Spectrum FM Radio

Hello All. I had an easy day on Monday! Only one book to be read and one author interviewed, followed by a long and informative session with George Field.

Following a career in the cinema in both England and Scotland, George has been projectionist at Healesville Cinema for the past 16 years. It has obviously been so much more than "just a job" for him and his passion for all things cinematic makes him an authority on the subject. We listened for an hour to his tales of the early days of film, his assessment of the current state of cinema and some interesting predictions for the future. We could have spent another hour, I'm sure, and look forward to a return visit from him.

We did discuss our favourite films and George later sent me an email listing some of those he recalled with enthusiasm. (Hopefully, it will be an attachment to this column.) I'd love to hear from you as to YOUR favourites over the years!

[ George Field's letter can be read at the Spectrum FM Radio News page ... click HERE - John Weeks ]

John and I both spoke with Gilbert Mane, author of 7 Steps to Freedom and headmaster of an "alternative" primary school in Sydney. Students meditate every day and study a wide range of classics as well as the more conventional subjects. I did quibble with some of Gilbert's suggestions as to how to attain self-awareness and "bliss". Personally, I would find an hour of uninterrupted hour of reading to be pure bliss, whereas he found it after 2 days of sitting absolutely still, apart from time spent in eating and sleeping. Sadly, few of us could enjoy the luxury of having so much time to spend in seeking self-awareness.

It is an interesting and erudite book, with many references to spiritual teachings from many different cultures and religions. There are practical exercises and I am sure for many people it would provide valuable guidance. I found Dr. Russ Harris's book The Happiness Trap offered a much more realistic approach to the same subject.

7 STEPS TO FREEDOM by Gilbert Mane

I'm still trying to tidy up after Christmas but feeling quite virtuous in having used up so much of the left over meats I had from Christmas! We have had a salmon and asparagus risotto using the baked salmon, a crumb-topped bake using crumbed ham and turkey in a creamy sauce and fettucine topped with a sauce made from minced ham and turkey with garlic, onions, tomatoes, herbs, and a pasta sauce. A "bread" and butter pudding made using the remains of the plum pudding will also take care of that!

Next Monday I hope to speak with a range of interesting guests who can Offer some suggestions as to how to make the most of our holidays! Peter Marriott, editor of the two moth books I mentioned before Christmas, will be with us for a chat about "moth watching and identifying. Great way to occupy bored kids, even in your own garden!

I'll also be talking with John Kenney of Herb Farm Restaurant, who will tell us about the table delights they offer as well as giving us information about the Herb Farm. Just up the road and a great way to spend a day!

I'll also be talking with a very old friend, Judith Henke, who is now Communications Manager for the Zoo. She will tell us about Wild Seas, an exciting new addition to activities at the zoo, She will also give details of the Twilight Concerts which have become a feature of summer nights at the Zoo. (She has invited me to attend a "tribute band" performing Van Morrison!!! Hard to resist and as it is the day after my birthday, it might very well be MY birthday present to me!)

I am also hoping to speak with the skipper of a catamaran based at Docklands which offers bay trips. That is still to be confirmed, depending on his movements on the day.

I have just brought home a young Spanish woman Wwoofer, who tells me she loves to cook! I have given her my copy of Movida Rustica to study for inspiration! I am sure you will "meet" her on the program during her stay with us.

My warmest good wishes for a wonderful new year and it would be great to hear from you! <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au> is the email address...

And of course I must thank John Weeks for all his assistance, in so many ways, during the past year!

Best regards,
Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 26 DECEMBER 2009

Hello All! Well, another Christmas survived and, in fact, really enjoyed! It was frenetic because I do - despite good resolutions every year - tend to leave things, especially present wrapping, unil the last minute. In fact, I am notorious for my badly wrapped gifts... " "Cobbled together, rather than wrapped" as my daughter says! And with some truth, I must admit. Because I have worked for so long as a food stylist, which is very demanding and meticulous work, people expect me to present beautifully wrapped and trimmed gifts.. but they are soon disillusioned!

I think I enjoyed this year more than some others because of the fantastic Wwoofers I have with me, Elke and Jared. They decorated the tree, put up decorations, helped set up yesterday and then, with my daughter, did a lot of the clearing up - which left me free to chat with people I sometimes see only once a year. We had fewer people this year, somewhere about 25, as some family and friends have moved interstate and they were missed.

I got some lovely off-beat presents, including a charming book from my daughter about mothers, which made me cry. She also gave me a ticket to the Tom Jones concert at Rochford Winery, which made me smile - a lot!

My son always gives me wine and books and this year, despite all the books I have for review, he managed to bring four I haven't read. All I need now is the time to indulge in the luxury of reading them, without having to take notes for an interview! He also gave me a DVD of four series of Callan, one of my all time favourite British TV series. Again, I need time to sit down and watch!

We have so much food left that I have asked my next door neighbours, who didn't eat enough last evening (!), to come up tonight and help us with the left-overs! These included a large baked salmon, so I can see asparagus and salmon risotto on the menu tomorrow. I think the problem on Christmas Day is that guests have often eaten a large lunch and lack the appetite for a substantial evening meal as well. I am grateful to have my hard-working, physically active 24 year old Canadian Wwoofer here with his hearty appetite!

It was great to hear from former Wwoofers in Belgium (our Sandra!), Taiwan, South Korea, America, Germany, England and Japan. So many Wwoofers have shared Christmas with us and this was the first time in many years that we have not had a young Asian in residence.

I haven't had much time to think about next week's program, but John and I plan to be in the studio and as my guest I will have George Field, projectionist for many years at Healesville Cinema. George has studied the changing nature of the cinema over the years and will talk to us about his early days with film and his expectations of its future. Rather than rush the interview, we are planning to extend it for up to an hour.

I'll also be speaking by phone with Gilbert Mane, author of a somewhat challenging book and founder of a school following the principles he expounds. He has studied many religions and philosophies and incorporates elements of these into his teachings.

And of course there'll be music! I'll see if we can track down some film soundtracks.. I do play selections from When Harry met Sally, but some earlier tunes would be appropriate too.

I do hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that you will be sharing The Good Life on Monday afternoon.

Best wishes, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 23 DECEMBER 2009

Here we go again!

As you can imagine, I get a lot of cookbooks to review throughout the year but there are always a few that are really outstanding. The ones I like best, and which I think would be brilliant Christmas gifts include the following:

MOVIDA RUSTICA by Frank Camorra & Richard Cornish. A beautiful book featuring traditional Spanish recipes, with great photos of the Spanish countryside, restaurants and "characters". Many of the recipes features on the menu at the Movida restaurants.

SNOWFLAKES & SCHNAPPS by Jane Lawson. This features recipes from the cold climates! Jane travelled extensively to taste and recreate the recipes from each region. Superb photography by Brett Stevens makes this one of the outstanding cookbooks of the year.

SEASONS by Donna Hay. With Donna's enormous following, this book was guaranteed to be a best seller. It is a practical book, tailored to utilise the best ingredients of each season. Easy to use and visually most appealing.

MY COUSIN ROSA by Rosa Mitchell. A really lovely book, as warm and friendly as Rosa herself. Traditional Sicilian recipes suitable for family or entertaining and to be enjoyed with gusto!

THE THRIFTY KITCHEN by Suzanne Gibbs and Kate Gibbs. Full of practical housekeeping hints as well as traditional and modern recipes, tips for thrifty shopping, storage and, in fact, just about all you need to know to run a successful kitchen and to enjoy the time you spend in it.

DELICIOUS by Valli Little. Compiled from recipes in the ABC magazine of the same name, this is an excellent cookbook. Recipes are creative but not difficult, photography is beautiful (Brett Stevens again!) and it would be welcome in any kitchen.

HOPE THIS HELPS SOLVE A CHRIST MAS PROBLEM OR TWO IN THESE LAST FRENETIC DAYS!

BEST REGARDS, ANN

THE GOOD LIFE - 14 DECEMBER 2009 - RECOMMEDED BOOK LIST CONT.

ONE FOR THE ROAD by Janelle McCulloch.
Janelle is one of my favourites - both as an author and a guest and I loved the book. It is all about her quest for happiness in, of all places, America! To make it even more unlikely she travelled for a good part of the time with her retired parents as companions. I really enjoyed Je Suis Parisienne last year but this book is rather more serious and Janelle is remarkably honest about her life and her experiences. Highly recommended.

CHARLIE - At Last!By Janise Beaumont
Another memoir, written by Australian social reporter Janise Beaumont. There are hilarious tales of Janise's escapades when she worked in Paris, New York and London and the book is lavishly sprinkled with spicy anecdotes about the celebrities she interviewed, many of whom became friends. There is a wistful theme throughout the book after she has a brief but passionate love affair and becomes a mother, without letting the father know. She rears her son, Charlie, as a sole parent but always keeps track of his father's whereabouts. This is a really good read and would be perfect for holiday time.

SHOOTING BALIBO by Tony Maniatty
Certainly one of the most vivid and memorable books of the year for me. Tony was a journalist in East Timor at the time of the Balibo shooting and was, in fact, the last Westerner to see Greg Shackleton and his crew as they headed towards their death. He acted as a consultant for the film Balibo and his character was depicted in the film. I strongly recommend you see the film, stark and tragic though it is, and that you read Tony's book first.

THE REAL POSSIBILITY OF JOY by Josie Emery.
This is another incredibly honest and painful sorry of a boy born in outback Australia who always KNEW that he should have been a girl. Despite this, he had love affairs with women, married, and fathered children. Josie, as she is now, tells her story honestly but without self-pity. After a series of hormonal treatments, she finally decided in her late fifties to have the radical surgery that would totally transform her body to that of a woman. She shares this experience very openly and, despite having been ostracised by her family, is living happily now as the woman she always felt she was meant to be.

ALZHEIMER'S - A LOVE STORY
Written by Melbourne author Vivienne Ullman, this tells the story of her father's devotion to her once glamorous and charming mother who died suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The family, highly regarded in the Jewish community and also in the ALP, were founders of the iconic GloWeave Shirt company. We share Vivienne's despair, guilt and sorrow as her mother's illness advances and her personality changes, but throughout it all her father maintains his adoration of his beloved wife. A very moving story.

MY MOTHER, MY WRITING AND ME by Iola Matthews
A similar story to that told by Vivienne, but Iola also shares with us her frustration at trying to write and still maintain the attention her mother needed as her condition deteriorated. Iola also tells of her years as a young wife and mother, struggling to cope with the demands of her husband's political life (Race Matthews was an MP in the Whitlam government) and at the same time rear his children from a previous marriage as well as their own new family. She shared the same guilt and sorrow as Vivienne, but found great solace in her writing. Warmly recommended.

THE MIND & TIMES OF REG MOMBASSA By Murray Waldren (With Reg Mombassa) As a big fan of The Mental As Anything group, I was delighted to be able to speak with Reg. This is am amazing book, filled with fascinating trivia, illustrations, photographs, behind-the scenes stories and a very open sharing of Reg's life, art and philosophies. I found it fascinating and it would be a brilliant Christmas present for fans of his art and his music.

BEAUTIFUL BODIES by Gerald Stone
Based on historical facts concerning the graphic sinking of the convict ship Amphrite in 1833, Gerald Stone brings the characters to life. All the convicts were women destined for Australia's penal colony, but died on the coast of France, soon after leaving England. He "fleshes out" the historical bones by endowing the women with personalities based on his research of their backgrounds and the crimes they committed. He writes too of the crew members and the relationships which developed between crew, convicts and the captain, the ship's doctor and his imperious wife! This is a tragic story of unnecessary death by misadventure, confusion, pride and the frailty of human nature. A terrific read..

HEY MUM, WHAT'S A HALF-CASTE? By Shirley Sippel-McGee
Simply and touchingly written by Shirley herself, it tells of her upbringing as an adopted part-aboriginal child in a white family. Her adopted mother is a harsh woman, but reading between the lines, there seems to be some excuse in the frustration of her own life. The title is derived from Shirley's question after a taunt at school and we share her anguish over many years as she seeks to find her true roots. It is only when she is happily married and finds her "own" family again that she feels she is a complete person and she is now a significant elder within the aboriginal community. A lovely book...

OUTSIDE OF A DOG by Rick Gekoski. An extraordinary read, Written by an American author, it is based on his own reading, and the way in which it has shaped his life and personality. Thoroughly enjoyable.

10 SONGS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD by June Skinner Sawyers.
I'm sure you won't agree with all her choices, which range from Amazing Grace to Rapper's Delight! It also includes 100 additional noteworthy songs (Georgia on my Mind doesn't get a mention!), and does show how powerful the influence of popular music can be. The author is Scottish and has written and lectured extensively on music, history and popular culture.

DREAMING OF DIOR by Charlotte Smith.
This is a gorgeous book in the true sense of the word. Hot pink with a black flock silhouette on the cover, it is a sheer delight. The author acquired over 2000 fabulous garments, with accessories, from her American godmother. and with each illustration of a fabulous outfit there is an anecdote about the wearer or the occasion on which it was worn. The artist, Grant Cowan, has provided wonderful illustrations reminiscent of the fashion art of the 50s and 60s. This book is a real treasure and I was disappointed, but not surprised to find that when I went to buy a copy for a young friend, Dreaming had sold out!

FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, LOVE AND LAUGHTER Edited by Geoff Blackwell.This a large, beautifully presented "coffee table" book of portraits by a great number of international artists. Subjects range from the bulging tummy holding an unborn baby to wrinkled old bottoms by the seaside - and everything in between! A wonderful collection of portraits and one that would bring great pleasure to a lucky recipient.

50 YEARS IN VOGUE by Lee Tulloch & Kirstie Clements
Although this is the photographic record of Vogue Australia magazine, it is also a graphic account of Australia's social history. Not just in fashion but in attitudes and values, as we see the models becoming sexier and their poses and clothing more provocative and daring. A terrific book offering hours of sheer browsing pleasure...

BIRD by Andrew Zuckerman
Those familiar with this amazing photographer's work will not be surprised by the superb quality of this book! Creatively designed, the background is always stark white with the most incredible detail of feather, eye, beak and every aspect of birds. It is a fabulous book and I have bought a copy for my own passionately dedicated bird-watching son!

BUSH TAILS by Sharyn Munro
Author of Woman on The Mountain (and friend of 3MDR), this is a delightful book filled with tales (and tails) of Sharyn's own experiences with wild life on her remote bush property. They really are her neighbours and, on occasions, her house guests as well! Lovely book and ideal for holiday reading.

PENGUIN ANTHOLOGY OF AUSTRALIAN POETRY Compiled by John Kinsella.
This is a wonderfully comprehensive collection of Australian poetry, both traditional and contemporary, and the perfect gift for a poetry loving friend or family member. I have been browsing through my own copy all year....

This really is becoming a serial! I have a Christmas tree awaiting its decorations and another Christmas cake to be made, so I will end this "chapter" and hopefully get to add my favourite crime novels and cookbooks tomorrow!

Must include one quirky little book called The Cloud Collector's Handbook. A pocket sized book, it has illustrations of most of the known clouds and "collectors" are able to jot down their sightings in the same way that bird observers take notes of theirs'!

Best regards,
Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 14 DECEMBER 2009

Hello All. It is really chilling having to type in that date, especially as now it already 2 days later! So much still to do...

As I interviewed children's authors whose books I will be listing, I won't go through details of each interview. There are some charmers among them!

I had a great time last night when I went into the city to hear Alexander Nettelbeck's trio perform at fortyfivedownstairs. I travelled into town early and had a wandered around Fed Square, which I love, and accidentally "crashed" the opening of a most interesting exhibition. The artist's works are described as "video drawings" and she is obviously the quintessential observer. One series of "video drawing" I particularly liked was called The Man in the White Shirt and it very simply depicted a series of men in white shirts coming and going about their ordinary activities. It lasted for about 60 seconds before starting all over again.

A number of the video clips include the feet of the artist in the foreground, so we feel we are sharing her same vision. Her name, Dena Ashbolt, was familiar and when I saw that she had exhibited in Nullimbik and had, in fact, won one of the major awards for the year, I recognised the name. We spoke afterwards and I have invited her to come on the program for a chat some time! Another victim!

From there I strolled to a little bar, enjoyed a glass of wine (while diligently reading my book about Father Peter Kennedy) before heading up the Flinders Lane Hill for the performance.

It was fantastic! I think modern jazz can be a bit sterile for just listening, but to see these three musicians perform was magic! Alexander, who had invited me, plays piano, Jonathan Zion (with a wild and wonderful mop of curly hair!) caresses and coaxes gorgeous sounds from his double bass and drummer African-American Simone White plays his drums with a controlled frenzy! Most of the music was of their own composing but there was a long and freely interpreted version of Too Darn' Hot! The setting at 45, in a shabby basement, with barred windows -lacking only a haze of blue cigarette smoke - was perfect.

