Like ham and glaze, turkey and stuffing, and OJ and champagne…
Like ham and glaze, turkey and stuffing, and OJ and champagne…
The clock is a-ticking folks with roughly 6.5 weeks till Christmas, and we are NOT okay. Still so much to do and plan for our favourite day of the year and as we mentally scroll through our never-ending to do list, we feel panicky. Plus, it’s our turn to host Chrissie lunch this year and srsly, we’re kinda done with that ‘ole chestnut. If we’re being honest (we are), we just want someone else to do the heavy lifting so we can kick back with a mimosa and soak up all the festive feels. Well, The Star Gold Coast is giving us the greatest gift of all; some tree-mendous Christmas day dining options – sans the hard yakka – and bloody (Mary) oath, let’s dance this dance shall we.
Now we would tell you about the cracking festivities planned at Cucina Vivo, the Event Centre Ballroom, and Garden Kitchen & Bar, however they’ve already sold out and once again, we are NOT okay!! But crisis averted because there are still Christmas shenanigans to be had at Harvest Buffet, and at everyone’s fave Uncle’s, Uncle Su. Plus, there’s an elfin awesome option to suit those of you who have committed to hosting (us), but can’t actually be stuffed. Cue the anticipation…and keep reading….
Harvest Buffet
I mean, it’s a Christmas themed buffet and is there anything better in life? Whether you’re celebrating with a lunch time nosh up or a dinner feast, Harvest has you covered with an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet and a three-hour beverage package. Think Sydney Rock Oysters and Garlic Butter Bug Tails, along with Beef Bourgeon from the grill. Pop by the carvery for classics like Roast Turkey and Stuffing, nom Mediterranean faves like pizza and pasta, and tuck into a selection of delicious salads. To finish, sweet tooths rejoice with a vast selection of desserts including the signature Crème Brulee. Sip on beverages like Talking Point Shiraz Cabernet, 821 Sauvignon Blanc, Hahn Lite and a variety of soft drinks. There’s even a Christmas Eve option for those who like to celebrate the night before! Christmas Day buffets start at $220 per adult.
Uncle Su
Focusing on highlighting traditional flavours, ingredients and cooking styles from different regions of China, internationally trained Executive Chef of Asian Cuisine, Chef Song Yao Su, has developed a super spesh festive banquet…and we’re drooling. Starting with an appetizer of Chicken and Water Chestnut San Choy Bao to set the tone, you’ll then be treated to a Dim Sum Platter with the likes of Baby Spinach Crabmeat Dumpling. Slurp on a Minced Beef Egg White and Coriander Soup and devour delectable mains like Filet Mignon with King Mushrooms in Shao Zhi Sauce. For the clincher, there’s a Coconut and Mango Mousse with Egg Custard Tart and did we mention we were drooling?! $169 per adult.
Christmas Hampers
Okay we LOVE this for us, and no one needs to know we didn’t make it all ourselves, right? Pick yourself up a delish takeaway hamper on Christmas Eve, complete with festive favourites like smoked ham, roasted turkey breast, Tasmanian salmon and more. Plus, you can make this Christmas extra special with optional seafood and salad upgrades as well as some exclusive beverage add-ons. Umm, yes to all of the above! Hampers can be purchased for either two people or six and can be ordered until Friday 16th December at 2pm. Oh and heads up – the prep of some hamper items requires basic cooking facilities and equipment (ie. stove, oven, pot) and yeah, I think we can manage this. Prices start from $260 per hamper.
Whichever option lights up your Christmas tree, you better book yesterday before they sell out too and LBR, Christmas FOMO invites total resting grinch face.
The Star Gift Cards
Now this is a Christmas present we can get behind! The Star Gift Card can be used across the board. We’re talking hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes and premium retail partners. One of these babies is guaranteed to have you topping the list as best gift giver. Order online and choose to receive a physical card or receive a digital card instantly #lastminutegift. Let me hear that Christmas cheer!
To purchase a Star Gift Card go here.
For more information or to purchase tickets for any of The Star’s Christmas activations, go here.
Where: The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach
When: Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th December, 2022
Words by Bianca Trathen.
STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST
The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol.
If a game of bingo married a rave party and had a baby, what would it be called? Bingo Loco, that’s what. You think we’ve gone barking mad don’t you, and we don’t blame you because it sounds as mismatched as a bride and groom on MAFS. But guys, we are not yanking your chain here. This. Is. A. Thing.
