Travel & Lifestyle

For the past few years, the fine folk behind QT Hotels have been posting up a bit of a Christmas day for families and friends who want to eat and drink very, very well. A taste of absolute decadence is packed into the group’s QT At Home boxes, gifting merry-makers a one-stop-shop of deliciousness so…

The age-old art of room service is one of the last aspects to hotel living that hasn’t changed one bit. You open the menu and you’d reasonably expect to see dishes from all over the world, designed to cater to a great variety of guests with the usual burgers, pastas and curries just one call…

The insights of a Master of Wine are what truly sets Enoteca Centro apart from other wine bars in Perth. The venue is a summery oasis, hidden away on Wesley Lane behind the historic Uniting Church, a casual Italian-inspired take on the usual inner-city happy hour destinations. But it’s Master of Wine Brendan Jansen’s carefully…

You can find martinis everywhere in Sydney. The colder the better. And yet, this classic cocktail needed a bit of spicing up earlier this month for Australian Gin Week. Luckily, the locally grown Seven Seasons label stepped up to the plate. Earlier this month, the Australian gin brand teamed up with Barangaroo House’s music loving…

Our friends at Young Henrys have always been ones to push the barriers when it comes to releasing new beer varieties. This time, just in time for summer, is a core range of Cold XPA. Brewed cold. Drink colder. This joins the existing lineup of Newtowner, Hazy Pale Ale, Natural Larger, IPA, Stayer Mid Strength, Cloudy Cider & Ginger Beer. The beer…

Debut flights from Adelaide via Perth have begun just this week. At Adelaide Airport, Executive GM of People Culture and Customer at Adelaide Airport, Dermot O’Neil and Brenton Cox, Managing Director welcomed Vietjet, who are the first carriers offering direct flights to Vietnam. South Australian Tourism Minister, Zoe Bettison was also there to help with the…

There isn’t much in the world of craft gin that Aussies haven’t seen before. Yet, Kangaroo Island Spirits has managed to one-up itself by releasing a First Harvest Juniper Gin. This is the world’s first gin made exclusively from Australian grown, single sourced common juniper harvested on Kangaroo Island. Taking 100% locally grown juniper, the…

If you’ve travelled in the past two years, you’d know that lost luggage is an all too real possibility. For many, the trauma of a lost bag has offered food for thought, so much so that we are witnessing a redirection towards a more ‘minimalist mindset’ – and a resurgence of the ‘carry-on only’ travel…

Ozzie Tails of Hope Ltd is bringing their pet and family-friendly fundraising event, Santa Paws, to Sydney to help raise money for animal rescue charities across the nation this November. The event will be held on Sunday the 26th of November at Centennial Park (Federation Drive) in Paddington, Sydney. Starting at 9.00 a.m. and concluding at…

Whether you’re embarking from Sydney or Brisbane, we think all Aussies can agree that very few holidays capture that quintessential tropical lifestyle like Carnival Cruise Line South Pacific expeditions. That long-awaited dream of island hopping across vast archipelagos and relaxing on an epic cruise in one itinerary is why many Aussies of all ages choose…

Niche hobby festivals are always worth checking out in Sydney, especially when you’re looking for something new to do as the silly season approaches. In early December, all eyes will be on Sneakerland, which arrives in town after a successful run in Perth and Melbourne. And you don’t really need a synopsis to know what…

Compromising on your personal style while travelling has always been a big issue. You’re limited by luggage, it’s often hard to get a sense of the weather each day, and sometimes you’re too rushed to even think about what to wear. That’s why it’s a good idea to find a balance when you’re travelling. You…

The fusion between French and Vietnamese is well-recognised but hardly represented as well as it should be in Sydney. There are exceptions. One of my favourite Vietnamese restaurants in Sydney, Hello Auntie, offers a masterclass in Vietnamese cuisine while paying homage to its French roots. And sister venue Hey Chu does it just as well….

