I declared myself a vegetarian when I was nine. It all stemmed from a bad case of food poisoning. I was convinced the cause was ‘bad meat’, so went off it for a bit. Then I decided it was ‘cool’ to tell everyone I was a vegetarian. Which led to much scoffing and disbelief – especially from my older brothers. Determined to prove them wrong, I stuck to my guns and didn’t eat the stuff till I moved out of home into a shared house NINE YEARS LATER where it was easier to feast with the tribe.
Australia Day Lamb Dinner at Breezes, Crown (photo by Michael Tan)
Truth be told, I’d been craving red meat all those years I lived at home. BBQs were hell. I secretly salivated over the aroma, wishing I’d never been so loud with my vegetarian boast. These days I don’t need to pretend anymore, so was delighted to be invited to the annual Australia Day Dinner hosted by the nation’s lamb ambassador, the inimitable Sam Kekovich.
Being a balmy evening, the crowd gathered in the courtyard to soak up some Aussie sun, sipping pre-dinner drinks and devouring lamb nibbles before being invited into the marquee. Here are a few of the lucky ones invited along:
Magali and Brad Nonnenmacher (photo by Michael Tan)
Guests were then ushered into a beautifully decked out marquee, lined with Aussie flags. Sam’s voice could be heard above all, welcoming his special guests and telling everyone how he’d cut short his holiday in New York to make sure he could be at the dinner. It couldn’t be an official lamb occasion without the man – he’s been the face of Aussie lamb for years – known for his signature rants and politically incorrect sense of humour.
Not long into the function Sam introduced his latest lamb campaign – LAMBNESIA. He’s calling on all Australians to take the test and see how ‘Australian’ you really are. Just click on to the Lamnesia website at http://lambnesia.com.au to take the test – it only takes a minute or two and is a bit of fun.
There were games to be had on the night too – ‘Celebrity Head’ where ‘real’ celebrity guests were invited on to the stage and take part – Stephen Quartermain one of the quickest to spot his alter ego was none other than our Grand-Dame Edna Everage.
Although normally a chardonnay fan, I found the Shiraz complimented the lamb perfectly. And if you peer closely enough through the glass, you can see the little fella on the other side that I took home as my souvenir from a highly entertaining evening. Happy Australia Day!
(p.s. Yes, I KNOW Australia Day is in 3 days time – just kicking off festivities early!)
‘I am woman, hear me roar,’ sang Helen Reddy in 1971 and let us never forget the power of that anthem. Yes, it was a WOMAN who was the first Australian to write a Grammy Award winning song. And yes, Reddy made waves with her Best Female Performance acceptance speech, thanking ‘God, because She makes everything possible.’ A true legend.
It was a case of WOMAN POWER in abundance at Crown yesterday, where General Manager of Public Relations, Ann Peacock, hosted the 14th annual Women In Media Christmas Lunch. Men have had their boys’ clubs and coteries for centuries and I ‘Thank God‘ that Ann came up with this concept to recognise and bring together the biggest power players in our communication industries for an annual event. We’re talking about our best known journalists, PR powerhouses, media managers, TV and radio personalities and yes, even a couple of bloggers. (My, the stories I heard… )
Of course, it’s not Christmas without Santa… Re-living our childhood, I was delighted to test the strength of Santa’s knees along with my oldest and dearest buddy, Brigitte Duclos, (GOLD FM Breakfast radio host) who has been a close friend since we met in kindergarten, many moons ago…
And while there were lots of laughs to be had, with many keen to jump Santa, (including the delightful Dee Dee Dunleavy who I’m thrilled has found another radio gig – this time with 3AW on Sundays, along with her loyal cohort Grubby) there were also plenty of serious discussions about the state of the media industry, and what the future holds for those who’ve taken redundancies and chosen a different path. Questions abounded about traditional media versus new media and how to make the two work together. Others talked about the battle of juggling work and motherhood. And the old chestnut reared it’s ugly head – you know, sexism in the workplace and how it impacts on women.
As the chatter grew, I snuck inside the marquee to check out the table setting which I’d glimpsed through the plastic. Wow – what a picture! A cacophony of pink florals and Christmas trinkets scattered strategically down the centre of the table, perfectly accented by old-worlde wooden school chairs, painted in pastel hues. It almost seemed a shame that guests would soon be ushered inside to upset such perfection.
The attention to detail was meticulous. Each guest had their spot marked with a delicate glass Christmas ornament encasing a silver bird, with attached personalised name tag.
Then in one big rush, the hordes swooped and amid a clattering of chairs and clinking of glasses, it was ‘game on’! But the crescendo of noise subsided when Ann Peacock took to the podium and began to speak, recognising that one of the fold was missing from the table. A hush fell as Ann paid tribute to the late, legendary publicist Suzie Howie, who recently passed after a long battle with cancer.
Ann quoted Suzie’s famous words that she penned herself when she knew she wouldn’t be with us much longer. ‘I have had a terrific life and am so grateful for the fun, the excitement and the wonderful people who have been a part of it.’
Remembering Suzie, Ann spoke of her incredible work ethic and how she continued to work right up to the end. Ann met Suzie when she was just 17 years old, and counted her as an important role model and inspiration. ‘Time and time again, she displayed her tireless motivation and attention to detail that she paid her clients. I miss her laugh, but she has left us with so many happy memories. Suzie was a true leading lady and those memories will live on.’ Happy memories yes, but those of us who knew Suzie were still reaching for our tissues. I also knew Suzie for more than 20 years and was particularly grateful for her support and kindness after I left Channel Ten.
Ann also acknowledged every guest at the table and recognised the hard work done during the year, but said now was a time for celebration – a chance to kick back and have fun. But she also reminded us all, ‘What goes on in the room, stays in the room!’ Standard.
In ending, she encouraged everyone to take to heart a final message from Suzie, to stay positive.’Enjoy life. I have,’ she quoted, from the inimitable Ms Howie.
And enjoy ourselves we did! After main course, James Reyne inspired many to sing along as he performed several of his greatest hits, including Reckless.
Judging by the photos of everyone, I think we all took Suzie’s message on board. Here’s a collection of shots from the wonderful Women In Media Lunch. And I must say I very much enjoyed taking pictures of some of the print media girls for a change, who are usually on the other side of the camera. Although Suzanne Carbone and Mik Grigg from The Age declined being snapped, preferring to stay out of the spotlight. Which is fine, although somewhat curious…
Ann had warned us during her speech that we’d face a challenge carrying our Goodie Bags home. I didn’t register the PLURAL attached to the word BAGS at the time,but check this out…
Yep, not one, but FOUR Goodie Bags were given to each guest at the function.
I mentioned earlier that thing about attention to detail, didn’t I? Here’s another one. Crown even provided helpers to carry our bags to our cars… I know, I know. I was damn lucky to crack an invite. Thanks Ann! And I bet you’re all dying to know what’s actually IN the Goodie Bags, right? I will let you know, but enough for now. That can wait for the next blog, coming soon. I’m all for girl power, but seriously, I’m too exhausted now from just carrying the darn things through the door.
