There are yoga retreats, and yoga retreats; one type involves five-star lodgings, day spas and silver service meals, and the other involves a more rustic approach to lodgings, pampering and meal times. Both yoga experiences no doubt leave you feeling damn fine and, at the very least, a little more bendy. I’ve had my eye on a three-day yoga retreat run by the earnest team at Yoga in Daily Life in Fortitude Valley for the very reasonable price of $360, including accommodation and all vegetarian meals. As coincidence would have it, one of my friends just finished her second yoga retreat with Yoga in Daily Life last weekend, the first was held in October 2006, which she assures me is a much more sensible time to be in a forest at nighttime. Despite the chilly nights, she still recommends I try one of these retreats for its simplicity, affordability and serenity – the retreat is held on a private partially landscaped rainforest property in Springbrook and the daily bushwalks through the property take you to breathtaking lookouts that aren’t accessible through the national park. She rates the single rooms as basic but private; the food as morish; the massages at $40 for 30 minutes incredible; and the bedtime candle meditations as the perfect nightcap. My friend has also tried the five-star treatment during a one-week Camp Eden retreat priced at $3,000 that included luxurious facilities, structured activities, naturopathy consultations and regular trips to the day spa. She loved the posh experience but finds the Yoga in Daily Life retreats, at one tenth of the price, offer a similar experience without the big investment. Given the option, I’d personally like to try both retreat packages just to arrive at that conclusion for myself! (more…)

These days, with the endless possibilities of do-it-yourself decorating, you can pretty much design the interior of your home down to the finest detail. But when mulling over different coloured paint swatches just doesn’t seem to satisfy your inner designer and you need to put that extra individual stamp on your home, perhaps its time you considered designing your own bespoke wallpaper. Naked & Angry, besides having a name that conjures up highly unpleasant mental images, is the sister site of the online T-shirt design community Threadless. But there’s a twist. Rather than have people submit T-shirt designs to be rated and reviewed by the public, Naked & Angry is a forum for pattern design submissions. The winning patterns (which are awarded US$500) are then used to create various products – last year it was a range of stylish neck ties and this year they’ve come up with some seriously sexy wallpaper. The team at Naked & Angry are now accepting submissions for their third series of products, but exactly what form the products will take is still under wraps. So get out your pencils and let the creative juices flow – and if you’re after that winning edge, it might just help if you do it while you’re naked… and angry.

It comes as no surprise to those who have witnessed my many outfits over the years that along with my predilection for shoes and clothes, I am a confessed bag addict. It is an infatuation that I can trace back to two standouts from my younger years. One was a grey Miffy coin purse that rarely left my side as its little seams bulged with the small one and two cent coins donated by generous adults. The purse disappeared around the time I could no longer zip it up. I wouldn’t dare point any fingers but I’m sure one of my three older brothers had a hand in its disappearance. The other fave was a palm-sized and crescent-shaped handbag my parents brought back from a holiday in Hong Kong. (more…)

It’s secret squirrel business, but I love making bags from bits of reclaimed fabric. Faded doilies on denim, corduroys and cream silks, and raw jute with bright red stitching. So I was excited to discover two of my favourite material girls are coming to town. Nicola Cerini of her eponymous label and Julie Paterson from Cloth will talk as part of Freestyle: new Australian design for living, a showcase of Australian designers previously profiled on street editors. Nicola Cerini’s limited-edition bags and accessories are inspired by native flora, and for every bag sold featuring said plantlife, a donation is made to the Tree Project, which helps revegetate the Victorian countryside (a fine Melbourne lass, is Nicola). Cloth’s fabrics are screen-printed by hand on hemp and linen in a tin shed in country NSW, ensuring the manufacturing process is low-impact and produces distinctive pieces. Get thee to the QUT Art Museum post haste for Nicola, or check out other designers on the talks program, including 2006 Queensland Designer of the Year Lasse Kinnunen (24 June) and Easton Pearson (11 July).

That was quick. I remember wanting to know more about this day and here it is, ticking away. I know Bob Brown is speaking tonight at the Queensland Conservatorium at Griffith University, South Bank. Perhaps if nothing else, look out the window, catch a cloud moving by, close your eyes and think of the silent rainforest and the moonlit ocean. As a species we often need visible cues to respond to our environment. Today, the most impacting results of our ways are either invisible or yet to come. I believe our most pressing challenge is to plan to alter the demand-supply chain of the manufacturing, agricultural, energy, transport and urban development industries (and then some) from Industrial Age developments to new, sustainable theories and practices. To raise the next generation up in a new belief system.

