I’m fascinated when people make dramatic career changes in their lives. Like when my super-bright cousin David studied medicine for six years, completed his internship then gave it all away to become an airline pilot. Or when a cameraman buddy became a professional artist and another friend switched from being a motor mechanic to an IT specialist. It seems to be an increasing trend. Statistically, we’re all living a lot longer, so it’s unlikely the career you started fresh out of school will be the one you finish up with. And I’m intrigued by HOW people switch from one to another and why? Perhaps we can all learn something from those who do. As a result, I’ve prepared a series of Inspirational Life Changes stories. These are interviews with people who have done just that – switched from one career to another, or are in the process of doing so.
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but it seems everyone you talk to these days has some kind of neck or back issue. I suffered a prolapsed disc in my lower back about ten years ago and have been trying out different therapies and therapists ever since.
(Keep reading till the end for a great self-help tip!)
When we first met, Remedial Massage Therapist Cecilia Low was a professional dancer and performer – mostly in musical theatre. Super fit and super-toned, I always admired her dedication to her craft and her trim physique. Just look at these photos and you’ll see what I mean.
Dancer Cecilia Low. Photography by Sylvi Kreinberg
Several years later, a mutual friend told us that Cecilia (or Ci, as we call her) had completed a professional remedial massage course and asked if we’d like to visit her for a treatment. Fletch also has some niggling back issues, so we shrugged our aching shoulders and said, ‘Yeah, why not? What’s one more?’ But we didn’t have high expectations – she was a beginner, right?
Wrong. While there weren’t any miracles as such, I have to say that Ci gives the firmest and most beneficial massage I’ve ever experienced. I’m now a regular client. Ci seems to have an intuitive touch; instinctively finding the exact spots where the knots and aches lie, and then those magical hands get to work and ease out the pain.
But given her success in the theatre, with more than ten years of continuous work, I was curious to learn why she’d switched careers.
‘I’d always had a fascination with the healing arts from a young age,’ she said as we sat down to chat after I’d had a massage. We sipped fresh coconut water as we spoke. (That’s another lovely touch Ci adds to her service. After every session you are given a small glass of fresh coconut juice to help re-hydrate.)
‘Just from dancing, I’d had to visit many therapists, osteopaths and chiropractors, so I’ve always been very accustomed to it and seen how beneficial it is for the body to function. Then about half-way through my career I did try to study massage, but I was travelling around a lot, performing, and realized I couldn’t manage both.’
The pivotal moment came when Ci felt the need for change. She’d been working in musical theatre for a long time and was physically tired.
So was the constant travelling a problem for her?
‘Maybe it’s the dancer in me, but no, I didn’t mind the moving around. I think you can make any place just like home, wherever you are. That didn’t bother me.’
Dancer Cecilia Low. Photography by Sylvi Kreinberg
Perhaps she becoming bored with dance?
‘No, dancing is my passion. I sing too, but I’m a dancer first. I feel very blessed, very lucky, to have done that and that’s given me amazing strength and stamina in many other ways.’
So what WAS the reason?
‘It was more the fact that I was beginning to feel limited in my mind and the skills that I could offer to the world, to people. I was only seeing myself as a dancer. And I felt there was so much more I could offer and I wanted to use my brain more.’
The answer – Ci returned to school, attending the Australian College of Sports Therapy in Melbourne where she earned a Diploma of Remedial Massage. It took more than a year and a half of intense studying and the first few months were the toughest.
‘Ah yes,’ she sighed. ‘We went right back to the basics. Chemistry, bio-chemistry, physics, nutrition. My brain was hurting. The first three months was a massive culture shock, juggling jobs and studies. But once I got over that, I was hungry for more.’ Her face brightened. ‘Then the time passed really quickly and I couldn’t get enough. I’m sure I’ll do more studying in the future. It was great!’
