The Artist, the red-hot Oscar favourite and the unexpected hit at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, has not received glowing acclaim purely because it is unique and different (it is a black-and-white silent film); but because it is a delightful, beautifully crafted and performed feel-good tale of the intertwining fates of two individuals during the silent to talkie transition at the end of the 1920’s.

The Artist opens in the year 1927, with the charming, talented and exceptionally popular silent film star, George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) attending the premiere of his latest film, A Russian Affiair. Incredibly proud of being a silent actor and of his achievements, Valentin, with his faithful canine in tow, entertains the crowd following the film, but it is outside the theatre, as Valentin is posing for photographs, that his life is changed forever. He is bumped into by one of his many admirers, a young aspiring actress named Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo).

Michel Hazanavicius is clearly a filmmaker with great respect and admiration for silent films and bygone eras, but it was not his intention to replicate the look of films from this pre-sound era. Having his actors use exaggerated theatrical gestures, incorporating some of those old transition techniques, and sparsely using the close-up would not have been a commercially accessible option. Yes, Hazanavicius has made a black-and-white silent film, even utilizing the old 4:3 square ratio, but with polished contemporary photography and editing techniques. Judged on a pure enjoyment level, The Artist is a miraculous achievement. There will be many people who will quickly disregard the film as a gimmick, or be too lazy to give a film that relies on inter-titles a go. The Artist’s plot is easily comprehensible, only uses inter-titles sparingly and is visual cinema (relaying both story and theme solely through its visuals) at its best. This is a film brimming with charm, wit, grace, humour, nostalgia, tragedy and romance. Is it flawless? No. I felt like the film’s melodramatic scenes in the middle are stretched out a bit too far, but I guarantee viewers will be won over by the phenomenal ending, which will fill one with joy.

As expected for a silent film, the accompanying score is essential to its success, and Ludovic Bource has composed an excellent one, taking us through the 100-minute duration with stellar variation of composition. There is also some really clever use of sound (huh?) – you’ll know when you see it – and many allusions to the film’s ‘silence’. Hazanavicius’ direction is impeccable – working with his cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman to calibrate the lighting to convincingly capture the black-and-white look of films from the era (more evident in Valentin’s films than The Artist overall). But, the film’s magic rests with the actors, and thankfully, Schiffman’s use of the close-up ensures they have every opportunity to shine.

The Artist is essential viewing. For many people, it will be the first silent film they have seen in a cinema. It succeeds in evoking nostalgia and bringing a big smile to your face. For such a well-crafted crowd-pleaser such as this, what more do you need? A cute dog, perhaps? Oh right, there is one of them as well.

The Artist is currently playing at Cronulla Cinemas. I rate the film 4 ½ Stars.

The first land release for Greenhills Beach in 2012 opens on Saturday 18th February with registration open now. Australand’s first release of the land lots for the new suburb were all snapped up so it will be interesting to see whether the demand is as high for the next release in the coming weeks.

Just incase you missed the previous blogs (see bottom of page), numerous real estate ads in the paper, Domain brochures and flyers on your car windscreens, the new Greenhills Beach development has been advertised to offer direct access to over 5kms of Cronulla’s pristine beaches, 10 sports and playing fields in the Parklands, 7kms of cycleways, 4kms of coastal walking tracks and a total of 91ha of public open space, bushland, parks and reserves.

There are 3 types of land lots for purchase – lake, beach and bay/coastal lots. For a rough guide of land prices for these lots, see the descriptions below.

Lake lots

• “Nestled between the shimmering waterways & heritage-listed sand dunes”
• Lot 140 – 609m2 – $870,000
• Lot 200 – 656m2 – $825,000

Beach lots

• “Prime landlots close to the beach, right in the heart of the Greenhills Beach precinct”
• Lot 188 – 736m2 – $980,000

Bay/Coastal lots

• “Well positioned landlots with easy access to sports and playing fields and open spaces”
• Lot 119 – 557m2 – $795,000
• Lot 120 – 621m2 – $795,000

For a full view of the release maps for Greenhills Beach click here, or head to Australand’s Sales and Display Centre in the mall at 81 Cronulla St.

This week our dream holiday home came from the front cover of Highlife‘s Feb/Mar 2012 issue, The Seidler House: a real cliffhanger, one of the most famous properties in the Southern Highlands.

