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.
Banging out to songs like “Corso” (Tyler, the Creator) and “Wiley Flow” (Stormzy) on your headphones late at night during lockdown was cool, but think about what it’s going to be like when all that pent-up energy is released in at a concert this year? Yeah, that’s right. Concerts are coming back in full-force, and…
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In case you missed it, iconic Aussie brand Mambo has returned to its roots with the launch of Mambo Surf De Luxe. Merging old and new, the brand will celebrate iconic heritage artics such as Reg Mombassa and welcome a new era of talent, including Nathan Seahan and Chloe Kovska. Aussies everywhere have a memory…
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Mister Gee North Strathfield, which is still rolling after many years as one of the absolute best burger joints Sydney has ever seen, is about to drop something very, very unexpected on us. Teaming up with Alizé to celebrate the new Alizé Pineapple infusion, Gee will be taking a hard left turn from what one…
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Purveyors of taste and decadence, Gourmet Life, are playing it smart ahead of Valentine’s Day this year. The popular online gourmet grocer has curated its top-shelf products into three different Valentine’s Day packs for couples planning to picnic this weekend, offering up what is easily some of the ritziest packs around. From fresh black truffle…
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17 nights for the price of just one in some of Australia and New Zealand’s most reliable luxury hotels sounds like a deal that’s too good to be true. For some lucky couples, it will be a reality as QT Hotel & Resorts ready the country’s most unique Valentine’s Day offer. Like an ambitious croupier…
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Originally available exclusively for the US, the eternally party-minded Fireball Whisky is doubling down on the liquor’s racous image by bringing a 5.25-litre keg to Australia. Doubling as a collectable, the Fireball Whisky keg is now available with a strictly limited quantity of just 1,000 exclusively for sale online via BoozeBud. All you’d need to…
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Let’s get this straight out of the way. If you own the already-excellent Bose QuietComfort 35 II, or the Bose NC 700 headphones then the newer and only slightly more impressive Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones aren’t worth the upgrade. Bose kind of started this whole obsession with supreme noise cancellation, and they perfected the art…
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Robot vacuums were one of those fast-emerging categories of technology that I’ve always just kind of ignored for a couple of years. It’s like that sometimes. Hype can take a while to suck you into its trending temptations, and for the most part, I’ve been actually quite enjoying shimmying my trusty Dyson back and forth…
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To say the Sony WF1000XM4 was my most anticipated bit of personal audio kit of 2021 is an understatement. If you’ve read my review of the XM3s you’d already know that I’m now a true believer in Sony’s ability to outgun the competition when it comes to headphones and earphones. Now, much has changed, which…
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Given smartwatches have now well and truly become an essential purchase for anyone looking to more efficiently track their exercise and gamify their health journey, it’s always worth doing a double-tack at models that have been out for quite some time. These things drop in price regularly, so being able to pick up some of…
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Height. I need height. As a 34-year-old man with rapidly thinning hair, I’ve never paid too much attention to the need for a good quality hairdryer. I’ve always been hesitant about throwing consistent billows of heat onto my already brittle hair, so it’s one of the things that most people used that I’ve never really…
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The best-known mattress in a box brand in Australia, Koala, released three new versions of their popular mattress last year, with the entry-level option simply dubbed the “New Koala Mattress”. This was in addition to the Calm-As, which was a winner at the Product of the Year 2021 awards, and the high-end SoulMate, of which…
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Although most headphones on the market – especially those concerned with noise-cancelling – sport a closed-back design, there are some out there that get by just fine with the opposite. We’re talking a closed-back design, which has its own advantages and disadvantages, putting the focus almost entirely on audio performance and not much else. Brooklyn-based…
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Now that Pacific Concepts is ready and willing to trudge forth into new territory, it seems the group has chosen to kick the post-lockdown life off by taking the somewhat inescapable Fratelli Fresh brand and upscaling it with a new standalone restaurant at Grosvenor Place. Carving out the same space that was once occupied by…
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We’ve already let you know our top picks for gifts this Christmas, but that isn’t all that you’ve got to fork out for when it comes to bringing the festive cheer to your home. Food & drink is always going to be a big part of the big day, so we’ve rounded up some of…
