It made stars out of Adam Brody, Rachel Bilson, Mischa Barton and Ben McKenzie. It made everyone want to visit Orange County. And, in perhaps its longest-lasting effect, it also ensured that everyone would always sing the word 'California' in their heads in exactly the same way as the show's earworm of a theme tune (as you are right now after simply reading this sentence). We're talking about The OC, of course, which sits alongside Beverly Hills, 90210, Dawson's Creek and Gossip Girl as a teen TV drama all-timer. The 2003–7 show might've only run for four seasons, but its culture clash-driven setup — sparked by the adoption of a troubled teen by a wealthy family — and heightened adolescent antics had a hefty impact. If you've ever celebrated Chrismukkah, you know what we're talking about.
Montaigne has graced stages worldwide. They've represented Australia at Eurovision. They've won ARIAs, too. Now, they're the subject of an Archibald Prize-winning painting, with the singer-songwriter depicted in a piece called Head in the sky, feet on the ground — an artwork that just nabbed Sydney-based artist Julia Gutman Australia's most prestigious portrait prize in 2023. Gutman's win at the age of 29, scoring the $100,000 award, makes her one of the prize's youngest-ever winners in its 102-year history. And, she's also the 11th woman to win the acclaimed accolade — doing so for her first-ever Archibald Prize entry. [caption id="attachment_899546" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Archibald Prize 2023, Julia Gutman 'Head in the sky, feet on the ground', oil, found textiles and embroidery on canvas, 198 x 213.6 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Montaigne.[/caption] "I'm so elated and overwhelmed to have won. Shocked, dumbfounded, but very happy. It's honestly completely surreal. I'm so grateful to be working at a time when young female voices are heard', said Gutman about her win, which was announced at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on Friday, May 5. "So much of my practice is devoted to revisiting, critiquing and contending with the histories housed in institutions. It's so affirming for that conversation to be recognised in such a public way." "Montaigne and I have been friends for a few years and there is a lot of alignment in our practices; we are both interested in creating our own forms and approaches rather than strictly adhering to any one tradition. Montaigne's work defies genres, while their mercurial soprano has become an indelible part of the fabric of Australian music," Gutman continued. [caption id="attachment_899549" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visitors in the 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2023' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring Archibald Prize 2023 finalists (left to right) Marie Mansfield, Yvette Coppersmith, Kim Leutwyler, Matt Adnate and Angela Brennan, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] Her subject was just as stoked, unsurprisingly. "It's such an insane honour to be the Archibald Prize-winning sitter. I sure didn't see it coming, not because I don't believe in Julia's incredible talent and warm heart, but because you just never think this stuff is going to happen to you," said Montaigne. Head in the sky, feet on the ground emerged victorious from a pool of 949 entries and 57 finalists, and in a year that broke a pivotal record: for the first time, more women than men made the final list of contenders for the award. Other portraits up for the gong included plenty similarly showing famous faces, such as Claudia Karvan, Sam Neill, Archie Roach, Noni Hazlehurst and Daniel Johns. [caption id="attachment_899552" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Wynne Prize 2023, Zaachariaha Fielding 'Inma', acrylic on linen, 306.2 x 198.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] AGNSW pairs the Archibald Prize with two other awards: the similarly coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The Wynne received 726 entries, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 673 entries, naming 45 as final contenders. 2023's $50,000 Wynne Prize, which recognises the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture, has been awarded to interdisciplinary artist and first-time finalist Zaachariaha Fielding. His winning work Inma depicts the sounds of Mimili, his community, which is part of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia. The $40,000 Sir John Sulman Prize is presented to the best mural, subject or genre painting, with Doris Bush Nungarrayi doing the honours in 2023. The Luritja artist was a first-time finalist in both 2023's Sulman and Wynne Prizes, and is now the second Aboriginal artist to win the Sulman. In Mamunya ngalyananyi (Monster coming), she focuses on several Mamus — aka the ominous and malevolent spirits that terrify the Aṉangu people. [caption id="attachment_899553" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Sulman Prize 2023, Doris Bush Nungarrayi 'Mamunya ngalyananyi (Monster coming)', acrylic on linen, 198 x 273.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] If you'd like to see all of the above, plus the rest of 2023's finalists, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, May 6–Sunday, September 3. After that, they'll tour to select venues in NSW and Victoria. Gutman's Archibald Prize win follows Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods in 2022, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren in 2021 and Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes in 2020, as well as Tony Costa's 2019 victory with his painting of fellow artist Lindy Lee and five-time Archibald finalist Yvette Coppersmith's first win in 2018. And, Head in the sky, feet on the ground is still in the running for another award, as are all of this year's Archibald Prize finalists. If you don't agree with the judges, you can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Wednesday, August 9. [caption id="attachment_899550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of the 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2023' exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring Archibald Prize 2023 finalists (left to right) Charles Mouyat, Oliver Shepherd, Paul Newton and David Fenoglio, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] ARCHIBALD PRIZE 2023 DATES: Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW — May 6–September 3, 2023 Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Victoria — September 15–November 5, 2023 South East Centre for Contemporary Art, Bega, NSW — November 18, 2023—January 7, 2024 Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, NSW — January 19–March 10, 2024 Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, NSW — March 15–April 28, 2024 Tamworth Regional Gallery, NSW — May 11–June 23, 2024 Glasshouse Port Macquarie, NSW — July 5–August 18, 2024 If you can't make it to any of the above dates, you can check out the award winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: Excerpt of winner Archibald Prize 2023, Julia Gutman 'Head in the sky, feet on the ground', oil, found textiles and embroidery on canvas, 198 x 213.6 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Montaigne.
Trade polo horses for bicycles, the well-manicured lawn for an abandoned tennis court, and you have a rough idea of Brisbane's latest emerging sport: underground bike polo. Played much like the original, bike polo consists of three players on each team, navigating the court on their bicycles while wielding mallets. The objective is to hit the ball into your opposing team's goal, made from a mail bin, a street hockey goal, or other improvised object. The sport is intense: full contact, bike-on-bike, and no feet are allowed on the ground at any time. The first team to score five goals wins. The concept of bike polo has been around for some time, but was solidified into a competitive sport by a group of Seattle, Washington kids 14 years ago. It didn't take long for others to catch on, and within 5 years the game had gone global. In Australia, the sport seems to have taken on a different tone depending on where it is played. According to a Brisbane-based team - the Majestic Pink Shafts - the bike polo community in their hometown is "friendly and social"; in Melbourne it is 'more competitive', and in Sydney it is enjoying newfound popularity. Organised tournaments are arranged, but there is a strong underground movement in the sport as well. Ali McLatchie, proud member of the Majestic Pink Shafts, emphasises that bike polo is about fun, not necessarily winning tournaments. “It’s inclusive," she told The Vine. "We want our sport to grow. So if anyone’s ever watching, someone will come over and chat and explain the game to them, ask if they want to borrow a bike – that sort of thing … The whole point of polo and why it’s so amazing and why everyone plays it is because it’s a social underground thing. It’s just about hanging out with your friends and having fun.”
Have you ever wanted a way to scientifically quantify which people in your life are literally the worst? You're in luck. A pair of Boston developers has just launched an app that allows users to catalogue their physical and emotional responses during interactions with other human beings. Called pplkpr (because vowels are also the worst), the free iOs app can be synced with third party Bluetooth-enabled heart monitors; like the ones already designed to track your heart rate during a workout. The app then prompts you to record which people from your Facebook friends list you're hanging out with, in order to determine how each of them makes you feel. The app can recognise a whole range of emotional reactions, including fear, boredom, excitement and of course, arousal. You can message people to let them know how they make you feel (if you're feeling confident), rank them based on which emotions they elicit, and ultimately determine which of your social contacts you might be better off without. The longer you use the app, the better it gets at reading your feelings, which definitely isn't creepy at all. Jokes about a grim, Terminator-esque dystopia aside, we suppose we can see the benefits of an application like this, especially if you're trying to cut down on the amount of stress in your life. Using software to 'auto-manage your relationships' may seem a little cold, but then again, is it really that much worse than Tinder? Pplkpr is available to download via the iTunes store. It's not currently available on Android, because as everybody knows, Android users are stressed out by every last one of their iPleb friends. Via Mashable.
Sometimes, vacations are the result of weeks, months and years of planning. At other times, they simply come about because an airline has cheap flights on offer. Both are perfectly acceptable ways to lock in a getaway, and you've likely had trips happen thanks to each — however, if you're ready to book your next getaway now based on Jetstar's latest specials, the airline is doing a big 48-hour sale with cheap fares to Hawaii, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and New Zealand, among other destinations. Actually, the Australian carrier is doing discounted flights across Australia as well as to international spots — but venturing to other countries is on everyone's must-do list again after the past couple of years. Wherever you'd like to head, the key part of this sale is coming home without paying for the flight. Yes, Jetstar's 'return for free' sale is back again. Running from 12am AEDT on Thursday, October 27–11.59pm AEDT on Friday, October 28, or until sold out, it really is as straightforward as it sounds. Whatever flights you opt for as part of the sale, you'll get the return fare for nothing. On the list: fares from Sydney to Honolulu from $479 return, from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City from $339 return, from Cairns to Osaka from $444 return and from the Gold Coast to Queenstown from $270 return. Locally, options include Sydney to the Gold Coast for $88 return and Melbourne to Adelaide from $104 — among other routes, with Darwin and Perth legs also on the list. Tickets in the sale are for trips across a variety of dates depending on the destination. Fancy heading to the newly reopened Japan before summer hits? Skipping Australia's next winter by jetting over to Hawaii? They're among your choices. There are a few rules, as is always the case. You have to the same departure and arrival ports for the two fares — so you can go from Melbourne to Honolulu and back, for instance, but can't return via another place or to another city. And, the sale fares don't include checked baggage, so you'll need to travel super light or pay extra to take a suitcase. Also, if you're a Club Jetstar member, you'll get the jump on the sale — with access from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, October 26 until midnight. Jetstar's 'return for free' sale runs from 12am AEDT on Thursday, October 27–11.59pm AEDT on Friday, October 28 — or until sold out. 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.
