Editor. Writer. Traveller. Keeping tabs on all things fab. susan@excessallareas.com.au
One minute longhorns, lassos, lager, the next cocktails, fine food and old masters. As Susan Skelly discovers, Fort Worth is not just next door to Dallas… Mayor Betsy Price is holding court in Fort Worth’s sparling new Sundance Square Plaza. She’s just come from winning the women’s division in a clay-pigeon shoot and has invited…
Premium quality bourbons are giving single malt Scotch a run for its money, reports Alan Deans Entering the non-descript liquor shop on Madison and 40th in Manhattan’s Midtown was an Aladdin’s Cave. Standing in glittering rows behind the counter were many bottles of fine, single malt Scotch whisky. The owner, 80 if he was a day,…
Portofino is as breathtaking as the Krupp diamond: a jewel in the Italian Riviera’s crown, a pocket port of iris blue, a marina crammed with gleaming cruisers, runabouts and schooners, and the shore clustered with narrow buildings painted the rich shades of ancient ochre. What better place to spend a honeymoon? Susan Skelly unpacks the resortwear Portofino,…
Celebrities, sailors and well-heeled shoppers are part and parcel of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week every August, checking out the latest premium motors, pearls and designer threads. Much sought after last year was Lupe Puerta, Net-A-Porter.com’s global head of personal shopping. Susan Skelly quizzed her on how to rock the resort look. 1. How do…
There’s a reason Mark Best likes cooking at home over plating up for diners at his celebrated establishments Marque and Pei Modern. “At home I am the master. In the restaurant I am the slave!” It probably doesn’t hurt that the kitchen of his inner Sydney apartment is now fitted out with chef toys such…
Monaco is a magnet for the rich and famous, a dazzling collage of yachts and cruisers in Port Hercules, fast cars, and hotel porters weighed down by designer shopping bags, reports Susan Skelly Once labelled “less a real country than a glorified safe deposit box”, the tax haven of Monaco stands tall in glitz, glam…
Susan Skelly meets the scion of a family with a thirst for adventure, a long association with people who care about the planet, and cruising in its blood. Jeremy Lindblad has travel in his blood. Born and raised in New York, he is the grandson of Lars-Eric Lindblad, “the father of ecotourism” and the son…
Snorkel, scuba dive, climb, trek and kayak… then rest up with fine food and designer digs. All reasons to head to Lord Howe Island, the treasure island just a couple of hours’ flight from Sydney. Chris Roseby gives it his best shot Here are must-have adventures for those who embrace fitness and the great outdoors. And who find…
No trip to Paris is complete without a unique perfume memento. Susan Skelly sniffs the rarefied air for 10 of the best perfumeries within the 1st arrondissement’s orbit. Paris is dotted with perfumeries staffed by knowledgeable, passionate purveyors of scent, from legends (Annick Goutal, Caron, Diptyque, Penhaligon’s, Le Labo, Jean Patou) to funky cocoons (Iunx,…
India’s grand palaces, lakes and hunting grounds – even its aviation heritage – inspired one luxury brand’s Spring Summer 2015 collection, with its embellished fabrics, smart military tailoring and inventive sport style. Louis Vuitton men’s style director Kim Jones enlightens Susan Skelly on how the sub continent has shaped the creative process. The colours of India? Indigo, shocking pink…