Travel & Lifestyle

Opera Kitchen is now a vibrant Italian & Japanese food hall

It’s one of Sydney’s most sought after dining spots, given it sides right up to Sydney Harbour, and now Opera Kitchen has reopened with a fresh new approach to dining. The venue is now a multi-cuisine food hall, giving Opera Bar more than a few new neighbours for anyone keen to mix-and-match their dining experience….

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Junipalooza Sydney eyes August launch with a two-day homage to gin

Two-day gin superfest Junipalooza is eyeing an August 2021 debut for its Sydney iteration, following five successful years staging its Melbourne festival. The homage to all things gin will be taking over Carriageworks on 28th and 29th August, rounding up dozens of distillers under the one roof. Given the way the festival works and its…

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4 ways you can enjoy Japan online right now

Now that it’s coming into spring in Japan, the days are getting longer, the sun is somehow shining a little brighter, and the cherry blossoms are about to bloom; in short, it’s the best time of year to be in Japan. Unfortunately, because of ‘you know what’ popping over to Japan for a cheeky visit…

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Travel Gear: Icebreaker’s City Label is a game-changer for the brand

New Zealand brand Icebreaker may be best known for travel apparel that you’d wear far outside of any dense concrete settings, but their still-fresh City label plays by a different set of rules. Although timing may have been a bit off, Icebreaker’s tightly curated City capsule launched early last year and has instantly become an…

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Pinkish Blu’s Top 5 Adelaide Haunts

Indie outfit Pinkish Blu are officially coming in not pink, not blue, but red hot, with a new single and a list of live shows. Previously supporting the likes of The Rubens and Trophy Eyes, the Adelaide band is quickly becoming one of South Australia’s most promising acts, with their new track “Backward” being all your…

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EggSlut’s Alvin Cailan leads new Potts Point pop up “Iconic Burger”

To celebrate the fact that online platform The Burger Collective is now doing delivery – TBC Delivery (it’s like your favourite delivery service, but only with burgers) – celeb chef Alvin Cailan has decided to open a new Potts Point pop-up called Iconic Burger. Kicking off on the 17th March for 3 weeks only, the…

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Black Star Pastry prep 15,000 hot cross buns for Sydney’s Easter rush

Given that they are some of the most popular Easter treats its year, it’s no surprise to see Black Star Pastry bring back their famous translation of the classic Hot Cross Buns. Available now until Monday 5th April, Sydney’s most beloved bakery will be dolling out these dense, cushiony, sticky, spicy, sweet, 100% vegan buns…

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Esteban evolves with modern Mexican eats and live Latin American music

Live music was hard to come by all throughout last year in Sydney, for obvious reasons, but now a swift return to in-the-flesh sounds of all kinds is back on the cards. We’ve already seen Sydney come to life with a new outdoor concert series, and now one of the city’s best new Mexican restaurants…

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Keep travel dreams alive with Trafalgar’s free digital events in March

Even a glimpse of international travel, and what it will look like post-COVID, is still awhile away, but as with 2020, dreaming is still important. The problem is then sorting through the deluge of travel talks and videos to find what’s going to inspire you. The answer: well, anything. You can never know what’s going…

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BrewDog are opening a craft beer hotel in Australia

Aussie brew fiends will soon be able to stay in the country’s very first craft beer hotel once BrewDog Australia open the ambitious property in Brisbane. The eco-friendly, dog-friendly, will be simply dubbed The DogHouse, bringing the concept over from the states following the success of the brand in Ohio – a property TIME Magazine…

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Lark muscat cask finish

Lark Distillery reveals gold-winning Muscat Cask Finish single malt whisky

As far as Australian whisky goes, is there any distillery as prolific as Lark right now? They’ve been bang on with the releases lately, and that success doesn’t look to be slowing down any soon with the highly anticipated release of the Lark Muscat Cask Finish single malt. It’s one of Lark’s highest achieving whiskies…

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Crowne Plaza will let you check out as late as 11pm across Australia

“Can I get a late check-out please?”. Perhaps the most common request when checking into a staycation, and one that’s entirely understandable. The folks at IHG Group hotels have obviously heard this one too many times, so to celebrate World Sleep Day they are using their ubiquitous Crowne Plaza brand to offer Australia’s latest check-out….

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Culture Check: 5 unmissable Sydney events in autumn 2021

Think now that summer is over Sydney goes into hibernation? Think again. With the exception of last year, moving into autumn is often a time when the city’s dynamic cultural scene comes alive, and 2021 will be no exception, with some of the best things to do in Sydney. Particularly after the year that was,…

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Barry's Bootcamp Surry Hills

Barry’s Bootcamp and Chin Chin link up for the ultimate fitness feast in Sydney

Fancy your HIIT with a side of scrummy Thai food? I’m not talking overly-sauced takeaway pad see ew after you’ve just flurried your way through sprints and burpees either. The team behind global fitness favourite Barry’s Bootcamp has teamed up with pink-hued contemporary Thai restaurant Chin Chin for just that. HIIT with a side of…

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How to get your hands on rare 19-year old whiskies from Lark Distillery

Ever-busy Tasmanian whisky heroes Lark Distillery have just released a sub-$2,000 19-year old whisky as two casks. The inaugural “Legacy” and its expressions, HHF582B (AKA “Topaz”) and HHF585A (AKA “Rich Toffee), boast the distinction of having been distilled by Bill Lark himself, during his tenure as Head Distiller, which has since been a role filled…

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Contemporary Korean fusion opens in Chippendale with Jung Sung

Contemporary Korean restaurant, Jung Sung, has opened its doors and is taking up residence in Chippendale. Set on the third floor of the Old Rum Store on Kensington Street, the restaurant captures a modern industrial interior with dark metal, stone and copper accents. On the menu, head chef Insup Kim, takes inspiration from traditional Korean…

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What to do if you want to re-kindle your love for Sydney in 2021

We’re lucky to live in Australia. That phrase – as common as it is – has never been more accurate. We haven’t beaten this ongoing global pandemic by a long shot, and it would be foolish to be complacent about something that could very well rear its ugly head at the drop of a hat….

