For the latest in food, wine and travel news, you now have some extra options. Travel Writers Radio, an initiative of the Professional Association of Lifestyle and Travel Writers (PALAT), offers members the opportunity to broadcast their stories and have them heard live on Melbourne’s 87.8 FM every Wednesday between 5 pm and 7 pm Melbourne time; it is also broadcast live on the Internet at the same time; and recognising that many of our listeners are in other States or outside Australia, we have a SoundCloud Pro site. So now you can listen to the exact story you want to hear without wading through a two-hour podcast. Just go to https://soundcloud.com/travelwritersradio and you can keep up with the latest in food wine lifestyle and travel for business or pleasure anytime and anywhere. For more information or to get in touch with the program producers, email: info@travelwritersradio.com
Tyson Stelzer A Regular on Travel Writers Radio
Internationally acclaimed wine expert, wine author, TV host and speaker Tyson Stelzer, is the resident wine expert for the Travel Writers Radio Show.
Tyson is a member of the Professional Association of Lifestyle and Travel Writers (PALAT) and has been a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Communicator of the Year titkle over a number of years.
He has 15 wine books to his name (including The Champagne Guide – the benchmark global reference to champagne), is a regular judge at wine shows; co-creator with UK wine writer Matthew Jukes of The Great Australian Red competition and host of the groundbreaking new television series, People of the Vines.
Tyson will cover everything from what life is really like when you ‘live in the vines’, to his latest wine discoveries and how the world of wine is evolving.
Executive Producer Graeme Kemlo says it is a privilege to have someone of Tyson’s calibre on the show. “Our aim is not only to entertain and engage our listeners but to inform them through the most credible authoritative figures in the industry. Tyson has been described as ‘the next James Halliday’, a sure validation of where we have positioned our radio segment,” Graeme said.
Mornington Peninsula family business to offer locally grown frozen berries
With supermarket shelves depleted of frozen berries in the wake of the Hepatitis A scare from contaminated imported berries, the Gallace family from Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne has stepped up to ensure safe local berry supplies. They told Travel Writers Radio that they would use berries from Sunny Ridge, the family’s 800 acre farm lands to provide frozen strawberries initially to major supermarkets. They expect to commence deliveries in June. Speaking with TravelWritersRadio host Peter Watson, co-owner Ruth Gallace said today the family also grew raspberries, blueberries and cherries at their properties and intended to provide national distribution. The couple already produce and distribute a 100% real fruit cider under the Rebello brand. Ruth said the idea had been in the pipeline for some time but was not considered viable, however the current increase in demand changed all that. “We were already seeing a major shift in consumer attitudes towards local produce as people become more and more discerning and this latest situation has propelled that motivation to buy local.” The couple even earned congratulations from Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has congratulated the Gallace family on their initiative, saying: “It is good to see Australian businesses looking at ways to expand further and I wish the Matilda’s brand every success with their new berry products.”
The interview can be heard on https://soundcloud.com/travelwritersradio
Graeme Kemlo
150 reasons to celebrate at Travel Writers Radio
This week Travel Writers Radio celebrates its 150th episode. In a little over three years the show has amassed about 1000 interviews and more than 800 of them are now available to download at https:/soundcloud.com/travelwritersradio.
Travel Writers Radio is produced and presented by the Professional Association of Lifestyle and Travel Writers (PALAT) Travel Writers Radio is a weekly program covering the “flavours” of travel – food, beverages, wellness and lifestyle – plus all forms of travel and tourism experiences whether for business or leisure. Travel and tourism is a vital economic activity for many countries and we are Australia’s only prime-time radio program covering the business events/MICE sector. Importantly, we interview the people making a difference in our industry, people who love their jobs and happily share their stories, their interesting destinations or the serendipity of simply wandering the world.
Heard every Wednesday drive time ( from 5 pm to 7pm ) on J-AIR 87.8FM radio in Melbourne, Travel Writers Radio also broadcasts live via the Internet at http://www.j-air.com.au. We have iOS and Android smartphone apps and we have a podcast facility, now hosted on our own SoundCloud site – https:/soundcloud.com/travelwritersradio
As a PALAT member we invite you to contribute editorial content to the show. If you are a member of the travel industry we welcome your story suggestions on topics you believe would be of interest to our audience. Just email us – info@travelwritersradio.com.
