Travel & Lifestyle

Shaw Vineyard Estate is reopening its restaurant with a new name and under new management, Olleyville at Shaw Vineyard Estate opens this August. Murrumbateman’s family owned winery is situated in-between Canberra and Yass on the Barton Highway, the restaurant takes its name from the historic mid-19th century wool producing property that was reinvented by the Shaw…

After quietly opening in December last year, Fairfield’s Two Fat Monks has launch a new menu. Co-owner Ulysses Vass has taken the past six months to assess operations and customer feed back to change the menu, open and in-house bakery with plans to open an on-site coffee roastry later in the year. ”After running the…

Melbourne has the gold-standard locked down when it comes to breakfast and brunch. There’s no arguing against that, especially when the city has held onto that reputation for years on end without ever having to fear healthy competition like Sydney and Adelaide. It’s been a tremendously difficult job but we dived into the rich and…

The winners of the QANTAS Epiqure Halliday Wine Companion awards for 2018 have been announced. Distinguished wine critic James Halliday has named Paul Hotker of the historic Bleasdale Vineyards as Winemaker of the Year for 2018, as well as the top performers in a host of other prestigious categories highlighting the best in Australia’s rich…

Strangely enough the legendary Wu Tang Clan have decided to use Australia as its official launch country for the crew’s very own premium liqueur line in collaboration with Melbourne-based Divas Beverages, which features four different flavours each very, very affordable. They’re produced locally in Australia, handcrafted with the intention to be used as either a…

After dominating the casual eats scene in Collingwood for years now Biggie Smalls is finally ready to expand, with a new store in Windsor due to open its doors this September. Shane Delia’s gourmet kebab and hip hop empire has grown considerably since first being introduced in Melbourne, even inspiring a food truck which will…

A trip along the Australian east coast does not have to be taken during the warm summer seasons, we found that out on a recent escapade from the Sunshine Coast down to Byron Bay. The six day roady has revealed the many benefits and beauties of hitting the north east coast during the cooler months….

There’s a warmth to the approach by the Doubletree by Hilton brand – though maybe I’m just blinded by the warm chocolate chip cookie they give every guest on check in. But it’s that sort of consistency – cookies, comfortable rooms, soothing colour schemes – that has made them the sort of chain that people become…

Colourful, insightful, witty and one of the most important cookbooks you’ll find in Australia this year. That’s how I’d describe Brae: Recipes and Stories from the Restaurant by Dan Hunter, a 256-page and incredibly comprehensive book with recipes and stories from the acclaimed chef and his regional VIC restaurant. Now one of the most acclaimed…

Anyone schooled in the US Punk scene of the late 70’s and 80’s probably knows a thing or two about the significance of Washington D.C. As the U.S. Capital, its influence on the scene as an anti-political voice is an obvious one; local groups and bands from all over the region – especially Maryland, Pennsylvania,…

The hotels surrounding Sydney Airport see plenty of last-minute bookings and regular full-houses, so there’s no doubt that Mantra’s new addition to the area will be a hit. Airport hotels aren’t the most exciting stays in any city (although you do find the occasional stunner), but they are the most convenient for weary travelers who…

Virgin Australia is set to commence its full rollout inflight wireless internet to the majority of its domestic and international aircraft, making it the first Australian airline to offer wi-fi internationally. Select Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 aircraft are already fully equipped with inflight Wi-Fi, with the airline having recently completed a three month trial on select…

Highly celebrated Surry Hills restaurant Nomad has taken their love of wine to the next level with a brand new dedicated Wine Club, a subscription-based service that will be delivering a curated selection of local, seasonal and rare wines straight to your door. The restaurant has a long history of deep involvement in Australia’s diverse…

Redfern has a new bar and dining local with Misfits, a newly opened retro-inspired venue that’s located on the first floor of the building that edges both Redfern and George Streets. Preceded by a bright neon sign, the new offering from W Short Hotel Group – the same behind institutions like The Glenmore and The…

After selling out its first pop-up earlier this year, Majestic Hawker has plans on returning to feed Melbourne locals from Thursday 17th to Saturday 19th August. Open for dinner for just three hours, from 7pm to 10pm, the hawker kitchen will be pushing out many of the same dishes which made the July iteration such…

