The Cairns Post

Food and music a big treat

- ALICIA NALLY alicia.nally@news.com.au

A HOLE in the wall music bar in the CBD is wowing customers with its new menu – as well as its proudly local musical line-ups.

Former Port Douglas and Fusion Tapas chef Mintae Jackson has taken over the kitchen at Elixir Music Bar on Abbott St and has taken the bar’s food – small tapas style meals – to “the next level”.

He said while there was some Korean influence in his food, he also took advantage of the fresh produce available in Tropical North Queensland.

Owner Sky Rixon said the venue offered live music and creative events five nights a week supporting local artists and hosting Busty Bingo, poetry nights and comedy events.

She said everyone who had tried the food was “raving about it” but many locals still didn’t know where the bar was.

“We’ve been in operation for just over two years and I think we are the only live music venue in town that fully supports and raves about local original music five nights a week,” she said.

editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsP­ost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsP­ost FACEBOOK TESTS IN-APP SHOPPING

What can’t Facebook do? Following the release of Facebook Dating in the US last week, and months of talk about Facebook’s own cryptocurr­ency, the social network is now testing shopping ads.

These new in-app shopping ads will let users make purchases without leaving Facebook. Currently, ads direct users to outside websites to make their purchases.

Users who would like to use this option would need to have a payment option attached to their account.

For advertiser­s, this new option could streamline the way they advertise. Instead of creating ads for a few products, an advertiser could upload their entire product catalogue. Facebook’s algorithms would then decide which product to show to which user, delivering a personalis­ed experience.

A similar ad type is planned for Facebook-owned Instagram. The ads are being tested by a small subset of advertiser­s, and if successful will be rolled out for others.

TWO VERY DIFFERENT BRANDS GET VOCAL

Voice technology has moved beyond Siri and Alexa and into non-traditiona­l spaces. A variety of businesses are looking to use voice technology to solve ongoing issues, from fast food, to mental health.

McDonald’s recently acquired a voice tech start-up to assist in providing a new drivethrou­gh service. It’s easy to imagine a Siri style drive-through getting orders hilariousl­y wrong, but with the rapid advances in voice technology, it’s expected to result in faster, simpler and more accurate order-taking.

Suicide prevention charity R U OK? has just rolled out voice technology to help users ask loved ones important questions about their mental health. People can tell their Google Assistant ‘Hey Google, talk to RUOK Mate’, to check in with a friend. If the person replies ‘No’, the tool provides Looking for more leading advice from the digital marketing experts at News Xtend? Find out more at www.newsxtend.com.au or call our expert James Comino on 4052 6604.

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 ?? Picture: BRENT LEWIN ?? COFFEE PICK-UP: Starbucks in China.
Picture: BRENT LEWIN COFFEE PICK-UP: Starbucks in China.
 ?? Picture: STEWART McLEAN ?? TAPAS: Elixir chef Mintae Jackson.
Picture: STEWART McLEAN TAPAS: Elixir chef Mintae Jackson.
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