Ruby Autumn 2013

Editor

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness Davina Montgomery

A

h, Autumn; season of mists and mellow fruitfulness… season of change, season of enjoying the last weeks of there being any point in painting your toe nails.

At last, the scorching summer heat has gone and I find myself embracing the changeability of autumn with a light heart. Who would have thought the balmy sameness of Central Coast-like heat as we had in March would create so much grief. Byron Bay? You can keep it; give me good old fourseasons-in-one-day southern Victoria please.

I remember my mother saying that Autumn was her favourite season when I was younger.

Shivering in the chill autumn winds that would come howling across the Bay, I would give her my best teenage, ‘Are you mad?’ stare. Why would anyone prefer this relative cold to the heat of summer, I couldn’t fathom. Now I find myself not only understanding, but sympathizing with the relief that the changeable weather brings. It is as sure a sign of ageing as taking a book to the toilet, or, for that matter, having to hold that book at arm’s length to read it.

Just as ageing is itself a process of change, the way that we think about ageing is going through some rapid changes as well. In this edition, we take a look at our changing attitudes towards aged care.

The old model of God’s Waiting Rooms is unacceptable to a new generation of educated, questioning and above all financially savvy Baby

it comes to getting older, we are no longer willing to give up on having a fulfilling life.

At last, the scorching summer heat has gone and I find myself embracing the changeability of autumn with a light heart.

Also on offer in this Autumn edition of Ruby is a tale of two travels - one set amongst the spectacular sights in Laos and Thailand, another set amongst the rather less spectacular attractions of our nation’s capital. Luckily, the second tale included the irrepressible Tuesday Jones, three girlfriends, a distinct lack of husbands and kids and more than a few rounds of mojitos.

Boomers, who want good quality care, pleasant surrounds, and choices that allow them to continue to live well in their old age. With life expectancies extending by a decade or more, questions around how to provide and fund appropriate aged care are ones we are going to need to find answers to, and soon. Because when

RUBY, an Adcell Print Group publication, is mailed to more than 5000 businesses in regional Victoria.

If you would like to be added to the Ruby mailing list please contact us.

Ruby | 2

When it comes to a fulfilling life, many of us really do want it all, and for women of a certain age that can mean moving on to a new relationship and (gasp!) dealing with the urge to merge for the first time… again. Ruby’s resident psychologist, Charmaine Morse, talks about getting back in the saddle.

We welcome new Ruby columnist, the very fabulous Roxie Bennett, who will have you rethinking what it takes to host an event with real wow-factor. And welcome back you, dear Ruby readers, we are so glad to see you again. May the Autumn season be kind to you, your gardens and your toes!

PUBLISHER - Maureen Tayler ISSN: 1838-1456 MANAGER - Caroline Tayler EDITOR - Davina Montgomery davina@adcellgroup.com.au FOR ADVERTISING. Vinnie Kerr M 0409 427 473 vinnie@adcellgroup.com.au Tanya Carroll M 0418 302 869 tanya@adcellgroup.com.au

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Ruby Autumn

April 2013 CONTENTS ///////////////////////////////////

See us online at www.rubymagazine.com.au Look out for Ruby in 2013: April / July / September / December

/ Ruby Tuesday

4

/ Psychology

6

/ Money

8

/ Ruby Business

11

/ Spotlight

12

/ Ruby Fitness

16

/ Ruby Shoes

18

/ Ruby Beauty

19

/ Ruby Travel

20

/ UN Women

26

/ Sit & Sip

28

/ Ruby Food - Baveras

31

/ Ruby Wine - Oakdene

34

/ Ruby Reading

36

/ Ruby Fashion

38

/ This, That & More...

46

BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS

PROFESSIONALSBREAKFAST

Friday 3 May 2013 Bring along the team and celebrate the work of administrative professionals around our region at the Business Technology Specialists Administrative Professionals Breakfast for Give Where You Live.

Join Channel 7’s Rebecca Maddern as she hosts a morning of celebration and fun to say thanks to administrative professionals for their hard work, enthusiasm and dedication.

The morning will include a Westfield Geelong Fashion Parade hosted by stylist Renee Enright plus lots of great prizes to be won in our major raffle and business card draws.

Tickets $60 per person, or $540 for a table of 10

Book your tickets now at www.givewhereyoulive.com.au/events With special thanks to our naming rights sponsor Business Technology Specialists.

All funds raised on the morning will go directly to Give Where You Live.

Ruby | 3

Ruby Tuesday

Mums gone wild…ish Tuesday Jones

T

here is a special bond formed between mothers who have kids in kinder or school together, it’s called Desperate for Likeminded Female Company’ and so we four bonded. That friendship only got stronger when our little guys headed off to school together.

Then came the end of the year and the sad news that one of the group was selling up and moving.

‘Canberra? What? Why?’ went the chorus.

Such is the lot of the army wife; when he moves, you move. And they did; and then they did again (picture a very active six year-old, an excitable 2 year-old with Houdini-esque escape skills and a high rise apartment with a dark underground carpark and an oh-solaunch worthy balcony in the centre of the city). After a few nightmare weeks, our firecracker friend did what any sensible woman would do, she declared, ‘I’m not putting up with this sh*t’ packed up the kids and moved down the coast, where hubby travelled to for weekend visits.

At first it was all sunshine and beachfront fun, albeit in a caravan. Then Queensland was struck with floods which didn’t affect our friend directly, but it did leave a few of her less than favourite family members homeless and looking to her for sympathy and a roof. She’d only just gotten rid of them when Kiama - her new home was rocked by a mini-cyclone.

This was the response to our frantic texts: “The caravan was rockin and rollin. Kids slept through the whole thing. Kept my hand on the bottle of wine - it was empty, of course! LOL”

Ruby | 4

Some people attract drama the way that Paris Hilton attracts designer freebies and one-night stands - like a magnetic force. And this woman - with her King Kong size personality in her Munchkin size body is one of them. (Saying that isn’t sizeist if you too fall into the ‘I’m not short, I’m fun sized’ category.)

So it was an act of charity and good-natured generosity that led us to rally together, put the husbands on notice, and book flights and accommodation to the nation’s capital to show the woman a much-needed good time… well, that’s our story and we’re sticking to it!

As the weeks zoomed by, what had been affectionately titled the ‘Mums Gone Wild’ weekend was almost upon us. Were we still up for it? Surely the pre-kids formula for a girls gone wild weekend - dancing around on bar tops and joining shot for shot competitions with newfound friends (aka: total strangers) while sharing your life story amidst random outbursts of karaoke singing would be inappropriate when you are someone’s mother?

Well, yes, that was the general consensus and a sensible plan of a nice girly catch up over some nice meals and a few glasses of wine was formed, and it could have worked out that way… with completely different people.

After dropping off our respective treasures, and with the collection of said treasures passed over to the weekend carers, or Dad as they know them, three of us hopped in a car and were on a way, bang on time and with only a small overnight bag each. The

freedom! No nappy bags, no strollers, no fights over who’s sitting where and who is looking at who and no unwieldy suitcase with enough clothing changes to last three months.

The euphoria lasted into the airport, on to the plane and out of the capital’s remarkably quiet and clean terminal. A jocular and well-seasoned cabbie grabbed our bags and was given directions by the extremely polite porter.

“I’d take ‘em anywhere they want to go, mate,” he said, with a lewd wink. Bless!

In the grand global tradition of making small talk with the fare, the driver asked us where we were from, and what on earth we were doing spending a weekend in Canberra.

As our chief organizer and itinerary manager had taken the front seat, she told him the whole story.

Adding, quite seriously at the end, “Now, we’re staying at the Clifton Suites on Northbourne, do you know where that is?” Which was funny, because a) this was a taxi driver, and b) Northbourne is the main road of our side of central Canberra.

“Oh good,” she replied to his assurance that yes, he knew where we were headed. “Because I don’t.”

“You don’t say that to a taxi driver!” was the immediate and loud response from the two of us in the back and the driver.

By this time the driver was in fits, telling us he hoped we would enjoy the scenic tour of Canberra.

Thankfully this was yet another example of his cabbie patter, as it was a very short trip later, during which

Ruby Tuesday he pointed out the sights like Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s European Vacation: “Look ladies, the War Memorial. Look ladies, Parliament,” that we were there.

As he took off he called out, “I hope Canberra is ready for you lot.” Bless and double Bless!

Before leaving Melbourne, our ‘don’t-call-me-local-Idon’t-live-here’ friend let us know she had arrived at her hubby’s central city apartment - which was a oneblock walk from our hotel, so close you could see each building from the other, and would meet us as soon as we arrived. And an hour later she arrived … I’d like to say that we sat around with cups of tea and caught up on all the news, but that would completely and utterly untrue. Instead, we ripped the bag out of our friend’s hands, giving her a hug on the way, then had her unpacked, changed out of beach mummy wear and out the door in under 20 minutes.

If you’ve never been there, Canberra is an odd city.

As you look at it on a map it makes perfect sense, and that’s part of the oddness. There is none of the randomness, none of the personality of big cities (with the exception of the taxi drivers, who have personality in abundance apparently!) it’s just too planned.

This was Friday afternoon, which meant central Canberra was awash with crowds of business people (we had to assume public servants, one and all) even more intent on finding a spot for a Friday arvo drink than we were. Vetoing a series of places as dingy, too quiet or just a bit weird, we found ourselves outside an indoor/outdoor bar with some serious buzz going on with a chalkboard sign spruiking Spiced Rum Mojitos. Hello!

We were also starving by this point, so two of us ordered some bar snacks along with our drinks order and then stood in stunned amazement at what I can only describe as a labor of love that went into producing these cocktails. Limes were smashed within an inch of their citrusy lives, some mint leaves were snapped and torn, while others were tenderly arranged amongst a very deliberate mix of whole and crushed ice cubes. Things were added, mixed, tasted, adjusted, mixed again, tasted again. The whole process took around 15 minutes and by the end of it we were feeling as pampered as if we’d just spent half a day in a spa. Then we realized we were gawking over the bar like idiots while a waiter was making his way to our table with our drinks - durr, table service!

Mojitos to me are a holiday drink - best enjoyed at a tropical location in a pool bar. But these mojitos beat the pants off any I’ve had at sunny beach resorts.

They were divine. Canberra was looking up.

As we sat and let the joy that is a total lack of responsibility or schedule wash over us, we started taking in the goings on around us. Clearly we were sitting in the city hub. It wasn’t particularly big, but everywhere you looked were suits in seats talking seriously over their 4pm drinks. A quick recount of what I would normally be doing at 4pm on a Friday sent a wash of contentment rushing through me, until I realized I was surrounded by middle aged men chatting with/up groups of young, pretty women, then the men would break off the group with one of the young, pretty women. Could this be work mistress behavior on very open, very public display? Were these men enjoying the sparkling company of the young and buoyant women before heading home for the weekend to their wives and families?

“Typical, the creeps! You watch, this place will be bloody empty tomorrow,” our ‘I’m-not-local friend wisely noted. “You could play cricket down the main street. Weird!”

The game of spot the work wife kept up all through

the catch up of what we had been up to since we were last all together. It paused when the snacks came out, because if you’ve never had chips cooked in duck fat with orange and cinnamon salt, let me tell you, they are ridiculously good, although not that good for you, obviously, but still, good.

We hadn’t stopped talking for a couple of hours apart from munching on chips and sipping mojitos when it was time to head back and change for dinner.

Right next door to the Tongue & Groove (that’s the bar, if you’re in Canberra and looking for a place to stop and relax, go there, you won’t regret it) came the enticing wafts of Indian food, which is where we headed for dinner after trying to find a good teppanyaki restaurant - no joy - or a sidewalk restaurant that would cater for our vegetarian friend nope. Back to the Blu Ginger it was.

There is nothing quite like good flirty service to keep a group of girls of a certain age happy, and that is exactly what we got. And if the food had been okay, that would have been enough. But the food wasn’t okay; it was so good it bordered on a religious experience. Delicate spice blends perfectly balanced, Basmati rice that was so good you could eat just that and be happy and Naan bread to end all Naan breads - oh the spinach and cheese naan bread... Am I raving? Good, it was extraordinary.

Sated and giddy with the meal we had just had (nothing at all to do with pre-dinner mojitos), we tripped back into the Tongue & Groove before

... dancing around on bar tops and joining shot for shot competitions with newfound friends... amidst random outbursts of karaoke singing would be inappropriate when you are someone’s mother? heading off to see what else Canberra had to offer in the way of nightlife.

As it turned out, not much; it reminded me a lot of Geelong back in the early 90s, without the music basically a series of grungy, dingy venues playing a backlog of John Cougar Mellencamp and other bar classics while uni students got progressively drunker, military types swaggered loudly (and that was just the military ladies) and a series of lecherous old farts eyed up anything female with the hopeful gaze of a dog staring at fresh meat. Charming! On the upside, we did have our sensibly early night.

Saturday morning and I woke bolt upright (literally much to amusement of the other girls) at 6.50am. No kids, but the internal alarm still went off! While the others enjoyed a sleep in, I pottered around before heading downstairs for an early morning swim and it was lovely, floating around the world and watching the clouds meander overhead - right up until a senior cit started ploughing determined laps back and forth past me. Not only did this disturb my lazy floating, it was also a not so subtle reminder that this woman, who surpassed me by decades in age was also surpassing me by numerous laps in fitness level.

As more super fit senior cits came down for their morning constitutional I scurried for my towel.

With the manic mums of 24-hours ago nowhere to be found, we wondered down the road in search of a late breakfast (perfect service, delicious food, great coffee -

the night life might be rubbish here, but the food was amazing!) Then off to visit a tantalizing shoe warehouse we had spotted in our wandering the day before. Half an hour and many pairs of shoes later, we ventured back into the city centre where, as forewarned, not much was happening. I mentioned the enormous shopping centre before, which is vast, and apparently everyone left in the city was in here.

