Prodijee #21 by prodijee

e e j i d pro 13 20143 Issue #21

Kelebek F

contents 50

44 Getting shirty in Spain Mirto launches its SS15 shirt range in Madrid.

50 Natural beauty

Helena Vestergaard is a natural at modelling, gymnastics and even motorbike riding - now she’s got her sights set on acting.

60 Go jump!

We know you’ve always wanted to fly through the air in a car now we tell you how to do it.

66 Knee-slappin’ good fun

Nothing says let’s party like a good, old fashioned Oktoberfest.

74 The butterfly effect Kelebek is Turkish for butterfly, and her career post- X Factor is set to take off.

86 Roll up, roll up!

We meet some people who really have run away to join the circus.

92 Super Mario

American racer Mario Andretti has won everything worth winning in motor sport, and is truly deserving of the accalaid, ‘superstar’.

106 Making the perfect pizza

Carol Sheridan heads to Melbourne’s 400 Gradi for a pizza making Master Class, with pizza world champion, Johnny Di Francesco.

112 Back to the future

1927 burst onto the Australian music scene in spectatcular style in 1987. Three decades later the band is still wowing fans.

120 Adorable sewer dwellers

The Boxtrolls hit the big screen in 3D!

122 Be scared...

Luna Park now has something much more scary than the Ghost Train. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

126 Dancing takes hold

Dancing’s most popular film franchises hits new heights

REGULARS NEWS 4 What’s Goin’ On 14 Going Postal 16 What’s hot ROAD TESTS

106

34 Sachajuan haircare, Serum 7 skincare, Organic Beauty Antipodes skincare 36 Burt’s Bees Radiant skin care 38 People For Plants body scrub 40 Arbonne Limited Edition Country Garden Palette 41 Schwarzkopf Bonacure Professional Volume Boost range 42 Baddaginnie Run Shiraz

126

and 2012 Viognier COLUMNS 76 London Calling 84 Reality Bites 94 Food Couture 72 L ily’s Life 102 Just Sayin’ 110 Sharp Shooter WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

n o ’ n i o g ’s t a h w EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will next year launch its first service from Scotland with the start of a non-stop daily flight from Edinburgh to its home base of Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital city. The new route, which will commence on June 8, 2015, will be operated with a two-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft, offering a total of 22 seats in Business Class and 240 seats in Economy Class. In addition to providing a direct connection between Edinburgh and Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi hub, the forthcoming service will enable passengers and cargo from Scotland to connect conveniently to Etihad destinations across the Gulf region, Asia, Australia and Africa. James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “Scotland has been on our radar for some time and we are delighted that the first direct connection between its capital, Edinburgh, and the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi, will be operational from next year. “The two cities share strong tourism links and the UAE is Scotland’s primary trade partner in the Gulf region, which will fuel strong demand among business and leisure travellers on our non-stop service. Travellers will also benefit from convenient connections to many other destinations, both on our own global network and through our relationships with other airlines.” Speaking at the annual dinner of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, Mr Hogan pledged that Etihad Airways would start flights from Scotland in 2015. He added that a second service would be introduced from Scotland to Abu Dhabi in five years’ time. Flights from Edinburgh can be booked now at www.etihad.com WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

LONDON, ENGLAND: Burberry has released an online advertising campaign, inspired by the handpainted Bloomsbury bag, allowing users to digitally paint the collection. Displayed in online media advertising on touch-enabled devices, the interactive banners feature the Bloomsbury bag in four styles, highlighting the artistic theme of the collection. Upon entering the experience, the user is invited to interact with the advert. By brushing their finger across the screen, they are able to control the paint stroke and begin revealing the next bag. With each new bag revealed, the user uncovers another facet in the story, including the Charleston House inspiration and one-of-a-kind design. Once the journey is complete, the user can click through to the Burberry mobile site to discover further designs and shop the collection. www.burberry.com

Queen Elizabeth II. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: CICCHETI [definition] – [chiefly in Venice] savoury snacks or small side dishes, typically served in a bar or informal restaurant - 400 Gradi Cicchetti has opened next door to the renowned Lygon Street restaurant owned by Johnny Di Francesco - the pizza-making extraordinaire who took out the #1 spot at the Pizza World Championship (Campionato Mondiale della Pizza) in Parma earlier this year. Replicating a traditional cicchetti, the venue will serve up an extensive drinks list and small plates of food in a space designed by the awardwinning Pascale Gomes-McNabb. The 50 seater bar will have a different feel to 400 Gradi while staying true to Johnny’s Italian heritage. www.400gradi.com.au

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: To celebrate their thirtieth anniversary, the Victorian Youth Theatre (VYT) will present a return season of their acclaimed production of The Conference of the Birds. Adapted for the stage by Peter Brook and Jean-Claude Carrière in 1979, Farid ud-Din Attar’s 4,500-line poem describes the journey undertaken by the birds of the world to seek their King, the mythical Simorgh - a beautiful and benevolent bird of Persian myth. The Conference of the Birds is an opulent mystery, inviting audiences on a journey far from traditional narrative and performance styles – it combines movement, music and storytelling to create a moving theatrical experience. It features a cast of 20 talented performers. “It has been a wonderful journey these past 30 years to see how the Victorian Youth Theatre has grown,” said director, Robert Coates. “We thought it was a fitting WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

celebration to remount this production, which is in itself a voyage of discovery and enlightenment. It has been an honour to work with such talented young actors and to bring quality entertainment for and by young people to the Fringe Festival.” Containing mature themes, The Conference of the Birds is suitable for ages 12-plus. Victorian Youth Theatre presents

The Conference of the Birds at Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran from Wednesday 1 until Saturday 4 October, Wednesday, 4pm & 8.15pm; Thursday – Saturday 6pm & 8.15pm. Tickets: Bookings: www.melbournefringe.com.au Ticket Hotline 9660 9666 or www.chapeloffchapel.com.au 8290 7000

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: For the first time, Restaurant & Catering Australia has partnered with the NSW Wine Industry Association to deliver the New South Wales Wine List Awards aimed at recognising

licensed restaurants that excel in the provision of wine service and list development. The focus is around showcasing local wines and supporting the local NSW wine and food industries through wine list

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN: H&M is to introduce Conscious Denim, a collection with clean styling and contemporary outfits, that not only uses more sustainable materials, but also more conscious processes. In a first for H&M, the washes used on its denim have been graded to assess their environmental impact, including energy and water use. The collection includes pieces for women, men and children, and will be available worldwide in around 1,000 stores for women and 700 stores for men, as well as online. “We’re so excited about Conscious Denim at H&M. We’ve worked hard to reduce the environmental

impact from the washing processes alongside using materials that are more sustainable. The collection is full of great pieces, and proves how sustainability can equal great style,” says Helena Helmersson, head of Sustainability H&M. H&M used criteria from Spanish denim consultants Jeanologia to test its denim washing processes, including water consumption and energy consumption. To meet the Conscious Denim standards at H&M, the materials have to be more sustainable, and the washes have to achieve the highest status according to Jeanologia’s criteria.

development. The New South Wales Wine Awards were created in 1996 to build awareness of the quality of wines produced in NSW. Since inception the Awards have become an indicator of the growth and diversity of our State’s industry, and recognise the potential of new and established regions within New South Wales. This exciting new partnership is just one of the highlights of the 2014 New South Wales Wine Awards program, the presentation of which will take place on Thursday, October 30, at an industry only event. Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) CEO John Hart says it is great to be at this point where we can showcase NSW wines on NSW Wine Lists. “It is all about the tourism consumer experience and ensuring that local food and wine are offered together to showcase the local experience.” “We feel this is a great way to work with restaurant operators and encourage them to have NSW wines on their wine lists,” said Mr Hart. www.restaurantcater.asn.au

www.jeanologia.com. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

PARIS RETURNS TO MELBOURNE Melbourne’s highly anticipated French Festival returns to South Yarra 0n November 21st – 23, 2014. Como House and Garden will be transformed into a lively French village where food, romance, culture and language combine. TRAVEL TRENDS Queensland tourism businesses can now access the latest visitor trends and developments in the Asia-Pacific region as part of an exclusive new partnership between Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) announced today. To register visit teq.queensland. com/teqmpower RUBICON X FOR AUSTRALIAN SAFARI Jeep’s special-edition Rubicon X will tackle the country’s toughest off-road race – the punishing Australasian Safari. Available as a four-door Wrangler Unlimited, the Rubicon X is the most capable Wrangler in the line-up. Based on the Rubicon model, it is equipped with Wrangler’s part-time four-wheeldrive system that has electroniclocking front and rear Dana 44 axles that receive power through a Rock-Trac transfer case. AJR HEAD TO AUSTRALIA New York pop wunderkinds AJR have announced their first visit to Australian shores. The three piece - brothers Adam, Ryan and Jack Met - whose single I’m Ready achieved Platinum status locally, visit in late September to make a number of media appearances and possibly some live performances. I’m Ready is out now through Liberator Music. PRODIJEE.COM WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

AICHI PREFECTURE, JAPAN: Proof that its beauty lies on the inside and out, Toyota has revealed a second interior styling and exterior colour for an upscale interpretation of its sensational FT-1 sports car concept. Developed by Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, California, the concept vehicle’s graphite exterior paint and light, saddle-coloured leather accents went on display for the first time at the Gordon McCall’s Motorworks Revival gala held on California’s Monterey Peninsula. The original FT-1 concept ignited sports car enthusiasts and the automotive world with its January debut at the North American International Auto Show. Labelled the spiritual pace car for the new direction of Toyota Global Design, the muscular, curved exterior builds on Toyota’s rich sports coupe heritage dating back to the 2000GT, Celica, Supra, MR2 and most recently the 86 sports car. The first FT-1 stunned in a bold red, while this second iteration impresses with sophisticated graphite. Designed to get the heart racing, both share the deeply sculpted intakes and outlets that support its track-ready nature and the dramatic lines seemingly shaped by the wind. The colour of the upscale leather accents changes between the first

and second FT-1 vehicles, and the visual difference is striking. The first car was dominated by bold, masculine black that keeps the driver focused on the road, while red painted edges and raw metals provide intriguing accents. In the second, the natural leather accents on the seat are supple with an allnatural grain, giving it an authentic appeal. The painted edges that are red in the first concept are now subtly blended brown in the second. The intention is to bring in a more sophisticated feel and authenticity through colour choice, showcasing the versatility of the FT-1 sports car concept. Enthusiasts who desire a more pure high-performance experience might choose the blackred pairing, while others may desire the premium, athletic feel of the saddle leather accents. “From the start of the FT-1 project, we wanted the driver to have a feeling of flow while at the wheel - to be able to focus on the road and nothing else,” said Sellene Lee, the Calty creative designer who proposed both colour concepts. “In the colour studio we help create the atmosphere of the vehicle, and our aim was to ensure everything supported the driver through efficient choices,” she said. Lee drew inspiration for the FT-1 interior from the modern, high-tech performance materials used for today’s superhero costumes.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Australian brewer, Hawthorn Brewing Company, has cleaned up at the International Beer Challenge in London, winning Supreme Champion Brewer, a gold medal for its Golden Ale and silver medals for its Pale Ale IPA and Amber Ale. Established 18 years ago, the IBC rewards and promotes excellent beers and is the largest packaged beer awards in Europe, with close to 570 entries received from more

than 30 countries. Entries were from boutique outfits to major international breweries. Judges include some of the shrewdest beer judges in the land – retailers, importers, publicans, brewers, writers and flavour analysts, along with some highly experienced judges from continental Europe. Judges study each beer in turn, considering the appearance, the aroma, the taste and the finish, before discussing their findings with

other table members and reaching a consensus on which medal to award. The level of knowledge and experience of the judges is striking and, for a beer to achieve any kind of medal from such exacting critics, is a real achievement. A separate panel of design experts also awarded 18 Bronze, 22 Silver and 6 Gold medals for the best in design and packaging and new for 2014, they awarded the brewers, retailers and importers who had performed the best across the board in the competition. Hawthorn Golden Ale is a full flavoured and easy drinking ale. The brew’s carefully selected German malts, including Vienna and Caramel, give the beer its sparkling golden appearance. Generously hopped, but mild on the bitterness, the use of three different hops from the USA, UK and Australia impart a highly refreshing passionfruit and tropical fruit character. Golden Ale (ABV 4.5%) 24x330ml is available now, with 50l kegs due mid-September. www.hawthornbrewing.com.au/

COFFS HARBOUR, AUSTRALIA: Coffs Harbour inventor, Ian Kinny, has launched the eButton, a safety device for travellers. The user wears the eButton on a lanyard, necklace, or belt buckle and can discreetly click the device if they get into an awkward or threatening situation where using their phone might escalate the situation. One click of the eButton activates the eButtonApp on the user’s smartphone to send a ‘help message’ to selected help contacts. The message includes location details - updated if they move. It gives peace of mind to the people that might worry about

them, as well as the traveller. The eButton uses Low Energy Bluetooth technology to activate the eButtonApp and can work up to 20 metres from the user’s phone - wherever there is phone coverage. The device is currently fully compatible on Android phones running Android 4.3 or later. Ian wants safety to be accessible to all Aussies, so he has launched a petition to Apple to encourage the eButton to be fully compatible with iPhones. You can access the petition at www.change.org You can also find the video about the eButton at: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=c4GuEnD5W8I. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Max Brenner Chocolate Bar has revamped its truly addictive chocolate menu for the first time in five years with the new menu spoiling chocolate-lovers at all Max Brenner Chocolate Bars Australia-wide. Fuelled by feedback from loyal chocoholics, The Bald Man has been busy crafting some outrageously tasty new treats including artistic desserts, delicious pastries, and decadently rich milkshakes and sweet pick me ups for those on the go. Ever aware of their customer’s evolving needs, the new menu includes options for the Mini Max, the younger generation of

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) has launched the program for the fourth AACTA Awards Screenings, showcasing the finest contemporary films competing in the nation’s top screen Awards, the AACTAs. A total of 25 Feature Films will compete for an AACTA Award this year, six of which will preview at the AACTA Awards Screenings - My Mistress, The Mule, Son Of A Gun, Turkey Shoot, William Kelly’s War, and The Water Diviner. The 25 Feature Films In Competition are: 52 Tuesdays; Around The Block (pictured); The Babadook; Backyard Ashes; Canopy; Charlie’s Country; Fell; Felony; Galore; Healing; I, Frankenstein; The Infinite Man; The Little Death; My Mistress; The Mule; Predestination;

chocolate lovers and includes items made without nuts or flour. Combining modern flavour combinations and uniquely integrated textures – and of course melted chocolate – the menu is a full sensory experience. “Australian palates are constantly evolving and changing so it’s important that we stay ahead of trends by bringing new experiences to our customers while celebrating traditional Max Brenner favourites.” said Max Brenner general manager, Yael Kaminski. www.maxbrenner.com.au

The Railway Man; The Rover; Son Of A Gun; These Final Hours; Tracks; Turkey Shoot; The Water Diviner; William Kelly’s War; Wolf Creek 2. The awards screenings will open in Sydney with Son Of A Gun, a taut psychological thriller starring Ewan McGregor and newcomer Brenton Thwaites. Director, Julius Avery and producer, Timothy White, will introduce the film, which marks an exciting feature film directorial debut for Avery, following his AFI Award for Best Short Fiction Film in 2008 for Jerrycan. The screenings will be held between October 6-23, 2014 in Sydney (Event Cinemas, Bondi Junction) and Melbourne (Palace Cinema Como and Backlot Studios), and online via AACTA TV, accessible anytime, anywhere. Screenings are exclusive and complimentary

to members of the AFI (open to all) and AACTA (accredited screen professionals). The Screenings Program, included in the Judges’ Handbook, will be available on www.aacta.org from 9am Wednesday September 17, 2014.

WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

COVENTRY, ENGLAND: Jaguar and the Bremont Watch Company have revealed one of six unique wristwatches to be offered to customers of the six new Lightweight E-type Jaguars. Drawing inspiration from the car, the 43mm watch features a black dial based on the look of a Lightweight RPM gauge and featuring a subtle ‘red zone’ quadrant. The chamfered hour and minute hands replicate the instrument’s tachometer needle, while the chassis number of the relevant car is printed at the six o’clock position. The central band of the white gold case is made from aluminium saved during the construction of the new

VANCE JOY’S HIGHLY anticipated debut album Dream Your Life Away has debuted at #1 on the ARIA Album Charts, easing out Liberation/Mushroom Group label mate, Jimmy Barnes, on the way to the top spot and affirming Vance Joy’s continually rising star. “We’re incredibly excited for Vance Joy who we truly believe has a unique gift and has all the necessary ingredients to one day be included in the greats of Australia’s singer/songwriters,” said head of the Mushroom Group, Michael Gudinski. “He has a stellar team around him and will go from strength to strength both here and abroad.” Vance Joy made a flying visit to Australia for a jam-packed schedule of interviews and performances across the country to celebrate his album’s release. The celebrations carried on well into Friday evening of release day with an amazing sold out show at Melbourne’s beautiful Athenaeum Theatre. In further news, Riptide - the Melbourne troubadour’s most successful hit to date and triple j Hottest 100 #1 song of 2013 - has just hit five times platinum sales in WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

Australia. Riptide is also making waves overseas, reaching Top 10 and Gold sales in the UK, steadily climbing the Billboard Hot 100 for the past 11 weeks (currently sitting at #59) and holding strong at #1 on the Alternative Radio chart in the US for five weeks running. Meanwhile, Australia’s current Vance Joy single Mess Is Mine has charted top 40 and is approaching Gold sales locally. Dream Your Life Away was released last week in North America, where Vance is now doing a promotional tour, including a performance on NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers.

Lightweight body panels and will be anodised to match the colour of the car it is designed to complement. Other touches include a winding crown engraved with the pattern of the period-correct Dunlop racing tyres, (fitted to the continuation Lightweights), and straps made from the same Connolly leather that is being used for the interior trim. Turning the watch over reveals an automatic winding rotor - visible through a sapphire crystal case back - which takes the form of an exquisite miniaturisation of an alloy-spoked Lightweight steering wheel, complete with authentic wooden rim. The back of each watch also carries the engine number of the car it is paired with.

