Author: Chris Singh

Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.

Is the Narwal Freo Z Ultra the ultimate robot vacuum right now?

It takes at least around 2500Pa of suction power to make a decent robot vacuum cleaner. That number comes after years of testing robot vacuum cleaners from big-name brands like Ecovacs, Dreame and Roborock. It’s the bare minimum if you want a robot vacuum that actually does what you want it to do. And yes,…

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Huawei green lights Australian comeback with Watch Fit 4 series

After a notable absence from Australian shores, Huawei has returned with a statement, launching its impressive Watch Fit 4 series with a clear aim at challenging Android leaders Samsung and Google when it comes to wearables. The Chinese tech giant has unveiled two compelling options: the standard Watch Fit 4 and the premium Watch Fit…

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Sigur Ros and Sydney Symphony Orchestra dream big for Vivid Sydney

Lush, evocative, poignant. Writers have been trying to distill Sigur Ros’ otherworldly music into neat adjectives for years, but there’s always been something missing. There’s an indescribable quality to Jonsi’s wails, so pregnant with emotion, sorrow and joy, lifted by world-class musicians who flitter between sublime, modest dips and chaotic, violent peaks.  It’s beautiful music….

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The view over the balcony at Fontainebleau Miami Beach

Fontainebleau Miami Beach is an (attainable) star-studded dream

There aren’t many city hotels outside of NYC that make you feel like you’ve just stepped onto a movie set, but the historic Fontainebleau Miami Beach has built an experience untethered to the tyranny of time, unconcerned with formidable competition; standing confidently on South Beach with the kind of swagger only a chiseled Grand Dame…

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Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2025: From kitchen essentials to kids toys

You might be able to get away with foregoing Valentine’s Day gifts and maybe even Christmas gifts, but there’s absolutely no way mum is going to let this one slide. It’s still a nice tradition to get mum something useful when the special occasion rolls around, regardless of whether it’s your own mum or someone…

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Doechii

Doechii, Kendrick Lamar and Rebecca Black: Spilt Milk goes big for 2025

Although the talk of music festivals dropping like flies is ongoing, December’s Spilt Milk has managed to pull in a zeitgeisty lineup that almost guarantees a swift sell-out. US rappers Doechii and Kendrick Lamar lead an unseasonably large and of-the-moment stack of artists penciled in for the travelling festival, which makes stops in Ballarat, Perth,…

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Hans Zimmer Live is a transcendent experience for film and music buffs

“Lisa, I don’t think you’ve ever sung this as beautiful as just now. It’s like you need to be here. You are a miracle and I love you with all my heart,” says Hans Zimmer as he looks up to Lisa Gerrard, the Australian singer who famously vocalised his score for Ridley Scott’s 2000 classic,…

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“Death games”, kidnapping and dance parties: Tokyo’s newest attraction is a riot

I’m running around the large room yelling “fish, fish, fish” as the clock is ticking. There’s a dog collar hugging my neck, connected to a small box that, when triggered, threatens to prod me with an electric shock. No, I haven’t been cast in the next Saw movie. This is Immersive Fort, a new Tokyo…

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Set Jetting: The blockbuster appeal of Oahu’s Kualoa Ranch

I’ve traced O’ahu to the island’s bucolic north-east and find myself in the heart of a 4,000-acre private nature reserve. Kualoa Ranch has been a filming location for more than 250 movies and TV shows, so even those who’ve never been before have some level of familiarity with the blockbuster landscape. Jurassic Park, LOST, Hawaii…

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Seven of the finest things I’ve eaten in the USA: From New York to San Antonio

Each year, James Beard hands me some fresh FOMO on a silver platter. The USA’s most prestigious culinary institution works similar to Michelin but is generally broader in criteria. In the past, I’ve been much more satisfied with something that’s been James Beard-approved rather than just Michelin-approved. Now, that’s not to say Michelin isn’t reliable,…

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Frank Carter shows why he was the perfect choice as Sex Pistols play Sydney

Johnny Rotten described Sex Pistols with Frank Carter as “karaoke” in a fiery pushback against the revival earlier this year. That’s not a good look for the reformed band, with original members Steve Jones, Glen Matlock and Paul Cook now playing alongside the legend-in-his-own-right as Carter sinks into the skin that once fit Rotten like…

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Dell Precision 5490: is this the ultimate portable workstation?

We all put more weight on vastly different things when it comes to a laptop that’s geared primarily towards productivity. An ergonomic and responsive keyboard is a must (and it’s not as common as we’d like to think). A superior graphics card is front-and-centre for modern content creators and traditional designers. Long battery life is…

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Rainbow Valley in Alice Springs

Why Alice Springs has inspired Aussies for generations

If Mother Nature had a favourite child, her name would be Alice. Like two outstretched arms giving the dusty red town a warm (sometimes too warm) hug, the East and West MacDonnell Ranges wrap around Alice Springs/Mparntwe in a way that places the Red Centre amongst the world’s most impressive geographical wonders. The local Arrernte…

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Delta Air Lines now serves Shake Shack burgers onboard

In November 2024, Delta Air Lines announced that it will start serving Shake Shack’s burgers in an industry-first, sky-high collaboration that has completely shaken* the idea of airline food. From December 1st, America’s leading airline gave First Class passengers (on routes over 900 miles) the option to pre-select a Shake Shack cheeseburger as their meal…

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French electro legends Justice are finally returning to Australia

