We can rant all day about the things which keep us spritely, but Rob Lowe has proven that a killer physique and strict diet isn't his only recipe for retaining his youth.

Yesterday, the Golden Globe-winning actor posted to Instagram to celebrate 30 years sober and by the looks of him, besides hav...

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No one likes being flicked with sweat. But in the coming years – as we come out of a global pandemic – the Over-Enthusiastic Perspirators of the world have now had their behaviour classified as 'dangerous' rather than 'annoying.'

In other words: your unhygienic gym buddies have been put on no...

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Our favourite Italian playboy, DJ and CEO Gianluca Vacchi may soon have to rethink his Instagram exploits, as he took to his account over the weekend to announce on the 10th of May (Mother’s Day for most countries around the world) that he and his model girlfriend Sharon Fonseca are expecting a child.

Fonseca is 27 years Gianluca’s junior, so she is a long way from succumbing to the biological factors that can restrict the chances of having a baby at an older age, but for Gianluca, he’s simply as young as he feels (and considering his age, looks). The multi-millionaire will join other famous faces who became fathers after the age of 50, including George Clooney, Hugh Grant and John Stamos,

 

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A post shared by Gianluca Vacchi (@gianlucavacchi) on May 10, 2020 at 11:03am PDT

Gianluca said in his video, “Today is Mother’s Day and of course my first thought goes to my mom, but I have to say that whenever I have thought of a potential mother for my son, that woman has always had all the characteristics of Sharon.”

Although he didn’t show any ultrasound scans, we’re going to assume that they’ve already found out the sex of their child, and he’s not just jumping to masculine conclusions.

“I am very happy to announce and share with you that Sharon and I are expecting a child and she will be the mother I always dreamed of for my baby.”

The post has, perhaps unsurprisingly, received in excess of 25,000 comments sending him words of congratulations.

So: are there risks to having a baby at 52 (beyond the child potentially being taken to daycare on the back of a moped)?

 

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Even the dogs wanna make the challenge… Ponteme de spalda… @sharfonseca @1000virtudes @olaf_elgordo #tratratra #ahichallenge #gvlifestyle

A post shared by Gianluca Vacchi (@gianlucavacchi) on Feb 11, 2020 at 8:39am PST

The New York Times reported in 2019 that men who become fathers later in life face a  number of challenges. The American publication cites a 2018 study of 40.5 million birthday in the United States that revealed children could be susceptible to,

“potentially harmful effects of advanced paternal age on a baby’s risk of prematurity, low birth weight, low Apgar score and risk of seizures, as well as the mother’s chances of developing gestational diabetes.”

The study’s lead researcher, Dr Michael L. Eisenberg summarised, “more than 12 per cent of births to fathers aged 45 years or older with adverse outcomes might have been prevented were the fathers younger.”

Read Next

• Who The F*ck Is Gianluca Vacchi (And Why You Need To Follow Him)
• Gianluca Vacchi Combines Seersucker & Denim Like You Have Never Seen Before
• Hair Transplant Expert Reveals What The Hell Is Going On With Gianluca Vacchi’s Hair

The post Gianluca Vacchi Proves You’re Never Too Old To Give Up The Playboy Lifestyle appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There are no shortcuts when it comes to reaping your fitness gains and cutting a mean figure that Rocky’s Ivan Drago would be proud of.

As previously noted by ex-NRL player Ben Lucas, scoring the ultimate body is all about mixing up your training with all forms of high intensity interval training, cardio and weights during your weekly workout.

But there’s an additional aid – tricking your body. It’s not rocket science (or illegal), just a bit of mind manipulation as explained by Aussie models Jordan and Zac Stenmark.

Know The Athlete’s Body You Want (& Steal Their Exercises)

A post shared by Jordan & Zac – Stenmark Life (@jordanandzac) on Mar 2, 2016 at 12:19am PST

Before they embarked on a career as models Jordan and Zac Stenmark were preparing for a career in the AFL. Fitness is in their blood but it takes more than just good genes to retain the athletic physique that the boys have been rocking across the glossy pages of magazines for years.

Whether it’s Mayweather’s boxing body or the more athletic build of Usain Bolt, the Stenmarks say that it’s important to borrow the fitness regime of those you’re emulating.

“Our philosophy has always been to train like the athlete you want to be,” says Zac.

“So if you want to look like a boxer, you train like a boxer. Jake Gyllenhaal did it for Southpaw, Michael B.Jordan did it for Creed. You want to look like a sprinter, sprint train – hard”.

