Latest news with #CoCo
Time Out
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
This hidden nightlife gem lets you party and play in one lavish setting
Save the date – AVENUE is throwing a big birthday blowout on June 4, and it's about to be draped in decadence. Themed to 'Venus In Furs', the lounge transforms into a heady blend of rose-drenched textures, celestial glamour, and after-dark allure. And American rapper O.T Genasis is set to leave you starry-eyed with chart-topping hits like the viral 'CoCo', and 'Cut It' featuring Young Dolph. From Aphrodite's touch to heavy-hitting hooks, this anniversary is for the gods – and the girls who run it. Whether you're looking for a pre-game, main event, or afterparty, AVENUE is everything rolled into one. It's open from 10pm till late, from Wednesdays to Saturdays.
The Age
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
There's no bridge too far for this climate activist's cause
She recommends we order an avocado smoothie each and share the salt and pepper tofu and sizzling 'beef'. CoCo is vegan, and I decide not to tell her about my usually meat-heavy diet. We had first planned to eat Ethiopian food – because it was her first meal out of prison last year – but the chosen restaurant only opens in the evening. 'Day works best for me,' CoCo texted before our lunch. 'Most of our [protest] planning meetings are at night for the working folks.' Since her first fortnight in the ACT prison, CoCo has been detained twice more – for blocking the Sydney Harbour and West Gate bridges. But she wasn't always an environmental zealot – and even voted for the Liberal Party at her first election. After studying philosophy at university, she went on a cross-country road trip when Australia was in drought. She grew concerned at the dry and arid parts of Australia she traversed. But it wasn't until she arrived in Melbourne, the protest capital, that she was 'really quickly radicalised'. Over the course of a two-hour seminar by activist group Extinction Rebellion, CoCo became enraged at what she came to see as political inaction on the climate crisis. She committed her life to activism. 'I was at a point where I would have started a family ... and I made the decision to not start a family and instead devote myself to this,' she says. 'I can't imagine bringing a kid into this world with what I know we're going to face unless we have a change in our trajectory.' Her fears are rooted in the climate science that indicates global warming rising more than 1.5 degrees would have severe impacts on Earth's ecosystems and societies. Already glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, extreme weather events such as bushfires are happening more often, coral bleaching is widespread on the Great Barrier Reef and rising sea levels have forced the relocation of some low-lying island communities. The crisis is what motivated her to park a truck on Sydney Harbour Bridge and block traffic. CoCo was nervous on that April morning in 2022, unsure if her crew of activists – which comprised a philosopher, firefighter and opera singer – would be able to pull it off. Then-NSW premier Dominic Perrottet already wanted their 'heads on a platter' over earlier stunts, CoCo says, and the state was cracking down on protesters. The truck rolled along narrow city streets and stopped in the inner suburb of Millers Point for a last-minute bathroom break, and drove on to the bridge about 8.15am in the thick of the morning rush. In the moments leading up to the 'truck jump' (as I'm told it's called), CoCo had a knot of worry in her stomach. But once her team arrived at the bridge she felt relieved 'because even if you see flashing lights, you just stop the truck and you're in your blockade'. When the truck stopped, adrenaline took over. Two protesters glued their hands to the road and the other two, including CoCo, climbed on top of the truck and livestreamed on social media. Meanwhile, traffic banked up and commuters hammered their car horns. It created an immense traffic jam and received widespread news coverage. The fallout was swift. CoCo was sentenced to 15 months' jail, which raised questions over the anti-protest laws in NSW. The sentence was eventually quashed on appeal. In an interesting quirk, CoCo's uncle, Alister Henskens (Uncle Al, she calls him with a chuckle), is a NSW state MP and at the time was a Liberal minister, and strengthened the laws used to prosecute his niece before she was sentenced. 'He knew that that would put me in prison, and he did it anyway,' she says. 