Latest news with #Slow
West Australian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Reuben De Melo: WA singer's journey from FIFO dad to touring family man after winning The Voice 2024
Unlike most emerging musical stars, former FIFO dad Reuben De Melo's life-changing victory on The Voice 2024 has afforded him more time at home with his family than ever. Removing the familiar high-vis from his wardrobe following years as a mine site rigger, the doting WA father has admitted 'life's changed heaps' as he balances time in the studio with simply being present for his three young kids and wife Olivia. 'We have actually bought a house closer to the kids' school, so a lot of positives have come out of this,' he told The West Australian. 'Obviously (I'm) not flying out to work, but I'm spending time with the kids a bit more and getting used to that sort of life being in the studio, using my time wisely, recording songs and just basically having everything in the bank to release.' With his soulful vocals striking a chord with viewers nationwide, De Melo says his newly released debut single Slow brings a 'commercial' edge to his very human sound. Ironically, it was written two years ago during his UK travels with family when he felt 'everything had become monotonous'. While the temptation might now be to trade his rawness for record sales by conforming to industry pressures, the 'father figure' is conscious of staying true to himself. 'I don't know if the world's going to change me, and if it does, I'm going to reassess,' he said. 'I think I'm going to stay true to my music, which comes from the heart and mental health, and that mining story.' What has changed, is De Melo's profile — which has seen his billing upgraded from modest Perth bars to the likes of Thursday night's Western Australian of the Year Awards. Copping second glances from strangers at the airport has become the singer's new normal, along with random photos with fans, and even messages of support from public figures such as Ben Cousins who the singer described as 'an absolute legend'. 'I have to pinch myself and go, 'You're just human mate'. But it's surreal,' De Melo said. Building a team over the past three months to propel him into the next chapter of his career, the talent is set to release additional tracks to feature on his upcoming EP which will be he'll perform on his first Australian tour this July and August. However, perhaps a sweeter reward will be his reunion with beloved The Voice coach and pop star LeAnn Rimes during her national run of shows in September. And if he's lucky, the duo's dynamic might shift from master-and-apprentice to that of equals when Rimes returns to Australia. 'She's asked me to get in the studio with her to work on a track as well, which is quite exciting. Not sure when that that will be released or anything yet, but I'm looking forward to it,' De Melo said.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
How Perth FIFO dad's life changed after winning The Voice
Unlike most emerging musical stars, former FIFO dad Reuben De Melo's life-changing victory on The Voice 2024 has afforded him more time at home with his family than ever. Removing the familiar high-vis from his wardrobe following years as a mine site rigger, the doting WA father has admitted 'life's changed heaps' as he balances time in the studio with simply being present for his three young kids and wife Olivia. 'We have actually bought a house closer to the kids' school, so a lot of positives have come out of this,' he told The West Australian. 'Obviously (I'm) not flying out to work, but I'm spending time with the kids a bit more and getting used to that sort of life being in the studio, using my time wisely, recording songs and just basically having everything in the bank to release.' With his soulful vocals striking a chord with viewers nationwide, De Melo says his newly released debut single Slow brings a 'commercial' edge to his very human sound. Ironically, it was written two years ago during his UK travels with family when he felt 'everything had become monotonous'. While the temptation might now be to trade his rawness for record sales by conforming to industry pressures, the 'father figure' is conscious of staying true to himself. Reuben De Melo. Credit: Jarryd West / Jarryd West 'I don't know if the world's going to change me, and if it does, I'm going to reassess,' he said. 'I think I'm going to stay true to my music, which comes from the heart and mental health, and that mining story.' What has changed, is De Melo's profile — which has seen his billing upgraded from modest Perth bars to the likes of Thursday night's Western Australian of the Year Awards. Copping second glances from strangers at the airport has become the singer's new normal, along with random photos with fans, and even messages of support from public figures such as Ben Cousins who the singer described as 'an absolute legend'. 