Sydney: Totally Cured and Cultured at Bennelong

Bennelong

#visitnsw #sydney

Dream about dining inside the dramatic sails of the Sydney Opera House with its spectacular views, creative food by the supremely talented Peter Gilmore, but think you need the king's ransom? Helen Flanagan experienced the luxury without the linen.

There's just so much to drink in at the harbour-side Bennelong restaurant, helmed by Peter Gilmore and located under the Utzon sails of the Sydney Opera House, arguably one of the world's finest 'galleries'.

Gilmore's take on contemporary cuisine begins on the lower level of the tri-level layout. A private table is available on the central level; a bar with panoramic views of The Sydney Harbour Bridge is on the upper level; for those looking for an experience like no other, The Kitchen allows just four guests the opportunity to enjoy a backstage view of the chefs at work while dining from a curated eight-course menu with matching wines; and for a one-of-a-kind, full-service lusciousness with a laid-back attitude, hot foot it to Cured & Cultured. Book early evening, because the ever-evolving natural light show beats any fireworks display.

"Bennelong is all about the provenance of the food we are serving," explains Gilmore who is also executive chef of Quay, named in the prestigious S. Pellegrino World's 100 Best Restaurant list.

"All menus are crafted in partnership with farmers, fishermen, breeders and providores from across the land, who work with our chefs every day. It's a two way process: responding to what's in season and the best of what producers are bringing us, however on another level, we're planning menus a season or two ahead and working with producers to develop ingredients for us.

"Cured & Cultured has a simple focus: raw food such as beautiful oysters, cured meats, crustaceans and organic vegetable salads." It's the cream and the crunch without the starched linen.

There's a cracking wine list and polished wait staff described cocktails so convincingly, the classic dirty martini was nearly changed to a very in-tune-sounding Symphony #4 in D Minor or on-song Don Pancho De Le Mancha.

Not surprisingly the atmosphere exudes excitement and there are happy faces everywhere. Propped at the counter, right in front of you, chefs work quietly and methodically on the presentation of dishes. But happy to chat albeit briefly when questioned by this inquisitive food writer, in-between fondling shavings of various coloured carrots and squeezing tweezers to ensure incy-wincy flowers and herbs are artfully positioned.

Most dishes, chef says are prepped in a downstairs kitchen and the roast carrot salad swathed  in sticky sherry caramel, tossed with young almonds, feta, amaranth and artfully dressed with raw heirloom carrot, is the most popular dish on the menu. But what about raw kingfish with artichoke, capers, ice plant; cured black pig ham polenta, popcorn, parmesan and pine nut hotcake; Tasmanian-inspired scallop pie; twice-baked goat's cheese soufflé with seasonal crumble; and warm buckwheat pikelets, lemon jam and cultured cream with a plate of yabbies served in the shell? Oh and let's not forget the five cheese truffle toastie or the best-ever suckling pig sausage roll with black garlic. Salivation levels go shy-high when the oven door is opened and chef cuts through the pastry. But what happened to those end bits? Next time.

If you're not rushing off to a concert or the opera, or looking for a casual bite post-show and lust after something sweet, the cherry jam lamington and pavlova are irresistible. Understandably.

Encore, encore Cured & Cultured, What a triumphant performance.

If you go: www.bennelong.com.au

…in-between fondling shavings of various coloured carrots and squeezing tweezers to ensure incy-wincy flowers and herbs are artfully positioned

Go early evening because the ever-evolving natural light show beats any fireworks display



Captions:

1. Dirty Martini

2. Tony and Helen

3. Salad of roasted organic carrots
4. Raw kingfish artichoke, capers, ice plant

5. The Pavlova

6. Cured and Cultured

7. As evening falls

Images 1-2-3-4 Helen Flanagan

Images 5-6-7: Brett Stevens

Feature supplied by: www.wtfmedia.com.au

Cruise with Silja Line between Helsinki and Stockholm

Sleek and sparkling white, the twin ferries of the Silja Line are more like cruise ships than passenger/car ferries plying the pristine waters between Helsinki and Stockholm and vice versa.