PALAT members are professional journalists, authors, photographers, videographers and broadcasters – all storytellers working across a range of media from print to online. If you fit one of these categories, or are studying a recognised tertiary degree course in any of these disciplines we welcome your inquiry about membership. We currently have members across Australasia, USA, and Europe. We’re a small but growing organisation with local experience and a global perspective of the benefits of travel to broaden the mind and enlighten both reporter and listener.
Feed your soul in Sydney’s Blue Mountains
The act of hiking is as much a lasting memory to me as the final breathtaking scenery awarded at the end of the long journey.
Cutty grass slicing its name in my calf muscles, overgrown branches with wet leaves sliding across my face, lizards darting into deep bush at the sound of stones crunching under my feet. I feel like it adds to the experience, allowing me to truly feel I have earned the right to the majestic views it brings.
But that’s not for everyone, and what is so remarkable about Sydney’s Blue Mountains is that anyone can experience those same final lasting moments of truly breathtaking beauty, regardless if you walk four days (which we didn’t), four hours (closer to it), or four minutes – and it’s all within an easy 74 kilometre drive from Sydney.
From the city’s northern beaches, where my English girlfriend and hiking companion lives, we hardly covered two topics of conversation before we pulled into Katoomba township.
Our accommodation, Sky Rider Motor Inn http://www.skyridermotorinn.com.au,
proved a suitable choice. Clean and comfortable and well suited to our needs – a bed for the night in a central location allowing us to cover off the local townships.
It’s this reasonably priced, quiet accommodation which during peak season was little more than A$145 a night, which makes the experience so broadly appealing and accessible.
Our room had a double bed, couch which folded out to a small double bed, a desk, and small, but highly functional bathroom, equipped with all the little bottled bathroom necessities you’re left at any good hotel.
The staff promptly pulled out a map on our arrival and circled and pointed to all the hot spots, making some great dining recommendations along the way.
We decided to initially set off on the Blackhead’s Govett’s leap track after researching the Blue Mountains website. http://www.bluemts.com.au/info/thingstodo/bushwalks/
After almost half a day of walking, a small detour (which may have been a result of talking rather than observing signage), and a storm quickly brewing, we passed waterfalls dropping 180 metres to the base of the cliff and were met with what I can only describe as majestic views.
Since the 1800s the air of the Blue Mountains has been promoted as a health tonic, and my soul certainly drank it up.
There’s something spiritual about the uneven lush landscape and no matter how hard you try, you can’t see beyond the rolling mountain-scape.
For those not wanting to get amongst the bush, a visit to the Three Sisters in Katoomba is a must.
Drive to end of the main street in Katoomba and there they are in all their glory.
The Three Sisters is essentially a rock formation, which Aboriginal legend says represents three sisters who were turned to stone because they fell in love with three men from another tribe.
For an alternative to hiking and/or sightseeing a visit to the township of Leura will meet any shopping addict’s needs, with great cafes when you’re done perusing the quaint shops.
No visit to a local township is complete without experiencing local artisans and their wares, and there’s no better place than The Nook, which sells everything from hand-made children’s clothing and dolls to gorgeous art works, all at a reasonable price. http://www.thenookleura.com.au/about/
Back in Katoomba we decided to dine locally, and headed to the 100-year-old ‘Old Bank’, which is part of the Carrington Hotel.
We didn’t make it to the brasserie upstairs, we were impressed enough by the cosy English style pub and gourmet food on offer. Think aubergine, cumin and mint relish; smoked salmon with mini roast potatoes and dill, and king prawns wrapped in pancetta, all washed down with local wines and craft beer.
Driving back to Sydney reminiscing over the images of the blue haze of the mountainous terrain, this is a trip you need in your travel memory bank, and once you’ve done it, you’ll be left not just ticking it off the bucket list, but planning your next visit.