The album was also released in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world last week. Dream Your Life Away has spent most of its first week in the Top 10 on US iTunes and has held the #1 spot on Canada’s iTunes since release. The LP was released in the UK on September 15 and launched by an appearance on Jools Holland on Tuesday. Vance Joy will be back in Australia at the end of the year to play the Falls Festivals in Lorne, Byron Bay and Marion Bay. Vance Joy’s Dream Your Life Away Tour will run over four weeks in March 2015. Tickets are on sale now.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: An infectious power-pop rock band with a flair for the absurd and one of Australia’s most treasured rock icons – that‘s the dynamic double happening when The Angels and Cheap Trick reunite for an Australian tour early next year. They will co-headline a day on the green wineries nationally in a ripping rock’n’roll bill with Baby Animals, The Superjesus and the Choirboys, then get all hot and sweaty with

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: Six women on the brink - which one are you? Multi-award winning Australian playwright and author Joanna Murray-Smith’s highly acclaimed play Bombshells is a journey from crisis to hilarity. Six monologues explore six women balancing their inner and outer lives with humour and often desperate cunning – ranging in age from a feisty teenager to a 64-year-old widow yearning for the unexpected. This extraordinary one woman show, directed by David Bell, stars acclaimed performer, Christen O’Leary. “Many of us are trying to lead multiple lives: child, mother, wife, lover and star, giving small doses of oxygen to each and imploding

intimate shows at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre and Melbourne’s Forum Theatre with the Choirboys opening (co-presented by Frontier Touring). Cheap Trick and The Angels first crossed paths in 1980 playing some shows together in Europe and the U.S and a decade later, renewed their friendship on a huge Australian tour in 1990. The bands had instant simpatico, occasionally joining each other on stage and from all reports, one helluva good time was had by

all. It will be Cheap Trick’s first visit to Australia since 2008. John and Rick Brewster from The Angels said: “Our association with Cheap Trick began in 1980 when our truck was stolen in Chicago after supporting them in Detroit the night before. All our guitars, brand new PA and our tour manager’s washing went with it. Rick Nielsen turned up at our gig later that same day at the Park West Club with a car full of guitars and offered them for the tour. The gig was a sell-out, we played with borrowed guitars, amps and drums and Rick stayed for the show, joining us for the encore jamming on Can’t Shake It. “Since then we’ve toured England and France together in 1980 and Australia in 1990. Great band, great songs and great guys... can’t wait to do it all again!” Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen added: “We’re really looking forward to the 2015 Angels Cheap Trick tour and being back in Australia again. Maybe we can finally get back all the guitars, amps and gear I loaned them!” www.frontiertouring.com

under the weight of so many competing roles”, said Joanna (pictured). “The women I have written in Bombshells struggle – sometimes hilariously, sometimes tragically – to bridge the chasm between the wilderness of their inner worlds and the demands of their outer worlds. And humour, in the end, is our saviour.” Bombshells strips back the façade of womanhood to reveal things that we’d just love to say out loud. HIT Productions present Bombshells from Tuesday September 23 until Sunday September 28 at The Coopers Malthouse Theatre. BOOKINGS: https://boxoffice. malthousetheatre.com.au (03) 9685 5111 WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

prodijee Editor Darren House darren@prodijee.com +61 (0) 408 536 148 Fashion & Lifestyle Editor Carol Sheridan carol@prodijee.com +61 (0) 411 245 383 Food & Beverage Editor John Anthony Art Director Carolyn Stevens Contributing Writers Lily Serna Matthew Wren Sarah French Amy Sommer Rik Barnett Holly Scaunich Chief Photographer Matthew Wren Advertising advertising@prodijee.com Cover Photo: Greg Desiatov. Styling: JD Nelson - brand by style. Fashion: kitchy ku, pinnacle runway, luvisa, culture kings. Cosmetics: bodyography. Published by: prodijee PO Box 4158 Ringwood, 3134, Victoria Australia info@prodijee.com www.prodijee.com

BE GREEN EMBRACE THE SCREEN!

No trees were harmed during the production of this magazine. Material published in prodijee is copyright and may not be reproduced by any means of duplication without the written permission of the publisher. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

going postal STYLE DE PUKE

Didn’t know what you guys were talking about in Style de Jour – love it or hate it fashion. When I first looked at it all the chic’s clothes were pretty hot and I would be a happy guy if my chic wore those kind of things – before I get beaten over the head – my chic looks hot and I AM happy! But when I got to the guys fashion I discovered what you meant! FREAKIN WEIRD! Joshua Cableton Mandura, WA, AUSTRALIA.

Ed – Yes, the guys fashion isn’t for me, either.

KEEPING IT REAL

I like Carol’s story on real women, it is so true and I am also sick and tired of hearing about ‘real’ women and ‘not real’ women. The wording is ridiculous. I really like that prodijee shows real people, (had to put that in) but what I mean is, prodijee shows the real person. After reading your story on Shane Delia I really feel that I know him, I feel that he is a real person and not some fake wanna be who lives a lie. I also like that the girls you have

doing your reviews are normal, everyday people. I do not for one minute mean this in a negative way, but they aren’t all made up and having glamour shots as their pictures. That’s the sort of person I want to tell me about products, not someone who has some kind of vested interest in selling something or something to gain from being all made up and glam, or someone who is paid to be a product ambassador. Jordanna Pollipolous Canterbury, Vic, AUSTRALIA.

Ed – You have hit the nail on the head Jordanna, we are only interested in the real side of a person, not how they look, not their colour, not their sexuality. It’s who they are inside that counts.

PIZZA SUPREME

Dropped in to try out one of the world’s best pizzas at 400 Gradi last week after I had read about it in prodijee. It’s not like any pizza I have had before and even though you said it was different I wasn’t really expecting it to be much different at all. It really is

InDaHouse different! They have won me over as someone who is going to be a regular customer there! Jaxson Morelle Pascoe Vale, Vic, AUSTRALIA.

KEEN ON KLUGER

Loved seeing the Kluger article. I have a Kluger and love it – you don’t hear much about it in magazines so it was great to see. Robyn Gardner Narellan, NSW, AUSTRALIA.

Ed – You and me both Jaxson, I dropped in there again recently. With all the restaurants I get to try out, I rarely have time to go back to one no matter how good they are, but this one is definitely worth making the effort.

Ed – Most people who buy vehicles are not full-on car enthusiasts who read car magazines or websites, so we are happy to present new car information to everyday motorists.

PUT A ZING IN YOUR DAY

DAD’S HOT AIR

I saw your page with the Natio products on it and as a lover of all things lemony, I went out and bought the Lemon Grass, Lemon Myrtle and Lime home fragrance. I hope that Natio keep this in their range (and maybe introduce even more fruity ones) because it is beautiful, fresh and zingy. I don’t like flowery smells around the house, this one is much better. Charlotte Ingman Ashburton, Vic, AUSTRALIA .

Ed – From what I hear from the women around here it is a very popular item.

Was reminded of Red Balloon by your Father’s Day story. I did a Hot Air Balloon thing with them a couple of years ago and am just about to purchase one of these for my Dad (and Mum) for Father’s Day – thanks for the reminder! Lana Andersen Seville, Vic, AUSTRALIA

Ed – Glad to be of service Lana, you have a lucky Dad. GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Send prodijee an email at goingpostal@prodijee.com

Darren HOUSE

NO MATTER WHICH side of the Pacific Ocean you reside, it’s a great time of year if you are into football. For those in Australia, its finals time for both AFL and NRL - which is great if your team is participating. If your team didn’t make the finals – my AFL team, St Kilda, finished on the bottom of the ladder – it’s still a wonderful time because we long suffering fans have been put out of our misery. If you are in the US, the new season is about to start and last year’s poor performances are but a fading memory - optimism and hope now dominate your thoughts, with new players – and perhaps even a new coach – reason enough to believe that this year you can go all the way to the Superbowl. But whether that optimism is justified will be known in just a few weeks, and for supporters whose team fails to record an early win comes the realisation that this year will be no better than last year. As a long-suffering St Kilda Saints supporter, I am well accustomed to our season being over soon after it has begun. Traumatic memories of one year in particular remain particularly vivid. In the opening game of the season, the Saints were beaten by 100 points. In the second game they were beaten by 100 points. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, in the third game they were beaten by 160 points… So if your team loses, rest assured I feel your pain. And if your season is about to start, I wish you all good luck… but not enough luck to beat New Orleans. Go Saints!

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what’s hot IT’S NOT OFTEN that you will find all of these statements/words that can be truthfully applied to one product, but when it comes to ‘basic and effective’, it’s hard to go past Caroline’s Skincare. Suitable for the whole family, Caroline’s Skincare includes the original hero product, Caroline’s Cream, which has been reformulated and is now 30 per cent thicker, creamier and more moisturising than ever, with

Caroline’s Wash and Caroline’s Lip Balm completing the range. While Caroline’s Cream is highly effective with problematic skin, it is especially formulated for sensitive skin and it is also wonderful as a general all over moisturizer. Initially developed to treat and relieve the symptoms of eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and dry skin, the inclusion of Aloe Vera, Vitamin A and Colloidal Oatmeal now renders Caroline’s

Cream invaluable for conditions such as those listed plus acne, rosacea, irritated and inflamed skin, including nappy rash. It’s super hydrating, leaving your skin soft and supple without feeling greasy, where else will you find a product so versatile and so effective? Then there’s Caroline’s Wash which is based on the same formula as the cream and can be used as an everyday overall face and body wash, shampoo, as well as to remove make up and for shaving. Because of its low irritant formula and soothing calming ingredients it is perfect for those with acne prone and sensitive skin. An extremely versatile product, used alone or in conjunction with Caroline’s Cream, it’s a formidable product in helping people manage and care for problematic skin. Not to forget your lips. With Caroline’s Lip Balm you say goodbye to sore, dry and chapped lips. Moist and plump will replace flaked and cracked. And if you’re prone to cold sores, the balm is the perfect choice as you can use it every day to help soothe and protect your lips from flare-ups. The Caroline’s Skincare range contains no nut products, fragrances, lanolin, propylene glycol or dairy. The products are full of only botanically derived, soothing and calming ingredients. Caroline’s Cream 500ml – RRP: $32.50/Caroline’s Cream 100g – RRP: $19.95 Caroline’s Wash – 500ml – RRP $32.50/Caroline’s Wash 100g – RRP $19.95 Caroline’s Lip Balm – RRP: $11.50 www.carolineskincare.com.au

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I WAS QUICK to jump on the quinoa bandwagon, and even quicker to the chia bandwagon – supergrains are taking the market by storm and I wasn’t about to be the odd one out by not adding them to my cooking repertoire. So, when I heard that another supergrain was taking the market by storm, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. Since ancient times, people of the world have experienced the delicious flavour of nutritious young green wheat – Freekeh. Picked and roasted when the grain is green, it retains a higher percentage of protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals, in particular, calcium, potassium, iron and zinc than mature wheat. Greenwheat Freekeh is a nutra-ceutical and natural green grain ingredient that is used in manufacturing noodles, breads and muesli in Asia and Ukraine. It is now making its mark in Australia’s health food industry. It is 100 per cent natural, free from chemicals, additives, colouring and preservatives, has a delicious taste and is great for aiding weight loss. According to research conducted by CSIRO, the Australian

Government Analytical Laboratories and the Flinders Medical Centre on this new superfood, Freekeh products are found to have: • four times the fibre content of brown rice • low fat content • high levels of calcium, zinc and iron • high levels of protein • low GI; good for managing diabetes and general bowel health It is of course no surprise that Freekeh has attracted the attention of many health experts, celebrities and celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Dr Oz and Oprah, Jamie Oliver claims this Greenwheat Freekeh is his new favourite superfood, while Dr Oz has said that it is the new grain to watch out for on the market. MY TRIAL RECIPE Cooking Freekeh is as easy as cooking rice – steam, boil or microwave – directions are on the pack – I cooked one cup of dry Freekeh, yielding three cups of cooked Freekeh. It comes in whole grain and cracked varieties with the cracked being the faster to cook.

Once cooled, I added chopped parsley, slithered almonds, diced dried apricots, sultanas and one finely diced red onion. To which I added a simple dressing of lemon juice, oil, salt, pepper and a small amount of finely chopped preserved lemon. This looked and tasted delicious - the Freekeh has a moist, chewy texture and light, nutty taste and is perfectly palatable on its own, but I like to ‘spice’ it up a bit with added flavours. I ate it at room temperature, but later had some after it had been refrigerated – both ways tasted really great. I found that the flavours developed overnight and it tasted even yummier the next day – at which time I also added a little crumbled feta. There are a wide range of Freekeh products are being introduced into the Australian market including, flour, sourdough Freekeh bread, Freekeh pastas and Freekeh salads. Get creative with your flavours – fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices – and cook yourself a super delicious and healthy meal. www.greenwheatfreekeh.com.au WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

WITH THE RIGHT tools to shape and fill, stunning brows are easy to achieve. Follow these tips from Beauty Theory (the creators of Colour Theory) for creating bold and beautiful brows that frame the face and complete your look. First, determine the desired shape and what brow will best suit the shape of your face – For a heart shaped face, opt for full brows that are more angular than round with a medium arch. The best brow for square and long square faces is a moderately thick brow with a subtle arch. For a round face a slim medium arch is the best shape as it thins out the face. An oval shaped face can get away with a bold and prominent ‘power’ arch. The high arch shape suits the proportions of the face. To determine what you need to pluck, line up tweezers (or an eyeliner pencil) against the inner side of your eyebrow and the outer edge of the bottom of your nose to determine the starting point of your eyebrow. Then line the tweezers up with the end of your eyebrow and the bottom of your nose. Tweeze any hairs that fall outside of these lines. The arch of your eyebrow should peak above the outer rim of your iris.

Be sure to clasp each hair firmly and pull out in the same direction as the hair is growing. Pay attention to the overall look of the brow as you go. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

Zooming in too close may make you lose perspective and lead to over plucking. MAKE-UP BRUSHES Make-up brushes should be an essential part of your make-up collection. Using the right tools will give you a flawless finish every time so perfect your look with the following make-up brushes from Beauty Theory’s essentials range The Foundation Brush is designed to give you a smooth and even finish with close-cut bristles that are ideal for applying foundation, blush and powder. Use this brush to efficiently apply a smooth and light covering of the Colour Theory Tinted Moisturiser. Made of natural bristles the Beauty Theory Powder Brush delivers a flawless application of powder. This must have brush is ideal for applying loose or pressed powder, and bronzer to the face, neck and body. Keep your bag neat and clean with Beauty Theory’s convenient Retractable Blusher Brush. The fluffy brush disappears neatly into the handle and is ideal for applying pressed or loose blusher. Beauty Theory

Cosmetic Brush 5-Piece Set equips you with brushes for the face, lips and eyes, and includes a lip liner brush, eye shadow brush, sponge applicator, blusher brush and eyebrow and eyelash groomer. www.amcal.com.au

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THE HEDGREN BRAND is loved worldwide for its highly functional, casual bags for busy urbanites, commuters and travellers. David Jones, Strandbags and Victoria Station are some of the lucky retailers who are now carrying the latest Hedgren range. The new designs have distinctive contemporary-urban looks and elegant lines with eye-catching colour and versatile shapes that complement the staple range and original lines. Designed in Belgium the Hedgren fabrics are super lightweight and water repellent, with tear-proof and slash-proof high-density webbing shoulder straps, perfect for travellers and those looking for extra security for their valuables.

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A decadent take of apothecary where rich baroque designs adorn for sophisticated elegance and luxurious formulations in classic fragrances rapture. Experience opulent extravagance with Triple-Milled Soaps, antioxidant-rich Hand Creams, invigorating Washes & Lotions, Soy Wax Candles and exquisite Reed Diffuser Sets. The Emporium Classics range is available in five signature fragrances; Candied Vanilla, Snow Gardenia, Belladonna, Lychee Flower and Blood Orange. Available at Myer, David Jones, selected boutiques and online at www.morboutique.com.

FRAGRANT CANDLE

Lavish black soy wax is hand poured into an elegant glass vessel, complete with an adorned lid to exude a classic fragrance and mood of opulence. 100 per cent cotton lead-free wick and burns up to 60 hours. 390g â&#x20AC;&#x201C; RRP AU $49.95

TRIPLE-MILLED SOAP

An indulgent triple milled soap combining nourishing Sweet Almond Oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E that leaves skin feeling velvety soft, nourished and fragranced. 180g â&#x20AC;&#x201C; RRP AU $19.95 WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

HAND CREAM

A uniquely fragranced hand cream containing antioxidant rich White Tea and Acai, enriched with other specific fragrance extracts and oils to leave hands perfectly smoothed and nourished. RRP AU $26.95

HAND & BODY LOTION

A luxurious Hand & Body Lotion enriched with Macadamia and Soybean Oils, Shea Butter and Vitamin E that leaves skin supple. 350ml – RRP AU $32.95

REED DIFFUSER SET

An exquisite reed diffuser set containing a classic scented diffuser fragrance, aluminium funnel, embellished black glass flacon and black reeds to infuse the air with a signature fragrance and add elegance to any space. 200ml – RRP AU $59.95

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Arrive Fashionably Safe Driver Dynamics is Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s #1 Advanced Driving and Defensive Driver Training organisation, with courses to suit all levels of experience from just $149. So whether you are heading to the catwalk, the red carpet or just across town, staying safe on the roads is something that never goes out of style.

www.driverdynamics.com 1300 652 693

NOTHING SPEAKS GLAMOUR and like a diamond chandelier earring. In the 1920s these earrings were extremely popular, however many designs were created with a clipon backing. In the late 1940s King George gifted a beautiful pair of three- tier chandelier earrings to Queen Elizabeth, however pierced ears were not the norm during this time. Once Queen Elizabeth set the trend of pierced ears and wore her beautiful new drop earrings, women from around the globe followed. Alongside the Royals, classic movie stars such as Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe set the modern glamour trend with chandelier earrings. The classic chandelier earring is a favourite for celebrities on the red carpet at the Golden Globes, Met Gala, Cannes Film Festival and Oscars. Today women also wear chandelier earrings on their wedding day or have their bridesmaids wear them. Inspired by the film Grace of Monaco and the classic, timeless

looks of Grace Kelly, the team from Secrets wanted to capture the glamour from the red carpet and make it attainable for all women to own the look of royal elegance with their signature diamond simulants. The Grace Collection possesses elegance with beautiful sterling silver drop earrings, worn with a classic black dress or beautiful white wedding gown these

TAKE A TRIP to the dark side of beauty with ORLY’s new, Limited Edition Collection – Smokey. Inspired by the shades and hues of an essential and timeless smokey eye, the palate of six polishes is an enigmatic blend of shimmers and crèmes, the finishes

are a mix of gloss and matte. ORLY Australia ambassador and celebrity manicurist, Fiona Hay suggests some unique designs using the collection, “layering Brush It On over Blend or Darkest Shadow will give a shimmering pink highlight, or layer Edgy over

earrings will certainly create a stunning look for your special appearance. Secrets managing director Jane Meredith explained, “Chandelier earrings are increasingly popular for a variety of occasions including school formals, weddings and red carpet events. Their chic style make them a must have for those special occasions.” www.secrets-shhh.com

Smoked Out or Highlight for an antique gold detail. Worn alone or layered for stunning effects, there are endless options with the Smokey Collection.” On shelf for a limited time RRP: AU $18.95 each. www.orlybeauty.com.au

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CURLING IRONS AND straighteners are musthave accessories for those who want the flexibility to switch up their hairstyle quickly and effortlessly. Whether you want to straighten your hair or add some curls, this guide from The Good Guys should give you all the help you need. Depending on your hair type, you may need to consider the width of the plates when choosing a straightener: • Slim plates – usually between 2.5 and 3cm are most suited to short hair. • Medium plates – typically between 3 and 4cm, can be used for short and medium-length hair. • Wide plates – around 6cm are the best option if you have long hair.

