Once upon a time, drivers of cars, trucks and motorbikes were stuck with one bland black and white number plate as issued to them by road and traffic authorities. Come the 1980s and its ‘all about me’ attitudes, drivers were granted the option to have private plates made. Now you can have plates in all sorts of colours thanks to personalised plate providers such as New South Wales-based myPlates.

Just look at the suggestions they’ve made for our mums as clever last-minute gifts for Mother’s Day this week (pictured, below). And keep an eye out for a new ad campaign that features NSW-licensed drivers telling stories through their personalised plates.

You can pick up a plate that best represents your Mum, and that represents you while you’re at it, at www.myplates.com.au.

Once the sun goes down, the most innovative, eye catching and sought after concentration of bars, clubs, restaurants and cafes in Sydney are found in Kings Cross or its immediate neighbor, Darlinghurst. While just a few hundred metres apart there is fierce rivalry for ultimate supremacy with the balance tilting between the two every five years or so. As the most popular destination few would argue Kings Cross is the current title holder but the closure of three landmark institutions along with the opening of fresh and exciting nightspots in Darlinghurst may just signal the spotlight is refocusing yet again.

Just one of these fresh and exciting nightspots, signaling the start of a new era, is the re-launch of Bruno’s Downstairs at Hunky Dory Social Club. Bruno’s is the ground floor eatery that sits underneath the already popular bar and rooftop upstairs and it’s just been a given a brand new makeover. Inside and a world away from the neon lights of Kings Cross is the shear simplicity of the internal décor which features a religious motif of gospel themed paintings hanging on a subtle light red brickwork. It may have something to do with the Catholic upbringing of the head chef whose menu is as simple and striking as the design. Nadiele Trimarchi whose reputation was carved at Fratelli Paradiso and Icebergs offers a mouthwatering array of modern Italian fare.

Trimarchi’s menu is divided between Italian favourites like calamari fritti with a rich creamy aioli and the stark simplicity of a selection of cured meats and cheeses from his homeland. Mushrooms perfectly flavoured with spinach, gorgonzola and pine nuts are immaculately presented on a small wooden board while a twice cooked pork belly and the rib eye offer more substantial dishes for the hungry. The secret of Trimarchi’s menu is the quality of his ingredients which he keeps simple, allowing their freshness and quality to speak for themselves.

This philosophy is typified on his selection of pizzas, there are ten on the menu, most of which consist of just four ingredients. From the House signature the ‘Hunky Dory’- broccoli and roman sausage to the more adventurous Fruttio di Mare which is a must have for any seafood lover- the mussels and prawns are moist and succulent. They all have one theme in common; on those crunchy, perfectly formed bases the simplicity of the ingredients translates into mouthwatering pizzas that beat anything you’ll find on the golden mile.

Upstairs the hustle and bustle of the Social Club beckoning down the stairwell is a temptation best given in to. The outside rooftop is spacious and the quirkiness of couches from the most formal leather recliner to a comfortable homely looking three piece is the perfect place to end a meal which is why to find a seat on one you’ll need to arrive early. The bartender’s flair and creativity consistently draws a large crowd and Trimarchi serves pizzas until midnight on all three levels of the establishment. Given high quality fare in Sydney is hard to find a stoke past ten pm, this is just one more reason why Bruno’s is fast on its way to becoming a local icon and just one more reason why this little strip in the city is well on the way to putting Darlinghurst back on top as the number one nightlife destination in Sydney.

Bruno’s is situated at the Hunky Dory Social Club, 215 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst.

It’s a very good thing the two practically placed cup holders in the new Hyundai Veloster are deep enough to hold any beverage you’ve bought and contained so well they are unlikely to tip over. Normally cup holders don’t rate a mention in car reviews. They’re not exactly the latest invention from the geeks in the design department but they’re crucial in this case. In the Veloster they’ll hold your jumbo espresso or cappuccino or whatever coffee you drink in a super large cup and that’s important since you’ll really need that extra dose of caffeine behind the wheel just to stay awake. It’s because the ride in the Veloster is so smooth you might just doze off! The all-new Gamma 1.6-litre four-cylinder Gasoline Direct Injection engine with a six-speed double-clutch automatic transmission is so quiet you can barely hear the sound of it. The front sports bucket seats with tilt and telescopic reach and electric lumbar support are so comfortable you’ll think you’re relaxing in your favourite chair after a hard day at the office.

