eat.live.escape Magazine - The Coast Edition - Issue 1 2020

ISSUE 1 . 2020 Ingredients For A Beautiful Life!

Street Food At HOME COASTAL Inspired Fashion The Benefits of DEEP BREATHING

NEW! Escape to PORT FAIRY

A SEAFOOD Feast BRUNY Island Cruise

THE COAST EDITION $10.95 AUS (inc. GST)

Guy Turland’s Bondi Harvest + Clean Beauty + Delicious Desserts + Coastal Interiors travel . food . fashion . beauty . wellness . home eat.live.escape

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COAST - ‘the part of the land adjoining or near the sea.’

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What Im Reading

Image: Allysha Cartledge @ally.photog 4

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editor’s letter

W

elcome to the very first edition of eat.live.escape magazine.

us, managing to restore and revitalise us with every roll of the waves.

coast to beautiful sea-inspired interiors and homes.

When we were thinking about what the theme for Issue 1 should be we knew that it had to pay homage to the incredible natural beauty of Australia. For so many of us that means the iconic Aussie coastline.

When we were choosing this issue’s cover image, the historic Port Fairy lighthouse on Victoria’s south west coast was a clear stand out.

We delve into the benefits of deep breathing, explore the clean beauty trend and learn how to recreate iconic street food at home.

The lighthouse has stood its ground since 1859, it has weathered storms, pandemics, world wars and everything nature can throw at it - it felt like the perfect symbol of hope for 2020.

So whether you have been with us on digital from day one or if you are a new reader, thank you and welcome to ele.

ele is built on the foundations of travel, food and lifestyle and providing our audience with beautiful content that is positive, uplifiting and informative.

Mia Cowling

I am one of those people that enjoys the coast best when it is at its wildest, with wind from the ocean whipping up a frenzy. Long coastal walks rugged up in cosy knits followed by red wine in front of an open fire is the perfect way to spend a weekend.

Of course, the seaside shimmers and sparkles at its finest in the height of summer, when days seem to last forever and our hazy daydreams of a permanent move to live by the ocean seem almost possible.

Dripping ice-cream, sand so hot it is impossible to walk barefoot, fish and chips drenched with salt and vinegar and that feeling of contentment after swimming all day in the sea.

But no matter the time of year, the coast speaks to something deep within

What I’m Reading I’m being transported back through time with Old World Italian

by Mimi Thorisson.

We love having you here!

Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Our team of writers and contributors come from across the globe and from diverse backgrounds and experiences but they all have one thing in common; they each put their heart and soul into creating inspiring content for you, our readers.

In this issue we explore the beauty and drama of the sea, from a cruise around Tasmania’s Bruny Island to delicious seafood feasts, fashion inspired by the

Keep in touch! Email me at: hello@eatliveescape.com

editor’s choice On My Wishlist

What I’m Cooking

Classic, black and perfect for the upcoming summer.

Three Graces Carlotta Black Dress threegraceslondon.com

With spring in the air, I’ll be cooking our delicious Spaghetti with Asparagus, Buffalo Mozzarella and Chilli (pg 34).

These gold drop earrings will dress up any outfit.

Oroton Riviera Earrings oroton.com.au

Where I’m Going Next With international travel still off the cards, I’m keeping it local and planning a trip to beautiful Qualia on Hamilton Island. qualia.com.au connect: Instagram @eat.live.escape | Twitter @eatliveescape | facebook.com/eatliveescape eat.live.escape

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CONTENTS

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Spice it Up!

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Insta-Fabulous

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A Seafood Feast

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A Bruny Cruise

28 Guy Turland’s Bondi Harvest

71 One Perfect Place, Port Fairy

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Food Worth Travelling For

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Street Food at Home

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Victoria’s Nostalgia Trip: The Otways

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The Sweetest Treat

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Smart Luggage - The Way of the Future

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A Rainbow of Goodness

On The Cover In this issue we visit the beautiful, historic town of Port Fairy on the south west coast of Victoria.

Cover Image: Jo O’Keefe Model: Georgia May Murray Wearing: Bird & Knoll Silk Dress Location: Port Fairy, Australia On a picture perfect day in April this year we spent the afternoon shooting in some of Port Fairy’s most picturesque locations (see page 71). The lighthouse on Griffths Island, built in 1859, was the perfect backdrop to capture the spirit of the Australian coastline.

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fashion

beauty

home

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Perfectly In-Between

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Clean Beauty

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Profile - Nancybird

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Spotlight - ESK Skincare

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To The Sea

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Every Breath You Take

122 Social Enterprise - Eden Found

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Interview - Bird & Knoll

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A Coastal Oasis

A Perfect Escape

128 The King of the Garden - Peonies

Fashion pg 88

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Credits Editor-in-Chief: MJ Cowling Travel: MJ Cowling Food: Ella Mitford Beauty: Alexandria Garlan Wellness: Katherine Pham Fashion: Shannon Meddings Home & Interiors Editor: Kate Skinner Our Contributors Katy Holliday, Jo O’Keefe, Kirsty Marwood, Morten Krag, Luke Dodemaide, Caroline de Luca, Amanda Woodard, Emma Duckworth, Danielle Norton, Kathy Mexted (Editor photo) Social Instagram: @eat.live.escape Facebook: facebook.com/eatliveescape Twitter: @eatliveescape Web eatliveescape.com Subscribe iSubscribe.com.au/ele Want to advertise with us?

Email: hello@eatliveescape.com eat.live.escape is proudly published by MJC Digital Pty Ltd PO Box 91 Woodend Victoria 3442 Australia mjcpublishing.com ABN 19 630 569 989 National distribution by Integrated Publication Solutions (IPS) Views and opinions expressed by contributors and authors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

All rights reserved. eat.live.escape is committed to sustainable business practices and supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Issue 1, 2020 ISSN 2652 6638 Copyright eat.live.escape 2020

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Alexandria Garlan Beauty Clean Beauty pg 106

Alex has been obsessed with the latest in beauty and skincare since she first worked behind a makeup counter.

She is passionate about sharing the best products and information available and is delighted to have an audience at ele that listens to her advice about wearing SPF 30+ every day.

Katherine Pham Wellness Deep Breathing pg 112

A personal development coach, facilitator and meditation enthusiast.

Katherine spends her time learning about human behaviour and ancient wisdoms and passing on her favourite practical tools for living a fulfilling life.

Kate Skinner Home & Interiors Editor A Coastal Oasis pg 115

Kate has a life-long love of interior design and her love of renovating means she lives in a building site for most of the year. She also loves the Australian coast, both to live and visit, with coastal style influencing many of her decor decisions.

ele TEAM & FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

Shannon Meddings Fashion To The Sea pg 96

Shannon’s career in the fashion industry has spanned 15 years dressing and styling celebrities both in Australia and overseas. Her real passion is styling women and men in everyday wear and helping them navigate what works for their body shape, colour and style ID.

Katy Holliday Lifestyle A Rainbow of Goodness pg 54

Katy is an Australian writer based in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Once-upon-a-time, she worked as a journalist in Belgium and in publishing in Brisbane before giving up city life to raise her two children and write about property, lifestyle and travel.

Caroline De Luca Food A Seafood Feast pg 20

Melbourne-based food photographer and writer, Caroline’s love of food started in childhood and continues to grow. She is from an Italian background, where food is at the heart of her family life.

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eatliveescape.com Keep up to date with the latest travel, food and lifestyle stories, news and inspiration online with us at eatliveescape.com Follow us on Instagram @eat.live.escape

Food & Recipes Delicious weekly recipes, food, drink and restaurant news and reviews and handy tips and tricks in the kitchen. There is something to inspire everyone to get cooking!

Travel

Fashion, Beauty & Wellness

Come and explore the world with us! From exotic locations to beautiful destinations closer to home we review hotels and getaways and provide travel inspiration and tips.

Fashion, beauty, health and wellness news, product reviews, whatto-wear guides, interviews with inspiring individuals, new season trends and so much more.

Home & Interiors Get your weekly dose of inspirational home tours, interior styling tips, interviews with industry experts, gardening resources and our interiors and home shopping guides.

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We stock a curated range of beautiful travel, food and lifestyle products. We know you will find something that you love!

eatliveescape.com/shop Use code welcome20 for 20% off your first order. eat.live.escape

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Spice it up!

A Seafood Feast Guy Turland’s Bondi Harvest Food Worth Travelling For Street Food At Home The Sweetest Treats A Rainbow of Goodness

Grapefruit Curd Tart pg 52 12

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food news

We round up the latest food and restaurant news from Australia and across the globe.

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arlier this year a new dining destination, Jiwan restaurant opened its doors within the National Museum of Qatar (Doha).

Koichi Takada Architects have designed the beautiful interiors, drawing inspiration from Qatar’s rich tradition and unique landscape.

The Jiwan restaurant celebrates Qatari tradition through its contemporary menu created by renowned French Chef, Alain Ducasse, carefully crafted to take us back to the country’s roots, incorporating indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques.

The interior architecture integrates ceiling curvature and beading as one of the many beautiful design elements introduced to reflect Qatari Bedouin heritage, linking to activities by the sea – fishing, pearl diving and old wooden sailing boats.

4th Floor of the National Museum of Qatar Museum Park Street Doha, Qatar @jiwanrestaurant

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Iconic Bondi day to dusk eatery, Porch & Parlour, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a range of new menu additions to its muchloved menu and a beautiful range of crockery that customers can buy to get the Porch feeling at home. porchandparlour.com @porchandparlour

Sydney icon, Aria, has a new wine bar in the works. The focal point will be its wine list, one of the largest and most awarded in Australia, with more than 80 wines by the glass and 1700 bottles.

Opening late 2020.. ariasydney.com.au @ariarestaurant

As Islay’s first and only dry gin, The Botanist stands out from the crowd of international gins with its 22 hand-foraged botanicals, the number embossed on the bottle itself. The gin is distilled for just eight days of the year, which results in a limited annual production, making it all the more desirable to get your hands on. @thebotanistgin

Fresh As is set to revolutionise how consumers cook at home. The innovative brand provides cooking enthusiasts and those who enjoy entertaining, the opportunity to recreate restaurant quality meals, utilising the ingredients served at QUAY, Aria, Attica and Brae and by chefs across Australia inuding the Masterchef kitchen. With a product range spanning over 100 different products, Fresh As allows you to add a whole dimension of taste, texture, simplicity and convenience to your weekly cooking.

fresh-as.com @fresh.as 14

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LIKE MILK is a healthy and gut-friendly plant milk made from pea protein and is a first of its kind in Australia. Perfect for your morning smoothie! australiasownfoods.com.au

With the weather changing and the evenings warming up now is the perfect time for a crisp Rose. Taylor’s Pinot Noir Rose wine is mediumbodied with fresh and delicate flavours of strawberry and raspberry fruit, balanced with hints of mineral talc. taylorswine.com.au @taylorswines

food & drink news Marc Newson x Noritake Marc Newson, often described as the most influential designer of his generation, has once again teamed up with Noritake Australia to bring his acclaimed style to household cutlery.

The collection, previously used in Qantas first class and business cabins, is a stand out in terms of shape – each piece is defined by its broad, flat design with a distinctive groove in the handle of the knife and spoon.

The collection is available nationally from selected stores and retails for $175 for the 16-piece set. www.noritake.com.au

After a challenging time for Italy, it is great to see its regions opening up again to visitors. Monterosola, a contemporary cantina in the heart of Tuscany near the medievel town of Volterra, produces wines that capture the essence of Bolgheri and Chianti. monterosola.com @monterosolo

Luigi Esposito, Founder and Head Chef, has opened the doors to his Italian bar and eatery, Pizza Fritta 180 in Surry Hills.

The vibrant little sister to Via Napoli, Pizza Fritta 180 is inspired by Luigi’s Neapolitan heritage and the classic dishes of his childhood, paying homage to the flash fried pizza.

Reminiscent of the lively bar scene you will find in the backstreets of Naples, diners can expect a refined menu best enjoyed over Aperitivo hour or followed by a digestif. pizzafritta180.com.au @pizzafritta180 Youforher is a social enterprise producing 100% pure organic argan oil. This Aussie brand has two argan oil varieties in their range including a culinary oil. It is delicious to eat on salads as a dressing, in dips, or on top of desserts. Argan oil is packed full of skin and body-loving goodness. The brand returns more than half of its profits to the co-operatives of Moroccan women who source the oil.

Feel good and do good at the same time. youforher.com @youforher

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A Sweet Start Chocolate Peppermint Bark Elevate the humble Peppermint Crisp bar with this delicious Chocolate Bark.

Ingredients 200 gram block of good quality dark chocolate 2 Peppermint Crisp bars Break the dark chocolate into small pieces and melt in a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.

Once the chocolate is fully melted, carefully spoon it on to a sheet of baking paper on a flat tray. Using a spatula, spread out the chocolate until it is about half a centimetre thick.

While the chocolate is still soft, top with two chopped Peppermint Crisp bars.

Place in the fridge for 2 hours until the chocolate is fully set.

Once set, chop into 3 x 3 inch pieces. Enjoy!

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Spice It Up! Spice expert, Arun Kapil shares his secrets to cooking with spices.

PHOTOGRAPHY Yuki Sigiura

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Slightly Curried Steamed Mussels 18

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run Kapil is an Anglo-Indian food entrepreneur, spice expert, and founder of Green Saffron, multi-awardwinning purveyors of the finest spices, rice, sauces and spice blends. In addition to running his own food company, he is a chef, author, vocal advocate and staunch supporter of his fellow small businesses.

He shares his tips for working with spices.

What to look for?

Spices should be fresh, vibrant, zinging with natural flavour. Capturing their essence in mixes and the food we eat is the start. Choosing the best and knowing what to look for is important. Just as we’re bombarded with campaigns of organic this, free range that, local, ethical, sustainable and fresh. All wonderful, exacting terms but why aren’t the same applied to spices? They should be, just as with wines, cheeses, cocoa, coffee, teas, meat, chicken and tomatoes.

Why? The usual answer is that this process of heat, ‘brings out the flavour of the spice’. Actually by heating the spice, you’re changing its chemical composition and therefore changing its flavour; compressing it all into the toasty mid-range.

Now that’s brilliant for many dishes, but just be aware of how these processes affect the ingredients we use.

Create balance, but create your own (preferred) balance as your senses tell you. Your own body knows what it wants, which flavours you prefer.

Storage Only make-up small amounts of spice blends at a time as they’ll be past their best in three months. Keep them in an airtight jar and a dark, cool store cupboard.

Arun Kapil is an Anglo-Indian food entrepreneur, spice expert, and founder of Green Saffron. greensaffron.com @greensaffron

Personally, I like to know the provenance of the spices I use. How they’re cultivated and stored as these things all matter to the end product.

This isn’t always an easy task as we trawl the shops, big and small. Something I hope to be part of changing.

A good place to start is demanding the freshest, best looking spices from the shops you go to. Asian shops are likely to have a good choice of fresher spice as they often have a higher turnover.

