Best-selling author and American spiritual teacher, Marianne Williamson, is coming to Australia this June/ July to conduct special one-day workshops exploring the deep connection between our relationships and our spirituality. The #1 New York Times best-selling author has been a pioneer of the spiritual movement for more than thirty years, influencing millions of people around the world to lead ‘happier and more fulfilled lives’.

‘Spiritual’ is a term that is bandied about a lot these days as many psychotherapies and methods often neglect the spiritual potential that can underpin and influence our relationships. But spirituality has its place and can offer a different kind of energy and enlightenment in a fast paced, technologically-driven and often selfish world. Author, John Amodeo, in the Huffington Post, offers three descriptions of what spirituality means to him.

1. Connecting with life’s sacredness
2. Surrendering to something beyond our limited self
3. Seeing things clearly

Like Amodeo, the personable Williamson believes that spirituality is about connecting with life rather than being detached from it. She holds that we are all interconnected; all our minds are joined. There is a pivotal focus on relationships, particularly forgiveness, through mindfulness (vissapana) – seeing others as they really are. Seeing their fears and hurt, as well as their hopes.

Having published 10 books and appeared as a special guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live and Good Morning America (amongst others). American-born Williamson was named one of the fifty most influential baby boomers in 2006 and is well-versed in delivering relatable content and teaching tools designed to lift your life and relationships to the ‘highest level of creative possibility’. The workshops include a series of teaching sessions, exercises and insights designed to encourage emotional growth and maturity. Her teachings are based on a set of books called ‘A Course in Miracles’, a self-study program based on universal spiritual themes by clinical and research psychologist and author, Helen Schucman.

Marianne Williamson will be conducting workshops in Brisbane (June 28), Melbourne (July 4) and Sydney (July 5). Course costs are between $185-$200 with the option of a ‘kindness scholarship’ for people who are financially challenged.

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After four glorious years, The Sydney Fringe Comedy Festival still delivers the goods. Bringing together the best in emerging, young and alternative comedy, the festival has become something of a local highlight. With over a hundred unique comedians performing in over three hundred shows, there’s no excuse to miss out this time! This year’s program brings together a diverse range of comedians including (but not limited to): Aaron Chen, Alex Weisel, Amos Gill, Carlo Ritchie, Eddie Sharpe, Gareth O’Comedy and Nikki Britton.

Organised in cahoots with the good folks over at The Sydney Fringe festival, Sydney Fringe Comedy is unique in what it offers festival goers. Both established and emerging comedians will often test-run material at these gigs, allowing patron the chance to see stand-up comedy the way it was meant to be seen: live, raw and unfiltered. As Sydney is in full Fringe swing, it’s also a good time to get out and get loose!

And the best part is, it’s all going down at Marrickville’s super-cool Factory Theatre. For the events, the theatre will be converted into a relaxed and social hang-out zone. Guests are encouraged to catch up for a beer before the show and perhaps even grab a bite to eat right there. And after the gig, Marrickville’s many fine restaurants are only a hop, skip and a jump away.

So shake off the winter blues and laugh your way into spring at this year’s Sydney Fringe Comedy Festival! For more information on events, sessions, ticketing and anything else, visit the festival website at http://fringecomedy.com.au/.

The festival is predicated on the idea that multicultural Australia needs more exposure to Latin American culture and arts. The festival doesn’t represent a single Latino/a voice, but instead it promotes the broad identity of a huge continent. Guests can expect films from across the continent to reveal larger differences about Latin American cultures and reflect on their inter-continental relationships. As such, it’s a great experience to gain an understanding of the complex history and culture, as recounted by those within the culture.

This year’s program features the hotly anticipated, award winning documentary Behaviour as the festival opener. The Cuban documentary is seen in some corners as quite controversial, so it makes for a perfect companion to the opening night’s festivities. Cannes Award winners The Vega Brothers (the Latino Coen Brothers?) are also showing their film The Mute, a contemporary black comedy set in Peru. Mexican documentarian Nicolás Echevarría’s Echo of the Mountain is sure to be another festival favourite, with a lyrical, photographic style praised by film buffs the world over. Other films include Stones In The Sun, Mateo, Bad Hair and Uruguayan children’s favourite Anina.

