After breakfast, menacing clouds bruise a grey sky as ancient cedar trees start to creak and shiver in a rising wind. Spray from booming surf is blown against rocks and hotel windows. Giant tree trunks, tossed up by previous storms, tangle on the beach as if the gods have abandoned a giant game of pick-up-sticks. The temperature plunges. By early afternoon, snow is in the air and a gale howls. Hotel guests are gleeful. They haul on yellow sou’westers and Wellington boots, abandon fireside whiskeys and head into the storm. The holiday weather could hardly be better on the wave-battered coast at Tofino.

The moody skies over the beach at Tofino, Vancouver Island are exactly what holidaymakers are after.

Generally speaking, holidaymakers hunt for sunny climes and hope for cheerful skies. But Tofino is the storm-watching capital of Canada, and what people really want here are black billowing clouds, and violent breakers that surge unchecked from the wide-open North Pacific to crash on the coastline. Visitors want a spectacle of storms, a lashing of fresh British Columbia rain on their glowing cheeks, and the taste of wind-blown sea salt on their lips.

Tofino: the storm-watching capital of Canada

Throughout most of the winter, Tofino delivers. It sits on the west coast of Vancouver Island, as far west as you can go in Canada, squarely facing the North Pacific, backed by snow-dusted mountains. It’s the last halt on the Trans-Canada Highway, an end-of-the-road town of scrappy weatherboard houses, crab-fishing boats and visiting floatplanes. In winter, the Blue Heron pub provides warmth and improbable conversations with eccentric fishermen and tangle-haired tree-huggers. Funky SoBo Restaurant dishes up excellent chowder, thick with smoked salmon and chunks of crab.

You also get wet-weather gear and boots to battle the elements, after which it’s good to know that a malt whiskey at the bar, deep soak in your bath, or a rack of lamb in the restaurant await.

Tofino is a quirky destination, but being in a wild landscape doesn’t mean going without creature comforts. Check into the Wickaninnish Inn and you’ll enjoy one of Canada’s best hotels, whose clever marketing helped put Tofino on the map during wintertime. It might be the only resort in the world whose guests are disappointed to wake up to sunshine. The Wick Inn, as it’s affectionately known, sits on a promontory surrounded by foaming waves with fabulous views over the storm-tossed coast. Guests are equipped with binoculars so they can sit by their windows and sweep the sea like naval captains on a ship’s bridge. You also get wet-weather gear and boots to battle the elements, after which it’s good to know that a malt whiskey at the bar, deep soak in your bath, or a rack of lamb in the restaurant await.

The Wickaninnish Inn

Guests are provided with wet weather gear to battle the elements.

The Pointe Restaurant at the Wick Inn

Save room for dessert.

The Wick Inn almost seems a natural part of the landscape. It has cedar-wood roof beams, driftwood-fashioned chairs etched with old nail marks, and antique Japanese fishing floats, improbably collected from the sea, that make beautiful decorative pieces. In the coffee lounge, the bar top is a tree trunk whose roots at one end create a glorious, sea-eroded sculpture. It’s a joy to shuffle through the common areas to inspect the native artworks and (in the library) copies of Captain Vancouver’s exploration journals and a scale model of his ship Discovery. The hotel’s talkative owner Charles McDiarmid is worth talking to for his insights into the west coast’s early history, native art and Tofino’s eccentric present-day residents.

The inn’s Pointe Restaurant eschews posh décor and white linen for hand-woven tablemats that adorn rustic tables made of cedar chunks. Service is flawless but informal; everything takes second place to the battered coast beyond huge windows that soar to a cathedral ceiling. You can work your way through a six-course degustation that might include shrimp carpaccio with blood orange and fennel; roast hazelnut soup with pan-fried sweetbreads; and duck breast with chestnuts and potato gnocchi. The menu changes with the seasons and is big on local ingredients matched with good British Columbian wines.

The sand trembles as huge waves surge, and you might have to lean into the wind.

With views like this, you'd be hard pressed not to enjoy a walk along Chesterman beach.

At the end of the day, though, the best thing about this place is right outside the window and the Wick Inn knows it. Views take centre stage from every window and even from the showers in the suites. It encourages you to head out into the wind and rain. Misty beaches run for 20 kilometres along the coast between rocky headlands, and the hinterland forest entices with boardwalks that meander between ferns, boulders and moss-stained trees. Locals with water-drenched coats walk their dogs and hardy Canadian surfers — astonishingly — take to the wild waves.

Walks along the beaches are exhilarating. You can inspect driftwood and oyster shells and great hunks of kelp coughed up by the waves. The sand trembles as huge waves surge, and you might have to lean into the wind. Nature is wild and glorious and, when the chill sets in, you can retire to your guestroom and sit by the fire and watch the storms from behind glass. No need to complain about bad weather on this holiday: rather, look upon it and rejoice.

Plenty of men would love the opportunity to shout Matt Jensen a drink. The Australian entrepreneur and designer — responsible for founding high-end menswear boutique Herringbone in 1999 and, more recently, MJ Bale in 2009 — has made navigating the often complicated path to sartorial elegance a little less perilous thanks to high-quality, stylish and functional garments. Speaking with The CEO Magazine, Matt discusses the evolution of his design career and MJ Bale to date, and offers proof that his suits are made to go the distance.

The CEO Magazine: You were inspired to pursue a career involving menswear, design and manufacturing while working in the finance industry. What was the catalyst?

Matt: It was entirely by accident. My rugby team needed a new rugby kit and I volunteered to get them made. I found the whole process intriguing — from the design of the garments to the sourcing of the fabric and then the manufacturing. That was when I knew that I wanted to do menswear. We started off with making high-quality men’s shirts and the rest just followed on from there. 

You discovered your appreciation for merino wool while growing up in a rural area. What in particular makes this type of fabric special, and why do you use it for your brand?

Merino wool is undisputedly the world’s best fibre, particularly when it comes to tailoring. It has a beautiful handle, while also being strong and durable. From an end user’s perspective, a merino wool suit is super-practical to wear, particularly in the harsh Australian climate. Merino wool suits are lightweight and breathable. They also absorb excess perspiration and redistribute it across the rest of the garment. Most importantly though, from an ecological perspective wool is natural, sustainable and renewable, as well as being biodegradable. We knew when we launched MJ Bale that Australian merino wool would be a core part of our brand offering, and that hasn’t changed in more than 7 years. 

What challenges did you face while launching MJ Bale, and which are you most proud of overcoming?

We launched MJ Bale in late 2009, which was obviously a difficult time in the Australian market with all the economic headwinds. However, I think we were able to prosper due to a number of factors; one of which was we created a multi-tier brand hierarchy of good–better–best products traversing the price–quality spectrum. Blue Label is a more democratically priced range of suits, shirts and ties for price-conscious guys who still want good products; but the range has fewer options. Our Classics label is for the guys wanting more colour and a bit more creativity in their garments, while our top-of-the-range Collections label is for those true believers: men wanting suits handmade in Japan using the best Italian fabrics. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in a relatively short space of time. We now have more than 50 stores both here and in New Zealand and employ hundreds of Australians in almost every capital city.

What is unique about your job, and what do you love most about it?

The most unique thing about my job is the characters I get to work with every day. We have a lot of fun creating the MJ Bale product and doing what we do. I wouldn’t change it for the world. The thing that I love most about our work is when we watch someone leaving our store with a spring in their step; with a bit more joy and self-confidence.

“The thing that I love most about our work is when we watch someone leaving our store with a spring in their step; with a bit more joy and self-confidence.”  – Matt Jensen

What aspects of the MJ Bale brand and products allow it to stand out among its competitors?

We’ve got a pretty special global network of artisans that we work shoulder to shoulder with to ensure we get the best-quality garments. That could be wool growers in Tasmania, fabric weavers in the Italian alps, tie makers in Lake Como, knitters in Umbria or tailors in the Iwate Prefecture of Japan. This value chain of working with some of the world’s best experts in their respective fields gives us the confidence and belief that what we’re offering the MJ Bale customer are garments with integrity and authority. 

A recent article in The Australian this year, ‘Can an MJ Bale crumple-free suit endure a day at Luna Park?’, concluded that the suit provided adequate breathability and held up impressively well after a long day. How do you feel about this kind of consumer experiment with the brand?

We love it when people interact with the brand in such a positive manner. We make suits for Australian high-performance sporting teams, such as the Australian cricket side and a lot of AFL and Super Rugby teams, so a lot of thought and consideration goes into the design and construction of our garments and making sure they go the distance. We did a campaign earlier this year called ‘An Unsuitable Journey’, where we sent a model from Sydney to London via nine different countries and ten different modes of transportation to test the resilience of our merino wool suits. The model, Tom, was crushed, but, thankfully the suit wasn’t.  

Orange wine has never been a staple tipple. When it comes to wine, world renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi observes that we generally keep things quite simple; white to accompany simple dishes, red to go with something more complex and a rosé suits a summer’s day. And so orange wine — described by the Independent as ‘the drink of 2017’ — has left many scratching their heads.

The term ‘orange wine’ has given rise to several local myths in Australia: That the term refers to wine produced using oranges, that it comes from the Orange region in New South Wales, or that it is simply an amber-hued rosé. None of these theories have it right.

The squeeze on orange

Orange wine originated thousands of years ago in the sunny valleys of one of the world’s oldest wine regions, Kakheti, located in eastern Georgia. It found its place on the modern dining table when Italian wine maker Josko Gravner produced a contemporary take on orange wine using the ancient Georgian techniques back in 2000.

Contrary to what you might think, orange wine has nothing to do with oranges. It's a type of white wine, but it's made more like a red.

Simply put, orange wine refers to white wine that is made like red wine. White wine is usually made by pressing the grapes and removing the skins for fermentation. Leaving the skins on for a longer period of time — a process known as maceration— gives the wine its tannins. Skins can be left for a few days to a few months, creating different colours and fruity, herbal flavours. Orange wines are fabulously matched with meals that one would normally complement with a red.