Think that coffee and sleep don't really go hand-in-hand? Think again. While we're all accustomed to gulping down the former when we haven't had enough of the latter, a new Tokyo popup is combining the two for anyone eager for a restful slumber with their hot cuppa. Inspired by World Sleep Day on March 17, and taking over the Nescafe Harajuku until March 26, the bed-filled cafe doesn't just offer customers any old mattress. No, not at all. Those keen for a kip will bunker down on electronic reclining beds that sell for as much as $9,000. Each sleeping area also features adjustable lighting, and comes with a Sony Walkman filled with relaxing tunes. https://www.instagram.com/p/BRx7hGehdB4/?taken-by=_3.sta It'll be the fanciest snooze you've ever had; however anyone thinking about grabbing a fresh brew and some shut-eye will have to adhere to a few rules. Nap time comes in two-hour blocks, and is only available to folks who purchase a food item from the menu. Once you've ordered something to eat, you'll receive a cup of decaf to help you drift off and then a regular caffeinated coffee when you wake up. Of all of the quirky cafe trends Japan can't get enough of — cats, maids, owls, goats, mayonnaise, hedgehogs, Super Mario Bros, Pikachu, the list goes on — this is one worth dreaming about. Via Eater.
You made the decision to down that 3am cheapass cleanskin. You ordered the new-friend-securing tequila round. You woke up in your own drool with a stamp on your forehead and a headache bigger than the margarita jug you chugged to yourself. Nothing will make this seventh circle of Hades better on a Sunday morning, no amount of cold bathroom tiles or Too Late water-sculling. The only thing that can help you... is something made for the US Special Forces. You're in luck. Cue DripDrop, an allegedly 'elite hydration solution' that uses sweet, sweet science to obliterate your poor life choices and completely revitalise you after a big night. A cure for dehydration made for use by hospitals (particularly in developing countries), paediatricians and you know, US Special Forces, DripDrop is one of the most extreme dehydration cures out there. Cranking out three times the amount of electrolytes, sugar, sodium and potassium you'll find in your measly Powerade-fries-cheese-on-everything combo and apparently clinically shown to hydrate 34% better than water, DripDrop supposedly makes you feel better quicker than you slammed that Centurion the night before. "Built on decades of proven science, DripDrop is the first hydration solution to combine medical standards with great taste," claims the website. "DripDrop provides a simple, cost-effective solution that empowers everyone to treat mild to moderate dehydration with a safe, medical grade solution." Just dissolve two packets into a glass of H2O with your trembling, trembling hands and throw that sucker back. Apparently it works. For you know, task forces. Why not your sorry ass? DripDrop don't just cure hangovers for one-too-many noobs like us though. They've made some kickass progress in water-lacking developing countries, made a huge number of athletes and soldiers feel better on the run, as well as helping people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. So you're not the only one feeling better thanks to these legends. DripDrop is yet to make its way to Australian pharmacy shelves but you can buy it online here. Or you know, put down the JD. Via SuperCompressor. Image: DripDrop.
By this stage, most of us have come to terms with the fact that jetting off to USA or Europe is a seriously long slog, made worse by unavoidable (sometimes long, always painful) stopovers. But that European or American trip looks set to become a whole lot more bearable, with Qantas on track with its plans to launch direct flights between the east coast and both London and New York, by 2022. Last year, the airline announced that it was exploring non-stop routes from Sydney — routes that would eclipse the company's direct flights between Perth and London, which launched in March this year. Now CEO Alan Joyce has told Bloomberg that the plan, called Project Sunrise, looks set to become a reality. The key factor is the most obvious one: planes that can handle the trip. The extra distance involved with flights from the east coast capitals to London and New York is something that none of today's planes can manage, so the airline put out a call to Airbus and Boeing, the world's biggest aircraft manufacturers, to make an aircraft that can go the distance. Joyce now says "we're now comfortable that we think we have vehicles that could do it". In numbers, the planes will need to be able to handle a 20-hour and 20-minute stint between Sydney and London (16,983 kilometres), and an 18-hour and seven-minute journey from Sydney to New York. The airline has done its homework, analysing a decade's worth of wind and weather data to confirm the routes are actually possible — but it needs the planes to fly it. Those planes could come equipped with extra facilities — such as bunks and workout spaces — to help combat the lengthy time travellers will spend in the air in one stint. And, if and when the new routes are up and running, Qantas will look at direct connections between Australia and other places around the globe, with spots in the Americas, Europe and Africa on the company's list. Right now, the world's longest direct flight clocks in at around 18 hours and 14,529 kilometres, running between Doha and Auckland on a Boeing 777-200LR. That'll change in October, when Singapore Airlines launch its Singapore-to-New York route, which spans 15,322-kilometre and takes over 19 hours. Via Bloomberg.
If there was ever a film that made you wish you could step right into its frames, it's Wet Hot American Summer. The cult hit from 2001 took a satirical look at the American coming-of-age ritual that is heading off to summer camp, complete with Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, Molly Shannon and Michael Showalter along for the fun. And, while it wasn't the biggest money earner, its enduring popularity caused Netflix to fund both a prequel and a sequel series. Now, the eager folks at Devastator Press! want to help make all of our dreams a reality. No, they're not hosting a real-life summer camp, sorry (but Brisbane's Death Valley Fun Camp is doing a pretty good job, though, and Camp Kidinyou did the same thing in Melbourne late in 2016). Instead, they're turning WHAS into a role-playing game that'll ensure film and TV fans can play along as a camper, counselor or staffer at Camp Firewood — while wearing cutoffs and drinking beer, obviously. Even if tabletop role-playing games aren't normally your thing, we're betting you'd try out Wet Hot American Summer: Fantasy Camp; it's designed for newcomers to the genre, with "more emphasis on storytelling and party game craziness". At the time of writing, the game's makers have taken to Kickstarter to crowdfund their efforts. After just four days, the campaign has made US$10,802 of its US$12,500 goal, so it's pretty likely that it'll happen. Yes, basically one of the film's biggest fans is turning his favourite flick into a game, but it has the official tick of approval, and we all get to reap the benefits. Until you can get your own copy — they're expected to begin shipping in August — spend your time thinking about playing as a can of mixed vegetables. And as for that sequel series we mentioned earlier, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later is due to drop on Netflix later this year.
In an attempt to bring back to our vocabulary some long-forgotten words, a blog called The Dead Words is using thematically appropriate typography to breathe new life into them. Curator of the project, Karen To, is attempting animate lost words which have slipped from our tongues, bringing them back into everyday language. Senticous, for example, means ‘prickly or thorny’ and is thus captured in green vine-like letters interlinked with one another. Sagittifero (suh-jit-uh-fer-oh) adj.1656 -1858; bearing arrows Celeberrimous (sel-uh-ber-ee-imuhs) adj.1768 -1768; very or most highly celebrated Bonifate(boh-nee-feyt) adj.1656 -1656; lucky; fortunate [Via Flavorwire]
These days, scrolling through miles of other people's holiday snaps is as much a part of planning that overseas jaunt as actually booking the flights. And the team at Lonely Planet have just made the whole research thing way easier thanks to their newly launched travel app, Trips. The interactive mobile platform lets users both publish their own content and perv on everyone else's, providing a simple way to discover and share travel experiences, all in the one spot. Similar to Instagram, Trips lets you upload content directly from your phone's photo library, and even bundle pics and videos together to craft stories — bringing to life your Machu Picchu adventures or that pub crawl you took through San Francisco. Creating a profile on the app allows you to follow other users, like their content and save your favourite stories, so you can keep returning to load up on inspo for your next adventure. Users can search by location or theme to discover others' trips or explore top recommendations, as curated by Lonely Planet's own team of writers and editors. Venturing into the world of apps seems a logical step for the digitally savvy travel media company, which launched a travel website long before it was cool. "We understand what the modern traveler wants and have delivered an interactive digital platform that offers an effortless, mobile-first way to document, share and discover remarkable experiences," explained Lonely Planet CEO, Daniel Houghton. Trips is currently available for free on iOS and is set to launch on Android later this year.
