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There is something almost universally comforting about being near the ocean. Perhaps it is the sound of the waves. Perhaps it is the horizon stretching endlessly into the distance. Or perhaps it is simply the rare opportunity to stand somewhere that reminds us how small we are in the grand scheme of things. Whatever the reason, most of us instinctively know how it feels. We arrive at the beach stressed, overwhelmed or carrying the mental clutter of everyday life. An hour late

There is a sentence I keep hearing from divorced, separated and newly single women: "I actually feel like I have one less child." The first time you hear it, you laugh. Usually because it is delivered with the kind of exhausted humour that only comes from someone who has spent years carrying the invisible weight of everyone else's lives. But after hearing it enough times, the joke starts to feel less funny. Because beneath it sits a question many modern relationships appear t

I've been thinking a lot about menopause lately. And not just because I'm going through it, but because of what seems to happen to women around this age in the workplace. It seems I spent my twenties being asked, directly or indirectly, whether I was planning to have children, then my thirties trying to juggle both. And, just as my children became more independent and I'd accumulated decades of experience, menopause arrived and suddenly I'm dealing with a whole new set of cha

For many Australians, Japan begins with the neon blur of Tokyo, the powder snow of Niseko or the endless stream of social media videos showcasing ramen, cherry blossoms and vending machines. But for Sydney-based Japan specialist Jane Lawson, the real magic of Japan lies somewhere deeper, quieter and far more layered than most travellers ever experience. It lives in tiny mountain villages and hidden laneways. In old wooden farmhouses, local markets and fleeting conversations w

You’ve taken time off work, your bag is packed, you’ve mapped out your travels and you’re ready to let your hair down and enjoy a few well-earned margaritas. But there’s just one thing, and every dog owner knows exactly what I’m talking about. Somehow, whether it’s the sound of the suitcase being dragged out of storage, a shift in routine, or some strange sixth sense dogs seem to have, they just know you’re leaving. Then the guilt sets in and suddenly your doggo’s sad little

What started as a spontaneous Covid lockdown idea on a balcony has since turned into a remarkably sweet success story. Five years ago, Adam Brown had never kept bees in his life. Now, he has ten hives, a growing local following and a collection of medals from two of Australia’s most respected agricultural shows. Not bad for what was originally supposed to be a hobby. “It began as a fun thing to do during Covid,” Adam says. “I was sitting on the balcony overlooking my garden o

There are some people who simply have an eye for beauty. Not the kind of beauty that comes from following trends or scrolling Pinterest for inspiration, but the rare ability to walk into a space and instinctively know exactly what belongs there and how to make it effortlessly extraordinary. That was my first impression of Nina when I discovered Hearth Co in Palm Beach. The store itself was a masterclass in style, but what struck me most wasn't the carefully curated collection

There once was a time when discomfort was simply part of life. Whether walking to and from school, waiting in line, saving up for something rather than buying it instantly, sitting with heartbreak, grieving losses, or simply being bored, discomfort was just part of the human experience. We didn't necessarily enjoy it, but we accepted it. These days, though, it seems we're doing everything we can to avoid discomfort. If we're sad, there's an app, a podcast or a self-help guru

When Gilava arrived in Australia from Iran in 2008, she carried far more than the contents of her suitcase. Like many migrants, she brought memories, traditions, family recipes and a deep connection to the culture she had grown up in. She also carried the uncertainty that comes with starting over in a new country. "Starting again in a new country is exciting, but it can also be lonely and disorienting," she says. "Food became one of the ways I could stay connected to who I wa

There are plenty of cafes where you can grab a good coffee, sit for a while and watch the world go by. But every now and then, you come across a place that feels different the moment you walk in. Not because of the menu or the fit-out, but because of the energy. The Mind Cafe in Narrabeen is one of those places. On the surface, it looks like a local cafe. People come in for breakfast, coffee, lunch. But stay a little longer and you start to notice something else happening. Co

