Australia is Just About to get much Drier … Indoors Anyway
On the driest continent on earth, it’s quirky to consider that a machine which gets rid of moisture could be so keenly in demand. And yet a Port Macquarie couple have discovered that their unique machines, which effectively solve moisture, mould and dampness problems from the most rain-affected parts of Tasmania to the humid tropics of Australia’s north – and everywhere in between – would be something that ordinary Australians have become collectively eager to acquire for their homes, offices, hotels, art galleries and beyond. STEWART DAWES speaks to Bob Knuckey, the master of the Moisture Cure phenomenon, about how dehumidifier can help Australian to maintain their homes clean and dry …
How long ago did you start your dehumidifier business?
We started Moisture Cure about 11 years ago because we recognized a lack knowledge in the way excess moisture and condensation was being addressed. When we asked about dehumidifiers nobody could help us. We found a supplier in Melbourne, bought a few from him and the business grew from there. Today Moisture Cure is one of the largest dehumidifier supply companies in Australia.
What are the benefits of being in business for so long?
Well, for a start you realise there is no such thing as an instant success. I guess the main benefit of being in business for this length of time is the fact that we can recognise more possibilities of the products we sell and we can help customers with any issues they have with mould and dampness. Over the years we have listened to literally thousands of stories from our customers and we can now nearly anticipate the problems they are about to describe. We ask a lot of questions before we recommend a particular product and so we have a very good understanding of the expectations they are wanting from us. We can nearly always offer them the correct solution.
Our experience in this field is a major benefit to our customers.
We back our experience up with quality products that we have developed some history with. Most of our products have been in our range for at least 5 years, some as long as 9, so we have a good understanding of the reliability and the performance of these units. Our dehums are primarily manufactured in Taiwan and this region has a reputation of quality products, unlike mainland China, where most of the large chain store units are sourced from. We also import products from Europe including UK and Switzerland. Another benefit of being in business for this length of time is we have accumulated spare parts for all the units we have sold so we can generally repair the dehumidifiers we have sold, even the older original models.
When did you come up with the name Moisturecure – and why?
Moisture seemed obvious and self explanatory I think. We find solutions (Cure) for dampness, condensation (Moisture) issues. Also, I came from a floor covering background and we used to use a product that set or ‘cured’ by a process called ‘curing by moisture’, so it wasn’t a great leap of imagination to come up with the name Moisture Cure.
How many products do you estimate you’ve sold over the decade?
We weren’t an overnight success so didn’t sell too many at the start, but I would expect we have sold somewhere around 7000-8000 units. Quite an achievement when you consider Mitsubishi stopped selling dehumidifiers in Australia because they couldn’t achieve sales of 500 units throughout all their dealers in Australia. They publicly declared that it wasn’t possible for them to achieve this figure.
A friend of mine has a very mouldy small apartment in Glebe, 1 bedroom – she just can’t fix the problem – what machine should she get?
First of all we would ask her a series of questions for example, what is she trying to achieve, has she a problem in the entire unit, is the mould only a problem in the wardrobes or is the problem everywhere, how many people live there, is the unit ventilated adequately and does she open the blinds and curtains to let the sun shine in? These last two issues are the prime reason mould begins to grow and condensation starts to become a problem. To solve her problem she will have a choice of 2 units.
If the mould problem isn’t too severe, say just her wardrobe or some shoes are growing mould, even though there is sufficient ventilation, the Lubra 122 Dehumidifier should be adequate. If the problem is affecting the entire unit and/or if the unit isn’t being adequately ventilated, we would recommend the Lubra 520. The difference between the 2 units is one will extract more moisture than the other. To sum up her choices , if the mould etc is only slight and she can ventilate and let sunshine in she could get away with the smaller Lubra 122, but if the problem is severe and there is generally more than 1 person in the unit she would be well advised to buy the more powerful Lubra 520. As an added bonus the 520 can also be used as very efficient clothes dryer.
How many hours a day does a dehumidifier need to be used?
When a dehumidifier is first installed we recommend they be run 24 / 7 to extract excess moisture from everything that is holding moisture, including books, paintings, computers and TVs, clothing , handbags and shoes, bedding and furniture, walls and carpets – in fact anything in your home that is holding capable of holding moisture. We suggest you first run the unit in the worst affected room for a couple of days, close the doors and windows to concentrate the drying. Then move to the next room and repeat the drying. When all the rooms have been dried this way you can then run your dehumidifier on what we call maintenance mode. Once all excess moisture is removed your Moisture Cure dehumidifier need only be run for maybe 3-4 hours a day, to maintain the correct level of humidity of around 50-60 %. Of course in a dry spell of weather, you can leave your dehum off for a day or two, but during consistent wet or humid weather, should be run more often.
Almost all high-rise units around Australia have got clothes dryers.
Yet you’re advertising that your Moisture 735model can be put into your laundry so people can use it as a clothes-drying machine. Can you explain the principles of this?
Instead of using a clothes dryer in high rise units the Moisture Cure 735 dehumidifier is perfect. Clothes dryer actually create moisture in the air which encourages mould and condensation. A Moisture Cure dehumidifier dries your laundry at a fraction of the electricity costs, causes much less wear and fibre loss on your clothing and dehumidifies your home at the same time. Easy, convenient and practical.
Portable cloths rack can be used to hang washing on , or a pull-out overhead line can be installed at ceiling height. A continuous drain option can even be fitted to your dehumidifier to allow the water collected to bypass the water collection tank within your dehum and drain the water to the floor waste.
What are some of the worst places that struggle with moisture and mould?
Most of our customers live on the East coast between Melbourne and Cairns. Hot spots for us are all of the Northern rivers, mid north coast NSW, Sydney, North and South coast, much of Queensland especially Far North, Gold Coast and hinterland, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane.
We also sell inland, to a lesser degree, to homes that have condensation issues on their windows and walls. Their homes will benefit from being warmer and cosier
Tasmania and Melbourne also have good potential as they are cold and damp for 9 months of the year.
But really any building situated within 10Km of a lake, river or ocean is a potential customer.
Worst situations are where the home is closed up for most of the day, rooms that don’t get used, buildings cut into the landscape, heated indoor pool rooms , walk-in-robes, lower level rooms or storage areas. In particular storage areas for archives, artillery, paper goods, craft items, electronic appliances such as cameras, TVs, computers and so on …
Where have you delivered your products to so far?
All over the country – they post well. I send them registered post so they’re well looked after.
Is there a guarantee on the products?
2 years warranty. We carry out repairs onsite.
Is there an age group that these products are more suited for?
Our main consumers have adequate disposable income and are probably 50 and over. However, younger property owners and parents of young children are also our customers. Anybody with awareness of the potential damage to property and personal affects and health problems mould can cause, are our customers.
You use a cats and dogs amalogy to describe your target markets – can you explain this further please?
Most customers above the age of 40-45 can be classified as dogs. They are accustomed to shopping the old way, going to a large building/ shopping centre, and generally buying because the retailer says the product is great and they believe it. They are often treated indifferently by staff who know little about the product. They keep coming back because they know no better, and besides, this is the way it’s always been done. They will talk to other people in person, eg at clubs or social gatherings.
Cats on the other hand act differently. Cat customers come to you on their own terms and their own time, they research online, and if the information isn’t presented to them how they expect it to be they switch to someone who does. Cats tend to talk to each other online, eg. facebook, twitter and email etc. Of course, if they have a good experience, they can tell the world, same goes if they have a shitty experience, they tell the world about that too. We try and keep a foot in both camps and cater for cats and dogs.
There is apparently a lot of growth in the older generation, as they try and play catch up with the cats, but we attempt to cater for both camps. For instance, when a cat or dog buys on line from our website, we always follow up with a phone call, thanking them for buying, this gives both camps a warm feeling that we care and are human, and we like this contact too as it allows us to personalise their buying experience and allows us to explain the product in more detail and perhaps upsell.
Doesn’t online selling keep the costs of your products down too?
Online selling may seem to entail less overheads but there we don’t think it is significant and we deliberately choose to not disadvantage non online shoppers.
We have introduced free delivery anywhere in Aussie so we need to pad our prices a little to allow for far away places that incur higher freight charges. Maybe we should consider a discount to buy on line.
Also I see that the dehumidifiers can be used in commercial and industrial settings – can you give me some examples of that please?
We’re expanding our market to include commercial dehumidifiers and finding that universities, heated indoor swimming pools, manufacturing facilities and laborities among others are interested in these large capacity units. We know there also is a market in commercial areas such as court houses which are sometimes old and have a heritage listing. These buildings suffer from lack of ventilation and sunlight so have a mould and condensation issue.
So looking over the range you’ve got, can you give people a sense of the context for each of the different types of dehumidifiers?
Our range has grown over the years to include tiny capacity dehumidifiers costing $200 to large volume commercial units costing nearly $10,000. However, the majority of our units are in the range of between $545 -$1150. This range of dehumidifiers will maintain the optimum dampness and humidity levels in the average 2-4 bedroom room.
The smallest dehumidifiers including Cli-Mate Eggs ($30) Cli-Mate Mini ($110) and Cli-Mate Midi ($230) are suitable for small areas such as cupboards, walk-in-robes, small moored boats, stored cars etc.
The Lubra 122 and Suki 610 are both suitable for small 1-2 bedroom areas, priced at $545 they represent great value and cheap running costs.
The Lubra 520 is a mechanical controlled unit that is simple to operate as it is a simple turn on/ turn off operation. It has the power to extract moisture from a typical 3 bedroom home. Price is $795.
The Moisture Cure 928 is of the same capacity as the Lubra 520 but has all the bells and whistles, including 2-speed fan operation, digital temperature and humidity readout, 12 hour timer, and humidity control setting from 30% to 80% – the price is $920
The Moisture Cure 735 is our large capacity domestic 4-5 bedroom home dehumidifier.
It has all the features of the Moisture Cure 928, but can extract nearly double the amount of moisture than the Lubra 520 and Moisture Cure 928. Price $1150.
We are also now selling the Lubra 735. This unit is identical to the Moisture Cure 735, the only difference is it’s a little heavy. This is because it uses a reciprocating compressor instead of the rotary compressor that the Moisture Cure 735 uses. There is no difference in performance and price is the same $1150.
The Moisture Cure 3-1 is of the same capacity as the Lubra 520 and the Moisture Cure 928, but it also has the added luxury of including a small air conditioner and a fully functional ionizer. Air conditioners are self explanatory but maybe ionisers are not so well known. These smart little add ons will change negative ions in a room to positive ions and by doing so will keep the air fresher and more healthy, people who have experienced this effect swear by them. This 3-1 unit represents great value at $1200.
Finally, what would you say to someone who’s never heard of a dehumidifier before?
If you are having trouble keeping mould and condensation at bay in your home a dehumidifier is what you need. There is no other domestic appliance that will change your living environment so quickly and make such an improvement to your well being.
An air conditioner may dehumidify to a certain extent but is essentially used to cool or heat the ambient temperature and is operationally expensive. Your dehumidifier will remove dampness and lower humidity at a fraction of the cost, and because we recommend ventilating your home by opening doors and windows, your home will be heaps healthier. If you already have an air conditioner, running your dehumidifier in conjunction with it will actually help your aircon to operate more efficiently because the moisture has already been removed, air is lighter and drier. We promise you will see a major improvement in only a few days.
To check out the MoistureCure range simply go to their website www.moisturecure.com.au
f you’d like to rent the domain www.commercialdehumidifiers.com.au check out the Lead Generation website.
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The Cider That’s On Everyone’s Lips
What do you get when you mix a world-weary traveller with a fresh young winemaker? You get cider, the freshest, tastiest cider on the Australian market. One night in Bowral Graeme Doyle said to his long-term friend Jeff Aston, “Jeff make me a cider” – and the result has been taking Sydney by storm. We interview Jeff about the inspirations behind cider and the reasons for its very sudden success …
Fresh: Jeff, what inspired you to decide to come up with a cider as opposed to your wine making background? Was it a trend thing that you saw in the market or was it a love of cider that you had?
Jeff: I guess Graeme always loved cider and pestered me for long enough. He just suggested it, and I was doing another cider at the time. It evolved from there. We came up with the concept and some blends and we were all happy with it. We decided to take it to the next level and started producing it.
Fresh: Was Graeme the sort of guy who he would literally rather drink cider than wine if you came over, all that sort of thing? He’s like a family friend, isn’t he? That’s his thing?
Jeff: Yeah. He likes cider. What’s he say? He always says that he drinks red wine it makes him like an Indonesian stick puppet so he drinks cider instead.
Fresh: What did he mean by that?
Jeff: I don’t know. I haven’t worked that out yet. I haven’t given him enough wine to find out!
Fresh: Was there some sort of process you had to go through where you started to mix apples together? Was he there to taste test them? Is that how that went?
Jeff: Yeah, because we were already producing a bit of cider, and in our producing we keep our varieties separate and then come up with a blend at the end. Because we already had product in the winery that were different varietals – Pink Lady, Gala, Galaxy, Red Delicious.
Fresh: Talking about the types of apples that you had in mind. So what is the actual apple blend that you have in Dcider?
Jeff: About 50% Pink Lady, and that’s quite a crisp, aromatic-style of apple. It gives it that lift, and that real fresh apple character. I’ve done some straight Pink Ladies, and they’re a bit, a little bit thin on the palate. I like a nice aromatic, but a bit thin on the palate. So then we played around with some blends of Gala, Galaxy and Red Delicious, and it’s probably about even portions of those three. And it just…the blend of those three seemed to give it a bit more creaminess and roundness in the palate, and then a bit more length, as well, so you still get that nice, fresh apple, but then you get the creaminess and the length, it goes right through the palate. So, it’s sort of put together like a wine blend, I guess, where we’re trying to have all the senses in the mouth, rather than
just making a pure varietal, for the hell of making a pure varietal. I’m more interested in actually making a really nice, approachable product.
Fresh: What I like about it, it is quite a natural kind of taste. You can taste nature in it. You’d almost want to use the word organic, but the problem is, then organic has a different meaning again. But it’s got that… it’s almost like a pungency, and a length across the palate, that is a lot better, because I have to say, some of the ciders on the market, you get the syrupy ones which give cider a bad name, and then, unfortunately, you get some hat are a little thin on the flavour, in a way.
Jeff: Yeah, that’s right. And, I think that’s partially because of the processes they use, because we do approach it from a wine making, sort of mindset, where we really want the final product to represent the fruit that it begins with. You know, the French talk about in wine making, they talk about terroir. They say that you can taste the vineyard, and you can taste the people in the vineyard, and it’s no different for any piece of fruit. You can really taste the Batlow apples, a really specific nice, crisp, cool climate, snow mountain apples, and that’s why we use those in the cider. I think, coming from that mindset where we’re really trying to represent that. You make it a lot differently, and your things that are important to you in the wine making process – or cider making process, a big difference where if you’re just trying to make a cider.
Fresh: Well, was there a point in the experimentation where you started to think, ‘We’re on the right track’, and so you kept going with it? Was there a certain point where you said ‘That’s it, this is great’, and started passing it around for people to try out?
Jeff: No, you always, constantly think you could do something a bit different, a bit better. I think that’s the nature of neurotic winemakers and cider-makers, is that they are always, ‘Oh, we could try this, and we could do that’, and so, it’s a constant evolution of it. As the product goes on, and to be honest, I think that it works well like that. Because I find that, people drinking it usually, their taste buds are evolving, as well, and so, that sort of evolution of the product in its natural progression suits the way people want something more as they go along, so it works quite well.
Fresh: Do you find that there was a particular sector of people who leaned towards it, like they’ve got a history of drinking certain things, and something suits them, or is it just really broad?
Jeff: Real, surprisingly, broad. The biggest thing we noticed was, the number of ‘absolute definitely don’t drink cider’ drinkers, that actually bought cases of cider, when they could have bought wine, for example. Sometimes they came up and said, ‘No, no, I don’t want to try to drink cider.’ We’d convince them to at least try it, and then they ended up walking away with a case of cider, it was amazing.
Fresh: Yeah, I must admit, I did see that myself, a number of times, where people were really…There is a strong resistance, and I must admit, I probably didn’t drink any cider for years because whatever I’d tried in the past never hit the spot. So, it was quite amazing to find a drink that suits so many occasions. The other thing about Dcider is, it’s not the sort of drink that you feel overly drunk on, as well, you can drink it in a relaxed sort of way. It doesn’t affect you in the same way that wine or a champagne does … like, champagne makes me really giddy very fast. But Dcider’s a very pleasant, easy drink.
Jeff: It’s a very fresh product. A lot of, and not all ciders are like this, but we only use fresh apples from Batlow. With apples that have even been in the cold store for a couple months.
Fresh: Do you think it suits a particular time of day or type of food or are there things like that, that Dcider can slot in really well with people?
Jeff: I guess, yeah, there probably is, but that’s probably more of a personal thing. We’ve started doing some matches with some meals like pork and things like that, and it goes with… As you would expect, the apple cider does go well with that sort of thing. Someone actually emailed us a recipe for risotto that they made with apple cider, and said it’s one of the best risottos they had!
For more on Dcider go to www.dcider.com.au
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NSW Writers Centre – A Home for Sydney Writers
The NSW Writers Centre is an essential part of Sydney’s literary life for many writers and fans of the written word. Here’s more about it …
The NSW Writers Centre was formed as an incorporated association on 13 May 1991 after representations to the NSW Ministry for the Arts by a founding committee led by Angelo Loukakis as Chairman. The then Minister for the Arts was Peter Collins, whose name adorns the plaque on the building that dates the inauguration at 21 September 1991. The first Executive Officer Adele Moy ran the organisation for about 12 months until December 1992, when Irina Dunn was appointed and commenced as Executive Director.
Under its foundation the Constitution, the NSW Writers Centre was established to:
• manage a centre for the promotion of writing in New South Wales by hosting “… workshops, seminars, festivals …”
• promote writing-based culture and the rights and interests of writers,
• act as an information and liaison centre for writers, “… publishers, [and] writing organisations …”.
In the first few years, a variety of programs and events was trialled to test what worked best for the fledgling centre. An early management proposed establishing the centre mainly as a resource office fitted with photocopiers, computers, printers and so on, but it was realised that the requirements of the constitution, not to mention the capital investment required, militated against such a suggestion.
The NSW Writers Centre courses and workshops have grown in number each year to reach a maximum offering of about 100. They now form a major part of the centre’s professional development program, with general writing, editing and publishing workshops held on most weekends between late January to early December, and school students’ and teachers’ workshops held in school holidays during the year.
The centre has always been highly visible in its core activities – running the highest quality series of workshops, seminars and masterclasses for writers as well as hosting the largest community of writers in Sydney. For 21 years it’s been known for this as this was in the main what they did – but not so any more.
In the last few years the Centre has become a little iceberg-like with visible activities being only the tip of what they do. In 2011 it is easy to be overwhelmed at how much they did behind the scenes – enabling writers and writing organisation to grow and thrive.
They lobbied for, advocated, supported, developed and, most importantly, were huge fans of the writers and writing organisations who are working to make Sydney a city of letters and NSW a state where writing is the number one activity be it recreational or creatively.
