The wonderful thing about the internet is that you can stumble headlong into incredible people doing fascinating and even life-changing things any day of the week. Stumbling over and ‘finding’ … [Read more...]
Book Review: I Lost My Mobile at the Mall
I honestly think author Wendy Harmer could turn her hand to any genre of writing, so delectable is her style - so honest, raw, contemporary, full of the delectable wit she's famous for - and stacked … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Little Book of Australia
Having only just celebrated yet another gee-they-get-bigger-every-year Australia Day, it was timely to peruse this new little home-grown tome during a hefty fireworks/pavlova hangover. A compilation … [Read more...]
Book Review: I Know How to Cook
One of my greatest culinary desires is to own Julia Child's iconic cooking collection, along with that of Margaret Fulton, Nigella Lawson, Stephanie Alexander, Maggie Beer and Martha Stewart. I've … [Read more...]
Healthy Eating in Children – A Parent’s Choice
Recently, I did a blog post on encouraging healthy eating amongst children. The post started out innocently enough - a mother posting on why she thought offering a healthy and varied diet to children … [Read more...]
Book Review: Princess Party Cookbook
Not being a overtly ‘pink’ mother of a nine-year-old daughter, I’m ever skeptical of anything ‘princess’, unless it’s done a little tongue-in-cheek or with extreme originality. It was with a smidgen … [Read more...]
Back to School Planning Tips
I know, I know – it seems like the school holidays have only just begun, but like most years, January will evaporate like a salty ocean droplet on a surfer’s shagpile head. Suddenly, you’ll be staring … [Read more...]
Jack topples from his perch: Top Baby Names for 2009
Prince Jack has finally been toppled from his five-year perch atop the Number One baby name slot - replaced by King William, in a hark back to a Medieval past. According to the NSW Registry of Births, … [Read more...]
Scheduling some New Year Planning
A short while ago, I attended a businesswomen's social meeting (complete with festive nibbles and bubbles) and listened to the supremely calm and organized Emma Grey (author of our recent book … [Read more...]
Book Review: No Impact Man – Saving the Planet One Family at a Time
When Colin Beavan woke on Day One of his family's year-long attempt to have zero effect on the environment, he grabbed some paper towel and blew his dribbling schnoz on it. Not the best start in a … [Read more...]
Jolly Old St Nick – Who is he? Really?
As of this article, it’s only a short time until Santa sneaks into our homes, his sack stuffed with splendid treats for good little boys and girls. Lucky the Good Children List has now gone on the … [Read more...]
Book Review: Belle De Jour’s Guide to Men (This review is rated M)
If you're going to trust anyone with your man-hunting issues, you most certainly want to rely on advice from someone who sounds like they know what they're doing. 'Skanky Sally Slapper' or … [Read more...]
Book Review: Handling Edna? Possums, It’s Scandalous!
If I was famous and someone asked me to name my top five dinner guests – I know I’d have a problem answering. Not because I can’t nominate five people but because I’ve never been able to settle for … [Read more...]
Work Life Bliss – How One Woman Made a Career of It
Listening to Emma Grey speak at a business event recently, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind this is a woman whose got it ‘sorted’. Calm, modulated, articulate and harbouring the uncanny … [Read more...]
Book Review: How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World
Working as a music publicist in the US, author Jordan Christy has probably witnessed an endless parade of floozy fashion built into the mega marketing machine of music video. Indeed, she could well … [Read more...]
Are You a Family of High-Tech Neanderthals?
I'm quite techno savvy. I work online, run my own sites, know how to use the latest internet software and understand what an emoticon is and what twitter does. I'm on facebook, I blog, I can text … [Read more...]
Book Review: Masterchef – The Cookbook
MasterChef Australia: The Cookbook Volume 1 is the best-selling book in Australia after its first full week on sale, making it the fastest selling illustrated cookbook opening week ever recorded on … [Read more...]
Q & A with Vanessa Stubbs of TreasureBags
When brand new entrepreneur Vanessa Stubbs scoured the stores for attractive gift bags last Christmas, she took her search online – a search that yielded a questionable range of “…tie-dyed or organza … [Read more...]
Book Review: Friendship Family Love & Laughter
If friendship, family, love and laughter aren't consciously placed at the top of your Christmas Wish List, you may well have your head blindly implanted in the stress of the pre-Christmas rush, … [Read more...]
Book Review: Our Choice – A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis by Al Gore
He's back. Al Gore, the man who should have been President (hope that doesn't open a sticky can of worms - we are a democracy, people!) is back and he's pushing a firm finger into our chests, just in … [Read more...]
Book Review: Slow Journeys – The pleasures of travelling by foot
There seems to be something curious happening to the book industry of late. From books on slow cooking to yoga and meditation and tomes on finding calm and balance in our lives, could it be possible … [Read more...]
