend, why the noton add theSunshine makings of Coast. their favourite cocktail for a personal touch?

P | 0406 670 952 Enjoy... info@dliciousgourmethampers.com

speedy fresh

Finest quality delicacies produced locally on the Sunshine Coast.

This mini Ray & Irene De food Vos processor, the Tefal

Fresh Express, P | 0406 670 952 is a must-have coming into summer – the perfect gift for a info@dliciousgourmethampers.com

passionate foodie. It will slice and grate – simply by changing the drum.

Ray &Fabulous Irene De Vos for summer salads! Priced at RRP $69 from Harvey Norman, Maroochydore, 5452 7144.

D’licious Gourmet Hampers D’licious Gourmet Hampers

A taste SunshineCoastCoast A tasteof ofthe the Sunshine www.dliciousgourmethampers.com www.dliciousgourmethampers.com

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christmas gift guide

super cool Ensure the one you love stays cool this summer with the Omega Altise Airpod portable air conditioner. With a 14,000 BTUs (4.1kw) cooling capacity, it is the perfect size for most bedrooms. It’s compact and mobile, featuring a 24-hour timer, remote control and even a window kit so installation is a breeze. RRP $687 from Harvey Norman, Maroochydore, 5452 7144.

say cheese!

Give a fabulous git that’s ideal for the Christmas table … a wooden fromage board (30cm x 20cm) with stainless steel side knife. Throw on a few rounds of gooey French brie and a packet of gourmet crackers for the perfect present.

RRP $29.95 from Salt&Pepper, www.saltandpepper.com.au.

beautiful angels

the gift of healthy hair The Wella Care and Styling Brilliance range is infused with multi-sensorial ingredients, such as diamond dust and orchid extract, to leave hair free-flowing with an irresistible touch.

The Brilliance Pack (RRP $44) contains Brilliance Shampoo, Brilliance Conditioner, Brilliance Intensive Treatment Mask and Wella Professionals Stay Styled Finishing Spray. For stockists call 1300 885 002.

Made entirely by hand in a small workshop in the USA, these beautiful Christmas angels were once a favourite decoration on the White House Christmas tree. Available in four sizes, the largest angel is perfect to pop on top of your tree this festive season (small RRP $24, medium RRP $36 and large RRP $50).

Available from Add Plus, Noosaville, phone 5449 9677.

merry christmas in montville Forty Montville retailers have rallied together to donate more than $8,000 worth of prizes to give locals a great reason to shop locally. Spend $25 with Montville, Kondalilla or Flaxton retailers for an entry into the draw to win one of three amazing hampers, which include: luxury accommodation, spa sessions, restaurant vouchers, skincare and a range of special gifts and experiences. What a fabulous way to be rewarded for supporting Hinterland businesses!

Winners will be drawn at the Montville Village Association Carols, Wednesday December 21, on the Village Green (email montvillechamber@gmail.com for information).

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bliss on buderim

beauty

...it’s all about you

Refresh revitalise and escape

Why not give the perfect gift with one of our Spa Experience gift vouchers

Our Summer Spa Escape will awaken, refresh and revitalise your skin.

Enjoy a sensory session in our AQUA therapy centre and steam room, then begin your journey with a Shimmer Salt Scrub complete with algae petals to exfoliate and remineralise your skin.

Then choose from either a one hour Specific Thalgo facial or a one hour combined massage. We’ll also include a special complimentary gift from Thalgo to extend your sensory voyage at home... sheer summer bliss.

Summer Spa Offer per person

Valued at $280

AQUA Day Spa 14-16 Hastings Street Noosa Heads Qld 4567 Email: aquadayspa@sheraton.com SNR1384

december 2011

$195*

*Valid to 28/2/12 excluding 20/12/11 to 15/1/12. Subject to availability.

For bookings please call the Spa on 5449 4777 and quote PROFILE. Visit sheraton.com/noosa. profilemagazine

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on the table

with Tobie Puttock celebrity chef, owner of The Kitchen Cat (Melbourne), and Aussie Mango ambassador

spiced chicken and mango salad

spiced chicken and mango salad (serves 2) ingredients •• 1 large free range chicken breast (preferably with the skin on)

•• ½ a ripe mango, peeled and cut into chunks

•• 1 teaspoon of Chinese five spice

•• small handful of macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

•• drizzle of olive oil •• 2 spring onions, washed, trimmed and finely sliced •• small handful of freshly picked coriander, washed, dried and roughly chopped

•• juice of one lime

•• handful of pea shoots or watercress •• 1 little gem or small iceberg lettuce, washed and roughly chopped

method 1. Cut the chicken breast into bite sized pieces and place into a bowl with the five spice. Mix so the spice covers all of the chicken.

