Travel & Lifestyle

The After drawing 600,000 public votes last year, Aloft Hotels have brought back their successful “Project Aloft Star” program for the fourth year in a row. At it’s core, the program is a far-reaching band competition, amplified by partners MTV to give budding musicians and bands the chance to really kick start their career, shooting…

Darlinghurst’s Lucky Suzie is one of the area’s best kept secrets; there’s no doubting that. What chef Zachary Tan (widely known for Devon Cafe) has worked up in his experimental modern Malaysian kitchen is a consistent burst of big traditional flavours mixed into modern, eye-catching dishes with a menu that seems to be changing regularly….

After undergoing a massive renovation, Piccolino, one of Mount Waverley’s favourite classic Italian restaurants, have once again opened their doors to the public, just in time to celebrate their 25th anniversary. First opened in the early 90s by John Dib, Piccolino started off as a humble take-away store on Mount Waverley’s Blackburn road, serving up…

In response to the increased demand and awareness of Sake amongst Sydney’s most discerning diners, the team behind Chef’s Armoury have decided to open the city’s first specialist store dedicated to the art and versatility of Japanese sake. Going by the simple name of Sakeshop, the store has flung open its doors on Percival Street…

After a successful outing last year, the picturesque Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains is once again planning to host an extravagant Winter Wonderland gala dinner fronted by celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge. The My Kitchen Rules judge will be making the short journey out of Sydney to lead guests through a culinary journey, centered around a four-course…

Named after a notorious outlaw subculture in Japan, Bosozuku is South Yarra’s new Japanese burgers joint and sake den, a 200-seater located just off Chapel Street with designs on becoming one of the city’s new favourite destinations. It’s from the same team behind Bird Watching Society and St Kilda’s buzzing Lady Grange, taking on a…

Flipping up the food menu at Potts Point favourite The Butler is newly appointed Head Chef Amber Doig, who has made some significant changes by bringing in an Ibero-American influence while retaining the venue’s share-style approach to dining. In making use of traditional Central and South American cooking techniques, recipes and methods, the New Zealand-born…

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….

Friday 14th July is Bastille Day, France’s national day which always brings an excuse to indulge in the rich culture and cuisine of the famous country. Being that some of the country’s best French restaurants are located up and down the East Coast – particularly Melbourne and Sydney – Bastille Day across the country’s two…

On this week’s flight review we travel from Hobart to Sydney with Jetstar, on the final flight of the night to depart the Tasmanian airport. Airline: Jetstar Route: Hobart to Sydney (JQ724) Type: Airbus A320 Class: Economy Seat: 11A (Window 3-3) Flight Time: 1 hour 50 minutes On Time? Departed and arrived about 45 minutes…

Don’t call it comeback. Australian beef producer Jack’s Creek have, for the third year in a row, dominated London’s coveted World Steak Challenge, walking away with the title of World’s Best Fillet Steak. Bringing home one of the competition’s top awards, this has solidified Jack’s Creek as a serious force despite being a relative newcomer…

From their opening mid last year, no filter was needed to appreciate the scrumptious and undeniably ‘Instagram-worthy’ dishes served up at The Crux & Co. As their photographic dishes flooded social feeds all over Melbourne, the stunning cafe have stepped it up a notch with a new menu, and a new head chef, to bring…

Sydney CBD’s Jardin St James are reaching out from their location in the forecourt of the city’s oldest church for a little hole-in-the-wall pop-up down in Potts Point, set to operate from today for the next month or so with a heavy, heady and delicious focus on the art of the French baguette. At least…

Kuala Lumpur has the most affordable five-star hotels in the world, many scattered all over the city so that visitors have some excellent choices no matter which location they are scouting. For the city’s dynamic Chow Kit an obvious go-to is the Sheraton Imperial, a sprawling property that lives up its celebrated brand, from comfortable…

Next week, the 24th edition of the Singapore Food Festival (SFF) will launch and take over the city for two weeks of incredible eats, all under the theme “Savour Singapore in Every Bite”. Those who know the city as we do realise that you don’t need a festival to tell everyone how good the food…