There are many examples of how they did this but their proudest is the Aboriginal Writers symposium they held as part of Guwayni early in 2011. They opened their doors for a on- day talkfest for Aboriginal writers and the publishing industry to get together and vision a future. From asking the question “what can be done” they’re now in discussion with the new Aboriginal Writers network, a triennially funded initiative, on how they can continue asking questions which will lead to such great answers.
“The tip of the iceberg is a very important thing and we pride ourselves on the continued high quality work we do but we are especially proud that in 2011 we expanded our support and found joy and success in the support we could give,” said director David Ryding.
“This is the role we see for ourselves as we go forward building a robust writing community arts sector in NSW.”
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How do I know my doctor is qualified?
A guide to getting great results for your feather lift, contour lift or Revitalizing Thread Lift …
by Mara Bontempo-Ross
Without a doubt, cosmetic procedures are an expensive investment – – and so it makes sense to be confident that you have all the information available to make a sound decision about what your investment will deliver.
One of the most common questions I’m asked is “how do I know my doctor is qualified to carry out this procedure?”
All doctors trained in Australia have a medical degree – such as a MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery), a BM,BS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) or BMed (Bachelor of Medicine). In addition, your doctor may have specialist surgical training – you can check with the Australian Medical Council (AMC), which is the only body in Australia that can accredit specialist surgical training.
Many doctors have come to the field of anti-aging medicine as specialists in a related field – such as general or plastic surgery, dermatology, ear nose and throat surgery or ophthalmology.
As such, they will have core training in surgical procedures, and should be well qualified to:
– advise of the risks associated with treatment (you can help the doctor assess the risk by providing a full and frank medical history, especially if you are using anti-coagulants such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicine, or are suffering from any illness)
– perform surgery with care and skill
– provide appropriate post-operative care.
Beyond this – and because medical and scientific research means that there are constant advances in cosmetic procedures – you need to be confident that your doctor has specialist expertise in performing the procedure you are considering.
Cosmetic medicine professionals are required to have specific training before conducting the Revitalizing Thread Lift.
The thread lift is one of the most significant trends in anti-aging procedures for the brows, midface, cheek, jowls and neck, lips, arms, hands and inside of legs.
It is a less-invasive procedure with a short recovery time that delivers without scarring and with a minimum of downtime and – importantly – keeping the natural contours of the face so that the results are subtle and natural-looking. Additional advantages of the Revitalizing Thread Lift include stimulating and rebuilding the skin structure which in turn helps the skin’s natural colour, tone and texture.
The Revitalizing Thread Lift can be completed within 45 to 90 minutes depending on procedure.
The Revitalizing Thread uses Promoitalia absorbable threads, the next generation in absorbable threads. Made from medically-researched materials that have been used for many years in conventional sutures, these threads have patented soft barbs (also known as cogs) that attach to the surrounding skin tissue to hold the skin in place. Key to the procedure is that the threads stimulate the body to produce collagen and elastin (as a response to the presence of the threads) that, over time, creates a natural scaffold for the lifted tissue.
As the scaffolding forms, the threads are absorbed by the body within nine to 12 months, which means they will not impact on any future procedures (should you wish further thread or other lifts in years to come).
In order to use Promoitalia threads, surgeons must first undertake a short training to master the thread lift technique. The training includes all aspects of the procedure: including patient selection, pre-operative evaluation, techniques, post-operative care, and complications prevention and management, and is carried out in Australia by specialists and certified Promoitalia experts.
It also includes a briefing on the chemistry of the special Promoitalia threads, whose unique polyhedral shape and greater density of cogs is designed to deliver a greater effect.
As a result, you can be confident that doctors offering the Promoitalia Revitalizing Thread Lift are both qualified, and are using the latest-generation technology to give you the best, longest-lasting results possible.
Mara Bontempo-Ross is an accredited professional with more than two decade’s experience in the medical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. She is the founder of Mara Aesthetics, an Australian company dedicated to providing the highest quality, scientifically researched products, backed by accredited training to help Australian and New Zealand’s doctors achieve outstanding thread lift outcomes.
Coogee … more than just Stinky Seaweed
While Bondi is Aboriginal for “crashing waves”, Coogee means “stinky seaweed” – and yet people love it for so many reasons … Graziella Obeid gives us a quirky & cool guide to Coogee …
There is something magical about Coogee. The transformation from a sleepy coastal bay to a latte-sipping boutique beach was swift. Now settling into comfortable adulthood, Coogee’s simple style, natural beauty and creative heartbeat has attracted many – even the Virgin Mary.
Curvy cliffs at the south of the bay are full of the type of hidey-holes that adolescents love. The north side doesn’t disappoint either. From cliff-hugging caves you can safely watch storms roll in, and in sunny weather hidden flat rocks provide discreet spaces to catch some private rays.
Wylie’s Baths are located on the south headland. Its a gorgeous place shielded by pines and banksias. Upon paying your $2.50, you’re privy to share the best balcony the east coast has to offer. You can do morning tea on cappuccino and cake, down a pie or a sandwich, or enjoy a massage in the breeze.
Ladies, feel like swimming in your own pool? Nearby are the famed Ladies Baths where laps can be enjoyed without having to concern oneself with in-between-waxing worries. A private open air balcony area can be enjoyed au-natural. Model types have been discovered getting their all-over body tans along with UV adventurers of all shapes and sizes. It costs a tiny 20 cents to get in, just throw it in the ice cream container at the bottom of the stairs. The pool is open 24 hours but rambunctious teenagers are the only visitors after dark.
On the north side of the beach a mossy path exposed at low tide brings you to the most divine little natural sea oasis you can imagine, locally known as Giles. It was once sealed by barbed wire – a part of the Mens Private Gym, where sweaty men would cool off their newly-pressed muscles in the bliss of privacy, before it was liberated with a pair of wire cutters in the 1980s.
The gym was deemed structurally unsound, and now all that remains is a monument. Sorry boys, now it’s a free-for-all. You can access it via structurally sound stairs from the north headland. No small change is required, just some common sense when diving at low tide. It’s a great spot for crab-spotting, night swims and cave-hunting.
Ok, three pools later … where is the nightlife? Coogee’s night scene is nothing to nod off to – and never has been, but it’s diversified a lot from the rock scene that Selinas made Coogee famous for.
Treehorn is a restaurant in the quiet artery of Havelock Avenue, off Arden Street. The soothing, silky soiree atmosphere is great for flirting with someone new, or indulging in delicious vegetarian lasagne and zucchini quiche. The guitar duo Urban Gypsies weave Latin rhythms into the air along with stories which inspired their music. The dessert sizes are generous, the strudel is exceptional, and the coffee well-made. If you’re particularly fussy ask Rob to make your coffee.
If you hit it off with someone at Treehorn and would like to warm up a little more over a nightcap, cushion is the perfect next stop: comfortable loveseats, lush mood lighting and great cocktails provide for that extra bit of intimacy. Try their mezze plate or woodfired pizza. A friendly local crowd and other eastern suburbs drifters make this a great little place, with a jazz trio on Sunday nights to mellow things further.
The Art Lounge Café is the cafe you always dreamed of. It’s as if the owners Dave and Lee picked up on your wavelength, with comfy sofas, breakfasts of good down-to-earth scrambled eggs and muesli. Local art tastefully ordains the walls – each month by a new artist. The coffee is great here, and their soy varieties don’t taste burnt or sour. The staff are particular about keeping the coffee standard high. Trackies and bad hair are just as welcome as bouffants and cashmere. It’s a regular hang for the local ambulance guys, the real estate mafia and your lazier students..
In the summer of 2002 Coogee was the centre of a truly spiritual kerfuffle. On the headland between October and February on a sunny day the Virgin Mary appears between 3:30 and 4:30pm. Resident scientists claimed it was an optical illusion. Christian pilgrims flocked to hear the Virgin’s message. Some guy thought it was a fence and tore the fence down. Will the virgin appear again one summer?
On the southern end of Beach Street, right next to the Aquarium Bar with its huge historic Aqua dome is The Beach Street Gallery Laundrette. Doing your laundry has never been more serene. While the lovely laundry ladies fill you with stories and astrology you can admire the artworks. Every month there is a new exhibition. You can get along to their regular launch nights and meet the artists. The next shop along is a fun one, too – I’ll let you discover this one for yourselves.
There’s much more to Coogee, enough for a dedicated directory of Coogee Cool. Locals hold their suburb close to their heart, not revealing too many of its secrets. Tread lightly upon it, and Coogee will gently bare its soul.
Graziella’s Directory
of Coogee Cool:
Wylie’s Baths:
Neptune St, ph 9665 2838
Massage by the Sea:
1 Havelock Ave, ph 9664 4400
Giles Baths:
Dolphin Point, Dunningham Reserve
Treehorn Restaurant:
19 Havelock Ave, ph 9664 4005
cushion lounge/bar:
242 Arden Street, ph 9315 9130
Art Lounge: 275 Arden Street, ph 9665 2500
Bobby Dazzler: 265 Arden Street, ph 9665 5330
The Beach Street Gallery Laundrette:
128-130 Beach Street, ph 9665 2161.
Online Company Branding – Is it simply a Matter of Maintaining Your Reputation in Cyberspace?
Any business which has had the experience of being criticised or defamed in cyberspace knows how difficult it is to get rid of that stain from the virtual universe. Often from such an experience comes a more powerful awareness of online company branding. Dermot de Courcy Robinson provides further insights …
There are a multitude of vital ingredients which are crucial to successful online company branding.
Branding goes well beyond a logo, corporate brochure and marketing materials. Branding will not be successful without ensuring that all aspects of your organisation reflect and support your intended brand. However, one of your most valuable assets – your people – must be well trained in articulating and delivering your company brand.
If your people don’t ‘deliver’ the brand it can harm your organisation. Conversely, people who understand and represent the brand consistently can support you in everything you do.
Brand isn’t just about your logo, your stationery, your company brochure or corporate brochure or your ‘house’ colours. A strong brand integrates several factors including:
- Customer interactions
- Internal communications
- Corporate philosophy
- Promotional and marketing efforts
Your brand extends to your people, your customers and suppliers, the media and even the general public. If the above four factors don’t consistently reinforce your company brand, customers and potential customers can become dissatisfied or disinterested.
The negative impact of their perception, should they voice their opinions to other potential customers or even the media, could have a ripple effect on the organisation. This can erode your brand equity and create misperceptions about you in the market that in turn could lead prospective customers and employees to develop a negative impression of the organisation.
On the other hand, brand consistency throughout all levels of your organisation will help you attract and retain the best employees. You will appear more professional and reflect the quality of service that you deliver.
Branding through your people
Your people are one of the most critical touch points for your customer. Here are several steps to ensure that they are representing your brand in the best light possible.
Develop a philosophy for your organisation
A thoughtfully planned philosophy that demonstrates how you operate is the first step to reinforcing your brand in your team. This can be revealed and consolidated via your intranet or internal communications as well as within your induction and appraisal process.
Maintain brand consistency
This step is essential to building a strong brand and it is one of the first steps to take. You need to establish consistency throughout all aspects of your organisation. But setting the standards is not enough. You must regularly evaluate your actions by establishing checkpoints for each aspect of the business that interacts with customers and the general public. Ensure that each member of staff is empowered to identify and address inconsistencies in your brand.
Practice what you preach
The best way to lead is by example. If your brand projects your organisation as one which, for example, supports its employees and then goes back on that promise, your brand as well as your reputation will suffer.
Implement brand guidelines
In order to ensure brand consistency, an organisation must establish a framework or set of brand guidelines for all to follow. I am not just talking about your logo or corporate identity guidelines, but guidelines that communicate:
- Your brand positioning statement
- Key messages
- Core values
- Brand attributes
- Measures of success
- Processes for handling customer issues
- Processes for handling customer feedback
Brand guidelines production follows a detailed and logical approach and provides guidance on everything from the graphic standards for use of the company logo to how your cultural differences affect your brand. Producing a set of brand guidelines leaves no room for misinterpretation and helps maintain consistency throughout all levels of the organisation.
Online Company Branding … and finally …
Online company branding extends well beyond your marketing efforts. Your brand is only as good as the people behind it … and the people in front of your customers. Build a set of brand guidelines. Take the time to establish an internal culture that reflects your brand. Train and encourage your people to represent that brand. Evaluate your consistency in delivering your brand across all aspects of your business. In doing so, you will strengthen your brand equity and position your company for greater success.
For More Info …
Email Stewart Dawes media@seotherapy.com.au for professional online reputation management for using multiple website presences and search engine optimisation (SEO).
Cigar Addiction … Let’s Celebrate!
SANDRA CABOT writes about the macho psychologies underpinning cigar addiction …
Success = cigars
I had an interesting request to help to cope up from cigar addiction a few months ago. Today another person approached me to give up smoking cigars as a celebration experience.
When I delved into the circumstances and emotions attached to the enjoyment of smoking cigars with the first client, it was revealed that this person was a very successful business owner and kept company with many other successful people around the world. They would all sit down to share a wonderful food experience. When they finished the meal they would then adjourn to smoke cigars and brandy and discuss many business opportunities. This person linked success to smoking cigars. By recognising the connections, we were then able to negotiate a different link to success so that he no longer required to feel that he had to smoke cigars to be in the company of successful people.
Celebration = cigars
The request today was from someone who had very successfully came out from cigar addiction. He celebrated the birth of a child into his family by smoking cigars. He now realised that he was sabotaging himself by this action, and remembered that he had successfully “kicked the habit” by attending my clinic and experiencing the combination of clinical hypnotherapy and NLP.
Sophistication = cigars
I was having a lengthy discussion with a young woman when suddenly she said she had a cigar addiction also. She revealed that she had given up cigarettes but had taken up smoking long thin cigars. She felt very “upmarket”.
Cigarettes and cigars = lung cancer
When the theory that cigarettes could cause cancer was first brought up, people laughed about it and refused to believe it. When the court case came up about secondary smoke causing cancer in the lungs of a bartender, people ridiculed the concept. He won the case. Since then more and more relevant information has come to light about the dangers of secondary smoke inhalation which can lead to cancer.
It doesn’t matter what is smoked really. All smoke is harmful as it is foreign to the lungs. A medical doctor told me that Sauna heat also affected the lungs badly.
Once people used to eat charcoal when the barbecued meat was burnt. Now they realise that this is cancerous.
Celebrations = alcohol and cigars
Champagne has been linked with celebrations. As soon as someone has achieved a spectacular goal or won the lottery, they immediately say “let’s break out the champagne”. If a baby is born, the father says “have a cigar” to all the men he knows.
A couple of days ago on television, it was announced that alcohol consumption is now linked to cancer. Therefore alcohol needs to be consumed moderately with caution.
Confusion = sex = cigars
President Clinton said “I did not have sex with that woman”. However, he had no hesitation in finding a way to “have a cigar to have sex with that woman”. He finally admitted that he had used cigars to do the “dirty deed”.
Ego = cigars
“Power is King”, therefore if a man smokes a cigar, he is displaying “power” when he lights up an expensive cigar, preferably Cuban. He is showing that he can afford the expensive cigar and can “kick the system” at the same time. By offering a cigar to other men, he is “displaying” power and success. When a man smokes a cigar in an environment where others circulate, the stench of the cigar is very potent and he usually delights in the effect.
Celebrations: Happiness and fun
The wonderful news is that you can celebrate anything and have a great time doing it. You can change your programs so that you can have a moderate amount of champagne without going overboard. You don’t need to hurt your lungs or your body with cigars and cigarettes. You can find other ways of celebrating, such as going out for the day on a yacht with friends, having a party or a beautiful dinner.
More Freshmag articles on Hypnotherapy:
Hypnotherapy & Weight Loss
Hypnosis for Success
How to Choose the Skincare that’s Best for your Skin
In an eternal pursuit of everlasting loveliness, human beings sure end up finding the best skincare for their skins …
You’ve finally decided. You really want healthy skin. However, when you head to the store, all of the skin care companies seem wonderful.
Skincare Products
How do you choose? Well, it’s important to read the labels, especially the fine print and the ingredient list. Ask your friends about skin care companies they trust. If you have a question or want more information, call the company and ask. It might take a little work, but it will be worth the effort. Remember that your skin is an organ and it absorbs everything you put on it: the good stuff and the bad stuff! Nourish your skin with products containing antioxidants, botanical extracts and skin vitamins, and avoid potentially harmful ingredients for healthy and beautiful skin.
Read the Label
Read the label, especially the fine print and the ingredient panel
Usually (but not always) a shorter list of ingredients is better than a long list.
Learn about the company. Ask your friends if they know about the company. View their website or call the company and ask questions.
Ask about full-disclosure labelling (are all the ingredients on the ingredient list?) Many companies do not tell you all the ingredients.
Look for the Good Stuff
Choose products rich in skin-specific vitamins, botanicals and antioxidants (be careful though, lots of companies claim to use antioxidants but put such a tiny amount in the product that it cannot possibly benefit the skin).
Just because the name sounds like a chemical does not necessarily mean it is harmful. For example, Panthenol is actually pro-Vitamin B-5. It sounds like a chemical, but it is a very important skin vitamin. (Companies are supposed to use the chemical or botanical name of the ingredient – it’s the international labelling standard.)
Avoid the Bad Stuff
Avoid potentially harmful ingredients from skincare products such as mineral oil and lanolin (these clog the pores) and parabens (these are used as preservatives, but recent research says they might be harmful).
Petrolatum is another common skin care ingredient that makes skin feel good but tends to congest pores.
For the complete Derma E range click on their website and enjoy www.dermaenaturalskincare.com.au
Cherry Red Fashion from Mudgee to the World!
We talk to Cherry Red fashion store businesswoman GINA FITZGERALD about her take on a life in fashion …
Before you sigh and not get excited about another online fashion boutique opening its web address, slap yourself and remember ‘you are a lady, you love clothes and Cherry Red.com is about to become your fashion bible’.
If you died and went to fashion heaven, cherryred.com.au is where you would wake up. It has everything your little style-queen self could imagine. By everything we mean everything. Clothes, shoes, hats, jewellery, scarves bags, gift vouchers and it’s hard to believe, but that list continues.
This online boutique is what you’ve been waiting for. They know real women and they know fashion. And how do we know this? They have a store in the town of Mudgee, which opened six years ago and ever since the ladies of Mudgee have become quite the fashionistas – no wonder the place is fast getting a reputation as a gourmet and style haven.
Before you ask – no they’re not dressing in country-esque attire, these ladies look as though they’ve been plucked out the hottest Sydney night spots and uber hip cafes and are now using the streets of Mudgee as their very own catwalk. Mudgee fashion is changing for the better and we’re playing the blame game. Cherry Red – take a bow.
If you don’t believe us, check out Cherry Red’s woman in charge, Gina Fitzgerald. That girl has it all going on and then some. Even while five months pregnant with her second child, those sky high heels and mini dresses are ticking all the right boxes.
We spoke to Gina herself about getting into online fashion and what she’ll be wearing (and what she’ll be throwing out) this season. Check out what style advice you should seriously consider following:
When and why did you get into the Fashion Industry?
It was about a decade ago that I realised my passion was leading me into a life path working in fashion. I love what fashion can do for women – it can help you create your own look and style and make a bad day a good one.
You’re entering a really competitive online market, what sets Cherry Red apart from other online fashion boutiques?
Our unique and broad range of fashion labels all at one fabulous user-friendly website where we dress you from ‘head to toe’ as well as show you ‘what to wear’ items with, allowing you to put together your season’s wardrobe.