Earlier this week Mantra Group made the huge announcement that they entered into an agreement with the Deague Group to acquire the Australia-owned Art Series Hotel Group for approximately $52 million. In what is a big step forward for the hotel group, Mantra will be welcoming a series of seven luxury hotels that span more…

The winemakers of Rutherglen are bringing a pop-up wine bar to Melbourne CBD, shaped into the narrow Driver Lane for three days (Friday 25th to Sunday 27th August). Aimed at highlighting the essence of wines made in the iconic Rutherglen region of Victoria, the one-off pop-up will offer locals and visitors the opportunity to taste…

Rockpool Dining Group have expanded on their award-winning Melbourne ristorante by finally bringing Rosetta to Sydney, adding to the city’s rich scene of sophisticated Italian dining with a massive three-level venue which features a panoramic outdoor terrace a mezzanine dining room, and a split-level bar. Set to open next week, 15th August, Rosetta Sydney will…

After close to two decades of dominance in Sydney’s nightlife scene, Cargo Bar and Bungalow 8 are set to finish their current run, close, and reopen later this year with major makeovers. They won’t be shuffling out of their current cycle in any small fashion either, with both venues set to host massive closing parties…

Welcome to Burger Watch, where we acknowledge the constant creativity bursting from all sides of the epic burger wave that regularly sweeps Australia. The highest-of-high demand is reserved for this timeless food staple and just about every interpretation of it, whether it to be an over-the-top glutton-fest or a focus on simple burgers done well….

This weekend the annual smooth Festival of Chocolate returns to Sydney’s harbourside the Rocks precinct, bringing an enormous amount of dessert-focused goodness including chef presentations, endless rows of stalls, and a bunch of activities. It’s grown into one of the city’s most anticipated foodie events, and to help you prepare we’ve put together a list…

Fast-food giant KFC, like most fast-food stalwarts, regularly uses Australia as a testing ground for new menu items. The latest: a brand spanking new Zinger Mozzarella burger, taking one of KFC’s most popular orders and slapping it with the most decadent of Italian cheeses. While it’s not a substantial change for what a zinger, it…

As one of Sydney’s oldest English pubs the usual expectation of a little old world charm that comes with being a staple watering hole for Paddington locals may be warranted but it’s stumbling onto The Garden Restaurant, nestled beneath a cosy light filled atrium within the hotel’s quirky layout, that comes as a pleasant surprise….

At the recent D23 expo, we were finally able to uncover some more details about the highly anticipated Star Wars theme parks set to land at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in Anaheim and Orlando, respectively, in 2019. Yes it’s a ways away, but these kind of conferences are all about putting the hype into hyperspace…

One of the city’s most impressive rooftop bars, Henry Deane has given a refresh to its food and drink offerings in collaboration with chef consultant Brendan Fong, former Head Chef at Sydney’s world renowned Mr Wong, and Matt Linklater from Melbourne’s awarded Black Pearl. The impeccable views of the harbour and the city that define…

If you’re heading to Flow Festival in Helsinki this week then congratulations; you’ll be spending a weekend (11th-13th August) immersed in what has been named one of the very best and most inventive music and arts festivals in Europe. Though it’s not just music and arts for responsible for Flow Festival’s universal acclaim; the annual…

The Novotel Canberra has opened a new dining venue, First Edition Bar & Dining, on its first-floor mezzanine. The newly refurbished 180-seater restaurant is under the direction of Brandworks Australia in combination with Accor Hotels, drawing on inspired old-world reading rooms with bespoke woodwork to create a space of sophisticated charm. The newly opened restaurant…

Seriously though, how many hotel rooms do you ever get to stay in that have a spiral staircase? Like, actually in the room? My first thought entering my room at the luxurious Ramada West Hollywood was that I was in a room far fancier than I was used to. The bottom floor of the room is…

A new hotel has will be opening up in Auckland, New Zealand, with a core focus on wellness travel. Even Hotels have partnered with Intercontinental Hotels and Pro-invest Group to expand beyond North America and into the capital cities across Australia and New Zealand, with the first launching in Auckland in 2020. “With more than…

After instant sell-outs June, the London-born quirk of Bongo’s Bingo is heading on an encore tour across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane this August, keen to deliver more table-topped rave-bingo madness. Over the past two years Bongo’s Bingo has attempted to transform the nightlife in the UK, giving punters a chance to re-shape their nights out;…