RELATED: Best Boxing Gyms In Sydney

These are all explosive athletes and it’s also how the Stenmarks prefer to train. Here’s what they recommend to get their physique.

• High intensity interval cardio
• Engage in 20 second intervals (maximum interval no more than 60 seconds)
• Rest
• Repeat set

The longest round the Stenmarks do is between 40 – 50 seconds. Ideally that’s 40 seconds of hard work, 20 seconds of rest. When they want to go really explosive, it’s 5 – 15 seconds on with a 45 second rest to follow.

What Are Explosive Exercises

A post shared by Jordan & Zac – Stenmark Life (@jordanandzac) on Jun 26, 2016 at 1:37am PDT

This one’s a pretty straight-forward but if you’re uncertain of what to try, give these a go.

• Squat jumps
• Bodyweight squats
• Box Jump
• Single-leg bodyweight Romanian deadlift
• Explosive pushups
• Pull-ups

If it’s a circuit set up, the Stenmarks recommend using the same interval timing format. Think explosive sprints around an oval or on a rower.

“The philosophy for us is we can replicate explosive exercises anywhere. A hotel gym, at the regular gym, a park, a beach. Bands and bars are your friends. No matter what you’ve got you can fit it into a system of explosive training.”

Eat, Train, Drink Water, Repeat

A post shared by Jordan & Zac – Stenmark Life (@jordanandzac) on Dec 5, 2017 at 12:36am PST

Dieting is the most well-known factor towards building a body you’ve always wanted. The Stenmarks’ diet includes of:

• Whole foods
• Protein and vegetables (chicken thighs, carrots, zucchini, leek, broccoli, herbs & spices)
• Good fats (avocados, natural peanut butter)
• Good carbs (brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato)

And the stuff they avoid:

• Refined sugar
• Starchy carbs (pasta, bread, rice)
• Big milky coffees with added sugar (try green tea instead)

“A lot of people working 9 to 5 forget to drink a tonne of water. If you are trying to burn fat, the way that the body metabolises fat, it needs water.”

“It gets rid of that energy through sweating, through human waste and through your breath. Those are three ways that fat cells burn. It’s very basic but needs to be followed.”

The Stenmarks also note that thirst and hunger are often similar sensations and it’s easy for the body to misinterpret one for another even after eating. Have some water first and see how you’re feeling after. It could just be that your body is craving water rather than junk food.

And when it comes to the training exercise they never skip on the daily:

• 45 minute sessions at the gym
• Glutes stability, activation and core
• Foundation of movements with resistance bands or body weighted squats
• Pistol squats and hip thrusts

Sleep Better, Look Fitter

A post shared by Jordan & Zac – Stenmark Life (@jordanandzac) on Mar 13, 2017 at 1:37am PDT

According to the Stenmarks, sleeping and rest is paramount for the body to recover so that it’s at 100 percent during the next training session. The duo recommend going for larger meals during breakfast before going smaller portions for lunch and smaller again for dinner.

This ensures your body doesn’t need to digest at night which can impede the quality of your rest.

“The whole thing is a cycle,” say the Stenmarks.

“When you train you fuel yourself; that will repair your body and once you’ve fuelled yourself you need to rest. Once you’ve rested you can train again. If you don’t get the appropriate rest, you shouldn’t train again.”

“We’re big on listening to your body and getting the appropriate sleep and rest. It’s so important.”

Trick Your Body Into Getting Fit

A post shared by Jordan & Zac – Stenmark Life (@jordanandzac) on Feb 25, 2016 at 12:44am PST

Find what you enjoy doing and you won’t need to dread picking up another dumbbell.

“Twice a week or three times a week, go do something active you really enjoy.”

Whilst it’s easy to pick fun sports from basketball to touch football to surfing, there are days when the body simply isn’t up for it.

This is where doing something active that doesn’t feel like a sport counts the most. Think rock climbing, paddling the surf, light cycling or swimming. These are all low impact sports which work different muscle groups whilst giving the said muscles and joints a rest.

The winner? You’re still active and still moving.

“Even if you do something small, it is so much better than doing nothing,” say the Stenmarks.

“When you’re not motivated, trick yourself into saying, ‘I’m just going to go to the gym and see what happens’. Or ‘I’ll just go outside and just jog.'”

