Good news, team. With the working week finally finished, you’re free to throw all caution to the wind, ditch your responsibilities and indulge in a little personal ‘me’ time. If you’re anything like us, that means spending a good 48 hours melting into the couch watching the Olympics. This weekend, we’ve got basketball, football, beach volleyball, judo, boxing, hockey and a bunch more sports to get amongst. But before we tap out for the week, here’s Man of Many’s Staff Favourites.
Bennelong House Lunch
Nick Hall – Editor-in-Chief
Of all the restaurants on Sydney’s burgeoning and multi-faceted culinary landscape, Bennelong stands alone. The stunning fine dining hotspot, located inside the iconic Sydney Opera House, has served as one of the nation’s most incredible foodie destinations for almost a decade, helmed by a stellar lineup of executive chefs and award-winning hospitality icons. It is, in every sense of the world, magical.
When I first moved to Sydney, I dreamt about having long lunches at Bennelong. As a lowly paid reporter in a fast-paced newsroom, the idea of walking up the fabled steps of the Opera House for a mid-week jaunt seemed remarkably out of reach. Admittedly, my financial position hasn’t really changed all that much in the years that have passed, but my goal of dining at the revered culinary institution on a weekday has moved one step closer.
The iconic restaurant has just announced a new Friday House Lunch offering, which offers diners a taste of Bennelong for a fraction of the price. The express lunch menu concept, crafted by executive chef Peter Gilmore and head chef Rob Cockerill, starts with two delicious bar snacks and a glass of Tasmania’s finest Arras Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine, followed by your choice of main course from the à la carte menu. Best of all, it will only set you back a cool $100 per person.
I recently had the chance to head down and check out the new Friday House Lunch menu at Bennelong and, as expected, it was masterful. The roasted Maremma duck was an absolute delight, smothered in a healthy serving of Morello cherry and beetroot, while the cured meat starters were simply divine.
The Bennelong Friday House Lunch is available every Friday to the end of August. Pre-booking your table is highly recommended, and if you go, tell them I sent you. It won’t get you anything, but it will make me feel good about myself.
Favourite Article of the Week: How Laphroaig Became Scotland’s Most Distinctive Whisky
Sticking to Habits
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
I’ve just returned from holidays, and after a broken finger, way too much drinking, getting sick and a lack of exercise, I need to get back into some good habits. At the beginning of the year, I managed to do 65 days straight of gratitude journaling using the Reflections app, but again, it’s something I’ve fallen off the wagon with. So, I’ve turned to an unsuspecting friend to find an appropriate way to track my habits: Etsy.
If you weren’t aware, Etsy just isn’t for your weird and quirky hobbyist knitted sweaters, people also sell digital goods, such as spreadsheets and mindfulness tools, on there as well. They’ve got a huge amount of time-saving and productivity templates that are worth checking out and typically cost under $10 each, which, if you value your time in trying to build these from scratch, is well worth the money.
Also, this week, I’ve come across this new AI email tool called Shortwave that I’d be keen to check out. I’ve tried automating some of my email drafts with Zapier, but it falls apart when responding in threads, so this might be worth looking into. Also, for all of you nerds out there, me included, I’ve penned a piece on Navigating AI Search on our LinkedIn Newsletter. I’d really appreciate your support by commenting, liking, or sharing it if you find it useful!
Favourite Article of the Week: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Review: A New Standard for Foldable Phones with a Price Tag to Match
Aimé Leon Dore’s Latest New Balance 860v2s Collaboration
Frank Arthur – Co-Founder
Teddy Santis, the founder of Aimé Leon Dore (ALD) and creative director of the New Balance Made in USA line, has once again united the two brands for another standout collaboration: Aimé Leon Dore’s New Balance 860v2s. Reissued from a 2011 design, the classic 860v2s are making waves with their sleek silhouette, perfectly fitting the current Y2K footwear trend, and I anticipate this model will soon outshine the popular 990 series. This special release features the iconic Aimé Leon Dore branding on the tongue and a rose crest on the heel and comes in three unique colourways. I opted for the white and green pair.
In a smart move, ALD offered reservations for a limited time, which allowed customers to secure a pair without the usual rush and disappointment of missing out. However, this also means production begins once the total order volume is finalised, which means I’ll be waiting until February/March 2025 for my pair. I hope my excitement level for these kicks is just as high when they finally arrive next year.
Favourite Article of the Week: 2024 Aston Martin DB12 Volante Review
Q Timex Chronograph TW2W53400
John Guanzon – Head of Social
I’ll admit to not knowing a huge deal about watches before working at Man of Many, but after being here for two years now, I’ve developed a great appreciation for the art of horology. Sadly, my Ethereum investments haven’t quite taken me to the moon quite yet, so I currently don’t have the funds to invest in a four-figure (or more) watch at the moment. However, I think I might have just found the best-looking chronograph under $400.
At first glance, the Q Chronograph from Timex doesn’t look like a Timex watch and can almost pass as a far more expensive brand. Inspired by the motoring watches of Europe’s iconic races in the 1970s, the Q Timex Chronograph captures the era’s essence with its integrated bracelet and domed acrylic crystal. While the domed acrylic crystal enhances its vintage look, it can make it prone to scratches; but nothing a bit of Polywatch can easily buff out.
The reverse panda dial with subtly yellowed sub-dials is my favourite feature, adding a touch of vintage charm to the overall monochrome look. But more than that, my overall favourite thing about the Q Timex Chronograph is that it’s a timepiece that feels timeless yet modern and certainly won’t break the bank.
