Australia’s sands are soon to be graced with a ‘wanky’ monstrosity Australians have rallied against for years.

Beach bars.

That’s right. Though proposals last year for an Amalfi Beach Club to be set up at Bondi were rejected by local authorities, in a surprising episode of ‘whack a mole’ a similar business model is now making legislative headway on the Gold Coast.

Deputy Premier @StevenJMiles will consider a plan for local beach bars. Council is pushing for a 2 year https://t.co/LvyXmKHjpb serve alcohol on selected beaches. A pop up bar has already been touted for just north of the Kurrawa Surf Club. https://t.co/tIEQ9K5sus #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/nbUKaHCtwS

— 7NEWS Gold Coast (@7NewsGoldCoast) March 16, 2021

“In a bid to reinvigorate the hard-hit tourism sector amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate hopes to establish ‘beach bars’ at select locations along region’s 55km of sandy coastline” in time for Christmas, news.com.au reports.

“These bars, while only in the development stage, would allow beachgoers to have a drink and a light snack without having to walk off the sand to a nearby bar or pub.”

It’s also, perhaps to the horror of those that railed so hard against the notion at Bondi last year, “a concept that’s already working for Adelaide, which launched the European-inspired ‘Mosley Beach Club’ for South Australians to visit and enjoy during the summer months,” news.com.au reports.

RELATED: Controversial Bondi Beach Photo Depicts Scene That Could Never Happen In America

The beach bars are set to be reminiscent of Greece (i.e. removable) and will be established as part of a two year trial, in select locations. The initial concept design, however, still has a way to go before it gets the green light.

The Moseley beach club in Adelaide (pictured below) has been up and running for some time, and has been received, DMARGE understands, positively by the community, due to the lack of the same ‘premium for space’ limitations as say, Sydney’s Bondi.

 

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Purists will argue it’s a flawed concept, anyhow, and that the whole attraction of Australian beaches is their uncommercial nature. They also point out half the reason such concepts flourish in Europe (perhaps Adelaide fits into this category too…) is that their beaches are not as soft and silky.

“Why don’t you people go away… You don’t get the right to sequester part of it to make money,” one commenter wrote on Facebook, about this issue, last year.

Proponents will undoubtedly spout economic figures and engage you in a conversation about their massive, unrequited crush on Europe, and how epic it is to sip $12 Daquiris out of glassware on the beach.

RELATED: The Awkward Truth About Australia’s Europe Fetish

“Sydney is looking more backwards than us [Adelaide] with their outcry over this,” another wrote on Facebook, regarding last year’s Bondi beach club proposal.

 

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As DMARGE reported earlier this week, this is not the first time in the last few years Adelaide has proven ahead of the curve, with its Gluttony festival and Spanish-style dining putting Sydney’s deathly quiet Kings Cross to shame.

Read Next

• Bondi’s ‘Amalfi Coast’ Ambition Forgets Uncomfortable Truth About European Beach Culture
• Iconic Paradise Beach Scene Reveals Greek Freedom Australians Can’t Handle

The post Australia Finally Embraces 'Wanky' European Beach Trend… After Years Of Mocking It appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Salt Bae – real name Nusret Gökçe and unofficial sexiest butcher on the internet – was catapulted into the public eye in 2017 when a series of videos showing how he prepared the meat at his steak restaurants went viral. Not only did these viral images show him sprinkling salt in a way that we imagine has now been adopted by millions of people worldwide, but also of his insane meat-cutting techniques.

Safe to say, he knows how to handle his meat.

In fact, Salt Bae loves red meat so much he even eats it for breakfast, and his carnivore diet combined with his strict fitness regimen has gifted him the most insane body compositions we’ve ever seen.

Gökçe has years of experience in the butcher and meat industry, having left school during the 6th grade – approximately 11-years old – to go and work as a butcher’s apprentice to help his family out with financial income. He’s never looked back, and opened his first restaurant in 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey, before opening a second venue in Dubai in 2014. Today, he has restaurants in both the middle-east and the US, but has come under the fire of several critics calling his venues “overpriced”.