Then we went to see what the city looked like in daylight and found, delightfully, that it was an improvement. There was live music in the mall, some really quite nice streetscaping and public artworks and a lovely old carousel that our ‘I’m-not-local’ friend had never seen, but could now take the kids to.

While the weather was seven kinds of rotten at home, here it was balmy, sunny and warm, so we headed back to spend a lazy afternoon by the pool. Bliss! Our ‘I’m-not-local’ friend kept us in hysterics over the craziness of her life over the past few months, including how she had thought her husband was having an affair because she could smell a distinctly female scent on him when they caught up on Fridays.

Then, finally recognizing the scent, she realized he had raided her old cache of lotions in search of a moisturizer and had been turning up to work in his fatigues with is face glowing thanks to the shimmer of Kylie Minogue Pink Sparkle body lotion!

Dresses on and hair done, we tripped down the road for a few drinks at the Tongue & Groove, booking our corner table at the Blu Ginger restaurant on the way, to a chorus of “Welcome back, ladies” and a few cheeky smiles.

The food - extraordinary! The service - impeccable!

The conversation - hilarious! Then back next door in search of mojitos, only to find we were too late for cocktails. Not to worry, there was a DJ setting up and we had our new dancing shoes on, along with a supply of emergency Band Aids in Super-Mum’s purse. Passing our cocktail maestro from the night before, we stopped to let him know just how impressed we were with his work. Bless his heart he said he’d make us a round, which we waved away as unnecessary - the bar was chockers and all the staff were busy - but he insisted and instantly became our favourite person in Canberra. Mojitos were back on the menu, the DJ pumped up, we walked home carrying our shoes, stopping to pick up some Junior Mints, M&Ms and Burger Rings on the way home, then sat on the balcony talking rubbish until 3am.

Another early morning swim and feeling amazingly fresh - despite being lapped by a succession of super fit senior cits - all that was left to do was pack, check out and head off in search of breakfast. Along the way we passed a very busy little place that our ‘I’m-not-local’ friend informed us was ‘the’ place to get coffee in Canberra.

“But it’s got milk crates for seats?”

“I know, I don’t get it either. The coffee must be amazing, the line’s out the door during the week.”

“But milk crates weren’t fun to sit on in primary school, and my butt’s way bigger now. Imagine the indentations!”

And shaking our heads we went back to the same café as the day before, because we knew we were on a good thing, not to mention comfy seats.

Before we knew it, breakfast was over, it was hugs and goodbyes all around, and we were on our way to the airport (again, oddly quiet and clean). A slight flight delay later and we were home - tired, but oh so relaxed and happy.

It may not have been wild in the way a girls-only weekend in the pre-kids day was wild (ah, the good old days) but it was one hundred per cent fun.

Ruby | 5

Psychology

Ruby | 6

Psychology

Back in the saddle Charmaine Morse, Psychologist

D

ating is fraught with peril at the best of times.

Many of us, that is, women of a certain age, learnt to stumble and fumble our way through the dating scene as teenagers. Back then it was all about trial, error and groping, usually lots and lots of groping.

MY GOD. At this stage of life the logistics of two bodies united and writhing in passion is no longer the great mystery - it’s all those other vital components that are the worry. So maybe it’s time to conduct an objective naked body scan in the fulllength mirror.

There was certainly no guidebook, and essential information was gleaned through teenage mags and girlfriends. Some girlfriends reported to have actually kissed a boy and everyone knew someone who knew someone who had gone all the way whatever that meant. If you thought it was scary back then, nowadays, it is absolutely terrifying for those of us who work from that antiquated dating template.

Your face drops, which is not the only thing dropping as you recognise that gravity has not been your friend. But, you are a very resourceful woman and have come too far in life to miss this opportunity. Let’s face it, you would like to be united and writhing in passion with another body again before you die, even if the relationship doesn’t pan out.

The internet dating scene is so far removed from the days of working within the comfort zone of your own social network. It in no way resembles the good old days of dating at all. So, forget all you thought you knew about how to meet the man of your dreams. This new-fangled approach is wonderfully exciting and to be embraced … yeah, right. And there will be lots of embracing - some welcome and, apparently, so much more unwelcome. You have now moved into the 21st century zone of connecting with the opposite sex.

So, you have managed to negotiate the so-called user-friendly dating site and put your profile together. Oops, nearly forgot to knock off a few

By this stage your mind has gone into overdrive trying to problem solve all the what ifs. What if I’m as dry as a desert thistle? My hormones are all over the shop; what if it’s like a bowling ball down a hallway for him? I should have kept up with those pelvic exercises; what if I’ve forgotten how to do it?

No, no, its like riding a bike… but I haven’t done that for yonks either! Look out, panic attack approaching. This is about when you need your friendly psychologist to step in and normalise all of this irrational thinking.

Let’s face it, you aren’t auditioning for the lead role in Shades of Grey. It will be just the two of you and you can set the scene. Arousal is a process, not a reflex; and besides, your prince may also have a

You often remind yourself of that old adage ‘you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find the prince.’ But quite frankly, there hasn’t been much kissing and you’re developing an addiction to coffee. years, better fix that. Reading it back you sound pretty interesting, in fact you sound like someone you don’t even know! Not to worry, you’ll be able to pull it off. Anyway the man of your dreams will be so captivated when he meets you, and so mesmerised with your witty conversation, that he won’t even notice the artistic license you employed.

Now comes choosing the all-important photo and this is the deal breaker. After much agonising, the best is chosen and well, it may be ten years ago but hey, things haven’t really wrinkled, weathered, wizened or withered that much. So, all that’s left to do is to wait and see.

Now, let’s cut to the bottom line - you have had endless cups of coffee with an array of interesting and not so interesting men. You often remind yourself of that old adage ‘you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find the prince.’ But quite frankly, there hasn’t been much kissing and you’re developing an addiction to coffee. But wait, it seems like the prince has finally arrived. Could this be the one you have been searching for? He ticks a lot of the boxes, and the bonus is that he has hair and his own teeth. It’s all looking pretty good - we have potential. But now comes the hard part.

You have decided this relationship is headed toward the next level. This is the urge to merge. Could it possibly be worse second time around? Yes! Three little words keep resounding in your brain - OH

severe case of the what ifs. After all, he has to produce the goods, so to speak.

From what I’ve gleaned reading Dr Rosie King’s book, Good Loving Great Sex, any adverse effects of aging on sexual arousal are manageable. Also, don’t lose sight of how much fun it will be! Well, maybe after the first intimate get-together is done and dusted, and most certainly if it’s been a while since you’ve been in the saddle.

Now, moving on to the checklist so that you are totally prepared to easily transition into the world of having a boyfriend again. There’s the copious unwanted bodily hair to be removed; searching out ‘product’ to work voluminous wonders with thinning hair; the white insipid body to be coloured up, this is essential to disguise the veins; the mani/pedi - hot red could work; and new glamorous undies and never mind that they are scratchy and that the bra has pushed your bosoms up under your chin.

By now your confidence is soaring. You have fresh sheets on the bed, candles ready to be ignited - as with yourself; champagne chilling, nibbles ready (I said nibbles - ok), all systems are go. Hey, wait just a minute, alternatively, you could just be yourself and have fun and not overthink it into becoming a major production, couldn’t you? Now that sounds like a plan.

Good luck and remember, if at first you don’t succeed - reinstate your profile.

Ruby | 7

Competition Money

In case your nest egg gets broken…

Melissa Vella, Allsure Insurance

S

o, you have saved your hard earned money and decided to invest in a property and become a landlord. It may be your retirement nest egg or securing your children’s future, so it’s important that your investment is well protected.

It might be a large commercial venture, or a small shop, or even a house. Perhaps it’s that nice new apartment that you bought off the plan and want to rent out.

How should you best protect your investment against damage, liability and other potential incidents? Let’s start with the fundamentals - great insurance!

Property Owner’s or Landlord’s Insurance can include a wide variety of options, and occasionally some confusing terms.

Building Sum insured, landlords contents cover, loss of rent, rent default, glass cover internal and external, malicious damage by the tenant, listed events, accidental damage, property owners liability cover, excess...

Confused yet?

Do you know what landlord’s contents are?

Do you know that you can get cover for events where your tenant leaves and damages your property?

Do you know you save premium by having your property professionally managed?

Did you know you should have $10 million in liability on Commercial properties?

Some benefits of a specifically tailored Commercial Property Owners policy, are that it is designed to provide comprehensive cover for: • Property

Do you know what internal glass is covering?

• Loss of income

Do you have liability to protect you as the owner?

• Theft, money and rent default • Glass

So, you have saved your hard earned money and decided to invest in a property and become a landlord... it’s important that your investment is well protected.

• Tax audit • OH&S and legal costs • Machinery/electronic equipment breakdown • Liability A specific Household Landlord policy will give you greater protection and flexibility. These include: • Optional replacement benefit for buildings • It’s possible to include flood cover in new policies • Choose your level of liability cover

There are plenty of questions when it comes to protecting your investment property and you need to make sure it is done properly and that you can answer these questions. If you don’t have the answers, make sure you talk to an insurance professional.

• Optional loss of rent cover if the building is unliveable • Optional rent default and theft by tenants (including legal costs you incur) • Workers’ compensation Remember, having the right insurance is no accident!

DISCLAIMER: This article is for guidance only, and professional advice should be obtained before acting on any information contained herein. Neither the writer, publishers nor the distributors can accept any responsibility for loss occasioned to any person as a result of action taken or refrained from in consequence of the contents of this article. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

ALLSURE insurance Having the right insurance, is no accident.

Ruby | 8

www.allsure.com.au like us on follow us on

InsureAllsure @InsureAllsure

P: 5278 6808

Money

Employer update Renée Jovic, Jovic Bantacs Accountants

T

here are superannuation changes ahead, with the super guarantee increasing to 9.25 per cent as of 1 July 2013. This is the first in a series of rises that will see the super rate rising to half a per cent per year, capping out at 12 per cent in 2020.

Rate increases are not the only upcoming changes that employers need to be aware of as these changes to super begin to roll out. The upper age limit for paying super to an employee will no longer apply.

This move is to encourage mature workers to stay in the work force longer. This means employees aged 70 years or older will continue to receive super payments. Employers may also be required to print information about super on pay slips. This new information may include the amount of super and the date it was paid into each fund. Doing this will provide employers and employees with a point of reference in the case of payment disputes.

If these changes are introduced, employers need to update their payment processes to include these new changes.

These changes are intended to give employees more information. The aim is to help employees keep track of their super and be able to make more accurate long-term plans for their retirement.

Employee or contractor - what’s the difference?

When hiring, employers need to understand the differences between an employee and a contractor to avoid costly consequences. Many businesses get it wrong when determining if a worker is an employee or contractor because they are not ensuring the arrangements have been set up correctly. It is essential to get the decision right because businesses will face different tax and super obligations depending on whether the workers are employees or contractors.

A decision in the Federal Court established that there is not a singular factor that determines what contractor is. Each case needs to be considered on its own. The case raised a number of factors that should be considered before deciding whether a worker is considered to be an employee or contractor.

Control test: The employer directs the employee in relation to what to do and also how and when it is to be done. Contractors maintain a high level of discretion and flexibility as to how the work is done.

Delegation test: An employee is unable to delegate duties to others except for delegating to other employees.

Integration test: An employee generally performs the work on the employer’s premises and using equipments provided by the employer. A contractor carries on a business on in his or her own right.

Risk test: The employer, not the employee, is responsible for all the commercial risk, including poor workmanship or injury sustained in the performance of work. The contractor, not the employer, is responsible for all the commercial risk including poor workmanship or injury sustained in the performance of work.

Results test: An employee is generally paid based on an hourly rate, piece rates or award rates. A contractor is paid to produce a given result based on satisfactory completion of the contract.

If employees are incorrectly treated as contractors by the employer, the financial implications can be significant. The business will be required to pay nine per cent superannuation guarantee contributions, in addition to the contracting fees it has already paid. All the future payments to the contractor will also be subject to PAYG withholding tax. The business is required to remit the withholding tax to the ATO and prepare PAYG payment summaries for payments made.

DISCLAIMER: This article is for guidance only, and professional advice should be obtained before acting on any information contained herein. Neither the writer, publishers nor the distributors can accept any responsibility for loss occasioned to any person as a result of action taken or refrained from in consequence of the contents of this article. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

Specialised Services

Renée Jovic

Property Investment Accounting Taxation Business Solutions

80 Pakington Street, Geelong West E: admin@jovicaccounting.com.au P: 03 5222 6962

“Providing Solutions to Businesses, Individuals and Property Investors.

With a Personal Approach”

Web: www.jovicaccounting.com.au and www.bantacs.com.au

Ruby | 9

Money

Knowing the risks aren’t the same as acting on them Feminsure

M

ost women are well aware of the health risks of cancer, particularly the risks of breast and ovarian cancer and heart disease, but how many of us seriously consider what would happen to our family if we became one of those statistics?

Women in Australia are chronically under-insured in the event of accident or injury. Women make up 45% of the Australian workforce, yet account for only 15-20% of incomes insured across our nation.

It’s easy to worry more about a husband’s income if his is higher than yours, or not to worry about personal insurance if you don’t have young children, but the fact is that three in four Australians will be diagnosed with a serious illness during their working life.1 When it comes to protecting our financial security, there is no room for burnt chop syndrome. Insurance that can provide a lump sum in the event of accident or

injury can take care of the mortgage, pay for cleaning and childcare services, take care of school fees, clear any other debts or simply help protect your hard-earned assets – but most importantly it can allow you and your family to focus on what is most important – your recovery.

Rather than think about who earns more than you, think of what would happen to your family if you became seriously ill. In too many cases, any family savings are simply not enough to cover medical costs, and that can mean having to quickly sell off the family home. It is a tragic reality that at times of great personal hardship, financial pressures can make the situation exponentially worse.