The SLAFF will take place at the George Street Event Cinemas and runs from the 3rd to the 10th of September, 2014. Moviegoers are encouraged to book tickets online through Event or through the Festival’s own website. Over the past eight years, the dedicated organisers have managed to raise more than a hundred thousand dollars for their cause, so do yourself (and others) and favour and head in to this year’s SLAFF!

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Tickets for the November 1st gig have been hard to come by. In an interesting bargain, concert goers were encouraged to buy a ‘Lucky Dip Ticket’ for the super-affordable price of $99! With reserved seating set to fetch up to $600 per ticket, ‘The Lucky Dip’ option seems perfect if you’re planning a weekend getaway for two!

The band has been celebrating some milestones lately; this year marked the fiftieth anniversary of their first public show, a prodigiously early debut from a band set to go down in the history books. During that fifty year period, The Rolling Stones have gone from a Brit-rock phenomenon to world-wide superstars. Today, their live show represents the top of the rock ‘n’ roll heap: even in their sixties, the Stones are still the loud and flashily entertaining band they’ve always been.

For real fans of music, no matter what age or background, it’s a memorable concert that has the power to remind audiences of the long-lasting impact of a good song. One after the other, The Rolling Stones can rattle through more hits than hammer: Satisfaction, Sympathy For The Devil, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Street Fighting Man, Miss You, Brown Sugar, Rocks Off! and so many more.

But their shows are also filled with songs for the hard-core fans of their LP work. The Stones’ repertoire is expansive, so you might just hear Happy, Jigsaw Puzzle, Get Off My Cloud or any other less well-known favourites. And you might even get the rare Keith Richards solo song, if he’s in the right mood…

It’s a real treat to see the world’s greatest band in their natural climate, so make sure you make it along to this once in a lifetime experience. Try to book ahead and snag a reservation at a local hotel, as its sure to be a busy weekend in the Hunter!

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Well, it’s actually twelve royal families – all ruling their fiefdoms in peaceful accord. This is the story of what it takes to join their exalted ranks.

The royal families I am speaking of are: Brown Brothers, Campbells, Taylors, DeBortoli, McWilliams, Tahbilk, Tyrells, Yalumba, D’Arenberg, Jim Barry, Henschke and Howard Park. These are Australia’s foremost wine growing families. Together they make up Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW), a collective of twelve multi-generational family-owned wine producers – royalty in the wine growing world.

To be admitted to this prestigious group is almost impossible. A family must have at least 20 years of vertical tasting experience, a history of wine growing of at least two generations, vineyard ownership exceeding 50 years (having a distinguished or heritage listed site wouldn’t hurt either), a well-documented commitment to environmental best practice, extensive marketing and cellar door experience, and membership to the exclusive Winemakers Federation of Australia.

But all these things are easy to accomplish compared to the one last stipulation: In addition to all the above, hopeful wine producing families must also create a signature wine; one that is as distinctly recognizable for its flavor as it is for its quality. And this is judged by the incumbent royal families.

If you think the judges on Masterchef can be cruel, if you think Gordon Ramsey can be vicious then you haven’t seen or heard anything until you’ve witnessed wine tasting at this level. The families know that admitting inferior quality wine (and inferior wine producers) reflects badly on them all. And loss of status is most certainly accompanied by loss of income – though the former hurts infinitely more than the latter.

When Howard Park, of Burch Family Wines, was interviewing for a place at this High Table, the Burch Family took a great deal of time choosing their signature wine. Each of the seventeen wine growing districts in Australia produces wines of distinctive flavours. What they wanted was something representative of their region without being predictable.

They eventually chose the 2010 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Saubignon. This wine had been carefully blended with the grapes from five separate regions around the West Australian Margaret River area. Blending such distinctive fruits gave the wine a structural complexity and elegance. It softened and complimented the strong individual tones suggesting flavours of dusty earth and a rich, fruity, chocolaty palette.

The assemble families savoured the tannins with lingering French oak flavours. They caught  the subtle aromas blackcurrant  and found themselves lost in the tantalising tastes of an indisputably fine wine.

