bond girl Kate Ceberano can hardly wait to perform the music of 007 with WASO
tour de force Up close and personal with the dynamic new MINI 5-door
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MQ REVIEW
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contents M A R Q U E | T H E a u t o c l a s s i c M A G A Z I N E | AU T U M N E D I T IO N
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Welcome to MARQUE Magazine
T
he autumn issue of MQ magazine is packed with plenty to divert you over the next few months, from inspiring cultural opportunities (the 26th Alliance FranÇaise French Film Festival) to the adrenaline-pumping start of the 2015 F1 season. It’s been busy here at Auto Classic over the festive period too, with a raft of new models on the horizon for our customers to enjoy. We preview the BMW 2 Series convertible and the BMW i3, and take the extremely spacious BMW X6 for a spin. MINI-enthusiast and sales executive Pheobe Yang takes you on a personal tour of the joyous new MINI 5-door. Peter Peard of the Peard Real Estate Group shares his abiding love of the BMW brand which has stretched over several decades while we hear all about Young Australian of the Year Drisana Levitzske-Gray’s passions and vices in the Last Word interview. There are watches and concerts, sailing and travel to far-flung shores (Corsica and Mexico to be exact) to discover too – plenty in fact to keep the cooler climes from your door. Here’s to a wonderful few months and we hope to welcome you soon to Auto Classic’s showroom.
48 12 .................. MQ TIPS
16 WISH LIST Covetable timepieces from BMW
he hottest shows, events, T travel ideas and talent around
18................. LET'S GO TO ...
Adventure World
20................ MQ HEALTH
Glow from the inside out with Perth's most delicious detox juices
22................ WATCH WATCH
I t's F1 season - time for a new watch
24................ MQ SPORT
Racing ahead with the stars of F1
28................ WHEN IN BALI...
... we suggest you go to the Ayana Rock Bar and Aquatonic spa
30................ MQ PEOPLE
Bob Kucera and sailing to Bali.
35................. MQ PREVIEW BMW i3
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Darrin Brandon Dealer Principal, Auto Classic
I is for innovation
38................ MQ interiors
ULTIMO's new collection
POH & CO Ex-MasterChef's Poh Ling
Yeow hosts a new cooking show revealing her many talents
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40............... MQ TRAVEL
he beautiful island of T Corsica is more than the sum of its parts
24 bmw/mini
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Mexico goes luxe
48................ MQ PERFORMANCE Award-winning Kate Ceberano sings Bond themes
50................ MQ MUSIC
The Perth Style Co makes selling homes easy
70................ MQ PERSONAL TOUR
52................. MQ REVIEW
The BMW X6 is a big hit
56................ MQ thirst
Fancy a cuppa at Chapels?
60................ MQ PREVIEW
The BMW 2Series convertible MQ APPETITE
Poh's new show
66................ MQ FASHION
The MINI 5-Door
72................ R n R
78................ MY MQ
Peard Real Estate's Peter
Peard and his love of BMWs
80................ MQ CULTURE
The 26th Alliance Française French Film Festival
84................ MQ BUSINESS CLASS Introducing Etihad's
extraordinary service
86................ MQ LAST WORD
Young Australian of the Year Drisana Levitzke-Gray's seven deadly sins
Accessories label Elk Published by Premium Publishers, Freemasons House, 181 Roberts Road, Subiaco WA 6008.
THE auto classic MAGAZINE
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SUPping with style
Soulful Sam Smith
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68................ MQ PROPERTY
Ph (08) 9273 8933 W premiumpublishers. com.au
Publisher Aisha Iscel | aisha@premiumpublishers.com.au Editor Gabi Mills | gabi@premiumpublishers.com.au Art Director Cally Browning | cally@barecreative.com.au Contributors Norman Burns, Matt, Clayton, Matthew Mills, Gill Pringle, Sandra Harris Ramini, Kami Ramini, Mal Rogers, Vicky Sofield, Geoffrey Thomas Images Crib Creative, Matt Jelonek Sales Gloria Karageorge | 0410 505 063 Natalie Du Preez | 0426 752 352 Kay Cohen | 0413 598 545
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TIPS
The hottest shows, the best new innovations, travel inspiration and performance events
All the right moves Join WA Ballet’s celebrity guest speakers as they take you on a promenade through the finer points of the ballet world in their ‘Monday Vernissage’ events. The term ‘vernissage’ comes from the French word for ‘varnishing’ (putting the finishing touches on a painting) and is used for a preview of an art exhibition, which may be a private ‘promenade’ before the formal opening. If you’re interested in finding out more about how putting together a ballet performance is done, then throughout the year WAB opens its doors and invites you into the studio to watch their dancers take their morning class. For just $10 you can see the stars close up and see just how far dedication and hard work can take you. It’s an intimate, inspiring and affordable experience for all. Open Fridays run from 10-11.30am on March 27, April 24, August 28 and October 30. West Australian Ballet Centre, 134 Whatley Crescent , Maylands, Monday Vernissage costs $25 per person/ $20 for subscribers and students, and includes a glass of bubbly on arrival. They will be held on April 13, August 10 and Otober 5. Bookings: (08) 9214 0707 or info@waballet. com.au for more information.
TINY DANCER Watch how WA Ballet's dancers put together a performance during Monday Vernissage.
Magical MiRiam The irrepressible Miriam Margolyes, internationally renowned star of stage and screen, will return to Perth in early April with her new show The Importance of Being Miriam. Producer Andrew McKinnon is delighted to present this world premiere Australian tour with Miriam accompanied by classical musician John Martin on piano as they bring to the stage some of literature’s best known characters: the imposing Lady Bracknell (from Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest), Mrs Malaprop, the humorous aunt in Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s The Rivals, Jane Austen’s Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Pride and Prejudice) and Mrs Corney and Mr Bumble from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. Additionally, Miriam will talk about her own life, her great love of literature and the unforgettable figures she vividly portrays. For those who haven’t caught Miriam in the popular ABC series “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries”, this is the first opportunity Perth audiences will have to see her since she toured
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with John in their hugely popular “Dickens’ Women”. Devised and directed by Peter J. Adams, this production is a must-see event for lovers of theatre and the written word. The Importance of Being Miriam: A Passionate Discovery of Words and Music, State Theatre Centre, April 7 to 11. Visit Ticketek.com.au or call 132 849.
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Top wheels for the top job Melbourne’s The Age reported in January that Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s government had debuted its new fleet of armoured BMWs. Mr Abbott took his specially adapted BMW 7 Series out for a spin at the Prime Minister’s XI cricket match in Canberra, a decidely lowrisk event given the car’s unique upgrades. “The High Security vehicle is said to be able to withstand bomb blasts, as well as fire from high calibre and automatic weapons such as the AK-47 - which seems reasonable, considering the $500,000 price tag,” said the report. “Loaded with a V-12 engine, the vehicle boasts an ‘impenetrable second skin’ designed to withstand explosions, as well as a self-sealing petrol tank and tyres that cannot be deflated. “The high security vehicles were first used in Brisbane last year to transport foreign dignitaries around the G20 conference, and are now being used regularly as the old prime ministerial fleet of Holden Caprices – purchased by John Howard in 2003 – are put to out to pasture. The highly coveted $6.3 million contract went to the German manufacturer because, the government said, it was “the best value for money”.
Joy ride The wheels are well and truly in motion for the 2015 Hawaiian Ride for Youth which will take place on March 24 to 27.
A highlight on the Youth Focus fundraising calendar, the annual ride raises awareness and funds towards youth suicide and depression. Having raised $10.2 million since starting in 2003, this year’s ride covers new ground with the addition of the new Wheatbelt route to the two already existing routes. The Wheatbelt route serves as an introduction to the Youth Focus services
that have been extended to the South West regions of WA. Passing through towns such as Katanning and Narrogin, Youth Focus CEO Jenny Allen said the extension of the Hawaiian Ride for Youth to the area gives the opportunity for young people there to be exposed to positive and educational messages. An integral part of the four-day event are the school visits in which riders take time out of their day to visit schools on the three routes, sharing personal stories and inspiring students with their own experiences. This year, more than 2,500 students will take
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Fairy tales and legends Disneytoon Studios returns to Pixie Hollow with the heartwarming adventure Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast. This brand new story explores an ancient myth of a fabled creature whose distant roar sparks the curiosity of Tinker Bell’s good friend Fawn (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), an animal fairy who’s not afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need. But this animal—massive and strange with glowing green eyes—is not really welcome in Pixie Hollow, and the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast before it destroys their home. Fawn, who sees a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior, must convince Tink (Mae Whitman) and the girls to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast before time runs out. Directed by Steve Loter (Kim Possible) and produced by Michael Wigert (Secret of the Wings), Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast roars to life on April 2.
part in the rider presentations. With a record 145 riders participating, 40 support crew, 19 school visits, covering 12 towns and over 1,600kms across the three routes, the 2015 ride has a fund-raising target of $1.7million. Youth Focus is a not-for-profit organisation that offers a range of mental health services and support for young people and their families in Western Australian. The organisation seeks to reduce suicide in youth and overcome issues associated with depression and self-harm. For more information visit youthfocus.com.au
MQ tips
Lest we forget
Master work comes to Perth
To mark the centenary of the Gallipoli landings, West Australian Symphony Orchestra in partnership with the Returned and Services Leage and the Army Musuem of Western Australia, will present a moving and reflective concert honouring those who served the country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. WASO, the WASO Chorus and special guest artists will illuminate the evening with beautiful and poignant music inlcuding Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending and Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings. For the generations who never knew the horror of war, there’s the chance to learn more about the ANZAC story with historical displays in the foyers of the Perth Concert Hall, commemorating the most momentous event in our nation’s history. ANZAC Commemorative Concert, Perth Concert Hall, April 23, 7.30pm. Call WASO on 9326 0000 or visit waso.com.au.
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jewel of modern theatre about greed, desperation and ruthless ambition, Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet, will burst onto the Black Swan State Theatre stage from May 23 to June 14. Presented as part of the City of Perth Winter Arts Festival, Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize-winning story of salesmen struggling to stay afloat in the cut-throat world of Florida real estate is not to be missed. Equal parts snappy dialogue, black humour and verbal abuse, Glengarry Glen Ross follows four real estate agents presented with a dilemma: sell undesirable property to unwilling buyers or find a new job. Internationally acclaimed and the subject of a critically admired film, the film centres around the stories of real estate agents fighting for the next sale. Ricky Roma is the smooth talker, Shelly “The Machine” Levene is on a bad run, George Aaronow suffers from low self-esteem and Dave Moss is the bigmouth with dreams and schemes. With the office manager, John Williamson, selling prime leads for cash, the four men go to any lengths - including bribery, threats and burglary - to close the deal. Starring Damian Walshe-Howling in his Black Swan State Theatre company debut, the ex-Underbelly actor is well used to playing characters designed to repel and attract in equal measure. Playing one of Melbourne’s most notorious murderers, Andrew Benji Veniamin, Walshe-Howling captured the hearts and minds of Aussie audiences leading to an AFI Award in 2008 for Best Supporting Actor in a TV drama. marque autumn
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Playing Ricky Roma, a big-shot real estate salesman in his early forties, Walshe-Howling’s character is on a knife edge. Roma is the top name on the board at his office, which means he is currently the most successful salesman. It is easy to see why he does better than the other men: he is smart, charming, and incredibly quick-witted. Rather than trying to force customers to submit to his sales tactics, as the others do, he lures people into thinking they want what he is selling. Which, after all, is the secret to a salesman’s success. Glengarry Glen Ross, Black Swan State Theatre Company, Heath Ledger Theatre State Theatre Centre of WA, May 23 to June 14
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MQ tips
Wish List Time waits for no man, so the saying goes, so why not add a BMW watch to your collection in the meantime?
BMW M Chronograph • $418 Dynamism meets design. This chronograph has a brushed stainless steel case and a watch facewith a BMW M design. Highlights include the fluorescent white tips of the hands and hour markers. The interior houses a precise Swiss quartz movement made by RONDA. The back features a laser-engraved BMW logo. There's a stopwatch function, date display and small second display. A futuristic strap with safety closure, toughened mineral glass and water resistance up to 10 ATM are other core design features. Delivered in a premium gift box.
BMW M Watch • $329 Sporting style – even on your wrist. This watch features a high-quality stainless steel case, black aluminium outer dial ring, and carbon watch face. A particular highlight is the RONDA Swiss quartz movement with analogue date display. Toughened mineral glass and a robust strap with a leather lining ensure long-lasting enjoyment. The watch is delivered in a premium gift box. Water-resistant up to 3 ATM.
BMW Men's Watch • $439 This watch has a brushed stainlesssteel case and a sizeable diameter of 42mm – as well as plenty of inner qualities: its original Swiss movement ensures ultimate precision. The watch face features a BMW logo and the subsidiary dials display the day of the week and the date. Waterproof up to 10ATM.
BMW M Carbon Chrono • $689 This wristwatch has a powerful M design, premium brushed stainless steel case and scratch resistant mineral glass cover. It has a carbon watchface with tachymeter, luminous hands and red second hand and matching perforated real-leather strap with red highlights. Reliable Swiss RONGA movement, stopwatch function, date display and small seconds display. Water-resistant up to 10 ATM. Delivered in a premium gift box. marque autumn
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My city
By Consuelo Cavaniglia
Consuelo Cavaniglia is an interdisciplinary artist and independent curator whose work was commissioned to enliven the public foyer of Wesfarmers House in the city. A significant solo exhibition at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art will follow later this year. The plane touches down, it’s early February and Perth’s uncompromising summer heat greets me (there is something about these extremes that I’ve always enjoyed). In the evening I head to the Art Gallery of Western Australia for the launch of Mariko Mori’s exhibition Rebirth. I first saw her work at the Venice Biennale many years ago – a giant pearly pod contrasted by the brick of the old shipyard walls of the Arsenale – it made an impression and I’ve followed her work ever since. It’s exciting to see Mori’s work in Perth and all the more so to hear her speak at the artist talk presented by AGWA. At the close of the launch we step out into the Perth Cultural Centre, which is brimming with the energy and activity of Fringe World. These are summer nights at their best – the Perth International Arts Festival is about to launch, Fringe World is in full action, people are everywhere, and it is satisfying to know that cultural events are what have drawn this large and varied crowd. I am in Perth for the launch of my work for Window Dressing, Wesfarmers Arts foyer commission. This is the second iteration of the project set up by the brilliant Helen Carroll, Manager of Wesfarmers Arts, as a temporary intervention on the windows of Wesfarmers House. The first was by Melbourne based artist Reko Rennie, whose bold and energetic project made people sit up and take notice. His work contrasts my more subtle approach, and these bookend tactics indicate the breadth of possibility in effecting the vast glass panes, anticipating exciting future interventions. The project has been a great experience for me, allowing me to work on an unprecedented scale, with materials and techniques I hadn’t used previously and directly effecting the architecture of a space that
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Quality | Timber | Doors
is not a gallery. Importantly this series of firsts have opened up a number of new directions that I am keen to pursue in future work. The project is indicative of the commitment to the arts that Wesfarmers makes and to Helen’s inventiveness in creating encounters with art for a broad cross-section of the Perth community, as well as her ongoing support of local and national contemporary artists. I first met Helen when as coordinator of the Fremantle Print Award I invited her to be a judge for the 2009 edition of the national prize. When I returned to focus on my art practice, after a number of years of working in arts administration and freelance curating, she acquired my work for the Wesfarmers Art collection, and through this project we now connect again.
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I am in Perth for the launch of my work for Window Dressing, Wesfarmers Arts foyer commission.
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These ongoing relationships are what are most important to me – I lived in Perth for the greater part of my life, relocating to Sydney a little over two years ago, and have invested a lot in the Perth contemporary art scene through a range of roles, so keeping in contact and also keeping abreast of new ventures, programs and practices that activate the cultural scene in Perth is all important to me. I am thankful to have had projects bring me back on a regular basis – later this year I will return for a solo exhibition at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, which I am thrilled to be doing, not in the least because of the long relationship I’ve had with PICA (starting with an artist residency the year I finished art school, followed by work on the install team, a position as curatorial assistant, and in 2010 the inaugural curatorial residency). I am keen for the relationship to move in both directions – with my return to Perth balanced with Sydney hosting some Perth talent. I have two curatorial projects on the go at the moment: one that will see Rebecca Baumann take part in a group exhibition (with Reko Rennie and Ross Manning), opening at the renowned Firsdraft Gallery in March as part or Art Month; and the other that will take Tom Freeman to the first national presentation of his work, alongside Sydney based artist Izabela Pluta at 55 Sydenham Rd, a dynamic artist-run space in Sydney’s inner West. My ties to Perth are strong and projects such as these will keep the connection developing and growing long into the future.
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MQ tips
Let's go to ... Adventure World By Gabi Mills
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dventure World has always been a magical spot but thanks to some smart upgrades and a serious roller coaster investment, it’s now even more of a treat han ever. Ever since it became part of Perth’s landscape in 1982, honed out of an old limestone quarry, Adventure World has been a huge drawcard for young and old. Keen to be the place where ‘firsts’ happened, well, first, Adventure World introduced us to the tallest shot and drop ride - The Freefall - back in 2009, and to make experiencing the day out even easier, the first ‘Aqua Cash’ wristbands were rolled out too, making the days of lost wallets a thing of the past. Last year saw the opening of The Abyss, widely touted as Australia’s best rollercoaster, and worth every cent of the $12million investment, and if picnicking under a tree isn’t your thing, why not book one of the exclusive cabanas making the whole experience decidedly more ‘luxe’.
THRILLS AND SPILLS From the adrenaline rush of The Abyss to water-bssed fun, Adventure World is a treat for all the family.
RIDE Without a doubt, if you’re in full possession of your faculties, then you simply have to take a ride on The Abyss. Black metal rising out of the land like a Terminator-style monster, there are hooded 9ft tall figures at its base, adding to the sense of theatre and terror. It’s a stunning edifice to the pursuit of thrills, with a horizontal 30m column that launches passengers
DO Head over to the website before you even set foot in the fun park and book yourself a discounted season pass (valid until April 27). This is a smart move because not only does it give you unlimited access to the park during normal operating hours, but you’ll also score 50% off tickets for six friends to come along as a group once in the season, as well as 20% off food and drink in the park, gift shop and official photos of cuddling a koala, riding Abyss or in the Dragon’s Kingdom. marque autumn
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into a ‘beyond vertical’ drop, which means it exceeds 90 degrees. Gulp. It’s this Immelmann loop (to get technical) which excerpts up to 4.5 times the force of gravity on riders. Reaching a top speed of 85km, the two-minute ride is worth the trip to Bibra Lake alone. If you’re of a more nervous disposition, there’s plenty to amuse. The big attraction of Adventure World is its liberal use of water (making the most of WA’s fantastic sunny days - Melbourne, this would not work in your neck of the woods). Try out the Aqua Super 6 Racer with its smartas-anything digital scoreboard allowing you to race your mate. The Tunnel of Terror lives up to its name while the Water Mountain mat slides are as much fun as they look.
freeing itself and going on, well, a rampage - is one of the best rides to observe from the ground, if you’re not keen on actually getting on board yourself. Stand back and watch as the $1.8m dollar ride makes passengers hang, swing and fall like rag dolls. The expressions on faces are worth an Instagram pic if nothing else.
Getting there Catch the train to Cockburn Central or Freo stations, and the 520 bus will drop off passengers right at Adventure World’s door. Parking can be busy but there are overflow
TRY It’s not all about rollercoasters and getting drenched. There’s also the chance to experience gravitational forces just like astronauts - without the inconvenience of going into space. Try the Black Widow, a fiendish twirling web of stomach-churning rotations, with a new look and name for this season. You’ll be chucked 57-feet into the Black Widow’s web and spun in different directions. Our advice? Don’t have lunch before you climb aboard. If that all sounds too extreme, then there’s always the everpopular Bumper Boats, Sky Lift and Go-Karts.
EAT AND DRINK Of course one of the big attractions of spending the day at Adventure World is that you can pack a giant esky of all your favourite picnic food and chill under a big tree, with everything to hand. But if limp sandwiches and warm cola isn’t your idea of fun, the park has invested heavily in upping its food and drink offering for the 2014/2015 season. Now in addition to the fairy floss and cinnamon doughnuts, you’ll find pulled pork burgers with slaw and crispy fried onion rings, wagyu beef burgers and the kind of gourmet salads that wouldn’t be out of place in a city centre bistro. The Made to Order menu allows you to book what you fancy for lunch from the comfort of your cabana.
