From smashed avo on toast (with a squeeze of lime) to an expertly roasted piccolo, head to any major city worldwide and you’ll see Australia’s cafe culture is one of our proudest exports.

But recent – scathing – reviews from food critics suggest things might not be as tasty as they seem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Harry’s Bondi (@harrysbondi) on Mar 23, 2019 at 2:16pm PDT

First among the complaints is Australia’s “shouty” cafe culture. As Rainer Jozeps, a critic and writer for Adelaide’s In Daily publication wrote in January, Australia’s brunch spots may be pretty, but they’re bloody loud.

“Many hospitality houses have become soundwave combat zones: chic, mid-century, turquoise-tiled, bleach-wooded hipster cafes with independently roasted coffee beans, that have become sense-loading, aural battlegrounds where inappropriate and dialled-up house music and counter-top grinding and blending industrial machines, battle for decibel supremacy with louder and louder customers.”

“I don’t want to mention names: the heavens know that investors in new, smartened-up establishments are to be encouraged and supported,” he continued. “But many with great coffee, or magnificent menus, are terrible for the fact that I can no longer hear my thoughts, nor my companions’ voices.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Bondi Wholefoods (@bondiwholefoods) on Jan 30, 2020 at 4:23pm PST

And it’s not just noise that’s complained about. In November last year, Alex McClintock penned a piece in The Guardian arguing overseas Aussie cafes are “selling an empty fantasy.”

“Whenever I go to one of these places with their Instagram-friendly look, I’m overcome with a mixture of shame and relief.”

“These outlets have stripped away the very things that make going to a cafe in Australia enjoyable,” Alex wrote. “For starters, the informality we take for granted mixes poorly with North America’s demanding service culture.”

“If you’ve ever tried to seat yourself at an American restaurant and experienced the smiling, barely contained fury of a ‘hostess’ you’ll know exactly what I mean.”

Also.

“It’s a lot harder to pretend the barista is your mate when she earns barely enough to keep her head above the poverty line and could be fired at any moment for the most trivial infraction,” Alex points out.

“What’s left? Good coffee and a canvas for Instagram.”

The sad truth about both critics’ complaints is that they are grasping for something to bash – and generalising.

And – at the risk of sounding optimistic – it’s a food critic’s job to be cynical. So don’t take their moans too seriously – unless you visit a particularly poorly designed cafe like the one Rainer Jozeps experienced or a wannabe Aussie attraction in NYC like the one that so irritated Alex McClintock, you should be right.

Not to mention: beyond the US, Aussie cafe culture works pretty damn fine, having seen down-to-earth success everywhere from Bundoran’s FOAM to Barcelona’s Federal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Carmen Julia Orozco (@carmenorozcod) on Nov 1, 2018 at 10:02am PDT

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The post Australian Cafe Culture: The Sad Truth appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Is there anything worse than surviving a 15-hour flight only to spend the last ten minutes with your face in your neighbour’s arse?

Though not intentional sinners, those who stand up as soon as the plane lands can go to hell.

While the above situation happened to me in Economy, the last few years I have been spoilt flying Business for work.

I thus thought myself better than those premature stand-er upper-ers.

However, a recent Reddit thread, brought to my attention this morning, has shown me the error of my – and the growing online community (see: here and here) of arrogant frequent flyers’ – ways.

Man Shaves 1.7 Seconds Off 2-Hour Flight By Standing Up As Soon As Plane Lands https://t.co/WxUuNqGccl pic.twitter.com/lsP9VGcT5i

— The Shovel (@TheShovel) February 14, 2018

While frequent flyers in both Economy and Business righteously rail against this “herd phenomenon,” I’m here to tell you they’re wrong.

It turns out there’s a reason to stand up on landing. To understand it let us turn to the Reddit thread, “People who stand up immediately when the plane lands and the seatbelt sign turns off… Why?” which was posted last month into the Reddit r/travel community.

People had a lot to say to the thread’s author, who claims he “just landed at Stansted in London [where] 50% of the people on the plane stood up immediately and just stood there for 10 minutes waiting for the doors to open.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ryanair (@ryanair) on Feb 4, 2020 at 9:19am PST

There were numerous justifications, but none so simple or so strong as the most upvoted: “I just want to stretch my legs fam.” This was followed up by: “Yup, and my arse hurts from those concrete plane seats.”

While that doesn’t give you the licence to shove it in anyone’s face, it is a point well made.