Tiny tables for three filled quickly and I shared mine with a couple of middle-aged jazz enthusiasts, Pamela and Les, from St. Kilda, who turned out to be great company. They told me that Alexander performs every month at Alliance Francaise in St Kilda and have invited me to go with them to the next session. It's a long way from Kalorama but I suspect I'll be making the trip!

Now at last I have to settle to making my book suggestions... and it is quite a list! I am sure I will miss some I really wanted to include but if so, I'll try and rectify this on next Monday's program.

Because of my recent program, I'll start with books for children and young adults. We'll start with those suitable for very young children.

BABY WOMBAT'S WEEK by Jackie French with illustrations by Bruce Whatley. (Jackie will be one of next week's guests.) Charming, as you would expect!

FEARLESS By Colin Thompson, illustrations by Sarah Davies. I adored this book, fell totally in love with Fearless and can't wait for the two sequels Colin has promised. (This has been listed in the Women's Weekly top selections).

CAUTIONARY TALES FOR BOYS & GIRLS by John Hay-McKenzie. Verses about naughty children and naughty children everywhere will love it! So will their parents.
The illustrations, created by John himself, are delightful and are based on "dolls" made from socks.

THE HEDGEBURNERS by Goldie Alexander. Goldie told me she has been motivated by the Enid Blyton books and intends to do a series about the same group of children, two of whom are "private investigators". In fact the book is sub-titled A - Z P.I. based on the names of the two children. She is also basing her stories on "crimes" committed by children. I must confess I was never an Enid Blyton fan, but I'm sure devotees will enjoy these books. Goldie sees them as appealing to late primary school readers.

THE CLOUDCHASERS: (Book 2) THE EAST WIND by Steven Turner. Using digitally enhanced images, the authors have created a book that is visually beautiful, but with quite terrifying images - which I am sure older kids will adore! It has a strong Gothic feeling in its threatening dark pages and reminded me of the setting in the latest Harry Potter film. Not for the littlies (it is scary), but a great choice for older children, with a strong story line as well as wonderful pictures.

TOLLINS by Conn Iggulden. Best known for his "Dangerous" books, Conn has created a wonderful world peopled by these little elf-like creatures who bear only slight resemblance to fairies! (They hold fairies in some contempt and, in fact, use them to blow their noses on before tossing them aside!) I loved this one! There are three separate stories in the book and the whimsical words and illustrations will delight children and parents.

For older children and young adults, Jackie French's novels based on carefully researched historical facts are a great choice. To name a few A Rose for The Anzacs, Eureka, The Camel that Crossed Australia are all excellent choices.

THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO LIVING By Lia Hills. This is the story of Will, a teenage boy whose beloved mother is killed and he realises he has to accept life without her. Sensitively written, it explores his pain and confusion, his first tentative "love" affair and his eventual coming to terms with his new life. Recommended for young adults.

SWAN LAKE BALLET THEATRE by Viola Ann Seddon and Jean Mahoney. Budding ballerinas will love this gift pack. It offers a miniature theatre for the staging of Swan Lake, complete with an audio CD featuring the music of Swan lake, changeable scenery and backdrops, twirling dancers and a storybook and stage directions. Enough to delight any little girl's heart on Christmas morning!

DREAMING OF AMELIA by Jaclyn Moriaty. There is some lovely writing in this quite challenging book for teenagers. The story and the characters are quite complex, and we see the overall picture emerge through the eyes of a number of students, parents, school councillors as the tale unfolds through emails, blogs, texts, school committee meetings and the assignments on which the various students are working. One student explores the history of the early convicts sent from Ireland and we have the parallel story of a young Irish convict running through the book. Jaclyn admits she got a bit carried away with her Irish research!

There is enough "teen speak" to make kids feel comfortable and some of the characters seem very familiar ... like the girl who - like - says "like - in every sentence! Probably for the "thinking teenager" with good concentration. I'd be really interested to have feedback on this one......
...........

NOVELS: I've read quite a few during the year (!) but I have made my choices by listing those that have made a lasting impact on me and ones which I keep thinking about. Of course, this IS a very subjective list and I'd be pleased to hear of YOUR choices.

THE GIRL ON THE LANDING by Paul Tordray. I read it early in the year but it has stayed with me very vividly. It tells the story of a marriage and of the husband who decides to give up the medication which controls his psychosis and which he feels is totally deadening his life and emotions. A great read and a book which loose ends untied!

REUNION by Andrea Goldsmith. Another book from earlier this year but a beautifully written and complex stories of relationships, of moral values and personal ethical choices. Loved it!

RED QUEEN by H.M. (Honey) Brown. Set in outback Australia, it revolves around three main characters. Two brothers, far apart in age and attitude, seek the comparative safety of the bush when a deadly virus strikes the world and wipes out whole populations. Their uneasy relationship is tested, and fractured, when another survivor, a young woman with a mysterious past, arrives on the scene. It is not really science fiction, but a study in complex relationships under almost impossibly difficult circumstances. A very satisfactory read!

A LOST LIFE by Steven Carroll. A delicate story of young love which is juxtaposed with Steven's interpretation of the unrequited loved affair between playwright T.S. Eliot and the woman he adored. The paths of the two couples accidentally cross and Steven's imagined story follows the consequences of this. Beautifully written and a great gift for an admirer of Eliot's writing!

THE UMBRELLA CLUB by David Brooks. I really enjoyed this book. It leaves so many unanswered questions... The "umbrella" in the title refers to hot air balloons and it is the story of two Englishmen who meet during World War 1 and are fascinated by the use of balloons in warfare. Their friendship lasts and when one of them sets off on a bizarre balloon flight to visit a friend on a tropical island (which sounds very like New Guinea!) and disappears, his friend feels a compulsion to either find him or solve the mystery of his disappearance. There are subplots, strange characters, hints of cannibalism, strange rituals, sub-human creatures...... a totally absorbing read.

THE BETTER WOMAN by Ber Carroll. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book! Well written, it tells of two women born on opposite sides of the world in very different circumstances and follows their lives and loves from childhood until we find them competing for a top international job! Apart from a fleeting accidental encounter, they never meet..... It is an interesting concept and it would make good holiday reading.

BAD BEHAVIOUR by Liz Bryski. (Liz and I have been trying to get together for an interview since October - could be Dec.28th now!) Liz started writing when she realised that there were so few books written for or about women aged fifty plus! Now 60 plus herself, she has filled this gap admirably with a number of books whose main characters are women in that age group. I have enjoyed all her books I have read - they tend to be very big books! - and this one starts in the "swinging 60s" and follows the lives of several women, their relationships and the consequences of that "bad behaviour" of their youth. A really good holiday read...

THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery. Deliciously different and quirky, this is translated from the French and is beautifully written, It centres around an apartment house in Paris and we meet the people who live there ... the wealthy, the confused, the depressed, the secretive and we learn of their private lives. A very small book but well worth seeking out.

THE GOURMET by Muriel Barbery . This was written before The Hedgehog but is set in the same apartment house. A loathed but respected and revered food critic is dying and desperately yearning for one flavour - the ultimate flavour - that he can't recapture! We meet the people who have surrounded him during his lifetime (and loved him, loathed him or swung between the two emotions) and we share with him wonderful boyhood memories as he tries to identify this elusive flavour. Written with humour and compassion and a great flair for descriptive passages, it is a simply delicious little book and I am delighted to have tracked down the tiny publishing house handling these books in Australia.

NON-FICTION:

I have surprised myself by the number of books in this category that I have so much enjoyed!

1788 by David Hill. An enthralling tale and a ue ne of the very earliest days of settlement in Australia. A painless way of learning more about our own heritage.

DRIVEN An AUTObiogrpahy by Richard Broinowski. I was drawn to this book because the thread running through it relates to the various cars Richard has driven and I have had the joy of driving a number of the same models! But quite apart from the cars, it is a fantastic read with lots of photos taken around the world in different situations. He served as an ambassador in many countries and we share some wickedly gossipy stories about well-known characters. (In fact, David Hill does not fare well!) I so enjoyed this book and recommend it enthusiastically.

EXPOSURE by Will Magary. Although this is quite a tragic story of a young man with an obsessive mental condition, Will makes his book most entertaining and even funny. He is driven to undertake wildly improbably and dangerous adventures in remote parts of the world and throughout this we share the ups and downs of an ill-fated love affair. He finds peace in a remote native village before returning to Australia and now seems to manage his day to day life with stability. A really interesting book.

To be continued!

I'm afraid this will be have to be a serial! I'll end this epistle here and continue in a further Listing later in the day!

Best regards,
Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 7 DECEMBER 2009

Hello All. I'm sitting here looking at pelting rain through my upstairs window and the Warburton ranges have disappeared into the mist! I have to go to the city this afternoon, otherwise I'd be elated to know the tank is filling and my newly planted beans and peas are being lavishly watered.

Despite having two very enjoyable interviews yesterday, I was disappointed to miss, for the second time, an interview with Suzanne Gibbs, author - with daughter Kate - of a really practical cookbook called The Thrifty Kitchen. I had been given the wrong contact number and had printed out the email from the publicist, so was confident that it was not my mistake (it usually is)! I did phone Suzanne at home last night and we will try and arrange another time.

I also spoke with Valli Little, Editor of the ABC's Delicious magazine and now author of a really lovely cookbook. The photography is marvellous and I do believe that Brett Stevens is currently the best food photographer in the country. (He also took the photos for the beautiful Snowflakes and Schnapps.) The book is sub-titled Quick Smart Cook and the recipes are not complicated but the ones I have cooked have been delicious. Valli was a charming guest and I really enjoyed speaking with her.

I think this cookbook is one of the best I have reviewed this year and would recommend it to any enthusiastic cook. Great Christmas present!

DELICIOUS (Quick Smart Cook) by Valli Little.

.........

Julian Burnside is a remarkable man and one whom I very much admire, so I was delighted to be able to speak with him again. His book Word Watching is seductive and I warn you that this is book that is hard to put down once you start browsing! His writing style is very readable and he offers fascinating facts and origins of both familiar and more obscure words. This is a great book to have on hand for dipping into over the holidays!

WORD WATCHING by Julian Burnside

.........

There are so many interesting things happening it makes it very difficult to list them all! Check out the Melbourne Museum, which is exhibiting some very interest sculptures by indigenous artists (and while you're there, also visit the Paragon shoe exhibition).

Next Tuesday night (15th) acclaimed jazz trio, led by pianist Alexander Nettelbeck, will be performing at 45downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. I love this intimate space and look forward to being there myself.

This afternoon I had the pleasure of visiting Grossi's Florentino Restaurant for the launch of the Goulburn Valley Tomato Growers' season. This elegant restaurant has flourished since Guy Grossi took it over, but still retains the feeling of its long history in Melbourne. We enjoyed champagne (NOT sparkling wine!) and delicious little canapes, all featuring tomatoes. of course. With a flourish Guy revealed the piece de resistance - his creation to celebrate Australia Day with tomatoes! It was a superbly tender beef fillet, wrapped with speck and served with a gloriously rich tomato topping.

I am hoping to have Guy on the program before Australia Day and will share the recipe with you then. Years ago Guy owned a small restaurant in High Street and I have known him since I first went there to review it for the Age Good Food Guide!

Eastern Regional Libraries are offering an activity-filled program for young people over the school holidays. Check out the ERL website for details... there is a huge range of choices, but booking is essential. I'll outline some of these on the program.

I am also planning to speak in January with Peter Marriott, entomologist and author of two great little books on the moths of Victoria. Lavishly illustrated with photos, many of them taken locally, this would be a great holiday activity for children with an interest in nature. I believe he is to be invited to present a session at Yarra Junction Library. I'll keep you posted!

Although I won't be speaking with Peter before Christmas, I suggest these would be lovely stocking fillers and are available from Entomological Society of Victoria or from Eltham Bookshop. Contact the Society through Www.entosocvic.org.au

As you will have realised, I have rambled through his column over several days as I have been very busy . I apologise if it is even more disjointed than usual!

I have confirmed four children's authors for Monday and maybe a couple of others as well. For our last session before Christmas, I so far have lined up Denise Drysdale, Father Peter Kennedy and Jackie French. Still considering who our fourth might be.......it could finally be Suzanne Gibbs!

Don't forget the Walk Against Warming scheduled for 12 non Saturday 12th. It will commence at State Library and end at princes Bridge (Swanston Street will be closed off.)

Hope you'll be listening Monday when we will discuss book choices for kids of all ages. (I've been totally charmed by a couple of them myself and my 4-year old neighbour might have to arm wrestle me for them!)

Thanks for all that ongoing help, John!

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 30 NOVEMBER 2009

Hello All. I am anxious to get this out as quickly as possible so that you can take advantage of a couple of gift offers we have this week! I have twelve little books of astrological predictions I would love to send to listeners and also a great night out courtesy of Eastern Regional Libraries. Just send me an email (provence@bluedandenongs.com.au) and I'll be happy to distribute these goodies!

Yesterday's program was a comparatively easy day for me.. I did not have any books to read for my interviews so was able to indulge myself with a bit of "personal" reading during the previous week. (Which, for me, usually means a good murder!)

My first guest was Donna Hay and I had already done my homework on Donna's new book, Seasons, in anticipation of the interview which had to be cancelled a couple of weeks ago. Donna has recovered from the back injury she suffered and is madly trying to make up for lost time, so I appreciated her making time for a chat yesterday. Compiled from recipes from her magazine, the book offered a wide ranges of dishes using seasonal foods and the mood of the photography and the props used also reflect the changing seasons. Although the book offers a wide variety of dishes from "Nanna recipes" to the more trendy, Donna uses readily available ingredients and offers practical short cuts that make life easier for the cook.

This book shows a different side to Donna's work, as opposed to the "white on white" which was her trademark, and I much prefer it! It would be a well received Christmas present....

SEASONS BY DONNA HAY
.............

My second guest was Hank Jongens, GM of Centrelink Australia, and we introduced him with a song by Bette Midler, his favourite singer. This set the tone for a pleasantly informal but very informative session with Hank. I was amazed by the sheer volume of clients handled by Centrelink each year and it does explain why the odd case slips "under the radar". Hank gave a few tips for approaching Centrelink for assistance and also recommended that anyone needing help check the Centrelink website. He also gave the direct contact number for those wanting financial advice. (132300 Finance Information Service).

He suggested that we might like him to come back on a regular basis and I agreed enthusiastically. I think it is important we feel there is a "real" person heading up such a vast organization and that it is not simply controlled by bureaucratic robots!

...............

My third guest was TV and magazine astrologer, Dadhichi, who surprised me by speaking seriously about world affairs rather than the more frivolous individual forecasts I had expected. Prompted by a question from John, he refuted the reality of climate change and did reveal himself to have a very conservative outlook. He is obviously an excellent marketer and has established himself as an effective communicator. If you would like a copy of your personal 2010 horoscope, just let me know and I will post one!

Eastern Regional Libraries have also made a very generous offer for two guests to attend an event they are hosting this coming Saturday. Beyond Cuisine is an evening of readings by well known Melbourne actors Helen Morse, Paul Tredinnnick and Paul English. In a cabaret setting, they will present unconventional, sometimes cynical Christmas stories for adults. Guests may bring their own food or order a hamper for two ($35 and booked on 9800 6409). Drinks will be available at bar prices. The venue is Knox Community Centre, cr. of Scoresby Road and Mountain Highway, Bayswater. Guests should arrive at 7 p.m. for 7.30. Tickets are $25 each adult, $21.50 concession, $17 for students and a table of 10 can be booked for $200. Bookings on 9729 7287.

If you would like to be guests of the Library, please send me an email IMMEDIATELY on provence@bluedandenongs.com.au and two complimentary tickets
will be waiting for you at the venue on Saturday night!

Another significant event I should tell you about is the Walk Against Warming to be held on 12th December at 12 p.m. People will gather at the State Library in Swanston Street (which will be closed off) and will walk down to Princes Bridge. The plan is to form a huge human sign which will be photographed from the air and beamed straight through to the world leaders' meeting in Copenhagen. This will emphasise the concern of "ordinary" people who want immediate action on climate change. The gathering needs a minimum of 10,000 people for the message to have impact, so if you feel strongly about this, you should certainly be part of this important event. (And don't forget, we DID save the Franklin by a demonstration of "people power"!)

JAZZ CONCERT TRIO. We have played the music of Alexander Nettelbeck's jazz group on the program and you can hear them in action at 45downstairs at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday 15th December. This trio has had rave notices and the venue is great for intimate events such as this. Cost is $20 full and $15 concession, booking on 9662 9966 or fortyfivedownstairs.com. (45 Flinders Lane, City.)