Rise of the ‘fourth wine’

Over the past couple of years, orange wines have increasingly featured on wine lists and in Australian wine reviews. As a relatively unusual variety, you won’t see orange wines everywhere, but it seems as though the ‘fourth wine’ may finally be about to have its moment.

Wine importer and The Age’s Good Food Guide 2015 Sommelier of the Year, Banjo Harris Plane certainly thinks so. He opened Bar Liberty in Melbourne with Michael Bascetta, Casey Wall and Manu Potoi earlier this year. The exceptional wine list Banjo helped create for the venue is splashed with plenty of orange. It’s also served on tap — Beechworth’s Pennyweight Wines and Tom Shobbrook from South Australia have made custom red and orange wines for the bar.

Whether you already enjoy the occasional orange or you’re yet to taste the rainbow, 2017 could well be the year that orange becomes the new red.

Immerse yourself in modern art at Löwenbräu-Areal

Photography by Thies Wachter.

Located in Zurich’s lively industrial area, Zurich-West, the Löwenbräu-Areal is the modern incarnation of what was once the Löwenbräu brewery site. The 1897-era brick building is now home to an arts complex as well as a modern residence tower. The building’s historic chimney and steel silo have been preserved, while inside there is expansive museum and gallery space. The historic, red-brick Löwenbräu-Areal is home to two art museums: the Migros Museum of Contemporary Art and the Kunsthalle Zurich. Well worth a visit, particularly for lovers of modern art, the Kunsthalle features up to 10 individual or group exhibitions a year — from both emerging and established contemporary artists — as well as events such as artist talks and film viewings. Meanwhile, 2016 marked the Migros Museum’s twentieth anniversary, and to celebrate the museum will kick off 2017 with 20 – An Exhibition in Three Acts, which offers a glimpse at the behind-the-scenes goings on and a reflection of this contemporary institution’s work over the past two decades.

Entrance to the Arts Center on Limmatstrasse; photography by Thies Wachter.

Take in the city’s best vista at Prime Tower

Prime Tower, Switzerland's tallest building.

Switzerland’s tallest building, Prime Tower, happens to be home to one of its most glamorous fine dining establishments. At a lofty 126 metres and 35 storeys up, Clouds is a chic lounge-bar and restaurant located on the top floor. With panoramic views of snowcapped mountains, Zurich’s lake and the city rooftops below, Clouds Bar (which has its own award-winning gin) is a dizzying spot to enjoy a tipple, an evening meal featuring elegant dishes served with creative flair or a Sunday brunch buffet. The French breakfast at Cloud Bistro sounds like an inviting way to start a weekend in Zurich — it includes a glass of Bollinger Brut.

Hike the Chänzeli-Tour trail in Baden

The charming historic spa town of Baden is easily accessible from Zurich, about half an hour away.

The charming historic spa town of Baden is easily accessible from Zurich, about half an hour away. It was a popular spot back in the day for the likes of Goethe, Nietzsche and Dürrenmatt, who were attracted to its warm thermal springs — which were discovered by the Romans in 14AD — and this wellness theme continues to draw visitors today.

The Chänzeli-Tour takes in the city’s turrets and is a walk that has been around for more than a century as a complementary activity to Baden’s spa bathing treatments, known as ‘therapeutic hiking’, during the Belle Époque. The pretty, scenic hike reaches an altitude of 380 metres, giving a range of perspectives of the town. Walk up and downhill from the incredible 200-metre wide Limmat Gorge to the four turrets (Chänzelis) of Schartenfels, Geissberg, Martinsberg and Stein Castle, which dates back to the year 1000 and offers a wonderful view of the Old Town and surrounding vineyards.

Take the plunge in Zurich’s River Limmat

Photography by Zürich Tourism: Elisabeth Real.

Something you may notice about Zurich is its abundance of water; the city itself hugs Lake Zurich while River Limmat snakes through the Old Town and into its urban areas. In the warmer months, make the most of the city’s aquatic offerings — there are 18 lake, river and outdoor pools — and visit an historic bathing area. Built in 1837, The Frauenbadi is a female-only bathing house and Zurich’s oldest box bath. Women can sunbathe and cool off here in privacy, with a view of the spectacular Grossmünster Church. Meanwhile, males can enjoy Flussbad Schanzengraben, which is located in a moat from the 17th century. For a change of pace, try the 400-metre swimming canal in the Limmat River at the Flussbad Oberer Letten, where you can go with the flow and peacefully drift down river.

Once the sun goes down, many of the waterfront bathing areas turn into ‘Badi Bars’ which host parties, events, screen open-air movies and offer food — and are open to both sexes to relax by the river or lake together. The Frauenbadi ladies’ bathing area, for example, transforms into a shoe-free zone, the Barfussbar (barefoot bar).

Photography by Zürich Tourism: Elisabeth Real.

Burnout is on the rise. It is a growing problem for the modern workplace, having an impact on organisational costs, as well as employee health and wellbeing. These include possible long-term health risks and, due to its contagious nature, a toxic working environment of low morale, scapegoating and increased office politics.

The annual cost of burnout to the global economy has been estimated to be £255 billion and such costs have led to the World Health Organisation predicting a global pandemic within a decade.

Organisations have focused on burnout to protect their profits, placing blame for lowered performance on individual employees, rather than making adequate adjustments to safeguard against stress. This emphasis on the employee has led to psychometrically profiling those that may be at risk of burnout due to their psychological make-up, rather than organisations taking responsibility and making systematic changes to reduce stress caused by structural level problems.

This blame game is often unhelpful. Not just for the employees in question, but also because it risks a skills shortage in certain professions such as health and social care. Plus, it further contributes to the burnout cycle: with limited staff and resources, demands are placed on fewer employees.

Causes

Research into burnout has been linked to office politics, menial working tasks that interfere with work duties and high job demands that lead to exhaustion. Rising workloads and long hours are the main culprits; however, some employees are better able to cope or are more adaptable than others.

Perception of stress is also a contributing factor. If employees perceive you do not have the right resources to cope with your workload, or perceive it to be more than they can cope with, they are much more likely to succumb to stress-related disorders.

Individual differences and personality types also play a role in the risk of burnout. Type A personalities, for example — who have a mix of behavioural traits that include hardiness, impatience, competitiveness and drive — and people who like to have large amounts of control, are also linked to higher rates of stress at work. Research shows that employees with these personalities tend to be more restless, hostile and time-conscious, which puts them at greater risk of workplace stress.

Employees come in all shapes and sizes. As a result, it is imperative that managers and organisations do not prescribe a one-size fits all model to managing employee wellbeing.

It is important, however, not to make banal assumptions when it comes to understanding how different people experience stress. This runs the risk of organisations screening out applicants for jobs on the basis of personality or attributing blame to employees, rather than taking responsibility as an organisation to make adequate changes to safeguard their employees from stress.

Many global organisations have intervention plans that place the onus on the employee to manage their health and wellbeing through training programs such as building resilience and coping skills. But this often has the semblance of blaming employees, while abdicating responsibility and not making any real changes to policies. The reality is that organisations are stressful, often purporting an employee wellness agenda that isn’t really implemented in practice.

Different dimensions

There are three main dimensions of burnout according to the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the most commonly used burnout scale: exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of personal accomplishment, with exhaustion being the most obviously displayed. Signs of burnout can vary between employees and manifest in multiple industries, from healthcare and education settings to legal and corporate finance firms.

Burnout causes a range of psychological and physical problems and can affect people long after they no longer face the stressful situation. These include fatigue, irritability, depression, withdrawal, mental and physical health problems, and self-medication with alcohol and drug use. Consequently, it is something that employees and organisations must manage carefully.

Employees come in all shapes and sizes. As a result, it is imperative that managers and organisations do not prescribe a one-size fits all model to managing employee wellbeing. Instead, they should work on an individual basis with each employee, finding flexible interventions and providing an adaptable and agile working environment along the way.

For example, many workplaces are built around teamwork, collaboration and endless meetings to harness creativity. This model does not bode well, however, for people whose creative juices and energy levels are depleted through constant collaboration. In fact, many individuals, especially those that are more introverted, feel exhausted and find it difficult to get their work done in this kind of environment.

As such, organisations can provide a space for these personalities to work alone, where their productivity increases and creative juices can flow. Similarly, organisations can work with employees, providing agile working conditions to help create a sustainable working culture and work–life balance, thus reducing the likelihood of burnout.

Of course, individuals have a role to play too. It is important that people manage their own personal expectations, harnessing their skills and reflecting on their own personal values. This is particularly the case if employees are working in a role that does not readily align with their own values or predispositions. It’s important to reflect on what matters to you, as living an inauthentic life can lead to burnout when your personal values are conflicted.

Sarah Tottle is a business psychologist at Lancaster University, researching organisational health and wellbeing. 

1. Google Pixel

With the Pixel, Google has pitched a real smartphone contender into the ring, to rival the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy. It’s fast, easy-to-use, sits comfortably in the hand and has a sleek design. Its 12.3-megapixel camera is fantastic, its screen is sharp, and it comes with Google Assistant built in. Plus, it’s a gift that won’t explode and does have a headphone jack.

madeby.google.com/phone

2. Sunglasses

For him: Tom Ford Cliff

He’ll look suave in these sleek shades from the impeccably stylish Tom Ford.

tomford.com/cliff-sunglasses/

For her: Jimmy Choo Domi

She’ll love these classy Jimmy Choo cat eyes with a little snakeskin detailing.

row.jimmychoo.com

3. Ratio Eight

We all know a coffee snob. These days, they’re everywhere. So appeal to the coffee snob in your life with a Ratio Eight drip coffeemaker. It’s impressively stylish and, more importantly, it makes really good coffee.

ratiocoffee.com

4. Garmin Approach S6

Keen golfers will be over the moon to find a Garmin Approach S6 under the tree come Christmas morning. This top-of-the-line golf watch will improve their game no end. It’s preloaded with more than 40,000 international courses, and offers CourseView showing precise distances, swing training and Garmin Connect to connect players to the online golf community.

buy.garmin.com

5. Kindle Oasis

A must-have for any bookworm, the Kindle Oasis is the best e-reader on the market. It’s the thinnest and lightest Kindle yet, and designed for comfortable one-handed reading. The backlighting is better than the Paperwhite, and the cover it comes with has a built in battery to boost the reading time between charges.

amazon.com

6. Fragrance

For him: Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani

armanibeauty.com

For her: Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf

sephora.com

You can’t go wrong with either of these fragrances. Men will love the crisp, sea-inspired scent of Georgio Armani’s Acqua Di Gio, while ladies adore Viktor & Rolf’s sweet-smelling Flowerbomb.