We also offer personal styling advice – whether it be on a particular garment or a personal session with your own consultant.
Our gift range is fabulous and our ‘gift voucher’ service the perfect last minute gift solution for any woman.
How do you decide what brands and designers you stock?
A Cherry Red label must offer good quality, exclusive fabrications and be on the edge of fashion trends.
We’ve always aimed to have a unique and inspiring mix of Australian and New Zealand designers. We offer a collection of mainstream labels and ‘hard to find’ designers. Our success is about how we buy, the styles we select, the colours we create and finally how to wear it.
What items walk out of the store on-line?
A fabulous print – in a dress or a blouse. They offer a unique look and a touch of fun to the wardrobe.
What item of clothing should no woman live without?
Winter – a fur vest or leather jacket.
Summer – a great jersey dress you can take from day to night and throw in a suitcase.
What’s the next big trend for Spring Summer – what should we keep an eye out for?
Colour, colour, colour! Don’t be afraid to mix ‘pop’ colours together or wear a big bold print. The jumpsuit is here to stay, and we’re loving it. Offered in casual and evening styles, in basic colours of neutrals and black as well as big bold prints.
To see the massive range of Cherry Red items check out their website www.cherryred.com.au
Energy Healing & Its Universal Values
Psychic-medium and holistic healer Jewel Heart writes about her life in healing and what holistic therapies work in her world using energy healing method …
When I stand before thee at day’s end, thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing – Rabindranath Tagore, Indian Poet.
TRUSTING YOUR OWN HEALING ABILITIES
There are many healing modalities across this Earth, from different cultures and different beliefs like energy healing. There is no right or wrong when it comes to healing yourself. Basically you do what works for you as you are an individual. I know some people that use prayer to heal themselves, I use this and Reiki energy healing. So the more open your mind is to try all different options the better, and the better your health will be. It’s really about trusting yourself, listening to your intuitive knowing, and listening to your body.
So many people I know listen to everyone else when it comes to their own bodies. That’s crazy to me because we know our own bodies, so we should listen to ourselves.
Of course you need expert opinions to know what you’re dealing with, but ultimately you know how to fix you! We are all self-healers and have the ability to do this.
ENERGY HEALING
read “The Journey” by Brandon Bays, she healed herself in six weeks and she had a basketball-size tumor in her uterus. Her doctor wanted her to get it cut out, but she insisted that she listen to her inner voice and she did. Brandon healed it herself with energy healing by going into the organ and cells to see why it was created or why it manifested itself, addressing the core issue and healing it. No operations, no drugs.
There are many ways to heal the mind and body, but if Einstein was correct that E=mc2, then everything is energy and we can fix everything on an energetic level long before the physical manifestation. There are energies that make up cells in our bodies. Correct the smallest thing and the rest will correct itself, whether you believe it or not. It will work better if your mind is set on it happening, as our mind is a very powerful thing that can produce energy healing.
SOUND HEALING
There is also sound healing, compared to energy healing musical tones and notes have cymatics, or vibrational patterns, so sound healing acts as a form of vibrational healing. Utilizing the right healing tones in songs and with the right equipment, you can create profound healings or transformation on the listener.
Tone quality is vital to sound healing. I know this from channeling my songs, I can feel if the melody feels right or if it doesn’t, so I trust what I feel and go with it.
If you channel beauty in the tones or songs you write, it can help the listener and remind them of their own inner beauty. After a while, one can tune into the sound currents that they are given by higher realms and they can then give these currents to others through performing them, making for a very healing performance or show. I encourage all musicians to learn about sound healing, so that you can learn how to heal all those whom hear your music. And to raise the vibration of that person so that they may feel positive or good again, rising them up out of the lower vibration that they may have been stuck on before they came to your show or performance.
WHAT IS SOUND HEALING?
Sound healing, through various techniques and technologies, is the educated and conscioususe of the energy of sound to promote wellness and healing in the human body. Sound healing can also expand a person’s consciousness. Sound healing is founded on the premisethat all matter is a vibrating frequency. Science has proven that sound, or vibration, has a strong impact upon substance. The study of cymatics has shown how soundcreates geometric patterns in matter.
Dr. Emoto has proven that sound changes the molecular structure of water. Sound changes consciousness which is something we all need to know, then you can use it to change your own consciousness for the better. Just like if you had a stressful day and you get home and lie down and listen to some relaxation music, you begin to de-stress. The shift in consciousness with music also happens when you listen to your favourite singer and their singing calms you or makes you feel good. Many ancient civilizations and modern indigenous cultures have used sound healing to access higher levels of consciousness.
There are a wide range of techniques that utilize sound as a tool for change and for healing. The most common and basic use of sound is for meditation and relaxation. Chanting and toning are some of the most powerful methods for resonating sound throughout the body and to use for healing. The use of nature sounds and natural instruments, such as crystal bowls and tuning forks, have specific healing frequencies and harmonics. Drumming and rhythm are now used by corporations to release stress and build team consciousness. Shamanic drumming takes people into altered states of consciousness. Sound is now being using by clinical psychologists to help children with certain learning disabilities.
CRYSTAL HEALING
I love my crystals. They are beautiful and unique, each one of them and their energies have amazing healing properties. Each one has their very own aura, which I have seen photos taken of them using an aura photo machine. If you hold a crystal or meditate with them on your body, you can feel their energy and also their auric field will permeate across into your auric field for healing and repairing your aura. Crystals also vibrate at different frequencies to enhance healing.
There are different crystals for different chakra points on your body. The ancient Mayans, Hebrew, Vedic and Native American cultures used crystals and gemstones both in spiritual rituals and as aids to physical healing. Those who practice the ways of the ancient cultures continue to use crystals as a productive healing tool. Crystals were used in the earliest shamanic rituals as tools for initiation and healing, as talismans, and meditation.
CELLULAR HEALING
What if we all had the ability to heal ourselves on a cellular level without having to go under the surgeon’s knife? If you have an illness where you have the time to seek an alternative way of healing, it is possible through cellular healing. Cells in your body that are charged with negative emotions will manifest into sick cells, creating problems within your physical body. You can get these problems cut out of your body by surgeons, or you can heal the damaged cells. If you are inoperative because operations are too dangerous for your condition, then try cellular healing as you have nothing to lose.
In this day and age, we are becoming more and more aware of the power of the mind, what you think you create, so think wellness and health and you create it. Use the power of the mind through a cellular healing process by going in on a subconscious level to enter the illness or bodily ache to see the cause. To see why it is there, to find out how it was created and then to uncreate it and heal it. Cellular healing can be used for all issues as well, whether its self-esteem, sexual abuse, heartache from loved ones, forgiveness of self and others, medical and psychological issues, and reconnecting with loved ones. The human body is an amazing machine that is capable of so much that we are only just starting to have an understanding of, and of just how magnificent we are.
This excerpt was from “This book is for you” The time is now to awaken from your sleep.
By Jewel Heart Psychic Musical Medium To purchase your copy go to:
http://www.lulu.com/content/4325909 For more info on Jewel and her
workshops: www.myspace.com/jewelleheart or her
music: www.myspace.com/jewelmusicalmedium
40 Days at Base Camp
Doesn’t he ever rest? Nocturnal film writer BRYN TILLY reveals one of the delights of the film “40 Days at Base Camp” on of the nominees at the Canadian Film Festival …
Directed by Dianne Whelan, 40 Days at Base Camp is pretty much exactly that; forty freezing nights at the base camp of Mount Everest, the launch pad, so to speak, for climbing expeditions attempting to reach the summit of the highest mountain in the world.
It is shared by climbers and sherpas (the experienced locals who carry most of the gear) and is a curious mecca for those who share that extreme desire to conquer what is essentially a very difficult place for humans to be.
One in forty people die above base camp. Not the most attractive odds for an adventure holiday.
These days commercial expeditions charge up to $US100, 000 per client to climb to the summit. In spring of 2010 four people died trying to reach the top, whilst another 512 were successful.
One of the successful in the 40 Days at Base Camp was Arjun, who at 16-years-old is the youngest person ever to scale Everest. He had a pretty nonchalant attitude that was impressive to behold.
At base camp the sherpa culture and the climbing culture mingle.
Apa is the lead Sherpa of a company called Asian Trekking. He has reached the summit 19 times. During the making of this documentary he adds a twentieth notch to his climbing belt. That is an amazing feat.
He’s not an especially talented climber, but he respects Everest implicitly. For the Hindus and Buddhists the mountain is known as “Great Mother of the Universe”, and she is dutifully respected.
The same can’t be said for the amount of garbage that is left behind on the mountain, and that with each passing year’s melting of the ice, brings up more and more empty oxygen canisters, frayed climbing rope, and more empty food tins and cans than you can shake a pick-axe at.
“To know a people you must spend forty days with them,” says the ancient proverb.
And as such we get to know a little about some of the climbers and sherpas during the spring of 2010. Dianne Whelan’s doco is not as revealing as it could be, but it’s still fascinating. What I wanted was some real alpine drama!
According to the sherpas there are 250 bodies abandoned on Everest. Not the most dignified way to shuffle off this mortal coil, especially those that never actually succeeded on what they call the summit push.
Above the 8000 metre mark is the area known as The Death Zone, where there isn’t enough oxygen to support human life. As one of the experienced medics at base camp says, for the successful climber it’s simply a combination of genetics and time. Some people have the physiological makeup to make it to the top, and some don’t.
And those that do have the right genetic material still need to allow the right amount of time for the climb. Not just picking the right moment to head off from base camp, but pacing yourself.
40 Days at Base Camp works curiously as a motivational piece, that doubles as a warning. Embrace adventure, but understand and respect that which is greater than you.
For more on Possible Worlds, the Canadian Film Festival in Sydney, Like their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/possibleworlds
Film reviewer Bryn Tilly is a Sydney DJ, scriptwriter and composer and publishes the movie sites Horrorphile and Bruno Dante’s Cult Projections.
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Tea Blossoms: Taming the Human Heart
In an eternal pursuit of his feminine side, STEWART DAWES has taken up the most tenderly elegant pastime possible drinking tea blossoms. This is his delicately-worded report …
Everyone, in every village, should have a friend known as The Tea Lady. Even if your village is surrounded by skyscrapers on every side, you’d pop into her little shop and pick up some soothing loose leaves to brew in an old teapot and take some time out from the smog, the hustle, the grind.
Tea Blossoms Lady
So it is that in 2009 I happened upon my very own Tea Lady, Kerrie McMahon the owner of the boutique tea company WorldParTea, which she ran in the Blue Mountains before deciding that one doesn’t need days on end of icy cold in order to drink tea – relocating her business and family to the balmy climes of Port Macquarie.
At the time that I met her, Kerrie was just starting out on the game of having a website so that people from around Australia, and indeed even overseas, can enjoy her tea. As a florist previously, the online realm held great trepidation for her and so I was able to old her hand through the early stages of creating an “online tea shop” while she nudged me towards the idea of substituting a small percentage of my hardline coffee addiction into a discovery of the subtle qualities of tea in all its vastly exotic forms.
Now the final chapter of my education is coming to an end – wth a focus at last on the elegant classical beauty of tea blossoms. Kerrie sent me the half-dozen in her range to sample and explore from a literary sense, and on the threshold of that journey I felt all author-like, as though about to embark on writing the tea blossom version of Patrick Süsskind’s Perfume.
Fit for a Princess
First to try is the Princess Malia tea blossom – visually stunning, tied to resemble a tiara, this white tea blossom is surrounded with tiny jasmine flowers and topped with a Chinese globe amaranth flower, which imparts a pink tinge to the infusion. Simply place the blossom into a filled glass teapot and watch as it unfurls. Each blossom will make 2 litres of tea and can be infused a number of times My 5-year-old son is becoming fascinated by tea blossoms and the pink top really drew his interest – he manged to drink 2/3rds of a small Japanese-style teacup anyway. I like the pink tinge which is very subtle but definitely there – adding a touch of dragon energy to the effect. Now I’m getting all metaphysical on you.
For Nymphomaniacs
Next is the Water Nymph (after 4 trips to the bathroom) which contains an entire orange lily flower, surrounded by tiny osmanthus petals which float effortlessly in the tea, creating a beautiful,dancing effect. Place in a glass teapot and enjoy what the Chinese refer to as “the best dressed tea”. Interestingly, this smells like tobacco, and in fact, tastes a bit the same – definitely a drink for rugged blokes – reminds me of the Russian Caravan teas I’ve tried in the past – very smoky flavour. Also I can feel the caffeine in this very robust tea instantly affect the verves in my forearms – yeah baby, I’m ready to stop a train with my bare hands! I like a tough cup of tea so don’t mind this brew at all though I think most people will find it challenging! Bring on second cuppa and watch me fly!!
I Still Love You Granny!
Now it’s time to channel my grandmother because I’m taste-testing Chloe’s Pink Carnation – a hand tied white tea ball, with a charming pink carnation at its heart, which is revealed upon infusion. Some of the pink hue from the carnation is imparted into the water giving it a tantalising blush and a sweet floral aroma.
A Stunning Snow Globe
The next one reminds me of an Englishman’s slang word for his penis – it’s called the Little Prince Harvey. A beautiful new tea blossom to celebrate the arrival of their smallest and youngest tea merchant, Harvey. This is a sublime white tea with a golden marigold flower at its heart. There are also a number of small petals hidden inside that are released when the blossom opens for a stunning ‘snow globe’ effect. The taste is gentle, refreshing and delicately floral.This promises to be a heady and sensual affair, and delivers with difference, just like an Englishman’s er … Little Prince Harvey.
At this point I had to quit for the first day as my urine had turned clear – wow detoxing extraordinaire. Just two to go!
Wake Up the Dead
Started the next day with the sombre sounding Hannah’s Jasmine Wreath – great to drink at a wake for any chick called Hannah, rather than when you wake up. On the contrary it’s Worldpartea’s most popular tea blossom – contains jasmine flowers tied daisy-chain style, which unfurl and rise when infused. The taste is sweet and aromatic and appeals to lovers of jasmine scented teas. Delightfully refreshing and a pick me up whether at brunch time or when the eyelids droop in late afternoon.
Going Nuts for Tea
Last but by no means least is the innocuous-sounding Camellia’s Tea Blossom – for tea purists. All tea whether black, oolong, green or white comes from the same plant – camellia sinensis. The camellia flower in this blossom is the flower of the camellia sinensis itself, which lends a wholesome roundness to the flavour of the leaves, the tiny traces of pollen giving a hint of “nuttiness”. I’m starting to sound like a pompous wine reviewer, but maybe there is a career for me yet as a tea taster?
It’s been a pleasure to have sampled all these teas and for the next 12 months every family member or friend is getting tea blossoms for birthdays or Christmas. After all, they are a little bit expensive. But not enough to break the bank, or to give something which is so stylish, unique and memorable. I asked a few people whether they’d like to receive tea blossoms as a gift and the answers were unanimously yes. Feel like I’m on the crest of a relatively undiscovered foodie wave. Charming place to be, now excuse me while I visit the bathroom one more time.
For the complete WorldParTea range click on their website and enjoy: www.worldpartea.com
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Adventures Await in the Blue Mountains & Beyond
Outback tour host SALLY BRAY writes about the great things to see and experience on a Blue Mountains adventure tour …
Adventure Tour
Adventure Tours come in many varieties around the world today. There’s something for everyone and Aussie Farmstay and Bush Adventures is a tour company providing Australian Adventures you’ll never forget. Passengers experience explorations, activities, discoveries and journeys back in time as they are shown around the mountains and the bush west of Sydney, NSW.
One of the newest styles of adventure tour is a ‘cultural adventure’, where travellers get to experience a culture different to their own. On an Australian farmstay and bush adventure you will be immersed into the rural culture of bygone times on a farm in Inglevale near Eugowra, NSW. Owners Bill and Mary bought the farm from Bill’s father Wilf and it’s been in the family for 55 years. But in all that time cultivation has been carried out only with draught horses which Wilf breeds.
On the farm, farming practices are displayed, entertainment of animal performances, whip cracking, bush ballads and poetry is provided. A campfire and BBQ cooked meal is shared with the farm’s extended family and provides an opportunity for passengers to really get to know the locals, a must for a cultural adventure.
Nature adventures’ allow people to get in touch with the natural world and discover aspects of the nature of an area. On an Aussie Farmstay and Bush Adventure there are many opportunities for nature lovers to connect with Australia’s natural environment including the Flora, Fauna and Geology of Central West NSW. No tour passes without seeing a variety of native Australian birds, mammals and reptiles in the wild, and a chance to see these animals up close is also provided on a visit to a wildlife park.
The World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park is one of Australia’s preeminent regions of natural beauty. On an Aussie Farmstay and Bush Adventures tour travellers spend an entire day in the Blue Mountains hiking, riding, exploring and discovering the forests and history. Stunning views into valleys showcase cliffs and waterfalls and a ride on the world’s steepest railway takes visitors deep to the floor of a valley to be explored. A walk through the bush is rewarded with seldo- seen ancient Aboriginal rock art.
Deep Beneath the Bush
Abercrombie Caves are one of New South Wales’ little known natural wonders. With Aussie Farmstay and Bush Adventure tour of the caves will reveal the Grand Archway which is the biggest cave arch in the Southern Hemisphere. The subterranean limestone caves contain stunning formations highlighted by spectacular lighting which have attracted visitors for over 100 years. But because of the cave’s remote location it is rarely visited by tourists and its natural surroundings of beauty and peacefulness have remained pristine.
Horse riding and hiking adventures are popular with people wanting some action in their holiday. On an Aussie Farmstay and Bush Adventure there is the opportunity to ride a horse through the farmlands and bush of the Megalong Valley in the Blue Mountains. The riding operators used can provide horses to suit everyone from those who have ridden all their lives to those who have never been on a horse. Riders are thrilled by what can be seen from the back of a horse including peaceful streams, pastures and woodlands and animals in the wild, including kangaroos, wombats and eagles, which are less wary of people on horse back than in a vehicle. But horse riding isn’t for everyone, so bush walking is an alternative which provides just as many opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty of the Megalong Valley.
No adventure tour would be complete without discovery of things new and different. Aussie Farmstay and Bush Adventure tour provides ample opportunity for learning. Whether it is at a fossil museum to unearth the distant past, at the wildlife park to find out about Australia’s unique animals, in the bush to discover Australia’s distinctive plants and trees, or on the timeless Inglevale farm to see Australia’s rural culture, travellers are guaranteed to know more at the end of a tour than they did before.
Where Do You Get It?
For any enquiries or bookings you can contact Sally
0410 405 022 or email sally@aussiebushadventures.com.au or check out their website
www.aussiebushadventures.com.au
Also Check Out:
Mudgee Food & Wine Tasting Tours
Mudgee Food & Wine Tours
Blue Mountains Adventure Tours
Blue Mountains Horse Riding
Jenolan Caves Tours
Outback Tours Australia
Blue Mountains Adventure Tours
Blue Mountains Horse Riding
Food Wine Tours Mudgee
The Best Ever Sex Scenes in Cinema
BRUNO DANTE brings you what he regards as the finest moments of sex scenes in cinema ever sizzled onto celluloid …
I decided to compile a Best Ever Sex Scenes list, but when I began to do the research I realised it was a slippery serpent indeed; one person’s highly-charged, scorchin’ eroticism is another person’s tub of cold, used KY Jelly. Arousal is ultimately in the mind. The male species, however, are more easily turned on by visual stimuli, whereas the female of the species usually finds her senses aroused by a lustily-spoken voice, or provocative words on a page. I’m generalising, of course, but the facts speak for themselves; the highest percentage of porn viewers are men, young adults and adolescent males; the industry’s porn stars are predominantly women, not men.