'So you can imagine that we haven't really been in touch since.' CoCo says her father's side of the family are rusted-on Liberal voters and believe that 'you're only a good person if you're making money'. It was in this environment she voted Liberal in her first election. (At this month's federal election she volunteered for the Greens but also says she would consider supporting someone 'even further left'.) Eventually, her upbringing became at odds with CoCo's core philosophies and she underwent a 'huge culture shift', which she reflected by changing her name. Growing up as a child of divorced parents, CoCo had a long and unwieldy name: Deanna Maree Henskens-Silsbury. She simplified her surname to CoCo one drunken night with her mother when she was 18, and she went by the name throughout her 20s. 'And when I landed in Melbourne and started doing activism and stuff, I think I just wanted a name that was a little bit older,' she says. 'I was sort of hitting 30, and wanted to have something a bit more grounded … so I chose Violet.' Violet CoCo is now legally her name. CoCo's protests often court controversy by causing damage and leaving unsuspecting commuters stranded in traffic. But she argues the disruption she causes doesn't detract from her message. 'There's got to be one or two people that sort of see us protesting and go, 'Oh, well, I'm going to ignore the science now because you annoyed me today', but overwhelmingly the message cuts through despite the annoyance caused,' she says. 'You have to be a pretty big idiot to be like, 'I don't believe the science because this person is being annoying'.' Her claim is supported by research from Yale University research that found that disruptive climate activism generally strengthened pro-environmental attitudes. Surveys by Michael E. Mann and Shawn Patterson of the University of Pennsylvania, however, show that the public overall does not approve of these kinds of protests. In their research, 46 per cent of respondents reported that such tactics decreased their support for efforts to address climate change, 40 per cent said they had no impact, and 13 per cent said they increased their support.' The scorn of commuters and social media pile-ons also doesn't faze her. 'I'm not here to be liked. I'm here to be effective,' she says. But I do find myself liking CoCo: she's an engaging storyteller and a fun lunch guest. So I'm almost reluctant to sour the mood and ask how she justifies her actions going beyond disruptive and creating distress. Last year, CoCo pulled off another truck jump, this time on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge during peak-hour. The bridge was blocked for two hours and in the ensuing chaos a pregnant woman had to give birth on the side of the road after she became stuck in traffic en route to the hospital and calls to triple zero were delayed. CoCo admits she feels 'pretty terrified' about this, but defends it as being for the greater good. 'I'm vegan, I'm someone who doesn't want to cause harm in the world at all … it's really confronting to face that eventuality,' she says. 'Sometimes I view it from a utilitarian perspective, which is like if you don't do this then billions and billions of people will potentially die of starvation and [be] burning alive and floods and all of this. 'So it's like maybe when you're a parent, you have to disrupt your kid's day to make them go to bed or eat vegetables, and they don't like it, and it's a bit frustrating … that's how I view the lens of disruption when it comes to ambulances being blocked.' We've gobbled up our vegetable spring rolls at Huong Viet and nearly drained the avocado smoothies. Her stunt on the West Gate earned CoCo her third and longest stint behind bars: two months in the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Ravenhall. Her partner, Brad Homewood, served a similar sentence in the neighbouring men's prison for his role in the West Gate protest. They wrote letters to each other via prison mail, describing the view of the sunset from their separate cells. In one letter, CoCo asked Homewood to marry her. They have since tied the knot and have matching heart-shaped tattoos paired with an infinity symbol in green and black – the colours of environmentalism and anarchy. While the climate crisis worsens, CoCo says that it's becoming harder to attract protesters to join her cause. Young people are instead flocking to join the pro-Palestine protests in Melbourne. 'I think it's definitely absorbed a lot of the energy. It's the zeitgeist at the moment,' says CoCo. 'I feel like COVID did really do a number on the climate community. It collapsed us a lot.' Despite the prison sentences, enraged commuters, a family feud and a lack of new blood for protests, CoCo's resolve remains steadfast. Last month, she tied herself to a logging machine in Tasmania's Central Highlands, and in March, she spearheaded a protest outside federal Labor MP Peter Khalil's office. But if she gave up protesting, CoCo would be philosophising and playing music. 'And obviously, I'd have a family,' she says. Giving up motherhood remains her biggest sacrifice. 'It's definitely something that I reckon with a lot,' she says.
