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LATEST READING: 30 OCTOBER 2018 | Anne Summers … from journalist to policy maker to change-agent-at-large. MORE THEATRE: 29 OCTOBER 2018 | Julius Caesar ... Superbly staged at the iconic Sydney Opera House, it remains vibrantly still relevant. MORE THEATRE: 24 OCTOBER 2018 | Degenerate Art ... We are privy to an exploration, not only of the era, but we are also invited to canvass the motives that drive people to power, ultimately leading to the big question, ‘How did this happen?’ MORE THEATRE: 14 OCTOBER 2018 | Feather in the Web ... The play proceeds at a rapid pace whilst delivering nuanced but full-bodied performances. MORE READING: 11 OCTOBER 2018 | The story of Jeanne Little. MORE TRAVEL: 11 OCTOBER 2018 | Summer holidays and 2019 escapes on sale with Mantra Hotels global sale. MORE TRAVEL: 06 OCTOBER 2018 | Destination: Queensland | If he had one, JOHN ROZENTALS would tug his forelock to the Oatley family as he lapped up Hamilton Island. MORE THEATRE: 22 SEPTEMBER 2018 | Evita ... It’s expertly staged, and I found myself gripped by this historical musical. MORE THEATRE: 16 SEPTEMBER 2018 | Accidental Death of an Anarchist ... All this mayhem is crisply performed on Jonathon Oxlade’s exquisitely designed stage design. MORE THEATRE: 12 SEPTEMBER 2018 | The Humans ... This is a play for actors and this excellent cast and crew deliver a production that looks good and moves fast. MORE TRAVEL: 31 AUGUST 2018 | Destination: Melbourne | JOHN ROZENTALS discovers five more reasons to love Melbourne. MORE ON THE GO: 31 AUGUST 2018 | Latest deals & news include a range of specials to celebrate reopening of Six Senses Kaplankaya in south-western Turkey. MORE THEATRE: 31 August 2018 | The Harp in the South ... a stellar reworking of a Ruth Park Classic. MORE TRAVEL: 25 AUGUST 2018 | Destination: Sydney | JOHN ROZENTALS enjoys the best Chinese banquet he’s ever had, and renews acquaintance with a favourite hotel just across Broadway. MORE WINE: 24 AUGUST | It’s cold and windy but JOHN ROZENTALS relishes his visit to Pewsey Vale and tasting exceptional riesling amid vines on which the grapes were grown. MORE WINE: 23 AUGUST | JOHN ROZENTALS reckons most winelovers just don’t realise the size and diversity of West Australia’s south-west corner. MORE GIN: 20 AUGUST 2018 | Settle in, let the evening be-gin at Hyatt Regency Perth. MORE TRAVEL: 18 AUGUST 2018 | Destination: Kangaroo Island | JOHN ROZENTALS is awestruck by the way Southern Ocean Lodge captures Kangaroo Island’s scintillating beauty. MORE ON THE GO: 12 AUGUST 2018 | Latest deals & news include craft beer brewing up a new market niche for the Sunshine Coast’s tourism sector. MORE TRAVEL: 12 AUGUST 2018 | Destination: Queensland | JOHN ROZENTALS visits an Australian food bowl and discovers a world of ingredients that foodies just adore. MORE WINE: 12 AUGUST | JOHN ROZENTALS shakes his head over the apparent fortunes of sauvignon blanc and riesling. MORE THEATRE: 11 August 2018 | Nell Gwynn ... This production celebrates Nell as an icon of female progress and rightly so. MORE WINE: 10 AUGUST | JOHN ROZENTALS registers a blast from the past as he tastes a Peter Douglas riesling. MORE THEATRE: 10 August 2018 | The Almighty Sometimes ... This really is a must-see. MORE ON THE GO: 09 AUGUST 2018 | Latest deals & news include the 12-day ‘High Arctic Explorer’. MORE WINE: 09 AUGUST | JOHN ROZENTALS finds delight in the search for grape varieties different to the norm. MORE ON THE GO: 08 AUGUST 2018 | Latest deals & news include Viaggio Italia Travel offering $500 off the price of its 14-day ‘Best of Italy’ small-group tours next April and May. MORE WINE: 08 AUGUST | JOHN ROZENTALS recalls the Hunter semillon philosophy of the late, great Len Evans — oak has no place in the style. MORE COOKING BOOKS: 08 AUGUST 2018 | Pablo’s kitchen … secrets of Latin American cuisine. MORE HOLIDAYS ON FOOT: 07 AUGUST 2018 | Lonely Planet inspires a lifetime of travel on foot with Epic Hikes of the World. MORE WINE: 07 AUGUST | JOHN ROZENTALS tries some fine wines from a Hunter Valley project based on true love. MORE DECADENCE: 6 AUGUST 2018 | Chateau d’Yquem at Hippopotamus … one night only. MORE WINE: 05 AUGUST | JOHN ROZENTALS revels in Margaret River’s finest … from Sandalford, one of Western Australia’s oldest wine producers. MORE TRAVEL: 05 AUGUST 2018 | Destination: Queensland | JOHN ROZENTALS revels in the warmth of northern Queensland. MORE THEATRE: 30 JULY 2018 | The Long Forgotten Dream ... received a well deserved standing ovation. MORE TRAVEL: 30 JULY 2018 | Destination: Sydney | JOHN ROZENTALS salutes Luke Mangan and Maggie Beer on their winter lunch collaboration. MORE WINE: 21 JULY | JOHN ROZENTALS considers the story of Tyrrells, one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wine businesses. MORE TRAVEL: 20 JULY 2018 | Destination: Bundaberg | JOHN ROZENTALS learns about Bundaberg’s importance in the world of loggerhead turtles … and tries his hand at blending gin. MORE WINE: 19 JULY | JOHN ROZENTALS is surprised by the assertion that altitude benefits wine quality through increased UV intensity. MORE THEATRE: 18 JULY 2018 | Stupid Fucking Bird ... Timing, energy and intensity are expertly balanced to keep us poor unwitting saps on the edge. MORE TRAVEL: 17 JULY 2018 | Destination: NSW South Coast | JOHN ROZENTALS finds six really good things to do in the NSW South Coast town of Tathra. MORE COOKING: 17 JULY 2018 | Breakfast sausages bring home the bacon for Tasmanian gourmet farmers. MORE TRAVEL: 7 JULY 2018 | Destination: The Whitsundays | JOHN ROZENTALS discovers why Whitehaven Beach, in Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands, is rated among the world’s best. MORE TRAVEL: 7 JULY 2018 | Hawaii’s oldest food festival celebrates 48 years. A few years ago John Rozentals attended the 40th Kona Coffee Cultural Festival and can vouch for how well run it is and how much fun it is. Here LAURA AQUINO preview this year’s event. The photos were taken by JOHN ROZENTALS during the 2011 festival. MORE COOKING: 6 JULY 2018 | Warm up this winter at Sydney Seafood School. MORE READING: 5 JULY 2018 | An explosive new action thriller. MORE DECADENCE: 5 JULY 2018 | High Tea in the sky at Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney. MORE HIGH TEA: 4 JULY 2018 | Perth gets into the pink. MORE ON THE GO: 01 JULY 2018 | Latest deals & news include an escape into Broome time, as the locals of the north-western pearling town describe it. MORE THEATRE: 30 JUNE 2018 | Unqualified ... one of the funniest plays I have ever seen. MORE DINING: 28 JUNE 2018 | Mode Kitchen & Bar launches Festival of Truffle. MORE DINING: 28 JUNE 2018 | Luke Mangan and Maggie Beer join forces to cook up a winning winter menu. MORE COOKING BOOKS: 26 JUNE 2018 | Is this the ultimate answer to gut problems? MORE DINING: 26 JUNE 2018 | Escape the cold this July and indulge at Little Collins Street Kitchen. MORE TRAVEL: 25 JUNE 2018 | Destination: Gold Coast | JOHN ROZENTALS has a culinary feast — or three — on Queensland’s Gold