While some people are lucky enough to have learned how to decorate a cake from a family member, or have taken cake decorating courses, not everyone has the experience or confidence to make a custom cake for a special gift or celebration. Luckily, there are plenty of ways and resources to help overcome this problem.

There are many instructional videos online that can teach step by step how to make beautiful cakes from scratch as well as how to finish them with special frosting and candies for many different themes. Cake decorating classes Sydney are also highly recommended and are very helpful, though if you can’t travel to the city you may be able to find a local baking class as well. Best of all, a whole group of people can be involved in the baking and decorating a gourmet, specially decorated cake for any sort of office party, going away party, birthday, or appreciation get-together.

With the help of online videos and tutorials, cake decorating classes, at a college or culinary school, or simply getting the help of friends and family, you’ll quickly find out that making a beautiful cake is just as much fun as giving it as a present to a loved one.

1. Altitude Restaurant - Altitude Restaurant was voted 2010’s Restaurant of the Year at the annual Australian Hotels Association National Awards of Excellence. Located at the top of the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney, Altitude Restaurant offers a truly amazing dining experience. Guests enjoy the view of Sydney Harbor from floor to ceiling windows throughout the dining room. Serving modern Australian food, Altitude Restaurant is sure to provide guests a unique dining experience. Altitude Restaurant opens for dinner service Monday through Saturday at 6 pm.
2. Temple of Tastes - The Sea Temple Resort and Spa is home to a favorite restaurant in Palm Cove, Australia. The Temple of tastes offers guests Australian cuisine with a pacific and Southeast Asian twist. Guests at this restaurant dine can dine on the terrace and enjoy views of the streets below as well as the fresh, Australian air. The Temple of Tastes is open for breakfast and dinner daily; they close during lunch service.
3. Yamagen - The Restaurant and Caterers Association Gold Coast voted Yamagen the Best Restaurant in a Hotel in 2010. With its Japanese cuisine, Yamagen is a popular restaurant for both locals and visitors. The restaurant boasts brilliant menus featuring their Teppanyaki BBQ grill and sushi bar. Yamagen’s located at the QT Gold Coast Hotel in Surfer’s Paradise.
4. Collins Kitchen - The Grand Hyatt Melbourne’s on-site restaurant, Collins Kitchen is an a la carte restaurant that uses fresh, local produce to prepare a menu that features cuisine from around the world. The restaurant uses wok, sushi, grill, deli, and patisserie dining concepts in addition to guest interaction with the chefs to create an extraordinary dining experience. Collins Kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers dining menus for each.
5. Absynthe - is located in the Q1 Tower at Q1 Resort and Spa on Australia’s Gold Coast. The restaurant features a seasonal a la carte menu and a seven-course degustation, or tasting, menu. Open Monday through Saturday for dinner, Absynthe is sure to provide an exceptional dining experience that will tantalize your taste buds.
6. The Brasserie - The Brasserie is a semi-formal restaurant in the Hilton Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia. The restaurant serves modern Australian dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Brasserie’s dinner menu features South Australian produce and changes approximately every six weeks to underscore a different region.
7. The Louden Kitchen & Grill - Located in Melbourne at the Mercure Welcome Melbourne, The Louden Kitchen and Grill is a buffet style restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also offer an a la carte menu at dinner to allow guests to personalize their meal. Enjoy the bottomless coffee daily from 6:30am to 10:30am or visit later in the day to try a selection from the health grill menu. The Louden Kitchen and Grill also offers Gluten Free choices on their menus.
8. Rez 252 – The Hotel Grand Chancellor’s Rez 252 offers an escape from the crowds on the streets of Surfer’s Paradise in Australia. A laid-back atmosphere, Rez 252 is best known for their seafood stack, an entrée for two. The Rez 252 Restaurant and Bar is open daily for breakfast and dinner service.

So when you book your next trip to Australia, whether it is for business purposes or you just need to get away, make sure to test out some (or all) of the hotel restaurants in this list.

This guest post was provided by freelance writer Erica Gustafson in consulting for Expedia. Gustafson has had the opportunity to travel to Australia many times and has enjoyed many of these hotels great entrées and specials.

