Breeze Magazine Central Coast Issue 13

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travel. scott mcrae

has been in the entertainment industry for over 24 years, loved by viewers of many shows including Postcards and Destinations. Scott shares his adventures from Channel Ten’s A Taste of Travel on Ben’s Menu with our readers. visit scott’s website

health. dr. diana treece

is a GP working at Kariong Medical Centre. She has worked in the UK, Borneo, India and Malawi and has a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Child Health. Diana shares her knowledge on health and general wellbeing with our readers.

beauty. wendy ward

is a lover of all things beauty, and has written for women’s magazines and weekend supplements across Australia. She lives on the Coast with her American husband and her pooch, and is currently working on a book of beauty tips for mature women.

motor. mark holgate

has been a journalist for more than 20 years, mostly writing motoring, motor sport and news stories for some of Australia’s biggest publication empires. Mark is obsessed with all things auto and runs an auto blogsite. visit mark’s website contributor. pauly mac

(Paul McDonald) is a chef, commercial cookery teacher, restaurant judge and author. He runs a successful personal chef company and is one of the Coast’s most respected chefs. visit pauly’s website

OUR PEOPLE

Good news for Point Clare and Tascott residents … Screaming Beans will be doing woodfired pizza every Friday and Saturday night from April 24th!

Be the first to check it out - 6pm till 9pm at 7/51 Brisbane Water Drive, Point Clare.

Bella Natural Food Co. have just opened their second store!

They are one of the Top 50 Healthiest Cafes in Australia and have a passion for organic food.

Visit them at 1 8-10 Karalta Road, Erina (opposite Fountain Plaza right next to the lights).

The FIRST EVER Cast Off: Sustainable Seafood Festival is being held in Woy Woy on March 28th! There’ll be cooking demos from the likes of Tony Bilson and Julie Goodwin, live music, and some of our best restaurants and cafés will be offering $5 Tasting Plates. See our story on page 84 for more information.

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At first glance, it looks like a fairly ordinary 1976 Volkswagen Kombi cruising the Central Coast … But this is no commonplace van. The Hungry Traveller is a funky new ‘food van’ run by Coast-born Heidi Souter. You might have seen it around – she’s gaining quite a following!

Food trucks allow us to enjoy treats from the streets. Complementing its sunshine colour, The Hungry Traveller’s typical menu is inspired by the idea of ‘Aussie summer classics’. Think bacon and egg rolls, juicy burgers, shakes and ice-cream sandwiches.

Heidi Souter, owner of The Hungry Traveller, has named this bright yellow Kombi “Sunny” - a very fitting name.

Heidi’s father is a mechanic, and she’s always enjoyed working on vehicles alongside him. Since childhood, the iconic 1970s era Volkswagen Kombi Van have had a special place in her heart. So much so that she bought her first Kombi as a project when she was just 17 years old.

She still has it today, albeit in pieces.

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Sunny is a more recent purchase – Heidi found the Kombi for sale in Toukley. It was in great shape, having had only two owners who obviously loved the van.

Classic Kombis aren’t the only thing dear to Heidi’s heart. This food-lover has worked in hospitality from a young age, and has also developed a passion for travel which she indulges regularly. “I love food, I love interacting with people, and I love that hospitality is an industry that allows me to move around”, she says.

The Hungry Traveller story goes like this: Working on her Kombi one day, Heidi suddenly got the brilliant idea to transform it into a mobile food outlet. With a few simple modifications carried out by Heidi and her father, Sunny was ready to serve the people. Within a short space of time Heidi had a business, and lifestyle, that perfectly combines everything she is passionate about: food, travel, Kombis and people. “The Kombi invites people over, and they’re loving the burgers. I get lots of waves when I’m out on the road.”

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The Hungry Traveller menu changes depending on what’s fresh and available in its current location. Heidi creates burgers using ingredients like grass-fed beef, portobello mushrooms, haloumi, and sweet corn and herb fritters. You might also find some amazing side-dishes – pineapple and cinnamon fritters, grilled corn, sweet potato fries, potato scallops, onion rings and more.

Heidi’s shakes are particularly indulgent – vanilla malt, peanut butter and Nutella, salted caramel, strawberry jam, and the Aussie favourite Milo, sure to bring back childhood memories.

Each ingredient used in The Hungry Traveller mobile kitchen is fresh and locally-sourced. But if the sound of a seasonal and wholesome menu still hasn’t convinced you, reflect on the fact that Heidi makes a lot of the ingredients herself – shake syrups, sauces, pickles, relishes … All made with copious amounts of love and passion.

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Sunny’s quickly becoming a recognisable presence on the Coast’s roads, zipping from location to location. You’ll find Heidi at various sites across the Central Coast each week, with some regular stops on particular days. Followers of The Hungry Traveller on social media are updated regualrly with her whereabouts.

The Hungry Traveller is the perfect option for a private event, with no set-up required. You can even chat with Heidi about menu options to suit your event.

And next time you yourself feel like a hungry traveller on the Coast, consider the fact that The Hungry Traveller could be nearby. Follow on Facebook and Instagram to ensure that you don’t miss out!