This July, the Gold Coast’s stunning InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort and Taylors Wines are teaming up to celebrate the Sanctuary Cove Winter Wine Festival. Running across two days from July 22nd the resort will host three events different events to bring guests across a wide range of exclusive experiences. These include the Taylors Wines luxury…

Ubiquitous chocolate heaven Max Brenner is doing things a little differently come this year’s World Chocolate Day on Friday 7th July, offering chocolate-lovers the chance to get (almost) anything they want drizzled in the brand’s signature melted chocolate for free. Yeah, that means anything: avo on toast, a burger, a person, your old Sisqo CD’s,…

Borrowing from the urban vibe of New York City, Mercure Sydney have given their Eve’s Bar an essential makeover, determined to positioned it as a go-to for not just guests, but also locals and commuters looking for a reliable option for lunch or after-work drinks. Sporting a brand new design, the bar now glows with…

The burger gods at Mary’s have decided that their CBD joint (the one right near Pitt St Mall) needs a bit of a makeover, so along with a new fit-out the team have introduced a full breakfast menu, primarily aimed at the many, many sad and regretful hungover individuals that stalk Sydney’s street on the…

It’s been four years since the almighty Belly Bao shot straight to the heart of Sydney’s food lovers. In 2013 they began trading fortnightly at Paddington Markets, growing a loyal following with lovingly steamed bao buns and various fillings like crispy fried chicken and crackling roast pork belly. They worked up a collective appetite among…

Surprisingly Melbourne has never had a Unicorn Festival before. What’s even more surprising is that unicorn doesn’t mean a multi-coloured mythical horse-like creature with a sharp horn anymore; it means sugary, ‘gram-worthy desserts like donuts, scrolls and ice creams. That’s what’s in store for Melbourne locals and visitors at the city’s first ever Unicorn Festival,…

This July, The Glenmore Hotel in The Rocks will host its fourth annual Rye July whisky celebration series. It boasts being a series of events for seasoned whisky-lovers and those looking to move up the ranks to a connoisseur. Two events over July are currently planned to tempt you away from those Dry July ambitions…

Though the enormous – and enormously important – opening weekend for The Lansdowne is done and dusted, the triumphant return of the Sydney icon still has a long way to go. The much talked about re-opening has already marked a big win for the resurgence of the city’s once-smothered live music circuit, but there’s more…

Cairns bartender Jacob Cohen has recently won the Southern Comfort Traveling Tales cocktail competition. It consisted of numerous rounds around the nation before the Finals held at NOLA Smokehouse and Bar in Barangaroo, Sydney. Jacob has a chat to us before he sets off to New Orleans to experience his first-place prize as well as…

From now until the end of August The Common Lawn at South Wharf in Melbourne will operate as a specially designed arctic oasis, complete with undercover ice rink, toboggan slide, and a dedicated Lavazza & Absolut Chill Out Zone with food and drinks. To warm up after shredding it up on the rink there’s cocktails,…

A beautifully curated menu has hit Sydney’s The Gantry for the remainder of this month, offering an extra special collaborative feast that includes chefs from heavy-hitting culinary powerhouses like Sixpenny and Biota Dining. It’s a rare opportunity to showcase dishes by so many award-winning chefs in one spot, presenting diners with an essential, affordable set…

Break out the fireworks because Fourth of July is upon us, giving us Aussies a good excuse to celebrate everything we think we know about American culture. That is, fatty delicious food, of course. There’s a whole bunch of events around the major cultural hubs of Sydney and Melbourne today (some even lasting the rest…

Teaming up with Puma for Arsenal FC’s first visit to Australia in 40 years, Surry Hills fried chicken and sneaker joint Butter has gone through a bit of a makeover, borrowing a bright shade of red from the limited edition and never released Puma Arsenal Suedes​. In addition to giving away 50 pairs of the…

Described as an “edited hotel experience”, Tribe is an interesting entry into the ever-growing scene of boutique, pared accommodation which seems to view the traditional weight of hospitality as excessive and unnecessary. The curation for Australia’s newest hotel brand has tapped into various design influences to maintain a unique sense of style in a city…

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light,” – Helen Keller Friends are a great thing to have. A good friend can give you so many things: Advice, Confidence, Wisdom. But the best friends are the ones who are just there. It took me seven days, four countries…