Benny
ISSUE 01 / JANUARY 2021
FREE
A GUIDE FOR LOCALS & VISITORS ALIKE
Green Room
Melodious Haze
Get Rooted
A simple change to help improve our environment
Treat your ears with this month's international artists album review
Our top six indoor plants and how to keep them alive
S T U D I O B E N N Y. C O M . A U / M A G A Z I N E
Cover image by @dronedoutphotography
Š 2021 Studio Benny
CONTRIBUTORS
The information contained in Benny Magazine is
Nat alie Wabbis
given in good faith and believed to be accurate
Editor in Chief, Creative Director & Founder
at time of printing. Nicole Palombi The contents of this publication are subject
Green Room
to copyright and cannot be reproduced in any shape or form without written consent from
Chloe Foster
Studio Benny.
Get Rooted
hello@studiobenny.com.au
Reece Kuhn
www.studiobenny.com.au
Weekend Warrior
Benny Magazine
Luke Foster
Central Coast, NSW
Melodious Haze
Australia Jess Moroney Benny Eats Out Emma Nicholson Printed in Australia by Gosford Printing.
More Than Just Eggs Benny
Publication designed by Natalie Wabbis.
Sue Wabbis
Cover image by @dronedoutphotography
Proofreader
EDITORIAL
IN THIS ISSUE
G'day. WE’RE STOKED TO BE HERE AND WE’RE ABSOLUTELY CHUFFED THAT YOU ARE JOINING US IN THIS NEW CHAPTER. WE HOPE YOU ADORE BENNY JUST AS MUCH AS WE DO.
Weekend Warrior Enjoy what this incredible state has to offer with our Weekend Warrior.
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We’re pretty new here, so new in fact that this is our Day One. You’ve got your grubby hands on the very first ever issue of Benny Magazine! We’ve worked our little butts off for over eighteen long months (yes, you read that right) to bring to the locals of the Central Coast, and of course the visitors, a magazine that we hope will forever excite and inspire our readers each month. Thank you to our advertisers who believed in us and have supported us in Issue 01. Without you, this would not have been possible. And to our writers; you're the real MVP's. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. Now, bear with us while we spend the next few months turning Benny into something even more spectacular. We can’t wait!
Get Rooted
6
Rough Idea
10
A first Issue rock hard special for our Local Creative Spotlight.
Green Room
So, dive in, and thrive.
Benny x
Our top six indoor plants and how to keep them alive.
12
A simple change so you can help improve our environment.
Gig Guide
15
A few of our fave gigs getting around this month.
CONTACT US hello @ st u d io ben ny.co m . au A DVERTI S E WI TH US hello @ st u d io ben ny.co m . au www. s tu d i o ben ny.co m . au /m agaz in e
I n s t ag ra m // @ ben ny m aga zin e @ st u d io be nny
Please recycle. BENNY JANUARY 2021 01
SNAPPED ON THE COAST
Tag Benny Mag SHOW US WHAT YOU SNAPPED ON THE COAST FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! Tag #ben nymag or @bennymagazine on your Instagram posts for the chance to be featured in our next issue of Benny Magazine. Each Issue, one lucky Benny tagger will receive one mens or kids cut at Geezers Barbershop & Shaving Parlour. Congratulations to our very first winner @dronedoutphotography! We appreciate your support over the past few months, we will be contacting you via Instagram direct message to send out your voucher.
JANUARY
WINNER
@logankhemopo
@brigettejackson
@dronedoutphotography
@maddiepye_
@rachelauren
@jaz.moroney
Sponsored by:
02 JANUARY 2021 BENNY
JAN - FEB '21
What’s On? LET'S GET CREATIVE Don’t be fooled, there’s loads of ways to be creative, and you don't need a workshop to get your juices flowing, but, we want to share some of our personal favourites! So get out and support our local creatives, at our local markets, and then learn a thing or two at some of the workshops available each month on the coast. We can assure you, you won't be disappointed!
CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
LOCAL MARKETS
THE FIFTH LANE Silver Ring Making Classes Avoca, NSW www.thefifthlane.com
UMINA BEACH MARKETS Next to Umina SLSC, Umina 9am-2pm. Third Sunday of the month.
POCKET BAR Cocktail Classes Terrigal, NSW www.houseofpocket.com.au
HOUSE OF ELLERY Various Workshops Wyong, NSW www.houseofellery.com.au
CENTERED CERAMICS Ceramics Classes & Sessions Umina Beach, NSW www.centeredceramics.com.au
OOHLAH STUDIO Block Printing Classes Gosford, NSW www.classbento.com.au/oohlah-studio
PINOT & PICASSO Paint & Sip Experience Terrigal, NSW www.pinotandpicasso.com.au
TERRIGAL BEACH MARKETS Terrigal Esplanade, Terrigal 9am-3pm. First Saturday of the month.
AVOCA BEACHSIDE MARKETS Heazlett Park, Avoca Beach 9am-2pm. Every 4th Sunday.
DAVISTOWN WATERFRONT MARKETS Illoura Reserve, Davistown 9am-2pm. 2nd Sunday of the month.
GOSFORD CITY FARMERS MARKETS Showground Rd, Gosford 7am-12pm. Every Sunday.
THE ENTRANCE MARKET Memorial Park, The Entrance 9am-2pm. Every Saturday, except event days.
SHELLY BEACH MARKETS Long Jetty Foreshore 9am-2pm. Last Saturday of the month.
HOMEGROWN MARKETS 9am-2pm. Check online for locations. www.homegrownmarkets.com.au
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We prefer not to eat sustainable way, not exactly where it ca
A Weekend on the Barrington Coast TIME TO ROLL THE DICE
Monday, the inflamed state of most people’s weeks better known as Mondayitis. Albeit the opportunity to think the glass is half empty, it is also a cracker of an opportunity to recap on the past weekend. It was Saturday morning, we packed the van with the bare essentials and headed north. We rolled the dice. How many hours will we drive before we stop on the beautiful coastline of the mid north coast ‌. one, two, maybe four? The dice rolled two and we were off. This would land us somewhere near Forster.
04 JANUARY 2021 BENNY
WEEKEND WARRIOR
We left Newcastle, windows down, Birks on, and Ocean Alley in the background. We took a sharp right off the Pacific Highway onto The Lakes Way and started driving, scouting the beaches and coastline, looking for somewhere to stop. We didn’t have much in the Esky aside the likes of cold frothies, some salad and fruit. We needed protein, that in the likes of sustainably harvested seafood to suit the 32 degree, clear blue sky day we had ahead of us. The southern end of Boomerang Beach was protected from the light south-easter, flat seas and crystal blue water. Just a short walk down the man-made stairs to the beach and it was paradise. We had the beach to ourselves, the water was just perfect and it almost seemed too beautiful to be real.
We had to be back Sunday afternoon for a family affair so it was an early wakeup. We fried up a lobster and an omelette, made our pour over coffee and sat our feet in the water. How is it that this spot is less than two hours from Newcastle? It is paradise, and with the van…. it’s free! I feel like we’ve cheated the system somehow, how can weekends be like this, this good, this fulfilling, this…? By 9am we were back on the road, second coffee in hand and heading back home. We were home by midday, unpacked the van, a quick change of clothes, and we were off to the afternoon BBQ without a hitch. This is how weekends should be. Close, fulfilling, beautiful and of course, adventurous. Where will the dice take us next?
