Man of Many’s Staff Favourites – 19 October 2024

Talk about a much-needed break. After a week that felt like it dragged on for far too long, we’ve finally retreated back to the comfort of our homes to rest and relax. And judging by the weather in Sydney, we won’t be venturing out too much over the next few days, which gives us ample time to regale you with stories of our favourite products. Sit back and listen up, here’s Man of Many’s Staff Favourites for this week.

UNIQLO Linen Range

Nick Hall – Editor-in-Chief

Summer is just around the corner and for most Aussie men, particularly in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, that means linen shirt weather. For me, a pasty former goth who only wears black t-shirts and jeans, the idea of dipping my toes into the easy and breezy waters of linen clothing has just seemed entirely too hard. After spending a week with the new UNIQLO linen range, however, I may have changed my tune.

The team at UNIQLO shot over the European Premium Linen Long Sleeve Shirt, an unmistakably cool and comfortable top that features a light texture and a flowing silhouette that feels innately luxurious. I really like how the slender fit accentuates the drape of the fabric without making me feel like I’m Homer Simpson in his ‘Fat Guy Muumuu’. I can safely say that this one is getting added to the regular rotation coming into summer. Next stop, boat shoes and white pants!

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Chuck & Sons Brewery

Frank Arthur – Co-Founder

This week, I’m turning the spotlight on Chuck & Sons Brewery. Nestled in St Peters in Sydney’s Inner West, this newly opened venue has quickly become a local favourite, and it’s easy to see why. The relaxed atmosphere, family-friendly vibe, and of course, the legendary beer list are standout features. And I don’t use “legendary” lightly as one of the co-owners, Dr. Charles (Chuck) Hahn, is often referred to as the “Godfather of Australian brewing.” He’s the mastermind behind iconic brews like Hahn Superdry, James Squire’s Fifty Lashes and Kosciuszko Pale Ale.

If you’re planning a visit, I highly recommend starting with their Lo-Cal Lager. It’s light and refreshing but still packs enough flavour to keep things interesting. Another personal favourite is their Hefe Weissbier. This Bavarian-style brew is a rare find in Australian breweries and Chuck’s version definitely doesn’t disappoint.

For those who aren’t into beer, Chuck & Sons also has an impressive cocktail list, and the food from Chuck’s Kitchen food truck is simply top-notch. My top pick? The lamb ribs. They’re absolutely delicious. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. I’ve yet to come across a bad dish.

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Armor All Car Care Range

John Guanzon – Head of Social

As the wise boyband philosophers once said, “Does it ever drive you crazy, just how fast the night changes?” Yes. Yes, it does. One moment, you’re helping your dad in the 90s wash the family car in the driveway, and the next minute, you’re washing your own family car together with your sons. In a wholesome moment, washing the car with the kids after our recent camping trip, I realised I’ve been using Armor All products for decades. It wasn’t until this last clean that I really noticed just how effective and reliable their range is.

It’s easy to take for granted when something consistently gets the job done. The exterior wash made scrubbing off all the mud from our camping adventure surprisingly easy, and adding a quick shine afterwards was a breeze. What really impressed me was how effortlessly the wheels were cleaned up with just a few sprays and a quick scrub—they looked brand new. For the inside, their wipes were perfect for tackling the dust and dirt left behind by the kids. Big shout out to a long-standing legacy brand that continues to deliver again and again.

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Zero Latency VR

Harry Parsons – Senior Branded Content Manager

I have a confession to make… I can’t help but laugh uncontrollably at every video I see of people wearing VR headsets and sprinting head-first into their TVs or walls. It’s just comedic genius!

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let me tell you about an immersive VR experience I had that was held in an open space, where I could run around shooting zombies with my mates — without any bumps or faceplants. Recently, the Man of Many team and I headed to the Zero Latency VR centre in Alexandria for some team bonding, shooting hundreds of infected zombies. Talk about a therapeutic team event!

Set within a large yet enclosed arena, we were equipped with a top-tier setup, including a VR headset, headphones, and, of course, a gun. You’re fully immersed in your chosen world with your crew, and I have to say, I was blown away by the quality of the visuals. Not once during the game did I think about the real world — I was totally immersed, running for my life as a horde of zombies closed in. But don’t worry, you won’t run into anything.

