Our sunburnt country is notorious for claiming New Zealand's most talented people as our own - think Russell Crowe, Kimbra, the Finn brothers, the list goes on. Us Aussies have added another talented person to that growing list. Cal Wilson was born in The Land of the Long White Cloud but currently lives in Melbourne and is loved by Australians. Comedian Cal Wilson has had a long and successful career in stand-up comedy. She had us in stitches during her appearances on Spicks and Specks, Thank God You're Here, Skit House and Good News Week. This week you can catch her in person as we are lucky to have her in town for a stand-up show running for three nights. Snap up your tickets for Cal Wilson at the Sit Down Comedy Club and prepare yourself for an onslaught of hilarity.
If you listen carefully, you might just hear the sound of a light- to medium-bodied red wine sloshing around a glass. That's because the world's favourite celebration of pinot noir is returning again in 2023, with Pinot Palooza also settling back into its pre-pandemic spring timeslot. In its decade of life to-date, the Melbourne-born wine tasting festival has become a global affair, with an estimated 65,000 tickets sold globally before its 2022 events. But once COVID-19 hit in 2020, the popular event was shelved for two-and-a-half years, before making a comeback last year. This year — in the wine-swilling fest's 11th year — it has October dates locked in for Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, all for a two-day stint. So far, venues are yet to be announced. Also, tickets will go on sale in May. The vino-sipping fun will play out similarly to before, although exactly who'll be doing the pouring is also yet to be revealed. Whoever it is, Pinot Palooza's lineup always spans drops from Australia, New Zealand and further afield. Last year, more than 70 winemakers came to the party. As always, attendees will spend their session swirling and sampling that huge array of pinot noir, and hitting up pop-up bars and food stalls between drinks. And, while Pinot Palooza as a standalone fest only has east coast dates for 2023, in Perth it's part of an already-announced collaboration with cheese festival Mould. PINOT PALOOZA 2023 DATES: Friday, October 6–Saturday, October 7: Sydney, venue TBC Friday, October 13–Saturday, October 14: Brisbane, venue TBC Friday, October 27–Saturday, October 28: Melbourne, venue TBC Pinot Palooza will tour Australia's east coast in October 2023. For more information, and for tickets from May, head to the event's website.
Whether you're a particularly nervous flyer or usually keep it calm and cruisy, no one like turbulence when they're high in the sky. Tell-tale beeps telling you to buckle up your seatbelt and a few bumps and jumps are one thing; feeling like you're on a particularly adventurous rollercoaster is another. Thankfully, Boeing is hoping to solve the latter. The aircraft company can't control the weather, but they can create and implement a laser system that detects oncoming rough patches at a greater range. Called Light Detection and Ranging or LIDAR, the system is expected to "to spot clear-air turbulence more than 60 seconds ahead of the aircraft, or about 17.5 kilometres," Boeing's Stefan Bieniawski, the program's lead investigator, told WIRED. Specifically, it focuses on clear-air turbulence, which is the type that doesn't usually come with any warning signs — that is, it happens in clear not cloudy skies, as its name indicates. For those eager to know just how it works, LIDAR emits pulses of laser light from the nose of the plane, not that anyone watching will be able to see it. The beams then scatter off of small dust and other particulates, reflecting into segments and measuring wind speed along the entire direction of the laser. Software collates the results, with pilots given more time to steer around hazards. Boeing has been working on the system with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency since 2010, and plan to test the remote-sensing technology in 2018. If it works, knocked elbows and spilled in-flight drinks could become a thing of the past — and, if you're one of the lucky folks who can fall sleep during flights, rude awakenings to your slumber as well. Via Boeing / WIRED.
Alex Chinneck carved up the road today, and not in a Top Gear way. Literally ripped it up. The Hackney-based installation artist, who recently made a section of Covent Garden 'levitate', has today unveiled his latest work at London's Southbank Centre, Pick Yourself Up and Pull Yourself Together. Sitting in the Hungerford Car Park of the Southbank Centre, the work sees a sizeable bit of tarmac pulled up in a wave, casually suspending a Vauxhall Corsa 4.5 metres above the ground. Using cars in installation art is no mean feat; if you caught Cai Guo Qiang's Inopportune at the 2010 Biennale of Sydney you'll know what we're saying. Commissioned by Vauxhall as a made-you-look type of spectacle activation, Chinneck's installation uses hidden steel to keep the car in place — the work involved a whole bunch of metal workers, carpenters, tarmac layers, structural engineers, steel benders and road painters. Best bit? The team installed the artwork overnight. Crafty devils. Via Dezeen.
A conglomerate of sights, sounds and savouries, the Auckland cityscape of things to do is vast. From Waitemata Harbour in the north, to Manukau Harbour in the south, there's a bounty of things to eat, drink and discover, not to mention see, with stellar views in pretty much any direction you look. But for the time-poor among us (see everyone), taking time to explore the City of Sails may have been bumped down the to do list, whether you're Auckland dwellers in need of a staycation, Wellingtonians looking for a weekend escape, or even you Aussies hoping to up the ante on a short getaway*. That's where we come in. In partnership with Adina Apartment Hotels, we're giving away two days of accommodation, plus some spending money so you can hit up a few of our favourites spots in town. We've planned a pretty indulgent experience. Think two nights accommodation at Adina Apartment Hotel in Britomart, a massage for two, dinner at Amano where you can fill up on some of New Zealand's freshest pasta around, and $250 to spend at Ponsonby's Mea Culpa to top off the night with a few of their carefully crafted cocktails. Plus, we've slipped in some extra cash so you can splash out at all the shops around Britomart. With some of Auckland's creme de la creme right at the doorstep of your Adina Apartment Hotel abode, you'll be perfectly positioned to continue your exploration of the city. But if you're not sure where to head after massages and before dinner, you can use our local's guide to get some hot tips and start planning the rest of your stay. Enter your details below, say yes to the terms and conditions and you're in the running. Entries close on Wednesday, July 5 at 11.59pm. [competition]626226[/competition] *Prize doesn't include travel costs.
In great news for your wanderlust, flight sales aren't rare. Still, a round of discounted flights that starts at $26 isn't an everyday occurrence. The reason for the super-cheap fares: Jetstar is hosting its latest member-only sale. If you're a Club Jetstar member — already or if you now sign up — you've got two days to nab a bargain. Pack your suitcases for getaways to the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Tasmania, Byron Bay and more, with flights to and from all of the above from some Australian cities coming in at the $26 price. That cost will get you from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, Melbourne to the Gold Coast, Brisbane to Hobart, Melbourne to Launceston, Melbourne to Ballina/Byron Bay, Melbourne to Adelaide and Sydney to Brisbane, or vice versa, all one-way and without checked baggage. [caption id="attachment_976496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Darren Tierney[/caption] Other fares include Sydney to Hervey Bay from $39, Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast from $49 and Melbourne to Uluru from $79. Or, there's flights from Perth to Adelaide from $119, Sydney to Margaret River from $129 and Darwin to Sydney from $149. The sale kicks off at 9am AEDT on Monday, October 21, running through until 11.59pm AEST on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 — or until sold out, if snapped up earlier. Accordingly, if you're keen for a holiday at reduced prices, you'll want to get in quick. In total, 26,000 discounted flights are on offer. Travel periods vary, with late-July–early-September 2025 among them. Again, you'll pay extra for checked baggage if you need it, or you'll want to travel super light. Club Jetstar membership costs $65 a year, which you can join online while making a flight booking, and also gives you 20-percent off checked bags and seat selection. [caption id="attachment_928567" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania, Luke Tscharke[/caption] The Club Jetstar member-only sale runs from 9am AEDT on Monday, October 21–11.59pm AEST on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 — or until sold out, if snapped up earlier. Top image: Jesse Shaw Photography. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The Archibald Prize isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of artistic gadgetry. This coveted national portrait prize is often full of celebrities, sure, but they're usually rendered in expressionistic swathes of paint or meticulous photorealism. It's rare that we get treated to something on the vanguard — and even rarer to have someone deem Wil Anderson's familiar one-liners worthy of a place in one of the nation's best galleries. The portrait, which has been submitted for consideration of the Archibald Prize this week, is the work of Canberra artist Luke Cornish (aka E.L.K.). Predominantly known for his stencil work, Cornish has stepped out into unfamiliar territory creating an interactive artwork of the much-loved comedian that comes to life with the help of a video app. While the piece that hangs on the wall appears as a regular stencilled portrait, when you point a tablet of smartphone at the artwork, the image turns into a real-time video within the frame. A creepy virtual reality version of Wil Anderson leaps forth from your device and starts riffing on religion and Steve Jobs. It's as excellent as it is terrifying. The result of a collaboration with augmented reality specialist — aka the person with the coolest job ever — Amber Standley, this work looks like the start of something very exciting not only for the Archibald itself, but for art in general. "My plan is to start doing some large-scale mural portraits," the artist told The Herald Sun. "You can imagine walking down Elizabeth Street and holding your phone up to a mural and it just comes to life." A far cry from the unsightly QR codes that we still don't quite know how to figure out, this is some gadgetry we can definitely get behind. Instead of walking down the street flipping mindlessly through Instagram and Facebook we could now be interacting with the street art around us — while still firmly affixed to our phones, of course. As far as Cornish's portrait goes, we won't know if it's a finalist for the prize until July 10, and we won't be able to see it until the exhibition opens in Sydney on July 19. But, suffice to say, we have a good feeling it'll get through. Get your smartphones at the ready — this is definitely one to check out (even if you can't stand Wil Anderson). Via Herald Sun and Citynews.
