After angel investors or a round of friends-and-family funding, most (if not all) fast-growing early-stage companies choose venture capital (VC) to fund their growth. Born in the 60s and 70s, venture capital focused on breakthrough technologies. Booms and busts ensued – the most notable being the Dot-Com bust of March 2000 – but to date, VC has been the only way for some businesses to acquire the large amounts of capital and expertise needed to grow.

Headlines would suggest that as a concept VC has been successful, with companies announcing larger and larger rounds of funding, and an increase in Unicorn-scale valuations. However, like the unicorns of myth, these stories are somewhat fantastical – they simply don’t apply to the majority of revenue-generating, fundable early-stage businesses.

The news value of a start-up getting funded is limited because at that point the work has only just begun, for both the company and the fund. A more meaningful announcement is when the start-up is acquired, or goes public after 4 or 5 years and generates a return for the fund. So like all news these days, such stories need to be taken with a grain of salt. They are more like PR exercises for both the fund and the start-up.

And while VC may look like beer and skittles, the data paints a very different picture. The VC industry regularly reports that of all companies back by venture capital, 30 — 40% fail, 30 — 40% return the original capital and 10 – 20% produce outsized returns. Research in the field is hard to find, but the most recent and most rigorous comes from Shikhar Ghosh, a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School.

In 2012, Ghosh studied 2,000 VC-backed companies that raised at least USD $1 million between 2004 and 2010. According to his research, a full 75% of venture-backed companies fail to return investors’ capital. If failure is defined as missing a revenue or cashflow target, the failure rate jumps to 95%.

The discrepancy between the 30 – 40% failure rate reported by the industry and the research’s 75%, says Ghosh, comes from to the industry’s wish to “bury their dead quietly”.  Failure is bad for business, because VCs need to be continually raising new funds to invest in the next generation of early-stage companies. It’s not that the existing investment model isn’t still producing stunning examples of achievement, it’s that these are so few, and the failures so many.

It is hard to see the current VC model surviving, given this failure rate. An early sign of its demise is the establishment of Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, which focuses on longer time frames and redefines what it measures as a success. Another is a company that may well become a world-changer: Tesla. When it launched in 2003, Tesla was unfundable in the traditional VC sense, a solid 10 years away from launching a standalone vehicle (the Model S). Initially, the founder – the well-heeled Elon Musk – backed it with his own wealth; only when progress was made and the company was “de-risked” did the outside money come in.

The problem is that humans are hardwired to mitigate risk, and one way to do that is to limit how far into the future they consider success should come. The horizon is usually limited, with exit often contemplated even before entry. As a result, a great deal of time and energy is spent managing risk and producing short-term returns. This can prevent management and investors from focusing on larger goals that could produce much greater long-term rewards. Yet history has shown us that the truly great companies, the ones that stand the test of time, require a substantial period to establish themselves. The natural world is a good guide; nothing in nature grows at the rate we expect VC-backed companies to grow except, perhaps, cancer.

But if VC is finished and the conventional model broken, what ought to replace them? What would a new investment model look like? The investment model outlined here supports the pursuit of ambitious, long-term goals by creative companies.

To work, this new model would require:

• Sufficient capital to succeed - To achieve major, transformative success, a business needs sufficient (but not unlimited) capital. This will allow the company to focus its energies on implementing its long-term plan.
• Capital that is an equal partner - There is immense power in capital that comes from a true partner, completely aligned with the business in its underlying values and its understanding of what defines success.
• A long-term view - Transformative success takes time.
• A redefinition of success - Traditionally, success is defined as sufficient growth over 5 to 7 years to enable investors to exit and management to cash in. All too often, this doesn’t provide fertile ground for the seeds of true transformation. This alternative investment model allows a much more ambitious definition of success.

As any mountaineer knows it’s one thing to climb to the top, but how long you get to stay at the summit depends on how prepared you are to deal with the ever-changing winds of stakeholder demands and unpredictable geopolitical events.

Self-care and self-compassion are words that don't always sit comfortably with us, yet without them we may be operating on the slippery slope to burnout and exhaustion.

As Stanford health psychologist Kelly McGonigal reminds us: “Self-compassion, being supportive and kind to yourself, especially in the face of stress and failure is associated with more motivation and better self-control.”

Lacking self-compassion denies us the inspiration to strive and thrive. Far from being mere fluff, self-compassion is a leadership attribute that research has shown to be effective at motivating self-improvement and adaptability to change.

Self-compassion provides the resilience required to address the problems we face. When we are under significant pressure experiencing high levels of stress, cognitive fatigue sets in compounding the risk of more distracted thinking and less effective decision-making.

What is self-compassion?

We are often our own harshest critic, swift to judge and internalising our failures. Self-compassion is the internal reflection of checking in on the validity of those thoughts and acceptance of responsibility to address our personal shortcomings.

Self-compassion grants us permission to take things less personally and reduce feelings of inadequacy in difficult times. It helps to keep things in perspective and reduces negative emotions and self-talk. This is important, as lowering the intensity of emotions helps us retain access to the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain associated with logic, reasoning and analysis. This makes it easier to make a better decision for what needs to be done next.

Self-compassion can be developed using,

1. Self-acceptance

   We are all human, fallible and imperfect. While it would be wonderful to be great at everything we do, we’re not. We make mistakes, we show lapses in judgment, and sometimes we make poor decisions. Having compassion for our failures motivates us to do better next time.

2. A growth mindset

   The headline of the day may appear catastrophic, but all events are temporary. Every situation is unique and that one failure or unexpected outcome does not predict that all future events will also turn sour. By choosing to look at what you had hoped to achieve and adopting the growth mindset that failure is an opportunity to do better the next time, this leads to possibility thinking, reduces perfectionism and increases the desire to keep going.

3. Kind self-talk

   A kind word shared with someone you see as suffering goes a long way to bolster confidence and tenacity. So why wouldn't you be a friend to yourself? Far from being narcissistic, self-compassion helps us to relate to who we are.

4. Practice self-compassion meditation

   If you're open to trying this, this type of meditation can be very useful for reducing the amount of the stress experienced when fighting those internal battles that consume so much of our energy and thinking time. Psychologist and author Kristen Neff's self-compassion meditation exercises are a great place to start.

   As Neff reminds us: “Our successes and failures come and go — they neither define us nor do they determine our worthiness."

Lastly, self-compassion is essential if we are to have compassion for others. Empathetic leaders who come from a place of humility with good interpersonal skills and self-awareness are more resilient, adaptive and effective — skillsets essential for enduring tenure and success.

At the end of the made road, I check the signs. Gstaad here, Schönried there. Is that correct? Schönried points mockingly through a grassy field. Slightly dumbfounded, I look back in the direction of Gstaad and the path already trekked. The slate turrets of my hotel rest gently in the mountain, swaddled in soaring pines and guarded by the snow-capped peaks of Switzerland’s Saanenland region. 

Turning towards the field, I spy a pencil-thin trail of squashed grass, the only evidence of erstwhile human trudging, or goat perhaps. I shrug and enter the soggy meadow, completely alone and excruciatingly happy, my senses fuelled by crisp alpine air, distant cowbells, and the gentle maiden heat of summer. Is that me yodelling?  

God’S Handprint

The Gstaad–Saanenland holiday region lies in the vast wilderness of Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. Beautiful views from some of Europe’s highest mountain peaks, dense forests, waterfalls, historical villages, and more than 800 lakes make this one of the most diverse and picturesque environments in the world. 

Gstaad perfectly fits the chocolate box image of a Swiss village.

According to legend, God rested here during the creation. The imprint of his hand shaped this breathtaking landscape with his fingers forming five rolling valleys, with Gstaad curled up in their palm. Following months of snow cover, the summer terrain glows like a fresh-faced newborn, leaving the rest of the world looking grey in comparison.

To reach Gstaad, the GoldenPass railway snakes through rain-soaked valleys, chasing rivers and hugging ridges. The three-hour journey from Montreux, a colourful Swiss city clinging to the eastern edge of central Europe’s mammoth Lake Geneva, runs daily like Swiss clockwork. 

My first impressions of Gstaad village are plagued by clichés: picture-book, chocolate box and quaint. It’s like a Christmas diorama: a tiny, shiny village nestled in snow-dusted Alps in its own misty utopia. The village centre is reputed as the most popular and shortest ‘shopping mile’ in Switzerland, the promenade dotted with luxury boutiques. Eighteen restaurants mingle with impeccably maintained chalets, embodying the traditional Swiss style that has moulded this region’s identity for centuries. 

Riding the cable car up Sunshine Mountain to Relleri Mountain Restaurant is a must.

Mountain peaks, dense forests, waterfalls, historical villages and more than 800 lakes make this one of the most diverse and picturesque environments in the world. 

Since the 30s, an impressive parade of wealthy guests and celebrities has laid claim to Gstaad as their discreet alpine hideaway. The official Gstaad website quotes legendary Mary Poppins’ actress Julie Andrews as declaring: “Gstaad is the last paradise in a crazy world.” High-altitude ski resort Glacier 3000 is just up the road from the village, but during summer months it’s all about swimming, mountain biking, river rafting, paragliding, golfing and hiking through a trail network that covers more than 300 kilometres. 

Sunshine mountain

As my walk continues between Gstaad and Schönried, I trudge through muddy paths, follow creek beds, and traipse through paddocks. Eventually reaching the road proper to Schönried a whole 90 minutes after leaving the luxuries of my hotel, I arrive at the resort village, legs burning and body pining for the soothing jets of a bubbling spa. At least, for the next part, respite comes dressed as a cable car for the final ascent.

The exclusive Alpina Gstaad nestled in the forest.

Living up to its name, Sunshine Mountain is drenched in glorious Swiss summer rays. As the Rellerli cable car jolts and sways 600 metres to the summit, I’m awestruck by infinite velvet fields draped over peak after steep peak like freshly mown lawns, occasionally hijacked by clusters of forest and the odd dot of a farm house. From here I see evidence of those divine fingerprints as two valleys are pressed into the landscape. 

Disembarking at the peak, clean air filling my lungs, I could summon the energy to tackle the hiking and biking paths that wind through the valley, but my coffee hankering is much too great. I settle on the deck some 1,833 metres above Saanenland at Rellerli Mountain Restaurant with my pricey cappuccino to watch a group of local school kids scream down one of the fastest summer toboggan runs in Switzerland. 

By mid afternoon, Sunshine Mountain becomes a shadow-mottled canvas. As the cable car edges down the mountain towards Schönried, I check the train timetable and realise I could reach Gstaad in just seven minutes. Instead, I choose to retrace my million steps and mentally ready my legs for the trek ‘home’.  

Walking again, and Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ blares from someone’s garage. I wander past a family of 60 smiling gnomes and stop to photograph a piece of home — a Hills Hoist in the front yard of a delightful Swiss mountain home. 

I imagine by the end of summer these skinny, grassy paths will be well-worn tracks and I am thankful for the opportunity to witness the birth of summer in this wintry, fabled land. A text from a friend in response to the many photos I’ve posted says: “High on a hill was a lonely goat.” A herd of actual goats stare, bemused at the wobbly, chuckling human shuffling towards her prize. That spa.

