Star Crossed Coffee Lovers in Daylesford – PART 1

Coffee has been the constant love in my life for the last 20 years. Now suddenly we are being torn apart to live on separate sides of the table … the last instructions from my hot surgeon as he turned to walk into the sunset. To help work through the grieving process, I organised a farewell Tribute to Coffee; sipping moorish espressos and lattes one last time at my favourite cafes around town. I wore black.  

I was first introduced to espresso in my late 20’s when working for illy caffe in New Zealand. After years of marketing Jif, Handy Andy, Vegemite and Philadelphia Cream, it was like stepping off the pavements onto the catwalk. Everyone was Italian, with lots of arm waving, crazy Vespa driving, impeccable style and always an espresso cup in hand. Every espresso had to be perfect, no matter who it was for. Optimum temperature, tamper level, grind, extraction time, crema depth, cup temperature and height to the millimeter. If not, “throw it away!” Unsurprisingly I picked up this contagious obsessive love for coffee perfection. To this day, if the coffee isn’t right, “send it back!” Friends and family have been driven under the table with my constant round robin of coffees. But coffee is such a lovely experience, why waste the moment? ...Read more...

Chocolate, Sex and the City and vintage Barbie

Once upon a time in Daylesford, back when stilettos were only fitted on horses, a handful of Swiss were busy making chocolate almost as valuable as the nearby discoveries of gold and mineral water. To this day, Daylesford and Chocolate seem to quietly fit just like Sarah Jessica Parker and vintage Prada or Barbie and Ken. I’ll admit to having a slightly wicked childhood when it comes to chocolate; hiding every Christmas and Easter chocolate ever received, then four months later, selling them to Gerry for highly inflated prices or slavery for a day. A marketer even then!

Sweet Decandence... my secret hideaway

Despite deep reverence for a Free Market approach to supply and demand of chocolate in my immediate world, “product samples” have always been kept aside, for market research purposes of course. A good marketer needs to truly love their product to be able to get others to love it...Read more...

How New Zealand's new grassroots record label began

I’m back! No more hospital gowns, nose-tubes or hot surgeon (sadly that wasn’t meant to be!). For over a month, my entire world shrunk to one room; totally reliant on wonderful friends, family and medical staff for everything. Experiences like this are a great reminder of just how much we need a strong support network around us. It’s difficult to imagine making something beautiful out of a horrible situation all on your own, but many people do. And are incredibly inspirational as a result. I’ve been asked many times over the last few weeks why I’ve taken on the Capree boys. ..and the music industry. Not a surprising question given that my guitar repertoire is limited to hymns (taught by Sister Sonia in primary school), I still get confused between Eminem and the more chocolaty M&M's, and once when sitting in a hotel spa, I asked Annie Lennox what she did for a living. 

With our Capree boys (in my PJ's and wellies!)

When I met the Capree boys, heard their singing and then their stories about rising above a world of drugs, gangs, violence and street living with only faith, sheer determination and music for company, it was impossible not to see that they were destined to become inspirational role models for the young generation. All they needed was a strong and caring support network wrapped around them. So that’s how five young Maori lads ended up on my doorstep in Daylesford, four days after major stomach surgery and Sticky Vinyl Productions was borne...Read more...

Daylesford becoming Australia’s own Abbey Road

It constantly surprises me how many gifted creatives live tucked away in little country villages around the world. You never know who you’ll bump into at the fruit and vege market. Just the other day, Gerry met Australian megawatt, Eric Bana at the local video store (he has a farmhouse on the village outskirts). Then I received an invitation for coffee with Daylesford local, the internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter, Adrian Kosky. Being as new to Boy Band management as Justin Bieber is to shaving, we need as much advice from music cognoscenti as possible, so I jumped at the espresso opportunity. 

My new best friend, Adrian Kosky

Originally a city lad, Adrian moved to Daylesford 10 years ago to become a full time musician. In the inspirational simplicity of rural life, Adrian found his mojo.  Heavily influenced by the Blues, Appalachian Folk and Bluegrass, he went on to produce four critically acclaimed, independent albums and tour extensively in USA.  Putting together a country singer with a Hip Hop Boy Band may seem left field, but in the creative arena, inspiration often springs from the most unsuspecting sources...Read more...

Online shopping…coffee, yachts and t-shirts

Nespresso.com
 

I’ve been an illycaffe devotee from way back, but one glorious summer’s morning in St Tropez, France, wandering along the waterfront packed with moored super yachts, this changed forever. Peering inconspicuously (as you do) into the yachts’ outside lounges, it was impossible not to notice that Nespresso had taken hold of the yachting set.  Nespresso machines were sitting on the terrace sideboards of almost every yacht. Clearly George had been there before me! Nautically uniformed staff were floating baristas, surreptitiously serving cup after cup of aromatic little espressos to the Beautiful People (BP) onboard. The BP sat on their decks in deep cushioned cane chairs, eating breakfast, sipping Nespressos, watching the world watch them.  Captivated by the scene, I sat down in a terrace café opposite the yachts and mentally willed the BP to notice me and send over an invite to come onboard.

No invitation came. Instead, I spent the rest of the morning with a slice of Tarte Tropezienne heaven...Read more...

Move over Juicy Couture, country scents rule!

Since being poorly these past few weeks, my sense of smell has gone into overdrive. Every little scent that wafts my way feels like an all-out assault on my nostrils. So despite outside temperatures near freezing, I’ve taken to opening the sash bedroom windows right up and luring the gorgeous country air inside. It’s mighty chilly and I’m wearing three jumpers to keep warm, but the smells are fabulous.

Granma, that blimen ram and Timmy

Sight may be the strongest sense for short term memory; however, sense of smell is the strongest and most vivid for instantly recalling long term memories. For me, the smell of fresh cut grass, trees, hay, hedges, firewood, and muddy paths after a downpour evoke glorious memories of childhood on my Grandparents dairy farm in Waikawau Bay on the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand. Although it was a 1200 acre farm, Grandad only kept 60 cows, each known by name. There were also pigs (with names!), kept very happy on a diet of skim milk straight from the cream in the milking shed. Running along one side of the farm was a tidal inlet where my siblings and I would swim for hours, catch fish and dig  fresh mussels out with our toes . When the tide was out, we could walk across to the other side of the inlet to a 2 mile, white sandy ocean surf beach. Not a soul in sight. This is why New Zealand is so special...Read more...

Internet shopping for rural fashionista

While waiting for my body to return to its former peak condition and the Queen-worthy cashmere socks to be delivered (5-10days), thought I would share some of the online stores that have been a lifeline since moving to Australia.  
  
outdoorandcountry.co.uk

Kate Moss, Liz,  Me...who isn't wearing Hunters?

Just because one lives in the country,  rummaging around Farmers’ Markets,  converting the gardens into Australia’s own Duchy Home Farm, and  photographing cows, doesn’t mean that dress standards should drop. As Liz Hurley and I frequently say, the country really is sexier than the city, so one should dress accordingly.  Mud, sun or  rain… Hunter wellies are a must. Outdoor and Country UK is one of the main distributors for Hunter Wellies, and although they don’t technically post outside UK, after a wee chat to them a while back, the lovely Manager told me how to get around the system: register with outdoorandcountry.com and purchase through outdoorandcountry.co.uk. May seem like a lot of hassle for a pair of wellies, but the UK branch has access to the entire Hunter range, including all limited editions, and really, would any other brand look as fabulous?
(aside: my fabulous Hunter RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Pull-Ons were A$140 delivered)...Read more...