And caffeine hit isn’t the only option to keep you awake and alert.

Competing with real estate to hold your macchiato is the fact that when the pedal on the far right (in a cool metallic sports finish) is pushed down, the Veloster instantly delivers performance, pushing the driver back in your seat. And if that fails to jumpstart your heart, an in-dash MP3/ CD player and an AM / FM radio tuner where refined acoustics are delivered via four main speakers, a centre speaker, two tweeters; and a subwoofer all powered by an external amplifier should do the trick. It’s a hi-fi system so good it would put most nightclubs to shame.

The Veloster is a good-looking car, too. Apparently the windows have been modelled on a motorbike racing helmet. The people at company want you to decide; is it a coupe or a hatch? Whatever. The sleek rear shape of the car has a definite sports quality to it. Muscular wheel arches with strong, thick mags offer instant street cred. The rearview mirror provides a view you’d expect in a sports car but the side mirrors are deceptive. From the front they’re the normal size of wing mirrors and they don’t get a second glance but in the driver’s seat they provide a wide scope that allows you to see everything around you. Cool design does not come at the expense of practicality. The boot in the Veloster is more than enough for your holiday suitcases or a big trip to the supermarket. 

Inside you expect to find the gadgets and controls exactly where they should be just as with all modern cars that come off the high-end production line. It just seems a little easier in the Veloster. Your Bluetooth device automatically syncs your contact list and music from your iPhone and then everything is done via the car’s 7” LCD touch screen which not only allows you to make calls or scroll through your music collection but also displays important vehicle information including instant and average fuel consumption, distance to ‘empty’, journey length, average speed and elapsed time readout; as well as tyre pressure monitoring. It’s everything you would want to know while completing a fun road trip across the country. It’s all there unless you’re reversing, in which case the rear view camera automatically activates and a warning alarm and computer-imposed yellow and red lines let you know if you’re about to touch the vehicle behind.

On a final note, the Veloster is loaded with safety and support features like full length curtain air bags for every seat – and this is something you can happily take for granted. The Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist System (BAS) all sounds impressive and technical but it basically means that as the driver, you’re able to accelerate quickly but perhaps more importantly you’re able to stop quickly, too. Hit the brakes hard in this auto and you’ll inevitably feel the forces of compression, but the car will barely make a sound. It’s just further proof that this really is a very smooth ride in every way.

The Veloster is a big leap forwards compared to anything else Hyundai have delivered. It really makes you wonder what this car-making giant is going to come out with next. As far as this car goes: for the performance you get, with the level of comfort you’re offered, for the price it is being sold for, it is, in a single word- unrivalled. Make no mistake, inside and out, this is one well-engineered piece of automotive hardware.

Click on any of the fabulous colour options above to take you to the Hyundai website for a virtual tour of the Veloster!

In 2012, the Tate Modern gallery in London will present the first substantial retrospective of Damien Hirst’s work ever held in the UK. Hirst is widely regarded as one of the most radical artists of the 20th and 21st Centuries, and has created some of the most iconic works in recent history.

Some critics and public alike find his commentary on modern day’s addiction to pharmaceuticals, and the explicit treatment of animals as art (eg: cattle heads floating in formaldehyde) distasteful. Others critique the shock factor and wonder is it all really that outrageous (eg: what’s the bid deal about presenting hundreds of coloured pills on glass shelving?).

Sponsored by the Qatar Museums Authority, the exhibition will provide a journey through two decades of Hirst’s inventive practice. It will also form part of the London 2012 Festival, the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad. So if you’re in London for the Olympic Games, do pop into the Tate to marvel all that is out-there by Damien Hirst.

Damien Hirst retrospective is at the Tate Modern, London from April 4 to September 9, 2012.

Pictured: Lullaby, The Seasons, Spring 2002
Steel, glass and pills
Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates
© Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved. DACS 2011

How about if we said to you that millions of people around the world will be admiring a piece of you in their bedroom? Sounds impossible? Well it’s not – metaphorically. Durex, one of the world’s most trusted condom manufacturers is putting a call out to young creatives to enter the Durex Naked Box Competition.