When faced with shelves of brightly coloured burrs, pods, fruits and seeds, the easiest is to simply use your natural senses to check for pungent smell and vibrant colour.

To toast or not to toast?

A bone of contention in the spice world and one that seems to get to me everytime I hear the phrase banded around, ‘you should toast your spices’.

For me, the quest for the perfect blend (of spice characters) is about getting the right mix of notes while still maintaining individual flavour integrity. It really is a personal bug-bear of mine, the willy-nilly toasting, roasting and frying of spice. eat.live.escape

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Seafood Grazing Board pg 27

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A Seafood Feast Nothing says seaside more than a plate of delicious local and fresh seafood.

These mouthwatering recipes will have you craving your next holiday by the sea.

RECIPES and PHOTOGRAPHY Caroline de Luca

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Cacciucco (Italian Fish Stew) Cacciucco is a delicious Italian fish stew consisting of several different types of seafood. Originating from the Tuscan region, Cacciucco is a traditional fisherman's stew. This dish is richly flavoured and pays tribute to the Mediterranean.

Ingredients

Method

400g fresh vongole/clams, rinsed in water to remove any sand residue 400g fresh mussels, scrubbed, de-bearded & rinsed in water 400g king prawns, shell removed & deveined 400g red mullet fish fillets, cut into medium chunks 1 small onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato paste 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped 1 litre fish stock 150ml red wine 2 tbsp dried fennel seeds 1 tsp chilli flakes Âź cup olive oil Small handful of sage leaves (5-6) Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Note: If your fishmonger hasn’t already done so, clean and prepare your chosen fish and shellfish.

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1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on low heat. Add the garlic, onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes, until soft.

2. Add fennel seeds, chilli flakes, sage leaves and stir. Cook for a further 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a further minute. Add wine and cook off for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

3. Add the tinned tomatoes, fish stock, parsley and stir well, making sure all ingredients are combined. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 40 minutes to allow the flavours to combine.

4. After 40 minutes of cooking, start to add the seafood.

Begin with the mullet, as it will take longer to cook. Add the prawns, vongole & mussels. Cook for further 5 minutes.

5. Divide between bowls and serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

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Scallops with Truffle Butter A glass of prosecco accompanied by these delightful seared scallops with truffle butter is one of the best ways to begin a seafood feast.

Ingredients 12 fresh scallops in their shells Salt & pepper to season 20g truffle paste 150g softened butter 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp salt Method 1. Combine the butter, truffle paste, salt and lemon in a small bowl, making sure all ingredients are mixed well.

2. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. To cook scallops, heat a saucepan on high heat. Add a tablespoon of the truffle butter and in batches add the scallops. Cook for 30 seconds on each side, using a spoon to pour some of the truffle butter over the top.

3. Serve scallops back in their shells and drizzle remaining butter over each of the scallops. ele Tip: You can freeze Truffle butter.

Place the butter on to parchment paper and roll tightly into a log. Refrigerate for 1 hour prior to freezing.

Not all butter is created equal. We love using Pepe Saya’s rich cultured butter in this recipe. pepesaya.com.au @pepesaya

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Seafood Grazing Board (serves 6-8)

A beautiful celebration of grilled seafood accompanied with three simple & delicious sauces.

The perfect way to entertain.

Ingredients 300g mussels, scrubbed, de-bearded, rinsed in water to remove any sand residue 300g baby octopus, cleaned & cut in half 300g king prawns, shells removed & deveined 300g vongole/clams, rinsed in water to remove any sand residue 300g calamari rings 12 fresh scallops 1 cup olive oil plus extra to cook in between seafood batches Salt & pepper to season

Method 1. Prepare the baby octopus first. Add ½ cup olive oil, salt, pepper and octopus into a bowl. Mix well and place into fridge for 3-4 hours to allow to marinate. Coat all of the seafood evenly with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a grilled pan to high heat. Begin to cook the larger seafood as it will take the longest. Add a little more oil to the seafood in between cooking to prevent drying out.

3. Mussels - Cook for 5-6 minutes or until they open. Discard any closed mussels & set aside in a tray. Cover to keep warm & repeat for the remaining seafood.

4. Vongole/Clams - Cook for 5-6 minutes or until they open.

Discard any closed vongole/clams.

5. Calamari – Cook for 1-2 minutes or until opaque.Tiger prawns – Cook for 2-3 minutes per side.

6. Baby octopus – Grill for 3-5 minutes per side.

7. Scallops – Cook scallops for 1-2 minutes per side.

8. Serve seafood onto a large platter/board, alongside sauces.

Romesco Sauce Ingredients

400g roasted red peppers 1/2 cup sliced almonds 2 garlic cloves 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil Salt & pepper to season Method 1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

2. Season with salt, pepper and serve alongside grilled seafood.

Herb & Chilli Oil

Ingredients 1 bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped 2 bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced 1/2 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 1 tbsp lemon juice Salt & pepper to season Method 1. Place all ingredients into a medium jar, place the lid on and shake to combine. Set aside for one hour for the flavours to infuse.

2. Drizzle over grilled seafood.

Lemon Aioli Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp lemon rind Salt & pepper to taste

Method 1.

2.

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Serve alongside grilled seafood.

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One Guy’s Californian Dream As ‘Bondi’ threatens to become a 2020 brand name, one of the spot’s foodie icons has left its hipster shores to serve up his best dishes on the USA’s West Coast. ele catches up with Guy Turland.

WORDS Luke Dodemaide IMAGES Bianca Ceah & Supplied

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uy Turland has uprooted – for the third time. Bondi Harvest began, predictably enough, in Bondi, Sydney. Then he took his show to Los Angeles, opening up in Santa Monica. Now, he has shifted again, pivoting to a nearby Californian town you’ve probably never heard of.

And yes, Culver City sounds more like a rustbelt destination than a sun-kissed oasis, but don’t judge a book by its title, says the Bondi-born chef and entrepreneur.

Turland should know, too. Australian

food enthusiasts would recognise Turland from his pair of bestselling cookbooks, Bondi Harvest and Balance. To boot, he has a popular YouTube channel, a burgeoning Instagram feed. To put it simply, Turland is a busy man. ‘The Bondi Harvest series is currently screening on HULU, which is really exciting for us,’ Turland says. ‘We have plans for a second series but right now my focus is on building epic cafes.’

Turland labelling himself as ‘focused’ on that goal is somewhat of an understatement.

Finding time to schedule this interview faced a weeks-long delay due to an ungodly run of back-to-back shifts at his Culver City eatery. He still has The Depot in Sydney, which he has left in very capable hands.

‘My family still owns and runs The Depot cafe in Bondi that I started over a decade ago now. To me, that really feels like the OG Bondi Harvest.”’

Twelve thousand kilometres from there, you’ll find Guy Turland. California’s Culver City is a short drive from Hollywood, and ten minutes from Santa Monica, where he originally set up.

‘Culver City felt like a great way to grow what we built in Santa Monica. Similarly, it’s in an area with predominantly homes and offices, so a lot of people spend a lot of time there, but with very few great options for a good feed.’

It is an area that he has identified as symbiotic with his beach-side Sydney tastes, and can cater to the variety of cafe-goers that stop by his spot.

‘There’s a real synergy between the Aussie

and Californian beach lifestyle. I think both places have a similar philosophy that is quite open-minded when it comes to trying new foods, especially when it's fresh, seasonal and healthy’.

GETTING FARE DINKUM Turland’s approach is well-rounded and echoes what we have seen in his past endeavours. ‘With every menu I create, I try to offer something for everyone to enjoy,’ he says.

‘In theory, I’d love to have the mum, dad, the picky kids, your vegan friend and that uncle with a gluten intolerance to all sit at the same table and still go home happy.’ To most of us, that sounds like an impossible dream, but Turland has a few tricks up his sleeve.

‘The Bowl Formerly Known As’ is a popular off-the-menu selection at Bondi Harvest, and has garnered somewhat of a cult status in Culver City for its enigmatic title. ‘It is one of our top selling items,’ Turland says.

‘With cauliflower rice, beetroot hummus, house-made fermented vegetables, lemon kale, house-made falafel and fried egg. It’s about as colourful as it is healthy, while still packing a serious flavour punch.’

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If you’re looking for something a little hearty, the Breakfast Burrito is a go-to. ‘It’s quite a massive meal with chorizo – or soyrizo if you want to pass on the meat – avocado, beans, brown rice and house fermented hot sauce’.

Pancakes, a particularly popular breakfast item in the US, are also on the menu, and with Turland’s focus on freshness, they come with a twist. ‘They change depending on what is in season,’ Turland says. ‘Right now we have gluten free, summer squash pancakes with mixed berries, chocolate avocado mousse, pavlova crumble and maple syrup.’

As time goes on, Furland is anticipating he will incorporate even more of Australia into his dishes. ‘I predict that native Australian spices and ingredients will really start finding their way as a staple on Californian menus,’ he says. ‘Keep your eyes open for ingredients such as finger limes, lemon myrtle and Kakadoo plum.’

THE SHOW MUST GO ON Turland has featured on both MasterChef and My Kitchen Rules in Australia, and was complimentary of the departing George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan, whose exits were flagged as controversial Down Under.

While most ‘pure’ foodies in Australia turn their nose at reality shows, Turland recognises the profound influence and contribution to cooking culture that they have had on everyday Australians. ‘It’s hard to deny how influential that Australian food series have been in mainstreaming and educating the Aussie public on food,’ he says.

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‘Culver City is such a cool and different city filled with people from all walks of life.

I feel Surry Hills is the closest place I can compare it to’ ‘I think it has inspired a new generation of home chefs to try new dishes and put a lot of love and care into the food they create. I think there is something really cool about cooking being seen as ‘cool’ now as opposed to feeling like a bit of a chore.’

Turland, however, doesn’t have immediate plans to race from his Culver City spot to the nearest Los Angeles set for a Curtis Stone-like breakout. Instead, he plans to do things at his own pace,. however exhausting that may be. ‘Bondi Harvest is all about building community,’ Turland says. ‘We love good coffee, good tucker, chilled vibes and a friendly Aussie accent.’

So for now, he’s right at home.

Bondi Harvest Culver City 8820 Washington Blvd #101, Culver City, CA, United States bondiharvest.com @bondiharvest

Did you know?

Culver City has a long moviemaking history.

It was home to MGM studios from 1924 to 1986 (now Sony Picture Studios). Iconic films such as The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Grease, Raging Bull and E.T were all filmed at studios in Culver City.

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Quick Bite Seared Asparagus, Buffalo Mozzarella, & Chilli SPAGHETTI Ingredients (serves 2) 1 bunch of asparagus spears, washed and woody ends removed 200 grams of spaghetti 1 large buffalo mozarella* cut in half 2 teaspoons of dried chilli flakes 1/4 cup of olive oil Zest of 1 small lemon Juice of 1 small lemon Sea salt and cracked pepper Method Cook spaghetti in salted, boiling water until al dente. In the meantime, add half the olive oil to a pan and sear asparagus spears on medium to high heat until they are slightly golden and cooked through.

Toss through 1 teaspoon of chilli and lemon zest and set aside.

Once spaghetti is cooked, drain and toss through remaining olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Divide spaghetti between two bowls and top with seared asparagus and buffalo mozarella.

Sprinkle remaining chilli on top and serve.

Enjoy! *ele Tip -If you can’t get a hold of buffalo mozarella, burrata, bocconcini or even goat’s curd will work well with this dish.

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Food Worth Travelling For From London to New York, this is food we would happily traverse the globe for.

The Sea, The Sea - London eat.live.escape

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The Sea The Sea - Chelsea, London This seafood and champagne bar is a must-visit for expertly prepared fresh seafood in a simple and beautiful setting in London’s South West. theseathesea.net @theseathesea

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Caprese Salad, Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone 38

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Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone, Milan Italy.

The exquisite courtyard, the perfect location and the classic Risotto alla Milanese, make this our first stop on every trip to Milan. Since 1957 this restaurant has been serving up authentic Italian classics with the polish of old-world Milan. ilsalumiodimontenapoleone.com @ilsaumaiodimontenapoleone1957

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Lukes Lobster - New York.

We love the lobster rolls at Luke’s almost as much as the story of this New England Seafood company taking on the world. We make a beeline for this place the minute we step off the plane at JFK. lukeslobster.com @lukeslobster

Isabel, Sydney Hand foraged local ingredients, a fusion of Japanese and Australian ingredients and a drinks list that rivals the best bars in the world. isabelbondi.com @isabelbondi

Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Sydney With coastal views to rival the world’s best, iconic Icebergs serves up endless miles of sea accompanied by some of the best burgers in town. idrb.com @icebergsdiningroomandbar

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Street Food At Home With international travel still largely off the cards we have recreated iconic street food dishes you can make at home.

STYLING & IMAGES Jo O’Keefe RECIPES Jo O’Keefe & Kirsty Marwood

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hanks to Covid-19 we have found ourselves forced to stay home asking ourselves, ‘how are we going to survive?’ Some of us went into panic mode, bulk buying all things toilet paper. But not me. I quickly made sure my pantry was well stocked with staples just so I could cook and eat at home to my heart's content.

International and local travel is still limited, luckily though all is not lost, we can recreate memories of past trips and create some easy fun street food dishes anytime in our own homes, using little more than pantry staples.

These are by no means 100% authentic recipes but they might just conjure up some of the flavours and feelings of standing on a street in a foreign country with all of those new street smells wafting all about. Savour that first exciting bite, a bite that we sometimes never want to forget. This is coming from someone who indulged in the morning breakfast ritual of a Beijing Pancake eaten in the street almost every day for a 16-day trip.

These recipes like most street foods are made from inexpensive ingredients and they don’t take long to make. I hope you enjoy creating them in your home kitchen while you dream of your next overseas adventure.

Okaniyami This makes a one-person feast or a perfect addition for your shared plate dinner table.

A taste to relive the bustling streets of Osaka Japan as the wafer-thin bonito flakes dance across your hot pancake.

Ingredients 1/2 cup of plain flour 1 tbsp Dashi granules 1 cup water 1 egg 1 cup spring onions, thinly sliced 2 cups Chinese cabbage, finely sliced 1/4 cup Japanese kewpie mayonnaise and same of Tonkatsu sauce or BBQ sauce to serve.

Top with thin sliced nori or bonito flakes (optional extras) Sesame seeds (to serve)

1. Combine the flour and dashi granules in a bowl.

2. Add in the egg and the water, whisking until lump free. Stir through the sliced cabbage and spring onions.

3. Heat a non-stick frypan over medium heat with a tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil to prevent sticking.

4. Pour in your batter and use a spatula to make a dinner plate sized circle, cooking for 5 minutes before turning over and cooking for another 5 minutes on the other side.

5. Slide on to your serving plate, drizzle with mayonnaise making lines across the top of your pancake.

6. Repeat with your tonkatsu then sprinkle over bonito or nori (or both) and sesame seeds if you like.

Don’t worry if you can’t get Tonkatsu, you can use any BBQ sauce in your fridge. Improvising is part of the fun in the kitchen.

