Category: CITIES

New Richmond pub, Harlow, opens in Melbourne this December

Harlow Richmond 1

There’s a new pub opening in Richmond called Harlow. It used to be the Great Britain Hotel and has taken over the place, keeping the basement bar and dining area, courtyard, deck and intimate little nooks for all your canoodling needs. Harlow is dog friendly, which is great news for Melbourne pub lovers. Just don’t bring them on Friday and Saturday nights as the DJs take to the decks to really turn things up. Harlow’s got a ground floor bar and dining area, split-level courtyard with timber decking, pergolas, festoon lighting and street art feature walls that leads to the basement bar, neon signs and all. In the kitchen, Telina Menzies is executive chef and has designed a pub menu that’s a little bit classic with a modern twist. It touts stuff like duck and bacon sausage rolls, mini crab donuts and sticky Jack Daniels and Cola pork ribs, as well as a steak sanga, served with maple bacon and bloody good BBQ sauce, topped with Swiss Cheese. It goes on. The cocktail menu will be broken down in three sections – hip hop, pop and heavy metal, with cocktails such as Boyz-N-The-Hood, made with Jack Daniels, Apple Jack, Fireball and apple juice; California Girls, made with citrus vodka, peach liqueur, pinot gris, OJ and egg white and Voodoo People, made white rum, spiced rum, orgeat and fruit juice set to feature. Harlow is set to open doors in mid-December. Harlow 447 Church St, Richmond

Toast to the bars of the world at Melbourne’s Trinket Bar

Trinket Bar

Bars from New York City, London and Paris will descend on Melbourne – sort of – in the last hit of 2018 thanks to Trinket Bar. The little speakeasy hole-in-the-wall has launched the Homage Series, a three-month long summer program that pays tribute to the international bar community. The series will let Melburnians experience a menu featuring recipes straight from the bars themselves. What to expect from each month of the homage menus: Starring snacks from five award winning New York City venues, and features: PDT’s Jon-Jon Deragon Hot Dog, served with lashings of cream cheese, scallions and the crusty debris from New York’s famous poppy seed bagels Death & Co’s Mac ‘N Cheese, decadently covered in truffle shavings the club sandwich of club sandwiches from Saratoga Springs Club, the birthplace of the club sandwich; supercharged devilled eggs, made with blended egg yolk and curry mayonnaise hickory smoked trout from Audrey Saunders infamous NYC cocktail bar Pegu Club Daddy-O’s deep-fried mozzarella sticks. If that doesn’t kill you, then December will be hosting another round of debauchery from London, that looks like: Ox cheek nuggets from Hawksmoor sausage rolls from Zetter Townhouse gourjons from Satan’s Whiskers scotch eggs from The Princess Victoria beef and horseradish buns from Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings. And to really round-out the gastronomic explosion of calories, January takes visitors to Paris with the likes of everything from Le Train Bleu, Café des Phares and Le Bar Kebler @ The Peninsula Hotel, like: Oysters au natural a French cheese board and petit fours smoked salmon, beetroot and granny smith apple tartare from Le Train Bleu croque-monsieur from Café des… Read More

Book a grooming treatment anywhere in Sydney at any time with Bookwell

Bookwell facial

Bookwell started in Melbourne and is the best way to book your next body treatment anywhere at any time with ease. Sometimes it’s out of hours, sometimes the technician can’t reply immediately, sometimes you just don’t want to talk to people and that’s okay – Bookwell exists for those reasons, allowing you to search, book and enjoy whatever you book with beauty consultants around Sydney and Melbourne. They partner with beauty salons, wellness clinics, fitness studios and more. Since September 2017 by EatNow founder Dyer and Nathan Airey, Bookwell is the first in its category and addresses an untapped gap in health, beauty and wellness options for literally anyone. Take Ana Troccoli Aesthetics in Bondi Junction, for example, she’s been on the Bookwell program for a time now and has nothing but praises to sing for the app and how it works. She’s a sole operator who does the most sublime facial treatments – and much more – for men and women, who is so busy most of the time, her dedicated and returning clients can’t get onto her directly. By creating and account on Bookwell and choosing the treatment, date and time for a visit to see Ana, she works around your busy schedule, accommodating for the days and times that are most convenient; all you have to do is show up. Explore more about Bookwell and create your own account to start booking at their website.

