the gold coast grapevine issue #12 april 2011

www.gcgrapevine.com.au

Calendar of EventsOnline Shopping House of Vintner

TheGold CoastGold CoastTheGrapevine

lifestyle magazine

Foo FightersQld Flood Appeal

April 2011

Energy Drinks“Are they healthy?”

TEST Market!!

Mother’s Day Gift GuideIt’s not

fancy, just a little

schmancy


The Gold Coast Grapevine is proud to announce their sponsorship & support to The Constellation Project. A project produced by Tanya Love from Love Bytes Photography; The Constellations Project, a beautiful 16 month calen-dar to help raise funds for the families who were affected by the devastating floods of Grantham in the Lockyer Val-ley.

Printed on high quality stock, the 340mm x 490mm calendar will be the product of beauty and reverence. The images taken by Tanya will be pri-marily black and white, with selective colouring throughout adding context and emotion of each individual image of lives being put back together. The colouring of the artwork will be con-temporary and clean with an antique vintage feel where the graphic design aspects will be golds & maroons to re-flect the “colours” of Queensland.

To read more about this project, see the images and design please visit www.theconstellationsproject.com.au/blog

And to read more about Grantham Flood Support and make a donation please visit: www.granthamfloodsupport.com

how you can help - Book your ad NOW & receive your copy of the Constellations Project Cal-endar and be a part of a fundraising project where ALL proceeds from the sale of each calendar will go directly towards rebuilding the township of Grantham, and those nearby which were completely wiped out by the floods. When you place your ad with The Gold Coast Grapevine not only will you receive your copy of the calen-dar, the GCG will donate a portion of their fees to the Grantham Flood Sup-port, further helping the Constellations Project reach their goal of $400,000!

‘Only when it is dark enough , can you see the stars’~ Persian Proverb ~

Claire Steele‘Connected’


www.19karen.com.auSolo Shows

to April 23, 2011

Guy L. Warren‘Resurface’

Claire Steele‘Connected’

WELCOME TO THE April/May is-sue of the GCG and the first by-monthly issue! This issue is packed!! You have 50 pages for your enjoyment! I know that technically this is the second issue of the year, but I feel as if this issue is really the be-ginning of 2011 for the GCG. Last year was a pretty tough year for me. With the passing of my moth-er and my leg injury, it was pretty hard to stay on top of things hap-pening around the Gold Coast and attending events. So when I was able to attend the Foo Fight-ers benefit concert in March, I was reminded how lucky I am to be who I am and where I am in this life and soo happy to be back in the swing of things!! Be-ing apart of this event and giving back to a community in need is so important to the GCG! Thank you again for clicking on another issue of The Gold Coast Grapevine. The GCG wishes you a Happy Easter & to all you moth-er’s in the world, Happy Mother’s Day!! Happy reading!

cover photo Georgi York


edito

rs n

ote

Marilyn

22

18


Published by The Gold Coast Grapevine in Qld., Australia e: [email protected] | w: www.gcgrapevine.com.auABN: 47 279 002 263 The Gold Coast Grapevine is 100% Australian Owned and an Australian Certified Gold WebsiteAll content in The Gold Coast Grapevine has been written in good faith based on verbal or written material provided by contributors to produce this publication. No responsibility or liability will be taken and The Gold Coast Grapevine will be further released of any liability

or damages as a result of the content or advertising contained in this publication. This publication is produced soley to convey information and general interest and any opinion expressed through out this pub-lication may not necessarily be those of the publisher. The proprietor of this business is undischarged bankruptcy. All material in The Gold Coast Grapevine may be subject to copyright laws, therefore no part of this publication may be reproduced without the written approval of the publisher.

cont

ent

features

14 What’s On Local Markets Calendar of Events

22 GCG Digital Digs

32 Kelly’s Star Signs

36 House of Vintner

38 Real Views & Reviews

08 Foo Fighters BenefitConcert

18 Who Gives A Hoot?

26 Medical Matters

28 1000 Mums Making a Difference

30 Sex in the G.C.

42 Fluffy Slippers to Stilettos

in every issue

08

Who Gives A

BONUS feature: 24 Mother’s Day Gift Guide48 The Brain Food Factory

www.gcgrapevine.com.auThe funkiest headwear on

the street.

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These hats are a must have for the fashion conscious toddler who wants to stand out in the crowd. A little funky unique and hip hop street!

Gold Coast mother of two, Porowini Lucchiari is the creator of this funky line of headwear especially designed for the trendy tot.

And her two year old son, Base, was the inspiration behind the label.

Porowini looked everywhere to find the perfect hat for her son… But after searching the globe unsuccessfully … it was time to take matters into her own hands.

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The BABY BASE INK range for boys and girls has a distinct urban street wear look including two fedora style hats, and six flat peak caps. In just six months Baby Base has started to make waves around Australia and the world.

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BABY BASE INK proves style doesn’t have to be expensive… The entire range is affordably priced between $24.95 and $29.95.To view the entire range visit www.babybaseink.com.au

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o more than a couple of months ago the Riverstage in South-bank Brisbane was badly affected by the devastating floods that wiped out SouthEast Queensland. In the ef-fort to raise money for the Premier’s Queensland Flood Appeal and the earthquake stricken Christchurch, the Foo Fighters signed up and held the event of 2011 that captured Australia. No more than 2 weeks ago, the ben-efit concert was announced for one show in New Zealand, Sydney and in our very own backyard, the Riverstage in Brisbane with a line up sure to please; Cloud Control, You Am I and the head-

lining band, the Foo Fighters. And with a special twist, the rockers handpicked a local band; Giants of Science to be the opening act that was announced the day after tickets went on sale which sold out within 15 minutes.

The generous gesture of giving back in a time so needed proved to be so successful that even the Premiere Anna Bligh visited the U.S. rockers pre-show to give thanks and gratitude.


N

www.foofighters.com

Giving the fans a tease to what’s to expect on the new album, Dave Grohl and the boys; Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins and although he’s not a new member and was a former member and has toured with the band for years, Pat Smear is now credited in the Foos lineup as the new third guitarist. They rocked the song, Bridge Burning from their new album, Wasting Light to hit the stores first week of April. The crowd thrashed to the song as if they had already heard it a million times. Through out this ‘best of’ set, Foo classics were played from every studio-recorded album. After opening up the with a new song it was quickly followed up with All My Life from their One by One album re-leased in 2002. But they didn’t stop there, the set continued belting out songs that we haven’t heard live from the Foos in what seems like years. From For All the Cows, the Generator, Up in Arms and rounded out the set with the classic Everlong and closing up with an encore of fans singing The Best of You and This is a Call. This was my third time seeing them and by far the best. All acoustics were pretty much elimi-nated from the set. Instead of a show that was rockin in the beginning, to somewhat mellow in the middle with

their classic acoustic songs and ver-sions thereof, and rapping up with a rocking encore leaving people want-ing more; they rocked the set through out with good old LOUD rock ‘n’ roll! People were jumping, taking pho-tos, recording the show with phones, screaming and thoroughly enjoying this one-off benefit concert and all the while through out the concert, we were reminded why we were there and why they were there with Dave Grohl’s so ever-sincere answer to it all:

