Cruising to the coast for the long weekend? That sounds pretty great. Jetting to Singapore for an impromptu overseas jaunt? That sounds even better. How better to celebrate the Queen's Birthday public than travelling abroad, doing something different and treating yourself like a queen — or king, or some other type of royalty? Just think: Singapore is only an 8-and-a-half-hour flight away, which is something you could do in your sleep — literally. In partnership with Mastercard, we've put together a quick things of things to do to convince you to make the most of the weekend with a trip. It'll be worth it. THERE'S SO MUCH SMOKED MEAT TO TRY Meat, glorious meat: if it's your kind of food, then this smoked meat experience at Meat Smith is your kind of meal. American-style meat smoking a fairly new thing in Singapore, and this is your chance to get some one-on-one time with the chef to hear the tricks of the trade. You'd best be a fan of pork, as devouring a suckling pig — or opting for a platter of delicious pork options — is on the agenda. You'll eat, you'll learn, and you'll drink craft beer and barrel-aged cocktails. Arrive hungry. THERE'S A LATE-NIGHT JAPANESE THEMED CLUB Yes, you're in Singapore — but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy a taste of a completely different country while you're there. Club kyō is the city's Japanese-themed late-night hangout in the middle of the CBD. Expect minimalistic yet naturalistic decor heavy on stone, wood and sleek surfaces, as well as sake, Japanese whiskey, and gourmet sashimi and sushi. And, because it's a nightclub, expect to dance the evening away to everything from funk to reggae to nu-disco. THE ARCHITECTURE IS INCREDIBLE Wandering, moseying, roaming: there's no better way to get to know a new city, even if you're only there for a few days. During September and early October, Singapore calls attention to its varied architecture at architectre festival Archifest, which includes walks, talks, activities and more. It's the Architours that you'll want to flock to, featuring a carefully curated mix of designer houses, public institutions, expansive landscape projects and religious buildings. You can also head to Raffles Park for a heap of other fun bits and pieces, including a pop-up inner-city farm and a class on taking kickass architectural photos for Instagram. MANY MANY PARKS Singapore has a heck of a lot of parks. The 156-year-old, 182-acre Singapore Botanic Gardens stay open until midnight and are home to the largest orchid collection in the world. There's even one particularly delicate species named after Margaret Thatcher. At HortPark, in the southwest, you'll wander through 21 themed gardens, including one filled with butterflies. For a longer walk, take on the ten-kilometre Southern Ridges hike – an adventure through coastal panoramas, lush rainforest canopy, a 36-metre high undulating bridge called Henderson Waves and Singapore's second highest peak, Mount Faber. THE FOOD IS WORTH THE TRIP ALONE To get the low-down on where the locals queue for food, jump on the Makan Bus Culinary Tour. You'll sample numerous tasty and eye-opening morsels from a diverse array of tucked-away eateries on this bus tour that's run by locals. Try everything from fried chicken and frogs' legs to soup at the rather charmingly and perhaps too-honestly named Pig Organ, for starters. Somewhat surprisingly, vegetarians can be catered for at every stop. Visit priceless.com to see a Singapore long weekend itinerary from @clairecollected and @mrgumbatron, and more priceless experiences exclusive to Mastercard cardholders.
Both the heartbroken and the heartbreakers should take a lesson from Sharon Van Etten, heading to Australia for her 2015 Are We There tour. Renowned for embracing life's emotionally crippling moments, Van Etten has been putting her heart on a platter since her first offering 'Because I Was In Love' in 2009 — released after TV On the Radio's Kyp Malone gave her a nudge in the right direction. The Brooklyn-based, New Jersey and Tennessee-raised singer/songwriter hasn't stopped since, with four gripping albums under her belt including 2012's Tramp. Headlining Secret Garden (February 27-28) with Parquet Courts and Golden Plains (March 7-9), Van Etten is also playing sideshows for those who missed out on tickets — or don't really want to shell out for the airfare.. Supported by Tiny Ruins (NZ) + Heather Woods Broderick (USA).
If you've been struggling to live in the teenies because you're musically and spiritually stuck in the noughties, we have some news that's going to bring you bolting straight into the present. Ministry of Sound are embarking on a super-niche tour. From mid-November, they'll be paying visits to Australia's capital cities to perform, get this, their greatest clubbing moments from The Annual 2001-2004. And that'll be all, folks. Leading the lineup will be OGs John Course and Mark Dynamix, who, between them, have placed millions of CDs in club-loving hands and ears over the past couple of decades. They're the mighty duo behind Ministry of Sound's annual compilations, on which you probably first heard Roger Sanchez, Basement Jaxx, Tim Deluxe, Cassius and Groove Armada. To each gig, Course and Dynamix will be inviting a bunch of cracking support artists. Sydneysiders will be treated to an extra-special tribute to early noughties break beat at a Clubber's Guide to Breaks Room. You can count on appearances by the UK's Plump DJs, as well as by homegrown breaks guru Kid Kenobi. MINISTRY OF SOUND 2001-2004 REUNION TOUR November 18 — The Prince, Melbourne December 16 — The Metro, Sydney December 20 — HQ, Adelaide January 13 — Discovery, Darwin January 15 — Matisse Beach Club, Perth January 21 — The Met, Brisbane Tickets are over here. In the meantime, to get yourself in the mood, have a listen to this dedicated Reunion Tour play list on Spotify.
Peter Bibby’s debut album, released in November last year, is called Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician. It’s unclear what this eclectic mix of job titles signifies. Perhaps Bibby is a self-styled jack of all trades, just as at home wielding a carving knife as an eyelash curler? Who knows? It’s a nice image. What we do know is that Perth-born, Melbourne-based Bibby, having recently returned from the USA (seems like Americans have a thing for earnest, self-deprecating Aussie guitarists at the moment — see Courtney Barnett), is about to kick off his first national tour. You can expect a damn fine show from the 'Hates My Boozin' spinner of VB-soaked yarns — not for nothing has he played Sydney Festival, Laneway and SXSW already. A ticket to this show will get you change from a twenty, so what are you doing? Get on it. Supported by The Good Sports + Donny Love.
Venues with standard kitchens: that's so last year. Bars with street food options: that's more like it. Southside Tea Room, Death Valley and Red Robin Supper Truck did it, and now the Brightside and Lucky Egg are too. Yes, it's officially Brisbane's latest trend. From June 25, the Brightside will say goodbye to the toasted sandwich menu punters have come to know and love, and will say hello to fried chicken goodness served from a shipping container. Burgers and wings are the main attraction, of course — all buttermilk coated, free range and locally sourced. That means slabs of chicken topped with American cheddar, garlic pickles and spinach, or with Hellmann’s slaw and honey mustard sauce — whichever takes your fancy. Wings come with a choice of blue cheese, honey mustard, chipotle mayo, Asian style kimchi mayo and ketchup. If they taste as good as they sound, all other fast food poultry places will soon be nothing but a memory. If finger lickin' good food wasn't enough of an attraction, Lucky Egg is also offering two-for-one burgers and wings on their opening day. Whether you devour both yourself, or share with a friend, that's a deal not to miss. Doors open at 5pm, and we suggest arriving early — the early bird gets the cheap chicken, after all. Find Lucky Egg at the Brightside, 27 Warner Street, Fortitude Valley from June 25, or visit their Facebook page for more information.
Imagine a place that caters to your every cheese need, whether stocking up on the best creamy goodness money can buy or enjoying a delectable dairy-oriented dinner takes your fancy. No, this isn't a fantasy fuelled by too many late-night brie eating sessions. Brisbanites, this cheese heaven is about to become a reality. Fromage [The Cow] is the store dreams are made of — it's the city's first-ever licensed fromagerie. Sure, that's just a fancy French term for cheese shop, but it sounds delicious, doesn't it? When the new addition to Milton's Park Road opens its doors in May, it really will grant all your cheese wishes at once. Not only will Fromage [The Cow] boast a full-service, cheese-centric restaurant — complete with a droolworthy walk-in cheese room as the centrepiece of the space — but it'll also include a bar matching all things sharp and gooey with tasty tipples of wine, beer and sake. Plus there'll be a takeaway coffee and (wait for it) cheese toastie window as well. Basically, whatever type of coagulated buffalo, cow, sheep or goat milk protein you like — and whichever way you like it, be it on crackers, paired with a glass of red, oozing out two warm pieces of bread, melted into fondue or smeared through macaroni — it'll be on offer here. Yep, we're calling it: this is about to be everyone's new favourite hangout. Cheese is good for you, isn't it? Find Fromage [The Cow] at 14 Park Road, Milton, from May. Keep an eye on their website and Facebook page for more information.
Sadly, we can't all be royalty from an unspecified country seeing the sights of Rome with Gregory Peck; however, as far as eating like you're in Roman Holiday (or on one) is concerned, Brisbanites can do the next best thing. For one day and night, Newstead's Locale is bringing more than their usual taste of Italy to the city outskirts courtesy of their Roman Holiday 'Maritozzi' Pop-up Bar. Whether you're an Audrey Hepburn fan, or fond of sweet brioche, November 10 is about to become your favourite day. Locale's theming will whisk you away to the European jaunt you've always wanted to take, or at least make you feel like you're in the movie. And their menu will introduce the traditional Roman cream bun that is maritozzi to your stomach. The latter will be available in seven flavours: strawberries and cream, Italian bacio, passionfruit chantilly cream, pistachio, ricotta and orange, Galliano, and Amarena and coconut. Pre-ordering is recommended; who doesn't want to try one of these sweet treats, after all?
Returning for its third year, and quickly becoming a canonical part of Brisbane's independent scene, The End of the Line Festival has just dropped its 2016 lineup — and given it was curated by West-End-record-store-owning-musical-and-cultural-powerhouse Shannon Logan of Jet Black Cat Music, no-one will be surprised to see an eclectic range of local and inter-state up-and-comers on the bill. This year, Melbourne acts, Fraser A Gorman, Totally Mild and Christopher Port join beloved locals like Banff, Major Leagues, Good Boy, Mid Ayr and Desmond Cheese to name a few. Despite the colossal pressure associated with curating a festival (and pretty much putting your music taste on stage for Brisbane to see) Logan has committed her locally renowned image as music lover to the festival this year, saying that within the combination of bands playing there "surely will be something for everyone". A big claim, but more than substantiated by the lineup, from the dole-wave sounds of Good Boy, the retro space-chords of the Vulture St Tape Gang, to the Kate-Bush-esque power pop of Feeding Fauna, it's going to be represented in Woolloongabba on November 5. And that means, importantly, it's as much an opportunity for well-deserved local bands to play, as it is audiences to hear a range of sounds they mightn't usually. Taking place in the beautiful inner-city Woolloongabba Village Precinct, The End of the Line is as much about the music as it is about community. In previous festival years, the shut-off street has been occupied by the precinct's local coffeemakers, restaurateurs and shop owners serving festival-themed menus and wares, and this year, their presence will be greater and presumably yummier than ever. On top of the food, drinks, great crowd, inner-city aesthetic, and of course music, there will the addition major artistic contributions from the Queensland College of Art's POP Gallery and the Aboriginal Centre of the Performing Arts through dance, visual and performance art. This year The End of the Line promises to catch the unique taste of Brisbane, an opportunity afforded to people of all ages, free of charge. Starting at 10am, and finishing at 11pm, the festival will be heard and smelt all over Woolloongabba. Alright, alright, here's what you came here for. THE END OF THE LINE FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP: Fraser A Gorman Totally Mild Christopher Port Banff Major Leagues Good Boy Mid Ayr Desmond Cheese Pool Shop the Vulture St Tape Gang Superfeather Low Dive Francis Wolves In Caves Feeding Fauna The End of the Line Festival is happening November 5 in the Woolloongabba Village Precinct from 10am-11pm. Entry is free. For more info, head to the festival website.