7. Sony MDR 1000X

Perfect for audiophiles and frequent flyers, the Sony MDR 1000X headphones are wireless, noise cancelling, and capable of high resolution lossless wireless. Plus, they’re comfortable to wear and they look awesome, available in both sleek black and stylish fawn.

sony.com

8. Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne

CEO of The CEO Magazine Chris Dutton, says nothing brings the holiday spirit like a bottle of Champagne. Make sure your loved ones celebrate Christmas in style with a bottle (or two) of Louis Roederer Cristal. It’s not a party without it.

louis-roederer.com

9. Apple Watch Series 2

The latest Apple Watch, released in September this year, has range of upgrades that make it well worth the higher price point. It’s now water resistant so there’s no need to take it off at the beach. It has a GPS tracker to track your runs or rides, a bigger battery, a faster processor and brighter, sharper screen.

Get the Nike+ version for the fitness fanatic. It comes with a light, flexible and breathable sport band and instant access to the Nike+ Run Club app.

For true luxury, go with the Apple Watch Hermès‎ and take your pick of the collection of fine, handcrafted leather bands.

apple.com/watch

10. Jewellery

For him: Omega Seamaster Diver 300M

A stylish and sophisticated timepiece for a stylish and sophisticated gentleman; the sporty Omega Seamaster Diver 300 harks back to the watch brand’s dive heritage.

omegawatches.com

For her: Tiffany Bow Pendant

This delicate 18k rose gold Tiffany bow pendant studded with round, brilliant diamonds is sure to please the woman in your life.

tiffany.com

11. Thermomix

Perfect for both the family foodie and the kitchen hopeless, the Thermomix makes cooking from scratch easy. It does the lot – weighs, chops, stirs, cooks – the list goes on, replacing a whole host of other kitchen gadgets and freeing up a ton of bench space.

12. Skydiving

Give the adrenaline junkie you know and love an experience they’ll never forget. Forbes has put together a list of some of the best skydiving experiences around the world, so check it out to find the one to please your thrill seeker.

forbes.com

13. Apple Macbook Pro

Yes, another Apple product, but it is the laptop that everyone is lusting after this year. Apple’s new Macbook Pro is thinner and faster, with a brighter screen and new built in Touch Bar that allows for instant access to programs, as well as Touch ID.

apple.com/macbook-pro

14. Wine getaway

Spoil someone on your list with a weekend getaway to wine country. Wine Enthusiast Magazine has some great tips on where to go for the best wine travel destinations around the world.

winemag.com

15. Oxfam

Know someone who could really use two ducks, a pig and a goat? No? Well, that’s ok because Oxfam does! Head to Oxfam Unwrapped and give someone some good feels with a charity Christmas gift that helps those most in need.

oxfam.org/en/oxfam-unwrapped

16. Dyson Supersonic hairdryer

The hairdryer everybody’s talking about, the Dyson Supersonic, is lightweight, incredibly quiet for a hairdryer and does its job really, really well. As Christmas pressie, it won’t disappoint.

dyson.com

17. Leica Sofort

This fun, retro instant camera from Leica, the Louis Vutton of camera brands, is sure to delight, and capture all of this year’s Christmas memories. It’s easy to use, takes great pics and comes in three cute colours.

leica-camera.com

Bonus: Stocking stuffer ideas!

1. Whisky Stones or Corksicle

So they'll never have to drink watered down whiskey or wait for the wine to chill!

whiskystones.com
corkcicle.com

2. S’well water bottle

It's the coolest water bottle around.

swellbottle.com

3. Pandora Earrings

Pretty.

pandora.net

4. Baby booze

Stocking sized liquor bottles (Not actually for babies!)

a liquor store near you

5. Sock subscription

Yes, socks! But fun ones that come as a monthly surprise!

sockfancy.com

6. Premium movie tickets

They get to go to the movies but with more comfort and better food!

your nearest movie theatre

7. Daydream headset

A great add-on for the Google Pixel - the VR revolution is now.

madeby.google.com/vr

8. Chanel Le Vernis Nail Polish

Fancy shmancy nail polish.

chanel.com

9. Titleist golf balls

'Cause a golfer can never have too many!

titleist.com/golf-balls

10. Anker Power Core 10000

Make sure they never run out of battery!

anker.com

11. Google Chromecast

With this handy dongle, they can stream whatever they're watching online straight to the TV.

google.com

12. Cards Against Humanity

Heaps of (really messed up) fun!

cardsagainsthumanity.com

Dine inside a giant greenhouse at Restaurant De Kas

De Kas

One of Amsterdam’s finest restaurants, De Kas invites diners into its big glass structure for a culinary experience created from seasonal ingredients grown on-site. Housed in what was once the Amsterdam Municipal Nursery, the site dates back to 1926 and has been beautifully converted into a dining space, designed by Piet Boon, and housed an eight-metre-high, entirely glass structure. De Kas grows its own herbs and vegetables in the restaurant’s greenhouse and gardens and its chefs create their menus daily based on their harvest and that of other local farmers. This concept of a restaurant–nursery was dreamed up by Michelin-starred chef, Gert-Jan Hageman, who founded De Kas in 2001 and is now the head grower.

restaurantdekas.nl

Get cultural in Amsterdam North

Amsterdam North

Once the industrial area on the city fringes, Amsterdam Noord has blossomed into an interesting cultural space with plenty to see and do. Accessible via a free, three-minute ferry ride across the IJ, once there, visit the white origami building of the EYE Film Museum. This iconic structure is a must-see for movie lovers and has an impressive film library, theatres, exhibition spaces, and a revolving line-up of events. There are more cultural happenings to be found at the Tolhuistuin. This free-spirited garden and pavilion centre features eclectic cultural programs and a popular sunny terrace fronting the River IJ. Another highlight is the cool, post-industrial NDSM Wharf (ndsm.nl), which was once a shipyard. Vibrant and arty, this enormous space is home to festivals, performances, and exhibitions and has a good variety of bars and restaurants. The creative dining scene this side of town includes Pllek, a waterside restaurant inside a shipping container, and Café de Ceuvel, a unique eatery with a sustainable focus.

See the city sights on a bicycle

There are famously more bikes than people in Amsterdam, and cruising the cycle-friendly city streets on two wheels is a fantastic way to explore its neighbourhoods, canals and attractions.

There are famously more bikes than people in Amsterdam, and cruising the cycle-friendly city streets on two wheels is a fantastic way to explore its neighbourhoods, canals and attractions. Riding a bike is a way of life for locals and there are plenty of bike paths, cycle routes and flat ground to cover. Cruise along the city’s pretty canals and over its photogenic bridges; get lost and enjoy the sights or take a guided bike tour.

Why not combine two of Amsterdam’s great loves, cycling and Vondelpark? This 47-hectare park has national heritage status and dates back to 1864 when a group of locals formed a committee to found a public park. Cycle the paths that meander through bright English-style rose gardens, across vibrant green lawns, and past its tree-lined waterways and ponds. Stop for a picnic or at one of the number of cafes and restaurants in the park. There’s also free live theatre and outdoor concerts during the summer to enjoy.

Shop ‘til you drop in charming Nine Streets

Cheese store on Nine Street

Wander the nine cobblestone streets that link the main canals between Leidsegracht and Raadhuisstraat. These quaint laneways are brimming with history that dates back 400 years in what is now the lively neighbourhood Jordaan. De Negen Straatjes or ‘The Nine Streets’ were once home to the animal hide trade and indeed today you can still find plenty of leather. This old working-class area is now an enticing labyrinth of cafes, galleries, restaurants and more than 200 shops, the majority of which are independent retailers. It’s the place to go for renowned fashion labels and up-and-coming designers, as well as vintage fashion and furniture, interesting specialty shops and cool cafes.

When it comes to shifting into action, your focus shouldn’t be on cramming more into your day. Instead, a key productivity strategy is maximising and prioritising 10 key hours in your week, and using this time wisely.

Like with a jukebox, you get to program what goes in during these 10 hours, so that you enjoy what comes out. If you don’t program this time, you’ll be left listening to Kenny Rogers on replay. Honestly, if you give me 10 hours of your best, it will change your life - big claim I know, but stick with me . Once you have these 10 hours every week, you can then divide them up into five ‘rock and roll’ hours, three ‘alternative listening’ hours and two ‘easy listening’ hours – hence the jukebox.

Rock and roll hours

The first 5 hours to schedule into your calendar each week are your ‘rock and roll’ hours. This is the time for pedal to the metal, all effort in, mass productivity. This time is about getting rid of distractions and just getting stuff done. Aligning these hours to the times when you are most alert and awake will ensure that your biology is on your side too.

Because each week is likely to be different, at the start of your week spend time going over your calendar and schedule in these rock and roll hours. Shift and schedule this time around meetings and other commitments.

The following are key tips to help get the most out of these rock ’n’ roll hours:

• Shut your door. Get rid of all the distractions

  People can come flooding back in when you’re done. Get the most out of the hour, and it will repay back to your team tenfold in terms of you being able to be completely present with them, because you know that what you needed to get done has been done.

• Leave your phone behind

  If you work in an open-plan office or you can’t shut the door, often you need to find another space for these rock and roll hours, but as soon as you leave the office, people ring you to find out where you are. Divert your phone, leave your phone behind, let people know, go somewhere else, and do what needs to be done. Sometimes your rock ’n’ roll hours are networking or connecting with people. This rule still applies. Give them your full attention. Don’t have your phone as a distraction and a reminder of what else is waiting back at the office.

