Scandinavian style is huge in Melbourne cafe interiors at the moment so it’s good to see Scandi influences flowing through to cafe menus as well. SMAK House food has the Scandi interior nailed: it’s all Nordic whites and greys. Polished concrete is juxtaposed with white wire seating, timber finishes and hanging greenery. Think calm and
Say goodbye to boring, cookie cutter hotels which could be anywhere. Super cool hotel group QT has just opened its newest outpost in Melbourne where the old Greater Union cinema used to be on Russell street. I was invited to take a sneak peek on the opening night. Like it’s Sydney counterpart, QT Melbourne
I usually like exploring new places on holidays but my trip to Noosa last year was so good that I just had to go back. The only downside to last year’s trip was our accomodation as we booked so last minute there wasn’t much choice at all. This year I was sorted thanks to an
I was one of those people who discovered quince paste well before I actually encountered a real life quince. It came as somewhat of a surprise to me to discover the glistening ruby jelly like paste came from a big yellow gnarly fruit which is almost inedible raw. This transformation of the humble quince is
I’m not usually a fan of pop up restaurants and cafes. I think it’s a tag that’s overused and tend to avoid pop ups in favour of established venues. But I couldn’t help myself when I heard about Chotto on Smith Street. It’s a fine dining Japanese cafe from ex Golden fields Brendan Liew and
I’ve just arrived in Noosa for a week long holiday with my baby and toddler in tow. You should see the amount of stuff we have with us. Long gone are the days of travelling with carry on luggage only. After multiple holidays (including long haul flights) with a baby my mantra is now be
Everyone dreams of opening their own little wine bar right? It would be convivial, serve interesting wines and of course have fabulous food to complement the drinks. Two of my friends stopped dreaming and started doing, opening Bibo Wine Bar in Sydney’s Double Bay this year. They’re clever fellows so they enlisted the support of
My friend Jim makes a salad he calls the bogan salad. It’s just iceberg lettuce and beef tomatoes. It’s the sort of salad that was the staple of my childhood and it’s a great name because it shows how trends come and go for ingredients (funnily enough iceberg lettuce is making a comeback). So if
I have a serious high tea addiction. I love the dainty scones, the little cakes and even the cucumber sandwiches. As a tea drinker from way back it’s also a great excuse to make time for an actual pot of tea rather than a cup with a teabag. So I eagerly accepted an invitation to
Winter is almost officially over which means it’s time to start chasing the sun and sea along the Surf Coast. I love exploring this beautiful part of the world and one of my latest discoveries is a little hidden gem in Anglesea, McGain’s Nursery and Cafe. McGain’s has been around for a few years