But how overpriced is “overpriced”? Are Salt Bae’s restaurant price really that bad? Thanks to Twitter user @5_stelly, we can now answer that question. Posting an image of his receipt to his Twitter account, accompanied by the caption, “This real? Because i dont wanna have this convo anymore Lol”, the receipt for a meal for 6 at the Miami, Florida restaurant shows a total of US $6228.05.

$5.95 for an espresso? Sure. $10 for a sprite? Starting to push it, but it is a celebrity chef restaurant. Things start to become a little bit ridiculous when you notice two portions of French fries, two portions of spinach and two portions of mashed potato equal $38 each.

But the perfectly sprinkled icing on the cake comes when you consider a Golden Tomahawk steak will set you back $1,000. A $725 premium over a non-golden tomahawk, the golden version is claimed to be essentially the same thing, only covered in 24K gold leaf. Talk about extra.

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A post shared by Nusr_et#Saltbae (@nusr_et)

In the same vein that the round-sunglass-wearing butcher has gone viral, so has this image of the receipt, sparking furious debate on social channels, along with a slight dose of ridicule.

Some noticed the #SaltBae Passion option on the receipt (and four servings of it)…

What if “Saltbae Passion” is when you let him put the meat in your mouth

— SAVVY RAMONE (@uAintGotNo_HOVA) March 14, 2021

…while others were quick to say the group brought the expensive bill upon themselves…

This dinner party has money. People who complain or post receipts don’t order $1500 Le Brut or $1k tomahawk steak

— Nics (@PickyNikkie) March 14, 2021

…in fact, the vast majority of replies to the tweet call out the price of the sprite being more sacrilegious than the price of the steaks. And some noticed the bill was from 2019, so expect prices to have increased in line with inflation.

Read Next

• Salt Bae’s Bizarre Workout Routine Puts Your Gym Sessions To Shame
• Why A Good Bottle Of Wine Costs $10,000 At Salt Bae’s London Restaurant

The post Salt Bae’s Restaurant Prices Will Blow Your Mind appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Mercedes-Benz, widely considered the world’s oldest car company, is best known for its luxury vehicles. However, the staid German marque also has a long history of making commercial vehicles – such as the ubiquitous Mercedes-Benz Sprinter – as well as off-road vehicles, such as the G-Wagen.

The G-Wagen stands out as one of the toughest 4x4s money can buy… But ironically, it’s not even the most capable 4×4 Mercedes makes. No, that honour goes to the indomitable Unimog: a less famous but even burlier beast that can conquer even the most intense terrain.

A body-on-frame vehicle with short overhangs, insane ground clearance thanks to portal gear axles, boatloads of torque and an axle angle offset that a Jeep Wrangler owner could only dream of – the fact the agricultural, unrefined but tough-as-nails Unimog has a Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star on its front grille is rather incongruous. Since its introduction in the late 1940s, the Unimog has gained a legendary reputation for durability and insane off-road performance.

In the 80s, the Australian Defence Force bought over a thousand Unimogs (which were actually assembled locally), which saw service alongside the famous Land Rover Perentie. Since then, both the Perenties and Unimogs have been retired, replaced by G-Wagens and Rheinmetall MAN trucks respectively. But Unimogs have found a new life as a popular campervan conversion vehicle. Which makes sense – they’ve got a big truck bed you can slap a cabin on, and they can go just about anywhere.

This campervan conversion, however, might just be the cream of the crop. You’d certainly hope so, for $239,500.

Listed on Gumtree for sale in Blackbutt, Queensland, the owner describes this 1986 model year machine as the “ultimate ‘go anywhere’ vehicle,” relating that there’s been “no expense spared” with this comprehensive build.