Alpine chic accommodation

Since opening in 2012, The Alpina Gstaad has set a new benchmark for alpine luxury. Multi-awarded for friendliness, accommodation, dining and its deluxe ski-spa, the 56-room resort embodies luxurious Swiss elegance from its imposing position above the village. Farmhouse appeal and ski-chalet poise meld easily with the exquisite contemporary design. 

Farmhouse comfort meets chalet chic.

As I’m here in shoulder season, the already discounted room rate seems like a token gesture thanks to a sweet suite upgrade. The elegantly appointed room with fine furnishings, timber-clad walls and carved ceilings sports two balconies, like wide-open eyes to the Alps, hovering over the bright landscape. The Alpina Gstaad projects its resort to “the world’s most discerning travellers”, and it’s a fair call.

Downstairs, the Six Senses Spa is as big as a planet in an exquisite, indulgent universe of its own. First, that hot spa where the jets pummel the fatigue from my legs. Next, a swim in the 25-metre indoor pool. Floating supine, staring through the giant skylight into the softening sky, I plan my next move: the juice lounge, icy plunge pool or monsoon ‘experience’ shower? But healing salt therapy beckons, and 30 minutes later I toy with sleep, completely relaxed in the eerie glow of the Himalayan salt grotto.

Multi-awarded for friendliness, accommodation, dining and its deluxe ski-spa, the 56-room resort embodies luxurious Swiss elegance from its imposing position above the village.

Luxuriate in the Six Senses Spa.

Suitably pampered, the only decision left to make today is where to eat. From the resort’s Japanese concept restaurant, Michelin-starred MEGU, or equally starred Sommet restaurant, to the Alpina Lounge & Bar, I needn’t travel far and the latter wins the toss. So, with a magazine in hand, I nestle on a big, comfy couch with an eclectic view of the mist-cloaked outdoor pool, terrace and mountain silhouettes. I watch the exuberant evening crowd file in — all the while hungrily devouring a magnificent dal makhani by Michelin chef Marcus G Lindner, switching it between lap and coffee table over a glass of delicious Chablis.

Two days later, I’m honestly the saddest I’ve ever been checking out of a hotel. The resort chauffeur runs me and my memories to Gstaad train station, generously escorting me through pouring rain to the ticket office for my trip to Zweisimmen. Smiling, he presents me with a bag containing lollies and bottled water, gives me a fabulously engineered broad umbrella, and bids farewell. “See you again soon, Mrs Hayden,” he says with a knowing smile. Yes, you will, my friend. As I write this, my flight is already booked.  

The ferryman waves like an old friend, giving us a big white-toothed smile as his colleague bounds off the boat to collect our luggage. Bob Marley’s ‘Could you be Loved’ is playing, and the ferryman taps one hand on the side of the boat in time with the cheery tune. The suitcases are deposited on the ferry’s wooden floor, and the man holds out a steadying hand, helping us to make our first step into ‘island time’. Then we’re gliding across Port Vila’s Mele Bay to Iririki Island, which translates as ‘small island’ or ‘safe haven’, depending on whom you talk to. 

The breathtaking island is a short ferry ride from the mainland.

It’s hard to believe that 4 hours ago we were in Sydney; the flight is only 3 hours and the ferry wharf just 15 minutes from the airport. The harbour crossing takes a few minutes and so soon we’re walking down a wooden boardwalk to a lively reception area where we’re signed in over a fruity cocktail. Then we’re taken to our accommodation in an overwater faré, nestled in jungle-like gardens, where bougainvillea and hibiscus bring cheery bursts of colour to the palm tree. Close by, golf buggies upon fern-framed roads cruise by and guests leisurely stroll. 

Iririki ‘ahhh’ moments

On and in the clear blue water surrounding the island, fellow guests kayak, snorkel, swim and paddleboard, while others sail by, en route to catch a Champagne sunset on the water. We change into swimsuits and light clothing, and do what any person freed from work and a busy city existence would do: head to the infinity pool spanning a cliff on the southern side of the island.  

After a dip in the pool, where the water is as warm as the air temperature, we sit poolside for a cool beverage and watch as the sun begins its journey towards the horizon. Palm trees sway in the afternoon breeze, and mellow music drifts down from Infinity Bar. It’s one of our first Iririki ‘ahhh’ moments, and we thirstily drink in every second of it.  

Accommodation in an overwater faré, nestled in jungle-like gardens, where bougainvillea and hibiscus bring cheery bursts of colour to the palm tree.

It’s immediately clear that Iririki attracts a wide range of people. It’s a hotspot for honeymooners, a go-to for people doing business in Port Vila but who also want to fit in some island time. The island haven is also a favourite for families — there’s an enormous pool on the other side of the island especially for children, with waterways, bridges and cafés around its perimeter. The infinity pool is for ‘quiet time’, so it’s mainly couples enjoying the water and the view.  

Azure

For dinner, we’re seated on the balcony of Azure Restaurant, where below us the water laps on the island’s shores. We’re treated to a spectacular sunset of orange and purple hues and, as night sets in, Port Vila’s bright lights are reflected in the harbour, amid them busy fishing boats chugging by, music and voices often reaching out to us across the water.

Seafood is the main attraction at Azure, and there’s plenty on the menu to get excited about, such as the seafood linguine pasta tossed in creamy saffron sauce and parmesan cheese, and the tortellini with prawns served with white wine, butter and a peanut sauce.

For meat lovers, the famous beef from Espiritu Santo (another Vanuatu island, 45 minutes away by plane) is a must-try while on Iririki. The prime cut is full of flavour, lean and organic. Azure offers up the beef in a filet de boeuf served with freshly made truffle fettuccine pasta, Iririki Island-grown spinach and Cabernet Sauvignon thyme jus. At the island’s peak, a few minutes in a golf buggy up a very steep incline, guests can visit the enormous vegetable patch used by the kitchen staff, and see for themselves the delicious array of produce that’s harvested for all of the island’s eateries. When we visit it the next morning, the mango tree is heavily laden with ripening fruit. Everyone is excited about who’s going to get in first for one of nature’s sweetest island treats.

Irikiki Spa and beach-side accommodation.

Palm trees sway in the afternoon breeze, and mellow music drifts down from Infinity Bar. It’s one of our first Iririki ‘ahhh’ moments.

Take a gamble on Iririki

For a fun night out on Iririki, guests can take a ‘Happy Hour tour’, which is actually 3 hours. Starting at the Sunset Pool from 4–5pm it moves to the island’s Jewel Casino from 5–6pm and winds up at the Infinity Bar & Café from 6–7pm. The casino is a simple, stylish affair, offering all conventional, popular games of blackjack, poker, baccarat, roulette and so forth, but it’s pièce de résistance is a double-ended American-style roulette table and blackjack table that’s placed in shallow beach water so guests can try their luck in one of the most beautiful gambling scenarios the region offers. 

Spending a week on Iririki floats by like the balmy island breezes. Snorkelling right off the shores beneath your faré, you’ll discover a wonderful world of sea creatures living in the thriving, technicolour reefs. And at the highest point of the island, near the vegetable gardens and a grand viewing platform looking over the outer islands, sits Iririki Spa. Indulge in a treatment while lying high above the Pacific Ocean, and afterwards enjoy a herbal tea or glass of Champagne while watching the sun set over this special place that truly lives up to its name of being a safe haven.   

iririki.com

When we talk about the need for greater focus, it's easy to assume what we mean is our ability to pay attention and manage distractions. This is true but it is only part of the story. Being an effective leader requires a more complete focus: focus on the desired results, focus on the people around you and focus on what's going on in the world at large.

Daniel Goleman, author of Focus, summarises these in an HBR article where he discusses how this triad of focus assists leaders to command the full range of their attention.

“A leader tuned out of his internal world will be rudderless; one blind to the world of others will be clueless; those indifferent to the larger systems within which they operate will be blindsided,” Goleman writes.

In times of emergency, put on your own oxygen mask first

Self-awareness of where we are directing our attention allows us to notice when we are distracted by our thoughts and associated feelings. Since we spend around 47% of our waking time thinking about something other than what we're doing, our propensity for mind-wandering can be turned into something useful by choosing to consciously think about our thinking. Taking time out to think more deeply, to reflect and consider is a powerful way of checking that plans and strategies are on track to achieve the desired outcomes.

Switching to default mode allows the spotlight of attention to include others

Choosing to uncouple from focus allows the brain to switch to using the default mode network where, in addition to self-reflection, we become more aware of the emotional state of those around us. This promotes social understanding and empathy.

A 2009 survey of 60,000 leaders by Zenger and Folkman revealed that maintaining a single-minded focus on either results or people alone wasn't perceived by employees the mark of a great leader. Combining the two saw the result jump from 14% and 12% respectively to a significant level of 72% leadership effectiveness.

David Rock from The Neuroleadership Institute and the Management Research Group took this one stage further, analysing what percentage of managers could be considered to be in the top 33% of performers as measured by this dual capability. He found it to be a mere 0.77%.

However the opportunity to improve leadership effectiveness using the recent findings from brain science is readily available and includes:

1. Self-reflection

   Allocate time to uncouple from focus during exercise, meditation or quiet time alone with your thoughts.

2. Deliberate focus

   Apply focus to the task of the moment by giving it your complete and undivided attention. This requires eliminating or reducing the possibility of interruption from technology or people. We are not designed for long-term focus. Focusing hard in shorter chunks of time, up to 45 to 60 minutes, boosts efficiency by conserving cognitive energy.

3. Broaden your world-view

   Listening and observing allows you to be more receptive to new ideas, to hear what's worrying people and subsequently make the best decision in a given situation.

4. Take time out to spend in different environments

   Cross-pollination of thoughts is enhanced when we are in a green space (surrounded by nature) or a blue space (close to water), where the mind can feel more relaxed.

5. Last but not least, focus on having fun and enjoying yourself

   It's a great way to enhance connection, reduce stress and boost your cognitive prowess.

Over the past 10 years or so, we have seen remarkable changes, advances and progression in the workplace, and while it’s easy to think that we’re hitting the mark, there are still many ways we can improve and evolve.

Technology has played a big part in the development of the workplace and businesses have been able to evolve their practices and reimagine traditional principles as a result. Today, businesses are better equipped to highlight employees’ strengths and manage their energy, which in turn will help eradicate the burnout epidemic. But what’s next for the workforce? Businesses are busy implementing wellness programs, offering lunchtime yoga classes and work-from-home days. But how productive are these strategies to long-term authentic high performance for the workplace and its staff?

Here are my top tips for creating a workplace that’s well equipped for the future

1. Go virtual

   Gone are the days where international travel was the only way to meet with global partners. Today, technology allows businesses around the world to hold more meetings virtually, eliminating the need to be in the same place as each other. Despite this, many large companies are not yet equipped for virtual meetings and many workers are travelling more than they should. Therefore they are suffering burnout from more travel than is required. Of course, meeting clients and establishing relationships in person is still invaluable for businesses. It’s really all about weighing up what can be done electronically, and what is worth the trip.

2. Full-time employees or contractors

   Full-time employment is an age-old principle and the idea of contracting employees is expanding. In time, companies and businesses will have fewer full-time employees and more contractors so that people can focus on the work that really energises them and concentrate on projects that use their skillsets best. It’s about capitalising on strengths to improve individual and team productivity. The contractors may work mostly for one company but will work in a project-based capacity. This means they would work project-to-project and when one is finished, they can take time off to recharge and then move to the next project as it suits them. This also takes strain off some businesses that struggle to justify paying for a full-time employee.

