Thank you to everyone that entered the ClintonCharlie competition. It was a great success with over 120 entries. Congratulations to the winners of the Two Flat Whites ClintonCharlie giveaways. The prizes will be posted to you shortly. Don’t forget to check out the great range of products from our good friends at ClintonCharlie – ‘Fashion designer of beautiful couture dresses and denim outfits’ – let them know that Two Flat Whites sent you!

A.McManus – Narraweena, NSW – Designer Belt

J.Leonard – Sturt, SA – Denim Shorts

N.Hanham – Hendra, QLD – Denim Shorts

The next competition is only days away. So join in the fun & celebrate Two Flat Whites first birthday with our ‘Mega Month of May giveaways’.

Two Flat Whites dined at Prime Restaurant & Grill Room at the GPO in Sydney recently. This restaurant oozes class. Prime Restaurant has been named best steak restaurant on many occasions & has been awarded so many other honours. If you are looking for the ultimate fine dining experience this is the place for you.

As you make your way to the GPO Martin Place in Sydney & walk into Prime Restaurant the first thing that makes you realise that this restaurant is something special is it’s décor. With its New York style & sandstone interior, relaxed feel & friendly service, your fine dining experience has already begun.

The food was scrumptious. All the food is fresh & made daily by their top class kitchen. We started with the Sautéed Porcini Mushroom & Goat Cheese Risotto which was breathtaking. It was the best risotto we have ever tasted. As side dishes, we chose the Pan Fried Potatoes, Rocket & Mixed Herb & Leaf Salads.

We then proceeded to consume our Wagyu beef. Now if you haven’t heard of Wagyu beef, they are cattle bred in Japan & this meat is regarded in many parts of the world, as the best beef. For those of you who appreciate red meat Wagyu is regarded as the highest grade beef in the world, with a marbling score of A12.

Wagyu beef is the most flavoursome & tender beef you will ever try. It melts in your mouth. We chose to dine at Prime Restaurant for its range of Wagyu beef mixed with the best Australian beef. If you enjoy your steak, you should try Wagyu. To accompany this gorgeous meal, we chose one of the many Australian & worldwide selection of wines, a little French Red number called ‘Montirius 2004’.

Last but certainly not least, was the dessert. The Apple Terrine; it was Apple Pie with a strip of pastry & topped with cinnamon ice-cream. If you haven’t tried cinnamon ice-cream, give your tastebuds the chance and they will not be disappointed.

Prime Restaurant (best steak restaurant 2001-2007)

GPO Sydney – No.1 Martin Place
Ph: 02 9229 7777

Established in 1973, the ACP opened the doors of its first gallery in Paddington Street, in 1974. In 1981 the Centre moved to Oxford Street where it remains today. It is now Australia’s longest running contemporary art space.

It is the ACP’s mission to promote and enrich the understanding of photo-based art in Australia and this is achieved through a dynamic mix of exhibition, education and publication. In its blend of activities and range of photographic media, the Centre is unique in Australia.

The ACP is a not-for-profit organisation supported by the NSW Government through the NSW Ministry for the Arts, the Australia Council, the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body, and the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments. The ACP raises over half of its revenue from non-government sources.

The Two Flat Whites office headed over to the Australian Centre for Photography along with our friends at Design Federation today. We all enjoyed the exhibitions. There is something for everyone! So why not go & check out the exhibition on ‘Phantasia’, vivid, complex and magical, the works in this exhibition abandon the traditional realm of the photographic – the real world – to conjure images of the fantastical. Or ‘Head On’ which is an innovative showcase of Australian portrait photography, reflecting a vibrant, diverse cross-section of new and traditional photographic practices. Now in its fifth year, the show includes the work of 40 finalists, competing for prizes worth over $30,000.

Australian Centre for Photography

257 Oxford Street
Paddington, NSW 2021 Sydney

Tel: 02 9332 1455
Fax: 02 9331 6104

Gallery Hours: Tue-Fri 12.00am – 7.00pm, Sat & Sun 10.00am – 6.00pm
Workshop Hours: Mon-Sun 12noon-6.00pm

Admission to the Gallery is Free

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says his government’s first Budget is the beginning of an era of responsible economic management. The 2008-09 Budget handed down by Treasurer Wayne Swan forecasts a higher than expected surplus of $21.7 billion for 2008-09.

