New Podilato Restaurant at Mantra MacArthur Hotel takes diners on a ride through the Mediterranean

Canberra’s craving for modern Mediterranean cuisine has been met with the opening of Podilato at the new Mantra MacArthur Hotel.

Podilato (which means bicycle in Greek) is the sister restaurant of the popular Bicicletta Italian restaurant at Peppers Gallery Hotel in Canberra.

Like Bicicletta, the restaurant offers a traditional-meets-modern-fusion in its menu.

Podilato Head Chef Sean Mawbey is well known for using fresh ingredients and uncomplicated cooking styles to temper the richness of tradition with the delicacy of modern gastronomy in some inspirational variations on classic Mediterranean dishes.

He has created a menu of Greek, Spanish and Italian cuisines that highlights the freshest seasonal ingredients with a great selection of tapas and dishes designed for sharing.

Featuring Hellenic favourites off the grill, accompanied by both Mediterranean and local wines, Podilato is a welcome addition to the list of Canberra’s best restaurants.

“My cooking philosophy is to accentuate the natural flavours and characteristics of the food, and to put a modern-Australian twist on traditional dishes,” said Sean.

“When preparing Mediterranean cuisine, I’m particularly fond of seafood but I also like to slow-cook food; it takes time and patience, but it reflects the Mediterranean way of life and is definitely worth the wait.”

Tapas dishes include dips, antipasto, paella balls, beetroot carpaccio, mini gyros, Persian lamb kofta, pork belly and crackle and main dishes include pollo alla diavola (grilled crispy flattened chicken with a chilli and lemon vinaigrette), ragu di agnello (braised lamb shoulder pasta), pumpkin and sage risotto, and more.

For groups (minimum two) there are also two banquet options - $45 per person for six plates or $55 per person for eight plates.

Podilato is open daily for breakfast from 6.30-10am on weekdays and 7-11am on weekends, offers a weekday deli option from 6.30am-3pm, a tapas menu (Monday to Saturday) from 3-10pm and dinner from 6-9.30pm (Monday to Saturday). For bookings, call 02 6112 9292.

The restaurant is located at the new Mantra MacArthur Hotel at 219 Northbourne Avenue, Turner ACT. A balcony also offers outdoor dining.

Mantra MacArthur Hotel offers a range of stylish and contemporary studio rooms as well as one and two bedroom suites.There is an opening special from $129* per night in a Studio Room including 1GB Wi-Fi daily, drink voucher on arrival and 12pm late check-out. To book, visit MantraHotels.com or call 1300 987 603.

*Conditions apply, subject to availability. Valid for sale and travel until 31 January, 2018.

Tourism Fiji Australian new PR Manager

Tourism Fiji has announced the appointment of Ms Sarah-Louise Robinson as Public Relations Manager – Australia, commencing this week.

Announcing the appointment, Tourism Fiji Regional Manager – Australia, Hal Caldwell said this newly-created role underlines the importance of Australian media relationships to Tourism Fiji, with Australia continuing to serve as Fiji's biggest market for tourism.

"We're delighted to be welcoming Sarah-Louise to this important role. Working in consultation with Verve PR and other partners primarily via our Sydney office, Sarah-Louise will play a pivotal role in helping to satisfy the Australian media's appetite for Tourism Fiji news. With a breadth of experience representing tourism and travel brands, we're confident Sarah-Louise will lead a strong PR strategy for Tourism Fiji within our biggest market," said Mr Caldwell.

With almost two decades of experience in PR and Communications roles across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, Sarah-Louise most recently served as Senior Marketing Communications Manager for Dubai Tourism, delivering creative campaigns across ANZ.

An IPRA (International Public Relations Association) Golden World award-winner in the category of Travel and Tourism, Sarah-Louise has also represented Tourism Malaysia, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Egypt Tourism and other organisations – working both in-house and in external agency roles.

"Fiji holds a special place in the hearts of many Aussies. I am honoured to be joining the Tourism Fiji team and I am excited to lead some exciting initiatives within the Australian media market. Stay tuned!" said Ms Robinson.

For more information about Tourism Fiji, visit the official Tourism Fiji website fiji.travel.

Giant luminous rabbits to 'invade Macau for 2017 Macao Light Festival

The invasion of Macao by 10 monumental “rabbits” is just the beginning of an autumn-winter season which will revolve around two month-long evening festivals among its feast of annual events.

Pride of place on the banks of Nam Van Lake stand 10 luminous installations in the form of rabbits, which throughout October will light up the night’s sky in celebrating the 2nd Macao Lantern Festival.

Measuring between five and eight metres tall, each colourful character was designed by renowned architect and artist Carlos Marreiros.

Supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the event is a major drawcard during the Asian centre’s annual Mid-Autumn Festival until the end of October.

Apart from the visual display at the Waterfront Promenade of Once Central and Anim’Arte Nam Van, there are lantern festival workshops, allowing budding artists to create lanterns using clay and glassed bottles.