Via The New York Times: The prevailing mentality among sneaker enthusiasts, which doesn’t seem like a lot of fun, is never to wear the most-coveted shoes for fear of a smudge. So a new collection of Nikes that look intentionally distressed could be seen as a reaction against the cult of the pristine. Last year, for Junya Watanabe’s Spring 2007 show in Paris, Nike recreated its classic running shoes from the 1970s to look as if they actually had been made in the 1970s – with yellowed mid-soles and washed-out suede patches. Now the box-fresh, predistressed shoes are going on sale for $220 at Comme des Garçons stores next week. A broader release of $120 styles will reach Barneys New York, Urban Outfitters and Scoop stores in July. “A lot of the shoes are inconsistent, so no two pairs are identical,” said Jesse Leyva, a product director for Nike.

Hopefully they don’t smell like they’ve come from the 1970s…

Remember the opening scene of Lost in Translation, where Scarlett Johansson stretches out languidly on the bed in her Tokyo hotel room in little more than her underwear? While most guys were probably fixated on Scarlett’s perfectly rounded bottom, girls across the world were wondering to themselves, “Where did she get those undies?”. Well, wonder no more. The briefs in question are from adampluseve, the edgy new fashion label from young New York designer, Adam Lippes. (more…)

Those who adore the offbeat creations of Kiwi designer “What a Corker Karen Walker” and also love travelling to places beyond the tourist trail should visit www.runawaynow.com. With nary a Contiki tour in sight (phew), this intelligent site that espouses the ‘travel for people like us’ mantra, devotes its space to well-respected contributors ranging from the aforementioned style maven, to a former senior designer for Tom Dixon, leading photographer Derek Henderson, former fashion editor Marion Hume, and guest contributors Sir Richard Branson and model-turned-actress Shalom Harlow to name but a few. Back to Ms Walker: the natural traveler obsessed with discovering new things waxes lyrical with accompanying visuals on her ideal places to sleep in Tokyo (more…)

Clearly worthy of much more than a flimsy paper catalogue, the upcoming Freestyle: new Australian design for living exhibition at QUT Art Museum will offer viewers a doorstopper of a book profiling each of the 40 leading Australian designers selected to partake in the exhibition. Aptly titled as per the exhibition name, the book profiles the work of designers in furniture, lighting, textiles, homewares, jewellery, fashion and personal accessories. You can read about leading designers such as Akira Isogawa, Easton & Pearson and Dinosaur Designs; and emerging designers such as Brisbane jeweller Ari Athan and Sydney-based furniture designer, Adam Goodrum. Beyond profiling the artists, the book aims to provide a timely and informed critical overview of contemporary design in Australia with essays by four prominent writers and design gurus – Brian Parkes, Associate Director and Senior Curator, Object: Australian Centre for Craft an Design; Paul McGillick, Editor, InDesign magazine; Robyn Healy, Lecturer in Fashion Design at RMIT University and formerly Senior Curator of Fashion and Textiles at the National Gallery of Victoria; and Grace Cochrane, Freelance author and curator, formerly Senior Curator at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. The exhibition opens 31 May as part of its national tour, before it graces international galleries.

There’s a little voyeur in all of us. And most people will admit to their penchant for people-watching – sitting in a café, park or other public space, watching the melange of people walk by and hypothesising about their personalities, their relationships and, most importantly, the logic behind their choice of outfit. One of the greatest things about travelling to a foreign city is the chance to wander through the streets amongst whole new mix of people, observing their unique quirks, cultural interactions and crazy fashions. But for those of us with job commitments, limited holiday time and even more limited travel budgets, we have to find other ways to satisfy our wanderlust. Street Peeper, started by New York-based photographer Phil Oh, is a website dedicated to bringing the best street fashions from across the globe, and the low-down on local boutiques, designers, hangouts and parties in the world’s most stylish metropolises. (more…)

Never say never. This is the lesson I learnt today when I logged onto the Big Brother website. I never thought I would taint my beautiful mac’s url memory as to type in the BB address but there I was, face close to the screen, searching through the flurry of images, headings and flashing adverts to find the site’s search bar. I typed in ‘vegan food’ and presto. My search was over. A friend told me this season’s Big Brother housemates will endure a vegan diet. No meat, fish, chicken, eggs or milk. No fun. Of course the idea is hilarious and seems one of the cruelest jokes Big Brother could play on his housemates because a life of chickpeas and tofu isn’t a life worth living, right? Keeping in mind the program is certainly not an educational one, let’s just imagine for a moment if BB took his vegan punishment one little step further and gave each of the housemates a good book to read about what veganism signifies, like the Meat Market: Animals, Ethics and Money, or even to sit them down for eight minutes to watch the Meet your Meat clip, which shows how chickens, hens, cows and goats are treated in farms, abbatoirs and in transit. After even three minutes of watching the web version, they mightn’t find the concept of veganism so strange. It might even inspire one or two to buy free range eggs instead of cage eggs or to enjoy meat-free days so they don’t condone animal cruelty at every meal. These are just some of the ideas BB could arm the housemates with to consider after they’re evicted, one by one, from the house and sent into the media storm like chickens to the slaughterhouse.