Further comments backing this idea up included: “Exactly this. I’m a shade over 6′ 6″, and guess what? I don’t fit well into most economy seats. The plane lands, and I’m standing up to stretch,” and “I’m like 5’1″ and I just want to not sit anymore.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by ᴊᴇᴡᴊᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ (@justinrosslee) on Sep 28, 2019 at 7:59am PDT

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The post The Day I Realised I Was The Worst Kind Of Business Class Flyer appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Over the past few years, Mr Porter has revolutionised how men shop. No longer do we trudge in store – more and more men have less time on their hands to ensure they’re well dressed and presentable, and seek a better and easier experience online. And Mr Porter don’t stock and sell just the kind of stuff you find at a department store, they offer a highly curated selection of clothing, accessories and grooming products from the worlds finest and most exotic designers and labels.

They’re famed for stocking big names like Tom Ford, APC, Canada Goose and Common Projects. It’s not often that you find these big name, exotic brands on sale, let alone at 50% off.

You can currently score a broad range of luxurious and stylish items on sale for up to 50% off. Need we say more?

Shop Up To 50% Off At The Mr Porter Sale

The post Score 50% Off The Best In Menswear At The MR PORTER Sale Right Now appeared first on DMARGE.

Is anyone cooler than David Beckham? From nailing crucial free-kicks to popping out a brood more stylish than a Givenchy x Luka Sabbat x Louis Vuitton collaboration, the man has done it all. Beckham is now in Florida to oversee the final steps of Inter Miami, the soccer club of which he is a co-owner before it makes its debut in the MLS.

The former England captain (and sleeveless shirt x stocking cap wearer) continues to improve (and prove) himself in the style arena, having just been snapped in Miami’s Prime 112 steakhouse wearing a pair of US $990 (AU $1,468) Dior x Daniel Arsham sneakers that we’re calling the coolest kicks of 2020 so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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@DavidBeckham wears @Dior sneakers in Miami. (@thehapablonde/BACKGRID) #upscalehype #davidbeckham #diormen #dior

A post shared by UpscaleHype (@upscalehype) on Feb 4, 2020 at 9:23am PST

He paired the B23 Dior & Daniel Arsham Low Tops (in “newspaper” print) with loose-fitting navy trousers, a white tee, a tan bomber jacket and an Everose Gold Rolex Sky-Dweller (as seen in our coolest Rolex’s to buy in 2020 guide), proving he’s still the unlikely Cockney grandaddy of casual style, even in 2020.

This was reiterated as Arsenal fullback Hector Bellerin, the most stylish man in the English Premier League, liked the post, which was shared this morning by fashion blog Upscale Hype.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Love being back in sunny Miami @dbeyewear

A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham) on Feb 3, 2020 at 6:06am PST

This comes after Beckham gave fans an exclusive look at the progress of Inter Miami’s Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, which is still under construction with just over a month until their first match of the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham) on Feb 3, 2020 at 7:29pm PST

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The post David Beckham Sneakers: They’re The Coolest Shoes Of 2020 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Seiko is a ‘thing’ these days. The brand people used to turn their nose up at now has a cult following and it stems from the brand’s core value: affordable quality. There are a myriad of different, ultra-expensive, luxurious Swiss-made watches out there and an even larger array of cheap, tacky watches too. Seiko blends the quality and style of the Swiss exotica and the affordability of the other end of the spectrum.

One of Seiko’s coolest watches is the Seiko 5 Sport, a watch that perfectly represents the brand’s core values. It features a Stainless Steel case, Japanese made automatic movement with a 41-hour power reserve and 100m water resistance. There’s no doubt it’s built well and it also has the looks to match, the dial is simple, clear and effective at telling the time with both 12 and 24-hour markers. Available with a green, blue, black or beige face there is one to suit your tastes.

Typically this Seiko 5 Sports is priced at $250, but for a limited time, you can score it for $125 which is an absolute bargain, especially for a watch that almost always sells out. It’s the perfect combination of affordability, style and quality, could you ask for anything more?

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The post Seiko Five Sports: The Coolest Automatic Field Watch Is Now 50% Off appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