Strenuous physical activities and cold beer go together like, well, cold beer and a lot of stuff. That's the driving inspiration for a little celebration called Gears and Beers Festival, the brainchild of the Rotary Club of Wollundry Wagga Wagga. The annual celebration takes the best parts of racing and festivals, combining them in a joint and complete event on Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1. First is the gears. If you're up for it, you can register for one of five cycling courses. The weekend kicks off on Saturday with the 40-kilometre Wiradjuri Welcome course, designed to warm you up for the main events the following day. Sunday racers can register for the scenic ten-kilometre Strawberry Ride, the 30-kilometre road course, the gravel-heavy Sic60 60-kilometre course, the lengthy 115-kilometre course and the flagship Dirty130 130-kilometre course. All the Sunday rides are timed to have you arrive at the festival grounds at around lunchtime. If you've registered in a ride, entry is free. But non-riders can also purchase tickets to the festival separately. The festival is held in the Victory Memorial Gardens of Wagga Wagga, where you'll have a chance to recover from the ride with cold (and local) craft beers, ciders and wines — or hot local coffee and food alongside live music and sunshine with your fellow riders. Gears and Beers festival runs from Saturday, September 30 to Sunday, October 1. To register or find more information, visit the website.
I find it very pleasing to see the Brisbane City Council is embracing the diverse celebrations of different faiths at this time of year! As the Christmas tree stands tall and bright in King George Square, Reddacliff Place will become home to the giant Menorah, in recognition of the Jewish celebration of Chanukah. Chanukah is known as the festival of lights, and it observed for eight days and eight nights, and commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd century BC. Suffice to say this is a significant time in the Jewish calendar, and the celebration in Reddacliff place will commemorate this. Traditional Chanukah food such as latkes and donuts will be served and there will be live music, rides, and games for the children. Most exciting though is that the giant Menorah will be lit by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, from great heights in a cherry picker, and this will be followed by a spectacular fireworks display!
Tiny city living spaces can be frustrating at times, making entertaining or merely dining at home a challenge for urban dwellers. But Orla Reynolds' design, As If From Nowhere, may solve this problem. Reynolds has created a bookcase that stores tables and chairs. The bookcases are adjustable to fit in any area, and house four chairs and two tables (which can be placed together to make one larger table) that slide into them. This means that nothing has to be moved from the shelves when you want to use them. With a multi-functional approach to her product design, which delivers a sense of quirky playfulness, As If From Nowhere gives you both storage space and a dining set that can be easily assembled for unexpected guests.
There’s nothing like a good old Sunday barbecue. Especially if the sun is out (rare in Brisbane these days) and the beers are cold. Building on the much-loved event is the Sunday Rock-N-Roll BBQ, a live gig series with a true-blue twist. If you are after some of the best lo-fi rock, riotous punk, scuzzy noise pop or sweet melody Brisbane has to offer, look no further. This week sees dreamy, psych-surf band Tiny Migrants headline with able help from the Madisons (pictured), White Girl, and the Barbiturates. The Sunday RNR BBQ series is a great excuse to get out of the house. While you might not be outside enjoying backyard cricket, there are plenty of snags on offer, great live music to watch and the beer is cold, as always. Oh, and best of all: it’s free.
If you like your sleep, chances are you missed catching Saturday morning's eclipse, when a red hued moon and the planet Mars put on a rare show at 5.30am. Well, luckily, that wasn't the last of the celestial treats in store this week — last night saw Mars really making its presence known, as it hung out closer to Earth than it's been in 15 years. According to NASA, the red planet only travels close enough to ours for these spectacular views once or twice every 15 or 17 years. Back in 2003, it made its closest approach in almost 60,000 years, and after this week's events, it isn't expected to make its next 'close approach' until October 6, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/nasasolarsystem/photos/a.164320877917.120400.79209882917/10155603764502918/?type=3&theater If you've been skygazing over the past few days, you would have seen Mars appear brightest from July 27 to 30, as it reached the point in its orbit that puts it closest to Earth. It was on show for most of last night, sitting just 57.6 million kilometres away from us — a relative sliver compared to the 401 million kilometre distance it reaches at its farthest. You'll be able to glimpse the planet for a few more nights, though it's set to get fainter by mid-August as it continues on its orbit. To catch the Red Planet, look east. "Mars will be rising as the sun sets, and rising high and high in the eastern sky during the evening," University of Sydney astronomer Tim Bedding told The Age. "Later in the evening it will be more prominent, passing overhead at midnight." If you find yourself stuck with anther cloudy night, NASA has kindly uploaded a four-hour video of the planet's approach from the Griffith Observatory in LA. Image: NASA
Another week, another new market — the dream scenario of weekend shoppers across the city, let's be honest. This time around, Metre Market joins the fold. Fashion is their main domain, but you'll also find music, food and arts among their stalls. In fact, with giving Brisbanites an opportunity to sell their pre-loved clothes the main reason the market came to fruition, you can even get in on the action by applying for a metre or two of space. And if all you want to do is browse and buy, there's plenty of that on offer too. The first Metre Market will take place on February 7 at the Morningside School of the Arts, and promises to set quite the precedent for future events. Not only is it free, but it features pretty posies from In Bloom Flower Co., homewares by T-leaf Collections and Axsher, outfits from local labels Evangeline and Jada Blue, and creative prints by Ellamee Art and Illustration — among other stalls, of course. Just where and when they'll pop up next is yet to be announced, so heading along to their inaugural outing is highly recommended. Plus, their first Morningside site is less than a block away from the Southside Tea Room and Death Valley, should you need some pre-market sustenance or post-market beverages. Find Metre Market at the Morningside School of the Arts, on the corner Wynnum Road and Ison Street, from 9am to 2pm on February 7. For more information, check out their website or Facebook page.
Ever worried about what your fashion habit is doing to the people who make your clothing, especially the women comprising 75 percent of the fashion workforce? Well Made Clothes, an Aussie online marketplace dedicated to ethical garments, is hosting an evening dedicated to this issue, and related problems. And, to celebrate, the company has created a gender equal tote bag. The bag, which features a gender equal image, was designed by Sydney-based artist Caroline Walls. She sent her plans to Freeset, which turned it into a real life product using organic cotton and fair-trade production. Freeset is a business based in Kolkata, India, that provides employment opportunities for women saved from sex slavery. The bag is now available online and you can buy it safe in the knowledge that all profits go straight to Freeset. I believe in gender equality and so does @wellmadeclothes_ . They've been working on a project that supports just that and as part of this project I designed a gender equal tote bag which has been made by @freesetglobal, a certified organic and fair trade company which employs women saved from Kolkata's sex slavery industry. Profits for the sale of these tote bags will be be donated to Freeset to help with the creation of a building at the entrance to the red-light distract which will provide services to women trapped in the sex slave industry. You can buy these bags through @wellmadeclothes_ website.. get behind this amazing cause #genderequality A photo posted by Caroline Walls (@carolinewallsart) on Feb 6, 2017 at 10:07pm PST Plus, if you happen to be in Victoria during Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival 2017, you can get along to Well Made Clothes' event, which is titled Good Evening: How Fashion Can Empower Women. To happen at Sunmoth, Melbourne, on Thursday, March 2, it'll involve cocktails by 42Below, canapés and a panel discussion featuring fashion journo Clare Press, Ethical Clothing Australia's Sigrid McCarthy, Kuwaii's Kristy Barber and Freeset's Jeff Ward. Just some of the issues up for debate are fair working conditions, media representations of women, designing for all bodies and ethical production. Tickets, available online, include entry and a complimentary tote bag. Book before February 12 to score earlybird prices.
When it comes to tipping buskers, 'no cash' will no longer be a problem, thanks to a new tap-and-go payment system being trialled by performers across the city. As reported by the Age, the pilot scheme, which is being headed up by online payment company Alipay, will see 20 City of Melbourne-licensed buskers issued with portable payment devices. They'll each get to set a certain small donation amount — of $2 or more — which passersby can then pay with a simple tap of their card. Customers will be able to tip extra with a few more taps of their plastic, and the system can also be used to buy merchandise. Buskers will only be hit with a small one-percent per-transaction free for using the system. No more digging in your pockets for coins, or feeling sheepish when you come up empty handed. Visitors from China, where Alipay originated, will also be able to pay via their smartphones, with the use of QR technology. The trial is expected to run for the next four to six weeks and could be rolled out across other cities if successful. Via theage.com.au
With its "funny Broadchurch" premise, Deadloch gave murder-mysteries The Kates treatment. In its first season, the Australian hit served up both crime drama and comedy, as well as a whip-smart subversion of the usual tales about detectives investigating a spate of killings, in one of the best new TV shows of 2023. No one familiar with Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan's past work could've expected anything different — and the pair delivered, so much so that a second season is on its way. Those prior shows? Before the pair got satirical with whodunnits — while also making a stellar whoddunit — McCartney and McLennan gave television cooking programs a spin, then morning TV. The Katering Show and Get Krack!n were the end results, and both remain as hilarious now as they each did when they debuted, as you can now see on The Kates' YouTube channel. Viewers have been able to enjoy The Katering Show online for years, but season one of Get Krack!n has just joined it. If you're still trying to fill the Deadloch-shaped hole in your viewing until more episodes arrive, this is the solution — whether or not you've already seen the hit series, which spoofs breakfast television in sharp and side-splitting fashion. While they didn't appear on-screen in Deadloch, McCartney and McLennan are front and centre in Get Krack!n as the titular show's hosts. For company, everyone from Sam Neill (Apples Never Fall), Hannah Gadsby (Sex Education), Miranda Tapsell (The Artful Dodger), Deborah Mailman (Last Days of the Space Age) and Aunty Donna (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe) to Adam Briggs (Boy Swallows Universe), Celia Pacquola (Utopia), Nakkiah Lui (Preppers), Charlotte Nicdao (Mythic Quest) and Michelle Lim-Davidson (The Newsreader) pop up. "We can't wait to bring our topical, satirical satire Get Krack!n to the world. We think it will be just as relevant to audiences now as it was the day it was filmed ... seven years ago," said The Kates. The Northern Territory-set second season of Deadloch is shooting now, with Kate Box (Boy Swallows Universe), Madeleine Sami (Our Flag Means Death), Nina Oyama (Utopia) and Alicia Gardiner (The Clearing) all returning from season one. New to the series this time around: Luke Hemsworth (Next Goal Wins), Steve Bisley (Human Error), Shari Sebbens (The Moogai) and plenty more. Check out the first season-one episode of Get Krack!n below — and the entire season via The Kates' YouTube channel: Get Krack!n is available to stream via The Kates' YouTube channel.
