About BNE: HOT OR NOT

We get out and about with our notebooks and digital cameras in hand, giving our honest opinions about all that’s good, bad and ugly in Brisbane using a simple criteria – HOT or NOT.

This blog is all about being decisive and honest – there’s no fence-sitting here! It’s also a reflection of our lives and interests, hence sometimes there will be time lags in posts and you won’t get as many NOTs as HOTs because we don’t make time for events and places we suspect will be dodgy.

In general all reviews are conducted anonymously and at our own cost (or the expense account if we’re lucky). If that’s not the case we will indicate in the post. Come and meet the team!

About Jetsetting Joyce (Editor)

 I’m a 30 year old Chinese-Australian girl living in inner-city Melbourne. So why am I writing about Brisbane? Because I spent most of my childhood and young adult life in the Sunshine State, and I visit my family and friends regularly and still keep in touch with what’s HOT and NOT in Brisbane.

I’m an intellectual property, IT and media lawyer by training, so in a way you could say I’m a professional writer and critic!

Things I like: eating cakes, Brancusi, refillable water bottles, cycling, fresh flowers, France, colourful scarves, Laduree macarons, strapless dresses, picnics, discount vouchers, Belgian chocolate, Anthony Gormley and yoga.

You can also check out my reviews on what’s HOT or NOT in Melbourne at MEL: HOT OR NOT – The decisive guide to Melbourne and London at LDN: HOT OR NOT – The decisive guide to London.

About CazM

I’m a 30 year old IT Sales Professional with background in Exercise Physiology.  More than a decade has passed since I finished school and I wonder daily what I’ll do when I grow up.  Currently I’m living the double-income-no-kids dream in my newly renovated apartment, with my newly appointed husband MM (Meta Matt).  Whilst MM’s more of a home body I insist of countless social endeavours to fill our diary, which means plenty of opportunities to check out what’s HOT or NOT around our home town Brisbane.

Lucky for me, I get paid to talk to people and I have an expense account, which means every day I get out from behind my desk to sample the culinary delights around the city.  In my industry, business is often done over a beer or two, so there’s no shortage of trips to bars and cafes to chase the perfect amber ale.  Outside business hours, a lot of my time is spent pounding the pavement on foot or by bike, enjoying the scenery that this great city has to offer.

About Brek

We’re one of those annoying couples that do everything together. Metaphorically joined at the hip, over time our opinions, like our name (Bek and Brett), have merged to become one. We’ll be sharing our blogging duties, so you’ll never know which one of us is making all the spelling mistakes.

When we separate for our day jobs, we are an engineer and a lawyer. We like to think we have eclectic tastes and are willing to try anything. We’ve done a fair bit of travelling, and lived away from our home town for a few years, mostly in Cambodia and London. On returning, we were pleased to discover that Brisbane is growing up and becoming more culturally mature. We’re looking forward to sharing our experiences and our opinions with you.

About Yalin

Who am I? Born and bred in Istanbul, Turkey, matured (mostly) in the US, and now living in London. As your London film correspondent, I get around with an iPhone in one hand and a microphone or video camera on the other and see a LOT of movies.  That’s because I’m a movie buff who used to write long term papers during university on the characters or themes found in French New Wave cinema of the 60s.  Since graduation, I’ve felt the itch to keep writing so now I review films regularly when I’m not reading about screen writing, directing, cinematography or the use of cinema as a subversive art form.  If you want to comment on any of the films I’ve reviewed, feel free to contact me – I love discussing films.

About CC

I’m an ex-Aussie who now calls East London home. Skinny jeans aficionado, mosh pit veteran, classical pianist now electric guitarist and Glastonbury veteran, my day job is as a consultant but my passion is hitting the gig scene in London and reading NME from cover to cover. My motto is ‘with great musical wisdom, comes great musical responsibility’ and I’ll be bringing you news of upcoming HOT gigs in Brisbane.  I hope you like my picks!

About Kylie

I’m a Brisbane dweller of 10 years and am in my (late) 20s. I’m one of those annoying people that likes to have a lot of projects on the go, and it never seems like enough (and, yet, I still seem ot find time to watch entire TV series on DVD in a short space of time). Usually I do actually finish my projects, although my crocheted cream and red sqaures that plan to join together to make a blanket are sorely neglected at present.

I work in the publishing industry, currently in the arts sector. My special super powers include copy editing and being a copyright nazi. I also have a blog, Flying Ducks, which I use to chronicle my adventures (and those of my husband too, of course!) decorating our unit on Brisbane’s northside. I’m also seven years into an eight-year stint completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Literary and Cultural Studies, Film Studies and Australian History.

My loves include live music (can’t wait for Yusuf Islam!), my shiny red bike, cheesecake, designer furniture that I can’t afford, organic food, ethical clothing, cheerleader movies, my rescued guinea pigs, pyjamas, and my new hobby of hula hooping. Oh, and my husband!

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Come and say hello to the team at  joyce@bnehotornot.com. We’d love to hear your comments, feedback and suggestions and we’re very good at responding!