Last week K-Swiss put on a Parkour showcase (they sponsor an international team) at Sydney Uni. What's Parkour you ask? The best way to understand this mind-blowing sport is to watch Madonna's (she's such a legend) Jump film clip.

Most of us have been chewing on meat from the age of two, so becoming a vegetarian in your 20's is kinda revolutionary to your eating regime. If you're keen to stop eating meat it's probably a lot easier to evolve your eating habits instead of revolutionizing them. Take the PETA pledge to 'Be Veg for 30 days!' All you have to do is hit up PETA, sign the pledge and PETA will send you an email with tips on the best places to eat out, favourite recipes, the tastiest animal-friendly snacks, and the most delicious pre-packaged foods. From my own experience, The Cruelty Free Shop is an awesome source for vego meals - they even sell 'fake' cheese.

Be inspired! Yes, we're calling upon all readers to get inspired this issue with the help of an amazing group of women who are well renowned both locally and internationally. We gathered advice worth keeping for life from talented women across all fields: the feminist, Germaine Greer; the actress, Jamie Lee Curtis; the journalist, Maria Shriver; the athlete, Layne Beachley; the activist, Jody Williams and the politican, Maxine McKew. It's a must read!

Another relentlessly successful women, is Leslie Feist or better known as the chick who sings 1,2,3,4 on the Apple iPod nano ad. One of YEN's resident writers, Fiona Killackey was lucky enough to speak exclusively to Feist about the progression of her musical career and how excited she is about hitting Australian shores to tour the Laneway festival in late February.

The pages of YEN are also layered with the 'best of fashion' to get you in the mood for the 'cooler' months. We've got the perfect clothes for a day out with your lover or magical night out with your friends.

Enjoy!! YEN xx

There are so many great films to go and watch this coming Boxing Day. This year, unlike many past Boxing Days, it's not about showing  blockbusters, which is great news for YEN readers. Whether you're obsessed with Bob Dylan or Heath Ledger, this film is one to go and see. Directed by Todd Haynes, I'm not there is about iconic singer/songwriter Bob Dylan.  A series of stories  take place in  America in the '60s and '70s. Each expressing an aspect  of Dylan's mercurial  personality and each story is to be filmed  differently, in a style appropriate to its theme in the '60 and '70s. The film features an amazing line-up of Hollywood stars including Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, Richard Gere, Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore.

YEN has FIVE double passes to give away. If you're keen, email kbradley@ptmg.com.au by Friday 21 December, 3pm to go in the running to win a pass plus a bonus Bob Dylanesque prize. 

Your favourite annual art book, CURVY - created by the team behind YEN magazine - is calling out for art works for 2008.

CURVY has been kicking up a creative storm since 2004 and with four editions out, CURVY still remains an international favourite amongst lovers of art and supporters of female artists. The CURVY publications have been packed with a diverse range of work both from Australia and abroad and has featured the world’s leading female artists as well as unveiling names that will and have no doubt pushed the directions of design in the near future.
 
We are looking for submissions of a diverse range of illustrative mediums. And while there is no theme set for 2008, please keep in mind that while we love receiving images of the female form, please try to look outside this theme when producing your works. To keep CURVY alive and flourishing original works will be favoured.
 
FORMAT FOR SUBMISSIONS: Please be careful when editing your work and send a
maximum of three submissions. For this first step, we require files to be in pdf, jpg or eps format, no bigger than 500K per image.  The CURVY book size is  220 x 260 mm (5mm bleed included). It’s ideal to submit full bleed art book to fit one page.  Please email your submission to finalart@ptmg.com.au - make sure to include your contact details including a mobile number and the country you’re from. In the event that your work is to be included in CURVY 5 you will be contacted via email for a high res file.
 
This year there will be two submissions phases. Phase one deadline is 14 January 2008. It's wise to adhere to this deadline as only a certain amount of spots will be held open for the phase two of submissions.
 
Successful artists will be contacted via email the week after the closing date.
 
CURVY 5 will be launched 3 April in Sydney followed by interstate dates. For details on book launch events and exhibitions regular newsletters will be sent out and information will be updated via this website.

I promise this rant is not about 'just another art exhibition'! Last week, YEN supported an excellent exhibition with a difference, Save By Art, where proceeds from the sale of the art were donated to Friends of the Earth. The group endeavours to put on more of these exhibitions choosing a different charity each time to support. Here are some of the art works that was on show at the event last Thursday. It will be up until 8 December, check it out. Photo by Amanda Neagle.

I went to to my first ever book reading last week. And it was thanks to the gorgeous peeps - Nic and Susien - who are behind the fashion label Lover. They've started a series of events entitled Lover Loves... To kick it off they brought out the author of Dear Diary, Leslin Arfin, from the US to share her book with us Aussies. It was quite amazing that Leslie had everyone's undivided attention that night. But I guess anyone who is brave enough to part with all her juicy teenage secrets is worth listening to.