There are many insurance options available to women, regardless of their income level, whether or not they work or are carers, whether they are in a two-income family, are a single parent, have no

partner or children or who own a business – an appropriate level of cover can help to alleviate the financial burden in times of great family stress.

But, of course, it isn’t just about protecting women’s income; it’s about protecting their long-term financial security. Often, carrying the responsibilities of caring for children and/or elderly parents means women spend less time in the workforce and will earn less over their lifetime that their male counterparts. Less time earning an income means less savings, lower levels of superannuation and greater personal financial burden if they do become seriously ill.

Accidents and illnesses do not discriminate, so whether you’re male or female, single or married, it’s equally as important to have adequate insurance in place to protect you from unforeseen events.

1. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

DISCLAIMER: This material is not intended to constitute personal advice, and must not be relied on as such. This information has been prepared without taking into account individual financial circumstances or needs. Before making a decision based on this material, an individal should consider the appropriateness of this material having regard to their objectives, financial circumstances and needs and should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decision.

Insurance for Women Risk Assessment Healthy Living Lifestyle Risk Factors Sponsorships Charities and Support Contact Shane Matthews E: shane@feminsure.com.au

FEMINSURE

P: 1300 FEMINSURE (1300 336 467)

Ruby | 10

You have a choice

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Ruby RubyBusiness Beauty

In pursuit of happiness Sarah Valentine, Bellarine Business Women

T

here are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don’t allow yourself to become one of them - Ralph Marston.

2007: We were living in Melbourne, juggling pre-school kids, working and trying to keep up with the bills. Things weren’t great. We were living week to week and didn’t know why, when we both worked our butts off to make a better life and we were just going backwards.

Then one day a chance phone call to my husband and our lives changed forever - but it almost didn’t…

My husband loves diving, always has, and the phone call was from a guy who he did his commercial dive ticket with. He said to hubby that there is loads of offshore work on the oil and gas rigs, but he would need to move to Darwin to get into it.

Move to Darwin? I had a very secure

government job at the time, hubby also was full-time employed. We knew the opportunity was there for the taking. We knew it was the one way to get hubby back into what he loves.

But fear got in the way. I got in the way of myself - I let the demons talk… what if it doesn’t work, it’s hot up there, what if I don’t make any friends, I’ll be 3,500kms away from mum instead of 5kms. You can only imagine the self-talk.

And then the family and friends started what if it doesn’t work, you both have ‘safe’ jobs, your kids are so young, it’s hot up there…

There were so many reasons not to go, but the biggest obstacle was me. I was scared, it would mean hubby would be offshore and I would be on my own with two little kids.

What would I do? Better stay in Melbourne it’s the easy option.

A bit more time passed and the stress at home was at boiling point - something had to give.

And I thought to myself, I trust me! I trust us!

I’ve always believed that when you jump off the cliff the wings will appear and you will f ly. I just had to believe that my wings would be there when I needed them.

So we did it! Moved to Darwin (and yes, it was hot). Two and half years later we moved down to the beautiful Bellarine. Why? Because we got out of our own way, created our dreams and made things happen.

Hubby’s doing what he loves and so am I. The work I do now, the passion and drive I have is because in 2007 I chose to get out of my own way.

Do you want to get out of your way? I’m offering the first 5 people to contact me a free 30 minute coaching session to get you out of your own way so you can get on with creating a great life!

Email sarah@sarahvalentine.com.au.

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Ruby | 11

Spotlight

An increasing number of Australians – many of them women – are choosing to care for their aged loved ones in their own homes.

Ruby | 12

Spotlight

The cost of a sandwich Anna-Marie Hughes

H

ealth and longevity are what we all aspire to, and many of us follow our medicos’ advice and accept that we have to eat our greens, eat some carbs, avoid bad fats and most salt, exercise regularly, avoid alcohol, coffee, chocolate (that’s only until we can’t bear the deprivation any longer and then some obliging research scientist tells us that alcohol, coffee and chocolate are actually good for us) … and so continues our quest to live long and prosper. We do that until our superannuation runs out and the Aged Pension kicks in. Then we are supposedly allowed to sit back and enjoy the status of being a wise old woman or grumpy old man (or vice versa), until the ensuing years see us gradually fade away, gently and elegantly, and that, as they tactfully say, is that... But it isn’t.

‘Care’ comes as a noun and a verb and typically we women tend to be the ones who are charged to care about the caring of the people in our families and communities. So, in terms of living long and being good at caring, we’re doing it so well that we have created a whole new community segment. We are the ‘Sandwich Generation’, as in: we are the meat in it.

For the first time in history, we are the generation that has aged parents still living and needing care, younger dependent children (because many baby boomers had their children in their late thirties), adult children still living at home, and often, grandchildren needing childcare. And according to CarersAustralia.org.au, there are 2.6 million of us ‘sandwiches’, just in Australia.

If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes all tiers of government and various community groups in conjunction with a caring family to care properly for our ageing Australians, and heaven knows, they have worked hard, built this country, paid their taxes, created our communities … yes, they deserve the best care we can provide.

Aged care is like a vast, dynamic, amorphous blob.

Trying to track down one service, department or statistic is complicated. COTA (Council of the Ageing) is an advocacy and lobby group working to represent seniors at a national level and they work in many areas, commissioning and providing research and offering information on topics like social media, planning for future health care and caring for money and assets. They’re particularly vocal in the very real fight against age discrimination.

An increasing number of Australians – many of them women – are choosing to care for their aged loved ones in their own homes. There is a wealth of funding and support available to help facilitate this, including financial, medical and social. That’s important. It is a huge undertaking to maintain a loving, respectful, appropriate level of care; resentment and overwhelming frustration can be quick to appear when age robs a beloved parent of his or her basic bodily functionality and, indeed, their personality. Believe it when people tell you that it is not a ‘failure’ when being solely responsible for a high-care parent becomes all too hard.

According to ACSA (Aged and Community Services Australia) aged care has an annual cost of $13.6 billion. And it is only going to get bigger and require more juggling of budgets and policy – the allocation to aged care over the forward estimates to 2015–16 is $59.4 billion. In 2009-10, the Australian government spend on aged care was 0.8% of GDP; the Australian Bureau of Statistics has projected that in 2049-50, that will rise to 1.8% to cater for the expected quadrupling of the number of Australians aged 85 or over.

In 2011, a total of 247,379 aged care residential, community care and transition care places were available across Australia and, of these, 75% were permanent residents; the breakdown shows that

46% were in high care, 52% were in mixed high/ low care facilities and 2.1% were in low care residential places. Of those in high level care residences, 52% were/are suffering from dementia.

We have some big gaps to overcome. Currently, an aged care nurse is paid $168 less per week than a hospital counterpart. This is happening as Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler MP, told last year’s National Aged Care Conference that there were ‘… 300,000 working in aged care now. Close to a million needed in coming decades’.

But with anomalies in salaries, funding cuts and budget constraints, how can the industry have any hope of increasing the numbers of qualified staff to cater for the relentlessly increasing proportion of the population that will be needing aged care services?

There is no doubting the intent and the commitment of the politicians, bureaucrats, academics, medical professionals and health care workers, and countless associations all working towards making aged care a thing of mutual respect.

Decisions made today will affect the care we receive in the 2020s and there are no easy answers.

What will happen as a result of having a generation rendered unable – financially, emotionally or intentionally – to leave home, is anyone’s guess. It is certainly likely to fuel PhD theses and talkback radio shows for decades. And even though the pressing issue of how to care for our ageing population is yet to be resolved, we should start thinking about looking after ourselves. Yes, it is an indisputable fact that those of us responsible for the care of those recalcitrant children, gorgeous grandchildren and a beloved, ageing parent are less than The Simpsons series away from needing to plan for aged care for ourselves. (The Simpsons first aired 24 years ago in December 1989.)

Care for a sandwich, anyone?

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Ruby | 13

Spotlight

Cocooning the whooping cough risk Davina Montgomery

H

ere was an interesting bit of information that popped into the Ruby inbox recently. While it’s not something I have to worry about directly and more - thank goodness - I tend to think of the control of communicable diseases a little in the same way as I think about old aged welfare - it’s something we’re all responsible for, and should have an interest in, even if it doesn’t affect us directly.

cough in young children by vaccinating the parents and other adult carers, termed a ‘cocooning’ strategy.

Warning: do NOT get me started on the ‘conscientious objections’ to childhood immunity!

Timely maternal vaccination was associated with a significant decrease in risk of pertussis... with the greatest benefit found in infants of mothers who received vaccine before delivery.

It seems that some bright sparks in New South Wales ran a study that found that a mother receiving the whooping cough vaccine before delivery lowers the risk of whooping cough (pertussis) infection in very young infants by around half.

The research into the impact of this pertussis vaccine ‘cocooning’ strategy for adults was was carried out by Dr Helen Quinn, Professor Peter McIntyre, Dr Tom Snelling and colleagues at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance for Vaccine Preventable Diseases now, there’s a title!

The back story here is that in 2009, NSW Health implemented an initiative for preventing whooping

Ruby | 14

The strategy was put in place as part of a public health response to a large pertussis epidemic that developed in July 2008.

Cases in the study included infants aged four months

and younger who a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of whooping cough in a two-year period from 2009 to 2011.

Researchers collected information on the vaccination status of mothers, demographic data and the vaccinations status of others living in the family home.

What they found were some significant risk factors for whooping cough in babies - including large households and less favourable socio-economic circumstances. But after adjusting for other significant risk factors, vaccination of the mother before birth was found to be significantly protective, with a reduction in whooping cough risk of almost 50%.

Dr Quinn concluded: “Timely maternal vaccination was associated with a significant decrease in risk of pertussis prior to eligibility for the second infant dose at 4 months of age, with the greatest benefit found in infants of mothers who received vaccine before delivery. This is the first evidence of protection from maternal pertussis vaccination prior to the current pregnancy. It suggests that vaccination as part of pre-pregnancy planning would have the greatest impact on whooping cough infection.”

Key questions for local and international policy include whether vaccination should become a permanent part of the immunisation schedule or only be used in the context of an outbreak (as is currently the case in the United Kingdom).

Spotlight

An elegant dancer in ages past, present & future Clint Jennings

W

ith a little bit of luck, most people enjoy their journeys around the sun and, for many years, the positives outweigh the negatives. They learn and become more capable and have more choices, but inexorably the equation gets out of balance.

At first blush we think that is because the aging body just demands too much of our concentration and effort to hold the same level of functionality. The creaks and groans getting out of bed or after a day’s gardening are punctuated with moaning and a whiff of despair. But that is only half the equation, because for most people, there comes a time when their mind becomes stale and they stop learning.

Monica Hose (a sort of taller and thinner Margaret Throsby) has a simple lesson for us - and a different way of living. While she may not be deeply religious or carry strong philosophical convictions, she lives with purpose and poise. She is neotonous and always fresh in her outlooks. When you talk to her it won’t take long for the glint of mischievousness to peep through.

It is the ever present smile or stifled laugh. But this is incidental, perhaps just an artefact of her character.

In a time past, Monica had a troubled upbringing.

Sure there were many happy aspects of her youth derived from an idyllic country life, but there was the spectre of dark times threading through.

There are people who would only let in the good times and brush the negative things under the conscious carpet of day-to-day life. Through their denials they live only half their lives. Perhaps Monica

did this for a decade or two, but in the end got sick of the temporary relief of affirmations and the illusion of adequacy gained by plastering over the cracks of a litany of wrongs.

With great courage she visited the childhood monsters.

Not at the first visit, but gradually overtime she became free - free to live her life; a good and strong and complete life. It wasn’t overnight and the changes were not all successful, but with consistent effort she gained a great result. Moni, as she is affectionately

There are people who are denying aging. A life of having your head in the sand is looking at life with the wrong part of your anatomy - that never works. known, is humble and enjoys that fact that she doesn’t play on the world stage. She has no need to be famous, just the need to be the best person that she can be; this includes a little time off for a glass of wine.

There is a great and palpable difference between the half people that hide in the myth of positivity and the limited ‘now’ and people like Monica who can live in all times. In fact, I think she is an elegant dancer in the past, present and the future.

How often is age a fixing of thought, the entrapment of opinions; the loss of the joy and dissonance of learning - when the happiness of being who I am finally becomes the contentment of who I was and finally drifts into the boring memory of when that person was vaguely interesting; the ghost of the predictable response. But this is not Monica.

There are people who are denying aging. A life of having your head in the sand is looking at life with the wrong part of your anatomy - that never works.

There are those that age disgracefully, thinking they are avoiding the process by being Peter Pan; and another group who delude themselves by attempting to paper their journey with the idea of aging gracefully, but that is also an illusion and an illusion that fails catastrophically.

Have you seen the people who fear aging and, because of the dread, force themselves into the current fad of mind extension? Some say learn another language or do three Sudoku each day, or eat only greens and take in limited calories. Moni doesn’t do this. She is doing a great job because she lives each moment with a sense of purpose.

In our conversation it became clear that Moni doesn’t deny age or the attendant infirmity. She knows that it is inevitable, but considers commitment to life each day until these factors arise to be the best anodyne.

It is through the lens of our discussion that it becomes very clear that Monica has just failed to age.

Ruby | 15

Ruby Fitness

Food for thought Scott Dumbell, Jetts Geelong West, Jetts Torquay, Jetts Belmont

A

calorie is a calorie is a calorie! What is a calorie? Whether you count them continually, make an occasional decision with them in mind or flat out ignore them, calories are a fact of life. But, how we deal with them can be a life changer.

In basic terms, calories are the body’s energy currency. Calories are used to create energy and keep the body’s ability to do regular activities. The calories unused in the day are converted to fat, which is why most people try to avoid too many calories.

But calories are essential for daily energy. In scientific terms although calories are associated with food, they are a unit of energy. A calorie is the amount of energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree centigrade.