John Newton stepped aboard Silja Serenade and spent two nights sailing between the Finnish and Swedish capitals, including a six-hour whirlwind tour of Stockholm before re-joining to the ship for the return voyage.

Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony are the only vessels sailing the Baltic Sea with a ship length (142 metres), glass-roofed promenade in the heart of the ship, lined by smart shops and restaurants.

The 58,300-tonne sister ships were built 27 years ago, but you'd never guess their age as they look as elegant on the outside and they do on the inside. Each can carry more than 2800 passengers and have almost 1000 cabins – from standard to renewed deluxe and suites – with half the 40 cabins in Commodore class having balconies.

For an added touch of class, the Commodore lounge has men's and women's saunas.

According to Silja Line, which this year is celebrating its 60th year of operation, the new direction of its business lounges offer passengers the opportunity to work on board and use modern communication equipment. Each ship also features 24 conference rooms.

While their mind-boggling promenade is the eye-catcher, the on-board seven restaurants – some featuring mouth-watering Scandinavian seafood, especially in the award-winning Happy Lobster - plus world-class entertainment, giant spa and huge duty free shopping outlets, put them in a class of their own when it comes to ferry travel.

But it's not only the on-board facilities on the two Silja ferries that attract thousands of locals and tourists alike to both the Finnish and Swedish capitals. The ferries' weave their way around one the world's most spectacular archipelago's – the 6500 Aland islands - taking in breathtaking scenery on the 16-hour, 490-kilometre sailing between Helsinki and Stockholm.

The stunning island views from high on deck showcase the stylish getaway homes of many Swedes – and Finns - who spend their spare time away from their city jobs enjoying their national pastime - on the water.

Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony sail every day to and from Helsinki and Stockholm – even in icy waters during winter - that's when you'll sail through endless ice fields with jaw-dropping sculptures in the  pack ice,"The vessels are equipped with a strong ice class, which means we can sail all year round and are not hampered by ice," the company says.

Silj Line is a Finnish brand operated by the Estonian company – AS Tallink Grupp - which has a fleet of nine cruise ferries and four fast ro-pax vessels, including the new generation LNG-powered - Megastar. With seating for 2800 passengers, the Finnish-built 212-metre long vessel takes just two hours from Helsinki to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Megastar has the largest shopping mall on the Baltic Sea, with an area of 2800 square metres on two floors.

As well as the Helsinki-Stockholm and Helsinki-Tallinn ferries, the group also run ferries between Turku (Finland) and Stockholm and Stockholm-Riga and Stockholm-Tallinn.

For more details of prices and departure times, go to www.tallinksilja.com

Scandinavia's largest city, Stockholm - with its 750-year history and rich cultural life - is built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges. Don't miss the Abba and Vasa museums.

Originally a fishing town, Helsinki's city centre is dominated by majestic cathedrals

Written by John Newton

Feature supplied: www.wtfmedia.com.au

Images: as Supplied

1.         Symphony

2.         Serenade

3.         Commodore Suite

4.         Junior Suite

5.         Happy Lobster Seafood Platter

6.         Atlantis Palace

Play and Stay in Uber Cool Brisbane

Delve into a serious calendar of internationally acclaimed arts, cultural and sporting events, discover some of the best eateries in the country and, says Helen Flanagan, check out two new hotels way beyond the pale.

Let's start bang in the middle of Brisbane where the buzz of creative things to do, is perpetually loud.

Take a dip in the eighth great man-made wonder of the world, Streets Beach at South Bank or just lay a towel on the sand in the sun; browse through art galleries known for hosting collections from the likes of Warhol to Lynch; catch the red CityHopper along the river; sing your heart out (softly) at shows such as Kinky Boots and Bodyguard at the Lyric Theatre; unbuckle your belts after eating your way around flash and fun cafes also food festivals; feel the crowd roar at an international rugby showdown; and for an exhilarating adventure, the Story Bridge Adventure Climb is a must, and one of only three such experiences in the world. It's a 2-hour unique journey up over the bridge's superstructure to the 80m summit with magnificent uninterrupted 360° views of Brisbane city, the river, mountain ranges and Moreton Bay Islands.

The Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art are like yin and yang – two distinct galleries equalling a perfect whole. So who is your favourite Marvel character? Regardless of whether you're #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan in the latest Avengers outing, there are so many elements of Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe you'll be geeking out for days. The exhibition at GOMA features more than 500 artworks, over 60 original costumes, 150-plus props and set pieces from the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok. You could say it's mighty.

Restaurants and bars? From top-draw Aria, Blackbird, Esquire, Stokehouse, GOMA Restaurant, Sake and Cha Cha Char to budget Asian and a motza trendy burger joints, there's something for everyone, even followers of Paleo. Capri by Fraser's Asana by Pete Evans, uses locally-sourced produce in its contemporary paleo-influenced menu. Not sure if the cocktails fit the brief but sure do the trick. The adjoining café using 'coffee scientists', The Sensory Lab is a favourite for business folk and Capri by Fraser guests.

Also impressive are the numerous distinctive design features, especially the historical nod to Folio Books in the lobby, and Australiana artwork in the over-generous designer suites. And who was the smarty-pants who thought of a DIY espresso martini, using the in-room Nespresso machine and nip of Frangelico?

Time to amp it up or just mix it up with the locals. Fortitude Valley is a contradiction in itself. It's raw, yet sophisticated; it's where elegance and style meet grunge and offbeat; and heritage-listed properties stand proudly alongside contemporary statements. The Valley, as it is affectionately known, was Australia's first dedicated entertainment district and continues to be a hive of activity. Live music thrives and international DJs are drawn to late-closing clubs.

The impressive Chinatown Mall is a hub of exotic Chinese supermarkets and eateries; around Brunswick and James Streets are a plethora of dining options from hatted restaurants such as Tartufo and Gerard's Bistro, chic bars Alfred & Constance, Harveys, Bar & Bistro and Cru Bar, and groovy cafes, to famous James Street Markets and Jocelyn's Provisions, an amazing patisserie, cake palace and the most more-ish parmesan biscuits ever.

Don't miss numerous elegant on-trend furniture designers and homewares' retailers, also the Emporium complex which channels a European village feel, has a classy hotel and head-turning boutiques such as Nat-Sui, with its audacious and totally sophisticated shoes. Fashionistas will also love James Street where exclusive, international and cutting edge local labels such as Camilla and Sass & Bide, are de rigeur.

Keeping it sassy is the new kid on the block, the repurposed warehouse development of  Sage Hotel James Street, next door to the revamped historic Queens Arms Hotel and James Street Cafe and Cellar, off the gallery-like hotel lobby. The light installation by designer Karim Rashid and artworks throughout are inspired by Binikinba-Ba, the aboriginal name for 'place of the land tortoises; and each designer guest room embraces the best of nearby suppliers such as pops of Dinosaur Designs and textiles from Mokum.

The Queensland capital is ever-changing. Always exciting, rather avant-garde and certainly world-class.

Capri by Fraser's Asana by Pete Evans uses locally-sourced produce in its contemporary paleo-influenced menu. Not sure if the cocktails fit the brief but sure do the trick.

Fast Facts:

• Official Brisbane Visitor's Site www.visitbrisbane.com.au  
• www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/marvel      
• Capri by Fraser 80 Albert St Brisbane  www.capribyfraser.com     
• Sage Hotel James Street Fortitude Valley: https://www.nexthotels.com/sage/james-street-brisbane/

Images: Helen and supplied

a. Street's Beach
b. © 2017 MARVEL
c. Capri
d. Paleo dessert
e. DIY Nespresso martini
f. Sage Hotel James Street
g. Story Bridge

Cruising to St Petersburg with Princess Anastasia

High Russian visa costs can be avoided by Australian tourists travelling on cruise ships, such as a grand old lady of the seas, from Helsinki to St Petersburg. John Newton took advantage of the no visa fee on a four day/three night sojourn from the Finnish capital across the Gulf of Finland to the stunning, historic Russian city.

