We would go anywhere Chris tells us to go
On Monday, January 25, Tourism Australia hosted a party at Celsius Restaurant on Bryant Park in honor of their new global campaign. Australia is known for its amazing beaches, diverse species of animal life, and beautiful atmosphere. And it made even more sense for the party to be held on Australia Day (eve in New York City).
Upon entering Celsius, you could tell that the vibe of the party was great. People were laughing, drinking, and eating. There were a lot of smiles. And on top of that there was some great music playing. Like any party, there were specialty cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and this menu was special. The hors d’oeuvres served at the party were Australian inspired items. One tasty treat that was served was the fig and onion tart. The dough on the tart was flaky but not crumbly which is always a plus for tarts. The fig added a nice sweetness to the bite and paired with the onion there was a great balance. Another interesting and yummy item was the spiced pumpkin pie. Typically when you think of pumpkin pie you think of a sweet dessert. Except with the spices added to this pie, it had a lot of savory qualities to it with a subtle sweetness added by the pumpkin. And what’s a party without a good cheese station too? And as for drinks one of our favorites was the ‘sex on white haven beach’ which was just Aussie gin and peach puree. Simple yet delicious.
Once guests started to settle in, celebrity chef and Aussie, Curtis Stone took the stage. Curtis was the MC of the night and did a fantastic job. In his opening speech he basically talked about how beautiful Australia is and being a chef, talked about some of the great food you could enjoy in Australia. Next, Curtis introduced the foreign minister of Australia, Julie Bishop. Of course, Julie mentioned the snowstorm that just happened in New York City. And while addressing that she made note that winter here is summer in Australia so if you are tired of the cold, head on over there. But what was interesting was how Julie mentioned how many Aussie citizens live by the coast and how living by the beach has influenced Aussie lifestyle. So when you picture Australia and you picture a lot of people surfing, you’re not far off from the truth. After her speech, a short video was played showing the beauty of Australia.
“Australia isn’t just a place you see, it’s a place you feel” says it all. And if you didn’t recognize the voice on the video, it is Aussie native Chris Hemsworth narrating the video. Chris was announced to be the global ambassador of Tourism Australia and with that title he made an appearance at this party. After this beautiful video was shown, Chris took the stage with Curtis for a Q&A and to play two fun games. Growing up in Australia, he had a lot to say about how great it is. Growing up near the water, he took up surfing at a young age and could not stop mentioning the beach and being in the water. During his Q&A, Curtis asked Chris if he could dispel one myth about Australians, what would it be. And Chris answered that not all Australians ride kangaroos…only some do. But the best part of this portion of the party was the ‘would you rather’ game that Curtis suggested playing. And one of the questions Curtis asked was ‘would you rather perform with Kiss or Miley Cyrus.’ A hot topic question considering that Liam just got back together with pop star Miley Cyrus. And Chris was put into a tight spot but eventually answered with Miley Cyrus.
After the speeches were over, guests were able to enjoy the remaining part of the party. 17 different virtual reality experiences were set around the party giving guests a taste of what Australia is really like. One of the experiences was a swimming with the dolphins experience which was probably the coolest thing ever.
All in all, this party was a great way to kickstart Tourism Australia’s new global campaign. And with Chris Hemsworth aka Thor at their side, how could people not want to visit Australia?