• Set a clear time frame

  Make the time you schedule in no less than half-hour blocks because you need at least this length of time to get immersed in an activity. Set the clock, stay to the end. Then the full time you’ve allocated is a race and a frenzy — you’re not fluffing around for the first 10 minutes, or being proud of yourself for what you’ve achieved for the last 10 minutes. Once the time is up, step away.

• Reward yourself

  A habit becomes ingrained when we get a reward at the end. You need to have a solid transition and a solid break. It might even be for a couple of minutes, but go and grab a coffee, go for a quick walk around the office, or duck outside for a moment.

Alternative listening hours

Your ‘alternative listening’ time is 3 hours in your week where you explore alternative ways and perspectives — a bit like a professional swimmer who does yoga as an alternative training. It’s about you thinking about alternative channels and different perspectives on the work that you need to do.

Here are a few ideas for places to explore new ways of thinking:

• TED Talks – 20-minute presentations from experts and thought leaders from around the world on various topics and the latest research.
• Podcasts – check out the top podcasts on iTunes.
• Slow thinking time – clarity requires space, so give yourself enough time for ideas to bubble up.
• Play ‘Apples and Oranges’ – compare an industry different from the one you are in and look at what they do that you could incorporate into your world.

Easy listening hours

The 2 ‘easy listening’ hours each week are for active, planned relaxation. This is actually about creating white space in your week because, really, how often do we have it? We never do. We jump in the car and we’re either on the phone or we’re listening to the radio. We’re constantly in contact with people from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall into bed.

So here are the rules for your easy listening hours:

1. They must not be part of your regular routine. If you normally go for a walk or do yoga in the morning, these hours are not part of that.
2. Vigorous exercise doesn’t count. The hormones produced when we’re doing vigorous exercise, although great for our body and our mind in a whole range of different ways, aren’t about providing downtime for your body or your brain.
3. You should feel energised and refreshed afterwards. After these hours you should feel like you’ve had a massive night’s sleep, recharged and ready to get back into it.
4. They should be tech-free. Leave the devices behind so you can quiet the mind.

For all of the hours in your jukebox, focus is the key and being the watchdog of your time is critical. Avoid the trap of cluttering up your calendar with commitments that derail your focus. Carve out the time to get the key actions done in order to make progress.

Bonbon eau de parfum

This lovely new fragrance by Viktor & Rolf is a neat package of fun and indulgence with underlying notes of caramel, shaped into a hot-pink bow.

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Cozy cashmere

This coat from Balmain combines black wool and cashmere with padded shoulders, gold-tone engraved buttons, and a double-breasted front for added warmth and comfort.

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Textured tech  

This Adonis floral-print
textured iPhone 6 case from
Gucci is printed with roses
inspired by a nineteenth-century
tapestry, with raised sides for
added protection.

net-a-porter.com

Against the grain

This sleek cross-grain leather briefcase from Prada is a satchel-inspired bag finished with sleek silver hardware, ideal for the morning commute.

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My cup of tea    

The East India Company’s gorgeous Anna teapot features intricate patterns harking back to the seventeenth century, gilded with 18 kt gold and crafted in Royal Bone China.

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Classic pearl bracelet

This stunning Goldoni heart pearl bracelet from Tiffany & Co, designed by Paloma Picasso, nods towards Venetian window gates made of sterling silver and freshwater cultured pearls.

tiffany.com.au

Timeless elegance

It’s about time you spoiled
yourself with this special-edition
Bremont Kingsman automatic
chronograph watch made with
rose gold and leather and
featuring access to 24 time zones.

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For the well-groomed

Formed from zebrano wood and its distinctive zebra-like striped grain, this handsome shaving set by Czech & Speake is a great addition to your bathroom shelf.

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It’s a character-defining moment: standing waist deep in an inlet wearing a pair of underwear, a rainproof jacket and a backpack. I look as ridiculous as I feel, and fail to supress the giggles as my quickly-numbing legs transport me to the other side of the inlet where, it must be noted, the grass is markedly greener. I hurriedly dry my legs and reinstate my trousers and hiking boots while one of my hiking guides — seemingly unfazed by the impromptu, pants-less water crossing — says, “That’s the thing about this beach: with the varying weather, you can never really predict how deep the crossing is going to be.” I look up and notice that the tide is especially high. “A lot of the time, you don’t even have to take off your boots,” he continues. A comment my fellow hikers and I could probably have done without hearing.

Of course, it’s these moments — the ones in which you push your limits and embrace the unfamiliar — as much as those spent in awe of nature’s tranquil beauty, that make The Maria Island Walk truly spectacular. I’m jumping ahead in the narrative, however. Let me take you back to the beginning, well before I found myself half-naked in a stream. The Maria Island Walk is the manifest dream of husband-and-wife duo Ian and Bronwyn Johnstone.

One of Tasmaina’s pristine beaches

Having fallen in love with the remote wilderness that exists just a short boat ride off the east coast of Tasmania, the couple wanted to share the island’s patent beauty and rich history with travellers the world over, particularly those with a proclivity for activity-cum-luxury. Now in its fifteenth year, the company functions like clockwork; each seemingly minute detail cultivated to perfection, from the provision of necessities like sun cream and insect repellent to equally essential luxuries like locally sourced Pinot Noir and Tasmanian brie and wasabi cheddar. 

A candlelit dinner on The Maria Island Walk

All of this is evident before I even arrive on the island. Having been briefed and kitted out with hiking requisites in Hobart — a pack, head torch, assortment of snacks, and an ominous but vital rainproof jacket — I’m introduced to my fellow hikers and guides. Then it’s a 90-minute drive — punctuated by nervous conversation and intermittent factoids from the likes of our guides — to the small fishing village of Triabunna. Sue, one of my guides, points out the Old Convict Road that snakes in alongside the comparative embodiment of modernity we’re driving along, and already the history that haunts this corner of the world feels tangible. “The physical labour that would have gone into making that …” Sue trails off wistfully.

At Triabunna, we board the Maria Island Ferry which takes us via the Mercury Passage to the island itself. Admittedly, I have a partiality for being out on the ocean, but it’s difficult not to feel content with the sea breeze in your hair, the sunshine on your back, and a white-breasted sea eagle gliding gracefully up above you.

TMIW Darlington convict settlement.

Bishop and clerk summit from the fossil cliffs.

Boat approaching 4 Mile beach.

Cliffs at Fossil bay.

The summit of Bishop and Clerk.

View from skipping ridge.

Walking on Reidle beach.

We arrive at Shoal Bay where the white sand is so fine it squeaks beneath our boots. Squeaking our way along the beach, the water lapping soothingly on the shore, we have our first encounter with the endangered hooded plover, or ‘twinkle toes’, as Sue refers to the delicate little species. So tiny they are difficult to spot, and with legs as thin as toothpicks, these dainty, pale birds dance along the shoreline, flirting with the water.

While our legs don’t move nearly as quickly as those of the hooded plover, we swiftly make our way to Casuarina Beach camp, the first of two overnight wilderness camps. These camps redefine glamping, yet are somehow ecologically sustainable. Nestled just back from the beach are a series of canvas-and-timber structures that have been curated specifically for comfort. These are our cabins, and each contains two beds with genuine mattresses and pillows; in fact, no makeshift inflatable camping paraphernalia features on this trip at all.

Camping at Casuarina Beach.

The dining ‘tent’ is all the more impressive for the incredible food and drink that comes out of it. Without electricity, our guides seemingly whip up a three-course meal. An entrée of bruschetta with goat cheese, vine-ripened tomatoes, and basil is followed by a main of lightly seared Tasmanian scallops with saffron risotto. If you have a sweet tooth like I do, you’re in luck, because dessert is a summer pudding with fresh berries and King Island cream. Of course, I wouldn’t be doing justice to Tasmania’s delicious food offering without pairing it with some of the region’s similarly enjoyable wines. A glass of Cape Bernier Pinot Noir rounds the meal out perfectly, and makes my weariness all the more pronounced.

So tiny they are difficult to spot, and with legs as thin as toothpicks, these dainty pale birds dance along the shoreline, flirting with the water.

Before I trundle off to my private refuge, I’m engaged in a post-meal conversation — something that has sadly become a rarity in my digitally frenetic life. To discuss the day’s highlights and laugh about our missteps, literal and otherwise, is something of a joy. I realise, all too ironically, that being without my phone or computer has enabled me to feel reconnected and calm — and this is just day one.

“Make sure you don’t leave your shoes outside overnight,” says our other guide, Tim, as we make our way to bed. “The devils might get them.” In possession of a larrikin sense of humour, I’m not sure whether or not to believe him, but decide not to risk it just in case.

Just like clockwork, it starts to sprinkle down with rain as I tuck myself up into my sleeping bag. The pitter-pattering atop the canvas roof is comforting, particularly in tandem with the crashing waves of the ocean. Before I even know I’ve fallen asleep, I’m being woken to a gently rising sun and the sound of twittering birds. I wish I could lie in this moment forever.

A convict barn on Maria Island

Crumbling red brick cells stand to attention on the headland, tufts of grass and noxious weeds snake their way through crevices and demonstrate the passing of time.

After a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, we pack up our gear and set out on what our guides dub ‘five-beaches day’. Needless to say, we meander between a quintet of beaches throughout the day, each one showcasing a slightly different aspect of the island’s natural beauty. While the aquamarine water, snow-white sand, and sunshine make for what one of my fellow travellers from Sweden refers to as paradise, it’s the dilapidated remnants of a convict outstation that truly captivates me. Crumbling red-brick cells stand to attention on the headland; tufts of grass and noxious weeds snake their way through crevices and demonstrate the passing of time.

Interior of a convict barn on the island.

I walk into one of the cells and am immediately thankful that I’m not claustrophobic. It’s easy to picture Australia’s convict history playing out here, and equally hard to accept. The harshness of this climate and isolation the convicts would have endured is harrowing, and I feel it all the more acutely for standing in their footsteps.