Music festivals and writers festivals have existed for years, but they rarely mix. Sure, you'll hear poetic lyrics at the former, and maybe attend a tunes-inspired session at the latter. A true fusion of the two, though, is an elusive beast. Well, it was, until a few smart-thinking folks decided to organise a rock and roll writers festival. In an Australian first, the weekend-long event will explore the relationship between the literary and musical worlds. It's an idea that's so great, we can't believe that no one has done it locally before. Come April 2016, some of Australia’s finest authors, songwriters, lyricists and music commentators will converge upon Brisbane for two days of discussions, interviews, panels and more. An initial lineup boasting stacks of talented speakers has just been announced, featuring performer Jackie Marshall, previous jMag editor Jenny Valentish, journalist and Australian Music Prize judge Kate Hennessy, former Time Off editor and owner Sean Sennett, Courier Mail music writer Noel Mengel, and Pig City: From The Saints To Savage Garden author Andrew Stafford, among others. They'll all natter on about everything that's great about words, songs and the combination of the two, while trying to surprise, entertain, enlighten and challenge attendees in the process. And they'll do at the Brightside, because if you're going to throw a rock and roll writers festival, you have to do it at a rock and roll venue. The Rock and Roll Writers Festival runs from April 2 – 3, 2016, at the Brightside, 27 Warner Street, Fortitude Valley. For more information, visit their website.
When the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl kicked off in 2016, it did so in simple but great style. Recognising that the key to many a good night out is a multi-venue itinerary, it made hopping between Fortitude Valley's finest hangouts a streamlined, well-organised yet still laidback experience — with brews aplenty and an ace live music soundtrack. That was then. Now, the same idea and aim remain; however everyone's favourite multi-venue mini music and beer festival is even bigger and better in its fourth year. After expanding from four venues in its initial outing to five the second time around, and then to seven after that, 2019's event will see attendees jump between ten spots to see 51 interstate and local artists. The simultaneous sonic fun takes place on Saturday, February 16, at returning spaces The Zoo, The Brightside, The Foundry, Black Bear Lodge, Barbara, The Flying Cock and Crowbar, plus new additions Blutes, Greaser and Sabotage Social. As always, the agenda includes running between each to sip frosty beverages and catch crackin' sets, with the entertainment once again sponsored by a brewery. The whole shindig kicks off at 5pm, so the only thing left for you to do is clear your calendar for an ace day of tunes, brews and hopping around the Valley. Well, that and check out the full lineup — although just who will play where will be revealed closer to the event. MOUNTAIN GOAT VALLEY CRAWL 2019: IV League RAAVE TAPES San Mei Mosquito Coast Sunscreen The Jensens Keeskea Sports Bra sleepclub Between You And Me Cry Club Bloom Parade Pool Shop L. Flora Oh Boy Minor Premiers Inigo LÂLKA Sometime Sonny Felivand STUMPS Flowermouth Gooby Jim & The Goobs Being Jane Lane Ascot Stabber Peach Fur Royal & The Southern Echo Bad Sext Vladik Tiny Castle Rap Kitchen The Bonnie Doons CNT EVN Friend & Me Double Bummer Jumbo Dragon Wildheart Electric Zebra Selfish Sons The Ancient Bloods Georgie Neilson & The Growing Pains Jack Spider Warcries Perve Endings Requin Mantashade Jbox Venice on Fire Bayview Terrace Nightwoods Blood Bank Updated December 3.
Nakkiah Lui's new comedy could be a riff on Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Charlotte Gibson is a lawyer and going places, fast. Her parents are stoked, but they don't know that Charlotte's also procured herself a fiancée. He's white and unemployed, a composer. His upper-middle-class parents are at the stuffier end of conservative and they're headed over for Christmas dinner. But Lui says the idea came from somewhere else entirely. "I just wanted to write something for Aboriginal actors that didn't have death in it. I wanted to write something that didn't come from a place of sorrow… This was actually something that had hope, that had happiness in it." Director Paige Rattray has the helm for this one with a cast that includes Shari Sebbens, Luke Carroll and Geoff Morrell. After proving a hit in Sydney last year, Black is the New White comes to Queensland Theatre from February 1 to 17.
Returning for its third year, and quickly becoming a canonical part of Brisbane's independent scene, The End of the Line Festival has a huge 2016 lineup — and given it was curated by West-End-record-store-owning-musical-and-cultural-powerhouse Shannon Logan of Jet Black Cat Music, no-one will be surprised to see an eclectic range of local and inter-state up-and-comers on the bill. This year, Melbourne acts, Fraser A Gorman, Totally Mild and Christopher Port join beloved locals like Banff, Major Leagues, Good Boy, Mid Ayr and Desmond Cheese to name a few. Despite the colossal pressure associated with curating a festival (and pretty much putting your music taste on stage for Brisbane to see) Logan has committed her locally renowned image as music lover to the festival this year, saying that within the combination of bands playing there "surely will be something for everyone". A big claim, but more than substantiated by the lineup, from the dole-wave sounds of Good Boy, the retro space-chords of the Vulture St Tape Gang, to the Kate-Bush-esque power pop of Feeding Fauna, it's going to be represented in Woolloongabba on November 5. And that means, importantly, it's as much an opportunity for well-deserved local bands to play, as it is audiences to hear a range of sounds they mightn't usually. Taking place in the beautiful inner-city Woolloongabba Village Precinct, The End of the Line is as much about the music as it is about community. In previous festival years, the shut-off street has been occupied by the precinct's local coffeemakers, restaurateurs and shop owners serving festival-themed menus and wares, and this year, their presence will be greater and presumably yummier than ever. On top of the food, drinks, great crowd, inner-city aesthetic, and of course music, there will the addition major artistic contributions from the Queensland College of Art's POP Gallery and the Aboriginal Centre of the Performing Arts through dance, visual and performance art. This year The End of the Line promises to catch the unique taste of Brisbane, an opportunity afforded to people of all ages, free of charge. Starting at 10am, and finishing at 11pm, the festival will be heard and smelt all over Woolloongabba. THE END OF THE LINE FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP: Fraser A Gorman Totally Mild Christopher Port Banff Major Leagues Good Boy Mid Ayr Desmond Cheese Pool Shop the Vulture St Tape Gang Superfeather Low Dive Francis Wolves In Caves Feeding Fauna The End of the Line Festival is happening November 5 in the Woolloongabba Village Precinct from 10am-11pm. Entry is free. For more info, head to the festival website.
Turns out eating an entire two sticks of buttery, bready garlic bread from the freezer section doesn't count as an 'appreciation conference', because one Melburnian is making this actual event happen. Garlic bread aficionado and straight-up boss Baxter Kirk is putting on the world's very first Garlic Bread Appreciation Conference in Melbourne. Set to descend upon the MCG (yep, the giant, giant MCG) on Friday, January 15 at the strange time of 3.07am, the conference will "discuss the underrated garlic bread," according to the Facebook event. With 47,000+ people supposedly 'attending' the event, this could be the biggest celebration of garlic breadery the world has ever seen. Whether this conference is real or a beautiful, beautiful troll, we'll be raising a glass of cheap cola to that beloved buttery, buttery side anyway, before, during and after the event. Via Pedestrian. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
It's been three years since Florence + The Machine last toured Australia and we were beginning to think it'd be another three years before they toured again. Oh how wrong we were. Not content with just headlining this year's Splendour In The Grass and playing two packed sideshows, the group have announced that they'll be back in November. British powerhouse Florence Welch and her crew will be touring the country with a set list from their third studio album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. Guess they like Australia after all (and if the album's debut at #1 on the ARIA charts is anything to go by, we seem to have a bit of a thing for them too.) 2015 has been a busy year for the group, with performances at Coachella and Glastonbury, plus Austin City Limits this coming October. Now they'll be going solo, performing five dates across Australia. This includes two show at one of the country's most iconic venues: the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, an area reserved for the most popular of acts. You'll be able to enjoy an evening of infectious powerhouse art rock against one of the most perfect backdrops in the nation. Tickets to their Australian tour go on sale from 10 am (AEST) on Monday August 3 – and judging from how popular their Splendour sideshows were, you'll have to be extra quick to get your hands on them. Get ready to get your jive on.
As far as Henry Miller was concerned, alone time is crucial to creativity. “An artist is always alone,” he wrote, “if he is an artist. What the artist needs is loneliness.” But spending day in, day out, with only your cat for company isn’t always a recipe for inspiration. Luckily, Etsy is well aware of the problem. So, every year, they host an enormous, worldwide Craft Party. Artists and craftspeople all over the planet are encouraged to get together to paint, draw, sculpt, sew and make — with like-minded others. This year, the gathering will be happening on June 6 and the theme is 'Kaleidoscope: Paper taking shape'. It's all about collages and paper cutting techniques this year, so come armed with scissors. Etsy Craft Parties will be held all over Australia. You can organise your own, or to attend one of Brisbane's major bashes, book a spot online. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Australia's about to embark upon an entire month of parties, gigs and backyard shindigs, all raising sweet, sweet money to fight poverty around the world. Having run successfully in the UK for about ten years, Oxjam is a month-long, nationwide music festival aiming to raise money for Oxfam. Now it's launching in Australia, with goodhearted gigs coming to venues, garages and backyards nationwide. Even you can throw one. One of those star-studded fundraisers which has seen the likes of Hot Chip, Fatboy Slim, Coldplay and T.E.E.D. crank out a set for a good cause, Oxjam has been a long time coming for Australia. Teaming up with MTV Music and MTV Dance, Oxfam are launching the festival in August; with the main events happening across Sydney and Melbourne. Local venues, collectives and labels like I Oh You, Noisey, Goodgod Small Club, One Day, Motorik, UNDR CTRL and more are holding some of the official gigs — where of course, funds raised will go directly to Oxfam. Oxjam's major gig lineup will be collectively announced in June. But you don't just have to wait for Noisey's lineup, you can also host your own party wherever you are. Literally anyone can hold their own Oxjam, from existing venues to local bowling clubs, big time clubs to your very own home. So if you're deep house DJ in your crew you could set up the decks in your garage, put a collection tin at the door and throw down one humdinger of a fundraving do. (And if your neighbours complain, give 'em hell until they donate too.) First time at the event-throwing rodeo? MTV Australia are hosting an official event at MTV HQ in Sydney (date TBC), where budding venue managers, club promoters and regular shindig starters can get tips on throwing their own Gig For Good during Oxjam. If you can't make it to the how-to, Oxjam's website has a bunch of handy tips and DIY guides for party planners. Oxjam is happening Australia-wide over August 2015, with the main gigs happening in Melbourne and Sydney. But with one in three people around the world living in poverty, Oxjam's probably one of the best reasons to throw a local backyard gig we've ever heard. Head over here for more info and start planning. Image: Goodgod Small Club.