“Desert, bush, outback, coast – this beast will conquer all. Excellent condition 6 cylinder diesel engine. Interior cabin in good condition. Air-conditioned, [with] two fridges, [a] Pioneer sound system, expandable roof, shower and toilet. Shurflo 5.7 smart flow freshwater pump. Continental tyres. Sterling Power Pro Charge Ultra 24v-30a. Dunlop comfort foam mattress. Kitchenette with sink and Webasto cooktop.”

Sadly, he hasn’t put as much effort into the photos – they look like they were taken with a potato – so some other features he’s neglected to mention included a custom ‘UNIMOG’ exhaust stack and an integrated navigation system.

$235k might seem like a lot of money to spend, but when you consider this might be the closest thing to a house on wheels, it’s rather competitive compared to the price of a one-bedroom flat in Sydney or Melbourne…

RELATED: ‘Affordable’ Toyota SUVs Fast Becoming Perfect Alternative To Skyrocketing Defender Prices

If you don’t have quite as much money in the bank but still want to get on board the Unimog wave, we’ve tracked down another two camper conversions on Gumtree that are a little cheaper.

This military-inspired Unimog on sale in Mount Helena, Western Australia features a similarly extensive campervan conversion, with heaps of storage and a nice big TV within the camper module. Unlike the previously mentioned conversion, however, it doesn’t have a fridge – so you’ve got to ask yourself, are you ok slumming it with an Esky? It’s going for $85,000.

Cheaper still is this example also in Western Australia, this time in Wangara. While not as aesthetically pleasing as either of the other two Unimogs we’ve talked about, it seems to have all the main kit you’d want, including a double bed and an external sunshade. Again, no fridge – but for $65,000, you could probably install one and still have plenty of money in the bank.

All three of these vehicles, however, look like they could survive an atom bomb dropped on them. With international borders still closed, more and more Aussies are choosing the #vanlife… And if you’re going to join them, you may as well do it in style. Unimog style.

Read Next

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The post Insane 4×4 Campervan Crowned Australia’s Most Apocalypse Ready Vehicle appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When we’re not lauding David Beckham for his impeccable taste in watches, his ever-changing yet always on-trend hairstyles or his consistently inspirational style, we also like to turn to him for fitness inspiration. At 45 years young, he’s by no means old, but the general consensus suggests our fitness can take a dive following each full rotation of the sun.

RELATED: David Beckham Shares ‘Finisher’ Exercise That Keeps The Dad Bod Away… Even At 45

Becks seems to defy that logic, and his latest Instagram post provides yet more evidence as to how he fights the signs of ageing. His latest workout of choice? Ab rolling.

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The humble ab roller – a regular on TV shopping channels – can often be seen as a piece of exercise equipment that sends shivers down the spines of even the fittest athletes, as it requires incredible core strength to be able to perform effectively. David Beckham proves he has such core strength in spades, as he’s able to roll out to such a length that his abs are practically touching the floor. We can’t stress enough how difficult this is.

Ab rollouts are the ultimate exercise to boost your core strength, as they encourage your abdominal muscles to work extra hard to prevent your back from over-arching/extending. The difficulty predominantly lies in returning to the starting position. Rolling out as far as you can should prove relatively simple for even the most amateur of fitness fiend, but holding the end position, and activating your abs to help push your body back up to the start is where the men are separated from the boys.

Core strength is more than just having a head-turning six pack, it actually has myriad benefits, even beyond sport. As the Mayo Clinic says, “Strong core muscles make it easier to do many activities, such as swing a golf club, get a glass from the top shelf and bend down to tie your shoes.”

Because of their difficulty and the potential of injury if you over extend/arch your back, you should only attempt ab rollouts if you’re able to hold a plank for at least more than 30-seconds, but ideally a minute. Being able to hold a plank for this long will give a good indication as to your level of core strength.

If you’re unable to perform a plank or complete 10 sit-ups, there are some more basic core exercises you can perform, such as the bridge position stretch. The Mayo Clinic adds, “Lie on your back with your knees bent. Keep your back in a neutral position, not arched and not pressed into the floor.”