“

www.gcgrapevine.com.au(Marilyn Adam)

““…But I didn’t care; you know why? Because I got f#%$in’ music, and that’s all I really needed. And when I was down, you know what I’d do? I’d lis-ten to music. And when I was having a good time, you know what I’d do? I’d f#%$in’ listen to music! And when people need help… I can’t come here and fix your roof. I can’t come here and mop your f#%$in’ base-ment. This is the only thing I know how to do! So this is why we are here, for you people, tonight. If I were a lawyer, I’d help you sue the f#%$in’ insur-ance companies! But I’m not that smart. This is the one thing that we do. And tonight, it’s all for you, m#%ther f#%$ers…”

continued on next page

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/


GCG

Rocking out on the Riverstage March 27, 2011 (Marilyn Adam)

“

“The Foo Fighters proved to be one of Australia’s favorite headlining bands and raised well over $500,000 in one night for the flood appeal with Anna Bligh dubbing them as a “special gift” having them here raising funds for our flood victims.

Dave wrapped up the show with more Aussie loving by saying;

‘This country has always been so good to us. You know, there are some countries that we just don’t want to f#%$in’ play! We will be back soon!”

And Dave, I’m sure Aussie fans will be waiting for you!

The Foo Fighters new Album will be released next week and back in Australia on tour at the ending of this year. Don’t miss it!!

donate to the disaster relief appeal!!!

You can read more about the flood appeal, find out how you can help and to donate by visiting:

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/


Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaning-ful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.

Dalai Lamawww.gcgrapevine.com.au

www.dalailamainaustralia.org

We can live without religion and medita-tion, but we cannot survive without hu-man affection.

Dalai Lama



Local MarketsBanora Point MarketsClub Banora, Leisure Drive1st & 3rd Sunday of every monthwww.farmersmarketsaustralia.com.au

Broadbeach Art and Craft MarketKurrawa Park1st & 3rd Sunday of every month(07) 5533 8202 www.artandcraft.com.au

Bundall Farmers MarketGold Coast Turf ClubEvery Sunday 0404 787 865 www.farmersmarketsaustralia.com.au

Burleigh Arts and Craft MarketJustins Park, The Esplanade, Burleigh HeadsLast Sunday of every month(07) 5533 8202 www.artandcraft.com.au

Carrara MarketCnr Gooding & Manchester Drives, CarraraEvery Saturday & Sunday(07) 5579 9388 www.carraramarkets.com.au

Coolangatta Art and Craft MarketQueen Elizabeth Park2nd Sunday of every month(07) 5533 8202 www.artandcraft.com.au

Coomera MarketAssisi College CarparkLast Saturday of every month0424 189 344

Currumbin Sanctuary Farmers MarketRear of Currumbin Sanctuary Car ParkTomewin Street, Currumbin1st & 3rd Saturday of every month0417 759 777

Miami Organic Farmers MarketMiami State High School2137-2205 Gold Coast Highway, MiamiEvery Sundaywww.gcorganicmarket.com


Local MarketsCoolangatta Art and Craft MarketQueen Elizabeth Park2nd Sunday of every month(07) 5533 8202 www.artandcraft.com.au

Coomera MarketAssisi College CarparkLast Saturday of every month0424 189 344

Currumbin Sanctuary Farmers MarketRear of Currumbin Sanctuary Car ParkTomewin Street, Currumbin1st & 3rd Saturday of every month0417 759 777

Miami Organic Farmers MarketMiami State High School2137-2205 Gold Coast Highway, MiamiEvery Sundaywww.gcorganicmarket.com

Marina Mirage Farmers MarketMarina Mirage, Seaworld Dr, Main Beach1st, 3rd & 5th Saturday of every month(07) 3103 2325

Mudgeeraba Farmers MarketMudgeeraba ShowgroundsCnr Mudgeeraba & Worongary Roads2nd & 4th Saturday of every month(07) 5525 3525 or 0401 369 869

Nerang Fresh Produce & Craft MarketLavelle Street, NerangEvery Sunday 0417 728 844

Palm Beach Currumbin Farmers MarketPalm Beach Currumbin State High School1st and 3rd Saturday of every monthwww.farmersmarketsaustralia.com.au

Paradise Point Art and Craft MarketThe Esplanade Parklands, Paradise Point4th Sunday of every month 0417 636 662 or 0407 636 822

Surfers Paradise Beachfront MarketThe Esplanade, Surfers ParadiseEvery Wednesday & Friday night(07) 5584 3700 www.surfersparadise.com

Tamborine MountainLocal Producers MarketsTamborine Mountain ShowgroundsEvery Sunday (07) 5545 2617

The Village Markets (Burleigh)Burleigh Heads State School1st Sunday of every month(07) 5679 0375 www.thevillagemarketsgc.com.au


April 7 - 10National Finals Rodeo

www.nfrgoldcoast.com.au

April 5 - 10Australian Surf Life

Saving Championshipswww.sls.com

April 25Easter Monday

ANZAC Day

April 24Easter Sunday

For additional April & May 2011 events please visit www.gcgrapevine.com.au


April 1 - 10National Youth Weekwww.youthweek.com

April 22Good Friday

April 16 - 202011 Oceania & Asia Pacific

Skating Championshipswww.skateaustralia.org.au

April 7 - 10National Finals Rodeo

www.nfrgoldcoast.com.au

April 2 - 3Australian Masters

Surf Life Saving Championshipswww.sls.com.au

www.gcgrapevine.com.aucontinued on next page

Who gives a

The Digital Era

by marilyn adam

The digital era has brought an entire new spin on grow-ing up, what’s right and what’s wrong. What not to do, limits and the old ‘I wasn’t raised with that’. Right now the most contro-versial topic in our home is XBOX live and the time spent on it by our two boys.

I, as many know, am the mother of two boys. Who can’t get enough of Halo Reach or some other violent game that, really, I have no interest in. But that’s just it, it’s not me who’s 14 or 6 growing up in a digital era where everything is possible at the touch of a finger. My boys spend an extreme amount of time on XBOX. Most of the time they bicker but even with all the bickering, they still love playing with people their age across the world. There’s something to be said about this. You have to agree that regard-less what decade you were born, you have to respect and admire tech-nology that puts you in contact with people from all walks of life through a video controlled game by you as the player; and as apart of a team you form with these live players that reside on the other side of the globe. But with that said, I have to agree that I wish they wouldn’t spend so much

time on the game and as a result, they do have limits and times of when and when not they

are allowed to play. And when it’s time to enjoy some outdoor activi-ties but like I said, this isn’t about me it’s about them growing up in an era completely different from mine.

