EAT > Olympus Dining, Sydney (18/20)

Since opening their doors at the new Wunderlich Lane in Redfern, Olympus Dining has been one of the hottest bookings in Sydney. Greek food at its finest, in the heart of one of Sydney’s original Greek suburbs. AMBIENCE > The Wunderlich Lane precinct includes the Eve Hotel, restaurants, bars, supermarkets and apartments. It’s stunning, and a vast improvement from the former shopping…

ByPaulaOctober 26, 20250Comments

EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > EAT > VICTORIA

EAT > Stokehouse, St Kilda (18/20)

Stokehouse is Melbourne’s definitive seaside address—a place where the city’s appetite for luxury, sun and salt converge in a breathtaking, glass-fronted pavilion perched above St Kilda beach. Days here roll from luminous lunches under blue skies to candlelit dinners set against dramatic sunsets and the rhythmic hush of surf below. It’s a restaurant that has…

ByCrispyOctober 19, 20250Comments

STAY > LONDON STAY STAY > UK

STAY > The Standard, London (18/20)

Where to stay in London is often the eternal question. For this visit, we were arriving via Eurostar and departing via Heathrow five days later. I landed on staying near St Pancras for ease of movements, helped by having The Standard on the door step. . ABOUT > The Standard Hotels The Standard…

ByPaulaOctober 11, 20250Comments

CAFE > TOKYO CAFE >

CAFE > Fuglen Espressobar, Tokyo (18/20)

There’s a certain timelessness at Fuglen Espressobar, tucked away on Tomigaya’s sleepy backstreets, just moments from Yoyogi Park — somewhere between retro Norwegian cool and Tokyo edge, every detail balancing minimalism with cosy, mid-century warmth. Fuglen is a Japanese coffee institution dating back 60 years and this super hip venue in Tomigaya opened in…

ByCrispyOctober 3, 20250Comments

EAT > MELBOURNE EAT >

EAT > Circl Wine House, Melbourne (18/20)

Discover the vinous wonderland of Circl Wine House in Melbourne’s CBD, where award-winning Head Sommelier Xavier Vigier curates an impressive collection of 1,500 wines, including 150 available by the glass. Indulge in exquisite dishes crafted by Executive Chef Elias Salomonsson, such as the sensational half duck and caviar with house-made crumpets. With a stunning ambiance…

ByCrispySeptember 21, 20250Comments

STAY STAY > FALLS CREEK

STAY > Astra, Falls Creek (18/20)

Regulars to Falls Creek Ski Resort in Victoria are probably very familiar with Astra, it is a great place to stop for an apres ski drink, or come back for dinner. But the greatest luxury comes from staying at Astra and having the full experience. Astra is a super stylish hotel that continues…

ByCrispyAugust 31, 20250Comments

EAT > EAT > ADELAIDE

EAT > Star of Greece (18/20)

If ever asked about where to eat in Willunga, The Star of Greece is on the top of my list, actually if its top of my list if someone asks me the best places to eat in South Australia (but maybe I am a little biased). I spent some of my formative years living…

ByCrispyAugust 26, 20250Comments

STAY STAY > PORTUGAL

STAY > Reid’s Palace, Madeira Portugal (18/20)

Perched dramatically atop rugged cliffs, where Madeira’s balmy breezes mingle with the salt-sweet tang of the Atlantic, sits Reid’s Palace—a vestige of an older, more gracious world. Arriving, one is met by a sweep of subtropical gardens, their riotous colours tumbling toward the blue below, and the unmistakable hush of history. Indeed, it is a…

ByCrispyAugust 17, 20250Comments

DRINK > WINE > Nebbiolo (including Barolo) DRINK > WINE

WINE > Figli Luigi Oddero Barolo, Piedmont Italy 2013 (18/20)

There are Barolos that linger politely in the glass, and then there are those that stride into the room with quiet gravitas—Figli Luigi Oddero’s 2013 Barolo is firmly the latter. Heritage and tradition echo in every swirl, as this estate’s legacy (fractured but never diminished by familial divides) carries through in the pedigree of the…

ByCrispyAugust 7, 20250Comments

DRINK > BURGUNDY DRINK > BARS

DRINK > Caves de l’Abbaye, Beaune, Burgundy (18/20)

Step from Beaune’s winding, cobbled heart into Caves de l’Abbaye, and you’re greeted by the cool hush of a centuries-old cellar—a true Burgundy hideaway shaped from vaulted stone. Beneath low arches, the glow is candle-soft, shadows flicker against wine-streaked walls, and every table feels like a private alcove ready for pure vinous discovery. AMBIENCE >…

BySimonAugust 2, 20250Comments

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