It’s hard to remain pensive for too long, though, particularly with frequent sightings of wombats and echidnas bringing you back to the present moment. Sarah, another of our guides who has tag-teamed with Sue, is particularly enamoured by the wombats, and her adoration is contagious. “Did you know that wombats are faster than Usain Bolt?” she asks rhetorically. I look at the stocky, sandy-brown little creature eating grass in the near distance, and can’t help but doubt her. “Bolt can run up to 37 kilometres per hour, while a wombat can run up to 40 kilometres per hour.”

Wombat spotting.

We arrive late in the afternoon at White Gums camp, and after a full day of walking feel justified in putting up our feet. I’m somehow peer-pressured into going for a swim, which, in early spring, is nothing short of freezing. Not to worry, however; pre-empting my return, Sarah has heated up a hot bucket of water. I carry the bucket over to the most luxe bush shower I’ve ever seen — a three-walled timber cubicle fitted with a shower faucet — and looking out at the eucalyptus trees and scrub, slowly thaw out.

It’s the following morning, the beginning of ‘mountain day’, that brings us to the aforementioned trouser-less water crossing. Of course, modesty has a whole new definition in the bush, and before long we’re well on our way up Mount Maria, the highest point on the island. The landscape once again transforms, and in place of beaches is a meandering track through woodlands. Just as I’ve gotten used to the stringybarks and wattle, the path opens up to an assemblage of boulders — a veritable playground for adventure buffs. I clamber my way up to the summit where the 360-degree view is well worth the effort. The sky is slightly smudged with clouds, but it just makes looking over the mainland all the more dramatic. To the left I can see the entire path we’ve traversed since we arrived at Shoal Bay, and to the right our final destination: Darlington.

Bernacchi House

Exhausted but enchanted, we make our way down the scree and through the scrubland toward Bernacchi House in Maria Island’s one and only township, Darlington. Once the home of Signor Diego Bernacchi — whose entrepreneurial spirit saw him try to transform Darlingtion, tragically unsuccessfully, into a hub of industry — this old weatherboard house is testament to the enduring history of the region. Beautifully restored, the house has been painted lemon yellow, burgundy and deep green, and is surrounded by a white picket fence which does little to keep out the Cape Barren geese and wombats.

Having had a hot shower, I plonk myself down on the lounge in the sitting room and warm up with a glass of Gala Estate Pinot Noir in front of a raging fire. Out the window, the sun casts violet and ruby streaks across the sky, marking the transition from day to night.

My final day on the island is spent exploring Darlington, and it’s here that I realise Maria Island is a time capsule. Not only is it home to one of the best-preserved penal stations in Australia, but it also boasts geological remnants — shells and mineral deposits — that date back 450 million years, an extensive assortment of indigenous relics, and a long list of rare and endangered wildlife. Traipsing across Maria Island is one of the most inspiring ways of unwinding and getting back to nature — but more than that, it’s a foray back through history.  

Head upside down, arms wobbling, and sweat trickling down my neck; it’s not exactly how I pictured my first morning on holiday in Thailand. Though, happily, there’s no office to scurry off to afterwards, just a few days enjoying a health and wellbeing holiday with a generous dose of indulgence. I’m here to experience COMO’s Thai properties, Point Yamu and Metropolitan Bangkok. The two are distinctly different yet promise contemporary Thai luxury, signature Shambhala wellness and spa treatments, as well as award-winning dining.  

Post yoga, it’s time for a healthy breakfast at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok’s Glow restaurant. The menu is fresh and light and focuses on nutritious dishes with wholesome food and local, organic produce. Of course, if a green juice just won’t cut it, eggs Benedict is possible too. It’s all about balance, right? In fact, COMO Shambhala — the COMO Group’s wellness concept — has the pursuit of balance at its core and aims to promote healthy living, learning and eating. While wellness holidays with strict routines and menus may appeal to some, a relaxing holiday, for me anyway, is free from routine, responsibility and guilt. 

The entrance and part of the pool at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok

As our round table begins to fill with plate upon plate, the waitress explains each colourful, aromatic dish, encouraging us to “eat with your heart.”

The COMO Metropolitan Bangkok itself is a chic oasis with generous-sized rooms over 11 floors, located in the business district on South Sathorn Road with high-end shopping malls, rooftop bars and Lumpini Park at its doorstep. Its elegant interiors feature a masculine palette of dark browns and white, with grand, high ceilings. The rooms are suited to both the business traveller (be sure to make use of the hotel’s personal butler services) or holidaymaker, with windows framing the city’s skyscrapers and a big, timber meditation chair. The Penthouse Suites and COMO Suite are sophisticated and pared-back spaces, filled with light; they also have their own entry via a private lift and foyer. Throughout this urban retreat, careful attention to detail adds to the feeling of luxury: attentive staff are dressed in Comme des Garçons, there are individual pieces of Asian antique furniture, and one-off artworks by local Thai artist Natee Utarit are dotted throughout the rooms.

The opulent bathrooms in COMO Point Yamu’s suites impress.

Guest wellbeing comes courtesy of the yoga classes I was profusely sweating in earlier. Held in the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, it’s here that you can also work out in the gym, swim laps in the pool, or enjoy Asian-inspired holistic therapies. On the hotel’s ground floor is the outdoor swimming pool, a welcome respite of cool, blue water from the bustling and beeping of Bangkok’s chaotic streets. 

Adjoining the pool area is the famed Nahm restaurant, with Australian chef David Thompson at the helm. Named as one of ‘The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’, I’m more than excited when Executive Chef Chris Miller stops by the breakfast table to share his advice on what to do around Bangkok and insists we dine at Nahm for lunch. 

The headlining hotel restaurant is a key element of COMO Metropolitan Bangkok’s experience. As our round table begins to fill with plate upon plate, the waitress explains each colourful, aromatic dish, encouraging us to “eat with your heart.” We laugh as almost every dish comes with the forewarning of chilli, though thankfully the spiciness of the food doesn’t overpower the beautiful balance of flavours. A sweet-and-sour pineapple and sticky garlic amuse-bouche is followed by a line-up of dishes that show off David’s research-driven culinary masterpieces. 

Nahm restaurant’s inviting interior.

A creamy coconut-and-turmeric crab curry is the first to be devoured, and a salty cured pork dish is moreish. Delicious rose apple features in the salads, which are laden with spices, herbs and Asian greens — the meat practically melts in your mouth — and khanom chin (fresh rice noodles) are made on site. A delicious medley of soupy shaved ice with salak fruit, mangosteen and tiny crunches of fried shallots is served for dessert — it’s cool, sweet and full of incredible flavour for what looks like a bowl of crushed ice and water.

After a 90-minute flight to Phuket and a 25-minute drive, we arrive at COMO Point Yamu just after sundown. We’re greeted in traditional Thai fashion, a palms together Sawadee by a group of smiling staff. Arriving to a scene of glowing lighting, friendly faces and heat-alleviating refreshments is the kind of welcome that leaves a lasting impression.

Revered Italian designer Paola Navone has drawn on elements of local Thai culture for the resort’s design. It’s sleek, with vast open spaces and high ceilings that are vibrant and characterful thanks to Paola’s elaborate details. The lobby features a stack of carved wooden tables in a decorative altar adorned with bowls of flowers, statues and a gong that pays homage to the traditional Thai home. This sense of homeliness extends to the large white lounges and casual throw cushions. 

Smoked fish curry with prawns from award-winning chef David Thompson at Nahm.

The airy space has a water feature and opens to the east and west, making the most of the resort’s position on the tip of Cape Yamu, almost completely surrounded by ocean. Round timber columns are painted a vibrant saffron colour to match the hue of Thai Buddhist monk robes, and large, white woven pendant lamps mimic local fishermen’s nets. 

Waking up someplace new is always exciting. The Bay Suite I’m in is spacious and bright, all white and vibrant turquoise, with textured white walls and thickly woven bedheads as well as a dining table, walk-in robe, and bathroom almost the same size as the suite. Black-and-white striped day beds beckon from the balcony. All rooms front the ocean, whether it’s Yamu Bay and the Andaman Sea or my view, the milky-blue expanse of UNESCO-protected Phang Nga Bay. The humid atmosphere creates a never-ending expanse of white, which reflects into the water so the soaring iconic limestone karsts can just faintly be seen on the horizon and the blackened silhouettes of wooden traditional boats appear to hover in the glassy brightness. All this whiteness makes the surrounding green vegetation pop, and it’s a dreamy tropical scene. 

Aside from the 79 rooms and suites, Point Yamu also has one-, two- and three-bedroom private pool villas, all with sea views and beautiful outdoor terraces. They each come with the options of a butler and private chef service. Daily activities like kickboxing, Pilates and yoga are on offer, as well as those that capture the Thai holiday vibe, such as snorkelling, cultural excursions and day trips to nearby islands. Many of the activities are complimentary, a part of COMO’s active approach to wellness. 

The private plunge pool from a COMO Point Yamu villa offers the perfect sunset vantage point.

There’s exploring to be done. The newly opened COMO Beach Club is a private stretch of white sand on an island about 30 minutes by boat from the resort.

Before the heat of the day sets in, we decide on an early morning bike ride around Yamu village. Kitted out with helmets, water bottles and mountain bikes, we’re given a quick run-down of the gears before whizzing down the windy roads from the point. We cycle past fruit plantations and little shops selling fresh coconuts to a nearby beach where local children run out to wave, wide-eyed and curious.

Breakfast back at the resort is a buffet laid out long over the bar in the poolside La Sirena restaurant. We select food from the vast spread — which includes a variety of international breakfast styles, healthy juices, and even wheatgrass shots — and order à la carte from the energising COMO Shambhala menu while bread is hand-toasted at our request. 

Paola Navone’s incredible design includes saffron-hued posts to mimic the colour of Thai Buddhist monks’ robes.

After breakfast there’s exploring to be done. The newly opened COMO Beach Club is a private stretch of white sand on an island about 30 minutes by boat from the resort.Arriving at the little slice of paradise, staff are on hand with cool towels and ice water as we settle in to relax, with sun lounges and umbrellas lining the pool and the beach. There are 13 thatched-roof salas with day beds and balconies peeking out from the hillside. Surrounded by palm trees and tropical gardens, the comfortable huts offer respite from the heat. Up the garden path are COMO Shambhala spa treatment rooms — you could spend all day here swimming, eating, being pampered or getting active with paddle boarding, windsurfing and kayaking available. Boat trips to the Beach Club aim to operate daily, but timing and duration is at the mercy of weather and tides, of course. 