I grew up in the city. I wasn’t into sports at all by any means, even afraid of the ball at times. What I was inter-ested in was art, music and creative writing. I was much more happy writ-ing a short story, drawing a portrait or writing a song. And I thank Christ that my parents never made me play or put me into sports. The first time I saw a video game was back in the 70’s when my cousins received Atari as a gift. I couldn’t get enough of Combat Tanks or Asteroids. We would play for hours and hours. I look at my oldest son and I see a lot of me in him. He’s an artist at heart. He does like sports and he’s good but it doesn’t hold his interest long. What holds his interest? At the moment it’s XBOX. Everything Halo.

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I know that a lot of parents and people in general just think that video games are the worst for kids. Too much T.V. too much video games not enough outdoors or sport. Some even take it as far as saying ‘kids are wasting their life away in front of the T.V.’ or recently I heard a very elderly gentlemen on television, and I quote; “Facebook is for loser’s”. I wonder if he’s ever heard of Mark Zuckerburg and understand how rich this guy is? Or if he even un-derstands the Internet at all? Ofcourse he’s going to say things like this, he didn’t grow up with any of it. Why would he understand it? Or even want to, as old as he was, no one was going to change his views on anything, even something as simple as the way you tie your shoelaces. The radio was prob-ably the invention of his decade and I wonder, how many hours as a boy did he listen to a ball game on the radio and whether his parents approved or-not? People need to embrace the fact that the world is no longer without the high tech, cutting edge technology it once was. The ability to create and achieve; to find and contact a long lost friend or family member; and the ability to be known, get noticed and make yourself public is limitless and this is thanks to technology and creation of the world wide web.

So is it a bad thing? Or is it a good thing? I definitely don’t have the an-swer to that and is there an answer to that? But what I do know is that I want to be a modern mother who is raising two boys where all of this technology is available and not a parent still living in the dark ages or afraid of it. If my son were obsessed with playing soccer would I take away his soccer ball? No is

the answer. Nor would people get into heated discussions over the fact about playing with a ball outside. Kicking a ball for 5 hours into a net is much more acceptable in society than sitting in front of a video game and playing for 5 hours. Why is that? Do people stop playing a sport when they get hurt? No they don’t. But my god, you’ll get carpal tunnel playing video games or your eyesight will get worst. Doesn’t this happen with age anyways? Not to be sarcastic but isn’t it the truth?

My eldest son attended college work-shops for Graphic Arts at the age of 11. He would create complete car-toon segments of up to 300 frames on power point, of all softwares on power point and at 14; he now works on Ado-be software with ease. He’s definitely talented and talented on the comput-er and ofcourse he is; he’s never lived without one!


(MSC Logo by Mason Adam)

digital era continued...

continued on page 46


digital digs

The new Apple iPad2...Two cameras for FaceTime and HD video recording. The dual-core A5 chip. The same 10-hour battery life. All in a thinner, lighter design. Now iPad is even more amazing. And even less like anything else. www.apple.com/au/ipad

Thinner. Lighter. Faster. Smart Covers. 10 Hour Battery.


digital digs

The Viber App for iPhone...what a cool app! Viber is an iPhone ap-plication that lets you make free phone calls to other iPhone users that have Viber installed. When you use Viber, your phone calls to any other Viber user are free, and the sound quality is much better than a regular call. You can call any Viber user, anywhere in the world, for free. All Viber features are 100% FREE and do not require any addi-tional “in application” purchase!! Download FREE at your App Store!

RockBand App for iPhone...Rock the biggest playlist of songs by leg-endary artists. Plus – for the first time ever – let it all out on vocals with Vocal Recognition. You’ve never rocked it like this on iPhone & iPod touch. Play Free Songs from Real Rock Stars. Get the ultimate band experience on the App Store with up to 29 FREE SONGS from real rock stars. Immediately launch into every track available in Quick Play and World Tour modes. Spanning 6 rock music genres! Download FREE at your App Store!.

FREE

at the App Store

The GCG Mother’s Day gift guide

It’s not fancy, just a little schmancy....

Who doesn’t love Thomas Sabo? This pendent is classic & gorgeous! It will set the buyer back a couple hundred but well worth it! www.thomassabo.com

Every mother loves to be pam-pered! There’s nothing like the serenity of a day at the spa! I still think this is one of the best presents to receive for any oc-casion not just Mother’s Day..


The GCG Mother’s Day gift guide

This is for the new mom!! Juicy Couture stroller and why not go for the match-ing nappy bag?! You will definately stand out to be the hip mum!www.juicycouture.com

Instead of the normal Moth-er’s Day Breakfast or Brunch, try something different. Gold Coast Gondolas can create a magical Mother’s Day one sure to be a favourite! www.gcgondolas.com



Hello & Welcome to Medical Matters! My name is Alison Kris-tensen where my professional history & career is extensive & spans across numerous Speci-alities. As a registered nurse in General, Acute/ICU & Mental Health and as a Medical Sales Consultant & PR/Marketer in the medical industry. My ex-perience and education is ex-tensive covering areas from interventional cardiology, phar-maceuticals, personal devel-opment & fitness coaching to product specialist in the medi-cal device industry specialis-ing in anaesthetic, critical care and orthopedics specialising in upper limb trauma surgery.

I created Medical Matters with the view to continue network-ing and consulting within the Medical Profession where the target audience is predomi-nantly Orthopedic, Medical Device, Healthcare & Pharma-ceutical Companies along with Medical Professionals; Nurses, GPs & Specialists. Medical Mat-ters provides information, direc-tion, education and training as well as career and recruiting consulting and support.

No matter whom you are or what you do in life, believe it or not. You are always selling yourself! And the Art of selling yourself begins with Self awareness.

“Knowing others is wisdom. Knowing yourself is enlightenment” Tao Tzu.

Self awareness can also be seen as a form of in-telligence as it enables you to know who you ac-tually are, why you do what you do & how you relate to others. Self awareness therefore enrich-es & enhances your life because you can then move closer to living the life you imagine & real-izing your dreams.

Now don’t think for a minute that I am some form of self help junkie (just because my library books on psychology & personal development are hid-den away in the wardrobe). Funnily enough, as people do say that you can tell a type of person by the books that they read! However, I will admit to having indulged in a few personal develop-ment courses & books over the past few years. In which I believe, has been the catalyst for me gaining more certainty in life & as a result created the outcomes & desires that I set out to achieve. So, if I may suggest any tips for selling yourself well. Get into some form of developing your Self Awareness. Have you thought about how you show up in this world? Have you ever indulged in your self in this kind of way? It’s also highly ben-eficial for your mental health, ensuring a healthy mental state to live in.

I remember being asked a rather rhetorical ques-tion some years ago, whilst I was working for a multinational Drug company. “Are you selling the Drug or are you selling yourself”?

continued on page 47www.medicalmattersminutes.com


www.mopedcity.com.au

www.medicalmattersminutes.com

It seems that just about everyone is look-ing for an energy boost these days, be-cause it is something that they seem to be lacking. Granted, a great number of people are working longer hours and may lead busier and more stressful lives; however their bodies often can’t cope because they are often also making poor food and lifestyle choices.