It goes without saying that most mums don’t have the time or energy to even cover the basics these days. Between work, running a home and raising children, even finding a moment for yourself, whether it’s just to throw on an avocado face mask or brush your hair before the school run, can feel completely out of reach for most. Which is what makes the cohort of women who choose to volunteer feel almost unbelievable. We’re talking about mums who are juggling all of this and stil

Something is happening right now, and it’s hard to ignore. You can feel it bubbling away in comment sections, group chats, at the water cooler and around dinner tables. It’s not loud, but it’s there, and it’s growing. A quiet shift in the way everyday people see those sitting at the top of the pyramid. The rich, the famous, the influencers, the so-called untouchables. And the question sitting underneath it all is simple. Have they completely lost touch? Once upon a time, cele

Some stories don’t begin with strategy or planning. They begin with a question. In this case, it came from a group of Northern Beaches schoolchildren sitting in a classroom in 2008, asking a simple but powerful thing. How can we help? Tamara Sloper Harding, a member of the Upper Northern Beaches Rotary Club, had been speaking to them about Anzac Day, about peacekeeping, and about her time in Timor-Leste. The conversation shifted quickly from history to something far more imme

For years, Kyle and Jackie O were untouchable. They dominated radio, pulled in huge audiences, and built a brand that thrived on pushing boundaries. It was loud, controversial, and often uncomfortable, but it worked. People tuned in, they laughed and they accepted it as entertainment. But if you strip it back, there was always something sitting underneath it all, and we all heard it. Kyle taking shots and Jackie taking it. Over and over, it was brushed off as friendly banter,

Something is happening right now, and it’s hard to ignore. You can feel it bubbling away in comment sections, group chats, at the water cooler and around dinner tables. It’s not loud, but it’s there, and it’s growing. A quiet shift in the way everyday people see those sitting at the top of the pyramid. The rich, the famous, the influencers, the so-called untouchables. And the question sitting underneath it all is simple. Have they completely lost touch? Once upon a time, cele

It’s hard to miss the very public fallout between Victoria Beckham and her eldest son, Brooklyn Beckham. What should have been a fairly normal wedding moment - a mother sharing a dance with her son - has instead morphed into a cultural flashpoint, after Brooklyn effectively outed Victoria as the mother-in-law from hell for stepping into his and Nicola Peltz’s first dance. And he didn’t stop there, delivering a very public dressing-down of his entire family around image, contr

In a world where fast fashion has become a dime a dozen, churning out disposable trends that rarely listen to women’s bodies, lives or needs, something has been quietly lost. Clothes have become loud but soulless designed for algorithms rather than women, with little regard for how they feel, move or age. Over the past decade, much of Australian fashion has faded under the weight of offshore production and speed-first thinking. That’s why the way designer Alison Lennard talks

There are buffets, and then there’s Epicurean. Tucked inside Crown Sydney, this isn’t your average stack-your-plate kind of place. It’s where you go for a 21st, an anniversary, or that once-a-year family get-together when everyone’s in a good mood and no one’s pretending to eat light - like an unspoken Christmas Day pass. It’s not dinner out - it’s an event. Let’s start with the name. Epicurean comes from Epicurus - the ancient Greek philosopher who believed pleasure, done we

Every January, it’s the same story. The gym’s packed, blenders are whirring, and your feed is suddenly filled with green juice, protein bowls and motivational quotes. There’s a buzz of fresh starts in the air that quiet promise that this will be the year it finally clicks. And for a while, it does. Until it doesn’t. Somewhere between the cold-brew phase and mid-February, the wheels start to wobble. Cravings creep in. Discipline wavers. And before long, that shiny new plan st

For more than three decades, Marianne Williamson has been one of the defining voices in modern spirituality and conscious living. The author of fourteen books - four of them New York Times number ones - she’s helped shape how we think about compassion, consciousness and personal growth. Her words have carried across generations, becoming both a touchstone for seekers and a rallying cry for anyone willing to choose love over fear. Long before manifestation became a hashtag or