‘CityNews’ wishes all its wonderful readers (naughty and nice) a Merry Christmas and a safe, Happy New Year
By Danielle Nohra
BEFORE racing out to buy a new imported “thing” to give as a Christmas present, chief economist at The Australia Institute, Richard Denniss, asks people to step back and reconsider it.
Does the person need new things or would an experience be more exciting and thoughtful?
Richard, of Watson, 47, says this strange desire to spend money people don’t have, to buy things they don’t need, to impress people they don’t know is called “affluenza”.
And, in his new book “Curing Af fluenza: How to buy less stuff and save the world”, Richard explains how in the last decade Australians have been trained to think that replacing their phone or shoes is not only a good idea but good for the economy.
But, is it really?
“In the lead up to Christmas we import an enormous amount of crap because we’re told the more we do the richer our economy is,” Richard says.
“What it really does is boost part of the economy. While there’s no doubt that Christmas is great for the shops that sell things we don’t need, that doesn’t mean it helps the economy, it just changes it.
“Every $1000 we spend on imported
intensive, Australian businesses such as restaurants.”
There’s more jobs in the service sector than in the imported stuff, so Richard asks why people don’t spend the $1000 on a local personal trainer rather than an imported exercise bike, which probably won’t be used.
If money is spent on services rather than imported “stuff”, Richard says Australia would reshape its economy and create more jobs, similarly, if a majority of people spent more on secondhand goods, or had stuff repaired.
“While we’re told that we as individuals or we as a community can’t shape our economy, the fact is we already
“I never had breakfast in a cafe until I was about 24, but now, because millions of people eat in cafes daily, cafes employ more people than the mining industry did.
“We invented it, the desire for someone to cook eggs for millions of people, and it has radically shaped our economy.”
Another example Richard uses is grass, and says growing grass wasn’t a thing before World War II.
“Our culture has an enormous impact on what choices we think are acceptable,” he says.
“Our culture tells us that growing grass is a fun thing to do even though
the rest of the world (excluding America) doesn’t have a lawn.
“Once upon a time we didn’t spend $10 on a bottle of water but when everyone’s doing it, it doesn’t seem crazy anymore.”
The premise of the book isn’t that buying things is bad, but what Richard is saying is people need to learn how to care for and love things.
“Imagine if you bought a puppy and you loved it, and it was the cutest puppy in the world. Then later, a newer, cuter, designer puppy came out. Would you throw it out?” he says.
“Most people wouldn’t, so why buy stuff that you know you won’t love, or someone else won’t love?”
Instead, Richard challenges people to step back and ask: “Who am I buying for and what would make them feel special?”
“It might be baking them a cake. It might be offering to babysit or clean. It might be giving them your favourite recipe. Who knows?” he says.
“But the idea that a purchased object signals love and generosity is as weird as it is new.
“Giving gifts is culturally important. All cultures give gifts. But the issue is what kind of gifts we think are thoughtful and appropriate.”
“Curing Affluenza”, $27.99 (paperback) or $11.99 (eBook) at blackincbooks.com. au/books/curing-affluenza
Every move you make…
THERE will be an increased focus by police on drink and drug driving, as well as alcohol-fuelled, anti-social behaviour, during the holiday season.
ACT Chief Police Officer Justine Saunders said the Regional Targeting Team would be out in force this summer.
She said the team worked closely with staff and patrons at licensed premises to identify any problem areas or people. It targetted anti-social and violent behaviour that placed the safety and security of others at risk.
“It is also important individuals recognise the need to take personal responsibility for their own behaviour – know when you have had enough to drink, and when to end the night and head home,” she said.
“Drink responsibly, look after your friends and get home safely.
“The campaign will also focus on impaired driving, with police maintaining a highly visible presence on ACT roads throughout the summer. Alcohol and drug-impaired drivers pose one of the highest risks on ACT roads – by removing impaired drivers the potential for serious injury or fatal collisions is greatly reduced.”
Economist and author Richard Denniss… “Cafes employ more people than the mining industry did.”
Photo by Danielle Nohra
Let kids enjoy Christmas their way, says Sue
Children can continue to amaze you if you do stop and listen, paediatrician Sue Packer tells KATHRYN VUKOVLJAK
CHRISTMAS can be a difficult and challenging time for kids, says community paediatrician and former Canberra Citizen of the Year Dr Sue Packer.
Mother of three and grandmother to three little ones, all of whom live in Canberra, Sue says that often kids have too many toys and clothes, and that it’s becoming harder to get a feeling of specialness for anything.
“Christmas is so commercially driven and there are enormous levels of complexities here,” she says.
“Children are particularly vulnerable because they pick up on this idea of spending money to buy happiness.
“Many parents will spend six months planning Christmas with limited money, and it’s pretty well always a disappointment because your dreams become impossible.
“To begin with, the food isn’t important to the children. If the grown-ups want food, that’s fine, but the kids will be overwhelmed with excitement and presents.
“If they eat a sausage that’s probably all they’ll manage, so don’t worry about trying to involve them in any of that. Just have stuff they like, a bowl of cut-up fruit or bits and pieces they can
help themselves to.”
Sue, who helped set up the ACT’s Child At Risk Health Unit in 1990 and has worked extensively with troubled children, says it’s also a hard time for divorced families where the kids are expected to do Christmas twice within 24 hours.
“The children do have some idea of what’s expected of them, that they’re to be grateful and excited all over again, where for many they are already blaming themselves for the break-up anyway, with thoughts of: ‘If I’d been good, it wouldn’t have happened’.
“It can become the most dreaded part of the holidays.
“I’ve seen through my work the uncertainty of violence, the differing response to the same situation. It often comes after Christmas, when the bills come in.
“And it is so often tied up with mental health problems, alcohol at this time of year and the parents’ re flections on their sadness about their own childhood. It can be a bit of an emotional stewing pot.”
Sue says that the idea of children making a Christmas list is a good one, but that it doesn’t hurt to have the moral discussion that some children
“I think remembering that it’s largely their special day and trying not to have them tearful and scolded and being good and not noticed, when you’ve got them all hyped up.”
Sue believes that taking the time to have a relaxed bedtime is very important, particularly at Christmas.
“It’s that by-the-way statement you’ll hear as you’re turning off the light at bedtime that you need to pay attention to, because it’s only when they’re soothed down enough that it comes out,” she says.
“You can’t be rushing off somewhere else. Take the time at bedtime, ask them questions, like what’s the loveliest thing that happened today that you’d like to go to bed thinking about? You need to give kids some hints about these things and it then becomes a good mental health strategy
“You can then reinforce it by saying: ‘What I’m going to remember is this thing that was just so lovely’, and it becomes something you do before you
“And it’s a perfect time to ask a child this at Christmas: ‘What do you think made Christmas special this year? What should we do next year?’ We’re not curious enough about what it’s all like from their perspective.
“They can continue to amaze you if you do stop and listen.”
Community paediatrician Dr Sue Packer… “Children are particularly vulnerable because they pick up on this idea of spending money to buy happiness.”
Photo by Kathryn Vukovljak
NEWS / neighbourhood watch
Feeling safe can start with a simple ‘hello’
By Danielle Nohra
“TWITCHING-curtain parade”, “vigilantes”… Neighbourhood Watch has been called many things over the years, but its ACT president Margaret Pearson says its role is a lot simpler than people imagine.
Neighbourhood Watch groups in Canberra don’t spy on their neighbours or chase baddies, but share the simple goal: get to know the neighbours.
Margaret, of Farrer, says if people know their neighbours then they’ll notice when something odd happens and can report it to the police or Crime Stoppers.
“You really need to know what’s go ing on with your neighbours because police can’t be everywhere,” she says.
“It’s as simple as saying ‘hello’ and it’s not difficult.”
The idea is that knowing the neigh bours means they’ll keep an eye out for anything strange happening when you go on holidays.
But there’s more to Neighbourhood Watch than that, says Margaret. The groups around Canberra inform the community about current scams, pro vide bushfire tips, as well as informa tion on reporting domestic violence and preventing crime.
“A lot of it is opportunistic crime and neighbours. Neighbourhood Watch’s current community has about 5000 members in get started.
“We really just need a key person within the group and then we help
SERIOUS ABOUT HAVING
them set up,” she says.
Margaret gave the Farrer group a new lease on life after she attended the Woden district Neighbourhood Watch meeting, with her husband, about 17
“It’s really up to you to do something about your neighbourhood. We blame the government or police but it’s our responsibility,” she says.
“So many people say: ‘What do I get out of it?’ You gain a lot from getting to know your neighbours and getting to know your community.
“It’s about protecting your home and vehicle and protecting yourself.”
And, Margaret says, the Farrer group, which has the largest number of members in the ACT, has one of the lowest crime rates in Canberra.
“There’s no responsibility for a member to do anything, but if you join we hope you get to know your neighbours,”
“In the long run it pays to know and get on with your neighbours. It’s much better if you have a problem with your neighbours to meet them before the is -
“If you’re interested in the community and want to put something into it,
“And it’s free to become a member. All you need is a police check.”
To join an ACT Neighbourhood Watch group visit nhwact.com.au
WHAT TO DO
Margaret’s top tips for holidaying Canberrans:
• Tell a trusted neighbour when and for how long you’re going.