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koala cork sofa

Koala’s new cork sofa is a big step towards sustainable homeware

Koala may be best known for their ridiculously popular mattresses in-a-box, but the environmentally conscious furniture brand has just made a big, sustainable statement outside of the bedroom. Sourcing cork from regenerative cork oak trees in the Mediterranean basin, they have managed to produce Australia’s first ever soda made entirely from cork. Yes, cork. Cork…

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Whisky Loot taps the luck of the Irish with new themed whiskey boxes

Put down that bottle of Jameson. You can pick it up later – Jameson is fine. But there is much more to Irish whisky than one or two brands. Don’t believe me? Hit up Whisky Loot and they’ll tell you – actually, they’ll show you. The Australian online whisky subscription service has decided to turn…

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A local’s guide to Orange, NSW in 2021: Where to eat, stay, sip and play

Domestic travel is in full-swing, which means Sydneysiders should be swapping turns hopping between some of the state’s greatest spots. They all have their moments, but one of the most consistent in terms of both popularity and value has been, is, and will always be Orange. The pocket of serenity, wine, and some of the…

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Sneaker of the year, so far? New Balance’s 237 Silhouette is a wild and fitting tribute

The patchwork approach New Balance have taken to one of their latest silhouettes, the 237, is outstanding. Two colourways, both equally head-turning, are available for this recent drop, which is somewhat of an homage to the classic 327 and the aesthetic bent of the 1970s. A stitched and oversized N logo is an unquestionable presence…

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Dykes on Bikes

Photo Gallery: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2021 (06.03.21)

It was a year like no other, with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade relocating to the Sydney Cricket Ground for a COVID-Safe event. 36,000 spectators filled the SCG for a bright and vivid celebration by the LGBTQI+ community. The theme this year was “RISE”, a call to rise together through love, compassion,…

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Grill’d are giving away free lamb brain burgers this weekend

Grill’d isn’t widely known for experimentation. Sure, they’ve always been consistent in rolling out new, health-focused combinations, but they’ve never truly gone left-field with their inoffensive menu. That changes this weekend, as the burger chain partners with streaming service Binge to introduce a lamb brain burger. Yes, a lamb brain burger. And you don’t get…

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A guide to Japan’s three main performing arts… and where to see them

Japan is a nation well known for its far-reaching history and passion for keeping culture and traditions alive. From the ancient tea houses of Kyoto to the quaint building styles of Gifu’s Shirakawago, you can practically read the history of the nation through its architecture and city design. One of the more elusive forms of…

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Restaurant of the Month: Mister Percy – Pyrmont, Sydney

Sydney’s hotel restaurants are boring. Maybe that was a bit too definitive. Let’s just say, Sydney hotel restaurants are, for the most part, unmemorable. At least when compared to standard-pushing cities like Tokyo and New York City. Although, I’ve never eaten at a Chicago, San Fran or L.A. hotel restaurant that inspired much enthusiasm either….

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Pizza Hut Australia now delivers some of the country’s favourite beers

Forget the 1.25L bottle of Coke with your Pizza Hut Australia order. From today, the inescapable pizza brand is now chucking beer on the menu. From $20, you can slap a six-pack on top of your pizza (or wings or pasta) order, although the concept has only so far rolled out in Queensland and Victoria….

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Four Pillars and QT Hotels come together for exclusive coconut and bamboo “Ordered Chaos” gin

Yarra Valley’s eternally beloved Four Pillars has teamed up with the equally adored QT Hotels and Resorts for a playful new collaboration which will see the distillery’s latest gin available exclusively across QT’s family of boutique-minded hotels. And though you might not be able to get Four Pillars’ new Ordered Chaos Gin at your local…

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Delta to increase Sydney to Los Angeles flights in March on their flagship A350-900

Finally, some news of an airline increasing, not decreasing, flights between the US and Australia. Delta Air Lines, who have been praised for their Delta Care Standard implemented during the pandemic, will start flying their flagship A350-900 aircraft six times a week from 8th March 2021. This will give Australians and Americans looking to return…

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Exploring Koga: one of Japan’s secret attractions, and an ideal Tokyo day trip

When first-time tourists visit Japan, they often take such a well-trodden route that it has a nickname within the Japanese tourism circles. Known in the industry as ‘the golden route,’ this commonly explore circuit travels from Tokyo to Osaka and Kyoto and often Hiroshima. While it’s a stunning and undeniably rewarding path to take, the…

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Whisks at the ready, The Big Bake comes to Sydney

Copious amounts of sugar, a baking competition and a cocktail bar – what could possibly go wrong?! The Big Bake Sydney is a pop up baking experience where you team up to compete for the title of Baking Champion. Loosely based on the popular Canadian television show of the same name, The Big Bake incorporates…

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