Sydney Morning Herald
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
There's no bridge too far for this climate activist's cause
She recommends we order an avocado smoothie each and share the salt and pepper tofu and sizzling 'beef'. CoCo is vegan, and I decide not to tell her about my usually meat-heavy diet. We had first planned to eat Ethiopian food – because it was her first meal out of prison last year – but the chosen restaurant only opens in the evening. 'Day works best for me,' CoCo texted before our lunch. 'Most of our [protest] planning meetings are at night for the working folks.' Since her first fortnight in the ACT prison, CoCo has been detained twice more – for blocking the Sydney Harbour and West Gate bridges. But she wasn't always an environmental zealot – and even voted for the Liberal Party at her first election. After studying philosophy at university, she went on a cross-country road trip when Australia was in drought. She grew concerned at the dry and arid parts of Australia she traversed. But it wasn't until she arrived in Melbourne, the protest capital, that she was 'really quickly radicalised'. Over the course of a two-hour seminar by activist group Extinction Rebellion, CoCo became enraged at what she came to see as political inaction on the climate crisis. She committed her life to activism. 'I was at a point where I would have started a family ... and I made the decision to not start a family and instead devote myself to this,' she says. 'I can't imagine bringing a kid into this world with what I know we're going to face unless we have a change in our trajectory.' Her fears are rooted in the climate science that indicates global warming rising more than 1.5 degrees would have severe impacts on Earth's ecosystems and societies. Already glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, extreme weather events such as bushfires are happening more often, coral bleaching is widespread on the Great Barrier Reef and rising sea levels have forced the relocation of some low-lying island communities. The crisis is what motivated her to park a truck on Sydney Harbour Bridge and block traffic. CoCo was nervous on that April morning in 2022, unsure if her crew of activists – which comprised a philosopher, firefighter and opera singer – would be able to pull it off. Then-NSW premier Dominic Perrottet already wanted their 'heads on a platter' over earlier stunts, CoCo says, and the state was cracking down on protesters. The truck rolled along narrow city streets and stopped in the inner suburb of Millers Point for a last-minute bathroom break, and drove on to the bridge about 8.15am in the thick of the morning rush. In the moments leading up to the 'truck jump' (as I'm told it's called), CoCo had a knot of worry in her stomach. But once her team arrived at the bridge she felt relieved 'because even if you see flashing lights, you just stop the truck and you're in your blockade'. When the truck stopped, adrenaline took over. Two protesters glued their hands to the road and the other two, including CoCo, climbed on top of the truck and livestreamed on social media. Meanwhile, traffic banked up and commuters hammered their car horns. It created an immense traffic jam and received widespread news coverage. The fallout was swift. CoCo was sentenced to 15 months' jail, which raised questions over the anti-protest laws in NSW. The sentence was eventually quashed on appeal. In an interesting quirk, CoCo's uncle, Alister Henskens (Uncle Al, she calls him with a chuckle), is a NSW state MP and at the time was a Liberal minister, and strengthened the laws used to prosecute his niece before she was sentenced. 'He knew that that would put me in prison, and he did it anyway,' she says. 'So you can imagine that we haven't really been in touch since.' CoCo says her father's side of the family are rusted-on Liberal voters and believe that 'you're only a good person if you're making money'. It was in this environment she voted Liberal in her first election. (At this month's federal election she volunteered for the Greens but also says she would consider supporting someone 'even further left'.) Eventually, her upbringing became at odds with CoCo's core philosophies and she underwent a 'huge culture shift', which she reflected by changing her name. Growing up as a child of divorced parents, CoCo had a long and unwieldy name: Deanna Maree Henskens-Silsbury. She simplified her surname to CoCo one drunken night with her mother when she was 18, and she went by the name throughout her 20s. 