3. Increase flexibility and encourage work/life integration

   Businesses have been positioning themselves as flexible workplaces for years and use work/life balance as a draw card, but it hasn’t successfully translated to the employee. Research has shown that 42% of Australian employees would like more workplace flexibility. However, with busy schedules, back-to-back meetings and increasing desk hours, it’s hard for employees to make the change and feel encouraged to do so. Managers need to lead by example and encourage staff to look after themselves, without feeling guilty. How they feel directly impacts the work that they do. So if you empower your staff, they’ll feel committed to doing the best job they can, in an authentic sustained capacity.

First the bad news: we reach the pinnacle of our cognitive prowess around the age of 24, with some aspects of it starting to deteriorate by 27. To stay sharp and at the top of your game requires a high level of brain fitness — which is why many business leaders are looking to incorporate what neuroscience has validated to ensure they have the tools and strategies to always bring their best selves to work.

Cognitive health

The good news is that our massively pliable brain provides the opportunity to maintain or upgrade our thinking prowess through a conscious choice of focus and a willingness to invest in our neurobiology. Cognitive health is how well we think, learn and remember. It’s about having sufficient mental stamina and stress resilience to successfully navigate and thrive in our increasingly complex and complicated world.

While business success requires hard work, effort, commitment and time, the missing part of the equation is how to adequately address the physiological and psychological needs that lead to consistently higher mental performance. Cognitive health feels new because until the past few decades, we knew relatively little about the brain, and much of what we thought we understood turned out to be wrong.

The brain’s natural plasticity — its ability to rewire itself in response to changes in our environment — has several major implications. First, we are lifelong learners, always capable of taking in new information, laying down memory, embedding new habits and changing self-limiting beliefs or other unhelpful thinking patterns. Second, by identifying what the brain perceives as a potential threat or reward, it becomes easier to shift individual and collective mindsets to be more growth-oriented, leading to greater possibility thinking.

Lifestyle habits

Brain fitness starts by addressing the fundamentals that we have understood intuitively to be important but have not always chosen to prioritise. The synergy of all lifestyle choices is what counts: how we eat, move, sleep, manage stress and stretch our mental muscle. Greater organisational health is about creating a workplace culture that values brain fitness as the starting point for more effective teams, change agility, communication and collaboration. 

At the individual level, brain fitness starts with greater brain awareness. Understanding how the brain has evolved to keep us safe and is concerned with (mental) energy conservation provides the framework necessary to establish lifestyle habits essential for best cognition and memory. The role of nutrition in determining mood, focus, memory and cognition is important at any age. Studies show that eating higher levels of trans fats in middle age is associated with reduced verbal memory. 

To stay mentally sharp and at the top of your game requires a high level of brain fitness.

Physical & emotional health

Exercise increases cognitive energy as well as mental agility and wellbeing. The global cost of lost productivity and healthcare expenditure due to insufficient activity was estimated at US$67.5 billion in 2013. Standing improves attention by up to 40%, and the focus is now on increasing physical activity across the day in addition to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. Sleep deprivation leads to poor decision-making and cognitive fatigue, diminishing focus and memory. Promoting a culture that values sleep is associated with greater performance, increased creativity and reduced stress.

Our best cognition is underpinned by having access to our full spectrum of emotion and is best served when the 2 are in balance. However, the rapid pace of change, globalisation and technological advances have in some instances led to higher levels of stress. When accompanied by greater emotional intensity, this reduces access to the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain used for conscious thought, logic, reason and analysis. This is where greater brain fitness can facilitate a leader’s ability to retain their cognitive capability, through effective emotional regulation. The brain-savvy leader recognises the importance of taking time off and time out to reflect, think more deeply and stay future focused.

Brain fitness is a must

Greater mental flexibility, creativity and innovation paves the way to more effective problem-solving and helps identify potential opportunities. This is where stretching the mind to learn new skills enhances big-picture thinking, broadens perspective and leads to stronger intuition and insight. From here, it’s about challenging long-held notions about the best way to work and choosing to stay in good cognitive shape by creating a fit and healthy brain optimised to work at its best, even when under pressure.

How we think, our perception of the world and the state of mind we bring to any situation is influenced by how well the brain is functioning. That’s why brain fitness is a must, not a maybe, for best cognitive performance.  

Just like the arenas of politics and STEM, for a long time women were excluded and discouraged from participating in organised sport. It was considered a male domain — too masculine and aggressive for women, who weren’t thought to be strong or skilled enough.

Things have come a long way and women continue to make strides. Although women’s sporting achievements still aren’t given the same recognition as men’s, there are signs that things are improving. In Australia and the UK, television coverage of netball has become more extensive and more popular. There’s a new women’s AFL league in Australia. The US women’s soccer team is fighting for better pay and benefits on par with the men’s team.

Here are just a few of the women who wouldn’t take no for an answer, and proved women could and would play sports, climb mountains, swim great lengths and run marathons.

Female sporting firsts

Babe Zaharias

Babe Zaharias was one seriously sporty lady. In the 1930s, she was a star basketball player and an Olympic athlete, winning gold in both the 80m hurdles and javelin throw, as well as silver in the high jump. But she’s particularly notable for being the first woman to compete in a men’s PGA Tour event, the LA Open, in 1938.

Before I was ever in my teens, I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. My goal was to be the greatest athlete that ever lived. - Babe Zaharias

She's the only person to win 17 straight women’s amateur victories and by 1950, she had won every golf title available. In total, Babe won 82 golf tournaments throughout her amateur and professional career.

Roberta Gibb & Katherine Switzer

In 1966, Roberta Gibb was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, the most famous marathon in the world. She ran unofficially, hiding behind a bush at the start before sneaking onto the track and entering the race, as women were not allowed to participate. The following year, Katherine Switzer entered using her initials, so that she could register without officials realising she was a woman. However, an official chased her down during the race after spotting that she was not male. Images of what happened made the news and put women’s running in the spotlight. Roberta and Katherine proved that women could and should run marathons. In 1972, the rules were changed and women were allowed to enter the Boston Marathon.

An official chased Kathrine Switzer down during the race after spotting that she was a woman.

Triumph over adversity that's what the marathon is all about. Nothing in life can't triumph after that. - Kathrine Switzer

Billie Jean King

Legendary tennis player Billie Jean King has long been an advocate for gender equality, particularly in sports. In 1973, she won the infamous 'Battle of the Sexes', defeating Bobby Riggs in the three straight sets and proving once and for all that female tennis players are not to be taken lightly. She went on to found the Women's Tennis Association and the Women's Sports Foundation.

Ever since that day when I was 11 years old, and I wasn't allowed in a photo because I wasn't wearing a tennis skirt, I knew that I wanted to change the sport. - Billie Jean King

Junko Tabei

Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei started the Ladies Climbing Club in Japan after men refused to climb with her, and accused her of only climbing to find a husband. She proved them, and their views on suitable activities for women, wrong.

In 1975, Junko became the first woman to climb Mount Everest. She was also the first woman to conquer the Seven Summits — climbing the tallest mountains on each continent.

There was never a question in my mind that I wanted to climb that mountain, no matter what other people said. - Junko Tabei

Gertrude Ederle

In 1926, American swimmer Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel. At the time, no one thought a women could complete the crossing and the odds against her success were 6–1. Yet Gertrude swam the distance faster than all of the five men who swam the Channel before her, despite bad weather blowing her off course, causing her to swim 35 miles instead of 21. She inspired thousands of women in America to learn to swim, and helped to legitimise women’s participation in sports.

Olympic Firsts

Women were not allowed to participate in the first modern Olympics in 1896. The 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris was the first include women’s events — in golf, tennis and croquet. While Hélène de Pourtalès of Switzerland became the first woman to win a gold medal as part of a mixed sailing crew, the UK’s Charlotte Cooper was the world’s first female to win an individual gold medal, in tennis.

Over the years, there were many more female firsts at Olympic games as more and more women’s events were added. But it wasn’t until the 2012 Summer Olympics in London that women were able to compete in every sport. It was the first time the US Olympic team had more women than men. And it was the first Olympics in which Saudi Arabian women competed. There were two female athletes on the Saudi team.

More and more, I recognize my place in history and see that I can continue to be a powerful representation of something I believe in. Women should be able to do sports. It’s about sports being a positive in your life. - Runner Sarah Attar, one of Saudi Arabia's first female Olympians.

Breaking down barriers

Some female athletes had to combat more than just gender prejudice.

Evonne Cawley was the first Indigenous tennis player to compete on a professional, international level. In the 1970s, she won singles and doubles titles at the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon.

Althea Gibson, first black tennis player to win a Grand Slam title.

Nova Peris was the first indigenous Australian to win Olympic gold medal in 1996 as part of the Australian women’s hockey team.At just 16 years of age, Cathy Freeman became the first indigenous Commonwealth gold medallist, and she went on to win a gold medal for the 400m sprint at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Althea Gibson was the first black athlete to play international tennis and to win a Grand Slam title. She won the French Open in 1956. Alice Coachman, was the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal. She set a world record for the high jump.

Dominique Dawes was the first African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal for gymnastics.

Legacy

Serena Williams

Babe Zaharias was the first woman to break into a man’s sport. She was also the first woman in sport to sign an endorsement deal, paving the way for other female athletes.

If it wasn’t for women like Roberta Gibb and Katherine Switzer, Amy Hughes may never have become the first person to run 53 marathons in 53 days.

Bille Jean King proved that female tennis players were a force to be reckoned with, and paved the way for athletes like Steffi Graff, Martina Hingis, Maria Sharipova, and Serena and Venus Williams. The Williams sisters also have Althea Gibson to thank for breaking down race barriers in their sport.

US gymnast Simone Biles dominated the competition at the Rio Olympics.

Junko Tabei was a role model for women in Japan and female mountaineers. She drastically changed how Japanese society viewed women and inspired women to follow in her footsteps, climbing mountains all over the world.

At the Rio Olympics last year, Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas were part of the US women’s gymnastics team that dominated the competition. Dominique Dawes proved that African American women could be Olympic level gymnasts.

In Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to participate in organised sports or attend sporting facilities with men. But there are many who are fighting back, lobbying for women’s gyms, opening unlicensed gyms, and training for a chance to compete at the Olympics now that it is open to them.

Women were barred from the art scene in the early days due to the nudity of male models. And when they were able to participate, history forgot them. In the 1970s, the Guerrilla Girls began changing that, reminding people of women's contributions to art.

Of course, art comes in a number of forms. In honour of International Women's Day on March 8th, we're celebrating women who have pushed themselves onto history's stage despite the obstacles they faced. Here are just a few of the female creative geniuses who made their mark in the arts.

Artistically advanced

Did you know?

In 2013 Archaeologist Dean Snow of Pennsylvania State University looked at the hand prints near cave paintings in France and Spain. He determined that 75% of them belonged to women, suggesting that contrary to popular assumptions, the majority of those early painting depicting animals such as bison and deer, were in fact done by women.

