Travel & Lifestyle

As we dive into the nitty gritty of summer, the end of January brings a time to reflect on what has been a packed 12 months for Sydney’s excellent bar scene. Influential publication Time Out did just that for their annual Sydney Bar Awards, rewarding top performers across several categories such as “Best Restaurant Bar”,…

Modern Australian influences drip all over Barangaroo’s new rooftop bar, which is now open and comes to us from Dixon Hospitality, the fine folk behind institutions like The Norfolk and Forresters. Dubbed Untied, the breezy indoor-outdoor addition to the flash precinct is a light-hearted look at Australiana through the lens of Queensland’s tropical rainforests, meaning…

Last year Kit Kat Japan broke naive hearts across Japan as they announced that their “Kit Kat Sushi” concept was indeed an April Fool’s Day joke. But now it seems what started as a fun (evil) way to mess with their customers has now turned into a reality as website Tokyo Bargain Mania are reporting…

I would be very surprised if any frequent traveller had never heard of W Hotels & Resorts. Though down here in Australia the luxury chain no longer has much of a presence (that’ll all change with W Brisbane in 2018 and W Sydney in 2019), there are around 47 W properties in over 20 different…

The lower north shore’s S’Age Bistronomy is unexpectedly great, calling on a fusion of flavours where east and west meet. Head chef Tomoyuki Usui has worked abroad before making Sydney his home, so it’s no surprise that his cooking brings French cuisine with Asian and especially Japanese influences. The beautiful presentation indicates French fine dining,…

Seminyak, Bali has a new hotspot in it’s endless line of options. The recently opened Bikini, a luxe, architecturally designed space, blends the urban style of a New York warehouse with a decadent Miami beach party feel. With up to 120 seats in both its bar and restaurant areas, it looks to be a very…

The 37th Sydney International Wine Competition (SIWC) will feature two public tastings on Saturday 11 February at the Novotel Sydney Central, and will feature over 280 wines awarded TOP 1OO, Blue Gold, and Gold medals, including trophy winners. Included in this group are two ‘surprise’ medal winners – the debut Shiraz and Rosé wines blended…

Since its opening in 1963, the Loews Regency New York has been one of the most sought after hotels on Park Avenue. A recent US$100 million renovation has ensured it has maintained that status – not just becoming one of the finest luxury hotels in the city, but easily sitting amongst the best hotels of…

Last Month, Canadian province Manitoba’s not-for-profit industry association Manitoba Music, who develop and promote the growth and sustainability of the Manitoba music industry, released a report analysing the music industry’s economy impact in the province. In it, among many other key figures, is one that sticks out: The music industry in Manitoba generated $4.12 for…

With ridiculously cheap flight options, its relatively close proximity to Australia and the promise of endless cultural fascination, Tokyo has in recent years become a regular go-to destination for Aussie travellers. Though it enjoys a reputation for being an expensive destination to visit, when compared to our major cities, this idea is somewhat unfounded. That…

Determined, passionate and diligent: three traits attributed to the red fire rooster, the tenth sign of the Chinese Zodiac and the symbol for 2017’s Chinese New Year celebrations. A wealth of Chinese culture and tradition surrounds each city around the world from now until early February, bringing with it a huge amount of things to…

If a typical Aussie backyard BBQ is your main game for the Australia Day public holiday tomorrow then you may want to make sure you’ve got UberEATS on your smartphone. The delivery service have announced that instead of the usual messina and puppie bringing, their fleet of on-demand drivers will be heading around all serviced…

In time for Australia Day, KFC have just released what is perhaps their greatest creation since the Golden Gaytime Krusher made it’s way onto the fast food giant’s menu; the creation: Lamington krusher. The limited edition shake is being added to their range to go head-to-head with it’s Golden Gaytime counterpart, with KFC encouraging Australians…

Call this the dessert collaboration to end all dessert collaborations (and we all know just how many pop up just about every week). Arnott’s have had the good sense to take their iconic Tim Tam biscuits and introduce a range of new flavours in partnership with none other than the most in-demand dessert brand in…

The Pickathon Festival is taking place on the Pendarvis Farm in Oregon’s Happy Valley this August, headlined by Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires and featuring the likes of Dinosaur Jr., Ty Segall and Dungen. Among the American greats are some notable inclusions from Australia and New Zealand, with Marlon Williams, Alex Cameron and Julia Jacklin…

