JL Etching Fine Art Prints – paintings and etchings by Janet Luxton

Janet Luxton's wonderful paintings and etchings include animals, birds, fish, landscapes and many more collectable themes inspired by her life, travels and work with husband James Luxton. Janet's skill and eye for detail imbue the artworks with irresistible character.

Go to jletching.com.au for a closer look.

Link: JL Etching Fine Art Prints

AGNSW, Yirrkala Drawings

Art Gallery of New South Wales
12 Dec 2013 – 23 Feb 2014

Yirrkala drawings from the Berndt Museum of Anthropology, University of Western Australia

Mowarra Ganambarr Dätiwuy Thunderman and shark site at Arnhem Bay 1947, lumber crayon and chalk on butchers paper, Ronald M Berndt Collection; Nyapanyapa Yunupingu Larrakitj 2013, Art Gallery of New South Wales Collection; Mundukul Marawili Fish trap at Baraltja 1947, lumber crayon on butchers paper, Ronald M Berndt Collection

In 1947, senior ceremonial leaders at Yirrkala in north-east Arnhem Land produced hundreds of vibrant crayon drawings on paper for the anthropologists Ronald and Catherine Berndt, which are now held at the Berndt Museum of Anthropology at the University of Western Australia.

This exhibition presents 81 drawings and is the first time that a significant selection of the Yirrkala drawings collection has been displayed. In an unexpected palette of brilliant red, blue, yellow, green and black, these works are stunning in their visual strength and impact. They depict in exquisite detail the complexities of Yolngu life and are an unrivalled document of Yolngu knowledge and law, representing what can be accomplished through collaboration, mutal respect and understanding.

The 81 Yirrkala drawings will tour to Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane from 12 April – 19 July 2014

On view
12 Dec 2013 – 23 Feb 2014
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney

Admission
Free

Casa Angelina, Amalfi Coast

Casa Angelina, Amalfi Coast

Source: News Press Release

The Unique Tourism Collection (www.uniquetourism.com) has been appointed Australian representative for the beautiful 5-star Casa Angelina on Italy’s spectacular Amalfi Coast.

Opened in June 2005, Casa Angelina presents ‘barefoot luxury’ with style and elegance and takes inspiration from the concept of a contemporary ‘house’ and temple of modernity based on emotions, aesthetic pleasures and the joy of life. Casa Angelina operates seasonally and will again welcome guests from 5 April 2014 through to 26 October 2014.

A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (www.slh.com), Casa Angelina features 39 superbly appointed guest rooms and suites and four magnificent Eaudesea Rooms, located on the exquisite and picturesque beach of La Gavitella. These former fishermen’s houses offer an authentic charm, with terraces adjoining the sea.

More information:
www.casangelina.com

Stay at Woodbridge on the Derwent to discover the secrets of Hobart’s hidden valley.

Woodbridge on the Derwent from Tasmanian Air Adventures' seaplane ©AP

Serendipitous or immaculate, the timing couldn’t be better for Laurelle and John Grimley to have re-opened the doors of their elegant Woodbridge on the Derwent, an historic property transformed from dilapidated ruin to smart-wired, relaxing luxury retreat.

Woodbridge on the Derwent, Tasmania's only member of Small Luxury Hotels ©AP

A labour of love with large helpings of vision and the need for ever deeper pockets, Woodbridge in New Norfolk is best viewed from across the river or from the bridge to appreciate the full impact of this house and the lovely gardens flowing down the hillside in front. It also looks great from the air – Tasmanian seaplane adventures will pick you up from the private jetty for a scenic flight or expedition into Tasmania’s South West Wilderness.

The Derwent Valley from the air. ©AP

Low-key décor and plenty of indulgent living spaces mean guests can use the house as their own and dining is in the Pavilion, a short walk from the main entrance with lodge-style dining which means a menu for the day, but of course you will be asked if it suits ahead of time. (Bookings/packages: http://www.woodbridgenn.com.au)

New Norfolk has a colourful past and Woodbridge was built by its first Chief Constable, Thomas Roadknight, in 1825 – the history is on the Woodbridge website and the restoration is fully documented in a photographic record in the Reading Room at Woodbridge.