Kora of Sicyon

Kora of Sicyon is credited with drawing the very first portrait in 650 BC. The story goes that Kora drew the face of the man she loved on the wall in charcoal. Her father, Butades, then modelled the man out of clay based on her drawing, creating the very first relief sculpture.

Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia's talent was long overlooked due to her gender but her works speak to her skill as a painter. She was the first woman to be a member of Accademia di Arte del Disegno, and many of her works depict strong women from history. Particularly notable is her depiction of Judith slaying Holofernes. It was a popular subject at the time, but Artemisia's version puts herself in the role of Judith, and her rapist as the struggling Holofernes, so through the medium of art, she is able to enact her revenge.

Literary legends

Did you know?

The Tale of Genji is often referred to as the world's first novel, the first modern novel or the first romance novel, and it was written by a women. Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu penned the epic tale in early 11th century.

Selma Lagerlöf

In 1909, Selma Lagerlöf was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. It was awarded to the teacher and author "in appreciation of the lofty idealism, vivid imagination and spiritual perception that characterize her writings".

She is most known for her children's book Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils).

Edith Wharton

Edith became the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1921 for The Age of Innocence, her 12th novel. Known as America's first lady of letters, she overcame the disinterest and discouragement of her family and social circle to become a much lauded author.

Despite having no formal education, she had a keen, literary mind, able to construct and dissect novels with equal aptitude. In 1924 she also became the first woman to be awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by Yale University.

JK Rowling

J.K. Rowling's amazing rags-to-riches story is well-known. What people may not know is that in 2004 she became the first and only person to become a billionaire as a novelist. She went from living in poverty as a single mother, struggling with depression and receiving rejection after rejection from publishers (who desperately regret that decision now...).

Harry Potter became the best-selling series in history and is responsible for kindling a love of reading in children worldwide. In 2012, J.K. Rowling lost her billionaire status due to her millions of dollars of charitable giving. She supports a number of causes including single parent families and children's welfare, multiple sclerosis and reading programs.

Cinematic superstars

Did you know?

The first narrative film - the first film to have a plotline - is widely considered to have been written and directed by a woman - La Fée aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy) by Alice Guy-Blaché.

Alice Guy-Blaché

French filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché was the first female director. In 1894 she was hired as a secretary by photographer Léon Gaumont. When he went on to form a Gaumont Film Company, she went with him. She began learning the business, and was bored with the films being produced. She wanted to add narrative elements. In 1896, she made her first film, La Fée aux Choux (The Cabbage Fairy), a comedy about a woman growing babies in cabbages. It is one of the first, if not the first narrative films in history. She went on to direct, write and produce over 1,000 films during her 24 year long career as a filmmaker.

Kathryn Bigelow

Despite Alice Guy-Blaché's pioneering talent and success as early as 1894, it wasn't until 2010 that a woman won the Oscar for Best Director. Kathryn Bigelow won the accolade for her film The Hurt Locker, which also won Best Picture.

If there's specific resistance to women making movies, I just choose to ignore that as an obstacle for two reasons: I can't change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies. - Kathryn Bigelow

Musical

Did you know?

The first radio dj was a woman, Sybil Herrold. While her husband Charles is known as a pioneer of entertainment broadcasting, it was Sybil who first began taking requests for songs on her Wednesday night program.

Her audience of radio amateurs - "little hams" - would call in requests, and she would borrow records to play from the local record store, which would subsequently sell out!

Arethra Franklin

The Queen of Soul Arethra Franklin became the first woman to be inducted in 1987. She has had 112 singles appear on the Billboard chart, the most of any female artist in the chart's history. In 1986, the first year that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named inductees, there were no women on the list. Since then, only a handful of women have been added. In fact, women make up only 15% of the inductees.

Kate Bush

With her haunting debut single 'Wuthering Heights', 19-year-old Kate Bush became the first first female artist to achieve a UK number-one with a self-written song and she's had a ton of success ever since with songs like 'Hounds of Love', 'Babooshka' and 'Running up that Hill'.

She was also the first female artist ever to enter the UK album chart at number one, with her third album Never for Ever. She often named as an inspiration by female singer-songwriters.

Fashion forward

Did you know?

Without Coco Chanel, there would be no little black dress.

Coco Chanel

Chanel pioneered comfortable style for women. For women's fashion, it was all corsets and frills until Chanel began incorporating men's style in her designs. Women were working for the war effort, and they needed more practical, less restrictive workwear.

She popularised pants for men and was the first to use soft jersey material in anything other than undergarments. When creating the iconic Chanel suit, she made sure her models could move freely while wearing it. And the now ubiquitous little black dress was debuted to the world by the forward thinking fashion designer in Vogue in 1926. Due to the war, more women were wearing black - Chanel made it stylish. Vogue likened the little black dress to Ford's Model T - accessible to everyone.

Part of what keeps business leaders on the treadmill of busy is we get asked to do a million things and say (usually in our high-pitched, saying-yes-because-I-should voice), ‘sure thing’ right before the tsunami of regret kicks in. Often there’s a sense of obligation: that if I’m in this role then I ‘should’ be the person who can take it on, who says ‘yes’ and then figures out how I’m going to do it later.

When it comes to defending our most important currency, our time, we drop our guard, and end up feeling like we’re at everyone’s beckoned call and have neglected the tasks we really should be focusing on. Taking this time back starts with learning the art of saying ‘no’.

Know your biggest impact

Just because you can say ‘yes’ doesn’t mean you should. The way to get clear on what to take on board and what to say ‘no’ to comes from knowing where you can make your biggest impact. If you are a leader, then potentially the biggest impact you can have is to build up the capability within your team, rather than you taking on board the minute details of the tasks. So hand over the rostering to someone else and spend time focusing on culture and connection within your team.

Drop the hint

Mind-reading is not a default setting for us humans. (Of all the amazing things humans can do, mind-reading is certainly not one of them.) So stop hoping the people around you will pick up what you’re putting down. They’re dealing with their own stuff and their own internal dialogue, and worrying about who’s going to win The X Factor next week. Stop assuming they know what you need or what makes sense for you to take on board — they only know when you tell them. So be explicit about what’s you are saying ‘yes’ to and what you need to say ‘no’ to in order to give yourself space.

Drop the hint of ‘oh it would be nice’ and clearly set the boundary around the things you are going to say ‘no’ to. It might be that you are saying ‘no’ to tasks, it might be that you are saying ‘no’ to time (for example when you are available and when you are not), it might be that you are saying ‘no’ to networking events and opportunities. Get clear for yourself and then communicate this clearly to others. They will appreciate the clarity of certainty rather than a vague hint.

Be okay with push back

When you get clear on what you are going to say ‘no’ to, and start voicing this it’s key to realise that you’ve shifted the people around you may still interact with the old ‘yes’ version of you. Others may push back, even potentially riot and revolt in a big way. Push back is not an indication that saying ‘no’ is wrong; it’s an indication that it’s important.

Push back is also a form of testing your conviction on your boundary to say ‘no’. Did you really mean that? Or was that just a Monday whim that won’t even last the distance till Tuesday?

Remember — saying ‘no’ to some things allows you to say ‘yes’ to the important things.

Five years ago, French chef Frédéric Colin saw a chance to bring his timeless Parisian cuisine to the burgeoning Singapore restaurant scene, opening the doors of Brasserie Gavroche. There, he wooed diners with his evocative take on French classics made with only the best seasonal ingredients. Now he’s bringing the same passion for the Parisian cuisine of his Grandpa Henri to the hip Kensington Street precinct in Sydney’s Chippendale in Bistrot Gavroche. 

How did you first get involved with the food industry, and why? 

Frederic: My grandfather was a chef, and my father had a restaurant, too. So it’s kind of a family affair.

I love to dine in Sydney as you can feel the trend of Australian cuisine booming everywhere — the food is generally very delicate and seasonal. - Frédéric Colin

What’s the philosophy behind your food? 

Everyone has a story. Mine is being Parisian and the grandson of a chef who worked in Paris after WWII. That time was really the peak of Parisian cuisine, which is a combination of all the different types of French foods. My philosophy is to sustain the tradition of this Parisian cuisine by being consistent and using the best seasonal ingredients available. This food has to evoke memories and feelings of comfort. It’s not about being trendy, but timeless.

How do you approach creating a menu in your restaurants? 

Focusing on traditional cuisine makes it easier: I just need to look back at what my grandfather used to cook. Of course, following the season and adapting to the local ingredients is very important, too. The most difficult part is deciding what to remove from the menu, as everyone has their traditional French favourites that they like to see when dining out. 

What is it that you love most about French cuisine?  

The diversity of our country, from the people who harvest their land, the artisans who produce wonderful products, the farmers who have some of the best meat and, of course, the rich heritage of our cuisine. 

Why did you choose to move to Singapore and open a restaurant? 

I was the executive chef of the brand-new St Regis Bora Bora, but after 18 months I wanted a change from that beautiful island. So I moved to the St Regis in Singapore and spent four wonderful years there. I then decided to move back into my first love: the restaurant industry. It was a really great time to be in restaurants in Singapore as there was a cultural move from hotel dining to independent restaurants. So I grabbed the opportunity to be part of it, and five years ago I opened Brasserie Gavroche.

Why did you then decide to open Bistrot Gavroche in Sydney? 

One of my regular customers at Brasserie Gavroche approached me one day to show me some pictures of his new project in Sydney, which was the redevelopment of Kensington Street in Chippendale. Two weeks later, I visited Australia for the first time to see the street and the restaurant space and fell in love with the city. It’s very vibrant and dynamic, so it seemed like a great spot to have a restaurant.

Bistrot Gavroche's Sole Meunière pommes vapeur

What are your most popular dishes in both Australia and Singapore? 

Onion soup, escargots, pâté en croûte, quenelle, steak tartare, steak frites with béarnaise sauce, profiteroles and Tarte Tatin. All timeless dishes.

What’s your favourite dish to cook? 

I love to prepare seafood in general, particularly fish. It’s so delicate and requires a lot of discipline and precise cooking, so it really makes you focus.

Are there any food trends you’re enjoying right now? 

I love to dine in Sydney as you can feel the trend of Australian cuisine booming everywhere — the food is generally very delicate and seasonal. Every month I spend one week in Sydney at Bistrot Gavroche, and I always go out to try a new restaurant. During my last visit, I went to Bentley Restaurant + Bar. It was really good food and they had an amazing wine list. When people ask me if I’ll move to Australia, I always tell them I can see myself moving there for good and retiring.  

Grandpa  Henri’s  onion  soup 

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Method:  Place a large pot over medium heat and sweat the onions and garlic in butter for 20 minutes until caramelised. Deglaze the pot with white wine, then add the thyme and bay leaf. Pour chicken stock over and simmer for a further 90 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then pour the soup into four bowls. Place the bread croutons on top, then add the Comté cheese. Place soup bowls underneath a grill until the cheese is melted. 

The waiter gracefully places a bowl of salsa verde gnocchi with gorgonzola, broad beans and smoked walnuts right under my nose, but I’m not ready to tuck in yet. I’m dining at Jack Rabbit Vineyard restaurant in Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula and my eyes are transfixed on the view. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic vistas of greens and blues. I can see across the expanse of water that is north-facing Port Phillip Bay to Geelong. I spy the dark-hued granite ridges of the You Yangs, and far away in the distance there is a blur of tall buildings — the bustling city of Melbourne. Never mind the award-winning food and well-balanced wines, this restaurant is certainly worth checking out for the stunning outlook best enjoyed from the seat at your table — although the food and wines on offer here are something to get excited about too.