Coast. MORE ON THE GO: 25 JUNE 2018 | Latest deals & news include Australia’s largest hotel fish-tank being unveiled at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. MORE FRASER COAST: 23 2018 | Pop Up Sunset Pier Party Back at Hervey Bay's Ocean Festival. MORE THEATRE: 23 JUNE 2018 | Marjorie Prime ... It is refreshing, caring and enlightening to see it on the intimate Ensemble stage at Kirribilli. MORE TRAVEL: 23 JUNE 2018 | Destination: NSW South Coast | JOHN ROZENTALS folds his legs into a vintage Ferrari for a tour of the Kiama Shire coastline. MORE THEATRE: 13 JUNE 2018 | Saint Joan ... Snook delivers a fresh, richly detailed rendering of the maid. MORE ON THE GO: 11 JUNE 2018 | Latest deals & news include what is thought to be Queensland’s first winery glamping experience. MORE ON THE GO: 09 JUNE 2018 | Latest deals & news include booking a double-swag under the stars with Cruise Whitsundays and bringing along a friend at 50 per cent off. MORE WINE: 07 JUNE | JOHN ROZENTALS finds a truly outstanding cabernet sauvignon from the Canberra region. MORE TRAVEL: 07 JUNE 2018 | Destination: Sydney | JOHN ROZENTALS revisits a well proven Sydney inner-city favourite and discovers a new inner-west foodie haunt as well. MORE ON THE GO: 07 JUNE 2018 | Latest deals & news include an earlybird offer enables Australians to secure 2018 prices on any of On Foot Holidays’ 32 self-guided walks through Europe for 2019. MORE WINE: 06 JUNE | JOHN ROZENTALS tastes some fine wines from Margaret River’s southern Karridale area. MORE WINE: 05 JUNE | JOHN ROZENTALS considers a huge claim … that the central Victorian Pyrenees region produces the state’s best cabernet sauvignon. MORE COFFEE: 4 JUNE 2018 | The battle for Australia’s best brew heats up. MORE WINE: 04 JUNE | JOHN ROZENTALS reviews a new red honouring Colin Richardson and remembers a giant of a man. MORE ON THE GO: 03 JUNE 2018 | Latest deals & news include discovering a world hidden for decades as you journey to Myanmar. MORE WINE: 03 JUNE | JOHN ROZENTALS has the pleasure of tasting a Margaret River chardonnay showing exceptional power and intensity of flavour. MORE ON THE GO: 02 JUNE 2018 | Latest deals & news include savings of up to $2000 per couple on Amazon River cruises. MORE WINE: 02 JUNE | JOHN ROZENTALS enjoys tasting very different reds from the same vintage in Orange and Mudgee. MORE WINE: 01 JUNE | JOHN ROZENTALS remembers a great tasting experience over a glass of Tyrrells red. MORE TRAVEL: 31 MAY 2018 | Destination: NSW South Coast | JOHN ROZENTALS discovers some NSW South Coast spots with views to die for. MORE WINE: 31 MAY | JOHN ROZENTALS looks at a range of consummately made red wines. MORE WINE: 30 MAY | Excellent wines … but JOHN ROZENTALS is surprised at Bremerton’s choice of closure for a couple of premium reds. MORE ON THE GO: 29 MAY 2018 | Latest deals & news include getting your Christmas fix early on board the Murray Princess. MORE WINE: 29 MAY | JOHN ROZENTALS finds a glass or two of French bliss. MORE TRAVEL: 29 MAY 2018 | Destination: Sydney | JOHN ROZENTALS finds it hard to imagine a Sydney winter without Vivid … yet it’s only been around for 10 years. MORE TRAVEL: 24 MAY 2018 | Bright minds & brilliant musicians join forces for Vivid Art After Hours at the Art Gallery of NSW. MORE THEATRE: 18 MAY 2018 | Blackie Brown ... As always with Lei’s work, major social and political issues are extensively explored. MORE TRAVEL: 18 MAY 2018 | One week to glow! Get ready for Vivid Sydney's 10th birthday celebration on 25 May. MORE TRAVEL: 17 