Beguiled by Hobart's many attractions I had never have considered what lies upstream along the Derwent, apart from wonderful MONA, the museum of old and new art. MONA is a must as anyone who is anyone will tell you (although it still feels to me like being lost in a human brain in the middle of multiple nightmares in a totally addictive way. I just can't wait to go back for more!).

In fact MONA highlights the delicious point of a stay at Woodbridge – relaxing and comfortable accommodation with culture on the doorstep in a valley full of artisan local produce, excellent wine, whisky, beer, truffles, antiques and access to fantastic scenery, fishing, white water rafting and more indulgent pleasures.

Redlands Estate whisky in the making©AP

Things To Do From Woodbridge:

Single Malt/ whisky making – be chauffeur-driven or self-drive from Woodbridge to nearby historic Redlands Estate for a full whisky experience, including being helicoptered to the highlands to dig peat, mash, steeping, distilling and preparing the barrel for some of the world’s finest whisky, returning nightly to the comfort of Woodbridge. The whisky can then be bottled with your own private label to be sent on maturation. 

Alternatively, Redlands Estate can offer short tours and private tastings of each of Tasmania’s premium labels of whisky and will next year launch its own first release, fully produced on the estate, which also includes a series of historic original Georgian buildings with its own beautiful gardens.

Redlands Estate's Phil Fitzsimons © AP

Stefano Lubiana, one of Tasmania’s leading winemakers and its only certified biodynamic wine producer, is opening a new vineyard café and tasting ‘interpretation’ centre nearby in a truly spectacular riverfront vineyard setting, soon to become a full tasting and dining facility.

Just ten minutes from Woodbridge and open to private tastings for their guests, Stefano’s wines also feature on the Woodbridge wine-list, with their cellar boasting the only remaining stock of his legendary 2006 Sasso super pinot.

Derwent Estate – also near Woodbridge, family-owned and farmed since 1913, ‘Mt Nassau’ is now home to the fifth generation of the Hanigans who have turned it into a successful vineyard. Derwent Estate produces world-class pinot, riesling and pinot gris. The new tasting facility and straw bale winery, due for completion soon, will offer jaw-dropping views of the Derwent River.

Limestone fossil in the hands of Derwent winemaker John Schuts ©AP

Fly-fishing - rainbow and brown trout can be caught from the property’s own picturesque riverfront location, or guests can be flown by seaplane or helicopter to some of the area’s most spectacular spots with expert fishing guides.

Fishing museum at the Salmon Ponds ©AP

The Salmon Ponds – aside from ponds of huge leaping salmon (for fish food you buy) in grounds reminiscent of an English estate, dotted with ancient trees such as Himalayan Cedars and Flowering Cherries, this peaceful park setting has a traditional fishing museum which tells the incredible survival story of the first hatchlings brought over from Britain in the mid-1880s, which eventually spawned every trout caught today in the Southern hemisphere.

Salmon Ponds ©AP

Salmon Ponds © AP

Truffle hunting – Woodbridge on the Derwent has its own truffle orchard, one of the first established in Australia, on a spectacular riverfront location nearby, which also has some of the region’s best trout fishing.

John and Laurelle Grimley's beautiful truffle orchard on the Derwent ©AP

Two Metres Tall – borrowing its name from the very tall and talented brewer Ashley Huntington, a Churchill Scholar who trained in France‘s wine industry, this micro brewery offers his artisanal range of ales and ciders, such as Derwent Aromatic Spelt Ale, Barilla Bay Oyster Stout and a delicious Poire Apple Cider.  Music and food often flow with the ales to regular locals and visitors who stumble on this pretty part of the Valley.

Two Metres Tall ©AP

Stout made with Barilla Oysters ©AP

Tasmanian Air Adventures –
http://tasmanianairadventures.com.au/

Derwent Valley ©AP

The seaplane coming in to land (er, water!) ©AP

The Drill Hall Emporium
Antiques and collectables feature strongly in several shops and galleries in New Norfolk, making it a place to browse and buy. The Drill Hall Emporium is styled and curated with local and overseas pieces (especially from France).