Described as the runaway child of traditional bingo, this international crowd wooer is coming back to The Star Gold Coast on Saturday 20th April. Kibosh anything you have on that night coz quite simply, this will be better.
Complete with rave rounds, comedian MCs, lip sync battles, dance offs, confetti cannons, crazy theatrics, spine-chilling special effects and insane prizes, Bingo Loco is a dead set vibe. You’ve never seen anything like it and we are equal parts (good) shooketh and off-our-rocker excited that it’s heading back to the Coast!
Definitely not your conventional bingo, we strongly recommend you dissuade Pops from signing up for this one. Your mates, however, will go bonkers (cue the song) for it, and they’re not alone as this crazy cool concept has been taking the world by storm. Originating in Dublin, we love it already because no-one does awesome like the Irish.
One of the most outrageously amazing parts about Bingo Loco is the loot. Previous wow-worthy prizes include a trip to Vegas and Coachella, a convertible car, and a boat. Others have won crates of cans, bags of rubbish, a blow-up doll, or a three-metre teddy bear and no, we are not making this up. Or, you may land somewhere in the middle and score the likes of a lawnmower, Instax camera, bathtub, or a Gameboy and ohmygawd, we just want the Gameboy please and thank you #nostalgia101.
Don’t expect to leave with a voice, because nothing makes you scream and shout Brit & will.i.am style like a night of Bingo Loco looseness. Not for the faint-hearted or those with an aversion to loud noise, crude humour, 90s bangers or showering in confetti, one thing’s for sure – it will be an experience etched into your memory for years to come. Picture long tables with bingo sheets (and lots of room for people dancing to throwback dance anthems), hilarious hosts, and more high energy partying than you can poke a glow stick at, it’s the epitome of wonderfully whacky fun.
Tickets are $55 per person, plus there is a cash bar and a limited food menu available for guests to purchase throughout the event. If you have a big group of peeps and want to sit together, we suggest you arrive early as seating is first in best dressed. Doors generally open an hour or more before the first game kicks off, so perhaps don’t invite that friend who runs notoriously late #SozNotSoz.
Lock this one in Eddies. Grab your tickets here.
Where: Event Centre Ballroom at The Star, Gold Coast, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach
When: Pre-Show 6.30pm – 8pm, Show 8pm – 11pm, Saturday 20th April 2024
Words by Bianca Trathen.
STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST
Subject to availability, change and cancellation. Must be 18 years or over to attend. The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol
Now that we’re deep in December territory, we need to momentarily avert the attention from those not-yet-procured gifts to a more pressing issue – NYE is just around the corner, party people!
And this year, The Star Gold Coast’s Isoletto Privé, one of our hottest – and otherwise off-limits – rooftop haunts is affording us the very rare opportunity to ring in 2024 in total luxury at its next level, NYE event.
Bust out your most fabulous white frocks and ‘fits, because Isoletto Privé’s sky-high ‘Night of White’ shindig will be a white party like no other. Clad in your crispest all-white ensembles, embark on an epic evening of live entertainment, canapés, fireworks and four-hours of premium drinks. By which we mean, a Moët & Chandon Impérial Deluxe and Grey Goose Vodka studded beverage package… to give 2023 the top tier send off it deserves, thank you very much.
Teaming up with another premium party purveyor for the occasion, the entire event will be presented by Grey Goose. Enjoy a Grey Goose cocktail on arrival and sip your way through said welcome drink as you acquaint yourself, then proceed to make yourself right at home within the lush expanse of the pool-studded deck, surrounded by summery pops of bright lemon and melon (y’know, to really make that crisp white finery pop).
With poolside party mode in full swing, load up on premium canapés and live food stations, to ensure the sustenance levels are optimal for all that sashaying you’ll be doing as you party the night (and year) away. And if you ask us, there’s nothing quite like the prospect of spreads of charcuterie and cheese, stacks of freshly shucked oysters, plus live pasta and dessert stations, to start the year off right.
Backing up the impeccable vibes will of course be some top-notch live entertainment sets emanating from the d-floor, culminating in a headliner set from one of Australia’s most glamorous cover-model-cum-DJ’s, Brook Evers. Temporarily taking a break from dominating the club scene across the globe to deliver us a not-to-be-missed performance, with an irresistible mix of electro-house bangers and old-school mash-up tracks to break out all our fave moves to.
