Travel & Lifestyle

Helping refresh and refocus a big player in Liverpool’s dining scene, chef Leigh Mcdivitt (ex-Merivale) has teamed up with Clayton Ries to head the big renewal of the Macquarie Hotel’s bistro. The team have moved on from Collin Fassnidge’s Banksia Bistro to transform the new project into a star dining destination for the greater Western…

Singapore’s leading creative talents are heading to Sydney this November for Singapore: Inside Out, a mash-up of multi-disciplinary work and cross-national collaborations showcasing the best of Singapore’s contemporary art scene.  From 3 to 5 November 2017,  visual and performing arts, photography, design and music events will be popping up around various locations along Kensington Street in the…

Across the Carriageworks multi-art precinct this September, Sydney Contemporary will have a lineup of food and drink menus for the art-loving public to enjoy each day of the fair. Kylie Kwong of Billy Kwong and Mike McEnearney of Kitchen by Mike have been announced as two of the pop-up restaurants to be featured amidst the…

Around 30 stallholders will soon come together to celebrate Newtown’s unique, cultural and eclectic offering of drinks, food and the pub scene. The event returns for its fourth year to showcase the areas community spirit and party vibe. On Sunday the 8th of October guest can expect to relish in the likes of Bloodwood, Bovine…

Along with Papi Chulo in Manly and The Newport in Pittwater, The Collaroy is now under the ownership of Merivale as they advance their Northern Beaches portfolio. Justin Hemmes, CEO of Merivale, says, “The Collaroy is in a truly spectacular location, with sweeping views of the ocean and sand literally at its door step. This…

The Entertainment Quarter, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, has welcomed an Italian favourite Fratelli Fresh to join the precinct. Rockpool Dining Group brings this 300-seat indoor-outdoor restaurant to life with an inviting open kitchen and, beer and wine garden. “The Entertainment Quarter is the perfect, convenient location for one of our largest Fratelli Fresh yet,” says…

This weekend Sydney is getting a back-alley restaurant dedicated to buffalo wings and ice cold tinnies. Opening August 26th, Wings X Tins will open its doors to serve insane chicken wings and the biggest collection of ice cold tinnies. Wings X Tins is the product of two wing obsessed mates, Anthony MacFarlane & Alfredo Perez,…

It’s been their hidden secret since the luxury property opened last year, but now the luxurious Art-Deco Primus Hotel in Sydney CBD has decided to share their New York inspired Level Seven rooftop bar with the wider public. Focused on positioning the urban oasis as a stylish champagne and cocktail destination, the heritage hotel will…

It’s been almost a year since the last time we first walked through the glossy brass doors of QT Melbourne, and up the sapphire blue stairs to Pascale Bar & Grill. While our last visit focused on the luxurious venue’s food offerings, this time we decided to sample their seasonally updated cocktail menu. Built adjacent…

The Orange Wine Festival returns October 13th for ten days to celebrate the regions cool climate wines. The festival will showcase vineyards and cellar doors from the Orange region while also highlighting restaurants and produce form the area. Orange is a three and half hour drive from Sydney located in the Central Wesy of New…

Our home grown, Grammy award-winning music producer, Flume, will be joining American DJ, Marshmello to headline Australia’s longest running electronic dance festival, ZoukOut in Singapore. ZoukOut, which is also Asia’s largest beachfront dance festival, will kick off on December 8, and runs until 8am on December 9 – making it the only dusk-to-dawn dance festival…

The cool winter air in Berrima lends itself perfectly to an indulgent mushroom and truffle feast. On a brisk but sunny Sunday, we make our way to The Loch in Berrima for a Foodie Field Day celebrating A Fungi Feast with exotic mushrooms from Li Sun Mushroom Tunnels, premium Yelverton truffles and produce from the…

Father’s Day fast approaches on Sunday, September 3rd, and those who plan early can often find some of the best gifts around. Make sure you’re not leaving these ones to the last minute, because they are surely going to be the popular gift choices as the big day creeps towards us. From a beer curating…

We at the AU are honoured to have Batch Brewing Co. on board as sponsors for our upcoming 9th Birthday Party in Sydney. Now a staple of the Marrickville scene, we caught up with Iain McKelvey to talk about the origins of the group, running a community minded brewery and producing damn good beer… How did Batch Brewing Co. get…

The iconic George building’s basement bar, The Long Room, recently underwent a huge $4million transformation to become The George on Collins. During its 12 years of operation, the bar was a hotspot for after work drinks for many of Melbourne’s young corporate hustlers. But owners Greg Kahan and Simon Jones decided it was due time…

