Today archery is a competitive sport and is still used for game hunting, not that I am condoning the latter. Instead archery centers can be found all over Australia and welcome newcomers to their ‘come and try’ sessions. A sport that combines strength, precision and focus it is fun to learn and a good way of testing your abilities.

Ian Simmonds from Launching Place Archery Center has always enjoyed teaching people of all ages the “lingo” they need to understand the sport.

The first shot you take can be daunting and the ‘letting go’ of the arrow, knowing that you control it is a powerful feeling. Different from other sports it is about meeting personal goals and bettering your own technique, not just being more accurate than others.

An all ages sport means that it is suitable for all people, singles, couples and families to participate. But a note of warning, if you take your male counterpart then you might have to throw in the towel…maybe give him the opportunity to be your Robin Hood.

An hour from the city I invite you to immerse yourselves in the picturesque scenery and cafes of Olinda. A lovely day getaway for those who don’t have the budget or time for an overnight stay. You can experience Olinda in the morning and travel around the mountain to other towns. 

The boutique stores and antique treasure troves allow you to indulge in some of the prettier things life has to offer. Saturday and Sunday markets are on the drive up, they are rather eccentric as well as selling scrumptious fresh produce. Look out for the Olinda lolly shop too, it sells a wide range of old fashioned and international lollies, and fresh fudge. A lace store is located on the corner as well as an Istanbul themed store that sells a variety of crafts. 

Definitely a great place for families, as well as couples and friends. Olinda won’t take you out of your comfort zone but it will be a restful fresh air excursion. Look through and gift shops and bring something home to remember your day. No need to plan for this day trip, just walk around and enjoy.

Life drawing is a simple concept, creating through a drawing medium (pens, pencils, charcoal etcetera) on paper an image when you are looking at the real thing in front of you. That could be organic material like fruit, animals or landscapes, it could be technology or a building but more often it is people. Renaissance artists studied figures seriously before drawing them, some taking it to the lengths of visiting morgues to understand the human figure. 

Not all of us are that dedicated. We may have experienced life drawing classes fleetingly in high school, others may have never taken part in it. My friend was the latter and I thought I would really like to get back into it again so we found a website for life models society which helps you get into both the drawing classes and being a life model. 

Life drawing classes can be a little confronting, standing in a room with a naked figure is a little daunting but a relaxed creative environment soon calms down any nerves. It is excellent to be inspired by other artists around the room, some use obscure and colourful techniques while others consider a more traditional charcoal or pencil approach. 

Not only is it about art but it is a very social environment, there are about 5 breaks in a 2 hour class which gives you lots of time to have a cup of tea and meet new people.

2 hour classes run in various venues around Melbourne and cost around $13 for 2 hours. 

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If you are wanting to get a little out of your comfort zone then a trail ride with a friend or on your own to meet new people can be great. Horse riding isn’t really what we equate with ‘adventure sport’ material. Horse racing and jumping could have a thrill but still not adventure. Granted I had never been on a horse and still came to these assumptions.

There are a lot of aspects to trail rides, the initial fear when getting on the horse, getting used to the balance and the motion of movement (not to mention the height). Exercise and strengthening core muscles is a big part which is great since you don’t even realise it’s happening. The scenery is beautiful and you bump into other animals on the way. Then there is the stiffness in your legs when you get up the next morning.

Uncle Nev’s trail rides takes groups out daily, go in the morning, in the afternoon or at twilight. Make sure you let them know what you are wanting out of the ride so they can choose a horse that meets your needs. Also, if you partake in an afternoon 3 hour ride don’t have anything too important planned directly afterwards, we left at around 2 and made it back closer to 6.30 than the expected 5pm. 

Not just over paddocks you will be taken through Mt. Disappointment and near lakes. It is a little fear inspiring when your chosen horse decide to drink from a lake, from where you are it feels as though she is going for a swim.

 There is a sense of history to the trail ride, and as your mind wanders it is strange to imagine that once upon a time in Australia people were going through these areas on horseback daily, exploring and discovering.

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Art is a great way to challenge our perceptions and even get a little out of our comfort zone. Be inspired by Salvador Dali’s exhibition ‘Liquid Desire’ which is now on at the National Gallery of Victoria, showing daily and during some evenings. The multi room display offers the beautiful, the surreal and the gruesome embossed in sculpture, oil, photography and film. 

A very busy exhibition it is important to choose the time very carefully, it is less busy during the week except the evening display on Wednesdays are still crowded. Saturdays are good but be prepared for some shuffling at the start, this relaxes once you pass the first room. Sundays are busy again and it seems to be a little bit of a ‘mummy and me’ time in the early afternoon so arrive in the morning to avoid the prams. A great thing about the exhibition is how child friendly it is with a childs play area set up in the foyer. 

While there be sure to look out for the Walter E. Disney and Salvador Dali collaborated short film, it’s light and beautiful. Not to be confused with an earlier film on display which is much darker. 

The cost of the exhibition is $18 for students, $23 for adults and if you think you might visit the national gallery again perhaps consider purchasing a memberships which gives you exclusive offers and cheaper ticket prices! 

Afterwards you will be tired  so step out the front of the gallery, walk towards the arts centre and get a deserved hot chocolate at the outdoor cafe. 

The exhibition is on now until October 4.

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The results of eating well can be felt instantly, however, what does eating ‘well’ actually mean? 

Something I have found in my endeavors to stay healthy is that foods labelled ’97% fat free’ don’t make me feel great, they just make me feel hungry. Cardboard probably doesn’t have too much fat in it, our bodies might me able to digest it well enough and it would really help save some money, I don’t actually consider eating it though. 

Eating well is about having a fresh, colourful diet. Rich colours are usually rich in nutrients, succulant greens, dark and light browns, mystical purples and reds, sunny yellows and crisp orange are all fun. Introduce a new colour into your sandwich or salad or even roast and not only are you adding a new way to get the nutrients you need but it’s artistic too.

Frankly, it doesn’t really matter where you purchase it all from either. Organic farms and butchers for meat, dairy and other produce are of course the first choice. Sometimes, it just isn’t an option and because you have been out all day working or perhaps studying then it is completely reasonable that you just want to get everything from the one place, the supermarket. 

Shopping lists are really annoying to write up, however, without one people seem to come home without things they really need. Another side is that they come home with things they really didn’t need. Having a shopping list means you are more likely to stick to it.

Recently a girlfriend asked me to walk through the supermarket with her and show her what it is I eat to stay feeling healthy. We walked through all the aisles, and it wasn’t until we were around the fruit, meat and dairy that our basket actually started to fill up. Limiting packaged foods in a shopping basket is really good for you and your budget (no packaging means they don’t have the chance to tell me how ‘great’ it is for me). The only packaged foods we ended up buying were muesli, yoghurt (possibly the fattiest creamy vanilla they had and it was great!), milk, butter and a loaf of seed filled bread. 

Avoid impulse food purchases by doing 2 things. Buying something else, a rotten celebrity magazine is usually pretty good or think outside the supermarket even. Apart from that, never shop on an empty stomach!

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