tha it s’ t’s right...
FREE!
free Issue: 5 march 2012
Three Sisters of Country Heading for Newie
Hangin’
Alana’s surfing adventure
Suit Up !
wearing it well - man style
It’s a Classic Look Miss Pin-Up Australia
Busy Kaz Delaney
reading list? - Ha! Try writing!
Wetland Wonderland
turning a vision into reality
Art Bazaar it’s on again!
social/life magazine : MARCH 2012
fashion n music n sport n events n people n travel n food n you...
social/life magazine creative director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . steve dunkley email: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . stevedunkley@sociallifemagazine.com.au mobile:
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sales & marketing director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . steve james email: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . stevejames@sociallifemagazine.com.au mobile:
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contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . michael blaxland .................................................
vanessa swilks
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photography
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jacqui clancy
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consultant
peta wood
courtney fitzsimmons
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online content
elle sheedy
graham dunkley
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“Be yourself – everyone else is taken.” - Anon I recently saw a tub of lollies (the one on the stick made famous in the 70’s by TV detective Kojak) at a service station shop. There were thousands of them... OK, hundreds and hundreds.
I got to thinking; They must sell pretty well and they have so many here in the shop... and there must be shops all over the place with hundreds and hundreds of them.... that’s a lot of Kojaks. So there I was standing in line waiting to pay for my petrol thinking... wow... They must be pretty popular considering I haven’t seen an advertisement for them in many years... That’s a pretty amazing product. In fact, I couldn’t remember the advert for it at all.... I DO remember lots of advertising jingles, after all, that’s what they are for... everyone needs softness... do you eat the red ones last? and what was the product that finished with the statement “No Sweatski?” (Ahh a trivia challenge) It had a great jingle too “... and under your arm is the top of the world,” it sang... Yep - They don’t write ‘em like that anymore. Can you believe that line was actually in an advertising jingle? If you have a clue about those little gems, drop us a line at our new website www.sociallifemagazine.com.au - And we’d love to hear about your favorites as well... Just for fun. Don’t forget to let us know what’s happening in your world - We want to hear about adventures, projects, milestones, events, holidays, so head to the website and click on WRITE YOUR STORY. And while you’re there, you can check out our favorites because you can read all the past editions of social life magazine, download them and hit all the web-links for more content through the online version of this magazine. Yep... We love the interwebs too. Enjoy your fifth edition everyone... Who loves ya baby? (Kojak) - Steve
cover: The McClymonts The award-winning trio of sisters are embarking on a major tour to present hits past and previews of things to come. - See page 6 for more.
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© Copyright 2011 social life magazine. Unauthorised copying or use of any material contained herein prohibited. All contents remain the property of social/life magazine. Reproduction or use without permission prohibited. Disclaimer: social/life magazine is published in Newcastle, NSW. Submissions by readers, third-parties, contractors or contributors do not neccessarily express the views of the publishers, staff and associates. No responsibility is offered or implied by social life media for views expressed herein.
Here’s something you CAN do...
2 social/life
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contents world class wetlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 4
Really!..From Banners to Annual Reports.... Just call...
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michael blaxland reveals an 18 year dream of nearby wetlands
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fun raising
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
page 5
ideas to help your school or club raise some cash
the mcclymonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6 the three sisters of country - three tour dates in the hunter
bob corbett wins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 8 the 2012 star maker winner is bob corbett.. he’s away !
art bazaar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 9 the hunter arts network expande their art bazaar events
surfer girl alana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 10 local schoolgirl, alana ellis tries her hand at surfing
fashion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 12 vanessa swilks and jacqui clancy create some man style
bridal fair to the rescue
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page 18
tomago house will hold a bridal fair to assist in its upkeep
165,566 188
abigail washburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 22 unique banjoist is set to play locally at lizotte’s
she’s got the look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 26 four local girls to compete in miss pin up australia
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elle’s easy recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 28 elle gets a load of help from jaiden and willow in the kitchen send in your social snaps from events around the area for next edition info@sociallifemagazine.com.au - name each pic with a caption and email - easy.
A Refreshing Approach to Entertainment & Leisure
Karaoke And Dance (Celebrity Karaoke)
Themed Dinner Shows Incl: “Through The Decades” “Shocky Horror” “The Movie Show”
Variety& Family Shows Fun Times for All
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for Venues, Company, Organisation Etc. (Can Be Self Hosted)
We Design & Theme Shows To Suit a Venue’s needs or Private Party
Guided Day/Weekend Hunter & Vineyard Tours or Join Our Fun P&O Cruise Group February 2012
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Some Opportunities Remain For Your Christmas Function G&S Lifestyle And Entertainment Contact Greg Watt 0412761936 www.entertaining4you.com
social/life 3
wetlands
World-class
Story MICHAEL BLAXLAND
Wanderer catapillar resident
Boardwalks allow for exploring the wetlands
Volunteers can participate in regular tree planting
Wetland area near Ash Island
An inviting location for relaxation
MOTORISTS travelling along the Pacific Highway at Hexham, just east of the Traveller’s Rest McDonald’s, will notice an inconspicuous sign pointing to Ash Island across the Hunter River. Like a pathway into a mysterious wonderland, the road leads to the wetlands of the Kooragang Island rehabilitation project, a labour of love which, for 18 years, has been recreating a habitat for fish, prawns, shorebirds, frogs and other wildlife in the Hunter estuary. One of Australia’s designated wetlands of international importance, the Hunter Estuary wetlands stretch for 2969 hectares and include the rehabilitation areas of Ash Island, Tomago Wetlands and Stockton Sandspit. Far from being a wild and uninviting area, the 780 hectares of Ash Island is a scientific marvel, exploration ground for families and focus for hundreds of hours of volunteer work each year. Project manager Peggy Svoboda said, to turn vision into reality, the project was protecting riverbanks, managing water flows, creating saltmarsh, managing weeds and feral 4 social/life
animals, using holistic grazing methods to manage kikuyu pasture and revegetating areas of the floodplain using local native plants.
of them rainforest species that were originally found on the island, including red cedar and ash trees,” Ms Svoboda said.
“Tied to the habitat work is the creation “The community is always welcome to come of opportunities for education, recreation, along and join the regular team of volunteers tourism and research to promote for tree planting on the third Sunday of every appreciation and wise month on Ash Island.” use of wetlands,” she During the week, visitors Far from being a wild and said. can also call in at the
uninviting area, the 780 “Boardwalks, walking Schoolmaster’s House, a hectares of Ash Island is a tracks and cycleways help beautifully restored 1890s you explore the wonders building for historical and scientific marvel of the intertidal world, ecological information about glimpse the majesty of the Kooragang Wetlands and once luxuriant rainforest and discover historic enjoy a complimentary cup of tea or coffee. ruins that hint of bygone days.” For information on touring or volunteering Volunteers play a large part in helping to restore the vegetation of Kooragang Wetlands. “Since 1995, more than 150,000 trees and shrubs have been planted on Ash Island, many
at the wetlands, go to the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority website at hcr.cma.nsw.gov.au/kooragang or call on 4964 9308. n
Raising
Fun
for schools and clubs...
the community as well as other schools know that your school is conducting a bake sale. This way there will be tons of people coming to the bake sale to purchase the goods that you are selling. Other items on the menu can include rice crispy squares, chocolate covered donuts, and home baked cake. Try to have a good variety of items to offer at your bake sale so that there is something for everyone. The more variety you have at your bake sale the more popular it will be and ultimately the more successful it will be as well.
