Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.
After plenty of acclaim this year, it seems Dometic is poised to dominate the category of outdoor essentials. Planning a big camping trip? You might want to look into this incredibly well-considered device, which is aimed squarely at big groups who spend days or even weeks soaking up the great outdoors and don’t necessarily feel…
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The Ecovacs Deebot X5 Omni represents a significant leap forward in the evolution of robot vacuums. It introduces a suite of advanced features that enhance cleaning efficiency and user convenience. That’s the promise on paper and it’s more or less delivered here with stunning results. And while it may not be pushing the envelope, I’ve…
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Everyone knows the UE speakers as soon as they see them now. I don’t think there’s a sharehouse in Australia that doesn’t have at least two of these sitting around the lounge room, always ready to blast some Fred Again when the mood strikes. Such familiarity also leads to complacency at times. It’d be just…
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Compact with big ambitions, XGIMI’s MoGo 2 Pro might not be perfect but, for the price, it’s the portable projector to beat right now and has me excited about where the technology is going. When it comes to portable projectors, the XGIMI MoGo 2 Pro aims to redefine expectations, packing impressive features into a device…
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Santa’s state-sanctioned home invasions are just around the corner. The big ball of joy is going to be squeezing down your chimney in just a few weeks, but you don’t want him to spot a sad, empty Christmas tree when he makes it down, do you? Trees that shadow dozens upon dozens of wrapped presents,…
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Have you been to a rave at Sydney’s Carriageworks? You may have popped by the Carriageworks Farmers Markets, gazed in wonder at Sydney Contemporary and strutted your stuff at Fashion Week, but seeing a big, blinding rave at this arts and lifestyle institution is just as essential. I once saw Grace Jones in the belly…
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You know it’s a big deal when bassist Mark Stoermer pops up on stage. Stoermer might be The Killers’ original bassist, but a combination of tinnitus and back issues means the prodigiously talented musician rarely tours with the band. Similarly, Dave Keuning’s luscious locks are barely seen when The Killers flirt around the word. And…
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Not since 2017’s highly successful Boys Meets World tour has Canadian rap impresario Drake even stepped on Australian soil. But eight years later, the globe-dominating artist has the country’s east coast firmly in sight. In fact, he may well be debuting a brand new tour down here. The Anita Max Wynn (“I Need A Max…
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Music is much more than just art. It’s a neuroscientific tool that you can use to pocket memories, elevate moments and add magic to the mundane. Some elicit stronger bouts of nostalgia than others simply because of how they’re produced and written. But the process of music digging into our souls and helping us find…
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It’s been far too long between outings for Nintendo’s acclaimed Mario & Luigi RPG outing. This has supposedly been rectified by masterful remakes of two of the series’ most acclaimed titles, as well as a brand new adventure in Mario & Luigi: Brothership. The interesting release strategy is a smart move from Nintendo, nodding to…
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Black Francis doesn’t like talking, and he isn’t afraid to let you know that. “We’re happy to be here. Many people think we aren’t because we don’t talk much, but we are,” he says casually into the microphone before his band, Pixies, give us two nonstop hours of snub-nosed rock & roll. “When you talk,…
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The silly season has already started. With work winding down, Christmas parties loading up, and all those Xmas lights starting to sparkle, it’s beginning to look a lot like freedom. No doubt you’ll be planning an epic December to let loose from a chaotic 2024. We’re willing to bet that live music is a big…
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If the remaining members of the Beastie Boys ever wanted to recreate the music video for “Intergalactic” surely Chris Martin wouldn’t mind stepping in for the late, great MCA. I’m not sure when Coldplay became obsessed with the galaxy but the band has been doing this titanic, leave-the-world-behind super-pop thing for many years now. It’s…
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A sinister wall of synths and strings shoots from the tiny Sydney Opera House forecourt stage. One of music’s most formidable creatives is cheering himself on as the flickering orange glow illuminates his half-cocked cackle, making him look like a mad scientist as he fiddles away with his equipment and twists his arms into the…
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According to the Hilton website, the company has around 68 hotels in New York City. As per Google, there are around 700 hotels in New York City (from 2021 – that number would have increased by then). Based on those numbers, just under 10% of the hotels in New York City are branded under Hilton….