The passenger/car ferry – MS Princess Anastasia – has been around for a long time, 31 years, in fact, since she was launched under the name Olympia, and operated between Stockholm and Helsinki for Viking Line.

The 2400-passenger ferry later operated as the Pride of Bilbao after being chartered to P&O European ferries, but after operating between Portsmouth and Bilbao between 2007-2010, the company closed the route.  She was sold to St Peter Line and made her first voyage from St Petersburg to Stockholm in September 2010.

British company – Select-A-Cruise – currently operate visa-free Helsinki-St Petersburg cruises, which feature two days in the Russian city after overnight voyages from and to Helsinki.

This year – until mid-December - there are two visa free options of four or six days, with one or three nights in a four or five-star St Petersburg hotel.

In addition, Select-A-Cruise will run a lower cost six-day tour on selected dates staying at a three-star hotel.

However, the schedule will be different in 2008 – starting March 28 – when it will offer a five-day/four night visa free tour, with two overnight stays on  Princess Anastasia and two nights in a St Petersburg hotel.

My four-day cruise/St Petersburg tour started with an overnight ferry journey from Helsinki and ended on day four, arriving back on Princess Anastasia in the Finnish capital.

From 360 euros per person – depending on the cabin category and hotel choice - the price includes the round trip ferry voyage, transfers to/from your St Petersburg hotel, one night in a four-star hotel, one full day of sightseeing with an English speaking guide and daily breakfast.

Included in the one day city tour are visits to Peter Paul Fortress and the incredible Hermitage museum (Winter Palace).

However, a pre-bookable optional full sightseeing day is available at an extra cost, with highlights including three breathtaking palaces, unrivalled art collections and, the last resting place of the Romanov's. The tour ends with a transfer to the ferry terminal for the cruise back to Helsinki.

St Petersburg was the cradle of the October Revolution, named Leningrad after the death of Lenin in 1924 and re-named St Petersburg after a citizen's vote in 1991.

Russia's cultural treasure trove is like an enormous museum – there are 500 palaces alone in St Petersburg - and you could spend many weeks in the city and not see all of it.

The former capital of Russia (from the early 1700s to 1918), St Petersburg has earned the name 'Venice of the North' because of the canals meandering around one of the world's most beautiful cities.

Onboard Princess Anastasia there are 834 cabins of different classes and price categories. The ferry, which can accommodate 840 cars, offers a wide range of entertainment featuring bars and restaurants, duty free shop, night club, spa, gym, cinema, beauty salon, casino and playroom for children.

For more details on the visa free cruises between Helsinki and St Petersburg, go to: www.select-a-cruise.com

Travel Tips:

For Australians, the fee for a single Russian tourist visa is A$135 (processed within 10 business days, or A$270 for an expedited visa (processed in two business days).

Foreign tourists are not permitted to Russia independently without being hosted by an authorised Russian travel agency or hotel during the whole period of their stay. However, exceptions to this rule are cruisers who do not require a visa if the conditions below are met:

The overall period of their stay in Russia is for no more than three days (72 hours).
They stay overnight aboard their cruise ship, and
They go ashore only as a part of a group of passengers on an excursion organised by the cruise company.

Words and images: John Newton

Feature supplied by: www.wtfmedia.com.au



Images

1. MS Princess Anastasia

2. Giant tapestries abound (Hermitage)

3. Hermitage Museum

4. St Isaac's Cathedral

5. Venice of the North

6. Hermitage Museum

7. Church on the Spilled Blood

Scotland’s Outer Hebrides: One beach of an airport.

FLYING'S A BEACH AT THIS AIRPORT

David Ellis

FOLKS who've taken themselves out to delightful Barra Island in Scotland's beautiful Outer Hebrides and want to do it again, find that when they start checking for the same arrival and departure times as they took last time, these appear to have been simply removed and replaced with others that can be up to hours different from before.

And it's not because of bureaucratic reviewing or rearranging – or worse still, even bungling – but more bizarrely is the work of Mother Nature, and her daily changes in the times of the island's tides.

Because while Barra's airport terminal building and control tower are located on the island's "mainland," its three runways are in fact simply the sands of the fringing ocean beach alongside – making for the only airport in the world where scheduled 7-day-a-week flights use a beach as the runway.