RELAX IN STYLE It’s the innovation which sets this park apart from the rest - the cabanas at Kahuna Falls. There are only a few of them so you’ll need to book in advance, but for $125 (plus a $50 refundable deposit), you’ll get two cushioned sun loungers and two cushioned chairs, a cute bar fridge with five chilled bottles of water, a private safe to keep your valuables secure (a really top addition, in our view), a fan and that premium food served to your door. Choose from Kauai (nearest the huge swimming pool), Maui, Oahu and Hawaii, directly opposite the Kahuna Falls and kick back while those without a cabana look on enviously.
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car parks to accommodate hundreds of cars. From Perth City, take the Farrington Road exit off the Kwinana Freeway South and turn right. Follow the brown tourism signs to Adventure World - journey time just 20 minutess. From Fremantle take Leach Highway and turn right at North Lake Road and follow the brown tourism signs to Adventure World. MQ Visit adventureworld.net.au for more information.
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health
Juicy living Pure Glow Cleanse, the juice cleanse company established by two young Perth entrepreneurs is going from strength to strength - just like you’ll feel, says Kami Ramini, after one of their signature detoxes.
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t’s 8pm and I am just about to polish off my sixth and final juice of my one-day cleanse from Perth company Pure Glow Cleanse and I have to say I’m sort of sorry it’s about to end. This last one is the Chai Vanilla Dream, it’s a nut milk concoction of smooth, sweet, vanilla goodness which tastes almost like dessert after a day spent drinking veggie juices. Sipping away and looking forward to an early night, I’m feeling good; I’m light on my feet, my mind is clear as anything, and let’s face it – I’m also pretty pleased with myself having breezed through a whole day without solid food. With each juice of their six-juice cleanse at 540ml and packing a nutrient punch, co-founders Annette Gohl and Jacqueline Forth had promised going without food would be easier than it seemed, but I have to say I wasn’t convinced until I tried. “The juices are pretty big and your body’s getting everything it needs,” says Annette. “We often get people emailing us after a three-day cleanse saying ‘I’m missing the juices – I really never thought I would!” she laughs.
Right now, I can see what they mean. It’s not just their size which sets them apart. Unlike many other juices on the market, Pure Glow Cleanse juices are ‘green’, in all senses of the word. Their environmental footprint is minimal: packaged in glass jars, they use organic, locally sourced ingredients and are cold-pressed (like olive oil) to lock in as many nutrients as possible. But they are nearly all also the colour green, due to the high quantity of rich, leafy vegetables used, designed to flush out toxins and reset your body towards a healthier path. “We really wanted our juices to be benefits-based,” says Annette. “So to taste good but also actually be good for you, and not a 60g of sugar pure apple juice sort of thing.” It’s been a recipe for success for the health entrepreneurs. Within their first few days of the business back in 2013, the girls were juicing through the night to try to keep up with demand and jumping straight in the car to deliver juices before work the next day. “Within three days we had 200 people on our waiting list!” says marque autumn
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Jacqueline. “We were in a bit over our heads. It was so much work and we couldn’t keep up – I think people seriously underestimate how long it takes to juice.” But the interest never let up and in January 2014 the pair imported a top-of-the-line American cold-pressed juicer and opened their factory in North Perth. Today, they have 13 staff and press 900 to 1200kg of fruit and vegetables per week. “We find all sorts of people are loving our juices – people who are into health and fitness but also others who just want a kick-start,” says Annette. “And word of mouth has always been great for us. We have a feedback form we send out to all our customers and most people say they’ve told all their friends because they’ve never felt this good before!” Other than the nutritional benefits, the cold-pressing process also ensures the fresh juices have a longer shelf life than most. But while they can last a few days in the fridge, once delivered (yes, they get delivered to your door), Annette and Jacqueline recommend an early night and starting the cleanse the very next morning. The six-pack juices are also numbered one to six to guide cleansers through the day, so with mine ready and waiting in the fridge, it was time to try. Substituting my early morning caffe latte with juice number one, the zingy ‘Sunrise Elixir’, a fresh, tart mix of lemon, cucumber and aloe vera was the hardest part. My daily caffeine craving put up a good fight and while I felt my body instantly responding to the alkalising goodness of the juice, I could still hear my little percolator calling my name from the stove-top as I walked out the front
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door, juice jar in hand. By 10am and time for number two, the ‘Glowing Greens’ smoothie, that first hurdle was long forgotten. The smoothie, by far my favourite of the whole cleanse, was creamy, semi-sweet and super filling. Bang on midday, it was time for number three, the ‘Green Guru’, another power-shot of veggies with a hint of mint. Hunger crept up on me a little at 2pm, so I guzzled down number four with relish, a deep orange-coloured ‘Good Karma’ juice with tart grapefruit and warming turmeric and ginger. That one kept me going for a good long while so I waited until 5.30pm for number five – ‘Buddha Juice’, a green juice with a slight sugary ping of apple. I went out for a long beach walk at dinner-time to avoid the pull to the pans and here I am, just after 8pm, finishing off the last few sips of the smooth, silky ‘Chai Vanilla Dream’
and looking forward to climbing into bed, first ever cleanse done and confident in the fact I have given my body exactly what it needs. I loved the one-day cleanse as an easy start to the experience but there is a package for all types of cleansers. There’s the one-day, which they recommend doing once a week, or a three or five-day cleanse which normally work once a month, or even the subscription program where you drink one to three juices throughout the day and still eat a healthy dinner and/or lunch. “It really depends on your goals,” says Jacqueline. “Everyone’s different – you do it your way. It just makes you want to make good choices. If you start your day with a good choice, you’ll likely end with one.” It seems that’s what Pure Glow Cleanse is all about. Yes, it’s the juices and detoxing the body for the most radiant you, but it’s also about
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time for a detox Pure Glow Cleanse have created a collection of delicious and nutritious veggie and nut juices. Visit pureglowcleanse. com.au for the full range.
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making good choices and a healthier all-round lifestyle. In support of this, Annette and Jacqueline have recently started offering monthly free sessions to their customers in the form of beach workouts, yoga classes or meditations. “Our first was a beach workout and we had organic skincare, raw treats, green juice for everyone. We really want to inspire that healthy lifestyle,” says Annette. MQ
Watchwatch By Norman Burns
Grand Prix d’amour FIRST CLASS As the 2015 F1 goes up a gear, the world's top watch brands are keen to reflect the fans' passion for the sport with beautiful new collections.
With the Australian Grand Prix kicking off the 20-race F1 season in Melbourne on March 15, the rivalry between motor racing’s elite drivers and machines will reach fever pitch on the track.
O
ff the track though an equally intense battle rages year-round, as the world’s top watchmakers vie for the hearts and minds - and wallets - of millions of F1 fans. Watches and F1 cars are a natural fit; hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake in a sport where success is measured in fractions of a second; the advanced materials used to construct F1 cars (titanium, carbon fibre and the like) are super strong and lightweight perfect for use in watch components. And then there’s the whole “I’m-wearing-a watchthat-an-F1-driver-wears” factor; I mean, if you can’t beat 'em, why not join 'em? The great thing, too, is there are F1-flavoured timepieces for every budget. Even if you drive a beaten-up Commodore one of these F1-flavoured timepieces on your wrist will bring out your inner Daniel Ricciardo.
customer, so you know you are going to get a luxury item that will literally stand the test of time. Daytona dazzler: The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (40mm, in steel and yellow gold) features an engraved tachymetric scale, yellow gold markers and an Oyster bracelet. Enquiries: (03) 9654 3988 or visit rolex.com.
Oris/Williams
Rolex/F1 racing Rolex doesn’t just sponsor an individual F1 team - the world’s most recognised luxury watch brand is official timekeeper of F1 worldwide as well as being naming rights sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix. While it may not be emblazoned on the side of an F1 car, Rolex has a long and illustrious history with motorsport in general. Models such as the Daytona, produced since 1963, have been long coveted by collectors (one rare 1969 piece sold for more than $1million at a Christie’s auction in 2013). Every Rolex goes through an unbelievable battery of tests before it reaches the
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Boutique Swiss watchmaker Oris has been official partner of the WilliamsF1 team for a decade. WilliamsF1 has racked up 16 world championship titles through drivers such as Alan Jones, Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell and Oris is regarded by many as one of Switzerland’s best-value-formoney brands. The Oris WilliamsF1 600th Team Race Limited Edition celebrates just that - 600 F1 victories by Williams. Only 600 of the 45mm timepiece (powered by an Oris automatic movement based on the Sellita SW 500) have been produced. With chronograph functions (useful to mark lap times), a seethrough caseback showing the famous Oris “red rotor” and a tachymeter ring on the bezel, this is a powerful, sporty watch. See oris.ch for more details.
Hublot/Ferrari
IWC Schaffhausen/ Mercedes AMG Petronas Peerless engineering, precision technology and performance cornerstones of both the Mercdes AMG Petronas F1 team and luxury Swiss brand IWC, whose partnership centres around IWC’s uber-cool Ingenieur range. Models include cases made out of titanium aluminide, inspired by the use of carbon, ceramics and titanium used in the F1 cars. The Ingenieur was designed by the late, great watch maestro Gerald Genta in 1976 but his visionary approach looks as fresh today as it did 40 years ago. Add in 21st- century cutting edge materials and the Ingenieur has made its mark as one of the world’s most desirable sports watches. IWC has released two limited editions of the Ingenieur Chronograph (250 pieces each), the Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Both drivers had input into the designs and the watches feature specially engraved, numbered case backs. For more details, see iwc.com.
Swiss luxury brand and Ferrari have more than a mere sponsorship arrangement; engineers and designers from both companies collaborate on some of the most striking and “out there” watches around. Hublot’s Big Bang range is big, bold and ideal for those who want to their wrist wear to have maximum impact. The Big Bang Ferrari Ceramic Carbon (pictured), limited to 1,000 pieces, is one of those Hublot pieces with oodles of “wow factor”; powered by Hublot’s in-house UNICO chronograph movement, it has a 72-hour power reserve, carbon fibre bezel and ceramic case. Yours for $30,700. See hublot.com for more.
TW Steel/Sahara Force This partnership sums up why F1 racing has such an amazing international appeal; TW Steel is a Dutch brand, Sahara Force is India’s entry into top-line motor racing. With six models in its F1-linked Pilot editions, TW Steel offers some nice, bold and relatively inexpensive “kit” for Force fans. All models have a quality Japanese Miyota movement as the “engine” and the watches come in two sizes - big (45mm) and really big (48mm). With carbon fibre dials incorporating the SFI logo and a chronograph that can capture slices of time down to 1/20th of a second, this is a perfect watch for trackside. Pictured: Sahara Force India special edition Pilot (48mm), steel case, carbon fibre dial, $525. For more details see twsteel. com or email australian.info@ twsteel.com
Casio/Red Bull We in WA, and Perth in particular, have more reason than most to cheer on the Red Bull team - Duncraig’s own Daniel Ricciardo, tipped to be an F1 champion, is one of the two men behind the wheel. And behind Red Bull is Japanese electronics and watchmaking giant Casio, with its Edifice range of affordable-but-specced-to-the-max watches. This model (EFR536D-142) comes in at $249, features a stop watch, neon illuminator and date display and comes with a one-touch three-fold buckle. For details on stockists, see edifice.shriro.com.au
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Richard Mille/Lotus French businessman Richard Mille founded his eponymous brand in 1999 and from the start set out to shake-up the mainly conservative luxury watch market. Drawing from aviation, space exploration and the F1 fields, Mille’s amazing creations led to partnership with the Lotus F1 team. A Mille watch is the love child of some crazy engineering, modern art and space-age dreams - but with price tags running into the tens of thousands of dollars. The RM50-01 Lotus F1 Romain Grosjean (limited to just 50 copies, in carbon or red gold) includes a mind-boggling movement intended to mimic a car’s gearbox. See richardmille.com for more.
sport
The fast and the furious F1
As the hotly anticipated F1 2015 season roars into action this month in Melbourne, Matthew Clayton highlights what motorsport lovers can look forward to in one of the most competitive line-ups ever.
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high-profile, big-budget political soap opera interrupted every fortnight for a car race – it’s a cynical yet arguable definition of Formula One, the world’s premier motor racing series that roars into
action in Melbourne in March. Big brands like Ferrari, Mercedes and Honda are automotive heavyweights, while the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel are among the world’s highest-paid and most recognisable sports stars. Perth’s own Daniel Ricciardo looks set to join that triumvirate after his stunning debut for Red Bull Racing last season, where the ever-smiling 25-year-old earned three brilliant wins and turned potential into results quicker than anyone on the inside of the sport could have ever imagined.
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With Hamilton coming into 2015 off his second world title and in a Mercedes car that was the class of the field last season, who can stop the Englishman from adding another championship to his résumé, and what are the storylines we can expect to see between now and the final race of the season in opulent Abu Dhabi in November? Here’s your bite-sized 10-point primer for Formula One’s 66th season.
(1) Up top Down Under
The Australian Grand Prix has kicked off the season in all but two
years since Melbourne came onto the F1 calendar in 1996. This year’s season-opener carries extra weight as the 20th world championship Grand Prix held at the picturesque Albert Park circuit. The teams and drivers are typically glad to escape the northern hemisphere winter for the warmer climes, while the intrigue surrounding the season’s first race ensures a bumper crowd trackside and a huge worldwide TV audience. For the record, Michael Schumacher (four wins) is the driver to have sprayed the most victory champagne in Melbourne, while Ferrari and McLaren (six wins each) have been the teams to beat.
race, not just the speed,” Coulthard says of Ricciardo. “And Daniel’s only going to get better.”
he says, “which is good because I expect them from myself; I’ve proven to myself that I can do it.” Count retired F1 driver (and two-time Australian Grand Prix winner) David Coulthard as a believer. “What sets the exceptional drivers apart from the great drivers to me is how they
(3) Filling Schumi’s shoes
A German multiple world champion leaves the team he achieved success
(2) Dan dares to dream
For a driver who had never finished better than seventh in a race in his fledgling F1 career before 2014, last season’s haul of three wins, five other podium finishes and third in the drivers’ championship made Daniel Ricciardo the sport’s brightest young star. Now for the hard part – backing it up. Sebastian Vettel’s departure to Ferrari installs Ricciardo as the bona fide team leader at Red Bull Racing, and he can’t wait. “People expect good results from me now,”
local hero Above, Daniel Ricciardo is set for a barn-storming season behind the Red Bull wheel in 2015.
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with to go to Ferrari in his prime, hoping to be the driver to restore a famous name that has fallen on hard times back to the top … if that scenario sounds familiar, it should. In 1996, Michael Schumacher did just that when he dumped Benetton for Ferrari, turning an underperforming team around to such a degree that from 2000, F1 became a Prancing Horse procession as he won five straight championships. Now, 19 years later, Sebastian Vettel will look to emulate his compatriot by joining a Ferrari squad coming off its worst season since 1992. Vettel is young enough (27), good enough (a
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four-time world champion with Red Bull) and motivated enough (after being roundly thrashed by Ricciardo last year) to make it work. With a reported salary of £50 million a season, he simply has to.
(4) A marriage of convenience
Fernando Alonso came to McLaren in 2007 as the two-time reigning world champion; he left after a tumultuous season where he clashed with team management and failed to cope with having a speedy rookie named Lewis Hamilton in the sister car. Alonso then had the misfortune of driving for Ferrari through five of its leanest seasons; McLaren hasn’t won a single race in two years, an unthinkable drought for one of the sport’s most successful squads. That, and the return of Honda as an engine partner to reprise the McLaren-Honda axis made so famous by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in the 1980s, explains why the combative Spaniard is back with the team he couldn’t wait to leave eight years ago. How Honda comes to grips with being back in
the unforgiving laboratory that is F1 – and how Alonso gets on with fastidious team principal Ron Dennis – will be riveting viewing.
(5) Silver duo chase gold
Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg staged a private inter-team battle for the drivers’ championship last season, and there’s every indication that they’ll do so again in 2015. The Silver Arrows won 16 of 19 races last year (Ricciardo was the only other winner), but Mercedes admirably allowed its drivers to battle one another rather than play marque autumn
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Multi-million dollar industry Nine teams and 18 cars will take to the grid this season, all contributing to the $1.8billion profit the sport made last year.
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favourites. That the drivers have diametrically opposed personalities – Briton Hamilton is the most naturally gifted driver on the grid, but an emotional character prone to fluctuations in form, Germany’s Rosberg is more metronomic and calculating – makes this rivalry as good as any we’ve seen in the modern era. At 30, Hamilton is at the age where F1 drivers typically excel. Rosberg will push him hard again, but Hamilton has to be the favourite to go back-to-back.
(6) L plates at the ready
Ferrari’s 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen turns 36 this year; the combined age of the two debutants at Scuderia Toro Rosso this season is just 37. Max Verstappen will be the youngest driver in F1 history when he takes to the grid in Melbourne aged just 17; teammate Carlos Sainz Jr will be a relatively ancient 20. Both are sons of guns; Verstappen’s father Jos had a 106-race F1 career that finished in 2003, while Sainz is the son of two-time world rally champion
Carlos Sainz Sr, one of Spain’s most famous motorsport exports. The Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso (Italian for ‘Red Bull’ in lieu of its beginnings as the Minardi team) has always invested in youth, with its alumni
including Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo. Verstappen is tipped by most of the sport’s insiders to be the more gifted of the pair, but the more experienced Sainz should be a steadier hand in their early days together. Expect Toro Rosso’s damage bill to be eye-wateringly large come the end of the season as its two neophytes are thrown in the deep end.
(7) Frequent flyers
The return of Mexico to the fold after a 23-year absence this season expands the calendar to 20 races, matching 2010 as the longest in the sport’s history. F1 continues to find new frontiers; what was a largely European championship with a few long-haul trips thrown in now has less than half of its Grands Prix (nine) in its continental heartland. Some of the new sites (Austin in the United States) have worked, while exorbitant ticket prices and lack of local interest saw South Korea and India come and go. Mexico, with a history of participants in F1 all the way to current driver Sergio Perez,
should be a raging success.
(8) Family matters
It’s hard not to love Williams – the family-owned team run by Sir Frank Williams from his wheelchair after a car accident in 1986 that left him a quadriplegic has always been F1’s little team that thought big, and won titles with such iconic F1 names as Mansell, Prost, Hill and Australia’s own Alan Jones in 1980. After falling out of form and fading from view since the mid-2000s, last season was a bounce-back campaign for one of the sport’s most popular outfits, and, in Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas, Williams has a young, hungry driver who should join Ricciardo as F1’s next-generation giant this year. Sir Frank, now 72, has handed over much of the day-to-day operations of the team to daughter Claire, 38.
(9) The fine print
demise of the backmarker Caterham and Marussia squads. Both came into the sport in 2010 on the proviso that F1 would institute a budget cap. When the bigger, cashed-up teams shouted their disapproval, F1’s annual spending war continued apace, meaning the minnows were living on borrowed time. Marussia collapsed in January owing creditors £60 million, while Caterham used a crowdfunding initiative to get to the 2014 season finale in Abu Dhabi, but went no further. F1 has always been about the haves and the have-nots, but for a sport that makes $1.8 billion profit per year to not sustain more than nine teams seems, dare we say, a bit rich … MQ Matthew Clayton is an Australian-based freelance F1 writer and editor. F1 Helmets
44 Lewis Hamilton (GBR)
Red Bull Racing
26 Daniil Kvyat (RUS)
Williams
77 Valtteri Bottas (FIN)
McLaren VALTTERI BOTTAS
14 Fernando Alonso (ESP)
FERNANDO ALONSO
Force India
27 Nico Hulkenberg (GER)
NICO HULKENBERG
Lotus
8 Romain Grosjean (FRA)
Sauber
ROMAIN GROSJEAN
9 Marcus Ericsson (SWE)
LEWIS HAMILTON
Red Bull Racing
3 Daniel Ricciardo (AUS)
DANIEL RICCIARDO
Ferrari
5 Sebastian Vettel (GER)
SEBASTIAN VETTEL
McLaren
22 Jenson Button (GBR)
JENSON BUTTON
Toro Rosso
33 Max Verstappen (NED)
MAX VERSTAPPEN
Lotus
13 Pastor Maldonado (VEN)
PASTOR MALDONADO
Sauber
12 Felipe Nasr (BRA)
(10) The rich get richer …
Just nine teams and 18 cars will take to the grid this season thanks to the marque autumn
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Mercedes
6 Nico Rosberg (GER)
What the drivers are wearing...