“Avoid tilting your hips. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Raise your hips off the floor until your hips are aligned with your knees and shoulders. Hold the position for as long as you can without breaking your form.”

Stretching shouldn’t be overlooked either, and as we’ve proclaimed before, can be vital in helping you make serious gains. Becks is an advocate of stretching too, previously taking to Instagram to show himself performing a couch-style stretch (without the couch). The couch stretch is great for activating the hip flexors and for stretching the quads and hamstrings, so while maybe not entirely vital for ab rolling, is still a great pre-workout move.

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A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham)

Stretching before a workout helps to prime the muscles, so that they’re in the best state possible to undergo the pressure asserted on them during a workout, but also so that they have the greatest potential of becoming bigger.

Beckham’s personal trainer, Bobby Rich, commented on the video, “My man! Excellent form,” so it’s safe to say you can use David’s video as a training guide if you wish to attempt ab rollouts yourself.

Admittedly, Becks’ ab workout pales in comparison to the one performed by Salt Bae, but the Turkish butcher is in a league of his own when it comes to insane fitness.

Watch how to get lean with David Beckham

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• Lebron James’ Insane Isolation Workout Reveals Ab Building Technique You Need To Know
• Physician Perfectly Explains How Muscle Gain Is Key For Fat Loss

The post David Beckham Defies Ageing Process With Scorching Ab Workout appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Stealing away some time on a Friday afternoon for a few sneaky beverages is less of an open secret in Australia than it is a national institution. But though you might assume the habit is unhealthy (and physically, it probably is), could there be some mental benefits to it too?After seeing some of the the world’s foremost celebrities promoting Friday self love – while also wondering what they are switching offi from (Massages? Fawning fans on Instagram?) we thought we’d ask some experts if getting lit on a Friday counts as meditation.This was inspired by P. Diddy. A man in need of little introduction, P. Diddy, otherwise known as Sean Combs, Puff Daddy, or, on Instagram, Diddy, is a 51-year-old rapper, record producer, actor and clothing designer who founded an entertainment empire in the 1990s, which sustains him to this day (alongside many new projects and collaborations).

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“F*ck all the bullshit the week gave you. F*ck all the negativity and anxiety… the negative energy. We going to a higher frequency. It’s f*ck it Friday. I love you. Enjoy,” P. Diddy says, while smoking a joint and receiving a massage and listening to music, in a pair of white underpants.P. Diddy is not the only celebrity who has taken to sharing their end of week exploits. American singer Kali Uchis has also been reposted on Instagram account Complex for her “Sunday kinda mood” antics.

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At the time of writing, the ‘f*ckitfriday‘ hashtag on Instagram has been used 98,553 times (up from the 89,550 times it had been used in March) .Setting boundaries and dedicating time each week to look after yourself is an important self-care technique we can all learn from. However, the exact methods these celebrities are using to achieve their aims isn’t optimal for your health, especially not in the long term.RELATED: Why We Should Be Wary Of The Internet’s New ‘Self Care’ CultureIn light of the difficult 12 months many people have just had, DMARGE asked Luke Macleod, mindfulness expert and founder of Soul Alive, Australia’s first live stream meditation platform, whether having a beer or smoking up can really qualify as meditation. He told us, though learning to property switch off is a valuable skill to learn, doing so chemically is not as healthy (or reliable) a method as traditional meditation.

“I’m not against having a drink or smoking etc. I enjoy a cold beer with my mates now and then. I don’t smoke, but if someone wants to do that, then that’s their choice. I do think celebrities have a responsibility to try and be mindful of what they are sharing online though. A lot of kids look up to people like P Diddy and I’m not sure that shottin’ whisky is sending the best of messages.”