But when it comes down to the grind, the visual elements that turn one person on can vary significantly from person to person. There are universal guarantees that are generally accepted to turn a man or woman on, but it’s the nuances, those in-between bits, the short and curlies, if you will, that make it such a personal experience. The way a palm moves across a thigh, the placement of a kiss, the amount of pubic hair on display (if there’s any there), the way a woman performs fellatio or a man gives cunnilingus. Some love watching endless over-lit close-ups of hardcore penetration (decidedly un-erotic in my opinion), while others prefer the art of moody lighting, foreplay and suggestion.
Which brings me to the list I wanted to make, and I realised there was no point trying to make a definitive list of the Best Ever Sex Scenes. The only thing I could offer was my personal selection of favourite sex scenes. What I can bring to the bedroom, err, table, is nearly twenty-five years of being a lover, over fifteen years of being a film critic with a passion for foreign, arthouse and independent films, and my leisurely and unashamed pursuit of high art and deep trash cinema erotica. That’s not to say that I don’t find the odd Hollywood movie caressing my libido, but it’s usually from a bold director who likes to push boundaries.
My criterion for this list was thus: which sex scenes have cuddled me over the years (some with indulgent repeat viewings, others lingering long and hard after only one viewing)? Which sex scenes depicted a genuine sense of attraction between the actors (or performers), an unmistakable chemistry? Which sex scenes portrayed the urgency and/or the languid nature of lovemaking the most realistically? Which sex scenes had the cajones to push the boundaries?
Top Sex Scenes
The list of contenders was huge. So much carnal knowledge still to acquire! In the end – and this was an important element of my criteria for selection – I settled on the movies that had stirred me the most after the first viewing, as they say, first impressions last longest and hardest.
So I’d best get down to brass tacks and conjure the beast with two backs; eighteen sex scenes abandon from mainstream-to-arthouse cinema and two from the adult movie industry for good measure. I’ve put the sex scenes in some semblance of order from hot to hottest, but to be precise it’s the tamest to most explicit.
From Dusk till Dawn
(USA, 1995) Directed by Robert Rodriguez
No actual sex, but the catwalk dance Salma Hayek, as Santanico Pandemonium, performs in her skimpy attire, with a huge albino python wrapped around her luscious figure is enough to cause anyone to break out into a sweat.
*see pic at page top.
Jungle Fever
(USA, 1991) Directed by Spike Lee
Flipper (Wesley Snipes) and Angie (Annabella Sciorra) have urgent sex in their office space after-hours. He simply sits her on the desk, pulls her panties off from under her skirt and unbuckles his belt). It’s quick, and vocal, and very sweet.
Body Heat
(USA, 1981) Directed by Lawrence Kasden
Ned (William Hurt) can’t resist married Matty (Kathleen Turner). She’s frustrated, and soon enough the heat’s turned up, she’s on her back, the sweat’s pouring down, he peels her panties off, she spreads her legs, and demands “Give it to me!”
When Night is Falling
(Canada, 1995) Directed by Patricia Rozema
Uptight religious Camille (Pascale Brussieres) is entranced by exotic free spirit Petra (Rachael Crawford) and eventually succumbs to the circus performer’s earthly delights under a soft sensual canopy.
Don’t Look Now
(UK, 1973) Directed by Nicolas Roeg
Husband and wife John (Donald Sutherland) and Laura (Julie Christie) make healing love in a Venice hotel room, inter-cutting the intercourse with them getting dressed before stepping out. It is one of the most evocative sex scenes ever.
Bound
(USA, 1996) Directed by Wachowski Brothers
Mob moll Violet (Jennifer Tilly) and next door neighbour Corky (Gina Gershon) find themselves having more sexy fun together than they ever imagined, and Corky’s grease-monkey fingers are put to excellent use.
Mulholland Drive
(USA, 2001) Directed by David Lynch
Betty (Naomi Watts) finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into the mysterious, dangerous, but oh so sensual world of Rita (Laura Harring), leading to an intensely intimate and unforgettable sex scenes on the sofa.
Zandalee
(USA, 1991) Directed by Sam Pillsbury
Hot-to-trot Zandalee (Erika Anderson), bored with her husband, finds excitement at the hands of charmer Johnny (Nicolas Cage), who spreads cocaine and olive oil on his fingers and, as she lays naked on her belly, slides them inside her where the sun don’t shine.
Matador
(Spain, 1986) Directed by Pedro Almodovar
Femme fatale Maria (Assumpta Serna) straddles a nameless conquest and rides him ‘til the bulls come home in a thoroughly intoxicating mix of sex, la petite mort, and death. Later she will repeat this with Diego (Nacho Martinez), but to equal measure.
Angel Heart
(USA, 1987) Directed by Alan Parker
Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) can’t help himself, and finds himself in bed screwing Epiphany Proudfoot (Lisa Bonet), the svelte daughter of a voodoo priestess, for all he’s worth, carnality blinding him to the blood raining down!
Betty Blue
(France, 1986) Directed by Jean-Jacques Beneix
Zorg (Jean Hughes-Anglade) had only known Betty (Beatrice Dalle) for a week, they made love every night. The movie opens with the legendary coupling and the camera holds and slowly slides closer over several sweaty minutes.
In the Cut
(USA, 2003) Directed by Jane Campion
Lonely Frannie (Meg Ryan) is seduced by unabashed detective Malloy (Mark Ruffalo) and he gives her loving head from behind while she writhes on her bed. Later alone she fantasies about him and masturbates in dreamy focus.
Monster’s Ball
(USA, 2001) Directed by Marc Forster
Lost souls Hank (Billy Bob Thornton) and Leticia (Halle Berry) have desperate, bonding sex on the sofa, and then the floor, all loud grunts and moans, in one of the rawest odd-couple displays of Hollywood sex ever … and damn hot too!
Emmanuelle 2
(France, 1975) Directed by Francis Giacobetti
Emmanuelle (Sylvia Kristal) and her husband Christopher (Frederic Lagache) visit a Hong Kong massage parlour and are oiled up and rubbed down, around and all over by nude masseuses one of whom is played by the very sultry Laura Gemser.
Sex and Lucia
(Spain, 2001) Directed by Julio Bedem
Spunky Lucia (Paz Vega) and her hunky lover Lorenzo (Tristan Ulloa) play sex games; he’s blindfolded while she teases him with her lovely flesh. Later they look at provocative polaroids taking during intercourse.
L’Uomo Che Guarda (AKA The Voyeur)
(Italy, 1994) Directed by Tinto Brass
Blonde, voluptuous bombshell Sylvia (Katarina Vasilissa) strips, sits astride her husband (Francesco Casale), puts him inside her and when he comes too quick she stays on top and uses her own hand to bring herself to pleasure.
Shortbus
(USA, 2006) Directed by John Cameron Mitchell
In the midst of a private club orgy newbie Sofia watches as Leah (Shanti Carson) and her boyfriend Nick (Jan Hilmer) go at it doggy-style with gusto and genuine passion. Leah then turns and gazes in post-orgasmic bliss.
Rolls Royce Baby
(Switzerland, 1975) Directed by Erwin C. Dietrich
The RR baby herself Lisa Romay (Lina Romay) arrives at her mansion and whimsically shaves her pubes, then stretches out on her chaise-lounge, and with jazz on her gramophone, and long eyelashes fluttering, she slowly rubs a beautiful one out.
Caligula
(USA, 1979) Directed by Tinto Brass & Bob Guccione
In the lap of luxury Penthouse playmates Anneka Di Lorenzo (as Messalina) and Lori Wagner (as Agrippina) are being secretly watched having the time of their lives in glorious, unbridled, uncensored, Roman Sapphic splendour.
Zazel: The Scent of Love
(USA, 1997) Directed by Philip Mond
Sasha Vinni as Zazel, the siren/angel/mermaid/tiger, Gina LaMarca as the seductress, and Anna Romero as the Red Devil, with the chiseled assistance of Jon, play out their deepest, wildest, most erotic fantasies in a surreal masterpiece of avant-porn.
Body Love
(West Germany/Netherlands/France, 1977) Directed by Lasse Braun
Inside a spacious trailer Martine (legendary Lolita Da Nova aka Catherine Ringer) sits beside the voyeur reporter (Jack Gateau) as they watch her nude curvaceous slave (Gemma Gimenez) play with herself. Then Martine instructs her slave to fellate him, which slides into sensational sex.
As a side note, two movies I’d love to see in their uncut form are Nicolas Roeg’s Performance (1970), which had very explicit footage of the threesome between Anita Pallenberg, Mick Jagger and Michele Breton end up in the New York Erotic Film Festival, and Francis Ford Coppola’s take on Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), of which the wonderfully staged seduction of Harker (Keanu Reeves) by the Count’s three mistresses (Monica Bellucci, Michaela Bercu, and Florina Kendrick) was cut to avoid an R-rating. C’est la vie.
Most of these movies are available to hire or purchase from your local video store, if not they can be found by hunting online (ie Amazon.com).
2009 Sexpo is in Sydney, October 29th – November 1st at Hordern Pavilion and Royal Hall, Melbourne, November 26th – 29th at Melbourne Exhibition Centre, and Brisbane, March 4th – 7th 2010 at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.
— Bruno Dante
Come and visit my movie parlour of vivid, lurid dreams!
www.cultprojections.com
To see reviews of what Bryn Tilly regards as the best movies of 2009 click here.
To go one step further and check out Bryn’s world famous article (it gets over 100,000 viewers per month) on ACTUAL sex performed in mainstream (as in non-porn) cinema / movies click here.
Film reviewer Bryn Tilly is also a very active Sydney DJ, scriptwriter and composer – and writes the blogs Horrorphile and Bruno Dante’s Cult Projections.
Small Bars in Sydney
Small Bar (open)
48 Erskine St, Sydney
The very first of the new small bars, with the bar fashioned from the barge used to construct the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Ching A Lings (open)
133 Oxford St, Surry Hills
One of the first new bars had a bumpy start, closing after two weeks but has reopened
Low 302 (open)
302 Crown St, Surry Hills
Famous for dessert cocktails, Aussie pina coladas and tapas until 2am
Sticky Bar (open)
L2 182 Campbell St, Surry Hills
Sexy tea room with black chandeliers, a white baby piano and some sleek couches with original cocktails like Sweet Popped Cherry
Pocket Bar (open)
13 Burton St, Darlinghurst
Grunge meets glam underground bar, finished with a roller door and polished concrete.
They say no to doormen, cover charges, “doof doof”, pre-mixed drinks and posing
Falconer Bar (open)
31 Oxford St, Surry Hills
A music lovers’ hangout, serving great coffee, wine, beer and unpretentious food
Bacco Chifley Plaza (open)
Chifley Plaza
For suits, namely lawyers and bankers, who work nearby to get good wine and food
Yullis (open)
479 Crown St, Surry Hills
Courtyard coffee during the day and wine by at night
Time to Vino (open)
66 Stanley St, East Sydney
A refreshing wine bar described as “excellent wines from around the world, without the fuss”
Shady Pines Saloon (opening soon)
256 Crown St, Darlinghurst
A country-and-western style tavern plans to play a lot of Johnny Cash
Absinthesalon (opening soon)
87 Albion St, Surry Hills
Absinthe, and only absinthe. Get lucid before dinner with this old aperitif
Tom Dunne Gallery (opening soon)
11 Little Burton St, Darlinghurst
Balcony Bar (opening soon)
46 Erskine St, Sydney
Grass Hopper (opening soon)
3/40 York St, Sydney
Enter via Temperance Lane
Sol Sutra (DA lodged)
239 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
The Lounge (open)
277 Goulburn St, Surry Hills
For artists. Most staff pursue artistic careers. The Lounge hosts readings, screenings, performances, live music, and photo exhibitions
If you’d like us to review your bar or venue, email reviews@freshmag.com.au
The Daily Telegraph, Sat 26 September 2009:
TINY bars tucked away in the city’s back streets are transforming how — and what — Sydneysiders are drinking.
One year on from a legislative shake-up to encourage small bars, a bitter concoction of financial turmoil and a chronic shortage of space has not put off 22 barmen from intimate little drinking spots across the city.
Not just an escape from the sound of throbbing nightclub doof-doof or giant plasma screens and pokies of big pubs, each culture-rich cubbyhole has challenged the beer-swilling Australian stereotype.
Taking its inspiration from Melbourne’s bar culture, the City of Sydney Council enacted legislation making it easier for smaller venues to get a liquor licence without spending tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege.
In July this year, the council gave an even greater incentive for people to rejuvenate alleys around the city with small bars by offering up to $50,000 to approved projects.
Cocktails will be served in jam jars at the premises of 7m Bar when it opens next week. Not so much a “hole in a wall’ as an alley decorated with debris including an old BMW, seven boats and a swing set, the art installation is inspired by what Sydney Harbour would cough up if the ocean rises 7m — the inspiration behind the bar’s name.
At the other end of the scale is Absinthesalon, which harks back to old-world absinthe drinking, serving it pure or in the traditional sugar-cube method. Absinthe importers Joop van Heausden and Gaye Valttila want to bring ritual back into the lucid herbal tonic and demystify the aperitif’s history when they open in four weeks — the drink was once said to be an addictive psychoactive drug.
“It’s traditionally served between 4pm and 7pm, the green hour,” Mr van Heausden said, explaining their 4pm to 10pm liquor licence. They offer up to 25 varieties of absinthe, and only absinthe, served in the traditional turn-of-the-20th century fashion.”
All entrepreneurs have felt a simmering demand for something special.
Three-month-old Pocket bar in Darlinghurst has shot to the top of the modelling circuit with its interior design of street-art-meets-your-nan’s-house and a pledge of no posers, pre-mixed drinks or doormen.
Nearby, Jason Scott is about to pull the insides out of a vacant record store and an old surf shop and bolt on a bar to bring us Shady Pines Saloon — fashioned like a country-and-western tavern in tribute to 1920s US sly grog dens. Aref Jaroudy, of Low 302, thought late food was missing from a Sydney night out and now offers dinner until 2am.
Owners agree the lounge-room size intimacy means better behaved clientele.
“We get the best blend of people, who can come to a place where they don’t feel harassed or intimidated,” Sticky Bar’s Michael Fantuz told The Daily Telegraph.”
Demand for more hole-in-the-wall drinking venues continues to grow, with seminars on starting a bar in Sydney booked out.
Looking for Bars in Melbourne, click here.
Looking for Bars in Perth, click here.
Looking for Cafes in Sydney, click here.
Looking for Manly’s Best Brazilian Restaurant, click here.
The Best of 2009 Movies
BRYN TILLY selects his favourite independent and mainstream of 2009 movies …
Best of 2009 Movies Collectio
THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE
“… The September Issue is fascinating and swiftly-paced, with a melodic soundtrack of hip
contemporary tunes from the likes of Mark Ronson, Ladytron, Cinematic Orchestra, and
LCD Soundsystem, and a wry sense of humour. The pressure and demands these women
deal with is only really hinted at, while there’s plenty of peripheral pizzazz and cult of personality dynamics jostling for position in this peculiarly precise realm. …”
Anna Wintour is the Editor-in-Chief for American Vogue magazine, and its famous September issue (the January of the fashion world) is apparently bought by one-in-eight American women. The 2007 September issue was the biggest issue in the history of the magazine; 840 pages and weighing in at over 2 kilos! It sold thirteen million copies. Now that’s some heavy couture right there!
Documentary filmmaker R.J. Cutler, who made the Oscar-nominated political doco The War Room, chronicling Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, turns his cameras onto the fashion industry, in particular the American stables of arguably the most famous fashion rag of them all: Vogue. But Cutler doesn’t go for an overview; he’s more interested in the upper echelons of the empire, where Wintour, the notorious ice queen (or “pope” as one of her staff affectionately titles her) reigns supreme over the legendary fashion bible.
But it’s not just Wintour who is instrumental; although she does have final say, and her demands are what go to print. Amongst the small clutch of other very important people who reside in the New York offices and make American Vogue such an extraordinary, trend-setting style publication is another ex-pat English woman; Grace Coddington, the Creative Director.
Anna Wintour has been American Vogue Editor-in-Chief since 1988. She joined Condé Nast Publications in 1993 as Creative Director for American Vogue. She returned to England in 1986 and became Editor-in-Chief for British Vogue. In 1988 she returned to the States and took over the top position at American Vogue. At the same time Grace Coddington began as Fashion Editor, moving up to Creative Director in 1995. These two women look and act like chalk and cheese, yet they have a symbiotic professional relationship which keeps American Vogue at the iconic cutting edge of high fashion.
Anna is demure and feline, her fine features framed by a streaked bob, and large dark sunglasses donning her face whenever she’s at a show. She is thin and dresses immaculately (but can’t stand black) and she doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Grace was once a Vogue model back in the late 50s/early 60s, but a nasty car crash nearly cost an eye, and plastic surgery resulted in her leaving the modeling world behind … but not the fashion. She shuffles around in ill-fitting black attire (to rub Anna the wrong way?), with a huge mane of red hair and a face with more wrinkles than a crocodile-skin purse. She’s described by staff as a genius, though curiously Anna frequently jettisons her painstakingly-arranged fashion photographs from the issue.
The September Issue is fascinating and swiftly-paced, with a melodic soundtrack of hip contemporary tunes from the likes of Mark Ronson, Ladytron, Cinematic Orchestra, and LCD Soundsystem, and a wry sense of humour. The pressure and demands these women deal with is only really hinted at, while there’s plenty of peripheral pizzazz and cult of personality dynamics jostling for position in this peculiarly precise realm.
Andre Leon Talley, the enormous Editor-at-Large, is an entire documentary unto himself! Tiny Thakoon, the up-and-coming Thai designer admits to having shaking hands when he first presented to Anna Wintour. There’s the concern over Sienna Miller’s cover shot showing too much teeth, and in one of the most telling moments, Anna’s daughter Bee Shaffer reminds her mother that she’s not going to become a fashion editor and that she’s pursuing a law degree. Anna nods, smiles and quietly replies, “Yes, well, there’s still time …”
The September Issue is essential viewing for any kind of wardrobe; moleskin jeans and a polyester t-shirt, tweed pantsuit and angora jerkin, or that tiny black dress. Whatever your fashion predilection, you’ll definitely be impressed and entertained, maybe even awed and inspired.
DISTRICT 9
“… This is the best science fiction movie in absolutely years, and certainly one of the most exhilarating movie experiences I’ve had in a while. I’ll be the first to admit I’m a bit of a sf geek, so there is plenty to relish. I very much enjoyed the nu-Star Trek movie, the re-booting, as they call it. But I can’t really compare, because District 9 is so unequivocally original, whereas Star Trek, well, most people know the basic elements of that movie like the back of their hands, even if they’re not Trekkies …”
The name Peter Jackson carries the same kind of kudos as the name Quentin Tarantino. The inclusion of it on a movie can make or break it. In the case of Tarantino, it doesn’t necessarily mean the movie will be any good, for example the recent biker flick, Hellride, which Tarantino produced was a piece of crap. But Peter Jackson has yet to put a foot wrong.