Bunnings Warehouse is supercharging its usual sausage sizzle, to support a few Aussie communities that are doing it pretty tough. Next Friday, November 22, all of the hardware giant's stores will host a special pre-weekend edition of their legendary snag sessions, raising coin for those impacted by drought and the current bushfires. All of the day's sausage profits will go to to Givit, a national non-profit that works with charities and community groups to connect disadvantaged people with the things that they need. The organisation also works with local councils and state governments to assist communities during disasters and emergencies — of which there are several happening at the moment. Some areas of the country have been struggling with a years-long drought and, this week, bushfires have destroyed hundreds of homes, and displaced thousands of people, across NSW and Queensland. Dangerous fire conditions continue today and into the weekend, too, with out-of-control fires still burning in both states. For updates and advice on Queensland bushfires, head to the Rural Fire Service Queensland website. So, on Friday, grab a snag in bread and show those in need some love. The sausage sizzles will run from 9am–4pm across all Bunnings Warehouses in Queensland.
Because one food-serving, craft beer-peddling ale house is never enough, the fine folks at Yard Bird are adding to their flock. In fact, they’ve already spread their wings, flown to another location, and feathered a second nest. Say hello to Yard Bird Ale House, Paddington. Opening ahead of schedule, the new Given Terrace establishment has served its first tasty meals and fine brews — and the second venue to wear the Yard Bird name comes with a twist. For those who like to start their day with a caffeine kick and a big brekkie — or with waffles done three ways — the new Ale House is open from 7am. Taking over the space that Eurovida Cafe formerly called home, complete with a front-facing courtyard, Yard Bird Paddington also offers the same lunch and dinner meals patrons of the Fortitude Valley hang-out have come to know and love. We’re talking chicken wings, pizzas, burgers and nachos, among other Tex-Mex nibbles, all made to be washed down with one of the eight beer and cider tipples on tap — or thirty or so others in the fridge. Night owls will be able to enjoy a late-night bite and a nightcap, with the Paddington bar trading until midnight seven days a week. Yard Bird’s trademark relaxed vibe also takes flight at a new venue designed to be cool and cosy. Owner Luke Purnell said he wanted “to make sure that there is somewhere for the residents of Paddington to drop in and have a casual drink without feeling the pressure to wear a collared shirt". Launching a second Yard Bird Ale House is just the latest achievement for Purnell, who learned the chef’s life working at Brisbane's Au Cirque, Alibi Room and Rush. He opened Yard Bird’s Fortitude Valley bar in 2011, motivated to create the type of place where anyone was welcome. Now, he brings that friendly atmosphere – as well as scrumptious bar snacks and a range of craft beverages – to the other side of Brisbane’s inner-city suburbs. Yard Bird Ale House is now open at 1/208 Given Terrace, Paddington.
It's something so simple, yet so delicious. Place a slab of meat (or a vegetarian alternative) between two halves of a bread roll, add some sauce, salad and a few other ingredients — and to the delight of your tastebuds, something glorious materialises. That'd be the burger, a culinary creation so mouthwatering that many a person has tried to take credit for inventing it since the 1800s. Two centuries later, the humble bread-centric meal has become a food staple around the world, including Brisbane. Chain restaurants thrive on them — however, anyone who has had to stomach a quick fix in a brightly lit eatery knows that not all burgers are created equal. Forget the junk and fast food varieties, because the city is overflowing with appetizing alternatives. We've rounded up ten of the best for your greasy eating pleasure. Top image: Chur Burger
Brisbane's movie buffs have had quite the eventful few years — festivals have come, gone and been resurrected; cinemas have opened up in New Farm, Elizabeth Street in the CBD, Coorparoo and Newmarket; the Schonell stopped running screenings; and more new theatres have been announced for Red Hill and Woolloongabba. Plus, just last month, the city welcomed its newest seasonal outdoor cinema in the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens — and if you like seeing flicks under the stars, there's more news where that came from. Brisbane City Council is spearheading a plan to build Brisbane's first permanent outdoor cinema, which would form part of the existing McCaskie Park in Kelvin Grove. Unlike Moonlight Cinema in New Farm Park, Openair Cinemas at South Bank and the aforementioned Sunset Cinema in Mt Coot-tha, it'll be a fixed rather than a seasonal pop-up facility. A development application has been lodged, which outlines a proposed space between Kelvin Grove Road and QUT's Creative Industries precinct, featuring a permanent shelter with a drop-down 2.7-metre by 5.4-metre screen, a stage and a speaker set-up. According to the documents submitted, BCC intends for an external party to manage the cinema, which will be operational on weeknights and weekends. Even better — given that it is located in a Council-owned public park, which dates back to 1891 and is freely accessible to everyone, the application notes that the cinema will be free to attend as well. The cinema forms part of BCC's very Leslie Knope-like aim to "enhance Brisbane's public open spaces and encourage and improve user experience", as stated in the submission — that is, to get us all out in the city's parks more often. Speaking with Brisbane Times, the Council's field services chairman Peter Matic advised that it could be used for "family movie events, short film screenings, or as part of twilight community festivals", as well as "for emerging theatre and musical artists, providing a low-cost venue for public performances". As the development application has just been lodged, we can assume that the cinema is still a little way off. But we'll keep you updated on an opening date or any new details.
When the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl kicked off in 2016, it did so in simple but great style. Recognising that the key to many a good night out is a multi-venue itinerary, it made hopping between Fortitude Valley's finest hangouts a streamlined, well-organised yet still laidback experience — with brews aplenty and an ace live music soundtrack. Come 2022, the sprawling music and beer festival will still be going strong — even after the events of the past few years. On Saturday, February 12, attendees can jump between nine Valley spots to see a huge heap of interstate and local artists. The simultaneous sonic fun takes place at The Black Bear Lodge, The Brightside (both indoors and outdoors), Greaser, Kick Ons, O'Skulligans, Ric's Backyard, The Zoo and Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar. As always, the agenda includes running between each to sip frosty beverages and catch crackin' sets, with the entertainment once again sponsored by a brewery. The whole shindig kicks off at 5pm, so the only thing left for you to do is clear your calendar for an ace day of tunes, brews and hopping around the Valley. Well, that and check out the 36-act lineup below: MOUNTAIN GOAT VALLEY CRAWL 2022 LINEUP: ARTISTS: Kwame (a-z) 1300 Adam Newling Bec Sandridge Flowertruck The Lazy Eyes Melaleuca Milan Ring Nyxen RAT!Hammock (a-z) 90Ivy Blue Velvet Bored Shorts The Buzzing Towers Cheap Date CityPiss Cloe Terare Elcid Flores Fomi Fraser Bell Girl and Girl Haliday Hollie Joy Isabel Wood Lucy Francesca Dron Melrose. Monet's Pond Passionfruit Band Radium Dolls Slowrip Square Stage Presence Straight Girls The Tinderboxers Tjaka Willis and the Lovely Ones VENUES: Black Bear Lodge The Brightside The Brightside — Outdoors Greaser O'Skulligans Ric's Backyard Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar Woolly Mammoth Mane Stage The Zoo The 2022 Mountain Goat Valley Crawl takes place from 6pm on Saturday, February 12. Entry is free, but you'll need to RSVP for free tickets online. Images: katexjean / Jared Hinz Photography.
Successful documentaries are often boiled down to a well-worn old adage, with the best films frequently benefiting from filmmakers simply being in the right place at the right time. The saying seems to ring true for Australian Jennifer Peedom, although calling the experienced high-altitude director 'fortunate' isn't quite appropriate. When she went to Nepal in 2014, she was motivated by reported tensions between travellers and their Sherpa guides. With the chasm between the two groups screaming for more attention, Peedom planned to make a movie about one of the local workers, the unassuming Phurba Tashi Sherpa, who was on the cusp of making history. But then nature struck, and the movie had to change. A time capsule of the toughest climbing season imaginable, as well as an exercise in quick-thinking filmmaking at its best, Sherpa is undoubtedly the superior Everest-based movie of the last 12 months. Forget re-enactments, high-profile actors looking frosty, strained accents and 3D special effects. In capturing the blackest day the mountain has ever seen with on-the-ground footage of a tragedy unfolding, as well as the build up to the Khumbu Icefall avalanche and the harrowing, heartbreaking aftermath, the film presents devastating details that could only spring from real life. Phurba's feat — ascending the world's highest peak for a record-breaking 22nd time — would've made a rousing story in its own right, as well as a powerful testament to the largely unrecognised role the Sherpa people play in the mountain's growing tourism industry. The weather had other plans, however. As the ice and snow began to move, his tale became even more emblematic of the broader situation facing Nepalese residents, and brought the appalling labour conditions of the Sherpas, who make wealthy Westerners' treks possible, sharply into focus. With the precision of a master craftsperson and the breathtaking vision to match, Peedom balances the personal plight of one pivotal figure with the anger-inspiring human rights issues that surround the mountain. Viewers will find themselves simultaneously marvelling at the images Peedom and her trio of cameramen have recorded, and wanting to leap out of their seat with frustration at the dangers the Sherpas face just to make a living. In that way, Sherpa is more than just a tale of triumph over adversity. Instead, it's a high-stakes, high-altitude dissection of commercial and financial interests triumphing over a very human cost, as pieced together with an insider's perspective and understanding. Interviewees hail from all sides of the business of climbing, but there's never any doubting the film's allegiances. That's not a consequence of Peedom's lack of balance, but simply a reflection of the galling reality on the mountain. Offering an astonishing account of a just-as-astonishing slice of life, documentary filmmaking doesn't get much better than this.
Forget burgers, Brisbanites — there's a new meat and bread combination in town. If The Yiros Shop has its way, soon everyone in the city will be feasting on their fluffy pitas, stuffed with everything from haloumi and hot chips to pork, chicken and lamb. And we really do mean the city, given that the chain of stores has set up their next shop right in the heart of the CBD. As of earlier this week, they're serving up traditional Greek fare from the corner of Edward and Charlotte streets. That doesn't only include yiros, as tasty as they are. You'll also find Greek salads on offer, plus Greek-topped chips (their take on loaded fries) and a range of home-style desserts. Baklava and loukoumades, anyone? With their number of outlets now totalling four thanks to their existing setups in Cannon Hill, Fortitude Valley and South Bank, The Yiros Shop are well on their way to spreading their Mediterranean delights all around south-east Queensland. For the moment, you can probably remember a time before yiros. At this rate, that won't be the case for much longer. Find The Yiros Shop at 2/120 Edward Street, Brisbane City. Check out their website and Facebook page for further information.