• Make sure all doors and windows are locked.
• Put a stop to getting papers and mail or ask neighbours to collect it for you.
• Don’t leave the car outside, put it in the garage.
• Don’t leave a ladder leaning on or near the house.
• Don’t leave tools around (robbers could use them to break in).
• Leave lights on in the house or a radio so it appears that someone is home (an automatic outdoor light also helps).
• Don’t shut the house up too much, otherwise robbers will know you’re away.
• Know the right number to call: if a robbery is happening in the present, call 000. However, if it’s already occurred then call the police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333000.
• Clean gutters if away during the bushfire season.
FAIR TRADING / retail rights
If the gift has to go back?
AS the days get hotter, wallets thinner and waists bigger it usually means one thing: Christmas is around the corner!
With it comes an increased flurry of activity as we head to the shops or go online to snap up gifts.
This is often followed by the inevitable question for both the gift giver and the recipient: how can I return the not-so-loved present which is not my or their thing?
In what will be my last column of the year I thought I’d tackle this as well as some of the other common questions and consumer tips at this time of the year which often attract calls into Access Canberra. For a good mix I’ve also thrown in some safety tips which are critical for a safe festive season.
My top six consumer tips of Christmas:
• Refunds are not an automatic right: you can always exchange an item but you can’t demand a refund if a present is the wrong size or colour or if you change your mind. Some retailers will give a refund but it is at their discretion. Know what policy the store has before you buy. See accc.gov.au for
You can always exchange an item but you can’t demand a refund if a present is the wrong size or colour or if you change your mind.
more information.
• Petrol: at this time of year, shop around for the best deal. Rule of thumb – areas where there is strong competition is where you’ll usually fill your tank for less.
• Button batteries: they are small, shiny and power almost everything these days. Unfortunately, they can also be mistaken by kids as a type of galactic lolly. Keep them out of reach and ensure they are secured in children’s toys or remotes. They can cause serious injury if ingested.
• Gift cards: keep receipts when you purchase and check the cards carefully for expiry dates and terms and conditions. Again how expired cards may be honoured by a retailer is at their discretion, as are lost cards.
• Sad but true: we often see an increase in scams around this time of the year. Make sure those you choose to extend your goodwill
to are legitimate charities or organisations and if in doubt, don’t give your details out! You can check scam details here: scamwatch.gov.au
• Toys: Purchase toys that are age appropriate and check them for quality and any loose parts that could cause a choking hazard. And always supervise children with toys on land and in the water! On behalf of Access Canberra I’d like to wish readers and their families a safe and restful Christmas and New Year break.
David Snowden is the ACT Fair Trading commissioner.
DAVID SNOWDEN
ACT Neighbourhood Watch president Margaret Pearson… “You really need to know what’s going on with your neighbours because police can’t be everywhere.”
Photo by Danielle Nohra
Put the focus on your lifestyle
ONE MAN’S CANBERRA HEALTHY EATING
Get back to running the country
IT was certainly a great day when same-sex marriage was finally legalised in Australia, albeit after millions of dollars were spent for a plebiscite (sorry, mail-in survey) that told our politicians exactly what dozens of opinion polls had already told them.
You knew, I knew and I think in their heart of hearts even the staunchest opponents of samesex marriage knew that parliament should have got on with the job much faster and earlier.
History will show that they didn’t, but now it’s done, so can they please now return to the task of actually running the country?
If you wish to dispute this, that’s fine, but first tell me this: other than same-sex marriage, what achievements will our Federal politicians be remembered for when 2017 is examined by the historians?
And, no, continued disharmony among the ruling party doesn’t count.
I’m sure there’s something substantial, there has to be, they couldn’t have had all those sitting days without getting something done, could they?
It escapes me what it might be, but if you know, please put your
Here you go, Chief Minister, your get-out-ofcriticism-free card. Bulldoze Canberra Stadium. Have it flattened. But don’t replace it with just a sports stadium...
answers on the back of a postage stamp and get them in to me.
At least they got one thing done. But can an argument be mounted that getting something done is actually overrated?
(Memo to self… Try that with the boss. In 2018 do nothing but collect salary and have it count as an achievement).
Before you scoff, think of the NSW government. It decided to do something, but it seems the something it has chosen is the wrong something. Yes, there’s a big mess in Macquarie Street because of the announced rebuild of not one, not two, but three football stadiums. This move has generated massive amounts of negative feeling. So massive that a petition against the decision to rebuild two of them drummed up more
than 100,000 signatures in a matter of days and the count is still rising.
One of the arguments put by the many opponents of the stadium rebuild is that they are rarely full in their existing configuration.
This is usually countered by comment that the money could be better spent on schools, hospitals or public transport. Funnily enough, they’re often full or too full.
So how could a government take the eventual lessons learned from same-sex marriage discussion and the stadium-rebuilding debacle and come up trumps on all fronts?
Well, there could just be something in this for Canberra. While our rainbow roundabout in Braddon is a nice tribute, how
about something bigger, more easily spotted from a distance, and longer-lasting than a multicoloured lick of paint?
Bear with me, because our GIO Stadium is now 40 years old and in need of a facelift. Or a rebuild. So here you go, Chief Minister, your get-out-of-criticism-free card. Bulldoze it. Have it flattened.
But don’t replace it with just a sports stadium. Have it festooned with permanent wedding decorations and when it’s not being used for sport, make it the National Same-Sex Marriage Centre!
Chris Coleman hosts “Canberra Live”, 3pm-6pm, weekdays on 2CC.
Simple tricks to survive festive fare
Dietitian CLARE WOLSKI shares some super simple tricks to get through Christmas with minimal weight changes
CHRIS COLEMAN
ARIA award-winning, Sydney based electronic dance band Art vs. Science is headlining the free New Year’s Eve concert in Civic Square.
The three-piece consists of James Finn on vocals and keyboards; Daniel McNamee on vocals, guitars and keyboards; and Daniel Williams on drums and vocals.
The family friendly show will also star locals the Brass Knuckle Brass Band and Harry Carman. Art vs. Science will perform its latest single “Wickoo” plus hits “Parlez Vous Francais”, “Magic Fountain” and “Flippers”.
In Garema Place, from 9pm on New Year’s Eve, Bass in the Place will get underway with a free, all-ages dance party from a line up of DJ talent headed by one of Australia’s top DJs, Ember (of Ministry of Sound fame), who will get crowds dancing along with Canberra’s Blanke, DJ Clique and Peter Kiemann.
There will be fireworks at 9pm and midnight.
Bring a salad – Offer to bring a salad with all your favourite veggies to your next barbecue or a family gathering. That way you know you have the option to load up half your plate with vegetables and prevent yourself overdoing the calories. Contrary to popular belief, you can win friends with salad! Make a fruit-based dessert – While the puddings, trifles and pies are the traditional Christmas fare, opting for a fruity dessert is an easy way to reduce the calorie density of the Christmas season.
• Chop some strawberries and watermelon into small pieces and sprinkle with fresh mint!
• Dice up some kiwi fruit, layer it with passionfruit and yoghurt.
Make a spritz – Alcohol is easily one of the biggest contributors to weight gain over Christmas. An easy switch is to pour half the glass with soda water or sparkling mineral water before topping it up with wine or bubbly. It’s a slightly different taste but once you have the drink in hand, your brain will hardly notice.
Hide some veg from yourself – If you’re lining up to fill your plate at a Christmas feast, start with the non-starchy vegetables. Grab some of the beans, asparagus, pumpkin and salad and get your plate at least half full first. Then put the meats and starchy veg on. You can even go one better and put a bit of veg on every forkful before you pick up the meat. Take a deep breath – When there is a lot of different foods on offer, it’s so easy to get a bit FOMO (fearful of missing out), and over-eat. We are picking out the next delicious thing before we have finished the mouthful of the one before. A simple strategy to manage over-eating is taking one to two deep breaths after every mouthful. It’s a small action but it can have a really big impact on how much we end up eating.
Repurpose chocolates – Many of us are inundated with chocolates and sweets over the Christmas period. Unfortunately, the strategy of “eating it now so it won’t be there to tempt you later” doesn’t work! Try melting some of them down and drizzling them over fresh fruit. Or make your own healthier rocky roads (healthyeatinghub.com. au/healthier-rocky-road/), which could make for a great re-gift!
Plan an activity – Catching up at Christmas doesn’t have to be all about food and drink. If you want to spend time with your friends, family or co-workers, plan to do something active. A rockclimbing afternoon, a game of cricket or badminton, a walk around Lake Burley Griffin. Even a ping-pong tournament could be a great way to catch up away from the smorgasbord (beer pong doesn’t count).
Clare Wolski is a practising dietitian at The Healthy Eating Hub, call 6174 4663.
On 1 January 2018, the part of ActewAGL that looks after the electricity and gas networks will be changing its name to Evoenergy.
You’ll still talk to ActewAGL, or another retailer, about your energy bills. But Evoenergy will deliver your electricity and gas through our networks to you.
This change has been brought about from a decision by the Australian Energy Regulator.
This is simply a name change. What doesn’t change is our commitment to you.
We will continue to maintain the electricity and gas networks with a high standard of service, safety and reliability.
