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.
As the restaurants, cafes and bars concerned with the health and safety of their staff and customers start to adapt to social distancing, online restaurant booking platform TheFork has made some necessary changes. In response to the ongoing threat from COVID-19, the platform has introduced a search function filtering restaurants that are now offering pick-up…
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Following stages of select flight cancellations, Emirates, the world’s largest airline by international traffic, has now announced the suspension of all passenger operations. The extreme measure will take place from 25th March, responding to the rapid and ongoing spread of Covid-19 as the virus decimates the demand for international travel. In a statement to media,…
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The NSW Government has made the decision to shut Bondi Beach for the time being. The rather blunt closure comes after a sweltering Friday during which the golden sands exceeded Australia’s recently introduced outdoor-gathering limit of 500, necessary to slow the spread of Covid-19. Photos of a packed-out Bondi Beach went viral yesterday, with beachgoers…
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In response to the current situation with Covid-19, Etihad Airways has introduced “Etihad Credit” to give guests the freedom to delay their travel plans. It simply works by permitting a free cancellation and is offering the original value of their booking to be used as credit towards their next trip. As the situation continues to…
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Taking place entirely on social media, ISOL-AID has been speedily pulled together with a cracking Aussie line-up to adapt to a post-covid world. As the coronavirus continues to decimate industries around the world, the live music scene has been dramatically effected due to the understandable need to practice strict social distancing. In a bid to…
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As local businesses start to adapt to the current situation with Covid, chicken chain Chargrill Charlie’s has joined in by implemented a new “contactless” ordering system. Ensuring they can still serve their local communities despite the need for social distancing, Chargrill Charlie’s has introduced a “Eat Contactless with Charlie’s” addition to their smartphone app. This…
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Covid-19, a novel coronavirus, has spread around the world and continues to cause unprecedented health, social and economic crises. Experts are pleading with people to take this seriously, while many separate on the two (equally stupid) extremes of naivety/complacency, and panic/fear-mongering. Social distancing is absolutely crucial to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but as a…
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In response to the coronavirus and recent travel restrictions in Australia and New Zealand, Hawaiian Airlines has today announced that it will temporarily suspend nonstop services between Honolulu and its Australian and New Zealand gateways. The suspension will come into effect later this month, temporarily halting flights extending to numerous services. The five-times-weekly between SYD…
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As most people now know, Vivid Sydney will not be on for this year. The event, which in 2019 attracted 2.4 million visitors, has been cancelled in response to the growing thread of the novel coronavirus Covid-19. The NSW Government has made this decision following recommendations by the Federal Government and health authorities to limit…
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As more airlines adapt to the current crisis surrounding coronavirus (covid-19), prospective passengers are being granted more flexibility. Today, Qantas Group – which is Qantas, QantasLink and their LCC Jetstar – have announced further measures to bring anyone with bookings peace of mind. The new measures follow increased travel restrictions being introduced by various government…
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I never expected jumping back into the role of Doomslayer was going to be a walk in the park, but the level of non-stop carnage and breathless, rhythmic gameplay still caught me off guard. It’s been years since I rage-quit the acclaimed 2016 iteration of Doom (I’ll pick it up again, one day), but even…
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The smaller challenges in city life, like fighting for space on a crowded train or stretching out to keep a door from shutting, are the inspiration for the forthcoming Nike ISPA Air Max 720 release. Designed to be unique, pragmatic and futuristic, the eye-catching new drop comes from ISPA, a program spearheaded by Nike Sportswear’s…
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The team at BWS are launching a debut ‘Art n Crafts’ event in Sydney this week, putting their own little spin on the “paint and sip” trend that has been sweeping the globe. Taking the traditional craft beer tasting and adding a whole lot of creativity, the class will welcome anyone over the age of…
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It’s been over a decade since we’ve really heard from German-Norwegian pop outfit The Whitest Boy Alive. We’re glad that’s changed. Reforming, this side-project from Kings of Convenience’s Erlend Øye has once again emerged to give us a complicated dose of Scandi pop, restrained and euphoric in equal measures. Øye, Marcin Ōz, Sebastian Maschat and…
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NIRIN, the official title of the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, will be taking over the city’s foremost art institutions with a total of 700 words in display. 101 artists and collectives, including 39 Australian artists, will have their work displayed from 14th March to 8th June, bringing to life icons like Art Gallery of NSW,…