The 35th incarnation of Woodford Folk Festival — a temporary village of alternative lifestyle, music, art and performance — is finally happening this December and January. Over six days and six nights, more than 2,000 performers (and many, many more attendees) will bring this festival to life in the Sunshine Coast hinterland after a two-year pandemic-induced break. The festival will feature music from all over the globe including folk, rock, blues, First Nations performances as well as children's events, comedy, cabaret and talks on everything from social justice to science and innovation. You'll be able to wander through market stalls, encounter installation artworks and take part in workshops and activities at the Bushtime camping experience on Jinibara Country as you see out the year in with thousands of other festival goers. And that's all before the mammoth closing ceremony fire display on New Year's Eve that'll help you welcome in 2023. Keen to head along? The full Woodford Folk Festival program and tickets are yet to be released. For more information, visit the website. Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
Undisputed badass, battle hero and SBS newsreader Lee Lin Chin is gearing up to represent Australia on the global stage. Announced on SBS's The Feed last night, Chin will take on the coveted role of Australia's official Eurovision spokesperson. Now that's a Eurovision representative we can get excited about (yeah sorry, ARIAs, charts, vocal range, yadda yadda, but come on). Chin will deliver the famous and vital points from Australia's stash, announcing the final three countries that will receive Australia's eight, ten and twelve points. So while Malta, Demark, perpetual 'London Calling' jokemakers the United Kingdom and more give it their best, most awkward shot in front of the green screen, Australia's modish champion will inevitably deliver the points with poise, urgency and hopefully, in this Logies hat. Given the time difference in Austria, Lin Chin will have to get up pretty early to deliver the goods. But eating, sleeping, raving and repeating is a cakewalk for this party professional. "I’m not worried about being up early, I’ll just have to take a break from the clubs for 20 minutes." *drops mic* As the very first time in Eurovision history Australia has been invited to compete in the contest, and the very first time Chin has dominated the international airwaves, it's all convenient timing for the SBS newsreader — who recently announced her new commitment to campaigning for the 2016 Gold Logie (most popular personality on Australian television, yep she's missing a few decades worth on her shelf). "195 million people watch Eurovision every year and if even just 10 million of those buy TV Week I’ll have it in the bag," she said in a coy and perfectly crafted media statement. "As SBS’s most recognisable personality I couldn’t say no to such an opportunity. I’m the obvious choice — not only have I been to Europe but I also listen to music from time to time." How can you get in on the Eurovision action? SBS will broadcast both semi-finals and the Grand Final live from Vienna on May 20, May 22 and May 24 from 5am. Both semi-finals will be shown in full on SBS ONE on May 22 and May 23 from 7.30pm. The Grand Final featuring Guy Sebastian and Lee Lin Chin's points delivery will screen on Sunday May 24 from 7.30pm. For now, this:
If you love Brisbane as much as the Museum of Brisbane does — and let's face it, their affection is right there in their name — then 2016 might just offer your chance to show it. As part of their calendar of events for next year, the City Hall-based showcase of the Queensland capital's living history is staging a semi-permanent interactive exhibition that uses the people of Brisbane as its basis. Running for three years from July 2016, 100% Brisbane won't just turn the spotlight on the city — it'll deconstruct the population and reflect the real face of the community. Using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, it will find 100 everyday folks to represent the entirety of Brisbane. It all begins with one chosen local, who'll then spark a search that spans over 100 days. That resident will then have 24 hours to recruit the next Brisbanite, who will then select the another person and so on, until 100 people are connected. Fans of globally renowned theatre company Rimini Protokoll might recognise the concept, given that the Berlin-based group has rolled out the project all around the world, including in London, San Diego, Paris, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Their Brisbane stint marks the first time they've ever collaborated with a museum, as well as being one of the biggest undertakings to date by the Museum of Brisbane. As acting director Christopher Salter puts it, 100% Brisbane will "present the story of Brisbane today in an authentic way, through 100 of our city locals. The heart of the experience is real people with real stories and their experiences in our city today.” Those who don't make the final 100 will also have their chance to participate once the exhibition opens, of course. Attendees will be able to share their information and opinions to compare themselves with the participants. In fact, beyond the performance aspect, the project aims to map how attitudes and perceptions change within the city over its three-year run. 100% Brisbane will also feature a documentary covering the history of the city’s population, as written and narrated by author and actor William McInnes, plus Brisbane-focused contemporary art commissions from Australian artists. 100% Brisbane opens at the Museum of Brisbane in July 2016. For more information, keep an eye on their website. Image: Hamish Snow, Laneway Festival, Brisbane 2015 and 100% Berlin
Ever wanted to see your favourite bands kick a few goals, and help support a good cause at the same time? Since 1993, the Reclink Community Cup has been turning musos into footy players for an annual charity Aussie rules match, with the Melbourne game drawing more than 10,000 people and raising over $100,000 each year. Sydney's been going strong for years too, and now, it's coming to Brisbane for the first time ever. Come September 25, the city's music community will descend upon Pine Rivers Showground to put their sporting prowess to the test. Two teams will take to the field: The Rocking Horses, featuring players from an array of Brissie acts, and the Brisbane Lines, filled with a crew of 4ZZZ veterans, other industry insiders, street press staff and general music-related folks. Full lineups are yet to be announced, however the likes of Paul Kelly, Courtney Barnett, Tim Rogers and Tex Perkins have strapped on boots in previous interstate events. A couple of pollies normally join in, with Queensland upper house members Senator Murray Watt and Senator Anthony Chisholm slated to do the honours, the former with the musos and the latter playing with the media. Plus, the Community Cup isn't just about getting a dose of the live AFL action fans have been missing since the state's two teams failed to make the finals, as ace as the prospect of more footy is. Given that rock stars are involved, of course live music is part of the proceedings as well, with the Reclink Choir (featuring Robbie James from GANGgajang), Screaming Steven & The Heathens, 2Dogs and Sydney's Scabz taking care of the tunes. And, food-wise, expect stalls ready to fill your ravenous stomachs. Watching bands play — both music and footy — is hungry work, after all. Tickets cost $10, with every dollar raised going towards Reclink's efforts to improve the lives of Queenslanders suffering from disability, homelessness, substance abuse and economic hardship through participation in sport and the arts. Yep, whoever emerges victorious from the game, a heap of deserving folks will be the real winners. The Reclink Community Cup takes place on September 25 at Pine Rivers Showgrounds, Gympie Road, Lawnton. Tickets cost $10, and are available at the gate. For more information, visit www.communitycup.com.au/brisbane. Image: Rod Hunt.
Who needs to go to a bar or restaurant when you can go to a food and beverage pavilion? Yes, it does sound a little fancier and intimidating, but there's more to it than that. Think of this as the wondrous nucleus where all the dining and drinking options you could want combine in one venue. It's like a permanent mini-food festival, in a sense. The new venue is coming to Newstead thanks to the folks behind Hatch & Co; the eateries everyone has been flocking to at Garden City, Post Office Square and Gasworks Plaza. Soon the latter spot will have a sibling in the same precinct, however it's not just a rehash of their same tasty seasonal food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Set up marketplace-style, it will also play host to a juice station, express coffee window, open-plan kitchen, takeaway service and large, shared dining tables. Plus, the pavilion will feature 12 craft and local beers on tap, plus a sizeable range of wines and curated cocktails. Yep, it really does sound like the kind of spot that's going to be all kinds of excellent, and there's more to the story. This is a place for people to hangout, and it's also a place the owners want the city to feel a sense of ownership for. Thankfully, they've worked out the best way to do just that, throwing open the job of naming the joint to the general public. All is revealed on June 9, and the person behind it will win lifelong glory, of course, as well as a $1000 dining experience. Who knows, you might just have a new favourite spot that's been given its moniker by one of your mates. That's bragging you can get used to. For more information, visit www.wedonthavea.name. Find the new venue at the Gasworks Plaza Precinct, 100 Skyring Terrace, Newstead. Image: Kgbo.
In 2026, a brick hall perched on Wynnum Road in Brisbane's east will turn 100. That place: Morningside School of Arts. The art deco structure is no longer operating as a place to enhance your creative talents, but it has been everything from a library to a market site over the years. Ballet, karate, gymnastics, life drawing, line dancing: classes on each still pop up within its walls, too. A year before it reaches its centenary, Morningside School of Arts is getting celebrating by joining a different party: Brisbane Open House. This is the first time that it'll be on the event's lineup, letting folks head by to peer behind the scenes — which is what this architecture-loving weekend is always all about. [caption id="attachment_1007055" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Riviere by Aria, Cieran Murphy[/caption] Taking place across Saturday, July 19–Sunday, July 20, 2025's Brisbane Open House is embracing its usual agenda to not only let Brisbanites play tourist in their own town, but to take them exploring the River City's key buildings and landmarks. In total, 91 structures and sites are on the itinerary, spanning returning favourites that welcome in sticky beaks every year and newcomers. Among the second group, Morningside School of Arts is joined by Milton House, Rivière by Aria at Kangaroo Point, St Laurence's College and Bradbury Park Playscape in Kedron. Historical and heritage-listed spots, apartment towers, schools, playgrounds: even just Brisbane Open House's brand-new additions for this year give a decent glimpse at the variety of buildings that attendees can meander through. In the returning camp, Newstead House, Brisbane Arcade, ABC Brisbane at South Bank, Queensland Ballet's Thomas Dixon Centre, Centenary Pool and Roma Street Fire Station are just some of the other locations to hit up. Speaking of Roma Street, it's also on the program a second time, but taking visitors underground. Thanks to the Cross River Rail works, you can venture 30 metres beneath the road to where the new station is set to sit. Brisbane Airport is 100 years old this year, so one tour on Brisbane Open House's agenda commemorates that milestone. Still on huge pieces of infrastructure, Wivenhoe Dam and Port of Brisbane are on the itinerary, too. Plus, 2025's lineup marks the first time since 2020 that private homes are back on the program, letting the public into ten architect-designed houses, thanks to a collaboration with the Australian Institute of Architects. As well as tours and guided walks — such as one through Kurilpa — the program also features an exploration of ancient Egypt's architecture at Queensland Museum, Brisbane Open House's photography competition making a comeback, live tunes and performances, film screenings, a PechaKucha night at ARUP and more. "This is a landmark year for Brisbane Open House, not just in the scale of what we're offering, but in the depth of experience we're creating for locals and visitors alike," advised Brisbane Open House Chair Malcolm Middleton, announcing 2025's program. "Architecture is more than just buildings. It's about how we shape the spaces we live, work and gather in. It's about culture, climate and creativity. It's what leaves a lasting impression on our city's visitors, and it's what fills our lives with everyday beauty." [caption id="attachment_1007058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] HOSPITALITY, COMMERCIAL[/caption] Brisbane Open House 2025 runs across Saturday, July 19–Sunday, July 20 at a variety of places around Brisbane. For the full program, head to the event's website.
One of Australia's biggest beats-loving festivals has been canned. Mushroom Group have announced the discontinuation of Future Music Festival today, after reporting low ticket sales for the last two years. Despite attracted huge crowds to this year's March festival nationwide, Future apparently underperformed with ticket sales. This means Future isn't returning for 2016, with Mushroom looking to steer away from large-scale travelling festivals and put more focus on its touring adventures with Frontier Touring, A Day On the Green, Melbourne's Sugar Mountain and under-18s event Good Life. "The decision to discontinue Future Music Festival was not made lightly," says Mushroom Group Chairman Michael Gudinski. "A point came though where it simply no longer made sense to continue. We believe in the festival industry in Australia and plan to announce an exciting new festival concept in the coming months." Mushroom Group are developing a new festival concept, planned for the same time period previously held by Future and set to be announced later this year. Image: Future Music Festival.
In concurrence with the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum, The National Gallery of Australia hosted its 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial last year. This major exhibition, titled Defying Empire, now makes the jump to Brisbane's UQ Art Museum from July 28 to November 11 — bringing together both established and emerging Indigenous artists from across Australia in a showcase that focuses on themes of identity, racism, displacement and country. Among the 30 participating artists are Brenda L. Croft, whose art looks at themes of home; Fiona Foley, who focuses on race relations; Tony Albert, who examines war and its aftermath; and Brook Andrew, who explores themes of ancestry. Other artists delve into heavy issues of nuclear testing, sovereignty and the stolen generations, using a mix of media from canvas painting, video and photography to weaving, sculpture, metalwork and glasswork. The exhibition reinforces the significance of Indigenous art in Australia's cultural identity and the ongoing struggle for equality. Image: Daniel Boyd by Nikki To, Megan Cope by Pat Scala/Fairfax Media.