Australia's undying affection for Bill Murray has been shown through film tributes the country over — at Sydney's Golden Age Cinema, Brisbane's Catchment Brewing Co. and, most recently, Melbourne's Howler — but now the man himself is set to visit the country. It was announced this morning that the actor, comedian and all-round good guy will tour the country in November this year. But he won't be emulating Peter Venkman or Carl Spackler or even Steve Zissou — he'll be performing classical spoken and musical works alongside distinguished German–American cellist Jan Vogler. The show's called New Worlds, which comes from an album of the same name the pair released last year. In it, Murray takes a different turn to how you my have seen him on-screen — he performs vocals to classic American music, and excerpts from American greats like Mark Twain, Walt Whitman and Ernest Hemingway. This will be accompanied by classical scores (think Bach, Schubert and Ravel) by Vogel and his ensemble. The show has so far toured the US and will head to Europe for a few shows in June before making its way to our shores at the end of the year. Here's where it will be heading. NEW WORLDS 2018 TOUR Wednesday, November 7 — Riverside Theatre, Perth Friday, November 9 and Saturday, November 10— Sydney Opera House, Sydney Friday, November 16 — QPAC, Brisbane Saturday, November 17 — Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne New World will tour Australia from November 7–17, 2018. $99.90 and go on pre-sale at 9am on Wednesday, February 14, then the general public at 9am on Monday, February 19. Find more info here. Image: Peter Rigaud.
This past year has been one of the toughest for big music festivals. With the cancellation of Future Music, Soundwave and Stereosonic, it seemed like big festivals couldn't catch a break. So it comes as somewhat of a surprise that The Falls Music & Arts Festival this morning announced they're expanding their much-loved New Year's Eve musical romp, adding Fremantle to the Australian festival's touring schedule this summer. Here's the second surprise though: this new Western Australian incarnation of Falls (named Falls Downtown) isn't going to be held in the standard east coast format. Firstly, it won't be held over New Year's. And while Falls has always famously run the festival simultaneously in the three cities — Lorne, Marion Bay and Byron — the two-day Freo fest is slated to take place over the weekend of January 7-8. The second point of difference (as you may have noticed) is the location. It's in the city. Instead of setting up in a rural festival site, Falls Downtown will take over streets and "forgotten" buildings a short walk from the Fremantle beachfront. That means this won't be a camping situation (sorry, folks), but makes it more akin to inner-city festivals Laneway and Sugar Mountain. While the lineup for this year's Falls is still under wraps, they've got us pretty pumped about the location alone. The main stage will be set up in Freo's town square, while an old-world ballroom and a stone-walled church will house the smaller ones. They'll also be taking over the abandoned Myer building, turning it into a creepy crib for art installations, "unexpected performance areas", markets and "bunkered basement danceterias". There'll even be a small number of glamping tents on the roof. It sounds similar to some of Melbourne Music Week's activations of abandoned spaces, and it sounds insane. It's another win for Falls, who sell out their Lorne event basically every year. Since its inception in Lorne back in 1993, the festival has grown to span three cities, which include the original site on the Great Ocean Road, Marion Bay in Tassie and, since 2013, Byron Bay. There's no word on how much tickets will cost, when they go on sale or who'll be playing at the festival — yet. We're expecting that to come in the next month or two. Falls Downtown is happening in Fremantle on January 7 and 8. To keep updated lineup and ticket announcements, check their Facebook page.
Whenever the words "we made a terrible mistake" are uttered in a movie, nothing good can follow. When they're said early in the just-dropped new trailer for Jurassic World Dominion, they simply state the obvious — because having dinosaurs rampaging around the globe was always going to result in chaos. Yes, the franchise started back in 1993, with director Steven Spielberg adapting Michael Crichton's novel of the same name to box office glory, is returning for its sixth film — the third entry in its second trilogy, in fact. The initial mega-hit flick spawned sequels in 1997 and 2001, which then led to the Jurassic World saga — aka 2015's Jurassic World, 2018's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and now 2022's Jurassic World Dominion — because humanity just won't stop messing with ancient predators. Where the initial Dominion trailer back in February went heavy on two things — stressing that the movie will wrap up the story for now, and also reuniting OG cast members Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern and Sam Neill — this new sneak peek emphasises the enormous stakes. If you've always wanted to hear Goldblum chat about genetic power being unleashed and doomsday clocks running out of time, and also sounding as wryly bewildered as he can while asking Chris Pratt why he made a promise to a dinosaur, you're in luck: they're all accounted for. Also looming large over the new trailer: "the biggest carnivore the world has ever seen", as Neill's paleontologist Alan Grant explains, because Dominion is going big with its terrifying creatures. Or, as Goldblum's mathematician Dr Ian Malcolm would put it — although he doesn't in the clips so far — "life... finds a way". Directed by Colin Trevorrow, who also helmed the first Jurassic World film, Dominion jumps back into this dino-filled vision of earth four years after the last flick — which saw Isla Nublar destroyed. The franchise's pivotal critters now live alongside humans, which is obviously a tenuous, tense and terrifying situation. Understandably, co-existing with dinosaurs threatens life as everyone knows it, not to mention humanity's future. Chris Pratt (The Tomorrow War) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Rocketman) return for Dominion, after starring in the past two Jurassic World movies. Also featuring: DeWanda Wise (The Harder They Fall), Emmy nominee Mamoudou Athie (Archive 81), Dichen Lachman (Animal Kingdom), Scott Haze (Minari) and Campbell Scott (The Amazing Spider-Man 2), plus returning cast members BD Wong (another original Jurassic Park star, and part of all three Jurassic World films), Justice Smith (Pokemon: Detective Pikachu), Daniella Pineda (Cowboy Bebop) and Omar Sy (Lupin). Movie-goers will be able to see how this whole humans-and-dinosaurs mayhem all pans out in full when Dominion hits cinemas Down Under on June 9. It'll arrive in what's shaping up to be a big month or so for on-screen dinos, after the unrelated documentary series Prehistoric Planet — narrated by David Attenborough, brother to original Jurassic Park franchise star Richard Attenborough — hits streaming in late May. Check out the trailer for Jurassic World Dominion below: Jurassic World Dominion releases in cinemas Down Under on June 9, 2022.
A soon-to-be-released app is promising a brand new superpower: reading at the speed of light. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it is posing some rather extraordinary possibilities – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 77 minutes, War and Peace in ten hours and Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time (all 3 million words) in two days and twelve hours. You might assume that Spritz, as it’s named, would deliver such miracles via watered-down, abridged versions of the classics. But that's not the case. The user still reads every single word — just at a much faster pace than most of us thought was possible. But how? Rather than presenting books in the page-by-page format that we’ve come to accept as gospel, Spritz delivers them one word at a time. The average university student reads at a pace of about 200-400 words per minute, but with the app (and some practice), this can bump up to 500 or even 1,000. Check it: That was 250wpm. Think you can do 350wpm? 500wpm is below. If you're not dealing, look away for a while; you may find your brain adapts scary-fast. Its success depends on the existence of an 'Optimal Recognition Point' (ORP), also known as a 'fixation point', which is found just to the left of the middle of any word. When we read, we unconsciously jump from one of these to another. So Spritz gives us a speed injection by highlighting ORPs in red. This trick differentiates the app from previous speed-reading tools that have utilised the one-word-at-a-time format, such as Velocity and Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP). Spritz is bound for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Samsung Gear 2 watch. It's been in development for three years and, now that it’s ready for take-off, its creators are looking for developers, technicians and database experts. If you’ve been looking for a reason to move to Utah, here’s your chance. Via Huffington Post.
All those positive little jerks like the OK sign, peace sign and thumbs up are about to have a pesky new emoji neighbour — Microsoft has added a middle finger to your array of textual gestures, as announced by Emojipedia (it's a thing). Scheduled for released mid-2015 and only available in the latest update to Microsoft's upcoming operating system, Windows 10, the middle finger emoji has been long awaited by flirty teens, Twitter trolls and the rest of us angry, angry folk for years. But not all platforms are on board with flipping the bird, with most keeping to the more polite high-five signs in the arsenal. Looks like Microsoft users will be the only customers able to tell each other to fuck off with a middle finger which honestly looks like an appendage meets... an apple. Figures. The emoji isn't technically new either; according to Quartz it was added by the Unicode Consortium (the not-for-profit organisation responsible for keeping certain standards' in software, emojis included) last year. But then it's up to the individual companies behind the smartphone in your hot little hand (Apple, Google) and also social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to allow the emoji to show up. Apple and Google recently updated their emojis (with Apple especially making headlines for racially diversifying its range) but both left the bird out of it. No fun. Via Quartz.