The savvy restauranteur or manager knows that marketing is increasingly more important. The more people talk (or tweet) about the restaurant, the more will walk through the door. Word of mouth is very important to keep patrons coming back but how does a restaurant start to get the word out?

New restaurants have an added challenge of getting all their information to their perspective clientele. If the restaurant is new, how do the restaurant owner and manager get reviewed, develop excitement and create the thriving business? The answer is branding.

Branding experts work to increase the number of “views” on websites and advertisements. Increasing the number of times a restaurant is mentioned directly effects the number of customers. Including good reviews in a marketing campaign or on websites for restaurants is more important than ever. People do take the time to scroll through reviews to find out about the food and the service.

Three simple steps will increase business. Step One: Get people to notice the restaurant, Step Two: Create excitement for the dining experience, Step Three: Provide such an excellent experience that customers consider it an event! Consider all online branding to be the 21st century equivalent to signs and balloons of the last century.

Thank customers by giving them something extra. Thank your branding expert for increasing your exposure. And thank yourself for understanding it takes a team to create an excellent dining experience.

Background
The start of the Australian wine is in South Africa, as there were in 1788 the first vines taken away, by Arthur Phillip, first governor of Australia. The first attempt stranded, because the soil was rich in nutrients and humid climate. Later, at Sydney, had been more successful. At the request of the governor sent England some French prisoners to help, but they knew nothing about wine … It came later off the ground in South Australia with pioneers like James Busby, George Wyndham and German immigrants in the Barossa Valley. Wine contains less alcohol and had to be served as an alternative. The slightly sweet wines were mainly destined for export to England. While the wine taste of the rest of the world changed, Australia continued to maintain its tradition. The Australians themselves made their own wine, also fine. In the seventies shifted production to worldwide still more esteemed dry wines. This went very quickly because the white wine grapes on the blue sticks graft (a portion of a plant attach to another plant). This had not cleared the sticks to be, a time consuming chore. The Australian Government made ​​a penny in the bag by encouraging the planting of top varieties. Although Australia was initially somewhat behind the cover is now ready to Australian winemakers gave others some advices. They fly all over the world to explain the latest techniques, such as fermentation at lower temperatures and aging in oak barrels. In addition, techniques developed for the warmer climates allow fresh and fruity wines.

Origin
Australian wines are very ripe and fruity. This has everything to do with the sunny climate. The vast majority of Australia is too hot for grapes. In the middle of the desert, while the north and east tropical beaches. The vineyard is located in the south, the area has a length of 5000 km. Classification of the area although there are now vines in all Australian provinces are the areas most important:

1. South Australia: Adelaide round most of the total production (40%). Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale are the best areas around the city. Further south, the cooler Coonawarra which is especially known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. In this province we find Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Padthaway.
2. Victoria: Melbourne round. Of sweet wines in the north to the east of sparkling wines, this wine region has a long tradition (since 1834) and is very diverse. Yarra Valley Pyrenees are slightly higher and are known for their white wines. Victoria takes approximately 20% of total output accounted for.
3. New South Wales: Sydney. This wine region produces 30% of the total. Hunter Valley is famous for its extremely powerful wines that due to the strong Sun This area is a popular Shiraz grape.
4. New Zealand: Of course not province of Australia, but wines from these countries are often mentioned together. The production is lower than in Australia, but growing. In 1960, only 400 hectares of land of wine, now it has 18,000 hectares. The climate allows a long ripening period increased by the many hours of sunshine. Long maturation gives the New Zealand wine a rich flavor. The main areas are Hawke’s Bay on the North Island and Marlborough on South Island. The latter region is very dry and sunny which is good for Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay Blanc, which achieved international fame.

Besides there is the small but growing field Margaret River near Perth in Western Ausrtralia. It is Southeastern Australia and the easyest way to reach this field is by Car Hire Perth. This is a term used for wines from New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and parts of Queensland and South Australia.

Nature lovers can unearth raw ingredients in an organic vegetable garden and
at the local markets, before learning to cook authentic East Balinese
cuisine with an award-winning chef.

