THE HEAT #12
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Summer has struck Australia in full force bringing the heat yet again. However, it’s in these long, hot and hazy summer days where the magic happens. There’s a lovely dreaminess to the hot weather. The faint smell of salty sweat mingled with sunblock. The repetitive sound of the crickets and cicadas filling the air as you toss and turn on hot nights. Watching the heat drift of the sidewalk in shimmers. There’s a certain set of memories that the heat brings with it. And as much as we hate it sometimes, we couldn’t live without it. The ‘Heat’ issue brings together lots of fresh creative talent for you to indulge in and inspire you over this summer. Enjoy the long warm months ahead. Madeline and Nicole xxxx
Founders Nicole Pires (Editor) nicole@izemagazine.com Madeline Hay (Art Director) madeline@izemagazine.com
Regulars Thea Halpin Feature Writer Caitlin Low Feature Writer Matt Meintjes Film Writer Caitlin Puplett Music Writer Jess Mackay Feature Writer
Disclaimer Any views or opinions in this magazine are of the authors and not of IZE as a whole. We endeavour to bring you the most up-to-date and accurate information, though we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will occur.
See Rachel’s shoot on page 22
CONTENTS 6
IZE Loves
8
Invicta Venture
16
Jadewood Design
20
Elle-May
22
Paradise Awaits, by Rachel Jackson
32
I have a love/hate relationship with Instagram, by Nicole Pires
34
¡Jamón, Jamón!, by Thea Halpin
36
Becky-May’s Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
38
FIRE WARNING: Hottest Redheads on our Radar, by Caitlin Low
40
Eat Run Lift
44
The Last Summer, by Jess Mackay
46
Every Other Freckle, by Natalie Pretorius
54
Aussie Album Reviews, by Caitlin Puplett
56
Babaganouj
58
Calrissian
61
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), by Matt Meintjes
64
The Heat Playlist
Follow IZE on Instagram @izemagazine
IZE LOVES Romersk Sleepwear Romersk Sleepwear makes clothes so cute that you almost don’t want to wear them to bed. With super sweet colours, patterns and designs, the sleepwear is more unique than your average sleeping threads. Founded by Sophie Chan Andreassend, Romersk collaborates with lots of different young talent to produce beautifully shot collections. Guaranteed to give you sweet dreams.
Little Cove, Noosa Tucked away just next to the Noosa main beach, this wellloved beach is the best place to waste away the end of the summer months. A little bit quieter than other Noosa shores, Little Cove is so picturesque with its rolling waves crashing on the rocks and palm-surrounded shores.
King of the Wings It’s no secret that food trucks have been popping up in abundance in Brisbane, but King of the Wings is the standout truck that keeps us coming back for more. As it names suggests, they specialise in serving up the most delicious chicken wings in a variety of scrumptious flavours. They also serve a mean portion of sweet potato fries.
The Creases – Gradient 10” Vinyl After a long time waiting, The Creases Gradient EP is finally available for sale on record. Featuring the two big songs Static Lines and Gradient, this Brisbane band is fast becoming huge nationally and internationally. There are only 300 copies of this 10” vinyl for sale, so get in quick before they’re all gone.
Boyhood
Boyhood is the latest film to come from genius director Richard Linklater, who you may remember from cult classic Dazed and Confused. Shot intermittently over a course of thirteen years, Boyhood follows the growth young boy and his family throughout his formative years. What has resulted is a beautiful film that delves into themes of growing up, love and family. Boyhood has been receiving widespread critical acclaim, and if you haven’t seen it already is a must watch prior to the Academy Awards.
INVICTA VENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY Rachel Jackson MODELS Aimee Hardwicke & Mitch Van Deurse INTERVIEW Nicole Pires www.invictaventure.com
Aimee and Mitch wear Invicta Venture Trade-Mark tee. Mitch wears Wanderers Co pants and Invicta Venture (IV) black 5 panel. Aimee wears Salmon bucket hat.
Who is Venture?
behind
Invicta
Barton Stevens, and brothers James and Andrew Saunders. A few mates with a passion for outdoor living and adventure. How did the brand begin? At the start of 2014 we realised that we weren’t doing a whole lot with our lives, we were caught up in the mundane. So we started up a blog to encourage us to get outside and do more. After gaining a bit of a following, we decided that we wanted to inspire more people like our former selves to get out and do more, so we decided to start a brand that reflected our hunger for adventure and would inspire people to get out. Where did you draw inspiration from for your collection? The inspiration behind our collection was to incorporate into our design everything that our brand is about, and what we love doing. Can you explain to us your design process? All three of us go away with our sketchbooks, and draw anything and everything we come up with. Then we come back together to
look at all the designs and decide on our favourites. Then we go away once more to finalise our favourites and bring any new ideas that may have come to mind. In terms of your personal style, what do you try to emulate? We like to bring our relaxed style to Invicta Venture. Without over the top designs, we aim at casual, simple but different designs that capture the eye of likeminded humans. In three words, describe the ideal Invicta Venture wearer. An adventurous outdoorsman. What is in store for 2015? We know 2015 will be big. We plan on branching out, networking and collaborating with more people who share our passion. A few trips overseas are already in store, and we definitely have some new products that we know will be game changers.
STYLE
TOP Aimee and Mitch wear IV Woody Wagon tee. Mitch wears Wanderers Co board shorts. SIDE Aimee wears IV Woody Wagon tee and socks.
Aimee and Mitch wear IV tee and socks. Mitch wears Wanderers Co pants and Salmon bucket hat.
Aimee and Mitch wear IV Woody Wagon tee. Mitch wears IV black 5 panel. Aimee wears Salmon bucket hat.
Aimee and Mitch wear the Invicta Venture Trade-mark tee. Mitch wears Wanderers Co pants.
Aimee and Mitch wear IV trade-mark tee and black IV tee.
STYLE
Jadewood Design Tahlee Woodland is the creator of Jadewood Design, beautiful handmade statement jewellery and accessories. From her Noosa Hinterland studio, Tahlee uses tassels, beads, raffia and other materials to make the most unique and eclectic creations. IZE talks to the talented designer.