BMW’s M division cars have always been highly sought after by enthusiasts and motorheads alike. Not only do they promise some of the most rewarding drives thanks to oodles of power and great traction, but they’re often made in limited numbers, making them something of a collector’s item.If you’re a someone who knows his E36 from his E90, chances are you’ll be turned on by this 2003 M3 CSL, which is available to buy on Carsales right now. Standing for Coupe Sport Leichtbrau – or Coupe Sport Lightweight for all you non-German speakers – the CSL was a lighter version of the regular M3 (110kgs lighter to be precise), and only 1,383 were ever made. Of these, 542 were made to be right-hand drive, and only 23 were ever imported to Australia.BMW threw out the air-conditioning, navigation system, and electric seats, all in an effort to reduce weight. The majority of body panels and linings used carbon fibre too to help make the car as light as possible. The engine didn’t change too much from the one found in the ‘regular’ M3, although it did receive a 17hp boost, capable of catapulting it to 62mph/100kph in under 5-seconds. BMW’s ultimate goal for the M3 CSL was for it to lap the Nürburgring in under eight minutes, a feat it achieved with a time of 7mins 50 seconds.This particular example was delivered straight to its Australian owner in Auckland, New Zealand where it was driven until being shipped to Brisbane. The current owner says everything on the car is original save from new springs and coilovers. It has 97,500kms on the clock, a low figure considering its age, and has been fully serviced throughout its life.It shouldn’t come as a surprise then to learn this car is for sale at AU$155,000. A lot of money for a superfast sedan, granted, but given the CSL’s collectible and rare nature, it’s entirely fair.

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The post BMW M3 CSL Is For Sale In Australia appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Is there anything worse than waking up, hitting snooze, returning to your slumber, only to be shaken awake again – even more tired – ten minutes later. Well, there may be a solution to your grouchiness. That’s according to the boffins over at RMIT, whose latest research has found the type of alarm you set yourself is crucial for morning success.

As RMIT News puts it: “Beep beep beep or Beach Boys? The sounds you wake up to could be affecting how groggy and clumsy you are in the morning.”

“A study by RMIT University suggests melodic alarms could improve alertness levels, with harsh alarm tones linked to increased levels of morning grogginess.”

In other words: if you want to feel lively in the morning, wake up to a song, not a blaring robotic alarm. To find this, the study, “Alarm tones, music and their elements: Analysis of reported waking sounds to counteract sleep inertia,” which was published in PLoS ONE, took 50 participants through an online survey that logged what sound they used to wake up.

They then rated their grogginess and alertness levels against standardised sleep inertia criteria, with those that woke up to a “beep beep beep” sound feeling groggier during their first four hours awake.

RMIT News wrote, “the finding could have important implications for anyone who needs to perform at their peak soon after waking, such as shift workers and emergency first responders,” while lead author, RMIT doctoral researcher Stuart McFarlane, said ‘sleep inertia’ was a serious problem in our 24-hour world.

“If you don’t wake properly, your work performance can be degraded for periods up to four hours, and that has been linked to major accidents,” McFarlane said.

“You would assume that a startling ‘beep beep beep’ alarm would improve alertness, but our data revealed that melodic alarms may be the key element. This was unexpected.”

“Although more research is needed to better understand the precise combination of melody and rhythm that might work best, considering that most people use alarms to wake up, the sound you choose may have important ramifications,” he added.

“This is particularly important for people who might work in dangerous situations shortly after waking, like firefighters or pilots, but also for anyone who has to be rapidly alert, such as someone driving to hospital in an emergency.”

One of the study’s co-authors, Professor Adrian Dyer, from RMIT’s School of Media and Communication and Digital Ethnography Research Centre, said the research could help us design more efficient ways for people to use on their own devices to wake up properly.

“This study is important, as even NASA astronauts report that sleep inertia affects their performance on the International Space Station,” Dyer said.

“If we can continue to improve our understanding of the connection between sounds and waking state, there could be potential for applications in many fields, particularly with recent advancements in sleep technology and artificial intelligence.”

A better morning’s work awaits.

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The post Morning Productivity: Scientists May Have Just Discovered The Secret appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The suede jacket has been made famous by most celebrities these past 12 months and we don’t see the trend showing any signs of slowing down any time soon. Unfortunately, suede jackets can be quite pricey for a good quality specimen. Expect to pay well over $2,500 to get your hands on one from the luxury brands.

Enter New York designer, Todd Snyder. The Dylan Suede Jacket is one of the best looking premium trucker jackets we’ve seen this season. You may be thinking ‘wait, but it’s pink’. Yes, it’s pink, but it also comes in blue and green. It’s made from Italian calf suede and features two pockets on the front with a six-button front snap fastening.

Pair with denim or a sharp pair of navy blue chinos and white leather sneakers and you have yourself a killer combination for all smart-casual occasions. Right now you can score this sublime suede jacket for $998, pricey, but not for a quality suede jacket that looks as good as this one does. We highly recommend getting your skates on and acquiring yourself what we think is some of the coolest menswear pieces of the season.

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The post Todd Snyder Suede Jacket: It’ll Make You The Most Stylish Man In Any Room appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Jennifer Lawrence. Hugh Grant. Johnny Depp. What do these people all have in common? They are all smoke shows and they are all super awkward.