In today's schools there are many activities that teachers would like to involve their students in but these activities cost money. Moreover, schools often need to enhance their students’ experience with additional events and activities that may cost the school more money to provide. When this is the case, schools have to get creative in order to raise money to participate in these great projects and activities. Here are three great ideas for school fund-raising. g BAKE SALES ... Conducting a bake sale for your school is a very neat idea to raise money for your school. A bake sale can involve selling cookies, muffins, and cupcakes to the local community in your city. For the bake sale to be very effective you want to make sure you properly advertise the bake sale. Let the parents in
g CHOCOLATE BAR SELLING ... another popular way to fund-raise is to sell chocolate bars. What you do is give each child a box of chocolate bars so that they can sell it to their family or church to generate some cash. Sometimes children even give the boxes to their parents to
take it to work with them so that they can sell them to their coworkers. From past experience, the children who have implemented this strategy have been known to sell above and beyond average amounts. g PANCAKE BREAKFAST ... The school can also organize a pancake breakfast for students and parents. This is very similar to conducting a bake sale and as such advertising is very crucial. Unlike the bake sale, you want to charge an up-front fee of maybe $10-$15 dollars per person for an all-you-can-eat pancake buffet.
Take these ideas for school fund-raising and utilize them to help your school raise money for the fun activities and projects that are available for your school. Together you can raise the money you need to succeed. n
Classically trained, the heart of Tony Harrison’s cooking and leadership in the kitchen is a well-tuned, confident response to hand-selected ingredients. Every dish at Nor’East begins with an uncompromising approach to securing the freshest and highest quality seasonal produce.
The integrity of these ingredients is then carefully maintained from source to the kitchen and kitchen to plate, as tastes and flavours are enriched and revealed rather than complicated or overworked. Nor’East is Newcastle’s newest, unique, waterfront dining experience.
Exciting, modern cuisine, Oysters, seafood and grill. Great wines by the glass, Fully licenced 150 Wharf Rd, Newcastle
i
Lunch 7 Days
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Dinner Monday to Saturday
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Telephone (02) 4929 6444
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www.noreastdining.com.au social/life 5
With a new album Two Worlds Collide on the way and a stack of awards to their credit, The McClymonts Sisters are hitting the road for a intensive Australian tour performing a blend of past hits and previews of things to come
On tour with the Thre After spending the lion’s share of 2011 in the USA touring, The McClymonts have returned home to announce their third album Two Worlds Collide will be released in june 2012. First single lifted from the album was How Long Have You Known released in January. The McClymonts have ended 2011 on a high winning the prestigious Country Music Association (CMA) 2011 Global Artist Award. After touring the usa for 6 months in 2011 the girls are looking forward to coming home to perform to a home crowd and being a part of the Tamworth Country Music Festival. 6 social/life
The McClymonts kicked off 2012 of with a huge concert in Tamworth at TREC’s Jayco Country Theatre in January. Brooke said, “This is the first time we have done our own show at TREC and we are all so excited to be starting 2012 off with everyone at home and with such a big show at TREC. It will also be the first show of our new Hits & Previews Tour that will be touring around Australia in March and April.” Sam added, “We are doing something we have never done before on this new tour. The previews in the tour name means we are going to play songs that will be on the new album that will come out mid-year in
Australia and a few months later in the U.S. “We have been busy writing all summer in Nashville and we are so looking forward to previewing the new songs to our Australian fans and getting their feedback,” she said. Mollie added “Our new single, which was released in January will also be in this show. It is called How Long Have You Known.” “In another first for us, our record company will be releasing the new single both physically and digitally. This one was produced by Nathan Taylor who also worked with us on the Wrapped Up Good album and he is the guy who produces all of
ee Sisters of Country Taylor Swift’s music.” The girls created a behind-the-scenes documentary style TV series all about adventures of life on the road, touring and moving to Nashville! Also, catch The McClymonts every Tuesday, every hour from 7am – 7pm on CMC. Wrapped Up Good achieved gold sales in Australia and entered the Aria top 100 chart at #2 behind Susan Boyle, and #1 on the Aria Country Chart. The first four singles from the album, Kick It Up, Wrapped Up Good, Hearts On Fire,
and A Women Is a Flame, all went to #1 on the country music charts in Australia. The girls also took home the Aria for best country album of the year. A few weeks after this honour they took home the trophy for Group of The Year at the Country Music Awards of Australia for the fourth time over the last five years. Wrapped Up Good was the highest selling country music album by an Australian artist on the ARIA chart for 2010. 2012 promises to be a huge year for The McClymonts with extensive touring in both Australia and the U.S. n
The McClymonts
** Hunter Tour Dates
Thursday 12th April -
**
Cessnock Supporters
Club e www.cessnockleag ue sc lub .co m.au or at the Club Ph 4993 2655
Tickets available onlin
Friday 13th April
-B
elmont 16’s Tickets available online www.16s.c om.au or at the Club Ph 4945 0888
Sunday 15th April - W es
ts Nelson Bay Digger Tickets available on s line www.westsnewc astle.com.au or at the Club Ph 4981 1344 social/life 7
18years
down the road...