Rohan Anderson is a man of his word. Though the terms “sustainability”, “ethics” and “green living” are slung about a lot these days, they are values that few people fully live by. But just a month ago, Anderson threw himself out of the cannon and into the unthinkable: he quit his job and started living off the land. “I was working part-time as a graphic designer,” he says. “I would go to an office under the fluorescent light and stare at the computer screen and do the work and put up with all the internal politics of the workplace. And none of it....none of it felt real. None of it made any sense at all. It was so unnatural and so unhuman.” He also, this month, launched a cook book called Whole Larder Love, based on his blog which chronicles his quest for semi-self-sufficiency in rural Victoria. Four years ago Anderson was feeding his kids frozen chicken nuggets. He now purchases “only really basic stuff: flour, sugar, salt, yeast, milk, deodorant, toothpaste. What we’ve eliminated from our shopping trolley is the cardboard packaged food, frozen food, fresh food that’s out of season and meat from supermarkets.” Anderson’s grimy-nailed, bloody-shirted, sweaty-palmed account of hunting, gathering and harvesting is miles away from the sanitised green consumerism spruiked by celebrity chefs from the safety of their stainless steel kitchens. Though the book contains epicurean delights like Rabbit with Mustard Sauce, he flatly rejects the term “foodie”. “My grandfather is from Barcelona. Imagine if you went up to him and said, ‘because you eat beautiful Spanish tapas, you’re a gourmet, you’re artisan because you love good food’. No, that’s just food. That’s just normal food. I definitely want to distance myself from being the wanker foodie that loves a bit of foam on the plate. I don’t eat out at restaurants. It’s not the reality of what food should be. Food shouldn’t be overcomplicated. Otherwise, you distance the notion of accessibility and being clever with basic ingredients.” Food for Anderson is not just a source of fuel or even gastronomical enjoyment, but a political and an environmental concern. “I hate calling Whole Larder Love a cookbook,” he says. “It obviously is a cookbook, but there’s more of a subversive intention there. I really do want to promote the idea of people going back to the old ways of growing their own food. It will dramatically reduce our reliance on supermarkets. Most people know that there are big lorries that drive all this food around and food is actually air- and ship-freighted from other countries. That takes a lot of finite resources. I don’t think that system can last much longer. We’re now in a system of food production where we’re relying on a pretty massive machine that one day could fall over. I have gone back to embracing my animalness, which means taking care of all my food with my hands as all other animals do in the natural world. I’m going back to the good life, and I grow my food and I hunt.” “The real philosophy behind it is that I want to show people that it is possible in 2012 and to marry old techniques and state of the art communication technology. Today I’ve just shovelled a trailer load of manure from Ballarat to go on the pumpkin patch. And the pumpkins will grow all summer, they'll be cured, and we'll have about forty pumpkins for winter for the six of us. Then this afternoon I’m going to go out and chuck two trailer loads of timber for firewood for preparation for next winter. Then I will sit there on my MacBook Air and write up a blogpost.” It’s a mindset loaded with idealism and a book that motivates people to pick up alternative ways of thinking, and more importantly, doing. “My lifestyle is not for everybody. But I will continue to communicate it. The best thing is when people send me photos of what they’ve harvested on the weekend, how they’ve been inspired, how they’ve bought some chooks and built a chook-house. I love that the blog has had an effect on some people.” As a result of his interactions with readers, Anderson reckons more people are bulking at the artificial delineations between the built and natural worlds. “I was in Chippendale a couple of weeks ago - they have worm farms and vegie gardens on the nature strips.” Along with growing your own produce, he says engaging with these kinds of community gardens and farmers’ markets are pragmatic ways to break down what he sees as “the boxed-in areas of nature” that typify unhealthy, unsustainable city life. And he insists that his hunting and gathering lifestyle doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing: city-dwellers can do it too. “People who even just have a balcony, a rooftop, a backyard - where-ever you are in the Western world - can grow food. In the big cities in Italy - Rome, Florence and Milan - the nonnas that live there have so many vegies growing on their verandahs. It’s like an oasis on your verandah, as opposed to your typical Aussie gas barbeque, a couple of dead ornamental plants and maybe somebody’s bike. These gardens in Italy were just full. It was so inspirational to see what could be done in very tight spaces. Someone had pumpkins on a verandah - they were massive and this person had trained these pumpkins to go vertical, diagonal, anyway in any space possible. That was a beautiful thing to see, that even in the cities, they want to grow and smell and feel fresh food. That’s such a beautiful thing.” Photos courtesy of Rohan Anderson.
South By Southwest's annual SXSW Festival offers technology and music enthusiasts the chance to convene and discuss the next big bands, apps, social networks and start-ups. Previous festivals have featured not-yet popular Twitter and Facebook, but one of the initiatives at this year's festivities, held in Austin, Texas, has sparked an ethical controversy. The instigator is Homeless Hotspots, a newly introduced initiative by ad agency BBH Labs,which has employed 13 local homeless people as 'Hotspot Managers'. Equipped with a wireless router, and clad in a "I'm a 4G Hotspot" t-shirt, each manager was paid to remain in a strategic place throughout SXSW, which is known for its mobile coverage black spots and lack of wireless internet, offering festival-goers wireless internet access for a small charge. Melvin Hughes (pictured above), a Homeless Hotspots employee, reports earning US$20 for each of the four 6-hour shifts he completed last weekend. Hughes keeps all of his earnings in full, and also has the opportunity to collect donations from generous festival-goers. Saneel Radia, the program's organiser, sought to clarify the program's payment methods on the company's blog, stating: "These volunteers were guaranteed [to] make at least $50/day, for a maximum of 6 hours work. This amount equates to more than the Texas state minimum wage of $7.25/hr for the same number hours....BBH provides a $20 cash ”stipend” to the volunteers each day regardless of their own sales." Still, accusations of commodifying and exploiting Austin's homeless contributed to the backlash against Homeless Hotspots. In response to the controversy surrounding the ethics behind the initiative, Radia said, "The worry is that these people are suddenly just hardware, but frankly, I wouldn't have done this if I didn't believe otherwise." Homeless Hotspots is reportedly modelled off the corner sale of newspapers by homeless people, incorporating the same goals of increasing the self-confidence and self-worth of the vendors. The company's ultimate goal for the initiative, however, is to provide homeless participants with a 'digital writing platform'.
Computing technology has long been praised for its potential paper-saving powers. Now, it's taking on air pollution. We know that the capacity for air purification is probably not the first thing that most laptop shoppers take into consideration. But, when you think about, why not? Why work in a cloud of cigarette smoke, city smog, dust or unpleasant aromas, when your brain (and nasal passages) could be benefitting from clean air? Well, that's the opinion of the designers of the new Fujitsu Lifebook AH78, anyway. Their creation is the world's first laptop to contain an air purification unit. Called a 'nanoe', it's produced by Panasonic. According to Fujitsu, company testing indicates that the nanoe reduces odours and allergens (including fungi, pollen, mold, viruses and mites) by 99% in an area of one square metre around the Lifebook. The technology is already available on Fujitsu's desktop PCs, so it's had a bit of a run in homes around the world. Its introduction to laptops means that those liable to allergic reactions and/or intolerant of nasty smells can work in public spaces in greater comfort. Fujitsu America's Vice-President of Mobile Management and Marketing, Paul Moore, is also excited about the Lifebook AH78's sleek 15.6 inch design. 'Design considerations for the future - delivering a device that fits the decor and can accomplish multiple tasks,' he said. 'Design is critical. Gone are the days when a PC looked like a piece of office equipment.' [via PSFK]
A stunning new Melbourne arts, cultural and entertainment precinct has beat out stiff competition across the globe to take out the Architecture of the Year prize at the International Design Awards 2017. Bunjil Place, which was designed by acclaimed architectural studio Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt), also scooped up gold awards for two design disciplines: 'institutional' and 'landmarks, symbolic structures, memorials, public'. Opened to the public in October 2017, the $125 million Narre Warren project was imagined as "an inviting central heart for the community that celebrates participation, belonging and pride". Both its name and its impressive design are linked to cultural themes of importance to the traditional owners and inhabitants of the land, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. fjmt Design Director Richard Francis-Jones is understandably stoked with the win, though says he's been just as happy with the design's reception closer to home. "While recognition in the form of international design awards is much valued, more important has been to see the community embrace Bunjil Place as their own," he noted. Those keen to get up close and personal with the award-winning design can experience Bunjil Place during Open House Melbourne Weekend on July 28 and 29. It's set to host a whole range of activities, including film screenings, design talks and guided tours with VIP access behind the scenes. You can find Bunjil Place at 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren.
Wadjda (Waad Mohammed) resides within a system of oppression, yet refuses to accept her restrictions. On the cusp of adolescence, the ten-year-old rallies against her surroundings in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, be it the strictness of her schooling or the expectations of her gender — appropriate interests, friends and public behaviour included. She desires a green bicycle, but is told no. She wants to cycle in the street, but is strongly discouraged. She yearns to enjoy the same freedoms as her male counterparts, such as her neighbour, Abdullah (Abdullrahman Al Gohani). The feature's missive of female empowerment is evident in its protagonist, though its message is never bluntly handled. Of course, Wadjda's on-screen statement and subversion bears the weight of its revolutionary off-screen status, as the first feature shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, and the first full-length film made by a female Saudi director. Writer/director Haifaa Al-Mansour (who studied at the University of Sydney) remains subtle in her debut fictional effort. Lightness, rather than solemnity, is her pervasive tone. Read our full review of Wadjda here. Wadjda is in cinemas on Thursday, March 20, and thanks to eOne Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=v-4kosdSXR8
Sometimes, enjoying the music festival experience involves gumboots, picking the best outfit with the most pockets and dancing in huge crowds. At other times, it spans making shapes at home while pretending you're at the real thing. Yes, the latter became familiar during the pandemic, but it's also been a way to live the Coachella life without heading to Indio, California for more than a decade now. And, for the 2023 fest, that means hitting up the YouTube livestream once again. This year, for the first time ever, the entire event is being beamed to the world — all six stages on all six days across two hefty weekends. Sure, you can still wish that you were at the Empire Polo Club across April 14–16 and April 21–23. Yes, there's nothing quite like being there in person. But if you're all about seeing the fest's impressive lineup — seeing as much of it as possible, too — without the plane ticket, make a date with your couch. 2023's bill is worth getting excited about, with Bad Bunny headlining the Friday nights, BLACKPINK doing the Saturday nights and Frank Ocean on Sunday nights. Down Under, you'll be tuning in on Saturday, Sunday and Monday to catch each, so mark your diaries now — actually, go one better with exact times too, now that Coachella has also announced its schedule for the first weekend. Also among the highlights on the Friday bill (so, Saturday in Australia and NZ) alongside Bad Bunny: The Chemical Brothers, Gorillaz, Blondie, Kaytranada, Pusha T, Idris Elba and last-minute addition blink-182, with the newly reunited group's classic lineup breaking out their live set before heading our way in 2024 on their latest live tour. On the Saturday lineup (so, Sunday Down Under) with BLACKPINK: Calvin Harris, The Kid LAROI, ROSALÍA, Charlie XCX, boygenius, The Breeders and Underworld — and more, obviously. And, come Sunday (yes, Monday Down Under), Frank Ocean will be joined by Björk, Fisher, Porter Robinson, Gordo and Weyes Blood, with the list going on there as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) Coachella has been teaming up with YouTube for 11 years now. Earlier in 2023, the fest announced that it has locked in that arrangement till 2026. In-between this year's sets, YouTube will fill its feeds with more on-the-ground coverage, so you'll be able to scope out the art and installations around the fest, head behind the scenes, see how the acts get partying before the hit the stage and more. Bookmark Coachella's YouTube channel ASAP — or hit it up below: Coachella runs from April 14–16 and April 21–23 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. To watch the livestream, head to YouTube from 9am AEST on Saturday, April 15 Down Under.