How does this relate to you? Let’s bring the example home: you tap onto the bus and there are two seats available: one next to a sprawling dude wearing a stained tracksuit and another next to a stone hot stunner. You halt, inching with indecision, before flinging yourself in next to the laundry averse activewear enthusiast.

Why?

You don’t even know: you just know that you become incredibly awkward around people you find attractive. That and that you feel this weird pressure that if you sit next to them they’ll think you like them. Or something.

But according to the experts, it’s not just you who feels awkward: your commute crush is just as diminished by their hotness as you are; after a lifetime of people nervously avoiding them or overtly hitting on them, they don’t know how to handle (or trust) a genuine interaction.

As Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist told The Atlantic last year, “When you see an attractive person, the left ventral tegmental area of the brain becomes active and will pump out dopamine.” As dopamine is a stimulant to the brain, people might then react with surprise or awkwardness which – you guessed it – leads to more awkwardness.

As The Atlantic put it, “That feeling is the weak-kneed giddiness that very attractive people can inspire, which can leave you fumbling for words and feeling off-balance, even though a dopamine rush is a fundamentally pleasurable experience.”

“Based on Fisher’s research, which used fMRI scans to observe the brain lighting up in response to stimuli, the left ventral tegmental area (commonly referred to as the left VTA) is responsible for pleasurable reactions to beauty.”

“Meanwhile,” The Atlantic continued, “The right VTA provides the dopamine that fuels romantic love; the two responses are similar but neurologically distinct, which means that what people feel when they see a random pretty face isn’t necessarily a desire for romance or even sex.”

According to the anecdotal experts over at Reddit (particularly a user called The Roman Romanticist who last week told a story that quickly started trending), this awkwardness – while temporary for most of us – is permanently carried around by those with unnerving facial symmetry. Entitled, “The Paradox Of Attraction,” this is his story.

“Something I’ve personally noticed is that we often attribute unattractive people as ‘socially-awkward.’ This can be true. But something I think is actually extremely overlooked is how socially awkward attractive people often are,” Mr. Romantic begins.

“I say this as an attractive man. Some may choose to see this as a humblebrag, and good for you, you’re simple-minded. But I personally don’t approach women. Don’t ask me why I’ve just always been like this. I’ve never to date asked a single woman out. I just feel really uncomfortable doing so.”

“So my interactions with women are never with romantic motives, but for everything else but. And through this, I have fallen into many relationships incidentally.”

“But what I have noticed is that because I don’t approach women… Attractive women have generally two types of expression when they find me cute. There is the kind that will say hello to me 7 times a day and just act very clearly awkward (but very sweet).”

“Then there is the kind that when I am required to interact with them… They’re unnecessarily stoic and wooden and rigid (which often can be mistaken for disinterest or dislike). Ironically, though, this is how a lot of women act when they like you but don’t know you well enough to feel comfortable being casual around you.”

“It wouldn’t be until I got to know them as time went on that this became apparent. They didn’t actually dislike me (they were just guarded and afraid of embarrassing themselves).”

“It made me realise: Attractive women are often very, very socially-awkward. They’re used to men approaching them romantically that they’re not typically interested in… But when it comes to the point where they now like a guy… They don’t know what to do because they’re not as accustomed to approaching as they are being approached.”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Elite Daily (@elitedaily) on Jan 26, 2020 at 7:54am PST

“So they hope/assume that this guy they find cute will approach them (just like many prior guys have). If he doesn’t then often nothing happens. But when he interacts with them in a professional way (instead of a romantic way) then they don’t really know how to approach him because they’re so used to being approached,” Mr Romntic continues.

Maybe this is why you don’t see attractive couples so often as you’d think, but rather one punching up and one punching down? Could it be that attractive people simply don’t know how to hit on each other? Allow Mr. Romantic to elucidate…

“I’ve personally noticed this where the moment women become ‘comfortable’ around me and feel as if they know me then they immediately start flirting. But when they don’t know me that well (it can be pretty obvious they find me attractive) but just act super serious because they’re clearly not used to interacting with men they’re interested in.”

“So moral of the story here is, people. Attractive people are often just as socially-awkward as what you imagine unattractive people to be.”

In other words: we’re all socially useless, and as soon as we accept small talk is a hugely over-rated skill the happier we’ll all be: something people in the comments of the thread were quick to point out, with one of the top-rated comments being: “I think most people today are socially awkward and manipulative in a quasi-good natured way that still ultimately ruins all their relationships.”

There is an upside though: as Thought Catalogue points out, dating someone awkward has a number of perks including the following: probably not a player, relatable, bad liars, inadvertently charming, good sense of humour, sincere, easier to read.

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The post Do Attractive People Have Less Social Skills? Here’s What The Science Says appeared first on DMARGE Australia.