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.
A four-metre-high, two-metre-wide Vegemite jar has popped up in the NSW countryside, with a two-person villa inside. Available for two-night stays, the Vegemite Villa is the latest pop-up lodging from Booking.com, giving a lucky few the chance to live inside a giant tub of the country’s signature spread. Three builders, two sculptors, one scenic artists…
Oh to imagine how much fun this all-star cast must have had during the making of Knives Out, the off-the-wall whodunit homage from director Rian Johnson. Although its ultimate revelation isn’t quite as electrifying as watching the entire thing unfold, the snapping wit that drives this film is impossible to resist. And – surprise –…
Ben & Jerry’s have been in Australia for 10 very delicious years, and are celebrating the milestone the best way they know how: “Birthday Cake”. Introducing a new Birthday Cake flavour today, the ubiquitous ice cream makers are opening us up to a celebratory profile of vanilla cake batter, heavenly pink frosting, strawberry swirls, and…
The ever-busy crew at Archie Rose have officially launched a sixteen-seat temporary cocktail bar in Sydney Airport’s International Terminal. Open for the next four months, the Archie Rose Cocktail Bar will be serving up classics and signatures to help frantic passengers de-stress pre-boarding. Expect a menu of martinis, manhattans, and a few Archie Rose signatures…
Black Friday – roughly translated to “save a lot of money on things that are otherwise pretty damn expensive” – is here for 2019. Since Aussies love to plan their 2020 trips around these dates, you can be sure that there’s some pretty sweet savings floating around to help take the edge off all that…
Curating a DIY smart home is now easier, more accessible, and actually financially viable for the average consumer. As such, we’re beginning to see a lot of advanced smart security systems on the market. Google have their Nest range, for example, and then there’s Arlo, which has arguably become the more dominant surveillance solution. I…
A tender coming-of-age story about a 10 year old boy learning to navigate a Nazi summer camp and fantasising about being best friends with a slapstick version of Adolf Hitler. How the hell did Taika Waititi pitch this, successfully? The Kiwi auteur seems to have made the most unlikely (and, to some, offensive) film he…
Rose Bay favourite I Maccheroni has relocated to Woollahra, squeezed into a site that comes with its own lofty culinary standards. Standing on Jersey Road, the slim two-storey Victorian-era building that now hosts this fantastic Italian eatery glows with the reputation of having previously housed both Pinbone and Buzo. Now, the location is once again…
Now in the midst of a 16-date tour across Australia, Cronulla artist Jackson Carroll has gifted fans earthy, summer-ready jam with the aptly named “Happyman”, picking up the pace and drenching the glistening production in nothing but good vibes. Rolling right onto better days (and weather), the almost tropical slice of folk-pop highlights Carroll’s charming…
With a history tracking more than two decades, The Table Bay still shines like the brightest, most vigorous star on Cape Town’s impressively eclectic Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Gorgeously dressed in an impeccable façade of yellow, blue and white, its an immense feature of the waterfront’s colourful scene, screaming luxury from across the bay and…
New Beck is here, arriving just a week before his new album Hyperspace, much of which he co-wrote with Pharrell Williams. The curious pair-up has given us all the albums singles to date, including this newbie “Everlasting Nothing” which introduces a new perspective on the sound. It’s playful, with thick slabs of 808, robotics backup…
Oh to imagine how much fun this all-star cast must have had during the making of Knives Out, the off-the-wall whodunit homage from director Rian Johnson. Although its ultimate revelation isn’t quite as electrifying as watching the entire thing unfold, the snapping wit that drives this film is impossible to resist. And – surprise –…
Plaza Premium Group have announced that they will be adding not one, but two Sydney Airport openings to their extensive network in 2020. In the first quarter, the 70-passenger capacity Plaza Premium Lounge Sydney, and in the third quarter, the Australian-first Aerotel Sydney hotel. These openings are part of a US$55 million global expansion plan,…
New Caledonia’s flagship carrier Aircalin is now the first airline in the Asia-Pacific to fly the new Airbus A330neo. Operating on flights between Sydney and New Caledonia’s capital of Noumea, the new aircraft is defined by its innovations, said to vastly improve performance and comfort. A330neo’s centrepiece is new generation Trent 7000 Rolls Royce engines,…
You know it’s time to welcome in a new year when Sydney starts to look towards the always epic Mardi Gras Parade. The iconic event, falling on the elusive date of 29th February, will once again be followed by the huge Mardi Gras Party. And now we know who’s headlining. Such a large-scale event needs…