It’s not surprising that Ci ended up working in two careers that focus on the human body. It’s probably in her genes. Ci’s father, Vernon Low, was the first person to introduce the Korean martial art Taekwondo to Australia in the 1960s. (www.firsttaekwondon.com.au) I asked her whether she thought her father had been an influence in her career choices.
‘Definitely, most definitely,’ she said. ‘It’s in the blood I think. Some people hear the world, others see it visually. We all have different ways we perceive life. I think I definitely feel the world through my body first. I’ve been dancing since the age of five and I know I’m a happier, more wholesome person when I’m using my body. After leaving the dance world, I didn’t do much dance for about four years and I really struggled. Mentally, I didn’t want to admit that, but I know, now, I need that. And while massage isn’t dance, it is very physical and I treat it like a gym session I guess! There’s only a certain life span a dancer can have at that level. But yes, it is in the blood and I think my Dad lives in me every day in that aspect.’
Given that Ci has also experienced many massage treatments herself over the years, I wanted to know what she thought defined a good remedial massage therapist.
‘Someone who is able to listen and have compassion, while also being very professional and enabling the client to empower themselves and to take control of their pain levels. To learn about their own bodies,’ she said.
I made a comment that I believed she had intuitive hands and wondered whether her talent was something one could learn or was it a gift?
‘I think we’re all intuitive beings,’ she said. ‘It’s really about how open you are to your intuition. But it is also a skill you can learn too. I’m all for New Age things, but I like to balance it with practicality and science as well.’
‘The main focus for me, the type of massage I do, is to use of lot of movement in the treatments as I believe movement is the key to releasing tension and keeping the body pain-free. I guess this goes back to my dance background for sure.’
So now Ci has a different passion in life. The Remedial Massage Therapy course has given her a new vocation – one she finds wholly rewarding. ‘I think every time I massage someone, I feel very honoured. Honoured that they are entrusting themselves to me. It’s quite an intimate experience – one-on-one – it’s physical and there’s a lot of trust on both sides. But I feel very honoured that someone can come to me with their problems and I might be able to help.’
And now the bit I think could really help all of us!
Ci also believes we can help relieve our OWN aches and pains with our OWN hands. That’s not to say she’ll be doing herself out of a job. More to the point, she’s establishing a series of BACK CARE WORKSHOPS so that clients might be able to find some relief in-between treatments.
‘I came up with the concept because I believe it is possible to do your own body maintenance. I believe it will also probably make my job a little bit easier. I see a lot of chronic back pain and tension – a lot of on-going pain. The course will help people maintain themselves by dealing with things like the strain you get in your neck from sitting at the computer all day, or that niggling pain between your shoulder blades.’
Ci will also show clients how to use various tools at home that could help. ‘People often ask me things like, I have a foam roller, how do I use it? We’ll also look at how you can use simple things at home, like a tennis ball, to help. It’s about teaching people about the different kinds of pain and how to deal with it. How to use different techniques using your hands and thumbs to stave off those niggling issues.’
Sounds brilliant! The first of these workshops takes place in November, along with a session from a pilates instructor Wade Edewell from The Pilates Cottage www.thepilatescottage.com.au. Ci is also planning couples’ workshops for the future.
If you’d like to know more about Ci’s BACK CARE WORKSHOP, visit her website at www.cicure.com.au
Or to book an extremely amazing remedial massage session, email her at massage@cicure.com.au or phone her on 0414 640 052.
Ci works one day a week at City Osteopathy in the city and other days at ‘Energize and Recharge Studios’ in Elwood.
I’m not the only one who believes Ci is a first-rate therapist. Uber-cool rockstar and X-Factor host Natalie Bassingthwaighte is also happy to sing Ci’s praises. Plus you can check out other opinions at WOMO – wordofmouth.com for some great reviews.
