Hong Kong is a marvellous place being hectic, prosperous and now, increasingly creative. First impressions of Hong Kong are always ‘busy’; so very, very busy. Construction is taking place everywhere and the port is a veritable…
Read More
22 Ships is Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton’s buzzy tapas bar on Ship Street in Wan Chai. Offering imaginative and reasonably priced food, ‘Ships’ is a hit with queues at 9pm even on a Tuesday night. The wait,…
Read More
Hong Kong is a city that dazzles and delights. It is also a city that looks its best at night. The streets and buildings look their crispest when basking in the reflection of the city’s neon…
Read More
The Coffee Academics is a series of focused coffee houses featuring Slayer espresso machines and a wide selection of filter brewing methods. Their Clever Coffee Dripper (see our guide to making the perfect CCD here), Aeropress and V60 pour…
Read More
‘Tailoring Coffee Joyously’ is the tagline and ethos behind Haven Specialty Coffee situated directly opposite Central Station in Surry Hills. Coffee geekiness in all its glory is on show at Haven with well made—and presented—coffees available via practically…
Read More
Tailor Espresso is Vedrana Grozdanic’s (Vee) charming cafe in an old tailors shop in Maroubra. Serving Single Origin Roasters coffee, pastries and toasted sandwiches, this cafe has a local feel, reflective of the area. The space has…
Read More
Photographer Paola Talbert runs an excellent Coastal Photography course available through the City East Community College. Known for her surreal underwater aesthetic, Paola has featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Sydney and Melbourne over the past decade. This photography course is ideal for learning…
Read More
Sydney is one of my favourite cities, being both a great place to live and visit. Good food, great coffee and an outdoor lifestyle are just the beginning. However, just like visiting Paris, Hong Kong…
Read More
Cho Cho San is a stylish, izakaya restaurant serving modern Japanese cuisine in Sydney’s fashionable Potts Point neighbourhood. Opened in 2014 by the team behind the nearby Apollo, architect George Livissianis has used polished concrete,…
Read More
Barrio Coffee Collective is a fine addition to Canberra’s ever evolving coffee scene. Located in the new Lonsdale Street Traders building in the inner suburb of Braddon, Barrio serves up an impressive cup of the black…
Read More
Cockington Green Gardens is a model village first opened to the public by Doug and Brenda Sarah Cockington almost 30 years ago. It is unlike anything I have seen before, being neither twee nor taking…
Read More
The Mount Roland Mountain Range in Tasmania comprise Mt Roland (1234m), Mt Van Dyke (1084m) and Mt Claude (1034m). This group of mountains forms a natural amphitheatre and the scene of the annual Triple Top Mountain Run, a…
Read More
Inspired by traditional envelope style packs, American brand Duluth’s Scout Pack is made from 15-ounce canvas accented with riveted leather straps. Handmade in Duluth, Minnesota, these backpacks are ideal for urban adventures or day trips to the mountains. The pack has a slim…
Read More
This Best Made flannel pullover accompanied me on my recent travels to the Tasmanian wilderness. Over two years old, this shirt has been heavily tested, highlighting the quality of the cotton and the craftsmanship of…
Read More
Best Made, one of my favourite camp goods companies, sells this USA made, Arkansas Bench Stone. Possibly the perfect “two-in-one” sharpening stone, it is housed in a lovely wooden box with rubber feet for stability. The…
Read More
Rakushokusha Maru is one of two Tokyo restaurants run by owner-chef’s Keiji Mori. Descending into the basement of the Aoyama restaurant, the decor is stylish and discrete with nothing out of place. On our visit, we opted for the ‘tasting…
Read More
Of all the wonderful dining experiences we had in Japan, the ultimate for us was the three Michelin-starred sushi at Sukiyabashi Jiro. Made famous in the film Jiro Dreams of Sushi, 89 year-old Jiro is…
Read More
Switch Coffee in Tokyo’s Meguro neighbourhood is a charming, boutique coffee roaster with a small cafe attached. Like many of Tokyo’s cafes and boutiques, Switch Coffee makes the most of its diminutive space with an inviting…
Read More
Acclaimed film director Akira Kurosawa was said to be a connoisseur of Japanese cuisine, in particular an aficionado of fresh, handmade soba noodles. Made from buckwheat flour and often eaten with the simplest of dipping sauces, this quintessential…
Read More
In Shinjuku, one of Tokyo’s nightlife epicentres, bikini-clad women stage nightly mock battles with enormous robots in a peculiarly Japanese form of entertainment. The show is quite kitsch, however, do not let that put you off as it is a…
Read More