DANIIL KVYAT
After the seismic shift to Formula One’s rules in 2014, where 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid engines replaced the 2.4-litre V8 powerplants that gave the sport its signature scream, the tweaks to the regulations that govern the sport are minor by comparison this season. As F1 strives to improve its green credentials, drivers will have to make four engines last for the entire season (down from five last year), while the much-derided double points idea for the final race of the season to artificially keep the title race alive has been scrapped. And in good news for drivers with a sweet tooth, the combined minimum weight for car and driver this season has been raised by 11kg to 702kg, surely ending the days of drivers starving themselves like jockeys to make the weight in a sport where stamina is paramount.
Mercedes
MARCUS ERICSSON
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FELIPE NASR
NICO ROSBERG
Williams
19 Felipe Massa (BRA)
FELIPE MASSA
Ferrari
7 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN)
KIMMI REIKKONEN
Force India
11 Sergio Perez (MEX)
SERGIO PEREZ
Toro Rosso
55 Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP)
CARLOS SAINZ JR
when in...
When in Bali...we go to Ayana Resort’s Aquatonic and Rock Bar By Sandra Harris Ramini
I
am in Bali, at the iconic Ayana Resort and Spa where everything, from the view, to the villas and the various attractions are super top fabulous, including apparently the world’s largest seawater therapy pool. In other words, I decided gloomily, a spa treatment. Trouble is, whenever a pampering session is suggested as some sort of extra wonderfulness in a smart hotel I instantly look shifty and head for the bar. Unfortunately, the bar I have in mind only comes into being at night, when the sun is safely beyond the yardarm. Besides, I am assured that the Aquatonic experience, while it offers thalassotherapy at is best, is not so much a spa treatment as a white water adventure. Grudgingly I decide to give it a go. A glamorous, Grecian style pool with elegant columns and beautiful views awaits me bubbling enticingly with its various subdivisions. These are the ‘exercise stations’, each one
emitting jets of water that start at hard, go onto very hard, then extremely hard and finally WILD which are supposed to tone you up, calm you down and relieve you of around 500 calories in 90 minutes. So not what you’d call ‘pampering’ at all. I loved it. I loved having tons of water pounding me relentlessly; I loved feeling my shoulders massaged by tireless underwater jets and I loved climbing out afterwards with my swimming costume still attached. Which was both a surprise and a relief. Grateful I hadn’t worn a bikini, which I noted aren’t really designed to handle an Aquatonic treatment I emerged battered by triumphant. What’s more, although I’d done the equivalent of running uphill for about an hour I felt great and ready for the next challenge, which was that bar, I mentioned earlier. So here I am, surrounded by natural gorgeousness. Majestic rocks tumbling down into a navy blue sea, the moon creeping up into a matching marque autumn
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sky, a soft breeze making lacy waves along the shore, what could be better? The Rock Bar, that’s what. Suddenly it’s lights, cameras, action. The music starts, the pretty people in their flimsy clothes appear from nowhere, there’s a massive queue for the cable car and natural glamour goes into high voltage mode. Designed by Japanese visionary Yasuhiro Koichi, The Rock Bar looks as if it’s suspended on several layers of rock, jutting out over the sea and as the moon gets higher and the night gets blacker the Indian Ocean takes on the party vibe. The lights dance on the water, the waves pound the shore and swirl over the rocks and I’d swear they’re doing it in time to the music. There are at least 40 different classic and contemporary cocktails, created by Maestro Laval LimHon, who has mixed cocktails during his 30-year career for European and showbiz royalty from Prince Albert of Monaco, to Clint Eastwood and Liza Minnelli. You can see why they come. The DJ knows what he’s doing, the drinks hit the spot and the tapas is fresh and delicious. And there’s the location. As I have at least 500 calories in hand I allow just one more yummy cocktail to lead to another and we raise our glasses to the good life. Can’t be beaten really. Hedonism, in all its forms, lives in Bali. MQ
MAGICAL SPOT Ayana Resort and Spa's iconic Rock Bar is a must-see on any visit to the Indonesian island.
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WEST AUSTRALIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
WASO 2015* Experience the passion SARAH CHANG
PLAYS
BRUCH
ALCOHOL.THINK AGAIN MASTERS SERIES
SEASON OPENING CO N C E RT !
SARAH CHANG PLAYS BRUCH
Fri 13 & Sat 14 March 7.30pm Perth Concert Hall
Sarah Chang performs Bruch’s popular First Violin Concerto – rich in harmonies, irresistible melodies and an exhilarating finale. Tickets from $30*
RHAPSODY IN BLUE MORNING SYMPHONY SERIES
MACA LIMITED CLASSICS SERIES
Thurs 19 March 11am
Fri 20 & Sat 21 March 7.30pm
Perth Concert Hall
Perth Concert Hall
Asher Fisch performs Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. His partner, Stefanie Irányi, sings Gershwin’s ‘The Man I Love’ and arias from Viennese operetta in a one hour morning concert. Tickets from $27*
Mezzo soprano Stefanie Irányi sings a selection of Gershwin songs and arias from Viennese operetta before Asher Fisch performs Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Tickets from $30*
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MISCHA MAISKY IN CONCERT
RAVISHING RACHMANINOV R A V ISH I N G
MORNING SYMPHONY SERIES
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Thurs 16 April 11am
Fri 17 & Sat 18 April 7.30pm
Perth Concert Hall
Perth Concert Hall
Rachmaninov’s melodic genius is revealed in his passionate Second Symphony in a one hour morning concert. Tickets from $27*
Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony is romantic, mysterious and beautiful. Borodin’s famous Polovtsian Dances feature driving rhythms and exotic melodies. Tickets from $30*
Fri 27 & Sat 28 March 7.30pm Perth Concert Hall
IN CONCERT
Don’t miss legendary cellist Mischa Maisky playing Bloch and Strauss in his first ever Perth performances. Tickets from $30*
THE MUSIC OF JAMES BOND Fri 10 & Sat 11 April 8pm Perth Concert Hall THE MUSIC OF
JAMES BOND
Kate Ceberano joins WASO for a showcase of your favourite songs from the 007 film series – Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, Skyfall and many more. Tickets from $35*
Buy 3 or more concerts through WASO and save up to 20%*!
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Call 9326 0000 quoting 1192 Visit waso.com.au or ticketek.com.au
Asher Fisch appears courtesy of Wesfarmers Arts. Sarah Chang appears courtesy of Mitsubishi Corporation.
*Transaction fees apply. No discount for Premium, C and D Reserve and Choir Stalls.
A fair wind from Freo The bi-annual Wonderful Indonesia Fremantle to Bali Yacht Race will set sail on May 16 with the biggest ever field of sailors. Among them will be Bob Kucera, one of WA’s most passionate yachting advocates. By Matthew Mills. Images by Matt Jelonek and Bernie Kaaks.
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people
I
t’s only a few minutes into the conversation when I realise that this is one interview I really should have been doing face to face. I, you see, am sitting out in my backyard with just a cup of lukewarm coffee and the distant chug of garbage trucks to keep me company while on the other end of the phone Bob Kucera is describing his very different morning. “We’re just sailing out of Fremantle,” he tells me and proceeds to paint a verbal picture of how he and a couple of mates are set to spend the day fishing for whiting off his yacht, Marco Polo I, on this beautiful WA summer day. That, I tell him, sounds like a much better plan for a Wednesday than I’ve got lined up and I suddenly wish I’d found a way to clear the decks and join him on board for this interview. “Another time then,” he laughs – and I know this charismatic sailor who just bursts with joie de vivre really would welcome me on board. Bob, you see, has a love of sailing that he can’t contain, one which he obviously enjoys promoting and sharing. As such, this morning he is more than happy to take a break from his idyllic schedule to chat to me about the upcoming Wonderful Indonesia Fremantle to Bali Yacht Race. His enthusiasm is more than evident as he explains the ins and outs of this renowned event pegged to begin on May 16. Now held every two years the race has become a mainstay in Australian yachting culture since Fremantle Sailing Club launched it back in 1981, spurred on by the excitement surrounding the sport at the time thanks to Australia’s blossoming success in the America’s Cup. At 1,440 nautical miles – more than twice the distance of the SydneyHobart – it is one of the longest ocean races on the Australian yachting
calendar, making it a challenging and rewarding experience. “After Exmouth,” Bob explains, “there is no sight of land for days until you reach Agung and that big Bali volcano appears from the clouds. There’s nothing like that moment, it’s such a great sense of satisfaction.” As race chairman, Bob is pleased and proud to report that this year’s event boasts a record number of entries. “There’s 32 boats signed up so far, seven race boats and 25 cruise – or rally – boats. That’s the great thing about the Fremantle-Bali, you can take the race by degrees, go for speed or just take it easy. As well as the experienced sailors there are skippers who have never had such a long distance cruise, or have never sailed overnight.”
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ahoy skipper Below, Bob Kucera will be sailing the 1,440 nautical miles from Freo to Bali in May. Left, Endorfin, one of the yachts racing north.
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Safety then is paramount for all the sailors, with the more experienced sailors keeping an eye out for the rookies – Bob estimated that two thirds of this year’s entrants are new to the event. Each vessel carries a ‘yellowbrick tracker’ a GPS-based gizmo that updates the yacht’s progress every 12 to 15 minutes. Great for a sense of security, but also a boon for those following the race and for the competitors themselves – the technology means that every entrant’s progress will be displayed in real time on the event’s website, fremantlebali.com.au. As well as the high-tech support, however, the entrants all keep in touch via good old-fashioned radio. “Every morning at 10am we have radio tie-ins, which are known as
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scheds,” Bob explains. “We all check in and give an update of how we’re getting on. You may not be able to see another boat, but you know they’re out there, which is great for camaraderie. After the serious stuff is out the way the scheds can be great fun – often we end up having song contests.” Bob will be skippering Marco Polo I this year with the same crew as last time he entered, back in 2011. “They’re a bunch of guys from all walks of life, age ranges from their 30s to their early 70s,” he says. “That’s the great wonder of sailing, anyone can get involved.” He didn’t sail in the 2013 event – he was too busy fulfilling his duties
as club commodore. His role included liasing with the sports ministers of both WA and Indonesia and overseeing the cultural hook-ups which are an important part of the race. It was a task Bob was well suited for, having spent most of his life pre-retirement in the public eye. Many will recognise his name from his political days as the member for Yokine – he served as both health minister and minister of sports and seniors during his time in Geoff Gallop’s ALP cabinet. Prior to that he’d been a police officer, rising to the rank of assistant commissioner during his 34-year with Western Australia Police. Throughout his busy working life,
A sailor's story Michael Giles, director of Diverse Engineering, a WA-owned and operated engineering company providing services to the energy, industrial, oil and gas, marine, mining and transport sectors will be casting off from Freo in May. MQ: Is this the first time you've taken part in the Fremantle to Bali yacht race? MG: No, 2011 on the yacht, Sue Sea and 2013 as Race Control in Bali on the finish boat. MQ: How did you do last time? MG: We were going very well till the last 24 hours due to vagaries of the weather and went from second on the water to fifth. MQ: What is your yacht called? Can you describe it for us?
Endorfin. which is a Sydney 47CR design launched in 2006. It's Racer/ Cruiser configuration with cabins, enclosed head with shower, a 7/8 fractional aluminium rig, Asymmetric spinnaker. My wife Krys and I bought it in March 2013 and sailed her back to Freo in April of that year. MQ: How many are in your crew and how old are they? MG: On the shorter races we have 13, the maximum allowed on our IRC handicap, but we probably will have
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however, he always tried to find time to accommodate his love of sailing. “I first sailed as a boy in Llangorse Lake in central Wales – my family were from Cardiff Bay,” he tells me. “I would crack the ice and take out a wooden dinghy. All my family were into the water.” It was as a teenager that Bob came to the much-more inviting climes of WA and he was quick to dive into the Aussie way of doing things. “At first it was all about surfing, but then I graduated to dinghies and then onto big boats and racing yachts,” he says. It’s a passion that has stuck with him – today, at 70, he is as excited about casting off as he ever was. I ask him then whether he will be out to win the Fremantle-Bali or if he has a more relaxed plan in place instead. “I will definitely be in the cruising group,” he laughs. “I raced for 25 years, but now it’s purely a leisure activity.
10 for Bali due in part to length of race and the catering requirements,but secondly we generally experience lighter winds the further north we go, reducing the need for weight on the rail. The crew's ages range from 67 years young to 22. MQ: What do you think will be the most challenging part of the trip? MG: It is tactically demanding due to the range of weather that is experienced in a race of this length and the tidal influence as you get closer to Bali. MQ: What are you most looking forward to? MG: Being on the water is always good but the finish is for me personally, the best part as the pressure is off and I can relax. It's even better if we do well. MQ: The record for the voyage was set in 2013 - five days, 23.5 hours. Do you think you can beat that? MG: Anything is possible, but unlikely. It would require us to have an average speed of close to 10 knots and we would need very favourable conditions and the faster boats to have problems that slowed them down. MQ: Who are you most looking forward to competing against? MG: All of them but particularly Sue Sea as I was fortunate enough to sail on it for a few years doing many races including Hobart and the 2011 Bali. MQ: When did you first start sailing? MG: I started at aged eight, sailing a Mudlark dinghy at Maylands Yacht Club on the river. MQ: What are your proudest sailing achievements? MG: I'd say being part of the crew sailing on Mustang Sally in Antigua and winning the series in our division against stiff competition. ••
To follow the race's progress, visit fremantlebali.com.au.
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I’m a bit too old to be pulling up spinnakers or hauling in ropes.” With the seven or so top level sailors – including the likes of Garth Curran on his 18.3m sloop Walk on the Wildside, who is champing at the bit after being forced to withdraw from the 2013 event when a mast snapped in choppy waters and “a bit of a breeze” off Exmouth, and Michael Giles in his Sydney 47 fibreglass monohull Endorfin – fighting for top spot while the rest of the fleet take an easier path, I suggest that the Fremantle to Bali is actually two events in one, the speeders and the cruisers. “Actually, I’d say there are three events,” Bob says, “the third being what we call Beyond Bali. Once the race proper is over, the racers go straight back but the cruisers carry on. It’s a stunning experience.” As Bob explains the onward voyage, it is easy to see that he’s not
exaggerating. The laid-back fleet heads east from Bali, island hopping. They take in beautiful idylls such as Lembongan, Lombok, Sumbawa and the Komodo Islands. “Then we follow the route of the boat people,” Bob says, “Roti to Darwin or Broome or even into The Kimberley.
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Kimberley cruising for adventurers!
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It can last for months – in the 2011 event we didn’t get home til August.” His love of the after-party comes through as he describes the experience: “The Balinese people are incredibly friendly, but as you head east the people just get even better. And the cost is a great factor too – $10 will buy you a bucket full of fish, vegetables and fruit. You can get a jerry can of diesel for 45 cents and a carton of
Spend an incredible week sailing and exploring the pristine waters of the Buccaneer Archipelago in the Kimberley. If you’re after a thrilling hands-on experience, then explore and seek adventure with us, sailing, fishing, mud crabbing, swimming, island hopping and whale watching. Cruises depart weekly from Broome on Mondays, returning Saturdays. 5 nights from $1,650 all inclusive. BYO Alcohol.
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MQ PEOPLE
beer for $20. “There is nothing better than getting up at 4am, getting into a dinghy and heading to the island markets. You become one of the locals, learn how to haggle, how to do things their way.” In 2013, as part of his role as chairman of both Soccer WA and Basketball WA, Bob set up a project which saw all the ‘Beyond Bali’ boats take soccer balls and basketballs with them to hand out to islanders on the way. “It was amazing to see,” he recalls happily. “We came ashore, gave the balls out and instantly a game started. I know they call soccer the world game, but this was the proof. All you need is a ball and four
goalposts and you’re playing. “The kids would start, but then the older people would come down and they’d play too.” The yachts also stocked up with school supplies – notebooks, pencils and pens – and fishing equipment to give away as they made their way home via the scenic route. “Many of the islanders are very poor, so the fishing gear especially was a great benefit to them,” Bob says. “And the children just loved the pens and pencils.” For many of the entrants, then, the ‘Beyond Bali’ experience is a highlight of the whole event, but top
ALL ABOARD Bob Kucera will be skippering Marco Polo I this year and is looking forward to time in Indonesia after the race, handing out school supplies to local children.
of the tree for golden moments has to be actually crossing the finish line and arriving at the anchorage at Bali Marina at the end of the race proper. The racers will arrive within six or seven days – in 2013 Super Sled, skippered by Perth yachtsman Tony Mitchell set a new record of five days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 24 seconds – but it can be up to a fortnight before all the entrants reach their destination. As such, it’s a party atmosphere at the marina until the last yacht is home. “Last time, we took a pipe band with us to pipe each boat in. Some of the crews had tears in the eyes as they marque autumn
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arrived, such was the satisfaction of their achievement. For many, it’s a bucketlist trip, so finishing – well, there’s nothing quite like it.” It’s obvious Bob can’t wait for the race to start, but for now he assures me he’s happy with another morning sail to scratch his yachting itch. I ask him how his daytrip is going and he laughs. “We’re just passing a bloody big container ship, but we’re not far from where we’ll start fishing,” he laughs. “Yes, retirement’s absolute hell. It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to keep the whiting levels down.” We say our goodbyes and I leave him to negotiate the massive hulks in Fremantle Harbour, once again ruing being in my backyard and not on the open water. As far as beacons for the promotion of WA sailing go, I realise, you’d be hard pressed to top Bob Kucera and the Wonderful Indonesia Fremantle to Bali Yacht race. MQ
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BMW PREVIEW
Three’s a magic number The excitement surrounding BMW’s innovative electric cars is rising, with its two models making headlines across the world.
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hen the spectacular i8 was rolled out last year, you could hear the motoring world draw breath in amazement, but as 2015 dawns it’s the range’s little brother, the remarkable i3, that is setting pulses racing. Just seeing the evocative little car sitting on the Auto Classic showroom is treat enough. Part of BMW’s farreacing “Project I” the i3 is the result of nearly five years of design and advancement in the field of electric-
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powered motoring. It was back in February 2011 that BMW announced the i-series was on its way, the commercial realisation of the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept that they had showcased at the Frankfurt Motor Show two years earlier. Back then, it was known as the Mega City Vehicle – or MCV to its fans – but soon it was re-christened the i3. Since then, the little ball of excitement has not looked back, a
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MQ PREVIEW
journey that got its just rewards in January when it overcame a host of high-ranking challengers to be crowned the 2014 Wheels Car of the Year in a gala ceremony held in The Carousel in Albert Park, Melbourne. The first ever electric vehicle to claim Australia’s most coveted motoring prize, the i3 was recognised for its revolutionary concept, dynamics and construction – an honour which further consolidated the marque’s reputation as the world’s most sustainable automotive manufacturer. The triumph also marked the first time BMW has
claimed the revered prize. Wheels Magazine’s editor, Glenn Butler, said the BMW i3 “is a car both courageous and convincing”. “Other brands surely possess the know-how to have created something equally visionary. BMW had the bravery,” he said. “This innovative and compact electric car combines expressive design, impressive engineering, exceptional efficiency and persuasive practicality with a good deal of driver appeal. For its far-sighted clarity of vision and unswerving execution, the i3 is Wheels Car of the Year 2014.” marque autumn
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car of the year The i3 scooped the top spot in 2014, recognised for its far-sighted clarity of vision and unswerving execution.
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Describing the award as iconic in the industry, BMW Group Australia Managing Director Marc Werner thanked Wheels for recognising the BMW i3 as a game changer. “The BMW i3 has won some high-profile international awards since its launch, but the Wheels Car of the Year prize is clearly at the top of the tree. It stands out for being Australia’s top vehicle award, and also the longest continuously running award in the world,” Marc said. “Wheels Car of the Year is renowned for including rigorous and comprehensive testing by Australia’s toughest automotive journalists. It’s proof of a vehicle’s performance against the five selected award criteria – function, technology, efficiency, safety and value. Marc added: “And because we know just how tough the testing is, we’re absolutely thrilled, excited and delighted that the BMW i3 is Wheels’ Car of the Year – and the first-ever electric vehicle to claim this coveted award. “I know that every single member of the BMW family will feel the same, and will join me in thanking the judges, the editor and the publisher.” Another coup for the i3 was its appearance at Super Bowl XLIX in February. No, the little car wasn’t one of Katy Perry’s dancing sharks – it showed up in a 60-second advertisement during the first quarter of the big game. It was the first time in four years that BMW had chosen to advertise
during the grid iron spectacular, but Trudy Hardy, Vice President of Marketing, BMW of North America, had no doubt it was time to get back on the pitch. “We were thrilled to use this platform to educate viewers on the importance of electric mobility,” she said. “Big ideas like the BMW i3 take a little getting used to – and the creative idea surrounding our spot played on this analogy.” The clever ad starred famous American news anchors Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel – and the game pair were happy to make fun of themselves. Starting with a clip of the two of them discussing the internet back in 1994 – and saying that it’d never catch on – it then cuts to present day America with the journos in an i3, once again wondering what this “new fangled idea” was all about. It’s a safe bet, though, that, like the internet, they’ll soon get the hang of this motoring revolution. The world’s first purposedesigned premium electric car, the BMW i3 represents the future of urban mobility, placing sustainability, inspiring design and dynamic driving at the forefront of its mission, capable of travelling between 160km and 200km on a single charge.