Travelling with a Twist – Health and Fitness Holidays
Samantha Lippiatt spent quite a few years in the ‘mainstream’ of the travel business; a few years she had this idea about health, wellness and travel so she went in search of an opportunity and found it with a business called Health and Fitness Travel. Samantha is now an entrepreneur, healthy lifestyle advocate and co-founder of Australia’s first speciality wellness travel company Health and Fitness Travel. She has an unbridled enthusiasm for all things travel, health and fitness and is committed to providing healthy holidays options that not only enhance but change lives.
I caught up with Sam – on the Travel Writers Show -on Melbourne’s J-Air just few days ago and asked her first:
How did you get into the Health and Fitness Travel Business?
I wanted to combine my passions for wellness and travel, originally I was looking to set up my own retreat and in doing so I noticed there was no platform on which to market these types of holidays even though my research showed it was becoming increasingly popular. My personal experience and market research showed me that travellers, particularly within the wellness sector, wanted a trustworthy, knowledgeable and localised contact to help guide them through their booking experience and to help them explore the many options on offer.
During my research I came across Health and Fitness Travel in the UK, the “experts in tailor-made healthy holidays”; and after studying them and their business model I knew I had to bring this business to Australia. It was immediately well received with many travellers calling in and telling us how they had been on the lookout for such a business and booking up their healthy holidays and it continues to gain popularity and followers month-on-month.
Wellness tourism is a fast growing market segment – up so 35% over the last few years is that what you see in your business:
The local wellness tourism sector is growing every day with more and more Australians seeking better ways to take care of themselves and to improve their lifestyle. There is a growing segment of travellers who are even taking trips specifically focused on maintaining and improving their personal health and well-being. This is driving the growth of wellness tourism and we can’t wait to see Wellness Travel go mainstream.
What sort of holidays are people buying:
There is a big focus early in the year on fitness and overall healthy lifestyles to kick-start the New Year, and lots of de-stress and relaxation holidays booked for later in the year to give travellers something to look forward to as they move into another busy year. A big trend we have identified is the Yoga fusion holiday where guests combine yoga with another interest such as Yoga and spa to de-stress, Yoga and Stand up Paddle-board for fitness and fun. There are others who want to explore the country in which they are travelling, so they look at our bespoke Discover Recover range.
One property in particular is very popular with Australian Travellers and a personal favourite of mine, Kamalaya in Koh Samui Thailand and I believe that is due to the wide range of programs on offer. From detox to fitness and even a program tailored especially around embracing major life change there is something on offer for every wellness traveller.
You have a great website; does that drive a lot of traffic:
We are really proud of our website, it is easy to navigate, provides the option to browse by destination, specific health and fitness holiday experiences or preferred time of year to travel. We also have a great blog attached to it with lots of wellness industry information and industry experts including personal trainers, sports instructors, nutritionists and yoga teachers, as well as local destination specialists will often share advice for our readers. This year we will be adding more functionality and creating a mobile friendly version as we know lots of our clients like to research on their lunch-break via their hand held devices.
You seem to have a very full range of holidays on offer:
Health and Fitness Travel provides clients with a huge range of bespoke active and wellness getaways worldwide; from fitness, to detox and de-stress programs through to comprehensive well-being spa and rejuvenation retreats, and we can tailor make the perfect health and fitness holidays to suit our clients goals and interests. We have even created our own exclusive range “Fusion Fitness” holidays that allows us to create a program unique to the traveller with many leading properties where this option did not exist before.
So whether people want to be active on holiday and learn a new activity such as kite-surfing, mountain biking, diving and tennis, or simply relax in a spa, meditate or participate in a yoga class, detox or fitness program, we’ll find the perfect health and fitness holiday for them.
Do you regularly have special offers available:
Yes we do – We promote all of our latest offers via the website, and as part of our negotiations we are often able to include special bonus inclusions exclusively for guests of Health and Fitness Travel.
Do you have a personal favourite H&F destination:
There are so many, we have a just partnered with a fantastic collective of luxury walks in Australia (Great walks of Australia) and I am about to join one to explore down in Tasmania and I am really looking forward to it.