We’re surprised someone didn’t think of this sooner to be honest. Melbourne’s popular St Kilda Burger Bar (STKBB) are slinging a different kind of burger special to celebrate the AFL finals series, pushing out a very, very ‘Strayan hybrid food that takes the ever-loved burger and mashes it up with a meat pie. Dubbed “The…

Teaming up with Camplify and Destination NSW, we are discovering the very best winter vibes of Byron Bay and NSW northern coast, tasting the culinary scene, and enjoying the region’s stunning natural landscapes. In the second half of our trip along the east coast (look back on the first half) we plunge into the thriving culture and experience…

Distillery Days music festival is coming to Riverland, South Australia this October long weekend. Twenty Third Street Distillery, Renmark will host the two-day event featuring both Australian Music legends and, an array of hip-hop and electronic artists. Festival goers can expect to sample local specialty eats, great entertainment and drink creations from the distillery. The…

Not sure where you’re going to be taking dad come this year’s Father’s Day weekend? Not to worry, plenty of restaurants, bars, cafes, event spaces and hotels will be putting on their very best for the occasion but for those who live in or around either Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra we’re picked out some of…

An intimate four-part dining experience is coming to Sydney with an Australian-first concept. Sunday Sous Sessions. Sous Chefs from some of Australia’s top restaurants will come together to show off their skills and creativity at the iconic Marque by Mark Best from September 3rd. Each chef will create their own unique five-course degustation menu, prepare…

Good Food Month have announced their return to Sydney with the detailing of over 180 events that incorporate talks, chef collaborations, experiences and events. Kicking off on October 5, the crowd-favorite Night Noodle Markets will again take place in Hyde Park with forty food stalls. Guests can expect the likes of House of Crabs, Mr…

Japanese dining powerhouse Saké Restaurant & Bar in Double Bay (nope, not the one in The Rocks) certainly knows how to connect to their locale. We’re surprised they didn’t do this one sooner to be honest, which is introduce an epic and decadent free-flow champagne package to their popular weekend lunch sessions. And it won’t…

With days that hit minus twenty degrees Celsius, and nights that hit minus thirty, visiting Canada’s Yukon Territory in winter time is not for the faint of heart. But for locals and guests alike, it’s no time for hibernation. The territory, which is the smallest and westernmost of Canada’s three federal territories, and the smallest in…

Iconic Canadian group The Tea Party’s frontman, Jeff Martin, is an Australian Ambassador for Royal Enfield and owns a Classic 500. With Jeff now based in Byron Bay, and the full band set to return to Australian shores for a tour later this year, we caught up with Jeff, who delivered us his list of…

Bing’s Bao and Beer is the newest restaurant by the Lotus Dining group to hit the Street of Barangaroo. This retro-style eatery has chosen to hero the humble steamed bao on the menu, with a soft baked milk bun for those who are less adventurous. Essentially a Chinese take on a burger or sandwich these…

Merivale, who acquired The Tennyson Hotel in December 2016, have announced their pursuit of “warehouse Italian” will be taking over what is currently the venue’s drive-in bottle shop for six months, crafting what will be titled “Mr. Liquor Dirty Italian Disco”. It will be a joint effort between Sydney chefs Mike Eggert and Jemma Whiteman,…

For a record seventh consecutive year, Melbourne has been ranked the World’s Most Liveable City by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Melbourne achieved the highest score of 97.5 out of 100, (unchanged from 2016) with perfect scores for healthcare, education and infrastructure. While Sydney dropped down the ranks from seventh place to eleventh. “No city…

The newest domestic offering (and rebranded International inclusion from what was known for the year prior as “Economy Space Plus”) from Virgin Australia adds new benefits to the exit row and the first few rows of the economy section: some extra leg room, priority security screening, priority baggage and dedicated overhead storage. The new section of…

It might be the world’s most liveable city, but for an airport that doesn’t even have a train, the difficulties that Uber have faced with having their service at Melbourne International Airport has always seemed a bit ridiculous. Though the push back from the Taxi industry is of little surprise; the difficulties of getting to…

Brisbane’s west end is gets its first Japanese festival Saturday 19th of August. Foodies should come with a sumo-sized appetite to indulge on Japanese food and culture at Sekisui House’s newest development, West Village, set within the trendy Boundary Street. Favourite Japanese eateries will showcase the country’s best through market stalls, sake tasting and chopstick…