Travel & Lifestyle

Cairns is getting a new environmentally conscious luxury resort named “Riley”

The lush scenery of Cairns is about to welcome a new luxury resort from Crystalbrook Collection with the five-star Riley. The very central resort is the result of an expansive new development at the northern end of Cairns’ iconic waterfront Esplanade, distinguishing itself with a philosophy that claims to be “all about living in the…

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Flight Review: A weekend away to the US with Delta Air Lines – Sydney to Los Angeles (DL40)

Earlier this month, I travelled to the US for the weekend with Delta Air Lines to cover the Foo Fighters’ Cal Jam Festival in Los Angeles. You know, the one that “Nirvana” reformed at. Yes, with flights to the US more affordable and more frequent than ever, the idea of a weekend getaway to the…

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Hotel Review: 25hours Hotel The Circle in Cologne is a 1960s space themed experience like no other (Germany)

Part of the AccorHotels group, 25hours Hotels are a unique run of hotels around Europe; currently boasting 12 hotels across 8 cities. The brand runs on the slogan “Come As You Are”, in reference to the iconic Nirvana song, a sentiment amplified by the fact that no hotel in the brand is like the next….

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Delta is bringing “Delta One” business class suites to Sydney-Los Angeles flights

In just a few months, passengers flying Delta Air Lines between Sydney and Los Angeles will notice some big upgrades to the service’s Boeing 777 fleet. Landing on April 18th 2019, the American airline will retrofit the aircrafts with their highly lauded “Delta One”, which is the world’s first all-suite business class, as well as…

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Wake Up Call: W Hotels’ bold rewrite of what a music festival can be

You have to be careful when promised a luxury festival experience nowadays. One minute you’re proudly uploading Instagram stories and living your #bestlife, the next minute you’re stranded in The Bahamas being chased by rabid dogs, desperately downing questionable ham sandwiches, and watching through tears as your tent is used as fire fuel. Okay, maybe…

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Is Toronto home to the world’s most convenient international airport?

Located “just three kilometres from downtown Toronto”, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport sits on an island off the city’s centre; accessible by ferry or a relatively new underground walkway. And it may just be the world’s most conveniently located airport, as they go out of their way to make sure every passenger feels like a…

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Melbourne’s popular Piccolina Gelateria opens new store in St Kilda

Just in time for the summer months to come and drive Melbourne’s locals towards St Kilda beach, Piccolina Gelateria have unveiled a new store on nearby Aceland Street. Marking the third store for the business, often referred to as the best gelataria in the city, the new space channels the surrounding street scape and the…

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Sri Lanka, Copenhagen and Egypt take top spots in Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel”

It’s time to update that bucketlist because Lonely Planet have revealed their annual “Best in Travel” lists for 2019, collating lists of the hottest destinations, experiences and travel trends for the year ahead. Each year, the accompanying travel book sells well around the world, highlighting various hot-ticket destinations and events that should be on every…

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The five best Melbourne Cup lunches in Sydney for 2018

Whether you engage with the race itself or not, Melbourne Cup is always a good excuse to get out of the office and sneak a long festive lunch in with the colleagues. Sydney’s best restaurants and bars always put their best food forward when it comes to “the face that stops the nation”, putting together…

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The food world is celebrating pasta today, so we asked a top Italian chef for some tips

Delicious World Pasta Day is upon us, an open celebration of what is quite possibly (definitely) one of the top 10 things ever created. And since today is the best time to show appreciation for the diverse Italian-born food, we thought it best to have a quick chat with Aussie chef Dario Manca (well known…

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Hotel Review: Shangri-La reimagines the “Urban Resort” with Hong Kong’s Kerry Hotel

Ever since Kerry Hotels launched as a brand back in 2011, it has been well received as a fascinating, and interesting, expression from Shangri-La Group, who are best known for their opulent namesake properties. While Hotel Jen, another critical darling from the group, plays more in the mid-range category with a strong commitment to design…

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The five best Halloween parties in Sydney this year

After-dark museum spooktaculars, scary Inner-West pub raves, Bojack Horseman dress-up parties, and ghoulish dog shows. Yeah, it’s Halloween in Sydney alright. Each year some of the best venues in the city attempt to out-do themselves and lure you into webs of themed events and expensive drinks. Not all are made equal though, so we’ve done…

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Surry Hills scores a new “unauthentic Indian” restaurant from Jessi Singh

Renowned chef Jessi Singh has returned to Australia to bring his “unauthentic Indian” cuisine to Sydney, opening Surry Hills’ newest restaurant Don’t Tell Aunty. The space, which replaces the old 4Fourteen, is marked by Singh’s fun and casual atmosphere, inspired by the home of a traditional Indian aunty – that being a place where you…

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Applejack to open their first Sydney CBD restaurant “Bopp & Tone”

Applejack, the group behind beloved Sydney venues like The Butler and The Botanist, will finally be making their way into the CBD for the first time with a new restaurant and bar on Carrington Street. Named Bopp & Tone for the Applejack founders’ grandfathers – Keith “Bopp” Evans and Anthony “Tone” Adams – the Mediterranean…

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World’s longest sea-crossing, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, is now open

Now connecting Hong Kong with Zhuhai and Macau is the world’s longest bridge and tunnel sea crossing, a megaproject measuring in at 55km, which is 20 times longer than San Fran’s Golden Gate Bridge, and containing enough steel (400,000 tonnes to be exact) to build 60 Eiffel Towers. Costing approximately $20bn, it’s one of the…