After a colourful sunset enjoyed beside the 100-metre infinity pool, we prepare for dinner. COMO Point Yamu has two restaurants: Italian-inspired La Sirena and Nahmyaa with its modern twist on southern Thai-style food. Red, orange and glimmers of gold dominate Nahmyaa restaurant, which has an incredible goldfish mosaic covering an entire wall and fishbowl-esque glass bauble lighting. I sip a Saw Sam Sai cocktail (coconut cream and chilli-infused gin, foamed with lemon, lime, sugar and egg white and spices) and pore over the dinner menu. The sophisticated take on local cuisine is brilliant. There are coconut wafers with duck, basil and peanuts and a richly flavoured blue crab in a bright-yellow coconut curry. The cinnamon is lovely in the Wagyu beef soup, and wads of fresh herbs and Asian greens and little swirled pods of noodles are brought out to have with our dishes. 

The next day I venture to the COMO Shambhala Retreat. Designed to be a sensual experience, the black pebbled stone floor massages my feet, and a soothing light-blue colour dominates the two levels of the retreat while the signature Shambhala scent — a blend of eucalyptus, geranium, lavender and peppermint — permeates the air. 

The place for pampering: a treatment room at COMO Shambhala Retreat, Point Yamu.

I book in for a Lanna Heritage Full Body Compress. This traditional treatment involves the entire body being firmly pressed with hot boluses of healing aromatic herbs and spices and promises to leave me feeling rejuvenated and restored. The treatment is 90 minutes of bliss, and I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so relaxed. Afterwards, wrapped in a soft white robe, I float outside in a state of Zen and head straight to the retreat’s pool, on a deck that overlooks the main resort pool and out over Phang Nga Bay. Nestled in a cocoon-like day bed, I sip on sweet honey and ginger tea and drink in the view.

My friend never quite emerges from within the calming retreat and later reports her treatment was so good she stayed on for back-to-back hours of pure indulgence. Guests can also luxuriate in Shambhala’s blue-tiled steam room, pool, sauna or yoga studios, some of which have enormous windows overlooking the Andaman Sea and green, hilly landscape. 

I decide I’m too relaxed to join the Thai kickboxing class I’d picked out for the afternoon and feel a pang of guilt, but then I switch my thinking to ‘holiday’, remember it’s all about balance, and make plans for sunset cocktails instead.   

Just in time for Australia Day, Bega has snapped up the rights to Vegemite and other Kraft branded products, as well as ZoOSh salad dressings and Bonox spreads. But it’s Vegemite that people really care about.

The quintessential Aussie spread was developed in 1922, after imports of UK spread Marmite (Boo! Hiss!) were disrupted due to World War I. Australian company Fred Walker & Co. tasked a young chemist and food technologist, Dr Cyril P Callister, with creating a spread made from brewer’s yeast. And so, Vegemite was born.

It puts a rose in every cheek

Some might be surprised to learn that Vegemite wasn’t an instantaneous success. Others — those who come down on the ‘hate it’ side of “you either love it or hate it” — will be less shocked to know that sales of the yeasty spread took a while to take off. This was mostly due to the fact that Marmite (Boo! Hiss!) already dominated the market.

In 1925, Fred Walker joined forces with Kraft to form The Kraft Walker Cheese Co. In 1935, the company capitalised on the success of that venture by giving away Vegemite with Kraft cheese purchases. This tactic worked and Aussies were finally trying, and preferring, Vegemite.

The giveaways were followed by a limerick competition in 1937, with Pontiac cars as prizes to draw in consumers, and the product was endorsed by the British Medical Association in 1939. And during World War II, the spread was included in the rations of Australian troops. By the 1940s, Vegemite had well and truly earned its place in our hearts and stomachs. Today, 9 out of 10 Australian households contain a jar of Vegemite. We really do “all adore our Vegemite”.

As Aussie as… what?

Of course, it was around the same time that Vegemite became popular that it also got a bit less… Australian. In 1935, after the death of Fred Walker, the US-based Kraft Company acquired a controlling interest, and ownership of the recipe and manufacturing methods for Vegemite.

So, although Vegemite has always been made in Australia (and honestly, why would it be made anywhere else?), it hasn’t been Australian owned for more than 80 years. And it’s not just Vegemite.

So many of our beloved Aussie brands are — gasp — not Australian owned. A recent ABC article detailed a handful of other iconic products that are no longer 100% Australian. The owners of Tim Tams, Shapes and Iced Vovos don’t call Australia home — the US-based Campbell Soup Company owns Arnotts now.

Bushells tea is owned by the British-Dutch company Unilever and Uncle Tobys’ oats are owned by Swiss-based Cereal Partners Worldwide, although they are at least made in Australia.

Swiss company Nestlé owns a whole host of Aussie staples. Some might be saddened to learn that Aussie lollies like Allens’ Snakes and Minties, and the Violet Crumble are part of the Nestlé stable. And don’t turn to ice cream for consolation. Peters is owned by European R & R Ice Cream and Streets’ Buffalo Bill, Paddlepops, and the Golden Gaytime, which is having a bit of a moment, are no more Aussie, as Streets is owned by Unilever. Even Aeroplane Jelly is US-owned now!

It’s a sad state of affairs. Which is why it’s all the more heartening that Vegemite is coming home. So enjoy a piece of Vegemite toast for brekkie, and bask in the knowledge that it’s 100% Aussie once more.

Halfway through my conversation with Simon Kasprowicz, the co-owner of surfwear brand Okanui, he turns the question back on me: “How many brands can you name that are still the same as they were 20 or 30 years ago?” Placed on the spot, I struggle to come up with a valid response. 

In the competitive world of fashion, where most labels fight to stay one step ahead of the latest trends, Okanui stands out for exactly the opposite reason. “We’ve stayed the same,” Simon says proudly, having proven his point. “While everyone else has commercialised their product, gone mainstream, looking for a quick dollar, we’ve remained true to the core of the brand.” As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Okanui's classic hibiscus boardies.   Image: Okanui

Okanui’s signature item is the cotton longboard short emblazoned with a bright hibiscus print. Renowned for its quality, one pair of Okanui board shorts can last up to 20 years. “That’s why we’re not changing our classics,” says Simon. 

With a cult following, it’s not unusual for Simon to pick up the phone to the compliments of satisfied customers. It’s a position plenty of business owners would love to be in. “People just keep coming back. They buy one pair, then they buy another pair. They’ve found the only shorts they want to wear.”

Okanui’s roots is the Northern Beaches of Sydney, a breezy beachside location that still provides the backdrop for its operations today. In what started out as a hobby, the brand’s founder, Dick Ash, would make his own canvas boardies out of old mail bags from the Avalon post office on his mum’s sewing machine. He found the longer style of short was a better fit with the fashionable Okanui surfboards of the time, and drew inspiration for the hibiscus imagery from his beloved Pacific Island waves. The company was born in 1978 and, as the range expanded to include shirts and a children’s range, the classic shorts have remained the staple piece in the Okanui wardrobe.

Okanui's range has expanded to include shirts and a children’s range.   Image: Okanui

Four years ago, Dick sold the company to his niece and her husband, Wendy and Simon Kasprowicz, so he could concentrate on his first passion: surfing. 

“You ask someone about Okanui and the first thing you hear is the great memories that are triggered by the name,” Simon says. “For us, we want to continue to create a brand that will remain at the forefront of making memories: something that sits close to people’s hearts, that they grew up with, that their kids will also grow up with.”

Simon and Wendy have worked with artists and designers to add new products to complement the classic range, yet have placed emphasis on creating a modern style that retains this heritage feel. The slogan for its recently released summer 2017 range, ‘What’s Old is New Again’, reflects this.

“I’m hopeful next season we’ll have a women and girls’ range to complement our men and boy’s range,” - Simon.   Image: Okanui

“We’ve brought some original prints back to life, like the two-tone hibiscus shorts.” An original Okanui design, these blue-and-orange board shorts were best-sellers when first released. The traditional comes complete with a modern twist, however. “We’ve added a draw cord and velcro fly. We’ve also used some waterproof-treated fabrics in the range. Not a day goes past without someone telling us we should be doing that!” he laughs.

“We want to continue to create a brand that will remain at the forefront of making memories.” – Simon Kasprowicz

The couple have also reintroduced T-shirts into the range this summer. “We haven’t sold T-shirts for a while, and it’s important for us to get them back into the market as the T-shirt is a big part of beach culture. It’s been lots of fun creating them.”

While Okanui has been dressing the male surfing population of Australia for nearly four decades, the absence of a female range is fairly conspicuous. “I’m hopeful next season we’ll have a women and girls’ range to complement our men and boy’s range,” Simon responds when asked the question. 

Image: Okanui

Looking towards the future, Simon is candid: “Wendy and I are in the business to grow it and see where we can take it. There’s a lot we can do, but we’re just taking small steps to make sure it’s done right.” 

He remains adamant about one aspect, however. “The road will always lead back to the classics.”

Proud to be a part of a company that evokes so many memories with so many people, I’m left wondering what Okanui means to him. “As a kid, jumping on a BMX in my Okanuis, going down to the beach,” he says. “That memory: when nothing mattered, you were just carefree, enjoying yourself.”  

Stepping into a room full of strangers at a weekend BBQ, you do the welcoming handshakes, grab yourself a spot and settle into the conversation. It’s only moments before the inevitable question comes out. It’s a question we’ve asked of others plenty of times and one to which we may respond differently, depending on who’s asking. It’s a question that defines our very being.

The question is: “Soooo, what do you do?”

Our role, our job, is so closely tied to our identity that it becomes part of our definition of who we are. It’s what helps others categorise us. And yet if we only ever define our identity by the job we’re doing right now, we make it hard for ourselves and for others to shift that identity.

