We chat with the Home and Away star about her busy lifestyle, passion for coffee and her time as a Harris Coffee Ambassador.
How do manage to maintain your busy lifestyle, between filming T.V series Home and Away, being a Mother and numerous other commitments?
I always have a lot on my plate and it can definitely be a challenge to balance professional and personal life. My priorities have changed with a little one to look after so I’m lucky I have Chrys to share the parental duties with. I try to keep a clear mind by staying healthy and always fitting in some exercise. There are often early starts and late finishes on Home & Away and despite 15 years in acting I still have to focus, so I can be my best. I rely on a cup of Harris coffee in the morning to kick start my day, I know I’m not alone there though!
After a busy day of filming, how do you best like to unwind?
If I get home at a reasonable hour I like catching up with my husband Chrys over dinner and spending some time with the bub before we put him to bed! Then we chill out in the lounge room and read or watch the tele – It will be odd to see myself back on Home and Away again!
How did you come to fall in love with coffee?
I only started drinking coffee about 10 yrs ago, but slowly I started to love it and now I can’t go without it. I remember the first time I went to Rome and going to the coffee shops and ordering a coffee on the run, I felt like such a local.
Besides the taste, I love the ritual of coffee. Whether it’s having my girlfriends over for morning coffee, or just making a cup to travel to work with. It’s part of me and my life and I’d find it hard to live without.
With so many coffee brands available on the market, what drew you to the blends of Harris?
Harris is a brand you can trust will give you a good quality cuppa every day and it’s really accessible. Harris has been blending coffee for 130 years now so that’s a long time to perfect the art of making coffee! Another benefit of drinking coffee at home that I’ve learnt recently is the financial one. Did you know that the average at home roast and ground drinker spends a mere $66 a year to get that perfect cup. In contrast, those that drink cafe coffee spend a whopping $597 per year – that’s a potential saving of 40 bucks every month!
Where is your favourite place to relax and enjoy a perfect cup of coffee?
In the comfort of my own home! On the weekends I like sitting in my garden with a cup of coffee and reading the paper. It’s one of those rare times I get to sit still and unwind.
Have you learnt anything particularly interesting since becoming the ambassador of Harris?
If anything I’ve learnt just how strong Australian sheer love of coffee is. To celebrate their 130th birthday, Harris released some quirky findings on Australia’s wonderful coffee obsession – as a nation we drink a massive 86 million cups of coffee and spend $55 million on it each week. That’s a lot of coffee! You can join in the birthday celebrations and share your coffee obsession story on Harris Facebook page www.facebook.com/HarrisCoffee
Here are some more fun facts discovered by Harris about Australia’s coffee obsession!
As a nation we spend over $2.9 billion on coffee and a rather ridiculous 780 million hours drinking it every year!
The average at home roast and ground drinker spends a mere $66 a year to get that perfect cup. In contrast, those that drink cafe coffee spend a whopping $597 per year – that’s a potential saving of 40 bucks every month!
3.4 million of us make our morning brew using our own freshly ground coffee (some smart budgeting right there).
The real passion for coffee came to light when Australians were asked what they’d happily sacrifice instead of their cup of coffee. A staggering 847,000 Australians (15% of coffee drinkers) were happy to pass on their morning shower!
3.5 million (60%) people admitted they start their day disgruntled if they don’t get a coffee in; 2.3 million (40%) say they feel agitated that their routine has been upset and a fuzzy-brained 2.5 million (42%) admit that they don’t function properly without caffeine and lack concentration and alertness