'I have to pinch myself and go, 'You're just human mate'. But it's surreal,' De Melo said. Reuben De Melo. Credit: Unknown / Supplied Building a team over the past three months to propel him into the next chapter of his career, the talent is set to release additional tracks to feature on his upcoming EP which will be he'll perform on his first Australian tour this July and August. However, perhaps a sweeter reward will be his reunion with beloved The Voice coach and pop star LeAnn Rimes during her national run of shows in September. And if he's lucky, the duo's dynamic might shift from master-and-apprentice to that of equals when Rimes returns to Australia. 'She's asked me to get in the studio with her to work on a track as well, which is quite exciting. Not sure when that that will be released or anything yet, but I'm looking forward to it,' De Melo said.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Premium Bonds holder bags £100k prize with £175 holding
A Premium Bonds saver from Sefton has scooped a £100,000 prize from a holding of just £175, the May 2025 National Savings and Investment draw reveals. The bond was purchased in November 2003, when Kylie Minogue's single Slow shot to number 1 on the UK singles charts, in a fitting sign that good things come to those who wait. The Sefton winner has therefore seen the value of their £175 investment jump 57,043 per cent on winning their £100,000 prize. Two new millionaires have today been created in Derbyshire and Suffolk having bagged the coveted £1million top prizes. The Derbyshire winner had a holding of £25,361 and purchased their winning Bond in July 2021. While the Suffolk winner has a holding of £35,000 and bought their winning Bond in April 2017. You can keep as little as £25 in Premium Bonds, but of course the more bonds you hold the more chances you have of winning a prize. The most you can put away in Premium Bonds is £50,000. Premium Bonds Winners Prize Area Value of bond £1,000,000 Derbyshire £16,000 £1,000,000 Suffolk £15,000 £100,000 East Sussex £50,000 £100,000 Suffolk £200 £100,000 Bromley £50,000 £100,000 Essex £14,800 £100,000 West Sussex £4,875 £100,000 Bromley £25 More May 2025 winners View list of May 2025 winners The average Premium Bonds saver has £5,406 stashed in Premium Bonds. In May's Premium Bonds prize draw two in five £100,000 prizes - the second biggest prize tier in the draw - were won by Premium Bonds savers with the maximum £50,000 holding, This is Money analysis reveals. There were 79 £100,000 Premium Bonds prizes in May's prize draw. Of these, 31 were scooped up by Premium Bonds holders who had the maximum £50,000 stashed in Premium Bonds. The Sefton winner was the smallest holding to win a £100,000 prize at just £175. Other notable winners include another lucky Bond holder from Kirklees who scooped £50,000 with a £300 holding alongside a winner from South Gloucestershire with the same win from a bond bought in March 2025 - meaning this was the first draw their bond was eligible to be entered in. Their holding was £2,960. These wins were very much against the 22,000 to one odds each Bond has in the prize draw. There were more than 5.9million prizes drawn this month worth around £413million and 130.5billion eligible bond numbers in May's Premium Bonds prize draw.
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- The Guardian
‘A muddy ride into Romania's dreamy countryside': cycling the Via Transilvanica
It was about seven minutes into my cycle ride that the first signs of addiction became apparent. My ebike's 'power assist' button felt more like a morphine clicker as we climbed the misty hills of Bucovina in northern Romania. Sergiu, my group's guide, knew what I was up to. 'Be honest with yourself – only use 'turbo' if you have to!' he shouted. My thumb cowered under the handlebar. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. On previous adventures I've resisted assistance, maintaining that battery power is the preserve of the unserious. Nowadays, though, my pins aren't as powerful, and on these vertiginous hills the extra oomph was near essential. But as with all drugs, moderation is key. After all, one wouldn't want to run out of juice on hills that are home to wolves, bears and lynx. I'd been invited to take part in tour operator Slow Cyclist's inaugural ebike ride (and hike) along a section of Romania's Via Transilvanica. Dubbed the 'Camino of the east', the trail ties together ancient trade and livestock droving trails, threading its way south-west from Putna, near the Ukrainian border, to the village of Drobeta-Turnu Severin, 870 miles (1,400km) away and within spitting distance of Serbia. Equal parts eco-tourism attraction, art project and economic lifeline, the Via Transilvanica is a trail with a tale. It was conceived by environmentalist Alin Ușeriu and his brother Tiberiu (once imprisoned for armed robbery and now a celebrity ultrarunner) who successfully