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In some of the least expected news of the week, beloved chocolate and malt powder MILO has announced a plant-based alternative. Simply titled MILO Plant Based, the new powder has been created in response to more Aussies turning to dairy alternatives. Using the same core ingredients as the original MILO, those being malt, barley and…
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House, blues, hip hop, gospel, and just about every other culturally important form of music you can think of. It’s all in the Windy City. And it’s everywhere, and anywhere, as it should be. Chicago is one of the most sacred cities in the world when it comes to music history. From legendary jazz clubs…
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Lifted from Julia Stone-curated compilation Songs for Australia, an excellent cover of INXS classic “Never Tears Us Apart” recalls the unbridled creativity oft credited to The National. The Ohio band, set to tour Australia later this month, faithfully recreate the endearing tune with a few drastic changes for good measure. While frontman Matt Berninger is…
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Former Triple J host Alex Dyson has been tapped by ever-adventurous tour operators Busabout to help launch a music-inspired Eurotrip. Alongside the ever-growing trend of music tourism, the epic 11-day trip will scour the continent for contemporary music highlights from cities like Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin. It’ll conclude with a full four days at the…
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AirAsia has long been the go-to for affordable travel. The carrier’s extensive network has played a huge role in democratising adventure, connecting dots from little known regions of Vietnam to the big cities of Australia. Now, they’ve taken that further with the “Unlimited Pass”. Announced today, and subsequently sending social media into overdrive, the all-you-can-fly…
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SO/, the sleek, stylish and design-forward spin-off brand of Accor’s iconic Sofitel, is finally coming to Australia. Debuting down under with SO/Melbourne, the new 288-room hotel is slated for a 2023 opening date and, in-line with other SO/ properties around the world, promises to be bold, fashionable and luxurious. The hotel will be positioned on…
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Eating your way through Singapore is a rite of passage for any worldly traveller. From hawker centres to highly regarded fine-dining, this kinetic hub of all things food, shopping and art is boundless. The internet can never have enough Singapore food articles, given the plethora of what’s out there, what’s been immortalised, and what’s constantly…
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Bangkok is exciting. Sure, you’ve heard that one before, but it should be repeated at all times. It’s one of travel’s most reliable facts. Bangkok is this irrepressible beast of a city, as diverse as it is chaotic. You’ll never run of things to see and do here, which makes planning a trip a bit…
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Sydney-born, globally celebrated electronic wizards RÜFÜS DU SOL have announced two exclusive Australian screenings of a special live performance from California’s iconic Joshua Tree National Park. Shot last September, the electronic trio have distilled their live performance into a 45-minute production, and it will premiere across two nights with one each in Sydney and Melbourne….
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Air New Zealand is currently working on a world-first lie-flat prototype for economy class travellers. Dubbed the “Economy Skynest”, the product has spent three years in R&D, with the input of more than 200 customers at the airline’s Auckland-based Hangar 22 innovation centre. Now it seems like what is essentially six Economy bunk beds is…
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“The Biggest Little City in the World”: ambitious nickname for Reno and a loaded slogan for anyone who dares doubt the vitality of Las Vegas’ overshadowed sibling. Once the divorce capital of the USA, due to the blunt efficiency of Washoe County Courthouse, this Nevada hotspot flows with a lively cosmopolitan culture, rapidly emerging hipster…
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Announced at a “virtual press conference” earlier this week, Huawei will iterating on their Mate X (which was never released in Australia) with a tougher, newer and Google-less foldable phone. Releasing later this year, the simply named Huawei Mate Xs is being pushed as a more powerful version of its predecessor. A Kirin 990 is…
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Matt Preston has come on board in collaboration with Tanqueray and Marley Spoon to curate a limited edition home delivery dining box, elevating the ready-to-make dinner party concept with fine ingredients and inventive recipes. A first of it’s kind, the dinner box will be available in two exclusive menu variations, sticking to creative interpretations of…
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From today and throughout Sydney’s Mardi Gras celebrations, the seductive-glam of QT Sydney will be a hotbed of rainbow love letters, glitter stations, DJs and more. That’s for from it though. Between 4pm and 6pm on 29th February, QT will be leveraging their partnership with MINI Australia to zip guests straight to any Mardi Gras…
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If you’ve ever joined the long queue of hungry locals and tourists aching for their chance to try jiggly soufflé pancake at Gram Café & Pancakes in Japan then you’ll know that their Australian debut is a big deal. How big? Certainly bigger than the towering triple-stack of wobbly pancakes the chain has been pumping…
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