Local Knowledge — All Articles — Page 3 of 7

These posts are about the local people we meet, with insider tips we gather from locals, Q&As with locals, as well as great local spots and hidden gems we discover.

Local Knowledge: Kenneth Meow from Melbourne

By Lara Dunston|

In our latest edition of Local Knowledge from Melbourne, Australia, Kenneth Meow shares his insider tips to experiencing the Victorian capital. Kenneth is a Hong Kong-born Australian who is impossible to describe in a nutshell. He's a restaurant owner, community volunteer, philanthropist, strategic advisor, social media consultant, and coffee lover. Phew. We first 'met' Kenneth online, in the ...

A Local Guide to Vintage Shopping in Melbourne

By Lara Dunston|

That we needed to provide you with a local guide to vintage shopping in Melbourne quickly became apparent after spotting some Melbourne locals in beehives, cats eye glasses and bobby socks. After meeting vintage princess Danielle Pumo on our Hidden Secrets tour, it was obvious she should be our vintage expert. Interview with Danielle Pumo ...

The Renaissance of The Great Australian Pub Counter Meal

By Terence Carter|

The great Australian pub counter meal has undergone a significant transformation since we left Australia in the late 1990s. Last week we chatted to Chef Paul Wilson, one of the culinary forces responsible for its recent renaissance in Melbourne. Counter meals — while being something we Aussies inherited from our British ancestors — are nevertheless quintessentially Australian. We both ...

Afternoon Tea at The Hotel Windsor, a Melbourne Tradition That’s a Must

By Lara Dunston|

Afternoon tea at The Hotel Windsor is a quintessential Melbourne experience for many, and for locals as much as tourists. While afternoon tea may currently be in vogue — it was inevitable it would follow on from the cupcake fad — the Hotel Windsor has been serving its traditional afternoon tea continuously since 1883, and it’s as ...

Jess Ho’s Guide to Eating and Drinking in Melbourne

By Terence Carter|

We first met Jessica Ho aka That Jess Ho, girl-in-the-know, food blogger, and face of Melbourne Asian restaurant Chin Chin, when we were photographing the funky eatery for our Mouthwatering Melbourne story. If you know Jess Ho, enough said. If you don't, here's one of the most local guides you're going to get to eating and drinking ...

Local Guide to The Mekong — Interview with Mason Florence, Mekong Tourism Director

By Lara Dunston|

Our local guide to The Mekong comes courtesy of Mason Florence, executive director of Mekong Tourism. Based in Asia for 20 years, Mason is a publisher, former guidebook writer, journalist, photographer, and tour guide. Few people know the Mekong better. It’s hard to envisage one person being able to provide a local guide to The ...

Local Knowledge: Hack from Luang Prabang

By Lara Dunston|

The waiter who looked after us during the Amantaka cooking course we did on the organic farm in the Luang Prabang countryside was brilliant. His service was impeccable. He was so good at his job that when we asked him what his future plans were, whether he had a dream, we expected he would say ...

Local Knowledge: Janet Chan from Siem Reap

By Lara Dunston|

Our Local Knowledge interviews — and the other expert interviews we do for our local guides and Playlist series — are with locals we’ve befriended who have helped us get beneath the skin of a place, by sharing insider advice, hidden gems, local secrets, and their most favourite things to do. We’ve interviewed local artists, chefs, singers, a filmmaker, musicians, a surfing ...

A Local Guide to the Siem Reap Arts Scene and Creative Community

By Lara Dunston|

This local guide to the Siem Reap arts scene and creative community comes from designer, gallery owner and entrepreneur Loven Ramos, a long-term resident. Siem Reap has a rich artistic and cultural heritage, evident in its Angkor temple architecture and elaborate carvings, and in the classical Khmer dance and music, but we didn’t expect to ...

Eric Raisina’s Guide to Siem Reap Style — Where to Find Cambodian Chic

By Lara Dunston|

Eric Raisina is something of a celebrity in Siem Reap, a city the fashion designer finds inspirational and integral to his work. We talked to Eric Raisina about his inspiration, his work, Cambodian fashion, and Siem Reap style. We first met Madagascar-born fashion designer Eric Raisina at his atelier when researching shopping in Siem Reap on our first trip to ...

Local Knowledge: Vibol from Phnom Penh

By Lara Dunston|

We met 18 year-old Cambodian waiter, Pheng Vibol, or ‘Vibol’ as he’s called, at the wonderful Romdeng restaurant in Phnom Penh. Romdeng had been recommended to us by several locals as Phnom Penh’s best restaurant with fine Cambodian cuisine and a lively atmosphere. It didn’t disappoint. In addition to the delicious food, what we also ...

Local Knowledge: Audrey from Saigon

By Lara Dunston|

We met the delightful Miss Audrey Tran and her warm smile at her groovy shop, Saigon Kitsch, when I was scouting shops for the magazine story we were working on in Ho Chi Minh City. The 26 year-old French-Vietnamese Audrey told us that she had started Saigon Kitsch just six months earlier, after leaving her ...