Imagine if beach party preparations were as easy as pushing a button. Well with the new folding recreational island, they just might be. Originally designed as a luxury yachting accessory, the Recreational Island may either be docked at the back of a yacht, or stabilised in the water by four anchors. The island unfolds using a pressurised hydraulic system, measures 10 by 8 meters when opened, and can be easily stowed in a ship's garage when out of use. Designed by Henry Ward and currently under development by BMT Nigel Gee, the island may also be suitable for purposes other than swimming and dining. Concepts in the works include use as a rental room for hotels, an emergency helicopter landing platform and close-up seating for water sport judges. [via Designboom]
Between the inaugural So Pop festival, drawing names like Vengaboys, Aqua and Lou Bega, and RNB Vine Days, headlined by the likes of Nelly and Craig David, the list of international music heroes hitting Aussie stages this summer is already huge. And it's about to get even heftier with the news that the world's biggest hip hop festival Rolling Loud is set to make its southern hemisphere debut next January. While the initial announcement didn't include any specifics on exactly who would be coming out for the event, the official lineup has just dropped. Leading the charge is hip hop singer and producer Future, who will head back Down Under just a year after his set at Sydney City Limits. He'll be joined by 'Rack City' rapper and collaborator Tyga, alongside Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Smokepurpp and Manu Crook$. No female artists have been announced yet. This will all go down over one day at Sydney Showgrounds on Sunday, January 27. Rolling Loud started in Miami in 2015 and has since expanded to Los Angeles and San Francisco, pulling crowds of up to 135,000 earlier this year. Past events have seen names like Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, A$AP Rocky, Future, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, Post Malone, Migos and Lil Uzi Vert all grace the festival's stage — something to keep in mind as more acts are expected to be announced. For Rolling Loud's first Australian foray, young founders Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif are teaming up with local production and events company HSU Events, who has previously brought us big international headliners for the likes of Midnight Mafia and Knockout Circuz. This festival regularly sells out overseas so you should probably think about getting tickets quick smart. ROLLING LOUD 2019 LINEUP Future Lil Uzi Vert Playboi Carti Tyga Smokepurpp Manu Crook$ Plus, more to be announced. Rolling Loud's Aussie debut will take over Sydney Showgrounds, Olympic Park, on January 27. You can sign up now for exclusive pre-sale access from 10am Thursday, November 15, otherwise general tickets will go on sale for $179 (plus booking fee) at 10am this Friday, November 16. Image: Sergio Montoya.
When you're a kid, there's little that's more exciting than hopping into an inflatable pool in your backyard on a toasty summer day. When you're an adult, you've realised that filling a children's pool with ice makes a great esky — especially those clamshell setups — and you might think that your days of splashing around in a piece of vinyl are well behind you. No one is ever too old to cool down in a blow-up pool, though, so new Melbourne-based company Pool Buoy has made a range of inflatable numbers that look far more stylish than whatever plastic thing you had when you were a kid. Accordingly, they're designed for all ages — and, because they're made from non-toxic, heavyweight vinyl that's BPA, phthalate and lead-free, they're also environmentally friendly. Five styles currently sit in Pool Buoy's catalogue, so you can choose one that suits your mood, personality or outdoor decor. Or, just one that you'd like to escape the heat in — with a drink in your hand, with your pooch or with your mates. They all look the same in terms of shape and structure, but one comes in a flamingo pink hue with big orange splotches, and two different versions resemble terrazzo. There's also a peach number with a grid print, plus a design that things simple via a black squiggle across a white background. Whichever version takes your fancy, Pool Buoy's cute pools measure 165 centimetres in diameter and 35 centimetres high, and can fit two or three adults. They'll set you back $149 each — and, to inflate them, you can also buy a pump for $39. Because leaks happen, each pool also comes with a complimentary repair kit, and Pool Buoy will provide you with another one if you need to patch things up more than once. For more information about Pool Buoy's range — or to buy one of its pools — head to the company's website.
Here's one of the greatest double features that you can stream right now: Emma Stone and Greek Weird Wave director Yorgos Lanthimos teaming up on 2018's ace The Favourite, then the duo working their combined magic again in 2023's Poor Things. The best film of last year is still screening in picture palaces; however, it's also hitting Disney+ on Thursday, March 7 so that you can soak up its delights at home. If you're wondering why this riff on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is dancing like it's never danced before into your streaming queue right now, you have the Oscars to thank. Hollywood's night of nights takes place on Monday, March 11 Down Under, with Poor Things collecting 11 nominations — coming second only to Oppenheimer. So, you can either rewatch or finally catch up with the awards contender, which is up for the big gongs such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Stone and Best Supporting Actor for Mark Ruffalo. Poor Things is also in the running for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score and Best Production Design. Even if it doesn't emerge victorious in all or even most fields, it's going to get plenty of attention at the Oscars whenever these categories come up. Poor Things doesn't actually use the f-word — Frankenstein, that is — but Stone is clearly playing a version of Frankenstein's monster. The film adapts Alasdair Grey's 1992 award-winning novel, with the parallels with Shelley's mother-of-all horror greats as obvious as a bolt of lightning. The focus: Bella Baxter, a woman resurrected by an unorthodox scientist, distinctive in her mannerisms afterwards and eager to learn about a world that isn't quite sure how to react. Continuing the movie's top-notch casting — and Lanthimos' in general, as seen in everything from Dogtooth and Alps to The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer as well — Poor Things boasts Willem Dafoe (Asteroid City) as the tinkering Dr Godwin Baxter; Ruffalo (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) as Duncan Wedderburn, a slick lawyer that Bella runs off with; and also Ramy's Ramy Youssef, plus On the Count of Three co-stars Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott. It features just one of Stone's two stunning 2023 performances, too, with the end of the year seeing her turn in exceptional work in both this and TV's The Curse. She'd been away from the screen for a short stint beforehand; Cruella released in 2021, and only The Croods: A New Age, Zombieland: Double Tap and TV's Maniac also sat on her resume after The Favourite. Check out the full trailer for Poor Things below: Poor Things is still showing in cinemas, and streams via Disney+ from Thursday, March 7. Read our review. Images: courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
Watch a Mark Wahlberg-starring movie, tuck into a burg from Wahlberg's burger chain Wahlburgers, get the words 'burger' and 'Wahlberg' stuck in your head for days: that's about to be on the menu on the Gold Coast. After first announcing plans to open Down Under back in 2021, and then launching its first Aussie store in Sydney at the beginning of 2022, Wahlburgers is heading to the Sunshine State — to Surfers Paradise, to be exact. Yes, southeast Queenslanders, it's time to pair a burger with some Sunkist by the beach. Because there's a reality TV show for everything, you probably heard of the chain before it made its way Down Under, all thanks to the 2014–9 series Wahlburgers — which turned its lens on the burger joints owned by the actor formerly known as Marky Mark and his brothers. In the near future, with an exact opening date still be to be revealed, you'll also be able to eat the Wahlburgers' fast-food fare from the Paradise Centre, rather than just watch a show about it. Wahlburgers will make its home in the Surfers Paradise spot's new beachfront dining precinct, which has just undergone a $40-million revamp — and the burg-slinging brand won't be short on company. Axe-throwing bar Maniax has already set up shop there, as has El Camino Cantina and Gelato Messina. Also at a yet-to-be-revealed date sometime soon, so will TGI Fridays. On the menu when Wahlburgers' Paradise Centre eatery starts welcoming in diners, in the chain's first-ever Queensland store: burgers, obviously, including a meat-free Impossible burg that's been dubbed 'Mark's choice', plus a barbecue bacon burger that bears his fellow actor brother (and ex-New Kids on the Block member) Donnie's tick of approval. There are 13 burg options to choose from in total, with two types of chicken schnitzel burger, a crispy fish option, and a truffle burger — which pairs a beef patty with truffle aioli — also available. Or, you can opt for salads, sides that span everything from French fries and sweet potato fries to onion rings and bacon mac 'n' cheese, and loaded versions of your favourite fries and potato gems. There's also a breakfast menu, complete with avocado on toast, granola, pancake stacks, breakfast burgers and French toast sticks. And, for dessert, get ready for fried dough — yes, that's what the menu says. To answer the most important question, at least if you happen to remember that Mark Wahlberg was in the music business before he started acting and, as part of his hip hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, he released the 1991 single 'Good Vibrations': yes, Wahlburgers serves Sunkist, as referenced in that track's lyrics. Drinks-wise, there's also other soft drinks, coffees, shakes and spiders in both boozy and booze-free varieties, 17 types of cocktails, a small wine list, and beers that include Wahlbrewskis, the chain's signature beer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wahlburgers Australia (@wahlburgersau) If the Wahlberg name has you thinking about movies — with Mark starring in everything from Boogie Nights to Uncharted, and co-owner Donnie also featuring in The Sixth Sense and the Saw franchise — then that won't change with Wahlburgers' Aussie venture. In fact, the chain's entire venture Down Under is a collaboration with United Cinemas, and some of the former's sites will be located within the latter's picture palaces. Wahlburgers' Aussie locations join more than 50 stores in the US, Canada and Germany. Folks in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane can all look forward to munching on the brand's bites to eat, too — and in New Zealand as well — with the brand expected to launch 20 stores across Australia and NZ. Wahlburgers is also co-owned by chef Paul Wahlberg — another Wahlberg sibling — and, given its name, the chain unsurprisingly decks out its sites with photos and memorabilia from the brothers' lives. Wahlburgers will open in the Paradise Centre, 2 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise, at a future date — we'll update you with exact details when they're announced, and you can keep an eye on the chain's website and Facebook page in the interim. Top image: Michael Rivera via Wikimedia Commons.