I am a mum of 2 children, I eat well, drink lots of water and lead a busy life-style running a business, caring for my family and have a part time job, how-ever even I need an energy boost from time to time! Many people are turn-ing to energy drinks to get that boost. But the question is, are energy drinks healthy? Whilst many energy drinks are advertised as being healthy because they contain ingredients such as B vi-tamins and amino acids, the reality is that many energy drinks contain only small amounts of these ingredients and a whole host of synthetic ingredients that can have some long term health consequences that have been widely reported on.

There are some side effects of energy drinks that you may not be aware of:

• The high amount of caffeine combined with taurine in many energy drinks can overstimulate the heart and nervous system and in crease blood pressure.

• The high amount of sugar in many energy drinks can cause an ener-gy spike, followed by an energy crash.

• Some of the herbs in energy drinks may not interact well with certain medications.

• Energy drinks and alcohol can be a dangerous combination. The stimulant effects of energy drinks can mask how intoxicated you are. No Matter how alert you may feel, your blood alcohol concentration is the same as it would be without the energy drink.

I have been researching and reviewing the ingredi-ents found in many energy drinks available on the mar-ket and here’s what I found...

“Energy Drinks – Are They Healthy?”by Jodie Davies


www.1000mumsmakingadifference.com.au

Artificial Sweeteners – Sucralose, Acesulfame P o t a s s i u m ( A c e K ) , Neotame and High Fructose Corn Syrup are used because the sweetness in these synthetic ingredients can be 200 times that of sucrose (normal table sugar) and have a low or no caloric count. They are then advertised as ‘no carbs’ or ‘sugar free’ however are continually found to be unsafe and even toxic to the body.

Artificial colours – Tartrazine (E102) and Allura Red (E129) are just two of the 6 artificial colours that have been shown to be linked to hyperactivity in children.2

Taurine – Synthetic taurine is a popular ingredient in energy drinks used in high levels, which is the concern. Studies have implicated synthetic taurine in illnesses ranging from high blood pressure to strokes to seizures and heart disease and it’s been banned in some Scandinavian countries for these reasons.

Carbonated water – the health effects from having carbonated drinks (soft drinks, energy drinks) has been widely reported and they have long been sus-pected to be linked to lowering calcium levels and higher phosphate levels in the blood. When this occurs, calcium is pulled out of the bones.2 It is important to stay hydrated with water, not with carbonated drinks.

You can increase your energy levels naturally by improving your diet and lifestyle choices to support the body’s natural ability to function at optimal levels as well as getting enough rest. When I feel the need for an additional energy boost, I prefer to choose a more natural option.

References:1 Natural News.com - Artificial Sweeteners are Continually Found to Be Unsafe and Toxic 2 SMH - Supermarket Bans Suspect Food Colourings

3 The health effects of drinking soda quotes from the experts



www.gcgrapevine.com.au continued on page 47

SEXin theG.C.by Stacey Prieur

Not Measuring Up? What happens when you’re in a committed relation-ship, or you’re dating someone and all of a sudden they make an undesirable comment about your weight? For years I’ve been curvalicious, but my frame has admittedly gone from the Jessica Rabbit hourglass to “do you want some fries with that shake” from time to time. I’d like to blame it on age, but Strawberry Cheese-cake Ice Cream from Baskin Robbins and Tostitos Cheese Dip would be the real culprit. Whenever I was feeling less then desirable, my desires often were filled in my hands not my heart. With that said I’ve had countless suitors who’ve made comments about my weight, and it’s true at one point I did have “more rolls then a bakers daughter”. - “If you’re thighs get any bigger, I’m going to have to dump you.” - “You’ve gained so much weight, I can’t even get my arms around you,

I can’t stand the thought of touching you.” - “Man I LOVE fat chicks.” - “It’s a good thing your big breasts compensate for your big arse.” - “You have such a pretty face, if you just lost 20lbs, you’d be a knockout.” Yep! This isn’t the first time my weight weighed heavy on a relation-ship, and my personality wasn’t enough. My argument was always “don’t like it don’t look”, “kiss my cottage cheese”, Or when I got really angry, I was always defensive. How could they say some-thing about my weight? They knew how much I weighed when they met me? It’s not as though I could take off 20lbs of love- handles, back boobs and jiggle- bottom like a padded bra and be like... oh just joking! What you see is what you get, even Spanx can’t help pull a Houdini on 20lbs. I recently have had 3 conver-sations where my girlfriends have been extremely offended by their partners re-marks. Granted after 3-5-7 years body types change and as women mature they do have to work harder at it. But you have to do it for you. Not for anyone else. There are a plethora of reasons why you may have put on weight: boredom, over-worked, over-tired, lack of lustiness, or your just plain comfortable and you don’t think there’s a problem. After all “they” say, never judge a book by a cov-er, its what’s on the inside that counts - right? I know that’s how I feel about Cad-bury Eggs. Ha ha My question is, guys what are you thinking? If you want your lady to loose a few extra pounds do not insult her. Reason being, she may lose those 20lbs that are nagging you, but she will NEVER lose the memory of you mak-ing her feel terrible about herself. She will always feel a little bit less sexy, and when she does lose the weight, she might just want to cut you loose too. Now I get that there’s the argument that someone may be unhealthy and need to shape up because you’re concerned that they www.1000mumsmakingadifference.com.au


How are you feeling right now?

• Stressed out and find you often suffer with that annoying dip in energy just after you’ve had your lunch, mak-ing it hard for you to concentrate?

• Perhaps you’re a young mum running around after your kids – you’d just love an extra spurt of energy to keep you going after a long, busy day rather than collapsing exhausted onto the couch.

• You might be a sportsperson who tires more quickly during your workout – or even a golfer struggling on the back 9?

The energy drink market in Australia alone has grown by 33% in the last 5 years. Do you drink energy drinks? Are you looking for a pick me up that’s NOT packed with synthetic ingredi-ents and refined sugars that give you a quick buzz and then cause you to crash?

“Prior to last year I had never run in my life. I am currently in training for 3 mar-athons this year (5km, 8km and 10km). I now really enjoy running and have to admit I’ve got the running “bug”! Sometimes I need a bit of an ‘energy boost’ for my training, especially as I run up and down several hills. I have been using a great tasting, natural en-ergy drink with great results in energy and endurance!” – Jodie Davies.

We are seeking 25 people only, who would like to be involved in test marketing a new energy drink over a period of 2-4 weeks during the month of April.

The product is being made available to participants at cost price and par-ticipants are required to test and eval-uate the product, completing a Q&A and feedback form. This product con-tains a natural source of caffeine and guarana extract. Participants must be over 18, must not be pregnant or lac-tating and not sensitive to caffeine.

