Those were the compelling words, typed in capital letters, that greeted me when I checked my inbox last week. I was intrigued and opened the email to discover it was from the "Desk of Susan Mensah Director ATM Head of Operation UBA America Bank, New York" Ooooh, exciting. Susan said: Dear Beneficiary This notification letter... Continue Reading →

I walked the dogs at 9.30pm last night while wearing a singlet. In August! It wasn’t the slightest bit cold. What is going on with the weather? According to Weatherzone many coastal locations in NSW are edging close to record-setting territory. By 1pm yesterday it had reached 29.4°C at Sydney Airport. Further up the coast, Evans Head reached... Continue Reading →

I accidentally took DD to a drinks industry party on Monday night. DD is not a drinks industry party guy. He went to a few in the early days of my booze news career, but decided he prefers low-key, educational events where the focus is on the distiller or winemaker - sit-down dinners, masterclasses etc.... Continue Reading →

I was shocked last week to learn that an American right-wing activist is forcing big companies to halt their diversity and inclusion initiatives and other “woke priorities”. According to Robby’s website, he became vocally political in 2015 because he sensed "the danger of communism rising in America", which led him to endorse Donald Trump. There are... Continue Reading →

I made the outrageous and erroneous statement in a blog post on Friday that I planned to rest over the weekend. As soon as I typed the words I thought to myself "you are MAD. There is absolutely nothing restful about your weekend". It kicked off with a walk and coffee at Balmoral Beach, followed... Continue Reading →

I blubbled my eyes out yesterday over an elderly penguin dying.. SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium shared the news that Sphen, one-half of the world’s most famous gentoo penguin couples, had sadly passed away. Sphen and Magic shot to fame in 2018 when news of their same-sex male relationship made global headlines. Dubbed ‘the penguin power couple,’... Continue Reading →

A thrilling email landed in my inbox last month. It said: "Next month we will officially launch luxury cruise season, transforming Sydney’s iconic Overseas Passenger Terminal into the epitome of opulence and luxury. In partnership with the world’s most luxurious cruise lines, a one-of-a-kind, larger than life immersive experience will come alive.  "As part of this, we will be hosting... Continue Reading →

It was ironic to read a comment on my blog last night about me being a prolific writer when I was suffering from writer's block. I was totally bereft of ideas, still a little weary from my quickie getaway to GlomCon and weighed down by the endless tasks on my to-do list. I had no... Continue Reading →

Hello! I've been a bit quiet due to finishing my next book while battling jetlag. I have been feeling too blurry and exhausted to do much else. I can't believe it's been a week and I still can't sleep properly. Plane travel is the pits. I woke around 5am this morning after having my best... Continue Reading →

I was too knackered to blog yesterday after partying with the Keepers of the Quaich. While it sounds a bit secret society, the Keepers of the Quaich is an organisation founded in 1988 that aims to elevate Scotch whisky and recognise people who have shown an outstanding commitment to the industry. Represented in over 100... Continue Reading →