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It's been awhile, but finally all is ready to roll!

2012 will see me ticking off many things on that 'must do' list. One of them is taking a photo once a day to hopefully get my photo eye in shape.

The first photo to kick it all off is from a very eventful New Year's eve where one of my best friends was proposed too. To celebrate the occasion a magnum of Moet & Chandon helped us celebrate through the night.

With a big year coming up of travel, ceremonies and fun - there's bound to be an interesting photo or two...come along for the ride!
'One a day' begins Full View Labels: , , , , ,

I'm apologising now - I have been a bad blogger!

I let life get in the way of writing but I promise I'm now back on track.

Over the next few weeks I'm going to share with you some of my photos from different projects I've been helping out with on ABC Open and ABC Online.

Since the arrival of my baby (a Canon 7D DSLR) I've been snapping different events, gigs and portraits and have many photos to upload.

I'm giving the blog a shine and polish too and it will start to look different over upcoming weeks so bear with me as I make it look stylish and new!

Stay tuned!

**Can't stop listening to Hungry Kids of Hungary debut CD - go and buy it! Fantastic album that you listen to all the way through from start to finish - you don't want to skip a single track!
A SHINE AND POLISH Full View Labels: , ,

Hanlon's Sweetest Clip Full View





Ok, so I jumped the gun.
When I saw what I thought was THE filmclip for the new single from The Black Keys, Funkasaurus had me so excited I had to share him with you. I thought it was a clever clip (may be that says something about my sense of humour).

Yet, as it was later pointed out to me...it was the filmclip before THE official video.

So, as much as I held a soft spot for Funkasaurus, the new filmclip which has been released this week along with their new album Brothers, is just as, if not funnier than it's first draft!

Watch Dan and Patrick's young sons fight over a potential girlfriend, then they too jump in to fight for the attention of one of the children's mothers. The result is hilarious.

If only Funkasaurus was somewhere in the background...

Enjoy!

Tighten Up - Take Two! Full View Labels: , ,

If you have the post weekend blues, I guarantee the new Black Keys film clip will put a dirty big happy smile on your face!

Take a look at the video for their single Tighten Up off their new album Brothers which comes out this week.

How can you not love a puppet dinosaur...

Meet Funkasaurus Rex Full View Labels: , , ,

It's been a few weeks since my last post due to all the Groovin the Moo excitement (photos to come soon) but I've found time to share with you Miss Sally Seltmann.

If you don't recognise her voice you may recognise her face...

Formerly under the name New Buffalo, Sally has stepped out from behind her alter ego to produce a beautiful new album Heart that's Pounding.

The award winning singer songwriter will be joined by her band (which includes her husband!) this July as they tour up and down the east coast of Australia. In the meantime enjoy Harmony to My Heartbeat.

New Buffalo Out - Sally In! Full View Labels: , , ,



Ladies I know most of you hear the name Jake Gyallanhall and go weak at the knees...

This week on my search for film clip gold, I've found one that not only is a delight for the ears but also for the eyes!

Vampire Weekend have called on their friend Mr Gyallanhall to feature in their new film clip 'Giving up the Gun'. The stylised clip featuring a colour coding of black, white and red hits the tennis court, with the Vampire boys playing in the background.

Great concept clip that works wonderfully with the song...ladies and men alike...indulge!
VAMPIRE WEEKEND + JAKE GYALLANHALL = FILM CLIP GOLD Full View Labels: , ,



It's not often that you hear a cover and then instantly want to listen to it again - it's usually hit or miss.

The PS22 Chorus's cover of Phoenix's Lisztomania blew me away when I listened to it this morning. Not only did I immediately play it again, but I had to forward it to all my friends and tweet about it non stop for most of the morning!

The kids of the PS22 Chorus was formed 2000 and is a choir of 5th graders from a public elementary school in Staten Island, New York. They have sung with groups such as Passion Pit, Crowded House and even preformed for the US President Barack Obama.