Defining premium for the next generation, it reaffirms the automaker’s place at the vanguard of industry innovation, embodying the brand’s holistic approach to sustainability. Developed at BMW AG’s carbon neutral Leipzig facility, the BMW i3 is designed to be as sustainable as possible from the factory to the road, encompassing its entire life until disposal. Heralding the arrival of a new paradigm for the car industry, the BMW i3’s carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell is
a world first for a volume-production vehicle, with the material produced at a US plant drawing upon regenerative hydro-electric power. While the lightweight technology aids efficiency, the use of carbon fibre reinforced plastic also enables new design possibilities, generating more interior space and complex, aerodynamically optimised forms. The exclusive use of sustainable materials characterises the BMW i3’s interior, harnessing innovative materials, including fibres from the Kenaf plant, naturally tanned leather from south-German cattle hides as well as open-pored eucalyptus wood, 100 per cent certified as the product of responsible forestry. Boasting an aluminium drive platform, and advanced, efficient BMW eDrive electric powertrain, the BMW i3 delivers excellent driving dynamics. MQ
FAST FACTS BMWi3 bmw i3 from...........................................................$72,654 With range extender .................................. $78,990
By highest consumer ratings for iPhone, iPad and Android as at 18/9/14
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interiors
ITaLian bY desiGn The Catellan Italia Collection at ULTIMO raises the bar with its strong European aesthetic interwoven with creative, modern furniture design innovations which demand attention.
VENETO SPIRIT Designer Paolo Cattelan's passion for his work finds expression in ULTIMO's new concept studio.
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ast year, ULTIMO Interiors introduced Perth’s interior design lovers to the country’s first ever Cattelan Italia Concept Studio. The event, which was attended by over 300 people including Miss Universe contestants, fashion royalty Steph Audino and other notable Perth business leaders, showcased Cattelan Italia's gorgeous collection of innovative furniture, designed by Paolo Cattelan. Infusing luxe living with state-ofthe-art design and quality materials, the fabulous display packed a strong visual impact while still offering
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design longevity within the home. Established in 1979 by Giorgio Cattelan, who came from a long family heritage in furniture design, Cattelan Italia initially launched with pieces that incorporated marble elements. This quickly expanded to a contemporary mix of elements including wood, glass, leather and metal to create the unique pieces that have marked Cattelan Italia as a leading brand in the furniture design industry. Inheriting his family’s strong design sensibilities, Paolo Cattelan is a Veneto man through and through, fascinated by life and passionate about his work.
SLEEK AESTHETIC Clever designs mix luxe living with state of the art materials to make the collection eminently appealing.
He joined the company in 1994 to manage the Italian market and after just three years he had expanded his remit to include the overseas market, where he achieved outstanding results, particularly in the United States and Asia. Internationality is an integral part of Cattelan Italia’s DNA and Paolo perfected the family’s strategy by strengthening the business model for the overseas market. This was more than just insight; it was a desire to do business without belying his ideas. “The secret is being happy in what you do,” says Paolo, “and I learned a great deal while travelling, seeing new countries and discovering different cultures.” ULTIMO Interiors is the first location in Australia to house
Cattelan Italia Concept Studio and, says Andrew Thornton Hick, creative director at ULTIMO Interiors, the Perth market has more than welcomed this elegant addition to interior design arena. marque autumn
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“The new Cattelan Italia pieces perfectly encapsulate new trends in geometric detailing, and craftsmanship making a return in high design,” said Andrew. “Layering these pieces with the new CC Tapis rug collections and glassware from Guaxs creates a wonderful new interior synergy that has been very well received by Perth design connoisseurs.” Over the years Paolo’s flair for business merged with the desire to study and learn more about different design trends. With his entrepreneurial experience and understanding of the markets, Paolo embarked on a creative journey that instinctively led him to create products that are essential yet imbued with innovative technology. Paolo designed a series of products in 2000 that were outstandingly elegant and functional, and were presented at the International Furniture Fair in Milan. Among these was Smart, the extendable table, which was a resounding success and went on to become a bestseller. Paolo is fuelled by adrenaline; he studies statistics, but then turns them on their head; he loves the sea, but keeps his feet firmly on the ground. “As my father said, the house is the icon of loved belongings – a world where everybody wants to be close to comfortable elements. The ‘beautiful’ for me is above all ‘functionality’,” says Giorgio Cattelan. The sense of living in and furnishing a home is something precious and spontaneous. Cattelan Italia’s Red Carpet Collection represents essentiality through its designs. It infuses lux living with state of the art design and quality materials, for innovative products with a strong visual impact and design longevity. MQ Visit ULTIMO Interiors Showroom, 4 Hutton Street, Osborne Park or visit ultimointeriors.com.au.
travel
Pining for Corsica Mal Rogers heads to the gorgeous Gallic island in the Mediterranean sea.
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t the siege of Calvi on the north west coast of Corsica in 1794, the home side fought with customary ferocity - sabre, machete, dagger and canon all deployed until the British could be heard shouting, “hey, you’ll have somebody’s eye out like that”. And so they did. In this instance it was Admiral Nelson’s. A plaque in the old citadel marks the spot from where a marksman marque autumn
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HISTORIC HAVEN Corsica's beautiful coastline and colourful buildings make it a drawcard for travellers in search of the perfect Mediterranean idyll.
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half-blinded Horatio. The town of Calvi is perfect for a siege - hemmed in by the Mediterranean on one side, on the other the snow-capped mountains of Cap Corse, with the ancient citadel glowering over the town. Perfect, too, for quaffing the local rosé wine while watching the magnificent drama of the sunset illuminating the snowcapped peaks. Not quite so idyllic, however, if
you have to contemplate a drive, very soon, through those very mountains. Mais oui, that was our mad plan. The terrain provides driving conditions best described as uncompromising. Our destination, just on the other side of the jagged range, was the town of Saint-Florent. Steep, narrow, winding roads passed ancient stone villages — so isolated they probably haven’t heard the British have left. In between is the maquis — a Mediterranean wilderness made up of botanical A-listers such as strawberry tree, cork oak, sweet chestnut; plus countless thousands of flowers and herbs ceaselessly fidgeting in the breeze. The scent is intoxicating. Napoleon, born in Corsica’s main town Ajaccio, said that the sweetsmelling maquis lingered with him throughout his exile. Corsica has long been an omnicoveted place, with the usual suspects squaring up to the locals, or each other: Phoenicians, Byzantines, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Saracens, British, Pisans. The Genoese too — their most famous son, Christopher Columbus, was born in Calvi; this is one of his four definite birthplaces. The Genoese finally sold Corsica to France in 1768. During the Second World War, US troops arrived. One of the pilots, chap called Joseph Heller, would often see a dilemma in the operations of the Air Force which demonstrated mutually conflicting yet dependent conditions. Corsica is that sort of place — makes you see things differently. If you haven’t the inclination to write something like Catch 22, but fancy a vertiginous view of the island instead, head for the nearest train station. The single-track Corsican rail network passes through terrain so demanding that during construction, they called on the top designer johnny of the day, Gustave Eiffel. With strict instructions to forget about fancy towers, he helped develop what is one of the most
spectacular train journeys in Europe. Back down on the coast, the waters of the Mediterranean — which according to international protocol I’m obliged to describe as turquoise and sparkling — wash the lovely fishing village of Saint-Florent. It’s a bit French, a bit Italian, quite a lot Corsican, and indeed the water is turquoise. There’s a huge harbour, a bakery which should have its own Michelin marque autumn
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ROCKY ROAD Food and wine will take starring roles on any visit to Corsica thanks to its rich and diverse cultural heritage.
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star, a castle (quel surpris), and, even less surpris, a wrap-around, dazzling beach. There’s also a main square where the locals play boule. They seem to have thought of everything. With more restaurants than you could reasonably shake a baguette at, you’ll not be stuck for somewhere to eat in Saint-Florent. But if you’re self-catering, here’s a 24-carat globule of info: every Friday, market stalls heavy with produce from the
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today the voluptuous languour of Corsica makes it one of the most relaxing places on the mediterranean
mountains and farms set up shop in the main square. A further word in your ear: the prisutu – the local smoked ham — goes exceptionally well with the equally local hooch, acquavita. This appears to be 45 per cent alcohol, 55 per cent aircraft deicing fuel. I jest — but it is strong. Don’t glug it down — vendettas have been started over less. Instead, pour a few drops of the liquid over a handful of sugar cubes like the locals do. Goes down a treat. La Citaj, our accommodation, was an old traditional stone house transformed into luxury villa with all modern knick-knackery. And it overlooked the Cathédrale du Nebbio, a Pisan church dating back to 1140 — which saved us a lot of time with the sight-seeing business. Lying just beyond our damson and pear trees — you may need to stand on a sun-lounger by the swimming pool to get the best view — this much-admired Romanesque building has obviously not been without issues. The bishop, until recent times, kept a loaded pistol by the altar during mass. The word
secret coves The romance of Corsica makes it a hard place to leave.
vendetta, apparently, originates in Corsica. But don’t be nervous about blood feuds. Today the voluptuous languor of Corsica makes it one of the most relaxing places on the Mediterranean, with no impetus marque autumn
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on you to do anything very much — never mind wreak vengeance on anybody. Arrive here and deep down, you may feel you’ve reached somewhere that you were meant to be. I know I did, and I know I’ll be back. You probably will too. I’ll see you in the main square; I may well be wearing a black beret, smoking a Gauloises and playing boules. MQ
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LUXURY EUROPEAN FURNITURE + INTERIORS
PERTH’S HOME OF GERMAN DESIGN
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ultimo.com.au +61 8 9201 2479 4 Hutton Street Osborne Park WA
travel
Mexican new wave
The south American tourist hot-spot has had a bad rap but, says Gill Pringle, there’s more to Mexico than refried beans and tequila shots. Chic luxe is the way to go south of the border.
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hat’s your vacation style? Secluded rustic villa with luxury 5-star amenities nestled in the midst of a jungle? Slick modern city hotel at the centre of a pulsating nightlife yet close to the beach? Or perhaps you’re a hippychic, eco-friendly yoga type, looking to go off-grid and recharge in peace? We discovered all three of these worlds-apart styles, co-exiting along Mexico’s magical Riviera Maya coastline just south of Cancun. Located on the Caribbean coast of eastern Mexico, this region benefits from warmer waters and a tropical climate distinct from the more rugged Pacific west coast. A 45-minute ride from noisy Cancun airport, me, my husband and our 14-year-old daughter found ourselves at our first stop in the sublime tranquility of Viceroy Riviera Maya (www.viceroyhotelsandresorts. com/en/Rivieramaya). Already established as a luxury marque autumn
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brand, each resort is unique, Viceroy’s Riviera Maya outpost offering 41 individual straw-roofed villas built within the lush native jungle. Arriving at dusk we were led along twisting lantern-lit stone pathways where spider monkeys swung overhead on a canopy of ferns and palm trees. Upon reaching the elegantly-appointed Villa 22, our concierge Alberto Corona introduced us to the stone and wood-hewn outdoor and indoor showers, the over-sized free-standing bathtub and extra large king size bed and, finally, to the palm fringed candle-lit, totally private patio boasting a small heated pool, hammock and assortment of day beds. Standing outside, taking in the cacophony of twilight jungle chatter and birdsong, who knew who was
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the most joyful? Us weary travellers or the night-time critters who we imagined peering at us from their tree-tops. Before Alberto left, he poured a couple of shots of smoky Mezcal with fresh lime slices, only then introducing us to the contents of the mysterious straw bag he carried. Removing slabs of lemongrass and coconut strawberry soaps and setting them on the bathroom dresser, he produced a small saw, serving up individual slices of fresh soap. Feeling like we were living in our own private jungle it was easy to forget we were actually just steps away from the beach, later emerging for a moonlit supper overlooking the sea. Offering two restaurants, dinner can be taken either in the more formal La Marea, set back in the treetops, or at the beachfront Coral Grill also offering theme nights such as traditional Mexican feasts and
thoughtfully provided. Viceroy Riviera Maya is an adults only resort, at 14, our daughter just squeezed into the admissible age limit. Oftentimes age restrictions point to sexy adults-only activities, whereas in the case of VRM, it’s really all about tranquility. As a parent-of-two, I’ve got to admit I got a kick out of that, although our teen was a little bored, starving for
company other than two parents with noses in books. The Riviera Maya’s main business is all-inclusive family-friendly resorts but we’ve visited these concrete soulless places before and there’s no real sense of even being in Mexico. Our next stop was the newly opened Hotel Cacao (hotelcacao. com.mx) just a 15 minute drive away on Playa del Carmen’s famous 5th Avenue, a colourful noisy street packed with restaurants, clubs and boutiques. While the majority of accommodation in the town of Playa del Carmen is either low-rent hostels or all-inclusive hotel chains, Hotel Cacao is a brave experiment, branching out into the stylish boutique hotel market. A new flagship in Mexico’s Hotel Matilda-themed collection, Cacao offers 60 modern, spacious rooms and suites with a lively roof-top pool/bar scene overlooking the craziness below and across the ocean to the distant island of Cozumel. Chic and minimalist, walls of Mexican travertine DON'T DO THE MACARENA It's possible to holiday in style in Mexico these days, especially if you're prepared to eschew the bright lights of Cancun.
tequila and ceviche tasting. Breakfast proved to be our favourite meal of the day, fresh fruits served with local honey, delicious organic eggs cooked in inventive ways with refried beans and cilantro, green juices and big steaming mugs of café con leche.
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beachfront features wall to wall chain hotels, their territories staked out by loungers, leaving towel-carrying visitors to feel like poor cousins. Our third stop along Riviera Maya is Tulum, famous for its majestic cliffside ruins. Built in the 13th century, it was one of the last cities inhabited and built by the Mayans. [see box]. The most fantastic thing about Tulum is that it has miraculously escaped all the development seen in the rest of the region, existing in a kind of 60s throw-back. Pick any hotel along Tulum’s bumpy unpaved beach-side thoroughfare, Boca Palia, and you should be on the right track. Prices and amenities of course vary, but pretty much every beach-front
marble and glass form a fourstorey square around a breezy open courtyard featuring a hyacinth lily pond, partially covered by a huge geometric canvas sail and strings of twinkling fairy lights. As snobby as this may sound, it's tough to get good food in this region of Mexico where the local fare has been diluted to meet tourist needs, many eateries offering up strange versions of American or Mediterranean cuisine. But Hotel Cacao’s Nibs restaurant exceeded all expectations serving the finest authentic Mexican food I have ever tasted. Created by Chef Alejandro Cuatepotzo, a protégé of Mexico’s famous Chef Enrique Olvera, his innovative menu taps the fresh, indigenous ingredients of the region and reinvents favourite Mexican dishes, such as ceviches with coconut and lime, scallops with lime pearls, lobster with green mango, shrimp burritos, tuna and beef tartare, saltbaked red snapper, conch fritters, and prime flat-iron carne asada. Assistant chef Christina Rodriguez lovingly created deserts made from mandarin, pumpkin seeds
and pistachios. Without a refried bean or quesadilla in sight, Chef Alejandro’s nouvelle menu features bizarre and delicious food combinations, his fresh grouper served with mint oil, fungi broth and smoked Oaxaca cheese was particularly delicious. At night this is a particularly magical spot, dining outdoors by candlelight, soothed by a flowing water wall while contemplating the enormous jungle mural by international street artist Eduardo Kobra. While Playa del Carmen’s golden beach is just a five-minute stroll from Hotel Cacao, it’s not the most satisfying experience given that the marque autumn
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hotel is a variation on a two-storey, straw-hut theme with hammocks and day beds scattered about white sands. Cameron Diaz, Reese Witherspoon and Drew Barrymore favour the Amansala resort while we opted for the budget friendly Hip Hotel. Terrible name, but you really can’t go wrong in Tulum where every hotel offers fresh fruit and eggs for breakfast, cocktails on a palm-fringed beach and a choice of restaurants all within walking
than read, drink and practice yoga? Practically every hotel along Boca Palia offers yoga, meditation or some kind of holistic beauty regimen. Populated by a distinctly laid-back international society of people who visited and never left, the vibe is flip-flops, sarongs, dreadlocks, henna tattoos, love and peace. With no street lighting on Boca Palia, evenings are spent wandering from one candle-lit bar to another, sampling wood-fired pizza here, an
FAST FACTS Mexico gets a bad rap drug cartels, gruesome murders and police corruption understandably give many holidaymakers pause, and movies like The Counselor or Savages and even comedies The Hangover 3 and We’re The Millers, amplify those dangers. That’s not to deny that this other dangerous side of Mexico doesn’t exist because it most certainly does. But Mexico’s tourist industry thrives in a bubble outside those harsh realities. After all who hasn’t seen a photo of a bikini-ed Jen Aniston vacationing in Cabo? Sharing a border with the US it is the number one vacation destination for Americans in much the same way Australians favour Bali and Brits visit Spain. Here are some of Riviera Maya’s highlights:
TURQUOISE SEAS Head to Tulum and you'll find an area relatively untouched by the rampant development that other parts of Mexico has endured.
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Tulum, Chichen Itza, Tulum and Coba - Wherever you stay, these majestic ancient Mayan ruins are each within an easy day trip. Entry is relatively cheap once you beat past the offers of guided tours which are less informative than the smallest brochure and often tedious. Its more fun to do your own thing, occasionally tagging along with the suckers who actually paid for a tour.
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Holbox - this 26-mile narrow sandy island, separated from the mainland by a shallow lagoon, is still a well-kept secret. A seasonal sanctuary to thousands of flamingos, pelicans and majestic whale sharks, its occupants are mainly fishermen with just a handful of small hotels. holboxisland.com
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Cenotes - The Mayans considered the “Dzonot” - now known as Cenotes - as sacred. Not only were these coastal subterranean rivers a source of fresh water, they believed them to be a home to their Gods. Today us mortals can explore the crystalline waters of these fossil-filled caves decorated by thousands of stalactites and stalagmites. With an estimated 7,000 cenotes in this region, there’s almost as many tour guides and dive shops willing to take you there. Shop around for deals, many combined with lunch or day trips to Tulum.
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Xplor, Xel-Ha, Xcaret - are all variations on the family water theme park offering interactive dolpin adventures, snorkeling, zip-lining and underground river-rafting. Shop on-line for deals.
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distance. The ocean is permanently windy here, white caps rolling in jagged sets that would frustrate any surfer. But this is likely also the reason why the area remains unspoilt. What else to do on a windswept beach other
organic smoothie or tequila shot there, everyone doing the dance of the cell-phone flashlight in search of a personal nirvana. At night, there is no better lullaby than the soothing sound of Tulum’s ceaseless waves and wind-whistling palms. MQ marque autumn
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Wherever you stay along the Riviera Maya, be sure to visit 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen for happy hour, shopping, dinner, dancing - and cheap Viagra. Yes, your read that right. In a region mainly catering to Americans with pricey health-insurance policies, Mexico offers onestop shopping for household drugs including antibiotics and Viagra, all sold over the counter.
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Margarita anybody? While Riviera Maya is not located in the tequila distilling region, who can resist a few shots? When purchasing, be sure to look for 100% blue agave and “reposado” on the label.
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performance
Kate Ceberano is a jewel in the crown of Australia’s singer/ songwriter firmament and her legion of fans are going to be in for a treat when she turns on the magic with WASO singing the theme songs of the James Bond movies. By Gabi Mills.