Contact Us
You can continue to report unplanned outages on the emergencies and faults lines.
“LIVING in interesting times” is the phrase that comes to mind while reflecting on the politics of 2017. Across local, national and international, the achievements of this year are likely to be lost in the fog of confusion, amateurish behaviour, laziness and by even more public disillusionment.
When all but four members of the House of Representatives voted in favour of marriage equality, it felt like Australia had come of age. Tolerance, understanding, respect and democratic process had finally come good to celebrate diversity.
Since becoming prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull has been under intense criticism for failure to stand up for his own ideals. His once strident stance on climate change melted away. His failure to stand up to the conservative elements in his party again and again has been part of the political landscape. On marriage equality, he finally took leadership and the vast majority of his troops fell into line.
Perhaps he learnt from the experience. He recently took the opportunity to attack Senator Sam Dastyari and raised concerns about the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in domestic politics. Despite complaints from China, Turnbull stood firm.
Internationally, 2017 was government based on media advantage. Donald Trump’s decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem was simply a red rag to a bull in the rest of the Middle East. Apparently there was no forethought regarding the eruption of dismay, dissent and demonstrations in the Muslim world. Unless it was simply to distract from the tweeting mess he had to deal with in Washington.
Claiming in a tweet that he had fired Michael Flynn because of his relationship with Russians, he opened a possible impeachment for interfering with an FBI investigation. In attempting to save the President from the offence his lawyer, John Dowd, then opened a can of worms by claiming authorship of the tweet.
Either the President is lying (which is pretty unacceptable) or his method of governing through tweets has been exposed as a “fake” with others tweeting. Interesting times when the US is governed in this manner. However,
Senator Katy Gallagher and the Labor Party were simply not careful enough with her citizenship papers. It must be considered sloppy or careless to fall foul of Section 44 of the Constitution.
the Jerusalem move did provide distraction regarding both the FBI issue and his tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy that passed through the Congress and the Senate.
The ACT was also in interesting times. Last year’s election saw overwhelming favour of an Independent Integrity Commission. Accusations of sleazy and inappropriate deals – especially in land development – drove the commitment. However, this year it seems that delay is the order of the day. In October a select committee finally tabled a report of more than 300 pages but establishment of the commission will apparently take another year.
The Canberra Liberals seem to be growing even more conservative. Senator Zed Seselja’s argument about respecting the outcome that he had demanded on marriage equality simply melted. He could not bring himself to deliver and was absent from the vote. Just too conservative.
Meanwhile, ACT senator Katy Gallagher and the Labor Party were simply not careful enough with her citizenship papers. There is an outside chance that the High Court might treat her as leniently as Senator Matt Canavan. However, it must be considered sloppy or careless to fall foul of Section 44 of the Constitution since the late 1990s when Heather Hill, from Queensland, lost her position as Senator for One Nation due to her dual citizenship.
“May you live in interesting times” is considered an old Chinese curse that only faintly covers up its own sarcasm.
Interesting times are great for political columnists. They’re just not so good for the community!
‘We work hard and care about the clients and care about the people we work with.’
Long-standing law firm celebrates the Big Four-O
KJB Law is one of Canberra’s longest-running, medium-sized, independent legal firms.
Its staff and partners celebrated the firm’s 40-year anniversary at Royal Canberra Golf Club on Saturday, December 9.
In January 1978, Ken Johnston recognised a need for legal services within the rapidly growing area of Woden and started practis ing as a sole practitioner. He was joined by Allan Bedford the following year. In January 1981, they established Ken Johnston Bed ford & Co to provide quality legal services at affordable prices.
Even though Ken and Allan have since retired, the team at KJB Law with its 31 staff, including 11 solicitors and two conveyanc ing managers, continues to provide an affordable, caring and quality service.
Jo Twible, one of the principals, describes the firm as client-focused and says it allows them to go on a journey with their clients and make long-term relationships.
“There’s a sense of family here and a really good work environment,” Jo says.
“We work hard and care about the clients and care about the people we work with.
“It’s a good place to work, but it’s also about getting the job done for the clients.
“We’re user friendly, too. When we meet with clients we believe it’s important to be able to listen and identify things that they haven’t, but also communicate in a way that they understand.”
KJB Law covers all areas that families and small businesses look for such as corporate; wills, probate and estate planning; family law; personal injury and damages compensation; real estate and conveyancing; and general litigation.
Jo says the long-term, committed staff give the clients a sense of comfort, such as one of its practice managers, Sue Hayes, who has seen it grow in the last 37 years from a team of six to more than 30.
Jo’s been at the firm for 20 years and, after working in family law for the first eight years, her practice now consists of commercial and estate planning, advising clients on the legal aspects of retirement village, aged care entry and exit.
Jo is one of the Law Society’s representatives on the retirement villages review advisory group.
“From a legal perspective, retirement village entry is much more complex than buying or selling a house,” she says.
“Retirement villages have great lifestyle benefits but it’s not without a cost.”
tion, which includes services such as drawing up Wills, Powers of Attorney and Family Provision Disputes, has been with the firm for 22 years, and is KJB Law’s current longest-serving principal.
Andrew was drawn to his career because he enjoys having direct contact with his clients, which he is able to do daily in a medium-sized firm such as KJB Law.
Principal Des Moore, a father of seven, specialises in all aspects of family and relationship law and has been with the firm for 15 years.
During his studies Des developed a particular empathy for people in the com munity who require guidance and advice when they find themselves going through a rough patch in their family circumstances.
These factors motivated Des to continue practising almost exclusively in the area of family law.
More recently Mark Tigwell and Erin Bedford joined KJB Law as principals and both look forward to making long-term relationships with clients in their specialty areas such as commercial law, estate plan ning and conveyancing.
The KJB Law principals… from left, Andrew Freer, Jo Twible, Des Moore, Erin Bedford and Mark Tigwell.
Sue Hayes and Sonya Amey
Sarah Stonehouse and Teyarna Matheson
Chalkie and Sandie Van Schalkwyk
Glen Watt and Dennis Hayes
Ed Handby, Melanie Poole and Scott Goodwin
Carrie-Anne Smith and Janine Porto
Emma White, Brendan Goodger and Sybilla Elvin
Lindsay Tobin, Philippa Webb, Ryan Cunningham and Sarah Doecke
Mark and Natalie Woodberry with Shakeela Kanakaratne and Francisco Colarte
Kim and John Twohill
CHRISTMAS GIVING advertising
converted part of its warehouse, which has been operating for 11 years, into a retail store and a tearoom.
“Tea has numerous health benefits and for someone who loves tea, our teas would make the perfect present,” Aman says.
“We also have 13 different kinds of tea packs which include teas and tea accessories.
“Our flavoured teas use natural flavours so our customers are assured that they aren’t drinking any artificially flavoured teas.
beautiful teaware, which are great gift ideas, too.
“Our most popular tea set is the ‘ultimate tea set’, which includes Adore Tea’s exclusive teaware,” he says.
But, if people can’t decide Adore Tea offers gift certificates in different price ranges.
THERE’s no need to squeeze through market crowds for a unique and interesting gift when The Paris End in Mitchell has an eclectic mix of handmade and vintage goods, says owner Anthony Bean.
The Paris End, an art and fashion store and gallery that supports local designers and artists, has items people would see at the markets but in a permanent shop with ample and free parking.
“There’s lots of stuff that could make great gifts, such as gift baskets from Peggy’s Pantry, handmade teas, candles, jewellery and a good collection of vintage clothing,” Anthony says.
“There’s new handmade Christmas cards from a
local lady who uses a range of different things, such as recycled paper to build a unique ‘3D-type’ card.”
The Paris End also has a range of gift tags and pins from Dementia Australia ACT, made through the “Quilts for Linda” program.
“We have things that are handmade, they’re more unique than things that have come off a factory floor,” Anthony says.
“A lot of passion goes into making each unique handmade item.”
The Paris End, 1/56 Heffernan Street, Mitchell. Call 0417 994049 or 6262 3237, email theparisendcanberra@ gmail.com or search @TheParisEndCanberra on Facebook.
DOWN Memory Lane has everything for Christmas, whether it’s a special gift, something festive for the table or something unique to wear, says owner Christine Lund.
Situated on Geelong Street, Fyshwick, Down Memory Lane is a family owned and run collectables store that sells items such as jewellery, furniture, clothes and kitchenware.
“We stock everything from quality, modern-day, usable items, right down to 100-year-old antiques and anything in between,” Christine says.
“People come in looking for vintage cutlery, glassware and china for a special dinner party, wedding, birthday or Christmas!
“There are so many one-off pieces, if someone is redecorating their house they can find a great shabby-chic suitcase or trunk or the perfect lamp. Our store is an interior designer’s delight.”
Down Memory Lane also stocks a range of vintage clothing, which Christine says is in perfect quality, even outfits from the ‘60s.
And if people are downsizing or clearing out a deceased estate, Christine says she’s able to come and gather certain items rather than people throwing them out.
Down Memory Lane, 34 Geelong Street, Fyshwick. Call 6228 1048 or visit downmemorylane.net.au
FAST NEWS FIRST
CHRISTMAS GIVING
Seriously healthy breakfast gifts
THE Muesli Bar in Fyshwick offers customised, handmade gifts of muesli, porridge and trail mix, says owner Lisa Fischer.