Popular Novocastrian Singer Songwriter,
Bob Corbett crowned 33rd Toyota Star Maker
Note the name Bob Corbett, who was crowned the 2012 Toyota Star Maker at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre (TRECC), beating 19 other immensely talented acts in Australia’s oldest and most prestigious music talent search. “This competition has kicked off the careers of some of the biggest names in country music. It’s a truly amazing feeling to be the next Toyota Star Maker. 2012 is really going to be my year,” Corbett said. Bob said: “To have my own name listed amongst some of my heroes is a real privilege. This is a major turning point in my career and I can’t wait for what’s to come.” Bob has numerous accolades to his credit including nine 1233 Newcastle ABC Music Awards. In 2009, he received a Grant from the Australian Government, launching him and his band on a national tour. The year prior, Bob released the critically acclaimed album Storyboard and reached the finals of both the MusicOz and Australian Songwriters Awards. In typical Bob Corbett style, he is completely surprised at the sheer volume of adulation from friends and supporters from Newcastle and beyond that have choked his mobile phone message bank and facebook page since the announcement. “The highlight for me was just before the announcements, Kasey Chambers came up to me backstage and said that she forgot that she was watching a competition when I was on stage. What a compliment!” “The response from Newcastle has been overwhelming to say the least,” said Bob after the hubbub died down a little, “It feels like a win for all of us. However I’m sure that some Newcastle folks are still wondering how I suddenly became a country music artist. The truth is that I’ve been going to the Tamworth
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Country Music Festival for 18 years now. I’ve played at all of the big Australian country and folk music festivals over the years, and performed on the main stage at The Gympie Muster with Bob Corbett & The Roo Grass Band. I also play slide guitar in Mark Wells’ band which has taken us to CMC Rocks the Snowys and the Hunter. Folk/Country music has been a massive part of my life for a long time now and this win is a very big deal for me and my career.” General Manager for Rural Press Events, Barry Harley, was impressed by the standard of the entrants, “Each year it gets harder and harder to choose the finalists. There’s such a high quality crop of performers in this country, and Toyota Star Maker plays a huge part in showcasing that talent. It keeps lifting the competition to new heights and setting the benchmark in Australian country music,” he said. “Last year’s winner, Luke Dickens, has made fantastic use of this opportunity, and I’ve no doubt that Bob will do exactly the same,” Mr Harley said. “Our fellow local Toyota Star Maker finalist, Kristen Lane absolutely shone on the night. She did us proud. Definitely keep your eye on this wonderful talent. Kristen and her family are wonderful people and so representative of all the good things this region possesses. She launching her EP at Lizotte’s in Newcastle on 29th April, this is not to be missed,” said Bob. Bob spent the following days balancing the media storm and promotional appearances with festival performances in front of thousands of people, sharing stages with Lee Kernaghan, The McClymonts, The Bushwackers, Diesel and Troy Cassar-Daly. He also had the opportunity to celebrate by performing with his very own Roo Grass Band at The Longyard Hotel, The Courthouse Hotel and The Imperial Hotel. n
bazaarseason Hunter Artists have new opportunities to exhibit more often... Hunter Arts Network (HAN) is very excited to announce we are expanding the number of Art Bazaars to four per year – one for each season.
the commercial realities of the art world.
Sunday March 11 is the date set for Autumn Art Bazaar on the foreshore of Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, First Street Booragul. We are really looking forward to four Art Bazaars and are excited for the opportunities our Artists and Designers now have. It is the premier opportunity for Hunter arts, craft and design practitioners and arts-related organisations to showcase their work.
“Art Bazaar attracts large crowds” said Ms Fawthrop “it demonstrates what a healthy artist’s community we have in the Hunter AND it provides a perfect opportunity to buy unique gifts, direct from the Creator.”
In its 10th year, Art Bazaar is the Hunters only dedicated artisan market now with over 80 artists showcasing their works in a vibrant market atmosphere set in the glorious surrounds of Lake Macquarie. “Art Bazaar continues to grow and has both experienced and emerging artists” said Leah Fawthrop, President of HAN “all participants need to go through a formal application process assessed by a panel of Art Professionals in order to participate - this way HAN can guarantee a very high standard.” HAN artists practice in a wide range of mediums that include: painting, photography, print making, textiles, mosaics, jewellery, glass and many more. TAFE students from the School of Fine Art, are also participating giving them great experience in
ART BAZAAR has become a highly anticipated event for both the public and the participating stall holders. It stimulates the arts community by increasing public awareness of the Hunter’s diverse artistic culture, successfully displaying art groups, organisations, businesses and many individual artists. Art Bazaar will go ahead rain, hail or shine!”
Art Bazaar Foreshore of Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, First St, Booragul --- Sunday 11th March 2012 --9am until 3pm. Contact Leah Fawthrop on 0408 653 605 or president@hunterartsnetwork.org n
SUNDAY
11th MARCH 9AM - 3PM LAKE MACQUARIE CITY ART GALLERY First Street, Booragul
www.hunterartsnetwork.org social/life 9
we’re all going to
SURF SCH
When Lake Macq
uarie girl, Alana Ellis had an opportunity to
A Christmas gift from mum has likely turned out to be the beginning of a lifetime’s hobby. According to Alana Ellis, 11 of Lake Macquarie, surfing is it. It’s the thing she wants to do. Alana is a bit of an adventurer who enjoys the outdoors, the beach, sports and playing with her pals... But then the gift of surfing lessons has changed something - and in a big way. “I’ve been surfing with dad before and these lessons were a great way to get better at it,” said Alana. Alana’s mum Denise is keen to see her daughter enjoying the sport that she hopes will bring years of enjoyment. The gift of lessons from Newcastle Surf School included a shirt and several lessons but now they are committing to a larger number of lessons to really get into the sport, “I think she’s ready for something that takes some skill. Surfing isn’t exactly the simplest thing to do,” said Denise. Her first lesson took place in the rain, “The beach is weird in the rain, “she offered, “You never see it like that, but there was still some waves and we went out for more surfing. It was great in the rain too.” Students attentively listened to some wise surfing lore as Daniel explained about reading the waves and the ocean for signs of a rip. Alana confidently told social/life magazine about how swimmers can get into trouble if they try to fight a rip. “The current can just pull you out to sea so you have to swim with the rip and make your way sideways out of danger,” said Alana. At 11 years old, that a pretty impressive lesson. Practising standing up from the paddling position is a key manoeuvre that must be mastered if the young surfer wants to experience the thrill of riding the waves - so Daniel has the group
10 social/life
of twelve or thirteen youngsters jumping up from their boards while they are safely embedded on the sand - just for starters. With new knowledge of swim safety and a well-practiced jump-start, they hit the water under the watchful eyes of the surf school team. It’s a fine summer day and the water is fine, the provided board and wet-suit make the transition from sand to surf seamless. Students are encouraged, boosted and guided to the face of manageable waves, to their feet and on to a few brilliant seconds of actual surfing. Daniel is patient with the young surfers and allows them to find their feet and turns their drop-outs into a fun moment that brings them back to start again. Before long, Alana is cruising into Blacksmiths Beach having the time of her life riding waves like a real surfer. It’s a dream come true. “When I got the lesson for Christmas, I didn’t know it was going to be this good,” Alana is still excited when she explains, “I want to get a year of lessons and get really good at it so I can surf with friends all the time.” The day of the second lesson was a family outing with Alana’s younger sister, Lara and Denise’s fiancé, Alan playing in the waves while Alana spent her time with other students and her instructor, Daniel from Newcastle Surf School. And Newcastle is the place to get the surfing bug. With more than it’s fair share of surfing beaches, the coastline of the Hunter Valley is a mecca for surfers from all over the world. Would she like to be a champion surfer like the competitors in Surfest? “That would be so awesome!” We think that’s a yes.
“It’s the best fun. I can’t wait to get out there again.”
