It’s a wonderful distraction – particularly for those whose up-in-the-air anxiety can be tamed by busy fingers and engaging content, less so striking up conversation with whomever they are seated next to (do not sit next to me, if this is the case!) – full of helpful information, travel stories to get you thinking about your next trip (flying Virgin, of course), and entertainment listings to boot.
It is also a highly commercial product, keen in pushing what’s new, cool, great and fun to do, and in keeping with the Richard Branson style of doing things, there’s a bit of tongue-in-cheek, too.
David Smiedt’s ‘Come Fly With Me’ opinion column is a cracker, It’s (almost) worth booking a last-minute August flight for alone. While his suggestions for killing time at the terminal include a game of ‘fair dinkim fashion’, in which you are required to pull together the most Aussie outfit possible (Ugg boots, Quiksilver boardies, a Mambo tee…), his lively turn of phrase will liven up even the dullest of business trips. This column is tied into another feature taking in “the hidden playgrounds of the world’s busiest airports”.
The features are invariably smart and informative. Catherine McCormack’s story on the rise of a cashless society (about as likely as the paperless office, says Peter Switzer in a breakout box titled ‘No Cash? Balderdash!’) tells us that 72% of Australia’s bill-paying population is now using BPAY and digital wallets are but a few years away, though 65-70% of household transactions are made with cash currency. Notably, Virgin prefers you pay for your mid-flight snacks with a credit card.
The magazine is very techy – the latest gadgets (from cars and sunglasses to phones, computers and entertainment systems) are on high display. A one-page feature uses the launch of Apple’s iCloud as a talking point for an exploration of the music piracy debate.
With due respect to the Brisbane family who sadly perished in a house fire last week, a small piece on theburninghouse.com – a visual website created by New Yorker Foster Huntington based on the premise of showing their most treasured possessions and, in turn, the “conflict between the practical, the valuable and the sentimental” gives us something important to ponder. “The resultant snapshot of what is important to us is by turns poignant, funny and insightful,” writes Mike Wilcox. Aye, do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, keep a short account on earth and be thankful when you arrive at your destination, I say!
Natasha Paulini’s feature, ‘The Other Half of Me’, introduces readers to four people who live dual professional lives (digital business director/Liberal candidate for Heffrom Patrice Pandeleos; consultant general counsel/designer Russel Grigg; subeditor/violinist Cara Zaetta-Thomas; Mission Australia national media manager/singer/songwriter Paul Andrews). The layout depicts each person in their dual occupational uniforms, which makes for an interesting visual .
The interview with Anton Jewellery general manager Sesil Arzadian (‘Business on the Road’) along with her tips for staying in Singapore is a good read. She says, “When things were hard in the last few years, we kept our heads high and just got on with doing what we do, rather than be conscious about the economy”, and “As a GM, you need to be across the every day ins and outs, but the design demands are incredible, too.”
‘Copenhagen Confidential’ presents the capital city of Denmark as a lively, colourful destination with the big yellow building housing jazz café Jazzhus Montmarte – “the locals’ best-loved venue to while away a toe-tapping afternoon” – sprawled over a double-page spread that draws you right in to this ‘Insider’s Guide’. But you might prefer skiing in California, exploring Las Vegas (“without resorting to slot machines”) or ‘Going Coastal’ on northern NSW.
Shorter stories suggest dining in unusual locations, hopping on a treadlie or taking in a screening of Asif Kapadia’s documentary on Ayrton Senna. Illustrated maps, impressive landscape photography and still-life fashion and grooming pages add up to a magazine that’s rewarding to read.
Girl With a Satchel
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