RELATED: Incredible Yosemite Photo Proves Why Nature Is So Damn Important For Your Mental Health“This type of ‘release’ certainly isn’t a type of meditation. There are many different ways to achieving an objective, each having an equal level of consequence tied to them. For example, if you want a lot of money you could go and rob a bank and you’ll achieve that objective. However, you’ll need to deal with the consequences that come along with that. Or you can find something that you love doing, think of a smart way to commercialise it and stick at it. Each may lead to the same objective but have very different consequences.”

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A post shared by Diddy (@diddy)

“Sure this an extreme example but the point is that just because meditation is seen as a release or a way of relaxing certainly doesn’t mean it’s the same as having a drink.”

“A deeper look at the differences in how they do this may help. Alcohol achieves this by suppressing stress. It may feel like it’s relaxing you but what it’s really doing is just putting a plug in it for the time being. Meditation achieves its feeling of release through awareness (the complete opposite of suppression). You observe the stress and notice it for just what it is, a reaction stored in the body and mind to previous situations or potential events happening in the future. You can then release this attachment to it via different methods of connecting to the present moment.”Something to mull over your next cocktail…

Read Next

• ‘Unfairly Maligned’ Bondi Trend The Rest Of Australia Can Learn From
• Epic Video Of Abandoned P. Diddy Mansion Sends Internet Into Meltdown

The post Does ‘Getting Lit’ Count As Meditation? appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We’re only three months into 2021 but Justin Bieber‘s already on a roll.

His sixth studio album, titled Justice, drops today, and he’s already released four hit singles from it: Holy and Lonely last year; Anyone on New Year’s Day this year; and Hold On earlier this month. Every single so far has dominated the charts and wowed audiences with their slick accompanying music videos – a good sign for the upcoming album.

But Bieber’s not stopping there. Yesterday he announced that the music video for a fifth track, Peaches, will also drop alongside the album, and that he’s filmed yet another high-budget music video for the track alongside featured artists Daniel Caesar and Giveon.

As part of that announcement, he shared a photo of himself with Caesar and Giveon relaxing behind the scenes on the shoot – wearing a rather eclectic peach-coloured suit (very fitting) that we reckon few other men would be able to pull off as successfully.

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While you’d think that in 2021 men would finally get over their pink prejudices, it’s still the case that few men – let along male celebrities – choose to rock the colour. Which is a shame, really, as pink can be a rather versatile and stylish palette to build an outfit around. Case in point, Justin Bieber.

RELATED: How To Wear Pink, No Matter The Occasion

Seemingly taking some styling cues from Frank Ocean, Bieber matched his peach suit – from cult LA-based designer Patrick Henry’s luxury brand Richfresh – with some casual sportswear: a big headband, white Nike Air Force 1 Low sneakers, and a tank top instead of a shirt. The tonal fit looks simultaneously classy as well as breezy, proving that you don’t need to be confined to the regular suit, shirt and tie combo to make a stylish statement.

Caesar and Giveon look pretty crisp, too – contrasting Bieber’s peach fuzz with dark pants and pastel tones. Caesar keeps it comfy in a violet long-sleeve zip shirt and Clarks Wallabees, and Giveon masters ‘casual but dapper’ in a pale grey rain jacket and what looks like Alexander McQueen Tread Slick high-tops.

Bieber was also spotted in Paris filing yet another music video, this time atop the roof of the Hotel de Crillon, somewhat evoking the Beatles’ final live performance atop the Apple Records building in London. No news yet on when we’re likely to see that clip, however…

Read Next

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The post Justin Bieber Rocks The Suit Few Men Dare To Wear appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

If you’re someone who likes to burn the midnight oil only to find you’re next to useless when 9 a.m. comes around the next morning, it’s not just a case of being tired. There is, in fact, a scientific explanation as to why you prefer to work later in the evening in the first place.

In what will unlikely come as a shock to many, a recent study to come out of Finland has found that those “who prefer to stay up late being twice as likely to underperform at work as early birds,” CNN Health reports.

