Not even one day into March and we’re already gearing up for a holiday, well sort of. This weekend marks the official arrival of the 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, a momentous occasion on the local calendar. The explosion of colour, culture and creativity will burst onto the streets out the front of the Man of Many office and I, for one, can’t wait to enjoy the festivities. Let’s face it, when it comes to Feel-Good Fridays, this one is hard to beat. Here are some more positive stories to keep the vibes, well…vibing.
Seaweed Smoothies are On the Menu
It’s no secret that seaweed is good for you, but the slimy and salty texture isn’t exactly the kind of thing you reach for early in the morning. Thankfully, Aussie icon Boost Juice has changed all that, with its new range of limited-edition seaweed-infused smoothies. Launching last week, the new Pash & Splash and Sea & Tea smoothies bring the refreshing and energy-lifting nutrients of seaweed to your morning treat, alongside a healthy umami hit.
“Cheekiness has always been at the forefront of the Boost brand,” Boost Juice Australia founder Janine Allis said, “We love pushing the boundaries with new flavour profiles and testing unique combinations that might sound shocking to most. They always spark discussion or debate and taste delicious too! Our Seaweed range is a nod to the trending snack and brings unexpected combinations that are innovative and will wow customers.”
The Boost Juice limited-edition seaweed-infused smoothies are available from 19 February to 24 March 2024.
G Flip is Ubering Around Mardi Gras
Fresh off a record-breaking return in this year’s Triple J Hottest 100, music superstar G Flip has teamed up with Uber to help Sydneysiders celebrate Mardi Gras. The Aussie singer, unashamed ‘Pies fan, drummer and queer icon will be riding around festivities exclusively via Uber Pool on March 2nd, and you could be in with a chance of sharing a ride with them.
Mardi Gras attendees are encouraged to register their interest and tell Uber why they’d love to be part of G Flip’s pride ride. From there, the lucky riders will simply need to look out for the queerest Uber vehicle, decked out with rainbow good vibes.
“I’m so stoked to be back in Australia for Mardi Gras!” G Flip said. “It’s one of my favourite days of the year. I’m going to be hopping in a few Uber Pool rides on the day of the parade so stay safe, book an Uber and hopefully we can hang out for a cheeky little ride! Happy Mardi Gras beautiful humans!”
Best of all, for every Uber Pool ride taken on Mardi Gras weekend with G Flip, Uber will make a donation to Minus18, Australia’s champions for LGBTQIA+ youth. Additionally, Uber is shouting Pool rides to and from the festival on Saturday 2nd March, between 12pm- 10pm. Just order an Uber Pool trip to Sydney festival locations between 12pm- 10pm on the 2nd, and your trip will be covered, up to a value of $30.
Hipages Launches the ‘Tradie Pie’
There is a long-held association between our nation’s tradespeople and the humble meat pie, and to be fair; it’s not totally unwarranted. New data from online tradie marketplace, hipages, has revealed that the meat pie is the second most popular choice of snack amongst the industry, however, 82 per cent wish there were more, healthy on-the-go options available.
To combat this, hipages has teamed up with Sydney’s iconic Harry’s Cafe de Wheels to launch the “Tradie Pie”, a delicious snack that is 40 per cent lower in carbs than a traditional meat pie. The new option was created with nutritional guidance from advanced sports dietitian, Ryan Pinto from My Muscle Chef to assist with weight control, and features 20g of protein to promote muscle growth and recovery, 13.5 of dietary fibre to boost gut health, and a balanced serving of vegetables.
“Our mission has always been to help support Aussie tradies both on and off-site, and the Tradie Pie achieves exactly that. Harry’s Café de Wheels has been the perfect partner to bring this to life, and we can’t wait for tradies to taste it,” Nicholas Ellery, VP of marketing at hipages, said. “In the same way that eating well can help you to get more done on the tools, hipages help tradies to boost their job pipeline with more work. Not only do we have tradies’ backs, we’ve got their guts too.”
The Tradie Pie is available from tomorrow at all Harry’s stores across New South Wales. To see all stockists, locations and dates, as well as tips for staying productive on the tools, head to hipages.