With curling irons, the barrel size will affect the size of the curl. For those who prefer mid-length and longer curls, a barrel of 2.5 - 4cm is ideal. The wattage of an appliance will often tell you how powerful it is. Additional power will give added flexibility but make sure you consider your hair type, as there is no point in buying a product that is extremely powerful if you only use the lower settings. Temperature setting options are an important Vidal Sassoon Curl Secret Hair Styler.

Vidal Sassoon VSP95CA Goddess & Mini Pro Steam Straightener.

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element to consider when choosing a hair straightener or curler. Higher temperature settings usually mean you can get your hair straightened faster and to a greater effect. The more temperature settings available, the more flexibility you have, with some models even coming with digital displays for accuracy. Make sure you consider your hair type as not all settings will be suitable, particularly if you have thin or delicate hair. Wet to straight straighteners work on towel-dried hair, so that you don’t have to use a hair dryer. Steam hydration can be better for your hair too. Automatic shut-off is a great safety precaution as it will turn your appliance off after a given time, just in case you forget and burn a hole in something. Ionic straightening will lock in moisture and remove any static to prevent frizz. Worldwide voltage is a great feature for regular travellers and is mains powered for optimal performance. Infrared heat straighteners and curling irons heat hair from the inside which is less likely to cause damage. www.thegoodguys.com.au

Remington Metallics Hair Straightener.

HERE IN AUSTRALIA our days are lasting longer, the sun is making more and stronger appearances and winter has finally ended. You can kiss bye bye to the icy winds and freezing rains with a vibrant garland of just-picked berry brights from Natio. Enliven your cheeks, play up lips and festoon fingertips with the myriad of happy, healthy hues in Mother Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blooming floral spectrum. From delicate blossom pink and softest peach through to the richest rosebud red and cheery hibiscus, spring is the perfect time to have a fling with floral colour. www.natio.com.au

Nail Colour - Kashi.

Antioxidant Lip Shine - Love.

Antioxidant Lip Shine - Grace.

Antioxidant Lip Shine - Bliss.

Mineral Trio Eye Shadow Illuminate. Limited Edition Blush & Bronze Palette - Rosy Glow. Mechanical Long Lasting Lip Liner - Scarlet.

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GONE ARE THE days of time and energy wasted on threading a needle for stitching a shirt button - tic has created the ultimate solution for speedily fastening shirt buttons. All you have to do is poke tic through the fabric, pop your shirt button on the tic spike, close the clip and click, wiggle the clip around the button and remove – It’s that simple. Now, I am a sewer, so when I was presented with this to try out I must admit I inwardly scoffed – what could possibly be easier than sewing one little button on? Then I thought, well, men would probably find this little thing handy (pretty sexist, I know) but then I very quickly was reminded of one of my daughters who openly admits to being scared of a sewing machine and not knowing which end of a needle is which (slight exaggeration), but I can honestly say that I don’t think she has ever sewn on a button in her life. tic is a little contraption that takes up next to no room in your bag. I hear you saying, neither does a needle and thread, but believe me, this takes

up much less space and you don’t run the risk of stabbing yourself on the sharp needle end as you are fossicking around your bag or briefcase to find it. It is also great for travellers as you can pop it into your carry-on baggage without fear of being handcuffed and locked up for carrying a dangerous weapon. It is quick and simple to use and once tic is attached to your garment it can be worn and washed as if the button had been stitched by hand. Water, washing detergent, or the dry cleaners will not affect tic’s quality. The innovation of tic became apparent with winning an honourable mention at the 2014 Red Dot awards for product design. With tic being distributed in more than 40 countries, this handy contraption has now hit Australian shores, with the product being stocked in retail outlets in Melbourne, Sydney and online. This compact package comes with four tic shirt fasteners in either black or white for $7.95 and I feel that it is the new must-have accessory for anyone who wears a buttoned shirt. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

www.kellystephens.com.au

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Bose has announced two additions to the iconic SoundLink line of mobile audio solutions: the SoundLink Colour Bluetooth speaker, the most affordable SoundLink speaker from Bose, and the SoundLink Bluetooth on-ear headphones, the first onear Bluetooth headphones from Bose. Both combine renowned Bose performance with new functionality and style. The SoundLink Colour Bluetooth speaker is a completely new SoundLinkdesign - but is still every inch a SoundLink. It weighs just 0.56kg, and measures 12.7cm wide, 5.3cm deep and 13.5cm high to fit easily into a handbag, knapsack or the palm of your hand. Bose combined exclusive dual-opposing passive radiators with two high-efficiency transducers for fullrange sound, including deep, low-note performance. With its size and performance, the SoundLink Colour speaker is a small wonder, making out-loud listening undeniably portable, powerful and fun. It connects wirelessly to a smartphone, tablet or other Bluetooth enabled device, and uses voice prompts available in several languages - to simplify setup, and identify which source is connected. Turn it off, and the SoundLink Colour speaker remembers the last eight devices paired when powered back on. It then automatically connects to the two most recently used your iPhone, iPad, Android, or other Bluetooth enabled device. The SoundLink Colour Bluetooth speaker can last up to eight hours of unplugged play time, and fully recharges with most USB power sources in as little as three hours. Its housing is made of elastomer and plastic and comes in Black, White, Blue, Red and Mint.

The new SoundLink on-ear Bluetooth headphones deliver a new level of performance for Bluetooth headphones. They feature crisp, powerful sound, new features, and a design thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lighter and more comfortable than conventional Bluetooth headphones. The headphones deliver all the audio performance of a Bose wired headphone. Bose Active Equalisation and TriPort technology combine for smoother, more balanced sound. Mid-high frequencies are natural, and low-frequencies are detailed and full. Yet, there are no cords or cables, so you can take calls, or enjoy a video, movie or music freely. They connect up to two devices at a time and let you switch between each, so you can watch a video from your tablet while staying connected to your smartphone. Simple voice prompts identify whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s calling, battery status and source connection. With commands on the earcup, you can turn it on and off, answer and end a call, adjust volume, play/pause, or control tracks, without using your phone. Designed to be worn comfortably for hours, they feature soft ear cushions and a headband pad made of fabric used in high-end automotive applications. The SoundLink Bluetooth headphones come in Black or White, and charge easily with an included USB cable for up to 15 hours of listening, or up to two hours after a mere 15-minute charge. The speaker and the headphones will be sold for AUD$179.00 (NZD$219) and AUD$329 (NZD$399), respectively. All SoundLink products are sold at Bose retail stores, Bose.com.au, Bose.co.nz, authorised Bose dealers and toll free at 1800 173 371.

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CANON HAS UNLEASHED the new EOS 7D Mark II. Completely rebuilt and redesigned, the EOS 7D Mark II sets a new benchmark for electrifying speed and power in the APS-C category. Made for life’s fastest moments, the camera can capture an incredible 10 frames per second (fps) without a drop in resolution, thanks to a new Dual DiG!C 6 processors and also featuring 65-point cross-type AF system1. Designed to help you capture the perfect moment in outstanding quality, the EOS 7D Mark II boasts a 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a native ISO 100-16,000 range, expandable to ISO 51,200. Together with an advanced high-resolution 150,000 pixel RGB+IR metering sensor and innovative flicker detection, the EOS 7D Mark II ensures beautifully exposed sharp images. Completely adaptable to the way you shoot, the camera offers customisable body controls and new Intelligent Viewfinder II with approximately 100 per cent coverage, letting photographers shoot and change settings while looking through the viewfinder, so you don’t need to take your eyes off the action. The EOS 7D Mark II excels in high-speed situations, shooting bursts of an astonishing 10 fullresolution images in a single second, thanks in part to a newly designed shutter and mirror drive mechanism. The outstanding responsive is matched by a blisteringly fast 65-point AF system, making possible high speed in low light conditions without compromise in terms of speed or quality. Boasting one of the WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

most advanced AF systems in a camera of its class, each AF point is cross-typei, with the centre point offering dual crosstype focusing at f/2.8 and EV-3 low-light sensitivity, giving you unsurpassed accuracy in all light conditions and for all subjects. The EOS 7D Mark II lets you tailor the AF system, with a customisable menu similar to the EOS-1D X, providing free reign over sensitivity and subject tracking, while a new dedicated AF Mode Selection lever lets you instantly switch between AF area modes without taking your eye from the viewfinder. Whether you’re shooting indoors or outdoors, under natural or artificial light, consistently accurate exposures are achieved with a new 150,000 pixel RGB+IR metering sensor – the first in an EOS to include infra-red and flickering light sensitivity. The new cutting-edge flicker detection feature ensures images are only shot when light levels are at their brightest level – intelligently analysing the light source and detecting flickering light the eye simply can’t see.

The camera’s auto-focus system even works in moonlight. Additionally, EOS iTR AF and AI Servo AF III technologies, originally introduced in the EOS-1D X, work alongside the advanced metering sensor to deliver accurate subject tracking. The EOS 7D Mark II builds on its predecessor’s movie reputation with a new suite of pro-standard recording features. Superior AF performance is executed by Canon’s unique Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, so you can shoot with smooth, accurate focus. In a first for EOS, both Movie Servo AF speed and tracking sensitivity can be customised, giving you complete control for pull-focus effects and transitions between subjects. The camera captures every split second of the action in Full HD quality, with a choice of frame rates from 24p to 60p for smooth movement and slow motion effects. Footage captured on the EOS 7D Mark II seamlessly

fits into existing professional video workflows, thanks to uncompressed (4:2:2) HDMI output to external recorders. Ensuring professional audio capture during every shoot, the camera features new dedicated microphone and headphone sockets for external devices, as well as silent control to prevent operational noise being captured if settings are changed. Canon has also announced a series of new lenses: • The EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM – Canon’s first 24mm EF-S pancake lens, with a portable and lightweight design ideal for documenting the beauty of a city while traveling, or for unobtrusive photography of loved ones at social events.

a compact and lightweight design without compromising on reach. It features Canon’s third-generation Diffractive Optic technology and a completely redesigned optical structure, for stunning results whether shooting wildlife, sports or news. The EOS 7D Mark II will be available in retail stores across Australia from mid-November. Prices will be set at dealers’ discretion. For more information on the EOS 7D Mark II visit:

www.canon.com.au/en-AU/ Personal/Products/Camerasand-Accessories/EOS-DigitalSLR-Cameras/EOS-7D-Mark-II

• The EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM – a new 24-105mm zoom lens, built for optimal performance when used in combination with Canon’s fullframe DSLRs. The lens offers a versatile zoom range to capture a diverse number of scenes with the added benefit of quiet, smooth focusing thanks to STM and Image Stabilizer technology. • The new EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM – Canon’s latest super-telephoto lens, it is ideal for photographers who need WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

roadtest SACHAJUAN HAIRCAIR, SERUM 7 SKINCARE, ORGANIC BEAUTY ANTIPODES SKINCARE. WINTER IS NOW behind us, but it’s been just too easy to rug up on the couch under a big cozy blanket, forgetting our beauty regimes. SACHAJUAN We spend a lot of time styling our hair and we complain bitterly if it doesn’t do exactly what we want it to do. The truth is, it’s the same as everything else, if you want it to look good, it needs to be cared for properly. Sachajuan’s Shine Serum is specially designed to give your hair that extra TLC, it is a protecting and repairing product for damaged ends that are dry or have been overexposed to the elements. The serum contains Panthenol Vitamin B5 for the ultimate in moisture and nourishment, giving your locks a deep, rich shine with a protecting and glossy finish. Firstly, the product is incredibly easy to use; all you need is to work a few drops (and only a few drops) through the ends of your hair – do not rinse - style as normal. The serum is light weight and I highly doubt, if you use only a few drops, that it would weigh down even the finest of hair. I found that after using this product my hair was super manageable; it was silky and smooth and allowed the brush to glide through really easily. After drying, my hair remained soft, smooth and silky without even a hint of frizz. Is it a product I would use again? Yes, most definitely! As well as the other benefits, this product has provided my hair the best shine of any product I have used. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

SERUM 7 PROTECTING BODY SERUM

by Carol SHERIDAN

RRP AU $35.00 - Available from selected stockists: www.sachajuan.com

To keep ourselves warm during Winter, we have been wearing layers of heavier fabrics and it has been easy to forget about caring for our skin. In colder weather skin can dry out easily becoming cracked, a little extra TLC is required to keep it well hydrated, supple and smooth. Serum7 Protecting Body Serum 19 is a silky moisturising body serum that absorbs quickly into the skin. Massage the serum into skin just after a bath or shower, paying extra attention to drier areas like elbows and knees. This product goes on smoothly; it is long lasting and not at all greasy. It is fairly lightly scented but I did find that the scent lingers for a long time which might not be to everyone’s taste. This product is hypoallergenic and carefully formulated to minimise the risk of allergies, which is a huge bonus for someone like me with sensitive skin. The silky and light serum has been designed to help prevent skin ageing, with a patented antioxidant complex that helps enhance the skin’s natural protection against environmental damage. Active ingredients of Lipopeptides and White Lupin help boost and maintain skin elasticity while the blend of moisturising ingredients leaves skin visibly smoothed. Since using this product I have noticed that my skin definitely feels smoother, well-nourished and dewy, it is definitely a moisturiser that I would recommend to others.

RRP AU $19.00 - Available at

Do you have a product you’d like the team at Prodijee to review? Contact Carol Sheridan at carol@prodijee.com

“Since using this product I have noticed that my skin definitely feels smoother, well-nourished and dewy, it is definitely a moisturiser that I would recommend to others.”

Amcal, Amcal Max and Guardian Pharmacies – www.amcal.com.au ORGANIC BEAUTY ANTIPODES The signs of ageing are a part of life but supporting our skin with quality anti-ageing products helps keep skin healthy in appearance, and less prone to the visual changes of ageing. But where do we start when it comes to buying products to help protect our skin? It can be a very expensive trial and error process before we find something that does the job. Containing an estimated two weeks supply, the Antipodes antiageing products in mini sizes can help us discover the brand’s outstanding skin enhancing benefits without parting with much money. While the minis are perfect to use as a trial or for travelling, the products are also available in larger sizes for everyday home use. In the box of the anti-ageing minis,

you will find a bottle of the Joyous protein-rich Night Replenish Serum and a tube of Avocado Pear Nourishing Night cream. Gently pat a couple of drops of the serum onto your face, neck and décolletage, then follow up with a gentle massage of the night cream. The use of these two products left my skin feeling very nourished and plumped. I expected my skin to feel greasy after step one but it didn’t at all, the product was absorbed very quickly. I think the mini’s are great if you have ageing and dry skin, the products seem to be quite rich, so if your skin is sensitive to that sort of treatment it might be best to give it a miss, but in general, I would recommend the Antipodes products; the product is well priced for a trial or to take travelling.

Available exclusively at Priceline – RRP AU$19.95 www.antipodesnature.com WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

BURT’S BEES RADIANT SKIN CARE RANGE. BURT’S BEES ALWAYS promises to stick to The Natural Standard and to maintain the highest ideals, never taking the easy way out, when it comes to their products. They say that they will never compromise what is best for their customers experience and well-being and will always be true to what they define as natural. It’s Burt’s Bees commitment to quality that convinced me to try their latest range of Royal Jelly products. Royal Jelly is considered to be one of the world’s most nutrient rich substances and is said to enhance skin texture, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and reduce dryness and dullness. But, over the years, royal jelly has had good and bad media with adverse side effects being evident if one does not follow guidelines for use correctly. Whilst most of the side effects are experienced if the product is ingested, they can also result in the use of topical applications. So, knowing that I have very sensitive skin, I would only use a product containing royal jelly if it comes from a company I trust.

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by by Holly Hayley SCAUNICH COUTTS

Hence, I was more than happy to trial the Royal Jelly products from Burt’s Bees. BURT’S BEES RADIANCE NIGHT CREAM WITH ROYAL JELLY. When you first open this pot of cream you get a quick zing

into your skin, straight away I noticed that my skin had a lovely velvety texture, it also felt very smooth and there was no residue or greasiness. I was pleasantly surprised the next morning when I discovered that my skin felt the same, very smooth and velvety. After using for a week now, I am extremely happy with this product. My skin is feeling and looking lovely, the product hasn’t clogged my pores, which I have found some night creams can do. I do feel that my skin is slightly more radiant and it is certainly looking very clear. RRP AU $39.95 /55g

“Royal Jelly is considered to be one of the world’s most nutrient rich substances and is said to enhance skin texture, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and reduce dryness and dullness” of lemon, but it very quickly dissipates to a very subtle scent of some of its other ingredients - rosemary and pine tree extracts. This lightweight cream smooths easily onto your skin and is very quickly absorbed. The product is said to give you a deep overnight treatment, but due to its fairly light consistency I wasn’t sure how nourishing it would be for my skin. Application is easy and the product feels lovely massaging

BURT’S BEES RADIANCE EYE CREAM WITH ROYAL JELLY This eye cream has a buttery consistency in the pot, but becomes a very light weight cream when it touches your skin. I found that using this product at night time my skin was extremely well moisturised. The product does a really good job, so good in fact that it is a little too moisturising to wear under makeup during the day. Being the mother of a young baby, I find that I am now sometimes suffering with puffiness under my eyes due to lack of sleep. I have found that this cream helps reduce this puffiness really well. I look forward to trying the full range of the Burt’s Bees Radiant products with Royal Jelly. RRP AU $35.95 /14g

RADIANCE TONER: RRP AU$24.95/175ml RADIANCE EYE CREAM WITH ROYAL JELLY RRP AU$35.95/14g

RADIANCE FACIAL CLEANSER: RRP AU$24.95/175ml

RADIANCE SERUM: RRP AU$34.95/13ml

BURT’S BEES PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE IN DAVID JONES, MYER, PRICELINE, SELECTED PHARMACIES, TARGET AND ONLINE AT WWW.BURTSBEES.COM.AU

RADIANCE DAY CREAM: RRP AU$39.95/55g

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PEOPLE FOR PLANTS BODY SCRUB. THE WORD QUILLAJA is being whispered in beauty circles as possibly the new super ingredient! But what is it? Quillaja Saponaria is an evergreen native tree to central Chile. The inner bark of Quillaja saponaria can be reduced to powder and then used as a substitute for soap since it forms lather when it meets water. The soap bark tree (as it is otherwise known) has a long history of medicinal use with the Andean people and the scents derived from the tree are used in perfumes and cosmetics. People for Plants is now using Quillaja as one of the ingredients in their body scrub. Also containing papaya and apricot, this scrub cleanses detoxes and energises the skin. The formula is 85 per cent organically certified and with its micro beads, it gently polishes away impurities and dead skin cells. The papaya and apricot kernel oil lock in moisture leaving skin that is soft, smooth and tingly. The product is easy to use, all you need to do is apply a small amount

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by by Holly Hayley SCAUNICH COUTTS

to your hands and massage your body gently with your fingertips, paying special attention to any dry areas such as the feet knees and elbows, then rinse off with warm water. This body scrub is a product I can recommend; it is a one-stop skin detox for soft, radiant, healthy looking skin. RRP AU$19.95 www.peopleforplants.com.au

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The soap bark tree has a long history of medicinal use with the Andean people and its scents are used in perfumes and cosmeticâ&#x20AC;?