District 9, the feature debut of South African ex-pat (lives and works in Canada) Neill Blomkamp, is produced by Jackson and his New Zealand-based company Wingnut Films, however the movie is set and was shot in Blomkamp’s old stomping ground of Johannesburg, or as it’s more commonly called: Joburg.
This is a contemporary science fiction action flick with an emphasis on hardware and squalor, on socio-politics and corporate corruption. This is the extraterrestrial flick for those who won’t be choosing to see Aliens in the Attic, if you get my drift. Check your sensibilities at the door, District 9 spits expletives and blows chunks hard and fast; this is a hardcore action flick that takes no prisoners.
An alien mothership has been left derelict floating above Johannesberg for the last thirty years. It’s original occupants were discovered as helpless malnourished humanoid crustaceans, or “prawns” as the derogatory xenophobic term is coined by racist humans. A large-scale housing project is erected, a compound known as District 9, and the aliens are forced to dwell in a segregated co-existence with humans.
A private corporation, Multi-National United, is keen to evict the aliens, and re-locate them out of the city. Field operative Wikus (Sharlto Copley) is supervising the transition, but he gets a lot more than he bargained for when he discovers the secret agenda of the MNU which involves the alien’s biotechnological weaponry. Basically all hell breaks loose.
This is the best science fiction movie in absolutely years, and certainly one of the most exhilarating movie experiences I’ve had in a while. I’ll be the first to admit I’m a bit of a sf geek, so there is plenty to relish. I very much enjoyed the nu-Star Trek movie, the re-booting, as they call it. But I can’t really compare, because District 9 is so unequivocally original, whereas Star Trek, well, most people know the basic elements of that movie like the back of their hands, even if they’re not Trekkies.
Neill Blomkamp was originally slated to direct Peter Jackson’s big screen adaptation of the popular futuristic combat video game Halo. The budget was going to be around $145 million. A short six-minute “trailer” was created to woo financiers and distributors, but after months of pre-production the project was canned. In the wake, Jackson’s wife and screenwriting collaborator, Fran Walsh suggested turning Blomkamp’s short satirical alien movie Alive in Joberg into a feature. Jackson and Blomkamp were very enthusiastic and the project was immediately greenlit for a budget of only $30 million.
Considering what the finished movie looks like, it’s astonishing what the production team have done with the budget. It looks like something that cost ten times as much. The brilliantly conceived visual style, production design and integrated CGI effects are state of the art. But what adds so much real weight to the movie, apart from all the photo-realistic digital compositing and pyrotechnics and cleverly weathered hardware, is the excellent screenplay and central performance by Sharlto Copley, co-written with partner Terri Tatchel.
District 9 is a perfect popcorn movie to be seen on the biggest, loudest screen possible. Grab your mates and make a Saturday night of it. You’ll be talking about the movie for days after. This is my pick for movie of the year. So far.
THE ESCAPIST
“… The Escapist looks and feels like a classic 70s movie. The grim prison is anyone’s nightmare. So old school one wonders what decade the movie is actually set in. It’s set in present day, but the prison is in a world of its own. The attention to detail is fantastic, and the nuances of performance from the entire cast are balanced perfectly …”
In an ingeniously constructed narrative that reveals its conceit beautifully and tragically within the movie’s last few moments, The Escapist is one of the very best prison movies of the past twenty years.
Frank Perry (Brian Cox in a career defining performance) is serving a life sentence for a crime that is never revealed, but I guess it must’ve been pretty bad considering he’s serving out time inside for the rest of his natural born days. He’s been resigned to his fate, until news of his beloved, but estranged daughter’s terminal illness. She, like her father, is a tragic case, and Frank realises for his sanity and for the love of God, he must see her before she dies.
Frank plans his escape. He assembles a motley crew to assist him, each of them skilled in different areas; Lenny (Joseph Fiennes), Brodie (Laim Cunningham), Viv (Seu Jorge) and the newbie, young James (Dominic Cooper). But it won’t be easy. To make matters particularly difficult is the attention of volatile junkie Tony (Steven Macintosh) and his brother, the big daddy wing-king, Rizza (Damian Lewis). They won’t be havin’ any of this ‘ere escapin’ business, not while there’s scores still to settle.
Director Rupert Wyatt is delivered an incredibly powerful and resonant first feature. The confidence and assured direction makes it feel like he’s been directing for years. He made a short, Get the Picture, and it was this impressive film that Brian Cox saw and decided he had to fast-track the director into something bigger, something Brian could use as an acting vehicle for himself, as well as being a showcase for Wyatt’s formidable skills.
The Escapist looks and feels like a classic 70s movie. The grim prison is anyone’s nightmare. So old school one wonders what decade the movie is actually set in. It’s set in present day, but the prison is in a world of its own. The attention to detail is fantastic, and the nuances of performance from the entire cast are balanced perfectly.
The actual plot dynamics owe a little to a famous short story (made into a famous early Twilight Zone episode) called An Occurrence at Owl Creek by Ambrose Bierce, but that might be giving too much away already. If you’re familiar with the short story or episode you’ll know what I’m talking about. The entire machinations of the dramatic-thriller rest on the denouement, and it’s a doozy. I take my hat off to Wyatt and his co-screenwriter Daniel Hardy for such tidy, gripping work.
The Escapist has excellent cinematography and production design (a disused cigarette factory was transformed into the amazingly realistic prison interiors). It’s a fictional setting, but it sure looks like a real, and chilling, institution of incarceration: the prison that time forgot. A real jail, however, was used for the landings and wide shots (Kilmainham jail in Dublin). All of these elements add to the movie’s oppressive mood and atmosphere. The implicit violence seethes in the background and on occasion lashes out with explicit brutality.
If you’ve never seen a prison movie, The Escapist is required viewing. But it’s also a beautifully told, harrowing, drama of absolute courage in the worst kind of jeopardy, of love escaping the confines of mortality, the soul freed at last.
THE SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
“… an underworld odyssey of vulgarian Bulgarians, flammable flatulence, chewing black gum, and asphalt-licking; a genre-bending highly-stylised exercise in unusual sensuality. …”
The Sydney Film Festival might be considered middle-aged if you were to compare it to a human, but if the latest program is anything to go by, the Festival just gets fresher and more invigorating with every passing year!
However the schedule has been compressed from a fortnight down to just twelve days, and with 120 films that’s one hell of a crash course in world cinema. Everything from hot subversive documentaries to chilling paranormal experiences, from black as coal comedies to spoof blaxploitation, Che Guevara to Roman Polanski, Phil Spector to Anton Corbijn, surreal cutting edge animation to glorious rock and roll, zombies and more zombies.
I’m very excited about the new film from Festival legend Jim Jarmusch and the restored print of the rarely seen Aussie Outback nightmare flick Wake in Fright (1971), plus the plethora of those usual suspects; the wonderful short films that accompany many of the features, which you’ll only ever see at the Festival. As this year’s tagline warns: Don’t Try This At Home.
Get yourself tickets and get into the Festival cinemas!
Opening Night Gala screening is Ken Loach’s new hybrid drama-comedy-thriller Looking for Eric. The rest of the program has been broken into several customized categories: “Take Me On A Journey” (get whisked away with tales both real and imagined), “Push Me To The Edge” (bring on the intensity and leave your comfort zone behind), “Fire Me Up” (get the adrenalin pumping or prepare for heated debate), “Give Me A Kiss” (be romanced or get tangled up in love’s complexities), “Freak Me Out” (be chilled to the bone with this selection of terrifying tales), and “Make Me Laugh” (crack your sides and tickle your funny bone).
There’s the usual talks and forums, awards ceremonies, and this year the official Festival lounge is the very swanky and elevated Hemmesphere (4th floor, Establishment, George Street), where you can schmooze in style while you discuss the philosophical stylistics of Soderbergh.
Here is a cross-section of Festival highlights:
$9.99
Saturday 6 June 7pm @ Dendy Opera Quays
An Australian-Israeli co-production that features an all-star cast providing voices to what’s been described as “a claymation of Robert Altman’s Short Cuts”, Aussie-style. Created in 40 weeks by nine animators under the direction of Tatia Rosenthal, the movie won the audience award at a recent festival in Mexico City.
44 Inch Chest
Friday 5 June 6.30pm @ Dendy Opera Quays
Saturday 13 June 8pm @ Greater Union 8
From the writer of Sexy Beast comes a perverted tale of male bonding and revenge. Debut feature from award-winning photographer Malcolm Venville, this powerful drama uses striking visuals set to a theatrical narrative approach.
Bronson
Saturday 6 June 7pm @ State Theatre
Sunday 7 June 12.15pm @ State Theatre
From the director of the Pusher trilogy is this high-octane cabaret with an explosive soundtrack and heightened use of visual and sound design. It’s a biopic about Britain’s most notorious criminal “Charles Bronson”.
Che (Part 1): The Argentine & Che (Part 2): The Guerilla
Sunday 14 June 2.15pm @ State Theatre (Part 1)
Sunday 14 June 4.45pm @ State Theatre (Part 2)
Steven Soderbergh’s hugely ambitious epic biopic on the legendary, bordering on mythical, doctor turned revolutionary, Cuban Che Guevara played with astonishing conviction by Benicio Del Toro. The first tells of his political dealings with Fidel Castro and his brilliant military tactics. The second part deals with his resignation from duty, his exile and his life in Bolivia. The movies are told with Soderbegh’s masterful control of cinematic story-telling.
It Might Get Loud
Wednesday 3 June 8pm @ Greater Union 8
Saturday 6 June 8pm @ Greater Union 8
The award-winning director of An Inconvenient Truth pays tribute to the electric guitar by bringing together three wildly different, yet utterly distinct and extraordinary guitarists: Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White. They each describe their influences and eventually we see them jam together.
The Limits of Control
Thursday 11 June 9.15pm @ Dendy Opera Quays
Saturday 13 June 8pm @ Dendy Opera Quays
Jim Jarmusch’s anti-thriller is a perfectly calibrated exercise in contemporary cool. Could it get even cooler than Isaac de Bankole as the enigmatic drifter and cinematography from Christopher Doyle? Yes, with John Hurt ranting away, Tilda Swinton in a Stetson, and Gael Garcia Bernal amidst surrealist Spanish design.
Prime Mover
Monday 8 June 4pm @ State Theatre
A diesel-fuelled romance with a truck-load of visual chutzpah from mullet-loving director David Caeser (The Idiot Box, Dirty Deeds), and with Michael Dorman and Emily Barclay (both from Suburban Mayhem) sparking chemistry once again, this burns emotional rubber and honks a big horn o’ roadhouse lovin’.
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Sunday 14 June 12pm @ State Theatre
The toxic influence of media and the double-edged allure of celebrity are the main themes of this compelling portrait of director Roman Polanski, still a fugitive from American law, of which the 1977 case of statutory rape is delved into deep by documaker Marina Zenovich.
Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms
Monday 8 June 12pm @ Greater Union 8
Saturday 13 June 2.45pm @ Greater Union 9
A Danish animated feature about a worm that turned. Barry is bored of working in the compost industry. He finds an old disco record and he’s hooked. He forms a band with fellow invertebrates Tito, Jimmy, and Gloria, whose voice can shatter disco balls. This one’s for funky kids and adults alike.
Zift
Thursday 4 June 8.15pm @ Greater Union 9
Saturday 6 June 6.15pm @ Greater Union 9
This is one seriously strange movie. If you can imagine David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch and Guy Maddin lost in Bulgaria then that’s a good start. Shot in luminous black and white, it tells the bizarre and fragmented tale of Moth, a convict wrongly imprisoned, a black diamond, and a vengeful partner who wants the rock back. There’s also Ada, the gorgeous femme fatale, and Van Wurst the Eye, with his creepy glass eye. The movie should come with a scratch-and-sniff card as there are references to odours and scents throughout Moth’s carnal and chaotic misadventures. Zift is an underworld odysseyof vulgarian Bulgarians, flammable flatulence, chewing black gum, and licking asphalt; a genre-bending highly-stylised exercise in unusual sensuality. Definitely one to see on the big screen, perhaps after a big blunt hooter, and a pint of Guinness, you won’t forget Zift in a jiffy.
For complete program and further information visit www.sff.org.au
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
“… The mundane becomes infused with a sense of purpose, scope is twisted so that small things are magnified and the bigger picture is viewed as minutiae. In a downtown warehouse space Caden is having a replica of New York City built as a massive stage, but it’s taking him his lifetime to do it. Can he answer all the questions that are eating away at his soul before precious time is stolen for good? …”
Where do I start? How will I finish? Who am I? Really? Am I a genuine person, or just a figure? Are my words figures of speech, or do I speak in tongues? Is my life just a part of a whole? Or does my whole life stand in for a part of something much bigger? Is there substance to this material? Is my material only some thing? Or maybe this is just the name of the material for the thing made? Like “boards” for “stages” …
Speaking of stages, maverick screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the stupidly-talented man who penned the cleverly playful Human Nature, the probingly wry Being John Malkovich, the savagely satirical Adaptation, and the brilliantly existential Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, know takes all those extraordinary elements and themes and stirs them up in the melting pot of his cluttered, genius mind and we watch as he deals experimentally, yet masterfully, with the simplest, but most profound of issues: love, sex, life and death.
To put it bluntly Synecdoche (Sih-NECK-doh-kee), New York eats Woody Allen’s angst for breakfast. It’s a drama-cum-character study of one man’s descent into his own fractured and deteriorating realm as he grapples and struggles with his talents as a theatre director, his role as father, husband and lover, and his existence in the universe of human experience set in Schenectady, New York, which rather curiously happens to have the postal code of 12345.
Caden Cotard (Philip Syemour Hoffman in the finest performance of his career) is not well, emotionally and physically. His wife Adele (the always excellent Catherine Keener) decides to leave him to live in Berlin where she can concentrate on her art. She’s taking their four-year-old daughter Olive (Sadie Goldstein) with her, much to Caden’s dismay. To rub salt in his wounds (psychological wounds that have manifested into pustules), Adele is joined by her sister Maria (Jennifer Jason Leigh), whom Caden can’t stand.
Time slips away from Caden. He begins a romance with Hazel (Samantha Morton), but before Caden can say “Sy … Syneck … Synecdock … whatever!” he is confronted with the knowledge that Maria has turned young Olive into a lesbian, and has become her lover. Caden channels his anxiety and dissipate d energy into theatre. He’s been given a scholarship grant to stage something big. He hopes to create a work of brutal honesty, and brutal honesty is what he shall get.
This movie is like an iceberg; there is the top that juts out from the ocean, but 70% of it is underwater. Synecdoche, New York is a monumental piece of work that defies most “mainstream” movies of the past twenty years. It’s a cross-over art film that deals with the same key issues you’d find in a simple romantic comedy or television soap opera, but presents them in such a wildly ambitious and unique way. It’s a contemplation of life that uses the medium of theatre and dislocation of time and place to tell not so much a tale, but the elements of many lives, lives that cross over each other, back and forth, sometimes farcically, sometimes tragically.
The mundane becomes infused with a sense of purpose, scope is twisted so that small things are magnified and the bigger picture is viewed as minutiae. In a downtown warehouse space Caden is having a replica of New York City built as a massive stage, but it’s taking him his lifetime to do it. Can he answer all the questions that are eating away at his soul before precious time is stolen for good?
While the first half of the movie moves in a reasonably linear fashion, as soon as Caden begins work on his epic theatre production (the title of which changes frequently), the narrative begins to fragment and become less and less linear. Symbolism is rife throughout the movie, as are plays on words and visual metaphors. Perhaps if Fellini were alive today he might’ve made a film like this.
There’s a moment in the movie when an actor in Caden’s play playing a minister delivers a monologue that is frighteningly astute. It actually encapsulates not only the movie, but beyond the film and perhaps all the lives of the audience: “Everything is more complicated than you think. You only see a tenth of what is true. There are a million little strings attached to every choice you make; you can destroy your life every time you choose. But maybe you won’t know for twenty years. And you’ll never ever trace it to its source. And you only get one chance to play it out. Just try and figure out your own divorce. And they say there is no fate, but there is: it’s what you create. Even though the world goes on for eons and eons, you are here for a fraction of a fraction of a second. Most of your time is spent being dead or not yet born. But while alive, you wait in vain, wasting years, for a phone call or a letter or a look from someone or something to make it all right. And it never comes or it seems to but doesn’t really. And so you spend your time in vague regret or vaguer hope for something good to come along. Something to make you feel connected, to make you feel whole, to make you feel loved.”
This movie will definitely not be everyone’s cup of intellectual tea, but I’m going to stand on a pedestal and shout to the people: “Come and see! Come and See, Synecdoche!”
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
“… Eli climbing into bed nude with Oskar and delicately tracing her fingers down his arm and interlocking her hand in his … has a powerful resonance as it’s a very adult moment of sensuality and there’s an innocence to it as well … Eli is obviously an adult trapped in the body of a 12-year-old and thus restricted sexually …”
Despite polarising many critics 30 Days of Night proved to be the savage bite the vampire sub-genre needed, just as Dog Soldiers had been the first werewolf movie in years that howled like a true lycanthrope. Now from Sweden comes another superb entry in the vampire stakes; Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In) based on the best-selling novel of the same name (a title apparently lifted from a Morrissey song).
Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a 12-year-old-boy, is a loner, bullied at school, who fantasizes about sweet revenge. He lives in an apartment block in the snow-laden suburb of Blackeberg, Stockholm, with his divorced mother. One day he meets Eli (Lina Leanderson), who’s 12 “more-or-less”, on the jungle gym. She’s odd, smells funny, isn’t wearing any warm clothes, and hasn’t seen a Rubik’s Cube before, but despite this Oskar finds her endearing, especially when the next morning he finds his Cube which he left with her lying in the snow fully solved.
The problem with Eli though is she’s a vampire. She has an older man, Hakan (Per Ragnar) doing her dirty murderous work, yet despite her own ferocity Eli seems gentle; she is a kid in appearance. However, in a brilliant casting decision young Leanderson has a hauntingly adult visage, and it is the accomplished nuances of her performance that cement this vampire tale as a modern classic.
There are numerous subtle visual touches that linger long in the mind; Eli lapping at blood on the floor with a long tongue hidden by her matted black hair, Oskar turning on a light in a darkened room and Eli’s pupils quickly changing from being animal-slitted to human-circular, Eli climbing into bed nude with Oskar and delicately tracing her fingers down his arm and interlocking her hand in his. This last moment has a powerful resonance as it is a very adult moment of sensuality and there is an innocence to it as well (Eli is obviously an adult trapped in the body of a 12-year-old and thus restricted sexually, yet the subtext suggests she yearns for an adult relationship).
Between director Tomas Alfredson and screenwriter (and novelist) John Ajvide Linqvist they manage a beautiful balance between some of the classic vampire conventions; aversion to sunlight, being able to move inhumanly swift and fly (although we never actually see Eli in flight, we do see her scale the side of a hospital building in spectacular fashion), and that a vampire demands to be invited into a home (a horrific scene shows just what happens if they enter without formal invitation).
