Monthly Archives: November 2011

Travelgasm: a massive night out

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I certainly don’t need a reason to have a night out, but I’ve now got a regular excuse to drink cocktails on a school night. For the past five months I’ve stamped the last Thursday of every month in my calendar RESERVED: Travel Massive.

Brisbane Travel Massive crew

Travel Massive started as travel networking drinks at a backpackers in Sydney, Australia and has now spread around the world. It’s grown from being just a few travel-lovers sharing beers to a global travel meet-up. Travel Massive is now connecting the travel industry with start-ups, bloggers and socially engaged travellers in cities like New York, London, Toronto, San Francisco, Melbourne and Singapore. Continue reading →

Tastegasm: Tramp vs TV

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I watch far too much TV. The television set is the mortal enemy of any writer, mostly because the majority of writers are the world champion procrastinators, but to quote one of Hollywood’s doyennes of indulgence, Mae West, ‘too much of a good thing is sometimes wonderful’.

Yes, I’m going to say it. Sometimes too much TV leads to finding good TV. I’m pretty sure Ms West’s quote is not the mantra of the Travel Channel’s show Man vs Food, but it could be. The basic premise of this show is exactly what the simple title implies. It’s the host, Adam Richman, in his quest to defeat food.

Photo credit: Travel Channel

I can’t emphasize how much this bloke is the real deal so you’ll just have to see to believe…

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A dressing down: Central America

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Dressing down [dres-ing-doun]

noun – 1. A situation characterized by unnecessarily informal or lackluster clothing.

2. An informal chat where one takes advantage of one’s well-read, well-fed, well-travelled friends, using them for one’s own selfish purposes.

My friend Amy spent several months travelling Central America. She kindly offered to be the first sacrificial lamb for a dressing down…

TT: Why did you choose Central America?

AP: We chose Central America as we heard rave reviews from fellow travellers of how great it was. Prior to our trip we had been living in Canada for a year, so it was a chance to experience something culturally completely different and it was incredibly affordable! There was also a diving course on an island off Honduras that we were keen to do. We actually started our trip in Mexico and spent three nights of indulgence at a resort in Playa del Carmen. We backpacked for another night or two in Mexico but pretty much headed straight down to Belize. If we had more time we would have liked to continue travelling down into South America – will just have to go back another day!

Copan, Honduras

TT: What was the weirdest thing you ate?

AP: Well, I didn’t actually eat it but the weirdest thing I saw for sale was a plate of lizards at some markets in Granda!

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One-night stand: Holy shirt!

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Shirt Bar, Kent Street, Sydney CBD.

Many a shirt has been taken off after a rowdy night in a bar, but have you ever taken an extra shirt home with you? You can do just that at Sydney’s Shirt Bar.

I’ve spoken about my fascination with clever concepts and unique interiors before here and here but this bar is not just a hipster hangout, it’s a slashie establishment: cafe/bar/shirt shop. Yep, shirts. Forgot to wear a shirt to work this morning? Never mind! You can just pop down to Shirt Bar and buy one with you morning latte. Clever and practical. My kind of place.

At Shirt Bar – which by the way is conveniently located a stone’s throw from some of Sydney’s biggest corporate offices – apart from the usual café/bar fare, you can get measured for, and buy a shirt. It’s not just for the lads either – there are plenty of cute lady’s tailored shirts there too. Chances are you might need a few new shirts if you make a habit of eating Shirt Bar’s scrumptious dark chocolate and raspberry brownies too often. Continue reading →