(Disclaimer: Because the matter of ‘disclosure’ in blogging was intelligently discussed in the wonderful blog ‘Woogsworld’ by Mrs Woog today, I feel the urge to say, again, I am NOT paid for any of the interviews or products I have covered. I have paid for all my massage treatments with Ci and will continue to do so. I will let you know if and when I ever get freebies. Basically I just want to recommend stuff I genuinely think will help you. And I DID tell you about the Goodie Bags in an earlier story – of course they were free! )
This interview with Brynne Edelsten took place when I was writing a weekly Q & A feature for the Herald Sun, called ‘The Other Half’. So yes, it was more than a year ago, but the reason I’m running it on my Blog site today is because I was accused on Twitter of being ‘sour’ and critical of Brynne.
Five days ago I tweeted a comment questioning why the Herald Sun would run a photo of Brynne on the front page, promoting a story about what she might wear to the Brownlow Medal Awards the following week. My comment was not critical of Brynne – rather about the editorial judgement that this warranted being front page news. I still stand by that opinion and believe the criticism directed at me was an over-reaction. As entertainment commentator and showbiz expert Peter Ford said, ‘Let’s not lose sight (that) Twitter is a forum for discussion/pose questions. That doesn’t equate to being a troll’. If we can’t express views on Twitter in a rational manner, then what’s the point of the social media tool in the first place? I’ve never been a fan of reality TV shows and have never watched a second of The Shire, Hollywood Wives or The Lara Bingle Show. I wouldn’t waste my time. Hence I find it hard to comprehend Brynne being on the front page of a major metropolitan newspaper with little reason.
I do, however, understand why there is public interest in the Edelsten’s – hence why I conducted the interview with Brynne in the first place. But this was never going to be a front page story. The only reason it was not run in the paper at the time was because the TV Guide of the same newspaper ran a feature the previous week, which the Weekend magazine had been unaware of.
So in my defence, I am now posting – unedited – the version of the interview I did with Brynne so you can see that it’s highly unlikely I’d be taking a swipe. I enjoyed her company and found her to be warm-hearted and sweet. (There’s no mention here of her upcoming reality TV Show as that was not yet established. )
Brynne Edelsten arrived on Melbourne’s social scene with a bang, not a whimper. In a whirl of sequins and plunging necklines, the young Texan blonde made her mark at the much-hyped wedding extravaganza to the much older, flamboyant entrepreneur Geoffrey Edelsten. Since then, her colourful red carpet and racing carnival appearances have left Melbourne with a permanent collectively raised eyebrow.
So meeting Brynne in the flesh is somewhat surprising. Rather than bold and brassy, she is softly spoken and sweet. Yes, she admits she likes flashy clothes, but is happy with her image and has the self-confidence to refuse to bow to public pressure and change.
Above all, she adores her husband. And despite a recent heated exchange during a television interview, declares he’s her best friend.
J: Tell me about your childhood, where you grew up?
B: I was born in Oklahoma but I grew up in Arizona. I was there till I was twenty-two. I was from a lower to middle-class family. We didn’t have a lot, but we didn’t go without things that we needed. My Mum stayed home and my Dad worked as a truck driver. I have an older and younger brother and two half-sisters. They feel like my nieces, because they’re only nine and eleven.
J: A happy childhood?
B: Yeah, I had a big family with lots of cousins. Very family-orientated. I played softball. I was actually very smart at school. I was taken out of my school as a child because I was very gifted – to go to another school that specialized in things that would challenge me more. I graduated early and went to college. I studied for a while but I didn’t enjoy it enough to finish.
J: What did you study?
B: I was studying Psychology, but I only finished the basic level. I was at the Mesa Community College. Our family could never have afforded for me to go to University and this was much cheaper. I did two years there, and then I decided I’d have more fun going out and being irresponsible.
J: Were you a party girl before that?
B: I was very shy up until I was about eighteen or nineteen. It was almost impossible to get two words out of me. I was so quiet and scared to go out in public.
J: What changed?
