Category: FEATURES

Join 45% of Australians this year – plan a road trip with a new Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Outlander car red

You know how sometimes you get into a car (say, an Uber or a friend’s car), the seats are like wood, the posture’s off and the roof’s so low you get a pinched nerve in your neck and you’re left thinking how can anyone sit in this all day long? Well, the new Mitsubishi Outlander is so, absolutely the polar opposite of every average car experience you’ve ever had it’s going to be hard to find the words. But let’s try. Basically, if you’re in need of a new car, either for a good time or a long time, the Mitsubishi Outlander is it. And even though it’s not summer anymore and the season for roadtrips is tapering off – after 3-in-4 of us took to the road in 2021/2022, you’re still in safe hands with the new ride. View this post on Instagram A post shared by T H E F (@the_f_online) Sitting up higher than your average and with enough torque and suspension to truly convince you you’re driving a cloud, it’s a genuinely stylish ride – that kind of looks like a Transformer, but nicer – that will inspire you this winter to take a road trip to literally anywhere. We partnered with Mitsubishi earlier in 2022 to get their take on an ideal road trip itinerary when you know your trip’s sorted with a quality car, 20-inch alloys a full size sun roof. See ya, traffic! Beat the rush and make an early start to avoid the highway traffic jam. Mitsubishi’s research… Read More

Planning a staycation in Melbourne? Your choice of hotel matters: Avani Melbourne Central Residences

Avani Melbourne Hotel view

Melbourne is Australia’s city of culture. So when you plan a visit, you need to be sure of three things: you’ve planned a visit to a gallery, you know which restaurant you’re visiting and you’ve made sure you’re staying at a hotel that’s got your best interests at heart. This is why you need to Google the Avani Melbourne Central Residences. Set high amongst the cityscape with panoramic views to complete it all, the Avani is a stunning hotel tower of 55 storeys with a striking weave-like pattern and tinted exterior, beautifully crafted with a sense of style, offering a selection of one and two bedroom contemporary, fully furnished suites.   If the location’s not reason enough to make these suites number one on your list, then maybe the 24-hour reception, games room, gymnasium, pool and spa and streamroom and sauna might be selling points enough. And on top of that, Bourke Street, Melbourne Central, the Yarra River and Southbank are literally a walk – or tram – away, making your getting around that much easier. See more and make a booking at the Avani Melbourne Central website Here’s a list of some Melbourne restaurant favourites worth visiting while you’re in town: Formaggio at Baby Pizza Back by popular demand, Baby Pizza’s much-adored Formaggio menu is making a cheesy return! For the entire month of May, Baby favourites are made even better, oozing with cheesy goodness. Available until 31 May, the special menu is filled with every type of cheese you can imagine! To start, dig… Read More

Picasso at the National Gallery London: Face to Face

Picasso Woman with a

For the first time ever, a painting by Pablo Picasso ‘Woman with a Book’, 1932 from the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California and the painting by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, ‘Madame Moitessier’, 1856, which famously inspired it, will be shown side by side at the National Gallery, London as part of a special collaboration between the two museums. After debuts of the sensational and influential work by Artemisia Gentileschi, Picasso’s welcome to the halls of the Gallery comes at only too good a time, after the lockdowns of the world have ended and the doors of all public buildings have been thrown open. This exhibition is an opportunity to explore Picasso’s enduring affinity with Ingres, and his ability to reference or ‘steal’ previous artist’s work which he famously acknowledged when he said: ‘Lesser artists borrow; great artists steal.’* It will provide visitors with a unique opportunity to compare the two works and to engage with these masterpieces in a different way. Exhibition organised by the National Gallery, London and the Norton Simon Museum of Art at Pasadena. Following its display in London, the exhibition will be on view at the Norton Simon Museum of Art 21 October 2022– 30 January 2023. For more info and to arrange a visit, go to the National Gallery website

Vivid light festival returns to the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Vivid Sydney Harbour Bridge

The annual Vivid light festival is coming back to Sydney 27 May to 18 June and the world renowned Sydney Opera House is getting in on the action. Running from Thursday to Monday throughout the festival period, the first Vivid Climb will go each afternoon and anyone walking will reach the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in time to witness Sydney’s soul come alive with a dazzling display of colour. And this year, in a BridgeClimb first, Vivid Climb groups will also be greeted with light installations throughout their pre-climb journey and will get to top off their night with a complimentary post-climb gin and tonic in the pop-up Hendrick’s Gin Unusual Celebration Bar. If you’re fancying a climb, then you’re looking at two options to see the lights this year… Vivid Photographer Tour + Masterclass: a once-in-a-lifetime experience on the South-East Pylon’s Gundeck (not usually open to the public) with a short masterclass on night time shooting followed by a Vivid photography session with Glenn McKimmin. Pylon & Picasso: an art class, hosted by Pinot & Picasso, atop the beloved Sydney Harbour Bridge’s South-East Pylon, starting with a guided tour of the BridgeClimb Pylon Lookout & Museum before the art class commences from the lookout level. For more and to make a booking, head to the Bridge Climb Sydney website

Can new lithium extraction technology be a game-changer?