navigated corruption, mafia interests and the natural obstacles of the Carpathian mountain range. It's as much a triumph of resilience as of route planning. Over four and a half years, defying the odds, they carved a path uniting seven regions, powered by hundreds of volunteers. The result? A compelling invitation to lose yourself in Romania's time-travelling countryside. Having been strong-armed into attending a family wedding back home, I arrived two days into the adventure. By chance, that meant narrowly missing a huge storm, which had given the others in my group a good dousing the day before. I caught up with them, a little windswept but in good spirits, outside a 16th-century monastery in Vatra Moldoviței, about 20 miles south of Putna. It has one of eight Unesco-listed churches in the region that are unique for their exterior frescoes, which were designed, Sergiu told us, as 'bibles for the illiterate'. They've been remarkably well preserved thanks to some clever architecture and posh paint. The Voroneț blue, made from rare lapis lazuli, still pops. Some parts of the trail are too steep and slippery for all but the most advanced bikers, so we tackled the morning's section on foot. The rain had abated and the air was full of the scent of wet conifer, exotic soil and wood smoke. The views were already living up to the snaps in Slow Cyclist's brochure: Swiss-style mountain meadows, pine-spiked peaks and farmsteads which wouldn't look out of place in a Robert Eggers folk horror movie. Cow bells pealed, though I soon realised they weren't being worn by heifers, but by the hulking Bucovina shepherd dogs that guard the herd from wolves, bears and passing hikers. 'Stay in the pack or they'll think they've separated you,' warned Sergiu. The beasts slowly approached with bellowing barks, but Sergiu's ready bag of treats kept the peace. If you're hiking or biking in these hills, Sergiu is a good man to have at the helm. Besides being to the mountain born, he was chosen by Tășuleasa Social – the NGO run by the Ușeriu brothers – to map the Via Transilvanica from a cyclist's perspective. He duly did a recce of all 870 miles on two wheels. 'If you don't know the trail, you can die,' he warned. 'Some climbs are almost vertical.' Indeed, this is the debut route in the Slow Cyclist's new Expedition Series – built for more adventurous cyclists, rather than the lunch-with-cycling crowd. That said, our midday stops were things of simple beauty: cold cuts, the reddest of tomatoes and homemade cheeses. With moreish plum brandy on the table, I felt fortified for the afternoon ride. Support vehicles and a friendly team were on hand with pumps and Allen keys before we put our push irons to the task. 'We're about to go uphill. Would anybody like a sugar hit?' asked Sergiu. As we burned through calories up to a rudimentary ski station with another almighty view, we were grateful for the nutty bars he'd handed out. So much open space and not a soul in sight. I checked with my group and they had met only three other hikers since the trip next morning began with a gentle weave through meadows dotted with pudding-shaped haystacks. Then, without much warning, we dropped into an ancient forest – the kind that feels like the setting for a Brothers Grimm tale. 'What's living in here?' I asked. 'Bears, deer, even lynx sometimes,' said Sergiu casually. 'But you'll be lucky to see them.' The forest marked my first attempt at single-track riding. I hung back on purpose, letting the others slip ahead, then tore downhill – tongue out, heart hammering – chasing the blur of bikes through the trees. No bears, alas, but brilliant riding. It was here that I noticed the 250kg slabs of anthracite, way markers by different sculptors which stand sentry every kilometre of the trail. Each one is carved and marked with a bold orange T (for Transilvanica). 'It's the world's longest art gallery,' said Tanku, our second guide. 'The trail was built by volunteers – people who gave up their free time for something bigger than themselves, so I think that says a lot.' One of the Via Transilvanica's missions is to stem the flow of people leaving the countryside, giving them a reason to stay or even come back. Over lunch on my second day's ride, with Tanku translating, I spoke to our host, who told me the number of visitors she receives has increased sixfold since the trail opened in 2022. That night's lodgings at La Moara guesthouse – all carved wood and Alpine dreams – offered another wink to Switzerland. At dinner, I couldn't resist a second helping of the găluște broth: meaty semolina dumplings floating in a dill-filled cuddle of a soup. The mains were chicken paprikash and a towering heap of baked polenta mixed with unpasteurised cheese from our hosts' own flock. On the final day, the afternoon run was up a ski slope and the varying fitness levels of the group became more obvious. Thumbs hovered over the power assist