Book Review: Buon Ricordo – How to Make Your Home a Great Restaurant
It's probably a no brainer that if you're going to make your home into a great restaurant, you'd be heavily influenced by the type of cuisine that epitomises the very core of family-based cooking - … [Read more...]
Book Review: Wonders of a Godless World
Finally, a book that isn't afraid to take ugly and make it beautiful. From the opening pages of Andrew McGahan's latest fictional offering, we are bombarded with the dichotomy - and parallels - … [Read more...]
Work Life Balance: A Fuss-Free Christmas
It's a Festive Irony that the more convenient and accessible the media and retail markets make Christmas, the less time, energy and funds we have to inject into this all-encompassing time of year. … [Read more...]
Book Review: Save It – Easy Ways to Save Money
It's very telling of the type of society we live in that the author of this comprehensive new book had to preface her work with a bunch of caveats under the title 'The Legal Stuff', asserting her … [Read more...]
Keeping House for Modern Day Kids
Oh boy, my kids could pass for the Queen of Lackadaisical Land and the Sultan of Lazytown. Have you been to these places? I visited briefly when the heavens opened and delivered us an 'ayi' [read: … [Read more...]
Book Review: Parlour Games for Modern Families
Many’s the evening in a suburban Australian home when Mum is watching Masterchef in the living room, Dad is whooping it up in front of the soccer in the family room, and the kids are variously … [Read more...]
Ocsober Is Nearly Over!!
I put an exclamation point on the title of this article because I wanted to you to think I was really excited for Ocsober to be over and that I was rolling about on the floor, clutching at my throat, … [Read more...]
Book Review: Who Do You Want to Be Today?
I have a secret. I want to be Trinny Woodall. I have a girl crush, yes I do – and it’s Trinny. Love her style, love her voice, love her elegance, frankness, energy and candour. Coupled with the … [Read more...]
Mortals Beware! A Frightful Halloween Party
Lock your doors. On 31st October every year, the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. Rustle up your goblins and ghouls, your witches and zombies, and concoct a cauldron-stirring … [Read more...]
Hocus Pocus – Hosting a Haunting Halloween
Holding a Halloween celebration in your house can be as easy as pumpkin pie. Follow these basic ideas and get ready to spook! When we lived in Beijing, our family became hooked on Halloween. Like, … [Read more...]
Book Review: Buddhism for Mothers of SchoolChildren by Sarah Napthali
Being a big reader of books on psychology and the inner workings of the human mind and heart, there has been many a book on my adult reading journey that’s brought me an ‘aha!’ moment or two. Few … [Read more...]
It’s a Sweet Life Family Road Trip – Day Four
Day Four of our Koleos It’s A Sweet Life adventure meant home time. Alas. How we loved our short stay in Sydney, and could have easily spent another twenty years exploring the enriching tendrils that … [Read more...]
Grandmother Turned Children’s Author, Mimi King
When Australian grandmother of eight, Robyn Smith, took on the exotic nom de plume of Mimi King, it wasn’t the only major change in her life. After a lifetime of teaching and reading countless … [Read more...]
It’s a Sweet Life Family Road Trip – Day Three
Hooray! No rain for day three of our It’s a Sweet Life family road trip; just a small smattering upon entry to Taronga Zoo, which soon disappeared for a cloudy but delightful day with more sunbursts … [Read more...]
It’s A Sweet Life Family Road Trip – Day One
Day one of our Renault Koleos road trip dawned dank and rainy in Canberra with promise of more dank rainy-ness in Sydney for our arrival. We didn’t even pack coats, we were so hopeful the weather man … [Read more...]
The Butterfly Effect: A New Positive Approach to Raising Happy, Confident Teen Girls
There is something poignant in the title of The Butterfly Effect – a book that gently prises open the cocoon surrounding teenage girls; those delicate creatures caught half-way between a lengthy and … [Read more...]
Cheers to a Sober October
Oh boy. It’s started. A sober October. My tee-total commitment to raise funds for Life Education’s invaluable initiative – Ocsober – is about to begin. Thursday, to be exact. At midnight. Well, one … [Read more...]
Children’s Author Ingrid Jonach
Oh, I love a kids’ chapter book that aims so directly at its audience, you can hear the bulls-eye thud of its literary arrow. Talented young Australian author, Ingrid Jonach (pictured), has created a … [Read more...]
It’s a Sweet Life – The Ultimate Family Road Trip
Goodie goodie gumdrops! Only four more sleeps and we are off on our very special road trip as part of the Renault Koleos test drive experience. For those of you who haven’t a clue what I’m rambling … [Read more...]