- Alana
HOOL
Story: STEVE DUNKLEY Photos: TANIA DUNNING
try surfing during the school holidays, she jumped at the chance... Earlier in the school holidays, Alana was keen to try her hand at the trapeze. She was one of many youngsters who secured trapeze instruction from the skilled performers of Circus Avalon who were in Newcastle for their production of What’s Going On In Edward Tulip’s Head at the Newcastle Foreshore. “That was fun,” said Alana, “I would like to do that again too.” Mum, Denise is glad that Alana is in good hands and Daniel’s confidence and calm manner make his work with the young students easy, “They listen to him and take notice of the things he says about the water,” she said, “She’s so excited about the idea of surfing now. It’ll be a great activity considering we live so close to the beach and the surfing culture is part of the Newcastle way of life.” The Newcastle Surf School holds lessons most days and weekends allowing people from all walks of life to experience
surfing, most for the first time. The school is the longest running surf school in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area and caters for all levels of surfing from beginner, intermediate and advanced. The Surf School has programs running with several schools throughout the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie areas, the Active After School Communities Program which is a government funded project as well as school sport and Marine Science. It operates out of two locations, Nobby’s beach and Blacksmiths Beach all year round for daily lessons. It is a permanent fixture at both beaches throughout the N.S.W school holidays The lessons run for two hours and include, soft, safe, surfboards, wetsuits and sunshirts all students need to bring along is a towel, sunscreen, swimmers and an adventurous spirit. “It’s the best fun... I can’t wait to get out there again,” said Alana. n
social/life 11
style warning:
Hawiian Shirts are
OUT! Umbrellas are IN!.. Story: Sally Curzi Photos: Jacqui Clancy Styling: Vanessa Swilks Model: Andrew Smallcombe
The limited vocabulary of mens’ fashion can be a real challenge for the stylish bloke... but if you really want to turn heads and set the style, take a tip from the experts... women. OK, Im about to generalise here, so for the 4 men who are reading this in horror ... Im sorry. But you really don’t get our trends do you? Or is it just the men I know? I can tell you, the blokes in the front bar at my local pub do not understand socks and heels. Or leather shorts. Or bodycon. Come to think of it they don’t complain about the last one. I really don’t blame them; the majority of men’s fashion is boring. We get dresses, skirts, frills, pleats and prints. We get things called pussybows and palazzos. We can colour block and pattern clash and steal from our boyfriends wardrobe. Poor men get pants and shirts. (Unless you are Marc Jacobs or David Beckham, 12 social/life
and in which case see list above). But it doesn’t have to be so blah. You boys can style up your look with minimal effort. It’s all about having fun and trying something different. Some suggestions are : Add a hat. A stylish fedora or Panama hat will instantly add a bit of style into your outfit. Unless you are also wearing a Hawaiian shirt. And if so, your problems are much bigger than your choice of headwear. Try a quirky accessory such as a cane. Anything that is good enough for Brad Pitt should be good enough for you. And I’d say it’d be a great conversation starter. A Man bag? A messenger sling can be very stylish, an attaché case with a wrist strap – not so much.
Carry an umbrella. Who cares if it’s 30 degrees and clear skies? Not everyone in aviator sunglasses are about to board their jet. Yes we get a laugh out of the raucous bucks parties at the races in their unbuttoned polyester shirts and powder blue suits. As long as it’s meant to be funny, we girls are OK with this. Even if money is a bit tight, you can always accessorise with designer stubble... and be confident in the fact that this is one look the girls won’t be in a hurry to steal. ***Author Disclaimer: Please feel free to completely disregard this silly list, the author actually appreciates all styles and thinks any boy who gives it a go is miles ahead of the others
social/life 13
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All clothing from this mens’ fashion feature is available from:
Ed Harry and YD at Westfield Kotara
social/life 15
16 social/life
are you a model ?
Enter our competition
on 3rd June 2012 Like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/frockonnewcastle
for more details.
Proudly sponsored by
a call to all
Tomago House Story: Steve Dunkley
Photos: Lynda Prescott and Michelle Leigh
Popular wedding venue, Tomago House is planning a Wedding and Bridal Fair for March ... with a difference. Set for March 25th, there will be something for everyone at the fair. The public, brides past and future are invited to come this historical venue to enjoy this special day. The public are invited to contribute to a special display of past and present wedding gowns and antique wedding photographs. Organisers, The Friends of Tomago House are excited that a unique collection of bridal fashion through the ages will be on display due to public generosity. By all reports, The collection is coming together and will be a one-of-a-kind display. Tomago House Custodian, Lynda Prescott said: “The Past to Present theme will be a feature of a photographic exhibition that the public can also contribute to. People with vintage garments or historic photographs should contact Lynda Prescott at Tomago House for more details. The wedding gown fashion parade and exhibition are being held in aid of the building itself which is in need of some up-keep and maintenance. The Bridal Fair will showcase the unique homestead to the community. The Friends of Tomago House are hoping people will continue to be generous enough to make a loan of era-specific wedding gowns, bridesmaids or formal gowns and dresses.. For example antique, vintage garments from the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s etc ...including shoes, accessories, veils and other wedding related clothing. An amazing day is planned for everyone and a Bridal Fair that has some comparatively very different elements. “Everyone working the event is doing so on a volunteer basis, so that every dollar made goes directly to the National Trust for the up-keep of the historic homestead. “The Friends of Tomago House are a volunteer group who have been caring for the property since the ‘90’s. They are really the ones behind the drive to raise funds for the homestead.” “We really need your help in letting the community know we are here, and there’s great things happening at Tomago House,” said Ms Prescott. “We are hoping to raise about $10,000 but we’ll will be happy even if we get $5000. It will all help,” said Ms Prescott. The homestead, which was built in the early1840s by Barrister, Richard Windeyer formed the heart of what was, in the mid 19th century, a vast agricultural estate and the country residence of one of the nation’s leading
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Tomago House is a well known venue for functions and weddings and is need of the community’s help - A unique Bridal Fair is currently being planned for late March with hope that funds can be raised to assist with upkeep. politico-legal figures. The property features a chapel and wine cellars that once stored wines grown on the estate. It is located only 6kms from Hexham Bridge and is easily accessed from Newcastle and Maitland areas via the New England Highway. Its convenient location has made it an ideal wedding and reception venue for many couples. The call is going out to all interested parties, past brides, vintage clothing and photographic collectors for items to display and parade to help make the event a huge success. All the items are requested only as a loan and will be returned.
Ms Prescott and the Friends of Tomago House believe it is a great cause, “We really want to have something for everyone and make this Bridal Fair a really unique community event, and in turn promote Tomago House as a great place to visit.” “We do high teas for visitors and bus or group bookings and are open every Sunday for a full tour of attics, cellars and chapel and the best homemade scones with jam and cream. And Tomago House is a perfect conference and function venue,” said Ms Prescott, “100% of all profit made on the day goes the National Trust which is a non profit organisation that helps look after buildings of National significance like Tomago House.”
