new york

Are Hot Dogs a Sandwich? This Australian-led tour in NYC is trying to answer that question.

“There are 200 million sandwiches eaten a day in America”, according to Australia’s Ben Gollan. One might say he’s a sandwich aficionado, and he’s not shy to admit it, remarking on a beautiful New York autumn afternoon, “the Sandwich is a global dish that beings people together, which is why I do this tour and…

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From Chicago to Wicked: Broadway’s longest running productions, and the Museum that celebrates them

When The Phantom of the Opera closed last year, after almost 14,000 performances, it ended its reign as the longest running production on Broadway. While it technically still holds the crown as Broadway’s longest running show (of all time), the move passed the mantle of longest running productions currently on Broadway to the 1996 revival…

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InnBuffalo Review: A picture perfect Bed and Breakfast experience you didn’t know you were missing

On a recent visit to Buffalo in New York, right by Niagara Falls, I was lucky enough to spend a weekend in a historic 1898 mansion, InnBuffalo. This building is now a quaint Bed and Breakfast (or “BnB”) that sits within Buffalo’s vibrant Elmwood Village. It was as typical a BnB as you could expect…

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Tempo by Hilton squeezes wellness and calm into a chaotic corner of Times Square

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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Let’s meet at Southern Junction: The Buffalo, New York BBQ fusion restaurant that’s worth the trip

Last month I was lucky enough to visit Buffalo, New York for the first time since 2019. A lot has changed in this city since my last visit, but today I want to talk about a restaurant that opened up in August 2023 – Southern Junction. From the outside it looks like a typical Texan…

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Fasano New York is a throwback to the grand Italian restaurants of 90s Manhattan

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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Baccarat Hotel New York is a delicate dance of light and crystal in Midtown Manhattan

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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Budjerah

Spiderbait, Amy Shark, Budjerah and more to play massive free New York concert this Saturday

The Aussie BBQ returns to Central Park in New York this Saturday, 17th June 2023. The free event, now in its third year, showcases iconic and rising stars of the Australian music scene. Ranging in genres from pop, soul, alt-rock to cutting-edge hip hop, the lineup includes 1300, Amy Shark, Budjerah, L-FRESH The LION, Peach…

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Guide to Dutchess County, NY: Exploring the treasures (and Paul Rudd’s treats) hidden along the Hudson River

Towards the end of last year, as the leaves on the trees of New York were filling up the gutters, and the sights of Halloween peppered the sidewalks of small towns, I ventured north of NYC for the first time ever to the beautiful Hudson Valley Region. It’s a place so beautiful, and filled with…

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Ascending the SUMMIT: The sky high experience (and bar!) no New York trip should be without

If you haven’t travelled to the city since the pandemic, you may have not yet heard of New York’s newest observation deck. Nonetheless, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, set in the city’s fourth tallest building, right next to Grand Central Station, saw some 1.4 million visitors walk through its doors in the year following its grand opening…

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Go City or CityPASS: Which sightseeing pass should you get in New York City?

When travelling to a new city, you’ll often find bundle ticket offers that help tourists visit many of the main attractions in that region for a discounted rate. These sightseeing passes can be great ways to save money, and even visit some attractions you may not have considered otherwise. In recent trips to the Big…

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You can now sit in the cockpit of a retired British Airlines Concorde in New York City

One of the most recent attractions to open its doors at the Intrepid Air & Space Museum on the waters of Manhattan in New York City, is an updated experience for one of the 20 Concorde jets built in the 70s and retired in 2003. The British Airways jet – a record breaking Concorde Alpha…

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Five new(ish) things you’ve got to do in New York City’s Times Square

There’s always something new to experience in New York’s Times Square. And this year has been no exception, with new museums, hotels and Broadway shows opening every month. So what are some of the best new(ish) things to do in the heart of the Big Apple? I headed over earlier this month to get a…

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Hard Rock Hotel New York Review: A music infused gem in the heart of Times Square

Many will know the Hard Rock brand for having delivered music themed cafes/restaurants around the world for the last 50 years – including recently closed locations in Sydney* and on the Gold Coast. However, the brand’s true star power these days is found in their hotel & casino brand. With locations from Sentosa Island in…

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Moxy East Village Review: Perfect hotel comfort opposite New York’s Webster Hall

Having opened in September 2019, the Moxy East Village sits as one of the newer hotels in the ever-booming Manhattan – and the most recent of the four Moxy by Marriott hotels to open in the city. For those unfamiliar with the Moxy Hotels brand, they are designed around being playful and affordable, with carefully,…

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EVEN Hotel – New York Midtown East Review: Where fitness and wellness meet comfort

Not far from Grand Central Station in New York City sits a striking, tall and thin 35 floor building with four distinct colour strips on it. This is EVEN Hotel’s New York Midtown East location, one of four IHG have for the growing brand in New York. You enter on the ground floor and are…