Do you harbour a secret desire to become a rock star? Have you ever been caught standing in front the mirror, hairbrush in hand, striking your best rocker pose? Well here’s your chance to make your dream a reality. The 2007 Diesel U Music contest is now open for all unsigned artists across the globe to submit tracks in the categories of electronic/dance, rock/indie, and urban/hip-hop. Presented by fashion savants Diesel, the contest aims to provide young musicians with an international forum to showcase their talent and break into the music industry. Now in its seventh year, the comp has proven to be a successful launching pad for many emerging artists, with all of last year’s winners going on to sign record deals. Entries close on May 13th and shortlisted artists will be featured on the Diesel U Music website, where the public listen to mp3s and vote for the winner of the Public Vote Award. Overall winners will be announced at a final concert in London in October, which will be broadcast on TV music channels around the world. So, why not put down the hairbrush, pick up a microphone and start recording…

What do you get when a Tupperware lady and a jeweller procreate? Brisbane plastic jewellery designer, Liana Kabel – that’s what. Renowned for her bright jewellery pieces, often made from recycled domestic odds and ends (including Tupperware), Liana is making her mark on the international jewellery scene. Her colourful collections of jewellery, which include bracelets made from vintage knitting needles and brooches composed of manipulated measuring tape, have become favourites among eco-friendly shoppers across the internet. And she’s not doing so badly locally either. Liana’s wares are featured at the MoB store at the Museum of Brisbane, the Gallery Store at GOMA and at the Craft Queensland gallery on Brunswick Street. She’s also a devoted member of the Umbrella Collective, a group of six female Brisbane artists, including Rebecca Ward and Kylie Johnson, united by their love of craft. And Liana’s personal motto is anything to go by, she’s definitely got her priorities straight – ‘If it looks like a lolly, then I like it’ – who can argue with that logic?

I attend monthly artist talks as part of my job, which is tough, I know. It’s taxing to sip wine, scoff figs and water crackers and listen to artists talk passionately about the art that consumes them. If you have a fascination, passion or even mild interest in art and haven’t yet stumbled into an artist talk event, I’m pretty certain you’ll enjoy the experience. It’s a relaxed and unassuming way to learn more about art without needing to do any research or reading on your part, or ask questions you’re too intimidated to pose. The Institute of Modern Art runs some great talks under the tag ‘We Need To Talk Too’, with talks in April and May featuring Brisbane photographer Marian Drew, and media artist Peter Alwast, as well as peripatetic Auckland artist Julian Dashper. QUT Art Museum is holding fashion talks with Brisbane-based haute couturier Paul Hunt on Thursday 19 April, while Metro Arts is holding talks on Thursday 17 May with interstate artists Reuben Keehan, Damiano Bertoli, and Mark Titmarsh, and Brisbane-based artist Mandy Ridley. And then of course there’s Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art talks for the 5th Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, and Raw Space Galleries talks held throughout the year. After all the talking, I bet you’ll be surprised by how enhanced understanding leads to enhanced appreciation.

We are gathered here tonight to announce the 2007 Sweat Shop Award to an Australian Fashion company for excellence in avoiding transparency and accountability. Companies nominated have shown exceptional innovation in ignoring the Fairwear Campaign and other groups who have asked them repeatedly to become accredited to the Homeworkers Code of Practice.

And the nominess are: OJAY; Scanlan and Theodore; and Kookai.

DRUMROLL…. (more…)

Anyone who is attuned to their body and mind knows the two seldom work alone. When the mind is racing, the heart rate generally is too. Yoga recognises the body is essentially a reflection of one’s thoughts, and so works to bring the body and mind into a state of harmony. This makes yoga the perfect exercise to combat effects of depression. The Yoga School, run by Anthony O’Flynn and Nina Hansen, is holding Yoga and Depression weekend workshops to help participants self-heal by using the body, the mind and the breath to create positive emotions. Anthony and Nina hope to educate people about the yogis approach to placing and holding the body in specific positions that attune to different energies, such as self-confidence. In attuning to these positive energies, they will show how the body works to accept other traits such as empowerment and courage. Of course, it’s not only people suffering from symptoms of depression who will benefit from these workshops. Courses will be held in Brisbane on 14 and 15 April at The Pilates and Healing Centre, Dornoch Terrace, Highgate Hill and on the Sunshine Coast on 5 and 6 May, with the venue to be confirmed. Weekly classes are also held in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast.