The study took a sample group of 5,881 people born in 1966 in northern Finland, all of whom were asked about “their working life and health” and then “questioned them about their sleep patterns to determine what their natural chronotype was in 2012 when they were 46 years old.”

The participants were then monitored over a four year period.

Breaking away for a moment – what is a chronotype?

According to Healthline, your chronotype relates to your circadian rhythm, or your body clock, and determines what time you wake up and when you go to sleep. Usually, you’re either a morning type, an evening type, or neither. But some like to break it down into four categories: bear, wolf, lion, dolphin.

Bears follow the movement of the sun, so wake up early, fall asleep easily, are most productive before noon and experience a post-lunch drop in energy levels between 2 – 4 p.m.

Wolves struggle to wake up early and feel most energetic and productive at noon. They get a second productivity boost at around 6 p.m. Lions, like bears, also like to wake up early, but are able to stay awake a little longer, usually falling asleep around 10 p.m.

Dolphins are out on their own, and struggle to follow any sort of sleep schedule, although they are said to have a “peak productivity window from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.”

Process Street adds that your chronotype is determined by your genetic and biological make up, so you can’t really do much to change it. Ever found yourself saying to someone “I’m not a morning person?” It’s because you aren’t, it’s just the way you’re built.

However, it can change naturally over time as you age.

The Finnish study found that 10 per cent of men and 12 per cent of the women involved were evening types, “72 per cent of whom worked in day jobs”. The rest were deemed to be either early risers or “intermediate chronotypes.”

“A quarter of people classified as evening types rated their own performance at work as poor using what the researchers described as an internationally accepted scale developed to identify individuals with poor work ability and a higher risk of retiring early because of disability.”

“This was a significantly higher proportion than among early birds or intermediate chronotypes, the research said.”

The study ultimately concluded, “The odds of underperformance were twice as high among the night owls as they were among the early birds in both sexes even after taking account of potentially influential factors, such as sleep duration and morning working hours.”

However, while it may be true that those who stay up late won’t be as productive the following morning, the researchers of the study added, “If normal business hours were 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., the early morning types would feel worse than evening types.”

The researchers of the study did admit that because the study was carried out in Finland, where office hours start a little earlier at 8 a.m., the findings “likely apply” to other countries such as the United States, “given that biological clocks are universal.”

RELATED: ‘Better Late Than Never’: Australia Discovers Joys Of European Lunching

CNN cites Suzanne Hood, an associate professor at Bishop’s University, Quebec, Canada, as saying “night owls shouldn’t be alarmed by the findings.”

“Rating job performance doesn’t necessarily tell you about the quality of the work in real terms.”

“The study was observational, it doesn’t mean that being a night owl makes you less able to work. Plus, employers could benefit from people with different chronotypes.”

“For example, the employee who seems like a slow starter in the morning might be the person who’s most able to work effectively into the evening to meet an important deadline.”

With the global pandemic closing down cities and offices around the world, forcing many to work from home, flexible working hours could soon be a future we all need to become accustomed to.

In fact, The Sydney Morning Herald has previously claimed that “three out of four managers believe their staff will do more remote work after the pandemic than before it.”

This could further mean productivity levels and quality of work could see an increase, with those who rise early getting their work done to a high level before the afternoon hits. The evening types could start their day later, and also perform at a high level.

Of course, working from home also brings with it added distractions. So it could be more a matter of personal discipline.

Read Next

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The post Night Owls More Likely To Underperform At Work, Study Finds appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The phrase "shrimp on the barbie" that originated in the 1984 - 1990 Australian Tourism Commission adverts, starring Paul Hogan, weren't just in reference to Australians' love of seafood, but also for their love of outdoor cooking on a BBQ. With Sydney, for example, being subjected to less than 100 days a year of rainfall on average, there is plenty of time for residents Down Under to make use of their outdoor spaces (even when it does rain, it does little to dampen the Australian spirit).