2. Heat the olive oil over a high heat in a medium sized pan and once hot add the chicken and cook until browned all over. Once cooked remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl bring together the spring onions, coriander, mango, lime juice, macadamia nuts, pea shoots (or watercress) and finally the cooked chicken.

4. Toss to combine and serve immediately.

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his summer, I want to encourage people of all ages to go an Aussie mango as the first fruits of this year’s crop make their way to supermarkets and greengrocers nationwide. We Aussies sure love our mangoes.

Each season we eat our way through about seven million trays – we certainly appreciate this popular seasonal fruit.

Every year I look forward to being able to eat a delicious, home-grown mango on a hot summer night. They are the flavour of summer and are so quick and easy to prepare. I enjoy getting stuck into them fresh, as a snack, or as part of a tasty meal.

Best of all, mangoes are one of the few fruits that can jump between sweet and savoury. One of my favourite ingredients to serve with mango is maple syrup, it’s amazing! I also love to play with its sweetness by adding chilli or salty flavours such as fish sauce or prosciutto.

The options are endless with mangoes and there’s a wide range of varieties for the whole family to enjoy all summer long. The best thing is you can enjoy the rich, succulent flavour and sweetness without the guilt of overindulging. They truly are one of nature’s super fruits, bursting with nutrients to help you stay healthy this summer.

With summer upon us, it’s the perfect time to enjoy this spiced chicken and mango salad.

For more mango recipes, visit www.mangoes. net.au.

Tobie profilemag.com.au

december 2011

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on the table

passion for produce with Dr Plonk www.drplonk.com.au

P

perfect prawns

words genine howard ll photography ben connolly

rawns are the ideal summer food and our Sunny Coast prawns are some of the best in world.

They are best freshly cooked in salads, stir fries or simply peeled and eaten. One of the healthiest ways to prepare prawns is steaming – yes, steaming! With three levels of steaming compartments, Harvey Norman’s Miele steam oven is the perfect appliance for easy prawn dishes. We gave this new-age appliance a go to try our hand at prawns with soy dressing. Easy and delicious!

prawns with soy dressing (serves 12 to 24) ingredients

method

•• 24 medium green prawns

•• Peel and devein green prawns

•• 1 clove garlic, crushed

•• Place a prawn on to each Chinese soup spoon

•• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger •• 2 tablespoons lime juice •• 1 ½ tablespoons light soy sauce •• ¼ teaspoon sesame oil

•• Combine remaining ingredients, and drizzle over each prawn •• Arrange spoons in a perforated steamer tray •• Select ‘cook fish’ or a temperature of 85°C •• Steam for four to five minutes, depending on the size of the prawns •• Serve on spoon

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What do a Czech immigrant, a Tassie cricket player and a Tour de France rider have in common?

Read on as I am referring to a group of winemakers in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley in the north west of the state with Launceston its major port of call.

With probably the highest number of vineyards in the state, it truly is a tourist-friendly mecca.

Even though the climate was a little chilly (max 12 degrees and icicles on the fountain outside Quamby Homestead), the warmth that oozes from the people and their passion for the produce quashed any chills.

Joseph Chromy is the affable immigrant who is well-known as a self-made man. The wines are turned out in good order with crisp rieslings, complex chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc that has vibrant gooseberry and citrus aromas and a satisfying well-rounded palate. The pinot noir is his coup de grace and is made on three levels: the Pepik, Estate and Zadar range.

The former Tasmanian wicket keeper who holds the record for the most dismissals in an innings is Joel Holyman, another well known local who has turned his skills to making a sublime pinot noir.

This wine has the honour of being included in the Len Evans wine tutorial. The 2006 is a cracker, winning a trophy at the 2008 Tassie wine show.

Velo, French for bicycle, is the name of the winery owned by former Tour de France rider, Michael Wilson. Apart from snappy whites and alluring pinot noir, Michael has focused on Bordeaux-style cabernet merlot and notably, the only shiraz made in Tasmania. These wines are worth getting from their websites as you can dazzle guests at your next dinner party.

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MAROOCHYDORE

THE COOKING SPECIALIST www.harveynorman.com.au

Shop 5, Sunshine Homemaker Centre, 100 Maroochydore Rd 5452 7144 (Computers/Electrical only) Harvey Norman速 stores are operated by independent franchisees.