Hankering for something sweet, fluffy and moist, but of the healthy (or healthier) variety? Finding something that ticks both boxes is usually no mean feat; however thanks to Nutri Hitt, it's about to become much easier. You could even say it's now a piece of cake (couldn't help it). The new Geebung-based shop specialises in tasty morsels that are actually good for you, which includes raw, vegan and paleo options, as well as goodies free of gluten, dairy and refined sugar. If you've been to a market or deli around town, you might've tried their wares. Now, like many a stall before them, they've made the leap to a permanent store. That's where you'll find all the guilt-free cakes that you could want, including the slice of white chocolate heaven that is the Snow White, childhood nostalgia in the form of the Rainbow Swirl, and everything from lemon, lime and coconut and tiramisu too. If you're after a smaller bite, don't despair — you'll still find slices and cupcakes at Nutri Hitt's stockists around the city. Snow White White Chocolate Cake covered in our own raw White chocolate shards #nutrihitt #nutrihittcakes #raw #rawcake #rawwhitechocolate #chocolate #snowwhite #whitechocolate #rawlife #treatyourself Posted by NUTRI HITT on Sunday, November 8, 2015 Nutri Hitt started out when owners Candi Coonan and Tamara Lord just wanted to serve delicious treats without the kilojoules. As their success shows, they've achieved that aim — and now everyone keen to have their cake but avoid the not-so-good ingredients has become a winner. Find Nutri Hitt at 8/328 Newman Rd, Geebung, or visit their website or Facebook page for more information.
You know that drinking coffee is addictive, right? Well, in Amber and Cynamon Norris' case, so is selling it. After making sure that Mount Gravatt's residents can get their caffeine fix since 2011, the Hallowed Grounds Espresso owners are about to bring their favourite hot brews to Daisy Hill. Don't expect the duo's latest coffee spot to simply replicate their past successes, though, with St Coco Cafe a brand new venture. Here, they'll be shining a spotlight on specialty beans, blends and more, including nitrogen-infused cold brews from Cold Wolff on tap. The full coffee range is yet to be revealed, but that's not all customers will find on Cupania Street come August, with St Coco offering up two types of food that are certain to excite anyone who's not so fond of a hot cuppa. For anyone after a sweet treat that's also wholesome, nutritious and vegan-friendly, Cloverly Cupcakes' baked delights will take pride of place on the menu. And, so will all-day brekkie options, much to the delight of those who like eating bacon and eggs whenever they feel like it (yeah, everyone). Find St Coco Cafe at 3 Cupania Street, Daisy Hill from August. Keep an eye on their website and Facebook page for further details. Image: Hallowed Grounds.
Spring produce and paired craft beers made Concrete Playground readers particularly happy this month, as James Squire and Concrete Playground teamed up to put on a special Spring Banquet at The Charming Squire — and we gave a group of lucky CP readers a seat at the table. Competition winners sat down to a five-course meal custom-made by executive chef Deniz Coskun, each dish paired with a specific James Squire tipple, and guests heard from Deniz and James Squire brand ambassadors on the night. Have a peruse through the gallery to see what went down (and here's an idea of the deliciousness that was served up). SPRING BANQUET MENU Green pea soup, Noosa spanner crab and fennel pollen with The Swindler Summer Ale Mooloolaba king prawns, scampi caviar, avocado mousse, Pullenvale citrus and nasturtium with 150 Lashes Pale Ale Free range pork belly, Jerusalem artichoke, spiced stone fruit and morcilla crumble with Golden Ale Slow cooked spring lamb shoulder, burnt eggplant, mixed asparagus, broad beans and pickles with Hop Thief American Pale Ale Dark chocolate fondant, new season mango, crumble, Jack of Spades porter ice cream with Jack of Spades Porter To stay up to date with future events at The Charming Squire, sign up to James Squire or head to The Charming Squire's website. Photography: Emily Jane Davies.
Sunny one day, perfect the next. Most of the time. Brisbanites will all agree that summer here, despite all its advantages can be a biatch. On days where the humidity is so stifling you feel as though you could cut the air with a knife and you have sweat dripping down you neck, chest and backs of the knees, all you crave is immediate relief. And this comes best served frozen. Whether you're looking for something healthy and nourishing, or are prepared to go the whole hog for sweet, icy, cooling deliciousness, here's our round-up of Brisbane's best. HEALTHY FROZEN TREATS PAWPAW CAFE: COCOWHIP If you haven't already heard that the Venzin Group have brought the famed BSKT Cocowhip from Nobbys Beach to the 'burbs of Brisbane, you've been living under a rock. This uber-healthy soft-serve treat takes coconut water, probiotic and maqui berry and whips it into oblivion to make a delicious, light and refreshing anytime-snack. Enjoy it with frozen mixed berries or add some granola and have it for breakfast. 898 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba KISS THE BERRY: KTB ORIGINAL BOWL Kiss the Berry really is the queen bee when it comes to who reigns supreme over Brisbane's acai bowl. No matter what flavour or toppings you choose (the Snickers Delight Bowl with cacao and almond butter; the Green Machine Bowl with spinach, kale and coconut water; or the Aloha Tropicana Bowl with mango and passionfruit), it's an option that explodes with flavour and crunch. The ultimate? The KTB Original Bowl is supercharged with superfood — just pure acai, frozen banana, strawberries and apple juice. 1/99 Creek Street, Brisbane City & 114 Grey Street, South Brisbane SKINNY SCOOP: ANTIOXIDANT BERRY BOWL Similar to an acai bowl only minus the acai, Skinny Scoop (of Jan Powers Farmers Markets) blitzes up frozen berry goodness and serves it with your choice of fresh seasonal fruit, shredded coconut or granola and goji berries. Less intense in flavour than an acai bowl, the Berry Antioxidant is cool, refreshing and exactly what your sweltering self needs after a humid morning picking out your week's worth of fruit and veg. Jan Powers Farmers Markets PRESS: PINK PATAYA BOWL You’ll be tickled pink by Press on James Street’s Pink Pitaya Bowl. The key ingredient being dragonfruit, Press blends it with other frozen fruits and ice. They fan fresh seasonal fruit out on top with shredded coconut, gojis and vegan granola. It’s very mild in flavour and perfect for a quick fix to quench your thirst or keep the wolf from the door. 18/65 James Street, Fortitude Valley COULD-PASS-AS-HEALTHY FROZEN TREATS YOFLOW: FROYO Supposedly with the same amount of sugar content as your supermarket Ski yoghurt, Yoflow self-serve froyo in Gasworks adopts the weigh-and-pay method for their regularly rotating flavours of froyo. It’s like a good old-fashioned soft-serve, with the toppings you choose dictating the level of indulgence. Pick from the likes of lime and rosewater, coconut or mango, or opt for the fail-safe natural falvour, then be as liberal as you like with what goes on top. From fresh fruit and tapioca bubbles to crumbled brownie and chocolate chips, it’s ranking on the health scale is in your court. Gasworks Plaza, Newstead BOOST JUICE: BANANA BUZZ A Banana Buzz on a hot day can usually turn your heat stress to happiness. Banana, milk, ice and 'TD4' ("to die 4") frozen yoghurt, plus honey if that’s your jam, are whizzed up into a ridiculously thick smoothie that sometimes means you almost need to resort to a spoon rather than struggle with the straw. It's the epitome of hitting the mall on a hot day. Equally thirst-quenching are the Mango Magic or Strawberry Squeeze, which can also be requested 'lite' with 30% less kilojoules. Various locations PASSIONTREE: BINGSOO Bingsoo, or shaved ice with toppings, is a popular Korean summer snack that Passiontree is bringing to Brisbane dessert lovers. Served in a giant parfait glass with toppings ranging from jelly cubes to cornflakes, it’s a quirky Asian dessert that surprises the tastebuds. For a limited time over summer, they’re also serving giant melon bingsoo: half a hulled-out melon (currently it’s watermelon), with melon juice-infused shaved ice, topped with perfectly sculpted balls of melon and creamy ice-cream. It’ll set you back $20 and is definitely an icy treat best shared between two or three. 103 Elizabeth street, Brisbane INDULGENT FROZEN TREATS LA MACELLERIA: GELATO We may not have a Gelato Messina, but with La Macelleria in Teneriffe serving authentic, artisanal Italian gelato using traditional machinery and techniques and sourcing the freshest of ingredients for their craft, who much cares? With flavours like caramello salato (salted caramel), Crema Bologna (best described as lemony-vanilla) and Castiglione (fresh ricotta with caramelised figs) there is a great mix of contemporary and conventional to suit any taste. Otherwise, a suite of sorbets, shakes and artful gelato cakes are proffered for sale. Made fresh everyday, these cups of creamy spoils are guaranteed to quash any heat-induced craving. 29 Florence St, Teneriffe COWCH DESSERT COCKTAIL BAR: NAKED POPS Cowch has stolen Brisbane’s heart with their range of indulgent desserts, wicked cocktails and up-late hours. The best treat to beat the heat? A deconstructed Naked Pop. Simply choose your flavour of ice cream (essentially a 'naked' Magnum) then DIY with the toppings. Dip it in white, milk or dark chocolate and sprinkle it with your choice of chocolate balls, nuts, honeycomb and dried berries. It’s an eyeball-roll-inducing cool-down. 2/179 Grey Street, South Bank COWCH DESSERT COCKTAIL BAR: BACON ICE CREAM At the beginning of this post, we said you could easily have the Cocowhip for breakfast. If that's too 'healthy' for you, then we suggest pigging out on Cowch's Canadienne Breakfast Waffle Bowl with Bacon Ice Cream and Maple Syrup. The salty-sweet ice cream dotted with crunchy bacon bits comes topped with a paper-thin crisp of air-dried pancetta and is served in a waffle cone bowl. Literally the whole dish is edible. And on a hot day, eat it you will. 2/179 Grey Street, South Bank
The only way is up for Bella BBQ, Brisbane's favourite purveyors of slow-cooked meat seasoned with American-style rubs. You’ve enjoyed their barbecue treats at markets since mid 2014. You’ve been following their new food truck around town since January. Now, you can help them set up a permanent base to sell more tasty meals, more often. Less than a year after bursting onto the street food scene and taking Brisbane's tastebuds by storm, Bella BBQ is looking to set up their own takeaway shop. Their newly launched crowdfunding campaign will hopefully make that dream a reality, complete with mouthwatering incentive rewards — food of course, but there's also merchandise and a chance to attend your own private BB masterclass. Indeed, Bella BBQ's story so far is the type delicious dreams are made of, and one made possible by south-east Queensland's insatiable appetite for barbecued meat. Owner Steve Hellyer had no idea that his efforts as a backyard chef would lead him to looking at opening his own store. "It has taken me by surprise, the popularity of it all," he says. "It has all happened so quickly." Hellyer always wanted to spend his days cooking good food, but was uncertain about making the leap from amateur to professional. Instead, he would go to markets with his wife, and followed his nose to stalls cooking up chorizo and smoked sausage. He decided to look into making his own at home, which inspired further research into flavour profiles for rubs for other types of meats — and an idea was born. "It turns out that I'm pretty damn good at a lot of cooking in the backyard, and a lot of eating some pretty crappy food to start with — and then just perfecting it," Hellyer explains. "I always say to people that I'm living the dream. You wouldn't put this much time and effort into cooking meat for so long unless you had a passion for it." Bella BBQ's products — brisket, pork, ribs and wings — are cooked low and slow for 18 hours, which explains the taste customers know and love. "There has to be a lot of love put in at the start, in order to have the equal amount of love come out at the end," says Hellyer. "I've always loved cooking. I've always loved creating dishes and creating tastes, and that shows." Some of Bella BBQ's best sellers actually came about because of Hellyer's overwhelming affection for his job as pitmaster — and his tendency to cook too much in an effort to perfect his smoke-infused, slow-cooked barbecue skills. "The pulled pork nachos are a dish that I used to serve because I cooked that much at home practicing cooking pulled pork, we had that much left over. Nachos were just something that I started making for myself. Then I introduced them to the markets, and they're one of our highest selling products." The demand doesn't stop there, with other additions to the menu — and offshoots with other stores — stemming from his success. Customers can even order a container of pulled pork to make their own meals, and buy Bella BBQ rubs from Barbecues and More to try to recreate the magic of American-style meat at home. Hellyer, an electronics engineer by trade, also created an app to help fans follow the van around Brisbane for their barbeque fix. Though Bella BBQ is seeking a permanent home, those addicted to rushing around town needn't worry — the food truck will still operate as a satellite store once the shop is up and running. To stay up-to-date with Bella BBQ, download their app or visit their Facebook page. Throw the BB team some dosh for their permanent takeaway joint here. Images: Bella BBQ.