This song made my day, week and month. Whether you're a Phoenix fan or not, take a listen I guarantee it will brighten your day!
PS22 Chorus Nail Phoenix Full View Labels: ,



Can it really be true? Powderfinger have announced today that this year's tour will be their last.

I'm not sure what I was most upset about - the fact that the Finger were hanging up their foot pedals or that I'm now old enough to have grown up with a band and see them go their separate ways!

At a press conference in Sydney today, the band have assured fans that this tour (which will cross every state and territory) will allow them to say goodbye to everyone.

Bernard Fanning also announced that he will release another solo CD but won't begin work on the album till after the tour.

Will it truly be their last tour or could we see a John Farnham reaction happening with the occasional come back tour?? Time will tell...

Wednesday, 1 September, 2010
Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle

Friday, 3 September, 2010
Gold Coast Convention Centre, Gold Coast

Saturday, 4 September, 2010
Riverstage, Brisbane

Tuesday, 7 September, 2010
Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre, Tamworth

Thursday, 9 September, 2010
Win Entertainment Centre, Wollongong

Friday, 10 September, 2010
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne

Tuesday, 14 September, 2010
Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart

Thursday, 16 September, 2010
Memorial Drive, Adelaide

Saturday, 18 September, 2010
Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney

Friday, 24 September, 2010
Supreme Court Gardens, Perth

Sunday, 26 September, 2010
Gardens Amphitheatre, Darwin

Tuesday, 28 September, 2010
Convention Centre, Cairns

Friday, 1 October, 2010
Entertainment Centre, Townsville

Sunday, 3 October, 2010
Showgrounds, Mackay

Thursday, 7 October, 2010
Showgrounds, Rockhampton

Friday, 8 October, 2010
Caloundra Music Festival, Kings Beach

Saturday, 9 October, 2010
University of Southern Qld, Toowoomba

Tuesday, 12 October, 2010
University of Canberra

Wednesday, 13 October, 2010
Sports Ground, Albury

Friday, 15 October, 2010
Showgrounds, Bendigo

Saturday, 16 October, 2010
North Gardens, Ballarat
GOODBYE POWDERFINGER?? Full View Labels:


After seeing Dan Kelly preform at his Uncle's (Paul Kelly) tribute a few months ago I was wondering what rock had he crawled out of?

Every know and again I would see him on Spicks and Specks or RockWiz and think that his new album would soon follow...yet, nada.

Being a big fan of his old work, I thought that his music making days might have been over with no new music being released in the last four years or so.

It's 'heaps good' to hear that May is the month that Kelly will be back on the road with a new band (some of members are from his old band - Alpha Males) heading up the east coast.

May be playing some of his Uncle's songs live bought back the urge to tour again!

Take a look at the tour date below - awesome!
Fri 14 May - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Sat 15 May - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Fri 21 May - The Troubadour, Brisbane
Sat 22 May - Great Northern, Byron Bay
Fri 28 May - Spectrum, Sydney
Sat 29 May - Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Fri 4 June - Amplifier Bar, Perth
Sat 5 June - Jive Bar, Adelaide
Fri 11 June - Republic Bar, Hobart
Sat 12 June - Barwon Club, Geelong
Sun 13 June - Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Dan Kelly's Back Full View Labels:

A few of my friends and I got together last June to put together a radio serial that showed what life was like on the land.

Our aim was to include current issues that were affecting the land and provide ways for farmers to approach the issues confronting them through the use of this radio serial.

We recorded the pilot live at my family's cattle station in the Queensland winter sun! Our hope was that if the serial got off the ground it would feature weekly in the The Country Hour, which is broadcast across Queensland.


It all came about when one of our work mates (Ingrid Just) was granted a Churchill Schlorship which saw her travel around the world to see how radio serials are still utilised today to help send messages to listeners through entertainment.

The working title is Big Sky - have a listen...

 Our Radio Pilot - Big Sky Full View


I wasn't sure where I was.