219128_MCH

EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE AT

travelfile

ll words alana rushton

explore the wonders of the great barrier reef this christmas with a quicksilver adventure

STILL LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE PLACE TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR WITH YOUR LOVED ONES? WHY NOT CONSIDER PORT DOUGLAS AND THE DAINTREE IN QUEENSLAND’S TROPICAL NORTH? AS OUR FORMER TNQ PROFILE MAGAZINE EDITOR ALANA RUSHTON REVEALS, CHRISTMAS IN THE TROPICS IS AN EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE MISSED.

I

can’t think of a region that better represents Christmas than the Port Douglas and Daintree area. With its striking fields of sugar cane, flowing rivers, dense rainforest and mountainous vistas, it’s green from every angle.

Add a splash of red from the poinsettia trees and croton plants, and you have a traditionally-coloured backdrop for your festive celebrations.

We all know December though to March in the tropics is considered storm time. It’s the amazing wet season. It’s when waterfalls flow, fish feast and mango trees burst with fruit. It’s when cicadas hum and water rhythmically falls from the sky onto our roofs.

So off I went on a three-day tour of the region, just before the ‘big wet’, with journalists from Darwin, Brisbane and Townsville. At the time, I was packing up our Cairns home to leave the state and move to Victoria, and I wanted one last hurrah in the tropics. It was a reminder of what I will miss; what the hordes of tourists come to see. It’s also a prod to make the most of what our beautiful state has to offer.

First stop, the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa. We had lunch in the Julaymba Restaurant and Gallery. You can drive there, see the iconic canopy-top tree houses and enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner in the tranquil setting.

We then headed just five minutes up the road to the quaint Daintree Village – a tiny shopping strip where you can book a river cruise, chat to locals or wander the timber gallery and pottery shop. The drive back through Mossman into Port Douglas reminded me of the pace of life just north of Cairns. It’s all about resort wear, tourists lingering in bars listening to laid-back music.

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It’s people taking the time to read the paper, and where green and red parrots squawk from palm trees overhead. A celebration of the sounds of summer.

My mum looked after my nine-month-old son, Beau, at our Tuscan-inspired accommodation for the next two nights, at Villa San Michele Apartments.

Centrally located on Macrossan Street, it’s literally in the thick of the Port Douglas lifestyle. Its curved peach walls, wrought iron balustrades, ceramic lanterns and bougainvilleas all create a sense of holiday.

After settling in, I was whisked off for Flames of the Forest dining. The dark winding road led to a burning flame welcome strip. We hopped out of our bus and traversed a small path lit by candles which opened to a clearing with towering up-lit trees. Dining under a fancy marquee in the middle of the rainforest, we were told a dreamtime story by traditional descendants of the area.

Tucked up in bed by 11:30pm, I was ready to face a big day on the reef – but not before a tropical Breakfast with the Birds buffet at the Wildlife Habitat, which is complete kiddy-heaven. Beau was in awe of the walk-through aviary of birds, and he even got to pat an olive python.

Ready for adventure, Quicksilver boats sat glistening in sunshine at the Port Douglas Marina, where we boarded for a day at Agincourt Reef. After arriving we excitedly prepared for a dry semi-submersible tour. Completely suitable for children, Beau got his first glimpse of coral and fish – something that still takes my breath away. A lunch of prawns and salads, and I was ready to hit the water. I snorkelled along, taking in the magic of the reef.

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daintree discovery centre aerial walkway

It’s the amazing wet season. It’s when waterfalls flow, fish feast and mango trees burst with fruit.’

Back to harbour and we dolled up for a night at the Sheraton Mirage. I felt a sense of old-world glamour as we entered the grand foyer filled with antiques, statues and chandeliers. Outside are two hectares of lagoon pools that dwarf the buildings, and the hotel boasts direct access to golden Four Mile Beach. Morning came too soon, and we were shown the Peninsula Boutique Hotel. Testament to its recent National Luxury Award alongside some of the biggest Australian hotel names, it was at 100 per cent occupancy.

Before being shown the exquisite facilities, we ate breakfast alongside locals in the cafe that overlooks the sand and the Coral Sea. After breakfast we were given a revolutionary iPhone rundown of a new product called iTours – homemade in Port. It’s an application for tech-savvy users who wish to research and book their own tours and activities online while at a destination. As we scrolled through the region’s tourism products, it was clear the offers vary from family fun to romantic getaways. What choice!