Please contact Tomago House Custodian, Lynda Prescott on 02 49648959 or via email at... tomago@nationaltrust.com.au social/life 19
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The Agony, the Ecstasy ... & the Smarties...
It’s a busy year ahead for Belmont author, Kaz Delaney... with 8 more books on the way Belmont author, Kaz Delaney claims she never ‘decided’ to become an author ... it was decided for her, “I don’t think you get a choice; I truly believe it’s something you’re born with. Some genetic mystery?” She shakes her head and grins, “Probably the term genetic disorder is a more accurate description!” It, of course, is that yearning to write a story; to put fingers to keyboards and create some Magnus Opus. Or even a story for kids, “It’s a compulsion; you can’t not write.” Which, according to Kaz, isn’t such a bad thing because contrary to its gentle-art image, writing for publication is not for the faint-hearted. “You’ve got to want to do it and you’ve got be pretty thick-skinned. Luckily mine was honed early. I was raised in a family where everyone was a comedian, and everything was fair game. You learned not to take yourself or anything else too seriously.’ And if the going does get too tough? ‘There’s always Smarties.” “Nothing, though, beats seeing your work in print. It’s the best high. It keeps you coming back for more...” Between Kaz and her alter ego, Kerri Lane, she’s published more than 60 books for children and teenagers, and most bear her trademark humour – silly for the kid’s stuff and snarky, sarcastic humour for the young adult readers. Her latest YA (Young Adult) novel, Dead, Actually, (released Feb 27th) is no exception, and is described by her publisher (Allen & Unwin) as a scathingly funny and sexy mystery set in the depths of Gold Coast society, “... which could be considered by some to be an oxymoron,” laughs Kaz, “but I love the Gold Coast and it was the perfect setting for this novel.” What’s next? ‘It’s a busy year. We have the launch of this book at the Gallipoli Club on March 25th. And counting this book I have 8 books being released in the next 18 months - one of which isn’t even written yet! So lots of promotional work ; lots of writing... And so, I guess – lots of Smarties!” Visit: www.kazdelaney.com
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AbigalWashburn
If American old-time music is about taking earlier, simpler ways of life and musicmaking as one’s model, Abigail Washburn has proven herself to be a bracing revelation to that tradition. Washburn, a singing, songwriting, Illinois-born, Nashville-based clawhammer banjo player—is every bit as interested in the present and the future as she is in the past, and every bit as attuned to the global as she is to the local. She pairs venerable folk elements with far-flung sounds, and the results feel both strangely familiar and unlike anything anybody’s ever heard before. To put it another way, she changes what seems possible.
22 social/life
a Natural progression
It seemed just as certain that Washburn would study law in Beijing—she even had the plane ticket—as it seemed far-fetched that she’d be offered a record deal when she wasn’t looking for one. And yet, half a decade back she emerged without a law degree, but with a debut album, that album being Song of the Traveling Daughter. Alongside old-timey originals that felt impossibly lush and light on their feet were songs she wrote in Chinese - she’s fluent - and even an instrumental that wove together an old-time banjo tune and with a traditional Chinese folk song: Backstep Cindy/Purple Bamboo. It was a new way of hearing both. In 2008, Washburn and three virtuosic comrades - cellist Ben Sollee, fiddler Casey Driessen and three-finger-style banjo player Bela Fleck - presented Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet, a set of seemingly boundless compositions sprouted from seeds of American and Chinese folk. The album extended an imaginative musical bridge between East and West. The world had never seen a chamber ensemble, stringband or bluegrass group quite like the Sparrows. City of Refuge - to be released by Rounder January 11, 2011 - is something completely different, even for her: a sublime marriage of oldtime and indie-pop. “This new project,” she says, “incorporates what would’ve in the beginning of my career seemed like an unexpected move, but now feels like a really natural progression of working with people that reach into other genres and other spaces musically.”
With the exception of old-time fiddler Rayna Gellert - Washburn’s former bandmate in the all-female stringband Uncle Earl - her cast of collaborators is entirely new. Among them are Turtle Island Quartet’s Jeremy Kittell, who arranged the strings and played a small orchestra’s worth of violin and viola parts; My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel (pedal steel and electric guitars); The Decemberists’ Chris Funk (bowed and plucked dulcimer and guitars); atmospheric jazz guitarist Bill Frisell; veteran Nashville studio percussionist Kenny Malone; Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor and Morgan Jahnig (backing vocals); Wu Fei, master of the guzheng (think of it as a Chinese zither); and the Mongolian stringband Hanggai, who managed to contribute ambient throat-singing from halfway around the world. There are two particular new faces, though—
one only new to Washburn’s orbit, the other new to the national music scene in general - who were with her every step of the way: producer Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Tift Merritt, Mudhoney) and singer, songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Kai Welch, who she stumbled upon playing keyboards with the Nashville band Tommy and the Whale.
Martine framed the album in an expansive palette of supple, modern textures, some coaxed from acoustic sources, others from the sort you plug in, and all remarkably harmonious. “I knew I wanted to go outside of the folk community that I was used to,” she explains. “He had worked extensively with people who do sort of go back and forth between the folkier elements and the more indie rock world.” In Welch, Washburn found a co-writer and singing partner whose sensibilities, though they compliment hers, aren’t the slightest bit old-timey—which is precisely why she wanted to work with him; Smart AM pop is his native territory. “There were song ideas that I took to him that I thought I would have a handle on myself,” she says. “But I just thought I’d try it out with him and see if he thought of anything right away, and in so many instances he really would have an initial instinct that was extremely beautiful and applicable to the songs. He would think of chord structures that were different than things I would usually think of.” Believe it or not, you won’t find any songs in Chinese on City of Refuge. What you will find, tucked in among picked and sung modal melodies, are some songs with catchy hooks and grooves. Burn Through is one of them; Washburn even punctuates a line of the chorus with a playful pop nonsense phrase: “Hey, hey, hey.” The song’s sentiment is as uplifting as its sound: “It’s really supposed to be a song that makes a person feel powerful listening to it, that there’s a lot of possibilities.” That could also be said of the album as a whole. Washburn relates, “I like the idea of City of Refuge, because it kind of feels like ‘Is this a place I can go?’ It makes the record into the city of refuge, in a way.” Delivering on the promise of its title, the album is rife with vignettes about people from all corners of the globe trying to find where they belong. The songs bear real hope; hope that’s in touch with reality and profoundly collective. “It really is so strongly about that, I mean, from the immigrant in Dreams of Nectar, to
the rich girl trying to figure out how to be happy in City of Refuge, to Last Train, where a troubled soul is trying to figure things out, wondering if the last train will come and carry him home finally.” Washburn may have abandoned the original plan of moving to China, but she’s spent a lot of time there, playing music, and, once in a while, recording. The Prelude to the album features a field recording of Chinese schoolchildren displaced by the Sichuan earthquake. Their temporary school was, as Washburn takes care to point out, their “refuge from the disaster.” She’d captured those and other sounds—of kids singing their ethnic folksongs; of parents rebuilding their homes—in 2009 with ChineseAmerican DJ/producer Dave Liang, of Shanghai Restoration Project, and they’d fashioned them into a poignant electronic benefit album for the region, titled Afterquake. As big of an effort as that was, it’s one among many examples of her having just the right music at significant moments, here, there and everywhere. At the request of the U.S. Government, the Sparrow Quartet toured Tibet in 2006— something no other American band had done-and performed in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics.
