For me, the timelessness of the Dampier Peninsula was a very welcome withdrawal from the modernity and luxury of Broome - a real retreat, so says our Travel Guru.
Melbourne's Laneways have become destinations for locals and visitors, They are colourful alternatives for music, art, bars, and restaurants. They are also places to stroll and to party. And their character changes constantly.
Komodo National Park comprises a number of islands, and is on the World Heritage List. Two of its largest islands, Komodo and Rinca, are the main habitat of the world's largest lizard, the Komodo Dragon.
The Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of America is almost winning the race as the replacement for the many cook books weighing down my bookshelves.
Endangered Phrases is a catchy title for a book about intriguing idioms dangerously close to extinction. I did enjoy reading through the idioms, those that I knew and those that I didn't know. After all, Price does provide interesting definitions and explanations.
This book by Ina Caro is not a work of fiction. It stems from the author's realisation that from Paris by train there is an opportunity to progressively visit the cathedrals and fortresses of the Middle Ages, the cities and castles of the Renaissance and key locations from the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries.
Bali: The Food of My Island Home is a delectable manifestation of food, art, writing and place. Its Australian author, Janet de Neefe, has lived in Bali for over two decades and knows very well how to introduce the food of Bali to newcomers.
A Magic Gecko by Horst Henry Geerken, tells us that a gecko's frequent calls are carefully counted by Indonesians. When the tokek calls, if it's an odd number it's a sign of luck, and the more times it calls, the more luck it denotes.
Flavours of Melbourne celebrates the food and bar scene that
is well known to Melbourne 'insiders' like Jonette George and Daniele Wilton. George wrote
the copy, Wilton designed the book and Brad Hill took the photographs.
Late last century, the shifting sands and clays of the dunes, yielded the 40,000 year old remains of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady. In the early 21st century, they revealed the fossilised human footprints of adults, teenagers and a child running through muddy ground that seeped through their toes. The footprints dried and were thus preserved for 20,000 years."
The 2011 Ubud Writers and Readers Festival offered a cultural smorgasbord, or Rijsttafel, as a banquet is called in Indonesia. It was a whimsical fusion of colours, flavours and styles from Indonesia, Australia, and all the continents on the globe.
Near the Udayana University between Jimbaran Bay and Nusa Dua where the environment provides the right vegetation for larvae, pupae and butterflies for at least 80 species and allows 50 species of birds to flourish and fly. And there are five species of land snails and the occasional squirrel.
The Geelong Wine Region is part of the Port Phillip Wine Zone in the State of Victoria. It's a cool climate wine region with a similar terroir to the famous French wine regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy.
This is a book to have with you at home as you taste and compare different wines, checking and double checking against descriptors and check lists to see what you can identify and what you can learn to identify. It's also a book for professionals.
The
tour combined visits to retail outlets and restaurants, a visit to a
Lebanese bread manufacturer and expert commentary, on this occasion,
from Sharon Salloum.
It's like rubbing Aladdin's Lamp, one of the most famous tales
of the Arabian nights, 25 tales from the 9th century
are interspersed with equally ancient recipes for sweets and desserts
referred to in the tales.
Outback Australia - Travelling On The Sheep's Back
As part of a self-drive tour of Australia's outback, Marjie Courtis visited three
disused shearing sheds in three days, and old river landings and ports
on the Murrumbidgee, Darling and Murray Rivers. Full Story.
Book Review - Produce to Platter: Mornington Peninsula
With the possible exception of the coverage of the wineries, there is far more
focus on the platter than there is on the produce of this region than there is
in its namesake on the Bellarine Peninsula. Full
Review.
Book Review - Produce to Platter: Geelong and Surrounding Regions
The conceptual idea of a book devoted to the ingredients and
culinary outputs of particular geographic region, comes from Jonette
George and Daniele Wilton, a mother and daughter team whose love of
regional produce is clear from the outset. Full Review.
Travel - Geelong : A Bright Look At Itself
Geelong
takes a bright look at its past with a series of more than 100 boldly
painted and decorated bollards, permanently ensconced on its
waterfront. The bollards, reclaimed from a dilapidated pier on Corio
Bay. Full
Story.
Travel - Mauritius: Making up for Lost Dodos
In Mauritius one can also pay homage to the long-lost dodo and other
extinct species, a consequence of Western colonisation. At Ile aux
Aigrettes (Egret Island) a set of sculptures of a number of extinct
species. Full Story.
Travel - Cycling North East Victoria
Cycling
and food pursuits complement each
other wonderfully in North East Victoria. Join Marjie Courtis as she
cycles her way around NE Victoria enjoying the sights, the wine and the
food. Full
Story.
Book Review - Feng Shui For Dummies® (2nd Edition) - David Kennedy
It is hard to resist a book that promises you simple ways to improve
so many areas of your life - Wealth, Fame, Marriage, Children, Helpful
People, Career, Knowledge, Family and Health. Full Review.
Travel - Madagascar : First & Third World Encounters
Madagascar
is a place of the unexpected. You can expect Bank and Road Encounters
of the Third World Kind, and Mobile Phone Encounters of the First World
Kind. Full
Story.
Travel - Madagascar - Follow the Lemur
In the grand scheme of the animal kingdom, the enchantingly alien lemurs
belong to the class of mammals, the order of primates and the family of Lemur
(Lemuridae) both found at the Lemur's Park, Antananarivo, Madagascar. Full Story.