Sydney Comedy Festival is back for its 15th year

Jimeoin 1

The Sydney Comedy Festival will celebrate its 15th year by delivering some of the finest comedians from all over the world in a huge event across four weeks from 22 April to 19 May. They’ve begun to announce some of the talent who will be taking part in next year’s event and it turns out it’s not half bad. The likes of Arj Barker (US), Ross Noble (UK), Stephen K Amos (UK), Daniel Sloss (SCO), Georgie Carroll (UK/AUST), and New Zealand International Comedy Festival’s 2017 Best Newcomer Award winner Melanie Bracewell (NZ), it’ll be a lol or two. Local stars joining the line-up include TV regular Nazeem Hussain, the acid-tongue prince Joel Creasey, the hilariously outspoken Akmal, Australia’s only Turkish comic Tahir, musical comedy duo The Stevenson Experience, and rising star and Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s 2017 Director’s Choice Award winner Demi Lardner. The festival starts at Enmore Theatre on 23 April, before moving to the Sydney Opera House and Riverside Theatres on 24 April and The Concourse on 25 April. With a dazzling line-up of the funniest international and local stars, the Gala is the perfect taste of what’s on offer throughout the festival. Tickets for these shows will go on sale to the general public as of 10am on Friday 16 November via sydneycomedyfest.com.au.

New life to Kings Cross Sydney: Limited nightclub opens this November

Limited Kings Cross 3

It’s been a while since the NSW State Government sucked the life out of what Sydney had going on after dark, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be recouped. There’s a guy called Nathaniel Bourke, who’s completely of that opinion, too. So, he’s opening Limited nightclub in the old Kings Cross stomping ground to add a little bit of something new and exciting to the night time district that has been converted into below-par sex shops and Sunday brunch venues. A weird combination in itself. As the name suggests, Limited will be an exclusive, bottle service oriented lounge and nightclub, fuelled by a team of mixologists and chefs to create a carefully curated menu of signature cocktails, contemporary dishes with a twist and a premium selected of champagne and spirits against a backdrop of velvet drapes, leather banquettes and risque artwork. Channeling the area, the drinks list is made-up of a range of cocktails, all inspired-by and named after the most iconic clubs from Kings Cross’ past; Beach Haus, Underground, Sugar Reef, Sapphire, Lady Lux, Soho, Piano Room, Dragonfly, Hugo’s and The Gambo. Rest in peace, friends. Bourke knows how to do night time entertainment. With his previous experience at Marquee nightclub at The Star, you can imagine the mood: think stylish, dark, tabled and bottle serviced; it’s a good time waiting to happen. Limited is dark, mood lit, long and hidden, adding an air of style that Kings Cross totally needs. See more at the Limited nightclub website. Follow Limited Sydney on Instagram @limited.sydney. Limited 2 Kellett… Read More

Bushmills and nel. celebrate a perfect partnership

Bushmills nel 1

Let’s be honest: there are a lot of forgettable drinks out there. The house spirits you drink at the local pub when you can’t face downing another sour red wine, the mysterious-looking amber liquid you’re passed at a house party that might be whiskey but also might be rum…we’ve all had our fair share of dodgy tipples. Bushmills Irish Whiskey, thankfully, is not one of those drinks. It’s not even in the same neighbourhood. Over a six-course dinner at nel. in Surry Hills, we were invited to try four expressions of the Bushmills range: The Bushmills Black Bush, and the 10-, 16-, and 21-year old single malts. While we can’t say that these are the kind of dishes you’re likely to recreate on a cruisey night at home – beetroot crème brulee with vinegar popcorn was a standout, as was the banoffee pie with banana-flavoured sand – the flavours are going to stick with you long after the experience of eating a savoury crème brulee out of a petrie dish will disappear. The Black Bush blend contains malt whiskey blended with batch-distilled grain whiskey, creating a fruity and intense character with plenty of smoothness. It’s easily drinkable but still feels special enough to be served up on an occasion, which is exactly what you want out of a good whiskey, if you ask us. The Single Malt expressions are just as more-ish, with flavours progressing from chocolate to dried fruit depending on the age of the bottle (the ten-year is apparently delicious when served frozen!)…. Read More