When did you begin Jadewood Designs? It all started with making a gift for my dear friend Dani’s birthday. She is one of the most stunning, outrageously daring women I know when it comes to personal style, and I essentially design all my pieces with her in mind. It was her suggestion that I make more, and so the end of 2013 saw the beginning of Jadewood. I am very lucky to be a part of a close community of creative practitioners who support and collaborate with each other. Thus I was able to
launch my brand with Natashya Manfield as she launched her store and self-named collection in December 2013.
Before designing you were a part of the 10-piece Brisbane band Inland Sea. How did you transition from music to design? Performing and touring was definitely a unique experience, one that I will never forget. Coincidentally, Dani was also a member. After finishing up things with Inland Sea in 2012 I
admit I felt creatively stagnant. Music and craft have always been the two things that have helped me express my thoughts and feelings my entire life. The two have always gone hand in hand, so the transition was pretty seamless.
Having studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts, is this a pathway you have always wanted to follow? Originally I wanted to be a teacher, music and design have been those happy little life
STYLE changes that were completely unexpected and unplanned. It is truly amazing what can happen when you follow a thread of opportunity. My advice to anyone is to take chances and just give things a go; you will always be surprised where you end up.
Jadewood Designs features a range of beautiful and eclectic earrings that are completely unique. Where did you get the idea for making these vibrant pieces? I have to say that Dolce & Gabbana’s Summer 2013 collection completely changed the way I thought about art and fashion, particularly accessories. Just the way they mixed colours and textures, capturing a bold, expressive visual landscape. In it I saw myself, and almost all of my close lady friends. I have, of course, developed my own style, but it opened my eyes to the possibilities of design.
You also stock beautiful clutches. Are there any new types of products in the works? I am currently working on some skirts and statement neckpieces including necklaces and collar pins for blouses and shirtdresses. These should be available by Autumn/Winter.
Jadewood Designs has some great collaborations, included recently Alice Nightingale lingerie and
Maraki Intimates. What do you like about collaborating with other creatives? It gives you a chance to work in a different headspace. Collaborations can be one of the best ways to extend your own practice and network.
Where do you look for inspiration when designing a new collection? Most of the time my inspiration comes directly from the materials I am working with. This begins the creative process. I have worked for a long time with my husband in photography, producing creative fashion editorials. I use this conceptualising imagery to build upon the initial spark I get from materials. This helps me sort out colour schemes, themes and style. I also work on each design
directly with the materials; I have never drawn anything before making, preferring instead to let the design manifest naturally.
What new collections will be coming out in 2015? I am working on a number of exciting collections this year, the first of which will be released in March. This collection is called Femme Noir, and is inspired by the femme fatale, a strong, independent, and somewhat dangerous woman. I am exploring a limited colour pallet of black, red and gold. Don’t worry, more colours to come later in the year I promise.
Elle-May Elle-May Leckenby is the coastal frolicking beauty behind the selftitled blog. Her blog showcases her unique style, beautiful photography and penchant for design. When did you begin your blog and what motivated you to begin? Hmm, I began my first blogspot when I was 17 so in 2010, I had been using flickr before this, so I was soo in love and addicted to creating imagery so I guess my blog was a combination of that want wanting to experiment with my personal style! I was totally inspired by other
STYLE photographers on flickr! I would spend hours saving images I liked and looking at them, a lot of them had a strong whimsical/ fantasy vibe. Having studied both photography and design, which of these avenues, if any, are you perusing currently? I studied both graphic design and photography. Both, I use daily, mainly photography I guess. But I am soo grateful I spent the time doing design too because it has been so handy, in creating my own things to print and in general knowledge. I also work for an online clothing store, so I create a lot of the visual web banners etc. You have recently been shooting in New Zealand for Brisbane band Major League’s new video clip. Can you tell us more about this? Yes! My best friend (who is videoing it) and I went there for a few projects and this one was awesome! We found the COOLEST landscapes whilst shooting, and somehow turned the end of the shooting days into nice little picnics :) The song is amazing, like honestly one of my favourite songs I have ever heard. So I am genuinely so passionate about it and cannot wait for release!! Your blog features a lot of your amazing outfits and styling. How would you describe your personal style? I guess neutral, experimental, draping. I like base a lot of my
outfits around a certain era I am inspired by or some kind of film, and do like a modern ‘Elle’ take on it haha. What do you have in store for 2015? I am so grateful for every experience I have had, 2015 I get to work with some more commercial brands, I am excited
to be making more vlogs / tutorials on youtube too! I am also continuing to keep doing what I have been and hopefully just creating more beautiful imagery / interesting content :)
PARADISE AWAITS
PHOTOGRAPHY Rachel Jackson FILM PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Saunders STYLING Felicia Balsategui MODEL Isabel Wengert
Isabel wears Isla Collective Basics Bikini
Isabel wears House of Cards bikini and bucket hat
Isabel wears American Apparel bikini and vintage overalls
Isabel wears Motel one piece
Isabel wears Triangl bikini, Colab X Elke sunglasses and Country Road towel
Isabel wears Motel one piece and Sportsgirl sunglasses
Isabel wears House of Cards bikini and Therease Rawsthrone shorts
WORDS Nicole Pires
I have a love/hate relationship with Instagram so I gave it up for a week. Instagram, the app that allows you to convey how awesome your life is through nostalgic effect giving filters and witty captions. I love it as much as I hate it. Instagram made me into a bircher muesli worshipping, smoothies bowl blending, kale kissing, Pilates practicing, coconutty health obsessive. I know that this is a change for the better, considering that in a prior life I was eating McDonalds on average three times a week. Now I’ve traded the Maccas for locally sourced, organic cafes and I hate how pretentious that sounds. Instagram has done a lot of good. Living a healthy lifestyle is very important and has had a recent resurgence in coolness. I think that this in part has something to do with Instagram. Images of fit looking, organic eating, beach loving boys and girls have perpetuated newsfeeds and popular posts. However, with all of these images of beautiful ordinary people who have become ‘Instagram famous’, I have found in myself a new level of social consciousness. As much
@nicolepiress Clean lemon coconut bars
as Instagram can elevate you and is a great way of creative expression, I always find it causing me issues. If I’m at home alone on a Saturday night and I see my feed inundated with drunk friends I worry that I’m boring and should be going out more. If I haven’t Instagrammed in a week I worry that people think I have died (or worse have no social life).