“Before you know it you’ll be doing a tougher session. Trick your brain into it. Put your gym gear on even if you don’t intend to go. You’ll eventually think ‘I’m in my gym gear, I may as well go.'”

The post No Gains? How To Trick Your Body & Get Ripped, According To The Stenmark Twins appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The current pandemic has had a ripple effect all over the world. In previous weeks, we've reported on its effects on everything from planes and trains to pubs and gyms. Now, a new study reveals that The Virus could be transmitted by getting down and dirty.

The study, entitled, "Clinical Character...

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After nearly seven weeks of quarantining, it’s fair to say we’re all itching for life to get back to normal as soon as possible. Restrictions are being lifted – or at least being considered – ever so slowly, with the health of Australians still being earmarked as a top priority.

But Australia is well on its way to “flattening the curve” with just 26 newly reported cases in the past 24 hours at the time of writing, and it’s believed the source of the majority of these is known to health officials. New Zealand has performed even better, reporting zero new cases for two consecutive days, no doubt thanks to the decision to go into stage 4 lockdown as soon as the pandemic hit. No messing around for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

It’s because of this relative success – at least, compared to some other major countries – that the idea of a trans-Tasman travel bubble has begun surfacing.

 

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A post shared by QueenstownNZ (@queenstownnz) on Feb 6, 2020 at 3:35pm PST

You may have already heard about the aforementioned bubble, but just in case, it would essentially mean a private agreement between Australia and New Zealand that would allow residents and trade to come and go freely between the two countries across the Tasman Sea. Borders will still be closed to other international visitors to prevent any further outbreak of the virus.

For some, it’s still far too early to speak of the very idea of restarting travel between countries, especially when state borders haven’t reopened. In a time where Australians could be going stir-crazy stuck inside their own homes, the suggestion they could soon be able to hop across the pond to the land of Kiwis could incur a bit too much hype.

Scott Morrison has already said that the bubble would only be considered and implemented once “Australians can travel from Melbourne to Cairns.”

But far from just being satisfied with travel between the two big players in Oceania, The Australian suggests leaders should look even further afield to other Pacific islands – especially those that have reported zero cases of the virus for several weeks – as a way to encourage tourism. Pacific islands such as Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu are all virus-free and desperately need income from tourism to help them survive.

According to SBS Jacinda Ardern has already fielded questions about a wider travel agreement, to which she has said she is currently only focused on Australia.

“There is a huge risk if COVID finds its way currently into Pacific Island nations that have been untouched by COVID, so I would want us to act cautiously and in unison with the leaders of those countries,”

She goes on to say that she wouldn’t want any coronavirus cases to be brought into the poorer Island nations through fear they won’t have the infrastructure when it comes to health to deal with any outbreaks.

 

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A post shared by Royal Davui Island Resort Fiji (@royaldavuifiji) on Mar 3, 2020 at 1:18am PST

To this extent, Australia has already confirmed it is ramping up its aid program to assist some Pacific Islands in response to the coronavirus, such as offering an increase in medical supplies which includes a greater number of testing kits. The Australian has added that Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged fellow G20 members to increase their support to the Islands as well.

Read Next

• Sicily Makes Tourists Post-Pandemic Offer Too Good To Refuse
• Italian Tourism Hotspot Unveils Ambitious Plan To Help Tourists Return Quicker

The post Travel Bubble: These Idyllic Islands Could Be Included In A Trans Pacific Bubble, Experts Claim appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

It's not every day you see a two-door Range Rover hit the market. No need to count your blessings any longer. This ultimate road trip warrior will give you the perfect balance of nostalgia and practicality.

Modern-day four-wheel drives are fully equipped with all the bells and whistles, but they'...

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Forget the classics like the Negronis, the Old Fashioned and even the vodka martinis, one of the most popular cocktails is the espresso martini. Favoured by everyone, whether it be a group of city workers having after-dinner drinks, or a group of girls out on the town, the espresso martini has uncontested appeal.

The clue is in the name, this is a coffee-flavoured cocktail through and through, with the addition of vodka and other sweeteners to give it its salivating-inducing taste. Despite it taking the ‘martini’ name, it technically isn’t one as it includes neither gin nor vermouth in its recipe, but is named after the glass it’s traditionally served in.

With its popularity reaching stratospheric levels, the espresso martini has been subjected to all manner of twists and variations. That means when you’re making yours, you don’t necessarily need to stick to a strict recipe. Of course, it pays to know the coffee cocktail in its most basic form, and fortunately, we’re in such a position to provide that knowledge.