“People take their breakfast very seriously, so giving a hand-selected bag of muesli is the perfect way to show someone how well you know them and how much you care! We also have gorgeous hand-made layered muesli cookie jars specially for Christmas,” she says.
Lisa says she was always dissatisfied with muesli available at the supermarket, so she started making her own and perfected it “over many years and many bowls”.
“One day my husband asked if I could make him a toasted muesli, I did a bit of research and some experiments and the result was healthy and delicious!
“We thought it would be fun to share our passion for healthy eating and the ‘make-your-own’ muesli concept with others at the Capital Region Farmers Market as nobody was making muesli there. That was over four years ago, and things have just grown and grown from there.
“We’ve been here just over a year and have a commercial kitchen and a retail shop.”
The Muesli Bar, 5/64 Wollongong Street, Fyshwick. Call 0419 199567 or visit themueslibar.com.au
Teddy Bear Shop’s on the move
THE Teddy Bear Shop, home of quality, “soft cuddly” Christmas presents, has moved to Majura Park.
Meg Cutler and her husband Ian rescued The Teddy Bear Shop from closing 10 years ago and have now moved it from Civic to a community-focused area, where it will be around other speciality stores.
Meg says people can buy presents for Christmas such as soft toys, musical carousels, jewellery boxes and collectable plush toys, as well as popular brands such as Charlie Bears and Steiff.
Meg says people generally like to choose a bear because it has meaning to them, so gift vouchers are available, too.
“The bear chooses them, but we can show them a range of bears to start them off,” she says.
“Everybody loves a soft cuddly. And, when you get a dog and cat from us they don’t require any extra attention, just cuddles.”
CHILADA’S toys, gifts, clothing and shoes are unique and loveable items that won’t be found anywhere else, says local mum and owner Fenfen Li.
locals and customers Australia wide with good-quality toys and children’s wear that is fashionable and functional.
Park Shopping Centre, Chilada has a store close for Canberrans on the north or south side.
around, Chilada is a one-stop shop for school uniforms.
“So pop in and say ‘hi’, give us a call or send us an email – we’d love to see you soon,” she says.
Chilada Gungahlin, shop
Street, call 6162 1828.
Park Shopping Centre, call 6262 7887 or visit chilada.com.au
Special occasion? Let us design and make your unique
or wedding ring exactly how you’d like it.
Need or desire a new piece of Jewellery?
We can design any piece of jewellery to your specifications and custom-make it in-house.
Complex repairs? Difficult repairs are not a problem –bring your repair in and we’ll discuss what can be done.
Feel like a change? We do remakes using your existing jewellery to give you an exciting one-of-a-kind creation.
140/43 Hibberson
Chilada Majura, Majura
Rowland and Lisa Fischer.
Flight simulator gift guarantees memories
THERE’s nothing quite like the Jet Flight Simulator in Canberra, which is why owner Trevor Vickers says it’s a memorable Christmas gift for all ages. No experience is needed, so it provides the everyday person with the opportunity to sit in the most used plane in the world and experience what it’s like to captain the 737 using the replica 737 flight simulator.
Run by professional pilots, the Jet Flight Simulator is based on the Boeing 737-800NG.
It gives a sense of what it’s like to fly the world’s most popular commercial jet, and become familiar with the primary aircraft controls – engine throttles, flaps, elevator, ailerons and rudder.
“It’s pretty special that you’re guided through your flight with a qualified pilot and experienced simulator instructors,” Trevor says.
Gift vouchers are available online and Trevor says participants can also bring up to four passengers in for free.
Jet Flight Simulator Canberra, Unit 5, 4 Ipswich Street, Fyshwick. Call 0438 834026 or visit jetflightsimulatorcanberra.com.au
advertising feature
Give the gift of creativity
TREAT loved ones with the gift of creativity this Christmas from Eckersley’s Art & Craft in Braddon, Phillip, Belconnen or its online store.
Eckersley’s Art & Craft says it has the perfect gift ideas for artists and crafters of all levels.
Established more than 50 years ago, Eckersley’s Art & Craft is one of the largest fine art, craft and design supplies retailers in Australia.
Australian owned and operated, it has a wealth of knowledge in the industry with many of its staff coming from an art, craft or creatively skilled background, providing well-rounded support through its education division and retail stores.
The aim at Eckersley’s Art & Craft is to provide the best tools and inspiration for anyone’s creative journey.
Whether they are an inspired artist, a dabbler in the
For Trees, Ornaments and all things Christmas Open 7 days till Christmas
the Christmas Emporium, which Mike says is unlike any other Christmas shop.
“It doesn’t have all the flashing lights and cheesiness that we have come to expect from pop-up Christmas shops,” he says.
“It’s a pleasant and lovely place to browse, shop and feel the spirit of Mike says.
“We have train sets, beautiful floral picks and things as simple as Christmas tablecloths.”
Hang Ups Framing and Christmas Emporium, 80-82 Kembla Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 0312 or email info@hangups.com.au
Jasmin designs vibrant, ‘feel-good’ gifts
JAZMINBELL has a range of bright, bubbly presents, which are designed to put a smile on anyone’s face, says owner and designer Jasmin Owen.
“We have a variety of cold packs and satin sleeping masks, which are quite personal and vibrant,” she says.
“They’re feel-good presents that you wouldn’t necessarily buy for yourself.”
Jazminbell was created after Jasmin finished her design degree at ANU.
It was while she was selling products at the markets during Canberra’s winter that the idea for cold and hot
“Because of this, I’ve been able to create a product that’s designed by my customers and created for them,”
Jasmin uses rice in the packs, which seems fitting because her grandfather was one of the first to pioneer rice farming in Australia.
“There are a great number of benefits for using rice as an alternative to wheat, which are organic grains that can hold hot or cold temperatures over a period of
“The rice also suits anyone with any wheat allergies.
“We have also identified a wide range of lifestyle benefits for using these products including pregnancy, yoga, health, wellbeing, sport, comfort and relaxation.”
The packs can be used either hot (heated in the microwave) or cold (stored in the freezer) depending on the desire for use.
AVOID the Christmas chaos and buy someone the best view of Canberra without even leaving the house, says Balloon Aloft Canberra director John Sanby.
John says Balloon Aloft Canberra offers an “absolutely thrilling” experience on a hot-air balloon as it flies over Canberra’s icons, museums, grasslands and parks.
The Balloon Aloft Canberra website has its own “bookings” section so people
can buy tickets from anywhere.
“This is a gift you can do in a year and it’s completely different,” he says.
Balloon Aloft Canberra has been conducting spectacular balloon flights over the ACT since 1986.
Created by Phillip George, David Lowenstein & Peter Charles Morris. Originally produced Off-Broadway in New York City by Victoria Lang & P.P.
CHRISTMAS GIVING advertising feature
Take the Q and celebrate the new season
THE Q, the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, has a lot to be excited about in the New Year as it presents its 10th anniversary season, “Let’s Celebrate”.
Artistic director Stephen Pike says “Let’s Celebrate” is a mixed blend of genres such as thrillers and dramas, which relate to subjects that are real and present.
He says the selection of shows have the capacity to take audiences on a journey outside of their day-to-day routines.
“Words like engagement, inclusion, emotion and experience are high on the agenda,” he says.
“There will be musicals and comedy that will make you feel joyful and uplifted and take you back in time.
The handcraft and platinum specialists
CLOVER Jewellery has an on-site jeweller and designer so people looking for a special present can get one uniquely made for Christmas, says on-site jeweller James Oh.
Clover Jewellery is a family-run business, which has been in Canberra for more than three years after it was in Japan for more than 25 years.
“We provide a range of high-end and unique handmade jewellery as well as fancy and beautiful silver jewellery,” James says.
“We have lots of samples for customers to try or they can bring in their own design and we can make it on-site by our fully qualified jeweller. We have wedding rings and engagement rings for customers to try on, too.
“We are a handcraft and platinum specialist and we offer a laser-engraving and lasersoldering service, you can put a message in the ring along with a birthstone. It makes it very special and one of a kind.”
Based in Manuka, Clover Jewellery makes custom and unique pieces and also offers a free quote for its design services.
Clover Jewellery, 2/16 Bougainville Street, Manuka. Call 6295 8545, email clover.j@hotmail.com or visit @cloverjewellerycanberra on Facebook.
“You, the audience, will even get to choose how one story ends in a challenging and unique theatre presentation.
“You will see works that are culturally diverse relating to family and individuals based on real-life experiences.
“Also on the agenda will be award-winning entertainment for children and the tradition of ‘Morning Melodies’ will continue.”
gift under the tree
EVEN though Goodyear Autocare Gungahlin has been under new ownership since July, it still has the management team delivering the same great customer service, says owner John Wojcicka.
As car enthusiasts and long-term customers of Goodyear Autocare Gungahlin and Paul Whyte Automotive, John and his wife couldn’t resist taking on such a well-established business.
Now, the team are working on getting cars in tip-top condition for the Christmas break, so customers can have a stress-free holiday.