First, Brent Farrell wowed Brisbane with his fine dining establishment. Then, he revamped the acclaimed inner-west restaurant, turning it into a casual eatery. Come January 2016, he's heading over to the south side of town to launch a brand new venture: Slack's Track Cafe. If you've ever enjoyed a meal at Toowong's 85 Miskin Street (or Brent's – The Dining Experience before it) — or tucked into their famed brekkie degustation — you'll know that this is good news. Think the same culinary mastery Farrell has been showcasing for more than a decade, largely focused on an a la carte breakfast and lunch menu, and served up in an even more relaxed environment on Logan Road. Yes, daytime delights will be the main attraction, though that's not all that'll be on offer. To the glee of sugar fiends in the vicinity of Mt Gravatt, Brent's winning ways with homemade sweets and desserts will also feature. Plus, once the eatery obtains a liquor license, there's talk of opening on Friday and/or Saturday evenings with a focus on a fixed-price, multi-course selection. Slack's Track Cafe won't just follow in 85 Miskin Street's footsteps when it comes to food, with its name also keeping on trend. You might not recognise the reference; however Logan Road was originally known as Slack's Track, with farmer William Slack moving his cattle through the area. Now, its namesake dining spot will move its mouthwatering morsels into your mouth. Find Slack's Track Cafe at 1293 Logan Road, Mt Gravatt from January 2016. For more information, check out their Facebook page and Instagram feed.
Sure, you've had a Mexican meal before — but have you had a Mexican 'gastronomy experience'? We're not just talking about the usual nachos, burritos and enchiladas, as tasty as they are. We're talking about Moreton Bay Bug tostadas with avocado and avruga, wagyu beef tacos with grilled onion, horseradish salsa verde, and truffled chicken quesadillas with queso and jalapeno. They're just some of the meals set to take over South Bank's latest Mexican restaurant, Mucho Mexicano. Along with the dish they're calling 'The Mother of All Tacos' — a build-your-own brisket, pork belly and/or am shoulder concoction — everything is designed to be enjoyed communally. That certainly suits the two-level restaurant's other big drawcard: Brisbane's first-ever dedicated margarita bar (apparently), with a drinks list appropriately stacked with tequila and multiple varieties of the signature beverage. Yep, it's definitely fiesta time, whether you're after lunch, dinner or drinks every day of the week, or a brekkie fix on weekends (with Mucho Mexicano's early morning menu joining the fold in the coming months). Plus, the new eatery's name doesn't just describe its menu focus, but reflects the growing number of Mexican places making their home in this particular stretch of the city. In fact, when it opens its doors in Che Asado's former digs on June 13, Mucho Mexicano will be right across the road from both Guzman y Gomez and The Burrito Bar. Ñam ñam. Find Mucho Mexicano at from June 13. For more information, check out their Facebook page.
For years, going to Bulimba for a meal, drink or just to hang with your mates has meant heading to Oxford Street, however the inner-eastern suburb is about to get another must-visit destination. That'd be Apollo Road, current home of the Bulimba Barracks, and future riverfront community hub. Revamping the 23-hectare space (the one most people just drive past and barely give a second glance to) has been mooted for some time, but now locals can have a sneak peek of what's to come. Alongside homes and apartments, draft plans include 2.1 hectares of parkland along the river's edge, complete with a riverwalk with pedestrian and cycle connectivity. A strip of shops and restaurants, plus approximately three hectares dedicated to sport and recreation facilities, are also mooted. Nothing is yet set in stone, with the community consultation period open until November 1. If you have a great idea, now's your chance to have your say. The blueprint for the space is expected to be finalised by the end of the year. In addition, in keeping with the area's rich history, heritage buildings already in the area's vicinity will be repurposed — including turning a military fabrications shed into a neighbourhood centre with a plaza for special events. It might stay the same from the outside, but once the transformation from army land to bustling precinct has been completed, that's the only part of this patch of Bulimba inhabitants will likely recognise. For more information about the Bulimba Barracks Master Plan, visit the Brisbane City Council website.
They send coffee beans into space, shoot fireworks you can taste into the sky and make cocktails tailored to your individual DNA in Dubai. With their fantastical fusion of art and food, UK-based 'jellymongers' Bompas & Parr are basically our patron saints around the Concrete Playground office. Who wouldn't want to attend one of their playful and painstakingly constructed events? For the happy campers at Dark Mofo, that's what's set to happen in a big way. As part of the Unconscious Collective's art sleepover Wild at Heart, the duo will create a feast that nods to Pagan traditions through hunting, gathering, sacrifice, ritual and some intensely primal dishes. With our eyes wide and mouths properly drooling, we got Sam Bompas on the line for a lowdown on what to expect at his Feed the Beast feast. And even more than that, we wanted to know what a person so used to thinking laterally about the potential of food has to say about current dining trends and the Australian culinary scene. His answers may surprise you. You and Harry [Parr, the other half of Bompas & Parr] started working together as jellymongers, but I see increasingly more stories about non-jelly-related experiences you've created these days. How did that evolution happen? I think quite naturally. When we started out we just wanted to do something fun on the weekend, and jelly held the key. We set up the jelly company but within a month we were moving on to full catering, doing a 12-course Victorian breakfast in Warwick castle, coordinating a thousand calories arriving on people's plates from three separate kitchens. So we moved quite quickly from jelly into doing everything. And I think really the reasoning behind that was wanting to give people really engaging, emotionally compelling experiences and in order to do that we were looking at controlling everything, from venue and set design to uniform design to choreography, rituals, scripting, staff, right through the plates and everything else. So I guess it was pretty ambitious. Obviously it takes a much bigger team of creatives to make all of this happen. Is your workplace basically Wonka's Chocolate Factory? Like that, but perhaps a little more adult. A lot of the projects we work on, some of them are very, very child-friendly — so we just did something that Willy Wonka would be proud of, a flavour-changing chewing gum factory — but some of the projects are a lot more adult, so things like the installation we've got up at the Museum of Sex in New York at the moment, which is looking at fairgrounds and eroticism, the pleasures and perils of the erotic fairground. You've been to Australia a few times now with your work. What did you find out about Australian food while you were here? I've got to say, when the Australian chefs I know come over to London, I'm always very, very interested because I think that in certain sectors Australia leads the world by about six months or so, in things like juicing culture, coffee culture, a lot of their F&D, and I'm obviously interested in some of the more unusual ingredients as well which are just totally native to Australia ... I was amazed last time I came across, I went to Africola, the restaurant in Adelaide, and I was served up a whole cow's head with brains still in, and of course, coming from England that's about the most taboo food you could ever imagine, in the aftermath of BSE [mad cow disease], so that was a pretty feral dining experience for me and absolutely blew me away. That's great for us Aussies to hear, because we have this cultural cringe, where we presume everything we do is a bit backwards. Did your visit give you any ideas you wanted to pursue? Seeing the cow's head sparked us to push even further what was totally acceptable for us to put on the table. Everyone here is obsessed with what is called the 'unholy union' of Cadbury chocolate and Vegemite. Have you heard about this? Oh wow. Not at all. Who claims to have discovered this? Cadbury's produced it. It's on the shelves. Really? They're very innovative. I guess so. We're just discovering how deep their imagination can stretch. So would you eat Vegemite chocolate? I'm never shy to try something once. Most people's reaction is 'yuck'. So is that yuck impulse something you like to trust, or interrogate? Well I think it's always culturally constructed. I've read a lot of research that says you can grow to like anything after you become acclimatised, and actually grow to love it. So once you know that, then you're kind of up for eating anything. Quite often when I travel my host will try to put the most harrowing things on the table just to test me, but I always quite like that challenge. So whether it's live, squirming tentacles that if you don't chew them stick to the back of your throat in South Korea or strange and rare fruits in Hawaii, I love pushing what I feel are my own limits. Insects are starting to become a thing here. You've probably eaten a few insects in your time? Yeah. There's a lot of chat about it. We did a whole insect banquet as part of something around Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, god, four or five years ago now. I'm not convinced insects are the future for our diets but I do think that they might help with animal feed and animal protein. I'm much more interested in the creative potential of genetic manipulation. I did imagine that you would be more excited than worried about GM. Well of course there are ethical concerns but as long as you navigate them in a sensible and conscientious manner I think there's some good work to be done. Back to the present. There's also this rise at the moment in food that's a challenge. You know, it's either impossible to make, or it's some kind of monstrous hybrid, or it looks like it could give you a heart attack. What is that about do you think? And do you see that kind of instinct in people as fuelling interest in your own work? I think for me, it's feeding into how across the board people are using food to define their personal sense of identity and to perform identity in front of others as well. So whether that's you're eating your glucose-free, lactose-free light salads and you're telling the story to people of you as a yoga babe, or savage dude food — all of it, of course, going up on Instagram to tell people what an interesting, amazing life you have. And I think it's exciting too. What it has meant is, given that people are using food in this way, as a signifier of status and signifier of identity, there's been an increasing amount of resources put into food and concern about food and what people are eating, and generally an overall lift up in food knowledge, which I think can only be a good thing. Absolutely. Australia certainly has a big foodie culture. Probably safe to say it eclipses our interest in stuff like art and art appreciation. Your work obviously combines both food and art. So what is the connection you see between the two areas? Basically no one eats our food because they're in need of more calories — in actual fact, they're often avoiding calories. They tend to eat our food for entertainment, and personally I consider both arts and food offshoots of the entertainment industry. So if you come to one of our events rather than going to the opera, going for a nice swim, making love, sitting at the pub talking about mermaids or whatever you like to talk about, it has to be really rather compelling. I guess one of the good things about food is it's a wonderful arena to give people an interesting and emotive experience and I think that's what the best art seeks to do. Foodie culture obviously has a lot of benefits — the increased knowledge, as you were saying. But do you think there are any downsides from being too narrowly focused on food? I think you've got to look at the word 'foodie' itself, is a pejorative term. It was invented in the 1970s by Paul Levy as a descriptive of someone who's too concerned about food to the point of missing other things in life. I think it is important to have balance, but if you look at a lot of our installations, while the food is important, we address a lot of the attention to other elements as well, just to give people a total experience, one that's very legible and understandable. I find sometimes very cheffy food becomes difficult to read; it becomes something that only the food elite can possibly understand. But what I'm interested in is a much more inclusive approach to food. Your banquet in Tasmania, Wild at Heart, is based around pagan themes. It seems pretty perfect for Dark Mofo, which also includes a nude solstice swim. Is that where the inspiration came from? With the banquet we've been collaborating with the Unconscious Collective, and they set the theme, but it's a theme we've been very delighted to explore, expand on and run with. It's so hairy and muscular you can really gorge on it, as we hope that participants will be gorging on the feast as well. There are two components. On the first night, it's more of a gentle, campfire-type scenario, spiced up with flamethrowers, bombfires and roadkill jerky and drinking from actual skull cups hollowed out of a whole variety of animal skulls. And that