For further details on participating in our test market program, please con-tact Jodie Davies on

0403 820 024 or by sending an email to [email protected]

Who else wants more ENERGY???


ARIES(21 March - 20 April) Happy Birthday Aries!

You will be 100% refreshed and energized in April and will be looking at the world as if it is a newly built playground that needs some serious breaking in. There will be a few things vying for your attention this month and you will be quite content to pick and choose the things you want to do, rather than feel forced to do them all. The focus is on you and where you want to be heading in the next 6 to 12 months. Once you have your arms tightly wrapped around a big dream of yours, it will be easy to see the next step you should take and then suddenly you’ll realise that your big dream is most certainly going to become a reality for you one day soon, but it will still take time and a bit of effort. A loved one or a potential loved one *wink*, will make your heart skip a beat this month.

TAURUS (21 April - 21 May)April will find you with the tricky task of balancing your

social activities with your duty at home, work or with your studies. A friend you haven’t seen in months will suddenly pop in and want to catch up with you at a most unfortunate time. Your spare time is in short supply this month and as much as you’d love to do all the things you want to do, some of those things are just going to have to wait but the choice will be yours to make. The family dynamic may be chang-ing this month and while it won’t all be smooth sailing, some sibling rivalry issues will get ironed out and ev-eryone will have a new un-derstanding of each other and will be able to com-municate more effectively soon after. Close relation-ships may still be lacking a certain ingredient but there is definitely no love lost between you and those closest to your heart.

CANCER (22 June - 23 July)You will be at a loss with a project or situation that you once loved and will gradually feel as if you are not sure how to continue. Since you are near the end of it all or have already made a financial commitment, you will feel pressure to finish what you started. You will have to make a large compromise or even a sacrifice this month

with a close relationship. It won’t give you any joy to do so, but hopefully you will recognise that it is a necessary path to take. You will enjoy spending more time with friends this month and they will help you to ease the stress of recent situations. A splash of retail therapy or sim-ply getting out of the house for a day can make all the difference for you this month.

GEMINI (22 May - 21 June)You are beginning to feel reconnected to your friends and

loved ones, as if you have been absent from them for some time. A surge of con-fidence in the first half of the month will help you to re-alise just how many positive changes have been hap-pening around you lately, thanks to a few small adjust-ments you have chosen to make, within yourself. You will want to attend every so-cial event that sparks your interest this month, and why not?! You will be keen to try something a little different, to go for a drive in a direction you rarely go and talk about topics that are normally ta-boo. Your mind and body is like a sponge this month, it will soak up every new ad-venture and leave you crav-ing for more. The phrase ‘too much’ doesn’t exist in your vocabulary this month, so get out there and cram in as many activities as you can.

www.kellystarsigns.com.au

SCORPIO (24 October - 22 November)Life is definitely what you make it to be and this very lesson is what you are able to reflect on at this point in your life. Through your own choices and with the things you want to accomplish in the forefront of your mind, you are able to gradually arrive at a destination you could only have dreamed of before.

There’s every chance you will be swept away with love and adoration for your partner this month and a family getaway is bound to bring everyone closer together. This month will be perfect timing for setting new goals in your sights and this time reaching so far you can hardly imagine it being a possibility. If you set these goals now, it’s pretty much inevitable that they will stick in your mind like a sweet gets stuck in your teeth. Annoying you, until you can find a way to get at it!

LIBRA (24 Septem-ber - 23 October)In the beginning of April you will have

an epiphany regarding your work/study/home life balance which will finally afford you some sanity. Even if you can’t change much about your current situation, you will still be able to visualise the end result which will be good enough for now. If you can’t stop doing anything, it may help to see if there is an easier way or if you can do something faster instead. April will be the best month to have a few laughs with your close friends and loved ones. As a bonus, your relation-ship will be heating up and conversations will be quite endearing. If you are single, it will seem like you have too many choices, and you may have to make some tough deci-sions, since no matter what you choose, someone is bound to get upset.

LEO(24July - 23 August)You will have suc-cess at last this month when you

see an opportunity to fulfil a long-held goal of yours. After months of having this end result in mind, you will suddenly see a way to achieve it or the path will light up brighter for you than a runway at night. Confidence is high this month and you won’t be afraid to hide any part of your outgoing personal-ity. Others can simply take you as you are because you know you are onto something grand. There may be jealousy in a close relationship which should be acknowledged imme-diately. If you include them in your life a little more, the green monster will soon disappear. Single Leo’s will have some fun nights out and will wonder if becom-ing attached is really all that necessary.

VIRGO (24 August - 23 September)A last minute deci-sion this April, may see you making

plans for travel overseas later in the year. You’re un-happy with the mundane chores about the home and even at work and are beginning to crave just a little more adventure in your life. You miss a close relative, which may even be someone you see quite often. You will try to ignore these feelings by becom-ing a little busy bee, but that is not always the best solution. You may need to think about talking frankly with someone about it in-stead. A beautiful night out to dinner with your fa-vourite person will help you to invigorate your sense of adventure and playful-ness this month, in addition to showing you just how much you are loved and appreciated, something you need a little reminder of.

What’s in your stars for April 2011....

continued on next page

CAPRICORN (22 December - 20 January)You may feel quite alone this

month even if you have many people around you. It’s possible some-one has recently left and you are feeling the gap or sometimes it may just be that the conversation you have with others isn’t very deep or satisfying. It may feel as if you have grown apart from some-one you used to be quite close to. Thankfully with just a few deep and prob-ably persistent questions you will be able to break through those odd bar-riers and find the person you once knew. Single Capricorns may not have the best luck this month in finding anyone unless you really try to think outside the box, visit some differ-ent places or be a tad bolder. If you are in a rela-tionship you need to open the lines of communica-tion. Let others in on your thoughts and ideas every so often and one person may surprise you with a revolutionary idea, but only after you let them in.

AQUARIUS(21 January - 19 February)April will hum along quite

nicely for you since there are many areas of your life that are doing really well now. You may feel like the hype of the previous month is ebbing and even though it still lingers with you for most of April, you will be able to think a little more clearly about the future. A new partnership at work will turn out to be a win-win situation for you but in addi-tion to that, there will be no shortage of jealous onlook-ers. Your love life is definite-ly soaring out of this world, just be mindful that you could very well suffocate your loved ones, in your excitement and eagerness for more. If the opportunity comes up to start a fun ex-ercise routine with friends, you should jump on it im-mediately, as it will provide you with just the distraction you need at this time.

PISCES (20 February - 20 March) April will find you in the swing of life now, with work, study and home life all keep-ing you busy and also keeping your day dreaming mind out of the clouds. You will be absolutely fascinated with a few new things you learn this month and will want to try to practice these the first chance you get. A new hobby idea might

pop up but you may not have the time to dedicate to it at this time. But there’s definitely no harm in shelving the idea for later. Health wise you will be feeling fantastic, even throughout the change of the seasons and will get an uncontrollable urge to go outside more often and make the most of what nature has to offer. You may feel shunned by someone close to you this month which has the possibility of bringing your mood down. Whatever you do, try not to doubt yourself, since the other person may not even realise what they have done and it is by no means a personal attack on you.