Let the Right One In doesn’t try and re-invent the vampire mythology; instead it uniquely blends awkward romance with the loss of innocence amidst the horror of desperation. The relationship between Oskar and Eli is a prickly and compelling centerpiece and full of wonderful contrast, both literal (Oskar’s blond hair, blue eyes and Eli’s dark hair, soulful peeps) and symbolic (Oskar’s desire to be braver and stronger and Eli’s inherent fragility, coupled with her inhuman strength). There’s also a neat little bond the two share through communicating in Morse code. The relationship between Eli and Hakan, on the other hand, has a disturbing edge to it, which apparently the novel reveals more fully, as well as Eli’s true origin which is only glimpsed at in the movie (albeit rather shockingly).
The movie’s shadowy poetic tone is evident throughout, from the excellent cinematography capturing the melancholic imagery of falling snow and the icy landscape to the unusual mix of adult themes in the context of a children’s coming-of-age narrative. There’s even a gory set-piece in the finale that’ll put a grin on most horrorphile’s mugs.
Let the Right One In is a disquieting, heady brew, told with literary intelligence and cinematic confidence. It taps the right vein indeed, see it before the Hollywood remake!
LOVE THE BEAST
“… a striking image of Eric Bana as a young man sitting astride his white Falcon looking like a king upon his throne. He might not have become the racing driver he wanted to be as a boy, but he’s kept his pursuit well oiled, and despite serious injury …”
You gotta love Eric Bana, he’s such a genuine, loyal kinda guy. His documentary, Love the Beast, is his affectionate tribute to a 25-year-long relationship with his car, a Ford Falcon XB.
Bana is a bona fide Hollywood movie star. He started out as a stand-up comedian in his home town of Melbourne, then landed a role as one of the sons in the cult classic true blue Aussie comedy The Castle. But it was his extraordinary role and blistering performance as the infamous, but legendary Australian figure, Mark “Chopper” Read” in the 2000 movie Chopper which brought him international acclaim.
Soon after he was cast in Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down, and from there came leads in Troy, The Hulk, Munich, The Other Boleyn Girl and Lucky You. However whilst he was basking in the limelight of Tinseltown he never lost sight of several life-long friendships; three mates from the ‘burbs of Melbourne, and his Falcon XB. Bana realised he had an interesting story to tell, not a study of gearheads, but about “a simple tale of one man’s ongoing relationship with his very first car.”
Bana bought his Falcon XB when he was fifteen. He’s forty now and he’s still got the car. She’s been completely overhauled and customized so that very little of the original metal still exists, but her spirit is strong. After precious restoration Bana turned her into a rally car and raced her one of the most grueling and dangerous motor races in the world (and one of the very last of its kind), The Targa Tasmania Rally, a five day endurance race.
With his three mates they take on the challenge and half the doco is dedicated to the coverage of this race which takes some unexpected corners. Also featured are three famous, yet somewhat unlikely, celebrities; Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson (okay, so he’s an obvious personality to appear in a movie about a car), Jay Leno, who owns a huge classic car collection, and American daytime talk show luminary Dr. Phil. They each offer Bana solace in the wake of his upsetting accident. Yes, Bana and navigator buddy have a car crash on the fourth day of the rally. It’s not really a spoiler as it is revealed in the trailer and used as a dramatic lever.
Love the Beast is an incredibly entertaining film. Skillfully constructed and genuinely affecting it reveals the curious and compelling machinations behind humankind’s love and adoration over materialistic objects. As is explained in the doco; because cars are essentially fallible, capable of inconsistency and contradiction, as well as intrigue and exhilaration, it makes them “human” in a kind of way, and thus we are able to form relationships with them. In many car enthusiasts’ eyes the Falcon XB not might be the most elegant, classy machine (it’s an Aussie muscle car and commands its own league of respect), in fact Jeremy Clarkson compares it to the Hunter Hillman, much to Bana’s amused chagrin, but you can’t deny the powerful bond that exists between Bana and his Beast.
Love the Beast is a celebration of dedication and commitment that poignantly interweaves a family and friends and offers a rare insight into what drives a person’s passion from the inside. There’s a striking image of Eric Bana as a young man sitting astride his white Falcon looking like a king upon his throne. He might not have become the racing driver he wanted to be as a boy, but he’s kept his pursuit well oiled, and despite serious injury to his beloved Beast he knows she’s there for the extra-long haul and he’ll make sure she’s treated with the respect and love she deserves.
THE WRESTLER
“… the rugged sensitivity and raw poignancy that Rourke achieves … (director) Aronofsky has managed to elicit a incredible performance from Rourke, one that has already got him a Golden Globe, and I’ll put my money on it that he’ll get an Oscar too”
Without a doubt this is going to be one of the movies of the year. Director Darren Aronofsky pulls a weathered rabbit of the hat and defies everyone that he can make a truly powerful film that doesn’t rely on flashy visuals or an I’m-so-clever narrative. The Wrestler is a no frills drama that weighs in as a romantic tragedy, and it’s truly sensational.
Mickey Rourke plays Randy “The Ram” Robinson, an aging professional wrestler who’s seen better days. He used to own the ropes, now he struggles to pay the rent on his trailer home, and is reduced to maintaining a steady diet of steroids just so he can keep up with appearances at bargain basement wrestling matches. He even pops up at high school gigs just to keep himself busy.
Marisa Tomei plays Cassidy, a 40-something stripper who still has the body, but no longer has the drive. She works to pay the rent, which means dealing with smart alec Y-Gens who hassle her in the middle of lap dances. Randy has a place for her, but does she have a place for him?
Evan Rachel Wood plays Randy’s estranged daughter Stephanie. She loathes her father who abandoned her in her formative years. Now she lives with another young woman and has nothing to do with Randy. But Cassidy convinces Randy to make an effort in re-claiming her love. He attempts to and realises just how damaged his life has become.
The extraordinary thing about The Wrestler – and it becomes obvious whilst watching the movie if you know a little about Mickey Rourke’s own career trajectory – is the distinct parallels between Randy and Mickey. Rourke derailed his own acting career in the early 90s to pursue a boxing career because he was convinced Hollywood couldn’t handle his raw talent. He’d had enough what he saw as bullshit politics.
His boxing career lasted several years and he won most of his fights, but in the process he did great physical damage to himself; the combination of boxing (broken nose and ribs, compressed cheek, etc), drug abuse (both steroids and illicit substances), and alcoholism. He openly admits it was his own fault that he ended up in the Hollywood wilderness, getting the occasional bit-part or “cameo”. It wasn’t until his scene-chewing performance in Sin City that people were made aware again of Rourke’s calibre (albeit under a huge amount of prosthetics and makeup).
Darren Aronofsky originally had Nicholas Cage cast as Randy, but he came with a $20 million fee. As much as I like a lot of Cage’s (earlier) work, there’s no way he could’ve pulled off the rugged sensitivity and raw poignancy that Rourke achieves. Aronofsky has managed to elicit a incredible performance from Rourke, one that has already got him a Golden Globe, and I’ll put my money on it that he’ll get an Oscar too.
The Wrestler deals with a story that’s been told a thousand times; that of the fighter who wants to change, and he needs to change, but he knows only the world he’s created, and that’s ultimately where he finds his solace, even if it means to the detriment of the relationships around him. It’s almost Shakespearean in terms of its thematic profundity, but perhaps that’s dressing the garish glam of the World Wrestling Federation with more intellectual attire than it deserves.
The bottom line is The Wrestler is a compelling tale of loss and redemption, streaked with the kind of gritty realism and uncompromising approach to fate’s cruel irony. A tear-jerker for the guys, if you know what I mean, and essential viewing for all adults … even if wrestling and 80s glam metal isn’t your cup of cold vomit. If for nothing else, see it for Mickey, he deserves it.
Bryn Tilly is a Sydney-based writer & DJ, email him via: bryntilly@yahoo.com
or for more on his DJing click here and to check out more of his writing click
on this website: http://www.horrorphile.net
ANIMALS IN LOVE
“Furry and feathered fornication – French-style … big game and little game, playing games of love”
Laurent Charbonnier
loves his birds. It’s very apparent in his stunning documentary-cum-loving-tribute Les Animaux Amoureux (known as Animals in Love for English-speaking audiences), which portrays the courtship and mating rituals of dozens of mammals, a few insects, some sea-dwellers, and a lot of birds.
Apparently 170 species were filmed, but only 80 made it to the final cut. The film took two years to make and was shot in over 16 countries. There were 80 hours of rushes (raw footage) and the crew shot in temperatures as low as 30 below and as high as 50 degrees Celsius. Those numbers indicate hardened dedication. It pays off; Animals in Love is an extraordinary visual document of the weird and wonderful ways the earth’s beasts and creatures make love, and I mean that in the broadest sense of the term.
This is not an animal blue movie, although there is the occasional display of genitalia and a couple of instances of the male mounting the female (hilarious are the apes with the female acting utterly bored while he tries for missionary position whilst the couple are seated on a branch!). Despite these examples this is a doco you can take the kids to; it’s rated G, although you’ll most likely be answering countless questions way past their bedtime and more over breakfast the following morning.
Laurent Charbonnier was previously a cinematographer on a French doco called The Travelling Birds (aha!). He’s made the smooth transition to director and smartly he chooses to have almost the entire film free of any voice-over. I say almost. Bookending the film is an insipid piece of pseudo-poetic drivel trying to capture some kind of literary-angled overview on the beauty of animal courtship. There was absolutely no need for it. Perhaps if it had been the original French with subtitles it might have seemed less obvious, less pretentious, but the English-language version is dire.
Thankfully it doesn’t last very long. There doesn’t appear to be much rhyme or reason to the editing either, we linger with some species much longer than others, and we frequently come back to birds. There are, of course, dozens of Big Name animals you’re expecting to see, but curiously, it’s back to the birds. But don’t get me wrong, the birds are fascinating, and their mating rituals and love techniques are, arguably, more intriguing and outlandish than most non-winged animals. One moment you’re jaw drops as you marvel at the colour on display, then you’re laughing out loud at the foppishness of some creatures, the absurdity of others, and the downright bizarre nature of many.
It makes humans look positively uninspired when it comes to pulling out the stops in the act of attracting a suitable mate. Animals, it appears, employ remarkable ingenuity, audacity and determination in the pursuit of a mate … and they don’t have to listen to corny lines or accept cheap bubbly. Composer Philip Glass provides a very Glassy score, but it fits the flighty, repetitive nature of the documentary; all those squawks, roars, screeches, hoots and chatters are contrasted with the stylised flourishes of Glass’s soundtrack.
While not as effortlessly poetic and affecting as The March of the Penguins with its melancholy and grandeur, Animals in Love is still a beautifully evocative and memorable film with its own distinct sense of awe and wonder. As a human-free montage of the crazy-cute behaviour of seduction Animals in Love is a definitive statement. Treat yourself to this unique creature feature and feel the love.
ROCKNROLLA
BRYN TILLY reviews the season’s best feature …
“People ask the question … what’s a RocknRolla? And I tell ’em – it’s not about drugs, drums, and hospital drips, oh no. There’s more there than that, my friend. We all like a bit of the good life – some the money, some the drugs, other the sex game, the glamour, or the fame. But a RocknRolla, oh, he’s different. Why? Because a real RocknRolla wants the fucking lot.”
Guy Ritchie’s new flick is a rockin’, criminally good time! Full of mischief and mirth, brutality and bravado; it’s a return to form from a director whose career was seriously derailed after the dreadful mistake that was Swept Away (his perfunctory “I love my wife” movie), followed by the pretentious ballistic twaddle that was Revolver.
RocknRolla is a sensational mix of comedy and action, set in London amidst real estate organised crime, petty street criminal attitude, and rock star junkie shenanigans. It’s Ritchie’s best movie since his debut Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The movie sports the best cast of dodgy players since The Usual Suspects, and some of the funniest characterisations and dialogue since Swingers. All in all RocknRolla is instant cult material. Very enjoyable and it’s narrative moves with a swift and sure hand.
The screenplay, penned by Ritchie, concerns Lenny Cole (Tom Wilkinson, doing his best Michael Caine), London’s property bigwig, who’s a bit of gangster, just quietly though. With his right-hand man, Archie (Mark Strong), by his side, he sets up a real estate deal with Russian mobster Uri (Karel Roden). Uri lends Lenny his priceless lucky painting, but of course, before you can say “London Bridge is falling down”, the painting has gone walkies from Lenny’s HQ and everything’s gone Pete Tong.
So now we have a distraught Lenny and a peeved Uri. Lenny orders the painting to be found, whilst Uri becomes increasingly suspicious. In the middle of all this hoohah is cowboy One Two (Gerard Butler) and his wild bunch, including Handsome Bob (Tom Hardy) and Mumbles (Idris Elba). Not to mention their association with sexy, scheming lawyer Stella (Thandie Newtown).
It’s a melting pot indeed, well actually more like a seething stew. And all the gristly bits always float to the surface. Enter Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell), Lenny Cole’s wayward, smart-arse smack addict step-son. He’s playing dead, and he’s also managed to embroil himself into the thick of it. And the shite’s only just hitting the fan.
Without the impenetrable plot mechanics of Snatch and Revolver, and the thick-as-a-brick accents toned down a fraction, RocknRolla effortlessly entertains. This is the kind of movie-movie that you can’t help but be impressed by: foul language, punch-ups, fancy cars, dirty money, sexy women (actually there’s only a couple of female characters in the whole movie, yes, this is definitely a lads’ flick , but one you can take the love and kisses along to fer sure).
RocknRolla is the crime-caper, buddy movie with style and reckless behaviour to burn. So grab ya Gareth Gates or ya trouble and strife, and take a butcher’s hook at Guy’s newbie at the Stevie Nicks, it ain’t Doris Day, but it has a reach around … I say no more. Do yourself a favour and jump onboard the RocknRolla.
WALL-E
BRYN TILLY reviews the best animated feature he believes has even been made …
“I’m gonna go out on a limb here at say Pixar’s new animated feature is the best animated feature for children and adults ever made! Yup, it’s that good. It pushes all the right buttons at all the right times and for sheer spectacle it is light-years ahead of any other animated movie I’ve seen in a long, long time.”
When Pixar came out with Toy Story back in 1996 the movie seemed revolutionary in terms of its state-of-the-art digital animation. It put traditional cell animation to shame. The way light bounced off surfaces, the perspective angles, the colours and textures; they were all so impressive, so “realistic”. The human element – what the human beings looked like – was still very cartoony, and that is still something that Pixar hasn’t attempted to try and “fix”, and good on ‘em for not trying to.
What Pixar has achieved with WALL-E in terms of photo realism, excluding the human beings, of course, is something truly extraordinary. The first twenty or so minutes of WALL-E is essentially dialogue free (if you excuse the electronic robotic bleeps and squelchs made by WALL-E himself as he trundles around the trash-strewn surface of Earth), with only music and sound effects, and a stunning mise-en-scene (apparently renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins was a visual consultant to writer/director Andrew Stanton, showing him ways of making the visual narrative look more like it had actually been shot by a camera crew on location ie giving the impression of a handheld camera.
So, what is WALL-E about? It’s a fable and a romance set on Earth and in space in the far future, about 700 odd years. Humans have left Earth because there’s simply too much inorganic refuse. Greed and consumerism has left a dreadful legacy, largely the result of a mega-corporation known as BnL (Buy n’ Large). A small robot (who bears a similarity to that 80s electro misfit Johnny-5) has been left behind to stack the trash, compressed cube by compressed cube, into monolithic structures. WALL-E is such robot. His name is an anagram: Waste Allocated Lift Loader – Earth class. He’s lonely, but he gets by with company from Hal Roach, a cockroach whose first name is a reference to the computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey (in fact the movie is littered with wonderful movie and pop culture references).
Then one day a massive spacecraft lands and deposits another robot; an uber-sleek, high-tech reconnaissance robot with a feminine edge (and who slyly reminds us of an iPod). Her name is also an anagram: EVE (Extra-terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator). She’s been sent back by the humans to see if Earth has any plants growing which is a sure sign that the planet is worth returning to. Meanwhile the humans floating around in disgusting obesity upon a gigantic intergalactic “cruise ship” known as the Axiom.
EVE and WALL-E strike up an uneasy bond; basically WALL-E tumbles head over wheels in love, and EVE plays hard to get. When EVE finds a tiny plant and stores it away inside of her for human analysis she shuts down into a limbo state and waits patiently in stand-by mode until the spacecraft returns to take her back to the Axiom. Of course WALL-E isn’t gonna let her slip away that easy, and so he stows away having no idea of the implications.
What follows is an operatic space adventure that is something truly fantastic, full of humour and pathos, melancholy and poignancy. I’ve never been so entranced by a tale designed, ultimately, for an audience much younger than myself. Yet, like all Pixar movies, there is so much to be enjoyed and relished by adult audiences. If you liked the earlier Pixar movies, you’ll adore WALL-E.
Without wanting to sound like a cliché, but if you’re going to see only one movie at the cinema this year, then make it WALL-E. With Thomas Newman’s superbly moving score, the sensational sound design from legendary noise whiz Ben Burtt (who designed all of Star Wars’ sound effects), and all the other fantastic elements of classic storytelling, WALL-E is a cosmic marvel indeed. An instant classic and one to treasure with repeat viewings (I certainly plan not only to see it again on the big screen, but to purchase my own DVD and CD soundtrack further down the track).
Bryn Tilly is a Sydney-based writer & DJ, email him via: bryntilly@yahoo.com
or for more on his DJing click here and to check out more of his writing click
on this website: http://www.horrorphile.net
THE SQUARE
BRYN TILLY reviews the most entertaining Australian film he’s seen in a while …
“It follows more along the crooked lines of a modern noir than a horror, but it is most definitely a nightmare movie; it even features a couple of brief, but nerve-jangling actual nightmares for the central character. Sydney-based director Nash Edgerton’s debut feature, The Square (2008), is a highly accomplished genre-piece that smirks and slaps in all the right places.”
Raymond Yale (David Roberts) is a middle-aged foreman on a construction site. He’s married, but he’s having an affair with his much younger neighbour, Carla Smith (Claire van de Boom), who’s married to criminal Greg. The adultery is adding anxiety to Raymond’s already stressful work load. Carla discovers Greg has stashed a duffle bag full of cash in the ceiling of the laundry, obviously stolen. Carla makes the decision to steal the loot and makes Raymond an ultimatum; they should run away together, but her house needs to burn to the ground in order to hide the theft of the money. Raymond baulks initially, but when Carla breaks off the affair, he realises he’s in too deep, and so the dominos start to fall …
The screenplay, co-written between Matthew Dabner and Edgerton, is a corker. It plays with the all the rules of film noir thrillers, but they never feel like clichés. There’s the everyman caught in the middle, there’s the dangerous thug, there’s the femme whose self-interest borders on avarice, there’s the middle man crim who’s a spanner in the works, and his unreliable girlfriend who only makes matters worse, there’s the suspicious colleagues of the everyman. The key elements, which always make these kinds of movies so much fun is the initial betrayal, the plan, the mis-interpretation of information, which results in Murphy’s Law. In fact, Murphy’s Law could’ve worked just as well as a title, if it wasn’t already an over-heated maxim.
And most things that can go wrong go wrong. There’s another adulterous thriller that jumps to mind, the Coen brothers’ Blood Simple, a brilliantly constructed modern noir that’s been in my top ten favourite movies of all time ever since I first saw it back in the mid-80s. The Square is obviously influenced by that movie, perhaps not as hard-boiled, but no less superbly put together. The growing unease and tension that builds as the situation gets more and more out of hand is terrifically handled by director Edgerton, a diversely-talented man who trained initially as a stuntman and actor. The excellent performances from his cast, from the central roles through to the bit-parts, are no doubt due to Edgerton’s skills as a performer and also as editor.