Traveling right ©AP

Attention to detail at The Drill Hall Emporium ©AP

Flywheel
Beautiful shop with a vintage printing theme, its own printing presses and must-have stationery...

Beautiful things at Flywheel ©AP

Maps and posters ©AP

Cooking classes with renowned ABC chef and best-selling author of Slow cooking and A Year in a Bottle, Sally Wise, exploring traditional dishes using fresh local produce.  Based in nearby Molesworth, Sally’s school includes classes in Convict and Colonial Cooking.

The Agrarian Kitchen – run by chef and Gourmet Traveller contributor Rodney Dunn as a “paddock to plate” cooking experience, where his authentic approach to produce is attracting foodies from around the world. This local institution is just a scenic ten-minute drive from Woodbridge. The Agrarian Kitchen is Rodney's book published by Lantern, $59.99 with photography by Luke Burgess.

Annie Ashbolt – while the unassuming local keeps a low profile working on her premium elderflower and olive oil products, her range is now seen on shelves throughout Australia, another talent from the Derwent Valley creating magic from this sublime, fertile region.

PACKAGE DEAL

Woodbridge on the Derwent is offering a new Dinner, Bed and Breakfast including daily:
-  breakfast worth waiting for (you may spot the resident platypus from the waterfront pavilion) 
- candlelit dinner featuring local produce in The Pavilion overlooking the river
- a $30 daily credit applied to each massage booked with reservation 
- complimentary use of all facilities such as bikes, kayaks and the sauna/hot tub/mini gym facility

from AUD $590.00/night/double
Bookings: http://www.woodbridgenn.com.au

WHISKY PACKAGE

Woodbridge on the Derwent has a special Whisky package including:

- dinner, bed and breakfast daily
- a whisky tour (45 mins) for each person at Redlands Estate
- candlelit dinner in the Pavilion featuring local produce
- a $30 daily credit applied to each massage booked with reservation
- complimentary use of all facilities such as bikes, kayaks, and the sauna/hot tub/mini gym facility

from AUD $625.00/night/double
three day Whisky package price for group bookings on request

Bookings http://www.woodbridgenn.com.au

Waterfall Mt Fields National Park ©AP

(Once was a) Eucalyptus regnans Mt Fields National Park ©AP

Body Language art exhibition opens in London

Makiko Kudo, Floating Island, 2012

SAATCHI GALLERY: BODY LANGUAGE
20 November 2013 – 16 March 2014
www.saatchigallery.com   

London UK – On 20th November, the Saatchi Gallery will open Body Language, an exhibition featuring 19 emerging international artists who, across a range of media, explore the physical body and present a variety of reflections on the human form.
                                              

Jannson Stegner, Sarabande 2006

Jannson Stegner adopts tropes of Romanticism to portray contemporary longing. His female police officers crouch or lie on rocks and against tree stumps, with batons in their hands substituted for parasols, they trade their usual authoritative gaze for erotic innocence.

Kasper Kovitz, Carnalitos (Unamuno), 2010

Gnawed from Iberian ham, Kasper Kovitz portrays Sabino Arana and Miguel de Unamuno, prominent figures in the history of the Basque struggle for independence from Spain. The historical sobriety is belied by the cartoonish imprecision of the faces, while the meat’s impermanence positions them as anti-monuments.

Dana Schutz, Reformers, 2004

Dana Schutz’s paintings oscillate between form and chaos, and commonplace plots and horrific hypotheticals which question the process of visual storytelling. With a multitude of characters, props and activity, her narratives fail to fully cohere, or provide closure. In Reformers her worried characters seem caught-in-the act as they frantically construct a figure on the table.

Denis Tarasov, Untitled (from the Essence series), 2013

Denis Tarasov photographs Russian and Ukrainian mobster tombstones, relics of the 1990s Mafia Wars, which intricately depict the deceased the way they wish to be remembered.