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word of advice to any would-be interviewers of Kate Ceberano, the multi-talented, multiawardwinning, three decades in singer/songwriter. Don’t ask about Kanye West. I caught up with her just after the Grammys had aired, including West’s now infamous attempt to hijack award-winner Beck’s acceptance speech. “Kanye’s an absolute idiot,” she says, although actually ‘idiot’ wasn’t her preferred moniker for the husband of Kim Kardashian - let’s just say it beings with K and ends with B. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised at her outspokenness. Kate after all is the kind of artist who does not mess about with her opinions, her talent and most importantly her voice. And I’m not the only one who’s slightly in awe of this supremely feisty but immensely likeable performer. Hugh Jackman has said of his fellow Aussie crooner: “Truly one of the great voices this country has produced. Kate sings with such passion, heart and joy it is impossible not to be completely carried to wherever she wants you to go. Not only an amazing singer but an extraordinary performer - Kate’s
Diamonds are forever singing simply melts your heart.” Jurassic Park’s Sam Neil is equally fulsome in his praise: “An artist so gifted she can even make my ukulele playing sound good. She not only rocks our world, she also fills it with glorious colours.” From the early days of the 1980s marque autumn
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heading up funk band I’m Talking, a musical combo which has been said to have “pioneered New Yorkstyle art pop in Australia during the Jurassic Period of Pub Rock”, through to 2014’s induction into the Australia Songwriters Association (ASA) Hall of Fame, Kate’s career has
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SONGBIRD Kate Ceberano came up with the idea of performing the music of James Bond and was thrilled when WASO embraced the idea too.
been nothing short of extraordinary. As the only woman in that lofty pantheon of ASA talent - just think about that for a second, would you Kate is one of those performers who resolutely refuse, despite others’ wishes, to be put into any kind of pigeonhole. “I get a lot of opposition from male promoters about me playing drums on stage,” she says, her lovely voice wrapping you up a kind of vocal Snuggie. “That still surprises me somewhat - what’s wrong with a female drummer?” she laughs. A self-confessed '60s type of girl’, the forthcoming WASO collaboration - The Music of James Bond, conducted by Guy Noble would seem a heaven-sent opportunity. “I’ve always loved Shirley Bassey, the music Burt Bacharach and, of course, John Barry, the composer who came up with that iconic James Bond theme in the first place. If I had my way I’d be like one of those Bond opening sequences, singing underwater in a body suit.” It was Kate’s brainchild to perform the music of James Bond and matching up with WASO who she describes as ‘one of the most celebrated and animated symphony orchestras around’ is sure to result in one dramatic evening of musical entertainment. “John Barry’s compositions are so commercial, I just can’t wait to perform the whole range of songs included in the James Bond collection,” she says. The drama of the performance is all part and parcel of the Ceberano musical experience - she’s already putting together an appropriately stunning outfit which includes lots of sequins and a 12ft train. “I should really call on Aurelio (Costarella) to dress me for the performance,” says Kate, citing her long-term love affair with the gowns of one of Western Australia’s foremost designers.
“But stage clothing is so much bigger than regular designs; having said that I always try to wear him when I can.” At the very least, the audience can expect ‘giant hair’ and a kind of human ‘mirror ball’ - all in the best tradition of Shirley Bassey of course. “I feel like these songs are something that I was born to do,” she says. “I’d be thrilled to meet Shirley Bassey - like me, she’s always walked her own path and always had such great humour and integrity.” Forging her own path in such a competitive and, in Australia’s case, insular and male-oriented arena has only made Ceberano stronger and more determined; the ASA award an important affirmation of her place in the nation’s affections. “It’s enhanced my working environment,” she says. “I’m a living artist, but thanks to the small audience here in Australia I have to be adaptable, so one day I’ll be singing the theme song for a national airline, the next entertaining a VIP in Melbourne on his birthday.” She’s particularly proud of being recognised for her songwriting skill. “It’s such an honour to win the award for singer/songwriter. I always say we’re a bit like engineers, we make a product but ours is a story. We create the beginning of the story and the end. It’s a triumphant kind of feeling and, through the years, you may sing the same story but it transforms, just like you do, along the way.” As happy on stage performing in a musical (she’s starred as Mary alongside John Farnham in Jesus Christ Superstar) as she is hotfooting it around a TV studio (Dancing with the Stars) or writing out a bestselling autobiography (I’m Talking), it’s somewhat surprising that Kate isn’t more famous than she is. “I always wonder if my career had happened elsewhere with the same percentage of fans, how different things might be but over marque autumn
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my 30 years, my fans have grown up with me and they’re very, very loyal. There’s a group in Sydney who have transitioned in fact into actual mates. It’s lovely.” Ever interested in the current musical scene, Kate would love to work with uber-kind DJ and producer Mark Ronson, the man who propelled another singular songstress, Amy Winehouse, to fame. “I’m obsessed, he’s so gifted,” she says. “I wish a producer like him would see me in the same way he sees those artists he discovers. I like to be seen through a different lens which is why I try to be a moving target; never the same thing twice.” Kate identifies with Sia, the South Australian singer/ songwriter who generally hides her face when performing by either not facing the audience or wearing an obscuring wig. “Sia actually acknowledged me as part of her background,” she admits. Apart from Sia who certainly has one of the most powerful set of lungs around currently, Kate can’t help longing for female artists with ‘bosoms’ - “you know, artists like Annie Lennox, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nix. Lusty broads.” As one such ‘lusty broad’, there can be no safer hands to commit the collective memory and experience of all those iconic James Bond theme songs than to Kate. “I was always disappointed as a kid that I didn’t sound more like Kate Bush or Siouxie Sioux, but nowadays I’m happy to be distinct and very content in my own identify. “I hear young performers these days and say to myself: that’s my 17 year old voice from I’m Talking! It’s wonderful.” MQ The Music of James Bond featuring Kate Ceberano with WASO, Perth Concert Hall, April 10 and 11 at 8pm. Call WASO on 9326 000 or visit waso.com.au.
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music
The talented Mr Smith With a voice like velvet, Sam Smith could comfortably rest on his youthful laurels after an astonishingly successful 2014. B By Gabi Mills..
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e's the gifted singer/songwriter in the midst of a global mission to bring his brand of smooth sounds to his legion of fans, Perth included. When he was 18 years old, Sam Smith wrote his first truthful song, a flashbulb moment for the brilliant blue-eyed soul singer from the UK. Three years later and the song has long since been discarded as a naive folly. Like all singer songwriters that are rich in emotion, kneedeep in their own small personal complications and dependent on their precociously youthful talent to engage with the world, Smith resolved never to write a song again that didn’t connect straight from the heart. The first set of results, delivered with breathtaking vocal depth and range, was to the litmus test of public opinion when his debut album dropped to critical acclaim in 2014. When he reached number one on the singles chart, collaborating with London production wizard Naughty Boy on the insanely catchy global smash La, La, La, Sam didn’t feel triumphant. He felt relief. Goodness knows, then, how he feels now he’s scooped an armful of Grammys. “It’s almost like a little gift,’ he says. “Now I’ve had a number one I don’t feel that pressure. Of course I want the songs to do well but it’s about making an artistic statement. The focus is more selfish now. I’ve ticked that box off, it was
lovely, amazing in a way, but I can concentrate on other things." Anyone that has seen Sam touring and tearing medium sized venues to pieces with his lacerating grief ballad Lay Me Down will have spotted the more innate appeal of his artistry and its special potential to move a mass market. Sam is a big, softly spoken man who translates musically through the humility of his phrasing. “I write exactly as I speak,” he says, and it’s this honesty which has helped win the star over 1.7m followers on Instagram alone, the photographic record of his life avidly lapped up by those who are won over by the many ‘bad hair’ selfies Sam shares. He was born in 1992 in the small Cambridgeshire satellite town of Linton to a mother making significant waves in the financial industry and a house-husband father who took over the day care of Sam and his two younger sisters. His mother, he says, is ‘amazing’. “There have been strong women in my life from a very young age. My great aunt was one of the first ever female bankers. You would never call my dad a weak man but it was always a female dominated family. The oestrogen is high, which played into my love of music.” The house was full of soul music and young Sam developed an uncanny ear for the phrasing of female powerhouse vocalists. The first album he remembers moving marque autumn
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him was Whitney Houston’s My Love is Your Love, her complete urban revamp delivered on the back of a public pot-smoking scandal. By the age of eight, his parents had noticed his uncanny ability to emote with the same phrasing as Chaka Khan. One of the first songs he understood was Aretha’s Say A Little Prayer. “Hearing those female voices, those strong voices probably felt natural to me because of my mum and my aunts. It was always voices when I was growing up, just the emotion and power behind them,” he says. As can be heard clearly and distinctly on his debut album, Sam is all about the feeling. He was deposited to a local jazz singer teacher in infancy and the first song he learnt the craft and composition of was Frank Sinatra’s Come Fly With Me. By his early teens he was singing back-up for the teacher at prestige jazz gigs in the capital. Sam found his way to part time classes at a London stage school and his vocal coach became another early cheerleader for his young gift. He flitted in and out of the music industry until happening across a manager at an Adele gig. “I was sixteen and heckled the support act. I went home that night, onto Myspace and found him to apologise. Three years after that gig I went to another show and he was in that crowd. I asked if he remembered me and he became my manager.” The first person his new conspirator introduced him to was songwriter Jimmy Napes and collectively they worked together to write Lay Me Down. Jimmy in turn played it to emerging deep house act Disclosure. In his first speculative writing session with the brothers he felt a kinship. Together they wrote Latch, Sam’s first featured chart vocal and the beginnings of the epic Disclosure tale. “I’m a pop head. I always was. I never got carried away with what was cool at school like the other kids did,” he says, of meeting them. “They’re amazing boys though and they pushed
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down so many barriers for me, they introduced me to D’Angelo, so much stuff which I now love. They introduced me to dance music. I’d listen to music with no vocals in it and think what is the point? But they schooled me through dance history. They understand it.” Between smashing it on guest vocal performances, Sam was crafting his own unique songs. “I said to myself, I don’t want to have a genre. I wanted to take a risk.” In the course of putting it together, Sam has worked with so many blue chip collaborative names: Fraser T Smith, Two Inch Punch, Eg White. But he has retained his sense of self. After his sublime debut EP entitled Nirvana, his first full release will be the albums big pop moment, Do It For The Love, a song that sounds like an instant, out of the box smash. But there is melancholia within. Centring on the subject on an unrequited love, it is duty bound to make the listener a little teary as it uplifts. “I’ve been talking about album titles and people are saying “oh but it’s too sad” but that’s what it’s about. I was sad and I wrote about being sad. Hopefully I’ll be happier soon and I’ll write about that.” Happiness does indeed seem on the cards for 2015 with images on social media of Sam and new love interest, an extra who worked on one of his music videos snapped on holiday recently with Smith in Queensland.
His musical purity is starting to ring the right bells too. Adele has tweeted her support. After one single show in New York he has become something of a cause celebre for global soulman, Maxwell. “He’s a great friend to have,” says Smith. He recently finished sessions in Old Street with Nile Rodgers for an as yet unconfirmed Disclosure work. He remains tied to artists like Jessie Ware, Naughty Boy and that whole scene of London underground talent that is taking their new soul to the mainstream. Sam might yet be at the vanguard of a wave of British talent schooled through the verbal brilliance of Jill Scott, India Arie and Angie Stone in the States a decade ago. Audaciously, he is covering Anita Baker’s Sweet Love on tour at the moment and making it sound as if it were penned for him. So it’s no surprise that stardom has well and truly arrived at this hard working artist’s door, due in large part to the honesty which permeates throughout his entire work. “When it came to writing and delivering I’d worked out that it was all about truth,” he says. “When you listen to my album, the songs I love and my label love, it’s all the personal things. That are relatable to other people.” MQ Sam Smith, HBF Stadium, Mt Claremont, Perth, May 4, 8pm. Visit ticketmaster.com.au for tickets. marque autumn
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COVER
Six of the best The BMW X6 is big in every sense - the perfect car for our big country says Matthew Mills.
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f there’s one thing Australia loves, it’s a big car. It makes sense – we’re a big country with lots of space. Even deep in our metro areas, the roads are wide and the parking spaces luxurious – well, compared to the European and Asian cities many of us originally hail from they are, anyway. And it’s a tough country, rugged and unforgiving. Stray away from urban security and it’s easy to find yourself somewhere where a bit of braun is necessary. All in all, then, Australia has always been ripe terrain for the big car to become king and, lo, it’s come to pass. Big utes, stocky SUVs and pumped up 4x4s abound, packing our highways with muscle-bound metal, so much so that even the top of the range blur into a sea of big tyres and sand shovels. In truth, then, although Australia’s big cars cast a big shadow, there’s no denying that they all share a similar silhouette. All, that is, bar one. Enter stage left with a deep diesel purr, the phenomenal BMX X6. Just getting up close to the X6 for the first time is breath-taking. Yes, I knew what I was expecting when I picked up my review car – the big boy of the acclaimed X series, the series that takes the engineering quality and design brilliance BMW is renowned for and funnels it into four-wheel-drive SUV mode. I knew then that while it would be
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stylish to look at it, it would retain that slightly pugnacious stockiness, that grunt that sets it apart from its more urban-loving cousins. But I wasn’t quite ready for just how big it looked as it sat gleaming on the tarmac, waiting to perform. So, let’s get it straight – this is a big motor. It’s a little under 5m long and nearly 1.7m tall. And then there’s the grill – nearly 2m of stocky, sleek, sloping nose. It’s imposing, impressive, the kind of car that dwarfs all those around it. I can attest to that fact, having parked later that day in my drive next to my wife’s mid-size sedan – her car looked like a toy next to the mighty X6, that it could have easily picked it up and swallowed it. The swooping, stocky, wedge design is augmented with LED headlights, 20-inch wheels and twin exhausts, adding to its tough-guy appeal. It is, then, a head-turner from the outside, but once inside the X6 is a private joy. Beautifully upholstered, the seats soak you up. It boasts keyless ignition and once that big, pretty button is pressed and it purrs into life, the cabin comes alive around you. The LCD configurable instrument panel is a delight – stylishly designed with all the information where you need it and not a moving part to be seen. The leather-topped dash holds the 10.2inch iDrive screen where all your entertainment and navigational needs are spelt out, controlled by an intuitive spinwheel. Buttons bedeck the steering wheel, giving easy access to a host of features from radio stations to cruise control. There are gear paddles for total control and it also boasts BMW’s clever projected odometer feature which projects your speed and other details onto the windscreen so it feels as though the details are hovering over the bonnet in front of you. The finish is elegant and stylish, all in all offering the feel of luxury BMW drivers demand – the X6 may
be big, but it’s all about quality. In this, the second version of the X6, rear passengers now have a threeseat bench, something version one didn’t. As such, grown-ups in the back now have that extra bit of comfort and room to stretch. The rear seats can also fold down, in a 40/20/40 configuration, boosting the boot space from 580litres when they’re all up to 1,525litres when all down. It is then a big car, that’s big on marque autumn
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HIGH AND MIGHTY The BMW X6 is an impressively sleek addition to the luxury 4x4 market.
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style and big on charisma. Once on the road, however, a new element appears – this car doesn’t want to drive like a behemoth. No, even pulling away from the showroom I began to appreciate that this was a driver’s car that was going to let me do what I wanted with it. It clings to the road and sweeps through corners, belying its size. It weighs in, the stats will tell you at around two tonnes, but this car feels light on its
MQ pREVIEW
feet around the city and powerful and safe on the freeway. The X6 comes in five variants. There’s the two diesels, the xDrive 30d, which boasts a 190kW/560Nm 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo diesel that offers a very impressive combined cycle fuel economy of just 6L/100km and the xDrive 40d. Petrol-wise there the xDrive 50i, whose 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine produces 330kW/650N, making it
THE FULL BOTTLE The X6 is a joy to drive and the ultimate in big car style.
capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds, and the xDrive 35i. Top of the range is the X6 M50d which has been fitted with a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that delivers 423kW of power and 750Nm of torque, enough to hit the 100k/mh mark in just 4.2 seconds. All in all, the X6 is a joy to drive and the ultimate in big car style. A big car for a big country, it can’t be beaten. MQ
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FAST FACTS BMW X6 Drive away prices from: X6 xDrive 30d..................................... $129,551 X6 xDrive 35i .....................................$135,196 X6 xDrive 40d ..................................$143,396 X6 xDrive 50i .................................... $168,104 X6 xDrive M50d ................................ $174,814 X6M .................................................... $214,505
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thirst
All the tea in China Kieth Archer and his team have created a magical emporium of all things tea related at Chapels on Whatley, from exotic oolongs to his new range of diet brews Skinny Bitch Tea. By Gabi Mills. Images by Crib Creative.
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ake a stroll along that eclectic little strip of Whatley Crescent in Maylands and you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve stumbled through a time portal into downtown Shanghai. Chapels on Whatley, with its exotic collection of teas, authentic panAsian cuisine, parasols, paintings and pottery couldn’t be further away from your typical 'burbs cafe. It’s not alone in being a one-off on this particular stretch of the crescent however - you’ll also find independent shops selling oneoff artworks, homewares ideas straight off Pinterest, Chinese medicinal cures for everything from insomnia to vertigo and, just round the corner, one of Perth’s best butchers - Hampshire on Eighth. But it’s Chapels on Whatley that sits at the heart of all this colourful activity. Glass cabinets filled with bespoke tea sets jostle for your attention next to adorable Japanese kokeshi (little native wooden toys). Rough hewn stone walls make the place akin to sitting in an organic, living thing as you sip your tea. And when I say tea, that’s really too small a word for the choice that you’re faced with. First of all though, here’s a short history lesson, courtesy of Kieth and the Chapels’ website: “According to legend, tea was first discovered by the Chinese emperor Shennong in 2737 BC. It is said that the emperor liked his drinking water boiled before he drank it. One day, while the servant began boiling water for him, a dead leaf from a wild tea bush fell into the water. The servant didn’t notice it and presented the water to
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the emperor who tasted it and found it very refreshing. Tea came then into being.” A happier accident it’s hard to imagine, say I, a seven cup a day girl. However I feel like I’ve done a huge disservice to the whole business of tea-drinking with my insistence on only ever quaffing the same builders’ brew each day. There’s so much more out there that, once you’ve discovered Chapels, you may never look at that mug in your hand filled with a tawny pool of hot liquid the same way again. Kieth recognised early on that people were inherently conservative when they came to their tea-drinking habits and needed a bit of a push to try something new. “For $5.50 people can have as many pots of tea as they want over a two-hour period,” he says. “We always warn them not to peak too early, to pace themselves if they’re intent on trying some of the more unusual brews.” Many customers have tried all 60 plus of the teas on offer, says Kieth, but the silk oolong and Creme de la Creme varieties are top of the pops among his regulars. “We get through heaps of those two,” he says, refreshingly unpretentious when it comes to the best way to serve a cup of tea. “We always say to customers, ‘You’re Western, don’t get hung up on the ins and outs of drinking tea. Have it as you like it’.” Along with his partner Glenn Bartels, Kieth has built the business up alongside their co-venture, Chapels Emporium, just down the road. The century old building which houses the cafe is as much part of the business’s success as its two charismatic owners, the friendly international staff and the underlying deep knowledge of their stock. Just the briefest persual of the extraordinary collection of glass domed jars of teas which make up the wall of one side of the cafe is enough to make your head spin.
White Monkey and Dragonwell green teas, fruit teas flavoured with dried mango, peach and apple are best served with no milk. Try mandarine and ginger for a zesty invigorating pick-me-up, and then it’s onto the delicate Jasmine teas Needle Snail and Screw green tea. You probably you won’t find the range of flower teas on offer here anywhere this side of the Great Wall of China. Sourced by Glenn and Kieth, the range of artistic, handrolled white teas are grown in some of the best tea gardens in China. Try Lily Fairy (Silver Needle White Tea with lily, said to relieve internal heat and jasmine to help control anxiety and stress) or Eternal Love, with Gomphrena Globosa flower (great for the skin) and lily to keep that skipping heart under control. Powerful Oolong (meaning 'black dragon') a semi-fermented tea, carefully air-dried to avoid brusing and ‘best taken in the afternoon or morning’, has the brilliant side-effect of boosting metabolism by up to ten per cent which means it’s a great addition to a diet plan. It’s packed with polyphenols, antioxidants and helps remove damaging free radicals, everything that the self-respecting
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the perfect brew Kieth Archer, below, co-owner of Chapels on Whatley regularly visits China to select the best teas available.