In 2022, two big fantasy shows, both part of existing hit franchises, arrived in short succession. First came Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon. Then, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power jumped into Middle-earth's history. In 2024, the pair are each returning, both in winter. And in the lead up, they've each dropped trailers on the same day. House of the Dragon's new sneak peek at its second season is the latest of several. For The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, however, this is the first glimpse at the show's next batch of episodes. The latter has also revealed its comeback date: Thursday, August 29, 2024, which is when Prime Video will take the elves, dwarves, orcs, wizards and harfoots to your streaming queue again. Set in the fantasy realm conjured by up JRR Tolkien — as The Hobbit movie adaptations and OG live-action Lord of the Rings films were — and telling a tale in Middle-earth's Second Age, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power boasts familiar names among its key figures. In season one, a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) had a mission to hunt the enemy, after her brother gave his life doing the same. She saw fighting for fate and destiny as the work as something greater. A young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man) was part of that journey, and the big bad who needed staving off was Sauron (Charlie Vickers, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart). With the show charting how the rings were forged, Sauron's rise and the impact across Middle-earth, season two brings the latter back after he was cast out by Galadriel. So, it's a battle between good and ascending evil, then, as the Dark Lord keeps pushing his shadowy influence — and sporting a different appearance. Also, more rings will be created. Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur , Coffee Wars), Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) and Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards, Under the Vines) are among the returning characters on the Prime Video hit, which was unsurprisingly huge when season one debut, attracting more than 100-million viewers. The platform first announced the show back in 2017, then gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 — so if it feels like this series has been hovering around for several ages even though it only has one season so far, that's why. If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial emergence and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. The Rings of Power remains separate to the big-screen Lord of the Rings revival that was first announced in 2023 and now has new movie Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum in the works. If you're a LoTR fan, there's no such thing as too much for this franchise, though — like breakfast for hobbits. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two will be available to stream via Prime Video from Thursday, August 29, 2024. Read our review of season one.
Rumour has it, Prince is set to announce a nationwide tour in Australia for later this year. With two international superstars down under - that’s The Artist Formerly Known As (or, did he move on from that one already?) and the Lady herself - Concrete Playground is here to help consider your chances of actually getting to see them performing live. And, just for fun, seeing which of the two will leave the biggest impression. Ding ding! Round One: getting a ticket The odds are pretty slim for getting a ticket for Gaga now. If you’ve only just found out she’s touring, you’re already too late. Her ‘Born This Way Ball’ tour was an instant sell-out, even with the additional shows announced earlier this month. Unless you already have a ticket, fancy creating a flash mob of ‘Monsters’ to convince the promoters to stick on a few extra dates, or you don’t mind risking other (illegal/stupid/unlikely) methods of getting into an arena, you’re better off flexing your index finger ready for the online ticket-booking mayhem once dates are confirmed for Prince. His Australia tour will be announced this week. Round Two: who are you going to tell your grandkids about? One is a flamboyant singer-songwriter, known for their unconventional performances, controversial fashion style, and a larger-than-life stage persona. And the other... well, you get the picture. There have been comparisons before, even ones that delve deep into the penis/no-penis debate - for both musicians. But what we want to know, is which one will still make the ‘When I was a young hipster...’ bedtime stories that you’ll still be bragging about when you’re 80? Will it be Telephone Head? Or Raspberry Beret? Round Three: who will deliver the KO (gig)? Purple Rain, Kiss, U Got the Look, 1999... it’s likely that you can expect them all from the legendary 53-year-old singer who’s had decades to perfect his shows. Last year, Prince’s US tour, at which tickets sold for as little as US$25, was a beginning-to-end greatest hits mega show. Gaga’s worldwide ‘Monster Ball Tour’, on the other hand, was the highest grossing tour of all time - so, it’s fair to say she knows what she’s doing by now. But, after all that, we have to draw you back to the facts. Lady Gaga is coming, she’ll be here in June with zillions of supporters and, probably an amazing show. And Prince is coming (finger’s crossed), and - now that you’re prepared, you may actually get your hands on a ticket or two. So, we say, let Gaga have her Monsters - we’ll be rockin’ out with Prince.
2017 is proving to be a huge year for fans of horror master Stephen King. It has been creeping out coulrophobics and creeping its way to box office glory, The Dark Tower finally made it to the screen (even if it didn't come anywhere near close to doing the source material justice), and new TV series based on The Mist, Castle Rock and Mr. Mercedes have either premiered in the US, or are slated to later this year. There's even yet another Children of the Corn sequel — the tenth film in the series — headed straight to DVD. Add to that Netflix's new flick, 1922. It's the first movie adaptation of King's novella of the same name from his 2010 collection Full Dark, No Stars. Starring King veteran Thomas Jane, who also featured in the film version of The Mist as well as the terrible Dreamcatcher, it tells the tale of a Nebraska farmer unhappy with his wife's (Molly Parker) desire to move to the city. Things get gruesome and then also spooky, in a movie scripted and directed by Australian These Final Hours filmmaker Zak Hilditch. 1922 premiered at Fantastic Fest in the US overnight, and will pop up on Netflix on October 20. In the interim, the streaming platform has dropped a trailer for the suitably moody effort. Check it out below — and if you need something else to scratch your King-loving itch while you wait for the complete movie, they're also releasing the psychological horror effort Gerald's Game, based on the author's 1992 novel, on September 29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E_fT0aTsjI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twbGU2CqqQU
Apple is still set to call Melbourne's Federation Square home — and, after first announcing its new store late last year, then being asked to rethink the building's design due to considerable community backlash, the international technology behemoth has unveiled its latest plans. Gone is the pagoda-style structure that was first revealed in 2017, with the new Apple Global Flagship Store now a two-level rectangular-shaped building heavy on glass, mesh and white surfaces. From above, you could even say it looks like one of the brand's products. The new design, which has been formally submitted to Victoria's Minister for Planning for consideration, is the result of a series of workshops focusing on refining the original concept drawings. It now includes a publicly accessible second-floor balcony and outdoor shading, as well as the already-slated 500-square-metres of new public space, the Victorian Government announced. It's also designed to help Federation Square better connect to the Yarra River, opening up space for more cultural events. Apple itself will hold a daily program of free sessions, called Today at Apple, that'll feature local creatives hosting workshops and other tech, design, art and education activities. In the sustainability stakes, the new roof is capable of using solar power, plus new solar shading will improve the energy efficiency of the building. And while it definitely looks less like a Pizza Hut, it will still replace the existing Yarra Building — which will be torn down to make way for the Apple store — and displace the Koorie Heritage Trust in the process. It'll also still see public land sold off to a commercial retailer. The proposed site will be much bigger than Apple's other Melbourne stores, and stand alongside only four other flagship stores around the globe. If it gets the final go-ahead, construction is expected to start in 2019 for a late-2020 opening — forming part of the Victorian Government's revamp of Fed Square, which also includes a new LED big screen, a $36.6 million upgrade of ACMI and a new Melbourne Metro train station.
The Shins have announced two tour dates in Sydney and Melbourne for July 2012. The Portland-based band will be performing at Splendour In the Grass, plus they’ll be headlining a gig at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on July 25. Currently touring the US to celebrate the release of their fourth album Port of Morrow, The Shins will be supported by special guests Husky when they play at the Hordern, as well as at Festival Hall in Melbourne on July 23. Tickets go on sale here at 11am on Monday, April 30.
Not one to miss a party, Gelato Messina is joining this winter's black fungus craze by rolling out a country-wide truffle service. Launching across its Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane stores on Monday, July 1, it'll cost just $6 extra. For that six bucks, you can get a full three grams of the fancy fungi freshly grated onto any and all gelato flavours. Choose from classic flavour combinations like dulce de leche, salted caramel, hazelnut and chocolate — or add truffle to one of the more out-there combos. Truffled blood orange, pear and rhubarb gelato? Check. Rum and raisin topped with this decadent fungus? Sure. Fairy bread and truffle gelato? Why not. And, if you missed out on this year's fully sold out truffle degustations, this is a good budget way to still get your fix — the Messina way, of course. The truffle special will be available in limited stores and only while supplies last. Gelato Messina's truffle service will be available from July 1 at Messina in Melbourne's Fitzroy, Brisbane's Fortitude Valley and Circular Quay, Rosebery and Darlinghurst in Sydney. For other places to hunt down decadent treats this winter, check out our truffle guides for Sydney and Melbourne.
