Category: LIFESTYLE

Lend your stocks with Stake: how and why you’d want to do it

Stake investing Sydney

The thought of giving someone else access to your hard-gotten stocks and shares in companies or funds you love is a new concept for a lot of us, but it turns out, not the worst decision you could make! Of course with anything regarding your own cash and investments, do your own research, but here’s some good info to know about what new tricks Stake is offering to those who hold a portfolio with the online broker. What is stock lending? Stock lending with Stake is a concept whereby an owned security is lent to a borrower (to enable practices such as Stock Arbitrage, Index and ETF trading or Hedging) and that borrower pays afee. Similar to an interest payment for borrowing cash. Why is Stake doing it? Well, many traditional stock brokers practice securities lending but typically keep all the returns to themselves. Stake instead has redefined the model to ensure their customers get part of this return.A seamless digital experience will give you control over the lending so you can start earning income on your stocks without having to lift a finger. What else is there to know? Largely, it’s a fair simple concept. You loan out your stocks for a fee that gets paid to Stake and they then share that fee with you. Thing is though, when loaning out, you temporarily transfer ownership of the holding to the loanee, meaning you’ll get a lending fee at a pre-determined frequency and still be owed dividends from the stocks you hold. Bonus! The… Read More

5 things to do indoors this rainy week in Sydney

The rains are back and it’s making winter even more bitter in Sydney and surrounds. To brighten the mood, here are five things to do indoors so you can stay dry (and sane). Indulge in a home pamper session Rug up in your comfy cosies and treat yo’ self! You could hire a home masseuse to come limber your joints, or if you’re looking for faster and cheaper results, transform your hair with a hair mask. We’re loving the new Coco & Eve Sweet Repair Hair Mask that’s clinically proven to transform your hair in just 5 minutes thanks to a bonding treatment blend of Biomimetic Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid & Vegan Keratin ingredients.  Take in a movie We have three words for you: Top Gun: Maverick. Shirtless men, action packed plot and a touch of nostalgia, get yourself to the cinema while it’s showing! There’s no better rainy day activity. Of course if you prefer the vibes in your own home, SBS on Demand has great offerings in foreign film all on their app. Whether you’re into thrillers, romantic comedies or award winning documentaries, they’ve got something unique to while away the long days.  Discover new baked treats Winter is for pastries. It’s that simple, and you won’t be saying no once you hear our friends at TRUFF have teamed up with beloved Sydney bakery Banksia Bakehouse to create a glorious, chilli, truffle infused monstrously good Chicago Style Deep-Dish Pie to get us through the cold. Available for the entire month of July, Banksia’s flaky… Read More

Tips on how to get a personal loan and improve your finances

man hands wallet money

Improving your living conditions and lifestyle is always a hot topic, especially in the current economy. This is why a personal loan can be of help, especially if you’re planning a purchase, a trip or a project. However, getting a personal loan can be tricky, especially if you lack sufficient knowledge and experience. So for that reason, here are some tips that will show you how to get a personal loan and improve your finances.  Make sure that you really need a loan  This is important because taking out a loan isn’t a light subject. Therefore, think things through before you commit yourself to a loan. If you’re planning a home renovation, for example, then be sure to write down all the financial estimations and projections, so you’ll be able to take out the exact amount and pay it back easily when the time comes.  It’s important to mention that a personal loan is used for debts that are supposed to be paid back in five years or less, so make sure to sort out your finances correctly beforehand. Consolidate your debt Debt consolidation is the best way to get approved for a personal loan. Paying off all the pre-existing loans is the first step. Also, you might want to combine all the different debts that you have into one single loan. This will make debt payment much more organized and easier. If you happen to have a high-interest credit card debt, then get a personal loan with a lower interest in order to become… Read More