Leonardo Di Caprio addresses the Our Oceans Conference in Washington DC. Photo: Getty Images

Leonardo Di Caprio addressed the Our Oceans conference in Washington on June 18. Di Caprio has taken on marine conservation as his personal crusade. His address came ahead of the world summit to be held in Dohar. Here world leaders, marine scientists and environmentalists will thrash out what needs to be done and what will be done to sustainably manage the world’s greatest resource – the ocean. Di Caprio took this opportunity to impress upon U.S. delegates the plight of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

“Since my very first dive in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia 20-years-ago to the dive I got to do in the very same location just two years ago, I’ve witnessed environmental devastation first-hand,” said DiCaprio. “Unfortunately today, there’s no proper law enforcement capacity and little accountability for violating the law. It’s the Wild West on the high seas,”

Australian officials were aghast at the savagery of

Caribbean Reef Set to Die in Next 20 years. Photo: Coby Bidwell/ flickr.com

Di Caprio’s address. They pointed to the similar biodegradation of other reefs around the world and asked why, for instance, the mismanagement of the Caribbean Reefs didn’t come in for the same withering attacks?

In fact only recently have comparative studies been able to be done. Cash strapped Australian universities have been unable to fund marine ecology studies because of exorbitant price of data roaming telecommunication. “There is big data being transferred from distant locations,” one source wishing to remain anonymous told our reporters. “And the comparative studies must be done in real time.”

Some of the largest university marine studies are now taking place only because of the entrance of new data roaming companies. Substantially cheaper data transference through businesses like Global United Sim are allowing for studies to be carried out on the Caribbean and Great Barrier Reefs at the same time. Something previously prohibitively expensive is now very affordable.

“Without Global United Sim,” our university source continued, “studies like this wouldn’t be possible. Di Caprio and the Dohar Summit can talk all they like, but in the end someone has to pay.”

The Dohar Summit will decide whether the Great Barrier Reef will be placed on an endangered list. Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt believed our Oceans and Fisheries Department were doing enough to avoid this. He pointed to the current research as proof of Australia’s commitment to protecting the Reef.

Build your confidence and get to work!

Here are five solid suggestions to help get the “work” out of woodworking.

If you’ve ever wanted to start knocking together your own wooden masterpieces, you’d know that the prospect of grabbing your tools can be intimidating. Where to start? What to use? And when? So, here are five simple and easy tips to get the saw spinning in the right direction.

1. Don’t get bogged down in tape measures and exact measurements. A story stick is the trick normally used by most professional and amateur carpenters. It’s also recommended that you test your measured cuts on scrap pieces so that everything’s just right. Some people might use the “pencil marking method”, which is time honoured and true. If you use this technique, leave the line showing at the cut and sand down to it.

2. Only use sharp tools. If you’re tools aren’t sharp, then sharpen them! Tear-out and chipping is often caused by blunted blades and is the scourge of all those who woodwork. Sharper tools take less effort to cut with, so in the end they’re actually a lot safer. You’ll also save time and money on excessive sanding. Spend a few minutes fine tuning your toolkit to see big results.

3. Mistakes and woodworking go together like two peas in a pod. Acknowledge where you’ve gone wrong and learn from your errors. But consider that most people can’t see the little imperfections, but rather the creation as a whole. In this way, woodworking isn’t so different from other great art forms: the artist is always too involved with his own work to notice just how good it might already be.

4. Woodworking is a past time and pleasure giving activity, so make sure it stays that way! A good woodworker can always take his or her time and remember that, as with most things in life, it’s not about the destination, but the journey. Do what you can do, grow and learn your craft, and you might surprise yourself and others with how good you’re getting.

5. When you’re ready for it, get the right tool for the right job! Hardware stores and department stores only carry a limited and select range of tools, some of which just won’t do what you need them to do. Luckily, there are online retailers such as Bench Standard who specialise in bringing together a wide range of tools for many purposes. Considering there are delivery options and a wide range of interesting tools to choose from, nothing is ever impossible.

With these handy hints in mind, go forth and carve out your own place as one of the finest woodworkers ever seen!