Goodbye to one of New York's great tourism traditions?

It is the end of an era for one of New York City's most popular tourism traditions. 

New York City Council voted this week to ban horse-drawn carriages from Central Park by 2028, ending a tradition as old as the park itself, The New York Times reported.

A passenger’s death after a horse bolted in June was the impetus for the ban. 

The Council vote on the bill imposing the ban was a definitive, if not final, step toward ending a politically contentious debate over the future of the carriage industry, which some people criticise as a form of animal cruelty with no place in a crowded park and others embrace as a vestige of old-world charm, the newspaper reported.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office helped craft the bill, which passed by 40 votes to seven, a veto-proof margin.

“The mayor will sign this bill, and the Mamdani administration is working every day to ensure we can do so while providing the strongest possible protections for the owners and workers in this industry,” said Sneha Choudhary, a spokesperson for Mamdani.

The legislation dictates that horse carriages will not be allowed to operate in the city as of June 2028. 

There are 200 owners, drivers and stable hands and an estimated 180 carriage horses.

The Transport Workers Union Local 100 has vowed to challenge the legislation in court. 

Image: https://www.centralparkcarriagetours.com/

Lark Distillery to throw open its doors

Love your whisky? Enjoy visiting Tasmania? 

Leading spirits producer Lark Distilling Co will is to throw open the doors of its Pontville distillery, formerly Shene Estate, for a day of whisky, food, music and behind-the-scenes experiences at the country’s oldest operational whisky village.

Lark's inaugural Pontville Open Day on Sunday, November 29, is an open invitation to explore the historic distillery, and discover the people, craft and provenance behind Tasmania's modern whisky story. 

There will be free hourly tours and live coopering demonstrations, along with whisky tastings, and an interactive blending experience with Lark's distilling team. 

Tasmanian whisky pioneer and Lark founder Bill Lark will be in-conversation at 11am, sharing the journey that reignited  whisky making in Tasmania more than 30 years ago, and his team’s ongoing mission to capture the essence of the island. 

Pontville Open Day will also showcase the Forty Spotted gin collection on pour. 

Running from 10am to 4pm, the free, family-friendly event will also feature a petting zoo and live music from Tasmanian artists Hugo Bladel and Charlotte Lucretia, alongside a food offering. 

“We’ve always believed that whisky is a wonderful way to connect people with Tasmania," says Bill Lark. 

"Our Pontville Open Day is a special opportunity for visitors to get a taste of what makes this place so special and experience that connection first hand."

Just 30 minutes north of Hobart, Lark’s Pontville Distillery is set within an 1800s estate that has been  restored into a fully operational whisky village, complete with bond stores, a working cooperage, and a rich sense of Tasmanian heritage. 

Bookings: Register for free at https://larkdistillery.com/

Go for a run in the Coonawarra vineyards

The Coonawarra wine region is perfect for runners, being almost entirely flat. 

The Coonawarra Running Festival returns on Saturday, November 7, with the aim of showcasing the region and bringing together runners, families, wine lovers and the wider community for a day of activity, entertainment and mental health awareness.

The running courses wind alongside picturesque Coonawarra vineyards and grazing lands, taking in local landmarks including the Coonawarra Railway Siding, Wynn’s Winery and Richings Blue Tree.

The flat course makes the festival an inviting event for runners of all abilities.

A range of distances is available to suit different ages and fitness levels, with 1km, 6km, 12km and 21km events on offer.

For those looking for a different way to experience Coonawarra, the popular Wobbly Winery Walk offers a combination of walking, wine and regional hospitality. Participants follow a 5km loop through the vineyards and visit cellar doors, enjoying tastings of five different wines along the way.

Each participant receives a commemorative Coonawarra Running Festival glass to keep as a memento of the event.

All events finish at Coonawarra Park, where participants and visitors can enjoy additional wine stalls and food available for purchase. 

A free bus service from Mount Gambier to Coonawarra, stopping at Penola along the way, may be available, subject to bookings and sufficient numbers.

One of the festival’s key initiatives has been providing free Youth Mental Health Awareness sessions to seven secondary schools across the Limestone Coast region. These sessions aim to improve understanding, encourage open conversations and support young people to recognise the importance of mental health.

See www.coonawarrarunningfestival.com.au 

New Hobart apartment hotel draws inspiration from the Tasmanian wilderness

Hobart has a new apartment hotel that draws its inspiration from the Tasmanian wilderness. 

 
Dotted across the new Adina Hobart are images taken by Elliot Doedens, a young photographer whose parents own the hotel, and who guests just might find behind the reception desk when they check in. 

 
Doedens and his mother, Annalisa, are both photographers whose striking images set the tone at the 48-room apartment hotel on Argyle Street, which boasts a mix of studios, and one- and two-bedroom apartments. 

Selected rooms can also interconnect as a three-bedroom configuration, and apartments have fully equipped kitchens and separate living spaces.

Owners Richard and Annalisa Doedens worked with the design team on interiors inspired by Tasmania’s eucalypt forests. 