Next week? Well, so far I am hoping to have Julian Burnside, Valli Little, Gilbert Mane (founder of an alternative school and author of a book about his philosophy) and possibly Suzanne Gibbs!

Life is too busy for comfort right now and I have to catch up with my homework reading! Also need to start on my Recommended Books list! Hope you'll be listening on Monday.....and thanks as always to John Weeks!!

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 23 NOVEMBER 2009

Hello All. It has been a funny week for me..busy, but in a fragmented kind of way! I "lost" Julian Burnsidde at the last minute on Monday but hope to have him with us in a couple of weeks. I did speak with Catherine Deveny, who makes an interview very easy... just start her on a topic and off she goes on a most entertaining tirade. Her new book, Free To a Good Home, is published this week and as I write this, I should have been at the launch!

However, when I was preparing to set off at about 4.45 (I drive to Blackburn and travel into the city by train from there), there was intense rain, thunder, lightning, and dire warnings on the radio about Blackburn station being flooded and no trains stopping there. So this, together with the thought of a long wet walk up to the Trades Hall restaurant where the launch was to be held, convinced me I should stay home. Now, at 6.45, there is brilliant sunshine and no sign of rain at all.......so I've missed the party!

Last night I went to the Excellence Awards Dinner at SkyHigh Restaurant, hosted and presented by YRRML. (The restaurant is only 5 minutes from home, which is great!) It was very well attended and we all enjoyed a wonderful sunset view from the picture windows overlooking the city sky line. I was a bit startled to find myself seated next to the Chairman at the VIP table - someone must have made a mistake with the seating plan!

The chairman, Dale St George, was charming and of course I have invited him to come on the program as a guest to tell us about the group's future plans for the Valley and Dandenongs. I was also interested to speak with a lady from Victorian Tourism, who suggested that I might like to have as guest someone involved with the captive breeding program intended to increase numbers of the threatened Helmeted Honeyeater at Yellingbo and I look forward to that.

The setting at SkyHigh is magnificent and there has been a huge amount of work put into recreating this as a wonderful tourist attraction. The meal was excellent and it was a very successful night. I will include details of winners at the end of this column, but I would like to congratulate our own presenter Janette Connell on her outstanding success. She won a Gold Award in one category and Silver in another! This is due to the success of her "intimate" tours of wineries and other attractive venues throughout the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. I know how much effort Janette puts into these tours and it is great to see her being publicly acknowledged.

Tomorrow night I HOPE (I'm a bit nervous now!) to attend the Scarlet Stiletto Awards at a Sisters in Crime dinner. A previous guest on the program, fashion designer Sally Browne, is the patron of the evening. Famous for her own scarlet stilettos, she is decorating each table with a flower filled red stiletto!

Back to this week's program..... as well as the vivacious Catherine, we had as a guest Paul Mercurio, whose new cookbook called Mercurio's Menus, has just been released. Based on his TV show and his travels for it, a number of recipes from various restaurants he has visited are also featured. Chris Helleren's Les Chesselles at Mont de Lancy Historic Homestead (Wellington Road, Wandin) is featured and a couple of her recipes included. Paul's program is very popular and he seems to have left his days as a ballet dancer and star of Strictly Ballroom far behind him! This would be a good Christmas present for an enthusiastic cook.

MERCURIO'S MENUS by Paul Mercurio

I just loved the little book created by my last guest for the day... Cautionary Tales for Boys and Girls is filled with dire warnings to children who pick noses, cross roads without looking, spit, or smoke cigarettes. Based on characters made by a friend, using old socks, (Yes, I know it sounds odd!), John Mackenzie Hay has illustrated these deliciously wicked verses with drawings of each of the personalities described. The poems are meant to be read aloud and I am sure the adult reader will find as much pleasure (maybe more!) as the child to whom they are read! Perfect for the Christmas stocking!

CAUTIONARY TALES FOR BOYS & GIRLS by John Mackenzie Hay

Next week is still very "fluid"... I expect to be speaking with the general manager of Centrelink and invite you to send me an email if you have a general query you would like answered.

I MIGHT be speaking with Donna Hay - depending on whether her back injury has recovered. I MIGHT be speaking with an astrologer who has given me astrological forecasts to be claimed by lucky readers and I MIGHT be speaking with Suzanne Gibbs. Of course it could be that John and I just waffle a lot.....and thanks for all the help, John!

(See details of the Excellence Awards below)

If you would like to contact me, email address is <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>

Best wishes, Ann

OUTSTANDING TOURIST ACTIVITIES:

GOLD: A TOUR WITH TASTE (JANETTE CONNELL)
SILVER: TARRAWARRA MUSEUM OF ARTS
BRONZE: LAKE MOUNTAIN

ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD: YARRA VALLEY RACING

..........

FOOD & WINE CATEGORY TOURISM EXPERIENCE:

GOLD: DE BERTOLI WINERY & RESTAURANT (For the 3rd consecutive year)
SILVER: A TOUR WITH TASTE
BRONZE: HOME HOTEL (LAUNCHING PLACE)

.........

OWN ACCOMMODATION:

GOLD: MONREALE ESTATE COTTAGES
SILVER: ARCADIA COTTAGES
BRONZE: YERING GORGE COTTAGES

.............

MEETINGS/CONFERENCE & BUSINESS CENTRE OPERATORS:

GOLD: THE COUNTRY PLACE
SILVER: YERING GORGE COTTAGES
BRONZE: (If there was a bronze award, I must have missed it!)

............

NEW TOURISM DEVELOPMENT:

GOLD: YARRA VALLEY OPEN STUDIOS
SILVER: RAYNER'S STONE FRUITS ORCHARD
BRONZE: INSPIRING IN SPRING DANDENONGS GARDEN FESTIVAL

...............

THE GOOD LIFE - 16 NOVEMBER 2009

Hello All. As though I didn't have enough drama in my life, now I have to feel guilty when I am late with my weekly newsletter. (John calls it my "blog" - I deny that!). Sorry, but I have had a really difficult week! Woke Monday morning to find we had lost power during the night and no power equals no toilets, no water, no ovens, no computer, no phones (hand held!), no mobile (didn't recharge!)... And this meant I was unable to confirm interview times and contact details. We "lost" one guest but struggled through otherwise!

Then on Tuesday, when the power was restored, I discovered we had no water! I had had pump problems with the water supply from a creek that I use on the garden and the "expert" had taken away the pump. By some bizarre system, this allowed ALL the water from our drinking tanks to be pumped OUT down the driveway!!!! (Don't ask me why - I don't know, David can't remember how it works and neither can the man who previously owned our house and who installed it!). Add to this a lunch for 20 VIPS and relatives to be prepared by my VCAL students and a cooking demonstration for 50 people through Eastern Regional Libraries (60 turned up!), a big order for some of my products - and I hope you will understand why I am running late!!!!

I was very happy to be able to speak with David Brooks, author of The Umbrella Club, and I thoroughly enjoyed our chat. I was pleased when, off air, he indicated that he too had been pleased with it! As I gave a fairly detailed outline of the story last week, I won't bore you with it again! I warmly recommend the book!

THE UMBRELLA CLUB by DAVID BROOKS

I spoke with Vivienne Ulman, author of Alzheimer's - A Love Story, and she was a delightful guest. We explored some of the history of her family and of their Glo-Weave shirt business and, of course, of her mother's very sad descent into this horrible disease. The love story it tells is of Vivienne's father and his total dedication to his adored wife, both in their early years together and also when her illness had overtaken their lives and she had become a totally different person, lost to almost everyone but him.

A lovely, moving and heart-warming story.

ALZHEIMER'S - A LOVE STORY

I had hoped to speak with Liz Bryski about her book Bad Behaviour, but because of having no computer, I was unable to access details of her current phone number. Her publicist was also out of her office, so no joy there!

Then, when I phoned Donna Hay for our scheduled interview - she had hurt her back and was in hospital! Not one of our better days... However, I am currently trying to line up both Liz and Donna over the next couple of weeks. Fortunately, John Weeks and I always seem to manage to find enough to chat about to fill the time available.. thank you for that too, John!

Monday 23rd I am HOPING to speak with Julian Burnside, Paul Mercurio, and also John Hay-Mackenzie, who has written a deliciously inappropriate book for children (which adults will love) called Cautionary Tales for Boys and Girls. I could be speaking too with Catherine Deveny .. she has been away and we are still trying to juggle times! You will have to tune in to find out whether we managed to sync!!!!!!!!!

Sorry this is all a bit scrambled! One of those weeks... Christmas too close ... deadlines closing in!!!!!!! Time for a glass of wine.......

Please listen anyhow..... Next week (30th) I will have the CEO of Centrelink as my guest and if you have any GENERAL enquiries, he is happy to help with them on air! Please contact me at <proven e@bluedandenongs.com.au> if you are having problems!

As ever, thank you, John!

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 9 NOVEMBER 2009

Hello All. Firstly, I must tell you about my absolute highlight for the week!! Last night I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of an extraordinary performance by Meow Meow (Female Intimate)! This performance almost defies description except to say that she is FANTASTIC!! Describing herself as 'a diva of no fixed address', I have no idea of her nationality - she sings in several languages and has a wonderful voice in the best bluesy cabaret tradition, with an incredible range. (Sang Brel, Cohen and a range of less familiar songs and was accompanied by John Thorn, her pianist and straight man.) But she is SOOO much more than a singer! She made her entrance wearing a low cut, strapless fitted black gown - which she later proceeded to strip off (with the help of an enthusiastic male conscript from the audience), then pouted, became huffy because of what she claimed was a less enthusiastic welcome than she deserved and flounced off. Of course, we all got the message, applauded wildly and she returned - but complained
bitterly that there were no flowers! And flounced off again. A stage hand ran around the stage quickly (it was at the tiny, intimate Fairfax Theatre and I was in the front row) handing out armfuls of real, long-stemmed red roses to the audience and of course, on cue, we all threw these when she returned. She was satisfied and agreed to perform.....

This set the tone for the night... between fabulous songs, she shed her black frock to reveal a gorgeous short, grey, be-sequinned frothy chiffon frock, fishnet stocking and red shoes with platform soles, 4 -5 inch heels and straps. Later in the evening, claiming she was too hot, she also stripped off the panty hose and tossed them aside! In the course of the evening she claimed about 6 men to partner her in sexy clowning on stage - all presented as though it was in earnest. She wandered along the aisles, pushing her way along between seats and people's knees, borrowing a handbag she fancied and a man's jacket she needed for an act! At one stage, she also insisted we (the audience) pass her across our heads from the stage to the back of the theatre "mosh pit" fashion!!! What more can I say? She was amazing and we adored her..... finally, she told us she was 'all over us' and it was time for us to go home. She relented for an encore, but not before she "smuggled" $30 in notes into a man's hand and told him to throw it on stage to encourage other members of the audience to do the same.....

I hope I have given you some idea of what an amazing performance it was, how much I loved it and how eagerly I look forward to a return visit from her. I did buy her CD so will share a bit of that with you on Monday.

Last Monday was a day or varied guests including Reg Mombassa, (AKA Chris O'Doherty), prolific and challenging artist and one of the founding members of the group The Mentals as Anything. We spoke about the large and extremely comprehensive book entitled Reg Mombassa - His Life and Times. I don't believe Reg has ever thrown away a photo or a scrap of paper and the book is filled with memorabilia, as well as reproductions of a vast number of his challenging paintings. Written by Murray Waldron, in conjunction with Reg, we learn a great deal about this complex and extraordinarily talented man. He speaks openly of the "black dog" of depression that occasionally haunts him, of his family, the early days of The Mentals and many behind the scene tales of this hugely popular group. A big book, a big read and highly recommended.

REG MOMBASSA HIS LIFE AND TIMES
........................

Another big book, beautiful to see and to hold but quite different from Reg's, is MoVida Rustica, the Spanish cookbook I have spoken of over the past few weeks. Co-author, Richard Cornish, was my guest and he shared with us some tales of the experiences he and Frank Camorra (co-author and owner/chef of three Spanish restaurants in Melbourne) had had during their 2 months in Spain, over several different trips. This is so much more than a cookbook, beautiful though that aspect it. It provides wonderful portraits of people they met, places they visited and historical backgrounds to the towns they visited and to the food they ate.

It would be a shame not to, but you don't HAVE to cook the recipes to really
enjoy this beautifully book.

MOVIDA RUSTICA By Frank Camorra and Richard Cornish.

...............

I also spoke with Charlotte Smith about her gorgeous little book "Dreaming of Dior". ( Copies of this will solve a couple of Christmas present problems for me! ) Charlotte, who now lives in the Blue Mountains, was bequeathed a wonderful legacy by her stylish American godmother.... a collection of over 3000 frocks and accessories covering the fashions of more than 200 years. About 180 of these are superbly illustrated in the book by artist Grant Cowan, and, as a bonus, there is a story about each frock and the occasion on which it was worn, written by Charlotte from her godmother's notes. There is a deliciously Audrey Hepburn feeling to the whole book, and in fact several references to Audrey herself!

I would be delighted to receive this as a Christmas present and I rate it right up there in my "recommended" book list! In fact, buy it for yourself if no-one else does!

DREAMING OF DIOR by Charlotte Smith

.........

Quite coincidentally, as he was a 'late starter' for the program, my next guest had also contributed a great deal to the fashion industry. As a young thing I loved shoes (still do!) and often wore the Australian brand Paragon.The business was bought by the grandfather of guest Richard Davison and, in turn passed onto his son, well-known Australia racing car drive Lex Davison, who very sadly died in a race track smash when Richard was only 12 years old. In due course Richard also joined the business and managed it until it was sold in the early 2000s. He told us of the early days and of the 200 plus employees who worked for the company until off-shore competition made the business unviable.

The reason for our chat with Richard was to speak about the current exhibition of "historical" Paragon shoes currently on exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, where they will be for almost another year. Having glimpsed a few of these on the internet, I can't wait to see the collection myself - some beautiful, others quite bizarre! Richard confessed that one particularly awful looking shoe was one he has brought back when he first started with Paragon at the age of 22!

His own two sons are racing drivers now, one with Ford and one with Holden, so it seems the Davison genes are still manifesting themselves!

As John Weeks is an avid collector of old newspapers, he recalled having seen many featuring Paragon advertisements, so joined in the conversation with Richard.

Check out the details of the exhibition on the Museum Melbourne website.

.........

Next week's program will include Donna Hay, who has written a lovely newcookbook called Seasons. I am interested to see that in this book, as in her last, Donna is moving away from the monotonous 'white on white' which was her signature style and is beginning to introduce a touch of nostalgia and romance with a few old props. I'll be mentioning this!

Again coincidentally, I'll be speaking with the author of a book which also tells, in passing. the history of another Melbourne fashion icon - GloWeave shirts. The real theme of the story is in the title 'ALZHEIMER'S - A Love Story'. It tells of author Vivienne Ulman's life with her charming and vivacious mother and of the painful final years as he mother slipped further into the world of dementia. Vivienne's father, founder of GloWeave, adored his wife almost to the exclusion of everything else and this profound love became his whole purpose in life as her condition progressed and her behaviour worsened.

When her mother turned against her, Vivienne was still a devoted daughter, feeling guilty, and hurt by her father's apparent disinterest in her and her opinions regarding her mother's welfare. In many ways it reminded me of Ioala Matthew's own story in My Mother, My Writing and Me, and it is just as moving.

As the story moves from past to present, we share in some of the exuberant Jewish family gatherings and also in the family's close association with the Victorian Labor Party. In fact, some of the gatherings read like a "who's who" of both State and Federal ALP politicians, including names such as Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

A lovely book to which many of us can relate!

...............

Another guest will be David Brooks, author of a truly fascinating if slightly sinister story called Umbrella Club. Now, I love balloons (NO, not the kind you blow up! The ones you ride in!) So does the main character in the book, a young Englishman who forms a deep bond with another soldier during WW1, when they first see and have some experience with both hydrogen and hot air balloons. The friendship continued after the war and both join a London Club dedicated to ballooning - The Umbrella Club. His friend decides to fly/float (?) a balloon over the mountains in a remote island off the coast of Australia. (A fictional place, I'm pleased to say!) Apart from a very few letters, with strange comments and overtones, he is not heard of again.

Driven by curiosity and concern, his friend comes to the island to seek him or his body - and there we share the complex relationships, whispers, challenges, deceits which pervade the book and the threatening jungle. There are murmurs of strange rituals, cannibalism and man-like creatures that have wings enabling them to fly. Beautifully written and totally absorbing, I really enjoyed it and was not surprised to read that his previous book had been short-listed for the Booker Prize.

