October 2014 - Sydney Event Blogger

The Star’s Sky Terrace roof top bar opens again for summer

Posted on October 30, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

The Star’s roof top bar, the Sky Terrace, opened again for the second year running on 31 October 2014 for summer.

The official launch party was held the night before the public opening (30 October 2014) with celebrities Laura Dundovic and Richard Wilkinson (and two of his children) in attendance.

Sydneysiders now have the opportunity to enjoy sunset drinks, great food, summer tunes and the best views of city skyline from the large balcony of the Star Event Centre.

Sky Terrace visitors can enjoy a range of cocktails, wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks. In addition to the beverage menu is a range of bar food options including Spiced Corn Chips with Pea Guacamole, Philadelphia Cheese Steak, Chicken Quesadillas and Sushi. Further, there will be a weekly rotating menu from one of The Star’s award-winning signature restaurants, Balla, BLACK by ezard, Sokyo, Momofuku Seiōbo, and Fat Noodle.

There will also be an impressive line-up of musical talent, delivering the ultimate summer playlist with everything from hip-hop to soul and electronica.

The Sky Terrace will also be the official bar of the Sydney Festival with live music nightly from a range of local and international talent.

The Sky Terrace is located on level 3 of The Star at 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009. For direct access to Sky Terrace, take the elevator direct to level 3 from The Star’s Pirrama Road entrance.

The Sky Terrace will be open from Thursday to Sunday 5pm to late and daily from 6pm for the Sydney Festival (6-26 January 2015).

For access to a range of discounts across The Star’s accommodation and food and beverage offering, visitors to Sky Terrace are invited to sign up for The Star’s free to join rewards program – Absolute Social.

For more information visit www.star.com.au

Johnnie Walker launches their new Blue Label Room pop bar at The Stables Sydney

Posted on October 29, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

Johnnie Walker launched their new Blue Label Room at the private members only venue, The Stables Sydney, on 29 October 2014.

Guests were invited to step inside the beautiful transformed room, which includes a lounge area and outdoor bar. The sophisticated space reflects the history, culture and essence of the Johnnie Walker brand, and includes a whisky constellation, Johnnie Walker collectibles, Alexander Walker’s quality statement and more.

Upon arrival guests were served Johnnie Walker cocktails including the ‘Blue Silk’ Old Fashioned. The ‘Blue Silk’ Old Fashioned is a cocktail reminiscent of the prestige and decadence associated with Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It is a combination of a salted caramel syrup, maple syrup and a smoked Apricot Bitters created by Mr. Bitters in Melbourne. The drink is soft and silken, hence the name, and beautifully highlights the smoke and peated oiliness found in Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

The event was hosted by whisky expert and MasterChef Australia 2014 contestant, Sean Baxter, who is the National Brand Ambassador for Diageo Reserve Whisky. Sean has been working with whisky for over twelve years, both across the bar and as a professional trainer. Sean shared his knowledge with guests through an interactive whisky tasting demonstration. Sean will feature on going tastings at the Blue Label Room for members, guests and special events.

The highlight of the evening was the gourmet canapés menu curated by Sean and the team at The Stables Sydney. The canapés perfectly complemented the rare and smooth character of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, one part of the six variants in the House of Walker range.

Dishes served on the night included oysters shucked to order – shallot and whisky vinaigrette; tartar of white fish, chilli, finger lime and fennel pollen; steak on a stick – BBQ rib eye cubes; stuffed Swiss brown mushrooms; braised pork belly, fennel slaw and mustard fruits; and to satisfy the sweet tooth of the guests, lamington and brownie desserts.

VIP guests included Matt Doran, Justine Schofield, Joe Snell and Arrnott Olssen, who were personally chauffeured to and from the venue by event car partner Audi Centre Sydney.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Room at The Stables Sydney (located at Randwick Racecourse) is the quintessential arena to conduct business, relax and unwind, and enjoy special events in a professional and luxurious environment. The venue is set to be the place to entertain this Spring Racing Carnival.

For more information on Johnnie Walker please visit www.johnniewalker.com.

Chandon Summer Castaway Party at the Beresford Hotel

Posted on October 25, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

While the VIPs and celebrities partied at the combined Vogue Magazine and Chandon Summer Castaway Party at Watson’s Bay Boutique Hotel on Tuesday 21 October 2014, the general public got to join in the fun and celebrate the launch of the new Chandon bottle at the Beresford Hotel on Saturday 25 October 2014.

This mid afternoon party at the courtyard of the Beresford Hotel was attended by Eastern Suburbs locals who were literally given unlimited bottles of Chandon to drink, BBQ food and Gelato Messina ice-cream to consume.