Spend a night in the waterfront city of Geelong before making your way along the coast, stopping at quaint little townships such as Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale and Barwon Heads.

Jack Rabbit Vineyard has earned itself a solid reputation among locals and visitors to the Bellarine Peninsula. It offers a seasonal and refined à la carte menu that complements Jack Rabbit wines available at the adjacent cellar door. There’s also a casual dining option, House of Jack Rabbit, which is so popular that bookings are essential.

The venue is my first stop on the Bellarine Taste Trail — a handy guide to help you explore the peninsula, a stretch of headland that boasts more than 40 unique destinations for eating and drinking. From farmgate producers and provedores to wineries and brew houses, as well as low-key cafés and fine-dining restaurants, there’s something to spark an interest in every type of traveller.

Cruise the coast

The Bellarine Peninsula is less than two hours’ drive from Melbourne’s main airport and is most easily explored by car. Spend a night in the waterfront city of Geelong before making your way along the coast, stopping at quaint little townships such as Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale and Barwon Heads.

The harbourside metropolis of Geelong has undergone a renaissance of sorts in recent years. Taking cues from Melbourne’s creative scene, it is turning old industrial spaces into modern eateries and hubs, bringing great coffee to the fore, and introducing plenty of cultural offerings. According to Jon Helmer, the owner of Geelong Cellar Door on Little Malop Street, as part of this period of reinvention the city also needed to promote its growing wine scene. 

Geelong was once a renowned region for quality grapes; however, in 1875 a Phylloxera infestation took hold and all of the vines were removed to stop disease from spreading. Jon tells me that these ripped-up vineyards were never replanted and it put a halt on the wine industry in Geelong for some time. It wasn’t until the late 60s that a revival slowly took place, and now Geelong is on the path of return, showing some quality reds and whites. Jon’s wine bar is all about showcasing that — every item on the wine list is a local drop, and he serves them with a side of tasty charcuterie boards or other bar snacks. It’s a buzzing spot to start my evening off before I stroll a few blocks over to the much-lauded IGNI for dinner.  

Flying Brick Cider House food and drinks.

Flying Brick Cider House food and drinks.

Geelong Cellar Door front.

IGNI’s delicate courses.

IGNI’s delicate courses.

Housed in the backstreets of the city, through an inconspicuous grey door, is IGNI. It’s a sophisticated but unassuming restaurant with chef Aaron Turner at the helm, and is making waves across Victoria and the rest of the country for its unique tasting menu with a focus on the flavours of a charcoal grill. Dinner begins with half-a-dozen snack plates, featuring items such as crackling chicken skin with whipped cod roe (my favourite), oyster leaf — a plant that tastes of the sea — and crunchy salt-and-vinegar saltbush. I’m then treated to ribbons of squid bathing in a broth of chicken fat, and a plump, grilled piece of marron served with fermented cucumbers and a butter sauce, among other small dishes. It’s an exciting and atmospheric experience, perfect for an intimate date with a loved one.

With a full tum and a fuzzy head from too much local wine, I make my way home for the night — to Devlin Apartments, which is also walking distance from IGNI. As I slowly wander up the stairs to my room, I pause for a moment to inspect the images on the lobby walls. There are several black-and-white photos of school students and teachers from a bygone era who used to attend school in the heritage-listed building before it was transformed into luxury self-contained apartments for stylish short-term stays. It’s a nice touch bringing the old and new together, and a great talking point with staff.  

Weave your way along the trail

An early wake-up call is warranted because there’s a lot to get through. I want to make the most of the Bellarine Taste Trail and tuck into as many local foods and drinks as I can muster up the courage to try. I hit the road, and 30 minutes later I’m approaching the small town of Queenscliff, but that’s not my destination yet. I make a quick detour for breakfast at PIKNIK — a converted Golden Fleece roadhouse that serves up the peninsula’s best produce, from tomatoes to figs to free-range eggs. Owner Dave Humphris is a friendly and welcoming face, enthusiastically sharing his recommendations for breakfast before pointing to the array of seasonal jams, preserves and pickled fruit and veg on sale. After two Allpress flat whites, a huge truck-stop-style plate of bacon and eggs with all the trimmings, and a handful of take-home jars, I’m ready to face the day.

Over the next four or so hours, I meander my way to some of the recommended hotspots outlined on my self-guided Bellarine Taste Trail map.

Over the next four or so hours, I meander my way to some of the recommended hotspots outlined on my self-guided Bellarine Taste Trail map. I taste spiced jerky mussels at Advance Mussel Café (chewy with a strong chilli hit), sip Pinot Noir at Terindah Estate (strong berry notes with savoury undertones), gulp apple cider on the outside lawn area at Flying Brick Cider House (crisp and refreshing), and dip fresh bread into lime-flavoured olive oil at Lighthouse Olive Mill Shop (tangy and indulgent). I’m starting to feel full and I’ve barely made a dent in the four-dozen locations recommended!

Quaint little Queenscliff

There are even more local delights to be consumed in the welcoming cafés and small shopfronts on the main street of Queenscliff, a little coastal town that is close to the taste trail. However, I decide to change tack to give my stomach a break. Queenscliff’s Hesse Street runs through the heart of the township and has lots of little boutiques filled with thoughtful giftware and souvenirs, as well as three galleries all within walking distance of one another: Salt Contemporary Art Gallery at number 33, Queenscliff Gallery & Workshop at 81, and Seaview Gallery at 86. As well as the artwork, Salt is particularly engaging as its upstairs level opens in the evenings to serve cocktails and canapés in a dimly lit space filled with tan leather lounges, green foliage and vintage ornaments.

Then just a short drive from the town is Rip View Lookout for unadulterated views of the ocean, as well as Point Lonsdale’s uber-stylish accommodation spot, Lonsdale Views. Currently closed for exciting renovations, the hotel is so exclusive it can only accommodate three couples booked in at a time. It boasts its own spa facilities, expansive farmland, adjacent golf course, and secret access to a private beach. 

After a low-key afternoon of lazy beach-side naps and book reading, I don a dress and heels, ready for a sophisticated dinner back in Queenscliff. I’m booked into the Vue Grand hotel’s Grand Dining Room for a truly decadent five-course degustation menu. The historical hotel dates back to 1881 and has become an icon in southern Victoria. With its high ceilings and opulent gold trimmings, it feels wonderfully regal, and I savour the opportunity to indulge in style. My standout dishes of the night include the tender kangaroo tartare with hot-pink beetroot ketchup, egg yolk, and sweet potatoes, which has flavour similarities to a cheeseburger, albeit an incredibly gourmet one, and the mouthwatering dessert of tangy passionfruit curd with sweet raspberry, lime and mint granita. 

Beachy Barwon Heads 

It’s been a jam-packed weekend in this area of Victoria but I’m not done yet. I’ve allocated one more day to drive further along the coast to the surf-cool town of Barwon Heads. Driving around is a lovely way to see the sights, but I’m going to go one better and get a view from above thanks to Geelong Helicopters.

We ascend into the skies and spend a good 15 minutes hovering alongside the clouds as the pilot points out the various beaches and landmarks below, such as the mouth of the Barwon River and the surfers at Thirteenth Beach. It’s quite a thrill. Back on land and I drive to Hitchcock Avenue, the main street of Barwon Heads, which is home to several dozen small specialty stores and surf shops. As I breathe in the salty seaside air, I stroll down the strip and take in the beachy vibes. And before I leave, I make a beeline for the Barwon Heads Winestore to pick up one last souvenir before my drive back to Melbourne airport — a bottle of Jack Rabbit Vineyard red to share with friends and family at home.  

The gentle wind rustles the foliage overhead; the scent of sweet guavas and almost-ripe citrus fruits drifts in from another garden; hummingbirds flutter about feverishly foraging for food — the only creatures on the 9 hectare estate moving swiftly. Everyone else is in no rush.

Aja Malibu is like no place in the world, and even at the end of my week here I can’t find the words to describe it. Inannya Magick (yes, that’s her real name, and she’s an 8th generation Australian) is fine with that. “In our culture, we often want to label, but in mystical and spiritual wisdoms there are teachers who say problems can arise when you start labelling. I feel like this — whatever it is — it wants to be free. It’s a place to explore consciousness. It’s a place of growth,” she says. 

Aja Malibu is Inannya’s love note — a person’s heartfelt message to the world that came to fruition in September 2016 after 8 years of hard work. 

Every item has been specifically chosen for the retreat.

Inannya’s interest in the mystical and spiritual world began much earlier, though. As a child, she was frequently sick, and when traditional medicine did not relieve her problems she began to explore natural therapies. From there, Inannya started delving into religion and philosophy, mystical and spiritual studies, travelling the world and meeting remarkable people, all while deepening her understanding of both herself and the universe. 

“I healed myself, and then during my travels I realised I had a vision to serve — to help others on their journey of healing,” she recalls. “When I moved here 8 years ago, that was my clear intention, and from there Aja just evolved. It’s good to have a vision and be clear, but it’s also good to be open as the vision changes. So in 5 years, if Aja wants to be something else, I’m open to it.”

Right now, Aja Malibu is a dreamlike place where people come to heal, to transform, to get to know themselves (‘know thyself’ is one of the key phrases and messages of the week). There are 7 beautifully designed bedrooms (all with organic room amenities and hypo-allergenic robes, towels, sheets and linens), and there won’t be any more rooms as the small numbers allow Inannya to get to know her guests — and for the guests to get to know each other.  

There is no TV or wi-fi access, no junk food or room service, but the biodynamic, plant-based meals are so delicious and filling I don’t miss my usual afternoon coffee and chocolate pick-me-up. And although the rejuvenation program is tightly scheduled, I find I have plenty of alone time just when it’s needed, and spend most of it simply drifting around the gardens.

There are 7 beautifully designed bedrooms, and there won’t be any more as the small numbers allow Inannya to get to know her guests — and for the guests to get to know each other.

The 7 chakra gardens are a pivotal part of the property, although when Inannya first discovered the site she never intended to create them. “It wasn’t part of the plan, but when I got here I felt 7 distinct energies and it made sense to create the gardens.” It’s no coincidence that the Aja Malibu program is 7 days, with each day dedicated to one of the healing chakras. 

Every morning, a gong signals the start of a brand-new day and guests are encouraged to journal while sipping on tea that is brought to their room. The day’s official proceedings kick off with Inannya’s introduction to the chakra of the day over tea in the Om room; then the morning activities vary depending on the chosen chakra.

The first is the root chakra, associated with the earth and grounding, and after an introduction to Qigong (which we practice almost daily as the week progresses), we go on a garden exploration with expert herbalist Julie, as she enlightens us about plants, tea medicine, and how to use apothecary.

Inannya encourages guests to use Aja’s herb apothecary at any time. You’re also encouraged to collect plants that ‘speak to you’ and leave them hanging to dry; and you can go in and blend your own teas (as the days go on we learn which plants can help specific health conditions so that we can customise our tea blends).

I spend most afternoons in the spa, enjoying massages, acupuncture, shirodhara therapy, craniosacral therapy and more. In between treatments I explore. I always find a new plant or bird to watch in the gardens.