So, if we know what a calorie is (a measurement of energy), when we talk about weight loss, does it matter where your calories come from? I mean, does it matter (from a weight loss perspective) whether you consume 400 calories from a bowl of pasta or 400 calories from a steak? Well, of course the answer is NO! Now nutritionally there is a

difference. For example, if you were to eat only steak every day for every meal you will no doubt run into some serious problems with regards to all the nutrients you need to be healthy; but if you are a normal person and are eating a reasonably balanced diet (please seek out the assistance of a nutritionist if you don’t fit into this category) then if you are trying to lose weight the source of your calories does not make a difference - as long as the amount of calories you are consuming is less than the amount of calories you are expending. So why would you ever restrict the amount of carbs your eating? Why would you ever not eat a balanced diet and opt to go on some fad?

So, if a calorie is a calorie and no matter how you use it, it is the same, then why would you ever use an escalator ever again? If you think about it, if there is a set of stairs on your way to work or somewhere where you go every day, yet you take the escalator, you are missing out on a lot of extra calories burnt. The math is simple. Let’s just say there is a set of stairs with 20 steps, you use it 5 times a week every week, that’s an extra 5200 stairs

in a year that you normally miss by taking the escalator or elevator. How many calories is that?

I’m not sure, but if you made little choices like that every single day they would start to stack up.

The one sure way to guarantee you lose weight is to find out your basal metabolic rate (the amount of calories you need to stay alive at rest) and then calculate how many calories you consume in a day and how many you expend. Now, counting calories can be a real pain, however there are a number of online calculators and I have found one fantastic app for the iPhone called my fitness pal. It does all the calculating for you!

If you think about it, if you don’t know how many calories you are consuming in a day then you will never know how much exercise you need to be doing to lose weight. Even a 10km run won’t cut it if you’re consuming 2000 extra calories a day! In the same way, if you are doing a heap of exercise and you feel like dessert does it really matter if you’ve fit it into your daily calories? Food for thought, pardon the pun!

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Ruby | 16

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Ruby Shoes

All that glitters is… gorgeous!

Bridget Connor, Footique

T

hose who are nearest and dearest to me know only too well I’m not one to shy away from a bit of razzle dazzle. My school years were filled with dancing and performing and, deep down, I think the attraction of these activities was the fact there were lots of sequins and other lovely, sparkly things involved. Oh, how I loved to appear on stage in head-to-toe glitter (and lycra… but perhaps we won’t go there) and dance my little heart away.

As I’ve grown older, my attraction hasn’t changed. My wardrobe has many items - tops, scarves, dresses - with little splashes of sparkle.

There’s something about the way beads, studs and sequins can make a special piece just a little more special. They become irresistible to me and I can’t help but take them home. Just call me a sequined bowerbird.

Imagine then my delight as I’ve watched the ol’ razzle dazzle begin to grace my most favourite part of the wardrobe. We’ve seen little hints of shoes beginning to shine over the past few seasons with metallic making a huge statement across all styles. Metallic plates and

embellishments in golds, silvers and bronzes were big for Spring/Summer, the perfect partner to our continuing love affair with colours and prints.

weekend look. Or if you’re really keen, opt for a killer pointed stiletto scattered with metallic embellishments for a look to pack to a punch.

As we head towards the cooler weather, it seems the glitz will go to another level again. Metallic studs and tonal stone embellishments are going

Whilst this style of all over glitz isn’t a frightening proposition for a person like me, if you’re not quite ready for the full blown approach there will still be other ways to wear the trend. Look for studs delicately scattered across the backs of short boots, dotting the length of long boots or covering the heels of a beautiful wedge or heel. There will also be subtle pops of shine like black glossy studs on black suede boots which will give a nod to the latest look without screaming ‘look at me’!

In many ways, a little piece of shine and shimmer is the perfect antidote for the cooler months. It’s a great way to instantly jazz up our autumn/ winter wardrobe... to be everywhere, gracing our f lats, heels and boots. There will be styles which really go to town with the trend and drench themselves in studs and other such trimmings. Think little f lat loafers dotted toe to heel with gold studs, a great friend to your favourite pair of jeans for a funky

In many ways, a little piece of shine and shimmer is the perfect antidote for the cooler months. It’s a great way to instantly jazz up our autumn/winter wardrobe, which traditionally speaking has us wearing darker, heavier clothes to ward off the colder weather. When it’s so easy to get caught up in hum drum of life after summer, how lovely it will be to have a little foot sparkle to look forward to. It will certainly make my autumn (and winter soon enough) a little more shiny.

Home to beautiful shoes from Australia and overseas, Footique is heaven for shoe lovers

Ruby | 18

Ruby Beauty

G

(30ml), $29.95 (85ml and 100ml), $39.95 (175ml).

et silky-soft skin from head-to-toe with nourishing moisturisers, and embrace the hottest colours of the season with a chic makeup palette.

Embrace the earthy colours of autumn and play up your eyes using soft natural shades. Neutrals are perfect for everyday wear and will keep you looking fresh like a ballerina-beauty.

Keeping your eyes neutral with classic colours means you can brighten up any autumn day with a pop of colour on the lips; fuchsia is a hot hue right now.

With soft, glowing skin and a chic makeup palette, all that’s left to do is throw on a pretty scarf, drink lattes and jump into crunchy piles of colourful autumn leaves.

/ Saving face It’s never too late to form good habits for great skin. Proactiv® Makeup Removing Cloths, $19.99 (45 cloths), are premoistened with a delicate soap free cleanser that is perfect for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Infused with lavender and allantoin, skin will be left feeling soothed and refreshed.

The Jojoba Company 100% Natural Australian Jojoba oil acts like nature’s own anti-ageing solution to hydrate skin and smooth fine lines and wrinkles, also great for balancing uneven skin tone. Available in a range of sizes: $19.95

Treat the delicate skin around your eyes to some extra nourishment and help to prevent fine lines and wrinkles. Dermalogica’s Multivitamin Power Serum is new and improved and available from March 15, $85 (22ml).

I’ve recently discovered the multitasking Lanolips 101 Ointment, $17.95 (15g). I keep a tube handy in my wallet at all times. Perfect to protect and hydrate dry lips and cuticles, and I use a tiny swipe on my eyebrows to set them in place and give them a healthy gleam.

/ Make me up I’ve jumped on the BB cream bandwagon, and I love it. For just a hint of makeup try the Garnier BB Cream Oil Free, it does everything it says it will and won’t block your pores, available in Light or Medium, $13.95 (50ml).

I’m a bright lipstick fiend, so when I saw fuchsia lipstick popping up everywhere the obsession was inevitable. The best I have found is crazy cheap, won’t dry out lips, and is highly pigmented for that proper punchy effect. Try BYS L210 Lipstick Long Life Flirty Fuchsia, $3.95 (3.5g).

inspires me to embrace a pretty palette using soft neutral eye shadows and creamy-smudgy eyeliner.

To achieve ‘Perfectly Pretty Classic Ballerina Eyes’ (that’s what I call it), start with a sweep of Aveda Petal Essence Eye Color Single in Spark over the whole eyelid, $24.95 each.

Follow with the Aveda Petal Essence Eye Definer in Cacao feathered along the lash line, $29.95 each.

/ Body bliss If you like an all-over tan yearround without the expense of scheduling regular spray tans, this one’s for you. I’ve tried the more pricey DIY gradual tanners, yet I always return to this supermarket favourite. Get a natural looking tan as well as soft, moisturised skin with Dove’s Summer Glow Body Lotion, $7.36 (250ml).

Sukin’s Wellbeing Body Oil is rich in antioxidants, smells delicious and will leave your skin feeling silky from head-to-toe. Massage into damp skin for greater effect, $19.95 (100ml).

While I’m most likely to try neon eyeliner in summer and lush false lashes in winter, autumn

/ Stockists Proactiv® available at Proactiv® Kiosk in Westfield Geelong or proactiv.com.au; The Jojoba Company 9651 3030 or visit jojobacompany.com.au; Dermalogica 1800 659 118; Lanolips available from David Jones, Myer and Priceline; Garnier 1300 651 743; BYS 03 9551 4666; AVEDA 1800 706 377 or www.aveda.com.au; Dove 1800 061 027; Sukin available nationally at pharmacies including Chemist Warehouse, My Chemist, Priceline and health food stores, also available on amazon.com.

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Gold Buddha, Wat Phanan Choeng (Takeaway, Wikimedia Commons).

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A family adventure Courtney Buchanan

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hat happens when you take one mother, three adult siblings, and a big jet plane overseas? A family holiday to remember!

When I agreed to go on a family holiday with my mum and two younger brothers, I knew it would be an interesting trip. I thought maybe I had outgrown family holidays, and wondered how my usual sense of freedom whilst travelling might be impeded upon.

The adventure began with my 20-year-old brother and I flying into Bangkok, Thailand, for an overnight stop, before continuing on to Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, where the two of us would spend four leisurely nights.

the four weeks (bar a couple of welcome run-ins due to itinerary crossovers), allowing my brother to experience everything the challenge was about: independence, leadership, and team work, without being able to look to mum for answers.

This left myself - aged 23, and entirely capable of looking after myself, or so I thought - and my 20-year-old brother, to pay the bills (well, there was one) and do the food shopping for the whole three weeks (gasp!).

Being polar opposites, the food shopping, as one example, went something along the lines of me wanting to buy Tim Tams and white bread, and him stocking up on chicken and asparagus.

The ultimate aim of the journey was to reach Luang Prabang, Laos, where we would meet up with our mum and youngest brother for another week, to spend quality family time, relaxing and soaking up the culture.

He likes to sleep on planes, while I prefer to talk and play card games. Or any game, for that matter.

Mum surprised my two brothers and I by booking two luxurious nights in the heart of Bangkok, where we would undoubtedly undo all of our relaxing by embarking on a manic shopping spree, before flying home to Melbourne.

However, once we arrived in Chiang Mai for four nights of doing exactly whatever we liked, our roles seemingly reversed. All I wanted to do was sleep, eat, drink, wander about aimlessly, and do a spot of shopping.

The experience started before I set foot on the plane, when Mother Dearest, along with my youngest brother, jetted off three weeks earlier on a

While I went into holiday-zombie mode, my brother began scanning Trip Advisor for the best activities, restaurants, and shopping hot-spots.

He likes to take each day as it comes, while I feel much more relaxed if everything is planned out to a tee, running sheet included.

When I agreed to go on a family holiday with my mum and two younger brothers, I knew it would be an interesting trip. I thought maybe I had outgrown family holidays, and wondered how my usual sense of freedom whilst travelling might be impeded upon. school expedition, aptly named ‘World Challenge’.

World Challenge is an expedition for high school students taking them overseas to eye-opening destinations such as Africa, South America, South East Asia, and more.

The aim is to ‘challenge’ them with a physically demanding trek, community work in an orphanage or poor village where they may be asked to build a water well (with the most basic of tools such as a blunt shovel), or sow crops (in a hot unshaded field), ending with a week of rest and relaxation with free time for shopping, sightseeing, and pampering (read: inexpensive massages).

Mum works as the Camp and Sports Coordinator at the same high school my youngest brother goes to. Being the school camp queen, mum was invited to attend World Challenge as one of two school representatives who would be the main caretakers of the two groups of students who had signed themselves up to go.

My youngest brother had jumped at the chance to sign up for World Challenge through school, which was to take those who signed up through Cambodia and Vietnam for four weeks. My mum and brother agreed to be in opposite groups, meaning they would in fact not see each other for

He would then conveniently Google map the location, and lead us there. All the while I would casually meander about five metres behind him, taking in the scenery and occasionally tripping on the uneven pavement.

“Hurry up!” he would yell at me.

“We’re on holidays, there’s no rush!” I would insist back.

I don’t know what had happened, but somewhere along the way he had become me and I him.

The other interesting thing about travelling with my brother was that the locals would constantly ask ‘honeymoon?’ to which we would vehemently clarify our sibling-status.

“Grosssssss!” we would mutually utter in disgust.

However, it didn’t take long until we cottoned onto the fact that honeymooners get special treatment and free stuff. By day three we were welcoming free chocolate cake drizzled in raspberry sauce like it was nobody’s business.

Neither of us had been to Chiang Mai before, and we were happy to find ourselves nestled in the middle of the old town, where the buzz of motorcycles was in the distance, and you could catch a good night’s kip.

Chiang Mai can be as fast or slow-paced as you

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Morning Market, Luang Prabang (Wikimedia Commons). wish, with its charming old town and vibrant city; there are options aplenty for both the relaxed traveller and city reveller.

The old town was a quaint area of winding streets and alleyways where little cafes were hidden and dotted along at every turn.

By day we shopped around the old town, stopping in at the gorgeous Chiang Mai Cotton store for smart dresses and shirts, treated ourselves to daily foot massages at the peaceful and professional Green Bamboo Massage (a favourite with the locals for a reason!), drank lots of sweet bale fruit and vanilla teas, and soaked in the relaxing atmosphere of the old town whilst allowing our memories of the daily grind back home to fade away.

Chiang Mai Cotton was my favourite shop; I bought the most beautiful cotton dress in a burnt orange colour, complete with white crochet belt and giant floppy hat, all for so much less than I knew I would pay at home.

I was absorbed by the charm of the old town, happy to sit in a dainty café for hours doing nothing but drink tea and slip into an almost meditative state.

By night, we would hail a tuk tuk (there was always one speeding and rattling by) and head into the vibrant night markets aptly named the ‘Night Bazaar’.

At the Night Bazaar we would eat whatever was on offer at a dodgy looking side stall, always making sure it was steaming hot to stave off our chances of falling ill, and then shop for souvenirs, gifts, homewares, clothing, and of course the latest ‘designer’ handbags (my personal favourite).

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We got lost for hours on end in the hustle and bustle, stopping to barter for jewellery, electronics, and crafty souvenirs, chatting with locals about their busy lives running small businesses by day and markets by night, talking with other travellers about where they had been and where they were headed, and just observing the heaving mass of people, colour and noise that could only be experienced in a Thai market.