Recently, she played the prominent U.S.A. pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai. And Washburn has regular collaborators in China: a group of women musicians from the China Conservatory - they haven’t yet named the band - and Hanggai. She’s been popular with the Brits as well, singing with the likes of Robyn Hitchcock, Richard Thompson and Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, who produced the Uncle Earl album Waterloo, Tennessee. She’s no less sought out stateside; she played the Clearwater Concert - a multi-generational folk extravaganza celebrating Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday - sang Stephen Foster songs backed by the Nashville Symphony during the 2009 Americana Music Festival and has become a favorite opening act for Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. Plus, she and Fleck still do shows as a duo; a meeting of the minds and banjos. And why wouldn’t musicians of renown—a great variety of them at that—covet Washburn’s creative contributions? She expands horizons and makes the distances between people, cultures and musical styles seem not so very far after all.
Abigail Washburn is appearing at Lizottes, New Lambton on Wednesday, 21 March 2012 - Contact Lizottes for details. social/life 23
As the media landscape keeps changing around us, travel writers are following many paths to success. Some are book authors, some write primarily for magazines, and others are earning a good income by blogging or running destination websites. Tim Leffel, author of Travel Writing 2.0 offers these tips on making it as a travel writer, whether in print, e-books, travel apps, or the next media we haven’t seen yet. 1. Get the Basics Down First – There is far too much competition in this desirable field for sub-par writers to succeed. Read books on writing well, take a course at your local community college, or attend workshops that include peer and teacher reviews. At a minimum, travel writers need to master the basics of reporting and writing engaging prose before blogging or getting hired by an editor. 2. Find Your Niche – Trying to be a generalist travel writer puts you into a bloody pool with incredible competition. It is far easier to make a name for yourself becoming the expert on one region or one style of travel. 3. Be Original – Ideas are your main currency as a travel writer. The ability to find good original story ideas for any destination is often more important than what you actually put on the page. 4. Be a Professional – The main complaint of editors is that so many writers are unprofessional. They send sloppy e-mails. They miss deadlines. They make promises they can’t deliver. You can rise above the pack by reading publication guidelines carefully and not wasting editors’ time. 5. Travel Every Chance You Get – It’s difficult to succeed as a travel writer, even a part-time one, if you are not travelling on a regular basis. It can be in your own region, but you need to go find the stories nobody else is writing and get past the routine vacations that have been reported on a thousand times already. Tim Leffel is a full-time travel writer and editor whose latest book is Travel Writing 2.0: Earning Money From Your Travels in the New Media Landscape. Social Life Magazine accepts submission from amateur writers with a story to tell. Visit www.sociallifemagazine.com.au to contact us with your story ideas. - ED
Skimming the Details Protecting your credit card information may be harder than you think... New technology makes data thievery all too easy. Credit card skimming is an international problem, accounting for losses of over one billion dollars yearly. It’s an intimate crime that involves secret and close proximity to the victim. Those victims are most likely unaware that their credit card details have been stollen as if by magic. This type scam is common in Europe, Asia, Latin America and is showing up more in the U.S. and Australia. It’s easy to perform and can happen if you give your credit card to a shop assistant to make a purchase. That employee may not only swipe your card for the payment, but also swipe the card with a small machine they hold in their hand, known as a skimmer. This is now also possible while walking near you in a crowd while your credit card is in your pocket or handbag. They can steal your data without even seeing or touching the card. This small device can store information from the card into the system. The skimmer is equipped to hold information on hundreds of credit cards and from this information, the crooks are able to produce counterfeit cards. There are rings of skimmers working around the world skimming information which can be instantly sent by e-mail anywhere. It’s digital pick-pocketing on a high-tech, world-wide scale. Luckily, a Hunter Valley businessman has found a solution and has made a revolutionary protective sleeve available from his online site. Graeme Paff of Lake
w:
www.swanseahotel.com.au
p:
02 49711227
Macquarie recognised the rise of this 21st century crime when a friend’s card was skimmed and a substantial amount of cash simply vanished from their account, “A decade ago, this fraud was not as easy to accomplish as it is today, due to the fact skimmers were very large and had to be hidden under counters,” explains Graeme, “The advanced the skimmer is portable and small enough to fit in a pocket or bag and is effectively unnoticeable. Victims can’t tell by looking who is skimming data... They won’t even know it has happened until it’s too late,” he said. Graeme describes the remarkable protective qualities of the simple device, “The Guardacard sleeve doesn’t bulk up your wallet or purse. It’s a thin, neat sleeve that your card slips right into. The added benefit is that all your credit and debit cards sandwiched between two Guardacard sleeves become protected as well.” Find out more about Guardacard and also watch incredible videos that explain how easy it is to get skimmed and how to protect your digital information while out and about. Visit the website www.guardacard. com or scan the QR code to view the site and information video on your smartphone.
is 8 enough? “Tosin Abasi is a self-taught guitarist. He was the guitarist for the Silver Spring, Maryland based metal band PSI. He joined Reflux in the early to mid-2000s. During a Reflux show, Prosthetic Records offered him a record deal as a solo artist. At first, he refused saying he didn’t feel comfortable with his skill level to write his own record.
alumnus Javier Reyes, Suicidal Tendencies drummer Eric Moore and former Mars Volta wind instrumentalist, Adrian Terrazas. In mid March, 2011, T.R.A.M. played their first show at South by Southwest, a multi-day music festival in Austin, Texas. Animals as Leaders released their second album, entitled Weightless, on November 8, 2011.”
Afterwards graduating from the Atlanta Institute of Music, he contacted Prosthetic Records asking if the offer still held. It did.