I might - or might not - have a fourth guest, but I will have various events to tell you about.

And please remember that 3MDR is currently holding the annual Radiothon, which has been extended by a week. The station relies on membership to survive and for a very small outlay, you can help ensure that we will stay on air.

There are great prizes to be won if your name is in the draw! One is two tickets for the AC/DC concert in February valued at $300 and another offers 2 ski-lift passes and a night's accommodation at Baw Baw, which is worth $400! Every new membership entry is eligible so it could be a very good investment. I'll remind you on Monday. It would be lovely if you actually rang during my program and joined up - as Louise did a couple of weeks ago!

Had a busy day with morning tea HERE for the Deputy Minister for the National Youth Commission of Taiwan, his deputy, an interpreter and also Garry from Wwoof (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), to whom we have spoken on the program. Charming people and I will tell you all about their visit on Monday....

IMPORTANT FOOTNOTE: Monday 30th I will have as a guest Hank, who is General Manager of Centrelink. Obviously he can't answer questions that are too specific, but he has agreed to cover any general enquiries listeners might like to send to me by email. I have invited him onto the program because I heard him on 774 a few weeks ago, contacted him after he gave an email address, and, within days, I had been contacted. David's pension has been adjusted upwards and I am receiving a small Carer's Allowance because of advice received from our local Centrelink, so it IS well worthwhile.

Thanks to John Weeks for all his help with The Good Life...no show otherwise!

Best regards, Ann (provence@bluedandenongs.com.au)

THE GOOD LIFE - 2 NOVEMBER 2009

Hello All. Well, our pre-Cup Eve program was not without hiccups - again! Guest Suzanne Gibbs did not answer the phone - and, always convinced it is my mistake, I double checked the email I had printed out with the contact number. I left a message and felt relieved that it was not my fault.... Suzanne contacted me today, most apologetic, as she had received my message on her home phone after having been at work all day and expecting my call there. Seems the usually very efficient publicist, who always works very hard, slipped up ......with so many appointments and authors for them to organise, it amazes me it doesn't happen more often.

Suzanne and I had a pleasant chat and we will arrange another time in a couple of weeks.

John Weeks joined in my first interview with Richard Watson, author of Future Files. This is an updated version of Richard's original book published a couple of years ago, when we last spoke. He has made a few additions and adjustments, some of these related to the global financial crisis, which he had had predicted. I love the whimsical "postcards" which he dots throughout the book...these are imaginary postcards which people might be exchanging in the next 50 years and contain all kinds of seemingly fanciful (but alarmingly possible!) information.

A great read and a splendid choice of Christmas present for someone who is interested in the 'brave new world' which awaits us!

FUTURE FILES by RICHARD WATSON

Guest Sheryl McCorry is an amazing woman! As I told her, if she played the lead in a film version of her own story, I would think the casting was terrible! How could this voluptuous, extremely glamorous and attractive blonde possibly be a woman who had managed two 1 million acre properties, herded and mustered cattle, managed a large team of all male workers and slipped in and out of several marriages and relationships? Well, she has! The cover photograph shows us an attractive platinum blonde wearing large pearl ear-rings, a pearl necklace, a pretty bracelet and a smart denim jacket with a fabric fake leopard ski collar! Oh, and an Akubra hat!

She tells a fascinating story of her life when she married Old McCorry, a man 20 years her senior, separated after sharing 3 children and about 14 years of marriage, but remained on close and loving terms with him until his death. She also shares details of her relationship with a much younger man and then of her disastrous marriage of 9 years to a domineering, abusive and manipulative man. This marriage caused huge stress not only to herself but to her children, whom she obviously adores. The day before her marriage she had radical surgery for breast cancer, but he demandedt the wedding go ahead - and this set the pattern for the years ahead. Sheryl suffered depression but despite the advice and pleas of both family and friends, tried to 'stick it out' and returned to him again and again. Eventually it was all too much for her and she settled once again in her own home on her own property, her beloved "Shiralee". If you enjoy a good true story about a strong but vulnerable woman (who survived!), you will like this book. I did!

STARS OVER SHIRALEE by SHERYL McCORRY

My next guest was tenor and former cobbler (and now antique market Proprietor) Peter Brocklehurst. Regular listeners will know that after buying Peter's first CD in an op shop I was enthralled by his voice (and the story behind his success and subsequent life) and tracked him down via the internet. After sending off an email, he contacted me and agreed to come on the program.

He was a most interesting and exuberant guest and spoke very honestly about his reason for abandoning his short-lived career as an operatic tenor. He found the demands of the "artistic" world just too demanding, started to drink heavily (up to 70 stubbies of beer a day!!!!) and reverted to smoking his 30 cigarettes a day. He is quite embittered by his experiences and vows he will never sing professionally again. This is tragic when you think of that beautiful voice being silenced! His philosophy is not to look back unless you can learn from your mistakes, and genuinely seems to be positively involved in his new career of a dealer in collectables!

He performed as much of Georgia on My Mind as he could remember (not enough!), supplemented by a brief operatic interpretation of it! He also whipped out his guitar and sang a verse and chorus of Van Morrison's Have I Told You Lately That I Love You! Great voice whatever he is singing...

I do love the variety of guests I "meet" on my program and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. As we kept telling you, 3MD is running a Radiothon to encourage new membership and I was very happy when our regular listener, Louise, phoned and became a member! Welcome, Louise!

I hope to go to the launch of Rustica Movida tomorrow night and to have one of the authors, Richard Cornish, as a guest next week. I tasted eight of co-author Fran Camorra's recipes from the book a couple of weeks ago and they were great! More about that when I speak with Richard.

I may also be speaking with food writer, author, cooking teacher chef (that's enough!) Allan Campion. Lovely man and involved in almost every aspect of the food world.....

I do have an interview confirmed with Reg Mombassa, one of the founder members of The Mental as Anything and respected artist (as a huge fan of The Mentals I might be bit tongue-tied!) to speak about his amazing new book. It offers so much more than the usual autobiography and is lavishly illustrated with memorabilia, photographs and reproductions of his art work. I'm apprehensive but excited!

Another guest has authored one of my favourite books for the year! Charlotte Smith has written a glorious little book based on a collection of over 3000 dresses she inherited from her American fashionista godmother. Titled Dreaming of Dior, it is superbly illustrated by artist Grant Cowan. You'll hear more about it when Charlotte and I speak next week!

I hope you enjoyed your Cup Day. I always have mixed feelings about it... I watch the race because I love to see those glorious horses, but it sickens me to see the vicious whipping they experience in the closing stages of the race. To me, the new "controls" seem totally farcical.... it is one of my soap box issues and I feel my temperature rising as I write!!!!!

I received an email from Gene Ethics to advise that the first GM canola crop had been established at Berwick. The was a a meeting of concerned local people at the site of the farm last Monday, but I received the notice to late to pass it on. If you are concerned and would like more information, You can contact the office of local Member Tammy Lobato on 9796 1987 or <www.tammylobato.com.au> Tammy previously has been on The Good Life speaking about this issue.

Check out the Burrinja site to discover all the great events taking place there, the Melbourne Museum site to view their happenings and the Arts Centre to check out theirs'. Too much keep up with!

Feel free to contact me on <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au> on any issues that concern you and perhaps suggest topics you might like to pursue.

Hope you'll be listening next Monday! As always, thanks to John - no show without him!

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 26 OCTOBER 2009

Hello All. Another 3 interview program as I had been hoping to have Peter Brocklehurst as a guest. However, I couldn't track him down! I have another contact number now so will continue to pursue him... after all, he HAS promised to sing at least a few bars of Georgia on the program!

Our three guests were all easy to chat with and it helped that I have known both Jill Dupleix and Sally Hammond for a number of years. Sally, travel writer, foodie and lovely woman, was my first guest and we chatted about her recent trip to England where she manage to track down some family connections in Oxenham. This part of her family history goes back to the earl days of settlement in Australia and as her family settled in Melbourne, she was able to offer some fascinating snippets about that period based on family letters and diaries.

These days Sally, together with her award winning photographer husband Gordon, dedicate most of their time - when they are not travelling to exotic places! - to their website Regional Food Guide to Australia. After a a lot of hard work, they have recently upgraded the site and you can register for a monthly newsletter on........ www.australianregionalfoodguide.com.au

You'll catch up on food happenings all around Australia, participate in competitions and promotions ( very low commercial involvement!) and share Sally's monthly recipes.

Look up their website

Jill Dupleix is well known through a number of cookbooks, all about "simple food", her writing for Age Epicure, Delicious Magazine and now as one of the Directors of the 2010 melbou rne Wine & Food festival. Jill's main area of involvement is in the organising of Master Classes... and think of the traumas involved in handling arrangements for all those international chefs!!! Actually we go a sneak preview on Monday as to the guests who will participating! Details were released in Age Epicure next day, after we had heard from Jill some background on the various chefs. Great variety on or der - all kinds of foods and personalities. These include the owner/chef from New York's Momofuko restaurant. It sounds as though he might be an extremely colourful guest! We'll keep you updated on activities and event as the Festival approaches in March of next year!

My third guest was Gerald Stone, whose name is well known through both his TV appearances over many years and, more recently, as an author. I loved his book Beautiful Bodies which, coincidentally had the been the subject of a lengthy and, I thought, rather ambivalent review in one of last Sunday's Age magazines. Gerald explores the tragic loss of well over 100 lives in a shipping accident involving a convict ship carrying 108 women on their way to Australia. The ship was only a few days out of England and just passing the coast of France when it ran aground in a storm. Despite being within close range of the shore (in fact, some intrepid soul waded out, others went out in a lifeboat!), the captain refused all offers of help and all lives, except those of three crew members, were lost! To compound this tragedy, the bungle was covered up and the names of all the women suppressed - until now. Gerald was so intrigued and, in fact, angered by this that, he set out to, in some small way, compensate for it. In his research he uncovered a wealth of factual information which he has shared with us as Notes in the book, but has also created 'characters' for each of them, again based on the knowledge of their backgrounds and their crimes. And fascinating reading it is! It also tells of the huge class distinction of the day and draws vivid pictures of the lives these women would have led before their appearances in court. I loved this book and really recommend it!

BEAUTIFUL BODIES by Gerald Stone

I've had a really busy week - teaching, a meeting to discuss the possibilities of an exciting new Eastern Regional Libraries activity, copy deadlines for sponsors' websites and, just to compound it, David has his arm in plaster and a severe chest infection! Add to that half the lights in the house "blowing" during a storm because of water damage in the ceiling (still working in a dungeon-like kitchen and laundry!), the outside pump which supplies creek water for the garden packing up - and you'll get some idea of why this column is late yet again!! And why I had to forego a film preview today. Called The Boys Are Back, I was looking forward to it but that wretch 'Life' got in the way!!!

The GOOD news is that next week I have finally managed, with the help of his partner, to ensnare Peter Brocklehurst for an interview! We'll also be speaking with Sheryl McCorry, an amazing woman who has written a book about her experiences of owning and managing a VAST outback property. She writes very honestly about her life, loves and struggles and I'm looking forward to speaking with her.

Also looking forward to speaking with Richard Watson, who has recently updated his book Future Files, of course taking into account the recent global financial crisis. I spoke with him when the book was originally published and it is fascinating to see the changes within a short time.

Another guest will be Suzanne Gibbs, who is becoming almost as much a household name as her mother, Margaret Fulton. In fact, we are now looking at a dynasty - Margaret Fulton, daughter Suzanne and grand-daughter, Kate Gibbs. Suzanne and Kate have co-authored a book which is brilliantly timed. Called The Thrifty Kitchen, we see so much of the Scottish kitchen culinary wisdom Margaret has passed on. Delicious, sensible recipes perfect for modern cooks and kitchens... and a great Christmas present!

I have a number of well-known cookbook authors lined up over the next few weeks. These include Donna Hay, Richard Cornish, Allan Campion, Paul Mercurio, Valli Little and a couple of others whose dates are still to be confirmed! So keep listening!

If you want a few easy Christmas recipes, have a look at the website of my sponsor Salton (Australia) Pty Ltd. On their Nutrition Club I have included a recipe for a really nice Christmas pudding cooked in a Slow Cooker! David and my resident Wwoofer have been eating it for dessert for the last several nights and seem to have enjoyed it.

For recipes using olive oil, check out my other sponsor's website on <nuggettycreekolives.com.au> Their extra virgin olive oil is brilliant on salads with just a splash of balsamic vinegar!

Currently working setting up an interview in January/February with a visiting overseas performer, (her publicity peoplke are being very cooperative and it all depends on the scheduling!) also with another slightly more controversial lady who will be appearing in Melbourne in mid-November!

Best regards, and keep listening!
Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 19 OCTOBER 2009

Hello Good Lifers. Apart from "losing" Annette Allison of RFDS, the program went according to plan! My first interview was a very comfortable one with an old "foodie" mate, chef and author Peter Howard. Peter has just written his fourth book on Barbecues - it is a really good one. I sighed a bit when it arrived, thinking "Not ANOTHER BBQ BOOK!", but it offers such a wide and varied range of dishes that I was impressed.

Pete told us that he had selected what he considered the best recipes from his previous books and then added a whole stack of new ones! There is a good range of salads, seafood, game as well as the more traditional barbecue meals. He offers good ideas for dressings and marinades and these can be"mixed and matched". I couldn't resist pointing out that although these recipes has been prepared on a traditional electric barbecue, most of them would adapt very well for use in the George Foreman clam-style grill. (Of course, distributors of the GF range are one of our sponsors Salton (Aust.) Pty. Ltd.)

You'll find lots of great recipes for summer entertaining and for simple family meals, as well, in Peter's book.

PETER HOWARD'S BBQ COLLECTION by Peter Howard

My next interview was a delicate one. Normally I do not discuss with guests beforehand the questions I am likely to ask. However, in this case, Josie emailed asking me to avoid several sensitive family issues (although these are covered in the book). I agreed and although she seemed to be a little defensive, the interview went smoothly, We have since exchanged several friendly emails and she has said she would like to meet up some time when she in Melbourne, so she must have been satisfied.

It is quite a sad book as she tells about having been born a boy and raised in a family with an abusive father. Almost for as long as she can remember she was convinced she was really a girl and, despite having some ardent affairs with women when he/she was an adult, even marrying and fathering two children, she never lost that belief. As this conviction strengthened, she started wearing female clothing and this was something her partners could not accept.

Despite having a successful career in the arts, film and literature, John - as he was then - was always driven by that inner compulsion. It was not until her late fifties that Josie - as she was calling herself - decided to have not only hormonal therapy, but radical surgery to physically transform her into a woman. Today she is a slim, elegant woman following a successful career and although she carries regrets, she finally feels she can live as she was meant to. This is a really interesting and insightful book, beautifully written and well worth reading.

THE REAL POSSIBILITY OF JOY by Josie Emery

My final guest, Ben Cooper, Director of the Beacon Foundation, spoke of this interesting project designed to keep young people at school or in a satisfying job and to keep them off the dole. Their slogan is 'Young people need real jobs, dignity and self respect', and students make a written commitment to pursue their studies to a specified level.

Originally introduced in Tasmania in the 1980s, it is relevant to us now that there are schools in the area becoming involved. Already Croydon and Healesville school are participating and Ben in anxious to encourage other schools to take part. For details check out the websitewww.beaconfoundation.com.au or contact Ben Cooper at 9248 3235.

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I had a lovely session at Lilydale Library this week at the launch of their new Chataboutabook Group. This first meeting was very well attended and the guest were full of enthusiasm. It was a great pleasure for me to be able to "chataboutabook" ( a lot of books, in fact!) that I have enjoyed this year and I was also able to give them a sneak preview of four books still under embargo (With the publishers' permission, of course.) I will be speaking with the authors of all these books over the next few weeks.

I also had the pleasure of going to Healesville Library to hear my friend Lucy Malouf chat about her recent trip to Iran with former husband Greg Malouf, well known and respected Melbourne restaurant owner and chef. This book will be the fourth in a series about exotic Middle Eastern countries - their culture and their food -and I look forward to having Lucy with us on the program.

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Mitchell's View Restaurant at Lilydale TAFE have a pretty special offer for next Monday 26th October. Under the supervision of their head chef, 2nd year apprentices will serve a splendid Thai buffet dinner... for only $20 a head, $10 for children 12 and under! Bookings on 9215 7047 between 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

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Next Monday evening Stephanie Alexander will be a guest at Montsalvat, Eltham, at an event sponsored by Montsalvat and Eltham Bookshop. It will commence at 7 p.m., bookings on 9439 8700 and only $10 per person. Montsalvat, Hillcrest Cres., Eltham.