We head to El Matador State Beach on sacral chakra day where we sit beneath the cliffs and ponder the meaning of water (the sacral chakra relates to movement, flow and sensuality). Another day we venture out for a hike, finishing up with meditation and Qigong before heading back to the retreat. 

At first, I find the pace of activities a little too relaxed for my liking, but as the days progress I find myself getting used to — and even relishing — the way life here is soaked in a beautiful slowness. 

Relax and rejuvenate in the spa.

I spend most afternoons experiencing what the spa has to offer: enjoying massages, acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, shirodhara therapy and more. In between treatments, I explore the property and surrounds. I always find a new plant or bird to watch in the gardens; sometimes I sit in the library poring over the many books or just admiring the furnishings. 

Every single item at Aja has been sourced with love and deep thought, and some of the stories connected to the objects are nothing short of astounding. The beautiful pillowcases that I lean on when lounging in the library are former Kurdish saddlebags creatively redesigned; the tea set Inannya uses each morning is a lovingly handmade collection from Taiwan; in my Dreamweaver Suite there’s a beautiful indigenous bark artwork that Inannya found while travelling through outback Australia with her father; while the intricate tapestry that I sit on and stare at before going to bed each night was crafted by an elderly female Shipibo tribe member in Peru. “They draw the lines of energy,” Inannya tells me when I ask about the mesmerising artwork. 

Guests meet in the Om room to find out about the day’s chakra.

Inannya’s tea ceremony.

Nutritious cuisine.

Tea medicine and herbs play a key role at Aja.

Nutritious cuisine.

In the evenings after our various therapies and downtime, the group comes back together for ‘soup and share’, a time when everyone sits around eating soup out of big mugs while sharing contemplations. Then, usually, another post-dinner activity follows. 

The word ‘activity’ doesn’t come close to capturing what we see, hear, smell and experience each night. On root chakra day, a shaman visits Aja to lead an emotional fire ceremony. We gather around a crackling fire singing, playing instruments, and sharing stories deep into the night. On sacral chakra day, we are taught to breathe deeply and loudly for what feels like hours, our teacher Thomas asking us to breathe even deeper and bigger than I thought possible. A sound healing session on throat chakra day moves me to tears; I have no idea why but, such is the power of this place, we all end up with watery eyes at one moment or another.

When it’s time to head home, no-one wants to go, but at least we leave with plenty of seeds planted within ready to sprout. “The point of Aja is to remind you that you have the answers within,” Inannya tells the group pre-departure. “We live in a culture where we are always going outside for help. I hope that Aja has reminded you that you have so much of what you need within.” 

ajamalibu.com

So, how long have you worked for Mercedes-Benz?” I asked the young lady as she drove me from one dealership to another. She had just returned to the workforce, having been a stay-at-home mum for a few years.

“About a week,” she replied. 

A week may have been enough time for a brief introduction to some of the Benz fleet, but for someone unfamiliar with the latest E-Class, this was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate something quite unexpected. We had been driving for about 5 minutes when I reached over and flicked the lever behind the steering wheel. The grey steering wheel icon at the bottom of the screen suddenly turned green.  

“Take your hands off the wheel,” I said. She shot me an incredulous look. “And your feet off the pedals. Don’t touch anything.”

“Seriously?” Her worried tone came across loud and clear.   “Trust me, it’ll be fine.”

She did as instructed, but with deep reluctance. As she slowly lifted her hands away from the wheel, the words came out involuntarily. “Oh my God, oh my God,” she muttered, about 10 times in quick succession. With no contact with the car’s controls, it dawned on her — the car was driving itself.

The steering wheel was moving, keeping the vehicle perfectly in the centre of the lane. The radar-based cruise control monitored the car in front, maintaining a set distance. All the safety systems on the car were on high alert, with cameras tracking traffic in each direction as well as the lane markings and kerbs. This, folks, is the closest we can get to autonomous driving in this country.

It’s not foolproof, of course. When the lane marking runs out, the steering wheel icon goes from green back to grey, alerting the driver to the fact that it can’t ‘see’ anything to judge how straight it’s tracking. And on super-tight bends, the system can’t react quick enough to keep the car turned in sharply enough. So, yes, there’s some way to go before a proper self-driving production car hits our roads. At the moment, it’s a very cool party trick. But that’s just one aspect of the new E-Class.

Stylistically, it’s cut from the same conservative cloth as the S- and C-Classes, creating a range that is the automotive equivalent of a Matryoshka doll, yet its lines make it a well-balanced and handsome machine. Inside, however, the 2 large screens that cover both instrumentation and infotainment speak volumes for who the E-Class is aimed at. It’s a technological tour de force, with just about every known bell and whistle (and a few others) thrown at it. The oft-used line is that today’s smartphones have more processing power than was needed to send man to the moon. By that logic, the E-Class is a rolling NASA command centre, capable of putting the Mars missions to shame.

The steering wheel has left and right touch-capacitive pads that you can swipe to change preferences and push to confirm, controlling either the infotainment or instrument screen respectively. There’s a rotary controller, and hovering above it another touch pad through which you can write letters or numbers with your finger, narrowing down contact lists, for example. Or you can swipe through radio stations or zoom in on the sat-nav map. The voice commands enable true hands-free driving, while cameras all around allow for easy parking, or you can ask it to park itself.

Merc’s new system uses the seats to further protect its occupants. Sensors in the doors detect a crash and in milliseconds the bolsters inflate to push the passenger toward the centre of the car, putting more distance between them and the inevitable impact.

Then there’s the safety suite. Of course, there are airbags galore, seatbelt pre-tensioners, and the usual barrage of acronyms like ABS, EBD, ESP, ASR, and the list goes on. But perhaps the most interesting is the side-impulse system. In the event of a side impact, normally the car relies on side intrusion beams to absorb the initial impact and then the side airbag inflates to cushion the passenger. But Merc’s new system uses the seats to further protect its occupants. Sensors in the doors detect a crash and in milliseconds the bolsters inflate to push the passenger toward the centre of the car, putting more distance between them and the inevitable impact.

The steering wheel has left and right touch-capacitive pads that you can swipe to change preferences and push to confirm, controlling either the infotainment or instrument screen respectively.

So it’s loaded with gadgets, but the more layers of technology you put between the car and the driver means that we’re getting more and more isolated from our driving. Or so you may think. In fact, the electric steering has been weighted so that it doesn’t feel artificial, while the paddle shifters allow you to take manual control of the 9-speed auto. Being rear-wheel-drive, it can be hustled along at a cracking pace, and even when optioned with 20-inch wheels it never feels harsh over rubbish inner-city roads.

It is the machine that shows us the transition from driver-oriented to self-driving vehicles, allowing us to experience the future without trepidation.

Inside, it’s a return to form. With far less clutter than the previous model, the new E-Class is simple without being austere. Judicious use of open-grain wood veneers gives a warmth and high-end feel, while true metal accents punctuate the cabin. The leather is, as you’d expect, soft and pliable, and the seats, with their clever door-mounted controls, are fabulous over long distances. Ambient lighting with unlimited colour choices also bathes the cabin in a cool glow that can be separated into front and rear zones. As a 5-seat mode of transport, it’s hard to beat.

The E-Class heralds a turning point of the car industry. It is the machine that shows us the transition from driver-oriented to self-driving vehicles, allowing us to experience the future without trepidation. With a foot in both camps, it will appeal both to those who enjoy their driving yet want a little luxury, and to those who love progress and innovation. 

Yes, the times are changing. They won’t build ’em like they used to.

There’s no sugar-coating it: we’re in the grip of a worldwide obesity crisis. Over the past 40 years, the number of people classed as obese has skyrocketed, jumping from 105 million in 1975 to 641 million in 2014. The problem is so bad that today nearly 13% of the globe is obese, compared with just over 9% who are underweight. While larger portion sizes, lack of exercise and more sedentary lifestyles are undoubtedly part of the problem, Deakin University’s Adrian Cameron points to another, often overlooked contributor: the supermarket.

As the place where so many people now make their daily food choices, the grocery giants, represented in Australia by the likes of Coles and Woolworths, possess inordinate power over the food we choose to consume, Adrian says. 

The situation is similar in other developed nations where a small number of grocery giants control most of the market. In the UK, for example, 5 major retailers control just over 70% of the market, while in the US, Walmart alone holds 25%. In China, the 5 largest retailers are said to control approximately 40% of the nation’s market.

The big problem, in Adrian’s eyes, is that too many big operators use this privileged status to shift junk foods like soft drinks, chocolate and sweets instead of assisting people to make healthier eating choices.

Hungry for money

Adrian says there’s one word motivating the big supermarkets’ love of junk food: profit. “The supermarkets don’t care what they sell in terms of the health profile as long as they sell a lot of it,” he says. “Junk food makes the money because [companies] can sell space and sell promotions … multinationals are the ones that have the money to pay for this stuff.” Junk food’s profit power is clearly obvious when strolling down supermarket aisles. “When you look at the promotions in stores, things that companies pay for like in-aisle displays and space in the catalogue, much more than you would hope is unhealthy foods,” Adrian adds.

Research backs this up, too: one Australian study found that 4 out of every 10 end-of-aisle displays promote unhealthy products.

The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, also found that of 35 surveyed Melbourne supermarkets 30 had 100% junk food at their checkouts, most of which was chocolate. 

Australian supermarkets are not the only ones spruiking unhealthy high-margin foods to unwitting consumers, but they are global leaders. This, too, is backed up by data, with statistics showing Australian supermarkets are worse than the US, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and New Zealand when it comes to marketing junk food at checkouts and aisle displays. The only nation that spruiks processed snacks more heavily than Australia, Adrian says, is the UK. That’s nothing to be proud of, he says, noting that the UK has one of the world’s worst obesity rates, with official 2015 data rating 62.9% of British adults as overweight or obese.  

The scourge of junk food is also on the rise in the developing world as emerging consumers shift from traditional diets to Western-style ones. According to a recent report by Oxfam and the  Institute of Development Studies, it’s nations such as Kenya, Bolivia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Pakistan that are increasingly in the sights of marketers as millions of people in poorer nations get a taste for foods rich in sugars, salts and fats. 

Meanwhile, in developed nations, supermarkets are becoming increasingly sophisticated in how they market to consumers, Adrian says. Indeed, junk food is such a huge earner for supermarkets that, somewhat counterintuitively, it’s probably even factored into their fresh food strategy, he says. The recent emphasis on fresh produce at some large chains is likely a calculated strategy to boost sales of profit-rich junk food by getting consumers to do all their shopping in one location, according to Adrian.

“The healthy food … encourages consumers to buy all their food in the store,” he explains. “If people are buying meat, fruit and vegetables instore, then they’re going around the whole store and choosing all their food there; that’s really what they want. It also looks good for customer perception.”

Profit is also behind big supermarkets’ long-time love affair with unhealthy soft drinks, according to Adrian’s Deakin University colleague Gary Sacks. Gary, a big supporter of tax on sugary drinks, says such a move is not likely to gain much support from the major supermarkets because of how much they earn from stocking full-strength fizzy drinks on their shelves. “We know supermarkets get a lot of money from soft-drink makers, or their fees for stocking their product in prominent places, so from that point of view supermarkets may be wary of something that is going to upset the soft-drink manufacturers,” Gary tells The CEO Magazine.