Tosin Abasi delivered a frightening and impressive display of 7 and 8 string guitar virtuoso at Newcastle’s Musos Corner this month. He performed for about one and a
He then formed his “solo” project, Animals as Leaders, the name loosely being derived from the book Ishmael. At first, producer Misha Mansoor (from Periphery) programmed all the drums and synthesizers in the album, but Abasi then chose Javier Reyes and Navene Koperwies on rhythm guitar and drums, respectively. Abasi has recently been making material with his new band T.R.A.M., consisting of Animals as Leaders
half hours and demonstrated various pieces of equipment and instruments for 150 local musicians and guests. n
Tania Dunning
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TOSINABASI
Four girls from the Hunter are competing for National accolades in Miss PinUp Australia
’Dare
Dixie O
Beccie
Miss Pinup Australia will be decided in a gala event at Hornsby RSL on March 10th and a group of Hunter ladies will be in the running for the title. In character, the girls are called, Lacey Lemonade, Dixie O’Dare, Beccie Bombshell and Miss Ruby Kae. The competition is base on the glamour of dressing up in the theme of 1940’s and 50’s fashion, complete with personal character. There are several categories contestants can compete in... Miss Perfect Pinup - pinup gals who love vintage glamour. Miss Illustrated Pinup for gals that have tattoos that are visible when wearing normal clothes. Miss Classic Pinup - for glamour pin-up gals over the age of 30. Miss VaVaVoom Pinup for those pinup gals over a modern dress size 14. Official measurements are required to enter this category - The measurements the competition adheres to are: bust 97, waist 78, hips 103. Oh and by the way, there’s a section for males as well... Ok. The competitors are judged in several sections including ... Evening Wear - this would cover outfits worn to a special event in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Contestants should do their 26 social/life
research as this category ranges from glamorous floor length slinky dresses to the stunning full netted dresses. Accessories can include gloves, fascinators, mink stoles, handbags and the like! Many competitors use the internet sourcing vintage photographs for inspiration. The competition enforces strict guidelines of period style. Day wear, Evening wear, Swimwear and accessories must be of the correct vintage. Contestants can wear gingham, spots and floral styles and audiences will recognise classic outfits including high-waisted Capri pants, wonderful patent stiletto heels, A-line and pencil skirts as well as authentic (and genuine reproduction) accessories including, sunglasses, handbags and purses, shoes and hats. While the competition includes swimwear and lingerie and sleepwear sections, organisers are quick to warn competitors that unsavoury behaviour is not tolerated. Inappropriate behaviour during the competition will result in immediate disqualification. If contestants decide to join in the lingerie competition, organisers advise hopefuls to “invest in a good bullet bra and matching girdle!” With sleepwear, which was flowing and pretty,
Bomb
shell
they advise competitors to do their research thoroughly. The competition strives to promote the glamour and style of this by-gone era of fashion and lifestyle. Authenticity in clothing, hair style, make-up, character and character behaviour and performance all contribute to the winning vote. The great assumption about the Miss Pin-Up Australia competition is that it is a Burlesque show. This is not necessarily the case although there are aspects of some performances by contestants that stylistically fit into that category. With a bit of imagination and creativity, a contestant can entertain in almost any way they want provided their performance is true to the era they personify and fits in with their character. For about 2 minutes, they can mime to a Marilyn Monroe song or even Elvis or perhaps a comedy routine performed to music relevant to their look. They are judged on the whole package so they have to remember that their hair, makeup and ability to stay in character (pinup of course) will be judged at all times, in fact these things are vital! Four Hunter Region girls are competitors in this years Miss
Pinup Australia Competition. Lacey Lemonade - Miss Perfect Pinup Australia ALH When Lacey was a little girl, she would dream of being on stage dressed as beautifully as Marilyn Monroe, Betty Hutton or the girls from Grease. Lacey is a fitness instructor who spend most days in sneakers, ponytail and boxing gloves so she does not have the chance to dress like a vintage silver screen goddess everyday but will dress up as often as possible! Dixie O’Dare will be competing in the Miss Va Va Voom category at the grand final in March. Dixie enjoys a simple life in a quiet country town where she is a Girl Guide leader and keeps house for her family. She enjoys baking, reading, singing and designing and sewing her own clothes but can be a vixen when she wants to. On the weekends you’ll most likely find her enjoying Karaoke, at home working on her renovated vintage Chesney caravan or dressing up her Maltese terrier, Mango, in matching outfits. “I just hope that my performance at the grand Finals will be my best yet. It has been worth all the effort for all the beautiful friends I’ve made along the way,” said Dixie.
Miss R
ere h w e c a l s e he P t t a r b e l e eC l t s a c w e N
uby Ka
e
ade
Lacey Lemon
Beccie Bombshell - Miss Classic Pinup NSW. Beccie is from Rothbury in the Hunter Valley and dresses in true vintage or reproduction vintage clothing. She recently began sewing her own vintage reproduction clothing from original 1950’s dressmaking patterns, using vintage fabric where she can “I’m often asked why I like to dress the way I do. I tell people that the clothing is so beautiful and feminine and suits my curvy body shape. Full skirts and petticoats make you feel so pretty, and tight wiggle dresses make you feel so sexy that I’m surprised more people aren’t into it!” Miss Ruby Kae - NSW State Finalist. When not working in finance, she is a volunteer fire fighter. She has an obsession with all things rockabilly. Her interests include custom cars, hot rods and rat rods, music and tattoos. “I’m inspired
by the 40’s and 50’s pinup girls as they are perfect examples of how you don’t need to be stick thin to be sexy, glamorous and a little bit cheeky,” she said. The girls will all be competing for the title of Miss Pinup Australia on March 10. The public are invited to join them at the Miss Pinup Australia Grand finals for 2011/12. The event includes a masquerade ball.. walking the pink carpet and a superbly decorated gala event where guests will be treated to a 1950’s style gourmet 3 course dinner, 7 hours of spectacular 1940’s/50’s style clothing, pinup posing & good old fashioned talent from 57 competitors from around the nation as well as real live music.n
Beaumont Street Hamilton Bookings: 02 49611985 Website: www.theexchangehotel.com Find us on facebook: facebook.com/BeaumontExchangeHotel
SweetPot at o Scones
Elle’s easy recipe
with Jaiden & Willow
Recipe Elle Sheedy Photo Peta Wood
business of spreading theword the
Many Business trainers and Entrepreneurs agree that referrals are the best source of customers for a business. A satisfied client is likely to tell their friends of a good experience they had dealing with one business or another. Unfortunately the opposite is also true... “Bad news travels fast.” As the saying goes. Locally run, Word Of Mouth Directories is the very first customer-driven, word of mouth business directory that rewards businesses that offer top quality products and services. Everyone knows the number one thing a business owner can hear from a client is that they were referred to them by an existing happy customer! The whole site is dedicated to positive action. To refer a business that you’re happy with, customers can click on Refer-A-Business and follow the prompts to share the good experience they had with that business. There’s a bonus in doing that because Word of Mouth offers prizes for positive feedback like this, again it’s an emphasises on positivity. There’s a monthly draw for great prizes and the business that received your feedback will also be rewarded with a free listing on the directory. That’s a Win-Win. Site Creator, Graeme Paff is focused on making Word of Mouth Directories a primary hub for local businesses to thrive, “In essence we’re a performance-based business directory,” he said, “We encourage customers and business to interact in positive ways so that visitors to the directories can clearly see who to deal with.” “Our sole aim in creating this website was to have a community feedback program for the customers of these top performing businesses and allow others to share in the benefits of their good experiences,” said Graeme, “We help the process along by rewarding both the customer and the business with the chance to win and we’ve recorded some great messages from happy customers that you can listen to on the website,” he said. Proudly Novocastrian, Graeme believes that encouragement and positive re-enforcement of business and customer relations is the way to go and he’s created the Word Of Mouth Directories to enable people of the region to buy and sell things as well as referring business in a complete circle of positivity. The site also provides details of businesses in a convenient directory for ease of use. You can find business of all kinds on the directories. When you need someone visit www. wordofmouthdirectories.com.au and start clicking or scan the QR code here to visit the site via your phone. 28 social/life
From The Shops: • 1¾ cups (245 g) plain flour • ¼ teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon baking powder • pinch of nutmeg • pinch cinnamon • 2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary • 1 cup (250 g) cooked, mashed orange sweet potato • ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil • ¼ cup (60 ml) milk • 1 large egg, lightly beaten • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
In the Kitchen: • Preheat oven to 210°C. Sift flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg into a small bowl. • Stir together sweet potato, oil, milk, rosemary, egg and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in flour mixture just until evenly mixed together. • Slightly kneed dough on a floured work surface. Roll out with a rolling pin (desired thickness is 2 cm). Cut into shapes with biscuit cutters – it doesn’t matter what shapes, just keep in mind; the bigger the shapes, the longer they will need to cook for. Place the shapes on a baking tray about 2.5 cm apart. Gather up remaining dough, and continue rolling and cutting until you have no dough left. • Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Enjoy