The government’s “razor gang” also slashed $33 billion from public spending during the next four years, while the budget is handing out $46.7 billion worth of personal tax cuts as part of a $55 billion “working families support package”.

“We have generated a surplus which is the second-highest for a decade,” Mr Rudd told Parliament. “We needed to take on the fight against inflation. That meant ensuring when it came to handling of government outlays we didn’t perpetuate the spendathon of the members opposite as we have seen in recent years of government expenditure mounting and mounting and mounting. Instead we had to send that back and reverse direction.”

What do you think of the budget? I wonder what the other guy thinks. Have your say right here! Make a comment…..

The birthday celebrations continue with the ‘Mega Month of May Giveaways’ and Two Flat Whites are happy to have one of our favourite Fashion Labels onboard. For a chance to win a couple of pairs of women’s shorts and a designer leather belt from our good friends ClintonCharlie valued at $250.00 – email your name and postal address to info {at} twoflatwhites(.)com

Check out ClintonCharlie’s range of ‘Bootyhuggers’. Why not buy that something for that special someone with ClintonCharlie’s winter stock just arriving. Entries close on Sunday, 18th May 2008. Winners will be published on Two Flat Whites the next day!

Two Flat Whites caught up with Luke Feldman, aka in the design world as SKAFFS. Luke produces infectious illustrations and animations and this along with over 10 years experience makes him one very talented designer. Luke has achieved many honours, although some of his most recent achievements include being a finalist in the ‘Little Big Shots Film Festival 2008’ & a finalist of the ‘International Independent Film Festival 2007’ in San Diego.

Where did you grow up & where do you hang your hat?

I was born in Warrnambool and grew up in Geelong. At the moment, Melbourne and San Francisco are home.

In your own words, what do you do?

I am an illustrator and animator who produces music and paints. I am the creator of SKAFFS (www.skaffs.com) that is an ever-evolving collection of creative work such as art, giant vinyl adhesives, skate decks and other odds-and-ends.

Where did you learn your craft?

I studied Visual Arts and completed a Multimedia course in Australia. This was important in giving me a better understanding of the fundamentals of design and animation. Working in the multimedia industry, for over 10 years, from gaming to children’s education and social networking, also helped me get to where I am now.

Whose work do you relate to most? Who inspires you?

Salvador Dali & Theodor Geisel (Dr Seuss)

What inspired you to create?

The idea of creating something from nothing to a finished piece of work inspires me. My bizarre creations are the result of the quirky little things that happen throughout my life. .

Childhood Memories:

TV Show – Monkey Magic, The Goodies, Mr Squiggle

Hobby – Taekwondo, Playing the Guitar

Food – Soda Streams, Chocolate Crackles, Bubble O Bill

Fear – People under the stairs.

People – Jean-Claude Van Damme and his classic “acting” skills and martial arts.

Defining moment – Winning a local colour-in competition at the age of 8 years and realizing that I could possibly make some money without colouring-in within the lines.

Schooling memories, chore or cherished?

Chore. Being a red head meant being picked-on. But, on the flipside, school also exposed me to a variety of arts and music education and helped me get through.

Where is the most beautiful place in Australia you have visited?

A secluded beach amongst the cliffs of Boudhi National Park on the coast of NSW

From the hours of 9am to 5pm, what do you get up too?

My usual work day starts off very early and ends very late. In between commissioned jobs, I prepare artwork (acrylic, ink or digital) for upcoming exhibitions and I work on my own animation series concepts. My days tend to be long to allow me to easily communicate with companies all over the world on all different time zones.

Where can people see your work?

I currently sell work at Villain Store on Sydney Road and Robio on Gertrude Street in Melbourne. I also have work on various web stores such as Shanalogic and Freshly Dipped. Galleries in California, both in San Francisco and Los Angeles, carry a lot of my original fine art pieces. Further details on stores can be found at www.skaffs.com.

For love or money?

Definitely LOVE and a lot of it! To have the support and following of fans and to see my artwork used in advertising campaigns, children’s books, store or conference booth installations etc is really rewarding.