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Carl’s Jr opens first Melbourne stores as part of ambitious expansion

It has been two years since U.S fast-food giant Carl’s Jr opened their first ever Australian store in Bateau Bay on New South Wales’s Central Coast. It was a success, as was the steady roll out of stores that followed as part of a very ambitious expansion set to see around 300 stores open across…

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Hotel Review: Hilton juggles quantity and quality in San Francisco’s Union Square

Union Square has long been a useful anchor for visitors set to explore San Francisco, one of the most consistently impressive and dynamic cities in the world. It’s why many big-name hotel chains can be found spread throughout the heart of metropolitan heart of San Fran, with Hilton Union Square remaining one of the most…

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Six international food festivals worth travelling for (before 2018 is over)

The final three months of 2018 bring plenty of opportunities for gastronomic tourism (the best kind of travel), whether you’re heading over to North America, travelling around Asia or just keen on a road trip in your backyard. These six highly curated food festivals are well worth getting off the couch for, from historic long-running…

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Hotel Review: Mantra up their regional game with new Albury property

Unless you’re heading there on business, chances are the riverina city of Albury isn’t too far up the bucketlist when it comes to those essential Aussie road trip destinations. Although, the major regional city, located on the banks of the Murray River, is a convenient and completely worthwhile stop-off on the way to (or from)…

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Not a Drill: Royal Stacks is giving away free burgers in Sydney this Saturday

Chatswood burger joint Royal Stacks is celebrating a whole two years since it’s first shop in Sydney, moving up from Melbourne to great acclaim with a total of 130,00 burgers and 3000 liters of frozen custards sold to date. On Saturday 27th October, those celebration will hit their peak with a huge party, featuring a…

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Flight Review: Does Economy X make a difference on Virgin Australia’s Sydney to Perth service?

If any domestic service calls for a slight upgrade, it’s the coast-to-coast flight from Sydney to Perth. While not exactly a gruelling long-haul, the five hour service is testing enough that a little bit of extra comfort goes a long way. We tested Virgin Australia’s Economy X product on the service to see if the…

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Five Aussie acts set to make waves at SXSW Festival 2019 in Austin, Texas

South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival is an annual conference held in Austin, Texas, and is the number one hot spot for eyeing down your fav new artists. Mixed with a bunch of industry legends and newbies from around the world, artists perform in front of industry professionals, media and fans at venues ranging from…

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These hotels are letting guests spray paint rooms for the sake of art

Australia’s beloved Art Series Hotels have just introduced a slick new concept for hotel guests looking for a little participatory art project for dabble in. From now until December 30th, Melbourne gems The Blackman and The Olsen, and Brisbane’s The Johnson, will offer a “Colour Your Stay” package where guests can grab a spray can,…

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Easey’s and Superfluid are bringing pop-ups to Reunion Island Pool Club

Melbourne’s watery rooftop oasis is almost here, ushered in with the launch of Reunion Island Pool Club, re-shaping the former open-air digs of St Jerome’s – The Hotel into a breezy mecca of swish plunge pools, pop-ups from local hospitality heroes, and more. The sprawling and highly anticipated venue, a first for the Australia, officially…

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Hotel Review: The Fleming interprets Hong Kong’s iconic Star Ferry with style

Boutique hotels are at their best when you can see the sincerity in their design. Soulful touches and nostalgic nods to the property’s primary source of inspiration, whether that be a neighbourhood, a concept or a nearby institution, is always appreciated and is what ends up the most memorable part of any stay. The Fleming…

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LP’s Quality Meats and Porteno have opened a pizzeria in Newtown

Some of the Inner West’s greatest culinary minds have come together to open a pizzeria on King Street, Newtown. This is a big deal. Talks of Bella Brutta (meaning “Beautiful Ugly”) began earlier this year, speaking of a pizza diner spearheaded by co-owner Luke Powell of Chippendale institution LP’s Quality Meats along with the crew,…

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Aussies Abroad: Jordie Lane, Emily Wurramara & more amongst 180 acts announced for Folk Alliance 2019 in Montreal

In its 31st year, the annual Folk Alliance International Conference announces their offical showcase lineup, being held from February 13-17, 2019, in Montréal, Québec, Canada. The conference is a gathering of the folk music industry and community. It crosses a diverse array of genres including Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Francophone, Global Roots, Indigenous,…

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“Cocktail Porter” is Australia’s first premium online cocktail subscription service

Australia’s first premium online cocktail subscription service has launched, paving the way for Cocktail Porter to deliver bartender-designed cocktail kits directly to front doors across the country. A concept birthed in Sydney, Cocktail Porter was founded by Cameron Northway of Sweet&Chilli and Bondi restaurant Rocker, aimed at pushing a modern, on-demand product for those wanting…

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Young Henrys have just released a new hemp infused craft beer

Craft beer rockstars Young Henrys have hooked up with Byron Bay clothing brand and hemp advocates Afends to release one of the first legal hemp beers in Australia, and the first to use brand new water soluble hemp oil technology. Simply dubbed the Hemp IPA, the beer was brewed to reinforce Afends’ initiative of promoting…

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What to expect when the legendary Employees Only opens in Sydney

Out of all the excellent new openings populating Sydney’s hospitality scene before 2019 kicks off, few are as high-profile as this one. Employees Only, the award-winning speakeasy born in New York’s West Village and often referred to as one of the world’s best, is finally ready to open it’s doors in Sydney’s CBD. It will…

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