To really seal the deal on this next level NYE bash, the sky-high surrounds also offer a primo vantage for viewing all the midnight fireworks action… we can already hear the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from here – and no doubt the complementary midnight sparkling toast will also supply a few ‘aahs’ of its own.
When it comes to avoiding an all-out fizzer, we can all agree the golden rule of a stellar NYE is not sleeping on locking in those plans – so if the likes of a seldom seen invitation for one very lush, luxury rooftop pool club style NYE does not qualify for immediate, forward-to-group-chat status, we don’t know what does.
Get your hot little hands on tickets to the hottest little NYE event here.
Where: The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach
When: 8:00pm – 1:00am, Sunday, 31 December 2023
Words by Kellie Leader.
STORY SPONSORED BY THE STAR GOLD COAST
The Star practises the responsible service of alcohol.
Ahhh Christmas. The day we don our floatiest maxis and eat like we’ve just been booted from Survivor. We pour mimosas right after our morning coffee coz nothing says merry like prosecco. We sweat bullets because it’s 55 degrees at 8am, and shamelessly blast Michael Bubble and Mariah Carey Christmas tunes from dusk till dawn. Yep, it’s the happiest day of the year and we are here for All.Of.It. Except for scrubbing every inch of the house in preparation for the onslaught of revellers. Not to mention slaving over the bird in the oven and 103 different salads, before realising none of them are meat/fish/gluten/dairy/egg/sugar/salt/pepper/calorie free for Aunt Karen, so better make that 104. Oh, and we can’t EVEN when it comes to dealing with the aftermath, because Sadie the Cleaning Lady we are not.
What if we told you we could take away the pre-and-post-Christmas pain points…and by “we”, we mean RACV Royal Pines Resort? That’s right friends, it’s time to say hoo-roo to the hard work and book in for a sumptuous Christmas buffet lunch and 3-hour drinks package, RACV style!
Relax in the beautiful Royal Benowa Ballroom while the experts take care of the heavy lifting. The famous festive feast is carefully crafted using only the finest ingredients, with something for everyone. For starters, how about the freshest Australian seafood, because it’s not a true Aussie Christmas without seafood. We’re talking the likes of Ocean King Prawns, Split Moreton Bay Bugs and Black Label Edition Pacific Oysters, and this is already blitzing our usual home spread.
Check out the indulgent Grazing Table, boasting the likes of Truffle Brie Gateau and Cheddar with peach chutney. Then, it’s over to the Deli Counter to get some pork on your fork with the Hand Carved Spiced Bundaberg Rum and Pineapple Glazed Leg Ham. Tackle a host of other heavenly hot dishes like Slow Roast Turkey Breast in pan juices accompanied by Duck Fat Roast Potatoes. Add some Seasonal Steamed Vegetables if you’re feeling that way inclined, or skip the veg and dive into another helping of roast chats.
Break things up with some Agave Roast Pumpkin Salad with pearl cous cous, dried cranberries, smashed fetta, and mint dressing, before moving on to the final stop; dessert. We may be choccas, but we could eat Traditional Christmas Pudding with burnt brandy sauce and Eggnog crème brulée till the reindeer come home.
Food and bev aside, there’s live music to keep the festive cheer flowing all afternoon long, and ankle-biter-friendly entertainment for a Christmas they’ll never forget. Plus, good news for dads, grandads and uncles; there’s no need to pour yourself into a stuffy Santa suit, as the jolly bearded fellow is already locked and loaded to make a very special appearance!
So folks, the time is nigh to treat yourself to an extra special Christmas present and hand over the ‘reins’ to RACV Royal Pines. They have it all wrapped up with an ‘Expert Level: Sleigh’ festive feast, set to jingle everyone’s bells.
Prices are $269 per adult, $146 per teen (13-17 years), $97 per child (5-12 years), $47 per child (2-4 years), and children under 2 are free. To book your tickets, go here.
Where: RACV Royal Pines Resort Gold Coast, Ross Street, Benowa
When: 12pm – 3pm, Sunday 25 December
Words by Bianca Trathen.
STORY SPONSORED BY RACV ROYAL PINES RESORT