Okonomi means ‘as you like it’ and Yaki ‘grilled’ so, substitute ‘as you like it’ ingredients adding in prawns or crispy bacon, some left-over sliced pork or cooked chicken or whatever you have on hand.

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CRISPY CHICKEN TACOS with fresh pineapple and lime salsa pg 48

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Mushroom Burger with Herb Butter & Chipotle Mayo pg 48 eat.live.escape

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Irish Inspired Potato Pizza 1 ball of fast rise pizza dough (see recipe below) 5 - 6 small chat potatoes boiled and cooled and sliced thinly 1 ball of buffalo mozzarella or ordinary mozzarella, (remember this is about what you might have on hand) 1 brown onion, thinly sliced and caramelised in a tablespoon of butter & a tablespoon brown sugar Fresh rosemary garnish (optional) 1/4 cup Napoli or tomato sugo sauce 1. Heat that oven up as hot as she goes. That’s the ticket to a fast crusty pizza. Roll out your fast pizza dough and pop onto your tray or hot pizza stone.

2. Spread the tomato sauce thinly leaving the edges free.

3. Break or slice up your mozzarella.

4. Arrange your potato slices over the pizza and sprinkle over those sweet caramelised onions.

5. Bake until golden brown approx. 10 minutes and top with fresh rosemary or chopped parsley for garnish.

Fast Pizza Dough (no rise) Makes a 10-12-inch crispy pizza base.

Double this recipe if there are two hungry eaters - eat it simply topped with Napoli sauce and buffalo mozzarella garnished with fresh basil leaves to take you back to Italy, or try my lamb souvlaki version to cover two countries in one bite (Greece and Italy). If you're of Irish heritage how about a thin spread of Napoli sauce, buffalo mozzarella covered with thin sliced cooked potato rosemary and caramelised onions. Really top it with whatever you please, the joy with this dough is that there's no waiting around. Just knead, roll, top and bake and you’ve got a tasty street style pizza in a flash.

Probably quicker than you can call the delivery man.

1/2 cup lukewarm water 1/2 tsp dried yeast 1/2 tsp honey 11/2 cups plain flour or bakers' flour 1/2 tsp salt 1. Mix your water, yeast and honey and leave to sit for 10 minutes.

2. After 10 minutes mix in your salt and flour. If you need more water add it a trickle at a time, or alternatively add a sprinkle more flour as you go. The aim is to get a silky dough.

3. Knead it for a few minutes and let it sit for 5 minutes or longer. If you're in a hurry, that's cool, but if you have time let it sit for an hour to develop a stronger flavour. but honestly, it's a super great versatile dough either way. eat.live.escape

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Crispy Chicken Tacos with Fresh Pineapple and Lime Salsa

Mushroom Burger with Herb Butter & Chipotle Mayo

These tacos combine crunchy pan-fried chicken pieces with creamy avocado, fresh pineapple, a hint of chilli and the tang of lime to send your tastebuds in to their own little Mexican mouth fiesta.

This is Melbourne city street food, similar to burgers from food trucks and farmers markets. If you have a BBQ handy go ahead and grill your mushroom with the lid closed, otherwise pan fry with a cover to cook it through.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Ingredients (makes 2 Burgers)

4 soft tortillas 4 chicken thigh fillets chopped into cubes 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 2 fresh limes 1 avocado halved and sliced 2 cups fresh pineapple chopped Fresh coriander and fresh sliced chilli if you like some heat 1 tbsp corn flour 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder Roquette or iceberg lettuce 1/2 cup sour cream, yoghurt or mayonnaise 1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce

2 field mushrooms around the size of your burger bun, stems removed 2 brioche or burger buns or Turkish bread rolls 1 salad onion or red onion thinly sliced 1/4 cup softened butter 1 tsp fresh chopped Italian parsley 1 tsp fresh chopped dill 1 tsp chipotles in adobo 1/4 cup mayonnaise Fresh shaved parmesan cheese Roquette leaves and thin sliced cabbage Salt and pepper

1. Mix the paprika, onion and garlic powders in to the cornflour and roll the chicken pieces in to this dry mix.

2. Mix the sour cream and chipotle together. Halve, deseed and slice the avocado.

3. Mix chopped fresh pineapple with some fresh chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime juice. Fresh chopped mint is also a delicious optional extra, if you have some.

4. Panfry chicken pieces until golden, crispy and cooked through.

5. Heat tortillas one side only in a dry frypan until slightly golden, fold in half and keep warm.

6. Open out the tortillas browned side down and place some roquette or lettuce and chicken pieces evenly with sliced avocado a spoon full of pineapple salsa and drizzle with the chipotle sour cream/mayo and a squeeze of lime.

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1. Mix your softened butter with the parsley and the dill.

2. Mix the mayonnaise and chipotle together.

3. Place half of your herbed butter in each mushroom.

4. Salt and pepper sprinkled over.

5. Grill on your pre heated bbq with the lid down or pan fry with a cover or lid to cook through approx 5 minutes on medium heat meanwhile lightly toast your roll of choice and put some roquette and thin slices of cabbage on the bottom half.

6. Place the mushroom on top of your greens, some thin slices of salad onion or red onion and shaved parmesan. Pop your toasty roll lid on and prepare for some buttery juice action.

7. This is a mushroom lovers herby flavoured heaven.

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Lamb Souvlaki Pizza Topped with Tzatziki Yoghurt Ingredients 1 ball of fast rise pizza dough (see page) 2 lamb leg steaks cut into cubes trimmed of fat mixed with 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 clove garlic crushed ( or use leftover cold roast lamb) 1/2 cup tomato sugo / Napoli sauce (store brought is perfect) 1/2 eggplant grilled in slices (optional, I do mine in the sandwich press, easy peasy) Handful of Greek Kalamata olives 3/4 Mozzarella cheese grated Tzatziki Squeeze of Lemon juice 1/2 clove garlic chopped finely 1 cup natural yoghurt Salt and pepper Grated small Lebanese cucumber Mix all this together in small bowl and set aside until your pizza is cooked.

1. Roll out your dough as thin as you like and pop onto your pizza tray or flat baking tray or a hot pizza stone. Spread over your Napoli sauce using the back of the spoon to spread it evenly leaving an edge. Sprinkle over the grated mozzarella, place on the lamb pieces & eggplant slices then scatter over your olives.

2. Into your hot, hot oven it goes and don’t wander too far away, this one will be ready in approximately 10 minutes so pour yourself a drink. If underneath needs bit more browning slide your pizza onto the oven rack directly and crisp up the bottom for another approx. 2 minutes. Out of the oven on to cutting board piping hot sprinkle with fresh rosemary (optional) and drizzle with the tzatziki or natural yoghurt.

3. If you love greens put some fresh baby spinach on top and squeeze some more lemon juice over for added zing. I like to grate some fresh parmesan on top.

Ramen Bowls For Two This is so ridiculously tasty and easy. It is a vegetarian ramen but if you don’t like the fried tofu skip that and add in leftover chicken, pork or prawns. Vegan? no drama omit the fish sauce & eggs and add a bit extra salt to taste. Again, with this recipe add in and take away what your heart desires to make it your own. For me the kick of chilli and the flavour takes me straight back to a tiny ramen bar in San Francisco city that I may have visited on repeat.

Ingredients 1 packet buckwheat ramen noodles 3 cups water 2 tbsp tamari sauce 1/2 clove garlic crushed 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder 1 tsp finely chopped ginger 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 handful of dried shiitake mushrooms 1 tsp fish sauce Chopped spring onions 1/2 block of firm tofu cubed 1 tbsp cornflour 2 boiled eggs Fresh sliced chilli if you love it 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 bok choy washed and halved Carrot cut into thin strips Spring onions and chopped coriander optional Boil your eggs for 6-7 minutes & pop them in ice water/peel and set aside 1. Boil your Ramen noodles and run over with cold water in a colander.

2. Dust cubes of tofu in corn flour and fry in 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil ,set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat add in all of your both ingredients water, vegetable stock powder, tamari, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, sweet chilli, and dried mushrooms cook until piping hot and just bubbling.

3. Add in 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil at the last minute.

Between two serving bowls add the noodles, add your thin sliced carrots and bok choy halves pour over the hot broth and top with fried tofu cubes, halved boiled eggs, fresh chilli and herbs.

4. Start slurping!

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The Sweetest Treats Emma Duckworth shares with us two delicious recipes to satisfy the sweetest tooths.

RECIPES and IMAGES Emma Duckworth

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Milk Chocolate Chunk Blondie Bars Ingredients (serves 16)

Method

For the blondies: 225g plain flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 200g brown sugar 110g unsalted butter, melted 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs, beaten 200g milk chocolate, chopped roughly For the ganache: 150g dark chocolate, chopped 120ml double cream 20g butter 1 tsp sea salt flakes

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. Line an 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. (Tip: leave an overhang on the sides so that it is easy to lift the Blondies out afterwards).

3. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla together until combined. Add the eggs and whisk in.

5. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and stir together. Fold in the milk chocolate chunks. The batter will be super thick. Spread evenly into prepared baking pan using a rubber spatula dipped in water.

6. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for ten minutes. Using the paper, lift the square of blondie out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

7. Once the blondies are cooled, prep the chocolate ganache. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate, cream and butter and heat gently until the chocolate is melted, and ganache is smooth. Pour over blondies and allow ganache to come to room temp (it will thicken and set).

8. Sprinkle sea salt flakes over the ganache and cut blondie into 16 squares.

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Grapefruit Curd Tart Ingredients (serves 10)

Method

For the biscuit base: 200g digestive biscuits 100g butter, melted For the grapefruit curd: 6 egg yolks 240g caster sugar 120ml grapefruit juice Zest of 1 grapefruit 2 tsp cornflour ¼ tsp salt 80g butter, cubed For the whipped coconut cream: 1 can coconut cream 100g icing sugar, sifted 1 tsp vanilla bean extract To decorate: (optional) 1 tbsp coconut flakes 1 tsp grapefruit zest 2 grapefruit slices cut into quarters

1. Lightly grease a 24cm deep, loose bottom round tart tin.

Process biscuits andbutter in a food processor until fine breadcrumbs. Place into the bottom of the tin and press into the base and sides of the prepared tin. The crumb has to be compacted firmly. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

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2. Combine egg yolks, caster sugar, grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, corn flour and salt in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the pan does not touch the water. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens or the back of a spoon is coated, this takes about 10 minutes but can also take up to 20 minutes.

3. Remove the bowl off the simmering pan and add the butter whisking until fully melted and combined.

4. Strain through a sieve into a bowl and set aside to cool completely. Once cool,pour the curd into the base of the tart and re-refrigerate for 2 hours or preferably overnight.

5. Prior to serving, spoon the coconut cream from the can into a bowl (discard the remaining coconut water).

Add the icing sugar and vanilla bean extract and whisk with electric beaters until fluffy. Spoon onto the set curd and decorate with grapefruit slices, coconut flakes and grapefruit zest. Slice and serve immediately.

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Did you know?

Grapefruit is an accidental hybrid - a cross between sweet orange and pomelo.

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A Rainbow of Goodness

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Bring on the no-guilt sweets! Nourishing vegan cakes, tarts and dishes that taste as good as they look have arrived, thanks to insta-famous blogger and cookbook author Anthea Cheng.

WORDS Katy Holliday

V

egan food has taken the world by storm, and so has Anthea Cheng — the brains behind successful plantbased recipe blog, Rainbow Nourishments.

From bakery to blog to cookbook, the self-taught chef and entrepreneur from Canberra is sharing her talents as she weaves magic in the kitchen creating colourful and mouth-watering food while spreading vegan awareness.

We spoke to Anthea about her journey from the kitchens of her family's restaurants to becoming a sought-after vegan cake maker and published author.

How did veganism become a part of your life?

It took a long time to fully transition into a vegan lifestyle! When I was 14, I adopted a plant-based diet for environmental and health reasons. I was still living at home though and wasn’t able to cook for myself.

I wasn’t eating enough of the right foods so I had horrible side effects and returned to a conventional diet.

Ten years later, I adopted a lifestyle where I was doing everything I could to reduce my impact on the environment. I walked almost everywhere, bought second hand clothes, avoided plastic. I went vegan and never looked back.

Where did your passion for making vegan food come from?

My whole life, my parents owned restaurants so I’ve always loved being creative in the kitchen. My interest in making food increased when I went vegan because I couldn’t find vegan versions of my favourite foods in the shops, restaurants or cafes. Veganism shouldn’t be restrictive — just because you have certain ethics doesn’t mean you should refrain from having delicious and wholesome food!

Tell us a bit about your journey into becoming a vegan chef and accruing an instagram cult following?

I’ve always loved blogging about food and I created Rainbow Nourishments,

which was an Instagram account and food blog sharing wholesome vegan food. But starting a cake business and becoming a ‘chef ’ was actually an accident.

I offered to make a vegan cake for my friend’s mother’s 60th birthday, and when I posted a picture of the cake in a local Facebook group people went a bit crazy for it. I received lots of requests for cakes from individuals and cafes so I decided to diversify Rainbow Nourishments and create a cake business.

What advice can you share for those who may be looking to become vegan?

I would encourage people to try to find vegan versions of food they are already eating so they don’t feel like they are missing out. Start with one meal, then have plant-based food one day a week, then keep extending it. It won’t hurt to try.

What are the biggest misconceptions about vegan food?

beans and chocolate.

Your book Incredible Plant Based Desserts: Colorful Vegan Cakes, Cookies, Tarts, and other Epic Delights was released late last year and brought smiles to a lot of vegan faces. Is it having an impact on nonvegans too?

Surprisingly, most of my audience is not vegan but love eating wholesome food with plant-based twists! Small steps.

Eventually people will realise that having a vegan lifestyle is better for the world and themselves.

What’s next for Rainbow Nourishments?

My focus is making Rainbow Nourishments a sustainable business. I’ll put more energy into my blog, updating old recipes and retesting all recipes so I know they will work for my readers.

“Vegan food lacks protein” and “vegan food is tasteless and boring”. You’ve got to replace your animal proteins with plantbased proteins such as tofu, chickpeas, beans, lentils and nuts. Animal protein is pretty boring too when you cook it without any seasonings! Just cook vegan food in a similar way to how you cook your favourites and adjust it until you’re happy.

Your food is always so colourful and visually appetising. How important is it to you to bring creativity into the kitchen?

That’s a good question. It’s important for me to be creative in the kitchen so I can inspire other people and allow them to realise vegan food isn’t boring! Everyday food doesn’t have to be “fireworks” and Insta-worthy, it just needs to taste good and be nutritionally balanced.

What are some main ingredients all vegans should have in their kitchen?

I think all vegans should have nutritional yeast, tahini, greens of some sort, rice or quinoa, bread, tofu, lentils, chickpeas,

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Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a deep 20 cm loose bottom tart pan.

To make the crust: Add all the ingredients to the food processor and mix until evenly combined and it forms a dough.

Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll the pastry onto the surface and carefully use a rolling pin to transfer the dough to the tin.

Press the dough against the bottom and sides to form a crust.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes or until the surface is evenly golden brown.

Chocolate layer: Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat. Melt until the mixture is very smooth then pour it into the tart tin. Set the tin in the freezer for 1 hour or until set.

Coconut layer: Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined.

When the chocolate layer is firm enough, add the coconut mixture to the tart. Firmly press the mixture and set aside the tin in the freezer for 1 hour.

Jelly layer: Slice the 1/2 cup of fresh raspberries in half.

VEGAN LAMINGTON Tart This vegan lamington tart is a reinvention of a classic Aussie treat.

It has a coconut oil shortcrust, layer of chocolate ganache, layer of coconut bounty and jelly studded with raspberries!

Crust 1 1/2 cups plain or all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp coconut oil, chilled 2 tbsp organic cane sugar 2 tbsp water, chilled Chocolate Ganache 1 1/2 cups chopped chocolate 2/3 cup canned coconut cream Coconut layer 1 1/4 cups dessicated coconut 1/2 cup rice malt syrup 1/3 cup canned coconut cream

Add the remaining raspberries and water to the blender and blend.

Use a sieve to remove the seeds from the raspberry liquid.

Add the raspberry water, sweetener and agar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Pour the liquid into the tart and quickly arrange the berries on top. Set aside in the fridge for 3 hours or until firm.

For more delicious vegan recipes see Anthea’s book, Incredible Plant Based Desserts rainbownourishments.com @rainbownourishments

Jelly layer 1/2 cup fresh raspberries 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries 1/3 cup water 2 tsp agar powder eat.live.escape

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Gin FLING Cocktail wizz Morten Krag, serves up a delicious Gin Fling.

30 ml Gin 1. Mix directly in the glass with plenty of ice.

15 ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice 2. Top with soda water.

15 ml Basil & Green Pepper 3. Garnish with greens and Syrup flowers of the day 1 Dash Tonic Bitters Soda Water

Follow Morten @thecocktailblog

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Escape 60 Insta-fabulous 66 A Bruny Cruise 71 One Perfect Place: Port Fairy 78 The Otways: Victoria’s Nostalgia Trip 83 Smart Luggage: The Way of the Future

Image: Allysha Cartledge @ally.photog eat.live.escape

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Insta-Fabulous Some amazing images from some of our favourite travel influencers on the ‘gram.

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e first stumbled across Maky and Matt’s Instagram page when we were searching for iconic Australian images. The travel duo have put aside a life of material possessions to chase a life of memories and experiences travelling the world. See more of their beautiful images @makyandmatt

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Subscribe And Win!

Creating epic travel images in exotic locations is all in a day’s work for travel couple Johannes Richter and Vivian Velle. Johannes and Vivian traded in their full-time careers to pursue a life of travel and adventure, creating beautiful content along the way. See more of their work on Instagram @ JoVi_Travel or visit their website at www.jovi-travel.com

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reating epic travel images in exotic locations is all in a day’s work for travel couple Johannes Richter and Vivian Velle. Johannes and Vivian traded in their full-time careers to pursue a life of travel and adventure, creating beautiful content along the way. See more of their work on Instagram @ JoVi_Travel or visit their website at www.jovi-travel.com

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isters, Natalie and Camilla @sistersistertravels serve up a regular dose of travel inspiration, good vibes and a positive, sunshine-y attitude that keeps us clicking back to check what they are up to. sistersistertravels.com

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The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay in Northern California boasts epic coastal views, subtle coastal interiors and an impressive restaurant to boot. ritz-carlton.com

Prospect House Private Hotel, one of Tasmania’s oldest and most elegant country house hotels, is now welcoming guests after new owners, John and Libby Pooley, invested more than $5 million in refurbishing and upgrading the historic property they bought in 2017.

Prospect House now has 12 guest suites, will accommodate up to 24 guests and, with a minimum staff to guest ratio of around 1:2, aims to attract guests looking for a luxurious experience with exceptional hospitality and service in a unique heritage location. Accommodation starts from $350 per night including breakfast. prospecthouseprivatehotel.com.au

A curated pack of travel essentials to pick up and go next time you travel - from face masks to ear plugs and lip gloss, these packs by Cloud Nine Global have everything you need to make your travel experience a little more simple. cloudninegobal.com

We love Aussie pub turned hotel, Hotel Harry, a budget-boutique hotel in Sydney’s vibrant Surrey Hills.

The religious iconography, Mexican beer posters and Latin themes throughout add a little spice and quirkiness to Sydney’s hotel scene. hotelharry.com @hotelharry 64

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travel news We round up the latest travel and hotel news.

How about dangling 300m above the valley floor in the picturesque Victorian High Country feasting on a picnic of local produce on your own private ledge?

Bright Adventure Company runs Australia’s only Cliff Picnics on the stunning Mount Buffalo, a scenic 30 min drive from the tourist mecca town of Bright and perhaps best described as culinary experience with a side of adrenalin. brightadventurecompany.com.au

With hotels and restaurants slowly reopening, Europeans can enjoy the beautiful views from the Peninsula in Paris. peninsula.com

The original COAT hook is a clever portable gadget that allows you to hang up your coat, suit jacket and handbag when you’re travelling for business or leisure. theoriginalcoat.com

Coastal locations don’t come more epic than the beautiful Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera, elegant styling, intuitive services, with views worth every single penny. fourseasons.com

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A Bruny Cruise We take a cruise around Tasmania’s spectacular Bruny Island.

WORDS Amanda Woodard

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Bruny Island is a 362 square kilometre island off the south-eastern coast of Tasmania’s mainland.

Bruny Island is known for its unspoilt environment, abundant wildlife and local artisan food.

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RUNY ISLAND hangs off the southern edge of Tasmania like a gnarly piece of jigsaw.

It is the launching point for one of the most dramatic boat trips you are likely to experience in Australia.

Arriving at Bruny Island on the short car-ferry ride from picturesque Kettering on the mainland, the route takes you across a land bridge connecting north and south Bruny and past pristine white sand beaches – astonishingly – with not a trace of plastic, a sure indication of the island’s remoteness.

Pennicott Wilderness Journeys runs an award-winning cruise around Bruny Island in its distinctive yellow boats designed to carry a maximum of 43 passengers in covered, open-air tiered seating so everyone gets a great view.

Once kitted out in our waterproof hooded coats and given our safety instructions, we were off!

Rounding the corner of Adventure Bay and out into the Tasman Sea, nothing quite prepares you for the sight of Bruny’s rugged eastern flank. These are the tallest sea cliffs in the southern

hemisphere, rising vertically out of a deep blue ocean like nature’s Manhattan.

White-bellied sea eagles soared overhead and we kept our eyes open for one of the world’s largest birds – the albatross that breed on islands off Tasmania.

Deep sea caves scar the cliffs and the boat is expertly manoeuvred inside one to take a closer look.

Another landmark is ‘The Monument’, a towering pinnacle of rock that has sheared away from the cliff and created a narrow passage of water through which the boat steers.

Further into the three-hour round trip, we stop to witness a blow-hole where sporadically a jet of water is released with a great sigh from the ocean, painting rainbows in the air.

The further we travel the more the edge-of-the-world feeling increases.

There is nothing here but vast ocean between you and Antarctica.

So, rounding into another breathtaking bay, it’s reassuring to see a large crowd – only they’re not terribly interested in us.

A harem of fur seals is lounging on a craggy outcrop; I use the collective noun deliberately, as owner Rob Pennicott likes to point out, ‘95 per cent of the seals are male and the other 5 per cent are lucky’.

It’s wonderful to watch these gentle giants close up as they preen and bask in the sun, only a few venturing into the water, perhaps an indication of sharks in the area, according to one of our guides.

The seals mark the end of our outward trip, only on the return leg the ocean swell has increased and the wind is up. Dolphins accompany us on our journey back, leaping rough waves expertly negotiated by the crew; (a good tip is to sit at the back if you’re prone to sea-sickness).

Don’t let that put you off though.

The chance to experience nature at its most majestic and most powerful is unmissable. Pay homage.

Looking south to the horizon, small brunycruises.com.au outcrops of rock are like last staging @pennicottjourneys posts where the turbulent waters of the Southern Ocean meet the Tasman Sea.

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The Kimberley, Western Australia Image Allysha Cartledge @ally.photog

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One Perfec t Place

We explore the south west coast of Victoria and discover the picture perfect town of Port Fairy.

WORDS MJ Cowling IMAGES Jo O’Keefe

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Griffiths Island, Port Fairy Karolina Maxi Dress, Bird & Knoll birdandknoll.com

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Moyne River, Port Fairy Amelie Skirt, Bird & Knoll birdandknoll.com White Cotton Singlet, Bonds bonds.com.au

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‘It’s the kind of place where reading a book, doing a jigsaw or playing a board game feels perfectly natural, a throw back to pre-tech days’

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e all know that there is no such thing as a perfect place, and since perfection has a different meaning for all of us, finding a place close to perfect comes down to personal taste and expectations. But if your idea of perfection includes a quaint town, nestled on one of the most dramatic coastlines in Australia, where you can forget about the pressures of big city life then Port Fairy, a seaside village on Victoria’s south west coast, may just be that place.

Named the world’s most liveable town in 2012, and Wotif ’s Australian Town of the Year in 2019 this coastal village with the fairytale name lives up to its hype.

Driving in to town for the first time, Port Fairy’s full charms might not be immediately apparent, the historic centre hides its true beauty; miles and miles of unspoilt coastline and gleaming blue sea.

Located a 3 hour and 20 minute drive from Melbourne, the beauty of Port Fairy is that it isn’t too close to the city, preventing hoards of summer daytrippers from descending, meaning you can experience its charms without the bumper to bumper traffic that you might find in other seaside towns.

The distance from the city doesn’t mean you forgo any of the big city delights, it has a unique restaurant scene, boutique shopping and events that would not be out of place in towns ten times its size.

From the Moyneyana festival in summer to the famous Folk Festival in March, the annual Jazz Festival and Winter Weekends, Port Fairy has something to keep visitors entertained all throughout the year.

The real beauty of a place like Port Fairy is that it reveals its secrets to you slowly, it isn’t overly glitzy or glamorous but rather its visitors are often families returning year after year or new arrivals who have read about its charms and have

come to check it out for themselves.

It is a place that gets deep under you skin and harks back to the nostalgic seaside holiday memories of your youth, while managing to keep enough of modern life (good coffee, excellent croissants, great seafood) to make you feel like you aren’t missing out on anything.

One of Australia’s oldest ports, it was a bustling whaling station in the 1800s.

Evidence of its historic past can be found everywhere you look, from old stone cottages to historic inns, which have been lovingly preserved.

The pretty town is based on a grid, with Sackville Street and Bank Street the main shopping and dining areass and the place to go for a leisurely wander and a coffee.

Head to East Beach for a beautiful bay, sheltered from the harsh Southern Ocean winds and perfect for kids to swim and surf in the summer months.

Walking around Griffiths Island is a highlight, if you are visiting in summer you can witness native shearwaters nesting after their far-flung adventures to the northern hemisphere. The round trip will take you past the historic lighthouse, which is opened on selected days throughout the holidays.

Watching local surfers brave the waves at The Passage, a right hand rocky point break where the sea meets the river is a highlight - their sheer audaity to defy the wild ocean as they jump from the rocks to ride the waves is a sight to behold.

If you want to explore further, head to The Crags, a short drive west along the coast, or back east through the bustling regional city of Warnambool to see world famous attractions on the Great Ocean Road, inluding the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge.

While you may spot the occasional low-key celeb, you won’t see Porsches, Mercedes and designer bags - this just isn’t that type of place. It is much more laid back, think faded polos, years-old cashmere and simple white sandshoes.

By far and away our favourite time to visit is in the depths of winter when all but the serious traveller has abandoned, when the waves crash wildly on the beach and if you are lucky you might see whales frolicking in the bay.

There is nothing better than enjoying a bracing hour long walk on the beach, rugged up, followed by a glass of red wine and a fish stew made from local seafood while you toast your feet by an open fire.

Its the kind of place where reading a book, doing a jigsaw or playing a board game feels perfectly natural, a throw back to pre-tech days when holidays houses were simple beach shacks, adorned with sandy feet and the salty smell of the sea.

A few days away in Port Fairy will reconnect you with the simple things in life, the beauty and wonder of nature and an appreciation of the wildness of the sea, which is as pretty close to perfect as it gets.

For a gentler pace, wandering along the riverside admiring fishing boats and the pretty houses lining the shore is a relaxing way to spend a peaceful afternoon.

Fisherman are also spoilt for choice with a number of spots to throw in a line to try to catch the evening’s dinner.

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CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Taking a break on the Moyne River; homes perched on the beautiful riverside; Drifthouse Acommodation; Breakfast at Rebecca’s Cafe; sand for miles on East Beach; Bank St and Co; Juno Kids Boutique; checking out the waves at South Beach; a double scoop of delicious ice-cream at Poco.

Model wears Hybernate Pants and Tee hybernate.com

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PORT FAIRY ADDRESS BOOK STAY DRIFT HOUSE For a luxury experience our pick is Drift House.

Each of the 4 rooms is beautifully designed, in a location right in between the town and the river. drifthouse.com.au @drifthouse EAT REBECCA’S A Port Fairy institution serving up delicious food and drinks all day long.

70-72 Sakville Street, Port Fairy BANK ST & CO Great coffee and breakfasts that will linger into brunch. @bankstandco BLAKES A Seafood restaurant you can get dressed up for..

Try the delicious seafood chowder.

57 Bank Street, Port Fairy COFFIN SALLY - Melbourne cool pizza with a surfside twist, The Wilted (spinach, garlic and lemon) is our go-to summer pizza. @coffin.sally LEMONGRASS THAI Trust us, the Yellow Curry Chicken will be one of the highlights of your trip.

55 Bank Street, Port Fairy ‘ THE WHARF Watch the boats come in as you are served up classic Fish and Chips with a view.. 29 Gipps Street, Port Fairy @thewharfatportfairy POCO Ice-cream to rival the very best. Expect long queues in summer and ice-cream that is worth every minute spent in line.

27 Cox Street, Port Fairy SHOP THE PASSAGE A great selection of surf and street wear for the boys and men in your life thepassageportfairy.com @thepassageportfairy LESKES Looking for something a little more special to take away as a souvenir? Leskes has a beautiful range of jewellery that you will treasure forever.

23 Bank Street, Port Fairy @leskesjewellers LUONE Beautiful espoke, Austraian handmade jewellery.

Shop 1, 8 Bank Street, Port Fairy @luonejewellery JUNO For cute kidswer look no further than Juno.

46 Sackville Street., Port Fairy @junoboutique eat.live.escape

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The Otways:

Victoria’s Nostalgia Trip

A sleepy Victorian timber town full of quaint architecture, glorious hiking tracks and jaw-dropping scenery. Cue the Twin Peaks soundtrack and leave the daily grind in the rearview mirror. WORDS Luke Dodemaide

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‘Almost one and a half centuries ago, the first explorers entered the wild and inaccessible Otway Ranges; a region of magnificent scenery; towering eucalypts, glorious tree ferns, deep dark gullies, sparkling streams and a profusion of wild life...’