The Seidler House is set against a cliff overlooking the Wingecarribee River 300 metres below in Joadja, west of Mittagong. Previously called the Berman House, this stunning property was designed by the late Harry Seidler and completed in 1999 at a cost of around $6mil, with all 3 fireplaces and stonework in the house made from stone from the property. It’s no surprise this amazing home won the RAIA Blacket Award in 2001, featured in Architectural Digest the same year and was included in Britain’s Financial Times in a list of five modernist homes to rent around the world!

Hidden away in the rugged Australian Bush, the view from the platform’s far railing is utterly speechless – there’s not a house to be seen, the only noise is the wildlife and the only light is the stars. The split-level home is comprised of two sections – a lower level area which includes the suspended platform, and an upper bedroom wing featuring four bedrooms, plus a third lower level for storage.

The house sleeps 8 to 10 people, ranging from $1300 to $2600 throughout the year and is used for 40ths, girls’ weekends, family holidays and corporate getaways. Some of the features of this gorgeous home are:

• Magnificent views of the Southern Highlands and beyond
• Open plan living/dining
• 3 king bedrooms and 1 bedroom with bunk beds
• 2 full bathrooms with bath and shower, including ensuite off main bedroom
• Large kitchen with 3 stoves: gas, wood fired and microwave
• Separate laundry with all amenities
• Huge 150 acre private garden with walking tracks to the river below
• 2km of private river frontage
• Swimming pool, outdoor lounging areas with BBQ, deckchairs and dining furniture
• Plenty of parking including garage parking for 2 cars

If I had a few extra thousand lying around this would be my first choice for a weekend away down the coast! But for now I can dream through these pictures….

We want your opinion on real estate junk mail.

Should Beach & Bay advertise via junk mail or not?

I check my letterbox once per month, it’s covered in cobwebs. Very rarely is there real mail in there, but there is often a real estate agents face staring up at me.

We are not great fans of this form of marketing at Beach & Bay, and you certainly won’t see our faces on anything but are we missing out on selling your property because we are not doing letterbox directed mail outs?

Do you as a local resident read the real estate flyer and ring the agent or do you throw it in the bin?

Please vote on our survey on our I Love Cronulla Facebook wall or leave a comment here. We will do whatever you vote!

I’ve just come back from a real estate conference in New York and this is the sale they are all talking about in Manhattan – an apartment at 15 Central Park West – which a Russian fertilizer billionaire named Dmitry Rybolovlev bought for $88mil for his 22year old daughter! They are saying he paid full price! It has shattered any previous New York record.

http://15centralparkw.com/

So amongst the doom and gloom we hear on the news all the time, there is a little bit of rosiness for you!

Locally, as the real estate market kicks into gear, we are all wondering what sort of year it is going to be.  Last year at this time, we had already had the Queensland floods and were about to experience the affects of the Christchurch earthquake quickly followed by the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown.  Understandably, everyone was very jittery.

The first auctions for our area are scheduled for Saturday 11th February so all eyes will be on these properties and before those auctions the Reserve Bank will meet next Tuesday, 7th February with all indications there might be an interest rate reduction.

However it turns out, Beach & Bay is looking forward to another year of assisting past clients and new clients in the smooth, stress-free sale or purchase of their property.

As featured in Cronulla Buzz, Surf Scientist Dr Rob Brander took to the shores of North Cronulla beach recently to discuss the danger of rips. After releasing purple dye into the Alley (an infamous rip) demonstrating how surf conditions work, it became clear just how dangerous the surf we love so much can be. The dye was carried around 50 – 70 metres out in the current then came back into the shore, like most rips do, showing the importance of the ‘stay afloat’ technique and most of all, don’t panic.

As well as running the educational program Science of the Surf (SOS), Dr Brander is a senior lecturer at the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at UNSW. The program is designed to reduce the number of drownings and injuries on beaches.

Dr Rip’s presentation attracted around 80 people watching from North Cronulla Surf Club’s deck. He was encouraged by the public and is hoping to attract a bigger audience when next summer rolls around – we will keep you posted with details!

It’s on! Wake up bright and early Sunday morning on 18th March and head down to Cronulla Beach for the 1km swim at 9:30am or, for those with a little more endurance (or those participating in both events), the 2.3km Cronulla Shark Island swim kicks off at 10:30am for all divisions. Looking forward to watching a picture perfect finish on the beach as the athletes run through the flags about 10 metres up from the waters edge.