You'll be able to go further into brain-imploding Water Temples, delve into more shitty dungeons and ride Epona across more of the Sacred Realm gathering rupees; the brand new Legend of Zelda game is going to go open world. Finally (finally) taking cues from long-celebrated megamap games like Oblivion and Fallout 3, Nintendo looked back to Zelda's history to develop their eighteenth official adventure — and online opinions are predictably flying. Series producer Eiji Aonuma announced the new Wii U Legend of Zelda game during the Nintendo Digital Presentation at the annual E3 annual video game conference overnight in LA. Nintendo needed a big ol' eel slap of a new game announcement last night, leaning on Mario Kart 8 to kickstart struggling Wii U sales. Looking back to older Zelda games, the developers decided it was high time for Link to explore bigger maps again (many, many years after Oblivion, Skyrim and even Fallout 3 had delivered gamechanging —heh — open world formats). Expanding the best bits of the old school 2D Link to the Past, everyone's favourite Ocarina of Time and GameCube's 2002 Wind Waker, Nintendo are finally cottoning on to the joys of open world in RPGs. To be fair, the new game looks badass. If I had an Ocarina in my possession, I'd be throwing down notes on Epona's Song and hitching a ride there immediately. The new Legend of Zelda is expected in 2015. https://youtube.com/watch?v=mM9MGY2OL8o Via Kotaku.
Word is, good things come in threes, but if you're in the market for some new gear for your home, then it looks like the magic number this week is four. That's because furniture and homewares giant IKEA has kicked off a giant four-day sale, slashing the price of a huge range of products at stores across the country. Running from today until Sunday, October 21, the clearance sale is dishing up bargains on 400 different IKEA products, from flatpack furniture, to those random storage solutions you can never seem to have too many of. And the reductions are well worth battling one of IKEA's impossible maze-like stores for, with all sale prices promising at least 40 percent off. Venture in to stock up on budget-friendly pieces like coffee tables, chairs, beds and homewares — the offers are available in-store only. To check out what's discounted at your local store, head to the Ikea website and punch in your postcode. The IKEA Clearance Sale runs from October 18–21. For more information, head to the IKEA website.
Far outdoing their traditional duty as reminder memos, these 30,000 Post-its serve to shock and impress as components of Yo Shimada's 'Post-it Structures'. Shimada, of Tato Architects, collaborated with students at the Kyoto University of Art and Design to create this massive, neon-bright structure now on display in Kyoto City, Japan. Each Post-it is adhered to another to create a building-like structure which has walls running through the entirety of the gallery. Delicate and precarious-looking, the wall is reminiscent of a house of cards, a gentle balancing act. Gallery visitors are invited to respond to the work. Comments may be written via (what else?) Post-its and stuck to the facing wall of the gallery space. We want to know what happens if someone accidentally sneezes. [via Designboom]
Remember when your mum told you it's what's on the inside that counts? At the Australian Interior Design Awards, that's definitely the case. Now in its 14th year, the country's premier interior design gongs reward excellence in hospitality, installation, residential, workplace, retail and public design as well as residential decoration — and they've just revealed their 2017 shortlist. A word of warning for those who like their interiors swish, plush, luxurious and stylish all round: you're going to want to live in or visit all of the places vying for this year's awards. Thankfully, with plenty of bars and restaurants in the running — 116 tried their hand, and 41 have made it through to this stage — the latter is definitely possible. In Sydney, the likes of Ume Burger, Handpicked Wines, The Dolphin Hotel, Bar Brosé, and both Fred's and Charlie Parker's are vying for glory. Well, a shiny prize and plenty of recognition to go with their shiny interiors, that is. Melbourne's Crux & Co, The Penny Drop and Higher Ground are in the running, while the Gold Coast's The Star and The Kitchens at Robina Town Centre also made the cut. Overall, a record number of 525 entries were received across all categories for the 2017 awards, with more than 100 designs filling out the hefty selection. The winners will be announced on June 9 at a ceremony in Melbourne. For the full rundown, head to the Australian Interior Design Awards website — and then start thinking about heading to some of the hospitality spots on the list.
When you step inside an IKEA superstore, it feels as though you have been transported to a different world entirely. Endless floors filled with endless shelves, filled with endless minimalistic, cost-effective products. It's planet IKEA. And now we might not be too far from the real-life version. Not long after launching fully furnished IKEA homes, IKEA has published plans to build a private neighbourhood. Set to start construction next year, the neighbourhood will cover 11 hectares of land in London to be named 'Strand East'. It will incorporate 1,200 homes and apartments, all owned by the Swedish furniture company. “We are in keeping with the IKEA philosophy: we don’t want to produce for the rich or the super-rich; we want to produce for the families, for the people,” says Harald Müller, the head of LandProp, the property-development branch of Inter IKEA, told The Globe and Mail. IKEA promises that the all-rental homes will appeal to a variety of income levels, and 40% will be large enough to house a family. The neighbourhood will be peppered by condominiums and offices, and will include a hotel as well. Underneath it all will lie an underground parking lot to avoid cars cluttering the interior streets. It all sounds rather Utopian, but does a furniture company really have what it takes to manage 6,000 residents? “We’d have a very good understanding of rubbish collection, of cleanliness, of landscape management,” Andrew Cobden, the project manager, says. “We would have a fairly firm line on undesirable activity, whatever that may be. But we also feel we can say, okay, because we’ve kept control of the management of the commercial facilities, we have a fairly strong hand in what is said in terms of the activities that are held on site.” Mr. Müller says that IKEA will act much like a municipal government to its neighbourhood, organising community events and creating a "sense of place". Looks like IKEA execs have had a lot more on the brain than "Ektorp" sofas and Swedish meatballs. Welcome to Ikea-land. [via PSFK]
When you've created a huge hit HBO TV show that's known for filling its frames with parties, drugs, attractive actors and plenty of drama, what do you move onto next? If you're Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, you keep doing what's worked for you so far. The writer, director, producer and creator isn't done with his Zendaya-starring success just yet — it's been renewed for a third season, so more is definitely in the works — but he's also teamed up with Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye on upcoming HBO series The Idol. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is clearly Levinson's motto. "If it ain't broke, bust it out again elsewhere" works, too. This time, however, instead of exploring the ups and downs of high school, he's jumping into the music industry. Starring and co-created by The Weeknd — with writer and executive producer Reza Fahim also credited as a co-creator — The Idol is set to chronicle the chaos that comes with chasing pop stardom. From the just-dropped first teaser, it spans the parties and drugs as well. The focus: a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, played by The Weeknd, as well as the up-and-coming pop idol that he starts a complicated relationship with. Lily-Rose Depp (Voyagers, The King) also stars. From there, details get thinner. The trailer sets a vibe but gives away few other narrative details, other than thrusting Depp's character into a heady new world — and having an unseen figure, presumably The Weeknd, ask if she trusts them. When it was originally announced in November 2021, The Idol was set to span six episodes, all filmed in Los Angeles — with She Dies Tomorrow's Amy Seimetz directing every single one. But back in April this year, it was revealed that Seimetz had left the project and reshoots were underway as a result. How that'll impact the end product is obviously yet to be seen. Exactly when The Idol will surface both in the US and Down Under hasn't been announced yet, either. Also set to pop up in the series: Troye Sivan (Boy Erased), Steve Zissis (Happy Death Day 2U), Melanie Liburd (This Is Us), Tunde Adebimpe (Marriage Story), Elizabeth Berkley Lauren (Saved By the Bell), Nico Hiraga (Booksmart) and Anne Heche (All Rise). That said, whether the show's cast has been affected by the reshoots also hasn't been revealed. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Idol below: The Idol doesn't yet have a release date, including Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced.