And then when you do post an Instagram, there’s the instant dread that maybe it wasn’t a good gram and worried panic ensues until it gets a few likes. Even though I’m not a prolific Instagrammer, I find myself constantly checking my feed and going on the App. I decided to give up Instagram for a week and see how I felt without it.
FEATURE DAY 1 In the afternoon I finally get past a level in Candy Crush Soda which I’ve been wrestling with for a few weeks now. I’m overjoyed but then am met with a message that says: you must wait 3 days to play the next level. THREE WHOLE DAYS. I have the option to allow the App to post on Facebook to ask for help to unlock the episode. Should I? No, far to embarrassing I won’t stoop that low. So now Instagram and Candy Crush are out of the equation and I’m running out of things to idle my hands with. I find myself checking my Twitter feed incessantly although I don’t actually Tweet or enjoy anything I read. DAY 2 After surviving the hottest night in Brisbane in the past decade (with 90% humidity), I woke up groggily to be irritated by not being able to do my usual morning Facebook/Instagram/ Candy Crush routine and just stuck with scrolling through rubbish on Facebook. In the evening I had to help babysit some family friends young children and I introduced them to the Home Alone movies for the first time. I received an all four-in-one DVD set at Christmas and it was my first time watching the collection. I mean how cool is that – I can finally ditch the weathered VHS tapes and I have all four brilliant movies in one. That would make a good a passable post, I’ll have to save it for another time. DAY 3 Work was extremely slow. In my in-between moments and breaks I had nothing to do. No
newsfeed to scroll through and no Candy Crush to play. It was a very, very long day at the O.
scrolling uselessly through my phone less and putting down my phone more.
DAY 4 I worked all day today, and then at another job all night. I found myself too busy to worry about not being on Instagram. Only in one instance did a friend text me to tell me that someone we know has been buying likes on all of their Instagram photos. As hilarious as it sounds, I’ll have to wait until the end of the week to check it out for myself.
DAY 7 The final day of my Instagramfree week passed very much like the preceding day. However, the closer I got to midnight the more anxious I felt myself becoming. My hands were itching to reinstall it and I suddenly felt a sense of missing out on what’s going on in the outside world.
DAY 5 Today was difficult. I went to a sporting match, the Asia Cup football quarter-finals Australia vs. China. It was so cool, and so unlike me to do anything remotely sports-like. With a full arena, it would have made an Instagram/10. I am tempted to break my pact and just post a photo, after all a later gram of the match just wouldn’t have had the same effect. I persevere, much to my chagrin. DAY 6 Today was a bit blah. I didn’t even miss Instagram that much. I find myself preoccupying myself
So midnight strikes and I have officially survived a full week without Instagram. I end up spending 45 minutes on the App, doing God knows what. I keep scrolling through my feed but when I reach 4 days down, it prevents me from going any further. This exercise has taught me that cutting down on my Instagram usage is mostly a good thing and that I can live without it. However, it also made me realise that I don’t want to live without it. Follow my soul-sucking Instagram habits @nicolepiress
WORDS Thea Halpin
Photo by Juanedc
Photo by Adam Jones
FEATURE
¡Jamón, Jamón! More than any subtle cultural difference or offensive national practice, my first impression of Spain was the jamón. The huge legs of pork hung upside down in every grocery store, delicatessen and Spanish restaurant from Andalucía to Navarra. When we think of Spain we think of tapas, and sangria, and Penelope Cruz. It is all only half true. The unifying aspect of Spain (next to its rampant political corruption) is its jamón. As the daughter of a lifelong vegetarian, the sight of a slaughtered, cured, and strung up leg of pork was kind of gross. And the smell was dreadful. After it had been pulled down and a knife had sliced into the rose-coloured flesh, the odour would radiate out of your bocadillo and waft into the air. I eat meat; but only the kind that has been killed, chopped and fashioned into such a form that it is completely unrecognisable as meat. At this point of visual anonymity I can almost pretend that what I am eating wasn’t once a living and breathing creature and is, more or less, some filler that makes my pasta sauce stretch to an extra night of leftovers. A pig’s trotter at my eye line as I search el supermercado for the Asian food section is a whole new dimension of predatory human guilt. It brings on that niggling feeling I only truly deserve to savour meat that I have hunted, killed, skinned and cooked myself, Gwyneth Paltrow style. I sort of passed the whole custom off as one of those old-fashioned European things that was observed because European people a) can be kind of old-fashioned, b) really like their food in very particular and old-fashioned ways, and c) Europe doesn’t have a particularly strong presence of PETA. After all, one of the few things I knew about Spanish cultural traditions upon arrival in Spain
was bull fighting which doesn’t exactly scream “ANIMAL RIGHTS ARE IMPORTANT HERE”. However, upon an invitation to an establishment known as ‘Museo del Jamón’, (‘Ham Museum’) I was informed of the historical origins of said tradition. I have tried to verify these origins with the infinite wisdom of Google but thus far had very little luck. Hence, the following information comes from the trustworthy sources of my friend Isabel, and some guy’s blog. During the time of the Spanish Inquisition, citizens concerned with being accused of being Jewish would hang jamón around their shops (and possibly their homes) as a way to ostentatiously prove their non-Jewishness. Naturally this was undeniable proof—or at least a self-conflicting bluff—that these people were not Jewish given that Jews do not eat pork. Given a Jews’ options during this period were a tormenting choice between expulsion or conversion—and the retrospective knowledge that 3000 to 5000 people died as a result— stringing a pig’s leg (or several hundred) seems like a stroke of simple genius. Jamón strung up as art is in fact kind of endearing. A physical history of all that once was, and now lingers on the walls. What seemed a gross display is now a thread in the ever larger and more tightly intertwined fabric that is culture. Every culture is like a fabric. A mass of fibres, woven together and added to, layer upon layer, to produce something that somehow holds together, despite all the madness that went into its creation. Plus pigs raised on acorns and cured for 18 months are delicious.