One of Sydney’s most upscale cafes, The Mayflower Darlinghurst, is paying tribute to the odd combination of whisky and peanut butter with a summer-ready pop-up bar exclusively dedicated to espresso martinis and ice cream. Yes, it may sound like a strange shot in any season, but Sheep Dog Peanut Butter Whiskey and Elato Ice Cream…

Adelaide, and South Australia in general, are quite underrated destinations—as are many places that don’t benefit from famous attractions like the Sydney Harbour Bridge. With a city centre free from skyscrapers and a population of only 1.3 million, Adelaide has been labelled a ‘country town’ city—but maybe there’s a bit more to discover than meets…

The newly reimagined building that now houses Hotel Alba is a bright spot on South Terrace, a shining row of pointed white roofs across from the peaceful expanse of Kurangga / Blue Gum Park. Just a quick 15-minute drive from Adelaide airport, the hotel sits conveniently at the edge of the city centre, and combines…

In recent news, Vietjet have announced new flight routes between Vietnam and Australia. The new routes are between Ho Chi Min City and Perth and Adelaide respectively. Both routes will commence on November 21st, with five weekly return flights from each destination. Flights to Adelaide and Perth leave Ho Chi Minh City at 6.35am on…

Spring has sprung and the warmer weather is finally upon us! And as much as I love the not-quite-summer sun, dressing for this time of year can be tricky (especially with that unpredictable Melbourne weather!) But rest assured, Sussan has you covered with their Australian Cotton range. Designed in Melbourne and made with 100% Australian…

Get ready to embrace the vibrant and sizzling world of summer fashion as Melbourne awakens to the warmer months. Melbourne Fashion Week 2023 is just around the corner (23rd to 29th October 2023), and you don’t want to be left behind in the style race. In this guide, we’ll not only keep you up to…

Melbourne is a diverse city, with way too much to fit into one visit. There is no shortage of restaurants, art galleries, bars, nightclubs, cafes and shopping that will keep you entertained on your next trip to (arguably) Australia’s most cultured city. But what sits off the beaten path? Here are just ten of our…

Award-winning boutique QT Sydney already has one of the city’s best restaurants in beloved Italian-accented grill house, Gowings, but the eccentric property is clearly not done with revolutionising the city’s hotel dining scene. The low-lit and intimate street-level cafe that was once known as Parlour Cucina has now relaunched as Parlour, a sultry all-day Parisian…

On 9 September (9.9), Vietjet offers travellers from Australia a fantastic opportunity to score free tickets within Vietjet’s entire domestic and international network for 24 hours, from 0:00 to 23:59 GMT +7. Millions of tickets will have AUD 0 base fare, and only corresponding taxes and surcharges will apply. Travellers simply need to visit Vietjet’s…

Vietnam is a popular tourist destination known for its stunning landscapes, historic sites, and cultural attractions. Places like Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, and the Mekong Delta attract millions of tourists each year. Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to…

Junipalooza is a festival that has made a name for itself with festivals from London to Melbourne. The aim of the festival is for gin-makers to showcase their product directly to gin-lovers. The advantage of meeting the makers is learning about tasting notes, flavours and stories behind the gin making process. Last year was the…

Vietjet Airlines have been operating successfully within Vietnam for over a decade, with around 450 flights daily across 160 routes connecting Vietnam with other countries across Asia, and now Australia. Although marketed as a budget airline, they have an impressive safety rating of 7 stars  by the world’s only safety and product rating website airlineratings.com. …

If you’re lucky enough to live in a city or a country with a bustling rail network, chances are you’ve rarely thought of train travel as little more than a modern convenience (and certainly preferable to a bus). But the history of rail travel – both from a commercial and commuter level – is one…

It’s been a while since I last ventured into a fusion restaurant, let alone one that skillfully harmonizes not just two, but three distinct culinary traditions into a symphony of flavors. Calle Rey has masterfully achieved this feat, exuding both confidence and finesse through its plant-based and gluten-free menu. The abundance of exquisite diversity in…

The Melbour1ne International Film Festival is in full swing, and with multiple sessions across different cinemas in the city, it can be tough to fit all the movies we want to see in and remember to eat. While I spent last weekend running around the city, surviving on quick dashes to various fast food establishments,…

Young Henrys Brewery in Newtown are no strangers to pushing the beer flavour envelope. Their latest offering, the “Phantasmic Mr Hops” IPA beer is inspired by the Wes Anderson movie, “Fantastic Mr Fox.” Phantasmic Mr Hops is a 7% experimental IPA utilising an innovative new flavour-producing compound named Phantasm. Phantasm is a powder derived from New…

If you love boutique shopping and you are in Melbourne this weekend, the Life Instyle expo is here to fill your bags with a carefully curated collection of brands from Australia and overseas. Taking over the Royal Exhibition Building, the show floor offers 355 brands for you to browse and shop, including opportunities to meet…