Why spend your treasured lunch hour sitting in the same old spot, eating the same old sandwich? Swedes have discovered the magic of an off-beat lunch break by introducing a little mid-day clubbing. Lunch Beat, a trendy, non-profit lunchtime event, originated in Stockholm in June 2010 with a measly crowd of 14. Today, the monthly Stockholm events attract hundreds and have inspired copycat events throughout other European cities. For 100 kroner (around $15), attendees can dance to club beats beneath the flashing disco lights, enjoy a sandwich, and then return to their various jobs sweaty and energised. The party starts at noon, and lasts for an hour. "You just have to get in there and dance, because the hour ends pretty quickly," says organizer Daniel Odelstad. Lunch Beat only has two rules: no alcohol, and dance. "If you don't want to dance during your lunch hour, then you should eat your lunch somewhere else," says Odelstad. Lunch Beat draws an eclectic crowd, from the young to the old, and from secretaries to business-suited bigwigs; all have come looking for a good time. "It is absolutely fantastic!" says Asa Anderson, a coffee shop employee and Lunch Beat newcomer. "It is the first time I'm here. I'm totally happy and ecstatic, totally covered in sweat, and I'm full of energy. It does not get any better than this." [via Gawker]
If you go on picnics, or eat lunch on the go, or are just insatiably hungry at all times to the point where you get anxious when your next meal is unplanned (is this normal?) then Fold Project might have a solution. Fold Project is a start up company based in Auckland, and is the brainchild of entrepreneur slash industrial design lecturer, Oscar Fernandez. The company has recently announced their first product launch following a successful crowdfunding scheme, where they raised over $2000 towards their project. The star product is a fold up eating set. It’s like origami meets crockery. Basically plates, bowls, containers and cutlery that unfold into flat sheets of plastic for easy storage. Because one receives weird looks when one reveals their Shrek lunchbox in the office, and ice cream containers make a square bulge in your handbag, Fold Project’s eating set is minimalistic, stowable and uber practical. The sets are plain colours, and consist of a few tabs and slits for foldability. Fold it into shape to eat, then unfold it once you're done, rinse it off, tuck it back into your bag and you're away. The best part is that they’re all made in New Zealand and 100% BPA free. They’re recyclable and dishwasher safe. Low maintenance. And since the Fold Up team is just getting started, they’ve got a whole heap of expansion ideas on the horizon. Foldable chairs and tables are looking like promising next steps, but imagine a foldable tent and never having that actual-tent-is-seven-times-bigger-than-tent-bag struggle again. That’s the real dream.
Over the past year or so, we've heard a lot about self-driving cars being tested overseas — Uber's doing it in the US, as is ride-sharing service Lyft, there's driverless bus in Washington D.C. and a driverless delivery service in Japan. But save for a very adorable bus launched in Perth back in September, Australia is yet to foray into the sort of terrifying world of self-driving vehicles. Until now, that is, because the Victorian Government has just announced it will start to trial driverless cars on Melbourne roads from next year. The Andrews Labor Government yesterday announced they will partner with toll road management company Transurban to test driverless cars currently on the market to see how they interact with Melbourne's road infrastructure — that is lane signals, electronic speed signs, line markings and that pesky Montague Street Bridge. They'll be letting the cars loose on CityLink, including the Monash and Tullamarine Freeways, albeit with a real-life human driver in the car to take back control if needed. The news that the Victorian Government is committing to a trial of self-driving cars makes their insertion into our daily lives much more plausible for the near future. Indeed, it could mean great things for people who may not otherwise be able to drive, and has the potential to reduce the amount of accidents that occur from human error. "We want to work with the automotive and technology industries so Victoria can be at the forefront of automated vehicle technology and create jobs here in Victoria," said Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan in a statement. "Keeping people safe on our roads is our number one priority and that's why we're running these innovative trials in the safest possible way for all road users. By removing human error from the equation, autonomous vehicles will play a critical role in reducing deaths and serious injuries on Victorian roads." The trial is set to start early next year, so if you're in Melbourne, keep an eye out for any of this.
Meeoooooow. It’s a hot old time in the Deep South. The Pollitt family are gathering together and the claws are coming out! It’s Big Daddy’s birthday (yes, really, Big Daddy is what they call him) and the whole family has descended on their cotton plantation to celebrate. These family celebrations don’t tend to represent fun times galore, but this classic Pulitzer Prize winning play by Tennessee Williams certainly makes for quality theatre. Both of Big Daddy’s kids are there, with their families in tow, and the kids all know that Big Daddy is dying, but poor old Big Daddy hasn’t caught on. Unfortunately none of them are there to pay respects or make amends and instead they are vying for the family fortune, attempting to be the chosen child before Big Daddy carks it. This production is a collaboration between Queensland Theatre Company and Perth’s Black Swan State Theatre Company, and is certain to draw cool cats in with its timeless tale of family rivalry in the Deep South, and the presence of a character called Big Daddy. Sounds like a purrfect night out...!
Founder of McSweeney's and novelist of high-fivable acclaim, Dave Eggers, is heading to Australia. The 44-year-old Pulitzer Prize-winner is set to appear at a series of talks as part of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane Writers Festivals — notably providing the closing address for MWF, opening for BWF and meeting up with organisations his own models have inspired like Sydney Story Factory. The poster boy for self-made journalists and novelists, the San Francisco-based writer and editor has cranked out no less than ten books including most recent releases Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever?, The Circle and A Hologram for the King and his Pulitzer Prize-winning first novel and memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Eggers also famously founded independent publishing company McSweeneys in the '90s out of SF, an endeavour that now counts a slam dunk of a website, books, a quarterly journal and a monthly magazine, The Believer, in its bag of tricks. But McSweeney's doesn't just publish personified accounts from the font Comic Sans, the team have also released the nonprofit book series Voice of Witness, which illuminates global human rights crises using oral history. Legends. But then there's Eggers' other, closer-to-home initiative, 826 National, the sweet network of eight tutoring centres across the States. It was the 826 model that inspired Australian organisations like 100 Story Building in Melbourne's inner west and Sydney Story Factory in Redfern. In Sydney, Eggers is set to appear in conversation with Sydney Story Factory director, Cath Keenan — whose Redfern organisation is based around Eggers' 826 National tutoring centre model. The pair will be having mad chats at Carriageworks on Wednesday, September 3 as an extension of SWF. In Melbourne, Eggers will apear in a series of Meet McSweeney's-type panels alongside managing editor Jordan Bass with former guest editor Chris Flynn at The Wheeler Centre, before delivering the closing night address for the MWF on Sunday, August 31 at Deakin Edge, Fed Square. In Brisbane, he'll kick things off with the BWF opening address on Thursday, September 4 before a one-off literary cabaret vaudeville show at Brisbane Powerhouse on the Friday. For more informaation, dates and events for Dave Eggers' Australian tour, head to Penguin over here.
If you've been enjoying someone else's Netflix subscription to get your Stranger Things, Squid Game and Wednesday fix, or work your way through its hefty slate of movies, the streaming platform has been promising bad news for a few years now: ending password sharing, so users can no longer login by borrowing a pal or family member's login details. The feature is being trialled in Chile, Peru and Costa Rica, and is officially on its way to the rest of the world by the end of March. And, if you're wondering how it might work, the service has revealed the details. At present, Netflix's help centre outlines its current rules around sharing the platform with someone who doesn't live with you, noting that "people who do not live in your household will need to use their own account to watch Netflix". Right now, in most places in the world, if a device outside of your home signs in, you might be asked to verify it — but you won't be charged if the service thinks that you are sharing your password. In a change to the help centre that went up temporarily — and, reportedly accidentally — details of Netflix's procedures when the password-sharing crackdown comes into effect were listed. Still archived via The WayBack Machine, the changes first state that users will need to log into Netflix via the app or website on your device when it's connected to the wifi at your primary location, and to do so for at least once every 31 days. That'll make Netflix see whatever you're watching the service on as a "trusted device", so you can use it even when you're away from home. The help centre also noted that "devices that are not part of your primary location may be blocked from watching Netflix", but still says that Netflix won't automatically charge you for share your account with someone who doesn't live with you. That said, the new password-sharing block is being called "paid sharing" by Netflix in a letter to shareholders, so that's in the works. The platform has also recently unveiled an ad-supported subscription package, too. "Today's widespread account sharing (to 100 million-plus households) undermines our long-term ability to invest in and improve Netflix, as well as build our business," the company states in that shareholder letter, which is dated January 19, 2023. "While our terms of use limit use of Netflix to a household, we recognise this is a change for members who share their account more broadly. So we've worked hard to build additional new features that improve the Netflix experience, including the ability for members to review which devices are using their account and to transfer a profile to a new account. As we roll out paid sharing, members in many countries will also have the option to pay extra if they want to share Netflix with people they don't live with." Of course, logging into your Netflix account from a network outside of your wifi doesn't automatically mean you're sharing your password. You might be travelling and still want to get your streaming fix. "If you are away from your primary location for an extended period of time, your device may be blocked from watching Netflix," the Help Centre says. The workaround for this will frustratingly require requesting a temporary access code — one that also annoyingly also only works for seven days. Given that Netflix has taken down these rule changes from its help centre in most markets, these processes might be tinkered with before they are rolled out to the rest of the world. As per The Guardian, the service advised that "for a brief time yesterday, a help centre article containing information that is only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica and Peru, went live in other countries. We have since updated it". Netflix's password-sharing block is set to come into effect worldwide sometime before the end of March — we'll update you when more details are announced.
Attention all iPhone addicts: if you've ever been stranded in the middle of a forest with zero battery power left, in desperate need of access to Twitter and a game (or ten) of Angry Birds, then Ralph Lauren has the answer to your problems. The new RLX men's collection has introduced a line of high-performance bags, one of which has a solar panel attached designed to charge any iPhone, iPad or iPod in a matter of hours when in direct sunlight. The Solar Panel Backpack is made of a lightweight, seamless and water-resistant material with thick adjustable straps for comfort. The panel is attached to the back of the bag, and can generate up to a 3.45 watt-current when the sun is at full-strength. This combo of style and solar power will set you back a steep $800, but if you can't live without Angry Birds it might be worth the big bucks.
After playing two balloted shows that sold out faster than you could say “Best New Music", The xx have made good on their promise that they would come back in 2013 to sate the appetites of everyone who missed out. Now that they’ve released their second album, Coexist, the buzz around the trio is only louder. But Jamie Smith, Romy Madley Croft, and Oliver Sim are capable of being heard above the din by turning up the volume on one of the most valuable (and most underrated) instruments of all — silence. Their strength is seen through the gaps between bone-chilling reverbs and papery vocals, and they're sexy because they don’t specifically mention sex. That's not to say The xx don't get noise. They get much of their inspiration from London's dark techno dance scene, and Jamie and Romy both have thriving satellite careers as DJs. The trio’s bankability is bigger than ever, so be sure your credit card is handy and your clicking finger poised when tickets go on sale at noon on January 15. More information on the Handsome Tours website.