Becky-May’s Lemon Meringue Cupcakes Becky-May is behind the mouth-watering sweet delights, Cupcakes by Becky-May. She makes cupcakes that aren’t only delicious but also have a flair of originality and a certain je ne sais quoi that you don’t see from your usual cupcake. Becky-May shares her recipe for her scrumptious lemon meringue cupcakes. Zingy and light, they make the perfect summer cupcake. The cake part of the recipe is extremely special to Becky-May, it is her Nana Jacobs’ recipe that she has hand written down in a book for her.
Ingredients
Method
CUPCAKES • 4oz butter • 4oz sugar • 2 eggs • 1/2 cup milk • 8oz self-raising flour • Pinch of salt • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
CUPCAKES 1. Preheat oven to 200° (180° fan forced). 2. Line 12 holes of a 12-hole cupcake pan with paper cases. 3. Beat butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. 4. Add eggs one at a time. 5. Sift flour with salt and add to mixture with milk and essence. 6. Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake papers. 7. Cook in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. 8. Leave to cool on wire rack.
LEMON CURD • 5 egg yolks • 3/4 cup caster sugar • 4oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes • 3 or 4 ripe lemons (enough to make 1 cup of lemon juice) MERINGUE • 2 egg whites • 1/2 cup caster sugar
LEMON CURD 1. Zest two of the lemons and then juice all three lemons (enough to make 1 cup of lemon juice). Set aside. 2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Set on low/medium heat. Add the butter and heat slowly until the butter melts stirring constantly. 3. Once all the butter has melted, add the zest and the lemon juice. 4. Stir until it’s a fairly thick consistency. The mixture will thicken on cooling. 5. When curd is desired consistency, remove from heat, cover and leave to cool completely. MERINGUE 1. Whip egg whites until soft peaks form. 2. Gradually beat in half of the sugar. Beat until stiff. 3. Fold in the remaining sugar. 4. Place in piping bag with star shaped nozzle.
Assembly 1. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, remove the center of each cupcake with a knife and place a teaspoon or so of lemon curd inside. 2. Pipe a swirl of the meringue on top of the cupcake ensuring you cover all the lemon curd. 3. Using a blow torch on LOW, lightly toast the meringue on top of each of the cupcakes. 4. Enjoy!
Becky-May caters for a wide range of events including birthdays, weddings, engagement parties, baby showers and high teas. She can do full size custom cakes and custom cupcakes using premium ingredients including free range eggs, real butter and full cream milk. FB: Cupcakes by Becky May @cupcakesbybeckymay
WORDS Caitlin Low
FIRE WARNING: Hottest Redheads on our Radar Contrary to the conventions of the classic teen comedy, gingers do not exist for the amusement of schoolyard bullies. Whether it’s the fiery wrath of Vulcan or a subtler strawberry blonde, red hair should be celebrated – at the very least, for the infinite metaphors it inspires. If you’ve scored a MC1R mutation in the genetic jackpot – or just a bottle of Schwarzkopf Professional – hold your (red)head up high. These famous fire starters did, and they’ve been making names of their manes ever since.
Caleb LandryJones Fall for this indie darling’s piercing gaze in moody thrillers like Antiviral and Byzantium. If you could tear your eyes away from X-Men First Class’ big-name cast, you may even recognise him as Banshee – the sonic-screaming bat-dude. Like all actors who wear felt hats, Caleb also plays drums in an experimental folk rock band. Bless.
Photo: Caitlin Cronenberg
Jenny Lewis This flame-haired girl crush has infiltrated our iPods with Rilo Kiley, Johnny and Jenny, three solo albums and endless collaborations. Now our ears want to write her a thank you note. Forever grateful for the sunroof-down, hotpants-on, Toaster-filtered vibes. Photo: Brooklyn Vegan
FEATURE
Natasha Lyonne Hair talk is getting tiresome for this Orange Is the New Black star. Luckily, the grey matter underneath all that red matter is just as impressive. Watch her interviews and it’s clear this fast-talking firecracker has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things onscreen. A human IMDb.
Photo: Annabel Mehran
Jack Kilmer Meet Val Kilmer’s son, Gia Coppola’s protégé, Hedi Slimane’s muse and Tumblr’s latest heart palpitation. This doe-eyed, West Coast skater boy is new to the business, but his filmography is growing as fast as his foxy locks. Catch Jack’s breakout role in the soft-focused teen mope-fest, Palo Alto. Photo: Charlotte Wales
Eddie Redmayne This ultra-talented thespian/ Cambridge grad/ parttime Burberry coat hanger is now an Oscar favourite for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. Regardless, he gets the gong for the most fitting surname. Some people have it all.
Photo: Karl Walter Photo: Boo George
Florence Welch Who knows how this ethereal songstress stepped out of the Pre-Raphaelite painting in which she was created, but us mere mortals are sure glad she did. The Florence + the Machine frontwoman’s copper-burnt locks are almost as striking as her powerhouse vocals. We’re in Cosmic Love with her.
INTERVIEW Nicole Pires
EAT RUN LIFT Eat Run Lift is a Brisbane fitness and lifestyle blog run by Rachel Aust and Beau Bressington. Aust and Bressington come from backgrounds in professional training and nutrition. They combine these skills with creativity to make a blog that’s as functional as it is aesthetically beautiful. IZE talks to Rachel Aust about Eat Run Lift.
HEALTH
Tell us a little about Eat Run Lift. Eat Run Lift is a wholesome approach to health and fitness; we like to listen to and write for everyone, not just your typical gym bunny. We are trying to give specific advice, not just tell people to “eat broccoli and chicken and lift as much weight as they can”. ERL is about delivering necessary information to achieve the best results possible and we hope that we present it in a stylish way. A lot of the readers we originally began with wouldn’t consider themselves active gym members and many admitted to us that they didn’t have the selfconfidence or the know-how to do the right exercises for their goals without some guidance. So we are aiming to change peoples’ perspectives on health and fitness and show them it can actually be quite simple, you can work it into your everyday lifestyle and everyone can get results.