Just a few weeks ago a heartbroken woman left a voicemail message for Messina, essentially cutting ties with them because she couldn’t get her favourite dessert on New Year’s Eve. The dominate dessert demigods may not have won her back by standing outside of her window with a boombox raised above their head, but we…

Michelin-trained chef Ben Greeno has been leading the charge at Merivale’s The Paddington since it opened late 2015, and this week he’ll be overseeing the long awaited extension of that concept as the takeaway focused The Chicken Shop opens on Thursday 26 January. The small shopfront right next to The Paddington will be turned into…

A new dining experience is set to open in Melbourne’s stylish Emporium precinct, bringing a new restaurant-to-retail concept to the ever-growing precinct. Calia, named after an old lady that Michelin Star chef Francisco Javier Araya met in Spain, will open early this year. The new venue will allow diners to “try before they buy” from the sustainability-minded menu,…

In a delightful – and possibly delicious – collaboration, music trio Major Lazer and rum manufacturer Bacardi will begin a year-long partnership to launch The Sound of Rum, which will focus on multimedia events and experiences, unique music offerings and the development of a batch of limited-edition Bacardi rum. Dubbed “The Sound of Rum “, the recently announced project is tipped to…

In news sure to shake up the travel industry in this sector, Asian long haul budget carrier AirAsia X has become the first low-cost service on the continent to receive clearance for regularly scheduled passenger flights to the USA. To now, the only other budget carrier in the broader Australasian market to offer flights to…

The make summer a bit more bearable in Sydney the 2017 Australian Open of Surfing are giving people a pretty damn good reason to head down to Manly Beach in the last days of summer. The program of free live music, food and drink they have planned alongside parties and big names of surf, skateboarding…

Whether you want to eat or party your way through Australia Day, we’ve sought out some of our favourite events across the country (mainly Sydney and Melbourne) for you. Our official national day of celebration comes around this Thursday, but the various events around the country extend far beyond that, from Australia Day Eve (Wednesday)…

Standard slurpees be gone, some genius has finally realised the ultimate summer fantasy and combined chocolate milk with everyone’s favourite icy cold service station drink. Famous Newcastle born flavoured milk brand Oaks has now taken on a new life as frozen chocolate milk machines have been spotted in various – and seemingly random – Caltex…

After its $250 million redevelopment was unveiled to locals and guests last month, The Hyatt Regency Sydney seems ready to roll out some of their most exciting features, the latest being the exclusive waterfront Regency Club Lounge overlooking Darling Harbour. What is Australia’s largest five-star hotel and size and scale (a takeover of the former…

Over the last couple of weeks, a run of US festivals have revealed their headliners, and amongst them, a slew of Australian performers who will be making this trip to the North over the next few months. First up, Coachella has dropped its 2017 lineup earlier this month, confirming its headliner rumours and solidifying one…

Miami’s The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum FIU will exhibit the work of nine contemporary female artists hailing from remote Aboriginal areas, in an exhibition called Making the Infinite: Contemporary Women Artists from Aboriginal Australia. Artists featured are Nonggirrnga Marawili, Wintjiya Napaltjarri, Yukultji Napangati, Angelina Pwerle, Carlene West, Regina Pilawuk Wilson, Lena Yarinkura, Gulumbu…

New owners have seen a few changes going down at St Kilda favourite Pizza E Birra, with the restaurant now fashioned as Melbourne’s very first pizza and seafood bar. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to take over such an iconic venue and to continue the wonderful tradition of quality wood-fired pizza and beer”, said…

An upbeat and bright breakfast & brunch venue has recently arrived in Toorak from the same team behind Denis the Menace and St Edmonds. Grange Road Egg Shop is the name, and with a menu designed by Aleksander Nitecki (best known for his work at Yotam Ottolenghi) it’s bringing something playful and inventive to the…

As part of their international spirits ambassador programme, luxury spirits company William Grant & Sons have selected Australian award-winning bartender Richard Blanchard as their 100th ambassador. Appointed as the Glenfiddich Ambassador after working for the brand as a “whisky specialist” for the past three years, Blanchard will be responsible for growing the iconic single-malt Scotch…

Take chefs who’ve earned their individual chops at the likes of Momofuku Seiobo, Quay and Master and put them all in the kitchen together. You’d expect greatness right? Right. By all accounts that’s what you’ll find at their collective Penrith venture, Burger Head. Yep, you may have guessed from the name that this is yet…