The competition is being hosted online, with entrants welcome to use the Naked Box tools available on the Durex Facebook page and then able to invite friends to vote for them via Facebook.

One finalist will be chosen every week for six weeks, based on the highest number of votes they receive. An additional six finalists will be chosen based on the most overall votes (12 finalists in total).

The winner will have their design featured on the packaging of Durex condoms, to be shared worldwide, and will also pocket GBP£2,000 and a year’s supply of condoms (that’s a lot of gettin’ around you hot lover, you). Hundreds of other prizes are up for grabs each week including iPads, underwear, t-shirts and other goodies. So get to it!

To enter or vote, and for full terms and conditions, visit www.facebook.com/Durex.Australia or www.durex.com.au.

Grant’s 12 Year Old Whiskey. Where to start? I guess we’ll start at the beginning of the launch night shall we? Held at the penthouse quarters at The Ivy, the place offered itself as a incomparable venue – stylish and spacious, yet warm and intimate. Canapés were floating around, but that’s not why we were there, oh no, bring on the good drop.

The hesitation of attending a hard liquor gig such as whiskey was heightened upon entering the room to a tray of glasses with only straight grog. One had to only use your peripherals to spot the bar where a friendly bunch were whipping up absolutely delightful cocktails. There was something for everyone. The ‘Grants Smash’ (pictured above) featured Peychauds bitters, Gomme and nectarine puree while showcasing the 12 year old celebrant without the hard edge of a straight shot. Next there was the ‘Grants Morning Fizz’, filled with an assortment of liquids like Absinthe, lemon juice, honey nectar, Gomme, egg whites and ginger ale, this was a lighter option for those with a bit of a sweet tooth. Finally there was our particular favourite, ‘Grants and Sand’ (pictured below). What was a middle man between the bitter and the sweet, this one was served in a martini glass (so you just know this one was the real deal) accompanied with cherry liquor, Sweet Vermouth, blood orange and a delicious little cherry floating around.

For a family boasting five generations of whiskey-making, Grants certainly have got things under wraps, and for that we are thankful.

Grants 12 Year Old Whiskey is available at all good liquor outlets.

Whenever I’m lucky enough to get a few days break, Bali is a strong contender on the destination shortlist and sure enough every time I visit, there are changes aplenty with new restaurants, bars and hotels opening up all the time. Now, while some might argue that western commerce is making a mess of Indonesia, there are some standout businesses, putting the locals first, keeping things clean and eco-friendly, and ensuring the boxes of quality and variety are ticked first on their criteria checklist. Metis is one of these.

The 350-seat restaurant, bar and lounge offers an entirely sensory dining experience with its menu of French Mediterranean cuisine passionately compiled by chef Nicolas Tourneville  who graduated from the renowned cooking school of the Paris Chamer of Commerce and boasts once having cooked for Queen Elizabeth II.

There are plenty of meat and vegetarian options on extensive menus, but Tourneville is most famous for his seafood, some of his signature dishes including a King Crab and Seaweed Ravioli with a White Truffle Sauce, Japanese Scallops with Gratined Sea Urchin, and Prawns Provencal with Asparagus and Shimeji Mushrooms (pictured above). Each dish as delicate and decadent as the next.

But for true decadence, customers often come to Metis to try one of their famous Foie Gras specialties. In fact the establishment has an entire menu dedicated to the rich French delicacy.

With a group of three friends, I sampled the legendary pan-seared Foie Gras Ravioli in a Black Truffle Sauce, Grilled Scallops pan-seared in Foie Gras and served with Puy Lentils and Shimeji in a Sherry Sauce (above), and even a Foie Gras Sushi Roll served with Mango, Roasted Hazelnut and Mustard Leaves.

The cost of a main here is very friendly considering the quality of the produce and context of the cooking, with a terrine tagged at 100,000 Rp (AUD$10), or a bass fillet at 185,000 Rp ($19) - just to give you an idea of the astonishing pricing. Indeed you can dine like a king at Metis, and the friendly waitstaff endeavour to treat you like one, quick with a nod of the head and directing you to your table, and never over-attentive throughout the meal.

As for the look and feel of the venue itself: the words spectacular and special spring to mind quickly. Metis is located in the midst of rice paddy fields, built in colonial French architectural style, but with touches of traditional Indonesian design here and there including superbly crafted tableware that reiterate the recurring nature-inspired vibe of the venue.