MAY 2018 | Destination: NSW South Coast | JOHN ROZENTALS finds an unlikely foodies’ haven on the NSW South Coast. MORE ON THE GO: 15 MAY 2018 | Latest deals & news include Viking's ‘Winter Wanderlust’ sale. MORE TRAVEL: 14 MAY 2018 | Dive into the Vivid Sydney action at Darling Harbour, the Australian National Maritime Museum and Barangaroo. MORE TRAVEL: 13 MAY 2018 | Destination: NSW South Coast | JOHN ROZENTALS visits Tathra, on the NSW Far South Coast, and finds plenty to love among the ashes of a devastating recent bushfire. MORE THEATRE: 11 MAY 2018 | Good Cook. Friendly. Clean ... Marion Potts directs this strong story with pace and fluency. MORE THEATRE: 9 MAY 2018 | Readers ... Ultimately life is simply about kindness and compassion and this little play conveys this perfectly. MORE TRAVEL: 30 APRIL 2018 | Destination: Outback Queensland | JOHN ROZENTALS meets some passionate individuals making an accidental encounter with Outback Queensland’s pre-history. MORE THEATRE: 29 APRIL 2018 | Still Point Turning: The Catherine McGregor Story ... What a cast, what a portrayal, what a story, what a woman! MORE ON THE GO: 20 APRIL 2018 | Latest deals & news include those looking for the next big thing in European travel should include Bosnia & Herzegovina on their wish list. MORE TRAVEL: 16 APRIL 2018 | Tigerair sale discounts fares by up to 40 per cent. MORE TRAVEL: 16 APRIL 2018 | Destination: Canberra | JOHN ROZENTALS enjoys a couple of jars in Canberra … and a look from the air at the national capital. MORE THEATRE: 14 APRIL 2018 | The Sound of Waiting ... Such powerful language. At the end of the play our entire row sat motionless, unwilling to break the spell that had been cast over us. MORE TRAVEL: 12 APRIL 2018 | Destination: Canberra | JOHN ROZENTALS experiences a time-warp of Australian political history during a stay in Canberra. MORE WINE: 12 APRIL | JOHN ROZENTALS discovers that the desired acid addition is never enough. MORE ON THE GO: 12 APRIL 2018 | Latest deals & news include exploring the pristine Kimberley coastline aboard the all-new, all-luxury Le Laperouse. MORE THEATRE: 06 APRIL 2018 | The Children ... Ultimately says a great deal about the state of the planet at the moment and into the future. MORE TRAVEL: 05 APRIL 2018 | Destination: NSW Riverina | JOHN ROZENTALS relishes some real country hospitality in the NSW Riverina. MORE ON THE GO: 05 APRIL 2018 | Latest deals & news include Captain Cook Cruises’ flagships, MV Sydney 2000 and MV John Cadman II, celebrating the tenth Vivid Sydney as official participants in the festival’s ‘Harbour Lights’ display. MORE WINE: 05 APRIL | JOHN ROZENTALS marvels at a couple of wines dedicated to great Clare Valley grapegrowers. MORE TRAVEL: 04 APRIL 2018 | Destination: Outback Queensland | JOHN ROZENTALS finds that a taste of heli-mustering is just one highlight of a few days on an Outback Queensland property. MORE WINE: 02 APRIL | JOHN ROZENTALS salutes an Italian family’s hard work and sacrifice. MORE TRAVEL: 02 APRIL 2018 | JOHN ROZENTALS has some advice for those food-and-wine lovers visiting Adelaide and looking for something nearby. MORE ON THE GO: 01 APRIL 2018 | Latest deals & news include booking though Luxury Escapes and save 40 per cent on a five-night stay at the newly renovated and adults-only Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives. MORE THEATRE: 01 APRIL 2018 | Diplomacy ... This is a solid show well worth the price of admission, especially to see two stellar performances. MORE THEATRE: 31 MARCH 2018 | Going Down ... a quirky