The two of us sat in white-knuckled silence for the 40 minutes we were in the air, hovering tentatively below the clouds and seemingly just above the mountain ranges.

Each night we would wind down back in the old town with an icy cold Chang beer, readjusting to

It’s unlike any place I’ve ever been, my best description is that Luang Prabang to South East Asia is like Paris to Europe, except it’s swamped in palm trees and poverty.

... Luang Prabang is like landing in paradise, it reminds me of tales like The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, where all of a sudden you find yourself in a beautiful and enchanting world you never knew existed. the peace of the old city, and recuperating so we could do it all again the next day.

Day five saw the two of us farewell Chiang Mai and board what can only be described as a toy plane for our flight into Luang Prabang, Laos. I’m not usually afraid of flying, but the miniature propeller plane had me rattled and shaken up, literally. However, due to the extreme mountainous terrain leading into and surrounding Luang Prabang, arriving by aircraft was in fact the safest option, even though I found that difficult to believe at the time.

Arriving in Luang Prabang is like landing in paradise, it reminds me of tales like The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, where all of a sudden you find yourself in a beautiful and enchanting world you never knew existed.

Nestled between the mighty expanse of the Mekong River and the Nam Khan River, Luang Prabang is a stunning UNESCO world heritage listed town, where you could spend days sitting on the edge of the Mekong admiring the magical mass of dangerously swirling water below, sipping fruit smoothies or indulging in rich steaming black Lao coffee.

Lao culture is refreshingly conservative and the people are gentle, quiet, well-mannered, friendly and incredibly modest. The town itself is romantic, peaceful, clean, and the culture is just so endearing you may never want to leave.

No one in Luang Prabang has anywhere in particular to be, no one is ever in a rush and nothing gets done in a hurry. If your prerogative is to unwind, this is where you want to be - just don’t wait until you’re starving to order a meal because Lao people don’t understand the hurrying ways of Westerners.

More than any other destination I’ve been to, time really does slow to a standstill in Luang

Myself with two young girls from the orphanage.

Prabang, allowing you to absorb the gorgeous scenery and the gentle culture.

Despite the terrifying trip in, there was one thing my brother and I shared mutual excitement for, and that was a special visit to an Orphanage-School situated about 10 minutes away from the main street of Luang Prabang, where we both had previously volunteered.

My boyfriend and I were the first ones from our family to visit in 2011, blazingly unaware of the heart-capturing beauty we were about to find ourselves surrounded by.

I was a solemn third year university student, torn between being utterly sick of assignments whilst trying to remain focussed enough to finish my Bachelor Degree and actually pass.

My International Studies major required me to undertake an international internship in a country and setting of my choice, I could literally go anywhere. We mulled over a few destinations, and decided we wanted to travel South East Asia. We could afford to travel there for the longest period of time, it was tropical, and there were many sights we were interested in seeing such as the mystic Halong Bay in Vietnam, impressive Angkor Wat in Cambodia, gorgeous countryside of Laos, and relaxing beaches in Thailand. But most importantly (something we didn’t fully realise until we arrived) was the need for poverty alleviation across South East Asia.

I’d read a few testimonials from other international internship students, and the ones that struck a chord with me were by those who had worked in an orphanage with children living in poverty.

As fate would have it, I was put into contact with

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an Australian man named Andrew Brown, who happened to be a friend of a friend to a family member. Andrew lives in Luang Prabang, Laos, and supports an orphanage-school through his hotel business.

bothered to look at before (there were a few hammer-thumb incidents!).

We didn’t know much about Luang Prabang, but after a few emails back and forth with Andrew, and a Google image search of the town, we were more than happy to volunteer there. Andrew was our main point of contact in Luang Prabang for the month we volunteered at the orphanage.

It wasn’t long until my brother and his girlfriend decided to go and volunteer there too and see what my ranting and raving was all about. They too fell in love with the orphanage and picturesque paradise, prompting further the curiosity of my mum and youngest brother to visit also.

Despite the terrifying trip in, there was one thing my brother and I shared mutual excitement for, and that was a special visit to an OrphanageSchool... where we both had previously volunteered.

The whole experience started because it was a requirement of my major, and an opportunity to travel, but it turned into so much more than that once we were there.

I had travelled to Europe previously with one of my girlfriends, I thought I was ‘well-travelled’, but I had a lot to learn. Nothing could prepare me to be faced with the poverty of Laos, and hundreds of orphans for 30 days, learning their stories, becoming emotionally attached to them, and working in the hot humidity with tools I had never

In a few words it definitely opened my eyes to the world and was an experience I will hold close to my heart always.

I was overwhelmed to be visiting for a second time, it had been two years since I had been there first, and I was so excited to see my little friends at the orphanage and how they had grown.

There was one little boy who I particularly remembered, Joa - his handsome little face and tragic story of how he came to be there is unforgettable. When I first met Joa he was seven, now he is 10.

The memory of first hearing Joa’s story remains with me as clearly as if I had only heard it yesterday. My boyfriend and I were standing in the shade, chatting with some of the older boys, and one of my favourite little boys was hanging around with us like he always did. Even though he had to be one of the smallest and youngest, he was not shy to be around the adults like some of the other children, but almost comforted by our presence.

I asked one of the older boys, Khuasong, who spoke exceptional English, how long Joa had been there for, and if he had any family at all. Khuasong said something to Joa in Lao, and they began talking back and forth for a few minutes.

Joa went and put his little head against the wall

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Ruby Travel

Kuang Si Waterfalls, Luang Prabang (Wikimedia Commons). nearby and Khuasong turned to us and said: “He has been here two weeks. He was with his parents fishing on the Mekong River when their boat sank.

Before his mother and father drowned they put him on a floating tin. He was picked up and brought here to live with us.”

I think at that moment, I went into shock. It was such a harsh reality and matter-of-fact story it took me a while to absorb what had just been said.

Then, all I wanted to do was sit down and cry really loudly, but of course I couldn’t do that. Joa wasn’t doing that, I certainly couldn’t.

My boyfriend and I hugged Joa, thanked Khuasong for his translation, and went back to sawing and hammering away in silence until it was time to catch a tuk tuk back to our guesthouse in town.

We dropped our backpacks in our room, had a cry, and then hit the nearest venue selling BeerLao (the highly popular local lager) where we spent a great deal of the evening.

I imagined a happy reunion with Khuasong and Joa, but at the same time I was extremely nervous they wouldn’t remember me the way I so vividly remembered them.

I was also incredibly happy to see some welcome improvements since my last visit, in particular to their diet. The first time I visited their main meal of the day looked inedible to me, and was very small. They were dished up no more than a mugfull of watery, gritty looking broth that was lucky to have a small piece of greenery floating in it, along with a small palm-sized amount of sticky rice.

Now, they are provided with extra vegetables, eggs and meat for lunch and dinner, as well as

I think at that moment, I went into shock. It was such a harsh reality and matter-of-fact story it took me a while to absorb what had just been said... all I wanted to do was sit down and cry really loudly...

I was overjoyed that the children I formed bonds with did remember me and we were just as happy to see each other. Khuasong’s English was as clear as ever, and little Joa had grown at least by a head and shoulders (no mean feat for a Lao child). There were hugs and tears and lots of photos.

fruit and bread for breakfast. The amount of sticky rice had increased too; some children had balls of sticky rice as big as their heads! A huge improvement considering there are around 600 children living there and the government provides minimal support.

My brother and I took mum and our youngest brother on a tour, enthusiastically pointing to work we had done, a ceiling fixed here, a clothesline erected there, and school desks discretely graffitied with our names everywhere.

Andrew Brown continues to live in Luang Prabang and support this particular orphanage, constantly improving their quality of life using welcome donations from guests who stay at his hotel, where he promotes the cause.

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Donations from guests at the hotel pay for food programs, medical and dental, education, including computers; hygiene needs, as well as some new buildings. Andrew manages all funds himself, which means there are no administration costs and all donations reach and directly benefit these kids.

While most things are going incredibly well, Andrew is hoping to receive a large donation of AUD $30,000 in order to rebuild a dormitory that is completely dilapidated and offers little protection to the 40 boys living in it.

Andrew has recently taken on another two orphanages; all three have almost 1800 children.

His hard work and dedication to improve their quality of life is truly inspirational.

After being reunited with the darlings at the orphanage, the four of us made the most of the rest of our time in Laos by soaking up the unique culture and making sure we had a good old Aussie laugh about everything we did. Apparently laughing loudly and a lot is an Aussie trait, or so we were told in most restaurants.

Being pale, allergic to mosquitoes, and having a general sensitivity to nature (sometimes I rash up when looking out the window), I was mostly at the butt of the family jokes. So I particularly enjoyed the times when such humorous jokes were The main point of our mocking was due to the way mum would speak to the locals, not only as if they couldn’t speak English (which many could), but as though they were completely deaf.

My mum isn’t a very animated person, yet to order a coffee she would mimic lifting a cup to her mouth and taking a sip then point to the

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imaginary mug in her hand, then point to her mouth, then smile and nod as though they would know she had just ordered a coffee.

Six weeks into her travels and she would still go through the excruciating process of miming what she wanted, only to be shocked - again - when a local would respond in clear English.

Luang Prabang had the four of us mesmerised, after all the different destinations we had travelled around South East Asia in the past two years collectively, we agreed Luang Prabang was our favourite place.

Of a night when the temperature would drop to a pleasantly cool and dry degree, we would slip on light pants and a cardigan and walk across to the main street where the most stunning and peaceful night market I’ve ever experienced was set up from twilight until late.

A long stretch of white tents would be erected down both sides and the middle of the main street, strung with plenty of bright lights to illuminate the colourful hand-made goodies. There were no faux Louis Vuitton’s, no loud bartering or Lao people begging you to buy, no plastic toys, illegal DVDs, or anything else you could typically find in an Asian market. Everything was handmade, carefully coloured with bright dyes, cross-stitched, hand-carved, and beautifully authentic.

Reflective of the Lao culture, bartering for their products was always in good character and good humour; you could walk away after showing interest in their goods without being heckled.

On any given night I would pick up cotton wraparound skirts for $2 each, cross-stitched patterned handbags for under $10, polished solid wooden

fruit bowls for under $20, and children’s soft toys and clothing all for around $1 each.

The family joke was that I was single-handedly stimulating the Lao economy for another two years when I would undoubtedly return.

My appetite was for shopping, but with my 20-year-old and 16-year-old brothers in tow, their appetites led us to the steaming and aromatic end of the market where the food stalls were.

The best food stalls led you down a narrow side

Luang Prabang had the four of us mesmerised, after all the different destinations we had travelled around South East Asia in the past two years... we agreed Luang Prabang was our favourite place. street where locals were crammed in with backpackers, all chowing down on fresh and cheap fodder sitting on mismatched plastic chairs and stone benches.

We would pile our mis-matched china plates high with rice, noodles, vegetables and spring rolls all sautéed fresh in front of you for no more than $1.

Add another fifty cents for a can of soft drink or a chilled BeerLao. Another night we ordered huge bowls of steaming

fresh noodle soup, pork for the boys and vegetarian for mum and I. Once you get your bowl of soup you have to wriggle yourself into a spot on a tiny table clustered with condiments to season the soup to your taste.

We would laugh as we added MSG, sugar, basil leaves, fresh chilli, chilli flakes, pickled chilli, chilli sauce, and more chilli. The laughing would stop once we finished our soups and were all dripping in sweat from stupid amounts of chilli and gasping for water after consuming illegal amounts of MSG. We finished our two-week family holiday extravaganza with a shopping spree in the heart of Bangkok, hitting up all the major centres and markets until we ran out of steam and Thai Baht.

We caught the Sky Train to all of our shopping destinations, which was by far Bangkok’s best form of transport, lifting you well above the traffic jams, scamming taxi drivers, and heat into speedy, cheap, air conditioned convenience.

By the time I got on the flight home, I was dopey with holiday happiness. There were no card games, iPads, epic reminiscences, photo flicking, or even talking.

While my brother settled in next to me preparing for my usual onslaught of inflight harassment, I settled in for a solid six hours sleep… not bad for someone who doesn’t sleep on planes.

Anyone who would like more information or to donate money to the Orphanage-School in Luang Prabang, Laos, visit www.deakkumpaorphanage.com or email Andrew Brown directly at andrewb@lotusvillalaos.com.

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UN Women Ruby Travel

Donate to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women via www.unwomen.org.au

Photos - UN Women/Ashutosh Negi

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UN Women Ruby Travel

The gender dividend UN Women

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obel Laureate, Amartya Sen, famously described development as a process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy.

Women are human beings; as such, they are, in the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “born free and equal in dignity and rights” and thus entitled as surely as men to the full complement of rights – life, liberty, and the security of person; equal rights during marriage; freedom of opinion and expression; and the rights to work, to education, and to take part in the government of their country, to name but a few.

Countries are obliged to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of every person, and all United Nations entities are charged with furthering the realization of these rights. Promoting gender equality is thus the core business of the international community and the United Nations family – not an add on, not a special charity project.

But keeping our promises to women is not just a moral and institutional imperative; it is also the smart thing to do.

Equality and empowerment are critical means to a broad end – development that is environmentally and socially sustainable – as well as vital linchpins for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Societies fall behind when half their citizens cannot live to their full potential. Economies lag when half the country’s productive adults have inadequate capabilities, are excluded from the formal labor market, cannot gain access to credit, or are subjected to violence.

Innovation stagnates when the thoughts and ideas of half the people are unheard or discounted.

Corruption flourishes when those in power are not accountable to half the population. Families struggle when half the adults do not have access to good jobs with decent working conditions, and children are less likely to thrive when their mothers lack control over household resources.

The evidence is overwhelming and unambiguous: women’s empowerment and gender equality drive development objectives can be seen by analyzing a few key drivers for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Advocates of equality between women and men have long made the case that women’s empowerment benefits everyone – not just women.