This is one place that ought to be on everyone’s To-Do list in Bali: a classic that is always keeping up with contemporary culinary innovations. I mean, a sushi foie gras? Now that is original. 

For more information or for reservations, visit www.metisbali.com.

The design industry’s first major event for the year has just kicked off with the Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) which once again showcases the latest designs from both local and international furniture manufacturers and importers. A definitive event on the design calendar, the great thing about the show is that it not only allows the industry to learn of the latest developments and shop for the latest wares, it also features keynote talks with leading lights in design (an army of international speakers as well as local). The AIFF is co-located with Australia’s premiere interior and soft furnishings trade fair, ‘Decoration + Design’, this year bringing together over 100 suppliers from here and beyond under the one roof. Visitors to the 2012 fair will see the latest collections in wallpaper, decorative accessories, fabrics, furniture, homewares, lighting, soft furnishings and wall art.

Alongside established labels such as About Space, Craft Enterprises and Crowley & Grouch, ‘Decoration + Design’ Sydney 2012 will also boast stands by new homewares exhibitors Design R Secrets , Inside Africa and Homepride across the largest floor space the event has seen to date. Attractions include ‘Hotel + Hospitality Furnishings’ (highlight on products that are suitable for hotels, motels, clubs and restaurants), ‘The Edge Design Competition’ (renowned for unearthing our next generation of furniture design talent) and ‘Design Futures’ (an inspirational trend feature at the heart of ‘Decoration + Design’). Probably the most exciting drawcard is the ‘International Industry Seminar Series’, a coveted attraction luring some of the biggest international and local design names in the industry who will be discussing their individual ethoses over the span of the event.

On his first visit to Australia, US designer to the stars Martyn Lawrence Bullard (pictured above) will headline the series, talking about “creating a superstar interior”, that is, mixing classic chic with contemporary glamour. A celebrity in his own right with his reality TV show Million Dollar Decorators (airing last year in Australia on Foxtel), Lawrence Bullard’s clientele includes Elton John, Cher, Christina Aguillera, and even Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. He has also completed commercial projects for Jimmy Choo, Warner Brothers, and Paramount Studios and has written a book, Live, Love & Decorate. Joining Martyn in the series is UK’s Suzanne Trocmé, curator of the London Design Festival and Special Projects Editor for Wallpaper magazine.

From our own shores, local speakers include style leader Melinda Ashton Turner, lighting designer Petra Kleegraefe, and interior designers Chelsea Hing and Sarah Davison. Genty Marshall, Decoration + Design’s resident trend forecaster will again join the series, giving a seminar on ‘The Collector, The Creator and The Connoisseur’. Based on her installation area at ‘Decoration + Design’, Genty’s talk will look at three distinctive ways of relating to design while demonstrating some of the trends we’ll be seeing in 2012.

On a more organic level, the event’s ‘Student Award’ continues to thrive as the leading category, boasting an impressive 27 out of 50 competition entries, with designs entered from a vast array of leading design centres, colleges and universities around the country.

‘Decoration + Design’ Sydney is co-located with the Australian International Furniture Fair and ‘Hotel + Hospitality Furnishings’, all on at the Sydney Exhibition Centre February 1-3, 2012. Seminar and event tickets are priced from $44 and available online at www.decorationdesign.com.au or www.aiff.net.au. Pre-booking is essential.

Created by Lesley-Weymouth Wilson, a stunning combination of contemporary style and classic design, and launched in late 2011, Duoviva’s exclusive design furnishings offer a signature look for every room, from décor cushions to a complete suite of cushions, throws, bedspreads, coverlets, valances, headboards and lamps, with the mood and tone reset on reversal, introducing a five-star hotel look into the home. The exquisite velvet and metallic linens, available in timeless palettes, and the lustre and patterns of the designs, complemented by the sumptuous duck feather inserts, present a luxurious tactile experience.

The eight ranges’ palettes and lustres acknowledge the regions and cities of Italy, with Duoviva, “two lives”, denoting the dual fabrics of the design furnishings that present and alternate mood and tone.

Duoviva design furnishings can be viewed at www.duoviva.com or step into the showroom at 41-49 Smith Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, at the Gertrude Street end.