Consumers vs marketers

Amid an onslaught of marketing, it can be hard to make smart, healthy choices at the supermarket, says Gary. That’s why he supports governments stepping in with regulation aimed at assisting consumers to make better food choices, and hopefully in the process putting a dent in higher obesity rates. “We know that you can’t just leave it up to individuals to make these choices,” says Gary, whose research focuses on policies for the prevention of obesity. 

“We live in a world where junk food is heavily marketed. We’re surrounded by it all the time, and it’s an environment where it’s very hard to make those types of choices. The government runs a few ad campaigns and encourages people to act healthily, but we know that’s not working; we need to try something different.”

This may sound like common sense, but the comments remain controversial amid a debate that is often framed around consumers making ‘free choices’. Adrian explains: “You get a lot of people who are anti ‘nanny state’ saying they don’t want the government to get involved and that we should have free choice [on food]. But in reality, everything that goes on in the retail world is designed to impact choice in one way or another — not necessarily restricting it, but influencing it.”

Adrian argues that a more helpful way to look at the debate may be to ask who we want guiding decisions in the supermarket — marketers or government. “Do you want it to be companies like Coke, Nestlé and Cadbury who have the profit motive, or do you want someone who has the motive of society at heart, such as government and public health advocates?” he asks.

Action plan

Jane Martin, Executive Manager of the Obesity Policy Coalition, acknowledges the pressure supermarkets put on consumers to eat unhealthily. But she sees some signs of a turnaround from the industry. According to Jane, these include some Australian supermarkets introducing junk-free checkouts and others starting to hand out fruit to children in store. However, she concedes that such initiatives are usually due to shareholders and consumers demanding action from the big players, not from industry itself.

“Groups like Parents’ Voice have put pressure on companies to make their checkouts junk-food-free, and it’s good to see that some supermarkets are providing, say, free fruit to children,” she tells The CEO Magazine. For shoppers keen to make healthier choices, Jane urges concrete consumer action like sticking to a shopping list, shopping online, and trying to avoid going to the supermarkets with children.

“We know that in supermarkets children often pester their parents countless times, and it can be a bit of a nightmare,” she adds. “A lot of the placement of the products is at their eye level and can be made to appeal to children with cartoon characters. These are very persuasive things, and a lot of the time they can even be putting junk items in the trolley without you even noticing.”

Tougher government policy is also needed, Jane says, describing current self-regulation in many regions, including Australia, as inadequate. She also advocates a crackdown on the advertising and promotion of junk foods and drinks to children, urging as a first step official monitoring of children’s exposure to unhealthy food advertising on television. She also wants changes in law to the Health Star Rating system so that it is mandatory for supermarkets, not just a voluntary code.

That would bring Australia closer to other international jurisdictions that have recently toughened up laws on marketing sugar-filled food to kids. In December 2016, authorities in UK announced that junk-food advertising aimed at youngsters would be outlawed online and in print — directives that were made after campaigners stressed the damage caused by urging children to eat high-calorie processed food.

Adrian Cameron argues that a more helpful way to look at the debate may be to ask who we want guiding decisions in the supermarket — marketers or government. 

Jane also recommends introducing a tax on sugary drinks, which she says is a good place to start in the fight to improve healthy consumption and cut obesity. Gary agrees, saying raising the price of sugary drinks represents an easy and effective way to improve public health outcomes. “Clearly, for any government looking to do something about this problem, price can always be used as leverage to try to influence what people are buying,” he says. “We know that there’s no nutritional value at all in sugary drinks. They are a prime target for intervention, so from the community’s point of view if you’re looking at what you can do about healthy eating, sugary drinks are probably the easiest and most obvious starting point.”

International examples indicate that taxing sugar can work, if implemented correctly. In 2016, the UK announced it would enforce such a measure following on from success in Mexico. Like Britain, Mexico was struggling to keep a lid on obesity and in 2014 became one of the first nations to introduce a tax on soft drinks. Pleasingly for campaigners, recent research seems to show that the move has paid off in the Latin American country, leading to a decline in purchases.

Jane says whether it’s the industry or government, what’s clear is that something needs to happen to address obesity, and fast. “I’d like to see the supermarkets responding to community concern,” she says. “There are huge problems with overweight children and obesity and poor diets. We’ve got 25% of kids overweight or obese. This is really shocking. Supermarkets have a crucial role to play, and if they want to be seen as ‘fresh food’ people and supporting families, I think they should take this more seriously. They’re a very important part of the food system and they have the power to really shift how people eat.”  

In an age where point-and-shoot cameras turn amateur shutterbugs into veritable paparazzi, the authority of professional photographers gets called into question. Yet for award-winning photographer Elizabeth Bull, creator of photographic community One Fine Print, the increasing popularity of the medium is not a cause for apprehension; rather, it’s something to celebrate.

Photographer: Elizabeth Bull

“People always ask whether I worry about digital, and the fact that that everyone has cameras these days,” she admits, “but I actually see it the opposite way. There’s so much interest in photography at the moment — it’s really popular — so people actually appreciate good photography.” Elizabeth adds that the quantity and quality of imagery being published on social media is impelling professional photographers to be more creative and produce new, different work.

We all see the world in a distinct way

Elizabeth believes that every photographer, and every person for that matter, sees the world in a distinctive way. “I see things in an almost graphic or illustrative way,” she explains, “and that comes across in my photography. It’s hard to describe personal style because it’s just something that’s inherently part of you. But that’s what makes everyone unique, that they see things in a different way.”

This is just as true for what the viewer brings to Elizabeth’s photography, as for what she sees when she takes each individual shot. To explain her creative process and the unique way she perceives shape, texture and lines, Elizabeth describes the context of 3 of her most striking images.

Look longer

“This is one of my favourite images. It’s an aerial view of a tree which I shot from a hot-air balloon. A lot of my work is exactly as I see it — it isn’t orchestrated or staged — and what I particularly enjoy about this image is that it captures a really transient moment in time. It will never happen again, not exactly like that.

Framing, Look longer

“I also like that it’s so simple. It captures an interesting shape and textural element, but that’s basically all it is. What is particularly fascinating is people’s reactions to it — what they see in it, and their surprise and intrigue as they try to figure out what it is. I like imagery that makes you look twice and that makes you think and ask questions. I’ve been asked before, ‘Is it a lettuce?’, ‘Is it a big tree? A little tree?’, and I love that something I captured can provoke that kind of fascination and curiosity.

“This was my first ever experience in a hot-air balloon, and having the opportunity to study the world from a new, unique angle was incredible. The world is so peaceful from that vantage point, you almost feel detached or separate from it.”

Cogs in a wheel

Cogs in a wheel

“I have a love affair with Japan. I’ve visited the country many times and even lived there for 18 months. This photo was taken on one of my visits to a small fishing town that didn’t have a whole lot going on for tourists. But I didn’t mind that at all. I really enjoyed wandering the streets and looking for that image.

“I am often drawn to everyday objects that make interesting patterns. I love contrasting textures, especially the raw, gritty texture of concrete. And Japan’s urban environment has those coarse textures I love to shoot.

“This image also makes me smile, as I still don’t know what those words say. I keep thinking I should ask one of my Japanese friends to translate them for me but then I think it’s almost better not to know. It gives the image that intriguing element I often try to include in my work.”

Press on to your destination

“I captured this image while I was on an annual ski trip in New Zealand. We were travelling through what is a very picturesque part of the country’s South Island, but we couldn’t see any of the natural beauty around us — the stunning mountain and lakes district we were travelling through — because of what was an insanely dense fog. We couldn’t even see the car in front of us.

Press on to your destination

“The fog made everything feel strangely spooky, almost supernatural, and it was also eerily quiet. So, when the truck emerged through the fog — thundering ahead, stacked high with such a variety of beautiful timber — it just demanded to be photographed. It provided an incredible contrast to what seemed like such a desolate landscape.

“I tend to do very little or no editing on my images, so this photograph shows exactly what I saw, except for some slight colour and contrast changes to enhance it for print.”

Headed to Brisbane? Check out the food at Summer House, and rest your head at The Johnson, the new Art Series hotel named after abstract artist Michael Johnson. Sydneysiders must try the cocktails at Bar Moncur and the eats at Bistro Moncur. Or if Melbourne's calling, make sure you stop in at Plus 5 for an evening of grazing and good times.

Summer House  |  Brisbane

Despite the name, Brisbane’s Summer House is definitely a venue for all four seasons. Nestled beneath the residential towers of Kangaroo Point, one street back from the houseboats and pleasure yachts moored at Dockside, this leafy garden restaurant and bar is only a short hop across the Brisbane River from the CBD, but a million miles from the hustle and bustle of it. With alfresco dining at its most atmospheric, diners can enjoy a selection of fusion tapas dishes surrounded by cascading pot plants and vibrant furnishings.

Fairy lights illuminate intimate meals, accompanied by a soundtrack of live acoustic music on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. The vibe may be relaxed but the menu is on point, drawing inspiration from food trends around the world; favourites include the American pulled-pork sliders, lemongrass prawn pancakes, and soft-shell crab bao.

The Summer House Originals cocktail list also offers intrepid drinkers a global journey for the tastebuds; destinations on the menu include the Mount Fuji, Kiwiana, Bahamas Lychee, Aztec Margarita and Bengal Trifle. And if you happen to find yourself in the Queensland capital over the weekend, your brunch plans are sorted — a lazy breakfast here is the ideal tonic after the working week.

summerhousebrisbane.com.au

The Johnson Art Series Hotel  |  Brisbane

Melbourne folk will be familiar with the Art Series hotels, each dedicated to a particular Australian painter. St Kilda has The Blackman (Charles Blackman), Prahran has The Cullen (Adam Cullen) and South Yarra is home to The Olsen (John Olsen). Rooms and halls are decorated with the artist’s work, and there are dedicated art libraries to keep lovers and scholars entertained.

The Johnson

Now the sleep-in gallery experience has headed north, with Brisbane home to The Johnson, named after abstract artist Michael Johnson. Most notable here are the penthouses: 300 square metres of light and space with three king bedrooms and plenty of indoor–outdoor entertaining space. The hotel also has an events team for functions, and the penthouses are available for meetings or private dining and celebrations. There is also a bright, modern restaurant and bar on site for travellers who prefer to sip, eat, then sleep, in fast procession.

Tumbling Stone Restaurant & Bar

The exposed brick and industrial lighting add warmth, and the menu is similarly friendly. Most plates are designed for sharing with friends, and where possible feature local produce such as Bangalow pork, arguably Australia’s best. There’s also an excellent selection of craft beers available, many of which are also brewed locally.

artserieshotels.com.au

Bistro Moncur  |  Sydney

Have a drink at Bar Moncur...

Uprooting yourself from Bar Moncur to stroll a couple of metres into the adjoining bistro is a mighty challenge. Presented with a luxurious cocktail list designed to titillate, and undoubtedly impair all five senses with each exotic sip, the temptation to remain in the vibrant, buzzing bar is great.

But Bistro Moncur, a much-loved gourmet haven for Sydney’s east at the iconic Woollahra Hotel, beckons, and something is needed to absorb our pre-dinner tipples. The bistro is packed with young families, a demographic evolving into a more intimate and mature vibe as the evening wears on.