Mambo and HoMie Collab For Social Cause
If you have been reading Feel-Good Friday for a while now, you will know how much we love the team at HoMie. The Melbourne streetwear brand is doing amazing things in the world of fashion, unveiling sustainable collections that not only look good, but also provide meaningful support to young people facing homelessness and hardship. Now, the label has teamed up with another Aussie icon for a one-off collaboration.
Mambo, the surfwear staple has joined HoMie to launch the exclusive ‘Mambo X HoMie: REBORN’ unisex range. Created to support fashion, art and grassroots communities, Mambo donated stock to this collaboration that included iconic, limited edition Reg Mombassa designs. Better yet, the entire collection was produced in the heart of Naarm (Melbourne) in HoMie’s new upcycling facility, meaning every garment has been reborn from donated stock into special limited pieces.
“As we celebrate an incredible 40 years of Mambo, this collaboration is a milestone moment for us, marrying Mambo’s heritage of bold creativity with our commitment to making a tangible difference in the community,” Sally Cordukes, Mambo business manager for marketing, digital, and E commerce said. “It’s a fusion of style and social purpose that truly reflects what Mambo stands for today. We’re thrilled to be launching this collaboration, pushing the boundaries of fashion while contributing to a local cause that truly matters.”
The ‘Mambo X HoMie: REBORN’ collection boasts a curated range of hoodies, t-shirts, and button-up shirts, each uniquely reimagined through a creative blend of colour and design, offering a vibrant second life to each item. The entire range is limited edition and available from 10 am, February 27. Explore the collection via HoMie online or visit in-store at 296 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Melbourne.
Sydney Couple Celebrates $80,000 KFC-Themed Wedding
How much do you love the Colonel’s crispy chicken? We guarantee it isn’t as much as Sydney couple Thanh Huynh and Brian Tran, who tied the knot with an official KFC wedding valued at $80,000 last week. The Cabramatta legends enjoyed a finger lickin’ nuptial ceremony courtesy of KFC, after winning the fast food chain’s ‘Put a Wing On It’ competition last year.
The magical day started out with a lavish ceremony at the Sydney Opera House, progressed to a KFC picnic on Bennelong Lawn and finished with a rousing reception at Cabra-Vale Diggers. The newlywed scored a KFC bucket-themed wedding cake, KFC buckets filled with blooms, a KFC grazing table, chicken suits and personalised KFC buckets for guests.
“Our KFC-themed wedding was an absolute blast, and having KFC play a big role made it unforgettable. Sharing the day with our closest friends and family made it extra special, and we’re so grateful for the love and laughter everyone brought to our wedding,” Thanh and Brian said.
“Our entrance as a married couple to the reception was marked by a dance with custom KFC buckets – a moment that truly set the tone for the entire night! It was hands down the most incredible day of our lives.”
If you want to follow in Thanh and Brian’s footsteps, you can organise bucketloads of KFC for your big day via the KFC Catering service. For more information, check out the KFC Australia website.
Cebu Pacific’s Filipino Burger Giveaway
Who doesn’t a free burger? Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading airline, has teamed up with Sydney’s Filipino-fusion burger joint, Burger Point, and the Filipino-owned home of Melbourne’s original smashed patties, St. Burgs, to give away 100 free burgers at each restaurant on March 8.
The new giveaway celebrates the airline’s 28th birthday and will see 100 of Burger Point’s iconic Marvin Glaze burgers, featuring a donut glazed bun, and cheese and bacon topping, offloaded for free from 10.30am on Friday March 8 at its Circular Quay restaurant. Then from 11am on the same day, Melburnians can head to St Burgs’ Caroline Springs location for a free Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Durger.
In case free burgers weren’t sweet enough, Cebu Pacific has confirmed that every customer who gets a free burger will have the opportunity to win return flights from Melbourne or Sydney to Manila by sharing on social media. Cebu will also be running a month-long seat sale throughout the whole of March, offering flights from Melbourne and Sydney to Manila for some of its lowest prices in history.
Passengers can book flights between August 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024 to Manila for as low as AUD$189 from Melbourne and AUD$199 from Sydney for a one-way all-in fare. For more information, visit the official Cebu Pacific website.