A lacklustre vehicle for two fine actors, Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson are wasted in Joel Hopkins' Hampstead, a light-on-charm plod-along which harbours not much more than a giggle every now and then, some pretty scenery, and a particularly nice looking veggie patch. Keaton is Emily, a recently widowed woman who lives in an upmarket block of apartments in London's Hampstead, neighboured mostly by other rich women her age. Her days involve throwing her hands up in the air about her debts while wandering around with her peers signing petitions and having brunch. Unsurprisingly, she feels as though something is missing from her life. Enter Gleeson as Donald, a gruff Irishman who lives in a ramshackle hut on the heath, in perfect binocular-spying distance from Emily's attic. He grows his own food and fishes in the lake. One thing leads to another, there's some perfunctory plot development, and the two meet and strike up a romance. The only problem is that there's so little chemistry between the two that at one point, during a scene where they're kissing in bed, I found myself wondering whether it would rain tomorrow and if I had washing to put on at home. The two actors do their best with the cloying, Richard Curtis-wannabe script, which aims for whimsical and lands on limp. Turns out Donald has built a cottage on the Heath without permission, doesn't pay rent or taxes, and is being evicted by the council who plan to build apartment blocks in place of him, leaving him homeless without any relatives to rely on. Emily, on the other hand, is worried about whether she's going to have to sell her super lush apartment because she's bad at accounting. Naturally the two bond over their "similar" circumstances. Based on the true tale of Harry Hallowes, who did actually live on Hampstead Heath in a DIY shack, the story itself is quite interesting. But the romantic comedy angle feels as though it's being squeezed out of a nearly-dry sponge. Hampstead isn't bad. It just isn't, in the grand scheme of things, particularly good either. If you want to feel warm and fuzzy, there are plenty of better, sweeter and more charming British films worth watching. Also, if fishing and cheese picnics are someone's idea of "trampy" dates, then line me up. I'd swipe right on that any day of the week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsJv_bJBHSY
People around the world are currently tuning in to watch the live stream of the Curiosity Rover landing on Mars today at 3.31pm (AEST). The aim for the landing on Mars is to analyse a range of samples drilled from rocks on the planet. This will determine whether there has been or ever will be microbial life on Mars. On the Curiosity Rover's Arm is a mounted Mars Hand Lens Imager which will be taking extreme close-up pictures of the rocks, soil and possibly ice, showing details smaller than the width of a human hair. The Imager can also focus on inconspicuous objects that are up to an arm's length away. Broadcasting live with Ustream [via Gizmodo]
One of the year's most confronting documentaries will be shown in select Australian universities starting early next week. Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick, The Hunting Ground chronicles the endemic problem of rape on American college campuses. Combining harrowing personal accounts with staggering statistics – including a claim that as many as one in five American women will be sexually assaulted during their time in university – the film lays bare a horrifying culture of abuse, victim-blaming and institutional negligence. An hour long version of the film will be screened at the University of Canberra on February 22, the Australian National University on February 24 and La Trobe University in Melbourne on February 29, March 4 and March 8. The complete 103 minute feature version will also be shown at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne on March 2. Nothing has been scheduled for Sydney or Brisbane as of yet, however universities and other interested parties can sign up to host a screening via the film's website. The Hunting Ground Australia Project is also engaged with the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Human Rights Centre at UNSW on an independent survey "on the prevalence, reporting experiences and responses to sexual assault and sexual harassment in university settings." Unlike the United States, there is currently no comprehensive data on the rates of sexual assaults at universities in Australia, although a 2011 survey by the National Union of Students reported that one in ten female students had suffered sexual violence while at university. The Hunting Ground has faced criticism from some journalists and college administrators, who have claimed it pushes an agenda and misrepresents statistics. The filmmakers have denied these claims on their website. For more on The Hunting Ground, including information about screenings and how you can host your own, visit www.thehuntinggroundaustralia.com.au.
With every innovative project, we're discovering more about crowdfunding's potential to change the world. Large-scale malaria prevention, ultra-accessible tech and ethically manufactured clothing have all inspired generous donations from the pockets of the people. Rather than waiting for cashed-up corporate giants to give us what we want when it comes to socially conscious products and services, we've been taking matters into our own hands. Now, not-for-profit organisation Immunity Project has turned to Crowdhoster for help in the development of a HIV/AIDS vaccine. Partnered with the Until There's a Cure Foundation and supported by Y Combinator, the venture has some heavyweight backing in its favour. Here's how the vaccine works: A team of Stanford, Harvard and MIT scientists has been studying 'controllers' — the 1 out of every 300 people who can catch HIV yet never develop full-blown AIDS. The virus stays in their system in an inactive state. To cut a long (and complex) story short, controllers are the way they are because the 'rifles' in their immune systems are able to accurately attack HIV's biological markers, rendering the virus dormant. Non-controllers have the 'rifles' but their targeting skills are amiss. Through advanced machine learning, the scientists have managed to reverse engineer the controller's biological processes. Over the past few years, a vaccine prototype has been developed and successfully tested in laboratories. The next step is to prove that it can immunise human blood. Enter crowdfunding. Once that's taken care of, Phase I clinical trials will begin with the FDA. First dosing is scheduled to happen in Africa in June 2015. And the even more excellent part? The vaccine will be distributed for free. In fact, the Immunity Project team is committed to saving lives in sub-Saharan Africa, where access to retroviral drugs just isn't financially viable. More than 35 million individuals worldwide live with HIV. Every single day, another 7,000 are infected and more than 4,000 die. Since 1983, almost 30 million people have been killed by AIDS. https://youtube.com/watch?v=V231hDemqeo Via PSFK.
A day of sun, surf and sand shouldn't break the bank, and holidaying in Vietnam is the best way to ensure that remains the case. Three of the Asian country's beaches have topped Travelbird's annual Beach Price Index, which ranks 310 beaches from over 70 nations based on their affordability. Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An was dubbed the least expensive place to take a dip, with hitting the waves costing US$13.18. City Beach in Nha Trang (US$13.90) and Long Beach in Phu Quoc (US$14.42) took out the next two spots, with beaches in Egypt (Marsa Nayzak, Sunken City and Sharm El-Naga Bay) and India (Varkala Beach, Benaulim Beach, Palolem Beach and Cavelossim Beach) rounding out the top ten. Croatia and Germany are the only other countries to make the top 20. Travelbird bases their rankings on the cost of five beach essentials: sunscreen (SPF30, 100ml), water (500ml), beer (330ml bottle), ice cream and lunch (for one person, including a meal and a drink). If less than US$15 sounds cheap for all of that, then spending almost US$65 will sound mighty hefty, with Norway's Kristiansand Beach nearing that mark at the other end of the scale. In fact, five Norwegian beaches ranked among the ten most expensive in the world. As for Australian coastal hangouts, the ten included unsurprisingly fall on the steeper side — Blinky Beach on Lorde Howe Island is the cheapest at US$41.03. Queensland's Palm Cove, 75 Mile Beach and Whitehaven Beach, Western Australia's Cottesloe Beach, Mandalay Beach and The Basin, Darwin's Mindil Beach, and both Manly and Bondi in Sydney also make the cut, with Bondi the most expensive at US$44.06. Over in New Zealand, Karekare beach in Auckland (US$38.75) is the most affordable, followed by Piha and Orewa, and then Hahei in Waikato. Via Traveller. Image: Prashant Ram
Some real-life incidents just keep fascinating Hollywood, and the tale of Candy Montgomery is clearly one of them. Back in 1990, TV movie A Killing in a Small Town — directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, dad to Ambulance's Jake and The Deuce's Maggie — stepped through her story. In 2022, Candy did the same with Jessica Biel playing the titular part. Now, Love & Death is set to do it all over again, this time having WandaVision's Elizabeth Olsen segue from playing a superhero gone dark to getting accused of being an axe murderer. Hailing from HBO — streaming via its online service HBO Max in the US, and on Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand — Love & Death turns the grisly details into everyone's likely next true-crime obsession, with the team behind Big Little Lies and The Undoing behind it. If you don't already know the story, it's best to discover all of the ins and outs while watching, but it all starts with two church-going couples in Texas. As the just-dropped full trailer for the seven-part show makes plain, Montgomery isn't thrilled with her suburban life, suggesting an extramarital dalliance. Soon, there's a body and plenty of suspicions going her way. How it all plays out is a matter of history, of course, and chronicled in the book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs. Love & Death takes inspiration from that text, plus a collection of articles from Texas Monthly, with viewers getting to see the show's take on the story from late April. Alongside Olsen, Love & Death stars Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog), Lily Rabe (Shrinking), Patrick Fugit (Babylon), Keir Gilchrist (Atypical), Elizabeth Marvel (The Dropout), Tom Pelphrey (She Said) and Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones). TV veteran David E Kelley both writes and produces, adding another series to his hefty list after the aforementioned Big Little Lies and The Undoing — and Nine Perfect Strangers, Boston Legal, The Practice, Ally McBeal and more — while Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland) directs the first four and the last episodes. Check out the trailer for Love & Death below: Love & Death will stream via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Thursday, April 27. Images: HBO Max.