B: I think I lacked confidence when I was younger. I was very skinny when I was growing up. So when I finally put on a little weight naturally, I just became more confident and wanted to go out all the time. I was lucky because I never got caught up in drugs like a lot of people. But I would go out and have a drink here and there with friends. Then when I was twenty-two, I had a bad break-up with a boyfriend. I was with him for four years, and found out he was with my best friend. I met him when I was eighteen and he was forty-two. So I moved to Los Angeles because after the breakup. I was devastated. It was a good time to go and live somewhere else.
J: Were you working at the time?
B: In Arizona, I was working at a hair laser clinic as a receptionist. It was like a medical grade clinic. Then I moved to LA and got a job at music.com and also did some personal training.
J: How long were you in LA before you met Geoffrey?
B: Almost four years. I love LA. I think that’s the favourite place that I’ve lived. I love my life here more now, but I remember it being a really fun place to live, especially if you’re single. Although it’s hard to make friends there, but when you do, they’re just really cool people and you get to go out with a lot of celebrities. One of the first celebrities I met was Jack Nicholson.
J: Tell me about Jack.
B: He liked to smoke, that’s for sure. I met him at a friends’ house. He’s a very funny man! And I also met Tara Reid. Paris Hilton used to date one of my best friends, so I met her and she came out with us a lot. So it was very cool.
J: What’s Paris like?
B: Nice! I wasn’t close to her, but she’s not a bitch at all. She’s a nice girl. A lot of people give her harsh words that she doesn’t deserve.
J: Where did you meet Geoffrey?
B: I met him a hotel party in LA. We met briefly and he was friends with my boss and we ended up at the same functions and exchanged email addresses. We’d email back and forth and send funny jokes and that’s how we kept in touch. Then one day, out of the blue, he just called up from London and asked if I wanted to go on a date in Las Vegas. I thought, why not? I’m not working for the next three days, so why not? And we did, and it was the best date of my life. We went to the Beatles Love Show. And I remember this lady next to me had this huge drink and all of a sudden she spilt it all over me and I was soaking wet and miserable throughout the whole show but it was such a great date, because being with him was so much fun.
J: And it was a three-day date?
B: Well on the third day I had to leave. But we also went on a huge shopping spree and he spoiled me rotten. I had to buy more luggage just to take some of my shopping home because he bought me so many things. It was very surprising but it was very good.
J: When you first met Geoffrey, did you feel that spark or was it the date when it kicked in?
B: No, it was the date. When we first met, it wasn’t enough time to really get to talk to each other, to have a deep conversation, so it didn’t mean much. But the first date really was the best date I’d ever been on. No one had ever paid that much attention to me. When someone is actually genuinely listening to everything you’re saying and to have conversation come so easily was really nice.
J: What sort of things did you like about him?
B: He’s a very funny man. He has a dry sense of humour, but I like that. He makes me laugh a lot. And he’s very kind. A total gentleman. He would open every door for me, and anyone else who was walking by – not just me, for everyone. Even now, he’s always the last person out of the lift. Little things like that are important. It shows how someone is going to treat you if they treat everyone that way.
J: Where did things go from there?
B: I had to go back to work in Arizona. We were filming a concert. . Geoffrey was really disappointed but I said, hey, we’ll catch up in LA. But the show took longer than I thought and he kept calling and calling, and he couldn’t reach me because I couldn’t have my phone on when we were filming. He was disappointed, but couldn’t wait in LA any more so he went back to Australia. Then a few weeks later I went and visited him in there.
J: Your first time to Australia?
B: Yeah, it was. My first time really out of the country. I’d been to Mexico, but that doesn’t really count. That was the furthest I’d been from home. And I was supposed to be here for ten days but I was a little, well… not very thoughtful. He was out flying in his helicopter and came home to take me to lunch, and I’d gone. I got on a plane and went back to the States without telling him. And it wasn’t to be mean. But we were staying at the Docklands and I didn’t drive and he would work every day and I was in the apartment all day by myself and couldn’t do anything. I just got really homesick and restless. So after a couple of days I just left and went home. And he was really upset about that, which obviously you would be.