And because they are flooded by the sea every high tide, these runways can only be used by STOL aircraft (Short Take Off and Landing,) and only during daytime low tides, as there are no facilities for night-time operations other than emergencies.

As well, as tide times change daily, it means flight times change pretty regularly too, so beachgoers need be prepared to make a move with the Esky and towel when the  warning signals go off advising that a plane's about to land or take off.


PHOTO CAPTION:

[] A PLANE comes in to land on Scotland's Barra Island airport runway – simply the beach next to the terminal buildings and control tower, the world's only such beach runway for 7-day-a-week scheduled flights. (Wikiwand)

 

Washington DC's Dupont Circle: A view from the top

Every city has its elite neighbourhoods and Washington DC’s historic Dupont Circle stands out as a beacon in that nation’s capital. Roderick Eime walks the hallowed streets.

Cosmos Club (R Eime)

“Washington, D.C., has everything that Rome, Paris and London have in the way of great architecture - great power bases. Washington has obelisks and pyramids and underground tunnels and great art and a whole shadow world that we really don't see.” - Dan Brown

Author of the best-selling novel, ‘The Da Vinci Code’, made that remark in a TV interview when asked why he chose the US capital as the setting for one of his psychological thrillers.

Anyone who has watched even one episode of TVs hit series, ‘House of Cards’ will have enjoyed a short virtual tour of Washington DC, the United States capital. Just as depicted in the rolling credits, the streets of DC are full of patriotic sights and imposing architecture built around the needs of government and an urge to impress both residents and visitors.

Sheridan Circle (R Eime)

For the visitor, DC is a very walkable city, and on a warm summer’s day, it’s easy to pack in many of the key sites. Supplement your strolls with the ubiquitous ‘hop on - hop off’ Big Bus tour and you can get a compact, yet accurate feel for this most important of cities.

But apart from the larger-than-life monuments to heroes and grand civic buildings, there are whole neighbourhoods and precincts waiting to be explored. There’s historic Georgetown, dating from the mid-18th century, now a heritage district in its own right and home to many premium retail stores and flash restaurants. And Arlington across the Potomac River where the Pentagon sits and more than 400,000 veterans, statesmen and generals lie in the National Cemetery. And Hispanic-centric Adams Morgan. And cosmopolitan Columbia Heights. The list goes on.

Often, when visiting somewhere for the first time, it’s a good idea to walk like a local and that’s what I did when I joined DC Design Tours for a pedestrian expedition of Dupont Circle.

The Dupont Circle and adjacent Kalorama districts of Washington DC comprise the celebrity and embassy ‘dress circle’ of the nation’s capital, home to such noted names as the Obamas, Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, as well as Amazon billionaire, Jeff Bezos. Numerous current and former politicians from the last century also make (or made) this district their home and even the fictitious power couple, Frank and Claire Underwood from TV’s House of Cards reside there.

Self Portrait of Alice Pike Barney

As our small group tours the fabled streets, we hear the stories of the sumptuous mansions and historic terrace houses and the famous (and not so famous) names behind each door.

The house of Woodrow Wilson, the US president who declared war on Germany in 1917, is preserved as a museum. The secretive and exclusive Cosmos Club, open only to men (and now women) of exceptional character and achievement. The obscure Society of the Cincinnati, founded in 1783, to preserve the ideals and fellowship of officers of the Continental Army who served in the Revolutionary War (whatever that means), plus the former Alice Pike Barney Studio which was once the home to the controversial feminist artist.

“Barney and her daughters,” Kelly, my guide, tells me, “were so ‘bohemian’ for their time, she caused so much gossip and scandal in Washington society, it drove her poor ultra conservative husband Albert to drink and ultimately death.”

While our tour only passed by these illustrious residences, many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and open to the public. A chance to see these fabulous places up close and learn the in-depth stories behind them.