And, John says, what better way to ensure the family is safe while travelling over the Christmas period than giving someone the Christmas gift of a car service.
“It will minimise the chance of a break down, which is the last thing anybody needs on their way to visit relatives,” he says.
Other ideas for Christmas presents could be a set of new tyres or a tyre upgrade, a wheel and tyre package. John says lots of tradesmen are personalising their utility vehicles with aftermarket wheel and tyre packages or a vehicle service voucher.
John says a lot of customers aren’t aware that Goodyear Autocare is the full vehicle maintenance and service package, not only tyres and wheels.
“We do all log-book servicing, brakes, suspension, essentially everything other than major mechanical works such as a full engine rebuild,” he says.
Goodyear Autocare Gungahlin, 1 O’Brien Place, Gungahlin. Call 6255 4955 or go to goodyearautocare.com.au
Queenie van de Zandt in ‘BLUE: The Songs of Joni Mitchell’.
HELP! IT’S THE HOLIDAYS Summertime and the
SCHOOL’S out for the year and the long, summer holidays beckon. But it’s still a great time to learn new skills for life, be it music, circus, paleontology or sport.
Here’s a look at
Enjoying the best of birds
GET up close and personal with a range of birds at the Canberra Walk-in Aviary.
The aviary is a 1000sqm planted walk-in enclosure that has about 550 birds from about 60 different species.
“The aviary is great fun for all ages. You have the chance to get up close and personal with a range of birds,” says Mick Logan, owner and manager of the aviary.
“While not all birds will interact with you, you get the chance to observe, up close, species of birds that otherwise would be hard to see in the wild.
“We give you a small plate of food
Australia’s premier elite sporting precinct
School holiday fun at the AIS
Keep your kids active over the break — with a range of fun sporting and fitness activities to choose from, they’ll never be stuck on the couch during the holidays again!
Select from Multi-Sports, Pre-School, Soccer, Tennis or Cricket Camps. Fees apply. Bookings are essential.
AIS Tours
Go behind the scenes on an award-winning 90 minute AIS Tour. Daily 10am, 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm. Fees apply.
manager Jesse McConaghy.
These summer holidays the AIS has a variety of programs for kids, including multi-sport programs and sport specific camps for soccer, tennis and cricket.
“We give parents an option to bring their kids, keep them active, expose them to new skills and make some new friends,” he says.
“Programs focus on participation, you don’t need to be an expert athlete. “We cater to a wide range of skills,
playing they can take a tour through AIS where they might catch some of Australia’s top athletes training. The tour also incorporates “Sportex”, a leading interactive sports exhibit set amongst a collection of Australian sporting memorabilia.
Australian Institute of Sport, Leverrier Street, Bruce. Holiday programs via 6214 1281 and tours at 6214 1010 or visit experienceais.com
‘The Canberra Walk-In Aviary is a 1000 square metre planted walkin aviary, located in Gold Creek Village NICHOLLS, where the friendly free flying birds can be observed, photographed and fed. It is our mission to allow people to interact directly with the birds. Visitors to the aviary walk amongst more than 500 birds representing 60 different species from Australia and around the world.
Visitors are given a small plate of food and some of the birds will come and interact with you.’ Trading hours Open every day of the year 10am to 5pm – except Christmas Day (Last admission 4.30pm)
grammar and vocabulary classes.
This two-week camp will run for three hours daily, but Anais says parents can sign their children up for a morning or afternoon.
“It’s really flexible, they can even sign up on the day,” she says. “But, if they’re looking for a full French immersion we recommend they do the full two weeks.”
Drawing from research, Anais says learning a
Alliance Française de Canberra, 66 McCaughey Street, Turner. Call 6257 6696, email enquiries@afcanberra.com.au or visit afcanberra.com.au
Theresa Bradaric.
The idea for Kids Pantry formed when Theresa, who is also a nutritionist and dietitian, discovered her son was anaphylactic and her daughter was highly allergic.
“I came to the realisation that there are multiple families in the same situation,” she says.
“After running free talks and workshops for parents in need, I soon discovered it was the children that also needed the encouragement to enjoy safe foods.”
Theresa says cooking is a life skill that everyone should be encouraged to embrace.
Kids Pantry will be running classes all December, which will incorporate a range of Christmas recipes such as gingerbread houses, chocolate christmas trees, glazed ham, scrumptious salads, prawn dishes and even gift-making day on December 23. Theresa says in the January holidays Kids Pantry has a fabulous three-week program running, which includes its famous “Blueberry Farm Excursion” road trip.
AFTER volunteering at his daughter’s childcare centre’s music sessions, Glynn Masterman became inspired to combine his love of electronic music with his appreciation of children’s creativity.
He established ZZ Electronica to give children the opportunity to make electronic music and at the same time boost their confidence and teach them teamwork.
The experience showed Glynn that children of all ages really benefit from a hands-on experience with machines such as samplers, effects processors, sound loopers, theremins and electrical conductors.
Amazed by consistent positive receptions, Glynn decided to expand the concept to include the “Zibber Zabber” character and create workshops for kids of all ages.
Glynn says in the puppet show children get to experience all the excitement of electronica when they meet “Zibber Zabber”, the amazing robot from outer space with his collection of intergalactic musical instruments.
No musical experience is required and Glynn welcomes children of all dispositions and abilities to his holiday workshops.
“For the comfort of any children with auditory defensiveness, headphones are provided with each device or you are welcome to bring your own,” he says.
ZZ Electronica. Call 0421 976877, email Contact@ zzelectronica.com or zzelectronica.com
Zoo promises a wild time for kids
WHETHER it’s joining in on a Christmas-themed activity, visiting the new open-range section or staying in the award-winning Jamala Wildlife Lodge, the National Zoo and Aquarium has a range of options to keep visitors entertained these holidays, says business manager Russel Jackson.
From December 18-24, the National Zoo and Aquarium will be having “a really wild Christmas”, with Christmas-themed activities and enrichment for the animals.
Then, throughout January the zoo will be focusing on the “summer heat” and how animals cope with the hot months.
Russel says “summer heat” will include things such as animal ice treats and swimming pools, as well as talks and activities.
The zoo will also be hosting a “primates week” from February 12-18, which will feature special talks about primates.
But outside of these focuses, Russel says the reasonably new open-range section will make for a fantastic day.
“The zebras are back on display, we have more cheetahs, maned wolves and, new to the zoo, wapiti, which is the largest kind of elk from North America,” he says.
“Within that area we have a special picnic area with cabanas and a waterfall among the rhinos, cheetahs and the giraffes.”
National Zoo and Aquarium, Lady Denman Drive. Call 6287 8400 or via the website nationalzoo.com.au
Looking for something to do these school holidays...?
Do the Zoo!
Visited the zoo lately..?
The National Zoo & Aquarium has undergone a transformation over the last 12 months. We have a whole NEW section to explore and heaps of NEW animals to see! Of course you will still find all your favourites - Lions, Tigers, Monkeys, Giraffes, Bears, Meerkats and many more!
Now with over 2.3km of walking trails, enjoy a leisurely stroll through our landscaped grounds and follow our Adventure Trail to see all our amazing residents. Bring a picnic and take advantage of our free BBQ facilities and cabanas scattered around the zoo, including the new Viewing Park with tropical gardens and a waterfall. Discover Fern Gully, a lush oasis nestled in the forest with a few suprising prehistoric inhabitants! Prebook an Animal Encounter or Tour online or participate in our Daily Keeper Talks and feeds.
Whatever your day’s plans - adventure or relaxation - enjoy a day out at the zoo! For more information, tickets, bookings and daily schedules, please visit our website.
BarbarySheep!
Maned Wolves!
The Viewing Park - central picnic area
Rhinos!
Tigers!
NEW YEAR’S EVE IDEAS
DON’T leave your New Year’s Eve plans to the last minute, especially when there is such a fabulous choice of venues and experiences able to take your booking now…
Fun, friendly and fabulously French
FORGET the hassle of the city, Buvette Bistro & Wine Bar has planned a memorable New Year’s Eve where people can enjoy delicious food and great wine, says the outlet’s operations manager, Robert Mawson.
“Our philosophy is good food, great wine, excellent service and atmosphere,” Robert says.
Located in Hotel Realm, Buvette is a casual, relaxeddining experience with a focus on fresh produce and bold French flavours, with its French executive chef, Fabien Wagnon, who is classically French trained.
“The New Year’s Eve menu that chef Fabien has prepared is a great representation of Buvette’s most
popular dishes, so we can guarantee you won’t leave disappointed,” Robert says.
“We pride ourselves on our fun and friendly atmosphere, with passionate staff who are passionate about food and wine and love sharing this with our customers.
“New Year’s Eve will be no different, just with some added excitement!”
Buvette Bistro & Wine Bar, 18 National Circuit, Barton. Call 6163 1818, visit buvette.com.au or email buvette@domahotels.com.au
WITH a view of the New Year’s Eve fireworks, diners can watch the sky light up while enjoying the wonderful food and excellent wine that 65 Northbourne has to offer, says general manager Toby Sargent.
65 Northbourne, which was formerly Benchmark Wine Bar, recently underwent renovations, turning a Canberra icon into what Toby describes as a beautiful and open space with a new lease on life.