Makiko Kudo, Floating Island, 2012

Makiko Kudo’s melancholic characters escape the woes of twentieth century Japan and float, hover, fall and tumble through fictive worlds reminiscent of Manga comics, and which reference Monet’s Water Lillies and Matisse’s Fauvist work. The cartoonish figure lying across a swan in Floating Island might become the artist’s avatar inhabiting a painterly world much like a character in a computer game.

Over the last fifty years or so, work depicting the body, such as paintings by British artists Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, was at odds with the prevailing currents of abstraction, Pop and conceptualism. Yet the figure has retained its currency, and the artists in Body Language each provide compelling evidence of the figure’s continued ability to articulate something both historically specific and curiously essential.

From the grotesque and uncanny to the poignant and satirical, the works in this exhibition examine, in arresting and innovative ways, the diverse social and political issues that can be communicated through the human body.

Body Language demonstrates that the human body remains visual art’s best metaphor for how it feels to be alive. Body Language features works by Tanyth Berkeley, Amy Bessone, Michael Cline, Nicole Eisenman, Chantal Joffe, Kasper Kovitz, Makiko Kudo, Nathan Mabry, Eddie Martinez, Justin Matherly, Dana Schutz, Jansson Stegner, Henry Taylor, Denis Tarasov, Alexander Tinei, Francis Upritchard, Andra Ursuta, Helen Verhoeven, Marianne Vitale.



The Saatchi Gallery
Duke Of York's HQ
King's Road
London SW3 4RY

www.saatchigallery.com


In partnership with:

Gallery Patrons

BNP Paribas

CHANEL

Prudential

Standard Chartered

Tsukanov Family Foundation

Education Patrons

Deutsche Bank

Google

Hermès

Lille 3000

Magic of Persia

Pemberton Greenish

Winsor & Newton


 Media Partner

The Sunday Times

Special Projects Partner

HUGO BOSS

Founding Partner

Dinesen
Corporate Patrons

Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

ARUP

Asahi

ClearChannel

Champagne Pommery

ERCO

Goedhuis & Co

Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill

Martinspeed

Parallel Contemporary Art

Pernod Ricard UK

Xirrus

Corporate Member

CraneTV

Doublet

Dovetail

Hallett Independent

Robert Walters

Benefactors

Gillian & Stuart Corbyn

Patricia & Jon Moynihan

Source: Saatchi Gallery  

Jamie's Italian opens in Canberra

Jamie's Italian has opened in Canberra this week, Australia's third in the roll-out of Jamie's Italian restaurants in countries currently including Turkey, Russia, Ireland, Singapore and Dubai as well as the UK.

Jamie's Italian Canberra. Photo:Ken Martin

On Bunda Street beneath the Canberra Centre, Jamie's Italian is a sizeable space filled with beckoning banquettes, pink chairs and wood finishes beneath a giant central chandelier.  It's dark when we arrive and the tones are warm and welcoming, the buzz palpable. Sitting inside you can talk even with the music playing while the outdoor dining area offers a great space to sit and watch the world go by. There are staff aplenty and dishes including the signature 'planks'  being delivered to tables of customers out to experience the Jamie factor.

Jamie's Italian Canberra. Photo: Ken Martin.

The all day/night menu (11.30am-11.30pm) aims to please anyone anytime, including kids, with dishes that are high on flavour and carefully sourced, quality local produce. Often deceptively simple – a beautifully balanced dish of baked sustainable cod ($28.50) with spring vegetable stew, pancetta,  Roman fried artichokes, crostini and lemony yoghurt dressing is an example – there's nothing ordinary about the Jamie's menu. It's a world of sparkling flavours and mix of textures with a wide range of dishes to keep you coming back for more.


Jamie's Italian
125 Bunda Street
Civic, ACT 2600

(Canberra Centre, under the Dendy Cinema)
http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/australia/canberra

Loving the Mull of Kintyre ...

Exhibitions at AGNSW: Art for a new world

To see at the Art Gallery of New South Wales:http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sydney moderns, art for a new world

Roy de Maistre Rythmic composition in yellow green minor

Over 180 works by Australia’s most iconic artists, exploring the making of a modern city.