will actually be up and remain up way beyond the original launch to ensure that everyone can pop down. Then we move on to the Feed the Beast banquet, which is exploring all the many different facets of the beast and the animals we all contain within ourselves. Sounds primal. It should be pretty savage. And it's something that I'm quite excited to explore, because when you start feeding people, you become quite aware of just how thin that line of civility is that divides us from the animal kingdom ... So what we want to do with this event and meal is give people the opportunity, the excuse and legitimacy to explore the beast within them, with things [from] blood and beating hearts to epic steaming hunks of spit roast wild deer that's actually just been hunted by [Tasmanian chef] Ross O'Meara to the more amorous side, so exploring tales of aphrodisiacs. There'll definitely be a lot of nudity. And not all of it probably our performers. One of the things we're looking at is creating an actual beating pig's heart that materialises as part of the starter, and it's literally there pumping fluids around, so it feels very visceral, very alive. We then take this live heart, slice it up and sautee it so it comes back served up for the first course. I don't know that anyone's done that before, so there should be a few world firsts. Can you tell us anything else you've got planned for the 'rituals' in the event? We've got lots of rituals around blood. Almost like a whole meditative cleanse around hand washing as well. I'm also very inspired by a chap called Grimod de La Reynière, who was kind of the first proper restaurant critic and if you ask me a far better gourmet and food writer than his contemporary Brillat-Savarin, who everyone normally refers to. And he hosted a very decadent banquet in which all the guests arrived, they had their hands washed, and then they dried their hands on the hair of all the waitstaff, which I think is really, particularly creepy. So we'll try to channel some of those energies as well. Delightful. I want to ask you about some of your past works that we've covered on the site. You recently held an anatomical whiskey tasting. So I want to know, were people more excited to drink from a 20-year-old or a 50-year-old? Well we went from 25 to 39, and I think the thing that was wonderful was as the age went up, so the whiskey got more and more elaborate. We actually had a 63-year-old volunteer to be the vessel for one of them, although the only 63-year-old whiskey we could find was going to cost us a hundred and twenty thousand pounds, which got pretty full on ... The thing that I liked was how people interacted with one another. You started off with what was originally a sort of awkward situation, twenty strangers in a room on Valentine's Day, all licking whiskey from the naked, supine body of someone who they've never met and who's just told them the story of their life in fifteen minutes, and even with that, very rapidly, galvanized by some of the world's finest whiskies, they very quickly formed bonds. What about the lava barbecue? People had to get 500 friends together to make that happen. So did anyone get 500 friends together? We're still working on that. We're speaking to a couple of people at the moment. That would be my ultimate, ultimate project. That was far and away the best week I've ever had, and far and away the quickest cook as well, given that it is blazing at one thousand three hundred and fifty degrees Celsius. So you just need to find someone who can gather 500 people? Five hundred people and quite a hefty budget. 500 people and much money. We'll work on it. And with regards to jelly, have you come across a building you couldn't make into jelly, or are there buildings that work better than others? Modern architecture doesn't work; anything with a steel core doesn't work particularly well. Towers don't work very well at all. They obviously look phallic as buildings, but even more so when rendered in jelly. We made the Empire State Building and it had to get pulled from American morning television because it was just way too threatening ... But actually the buildings that tend to work best are historic stone architecture. And the reason for that is that as it gets higher then it goes in at the top, and that gives jelly just the right amount of stability. So some of the really good jellies we've made are actually Flinders Street Station and the Melbourne War Memorial, which was a really good one. But the Sydney Opera House might be harder? It sort of tapers in at the top; it works quite well. That's a firm favourite and regularly made as jelly. You already sell 'space beans' [coffee beans that have travelled to space] on the site. Are there any plans to expand the products people can buy? We often have plans we're not totally good at realising. To do products you have to have a firm focus and keep on rolling on it for a good long while. The inception and the creative frenzy of the first bit is soon replaced by actually having to go out and sell the product. The bit we like doing is all the creative bits, which is why I guess we stick with events and things. That's reasonable. But we'll keep our fingers crossed for some kind of amazing chocolate bar. It would be fun to do. I guess we've just got way too short attention spans so far. Wild at Heart is part of the festival Dark Mofo, which is on from June 12 – 22 in Hobart. The event is sold out, so if you don't have a ticket, you'll just have to watch your friends go savage from afar.
Before it became a film, playwright Kate Mulvany adapted Craig Silvey's 2009 Indie Book of the Year, Jasper Jones, for the stage — and scored a 2015 Nick Enright Prize nomination and four Helpmann nominations in the process. It was one of the hardest tickets in Sydney and Melbourne when it graced those state's stages, and now it's coming to Brisbane for a limited run. It's Western Australia in the 1960s. Charlie Bucktin is a clever 14-year-old whose ambition is writing The Great Australian Novel. But he's faced with a moral dilemma when Jasper Jones, an Indigenous boy who serves as the town's scapegoat, turns up at the window asking for help. Jasper has unwittingly come across a crime scene. But he's too scared to tell anyone, because he knows he'll cop the blame, without question or fair trial. So he asks Charlie for help in solving the mystery. In the suspenseful story that develops, Jasper Jones explores race relations, the Vietnam War and small-town Australian culture, alongside teenage friendships, word play and the complexities of growing up. Mulvany deftly adapts Silvey's words for the stage, keeping the right balance of tension and humour. The Queensland Theatre production is directed by Sam Strong, with Shaka Cook playing Jasper Jones and Nicholas Denton in the role of Charles Bucktin.
For decades, the smell of beer has lingered over Milton. Thanks to the XXXX Brewery, that scent isn't about to fade any time soon. In fact, with two more breweries about to pop up in the inner-city suburb, the aroma of yeast and hops is only going to get stronger. The first new addition is Aether Brewing, who've been planning their custom designed and built brewhouse for quite some time (as their Facebook page attests). Come October, they'll be showcasing their craft tipples on Railway Terrace, making and bottling drinks like their Event Horizon Oatmeal Stout and serving it in the restaurant and bar attached to the premises. Then, when December rolls around, Newstead Brewing Co. will also be moving into the neighbourhood. You'll find them on Castlemaine Street opposite Suncorp Stadium, complete with an on-site bistro. Once the new location is completely up and running, it'll become Newstead's main base, with their current Doggett Street digs focusing on small-batch brews instead. More details about both are bound to flood in as the year progresses. Point is, whatever kind of ale or lager you like, there's a pretty good chance you'll soon find it in Milton. Indeed, if hopping between bars sounds like your ideal way to while away an evening, you'll be able to cobble together quite the sizeable pub crawl itinerary while staying in just one suburb. Via The Courier-Mail.
"Joey, there's no living with...with a killing" explains Alan Ladd's character in the 1953 cowboy epic Shane. "There's no going back from it. Right or wrong, it's a brand, a brand that sticks. There's no going back. Now you run on home to your mother and tell her...tell her everything's alright, and there aren't any more guns in the valley". Twice in Logan we hear this same passage, and it sets the theme for the entire film. Hugh Jackman's Logan, aka Wolverine, is one of modern cinema's greatest tortured souls: a near-invincible soldier of fortune forever seeking memories of better days lost to amnesia, whilst drinking to forget the ones even amnesia refuses to ensnare. Time has been no friend to the man unburdened by it, with lovers long since dead and buried, friends gone the same way, and no new mutants, we learn, born for the past twenty five years. Even his own body is at last breaking down, like an old turbine with grinding parts and blunt, malfunctioning blades. The immortal man is somehow dying, and he can't welcome it quickly enough. If it's not already obvious, Logan represents something of a seismic shift for the X-Men franchise – a billion dollar film series that has, until now, consisted largely of family-friendly crowd-pleasers. Ultra-violent and with Scorsese level foul language, Logan at long last unleashes the true, brutal fury of the eponymous beast whose gruesome deeds have, for the past seventeen years, only ever been teased out or implied. Limbs are severed and skulls are skewered with bloody repetition, yet neither the frequency nor the intensity of the violence ever feels gratuitous. This is a dark, gritty and yet soulful production that finally honours the character behind so much of the X-Men saga's enduring popularity. In the lead roll, Jackman imbues Logan with all the rage, self-loathing and pain befitting a man who's literally seen it all. With greying hair and a weathered face hidden beneath a wild, bushy beard, the actor limps and heaves his way through every scene with palpable discomfort. Alongside him, Patrick Stewart returns as the wheelchair-bound Professor Charles Xavier, now a prisoner to his own failing (yet terrifyingly powerful) mind, the implications of which are brilliantly woven into the script. Stephen Merchant, too, joins the franchise in a wonderfully soulful turn, whilst the film's villains are this time embodied by Narcos' Boyd Holbrook and the ever-reliable Richard E Grant. Then, finally, there's newcomer Dafne Keen as a young mutant named Laura, and if you've seen the film's trailer you'll likely have already guessed her connection to both this story and its key characters. In the interest of preserving what surprises we can, the less said about Keen the better, except to note that her performance is outstanding and her scenes with Jackman ground the film in a deeply personal way. This is a bold offering from director James Mangold and an extraordinary conclusion to an otherwise ho-hum trilogy of Wolverine-centric spinoffs (see also: X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Wolverine). In an age of unending sequels and computer-generated chaos, Logan is a timely reminder that for all of their spectacle, the best superhero films can begin and end with human-driven stories. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH3OxVFvTeg
Come July, Brisbanites can knock back cocktails at a gin-soaked high tea, taste creations from the city's next breed of culinary wizards, and dine under the stars at Eagle Street Pier, all thanks to one event. That's right, Good Food Month is back, and it's bigger than ever. Gird your stomachs, and prepare to go gaga over gastronomy. Topping the list of must-do activities is the Tanqueray G & Tea Rooftop Garden, a tea party for grown-ups that not even the Mad Hatter could've conjured up. On top of the Fox, you'll consume traditional high tea fare of cupcakes and sandwiches with a gin twist, and pretend you're Alice in your very own wonderland. Elsewhere, you can check out the cooking skills of the kitchen stars of tomorrow is on offer at the Young Chef's Dinner, and enjoy an evening eating experience al fresco at Dine Under the Stars. Or, learn the secrets of Australian cuisine from culinary maestros such as respected Melbourne master Ben Shewry (whose Attica was just named number 32 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list), and brush up on your blogging at the tastiest Food Writing 101 workshop you'll ever attend. Yes, there really is something in the Good Food Month program for everyone. Of course, everyone's favourite Night Noodle Markets will return, complete with yum cha weekend trading hours to meet the demand. The busiest event of 2014 now boasts more chances to enjoy the hawker-style outdoor market experience, featuring 30 different stalls over 12 days and nights. Is simple dining more your thing, rather than rushing to specific outings and activities? Then you're in luck, because that's what Good Food Month is really all about. Their list of venues spruiking meal deals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks is the kind of thing foodies fantasise about. That includes concoctions crafted from seasonal delights, cheap eats that won't punish your wallet, tours of the best international cuisine Brisbane has to offer, and a showcase of mouth-watering pub fare. One thing is for certain: with all these tasty treats on offer, you'll have no excuse to be hungry at this month-long food fiesta. Good Food Month runs from July 9 to August 9, 2015. Visit the website for more information. View all Brisbane Events.