If it’s a secluded hideaway you want – it’s just a short drive on the road

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home to Cairns to five-star Thala Beach Lodge. It welcomes locals to enjoy magnificent views of the coastline from the headland. Rooms are perched high in the 145 acres of the nature reserve, and you can immerse yourself in the views by dining at the spectacular Ospreys Restaurant.

Now that I live in Victoria and have the benefit of hindsight, my advice is to make Port Douglas and the Daintree part of your Christmas plans – no matter where you live. Your biggest decision will be what cocktail will best accompany the wet tropics over the Christmas period. If you do happen to venture north for the festive season, which I hope you do, send Port Douglas my love … how I miss the tropics already.

For a great range of deals on the above mentioned companies, visit Tourism Port Douglas Daintree www.tpdd.com.au or phone 07 4099 4588.

Supporting Queensland Tourism: Profile Magazine, a privately-owned Queensland business, is doing its part to promote Queensland tourism destinations.

four mile beach, port douglas

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Italy travel to with Sonia Baldissera

Italian feast We know that a country’s eating habits are useful factors in reconstructing its economic and social history. In fact, the presence or absence of certain foods in the national diet constitutes a precise indicator of the level of prosperity and progress a nation has reached.

The invention of the pasta machine for making spaghetti and macaroni, and hence the introduction of commercially-produced pasta, dates back to the first decade of the 19th century. Then in the 1840s, the distinguishing characteristics and bouquets of major Italian wines were established, and parmesan cheese took on its definitive form and flavour.

In the Nord-Est (north east) is the Veneto region, which includes the magical city of Venice – marine republic and centre of financial power.

Venice has always been the reference point for the inland area, and culinary matters are no exception.

It was in Venice that the agricultural products of the very fertile surrounding plains flowed, and from there the abundant goods imported from the Orient, mythical land of spices, herbs and exotic fruits, were distributed inland. First among them was rice, which having first arrived in Spain and then spread throughout Europe, found its ideal home right here in the Veneto, gradually becoming one of the unifying elements of local culinary traditions.

Rice was used to prepare the first course served to the Doge on St Mark’s Day – feast day of Venice’s patron saint, San Marco. The dish’s dialect name is ‘risi e bisi’, rice and peas.

Globaltraveller 0424 255 697 info@globaltraveller.net.au

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abode

colourful delight Add a splash of colour with these Dalena bamboo placemats, RRP $9.95 each from Country Road. For stockists phone 1800 801 911 or visit www.countryroad.com.au

a touch of class These stylish Tombo side tables from add plus are available with glass or veneer tops, RRP $330. Phone 5449 9677

versatile decoration This cotton Suzanil Dhurrie can be used as a conventional rug or hung on the wall, RRP $695, available at www.mattblatt.com.au

fresh fabrics Fresh European fabrics from Harry Harry Fabrics. Featured – Sundance, Bruma and Versalles fabrics in cotton and linen.

Phone Harry Harry Noosa on 5447 4619

stylish sofa Create impact and add style to a room with this Danish-inspired Nordic sofa in aqua, rrp $1,699. www. clickonfurniture.com.au

make an impact This striking Tana cushion is from Country Road, RRP $ 49.95. For Country Road stockists phone 1800 801 911 or visit www.countryroad.com.au

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holiday decorating Decorate your home in time for Christmas with a few of our favourite things this month.

with Belle Hemming Interior Designer www.spaceplanners.com.au

classic designs

for travel lovers

impressive feature

Designer and founder of Cloth Fabric Julie Patterson has collaborated with Linen House to create this beautiful bed linen. Featured is Rose Bed Linen, RRP $249.95 (queen quilt cover). Available through Myer stores

‘The Places We’ll Go’ vintage map is inspired by a love of travel; this vintage world map is aged to perfection. RRP $449.95, visit www.blackliststudioprints.com

The Luxembourg low armchair is a stunning addition to an outdoor space, RRP $795 from Cotswold Furniture, Newstead, phone 3252 8488

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Add+ Noosa

Advertisement

Landscape your garden & save 50% on delivery IF you’re having guests over “No-one wants to have to this festive season, or just want spend their Christmas holidays to enjoy a relaxing "staycation", pulling out weeds or re-mulching be sure to get as many of those a garden because they applied garden tidy and makeover jobs the wrong type of mulch,’’ said as you can done now, to avoid Mark. stress later. With that in mind, Picking up your supplies is here’s something you might not easy at Coastal which has a have known ... Coastal trailer-friendly yard. “There’s Landscape Supplies at Kunda plenty of room to drive around Park has the largest range of so there’s no need to back your landscaping products on-site on trailer. We also have a variety of the Coast. "We have 51 bins full trucks in different sizes to deliver of soils, sands, barks, mulches, your order quickly.”