Replacing the spectacular Flying Fish at the apex of Jones Bay Wharf is an ambitious meeting of two accomplished culinary champions, ambitiously clashing Japanese and Chinese flavours at the behest of The Star Sydney, debuting their very first off-site restaurant. Chase Kojima (best known for Sokyo) and Victor Liong (best known for Lee Ho Fook)…
Art rap has a new anthem as we move into 2020, but you already knew that by reading the headline. L.A’s Clipping have tapped Shabazz Palaces for a track that sounds exactly like what you’d expect (and want) from this reliable collaboration, violently clashing their respective styles to bring about a caustic rap anthem about…living…
Perth’s newest hotspot brings the famous HYDE brand from buzzing locations in L.A and Miami down to the world’s most isolated city. A collaboration between Accor and sbe Entertainment Group, Hyde Perth Kitchen & Cocktails, located in the shiny new Art Series Hotel The Adnate, aligns with the brand’s playful, party-minded “casual by day, classy…
Over 100 countries now have access to Apple’s substantial move on the increasingly competitive streaming service scene. Apple TV+, which officially launched on November 2nd, is seeking to expand the Apple ecosystem and focus on original stories across TV and film. In Australia, the price is being kept fairly low at $7.99 (inc GST) per…
Frank Ocean seems to be feeling quite generous. The usually elusive artist only gifted the world the potent, Texas-sounding single in “DHL” a few weeks ago, now he has given us another exciting cut. “In My Room” has Ocean cruising over a highly ornate, melodic production and flipping through a number of flows, tackling violence,…
Singapore’s widely acclaimed The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts has officially stretched outside of the lion city with its debut in Sydney. The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, taking over the historic address of No.1 Martin Place, site of the former General Post Office Building, has been tastefully transformed into a luxury 416-room hotel set to become one…
One of New Zealand’s most iconic wine regions will once again be on full display during the one-day 28th annual Toast Martinborough festival, scheduled for Sunday 17th November. The long running festival of wine, food and music amongst the vines will highlight the spirit of Martinborough’s passionate wine community and task the participating vineyards in…
With 2019 rolling to a close, it’s already time to start planning what Australian events you want to hit up in the first quarter of 2020. First up, the consistently excellent (and sell-out) gin festival of Juniperlooza will be back for Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th of February. Taking over The Boatbuilders Yard and Polly…
Although his latest album has (as expected) been split between (politically motivated) derision and praise, Kanye West has successfully delivered the sanctified gospel project he has been promising all year. Jesus is King has arrived, and as dogmatic and rushed some of the lyrics are, sounds like another fine example of how inventive the Chicago…
Everyone likes free ice-cream, even more so when it’s the flavourful Ben & Jerry’s. The ubiquitous ice creamers are celebrating their 10th anniversary this November by giving away some scoops. Although this one won’t be as simple as just rocking up and asking nicely. This weekend (2nd and 3rd Nov), anyone named Ben or Jerry…
Tame Impala continue to crawl towards next year’s The Slow Rush with the release of new single “It Might Be Time”, following previous heavy-hitter “Borderline” with a jaunty psych-rock trip that tracks the inevitable passing of time. Highly ornate, with distorted effects and an obvious love of violently clashing psychedelic rock with art-pop, “It Might…
It may seem a bit too novel – and it is in a way – but Bose Frames represent an important evolution for one of the world’s leading audio companies. It’s understandable that the first move in a brand new tech genre has its misgivings. Released earlier this year, Bose took a break from their…
New York City’s iconic 1,454 foot Empire State Building has undergone an enormous change, revealing the second phase of its completely reimagined “Observatory Experience”, which now includes the city’s only museum open seven days a week from 8am to 2am. A 10,000 square foot series of galleries now occupies the second floor of the mammoth…
Those unmistakable scratches and that smooth, jazzy voice – an unimpeachable combination that can only mark new material from storied hip hop duo Gang Starr. Almost 10 years since Guru’s passing, DJ Premier is about to lift the lid on a brand new Gang Starr album, One of the Best Yet, and has shared the…
It has been quite some time since I’ve heard “I can’t find a pair, they’re sold out everywhere” uttered about some earbuds, even months after they’ve been released into the market. Such is the popularity of Sony’s WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Headphones, which descend from the same tech lineage as the over-ear WH-1000XM3s – a device…