– Jack Loney, The Otway (1979) IF YOU STILL LISTEN TO THE RADIO, you’ll struggle to get reception by the time you pull into the Otways, 170 kilometres east of Melbourne’s CBD. It is only a brisk two and a half hours if you go outside of peak hour however it transports you far enough away that you can no longer rely on your data or be bothered by calls from the office.

This hinterland is a colonial heirloom from Victoria’s not-too-distant past, with draping coastal shrubbery enveloping the small town of Forrest, which has a population of 230 people.

It is somewhat sleepier now than it would have been after the Second World War –

THE FORREST TODAY

With her own touch applied, Forrest Guesthouse is now one of the more unique bed and breakfasts on Victoria’s south west coast. To begin describing it, it is worth noting first that Guesthouse is literally a transported residence that has travelled as far as some of the guests.

Established in 2009, Forrest Brewery is now the centrepiece of the town and has brought visitors back in droves. A soaring interest in craft beer has also helped to elevate the tourist trade, which is then complemented by the region’s astounding scenery.

In a former life, it was the Colac Bowling Club, which has been lifted, refurbished and carted to the Otways hinterland. It is popular with Dutch tourists, Michelle has found – as Amsterdam-based travel agents have earmarked it as a go-to global destination.

Backdrops like Lake Elizabeth lend themselves to a wealth of physical activities that include camping, hiking and mountain bike riding, as well as platypus tours that have earned worldwide acclaim.

Michelle estimates that half of all visitors are from Melbourne, with the other half split evenly between interstate guests and international travellers. ‘Because the Great Ocean Road is so busy, many are looking for an escape inland,’ she says..

when the region was an economic hub due to the logging industry and the returning servicemen that were flocking in for work.

Still, Forrest has retained its charm, its kitsch appeal and certainly its characters.

In the middle of it all, you’ll find the delightful Forrest Guesthouse, owned by Michelle Davison, who has become somewhat of an amateur historian of the small town.

‘Forrest in the peak of its period had two general stores, a butcher, a baker, and about six other shops,’ she says. ‘It’s really hard to imagine, but when it was a timbering area, it was quite a buzzing little town, but then it declined when timber milling stopped.’

Eight months ago, Michelle was a successful law professional on the verge of being named a partner at the firm. So swept up by the appeal of the Otways that in little more than 48 hours after a planned bike ride and a Google search of ‘Otways real estate’ by her husband Kingsley, she was the proud owner of the guesthouse. ‘I told myself it wasn’t going to be as good as the photos,’ Michelle says. ‘But it was better than the photos!’

Forrest Guesthouse is both a sustainable residence and a remarkable piece of architectural recycling. With its light fixtures and the sash windows, it is a lot of 1940s and 1950s Art Deco. There are also imperfections in the tables, which evokes a sense of history.

The narrow veranda snakes around the building, as one side hugs a garden area that boasts a thriving veggie patch.

Inside the rooms, you’re remarkably well-stocked. Plunger coffee, chocolate croissants and a modern device for frying all lend themselves to a self-sustaining getaway, one which Michelle believes gives her guests more freedom to get up and get going at whatever hour they please.

Most of those, she on a mountain bike.

says,

do

so

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BIKING, HIKING AND PLATYPUS BILLS

RAISING A GLASS

Forrest Bike Tours, which is literally across the road from the guesthouse, offers 16 single-track routes that traverse 61 kilometres through the bushland.

You can’t leave town without first visiting the Forrest Brewery. Staying nearby certainly helps if you are going to attempt to drink the Forrest Brewery paddle, which boasts 10 varieties of beer that are all brewed on-site.

The model of choice is the Giant Fathom 29er, but lessons can also be undertaken on the more accessible FlowmotionMTB.

The setting has almost a lodge-feel to it, with logs doubling as chairs outside and second-hand bikes dangling from the roof.

For those looking to get even closer to nature, albeit without the exercise, they can do so by boat with a curated tour of the region’s famous waterways.

Inside they have the power to brew 600 litres, which is then hand-bottled. Highlights include the German Kolsch, light-bodied with a straw hue; and the Saison de Miel, a French-inspired variety that has hints local honey and orange zest. The ‘big one’ is the Imperial Stout, with robust dark malts that pack a punch and very much on the strong side BV-wise, weighing in at nine per cent alcohol by volume (ABV).

The Paddle with the Platypus tour is the goto for travelling wildlife enthusiasts.

A tour whose adventures have been sprawled across the pages of Australian Geographic and Lonely Planet and made it as far as Japan’s Salad TV. You must book well in advance, and an early morning start is essential to spotting these rare water-bound mammals in their natural habitat.

Over 90 per cent of the time, The Paddle with the Platypus tour gets a glimpse of the star attraction, so you have to be particularly unlucky to leave without your own unforgettable story to tell.

Address Book Forrest Brewing Company forrestbrewing.com.au @forrestbrewery Forrest Guesthouse forrestaccommodation.com.au @forrestguesthouse Forrest Hire Bikes forresthirebikes.com.au Platypi Chocolate platypihocolate.com.au @platypichocolate

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With freshness and seasonal produce at a premium, the hearty warm lentil salad charred apples, asparagus, toasted cashews, vegan fetta, blood orange, roasted beetroot, avocado and lime is a popular option.

Meat eaters can include some grilled chicken or alternatively go for the Barongarook freerange pork ribs, with malt and hop-infused glaze and “purple Otway” potato salad.

If anybody you know has been to the

Otways and has a habit of posting to Instagram, chances are you have come across Stevensons Falls in your feed.

It is the kind of rainforest backdrop that can turn amateur photographers into bonafide nature documentarians – as it is all but impossible to take a bad photo of the cascading waterfalls.

Campers outline the entrance to these falls in the summer, travellers literally pitching their tents beside one of Victoria’s most spectacular locations.

LEAVING A SWEET TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH Platypi Chocolate is fewer than 700 metres from the town’s centre, and offers yet another chance to bask amongst the wildlife and the solitude – this time with a Platypi Hot Chocolate and a small selection of the store’s handmade treats.

The flavours are ever-changing and reliant upon what herbs are growing in their on-site garden and orchard, which is largely dependant upon the season.

Honeycomb echidnas, coconut and almond on gold, and the pink-tinged ruby cocoa bean chocolates were some of the varieties on offer in the midsummer.

With gift packs to go, you can also take a little bit of the Otways home to savour later – or devour on the drive back.

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Smart LUGGAGE: The Way of The Future WORDS and IMAGES Alexandria Garlan

A

s someone who grew up believing that going on holidays meant camping near a dam at Tumut, I didn't own proper carry on luggage until my mid-twenties when I started travelling for work. I bought the most non-descript black carry on I could find at a popular Australian department store and thought that was that. Until I trialled the July carry on and realised what I was missing.

The luggage category has had few innovations since the 1970s, then Athan Didaskalou and Richard Li saw an opportunity to elevate the standard. They spoke with hundreds of regular travellers to figure out what people really wanted in their luggage. July launched their first piece, the carry on in 2018, and by 2019 that same piece of luggage won the Melbourne Design Award.

I was drawn to July for a couple of reasons; their luggage is made right here in Australia, it's designed to be clever, and it should last a lifetime. All big pluses in my book!

I decided to go with the July carry on even though they sell several types of luggage, as I was curious to see what had won them a design award. I ordered online, struggled endlessly to choose what colour combo my monogramming came in, and a couple of days later, my forest green companion arrived at my door.

My first impressions of the case was that it was so light! I have a nice carry on piece already, and this blew it out of the park.

I was also curious about the power bank stored under the handle, would I ever use it, or was it just an expensive gimmick?

To put the July carry on to the test I took it on a couple of different trips, the first one was a work trip to Canberra, the second a work trip to San Francisco.

First,

Canberra.

On

work

trips,

I

want luggage that fits in any overhead compartment and isn’t too difficult to put up there. It needs to hold a couple of days worth of clothes and shoes, plus an embarrassing amount of beauty products.

Fitting everything in was a non-event with July’s carry on. The compression system meant that I could fit all my clothes so easily and still have room left over. I thought I would miss having a front pocket to store my laptop so I could easily pull it out at security, but by putting it in my backpack instead, it was a non-issue.

Arriving at Canberra, I did what any young professional does; I went straight to a bar that my friend owns. Usually, toting luggage around in public is a bit embarrassing; it’s bulky and awkward, and you look a bit dorky. July’s carry on was a different story.

It glided along silently behind me, looking classy and I even snapped a pic of it fitting into the bar’s colour scheme.

and I checked them both to see how July’s polycarbonate shell would deal with the US’s incredibly rough luggage handling. By the time I got to San Francisco, I was three flights down and exhausted. My forest green July carry on was much easier to spot on the baggage carousel than my black fabric case.

Alexandria’s Pick July Carry-On Luggage in Forest Green $360

Now comes the part of the review where I admit that I thought the ejectable battery was a silly idea. Unsurprisingly I found myself just a couple of hours into using my luggage, and it was already saving my butt. There’s nothing quite like getting to an event and realising you have no phone battery left. Sure you can ask the venue if you can plug your phone in behind the bar, but it’s much nicer to pop your battery pack out and quietly charge your phone.

Overall the Canberra trial went very smoothly. The carry on did everything that I wanted and more, and I was even able to chuck in a friend’s forgotten chunky leather bomber jacket to take home to Melbourne with me - without having to sit on my case to zip it up.

So onto the next trial, San Francisco. Here I wanted to compare a regular carry on with the July suitcase, so I took two cases,

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The July carry on had a few scuff marks but overall had survived pretty well, as the reinforced aluminium corners seemed to take the brunt of the force on the carousel.

It was smoother to walk, quieter on almost every surface and more comfortable to get in and out of car boots (more handles).

July has said that they wanted to build a piece of luggage that you wouldn’t need to replace and the carry on fit that bill so well.

When comparing the two cases directly, I found the most significant difference was how elevated the July carry on was.

The slimmer frame of the July luggage even made it easier to walk up six flights of stairs when my hotel elevator was broken.

The carry on is precisely the sort of product I will be buying friends for significant birthdays for years to come, sorry to ruin the surprise everyone.

Everything seemed a touch easier and friction points I didn't even know I had with my regular case were eradicated with the July carry on.

Overall, there are a lot of things to like with the July carry on. It’s stylish, functional, and has everything you need (including water-resistant laundry bag).

july.com @july

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WIN! A Personalised JULY Carry On Suitcase valued at $360

To Enter: 1. Follow @july on Instagram 2. Follow @eat.live.escape on Instagram 3. Visit eatliveescape.com/giveaway and register your entry Giveaway is open to residents of Australia. Entries close 15 November 2020. Winner will be announced on 21 November 2020 via @eat.live.escape Instagram. eat.live.escape

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lifestyle fashion 88 beauty 107 wellness 112 home 115

FLANNEL CROSS MY HEART JUMPSUIT $620 flannel.com.au @flannel_au ARMS OF EVE ST LUCIA BAROQUE PEARL NECKLACE $95.00 armsofeve.com @armsofeve eat.live.escape

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DRESS GINGER & SMART $599 gingerandsmart.com @gingerandsmart BOOTS ZOMP WEBLY $275 zomp.com @zompshoez

Trans-Seasonal Perfection

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Perfectly In-Between Make trans-seasonal dressing a breeze with elevated pieces that can be worn all year around.

PHOTOGRAPHY Sarah Fountain STYLING Shannon Meddings

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Dress ELLIATT OPHELIA SHIRT DRESS $229.95 elliatt.com @elliatt IXIAH STATE OF MIND CHOKER $$89.95 @ixiah_thelabel

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JUMPSUIT ONE FELL SWOOP $649 onefellswoop.net @onefellswoopofficial

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SHONA JOY LA LUNE BIAS MIDI GOLD DRESS $280.00 shonajoy.com.au @shonajoy_

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SHIRT ALLORA $349 allora.com.au alloracollection.com.au BOOTS ZOMP PORTER $200 zomp.com @zompshoez BUM BAG IXIAH SHADES OF COOL $69.95 @ixiah_thelabel PHOTOGRAPHER Sarah Fountain STYLIST Shannon Meddings HAIR & MAKEUP Lorella Gianni MODEL Bee Masden at IMG Models

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Emily Wright is Nancybird WORDS Danielle Norton

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mily Wright spent her childhood on Mt Dandenong, surrounded by trees. Eighteen years after starting Nancybird, an ethical handbag, homewares, apparel and fashion brand, her designs still reflect her love of nature.

Emily launched the Nancybird brand while completing her fine arts degree at RMIT. “I wanted to bypass the fine art world of galleries and exhibiting and make something that was in everyday life,” she says. ‘I looked at the art world and I didn’t feel like it was a fit for me. I wanted to see art in a different way.

I wanted to see my stuff being worn and used.’

Inspired by the the labels that she was seeing around town, Emily started making screen printed purses and selling at small markets.

Then the orders started pouring in. These days she employs up to seven staff ( including designers, photographers and office staff) and works with six different suppliers across India and China.

She has a loyal client base who leap on her ranges the minute they drop. Nancybird bags, purses, homewares and apparel utilise unique soft leathers and other original design features but, undoubtedly, part of the appeal is Nancybird’s commitment to the fair working conditions for all who work on its products; both in Australia and overseas. ‘I visit all the factories once a year to really just check in with everybody,’ says Emily.

‘I try to work with people for a really long time. Our leather goods makers in the southern part of China have been around since the 80s. We’ve been working with them for over twelve years.’ Almost all of her suppliers are family-run businesses, some of them with as few as a dozen staff. Emily resists the pressure of the market to produce goods at low prices. ‘I need to be able to feel like I’m doing it the right way. I’m not part of the problem. I’m actually doing something slightly more positive.’

It is this fascination with people and the creation of beautiful items that keeps Emily motivated and inspired. Producing two ranges every year is demanding, but her personal connections to the makers are important to her. Emily loves to visit her suppliers, stopping in at their homes in a tiny village in India to watch them weave on hand looms in their living rooms.

Back in her own home, Emily has created a quiet place to retreat to from the demands of running her company and travelling the world. ‘I see my work world and my home world as quite separate,’ she says. She has a daughter, aged five, and says that having Neive has helped her to achieve that ever elusive work/life balance.

‘I care so much more about her that it puts the business into perspective. It’s not my everything anymore. It’s probably where it should be in that it’s part of my life, it’s not my entire life.’

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Her daily routine is to spend time with Neive before work, while her partner, Rob, leaves the house early. Emily drops her daughter at childcare, then arrives at work at 9am to respond to emails that have come in from India overnight.

The balance of her work day is driven by the design cycle.