Sydney foodies, we're spoilt for choice at every turn. New top-notch eateries are cropping up faster than ever before. If you're struggling to keep up — and who isn't? — never fear Taste of Sydney 2016 is the four-day foodie festival to get to up to speed on the cream of the culinary crop. Setting up residence in Centennial Park from March 10 to 13, Taste of Sydney in partnership with Electrolux is all about bringing diners and chefs together. Ticketholders will be treated with nosh from some of Sydney's top restaurants, including Middle Eastern street food from the crew at Glebe's Thievery, Porteno's famously hearty fare, Biota Dining's sustainable modern Australian dishes, nel.'s fine dining dishes, plus fire-cooked noms from Firedoor. Also joining the deliciousness will be Kitchen by Mike, MoVida, Sake, and the newly opened Kensington Street Social, among others. But we can't wait until then. We annoyed the Thievery team to give us a recipe, NOW. NOOOOOOW. So they relented and told us how make their mouthwatering baba ghanoush with sheep's milk yogurt, pinenuts and burnt butter. You can make it too! Thievery's Baba Ghanoush with Sheep's Milk Yogurt, Pinenuts and Burnt Butter 2 eggplants 25g tahini Juice of one lemon 1 clove of garlic 25g olive oil Salt and pepper (to taste) For pinenut burnt butter 75g pinenuts 120g unsalted butter For sheep's milk yoghurt dressing 100g sheep's milk yoghurt ¼ clove of garlic 15ml extra virgin olive oil Chervil leaves, to garnish Lebanese bread Method Prick the eggplants with a fork all over. Over an open flame, using tongs, grill the eggplant whole under tender and soft. Juices should bubble and start to flow. Alternatively, roast in oven at 190 degrees until tender and soft. Cut eggplants in half, length ways, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Allow to cool. Add remaining ingredients to the eggplant flesh in the bowl. Using a whisk, gently combine all the ingredients together, keeping the texture thick to avoid turning the eggplant into a paste. Season to taste. On medium heat, melt unsalted butter in a saucepan until butter starts to turn an amber colour with a nutty smell. Just before beurre noisette (brown butter) add the pinenuts, tossing until noisette stage is achieved. Remove from heat. Set aside and keep warm so that butter does not solidify, allowing the pinenuts to infuse the flavour. Finely grate ¼ clove of garlic. Add sheep's milk yoghurt and olive oil, combining all ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste. Place baba ghanoush in a serving bowl. Dollop sheep's milk yoghurt dressing around the baba ghanoush. Using a spoon, mix the pinenut burnt butter and spoon over the top. Garnish with chervil leaves and serve with warm Lebanese bread.
Musicians dream of many things: playing packed-out gigs, releasing a hit album that rockets up the charts, and attaining Kanye-levels of fame and fortune, just to name a few. Getting your own beer has to be on the list as well — and that's a rockstar achievement DZ Deathrays now has covered. No, bandmates Shane Parsons and Simon Ridley haven't cooked up a batch of homemade ale (well, that's not what they're unleashing upon the world right now, at least). And no, there's no rum involved, even though the duo both hail from Bundaberg. Instead, the ARIA-award winning Brisbane outfit has teamed up with the fine folks from Sydney brewery Young Henrys to make their very own brew. If Queen and Pearl Jam can have their own tipple, why can't they? Called Pils 'n' Thrills (Wellington's Garage Project will be raising a few eyebrows, they've already released a beer called Pils 'n' Thrills), DZ Deathrays' beverage of choice is a Czech-style pilsner complete with a stripped-back, classic, compact malt bill and a surprisingly hoppy palm to the nose. If you don't speak beer speak, that means that it's flavoursome, tasty and refreshing, i.e. all the things you want in a pint. Of course, Pils 'n' Thrills is a limited-edition affair, so you'd best head to your local stockist to get your fix quick smart. Then, next time you indulge in one of life's simple pleasures — aka enjoying an ice-cold beer while listening to your favourite band — you can do it with DZ Deathrays' very own drinks in your mitts. For more information about Pils 'n' Thrills, check out the Young Henrys website. Image: Luke Henery.
When you're on holiday, we think it's a rule that you can't leave the city without exploring the local pub scene. But often, there are so many pub options that the whole choosing-where-to-go thing can be a little overwhelming. What you need is a go-to guide that saves you a lot of research and tells you exactly where to go depending what mood you're in or what vibe you're after. Whether you're keen for a party, a chilled beverage in a beer garden, a good quality pub feed or a drink by the water, we've got you covered. We've partnered with Hahn Brewers and come up with a few failsafe options for you to visit. Never be lost for pub options in Perth again. FOR LIVE MUSIC: THE ROSEMOUNT, NORTH PERTH The affectionately-named 'Rosie' hosts national and international bands like Spoon, The Panics and Tiny Little Houses regularly in its live music room. It's the regular venue for album launches, karaoke nights and open-mic nights where undiscovered Perth talent can often make an appearance. If you're in Perth and looking to go to a gig, this is definitely the place to be. Sometimes there are food stalls and vintage markets out in the 'backyard', which consists of the 'deck' and the 'lawn'. Both spectacular spots to grab a beer to drink outside while checking out what's happening on the day. FOR THE VIEW: OCEAN BEACH HOTEL, COTTLESLOE The Ocean Beach Hotel, opposite Cottlesloe Beach, has everything — it serves coffee and breakfast from 7am, there's a sports bar, pool tables, a dining room, accommodation and most importantly, a huge, sunny rooftop with stunning views of the beach. Famous for its Sunday sessions and rooftop beer garden, it's the perfect spot to stop for a feed and a cold beer after a swim, or the perfect place to watch the sun go down over the ocean. [caption id="attachment_605929" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: The Local[/caption] FOR A FEED: THE LOCAL HOTEL, SOUTH FREMANTLE The Local Hotel in South Fremantle is one of Perth's stylish and recently renovated pubs. It's the perfect place to grab a slightly fancy pub feed, with a menu that accommodates almost every meal and appetite. There are simple cheese boards and starters, more substantial mains such as the sirloin steak, beef and veggie burgers and the grilled lamb loin. At the Local there's a public bar, a casual dining area and a whisky bar. There's also the Local Garage — a drive-through bottle shop that's been converted into a pop-up garden bar, open for breakfast on weekends and hosting food trucks in the afternoon. Should you need to stay the night, The Local also has beautiful boutique accomodation options. Each of the eight rooms are styled by local designers and offer their own light and airy features. FOR THE BEER GARDEN: THE NORFOLK, FREMANTLE Much loved by locals in Fremantle, The Norfolk is a failsafe option for a beverage in Perth. On the menu are all the pub classics like pizza, pasta, parmas and steaks, but the real highlight of the place is the two outdoor beer gardens. Leafy, half-sunny and half-shaded just like a good beer garden should be, the Norfolk is famous for its huge limestone walls. They make for a great, cosy atmosphere where you can sit back and watch some live music. [caption id="attachment_605945" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Raffles Hotel[/caption] FOR THE WATER: RAFFLES HOTEL, APPLECROSS The Raffles Hotel is located in the riverside suburb of Applecross. It's worth the trip from Perth to the other side of the river, because Raffles has beautiful views and a relaxed atmosphere where you can grab a drink and chill out by the water. Gourmet pizzas are on the menu alongside upscale pub classics like burgers, parmas and big plates of fresh seafood and pork belly to share. Raffles has multiple levels of outdoor seating, which means it hosts quite a few summer parties. Fashion launches, dinners, New Year's parties and Australia Day gatherings by the water. That kind of thing. FOR A BIT OF HISTORY: THE WINDSOR, SOUTH PERTH The Windsor Hotel in South Perth is an institution in the area. It's that classic, huge, old pub that everyone knows and occasionally visits. There's a sports bar, a beer garden out the back, and DJs that play on the weekends as well as all the classic events like Melbourne Cup, Australia Day and New Year's. The old building is surrounded by a historic verandah — a great place to settle down with an afternoon beer and read about one of the city's oldest pubs. FOR THE GAME: THE VIC, SUBIACO If you're in Perth and there's a game on (whether it's football, NRL, AFL, tennis, golf or anything else really), the place to watch it is at The Vic in Subiaco, one of Perth's popular inner-west suburbs. This place is as classic as an old-school sports pub gets, with parmas, burgers and cheap pints of beer served up in the beer garden and multiple dining rooms alongside local live music and trivia nights. The Vic packs out especially on big AFL days. The projector screens are rolled out and the building is filled with sports fans and footy scarfs. FOR A PARTY: BOTANICA BAR AND BISTRO, INNALOO Botanica boasts 'the best Sunday Session in Perth'. It's a big call, but if you're a regular you'll know that this Innaloo pub throws a few parties, and they tend to go off. During the day (or when there's no special event on, like the Silent Disco pictured), the outdoor beer garden is packed with people enjoying the sunshine, a brew and a pub feed. At night (and on Sundays) the DJs come out to play. There's also a sports bar attached to the Botanica — the crowd can get rowdy (in a good way) when there's a big game on the screens. Sign up to Hahn Brewers and settle down with a drink this weekend.
What are you doing right now? No, stop. Whatever it is, it most likely doesn’t compare to what you could be doing at this exact time next year. Sea N Beats, Australia’s first ever music festival at sea, is on March 5-8, 2016 — and if you’re into electronic dance beats and/or super chilled-in-a-chilla-way cruises through aquamarine waters (and isolated island paradises to boot), it's probably going to float your boat. The Sea N Beats ship will boast seven stages (so we know this is ain’t no dinghy), and a huge pool deck, where you’ll dance till the wee hours in the middle of the deep blue sea sea sea (hey, there’ll be no noise complaints here). Plus, included in your ticket is entry to an exclusive mystery island festival on an exclusive mystery island, somewhere off the exclusive mystery Queensland coast. After the seafaring shenanigans that went down at It’s the Ship — Singapore’s inaugural festival on a boat — last November, plus the fact that SS Coachella and the Weezer cruise are actual things that exist, it was high time we got one of these boat-fests of our own. Those festivals attracted sailors like Basement Jaxx, Lil John, Toro y Moi, Pulp and Hot Chip. No word on who’s going to be (literally) onboard for ours yet — but it’s safe to say this is going to be one hull of a party. Now's probably a good time to start training yourself out of your sea sickness. But it sounds well worth stocking up on those ginger tablets for; Sea N Beats reckon there's no other experience like this in the southern hemisphere. The ship sets sail from Brisbane on March 5 next year, and the festival runs till March 8. You know your psych-up music, crank it. Via Pedestrian. Image: Falls Festival.
