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Best pick up lines – Real Weddings

Picture this: pretty girl walks into a hip nightclub, and the owner greets her at the top of the stairs with:

“I thought I knew every hot girl in Melbourne. Where are you from?”

I’ve been writing for Real Weddings magazine for several years now, and this would have to be the best pick up line yet. And it worked! The couple – Nick and Rozalia Russian – are now husband and wife.

Image by David Higgs

The bride wore J’Aton, and this ultra glam romance is one of many gorgeous stories I’ve shared in the latest issue of Real Weddings out this week.

Iss23_cover1

Drawing the Line: Marine Parks

This pelican wasn’t the only one rejoicing about this week’s unseasonal blue skies.

drawing1We had filming and interviews to complete at Port MacDonnell on behalf of the South East Professional Fisherman’s Association, and fortunately there was no need to resort to the wet weather option.
drawing2I am helping to direct and produce a documentary highlighting the management and sustainability of South Australia’s rock lobster industry. It’s the state’s most valuable fishery, and a key export industry. The Drawing the Line project has inspired local fishermen to add their voice to the growing chorus campaigning against marine parks. These blokes know their industry, and I was full of admiration for their respect for their ocean ‘office’.
drawing3And what a stunning office it is…
drawing4Next week, we’re headed to Robe, and hitting the ocean for more interviews and footage. Fingers crossed for more blue skies, and, more importantly, calm seas!

 

Pride of Workmanship Award

Most freelancers who work from home will admit that it’s the best job ever, but it can also feel a little isolated.

The view from my office window

The view from my office window

“What do you do?” is a common question from locals, and it’s difficult to know where to begin. A lot of my work is for a national audience with specialist interests (food, wine, interiors, travel, horticulture etc) making it easy to slip under the community radar. SO when a phone call arrives out of the blue congratulating me on being nominated for a Pride of Workmanship Award, I’m left bursting with…pride! The Rotary Club of Mount Gambier West says it’s for “dedication and contribution to promoting the region through your job”, and a celebratory dinner is planned for later this month. I’m looking forward to frocking up (makes a nice change from my normal office get-up!!).

Limestone Coast Wine History Project – Wrattonbully

It’s exciting when a visiting Canadian wine critic tweets the following about the Wine History Project I’m working on in partnership with the Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council and Fed Creative:

Perhaps our production team could head to Canada next! Stage two of the local project found us filming in Wrattonbully, where we delved deep into wine history in an underground cave.

It’s an amazing feeling drinking wine made from grapes growing above your head! We collected four hours worth of interviews on tape, with wine writer Mike Bennie on the mike, and some rather cute photos in between.

Here’s the edited version:

The rest of the clips can also be found on the Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council’s website.

 

SA’s Stunning Limestone Coast

The Limestone Coast certainly turned on the weather when I chaperoned a crew working on a South Australian Tourism Commission photo shoot by hugely talented photographer Adam Bruzzone . It took quite a crowd – make-up, wardrobe, models – to get the gorgeous shots.

Fascinating to watch, and I took photos of the people taking and making photos with my iPhone…who could resist? Here’s the hero shot of my own little portfolio. Why go to Fiji when you can visit Beachport?

Coonawarra, Robe, Mt Benson, Port MacDonnell, Mount Gambier and Naracoorte also starred. (Looking forward to seeing the professional images soon in brochures and advertising campaigns.)

Selector Autumn Edition

It’s always a pleasure to head to Coonawarra to research an article, stock up on some wine and chat with a great bunch of locals.

There’s also some fabulous photo opportunities – here’s my shot of the Coonawarra siding, a true local icon. You’ll find it along with my words in the new Autumn edition of Selector.

Click here to read the article in my Portfolio.

Cover image by Sharyn Cairns.

Weight Watchers Magazine – Best Family Walks in Australia

Weight Watchers magazine requested a feature on the best Autumn walks for its fabulous March re-launch edition. Perfect, as we’ve taken some terrific family hikes in the past 12 months. My most memorable? Wilsons Promontory in Victoria…

The Ayers Rock base walk…

And Mitchell Falls at the top of Western Australia…

All three get a mention in the article appearing in the latest edition. My hot tip: never underestimate how far littlies can walk, especially when a crystal clear waterhole awaits at the end of the trail.

Real Weddings – Terry Biviano and Rebecca Twigley

 

And here we are in 2013! Let’s go….

I used the holiday break to catch up on a mountain of magazines, including the Real Weddings Summer Issue, which features a collection of articles I have recently written.

There’s some exquisite brides in there, including shoe designer Terry Biviano, who wore J’Aton Couture when she married rugby league player Anthony Minichiello.

“The designers poured their love, sweat and tears into every inch of the dress, and literally made the lace embroidery fabric. It was a true, one-of-a-kind, handmade couture gown,” Terry said.

J’Aton Couture also made the dress of another Real Weddings bride – Rebecca Twigley – who married AFL star Chris Judd. I was lucky enough to write about that wedding, too, and you’ll find it in my portfolio click here .

 

 

Telstra Rural Media Awards 2012

I entered three magazine articles in the 2012 Telstra Rural Media Awards hosted by Rural Media South Australia. Bit of a long shot, given that I’m not a specialist rural writer…more a writer who happens to live regionally and writes for national publications. But I was really happy with these articles which all happened to have a rural slant, so I thought I’d give it a crack. I received an email saying that I was a finalist, and headed off to the awards ceremony in Adelaide. Didn’t quite get there, and finished runner up – Highly Commended – in the Best Rural Print Journalist Award. Got to be happy with that!

Back Label Text – Cape Jaffa Wines

The crew at Cape Jaffa Wines requested some more wine words for their tasty new range. We continued the coastal-surf-environmental vibe synonymous with their label and their general way of living. I thought the name Epic Drop was a perfect fit for their 2010 Shiraz – only the most intense barrels are used in its creation. (Yes, pun intended). And Waxed Lyrical was ideal for the 2012 Marsanne with its rhapsody of flavours…