Then head to Bistro Moncur for dessert!

The striking mural of dining silhouettes still commands — but only just — over the stunning vaulted timber ceiling, while the paper-covered tablecloths add a cheeky twist. The menu is delightfully compact, but varied; it’s terrific pub food with a twist, sold honestly by an experienced waitstaff that knows the menus, understands the food, and clearly enjoys service. Refreshing in itself.   

woollahrahotel.com.au

Plus 5  |  Melbourne

It’s not confirmed, but it feels like the name of this place is a nod to how many people you should bring with you. Or perhaps the amount of hours you’ll spend there. Both the décor and the menu are made for a gathering of your nearest and dearest for an afternoon or evening of grazing and good times. Perched right on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne’s South Wharf precinct, Plus 5 has plenty of comfy couches and long benches scattered throughout the light-filled space to cater to the crowds.

It’s busy, but not bustling, with diners sharing plates of charcuterie, cheeses, stone-baked bread, pork sliders, meatballs and other tapas delights. There’s also a wood-fired oven that is constantly serving up perfectly crisp-but-chewy pizzas piled high with topping such as slow-cooked pulled lamb shoulder with red onion jam, crumbled feta and a soft herb salsa.

The wine list is extensive and, apart from the good selection of French Champagne, represents mostly Australian wine regions. The cocktail menu is similarly vast, with a mix of classic and signature concoctions. Take your friends, take your time, and enjoy.

plus5bar.com.au

With a name that meshes the word ‘pukka’ (meaning genuine) with ‘pluck’ (to have courage and resolve), Plukka and its CEO Natalia Obolensky regularly portray both elements of its portmanteau namesake. As the jewellery industry’s only global omnichannel retailer, the brand is committed to creating a whole new customer experience — from the unique design of the products, the browsing and purchasing scheme, to how the jewellery is worn and enjoyed. Natalia chats with The CEO Magazine about the brand’s key point of difference and her plans for the future of Plukka.

What separates Plukka from its competitors in the fine-jewellery retail sector?

Natalia Obolensky, CEO of Plukka

Natalia: We operate in an e-commerce, low-inventory business model, and we have an exciting and different offering for our consumers. There has not been a strong offering for jewellery that is refined but also fashionable, exciting and different, especially not online. Sure, there are ‘mum & pop’ boutiques and larger department stores, but there is not a lot of risk-taking being done in the jewellery market. To find and create exciting new pieces, you must be willing to take on a little bit of risk.  

As an industry, jewellery hasn’t quite got around to achieving that yet, so we’re doing things like collaborating with new people for designs, and asking: who are the influencers? What are the contexts and causes that our customers care about, and how can we bring these things together to be able to make an impact in a busy sector? If anything, one of the biggest problems in the retail industry is that it’s not changing quickly enough, so we’re ahead of industry trends. 

How do you select designers to create your unique jewellery pieces?

We sell our own brand, but we also sell other popular brands, which ensures that we continue to have access to design talent while allowing us to try a few different positions in the market. We’re trying to attract the most creative jewellery designers that hold value in and of themselves.

We also have some quite exciting collaborations with other people. Robert Wilson, a renowned artist in Europe who produces operas and live performance art, has designed a proprietary collection for us, which is something completely different. We’re also looking at talking to musicians, architects, and supermodels to design unique pieces for us that we hope will resonate in this market and drive our online growth more.

Plukka is also strategically aligned with an upstream manufacturer that makes our products for us, and we have a very transparent loop with them. We are always learning from what our customers are telling us, what requests they might have — “Can I have it in silver, not gold? Can this be 18 carats instead of 14?” etc. — and continue to evolve and create pieces of jewellery that speak to them. 

How would you describe your target market?

We have had a very broad market that caters to all sorts of people, but I’m trying to narrow down our focus. We’re in the category of ‘affordable luxury’, and we want our items to be fashionable, but not out of reach — a real statement piece. The woman wearing Plukka jewellery is probably carrying a new-season handbag or wearing designer shoes but paired with a Zara dress, so she’s not head-to-toe expensive designers, but there’s an element of being fashion forward. Currently, there’s no good place for that woman to go online to buy with a high-quality guarantee. I’m making sure we deliver on those promises.

Do you also showcase your jewellery in bricks-and-mortar stores?

Chelsy Davy wearing Plukka

We do have offline boutiques, but those mostly serve as an interface for our online sales. Particularly with the higher price point, offline stores are important for first experiences. We are convinced that much online conversion exists because somebody has come to our physical shop or an event, seen the quality, and is then happy to purchase one or two things from us per year on our digital portal.

Having an in-the-flesh experiential piece complementing the online presence is where the market is going to end up. We’ve seen some other pure e-commerce players start to open physical stores, whereas the purely offline brands are being quite slow in shifting online. In the stores that we have in New York, London and Hong Kong, we’re hosting a projector with images, as well as a mini museum with pieces we have for sale with information on the design and creation of the pieces, and what they represent.  

www.plukka.com

Safety at work is a given. Ensuring the physical safety and mental wellbeing of all at work is well established. Yet there's one glaring omission yet to be formally considered – brain safety.

Brain safety incorporates what brain science has revealed to facilitate optimal performance through the regulation of emotional and social intelligence. This is about providing a workplace environment that promotes greater engagement, motivation and contribution by minimising threat.

According to the ‘Deloitte Talent Edge Study’, employee retention is boosted through the fair exchange of effort for reward, trust in the company and its intentions, career development opportunities, autonomy to get on with the job and a supportive working environment that acknowledges and permits success.

A leader facilitating an employee’s capacity to think well recognises how performance is influenced by a number of variables including physical and mental wellbeing, hunger, temperature, medication, and emotional state. Getting the best out of anyone starts with the understanding that the brain’s primary objective is always to keep us safe.

When we feel safe we are more relaxed, calm, open to new ideas, willing to explore different options and get along better with others. Feeling part of a tribe and knowing where we sit in the social pecking order is part of that safety. Safety permits us to retain full access to the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain used for logic, analysis, decision-making and reasoning.

Threat comes in many forms, most commonly as other people. This might include people we don't like, bullies, dictators and tyrants. The most dangerous is the sociopath, outwardly charming but seeking to systematically eliminate anyone who stands in their way of office domination and career progression. Threat also manifests as job uncertainty, economic instability and other non-work demands.

Threat diminishes performance. As emotions and feelings run high, access to the prefrontal cortex is reduced; more mistakes are made, lack of judgement leads to poor decisions and tempers flare. Managing threat requires attention to all potential threat triggers as the contagion of negative emotions can rapidly lead to a downward spiral of negative self-talk, behaviour and performance.

Creating a brain safe workplace nurtures:

1. Honesty

When seeking feedback about progress or potential problems, getting an honest answer is more likely when a person is in a ‘towards’ safety state. Reducing threat requires active listening and a non-judgmental response to hear what’s really being said and what isn’t.

Increasing honesty requires the leader to challenge excuses, and encourage the acceptance of greater accountability and self-responsibility.

2. Curiosity

Curiosity fosters a willingness to explore. Staying curious aligns us with the ‘towards’ state as the potential reward of creating new ways of doing to lead to better outcomes, and leads to higher levels of the reward neurotransmitter dopamine being released. This further motivates the desire to repeat the behaviour.

Curiosity reduces the kneejerk reaction of defensive behaviour that can arise when challenged to explain ourselves, promotes further questions, and keeps us more open to acceptance and tolerance.

3. Trust

Transparency of intention and clarity in all communication reduces stress and promotes a ‘towards’ state. Granting permission to seek clarification allows expectations on all sides to make a better match. The leader who is authentic, leads by example, rewards on merit and is seen to be vulnerable, compassionate and real will be rewarded with a high-performance workplace based on loyalty and trust.

At nel. restaurant in Sydney, every six weeks a new eight-course, no-choice, super fun, mighty innovative and tastebud-teasing feast for the senses is unleashed on the food lovers who flock to this underground, degustation-only bunker-style restaurant. 

The two-year-old restaurant scooped the People’s Choice Restaurant of the Year 2016 by Taste of Sydney’s partner Dimmi, and it took out the Time Out Sydney’s People’s Choice Award in August 2015. Plus, there aren’t too many chefs in the world who can say Queen Elizabeth II invited them to cook at her ninetieth birthday party at the British High Commission. 

Making his mark

Founder, owner and head chef Nelly is one to watch out for on the global stage, and he’s also a business owner with a passion-led philosophy that continues to attract droves to his den, which is bubbling, popping, crackling and oozing with delectable delights: he creates a heart-warming, memory-inducing sensory experience in a fine-dining restaurant that has the welcoming feel of a friend’s lounge room. 

Nelly earned his stripes as an apprentice at the UK Michelin-starred restaurant Northcote Manor when he was only 15, and under the guidance of chef patron Nigel Haworth, he began to develop his signature creative flair. He then went on to be a head chef at Stanley House in the UK at only 22 years of age. Now, at the ripe old age of 30, he’s making his mark on the Australian restaurant scene, carving out his own niche in a progressive dining scene that has embraced this happy-go-lucky new kid on the block.  

Nelly creates a heart-warming, memory-inducing sensory experience in a fine-dining restaurant that has the welcoming feel of a friend’s lounge room.

Nel. restaurant’s décor is relaxed yet sophisticated, and the industrial chic lighting — copper pendants above the kitchen serving bench, spot and stage lighting, and exposed bulbs in tubes of glass hanging from piping — brings both warmth and a sense of theatrical cool to the space. The black leather bench seating, exposed brickwork, and designer oak chairs with deep-green leather seats give a nod to the cosiness of old underground UK pubs. Sitting in nel., you basically feel like one of the few in the know who received a coveted invite to an underground dinner party. And it’s not far from the truth, as right now there’s a two-month waiting list to get in the door. 

Clever creations

The open kitchen means that guests can look in upon Nelly and his cool crew whipping up clever creations and see for themselves what a passion project nel. is. It’s like a stage for performances where the fresh seasonal produce is the star of the show — and it’s presented to the audience in all kinds of guises that offer up endearing tidbits of Nelly’s childhood. The food is both a vehicle for his memories and a catalyst coaxing out his diners’ memories.

Go rummaging for truffles in a bowl of scrumptious edible soil, drink from delicate test tubes, nibble on trout with miso hollandaise, radish and vanilla corn; let Nelly convey a little about his UK upbringing with his witty take on Ham and Peas (a ham croquet with a pureed-pea dipping sauce); or muse on the fresh, opposites-attract flavour combinations in the sashimi scallops and watermelon with avocado, lime and soy. Another dish that has been applauded by food reviewers is the venison carpaccio, pepper, with chocolate and pickled enoki. 

But the course that had me thinking about my grandmother’s home when I was a child was a dessert created with white corn, cherry, and chocolate, topped off with pistachio cotton candy. Inside was popping candy that had my tastebuds tingling as the mini explosions went off like firecrackers that no-one else could hear. I sat there grinning like a kid let loose in a candy store, and much like a toddler with no filter, I was bursting to tell strangers what I was experiencing. At least there was no fear of looking out of place, as most diners at nel. love the food and vibe so much, they can’t stop smiling.