Origin Of The Espresso Martini

Despite it having monumental appeal in the modern-day, the espresso martini can be traced back to the 1980s. Although there are several claims to its origin, the most frequented story suggests it was conceived by Dick Bradsell in the late 1980s, while he was working at Freds Club in London. It’s said he made the drink in response to a lady customers request for a drink that would “wake me up, and then f*ck me up.”

Bradsell says of that fateful night, “The coffee machine at the Soho Brasseries was right next to the station where I served drinks. It was a nightmare, as there were coffee grounds everywhere, so coffee was very much on my mind. And it was all about vodka back then – it was all people were drinking.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

Espresso Martini Cocktail Ingredients

We’ve already mentioned there can be any number of variations of the espresso martini ingredients list, but there is a defined list as to the official recipe. No matter how you make yours, you’re ideally going to want to have access to fresh espresso shots.

• Vodka (Absolut Vodka is ideal or staying closer to home, Australian Archie Rose vodka would work equally as well. For something a little sweeter, try Absolut Vanilia. Many modern interpretations of the espresso martini use vanilla vodka instead.)
• Kahlúa (or Tia Maria)
• Sugar syrup
• Strong espresso
• Coffee beans for garnish
• Cocktail glass
• Cocktail shaker

Classic Espresso Martini Cocktail Measurements

The official recipe for the espresso martini is as follows:

• 50ml vodka
• 30ml Kahlúa
• As much or as little sugar syrup as you like, depending on how sweet you want it. We’d suggest 10ml.
• 30ml/1 strong espresso shot

How To Make The Espresso Martini

Making an espresso martini is incredibly easy as it follows the basic formula for the majority of other cocktails you should already be an expert in.

1. Pour a fresh shot of espresso
2. Put a scoop of ice in a cocktail glass to chill
3. Pour all ingredients including the fresh shot of espresso into a cocktail shaker
4. Add ice and shake until well-chilled (shake as hard as you can to ensure you get a more pronounced crema on top)
5. Tip ice out of cocktail glass and strain espresso martini into the now-chilled glass
6. Foat three coffee beans on top to garnish

Expert Twist On The Espresso Martini

The recipe and ingredients listed above may be all well and good for the discerning amateur cocktail shaker, but if you really want to take your espresso martini up a notch, you’ll want to start experimenting with different ingredients and measurements.

One such ingredient you can add to your espresso martinis is Mr Black. Mr Black is a coffee liqueur made by hand at its coffee roasting distillery in Australia, just north of Sydney.

Martin Hudak, bartender extraordinaire at Sydney cocktail bar (and officially Australia’s best), Maybe Sammy says that because Mr Black is made purely from house-roasted coffee, Australian wheat vodka and a touch of sugar, “you essentially have an espresso martini in the bottle already.” With this in mind, it’s incredibly easy to make the cocktail yourself. You will need:

• 60ml Mr Black Coffee Liqueur
• 30ml Fresh Coffee (Nespresso pods work great, as does a Cocktail Mixer like First Press)

‘Mr Black Espresso Martini’

In addition to your drink ingredients, you’ll need a shaker, chilled martini glass or coupette, and plenty of ice.

Method

1. Prepare your shaker. A two-piece Boston/tin shaker will provide the best aeration of ingredients. If you don’t have a specialist shaker, then a clean pasta sauce jar will do the job.
2. Always use ice straight from the freezer and bigger cubes are better. You don’t want to over dilute your cocktail.
3. Start with 30ml fresh espresso/coffee in one part of the Boston tin without ice.
4. Add 60ml Mr Black Coffee Liqueur to the coffee.
5. Fill your shaker with ice, and close. Shake fast and hard until your shaker is cold and you can hear broken ice.
6. Strain through a cocktail strainer or fine sieve to remove unwanted ice shards. Pour into a pre-chilled martini glass or coupette.
7. Garnish with three coffee beans or grated chocolate.

Martin adds, “This bar quality Espresso Martini is much simpler than many people think, and you’ll be a star the next time your friends need a pick me up.”

Hudak is keen to flex his bartender muscles, however, and offers up a variation of the espresso martini we doubt you would have ever considered. According to Hudak, “coffee is an extremely versatile and complementary ingredient and mixes exceptionally well with citrus and tropical fruits.” 