How do you know who wins?
Both swims will be timed by using an electronic tag system attached to a Velostretch ankle band and detection mats at the finish line. There are a few requirements that must be followed when using the timing band,  including attaching it around your left ankle and leaving it on for the entire duration of the swim course.

Fashion guidelines
Only conventional swimming costumes made from lycra and/or polyester are to be worn, with no neoprene or any other ‘high tech’ material with any flotation support.

• Males: Briefs only with no arms, legs or any part of the costume covering their body above the waist
• Females: Either one or two piece costumes with no arms or legs

Is it safe?
As safe as can be! There will be inflatable rescue boats, jet skis and board paddlers patrolling the course. As always each swimmer is responsible for their own physical condition and enters the event at their own risk. However they’re will be eyes watching you; any swimmer deemed incapable of completing this course may be brought to the shore at any time at the discretion of the Water Safety Manager.

Time to enter!
Postal entries must be received by Thursday 15th March or else late entry will cost you an extra $5 to $10 more.

• 2.3km Shark Island Swim: $45
• 1km Beach Swim: $35
• Both events: $60

Today is my last day at Beach & Bay Realty. I wanted to take a few moments to say a heartfelt goodbye. I got so lucky 4 years ago when Beach & Bay took me in as an 18 year old, fresh out of highschool. I’ve LOVED working here and have nothing but praise for Kylie, Natalie, Henk, Nadine, Misa and Kirstie (my second family). I have learned so much working in real estate with a company made up of people who enjoy their jobs, work really hard and encourage you to dream big.

Working with a boss like Kylie Emans has been inspiring. Firstly, because she’s a successful business woman. And secondly, because she’s someone who strikes the perfect balance between dedication to her career and enjoying the rest of life. Her love of travel has had a huge influence on my vacations and I’m sure most 22 year olds can’t say they’ve been to 4 continents and 12 countries during their work holidays.

Not only this, Beach & Bay has taught me that regardless of how big your company is, you can make a difference. Since I’ve worked here we have raised almost $40,000 for various projects – including building a classroom in Ghana, Worlds Greatest Shave, raising money for Tenelie Pawley, Swags for Homeless and kicking booze for Dry July.  Everyone can make an impact on the world around them. There’s no excuse!

Bye Bye!

"Sure Rachael, you can be a bald receptionist"

A classroom built in 2008

Kylie Emans - Boss, Mentor, Friend!

The ever smiling Merv (middle), may he rest in peace.

I’ve also grown to appreciate the idea of quality vs quantity. Being a small independent agency we may not be the biggest or have the most listings, but we work really hard on the ones we have.  I am so grateful to get the opportunity to work on marketing the Sammut Developments Drift Apartments. Standing in the penthouse apartment and admiring the incredible architecture and view of the ocean will be a highlight!

The agents at Beach & Bay work together and so I’ve discovered the joys of teamwork. It’s not a cut-throat competitive environment, rather coming to work is one place I know no matter what, I will be supported. How lucky am I to have that so early in my life! It’s certainly set the bar high for any future work situations.

I have enjoyed working with families from the Sutherland Shire and being a part of their buying and selling experience. I have met some amazing locals who have had an impact on my life. A shout-out must go to Merv who visited the office on a weekly basis. We sadly lost Merv last year and I still double-take whenever a grey haired man walks by.

Finally, working on the I Love Cronulla project with the team has also been a wonderful experience, as I’ve gotten to know my community both online and offline. It’s also taught me – when it comes to business (and life) to do things differently, and to take the entire focus off the dollar. Sure, I Love Cronulla doesn’t make us any money as a real estate company, but it keeps us connected with the area and we get to know the locals. No complaints here! A HUGE thank you to everyone who has gotten involved, who comments, who provides feedback and suggestions, you’ve been terrific! I am moving to The Inner West so from now I’ll be checking the site as a visitor for tips!

So goodbye team, goodbye blog, and goodbye Cronulla. It’s been great!

The one kind of donation that only costs you your time: Blood donation.