button, but even at max power it was a challenge. By now, I'd found my stride and was loving the sweat session. Others were struggling, though, which made things a little stop-start. I'd advise checking, before you book, whether others in the group are more or less at your level. That notwithstanding, the Slow Cyclist team has struck a lovely balance between cardio and culture, offering a rosy glimpse of Romania's past and present – via a muddy dive into its dreamy countryside. Over three days, I'd ridden through fairytale landscapes and eaten like a happy Saxon farmer. I've already vowed to return to ride more of the trail. We crested the final hill in a loose, panting line and stopped while Sergiu made friends with a farmer who was following cows around with a milk pail. She offered us a sip. 'Not for me, thank you,' I said. 'But have you got any plum brandy?' The Slow Cyclist offers a five-night Bucovina Expedition from £1,750 per person, based on a group of 12, including airport transfers, a support vehicle and luggage transfers, English-speaking local guides, five nights' accommodation, all meals and activities, and ebike and helmet hire. There are regular scheduled departures between June and November, and private group tours can be arranged upon request,
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Downtown Berkley getting a Slows Bar BQ location
The recent loss of one restaurant in downtown Berkley has made way for a big win as an iconic Detroit barbecue restaurant is taking its place. Corktown darling Slows Bar BQ is expanding its presence into Oakland County. A second location of the iconic barbecue joint plans a fall in the space previously occupied by Berkley Common, according to a Friday, Downtown Berkley Facebook page. The post with 'Big, News, Berkley' made it official that the famed Slows Bar BQ will open at 3087 12 Mile Road and Griffith Street. ' "Detroit's iconic SLOWS BAR BQ is officially coming to Downtown Berkley—and we couldn't be more excited to welcome them just in time for their 20th anniversary in business!" the post read. Slows Bar BQ, which started in Corktown 20 years ago, has built a strong following throughout metro Detroit. In addition to the Corktown location, a Slows To-Go spot and a food truck operate in Perrone, co-owner of Slows Bar BQ, said the food truck and catering has always been strong in that area.'We knew we had support out there and landlords reached out to us,' Perrone told the Free Press. 'We took a look at it and said, 'you know, this this looks really good. This looks like this could work.''Perrone said that the 'building is in great shape' and, according to the Facebook post, work is underway for the buildout of the restaurant. The restaurant's first floor will seat about 70 people. Depending on the timing of the opening, Perrone said, plans also include a patio/parklet on Griffith Street side of the building.A highlight of the space and what attracted Slow's owners to space was the building's second-floor private event space with a dedicated Corktown, Perrone said, they've turned part of the space into an event space.'We get rehearsal dinners, meetings and certainly train station tours all the time,' Perrone said. 'But to actually have a dedicated space that was even more appealing,' he said. In Berkley, expect the same Slows Bar BQ menu, Perrone said, slows Bar BQ menu is known for its sandwiches like the Reason and the Yardbird, ribs, brisket, pull pork plus its mac and cheese. Slows Bar BQ has always offered plenty of offsite catering, which, Perrone said, has good support in the area. While the buildout is underway, Slow's Bar BQ food truck will roll into the area and its catering arm is available through Slows To-Go for summer graduation parties and events. More: Detroit's 2025 Best New Restaurants & Dining Experiences More: Gregorio's Italian Restaurant Facebook post went viral: Here's why Opening in Berkley is a full circle for the owners, who also include Brian Perrone and Josh Kiellor, Slows' catering manager, all of whom have roots in the community. Kiellor grew up in Royal Oak, not far from the new Berkley locations. 'All three of us … Brian and I grew up in Northwest Detroit … but our dad taught at Shrine high school,' Perrone said. 'All three of us went to Shrine.' This is not the first time for a Slows Bar BQ in Oakland County. At one time they operated a location in downtown Bar BQ in Corktown got its start in 2005 and is celebrating 20 years in business this year. It's known to many as the catalyst for putting Detroit's oldest existing neighborhood in the culinary spotlight. Soon after its 2005 opening, Slows was the talk of the town, with chef Brian Perrone at the helm, churning out deftly smoked ribs, smoked pork and smoked chicken sandwiches, plus creamy sides of mac and cheese. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Slows Bar BQ Berkley to seat 70 and have second floor event space