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Acclaimed Canada-based Punjabi artist Karan Aujla is gearing up for an arena tour around Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, bringing his unique, award-winning blend of Punjabi folk and worldly contemporary music to some of the region’s biggest venues for the very first time since his debut in 2022. Aujla’s star has reached tremendous heights this year….
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I still remember the cracks clearly. The first one reverberated up my right leg to let me know something was wrong, while the second immediately followed and sent me into a panic. A sprain? Annoying. It’ll heal. But how did I sprain my foot at a concert? It’s Halloween in 2010 and I’m watching Nas,…
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It’ll be no surprise to hear fans who didn’t snap up a ticket feel the sting of regret once The Weeknd completes his two sold-out performances in Sydney. Once videos emerge, reviews are written and photo galleries are published (ours is here), it’ll become clear that those not at Accor Stadium on October 23 or…
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For a company that’s ahead of the curb when offering a refined Android experience for Pixel users, Google has been slow to move in the hyper-competitive space for truly wireless earbuds. Attempts to distinguish the Pixel Buds from other earbuds, like the high-performance Sony WF series and Apple’s paradigm-shifting Airpods, have led Google to rely…
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If you’re going to have a restaurant in one of the most highly contested areas of Manhattan, you’re going to need a strong offering. Thankfully, Fasano Restaurant is well up-to-task with spritely, classic service and a sense of grandeur that’s a little bit of Rome and 90s New York rolled into one. The thing you’ll…
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If you’ve ever seen Sigur Ros live before you know just how profoundly powerful the experience can be. Intense, beautiful, joyous. These are some of the words that spring to mind when thinking about this Icelandic band, who are absolutely no strangers to Australian shores. So in some incredibly exciting news, they are coming down…
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This is it. Don’t delay. Live Nation has released an extra allocation of tickets to see Coldplay‘s several Australian shows as part of their ground-breaking Music of the Spheres World Tour. You already know that they are still one of the most in-demand bands in the world, dialing in a true one-of-one spectacle that’s unlike…
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I hate the word “best”. It always feels so… tacky and insincere, ruined by SEO agencies and influencers alike with an incessant need for engagement. And yet, “best” is all I can say when I take my first sip of each high-concept cocktail in The Bar at The Baccarat Hotel. The beautiful, lavish, grand, unforgettable…
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It’s always the same thing when a new iPhone comes out. Has Apple done enough to significantly move the dial forward or is this another largely iterative update? Now criticisms lodged at the iPhone are perfectly reasonable. There are just some things Android still does better, from the customisation to photo processing. But to say…
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I’ve never seen a grown man cry at the thought of leaving a resort, but such is the specialness of Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji. The five-star is one of three Sheraton properties in Fiji, but it’s the only one that’s on an outer-island. You catch a lengthy boat ride from Port Denarau…
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While plenty of premium hotel brands crowd the loud and live streets of Waikiki on the island of Oahu, Renaissance is bravely carving its own identity in the growing Ala Moana neighbourhood with Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa. The new 39-floor luxury hotel opened earlier this year and has already become a popular place to…
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When director Baz Halpin and executive producer Bernie Yuman approached two-time Academy Award-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, I doubt they expected him to say yes to their proposal. Yuman, a Vegas veteran, was manager to Siegfried and Roy from a very young age and stuck by the legendary performers’ until their last day. He even…
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Greenwashing is far too common these days. Shallow attempts at being eco-conscious are expected of just about every business now, and not all of them rise above the bare minimum. I’m cynical about it. I’ve heard the sustainability tagline thousands of times over. But there’s something about the 1 Hotel brand that’s hooked me. Its…
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In Australia, the iPhone 16 Pro 128GB will cost $1,799. The base model iPhone 16 128GB will cost $1,399. On average, most of these models will see a price drop of up to $100 compared with last year’s iPhone 15 lineup.. It’s not much, but it’s a meaningful step Apple has been working up to…
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Wouldn’t it be amazing if every Trump International was reflagged, refurbished and stripped of any and all political connotations to make way for a much better, less divisive hotel? Much like Hilton, Trump International has the immense privilege of location. Look at any Trump International property across the USA and they are almost always in…
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