What future endeavors are in the pipeline?

More artwork for various upcoming exhibitions (Further details on shows at www.skaffs.com). I have my first illustrated and co-authored children’s book series scheduled for release in early 2009. I am also launching a couple of collector toys.

Congratulations to the winners of Two Flat Whites Bluejuice & The Paper Scissors albums giveaway. The albums will be posted to you shortly. Don’t forget to catch one of the gigs on their ‘Less Talk, More Problems Tour’ around Australia.

M.Cameron – Gordon, NSW
P.Hamilton – Richmond, VIC
F.Moore – Rockhampton, QLD
C.Amorello – East St Kilda, VIC
R.Dalton – Northwood, NSW
B.Hunter – Warrimoo, NSW
A.Langford – Sydney, NSW
B.Trace – Esperance, WA
G.Payne – Ashfield, NSW
B.Hayes – Annandale, NSW
L.Hopner – Brunswick, VIC
A.Carpenter – Kiama, NSW

Two Flat Whites is continuing with it’s support of the Australian film industry & is delighted to provide you, our readers with a film review of one of the greatest Australian films ever made.

Looking for Alibrandi is my favourite Australian flick. The film is set in the inner suburbs of Sydney & tells the story of Miss Josie Alibrandi, a teenage girl growing up with the pressures of family, racism, womanhood, school & loss.

Even though this flick covers so many issues, unlike most coming of age flicks it is not heavy loaded. It avoids the constant bed hopping and zit horrors that are usually substituted for drama. Looking for Alibrandi has just the right mix of humour and drama to keep the film flowing.

Josie lives with her Mother in a small terrace in Leichhardt. She attends a Catholic School, where she is just entering the final year. Josie aims to take control of her life. She is intelligent & wants to turn over a new leaf this year and to get the right grades to go on to Sydney University to study law. Josie has a few close friends. She gets on very well with John; the school captain of the neighbouring St Anthony’s on whom she has a crush. And if all that wasn’t enough to cope with, Josie has to contend with the bigotry of her rich classmates, an interfering grandmother and as icing on the cake – Josie’s father who she has never met, moves to Sydney.

Looking for Alibrandi is a wonderful flick, well made & with plenty of twists not mentioned above. The star is Pia Miranda who is fantastic as Josie Alibrandi & her acting ability is enough reason alone to watch this great Australian film. The support cast of Greta Scacchi & Anthony La Paglia is also first rate. Do yourself a favour & watch this delightful piece of mastery light up your screen. The Director Kate Woods also did a superb job.

This May, the Next Wave Festival invites you to get closer to the future of art. With over 400 young and emerging artists from around Australia, the Festival presents two remarkable weeks of genre-busting new works across Melbourne.

Through 61 projects, the 2008 Next Wave Festival will infiltrate the city with visual art, performance, dance, new media, literature, hybrid projects and more. Next Wave’s artists will caress, confront and ensnare audiences with their fearless, multifaceted approach to making art: pushing the boundaries of existing media and creating some new ones in the process.

More than 50 artists from interstate and 5 artists from across the seas, as well as hundreds of local artists will converge on Melbourne to grab the arts industry by the seat of its pants and thrust it into the public domain with startling public projects, unexpected performances and invigorating discourse. The Next Wave Festival Club at the Mercat Cross Hotel will be buzzing with ideas throughout the day during the Polyphonic workshops and forums, and sparkling at night as artists, audiences and passers by come together to exchange ideas, dance moves and phone numbers every night of the festival.

Young indigenous artists come to the fore throughout the Festival, embracing modern arts practices including hybrid performance styles, collaborative writing, puppetry, digital technology, reworked classical theatre and photography to tell stories of identity and their people.

The 2008 Next Wave Festival will explore new ideas and, for a couple of weeks in May, plunge Australian art and culture into the future, and beyond.

LISTING INFORMATION
Dates: 15th – 31st May
Venues: Various venues around Melbourne, regional Victoria and beyond
Tickets: Most events are free. For the few ticketed shows check the Next Wave website for details.
Bookings info, show details and everything else: www.nextwave.org.au