Every hero’s journey has a call to action, a series of trials and challenges before the fall into the abyss, followed by revelation, transformation, atonement and homecoming. Your journey into Stand Out is not dissimilar. You’ll go through this hero’s journey in a thousand ways on a thousand days. My call to action for you is to be present in the journey. Don’t dismiss the abyss, because we only get to the revelation and transformation by going through the darkness.

Your identity is a construct that started to form the moment you were born, and it continues to shift and reshape itself until your final day. It is part protection mechanism and part bonding tool, and has a major role to play in the upkeep of your self-esteem and wellbeing. In fact, actively working on shaping your identity is a wellbeing process known to just about every culture on the planet. So how often do you actively work on your identity?

Expanding the way you see yourself and the behaviours you step into can help prepare you for the next challenge. If there’s a new role on the horizon, one that you’d love to be doing, then don’t wait until your title changes to expand your identity. Step into the behaviours that will be required now. Consider how you will need to act and what skills are required in that new role, then act as if these opportunities were already on your plate. This is how you test the waters of who you’ll become. Others will start seeing you in the new light of your behaviours too. It may be that having you step into that new role is an obvious transition.

(Well, you’re already doing what’s required anyway.)

Reshaping your identity shifts the sands on which your belonging and connection are built. If you’ve been the person who has always said “yes”, and now you are setting up strong boundaries and saying “no”, your identity will change. And one thing that is guaranteed with this change is that there will be push-back, sometimes from the very people who you were expecting to support you. This is not a sign that changing your behaviours is wrong; it’s simply a sign that others are noticing.

Now, at the beginning of the new year, you have the chance to be strategic about your identity evolution. You’re the artist at the crafting table, sculpting and moulding the features that work for you. Start to wear the outfit of where you want to be now, and share that story. Think about how you might craft a different story, one that describes where you’re headed to, the next time you’re asked the question: “Soooo, what do you do?”

In the 2016 Snapshot for the Australian Workplace Dr. Lindsay MacMillan OAM revealed 35% of workers feel that poor leadership is the most stressful part of the job. While Deloitte’s Talent Edge Study 2020 ranked leadership as the most pressing concern in the current economy.

High levels of stress contribute to poorer cognition, reduced focus, increased errors, poor decisions, a silo mentality and increased levels of presenteeism and absenteeism.

With stress costing the Australian economy around $10 billion dollars each year, reducing workplace stress has to be at the forefront of every business leader’s agenda.

This is where an understanding of brain science can make such a difference, because the fundamentals for good leadership are deeply embedded in our physiology.

As humans we are hardwired to connect. Cognitive scientist Matt Lieberman believes our need to belong, to be part of a tribe, is as important as air, food and water to our survival. Human connection drives social cohesion and collaboration, which brain-savvy leaders recognise and use to increase leadership effectiveness.

According to Deloitte, 5 critical factors that influence retention include:

1. Trust in the company.
2. The availability of career opportunities.
3. Fair exchange of reward for effort.
4. Having the autonomy to do the work you’ve been hired for.
5. Working in an environment that acknowledges and promotes success.

All of which relate to the social drivers of safety from the brain’s perspective.

To be a leader worth following start with,

Trustworthiness

Lead through the observable behaviours of authenticity, transparency, consistency, and fairness to establish trust and mutual respect.

Listen actively and deeply to others. Feeling heard or being acknowledged for an opinion or insight promotes contribution and collaboration.

Take time out to think. Reflection promotes greater understanding of the bigger picture and reduces the tendency to a knee-jerk reaction, the reactive type-one thinking that may blindside the slower type-two responsive thinking as outlined by Daniel Kahneman.

Court “buy-in” by revealing what’s in it for everyone by communicating a clear and bold vision for what you want the company to achieve.

Promoting a can-do attitude

Attitude is a choice. Promoting a collective mindset that is open to new ideas, sharing of knowledge and possibility thinking comes through the creation of an open-minded organisation led by a leader who embraces a having a go, and looks to succeed by doing things differently.

Consistency

No one likes to second-guess what mood you will be in on any given day. Consistency in how you present reduces fear and uncertainty and promotes more useful and positive habits of workplace practice.

Humility

Be human.  A leader who knows they don’t have all the answers, but is willing to ask for input reveals they are secure and confident in their own abilities. This creates a culture of mutual respect. As  Sir Ken Robinson tells us,

 “The role of the creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it’s to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they’re valued.”

Adaptability

Using your brain’s natural plasticity as a life-long learner provides the cognitive advantage of adaptability in our rapidly changing world. In combination with the other factors, this is what contributes to make you the leader worth following.

For some, the word camping sends chills down the spine. If you’re anything like me, camping conjures images of sleeping on the ground, not showering for days, no electricity (and therefore no phone, laptop, TV…) and general discomfort. So when a friend suggested camping in Byron Bay on NSW’s far north coast, over the Christmas break, I approached the trip with trepidation.

I shouldn’t have worried. We weren’t just camping, we were ‘glamping’ – staying at the Flash Camp pop-up hotel in Byron Bay, which is to regular camping as a 5-star hotel is to a cheap motel. As we pulled up to the entrance, taking in the luxury set-up and relaxed vibe, I knew I was in for a treat.

After all, the concept was conceived with people like me in mind, says Cameron Arnold, CEO of Flash Camp.

“We realised there were a lot of people that had never experienced camping and would only do so if there was a certain level of comfort - so we thought we would cater to this market and offer pop-up hotel accommodation and services in really unique and high-demand locations around Australia,” he explains.

The spacious canvas Flash tents are specially designed for the Aussie heat.   Image: Elise Hassey

Byron Bay is certainly in high demand over the summer, and the Flash Camp pop-up proved to be an oasis away from the bustling town. On arrival, the friendly receptionist greeted us with a much-needed glass of ice-cold Antipodes mineral water, and showed us to our tent. The spacious canvas Flash tents, specially designed for the Aussie heat, are furnished with a comfy double bed, or pair of singles, and decorated with homey linens, Armadillo & Co rugs, and cushions and throws by Pony Rider.

Tents are decorated with Armadillo & Co rugs and cushions & throws by Pony Rider.   Image: Chris Searle

And don’t worry, internet addicts, there’s a solar-powered charging station in each tent, and you need only ask at reception for the wi-fi password.

Once we’d settled in, it was time for a short walk to nearby Tallow Beach, a seemingly endless stretch of gleaming white sand and crashing waves.

Unlike Byron’s Main Beach, which is teeming with tourists, Tallow Beach is nearly empty, with plenty of space to stretch out and soak up the sun, liberally slathered with SPF 30+, of course.

Tallow Beach, a seemingly endless stretch of gleaming white sand and crashing waves.   Image: iStock

We made sure to head back in time to catch dinner at the Harvest pop-up restaurant, open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at Flash Camp. At the share table dinners we feasted on mussels and roast beef, 12-hour lamb shoulder and chilli mud crab, wood-fired sucking pig and Byron Creek Farm chicken, accompanied by a range of delicious sides. Harvest’s produce is handpicked from its own gardens or sourced in the region, and the chefs’ creations are inspired by seasonal and local flavours.

Breakfast was provided every morning, also by Harvest, who put on a sumptuous spread of pastries, toast and preserves, and fresh fruit with yoghurt and granola. But you had to get in quick to grab the most coveted of sweet treats - the almond croissant.

The Harvest pop-up bar.   Image: Demetre Minchev

A daily Allpress coffee cart was on hand for those of us who couldn’t do without our caffeine fix, while a bar popped up every evening from 4 – 9pm with beer, wine and a range of cocktails, such as the Harvest 75, a local take on the classic G&T with Ink Gin, Halliday Farm tonic syrup and Tilly’s bush lemon limoncello.

It was easy to while away the days at Flash Camp. We relaxed in the deckchairs set up for guests under shady umbrellas in the communal area, played board games and ping-pong, took full advantage of the bar, and made frequent trips to Tallow Beach.

Pull up a chair & relax.   Image: Elise Hassey

We did, however, manage to make our way into town to experience what Byron Bay had to offer. Fortunately, Flash Camp has bikes to rent, so we set off to explore the CBD, which has no end of cafes, restaurants, bars and shopping to enjoy.

And if you’re not the sort to eat, shop and lie on the beach for hours on end, Byron Bay and its surrounds offer plenty of activities. Surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, snorkelling, diving and stand-up paddleboarding are all available. The coastal headland walk to the Cape Byron Lighthouse is a must, particularly at sunset or sundown when the views are especially spectacular. Venture further afield and there are a multitude of delightful towns and villages to explore, such as Newrybar, where you can visit Harvest’s permanent restaurant, deli and bar, and scenic treks, waterfalls and swimming holes abound.

The coastal headland walk to the Cape Byron Lighthouse is a must, particularly at sunset or sundown.  Image: iStock

Main Beach at Byron Bay. Be sure to explore the wreck.

Of course, Byron Bay isn’t the only place you can experience the luxury camping experience offered by Flash Camp. Last year, the company had a successful run at Kakadu National Park. It also set up shop on Clark Island overlooking Sydney Harbour, partnering with restauranteurs Three Blue Ducks for a pop-up restaurant and bar. They followed that up with the Byron Bay pop-up, and all three will be returning in 2017.

Flash Camp has come a long way since Cameron first came across the idea of glamping in 2012. “I read an article when I was on a Virgin flight about what they were doing at Glastonbury Festival in the UK and thought it would work really well here,” he explains. Cameron teamed up with Ben Hutchings of Paperbark Camp and Brandon Saul, a promoter at Falls Festival, to form Flash Camp and by the end of that year, they were offering luxury camping accommodations at the 2012/2013 Falls Festival in Byron Bay.

Flash Camp set up a pop-up hotel on Clark Island in Sydney.  Image: Elise Hassey

The Clark Island Flash Camp overlooks Sydney Harbour.  Image: Elise Hassey

Flash Camp also does corporate events, like this pop-up hotel for Mercedes-Benz.  Image: Elise Hassey

Soon Flash Camp was popping up at other camping festivals, such Splendour in the Grass. Then came the opportunity to expand into the corporate and event sectors. At the end of 2015, Flash Camp set up a pop-up hotel at an event for Mercedes-Benz. Cameron says the idea of a pop-up hotel works because it “enables far more flexibility to tailor experiences at different sites and events all over the country”. He adds, “No two are the same, yet we offer a consistent level of service and quality each time.”