Brother Joel Edgerton plays Billy, the hired fixer, whose job it is to torch the Smith house. His anxious girlfriend Wendy (Lisa Bailey), a peripheral character, is actually instrumental to a lot of the subsequent bad blood. Further complications stem from disgruntled construction site mechanic Leonard Long (Brendan Donoghue).
Along with some moments of keenly judged humour, The Square also sports a few well-executed moments of violence that push the movie into horror territory; impalement on industrial equipment, truck wheel crushes foot and ankle, and the proverbial stray bullets. And the grim ending fits perfectly. A noir movie can only finish this way. Not since The Magician (which curiously Nash Edgerton produced) have I been so unexpectedly entertained by an Aussie movie.$32
Bryn Tilly is a Sydney-based writer & DJ, email him via: bryntilly@yahoo.com
or for more on his DJing click here and to check out more of his writing click
on this website: http://www.horrorphile.net
20 Great Tourist Places in the Philippines
Anyone who knows even a little about the Philippines is bound to say that this is one country that has been favored much by the high heavens because of its many natural wonders…
Some would say that it is just advertising working its way to the imaginations of people. However, for those who have actually gone to the country and seen its tourist destinations, it is definitely not just marketing. What makes the country really enticing is its own beauty. Naming just 20 of the best places to go to in the Philippines is certainly not enough. However, the following should serve as a teaser.
- Batanes is an island far north of the country. Even Filipinos who go here would certainly say that they feel being transported to another country or even another world. The place is magical especially when shrouded in the early morning mist.
- Coron Island is found in the north of Palawan. The place is known for its clear blue lagoon waters and small islets covered with lush forests. It is a favorite of divers and snorkelers.
- Camiguin Island is a province off Mindanao. It is one of the islands in the country that has almost everything, from white sand beaches, hot springs, cold natural pools, waterfalls, and lagoons.
- Siargao Island has become world-famous because of it is an ideal location for surfing. It is not just the surfers that love the place though. It has a lot more to offer for those who love the tropical beach setting.
- Bohol is found in central Philippines and is most famous for its Chocolate Hills. Aside from this, the island also boasts of many fine beaches, particularly in the neighboring Panglao, as well as its rare endemic animal, the tarsier.
- Cebu is only second to Metro Manila in terms of economic development. It is where Cebu City, a booming commercial center in central Philippines is found. There are also natural attractions found throughout the province.
- Baguio City is aptly called the Summer Capital of the Philippines. This is attributed to the colder climate that it has due to its being located at a much higher altitude.
- Davao City is known to be the most developed city in Mindanao. It is where tourists could savor the exotic fruit durian during the peak season. It lies at the foot of the majestic Mt. Apo.
- Tagaytay City is just an hour drive from Metro Manila. It serves as a great place for urbanites who wish to take a break from the hectic city life and get a view of the beautiful Taal Lake.
- Vigan is a city in Ilocos Sur, a province north of Luzon. The city is best known for its old buildings and pavements which give visitors a feel of living in the past, particularly during the period when the country was still a colony of Spain.
- Boracay is probably one of the most popular destinations in the country. Its main attraction is the long beach with white and very fine sand. In the evening, the island transforms into a party place.
- Leyte has hugged the headlines due to its being devastated by Haiyan. However, it is an island that offers so much more than just typhoons, from historical spots, such as the Leyte Landing site, to its lush tropical forests.
- Samar is also an island that is frequently visited by storms. It must have been the wind and the waves that have chiseled the many beautiful coastal spots in the province as well as its waterfalls.
- Bacolod City is a mixture of the old and new. This interesting combination by the number of heritage spots in the city as well as the rise of modern facilities such as malls.
- Dumaguete City is at the southern tip of Negros Island. This is a city that could virtually be considered as a university town. The famous Silliman University is located here.
- Bantayan Island lies at the north of mainland Cebu. The island continues to attract tourists who like sandy beaches and rich marine life.
- Surigao del Sur used to be a very sleepy province. With the discovery of Hinatuan River as a tourist destination, this has come alive. The river is also known as the Enchanted River due to its crystal clear waters.
- Metro Manila is composed of several cities and municipalities and is the economic and political seat of the country. As the gateway, tourists would certainly not miss its many interesting spots.
- Mt. Mayon is very much famous for its perfect cone. An active volcano though, there are times when tourists are not allowed to come near to it.
- Puerto Princesa has become popular because it is the entry point to the magical island of Palawan. It boasts of being the site of the world-famous Underground River.
12 Magnificent Modern Monochromatic Movies
This is one list in which the selections are very much black & white. Sydney-based film writer BRYN TILLY delivers his verdict on the 12 most magnificent modern monochromatic movies …
When colour movies first began being produced they were more expensive to process than black and white movies, but several decades later the tables turned, and during the 1970s it was considered an artistic statement (and an increasingly expensive one) to shoot your movie on black and white film. These days, of course, one can shoot digital and decide at a later date whether the movie should be in colour or black and white at no real extra cost.
Top Modern Monochromatic Movies
Here then is a selection (in chronological order) of modern “artistic statements”, movies made post-1970, with almost all of them filmed in black and white, with the exception of a few that are asterisked.
Eraserhead (1976)
Cinematographer: Frederick Elmes
Manhattan (1979)
Cinematographer: Gordon Willis
Raging Bull (1980)
Cinematographer: Michael Chapman
* A short “home movie” sequence was shot in grainy Super-8 colour.
Rumble Fish (1983)
Cinematographer: Stephen H. Burum
* The tropical fish in the aquarium are in colour.
Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Cinematographer: Kei Fujiwara and Shinya Tsukamoto
Shot in 16mm.
Man Bites Dog (1992)
Cinematographer: Andre Bonzel
Ed Wood (1994)
Cinematographer: Stefan Czapsky
Dead Man (1995)
Cinematographer: Robby Muller
La Haine (1995)
Cinematographer: Pierre Aim
Pi (1998)
Cinematographer: Matthew Labatique
Sin City (2004)
Cinematographer: Robert Rodriguez
* The director shot the movie digitally in colour against a green screen, and then digitally altered the images into high contrast black and white, with occasional touches of primary colour (red, yellow mostly). The character of Old Yellow Bastard is entirely in a mustard yellow hue.
Control (2007)
Cinematographer: Martin Ruhe
* Although director Anton Corbijn is famous for his black and white still photography, due to the movie’s modest budget – and his dislike of the early black and white rushes – he was forced to use colour film and alter in post.
Film reviewer Bryn Tilly is a Sydney DJ, scriptwriter and composer and writes the movie sites Horrorphile and Bruno Dante’s Cult Projections.
The 101 Best Beaches in Australia
Are you planning a beach holiday this summer? Check out the first ever authoritative list of Australia’s best beaches, www.101bestbeaches.com which identifies 101 best Australian beaches that are worth visiting. The site and the book are proudly supported by Tourism Australia, and are definitely a useful resource if you’re planning a coastal trip.
The island-continent of Australia boasts arguably the world’s best beaches with its 11,761 mainland beaches along its 30,000-kilometre coast. The oceans provide clear water over its clean white-yellow sands and natural forces deliver the waves which provide much of the drama and recreational opportunities upon the Australian beaches. Australia does have a few very long beaches, but primarily the coastline is dominated by thousands of small bays, headlands, reefs and islets creating attractive seascapes along most parts of the coast.
Elephant Rocks
The authors Andy Short and Brad Farmer have visited every one of 11,761 mainland Australian beaches, making them qualified to tell us which is the best. Marine scientist Prof. Andrew “Andy” Short OAM is widely regarded as the world’s foremost authority on beaches. Author of 12 books and hundreds of scientific publications, he is the beach expert’s expert, he is sometimes called Professor Coast. While Brad Farmer a surfer activist has spent a lifetime exploring the best beaches – and doing everything he can to protect them. After growing up on Queensland’s Gold Coast, he co-wrote the first Surfing Guide to Australia in 1985. A pioneer advocate for coastal preservation, he founded Ocean Care Day, the Surfrider Foundation, and co-founded the National and World Surfing Reserves movements.
It took Andy 14 years in total to investigate every beach. Brad has been to every accessible beach travelling over the past 30 years. Both authors have been researching the coast all their lives – collectively that’s over 80 years! They’ve been to every 11,761 beaches; many were revisited many times over. In this book, they’ve taken on the difficult task of identifying the very best of Australia’s beaches.
Do you want to know which Australian beaches is made entirely of shells, several metres deep?
Which beach has the biggest waves?
Where is the world’s biggest sand dune?
Where do loggerhead turtles come to lay their eggs?
Why does Australia have the best beaches on the planet?
The book answers all of these questions and more. It provides useful information on beach safety and fascinating stories about Australian beaches. This superbly illustrated and thoroughly researched book will encourage locals and visitors to explore the Australian coast.
The best beaches were selected by looking at every beach and the factors that make beaches special – the views, the sand, surf, bordering headlands and a range of supporting amenities, natural experiences and fascinating historical or human stories. And then the authors debated which of the thousands wonderful beaches should make the final list. They came up with the final list that both represent the best of the best.
The only beach they both agreed on in the top 10 was Crescent Head in Sydney, NSW. You may not agree with the selection. You probably have your favourite beach and maybe outraged to find your favourite has been overlooked. But the 11,660 runners-up are also worth exploring. Whether you’re a surfer, angler, beachcomber, or you just like building sandcastles with the kids, the beach has something for everyone.
101 Best Beaches Asia – The Region Best Beaches Coming Soon!
Asia’s beaches include some of the most pristine and undiscovered in the world, despite being home to some of the world’s best dive spots, scenery and surrounding cultural attractions. Coming soon, 101 Best Beaches Asia will reveal the first authoritative list of the region’s best beaches.
Got your own favourite that did not make the list? Tell us about it!
Back Pain
Sitting in office chairs for prolonged periods of time can be a major cause of back pain. Sitting is a static posture that can cause increased stress in the back, neck, arms and legs, and can add a tremendous amount of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs. Additionally, sitting in a slouched-over or slouched-down position in a chair can overstretch the spinal ligaments and strain the spinal discs.
Tips on how to reduce back pain
Besides being uncomfortable, over time poor sitting posture and workplace ergonomics can damage spinal structures and contribute to recurrent episodes of back pain.
Here are some important guidelines to help make sure that your office chair and work area is as comfortable as possible and causes the least amount of stress to your spine:
1. Elbow measure
Begin by sitting comfortably as close as possible to your desk so that your upper arms are parallel to your spine that causes back pain. Rest your hands on your work surface (e.g. desktop, computer keyboard). If your elbows are not at a 90-degree angle, move your chair either up or down.
2. Thigh measure
Check that you can easily slide your fingers under your thigh at the leading edge of the chair. If it is too tight, you need to prop your feet up with an adjustable footrest. If there is more than a finger width between your thigh and the chair, you need to raise the desk/work surface so that you can raise your chair.
3. Calf measure
With your buttocks up against the chair back, try to pass your clenched fist between the back of your calf and the front of your chair. If you can’t do that easily, the chair is too deep. You will need to adjust the backrest forward, insert a lumbar support, or get a new office chair.
4. Lower-back support
Your buttocks should be pressed against the back of your chair, and there should be a cushion that causes your lower back to arch slightly so that you don’t slump forward as you tire. This support is essential to minimize the load (strain) on your back. Never slump or slouch in your chair, as that places extra stress on your spine and lumbar discs.
5. Eye level
close your eyes while sitting comfortably with your head facing forward. Slowly open your eyes. Your gaze should be aimed at the center of your computer screen. If your computer screen is higher or lower than your gaze, you need to either raise or lower it.
6. Armrest
Adjust the armrest of your chair so that it just slightly lifts your arms at the shoulders. Use of an armrest on your office chair allows you to take some of the strain off your neck and shoulders, and it should make you less likely to slouch forward in your chair.
While this article is about traditional office chairs, some people prefer more active chairs, such as a Swedish kneeling chair or a Swiss exercise ball. Traditional chairs are designed to provide complete support, but a kneeling chair (or Swedish kneeling chair) promotes good posture without a back support, and an exercise ball (or Swiss ball) helps develop your abdominal and back muscles while you sit. It’s advisable to first talk with your doctor prior to using one of these types of chairs if you have an injured back or other health problems.
Finally, no matter how comfortable you are in your office chair- prolonged, static posture is not good for your back. Try to remember to stand, stretch and walk for at least a minute or two every half hour. Moving about and stretching on a regular basis throughout the day will help keep your joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons loose, which in turn will help you feel more comfortable, more relaxed and more productive.
Please feel free to pass/e-mail this to all your colleagues at work, if you’d like to receive more articles send an email to robert@sydneybackclinic.com.au or visit: www.sydneybackclinic.com.au
Robert Dehn
Neuroskeletal Therapist
Sydney Back Clinic
Australian Lending Centre Helps Small Business With Short Term Loans
To write this article we talked to Siobhan at the Australian Lending Centre to get some tips on how short term loans can be used to help fill crucial cash flow gaps in a business and help to keep them afloat…
Running a business is more than a full time job, often it’s like working two or three jobs end to end and sometimes even concurrently. As a result it’s easy to get bogged down in some details and miss others entirely. One of the biggest challenges to successfully running a business is cash flow, without sufficient cash flow a business can quickly run into trouble and many see this as the main reason why businesses in Australia fail.
Hopefully it can help some struggling businesses easily understand their options when it comes to plugging those gaps, and of course if you need more detailed information you can always give Australian Lending Centre a call.
First of all short term loans come in many different shapes and sizes, ‘short term’ can refer from a week up to three years, it’s not usually specified and is dependent upon the customer and their needs.
Australian Lending Centre helps small business owners.
Pay day loans are typically week long loans to cover sudden expenses outside of your budget, people generally try to pay off a five thousand dollar loan in six to twelve months and larger loans are generally arranged over a longer time period.
Usually you’ll find though that business loans tend to be for a maximum of twelve months, with no early exit fees. Mostly existing just to help tick along inventory or help out with a renovation.
It’s important to remember that business loans are for business only, there needs to be an established use for the money that is clearly set out, generally at least 51% of any business loan needs to be used to support a business’ workings. If this is not the case the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) can step in and potentially lead to million dollar repercussions so it is important business loans are used for their proper purpose. To help prove this you’ll find most communication with you will be recorded to prove to ASIC that everything is above board.
One interesting thing about business is that no two businesses are the same, and they all come with unique challenges, which is why flexibility is so important. You might have a tradie one week who needs to cover a tax debt or a restaurant needing a renovation to attract more customers. We need to assess everyone on a case by case basis, but there are a few things you can provide which really help speed up the process.
Firstly, you must be self-employed, as there need to be ABN checks, so you must have an up to date ABN. If you’re looking to cover cash flow there are fast turn around times for these kind of loans, usually being completed within a week. Cafes and restaurants have no upfront fees so it can be really useful to that industry.
Then you have people who need loans for business debt consolidation, to get a car for the business, an office renovation, café refurbishment and even liquor licenses.
We found there is also another type of loan which really helps people out who are operating small businesses and really are scrambling to get everything covered off. They’re known as Alternative Document loans, you can bring them into operation if your tax records are not up to date and as a result banks won’t take the loans. With an alternative doc loan you can sometimes get loans even if there is a key document missing.
Usually you will need to provide pay slips, a PAYG summary for the year or personal bank account statements. Alternative documents are usually for the self-employed, for example if the latest two tax returns have been lodged, if the business has up to date BAS statements or sometimes a look through a bank account statement to establish there’s money coming in to the account as taxable income can be very different from the amount being made.
Hopefully this tips from Australian Lending Centre provides you with a much better idea of the breadth, complexity but most of all flexibility available to your business when dealing with short term business loans, there really is something for everyone so don’t worry about checking out your options if you need to keep the heart rate monitor ticking over on your pride and joy.
Aromatherapy & Kinesiology Courses in Melbourne, Victoria
STEWART DAWES reports on the ever-growing Health Arts College Aromatherapy & Kinesiology Courses , who embody ethics, professionalism and care for students in the complementary health education system …
The Health Arts College was founded in Melbourne seven years ago, and continues to grow its range of holistic education courses, having prided themselves on a mainstay of highest standard accredited Kinesiology, Massage and Aromatherapy courses.
Due to popular demand, The Health Arts College now has new courses to introduce to everyone. The existing courses at the college are:
- Certificate IV in Kinesiology
- Certificate IV in Massage
- Certificate IV in Aromatherapy
- Diploma of Kinesiology
- Diploma of Remedial Massage
- Diploma of Aromatherapy
The new courses now available are:
- Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy
- Diploma of Beauty Therapy
- Diploma of Reflexology
- Advanced Diploma of Remedial Massage (Myotherapy)
- Advanced Diploma of Aromatic Medicine
The college is committed to developing and delivering associate degrees in Kinesiology, Myotherapy and Aromatic Medicine.
Under the directorship of founder and principal Brian Knight, The Health Arts College has gained a reputation for excellence, and for helping its graduating students build successful careers in their chosen disciplines.
Their foundation courses – in more detail – have been:
Study Kinesiology Courses Melbourne Australia Aromatherapy Massage Sydney
An Introduction to Essential Kinesiology: provides techniques for improved postural balance and improved health and performance. This course provides practical everyday applications of Touch for Health Kinesiology for increased wellbeing on all levels and begins a student’s training for Certificate IV in Kinesiology.
Certificate IV in Kinesiology lays down the foundations for a student to practice as a Kinesiologist. This training includes study of human anatomy and physiology and practical experience skills. Also included are other essential skills such as communication, business and first aid. Flowing on from the Certificate IV course is the Diploma in Kinesiology.
Practicing Kinesiologists often seek to upgrade their qualifications with The Health Arts College’s Kinesiology Practitioner Upgrade.
Other courses include their Touch for Health workshops, Brain Integration, Wellness Kinesiology workshops, Rhythmic Movement training, Neural Organisation techniques, Herbs for Kinesiologists, Weight Management, Nutrition for Kinesiologists and more.An Introduction to Essential Massage enables a student to see if they would like to pursue their massage interest further – and leads to Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice.
The Certificate IV in Massage Therapy Practice incorporates relaxation, sports and oriental techniques and leads to the Diploma of Remedial Massage onto Advanced Diploma of Remedial Massage, should a student wish to pursue her/his interest even further. This course focuses on remedial massage. At this level you can practice as a massage therapist. Students are now able to be registered with industry association leaders such as the Australian Association of Massage Therapists.
Finally, The Health Arts College’s Introduction to Essential Aromatherapy course is a two day introduction to the Certificate IV students who will learn the professional use and application of aromatic oils, the conditions they are best used for – and the necessary way of monitoring the progress of the different stages of therapy. Again students may continue their studies by completing the Diploma of Aromatherapy onto Advanced Diploma of Aromatic Medicine.
Now new to what they have to offer are Diploma of Reflexology and Certificate IV to Diploma of Beauty Therapy.
“The philosophy behind the college is creating and encouraging a high standard of professional practitioners for the complementary health industry,” says Mr Knight.