Now, guests can enjoy this new space with the New Year’s Eve five-course, modern-European influences menu.
“We’ll be doing a wonderful rack of lamb, we’ll have French
champagne and beautiful Sydney rock oysters,” Toby says.
“We use some of Canberra’s best local produce to support the community.
“We also have the best and most expansive wine list in all of Canberra, which includes wines from all over the world but also the best of what the local region produces.
“We want people to come for the whole evening, eat, view the fireworks and feel at home.”
65 Northbourne, 65 Northbourne Avenue, Civic, below the Novotel Hotel. Call 6262 6522, email info@ benchmarkwinebar.com.au or visit 65northbourne.com.au
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Perennial Little Prince gets loved-up again
By Helen Musa
“THE Little Prince” (Le Petit Prince), the 1943 novella by French aviator Antoine de SaintExupéry, is one of the world’s best-loved works of literature and the second most-translated work ever, behind the “Bible” and just ahead of “Pinocchio”.
Somehow, with the whimsical and allegorical tone of the book, it was inevitable that Canberra composer, singer, artist, writer and educator Judith Clingan would turn it into a work of musical theatre and she did.
She wrote her first version of the script last year with six songs and incidental music and toured it to the Edinburgh
Waldorf Wayfarers from Australia, Taiwan and Italy.
When the show was staged in St Mark’s Unitarian Church in Edinburgh, one critic praised Clingan’s “summery songs” adding: “The action was… four-dimensional with birds on sticks being flown around us about the pews”.
Now, just before Christmas, Canberrans will get to see the updated 75-minute version. Over the past few weeks, Clingan’s written two additional songs, which will feature the same principals, Rohan Vicars from Melbourne as the Aviator and Sigmund Nock from Lorinna, in Tasmania, as the Prince, as well as most of the other Australian actors.
All the performers are musicians and actors Clingan has taught or worked with and, by adding Wayfarers from Canberra, Melbourne, Tasmania and a Coffs Harbour group of school-age performers, she’s assembled a cast of 30.
Vicars will direct the actors and Clingan the music, while puppets have been made by Sydney artist Raphaela Mazzone.
Most children will be familiar with the story of the pilot stranded in the desert who meets a little boy who asks him: “Please, draw me a sheep”. What follows is a quest to find a beautiful rose, but en route they meet explorers and scientists and learn what it is to be alive, though death hovers in the background.
The Waldorf, also known as Wayfarers Australia, was founded by Clingan in 1997 when she brought together students, parents and teachers from several Steiner Waldorf schools in Australia to encourage teenagers, particularly boys, to enjoy singing choral music in four parts, but it has grown to include performers from around the world.
Named the inaugural Canberra Artist of the Year in 1991, she has founded, co-founded and/or directed SCUNA, (the ANU Choral Society) Canberra Children’s Choir, the Young Music Society, Canberra Recorder and Early Music Society, Gaudeamus, Lady’s Mantle, Voicebox Youth Opera, Imagine Music Theatre, A Chorus of Women, The Variables and, of course, The Wayfarers.
“The Little Prince”, Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 7pm, December 20; 2pm, December 21-22. Bookings to trybooking.com
By Helen Musa
YOU know it’s Christmas when a local theatre company decides to stage the famous American holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”, based on the 1947 film of the same name that, in turn, began as a 1940s radio broadcast.
Honest Puck Theatre’s James Scott directs the show, suitable for all the family.
It’s an adaptation by Joe Landry from the screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra and Jo Swerling, but Honest Puck will be doing it as a live radio play with scripts in hand, live sound effects, character voices and genuine – not canned – laughs.
The cast of Katherine Berry, Monica Engel, Colin Giles, Michael Ubrihien, James Scott and Hayden Splitt (as George) plans to bring a few dozen characters to the microphone.
“This play offers a new theatrical experience for those who’ve never heard (and seen!) radio quite like this,” Scott promises.
Stewart
a Wonderful Life”.
The story goes… sensitive resident of small-town America, George Bailey (think Jimmy Stewart) considers ending his life on Christmas Eve. Since childhood he has dreamt of leaving town to explore the world, but his hopes have been dashed, until fate intervenes.
There’s an angelic intervention and George comes to realise how much he really has. That’s the Christmas message.
“It’s a Wonderful Life”, CADA Studios, 1/9 Lithgow Street, Fyshwick, December 14-23. Bookings to honestpuck.com.au
By Helen Musa KIRSTY Budding,
one of the busiest directors on the block, is making life difficult for herself this season by staging not one but two festive productions. Hotly anticipated after months of auditioning for young talent, Budding’s “The Christmas Channel” is aimed at repeating the success of her pastiche of Christmas family entertainment, “The Fairytale Channel”.
Featuring more than 40 of Canberra’s most talented children and youth, it shows the Brown family – mum, dad, Annie and Lilly – going to war over the TV remote in a whirlwind of familiar jingles, scenes and songs from Christmas with a bit of dancing thrown in, too.
What they find as they jump channels will doubtless amaze. A little girl goes walking in the air with a magical snowman, a boy is left home alone on Christmas Eve, a ballerina dances to “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”, grandma sings along to “Songs of Praise” and check-out workers sing and dance about how Christmas prices are down and staying down.
Most shocking will be Santa’s (Elliot Cleaves) search for love in the skit “Santa’s Blind Date”, which asks, who will win his heart – the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, or Debra the Lighting Assistant? Not content with satisfying the young, Budding has devised an ostentatiously theatrical launch for adults for her new book, “Paper Cuts: Comedic and Satirical Monologues for Audition or Performance”. She’s lined up an all-star cast of 26 Canberra theatrical veterans to test out the audition pieces on stage.
Elaine Noon performs “Mother to an Adult Daughter” and “Caravan Dreams”, Helen Way performs “Disturbed Dance Instructor”, Phillip Mackenzie performs “Gertrude’s Sweetheart” and “CityNews” theatre critic, John Lombard, performs “The Smitten Scientist” – there are many more.
• “The Christmas Channel “, 6pm, December 20-23 and 11am and 2pm, Saturday, December 23. • Book launch and show 8pm, December 21-23, Both are at the Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre, and bookable via canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.
Straight out of “The Christmas Channel”... from left, Grace Kemp, Marli Haddeill, Caitlin Addinell and Elodie Khan.
Rohan Vicars as the Aviator and Sigmund Nock as the Prince.
Jimmy
in the 1947 film “It’s
Richard Calver
Wheel world of love and turmoil
“Wonder Wheel” (M)
TELLING a tale of love and life against a dramatic foreground of passion and domestic turmoil, the screenplay for this 1950s melodrama may remind filmgoers of the plays of major American 20th-century dramatists – think Edward Albee, Eugene O’Neill and Arthur Miller.
Carolina (Juno Temple) arrives at the Coney Island apart ment where the relationship between her father Humpty (Jim Belushi) and his 39-year-old wife (not her mother) Ginny is never far from conflict. A recovering alcoholic with a mob background, he runs the carousel. Now waitressing in the café, she was an actress divorced after an infidelity, leaving her pregnant with Richie (Jack Gore) who, at age 11, likes lighting fires.
Beach lifeguard Mickey (Justin Timberlake) is also study ing to become a writer. Which gives him a point of contact with Ginny whose stage roles have been minor. Humpty has not been taking care of Ginny’s libido. The result of her meeting with Mickey is inevitable.
It turns out that Carolina is married to a mobster who has sent two goons to bring her back. On a rainy day, Mickey gives Carolina a lift to the café where she also is waitressing. Using these characters, Woody Allen has built a film with strong dramatic values using stylistic conventions that don’t hamper the story’s forward progress.
Oscars, if not the big prize.
At Dendy, Capitol 6 and Palace Electric
Spare the stupor and raise a glass to love
RICHARD CALVER says no matter how you celebrate, make sure that you have at least one toast to your fellow man
YOU can detest something yet admire the sentiment expressed. That’s the way I feel about the song “Christmas Where the Gum Trees Grow”: Christmas where the gum trees grow
There is no frost and there is no snow.
This delightfully asinine refrain resonates when you receive Christmas cards designed for the northern hemisphere, dripping with snow scenes and featuring reindeer that would be better as barbecued venison. Again, the sentiment is admirable, the imagery flawed, just like tinsel and glittery snow ornaments. Some Christmases around here the sun gets so hot that pigs cling to the shade: otherwise they might be sun bacon…
luminaries as Zac Efron, Sharon Stone and Melanie Griffith. As well as an agreeably meaty supporting role for Australia’s own Jacki Weaver.
The closing credits include comparison screens from both “The Room” and “The Disaster Artist”. Against my natural inclination, I enjoyed “The Disaster Artist”. When it was over, I was grateful for the clarification of its provenance that I got from those other people.
At Palace Electric, Capitol 6 and Hoyts Belconnen
“The Secret Scripture” (M)
THIS is the second film to have a Canberra season that focuses on the pervasive and, some might also say, pernicious attitudes of minor Irish clergy toward young women “considered guilty of licentiousness, unwed motherhood or prostitution”, as I wrote in 2013 when reviewing “Philomena” that told a true story with a similar focus and to which, for the best of reasons, I gave four and a half stars.