Favourite Article of the Week: 20+ Best Gifts Under $200 that Impress
ASICS GEL-KAYANO 31
Elliott Barsby – Commercial Director
I’ve been racking up the running miles lately, to the point where the Man of Many team is tired of hearing about it. With the Sydney Marathon fast approaching, my intense training is starting to pay off, although watching the Paris Olympics is a reminder that I won’t be representing Australia anytime soon.
Still, my runs have never been more enjoyable, thanks in large part to the ASICS GEL-KAYANO 31, a firm favourite in my running shoe rotation. Their exceptional comfort and support have managed to keep me both motivated and injury-free. PureGELTM technology offers superb shock absorption and smooth transitions, the new upper design enhances flexibility, and the updated outsole delivers excellent traction and stability, making even a cold, rainy Sydney night no excuse for skipping a run. In short, these shoes provide the perfect blend of comfort, support, and durability. Time for another run!
Side note: Did you know ASICS is an acronym? “Anima Sana In Corpore Sano,” meaning “a sound mind in a sound body.” Not a bad brand philosophy.
Favourite Article of the Week: How Laphroaig Became Scotland’s Most Distinctive Whisky
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Rob Edwards – Branded Content Editor
I’ve never really been one for smartwatches, as I’ve always preferred to have something old-school and analogue strapped to my wrist. However, with middle age just around the corner, I need to harness every bit of motivation I can to push myself out the door for some exercise or it’s going to be a very grim state of affairs indeed.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra is the latest source of said motivation. It boasts a large 47mm form factor, which means it may be too big for some, but it requires every nanometre of that casing in order to squeeze in a very long list of sensors and tracking functions. Genuinely, the list of features on offer here is enough to leave you feeling quite overwhelmed at first. Fortunately, its intuitive operating system doesn’t take long to grow accustomed to, and you’ll soon wrap your head around everything this wearable offers.
Once you do, you’ll find yourself tracking everything, from running and cycling to water skiing, kayaking, and windsurfing. In fact, the introduction of a new Multi Sports Tile means multi-course workouts like triathlons can be tracked without breaking a sweat—on behalf of the watch, I mean. You’ll be sweating more than you can imagine. What’s more, with an Enhanced BioActive Sensor, the Galaxy Watch Ultra can track your heart rate at all times (even in the water!).
Plus, with the power-saving mode delivering up to 100 hours of battery life, you won’t have to charge it at the end of each day. This means you can use the Watch Ultra to track your sleep cycle and use the data collected to fine-tune your shut-eye in order to unlock even greater levels of wellness.
Favourite Article of the Week: Why Robert Downey Jr.’s Casting Spells Doom for Marvel
Transparent Speakers
Dean Blake – Journalist – Tech, Entertainment & Features
This week, diving through our list of tech gifts and gadgets, I discovered the brand Transparent. In our list we recommended the turntable, which looks absolutely incredible (i don’t even own any records), but really all of their products look so thoughtfully designed and incredibly beautiful that I kind of want to start saving for them all. As the name suggests quite a few of their products are ‘transparent’, and show off the inner pieces of the speaker set up, for example, which turns what can otherwise be a pretty boring product you hide away in your living room to something worth showing off. Plus, they’re built in a way that they are easily repairable, extending each product’s shelf life immeasurably. I’m a sucker for slick and thoughtful design, and Transparent has it in spades.
Favourite Article of the Week: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Review: A New Standard for Foldable Phones with a Price Tag to Match
G Flip’s BOX Alcoholic Juice
Beatrix Boon – Social Media Producer
This week, I’ve been digging BOX, the first step into the alcoholic beverage space for Aussie musician G Flip. There are only two flavours right now, a beautifully refreshing ‘apple and guava’, and a punchy ‘tropical bang’. The former speaks for itself but G’s ‘tropical bang’ truly does bang with vibrant notes of orange juice, ripe passion fruit and candied pineapple. They’re amazing on their own but even better in a cocktail.
On Tuesday, I was invited to G Flip’s media launch event at the Lord Gladstone in Chippendale. Here, we were greeted on entry with some really creative and delicious cocktails made by the staff at the venue. First up, a BOX Sunrise, boasting the BOX Tropical Bang, paired nicely with Tequila, pomegranate syrup and orange juice. Following up, we had a BOX Mule, packed with BOX Apple Guava, vodka, ginger syrup and lime. I recommend that if you do get your hands on some BOX, found at your local BWS, you should absolutely try mixing up your own creative masterpieces!
Favourite Article of the Week: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Review: A New Standard for Foldable Phones with a Price Tag to Match
The Boomers Men’s Basketball Team
Alex Martinez – Media Sales and Brand Partnerships
How great are the Olympics? The Aussies are still winning, stacking medals, and possibly have one in the chamber in the Boomers. At Tokyo, the Aussie men’s basketball team won their first-ever medal, which was Bronze, but to the fans, it felt like Platinum. It was a deeply beautiful moment led by our then flag bearer and perennial bucket-getter, Patty Mills.
This year, the Boomers are back with largely the same team (minus a few key, controversial absences such as Matisse Thybulle) and have looked strong from the start. Being placed in the “pool of death” means they are up against strong medal hopes in Canada, which is absolutely stacked with NBA players, and Greece, with former NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
What makes this campaign so exciting is that the Boomers seemingly have equal chances of doing worse, the same, or better than Tokyo. Regardless of the result, the entire country is behind them.
Favourite Article of the Week: Who is Dyson Daniels? Australia’s Newest NBA Star Making Waves