“This led to the birth of the ‘Espresso MarTIKI’. Using ingredients commonly found in tiki drinks (rum, pineapple, almond), this expert twist on the classic has proven exceptionally popular at Maybe Sammy.”

‘Espresso MarTIKI’

Ingredients

• 40ml dark rum (we use Plantation Pineapple at Maybe Sammy)
• 20ml Mr Black Coffee Liqueur
• 30ml pineapple juice
• 30ml fresh espresso
• 15ml orgeat

Method

1. Similar to the original, combine all ingredients with ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a coupette and garnish.

How To Drink An Espresso Martini

Just like the lady customer who first ordered the delicious tipple, the espresso martini is capable of being a great stimulant when out. The combination of strong coffee and vodka is a potent one that can easily bring you back in the game if you feel like you’re slacking off a little compared to your friends.

Espresso Martini FAQ

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The post How To Make The Ultimate Sweet & Stimulating Espresso Martini appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Thought international travel was kaput? Us too. But the land of plunge pools, whitewashed buildings and selfie sticks (among other things), is banking on us being wrong: Greece is set to re-open to tourists on July the 1st.

This comes after the “rare coronavirus success story” (9 News) discussed introducing a “health passport” for tourists, along with a number of other tourism-dependant Mediterranean islands.

Now the announcement has come, via Greek officials, that you could be sipping Ouzo and re-enacting your Zorba The Greek fantasies sooner than you thought.

 

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A post shared by tay (@taylorvkist) on May 9, 2020 at 12:57pm PDT

“By enforcing a strict and early lockdown, the country has managed to keep deaths incredibly low, around 150 to date,” 9 News reports.

Last week, Greek businesses like hairdressers and bookstores were allowed to re-open for the first time. Now, the country’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, thinks Greece may, cautiously, be able to welcome back some travellers back.

When? Just in time for summer, of course.

According to CNN Travel, the exact date is July the 1st, “if all goes to plan.”

That said: “The tourism experience… may be slightly different,” prime minister Mitsotakis told CNN Travel.

“Maybe no bars… or no tight crowds, but you can still get a fantastic experience in Greece – provided that the global epidemic is on a downward path.”

Of course, much like that late-night souvlaki could go straight to your thighs, opening Greece’s borders is not without consequence: unshuttering the country could lead to further outbreaks.

Mitsotakis, however, is optimistic testing regimes can be improved to reduce the risk of this occurring. Right now, every international traveller is screened for The Virus upon arrival.

 

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A post shared by Alia (@pupina) on May 9, 2020 at 12:09pm PDT

According to CNN Travel, further precautions include travellers being asked to fill out forms with personal information and seat numbers, which would allow authorities to trace any inflection networks that might develop, should someone test positive.

The test, when you get off the plane, at the moment, involves a throat swab, of which you get the results 12 hours later.

Mitsotakis hopes, ultimately, for something much more thorough, though. Not just that: he wants Greece – and Europe – to lead the way in post-pandemic tourist-testing.

Ideally, that would involve passengers being tested before they got on a plane: “They can only get on the plane with a negative test, or with a positive antibody test,” Mitsotakis told CNN Travel.

“If all goes to plan, he hopes the country can start welcoming tourists by July 1,” (CNN Travel).

Another interesting sprig of information is that Greece is banking on “high end” (Mitsotakis) tourists to get them through these Euro-starved times.

This is both due to the current plight of low-cost airlines, and the type of holidaymakers that will be attracted to an island without dirty dancefloors and 10-bed-a-room backpackers.

Mitsotakis flagged yachting and agrotourism (tourism in smaller hotels) as two activities that could work.

After playing host to 33 million tourists in 2019 (three times its population) as well as becoming the number one spot for every up and coming influencer to be seen, Greece has more than doubled its number of visitors in 10 years.

Now, at least one in four Greeks works in tourism or related industries, and – before the pandemic hit – 2020 forecasts had been booming.

Naturally, Greece wants to get back on track as soon as possible.

 

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A post shared by Visit Magazine (@visit) on May 9, 2020 at 11:38am PDT

To all you Responsible International Citizens; it would be rude not to help, right (once international travel is encouraged again)?

Read Next

• Greece’s ‘Ultimatum To Tourists’ Could Change How We Travel Forever
• Classic Santorini Vista Reveals How ‘Insta Tourism’ Is Changing Greece

The post Greece Opening: Your Favourite European Destination Is Set To Re-Open In July… With A Twist appeared first on DMARGE Australia.