It’s pretty simple really. If you go along to the Cambridge Studio Gallery in Collingwood anytime between now and June 1st, you’ll be a winner in more ways than one.
(1) You’ll get to see a brilliant art exhibition by famed painter OTTO BORON.
(2) Your visit is very likely to help the BUILD FOUNDATION in their mission to help underprivileged children in Cambodia.
(3) You may possibly BUY a piece of art that will be a wonderful investment – and if you can’t afford one, then a raffle ticket for just $10 may end up sending a masterpiece your way.
I was asked along on Wednesday night to officially ‘open’ the ART FROM THE HEART Exhibition. Set in the light and airy Cambridge Studio Gallery, I was mighty impressed by Otto Boron’s collection. It’s easy to see why his work has been highly acclaimed over the years, winning many awards including Otto being named Victorian Artist of the Year, twice.
This exhibition is bold and expressionistic; a combination of images ranging from portraits of children in Cambodia, to derelict, deconstructed buildings abandoned in Australian rural landscapes.
I think you can see a touch of Cezanne, Picasso and even Fred Williams influences in some of these pieces and I truly believe they will make for a great investment, because they are so modestly priced.
Robert Lee, President of the Contemporary Art Society of Victoria spoke on the night, highlighting Otto’s achievements and explaining how Otto’s work, with its strong textures and images, presents an often-poignant view of the world.
I was delighted to meet with Otto on the night and learn we had a couple of things in common. One – we’ve both worked in TV. Otto was in fact head scenic artist at the ABC for twenty years. Two – like Otto, I also prefer working with oils when I paint. And he gave me a couple of great tips about texture too. (This will only interest any aspiring artists out there – but if you like working with a palette knife, Otto says he has a better idea. He buys firm but flexible plastic strips from Bunnings – in the paint section of the store – to get thicker strokes. I’m heading there tomorrow.)
He might be into his seventies, but this Italian-born painter (Otto migrated here in 1959) is still as productive as ever. He says his ability to paint quickly comes from the pressures of working in the TV industry. Ah ha! I get that…
Not only exceptionally talented, he’s also a generous soul. Fifty per cent of all works sold will go to the BUILD FOUNDATION, helping disadvantaged children in Cambodia.
Otto’s daughter, Tania, is part of the BUILD FOUNDATION which began five years ago. Headed by Mark O’Connell, it started out sending volunteers on trips to Cambodia and is now involved in a five-year-project, which is halfway to completion. The project involves the building of a Community Development Centre, which includes a medical centre, classrooms, vocational training building, a library and agricultural areas.
Tania Boron and Mark O’Connell from the Build Foundation
What’s really impressive is how much BUILD has been able to achieve – funding all this through its own fund-raising efforts. Congratulations guys, for doing such an outstanding job – changing the lives of so many people for the better!
And congratulations to Otto Boron and the Cambridge Studio Gallery for putting together such an inspiring exhibition.
Now, here’s the artwork you could win if you buy a raffle ticket before June 1st. So for a mere TEN DOLLARS you could win this painting, worth $1600!!! Get along to the gallery and put your hand in your packet for a worthy cause.
When I tell people my Mum rarely drinks, never smoked, doesn’t swear and often goes to Church on Sundays, people raise their eyebrows and question where I came from. Okay, so I don’t smoke anymore, but really, I’m not THAT bad!! We just do some things differently…
Regardless, we spend a helluva lot of time together because our families are close and Mum and my wonderful stepfather Ken, do an enormous amount to help out on the home front. They even walk the dogs for us when I’m strapped for time. (I know – I’m spoilt.) When the kids were very young, they’d have sleep-overs at Grandma and Papa’s practically every Friday night so Fletch and I could have a social life. (Again, yes, very spoilt…) And if Mum babysits, I often arrive home to find the ironing all done. (Okay, I’ll shut-up now…)
But I also have siblings – two older brothers and a younger sister – so most of the family get-togethers involve lots of relatives with aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and fabulous, noisy mayhem. So the one day of the year I get Mum all to myself is when I take her to the annual Crown Mother’s Day Lunch. It’s always a very special day and we both feel very lucky to be included.
This year’s event was at the uber cool Mr Hive restaurant at Crown’s Metropol Hotel. Ken even drove us in – bless him – so we didn’t have to bother with parking or a taxi.
As we walked out of the lift, you could hear the buzz from the restaurant – the place bursting with excited conversation as we arrived – everybody trying to get around to as many people as possible before we took our seats. The room looked stunning, each table adorned with a beautiful floral arrangement.
As always, Crowns’ General Manager of Public Relations, Ann Peacock was there, stylishly dressed and greeting everyone with a warm smile. Knowing what Annie was going through, with her mum, Susan, battling cancer, I knew it must be a tough call. It was the first time in sixteen years I’d been to the lunch and not caught up with Susan. For Annie to see everyone there with their mums and not have her own by her side must have been bloody awful.