But what good is an outdoor space without the right furniture to enjoy it with? Aussies spend plenty of time fixing up and renovating the interiors of their homes – as reflected by the number of designer furniture brands conceived and sold on these shores – so why shouldn't the backyard get some love too? That's certainly the mantra adopted by Zaneti, a Melbourne-based designer furniture brand with a love for the great outdoors.

Not only does Zaneti cater to residential clients, but the company has the facility to assist commercial clients with all their outdoor furniture needs too, whether it be hotels, cafes, bars or any other commercial installation. But what makes Zaneti so special and why should you care? DMARGE spoke to founder Yanni Mastro about how the brand came about and how it became one of the hottest outdoor furniture designers in the entire country.

It only takes a quick glance on the company's website to realise Zaneti is all about colour. Whether you're after chairs, tables, sun beds or benches, you can find an array of colours that evoke thoughts of summer. Yanni tells us Zaneti "at its core, has always been an embodiment of vibrance and colour reimagined through the lens of the European lifestyle."

"The brand was conceptualised and first imagined during time abroad in the Mediterranean and in coastal Europe, where furniture designs were seen as extensions of the cultural influences that house them."

"Product design within these regions is consistently pushing the boundaries of what is achievable through imagination and passion, often blending traditional and comfortingly familiar forms with contemporary elements."

"This thought process contributed to the formation of Zaneti as a brand, bringing the European lifestyle back home to Australia where we share the same passion for outdoor living and yearning for new and exciting forms."

Naturally, a bench or a chair can only take on so many forms. It's a seat with four legs, after all. So what does Zaneti do in particular to keep things fresh to both entice new customers and maintain the loyal ones?

The answer isn't necessarily to develop something flashy and brand new that nobody else has, but rather to create products that customers will immediately feel like they've owned for a lifetime.

"Many of Zaneti's materials, colours and designs are influenced and derived from natural forms and real-life locations and objects," Yanni relates.

 

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"The brand's use of textured powder coats as a principal finish for the products subtly owes to coastal textures that can be found in the porous forms of sand and stone, which have been smoothed over by countless passing tides."

"Our colours are carefully combined with these textures to create exciting pairings that evoke emotions of familiarity: Reseda Green's soft and muted hues make it feel right at home within gardens and parks, and Matte White can blend seamlessly within coastal settings, like driftwood embedded in shorelines that has become bleached matte white by the sun."

"Across the brand's multiple products, the use of both rounded and squared tubing, flattened lengths of aluminium and crisp lines can be found in many combinations, giving each family a unique and defining identity."

"By incorporating these (and newly inspired) elements, Zaneti is able to constantly push forward with continuity and excitement by design."

We also wanted to find out what customers can expect from Zaneti in the coming months. Fortunately, Yanni was happy to reveal the company's plans.

"With a focus on outdoors, there are already new product families in development stages. Whilst featuring new design elements, as with our other products, these will be able to be used in combination with existing pieces to create unique zones or used alone as complete sets."

"Zaneti's research and design team are constantly inspired and new additions to our seasonal colours are always a possibility."

"For the 2020/21 season, our newest colour – Azure Blue – has already solidified its presence as a popular colour across our products."

"We're also pleased to announce our latest colour – Ivy Green – which can be enjoyed alone or in colour pairings with Reseda Green for great contrast."

Zaneti doesn't have any of its own standalone physical stores, but the brand's collections can be ordered either online or at any of its retail partners.

Head to Zaneti's website to buy online today.

Read Next

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The post This Melbourne Brand Is Making Very Cool (& Affordable) Designer Outdoor Furniture appeared first on DMARGE.

We might not have been able to go out much over the last twelve months, but in spite of this (or perhaps because of this), alcohol consumption has dramatically risen. Nothing like enjoying a cheeky little drink whilst the world’s falling apart.

But one type of alcohol has blown up more than any other: tequila. The famous Mexican spirit has, for many years, steadily grown in popularity around the world, but the last twelve months have absolutely lit a candle under tequila sales: 2020 saw global tequila sales skyrocket by 46%, Forbes reports.