It looked like Mum's kitchen, it smelt like Mum's kitchen, but it didn't sound like Mum's kitchen.

Mumford & Sons, the very successful UK band-of-the-moment was blaring from my Mum's stereo. Having just preformed at the Aussie Laneway festival and topping the Triple J Hottest 100 their folk/rock/country genre seems to not only be a hit with the kids but with my Mum as well!

I'm not saying my Mum isn't cool, when it comes to music she's often only 6 months behind what's hot and what's not. Usually though, if the song has 'coarse' language then it's straight off the stereo...yet not for Mumford!

Mother's love for them runs so deep that she's even recorded the film clip to their current single 'The Cave' so that my brother and I can see how 'cool it is'.

Is it possible that my Mum has becoming cooler than me? Or has Mumford & Sons simply created a genre that everyone wants to jig to?

I'm going to convince myself that I'm still the cool one and I'll only truly start to worry if Mum starts jumping up and down on the couch, dancing to Jay-Z and throwing TV's through windows!
Mum Loves Mumford Full View Labels:


It started as a joke with my dad.

"I'll come home to Oz for Christmas and bring the rain. Is that enough of a Christmas present?" I said.

"To right it is - but you'll have to bring a lot!" He replied.

Since returning home from rainy Vancouver on Christmas Eve I'm some how made the heaven's open up with amazing rainfalls. Just to the north of us one property scored 522mm in 24hrs - a record for the Central QLD region and one for the national record books.

In addition to the relief felt from the drought breaking rain, it's also made me feel young again. Rafts down the creek, washed out drive ways and puddles to splash around in. Just how old are you allowed to be to still inflate a tire tube and float down a river? Is 27 years too old?
Yet I'm still unsure just how I dragged all the rain from Vancouver to here...may be I should be heading back to Vancouver to somehow help them make enough snow for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games! I could change my name to Snow Whisperer...nup not as catchy as Rain Whisperer.

p.s - if you're reading this abroad I can provide Rain Whisperer services for a small fee. Be warned interpretive dance may be involved.


The Rain Whisperer Full View Labels: , , , , ,


I could write a novel on Regina Specktors' voice! So clear, crisp and her range is amazing. She certainly proved this last night at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver with the start of her West Coast North America tour.

Opening with stables from her previous albums and a full backing band consisting of a cello, violin and drums, Specktors' Steinway & Sons grand piano (delivered all the way from NY) was a beautiful addition to the stage for both it's sight and sound.

After a few sound engineering issues, Specktor fell into her own with the band leaving her for an a Capella tune and keyboard action.

The highlight of the night though, was when Specktor played the piano with one hand and a chair with the other! Playing "Folding Chair" she kept her own rhythm with a drum stick hitting the chair, while playing outstanding one handed piano on the other.

Coming back on stage for her encore, Specktors' big hits including Samson and Fidelity had the crowd on their feet the end of the evening with a standing ovation ensued.

If ever you have the chance see this Moscow born, New York based performer please do it for the sheer range of her voice and talent on the piano. Fantastic!
Regina Hits the Chair... and the High Notes! Full View Labels: , , , , ,


There's no denying I'm a child! When Toy Story first came out I think I saw it nearly three times! I don't know if it was the great animation, the witty banter or the Randy Newman soundtrack that Pixar used to bring well known toys to life but I couldn't get enough of of it!

When I found out that both Toy Story 1 and 2 were being released in 3D for a limited screening there was no way I was going to miss it. So to widdle away a cold post-thanksgiving afternoon I settled in for a double feature of one of Disney's highest grossing films.

Though I knew all the punch lines, and how each film was going to end, seeing the characters come to life in digital 3D was well worth the $15 bucks. Standout scenes that benefited from the 3D treatment include the rocket scene at the end of Toy Story 1 and the opening sequence of Toy Story 2 where the film opens to mimic Star Wars. It also gave fans the chance to see the trailer for Toy Story 3 which is set for release in June 2010 also in 3D.