If it’s a design period she’s working with her team, developing frameworks and a range plan and deciding on colour palettes and themes for the coming seasons. If it’s photoshoot time, she’s engaged in planning and styling the shoots. Regardless of the season, team management is a constant. Prioritising family time, Emily finishes her work day at 5.30pm.

The Nancybird team recently had the chance to meet some of their customers at the Big Design Market, which left them all on a high. ‘We don’t have a store so we usually don’t get a lot of face to face feedback,’ Emily says. ‘But hearing everybody’s little stories was awesome!’ Emily is now considering opening a small store so she can have somewhere for people to try on the whole clothing collection. Considering that her original desire was to see her art being worn and used, it appears that Emily Wright can tick that off her ‘to-do’ list.

www.nancybird.com @nancybirddesign

profile

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ALL THINGS GOLDEN THE LUSH KIMONO DRESS $189.00 allthingsgolden.com.au @all.things.golden ARMS OF EVE - ST LUCIA BAROQUE PEARL NECKLACE $95.00 armsofeve.com @armsofeve

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Coastal Inspired Fashion

To The Sea Easy pieces in neutral shadse inspired by the coast.

PHOTOGRAPHY Sarah Fountain STYLING Shannon Meddings

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SUBOO SWIM KAIA BAMBOO RING BACKLESS TOP $120 SUBOO SWIM KAIA BAMBOO RING BACKLESS TOP $100 suboo.com.au @suboostyle ELKA COLLECTIVE DAKOTA TRENCH $399 elkacollective.com @elka_collective

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DRESS WE ARE KINDRED LYDIA WRAP $949.00 wearekindred.com.au @wearekindred

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What To Wear AMALFI COAST

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BLOUSE MINK PINK KARLA $79.95 MINK PINK ALLURE WIDE LEG PANT $119.95 minkpinkworld.com @official_minkpink BELT VALÉRE ROCOCO SHELL $350.00 valere. com.au @valerejewellery

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IXIAH ETERNAL MAXI DRESS $549.95 @ixiah_thelabel PHOTOGRAPHER Sarah Fountain STYLIST Shannon Meddings HAIR & MAKEUP Lorella Gianni MODEL Frankie Wall at IMG Management

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Read the feature on Port Fairy Page 71

What To Wear SOUTH WEST COAST CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Tommy Hilfilger Waterproof Trench $280 tommyhilfiger. com Agent Provocateur Aimeline Bikini Top and Bikini Bottom agentprovocatuer.com Personalised AirPods Case Maison de Sabre $79 maisondesabre.com Bohemian Traders Check Maxi Dress $179 bohemiantraders.com Sarah Silverton Silk Wool Wrap Scarf $395 sarahsilverton.com Three Graces One Piece Swimsuit threegraces.co.uk Jac Cadeaux Canvas Stripe Tote Bag $140 jaccadeaux.com Levi’s Denim Jeans levis.com Jac Cadeaux Linen Stripe Dress $150 jaccadeaux.com Oroton Sunglasses oroton.com.au SABA Knit $129 saba.com SABA Top $119 saba.com

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What To Wear NOOSA

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Kalita Silk Maxi Dress kalita.co.uk Cleonie Sea Kini Bandeau Top $99 and High Brief $99 cleonie.com Three Graces Ofelia Dress threegraceslondon. com Bonds Bra Top bonds.com.au Sarah Silverton Bronte Surf Purse $35 sarahsilverton.com Smith and Herrera Madeleine Silk Dress $249 smithandherrera.com Cleonie Breeze Kini $99 and View High Cheeky Brief $88 cleonie.com Tesalate Sand Free Beach Towel Mojito Time $79 tesalate.com Three Graces Dress threegraceslondon.com Three Graces Lucia Dress Cornflower Yellow threegraceslondon.com Three Graces Shorts Robin Shorts in Abstract Ikat threegraceslondon.com Charlotte Tilbury Portobello Girl Lip Lustre $35 charlottetilbury.com Oroton Gold Earrings oroton.com

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interview Was there a pivotal moment that turned Bird & Knoll from an idea into reality?

If they do, they will learn so much. Don’t think that you can do it all but definitely be open to learning and to delegating.

It started to become a reality once I had floated the idea past Macayla and she loved it. We gave each other the energy and momentum to get things going – and when we got first prototypes back, it really excited us. We continue to energise each other every day with ideas and feedback.

It is not easy but you should surround yourself with people that know more than you and are good at what they do.

What are the challenges in maintaining a successful fashion label in 2020?

M

acayla Chapman and Natalie Knoll launched their eponymous brand, Bird & Knoll, in 2014 with a signature line of luxury scarves using the softest cashmere, silks and cottons as the canvas for their artistic narratives of global destinations. We chat to Natalie to find out more about the Bird & Knoll journey.

Tell us about the behind Bird and Knoll.

inspiration

Bird and Knoll is really the meeting of a fashion mind and a creative eye. I (Nat) worked as a professional photographer for over ten years and Macayla (Bird) is an ex-fashion editor. I came up with the idea on my travels with the family, thinking of how to merge my passion for photography and travel with my love of fashion - the idea of translating my photographic travel narratives onto the ‘canvas’ of a luxury scarf was the genesis and the person I wanted to do this with was obvious from the start, my friend and fashion aesthete Macayla. Our trans-Tasman collaboration focussed on combining tactile, quality textiles and finishes with distinct photographic images to create a beautiful brand of luxe accessories.

A few years ago we extended that vision for effortless luxury into resort wear. We have set out to create collections designed with pieces that simplify our customers life with their versatility, quality and creative impact. This ethos gives our garments the energy to empower our customers to walk taller and bolder and feel forever feminine!

There are a number of obstacles and challenges these days – many are positive in that they keep us focussed on quality and unique creativity - there is a lot of competition out there.

More and more we are looking to incorporate ethical responsibility and sustainability into our practices and DNA – this is something that no fashion label, big or small, fast or high end can ignore. It is what customers want and given the enormous negative impact that the fashion industry has on the environment, this should be more and more of a priority.

Who are the people in your life who have had the biggest influence on your career?

My husband. Through his encouragement and counselling, his strong work ethic and just always being there for me.

Macayla (Bird) is my sister from another mister. Although we work in separate countries, our dynamic transcends this and we just work so effectively together – total Ying and Yang. .

How much of an impact has social media had on your business?

Perhaps not as much as some fashion labels, but we are starting to see more and more engagement and conversion through social media.

Our content is very much about lifestyle and the aesthetics that inspire us. I think that is resonating very strongly with our audience.

What would you say to a young person who has dreams of starting their own business?

Persevere!

What are the five key pieces you can’t live without in your wardrobe?

My Theodora and Astryd jumpsuits.

My go to pieces for stylish comfort.

When I want to glam up a bit I reach for one of our floaty pieces – Margeaux or Evie.

Finally, my Celine cabas tote.

Where is your favourite travel destination and why?

I adore Italy. I think I should have been born Italian! We did a trip there last July to Rome and Puglia and fell in love all over again with the food, the culture and the people. So much passion and colour!

What are your travel must-haves?

A good tote, a good and a great travel companion.

book

With a busy career and business how do you find balance in your life?

I think regular exercise is very important for not only a healthy body but a healthy mind too. I also try and switch off by listening to podcasts. I find that some of these conversations will take my mind off work and get me thinking about other things. This will often circle back and inspire me in work again. Quality time with friends and family is really important too. Time to reconnect and be present.

Lastly, what is next horizon for Bird and Knoll?

on

the

We are working on more and more beautiful resortwear collections that will transcend all seasons (one of the things we need to try and do when we design collections here in the southern hemisphere). We are also looking at interesting ways to incorporate our images from our scarves into the resortwear by interpretation onto textiles. birdandknoll.com @birdandknoll

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clean beauty With a consumer focus on beauty that is better for us and the environment, Alex explores the world of Clean Beauty WORDS Alexandria Garlan

I

ngredient lists on beauty products have often been too confusing for the ordinary person to try and understand.

But a consumer surge towards Clean Beauty has shown that people across the globe are growing more concerned with what is going into their skincare.

There is no clear-cut answer for what makes a product 'Clean', and different brands have their own definitions. Does it have to be organic? Vegan? BPA-free?

Paraben-free? Clean Beauty is up for interpretation.

The most important thing, for me, when embarking on my Clean Beauty journey, was working out which ingredients were irritating or toxic, and which fit with my personal ethics. I've broken down the three most commonly excluded clean beauty ingredients to help you make your own decision.

Parabens A common preservative, parabens are often added to cosmetics, skincare, and even foods, to stop the growth of mould and bacteria.

When demonising Parabens, people often cite a 2004 article about high concentrates of parabens found in breast tumours. However, there has been no research proving a causative relationship between parabens in cosmetics and breast cancer.

On the other hand, Parabens are an irritant for those who have existing skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and contact dermatitis. Many clean beauty brands avoid parabens to protect their sensitive skin consumers.

Common parabens and methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben.

Sulfates (SLS and SLES) Sulfates are often used as a cleansing and foaming agent in skincare and haircare products. However, studies have shown that Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SLS) can irritate skin and cause dryness.

Meanwhile, Sodium Laureth Sulphate is considered a ‘safer’ version of SLS; however, it has also been shown to cause skin irritation. Important to note is that the impact of sulfates has also been shown to increase with age.

Silicones Silicones help make your beauty products feel silky and spreadable; they work as an emollient to fill in fine lines, forming a smooth barrier on top of your skin.

In haircare, silicones help detangle and smooth your locks.

A frequent concern with silicone in skincare and cosmetics is that it creates an impenetrable barrier on your skin trapping bacteria and preventing active ingredients from reaching your skin. Articles often tout silicone as ‘glad wrap for your skin’. I wasn’t able to find any studies to confirm this, and the molecular structure of silicones also seems to disprove this.

Silicone is made of large molecules with wide spaces in between, making it permeable by both air and water. However, if you have an active ingredient and layer it on top of a silicone-based product, then it’s going to take a while to get through to your skin.

Understandably, silicones in hair products are often avoided, as it can stay on your hair and prevent treatments like colours from getting through. Heavier silicones have also been shown to weigh some hair down.

There are so many Australian companies that are making the Clean Beauty movement easy for you. They remove all of the questionable nasties so that you don’t have to, and they all have their own ethos about why they’ve made that decision. We sat down with some ELE favourites to talk about why Clean Beauty is the way forward for them:

Rohr Remedy Emily Rohr created Rohr Remedy as an Australian brand that focuses on using traditional bush medicine in collaboration with modern dermatological science. She explains, ‘for me, Clean Beauty represents a purity and elegant simplicity to your skincare regime. We love products that have flexibility of use, with pared-back formulations, that lets nature do the heavy lifting.’

evo Hair At evo, they refer to Clean Beauty as ‘doing the right thing’, and for them, clean beauty goes beyond ingredients.

Jay Kownacki, their Head of Education, said ‘it’s important that we admit we’re not perfect…nobody is, but we are taking some very important steps and trying to do better every day.’ evo products are entirely free from sulfates, parabens, DEA, TEA, propylene glycol and gluten; they’re only ever tested on humans, and they donate obsolete stock to homeless shelters.

For Jay, the most important thing is that ‘what you see is what you get – our products do what they say. It’s small steps like these that will contribute towards bigger change.’

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Ere Perez For Ere Perez, Clean is the new green.

With the brand focussing on health for the consumer and health for the planet.

For me, the most significant turning point with Clean Beauty was when I realised that it went further than my product purchasing decisions, AKA the moment I learned about Sustainable Salons.

The Sustainable Salons team help hairdressers across Australia and New Zealand repurpose 95% of salon waste.

The list of amazing things you can do with salon recyclables is longer than you’d imagine. Sustainable Salons are selling recyclables like aluminium

foil, colour tubes and magazines and donating the funds to OzHarvest and KiwiHarvest to provide meals for hungry people.

Any ponytails over 20cm get donated to charities that create wigs for those suffering from cancer and the hair clippings from your cheeky 8-week trim are stuffed into stockings to help clean up oil spills.

Choosing to engage with Clean Beauty can have a much more impact than you think.

Did you know?

The Clean Beauty trend has gathered momentum across the globe over the last few years with conscious consumers increasingly choosing clean products over traditional beauty brands.

Clean Beauty Heroes SALT BY HENDRIX Eye Babe - the perfect antioxidant-filled eye oil to use with a roller saltbyhendrix.com @saltbyhendrix

evo Mane tamer smoothing shampoo will keep your locks in silky smooth condition. evohair.com @evohair

Rohr Remedy Kakadu Plum Vitamin C Face Serum - smooths fine lines within days not weeks, what more could you want? rohrremedy.om @rohrremedy

ELES Sheer Mineral Tint perfect everyday base with buildable coverage.

elescosmetics.com @elesosmetics

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Go-To Face Hero - it’s a bestseller for a reason, no face should be without this hero. gotoskincare.com @gotoskincare

beauty

SPOTLIGHT Dr Ginni Mansberg, founder of Evidence Based Skincare (ESK) shares her insights into creating a skincare line backed by science Tell us a bit more about Evidence Skincare (ESK) and how it started.

It all started with a date night in 2012. I was out with Daniel (my husband) and we were having a conversation about what we would do if we started a new career. I suggested skincare because from my work on TV it seemed that there were no evidence-based brands on the market. And based on feedback from TV viewers, users wanted effective, simple to use, BS free skin care.

Marketing of skin care was based on pseudoscience and marketing hype that played on our insecurities and that always frustrated me.

Daniel wasn’t so sure because it was a crowded market, we had no small business experience, no manufacturing experience and we had 6 kids (all of whom were at school or uni at the time). But, for reasons I can’t quite explain, while it really did remain a crazy risk, the more we researched and thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea.

How does evidence-based skincare differ from other products on the market?

The difference is in the choice of ingredients primarily and also formulation.

Evidence really means that the knowledge we have about whether particular ingredients work is established in. and supported by, significant amounts of independent research which is published in respected, peer review scientific journals.

An example is Vitamin A. Most users have heard of it. But what is less well known is that when it comes to non-prescription forms, Retinol is quite widely used.

However, Retinal, which is hardly ever used, has much better evidence (and is not irritating and about 20 times more effective than Retinol). That essentially means we can be confident that Retinal will actually work. And when it comes to formulation, the trials conducted on Retinal support a concentration of 0.06% for anti-aging (wrinkles, fine lines and skin elasticity) and 0.1% for acne and pigmentation.

So that is the form of Vitamin A and the concentrations that we use in ESK..

If you could give piece of skincare advice what would it be?

Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day! It is the single best thing we can do to look after our skin. There are very few products that are appropriate for almost everyone, but here are some basics.

Apart from a soap free cleanser, there is only one product that should be used by all skin care users. I know it’s not sexy, but a broadspectrum sunscreen (preferably Zinc based) should be used every day of the year and will be the most important tool in protecting from skin cancer, premature ageing and a number of conditions associated with exposure to the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.

Another product that will be appropriate for most users is a Vitamin A (Retinal) night cream. Whether it’s skin ageing, pigmentation, acne or Rosacea that are concerns, Vitamin A has some of the best evidence.

