'The Human Torch' - by Sydney Interactive Theatre

“I’m way too cute to be a murderer” declares the petite brunette, lounging against the wall of the Royal Albert, a public house built in 1927. The group of detectives eye her suspiciously, sipping their house champagne while listening to Edith indulge in tales of marrying her crooked – now dead – husband for his renowned gambling fortune.

After telling the detectives – aka a group of brave Sydney siders who have ventured into a pop up world of theatre and murder - that the victim’s will had mysteriously been changed just before his murder, we stumble across a “clue” that takes us down the back streets of Surry Hills to our next potential suspect.

Sydney Interactive Theatre describes itself as “part game, part theatre, part tour, part bar crawl”, sending the audience on a mission through the streets of the city. The Human Torch pop up dining experience leads us to notice usually overlooked historical landmarks in Surry Hills as we seek to solve the mystery of the murder of Thomas Ivory. A text on the day provides meeting instructions, and we are greeted by the head detective who briefs us on our mission.

After a blind magistrate at the Children’s Court informs us that “it is illegal to wear pink pants on a Saturday”and a street performer impresses us with magic tricks, we follow the hints dropped by each actor to discover a revelationary twist in the tale (you’ll have to do the tour to find out what it is) – and champagne and tapas awaiting.

A shared dinner at a secret location is our reward for cracking the case, as we bond with the other “detectives” over a race well run.

For more information about Sydney Interactive Theatre and Sydney Pop Up Dining visit:

www.sydneyinteractivetheatre.com.au or http://sydneypopupdining.com.au/interactive-street-theatre or call 1300 663 386.

Lifeafterfive* was a guest of Sydney Interactive Theatre.

ORGNL.TV launch

The quest for originality is ever challenging, in an age where every stone seems to have been turned and ideas already born. Apple maintains its legions of adoring fans through their domination of the concept of innovation, and few have managed to follow confidently in its footsteps.

The launch of online editorial channel ORGNL.TV presented by Stoli on 1 August was a pilgrimage to the concept of originality – “celebrating all that is original in Australian art, music, fashion, technology, taste and exceptional talent”. 

 

The night began with a free UBER pick up, the brilliant app that allows you to watch the progress of your “private driver” navigating through Sydney’s windy streets. At a secret location in Chippendale, we walked in to discover a silver clad angel singing a song called “Stupid” in front of a psychedelic screen. The angel turned out to be an incarnation of emerging artist Brendan Mclean, also known as Klipspringer from The Great Gatsby. He in turn shared the stage with a caricature of a strip show by self proclaimed beauty queen, Betty Grumble, who left little to the imagination and met the criteria of “one of a kind”.



After wandering through the 300+ crowd, enjoying 5 original Stoli concoctions tailored around the 5 themes of the new channel (art, fashion, music, tech and taste) and admiring vintage fashion on haughty mannequins that appeared to be mingling with the guests, our intrigue was sufficiently piqued.   

You can view ORGNL.TV on all devices at orgnltv.com and via facebook.com/StoliVodkaAustralia. Join the conversation via hashtag #ORGNLTV.

Manly Wharf Hotel

There’s nothing like an unexpected spin under Sydney harbour’s glittering lights to remind you to break out of your bubble and explore the abundance on our doorstep (or waterfront). We enter our plush luxury vessel (aka a taxi from Water Taxis Combined) at 6.30pm at the Rose Bay ferry wharf, escorted by a handsome gentleman in uniform.

Our destination of choice is the Manly Wharf Hotel, an exhilaratingly fast boat ride away from the CBD, which has brought on a new chef in honour of its 10th birthday celebrations. Disembarking at the wharf, we discover an outdoor bar full of family groups relaxing at long tables, almost oblivious to their 360 degree ocean views.

A recent refurbishment has created a beachy and relaxed vibe that suits the location, with colourful cushions, blackboard menus and painted surfboards adoring the place. A Jack Johnson-esque musician strums his guitar in the background, we settle for dinner on the comfy indoor seats.

 Examining the surprisingly sophisticated menu, we order a selection of roasted barramundi fillet on spinach gnocchi, herb seared tuna nicoise and a chargrilled lamb fillet salad (and chips – we are in a pub after all!). All were presented beautifully and expertly cooked. The wine selection offered a good cross section of reasonably priced Australian wines, starting at $30 per bottle – a refreshing change when accompanied by a spectacular view.

The friendly staff fit the theme in their nautical t-shirts, and whipped up a couple of cocktails while good-naturedly admitting that they were pretty rarely ordered.

Whether you’re rocking up in thongs after a day at the beach, glammed up for a date night or meeting a mate for a post-work beer, you can be assured of decent food, a chilled out crowd, and an unpretentious haven of waterfront views. Thumbs up to the Manly Wharf Hotel.

Lifeafterfive* was a guest of the Manly Wharf Hotel.