Maedaya Bar: 400 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC (03) 9428 3918 Toshi Maeda grew up in the province of Hyogo, Japan, famous for having the best sake rice. For the last 10 years, he has based himself in Australia, while touring the world with punk rock group Mach Pelican. Realising that his motherland’s sake wasn’t widely
Loungueville Hotel: 80 Longueville Road, Lane Cove NSW |(02) 94272021 or www.loungevillehotel.com Longueville Hotel engaged Marchese + Partners to complete the $3.5m refurbishment of the existing hotel including the public bar, lounge, restaurant and kitchen areas, and the addition of an extensive outdoor deck area. The deck area has a range of seating options with
Joe’s Shoe Store: 233 High Street, Northcote VIC (03) 9482 7666 Julian Beattie: www.makestuff.com.au Photo: Gustavo Adolfo Prince Gonzalez Joe’s Shoe Store is a beautifully comfortable new bar (in Melbourne’s increasingly cool suburb of Northcote) with wonderfully engaging staff. Without hesitation you’re asked if you want to start up a tab, a gesture of respect
Cristal: (03) 9826 3330 Dean Johnson of Tryst has realised a new after-dark vision in the heart of South Yarra, Melbourne. The Cristal cocktail and champagne bar was designed from scratch and features a dedicated lounge area with leather chesterfields and high wingback chairs, a heated balcony and private entertainment booths separated by heavy drapes
Zedbar: www.zedbar.com.au A couple of years ago the owner of Albury’s Globe Hotel, Brian Grenfell, had a window of opportunity to renovate but elected to hold off. Meanwhile, Globe’s competition got busy revamping their venues and soon saw its patrons jumping ship.Drastic action was required. So designer Paul Kelly donned his super hero cape and
Wah Wah Lounge: 185 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC (03) 9654 5793 or www.wahwahlounge.com.au Owners of Melbourne’s Wah Wah Lounge went on a trans-continental odyssey of discovery prior to fitting out the two-storey dance club, eventually returning with a Euro lighting feature inspired by a Daft Punk video clip, and installed by designer Ritchie Park. The
Sandown Greyhounds Tabaret: www.sandowngreyhoundstabaret.com.au ‘Sandown Greyhounds Tabaret’… it’s calling a spade a spade really — you instantly know where you are, what you’re looking at and the main reason for being there. You’ve got to admire that. No one’s trying to guild the bistro lily by calling it ‘Dish Lickers’ or something equally euphemistic. Now
Locanda: Cnr Little Bourke & Exhibition Streets, Melbourne (03) 9635 1246 or www.locanda.com.au How do you get the cultured ‘A List’ to rock up to a restaurant/bar debut? Your very own private ‘Grange Hermitage by the glass’ tasting session has to be about as compelling an inducement as it gets. Apparently Locanda Cucina Bar is
Diamant Hotel: 14 Kings Cross Road, Potts Point NSW (02) 9295 8888 or www.diamant.com.au Sydney’s Kings Cross district continues to vie for the mantle of the capital’s most design-conscious destination, with the opening of the sleek and sexy Diamant Hotel. The 77-room boutique hotel is part of the Eight Hotels group, which plans to open
V Club: 48 Druitt Street, Sydney NSW (02) 8088 8888 or www.vclub.com.au Fitness clubs tend to assume its clientele are game show hosts or on ecstacy… Thumping house music, strobes, smoke machines, belly dancing, jelly wrestling… you think I’m joking?! Meanwhile, V Club aims to balance the needs of people that want to escape the