Cruise is back with a bang - and new Australian flavours

 

A celebrity hangout that often boasts the best view in Sydney has reopened after extensive renovations.

Cruise Bar & Restaurant at the Overseas Passenger Terminal offers front-row views of the Sydney Opera House and ferries heading to Circular Quay has just reopened after months of work and boasts it is "arriving with a whole new look, feel, and flavour." 

A hangout for the likes of Kylie Minogue, Justin Beiber and members of Fleetwood Mac, Cruise has been reimagined by award-winning design firm Luchetti Krelle.

So think great vistas (except when a giant cruise ship is docked) a modern Australian menu, and cocktail list showcasing Australian native botanicals.

Head chef Han Chen (ex-Amare, Felix), says his new menu features dishes like bush tomato butter mussels, pan-seared Humpty Doo barramundi with macadamia cream, and confit duck risotto with butternut squash and crispy saltbush.

The Grande Cruise Seafood Tower showcases freshly shucked Royal Miyagi oysters, Australian prawns, scallop ceviche, and scallop mousse zucchini flowers.

The drinks list from Tom Bulmer (Margaret, O Bar, Jane) highlights creations like Lilly Flower with raspberry, lilly pilly, Casamigos tequila, and hibiscus, while the Afternoon Fashion reinvents a classic Old Fashioned with croissant-washed whisky and toasted wattle seed.



Taking over the top floor is Melba’s Rooftop, a new events space named for Dame Nellie Melba - and the namesake of a storied Australian cargo ship.

“Sydney has changed a lot in the past decade, but there’s always been a place for a venue like Cruise,” says general manager John Harvey. “It’s got history, it’s got views that stop you in your tracks, and now it’s got an elevated experience to match.

“We’ve carefully curated an offering that reflects Sydney’s evolving food and drink culture. From the menu to the design, every detail has been considered to create an experience that feels fresh, exciting, and uniquely Cruise.

"This isn’t just a comeback - it’s a statement, and we can’t wait to welcome Sydney back.”

For more details and to view the full menu, see www.cruisebar.com.au

Cruise and Melba’s are a part of the C!NC hospitality group. Discover more at c-inc.com.au.

Sweet and savoury: Meet a most unusual whiskey

Thinking outside the box has paid dividends for one inventive Cambodian migrant to the US. 

Steven Yeng and his American wife/chemist turned lawyer Brittany have enjoyed huge success with Skrewball, a peanut butter flavoured whiskey liqueur. 

Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey Flavoured Liqueur was founded by the Yengs in 2018 and is now available in Australia and New Zealand.

The pair took took an unexpected combo - peanut butter and whiskey from their Ocean Beach base in California  in 2018- and turned it into a household name in the US. 

Steven’s journey began after fleeing Cambodia as a child and spending four years in a refugee camp. 

His first taste of America? A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a flavour that became symbolic of his first “taste of freedom” and inspired his liquor creation. 

He now says it is a chance "'skrew the usual"’ and embrace the unexpected. The brand has enjoyed consumer retail growth rate of 1,976% in the US market despite initial scepticism from the market. 

"They all laughed," Yeng told US media. "Everybody was a doubter. No one believed in us. They saw us as a novelty, not a phenomenon. [But the] scepticism fuelled our drive. We'd been successful before; we used that underdog mentality and said: "Let's do it."

The global Pernod Ricard group is now on board.
  

I enjoyed my first taste of the unusual - it is a delicious combo of sweet and earthy flavours, perfect enjoyed over ice. One reviewer described it as being like a "liquid scorched peanut bar"

It is World Whisky Day this Saturday and was World Cocktail Day earlier in the week. So....

Here are a couple of cocktails you might like to try:

Skrewball Paloma
2 parts Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
¾ parts Tequila
1/3 parts Aperol
2 parts Grapefruit Juice
Soda Water
Build the ingredients over ice and top with soda water. Garnish with lemon or lime wheel.

Skrewball Pineapple Margarita (above) 

2 ¼ parts Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey
¾ parts Tequila
½ parts Sour Mix
2 parts Pineapple Juice
Shake all ingredients and pour into an unsalted margarita glass. Garnish with pineapple and lime.

For more details see https://www.skrewballwhiskey.com/ In Australia try Liqourland or Thirsty Camel outlets. RRP is around $70.  

Saddle up for a unique vineyard experience

Adelaide Hills winery Petaluma is the 29th wine producer to join Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia, a collective of premium producers offering winery experiences across the country.

Petaluma makes premium wines from vineyard sites across South Australia, including the Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra and the Clare Valley.

Located just 40 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, in Woodside, the Petaluma cellar door offers a range of experiences along with spectacular views.

Petaluma is also home to the Croser sparkling range, although founder Brian Croser is no longer involved.

Petaluma's tourism offerings include a Private Horse Trail Ride experience which invites guests on a guided horseback journey through the vineyards, complete with commentary on the history of the brand, which dates back to 1976.

Horses are matched to guests’ needs from nearby Hallmark Farm in Woodside, owned by dual Olympian Megan Jones and husband James Deacon. The ride is followed by a private wine tasting, finishing with a platter of savoury and sweet delicacies paired with a glass of Croser Vintage Sparkling, served outside on the spectacular deck or by the fire in the cooler months.

Guests can also discover the Museum Release Glass Room Experience, which features a mix of super-premium current and back vintage wines from the Petaluma Museum Cellar matched with a three-course tasting menu from Woodside Providore.

Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia’s executive officer Sarah Myers said she was thrilled to welcome Petaluma to the collective.