J: Didn’t you write a note – anything?
B: No. I texted him saying, I’m okay, I’ve left the apartment, I’ll call you later. But I didn’t realize till I was on the plane, that that would have to be the next day. So it wasn’t the nicest thing to do. It wasn’t the most thoughtful thing I’ve done – definitely, but I did it. So then he was really upset and really devastated. But he convinced me to come back a second time. So I did and that was for six weeks. Then he had me quit my job and I just ended up moving here.
J: What convinced you to come back if you weren’t happy here the first time?
B: It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy. It was just that it kind of scared me a bit because it was all moving very, very fast. I mean this was only a couple of months after our first date and I was half way across the world. It was very overwhelming. Not having friends or family, not having a job, not being able to drive… I think that’s why the first time I just left – I kind of panicked. He proposed on the second trip when I was here. It had only been a couple of months since our first date. It was a year since we met, but still it was very quick. And I only had one main relationship before that. And I wasn’t looking to settle down. But it was such a surprise. He’d hinted about it and we’d talk about it but it was definitely a surprise when he showed me the ring. It was the biggest diamond I’d ever seen. Then after six weeks we went back to the States together and he met my family for the first time. And then we flew to LA so I could finish packing up my stuff.
J: What did your parents think of the age difference?
B: It wasn’t that shocking to them, because my boyfriend I’d been with before that was twice my age. I had always enjoyed the company of older people.
J: What do you admire about Geoffrey?
B: Geoff’s accomplished so much. He’s such a smart, smart, brilliant man. I mean – his mind! He’s a doctor, he’s writing his own book, he learned to fly planes. Everything he’s done, all the experiences, all the stories he has to tell… I love hearing his stories and that’s why we never run out of conversation because he’s done so much. And I’m so proud of him for everything he’s done.
J: He’s also had a lot of ups and downs… a bit of a roller-coaster ride.
B: He’s had a lot of ups and downs. But he always bounces back because he won’t give up. He’s so strong-willed and I think that’s impressive.
J: What do you think has been his biggest achievement?
B: I think his comeback after having to file for bankruptcy and all that. Having to start all over from nothing and create this empire of medical clinics. I think that’s incredible.
J: Do you have any interest in his business? Do you want to work in any capacity?
B: Not in his medical clinics. But we are looking at things. That’s why we’re opening the Nurielle stores here, which I will run. I definitely want to work. I want to feel accomplished myself in business. I have more of a creative side and I’m very smart, but I love fashion and I’d love to do something in the media. Even though I want to have children one day. I want a family. But I think I can work and have children.
J: Is Geoffrey keen to have children?
B: He is. Not right now though. Hopefully within the next year we’ll try.
J: So career aspirations for you include media, business and fashion?
B: Yes, well I’m already working on my Flash Gordon label. But it will take a bit of time to get that ready because I don’t want to go ahead with that until I feel I’m fully ready for it. I’m designing everything and I want it to be more affordable. Nurielle is very high-end, so it’s not as affordable for most people. And I think by working with them, it will give me the experience to learn what I need to know. And I’ll be the face of it (Nurielle) in the States and Dubai. Which is exciting.
J: How would you describe your dress sense?
B: Mine is definitely different to a lot of people’s. You saw me earlier today. I wasn’t flashy. But when I go to events, I love being sparkly with diamonds and crystal and bright colours, because you can’t wear that stuff very often, so if you have a chance, then why not? On an every day basis, I’m much more casual.
J: Have you been upset at all by some of the negative comments made by the media?
B: No. Although in the very beginning, it made me feel bad. It didn’t hurt my feelings, but I’d go, why are they saying these things because it didn’t make sense to me. Why does anyone care that much, to be mean? It doesn’t help anyone.
J: Do you think people are being kinder now?
