There’s a new brunch club in Sydney – and it comes with bottomless Moet. The Sydney Brunch Club is casting off for the first time from Woolloomooloo’s Finger Wharf at 10.00am on September 22 and 23, serving-up good times, sunny skies and endless food and champagne for its guests. From the moment you step aboard, you’re flute in-hand as you find a nook on board and be cruised around the Harbour ’til 1pm. After an onslaught of tunes on board by Dan Rowntree and food by The Blonde Butler, you then hop back on dry land for a yet-to-be-revealed party atop one beloved Woollomooloo rooftop nearby. Tickets are $150 a pop from the Sydney Brunch Club website.
Until 30 August, Concrete Jungle cafe in Chippendale, Sydney will be turned into a world first. It’s launching the ‘Energy Exchange Cafe’, where you’ll be able to pay for your grub with the steps you’ve accumulated on your Fitbit. From today until Thursday, you’ll be able to purchase food simply by showing your accumulated step count from the previous day on your smartphone or step trackers, or if you sign an ‘energy pledge’ for the steps you intend on doing (from gardening to picking up the kids). Then, you eat! Here’s how much effort a small meal will set you back… These menu items cost between 3,000 – 10,000 steps and come with a free coffee: Savoury Turmeric Porridge with Poached Egg & Kale Blue Algae Smoothie Bowl Mixed Berry Hotcake Fruity Oat Bircher Oat Energy Balls Oaty Banana Bread Avocado on Oat Toast Creamy Porridge with Mixed Berries Find it at Concrete Jungle, 58 Kensington Street, Chippendale between 8am and 2.30pm.
Sure there’s exercise and fitness, but doing it in Sydney on Bondi Beach, glistening under the southern sun in a balmy 25-degrees is nothing compared to doing it in the freezing cold in Hobart. Or up an even colder mountain. But, when you and a contingent of six other faces and folks in the Aussie fitness industry get on a plane and head south from Sydney to do just that as guests of Tasmanian born-and-raised protein supplement manufacturer Bulk Nutrients, you know you’re in for something quite unique. Bulk Nutrients and its founder, Ben Crowley were keen to show off the best that Tasmania – his home state and the home to his upwards of $27 million business based in Grove just out of Hobart – had to offer. And that they did. With a group of personal trainers, fitness writers, Instagrammers and bloggers in-tow, the Bulk team put themselves and their group through our paces to test the benefits of what Bulk Nutrients protein supplements can do. And after and two day assault on the bod, it seemed pretty unanimous – they work! Here’s what we took-on, what we recovered with and what we personally back. Day one with Bulk Nutrients: Arrive at Hobart airport. It’s cold. Super cold. Like, single digits cold. Coming from Sydney, it’s a shock to the system, but we all survive, order our green teas and coffee at the single cafe in the terminal before piling in to the seven-seater people mover to head to destination number one: Raw Challenge… Read More
We need food to live. And we get food from farmers. Without farmers there’s no food. Without food, we die. So you can see how this major drought that is affecting more than the livelihood of Australian farmers has a very real and very horrifying knock-on effect for all of us, yeah? That’s why the likes of hospitality group Rockpool Dining Gruop, directed by Australian chef Neil Perry, are putting on the first ‘Raise a Fork’ initiative to help Australian farmers and their rural communities. The Bavarian and The Bavarian Beerhaüs restaurants in the drought-affected states of NSW and Queensland will host the Raise a Fork For Our Farmers drought relief fundraisers on the last Sunday in August, ensuring all profits made are donated to Aussie Helpers, which supports Australian farming families in need of assistance. The Raise A Fork For Our Farmers campaign is part of an broader commitment by Rockpool Dining Group to support farmers struggling to cope with devastating drought conditions, with more fundraising to follow. Australian farmers are at the frontline of record dry conditions that have plunged the entire state of NSW and over 50 percent of Queensland into drought. Rockpool Dining Group’s affinity with and reliance on farmers and local producers is what is driving their commitment to the cause. Raise A Fork For Our Farmers drought relief fundraisers will be held here, if you want to participate: New South Wales The Bavarian Beerhaüs: York Street, Sydney The Bavarian: Bondi Beach, Castle Hill, Chatswood, Entertainment Quarter, Manly, Miranda, Parramatta,… Read More