Where did the idea to begin your blog come from come from? My very first thought to start the blog began a little after I started studying nutrition before Beau and I were even dating, when I realised that the entire time I was trying to eat healthy I actually was doing a very mediocre job of it. There is so much information about food available on the web, and a lot
more of it than you realise can be coming from people who are not qualified to tell you exactly what’s going on. I wanted to put together information and recipes for people to be able to easily access and I was going to contact Beau to do occasional write-ups on exercise for me if he wanted to be involved. After we were together for a while we decided to actually just get the blog going.
You run the blog with your partner Beau, what different qualities do you both bring when working together? Beau is an ideas man and very much a people-person. He comes up with so many new ideas all the time that we have to sift through them all and decide what ones we are going to execute. They’ve gotten to such an extent lately that I made him buy a notepad to just write
the onslaught of colour you are hit with. I feel as though bold colours should be chosen very carefully if used at all.
How do you find your creative side reflects in your fitness and nutrition? Not too much with the fitness. However, with the nutrition, it’s definitely all in how I make the food, the first couple of times I make a dish it’s basically just the experimental stage. When I taste or remember different foods I see different colours, so it’s about making all the ‘colours’ of the tastes complimentary. Plus I think being creative definitely helps with making the food pretty to photograph! down all of them for us to assess later. I’m the opposite end of the spectrum, very shy, better at online-contact and very good at the organisation and execution of ideas. After he develops an idea and we decide we will go ahead with it I work on how we will tackle it, usually do all the design, photography and marketing. It works out pretty well, he meets all the industry contacts and I do up all the paperwork for them. Before Eat Run Lift you worked as a photographer. How did you transition from photography to your health and fitness blog? I had just gotten really stale with photography, I was bored of always shooting skinny fashion models and not looking after myself, I had gained weight, I was always up all hours of the
night editing photos, my skin got bad and I was in a very bad place emotionally. I basically just put down the camera and didn’t pick it up again until a few months ago to start photographing food and then our fitness guides too. In the time I wasn’t shooting I was able to get my health and my life back on track and regain focus on what I actually wanted to do.
Your creative side is reflected in the beautiful aesthetics of your blog and challenge guide. What do you aim for in your blog design? Thank you, I’m so glad it can shine through! I am for the blog to be visually consistent, ‘clean’, crisp and to an extent, minimal. One thing that always bugged me about a lot of health and fitness websites and products is
Living in Brisbane, how do your surrounds inspire you? The weather is always pretty decent here, if it’s not decent is just because it’s too hot on that particular day. But it’s usually really good to just be able to walk to where I want to go (work, the gym, the grocery shop), it helps to be able to incorporate your fitness into your everyday life I believe, that way it doesn’t seem like so much of an effort.
What tips do you have to stay motivated to be fit in the hot summer months? Don’t let yourself make up excuses to sit around and do nothing just because it’s hot, try to weave fitness and health into your routine. Drink lots of water, stop in at the gym on
the way home from work (and exercising whilst simultaneously stealing air conditioning), go to classes or even boot camps during the evening when it isn’t usually as hot: Pilates or yoga can be great options. Eating healthy is so good in summer too, we have heaps of amazing fruit and vegetables available and you can serve them cold so that you aren’t overheating from the weather plus the food you’re eating!
What new projects do you have coming up? Besides trying to open our gym in Fortitude Valley (we’re hoping around mid-March the doors will be open to the public), we have just released our Simple 7 Day Detox book and our 8 Week Transformation workout guide, and so coming soon we have a follow-up to the detox book, because it’s been highly requested. Many people enjoyed the detox book so much that they personally emailed me and have asked me to write more healthy meals that they can follow after they have finished the detox, so that is on it’s way. Also we have a huge workout plan (it’s about 6 months worth of workouts) + food book coming soon too! If you can’t afford personal training, can’t find the time to get there or just want a brand new routine to give you amazing results then this book will suit you. They’re tailored workout plans and I can’t say too much more than that or it will give away the whole idea!
HEALTH
WORDS Jess Mackay
THE LAST SUMMER For me this January will mark the end of inexplicable angst, suspicious glares from the elderly and having to explain to strangers that it’s still okay to be living at home for the unforeseeable future. The long afternoons of summer will now almost always be spent working and Christmas Pavlova will spend longer on my hips than my lips. There will be certain expectations such as to not drink straight from the milk bottle in the fridge, or to change the toilet paper roll when it runs out and
God forbid, be mature enough to enter the dark recesses of Aldi to grocery shop. For me, this summer means the end of my teenage years and the monumental start of adulthood. But despite feeling the heat of expectation and responsibility, adulthood comes with a litany of important lessons, and so, in the spirit of Lena Dunham, here are some things I have learned in the last twenty years:
FEATURE
1
I should never ever drink on an empty stomach; this may lead to being sick on my friend’s mum’s vegetable garden on my way home in the middle of the night.
2
I have learned that the people I’ve known most of my life now divide almost perfectly into two groups: those who have moved out into the world and found themselves, and those who still hide from their ex-boyfriends at parties like they did in high school.
Thankfully, people lied when they said high school would be the best time of my life. The only other place I can think of where they force you to eat, drink and exercise with people you would rather not see every day, is prison. If I don’t make it into my chosen career or if I happen to fail at what I am spending $10,000 per year at university to study, I will be forced to spread, stuff, season and roast up to 12 chickens a day to make it through my part time job. That alone is enough to make a nine-year vegetarian study harder.
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Everything shall eventually pass: exboyfriends, the public posting and tagging of pre-pubescent photos by people who you thought to be your friends, nervous breakdowns created by too much caffeine and not enough time management, and wondering if the summer heat has melted the brain cells of people who use selfie sticks voluntarily. On a more positive note, close family members will now refrain from guessing the size of my underwear or saying things like ‘but the girl at the shop said 50 Shades of Grey was a great novel for an aspiring writer?’ And start buying me the only appropriate Christmas gift: money and/or gift vouchers to go and buy my own underwear.