A giant gumball machine that you can climb inside. An igloo made of doughnuts. An adult-sized ballpit in bubblegum-pink hues. A mini-cinema dedicated to sweet-themed movies. Throw in a free ice cream, sweets and snacks; a dedicated fairy floss room with its own swing; and the ability to jump out of a giant birthday cake — and Melbourne's new pop-up dessert museum sounds like the kind of place Willy Wonka might own. Called Sugar Republic, it's actually a short-term exhibition on Smith Street in Fitzroy, bringing eight weeks of sugary delights to folks with a sweet tooth. Running until August 17, the pop-up features 14 spaces designed to immerse the senses in all things chocolate, confectionery and dessert-oriented. When you're not making yourself a soft serve and showering it in sprinkles, you'll be spinning a wheel o' treats. Other highlights include a sherbet-filled rainbow bridge, a forest of giant bananas, an interactive sprinkles wall, a neon art wall and other dessert-centric art, including a giant Bubble O' Bill sculpture. And it wouldn't be a celebration of all things sweet without a huge lolly store, of course. As for the location, Sugar Republic's site was once the MacRobertson's confectionery factory — aka the brand originally behind the Freddo frog and Cherry Ripe. The last room in the space pays tribute to the company's founder, Sir Macpherson Robertson, adding a dose of history to the sugar rush. Basically, if you missed out on visiting New York's Museum of Ice Cream back in 2016, this is Australia's equivalent. Typically these kind of places are designed to be as photogenic as possible, so expect plenty of pics to clog your Instagram feed. If you're keen to take some of your own, tickets cost $35 for adults, which includes free lollies, treats and ice cream over your 90-minute stay. Find Sugar Republic at 377 Smith Street, Fitzroy until August 17. For more information, visit the museum's website.
Nothing has quite transformed the 'crowd funding' story like Kickstarter — and it seems they have just cryptically announced their arrival in New Zealand and Australia. "Kickstarter will open up to Australia — and New Zealand-based projects in the very near future," it says on their website. "Tell us what kind of project you're interested in launching, and we'll make sure you're the first to know when everything's ready." While not providing a wealth of detail, it indicates the imminent arrival of this global innovator, responsible for a wave of projects including; films, music, stage shows, comics, journalism and video games, funded entirely by donations from members of the public. Driven largely by the viral nature of the internet, Kickstarter allows those with an idea to connect with vast numbers of potential donors — pitching their topline concept to the world and receiving small (or large) amounts of financial support for varying promised degrees of return on investment — or none at all. A few recent-ish examples include Rob Thomas's Veronica Mars movie, or a film in the works by Zach Braff of Scrubs fame. Either way, given our relatively successful technology and film development market, we imagine there's more than a few mobile app, film or other assorted projects and people that will jump on board with creative concepts — ideally giving us another reason to brag overseas about our standing on the global stage.
Because every big event needs an alternative, Riverlife has come up with the thing you're to go to when you're not going to the Ekka. Their Winterfest is a riverside chillout session at Kangaroo Point, where relaxing in the sun is the main affair. Every ticket includes a winter warmer meal complete with freshly made waffles and a hot chocolate rum, i.e. the perfect food and drink for the season. If you're feeling a little cool — well, Brisbane-level cold — while you're browsing the markets and watching Gee'd Up provide live entertainment, you won't be shivering for long, as blankets and heaters will even be provided.
It's that time of year again. The temperature's rising, festivals are coming up left right and centre - and it's hard enough choosing which festival to attend, let alone which event to go to when you get there. In a generous gesture, The Courier-Mail once again have made your life that much easier by providing their epic Spiegeltent (spiegel=mirror in German, FYI). It's here for three weeks during the 15th Annual Brisbane Festival, and is a Belgian-esque, cabaret club-inspired, fantasy dome. The favourite venue of the Festival will take residency in King George Square for 22 days and nights and has a packed line up: with stand-up comedy, indie rock, soul, jazz and reggae on the bill. The first night is set to go off with a bang as Clairy Brown and The Bangin' Rackettes + Sweet Jelly Roll DJs will be rocking 60s style all through the night. Other guests sharing the love in the ol' Spiegz are Kimbra, Emma Louise, Andy Bull, Josh Thomas and Sam Simmons, just to name a few. Also in attendance will be Lior, comedy trio Tripod, and Syl Johnson (who's currently in a copyright battle with Kanye and Jay-Z). Who knows what sort of wonderful shenanigans you will get up to within the almighty Spiegeltent? Enter through the velvet curtain and be immersed in a wonderland of heart and soul, whilst sipping on a quiet few and indulging in a showcase like no other.
This week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the country could start relaxing some COVID-19 restrictions as early as mid-May, if certain conditions were met. But, according to one public health expert, festivals and big concerts could be off the cards until late 2021. In an interview with The New York Times Magazine in which five experts discussed what the reopening of America could look like, Dr Ezekiel Emanuel, vice provost for global initiatives and chair of the department of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said he thinks larger gatherings "will be the last to return". "Larger gatherings — conferences, concerts, sporting events — when people say they're going to reschedule this conference or graduation event for October 2020, I have no idea how they think that's a plausible possibility," Emanuel said. "I think those things will be the last to return. Realistically we're talking fall 2021 at the earliest." This doesn't bode well for Californian festival Coachella, which has rescheduled for early October 2020. While the US has so far reported a total of 632,548 cases compared to Australia's 6468, it could still mean mass-gathering restrictions may not be lifted in time for the 2020 festival season Down Under. Australia's ban on non-essential mass gatherings of over 500 people was one of the first restrictions implemented — way back on March 13, 2020 — so could, if we're to work backwards, be one of the last lifted. [caption id="attachment_636279" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bec Taylor[/caption] Splendour in the Grass, which was meant to take place this July, is currently hoping to go ahead on October 23–25. Canberra's Spilt Milk, NSW's Lost Paradise, Vic's Meredith and Falls Festival all usually take place in November and December, too. And, even if Australia's mass-gatherings ban is lifted in time, festivals could be impacted by headliners not being able to enter the country, with Australia's borders currently closed. Splendour, for example, is set to host headliners The Strokes (US) and Tyler, The Creator (US). If festivals are impacted by COVID-19, it'll be the third year running in which the season has been marred. In early 2019, some NSW festivals were forced to cancel due to costs associated with the State Government's strict festival licensing regime, then, this summer, festivals — including Falls, Lost Paradise and Rainbow Serpent — were stopped by the country's devastating bushfires. Top image: Bluesfest by Andy Fraser
From Wednesday, July 25 to Sunday, August 4, there's one surefire way to work up an appetite — just head to South Bank's Cultural Forecourt, peruse the hawker-style array of stalls slinging all manner of food and listen to your stomach grumble. Yes, the Night Noodle Markets are back for a fifth annual round of culinary deliciousness, all as part of this year's Good Food Month. Yes, they're guaranteed to make you hungry. In 2019, there will be 25 stalls to choose from, plus heaps of pop-up bars and the kind of bustling vibe that comes with a massive food gathering. As for what you'll be feasting on, expect tasty treats from the likes of Chu the Phat, Hoy Pinoy, Waffleland, Puffle, Donburi Station, Bangkok Street Food, Bao Brothers, Little Kyoto, Okonomiyaking, Gelato Messina and more. While Messina is busting out a Filipino-inspired menu, other highlights across the board include Malaysian and Indian-style paella, Japanese octopus dumplings, Korean barbecue tacos, cheeseburger puffles, and waffle sticks with peanut butter, ice cream, bananas, pretzels and caramel. Make sure to work up an appetite beforehand and be prepared to roll yourself on home.
Disney's latest live-action remake will have you believing that elephants can fly — and, if the just-dropped trailer is anything to go by, it'll have you turning on the waterworks as well. The words "from the imagination of Tim Burton" mightn't elicit as much excitement as they once used to; however Dumbo could just be the film to change that. Based on the 1941 animated effort — which was only Disney's fourth-ever feature — the movie once again tells the tale of a pachyderm who is ridiculed for his oversized ears, but can also use them as makeshift wings. Expanding upon the original story, which was itself based on a tale written for a toy book, Dumbo follows circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito), as well as his former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins). The Farrier family care for the young elephant — but, after entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton) takes an interest, they discover the darker side of life in the arena. Eva Green also features as a French trapeze artist and Alan Arkin as a tycoon, although the real star looks to be the movie's CGI. With Disney enthusiastically adapting their animated hits to live-action versions, Dumbo follows in the footsteps of Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book, with The Lion King and Aladdin also on the way. Prepare to get teary over the gorgeous trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NiYVoqBt-8 Dumbo releases in Australian cinemas on March 28, 2019.
Possibly the world's most beautifully located bookstore, can now be found in the form of Buenos Aires' El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a shop housed inside what was once one of Argentina's premier theatres. The theatre was originally built in 1919 by an Italian architect and used as a theatre for tango concerts and the like, before being converted into a cinema. Things began to get a bit tough, but instead of letting the beautiful building languish into disrepair, it was leased in 2000 by a publishing house and found new life in the form of a bookstore. Now over a million people come through it's doors every year. The private, velvet-upholstered boxes are now the reading rooms, the stage is an in-store cafe, and the shelves cleave perfectly to the theatre's original shape. Plus you have to admire a building that's calling itself both grand and splendid. I mean, what's not to like? In the wake of bookstores like Borders and Angus & Robertson going bust, and the threats to independent bookshops across the country from cheaper online books and other recession-related woes, places like the Ateneo might point towards a more sustainable future for the industry. By repurposing something beautiful and creating a space people actively seek out and genuinely want to be in, instead of somewhere beige, plastic and muzak-filtered, you can save not just books but the architecture that might otherwise go to waste.