So, if there’s one thing you notice about operas that some of the world’s best opera companies like Opera Australia produce, is that a lot of them are really sad. Like, really sad. Everyone dies, there’s lots of heartache and you leave wanting more, but feeling sad about it. In an insatiably excellent way. It’s one doozie of an emotional rollercoaster. But from time-to-time, you come across comedic productions that turn all that around for the better part of two hours, transforming the stage of Joan Sutherland Theatre in the Sydney Opera House into a source of laughs, brought-about by a cast lead by – fastly-becoming favourite – singers, Paolo Bordogna and Melburnian diva, Stacey Alleaume. The latest production by Opera Australia, The Turk in Italy (on until 1 September 2018) is just that and so much more. With new import, Bodogna, alongside the likes of Alleaume, Virgilio Marino (who plays Narciso) and Warwick Fyfe (Geronio), the cast, choir and conductor Andrea Molino do a stupendous job in bringing a 50s-themed tale of sexual tension, debauchery and mischievousness to light for the laugh-out-loud enjoyment of the audience. It’s basically a tale of a bored housewife, a sycophantic husband, a sexy Turkish visitor, a nymphomaniacal gypsy and a poet who’s just after a good storyline, all of whom culminate in a comedic explosion that really does wonders to punctuate the winter season for the opera company. We spoke with Bordogna, the Italian tenor, who admits though it’s a funny production, there’s a hell of a lot of finesse… Read More
Frank’s in the little southeast Melburnian suburb of Cheltenham is local and little. But, big. And for good reason. Their photographable food is one thing, but it’s the composition of the whole thing, aesthetic of the whole joint and feel of the whole experience that has drawn people from far and wide and keeps them coming back. With their new menu for winter, they stay true to the cafe’s MO of being ‘frank’ with head chef Eli Faye drawing inspiration from a range of cafe style favourites that play on childhood sweet-tooth dreams. ? They’re all about the “Cherry Ripe” red velvet cre?pe, which comes complete with chocolate mousse, ice cream and cherry compote; which has fast become an instant favourite. It’s easy to see why they’re as popular as they are. ??? // ? @melbfoodbaby #franksmelbourne #cheltenhamslocal #melbournecafe A post shared by Frank’s (@franksmelbourne) on Aug 14, 2018 at 1:07am PDT They opened in 2016, and shook the local scene a bit with their no-nonsense approach to great coffee, great service and delicious interesting food. It has helped to ensure Frank’s is not only locals’ local, but also a reason for visitors to come by the sleepy southeastern suburb. Some other new dishes to their winter menu are Frank’s ?Porridge? of oats, apple & blackberry compote, gingerbread crumble, chai milk served on side; arancini, a new cafe favourite, including pumpkin and pine-nut arancini balls, a generous serving of goats curd, riddled with fennel and an orange & roquette salad; and a grain salad?, which… Read More
Going up against the traditionalist lovers of classic opera is no easy thing. You have to be one ballsy creative with a great vision and a lot of grunt. Good thing that the artistic director of Opera Australia, Lyndon Terracini is just that and has taken this month’s production of renowned opera Aida as the first stepping stone on the way to the future for the Australian opera company. Aida is the story of the enslaved Ethiopian princess in Egypt, who’s got a thing for a guy called Ramades. Ramades is sent off to conquer her homeland of Ethiopia and he returns with her Dad – the King – as a slave. Ramades is then given the Egyptian princess’ hand in marriage, but he doesn’t want it, so the two meet-up for one last hurrah on the banks of the Nile before it all comes crashing down. It’s a dramatic love story that, if any other productions of it around the world would indicate – is one hell of an effort by the costume and set design team, let alone the director and singers themselves. Just look at the production on Coolangatta beach by Opera Australia in 2017. But in 2018, Opera Australia is doing something different for now and for the future, working with a unique set, incredible cast and costumes and the world-class, ‘knee-weakeningly’ incredible voices of the singers – as per usual – and a production that is as much appealing to the younger generations of screen-addicted millennials as it is for the… Read More