Kylie Pitt and Mark Cuthel at their Kunda Park yard.

They have 51 bins of product, the screenings, decorative pebbles And forget about waiting around biggest range on the Coast, and offer 50% off delivery charges this month. and rocks," said owner Mark for your product to be delivered.

Cuthel. "As well as pavers, “If it is not delivered on time, and you advice about what will work best. Mulches retaining walls, sleepers, aggi pipe, fertilizers and we don’t call to let you know, you don’t pay the include cypress chip, cypress bark and slash bark more. We'll help you find something to give your delivery fee. That’s our guarantee,” said Mark. "We — available in small, medium and large. “The most yard a lift." also offer bulk discount rates and we can service popular mulches at the moment are great value for There’s no doubt landscaping is a quick and any load size. Or you can save on delivery costs money,” said Kylie. inexpensive way of giving your garden a freshen up and use our free courtesy trailers.”

Hoop bark grips to sloping sites in time for the summer.

Save 50% on Delivery Charges this month “Hoop Bark works well on gardens that slope as Gravels add texture and interest it hooks in place and doesn’t slide down a hill,’’ she Coastal Landscapes is not on a main road. So, to On that note, Mark’s wife Kylie Pitt said more and said. “Cypress Bark also stays in position well and encourage retail customers to visit, Mark and Kylie more people were discovering the advantages of holds its colour for a long time. It has a refreshing, are offering Profile readers 50 percent off delivery using gravels on their gardens. "Gravels add clean fragrance which repels insects, white ants charges. This month only. Please make sure to texture, colour, interest and serenity," she said. and termites. mention this offer when you phone, email or visit.

"It is a very clean product and it deters vermin & “Often our customers come to us with an idea of Coastal Landscape Supplies Open 7 Days insects. It doesn’t change colour or break down. what they want, but it isn’t always suitable for their That means you don’t have to reapply it. So it particular yard,” said Kylie. “We try to steer people • 18 Kerryl Street, Kunda Park means less work and less expense in the long run.” in the direction of the products which will fit their • Phone: 5453 7100. Fax: 5453 7122 If you prefer mulches for your garden beds budget, and also keep their yard looking beautiful • Email: kylie@coastallandscape.com.au Coastal has a big range, and the knowledge to give for longer, with less work.

• Open 7 Days. Yes we are open Sundays. december 2011

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business

minister of finance with Linda Ireland Every household should have their own minister of finance. This is someone who monitors the incomings and outgoings and helps to keep everything within budget.

Financial order is not always about finding a loan with a low home loan rate and / or fees. This philosophy is one of the things I am most excited about and enjoy sharing with my customers.

Early on in our marriage, my husband and I laid out all the jobs necessary to run our household and keep the family budget on track. We split the tasks into ‘pink jobs’ and ‘blue jobs’. The blue are my husband’s jobs and the pink are mine. Sure we don’t always follow this to a tee, but it has resulted in a pretty harmonious home environment for our family.

I educate them about considering their whole home loan package and how to make their finances work for them. My job is to help my customers find a well-suited loan product and repayment structure that’s beneficial financially and easy for them to maintain.

It’s only fair that the person who sleeps with a calculator and a budget spreadsheet on their bedside table gets awarded the job of minister of finance.

Someone once told me that order around money makes more money. I like to think it does more than make you money; it gives you peace of mind and helps you sleep at night, plus with enough order, you’ll be able to start to create wealth in your life, whether through investments or savings.

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You might have heard of professional packages.

This is a loan structure in which a borrower is required to bundle all their personal banking into one package. In exchange for an annual fee they benefit from increased flexibility, reduced interest rates, a range of features and discounts on credit cards, transaction accounts, margin loans and insurance.

A professional mortgage broker can help you compare your existing loan to others available in today’s competitive market to investigate whether a better suited option exists for you and your household.

Informed borrowers are able to make better financial decisions. With lenders battling each other for your business, now is a great time to put your minister of finance hat on and get organised before the new year.