From December 3-31, another array of lights will be switched on throughout Macao as the city celebrates winter with a fascinating light festival.

Such has been the success of previous year’s festivals the 2017 Macao Light Festival promises to be more spectacular with events arranged to attract locals and international visitors beyond the bright colours.

Organised by the MGTO, this year’s festival will have a strong emphasis on story-telling with an outdoor concert scheduled along with an outdoor movie showing and an exclusive lighting dinner.

The Macao Light Festival will be highlighted by an opening show on December 3.

As many as eight of the former Portuguese enclave’s historic sites will be used as focal points throughout the month, heightened each night by bright lighting and three-dimensional mapping.

Those prime locations will be:

• Camões Garden
• St. Anthony's Church
• Taipa Houses
• St. Lazarus Church
• Old Court Building
• Anim’Arte NAM VAN
• Senado Square
• Ruins of St. Paul's

Details: Macao Government Tourism Office www.visitmacao.com.au

White exhibition colours Everglades, Leura

Celebrate the simplicity, subtlety and emptiness of ``white'' when the richly designed and furnished Everglades Historic House & Gardens, Leura, holds a luminous twilight soiree to launch the White Exhibition on November 11.

Featuring three Blue Mountains artists (James Gordon, Julie Martin and Helen Sturgess), exhibition curator and art consultant Louise Abbott of iArt has based the exhibition around the White book by Japanese designer and curator Kenya Hara, the art director of Muji since 2001 who designed the opening and closing ceremony programs of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games 1998.

In his book Designing Design, Hara elaborates on the importance of ``emptiness'' in the visual and philosophical traditions of Japan and its application to design.

``In summary, `white' symbolises simplicity and subtlety,'' Abbott said.

``Hara attempts to explore the essence of `white', which he sees as being closely related to the origin of Japanese aesthetics. The central concepts discussed by Hara are emptiness and the absolute void. He also sees his work as a designer as a form of communication. Good communication has the distinction of being able to listen to each other, rather than to press one's opinion onto the opponent.''

​

Hara compares that form of communication with an empty container.

``In visual communication there are equally signals whose signification is limited as well as signals or symbols such as the cross or the red circle on the Japanese flag which, like an empty container, permit every signification and do not limit imagination,'' Abbott said.

``The Japanese character for white also forms a radical of the character for emptiness. Therefore, we can closely associate the colour white with emptiness.''

Launched with a White soiree, the exhibition will be held in the magnificent 1930s art deco Everglades House set amid spectacular gardens, formal terraces and overlooking sweeping views of the Jamison Valley.

Dressed in white, guests will be served a selection of canapes and locally-produced drinks sponsored by Dryridge Estate, while floral arrangements will be provided by Floral Ink and musical duo Rachel Hannan and John Stuart will set the tone with smooth grooves.

All the artworks will be white-themed.

Everglades manager Guy McIlrath said: ``With its progressive ideas and stark philosophies, the White exhibition is as avant garde as the property itself.

``The soiree event will be a reminder of Everglades in its heyday when you can imagine beautiful people floating around the gardens in beautiful clothes on summer evenings.

``In November the evenings are balmy, cool breezes and summer scents float through the trees and the formal ponds help cool the air, so it will be a very dreamy atmosphere.''

The White exhibition official opening soiree event will be held at Everglades Historic House & Gardens, 37 Everglades Ave, Leura, from 5pm to 8pm on Saturday, November 11. Tickets: $55pp, $50pp National Trust members. Bookings essential: 0467 332 591 or 0410 312 827 or email friendsofeverglades@gmail.com (please dress in white).

The exhibition will be displayed in the main house for a month thereafter. Everglades is open from 10am to 5pm daily during daylight savings and from 10am to 4pm during autumn and winter. Entry: $13 adults, $8 concessions, $4 children, National Trust members free.

Contact: (02) 4784 1938 or email everglades@nationaltrust.com.au.

Photos: David Hill, Deep Hill Media

Luxperience luxury travel expo sold

#luxperience2017

Luxperience Founder, Helen Logas has sold the successful, global travel trade institution

After six years guiding Luxperience to an overwhelming success, Founder Helen Logas has sold the renowned luxury travel trade forum to US owned company Diversified Communications Australia, as of 04 October 2017, for an undisclosed sum.

Spying a niche in the marketplace, Ms Logas was inspired to create Luxperience in 2012 as a high end business to business event based in the Southern Hemisphere. The annual event continues to raise the profile of some of the world's unique travel experiences and products and connect these to elite travel buyers and corporate meeting organisers from around the globe.

'The trend toward more experiential products and activities demanded by the high end traveller also reinforced the need for a global travel trade event offered by Luxperience,' says Ms Logas, Founder of Luxperience. 'With Australia and New Zealand's highly desired and unique  experiences leading the way in attracting this type of traveller to the region, the development of the event continually attracts both exhibitors and buyers from around the world seeking to make quality business relationships. As a result we quickly acquired market share from amongst other luxury travel trade events around the world.'