Been swooning over Ryan Gosling's crooning? Taken a fancy to Emma Stone's fine footsteps? Felt like La La Land's bittersweet, Los Angeles-set antics were shining just for you? Damien Chazelle's big screen musical has been winning over audiences, critics and awards bodies alike, including taking home seven Golden Globes and being tipped to fare quite well at the Oscars — and once it's done with dominating the movie world, it might just be making its way to the stage. Feels fitting, really. So far, the concept is just that; however it's one that Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, the company behind the hit flick, is looking into. Speaking to investors, co-president Erik Feig said that "if we want to do a stage show, we can do a stage show." Lionsgate has certainly been forging ahead with taking its other films to non-cinema realms; a live Step Up stage show is playing in Dubai, while The Hunger Games has spawned a popular touring exhibition, which is currently on display in Sydney. If La La Land does make the leap from the screen to the stage — with live tunes and routines, obviously, but surely without its high-profile movie stars — the musical will be in considerable company. The list of films turned theatre productions just keeps growing, with Amélie, Moulin Rouge!, The Bodyguard, Groundhog Day, Matilda, Singin' in the Rain, Heathers and Carrie all also receiving the singing, dancing theatre treatment in recent years. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
It's a movie no film-lover has forgotten over the past 12 years — and wouldn't even if their memories were erased, we're pretty certain. Soon, however, fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind won't just have to give their DVDs a workout to get their mind-bending romance fix. Like so many other big screen hits of late, the Michel Gondry-directed, Charlie Kaufman-written, Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey-starring effort is making its way to television. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that a TV remake is in the works, from one of the folks who produced the original film. Of course, the project is in its very, very early stages, so little other information is available as yet — although one of the writers of spy series Chuck is reportedly in talks to write the script. He'll have big shoes to fill; the original screenplay won Gondry, Kaufman and their co-scribe Pierre Bismuth an Oscar, a BAFTA and a Writer's Guild of America award, among other gongs. That trio won't be involved in the new series, and we're guessing Winslet, Carrey and co-stars Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood and Mark Ruffalo won't either — but the show is being made by the company behind True Detective and Mr. Robot. And if the small screen version of Eternal Sunshine doesn't work out, we can just hope that eradicating bad memories really does become a reality. Basically, it's a good time to be a film fan and a TV viewer, given how frequently television takes on movie classics are being announced. Just last week, we learned that What We Do in the Shadows is getting a NZ TV spinoff. Because everyone loves nostalgia, other flicks either currently getting or slated to receive the TV treatment include (get comfy, it's a long list): The Lost Boys, Varsity Blues, Let the Right One In, Heathers, She's Gotta Have It, The Departed, Snatch, Get Shorty, Jack Ryan, Taken, Underworld, Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, Lethal Weapon, The Exorcist, Westworld, and even Aussie efforts Wake in Fright and Picnic at Hanging Rock. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
The McFly's window Scenery Channel 'scene screen' from Back to the Future Part II could become a reality — and not just as a projector screen. Google's just landed the patent for technology that turns your walls into projection screens, so you could be able to fake the weather outside in your kitchen, make your lounge room into King's Landing, or make a Yayoi Kusama installation of your bedroom. Sure, it sounds like your regular ol' projector set-up or even Google's own existing Chromecast technology, but the difference lies in Google's super high-res photoreactive paint. According to Quartz, Google landed a patent today from the US Patent and Trademark Office, one that turn-around-touch-the-ground bagses the technology behind a projection system that uses photoreactive paint to display chosen images on a wall. Sure, it sounds like your regular ol' projector set-up or even Google's own existing Chromecast technology, but the difference lies in Google's super high-res photoreactive paint. So how does it work? After choosing a 'theme' (similar to choosing for your phone/tablet/computer), the projector shoots a laser at the painted wall, which in turn changes from its current boring old wall colour to an image not dissimilar from a desktop wallpaper. Controlled by a smartphone or computer, the projected image would stay put on the wall until changed or switched off. Suggested themes from the Google patent include either mimicking or rejecting the weather outside (we're talking full-on sunshine and palm trees for today), holiday themes (imagine how quickly you could put up Christmas decorations), or scoreboards when it's finals season. Apparently Google's hoping to take their proposed technology from still images to videos — now we're getting to full McFly window status here. Google's photoreactive paint projection technology is not on the market right now, they've just secured the patent. Google told Quartz not to treat this as a product announcement though, saying “We hold patents on a variety of ideas—some of those ideas later mature into real products or services, some don’t. Prospective product announcements should not necessarily be inferred from our patents.” Eh. We can dream. Via Quartz.
Each year for six years now, Australia's annual Wineslinger Awards have named the country's top spots for ace drops, picking where you should be sipping and buying vino. There are two parts to its annual selections, starting with a longlist, then naming four winners. 2023's Top 55 arrived in November, so now it's time for the main gongs — aka the best of the best in Aussie wine venues. Accordingly, Wineslinger isn't about vino itself, or bars in general. As the name makes plain, it's focused on watering holes that specialise in wine. The four prizes cover the best Wineslinger, Best New Haunt, the Maverick prize for places that push the limits and the People's Choice gong. While the first three awards are voted on by around 150 industry experts, the latter stems from vino aficionados at home. [caption id="attachment_884952" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roberto Pettinau[/caption] Melbourne boasts 2023's Wineslinger recipient, thanks to Marion in Fitzroy. The awards recognised the venue for laying "reasonable claim to capturing the essence of what are, somewhat inelegantly, known as 'barstaurants'," said the Young Gun of Wine team, which runs Wineslinger. "Perhaps this pitching of wine and food in equal measure was not necessarily the intent, but having one of Melbourne's best-loved culinary sons orchestrating the food message was always going to draw crowds. Having said all that, with the shared resource of the flagship Cutler & Co, the wine offer has always been formidable, and deserving of just as much attention." Marion took out the Wineslinger accolade after Sydney's Dear Sainte Éloise scored it in 2022, Melbourne's Embla nabbed it in 2021 and the Carlton Wine Room picked it up in 2020. The Best New Haunt field also went to a Victorian venue, with Collingwood's Commis receiving the nod for a joint that the Young Gun of Wine crew described as "equal parts wine den, cocktail lounge, shared-plate bistro, chic art gallery and chilled neighbourhood hangout". In the Maverick category, Silver Sands Beach Club in Aldinga in South Australia came out on top, earning some love for being "the type of wine clubhouse that will ideally serve the neighbouring McLaren Vale region and the Fleurieu Peninsula beach community, plus a steady stream of wine nerds making the pilgrimage south from Adelaide". As for the People's Choice, Western Australian's The Corner Dairy in Doubleview took the honours. That means that no New South Wales, Queensland, Australian Capital Territory or Northern Territory sites made a showing in the four gongs, but all states and territories do feature on the full Top 55. The Wineslinger Awards were created by Rory Kent, who also founded the Young Gun of Wine Awards. Where the latter prize aims to recognise stellar up-and-comers, the former is all about excellent and innovative places where vino lovers can enjoy an ace drop. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Young Gun of Wine (@younggunofwine) WINESLINGER AWARDS 2023 WINNERS: Wineslinger: Marion, Fitzroy, Victoria Maverick: Silver Sands Beach Club, Aldinga, South Australia Best New Haunt: Commis, Collingwood, Victoria People's Choice: The Corner Dairy, Doubleview, Western Australia WINESLINGER AWARDS 2023 TOP 50: ACT Bar Rochford, Canberra Rizla, Braddon NSW 10 William Street, Paddington Bar Copains, Surry Hills Bar Heather, Byron Bay Bar Superette, Merimbula Beau, Surry Hills Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Sydney Caravin, Potts Point Dear Sainte Eloise, Potts Point Fix Wine, Sydney Le Foote, The Rocks Lil Sis, Chippendale P&V Merchants, Paddington The Sir George Hotel, Jugiong The Wine Library, Woollahra Where's Nick, Marrickville [caption id="attachment_623527" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To.[/caption] NT Stone House, Darwin QLD Agnes, Fortitude Valley Alba Bar + Deli, Brisbane Cru Bar + Cellar, Fortitude Valley Paloma Wine Bar, Burleigh Heads Snack Man, Fortitude Valley The End, West End Zero Fox, Teneriffe SA Alt. Wine Bar, Unley Good Gilbert, Goodwood Hellbound, Adelaide Jennie Wine Bar, Adelaide Loc Bottle Shop, Adelaide Silver Sands Beach Club, Aldinga Stanley Bridge Tavern, Verdun Stem Bar & Restaurant, Adelaide The Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale [caption id="attachment_860199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Earl Carter[/caption] TAS Havilah, Launceston Lucinda, Hobart Molto Bar and Cellar, Hobart VIC Bar Marenda, Daylesford Carlton Wine Room, Carlton City Wine Shop, Melbourne Commis, Collingwood Geralds Bar, Carlton North Gimlet, Melbourne Marion, Fitzroy Osteria Illaria, Melbourne Public Wine Shop, Fitzroy North Torquay Wine Store, Torquay Union Street Wine, Geelong Winespeake, Daylesford WA Besk, West Leederville Lalla Rookh, Perth Mayfair Lane, West Perth Mummucc', Wembley The Corner Dairy, Perth Wines of While, Perth For more information about the Wineslinger Awards, visit the awards' website. Top image: Marion, Harvard Wang.
Add a touch of glamour to your outdoors or music festival experience with a designer tent. Designed by a diverse group of artists, photographers and illustrators, FieldCandy tents feature quirky designs ranging from a wedge of cheese to a drawing of a little old granny. There is a jelly bean tent for the sweet tooth, a galactic-themed tent for the nerd, and many more. Adorable, yes, but these tents aren't just for show--they are all rough-and-tumble ready. Appropriate for those hardcore hikers and campers, and for those of us traveling no farther than our back yard, FieldCandy tents are sure to brighten up your camping experience. Looking for a place to getaway to? Check out Concrete Playground's favourite camping destinations.