In recent years, other actors have added their voice to the chorus, bringing with them strong economic arguments and evidence.

The World Economic Forum reports that across 134 countries, greater gender equality correlates positively with per capita Gross National Product.

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific estimates that the Asia-Pacific region alone loses more than US$40 billion per year because of women’s limited access to employment, and $16-$30 billion because of gender gaps in education.

McKinsey & Company recently found that private sector firms with the largest share of women in top

management perform best; they argued that moving from raising awareness about the gender gaps in management to implementing strategies to close the gaps is critical to private sector growth worldwide.

Michelle Bachelet: “The challenges we face today are considerable. The increasing gaps in wealth and income that have accompanied global growth have deepened with the economic crisis and pushed millions of workers, especially women, into permanent informal employment. Political conflict and natural disasters are driving up fuel and food prices, threatening livelihoods and straining household coping strategies in both developed and developing countries.

“Yet we are seeing progress. Over 125 countries have outlawed domestic violence, at least 117 have equal pay laws; 187 have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and 115 have guaranteed equal property rights. The constitution of 139 countries and territories now guarantee gender equality. As we see in countries throughout the Arab region, especially in Northern Africa, women who once stayed out of the public arena are now standing alongside men to demand freedom, dignity and the right to participate in revitalizing their societies.

Countries are obliged to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of every person, and all United Nations entities are charged with furthering the realization of these rights.

What about men?

Gender is not just shorthand for women. Gender refers to the social roles of men and women, boys and girls, as well as the relationships among them, in a given society at a specific time and place. In societies the world over, gender is a key determinant of who does what, who has what, who decides and who has the power. It patterns the range of choices and opportunities available to a person and defines what he or she is expected to do and be.

UN Women believes that because gender is about women and men, engaging men is critical to transformative social change; it is a positivesum game.

Engaging men is vital first and foremost, because in most societies, men are more economically, socially and politically powerful than women; recruiting them as allies able to bring to bear their disproportionate power on issues of social justice helps to remove implements and hasten progress.

Engaging men is also critical because gender is about the relationship requires change on the part of both parties – not just half of them. And

engaging men is important to human progress because some definitions of what it means to be a man harms men as well women.

Successfully engaging men requires appeals to enlightened self-interest, work with male role models and authority figures, and the creation of non-threatening environments in which change can occur.

Working with boys and young men holds great promise for a more equitable future for everyone.

What does UN Women get for the money it spends?

Three points are critical to understanding how the resources UN Women spends impact on womens lives.

First, promoting change requires resources.

Since the women-in-development movement of the 1970s, development agencies and national government alike have ignored the old axiom, you get what you pay for. Infrastructure, disease eradication, economic restructuring and other facets of development are always acknowledged as requiring money; eradicating a single disease, polio, for instance, has been given a price tag of about one billion dollars per year for the next two years (according to the Gates Foundation).

Yet equality between women and men was somehow expected to occur magically, with minimal allocation of staff or financing. UN Women received funding worthy proposals (they met the trust fund criteria and passed the project appraisal process) who combined value exceeded $2 billion – a demand that far outstripped available resources.

Second, catalytic, strategic investments pay for themselves many times over. For instance, thanks to a modest contribution from UN Women’s precursor, UNIFEM, the 2006 Morocco budget contained a gender budget statement, which outlined how the budget would address women’s priorities. This led to the prioritization of maternal health clinics, which in turn contributed to a significant drop in the maternal mortality rate, from 130 per 100,000 live births in 2005 to 110 per 100,000 live births in 2008. (In Australia we are lucky to have one of the world’s lowest maternal mortality rates, with the figure around 8.4 per 100,000 women who die giving birth.)

Third, UN Women supports a range of activities that empower women. Some are easy to describe, and their impact can be readily measured. Others are equally important but more difficult to assess… While some quick wins can be demonstrated, transformative change involves long-term shifts in behaviors, attitudes and social norms related to sometimes entrenched cultural and traditional practices.

[Extracts from The Gender Dividend: A Business Case for Gender Equality, UN Women. www.unwomen.org.au]

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Ruby Coffee

SIP - Simple - Innovative - Personal A unique and cosy hub of Belmont. We are child friendly with locally sourced produce and our delicious cakes and pastries are made fresh on the premises.

With our passion for food and a wonderful experience we also welcome small functions. Wedding and Special occasion cakes are also catered for.

Delicious all day breakfast and lunch available from 12.00-2.30pm.

56A Mount Pleasant Rd, Belmont VIC 3216 P: (03) 5245 8483 We are open 6 days 8.30-3.00pm (Closed Tuesdays)

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Darriwill Farm

Steampocket - Pizzeria & Cafe

Come and enjoy breakfast or lunch at Darriwill Farm Cafe in Highton.

We’re all about artisan food - fresh, wholesome, house-made fare. All created with love. Think: brilliant breakfasts, lip-smacking lunches and pizzas worth dying for.

Take in the ambience of the Highton Village. On a beautiful day, sitting out the front with one of our tasting plates, a glass of wine or a lovely cup of coffee prepared by one of our Baristas.

We offer a quality menu prepared for your enjoyment by our qualified Chefs. All our slices are made on sight with fresh produce arriving daily in our kitchen.

Come and enjoy the Darriwill Experience.

65-71 Barrabool Rd, Highton VIC 3216 P: (03) 5241 2933 Open 7 days, Monday to Sunday, 7.30am - 5pm. *This deal is valid at Darriwill Farm Cafe in Highton until 8/7/2013.

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Dining takes on a new meaning in our laid-back courtyard. Friends mingle.

Conversation flows (as does the barista coffee). Find a cosy corner or get amongst the action - either way you’ll love our no-fuss service.

We punch well above our size, with divine catering and sublime take-home meal options that spread our foodie love far beyond Steampocket into special occasions and family homes.

313 Pakington St, Newtown VIC 3220 P: (03) 5222 8969 / Catering P: (03) 5221 0677 Open Tuesday to Saturday.

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Hahndorf’s Fine Chocolates Discerning coff ee lovers have discovered the quiet, relaxed atmosphere that awaits them at Hahndorf’s Fine Chocolates, located at the Newtown end of Pako. It’s the ideal place to catch up with friends or grab some time to yourself.

We offer delicious drinks - tasteful, well-prepared coffee, the best hot chocolate in town, refreshing tea, or thirst quenching cold drinks such as milk shakes and iced drinks. Our goal is also to indulge you with our selection of specialty chocolates, cakes and cookies. Need that special gift?

We have lovely ideas ready for you, or we also make to order.

354 Pakington St, Newtown VIC 3220 P: (03) 5229 7405 Open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm.

Soft Cafe “Choose your suburb, a Soft cafe will be around the corner...”

What a great thing these days it is to have a meeting or catch up over a latte or two. Having a bite to eat in relaxed surroundings, you’ll find it all working beautifully at the Soft Cafes across Geelong. Also, Soft has a strong focus in the current competitive take away coffee market. Soft Cafe’s own freshly ground blend from Redstar, organic beans or organic decaf. Ring your order in to have your coffee sitting on the bench as you walk in the door.

Soft Express Cafe Belmont (Spotlight Centre) - 25 Settlement Rd, Belmont P: (03) 5244 1426 Soft Cafe Lounge Herne Hill 29 Minerva Rd, Herne Hill P: (03) 5222 2155 Soft Cafe Newtown Cnr Pakington and Nicholas St, Newtown P: (03) 5224 1991

Sandstone Cafe In the recent Geelong Otway Golden Plate Awards, Sandstone Cafe won the highly commended award ‘Best Value for Money Licenced Cafe.’

At Sandstone Cafe we have created something new and exciting in Grovedale to give people a great food, wine or function experience at very reasonable prices. Our food can be enjoyed in our airy and bright cafe or in the outdoor courtyard. We are fully licenced and our wine list has a large selection of local wine from our award winning wine regions.

We choose to serve the award winning Dimattina coffee.

284 Torquay Rd, Grovedale VIC 3216 P: (03) 5244 2343 Open 7 days from 9am for breakfast and lunch.

Also open for dinner Friday and Saturday night.

Ruby | 29

Ruby Musings Travel

Mother’s Day means more than “Thank You” Davina Montgomery

I

just love it when a fella goes out to bat for womankind, so when I came along this minitreatise on why mothers should feel truly loved and appreciated on Mother’s Day, I just had to share it with you all.

Dr John Demartini has waxed lyrical on human behavior on Larry King Live, in Oprah Magazine and alongside Donald Trump, Deepak Chopra and Hugh Jackman, amongst others, but that’s not why I like him. I like him because he’s shouting (via email and assorted social media) this ‘value your mother on Mother’s Day’ message around the world hurrah!

“Every person wants to be appreciated and loved for exactly who they are”, he explains.

Apparently it’s not just about giving Mums attention or expensive gifts, although we wouldn’t want to deny the value of either of those things; this expert says it’s also important to acknowledge the day-to-day things that she does, and the contribution she makes to your life.

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“Mother’s Day is not just about children recognizing their mother, it is an opportunity for the whole family to recognize what it takes to be a mother,” he says.

According to Dr Demartini, the most important thing is to be sincere in your appreciation on Mother’s Day. “Flatter no, but appreciation yes.”

Mother’s Day is not just about children recognizing their mother, it is an opportunity for the whole family to recognize what it takes to be a mother...

He also cautions that Mother’s Day is not a one-sizefits-all affair, and it is vital to celebrate your Mum in a way that means most to her as an individual.

Hmm, I’m thinking of a long, hot, interruption-free bath while I watch a movie on the iPad and snack on brie with a spot of champagne on the side…

“Depending on the priorities of each mother, they deserve to be loved and appreciated for their decisions,” Dr Demartini says. “We all have different values and priorities - our mothers love and live by theirs.”

Dr Demartini is adamant that all Mums need to be acknowledged on Mother’s Day - even the ones who pretend it’s not important to them.

“All people appreciate being appreciated. Let them know their contribution they have made to your life,” he advises.

And most of all, it’s important to remember that, regardless of their values, mothers are always doing their best.

“It is wise to ask how our mother’s actions serve us so we can appreciate their actions and love them for who they are,” he says. “In their hearts, they love us.”

All spanking good advice, but I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that not every mother would want their kids thinking too hard about their actions and choices.

Maybe sometimes some flowers or gifts are enough…

Ruby Food

T

he cooler winds and duller skies of Autumn can be a great time to spice things up in the kitchen.

If you thought Summer was the seafood season, think again.

With a bounty of fresh ocean produce available, start thinking of delicate flavour blends that will tantalise the taste buds and have you forgotting all about the chilly weather outside.

It is also the season of colour, and the bountiful colours of Asian-inspired cooking suit the season to perfection.

Darius Sarkis, Head Chef at Baveras Brasserie provides some inspiration on spicing things up when the thermometre goes down.

Photos - Bianca White, biancawhitephotography.com

Ruby | 31

Ruby Food

Prawn coated in young green rice flakes, green chilli aioli with nahm jim Green Chilli Aioli 4 Long Green Chillies, Deseeded and roughly cut up 4cm piece of Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 2 Cloves peeled garlic 3 Egg Yolks Juice of 1 Lime 1 Litre vegetable oil Place the green chillies, garlic and ginger in a food processor and process ingredients until almost a paste. Add egg yolks and continue to process for 2 minutes. Scrape down the side of food processor and continue to blend for a further 2 minutes. In a gentle stream slowly start to add your oil allowing it all to combine otherwise your aioli will split. Once all the oil is added pour in the lime juice and season to taste. If the aioli isn’t thick enough you can continue to add some more oil until you reach the consistency that you require.

Nahm Jim Dressing 5 long red Chillies 2 cloves Garlic, peeled 5 Coriander Roots (you can use the tops for your salad) 100g palm Sugar 3 Tbs Fish Sauce Juice of 2-3 Limes Deseed the chillies and roughly chop. Ensure that the coriander roots are thoroughly cleaned as they usually contain a small amount of dirt in the base of

Ruby | 32

the stems (otherwise you could get a gritty dressing).

In a food processor add your red chillies, garlic cloves, coriander roots, fish sauce and lime juice and blend until everything is very finely processed. Once that is done, chop up the palm sugar as fine as you can and add it to your dressing. Blend for a further minute then allow mixture to sit until the sugar has dissolved. Give it a good stir and place to the side.

Prawns Coated in Young Green Rice flakes 6 Large whole Prawns uncooked 1 Packet young green Rice Flakes (available from your local Asian grocery store) 2 Eggs 1 Cup Flour Start off by cleaning the prawns; this will involve removing the heads and taking the shell of leaving the tail on. Once the prawns are clean, using a sharp knife cut down the centre of the prawn lengthways from the underside of the prawn. Make sure that you don’t cut all the way through. Devein the prawn and flatten out slightly.

Crack your eggs in bowl and whisk until combined.

Put flour and separate bowl. Coat your prawns in flour, dip them in the eggs and then coat them with the young green rice flakes. If you have a deep fryer then you can deep fry the prawns at a temperature of 180˚c until the rice flakes have puffed up and the prawn in cooked, otherwise place some oil in a heavy based sauce pan and heat the oil on your stove top.

Remove prawns and allow to drain.

To make you salad (I would recommend using coriander, Thai Basil, snow pea shoots and spring onion) lightly tear your herbs and lightly combine then add a small amount of your Nahm Jim dressing.

Any excess dressing can be used for other salads or even as a dipping sauce.

Ruby Food 1 small Red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

Cambodian style fish poached in coconut milk

2 Lemongrass stalks, trimmed and finely sliced 3 cm ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 1 tsp finely sliced fresh turmeric or ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp paprika powder 2 Tbs Fish Sauce 1 Tbs brown sugar 400ml Coconut Milk 4 Kaffir Limes leaves 450g firm white flesh fish (what you use is up to you, in this recipe I am using whiting) Juice of 1 lime Place the garlic, red onion, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, paprika, fish sauce and brown sugar in a food processor and blend until nice and smooth.