From humble beginnings to a thriving metropolis, Sydney in the 1920s and 30s was in the midst of great change. By the early 20s its population had grown to one million and its urban environment was being transformed by exciting new structures, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge.Like the changing city, artists in Sydney were forging new paths. As the city grew in confidence as a modern destination, so too did adventurous artists keen to explore innovative ways of using colour, light and abstraction in their interpretation of the new world around them.

http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au

Blue Cockatoo Traveller: App update 'Stratford & West Midlands: As You Like...

Blue Cockatoo Traveller: App update 'Stratford & West Midlands: As You Like...: Updated my West Midlands app and looking at new places to eat for the next round ... Dormy House has all-day dining at The Potting Shed so ...

App update 'Stratford & West Midlands: As You Like It'

Updated my West Midlands app and looking at new places to eat for the next round ... Dormy House has all-day dining at The Potting Shed so I am heading there next...

Great Days Out on the A49 – Stokesay Castle, Ludlow Food Centre, Church Stretton, Long Mynd

Stokesay Castle ©AP

Loving Stokesay Castle, near Craven Arms on the A49, in Shropshire, one of my favourite counties. Stokesay is a wonderfully preserved fortified manor near the Welsh border with a delightful timber-framed gatehouse .... beautiful. Adults £6.20,open 10-5pm daily until 3 November 2013, then weekends,10-4pm except Christmas and New Year. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stokesay-castle

Stokesay Castle Gatehouse ©AP

Stokesay Castle is near the luscious Ludlow Food Centre which now has a separate cafe and plant centre. Find it on the A49 between Hereford and Shrewsbury in the village of Bromfield. www.ludlowfoodcentre.co.uk


But that's not all..The lovely town of Church Stretton is 8.2 miles from Craven Arms on the A49, a gateway to the Long Mynd meaning "Long Mountain" or Mynydd Hir in Welsh. The Long Mynd is a heathland plateau between the Stiperstones range, the Stretton Hills and Wenlock Edge and has steep valleys and escarpments. Drove up the very narrow road (single track with passing places, probably not for the faint-hearted), for the reward of heather in bloom and wonderful views.

The Long Mynd above Church Stretton. ©AP

The Long Mynd. ©AP

Tour de France Tour Tracker app

Australians can follow the Tour de France on an app –
http://thetourtracker.com/apps/

Time to head the Jaguar F-type to Polperro ...

Polperro: image supplied.

I'm in the mood for a crab sandwich and Cornwall is calling. Polperro, near Looe, was a childhood favourite (although I did get lost on the beach at Looe, aged three). Now I'm told that Polperro and surrounds has been designated  an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ in an area of Heritage Coast and is a walker’s paradise with coastal walks and inland footpaths through valleys, forests and beside  estuaries and rivers. To the east is Talland Bay which has its own beach café, rated as one of the top 10 beach cafes in Cornwall. To the west along the coastal path are Lansallos, Lantic Bay and Polruan. Jaguar F-type? In my dreams. Crab sandwich? Eminently achievable – I'll let you know ...
More info: www.polperro.org and www.lovepolperro.com

Plolperro harbour: image supplied.

RSC costume exhibition 'In Stitches'

 

‘In Stitches’ at the Royal Shakespeare Company

In Stitches <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Stratford-upon-Avon-In-Stitches-at-Royal-Shakespeare-Theatre/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2730310&amp;feature=5103&amp;campaign=4461> , a new free costume exhibition at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, celebrates the fascinating costume making skills of the Company.   Visitors have an exclusive chance to see rarely displayed costumes from RSC productions produced over the last 60 years.  The 35 hand-crafted costumes were all made in Stratford and worn by some of the country’s best loved actors including Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Ian McKellen, Antony Sher, Juliet Stevenson, Patrick Stewart and David Tennant. Open daily from 10am and running throughout 2013. 

