escape to luxury

The Hunter Valley is an ideal weekend getaway with stunning vistas, great cellar door experiences and divine dining. The Hunter Valley is known for its award-wining Semillon and elegant Shiraz and with over 150 cellar doors in the region, you’re spoilt for choice. If you want to delve beyond the big name wineries and discover some hidden gems, head up some back roads to smaller, boutique wineries for a more intimate experience. We bring you a boutique list of wineries that showcase the regions best.

Here at alluxia, we are addicted to Instagram. While we follow a lot of travel and foodie types one of our favourite people to follow is artist Vincent Fantauzzo. Fantauzzo is an Australian painter renowned for his portrait work including the 2008 Archibald Portrait Prize of the late Heath Ledger, which won him the runner-up and the People’s Choice award as well as last year’s entry of his partner Asher Keddie.

Byron Bay just keeps getting better! We’ve previously brought you our Byron Bay edit which included some long established favourites, but after a few more recent visits, it’s time to reveal some of the new comers making a mark on this chilled town.

Join Heston Blumenthal, Rick Stein, Peter Gilmore and more culinary superstars at this year’s Gourmet Escape.  The festival line up was revealed this week offering more events, new event formats and more choices across the three-day festival from 21-23 November 2014.

Winter is the perfect time to curl up with a book fireside with a cup of tea. Holidays are the best time to indulge in the relaxing pastime of reading a great novel. Here’s our pick of the best reads this winter:

All eyes were on the Whitsundays today as Qantas returned direct flights between Sydney and Great Barrier Reef Airport, making it easier for Sydneysiders to head to the Whitsundays.