SAGITTARIUS (23 November - 21 December)Your life is in dan-ger of becoming

all about work or study and less about fun and friends this month. You will be so busy ‘getting stuff done’ you won’t realise that you have actually stopped everything you find fun. Seeking bal-ance and finding a way to fit in some good times, even if it’s just a few hours each week will actually make it easier for you to focus and accomplish everything else you need to do. It can be hard to prioritise your activi-ties when your heart is tell-ing you ‘go for it’, and your mind is telling you ‘no way’. If you stop to think about your goals again and wheth-er they mean much to you anymore, you will find your answer. Close relationships will be devoid of activity if you fail to put in any effort this month but thankfully no major harm to your relation-ships will be done as a result.

“Hi I’m Kelly, a Leo from the Gold Coast, Australia. Being a tad less than 5 foot tall, I learned early on that I would need to roar like a true Leo if I was to be heard!

I believe in setting achievable goals for yourself each year and I also believe that if you want to do something you enjoy, that you should just do it. Make it happen!

If you want to play the piano “one day”, then look up piano teachers in your area and start learning this month.

If you want to travel overseas “one day”, then check out how much you need to save and start today.

Just about anything is possible. The only thing that stops us is ourselves, our mind and our fear. If you can get past that, you can achieve and do anything you want to. I hope you enjoy reading my horoscope this month as much as I enjoyed writing it for you!”

About Kelly....

Please visit Kelly’s Star Signs

for your May 2011 Horoscope

www.kellystarsigns.com.au


Aspen EstateWine of the Month

Real Views & Reviews

Fluffy Slippers to Stilettos

Mummy’s Ambassadors

http://thehouseofvintner.blogspot.com


Wwine

of the

monthAspen Estate wines, Warburn Estate’s newest re-lease are named after the Aspen tree, whose leaves quiver ceaselessly, earning them nick-names such as “chattering tongues”. These fine wines are designed to enrich every social occa-sion, whether it’s relaxing with friends or enjoying conversation over an excellent dinner.

In the range:ChardonnaySemillon Sauvignon BlancCabernet MerlotMerlotShiraz

The Aspen Moscato if our favourite at The House of Vintner. It is fresh and light, and makes for very easy drinking as well as being priced to suit any budget. Perfect for taking to that afternoon bar-becue, or for relaxing by the pool. Although it’s autumn our summer days are still lingering long in Queensland; as the shadows lengthen and your day turns to night, the Moscato is the perfect ac-companiment to any meal.

Light, fresh and fruity, with a gentle aroma and easy on the palate it is just as easily enjoyed on its own or with your favourite dessert or chocolate!

http://www.warburnestate.com.au

Aspen Estate

http://thehouseofvintner.blogspot.com


RReal Views

&

Reviews

These boots were made for more than walking!

Bennetts Boots have the coolest boots in town! What a find!

Recently we did a call out for one of our clients who has had a tough time, and Bennetts Boots came to the rescue with a little pick me up, for our girl Steph! Before we knew it, a pair of gorgeous purple boots were making their way to her house and soon had her dancing in no time!

This gorgeous design was just made for summer! For all of you ‘boot scootin gals’ out there, who find it hard to survive without your boots all summer long, Bennetts ‘Poppy’ range is just for you! Stylish, comfort-able....and oh so cute to boot, you can’t go past them! I have a red pair I adore!

Bennetts recently celebrated the opening of their Bondi store just be-fore Christmas, so if you’re in the neighbourhood do drop in and visit them! Or you can find them at www.BennettsBoots.com


ORIGINAL SOLE.... SAVES YOUR UMMM.... well here’s the scoop!

We LOVE these ‘NON-SLIP SHOE GRIPS’ - available in an assortment of colours! Where were you when I was walking kilometres on my stiletto pedometer through every nightclub I could find, in heels like skyscrapers!? Seriously! I needed you years ago! Some of those stairs in nightclubs are a killer... as my debut chicklit novel ‘FALLING’ will attest to! These are perfect for Jenna’s little jaunts in ‘FALLING’ and ‘Torn!’ I’m sure she’d put in an order for dozens... (Find out more about ‘FALLING’ here - http://mi-chellehayward.blogspot.com )Ok so if you’ve had a few too many to drink, you still have to kind of remember to stay upright, but they will certainly keep you hitting the pavement... or perhaps that’s keep you from hitting the pave-ment because they grip so well. Less stress, less fuss, when you don your sexy ‘Sex and the City’ heels. You can feel ‘safe’, walk tall and harness that goddess within! Can I just say ‘Heel Huggers’ ROCK! - clear and protective to my precious heels (which cost me a bundle... ok they aren’t Manolo

Blahnik, but they’re just as HOT) ... it’s a massive bonus to have such a fabu-lous product! No more scuffed heels - too awesome for words! Now I can avoid all of those dangerous episodes on escalators and stairs... oh and pavements! Talk about wearing your shoes with confidence!Thanks so much Original Sole!

Original Sole Non-Slip Shoe Sole Grips stick to your shoe soles to give you grip & extends the life of your precious shoes. These are a girl’s best friend!

- Prevents your soles from wear and tear- Helps avoid slipping on most surfaces- Use on flat shoes or high heels- Ideal for all smooth soles in all shoe sizes- For best results use on new or nearly new shoes- Long lasting and easily peel off and replace as needed!

We have a packet of Shoe Grips and a packet of Sole Grips to give away to one lucky reader! Just email us and tell us in 25 words or less why you’d like to win them –[email protected] To read more about Original Sole please visit:

www.originalsole.com.au

Mums on the Run (Aust) Pty Ltd is a new company who have amazing reviews from a number of Australia’s Parenting Websites & Forums and at the House of Vintner it’s easy to see why!

As a mum of ten I can so appreciate a product like this! Mums on the Run have absolutely nailed it! Realising how cum-bersome and inconvenient it is to cart around a massive bag of bits for your little one, they created the ultimate in organisation! Just like your cosmetics bag, or toiletries for travel, Mums on the Run have designed a nifty little bag of essential goodies to have at your finger-tips when you are mobile with baby! We love that they’ve thought of everything from a pacifier, to the nappies and wet ones, down to hand sanitising gel and a lovely little sweet smelling bag to put the dirty nappy in! On a recent evening out with friends for coffee and cake this product made my night so much more enjoyable! I left the nappy bag (read suitcase) in the car, and I had my Mums on the Run product in my handbag. Although my nappy bag plans for all contingencies, Mums on the Run is the perfect ‘take anywhere’ product when you don’t really need everything bar the kitchen sink!