Enjoy a summer of Jaguar at the Heritage Motor Centre!The Heritage Motor Centre is celebrating the iconic Jaguar with a number of themed family activities <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Stratford-upon-Avon-Summer-Holiday-Activities-at-Heritage-Motor-Centre/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2730200&amp;feature=5117&amp;campaign=4461> . Visitors can take part in special events and activities celebrating the car’s history, design, brand and racing pedigree.  Activities include Jaguar themed Art and Craft Thursdays, the chance to view iconic cars from the Jaguar Heritage Collection, as well as talks and family tours. In addition, every Tuesday is Lego Technic day, where children can design, build and test their own Lego Technic machines.  The infamous Artist in Residence, Ian Cook of PopBang Colour <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Stratford-upon-Avon-Painting-with-PopBangColour-at-Heritage-Motor-Centre/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2730200&amp;feature=5108&amp;campaign=4461> , who paints using remote controlled cars, is back by popular demand on the 13, 14 & 15 August. Children can have a go at creating their own works of art using remote controlled cars and car parts. 

Step in the footsteps of Jane Austen at Stoneleigh AbbeyWalk in the footsteps of Jane Austen at Stoneleigh Abbey and see the portraits of some of her ancestors. The Abbey is playing host to a special Jane Austen evening <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Kenilworth-Tea-With-Jane-Austen-at-Stoneleigh-Abbey/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2700280&amp;feature=1013&amp;campaign=4461> on Tuesday 13 August. Guests will be given a tour of the West Wing by a guide in period costume followed by a glass of wine and canapés at the riverside Orangery.  Tours take place at 7pm, 7:45pm, and 8:15pm and must be pre-booked through the ticket office. Tickets cost £14 per person. 

More things to do around Stratford-Upon-Avon
Source: Marketing Aloud

Listen to live music at the Shakespeare Houses!
Music will be in the air at Mary Arden’s Farm and Hall’s Croft this summer with concerts for all musical tastes. The award-winning folk band ColvinQuarmby will headline ‘Folk on the Farm’ <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Stratford-upon-Avon-Folk-Concerts-at-Mary-Arden's-at-Mary-Arden's-Farm/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2730849&amp;feature=1016&amp;campaign=4461> at Mary Arden’s Farm on the 24 & 25 August.  The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Stratford Folk Club are planning a whole weekend of concerts with activities for the family at the working Tudor farm. The line-up for the Hall’s Croft season of music in the garden <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Stratford-upon-Avon-Concerts-in-the-garden-at-Hall's-Croft/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2730178&amp;feature=1018&amp;campaign=4461> (26 August - 7 September) includes: Silly Songs of Shakespeare, an Edinburgh Festival style review featuring different styles of music, Shakespeare Trio, 12 sonnets set to original contemporary folk music, Amicantus – rising regional stars in the choir world, workshops for children with Escape Community Arts and Japanese drumming as featured in the current production of Titus Andronicus. The grand finale will be a thirties Style Garden Party with lively jazz from The Swing Museum.

Take in a major art exhibition at Compton Verney
Compton Verney will premiere a major exhibition from 13 July – 22 September from Turner and Constable: Sketching from Nature <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Stratford-upon-Avon-Turner-and-Constable-Sketching-from-Nature-at-Compton-Verney/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2730145&amp;feature=5066&amp;campaign=4461> , which includes approximately 60 works by Turner, Constable and their contemporaries, including John Sell Cotman, John Linnell and Francis Danby. These works from the Tate collections provide a unique exploration of the art of oil sketching in the landscape rather than in the studio, which became fashionable in the late 18th and 19th centuries. This is a rare opportunity to see extraordinary works that have not been seen together before.
 

Experience Sculptural works at Coughton Court!
See a stunning outdoor exhibition of sculptural works <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Alcester-Sculpture-in-the-Gardens-at-Coughton-Court/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2730156&amp;feature=1048&amp;campaign=4461> at the award-winning Throckmorton Family Gardens at Coughton Court from 31 July - 6 September. Over 250 pieces of sculpture have been carefully selected from a chosen list of over 60 national and international artists. A wide array of mediums will be on display from traditional marble, wood and bronze to more contemporary forms of expression such as water, ceramics, polystyrene and rubber. Some are figurative, others abstract, some kinetic, others evoking the sense of time standing still.