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On November 7th, well known comedian Damien Callinan will present a performance at Burrinja. Entitled Spaznuts, you can find out more about it by checking the Burrinja website or contacting 9754 8723. He is a frequent guest on Lindy Burns' 774 program, and every time in a different persona... funny man! He has performed Spaznuts at a number of Festivals and relates his own experiences during visits to a fertility clinic.

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Lots happening around the Hills and in Melbourne. Check out the Paris Cat website for information about good jazz happening in a typical Melbourne jazz haunt!

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Monday I will be speaking with food writer and now Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Director, Jill Dupleix,, also travel writer and serious "foodie" Sally Hammond. I am really looking forward to speaking with Gerald Stone, former TV presenter, about a wonderful book based on historical fact and called Beautiful Bodies. It tells the tragic story of more than 100 female convicts who were en route to Australia when their ship foundered an the French coast and all were drowned. Fascinating reading....

Check out the websites of both my sponsors (with some of my recipes on them)
www.saltonaustralia.com.au and also www.nuggettycreekolives.com.au

Just to wind up, Peter Howard kindly allowed us to share one of the recipes from his new book. Here 'tis...

PESTO INFUSED PRAWN SKEWERS Serves 4

16 green King prawns, peeled and deveined
8 small bamboo skewers soaked in wwater for 20 minutes (or metal ones)
200gr bottled pesto, pre-prepared from the supermarket*
Spray olive oil
Ground black pepper

Mix the prawns and pest o in a large bowl, coat well and refrigerate for 1 hour. Thread two prawns onto each skewer and sit on cling wrap-lined plate. Spoon the pesto over, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 2 - 3 hours.

Spray a medium-hotplate with oil. Add the prawns and cook. Sprinkle on black pepper and baste once with the pesto. You can serve these twice during cooking and serve on a platter with cocktail napkins to have as a starter around the barbecue.

(From Peter Howard's BBQ Collection published by New Holland)

*Of course, you can make your own pesto, if preferred!

Hope you 'll be listening next Monday!

Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 12 OCTOBER 2009

Hello All! This week's program was beset with all the problems producers usually sort out... well, being both producer AND presenter they all fell in my lap!

There has been a competition in the Dandenong Ranges which called for a graphic design and slogan for a project to link together our small villages under an appropriate name and banner. The organiser and the winner were scheduled to be guests on The Good Life... but we had a shy winner who declined! So that was that ...

Then, one of our favourite guests, Jackie French, was not available at the last minute. It transpired that her elderly neighbours' cattle had escaped and she had been helping to round them up! I drew another blank when I tried to phone guest Liz Bryksi - no answer! Her publicist phoned next day to say that Liz is in the process of moving house and had not been able to get back to her phone in time!!!!! However, I hope we will catch up with both missing guests down the track.

Only good thing is that I don't have to feel guilty about having caused the problem!

However, I did speak with Sue Williams, author of Love Is In The Air, a lovely book about the group of people with disabilities who perform as The Merrymakers. You might have seen Andrew Denton's special on this last year and it was a delight to watch. This is a great book, with lots of photographs of the performers, and Sue's pleasure in having been involved with them was very obvious. I do suggest you read it and also to encourage your local library to carry it.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR by Sue Williams.

John shared in my next interview with Dr. Mark Norman, Senior Curator at the Melbourne Museum. I had spent days poring over an amazing little book, published by the Museum, and called Marine Life. It is a Field Guide to many of the exotic and more mundane species of sea creatures living in Victorian waters. The photographs are extraordinary and, as I told Mark, many of these beautiful creatures look like gorgeous pieces of jewellery. This is the first in a series of books about life under the sea and would provide a wonderful reference guide for families over the holidays. Selling for less than $20, it is a fantastic bargain. It would be a great Christmas stocking item for a nature-loving family member!

Mark told us that the Museum is always pleased to hear from members of the public about any interesting or unusual marine specimens they have encountered. This can be reported to Reef Watch Victoria on <info@reefwatchvic.asn.au>

AN INTRODUCTION TO MARINE LIFE by Robin Wilson, Mark Norman, Anna Syme.

After I left the station, I headed off for Blackburn to catch the train to the city for a dinner at MoVida Next Door. Epicure Writer and Melbourne Food& Wine Festival Director Richard Cornish has, with Frank Comarra (owner and chef of MoVida), written another beautiful book about traditional Spanish food. They spent two months in Spain on the job and it was worth every minute! The book will not be "officially" launched until early November, but I was pleased to be one of only three media people at the private dinner for fourteen guests. (Good one for 3MDR!) There were several representatives from Murdoch Publishing, but the majority of guests were from Melbourne's major book sellers. Frank served 8 dishes from recipes in the books and they were great..so were the Spanish wines we enjoyed with them. Richard Cornish will be my guest in a few weeks so you will, of course, hear more about it then.

The glossy cookbooks are starting to flood in now... surely NOT a coincidence that Christmas is so close! - and I collected seven books from my post office today! There is one by George Colombaris, another by Donna Hay and one by Valli Little, Editor of Delicious magazine. We will be speaking with a least some of these authors over the next few weeks.

Just a word of advance notice that there will be a family day at Dame Elisabeth Murdoch's Cruden Farm on Sunday 25th October. This will benefit Alzheimer's Australia and I'll give you more details in my program.

I'll be giving a cooking demonstration next Sunday (18th) at 12.30 at the Stringybark Festival at Roweville. Love to see you there!

Next Thursday Lucy Malouf (co-author of those wonderful Middle Eastern cookbooks) will be a guest at Healesville Library at 1.30. Not only is she a most entertaining speaker, but also my very good friend, and I certainly plan to be there as a listener.

I'll be launching a new program for Eastern Regional Libraries at Lilydale Library next Wednesday 21st at 2 p.m. This is to be called Chataboutabook! And we'll do just that! On Friday 23rd I have been invited to be a judge for the annual Upwey Flower Show, held in the Upwey Community Centre, and I know from past experience this is always a brilliant event. It will be open to the public all day Saturday 23rd October and really well worth a visit.

Next Monday I HOPE to speak with Annette Allison of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, also chef Peter Howard (an old mate) who has written yet another "definitive" book on the Aussie barbecue.

I am also immersed in a challenging and moving book entitled The Real Possibility of Joy. It is written by a very brave woman who underwent a sex change operation in her fifties, which finally gave her the life she had always longed for. I look forward to speaking with Josephine Emery, who had previously lived as a man and had been a husband and father.

I'll also speak with Ben Cooper, Director of the Beacon program. This regional project works with young people and this particular program is based in the Yarra Valley.

Last week I mentioned my 'ethical dilemma' relating to accepting an interview with "corrupt detective" (as he is usually described), Roger Rogerson. Listener Louise phoned in to chat about this and I think we generally agreed that it would provide interesting listening. I have received the book but have yet to read it. It was launched in Sydney yesterday by - yes, Alan Jones!! I would be interested to hear from other listeners on this issue... <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>

I have a cold at present and feel a bit miserable but hope to get to the Sister in Crime dinner tomorrow night at Bell's Hotel in South Melbourne! I'll tell you all about it on Monday!

As always, thanks to John Weeks for all the support he gives me and The
Good Life!

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 5 OCTOBER 2009

Hello All. Well, The Good Life - just like real life! - can be a bit unpredictable and at short notice an interview with Jacqueline Kent was postponed because of Monday being a Public Holiday in NSW. However, it was great compensation for me to hear that we could, instead, have Stephanie Alexander to tell us about her new book. Of course, I seized on this and you will read more about it down the page.

My first guest was Sally Wise, a Tasmanian food writer and regular guest on radio. Sally has written a most comprehensive book on using a slow cooker, a method she obviously loves herself. There is a very wide range of recipes and tips and, as a bonus, a chapter including recipes for jams and relishes. This is from her very successful book titled "A Year in a Bottle". If you are about to invest in a Slow Cooker, I suggest you buy Sally's book to get you started and then to inspire you.

SLOW COOKER by Sally Wise.

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My next guest, Jack Marx, has written an extraordinary book called Australian tragic. It is very entertainingly written in the highly melodramatic style of the sensational newspapers of years ago, and is matched by the bizarre tales he tells! All true, all set in Australia and quite shocking to read. He recounts incidents that happened back in the early days of settlement and happenings as recent as this century. A glance through the bibliography reveals just how much time and effort has gone into researching the book and I got the distinct feeling that Jack has become addicted to scouring those old newspaper columns! I suspect it is to justify this that he is currently researching for his next book! It is, as they say, 'a riveting read'!

AUSTRALIAN TRAGIC by Jack Marx

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I found it hard to put down Red Queen, written by H.M. (Honey) Brown. It tells a fascinating story, extremely well written and with the characters strongly developed. I agree with Honey's description of it as a psychological thriller. Set in the Victorian bush, we meet two brothers who could be the last people alive after a terrible virus has ravaged the world and killed their own parents. They take refuge in a secluded shack and the older brother, senior by 14 years, sets rigid rules as to how they must live to survive. Although resentful, Shannon accepts this reluctantly - until their disciplined lives are disrupted by the furtive arrival of a young woman. Inevitably, tensions arise, sexual issues manifest themselves and the story darkens. The book is so well written that we are able to accept this scenario as being totally believable and suspense is maintained right through to a very satisfactory conclusion. Highly recommended!

RED QUEEN by H.M. (Honey) Brown

My final and unexpected guest was Stephanie Alexander who has just written another tome - this time covering both gardening and cooking. In a recent"poll" among foodies, conducted by Richard Cornish for an article in Epicure, Stephanie's Kitchen Companion was rated as No.1 in having influenced cooks. Of course she has since broadened her horizons through her involvement in the burgeoning Kitchen Garden Scheme she initiated and which is now thriving in so many primary schools right throughout Australia. I have done a bit of work with Stephanie's original school at Collingwood and it is fantastic to see little kids, of so many different nationalities, all working together and relishing their "shared table"!

Her new book is, of course, beautifully presented and with Stephanie's usual words of wisdom throughout. I am sure it will solve a lot of Christmas gift problems!

THE KITCHEN GARDEN COMPANION by Stephanie Alexander.

I am too busy at present to be be able to see any film previews and am finding it hard just to keep up with my reading! However, I have been invited to a small dinner at Movida next week in anticipation of the launch the following week of the new Spanish cookbook by Richard Cornish and MoVida owner/chef, Frank Comarro. I'm looking forward to that and also to next Friday's Sisters in Crime dinner at Bell's Hotel in South Melbourne.

There is lots happening around the Valley and Dandenongs right now so check out the Burrinja website and the Tarrawarra website. There is a special French afternoon tea and entertainment event next Sunday (11th) at Les Chesselles Café. Well worth a visit just to have a look around Mont de Lancy, the historic homestead property which is the location of Les Chesselles. Bookings are advised for the afternoon tea event.

The following weekend is the Stringybark Festival in Roweville and I will be giving a cookery demonstration at 1.30 on Sunday 18th. Come and say Hello!

My highlight for THIS weekend is the scheduled screening of a movie length episode of Jonathan Creek! I revert to being a swooning teenager when "Jonathan Creek" (comedian Alan Davies) is on the screen!!!! (Channel 1 on Sunday night!) I won't be answering the phone.....

Haven't finalised Monday's guests as yet, but down the track we have lined up Reg Bombassa (from Mental as Anything) Hank Jongen who is General Manager of Centrelink and tenor Peter Brocklehurst! Now that offers variety...

As usual, thanks to John weeks for all the technical skills he applies to keeping us on air!

And I'd be pleased to hear from YOU! <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 28 SEPTEMBER 2009

Hello All. I was disappointed this week when friend and colleague Richard Cornish had to excuse himself from the program because of a nasty bout of flu. I doubt he would have managed to carry on a conversation with his croaky voice, so we have put our chat back for several weeks. (His new Spanish cookbook comes out early November, so he can tell us all about it then!)

However, my other three guests provided the usual variety we try to bring to the program and John joined in to chat with Mark Sheehan. Mark, now heavily involved with the promotion of Australian tourism in America, shared the amazing "happening" that was Woodstock! With three other 18-year old friends, he set out to share the experience... encouraged, as he admitted, by having heard that there had been 200 naked girls swimming in the dam on the property! It lived up to all their expectations and he spoke warmly of the fabulous artists who had performed and of the sense of love and peace that really did prevail. To celebrate the occasion, all the artists whose CDs I played on the program had been performers at Woodstock.

We enjoyed sharing Marks' first hand experiences and he said off air that he would love to come on again for another chat!

There is a great website that carries the entire story of Woodstock, right from its vague conception by a couple of young would-be businessmen and follows it through all its phases and the many problems and personalities involved. It covers many pages - I read it to do my "homework" and found it all quite fascinating!

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I read Exposure last week and found it a fascinating and most entertaining book. The author, Joel Magarey, suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and it threw his life into chaos for many years. He writes very honestly and with great humour of his misadventures in remote corners of the world, as he tried to overcome his demons. A joy for him, but also a complication, was a girl named Penny, who carried her own emotional scars. She needed total commitment, Joel couldn't give it - and their relationship waxed and waned over 10 years, much of it spent apart in different countries.

The title, Exposure, comes from the therapy used by a psychiatrist who treated Joel. It involved the necessity of boldly facing the fears within and despite many setbacks, Joel seems to have finally found balance in his life. A most interesting book with a charming and interesting author!

EXPOSURE by JOEL MAGAREY

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I started our next interview by telling author Tim Priest that I suggested he was writing with a very strong right wing bias. (The introduction is by Miranda Devine and he speaks often throughout the book of his close relationship with broadcaster Alan Jones.) He freely admitted that he was coming from a conservative base and suggested that many police officer share this attitude. He covers in some detail his turbulent association with journalist/broaadcaster Chris Masters, which ended in an out of court settlement after Tim had sued for defamation. He makes no secret of his lack of regard for former NSW Police Commissioner, Peter Ryan, and for his dissatisfaction with the Woods Royal Commission. He is a staunch believer in the earlier methods of police training and enforcement, particularly in relation to the drug problem, and presents some feasible arguments. One might disagree with many of his attitudes, but it is an interesting and thought-provoking read.

ENEMIES OF THE STATE by Tim Priest

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In my column last week I told you I had bought on one of my usual op shop visits a CD by tenor Peter Brocklehurst. He sings a selection of popular arias and I have been playing it constantly in my car.. especially my own favourite from La Boheme. I did say I would be playing some selections last week, but then Woodstock took over and I put Peter B. on hold! Because I am naturally inquisitive, I checked out the web and found that peter is living down in Victoria's Western district and occasionally singing in a coffee shop down there. Well, I have recently discovered that my Caldwell family clan motto is "Do It!",so I sent off an email. I had a call from Peter yesterday and a long chat! He is delighted to come on the program, so as soon as I can find a free spot, we'll have him as our guest!

Next week I hope to have the author of a great book called Red Queen. It is an amazing first novel by an Australian author named Honey Brown and is a difficult book to categorise. Not really science fiction, but it is based on the idea of a dreadful virus that seems to have wiped out almost the entire population of Australia. This virus gives the book its title.. Red Queen. It tells the stories of a small group of people who are unaware of what is happening in the outside world, but who are brought together in outback Australia by complex circumstances. The characters and their relationships are very vividly presented and it is an enthralling read.

I also expect to speak with Tasmanian cook and author, Sally Wise, who has written a cookbook dedicated to the use of Slow Cookers! Judging from the number of queries I get in my role as Food Consultant for Salton Australia, a lot of cooks will be grateful for Sally's guiding hand!

I also hope to speak with Jack Marx, who has written an extraordinary book covering some of the more bizarre happenings in Australia's past and not-too-distant history! Called Australian Tragic, it offers some amazing so tories!

Another author I was scheduled to speak with is Jacqueline Kent, who has written the biography of Julia Gillard. however, she is not able to be with us now, so I am HOPING we might instead have Stephanie Alexander! As I was not able to access my emails Thursday or Friday, I have not been able to confirm this.

I apologise for this column being so late but I have had a difficult week! As I mentioned on air, David had a fall last Friday and has chipped a bone in his wrist .. which means I have had to take over all the chores he usually does! Grazing the alpacas twice a day, feeding chooks in the morning, hanging out washing, digging drains in the storm last weekend etc etc.. add to that a dozen recipes to be developed and tested for new appliances for Salton, a trip to have my car serviced (by foot to the bus, bus to the station, train to Ringwood), and a day of photography for the recipes I developed! It has been a long hard week.......