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THE ATMOSPHERE: Arriving at Lost Paradise was instantly an otherworldly experience, after descending down the hillside and into the valley. Greeted by a growing sea of teepees and tents, the ‘lost’ theme became quite apparent. But it didn’t take long for the ‘paradise’ side of things to arise, with the natural surrounding beauty of lush bushland and flowing river gently hugging the festival site and campground. With a strong focus on healing and well-being, music and arts, the festival grounds became a sanctuary for campers and glampers to both let loose and/or reconnect in one heck of a majestic location.

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The Shambala Teepee provided a place of healing - a calming oasis to recharge the physical and emotional festival batteries through yoga, meditation and nurturing workshops.

The Shambala Spa bought a piece of 5-star luxury to the luscious confides of the valley; with massage, natural salon treatments and henna body art taking festival relaxation to the next level to both invigorate and cleanse the mind, body and soul.

Lost Kids and Lost Circus adhered to keeping the little ones entertained with ample workshops, shows, and activities.

Lost Disco and Paradise Club gave the more energetic of punters a place to cut shapes all through the wee hours.

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THE FOOD: Of course, no festival would be complete without the culinary fanfare … and Lost Paradise certainly provided the goods.

From vegetarian food truck favourite The Veggie Patch to festival must have’s Gozleme and Fresh Coconuts. While pop up café The Tantric Turtle gave people a place to pull up a cushion next to the record player and kick back with a soulful cup of Chai.

But those looking for something a little more luxurious during the festival found culinary satisfaction with a 3-course meal at The Lost Feast by the kind folks at popular Bondi eatery The Cornerhouse.

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THE MUSIC: With a tasty array of both international and homegrown acts, Lost Paradise continued to cater for everyone in their well-planned lineup ‌ Here are my highlights:

BOB MOSES:

Whiskey at the ready, Canadian-hearted/ Brooklyn-based duo Bob Moses cast an immediate illusory spell over Glenworth Valley. With dreamscape beats cleverly glazed with a sombre indie rock vibe, reverberating off the mountainside and straight into the hypnotized souls of a grooving swarm of punters.

ALL DAY: Bounding onto the stage, nonchalant yet humbled South Australian rapper All Day (Tom Gaynor) delivered a high-energy set that instantaneously had the crowd buzzing with his lyrical aphorism and lighthearted banter. The thing that makes All Day a cut above other rappers is the vein of credibility that runs through his rhymes, making it genuinely relatable. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well it translated in a live setting - everything felt buoyant, and for someone who is admittedly not the biggest fan of hip hop, the vibes were nothing but good.

BOY & BEAR: As the Glenworth Valley moon soared high above the mountain side, Australian folk icons Boy & Bear wasted no time fondling with the hearts of a swooning Lost Paradise crowd. Delivering a plethora of favourites from ‘Lordy May’ to ‘Three Headed Woman’ with soulful grace, front-man Dave Hosking grinned contently to his band members as a sea of satisfied punters keenly chimed along.

TROPICAL ZOMBIE: Floating between garage and surf rock, Tropical Zombie proved aptly titled. Their infectious coastal melodies and howling vocals washed over the crowd like a wave of salty refreshment, causing hips to shake, feet to tap and smiles to widen - perfect for a simmering afternoon boogie.

POND:

Whirling riffs and ear-bending reverb saw Perth-based rockers Pond use their eclectic mix of intricate sounds to take the Lost Paradise audience on a transcendental journey of psychedelic delight. The crowd visibly lost their minds and didn’t seem phased at all, as banging heads and abysmal dance moves became a widespread affliction within an instant.

THE PREATURES:

Sydney fivepiece The Preatures were welcomed by a swarming crowd, depicting the impressive following they’ve continued to develop since 2010. Every female within the confines of the crowd wished they had at least half the infinite sass of front-woman Isabella Manfredi, as she cart-wheeled across the stage during ‘Somebody’s Talking’. “You’ve been ponded, you’re about to get balled but right now … you’re gonna get preached”, says Manfredi before launching into ‘Better Than It Ever Could Be’. A soulful set that coherently illustrated why The Preatures are the band of the hour.

BALL PARK MUSIC:

The NYE set is a pretty big deal and I cannot think of a more suitable band to welcome 2015 with. The Brisbanebased quintet caused good time vibes to sky rocket into a buzzing extravaganza. Blasting out favourites ‘Literally Baby’, ‘All I Wanted Was You’ and ‘IFLY’, we all lost track of time. The countdown interrupted and we swiftly prepared ourselves for the rise of a new year.

After an eruption of cheers, the crowd became soaked in a champagne shower from guitarist Dean Hanson, as 2015 officially arrived. Continuing the energetic serenade, front-man Sam Cromack gave us a taste of his classic hipthrusting with ‘It’s Nice To Be Alive’, creating a spine-tingling sing-along of epic proportions. While there might not have been fireworks to light up the sky, Ball Park Music surely sparked pyrotechnics in our hearts.

www.lostparadise.com.au

Stay tuned for future issues