I hopped into the water to see an abundance of the NSW north coast marine species among the clear blue water and coastal reef.
t meat unless we know that it is harvested in a t inhumanely farmed, which ensures we know ame from and how it came to be on our plate. With a lobster, fish and some abalone on board, I unwillingly hopped out of the picture perfect water so we could make it to our spot for the night. The light south-easter was still blowing, so we had just the spot to pull up out of the wind to watch the sun set and cook our dinner. About a kilometre north of the Elizabeth Beach turn off on The Lakes way, just south of Forster, there is a picnic spot. This faces west over Myall Lakes, with flat, sandy, shallow water and a grass patch perfect to back the van up, setup the Bluetooth speaker and enjoy the remanence of a perfect day. This spot is great for setting the camp chair up in knee deep water, having a frolic whilst listening to our favourite tunes and setting up for dinner. Fish wraps, a cold beer and an unforgettable sunset over the water… now that’s an afternoon I can get amongst. We cleaned up after dinner, got the van set up and grabbed our books, winding down for the night.
BENNY JANUARY 2021 05
Life On The Inside INDOOR PLANTS ARE THE THING TO HAVE AT THE MOMENT. EVERYONE IS JUMPING ABOARD THE INDOOR PLANT TRAIN AFTER LENGTHY BREAK.
People need to be connected to nature. And these days with life becoming busier and houses becoming smaller, it has become a luxury to have a garden and even harder just getting into nature. Henceforth the resurrection of indoor plants. Firstly, I must pop the bubble. There really is no such thing as indoor plants. The ones that are grown and you can buy are generally plants that come from warmer, tropical regions of the world, those that can handle our warm house and low light conditions. When selecting a plant for indoors it is important to find out about where in the world that plant grows naturally and if you can provide those similar conditions for them in your home. Plants that come from these warmer regions generally prefer humidity, are adaptable to low light especially if they’re plants that live lower in the rainforest canopy and are consistently moist. On the other end of the spectrum are a couple of indoor plants that come from drier zones. They like the warmer, drier and well-lit spots of the house.
Noraville Green Toukley
06 JANUARY 2021 BENNY
GET ROOTED
CULTIVATION
SELECT YOUR AREA, SELECT YOUR PLANT
Give your plant consistent water and fertilise with an allpurpose fertiliser once or twice a year. Every fortnight take the plant outside and give it a proper soaking. Over the warmer months your plants will need a drink every 2-3 days, and a weekly soaking. Over the cooler months, back off the watering to weekly. This is often when most people lose their plants to overwatering in winter. Plant growth slows down in cool weather, as should our watering.
Kitchens Plants that prefer well lit areas, drier, consistent water.
Watering Disclaimer: One way to tell if your plant needs water or not, is to stick your finger into the potting mix. If it feels dry, water it. If it feels wet, then leave it for a day or two. Refresh the potting mix every few years and pot up when you are 1) watering the plant far too often and 2) when the roots have almost filled up the pot. It would be wise to prune the plant if you aren’t able to pot into a larger size pot and that will halt the root growth.
Bathrooms Plants that prefer less light, humid environment. Living Area Plants that prefer light, less humidity, can cope with dry conditions.
HANDY HINT KEEP ALL YOUR INDOOR PLANTS IN THEIR BLACK NURSERY POT AND DISPLAY THEM IN A SLIGHTLY LARGER DECORATIVE POT. THIS WILL MAKE WATERING AND MAINTENANCE SO MUCH EASIER.
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08 JANUARY 2021 BENNY
OUR TOP SIX INDOOR PLANTS
FIDDLE LEAF FIG Filtered light to well lit, good for living rooms. Fertilise with a good quality slow release fertiliser. Don’t over water. In the warmer months, spritz the foliage with water to keep the humidity around the plant. It will help keep the foliage soft and green. Will grow outside in the warmer/ tropical parts of Australia.
RUBBER PLANT So darn tough! Will grow in filtered and low light rooms, very tolerant of under watering, but not recommended. In warmer months it will soak up any water you give it, but be careful not to over water in the colder months. The plant will go into dormant mode when the temperature drops, too much water will drown it. In southern parts of Australia this is also able to grow outside. Will grow outside in the warmer/tropical parts of Australia.
DEVILS IVY Will climb up a structure if given one, otherwise it will spill out and over your pot and hang down. Great on a shelf in filtered light, variegated foliage forms do well in low light. Don’t over water. Water requirements will vary depending on the season and position in your house.