What a fabulous Mother’s Day present, or the perfect gift to welcome baby, or for that upcoming Christening. Mums love practical products, and this one has to be at the top of every mum’s (AND DAD’S) list!

The Mums on the Run product comes in a clear sturdy zip up bag so that you can see everything at glance, which

makes replenishing it and being organ-ised really simple! Those rushed morn-ings can now be a thing of the past. Regardless of whether you’re preparing your little one for daycare, or a day at the park, this product is going to simplify your life and take the stress out of leav-ing the house!

We also have ONE pink travel bag com-plete with all of the Mums on the Run products to give away! Simply visit the HOUSE OF VINTNER blog http://thehouseofvintner.blogspot.com and click ‘Follow’ to be in the draw, then write to us at [email protected] and tell us who the creators of Mums on the Run are! We’ll announce the winner on the blog in the next few weeks. Once you’ve tried this product you will be talk-ing about it forever at playgroup, and within your circle of friends. To find out more about Mums on the Run please

visit

www.mumsontherun.net.au


HOBBY HAMPERS FROM THE HUNTER VALLEY – perfect for Mother’s Day

“Full of gourmet delights, Hobby Hampers gift packages contain things you didn’t even realise you were craving until you browse the online catalogue! Thinking out-side the basket, Hobby Hampers has an assortment of gorgeous gift options for everyone. Gourmet connoisseurs, gluten-intolerants, diabetics; all of these and more are catered for under the exclusive range that leans heavily on the exquisite

produce of the Hunter Valley region. There is even the opportunity to upgrade or cus-tomise gifts to make them more personal. A range of hampers to suit all sorts of hobbies and occasions is available at

www.hobbyhampers.com.au with prices starting at $19.95

At The House of Vintner we recently had the pleasure of trialling Hobby Hampers from the simply gorgeous Hunter Valley and we were absolutely delighted with the quality and superior service! Glenda from Hobby Hampers was a pleasure to deal with and our gorgeous hamper arrived in double quick time to Queensland with-out a hitch! A fabulous wine bucket filled with goodies arrived at our door and was the perfect way to celebrate the birth of our last baby in February! This was like an early Mother’s Day present, and speaking of which, what a wonderful way to wel-come a new baby or to honour your mum this Mother’s Day! I can’t think of a better gift! Everyone loves a hamper! It’s also the perfect way to say thank you to your clients or employees. Furnished with one of the best wines from the region, decadent chocolate, cheese, and an assortment of other gourmet treats (see the site for more details) I was surprised and delighted with my beautiful hamper. I felt very spoilt! Why not make someone in your life feel pampered?

You could have one delivered to your best friend, the Sex and the City Fan – themed hampers like this one are sure to be an enormous hit! What about a fabulous pic-nic basket to take your loved one on a romantic sojourn this weekend? There’s even one for the medically minded! Spoil the special nurse or health care profes-sional in your life! See the full range available at www.hobbyhampers.com.au

This is the perfect time to indulge!www.gcgrapevine.com.au

I’m so looking forward to wearing stilettos again! My big belly is gone!

We recently welcomed our tenth baby (and 8th son) to our brood - Navarone Hunter; our tenth born on the tenth of February, 2011 at 3.07 am weighing 6 lb 13 oz, was named in honour of our beloved Hunter Valley. It is kind of fitting that our tenth was born on the tenth, since our first was born on the first (of July, nearly 23 years earlier). I feel just a little bit clever that I managed to bring our tenth into the world on the tenth, except that I was induced the day be-fore ... Our little man is thriving and we are so excited to finally have him home with us, after a rough journey to get him here. The labour did not go smoothly or at all to plan (Do they ever? Well some do, I’ve had easier ones) ... but that’s a whole other story!

So my chapter this time is about settling into life with a new baby, and how that transition goes regardless of whether it’s your first or your last. From the end-less nappy changes to the sleepless nights (of which we are having many and I am struggling to think straight) to the lines full of little blue clothes to those first baby smiles that mean so much...life is a rollercoaster and a joy all at once!

Many of us these days live away from extended family and may not be in a position where they can assist us. Our friends have their own lives and quite often we are muddling along on our own doing the best we can. We fall

into that category as a family, not just because of distance and circum-stances but we decided a long time ago that as we chose to have so many children we could not expect others to step in and help us, given the gravity of the situation. Not everyone can (or wants to) manage running a house-hold with so many children to feed and cater to, and ensure that not only they are safe but that everyone gets to school or their given destination on time. It’s a big job! Its complex and it can be a logistical nightmare. In a previous chapter I talked about be-ing organised and sorting my day such that things go as smoothly as possible... this is more about YOU! YOU as a MUM! YOU as a person!

When a baby is born the focus has to be on mother and baby, they must come first. These days, so many mums wear a lot of hats and there is pressure from every corner to perform, to jump through hoops, to return to work quick-ly, to be perfect, to get it all right de-spite sleep deprivation, low energy lev-els, lack of confidence or many other ailments that plague new mothers. The


first thing to remember is that a tired mummy is a depressed mummy and we need to get as much sleep as we possibly can! Though this is often easier said than done (I am currently living with a nocturnal baby, so I know how important sleep is! ... and how much I miss it!) Having a baby is a big event – it is one of the most momentous things you will ever experience as a woman and as such it often comes with health issues that can drag on without proper rest or attention to these things. If you’re not getting a lot of sleep and you want to regain some energy and feel more able try taking a pregnancy/lactation vitamin to assist you with getting back on your feet and returning to your for-mer health.

Then there are those baby brain hor-mones that take over and it’s difficult to remember things, formulate sensible words, or to feel like yourself for a time. Your clothes may not fit properly, you may have gained weight, perhaps your hair is falling out, or you just feel frumpy and not your usual glam or bubbly self. Maybe you don’t feel well. May-be baby has been sick and in special care, or you’ve had some issues and it has taken a toll on the whole fam-ily. Perhaps there have been outside stressors affecting you and as such you don’t feel very social or good about being around others. Maybe there’s an element of depression that needs ad-dressing. It’s important to see your GP or health care nurse if you are strug-gling. The sooner you talk to someone the sooner you can move forward on the road to recovery and feeling hu-man again! It’s all part of it... and while some struggle, others breeze through it!

Maybe you are still flying high and feel-

ing absolutely elated!

Congratulations to all of those new mums out there! I just know you’re do-ing a great job! Don’t be too hard on yourself! We are often our own worst critics when it comes to parenting. We all learn by trial and error... if only kids came with a manual huh? I wish! I still feel like I’m learning (every child is dif-ferent – what works for one does not work for another), and right now when there are days I feel more at home in my fluffy slippers than I do in my stilet-tos, I am just taking it easier, I’m not letting anybody rush me. And on the days where I immediately look for the hottest shoes in town, I know I am back on top of it. It all takes time, it isn’t in-stant... sometimes those tracky dacks look more inviting than that cocktail dress... but I must admit, I miss the dress-ing up, the socialising and the pizzazz... and with the birth of two babies this year... yes two... I just published my de-but novel ‘Falling’ –http://michellehayward.blogspot.com which is now ready for purchase at www.blurb.com it has already proven to be a huge year (not to mention the many natural disasters that have plagued our world in the past three months... it’s really been huge! And re-ally hard for so many!) On a personal level though ... I feel like I’ve already achieved so much. Two weeks after our son arrived my draft copy of my published novel turned up in the mail for my perusal! I’m so very excited to have it in print, and I can’t wait to bring you the sequel ‘Torn’ – so watch this space for more details on that.