It's the detail and small additions that Disney Pixar use before and between each film that makes the 3D films worth seeing on the big screen. Bloopers and quizzes played between films to keep not on the children but adults entertained was a nice touch.

If you're a fan and a child at heart, it's worth donning on the groovy 3D glasses and wasting an afternoon with Woody and Buzz, even if you know every line!
Toy Story 1 & 2 in 3D = Time Well Wasted! Full View Labels: ,

Dear Canada,

It disturbs me greatly that such a cold country doesn't embrace the love of custard.

The other day I was to take Apple Crumble to my friends house for dinner. There is no denying that the perfect accompaniment for such a dessert is custard. The fact that I was dining with British people was an even greater reason to ensure that custard was on the table.

After searching supermarkets, fruit stores, deli's, dessert stores, ice-cream shops and 7-11's all I could come up with was vanilla pudding?!?!

I would have taken custard anyway I could - pre-made, in a carton, powder, chilled, hot - but nothing, nada, zilch.

Oh! Canada, you should love custard, it's warm and delicious and can make you happy on a cold, wet day. Why oh why haven't you decided to indulge in this fantastic treat.

If you decide to start making it part of your country cuisine I would happily swap the Tim Tams I can buy from London Drugs for the ability to get custard from the corner store to enjoy in the imminent winter months.

Please help this cold Australian (and her British friends) by importing custard (in any form is fine).

Kind Regards

Jessica A.K.A Custard fanatic
Dear Canada - import Custard! Full View Labels:


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(Photos: L to R - The Ginger Ninjas playing, Emila making the power for the music and the other power making bikes)

I had no idea where I was going to on Saturday afternoon, except that it involved bike riding and music.

My flatmate Veronica had me kitted out with a bike and helmet and off we went cycling down the seawall to the Vancouver Museum for the Bike Music Festival. When we got there I was literally stuck in a bike jam with every kind of bike known to man. Some bikes had prams attached to them, others with trailers and a few very special bikes decorated with flowers.

The festival showcased groups of musicians who had cycled from San Francisco up the coast holding free concerts fully powered by pedal power. No electricity was used to power the PA for the electric guitars, mics or drums and man was there some volume!

The Ginger Ninjas had the whole crowd jumping while our friend Emila volunteered to cycle one of the power bikes to keep the music flowing. They are the only music festival in the world to be literally hauling their own weight carrying all their instruments and equipment by bike. Read more about their trip here.

It blew me away how great the music was, accompanied by a gorgeous backdrop of the Vancouver city skyline and not an ounce of electricity used, it certainly made me happy to be using my own pedal power to bike my way home.
Making Music with Pedal Power Full View Labels: , , , , ,


I'll be honest. I had no idea who Julia Child was...I had never made one of her recipes or eaten any of her food, but I love to cook, love to eat and love wine so really how could I not like the new film Julie and Julia?


When I asked one of my workmates who Julia Child was, he replied with a loud, drawn out voice "hello"! He also believes that with each glass of wine she used in her cooking she would drink the same amount. So with only this knowledge I went to see the new film directed by veteran romance comedy writer-director Nora Ephron.


The film follows Julia Child's rise to cooking fame from her days of living in Paris and learning how to cook French cuisine. Played by the faultless Meryl Streep, the character driven script gives way to Julie a 30 year old failed writer who decides to cook a recipe a day from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and blogging about each recipe and her life as it unfolds.


Amy Adams plays the role of Julie Powell and does well to draw you into her want to cook to perfection, but in all honesty I was waiting out to see more of Meryl Streep the minute they story would cross back to Julie's blogging! With Streep's pizazz and attention to detail the films two story lines meld well together but leave you with a few unanswered questions at the end.


