Travel & Lifestyle

Saying a hotel had a “motel vibe” used to be a dirty word, but now it’s a bit chic, with clever hoteliers renovating outdated accommodation options into hotels bursting with sophistication and modern comforts – all with a touch of nostalgia. One such hotel is The Burrard, located less than 15 minutes walk from Vancouver…

Two months back, I talked you through the transfer process at Toronto’s Pearson. One way to bypass some of these difficulties is by flying one of the WestJet “Simplicity” routes, which are their short haul services between Toronto and either New York, Ottawa or Montreal. They promise priority access in the queue, a snack with…

It looks like Splendour in the Grass are going ahead with their successful pop-up dining experience series, with the forthcoming 2019 iteration of the famous three-day festival set to welcome restaurateur Maurice Terzini and his iconic Icebergs Dining Room & Bar. The historic Sydney restaurant will follow in the footsteps of The Unicorn by offering…

James Squire have gone and pulled something very, very old from a shipwreck that dates back to 1797, the year in which merchant ship “Sydney Cove” went down just off Preservation Island north of Tasmania. The brewing team behind Squire have extracted a 220 year old bottle of beer recovered from the shipwreck and used…

So, you’ve just been upgraded to Platinum on Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer program. A congratulations is in order. The jump up to Gold was exciting – getting international lounge access for the first time, priority boarding, upgrades and more. But at first glance, apart from an extra 25% in points when you travel on…

Frequented by Australian travellers at all times of the year, the Thai island of Phuket remains one of the most accessible and affordable holidays for those down under. Though a truly luxe stay can still be quite costly on the island, which leaves a sweet spot for new mid-range hotels like OZO Phuket. The brand…

After a successful venture into fried chicken sandwich territory in collaboration with Belle’s Hot Chicken, the team behind Malaysian chain PappaRich have announced a different kind of indulgent carb-loading treat to be introduced to their 29 Australian stores in July. It’s the triumphant return of their incredibly popular Nasi Lemak Burger, which first debuted in…

Across the entire 31-day stretch of August, New Zealand’s trendy capital of Wellington will once again host Visa Wellington on a Plate (VWOAP). The long-running food and wine festival, which touches everywhere from Wellington City to the Kāpiti Coast, picturesque Hutt Valley, and Wairarapa, is set to reach unprecedented levels in 2019, thanks to an…

In an effort to offer a more immersive and quirkier experience for Sydney’s cinema enthusiasts, the team behind Event Cinemas George Street in the CBD have launched two brand new concepts collectively dubbed Australia’s “first Instagrammable cinema” as Event Boutique. Marrying Event Cinemas with the rich heritage of the EVENT-owned State Theatre and the signature…

The team behind the seductively playful QT Sydney have recently overhauled the hotel’s street-level diner and transformed it into the city’s newest Italian eatery, Parlour Cucina. Inspired by the café scene in Milan during the 1960’s, the space moves away from the beloved Parlour Lane Roasters and onto something entirely dedicated to traditional, uncomplicated Italian…

The 2019 Barunga Festival wrapped up last Sunday, and it was a jam-packed 3 days of music, arts, sport and culture. Approximately 4000 people travel to the festival at Barunga, which is 80 km south-east of Katherine. Away from the music stages there was plenty going on. Sporting teams from all over the Northern Territory…

Last month, I jumped on board Virgin Atlantic’s red eye service from New York’s JFK Airport through to London’s Heathrow. As a Platinum member of Virgin Australia’s Velocity frequent flyer program, this gave me access to one of the best features of the Virgin Atlantic network – the “Revivals Lounge” at Heathrow. Given the airline’s…

Over the weekend I headed to Flagstaff, Arizona for the city’s 7th Annual Blues & Brews Festival – unsurprisingly, a celebration of Blues music and, well, beer. This year marked the first year that the event, which is held in the cooler, mountainous region of Arizona, a few hours north of Phoenix had been expanded to…

There’s a reason Tasmania’s capital was known as “Slowbart” long before Dark Mofo (6-23 June) livened up those long winter nights. It gets seriously cold, and without a mental map of places to stay warm, navigating the city in the depths of winter can be a challenge. Fortunately Hobart’s many bars know how to put…