The décor of the courtyard matched the nautical theme of the Chandon bottle. The main feature was the media wall that had Chandon Summer written across it with Chandon bottles. Attendees that had their picture taken at the media wall and uploaded their photo onto instagram where given Chandon branded sunglasses and thongs. One lucky instagramer got to win a chest full of bottles of Chandon, Chandon branded towels, beach balls and other summer goodies.

As part of the Chandon Summer Castaway at The Beresford Hotel, patrons can enjoy a bottle of Chandon Brut for only $40 every Saturday from 12pm to 5pm.

Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar opens its doors to Sydney this summer

Posted on October 23, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

The Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar launched on Thursday 23 October 2014 and gave Sydneysiders the opportunity to taste Asahi Super Dry and Asahi Super Dry Black served to perfection – poured fresh, at sub-zero temperatures.

VIP guests at the launch included INXS rock star Kirk Pengilly and men’s stylist Christopher Haggarty as pictured above.

Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar is already a huge success in other parts of the world, including Japan and Korea and this is the brand’s first-ever Australian pop-up bar in Sydney. The Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar will be conveniently located in the heart of Sydney, on Bligh Street in the Sydney CBD. Boasting a relaxed vibe and serving an innovative menu of bar snacks to complement the dry, crisp and refreshing flavour of Asahi Super Dry.

Further, the Asahi Super Dry Black Extra Cold – Asahi Super Dry’s slightly maltier, fuller bodied, yet still refreshing and crisp variant – will also be served at the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar. This will be the first time the dark lager in draught will be served in a venue in Australia..

Opening to the public on Friday, 24th October, the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar will give Sydney’s most discerning drinkers the opportunity to taste Asahi Super Dry and Asahi Super Dry Black served to perfection – poured fresh, at sub-zero temperatures. By chilling Asahi Super Dry beer to -2 degrees, the beer head maintains its high bubble density for longer, which creates a smoother texture, and ultimately makes it more refreshing.

Asahi Premium Beverages is a wholly owned Australian subsidiary of the Japanese beverage giant, Asahi Group Holdings.

The Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar will be located at 37 Bligh Street Sydney and will be open to the public on Friday 24th October through to Friday 23rd January 2015. Opening hours are from 4pm-10pm Monday – Wednesday and 12pm-10pm Thursday – Saturday.

Graham Shearer: A Private Collection opens at SUNSTUDIOS Alexandria, Sydney

Posted on October 23, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

Graham Shearer is an icon of the Australian fashion scene; spending his time behind the camera capturing the world’s most beautiful women for the world’s biggest brands and campaigns. On 23 October 2014, he showcased photos from his photographic career including images of Elle Macpherson, Nicole Kidman, Tyra Banks, Megan Gale and Rachel Hunter, just to name a few, at Sun Studios in Alexandria, Sydney.

With a career spanning the globe, over 30 years and still going strong, Graham Shearer has had the pleasure of photographing and immortalising iconic images. He has shot some of the most iconic covers for Australian magazines in the 80’s and 90’s and retained copyright of those images.

Copies of the prints are available for sale. The price ranges from $500 to $2000 (depending on the number of prints issued for each photo) and the proceeds go towards the charity Reporters Without Borders.

The retrospective ‘Graham Shearer: A Private Collection’ will feature images from all stages of Graham’s career with a few personal/unknown works included.

The exhibition opens 23 October and runs until 14 November 2014.

Thanks to the following sponsors for their generous support: Fashion Vodka, Heineken, Calabria Wines, GB Catering and Adpro Management Group. All prints are proudly sponsored and printed by Canon.

Sunday Sessions at Disaronno Terrace at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel

Posted on October 19, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

The stunning Top Deck of the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel has been transformed by the world’s favourite Italian liqueur, Disaronno, into a stylish, chic terrace lounge space for their weekly Sunday Sessions.

Every Sunday afternoon during October and November 2014, Sydneysiders can enjoy listening to Sydney’s hottest DJs, Soulganic, Duan and Only, and DJ Minx, while drinking Disaronno sour cocktails and enjoying a spread of traditional Italian antipasto dishes.

So if you are keen to enjoy the taste of a liqueur that has been around since 1525, head down to the Disaronno Terrace Sydney at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel on Sundays from 2pm to 6pm. Bellissimo!

Bondi institution Ravesi’s celebrates 25 years with a sparkle of silver.

Posted on October 14, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

The stars came out to party last night with a sparkle of silver adorning their outfits to celebrate Ravesi Hotel’s 25th birthday on Bondi Beach on 14 October 2014.