Mortgage Choice 5476 9333 linda.ireland@mortgagechoice.com.au

Some lenders are starting to offer products with similar flexibility and benefits with lower or no annual fees. It’s important to regularly review your overall finances and assess your loan structure.

profilemag.com.au

business

overseas travel with children with Leisa Toomey When relationships fail it can be a difficult time for all involved. Children, in particular, will feel the stress of having to potentially change homes and schools. And if sorting the day-to-day issues aren’t complicated enough, throw into the mix one parent wanting to relocate or another wanting to take the children on an overseas holiday and issues are bound to arise.

Relocating the children If you are planning on moving and relocating children to another town, city, state or country you should discuss this with the other party to attain their permission. You should not assume you have the right to just move the children with consent from the other party as a court may require you to return until it has considered the case. In the situation where there is already a court order in place, if you relocate the children without consent, you will be breaking that order.

If you cannot agree, you can apply to a court for a relocation order to allow you to move, and when reviewing your case, the court will consider what is deemed to be in the best interests of the child.

Overseas travel If you are planning a holiday, you should advise the other parent (and any other person with parental responsibility) of your intention to travel.

It is important your trip is well-planned so you can provide the other parent with as much detail as possible. You must include where you are going, where you will be staying and all relevant contact details. A copy of your itinerary should also be included. If written consent is not provided by all parties with parental responsibility, you can make a written request to the approved senior officer of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to consider issuing the passport due to special circumstances.

Sometimes I see cases where there is legitimate concern that a child may be taken out of Australia without permission and not returned.

It is important legal advice is sought as soon as possible.

To prevent this from happening, we can apply to the court for an order that will prevent a passport being issued, for a child. If a passport has already been issued we can apply for an order that requires a person to deliver a child’s or accompanying adult’s passport to the court.

An order can also be made that will prevent a child from leaving Australia.

Schultz Toomey O’Brien Lawyers 5413 8900 www.stolaw.com.au

checklist for the christmas season with Miriam Torres Season’s greetings to all Profile Magazine readers.

That special time of the year has come around quickly once again, Christmas time arrives and another year finishes.

As we prepare our businesses to close for the Christmas season or for those companies trading through this period, here are a few suggestions to assist you in ensuring clients are well-informed, your data is protected and power is conserved during this time.

We all know how important it is to protect our precious data, especially when we are often away from home or out of the office on holiday. It would be a tragedy to return home or to work to find we have lost everything! And of course, we should always look to conserve power.

Here are a few IT tips for the festive season.

december 2011

•• Backup of data: ensure all your data continues to be backed up during this period in case of fire, theft or electrical interruption.

•• Have your IT company’s phone number handy should you require assistance during the Christmas period.

•• As the storm season has arrived, make sure your server and computers are protected with surge and backup failure devices e.g. surge boards and UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply).

Merry Christmas to you all, and I hope you have a wonderful and safe festive season.

•• Ensure your business is fully protected with anti-virus software so your machines are not under any threat during the holiday season.

Secure Access Pty Ltd 5443 7766 miriam@secureaccess.com.au

•• Think green – if monitors and computers are not in use during the festive season, shut them down.

•• Out of office message – make sure this is activated to communicate your business hours during this period with your clients.

•• Ensure that no passwords are displayed anywhere for server or desktop access.

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valuable banking with Laurie Clarke Having your own ‘banker’ has value, irrespective of whether you are a depositor, transactor, home or personal borrower, or a business customer.

my banker is up-to-date with my affairs, it was a single email, a couple of forms and job done.

Time saved = money saved = value.

•• Is there someone in the bank who knows me and my banking business and will ensure I have the right products to meet my needs?

When I talk about a banker, I mean a single point of contact who knows you and your banking.

Someone you can meet face-to-face when you need to, or even call directly. And you don’t have to explain your whole story again and again before you can get answers, assistance or advice.

Your banker can vary from the customer service officers on the front counter at your local branch who know you and are there whenever you drop in, through to the personal or business banker assigned to look after your banking relationship on an ongoing basis.

•• When I need my next product or service, can I get it done without having to explain my story to someone new?

The question is: how much is a genuine banking relationship worth?

The actual answer will vary, depending on the complexity of your financial affairs or what your needs are. But everyone at some stage will need some banking assistance you can’t get on the net or through an ATM – and that’s where the value comes in.

Even bankers need bankers. My business has just leased a new piece of equipment. Because

The key in each case is continuity and banking expertise. This saves time, money and energy, allowing you to get on with the important things in life and business. That is value.

Customers these days have many choices regarding their banking services, and price is often used as the major determinant. Anyone buying a banking service should ask themselves these questions:

•• If I have a problem or a question, do I know who to talk to and where to find them?

