Film Review: Just To Be Sure (Ôtez-moi d’un doute) (France, 2017) is a fun & whimsical little farce

Just To Be Sure (Ôtez-moi d’un doute) is a French comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It deals with some important and weighty issues like: family, identity and roots but handles these in a quirky and funny way. What could have been a self-proclaimed neo-Greek tragedy actually turns out to be a fun and…

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Film Review: Coco (USA, 2017) is yet another irresistible fable from a studio uniquely versed in their ways of storytelling

We really shouldn’t be overly surprised at this point when Pixar release yet another beautiful, thought provoking, emotionally stirring film. What’s more important is the respective film’s ranking in the overall studio canon, and if it will earn longevity (ala Toy Story) or leave little impression (2015’s The Good Dinosaur). Time will tell if Coco…

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The Iris’ 2017 Game of the Year Top 10

The year’s end is upon us once more and that means yearly wrap pieces. It’s been a pretty amazing year in the games industry. Microsoft launched the most powerful console ever made, and Nintendo released an altogether new one. We saw AAA disasters, runaway indie successes and an combative relationship with microtransactions as publishers figure…

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Radisson to debut in Mumbai with 112-room property planned for 2019

Come 2019 renowned hotel brand Radisson will make its debut in Mumbai, Maharashtra with the 112-room Radisson Mumbai Andheri MIDC. Set to accelerate Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s overall growth and expansion plans in the country, the new hotel will be developed in partnership with GHV Hospitality India Private Limited in one of the most prominent…

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Review: A Very Kransky Christmas has the audience in (festive) stitches

The Kransky Sisters have set out on a national Christmas tour from their hometown in Esk, Queensland, to share their memories of Christmases past. Before the sisters arrive, the audience is treated to an intriguing slide show of their adventures to date, featuring the big Koala and the big potato amongst other charming places. Eve,…

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Review: Club Swizzle sizzles and entertains at Space Theatre in Adelaide

Amongst the rubble of the Festival Theatre, buried deep in the Space Theatre, Club Swizzle is a welcome distraction to the outside world. Transformed into a burlesque bar, the atmosphere hits long before the show even begins. Waiters wander and the MC, Reuben Kaye mingles and greets the guests as they take their seats. The…

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Book Review: Best Australian Stories 2017 brings together a mix of the new and the familiar

Each year, Black Inc bring out three volumes which wrap up a selection of the year’s best Australian stories, poems and essays. These collections have been edited by various authors over the years, among them Robert Drewe, Geordie Williamson, Cate Kennedy, Amanda Lohrey, and, most recently, Charlotte Wood.  The 2017 collection of short stories was…

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Rarities and unique drinks on the shelf for Newtown’s new P&V Wine & Liquor (Sydney)

Lou Dowling of Mary’s has teamed up with the beloved burger joints co-founders, Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, as well as renowned wine and drinks expert (and well-known journalist) Mike Bennie to open P&V Wine & Liquor in Newtown. Located on Enmore road, the recently opened drinks concept is being described as “part bottle-o, part…

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Tech Review: Microsoft’s Surface Laptop dominates its price range with superior battery life

At first it may seem odd Microsoft present such a standard-looking laptop following their run with the Surface Pro and Surface RT series, a wearily received but now beloved family of tablets that really reinvented the company’s image to the casual tech consumer. Their goal of creating new product categories is nowhere to be found…

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Games Review: Hello Neighbor (Xbox One, 2017): Goodbye player

Dynamic Pixels Stealth Survival Horror is a pretty hefty banner to place on their title of Hello Neighbor, especially after recently trying to drift through games such as Outlast 2 and even the beautifully well made Little Nightmares. Hello Neighbor comes about as close to horror as your nanna’s dirty unwashed knickers: it’s creepy, cringe…

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The William Inglis Hotel is South West Sydney’s first five-star luxury boutique hotel

Next month South West Sydney will be getting it’s very first boutique five-star luxury property with The William Inglis Hotel, part of the high-end MGallery by Sofitel collection which also includes The Como Melbourne and Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney. The eight-level, 144-room hotel will form part of the new $140 million precinct near Warwick Farm,…

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Review: Nespresso take a giant leap forward with the futuristic VertuoPlus

Such a substantial departure from the long-established pods that have been churned through Nespresso machines for years is a bit of a risk for such a dominant company. Introducing their new Vertuo line-up earlier this year represented a huge leap for the brand, presenting several models – some made by Breville and DeLonghi – onto…

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Maurice Terzini and Adrian Reed open Luigi’s Hot Pizza in Canggu (Bali)

Maurice Terzini, the renowned chef behind Australian icon Icebergs Dining & Bar in Sydney (and others), has teamed up with Adrian Reed (of Motel Mexicola) once again to open Luigi’s Hot Pizza in the heart of Bali’s Canggu junction. The duo, whose first Bali collaboration Da Maria Bali is a beloved spot for Italian dining,…

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Adrian Reed of Motel Mexicola opens Luigi’s Hot Pizza in Canggu, Bali

Maurice Terzini, the renowned chef behind Australian icon Icebergs Dining & Bar in Sydney (and others), has teamed up with Adrian Reed (of Motel Mexicola) once again to open Luigi’s Hot Pizza in the heart of Bali’s Canggu junction. The duo, whose first Bali collaboration Da Maria Bali is a beloved spot for Italian dining,…

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Thousands of free grapevines on offer as Sydney to become the world’s largest Urban Vineyard

A new initiative dubbed The Urban Vineyard Project is coming to Sydney over the holidays with the aim of giving away thousands of grapevines to be planted across the city, including on balconies, in backyards and even windowsills. The idea is to turn Sydney in the world’s largest urban vineyard, recalling the city’s central Macquarie…

