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.
From today and throughout Sydney’s Mardi Gras celebrations, the seductive-glam of QT Sydney will be a hotbed of rainbow love letters, glitter stations, DJs and more. That’s for from it though. Between 4pm and 6pm on 29th February, QT will be leveraging their partnership with MINI Australia to zip guests straight to any Mardi Gras…
If you’ve ever joined the long queue of hungry locals and tourists aching for their chance to try jiggly soufflé pancake at Gram Café & Pancakes in Japan then you’ll know that their Australian debut is a big deal. How big? Certainly bigger than the towering triple-stack of wobbly pancakes the chain has been pumping…
Stalwart Sydney steakhouse The Cut has added a little more meat to its bones. Mainly it’s bar. The restaurant, dipping into a suave space in the city’s historic The Rocks area, has refocused its offering by placing a larger emphasis on it’s considerable bar. Accompanied by a sweeping menu makeover (don’t worry, the signature slow-cooked,…
Much has been written about Pattaya’s notoriously party-minded Walking Street, but to think the chaotic stretch of neon lights and nightclubs defines this otherwise quiet beachside city would be just plain wrong. Pattaya, located along the eastern gulf of Thailand, is a perfect postcard of peace and genuine escape from the capital city of Bangkok….
Stalwart tour operator Contiki have announced their first-ever vegan-friendly European itinerary, conceived in response to the growing health movement which has seen an estimated 500,000 Aussies turns towards a vegan lifestyle. Travellers wanting to head out on guided tours around Europe without having to worry about the lack of animal-free alternatives can rest easy knowing…
This April, the annual Tasting Australia will once again spread across Adelaide and its bucolic surrounds to celebrate the best in food, wine and culinary talent. Most importantly, the premier event’s program has been curated by the best talent in the business, put together to help guests fall in (or rekindle their) love for the…
Lifestyle hotel and local haunt W Brisbane is set to flip the idea of an open-air cinema throughout March when it launches its own take on the popular night out. As part of a new “Float in Cinema” series, the property will be using their famous WET Deck as they transform the space into a…
One of Australia’s most awarded cruise operators, Coral Expeditions, have announced that in 2021 they will commence a “Revitalise on the Reef” program focusing on mixing wellness with in-depth experiences in the Great Barrier Reef. Curated in collaboration with wellness expert Kris Abbey, the 7-night voyage will travel onboard the yacht-like small ship Coral Discoverer…
A December 2020 has been set for the opening date of the long-awaited Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Announced by film legend and co-chair Tom Hanks at the 92nd Academy Awards, the date will see an historic new institution come to life, celebrating the art and science of movies through exhibitions, screenings and public and…
Following their recently announced partnership with Lonely Planet, Intrepid Travel have revealed a major growth to their leading sustainable tour portfolio with the addition of adventures in Pakistan. A 17-day expedition from Islamabad to Lahore, travelling through the remote reaches of the Karakoram Mountains and searching for snow leopards, bears, wolves and rare Marco Polo…
Busabout have just changed the way they approach their popular guided tours around Europe, launching a world-first “design your town trip” booking platform in response to a new survey suggesting 8 in 10 travellers prefer to move away from set itineraries and take control. Titled Adventure Planner, the newly launched platform will allow travellers to…
Historic Melbourne pub The Albert Park Hotel will finally enter its new phase next month when it reopens after an extensive transformation that has been in the works ever since it was purchased by Colonial Leisure Group in 2014. The venue, which dates back to 1883 and is widely considered the beating heart of the…
Raspberry and dark chocolate framboisier made to look like a delicate rose in full bloom (pictured above) should tell you all you need to know about how creative chefs get whenever Valentine’s Day comes around. That particular dessert, part of Mode Kitchen & Bar’s set VDay menu for this year, is but one of the…
Surviving a zombie apocalypse requires wit, intelligence, speed and strength. I know these things because I have survived many an undead doomsday scenario. Left 4 Dead, Dead Island, The House of the Dead, Deadrising, Resident Evil, The Last of Us, Telltale’s The Walking Dead, and – still my favourite – Dying Light (which gets extra…
So, who’s coming to the UK with us in August? Boomtown, an annual multi-day music festival held at the Matterley Estate in Hampshire has got us feeling all kinds of envy (and hope – we want to go to there) with their 2020 line-up, which was just announced and has subsequently been plastered all over…