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2021 has been tough for Aussies, and it seems that quite possibly things are going to be… complicated… for months to come. There’s still a lot of gloom about despite many cities now enjoying life out of lockdown, which is why the upcoming Christmas holidays just may be the most important ones yet. There’s no…
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A few years ago most discerning drinkers would have scoffed at the idea of a bar exclusively slinging non-alcoholic spirits, but times have almost certainly changed. In 2021, Lyre’s Spirit Co – a company that produces award-winning non-alcoholic spirits – is sitting pretty with an impressive $500 million valuation, and the appetite for sippin’ on…
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Restaurants are back. As Sydney keeps on opening up, more and more people are flocking back to their old and new favourite spots to make up for lost time when it comes to eating well, drinking even better, and catching up with friends. Throw some live music in the mix from talented local bands, from…
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Before the year is done and dusted, iconic luxury lifestyle brand Club Med will open its very first Canadian property, no doubt adding the country’s already solid portfolio of grand, enchanting ski resorts. Named Québec Charlevoix, positioned in the north of Québec, the new Club Med resort will soak up the area’s regional wonders and…
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Surry Hills iconic The Clock Hotel has been through more than a few changes in its lifetime, and I’m hoping the latest is nice and permanent for the long-standing venue. That would be moving away from the typical pub grub associated with such a popular hotel into undeniably French territory, dissing the parma for some…
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Fireball Whisky won’t end 2021 without making an impact. The raucous label is known for its spicy collaborations, and the latest just might take the cake. The label has teamed up with Vic’s Meats in Sydney to launch a Fireball-laced limited edition Christmas ham for anyone who wants something a bit different cooking in the…
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Woolloomooloo’s iconic Finger Wharf would be a dream location for any restaurateur, so I couldn’t even begin to imagine how overjoyed Mario Percuoco is right now as he collaborates with the latest opening by Audacia Enterprises. As the son of Buon Ricordo’s Armando Percuoco, there’s an obvious pedigree and love for hospitality that sits behind…
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Sydney will never have enough French restaurants. The cuisine can arguably outmuscle Italian and Japanese when it comes to density, with some of the city’s most beloved dining institutions favouring the regional delicacies of France. Sydney’s already got a new spat of finer dining, more upscale French restaurants with Porcine and Bistro 916, but our…
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With weary Aussies cautiously poking their heads out of mentally-draining lockdowns, it’s perhaps never been a better time to talk about what some call ‘self-care tourism’. Of course, there’s nothing like a great big dollop of escapism to pull our attention into the present moment. Tourism and self-care have always gone hand-in-hand; seeing, feeling, tasting…
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The more indulgent Sydneysiders looking for the hot new dessert in town are going to want to make a bee-line for Peanut Butter Bar as soon as possible. The Leichhardt eatery has become known for their intentionally OTT creations, but their latest collaboration takes the ca…err..sundae. For a limited time only, Sheep Dog Peanut Butter…
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With the swift uptick in prepared meals on the market, from My Muscle Chef to Youfoodz, it’s never been a better time for IKU to jump onto the fast-rising trend. The chef-led, plant-based concept started off as an eatery in Glebe over 35 years ago, but has now become a full-blown home meal delivery service…
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Darlinghurst duo Red Lantern and The Cut Barbershop have hooked up with iconic American bourbon distillery Buffalo Trace Kentucky for a very limited edition offering Sydneysiders should be jumping all over this weekend. This weekend only, The Cut owner Mark Jensen will be opening up a limited number of chairs so anyone can get a…
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DJI has gone from strength to strength this year, from releasing their very first FPV drone to refining their popular Osmo series with the OM 5 gimble. As we head into 2022, it seems the company has now turned their attention to their action camera series, pushing the category forward with the new DJI Action…
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I don’t know what it is about gin, but it’s a pretty divisive spirit. Vodka is a cocktail classic, whiskey we tend to get around, but when you ask a room full of people about this robust spirit named gin, some very mixed opinions often erupt. For the superfans among us, you’ll know it’s officially…
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The end of Sydney lockdown (thanks to increasing vaccination rates) doesn’t just mean restaurants and bars are open for business again, it means the city’s love of left-centre brand collaborations is back. The latest: Master of Mixes and Stanley Street favourite The Big Easy, teaming up to celebrate the return of iconic Aussie snack Tasty…
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