 Release your MAD inventor at The Mechanical Art & Design Museum
Situated in Stratford-upon-Avon, The MAD Museum <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Stratford-upon-Avon-The-MAD-Museum/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2752420&amp;campaign=4461> houses over 100 interesting, witty and bizarre exhibits filling over two floors.  Robot arms, marble runs, swirling lasers and quirky clocks, The MAD Museum offers a curious concoction of inspiration, education and entertainment for the entire family! Running from 20 July – 1 September is The MAD Museum’s Summer Competition.  Upon entry into the museum, visitors will be handed a competition sheet full of hands-on activities including a treasure hunt with puzzles and games to take home. Crack the secret word hidden in the treasure hunt to be in with a chance to win crazy MAD goodies. Visitors will also be entered into a draw to win a big bag of bonkers MAD gifts!
Have a pirate summer at Tudor World!Tudor World will be having a Pirate Summer <http://www.falstaffexperience.co.uk/page.php?linkid=5&amp;sublinkid=197> ! Each young pirate will be given a treasure map to find all the contraband afore the other pirates and will receive some bootie at the end. Visitors can search for their quarry using the new torches to explore the exhibits; smell some of those nasty aromas of Elizabethan England; try on hats or write a secret message using a quill as well as find out what happened to Lucy, the little girl who worked in the tavern.  Visitors can also see some of the summer shows in the Elizabethan theatre area, where they could be punished for their pirate-loving ways! 

Ready your steeds for the Grand Medieval Joust at Kenilworth Castle!
Experience the sights, smells and entertainments of an authentic Medieval Joust <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Kenilworth-Grand-Medieval-Joust-at-Kenilworth-Castle-Elizabethan-Garden/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2700710&amp;feature=1101&amp;campaign=4461> celebration from the 13 – 14 July as the Castle springs to life.  Jousting on horseback and armed with a lance, the knights will fight to prove their power and chivalrous skills. Visitors will be able to meet them and discover the secrets of their armour and weaponry. Raphael Historic Falconry will show their birds of prey in the ‘mews’ and visitors will also have the opportunity to wander around a medieval encampment to meet some of the knights’ entourage, and enjoy a medley of music and dance. With breathtaking displays of skill, entertainment and capers, this family day out promises an unrivalled way to experience the fun and thrills of medieval amusements.

 Experience a Victorian Weekend!
Join the re-enactors in Victorian costume and play croquet on the lawn at Hill Close Gardens <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/Warwick-Victorian-Weekend-at-Hill-Close-Gardens/details/?dms=13&amp;venue=2730530&amp;feature=1013&amp;campaign=4461> in Warwick on Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 August. Hear stories about the Victorian garden owners and the Victorian plant hunters who helped shape how the gardens look today. Discover what the Victorians liked to cook and how they preserved their food. Enjoy an exhibition of unusual antique garden implements. Learn the Victorian language of flowers and how to make a Tussie Mussie, a small bouquet to present to a loved one.

For accommodation <http://www.shakespeare-country.co.uk/where-to-stay/thedms.aspx?dms=1> , special offers and more information visit the official website: www.Shakespeare-Country.co.uk <http://www.Shakespeare-Country.co.uk>  or call Shakespeare Country on 0871 978 0800.

Jaguar F-type, love at first sight

It roared into my life last night and it was love at first sight. No boot space commented my husband Ken in Australia, but we talked on the phone this  morning and  said, "so what?" Sadly not mine but a test model .... xxx

World's largest gathering of pre-1931 motorcyles, 15 June ...

Image courtesy: Vintage Motor Cycle Club Banbury Run™   

*Source: Press Release

Over 600 Veteran and Vintage motorcycles will ride together when the Heritage Motor Centre hosts the 65th nostalgic Vintage Motor Cycle Club Banbury Run™.  For the first time the event will run over two days with a Vintage Training Day taking place on Saturday 15 June offering Vintage Virgins the chance to ride Veteran & Vintage Motorcycles in a safe “off road” environment. The main Banbury Run™, which will take place on Sunday 16 June, is the largest gathering of pre-1931 Motorcycles & 3 Wheelers in the World.