7 things to consider when choosing where to eat in Australia

State of Grace food

With the rise of new restaurants, bars and cafes in Brisbane, the increasing trend in online ordering and takeaways, as well as the enriching culture in the food industry, the dining behaviour of Australians has changed significantly.  In the past, going out to restaurants was considered a special occasion. Today, however, dining out is a more casual affair. This is due in part to the growing number of restaurants in Brisbane and other major cities. With so many restaurants to choose from, there is no need to dress up or make reservations in advance. Yet, dining out has become a much more convenient and popular option for Australians of all ages. What Are the Factors That Influence Aussie’s Choice in Dining?  These days, it seems like restaurants in Brisbane are constantly innovating to stay ahead of the curve. Whether it’s offering new and unique dishes or adopting new technologies to make ordering and dining more efficient, it’s clear that restaurants are working hard to keep up with the changing dining habits of Australians. There’s no doubt that Australians’ dining habits have changed significantly in recent years. It looks like the following factors have had a great impact on them, especially in choosing their restaurants. 1. Location  With so many great restaurants in Brisbane to choose from, it can be tricky to decide where to eat. One important factor that can influence your decision is the location of the restaurant. If you’re looking for a quick bite, you might opt for a restaurant that’s close to… Read More

Celebrity chef Adam Liaw on how to cook with mushrooms

Mushrooms

Protein and plant-based, mushrooms are a great alternative to otherwise traditional sources of nutrients and the best thing is, they’re so easy to eat, use and cook with! Adam Liaw, winner of Masterchef Australia season two, explains more… How can you increase veg consumption for the whole family? One of the easiest ways to increase your vegetable consumption is to look for substitutions in your cooking. Australian Mushrooms are great for this because they have a great texture that’s suitable for a lot of different forms of cooking, as well as having a depth of flavour that matches well with meat or poultry. You don’t have to go completely vegetarian with your dishes, either. Try adding chopped mushrooms to replace half the meat in any dish you might use mince, from bolognese and beef stew to burgers and Shepherd’s pie. Australian Mushrooms are high in chitin, a kind of fibre, so they’re a great high-fibre substitute for meat. Here’s my recipe for a Wellington burger where the patty is made 50:50 from Australian Mushrooms and beef mince. Chopping Australian Mushrooms First things first, you don’t need to break the stalk off mushrooms. I see some people do this out of habit but you absolutely should not be doing that. All of the mushroom is edible so if you’re throwing out the stalk you’re just wasting your money. You don’t need to trim the stalk, either. Use the stalk to stabilise the mushroom as you cut. Place the mushroom on your cutting board so that both… Read More

London’s Royal Academy of Arts announces Charles Wollaston Award winner 2022

Royal Academy Arts art

Good news for independent and emerging artists as this year’s Royal Academy’s 254th Summer Exhibition and Charles Wollaston Award has a new winner! Uta Kögelsberger took out the position for her video work, Cull, a 5-channel video installation that follows the gigantic task of the clear-up process after the devastating impact of bushfires. It charts the efforts of the teams responsible for cutting down the dead trees left standing, that are now endangering the remaining structures and roads. In a metaphor for the suspended sense of emergency we find ourselves in, each tree is documented as it comes crashing to the ground, seemingly out of nowhere, like dead carcasses, sometimes falling with such force that the earth beneath them shake. Uta won the £25,000 prize for the Charles Wollaston Award, recognising ‘most distinguished work’ in the exhibition and is one of the most significant art prizes awarded in the UK. For more and to pay it a visit, head to the Royal Academy of Arts website

Homegrown talent to see at Sydney Opera House this spring in La Traviata by Opera Australia

Stacey Alleaume opera singer

If there’s one soprano you need to see in your life, either while living in or visiting Sydney, it’s Melbourne’s own Stacey Alleaume. She’s a rocket of a singer that is more often than not, found up front-and-centre in many of Opera Australia’s annual productions. And it’s easy to see why… Stacey was proclaimed a star when she sang Violetta in the 2021 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production of La Traviata and last month received more glowing reviews for her main-stage debut as Violetta at Arts Centre Melbourne. Along with Stacey, soprano Irina Lungu will open the second stage of the Sydney season on 22 October, singing her signature role of Violetta in Australia for the first time, having sung the role across Europe, the UK and Tokyo, including receiving rave reviews in 2019 at the Vienna State Opera. Along with a range of other singers, the spread of what’s on from Opera Australia is – as per usual – internationally acclaimed, and will shine the light on the best of Australia’s arts and music scene from the lens of Opera Australia. Here’s a full run-down of the Opera Australia winter season for 2022. For more and to book tickets to La Traviata, head to the Opera Australia website. What is La Traviata about? Opera Australia explains it as a tragic love story that inspired pop culture classics Moulin Rouge and Pretty Woman, Verdi’s famous score includes the show-stopping aria ‘Sempre libera’ and the instantly recognisable drinking song, ‘Brindisi’. Combined with lavish sets and costumes,… Read More