Never has the vegan lifestyle seemed quite so doable as right now. Chefs across the world are doing incredible things with meat-free menus, the move towards conscious fashion has spawned vegan threads that you would actually wear out of the house, and now you can even take a jaunt on the world's first all-vegan ocean cruise. Run by a company called Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV), the 100 percent vegan cruise pulls out of London at the end of this month, setting off on a week-long journey through the Norwegian fjords. On board, guests have all the ingredients for a luxe, plant-based vacation, right at their fingertips. Chefs will whip up gourmet vegan eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the bar will pouring a range of vegan wines from across Europe alongside plant-based cocktail creations, and even the cabins are stocked up with organic vegan body products. Along with organised activities, spa facilities and onshore excursions, there's also a hefty program of lectures and classes, hosted by a lineup of doctors, nutritionists and other vegan experts. The vegan voyagers will be given free reign to chat about all things vegan without one eye-roll in sight. CMV also runs cruises around Australia and New Zealand so, who knows — it could be just a matter of time before the concept comes here.
Throw those GoPros, bubble bottles and novelty gumboots in your rucksack, Splendour in the Grass is returning to North Byron Parklands for another year of festival merriment. As usual, rumours have run wild in anticipation of the lineup announce, but the details for Splendour 2017 are finally here. And we're happy to report that some of the rumours were true. As announced by triple j this morning, there's no Lorde or Frank Ocean, but LCD bloody Soundsystem will be Splendouring — it will be the reunited band's first return to Australia since they played Big Day Out back in 2011. The lineup also doesn't state that Splendour is their only show, so stay tuned for news of a national tour (hopefully). It also seems that, happily, the predictions for The xx and Queens of the Stone Age were correct too. Joining them is one heck of a lineup that includes HAIM, RL Grime, Banks and Two Door Cinema Club, along with Future Islands and LA hip hip artist Schoolboy Q, who will be doing one-off Australian shows at the festival. Australian artists on the bill include Tash Sultana, King Gizzard, D.D Dumbo, Dune Rats, A.B Original, Big Scary and more. Anyway, we know what you're here for. We'll cut to the chase. SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2017 LINEUP The xx Queens of the Stone Age LCD Soundsystem Royal Blood HAIM Sigur Rós ScHoolboy Q (only Aus show) Vance Joy Two Door Cinema Club Peking Duk RL Grime Bonobo Father John Misty Catfish and the Bottlemen Tash Sultana Paul Kelly Stormzy King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard George Ezra Future Islands (only Aus show) Banks Bernard Fanning Dune Rats Cut Copy Ásgeir Allday Meg Mac Rag 'N' Bone Man Thundamentals Lil' Yachty San Cisco Client Liaison Real Estate Dan Sultan Vallis Alps D.D Dumbo Maggie Rogers Tove Lo POND Big Scary The Smith Street Band Oh Wonder A.B. Original Dope Lemon The Kite String Tangle Young Franco Julia Jacklin Kingswood Amy Shark Luca Brasi The Lemon Twigs Vera Blue Slumberjack Bad//Dreems Bag Raiders Topaz Jones Middle Kids Ocean Grove Confidence Man Bishop Briggs Late Nite Tuff Guy Julien Baker Kilter Lany Hockey Dad Kirin J Callinan Airling Cosmo's Midnight Gretta Ray Moonbase The Peep Tempel Tornado Wallace The Murlocs Mallrat Luke Million The Wilson Pickers Romare Jarrow Good Boy Kuren Oneman Winston Surfshirt Set Mo HWLS Harvey Sutherland and Bermuda CC:Disco! Enschway DJHMC Nite Fleit Alice Ivy Willow Beats Willaris. K Mookhi Plus... Swindail Dena Amy Andy Garvey Planète Sam Weston Super Cruel Christopher Port Lewis Cancut Kinder plus triple j Unearthed winners Splendour will return to North Byron Parklands on Friday 21, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July. Onsite camping will once again be available from Wednesday, July 19. Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 6 at 9am sharp AEST. More info will soon be available at the official Splendour In The Grass site. Image: Bianca Holderness.
Water repulsion is all the rage at General Electric right now. New hydrophobic, durable coatings that repel liquid could increase energy efficiency across all kinds of machine-based industries. While this is a great advance for technology, a pleasant offshoot is beauty: cue mesmerising slo-mo video of glittering droplets, artfully scattering and dancing in unison. To develop a superhydrophobic coating, GE's chemists looked to nature's own superhydrophobicity and specifically the "lotus effect" — the way raindrops stay intact and roll off lotus leaves without adhering or soaking in, thanks to nanoscopic hairs on the leaf surface. If you could harness this water-repelling power of the lotus, what would you do with it? GE's wind turbines and other machinery adversely affected by ice and moisture build-up will benefit from the coating, and a path ahead is also clear for self-cleaning and anti-fouling materials. Below, watch as the cute, scruffy Slow Mo Guys wear lab coats and utter sweet nothings with their British accents, all while applying macro-lens scrutiny to liquids bouncing off a superhydrophobic coating. This bouncing (or "splooshing" as the guys eloquently put it) creates tumbling, flower-like formations that expand and retract. Marvel as they mess around with food dye, back-lighting and ferrous liquid. It's not unlike the famous Sony Bravia bouncy ball ad, enhanced by an emotional synth soundtrack and the shape-shifting elasticity of water. Via Gizmodo.
It's not news that LAX is a hell hole to travel through. The long lines, endless delays and insane amount of swarming people can easily do your head in. That is, unless, you have $7500 to spare. As of May 15, VIP travellers at LAX now have access to an exclusive new terminal — The Private Suite makes the flying process laughably easy, offering luxury waiting suites, a dedicated TSA security line and even transport onto the tarmac in a BMW 7-Series sedan. On airport arrival, travellers are assigned a dedicated eight-person team to escort them to their personal suite, which includes a fully stocked bar and food pantry, two-person daybed, flatscreen TV, private bathroom and views of the airport runways. This team includes two personal assistants, one security personnel and one whom you never meet but handles all of your luggage. The entire process is reversed when members arrive into LAX, so you're covered either way. According to The Private Suite, it typically takes 2200 footsteps from car to plane, but, for members, they're cutting that number to a cool 70 steps total. While this service is the first of its kind in the States, similar VIP terminals exist at London's Heathrow, Munich and Dubai airports. It's clear each of these services is catering to dramatically affluent humans and, especially in LAX, the Hollywood 'elite' specifically. According to the website, "Members don't walk down long crowded concourses, or line up at ticket counters and boarding gates. They don't deal with baggage. And they don't deal with paparazzi." All this obviously sounds fantastic, but it comes at a serious price — the cost for The Private Suite during trial period is $3500 for domestic and $4000 for international, on top of your flight. The price does cover an entourage of three passengers, though, and they also offer slightly cheaper shared lounge services for $2000–$2500. On top of these charges, membership to the program costs an additional $7500 per year, but does get you in at a bit of a cheaper price point per flight. Membership will also get you the crème de la crème treatment, including complimentary in-suite massage, hair, make-up and nail services. Importantly, photography, video, and audio recordings are strictly prohibited in The Private Suite. What happens in The Private Suite, stays in The Private Suite. Images: The Private Suite.
When it comes to taking to the streets, spraying some paint around and stencilling up a storm, Banksy isn't the only artist worth celebrating. In fact, street art is thriving in Brisbane — so much so that there's now a returning festival dedicated to it. That'd be the Brisbane Street Art Festival, which unleashes its fifth physical iteration around the city from Saturday, May 1 to Sunday, May 16. If you're wondering just what it involves, let us throw a few numbers and details your way: 40 new works will pop up around town, 36 street artists are involved and 17 different locations are part of the fun. And, the 16-day fest will also include music, exhibitions, talks and workshops. The full rundown includes a launch party that'll span across three levels, another shindig in a brewery, a laneway gathering next to Brisbane's next music and arts hub, a street art cycling tour, live tunes, wine-fuelled paste-ups and an aerosol masterclass. Plus, there'll be art in places as varied as the Queen Street Mall, Howard Smith Wharves, RNA Showgrounds, Westfield Garden City and the Brisbane Domestic Airport. Images: Aimee Catt. Artists: Drapl and Treazy / Gus Eagleton.
For now, sitting in a bar on the other side of the world, forgetting your troubles and knocking back the type of cocktails you won't find just anywhere has been sadly relegated to your dreams. But W Brisbane's Living Room Bar is offering up the next best thing, teaming up with the folks behind London's Oriole Bar and its sibling venues Nightjar and Swift for its new — and permanent — cocktail menu. Last year, Swift came in at number 33 at the World's 50 Best Bar Awards, while both Oriole and Nightjar have made the list in the past — so you definitely won't be drinking any old tipples. The venues' Ali Ali, Mihai Ostafi and Samet Ali have whipped up 15 cocktails especially for Living Room Bar, as part of a lineup that's called 'Flight of the Senses'. Among the menu's highlights: the Toowoomba Cocktail, a lamington-inspired vodka, vermouth and Campari concoction which obviously takes inspiration from our own backyard, and also features berry blend cordial, wattleseed and coconut soda — and the Alajuela, which is named for one of Costa Rica's coffee-production regions, and tops a blend of cognac, vodka, vermouth, cold-brew coffee and banana praline foam with grated chocolate and amaretti biscuits. For folks keen for a drink without the actual booze, there's also the Marmara Collins, which takes its cues from Turkey and is built on Lyre's Aperitif Dry, berry blend cordial and fig leaf soda. The new cocktails hero local ingredients and spirits as much as possible and, whichever beverage you choose, you'll be sipping it out of eye-catching glassware — including sharing pitchers and punch bowls. While you'll find Ali, Ostafi and Ali's menu on offer daily, heading by on a Friday or Saturday night is recommended if you'd like to pair your drinks with live beats. W Brisbane's new Flight of the Senses cocktail menu is now available at its Living Room Bar, 81 North Quay, Brisbane. It's open from 4–11pm Monday–Thursday, 11am–11pm Friday–Saturday and 11am–9pm Sunday.
