Have you seen The Devil Wears Prada 2? Despite getting a few ho-hum reviews it helped to deliver the biggest Mother’s Day weekend at Australian cinemas in history. I saw it last Friday, following my interest being piqued by reports that it nails the collapse of glossy magazines. I had a brush with the glossy world... Continue Reading →

I read an interesting article last week in the Australian Financial Review about Gen X. Written by psychologist Clare Rowe, it explored the emotional, financial and family pressures the generation are facing, particularly Gen X women. Many, she notes "are navigating the physical and psychological effects of menopause, while also reassessing careers or managing the... Continue Reading →

I hardly see the youngest these days, due to me working five days a week and her working every weekend. So I drove down from Sydney and she drove up after her shift to meet for an early dinner in Wollongong on Saturday night. Being a proud Novocastrian, I am not a Wollongong fan. As... Continue Reading →

I went to a drinks event last night and I was very surprised by my friend Claudia's reaction when I asked her to join me. The invitation requested the pleasure of my company - and a plus one - to celebrate the unveiling of Another Hendrick’s - a new permanent Hendrick's Gin expression infused with orange blossom and... Continue Reading →

The Great Alana Health Check concludes this morning with various bodily fluids being taken to my local Douglas Hanly Moir, followed by an ECG and blood extraction. Last week involved a cortisol-raising visit to the radiologist for a mammogram and boob ultrasound. Mammograms are not my favourite. Just in case you haven’t experienced once, it involves... Continue Reading →

A long time ago in a city far, far away I became friends with a talented journalist called Natalie Obiko Pearson ... And I just found out she won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary! A Pulitzer Prize! Blimey! She won it along with two fellow contributors for “trAPPed”, which explored the... Continue Reading →

The weather was glorious over the weekend and I arrived at DD's on Sunday with high hopes for an ocean swim, but the waves were against me.  While there was no wind, the sea was wild and choppy. With lifesaver season over and sharks on the prowl, we decided it was foolhardy to venture into the surf. ... Continue Reading →

I am very excited to have bought another artwork by my former colleague Michèle Heibel over the weekend to add to my growing collection. My friends Fee and Emily accompanied me on a road trip to attend the opening of Michèle's latest exhibition. And, because the world is always too small when I’m involved, Fee... Continue Reading →

I’ve been so busy babbling about pouches of Douglas and crazy cycling adventures that I forgot to tell you about a “circular wine” event I attended this week at Australia's largest hotel, the Hyatt Regency Sydney. What's circular wine? It involves hotel food waste being consumed by millions of black soldier fly larvae—or maybe maggots,... Continue Reading →

I was sipping a glass of wine on Friday night while reading my pelvic ultrasound results ... as you do ... when I saw the words "There is no free fluid in the pouch of Douglas". The what? How did I get to age 58 without knowing I have a pouch of Douglas? Female readers,... Continue Reading →