Top 9 gift ideas for girlfriends with eclectic taste

Girl walk track bush

It goes without saying that your girlfriend is amazing, she makes you happy, and you’d like to make her happy too. The only problem is that she’s impossible to gift for – you’ve found yourself in a limbo of gift ideas as you try and figure out this woman who is made up of many facets, yet with all of them seeming impossible now to pin down. When someone’s tastes are so broad, the best gift for them are often those that they would never have even thought to get for themselves. And in truth, each process of gift-giving itself is unique, and you want your gift to be just as unique as the person you love. Here is a list of just a few unique gifts for her to help kickstart your own gift-giving process. 1. Wall tapestry The perfect way to add colour, texture and impact to a space, wall tapestries have made a major comeback in artsy circles recently. You can find an ideal pattern by having a look at the colours she already surrounds herself with and the kind of art she tends to gravitate towards. For instance, if her home is designed with an array of bohemian decor, then chances are she’ll appreciate an Aztec-printed or Sub-Continental-inspired wall tapestry. Gifting her a wall hanging that suits her taste is an excellent way for her to further bring her living space to life. Alongside this, your gifted wall hanging carries the added bonus of being a little reminder of you and… Read More

National Gallery London begins countdown to 200th birthday with Bicentenary celebration

People gathered around front door of National Gallery Trafalgar Square

2022 it seems, is the year of milestones and celebrations. If Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee wasn’t reason enough to celebrate all that’s wholesome and likeable about the UK, then perhaps the news that the Nation’s favourite Western-style gallery, the National Gallery of Trafalgar Square is turning 200 years old. And they’ve got a lot planned to celebrate it. The countdown’s on to 10 May 2024 when the institution hits the milestone. What will it do with this time? Celebrate its past and look forward to the future with a year-long festival of art, creativity and imagination which sets the tone for its third century, of course! And the best bit is everyone’s invited. The celebrations will extend from in-to-outside the Gallery, encouraging visitors to London and locals to participate, view, engage and learn. “We will make it easier than ever for everyone to share a space with some of the greatest paintings in the world. From seeing a real work in the context of your local museum or gallery to enjoying a dive into the virtual history of the nation’s collection, everyone can find new ways to connect with art,” says the Gallery. Here’s a run-down of what’s on to look forward to. Dates and more info to come from the National Gallery website MORE: See the Raphael exhibition at the National Gallery until 31 July The Gallery across the nation   The National Gallery is going national, taking key elements of its 2000+ strong collection to areas all over the UK.  NG200: National Treasures  12… Read More

Tempus Two steps into gin territory with world first prosecco gin

WCP AVL22 Gin 006 scaled

If you thought Tempus Two was all about wines, well you’d be correct, but hold onto your hats because this iconic wine company is expanding its offering to include gin! Continuing their creative thinking from wine making, Tempus Two are bringing that innovation to the gin space with their first release of three wine-based gins. The range captures the distinctive characteristics of each varietal by creating a wine spirit base using the latest spinning cone technology, before infusing the botanicals. Tempus Two’s Chief Winemaker, Andrew Duff says: “The idea for our Tempus Two Gin range came from a desire to creatively harness the unique wine spirit that was extracted during the process used to make our low alcohol Lighten Up wines. We saw an opportunity to develop the varietal properties of the alcohol that was spun off and repurpose it into a range of high-quality gins. Using a combination of traditional and non-traditional extraction and distillation methods, we’ve created a product that both reduces our environmental impact and harnesses delicious wine qualities in a premium gin.” The stand out from the pack is a world first Prosecco Gin. Floral, fun, light and elegant, the Prosecco Gin is a blend of juniper, citrus and rose buds. Suffice to say you’ve never had anything like this! Pairing great with soda or tonic, or even in a martini, this will quickly become a home bar staple.  The deep red Shiraz Gin on the other hand is sweet and peppery, infused with wild botanicals and a shiraz juice that… Read More