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health-conscious consumer is longing for these days. Iron Buddha oolong, sweet, appetising and with a taste like honey, is extraordinary, while the entirely handmade Phoenix Honey Orchid oolong is havested in the Phoenix mountains of the Guangdong province. You’ll find aromas of smoke, clove and honey
MQ thirst
Skinny Bitch Teas - the low-down
TEA FOR TWO Chapels of Whatley have launched a new range of delicious diet-friendly teas, Skinny Bitch Teas.
and a final hit of lychee. “The Chinese use oolong as the basis for their iced teas, unlike the West which uses black or green tea,” says Kieth. “The advantage is that the oolong one doesn’t go bitter.” Traditionally fired in hot woks, oolong tea could very well be the next big thing to revolutionise the weight-loss market - a bandwagon which Kieth has cleverly jumped on already with his Skinny Bitch range of teas. “We’re launching four new varieties - honey, ginseng, jasmine and silk oolong Skinny Bitch teas,
all sourced from the Fujian province. They all have different benefits but as part of a diet, they will help drop the kilos and contribute to lower cholesterol.” Despite the fact that there isn’t a plural for the word ‘tea’, if there’s place which celebrates the rich variety and intensely flavourful range of camellia sinensis (the tea plant), then Chapels is slap bang at its epicentre. Time for a cuppa, I think. Visit chapelsonwhatley.com.au. Skinny Bitch Teas are available from $16.95 per 80g jar. MQ
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Chapels Silk Oolong A smooth, buttery, sweet honey-like, hand-rolled tea . A sweet, fragrant tea that lingers long on the taste buds. A sensual way to blast some fat, kick start the day or as an afternoon pick me up. Chapels Ginseng Oolong A fragrant, orchid-like, aromatic, hand-rolled tea with the sweet taste of Oolong that lingers on between sips. Lift your mood, blast your fat and boost your brain power. It’s sweet, tarty and stimulating. Chapels Honey Oolong Made from Tie Guan Yin Oolong (the most sought after Oolong tea in China) hand-rolled and then soaked in natural honey. A rich, floral tea with a hint of raspberry and sweet honey. Fat blasting never tasted so deliciously naughty. Chapels Jasmine Oolong An aromatic, hand-rolled and intricate Chinese Oolong, jasmine infusion. A sweet intense brew. A relaxing, soothing, stress fighter, great for digestion, skin, teeth with added fat blasting.
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Savouring the south west A treat for foodies is one for the calendar as Happs Wines launches a brand new gourmet experience adding to the region’s smorgasbord of tasty events. Happs Flavours of Autumn will bring a new gourmet experience for lovers of good food and wine set to be staged on 27 and 28 March. Following in the footsteps of the ‘Seafood and Semillon’, an outdoor food and wine event which attracted big crowds to the Margaret River Region, it’s anticipated that this new event will be a fabulous addition to the region’s calendar of food-related high points. The highlight of the event will be the Flavours Gourmet Lunch – a five-course lunch specially prepared by chef Paul Iskov of Fervor, with a carefull curated selection of Happs wines to match the meal. The uniquely crafted menu will feature locally sourced and seasonal
ingredients prepared before guests’ eyes, and all designed to bring out the taste and creativity of the region. The grounds of Happs on Commonage Road in Dunsborough will transform into an Australian celebration of wine and food, offering an outdoor casual feel with table settings and picnic rugs for laying back enjoying the music and an afternoon of ‘down south’ indulgence. The Zest Group will be providing their unique tipis and stylish furniture, making the day a truly luxe experience. Happs Flavours of Autumn will be presented in four formats covering a range of culinary tastes and, of course, celebrating the extensive Happs wine list. Kicking off on Friday, March 27, with a Cellar Tasting Experience, an
exclusive series of wine flights, the winemaker will guide guests, glass by glass, from older to more recent vintages and, as an extra treat, even showcase some wines yet to be released. Happs is renowned for the diversity of its wines and this event will be reflective of the estate’s many different varieties. The tasting includes specially prepared canapés from Paul Iskov. Think sandalwood nut cracker, fire roasted bread and crab, wild boar chorizo, Busselton squid with pepper berry and lemon myrtle, oatmeal crisp with finger lime and homemade sour cream and crocodile chorizo. On the Saturday, visitors can enjoy the event at their choice of three separate levels. The Flavours Gourmet Lunch from 11.30 to 2.30 will be the headline event with guests being able to join the general event afterwards. The general event will run from noon to 5pm and offer the Flavours Gourmet Experience, a pre-paid option for visitors including four wines and tapas plates from the specially created hawker’s bars. Meanwhile Flavours on the Lawn will use the same unique setting for the base admission fee with food and wine available for purchase. The Cellar Tasting Experience and Gourmet Lunch will have limited numbers, while the general event will cater for up to 1000 guests on the day. MQ
What to expect The Happs Flavours Gourmet Menu • Enjoy a glass of Happs Estate Cremant Sparkling Chenin Blanc on arrival • Raw Esperance scallop, will rosella vinegar, shaved macadamia nuts Served with ‘I’ Series 2013 Semillon • Shark Bay crab, seaweed, samphire, riberries Served with Happs Estate 2013 dry Verdelho • Duck egg, smoked broth, beach herbs, fire roasted bread Served with Happs Estate 2013 Chardonnay • Kangaroo, wild rosella, salt bush, red gum ash • Damper and smoked butter to share with the Kangaroo Served with Three Hills 2011 Grenache Shiraz Mataro • Milk ice cream, wattle seed curd, local honey, crystallised dune spinach Served with Happs Estate 2012 Garnet Ruby Vintage Port
Information and ticket purchase are available at happs. com.au/events. The event is the first in an ongoing program which includes Happs Flavours of Spring in October.
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Preview
Perfection improved
The BMW 2 Series convertible will take your breath away - we promise.
W
hen your starting point is excellence, how do you go that bit further? How do you add to perfect? Well, the simple answer, in the case of the BMW 2 Series, is that you don’t add anything at all – you take something away. The roof. Yes, at last the series that redefined just what BMW can do has added its most sexy and sophisticated model to the already impressive line-up. The 2 Series Convertible is here. Think about it. BMW’s foray into compact, front-wheel-drive powerhouses, an innovation that has been widely lauded by an ever-critical industry, redesigned to incorporate the most jaw-dropping piece of motoring technology around – the electric, fold-away, roof. Aren’t you already licking your lips?
The truth is that of all the gadgets a car can have, the foldaway roof is the one that will always draw gazes, raise smiles and set heartbeats racing. Whether you’re in Cannes or Clarkson, men, women and children will all stop to watch that intoxicating dance as the roof disappears to let the sunshine in. And the 2 Series does it beautifully, a 20-second waltz of precision engineering folds the canvas away – a feat that can even be carried out on the move at up to 50km/h, an experience we bet you can’t pull off without grinning from ear to ear. The 2 Series convertible comes in three models. All are beautiful additions to BMW’s fleet – the 220i and 228i are both stunning headturners – but the true jewel in the crown has to be the M235i. The very mention of an M marque autumn
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alongside the letter BMW is enough to get any true motorist’s blood up. Ever since the handful of experts started tweaking BMWs back in the early 70s to be road legends, the addition of M has meant excitement and motoring passion. The arrival of the M235i Convertible then – the first drop-top member of the M Performance Automobiles range – is something that is sure to set the industry alight. But all three of these stunning new convertibles are wonderful additions to this popular series, perfectly combining the power and versatility of the pocket powerhouses with the style and sophistication that the convertible has brought to sun-drenched highways for many a year. Top end engineering has ensured that the addition of a canvas roof hasn’t affected the performance and handling the 2 series is now renowned for in any way. The line-up features a highly efficient, powerful range of engines featuring TwinPower Turbo and EfficientDynamics technology, producing a boost in power across the range of up to 20kW. Optimised body structure further sharpens handling,
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with 20 per cent increase in torsional rigidity and 10 per cent greater bending strength compared to their predecessors, and additional soft-top insulation reduces road noise by up to 7 dB. The BMW 2 Series 220i and 228i Convertibles are equipped with an impressive list of standard features, including eight-speed sport automatic transmission, driving experience control, rear view camera, park distance control, light alloy wheels and cruise control with braking function. As you’d expect, the M235i has all that and more as well as enjoying the performance, driving dynamics and technological innovations which are hallmarks of the evocative M nameplate, including Adaptive M Suspension. Shawn Ticehurst, Head of Product and Market Planning is confident this compact soft-top is heading for success. “The new BMW 2 Series Convertible is an incredibly exciting addition to our vehicle line-up, and represents a significant evolution from its 1 Series predecessor,” he said. “A classic BMW convertible, the model inhabits a unique place within the market and presents a compelling lifestyle proposition, with sporty lines and impressive performance which is only reinforced by its accessible entry point pricing.” Developed in parallel with the BMW 2 Series Coupé, the new BMW 2 Series Convertible nonetheless boasts its own distinct identity, with sweeping lines, athletic proportions and distinctive BMW ‘boat deck’ character setting the soft-top apart. It draws on BMW’s archetypical design language, proudly bearing the characteristics of its brand provenance: short overhangs, an elongated bonnet and a long wheelbase presaging the vehicle’s aesthetic elegance and onroad dynamism. The successor to the BMW 1 Series Convertible, which entered the fray as the first open-top
premium model in the compact segment and achieved over 130,000 sales worldwide, the new BMW 2 Series Convertible is more than an evolution, but still aspires to build on its inherited legacy. The driving experience of the 2 Series Convertible is defined by a fastidious balance of sporty performance and comfort, with lowweight components, low centre of gravity and balanced load distribution between the front and rear axle equipping it to offer excellent agility and incisive handling. Its track, significantly wider than that of both the BMW 1 Series and its forerunner coupe, is emphasised by the horizontal lines which define the rear view, especially when the roof is open. Accompanying the fully automatic soft-top mechanism as standard features is the Driving Experience
onboard monitor in flatscreen design, available in either 6.5 (standard) or 8.8 inch form (as part of navigation professional), and BMW Professional radio as standard. And all three are as powerful as they are stylish. The base model 220i Convertible focuses on responsive power delivery and high revving ability, its engine generating 135 kW of power between 5,000 and 6,250 rpm, with peak torque of 270 Nm available between 1,250 and 4,500 rpm, registering a 0-100 km/h time of 7.6 seconds. Aided by BMW TwinPower Turbo technology with twin-scroll turbocharger and High Precision Direct Petrol Injection, the 228i Convertible’s four-cylinder engine boasts a maximum power output of 180 kW between 5,000 and 6,500 rpm, while peak torque of 350Nm can be harnessed from 1,250 to 4,800 rpm. And the flagship M235i Convertible promises to provide an adrenaline raising experience, courtesy of a 240 kW, six-cylinder in-line M Performance TwinPower Turbo Engine. Spurred by the most powerful petrol engine available for a BMW M Performance automobile, it is set to elevate open-top driving to new heights, accelerating from 0-100 km/h in just five seconds in conjunction with the eight-speed Steptronic sport.
Control, allowing the driver to adjust the car’s drive train set-up as desired in COMFORT, SPORT and ECO PRO modes, while BMW M235i Convertible drivers can select a SPORT+ setting. When the roof is open, the standard automatic climate control system activates a convertible mode, which also takes into account the speed at which the car is travelling during its adjustments to onboard temperature and ventilation. All three 2 series convertibles boast the BMW iDrive operating system, including a freestanding
Adrenaline rush The new BMW 2 Series Convertible is an incredibly exciting addition to the line-up.
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FAST FACTS BMW 2 Series Convertible bmw 220i convertible................................. $63,049 bmw 228i Convertible ..................................$77,959 Plus on-road costs. Visit autoclassic. com.au to arrange a test drive.
apPetite
s e k o r st t n e r diffe Poh Ling Yeow - or simply Poh as we all know her - has a veritable tasting plate of new adventures ahead of her, from a brand new foodie show to an extraordinary exhibition of her paintings, one for every day of the year. By Kami Ramini. Images by Randy Larcombe Photography.
I
t’s every home-cook’s fairytale come true – a successful run on a leading TV show opening doors to a career of cooking shows, cookbooks and national acclaim. Yes, Malaysian-born, Adelaideraised Poh Ling Yeow – or Poh, as we all know her – has built her food career in front of us all and we can’t help but love her for it. I mean, what’s not to love? She’s easy-going, quirky, fun, and brilliant at making delicious food look easy, no matter who you are or how capable a cook. But, of course, these last six years since coming runner-up on series one of MasterChef Australia are just a fraction of her story; a story that we will see a lot more of in her latest show, Poh & Co., soon to air on SBS. “It’s about taking cooking back to the suburbs, I guess,” says Poh, “and cooking in my home for my original food heroes – my mum, my
Great Aunty Kim – who’s actually my mum’s aunty – my best friend Sarah and also the great friends I’ve made since [MasterChef], like Andre [Andre Ursini of Andre’s Cucina and Polenta Bar in Adelaide].” Just as in her day-to-day life, food is central to her recipe-driven show with masses of dishes featured in each episode, but Poh & Co. will go beyond the plate and give viewers a taste of other key elements in Poh’s busy and very diverse life. There’s her edible garden – a
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ARTFULLY DONE Poh Ling Yeow, above, is not only a succesful artist but also one of the most popular celebrity chefs currently on our screens.
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lifelong dream finally realised, masses of home-cooked feasts with family and friends and the stories behind them and, of course, her painting - Poh’s full-time career preMasterChef and her grounding force. “Art was something I pursued from a very young age,” says Poh. “I was quite a shy and inward child and painting and drawing were things which filled me with confidence and gave me this feeling of belonging. And food really does that for me, too - it’s one of my two things. I can just really get immersed
in them and everything is OK with the world when I’m doing either of those things.” Although it may come as a surprise to many, Poh went after her food dream not because she was looking for change, but instead to re-find something she felt she’d lost. So, in 2009 after over a decade spent as a full-time artist, Poh signed up for MasterChef in search of a career in food, and with it, the rediscovery of her Malaysian-Chinese heritage in the best way she knew how. “There was this itch with the food thing that I’d wanted to scratch for several years. I always saw food as something that would go alongside my art,” she says. “And at age 32 I realised I had lost so much of my culture as a migrant. I really started to feel sad that I couldn’t really communicate with the elder family members because my language was so depleted. It’s really mangled when I try and speak Cantonese,” Poh adds, exploding into a smile. “Anyway, I thought ‘wow, I really did such a good job of shedding everything which made me feel different as a child and now I want it back. Cooking was the part of my culture I could grab hold of, because it’s something I find easy to do.” Her gamble paid off. Not only did the MasterChef experience open doors into the world of cooking shows and publishing, Poh says she also really got to grips with “the traditional stuff” of ChineseMalaysian cuisine during the show, and went on to use that “palette” of different processes and flavours to set her apart from the other contestants. Since then Poh’s life has been a rollercoaster of success. She’s started her own food business, Jamface by Poh, a range of jams, relishes and sauces she sells via stalls at two markets in Adelaide, she’s starred in three series of her cooking show Poh’s Kitchen on the ABC, and written two cookbooks. Her latest book, Same, Same but
Different, released in April last year, is not only a collection of beautiful recipes from all over the world, but it’s also a real expression of Poh’s personality and how she sees food. “It goes everywhere – a little bit of Vietnamese, a little bit of Italian, a little bit of Chinese and I tend to think that’s how Australians cook. I want it to be a book that people can pick up any day of the week and find something they want to cook,” she says. And as you might expect – there is nothing stock standard about it, in fact, there aren’t even chapters per se. Instead, Poh has paired recipes by ingredient, texture, or technique – marrying cuisines in a way that many of us would never have imagined.
“It’s about drawing people’s attention to the similarities that different cultures might have in regards to food. The recipes are all paired on double-pages in some shape or form – it might be texture, or ingredient, or a process,” she explains. “The wildest pairing is possibly the one where there is a crème caramel on one side and the other side is a silken egg tofu with a century egg salad over the top. So both use eggs as the key ingredient, both use a water-bath sort of process marque autumn
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and both have that silky, wobbly texture. That pairing is called ‘Something wobbly’ – it’s really fun!” But despite Poh’s creativity in cooking and seemingly insatiable energy for all things food, she still returns to the solace of her art to tare the scales every so often. “I do one solo exhibition per year and I take about three months out each year to paint,” says Poh. “It’s something I actually need psychologically just because this whole media world is still so new to me and I struggle with it on a daily basis. I worked in such a solitary way [as an artist] for a good decade before I came into the media. “It’s a constant battle to stay who I am and fight to represent myself the way I want to. I do find all those things quite difficult,” she says. As her painting has remained a major part of her life,
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MQ apP etite
so has her muse – that same little girl who has starred in her work since the early days. “I always paint this little girl who represents, I guess, everything I hated about myself when I came to Australia,” says Poh. “She’s got the really, really extreme almond eyes – they actually look hollow, a really wide face and a big head!” she says with a laugh. Poh’s depictions of the little girl are soft, beautiful, even peaceful, yet clearly melancholy at times. But for her, it is the wider story of juggling the difference which is being told. And while many may see a sadness in that, Poh says we would be misconstruing the representation. “It’s not supposed to be a sad story. It’s just about living in two cultures and the push and pull of it,” she explains. “I think many people try to make their art super unique but mine is about finding something that everyone can share. It’s just about having two identities. You know, on a very simple level it can be the person you are at home and the one you are at work. “For me, it was growing up with the two cultures and, as Australia has such a huge migrant culture, I think so many people identify with that story.” However, this year something has shifted and for the first time ever Poh will be taking inspiration from elsewhere in her life – and it’s the incredible adventure she has been on over the last 10 years. “I’m attempting to do 365 miniatures – one every day for a year – and exhibit those,” she says, visibly elated by the idea. “I’m going to give the little girl a bit of a rest. I’ve just got so many beautiful pictures that I’ve taken overseas and also everyday snapshots over the last decade, so it’s sort of like a visual diary.” No doubt, knowing Poh, it’ll have been a pretty exciting ride. I can’t wait to see it. MQ Poh & Co. will screen on SBS later this year.
Poh's Hazelnut & Fresh Fruit Torte
( Feeds ten to 12)
I’ve been making this dessert for years and it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. I usually fill the layers with a mixture of kiwi, banana, raspberries and strawberries, which gives a nice variety of colours and textures but just one type of fruit can also be terrific. This torte base is essentially a pavlova with hazelnut meal folded in at the end. Hazelnut meal is one of my besties in the kitchen – there is virtually no dessert that can’t be made better by substituting at least some of the flour content in a recipe with hazelnut meal.
Torte Base 6 large egg whites, at room temperature 11⁄3 cups (300g) caster sugar 1 ½ cups (165g) hazelnut meal 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 2 cups (500ml) cream 1⁄3 cup (40g) icing sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste OR natural vanilla extract Filling (The fruit needs to be sliced before the ganache is made) 3 bananas, sliced into 5mm thick pieces 2 punnets strawberries, sliced into 5mm thick pieces 3 kiwifruit, peeled, halved, sliced into 5mm thick pieces Ganache 100ml cream 100g dark chocolate, chopped METHOD Preheat the oven to 140˚C or 130˚C fanforced. Line 3 baking trays with baking paper and draw a 20cm diameter circle on each sheet. Set aside. To make the torte base, beat the egg whites
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in a large clean mixing bowl (preferably stainless steel or glass) with an electric cake mixer until soft peaks form. Keep beating, gradually adding 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar at a time. Beat until all the sugar is incorporated and you have a meringue with stiff peaks. Sprinkle with the hazelnut meal and vinegar and gently fold into the meringue. Divide into 3 batches and spread evenly onto the trays using the drawn circles as a guide. Bake for 1 hour (if you are using 2 levels of your oven, swap the trays at halfway time) then switch the heat off and leave in the oven to cool completely – overnight is best. You may prep these up to a few days before and store in an airtight container. In a medium bowl combine the cream, icing sugar and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until required. To make the ganache, heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles begin to appear. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Be careful not to overboil the cream as it will separate and give you a lumpy ganache. Allow ganache to rest for 1–2 minutes then fill a small icing bag with a 2mm nozzle. Begin to assemble the torte by placing one of the torte bases onto a plate or cake stand. Spread one-third of the cream on and then fan out different types of the sliced fruit so the colour is nicely distributed. Zig zag one-third of the ganache over the first layer of cream and fruit. Repeat the process with another layer of the torte base, cream, fruit and ganache on the second and top layer. You may chill the torte for a short while but it is best to assemble it shortly before serving. When beating egg whites, always make sure you have a very clean dry bowl and well separated eggs as any fat content will prevent the albumen from frothing up properly. Instead of the creme chantilly, you may use the leftover egg yolks to make a chocolate creme patissiere to fill the layers.
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Neil Cownie Architect > where each project is a unique journey
The house is always a home and sanctuary foremost. It should provide a sense of belonging and an environment that creates great family memories, a place that has spirit, while also delivering the practical requirements.