The Banbury Run™ is aimed at those who enjoy the thrill of riding with other Vintage, Veteran & Pioneer bikes. Visitors can see the bikes in all their glory as they set off for their annual Run around the countryside. The exact route is kept top secret until the day, but we can exclusively reveal that it will venture through the villages of Cropready, Knightcote and Arlescote. In addition to the Run, there will also be Club and Trade Stands, over 100 Autojumble pitches and special interest displays.

Tom Caren, Show Manager for the Heritage Motor Centre stated “The Banbury Run is a fantastic day out and we’re delighted to be hosting it again with the Vintage Motor Cycle Club.  All the machines were manufactured before 1931 and to watch them ride together is a really wonderful spectacle to see!”

The Museum will be open from 9am – 5pm with the Banbury Run™ beginning at 10am. Tickets costs £15 for adults, £8 for children, £13 for concessions and £42 for a family with museum entry included to entrants and spectators. Discounted tickets are available in advance online. Gift Aid Season tickets, Tesco Club cards or any other promotional offers are not valid on this day. For more information about the day please see the website www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

*Press Release, Marketing Aloud

Info: www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

Fast Singapore Airlines flight to London, only 30 mins to shop at Changi Airport yesterday ...

China Southern Airlines' expansion and visa-free short-stays on the Canton Route t/c

Source: Press Release, MG Media Communications, Sydney

China Southern Airlines has announced a major overhaul of its Australian operations with its newest airliners being deployed to every port, including one of its five A380s on the Guangzhou to Sydney route.

Speaking at the Australian Tourism Exchange in Sydney, China Southern Executive Vice President Chen Gang said the A380 service would start on October 27 as part of a major expansion strategy down under.

The superjumbo will replace the present CZ325/326 A330-300 service, which departs Sydney at 9.50am and arrives back in Guangzhou at 5.30pm the same day.

Mr Chen also revealed that Melbourne and Sydney would receive China Southern’s latest A330-300 and -200 aircraft offering flatbed comfort up front and personal TVs throughout, by the end of October. The new A330-223 aircraft was introduced to Brisbane and Perth at the start of April.

“Australia remains our most important overseas market and the test bed for our global strategy,” Mr Chen said.

“The new A380 Sydney service will be only the second international route for our superjumbos and underlines how crucial the region is to China Southern’s network growth.”

A Sydney Airport report estimates that China Southern’s single daily A380 service will generate 5000 jobs and contribute about $390 million to the Australian economy over a full year.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said China Southern was an important aviation partner.

“Ever since the airline first started flights to our country, China Southern has continually looked to expand its Australian operations, through new services, more frequencies and, now, by deploying the largest commercial passenger aircraft in the world,” he added.

“Last year, China Southern carried more than one in five of all Chinese visitors to Australia, and the introduction of the A380 is the most powerful indication yet of the airline's future ambitions and confidence in the Australian market.”

Mr Chen also revealed that Guangzhou, the airline’s bustling hub in southern China, would introduce a 72-hour visa-free stay policy for Australians travelling on its Canton Route in the second half of 2013.

“Our Canton Route via Guangzhou is the new and exciting way for Australians to fly and we are absolutely thrilled that they will soon be able to stop over in this vibrant city with a free transit permit for up to 72 hours to try some authentic Cantonese Yum Cha, enjoy the local culture and shop ‘til they drop,” Mr Chen said.

As part of an ongoing strategy to improve the airline’s inflight service, Mr Chen also announced that a pool of 400 dedicated English-speaking cabin crew were being deployed across the airline’s vast network including on the Sydney A380 and new A330s.

China Southern presently operates 38 weekly flights to the region, with plans to increase to 55 flights by 2015.
For information visit a local travel agent or call 1300 889 628 during AEDST/AEST business hours.