Month: May 2019

SO Sofitel Bangkok Review: Fashionable luxury living

Marriott has the W, IHG have Hotel Indigo, and Sofitel (owned by Accor) have the rapidly growing “SO/”. Hotel brands known for their warm luxurious embraces have, in the past decade especially, finessed their respective languages and funnelled them into younger, energetic off-shoots that fully commit to the “luxury boutique” label and thrive on individuality….

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13 Films You Must See at Sydney Film Festival 2019

It’s almost time for the annual Sydney Film Festival (5th – 16th June), stretching almost a fortnight across Sydney’s best cinemas – including the historic State Theatre – with a hugely diverse program of films from around the world. There’s almost too many gems to get through this year, so we’ve compiled a list of…

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Film Review: Triple Threat may not live up to its promise, but it is still an action-packed treat

If you were to see the cast of Triple Threat, which is jam-packed with talented martial artists/established action heroes, chances are that you would be overly excited. With this much talent in an action film, how can it possibly fail? We must consider the people behind the scenes. Triple Threat has director Jesse V. Johnson,…

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Hotel Review: St Martin’s Lane is playful luxury in the heart of London’s West End

In Covent Garden, just on the outskirts of the heart of theatre district (London’s West End), is one of the area’s finest hotels, St Martins Lane London. But this is luxury with a twist – with a green revolving door at the entry, and an eccentric design collection that await you in the hotel’s spacious lobby….

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Track of the Day: Bianca Rose “Run & Hide” (2019)

British/Nigerian/Jamaican singer-songwriter Bianca Rose has returned with her new single, “Run & Hide”;  the first release since her 2017 debut album No Fear Here. Written with and produced by Jake Isaac, “Run & Hide” encourages us to feel our feelings, especially surrounding loss, and not bottling up your emotions, or allowing yourself to get stuck…

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Interview: Birdz talks Place of Dreams and the evolution of Aussie hip hop

Earlier this month rising Australian hip hop artist Birdz released his highly anticipated EP, Place of Dreams. Released on Bad Apples Music, the EP sees the NT-raised and Melbourne-based rapper explore some hard-hitting themes and personal experiences, and collaborating with some quality Australian vocalists along the way. Following the release of the EP, we caught up…

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Five things you need to do on the Northern tip of Phuket

Some of Phuket’s most beautiful national parks and jungle trails are actually found north of the airport. While much of the island’s often chaotic nightlife kicks off in the opposite direction, it’s the unspoilt natural beauty and lush landscapes that make heading up the right choice for visitors to the famous island. Though that doesn’t…

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Vivid Live Review: Spunk Records 20th Anniversary ft. The Middle East – Sydney Opera House (24.05.19)

Vivid Live has always had the ability to pull off some major coups when curating their line ups. Their 2019 edition was no different. In celebration of Spunk Records’ 20th Anniversary, enigmatic Townsville act The Middle East made their return to the stage after an eight-year absence. While there were some magic moments in the…

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Photo Gallery: Sydney premiere of Rocketman with Taron Egerton and Dexter Fletcher (25.05.19)

Taron Egerton and Director Dexter Fletcher walked the blue carpet in Sydney along with other celebrities and guests for the premiere of the highly anticipated film Rocketman

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Flying Virgin Atlantic’s flagship route from Heathrow to JFK: Economy on the 787 Dreamliner

Last week, I jumped on board Virgin Atlantic‘s flagship route from Heathrow to JFK on board the new Dreamliner 787. How does the service stack up? Here’s today’s flight review… Airline: Virgin Atlantic Route: LHR – JFK (VS137) Aircraft: Boeing 787-900 Seat: 59G centre aisle 3-3-3 Flight Time: 6 Hours 45 Minutes (Scheduled at closer…

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Sydney’s Italian dining institution, Machiavelli, is now open on Saturdays

Often cited as one of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney, Machiavelli Ristorante Italiano has edged forward with something the institution has never before done. After three decades of serving high flying corporates, visiting celebrities, and most famously Australia’s political elite, the Italian restaurant is now extending trading hours to include Saturday nights. Historically, the…

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Sydney Contemporary: At least 85 of the world’s best galleries coming to Carriageworks

For the 2019 edition of Sydney Contemporary, more than 85 galleries from across the country and around the globe will come together at Carriageworks for four days of Australasia’s largest and most diverse art fair. Five different continents will be represented, showcasing over 300 artists from more than 30 different countries, including France, Japan, New…

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Stephen Colbert played D&D with Matt Mercer for Red Nose Day and its the best

Critical Role cannot be stopped. The popular Dungeons & Dragons live stream, an improvised fantasy novel played weekly by a group of veteran voice actors, is on an enviable run. Following their record-breaking US$11,385,449 (AUD$16,501,500) animated series Kickstarter, Critical Role has returned to its roots, raising money for charity with a pledge drive supporting Red…

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First Impressions: Amazon Prime’s Good Omens is a black comedy doomsday romp

In these current dark and tumultuous times it can often seem like we’re rushing faster towards an impending apocalyptic like end. But fear not, the world continues to turn and we can rest assured that in the meantime watching Amazon Prime’s new series Good Omens will alleviate some of that tension. The show is based…

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Track of the Day: Eugénie “Little Bit In Love” (2019)