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The popular societal trope of owning my first car being significant in a young person’s life is wrong; cars can bring only debt, stress and potential speeding tickets. Never expect a man to mature at the same rate as I am, nor for them to understand the many covert code words that women use when they are upset. From now on there will be no one there to stop me from having a bad diet, not drinking enough water or skipping exercise. My conscience asking me ‘what would your mother think?’ is the only thing preventing me from having cake for dinner.
The term ‘wisdom teeth’ is extremely misleading, unless ‘wisdom’ refers to swollen glands, nervous dentists and paracetamol. The only person stopping me from achieving what I set out to do, is the version of myself that frantically checks social media for signs that other people are achieving it before me. To fall asleep before 8:30pm on a Saturday night and be weirdly satisfied that I’m not standing outside of a nightclub in arthritis inducing shoes is not a sign of premature ageing, but rather contentment.
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I should never be so busy that I forget about my parents – whilst I’m growing up, they’re growing deaf.
This January will mark the end of the last summer I can get away with overdue Optus bills and the last time I can remain ignorant of the distance the petrol light in my car can cover. I will become even more terrified when looking at my HECS debt and more suspicious of any person who is younger than me. By the end of this summer I will be able to feel the heat of impending responsibility and maturity. However, I will also know that this will be the feeling of life beginning, that adulthood is the start of being taken seriously in the real world, expressing yourself without fear of disapproval and that every summer from now on will contain a new lesson to learn.
Every Other Freckle
PHOTOGRAPHY Natalie Pretorius
MODEL
Genevieve @ Hunter Model Management
STYLIST / MUA
Alyssa Selin
CLOTHING
Sinead James The Label
WORDS Caitlin Puplett
AUSSIE ALBUM REVIEWS
#1 Dads - ‘About Face’ Big Scary’s frontman Tom Iansek’s side project #1 Dads can no longer be called a mere ‘side project’. About Face has entirely altered #1 Dads’ image, spearheaded by its highly successful single So Solider, featuring Ainslie Willis. The album captures everything worth listening to about this project: with appearances from Tom Snowdon and Airling, the collaborations highlight production and song writing talents not heard on the previous 2011
album. About Face is entirely evocative, feeling somewhat nostalgic and delicate but completely powerful at the same time. Every single sound included in the hushed tones, layered guitars and occasional saxophone or whistling solo are drenched is drenched in an ethereal tone. There are certain emotions for each song and they are wholly explored, the album overall feels well and truly accomplished.
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Pond - ‘Man It Feels Like Space Again’ Recent Triple J feature album - Man It Feels Like Space Again completely captures the essence of Perth five-piece Pond. While Pond is continually compared to Tame Impala, their latest album truly reflects the differences between the two bands. (Sharing three band members, Pond and Tame Impala are the centrepieces for psychpop scene in Australia. Despite this, Man It Feels Like Space Again feels messy, experimental and
completely unrestricted- but all in a good way. The utter spontaneity in producing these songs is simply oozing from each fuzzy guitar tone or overexposed riff; you can just tell how uninhibited their creation process was. Essentially, if you aren’t into experimental stoner psych-pop there is absolutely no point in listening to it. However—as a change of scenery for those usually into something a little more restricted—this album really works.
INTERVIEW Nicole Pires
Babaganouj Brisbane band Babaganouj have been blessing our ears with their gooey alternative rock for a while now. Having already established themselves with the ‘Sife Lucks’ EP in 2011, they wormed their way even deeper into our hearts last year with singles Too Late For Love and Bluff. Made up of Jack Gleeson, Ruby McGregor, Charles Sale and Harriette Pilbeam, IZE talks to Babaganouj.
Even though you have all been kicking around in the Brisbane music scene for a while in different projects, you formed as a band in 2011. How did you all come together? Charles got fresh-faced Harriette on board in 2011 when he was looking for a bassist to get things going with some new songs he’d written. Jack replaced our original drummer Pete about a year later. After Harriette met Ruby through their band Go Violets, Ruby joined as rhythm guitarist to fill in the gaps in
MUSIC be described as being a nostalgic kind of sad but also warm at the same time. How has the band responded to the amazing reaction to the track?
everyone’s bands and everyone goes to everyone’s gigs. It’s a nice environment to be a part of and there is always a good venue to play at. We think we are very lucky to be involved in it.
We are very proud to have ranked in the 4ZZZ Hot 100, it was a really nice way to see in the new year. The reaction to the song was more than we had hoped for and we are just very grateful that people seem to appreciate it on any level.
You’ve often cited the Lemonheads as a major influence of the band. What was the experience like when you opened for them at the end of last year?
With this single, what was your approach to the song writing process? Harriette started with vocals and brought it into practice. Together we all worked on our individual parts, Charles used as many pedals as he could, until it all came together.
2013 and now we all play, eat and write happily together.
Did you all bond over your love for the delicious eggplant dip? Well of course we did! Delicious Lebanese dips and also a mutual love of Australian band Smudge and their classic hit Babaganouj.
Last year you released the track Bluff, which ranked in at number 21 in the 4ZZZ Hottest 100! The song can
With the whole band living in Brisbane, what is it that you like about this city?
It was a very life affirming experience for all of us, Evan Dando shook our hands and now we can all die happy.
Are you working on any new EP/LP releases for this year and can you tell us anything about them? We have a single coming out this month! Which we are very excited about! Then later on this year you can expect a funky new EP with some ~fresh~ new songs.
Dom Miller and the 24 hour Pancake Manor.
What other Babaganouj news should we get excited for in 2015?
It can be said that Brisbane boasts a pretty tightknit and unique music scene, with so many bands such as yourself dominating the Australian charts. What do you think makes Brisbane special?
