Assignment 3 - Part One: Website Feature Portfolio

The website I have chosen to develop articles for is Frankie Magazine Online. As the website suggests, Frankie is "aimed at women (and men) looking for a magazine that’s as smart, funny, sarcastic, friendly, cute, rude, arty, curious and caring as they are”.

However because of this website not containing full-length articles, the website I will be writing for is Frankie, if Frankie was solely an online publication rather than a print one. The statement above sums up the audience completely.

All articles are written in a blog style.

Article 1: This article would be in the ‘All Sorts’ section and would be the start of a series of entries on the same topic.

BATH-RUMINATIONS

*Photo courtesy of jennifersprintables.com

Ever wondered what lurks behind the bathroom doors in some of Melbourne’s most popular dining and entertainment venues? Come and learn a new way of rating, not by food or customer service but by the ply of the toilet paper.

Is it just me, or do we rate the places we are eating or drinking at by the state of the bathroom? I’ve been constantly disappointed by bad design, uncleanliness not compensated by creativity and downright ugliness. Restaurant and bar owners listen up: your bathroom is as important as your food, drinks, lighting and mood!
I am not talking exclusively about the supply of toilet paper, locks on the doors and a clean seat (if there is a seat at all), yes, yes all toilets must have these, but more importantly, does the bathroom as a whole compliment the atmosphere of the place, or hinder it? Is it an interesting and creative space with flowers or pot-puree? Environmental tendencies? Does it provoke conversation?

I have been rating Melbourne's bathrooms, and the criteria is strict and the standards high. Read on for one of the best spots to place your bum, and one to avoid at all costs.

Boire, 92 Smith Street, Collingwood:

*Photo courtesy of Boire
Boire is a new French restaurant that boasts old-fashioned French food and wine, with the choice of only 2 mains and two desserts. I think it is lovely and easy. The bathroom in this restaurant was charming, clean and spacious and had all the accessories needed, paper towels, hooks on the door.

The aspect that makes this bathroom stand out to me was the chalkboard walls, from floor to ceiling. There is chalk provided and you are encouraged to graffiti the walls in any way you like. A new spin on the old ‘graffiti the bathroom’ wall trick. When I walked in there were poems and pretty pictures from people who have dined there, reviews of the food and praise for the cook. This is obviously a lot nicer to read than the usual bathroom wall rubbish.

The East Brunswick Club, 280 Lygon Street, East Brunswick:

The East is well known for its great gigs and cheap meal nights, but word is also spreading about their terrible bathrooms. The worst so far! However one thing is for sure this bathroom has consistency, EVERY time I have braved entering this facility I am faced with either vomit in the bin or someone doing the same in the toilet, and of course usually in the one where the old sliding door barely closes exposing your bum to the waiting patrons outside.

The smell is constantly putrid to the point where, yes a few times I have gone into the men's because it smells better, a horrible indication of the standard of a bathroom when the men’s toilet (notoriously weird smelling) smells far better.

Okay, okay it’s a pub you say, get over it?! Well I can give
a little, but EVERYTIME? They need to have someone checking on it more regularly, with or without a flamethrower.

So maybe now you’ll look more carefully at the bathrooms you enter and think about what it offers you, and what it does for the associated venue. How much do they truly love their business and you as the paying customer? A bathroom experience can certainly either make or break a place.

Article 2: This article would be under the ‘Travel’ section.

ART DECO HAVEN IN THE HEART OF NZ

New Zealand is famous for all sorts of things, Lord of the Rings, sheep.... but it also has one of the world’s best-preserved selection of Art Deco buildings in the one place, Napier. Watch-out all you Art Deco lovers, this town is one of a kind.

Napier, New Zealand, 320 kms (by road) north-east of the capital, Wellington.

Standing on a top of a high hill looking towards the ocean with the entire town is a great way to get to know a place.

While visiting Napier in September this year a tsunami warning was issued, quite an unsettling experience but not lacking in excitement. The main road, Marine Parade on the foreshore was blocked off, and the townsfolk were told to head for high ground, just in case. Shops and schools were closed and there was an exodus to the few high points in the town. A bonus of this situation was one, it wasn’t raining and two there was an amazing view from on top of the hill.

There was no panic, just people, including me gazing at the water far below, although nothing was seemingly happening. There were no officials telling us what was going on, so an hour later people started to retreat from the hill and brave the traffic jam back down. The water hadn’t appeared to change and there was no freak wave apparent.

By the time we got back down the hill the roadblocks had been removed and police had vanished. So we presumed the threat was gone, thank God, as it would be a great shame for this beautiful town and the people within it to again be put under threat.


On the 3rd of February 1931 an earthquake devastated Napier, killing 157 and destroying the whole commercial part of the town. As a result the entire town was rebuilt in the 1930s, exclusively in the Art Deco style including stripped classical and Spanish mission. Walking through the town you are graced with a feeling of calm, nostalgia and that maybe you’ve managed to turn back time 70 plus years. Every single building in the centre of town is an art deco original. The town is just amazing, overwhelming, bright and beautiful. It is enough to make you want to buy a flapper dress, headpiece and go dancing in the street.

A key piece in the area is on the shore front, called the New Napier Arch, it beautifully frames the ocean beyond and provides an entertainment area with an old fashioned cone/shell shaped stage.

Oh, and seriously don’t forget your wallets as there are some amazing antique, vintage stores and op shops just waiting to be rummaged through, and the people in Napier really know their stuff.

If you are an art deco fan this is one town to not drive past, unique and out of the ordinary smack bang between Auckland and Wellington.

All I can say is amazing, amazing, amazing and the most amazing thing is that the sun shone the whole time we were there, lovely.

So for all you lovers of everything Art Deco and a sucker for the accompanying merchandise (found at The Art Deco Trust), a Napier visit is a must.
*All unlabeled photos are authors own

References:

Art Deco Trust, 2009 http://www.artdeconapier.com/ accessed 10 October 2009.

Boire, 2009 http://www.boire.com.au/home accessed 10 October 2009.

The East Brunswick Club, 2009 http://www.eastbrunswickclub.com/ accessed 10 October 2009.

Frankie Website, 2009 www.frankie.com.au accessed 8 October 2009.

Jennifer's Free Printable Doll House & Miniature Bathroom Tiles, 2009, http://www.jennifersprintables.com/bathroomsamples.html accessed 10 October 2009.

Napier City Council, 2009 http://www.napier.govt.nz/ accessed 10 October 2009.