View from Level 9 of Dupont Circle Hotel (supplied)

Right on the historic central roundabout itself is the 327-room Dupont Circle, a landmark property of the Irish premium hotel group, Doyle Collection. Outwardly austere, the original 8-storey property opened in 1947 and operated most of its life as the Dupont Plaza Hotel. Under the Doyle Collection ownership since 1998, a further US$50m renovation in 2009 saw the exclusive ‘Level Nine’ added, which included 15 ultra luxurious penthouse suites as well as a guest lounge and events area, all enjoying panoramic views over the Circle and city itself.

Ground floor dining and outdoor bars blend harmoniously with the upmarket surroundings with the swank Bar Dupont a particular feature in this ‘be seen’ neighbourhood. The Café Dupont brasserie restaurant adds a touch of Parisian chic and serves locally-sourced and organic French-American cuisine.

An unbeatable location, the Dupont Circle makes an ideal base to explore the historic district with easy access to DC’s Metro, Hop On Hop Off Big Bus and an easy walk to many other sights such as the National Geographic Museum and Phillips Collection gallery.

Did You Know?

The circle is named for Civil War Union naval commander, Rear Admiral Samuel Francis du Pont.

Doing DC:

DC Design Tours offer historical walking tours of Washington DC with a focus on architecture, urban planning, and design. www.dcdesigntours.com

Big Bus Tours offer one or two day tickets for unlimited rides around the US capital on three routes with multilingual commentary aboard open top, double decker buses. www.bigbustours.com

Stay:

The Dupont Circle www.doylecollection.com/hotels/the-dupont-circle-hotel /

Washington DC Official Visitors site: www.washington.org

The Vasa Museum – A Must Visit When in Stockholm

By John Newton

Like the Titanic, the warship Vasa – the pride of the Swedish Navy's fleet – keeled over and sank on her maiden voyage. The year was 1628, the captain was promptly arrested, interrogated and imprisoned - then released and no one was held responsible for the disaster.

The 69-metre-long vessel capsized after being struck by a powerful gust of wind and sank after being afloat for just 1300 metres.

Attempts to raise the ship – the most expensive and richly ornamented naval vessel built in Sweden at the time - failed.

In 1961 - after more than three centuries on the seabed - the Vasa broke the surface of Stockholm harbour after a monumental salvaging operation lasting almost five years.

The ship was so well preserved that, after being salvaged, she was able to float unaided. She has gradually been restored to her original glory and stands proudly in the city's Vasa Museum, Scandinavia's biggest tourist attraction since it opened in 1990 with latest figures showing 1.3 million a year passing through its doors.

And it's held on to its number one tourist draw-card tag, despite ABBA the Museum becoming an instant hit with locals and tourists worldwide when the 'super troupers' music, memories and magic was revisited on permanent display in 2013.

Meanwhile, scientists are battling away to try to eliminate sulphuric acid attacks that are posing a serious threat to the magnificent wooden Vasa which, in full rig, stands 52-metres tall.

 "Conserving does not mean that the destructive process will be stopped – it is only slowed down, according to Fred Hocker, director of Vasa Research.

 "Nothing can be taken for granted in working with the old ship. Still – more than 45 years after raising her – she still surprises. The question is whether we will ever be able to entirely stop the degradation process of the Vasa. If the sulphuric acid attacks are not stopped, the wood will eventually be destroyed. To gain time, contaminated artefacts are put in oxygen-free bags. This halts the degradation process," he said.

Most of the visitor entrance fees are poured back into the ship's upkeep, which costs upwards of US$4 million a year.

"The key to preserving the Vasa is controlling the ship's environment and addressing a series of preservation challenges. We have to deal with all of them as part of an integrated preservation strategy," said Mr Hocker.

Some 14,000 individual pieces of wood were brought up to the surface when the Vasa was salvaged – everything from amazing wooden sculptures to anonymous planks of wood. When the work to preserve the ship's hull was finished in the early 1980s, painstaking work began piecing together all these fragments. The stern and aft were put together; sculptures and ornamentation regained their rightful forms and positions.

Pictures of contemporary ships aided the reconstruction process, but the major share of the detective work was carried out by the museum's carpenters.

In the 1990s, the next stage of work began. The goal was to erect the permanent lower part of the rigging. The work took five years to complete. Carpenters restructured the upper deck in 1998-9.