This culinary experience at the 4.5-star Alila Manggis Resort & Spa in Bali
offers passionate foodies a chance to relax amid the coconut groves, while
learning the essence of Indonesian cooking.

Priced from $629* per person twin share, this journey includes four nights
accommodation for the price of three nights in a Deluxe room, breakfast
daily, afternoon tea daily, return airport transfers, a bottle of sparkling
wine on arrival, a 90-minute Spa Alia signature massage, and complimentary
tai chi or yoga.



Trips are valid for travel on selected dates year round and valid for sale
until October 31, 2011.

*Prices are subject to change and availability.

Phone Escape Travel on 1300 799 783 or visit
www.escapetravel.com.au*<http://www.escapetravel.com.au/>
for details.

Be guided through the Loire Valley to antique castles and vineyards, plus
enjoy wine tasting and a private cooking class, led by Michelin star chef
Damien Garanger on this four-day tour in the French countryside.

Priced from $2029* per person twin share, the price includes three nights’
accommodation, breakfast daily, one lunch, two dinners, transport by
chauffeur-driven vehicle with an English-speaking guide, all entrance fees
and sightseeing as specified.

*Prices are subject to change and availability.
*Phone Escape Travel on 1300 799 783 or visit
**www.escapetravel.com.au

TAKE part in a hands-on pizza making session, visit a lemon garden to learn
about limoncello production and enjoy grand views over the Bay of Naples,
Capri and Mount Vesuvius during this trip on the Amalfi Coast.
The trip is priced from $595* per person twin share and includes two nights’
accommodation in a 4-star hotel at Sorrento, breakfast daily and one lunch,
and activities as specified.

*Prices are subject to change and availability.
*Phone Escape Travel on 1300 799 783 or visit
**www.escapetravel.com.au

*Prices are subject to change and availability.
*Phone Escape Travel on 1300 799 783 or visit
**www.escapetravel.com.au

Food lovers can learn how to make soba noodles in Tokyo, preview the
freshest seafood at Tsukiji Fish Market, take part in a cooking class in
Kyoto, taste traditional sake at a brewery in Takayama and devour your own
okonomiyaki in Hiroshima on this 14-day tour in Japan.

The tour is priced from $4619* per person twin share and includes 13 nights’
accommodation, breakfast daily, two lunches, seven dinners, a tour leader,
transport on tour and all sightseeing activities as per the itinerary.

Trips are valid for travel on selected dates year round and valid for sale
until October 31, 2011.

*Prices are subject to change and availability.
*Phone Escape Travel on 1300 799 783 or visit
**www.escapetravel.com.au

FOODIES can follow their nose to fancy French fare, master the perfect Thai

curry paste or slice fresh sashimi in Japan on culinary tour, with this

handpicked list from Escape Travel.

photo source: IslandRangali.com

From chocolate tasting to making wood fired pizzas, there is a buffet of

cooking tours for aspiring chefs to sharpen their cooking skills abroad and

taste the world on a plate this year.

Escape Travel brand leader Sally Wiseman said more travellers were looking

for opportunities where they could combine an overseas holiday with a

cooking experience in another country.

“Australians love eating good food and now, more than ever, people are

indulging in a revitalized passion for cooking,” said Ms Wiseman.

“We have found that a lot of travellers want to visit the country where

their favourite foods originated, so they can learn the basics preparing

these authentic cuisines from the locals.”

Sally said television cooking shows had turned up the heat on food

preparation and created more intrigued travellers.

Here is Escape Travel’s a list of the most appetizing cooking tours.

• JAPAN – Taste of Japan

• THAILAND – Chiang Mai Cooking School

• ITALY – Limoncello and Pizza on the Amalfi Coast

• FRANCE – Chateaux, Wine and Cooking in the Loire Valley

• BALI – Organic Garden Cooking School & Market Tour

until October 31, 2011. *Prices are subject to change and availability. Phone Escape Travel on 1300 799 783 or visit www.escapetravel.com.au*<http://www.escapetravel.com.au/> for details

Trips are valid for travel on selected dates year round and valid for sale