B: I think so. Everyone has become so much warmer to me and I feel like things have become a lot more positive. I’m not going to lie. I do read the papers. I read what’s written about me. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t. One thing I don’t do anymore is to read the comments about me on-line, in blogs and stuff. They’re really mean. When it comes down to it, I’m happy with what I’m wearing. I’m happy with who I am.
J: Tell me about the wedding. That was a huge event.
B: It was. It was very exciting. On the day I started feeling pretty overwhelmed because it was larger than life.
J: Did you want a large wedding?
B: I didn’t mind if it was large or small, but he wanted to give me a big wedding. The people that mattered to me were at the wedding and that was the most important thing. He has a lot more people that matter to him than me, so there were a lot of people I didn’t know, but I was happy for them to be there to celebrate with us.
J: What’s your favourite memory of the day?
B: At the reception, the first person I saw when I walked into the room was my best friend, Sharni. And it I felt this sigh of relief, to see someone familiar among this sea of faces of people I didn’t know. So I ran up and gave her a hug. That was the best moment for me. Other than the actual wedding of course and exchanging vows.
J: How did that feel, the moment you exchanged vows?
B: It was really good. I couldn’t stop smiling, but I couldn’t stop crying either. I was a mess. I had tears running down my face.
J: How would you describe your relationship?
B: He’s my best friend. We value each other’s opinions. We talk about everything. We enjoy our time together. We do have other friends we do things with but he’s my best friend. If there was one person I could be with all the time, it would be him. And I’m lucky enough to have him.
J: He must work long hours to be as successful as he is. Is that difficult for you?
B: Well no, because he wakes up and goes to work at 3.30 every morning, so his day starts very early every day. He’s there at 3.30 every morning. He wakes up at 2.30.
J: What time does he go to bed?
B: Between eight and eleven.
J: He obviously doesn’t need as much sleep as the rest of us…
B; No, not as much as me! (laughs) So he gets home anytime between two o’clock and five o’clock so we still have the whole afternoon and evening together, even though he works a lot. Sometimes he has meetings on the weekend but mostly we have all the weekend together.
J: Does he have any annoying habits?
B: More than one! Geoff has to be not just one time, but early for everything. He’ll tell me a time to be ready and then fifteen minutes to thirty minutes before then, he’s standing over me saying, how much longer are you going to be? So we’re always the first people anywhere. Before the red carpet starts, we’re there. We can never be fashionably late, let alone late. We have to be there before the camera people get there for him to feel on time. He’s very extreme with punctuality.
J: Anything else?
B: Well, I have lots! I leave the lights on in every room and he has to turn them off. He could probably point out a lot more annoying habits about me than I can about him.
By now, you might be familiar with my lovely friend Rochelle, who has kindly modelled for the Fashion section of this Blog on several occasions. But I have to confess, while she looks the part, Rochelle isn’t actually a model. She’s a highly regarded television production whiz who is currently in-between jobs. Knowing she’s likely to start another one soon, I thought I should grab her while I could when I was heading down to Elwood today to check out Bahamonde. Set in the heart of funky Ormond Road, Bahamonde stands out from the rest with a more upmarket selection of smaller Australian designers, as well as a few fab imports.
Owner Kelly Savage used to work in the boutique before taking over from the previous occupants about ten months ago. Since then, she’s introduced a few new labels to the store, including one from Copenhagen called Rabens Saloner – plus a greater range of footwear. She says she likes to choose stock that she would wear herself. As well, she takes in to account the fact that a lot of mothers shop with their daughters, so she showcases labels that appeal to both age groups.
I was quite drawn to these soft suede orange loafers. (Although Kelly described them as ‘watermelon’…) It’s quite tricky to find comfortable shoes to wear with jeans and I’m just NOT a ‘ballet flats’ kinda gal. Sadly, she didn’t have my size, but they are getting more in. (from Brazil)
Rochelle (like myself) is a huge ‘rose gold’ fan, so putting on this top by the talented Viktoira and Woods was a dead cert to put a smile on her face.