'We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of Luxperience. Helen and her team have done excellent work to develop a strong brand and successful event since its launch in 2012,' says David Longman, General Manager Diversified Communications Australasia.

The tourism industry is an exciting and vibrant one in Australia and is estimated to contribute $47.5 billion to the nation's economy annually. The luxury end of the travel market in Australia is expected to grow sharply over the next ten years.

'As a premium event Luxperience – which features an invitation only hosted buyer model, awards and networking opportunities – is in a great position to understand and service the needs of this growing community. It's an industry we're excited to be part of,' continues Mr Longman. 'Since the launch of Luxperience in 2012 the events have been built on similar principles to Diversified where inspiring meaningful connections are at the heart of what the event is all about. We are excited to be able to work with the team and continue the good work, delivering a world class event for the luxury and experiential travel sector.'  

A true influencer and innovator in the travel industry, building a multi-million dollar business is not new to Ms Logas. In 1994, she established corporate travel agency, Travelcorp Australia with one office then sold it 17 years later as an award winning national agency group with a turnover of $85m and 65 staff to CTM.

Under Ms Logas' guidance Travelcorp was either a finalist or winner of the best corporate agency from 2003 to 2010. She was personally recognised as a finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the Year and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011. This travel industry experience and dedication enabled Ms Logas to establish and grow Luxperience to be an exceptional, unmissable event.

'I'm quite emotional about selling Luxperience as it has been a major part of my life for the past six years,' says Ms Logas. 'I'm so proud of my team's efforts in establishing it as a must attend event in the calendars of the global visionaries of the travel industry. I know I am handing the baton on to a worthy company in Diversified Communications.'

Diversified Communications is pleased to announce that the majority of the current Luxperience team will transition to Diversified, moving into a new home in our Kent Street offices in Sydney. Retaining the experience, industry knowledge and relationships that the team have built up, will ensure that Diversified Communications is in the best possible position to continue to deliver Luxperience for the industry, and further build on the success of this unique and fantastic event.

 

You do not want to see this on your boarding pass

BBC Persian correspendent, Bahman Kalbasi, tweeted:

"I’m SSSS on EVERY flight. Special treatment includes @TSA feeling & squeezing you & every single item in the luggage"

If you see this code on any USA boarding pass, get ready for some extra attention from airport security.

According to the TSA, this code denotes 'special screening' procedures called 'Secure Flight'.

“Secure Flight is a risk-based passenger pre-screening program that enhances security by identifying low and high-risk passengers before they arrive at the airport by matching their names against trusted traveler lists and watchlists,” a TSA spokesman said.

Another passenger, Dr. Maryam Ahmad, a self-proclaimed 'proud American-Muslim and Civil Rights Activist' also noted:

"Again I've been "randomly" selected for secondary security screening SSSS printed on JFK boarding pass. Funny, not ONE white person selected."

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour unveiled

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour was officially launched on 3 October 2017 by The Hon. Adam Marshall MP, Minister for Tourism and Major Events making it the first new build, international luxury hotel to debut in Sydney's CBD this millennium.  It is also the first new Sofitel property to be built in Australia.

The launch of the Sofitel has broken a 5-star accommodation drought that stretches back before the Sydney Olympics, with the last internationally-branded luxury hotel opened in 1999.

The opening of the Sofitel heralds a renaissance of new hotel development in Sydney, with over 40 hotels scheduled to open over the next five years to support the city's record breaking tourism growth.

For such an auspicious launch, the hotel's owner, Dr Jerry Schwartz, and Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Pacific, Simon McGrath decided to offer the whole hotel to 33 charities to support in their fundraising. As a result, $508,000 was raised by the charities supporting a range of causes including medical research, disadvantaged children and families, education, Indigenous development and homelessness.

"Being the most important hotel opening since the Olympics, we wanted to once again involve the whole of Sydney by supporting charities that do so much for communities across the city and the State," said Dr Schwartz.

"This hotel launch will also help cement Darling Harbour as one of the world's most dynamic tourism and events precincts, and power future international and domestic demand for the city."

Simon McGrath said, "Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour will be a landmark hotel for Sydney and with its proximity to the International Convention Centre, the hotel will help bring major conferences and events to the city and will be a significant contributor to the tourism sector.

"Sofitel is now the largest luxury hotel brand in the Pacific and coupled with the strength of AccorHotels' distribution and loyalty platform we are confident Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is going to lead the luxury hotel market in Australia."

The Hon. Adam Marshall said, "Since 2011, the NSW Government has overseen record growth for the State's visitor economy and this has led to huge investment in Sydney's accommodation sector.

"The accommodation sector plays a key part in our visitor economy and I congratulate AccorHotels on this wonderful new asset, and with another 4,800 new Sydney hotel beds in the pipeline between now and 2024 I look forward to seeing even more investment in our city."

Centrally located in the vibrant, newly transformed city precinct, opposite the International Convention Centre, the $500 million Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour offers 590 guestrooms including the hotel's 35 coveted suites, boasting some of the best views in Sydney.

For more information, head to www.accorhotels.com