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‘Looking Past the Pandemic’ with That Brunette from Brooklyn, New York

Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of…

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True Art Deco Splendour: Why it’s time to visit the Empire State Building, re-imagined for 2020

There are a few buildings around the world that everyone and their dog are familiar with; so ingrained in popular culture that we feel like we know it intimately. The Eiffel Tower. The Sydney Opera House. Big Ben. And the Empire State Building. And the truth is, we all know a little bit about all…

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Fresh off of Eurovision Decides, Jaguar Jonze is added to our New York City party at The New Colossus

On Friday, 13th March, the AU review is throwing a party in New York City as part of The New Colossus Festival. And we’re thrilled to announce that we just added another Australian act to our lineup. Set to join Tia Gostelow and Wolfjay, is Brisbane based artist Jaguar Jonze, fresh from competing for a…

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Theatre Review: Moulin Rouge! The Musical dazzles audiences in New York City

Before Moulin Rouge! premiered at New York’s Al Hirshfeld Theatre on July 25th, 2019, a theatre where Kinky Boots had called a home for the 6 years prior, the producers did something quite surprising: so sure they were of its popularity, they announced it would tour out of New York – including a 2021 run…

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The AU Review announces New York City party as part of The New Colossus Festival

We’re thrilled to announce that our first party in New York since the final CMJ in 2015 will be taking place on Friday the 13th of March at Lola (169 Avenue A), as part of the 2nd annual festival The New Colossus. The showcase event and conference is a well curated mix of the hottest…

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Five new Broadway shows to see in New York City

New York City’s famed Broadway Collection isn’t slowing down for 2020, with five new productions set to open throughout the year. From a musical based on cult comedy Mrs. Doubtfire, to an ambitious show tracking the creative process and indelible work of Michael Jackson, these five are well worth paying attention to for those planning…

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Ever wanted to stay inside an old insane asylum? This luxurious boutique hotel in Buffalo, New York has you covered.

The Richardson Hotel (fka Hotel Henry) in Buffalo, New York, sits inside a building with an inauspicious history: for a century, and dating back to 1870, it was the site of an insane asylum as part of the Richardson Olmsted Complex. The hotel opened in May 2017 following a decade long restoration project that is…

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Hotel Review: Moxy Times Square rethinks urban camping in the heart of the Big Apple

Situated a five minute walk from 42nd Street in Times Square, on the corner of 36th Street and 7th Avenue, is the world’s largest hotel in Marriott’s boutique chain, Moxy Hotel. Moxy Times Square is one of four of the brand in New York City (also Downtown, Chelsea and the East Village), and opened in…

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11 theme parks and attractions opening in 2020 around the world to get excited about

It’s going to be a massive year in 2020 for those who enjoy theme parks, with a number of brand new, highlight anticipated parks and expansions opening up all over the world. There are also new museums, IMAX cinemas and even hotels that are worthy of getting excited about here in Australia and overseas. Here’s…

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Move over Minchin: Australia’s Eddie Perfect is the latest Broadway Star with Beetlejuice

While the fanfare over Tim Minchin’s work on Matilda felt deafening, it may surprise some to learn that he’s not the only Aussie who’s setting Broadway alight with his lyrics and music. Enter another composer-actor-comedian, Melbourne born Eddie Perfect – who you’ll remember from performance in Offspring or from penning and starting in the hilarious…

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Why David Byrne’s American Utopia is unlike anything Broadway has ever seen

I’ve always loved the theatricality of music; that indescribable feeling it can provided when presented with a bit of bombastic flair. But I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a production bring so much life to its soundtrack, as David Byrne has achieved  with his American Utopia show – which is currently enjoying a 16…

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Tia Gostelow & Noah Dillon among acts announced for The New Colossus Festival in NYC 2020

Earlier this year we had the pleasure of attending the first ever New Colossus Festival in New York City, a boutique showcase festival sitting in the city’s Lower East side in the days before SXSW. It gives travelling bands from Australia, Canada and around the world the opportunity for an extra showcase on their trip…

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Museum dedicated entirely to the Empire State Building opens in New York

New York City’s iconic 1,454 foot Empire State Building has undergone an enormous change, revealing the second phase of its completely reimagined “Observatory Experience”, which now includes the city’s only museum open seven days a week from 8am to 2am. A 10,000 square foot series of galleries now occupies the second floor of the mammoth…

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Back to a Golden Age: Exploring the quiet restoration of Buffalo, New York

When I told people I was travelling to Buffalo, New York – a city which sits just off the Canadian border, a couple of hours from Toronto and next door to the Niagara Falls – I was meant with some level of skepticism. “Why are you going there?”, one friend asked me. Indeed, I had…

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