Vitamin B3, which improves skin barrier function and has anti-inflammatory properties is also versatile and appropriate for most skin types and concerns. Both of those are in our Ultimate A and Ultimate A+ night creams.

And when it comes to ‘rules’ these are some of ours: 1. Look for evidence based ingredients 2. More is not always more. Look to the evidence for the optimal ingredient concentration.

3. Dry and irritated skin are signals that you should listen to. We don’t recommend trying to“push through”.

That said there are a few evidence based ingredients that may cause sensitivity initially, but which the skin usually gets used to and can have great results (Vitamin C and Glycolic Acid are the two that come time mind).

mistakes you see people make?

We actually see two trends on opposite sides of the spectrum. The first is people giving up too soon. Between settling-in periods (a few dry patches, a pimple or two or a ‘tingle’, which soon pass), the difficulty in finding products that match your skin type and concern the amount of time it can take to start seeing real changes in the skin, we see some people give up too soon.

That’s actually why we have invested so much in customer service, we want to make sure that customers get the best help they can (and ultimately not be out of pocket if things don’t work out).

On the other side of the spectrum we see users having unrealistic expectations and wanting to use the strongest possible products. In our experience, porcelain like skin only exists in photos (and when viewed from far away).

How important is diet and lifestyle when it comes to our skin?

In short – very! But because long term foodbased studies are so hard to do, we often can’t be sure about specific foods. But the general rule is that foods that are good for your overall health are also good for your skin.

For skin cancer: sun exposure obviously increases the risk, but eating fruit and veg reduces risk.

For skin ageing: sun exposure, smoking and diets high in fats, fried foods and sugars lead to premature skin ageing and it seems that foods high in antioxidants can reduce the signs of skin ageing (but there is no evidence that taking vitamin or other pill supplements work). And for acne: the western diet, high in meat, processed foods, dairy and sugar are all factors that can increase the risk of acne. eskcare.com

4. Be patient. The skin turnover cycle takes about 28 days, so real changes can often take at least three weeks to start becoming evident and incremental improvements can be seen over months and even years.

What are the most common skincare

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A silky, lightweight moisturiser that offers antioxidant protection to defend you against free-radical damage.

Perfect for a normal to combination skin type as it provides long lasting hydration by attracting water retention leaving you with smoother, softer and hydrated skin. skinstituit.com @skinstituit *Editor’s Pick* Haircare that Cares - Founded in Parma Italy in 1983 by the Bollati Family, Davines has an innovative approach to beauty. They began their sustainability journey in 2006 when their headquarters in Parma began to power itself with electricity from renewable sources. Since then they have become a certified B Corporation, opened the Davines Village and Scientific Garden in Parma (which are both devoted to sustainability, waste reduction and optimization of natural resources) and have become 100% carbon neutral, all of which demonstrate their ongoing commitment to reducing their impact on the planet and on people. Sustainability aside these products really work and leave our hair beautifully hydrated, shiny and salon worthy. davines.com

After months of lockdown, we are looking for any excuse to wear makeup again and this palette by Morphe is giving us all the inspiration we need. morphe.com @morphe

We are longtime fans of Aussie haircare brand evo, and their Miss Malleable hairspray is the best for a strong hold, flexible hairspray for styling and finishing that brushes out to an invisible finish.

It creates creates structured looks that remain in place. flexible hold that can be restyled with ease. easily brushes out without residue. fine, dry mist dries on contact to leave a non-tacky finish. evohair.com @evohair

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Formulated in collaboration with Professor Derek Richard, the EPI-gN™ Serum is a powerhouse of antioxidants that deeply penetrate and support cell renewal to assist skin barrier repair and help reduce the signs of ageing.

The serum works to assist with premature ageing and reduce the apperance of fine lines and wrinkles.

At the very core of the the serum formulation is Ellus & Krue's trademarked EPI-gN technology that was born from Professor Derek's research and discovery.

The EPI-gN technology repairs and revitalises skin by delivering active ingredients to the cellular level. The plant actives found within the serum help reduce the signs of ageing and improve your overall complexion. elusandkrue.com.au @ellusandkrue

Pioneering the use of electrolytes with fruit stem cell extracts, luxury Australian skincare brand, Enbacci, releases its latest innovation of sheet masks containing the potent benefits of Swiss apples and French grapes. enbacci.com @enbacci

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the beauty edit

Paula’s Choice has formulated the world’s first-ever skin care product with 20% niacinamide.Niacinamide works in skin by telling it to behave more like it did when it was younger, and before environmental exposure and damage occurred. This includes helping to improve skin’s elasticity, enhancing barrier function, easing discolorations and reviving skin’s healthy tone and texture. paulaschoice.com @paulaschoice Our new fave night mask, The Dream Mask by Dermal Diary is packed with active clinically proven ingredients that will revitalise, nourish, protect and reverse damage done during the day by UV rays and pollution dermaldiary.com @dermaldiary

Herbs + Heart After-Sanitiser Overnight Hand Mask is keeping our hands lovingly nourished and moisturised after months of extra hand washing and alcohol based sanitisers. herbsandheart.com @hearbsnheart

Cedar & Stone’s Mint + Sage Toner is alcohol free and contains the natural astringent organic Witch Hazel extract, it will help smooth out pores and deeply cleanse your skin. cedarandstone.com.au @cedarandstone

Nuebars’s soap-free shampoo and conditioner bars are concentrated, and pH balanced, whilst containing many organically certified and Fair Trade ingredients. Not only that, they are designed to deliver or exceed the kind of results you are used to getting out of a bottle, all while minimising the impact on our precious environment by eradicating the use of plastics.

Handmade by a small, family run business in Sydney, NueBar products are vegan, palm oil free, cruelty free, and contain no sulfates, parabens, silicones, petroleum by-products or artificial fragrances . nuebar.com @nuebar eat.live.escape

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every breath you take We explore the benefits of deep breathing to support a healthier mind and body.

WORDS Katherine Pham

‘J

ust

take

a

deep

breath.’

We intuitively give that piece of advice to anyone who is panicking and stressed as an instant remedy.

Having witnessed and personally experiencing panic attacks and hyperventilation, a few deep breaths instantaneously relaxes and my normal breathing resumes.

I’m not sure you can appreciate just how incredible that is, that your nervous system can go from freaking out, cortisol levels through the roof, not able to breathe to becoming calm, the tension leaving your body and your whole physiology changing with just one to two deep breaths. That’s the incredible power of deep breathing.

Breathing is one of the most instinctual things we do. We take thousands of breaths a day and we never need to think about doing it. It’s completely wired into us subconsciously, a fundamental function for our livelihood.

Our default breath in our day-to-day is very shallow. It’s entirely in the chest and takes on average two seconds for an entire in and out breath.

Deep breathing, however, is very different. A deep breath engages the diagram and when you lengthen each breath you can fill the lungs much more fully and also exhale much more fully. The diaphragm and the belly is engaged and the rib cage expands to allow more breath into the lungs. This breath can take an average of six seconds in and out.

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As babies, we naturally deep breathe into the belly. Watch an infant breathing and you will see their stomachs move up and down, as opposed to their chests. When we sleep we also switch over to deeper belly breaths. However, as we move into our day, our active lives switches us into shallow chest breathing.

However, we are not breathing optimally, when we chest breathe.

It has been found that over our evolution and time, humans have moved from slow and deep breathing to shallow breathing as we now live more active lives.

Cultural expectation of having a flat stomach encourage holding our breath and sucking in our stomachs, further tightening our muscles and keeping our breaths shallow.

The problem with chest breathing

shallow

Chest breathing is linked to the “fight-or-flight” response or “stress” response, a function of our sympathetic nervous system.

Under threat, our sympathetic system responds by increasing your heart rate, blood pressure and respiration getting us ready for fight or flight. This was great in caveman times, in signs of danger as the response in our body would prepare us for running or fighting.

The problem is that your mind can’t tell the difference between emotional danger and real danger.

While fight or flight is great if we

were actually getting ready to fight, in most cases, our physiology is responding to a different type of perceived danger - an urgent deadline, an undesirable comment or a fight with a partner.

So while the sympathetic system creates more shallow breathing as a response to danger, it actually works also in the reverse. Shallow breathing can also activate the sympathetic system meaning that we further cause stress in our bodies due to shallow breathing.

Reducing stress When you use deep breathing, however, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

This system reverses stress by slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure and calming the mind. Research has shown that deep breathing practices have also shown a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol.

Improve your immune system Such is the super power of deep breathing that an incredible Dutch athlete and teacher named Wim Hof has climbed Mt Everest in nothing but shorts, he has set Guinness world records for swimming under ice, prolonged full-body contact with ice and holds the record for running a marathon on ice and snow barefoot and attributes this to his deep breathing practice.

His ability to withstand sub-zero temperatures has been researched by universities and the medical

we llness

‘ There are evidential links between breathing and health benefits that range from better digestion, improved balance, blood pressure, optimum posture, confidence, stress, happiness and the list goes on and on’.

profession and they have found what they had not thought possible before, which is that you can voluntarily influence both the autonomic nervous system and innate immune system. Wim Hof has been able to boost his immune system and nervous system responses through deep breathing practices and now teaches his practices around the world.

You make better decisions When your fight or flight response is triggered, your brain becomes binary.

If you are confronted by a bear, as an example, your frontal lobe shuts down. That’s the part of your brain that’s responsible for cognitive skills, such as emotional expression, problem solving, memory, language and judgment. You see when you are confronted by a bear, you don’t need to be clever, you just need to know whether to flee or to fight.

That’s a built-in survival mechanism of our brain. You become inhibited in your thinking ability.

Since your brain can’t tell the difference between emotional stress or physical stress, under stressful situations like your boss demanding a response under pressure, your frontal lobe or thinking ability becomes inhibited.

The increased blood flow due to deep breathing also encourages intestinal action which further improves your overall digestion. In addition, deep breathing results in a calmer nervous system, which in turn enhances optimal digestion.

Detoxify and release toxins Your body is designed to release 70% of its toxins through breathing.

If you are not breathing effectively, you are not properly ridding your body of its toxins i.e. other systems in your body must work overtime which could eventually lead to illness. When you exhale air from your body you release carbon dioxide that has been passed through from your bloodstream into your lungs.

When you breathe more deeply and with rhythmic regularity, you can send better quality fuel from the heart to the brain and then your brain works better as well.

When the brain works better, your thinking capacity works better and you’re more perceptive, more insightful and have clearer thinking.

The research is in and the votes are final. Learning to take deeper and longer controlled breaths has so many health benefits, some of them quite extreme. The best part?

Deep breathing is free to learn.

A more optimally functioning body Breathing deep supplies more oxygen to all our body parts including our digestive system, thus making it work more efficiently.

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health & wellness edit F45 x APL partnership with release a second shoes, including

F45 Training has expanded its APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs) to round of exclusive, limited edition both athletic shoes and slides.

The shoe specifically designed for F45ers can be worn from studio to the street. APL is known as the brand of choice for A-list celebrities and they were the first shoes to be banned in NBA history for offering a undue competitive advantage. @f45_training

Fish oil is known for its incredible benefits from an anti-inflammatory perspective, but little do people know that it also helps with achieving that glow from the inside out – due to its high amount of essential fatty acids. Melrose fish oil product will help you get that daily glow. melrosehealth.om.au @melroseheath

au79 create lifestyle products which bridge the gap between design and usefulness. Their product range includes two high ponytail running hats and a utility bag which carries all of the little necessities you need on your daily exercise or gym mission. au79.com.au @au79sport

Vital Life Immunity Shots add a dose of sunshine in a shot, packed with Vitamin C, Manuka Honey and gives a little extra boost to our immune systems. @vitallifehealth

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The Salt Lab Deconstructed Bath Bomb features a soothing mix of premium, 100% natural magnesium chloride flakes, Dead Sea salts and bentonite clay. Soak for around 20 minutes to help you to reap all the benefits. saltlaboratory.com @salt_lab

A C oastal O asis Creamy neutrals, natural textures and accents of blue combine to create a beautiful family home on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

WORDS and IMAGES Kate Skinner

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home

WHEN THE MALLETT FAMILY made the move to acreage on the Gold Coast 13 years ago they had no idea how much they would love the serenity. They have gone on to create an idyllic country paradise with a coastal twist.

‘We loved everything about living on the Gold Coast,’ says Dana. ‘Access to the gorgeous beaches, walking trails, shopping and at that time there was an emerging food scene, but we were feeling quite hemmed in by neighbours on our standard suburban block. We wanted a home that offered peace and privacy from the fast pace of the Gold Coast, where we could spread out and of course build the obligatory big shed. We love entertaining and wanted the space and freedom to host big family gatherings and parties and we’ve had plenty here over the years.’

Dana was raised in the then quiet suburb of Mudgeeraba, about a 15-minute drive from the golden beaches of South East Queensland, so for her, moving back was like coming home.

‘I always knew I wanted a more country lifestyle, but I didn’t want to give up the beach and all of the amenities the Gold Coast provides.’

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CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT an all white palette in the kitchen with pops of blue; a vintage framed prints and artwork line the hallway entrance; a hat wall adds visual interest; Hamptons influences abound in the living area; blue and white tones complement a neutral backdrop.

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They came across a house, not too far from where Dana grew up, and it had a stunning English style garden that was so different from the tropical gardens that are typical of south east Queensland. Dana immediately knew it was the one.

‘My mum was British and she had a love of traditional English gardens, which she passed on to me. When I saw the rolling green landscape and the deciduous trees, I knew this was home,’ she says.

Dana owns Vintage Empire, a prop hire styling company and has styled events from Byron Bay to Noosa, so it’s fair to say she has a strong understanding of how to pull together a look.

‘I love the Hamptons style, but I also appreciate a more eclectic style, similar to that of Brisbane interior designer, Anna Spiro. I love what Anna did with Halcyon House at Cabarita and her holiday home on North Stradbroke looks incredible. Because of Anna I can’t walk past an op shop without going in to look for vintage paintings.’

Other influences Dana names are Natalee Bowen from Indah Island, Amy Spargo from Maine House Interiors and a close friend who introduced her to a love of blue and white many years ago. Dana adds ‘Modern British Colonial is also influencing my styling at the moment’.

Asked where Dana sources homewares and materials from, she cites Affordable Decorators in Bundall for their extensive range of wallpapers.

She used their blue and white textured wallpaper in her entrance hallway, which was inspired by Halcyon House’s restaurant, Paper Daisy.

She also loves The Print Emporium for affordable artwork and Alfresco Emporium in Bundall for their huge Hamptons inspired range.

But a lot of her pieces have been found in vintage stores and op shops from all over Australia.

‘One of my favourite things to do is explore little country towns, visiting random bric-a-brac stores. You learn a lot about the area and end up bringing home a little piece of pre-loved history.

I get so much joy from introducing these pieces into my home.