Do you have a product youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like the team at Prodijee to review? Contact Carol Sheridan at carol@prodijee.com

ARBONNE LIMITED EDITION COUNTRY GARDEN PALETTE WITH SO MANY makeup brands on the market it can be hard to stand out amongst the shelves. The Arbonne Country Garden palette package screams springtime and the colours inside are just as beautiful. With four eye shadows and a bronzer/blush duo this palette gives a light natural look with a pop of colour that can be darkened up for the evening. The Summerset Meadow bronzer/blush duo – the bronzer is light bronze colour with very high shimmer. For those with combination to oily skin types, you should be aware, that if your skin gets shiny, this product will accentuate that by mid-morning; however normal to drier skin types would enjoy a warm glow from this product. The blush is definitely a very light champagne highlight, even mixed together these two colours couldn’t be classified as a blush. The pigmentation however I found to be quite nice and the face products in the palette have no fallout. Speaking of fallout, the same could not be said of the eye shadows. The palette has a beautiful colour selection of birch/ cream, willow/mid tone-brown, wood rose/deep taupe and bluebell/light blue. The blue and cream shades are matte, the taupe has a satin finish and the mid tone has silver glitter. Very strangely, in the palette, the brown has a very high glitter content but once applied comes off matte. I found all these shade to have a powdery consistency as soon as touched by a brush, especially the taupe, which left shadow all around my eye and on my cheeks. I also had to blow the excess of the palette as one tap of a brush left a lot of excess behind. This would be easy to deal with except the shadows also had very low pigmentation. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

by Holly SCAUNICH

Even building up the dark shade required many layers and my colour just disappeared when worn

a different formula to the regular range Arbonne offers. I enjoy that the products are still the same vegan, gluten free, dermatologist tested and allergy free, but it just doesn’t seem to be the same standard I have found from the regular range. Someone who isn’t as confident in makeup may enjoy the sheer look given from the palette or even as a pretty gift for a makeup lover, however this palette isn’t something I can fully recommend.

“The palette has a beautiful colour selection of birch/cream, willow/mid tone-brown, wood rose/deep taupe and bluebell/light blue. The blue and cream shades are matte, the taupe has a satin finish and the mid tone has silver glitter” during the day. I did however like the colour selection, very suitable for all skin tones. My favourite part of the palette is definitely the Rosebud sheer moisture lipstick. In slim white packaging with gold trimming it has a very luxurious feel. More like a glossy balm than a lipstick, the shade is a universally flattering natural pink. Extremely hydrating and comfortable to wear, Retailing for $110, I don’t believe this palette is worth the money; it’s almost

SCHWARZKOPF BONACURE PROFESSIONAL VOLUME BOOST RANGE. VOLUME BOOST SHAMPOO: Shampoo can be such a basic product; they all clean your hair. When you notice something about a shampoo, that’s when you know it’s different. That is exactly how I feel about the Schwarzkopf Bonacure Volume Boost shampoo - I noticed a difference. I have thin, fine hair and I am always looking for something to make it feel and look thicker. This product has a thick gel like consistency that foams up into a

rich creamy lather. But it’s after I’ve rinsed my hair that I noticed a difference. My hair felt thicker - I noticed it straight after the first wash. I used a conditioner and treatment mask after I used the shampoo but still the hair felt thicker and not at all weighed down. I also found that using this product made a difference with my blow dry, with my hair maintaining a voluminous look without any fluffiness. If you’re after a shampoo to thicken up your hair, this

unlike those. The Schwarzkopf Bonacure Volume Boost Perfect Foam is really a mousse marketed to those with finer hair. A mousse where the foam comes out in such a fine mist it’s almost like a spray that will not weigh your hair down. Sprayed onto wet or dry hair, the mousse works to give instant volume and lift. Because it is a styling product, there is also a light amount of hold, perfect if you’re styling or teasing, avoiding that crunchy added hairspray hold.

“If you’re after a shampoo to thicken up your hair, this is a great one to try. I really saw a difference in the way my hair maintained volume.It’s a great product to add into your hair care routine - a definite must for fine haired folk” is a great one to try. I really saw a difference in the way my hair maintained volume. I love that any conditioner and mask didn’t disrupt that, making it a great product to add into your hair care routine. This is a definite must for fine haired folk. VOLUME BOOST PERFECT FOAM: When we think of hair mousse, we think of the whipped-creamlike product dispenser and that foam of a little squirt turning into a huge handful. This is a mousse

Whether sprayed on roots alone or brushed through the hair, there is none of that stiff product feel left behind. Used on wet hair before blow drying, the Volume Boost Perfect Foam allows the hair to not fall flat against the scalp. For an added extra when hair is blow dried upside down, the volume can be made even more noticeable. The Perfect Foam is reasonably priced at AU$26.95 for the 200ml. If your hair is fine and has the tendency to be weighed down by product you will enjoy this style mousse. The Volume Boost Range is a must in my opinion, and I can be quite picky. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

wined and dined Victoria’s Yarra Valley is a foodie’s Heaven on Earth Wined by Baddaginnie Run of the Strathbogie Ranges in Northern Victoria www.baddaginnierun.net.au Dined by a picnic basket filled from Yarra Valley Dairy 70-80 McMeikans Road, Yering. Victoria www.yvd.com.au t only needs to be a glimpse of fine weather to encourage me out of the house and into the Yarra Valley wine district. Being from Melbourne, I well knew of taking advantage of the opportunity, especially in winter. We came fully prepared with wine, breads and various charcuteries with only the cheese to be obtained for our brimful basket. Having spent many a pleasant afternoon sitting in the 100-yearold milking shed that is the Yarra Valley Dairy cheese shop, it made an easy choice of where we were going to get our afternoon repast of cheeses. I find it is a great spot to go when you don’t really have anything planned. We have been there when the sun has been beating down on the paddocks and when monsoonal rains and lightning displays have danced in the foothills, but the relaxed old and steady atmosphere has been consistent. A couple of times we have been entertained by the live show of cows coming in for afternoon milking, which heartily amused a business guest from New York that I was looking after for a weekend a few years ago. Having added a fine selection of cheeses to the basket, we found a quiet little spot in Dixons Creek just before the Toolangi State Forest. One of the main purposes for this outing was to taste some of the

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by John ANTHONY

get any better than this. The Viognier was still well chilled as the condensation on the not so chilled glass revealed. It was a lovely light straw gold in the glass and the scent wafting from my glass was quite complex, giving that traditional perfume of the Rhone aroma of blossoms, honeysuckle

“The shiraz fell into the glass, revealing a most appealing light crimson colour. The second it hit the warm temperature glass I caught a slight musk tone from the French and American oak” Baddaginnie Run Wines that I had bought. For this outing I chose a red and a white to share: Baddaginnie Run 2012 Shiraz Baddaginnie Run 2012 Viognier I opened them both together to allow the Shiraz to breathe whilst we started with the Viognier. A strip of baguette torn off the stick, some Yarra Valley Dairy Persian cow’s milk fetta and a glass of chilled Baddaginnie Run 2012 Viognier – YUM! It really does not

and peach. The first sip revealed a distinctive, full-bodied fruit and flower flavour that ended in a great Viognier’s crisp, almost dry finish. The best way I could summarise this Viognier is as a ‘Great Blast from the Past’ and a ‘must’ for a complete cellar. Everyone was enjoying the wine with breads, biscuits, cheeses, jellies, balsamic, oils and meats. You can always tell what is the most popular by how quickly it is being consumed.

The popular choices for cheese were the ‘Persian fetta’ marinated in garlic, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and olive oil, the ‘Ashed Pyramid’ of fresh goats cheese dusted with ash, the ‘House Cow’ fresh cow’s milk curd with chives, parsley and garlic, the ‘Yering’ a mature cow’s milk white mould cheese and finally the ‘Bulls Eye’ a semi-hard mature cow’s milk cheese with a sweet nutty flavour. The breads, biscuit and wafer favourites were the traditional baguette, the rye black bread and the extra crispy boule, with the extra wafers, crackers and biscuits not really getting much of a look in. The rest of the bits and pieces like the dried figs, cured meats and spreads just seemed to disappear,

so I have to conclude that they were all equally as nice. There were plenty of accompaniments to bring out all the flavours of a good red wine and the Baddaginnie Run 2012 Shiraz did not disappoint. The shiraz fell into the glass, revealing a most appealing light crimson colour. The second it hit the warm temperature glass I caught a slight musk tone from the French and American oak, but not enough to influence a fantastic currant and berry aroma that could have just had the slightest hint of vanilla. Enough of the nose – what about the tastebuds! Delicious! This is a smooth shiraz with lots of young fruit berry flavours that tasted great on the day and will develop

even more with time (that’s if you don’t drink it first). What a great day! Any prodijee readers, wherever you are, if you want a special day out, grab a bottle, pack a picnic hamper and head out into your local wine district or just the countryside; it will certainly gladden the soul!

Let prodijee know if you have a special place or favorite refreshment that you would like John Anthony and our readers to enjoy by contacting John at johnanthony@prodijee.com WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

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getting shirty in spain MIRTO SS15 LAUNCH - MFSHOW, MADRID, SPAIN.

ou thought a shirt was a shirt? At its Menswear Spring Summer 2015 Collection within MFSHOW Men Madrid, Mirto showed us that a shirt isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just a simple shirt. Recently distinguished with the National Award for SMEs in the Fashion Industry Sector, granted by the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Tourism of Spain, Mirto displayed its concept of sophisticated sport, luxurious and casual at the same time. The classic style is reinvented with premium fabrics of the fashion house and the novel combination of garments. The collection steers its course towards a multicoloured party, where shirts are emblazoned with oversize floral motifs. The refreshing and bright tones are combined with tailored jackets in coral, eggplant and forest green shades, with structures and fabrics in cotton or linen. The trousers take the centre stage with their prints and multiple colouring, highlighting the two-sided fabrics with microdots details. The summer office attire redefines the suit. In cotton pinstripe, in dark blue or beige tones, the suit is combined with shirts with cutaway collars in

highlighted Vichy macroplaids, in multiple colours, with knit ties. A new tailoring makes an appearance in the shape of the Bermuda suit (if you are game!) The shirt making process begins each season with a rigorous selection of exclusive textiles from the best manufacturers in the world, Italian, Egyptian, English, Spanish. At the headquarters in Madrid, in the cutting section, more than 18 pieces of fabric are patterned and cut that, on average and depending on the model, will make up each garment. Later, honouring the traditional system of marrying textiles, these pieces move on to the sewing atelier to be assembled and sewn, using seams of more than seven stitches per centimetre in an industrial process that carries more than 80 independent operations. Most of these processes are carried out in an artisan manner, by hand, or using at some point the best technology available. Finally, each shirt is inspected, stretched and folded individually by expert ironers. Only the shirts that overcome a meticulous quality exam arrive at the final consumer. www.madeinmirto.com

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HELENA VESTERGAARD OF SOUTH AFRICAN AND DANISH DESCENT, INTERNATIONAL MODEL HELENA VESTERGAARD HAS APPEARED IN JAPANESE VOGUE AND AMERICAN TEEN VOGUE. HELENA WAS ALSO CHOSEN TO BE THE 2013 AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX AMBASSADOR, A ROLE THAT INCLUDED RIDING ON THE BACK OF A BIKE WITH SEVEN TIME WORLD 500CC/MOTOGP CHAMPION, MICK DOOHAN. HAVING WORKED WITH FILMMAKER KAI NEVILLE AND PERFORMING MANY SMALL ROLES IN A VARIETY OF TV SERIES, HELENA FEELS HER FUTURE IS ON THE SCREEN. WORDS: CAROL SHERIDAN.

an you imagine being pillion passenger on a motor bike being dropped off at school? How cool! Well, most people would think it is pretty cool, but when you are a young child at primary school, your idea of cool can be quite often different to what it is when you are all grown up. That’s how Chadwick model, Helena Vestergaard, used to arrive at school, but she was so shy she would ask her father to drop her two blocks away so that nobody could see her. “I would walk into school with my motor cycle helmet and all the kids would be like, ‘My God’. They would tease me about it, it was never a cool thing and I would get really embarrassed.” Of South African and Danish descent, natural beauty Helena admits to feeling she never quite fitted in at school. “I have never been an academic; I have always been street smart and more creative, arty and quite

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eccentric, and I have always wanted to do acting. As a kid, I always used to play weird little characters, so my parents thought they should get me into acting, but I never really did it. At school, I didn’t really do much (acting) either - I didn’t really do much at all, to be honest!” Along with acting, sports were another of Helena’s loves as a child.

“My dad taught me how to skateboard and he would take my sister and I to Byron Bay to surf. We loved it.” From the age of nine until 12, Helena would wake up at six in the morning and go to trampolining. Her natural talent and athleticism,

along with many hours of training, allowed her to compete at National level trampolining competitions. She would train in the morning, then go to school and back to trampoline training until nine in the evening. It left her no time for a normal childhood. “Doing competitive sports like that toughened me up at a young age. It’s like doing gymnastics, you work really hard, (but) I had no friends, no friends at all. I stopped it when my parents realised I had no friends and I had no life – I got a little bit strange, so they thought I needed to get out more and have friends. “I was happy to quit because I realised that I was young and I needed a childhood, and trampolining was my life. I also got sick and I lost my ability because I lost my fitness. I think that’s when we all realised that I needed a break for a while and I never really went back to it. “When I left school, I started dancing. My dance school was like a theatre school, so in the audition I had to do some dancing and

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singing. I guess they just saw some potential in me and they put me into the school, that’s when I started to do it all and when I realised how much I loved it. It was something I could actually do. “At school, I felt like I really couldn’t do anything and I was really down on myself all the time, so the theatrical school fitted me perfectly. I am glad I discovered it when I did. Some people go through school and get depressed because they don’t feel like they are as good as everyone else and they don’t know what they want to do. I am really lucky that I found something that I love and that I can do.” After gaining her diploma in dancing and theatre, Helena, a selfprofessed tom boy, was encouraged by friends and photographers to get into modelling. “I had done some photo shoots with my dancing troops and whenever I did them, everyone said that I should do modelling. I didn’t think I could because I am not really tall, and I was muscly, not skinny, because I was dancing all the time. I was super fit and a tom boy and I thought that I couldn’t be like a girl WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

and do modelling.” But after more encouragement, she went along to an agency who really wanted her on their books. Helena’s modelling career began and she loved it from the very first minute. “I guess, because of the dancing, I knew how to move so I picked it all up really quickly, like how to pose in front of cameras.” Now, an international model, with Japanese Vogue and American Teen Vogue features in her repertoire, Helena was also chosen as the ambassador for the 2013 Tissot MotoGP. As ambassador for this prestigious role, Helena had to get her motorcycle learners permit. “I had to be able to ride and show that I am into it. I guess that is something that would cut a lot of other models out because it’s not that easy getting your ‘Ls’ - it’s really hard and you can’t be afraid.” But as Helena already had a love of motor bikes, stemming from her father’s interest, getting her permit was an added bonus. “I had always been really interested in getting my motor bike licence and I don’t think I would have ever gotten around to doing it if it wasn’t for that role. I didn’t realise how difficult it was going to be, with the hand clutch and changing gears with your foot and everything else. It was so confusing (laughs) but I got it!” Race sponsor, Honda, then loaned Helena a bike as part of her ambassadorial role, though it was a little bigger than she was expecting “They dropped it off at my house and I said to a friend who rides bikes, ‘Help me ride this thing, it’s a monster, it’s a sports bike’. I am small and light and I could barely lift the thing up it was so huge. I put it into first gear and it was just so powerful. I rode that around the streets a little bit, but I wouldn’t want to take that out onto highways and stuff. I want to get a bike that fits me more. I want to get myself a little vintage bike, a little one. “It was really nice of Honda to lend the bike to me and it did help me a lot because you need to WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

practise or else you will just lose your skills.” Another bonus of this role was getting to get on the back of a bike with seven time World 500cc/MotoGP champion, Mick Doohan. “I didn’t know what to expect. You see when they take corners their knee is just centimetres off the road and I didn’t think he would do that with me on the back but he did! Mick had already taken other people around, but he went the fastest with me because I was the lightest. We got to 299km/h! “It’s different to being in a car, because you are in open space, there is nothing around you at all. You get this feeling that your body isn’t meant to be travelling that fast. When you get off, you feel really strange, I felt like I was going to throw up but the cameras were on me straight away, so I just had to smile and say that it was really fun, which it was, but it was also terrifying. That’s where the acting comes in handy!” Having worked with filmmaker Kai Neville in Dear Suburbia; Australian film director, Aleksi Veils; performing many small roles in a variety of TV series and a Vimeo film Monster Children to acting in Korean commercials, Helena feels that her future is on the screen. “I would love to move more into acting, music and arty stuff. That makes me feel good and it’s what I love to do. It is my first priority, before modelling, but right now, I need to have an income.” Listening to Helena talk about her time at school where she felt like she didn’t fit in and would get teased for being different, it would be easy to believe that she would be sitting there gloating at others – kook at me now – kind of thing, but that is not the case at all. “I think the best thing to do is not take yourself seriously and not sit back and think, ‘Look what I have done’. You need to stay grounded and know who you are, and keep your friends and family close; they will always remind you of who you are. You don’t want to get too big for your boots.”