To say that Secret Garden Festival is improving with age is a deadset understatement. Next month marks the flamboyant forest party's tenth turn around the sun and it's celebrating with a music program and lineup of fun as good as any it's dished up before. Taking over its usual lush green home of NSW's Brownlow Hill Farm on February 23 and 24, the grassroots festival promises a weekend of dress-ups, dance floor antics and forest adventures to remember. Those lucky enough to snaffle one of this year's tickets (which are sold out, sorry) will find themselves in utter aural heaven, the bill sprinkled with exciting acts like Queensland dance-punk duo DZ Deathrays, powerhouse Melbourne artist Ecca Vandal, acclaimed indie rockers Holy Holy and soul-pop four-piece The Harpoons. Even more music goodness will be served up by hard-hitting hip hop artist Miss Blanks, Sydney singer-songwriter Alex The Astronaut, and Triple J's Unearthed Artist of The Year, Stella Donnelly. Of course, the live tunes and the 14 dance floors are just one part of this jam-packed weekend. Also helping Secret Garden ring in its first decade will be the Annual Feast, hosted by The Great Fatsby, appearances aplenty from the Camp Queen drag queens, the debut of the Shout Something Nice Bar, a kissing booth and a seated theatre flowing with a whole lotta Champagne. Last year a couple got married among the madness, so who knows what will happen this time round. As always, a festival-wide fancy dress theme will help kick everything off in style on opening night. This year, in homage to Secret Garden's tenth birthday, it's a throwback to your year ten formal — don your wildest old-school party duds and relive those teenage wonder years, with a little help from 11-piece Blink 182 cover band, Bris 182.
Move over trains, buses and CityCats — Brisbane's getting a new form of public transport. Called the Brisbane Metro (and first announced back in 2016), it's set to shake up the city's transportation network, particularly around the CBD. And while there's been plenty of chatter about this 21-kilometre system over the past two years — expanding from one line to two, floating the idea of adding new stops and picking up top-level support just last month — Brisbane City Council have finally revealed the draft plans. First, here's what we already knew: Brisbane Metro will span 18 stops along existing busway network, connecting Eight Mile Plains to Roma Street and St Lucia to Herston, with interchanges available at 11 stations. It'll use a new fleet of 60 vehicles, and each will be able to carry up to 150 people. As far as actually getting the system up and running, a new underground station be built at the Cultural Centre, as well as an underground tunnel beneath Adelaide Street across the river. Construction isn't slated until 2019 to 2022, with services commencing in 2023. The new Brisbane Metro draft design report expands upon this basic outline — and it's safe to say that the city is in for quite the change. Most importantly, the plan delivers on the high-frequency aspect, with services set to run every three minutes in peak periods, every five minutes during the day between peak periods and every ten minutes at a minimum. That's quite an upgrade from existing bus services, and the Metro's overall operating hours improve things even further. Not only will it function from 5am until midnight from Monday to Thursday, but it'll operate constantly from 5am Friday until midnight Sunday. Yep, it won't stop all weekend. To implement all of the above, closing the Victoria Bridge to traffic had already been floated, and this is definitely part of the plan. It'll become a green bridge for Metro and bus services only, plus pedestrians and cyclists. North Quay will also close to traffic from William Street to Ann Street, which is going to make getting around the CBD by car rather tricky. Of course, the area is already undergoing a huge revamp anyway as part of the Queen's Wharf development. A heap of other road changes will come into effect around the Cultural Centre, too, while new above-ground bus stops will pop up on Melbourne Street in South Brisbane. Along the busway, all existing stations along will require upgrades, and a new depot will be built at Rochedale. A few current buses routes will also be discontinued, such as the 111, 160 and 66. All other high-frequency busway services, such as the BUZ, CityGlider and peak Rockets, will continue to run. In total, Brisbane Metro aims to improve travel times by 30 percent in morning peak periods and 50 percent in the afternoon — which, if it really does pan out, is something every Brisbanite would welcome. The system will carry an extra 22,000 passengers per hour compared to today's network, and it's forecast that 125 buses won't need to travel on the CBD's streets as a result. The draft design report is currently open for public comment until May 25, with information sessions taking place in the inner-city, Woolloongabba, Holland Park, Herston, Upper Mt Gravatt and South Brisbane between April 28 and May 18. From here, the council will draw up detailed specifications to gain final approval and funding.
Come quitting time on a Friday, everyone has a spring in their step — an extra bounce, plenty of zest and the energy to tackle the weekend. With that in mind, you probably don't need an espresso martini. Still, you likely want one anyway. Enter Espresso Martini Fridays. It might be what you call your Fridays without any prompting, but at Ivory Tusk, it means $10 drinks. Taking place from 5–7pm weekly, it also means churros to snack on, as well as an end-of-week afternoon party atmosphere in a colourful Palm Springs-inspired bar with a garden terrace. As for what you'll be drinking, Ivory Tusk's espresso martinis come with La Bottiglia espresso, vanilla syrup, plus the boozy part. You can also pair it with a more substantial bite from the food menu — think tostadas, tacos, ceviche, sliders, corn grits and steak skewers.
You've seen the films, or at least some of them. You know that a whole lot of celebrities worked their famous magic to help get Andrea Riseborough a still-deserved Best Actress nomination. You've heard Austin Butler use his Elvis accent long after the movie wrapped. And you have thoughts — oh-so-many thoughts — about Top Gun: Maverick's beach scene. Whatever applies to you from that above list, that's how prepared you now are for Hollywood's night of nights — because today, Monday, March 13 Down Under, the 95th Oscars are here. Before evening hits, a heap of upcoming movies will be redoing their trailers to include the words "Academy Award-winner" next to their stars or director. Oh, and a bunch of talented folks will get the biggest cinema-industry recognition there is for one of their recent gigs. Your job for a few hours: watching, enjoying the film world's version of whichever sporting event takes your fancy and, if you're partial to a beverage or several, taking part in our Oscars drinking game. Depending on how you feel about the Academy Awards, it'll make a glorious celebration better or an overlong stint of back-patting bearable. Always drink responsibly, of course. If you're keen on perusing the nominees list, checking out who will and should win, and finding out where you can watch this year's nominees in Australia and New Zealand, we've put all of that together for you as well. A SMALL SIP: DRINK LIKE YOU'LL BE FEELING THE NEED FOR SPEED TOMORROW A winner gets played off. Austin Butler busts out his Elvis accent. Someone mentions Chris Rock, Will Smith and/or 2022's incident. We're all told that Tom Cruise or Top Gun: Maverick saved cinema. The words "need for speed" are mentioned. The Brenaissance gets a shoutout. Rihanna rubs her baby bump. Someone mentions nepo babies. Jamie Lee Curtis calls herself a nepo baby. Steven Spielberg gets a standing ovation. Someone mentions the multiverse. The words "movie magic" or "magic of the movies" get a mention. Babylon and jazz are mentioned in the same breath. Someone uses their speech — or presenting gig — to angle for their next job. A BIG GULP: DRINK LIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND WON'T TALK TO YOU ANYMORE Jimmy Kimmel pretends to go to sleep like he did at the 2022 Emmys. Someone comments that they forgot that Colin Farrell is Irish. The audience giggles when My Year of Dicks' name is read out among the Best Animated Short nominees. Jimmy Kimmel feuds with Matt Damon. Cate Blanchett tears into awards season. You hear an Australian or New Zealand accent. Paul Mescal leaves someone speechless because he's Paul Mescal. Andrea Riseborough brings one of the celebrities who campaigned for her nomination as her date. Pedro Pascal presents an award with Nicolas Cage. Meryl Streep wins without being nominated. Triangle of Sadness gets compared to Titanic. Someone makes up a new category. A FEW MOUTHFULS: DRINK LIKE YOU'RE CRUISING ON A LUXURY YACHT Someone reads out the wrong winner. Nicole Kidman forgets how to clap again. If you leap up out of your chair at home during the performance of 'Naatu Naatu'. Pedro Pascal presents an award with Grogu. The Daniels announce that their Swiss Army Man star Daniel Radcliffe is joining their directing team as the third Daniel. Triangle of Sadness filmmaker Ruben Östlund brings his two Palme d'Ors. David Byrne wears an oversized suit. Lady Gaga shows up in costume as Harley Quinn. James Cameron calls himself the king of the world again. Whenever there's a donkey. There's a cocaine bear. AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE: DRINK LIKE IT'S JAZZ-AGE HOLLYWOOD An Australian or New Zealander wins an Oscar. Australian Elvis cinematographer Mandy Walker makes history as the first-ever woman to win Best Cinematography. During Ke Huy Quan's Best Supporting Actor speech for Everything Everywhere All At Once. The Academy's terrible track record with nominating female filmmakers is called out — or this year's lack of women in the Best Director category. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway read out the wrong winner. Top Gun: Maverick's beach scene is recreated live. Chris Rock presents an award. Will Smith turns up despite his ten-year ban after 2022's ceremony. Chris Rock and Will Smith take to the stage together. We get through the entire ceremony without anyone mentioning Chris Rock, Will Smith or 2022's incident. Tommy Wiseau shows up. The 95th Academy Awards take place on Monday, March 13, Australian and New Zealand time.
It's always handy when an artwork tells you exactly what to say when you see it — and when you lock eyes on Amanda Parer's What's That, you will indeed exclaim the piece's name. You'll also feel like you're in a sci-fi movie, too, given that you'll be looking up at (and standing beneath) a five-metre-tall inflatable humanoid. What's That's towering figure is actually in a crouching position, but that doesn't make it any less of a sight to behold. Parer has been placing these vivid creations at different spots around the world, and now it's Brisbane's turn from Tuesday, August 31–Sunday, September 26. You'll need to head to Portside Wharf to get a glimpse — and if you're wondering what inspired Parer, she's taken her cues from the 1973 film Fantastic Planet. (If you've seen the movie, you'll know why. If you haven't, consider this some motivation to add it to your must-watch list.) It's a great time to see luminous art and installations around Brissie, given that Parer's botanical-themed Lost is also popping up in West End this September. Courtesy of multidisciplinary studio ENESS, the equally eye-catching Sky Castle and Airship Orchestra are also temporarily making their homes at Northshore Hamilton, just up the road from Portside Wharf. Images: Claudia Baxter.