You might need to add a dash of coconut milk to the mixture to ensure everything is finely processed.

Once this is done add the remaining coconut milk and process for a further 3 minutes or until everything is thoroughly blended.

Transfer the mixture to a heavy based saucepan and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, turn the down heat to a gentle simmer and then cook for a further 10 minutes.

Add your fish and lime juice to your sauce and lightly poach until the fish is just cooked through.

Remove the fish onto a plate and drizzle some of the sauce over.

Serve the fish with some steamed rice and Bok Choy (or whatever you may feel like!)

$19.90* s 1 course & a glass

of beer, wine or soft s In & out in the hour

Catch up over the water with an Express Lunch Open 7 days for breakfast, lunch & dinner. (03) 5222 6377 reservations@baveras.com.au www.baveras.com.au

(*Available Mon-Fri, 12pm-3pm)

Baveras

@BaverasThePier

Ruby | 33

Ruby Wine

Oakdene Cellar Door

T

he new Oakdene Cellar Door is open every day from 10am-4pm for wine tastings, tours and sales.

Following an extensive design and build process, the new building currently known as “the upsidedown house,” offers visitors to the Bellarine Peninsula a unique tasting room to experience.

Designed by owner Elizabeth Hooley, the Cellar Door appears to be an A frame timber house that has been blown over in the wind, with the roof line on the ground and timber stumps exposed.

Recycled and re claimed timbers feature extensively throughout the interior, coupled with contemporary design and facilities to complete a spectacular and very functional tasting room capable for catering for both small and larger groups, located a short walk from the Oakdene Restaurant.

The Cellar Door is manned by a small team of Bellarine Peninsula locals who, over the years, have developed an intimate understanding of the region and a deep knowledge of the wines. The team are always keen to talk you through the Oakdene range, show you around the property or help you decide which wines to take home with you.

Established in 2001, Oakdene is a boutique wine producer specialising in the varieties best suited to the region, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. Oakdene wines are made in small quantities, from high quality fruit, produced in low yields using meticulous vine management. The wines are elegant, complex and reflect the true varietal character of our region.

Dedication in the vineyard and winery has produced immediate results, with wines awarded medals and trophies at major wine shows and a 5-star rating in James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion 2013. Visitors can enjoy daily informative or tutored wine tastings in Oakdene’s uniquely designed Cellar Door, while experiencing estate grown olive oil, orchids and lavender products.

A visit to Oakdene would not be complete without dining at Oakdene Restaurant, the perfect place to match estate grown Bellarine Peninsula wines with the menu of seasonal, local and regional produce prepared with passion and flair.

- Advertising Feature.

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Ruby Wine

Oakdene Wines

Yvette Vintage Sparkling

Peta’s Pinot Noir

Elizabeth Chardonnay

William Shiraz

Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage: 2010.

Vines Planted: 2001.

Vintage: 2010.

Vines Planted: 2001.

Vintage: 2011.

Vines Planted: 2001.

Vintage: 2010.

Vines Planted: 2001 & 2002.

Vintage: 2012.

Vines Planted: 2002.

Appearance: Pale straw with a hint of bronze.

Appearance: Garnet in colour.

Appearance: Pale straw colour.

Appearance: Deep crimson.

Bouquet: An intense bouquet of cherry, spice, mocha and smoked meats, leading to sweet cherry, briar and hints of clove.

Bouquet: Complex bouquet, with notes of struck match, white peach, citus and toasted oak.

Appearance: Pale straw with a green tinge.

Palate: The mid palate offers earthy, cherry, plum notes and some spice and stalkiness.

The wine has excellent palate weight, a silky mouth feel, fine integrated tannins and a long finish.

Palate: Fresh and bright, with excellent mid palate weight, and a creamy texture, nectarine, white peach and citrus are balance by taut acidity and a toasty oak finish.

Bouquet: Highly perfumed with meaty, spicy red fruit aromas leading to pepper and whole bunch stemmy notes.

Conclusion: Enjoy now with food or cellar for 4 to 7 years.

Conclusion: Enjoy now or cellar for 4 to 6 years.

Alcohol: 13.5% w/v.

Alcohol: 13.6 % w/v.

Bouquet: Lifted notes of citrus, spice, and green apple aromas, followed by brioche and toast characters.

Palate: Fine persistant mousse, with obvious bready autolysis, balanced by firm acidity and a long, delicate finish.

Conclusion: A dry aperitif style, to be enjoyed now or over the next few years.

Alcohol: 12.1% v/v.

Bouquet: An intense nose of tropical fruits, grass and green capsicum.

Palate: Medium bodied, with savoury red and dark fruit characters, leading to firm but fine tannins.

Conclusion: Enjoy now or cellar for 7 to 10 years.

Alcohol: 14.5 % w/v.

Palate: Lively palate with gooseberries, tropical melon, passionfruit and citrus characters. This is balanced by a steely acid backbone and a lingering finish.

Conclusion: Consume over the next 2 to 3 years.

Alcohol: 12.8 % w/v

+ Restaurant + Cellar

Door + Wine Sales + Accommodation + Events + Functions Bellarine Peninsula, Geelong, 255 Grubb Road, Wallington, Victoria 3222 P (03) 5255 1255 www.oakdene.com.au OakdeneVineyards @Oakdenewines

Ruby | 35

Ruby Reading

RIPPLES ON A POND JOY DETTMAN

T

his was my first foray into Dettman’s Woody Creek saga, and while book five of a tangled generational plotline is not an ideal entry point, the story was more than strong enough to make the effort of catching up worthwhile.

It is the beginning a new decade - a new age - and for Georgie, 1970 holds the hope of finally breaking free of her family’s haunting past, a past that has left her shackled with the weighty responsibility of her half-sister.

Georgie dreams of a future far from her small job at the small general store in her small town.

For Cara, Woody Creek holds memories she only wants to forget, and she’s determined never to return but, inevitably, she finds herself drawn back to the old timber town.

EDITORS PICK

On the other side of the world, another of Woody Creek’s refugees will find his way home. Taken by his grandfather as a six year-old, Jimmy Morrison has grown into a man of prospects in the UK. With a newly-inherited estate his future looks bright, but dark secrets have a way of finding you, no matter how far away from their source you are.

Joy Dettman weaves her plotlines with finesse, but it is her characters that make this book captivating. As a reader, you find yourself seeing the world through their eyes, feeling what they feel and nd that is Dettman’s ’s Ruby G true talent. i ve

a w ay

To win ac Pond, se opy of Ripple s nd you r name o n a nu m b e , ph r address and contact e one ma ,w ‘Joy De ith the subjec il ttman g t line davina iv e away @ Ruby m adcellgroup.c ’ to om.au. agazin e ha to givea s five copies way.

RUBY BOOK CLUB

T

The Husband’s Secret

The Wild Girl

12th of Never

Liane Moriarty

Kate Forsyth

James Patterson

here is a wonderful earthiness to Liane Moriarty’s characters that makes you want to come back for more, so it was a moment of delight to see The Husband’s Secret make its way into the review pile. In classic Moriarty style, this story centres around a monumentally bad decision. For the disturbingly perfect Cecilia, that decision was made by her husband, and she finds out about it in a letter written to her by him, to be opened in the event of his death. The bombshell the letter contains sends out a shockwave that not only turns Cecilia’s life upside down, but the lives of two other women as well. Funny, smart, emotive and a fine read.

Ruby | 36

T

he Wild Girl is very much based on history.

This is the story of Dortchen Wild, who grew up next door the Grimm brothers in a small German kingdom. Little Dortchen was forbidden to associate with the poor brothers, but met with Wilhelm in secret anyway, and when the French invaded and began destroying the old culture, she told him many of the tales she knew. She was the source of many of the tales in the first collection, but the young lovers could not marry. Wilhelm was too poor and could barely feed himself, but they waited patiently for many years, then a wonderful thing happened. The stories became a success and finally, they lived happily ever after.

T

he thrill master is back, and this time it’s Homicide Chief, Lindsay Boxer who is firmly in the thick of it.

For Lindsay, not even the birth of her new daughter only week ago can keep her away from two cases that could define her career.

It’s time for the Women’s Murder Club to get back in to case mode, with a rising football star the prime suspect in a grisly murder and an eccentric professor who is dreaming of murders before they happen.

But this is Patterson writing, so you know that the real drama will be around Lindsay herself.

Ruby Reading

Life After Life

The Crane Wife

She Rises

Kate Atkinson

Patrick Ness

Kate Worsley

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hat if you had the chance to live your life again and again, until you finally got it right? Ursula Todd lives through the turbulent events of the last century again and again.

She finds warmth even in life’s bleakest moments, and shows an extraordinary ability to evoke the past.

This isn’t about second chances, it’s about an infinite number of chances - as many as it takes to get things right. But what if what you think is right is actually wrong?

This is Kate Atkinson at her most profound and inventive, in a novel that celebrates the best and worst of ourselves.

T

O

ne night George Duncan is woken by a noise in his garden. Impossibly, a great white crane has tumbled to earth shot through its wing by a giant arrow. Unexpectedly moved, he helps the crane, and from the moment he watches it fly off, George’s life is transformed.

The next day he meets and falls in love with the enigmatic Kumiko. It is a passion that burns hot as a volcano - but this passion comes at a terrible price.

A celebration of the disruptive and redemptive power of love and a hymn to the creative imagination, The Crane Wife is a completely enchanting novel.

A

bold, brilliant and breathtaking story of love, adventure and identity. It is 1740 and young Essex dairymaid, Louise Fletcher leaps at the chance to see more of the world by accepting a job as maid to a wealthy captain’s daughter in the bustling naval port of Harwich. Her haughty young mistress, Rebecca is unlike anyone Louise has encountered before: as unexpected as she is fascinating. Fifteen-year-old Luke is drinking in a Harwich tavern when it is raided by His Majesty’s Navy. Unable to escape, he is sent to sea on board the warship Essex. The worlds Louise and Luke find are more dangerous and exciting than they could ever have imagined, and when they collide, the consequences are astonishing.

Waging Peace

Fly Away

Garden of a Lifetime

Anne Deveson

Kristin Hannah

Anne Latreille

he subtitle to this book, ‘Ref lections on peace and war from an unconventional woman’ is a beautifully succinct summary of Waging Peace. Anne Deveson has seen both the massive scale and the massive costs of modern warfare. Having watched as Australia’s recent military ventures have become terrible, anguished wars with no winners, and she looks back and asks what might have been resolved if we’d put as much into making peace as we do into making war; into reconciling powers rather than promoting competition between them. Deveson is thoughtful, warm and funny, and her intelligence and endlessly questioning mind shine through her colourful stories of extraordinary experiences.

F

iref ly Lane became a touchstone novel in women’s lives. Across the world, women embraced the story of Tully and Kate’s enduring friendship.

They laughed with Tully and cried with Kate and anguished over Tully’s fractured relationship with her mother. Now, in Fly Away - a story that both connects to Firefly Lane and stands alone - Kristin Hannah returns to the world of these unforgettable characters...

How do you hold yourself together when your world has fallen apart...

Fly Away is the story of three women who have lost their way and need each other - plus a miracle - to transform their lives.

A

lmost 80 years ago, Keith Murdoch gave his young bride a wedding present that would be of very special significance throughout the intervening years, a small grazing property on the outskirts of Melbourne.

They called it Cruden Farm, and it was here that their family grew up and the garden evolved.

A born gardener, with a practical, hands-on approach, an eye for beauty, and a passion for trees and f lowers, Dame Elisabeth called it her “Garden of a Lifetime.”

Ruby | 37

Ruby Fashion

Nina Skarra, Norway.

You didn’t make it to London, Paris or New York, so strap on your Choos, pick up your Prada and get out your Gucci for the ultimate in fashionista heaven.

Hot off the coat tales of L‘Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival comes Future Wool, an exhibition from Australian Wool Innovation Limited that showcases cutting edge designers from across the globe.

Merino wool is once again the warmest and coolest and the world’s brightest and best are using it to translate their ambitious ideas into magnificent wool reality. Why? Wool moulds to the body. Wool is sculpture. Wool is art.

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Future Wool gathers up innovative textile technology from China, classic feminine tailoring from the USA and stunning hand knits from Belgium in an extraordinary collection of designs that are bound to have you marvelling at the merino.

With a collection of 34 one-of-a-kind pieces, along with design sketches and video footage of selected collections on the runway at London Fashion Week, the exhibition will be accompanied by workshops in spinning, felting, fibre and wool.

The City of Greater Geelong’s Portfolio Holder for Arts and Culture Cr Michelle Heagney says, “We’re absolutely thrilled that the AWI and L‘Oréal Melbourne Fashion Week’s Cultural Program chose the National Wool Museum as the only venue in Australia outside of Melbourne to host this exhibition. Geelong will be blown away by this amazing high end fashion feast.”

So, if you love a little fashion indulgence, totter down to Moorabool Street for a glimpse of some of the world’s most forward-thinking, inventive and stylish wool designs.

Future Wool is on show at the National Wool Museum, Geelong until 19th May. www.nwm.vic.gov.au

Ruby Fashion

/// Featured designers:

Magdalena Velevska, Australia Launching her eponymous label in 2009, Magdalena Velevska continues to walk a skilled line between directional, beautiful garments and functionality.

After studying Fashion and Textiles at the University of Technology Sydney Velevska has developed repute for precisely tailored monochromatic pieces with an intelligent edge, almost always cut from silks, wools, linens and natural fibres.

e l p h o t o g r a p h y

Working as a head designer for several top Australian brands gave Velevska the experience and knowledge to show her unique aesthetic to the world. Her clean, precise and skilled hand has allowed for the development of shoes, accessories and knitwear to visually complete what has attracted a cult-like following.

Velevska creates a coloured urban universe, well-received by the press, consumers and the runways of Australian fashion shows.