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london calling Punchdrunk is perfection unchdrunk is a British theatre company like no other immersive, experimental, ostentatious and beautiful! Punchdrunk’s founder, Felix Barrett (right), has a unique and revolutionary approach towards theatrical events, and the world is becoming engulfed in their magic. Barrett wants to push the limits of curiosity and also push the limits of the audience’s comfort zones. From Sleep No More in New York City to The Drowned Man in London, Punchdrunk provides a one-of-a-kind experience that can never be repeated. Even if you go to either production repeatedly, your experiences will differ dramatically. I have been to see The Drowned Man on four occasions and each time it is strikingly different. They achieve this via their philosophy of letting the audience choose where they go within the sprawling set, and letting the audience choose what characters they want to follow. Felix said, “The one thing I would hate is to be rolling out the same predictable fare, just because it’s easy. With creativity and practice – sometimes the more of a battle it is, the more you surprise yourself.” Even after seeing The Drowned Man several times I feel as though I have not even seen half of what is on offer to me theatrically. It’s a gem of a production and after more than a year’s run in Central London, the show will be closing and Punchdrunk will continue developing more thrilling and revolutionary work, blurring the lines of reality and fantasy for the audience. Last week I attended a Punchdrunk workshop (‘professional development’), led by Fernanda Prata (Punchdrunk’s rehearsal director) and Punchdrunk veteran actress, Sarah Dowling, who

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by Rik BARNETT

flawlessly plays Delores Grey in The Drowned Man. Held in their current venue, Temple Studios, an intimate group of eight got to work and perform within the Drowned Man set. I gained the ability to develop my physical response and connection to others and the space around me. It also enabled me to react and work

“Punchdrunk provides a one-of-a-kind experience that can never be repeated. I have been to see ‘The Drowned Man’ on four occasions and each time it is strikingly different.

off my surroundings physically things all the Punchdrunk cast does with utter expertise and beauty. The eight of us wriggled about the studio space before embarking on our own pieces in groups of two within the different areas of the sprawling, striking set. I can say with ease that this workshop was the best that I have ever had the pleasure of attending. A must for any actor or dancer. Felix has also said that, “Mystery instigates a state of tension in the audience and there’s an apprehension and a sort of nervous excitement that comes from not knowing what’s going to happen next”. This is due to the audience exploring, adventuring, doing something that’s illicit. Felix stated further, “That’s why Punchdrunk could never do a comedy, because it’s a totally different state. We’re trying to empower the audience by making them feel like they’re the most important person in the space, and that they’re doing something they shouldn’t be and the more they work the more they’ll discover. You need that tension to be there in order for that to work”. Punchdrunk feels that we – as a society - are too passive and take things for granted, “Everything is accessible via a click”, so their productions require the audience to become proactive and find gems. Felix made this clear by saying, “We feel proud of those moments that live in our memories and that can only be communicated by talking about them afterwards, instead of going home and watching a little video of our experience.” It is evident, for most of us, that our electrical devices leave us missing out on that live experience - “The sensation of being real and

feeling the effects of our decisions on our own skin,” added Felix. “Contact with the real world is increasingly rare and I think people are craving something that they’re actually doing rather than viewing through the lens of a computer screen.” Attacking theatre with this in mind is why Punchdrunk works so evidently well. Felix was asked, “What are the best words of wisdom you’ve ever received?” “Do it. Don’t talk about it, don’t hypothesize about it – just do it,” and also, “run before you can walk. We fall over quite a bit at Punchdrunk and we scrape our knees, but we always get up and

keep going”. Wise words indeed. I am currently working with one of the co-founders of Punchdrunk, the effusive Joel Scott, on Epic Stages. (My experience of “Epic Stages” will be in a future article, so keep a look out).

Be sure to check out the Punchdrunk website: www.punchdrunk.com

Rik Barnett is a UK & US-based English actor and writer.

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f you have ever imagined yourself behind the wheel of the General Lee, flying through the air with an angry Boss Hog and bumbling Sheriff Roscoe P Coltrain in hot pursuit, here’s your opportunity. Driver Dymanic’s owner, Kevin Flynn, has put together an automotive stunt experience in Victoria and South Australia that gives ordinary folks the opportunity to experience some of the amazing daredevil antics made famous in The Dukes of Hazzard and countless other movies and television shows. Through his driving Stunt Driving Experience, Kevin teaches three separate stunts – a 360 degree spin, a hand brake turn and a ramp to ramp jump and just to top it off, at the end of the session, one of the driver dynamics team will take you for a ride on two wheels. Granted, you will need some semblance of imagination, for instead of a thumping ‘69 Dodge Charger, and a Hazzard County landscape, participants drive mini’s at Sandown Park in Victoria or Tailem Bend Motorsport Park in SA; the jump is a little less than a car length long rather than the seemingly eternal leaps made by Bo and Luke Duke, and worst of all, instructor/passenger Flynn is a poor substitute for Catherine Bach and Jessica Simpson. At least he doesn’t try to wear the short shorts … And just as there were multiple General Lee’s, Flynn has three Mini Coopers, though that’s a result of customer demand; they’re not ‘spares’. When I told friends I was going to stunt driving school and they looked at me as if I was mad(der) than usual. It sounds a little bizarre but it really is awesome fun and a bargain at just $249 per driver. Arriving at Sandown at it’s ‘too early o’ clock’, I was greeted with a smile by a few of the teachers – Driver Dynamics owner, Kevin Flynn, Derrim Porter and Samantha Reid. We had a quick chat about the Mini Cooper cars we’d be driving (yep – just like in The Italian Job), as well

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Kevin Flynn is one of the few people who can drive one-handed on two wheels. “No pictures while I’m practising.” Yeah, right Matt!

Matt and instructor Samantha Reid were all smiles prior to getting underway.

The General Lee in a typical The Dukes Of Hazzard stance.

the other participants that introducing that I was going to be learning and photographing at the same time. So, safety briefing over, we were taken out to the cars for our jump over the ramp. Thankfully, safety rules supreme. Flynn has us drive past the ramps a few times to ensure we can maintain a constant 40km/h. “It scares the hell out of us if you can’t,” he confessed. Ramps that seem narrow to me are wide to Flynn. He says the width increased over what he would normally use to compensate for people who have a “little bit of a wobble” or close their eyes at the last moment. The ramps are also of low height, so if disaster strikes, a car could drive off the side without hurting the occupants, but don’t let that fool you – we are told ramps of the same dimensions produce jumps of 45metres on The Dukes of Hazzard. Approach speed is at its most critical here; a sweet spot of about 40km/h will produce beautiful, perfect landings. It sounds easy, but of course there is a trap – a small, 3km/h of opportunity. Flynn says, approaching at 40km/h “feels like you are going backwards”, and a lot of people are tempted to gas it up as they are going up on the ramp, just to be sure. But do that and you will clear the landing ramp and nose dive the car into the road. Come down at 32km/h and you’re not going to make it… My preconceived idea of the jump – a smooth take

Jessica Simpson starred as Daisy Duke in The Dukes Of Hazzard movie.

Matt locks up all four wheels during the 360 degree spin stunt.

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The ramp approach must be made at a perfect 40km/h.

off and violent landing – proved false, due to the differing design of the two ramps. The launch ramp must elevate the car quickly without bottoming it out, so it is built with a split angle to provide added lift, whereas the landing ramp requires a smooth angle to receive the vehicle. The landing ramp also has a flat deck extension to prevent the back wheels being reefed off the vehicle if the speed is a bit short. We charge toward the ramp at what appears to be a rather insane speed but it’s not any faster than you’d drive through a shopping strip. And then everything goes quiet - really quiet. All four wheels have left the ground, and you are indeed flying. In a Mini! Then you land, softly, and want to do it all again... and again... and again. And one more again, just for good measure. Jumping is a very weird experience, like nothing else I have ever tried. As if the jump isn’t pulse racing in itself, when you drive up the ramp, all you see is blue sky, there is no sign of the landing ramp and all you can do is hope like hell the mini makes it safely across to the other side. Get it right and just like Flynn says, the jump is undetectable; it feels like driving over a bridge. Fortunately, I didn’t get to feel what it’s like when you get it wrong. Next, we were instructed on the intricacies of the handbrake park. This trick is best shown in The Blues Brothers when Jake parks outside the fancy restaurant – you WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

essentially drive into a parallel parking spot nose first, yank on the handbrake and spin the rear of the car around to give you a perfect one-point park. It sounds more complicated than it is... and with the brilliant instructions given, everyone in the class was doing the parking manoeuvre like pros by the end of the session. Derrim says the perfect box park (that’s film industry talk) should be a 180 degree turn, with the front wheels pointing straight when you stop, something he

adds is surprisingly difficult for a lot of people to do. Again, speed is critical. Go too fast and you will turn more than 180 degrees, making it look untidy. Flynn rattles off instructions: maintain a speed of 40km/h up to the marker (up to 55km/h depending on surface) hit the clutch, pull the handbrake, wind on minimal right lock and around she goes. When I am happy with the car’s positioning, I squeeze on the footbrake to keep it neat and prevent rolling backwards. Then it was off to the two wheel drive car... yep... a car that is set up so you can drive along on two wheels (it has a fifth wheel as a safety so the car won’t roll over). Thankfully, Kevin is the only driver – we don’t get to steer this one. There’s a lot in the technique for this, but after the initial ramp up, to launch the car on its side it is surprisingly stable and easy for Kevin to control once he’s up on two wheels. Coming down in a bit of a ‘crash’ though, as there’s no ramp. Lastly, we try the 360 degree spin. The course is set up using wet vinyl to provide different traction levels

Matt looking a little unsteady after completing a 360 degree spin.

On two wheels left becomes up, right becomes down.

for each side of the car. As with all the stunts, speed is critical. In this case the first rotation is the longest, so the faster you approach, the longer your first spin will go. Approach too fast and you will spear off the vinyl before you can complete the first spin. Travel too slowly and you won’t get a complete 360. The trick is to make sure you hold speed to 55km/h, lining up the left wheels with the vinyl and the right wheels on the bitumen. Once on the vinyl, you hit the clutch, then quickly stand on the brakes as violently as you can. Forget about progression, you need to lock up the rear wheels as well as the fronts (the ABS has been disengaged for this – old school driving). The split surface takes care of the rest. The car will always turn to the side with more grip so in this case, it will make a right turn. As the left front wheels leave the vinyl, the right rear wheels join the vinyl; as the left front wheel leaves the vinyl the right rear wheel joins the vinyl; as the left rear wheel leaves the vinyl, the right front wheel will join the vinyl, creating a vicious circle for the car. Get the speed and braking right and you will spin the car twice and end up pointing the car in the right direction, no problem. The aim is to achieve six full rotations. More than half the class got to five but that sixth spin eluded us all. That sixth spin is reason enough to come back, methinks. The benefit of the day is, well, obviously it’s great fun, but more than that, you get to see what can go wrong in a car, and how things can go wrong in the blink of an eye. Rather than everyone hooning off into the sunset, head swelling due to their newly acquired daredevil knowledge, we went away with a new sense of caution – particularly on wet roads. This fantastic day is a credit to those at the Driver Dynamics Stunt Driving School – it is one of the most unique driver training courses I’ve ever done.

Like to be a stunt driver for a day? Course details can be found at: www.stuntdrivingschool.com.au WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

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KNEE-SLAPPIN’ GOOD FUN Oktoberfest is the world’s favourite German fest

ktoberfest is unmistakably a German tradition. This 16-day festival in Munich attracts over six million visitors per year who consume about 1,320,860 gallons of beer, 400,000 pork sausages and 480,000 roasted chickens. But now, it’s time to brush up on all things German because Oktoberfest is coming back to Brisbane! Start slapping those knees and ringing the cow bells, as you’re in for an Oktoberfest experience like no other. Now in its seventh year, Oktoberfest Brisbane is one of the Top 10 Oktoberfests outside of Germany, welcoming more than

36,000 visitors last year. The Oktoberfest Tent is the heart of the festival and boasts traditional wooden flooring, ceiling wreaths, bunting and trimmings just as you’d find at an Oktoberfest in Germany. In fact, most of the decorations are sourced directly from Germany and flown in just for Oktoberfest Brisbane. Yodellers, authentic German dancers, leg-slappers and cowbell ringers will entertain you throughout the festival. The Bavarian Oktoberfest Band, flown in direct from Munich, will play all your festival favourites, so you can dance the day, and night away Foodies will delight in traditional German fare, perhaps partaking of a pork knuckle, traditional German

sausage or delicious desserts. From mouth-watering debreciner, Bratwurst, cheese kransky and frankfurters, all served with sauerkraut in a roll, and brought to you by the German Sausage Hut. A popular addition in 2013, the Potato Barn, takes the humble spud to new heights with delicious dishes in regional flavours – German, Austrian, Hungarian and Australian Such is the popularity of K&K Schnitzel/Burger-Haus, more than 2,000 Schnitzel burgers were savoured at last year’s Festival. Then there’s Haxen Haus, for those who have a craving for traditional German rotisseried chicken. The Haxen Haus pièce de résistance - the famous pork

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knuckles served with mashed potato and sauerkraut. Last year a whopping 3,300 pork knuckles were partaken of, and are one of the most popular menu items at the German Festival. Not to forget King of Cakes with freshly baked pretzels, both small and large and particularly delicious when warm, which are also a firm Oktoberfest favourite. And of course, no Oktoberfest would be without traditional German beer, handcrafted and specially made for Oktoberfest Brisbane. And this year, from the esteemed Brogsitter winery established in the 1600s and situated on the picturesque Ahr River in Germany, you will be able to enjoy red, white and sparkling wines that will have you sipping on a little slice of Germany. Meander through the Marktplatz for folk gift-stalls plus German products and culture, including traditional German clothing designed especially for Oktoberfest Brisbane, and then relax in the Munich Biergarten with friends. This celebration is an extravaganza WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

of sights, sounds, food, fashion, and German fun for the whole family. But more than 50 per cent of people attending the festival get into the German spirit by donning traditional German dress - you really don’t want to be the odd one out and you will need ample time to plan your perfect outfit. In Germany there’s been a resurgence in Tracht, traditional German attire – the Lederhosen for men and Dirndls for girls. And not

only just for the festivals. With the exquisite designer Dirndls available today, German girls have taken to wearing their one-off designs for many occasions including parties, weddings or simply a night out with friends. The Dirndl has come a long way from when only peasant women wore them in Bavaria in the sixteenth century. They are now so beautiful and flattering you will want to show off your Dirndl any time you can.

This year, for those who truly want to stand out from the crowd, you must invest in an original authentic German garment or hat from Schnucki. When it comes to this traditional attire, quality is absolutely the key. And with Schnucki Dirndl and Lederhosen you are guaranteed original and top quality garments that will truly make you stand out from the crowd which will add to your Oktoberfest experience and have you feeling like a German Prince or Princess. Schnucki will also be presenting a fabulous fashion show and once again will be sponsoring the Miss Oktoberfest competition, offering a gorgeous prize to the winner. Time is running out fast for you to enter the Beardmeister Competition which was a crowd favourite last year. Beard aficionados travelled from far and wide to show off their flourishing facial hair and compete for the ultimate title of having Brisbane’s best beard. In the German and European Alpine regions, there is a long tradition of beard and moustache appreciation and rivalry, and if going by last year’s Oktoberfest Brisbane competition, Australia isn’t far behind. Entrants for Brisbane’s Beardmeister will be competing in the following categories:

• Natural Moustache: A category for purists. This focuses on moustaches au naturel. Styled, yes, but with no aid – so no sneaking in gel or wax. • Freestyle: Competitors can let their creativity and fashion flair run wild, and may use aids to style their beards/moustaches into amazing works of facial art. • Natural Full Beard: Similar to moustaches, however this is the ultimate competition for lovers of facial hair - beards integrated with moustaches, grown and tenderly nurtured to perfection. And while length isn’t everything it is important. Each category will be judged by the finest beard and moustache WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

connoisseurs - three members of the Gold Coast Facial Hair Club. So if you are over 18 and think you have Brisbaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best beard check out www.oktoberfestbrisbane. com.au/entertainment/competitions/ www.beardalliance.com Sunday is family fun day, with activities galore for the kids. They can chill out in the Kinder-Zone, enjoy the rides, petting zoo and baby animals, face painting and puppet show, and this year, on both Friday afternoon and evenings, all rides are free! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an unforgettable German festival experience for everyone. www.OktoberfestBrisbane.com.au DATES AND TIMES: 10-12th &17-19th October 2014 Friday 10th & 17th: 4pm - midnight Saturday 11th & 18th: 11am midnight Sunday 12th & 19th: 11am - 8pm LOCATION: Brisbane Showgrounds (entry via Gregory Terrace), Bowen Hills, Brisbane Actual street address: 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills, 4006 TICKETS: Online (incl. special offers) from August, or at the gate ENTRANCE FEE: Fridays: $19 (online $16) Saturdays: $24 (online $21) Sundays: $17 (online $15)

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lily’s life Aventurers: Beware the perils of adulthood hen I was a little girl, Mum and I would enter into lengthy negotiations about what I was to wear to family functions like Christmas. The problem was that unlike most little girls, I despised dresses. Mum, who had always believed in dressing up for an occasion, didn’t think it was unreasonable to ask that I wear a dress on these rare events. Skorts, which are very loose shorts that look like a skirt, were often our middle ground, but even then I was dubious. It’s not that I didn’t think dresses were pretty; it’s just that I never thought they were appropriate attire for a young adventurer/ explorer like myself. With my younger cousins, Nicole and Paul, as my trusty (begrudging) sidekicks, I would set out to discover and explore our neighbourhood. We would uncover new species of worms and insects never seen before by mankind. We would delve into miniature worlds where tiny people lived in a land made of paper, or climb the walls of great Maulton Street house corridors (enduring Auntie Hilda’s wrath for dirty footprints on the wall was a small price to pay for being adventurers). We were uninhibited, unconstrained and free to explore, not only our surrounding, but the inner workings of our imaginations. Sadly, as we all inevitably grow older, many of us get covered in a layer of inhibition and social constraint, like dust on an unused household object. Twenty years on and three feet taller, I find myself thinking about how it felt to be led by curiosity. Last week my good friend, Craig, asked my other good friend, Tristan, and I if we wanted to go exploring with him. It was to one of Craig’s

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by Lily SERNA

many “secret spots” that he finds and shares with an exclusive subset of his friends. Tristan and I were lucky enough to be sworn to secrecy this time. Craig and Tristan are both blond surfers but that’s about where their similarities cease. I met Craig when a mutual friend once tried to set us up. After we went on a couple of dates we decided to be friends

and have been so ever since. He’s a happy-go-lucky, impossiblypositive surf forecaster. At any given time Craig’s enthusiasm levels can be measured by the volume of his voice, and the decibels were particularly high that day. For the most part, Tristan is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. He’s equal parts discerning, measured and silly. We do things together like take the time to write thoughtful letters to each other... on filo pastry… and then eat them (just because). I have a soft spot for him because beneath his calendar boy exterior, unbeknownst to many, is a big nerd. He’s an avid reader, talented musician and entertainingly sharp-minded. Armed with rations and water,

“Sadly, as we all inevitably grow older, many of us get covered in a layer of inhibition and social constraint, like dust on an unused household object”

the three us jumped a fence and climbed down what can only be described as a mini landslide to the base of a cliff. The sensible side of me tried to pipe up about safety concerns but I swiftly shut it down. From there we set out climbing over, squeezing through and sliding down great big boulders that hugged the shoreline. We pretended we were castaways and made fitting costumes. We discovered a baby Port Jackson Shark on the very top of a massive 20-foot tall lump of rock and spent the following quarter of an hour postulating how it came to be there. We discussed tactics should the cliff face above us start to crumble. When we reach an old war bunker, we imagined we were fighting for our country with makebelieve artillery. We shimmied across rock faces, grazed our limbs, jumped rock pools, ran and laughed. That day, like many of our weekends, we dusted off our adulthoods and behaved in a way that would have made my inner skort-wearing child proud. One must always remember that being a kidult (a kid adult) is the bestest because not only do you get to eat cereal for dinner without getting into trouble, you also have the cognitive ability to appreciate the tangible benefits of freeing your imagination. For when you free your imagination, creativity runs rife and great innovative ideas are born.

Lily Serna is a mathematician, public speaker and television presenter. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

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HAVING LEFT THE GROUP, THIRD D3GREE, KELEBEK HAS SOME BIG PLANS FOR HER SOLO CAREER, INCLUDING A TRIP TO THE US TO RECORD HER DEBUT ALBUM.

