The last time I was in Sydney, I was amazed at the spectacular sunrises and sunsets over the harbor and the famous opera house. I snapped this shot just after sunrise, when the sun finally broke through the morning clouds. Moments earlier, the sky exploded with pinks, yellows and oranges, which I also captured…
Category Archives: Travel: Australia
Photo of the week: The Agrarian Kitchen, Tasmania
The Agrarian Kitchen is a literal farm-to-table cooking school in rural Tasmania, 45 minutes northwest of Hobart. Pretty much everything that makes it into the kitchen here comes from the surrounding farm: chickens, ducks, hogs, fruits, vegetables…
20 Best Things I ate in 2015
As usual, I ate a lot of amazing food this year. I eat in restaurants almost daily – sometimes twice or even three times a day. Not everything ends up being delicious, sadly. But in the end, I always find more good than bad, or else I wouldn’t have continued doing this for the past …
Australian truffles are in season right now. Get some while you can!
Although it’s summertime here in the United States, it is winter in Australia, where black truffle season is underway. The Australian truffle that grows so beautifully in Manjimup, Western Australia, is the exact same type of truffle (known to truffle geeks and chefs as Tuber Melanosporum) that is famously harvested in Périgord, France. These are far superior in flavor …
10 Best Stops on Margaret River’s Wine and Truffle Trail, Western Australia
Truffle hunting at The Wine & Truffle Co in Western Australia (Photo by Brad A. Johnson) The Margaret River valley is one of the best wine-growing regions in Australia. The wine-tasting trail is an amazing romp through rolling green hills that str…
Top 10 Hot Spots: Sydney, Australia
Prosciutto-wrapped figs at Watts on Crown (Photo by Brad A. Johnson) It???s been a wild year for restaurants in Sydney. Some of the city???s best and trendiest???Ad Lib, Berowra Waters Inn, Bird Cow Fish, Aperitif, Cotton Duck, Etch, Manly Pavilion, Smi…
Quick Look: Park Hyatt Sydney
Park Hyatt Sydney (Photo by Brad A. Johnson) My quest to visit every Park Hyatt around the world continues. Here’s a quick look at the Park Hyatt Sydney, which has always been one of the best hotels in Australia. Some might say the best, although …
Freycinet, Tasmania: Where to Stay, High and Low
Saffire resort in Freycinet, Tasmania, Australia (Photo by Brad A. Johnson) Halfway up the eastern coast of Tasmania, Australia, you???ll find the breathtaking Freycinet Peninsula???a protected national park that dips southeastward into the cold Tasma…
Photo(s) of the Week: Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia
Stairs to the beach on the Tasman Sea side of the road connecting North and South Bruny Island. (photo by Brad A Johnson) This is Bruny Island in Tasmania. Gorgeous, isn’t it? Bruny is an island just off the southern tip of Tasmania, accessible on…
Perth, Australia: 5 Hot Restaurants, 1 Super-Cool Bar
Fried lamb brains with polenta and black truffle at Andaluz in Perth, Australia (photo by Brad A Johnson) You don???t hear much about Perth. But that???s about to change. It???s one of the fastest-growing cities in Australia ??? thanks to a booming mining…
Squatting in Australia: What’s Up With The Stools?
Tiny plastic stools at Chin Chin in Melbourne (photo by Brad A Johnson) Hey Australia, what’s up with all those tiny stools? Got something against real chairs? Here’s a trend I couldn’t help but notice in Australia: tiny stools instead of chairs f…
Before & After: Bar H, Sydney, Australia
Before: BBQ Pork and egg noodles at Bar H, Sydney, Australia (Photo by Brad A Johnson) You???re looking at a massive bowl of Chinese-inspired egg noodles with barbecued pork (char siu) from Bar H in Sydney???s Surry Hills neighborhood. Bar H is a tiny…
Room with a View: Karri Valley Resort, Australia
Balcony of room 19, Karri Valley Resort, Western Australia (Photo by Brad A Johnson) This is the view from the balcony of my cabin (#19) at Karri Valley Resort, just outside of Pemberton (a wee blip on the map) in Western Australia. The balcony ju…
Before & After: Andaluz Tapas Bar, Perth, Australia
Before: Sardines at Andaluz in Perth, Australia (Photo by Brad A Johnson) You’re looking at some incredible pan-fried sardines from Andaluz, a sexy little tapas bar in Perth, Australia. This is such a simple, rustic and immensely satisfying dish. …
Video of the Month: Australia!
I’m in the midst of a four-week tour of Australia, so this gorgeous new ad from Tourism Australia seemed appropriate. The cinematography is stunning. And check out the Asian couple in the ad. I think it’s the same couple that appeared in the Spain…
Rebirth of Luxury Train Travel: 4 Amazing Journeys
Eastern & Orient Express (Brad A. Johnson)The best way to experience the true soul of a place is to arrive by train. I???m reminded of this after spending several days aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express and disembarking my posh Pullman car at the…