Elliot’s large-scale photographs capture landscapes around Mt Field, Lake St Clair and the south-west wilderness, the colours, textures, and organic forms of which are aimed to be part of the guest experience. 

Richard Doedens said the aim was to create a property grounded in its location.

“Our goal was to create a hotel that feels intrinsically connected to Tasmania," he said. "The palette, textures and organic forms all draw from the quiet beauty of the eucalypt forests that define so much of the state’s landscape.”

Set within the same mixed-use development as the 142-key Vibe Hobart, Adina guests will also have access to Belvedere restaurant and bar, conferencing facilities, a pool, and a gym.

Adina Hobart general manager Jamie Capp said apartment-style accommodation gave visitors greater freedom to experience the city and the state.

“Apartment-style stays are increasingly important to the visitor economy because they encourage extended travel and support local operators," Capp said. "With both Adina and Vibe now in Hobart, we’re offering travellers more choice, whether they’re here for business, culture, or nature.”

Adina Hobart is owned and developed by Raadas Investments Pty Ltd and operated by TFE Hotels. 

I'm hoping to stay in the next week or two, and will report back.

See www.adinahotels.com 

Italian flavours land on Brisbane’s northside

Brisbane's newest hospitality offering opens its doors today, in the boom suburb of Everton Park. 

The 350-seat Alfi Eatery & Bar will be the Ghanem Group's 10th venue in 2023 Olympic Games city Brisbane and is set within the Park Lane food precinct. 

It aims to offer "vibrant family-style Italian eats in the suburbs" and includes a 200-seat al fresco

courtyard, an open-plan kitchen and a U-shaped bar area. 

Alfi's premise is a "dining experience that embodies the spirit of the Amalfi Coast".

“We have always loved the idea of opening a restaurant that becomes people’s local and with Alfi, we truly believe we have achieved that," says managing director Nehme Ghanem. 

“Our intention was to bring a slice of Italy to Everton Park; to create a neighbourhood restaurant for locals to gather over a spritz and genuine food. 

“This has been a real passion project for us and we can’t wait to welcome the neighbourhood into Alfi."

At the helm in the kitchen is head chef Roberto d’Anna (below), a Palermo-born chef who has worked at Fortitude Valley’s Ristorante Tartufo and the iconic, now-defunct, Gambaro Seafood Restaurant.

“Each dish on the menu reflects our commitment to spotlighting the incredible local produce we have here in Brisbane,” he says.

“Our focus is on injecting these simple, authentic Italian flavours with fresh, seasonal, distinctly Australian ingredients." 

Menu highlights will include slow-roasted porchetta rolled with garlic, fennel seed and pepper, rosemary jus; chicken parmigiana; spicy vodka parmesan rigatoni; beef ragú napoletano; baked 

barramundi with potatoes, garlic, white wine and traditional acqua pazza broth; and a selection of wood-fired pizzas. 

See alfieatery.com.au

Lyndey Milan to lead an exploration of Provence's treats

No one enjoys good food and wine as much as Australian culinary icon Lyndey Milan OAM.

Now she has joined World Expeditions to lead an exclusive trip through the food, wine, art and landscapes of Provence.

World Expeditions has announced Milan as host of a new 11-day small-group journey through one of her favourite parts of the world, the South of France.

Provence: The Art of Living Well with Lyndey Milan will depart in September next year, combining food, wine, travel, culture and, "the pleasure of bringing people together around a table".

For more than four decades, Milan has helped shape the way Australians think about food and wine. 

The former food director of The Australian Women’s Weekly and co-host of Nine’s Fresh, she has presented food and travel television series around the world, authored award-winning cookbooks, judged leading wine and food competitions and hosted culinary journeys internationally.

She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to hospitality, particularly the food and wine industry, and to the community.

“Living well is about enjoyment, feeling glad to be alive and being excited by new discoveries,” Milan said. 

“Provence embodies that beautifully. It’s the people, the weather, the food and wine, the markets, history, culture and villages, but also the relaxed lifestyle. It is such a joyful place.”

The World Expeditions journey explores Provence at a deliberately unhurried pace, travelling from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (two nights) to Aix-en-Provence (four nights) and hilltop Gordes ( four nights). All delightful destinations, particularly after the August holiday hordes have departed.

Timed for late September, as summer gives way to autumn and les vendanges, the grape harvest, brings the vineyards to life, the itinerary combines food, wine, art, markets and walking.

Food and wine are naturally central. Travellers will shop for seasonal produce at local markets before cooking together in a Provençal home, visit an organic olive estate for a tasting and gourmet picnic among the groves, and enjoy a special visit to Maison AIX, including a tour of the estate and cellar and a tasting of its Provençal rosé.

“But this is not a cooking tour,” Milan said. 

"The journey is about so much more than food. We’ll explore the history and culture of Provence and meet some of the characters who make these communities what they are. It’s that access and those personal connections that make the experience so special. You simply couldn’t replicate it travelling independently.”

Limited to just 16 travellers, the tour departs on September 24, 2027, and costs $13,990 per person twin share.