The answers should be taken into account when making decisions about your choice of banking service provider. It is worth asking these few questions or making a couple of extra phone calls to check out all your options. You never know when that support will be needed. It does exist.

BoQ Maroochydore 5443 2711 laurie.clarke@boq.com.au

•• Is there someone interested in helping me meet my financial goals?

This article is for general information purposes only and is not intended as financial or professional advice. The views expressed in this article are solely the views of the author. Bank of Queensland Limited ABN 32 009 656 740 does not endorse, and has not authorised any particular statements in this article. This article has been prepared by, and is the responsibility of the author.

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business

personal liability of directors with Melanie Jacobson The Federal Treasury recently released an exposure draft of a bill to increase the personal liability of company directors who withhold Pay As You Go (PAYG) and Superannuation Guarantee (SG) amounts from employee payments.

The changes are intended to protect workers’ entitlements to compulsory employer superannuation contributions and to address ‘phoenix’ activity involving companies. However, the changes will also create an increased personal liability risk for all directors of companies with paid employees, or contractors who principally provide their labour for whom SG obligations therefore apply.

Importantly, these changes can also expose directors to personal liability in cases where the company has under-reported PAYG or SG withholding amounts because it has incorrectly thought a person is a contractor, not an employee. The changes are expected to take place before the end of this year.

Directors’ Penalty Notice If you receive a Directors’ Penalty Notice it is critical you act immediately to avoid personal liability. If you do nothing you will automatically become personally liable for the company’s tax debt.

What is a Directors’ Penalty Notice?

The ATO has the power to collect outstanding deducted taxes by making directors liable for a penalty for the same amount as the unpaid tax.

These provisions create a liability to the ATO in the name of the director. Each director of a company becomes separately liable for the full amount of the penalty. If a director receives a Directors’ Penalty Notice it requires the directors to take one of four specific actions within 21 days of issue or the director will be personally liable for the debt. That is, the company’s debt to the Australian Taxation Office will become a personal debt of the directors.

The actions a director can take to avoid liability are: 1. Pay the debt in full, 2. Enter into an instalment arrangement to repay the debt, 3. Appoint a voluntary administrator; or 4. Appoint a liquidator.

The 21-day time limit is strictly enforced. The ATO has no discretion to extend the period.

If you receive a Directors’ Penalty Notice, you should seek advice urgently from your financial advisor.

PJT Accountants & Business Advisors 5413 9300 www.pjtaccountants.com.au

With the right advice/ your future can be a little more certain Call us on 5444 4747 and get . the right advice

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win

win luxury for your baby

win a mantra portsea port douglas escape In celebration of our Port Douglas and the Daintree travelfile, one lucky Sunshine Coast Profile Magazine reader will win a two-night escape to Mantra PortSea in Port Douglas (www.mantraportsea.com.au). Mantra Portsea offers hotel rooms and one and two bedroom studio apartments in the heart of Port Douglas. The resort is a short walk to beaches and Port’s main tourist strip on Macrossan Street, which offers an abundance of restaurants, shops, bars and clubs. This prize is valued at $432, and includes continental breakfast daily and accommodation in a hotel room for two. (Exclusions and conditions apply, and flights are not included.)

Aromababy (www.aromababy.com), world-renowned for its leading-edge formulation and commitment to premium products that are rich in certified organic, natural oils and GMO-free pure vitamin E, has extended its collection to include more exquisite organic oils. Their uber-luxurious LUXE range has been gifted to the likes of Jamie Oliver, John Travolta and Uma Thurman, to name a few. This month, one Profile reader will win a LUXE hamper of products, valued at RRP $350, featuring a range of oils and creams to sooth your beautiful baby, and organic cotton wear.

win brazilian thongs scan this with your smartphone to jump straight to our competition page

Head to the Profile Magazine website to enter and for terms and conditions.

win the tools to create your dream sanctuary Award-winning interior designer Victoria Millar-Wise believes that we should all work and live in our own little dream sanctuaries. This month, Victoria will share her expertise with one incredibly lucky reader with a one-on-one design consultation and a copy of her top-selling book, Create Your Dream Sanctuary (www.CreateYourDreamSanctuary.com), up for grabs. A regular contributor to some of the leading home and design magazines, Victoria will bring her interior design, styling and renovating know-how to your home or office. This super stylish package is valued at $597.