'And when I landed in Melbourne and started doing activism and stuff, I think I just wanted a name that was a little bit older,' she says. 'I was sort of hitting 30, and wanted to have something a bit more grounded … so I chose Violet.' Violet CoCo is now legally her name. CoCo's protests often court controversy by causing damage and leaving unsuspecting commuters stranded in traffic. But she argues the disruption she causes doesn't detract from her message. 'There's got to be one or two people that sort of see us protesting and go, 'Oh, well, I'm going to ignore the science now because you annoyed me today', but overwhelmingly the message cuts through despite the annoyance caused,' she says. 'You have to be a pretty big idiot to be like, 'I don't believe the science because this person is being annoying'.' Her claim is supported by research from Yale University research that found that disruptive climate activism generally strengthened pro-environmental attitudes. Surveys by Michael E. Mann and Shawn Patterson of the University of Pennsylvania, however, show that the public overall does not approve of these kinds of protests. In their research, 46 per cent of respondents reported that such tactics decreased their support for efforts to address climate change, 40 per cent said they had no impact, and 13 per cent said they increased their support.' The scorn of commuters and social media pile-ons also doesn't faze her. 'I'm not here to be liked. I'm here to be effective,' she says. But I do find myself liking CoCo: she's an engaging storyteller and a fun lunch guest. So I'm almost reluctant to sour the mood and ask how she justifies her actions going beyond disruptive and creating distress. Last year, CoCo pulled off another truck jump, this time on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge during peak-hour. The bridge was blocked for two hours and in the ensuing chaos a pregnant woman had to give birth on the side of the road after she became stuck in traffic en route to the hospital and calls to triple zero were delayed. CoCo admits she feels 'pretty terrified' about this, but defends it as being for the greater good. 'I'm vegan, I'm someone who doesn't want to cause harm in the world at all … it's really confronting to face that eventuality,' she says. 'Sometimes I view it from a utilitarian perspective, which is like if you don't do this then billions and billions of people will potentially die of starvation and [be] burning alive and floods and all of this. 'So it's like maybe when you're a parent, you have to disrupt your kid's day to make them go to bed or eat vegetables, and they don't like it, and it's a bit frustrating … that's how I view the lens of disruption when it comes to ambulances being blocked.' We've gobbled up our vegetable spring rolls at Huong Viet and nearly drained the avocado smoothies. Her stunt on the West Gate earned CoCo her third and longest stint behind bars: two months in the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Ravenhall. Her partner, Brad Homewood, served a similar sentence in the neighbouring men's prison for his role in the West Gate protest. They wrote letters to each other via prison mail, describing the view of the sunset from their separate cells. In one letter, CoCo asked Homewood to marry her. They have since tied the knot and have matching heart-shaped tattoos paired with an infinity symbol in green and black – the colours of environmentalism and anarchy. While the climate crisis worsens, CoCo says that it's becoming harder to attract protesters to join her cause. Young people are instead flocking to join the pro-Palestine protests in Melbourne. 'I think it's definitely absorbed a lot of the energy. It's the zeitgeist at the moment,' says CoCo. 'I feel like COVID did really do a number on the climate community. It collapsed us a lot.' Despite the prison sentences, enraged commuters, a family feud and a lack of new blood for protests, CoCo's resolve remains steadfast. Last month, she tied herself to a logging machine in Tasmania's Central Highlands, and in March, she spearheaded a protest outside federal Labor MP Peter Khalil's office. But if she gave up protesting, CoCo would be philosophising and playing music. 'And obviously, I'd have a family,' she says. Giving up motherhood remains her biggest sacrifice. 'It's definitely something that I reckon with a lot,' she says.