new Australian work, worth a look. MORE THEATRE: 30 MARCH 2018 | The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui ... Brecht argues that fascism is a natural consequence of capitalism but, if counteracted early enough, the climb to dictatorship by any orator can be resisted. MORE THEATRE: 25 MARCH 2018 | Master Class ... Most impressive are the arias sung at the end of the show by the three students. Bravo! MORE THEATRE: 20 MARCH 2018 | The Wolves ... This is a thoughtful and never less than absorbing play. Thumbs up! MORE ON THE GO: 18 MARCH 2018 | Latest deals & news include more than one way to see the Queensland Outback. MORE WINE: 17 MARCH | JOHN ROZENTALS becomes more familiar with tannat, and likes what he tastes. MORE TRAVEL: 16 MARCH 2018 | Destination: Outback Queensland | JOHN ROZENTALS discovers life in a slow lane in Outback Queensland … and no sign of a legendary dog. MORE ON THE GO: 15 MARCH 2018 | Latest deals & news include taking on the famous W-Trek, in Patagonia’s spectacular Torres Del Paine National Park, during the winter season. MORE TRAVEL: 13 MARCH 2018 | Destination: Port Douglas | JOHN ROZENTALS finds an attractive accommodation alternative in the Far North Queensland holiday haven of Port Douglas. MORE ON THE GO: 13 MARCH 2018 | Latest deals & news include an expedition to the Great Barrier Reef and the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve on Wenlock Island in Far North Queensland. MORE THEATRE: 12 MARCH 2018 | Antony and Cleopatra ... The results are a richly and most subtlety layered performance which examines and updates insecurity, anxiety and authority throughout the ages. MORE THEATRE: 04 MARCH 2018 | Kill Climate Deniers ... The cast is brilliant. Physically, they can handle anything. MORE THEATRE: 04 MARCH 2018 | Black Is the New White ... A welcome and unusual view of an Aboriginal family — a family who have money, who are not oppressed but who are culturally quite strong. MORE THEATRE: 04 MARCH 2018 | Top Girls ... From the moment the curtain rose on the dinner scene, I was transfixed by the talent on stage giving life to Churchill’s work. MORE THEATRE: 04 MARCH 2018 | According to Otto ... This is no angst-ridden, hand-wringing story of a traumatic coming out. MORE ON THE GO: 01 MARCH 2018 | Latest deals & news include fancying an elephant as your tour guide. MORE TRAVEL: 28 FEBRUARY 2018 | Destination: The Sunshine Coast | JOHN ROZENTALS can’t believe his luck in the Mary Valley when he spots seven platypuses in the wild. MORE READING: 27 FEBRUARY 2018 | A new crime thriller from La Plante. MORE THEATRE: 25 FEBRUARY 2018 | Lethal Indifference ... There is no getting away from the fact that the subject matter of this tale is harrowing. However, we are in safe hands. MORE TRAVEL: 24 FEBRUARY 2018 | JOHN ROZENTALS takes an early-morning flight from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast and a late-evening flight back completely in his stride. MORE WINE: 22 FEBRUARY | JOHN ROZENTALS tries some wines that Mr Mick would definitely have approved. MORE ON THE GO: 22 FEBRUARY 2018 | Latest deals & news include combining the majestic jewel of India, the Taj Mahal, the legendary Bengal tiger and the remote and sacred Brahmaputra River. MORE WINE: 20 FEBRUARY | JOHN ROZENTALS finds a viognier very much to his taste. MORE WINE: 19 FEBRUARY | JOHN ROZENTALS ponders the clonal basis of the upsurge of sangiovese rosés. MORE TRAVEL: 19 FEBRUARY 2018 | JOHN ROZENTALS visits Maleny and relishes the chance to get a real taste for the Sunshine