The game warns you if you’re too close to another zombie hunter or a wall. They’ve truly thought of everything for this experience. Their latest expansion throws you into the Warhammer 40,000 universe with the highly anticipated Space Marine VR: Defenders of Avarax. I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about the Warhammer world before, but I do now — I’ve practically lived in it! Trading zombies for aliens, my team and I once again tore through hordes while screaming into our mics. Zero Latency VR has a wide range of games available, however speaking from personal experience, the Warhammer and Zombie ones should be your first try. If you’re looking for an incredibly fun activity to do with your mates, this is it! Check it out below.

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Westholme Wagyu and Applejack Hospitality ‘Flavour and Forage’ Restaurant Series

Ben McKimm – Journalist

When a box of Wagyu turned up on my doorstep from the folks at Westholme Wagyu this week, I didn’t really know how to react. Typically, I’m being delivered the latest phone, watch, or robot vacuum cleaner, but in all honesty, this might top them all. The way to a person’s heart is always through their stomach, and these folks deliver. They’ve teamed up with Applejack Hospitality for a ‘Flavour and Forage’ restaurant series that’s popping up at some of Sydney’s best restaurants over the next few weeks.

The head chef of each restaurant was given complete creative control, and they created bespoke menus in line with their style of cuisine. Stand-out dishes include the rare mānuka smoked Westholme Striploin MB 8-9, tostada with muscatel, watercress, shiso on tostada (The Butler), Westholme Rump Cap MB 6-7 tartare with caviar, quail egg & saltbush (Rafi, URBNSURF) and the Grilled Westholme Flank MB 6-7 skewer glazed with aged shoyu & Tasmanian wasabi (Bopp & Tone).

While I haven’t had the chance to visit any of these venues just yet, the quality of the sirloin alone tells me this is going to be a memorable dinner and one certainly worth a ‘Staff Favourite’. Check out the booking links, dates, and prices below.

Where and when: Bopp & Tone, Sunday 27th October, from 12pm
Tickets: $160 per person + $70 paired wines add on

Where and when: The Butler on Wednesday 30th October, from 6:30pm
Tickets: $140 per person + $70 paired wines add on

Where and when: Rafi, Urban Surf on Thursday 14th November, from 6:30pm
Tickets: $145 per person + $70 paired wines add on

The ‘Ultimate’ Ultimate Ears

Dean Blake – Journalist – Tech, Entertainment and Features

I’ve been testing a bunch of products for review for the past few weeks, but one has made my time at home far more entertaining: Ultimate Ears’ Everboom.

The UE Everboom is a surprisingly good speaker, and can easily serve as the sole sound source for a backyard party, hitting 90db in normal use, or 91db with the ‘outdoor’ mode enabled. It features a 360° sound profile, which means you can keep it in the centre of the party and everyone can still vibe along. More so for my purposes, it also functions perfectly as a one-stop shop indoors, delivering everything you could need without much hassle. I just sync my phone to it using Bluetooth (or tap on the NFC port), and I’m good to go.

The Everboom already features good bass thanks to two active, full-range 56mm drivers, which leans toward it being used in a party environment, and the addition of the ‘outdoor’ mode sacrifices some of that sound quality and depth for a more sizeable feel just in case you really want to piss off your neighbours.

Thankfully, it also charges with USB-C, which means I can keep it topped up by plugging it into my phone charger in between boogie sessions. It even has a built-in microphone function through UE Boom App, if you want to do some in-house karaoke. I don’t, but you might!

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Vogue Cafe Sydney

Beatrix Boon – Social Video Producer

With a beautiful view of the Sydney Harbour during sunset, this cafè/fine dining venue is a great date night spot. The Vogue Cafè boasts a luxurious upstairs area where one can enjoy caviar, lobster and other decadent selections, whilst also retaining the option for a more laid-back experience downstairs. I’m yet to go here for a casual drink with friends, but the downstairs area of Vogue Cafe is super atmospheric when it hits golden hour. Here are my top picks to try out:

• Best Meal: “The Devil Wears Pasta”. Not only does it have a great name, but this squid ink pasta was amazing. Bumping it up to a hefty $148 for the half lobster on top made it a dish to remember.
• Best Drink: Tokyo Runway. Glenmorangie original & yuzu infused with co2… I highly recommend it, even if you’re not the biggest fan of whisky (I’m not).

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