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KELEBEK KELEBEK ROSE TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE AS A MEMBER OF 2013 X FACTOR AUSTRALIA BAND, THIRD D3GREE, A GROUP PUT TOGETHER BY THE X FACTOR AUSTRALIA JUDGES. MENTORED BY NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE, THIRD D3GREE FINISHED FOURTH IN THE COMPETITION. THE TRIO DISBANDED IN MARCH THIS YEAR AFTER KELEBEK LEFT TO PURSUE A SOLO CAREER. KELEBEK STARTED HER CAREER AS A DANCER BUT SOON ADDED SINGING AND SONGWRITING TO HER REPOTOIRE. SHE MADE HER FIRST RECORDING WITH THE ALBURY YOUTH PROJECT UNDER THE NAME NE$S@ AND WAS THEN OFFERED A PLACE IN THE UNCOVERED PROJECT. WORDS: DARREN HOUSE. PHOTOS: GREG DESIATOV. STYLING: JD NELSON - BRAND BY STYLE. FASHION: KITCHY KU, PINNACLE RUNWAY, LUVISA, CULTURE KINGS. COSMETICS: BODYOGRAPHY.

egardless of what singer/songwriter Kelebek achieves in the future, she’ll always be known as the audacious teenager who challenged international star Red Foo to a seemingly impromptu wiggle-off during auditions for The X Factor Australia in 2013. All caught on camera, the pair’s gyrating hips formed the basis of one of The X Factor’s most memorable pre-show promos, ensuring Kelebek’s face was very familiar to audiences well before she took to the stage proper. Was it a carefully-planned publicity stunt designed to maximise the singer’s chances of winning The X Factor, or simply attributable to Kelebek’s extroverted personality? “It really just happened,” she admitted. “I had been thinking about it for a while, that’s why there was a bit of a pause but they cut it and made it look a little faster for TV. I didn’t want to get off stage; I wanted to dance with Red Foo. He is such a cool guy and I just wanted

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to be able to experience that, whether I got through or not.” Kelebek’s wiggle signalled her second time on the show, first appearing 12 months earlier under her real name, Vanessa Skrypczak. In 2013 she returned, entered

under her stage name, which is the Turkish word for butterfly. “Vanessa in Latin means butterfly so I looked up the word butterfly in different languages and came across Kelebek. I really connected with it a

lot. Now, a lot of Turkish people are like, ‘She’s ours’. I feel that, when you go on stage you become a character that is more extreme than your normal day-to-day character. It’s like Kelebek is the extreme of Vanessa. When I go on stage, it’s a little bit more enthusiastic than who I am as a person day-by-day Kelebek is crazy.” Kelebek said she went into The X Factor with no expectation. “Each time I went on I was kind of trialling it and wondering how it would go,” she explained. “I didn’t expect too much out of it but if I did get something I would be really excited about it. “The first year I made it to top 24, but I got really sick and couldn’t go on with the show. The next year I entered and got as far as fourth place and that was really awesome. Performing (the) last year gave me a bit of experience before going in and I thought that was a really good thing to have - I had the advantage of knowing what’s next. But when I got up to the top 12, I was a little bit clueless about what was going to happen.”

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Born and raised in the rural New South Wales town of Albury to a Filipino mother and German father, the 19-year-old’s interest in music was sparked by her family. “Performing has always been a part of our lives - my dad taught me how to moonwalk. I always bring that up and people are like, ‘What? Your dad?’ I say, ‘Yeah, you wouldn’t believe it, but he did!’ I remember as a child, every Saturday night we would pump up the sub-woofer in the lounge room and dance to Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. I tried to do all these weird break dance moves and I would just fall over, but I thought I was the awesomest kid in the world. It was pretty funny. “From there I started off as WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

a dancer, before I even started singing. I kept adding to my performances because I wanted to make it more interesting and step up my level every time. So, I ended up combining the two. “As I grew up I took more of

an interest in singing and I found that I could write songs. I entered competitions like Kool Skools that gave an opportunity to high school kids who were stepping into the music industry and a chance to record in a studio here in Melbourne. “I first song I entered was called Mr Right Guy, which no one has ever heard because that was way back when. The next song I wrote was Face Pump It, and that won the Uncovered project, which the government put money towards, and I made my first music video, which now has 119,000 hits on YouTube. “It was a bit of a pop song; I was still figuring myself out as an artist. I’ve now come to an understanding of who I am and that’s more in the hip-hop soul realm. I combined my singing with the rapping. On The X Factor I rapped a lot but I didn’t really get to show any of my singing, that’s how it is, you get given a part and you have to play that part as well as you can. “Now I am focused on my music and really putting my emotion through it - what I have gone through in life. I want to connect with my audience and focus on what is true in life, and that they can build on that - making them feel they are reminiscing back to a time when they went through the same experiences. That’s what my songs are about at the moment and I am really excited to be releasing them. I’ve been working hard on that for my fans.” Kelebek composes the lyrics and melody but works with her

band to develop the musical accompaniment. “I love the experience I get from writing and being honest with myself. For me, the feelings just pour out at a session when I am with my band. A lot of times, when I work with producers, I produce alongside them and collaborate with them; they are intrigued by how I can come up with certain ideas and different sounds. There are so many generic sounds out there that you have to create your own. You need to make it original. “Taking all that on-board and learning to use the equipment has been pretty interesting at times, especially when you click the wrong button and it all stuffs up!” she added with a laugh. Entering talent competitions, and later busking, gave Kelebek the courage to step onto the stage and perform in any situation. But despite that, she admits that nervousness still kicks in. “It’s definitely there; you are not human if you don’t get nervous. Being nervous helps you to be pumped up for your show. It means that you want to give your best for everything that you do, but you need the confidence to be who you are and trust in yourself before you get on stage so that you perform to the best of your ability. “I found that really interesting growing up because I wasn’t accepted in a lot of places. I played a lot of country towns and it was hard because what I did was so weird and out there, it was really overstepping the line of the norm. Some people were like, ‘Wow, this is different’ and others, who were coming from acoustic musical backgrounds, were like, ‘Hmmm, I am not sure how I feel about it’.” Despite being a solo artist, on both occasions The X Factor producers teamed her with other artists to form a group. “The first time they put me into a girl group (Black Ivory), it was made up of seven or six - there were a lot of girls and it was crazy,” she said. “It was still good because I got to meet all these

“The wiggle that I did on ‘The X Factor’ stage was epic but I am pretty much over wiggles. Some people still say to me, ‘Do the wiggle, do the wiggle’ but now it’s just a twerk!” different wonderful artists.” The second time she was teamed with Jacinta Gulisano and Jordan Rodrigues to form a group known as Third D3gree. Kelebek admits she’s unsure why the producers took her down the group path on both occasions. “I think it’s because of my rapping ability, to be honest. There were quite a lot of rappers and they put you in an ensemble and kind of compared you to the other rappers. I prefer being a solo artist but that’s what I had to

deal with. With every situation that gets put in front of you, you deal with at the best of your ability.” Apart from their singing, Third D3gree was known for outrageous stage outfits, some of which sat well with Kelebek and others that didn’t. “We came up with some pretty cool concepts but others were like, Ummm, yeah, ok”, she admitted. “But it was cool to experience wearing different things, again, trying to figure myself out during the show.” The producers were also WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

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responsible for Kelebek’s signature shave-side hair style, though it came with little warning. “They just kind of did it,” she admitted. “I was really excited because I love change, I’m always up for whatever, but I expected them to dye my hair green or purple or something weird. I was waiting for that and then all of a sudden they got the clippers out. Then I was like, ‘Alright, just keep going then’.” The trio finished in fourth place and subsequently signed with Sony Music Australia and released their debut single Different Kind of Love, which peaked at number 22 on the ARIA Singles Chart. Kelebek left Third D3gree in March this year, while Jacinta and Jordan continued to perform together, changing the group’s name to The Clique. Though the producers required ‘the cast’ to embrace particular roles and stereotypes, Kelebek said that was of little concern. “During that time I was going through a transition, figuring out who I was and it gave me a good opportunity to find myself, because growing up you go through so many different phases. Now, coming off the show, I have really found my true self and that’s what I tell my fans. Always be yourself, that is the best you that you can be. On the show, I was put into a group and I was rapping a lot and I was excited about that, it was a good thing for me at the time. But, stepping off I became myself and I am really happy about that. “Though my time on The X Factor has finished, I still like being out there, that’s just a part of who I am but I am a little bit more low-key. I am not into the bright colours to be honest - pinks and yellows -

that’s never really been me. But I do like really cool fashion, like Korean fashion, which I have worn a lot of for this prodijee shoot. I really like street wear and lower-key colours, blacks and whites, and then add on gold and silver.” Moving on also means we are likely to have witnessed the end of Kelebek’s wiggling days. “The wiggle that I did on stage was epic but I am pretty much over wiggles. Some people still say to me, ‘Do the wiggle, do the wiggle’ but now it’s just a twerk!” Many people feel TV talent contests can be the death of ‘serious’ music careers but Kelebek rejects that view. “Everyone has their opinion but I don’t think it’s good to ‘diss’ anyone. I still think it’s a good experience for those who aren’t as confident to have the opportunity to step onto a platform like The X-Factor or any other TV reality show.” The singer also dismisses concerns that she’ll be quickly forgotten now that she is not being beamed into living rooms all over the country. “Everyone looks at what’s up on the TV screen, but behind the scenes my fans are still my fans and every day they are still posting really cool photos and edits and stuff, it is crazy. It’s amazing to see that they put in the time and effort, a side of their life, to give to me. I am so grateful for that, I am very humbled by it. It’s just amazing how a true fan will stay a true fan. That’s how I look at, it’s not about the whole world, it’s just about those who really care about your music and if they are true to loving who you are as a person. Without my fans I wouldn’t be where I am right now.” Since leaving The X Factor, Kelebek has resisted the WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

temptation to cash in on instant fame by rushing a record to market, however she is working on an album and is looking to release a single early next year. “It’s not about trying to put something out there as soon as possible. When I was with the group, we released something straight after the show, but it’s important this time to really connect with myself as an artist and give my best to my fans. They have been waiting and I want to give them the best I can. I am focussed on creating that single that will touch people. “I’m working on heading to the US next year to work on the album. I want to move there for three months, but I’ll come home after that because my family is here, they WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

are very supportive.” In terms of inspiration, Kelebek nominates Sia, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Jessie J and the Black Eyed Peas. “As a songwriter, I really connect to Sia’s lyrics, and also as a vocalist,” she said. “She is an Australian artist, and I feel at home with her as well. Jessie J is more pop and she is an incredible singer – I don’t know if I could sing as well as her, but definitely – she is a beautiful girl. Rappers, m&m, Missy Elliott, Eve, all of them are inspirations as well, the list goes on. I really look up to a lot of those people who are in the industry and who are battling it out all the time. You really have to fight for it.” Away from the music industry, Kelebek says centred by relaxing

with numerous hobbies and interests. “I watch anime quite a lot, it’s one of my biggest hobbies; I draw a lot. I like designing clothes; I was doing fashion before I went onto The X Factor. I was doing bridal work, a lot of wedding dresses and couture which was really fun. And makeup - I like to explore those avenues, I am a very artistic person, it gives me a spark.” Kelebek admits these interests are in stark contrast to her The X Factor rapper persona. “The shaved hair thing was very masculine on the show. I like to be a bit feminine; I think it’s good to be in touch with your girlie side. I don’t mean cooking or having a poodle on my arm sort of thing; it’s a more edgy, feminine, strong role model that I want to bring to other women. Everyone expresses themselves in a different way, whether they like pink, whether they like to be dark or whether they like to be in between. “When I go into the studio I want to be able to connect right down to my heart and a lot of the time when I am working with my band I will close my eyes completely and just listen to the music around me, and then just come up with the melody and write up the lyrics for what I am feeling at that moment of time. I work on life experiences, things that people really connect to and are close to with their hearts.”

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reality bites

Craving chocolate? Try swapping a 3 Musketeers for lettuce... f late, sugar - specifically chocolate - has been on my mind far too much. I long for its milky goodness. Because I need to lose weight – about 20 pounds by normal, healthy standards; about 60 pounds according to LA’s aesthetic – when I give into chocolate’s siren song I am ashamed of myself. Because of my disgust, I indulge in my beloved delicacy secretly in the same clandestine manner in which I imagine heroin addicts shoot up. I meet my creamy, brown paramour in the car, my room when no one is home, etc… this is LA after all, and extra pounds are more unsightly than heroin chic. This behavior is absurd and selfdefeating. Why not enjoy a treat, and then move on – both literally and figuratively – knowing that a single lettuce leaf is an acceptable dinner after an afternoon 3 Musketeers bar. A salad, in fact, is a wise evening meal decision anytime, since one rarely burns a lot of calories between dinner and bedtime. But I digress. “Women often crave chocolate when there is not enough sweetness in their life,” said Kelly White, MFT (Marriage and Family Therapist) when I asked her about my sweetheart, “and people often seek comfort and solace in food instead of expressing their emotional needs to the people in their lives.” Isn’t repression the key to emotional health? Hmmm… Maybe not… I have a lot of sweetness in my life but my family is not without the usual stressors and so sometimes, I forget to enjoy the goodness right in front of me. Instead, I fixate on the imperfections that beget every family. Thus, I turn to wine and chocolate instead of waging a Sisyphusian battle against a messy room, a task

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by Amy SOMMER

not completed well enough and the litany of other stressors that every parent – neigh every adult – is all too familiar with. Pity I can’t just get over myself without my beloved milky goodness… and chardonnay. “Chocolate is a true comfort food because it quiets the mind and soothes the tongue. But, if you’re seeking comfort on a regular basis, you might want to examine why you crave comfort food so often,” said White. Could there be another

reason for the prevalence of my new lover besides my numerous neuroses? “Low magnesium is a good bet,” opined Anne Marvin, PhM, CNC of Chesapeake Holistic Health. Yes, she’s the same bitch who suggested I forego dairy in the interest of decreasing my eczema flair ups for those who have read this column previously. She’s right by the way, but just because her counsel is wise doesn’t mean I have to like it. Bitch. Magnesium deprived? Moi? I eat a lot of green leafy vegetables, nuts and fish – all of which contain high levels of this mineral that is essential to human health. “Yes, Amy, but you also drink wine, and alcohol sucks that mineral right out of you leaving your cells, nerves and muscles wanting,” said Marvin. “Or it could be low serotonin

“Thus, I turn to wine and chocolate instead of waging a Sisyphusian battle against a messy room, a task not completed well enough and the litany of other stressors that every parent is all too familiar with”

(serotonin is a chemical in the brain and stomach that affects mood) and/or PMS,” she had added way, way too helpfully. After Marvin uttered an expletive or two in response to my oh-socalm reaction to her counsel, she uttered something printable, “You don’t have to forego your indulgences completely, but you do have to moderate them,” she said. Yeah, moderation, that’s my middle name. Oh, and I’m also a natural blonde if you believe that last sentence. (Seriously, people – none of you believed that natural blonde, comment, right?) If I were a moderate type I would be far less neurotic, which would beget far less navel gazing and thus fewer columns. But I digress, as is my want… since I work alone… often, as I am now dressed, in a bathrobe. I know it’s not pretty but it is sadly accurate. So back to the task at hand, how do I eat less chocolate and maybe improve my health and this image? “Chromium Picolinate,” suggested an acquaintance, “should help you control sugar cravings because it helps your body keep sugar levels constant.” Chromium is a mineral that our bodies need in trace amounts and the picolinate is picolinic acid, which helps our bodies absorb the chromium. My mother suggested cinnamon for the same reason, citing a 2012 review of several studies that showed the tasty spice helped keep glycemic levels steady. So, I took the supplements, exerted the tiniest bit of discipline and cut down my treats. My pants fit a little better. But… I still heard chocolate’s siren song… daily. Not good if I am to enter the world of single-digit-sized clothing. All of us crave something – ‘to long for’ (crave’s definition) is to be desirous of life itself. But why, even with popping supplements, was I still craving sweets? I need to find a substitute craving to embrace.

“Exercise! I heard in my head as if God – and this is LA, so all deities here are svelte and fit – him/her/ it (I don’t judge), said it himself/ herself/itself. Ah, ha – endorphins - those blessed chemicals that chill out our brain’s pain receptors and can induce a euphoric state – aka ‘runner’s high’ – that’s the supplement I need to… well… supplement. So I went to exercise classes (I need loud music and people yelling at me to sweat – if I could do it on my own, I would likely be a moderate, sane person and well, we know that this is not me), broke up the hours with my laptop by doing 10 Jumping Jacks every hour or so (yes, often in my bathrobe… and yes, the image is as absurd as you imagine) and walking up and down my stairs repeatedly on days when I couldn’t fit in a class (you’ve seen The Big Lebowski, right? Well, let’s just say that Jeff Bridges rocks a terrycloth robe and I do not). I began to feel better, which encouraged me to forego more chocolate and take more exercise classes. I’ve been doing this – more sweat, less chocolate, and after my husband caught me doing Jumping Jacks in my robe, more often than in actual clothes - for a couple of weeks now and find that I’m spending less time sneaking 3 Musketeers bars and more time

in spandex. My figure, health and sanity are all improving as a result. I’m trying to see the glass as half full… and not with chardonnay… and working really hard to believe that I’m not a failure as a parent if my kids’ rooms are messy. And, while ‘moderation’ is still not the first word that comes to mind when anyone – including myself thinks of me, I’m learning to crave it and in so doing have actually lost a few pounds and maybe even a couple of neuroses.