Moet & Chandon launches new Ice Impérial Rosé

Moet Chandon Hamptons Imperial Ice Sydney House

Moet & Chandon Ice Impérial Rosé: it’s a mouthful, and we’re not just talking about the drink. While you may find yourself rehearsing your order a few times on your way up to the bar, we can promise it’ll all be worth your while. Moet & Chandon’s latest offering is the ideal Summer drink: a fragrant, fresh, grapefruity rosé designed specifically to be served over ice. While it’s certainly a treat on its own, served over ice it’s reminiscent of a lush cocktail perfect for sipping by the pool, on the water, or in any ray of sunshine that you can catch. The Ice Impérial Rosé is a limited release, available only in select ‘global hotspots’ and only during the Summer season. Rest assured though, if your suburb isn’t quite the hip and happening hotspot you’d like it to be, you can always reach for the Rosé’s sister: the Ice Impérial, an equally delicious and drinkable champagne designed to be served – you guessed it – over ice. If you’re already seeking something more than your standard sav blancs and pino grigios, and can’t quite see yourself downing cocktail after cocktail on your next night out, Moet & Chandon’s Ice Impérial Rosé is perfect for you. Empty the ice tray and fill up your glass and you have yourself the perfect drink for a warm afternoon that’s going to turn in to a hot night – and even if it is still overcast, dreary, and dull outside, within a few sips you’ll feel like you’re… Read More

Lot. One does casual dining with refined flair in Potts Point

Lot One Potts Point front

There’s a new contender for the crown of nice Potts Point restaurants and it extends far beyond the comparatively well-walked paths forged by the likes of Cio Cio San, Billy Kwong’s and The Tilbury. Lot.One is the Sydney city, then-Italian inspired restaurant that took over three floors and a gigantic space right in the heart of the city, that downsized and moved east to what is quickly proving to be its major betterment. Co-owner Michael Bradley busies himself around the considerably smaller service floor of the inner-east restaurant, that has taken-over the stunning space inside an heritage Potts Point building. He explains it used to be a brothel, a butcher and myriad other places of interest to the area’s pretty eclectic mix of locals over the decades until now, when it’s become his baby and a restaurant operation that offers a menu like few you’ll find nearby. Lot. One does a contemporary take on the foods we all like; only more interestingly and with something that can best be described as a little more abstract. They do ‘food and fun’, in that order, and it’s easy to see why and how. From the casual-yet-refined interior, to the sideboard bar, relaxed choice of music and tasteful decorations, the restaurant is as welcoming as it is street-side flashy, taking all the best bits of what you like about an approachable restaurant, adding a bay window and turning it out on all nights of the week. The Lot. One menu is one of a lot of thought and… Read More

Pour your own prosecco at The Winery Surry Hills this summer

Winery prosecco fountain

This is dangerous. You’ll be able to pour your own prosecco this summer with a fountain of the stuff at The Winery in Surry Hills. The Winery has installed the fountain just in time for summer, meaning alcoholics great and small can flock to the bar every Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon until the end of the year. Complete with picnic blankets, you can feast on delicious picnic spreads and indulge in bottomless bubbles poured straight from the mouth of a giant lion shaped fountain. For $79, the package includes two hours of bottomless prosecco and a bougie picnic spread. Think, The Winery’s signature gourmet pork and veal sausage rolls served with spicy tomato relish, chicken parfait, epicurean cheese, Italian cured meats, dips, fruits, roasted nuts, bread and crackers. Comfy picnic blankets and oversized cushions completes the relaxed experience. Get it until 30 December from The Winery’s website.

Most popular mooring destinations in Victoria

Moor boat

Victoria is home to many treasures, and the centre of recreation in Australia. If you are a boat-enthusiast, then it is no different. Grab your schedule and start planning for a boating retreat in Victoria, complete with some of the best views and waters that you may ever come across. Here is a round up of the most popular mooring destinations in Victoria. Western Port (Mornington Peninsula) The Western Port Marina is a hard destination to forget. Located in the iconic Mornington Peninsula, it is a site visited by local and international visitors alike. Add this destination to your visit list if you are looking for a plethora or tourist fun, as well as ample boat mooring in Mornington Peninsula. The Peninsula is built around the beautiful waters, and not surprisingly it has become a popular wedding destination with venues and real estate boasting some of the best views in Victoria. Port Melbourne You won’t get closer to the action than with Port Melbourne. Port Melbourne has four key moorings within a closeby radius of each other. This will suit the boat goers who want to hit the water, but also soak up the delights of dining and cultural experiences within Melbourne. The mooring destinations are Melbourne Trailable Yacht Club, NewQuay Marina, Docklands Yacht Club and Marina E. They each offer a range of premium floating berths, in addition to water, electricity and equipment services. Sorrento Sorrento has huge appeal to visitors who are looking for nautical sports, right through to those who are seeking… Read More