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Dana has plenty of plans for the future, but her attention is moving to the great outdoors. ‘My focus now is on the garden and creating a beautiful environment for the generations to come. I love the thought of creating an oasis on the coast for my children, grandchildren (when they come along) and family and friends to visit and enjoy. My husband and I spend a lot of time exploring the south west Queensland region including Stanthorpe and Warwick.

The entire Scenic Rim region is beautiful.

I source a lot of Vintage Empire pieces from this area but have also found some great pieces for our own home including vintage materials to build a greenhouse, which will be our next project.

The beauty of this place is our proximity to the stunning beaches, but we also have a bit of a micro climate in the Mudgeeraba Valley and get a drop in temperature over Autumn and Winter. This means I get a changing of the leaves; my favourite time of the year.’

Asked if she misses the hustle and bustle of urban living, Dana answers with a resounding ‘No way! There’s a lot I love about the Gold Coast, the beautiful beaches, restaurants, cafes etcetera but I’d never give up our little piece of country paradise. When I pull into our winding driveway after time away, I feel a sense of peace and contentment. This is our personal sanctuary and I hope to be here for many years to come.’

Vintage Empire Prop Hire & Events www.vintageempire.com.au @vintage.empire

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‘My focus now is on the garden and creating a beautiful environment for the generations to come.

I love the thought of creating an oasis on the coast for my children, grandchildren (when they come along) and family and friends to visit and enjoy.’

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The family dog, Max; the Hamptons inspired living room; dressing up the verandah with a vintage bike; chooks free range in the expansive gardens; Dana’s reclaimed finds include a vintage distressed dresser.

The Montauk Lighting Co montauklightingco.com

Get The COASTAL LOOK CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Bec Duff ‘Begin Again’Original Painting becduff.com Beacon Lighting Pendant Light beaconlighting.com.au 100% Cotton Gingham Print Apron $39.95 eatliveescape.com Bondi Wash Delicate Wash Blue Cypress & Pettigrain $25 bondiwash.com.au HAWS Heritage Watering Can Duck Egg Blue $24.eatliveescape.com Aura Home Nest Bowls $79.95 aurahome.com.au Frankfort Articulating Wall Light montauklightingco.com Lovely Linen Guest Towel lovelylinen.com Sarah Silverton Print Cushion sarahsilverton.com

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Eden Found

A Gold Coast native, Regan Cantlay, redefines life in Africa and creates a social enterprise to support her local community.

WORDS Kate Skinner What inspired you to start Eden Found?

I am always amazed at the creativity of the Zambian people who make beautiful and incredibly useful items out of materials in their environment. During trips home to Australia, I discovered that more and more Australians are choosing to shop consciously, to choose beautiful, unique and authentic wares in their own homes that tell a story and support creative artisans around the world. Being an Australian based in Zambia, I am lucky to have local knowledge of both Zambia and Australia to meet artisans and source products suited to our Aussie lifestyle.

Living in Zambia has presented me with challenges that I wouldn’t have faced in Australia, and the silver lining is that I’ve discovered a lot about myself; I am incredibly stubborn, and capable of achieving some incredible things with that determination by just taking one step towards my goals each day. I have always wanted to link my two worlds and with the culmination of many, many little steps forward, Eden Found is now able to do that by bringing these beautiful Zambian creations into Australian homes.

What do you love about Zambia?

Definitely the people. They are incredibly resilient and inherently positive despite enduring difficult economic and environmental setbacks.

We’ve had drought conditions here for some years now and the staple food, mealie meal, has increased in price threefold which has put so much pressure on the average Zambian.

They always hope and expect for better times ahead and their strength in the face of real adversity is something I think we could all learn a lot from.

Also, the beauty of natural Zambia, which is still a very untouched part of Africa.

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social enterprise

What products are you selling and what is Eden Found’s ethos?

Eden Found’s ethos is to source items that are not only unique, handmade and beautiful, but whose purchase will genuinely support the artisans who make them. Eden Found specialises in items made in Zambia, by Zambians, whose traditional skills include weaving and pottery but who are embracing emerging contemporary skills including leather work, crocheting, furniture making and clothing.

All products are made by Zambian artisans; either working independently to create items, or the small community of ladies who live on our farm who are multiskilled in many of these areas.

How did you end up in Zambia?

I’m a born-and-bred Queenslander and thanks to my wonderful parents I had the best fun growing up on the Gold Coast in the 90’s with my incredible sisters Renee and Shannon.

All was on track for a career in psychology until, on a two-year travelling hiatus in London, I met and immediately fell in love with my husband Chucky. His family are third generation Zambian farmers of cattle, sugarcane, corn and wheat. After living in Bondi for a year we moved back to Zambia to help grow the family business. We live in the Southern Province; home to Victoria Falls, the Lower Zambezi and Kafue National Parks and the Tonga people. So, from the beachside to landlocked Zambia, it’s certainly been full of surprises.

Most of the products Eden Found has sourced to date are made from natural occurring materials such as ilala palm and makenge root, which are absolutely sustainable. Going forward this is something we want to prioritise in our discoveries.

What does this mean for the Zambian women who are given this opportunity?

Zambia has been hugely affected by HIV / AIDS, which has strained traditional family structures – customarily an extended family unit was used to raise children and share incomes and responsibilities.

AIDS has affected many traditional breadwinners and now the average Zambian has eight dependents: their own children plus nieces, nephews and grandchildren who have been orphaned.

Many women, traditionally homemakers and lacking formal education, have been widowed and now depend on their crafts to feed, clothe and educate their children, grandchildren and those of their sisters, brothers and extended family.

It’s hard, as Australians, to comprehend the life these women lead. Every day is about securing enough food, earning income and keeping everybody healthy.

On the flip side they are strong, capable and resilient survivors who absolutely love a social gathering; their social structures and relationships really sustain their positivity.

Where are products?

you

stocking

your

Currently, we are stocking our Tonga winnowing baskets at Trader Trove on the Gold Coast.

As we are a new venture we are searching for stockists who share our ethos and love of unique, storied and beautiful wares.

For wholesale and stockist enquiries contact Regan via her Instagram @eden.found

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A Perfect Escape A beachhouse at Hervey Bay is the perfect place to relax and let the worries of day to day life slip away.

WORDS and IMAGES Kate Skinner

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‘Our favourite holiday destination is Byron Bay and our favourite places to stay are The Atlantic or The Bower. We have drawn a great deal of inspiration from Byron’ - Jaime

J

aime and Dave would often holiday at Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast when their children, Tom and Ivy, were little.

When a work opportunity came along to relocate to Hervey Bay, they jumped at the chance to raise their children in a quiet, beachside community.

When they first viewed what was to become The Bay Beachouse, they fell in love with its grand, yet informal layout and the abundance of space and potential. Jaime and Dave saw a home with beautiful French doors and an open plan that allowed ample room for family and friends to come together or disappear into private sanctuaries. In 2018 they decided to begin the long-held dream to renovate their home, with the idea of turning it into boutique holiday accommodation. In January 2020 after hard work and loving effort, The Bay Beachouse opened.

The house is a modern mix of relaxed coastal and luxe living. When you enter the home you’re immediately appreciative of the impact the front deck and entry have, perfectly symmetrical with French doors flanking both sides and the Lucy Love Seat from Byron Bay Hanging Chairs hanging in the middle of the two entrance ways.

This opens into a light and airy kitchen that is both functional and inviting. Jaime is not one for clutter and you see this in the carefully edited space where everything feels just right, from the towering fiddle leaf fig, concrete bench tops, to the raw wood shelving and sitting area which soften the industrial feel and give an organic cosiness to the space. The front of the concrete bench has been tiled in a black and white geometrical patterned tile from Tile Cloud which adds extra interest and depth to the kitchen and ties in beautifully with the Dulux Black Caviar kitchen cabinet colour.

But the highlight is stepping through the French doors from the kitchen to the indoor/outdoor plantation style deck. The area is enormous and has space for both the BBQ area and dining, featuring Malawi chairs and copper pendant lighting, as well as a built-in bench seating for lounging. There is plenty of space for entertaining, whatever the weather brings. Couple that with a sparkling pool, fire pit with more built-in bench seating and another outdoor dining area at the front of the property, it is the ideal home to escape and relax.

The beautiful French doors throughout most rooms in the home reflect a classic coastal style, which Jaime quotes as one of her top things in the home, ‘One of our favourite features would have to be our French door hinges. These beautiful antique copper hinges are such a small part of our home however, we believe they have the greatest impact in each room. The size of the hinge and the way it opens up our doors, is a statement in itself.’

When asked for other favourites around the home she lists the kitchen’s concrete benchtops, the luxurious Coco Republic leather lounge and the Bahama shutters, which they designed and had installed in the outdoor living area. But the highlight is the indoor/ outdoor bathhouse. The huge stone bath comfortably fits two adults and is the ultimate in indulgence and coastal luxury. eat.live.escape

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When Jaime is asked to describe her style, she says ‘Dave and I have often questioned what we would call our style.

It has evolved from the love of high contrast, luxury and quintessential beach house, we believe that it could be best described as Coastal Luxe’.

Jaime draws inspiration from several sources but their number one holiday destination, Byron Bay, is where she gets most of her ideas. ‘Our favourite holiday destination is Byron Bay and our favourite places to stay are The Atlantic or The Bower. We have drawn a great deal of inspiration from Byron. Some of the homes and designers that have inspired us are Emma Lane and her home in the Byron Hinterland, The Bower, The Atlantic, Bisque House and Island Luxe. When asked what her top interior design tip is, she says ‘We live by the rule of three. An example of this would be our kitchen which started with a white palette and then we added concrete benchtops and timber features to create a high contrast and organic feel.’

Jaime and Dave’s home is only a short walk to the sparkling blue waters of the Fraser Coast in the Hervey Bay suburb of Urangan. When asked, Jaime reels off a long list of things do in the area.

‘Whale watching, world heritage listed Fraser Island day tours, 15 kilometres of esplanade to explore, Urangan Pier, beachfront cafes and restaurants, exploring the calm waters via sailing boat or jet ski and swimming all year round. We love the Frontroom and Bean Beat cafe and our favourite relaxed beachside bar and dining is Enzo's on the Beach.

Our favourite fine dining restaurant is the Vineyard, which is a lazy 200 metres walk from home. But for us, our most beautiful memories and favourite part of our day is always the walk along Urangan Beach with our children and our gorgeous golden retriever, Bryce’ Since the seismic impact that has been COVID-19, Jaime and Dave have made the decision to batten down the hatches and ride out the storm. They have moved the family back into Bay Beachouse during the school terms but still have the home available over the Queensland school holiday periods. As Jaime says ‘It was bittersweet for our family moving back in as we could finally enjoy what took two years to create. I told Dave daily how much I loved this kitchen, Dave loved that his garden was at his fingertips again. As the entire world reflected on what was important during the pandemic, we too pondered. As a family we decided to live in our home during our children’s school term’.

When asked what makes an amazing holiday retreat or home Jaime replies ‘A place you can escape from work or the stresses of life and truly disconnect, in order to focus on your own wellbeing in a relaxed and comfortable environment.’

With the world in the middle of a pandemic and so much uncertainty The Bay Beachouse sounds like the perfect remedy.

The Bay Beachouse is available for bookings during Queensland school holiday periods via Airbnb and Instagram @bay_beachouse .

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Address Book Byron Bay Hanging Chairs byronbayhangingchairs.com @byronbayhangingchairs Tie Coud tilecloud.com.au @tilecloud Dulux dulux.com.au @duluxaus Coco Republic cocorepubic.om.au @cocorepublic Enzo’s on the Beach @enzosonthebeach The Vinyard @thevinyard

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT The outdoor firepit area is the perfect spot to relax after a busy day; an enclosed verandah area to enjoy filtered sunlight on warmer days; the hanging love seat at the entrance; tropical gardens frame the house; the beautiful waters of Fraser Island; the freestanding bath gives a luxurious touch to the bathroom area; natural touches throughout the kitchen.

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garden

LOCATION Full sun, protection from wind or part shade (in areas with hot summers), is the ideal spot for peonies. Choose your position wisely, as while peonies can be moved, they don’t love being disturbed.

CLIMATE Herbaceous peonies will only grw in cold climates- think cold mountain areas of Tasmania and Victoria. Tree peonies will grow in cool climate areas also, so check with your nursery about which species will grow in your area.

HAWES vintage metal jugs are perfect to display these gorgeous blooms. $66 eatliveescape.com

The KING of the GARDEN

Elegance, wealth, prosperity - beautiful peonies have a reputation that preedes them including being difficult to grow. But once you master a few basic tricks, they may just be the most rewarding flowers to bloom in your garden.

PLANTING Herbaceous varieties will be sold as bare root rhizomes, dig a shallow hole and plant them with the buds facing up, no more than 2 inches under the surface. Plant about 60cm apart. Tree peonies will be sold in pots and can be planted by digging a hole twice the width of the pot, teasing the roots and placing the tree in the pot, backfilling with soil. Add a good dose of lime to the soil also.

WATER Keep peonies moist but never wet, in summer make sure the soil is kept cool but doesn’t dry out.

ele TIP we love to plant peonies in between roses, there is nothing more beautiful than seeing the king and the queen of the garden in bloom together.

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the final bite

Where in the World is Ella?

Food Editor and self-confessed Francophile, Ella Mitford, travels the world in search of delicious food experiences.

2020

has thrown me a curve ball; one that I haven’t yet been able to catch.

My days are more often than not spent curled up inside tap, tap, tapping against my laptop with my faithfully incorrigible tabby, Pushkin, meowing at my feet and reminding me of just how HOME I am.

Outside my window cherry blossoms are budding and blue-breasted swallows are tweeting, a beautiful reminder of the new season but also of the fact my annual sojourn across the Pacific to Europe for a Northern Hemisphere summer is now a distant memory.

Don’t get me wrong, the extra time at home to slow down, take stock and love my nearest and dearest has been a blessing unlikely to be afforded again for a very long time. But if I had it my way?

I would be sipping strong vodka martinis in a bar in Paris’ 6th, admiring the polish and professionalism of the bar staff.

Smoothing down the front of my black satin YSL tuxedo pants, I would glide effortlessly to Cafe de Flore, clocking

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the glint of a pretty French madame’s jewels on the way by. Seated with much fanfare, I will be tucking in to French onion soup, steak frites and tarte tatin.

Making my way past the cheerful ‘bonsoir’ of the doorman, I’d head up to my room, where a bubble bath with Guerlain toiletries awaits, alongside a cool glass of Billecart-Salmon champagne.

A rich bordeaux would accompany my meal while my witty French dinner companions regale me with stories of sun-drenched vistas, bouillarbasse and fiadone from their recent jaunt to Corsica, next on my travel itinerary.

The black and white French classic, Les Enfants du Paradis would lull me to sleep as I mentally plan tomorrow’s day trip to Giverny, to wander through Monet’s Garden.

After dinner I would step out into the warm September Parisian air and stroll through the city to Hotel Saint James.

In the morning, hair tousled in classic French style, I would wander to the closest boulangerie for my morning cafe and fromage crepe, ready to start yet another perfect French day.

Bon Appétit!

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