The sun wasn’t shining, but the pink and orange floral pattern of this Indigo dress is bound to make you feel like Spring is actually here… the perfect number for lunches, a romantic picnic or a country race meeting. The tan wedges are also a versatile option, sitting well with just about any outfit.
This lilac dress just about jumped off the racks when I walked into the shop. It’s one of the imports from Copenhagen that Kelly was telling me about. I can just picture Princess Mary in this, can’t you? It’s a beautiful flowy number that almost harks back to yesteryear but with a modern twist – a romantic maxi dress that can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion.
Alexia Wood three-panel dress $89 with Jam Squared Style sandals $175
For a more casual look, I chose this three-panel colour tunic dress from Alexia Wood. It’s a relatively new Australian label that’s well-priced. Plus the sandals – another attractive flat option – were, by fluke, a perfect match!
Viktoria and Woods August keyhole shirt $277 with Red singlet Milk at Thistle $139
Last but not least, another piece from the Viktoria and Woods collection – a striking silk shirt – light as a feather and a gorgeous fuschia colour to make your skin glow. Kelly said Bahamonde used to showcase mostly dresses but now incorporates a greater range of separates.
When our work was done, Rochy and I popped across the road to Zartowa for a much needed coffee. Gotta pay these models somehow…
It’s about my girlfriend’s in-laws and what they gave her husband for his 40th birthday this week. If you’ve ever whinged about yours, you’ll be grateful for what you’ve got after reading this. (I’m going to use substitute names for privacy reasons)
It all started last Christmas when Laura and Steve hosted a lunch for their friends and family. Laura wasn’t thrilled Steve’s parents were invited, as they’d never gotten along, but thought she could get through one afternoon. And it was Christmas, after all…
In the past, Steve’s mother had always rubbed Laura up the wrong way with personal criticisms and complaints about her cooking. His father was also prone to racist remarks, which riled Laura no end. Not to mention neither of them were particularly lively company, offering only stilted conversation. At first, Laura had wondered if it was because of a language issue. (Both parents came to Australia from Germany in their twenties) But their command of English was excellent. No, it was their lack of manners, decided Laura. The fact that they would constantly drop in unannounced, despite repeated requests for a warning phone call; their demanding manner and social ineptitude once they arrived, topped off by a lack of any form of thank you.
Needless to say, you can understand why Laura wasn’t keen to include them at Christmas. But they came. Empty-handed. And proceeded to guzzle all of Laura’s French champagne. Then the snide comments started about the food. And rude remarks directed at Laura’s friends – in particular, a lovely Anglo-Indian couple.
But it was after lunch, when Steve’s dad started ranting on about why the nation needed an ‘all-white Australia policy’ that Laura put her foot down. Quietly but firmly she took him by the arm, led him to the kitchen and explained why it was time for them to leave. At the end of the day, Laura and Steve agreed it was time to distance themselves from his parents for a bit – just to let tensions ease.
Around mid-year, Steve’s mum waved an olive branch. ‘We’re taking the whole family out to dinner,’ she said. ‘Please come. It’s our shout.’ So off they went to a fancy restaurant. Laura grinned and bore it but the evening was another round of excruciating conversation and bad manners. At the end of the meal, when it came time to pay the bill, Steve offered to chip in and grabbed Laura’s credit card. Laura waited for his mother to protest. After all, she’d made a huge fuss about how ‘they’ were taking everyone out to dinner. But she just sat there and smiled at her son while the waiter snatched Laura’s credit card and SHE ended up paying for the ENTIRE dinner.
But the clincher came this week. It was Steve’s 50th birthday on the weekend, so a month ago the pressure began with phone calls and hints – ‘When are we coming over to celebrate?’
Bitten-too-many-times, Laura decided to keep friends and family separate to avoid any clashes and to stop them ruining Steve’s main party. When they arrived yesterday for a small family gathering, Laura thanked all the gods in the heavens she’d made that decision. Because of their present.