Slip into Cylinder Boutique on Ann Street in the Valley from 5 April to 25 May and in between rummaging for new threads – look up. The walls will be holding new works by seven Brisbane artists in an exhibition called Select Seven. Exhibiting artists are Ernesto Bello, Simon Degroot, Alex Cuffe, Kitty Horton, Jack Pemble, Ryan Preece and Daniel Worth. The exhibition is run by arther, an arts business created by Simon Degroot and Cathy de Silva to ‘support artists who exist for their art’. Each artist in Select Seven is carving an interesting path for themselves – Kitty Horton (image inset) paints at gigs with The Red Paintings and is stocked in Brisbane’s Stockroom Gallery; Ernesto Bello has exhibited at spaces such as Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the National Gallery of Australia; Daniel Worth moved from Brisbane to Melbourne to show them down south what Brisbane has to offer; Ryan Preece has exhibited in galleries including Metro Arts (Brisbane) and Passionfruit Gallery (Maroochydore); Jack Pemble is a telemarketer by day, artist by night; Alex Cuffe’s works are ‘an artistic barometer of the social seismic activity of today’; and Simon Degroot is a full-time artist, painting commissions, light boxes, murals, and exhibiting at Metro Arts from 18 April. So if you’re not already a regular at Cylinder Boutique, take a visit – if only to convince yourself that clothes shopping can broaden your mind.

Have you ever come home, having just invested in an expensive piece of the latest fashion trend, only to have your parent say: ‘Oh, I had one of those when I was your age.’? Inevitably, in the fashion world, what goes around comes around and vintage clothing has been a hot trend over the past few years. And it definitely has its advantages – it’s great for a last minute fancy dress outfit, it’s lighter on the wallet, and it usually means you won’t face the embarrassment of turning up to an event wearing the same thing as someone else (unless they’re one of the few who’ve kept it since the first time it was in fashion). But what about the environmental benefits of buying vintage? You’re not only saving the planet from the burden of manufacturing new materials, but also from having to deal with breaking down the waste caused by unwanted, discarded clothing. Plus, there’s the added bonus that the small amount of money that you fork out for the vintage pieces (unless of course it’s on ebay) often goes towards a charitable cause.
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Perfect Potion is one of those business that, to me, have it all worked out. Their mission as ‘a sanctuary for the senses – organic, soothing and healing’ is clear the moment you step into one of their stores and, enveloped in uplifting scents, start ogling the range of natural oils, soaps, moisturisers, body butters and teas that line the recycled timber shelves. They’re now extending their knowledge, creativity and passion for aromatherapy, massage, and detoxifying treatments to discovery nights, weekend workshops, and corporate wellbeing workshops for those who want to learn how to pamper themselves and their loved ones. Workshop topics include massage, everyday aromatherapy, essential oils for expectant mums and babies, the art of blending essential oils, detoxifying with essential oils and herbs, home day spa, and caring for your skin naturally. The workshops start from April 2007 and will be held at different stores in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne monthly throughout the year for a couple of hours or days, costing from $10 to $165. Owners Salvatore Battaglia and Carolyn Stubbin hope that by encouraging people to make aromatherapy part of their everyday lives, they are helping to ensure that ‘… aromatherapy does not become a passing fad, but remains true to being a grass roots movement having the potential to bring about major changes in cosmetics, fragrances and medicines.’ A noble mission, I’d say.

Whenever a store “packs up and pisses off”, as was the case with the Mambo store on James Street, the anticipation of what may open in its place is almost as exciting as the new store itself. For the past few weeks, the blackened windows of this particular piece of prime retail space have created much speculation as to what would soon be unveiled. So with the revelation this week that Brisbane was finally getting its very own sass & bide store, it’s no surprise that fashionistas across the city were squealing with excitement. Most girls in Brisbane aged 14 to 35 probably own at least one a pair of sass & bide jeans (in particular the East Village Jean that took the world by storm a few years ago). But we’ve always been forced to seek out the coveted couture in limited ranges in boutiques and department stores (unless you’re willing to brave the chaos at the sass & bide sale at City Hall each year, which can get very ugly). Finally, we can browse the latest collections in peace, in the minimalist boutique that joins other Australian designers Mimco and Scanlan & Theodore on the fashionable James Street stretch. And considering that the talented sass & bide duo originally hail from Brisbane, it’s about time.