STRING OF PEARLS Semi-succulent plant that will spill over the pot it is planted in. Do not over water. Keep it on the dry side. It will rot from the basal stems upwards if there is too much water. Quite low maintenance. Keep in a well lit room. Prune stems at base when it gets too long. Fun fact- it is a daisy!
SWISS CHEESE PLANT/ FRUIT SALAD PLANT Another tough and reliable tropical plant grown indoors. Will grow in lower light rooms but does best in a lightfilled living room or kitchen. Maintain moisture, but don’t over wet the plant, especially in the cooler months when it isn’t growing. The Monstera Deliciosa will grow up a support (trellis or tree branch) and can survive in a pot long term. In the cooler parts of Australia they can grow outdoors so long as they’re sheltered from frost.
(Also try- String of Beans and String of Dolphins)
SNAKE PLANT One of the toughest indoor plants going round. With some cool common names to boot- Snake Plant, St George’s Sword, Viper’s Bowstring Hemp or Mother-in-Laws Tongue. Whatever you want to call it, it will grow in any room of your house. Tolerates drying out and is easy to divide, for extra cash or present making.
Illustrations by Annie Huang.
BENNY JANUARY 2021 09
LOCAL CREATIVE SPOTLIGHT
Rough Idea Designs KINCUMBER, NSW
Who are you, and what do you do? My name is Michele and I create concrete home-wares. How long have you been a creative for? I quit my marketing job about 5 years ago to give this little biz a real chance! What is your favourite thing about what you do? My favourite things would be creating one of a kind pieces, no two ever turn out the same. Nothing is mass produced here, so every single piece is unique which is my favourite thing ever! What inspires you today? Everything inspires me. What environment do you like to work in most? A noisy one! I always have the tunes playing I don't like silence! How has your art changed over time? I've definitely perfected the art of concrete - working with this product. It has a lot of imperfections but that's what I find the most beautiful now. I only use freeform moulds which are harder to use, but that's how I make sure the products I'm selling are truly unique to my biz! What do you do to keep yourself motivated? I'm always on the lookout for new things that I can use as moulds! Sometimes they work, other times it's a complete fail, but I definitely like trying new things! What's the piece you are most proud of? The polished concrete boards! They are so cute and sooo tactile, which I adore! Can you share any advice for aspiring creatives? Just give it a go! You'll never be 100% ready, so just start and learn as you go!
Instagram // @roughideadesigns Website // www.roughideadesigns.com.au
10 JANUARY 2021 BENNY
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Who Gives A Crap? WE DO! AND SO SHOULD YOU.
Get ready to reach for the tissues, as the below statistics are hard to handle. But we’re sharing this information in hope that maybe you too, will make the switch to Who Gives A Crap?
2.3 BILLION PEOPLE (40% OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION) ACROSS THE WORLD DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO A TOILET
289,000 CHILDREN UNDER FIVE DIE EVERY YEAR FROM DIARRHOEAL DISEASES CAUSED BY POOR WATER AND SANITATION
THAT’S ALMOST 800 CHILDREN PER DAY, OR ONE CHILD EVERY TWO MINUTES 50% OF PROFITS HELP BUILD TOILETS AND IMPROVE SANITATION IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
These shocking statistics motivated Australians Simon, Jehan and Danny to launch their highly ethical and sustainable company, Who Gives A Crap, in July 2012 with the support of crowd funding. They delivered their first product in March 2013 and have continued to expand the business ever since. Who Gives A Crap sells a range of toilet paper, tissues and paper towel. This sounds like a very simple and mundane product to sell, but it’s with an ethical and sustainable twist!
Want to write for Benny? THINK YOU'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO JOIN THE BENNY BADASS LINE-UP? SEND US AN EMAIL WITH SOME OF YOUR WORK!