In what is surely one of the biggest rock tours Australians will see in 2020, a triple-headliner bill of Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer is set for shows in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane through November. Appropriately dubbed “The Hella Mega Tour”, Live Nation and Triple M will take all three iconic bands…
Unveiled at the Nike 2020 Forum in New York City, the unstoppable brand will be bringing four new running shoes to the masses in 2020. All part of Nike’s ambition to engineer footwear with measurable performance benefits for athletes, the forthcoming styles are each shaped to bush boundaries in sports and will be released at…
Taking place at Darlinghurst’s National Art School on Wednesday 12th February, more than sixty of Australia’s leading and emerging contemporary artists will be coming together in solidarity to help raise funds for the Australian bushfire crisis. Officially titled HOME Bushfire Relief Art Auction Fundraiser the one-night-only event will donate 100% of all profits earned from…
Valentine’s Day is once again right around the corner, which means you’ll probably want to go out and get your S.O. a gift, right? Far from the typical chocolate and roses (although if you do want some of those, new Aussie service Mr Roses is a good place to start), the things that really get…
Although she may have cut her planned quad-run at the Sydney Opera House in half, citing health issues, Houston artist Solange was very much in fine-form as she danced across the Concert Hall last night. The first of two shows (the final one being tonight), Solange and her impeccable band managed to perfectly capture the…
Many tourists unfortunately associate the beachside city of Pattaya with its notorious Walking Street. That’s understandable, but it’s also a massive overlook to what can be a fantastic weekend away from Bangkok’s kinetic social scene. The resort city not only has one of the country’s most spectacular temples, the eternally developing Sanctuary of Truth, but…
Terrence Malick and his mystical signature can be off-putting to some; many, in fact. And that’s completely understandable. The auteur has long been considered a divisive director, but it’d be foolish to deny the unconventional and dreamlike wonder he brings to poignant stories both intimate and large in scale. Although, if you’re not already sold…
New York City’s famed Broadway Collection isn’t slowing down for 2020, with five new productions set to open throughout the year. From a musical based on cult comedy Mrs. Doubtfire, to an ambitious show tracking the creative process and indelible work of Michael Jackson, these five are well worth paying attention to for those planning…
Nintendo has leaned heavily on nostalgia to make the Switch one of their most successful systems to date. There’s nothing wrong with that, and for the most part it has worked remarkably well. Ports and remakes have been leading the pack, tiding us over while new IP is few and far between. Yes, it can…
Influential New York cocktail bar Death & Co. is the latest institution from the states to plan an Aussie visit, announcing a pop-up tour that will leap across late January and early February at some of the country’s best bars. Brought down in partnership with Australian Venue Co. and Aviation Gin, the pioneering speakeasy-style bar…
Travellers keeping a key eye on cheap flights from Australian the to U.S. today might have noticed a particularly exciting pop-up over at trusty deal-slinger iknowthepilot.com.au. The bargain tracker regularly comes with the goods, but this one seems almost too good to be true. A return flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles on Air Canada…
In its 55th year of competition, the Chicago International Film Festival – the longest-running of its kind in the USA – once again acted as a beacon for cinephiles the world over, showcasing meaningful works across various genres and countries. Film festivals have long been considered some of the greatest and most impactful destination events…
Dubbed the “HOSCARS”, HostelWorld’s annual crowd-voted round-up of the world’s best hotels has been released. Once again, it’s a deep-drive into hostels around the world that are a cut above the average, named across various categories which give budget-conscious travellers greater insight into the quality and reliability of properties. The awards are based on more…
The shift towards travelling more responsibility has been gaining steady traction over the past few years, but never has it felt more pervasive. It’s now common knowledge that socially conscious travel trends resonate with a wider number of people, especially younger generations who have come into a world ravaged by overtourism and careless daily practices….
Designated an official Overseas French Territory, New Caledonia is the closest slice of that delicious European lifestyle for Australian travellers looking to escape. The unique blend of its unmistakable South Pacific vibes and prevalent French influences make this major scuba diving and gourmand destination one of the most essential getaways for Aussies who have limited…