Amy Sommer is a Los Angeles-based writer. www.PissantProd.com WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

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NICA IS A NATIONAL ARTS TRAINING INSTITUTE THAT OFFERS AUSTRALIA’S ONLY BACHELOR OF CIRCUS ARTS. THIS MONTH NICA WILL SHOWCASE ITS STUDENTS’ ABILITIES WITH A STUNNING PERFORMANCE AT THE MELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVAL. he National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) will present 7, a gripping triple bill performed by its second year students. The show will be part of the 2014 Melbourne Fringe Festival from September 24 to 27 and October 1 to 4 at the custom-built National Circus Centre in Prahran. The directors have crafted three individual narratives around the theme of 7. Each will explore a distinct aspect of today’s society. Become lost and found in a wasteland; feel more connected but ever disconnected in the age of the internet; and question that life is never simple, unless you live alone… Meredith Kitchen, the director of Apartment 7, one of the shows presented in this triple bill, trained as a dancer graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in dance. She worked with Australian Dance Theatre, Dance North, Chrissie Parrot Dance Collective and The One Extra Company, before joining Compagnie Philippe Genty, based in Paris, France, where she remained for over 12 year before joining NICA where she is now the Certificate III and Movement Studies Coordinator. Since the beginning of March, Meredith has been working with her students on the show. “Our piece was designed around some furniture that we found. The fridge is used in an adagio piece, the washing machine becomes part of the trapeze act and the couch, has many purposes! We built it (the show) around the props, and the skills that the performers have too,” said Meredith. One of the students who is working with Meredith in Apartment 7 is Simone Sallé. Simone was destined to be a performer. Her mother was a dancer and dance teacher and Simone started dancing at age two. While trying various other career avenues such as creative writing and journalism, Simone constantly returned to performing arts and dancing. While she loved dancing, Simone found that the dance world was

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Apartment 7 director, Meredith Kitchen.

limiting. “I feel that the dance world is very specific in terms of what you are supposed to be and the mould you are supposed to fit and felt that I was always too short or too quirky, but then I felt, that coming here, the circus world embraces every one and if you are a weirdo, if you are unique, that’s a good thing. You are encouraged to be different.” Simone (right, bottom) is a selfprofessed weirdo, saying that she has now found her niche in the world of performing. “I think that I am quite spontaneous, in that, if I am having a conversation with someone I might do something crazy, I might say something crazy but I don’t feel that it’s crazy, I am just really enthusiastic. I could never have become an accountant. I can’t think like that and I can’t act like that and be that professional in that cubicle. Being able to dress up as all kind of different characters – I dress up in a fat suit and I have a cave man character, I do different characters and kind of am allowed to engage WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

“I could never have become an accountant. I can’t think like that, and I can’t act like that and be that professional in that cubicle. I told my dad I was going to circus school, he asked, do you get a degree in that? with the audience on different levels and make them laugh and make them surprised – shock them – that’s what I like to do. I thrive off an audience. “I think there are so many different kinds of weirdos so everyone here has their own space. Some people are jugglers, some are contortionists, and everyone has their own little niche that they fit into, but as weirdos in this place, we all embrace the differences of everyone. Out there, whenever I say that I go to circus school, everyone is

‘what?’ My dad asked ‘do you get a degree in that? Are you going to get a job? What are you talking about?’ The whole idea of running away to join the circus, we are doing it. It’s pretty excellent. “I get lots of jokes about it. I say that I am a clown and people ask if I have the face paint and the nose, and are there lions and tigers? When you say ‘circus’ to anyone, they think of the traditional circus and not new circus, which is what we do here.” In Apartment 7, Simone plays

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a character who is suffering from an identity crisis. She tries on all different kinds of identities to see which one fits best within the household where everyone has got their clear identity. This role has her performing her favourite roles – clowning and working on the slack wire while ping pong balls get pelted at her. As a student at NICA you initially touch on every skill such as tumbling, handstands, flexibility. In the first year you do manipulation which is juggling and also learn aerial work, but towards the middle of the first year you specialise in two areas, for Simone, it was clowning and slack wire. Initially starting to learn slack wire close to the ground, Simone admits that it was hard to get onto the wire and make it do what she wanted it to, but it was a challenge. But the better you get, and the more confidence you get, the higher and higher the wire goes and the smaller and smaller the mats below you get. “I feel that the higher I get, the more I concentrate on staying on it, because falling would hurt more. I think that the higher the better for me because I am really focused. When you are low and you have got the crash mat there you think, ‘if I fall, I will fall on the mat’. When I have someone watching me, I am ‘on’. That comes from years of dancing and performing. Audiences help me to perform better. “There is definitely an element of becoming complacent. When you start training and then you get to a level and become comfortable and think ‘I got this’, and then if you fall or become injured it reminds you to go back to basics and reconsolidate your foundational skills.” In NICA’s triple bill show ‘7’ audiences will be able to witness high level circus skills including High Wire, Slack Wire, Dance Trapeze, Cloudswing, Aerial Ring and Tissu. TO BOOK: www.melbournefringe.com.au or call (03) 9660 9666. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

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Mario Andretti MARIO ANDRETTI IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S TRUE SPORTING LEGENDS. BORN IN MONTONA, ITALY (NOW CROATIA) IN 1940, HIS FAMILY WAS FORCED TO FLEE THEIR HOMELAND JUST SEVEN YEARS LATER, AFTER IT BECAME PART OF COMMUNIST YUGOSLAVIA. FOLLOWING A FURTHER SEVEN YEARS LIVING IN A REFUGEE CAMP, THE ANDRETTI’S SETTLED IN AMERICA. ONCE THERE, MARIO PURSUED HIS PASSION OF MOTOR SPORT, WINNING A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL SEASON OF RACING. ANDRETTI WENT ON TO BECOME A HOUSEHOLD NAME, WINNING IN EVERYTHING FROM DIRT TRACK SPEEDWAY TO FORMULA ONE. ANDRETTI’S BIGGEST VICTORIES WERE IN THE 1969 INDIANAPOLIS 500 AND THE 1978 FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. IN PART ONE OF AN EXCLUSIVE TWO-PART INTERVIEW GRANTED TO PRODIJEE EDITOR DARREN HOUSE, ANDRETTI TELLS OF LIFE AS A REFUGEE, HIS INCREDIBLE RISE TO FAME AND THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE LOTUS ‘WING’ CAR.

WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE FOR YOU IN THE REFUGEE CAMP? We pretty much left our home when I was eight years of age and I spent seven-and-a-half years in a refugee camp in Tuscany, in Luca. At the age of 15 we came to America. It was tough but I didn’t know a different life. When I was born in 1940 WWII broke out in Europe. Even as a child you detect that things are not right, where your whole family argues and you see tears but that’s all I knew. The first five years of my life was war and after that it was even a bit worse because we became displaced. That was by choice because the area where I was born, became occupied by Yugoslavia, which was hard-line communism under Marshall Tito. My dad had a choice to succumb to communism and have that type of life or just leave. Like us, thousands and thousands of others in that region just left. IT WAS A HUGE DECISION TO MOVE TO A FOREIGN LAND, SPEAKING NO ENGLISH. It was. It was a new life for all of WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

us, especially when we came to the ‘States. I remember when my dad was still here we had many conversations about it and he always said it seemed to be such a big negative in our lives and it all turned out to be an enormous

positive. Looking back at many aspects of my life, I always felt that after the clouds comes sunshine. There is always a way that things are going to turn into a positive and it certainly did for me, on many

fronts. So I look back and say, okay, it was not a normal life as we know normal lives but all-in-all, it worked out for the best so I have no anguish about that. HOW DID YOU FIT INTO AMERICAN LIFE? We came to a small town where I live still (Nazareth, Pennsylvania), and there was a little bit of separation with the ethnic groups. The Italians were not the most popular people here but we were naive about it. A few years after and we were in a position to build a new home my dad bought some property from probably the wealthiest family in Nazareth who were Pennsylvania- Dutch as they call it. They almost said, ‘how dare you, as an Italian, want to buy a property next to ours’. Then we became best of friends as time went on. But again, if there were obstacles, they didn’t affect us. We just went on with our business and the town went on to receive us in great fashion, naming streets differently and all that.

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“My brother Aldo had a huge accident and they gave him the Last Rites but I had already started building a new car for the following season. When our dad found out we were racing again, he had a small explosion” old ladies and things. There was something dare devilish about my twin brother Aldo and I. Later, when we were in the camp we were exposed to some local motor racing and it just captured my imagination at a young age. Aldo had the same dream. We didn’t even have an automobile my dad did not own a car until we came to America. HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN MOTOR RACING? Early in life, the most remote aspects of our lives was motor racing and yet there was something that sparked in me - I wanted to be daring about something. We had this little buggy and there was a narrow, narrow street because we lived in a medieval town - it was founded in the fourth century - and it curved in front of our house, and here we were coming down in a buggy and trying to run over WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

HOW DID THAT PASSION DEVELOP INTO A CAREER? I don’t know why I became so passionate about it. Maybe it’s because when I was so young and impressionable it seemed so far away – like the impossible dream. I said to myself, God, if I could just pursue that, it would be all I would ask of my life and that is really what it came down to. I had no Plan B for my life and I had no idea how or when this thing was going to develop. It just did. The last race we had seen in Italy

was the Italian Grand Prix, where Fangio won, Moss was second and my idol, Ascari, third. Well, that seemed really far away but when we arrived in America in 1955, Aldo and I discovered there was a local race track. It was a typical half-mile dirt track with weekend racers but we looked at that as, ‘Oh My God, this could be the beginning’, and it was. Two years later we started building a car and the objective was to race that car by the time we were 21 because to race professionally in those days, you had to be 21. The car was finished in two years when we were 19 and we figured we were not going to wait, so we had our licences fudged by a friend of ours in town who was the editor of a small newspaper and we started racing. WHAT DID YOUR PARENTS THING OF YOU GOING INTO MOTOR RACING? My dad was vehemently against

it, mainly because he didn’t follow it. The only thing that he knew of it was fatalities because that was what was always publicised, so we didn’t dare tell him that we were going to race. We went through the whole first season without him knowing. At the end of the season, we had been successful enough to be invited to race at Hadfield. I got a ride with somebody else and Aldo was driving our car and during a qualifying race he had a huge accident - he was trying to pass the track champion for the lead and he got into the guard rail and went end over end. That night he was in the hospital. He had a fractured skull and they gave him the Last Rites. That was traumatic and I had to be the one to tell my parents. My dad felt vindicated, saying, “I told you so” but I had already started building a new car with my buddies for the following season. Aldo was in a

coma for weeks and I would tell him about the new car because the doctors said talk to him about things that will stimulate him and eventually he came around. My dad thought that we had learnt our lesson but the following season, when our dad found out we were racing again, he had a small explosion and he didn’t speak to us for several months. He realised later on that we were going to pursue it anyway and he became a staunch supporter. ALDO’S INJURIES DIDN’T GIVE YOU SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT RACING? No, it was a psychological set back but if you are committed to it, you’re just going to do it. Throughout my career I lost my closest friends but you go on because you love it and you have the feeling that you have some control and that it is never going to happen to you. Aldo had

to take a year-long sabbatical and by the time he came back to racing I had moved onto single seaters and so he drove our stock car. He drove for 10 more years until 1969 and then he had another huge accident in a sprint car, which I owned. He never drove after that. AT WHAT POINT DID YOU THINK YOU COULD MAKE A CAREER OUR OF RACING? It was not an overnight revelation; you go from stepping stone to stepping stone. I would look back at the end of every season and ask myself, “Am I better off than I was a year ago? Did I progress?”, and the answer was always yes. That was all I needed to know. I was making progress and gaining experience and I was always shooting for the stars - I wanted to be at the very top. I had victories in some of the minor categories, winning against

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One of the drawbacks for me was the fact that I am fairly small in stature physically and in those days you needed to look like Hercules to drive those cars. Some of the owners would look at me and ask me if I was strong enough and I would reply, “As long as I don’t have to lift the car over my shoulders I will drive it. I guarantee you I am in condition to do it physically”. It was another thing I had to prove that I could do, and I did. HOW DID YOU ADAPT FROM A DRIVING STYLE THAT REQUIRED BRUTE FORCE TO ONE THAT REQUIRES FINESSE? Of all of the experience that you gain from the different disciplines, something is always applicable no matter what you are driving. It’s about car control, it’s about being able to feel how to get the power to the ground without wasting a lot of time wheel spinning. For example, I applied some of the car control and the driving skills that I developed driving on the slippery surface of dirt track ovals; some of that helped me in the wet during a road race because on some of the dirt tracks, the conditions changed so dramatically. You had to adapt to it and that is what it is in wet conditions on a road course – almost every lap is different. So, everything was applicable somewhere.

some of the top drivers at the time like AJ Foyt, so I thought when I progress to CHAMP Cars (Indy Cars) I should be okay. DID YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO GUIDE YOU? I wish I could have but there was no one to guide you. You were learning WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

through the school of hard knocks (laughs). You had to just experience it and learn from others. No one of any stature was willing to take you under their wing. They always sneered down at this ‘young kid’, so you had to prove yourself. You had to do it on your own and those were the toughest times.

YOU PROVED THE VALUE OF THAT EXPERIENCE IN THE VERY WET 1976 JAPANESE GP Yeah, it wasn’t easy. The strange thing was that the Europeans always thought Americans could not drive in the wet because they are not trained to and that was one point where I wanted to prove them wrong. I like to think that I can drive as quickly as anyone in the wet. I think I have proved that several times throughout my career and that’s what you are looking for as far as personal satisfaction. HOW DID THE SPORT CHANGE DURING YOUR LONG CAREER?

I went through different decades where the sport evolved in every way – technology, engines, plus all of the learning curve of aerodynamics. I feel very fortunate, because I think it was fascinating to say the least. One thing that kept me motivated was that every year there were break throughs – something to look forward to. Now things are not that interesting because the knowledge is so vast, all you are doing is changing rules to eliminate this and that. The technology that I experienced, especially with the Indy Cars back in the 90s has, if anything, gone backwards because of the rules. Our cars were more sophisticated in the 90s than they are now. YOU MET COLIN CHAPMAN IN 1965 –

WHAT WAS HE LIKE? Colin was a real genius as we all know and a very interesting guy. If you were on the right side of him you were golden. Fortunately, I think that’s how things were for me because in my very first race with him I put the car on pole and I was the third man on the team, so it was an auspicious beginning. Later on, when we joined forces again we won a World Championship so we were scoring. As long as his drivers were getting results, he loved them so we developed a great relationship but I saw a different side of him towards some of the other drivers. YOU DECLINED HIS EARLY OFFER TO DRIVE FOR LOTUS. WHY DID YOU TAKE SO LONG TO ENTER F1? First of all I had to try to hone my

skills in road racing before I could attempt that - I felt that I needed time before I could venture into F1 but at the time I was involved in Ford LeMans programs and that allowed to me to do a lot of testing, one driver who was very helpful to me was Bruce McLaren. He and I became really good friends and I learned a lot from him without him even knowing; just by watching him, and then asking questions. This was later in my career where I felt I was at the same level and could discuss things and get the answers. Also, the problem was I couldn’t really commit to full time because I had quite a relationship with Firestone. From a financial standpoint, things were becoming quite attractive and I couldn’t leave that, not that I ever raced for the money but it represented stability WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

for me and my family. I figured if anything happens to me at least my family will be taken care of by earning what I was earning. BEFORE LOTUS YOU HAD AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE WITH THE PARNELLI JONES TEAM. It’s very frustrating when things don’t go well and there is finger pointing and all that. It is the worst possible scenario and unfortunately that is what happens when you can’t put the results together - the driver blames the car and owners blame the driver (laughs). But again, you always learn something, even from that. The switch from Parnelli to Lotus was something that was not designed – it just happened – and is another perfect example of a negative becoming a positive. At the beginning of the ’76 season we were at Long Beach on the grid when I learned that Parnelli Jones had decided to quit F1. We had a DNF in the race and Colin Chapman had probably the worst race he had in his career, one of his cars didn’t even qualify. Colin and I were having breakfast WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

the next morning and I said, “Colin, the team quit F1 and I’d really like to continue”. I thought that he was committed with his drivers but he said, “Why don’t you come with me (though) our car is really not good right now, it’s like a London bus”. I said, “Colin, if you come back to racing 100 per cent - because at that point he started a boat company, he started a car company and he was very much distracted - if

you delegate authority to others for those businesses, I’ll do it”. DID YOU KNOW THE GROUND EFFECTS CAR WAS ON THE WAY? A lot of people don’t know the history of it. Ground effects happened by accident - we had no idea. Actually, I am the one who suggested the side pods because of the experience that I had with the 1970 March, which

had side pods that created a downforce effect. A lot of people didn’t realise it but I did when I was testing at Kyalami in South Africa. I thought maybe those things create unnecessary drag so we took them off and all of a sudden the car was really flying in the front end - we lost a lot of front downforce. We thought gosh, we are going to have to put them back on to regain the balance. Throughout the 1976 season we had some issues but we kept talking and I tried to make some suggestions but Colin didn’t like that. He didn’t like to hear technical things from a driver but at the end of the season we sat down and a question was thrown at me, “Okay Mario, what would you like to see in the new car?” I said downforce with no drag penalty and then I would chuckle because that’s impossible, right? I got their minds ticking over and then I explained to them the effect of the March pods. Colin then went further, he put side pods on the car but he also put the straight fences on them to direct and contain the air and that is how the ground effect began. Nothing was studied in a wind tunnel; that came later when we had to come up with skirts and all that sort of thing. It was just one thing leading to another. There was no, “Oh, we just discovered ground effects on paper”.

Next month we look at the later stages of Mario’s career, including his 222mph (260km/h) crash at the age of 63.

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just sayin’ Here’s to those with passion and a never-give-up attitude n what I often refer to as ‘my previous life’ most of the people I spoke to worked nineto-five, sat in windowless offices and quite often spoke to faceless people. Since starting out in a joint venture with Darren House, that being prodijee magazine, I can say that my eyes have been opened, very widely, to the huge number of people who are creative and extremely passionate about the career paths they have chosen. I have met people who love food – I love food, but I love eating it! The people I am talking about are chefs with a passion for their food. A passion for preparing and serving their food, for creativity in the food experience, people who live and breathe food and love keeping ingredients true, yet at the same time, exploring the capacity of a food stuff. I have met business owners – not your everyday sit-in-an-office business owner, but designers, graphic artists, actors, actresses, painters, singers, dancers and choreographers. I have also met sit-in-the-office business owners/ directors who have a drive that I have never witnessed before. I have also met people who cook, draw, paint, act, sing and dance for these business owners. What I am trying to say is that the people I have met in my more recent life have shown me what true passion is. I remember sitting on the train on my way to my previous-life job - not one person on that train showed any sign of any desire to be heading into their job. Some slept, some sat and stared blankly out the window while their earphones played their chosen music, some read, but not one of these people showed any form of facial animation at all.

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by Carol SHERIDAN

It was the same on the daily trip home from work. Occasionally you would hear someone talking about their bad day at work, complaining about their boss or co-worker, but again, nothing on their faces, no passion for life at all. Now, obviously I can’t, in all honesty, say that these people had no passion about something, but it

most definitely did not show on their faces during their daily commute – they appeared to not be driven at all by the job they were going to. The people I have met in my ‘new’ life are different. These people are passionate and creative; they are living their lives to succeed in their dreams. You can see something different in their faces; you talk to them and are you inspired. I remember talking to a choreographer recently, who through the passion he displayed when talking about his career, had me believing that I could get up on the table and do a pirouette and be the next prima ballerina. A chef I spoke to recently nearly had me in tears when he spoke of his challenges, but those tears nearly flowed again when he spoke so

“I have spoken to people who would prefer to live in their car so that they can put all their money into their acting career and ones who run themselves into great debt to follow their dream”

Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo.

Bridgeclimb’s Paul Cave.

Muk founders, Mark Gariglio, Janelle Reynolds and Scott Reynolds.

passionately about his successes. These people have the whatever-ittakes attitude. And whatever-it-takes is what they do. I have spoken to people who would prefer to live in their car so that they can put all their money into their acting career and ones who run themselves into great debt to follow their dream. There are ones who wait on tables to earn money to live but all-in-all, their lives revolve about one thing and only one thing, their dream to succeed. To me, these people are the ones who will lead. They will show the way for others to succeed. Their passion and drive is

infectious and often courageous. Having met and heard the stories of these type people, it only takes me a few minutes of talking to someone to figure out if they are someone with true passion, courage and drive, or someone who will sit on the couch and say ‘I would do anything if I could…’ (fill in the blank here), but more often than not, they won’t even get off the couch to make their ‘anything’ happen. I have learnt the difference between the ‘do-ers’ with passion and the people who expect the world to fall into their lap, and say those who make it happen have

Tennis ace Novak Djokovic.