Almost three years ago I turned 16 and, with the help of my school taking part in the Vampire Shield (and later winning the trophy for that year), I decided to donate blood. Fortunately I was lucky enough not to inherit my father’s ‘faint at the sight of blood’ trait so blood tests and needles didn’t phase me all that much, plus my mother has been a regular blood donor for as long as I can remember so I thought I’d give it a go. I was over 16 but younger than 70, had not had a tattoo recently, was not pregnant or had not just given birth, did not have a serious heart condition, was not low in iron and had not lived in the UK for a total of 6 months or more between 1980 and 1996, which made me one of the special ones who were eligible to donate blood, hooray! Of course you also have to be feeling healthy and a few other things, have a read of the FAQ’s.

Needless to say, the donation went smoothly! I’ll admit I was a little scared at first, then soon after discovered there was no need to be!  A short 15 minute drive home from The Shire Donor Centre at Miranda and I could relax on the lounge after all my hard work! I took home a bandaged arm to prove how tough I was, as well as the fact that I’d just saved 3 lives, that felt pretty special.

470mLs is the standard donation for the average adult, which is less than 10% of your total body volume and takes around 5 – 15 minutes depending on the person. This amount can be given safely every 12 weeks. Look after yourself afterward – drink plenty of water, fruit juice etc and avoid alcohol for 8 hours and any strenuous activity or heavy lifting for 24 hours. The human body is truly incredible, within 24-48 hours your blood supply will be fully restored!

Did you know:

• 1 in 3 people will need blood at some point during their lifetime
• 1 in 30 currently give blood

You don’t have to be all that great at maths to work out that those figures just don’t match up, especially with over 27,000 blood donations each week needed across Australia to meet demand.

Sharing the most popular blood type in Australia, O positive, with 40% of the population, it is always in high demand which once again makes me feel pretty special. But in saying that, so are all the others of course!

Initially I thought blood donations were used mainly for those involved in traumatic road accidents, however this only accounts for 2% of all blood donations, whereas cancer and blood diseases by far make up the larger portion of where blood donations assist others (see graph below).

When you give blood, you give life. Interested in making a donation? Call 13 14 95 or visit the Australian Red Cross Blood Service website.

Fozzie Bear exasperatedly asks during one of the funniest moments in The Muppets, “What’s more illegal, Kermit: kidnapping Jack Black, or destroying the Muppet name for good?” A horrified Kermit replies: “Kidnapping Jack Black, Fozzie!” I’m so glad that the team behind this wonderful film, including screenwriting duo Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller, producers David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman and director James Bobin thought differently, resurrecting Jim Henson’s once-beloved but now culturally-extinct Muppets characters for another adventure. In the first Disney-produced Muppets film since 1996’s Muppet Treasure Island, the gang is brought back together when the Muppet name is threatened and they are pitted against a ruthless oil tycoon.

The Muppets is a film about two brothers who grew up watching The Muppet Show in their youth. Now as adults, Gary (Jason Segel) and Walter (Peter Linz) continue to live together as Muppet fans in Smalltown, USA. Gary plans a vacation to Los Angeles with his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) to celebrate their tenth anniversary, inviting Walter along so he can see the Muppet Theatre. Walter, made of felt like his idol Kermit the Frog, is ecstatic, however Mary is not – concerned that her future husband hasn’t grown out of his own “Muppet-hood”.

Throughout The Muppets I had a big grin permanently etched across my face. It’s a lot of fun. Full of insanely catchy song and dance numbers with great lyrics and amusing choreography, this zany modern tale remains grounded in the roots of the beloved television show, and has many self-aware winks to generic clichés. There are some great cameos; Jack Black, Animal’s anger-management sponsor, is kidnapped to appear on the show as a guest, while Chris Cooper has a blast instructing his associates to laugh ‘maniacally’ and even raps on one occasion.

Though flawed in it’s narrative and a little too cheeky with its nudges to capitalism and 21^st Century culture, you would have to be pretty hard to please to not find some level of enjoyment here. What makes this experience even stronger is the Pixar short, titled Small Fry, which precedes the film. It features some of the cast of the Toy Story films. Don’t be late.

The Muppets is currently in cinemas, having opened on January 12. I rate the film 4 Stars.

CRONULLA CINEMAS:
Tue 17th Jan: 9:30am, 12pm, 2:30pm, 7:15pm
Wed 18th Jan: 9:25am, 12pm, 2:30pm, 7:15pm
Thu 19th Jan & onwards: 9:50am, 12:10pm, 4:30pm