However, I am off tonight to the buffet dinner and outdoor screening of Casablanca at Olinda Golf Course, so looking forward to that! Of course that is after I have grazed and fed the alpacas, fed and locked up the chooks, driven to the little café at the top of the hill to collect the scrap bucket for the chooks and prepared dinner for David!!!!!

Hope you'll be listening Monday!! And you can contact me on
<provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>

Ann

THE GOOD LIFE (AKA "La Vita Buona)! - 21 SEPTEMBER 2009

Hello Good Lifers. Where has this year gone? It seems to have been moving at express train speed and I shudder to see October looming! I've been struggling to get a bit of time in the garden - just to scratch out somewhere to plant some vegetables! - and I'm happy to see my rows of silver beet, broccoli, bulb fennel, sorrel and spinach looking very tidy. Problem now is keep down the weeds and protect my pretty seedlings from the snails, slugs, rabbits and occasional deer (!), who think I am providing a smorgasbord for them!

Jobs like having to dig out the stream, which was overflowing because of matted fern roots, test Salton products and develop recipes for them, work in photographic studios do tend to interrupt my gardening! To say nothing of the several books I have to read for the program each week.....

Last Monday I had only two authors and as one had written a gardening book, my reading schedule was not too demanding. (I was even able to sneak in a European crime novel whose author I am not able to interview!)

I did speak with Kathryn Fox, an Australian crime writer I have only just discovered. She writes a terrific book, ties up all the ends very satisfactorily and develops her characters. She writes with great authenticity as her main character, Anya Chrichton, is a forensic specialist and Kathryn herself is a GP and former medical journalist with a great deal of experience in dealing with victims of crime. She writes with great compassion about the victims, whether immediate or incidental, and obviously feels strongly about the traumas they often experience during a police investigation. She has written several books and, after hearing how much I had enjoyed Blood Born, her publicist has very kindly sent me her first two publications! NOW I have to resist the temptation to immediately dip into them! For those who appreciate a good, hard-edged crime novel, I do warmly recommend Kathryn's writing.

BLOOD BORN by KATHRYN FOX
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My second author was Meredith Kirton, a gardener and author who has appeared on a number of TV programs, written for various magazines, and also been a guest on numerous radio programs.

Her previous books, DIG and PLOT have sold very well and I am sure this current book will be equally successful. HARVEST concentrates on the edibles we can produce in our own gardens.... herbs, vegetables, fruit trees are included, with sound advice regarding each. As well as lots of useful little tips sprinkled throughout the book, there are also recipes to help use up some of the surplus produce we hope this book will help you grow! The photographs, created by award winning Sue Stubbs, are inspirational as well as offering practical identification of various plants.

For anyone who yearns to enjoy even a "taste" (yes, pun intended!) of self-sufficiency, this is the perfect book to get you started. In fact, it has been Meredith's book that has propelled me back into my vegetable garden..now if only she could provide the answer as to how I can find the TIME!

HARVEST by Meredith Kirton.

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On a more serious note, we spoke with Lynette Moore from Alzheimer's Australia about the significance of Alzheimer Awareness Week and of the epidemic proportions the disease is reaching within Australia. She spoke of the desperate need for more Government funding, not only to assist sufferers, but also to help prevent onset of the disease itself. She emphasised that an education program plays a most important role...for example, how many of us are aware that high blood pressure in middle age can be a factor in the development of Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia? She encourages listeners to speak with our local MPs in an effort not only to raise their awareness but to lobby them for more financial support.

Lynette spoke too of the shame that some cultures feel in acknowledging that a family member may be suffering from this condition and, because of this, fail to seek treatment or assistance. There IS a great deal of support available through Alzheimer's Australia and Lynette offered an open invitation for anyone who had concerns to contact the Foundation for advice.

Over the next few weeks, several fund-raising events will be taking place. These also promise to provide great entertainment, and you can find out more about them. In Essence is a dance production to be held at Kew High School on 9th & 10th (2 performances that day) October.< www.flaredancecompany.com> For details.

Audrey Jeanes' Travelling Slideshow is part of the Melbourne Arts Festival and will be at the Forum Theatre, Melbourne on Sunday 18th October.
<www.melbournefestival.com.au> It sounds delightful!

Show Compassion, a charity concert will be held on 22nd October at Trak Showroom, 8 Jackson Street, Toorak. For information phone Kerry on 0419 395 515 or email <starmotionent@hotmail.com>

For general help, advice or to arrange a visit to Alzheimer's Australia, phone Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 or <www.alzheimers.org.au>

Finally, their Christmas card catalogue will be available mid-October. I bought all my cards from this catalogue last year - really attractive, well priced and for such a good cause!

My last guest for the day was Fr. Peter Kennedy, the so-called "rebel priest" from St Mary's Church, Brisbane. You may recall that because of his supposedly "radical" approach to preaching, he was asked to leave his Parish Church and is now conducting services at the local Trade Halls Council offices. His "crime" in the eyes of the Church was to bless same sex unions, baptise babies from parents out of wedlock, have a statue of Buddha on the Church promises and similar lapses from grace. He is now banned from acting as a priest anywhere in the world, but he assured us that he still conducts marriage services, offers the Eucharist, and generally performs the duties of a Parish priest.

John Weeks, who has an interest in comparative religions, joined the conversation and asked the "hard hitting" questions, while I concentrated on more frivolous issues such as his affection for the TV series "Father Ted". He told us he is currently writing a book and has asked our own "rebel priest", Fr Bob Maguire, to launch it in Melbourne!

I am not a church-goer, but I think I might be tempted to attend the services offered by this very charming and quite courageous man!

FILM PREVIEW : WHATEVER WORKS!

Now I am sure more earnest reviewers than I will find cause to criticise this film, but I loved it! Quintessential Woody Allen - quirky, funny, a bit outrageous, often improbable but thoroughly enjoyable. It is the story of Boris (Larry David), an ageing misanthropist with a jaundiced view of life in general - a failed suicide, a self-proclaimed genius and wary in the extreme of the concept of love! However, he meets a charmingly naïve waif from the Deep South, a role Meg Ryan would have played a few years ago, and who, despite some over-posturing, is very appealing. This 'damsel in distress', Melodie, (Evan Rachel Ward) manages to creep under Boris's guard and, despite his desire to shun the world in general and women in particular, he finds he needs her in his life...permanently!

Inevitably, complications arrive in the form of her mother (Patricia Clarkson), attractive young men, the usual angst we expect in Woody Allen films and a father (Ed Begley, Jr.) who looks a lot like Billy Graham!

There are wonderful street scenes of New York, all the cliched landmarks, and the gradual move towards a totally improbable but satisfyingly happy ending. It really is about all kinds of love and the philosophy of "Whatever Works" - go for it! I really enjoyed it - and there were a lot of laughs from other reviewers at the preview!

If you happened to notice the heading to this column, you'll see my reference to the Italian translation of The Good life! This is because, as I passed through Melbourne Square after the film preview on my way to the station, I noticed a little bar/cafe called La Vita Buona, which translates as The Good Life! How could I resist! I enjoyed a glass of wine and an excellent antipasto platter. I warmly recommend it as a very pleasant spot to enjoy, however briefly, The Good Life! <Www.lavitabuona.com.au>

Next week's program offers the usual variety. I hope to speak with authors, with Richard Cornish of Age Epicure and Regional Director of next year's Food & Wine Festival and also with Mark Sheehan, who actually attended - and survived - Woodstock! In the meantime, you can contact me on <provenc@bluedandenongs.com.au> Love to hear from you, I do feel quite isolated sometimes when nobody, except the wonderful Louise, lets me know they are listening!

You might regard this as a threat or a promise, but I picked up a CD of tenor Peter Brocklehurst performing a number of the great operatic arias! It features quite a few of my own favourites. 'Your Tiny Hand is Frozen' (from la Boheme) is the classical equivalent of my passion for Georgia On My Mind,so you will certainly hear this next Monday.Despite, or maybe because of this, I do hope you'll be listening to share The Good Life on 3MDR next Monday between 3 - 5 p.m.

And of course there wouldn't be a program without my good friend John Weeks' very generous input! Do check out John's website to read about his wonderful photography, the film with which he has been involved (The Julian Paradox) and all the other interesting activities that fill his 'good life'!

Hope you'll be listening next week!

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 14 SEPTEMBER 2009

Hello All. Well, not strictly true that there was no "good life".. there was no program but I WAS having a nice time in Mildura and my "minder" managed to fit in a quick trip for me to Trentham Estate, with a glass of wine and a cheese platter before my plane left at 5 p.m.

As I explained, I was invited to be one of the five judges involved in assessing the final 5 teams selected after exhaustive rounds involving 250 students from the Murray Regional High Schools on both sides of the border. The final "cook-off" consisted of 5 teams of 2 students in each, who were set the task of cooking a 3-course menu, with VERY strict criteria, within a specified time.

It was very demanding and the air in the kitchen was electric with tension as the deadlines approached for each course - especially with 5 judges peering over their shoulders! Over the past 2 years I have worked with students at Finley High School to assist in their preparation and also last year to be a judge in the selection of their finalists. It was SO hard to be at the finals this year and to see the Finley students burning the butter in their pan and not being able to say anything! Fortunately,the winning team from McKillop College, Swan Hill, was so far ahead of all the others that it was obvious from the start that they would win the competition. Judges do not confer and independent scrutineers calculate the total votes so we don't know how the other teams fared!

I had a lovely time and enjoyed country hospitality and some very good wines from Trentham Estate.

My "minder", a lovely man named Derek Bowman who is Regional Director of MABOC, looked after me very well and judges and teachers accompanying the students stayed at the "hospitality training motel" at Mildura TAFE in comparative luxury. After great pizzas at Stefano's pizza restaurant, we lolled around at our "motel" on Sunday evening, chatting and enjoying our merlot!

I encountered my only problem on Monday evening when I tried to leave the airport at Tullamarine with a lovely gift the competition organisers had given me! It eventuated in my being escorted from the terminal by a security guard!!! I'll tell you about it on air next week.....

However, I am getting organised now for NEXT week's program and we have our usual mixture of authors and "others". Over the past few weeks I have discovered a terrific Australian crime writer. Her name is Kathryn Fox and her books are a trifle gruesome but very well written and the suspense is sustained to the end. I hope we will have her as a guest next Monday. (NO romantic dalliances to get in the way of the story in Kathyrn's books!)

Our other author for the day has written a very different book but gardeners will find it invaluable. In a large book entitled Harvest, author and gardener Meredith Kirton covers almost every aspect of gardening that a beginner or more experienced gardener needs to achieve their own splendid harvest. Lavishly illustrated, and with stacks of useful tips, this is probably the only gardening book you'll ever need!

I am also hoping to speak with Brisbane priest, Fr. Peter Kennedy, who has been a guest on The Good Life previously. At that time he was in the process of being hustled away from his "own" church and I look forward to hearing how he is faring in his new location. I'll also see if he knows about the current drama with South Melbourne's Father Bob!

Our other guest will be Lynette Moore, Executive Director of Alzheimers Foundation. Monday is Alzheimers Day and she will tell us about some of the activities planned during the week to raise awareness of the prevalence of this insidious condition.

An upcoming event which really appeals to me is a free screening of that fabulous movie Casablanca, one of the great classics of the cinema. It will be shown outdoors at Olinda Golf Course at 9 p.m. on Saturday 3rd October. BYO chair, rugs, cushions and warm coat! If you want to be a little more self-indulgent, you can enjoy a buffet dinner before the screening. Cost is $30 for dinner and movie and bookings are essential. Phone 9751 1399. (I've booked!)

There are just too many great events happening during the Inspiring in Spring Dandenongs Festival to list them all, so I suggest you call DRT on 1800 645 505 or check out www.inspiringinspring.com.au for more information.

Another event we have been asked to promote is an interesting evening organised by Lakhanda Media Centre Elderly Group as a Breast Cancer Foundation fund raiser. Hoppers are a Sri Lankan delicacy and you can enjoy a feast of them, prepared by a Sri Lankan chef, on Saturday 26th September. The event will be held at Jan Wilson Community Centre, Halton Road, Noble Park (Melway 80K 10) from 7 p.m. - midnight. All you can eat for $15 and the proceeds are for an excellent cause! (And you can listen to Lakhanda every Sunday between 10 a.m. - noon on mDR!
97.1!)

I will have a recipe for hoppers to share with you in next week's column, and I suggest that if you do cook them, it would be a great gesture to send a donation to the Breast Cancer Foundation appeal!

Monday week I hope to have Richard Cornish as my guest and, among other things, we will be discussing "significant cookbooks". I have a couple of contributions from listeners but I'd old love to have more... please tell me which three cookbooks have played an important role in your culinary education. You can email to <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>

I hope you'll be listening between 3 - 5 p.m. next Monday to share The Good Life!

Best regards, Ann Creber

THE GOOD LIFE - 7 SEPTEMBER 2009

Hello all. I'm getting in early this week as I have a busy schedule ahead! As I mentioned yesterday, The Good Life won't be on air next week as I am off to Mildura to be a judge at the 2009 Murray River Culinary Challenge Grand Final. I don't enjoy flying in very small aircraft, but unfortunately I don't have the time to drive there..... up on Sunday afternoon, back on Sunday night!

I also wanted to remind you in time of the busy weekend ahead in both the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges and I hope you'll be able to share in some of the many and varied activities on offer. More information about these at the end of this column.

We started Monday's program by chatting with Catherine Deveny, who describes herself as "serial pest "! She is certainly in demand, and pops up in more places than Eddie McGuire. One of her upcoming appearances/performances will be at the Opera House (!) when she will share the stage with oddly assorted guests including Archbishop George Pell and Matt Preston!! A truly mind-boggling gathering....

She is currently sharing the stage at The Butterfly Club with fellow comedian Daniel Burt in a show called An Evening of Insight and Filth! They perform from Thursday to Saturday evening and you can book or get more details on www.butterflyclub.com Those readers of Catherine's weekly column in The Age will know she has very strong opinions, which she doesn't hesitate to express and of course this makes her a wonderful guest! The book featuring some of her weekly columns will be released in November, so we look forward to speaking with her again.

Another guest with an interesting background was Sally Browne, fashion designer and one of the Baby Boomers featured in Sue Trethowan-Jones' book Gems of a Generation. (Listeners may remember we spoke with Sue a few weeks ago.) After a happy, somewhat bohemian childhood, Sally became the washboard player in the family's Red Onions Jazz Band and in due course married the drummer, Alan Browne. A difficult and erratic married life followed, during which Sally secured her place in the fashion world, despite the domestic and financial dramas that ensued throughout. Her story is told quite movingly in the book and she spoke frankly to us about the hard times before she eventually found the inner tranquillity she enjoys now. She spoke happily of the great relationship she and former husband, Alan, share now as they push the grandchildren in their strollers!

Her "trade mark" is her red high-heels shoes and she is, in fact, patron of the Sisters in Crime annual Scarlet Stiletto Award. This literary award will be made next month and I look forward to meeting Sally in person at the dinner. She was a charming guest and I hope listeners enjoyed "meeting" her as much as I did.

Our next guest, Ed Halmagyi, is better known to TV viewers as chef Fast Ed. Ed has written a cookbook which should prove popular with all cooks who yearn to create delicious and different food in the shortest possible time. Ed swears the preparation of these recipes has been timed by non-professional cooks and that they really are achievable! Ed is also involved with the Mushrooms Growers Association and I was disappointed not to be able to share in an event last week where he demonstrated fast cooking with mushrooms.

The structure of the recipe pages is interesting in that he lists all equipment needed for the dish, then the ingredients, and then gives a countdown of ten steps to achieve the time goal! He adds little tag notes to explain any unusual ingredients or to offer helpful tips.

This is a really good book, practical, but with some unusual recipes and it would be a great gift for any aspiring cook.

DINNER IN 10 by Ed Halmagyi

Judith Lanigan is author of an extraordinary book titled A True History of The Hula Hoop - which I have to say, I think is an unfortunate choice! Except for a handful of dedicated enthusiasts (!), I doubt too many people would rush to buy the book - and that's a pity, because it is a terrific read! Judith has been a circus, cabaret, burlesque performer for 20 years and,not surprisingly, her specialty acts have involved the use of multiple (up to 30!) hula hoops! She has performed in 8 different countries and in 3 different languages, and I suspect that a great many tales that are woven into her book are from her own experiences. Her speciality act is The Dying Swan, derived from classical ballet.

Judith's book recounts the stories of two women circus performers, one in 16th century France and the other in contemporary society. Despite the time difference, there are numerous intersecting episodes linking the two and this adds a really interesting dimension to the book. The 16th century period has been thoroughly researched and offers a fascinating glimpse of the era, including prevailing religious prejudices. The tale involves a dwarf hidden in a box, a kidnapping, a royal wedding and a thwarted romance..... We also learn a great deal about life behind the footlights and under the big top!