Yet still she took to the podium and made her annual Mother’s Day speech. Bravely, she spoke about her Mum’s ordeal and what Susan and her family were going through. Every year I take a tissue to this lunch because something emotional happens and I’m a big sook. But this year I wasn’t alone. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house when Annie finished and was met with a standing ovation. She spoke with grace and dignity, her words of love and pain, direct and honest. God knows how she didn’t fall apart… I’m betting she’s inherited a good dose of her mother’s strength.
If there’s no greater love than that of a mother for her child, you can imagine the feeling in Hive over lunch – all these mothers with their children – to whom they have given so much love and support, enabling their kids to get to where they are today – it’s a pretty powerful vibe.
Here’s a photo collection of some of the mums and their sometimes famous off-spring – starting with radio host Jules Lund, whose mum was giving him an earful over his new piercings – all part of an on-air dare. Jules has promised Judy he’ll have them removed as soon as possible. And yes, there is also one just under his lip – it’s not clear in the pic.
We were lucky enough to be on the same table as the delightful Anthony Callea and his partner, Tim Campbell – both famous and talented in their own right and a gorgeous couple. Mum wanted clarification though – she couldn’t believe Santina was Anthony’s mother. ‘She’s far too young!’ Mum exclaimed.
A highlight of the day was hearing Anthony and Tim sing together, along with leading vocalist Susie Ahern – a truly spine-tingling moment. And when Anthony sang ‘The Perfect Fan,’ for his Mum, the tissues came out again and there was another standing ovation.And then there was another standing ovation…
I could relate to that song. My Mum has always been my perfect fan, as most mothers are of their children – whether they’re in the public eye or not.
I was part of an acting workshop recently where some of the students revealed stories about traumatic childhoods where they were abused by their parents. Shocking stories that made me sad and angry. And also very, very grateful. I have only ever known huge love and support from my Mum. I remember when I first started reading the news and Mum would phone me almost every night to tell me what a brilliant job I had done – even when I hadn’t.
Before we knew it, it was time for dessert. Whoa – now THAT’S what I call a dessert! That’s one thing Mum and I DO both share – a love of sweet treats.
As we tucked in, I looked around the room at all the other mums and felt quite smug. There were lots of other lovely mothers there, but quite frankly, I know mine’s the best of them all. It’s just not debatable.
I had a shitty day yesterday. (And no, Mum, I’m not using bad language.) It WAS, literally, a shitty day. One of those days where a small mess becomes a bigger mess and the time spent trying to solve the problem snowballs into a big pooey debacle.
It started when I woke up early to make school lunches. It was particularly icy and the air was crisp. When I let the dogs out of the laundry and opened the dog-door so they could go out and do their business, I noticed a particularly strong whiff slicing through the chill. For a moment, I wondered whether they’d stashed some of their dinner from the night before under a laundry basket, but quickly realised it was a more potent odour… Surely not? They were well and truly toilet trained…
Lola – she’s the black and white fluff-ball – backed up against me, wiggling her bum on my leg, then rushed around under the kitchen table before heading outside.
The stench grew stronger as I walked back to the kitchen. Then I glanced down and saw why. Lola had left a long streak of runny poo all over my tracksuit pants. EWWWWwww!!
Being a furry canine, Lola comes with an additional health problem. If her bum isn’t regularly trimmed, it means toilet issues can cause matting and the like – stuff which I generally steer well clear of and leave up to Fletch to handle. Today, I wasn’t so lucky. He was on an all-day studio film shoot and when I checked out her rear end – it wasn’t pretty.
First problem – get rid of my icky trakky daks and stuff them in the laundry trough. Apply super large quantities of washing powder and stain remover. Second task – phone Fletch and ask for pet-care advice. I was hoping the answer would be – ‘Take her to the dog groomer or the vet.’ NO SUCH LUCK.
Turns out she’s booked in to the dog groomer’s TOMORROW. ‘All you have to do is put her on the washing machine and get out some cotton-wool balls, use warm, soapy water and scissors and deal with it,’ said Fletch. REALLY?? I’ve had two kids and handled a zillion shitty nappies, but a messy dog’s bum is a whole other matter. But it had to be done. I was worried Lola might not be able to actually relieve herself if I didn’t take action and she was starting to look poorly.
I think I procrastinated for at least an hour, agonising over how to do the whole procedure, before finally tackling the task. Gloves. Black clothes. Gas mask. Well, no, I didn’t actually have a gas mask but wished I did.
Then just as I was about to perform poo surgery, I found ANOTHER streak of runny brown goo all over the carpet under the kitchen table. Yep, Lola had left her mark there as well.
Originally I’d planned a day of writing on a film script. This was fast disappearing down the crapper. Now the carpet ALSO needed urgent work. But Lola first.
I found the best way of keeping her comfy and to stop her wriggling was by placing her favourite sheepskin rug on top of the washing machine. It was vile, but out of the love for my little Lola, I persisted – nose permanently scrunched and gag reflexes in full throttle. Finally, mission accomplished!
The carpet wasn’t so easy. Using newspaper and Chux super wipes, I removed the excess muck and then followed through with a thoroughly USELESS carpet cleaner spray.
