Backchat - 20 May 2006

Youth Group – Forever Young

In a change of Video Watch pace I’m going to pin my pennant to the Forever Young flagpole and say: “I like this video”. Frankly, I’m amazed that Australian band, Youth Group, were allowed to make it at all. It’s preternaturally chilled, something that must have deeply troubled the A&R record company powerbrokers. Record Company

Global - 5 May 2006

DUOMO HOTEL — Italy

duoMo: www.duomohotel.com The duoMo hotel in Rimini, Italy, is the inaugural hotel project from the internationally renowned architect and designer, Ron Arad. This much-anticipated launch sees the use of alternative materials, bright colours and unusual shapes to produce a hotel that reverses design expectations to create an overall experience that is both futuristic and exciting.

Backchat - 20 March 2006

Mariah Carey – Get Your Number

In a world where Charlotte Church is changing her name to Charlotte Bordello (and swearing like a thirsty trooper); and in an era when the Welsh Boys Choir is in the studio doing an album of Notorious Big covers, at least we have Mariah Carey. Mariah, for the best part of 38 and half years

Global - 5 March 2006

Sheraton Mencey Hotel Tenerife, Canary Islands

Sheraton Mencey Hotel: www.sheratonmencey.com/eng Nestled in the wondrous arboreal splendour of Tenerife, Hotel Mencey blends in perfectly with the style of the city, with its picturesque corners and imposing old quarters. The Mencey has a distinctive atmosphere of its own and the interior offer guests unalloyed comfort and elegance. Take in the gastronomic variety of

Nightclub - 5 March 2006

Clubbed to Life

A couple of years back I had my first introduction to a traditional club. You know the type — an old Gentlemen’s Club. Actually, it was The Melbourne Club, and it was exactly what I imagined a club to be. As a bit of a fan of PG Wodehouse novels, I’d read enough about people

Video Watch - 19 January 2006

Madonna – Hung Up

The Material Girl lives a quiet, bucolic existence at Ashcombe — her pile in the English countryside. According to USA Today (that useless newpaper, which seems to be the ‘Stateside’ hoteliers’ rag of choice for stuffing under doors) Maddie likes to wile away the hours riding horses, fishing and getting about on her treadly. Maddie

Global - 5 January 2006

Zacatecas Mine, Mexico

Mexican clubbers now have a new venue in which to ‘rock out’. The history of the Zacatecas Mine in Mexico goes back to the 16th and 17th centuries when pre glo-stick miners went in search of shiny metal. In 1975 the mine became a nightclub, but in 2004 the club closed in preparation for a

Global - 5 January 2006

Ocean Dome, Japan

This is an unusual inclusion in our Aspire page, but undoubtedly it is a venue, and undoubtedly it is quite extraordinary. Ocean Dome is known as the world’s largest indoor water park (300m x 100m x 38m), with a retractable roof. The air temperature is always kept around 30º C and the water temperature is

Backchat - 5 January 2006

Melbourne, The Games & Keeping Ourselves Nice

When visitors are about to drop-in we like to get our house spick and span. It’s nice to look our best — fluff up the welcome mat, mow the lawn and dust off the best china. So it goes with the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Melbourne is getting its house in order. Of course there are

Backchat - 17 November 2005

My Humps – Black Eyed Peas

In a week where the charts have included the scattergun ramblings of an animated klein krokodil (“shnappi schappi schappi”), you could be forgiven for suspecting that My Humps might be a riposte from his Bactrian buddy. But no, My Humps is the latest joint from R&B worldbeaters, Black Eyed Peas.