COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on our lifestyles – we’re staying in (and we implore you to, as well). Life has changed. Drastically. While it’s not permanent, it’s a big shift, and we’re all feeling it. While you’re doing the right thing (spatial and social distancing + self isolating), we’re updating you with what you need to know about all the things you love. How you can still eat, drink, consume, watch and buy the things that bring you joy. How you can continue to support Australian businesses, artists, creators, makers and more. How you can stay amused, active, educated and entertained at home. How we can all stay connected to the things that make us us.
Sandi Sieger’s guide to what’s hot and happy(ning) this week. Eat, drink, buy, try, visit, be merry.
EAT: FroPro Singles
There’s a delicious game-changer to the Australian ice cream market that rivals the likes of Magnum and Connoisseur ice creams… and it’s only 160 calories with 1/6th the sugar of a Classic Magnum! Meet FroPro Singles – Australia’s answer to the creamy guilt-free ice cream you’ve been waiting for.
Founded and created by former professional-rugby union player and self-confessed ice cream expert, Ed O’Donoghue, the FroPro range is all about permissible indulgence and treating yourself. And did I mention they’re 100% Aussie owned and made?
The healthy lifestyle craze that is sweeping the nation is leading the buying habits of all Aussies, who are becoming more conscious about the things that they put into their bodies (their temples). FroPro’s new products offer the perfect sugar-free chocolate coated ice cream, FroPro Singles, using ingredients such as coconut milk and offering a plant-based vanilla option that is 100% sugar free. It’s now so easy to choose the healthier (and equally delicious) option when reaching for that ice-cream in the supermarket freezer!
Other FroPro Singles’ flavours include double chocolate and salted caramel that are both only 150 calories per serve. You can find the whole range in your local Woolworths and online at www.woolworths.com.au, along with their existing range of 520ml tubs.
DRINK: New Drops From Ingram Road
Family-owned and operated winery, Helen’s Hill, has unveiled two new vintages from its Ingram Road label.
Each of the wines, a 2019 Ingram Road Chardonnay and 2019 Ingram Road Pinot Grigio, encapsulates the distinct flavours of the Yarra Valley from which it hails. Last year’s warm temperatures, resilient grapes and Helen’s Hill’s hands-on approach to picking and fermenting have resulted in some truly special characteristics in the bottle.
Ingram Road 2019 Chardonnay
Created with meticulous attention to detail, all fruit from this chardonnay was hand-picked from specially selected sites, whole bunch pressed and transferred to the barrel for fermentation and maturation in 100 percent French oak.
Helen’s Hill’s winemakers used a wild fermentation process during the initial stage, ensuring only naturally occurring wild yeasts from the vineyard were used in the primary ferment. The result is a wine with flavours that are unique to Helen’s Hill, a single vineyard site with many microclimates in the Yarra Valley’s Coldstream.
With beautiful notes of white stone fruit, light melon, citrus and vanilla, this wine is one where the palate reflects the nose. Fresh and bright on the front palate with ample acidity, this wine is finished perfectly with subtle creaminess and hints of French oak.
Ingram Road 2019 Pinot Grigio
A confluence of fresh fruit flavours and crisp acidity, this drop offers a clean fresh finish with flavours of apple and nashi pear. A cold tank fermentation process pronounces a series of nuanced yet rich, textural flavours on the mid-palate, making it a wine to suit every season.
Hand-picked early and whole bunch pressed, retaining its natural acidity. Once the juice was cold settled in the tank for three days, it underwent a cool, controlled ferment.
After the fermentation process, the wine was matured in the tank for three months before bottling. The final result is a crisp, fruit driven and mineral wine that holds true to the traditional Grigio style.
Ingram Road wines is a collection of ready-to-pour wines from Helen’s Hill, designed to be enjoyed straight away.
TRY: E.S.K Skincare
Pioneering the beauty industry with their evidence-based approach to skincare formulations, ESK – Evidence Skincare introduces two varying strengths of retinal-based evening face serums, Ultimate A (0.06%) and Ultimate A+ (0.1%), as an effective, tolerable and scientifically-proven method of promoting new collagen production, combating acne and rosacea, and reducing the visual appearance of pigmentation, skin discolouration and unwanted skin texture.
Combining glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid, to enhance the bioavailability of the retinal and improve skin exfoliation for increased cell turnover, Ultimate A and Ultimate A+ also contains vitamin B3 (niacinamide) to help visibly improve the appearance of enlarged pores, even skin tone, remedy skin dullness, and improve skin barrier function by strengthening the epidermal surface from future environmental assault.
“We developed Ultimate A and Ultimate A+ using the strongest peer-reviewed evidence available,” said co-founder of ESK – Evidence Skincare, Dr. Ginni Mansberg. “With many consumers uncertain of the retinoic acid conversion process and subject to an endless flood of marketing hype, we wanted to cut through all the beauty babble and create two cosmeceutical-grade serums that not only deliver on results, but are universally suited to a range of skin types and conditions.”
Formulated for evening use, Ultimate A and Ultimate A+ is tailored to young and mature skin alike, including those prone to sensitivity, and should be used in conjunction with an SPF during daylight hours to protect skin cells from UV-induced trauma. As with all forms of topical vitamin A, it is recommended that neither product be used by pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers.
ESK – Evidence Skincare was founded in 2012 by husband and wife team, Daniel Rubinstein and Dr. Ginni Mansberg, and employs the expertise of Australian doctors, dermatologists and scientists to formulate their extensive range of locally-made cosmeceutical-grade skincare. Once exclusive to medical practitioners, the range was made available direct to consumers in 2017. As a digital resource, ESK – Evidence Skincare has recently introduced an online questionnaire to assist consumers in tailoring their skincare regimen.
Ultimate A ($105rrp) and Ultimate A+ ($115rrp) is available globally at www.eskcare.com.
BUY: Seven Miles ‘Thank You’ Coffee + Cup Pack
While the fires may have been put out, Australia is still focused on aiding communities affected, helping those that have lost everything get back on their feet.
To give back, Sydney-based coffee roasters, Seven Miles, has developed a special coffee blend and reusable cup to fuel the recovery through the nations love of coffee, donating a third of all proceeds to WWF’s Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund.
A great coffee, and a great way to support local communities. Shop here.
VISIT: Victoria’s Best Camping Destinations
Until we can get back out there and camp under the stars, by the sea and in the forest, explore the very best camping destinations in Victoria from the comfort of your couch with this full-colour, fully updated and detailed directory to over 700 campsites.
With the Camping Guide to Victoria, 5th Edition, you will find a comprehensive listing of more than 150 parks, forests and reserves where you can pitch your tent, roll out your swag or unhitch your van.
This best-selling guide provides concise and accurate details to camping areas throughout the whole state, including some of Australia’s most celebrated bush and coastal areas such as the High Country, the Gippsland Coast and the Grampians.
Available for $39.99 in all good bookstores or online at www.booktopia.com.au.