Ready to bathe in the Waters of Nazareth (Erol Alkan remix, of course)? Legendary French duo Justice are heading on back down under after a very long absence from our shores, bringing with them their epic new live show and a big-bass blend of all their hits, including – we hope – “Stress”, “D.A.N.C.E” and…

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Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour ends Australian leg with style

The beauty of pop music is that it is (or at least should be) lawless, ungoverned by any stringent definition aside from the need to have mass appeal to a wide variety of demographics. It’s not niche. But it rarely sets trends. By definition, it follows them. It’s a viral TikTok dance, a phrasal template,…

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Where’s the best place to stay in L.A.? The case for Santa Monica

Where’s the best place to stay in Los Angeles? In a city so annoyingly spread out, being strategic about where to stay in L.A. is important. The city’s famously horrendous traffic isn’t something you’d want to contend with, and it can take over an hour to get from somewhere like Downtown L.A. to Venice. Getting…

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Nelly and Chingy bring a rare hit of St Louis to Sydney

Nelly’s legacy is an interesting one when we’re discussing hip hop’s most successful ambassadors. When the born-and-bred St Louis representer came out with his debut single, “Country Grammar,” in June 2020, the charts responded immediately. This was at a time when Ja Rule figured out trying to sing with that unmistakably croaky voice could earn…

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Luxury train travel in Southwest US peaks as Canyon Spirit emerges

America’s southwest has long beckoned travelers with its harsh, blood orange landscapes and dramatic mountain vistas. Now, a significant expansion of one of the region’s most historic rail journeys promises to unveil even more of this spectacular terrain with unmatched comfort. The luxury train service currently operating as Rocky Mountaineer will rebrand as Canyon Spirit…

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“Do your buffer in Fiji”: How using layovers strategically is a part of travelling well

Getting to your final destination without any breaks is always going to have more appeal for the modern traveller. Yet I feel like the art of a well-chosen layover isn’t talked about enough as it should be. To me, it all comes down to your buffer. When you’ve worked in a layover on your way…

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How Adelaide Fringe filled me with delight…and shame

There aren’t many culture writers in Australia who are discovering the Adelaide Fringe for the first time. So with 17 years of career under my belt, I’m windswept with a bit of self-shaming as I stroll down Rundle Street. I haven’t seen streets this alive since I was walking around Lower Manhattan last summer. The…

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ModernHaus SoHo knows what true luxury is in Lower Manhattan

JIMMY has always been my favourite rooftop bar in Manhattan. Despite its location on the west side of Soho, it remains an unpretentious, benevolent beacon for both the self-fashioned influencer types and art nerds that parade regularly parade around Lower Manhattan’s eternally hip and trendy villages. It’s but one of several spaces that makes ModernHaus…

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Is Delta Comfort+ worth upgrading from Economy for domestic flights in the USA?

The marginal comforts of Economy are clearly no longer enough for the modern traveller. And those who can’t afford the substantial jump in price required for the pointy end are increasingly seeing the value in Premium Economy. Yet it seems like Premium Economy seats are getting even more expensive, a natural knock-on effect from increased…

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Sydney Opera House will screen ‘In The Mood For Love’ with a full live orchestra

It was only a few months ago that the great Antonio Sánchez sat at a complex drum kit set up in one corner of the stage at City Recital Hall.  Alejandro González Iñárritu’s masterful 2014 hit, Birdman, screened to a sold-out crowd while Sánchez brought new meaning to the film with a live rendition of his…

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AIRE Ancient Baths is the ultimate wellness “hack” in New York and Chicago

In travel writing, the word “hack” is thrown around so often that it’s become a meaningless nonsense phrase, like “literally,” “narcissist,” and “we should totally start a podcast.” Shortcuts made to improve certain bugbears of the travel experience are well-documented, and just about every self-fashioned influencer and their TikTok account claim to hold the key…

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PJ Harvey casts a spell on Sydney Opera House

PJ Harvey knows exactly how much each of her songs weigh. The soft, flittering folky genius of numbers like “Lwonesome Tonight” and “Autumn Term” paint a wistful walk in Dorset’s woodlands with Harvey’s newfound penchant for world-building so achingly tender and lightweight. 2023’s I Inside the Old Year Dying cracked open the spectral ballads that…

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Hans Zimmer is bringing his cinematic brilliance to Australia

With very few exceptions (Max Richter being one of them), Hans Zimmer is history’s best example of how music can build blockbusters in the minds of listeners. His potent, cinematic way of composing has been harnessed by the world’s greatest directors, gluing Zimmer’s work to unforgettable scenes, palpable emotions, and staggering visuals. And so it’s…

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1 Hotel South Beach: Is the Miami favourite one of the USA’s best luxury hotels?

As someone who has written about hotels for more than a decade now, I stumble when asked what my favourites are. Forestis in The Dolomites is a singular experience and easily one of the most unforgettable stays in the world. The Baccarat New York is pure indulgence, and its bar has some of the finest…

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Nils Frahm goes above and beyond at Sydney Opera House

Well, this is pleasantly familiar. Anyone who has seen Nils Frahm live before would be used to witnessing complete and utter ambient perfection. If you want to know if I enjoyed his latest sojourn down to Sydney Opera House, that’s the only sentence you need. Because it’s mighty difficult to describe just how staggering Frahm’s…

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The underrated airport tips to help you travel more seamlessly

Travelling is an experience. Travelling well is an art. The popularity and time-honoured importance of “travel hacks” are well-documented in the age of social media. Just about everyone is scrambling for ways to make their holiday feel more like a holiday and less like a task. Just open TikTok or Instagram and you’ll meet a…

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