Travel & Lifestyle

Drinking with the AU: Birds in the Pavilion ft. Two Birds Brewing – The Oaks (Neutral Bay)

Last month during Sydney Craft Beer Week, Two Birds Brewing partnered up with The Oaks in Neutral Bay and their head chef Danny Russo to create an epic four course meal – accompanied by no less than five Two Birds brews – on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The sold out event – held in the…

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Australian DJ Generik reveals his Top 5 Weekend Destinations

Ahead of the anticipated Stranded Festival on South Stradbroke Island on November 14th, we’re catching up with a few of the artists who are helping us get prepped for the event. Next up, we get Generik to pass along his top 5 weekend destinations. Counting down from number five… 5. Portsea (Victoria) One of my…

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NSW's Former Chief Funster Andrew Smith Reveals his 5 Favourite NSW Experiences

From December to June of the past year, Andrew Smith was appointed Destination NSW’s “Chief Funster”, and travelled all around NSW to see the best of what our country had to offer. Among this time, he went to Tamworth, joined the AU on a weekend in Newcastle and much more. Now back in the real…

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Indonesia AirAsia Extra (IAX) announce direct flights between Melbourne and Bali with one way fares from $99.

It was announced last week that Indonesia AirAsia Extra (IAX) – an affiliate of AirAsiaX Berhad (AirAsia X) and the first long-haul low-cost carrier in Indonesia – will be commencing its maiden route on 26th December 2014, with 5 weekly flights planned to connect Melbourne with Bali. One way economy flights are starting with an…

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Eating with the AU: KB Hotel Re-Launches as "Keg & Brew" – Surry Hills (Sydney)

Earlier this month, the classic KB Hotel on Foveaux Street in Surry Hills – which had become run down to say the least, Sydney institution or not – re-opened as the “Keg & Brew”. Though heritage pieces of the pub remain, the warm, homely feel has certainly re-energised the venue, with cowhide, brown leather and…

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Cathay Pacific undergo a brand facelift for the first time in twenty years.

Hong Kong’s “defacto” International carrier Cathay Pacific this week unveiled the first re-design of its logo and branding in some twenty years, calling it “The Next Chapter” of the airline, and launching a new website detailing the new brand identity, which they call “cleaner, crisper and more contemporary”. The site goes on to detail some…

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Eating with the AU: The World Omnivore Tour Masterclass – Australian National Maritime Museum (03 and 04.10.14)

The World Omnivore Tour came to Sydney over the weekend, giving us a taste of the world of cuisine through a series of parties, masterclasses, dinners and events. The event, which originates in France, tours the world with Internationally revered young chefs, with the intent to entice, inspire and titillate your tastebuds. I was lucky…

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Hotel Review on the AU: Two Bedroom Apartment in Ibis Melbourne, Therry Street

It’s not every hotel room that greets you with a Spiral Staircase. But it seems that selected Two Bedroom Apartments in the Ibis Melbourne on Therry Street do just that. I was lucky enough to spend a night in one such room last month. Greeted by friendly staff at the front desk, and a vibrant…

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How to eat in Singapore: The Hawker Centres

There is a general misconception about the food and drink culture of Singapore that puts it as an expensive, primarily upper class enterprise. Indeed, most of the tourist traps hold true to this – and the bar culture in Singapore makes the already overpriced $7+ schooner at Australian pubs seem like a bargain (we’re talking…

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F&L Guide: The Food & Drink Diaries of Mackay, QLD

Traditionally a corporate mining and sugar cane town (it’s known as “the sugar capital of Australia”), the Queensland town of Mackay has become a more popular tourist destination in recent years with new hotels, a marina and an upgraded airport, featuring more flights from the major airlines; there’s even a new Virgin lounge for the…

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Party with the AU: Melbourne Emporium Official Launch Featuring Baz Luhrmann – CBD (Melbourne)

On a recent, starry night Melbourne’s reimagined retail icon Melbourne Emporium, created and hosted by creative visionary Baz Luhrmann, promised to be one of the biggest, most celebrated events on Melbourne’s calendar this year. We were lucky enough to head along to the launch, melting into the glitz and glamour as this lush shopping precinct…

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A Mighty Fine Meal: Does the Urban Cat Cafe in Erskineville have the Biggest "Big Breakfast" in Sydney?

Cafe by day, Georgian restaurant by night, the Urban Cat Cafe in Erskineville just might be the best kept secret of Sydney. For proof, we can look no further than their big breakfasts – possibly the biggest that Sydney has to offer under $20, and the among the tastiest too. The cafe offers two big…

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Eating with the AU: Da Orazio Pizza and Porchetta – Bondi (Sydney)

Best known as the man behind Icebergs, Maurice Terzini opened his newest restaurant – Da Orazio Pizza and Porchetta – earlier this year, hiding it away near Bondi Beach, in a new complex on Hall Street which also houses a branch of Haberfield’s famed Italian Pasticceria, Papa. This weekend it was named among The Australian‘s…

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Searching for the best "Poutine" in Quebec, Canada.