“The Secret Scripture” tells a fictional story using a screenplay by director Jim Sheridan adapting a novel by Sebastian Barry. St Malachy’s mental hospital has been sold to developers. All the patients have been moved to other establishments except Rose (Vanessa Redgrave) who refuses to move. Dr Grene (Eric Bana) and a nurse (Susan Lynch) get the task of getting Rose settled down so she can be safely relocated.
In her battered old Bible, Rose has recorded events from the 1940s when as a young woman (Rooney Mara) she rescued downed Spitfire pilot Michael (Jack Reynor) from the tree into which he got entangled after bailing out. Irish nationalists would like to capture and kill him. On the other hand, Rose is about to fall in love with him. They wed in secret. After the nationalists execute Michael, Father Gaunt (Theo James) moves Rose to St Malachy’s from which she escapes and gives birth in a cave on the edge of the sea.
The film pulls no punches in its depiction of conditions at St Malachy’s. The nuns are unkind. There is a sense of sexual anger in their treatment of the patients and their babies. The story’s issue comes down to resolving Rose’s unremitting conviction that her baby did not die in the sea.
As indeed it didn’t. The denouement may be a tad pretentious but that does not diminish the film’s merit as a story well told. And both actresses do great jobs portraying Rose.
At Palace Electric and Dendy
The full Christmas turkey roast with all the accompaniments seems to be faltering as a tradition just as the London childhood memory of snow is barely able to be reconceived even with the air-conditioner on full.
There is a move to seafood and elaborate salads. It’s a trend I’m happy to ride. Last Christmas I made smoked salmon starters and duck salad with pear and walnuts for the second course. The food doesn’t really matter as long as it’s prepared for those we care about most dearly. With the smoked salmon, I served a sparkling red, cold from the refrigerator. It was a bottle of Vixen, a sparkling red from Fox Creek in the McLaren Vale, a non-vintage 55 per cent shiraz, 30 per cent cabernet franc and 15 per cent cabernet sauvignon bubbly blend that lights up your insides on a frosty night or, deeply chilled, cools them down on a hot day.
The 2014 De Bortoli Estate-Grown Pinot Noir that accompanied the duck was slightly chilled so that as the wine warmed to room temperature the bouquet changed and became more complex; redcurrants became distinct. In fact, there would be nothing wrong with emulating this food and wine line up again, although while I have some more of the 2014 De Bortoli, the Vixen has gone to ground and I’d need to purchase more.
But before I dug myself into this hole of complacency, I thought I’d get a reality check from a local winemaker’s representative who is always exuberant (I’d say “bubbly” but when you read his comments, you’ll see that is a groan-maker). I called Fergus McGhie, the sales and marketing manager with Mount Majura Vineyards.
“Well, traditional or non-traditional, everyone loves champagne. The better the quality, the more excited we get. Champagne to celebrate is a no-brainer, including Christmas. The quality of Australian sparkling, especially sparkling from Tasmania is extraordinary. Ed Carr, from the House of Arras has created wines that exceed what the French do; so I’m not drinking French champagne this Christmas,” he gushed.
I thought I’d better ask him about the wine that he markets:
“But doesn’t Mount Majura make a good sparkling?”
“Oh, yes, we’ve just released the 2016 Silurian sparkling. It’s looking pretty delicious. The team will be enjoying this one.”
So the message is that sparkling wine, whether it be red like I’m used to drinking at Christmas, or the more traditional refined sparkling wine, French or Tasmanian, seems to be a tipple we should enjoy.
But the whole point of the celebration shouldn’t be lost in a mirage of brassy imagery and avaricious purchases or even alcoholic stupor. It is, after all, the celebration of the birth of Christ. Christian or not, we owe this holiday to that event.
At the centre of Christianity is the celebration of love. No matter how you celebrate or what you celebrate with family and friends, make sure that you have at least one toast to your fellow man, to the centrality of love in what we find most precious. And find some shade.
Kate Winslet in “Wonder Wheel”... Magnificent. Splendid. Wonderful.
The critic’s call: Canberra’s top restaurants
ARTS IN THE CITY
THIS is my thirteenth year munching my way through food to write stories for “CityNews”. It’s hard to digest. What are my top five picks for 2017? Here they are, in no special order.
Trecento, Manuka Terrace, is a winner. It makes clever use of its small space and is home to authentic Neapolitan pizza (it’s a member of the prestigious international Academy of Pizza). You can’t go wrong with the super tender calamari, melt-in-your mouth beef carpaccio and amazing burrata. The wine list is impressive and staff knowledgeable.
A new kid on the block is Raku with its passion for Japanese cuisine. Sharing is the name of the game. The Civic restaurant features a traditional robata grill and sushi bar. Don’t go past the Canadian scallops, with jalapeno for a bit of bite, green apple for freshness and a dollop of garlic mayo for some creaminess. The most tantalising dish was the braised 400-day grain fed Wagyu cheeks. Wash it down with sake, Japanese whiskey, beer or wine.
Lilo Tang, in Barton, guarantees an exciting culinary journey. A star is the tuna sashimi with avo and wasabi soy. It sits beautifully in a crispy potato nest and is a feast for the eyes. Another delectable dish is the poached ocean trout with tangy grapefruit, bitter radicchio and sweet pepper soy and wasabi mascarpone. Lilo Tang is expert at combining unusual flavours for unique taste sensations.
Further afield is Contentious Character (formerly Lambert’s Estate) in the beautiful
Unhappy snub for ‘Silent Night’
By Helen Musa
CANBERRA-raised playwright
Mary Rachel Brown and director
Glynn Nicholas have just finished a season of Brown’s new Christmas play “Silent Night” at Darlinghurst Theatre. It was advertised as “a hilarious take-no-prisoners comedy for anyone who feels a mix of terror and affection about spending Christmas with family”. Alas, one critic likened it to “a half-baked Christmas turkey.”
HOT on the heels of news that Juilliard graduate Eloise Fisher would take over from Kathleen Grant as CEO of Music for Canberra comes the revelation that she’s pulled out. The board expects to proceed with another name on its shortlist before January.
BUSY writer-director Michael Weston has just recorded his annual radio play, this time a detective story called “Who Stole Christmas?” with Radio 1RPH for broadcasting over the festive season. “It’s a bit of a tribute to old ‘50s/’60s shows like ‘Dragnet’,” Weston says, adding that “it was so much fun, as I played the central character myself.”
CRAFT ACT: Craft + Design Centre, basking in the success of its venture Design Canberra, is winding up the year by offering locally-designed Christmas gifts
in its shopfront in the North Building, Civic Square. Local artists such as Alison Jackson, F!NK, Girl Nomad Ceramics and Fi Glover have work for sale in this carefully curated selection.
ADHOC Baroque will be joined by strings and wind instruments as well as a ladies-only chorus for the “Venetian Christmas Extravaganza” with the highlight a reconstructed original version of Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and his “Nulla in Mundo Pax Sincera”. At St Paul’s, Manuka, 3pm, Sunday, December 17. Bookings to trybooking.com
FREE tickets are now available for the NSW government’s two Seniors Christmas Concerts. The concerts travel to different NSW locations each year. This year it’s The Q, Queanbeyan, where it will run at 10.30am and 2pm, Thursday, December 21. Up to four tickets are available per person for seniors, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people and people with a lifelong disability, with their carer or companion. Bookings at The Q box office, Monday to Friday 10am-4pm and Saturday, 10am-2pm or by phoning 6285 6290. No online bookings.
Gelato Cakes
surrounds of Wamboin. The views are picture perfect, especially from the large exterior deck. Enjoy a wine tasting and buy from the cellar door. The food celebrates locally sourced produce and share plates are a treat. If you’re a fan of duck, the terrine is to die for. Desserts are also to die for. We dream of salted caramel panna cotta with peanut praline.
One restaurant that remains in my top five is multiple-award winning Les Bistronomes, in Braddon. The French cuisine is exquisite, the atmosphere relaxed (the interior recently refined) and the wine out of this world. The five-course chef’s degustation – Saturday lunch only – is the best deal in town at $50. Chef Clement Chauvin is creative with his tartare and don’t miss his signature garlic snails. Although not a restaurant, I wanted to pop in a cool little operation called The Pop Inn. The 6.5-metre, custom-built trailer travels around Canberra, sets up and invites you to pop in for a drink and cheese/meat platter if you’re peckish. It’s self-contained and looks like a bar when fully open. The Pop Inn sets up about 30 chairs and tables at each venue and offers picnic rugs. Dogs welcome. Kids welcome. Check the website for where to next. BTW, The Pop Inn is card only.
So there you have it, the top picks from 2017. Wonder what 2018 has in store for my tastebuds?
sundayROAST
Stay in touch with the names making news on Sundays from 10am as 2CC and “CityNews” present Canberra’s only local weekend news and current affairs program.
It’s a revolving panel show that brings to the microphone great “CityNews” commentators and 2CC personalities.
Trecento
Raku
Lilo Tang
Contentious Character
Les Bistronomes
GARDENING
Make Christmas a living thing
I’M old school when it comes to Christmas trees and always prefer a living tree.
Our current potted Christmas tree has grown in the last 12 months and, after this festive season, will need repotting with some root pruning to prevent it becoming root bound.