The "true history" of the hula hoop IS the thread that links each chapter and it is both entertaining and informative. PLEASE don't be deterred by the title of this book... it is a really enjoyable read and I recommend it!

A TRUE HISTORY OF THE HULA HOOP By Judith Lanigan.

The Melba Festival offers too many activities to list here but you can find out all you need to know by contacting www.melbafestival.com.au

There are all kinds of musical and culinary events happening throughout the Valley and Dandenong Ranges with a great range of prices. There are also some terrific free events on offer! Unfortunately, apart from the launch at Domaine Chandon on Friday evening, I won't be able to participate in any of them because of my Mildura trip!

MELBA FESTIVAL 11th -13th September.

However, as the Dandenongs' Garden Festival extends over several weeks, there will be plenty of opportunities to enjoy all kinds of great events. It will be launched on Thursday evening at SkyHigh, Mt Dandenong and the cost is $20. For a full program of all the gardens that will be open and all the events that you can share, check out www.inspiringinspring.com.au

A special note for Jane Austen enthusiasts! Eastern Regional Libraries will be presenting a Jane Austen "event " at Rose Cottage, Monbulk.

THE DANDENONGS GARDEN FESTIVAL commencing September 11th through October.

No program next week, but a couple of guests so far confirmed for October 21st - Father Peter Kennedy, "rebel" Brisbane priest and Kathryn Fox, Australian author of Blood Born, one of the most gripping crime novels I have read this year! Also hoping to speak with Meredith Kirton, who has written a totally comprehensive gardening book simply called HARVEST!

And PLEASE do send me your list of the three favourite cookbooks that have influenced YOUR cooking! Fast Ed told us that HIS most influential book was one written by Gretta Anne Teplitzky, who conducted a cooking school in Sydney back in the 1970! <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>

In fact, love to hear from you about anything!!!!!

As ever, thanks to John Weeks...

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 31 AUGUST 2009

THE GOOD LIFE ON 3MDR:

Hello All. This week hasn't started too brilliantly as I managed to tip a glass of wine into my computer key board on Monday night (!) and had to have it replaced yesterday! It takes me a while to get home from the radio station and then I have dinner to prepare. While it cooks, I usually bring my glass of wine upstairs to check emails and alas, I caught the glass in the Mouse cord and disaster followed.....a salutary lesson!

This week's program offered variety, although all my guests were authors. All they had in common was that two of the books were written for young readers and even those were very different.

In fact, I think Jackie French's historically based books are a most informative read for any age group. Although I have always been interested in the Eureka Stockade story, I discovered so much more information from Jackie's latest book... as I usually do when I read one of her tales. She meticulously researches her background and then presents it in a format accessible to all ages.

As usual, we had a long conversation, during which Jackie indicated that she had had a difficult childhood herself and she has projected this element into the book. The narrator in the story is Sam, a modern day girl from an abusive home who finds herself transported back through time to the days of life on the Ballarat goldfields. She is befriended by an elderly couple who own a café and it is through her eyes we see the events of the Eureka drama unfold. At the end of the story, there is a clear message addressed to any young people experiencing home problems, and encouragement for them to speak out and seek help.

THE NIGHT THEY STORMED EUREKA by Jackie French.

CRACKPOT also deals with a young girl whose home life is complicated, although not really unhappy. She is the daughter of an eccentric mother (who collects cracked teapots and displays them on the roof of their house), has a young brother who is convinced he is a vampire and a beloved but frequently absent father who travels with a circus! "Heroine" Phoebe is finding it difficult to settle into a new school in an impoverished and depressed town called Beachcliff and she is intensely embarrassed when her mother decides to stage a comedy performance to raise some money and to cheer up the town! Phoebe is reluctantly conscripted to become involved as her assistant and we share her dread of her mother being humiliated and of herself being ostracised because of it. Many of the problems of adolescence are gently explored and many of us will with empathise with Phoebe.

Author Fiona Trembath has led a somewhat colourful life herself and is mother and stepmother to nine children, five of whom still live at home! She is promising further books in the series and suggests they are suitable for 9 - 13 year olds.

CRACKPOT by Fiona Trembath.

IN VOGUE AUSTRALIA recounts 50 years of the history of this glossy international magazine. I had the pleasure of sharing with co-author Lee Tulloch the first interview she had given about this book, and it was, in fact, the day before it was released! Since its Australian launch in 1959, it has been the fashion and social "bible" for generations of women, as well as the display case for established and up and coming fashion photographers. It is a lovely book and, as one would expect of course, very stylish! There are early photos not only of the models and fashions of their day (including a gorgeous young Maggie Tabberer), but it also offers glimpses of Australia as it was then. Many of the early photographs have Melbourne backgrounds because top fashion photographer of that era, Helmut Newton, lived here. It is really interesting to see how fashion, concepts of beauty and photography have changed through the decades. I really enjoyed speaking with Lee and I love the book! Social historians, fashionistas and photographers will all find something to delight them.

IN VOGUE AUSTRALIA - 50 YEARS OF AUSTRALIAN STYLE Edited by Kirstie Clements and Lee Tulloch.

Dark Country is Bronwyn Parry's second romantic crime novel and is loosely linked, by the same town setting, to her first highly acclaimed book Into The Darkness. Now I must admit I like my crime to be hard-edged and undiluted by romance, but Bronwyn's literary genre is hugely popular and she has won several local and international awards. She is currently working on her PhD.related to internet "clubs" dedicated to discussion of this kind of fiction. She tells a great story and writes extremely well... I just found myself wishing the wretched heavy breathing, yearning looks and pulsating accidental touching of fingertips didn't keep interrupting the story line!! I did confess this to Bronwyn. Despite that, I did enjoy our conversation and I know there is an audience out there who will love this book. It is one of a loosely linked trilogy, all set in the fictional outback town of Dingarra and in which several of the same characters appear.

DARK COUNTRY by Bronwyn Parry.

Last week my Year 10 students at Pembroke College cooked and hosted a lunch for parents, local VIPs and others who had assisted in the Earth to Table project. They were fantastic and I was so pleased with their success.. even their impromptu speeches (made under duress and with a lot of pushing forwards and stepping backwards!) were impressive. I am sad not to be working with them next term as they prepare for their move up to the 'Big School" at Mooroolbark.

So many local events coming up that it is hard to keep up with them all! The Melba Festival takes place 11th-12th-13th September with a host of musical and culinary events all around the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. There are far too many to list, but check out details on www.melbafestival.com.au

The inaugural Dandenongs Garden Festival will also take place over the same weekend and many public and "hidden" gardens will be open over these two days. There will be events taking place in some of these gardens and you can find out more by checking www.inspiringinspring.com.au or Phone 1800 645 505.

Next week I hope to be speaking with the controversial Catherine Deveny, who pops up on 774 radio, at comedy venues, in The Age and .. well, all over the place! I love having Catherine as a guest. I also look forward to speaking with Sally Browne, fashion designer and, as Sally Iggulden, a former member of the wonderful Red Onions Jazz Band! She is one of the women featured in Sue Trethown-Jones' book Gems of a Generation and has a really interesting story to tell.

I also expect to speak with "Fast Ed", TV celebrity chef and author of a new cookbook called Dinner in 10! Yes, that IS 10 minutes ... I can see why he has earned his name!

The True History of The Hula Hoop is a most unusual story, written by Judith Lanigan, who will be my guest. She tells parallel stories set in 16th century Italy and in contemporary Australia, linked by the common thread of the two young women in each era who are circus performers working with hoops! Judith has been a circus performer herself, so can tell us about both the life-style and the skills involved. ( My young daughter was a whizz with a hoop in her school days but I could never master the wretched thing!)

Please don't forget that I'd love to hear from you as to your "significant" cookbooks! Richard Cornish and I will be chatting about this in a couple of weeks and I have already had some suggestions from listeners, so please send your's! <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>

John Weeks' film, The Julian Paradox, of which he was co-producer, was launched at The Astor last Monday. I was disappointed that because of David's health, I was not able to go... but look forward to hearing about it on Monday! Thanks as ever for all your help with the program, John!

Best regards, Ann
The Good Life on 3MDR

THE GOOD LIFE - 24 AUGUST 2009

HELLO GOOD LIFERS. I'm getting my column out early this week as I have a few busy days ahead! Lots to pass on about last week as well....

I had a great night at the Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards and was delighted that my two top "crime" choices - in the crime fiction A Beautiful Place to Die by Mala Nunn and The Tall Man by Chloe Hooper in non-fiction crime - each won the award in their category! It was a great pleasure to meet so many interesting women, including Judge Betty King, who was responsible for the banning of the showing of Underbelly in Victoria.

We had actually interviewed a number of the authors who were among the finalists and I also caught up with Jane Clifton, who has been a guest on The Good Life on several occasions.

Saturday night I was invited to see Thriller, a performance staged by Pembroke College My Evelyn Campus students. It was obvious that a great deal of hard work had gone into the production... not only by the young performers but by everyone involved. The appropriate atmosphere was created by a "smokey" room, with red cloth-covered tables and dim lighting provided by candles. Guests were seated at tables of eight and finger food was served as we were seated.

We all gasped as the curtains suddenly opened and the first of sixteen cabaret style performances was dramatically presented on stage. Each act was based on a "thriller" film, TV program or musical and we enjoyed solo, group and "mass" performances, all very professionally presented and with great make-up and costumes. The show was on for two nights and I was really impressed with the work involved and the high standard achieved. Students also handled the sound and lighting at a very professional level. Principal Tom O'Meara stood at the back of the room wearing a beaming smile - and I'm sure we all shared his pride in the success of Thriller!

Sunday afternoon brought a red carpet film preview of Young Victoria at the Rivoli Cinema. (With weak Pimms No.1 cup on arrival!) Now I have to confess that I am not a great fan of costume films (I don't mind a bit of Jane Austen!) but this is sumptuous, extravagant, lavish and for those who do enjoy such settings it will be a treat. The soft furnishings and the costumes are lush and antique Collectors wil salivate at the sight of some of the furniture. The story? Well, it is a familiar one.. the high spirited strong willed young princess, the somewhat effete but likeable Prince Albert, the courtship, their initial conflict when, as her husband, he wants to participate in her decision making. It does provide some interesting historical background and a glimpse of the political manipulations behind the scene. Of course, parallels could be drawn between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip and, no doubt, with Charles as well.

If you enjoy films about the "royals" and the demands made on them as "servants of the people", despite their seemingly glamorous lives, you will probably enjoy the film, which opens later this week.

I was expecting to speak by phone with Matthew Field, Director of the forthcoming Melba Festival and was pleasantly surprised when Matthew arrived in person at the studio. His own career is an interesting one with a strong background in music. He is currently working on a CD featuring his own skills on the piano with those of a violinist and he has promised us a copy to play on The Good Life.

As well as this project and his work on the Festival, he is also completing a PhD in the study of traditional and contemporary church music!

The Melba Festival will happen over three very full days between 11th - 13th September and there is a multitude of musical events happening right throughout the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs. Prices range from free entry to $140 and most of these events include food in the entry fee. There are too many to list here (although I must admit I am attracted to one particular event at the Dominique Portet Winery) so I suggest you check out the website www.melbafestival.com.au

I have been really looking forward to speaking with former diplomat and ambassador Richard Broinowski, who has written a terrific book called DRIVEN! An AUTObiography. I asked for the book initially because I was intrigued that we had driven so many similar cars over the years, but there is so much more to it than that. It is a fascinating read and I learned so much of the background to international affairs that had made the headlines over the years. Richard has a great sense of humour and we share many funny behind-the-scenes episodes... and the cars he has driven at different stages of his life provide a unifying thread throughout the book.

He has a great affection for Korea, which he still visits annually in his role as Adjunct Professor in Media and Communications Studies at Sydney University. He has initiated a program where his young Australian graduates can work on various Asian magazines and newspapers and he is proud that 66 graduates have already been placed. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend and I also enjoyed chatting with Richard.

DRIVEN by Richard Broinowski
.................

Most books dealing with rearing well adjusted children are written by psychologists, but my guest Elizabeth Gould had taken a very different approach. Author of a previous book about survivors of cancer (including herself) Elizabeth has written one about happy children. With the assistance of their teachers, she chose eight children from very different backgrounds, ranging in age between 9 and 13. She then spent time chatting informally with them to assess their attitudes toward what we usually see as significant issues in the lives of children and adolescents i.e. Family relationships, body image, friendships, hobbies, bullying, teachers etc. The results were really interesting and it is refreshing to see how mature and well-adjusted these kids seem to be. This does contradict the gloomy reports we constantly hear and read about "the younger generation". It provides thought-provoking reading and offers a different perspective.

HAPPY CHILDREN by ELIZABETH GOULD
...................

I have been interested in the Burke & Wills drama since reading Coopers' Creek years ago and, as we are approaching the 150th anniversary of this tragically mismanaged exploration, public interest is increasing. We spoke yesterday to Dave Phoenix, President of the Burke & Wills Society and resident of northern Queensland. Dave is currently working on his PhD thesis based on Australia's early explorers and as part of this, travelled on foot along the exact route traversed by the B & W party!!! It took him 5 months and as well as material for a thesis, will no doubt provide a book in due course!

An Englishman by birth, Dave become involved in the B & W story when he lived in the Coopers' Creek region in the 1990s and explored it avidly, a copy of original records in his hand. We spoke of an Environmental Expedition being organised for next year. This will follow the original route and investigate the differences and similarities in the botanical specimens from both eras. Apparently there are seeds from the original exploration still stored in Melbourne! For more information about the Society and the proposed expedition check out the website.
Www.burkeandwillssociety.com.au

I have just heard some great news! Listeners may remember my original conversation with Cheryl Koenig, author of Paper Cranes, a book telling the story of her battle to help restore health to her young son after a terrible car accident. Jonathan is in his 20s now and living a full and happy life. Cheryl and I have kept in touch and we spoke again earlier this year when she was honoured as NSW Woman of the Year and it was a great shock to hear soon afterwards that she had been diagnosed with life-threatening cancer. She has been undergoing chemotherapy and having a very difficult time.

HOWEVER, I was thrilled to receive an email this morning with the wonderful news that almost by "a miracle" - her words! - the massive growth in her lung and the surrounding lymph nodes had virtually disappeared! She has a couple more treatment sessions and then hopefully can get back to living her normal life!

Next week? Well, hopefully Lee Tulloch will be speaking about the gorgeous glossy book celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Vogue magazine, and we will also chat with Australian author Bronwyn Parry about her new crime/romance novel The Dark Country ( I must admit I can do without the romantic element in my crime novels, but I know a lot of readers love the combination). I'll also have as a guest Fiona Trembath, who has written a book titled Crackpot, for teenage readers. An interesting woman, I look forward to chatting with her about her own life. I am juggling between two other guests - one of whom may be Jackie French!

I should tell you that there will not be a program on September 14th as I've been invited to be a judge at Regional High Schools Cook-Off at Mildura that day and John Weeks also has other commitments.

Don't forget I'd love to hear from you about your favourite cookbooks... a topic Richard Cornish and I will discuss on 28th September!

As usual, thank to John Weeks for all his help with the program!

Best regards, Ann

THE GOOD LIFE - 17 AUGUST 2009

HELLO GOOD LIFERS... I must apologise to other pedants (like myself!) for a bad spelling error in last week's column! I referred to something that had "alluded" us that day - but of course I meant "eluded"! (Don't you hate it when you remember something like that at 3 a.m.the next day!) Surprised somebody didn't contact me with a correction......

Well, now that's cleared my conscience I can get on with our usual weekly chat. I guess all three guests this week did have something in common in that they were authors with a personal story to tell. Both Krissy Kneen and Iola Matthews had written very open memoirs, while David L. Mearns' book graphically described with words, photos and illustrations the story of his search and discovery of HMAS Sydney.

I really enjoyed Iola's book My Mother, My Writing and Me, a very moving and honest account of her life as a daughter, wife, mother, sister and also lover. She shares details of a happy childhood with a stern but loving father and a vivacious, warm and happy mother and later we follow her to Paris - and a love affair that lasted over many years. The early years of her marriage to former politician to Race Matthews were demanding, as she also acquired three stepchildren, still grieving for their dead mother, then had two children of her own in quick succession. With all this to cope with, and a husband who spent a great deal of time in Canberra, life must have been so difficult.

A journalist by profession, she found she was experiencing "writers' block" when she tried to write her memoirs. We share her difficult times, her doubts, her family experiences and, as I told her, after all that I thought I would really like to have this woman as a friend! A writers' workshop liberated her and gave her the freedom to write as she felt and this was a huge breakthrough for Iola. We have many hints of the love affair in Paris, but still have to wait for the book that tells all! However, we do experience the difficulties and delights of an unexpected grandson and also share her emotional roller coaster ride as her beloved mother succumbs to the tragedy of a life lived too long.