Lithium electric car charger

The push for electric cars amid environmental concerns has made lithium a hot product. It is one of the base minerals for battery technology. There has been a growing demand for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in portable electronic devices (such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops.), electric cars and electric tools. Currently, the price of lithium is around NZ$15000 per tonne but due to extraordinary demand, its price even reached NZ$50,000 for some time. That lithium’s demand is skyrocketing can also be gauged from an estimate by consulting firm McKinsey. The demand will grow from an estimated 500,000 tonnes in 2021 to as much as 3.8 million tonnes by the end of the decade. Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) According to the McKinsey report, alongside conventional lithium supply, direct lithium extraction is going to be the driving force so that the industry can respond more swiftly to the soaring demand and in a more sustainable way. Most conventional mining projects are not eco-friendly. The traditional way is damaging to the environment. It generates a lot of carbon dioxide. It is believed that for one tonne of lithium extracted, 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide are generated. Even some of the direct extraction methods of using brine leaves behind brine salts. New technology within the DLE method There is a new method for extracting lithium. It extracts fluid from underground, separates minerals from water, and then returns it back to the ground. Through this method, the carbon dioxide emitted is significantly lower. This method has already been tried with… Read More

American Crew talks men and how to look good this 2022

Black man taper hair grooming

Forget ‘new year, new you’. After the shitness that has been the past 24 months, it’s all about ‘new year, happy you’ in whatever incarnation that takes. For us, it’s a quality haircut and some better-than-great hair products – like the American Crew Acumen range – with styling techniques that take your look from ‘I’ve been inside endlessly for months’, to ‘I remember how to look like an adult’ in an instant. If you’ve not been privy to the American Crew action at fashion weeks for men’s dos the country-wide, then never fear. We spoke with the legend in men’s hair that is David Raccuglia, the founder of American Crew about men’s hair this 2022. His trend predictions for 2022? David predicts that long, loose styles with unstructured, naturally-textured and looser-looking shapes that are effortless but still aesthetically pleasing are on the horizon. In his own words, he says “The men’s category has reached a place where there’s so much diversity. This is really the first time that we’ve had the opportunity to celebrate many different looks because for once, it’s not about trends, it’s about style and adapting to one that defines you.”  For more about men’s style and how to get a whole world of new looks for the year, head to the American Crew website

See Sydney’s new baby red pandas at Taronga Zoo!

Red Panda cub Taronga

What’s better than little baby puppies? Baby pandas. And what’s more; two of them! They’re now at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, the prime zoo of one of Australia’s largest cities, that has recently shared news that you can get a first close-up glimpse of the faces of their two adorable red panda cubs. The two cubs – two females – were born to experienced parents Amala and Pabu and are now three months old and are weighing around one kilo. Want to see them? Well, you’re not alone. They’re too young to go to the public yet, but you can tune in to Taronga’s brand-new Red Panda Cub Cam proudly supported by Disney and Pixar’s new movie “Turning Red” where you can access never before seen cub-content and exclusive interviews with their carnivore keepers. See them at this link! Sydney’s Taronga Zoo is one of the country’s leaders in revitalisation of some of the country’s and the world’s most beloved and interesting animals with a stunning view to-boot. For more and to arrange your visit, head to the Taronga Zoo website.

9 most iconic celeb-owned alcohol brands

Ryan Reynolds gin

You may know your go-to Friday night cocktail recipe off by heart, but did you ever stop to think about who might be manufacturing your favourite tipple? As it turns out, many celebrities are involved in the alcohol industry, and are more than just a pretty face; they’re often the brains behind what goes in the bottle… These are some of the most successful celeb-owned alcohol brands we recommend adding to your bar cart ASAP. Ryan Reynolds Ryan Reynolds was always an avid lover of gin and became a co-owner and creative director of Aviation Gin simply because he loved the taste, crowning it the best gin on the planet. The gin is well-loved because of its clean taste and versatility. It can be consumed on its own, but is recommended as a base for cocktails due to its tasty, mix-able culmination of seven botanicals. Aviation was valued at around $610 million and is available for purchase worldwide. George Clooney In 2013, Clooney, alongside Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman, launched Casamigos, a tequila and mezcal label. The group first started manufacturing this tequila according to their personal tastes (a tasty tequila with no need for salt or lime), to be shared among family and friends, but eventually went public with the creation. Casamigos sold in 2017 to Diageo for $1 billion, and is now one of the most highly-regarded tequilas on the market. Graham Norton Talk show host, Graham Norton, has submerged himself in the alcohol industry with his collection of wines and gins. Norton… Read More

Coming this July, MG’s latest electric vehicle will take to the roads

MG SUV car blue

MG is rejoining the pack when it comes to making our world cleaner, lowering the amount we drop on fuel (thanks, Russia) and generally doing better for the planet, one car at a time. Recently, MG Australia announced that the latest ZS EV is set to consolidate MG Motor Australia and New Zealand’s position as a leader in the affordable new energy vehicle space when it launches in July this year. Read about our test drive of the MG ZS SUV In the global push to electrify the roads and cut carbon emissions, MG is doing its part with the ZS EV SUV for inner city jaunts. Complete with a comprehensive styling makeover, a completely new interior treatment and a new, more efficient and better-performing power train are just some of the exciting new enhancements for Australia’s best-selling electric SUV, which will go on sale from $46,990 drive-away right across Australia. But what else is there to look forward to, if you’re in the market for a new ride? Well… There are two different types of car available at launch Customers will be able to choose from two variants, with the new value-led Excite complementing the stylish, luxurious Essence.  Get it from anywhere With over 85 dealers offering the MG for purchase, you can get it from any major hub. The new ZS EV will be backed by a national network MG Motor dealers and will be covered by MG’s 7-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which also includes the high-voltage battery. Get it early, get it cheap And… Read More

The colour and excitement of Sydney Mardi Gras 2022: a photo story

Mardi Gras Parade 2022

The annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras went off with a bang in 2022, taking over – yet again – the Sydney Cricket Ground in lieu of its usual Oxford Street route due to the pandemic. But despite news of war, bad weather and general average news around the world, the crowd gathered in celebration and love for one and all, shining a light on diversity, inclusion and equality regardless of who you are and who you love. Here are some highlights from the evening.