The traditional gift for a 25th anniversary is silver, so the Ravesi’s team chose ‘A Touch of Silver’ as their theme for the glamorous party. Not only were they celebrating 25 years of exceptional hospitality, they also celebrated the 100th birthday of the stunning heritage building itself, which was originally built in 1914 by the Ravesi brothers when they migrated to Australia from Italy.

For an entire century, Ravesi’s has remained the backbone of the Bondi Beach landscape. A place where locals and tourists alike have met for lunch after a dip in the ocean at Australia’s most famous beach, or sat with a cocktail or two, and people-watched for hours.

Guests included: Dan Churchill, Damian de Montemas, Andrea Demetriades, Matt Doran, Krit Schmidt and Alistair Cooke.

A canapé menu designed by Ravesi’s very own head chef, Darren Elmes, was influenced by Asian cuisine as well as showcasing the extraordinary seafood that Australia’s stretching coastline has to offer. Guests indulged in oysters – both pacific oysters and grilled Sydney rock oysters – wild kingfish sashimi with quinoa, kiwi, blood orange and lime, salmon sliders, chicken, lime and chilli dumplings and traditional Chinese duck pancakes.

Complementing the delicious food was an extensive selection of wine from Pikes Wines, Tyrell’s Wines and the award-winning Robert Oatley Vineyard range, which is a popular new addition to Ravesi’s bars. Guests also enjoyed Heineken and James Squire beers.

Party guests sipped on some of the bars most delectable cocktail concoctions like the Raspberry Bellini with Clover Hill sparkling wine and fresh raspberries, and the Bondi Passion with Belvedere vodka and Passionfruit Alize muddled with fresh limes and passionfruit, topped with Sicilian lemonade.

To help party-goers get right into the theme, talented students from the Australasian College Broadway were on hand beautifying guests with silver make-up and face paint.

As a parting gift, every guest was generously sent home with a special bottle of Ravesi’s wine. Here’s to 25 more!

The iconic Marble Bar relaunches at the Hilton Sydney

Posted on October 10, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

People have been going to the Marble Bar for decades but yet they seem to have forgotten that the Marble Bar was the original small bar of Sydney. Tucked underneath the Hilton Sydney like a secret den, the landmark Marble Bar is a musical hub in the heart of the city. It’s a stylish setting to enjoy live artists in decadent Victorian surrounds, whilst sampling premium beers, fine wine and classic cocktails. Built in 1893, the Marble Bar’s opulent furnishings have been influenced by 15th Century Italian Renaissance. It features 35 different varieties of Italian, Belgian and African marble as well as stained glass doors and ceilings, ornate carved bars of mahogany and a gallery of 14 Julian Ashton paintings valued at an estimated $1.6 million AUD. Marble Bar has had stars like Liza Minnelli, Wyclef Jean, Eve, Kelly Rowland, Mischa Barton, Ewan McGregor, Adam Lambert and Slash party amongst its breathtaking and original marble features.

On 10 October 2014 the official re-launch of the illustrious Marble Bar occurred at the Hilton Sydney. An exclusive group of 100 guests including Viola Kumanji and Simon Hancock, Scot Tweedie and Georgia Berg, Mia Morrissey, Christian Wilkins (son of Richard Wilkins), Alvin Quah, Jeff Lack, Jabba (Jason Davis) attended the event.

Guests were treated to a selection of classic cocktails taken from the newly redeveloped menu which aptly pays homage to all of the quintessential favourites of our time such as a perfectly balanced Vespa Martini and a refreshing Mint Julep. Guests also enjoy share plates including savoury mozzarella and parmesan arancini, truffled french fries with parmesan cheese, Cajun wedges, gourmet hot dogs, wood fired pizzas, traditional shish kebabs, artisan cured meats, roasted spiced nuts and house marinated olives.

Also on show was the brand new top shelf, single malt whiskey offering. With an impressive 45 additional pours, the new range hails from Scotland (Islay, Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, Orkney Islands, Isle of Skye), Ireland, Japan, Canada, America (bourbon and rye) and finally a modest selection of Australian whiskey – making it arguably one of the most ambitious whisky menu’s in Sydney.

Guests were entertained by a specially curated rock’n’roll, old Soul and 1950’s New Orleans Jump Jive band, The Dominos. The Dominos will be performing at the Marble Bar every Friday night, transforming the space into an old time dancehall. Live music will be also be playing every Wednesday through Saturday.

Vitamin D friendly suncreen Solar D is launched in Sydney

Posted on October 8, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

When I was 33 years old, a girl I went to high school with died from melanoma. She was the first to die from my year and I was in shock. I went to the doctor to check myself out but instead of finding skin cancer I found I had a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is naturally present in very few foods. However, it is naturally made by your body when you expose your skin to the sun. I was vitamin D deficient because I dislike the sun and avoid the beach in summer. Despite my Mediterranean background, my skin is pale and I burn easily.