We have a couple of upcoming East-Coast tours in the next few months, which should be fun. The rest remains a mystery to you and us. ;)
There is an excellent sense of community and support in Brisbane, especially in the music scene. Everyone plays in
INTERVIEW Caitlin Puplett
Calrissian For Star Wars fans out there, remember that dude who originally betrayed Han Solo and Princess Leia, turning them over to Darth Vader and then decided he felt super bad about it and spent the rest of the episodes being an absolute hero and making up for it? Yeah, well this Brisbane alternative dance-rock five piece is named after him. Calrissian (after Lando Calrissian) sound like a joyful mash of Bloc Party, Two Door Cinema Club and The Wombats and are definitely ones worth keeping an eye on. IZE sat down to chat with a few members of the band about Brisbane’s tight knit music scene, the release of their first single and how they escaped Brisbane’s heat this summer. Calrissian- Pawan Chandra (P), Michael Hogan (H), Tommy Griffin (T), Saagar Chandra (S), Leo Burmester (Absent). Your name doesn’t happen to have any relation to Lando Calrissian from Star Wars does it? P: Yes it does, were all super massive Star Wars fans. Hogan used to read Wookiepedia in high school H: Yeah its 100% related really, we love star wars and Lando’s a pretty stylish dude. T: Is Luke related to Vader? Yes. S: That cheeky bastard’s my goddamn hero.
How did you form as a band, where did the idea to create Calrissian come from? P: Calrissian is actually a continuation from Hogan, Tommy and my band, called Sorry Socrates. Our old bass
player left, so I decided to include my brother and my friend Leo in the mix, things have changed and Bones is only a starting point.
Where is your favourite place to write or create songs, both individually and as a group? P: We have a studio above my dad’s office, it’s pretty sweet. Individually I like to write at home by the pool. H: Just sitting at home, singing out an idea for a verse, chorus, lead line etc. while listening to different types of music or at the band space with the dudes. T: Our rehearsal space is good for us as a group; we haven’t been able to take any writing holidays. Personally I love writing on
the acoustic guitar during LSD comedowns.
What is the band’s dynamic like? S: Hogan sings and does synth work, Tommy is our resident shredder, Pawan’s on drums, Leo plays bass and I play rhythm guitar and fiddle a little on the synth too. We all like to swap around and play different stuff all the time. Half the time we’re just concerned with making shit sound like pod racers. T: Song wise it’s all a melting pot of our inspirations and ideas, jamming until we have an idea everyone is happy with. Pawan has been the driving force behind the admin side of running a band, it’s been pretty full on and he’s hoping to step back a bit and focus on the skins a bit more. We’ve been trying to get some managerial support for a while but with no luck.
You recently supported North East Party House at their Brisbane gig, how did that come about? T: We’ve been big fans for a long time, lucky enough the booker for their Brisbane show thought of us when the show was getting
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booked. He offered, we had a dream come true.
So far you’ve released your single Bones, what kind of reactions did you receive from it? P: It was mixed, a lot of people liked it, a lot of people thought it was the same. Personally I thought it was a little rougher than our previous band. Some sweet community radio play though. H: Pretty positive reviews as a whole, I feel the overall feel was that it wasn’t groundbreaking, but we definitely made our sound far more interesting
You had your single launch at Black Bear Lodge late last year, are there any plans to release and EP in the foreseeable future?
H: Yeah, writing is a difficult and long process, but we are slowly piecing together a collection of bangers that we could throw together hopefully mid-year T: Yes! Just in the midst of writing the darn thing.
Your album and merchandise artwork is really cool, who designs and makes that for you? S: The artwork came from mad dawg Lily May while all the graphic design work was done by the talented Beth Lane! Pawan actually printed our shirts; he won’t shut up about it.
I’ve heard you guys did some recording at local Brisbane studio, Plutonium, how was that experience? H: It was a really intimate experience in that we had good
repour with our engineer, Sean Cook and producer Michael Belsar, who were really hilarious and laid back dudes. At the same time, they were really professional and had great insight into what we were aiming for. T: It was mint, it’s such a nice space. Lots of star wars toys around the rooms actually, we felt right at home. Also, Sean Cook was a beast behind the mixing desk, he has everything down to the T when it comes to recording. He’s worth every penny! And he’ll show you some sweet lunch spots around Kelvin Grove too. We also had Michael Belsar from Twinsy come in to help produce. He was very positive influence, tweaking minor amounts which made a world of difference. He’s also pretty funny, can shred a strat like there’s no independent music scene, and sink a basketball better than any of the Tang Bangers.
Photos by Idam
A lot of people have described Brisbane’s music scene as quite tight knit. Do you believe that has been helpful or a burden as new kids on the block? P: Detrimental. There’s a certain degree of exclusion that you can’t seem to shake. H: Yes and no, I feel that some bands have a slightly easier transmission into the scene in terms of exposure and shows through the people they know. But at the end of the day, it’s all about whether people dig the tunes! T: Depends, are you somehow able to slide into that knit that is so very tight? For us I believe it has been a burden, support slots we’ve
been hoping for and other aspects to rolling out our tunes have been lapped up by other bands around us. Whether the band has an ex member from some Triple J heartthrob, or they had the cash to fund the thousands needed for their media campaign, those who know people “more” than you, will get “more” out of their connections, no matter what the song is. S: It can work either way for you really, just depends how you play your cards. For us I’ve only seen it be a burden in that good, solid support shows are being filled in by friends (or whatever) of the headliner, instead of a band that is musically compatible. Honestly though, I’m just here for the music.
Our theme for this issue is Heat. How does each of you escape the Brisbane heat? P: Well, I guess we want you to get hot and sweaty in the pit... H: Crack a cold one. T: I go doofing, find a nice creek and bliss out. S: A nice cold VB ought to do the trick.