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fashion
Are you an Elk-oholic? If you aren’t yet, you will be with the launch of the label’s new collection, Equinox. By Vicky Sofield. Images by Matt Jelonek.
T
he accessory. It’s been around since the late 15th century but perhaps has never been so covetable as it is now, thanks to Elk. The Melbourne-born and based accessories label has been perfecting the art of aesthetically pleasing and affordable fashion accessories for over ten years now. It dates back to when the co-founders, owners and husband and wife duo Marnie and Adam, saw a gap in the market for affordable yet well-made accessory designs. They have grown from their first studio in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, where they sold a
small range of handmade silver statement jewellery pieces (which you can still find in their Seedlings range) from the small shop front and to other retail stores to become a multimillion-dollar, internationally recognised accessories and fashion brand. Nowadays each Elk item is personally designed in Australia and manufactured overseas at their individually hand-picked, small family owned manufacturing companies - all of which offer a range of old-world yet innovative design techniques that align with the core Elk philosophy and ethical code to marque autumn
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remain true to their brand values by staying small at the core, but thinking big as a business. In just ten years, Elk now has an annual growth rate of 30 per cent, with a distribution network of over 500 stores globally. They’re stocked in Australia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the US - with the United Kingdom soon to follow on their ever growing inventory list. Looking back on their modest outset into the fashion accessory industry, co-owner Marnie describes the success of the brand as stemming from a combination of three key elements; guidance, intuition and a good product. “From inception we have always pushed ourselves to look for new materials and new ways to make affordable accessories and fashion,” she says. “Our start was made possible by having good guidance, good intuition and good product.”
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Best known for their aesthetically pleasing clean lines, straightforward colours and a not-overly glamorous or glitzy range of pieces, the brand strives to offer original, bold and unique accessories from resin and mixed material necklaces, brooches, bracelets and bangles to leather handbags, carry-all bags and wallets, rings, footwear and even wellconstructed apparel such as jackets, knitwear, pants, tees and a mixture of classic dresses. A strong contender in men’s and women’s fashion accessories (plus women’s apparel and homewares too), the core mantra of the brand is “if we wouldn’t wear it, we won’t make it”. And that is turning many of their loyal customers into avid “Elkoholics”. “We try to keep our designs realistic and always work on trying to keep price points accessible too,” says Marnie. Using fine quality raw materials that are sourced from all over the world, each accessory and piece embodies the Elk design ethos with inspiration being drawn from diverse sources such as woodland areas and rusty farm sheds to right at home in their own backyard and their genuine and enthusiastic customer’s needs, wants and feedback. “I try as much as possible to keep in touch with our customers to understand their needs and wants "As a designer for a brand like Elk, where we produce a wide variety of product but not a huge amount, we have an enormous number of loyal Elk-oholics that we make product for which is a great challenge.” And with their recently released winter 2015 collection called Equinox - which featured on the runway at Perth’s Angove Street Collective to rave reviews it’s not hard to see why Marnie and Adam have such a diverse and successful brand and business, with an enviably growing product line and an ever expanding and loyal customer base. Equinox, which occurs twice a
sustainable plantation timbers. Look out for the leather goods that feature an array of incredibly soft and durable contemporary large bags, saddle bags, wallets, clutches, snap purses and back packs and their simple yet stylish tran-seasonal apparel - all of which is constructed using fine quality soft stretch jerseys, babywools, tencels, French terry and polished cottons.
year, around the middle of March and September, is the term used for the only two days of the year that the daytime and night are of approximately equal duration and so this season’s collection at Elk is all about the need to cater to the different customer climates; different hemispheres and the ultimate desire to find that perfect balance for their broad customer geographic regardless of how high or low the mercury is. The Equinox collection is their largest to date and is a cultivation of their menswear accessories range called Mr Elk - which consists of various winter accessory pieces that are made from durable materials including cotton canvases, saddle leathers and thick cow hides. There’s knitwear too, made from soft yarns and predominately designed to be worn as lighter layers, footwear and handmade jewellery, crafted from smooth matte and opaque finished resins, woods and marque autumn
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covetable items Elk has made its name creating classic and versatile pieces, drawing on nature for inspiration.
This season Elk focuses on classic and versatile pieces with a deep gem-like palette of rich reds, greens and beautiful blue hues with the winter collection set to be released online and in boutiques during the month of March. And with a close knit and ever-curious design team, plus Marnie and Adam with their feet firmly planted on the ground, I can’t wait to get my hands on a great sum of their latest wares while sitting back to watch the ever impressive Elk brand expand into the global fashion accessory industry. MQ Visit elkaccessories.com.au
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property
STyLe couNciL The Perth Style Co., the brainchild of Sara James and Kaitlin Beck, is set to revolutionise the way houses are sold in Perth thanks to the pair’s gift for real estate styling. By Gabi Mills. Images by Crib Creative.
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icture the scene. Your house is for sale but for some reason, it’s failing to grab that elusive buyer’s attention. It’s in a beautiful street, it’s in pristine condition but the offers just aren’t coming in. It’s a common story in Perth’s increasingly petulant real estate market. Buyers are hard to please, savvy and want the dream. The hard truth is if you aren’t selling that dream, then they aren’t buying. Fortunately, help is on hand from an innovative new company - Perth Style Co. Headed up by long-time friends Sara James and Kaitlin Beck, the talented duo take on vacant properties for sale, sprinkle their real estate styling magic across the whole property and hey presto - contracts are exchanged and dreams come true on both sides of the equation. “We look at each property through a buyer’s eyes and
strategically style the home accordingly,” says Sara, who has a strong background in real estate and property finance. It sounds simple, but it takes more than a cursory glance at an empty home to evaluate where work is needed to make the change from run of the mill to top of the class. “We have a kind of mantra which we apply to each new project,” says Kaitlin, the creative driving force of the pair with a track record in sales and property renovation. “We say: ‘the rules are simple’. Our eye for detail is our point of difference and from the offset, we assess the property in a very precise way.” This precision includes thorough investigation of what other properties in the same or similar streets are selling for, how they’re being marketed and why the house may not be hitting the spot with potential buyers. marque autumn
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“We manage expectations from the first call, we’ll view the property and assess the owner’s expectations for sale which in many cases differ from the assessment made by the real estate agent,” says Sara. “We want every touch-point of a client’s experience with us to be a good one, so all this part of the service is complementary.” Once a plan of action has been agreed upon, Sara and Kaitlin spring into action, going through the house from top to toe, including the outside spaces resulting in a tenpage proposal of recommendations for styling the home. “This will include everything from fixing flooring, walls or architectural features to interior design suggestions drawn from our wide network of exclusive suppliers. It’s basically an all or nothing approach - the client needs to feel confident that they can trust the styling and sale of their house in our hands.” Such complete control also gives the girls accountability to those clients - a high success rate has been a big part of their story so far with a particularly impressive result achieved with some hard-to-shift developments in Coogee undergoing the Perth Style Co. effect. “A Stockland development of nine beachfront properties were built in 2009 - we were offered the chance
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to completely refresh four of their properties and within four months, all the properties had been sold.” Coming early on in the company’s story so far, the Stocklands result meant that the girls have been building on that success at the same time as getting the word out among Perth’s leading real estate companies that they can seriously help shift properties. “It’s about education to a certain extent - letting agents know that we can act as mediator between them and the seller, playing for both teams so that the best outcome is achieved. For a relatively small investment from their clients, we can add dollars to the final sales price and ensure properties aren’t lying vacant for longer than necessary,” says Kaitlin. “For instance we styled a house
which had been on the market for several months. We created a marketing angle and showcased the home in such a way that when it was relaunched onto the market with a bang, a high number of enquiries and home open attendees resulted in three offers over the first weekend.” Of course proof of the girls’ skills lie in the fact that those once-vacant properties are now in the hands of new owners - often at much more than the original asking price. For instance a Burswood-based vendor had this to say. “We were astonished at the difference it made to our home. They showcased areas of the property we simply overlooked. They used furnishings that really complimented the style of our home and really gave it a high-end luxe appeal. We were so happy with the professionalism and the service they provided ultimately resulting in over 40 people at our first home open and two offers, one exceeding our asking price by $60,000.” It’s a rule-breaking approach to the real estate market which is turning heads and causing vendors to ask their agents to put the Perth Style Co. on speed dial. MQ
What Stockland says... Stockland's WA general manager Col Dutton has no hesitation recommending Perth Style Co.: "Each home has been created to maximise the sparkling and uninterrupted Indian Ocean views with generous open plan living and extensive private balconies. "Perth Style Co. did an expert job in positioning each of our available Islands homes to ensure the furnishings matched the stunning location. Sara and Kaitlin strategically styled each home with a unique look and feel to meet different target markets. "Their styling also took into account the whole sensory experience in making an emotional connection to a home with thoughtfully considered individual iPod playlists, scented candles, locally sourced art pieces- even down to a pair of shoes or beach towel casually laying around! "Their styling helped position our product in a whole new light. This was appealing to fresh buyers who now call Islands their home."
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To stage or not to stage? It can be hard for first-time clients of the Perth Style Co. to understand the value of staging a vacant property, especially if the property is currently being rented to tenants. However, Sara argues that the advantages of staging a vacant property far outweigh the perhaps short-term advantages of collecting rent until the house sells. “Relying on tenants to present your home during the sale process could be risky,” she says. “Depending on the state of the home, it could really impact on the eventual sale price, all because the tenants didn’t clean or tidy the property to exacting standards buyers expect.” Equally if the house is allowed to sit vacant with no styling, a double whammy of no rent and low interest from buyers hits the poor vendor. “There are a lot of empty properties out there, all looking unloved and difficult for potential buyers to imagine themselves living in. Vacant homes also highlight all the flaws in a property - it’s hard to hide those cracks or scrapes when there’s no furniture in there.” Empty properties may also attract more of a security risk than furnished properties which appear to be lived in. However if you invest in a staged vacant property, the advantages are clear to see. “Yes, you may have to invest a few thousand dollars up front in staging your property, and yes you won’t be receiving rent during that period until it sells, but this investment will result in a quicker sale at a potentially higher price than its listing,” says Sara. “Leave the staging to us - we’ll make sure it matches the aspirations of the local buyer ensuring a swift and lucrative sale.” As that happy Burswood customer says: “Now we would never sell another property without having it professionally styled and of course by Perth Style Co.” Contact Sara at sara@perthstyleco.com. au or visit perthstyleco.com.au for details of their services.
PERSONAL TOUR
Pheobe Yang, sales associate at Auto Classic MINI Garage, picks out her five top features of the newest MINI in town
The MINI 5 door a personal tour
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Adaptive LEDs LED lights look great on the MINIs and the adaptive option gives great visibility when cornering at night. It also illuminates the road so perfectly of course.
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Sunroof/Moonroof Sunroofs are great fun for the driver and passenger, having one is already an indulgence but the MINI also has a moon roof for your rear passengers so no one misses out!
3 3D Professional nav This gives off such a clear image. It has 15 zoom settings and allows you to achieve pin point accuracy to a 10M distance. The system also gives you a 3D view of the bigger buildings, so finding parking at your destination has become a lot more convenient.
AUTHENTIC • ORIGINAL NEPALESE CUISINE
4 Excitement package MINI offers LED mood lighting throughout the car. This means you can set it on your favourite colour or have a light show which illuminates the interior. Being visible at night, it just adds to the fun and enhances the driving experience.
The perfect place for
CORPORATE & BUSINESS LUNCHES
5
Fully licensed & BYO wine
Performance MINI has introduced its first 2litre petrol engine with a twin scroll turbo. This means it now has an output of 192bhp, 141 kw and 280nM of torque. If you combine this with its go-kart-style handling, it goes from 0 to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds, That’s pretty impressive for a cute little hatch. MQ marque autumn
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ALSO AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE
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17 Kearns Crescent, Applecross Ph 9364 5340 www.himaligurkha.com
R&R
Stand up and be counted Stand Up Paddle Boarding - or SUP to its fans - is the boom sport of the 21st century. Whether you just want to glide along looking at the fish, or tackle the surf, race others or explore our waterways, SUP has you covered. Plus, along the way it gives you a great workout. By Norman Burns. Images: Matt Jelonek
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o-one can really pinpoint the exact moment when surfing morphed into SUP - that’s Stand-Up Paddle Boarding to the uninitiated. Big wave surfing legend Laird Hamilton was one of the first to see its potential after initially using SUP as a cross-training tool. However, one thing is certain; in the past decade, SUP has gone from a specialist fringe sport to a worldwide “mums and dads” phenomenon. SUP itself has also evolved into different “branches” - from the Zenlike experiences of gliding silently on crystal-clear glassy lakes, rivers and oceans to a more combative,
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competitive version where SUP devotees on specially designed boards carve up waves just like their “normal” surfer counterparts. Western Australia is ideal for all forms of SUP; we’ve got the great Indian Ocean on the doorstep and endless stretches of calmer river and lake water. So how do you get into SUP? First port of call for the SUP “newbie” should be Stand Up Paddle WA (SUPWA) - that’s the umbrella body in the state and they’ll be more than happy to point you in the direction of lessons, what type of boards to look for and generally what a swell (pun intended) sport SUP is.
SUPWA covers the five main SUP disciplines: • Surfing; • Technical racing - around a buoyed course in the surf break; • Downwinding - surfing waves over distance WITH the breeze; • Flat water marathon - distances ranging from 5km to 20km; • Flat water sprint - 200m to 2km. SUPWA president Greg Kerr sums up why the sport has become so popular with one word - accessibility. “Basically you just need a SUP board, paddle and a body of water. Anyone one can do it, there
is no lengthy time to develop a competency that you would require in other water sports such as windsurfing or kiting,” says Greg, who was bitten by the SUP bug after his cousin enthused about the benefits for surfers of using a SUP board for cross training. “The fact that you stand up makes it more appealing than kayaking, also the higher view makes for a greater appreciation of your surroundings – not only on the water banks, but having a clear view of the water. There is also an element of tradition, that comes from the Hawaiian
River deep, mountain high I
am gliding on an azure astral plane with dazzling, curious fish for company. The world drifts by in super slow-motion with each educated, calm, precise stroke of my state-ofthe-art carbon paddle invoking a new sensory experience. I am a Stand Up Paddle board god… Well, that is how my (admittedly fuzzy this early Saturday morning) head had pictured things before my very first go at SUP. The reality is I am bobbing up and
down in a choppy Swan River, my beginner’s inflatable board going all “Exxon Valdez” on me and drifting further and further out of reach. I can swim - so drowning is not an option - but adding to the ignominy of falling off the SUP board is the loss of my just-bought prescription sunnies - buried in the very slimy bottom of the Swan when yours truly and the board parted on rather abrupt terms. I’ve joined a group of (mainly) SUP newbies, gathered at Bardon marque autumn
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culture which started SUP in the 50s. Easy going and accepting, which creates a great community – SUP people are cool!” Of course, if you don’t have the slightest competitive gene in your body but still want to get out and experience SUP, that’s OK too. Greg’s advice for beginners is “keep it fun” but he also offers this valuable tip: “Try thinking not just to pull the blade through the water but ground the blade in the water like a pole vault and pull/vault yourself over the blade.” Check out supwa.com.au for details of how to get into the great sport of SUP.
Park, Bayswater, on a beautiful - and usually tranquil - bend on the river. Thanks to the crew at Action Sports WA, everyone this morning has the chance to give SUP a go and try out some of the different boards available (and there are many). Alas, the weather gods are dishing up a roaring easterly wind that even seasoned SUP-ers would describe as “challenging”. To a balance-challenged novice like myself this proves to be a Mission: Impossible; well, almost. Action Sports WA owner Darren Marshall and SUP fanatic and instructor Cristiana Chessa are on hand to give out tips, act as
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SPORT FOR ALL Those keen to give SUP-ping a go just need a board, a paddle and some water.
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The technique is to use leverage from your hips to power the paddle through the water. It's this action that helps strengthen the 'core'. . .
EXTREME FUN: Left, Sun, surf or snow - SUP is a worldwide phenomenon, whatever the conditions as US paddle boarder Karol Garrison proves during this outing at Saint Joseph, Michigan. The temperature? A not so balmy -1°C. Picture: Joshua Nowicki
“lifeguards” and - in my case - yell out frantically as my $600 scrip sunnies descend into the briny. Darren runs through some tips before any of us even hit the water. “Don’t just use your forearms to paddle; you’ll get tired very quickly,” he says. Rather, the technique is to use leverage from your hips to power the paddle through the water. It’s this action that helps strengthen the 'core' and one of the big reasons SUP is drawing in so many fans - it is a workout on the water for people who are not really into “workouts” (and that would be me). I’ve picked a 14ft inflatable board to begin with, one of around a dozen different brands and types. Two
boards at the end of the row look like Exocet missiles, all lean and mean - racing boards that are designed to go fast but have a much smaller “footprint” and thus are much less stable than the big boards. The inflatable also has the advantage of being softer should you fall on it (and this proves prescient indeed). “Unless you’re experienced don’t go for the race board,” says Darren. “They can be easily damaged.” He doesn’t use the word “costly” but we all take the hint. My board is allegedly easier to stand up on (this takes some time) and after winning the gold medal for going around in circles I finally get the nose into the wind and
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we have lift-off. My paddling (from the forearms - the core bit looks like it will take some time to master) becomes metronomic; the board is going forward; with elation comes hubris and this proves fatal. Too busy looking at where my feet are (“look at the horizon,” yells Cristiana), I let the board turn with the wind. Turning side on, I lose momentum; the wind gets under the board and, together with an all of 10-inch chop, my first SUP foray is about to come to a soggy end. I lean one way, then the other but Sir Isaac Newton was right all along. Head-first I plunge into the depths, my fancy Porsche designer glasses flying off to become fish dinner.
I give SUP one more go before raising the white flag and head inshore where getting the board back on the beach becomes a battle of epic proportions, the strong breeze turning the board into a giant sail. A spectator comes to the rescue and gingerly I put “Exxon” back on the sand. So it wasn’t ideal SUP conditions but I can see the attraction of the sport (that is, if I had my sunnies I could see). Cristiana and Darren are positive reinforcers of the first order and encourage me to “get back on the horse” on a calmer day and come for lesson. “If you didn’t fall off at least once, you weren’t trying,” offers Darren and he is probably right. Darren and Cristiana say getting on the water is the best way to improve your SUP skills, but Action
Sports WA also has a SUP Ergo paddle simulator (the only machine of its kind in WA) that helps finetune paddling technique on terra firma. Heading back to the car park I chat to others who came down for the SUP tryout; the two St John ambo officers who, like me, were transfixed by the sight of SUPpers silently cutting through crystal-clear, flat water near Cottesloe. Like me, they found today’s going tough but say this hasn’t put them off wanting to give it another go. One even offers to lend me her sunnies so I can drive home safely. Hell, if that’s the SUP spirit, count me in. Action Sports WA (actionsportswa.com. au), based in Balcatta, is a specialist in SUP and kiteboarding. Call 9240 8547 for details on equipment and lessons. .../ continued over marque autumn
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Get on board
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he beauty of SUP is that it can be all things to all people; the downside of this, of course, is it can be confusing for beginners just where to start when buying a board. Consulting a specialist SUP retailer, or the folk at SUPWA, is probably the best option. Many SUP retailers do special deals but a ballpark figure for getting a board and decent paddle is around $1300. Plus, unless you opt for an
inflatable board, you’ll need roof racks and storage equipment. Another smart accessory is a “surfer’s lock” where you can put your car keys when out on the water. Oh, and from personal experience I would also recommend a strap to secure your sunglasses... Meanwhile, check out these boards, available from S.O.S Fremantle (9430 7050, visit sossurf. com.au).
mage Mission 12’6” 336 Litres Inflatable Price: $1,395
Best for:
Cruising, downwind or flat water. Suitable for beginners or accomplished ocean-going paddlers. Board can be deflated and packed up for easy storage.
Naut Allrounder Wave 9’6” x 32”
Price: $1,395 Best for: Great
Sly Dog’s new tricks
paddler for smaller surf or flat water.
Image: Courtesy Neil Pendlebury
Perth’s Neil Pendlebury earned his chops in the high pressure world of sales and high finance but the lifelong surfer saw a great opportunity outside the boardroom when SUP began to take off. He came up with his own SUP board design, aimed to tackle waves just like the normal “short boards”. Now his Sly Dog brand offers around 100 board variations, all customised to suit a designated weight range of the older surfer. “I’ve deliberately added extra volume to assist the heavier, older surfer,” says Neil, who says surfing waves on a SUP board is addictive and challenging. Plus, SUP is a real hit with the ladies… “SUPping targets and tones the core muscle. Women love it as it’s more fun than Pilates and they look great doing it,” he says. Neil’s next project is to set up a cafe-cum-SUP school at Port Bouvard, where no doubt the Sly Dog boards will take centre stage. For more information, call Neil on 0409 290 026.