North Wales Chronicle
10-05-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
New hair and beauty salon opens in Dolgellau in Gwynedd
On the salon's launch day last week, guests were treated to a showcase of L'Oréal's 2025 trending hair colour 'Mocha Mousse'. This was combined with a knowledge-packed presentation. This presentation was given by L'Oréal Colleges' professional lead, Vikki Millar. (Image: Supplied) It detailed the collaboration between the prestigious beauty brand and the college. Lucky visitors were also offered a tour of the facility, as well as free consultations and goody bags packed full of prizes, including selfie ring lights, beauty products, and treatment vouchers. Dr. Siôn Peters-Flynn, the principal of Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor and Coleg Menai, officially opened the new addition. (Image: Supplied) After his welcome speech, he handed the mic to Vikki Millar, who detailed how the partnership with L'Oréal helps learners refine their skills and support their career growth. Next up was L'Oréal education consultant Emma Holmes. She works closely with the college's staff and students. (Image: Supplied) She gave a presentation on the trending 'Mocha Mousse' colour, illustrating its application in modern styles using L'Oréal products. This was done with assistance from their hair and beauty learners who modelled their work with clothes sponsored by Dolgellau boutique CoCo. In between tours and consultations, guests were treated to canapés made by the college's hospitality students. (Image: Supplied) These included creative flavours of profiteroles like 'banana and biscoff' and 'chocolate orange'. "We are all extremely pleased with the success of the hair and beauty salon launch in collaboration with L'Oréal," said Eifion Owen, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor's service industries manager. "The facility has been refurbished to match the style and flexibility of one of the top salons in Manchester which learners visited before COVID. "We're very grateful to L'Oréal for our ongoing collaboration which allows our learners to develop their skills to the highest standards, and to CoCo clothing Dolgellau who kindly sponsored our event. "Overall, the launch was a very successful and professional experience for all our learners and guests." (Image: Supplied) The salon, open to the public, boasts a range of hairdressing treatments, including cut, colour, blow dry and perm. It also offers beauty services such as eyebrow shaping, facial massage, file and polish, pedicure and manicure. To make an appointment, call 01341 424 922. The salon is open Monday to Thursday from 1.30-3.45pm, and Fridays from 9.30-11.45am and 1.30-3.45pm.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CoCo Bubble Tea Announces New Openings in Southeast Asia
Leading boba brand to open stores in Kuala Lumpur and Phnom Penh, as it focuses on further diversifying beverages tailored to local tastes KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia and PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading tapioca tea brand CoCo Bubble Tea is announcing new store openings in Malaysia and Cambodia later this spring. Along with the new locations, CoCo will seek to further customize and cater to varied local tastes to meet growing demand for diversified refreshments. To explore opening a pearl milk tea shop with CoCo Bubble Tea, please visit: In May, CoCo will open the first store in a multi-store franchise in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the remaining locations opening later in 2025. These stores will feature beverages made with raw materials certified as Halal, emphasizing the brand's dedication to making beverages for everyone to enjoy. Additionally, CoCo held the soft opening for its first-ever store in Cambodia, located in Phnom Penh, on April 13. This marks a significant step in bringing its beloved bubble tea to even more communities across Southeast Asia. "Our franchise network from the dynamic Southeast Asia region does an excellent job innovating and harnessing the flourishing bubble tea market here," noted Kody Wong, Deputy General Manager of Business Development at CoCo Bubble Tea. "We are immensely grateful to have such strong franchise partners. With these latest openings, we are doubling down on our efforts to engage diverse consumers across a region that is growing rapidly." Striving for broader local appeal As demand for "new tea" drinks grows in Southeast Asia, CoCo is redefining the bubble tea experience in the region. Once considered a premium refreshment option, bubble tea is now evolving to suit the dynamic tastes of a broader range of Southeast Asian consumers. The brand's focus on using local flavors and offering customizable beverage options is helping its drinks resonate more with middle-class consumers, who have increasingly more purchasing power. A history of success in Southeast Asia Since establishing a presence here in 2012, Southeast Asia has brought CoCo Bubble Tea some outstanding success stories. Notably, the Philippines has over 120 CoCo stores nationwide, and the brand has consistent recognition here for beverages that resonate with consumers, a strong brand image, and outstanding customer service. CoCo's highest average store sales is in the Philippines, and it has been the most successful among locals compared with tourists — as 99% of its customers are Filipinos. This demonstrates the company's proven ability to connect deeply with local tastes. Why partner with CoCo Operating with a franchise business model, CoCo Bubble Tea is deeply invested in the entrepreneurs it partners with to open shops. With over 5000 stores worldwide, CoCo combines its high brand recognition with comprehensive support across supply chain, training programs, and other areas to ensure the long-term success of its franchise partners. Looking ahead As CoCo continues its expansion, the brand remains committed to introducing its customized and culturally inspired tea creations to more countries across Southeast Asia — and the world. With the increasing popularity of bubble tea in the region, the brand is poised to further strengthen its foothold and delight consumers with unique and refreshing beverage options. About CoCo Bubble Tea CoCo Bubble Tea aims to create a diverse and sustainable community for its consumers by providing visually refreshing products. We continue to be one of the fastest-growing companies and are looking for enterprising partners to join the CoCo Bubble Tea franchise networks. Check CoCo Bubble Tea's official website and start your application now. For more information, please visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE CoCo Bubble Tea