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Interview: Actor Adeel Akhtar reflects on Victoria & Abdul; working with Judi Dench and Stephen Frears

Starring Judi Dench and Ali Fazal, Victoria and Abdul is Stephen Frears’ latest film, chronicling the unlikely friendship of Queen Victoria and her Indian attendant, Abdul Karim, in the late 1800s. The film was released on DVD and Blu-Ray this week, and to get some more perspective on the project, I caught up with British…

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United Airlines will fly you to Texas for free if your first or last name is “Houston”

If your first or last name is “Houston” then you have a damn good reason to be excited about United Airlines’ new daily nonstop service between Sydney and Houston, Texas which will be introduced on 20th January 2018. To celebrate the inaugural flight, the airline has put a call out for anyone with the aforementioned…

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Surfs Up! Cebu Pacific introduce direct flights between Manila and Siargao

Cebu Pacific has announced the introduction of direct flights between Manila and popular surfing destination Siargao just in time for Australia’s summer holidays. With year-round fares from Sydney starting at AU$384, this increases accessibility to the tear-drop shaped island, which is located 800km southeast of the Philippines capital in the province of Surigao del Norte….

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A new resort from Radisson Blu is opening in Uluwatu, Bali next month

The increasingly popular area of Uluwatu on the southwestern tip of Bali is set to welcome a new property in January 2018 with Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu, a resort from the world renowned brand that boasts direct access to one of the island’s most popular surfing beaches as well as numerous pristine shores and popular…

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Aussie travellers are now able to apply for a Brazilian visa online

The Brazilian Government has just made it much, much easier for Australian passport holders looking to travel to Brazil with a new online visa which features a response time of 72 hours. The new electronic visa takes some of the hassle out of planning a trip to the highly sought after desintation, which is ranked…

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Lufthansa plan new business class product for forthcoming Boeing 777-9 fleet

Come 2020, passengers on Lufthansa will be opened up to a swift upgrade in privacy and comfort as the airline has this month unveiled plans for a new Business Class product for their forthcoming Boeing 777-9 fleet. This will range from seats with more desk space to new mattresses, duvets and even pyjamas. The focus…

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Wailoaloa Beach’s Crowne Plaza set to be the largest hotel resort in Fiji

InterContinental Hotels Group have signed a management agreement with Quantum Hi-Tech Group Limited to develop the largest hotel resort in Fiji. Set to open in 2020, Crowne Plaza Fiji Wailoaloa Beach will be positioned just a 10 minute drive from the island’s primary Nadi International Airport, boasting a beachfront location and five restaurant and bar…

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The best New Year’s Eve parties around Brisbane for 2017/18

The loosest day of the year is upon us! New Year’s Eve is going to bounce us into 2018 and it’s your choice whether you want that to be in style or in shambles. It’s long known that deep in the heart of the CBD is exactly where you do not in any way, shape…

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After three years in the making, Matt Moran’s ambitious Barangaroo House is now open (Sydney)

Ambitious, architecturally stunning, and right by Sydney Harbour. Solotel and Matt Moran have finally opened the three-level Barangaroo House to the public. The dramatic award-winning building on Barangaroo Avenue has been carefully shaped to offer three distinctive dining and bar concepts, all taking full advantage of those sweeping water views. “Barangaroo House is looking beautiful,…

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Deliveroo have revealed the top 100 most delivered dishes from around the world

Who would have thought a burrito from Guzman Y Gomez was in the top 15 of Deliveroo’s most ordered dishes from around the world? The ubiquitous delivery service have taken the time to draw on piles of data from the past 12 months to put together a definitive list of the most ordered-online dishes in…

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The Fernery is Mosman’s new rooftop garden with a Gin room and Rosé bar (Sydney)

The team behind The Greens North Sydney and Camperdown’s sprawling acre Eatery are putting the finishing touches on their third Sydney venue to open in Mosman at the beginning of next month. John Tully and Luke Heard will present the ritzy North Shore suburb with The Fernery, a lush garden terrace poised to dominate the…

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Winners of the 2017 AU Awards announced; Meg Mac, Gang of Youths, Bec Sandridge & West Thebarton come out on top

Earlier in the week, we announced our annual list of acknowledgements of live music and the artists who have really made 2017 their own, via the annual AU Awards. Whether it was a breakout year for some, or a year where an acclaimed album became a defining moment in a band’s career, 2017 has provided some epic…

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Future Classic brings Mount Kimbie, Kučka & Christopher Port to Twilight at Taronga

Tastemakers Future Classic have been welcomed into the embraces of Sydney’s Twilight At Taronga series for 2018, with the music company set to host a night of music all their own on March 9th. Featuring Mount Kimbie, Kučka and Christopher Port, the night marks the first partnership and show of its kind between Future Classic and Twilight at Taronga so no doubt,…

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Music Video of the Day: Bully “Running” (2017)

Bully’s latest album Losing was released to much acclaim, with the buzz artists properly breaking out of the mould and further into the spotlight of the unique spot in the indie landscape they’ve been consistently making their own. We’ve been digging the recently released music video for their album track “Running”, directed by Alan Del Rio Ortiz and…

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Single of the Day: Stonefield “Delusion” (2017)

Stonefield are officially back, baby. The Findlay sisters have unleashed their new single in “Delusion” this week, the first taste of new material since their sophomore album As Above, So Below wrapped up and the band joined Flightless Records. Demonstrating a noticeable sonic shift for Stonefield, whose music had been marked by rich psych-pop licks, in…

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