12 JANUARY 2021 BENNY
GREEN ROOM
PREMIUM BAMBOO TOILET PAPER (Deluxe Option) 48 Double Length Rolls at $60.00 24 Double Length Rolls at $36.00 This product competes against other large supermarket brands in terms of its strength of softness. This is also quite a sustainable option as bamboo is fast growing, doesn’t require any irrigation or fertilisation and only needs to be harvested once a year. 100% RECYCLED TOILET PAPER 48 Double Length Rolls at $52.00 24 Double Length Rolls at $32.00 This cheaper yet environmentally conscious toilet paper is made from post-consumer waste paper (textbooks, workbooks, office paper, etc). It’s paper that can be recycled 4 or 5 times before becoming toilet paper which reduces our CO2 emissions as well as saving water. PAPER TOWELS 6 Double Length Rolls $18.00 Made from a mixture of bamboo and a sugarcane by-product called “bagasse.” Bagasse is a dry, pulpy residue leftover after the extraction of juice from sugarcane and it’s a substance that would otherwise go to waste. It’s also what makes our paper towels super strong and absorbent. TISSUES 12 Boxes at $24.00 100% bamboo.
A fun perk about purchasing this toilet paper is each roll comes individually wrapped in a colourful/patterned piece of paper. If you keep each of these wrappers you can reuse them as birthday or Christmas wrapping paper, arts and crafts paper, bon bon wrappers, honestly, the possibilities are endless. Some consumers may be put off by the cost as your average supermarket 24 pack of toilet paper can be purchased for as little as $10.00. However, if you are looking for a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint, and help those less fortunate, this is a great way to start. You can even set up an account so you are sent a top up of products as you run out. But that’s not all. 50% of profits are donated to help build toilets for those less privileged, and, Who Gives A Crap products are made without using trees, AND they offer free shipping on most orders. How could anyone possibly say no to these positives? Have we still not sold you? Well, jump yourself online to whogivesacrap.org where you can order yourself a FREE sample of EVERY product by just paying shipping costs. So do yourself and the planet a favour, get your hands on your free sample, and never look back! We did.
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MELODIOUS HAZE
The Head & The Heart ALBUM REVIEW SELF-TITLED ALBUM 2010
In terms of starting with an all-time high, The Head & The Heart’s self-titled debut will just about take the cake both in a musical sense, and for you reading my reviews; albums don’t come much better than this! In 2010, a bunch of college students met at a bar in Seattle, home of legendary bands such as Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and Fleet Foxes, to name a few; and formed what has now become one of the most popular indie/folk bands of the last ten years. The Head & The Heart in its simplest form, is an album that sparks joy and would brighten the darkest days. It is uplifting, full of energy and at times captivating. Lead singers Jonathan & Josiah combine together in such an effortless manner that it is hard not to get swept away with their vocal prowess. Opening tracks Cats and Dogs, Coeur D’Alene and Ghosts immediately spin the tempo dial up to ten, and the work of keyboardist Kenny Hensley is shown here in the most incredible fashion. What then transpires is two of my all-time favourite tracks, with the latter clearly being the fan favourite: Down in The Valley and Rivers and Roads. Rivers and Roads outlines what appears to be a journey of separation between loved ones, making mention of missing a lover’s face like hell and the intolerable distance of “rivers and roads 'til I meet you.” In a song that sounds like it should be full of anguish and pain, it is both inspiring and elevating. Lost In My Mind carries on in a similar manner whereby a visual display of the most incredible sunset is portrayed for anyone who wants to sit down, close their eyes, listen and imagine. It’s moments like this that make you want to sit around on a beach in the warm summer weather, with a cold beer in your hand, hanging out with your best friends, and just simply enjoy living in the moment.
Image: Instagram// @boulevarts
A hearty 9.5/10 for this genius. Do your ears a favour.
14 JANUARY 2021 BENNY
TUNE TALK
Gig Guide A MINI GUIDE FOR YOUR EYES & THEN EARS Yeah yeah, we know... most of these gigs aren't on the coast, but we believe good music is worth travelling for. With venue limits in place, heading to the big smoke might be your only option to see some of your favourite talents! These gigs were selling fast, even in December, so fingers crossed more tickets are released this month! Make sure to keep supporting our music industry; jump online to check out other gigs kicking around this month, we guarantee you'll find more than a pocketful of bangers!