“Petaluma brings a unique new dimension to Ultimate Winery Experiences Australia,” she said. “Guests can taste wines not only from the cool-climate Adelaide Hills, but from iconic regions around South Australia – providing them with a diverse experience that broadens their perspective on South Australian wines,” she said.

Andrew McDowell from Vinarchy, the owners of Petaluma, said “We are very proud to have Petaluma join this exceptional cohort of Australia’s premium wineries.

“Our experiences focus on highlighting the region, and with Petaluma we are blessed to be in the heart of the beautiful Adelaide Hills,” said McDowell.

See https://www.ultimatewineryexperiences.com.au/

Singapore ready to celebrate major milestone

Planning to be in Singapore in August? Prepare for a busy time.

Singapore will mark a significant milestone on August 9 with the Asian nation celebrating its 60th anniversary of independence.

The city state has prepared a line-up of events to celebrate.

Singapore is implementing a vision for the future through its Tourism 2040 strategy.

Visitors can join joining Singaporeans in celebrating through special arts and heritage events taking place over the coming months leading up to National Day on August 9.

Highlights include:

Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art at National Gallery Singapore (from July 2025): Spanning the 19th century to the present, the exhibition will help visitors better understand Singapore’s history through art.

National Museum’s Experience at the Glass Rotunda (July 2025): This multimedia journey by the National Museum of Singapore will explore what has defined Singapore’s place in the world and the importance of the sea in shaping its history over the past 700 years. The installation includes RFID wristbands, providing an interactive way to engage with Singapore’s history.

National Day Parade (August 9): While tickets to the parade itself are limited, visitors can join in the celebrations in the Marina Bay area. They will be aerial fly pasts and fireworks displays.

Singapore Biennale 2025 (October 2025 to March 2026): The Singapore Biennale 2025 will allow visitors to explore the nation’s evolving identity as contemporary art transforms familiar public spaces including Fort Canning Park and the Rail Corridor.

Singapore’s usual calendar of festivals and events will also continue. See What’s Happening in Singapore | Festivals & Events.

As well as leisure tourism, a major focus is also on the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector, which is expected to triple its tourism receipts by 2040, contributing 10% of overall tourism revenue.

See www.VisitSingapore.com

It's official: tourists are avoiding the US

It is official. Travellers are voting with their wallets and avoiding the US.

The World Travel & Tourism Council is forecasting a significant decline in tourism spending by international travellers to the US this year, media hub Travel Mole reports.

The WTTC predicts a drop of up to $US 12.5 billion in travel revenue in 2025.

That could potentially put nearly 100,000 tourism jobs at risk, it says .

The WTTC study, in conjunction with tourism data partner Oxford Economics, estimates that tourism receipts will fall below $169 billion by the end of 2025.

That marks a decline of about 7% with numbers down by 22% on 2019 levels.

The WTTC says it is the only nation out of 184 global economies analysed that is expecting a decline in tourism revenue this year.

“Other countries are really rolling out the welcome mat, and it feels like the US is putting up a ‘we are closed’ sign at their doorway,” says WTTC president and Chief Executive Officer Julia Simpson.

“The US travel and tourism sector is the biggest sector globally compared to any other country, worth almost $2.6 trillion.”

Taking into consideration direct and indirect spending it represents about 9% of the US economy and employs 20 million people.

The WTTC says traveller sentiment has shifted due to the political rhetoric of the Trump Administration and stories of travellers being held at immigration for sometimes spurious reasons.

“What we are seeing now is a sentiment shift that’s really very sad,” Simpson said.

“Legislators need not confuse the tourism sector with issues around illegal immigration. A sophisticated system can balance both without turning the country into an island that no one wants to visit.”

The latest tourism data for March 2025 shows a decline in arrivals for all of the US’s major source markets.

Germany arrivals are down 28% and the UK 15% year-over-year.

There are also significant declines from South Korea, Spain and Ireland.

The WTTC now thinks US tourism won’t fully recover to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2030, even with the America 250 celebrations next year, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics.

The British-based WTTC is a non-profit membership-based organisation

When to immerse yourself in both wine and art

There are myriad great wine tasting opportunities in the Margaret River region, but man cannot live on wine alone.

Wine lovers might want to time their visit coincide with spring when over 150 artists from Busselton to Augusta will throw open the doors to their creative spaces as part of the 12th annual Margaret River Region Open Studios.

The event will run from September 13 to 28 and offers a once-a-year opportunity to meet artists, explore working studios, and experience art in the raw - all free of charge.

The 2025 line-up includes iconic names like Leon Pericles, Rebecca Cool, Lauren Wilhelm, Lesley Meaney, Caroline Juniper, Nathan Day, Christian Fletcher and Ian Dowling - along with 30 new artists joining the program for the first time.

Visitors can expect a dynamic mix of artistic expression, from traditional Japanese gyotaku (fish printing) and encaustic beeswax painting, to basket weaving, tattoo art, and immersive sculpture installations.

This event is now in its 12th year and chair Jim Davies said it is now one of the most popular events on Western Australia's arts calendar.

“MRROS is such a special event for both artist and visitor, giving everyone the chance to access art and creativity,” he said.

“Art lovers can explore the Margaret River Region via studios in some of our most picturesque and inspiring locations. Studios might be converted barns, sea containers, railway carriages or inside artist’s homes. The variety of art and experiences provided by our artists is phenomenal.

“Visitors can plan a trail of their favourite art mediums such as sculpture, painting, pottery, jewellery or glass; or by location or artistic style."

Image: Artist Leon Pericles in his Margaret River sculpture garden