Restaurateur Shane Delia.

Conservationist Leif Cocks.

all the luck. To the ‘do-ers’ that I have met, thank you for inspiring me to continue showcasing your amazing talents. (I am sorry if your photo hasn’t made its way into this column, it is only due to lack of space.)

Carol Sheridan is prodijee’s Fashion & Lifetyle Editor, and Co-Publisher. carol@prodijee.com

Sydney Dance Company artistic director Rafael Bonachela. WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

ter Wes Carr. Singer & songwri

Chef Sarah Fren ch.

Model Lisa-Maree Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hara.

Rep. Fashion designer Susan Rep. n sa Su r ne sig de Fashion

Actor Rik Barnett.

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IT’S NOT EVERY DAY YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO MAKE A WORLD CLASS PIZZA, BUT ONCE A MONTH IN MELBOURNE YOU CAN HAVE A LESSON FROM THE WORLD’S BEST PIZZA CHEF. WORDS: CAROL SHERIDAN PHOTOS: DARREN HOUSE. ecently I introduced you to Johnny Di Francesco, owner of 400 Gradi in Lygon Street, East Brunswick and winner of the title ‘World’s #1 Pizza Chef’. After tasting his award winning pizzas, I was determined to join one of Johnny’s Masterclasses and learn how to make this Napoletana delicacy. I am not the only one who has sought out pizza making lessons from Johnny – many of the best pizza chefs in Melbourne, and interstate too I would guess, have come here to refine the art of pizza making. Stepping into the Lygon Street restaurant, you will see that the interior is all about classic Italian textures, with walls of espresso ribbons of Stucco Veneziana and sweeping golden calligraphy. Black and antique gold pendant lights and a charcoal Terrazzostyle polished floor all reflect a golden hue. I have done cooking classes before, and many of them have

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been classes where you sit back and watch, but as I entered this gem of a restaurant, I could see that this was going to be a hands-on event. The bowls of flour and water that marked cooking stations for each of the budding pizza chef students had me mentally reprimanding myself for wearing black jeans! I sipped on the beautiful cappuccino that was handed to me and not long after we took to our

cooking stations while Mr Pizza, Johnny, introduced himself and gave us a little information about his background, 400 Gradi and how he won that acclaimed title. Then it was hands on, or, hands in to be more precise. We followed all of the instructions given and learnt about the correct ingredients to use. We laughed, we compared our mixing and kneading techniques, we had fun, our questions were

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answered and, in what seemed like no time at all, we had our very own pizza dough. We learnt the correct procedure for making pizza balls and also the secret (or, not so secret, as Johnny is sharing these techniques with the world) way to turn your dough into a pizza base. Now, to be honest with you, the pizza dough is required to sit for 24 hours, so the dough we had each created was put into boxes for us to take home, but we were treated to some dough that had been premade, so that we could make our own lunch in that 400 degree oven. One by one we were introduced to the Italian chef who was going to show us how to cook our pizzas. Language barriers made this even more fun as he tried to explain and show us the processes involved with getting our pizzas in and out of the oven. It looks simple, and I am sure that with more practice it would be, but for me, well… Anyway, I ended up with a magnificent pizza – if I do say so myself - soft, pliable pizza dough WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

“Producing the right pizza comes from the heart. Real Neapolitan-style pizza is just a beautiful thing” with a light and air-filled crust, the tangiest and tastiest of tomato bases imaginable, a few slices of Mozzarella di Bufala – oh, sorry, that’s buffalo mozzarella for those who didn’t know - and a few leaves of basil – DELICIOUS! As each of us proudly carried our perfectly-made pizzas back to our giant communal table we were handed glasses of red wine (which flowed quite freely afterwards, too). We laughed, ate and drank with our new found friends; we compared our cooking skills and shared notes on our newly acquired skills. Taste one of these pizzas made by the master himself (Johnny) and you will be forever hooked on this style of food, you will want to create these for your family and friends and have them pat you on the back for cooking them such a feast. To be involved in one of these cooking events that run on the third

Saturday of every month, you need to make a booking on 03 9380 2320 - make sure you get in early as these classes are super popular and book out really quickly. A class costs AU$90.00 per person and for this you will get at least two hours of fun, entertainment, information and great food, wine and coffee. You also have the opportunity to make great friendships with people who have a similar interest in cooking pizza perfection, and you will not only take home the pizza dough you made, you will also take home a bag of the right sort of flour to make more pizzas at home. Oh, and did I cook pizzas from the handmade dough that I brought home? YES, and they were fabulous. The only problem I have now is that my husband wants me to make them every weekend! www.400gradi.com.au

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sharp shooter

Netflix is heading to Australia – but at what cost? hhh – Netflix, you have captured 25 per cent of the Australian market, and that’s completely awesome – and sad at the same time. It’s awesome because, well, you’re making a LOT of money from Australian subscribers and the best part is you have not spent one single cent advertising the service to us, but it’s sad for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, we need to subscribe through a VPN service in the US. This is a hassle, but because we’re geoblocked – we can’t even get past the home page of your web site. Hint – to get past the blocking – head to hola. org – install the browser add on – then head back to Netflix and you can view the site. Secondly, as you’ve no presence in Australia, you don’t have much Australian content – but that’s a bit of a given. Thirdly, as you’ve no presence in Australia you don’t pay tax here, so all those tax-free Aussie dollars are just heading over to America. Netflix has made little noise about coming to Australia, leaving me to ponder if their local presence will provide another blow for the battered consumer. You see, at the moment, they know when someone is subscribing from Australia. They have to know – a simple credit card check confirms this. So Netflix allow us all to subscribe through our stupidly convoluted ways, knowing we pay extra to other American companies for the ability to route the movies

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by Matt WREN

through American IP addresses. We don’t mind of course, because of the awesome programming – a lot of which we don’t even get here. Or if we do – the dinosaur TV stations don’t transmit it on time, or they stop mid-series and stuff things up in a multitude of ways. Or we buy the DVDs, which are stupidly expensive when compared to

‘Netflix has made little noise about coming to Australia, leaving me to ponder if their local presence will provide another blow for the battered consumer”

prices in America, but I digress. Now watch what happens when the service launches here. You can forget about American pricing of $10 per month. There is no way they will come close to this; no, we’ll be paying through

the nose for the same service, and Netflix will be making a fortune off us (and still not paying local taxes of course – like Facebook and eBay). And we won’t have the same, delightful range the Americans

enjoy; oh no, it will be heavily restricted. How restricted? Look at the disappointing line-up on Presto.com.au for that. And don’t bother subscribing if you’re deaf - there are no captions. So, how do we stop the price differentiation, if it occurs? Well, we won’t be able to. I suspect Netflix will start checking up on things like whether a credit card comes from the same country as the subscriber supposedly lives. So no more ‘relatively easy workaround’ will be possible. It makes sense for Netflix - why would they let you subscribe through a back door for $10 when they can sell you a ‘local subscription’ for way more? So, to all those who are currently enjoying a well priced subscription – live it up and enjoy it – it won’t last much longer.

Matthew Wren is a Melbourne-based photographer. www.mattwrenphotography.com.au WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

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THEY ARE CALLED 1927, THEY STARTED PLAYING IN 1987 AND IN 2014 THEY REMAIN A BAND IN DEMAND. WITH A NEW ALBUM AND A HEAP OF ENTHUSIASM, 1927 ARE WOWING FANS OLD AND NEW AS THEY PLAY TO PACKED HOUSES AROUND AUSTRALIA.

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ursting onto the music scene in 1987, Australian pop/rock band 1927 became a household name in the late ‘80s to early ‘90s with their major hits That’s When I Think of You, If I Could, Compulsory Hero and Tell Me a Story. Their multi-platinum number-one album …ish in 1988 was followed by The Other Side in 1990, which peaked at number three. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 they won two categories: Breakthrough Artist – Album for ...ish and Breakthrough Artist – Single for That’s When I Think of You. The original line up, consisting of James Barton on drums, Bill Frost on bass guitar, his brother Garry Frost on guitar and keyboards and Eric Weideman on vocals, guitar and keyboards, shot to stardom with their huge success, but what happens when you hit the ‘top’ instantly, where do you go from there? Darren House sat down to talk all things past and present with

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Eric Weideman as 1927 – who, along with other current band members Damien Cooper (drums) Craig Laird (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Simon Shapiro (bass, backing vocals) were about to hit the stage for a gig on their latest tour.

any reason I can’t do that now, as long as I am capable and enjoy it for the fundamental thing that it is. And that is, it’s a gathering of people to make a sound that makes everybody feel good. How can you not want to do that?

DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE PLAYING 1927 SONGS IN 2014? No, I didn’t. It was a chance meeting; I’ve known Damien (Cooper) for years. We bumped into each other in Western Australia; I have been living there for the last nine years. He suggested we should get out there and do some stuff. I never thought that I would be doing it now, I have just turned 50 as well, it’s more fun than ever.

WHEN YOU ARE A YOUNG GUY STARTING OUT, DO YOU WONDER HOW LONG YOUR CAREER MIGHT LAST? I can only speak from personal experience, and, I didn’t really have any expectations to be honest with you. I was just stoked to be called up from Melbourne to go with a bunch of guys in Sydney and make a record. As far as I was concerned, I was a champion already.

WHY COME BACK NOW? I am enjoying playing music again. It’s really great playing with a bunch of guys who enjoy playing as well. It wasn’t to do the revival thing. I have always wanted to be in a band and play music and I got to do that, so I don’t think there is

1927 HAD INSTANT SUCCESS. Yes. Having been around for a while now, I think that’s a pretty tough way to go. With that level of success, it’s hard to go up from there; it was for us anyway. I think it would be a lot easier if you just started nowhere and gradually get a few albums

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“There was such a massive drive for grunge and it was confusing to go from quite a long period of ‘80s-style music where things were more melodic and creamy, to suddenly have this grunge scene come through. A record company has to say, Where’s the money at?”

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under your belt, than have a good one (instantly). YOUR FIRST ALBUM …ISH WAS A MULTI PLATINUM NUMBER ONE ALBUM BUT SOME PEOPLE SAY THE SECOND ALBUM IS THE TOUGHEST. Yeah, it was. We didn’t go into that one with any expectations, and we didn’t feel the pressure because, at the time, I think, we were not completely unaware that we were successful, but just how successful was a bit of a laugh, really. The second album, we just went in and made the best we could. That was another strange one, too because I think it charted really high, really quickly but it didn’t stick around for as long as … ish did. WHAT WERE SOME OF FAME’S DOWNSIDES? I ASSUME YOU COULDN’T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT GETTING MOBBED IN THE STREET. Yeah, that was that. I would go down the street and have bands of girls chasing me, it was very odd. It was a massive change of lifestyle for me. I am virtually a recluse these days. I don’t mingle well with people; I am not very good with WWW.PRODIJEE.COM

people, so it was very weird. THE BAND EVENTUALLY DISBANDED. WERE YOU READY FOR IT TO END? You are never ready for it to end. Because of the way that things started, it was big and then gradually went down. We were still working regularly, but nobody really knew what to do with it any more. Record companies didn’t know, management companies didn’t know, we didn’t know, so it was just one of those things where you go, “Well, no-one has any real direction, so what’s the point right now?” Nobody was really passionate about it. It was a weird time in music, too because of the socalled changing of the guard, when grunge started coming through in the early to mid-‘90s. It just made for a different world, musically. Sometimes you have to look at it and think, ‘do I fit in here?’ I don’t think we did. It was a case of – let’s just not do it for a while and see what happens. EVERYONE AROUND THE BAND JUST LOST INTEREST BECAUSE OF WHAT

WAS GOING ON? There was such a massive drive for grunge with Pearl Jam and Silver Chair in Australia, and it was confusing to go from quite a long period of ‘80s-style music where things were more melodic and creamy, to suddenly have this grunge scene come through. It confused everybody really. For a record company, they have got to go, “Where’s the money at?” YOU HAVE HAD ALL THIS FAME, STARDOM, PEOPLE CHASING YOU AND NOW THAT ASPECT OF YOUR CAREER IS OVER AND YOU HAVE A NEW CHAPTER COMING. It’s refreshing. It’s a great thing to be somewhere where you don’t expect to be and then suddenly not be there and see how you deal with it, because some people don’t. I think a lot about those people who get put through the grinder these days. They get made into superstars overnight on television, but no one is ever prepared for what happens afterwards. It’s something I have thought about doing, trying to educate people about what happens after fame and how to cope with it.

THE BAND HAD A BIT OF TIME OUT AND NOW YOU ARE WRITING NEW SONGS. It’s almost like part two. Part one was great but there was so much going on that it was so fragmented. There wasn’t ever a time when everyone was focussed on the same area, whereas now it’s just like you see a road and say that this is what I want to do, regardless of anything else. Just play the music and not worry about all the other bullshit. SOME BANDS CONSIDERING REFORMATION WORRY THAT THEY CAN’T REPRODUCE THEIR ORIGINAL SOUND, OR AUDIENCE EXPECTATION WILL BE TOO GREAT. I don’t think that at all. I don’t have any preconceived ideas of what we are capable of therefore we could be capable of anything. We make music and hopefully people buy the records and listen to it. WHY DO YOU THINK THE ORIGINAL SONGS HAVE BEEN SO ENDEARING TO THE FANS?

I’ve got no idea. I’ve got personal favourite songs from other artists and I know how they make me feel, I guess that’s what drives anyone to feel something about a song, how it makes them feel. I’m guessing that those songs made people feel something. THERE ARE MANY CASES WHERE THE WRITER WASN’T HAPPY WITH ONE OF THEIR SONGS BUT IT ENDS UP BEING THE BAND’S BIGGEST SONG. I don’t think we had anything like that. Most of the songs that we put on albums we were pretty happy with. I’ve never be one to go, “Yeah, I wrote a hit song”, if you know what I mean. It’s not like you are going, “That’s a hit, this is filler”, that’s up to everyone else to decide really, or it used to be. DID YOU FEEL THE NEED TO DO NEW MUSIC TO KEEP GOING? It was important to do new music, otherwise it is just a revival and nostalgic and that was never the reason for me doing this again,

it was always with the premise of doing some new music. You need to; you need to see what you can do. It’s important, that music is an evolution of an entity as well, you don’t do the same thing all the time. In life, you don’t do the same things all the time. What interested you 20 years ago may not any more. I think it’s important musically to keep on developing. HOW DID YOU APPROACH THE NEW ALBUM, GENERATION I? I tried not to fall into the trap of needing to make another 1927 record. We got trapped there a couple of times, but I think we got through it alright. The next one will be better. THE OLD STUFF IS OBVIOUSLY A CROWD FAVOURITE. I’m always happy to play the old stuff, it’s crazy not to. It’s the reason we are doing what we are doing. www.1927.net.au

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t seems the world is inundated with creatures crawling out of the sewers! First it was the Turtles, now it’s the Boxtrolls. This new 3D animated feature from LAIKA Studios tells the tale of the Boxtrolls, little monsters who live underneath the streets of Cheesebridge and who crawl out of the sewers at night to steal what the townspeople hold most dear – their children and their cheese! In movie reality, the Boxtrolls are a community of loveable creatures who are raising an abandoned orphaned human boy named Eggs. In every good movie, there is a villain, and the villain in this movie is set on eradicating the Boxtrolls. Eggs takes up the battle, with the help of a young girl, to save the Boxtroll community and the soul of Cheesebridge. Based on the children’s novel Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow, this movie, directed by Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi and featuring the voices of Elle Fanning, Simon Pegg and Toni Collette, is one movie that is set to be a family favourite these school holidays.

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WORDS: CAROL SHERIDAN PHOTOS: DARREN HOUSE t was a dark day in Melbourne. The sky was black, thunderous clouds hung low overhead and the rain had started to come down. I could hear the water from the ocean sweeping onto the shore and I pulled the collar of my coat tightly around my neck to fight off the cold as I made my way along the wet pavement to my destination. High walls surrounded me Brett Ratner Butcher and the closer I got, the louder the screams became but what I was to find when I Paige got there and Irina Shayk. and Eddie Murphy. was much worse than those sounds had led me to believeâ&#x20AC;Ś

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una Park, St Kilda, Australia - the crowd waiting to witness the inaugural hot dog eating competition were treated to a ‘warm up’ by Luna Park staff, who stuffed food into their mouths at a staggering speed. Mouths about to burst, throats about to wretch – and that was by the spectators – as they watched the participants vie for the position of Luna Parks hot dog eating champion. Little did they know, the event was to become more bone-chilling, as those who had entered the women’s hot dog eating competition took to the stage. Stuffing hot dogs into their mouths became too much for some, as the vomit rose into their throats and wretched up and into red buckets waiting to be filled. But then it was time for the men to participate. Hot dogs disappeared at an incredible rate, I had never seen hot dogs disappear so fast and I had never seen so many different skills used to get those dastardly dogs down a gullet so quickly. Some stood straight upright, some bounced up and down in their seats and some just sat and shovelled as quickly as they could. The Viking hot dog demolishing winner was Bede,

downing a staggering nine hot dogs in just ten minutes, but not only that, he continued to eat after the competition had finished and as he was being presented with his trophy. Bede wasn’t a favourite going into the competition, but his fast and steady pace saw him take the crown in expert dog-eating fashion. Honourable mentions go to the runner up Issac Martin who was a close second with eight hot dogs, and Cameron ‘Chompamatic’ Murphy in third place with seven hot dogs. Lillian Manwaring took out the women’s event, eating four hot dogs in a ten-minute, hotly-contested race against five other strong-stomached ladies. At 101 years young, Melbourne’s Luna Park is having more fun than ever before. Melbourne’s iconic family amusement park continues to put a smile on faces young and old, a century and one year on. Make sure you enter early if you want to be in the running for the hot dog eating competition trophy next year! For further information and to purchase tickets go to: www.lunapark.com.au

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ne of the most popular dance franchises in film history takes competition to astonishing new heights in Step Up All In. Miami street dancer, Sean Asa (Ryan Guzman), moves to Hollywood with visions of fame and fortune, only to discover the almost insurmountable odds of making it in the professional dance world. But when the new dance crew he forms with the beautiful and headstrong Andie West (Briana Evigan), reaches the final rounds of a high-stakes reality TV competition in glittering Las Vegas, he has a shot at finally making his dreams come true - if he can set aside old loyalties and long-time rivalries and just do what he loves most: dance Directed by Trish Sie, written by John Swetnam and Duane Adler, and starring Ryan Guzman and Briana Evigan, this move is set to be a hit with lovers of dance. Released by Universal Pictures, Step Up All In opened in Cinemas in 2D and 3D on September 11.

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prodijee.com THE NEXT BIG THING IS HERE...