Travel - Madagascar : No Ordinary Island
Marjie Courtis found that in many ways her preparation for Madagascar was good, but in many other ways, it was
totally inadequate. But visiting a unique country like Madagascar is not
something one can readily prepare for. Full
Story.
Book Review - Understanding Color : An Introduction for Designers (Fourth Edition)
This book by Linda Holtzschue is a valuable book with application
far beyond its primary target market of design professionals. The
language of color is used clearly and cleverly that its
concepts become accessible to anyone with an interest in color. Full Review.
Travel - Millau, the Millau Viaduct & the Massif Central
Le Viaduc de Millau is a man-made wonder spanning a
wondrous valley in the Massif Central of France. The elegant multi-span
cable-stayed bridge has linked the Causse Rouge and the Causse Larzac above the
Tarn Valley. Full
Story.
Book Review - Introduction to Graphic
Design Methodologies and Processes
While the book targets graphic designers, it has some universally relevant
themes for target marketers, digital producers, and creative types in all
modalities. Full Review.
Travel - Sea Kayaking the Abel Tasman, New Zealand
The Abel
Tasman Coastal Track is one of New
Zealand's nine Great Walks. My friends and I made Abel Tasman National Park a
two day sea-kayaking destination. Full
Story.
Photography - Bruno Benini and Fashion
Photography : Creating the Look
Benini's passion for photography meant capturing the crucial fashion shot at
the precise moment, providing movement, action and drama, while never
overshadowing the model, the clothing or accessories that were his subjects. Full Story.
Book Review - Concrete: A Seven Thousand Year History by Reese
Palley
Reese Palley examines the 7,000 year history of
concrete although, controversially, according to our reviewer, should it really
only be 3,000 years. Full
Review.
The Arts - The Paintings of Dai
Wynn
Dai Wynn, an Australian artist, paints from recollections of his own travels.
But he also allows his buyers to re-live their own memories. Bright is a word
that does characterise Dai's works. Full Story.
Book Review -Type Rules! : The Designer's Guide to Professional
Typography
Type Rules! : The Designer's Guide to
Professional Typography by Ilene Strizver is a comprehensive source of
information about the technicalities and art of typography. So for an
authoritative, interesting and practical guide this book provides a great
starting point. Full
Review.
Restaurant - Moorilla
Estate
The Canal du Midi is more than a recreational zone for cyclists and
boaters. It's a world heritage listed oeuvre d'art (work of art), and
also a hydraulic and structural engineering feat and one of the worlds
first designed landscapes. Full Story.
The Arts -
Chantale Delrue
On a private peninsula on the Derwent
River, North West off Hobart
sits Moorilla Estate which is diversifying well beyond its wine-growing origins
from having the largest private art museum in the Southern Hemisphere (MONA) to
a first class restaurant in The Source. Full Story.
Gardening - Tropics in the 'Burbs -
Organic Gardening
Just a few kilometres from the busy Camberwell Junction, you'll see
dense jungle-like foliage, colourful bougainvilleas, flowering tobacco,
elephants ears, succulents, spiky canna lilies and meandering paths.
And a kitchen garden with avocadoes, water chestnuts, aromatic herbs,
figs, grapes and stone fruits. Full Story.
Haberfield, Sydney - Food, Foodies & Focaccias
Visit
Haberfield, Sydney for an Italian food experience. This suburb, 6 km
west of Sydney's CBD, celebrates three different cultures at Piazza
Federazione on Ramsay Street and sports three flags, one Italian, one
Australian and one Aboriginal. Full Story.
France - Cycling on the Canal du
Midi
The Canal du Midi is more than a recreational zone for cyclists and
boaters. It's a world heritage listed oeuvre d'art (work of art), and
also a hydraulic and structural engineering feat and one of the worlds
first designed landscapes. Full Story.
Tasmania -
Hobart
With brochures, including The Farm Gate Guide, Tasmania's Wine
Routes, and the flyers for Cadbury's factory and Cascade Brewery I set
off to explore Hobart, including Sullivan's Cove, Salamanca Market
& Moorilla Estate and so much more. Full Story.
Tour de Bellarine Peninsula
The Bellarine Peninsula, where Cadel Evans spends time on his bike
during Victorian summers, offers plenty of modern attractions - a
water park, surfing, sailing, diving, golfing, music festivals and
fishing. Not to mention gourmet delights and swimming with dolphins. Full
Story.
New Zealand
- Walk in Tongariro National
Park
The Tongariro National Park has many claims to fame. For a start,
it's the location of one of New Zealand's nine Great Walks. It is also
one of the 890 World Heritage Sites. Whether tramping the Mount
Tongariro Northern Circuit or not, a visit to Tongariro National Park
will almost certainly be anybodys cause for celebration. Full Story.
New Zealand - Trekking Lake
Waikaremoana
The Lake Waikaremoana Track is located in the Te Urewera National
Park on the North
Island of NZ. It is located 614 metres above sea level and is 46
kilometres long. It is one of New Zealand's least tramped Great Walks. Full Story.
New Zealand
- Trekking The Heaphy Track
Sitting on a huge drift-log on a very wide beach, I watched the
incoming tide occasionally defeat the Heaphy River's narrow mouth,
crashing into the outflow and sending waves rippling swiftly along the
river for a hundred metres. In the background, spectacular, sonorous
waves pounded and plumed over Heaphy Bluff.Full Story.