A potted tree will last many years, plus you can use lights on a living tree without any danger, unlike some of the tinsel, artificial trees.
The use of a conifer for religious ceremonies goes back several thousand years, although specifically as a Christmas tree only in the last couple of hundred years. It originated in Europe with Picea abie s or Norway Spruce as the traditional Christmas tree.
Norway donates a large specimen to London, Washington and Edinburgh each Christmas as a sign of gratitude for the aid these countries provided during World War II. Alternatively, why not have an Aussie Christmas tree with a Wollemi Pine? They grow well in pots and (as shown) transfer to the garden when size becomes an issue.
A PLACE to go for Christmas gifts is the local garden centre where the selection of gifts, other than specifically for the garden besides actual plants, is extensive. The bottom line is the gift voucher, which will allow the recipient to select whether
they want plants or simply a bag of fertiliser. For the culinary minded make up a Christmas hamper with a wicker basket filled with a selection of small pots of kitchen herbs complete with a container of certified organic Multicrop Seaweed plant food.
FOR friends new to gardening there is one book they simply cannot do without, “The Canberra Gardener”. This is specifically written by members of the Horticultural Society of Canberra covering all aspects of gardening for Canberra and Queanbeyan. It’s available from most bookshops and always amid the wide range of books at the Botanic Gardens bookshop.
For anyone rapt in native plants, a perfect choice is “Australian Plants for Canberra Region Gardens” (published by the Society for Growing Australian Plants Canberra region).
Or how about membership of the “Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens”. Some of the benefits include the Friends’ Lounge with use of the extensive borrowing library of books and CDs. Membership also includes a year-round, three-hour, free-parking voucher, discounts at the bookshop and Pollen Café, and advance information of the monthly lectures. More information via info@friendsanbg.org.au termed English cottage garden plants – belie their hardiness.
It’s unfortunate that some people shun “English” plants in gardens here because many, especially the Mediterranean-region plants, are ideally suited to our harsh climate with long periods of dry.
Another plant so beloved of “cottage gardeners” is the Dianthus family, commonly known as “pinks”. My edition of the plant dictionary “Hortus Third” lists more than 200 varieties and cultivars – and this is the 1976 edition! There are possibly another 100 that have been bred since then.
Dianthus grow around the whole of the Mediterranean region from the heat of Greece and Turkey to Morocco. Most Dianthus are peren -
of Shakespeare’s gillyflower, is a biennial.
Many long-time gardeners will be familiar with the old favourites such as Dianthus “Doris” or D. “Mrs Sinkins”.
Thank you to my many readers for the letters, phone calls and emails over the past year. I wish you all a wonderful Christmas holiday and
Old-fashioned Dianthus barbatus or Sweet William.
The stunning Dianthus “Sugar Plum”.
A Wollemi Pine makes a very Australian Christmas tree.
Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Monday’s New Moon is the best time of the year to plan an overseas holiday or interstate getaway. (But don’t actually book your trip until after Mercury goes direct on Saturday.) With Saturn shifting into your career zone on Wednesday, you need to get serious about your long-term professional ambitions. So it’s a good week to power through current projects and set ambitious goals for the future. But resist the urge to be bossy and overbearing on Thursday and Friday.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)
Don’t accept things at face value. With the New Moon and retrograde Mercury in your mystery zone, look beneath the surface to discover what’s really going on. When choosing last-minute presents, go for gifts that are practical and useful. It’s also a good idea to get as much of the food preparation done as you can before Christmas Day. Mercury goes direct on Saturday, which will help an intimate relationship or a joint financial matter that has been somewhat stalled.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)
Get ready for a relationship renaissance, as Monday’s New Moon kick-starts your love life. But – with retrograde Mercury muddying the waters for most of the week – it won’t all be smooth sailing. And if you are too impatient, distracted (or even reckless) then you could find yourself involved in an argument or accident. You also need to think twice about posting controversial comments online. Then your ruler Mercury finally moves forwards on Saturday… thank goodness!
CANCER (June 22 – July 22)
Monday’s New Moon highlights health and wellbeing. But if you overindulge in too many sweet festive treats, then you won’t fit into your clothes by the New Year! Saturn stirs some discontent in your house of love over the next three years. If you are attached, an unresolved issue from the past could resurface. Single? Be extra patient, as you look for a potential partner who has a mature and responsible nature. Frivolous flirters and lightweight lovers are not recommended.
LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)
Prepare for a plethora of festive Christmas parties, as the New Moon lights up your entertainment and fun zone. It’s also a good time to tap into your inner muse and be the creative Cat you were born to be. Then the Sun pairs up with steady Saturn on Thursday and Friday, which will help to stabilise your fiery energy. If you methodically tick off the to-do list, then you’ll power through work projects, domestic chores and Christmas preparations in a productive way.
VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)
With Mercury reversing through your domestic zone, Home Sweet Home is a veritable minefield this week Virgo! A relationship with a loved one could end up in a confused mess, as you misread each other’s motives. So avoid jumping to conclusions and (when in doubt) don’t hesitate to ask for some firm clarification. Mercury finally goes direct on Saturday. Which suits you just fine, as you concentrate on completing projects that have been delayed over the last three weeks.
LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)
The New Moon sends a social media or education opportunity your way. But don’t sit on the sidelines and limit yourself Libra! And don’t let negative self-talk stymie your upward trajectory. You are far better at what you do than you think you are. This week, proactive Mars and confident Jupiter push you to shine like a star and dazzle like the Diva that you truly are. So your motto for the moment is from birthday great, Benjamin Disraeli: “Success is the child of audacity.”
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)
Are you worrying about money? This week, avoid being uncharacteristically rash with cash and credit. If you spend more than you can comfortably afford this Christmas, then you’ll just end up with a heap of New Year debt. The New Moon urges you to start a fresh fiscal chapter as you swap spending for saving, and carefully nurture your nest egg for the future. But don’t expect any overnight miracles. Good fortune will come to Scorpios who are frugal, patient and persistent.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)
Monday’s New Moon activates your sign so it’s the best week of the year to update your appearance, revamp your wardrobe, start a personal project or plan a trip for the future. But remember Mercury is still retrograde until Saturday. So delay travelling until next week and beyond. If you must travel then avoid rushing and double-check your itinerary carefully. If you are too hasty, then you could find yourself smack bang in the middle of an argument, an accident or a foreign fiasco.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
Wednesday is a momentous day for Capricorn Goats, when Saturn (your ruling planet) starts a three year sojourn through your sign. And this only happens every 29 years! It will boost your ambition, motivation, dedication and work ethic. But it can also increase your ruthless streak. So avoid the temptation to trample over others on your climb to the top of the mountain. And do your best to reduce stress levels by incorporating regular relaxation into your busy routine.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
Stern Saturn shifts into your self-reflection zone on Wednesday. So, over the next three years, you need to accept responsibility for the decisions you make, consolidate your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Don’t be too hard on yourself though! And don’t be too disappointed if you make messy blunders. Your motto for the moment is from birthday great, actress and activist Jane Fonda: “You only learn from wounds and scars and mistakes and failures.”
PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)
Are you confused about your career and life direction? With the New Moon activating your job zone, have a long, hard think about creative adjustments that would significantly improve your work experience in 2018. You’ve certainly got grand plans and ambitious dreams for the future. You’re focusing on the big picture but don’t neglect so-called minor matters. Over the next three years (under the influence of scrupulous Saturn) you’ll find the devil is definitely in the small details.
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2017
1 Name a large marine fish with an enormous gape. (6)
8 What are the intestines also known as? (8)
9 To withstand, or strive against, is to do what? (6)
What are rowing boat races called? (8)
Name the base unit of electric current. (6) 13 Which ocean lies to the east of the USA? (8)
16 What is the act of casting cargo, etc, overboard? (8)
19 Name the Australian Liberal politician who was the Prime Minister on three occasions, Alfred... (6)
22 What is an unexpected piece of good fortune? (8)
24 Which colour lies between red and yellow in the spectrum? (6)
25 Which device is used for producing electrical oscillations? (8)
26 Name a thin cotton fabric, woven with a stripe of heavier yarn. (6) Down
2 What is a less familiar term for a cold? (5)
3 What do we call a company of lions? (5)
4 Which term describes reconditioned tyres? (8)
5 What is an adult male deer? (4)
6 The stems of which palm are used to make wickerwork? (6)
7 Which element turns red litmus paper blue? (6)
12 Which liquid measure is equal to an eighth of a gallon? (4)
14 What is the master of a lodging house, etc, called? (8)
15 Name a hard, durable, yellowish-brown wood. (4)
17 Which term describes a panacea? (6)
18 Name those of the royal house, who reigned in England from Henry VII to Elizabeth I. (6)
20 Which device is designed to wake someone up? (5)
21 What is a cast metal mass? (5)
23 What is a poker stake also known as? (4)
sundayROAST
Stay in touch with the names making news on Sundays from 10am as 2CC and “CityNews” present Canberra’s only local weekend news and current affairs program.
It’s a revolving panel show that brings to the microphone great “CityNews” commentators and 2CC personalities.
Be part of the conversation every Sunday – call 6255 1206 between 10am and noon
Solution Page 22
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