Some of my all-time favourites very close to home are:
Aro Ha Retreat, perfect for a detox and fitness holiday located just outside of Queenstown, New Zealand offering an all-inclusive eco-friendly retreat where you begin and end your days with yoga and in-between explore the stunning scenery with sub-alpine hiking, my husband loved this property and we both felt so revitalised after our stay. COMO Shambhala in Bali, is fantastic for a de-stress and relaxation holiday where you can focus on your total wellbeing, Guest teachers and practitioners fly in from all over the world to this spectacular wellness sanctuary. The spa is world class and the food is so healthy but delicious. What more could you ask for?
San went on to offer a couple of specials for our listeners on J-Air and they are in fact still available for any readers who wish to take advantage of them: To find out more go to the website: www.healthandfitnesstravel.com.au
Peter Watson
02/02/2015
For those who want to read more about the global growth in wellness travel, there is a comprehensive report available on the Global Wellness Summit http://bit.ly/1641rVg
Culinary “sensei” reveals secret to great sushi
It was on a push bicycle tour of Japan, with little more than a sleeping bag and his notebook, Kengo Hiromatsu decided he would become a chef.
From East to West, North to South, Kengo quite literally ate his way around his home country, taking notes as he went.
With each region having its own signature dish, he decided food was such an important part of every day life, he’d like to be a part of that.
He tried cooking school, but left before completing the degree and turned to a hands-on education instead, working his way diligently from front of house, to back of house, before returning to specialise in Japanese cuisine and get the obligatory qualification.
Kengo honed his trade in various restaurants around Japan for some 20 years before he came to Paul Mathis’ Tokyo inspired restaurant and bar, Akachochin (www.akachochin.com.au) in the newly developed South Wharf precinct of Melbourne.
It’s no surprise he was chosen for Akachochin, whose specialty sake range comprises 50 different varieties matched to the region from which dishes originate – allowing you to eat and drink you way around Japan.
From sushi to specialised Japanese dishes – you’ll find it here.
But Kengo’s top pick? The Hiramasa Namerou, or kingfish tartare .. a signature dish in east coast Japan .. and now a signature dish at Akachochin.
To speak with him you’d never know that just a matter of months ago he was living in the western part of Japan unable to speak any English.
“I like Australia, it’s actually quite similar to my home town and the people are very kind. They really like the authentic Japanese cuisine.”
So what’s this culinary sensei’s secret to cooking the best sushi?
“Don’t put it in the fridge” he says.
“It hardens the rice, changes the texture and when you put fresh fish on it, it tastes much better if it’s room temperature.”
It’s the simple things that matter, he tells me.
His other tip – pour sushi vinegar in the rice straight after cooking the rice, when it’s hot, not cold, and don’t stir it, but instead use a cutting action through the rice to separate it.
Fresh fish is imperative at Akachochin, and it’s something Kengo lives by, going to the fish markets and choosing his own fish every day.
Besides his travel epiphany to become a chef, there was another influence – his mother.
“My mother loved cooking and introduced lots of dishes to us, I have sometimes tried to make dishes like her.”
“Do you succeed?” I ask.
“No, no”, he says, “just try.”
Looking at the dishes he’s preparing for the day, I’m guessing she’d be well impressed.
Travel Writers Radio Show – Podcasts
The International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA Australasia) brings you the radio show without fear or favour, The Travel Writers show on Melbourne broadcaster, J-AIR.
This week is a new milestone for the station as it goes live on Melbourne 87.8 FM. So this means you can not only listen via the Internet, on your smartphone (Apple or Android) using special free J-AIR apps, but you can also catch the weekly one hour show (Wednesdays at 5 pm Australian EST) on your FM radio at home or on the move.
Of course if you miss an episode, you can listen to our podcasts or download them from the cloud. Here’s a link to every episode so far – most recent first:
https://soundcloud.com/jairradio/ep-6-16th-aprl-2014
https://soundcloud.com/jairradio/travel-writers-ep-5-9th-aprl
https://soundcloud.com/jairradio/travel-writers-ep4-2nd-aprl
https://soundcloud.com/jairradio/travel-writers-ep3-26th-march
https://soundcloud.com/jairradio/travel-writers-ep2-19th-march
https://soundcloud.com/jairradio/travel-writers-ep1-13-03-2014
Graeme Kemlo
Aussie culinary ringmaster plating up around the globe
Running away with the circus is a far cry from where Queensland born Shane ‘Skip’ Schipper thought he’d ever he.