Iola found great comfort in setting up a writers' workshop at Glenfern, a National Trust House in St. Kilda. She spends a lot of time there with "a room of one's own" in which to write and divides her time between these activities and her family. (I want her to get on and write that book about the Paris interlude!)

MY MOTHER, MY WRITING AND ME BY IOLA MATTHEWS

Another guest I had been looking forward to speaking with was David Mearns, leader of the expedition which finally located the wreck of HMAS Sydney and author of a book recounting its story. It is lavishly illustrated with photos of HMAS Sydney, her crew, documents, artifacts retrieved from the wreck and beautiful shots of sea-growth encrusted parts of the ship. It is an enthralling story and it was disappointing that our conversation was somewhat handicapped by poor David having difficulty with a persistent cough!

It is a great book and covers an important episode in Australia's emotional history as well as our wartime experiences.

HMAS SYDNEY by David L. Mearns

I approached the interview with our third guest with some trepidation! Krissy Kneen is a self-described sex addict and in her book she describes in great detail her life and her sexual experiences as a young woman. She had a bizarre childhood, which obviously left emotional scars and created many of her problems. However, the extraordinary aspect of her life is that she has enjoyed a happy, heterosexual and monogamous marriage for the past 18 years! A shadowy figure in the book, Krissy told us that her husband is a successful film-maker and is understanding of the "crushes" she still develops from time to time.

Despite my apprehension, I found Krissy easy to chat with, open and honest and convinced that she has come to terms with her "problem' and can live with it. I found it quite a sad book, in no way erotic or titillating, but recommended only for the broad-minded!

AFFECTION by Krissy Kneen

..................................

I had the pleasure this week of sharing the launch of Pete Evans' book My Grill at his Brighton Restaurant Pantry. It was packed, mostly with the smart local set who are regulars diners there. (Didn't see anyone from the media!) The food, all cooked from recipes in the book, was delicious and Pete gave a "race against time" cooking demonstration, which was very funny.

Tonight I am off to the Sisters In Crime dinner where the annual Davitt Awards for both fact and fictional crime stories written by women will be presented. It is particularly interesting because we have had so many of these women as guests on the program. I am really looking forward to meeting Chloe Hooper (The Tall Man) and Malla Nunn (A Beautiful Place to Die) - both authors are listed as finalists. More about that on Monday!

Sunday afternoon there is a red carpet preview of the soon-to-be-released historical film, The Young Victoria, which I hope to attend. I'll tell you about that, too!

Tomorrow night is a cabaret performance of Pembroke College students. Several of my year 10 students are participating, so I have been invited to sit at the headmaster's table! (I'll have to behave well!) A full weekend, so no time to start getting my garden ready for Spring vegetables.

Next week's program has two authors as guests (one has just postponed!) and we will also hear details of the upcoming Melba Festival and about the celebrations planned by the Burke & Wills Society to honour the 150th anniversary of the ill-fated expedition.

I am looking forward to chatting with Richard Broinowski, former diplomat and mad car enthusiast! Reading his book, I have been amazed by the number of similar cars we have owned! Of course, there is a great deal more information about his experiences than those with his cars, so it promises to be an interesting chat.

I'll also speak with Elizabeth Gould, who has written a very helpful little book about rearing happy children!

And I'm just giving you a little advance notice that food writer Richard Cornish and I will be chatting in a few weeks about favourite cookbooks and how they have influenced us. Richard has compiled a list of books that have influenced "foodies" and I was pleased to see that two of the three I listed for him featured in his Epicure article this week! NOW, I would love you to contact me with YOUR choice of three cookbooks. You can email them to me or phone through to the program Mondays between 3 - 5 p.m. (5968 2727). I won't mention your name if you prefer that, but just compile a list of favourites! <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>

Hope you'll be listening Monday! ( And if our John isn't there, there won't be a program! Thanks, John.)

Ann (The Good Life)

THE GOOD LIFE - 10 AUGUST 2009

Hello Good Lifers. I think I might change the program to The Busy Life - always so much to be done! This week is Farmers' Market for us so as well as all the usual jobs, there are pickles and chutneys to be made, bottled and labelled!

The ever reliable Louise responded to our call for help on the program and provided the information that had alluded us ....Carole King was married to songwriter Gerry Goffin! Louise was writing from a hospital bed so her diligence is much appreciated! Thanks, Louise!

I also recklessly agreed to do a fortnightly book review segment on ABC 774's Overnights program. It will go to air about 3.30 a.m. but I am able to prerecord and, in fact, am awaiting their call now. It will be broadcast from their Sydney studios.

I was relieved this week to find that author James Castrission was actually waiting for my phone call. We chatted about the motivation for an expedition such as the one he writes about in Crossing The Ditch. James and friend Justin Jones paddled a kayak (a very stylish kayak!) from Australia to New Zealand and experienced all kinds of hazards and discomfort before achieving their goal of being the first to do this. I must admit I am still puzzled as to the "WHY?" of such a risky and uncomfortable project!

CROSSING THE DITCH by James CASTRISSION

We also chatted with Ross Farnell from Burrinja, who told us about the forthcoming performance of Debutante Diaries, Saturday 15th August. This one-woman show has been performed by Kate McLennan in many venues, including an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival, which earned excellent reviews. There is only one performance and bookings can be made on 9754 8723 or check out www.burrinja.org.au

We also spoke with one of my favourite guest chefs, Pete Evans. Pete owns several restaurants, including The Pantry in Brighton and is always very pleasant and easy to chat with. His third book, My Grill, offers a wide range of recipes suitable for all kinds of barbecues. He admits he stretches it a bit with the use of a camp oven but we agreed that anything cooked over an open fire could qualify! There is an unusually wide selection of seafood recipes, which many BBQ books lack and I think many home cooks lack the confidence to use fish in this way.

It is a really practical book, divided into chapters appropriate for different occasions and the recipes are well set out and easy to follow.

Pete has kindly allowed me to include one of his recipes on this page, and I look forward to attending the launch of his book next week at The Pantry, his Brighton based restaurant.

MY GRILL by PETE EVANS (Scroll down for the recipe)

Our "annual" guest, James Halliday, was as generous as ever with his time and information! This is the third year James has had an interview after the publication of his annual wine companion and this year he has covered more than 5800 different wines!!! Unlike some wine reference books, his is very easy to follow and to interpret and the price range of wines tasted and assessed ranges from about $7 to almost $700! (He claims that of all the wines tasted, he actually only SWALLOWED two! Of course one was a Grange Hermitage!)

He lists the top 10 wines across a wide variety of styles, comments in some detail on every wine and vineyard listed and, in fact, has produced - again! - probably the only wine guide you will need for another year.

Among other wine related topics, he spoke at some length about the advantage of the metal screw top being used now in preference to cork and, in fact, was the usual generous and informative guest we welcome each year.

You can check for more information on his website

JAMES HALLIDAY AUSTRALIAN WINE COMPANION www.wine companion.com.au

..........

We had the pleasure of playing the newly released single by EVEN, kindly sent to me by Chris Hext. It is called Back to Life and has a great sound, with lyrics that can be understood (!) and it is recommended!

............

There are so many interesting events happening in the near future...both locally and in and around Melbourne and I'll try and update you on these as they happen. The Melba Festival (celebrating of course the great Dame Nellie Melba, a "local girl",) offers an amazing array of musical activities this year and I hope to be speaking with Matthew Field, Director of the Festival, on Monday and to be able to give you more details about these events. In fact you can already check out information on <www.melbafestival.com.au

...........

I had an email from Catherine Deveny (a guest in a couple of weeks) to pass on details of the comedy show in which she is performing at The Butterfly Club. (Hear great things about it as a venue!) She and comedian Daniel Burt perform in An Evening of Insight and Filth, described as 'more comedy than musical' and, I suspect, R Rated! Details on <www.thebutterflyclub.com>

An Evening of Insight and Filth From 6th - 16th August.
........

Also had an email during the week from Alexander Nettelbeck, one of three musicians performing in a night of jazz at fortyfivedownstairs, another great little venue. Alexander is a pianist and, together with Jonathan Zion on bass and Alon Ilsar on drums, will be presenting an improvisation of music ranging between swing, Latin, folk, funk and drum'n'bass/dance! All three are composers as well as musicians and have performed with some of Australia's best known artists. Should be terrific!

This is a ONE NIGHT STAND ON MONDAY 24th AUGUST - 7.30 p.m.
Bookings: fortyfivedownstairs.com or 9662 9966
45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

.........

Another event I've been asked to promote is a "Women's Creative Empowerment Weekend" happening at Burrinja over the weekend of Sat/Sun 28th - 29th August. Saturday's program will offer 'Breath and Sound' and 'Movement and Dance' which allows expression through voice and body.

Sunday's program will include 'Real Life Stories & Short Readings from three plays'. Also a session entitled 'Art in Craft and Craft in Art' and another on 'Improvisation', which includes music, chant and dance and drumming.. which seems to be very popular now and is said to be totally liberating!

A full weekend costs $33, 1 day only $22 per day and $11 for one session (Saturday only).

Burrinja, 351 Glenfern Road, Upwey. Bookings on 9754 8723 OR email: events@burrinja.org.au and BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL!
..........

Planning for the Dandenong Ranges Spring Festival is well under way and We'll give more details closer to the date! (I know there is to be a garden party at Mont de Lancey and a Jane Austin day at Millers' Homestead!)

I have already mentioned that I hope to have Matthew Field as a guest next Monday and I'm also looking forward to speaking with three authors on very different topics. Iola Matthews has written a really open and touching memoir entitled My Mother, My Writing and Me. It is written so honestly and so fondly and I both laughed and wiped tears from my eyes as I read it. Really looking forward to speaking with Iola!

Another fascinating book is Affection by Krissy Kneen, an autobiography in which she speaks very frankly about her almost lifelong addition to sex, despite a happy marriage of almost 20 years. Krissy is an extraordinary woman, who seems to have had little or no sense of self-worth and I found it quite a sad book, despite the humorous flashes sprinkled throughout. Not quite sure how I'll handle this interview (!) but I found it a most interesting read.

I LOVE a bit of a mystery and, like so many people, was intrigued by the sinking of HMAS Sydney and her apparent disappearance. It was so exciting - though tragic - when she was finally located and now that story has been told. Peter Mearn played a significant role in her discovery and has produced a magnificently illustrated book and story to tell the tale. Lindy Burn (774) and I are vying for Peter at the same time at present but I think the problem has been resolved and I am hoping to have him as our guest.

My first book review for ABC OVERNIGHTS was pre-recorded and should go to air at 3.30 a.m. Sunday morning on 774.

I attended a dinner at Parliament House on Wednesday night... had a nice time but experienced one of the the usual confusing events that seem to be part of my life! I'll tell all on Monday!

And of course there'll be music by the Moody Blues, possibly Van Morrison ...and who knows what else!

And none of this could happen without John Weeks, who does all the hard stuff.. I just talk!!!! Don't forget you can contact me on
<provence@bluedandenongs.com.au> and always happy to hear from you!

Hope you'll be listening. Ann Creber

Pete Evans is always very generous in his praise and thanks to family, friends, staff and other chefs and very honest about when he has pinched a Recipe from someone else - even when he has adapted it! He credits the origin of this recipe to the great Italian restaurant in Bright, Simone's, owned by Patrizia Simone and her family.

Be brave and use pine mushrooms, but if you must compromise use a well flavoured variety such as Portobello.

MUSHROOMS ON TOAST WITH RICOTTA Serves 4

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
125ml extra virgin olive oil
8 large pine mushrooms, thickly sliced
(or other variety)
100gr whole tinned mushrooms, crushed by hand
1 handful of Italian parsley
8 slices sourdough bread
4 tablespoons ricotta cheese

Preheat barbecue hotplate to medium-high. Fry up the garlic in a saucepan on a hotplate with the olive oil to soften, then add the mushrooms and cook until golden. Add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Slowly cook for 20 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly, then add the parsley. Lightly brush the bread with olive oil and lightly grill on BBQ grill until golden and marked on each side. Place the bread on a plate, spread with ricotta and serve with the mushrooms.

MY GRILL by Pete Evans

I reckon it could be good with some crumbled fetta! ACC

THE GOOD LIFE - 3 AUGUST 2009

Hello Good Lifers. Oh, it has been such busy week and I am tired! It has involved 6 a.m. starts each day and, apart from the fact that I hate early mornings, it means I lose so much of my reading time. (In bed, with a big cup of coffee!) Very important to keep up for my author interviews! I had two long days in a studio as we photographed the Devondale calendar, then taught Thursday and today. Still have all the props from the studio job to be put away again!

Last week's program was reduced to two guests as James Castrission was AWOL! His publicists worked hard to try and track him down, without any success. However, next morning there was an apology - he had forgotten the schedule and had gone to the Boat Show! I have been able to "slip" him in next Monday, so we'll wait hopefully....hate to waste all that homework.

I really did enjoy speaking with David Iggulden, co-author with his brother Conn, of another book in their "Dangerous" series. There are four Iggulden brothers and all but one have, at some time, collaborated on previous books. This new book features a dashing array of heroes (of both sexes), some of them very familiar names, others totally obscure. A tremendous amount of research has gone into writing this book and it provides fascinating reading! Unlikely heroes such as the pirate Henry Morgan are covered, as well as people like Sir Ernest Hillary and Florence Nightingale! Wonderful black and white illustrations are an added attraction in this book of 481 pages! I'm sure a lot of dads would love this for Father's Day!

David told us that he is about to start work on a book covering the Burke & Wills disaster and he was interested to hear of both Jackie French's and Kevin Rabelais' recent contributions on this topic. He phoned next day to ask details and also to invite me to the launch of the Burke & Wills project. Love to go, but unfortunately I am teaching that day.

THE DANGEROUS BOOK OF HEROES by David Iggulden

I also enjoying chatting with author Steve Cannane, who has written a great little book about the childhood of some of our Test stars....ranging from the great Victor Trumper to contemporary Test players. He expounds the theory that these cricketers achieved their success because of the tough conditions under which they played as kids. Sibling rivalry and serious brawls between brothers, as well as cobblestones, windows to be avoided, rough turf surfaces and limited equipment seem to have contributed to the skills of these sportsmen. One of my favourite horror stories is that of a 3-year Mike Hussey trying to bat back to his father a hail of stones!

As well as these interesting tales - and there is a strong sociological element to them - there are wonderful photos of many of these players shown as little boys. For the statistically minded, there are also pages of facts and figures about their achievements. I must admit I love cricket, but even for the less enthusiastic, this is a delightful book - and a great present for Father's Day.

FIRST TESTS by Steve Cannane

Our guest of the previous week, Graeme Watters, rang to say that his Nuggetty Creek Extra Virgin Olive Oil had won Silver and Bronze Medals in the recent Brisbane Show. We look forward to welcoming Nuggetty Creek as a 3MDR sponsor!

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting Walmsley Friendship Retirement Village for a performance of "reconstructed" Shakespeare. Four talented young actors from the Bell Shakespeare Company presented a compilation of scenes from Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer's Night Dream. It was certainly a pretty racey version - one they perform to secondary school students all around Australia - and I wondered how the mainly elderly female audience would respond. They LOVED it! I spoke to Charmaine, one of the actors, after the performance and also to several ladies, who were all most enthusiastic. It was great, and having seen the Bell performances over a number of years (a company I worked for was a sponsor), I can warmly recommend them.

Lots of various events and functions to attend over the next few weeks, but more about that later.

Monday I HOPE to have James Castrission as my first guest. (I postponed another interview with an author whose book I have not had time to read!) I am also looking forward to speaking again with lovely Pete Evans, chef and restaurant owner, who has written another cookbook. This is called My Grill and Pete shares his secrets with us. He was our guest a little earlier this year when we spoke to him about his first book, titled My Table.

Another guest, whose company we have enjoyed before, will be James Halliday. He has produced his "wine annual", this time reviewing over 5000 wines! It is always a pleasure to speak with this respected wine expert and, if you are serious about your wine choices, you'll love this book.

Of course, there are always too many other activities to list but check out Burrinja, Melbourne Immigration Museum, fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne Museum.... there is something for everybody!

As usual, thanks to John Weeks for all his support and his good company! And remember, you can contact me on <provence@bluedandenongs.com.au>
If you have a local "happening" planned, please let me know and we can pass
on details.

Best regards, Ann

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Weeks
Spectrum FM Radio - Australia
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