The Vasa is now the world's only preserved 17th century ship. Adorned with more than 700 carved sculptures, she is also a treasury of art.

Stockholm is a walking city, brimful of attractions. Apart from the Vasa, don't miss the magnificent National Museum with its paintings by, Cezanne, Gauguin, Monet, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens and van Gogh. In 2000, three paintings, including Rembrandt's 'Self-Portrait' and the 'Young Parisian and Conversation' by Renoir were stolen, but later recovered.

And, of course, you can't go past the Abba Museum without listening to the music and discovering quite a few secrets about Sweden's 'Fab Four'.

After walking the soles off your shoes, around the waterfront, Gamla Stan (Old Town), it's time to take to the water. There are countless boat trips to surrounding attractions - everything from short ferry and sightseeing tours to all-day excursions to the Stockholm Archipelago.

You will need a minimum of three days to take in the best sights in around Stockholm, but better make it five to be on the safe side.

The Vasa's three masts on the roof outside the specially built museum show the height of the ship's original masts. More than 95 per cent if the ship is original, and is decorated with hundreds of carved sculptures.

For more details on the Vasa Museum, go to:    www.vasamuseet.se
More information on Stockholm can be found at: www.visitstockholm.com

Images: As supplied

5. By Yanin Yi Lo

Spirit House hits new high

When it comes to stunning restaurants, Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast is a mecca, and as Helen Flanagan knows the Spirit House is one of the best.


Meander through fragrant lush gardens with 20m high black bamboo, exotic statuary, jangling chimes and water dragons to (hopefully) a table lagoon-side. The menu of share plates offers a kaleidoscope of flavours to tempt the palate and engage the mind.

Steamed black mussels steeped in coconut, lime juice and sugar, tossed with coriander leaves, mint, chillies, peanut toffee chilli dressing and crusted rice shards is an explosion of joyfulness.

Plum slices pickled with ginger and lime salt is a finessed interplay with crisp fingers of sticky rice, chicken and spanner crab.

The menu celebrates nature's beauty, crosses borders but is honed to a sharp, primarily Thai edge.

Even if you are familiar with the restaurant you probably weren't aware of the latest jaw-dropping addition. There's a beautiful U-shaped building with cocktail bar, alfresco seating, private dining room, kitchen and dedicated chef. It shrieks Thai-luxe.

Clever landscaping blends in with the existing tropical gardens, plus custom artwork, lighting and an outstanding wall featuring 600 buddhas makes the perfect, most ambient spot for pre and après lunch or dinner drinks, also exclusive celebrations for say 24.

"We have always wanted a dedicated bar for our guests," says Helen Brierty who with husband Peter created the Spirit House in the early 70s and even today, whether cookbooks, cooking school or the bar, are never satisfied with ordinary. "We looked at our two ageing shade-houses and it clicked - knock them down, borrow a heap of money and build something special in their place. Staff went to Thailand in search of inspiration at the funkiest bars and restaurants to bring back ideas for Thai-inspired food and drinks." It worked brilliantly.

There's a compulsion to say di mak to bar manager Yann Audran cocktails such as Singha Mojito, House of Sathorn and Smokin' Kraken. Why? Because it means 'excellent' in Thai. He also makes a mean martini!

Snacks are created by the very talented head chef Tom Swapp. Believe me you'll keep wanting more of peanuts with kaffir lime, coriander salt and chilli; Coffin Bay oysters with red nahm jim; toasted chicken satay brioche sandwich with cucumber pickle; Massaman lamb pies with house-made tomato sauce; Mooloolaba prawn roll with tom yum mayonnaise; and let's not forget lemongrass marshmallow skewers with kaffir lime sugar; and Thai tea ice cream sandwiches with raspberry jam, for the sweet tooths.

Visit www.spirithouse.com.au


The menu celebrates nature's beauty, crosses borders but is honed to a sharp, primarily Thai edge.


Words and food/drink images: Helen Flanagan.

Others as supplied.

Feature supplied by: www.wtfmedia.com.au