That took about an hour. The stains remained. Then I tackled them with warm soapy water and had far greater success. But having gotten out the vacuum – a task in itself – I decided to do the rest of the house – because once you’ve actually got the thing out you may as well use it. More time chewed up.
And while the hours whittled away, Lola just sat there and yawned. Really, she didn’t care at all about the massive workload she’d bequeathed. A shitty day for me but just a dreamy dog’s life for the rest of the canine troops. Life’s a bitch, really.
My friend, Bronnie, contacted me after I ran a story last week – ‘The BEST Chardonnay in the World’ – to say she’d ordered a case of the Tapiz wine and was LOVING it.
Phew. I was relieved, because, YES, I did make a pretty big statement, saying it was the BEST Chardonnay in the world. I’m no wine expert, but I am an experienced chardonnay drinker so felt compelled to share my discovery – especially because the story involved tracking down the liquid gold from London to Argentina to Melbourne.
But when friends take your judgement on board and invest in a case of wine, you feel a huge sense of responsibility. What if they hate the stuff and blame you for promoting it? What if you start losing friends by the droves and making enemies? Taste is highly subjective, after all. Awkward… Thankfully, in Bronnie’s case this didn’t happen and the story she shared made me feel doubly good about running this story.
When Bronnie went to sample her first bottle, she couldn’t find a corkscrew. And yes, the Tapiz chardonnay is sealed in the old-fashioned way, with a cork. So she asked her next-door-neighbour if she could borrow one, and in doing so, offered her neighbour a glass of wine.
As they both savoured their first mouthful and Bronnie declared it a winner, her neighbour asked where she got it. Bronnie said it had to be ordered and it wasn’t cheap – it was $27 a bottle.
‘I don’t give a f***. I’m ordering a dozen!’ her neighbour declared.
(I’m not allowed to swear in my Blog – my Mum reads it…)
SO THERE!! At least two people in the world agree with me that this is one very special wine. I’m just a tad concerned that Victor and Sylvia haven’t ordered enough in their first shipment. I mean look at what’s left in their cellar? Now that the word is out, this lot is likely to go in a jiffy.
Which reminds me, I’d better get on the phone right after posting this so I don’t miss out!
If you’d like to try the Tapiz chardonnay, or any of their other varieties, just contact Red Barrel Importers of Fine Wine by email at
Ah, the small victories in life are often the sweetest, aren’t they? You know, like beating your husband on Words With Friends, getting your children to eat broccoli without sneakily dumping it in the bathroom rubbish bin and finding that perfect parking spot at Chadstone in the middle of the Christmas shopping rush…
I had one last week but could only share it with you today when the package finally arrived. I needed physical proof it was actually going to happen. And YES, here it is!!
Now, don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I’d ordered some cosmetics on-line and they arrived safely that’s the cause for celebration – although that’s always a good thing. It’s the fact that I was actually ABLE to order KEVYN AUCOIN MASCARA on-line for delivery to Australia, for the FIRST time – THAT’S the reason I’m high-fiving myself.
I’m not a big fan of spending huge amounts of cash on make-up. I love wearing the stuff, but I’m slightly resentful of the fact that it puts women behind the eight ball financially compared with blokes in a big way. Again, not blaming anyone, and it’s our own choice to wear the stuff, but some of the prices charged are ridiculous.
(But I digress – I’m not here to discuss feminist issues right now, so I’ll get back to the point.)
The point is the BEST MASCARA EVER is definitely Kevyn Aucoin’s version. If you want proof, check out the blog I wrote on Boxing Day, with added tips about how to get the LONGEST eyelashes. ( It’s at http://wp.me/p29YsS-rf )
Up till now, the only place to buy Kevyn Aucoin mascara in Australia has been from Mecca Cosmetics. That’s a lovely store with some great products, but quite frankly, if you’ve travelled abroad, you’ll know that we pay through the nose for their wares compared with our overseas sisters. If I buy Kevyn Aucoin mascara overseas, it’s about $25 US. Here, it costs $45.
I’ve tried many, many times in the past FIVE YEARS to purchase it on-line. I’d spend AGES filling in data and waiting to join a particular site, then source the product, order it, and sometimes even pay for it, before a BIG RED SIGN appeared on the screen, saying this particular item was BANNED from shipments to Australia. In other words, Mecca had a moratorium on the brand. A very peeving set of circumstances and a situation that repeated itself on many occasions.
BUT, last week, I hopped on to StrawberryNet.com to order my favourite FOUNDATION which is the Guerlain ‘Lingerie de Peau’ – colour Number 3 – and I thought, ‘I’ll just give that mascara one more go.’ So I typed in the order details and it came up as being for sale at $27. I pushed the right buttons and PRESTO, it was processed. I held my breath, waiting to see if I’d receive an email saying there’d been a mistake. Nope. Nothing.
And then today, my package arrived – proving you CAN now buy Kevyn Aucoin mascara on-line. YIPPEE!!!