One of the newer locations for the international Intercontinental chain finds itself in San Diego; a luxury 400 room, 19 floor hotel which opened in September last year. The brand’s 3rd property in Southern California, the hotel sits right on the revitalised San Diego Bayfront. About the Room I stayed on the 15th room in…

As one of the top rated boutique hotels in Victoria, British Columbia, The Oswego Hotel gets by beautifully on the simple pillars of good hospitality, great guest rooms, and excellent food and wine. Although you’d expect nothing less; as BC’s capital and one of the most pleasant small cities in the world (something that’s been…

From wild citrus gin and caramel vodka to natural wine and sparkling blends, here’s a wrap up of what we’ve got on our shelf this season. In this instalment of ‘On the Shelf’ we’ve started it off by putting the spotlight on three Aussie gins to try in celebration of World Gin Day this Saturday 8th…

A clarion call to whiskey lovers far and wide, Glenfiddich just last week has celebrated the launch of the venerable Glenfiddich Whisky Wanderer. “What on Earth is the Whiskey Wanderer?!” you ask? It’s an original 1972 vintage Leyland double-decker bus cum mobile whiskey lounge. More than ten meters long and four meters wide, this magnificent…

When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (also known simply as “Star Wars Land”) officially opened its doors to the public on Friday at California’s iconic theme park Disneyland  – strictly to those who had reserved the privilege in advance – some may have been surprised to discover that after all that hype, and all those years…

Also known as “Surf City USA”, Huntington Beach sits along a straight stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, with the Pacific Ocean seeming to stretch on forever; this section of the beach iconic for the concrete pier that stretches out into the Ocean, and the great food, drink and lifestyle options that accompany it. One of…

The majestic, diverse countryside of the United States is one that has inspired poetry and prose for generations. And there’s still a sense of wonder to it, whether you’re making your first visit to the Grand Canyon, seeing the Niagara Falls or Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. But when these sights were first discovered,…

One of Sydney’s most luxurious hotel’s (and pet friendly), The Langham, has linked up with Pink Hope to launch the city’s first ever “charity suite”. Basically what that means is that a guest room at The Langham has been completely transformed by the partnership, offering guests a luxurious and immersive experience bathed in dreamy all-pink…

It it feels like Sydney trio Middle Kids haven’t stopped touring the globe over the last few years, you’re probably not wrong. It’s been one success after another for the group – and a lot of it has been happening quietly overseas. Currently, the troupe are on the road in North America supporting Local Natives,…

In Covent Garden, just on the outskirts of the heart of theatre district (London’s West End), is one of the area’s finest hotels, St Martins Lane London. But this is luxury with a twist – with a green revolving door at the entry, and an eccentric design collection that await you in the hotel’s spacious lobby….

Marriott has the W, IHG have Hotel Indigo, and Sofitel (owned by Accor) have the rapidly growing “SO/”. Hotel brands known for their warm luxurious embraces have, in the past decade especially, finessed their respective languages and funnelled them into younger, energetic off-shoots that fully commit to the “luxury boutique” label and thrive on individuality….

In response to a recent survey that found 88% of Australians preferred having their coffee with milk, Nespresso have readied a new range of five blends for their Original and Vertuo machines, each designed especially for that creamy shot of dairy (or soy, of course). The range comes from six years of Nespresso experts exploring…

Brisbane legends WAAX are heading off on a massive North American tour this July, in support of their recent single “FU”. Their US and Canadian shows will come after their appearance at the Sounds Australia Summerstage event in Central Park alongside Hermitude, A.B. Original and more on June 22nd (read more about that HERE). And…

No matter which way you look it – a free pair of Volleys when purchasing a 10 pack of 375ml Southern Comfort and Cola or a free 10 pack of Southern Comfort when purchasing a pair of Volleys; Southern Comfort and Volleys have a pretty cool collaboration going until June 30th 2019. When entering a…

Some of Phuket’s most beautiful national parks and jungle trails are actually found north of the airport. While much of the island’s often chaotic nightlife kicks off in the opposite direction, it’s the unspoilt natural beauty and lush landscapes that make heading up the right choice for visitors to the famous island. Though that doesn’t…

Often cited as one of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney, Machiavelli Ristorante Italiano has edged forward with something the institution has never before done. After three decades of serving high flying corporates, visiting celebrities, and most famously Australia’s political elite, the Italian restaurant is now extending trading hours to include Saturday nights. Historically, the…