Naeem Khan, USA Committed to adorning elegant women in clothes befitting their refinement, Naeem Khan has attracted a glittering fan base of starlets and socialites. Khan’s luxurious collection consists of impeccably cut dresses, sophisticated gowns and chic separates – all embroidered by hand.

Khan was born in India and cultivated his vast knowledge of textiles under the watchful eyes of his grandfather and father, mesmerized by the handwork produced in their workshops.

As a teenager, Khan moved to the United States and apprenticed for Halston, where he absorbed the ethos of modern restraint, and the secrets of draping and cutting fabric to create a clean, elegant, timeless silhouette. Between the equally opulent but aesthetically opposite worlds of his father and Halston, Khan’s style was nurtured, launching his label in 2003.

Liu Fang, China Design Director and General Manager of Paluopo, Liu Fang has a strong affiliation of working with cashmere and her knitting skills transcend to working with wool.

Liu Fang says knitting with wool allows for the elegance and beauty, sense of sculpture and pioneer to be illustrated through these garments and challenges the traditional methods of knitting and working with wool.

Liu Fang has been described by Vogue as “the sculptor of soft gold” and received high appreciation from the president of TSE. She has been included twice in the Chinese Top Ten Fashion Designers and has won numerous awards from Chinese fashion weeks. She has also received critical acclaim in major fashion publications, such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmo and L’Officiel.

Nina Skarra, Norway Norwegian designer Nina Skarra works to create clothes of timeless design.

Skarra launched her first collection in 2008 and since then the designer has grown rapidly to win the heart of French fashionistas, royalties, stylist and celebrities.

Skarra is elegance in complex simplicity and purity. The collections combine the clean Scandinavian design, known for its simplicity and the use of traditional sartorial craftsmanship, quality fabrics and a sustainable production process.

Nina has perfected a timeless design while still maintaining a strong DNA.

e l i s h a @ e l p h o t o g r a p hy. c o m . a u 0439 353 958 elphotography.com.au Ruby | 39

Ruby Fashion

She’s got the look Eyewear on Pako

T

his Autumn, look for bold, statement eyewear, textured materials, elegant to edgy shapes and opulent colours to cheer up a dreary day.

Senegalese-raised, Parisian eyewear and jewellery designer, Caroline Abram, is turning heads on the streets of Paris and around the world. Her unique flair for colour, materials and feminine style is like a firebrand in the night throughout the optical design world.

Abram has luxury eyewear pedigree; her mother is Annette Hoffman, who owns one of Paris’ leading design-focused opticians, Les Createurs d’Opta.

Having worked in a number of boutique eyewear stores, it is hardly surprising that this talented young jewellery designer would eventually turn the focus of her creativity and imagination to creating eyewear. The result is the stunning Caroline Abram eyewear collection.

Elegant, exciting and unique design defines Caroline Abram frames and accessories, with more than a little retro Miami chic thrown into the combination of African vibrancy and French style.

Caroline Abram designs feel as beautiful as they look, and Abram’s love affair with high quality materials as a jewellery designer has extended into her handmade frames. Acetate frames combine with wood and natural stones to create stunning, individual, to-die-for styles. An originator in her field, Abram was awarded the coveted Silmo d’Or award for design – leaving opticians from around the world clamouring to secure stockists rights.

The cats eye collection plays on the vintage look of the sixties, with colour pops of South Beach style and is uber-feminine, while the Retrolights collection radiates elegant simplicity. Caroline Abram’s frames have been described as, “the

perfect choice for those who are nostalgic of those years when girls would dance to the rhythm of rock n’ roll, while the first man would walk on the moon… ultra glamorous, feminine and decorated with glitters.

The Papillons de Jour (decorated with resin) are instead a new concept of femininity and charm and give you a sexy retro, smart look.”

With the acetate frames manufactured in France and Italy, Caroline Abram designs are internationally handmade, and the care and attention to quality finishing shows.

If you want to make a statement with your look this Autumn, make a splash with a fabulous pair of Caroline Abram frames.

The Caroline Abram collection is exclusively available at Eyewear on Pako.

Exclusive to Eyewear on Pako

Ruby | 40

Ruby Events

The wow-factor winter wedding Roxie Bennett, Plan.it Roxie, www.planitroxie.com.au

/ Winter wedding / Australian native bush setting / Beautiful roaring open fire / Mulled Wine / Warm Roasted nuts / Traditional roast dinner/lunch / Fairy lights, surrounding the venue / Beautiful seasonal veg soups

Y

ou heard it here first, the wedding season has slowly been extending.. Gone are the days that it’s a ‘must’ to book your wedding during the months of October to March – the trend is shifting to winter weddings. Guests can dress their outfits up with amazing coats, gloves and stoles. Brides can show their flare for fashion with beautiful lace sleeves and the guys are so thankful that they aren’t sweltering in suits in the hot summer sun!

Guests can be treated to soft jazz playing in the background as they sip mulled wine and nibble on roasted nuts in front of the roaring fire. Once the reception begins they can feast on a traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings.

Don’t forget, another bonus with a winter wedding is that you can plan it in a very short time, because this trend is only kicking off, you’re still able to book your favourite suppliers and venues at short notice – this means there is no need for compromise and, because it’s off season you’re almost guaranteed the date you want and its often cheaper – music to any brides ears…!

Plan.it Roxie offers a huge range of services and options for brides including our very own venue!

Otway Estate Winery and Brewery in Barongarook is just south of Colac at the gateway to the Otways where you can enjoy you’re your celebration amongst the bush and the vines.

Complete event management services for all CORPORATE and PRIVATE functions including WEDDING management.

From creative concept development right through to switching the lights off when it’s over.

Relax, enjoy and leave it to us…

03 5221 5824 info@planitroxie.com.au www.planitroxie.com.au

Ruby | 41

Ruby Musings Travel

Personal space and the art of walking Anna-Marie Hughes

I

t should have been perfect. The Sorrento Ferry docked deftly at Queenscliff and my absent husband was, after a week away, back where he belonged. We’d arranged a silly little rendezvous to celebrate and parked at the beachfront beside the ferry terminal. With few other cars around, and those that were there parked well away from us, the place was pretty much devoid of people. Perfect really, as we tend to be a bit post-apocalyptic in our social preferences.

As we caught up on each other’s week, I unpacked dinner - our favourite calamari and fish and chips from the nearby fish and chip shop, which just happens to be the best in the entire world, bar none.

Lovely sunset, big container ships lumbering past, an occasional leaping fish or diving bird and Point Nepean looking a bit scary and explosive across the way; it was great. But before I could say, ‘are you going to finish that dim sim?’, what happens? An invasion, that’s what.

A car with its radio doof-doofing purposefully and resolutely parked beside us, so close that I couldn’t open my door properly. I glared at the driver, but he was oblivious.

Why, oh why do people do this? It should be the eleventh commandment: ‘Thou shalt not invade personal space’. It could work for megalomaniac dictators who want to invade Poland, but most of all, it would stop strangers who decide they want to touch elbows with me at the beach, in a park, in an art gallery, in an empty cinema, at the cat food aisle at the supermarket …

I love this city and in a ‘Geelong versus the rest of the world’ contest, I’ll always have Geelong’s back.

But, something happens in Geelong that (in my non-empirical experience) doesn’t happen anywhere else. No, I’m not talking about the amazing ankle-length winter kilts that the schoolgirls wear here. I’m talking about walking … walking with fear, trepidation, and the knowledge that if you’re walking past any doorway located within a postcode that starts with a three and is

followed by a two, then someone probably is going to barrel out, straight into you.

At first I thought I was unlucky to saunter along Ormond Road only to end up sprawled across a trolley that shot out of the greengrocers, across the footpath, being pushed by Linda Blair with her head turned 180° backwards, still talking to someone in the shop; a couple of steps further and a guy and his iPad came barging out of the Apple Shop straight into me; at next door’s deli café, I wore most of the cappuccino and three skinny lattes being carried as someone bolted from café to car without pausing to look; but by the time I got near the old lady coming out of the chemist on her motorised scooter I was like a rabbit in the headlights accepting the inevitable and just let her run over my foot.

I’ve never known a town like it for getting hip-andshouldered by otherwise lovely people who walk in one direction and talk in another. Maybe those schoolgirls are hiding trolley-proof protective gear under those long, long kilts.

Q: Need a new commercial vehicle?

A: Abby Davis, Fiona Trotter & Megan Clarke Call Abby, Fiona or Megan on (03) 5223 3453 to design a plan that will get your business on the road faster.

Abby Davis

Fiona Trotter

Megan Clarke

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Ruby | 42

Ruby Living

Designing from the floor up Fletchers Choices Flooring

C

reating the look for your new dream home, or room, or house renovation, can be a daunting task.

We often know what we like and don’t like, and how we want our end product to look, but can be uncertain about how to achieve it. Do you follow the latest colour and fashion trends in home decorating, or create your own statement? If you’re renovating, are the floorcoverings to complement or contrast to existing fixtures and soft furnishings if?

Apart from your walls, the flooring area is the second biggest area in a room to consider, and how that area is covered can contribute to the overall feel and mood of a space. For example, dark colours make areas appear smaller, but can create warmth and cosiness; light colours can create a sense of spaciousness.

There is a huge selection of flooring options available today and some clever solutions to getting the right look that works within your budget. Just as an example, consider floating floors that resemble polished floorboards, or vinyl that looks like timber or

ceramics. These options can look great, and also be practical and easy to look after.

Carpets come in a massive range of colours, weights and textures with technology improving its stain, soil, wear and colourfast performance.

... the flooring area is the second biggest area in a room to consider, and how that area is covered can contribute to the overall feel and mood of a space.

When you’re building or renovating, you need to consider what you want your flooring to do. How do you want it to feel and sound? How do you want your flooring to contribute to the overall look of your home?

Hmmm… there’s a bit to consider, isn’t there?

F

Need some help with your flooring choices?

That’s where a team who’s been in the business for over 30 years comes into play. Choices Flooring by Fletchers, formerly known as Fletchers Carpet Choice, offer exactly that choices! Hundreds of choices in floorcoverings - carpets, vinyl, laminates, timber and bamboo floating floors, and for that finishing touch, rugs. The Choices team can provide assistance in helping you find not only what type of flooring will suit your style and budget, but flooring that will perform well and help you create the atmosphere you are looking for.

They’ve seen many types of flooring installed in many different circumstances and have an enormous knowledge base of available products, what they can do and the latest colours and trends in flooring. They have a good listening ear, and a “passion for floor fashion” and creating inspirational spaces.

Fletchers Choices Flooring

5222 1555

15 Gordon Avenue Geelong West

Pakingto

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Hope S t Autumn

Gordon

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Flooring

Latrobe Te rrace

Weller S t

Spring S t

The Gordon

Melbourne

Geelong Train Station

Gordon Av e

To view our extensive range visit choicesflooring.com.au

The floor you’ve been searching for

Fletchers

Flooring Ruby | 43

YEARS

C ELEBR

G ATIN

More than just blinds…

Elegance With the full LUXAFLEX® range on display, we invite you to visit our showroom, for all the inspiration you’ll need for selecting your beautiful new blinds.

Brax Window Treatments Pty. Ltd A.B.N. 32 007 059 421

332 Pakington Street, Newtown, Vic. 3220 Factory: 100 Balliang Street, South Geelong, Vic. 3220

Telephone: (03) 5221 5533 Facsimile: (03) 5221 3408 Email: sales@braxwt.com.au Web: www.braxwt.com.au

This, That & More

molmic ‘ally’ sofa and exotic cowhide.

geelong cnr autumn st & shannon ave geelong west vic 3218 p 03 5229 0054 | e geelong@insideoutstyle.com.au insideoutstyle.com.au facebook.com/insideoutstore

see and be seen.

ATTENTION ALL

CUSTOMERS

SIYIN WANG OPTOMETRIST

Siyin Wang formerly of 1001 Optical has joined our team.

CALL NOW ON 5243 5600 FREE eye testing in Highton.

Limited appointments available.

Ruby | 46

This, That & More

New Arrival

Bags

Australian Moorcroft Foundation Retailer

Liv has the perfect gift for every occasion

The new 2013 Nursery Range Prices start at $174.00

Fresh flowers • Home wares • Bags • Scarves • Jewelry Watches • Gift vouchers • Lay-bys welcome

170 Moorabool St, Geelong P 03 5229 7006 fyanscottage.com.au

Shop 6, 321 Pakington St, Newtown P 03 5221 5330 Mon - Fri: 9.30am - 5:30pm | Sat: 10am - 3pm

superior sofa design

Pieces to Treasure

custom made in geelong • create your own look • superior quality and design • 30 models on display • exclusive fabrics and leather • reupholstery service

ORDER NOW for 4 week delivery

5229 2167 11-13 gordon avenue geelong west | sales@banksialounges.com.au

banksialounges.com.au

Gifts | Specialty Cards | Books | Quality Toys Shop 1/329 Pakington St, Newtown P 03 5221 1536 E highbury@ncable.net.au

Ruby | 47

WAURN PONDS SHOPPING CENTRE

YOU’LL FEEL RIGHT AT HOME

EVERYDAY FAMILY ESSENTIALS JUST MINUTES FROM YOUR DOORSTEP, WITH: 80 of your favourite stores all on one level Over 1,100 FREE all day & 3 hour car parking spaces Easy access from Princes Hwy & minutes off the Geelong Ring Road 8-screen Reading Cinema complex Coles & Woolworths supermarkets Fashion, fresh food & cafes Parents Room – young families will enjoy this dedicated space, with private feeding booths, enclosed play area, change tables & wash basin LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

RIN

D G ROA

MELB

"«i ÊÇÊ`>ÞÃÊÊUÊÊäÎÊxÓ{{ÊÓxnä 173 - 199 Pioneer Road, Waurn Ponds 3216 www.waurnpondssc.com.au