When asked about perceived differences between The Health Arts College and other complementary health colleges, Mr Knight added: “The focus upon customer service – client and student questions, the flexibility within the courses, the ability for students to allow their lives to come into and be part of the college – so their families support them and they support their families in the process.
“There’s also a large component of community service within every one of the courses – as they all have practice that students need to do out in the community as well as within our clinic. So there’s a lot of practical clinical application.
“I’ve been in the wellness industry for 21 years now, so I understand that people training need to be able to incorporate it in their everyday lives.
“So all of our courses are based around weekends and/or evenings. So people can still have a full-time job, work Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and either do some evenings and/or weekends. So that’s how we’ve structured it – they’re still classed as full-time courses, but it’s not a conventional full-time load.”
What’s more, in Victoria The Health Arts College can now offer many prospective students up to 70% off their fees for their diploma and advanced diploma courses. Call THA College today to find out if you are eligible.
For more information on The Health Arts College, feel free to call Brian Knight via 1300 658 326 (cost of a local call outside Melbourne) or in Melbourne call (03) 9898 0243. also well worth browsing their website which has stacks of information on the courses they run:
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Aromatherapy Sydney & Make-up artist Emiko Fukamachi-Dawes shares her love of this subtle yet profound healing art …
Eat this – it’s good for your beauty” are words often heard in Japan. For a long time, Asian food knowledge seemed more pervasive than in the West; everyone knew which foods gave you beautiful skin or shinier hair, or slimmed you down, or purified your system of toxins.
And yet the properties of aromatic plants have been recognised and used for health and beauty purposes for many centuries in the West. The ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks in particular, had a rich history of using aromatic plants.
In the early 20th Century, the word “aromatherapy”, which literally means “treatment by the use of scent”, was credited by a French chemist, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse. In 1910, a laboratory explosion caused his hands to be badly burnt. After immersing his hands in lavender oil, he found the oil not only healed his hands quickly, but also left them without scars or infection. Following the incident he devoted his life to the study of essential oils.
Essential oils, which are the aromatic essences extracted from plants, flowers, trees, fruit, bark, grasses and seeds, are believed to contain therapeutic, psychological and physiological properties. These properties are mostly antiseptic, with other properties being antiviral, anti-inflammatory, pain relieving, anti-depressant and expectorant.
About 160 essential oils have been identified so far. They may be inhaled, used in massage, skincare or added to baths. Depending on what you need, an aromatherapist may select an essential oil or blend a few for use.
Recommended Brands
Mediterrana: (08) 9249 7062
Springfields: (02) 9894 9933 www.springfieldsaroma.com
Sunspirit: (02) 6685 6333 www.sunspirit.com.au
Oil Garden: (02) 6685 6800 www.purityaustralia.com
Perfect Potion www.perfectpotion.com.au
Inessence www.inessence.com.au
Vapourising Methods
- 3-6 drops of essential oils, put in the bowl of the burner, can be used for various purposes:
- To disinfect a sickroom: Eucalyptus, Pine, Tea Tree, Frankincence.
- To freshen the air and cheer the spirit: Basil, Bergamot, Lavender.
- To keep insects at bay: Citronella, Geranium.
- To clear the head and mind: Peppermint, Hyssop, Rosemary.
First Aid: Lavender oil is very soothing and rapidly helps the skin to heal, usually without even leaving a scar. However, if you have a very sensitive skin or you are unsure, before applying oil directly to skin (only lavender and tea tree can be used for neat for first aid purposes), always do a patch test.
Bathing: The therapeutic effects of bathing have been recognized for centuries. Add from 5-8drops of your chosen essential oils( blend is better) to the bathtub while you are filling up with the hot water. Lavender & orange promote relaxation, rosemary & bergamot as an invigorating tonic, or marjoram & thyme for soothing tired muscle.
Massage: muscle pain maybe caused by stress or some other mental pressure. In such a case, the blend of essential oils created should relieve not only the muscle pain, but also stress with its properties and scent.A few drops of essential oils are always mixed with a larger measure of base oil, usually a light vegetable oil such as sweet almond, sunflower or grape seed oil.
Standard dilution is 25ml base oil for 12-13 drops or less. Patch test is always recommended and ask an aromatherapist for the suitable blend for you.Professional aromatherapists’ massage is a combination of swedish and lymphatic massage that uses essential oils blended for you to stimulate blood flow and lymphatic fluid.
Aromatherapy Sydney
Sydney City / Randwick
Catherine Bird Ph (02) 9314 7002
www.happyhorses.com.au
aromatherapy (for humans also!), remedial massage, herbalism,animal aromatherapy, vetprivate aromatherapy Sydney courses in her own home and clinic are available.
Mosman
Anne Biddle 8/ 24 Warringah rd, Mosman 2088
ph (02) 9969 5550 anne@mariannessence.com.au
aromatherapy, homeopathy, remedial massage, craniosacral therapy, iridologyspecialised in subtle energy body therapy combining with vibrational essences. In 12years experience for aromatherapy and healing work, she founded her own homeopathic base essence brand, Marianne Collection.
Manly Vale
Susanne Karlowats 3/ 2A Sunshine st, Manly Vale 209 3ph 9453-5675 9am-8pm Thurs, Sun
specialised in aromatherapy, remedial massage and pregnancy with 5 years experience.
Hurstville
St George Naturopathic Clinic
Peter Kelly 63 Moor st, Hurstville 2220
ph (02) 9580 6708
www.peterkelly.com.au
aromatherapy, remedial massage, naturopath and herbalist.Specialist in weight loss, children’s health, and anti-aging treatments.
Balmain
Balmain health food shop 281 Darling st, Balmain 2041
ph (02) 9810 3376 / open 9am-7pm
aromatherapy, herbal medicine, naturopath, iridology, nutrition
Mobile Therapist Sonja Apostoloff
0418 117 713
aromatherapy, remedial massage and pregnancy- pre and post natal.
Neutral Bay
Destiny Wellbeing Centre
Shop3, 143 Military rd, Neutral Bay 2089
Ph (02) 9953 9030
destinywellbeing@bigpond.com
Open: 7days
It’s a unique combination of an alternative & natural therapy clinic & retail outlet specialising in new age and unique products from both locally and overseas.
About the Writer
Emiko Dawes, originally from Tokyo, has traveled through Northern America, Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Bali and Thailand studying various type of salons and their services. After many years as an aromatherapist, she now specialises in bridal and wedding make-up in Sydney. To contact Aromatherapy Sydney email via emkoko999@gmail.com or follow her on twitter www.twitter.com/makeupsydney
Coffee with the Mac Man
What do you do when your trusted Mac breaks down? We once had a situation where two hours before we were due to send our magazine to the printers, our Mac’s hard drive died – the answer is to call a Mac Manager. We speak to Stuart Snow, director of Mac Manager who offer an affordable fast solution for Mac owners in Sydney …
What inspired you to move into this field?
After working for years at various Sydney Apple Centres and dealers, I decided that I could provide a better quality service if I opened my own business, so I did. I didn’t want to be just another Mac shop, where customers would have to lug their computers in to some distant location, then wait for it to be assessed by some mysterious person behind the curtain they’ve never seen or met, and then have the remainder of their experience with a technician relaying everything over the phone – I always felt this was a little impersonal. So I started Mac Manager, a purely on-site service, where virtually everything would be done in your home or office. I would always come to you, whether it be to set up your new Mac, repair your existing Mac, or provide you with tuition and training. all it needs to be sure of its identity.
How would you rate the latest Macs compared to the latest PCs?
Macs have traditionally been a cut above the rest, and the latest Macs are no exception. Most people aren’t interested in customising every little thing in their computers, they just want a good one that does everything they want, without having to buy this and that over the coming months to build it up to what it should’ve been in the first place. But this is what Windows PCs offer – a low up-front cost, with a bunch of hidden costs in the long term. In fact it’s been shown that a Windows PC costs considerably more over the life of the machine, compared with a Mac. It’s just the higher up-front cost that scares most people off.
What are Macs’ greatest weaknesses, apart from being unable to play “You Don’t Know Jack”? And what about CD-Roms?
Hahaha do they still make those?! Although Macs can do everything a Windows PC can do, thanks to the ability to run any version of the Windows operating system via software such as Boot Camp and Parallels, there are a few areas Apple could improve upon in in my opinion: 1) Adding a blu-ray option – of course you can buy an external reader / burner, but who wants another device sitting on their desk? 2) More games developed for the Mac OS. 3) A tower computer that costs under $2000, for those that want the capability to add multiple internal hard drives, sound cards for music editing, and additional burners including blu-ray.
What’s the single most common Mac problem that you get called out for?
Actually a few people have asked me that recently, and there there isn’t really one regular problem I’m called out to fix. Some of the more common issues are where their Mac is running slowly, which is usually due to a lack of memory or hard drive space after being filled up, or that it just needs a service. Another would be to have this or that done on their Mac, but they don’t feel confident enough to do it themselves, or that they don’t know where to start. And probably another one, for businesses only, would be that they want to add a secure managed server.
Is there an increasing trend in the call-outs you’re getting for people looking for tuition rather than having seemingly unfixable problems?
Not really. Most people are pretty cluey with computers these days, so tuition is becoming a less asked-for service. But there are still those that feel they have been center behind with the technology rush, and feel quite daunted with what they’ve seen their friends / family / colleagues do on their computers, and would like to do themselves. Usually within an hour or two tuition with me, I’m able to restore their confidence so they can get stuck into a few cool things they’ve been wanting to do.
You can find Mac Manager via their website www.macmanager.com.au or call 1300 650 126 or 0407 026 037.
Aphrodite Bloom – the Goddess of Love
Aphrodite Bloom is a fantastic ladies fashion website selling the highest quality evening wear in Australia and around the world. We hear from them about their specialist niche…
Aphrodite Bloom is a new special occasion dress label designed in Western Australia.
We specialize in unique, individual and affordable dresses for your next special occasion.
If you are going to a school ball, black tie ball, wedding, cocktail, engagement or birthday party, the races- any event really- Be sure to visit Aphrodite Bloom if you wish to be the talk of your next event for all the right reasons.
We have an online store at www.AphroditeBloom.com.au or a studio in Palmyra, WA which is open by appointment.
We cater for size 6-16 and all our dresses are under $350.
New dress designs are released every 3 months.
We use the best quality materials and design principles to compliment all body shapes.
We understand every women has her insecurities- we design dresses that give you confidence and look a million dollars without breaking the bank.
We are committed to helping every women feel stunning on their special occasion.
Please don’t hesitate to contact: sales@aphroditebloom.com or PH: 0424 646 248 for more info
Please visit our website: www.aphroditebloom.com to view our collection. We look forward to helping you soon.
Aphrodite Bloom Feedbacks
Couldn’t be happier with my Peacock Princess dress. Fit perfectly, quality excellent, fast shipping,fantastic customer service BUT the price is too good to be true. Will definitely be telling everyone about your great business. Many thanks.’ Asher, VIC ‘
Thankyou, thankyou – Ordered Tigeress Wonder dress for my black-tie corporate ball. This dress is jaw dropping! I am SO excited to WOW everyone- my colleagues are going to be so jealous AND I saved money. Fits perfectly and quality is amazing for the price. Will definitely be back again- many thanks.’ Cassie, WA
Aphrodite Bloom is an absolute gold mine- I love it. I have ordered numerous dresses from them and everytime the dress arrives quickly, is of excellent quality, fits like a glove and is backed up by fast and friendly customer service. Everyone now expects me to come in beautiful dresses to events! What more can you ask for? Thankyou for providing such an amazing business in this day and age.’ Liz, VIC
‘I hate dress shopping – I can never find what I want or at the price I want. Aphrodite Bloom is a lifesaver! I love my Enchanted Tea Party number- it is exquisite and at a bargain price. My friends were gobsmacked- I think I outshone the bride- Oops! Can’t wait for events now- Aphrodite Bloom is my first stop. A BIG thankyou.’ Tessa, NSW.
Angelina Jolie Tomb Raider 2 The Cradle Will Rock
The first Tomb Raider film may have grossed around $300 million worldwide, making it the biggest opening ever for a film with a female star, but Angelina Jolie admits they had to get things right for instalment two, The Cradle of Life. Through her permanent pout she states that the new film is “sharper and darker and sexier” …
Interview by Gareth Gorman
Despite Tomb Raider shifting units, there was a general feeling that the film sold itself on the back of the popular game franchise, and (Angelina Jolie being every bit right for the role of Lara Croft) they had better get it right next time. Tomb Raider was lacking in quips and one-liners, had Lara stuck in her house for the first 45 minutes of the film, and spent way too much time talking to her dead dad. It was a film desperately vying for our attention, but couldn’t command it. Angelina Jolie and the team realised this and promised Tomb Raider 2: The Cradle of Life will indeed rock your world.
“Everyone liked the first film but didn’t love it. We changed a lot of things – the action sequences, everything,” she says. “There are lots of things going on above and below the water.”Yes, water – which means it’s Lara Croft in a figure-hugging wetsuit, boys. Grrrs and hubba-hubbas all around. And this is just the first of many improvements since Lara last graced multiplexes everywhere.
One of the main improvements would have to be the ditching of director Simon West for Jan de Bont of Speed and Twister pedigree. You just know that a guy who can make a film about a scary wind throwing cows around, and turn in an effort so exciting it made stars of Keanu Reeves (pre-Matrix, folks) and Sandra Bullock has to be better than West, a lunkhead director capable of turning in Jerry Bruckheimer no-brainers such as Con Air, but that’s about it.
The Cradle of Life finds our busty archaeologist and explorer extraordinaire, Lara Croft, journeying to a sunken temple (where else?) in search of lost treasures. During her expedition, Croft happens upon a sphere that contains the mythical Pandora’s Box, only to have it stolen from her by Chen Lo, the leader of a Chinese crime syndicate. Chen Lo is in league with a bad guy named Reiss, who wants to use the priceless Box as a doomsday weapon.The film also stars Gerard Butler as Lara’s new love interest Terry Sheridan. Returning are Noah Taylor and Chris Barrie as the boffin and butler respectively.
Fortunately their sequences are much better than the last outing. They are joined by Gladiator actor Djimon Hounsou as a Masai warrior.Location filming took place in Hong Kong and Kenya, but not China. Great Wall Of China sequences were filmed in Wales. Angelina’s favourite, though, was a Greek island. It seems the girl couldn’t get enough of Santorini.”I loved it there. It’s really beautiful. Everyone has been really warm.” Indeed the filming of The Cradle of Life seemed to provide the perfect venue for Angelina Jolie to escape her well-known private life woes. The living embodiment of Lara Croft manages to lose herself in the character much like the spouses of Playstation widows whittle away the hours in Lara’s various virtual worlds.
Such woes for Angelina Jolie include filing for divorce from her husband, actor Billy Bob Thornton and being besieged by pleas from her estranged father, Jon Voight, to reconcile and receive treatment for alleged emotional and psychological problems – thanks, Dad. On a brighter note, Angelina Jolie adopted a child, a Cambodian infant she named Maddox, and it seems he’s provided the happiness nothing else has even come close to.
“There’s nothing else that’s more important. I’m very, very fortunate. It’s wonderful. It’s just the most amazing thing in the world,” she says. “He’s changed my life. He’s really centred me. Anytime I think anything else is important, I just see his smile. He’s made me be the best person I could possibly be. Mind you, he kept peeing on my wardrobe, so I had to get an apron to wear. He’s just a boy, so in between diapers he’d get me.”Angelina is now a bit more careful with her stunts and derring-do. “I check safety things a little bit more than I used to now that Maddox is here.” But she is still doing many of her own stunts, including riding a horse side-saddle, rapelling face-forward down a cliff wall, riding motorcycles and jet-skiing.
“I’d never ridden a jet-ski, and I had a lot of practice, [but the producers] always make it more complicated. So it was stand-up jet-skis, which took me a few days of constantly falling and getting frustrated,” she says. “We started [shooting] in Greece, which was great. Mind you, I hate water and I hate bikinis. So what do we start with, but my worst possible day as an actress. Yup, me jet-skiing in a bikini in the water in Greece.
“On the whole it’s a lot of fun. I’m one of those people who just really wants to do it. What do you say? Mad for it? Yeah, I’m mad for it. There were times where I’d swing like a pendulum and almost hit the wall, and I couldn’t go up and down, I kept swinging and flying like Superman and laughing. And as for being fearless, I think I’m either fearless or crazy, but either way, I’ve found a home for it.”
Indeed she has, and you can bank on the fact that Ms Angelina Jolie is more than happy to be returning to play an icon. It seems she just wants to be adored, as well as do her bit for girl power. “Playing Lara, well it just feels so great to hold my head up as a woman. It’s not really like me to be quite like that. I know all the things about me that are crazy, strange, or dark. And she’s also almost got this swagger. It’s like being on stage and she’s like Elvis. So, you have to jump right in, and that was the hardest thing to me, to be kind of proud, and with that confidence that I don’t have in my life as a woman.”
In Lara, does she believe she’s found something of herself?
“This was a side that I didn’t think was in me. But it wasn’t a surprise to people who know me. You spend so much time in your head as an actor, living in the dark, you forget to be free. And I’m the first person to be looking for what freedom means and to feel trapped and in a cage. It took me a while to realise that when I was standing at the edge of a waterfall in Cambodia, and I was so happy … god, I really learned what the world is about. Now it makes more sense to me, because this is how I’ve needed to be my whole life and I didn’t have an outlet for it. It maybe explains why I’m a little crazy.”When I was younger, I was a bit of a loner and just didn’t feel like doing normal things. I can’t remember when I didn’t think that. I figured everybody else felt the same isolation. I did notice early on that I didn’t seem content when a lot of other people did. But I really just hated hanging out. Just doing regular things never felt like enough.”
Speaking of craziness: while Lara Croft finds happiness is a warm gun, a pistol in each hand, Ms Jolie prefers the feel of cold hard steely knives.”Well, I don’t think that’s that crazy. I lived in New York by myself for three years. I had a knife under the mattress, you know? But I have a case that I lock all my knives in.”Doing Lara Croft’s stunts is one thing, but how does Jolie , ahem, measure up to Lara Croft in reality? Previous incarnations of Lara have included Nell McAndrew, Lara Weller, Lucy Clarkson and Jill De Jong, all employed by the game manufacturer Eidos, and all of whom have gone to considerable trouble to reach Lara’s vital statistics, with Rhona Mitra notably boosting herself up for the modelling role.
“Right. This has been the big question. I’m a 36C. In the film, I’m a 36D. In the game, she’s a double-D 40 with a 20-inch waist and 35-inch hips or something. I have a regular waist, regular hips, kind of like a boy. So we basically gave her a proper padded bra. But it wasn’t so far off, since I had to do the physical things. I’m fine with my breasts and I don’t think its something little girls look at and think, ‘I should be like that and get a breast implant’. It’s part of her character, so you do it. But I want every young girl to know that is not completely me.”
In a strange but true twist, it seems that the living embodiment of the world’s most famous computer game character is a complete and utter technophobe, especially when it comes to mainframes, modems, gigabytes or even just a plain old game of pong. As for dealing with The Perils of Lara on PS2, PC or Xbox – forget it.
“Oh, I just get frustrated with the game all the time. I can’t work a computer, it’s so frustrating.”
Even Angelina Jolie feels frustration from time to time.
The Cradle of Life opened in September 2003.
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