Coast hinterland. MORE THEATRE: 18 FEBRUARY 2018 | Mamma Mia ... I had a wonderful evening and I challenge anyone to remain in their seats during the curtain call and the full-company renditions of Dancing Queen and Eurovision winner, Waterloo. Go see! MORE ON THE GO: 17 FEBRUARY 2018 | Latest deals & news include El Questro, in the stunning Kimberleys, announcing its 2018 season-opening offer. MORE THEATRE: 15 FEBRUARY 2018 | Metamorphoses ... as compelling, for me, as Greek drama gets — bold performances that deliver a vast range of emotions, lust, guilt, rage and anguish. A visual feast! MORE TRAVEL: 08 FEBRUARY 2018 | JOHN ROZENTALS has some sage advice for lovers of good food and wine … save some time and space for Angullong’s splendid lunch among the vines. MORE TRAVEL: 07 FEBRUARY 2018 | JOHN ROZENTALS survives a rugged overnight train journey to thrive at Sapa in the beauty of Vietnam’s extreme north-west. MORE ON THE GO: 06 FEBRUARY 2018 | Latest deals & news include Tahiti holidays for an increasing number of active travellers looking for adventure. MORE WINE: 02 FEBRUARY | JOHN ROZENTALS discovers a sauvignon blanc that breaks the Marlborough mould. MORE TRAVEL: 02 FEBRUARY 2018 | Destination: The Riverina | JOHN ROZENTALS finds plenty to like about the Italian culinary influences in Griffith and Leeton. MORE ON THE GO: 01 FEBRUARY 2018 | Latest deals & news include the Canowindra Balloon Challenge. MORE TRAVEL: 28 JANUARY 2018 | JOHN ROZENTALS finds a half a dozen great things to do in the Central-Western NSW town of Parkes. And apologies right now. He simply had to include the Elvis Festival. MORE ON THE GO: 28 JANUARY 2018 | Latest deals & news include a new cruise tour package that combines India’s most popular attraction, the Taj Mahal, with one of the country’s most beautiful but least visited destinations, the remote State of Assam. MORE THEATRE: 27 JANUARY 2018 | Sorting Out Rachel ... The cast is exceptional and together they create an absorbing drama, beneath which is a clear subtext about the ever-evolving issue of Australian identity. MORE TRAVEL: 19 JANUARY 2018 | Destination Parkes | JOHN ROZENTALS metaphorically dons his blue-suede shoes for a few days of Elvis madness in Parkes. MORE ON THE GO: 17 JANUARY 2018 | Latest deals & news include the stunning landscapes of the Kakadu, the Larapinta Trail and the Flinders Ranges. MORE THEATRE: 15 JANUARY 2018 | There Will Be a Climax ... The six charismatic performances make for a memorable — and utterly absurd — evening. MORE THEATRE: 10 JANUARY 2018 | The View UpStairs announces final cast members. MORE THEATRE: 10 JANUARY 2018 | New production of The Time Machine travels to Sydney in 2018. MORE TRAVEL: 10 JANUARY 2018 | JOHN ROZENTALS survives the reconstruction of Sydney, while staying at one of its classiest hotels and enjoying a pre-show dinner at much more than a pub. MORE WINE: 10 JANUARY | JOHN ROZENTALS can only praise youthful exuberance as Laura and Anthony take on the challenge of Stonehurst. MORE WINE: 09 JANUARY | JOHN ROZENTALS encourages wine drinkers to get away from ‘same, same’. MORE ON THE GO: 06 JANUARY 2018 | Latest deals & news include a time extension for Bruce Munro’s immersive installation, Field of Light Uluru. MORE ON THE GO: 02 JANUARY 2018 | Latest deals & news include visiting the mouth of the Murray at the Coorong. MORE TRAVEL: 01 JANUARY 2018 | JOHN ROZENTALS reflects on the legacy of Benjamin Boyd, one of the country’s most ambitious entrepreneurs. MOR
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