The Land Down Under has particularly embraced the spirit: Australians are now the world’s third-biggest consumer of tequila per capita, behind the United States and Mexico – impressive, considering Australia has only a very small Latin American community and lies halfway across the world from Mexico.

Yet many Australians still don’t really understand tequila. You’d be hard-pressed to find an Aussie who hasn’t had a shot of tequila with salt and lime at a bar or a party – or knocked back a margarita or two – but that’s often where their relationship with or understanding of tequila starts and ends.

But things are changing. DMARGE spoke with Alice Newport, tequila expert, Brand Specialist for Altos Tequila and Del Maguey Mezcal and bartender at Tio’s Cervecería in Sydney’s Surry Hills, who shares that while many Australians are still yet to wake up to the joys and complexities of tequila, the premium spirit is currently enjoying an unprecedented renaissance.

“Our trends have a tendency to follow the trends of the UK and the [United] States. When you look at our global neighbours, you can see that agave spirits are growing at 4.5 times the rate of [other] spirits in the UK and the US. Agave is set to become the third-largest spirits category in the US by 2024, which is insane,” she relates.

“The category is still small, but it’s definitely growing… Agave is the third fastest-growing spirit [category] in Australia.”

Newport uses the term ‘agave’ because it’s not just tequila that’s growing in popularity, but mezcal as well. Mezcal describes a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave, while tequila can only be made from blue agave. Indeed, tequila is a protected designation of origin (PDO) beverage like cognac or champagne.

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“You can’t legally make tequila outside of Mexico. Same with mezcal. The majority of tequila is made in Jalisco and the majority of mezcal is made in Oaxaca,” Newport shares. “The process for making them is a little different, too.” Mezcal’s also the one that has the famous ‘tequila worm’ in it – actually, tequila never has the worm in it, and it’s really just a gimmick when it comes to mezcal anyway.

The worm is relevant because it’s emblematic of how much the perception of agave spirits is changing in Australia, with Newport relating that Australia’s growing love of agave spirits “is really being driven by premiumisation.”

“Right now, everybody is drinking better, everybody is drinking less, and people are thirsty for high-quality products. When you look at tequila, people have that idea in their head of a worm in a bottle (which think is funny because that’s mezcal) or like a terrible, terrible shot with salt and lime. And I think [now that] people see a more premium offering, that’s where [they’re going] at the moment.”

Newport suggests that agave spirits’ newfound popularity is in part due to Mexico’s image as a sunny, fun tourist destination. With nightlife all but dead and in lieu of international travel, Aussies have used food and drink to entertain themselves; to take them on journeys – and drinking agave spirits is the next best thing to going on a Mexican holiday.

Plus, now that we’ve had so much time on our hands, Aussies have been doing their research and demanding a better product for their home cocktails. The stats shore that perspective up, too – during the height of COVID, Australian Google searches for margaritas (the most famous tequila-based cocktail) tripled. Now that restrictions are easing, that hunger to learn more about spirits, including agave spirits, is staying strong.

“I work in a tequila bar, as well as being a tequila ambassador…. people are just obsessed with good tequila and good mezcal. The amount of questions I get about it… people being adventurous… it’s incredible. I think people are starting to treat agave spirits like they treat whisky,” she says.

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Newport’s confident that the Australian public’s interest in premium agave spirits – as well as premium spirits more broadly – will continue to grow, especially in the near future whilst international travel is still off the cards.

“You know, people want nice things, and they want nice experiences. And if you can’t go and have a nice experience somewhere else, I think people want to have that brought to them.”

“I’m super excited for when we can travel to see an even further level of engagement when Joe Bloggs from Stanmore gets back from his Mexican holiday after drinking tequila all the way through lockdown,” she laughs.

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The post Unexpected Premium Spirit Fast Becoming Australia’s Favourite appeared first on DMARGE Australia.