For all your sunglasses and opticals needs, Vision Direct is where you need to go. But now, thanks to it being 2018 and the company branching out, you don’t need to only visit their online offering, you can now head down to George Street Sydney – or their shop in Melbourne – because they have officially opened the doors to Sydney’s first Vision Direct Optical Centre. Vision Direct is known for its world-leading catalogue of high end designer products, both in-store and online, including Marc Jacobs, Garret Leight, Calvin Klein, Mont Blanc and Porsche Design to name a few. After the successful opening of their shop in Melbourne this year, it’s obvious that 2018 is not only the year that VisionDirect.com.au, but shakes things up a little bit across the board, with it being their 10 year anniversary. The shop will echo the offering of the high-quality products that are available online, with the added bonus that customers can try on the styles and see how they look in real life. Designer frames and lenses aside, the new Vision Direct shop in Sydney will also offer eye testing and examinations by qualified opticians to really round-out the experience. Find the Sydney Vision Direct optical centre at 220 George Street, Sydney.
For the times you drop your phone, scratch your screen, crack the cover, or just need something new to listen to your beats with, Dr. Boom Communications is there. After a long 20-year run, they’re the retail one-stop-shop for all things relating to the most sought-after brands, pieces of tech and tech protection devices to essentially save you from yourself. And not to mention, they’re the quintessential lifestyle brand for basically all of us, working with all kinds of odds and ends that make your life that little bit better; or more functional; or easier; or whatever. Feeling a little blue? @jabra #JabraMoveWireless has you covered || available now at #drboomcommunications • • • • • #drboomcommunications #mobile #cellphone #smartphone #phonecase #iphone #ipad #photography #samsung #android #camera #repairs #electronics #communication #tech #gadget #instatech A post shared by Dr Boom Communications (@drboomcommunications) on Jul 5, 2018 at 1:15am PDT With 15 Dr Boom shops across NSW and Queensland, they’re doing something right and it’s easy to see why. They offer the most credible and highly regarded brands in mobile phone accessories such as Bodyguardz, Otterbox, Life proof, Tech 21, Diesel, Kate Spade and House of Harlow as well as their own Dr Boom range of premium products, Dr Boom is now also being recognised as the go-to destination for premium portable audio solutions with brands such as Beats By Dr Dre, Jabra and JBL joining our range. The proof is in the pudding. Walk past any of their outlets, like at Bondi Junction in Sydney for example, and they’re inundated with customers,… Read More
The back story of Wild Turkey goes something like this: mates had drinks, went out, hunted turkeys, branded their bourbon after it and went global. But it’s the art of mateship that gave birth to one of – clearly – the most delicious bourbons in the world that the folks at Wild Turkey are worried we’re losing touch with. If you look back at olde Van Dieman’s Land, real moments in the great outdoors with mates has traditionally been how Aussie blokes unwind, but ‘mateship’ is on the decline as new research reveals half of Aussie men (48%) have lost touch with their mates. Because dudes are busier than ever before, they’re forgoing mateship as a result – 40% are too time-poor to see their mates, while a further 42% blame increased workloads, which is why a drink themed Into The Wild at brand-spanking-new rooftop bar in Sydney, Old Mate’s Place, is so what the proverbial doctor ordered. To help this dire, dire situation of shit friendliness, Wild Turkey is bringing together the spirit of mateship, with a touch of the wild, in a bespoke watering hole – the Spirit of the Wild. Inspired by the Australian wilderness, Spirit of the Wild is a hidden oasis where people can escape the distractions of everyday life and experience the real outdoors with mates, without leaving the CBD. The pet project of Gabrielle and Andres Walters and Daniel Noble, they bring their collectively pretty varied list of experiences around the Sydney hospitality scene to make a bar that is… Read More