Sly Dog Allrounder 10’2” x 32.5” Price: $1,595 (package includes paddle, leash, fins and bag) Best f or: Good surfing board, an easy rider’’ because it is so wide in the tail and would suit beginners in flat water or surf.
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Naish Hokua X32 9’6” x 32”
Price: $1,995 Best for: Great wave ride board, small to large surf.
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phone 132 663 | www.boattrader.com.au
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my mq
Driving force Peter Peard, founder and CEO of the Peard Real Estate Group has loved the BMW brand for over 20 years so much so that he’s invested in a fleet of BMW 1 Series for his lucky staff.
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ars, like houses, are something of a passion for Peter Peard, the founder and CEO of the Peard Real Estate Group. In his late 20s he imported second hand cars from Japan before the lure of real estate saw him become a shareholder and director working with Satterley real estate within four years. “After that I went into land sales for a year and then an opportunity came along which eventually allowed me to form the company in 1997.” All the while, Peter was investing in the BMW brand, buying a bright red 3 Series in 1992. Even back then, though, he was aspiring to have ‘the best’. marque autumn
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“I was 27 and bought it off a mate but even then I really wanted the 7 series. The next step should have been buying the 5 series but my dream was the 7, so I skipped the 5 and went straight for the 7.” It’s this kind of determination to be the best, to have the best, which has coloured Peter’s ethos both personally and in his business life. The Peard Real Estate Group regularly scoop the top honours, state-wide, in terms of the best performing office (Hillarys) and with 13 offices now open from Karratha down to Mandurah, the Peard brand’s steady march to state domination seems an inevitable fact of life in the notoriously cut-throat real estate arena. Peter’s relationship with Auto Classic began 19 years ago when he bought a second hand 7 series. “What really stands out when you’re dealing with Auto Classic is the service department - it really is top
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notch,” he says. “You’re treated like a business class customer and the team, headed up by David Burnley, is a key reason why I like to do business with Auto Classic.” One of the most important factors in the Peard Real Estate Group’s story of success so far is its ability to attract and retain the best staff around. Again, Auto Classic has played a key part in this move, with the decision to equip the company’s property managers with 1 Series Peard-branded cars. “I hired a 1 Series when I was travelling in Europe last year and was
Park for instance - I’m sure we’ll be adding to the fleet.” Giving their property team the edge thanks to the BMW badge makes the match-up between the Peard and car brand a sweet one, and, thanks to Auto Classic’s fouryear buyback program, it’s easy for Peter to ensure that his staff are always behind the wheel of the best model possible. “Our goal over the next few years is simple. We want to become the number one group in WA. We’re currently sitting in the fifth spot despite the fact that we only have 13 offices. In comparison to other bigger
GROWTH INDUSTRY Left, Peter Peard with his BMW 7 Series and bottom, two of the Peard Real Estate's corporate fleet of 1 Series. Below, Tash Welburn, who is heading up the new Peard office in Victoria Park and Peter.
super impressed with the car,” says Peter. “We decided that as a premium brand ourselves, we wanted our property managers to drive in a premium car. We tried other models but the value of this car made the decision a no-brainer.” Good property managers are notoriously hard to find so using the BMW 1 Series, as an incentive was another important factor in the decision-making process. “We’ve invested in a dozen so far and with new offices opening up throughout the year - we’re just opening up a new office in Victoria marque autumn
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companies, we sell a phenomenal amount of houses - around 3,000 a year. " It’s only a matter of time before we grab the top spot overall. “People want to be around successful people and we’re finding that reps are knocking on our door these days, keen to have a slice of the action.” In the meantime, Peter has got his eye on adding to his own personal fleet of BMWs which includes a 7 Series currently. “I’m looking at buying a Sunday drive car and the BMW i8 is a real consideration,” he says. MQ Visit peard.com.au for more information.
culture
CRitiCs’ CHOiCe It’s time for the 26th annual Alliance Francaise French Film Festival and, this year, film critics extraordinaire Margaret and David are the patrons.
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he Alliance Française French Film Festival, returning for its 26th annual season at Luna Palace Cinemas from March 19 until April 7, is one of the nation’s most
sparkling film events, introducing culture-hungry cinema goers all around the country the treasures of the French cinema. And this year, festival organisers have good reason to be excited about the line-up which celebrates Gallic film-making at its best. Revered film critics Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton will be the festival’s 2015 patrons, great news for all their legions of fans who are feeling bereft since the pair departed our screens at the end of 2014. Beloved by movie aficionados throughout the country, Margaret and David will lend their distinctive ‘je ne sais quoi’ to the festival, which
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continues to fascinate, enchant and captivate Australian audiences more with each passing year. It’s no exaggeration to say that Margaret and David have enjoyed one of the longest and most enduring partnerships on Australian television. Their deep love of cinema and lively repartee made At the Movies (ABC TV) and The Movie Show (SBS TV) essential weekly viewing for nearly three decades. In celebration of this association, Margaret and David have had ‘carte blanche’ to select their favourite Festival titles. Here, in their own words, are their personal ‘picks’ of the festival:
MARGARET’S SELECTION 3 HEARTS (3 Coeurs) Director: Benoît Jacquot Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Chiara Mastroianni & Benoît Poelvoorde Benoît Jacquot has created a sublime, if painful, romance with fate intervening in the lives of a taxman, played beautifully by Benoît Poelvoorde, and two sisters sublime performances by Charlotte Gainsbourg and Chiara Mastroianni. To add to that duo of fine European women, Jacquot has cast iconic Catherine Deneuve as their mother. Mainly set in a provincial town south of Lyon, the coincidence of two sisters falling for the same man in a ‘coup de foudre’ is both bizarre and yet totally understandable. The ramifications of that situation lead to a powerfully emotional film that references great romances of the past. This a moving, unmissable movie experience.
STARRY STARRY NIGHTS Charlotte Gainsbourg and Catherine Deneuve star in 3 Hearts, above and below, and left, Vigo Mortensen in Far From Men.
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FAR FROM MEN (Loin des Hommes) Director: David Oelhoffen Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Reda Kateb & Antoine Laurent Viggo Mortensen must be one of the most adept film actors with language. Here he speaks a slightly accented French, as befitting his heritage as Daru, the son of Spanish settlers in Algeria. The year is 1954, the year the National Liberation Front began its uprising. Daru is a teacher in a remote location and is aware of the tentative safety of his position. Does he stay or go? That decision is made for him when a prisoner Mohamed (a wonderful performance by Reda Kateb), is delivered to Daru with instructions to deliver him to the court in Tilsit, where he will almost certainly be found guilty of murder and executed. Loosely based on a short story by Albert Camus, The Guest, Far From Men unravels in spectacular landscapes as an exploration of moral dilemmas in the guise of a Western. Music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis adds enormously to the atmosphere of this film by David Oelhoffen.
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CLASSIC MOMENTS Grand Illusion.
THE LAST HAMMER BLOW (Le Dernier Coup de Marteau) Director: Alix Delaporte Cast: Romain Paul, Clotilde Hesme & Grégory Gadebois If you remember Alix Delaporte’s debut film Angèle et Tony you will be impelled to see her second feature, in which the stars of Angèle et Tony, Clotilde Hesme and Grégory Gadebois once again occupy centre screen, but this time not so much together. The connecting link in their relationship is their son Victor, an electric performance from young newcomer Romain Paul (who won the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor at the 2014 Venice International Film Festival). Victor lives with his mother, who is suffering from an unknown disease, in a trailer park on the edge of the sea. He’s a talented young soccer
player whose coach sees his potential. His estranged father is a famous conductor who is visiting the nearby town of Montpellier to present a Mahler symphony. Victor’s attempts
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to deal with his mother and connect with his father are the heart of this terrific film. Delaporte has subtext down to a fine art. Her scenes are subtle and incredibly moving.
DAVID'S SELECTION DIPLOMACY (Diplomatie) Director: Volker Schlöndorff Cast: Niels Arestrup, André Dussollier, Burghart Klaussner, Robert tadlober & Charlie Nelson Volker Schlondorff’s intense adaptation of Cyril Gely’s 2011 play unfolds during the night of August 24-25, 1944 in the Hotel Meurice, the Paris hotel that serves as the headquarters of General Dietrich Choltitz, the German Governor of the occupied city. The Allies are at the city gates and, following Hitler’s orders, Choltitz is prepared to destroy the city and its monuments - until an intervention from Swedish diplomat Raoul Nordling, who, during an intense and emotionally charged argument, puts forward the case for saving the city. Niels Arestrup as Choltitz and André Dussollier as Nordling, give commanding performances in this totally gripping drama. THE BLUE ROOM (La Chambre Bleue) Director: Mathieu Amalric Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Léa Drucker, Stéphanie Cléau, Laurent Poitrenaux & Serge Bozon For his second feature film as director, Mathieu Amalric has turned to a book by crime writer Georges Simenon about a passionate smalltown love affair that ends in death and retribution. Amalric himself plays Julien, a married man who embarks on a clandestine affair with Esther (Stéphanie Cléau). Lovers of well-made thriller and tasteful eroticism will be amply rewarded by Amalric’s stylish and intelligent treatment.
TOKYO FIANCÉE (Tokyo Fiancée) Director: Stefan Liberski Cast: Pauline Étienne, Taichi Inoue, Julie Le Breton, Alice de Lencquesaing & Akimi Ota This film recounts the experiences of Amélie, a Belgian girl who attempts to make a life for herself in Japan. Stefan Liberski’s version of Amélie Nothomb’s eponymous novel gains enormous benefit from the charming central performance by Pauline Étienne, whose love of all things Japanese quickly develops into a passion for Rinri (Taichi Inoue), a rich youth who pays for her to give him lessons in French. GRAND ILLUSION (La Grande Illusion) Director: Jean Renoir Cast: Jean Gabin, Dita Parlo, Pierre Fresnay, Julien Carette, Eric Von Stroheim Jean Renoir’s timeless anti-war classic, made in 1937, stars Jean Gabin as a French POW during World War I. The screenplay, by Renoir and Charles Spaak, is based on a true story, and the film is memorable marque autumn
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POWER AND PASSION The Blue Room.
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because of Renoir’s approach to friendship and the loyalties forged by class, so that the aristocratic French prisoner (played by Pierre Fresnay) has more in common with the German camp commandant (a great performance from legendary director Erich von Stroheim), than with his fellow countrymen. MQ
Proudly presented by the Alliance Française in association with the Embassy of France in Australia and the generous support of Principal Sponsor Peugeot, a vanguard of Europe’s automobile industry, the 2015 Alliance Française French Film Festival comes to Perth from 19 March - 7 April, 2015 @ Cinema Paradiso, Windsor Cinema and Luna on SX. Tickets on sale now via Luna Palace Cinemas. For updates, visit affrenchfilmfestival.org.
business class
first among equals Etihad Airways has set a new standard in luxury with its new premium cabin design says Geoffrey Thomas.
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he synonyms for opulent are luxurious, sumptuous, palatial, not to mention lavish. However, now you can add an airline’s name – Etihad Airways - to that list because opulent is the only way to describe what the airline has achieved with its latest cabin makeovers for first class and business class. There is no question these new interiors are a defining moment in the evolution of in-flight offerings, like the introduction by the then Malaysia Singapore Airlines of free drinks in the 1960s, Qantas’ roll out of business class in 1979, British Airways cabin maker-overs of the 1990s or Air New Zealand’s recent economy SkyCouch.
In the words of Etihad’s chief executive, Australian-born James Hogan, the airline set out to make the “single biggest commitment to cabin interior product design made by any airline in the world. “As we have done so many times in our short history, we are reshaping the landscape of modern air travel in our own way.” With the new interiors, Etihad has moved from being a follower in the industry to being a leader. Launched late last year in the airline’s first A380 and Boeing 787, the new interiors will be progressively fitted to the airline’s existing fleet. marque autumn
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Etihad engaged three UK-based designs teams for the makeovers but Etihad’s experts were also involved, according to the airline’s chief operating officer Peter Baumgartner. “This was a six-year project and with such high aspirations and ambitions we needed to lead from the inside,” Mr Baumgartner told MQ. With the A380, Etihad has also introduced a new class called The Residence — pitched at those who would normally fly on a corporate jet. The single Residence has three rooms, no less — lounge, bathroom and bedroom. And the lounge room has two separate
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dining tables and, of course, a butler to attend to your every whim. With a fare effectively double first class, because it covers two passengers, you would expect and you get two LCD TVs – 81cm in the living room and 68cm in the bed room. And yes, there is a 208cm-long double bed. Overpriced? Not all says Mr Baumgartner. “For a three-room cabin, it’s not overpriced.” But you are going to have to pay hard
up into a bed — they wanted both, no less. From your lounge chair you can view the LCD TV, or it can be swung out when you go to bed. And that bed is 204cm long and 66cm-wide and is transformed from the couch by the flight attendants. If you’re travelling with your very better half the central divider can be moved partially back so you can have a goodnight kiss or two but not much more. I'm certain that the airline does not encourage “mile high antics.”
The menu À LA CARTE
قائمـــة الطعـــام
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money for The Residence. Mr Baumgartner told MQ that it would lose “its aspirational value” if passengers could upgrade through points. But don’t stress. If The Residence isn’t an option (return flights from Perth to London Heathrow cost around $60,000), then the new first class is in a class of its own. And at around $12,000 for a return ticket from Perth to the UK, it offers extraordinarily good value too. Called First Apartments, the area is made up of a couch on one side and a chair on the other. The airline’s studies showed that the well heeled did not want a single seat that made
STARTERS
المقبالت والباردة
Arabic mezze appetisers Eastern hot and cold
المزة العربية تشكيلة من مقبالت الشرق األوسط الساخنة
a selection of Middle
Lemon marinated salmon dressing, avocado mousse wakame salad, ponzu and fresh herbs
سمك السلمون المتبل بالليمون سلطة أ عشاب تتبيلة بونزو،واكامي البحرية قشدة ا ألڤوكادو واألعشاب الطازجة
and pimento soup Roasted sweet potato chives with double cream and
شوربة البطاطا الحلوة المشوية والفلفل الحلو مع الكريما المضاعفة والثوم المعمر ّ
MAINS
األطباق الرئيسية
Steamed fillet of snapper ms, tomato, capers garlic butter, mushroo broccoli kipfler potatoes and
فيليه سمك النهاش المطبوخ بالبخار الزبدة الكابير، الطماطم، الفطر،بالثوم البطاطا والبروكولي
Roast duck breast s, kumera potato mash trussed cherry tomatoe porcini mushroom jus asparagus spears and
صدر البط المشوي ،الطماطم الكرزية البطاطا الحلوة المهروسة عيدان الهليون ومرق فطر بورسيني
lamb Arabic spiced loin of t pumpkin roasted courgette, butternu aromatic sauce braised freekeh and
شرحات لحم الضأ ن بالتوابل العربية القرع األصفر،الكوسا المشوية الفريكة ّ المحمرة والصلصة العطرية
goat’s cheese ravioli Smoked tomato and onion confit, rocket leaves herb cream sauce, red n and shaved Parmesa
معكرونة راڤيولي بجبنة الماعز والطماطم المدخنة صلصة كريما كونفيت البصل األحمر،األعشاب أوراق الجرجير وجبنة البارميسان المبشورة
CHEESE
األجبان من األجبان الرائعة العالمية
As you would expect gadgetry abounds and there is even a chilled mini-bar while the mood lighting effects that can be set up are stunning. And all first-class passengers have access to an additional bathroom/shower on the opposite of the cabin to The Residence. On the smaller Boeing 787 the designers downsized the First Apartments to suites — not quite as spacious but every bit as luxurious. And as if the first class makeover wasn’t enough the airline has transformed international business class. By using a mix of forward-facing and rear-facing seats they have been able to increase the space by 20 per cent. In both the Etihad A380 and Boeing 787 every business-class seat has direct aisle access and a fully flat bed giving maximum flexibility to move about and sleep. Those who wish to work are going to love the new suites which feature a significant amount of the flat space for laptops and tablets — even when you’re dining. Electronic connectivity is at your fingertips and there is a 45cm LCD TV which can be connected to your devices. One clever feature is the redesign of the toilets with a corner bowl to maximise space. Why didn’t they think of that before, one asks? Overall the impression of the new interiors is pure opulence with soft gold, cream and brown tones throughout, giving the cabins a warm inviting glow. MQ To book visit etihad.com/en-au. Geoffrey Thomas is editor-in-chief of airlineratings.com and The West Australian's aviation editor.
nal cheeses
A selection of fine internatio
تشكيلة
DESSERTS
الحلويات
Roz bel laban with cardamom Arabian warm rice pudding and orange blossom
أ رز باللبن حلوى بودينغ األرز العربية الساخنة مع الهال وأ زهار البرتقال
Passion fruit curd tart and fresh berry salad vanilla double cream
تورته فاكهة الباشن بالخثارة كريما الڤانيال ا لمضاعفة وسلطة التوت الطازج
Seasonal fresh fruit
فاكهة طازجة موسمية
A selection of ice cream
تشكيلة من اآليس كريم بنكهات متنوعة
flavours
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SUPREME SERVICE Etihad Airways has put together an exceptional package of luxury in the air for its Business, First and The Residence class customers.
last word
Seven Deadly Sins
drisana LEVITZKE-GRAY | YounG australian oF tHe Year
D
risana levitzkeGray is the 2015 Young Australian of the Year and thanks to her work with the deaf community, the Perth campaigner is following in her family's footseps of making a difference for her generation.
My seven sins (Gluttony) What is the food you could
(Sloth) Where would you spend a long
eat over and over again? Guacamole and corn chips - you can never go wrong with a really good homemade guacamole! I am also obsessed with Bubble tea, especially the lychee green tea with the tapioca pearls.
time doing nothing? Floating in the serene waters of Cape Leveque and lying under the stars that feel so unbelievably close to you in Windjana Gorge National Park in the Kimberley.
(Greed) You’re given $1m that you have to spend selfishly – what would you spend it on? I would invest it so I could draw on it to continually be able to fund grants and projects for the deaf community. A sustainable income Image by Matt Jelonek for the community will ensure that at Matisse Beach Club there are always opportunities for deaf people to be able to follow their dreams and receive financial YOUNG LEADER support to make it happen. The deaf Drisana Livitzke-Grey is in high demand community has given me so much to speak across the and shaped me into the person I am country at schools and today. And maybe I’ll shout myself a organisations about the importance of Auslan. lovely relaxing massage.
(Wrath) Which news story makes you white with rage? The news stories that paint the cochlear implant as a universal miracle cure for deafness and a focus on speech exposure for deaf children only, to the exclusion of sign language, frustrate me enormously. The implant is not a panacea for all – many families are given false hope believing the implant will make their child ‘hearing’. After unsuccessfully investing much time in trying to teach deaf children to hear and speak, families are sometimes left with deaf children at age 8 or 10
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who are effectively ‘languageless’. They haven’t managed to acquire meaningful spoken language skills, yet they’ve also never had access to Auslan (Australian Sign Language), so they live in language limbo. A linguistically impoverished childhood can then have a severe impact on cognitive development, self esteem and mental health, leading to high rates of underemployment and unemployment in deaf adults. All the research evidence points to there being significant advantages in deaf children having early access to sign language – I wish more families were given this information and supported in their efforts to learn Auslan.
(Envy) Who's shoes would you like to walk in? I would love to walk in the shoes of my great-grand mother, Dorothy Shaw, who did so much for the deaf community in Australia. She was an early pioneer of advocacy for deaf people, and was instrumental in setting up the first formal association in Australia to increase the rights and opportunities of deaf people. Sadly, I never got to meet her, and to walk in her shoes would be a real honour. (Pride) What is the one thing you’re secretly proud of? My confidence and my smile. Being positive in sharing my message goes a long way in raising awareness about Auslan and the human rights of deaf people, especially for deaf children in Australia.
(Lust) Who makes your heart beat faster? Standing in front of a crowd of people that I am about to speak to is like going on one of those crazy adrenaline-rush rollercoasters. Most of all though, it would be the absolute love of my life, my confidant, my other half and definitely my best friend, Braam Jordaan, who I am so lucky to call mine. He supports me unconditionally and always makes my heart race. MQ
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