Spending his formative years in the small town of Mount Morgan, Shane had thought he’d go on to be a mechanic – but with a recession at the time and a shortage of jobs he decided to study food and beverage instead.
Little did he know that decision would eventually lead him down the circus path, travelling to more than 30 countries cooking up all manner of dishes for the crew of Cirque Du Soleil, with wife Amanda Quayle documenting their travels along the way in her blog – Graze The Earth.
Shane’s real love affair with food began while he was working at the then named ‘Powerhouse’ – a five star boutique hotel in Brisbane. He then moved to Macau, and it was working in a casino a friend told him of the role coming up at Cirque Du Soleil. With wife Amanda enthusiastic about the adventures and opportunities it would provide, he applied, and the rest as they say, is history.
The role takes the pair all over the world (they’re now in North America until the end of the year), where Shane creates dishes highlighting the local cuisine, always inviting the local Cirque employees to bring their families along to join the feast.
Recently in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, they served pierogi (polish dumplings), borsch (soup), polish sausages and deli meats with slow roasted goose leg and cherries; while in the west German city of Dusseldorf it was schnitzels, pretzels followed by sushi, teriyaki chicken and edamame to pay homage to the large Japanese population.
Shane says it’s not all clowning around cooking, and there are many challenging times, particularly around Christmas and New Year, “we love camping and it’s hard to see all the sunshine and blue water at home where we are walking to work in zero temperatures”.
He says it can also be hard to find suppliers in new markets because they are only in each city for six to eight weeks, “my main concern though is always trying to keep everyone happy, because there are around 20 different nationalities on tour”.
But, he says all in all it’s an incredible experience and really the only way to top it would be becoming an OAM (Official Accompanying Member) on tour.
“Really not much could top this,” well, he says, “if I can get Amanda to find a job with Cirque then we can always switch places and I can fish for a living!”
For more on Shane’s travelling circus: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/show/about.aspx
To follow Amanda and Shane’s culinary journey: www.grazetheearth.com.au
VALE Mark Juddery
IFWTWA Australasia member, Mark Juddery died in a Canberra hospital on Tuesday after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 43.
Mark was an active writer, based in Australia’s capital, Canberra. He was a columnist for The Canberra Times, and also contributed to The Spectator and The Huffington Post.
Mark wrote screenplays, radio sketches, movie reviews and four books including his last, Why These Are The Best Times Ever, in which argued in his own witty way that things were not as bad as they seemed. He attended the IFWTWA annual conference In Las Vegas in 2013, participated in IFWTWA’s online webinars and appeared on IFWTWA Australasia’s Travel Writers radio show last May to discuss his book and also his cancer diagnosis. Typically the quietly spoken writer was upbeat.
His funeral is expected to be held next week.
On behalf of The International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association Australasia, we extend our deepest sympathy to Mark’s family and friends.
Melbourne Minute – Docklands Arts, Laughs and Blues Festival
There’s still a couple of days left of school holidays and if you’ve run out of ideas to entertain the kids, never fear, as today marks the start of the Docklands Arts, Laughs and Blues Festival, which you guessed it, features all things arts, laughs and blues.
Running for five days until Sunday, the Wonderland Spiegeltent will be the centre of the action where one of the major highlights will be Michael Boyd’s Spellbound Illusion Spectacular on daily.
Wonderland Fun Park will host family day on Saturday featuring Snap’s Kakadu Club with ventriloquist Lindi Jane, and mini puppet show performed by Lana Schwarcz, The Tiniest Show on Earth.
For adults, there’s the Docklands Arts, Laughs and Blues Comedy Gala on Saturday night starring funny men Peter Helliar and Bob Franklin.
And on Sunday, there’ll be a free, all-day music festival with 20 Blues bands on five stages.
For more information and to book tickets visit docklandsartsandlaughsfestival.com.au.
And that’s the Docklands Arts, Laughs and Blues Festival for the Melbourne Minute.
Melbourne Minute – Royal Melbourne Show
The Royal Melbourne Show kicks off this weekend at the Melbourne Showgrounds and while I highly recommend the planning app to make the most of your visit, here’s a guide to this year’s Show in a minute.