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Hailing from the sunny shores of Brazil, Dupé (pronounced ‘doo peh’) is an exceedingly comfortable thong range from the creators of Havaianas (www.dupeaustralia. comau). The range includes styles featuring HXP Gel, a specially-formulated rubber technology for added durability and comfort, while also incorporating a cushioning to the heel for extra support. This month, we have 24 pairs of Dupé thongs to give away, each valued at RRP $14.99 (winners can select their size but colour may vary).

win four ingredients christmas 4 Ingredients Christmas has been created by Kim McCosker to be the easiest entertaining cookbook ever for the festive season. Brimming with simple yet stylish recipes, 4 Ingredients Christmas will become an essential guide for every kitchen, covering breakfast celebrations to the traditional hot dinner, plus fresh, contemporary meals, light lunches and Christmas treats. This month, Profile Magazine has 12 books to give away, valued at RRP $29.95 each.

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CASHBACK

Designer Wall Canopy Rangehood $3199 X99384MVO Pyroluxe Oven $4999 BY9014000M 80cm 4-Zone Induction Hob with DirekTouch Control $3699 HK854220XB

What a pleasure it is to knead a fresh batch of dough in your hands, then roll it out on an ultra-clean work surface before transforming it into homemade biscuits.

Baking treats in an AEG Maxiklasse oven allows you to infuse the house with sweet vanilla and spice-laden aromas – hardly a crumb will be left behind.

MAROOCHYDORE

THE COOKING SPECIALIST www.harveynorman.com.au

Shop 5, Sunshine Homemaker Centre, 100 Maroochydore Rd 5452 7144 (Computers/Electrical only)

219129_MCH

CASHBACK

Drawing out the hidden delights of your vegetables is also easy with our ovens.

From parsnips that turn beautifully golden to juicy onions cooking in their paper-thin skins, the Neue Kollektion ovens will make your vegetables glimmer like exotic jewels on the plate.

Harvey Norman® stores are operated by independent franchisees.

Product offers end 31/12/11

*1. Promotion valid 01/10/11 - 31/12/11. Customers who purchase eligible AEG products to a total value of over $5,000 are entitled to claim 5% of their purchase price as a cashback via EFT. Customers who purchase eligible AEG products to a total value of over $10,000 are entitled to claim 10% of their purchase price as a cashback via EFT. Products must be paid for in full no later than 31/12/11. Qualifying purchase must be made in a single transaction. Cash back is via on line redemption only.

Go to www.aeg.com/au/promotions to complete the online claim form. Claim must be received by AEG no later than 31/01/12. Further terms and conditions apply, see www.aeg.com/au/promotions for full details.

the last word

caroline campbell

ll photography shawn abrams Caroline Campbell lives life in the media fast lane as marketing manager of the coastal Seven Network, but Caroline still amazingly finds time for Nepalese trekking, running spur-of-the-moment half marathons and cuddling up with her kids in the morning ...

“I wish I could …

press the pause button in life to just linger a little longer in this sweet moment of contentment and happiness.

“

Seven Network’s Caroline Campbell wishes she had a pause button in life to be able to linger a little longer in moments of sweetness

82

profilemagazine

I grew up in …

Murgon on a dairy farm

Most people don’t know that I … once upon a time lived on Nelson Mandela’s estate.

I start my day by … decoding all the body parts of my children, who in the early hours of the morning have climbed into my bed.

When I was growing up I wanted to be … working in television. I was fascinated by the ‘magic’ of making television and still am. As a mass medium, even in today’s increasingly-fragmented world, television continues to reinvent itself and remain a dominant influence.

I would love to be better … at managing this mad (and frustrating for some!) morning ritual.

When I am not working I am … immersed in family life and in the simple pleasures that come from living on the Sunshine Coast.

I wish I could … press the pause button in life to just linger a little longer in this sweet moment of contentment and happiness.

The best meal I ever had … was a bowl of porridge on day-break of the final leg of my Nepalese trek knowing I was only eight hours from civilisation.

My favourite holiday spot is … hard to choose, but it’s always going to be somewhere exotic for the pure excitement that comes with the discovery of a new culture or way of life.

I couldn’t live without … giving my best to everything I do – realising the sheer potential we all have to make ourselves, our families and our communities a happier and healthier place to be.

My most annoying habit is … taking myself too seriously.

What makes me laugh out loud is … that I thought it was okay to recently run the Gold Coast Half Marathon as a spontaneous spur-of-the-moment decision without paying the price for it!

The one person I would most like to meet … has the cure for retinitis pigmentosa.

My hidden talent is … finding the gold in every encounter.

profilemag.com.au

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