Sydney

If you caught my latest Designer Spotlight, you know to expect a masterpiece from architect and interior designer Scott Weston. His residential work is phenomenal but I've also got to give him cred in the commercial department. I was blown away by his design of this Sydney hair salon. It must be an absolute dream to step into. He went for a Marie Antoinette vibe with luxe silk curtains, faux boiserie on the walls, and a cotton candy palette. Shown here is his client model of the space. To see the finished product, read more

Sydney-based architectural, interior, and graphic designer Scott Weston has a slew of awards under his belt, including Best Commercial Interior and Best Use of Color from the Design Institute of Australia. His design of the Medusa Hotel was voted one of "the coolest hotels in the world" by Condé Nast Traveler. I find his innovative use of color awe-inspiring, and his theatrical designs, be it a bell-curved ceiling or stage-like curtains in a kitchen, make each room in his portfolio a treat to enjoy — like tickets to a Broadway musical. To take a peek at his work, read more

North and I have never been Down Under but, if we ever make it there, the new PawPaws Urban Retreat is first on our list. The grand-opening (complete with a green carpet) welcomed pampered pals and their people to a three-floor hotel for dogs in Sydney.

Not only do the services sound pretty sweet (doggie detox!) – and the design looks impeccable – but the location includes a rooftop playground and spa with nannies, chauffeurs, and even a concierge to make sure your lil one is well-taken care of in your absence. This is the first establishment of its kind in Australia, which reportedly has one of the highest pet ownership levels in the world with around 40 percent of households including at least one dog, with an estimated 3.75 million dogs in the country.

See facilities and furry faces close up when you read more

Greg Natale Design is an award-winning, Sydney-based firm of architects and designers who work with residential, hospitality, retail, and corporate clients, which was founded in 2001. Their work has appeared in dozens of Australian and international design magazines and books, including Vogue, TIME, Harper's Bazaar, House & Garden, and Wallpaper*. The firm also launched a collection of lounge furniture called "Rise Lounging" in 2007. Their work is dramatic yet subdued, glamorous yet masculine, polished yet comfortable, and contemporary despite traditional furnishings. To see for yourself, check out the gallery below.

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Today's Designer Spotlight is actually an editorial and advertising stylist by the name of Sam Moiler. Sam has a wonderful portfolio of interior work, in addition to fashion and ad campaign work. Based in Sydney, she has worked for some of Australia's most noted companies, including Mazda, Sportsgirl, Westfield, and Mushroom Records. She has been a regular contributor to Good Living, Real Living, Domain, and the Sydney Magazine. After years of working for the Sydney Morning Herald, she is now focusing on her freelance career — and doing a heck of a job of it, I might add! Represented by Lizard Management, she's amongst some of the best photographers and stylists Down Under. To check out a gallery of her work, read more

For its 19th season — wow, has it been that long? — MTV's "The Real World" is heading to Sydney, Australia. Having already invaded many exotic (Key West, Hawaii) and not-so-exotic (Denver) locales in the States, the show is going abroad for the third time in its history (London and Paris were first).

I recently visited Sydney and was blown away but what an exciting, hip and beautiful city it is. In fact, the setting is almost — almost — enough to make me excited about "The Real World" again. After all, Sydney has many things to offer that should make for excellent "Real World" viewing, including:

• 24-hour bars.
• Hot lifeguards.
• Very nice, patient people who speak English.
• Numerous opportunities for very bad sunburns.
• Extremely confusing urban planning.
• The treacherous Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb. (With luck, this will make a housemate cry.)
• Giant bats with meter-wide wingspans. That's right: giant bats.

The Sydney season will start filming in a matter of weeks and is set to premiere sometime in late 2007.