Elle
** ** Whilst rolling out the dough be sure not to over work it or it will become very tough.
MUSIC MUSIC NEWS NEWS BOB BOBCORBETT CORBETTWINS WINSSTARMAKER! STARMAKER!
deserve award award winning winning You You
service service
One Oneofofthe theHunter’s Hunter’smost mostrevered reveredstars, stars,Bob BobCorbett, Corbett,has haswon wonthe the coveted covetedStarmaker StarmakerAward Awardatatthe the2012 2012Country CountryMusic MusicFestival, Festival,held held ininTamworth TamworthininJanuary. January.Corbett Corbettand andThe TheRoo RooGrass GrassBand Bandreleased released the thevery veryfine fine‘Lucky ‘LuckyCountry’ Country’album albumduring duringthe thelatter latterhalf halfofof2011 2011 following followinga ahectic hectictour touraround aroundthe thecountry. country.Like Likethose thosewinners winnersbefore before him, him,Corbett Corbettisisexpected expectedtotohead headtotoNashville, Nashville,USA USAtotowork workononsome some songwriting songwritingahead aheadofofwhat whatwill willbebea ahighly highlyanticipated anticipatednew newalbum. album. Congratulations CongratulationsBob Bob- you - youhave havemade madeallallNovocastrians Novocastriansproud. proud.
Baby BabyAnimals Animalsare areback back
Legendary LegendaryOz Ozrock rockband bandThe TheBaby BabyAnimals, Animals,led ledbybythe theenigmatic enigmatic Suze SuzeDeMarchi DeMarchiwith withguitar guitarmaestro maestroDave DaveLeslie, Leslie,have havereformed reformedand and will willhithitthe theHunter HunterininMarch. March.Their Their explosive explosivefirst firstalbum albumcontained containedthe thehits hits ‘Early ‘EarlyWarning’, Warning’,‘Rush ‘RushYou’, You’,‘Painless’ ‘Painless’ and and‘One ‘OneWord’ Word’and andelevated elevatedthe the band bandtotosuperstar superstarstatus statusininthe theearly early 90’s. 90’s.InIn1991, 1991,the theband bandwon won3 3ARIA ARIA Awards AwardsforforBest BestDebut DebutSingle Single(Early (Early Warning), Warning),Best BestDebut DebutAlbum Albumand and Best BestAlbum. Album.You Youcan cancatch catchthe theBaby Baby Animals Animalslive liveatatBelmont Belmont16s 16sonon Saturday SaturdayMarch March17. 17.Book Bookyour yourtickets tickets atatthe theclub clubororonline. online.
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Michael MichaelPeter Peterfrom fromlocal localoutfit outfitGeorgie’s Georgie’sPlayground Playgroundwill willbebe releasing releasingananalbum albumininearly earlyMarch. March.Peter, Peter,with withfellow fellowGeorgie’s Georgie’s Playground Playgroundmember memberMark MarkMarxon, Marxon,will willbebeembarking embarkingonona a1515 date dateEast EastCoast Coasttour tourculminating culminatingininBrisbane. Brisbane.Peter Peterhas hashad hadhis his work workshowcased showcasedononABC ABCTV’S TV’SRage Rageand andfeatured featuredininananAussie Aussieflick flick starring starringHolly HollyValance Valanceand andShane ShaneJacobson Jacobson(Kenny). (Kenny).
Attention Venues What would you prefer?
Mavericks on the Bay - Nelson Bay With the opening of our sister venue, “Vues on the Bay”, Mavericks has changed direction to focus on providing the best fine dining experience in the Bay.
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With our expanded restaurant, highly experienced team of chefs & staff, we are committed to providing excellent food, service & dining experience which we invite you to come & see for yourself. Friday & Saturday nights, let the pianists serenade you on the baby grand piano in the early evening, then kick back with our talented soloists & duets playing from 9.30 til midnight, while you sip one of our delicious cocktails from the newly expanded cocktail list or enjoy a meal from our fantastic new summer menu. Finally, to all of our valued customers, the Management & staff look forward to seeing you throughout 2011. location: d’Albora Marina 8 Teramby Rd Nelson Bay email: info@mavericksonthebay.com.au web: www.mavericksonthebay.com.au phone: 02 4984 1203
Vues at the Bay - Nelson Bay Join us at Port Stephens’s newest entertainment and dining venue open 7 days til late. Whether you want to sit out doors and while away the day with the best views in Port Stephens of the aquatic traffic moving across Nelson Bay or sit indoors at our sports bar and watch the latest on the screens, it is all here. Imagine afternoons in summer casually seated in our lounge area listening to the best local & national talents available. Our menu is first class and will appeal to all aspects of dining from a casual snack to the more elaborate meals we offer all day. It is all at Vues on the Bay.
www.facebook.com/genr8ent P:02 49559450 W: www.genr8ent.com.au
Vues on the Bay, winner of Port Stephens Annual Business Awards 2011 Category: “Restaurant - Best Australian Cuisine” location: Level 2, D’Albora Marina Teramby Rd, Nelson Bay email: info@vuesonthebay.com.au web: www.vuesonthebay.com.au phone: (02) 4984 9864
Legendary frontman from Men At Work, Colin Hay presented a collection tunes at Newcastle’s Lizotte’s this month. The local audience was treated to songs past and present from Hay’s vast catalogue. Photos: Courtney Fitzsimmons
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The Gunyah Hotel: 644 Pacific Highway, Belmont, NSW 2280 : Phone: 02 4945 4603 w: www.gunyahotel.com.au
e: admin@gunyahotel.com.au