When one speaks of the cuisine of Quebec, it’s impossible to ignore the simple yet much loved dish “Poutine”. Essentially chips, cheese and gravy – something which is also popular in places like Scotland – it may seem hard to understand without experiencing it for yourself just what makes this stomach pleaser such an anticipated…

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The OzFest India Diaries: A journey in ten parts…

Back in November 2012, I was lucky enough to be invited along on an trip around India with The Aussie BBQ and Australian bands Sheppard, Jinja Safari, The Aston Shuffle, Karnivool and Big Scary. Not a bad list, eh? As The Aussie BBQ – and the AU – prepares to return to India in November,…

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Eating with the AU: N2 Extreme Gelato (Sydney) collaborates with Almond Breeze.

Despite popping up some two years ago, amidst a world of frozen yogurt stores flooding the market, N2 Extreme Gelato has remained a unique and popular fixture in Sydney and Melbourne’s dessert scenes. Indeed, in this period, dozens of those “fro-yo” places have come and gone, while N2 captured the idea of doing something one-of-a-kind…

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Flight Review: Singapore Airlines – Sydney to Singapore (SQ232)

In today’s Flight review on AU Abroad, we take you on Singapore Airline‘s iconic Airbus A380 journey from Sydney to Singapore, which was recently reduced to one service a day. Airline: Singapore Airlines Route: Sydney to Singapore, SQ232 Seat: 34G (Aisle Seat, of a 3-4-3 configuration in Economy) Aircraft: Airbus A380 Scheduled Flight Time: 7…

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A-League All Stars Joshua Rose and Storm Roux talk about the upcoming Juventus FC Match on August 10th.

the AU chats to Joshua Rose and Storm Roux – Defenders from the Central Coast Mariners – who will be playing as part of the A-League All Stars squad against Italian side Juventus F.C. in a special showcase match on August 10th at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, 7:30pm. We talk about the game, who they’re looking…

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Exclusive Video Feature: A-League All Stars Joshua Rose and Storm Roux explore the Italian Food of Sydney ahead of Juventus F.C. match.

Food & Lifestyle on the AU review spends the day with Joshua Rose and Storm Roux – Defenders from the Central Coast Mariners – who will be playing as part of the A-League All Stars squad against Italian side Juventus F.C. in a special showcase match on August 10th at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, 7:30pm. We…

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Interview: AU Abroad meets Steve Hui – Founder of iFLYflat.

In one of those “yes, there is a service for that!” discoveries, AU Abroad was recently introduced to iFLYflat, a program that offers “Financial Planning for Frequent Flyer Points”. We sat down with the Founder/CEO, Steve Hui, to talk about about how the program started and we get a look at how frequent and infrequent…

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Eating with the AU: Brazilian Style Imports x Bridge Street Garage – CBD (Sydney)

As we mourn the loss of the Socceroos and continue to enjoy some incredible games of football, today we turn our attention to the food and drink of Brazil – which, thanks to Brazilian Style Imports is easier to experience in Australia than you might think. Established in 2007, the company now supplies over 500…

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The Day Trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto, Canada (Part Two)

Destination: Niagara Falls, Ontario (Canada) Origin: Toronto, Ontario (Canada) Travel Time (Each Way): Two Hours In the first part of our special feature series on the Niagara Falls day trip in Canada, we literally took you inside the famous Horseshoe Falls and got a birds eye view of the natural wonder from our elevated room…

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More Than Just a View: Hilton Hotel and Suites Niagara Falls (Canada)

Making my way from Toronto for a day trip to Niagara Falls, ahead of a long… long flight home to Australia, I knew I had to have a comfortable night’s rest. But I also wanted to make sure I had the best view possible of the falls – and as it happened, at the Hilton…

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Flight Review: Jetstar – Gold Coast to Sydney (JQ409)

As part of our brand new section AU Abroad, we bring you a birds eye view of the world of travel. In this article series, we let you in on the best airlines to fly with. We return to Australia for our latest addition, for the rather brief journey from the Gold Coast to Sydney…

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The Day Trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto, Canada (Part One)

Destination: Niagara Falls, Ontario (Canada) Origin: Toronto, Ontario (Canada) Travel Time (Each Way): Two Hours Niagara Falls. The name alone conjures up a sense of mystic beauty, let alone the magnificent splendour that awaits its onlookers. So when I was given the opportunity to spend a day at the iconic natural wonder, following a week…

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Flight Review: Air Canada – Toronto to Los Angeles (AC795)

As part of our brand new section AU Abroad, we bring you a birds eye view of the world of travel. In this article series, we let you in on the best airlines to fly with. We kick things off in North America with Air Canada’s direct route from Toronto to Los Angeles, which we…

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Tour Diary: Sue-Anne Stewart in Toronto at Canadian Music Week

Hi, my name is Sue-Anne Stewart. I’m an Australian singer songwriter from Queensland. This is a tour diary for the AU Review of my trip to Toronto where I showcased at Canadian Music Week 2014. I had a fantastic time and met some awesome people and saw some amazing bands – check out my music…

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Touring Tips and Favourite Spots with Gold Coast's Fairchild

Gold Coast indie pop band Fairchild share with AU Abroad their touring tips and favourite eating spots around the world… as well as their love of Ramen, naturally!

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