Of course the film makes you hungry, exhibiting some very fine French cuisine and red wine...so much red wine! I think the best reaction to the film was from my fellow movie goer (keep in mind she was the Pastry Chef amongst us) who summed up her thoughts on the film in one sentence "I just want to move to Paris and smoke cigarettes," and that's pretty much what the film does - makes you fall in love with Paris, food and red wine!
Julie and Julia = Smoking, Red Wine and Food... Full View Labels: , , , ,


When I agreed to go and see Shaun of the Dead at IMAX I didn't expect to be honouring one of the world's most famous dances... Thriller!

I remember seeing the Thriller film clip for the first time as a kid - I would have been all of four or five years old and it scared the beejiibers out of me! I couldn't sleep for days and I kept seeing zombies rising out of the carpet of my bedroom floor.

Twenty years later and I have to admit, learning the Thriller dance is more fun then watching the famous film clip. At first I was a little timid. my zombie walk was not so zombie like, and my shoulder tap, so scary but once I heard the music start there was no stopping me.

Rachael my Thriller wing man was just as excited about learning the dance (see clip below), so much so that we've decided to enter Vancouver's Thrill The World Day on the 24th October which will see all of Vancouver lining up to do the dance in the same place at the same time to raise money for the Vancouver Food Bank.

Just remember if you're trying to give it a go try reciting the following... step, nothing, step, shoulder, shoulder step shoulder step...it doesn't help that much, but once you hear the music MJ will show you the way.

N.B - Sorry for the side on view - was trying to dance and film at the same time!

Learning to Dance THE Thriller... Full View Labels: , , ,

(Photos: L -Veronica & I eating Taiwanese Car Wheel Cakes, R-Market stall)

(Photos: Above- L to R: Pastry Chef making the Taiwanese Car Wheel Cakes, Below- underwear for sale with food stalls in the background & Veronica eating dumplings!)

Ever since I arrived in Vancouver in January, one of the number one things on 'my list' to do was to go to the Summer Night Markets in Richmond. I sat patiently through days of rain in Winter, enjoyed seeing the sun come out in Spring and now with Summer all but nearly over I finally got to experience the food and atmosphere of the famous markets.

No trip with three girls in a co-op car can really go right from the start can it? With a Brit who hadn't driven in awhile, a Canadian who sort of remembered where to go and a whinny Australian who wanted to eat, the trip from downtown Vancouver wasn't to be a simple one! But with no Thom Thom, no directions and two hours of driving around (and multiple stops!) we arrived at one of Canada's biggest night markets.

I had been told by Veronica (the Canadian) that this was THE place for Chinese food and also cheap underwear! What more could you want from a market really?

Despite arriving at 11pm and only having an hour to feast on all the delights we certainly made the most of it. Veronica steered us first to the dim sum and chow mien stalls that had mountains of noodles fried and ready for eating! Each stall was yelling in multiple languages about what they had to offer and why there place was better than the stall next door - which would look exactly the same and be offering the same food.

As usual though my eyes were already set on dessert...there was bubble teas, ice-creams, crepes, cookies, but one of the most fascinating stalls to watch was the Taiwanese Cakes or Car Wheels. Essentially a waffle with different oozing centres such as Nutella, custard or fruit, all wrapped and cooked fresh on the spot. The pastry makers had huge custom cut irons which were kept constantly hot while batter was poured and centres added. They were churning out more than 15 a minute, all with a cool calm tone to serve the hungry crowds.

I was in heaven and I should admit to running back just before close to try the same cakes but made at a different stall in the shape of fish! (see photo above)

Food aside, jewellery, knock off bags, socks, underwear, orchards and even animated shirts that had small screens which moved to the beat of a song (see video below) where all lined up neatly, line after line making it possible to buy just about anything.

Personally I think it was good thing we arrived with only an hour before the markets closed, because I certainly put on 1-2kgs in less than 60 minutes! The Richmond Summer Night markets are a must for any foodie, just make sure you wear your elasticised pants. Oh and ladies don't forget if you're looking for a cheap pair of lacy red underwear you can get that too!

So Much Food So Little Time! Full View Labels: , , , ,

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