Online dating is a $185 million industry in Australia. With more and more people of all ages finding love and friendship through dating websites, we take a closer look at the subject. As people become more comfortable turning to the internet for the necessities of life – such as shopping and looking for a home, it should come as no surprise that many are also turning online for love. About a quarter of all adults between 18 to 44 use a dating website or app to find people to meet and potentially fall in love with. According to IBIS World research, 15.1 per cent of users are over the age of 45 and 4.5 per cent over 65. If you’re ready to look for romance and want to cast your net a little wider than your current social circles, exploring a dating website or app that matches people of similar ages and interests might be worthwhile. So, what should your approach be? Start with the...

Food is the way to a person’s heart. This Valentine’s Day, turn up the romance and treat your sweetheart to an exquisite homemade meal.IngredientsServes 21 x 8-point lamb rack 300g green beans, lightly blanched 4 slices of prosciutto 400g truss cherry tomatoes 1tsp garlic, crushed 1 lemon, zested and juiced Olive oil 2 tbsp of your favourite herbs – rosemary, thyme or oregano, chopped Seasoning – salt and pepper Rocket leavesMethodTrim the bones of the lamb rack and leave the cap on, making criss-cross cuts into the cap. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, mixed herbs and seasoning to make the marinade. Lay your rack of lamb in a tray and rub the marinade into the lamb and into the cap. You can choose to wrap the bones with foil to prevent them drying out. Allow the rack to infuse the flavour at room temperature for half an hour. Preheat your oven to 170°C. While the...

Living Gems is sporting a bright and breezy new look and feel following a brand refresh that communicates the relaxed, carefree over-50s lifestyle on offer at Living Gems resorts.Alongside a contemporary updated colour palette and logo, Living Gems has a new tagline – simply lifechanging – to convey the lifestyle upgrade to be had at a surprisingly affordable price-point.Living Gems CEO Adrian Puljich said the updated look brought a fresh, modern aesthetic to the company’s brand while keeping core elements of its visual identity in homage to its 30-plus year history.“It’s an exciting new era for Living Gems and the new look was created to mirror that. The colours, logo, and imagery have been crafted to reflect a positive, carefree and easy-going vibe – letting people know what kind of lifestyle they can expect in our over-50s communities,” he said.In addition to the visual identity, a new television commercial campaign will be rolling out this month, as well as outdoor...

Living Gems year in reviewWhat a fantastic year 2022 was for our extended Living Gems community. New friendships were formed far and wide, and multiple champagne corks were proudly popped by homeowners in celebration of their new Living Gems homes.Lifestyle changes were put into motion with big decisions made, and although there is no doubt that some tears were shed when saying goodbye to old neighbours and friends, none have looked back and are celebrating their new way of life this year with wonderful new friends, and some even bringing old neighbours with them.This year saw the very successful launch of the Amber by Living Gems resort in Logan Village. Its open days, most recently last November, brought in new residents to the estate, helping the recently established community continue to grow.The resort has welcomed so many fresh faces to the Amber family, not to mention the resort managers, Hayley and Sam Janes, who are more than happy to help...

Expert tips to improve gut health Has indulging over the holiday season left you feeling tired, bloated and slightly larger around the waist? Experienced dietitian and metabolic health expert, Carly Barlow, takes us to the core of the issue – your gut bacteria.“Your gut bacteria, or gut microbiome, is a community of trillions of bacteria living in your large intestine which release beneficial substances into your bloodstream that are vital to your health and wellbeing,” Carly explained.“Most people are surprised to learn that their bloated stomach may be a result of their gut bacteria.”Like a fingerprint, each person’s microbiota (mix of bacteria) is unique and originally determined by their DNA but is also influenced by diet and lifestyle.Carly described the process of how eating plant foods helps to feed our good gut bacteria.“When you eat plant foods, your body can’t break down the part called ‘fibre’ so this is where your gut bacteria take over. When your gut bacteria digest this...

Start the new year with a roadtrip! Start the new year right by planning a great Australian roadtrip! To get you inspired, we take a look at some of the iconic places to see and experience, including terrific day trips that are just a few hours from home. Tasmania Escape the heat and head south for the summer. Tasmania, the beautiful apple isle, is rich in charm and local history. And being geographically compact, you can pack in a lot of holiday in not a lot of miles. The only argument to be settled is when is the best time to go. There are some who maintain summer is the best season where the maximum never gets over 25ºC, while others advocate for autumn when the leaves turn vivid colours and the fresh Pacific oysters are at their best. Or rug up and experience a bracing winter fuelled by a dram of local whisky, tasty truffles and scallops. In honour of the four seasons, we’ve...