In fact, they’ve proven so popular that Flash Camp has had “enquiries right across the country from all levels of corporate, government, councils and event operators”.

Cameron says, “In order to expand with this demand, we've designed a licensing arrangement for our brand and are actively seeking interested parties. We are already in discussions with organisations and venues in every state.”

Head to flashcamp.com.au to check out new locations, inquire about corporate events, or register your interest for the next pop-up hotel.

Spoil her with one of these gorgeous gifts

Lovely lingerie

Nothing says 'Happy Valentine's Day' like a Cupid bra and panty set from Agent Provocateur.

agentprovocateur.com

Flirty fragrance

This fresh, floral fragrance by Chloé is perfect for Valentine's Day - it's called Love Story, and the bottle's design is based on the 'love locks' that were fastened to the famous Pont Des Arts “love” bridge in Paris.

sephora.com

Pretty PJs

Cute, comfy and a little bit sexy, these Stella McCartney pyjamas are covered in hearts and lips and made of luxurious silk Crepe de Chine.

stellamccartney.com

Amorous adornment

It may be clichéd but it's true - diamonds are a girl's best friend. Particularly 21 brilliant cut diamonds set into an 18K white gold Piaget heart pendant...

piaget.com

Courting candles

These candles say it all. These sweet-smelling mini Loving candles from Bella Freud Parfum are a very romantic gift.

net-a-porter.com

Riveting Romance

Give her the gift of romance this Valentine's Day with this set of classic love stories from Juniper Books.

juniperbooks.com

Charming chocolates

If you're going to go with the quintessential Valentine's Day gift - make sure you get her the very best. Godiva's Valentine's Day Satin Embroidered Heart Chocolate Gift Set will most certainly tempt her tastebuds.

godiva.com

Indulge him with one of these pleasing presents

Spicy scent

Want your partner to smell a little spicy, a little smoky, a little sweet and all man? Get him Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille eau de parfum.

tomford.com

Seductive sleepwear

Make sure he comes to bed in style- in these classic pyjamas by Derek Rose, hand made in England using the finest silk.

derek-rose.com

Tempting timepiece

He'll be reminded of your love every time he checks the time - with his stylish new Breitling Colt 41 Automatic watch.

breitling.com

Casanova cufflinks

Show him that he has your heart with these Tiffany cufflinks, with Elsa Peretti's famous heart design

tiffany.com

Ultra-sexy undies

Help your man up his game in the sexy underwear department with these heart adorned briefs by Emporio Armani.

armani.com

Passionate poetry

All thoughts, all passions, all delights / Whatever stirs this mortal frame / All are but ministers of Love / And feed his sacred flame. - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Wish your loved one would recite you love poems this Valentine's Day? Then gift him with the Classic & Romantic Poets Collection from Juniper Books and he'll have all the romantic verses he needs to tell you how much he loves you.

juniperbooks.com

Seductive sweets

Does your man have a sweet tooth? This selection of chocolates and candies are flavoured with bacon and booze. He's sure to love the Chocolate Bacon Pretzels and Maple Bourbon Caramels... if you don't get in there first!

sugarfina.com

On Wednesday night, 90,000 homes in South Australia lost power for 45 minutes, after the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) directed power companies to cut off customers’ power supply to protect the power system from failure, a process known as ‘load shedding’.

Now, in the face of the coming heatwave, AEMO is warning that NSW is also at risk of an energy shortfall. Demand is forecast to be at its highest point at 5.30pm today. Sydney CBD is set to reach 38C, while further west temperatures may get as high as 44C.

Reduce energy use

According to a statement released yesterday afternoon, “AEMO is in discussion with a number of generators within New South Wales and the New South Wales government to mitigate the need for local load shedding”.

In the meantime, the system is under pressure as the state has experienced days on end of high temperatures. This means everybody has their fans set on high and air conditioners blasting, while fridges and freezers are working overtime.

NSW Energy and Utilities Minister Don Harwin is encouraging people to reduce their energy consumption. He says, "Turn up your air conditioners to 26 degrees, adjust fridge temperatures, switch off unused electrical appliances and turn off lights when it's safe to do so.”

More to come?

The earth is experiencing more and more extreme weather events (*cough* global warming *cough*) so there are going to more and more corresponding periods of increased power demands. According to a recent report from the Climate Council, periods of extreme heat are set to increase in length, intensity and frequency across Australia.

And it won’t just be Australia that has problems. India, Pakistan and Egypt all regularly experience blackouts due to extreme heat. Other countries without adequate power infrastructure, such as South Africa, will further struggle to meet demand as the planet heats up. But extreme cold can also trigger load shedding. Both Canada and US have similar power supply shortfalls during extreme cold weather such as blizzards.

Blame renewables?

The blackouts in SA are being blamed on the state’s increased reliance on renewable energy. The AEMO did not predict the lack of wind to power wind farms which coincided with the high temperatures, that lead to Wednesday’s supply shortage. This suggests, however, that it was AEMO’s failure to plan ahead, rather than renewable energy itself, that caused the need for load shedding.

Are renewables to blame? Or do we just need better preparation and back-up power supplies?

Whatever the case, it’s clear that all states will need to be more prepared for extreme weather in future. Better back up power supplies and storage are needed.

Renewable power sources provide intermittent energy while electricity networks need an uninterrupted supply. As the push for less coal and more renewables continues, a solution is needed for maintaining that supply. More interconnectors between states will be necessary to provide extra energy when renewable sources don’t meet demand.

More extremes

The Climate Council also reports that in the years to come, the south and eastern regions of Australia will experience “harsher fire weather”. There will also be more droughts and more flooding, both of increasing severity and duration.

The Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has warned that “we're likely to see catastrophic fire danger develop in some areas including the Hunter” over the weekend.

Stay safe this weekend

According to weather forecasts, NSW won’t see cooler temperatures until Monday. Here are some tips for keeping cool and staying safe over the weekend.

Consider forgoing your daily run this weekend...

While predominantly talked about and developed in the armed forces and sports arenas, research suggests that mental toughness is also highly pertinent to workplace performance, psychological health and wellbeing. But what defines mental toughness? A good insight comes from the description of the selection course for the SAS:

"It is designed to break an individual down to see their character, revealing strengths and weaknesses in situations where they are at the absolute limits of human endurance, to come up with a solution to achieve the mission. Selection gives a good insight into the soul of the individual.”

Essentially, it’s the inner discipline needed for true resilience; the determination, endurance and self-belief necessary to successfully navigate all challenges and deal with the discomfiture of possible failure and negative emotion. The appearance of a shiny Teflon coating isn’t enough.

Anyone wishing to building mental toughness must therefore start by identifying the components required for greater positive resilience.

Focus on what you can control

Determine what it is possible for you to influence and change, and let go of the rest. This conserves mental energy and reduces stress levels. Staying focused on the big picture reduces the tendency to get stuck in the minutiae that can otherwise lead us to get bogged down in a mire of "what-ifs".

Change the game to concentrate on the process

Sports psychologists know that a team that focuses on actions rather than results has a higher chance of winning. While winning makes us feel good and is immensely satisfying, concentration on the actions required to get you there alleviates the emotion (that’s to say the fear and anxiety) associated with potential loss, and reduces risk aversion.

Show your passion

Your inner conviction, beliefs and values keep you working hard towards your goals. Checking in regularly with your thoughts and feelings about why you’re doing something reassures and validates your purpose. This elevates mood, provides a greater sense of meaning, and determines the level of drive needed to keep going.

Embrace the possibility of failure

Positive resilience is about embracing a challenge as an opportunity for growth and success, while acknowledging the reality of potential failure. Mental toughness recognises that taking a calculated risk is always part of the process.

Building greater positive resilience requires acknowledgement of our human frailties and imperfections, characteristics we would often prefer to either ignore or downplay. It is through these that we learn how to manage thoughts, feelings and behaviours for both the present and the future.

Being mentally flexible enables different perspectives to be considered, promotes possibility-thinking, and creates a positive feedback loop where taking action further elevates confidence.

Adapt and respond

Our capacity for adaptability enables us to successfully manage changes in our environment and is far easier to achieve when the brain is in a relaxed and rested state. Getting sufficient sleep and taking time out to uncouple from focused work facilitates the mental work done at a subconscious level to consider all options and develop the best solution.

Being mentally tough is increasingly important in our complex and challenging world. Remembering to acknowledge and celebrate all success – and failure – and the contribution made by others creates a workplace where grit, tenacity and the willingness to see things through in the face of adversity are valued and appreciated.

Oregon sounds like it ought to be a state of towering trees and timber cutters, moose-haunted hills, and men squinting from beneath cowboy hats. So it might be in places, but the north-west state features many tales of the unexpected. Oregon is arty, eco-friendly and alternative without being grungy; more hipster than home on the range. It has eye-popping, snow-covered volcanoes and a wild coastline. Most of all, Oregon explodes the stereotype that rural America knows nothing about good food, with an ever-growing reputation for wineries, breweries, fresh produce, and innovative eating.

Any tastebud travels would have to start in the laidback capital, Portland, where bearded men ride bicycles, edgy neighbourhoods flourish, and cider is the new boutique beer.

You could stay here a week and not tire of exploring breweries and hot new restaurants such as Taylor Railworks or Farm Spirit, whose vegan tasting menu has become the talk of the town. Portland’s spectacular yet unpretentious food scene, however, is nowhere better typified than in its famous food carts, which cluster into ‘pods’ that will have you in a tizzy of indecision. A progressive lunch will take you around the block and the world: Chinese jian bing pancakes, Yucatan pork shoulder wrapped in banana leaf, slow-cooked Carolina ribs, Belgian waffles with candied pecan. And you can bet that Portland is one of the few places in North America where you can finish with a good coffee: sustainable, organic, single-origin Colombian coffee at that.

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