02
NUMIDIA The Vanguard Newtown, NSW
12
MILKY CHANCE Live stream 7pm, AEDT Online
15
HANDS LIKE HOUSES The Factory Theatre Marrickville, NSW
16
E^ST York Theatre, Seymour Cntr Sydney, NSW
23
YOURS & OWLS FESTIVAL Stuart Park Woolongong, NSW
03
INXS TRIBUTE SHOW Shelly Beach Golf Club Shelly Beach, NSW
15
THE PIERCE BROTHERS Cambridge Warehouse Newcastle, NSW
15
THE CHATS The Entrance Leagues Club Bateau Bay, NSW
23
THE LULU RAES Waywards Newtown, NSW
24
YOURS & OWLS FESTIVAL Stuart Park Woolongong, NSW
09
CARAVÃNA SUN Landsdowne Hotel Sydney, NSW
15
FELIPE BALDOMIR The Cambridge Newcastle, NSW
16
THE SEA GYPSIES Wamberal Surf Club Wamberal, NSW
23
BOOTLEG RASCAL Marrickville Bowling Club Sydney, NSW
28
MALLRAT Enmore Theatre Sydney, NSW
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Cob Loaf Dip A TRUE CROWD PLEASER
PREP TIME 30 minutes COOK TIME 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS 1 large cob loaf 250g cream cheese, softened 150g sour cream 1 cup good grated cheddar 400g tin creamed corn 1/2 red onion, finely diced 1 spring onion, finely sliced 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tbs pickled jalapeĂąo peppers, finely chopped 2 fresh corn cobs, husks removed Grated rind and juice of 1 lime 2 tbs chopped coriander Sea salt and pepper
TOPPINGS 1 spring onion, cut into 5cm batons and finely julienned 1 cup fresh coriander leaves 1 long green chilli, sliced diagonally 1/2 cup charred corn kernels I n s t a g r a m // @ e m s fo o d w w w. e m s fo o d fo r f r i e n d s . c o m . a u
16 JANUARY 2021 BENNY
MORE THAN JUST EGGS BENNY
METHOD To prepare the Cob Dip loaf, use a serrated bread knife to remove the top of the cob loaf. Prepare a baking tray with baking paper and remove the centre of the cob in chunks, large enough to hold a good wad of cob dip and place the bread chunks on the baking tray, ready to bake later. Heat a BBQ or griddle pan and cook the corn cobs over a nice high heat until lightly blackened. Allow the corn to cool slightly before standing the cobs up on a bread board, one at a time, and slicing away the kernels. Set aside half a cup of the kernels for the garnish.
TOPPING Place the julienned spring onion, coriander leaves and chilli slices in a bowl of iced water to freshen up and become lovely and crispy. Drain before adding to the Cob Dip.
FILLING Heat a fry pan with a touch of oil. Lightly fry the onion and spring onion until just starting to soften, set aside and allow to cool. Place the onion mixture, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, smoked paprika, jalapeño peppers, creamed corn, charred corn kernels, lime zest and juice, and chopped coriander into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and use a spatula to mix well until all of the ingredients are combined. Heat the oven to 170°C. Place the base of the cob shell in the oven for 8-10 minutes to crisp up. Remove it and spoon the filling in, pressing it down, really piling it in. Place the cob in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until heated through and golden brown on top. At about the 20 minute mark, place the bread chunks and top of the cob in the oven too and cook until golden. To serve, place the loaf on a large platter and pile the garnish and reserved corn kernels on top. Place the lid on, off to the side so you don’t squash the garnish, and arrange the toasted bread pieces around the base of the loaf. Serve immediately.
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Photography by @_jemmadarling
Benny K E E P YO U R E Y E O U T FO R I S S U E 0 2 . CO M I N G S O O N .
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