French-Australian singer-songwriter Eugénie has today dropped, “Little Bit in Love” her debut single and the lead single from her forthcoming EP Arrhythmia, which is due to be released later in the year.  Raised on the bustling streets of downtown Manhattan, and having studied Comparative Literature at NYU, Eugénie has recently relocated to Melbourne to make…

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Your ultimate food and drink guide to Vivid Sydney 2019

One look at the Sydney Opera House and the surrounding Circular Quay during Vivid Sydney is all it needs to fall in love with the festival all over again. Despite the train delays and constant crowds, something about this buzzing and energetic festival of lights, music and ideas captures the imaginations of both visitors and…

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Ramada’s Dead Sea Resort Review: Visiting the world’s oldest spa in Jordan

The Dead Sea can hardly be claimed as a new attraction. When Christ was born not even 50km away, Cleopatra had already built the world’s first spas on the shore of the famously salty lake, so that she could bathe in the mineral-rich waters and retain her youthful looks. Clearly it worked, and many others…

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Five things to do in Sydney over the next few weeks: May & June 2019

You’d be mistaken if you thought Sydney was all about the summer months. As soon as winter hits, the city seems to spring to life with some of its greatest yearly events, as well as a whole host of other fun things to do. And the next few weeks will certainly showcase that, with the…

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Track of the Day: Camp 8 “Everything” (2019)

“Everything” is the debut release from Melbourne-based songwriter Reuben Apirana a.k.a. Camp  8. Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Apirana moved to Australia and the Sunshine Coast at a young age, before relocating to Melbourne about four years ago. Having grown up in a music family it’s perhaps unsurprising that Apirana has turned to a career in…

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Film Review: Aladdin is tonally inconsistent but a fun remake of an OG classic

It’s easy to be cynical about the Disney juggernaut of rolling out live action remakes of their classic animated properties. We’ve already had Dumbo earlier this year which was watchable but felt like a little misstep by Tim Burton. Next comes Aladdin, which along with The Lion King releasing July 17 will be the 1-2…

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Guest Playlist: Sydney artist East Denistone’s favourite tracks of 2019 (so far)

Earlier this month Sydney singer-songwriter East Denistone dropped his new single “River”, his second for the year, and a fitting continuation of the indie sounds presented on its predecessor “Amongst Taller Trees”.  From its dramatic and evocative prelude through to its conclusion, “River” aptly displays the Sydney artist’s rich lyricism and commanding and strong vocal…

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Travellers in London are being given the chance to stay in the Men in Black HQ

Head of Sony Pictures Men in Black: International, the studio has teamed up with Booking.com to faithfully recreate the film’s London based headquarters, and open it up for public accommodation. Available exclusively on the booking website, two guests per night will be able to book into this very unique stay which will come with a…

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Tokyo’s latest co-working space makes being a digital nomad so much easier

Tokyo may be one of the most popular travel destinations for Aussies right now, but it doesn’t necessarily have a reputation for being a “digital nomad” city. Given that space is a premium, language barriers still very much exist, and Japan’s love of rules and paperwork, it’s a reputation that in the past has been…

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Traditional Italian zippoli doughnuts make their way to Sydney

From cronuts to freakshakes, most of Sydney’s zany dessert trends involve doughnuts in some capacity. The latest: the Zippoli. The traditional Italian version of the classic doughnut has been officially put forth as Sydney’s next deep-fried food obsession thanks to restauranteur Anthony Furfaro, who has opened a new dessert bar in the South-West suburb of…

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Observation Shines as an Original and Intriguing Space Adventure

I’ll be the first to admit it, I’ve never played a game like Observation before. While games of this nature have great examples in Night Trap and Manhunt, both of which use surveillance cameras as a narrative device to push the story forward, the introduction of an AI-based character is a wholly original way to tell…

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The Razer BlackWidow is the mother of all keyboards

The Razer BlackWidow is hot. From its perfect, clicky-clacky keys to its shiny rainbow lighting and sleek design, everything about it is hot. In fact, you going to have to pry this keyboard out of my cold, dead hands because I’m in love. You’ve probably seen the BlackWidow before. It’s got fantastic pedigree as one…

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McDonald’s promises “improvements” for Big Mac, Quarter Pounder and Cheeseburger

Starting today, McDonald’s outlets across Australia will be the first across the globe to introduce some subtle improvements to the burgers that have made Maccas the dominant chain it is today. The classics, which include the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder and Cheeseburger, are said to have undergone a number of careful improvements to the way…

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Interview: Ryan & Jasmin of Mother Mother (Canada) on touring Europe for the first time in 8 years and “keeping the love alive”

To those in North America, Mother Mother need little introduction. The Canadian group, over the course of 7 full length records and almost 15 years, have amassed a passionate fanbase in both the US and at home in Canada. But to those overseas, they’re still a relatively unknown outfit – largely due to the fact…

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East Hotel Review: Heaven for Canberra’s visiting gourmands

No one who has been to Canberra in the past few years would dare say the city lacks character. Though Australia’s capital may be better known as the seat of a chaotic political scene, its not hard to be won over by world-class museums, stunning urban vineyards, classic markets, spectacular light festivals and an exceptional…

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The Strokes kick off first tour dates in years with rare headline show in Toronto: Here’s what happened

Last night in Toronto, Canada, iconic New York group The Strokes officially kicked off their 2019 tour – their first since 2017. The headline show was a part of the band’s “global comeback” that also saw the group play a surprise, intimate warm up show in Los Angeles earlier this month. The gig, which kicked…

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