I was not surprised to find out that I was not alone in my Vitamin D deficiency. One in three Australians are Vitamin D deficient. This is attributed to people shunning the sun and using sunscreens that filter the parts of UVB light that the skin uses to naturally create vitamin D. Exposing yourself in the sun without protection is not the answer. At the time, the doctor recommended I take vitamin D supplements or consume fatty fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring. However, now I have another option: Solar D. Solar D is the world’s first sunscreen to offer maximum sun protection with SPF30+ and SPF50+ while still permitting a percentage of these vitamin D forming wavelengths through the skin. On 8 October 2014, Australia launched Solar D at a two course breakfast event held at O Bar & Dining in Sydney’s CBD.

The event was attended by the two Solar D brand Ambassadors: Miss Universe Australia, Renae Ayris, and celebrity stylist and TV host, Jules Sebastian (wife of Australian idol winner Guy Sebastian). The host of the event was Channel Ten’s Family Feud presenter, Grant Denyer. Managing Director of Solar D, Matthew Collett was also present.

Renae revealed becoming an ambassador for a sunscreen was something which had personal meaning for her – she had a skin cancer scare when she was a teenager. Jules also stated that with two young children Archer, six months and Hudson, two years – sunscreen protection is important to her.

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin required by the body for the proper absorption of calcium, bone development, control of cell growth, neuromuscular functioning, proper immune functioning, and alleviation of inflammation. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to rickets, a disease in which bones fail to properly develop. Further, inadequate levels of vitamin D can lead to a weakened immune system, increased cancer risk, poor hair growth, and osteomalacia, a condition of weakened muscles and bones. Conversely, excess vitamin D (that can only occur from taking vitamin D supplements) can cause the body to absorb too much calcium, leading to increased risk of heart attack and kidney stones.

This Australian owned sunscreen is oil free and fragrance free. It is free from nano particles such as titanium-dioxide and zinc oxide and has been given the tick by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia and the FDA in America. Solar D is also completely free from parabens, PABA and oxybenzone.

Solar D will be stocked in Woolworths, IGA, Target, Priceline, Chemmart. Pharmacy Choice, Amcal, Amcal Max, Guardian and API, Priceline and Soul Pattinsons.

Fossil celebrates 30 years of vintage heritage at Westfield Bondi Junction

Posted on October 2, 2014May 31, 2015 by sydneyeventblogger@gmail.com

Two years ago I walked passed the watches in a Fossil store in the USA and went straight to the casual clothing section and purchased a pair of shorts. I am not a watch person and did not realise that this company, started by two brothers in 1984, grew from a fashion watch company into a world-class lifestyle brand with over 400 stores in 120 countries on four continents. On 2 October 2014, I attended Fossil’s 30^th anniversary, of vintage heritage at Bondi Junction Westfield where I learnt more about the history of these watches and even got given a special edition Fossil men’s watch featuring a vintage graphic on the dial.

Fossil embraces a spirit of freedom and adventure by exploring the infinite possibilities of life on the open road this season, and the bespoke Fossil tin car embodies this. Famous for their tins – every season the designs on the brand’s iconic packaging match back to the inspiration of the collection. Influenced by colourful tins of the 1940s and ’50s, the collectible tins have become a unique way to show off Fossil’s creative graphics while serving as environmentally sustainable packaging.

Guests gathered at the Westfield Bondi Junction activation space near the Fossil store to celebrate 3 decades of the American lifestyle brand, which is ingrained in authentic vintage and classic design. At this event, Fossil unveiled an artwork installation (a Fossil car made from iconic watch tins) that marked 30 years of product innovation and design. Those who attended posed with the Fossil car, in order to receive a custom Instaprint inside the Fossil store.

Channel [V]’s Danny Clayton was the host. Other VIP guests included radio personality and Big Brother 2013 Winner Tim Dormer, Home & Away’s Andrew Morley, Miss World Australia 2013 Erin Holland and this year’s The Bachelor intruder Mary O’Neil.

American-inspired mini hot dogs, southern fried chicken bites and custom cake pops were washed down with drinks served in vintage soda bottles, whilst The Voice’s Alex Gibson provided the perfect acoustic tunes to set the scene for the evening.

The custom-made tin art piece will be held at Westfield Bondi Junction until the 5th of October, before it ‘hits the open road’ and heads to Emporium Melbourne shopping centre on the 9th – 12th October.