Spread the word & earn $1000!Refer a friend and be rewardedResidents of Living Gems over-50s lifestyle resorts are being offered an opportunity to benefit from a new referral program.Living Gems CEO Adrian Puljich said nothing beats word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family when it comes to making decisions about everything from trying a new restaurant or joining an exercise class to purchasing the latest smartphone or buying a home in an over-50s lifestyle resort.“In fact, many homeowners’ decisions to move into a Living Gems resort have been influenced by glowing reviews from trusted friends or family members, and that is something we can now reward through our special referral program, putting $1000 into each referrer’s pocket,” he said.Living Gems values the power of word-of-mouth endorsements and has introduced the referral program as a way to thank residents for their support and encourage other residents to share their thoughts with friends, family and acquaintances.Terms and conditions apply.

Take the long way homeThe adventure begins in your own backyard. Become weekend explorers with some hidden gems just a few hours’ drive from home. Why not make it a day trip with some of your Living Gems neighbours and create some wonderful new memories.Discover Brisbane’s AlcatrazTake a visit to early South East Queensland’s darker side with a trip to the historic prison island of St Helena Island. We reckon it’s such an arresting experience that you’ll be glad you went. Established in 1867, the high-security facility was created out of an earlier quarantine station. The buildings you see – the cell blocks, kitchen, hospital and bakery - were constructed by the prisoners themselves. In later years, inmates learned trades including boot making, book binding and carpentry.Cat O' Nine Tail Tours leave from Manly and offer comprehensive historical and eco-tours to help you make the most from the experience.For more information:St Helena IslandMake a cool change on Mt TamborineTake a respite...

Get out and about in South East Queensland!Jump into the new year with a great range of activities and events in South East Queensland, including Toowoomba, to get you out and about.Qoin Sail Paradise Regatta January 2-6The Southport Yacht Club spectacular high summer offshore sailing regatta, Qoin Sail Paradise, will be staged from 2 to 6 January over courses set between Main Beach and the Queensland-NSW border. This five-day event with four days of racing will be staged on the beautiful ocean waters off the Gold Coast’s golden beaches allowing spectators on the shore to be enthralled by the closeness of the racing and the blaze of colour that will come from the yachts’ many spinnakers.The event includes live entertainment nightly at Southport Yacht Club’s Main Beach Clubhouse.Southport Yacht Club 1 Macarthur Parade, Main Beach southportyachtclub.com.auThe Red Carpet Gold Coast Antiques and Collectables Fair January 14-15The world-class venue showcases this colourful event with an extensive range of locally made jewellery, silver items, books, furniture,...

Prawn and Soba Noodle SaladKickstart your new year diet with this nutritious and satisfying salad!Who said salads are boring? You’ll be coming back for seconds once you try the talented Chef Matt Conquest’s fusion seafood salad that will keep your weight down but your spirits high this summer.Ingredients Serves 4Prawns: 1kg large green king prawns, peeled and de-veined 2 tbsp mixed (black and white) sesame seeds 1 garlic clove, finely grated Lime zest 1 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Salad: 1 pack soba noodles 2 Lebanese cucumbers, halved and then cut into angled slices 1 red onion (100g), sliced thinly 1 fresh long red chilli, seeded and sliced thinly 1 bunch asparagus, cut into spears and blanched ½ cup mint, picked and torn ½ cup fresh coriander, coarsely chopped Dressing: 2 tbsp light soy sauce 2 tsp fish sauce 2 tsp grated palm sugar 2 tbsp lime juice 1 tbsp rice wine vinegarMethodMix all the marinade ingredients and pour them over the prawns (you can choose to skewer the prawns or leave...

Behind the scenes of Living Gems’ commercial shoot Bringing the Living Gems experience to life with a fresh, entertaining commercial campaign saw a production crew of more than 20 people set up at locations across Brisbane, as well as Living Gems’ Amber and Caboolture resorts.The campaign, which includes four television commercials as well as photography, is part of Living Gems’ exciting new re-brand which aims to communicate the great lifestyle on offer at our Queensland over-50s resorts.Living Gems CEO Adrian Puljich said the commercials had been crafted to be irreverent and fun, taking a light-hearted approach in order to capture people’s attention.“We wanted to create commercials that are approachable, friendly and relatable. Each of the commercials are different but all are down to earth, and warmly amusing,” Adrian said.“The aim is to show how a move to a Living Gems resort can let people free up their time and energy for a better lifestyle. As our new tagline says, it’s ‘simply...