WORDS Matt Meintjes
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) There is a certain joy in watching a meticulously planned and thought-out film unfold before your eyes. Even more so when it manages to be rather unique in its concept, visual representation and use of sound. Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is just that – unique. After finding box-office success behind the mask of franchisesuperhero Birdman, Riggan Thomas (Michael Keaton) is determined to validate his career and life by directing and starring in his own stage adaption of Raymond Carver’s short story “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”. Washed up, broke and possibly
schizophrenic, Riggan’s show is now on the brink of disaster just days before its opening night. The last minute casting of method actor Mike Shiner (Ed Norton) rekindles the project’s life, but puts the two men at odds due to their conflicting natures. Juggling the battle of their egos and the issues of theatre production, Riggan is increasingly neglectful of his daughter Sam (Emma Stone), whose recent stint in rehab has left her working as her father’s assistant. She’s used to it though; Riggan wasn’t a terribly present father during the peak of his popularity as Birdman. Determined to shed the moniker of his superhero
alter ego, Riggan’s quest to immerge as acting talent and not merely a product of Hollywood’s studios seems doomed when renowned theatre critic Tabitha (Lindsay Duncan) threatens to destroy the production before she has even heard a line of dialogue. Throughout this series of unfortunate events, Riggan is continuously tormented by his second personality of Birdman, who urges him to return to the limelight of studio blockbusters. With additional running storylines between Riggan and his ex-wife (Amy Ryan), friend and producer Jake (Zach Galifianakis) and costars Lesley (Naomi Watts) and Laura (Andrea Riseborough),
Birdman is hilarious at times and thoroughly melancholic at others. Several themes and undercurrents lie beneath the surface of Birdman’s story and the film itself is open to many different interpretations. It is clever in the sense that Riggan’s stage production emulates his own life to a degree. In the final scene of the play Riggan’s character utters the words “I’m nothing. I’m not even here”, a spoken representation of his greatest fear of fading into irrelevance, only to be remembered by his mask and suit. As his daughter notes, without Twitter or Facebook, he practically does not exist. The play is merely a platform for him to feel as if he matters again, not for the sake of art or any inspiration he claims to have behind it.
One large underlying theme is that of love, the focal point of the theatrical production. The concept of “absolute love” is discussed on stage, the idea of perhaps emptying one’s self for others. This contrasts strongly with the self-obsessed nature of Riggan and his falling out with his wife and daughter. Even his new partner Laura recognises his inability to love her when she fakes a pregnancy to gauge his reaction. In essence Riggan is clambering for another chance to be loved by an audience, but this time as himself and not as Birdman. He views this project as “something important” and a “chance to do something right”, however his ignorance of those around him have cost him a family, something that is arguably more important than a career. A ‘theatre versus Hollywood’ type theme is also explored in
the film, exemplified in the clash between Mike and Riggan. As an intense method actor Mike insists on doing everything ‘real’, including drinking real gin during the performance. He constantly undermines Riggan, reminding him that he is a mere product of Hollywood and doesn’t belong on Broadway. This is further emphasised by film critic Tabitha and her distaste for Riggan, claiming he is no actor and merely a celebrity. The inclusion of Tabitha opens up another theme of the film regarding the power of opinion. The idea that one person could have so much power with their words to shut down a theatre production is odd, yet people every day base their decisions and opinions on those of other’s rather than taking an experience for themselves. This is highlighted by a quote stuck to Riggan’s mirror “A thing is a thing, not what is said of that thing”. The
FILM fact that Riggan’s future and life seems to be in the hands of someone who cares not for the quality of the production and only her own pre-existing viewpoint suggests that in life we should seek to experience things first hand rather than waiting merely for second hand opinions. The film itself is an example of magic realism, whereby the boundaries of reality and a “magical” fictitious reality are blurred. In Birdman, this magical reality is represented by the alter ego of Birdman himself. In his schizophrenic state, Riggan often uses superpowers to move objects and at one point trashes his entire room using telekinesis, presumably believing he is the superhero. Once his manager Jake enters however, reality resumes and Riggan is now seen simply throwing objects across the room. Riggan also experiences several dream-like sequences that fit with the idea of magical realism, including appearances of his costumeclad alter ego. This culminates in the final scenes of the film where the audience is forced to question if what they are seeing is fiction or reality. The visual style of the film is absolutely fantastic. Filmed with long takes that at points extend between multiple scenes, Birdman is cut together to appear as one continuous shot. Apart from perhaps two shots that focus on the New York skyline and serve as a transition from day to night, the effect is perfectly achieved. It exudes a heightened sense of realism; without multiple camera angles
the audience is not jarred with cuts between different characters or scenes. Rather, the flow of visuals is uninterrupted and becomes a very distinct and likable aspect of the film. Filmed nearly exclusively inside the St. James theatre on Broadway, most scenes involve only two or three characters to draw closer attention to their interactions. Making use of circling shots where the viewer would be more accustomed to intercutting angles is another example of the sublime cinematography of the film. Shallow depth of field is also at times used to draw characters out of their surroundings. The tight corridors of the theatre and small backstage rooms further emphasise a sense of intimacy with the characters and their interactions. Yet at the same time, the audience is drawn to question what is put before them due to the hyper-realistic nature of the film. What is achieved in Birdman’s visual style, and more so how it is achieved, is a feat in itself. Extended takes and plenty of character movement would have involved serious
coordination and relied upon perfect execution from the cast. For taking such a risk, the payoff is a stunning visual accomplishment. Perhaps what is most unusual about Birdman is the composition of the film’s music score; an erratic and improvised set of drum lines that add to the weird and altogether unique nature of the film. It is hard to explain how an off-beat set of drums could add to a film in any particular way, but it just works. It adds to the fragility of Riggan’s person, the confusion of reality versus fiction and builds a sense of palpable excitement for what is to come next. At the end of the day, Birdman is not for those who cannot tolerate ambiguity. Whilst there is a start and an end to the film, what happens between is sometimes confusing and at times completely insane. But that is what makes the film so brilliant. It is altogether thought provoking yet mind-f***ing whilst still clever and darkly humourous. 10/10, but then again, that’s just my opinion…
THE HEAT PLAYLIST There’s something dreamy and nostalgic about summer. The sun warming your back, cold icy poles dripping on the pavement and the smell of salt and coconut lingering on your clothes. The beauty of summer is in the most simple things. The Heat playlist is dreamy and whimsical, reminiscent of summer’s quiet charm.
So Soldier - #1 Dads ft. Ainslie Wills Sweet Emotion – Aerosmith Put Your Number in My Phone – Arial Pink Norwegian Wood – The Beatles It’s Over – The Delta Riggs How Can You Really – Foxygen Breathe In – Japanese Wallpaper Daffodils – Mark Ronson ft. Kevin Parker Boys Latin – Panda Bear Call Me Al – Paul Simon Holding Out for You – Pond Back to You – Twerps
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