They were obviously peeved they hadn’t been included in the main festivities, so his mother, who always baked a birthday cake for her son (despite his maturing years…) did NOT bring a cake. Nor did they bring him a bought-from-a-shop and beautifully gift-wrapped present.
No.
His mother pulled out a package in a brown paper bag and proudly declared that to mark Steve’s milestone year, she was giving him, the eldest son, a family heirloom that he would treasure for the rest of his life.
His Grandfather’s NAZI war medals… OF WHICH SHE WAS PROUD.
It was all Laura could do not to throw them in the bin on the spot. In the kitchen, she whispered to Steve that there was NO WAY she would have them in the house. Seriously bad karma, she said. Laura is not Jewish. Just pretty much a normal person who finds the whole Nazi Holocaust history a sickening abomination and finds it unbelievable that anyone living in our society could actually cherish a medal associated with glorifying such atrocities.
Steve agreed. He did not want the medals. But he could not bring himself to thrown them in the bin.
Clever Laura had a better idea. Steve’s younger brother was returning to his parents home that evening. She snuck his car keys, crept out the front door and planted the medals on the backseat of his car.
So far, they haven’t heard what the family reaction was to that. I’m guessing it won’t be good. But like Laura, I don’t really care. I don’t think she’ll be seeing much more of them in the future.
Chadstone must be Melbourne’s most popular high-end shopping centre. I don’t have the statistics to prove it – only the personal experience of facing car-parks full to overflowing every time I venture there, plus queues snaking out of Prada and Chanel every time I walk past. It beats city shopping because at least those crowded car-parks are FREE and during Melbourne’s long, cold winter, it’s much more cosy shopping indoors. And yes, the range of stores, catering to all wallets – from rob-a-Swiss-bank-to-buy-anything to shoe-string budgets – is vast and varied.
But if your budget doesn’t stretch to European haute couture (and mine certainly doesn’t) then Chaddy also stocks a great selection of local designers, with stock carrying far more reasonable price-tags. One of my favourite Aussie labels comes from three Sydney-based sisters who started up Manning Cartell. Over the years, their stock has mostly been sold through independent boutiques, but gradually, with growing success, they’re opening their own stores. I always loved buying their stock (sorry, loved even more Channel TEN buying it!) as a newsreader, because their jackets were so consistently well-cut and stylish. And it was tricky finding chic jackets that fit the ‘newsreader mode’ without being ‘mother-of-the-bride’…
So I was thrilled to find they’ve only JUST (two weeks ago) opened a new store at Chadstone. My girlfriend Rochelle and I were shopping there on Saturday which meant I happened to have a willing model on hand, (after a little arm-twisting) to showcase some of their best stock. And oh boy, do they have some good stuff!
I like the fact they do suits with skirts OR shorts, so you can dress this look up or down – for work or play. Their fabrics are divine – suits in textured metallic weaves or soft-spun gold thread, with light-as-a-feather silk tops to float underneath. It’s the contrasts between tailored, sharply structured pieces (suit jackets, leather singlets) with floaty, ethereal elements that gives the label its unique edge.
Sailors Valentine dress $599 and Sugar and Mango top $349 with Ebony Mask Shorts $449
Manning Cartell also showcase a range of accessories, such as metallic belts in pewter, rose gold or gun metal for $299 each that would update any outfit. Another coveted piece was the most beautiful structured lace skirt I’ve spied this season and is SOOOO on my birthday wish-list. Not to mention a classic sequinned tunic that has a funky 60s feel and would be a great trans-seasonal after-five number.
But my favourite on the day would have to be this sexy peach dress which gets away with having almost ‘too-much-in-your-face-cleavage’ because of the fabric being demure lace…
If I had the figure for it, I’d grab it, but given the post-giving-up-smoking additional kilos aren’t budging, I’ll have to leave that one for Rochelle who looks amazing in this. In fact, with the right hat, I think it would be perfect for Oaks Day, don’t you?