I also can’t wait for my book launch... details coming soon... I might be need-ing those stilettos and cocktail dress af-ter all... Woo hoo!


by michellle hayward

MUMMY BLOGGERS WANTED FOR MUMMY AMBASSADORS!

* A R T I C U L AT E * C R E AT I V E * C L E V E R * I N S P I R E D * I N T E R E S T I N G MUMMY BLOGGERS REQUIRED... TO BE MUMMY AMBASSADORS!BLOG, BRAG, RAVE, REVIEW... if you love to do this, we need you!*MUMMY AMBASSADORS NEEDS MUM-MY BLOGGERS NOW!!!!!!!**MUMMIES JOIN FOR FREE TIL JAN 2011*We have many businesses online seek-ing Mummy Bloggers who are willing to promote their products - via blogging, product reviews, becoming their own personal PR machine - using social me-dia, etc etc... A good understanding of social media and SEO is important! We need articu-late, capable, interested and interesting Mummy Bloggers for these roles! Solid communication skills, work ethic and can-do attitude required!We are seeking Mummy Bloggers inter-ested in or who are doing one of the fol-lowing:

• Babies ... and Baby or children’s products, breastfeeding Mummies, pregnant Mummies

• Mummies of children of all ages...

from one child... to ... heaps more!• Corporate Mummies and Mummies

who were corporate but have no temporarily/permanently retired from the ‘office’ to be a Mummy or to work from home.

• Jewellery and fashion-loving Mum-mies

• Health-related Mummies• Mummies who are 30-45 years of

age• Mummies who are any age bracket!• Even Mummies who are now Nan-

nas!

Mummies who like to review and pro-mote books... homewares... shoes... hair/salon products.... beauty... food... wine...travel... and more... much much more... Mummies who like to rave, review, brag and blog to their hearts content. Mum-mies who will be loyal to the brand they are chosen by! Mummies who will strive to work with a business owner and give 100% of their best to promoting the prod-uct/service.*If we haven’t listed it, we still need you, so please contact us ...

Please supply:


1. Why you want to be a Mummy Am-bassador

2. Your blog address3. Your interests4. Your strengths

If you’re a pocket rocket or little PR Ma-chine we want to know! Mummy Am-bassadors was created by a Mummy of (almost) ten ... a business owner and PR consultant herself, she saw a niche in the market for Mummy Bloggers to take on the role of marketing/promoting/blog-ging/bragging/reviewing to save busi-nesses thousands. Mummy Bloggers/Ambassadors reap the rewards via hav-ing the ‘status’ as Ambassador for the business they blog for, recognition via receiving complimentary product, spe-cials and discounts and being respect-ed and treated well by the business they promote!

Our businesses and Mummy Ambas-sadors are already raving about what a fantastic program this is! We know it works and everyone is having fun being involved!

http://thehouseofvintner.blogspot.com/p/mummy-ambassadors.html to find out more!

TESTIMONIALFinding the Mummy Ambassador pro-gram has been just what Zen Designs needed to expand. I am lucky enough to be working with the talented, and very professional Sandra Stewart from Sydney Stylists. This gives Zen Designs the prestige and exposure that is needed to lift it from a fledgling business to an en-terprise. I have no hesitation in recom-mending the Mummy Ambassador pro-gram, and think it is something that can benefit all small businesses. http://www.zendesigns.com.au/ http://sydney-stylist.blogspot.com/



And what I love is that he has the oppor-tunity because of technology, to take his art in a direction that just was not so easy 30 years ago. Animation in gam-ing and multi-media has opened new doors for artists and in which direction to take their talent. Technology not only has provided a new wave of profes-sionals but also made it much more ac-cessible for these budding artists to get their work seen. Social Media websites are the number one spot where people go when looking for something new out there in the world or for a reference and even for education. So I feel a little torn when I look at my son and see where he’s going with this. I feel like he has the opportunity that I definitely didn’t have growing up as an artist, and I acknowl-edge the fact at how lucky he is and how different my life may have been if I was born in a different decade. Not that I regret my life at all, but isn’t that what you do as a parent? Want the best for your child? Want your children to be the best at what they choose in life and to be better than you? And compare?

My 6 year old is just being a 6 year old and wanting to do everything his older brother is doing. Does that worry me? No. He is completely different from my older son. I know that video games won’t hold his interest for long. And they don’t. He’s much more physical. Most people will probably say there’s still hope for him. But the truth is, if he grows up to become this successful and talented graphic art-ist in any industry and yes, this includes the gaming industry; all thanks to being born in the last decade and playing vid-

eo games, good on him! I would be so very proud of him. But I know his path will be different from my older son.

For now, my older son abides by the house rules pertaining to XBOX. He’s no different from any other teenager; he has hopes, goals and dreams. He gets bored easily, looses interest and chang-es his mind a lot. And the bickering be-tween the boys will happen regardless, video games or not! And as for me? As long as grades don’t fail, they stick to the house rules and respect our wishes; I don’t mind being a modern mum and I welcome technology, being hip on what’s the latest and the greatest in the gadget world, and embrace the art of gaming rather then living with my vision blurred, judge something without try-ing to understanding it and not accept or be afraid of what this very creative world now has to offer. I want to enjoy watching my kids grow up where ev-erything is possible and where anything can be achieved.

who gives a hoot?continued from page 18


After much pause & procrasti-nation in pondering an answer, it was then that I realized that I was inadvertently selling myself. Alison, you are the Sale! We are all always unconsciously on sale, no matter what we are trying to achieve. Whether it be trying to make friends, find a relationship, Career Interview (sales call) or as service providers such as: Doctor, Lawyer, Nurse, Author, Fashion, Builder or in the Media.

Our attitudes, appearance, pro-fessional etiquette, vocabulary, body language & personality are all known observed indicators of one’s awareness of self. And at the end of the day this is the Art of Selling yourself. So………..

Remember to present yourself in an awesome way every day!

medical matters continued from page 26

may be harming themselves. But focus on that. Don’t call your partner fat and make them feel ashamed of themselves. If they wanted a Drill Sergeant they’d en-list in the army. Just think of how you’d feel when you hear those words “does size really matter”? Maybe you’re not quite measuring up. Bottom line is, doesn’t matter what you have, it’s how you work it.

sex in the gccontinued from page 30

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the gold coast grapevine issue #12 april 2011

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