As anyone who loves caffeinated beverages knows, not all cuppas are created equal. Indeed, there's a reason there is an entire type of beans called speciality coffee, which are grown in microclimates to create full flavours and unique tastes. And whether you can always tell the difference or your brew-loving tastebuds are now salivating at the thought of better coffee, Brisbane's newest festival is dedicated to them. Hosted by Wolff Coffee Roasters, aka a bean-loving roaster and supplier focused on providing specialty coffee to everyday coffee drinkers, the Speciality Coffee Festival promises an entire day of celebrating the very best beans and brews. Taking place at Wolff's Hendra warehouse on September 2, the free fest will showcase everything from cupping to roasting, offer up tours of the facilities, and serve up coffee in various forms. Highlights include classes and chats with Costa Rican coffee producer Alejo Castro of Volcán Azul, plenty of caffeinated goodness at the fest's specialty laneway, and food trucks galore, including That Greek Truck, Mr Burger, Wild Rissole and the coffee ice cream selling Queen of Pops. Anyone eager to get roasting themselves can pay for a two-hour roasting experience (although at $295 per person, it isn't cheap), while those keen on watching coffee experts do their best can check out the AeroPress Championships for $10, which includes free beverages and a dance off. More details are set to be announced; however it's shaping up to be the coffee fiend's equivalent of Christmas in September. The Specialty Coffee Festival also helps cap off what's proving to be a great time for firsts in Brisbane, and an ace time for devouring deliciousness as well, coming hot on the heels of Brisbane's maiden espresso martini festival and Japanese festival. The Specialty Coffee Festival takes place at Wolff Coffee Roasters, 140 Gerler Road, Hendra on September 2. Check out the fest's website for further details.
When Banksy opened a hotel back in 2017, the famously elusive British artist did so with a purpose, satirising the industry while drawing attention to the political situation on the West Bank border between Palestine and Israel. Before that, when Banksy unveiled depressing theme park Dismaland in 2015, the artist also made a statement — as you'd expect in a place that featured dodgem cars run by the Grim Reaper, and a model boat pond filled with dead bodies and overcrowded asylum-seeker vessels. This time around, the well-known graffiti figure has launched an online art and homewares store, where customers can buy legitimate Banksy items straight from the source. It wouldn't be a Banksy venture without not only pressing a whole heap of topical points, but adding a few twists, of course. And yes, Gross Domestic Product delivers in both areas. Firstly, while there are currently 22 different items on the store's virtual shelves, you can't just click on everything you want, add them to your cart, type in your card details and wait for a delivery. As the site's opening statement explains, there's a registration system and a limit. Each customer (and each household) can only select one item in total — and before your purchase will even be considered, you'll need to answer a question: "Why does art matter?" Fans have until 11.59pm UK time on Monday, October 28 (9.59am AEDT / 8.59 AEST on Tuesday, October 28) to make their selection and come up with their response. Then, entrants will be selected at random and offered the opportunity to buy their chosen object. Your answer can't be more than 50 words, and it "must not be discriminatory or hateful" according to the terms and conditions. And, there'll be a judge — someone who is "impartial and independent, and a professional stand up comedian". https://www.instagram.com/p/B3ryrXJHbmy/ Yes, you're basically entering a competition to win the chance to buy Banksy pieces, which are "produced by a handful of people using recycled material wherever possible in a workplace culture of daytime drinking," the site explains. If you're still keen, each item has a fixed-price rate that Banksy deems to be well below market value — and wealthy art collectors are strongly encouraged not to apply. Everything comes with a certificate of authenticity and, as for what you can purchase, items range from the stab- and bullet-proof vest that Stormzy wore at Glastonbury, a Girl with Balloon t-shirt that comes pre-shredded, an ordinary wall clock from an office supplies store featuring a Banksy rat, and a home entertainment lighting system made from an old police riot helmet and around 650 small mirrors. With prices ranging from £10–750, perhaps you'd prefer a painted mug, a clutch bag made out of a brick, a TV with a painted Banksy piece over the screen (which "does substantially impair viewing quality", the sale description notes), soft toys caught in real beach debris and thenwall-mounted, a goldfish or a tombstone. As well as discouraging rich art folks from snapping up these goods — and noting that Gross Domestic Product reserves the right to cancel purchases if items are put up for re-sale on other sites — the store also links through to a venture called BBay. It's not up and running yet, but it describes itself as "the approved use Banksy dealership" and "your first choice destination to trade in secondhand art by a third-rate artist", so it might just be a new go-to to buy authentic Banksy pieces. Or, given how much the artist loves to rally against the unhealthy intersection of commerce and art (see last year's remote shredding prank, for example), the store and the site could just be Banksy's latest stunt. GDP does come with a disclaimer, after all: "You are advised that GDP may prove to be a disappointing retail experience — especially if you're successful in making a purchase." Image: The Art of Banksy, Olga Rozenbajgier.
President Obama just appeared on Zach Galifianakis's cult web series Between Two Ferns and it was everything you want it to be and so much more. If the slow jams, the college 'fro, and the fact he's best friends with Jay-Z didn't already seal the deal, Barack Obama officially just took out the title of Coolest President in History (and someone in his media department is quite clearly a genius). The five-minute clip which is currently exploding on Funny or Die naturally starts with Zach on the back foot. “When I heard that people actually watch the show, I was pretty surprised," says Obama. He then goes on to land the obligatory Galifianakis fat joke: "[In 2014] we’ll probably pardon another turkey. Was that depressing to you? Seeing a turkey taken out of circulation that you couldn't eat?" Up against past guests like Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Justin Bieber, President Obama stood his ground well. After all, the show works best when the guest is famous enough for the outrage to seem novel, but good-humoured enough to take it in stride; and Obama is well-known for being a good sport. Because of this, Galifianakis may be the only man to ever 'shh' the President or call him a nerd. Other favourite bits include Zach asking what the president was going to do about "North Ikea" and Obama taking a jab at The Hangover: "If I ran [for president] a third time, that'd kind of be like doing a third Hangover movie. That didn't work out very well, did it?" Obama's appearance was actually in an effort to plug his latest healthcare initiative to young Americans and, while it's a good cause, we don't mind either way. Anything that brings out this beautiful sassy face is well worth the time and effort.
When Jetstar launched a big domestic flight sale in mid-June, it sold 70,000 seats in just five hours. Today, July 3, the airline has just kicked off another one — so get your clickers ready. The Friday Fare Frenzy sale kicks of at 12pm today and runs until 8pm — if it doesn't sell out prior. In the sale, you'll find cheap flights on a heap of routes from destinations across NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia. But, before you book, we suggest you check in on when interstate borders are opening. NSW and ACT borders are both open to everyone except those from the 36 Victorian hotspots suburbs. Residents of those suburbs are currently under stay-at-home orders until at least Wednesday, July 29. Similarly, Victoria is open — but you can't visit the aforementioned suburbs. Queensland is reopening to everyone (except those from the hotspots) on Friday, July 10, as is the Northern Territory on Friday, July 17. Tasmania is working towards a July 24 reopening date (but this has not yet been confirmed) and WA has yet to announce anything. SA is open to those from Queensland, NT, Tasmania and WA, but has postponed its July 20 reopening for the rest of the country because of the spike in Victoria. A new date has not yet been announced. [caption id="attachment_774386" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bannisters in Port Stephens by Destination NSW[/caption] Now you know where you can and can't go, here are the deals: Sydneysiders can snag tickets to the Sunshine Coast for $49, Cairns for $79 and Uluru from $99, as well as to the picturesque Whitsunday Coast from $69. Queenslanders, with their (almost) newfound freedom, can hop on a plan to Port Stephens for $45 or Hobart for $79 (and cross your fingers). Flights to and from Melbourne, because of the current situation, are not included in the sale. Tickets in the sale are for trips between July 28 and September 23, 2020. So, if you're keen to get away, book some now and start planning. Jetstar's Friday Fare Frenzy runs from 12–8pm (or until sold out) on Friday, July 3.
Fast forward to the end of December and we all know we're going to be committing to staying fit come 2021 for our New Year's resolution. We may not follow through, but a fresh sportswear outfit can be some good motivation. If you're looking to get in early, LSKD is lending a helping hand by taking up to 70 percent off its sportswear in its huge Black Friday sale. Formed in 2007, LSKD (pronounced loose kid) is an Australian-owned and operated clothing company specialising in sportswear, streetwear and accessories. The company produces high-quality, stylish clothes for both men and women ready for a trip to the beach, gym or a night out. From 6pm Tuesday, November 24 until Thursday, December 3, LSKD will be offering a heap of its threads wildly low prices, from women's tights, tanks and sports bras to men's tees, hoodies and shorts. This is the brand's only sale of the year so check out the store and maybe save a few bucks. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Every year, one of Australia's favourite lit events undergoes a slight, temporary rebranding, simply by dropping their first syllable. Yep, Women of Letters becomes Men of Letters, bringing to The Zoo stage a huge selection of Brisbane's — hell Australia's — best male talent as they rediscover the lost art of letter writing. Included on this year's jam-packed lineup are a wealth of the titular men-folk, including comedian Paul Livingston, aka Flacco, plus Cleverman creator Ryan Griffen. They'll be demonstrating their winning ways with words, and they're not alone. Also having a hand in the day's letter writing are musos Eddie Ayres and Danny Widdicombe, former parliamentarian Andrew Bartlett, journo and record label owner Andrew Stafford, surf culture author Tim Baker, actor Victor Parascos, playwright David Burton and 2017 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize winning poet Sachem Parkin-Owens. Each will be penning and reading a letter to 'The Woman Who Changed My Life'. Doors open at 3pm, and wine, cheese, stamps and envelopes are provided. Grab your finest quill and head along.