If you’ve got little ones then the Jayco Animal Nursery is the place to be, housing more than 450 animals and a patting pen.
For foodies, visit the Tastes of Victoria Pavilion, which is home to the Royal Melbourne Fine Food Deli and pop-up restaurant featuring dishes from some of Melbourne’s hottest restaurants.
If you’re a fan of MasterChef then take a behind-the-scenes look at the show on a Kitchen Tour – you may even bump into a former contestant!
Justice Crew and Dami Im are just some of the music stars that will perform in the Herald Sun Entertainment Dome, and finally, you simply can’t leave the Show without a show bag. This year there’s 385 on offer including the $2 iconic Bertie Beetle show bag.
The Royal Melbourne Show runs until Wednesday, 1 October.
For more information and to book tickets visit royalshow.com.au.
And that’s the Royal Melbourne Show for the Melbourne Minute.
Melbourne Minute – Melbourne’s Best Market Traders
Melbourne’s Best Market Traders have been revealed this week in the 2014 MYOB Melbourne Market Awards as part of Melbourne Market Week. There were 12 categories with winners selected from Melbourne’s big four markets.
The Prahran Market was home to the most winners including Gary’s Quality Meats in the category of ‘Meat’, Claringbold’s Seafood in ‘Seafood’, Sweet Greek in ‘Speciality Food’, Flawless Flowers in ‘Nursery and Flowers’, Little Sweethearts in ‘Fashion and Accessories’ and The Mussel Pot in ‘Eateries’.
At the Queen Victoria Market, the winners were The Chicken Pantry in the category of ‘Poultry and Game’ and Vic Market Lotto in ‘Services’.
And at the South Melbourne Market, winners included Padre Coffee in the category of ‘Coffee’, Emerald Hill Deli in ‘Delicatessen’, Georgie’s Harvest in ‘Fruit and Vegetables’ and The SuperCool in ‘General Merchandise’, which also won the MYOB Ultimate Best Trader Award.
Melbourne Market Week runs until this Sunday, 14 September. For more information visit marketsofmelbourne.com.au.
And that’s Melbourne’s Best Market Traders for the Melbourne Minute.
Melbourne Minute – Melbourne Spring Fashion Week
Australia’s fashion elite will descend on Melbourne from this Saturday for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week thanks to the City of Melbourne.
Running until Sunday, 7 September, the nine-day extravaganza will feature more than 40 of Australia’s most celebrated designers, brands and retailers who will present their new season looks.
Students from Melbourne’s best fashion schools will also have the opportunity to showcase their talent at a range of events including the Emerging Designer Market at the MSFW: Hub this Sunday and the following.
In fact, the MSFW: Hub located in the City Square will be the place to be throughout the entire week featuring free daily runways, pop-up retail stores, entertainment and the MSFW: Hub Bar offering food from renowned chefs Gavin Baker, formerly of The Fat Duck, and Pete Evans from My Kitchen Rules.
What’s more, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week also has its very own online store where you can shop the looks you see on the runway.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/msfw.
And that’s Melbourne Spring Fashion Week for the Melbourne Minute.
Melbourne Minute – GLOW Winter Arts Festival
The City of Stonnington is currently in the midst of its inaugural GLOW Winter Arts Festival, celebrating all things arts and culture.
Running until Sunday in the suburbs of Prahran, Malvern, Armadale, Windsor, Toorak and South Yarra, one of the main highlights of the program is the Exxopolis Luminarium – an inflatable sculpture designed by Architects of Air from the UK.
Housed on the Jam Factory’s rooftop carpark, Exxopolis is 53 metres in length and nine metres in height, occupying the space of half a football field!
Visitors to Exxopolis can wander through the winding tunnels and marvel at the domed ceilings, colourful light projections and music for just $15 per person.
Other highlights of the program include ‘Flick ‘n’ Feasts’ in the Prahran Market Laneway, where you can catch a movie and tuck into a meal from the food trucks.
Or check out the list of comedy acts as part of the Glow Comedy Club at Functions on Chapel.
For more information, visit www.glowfestival.com.au.
And that’s the GLOW Winter Arts Festival for the Melbourne Minute.
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