Anyone old enough to remember the mid-'90s will likely recall that something happened on the world’s tallest mountain back in May 1996. Something bad. But how bad? Well, the specifics are probably a bit hazy. That’s why there’s always the great temptation with movies based on real events to look up what happened before you see them. Sometimes it’s to make sure you’re across the facts or so that you don’t get confused, but usually, if we’re honest, it’s so that we don’t spend the whole film wondering who lives and who dies. Everest is one such film, and whatever you do, avoid turning to the internet until the credits have rolled. Genuine, compelling tension is such a rarity in modern cinema that to rob yourself of the experience when it finally presents itself would be madness. And boy does it present in Everest. To behold the ordeal at the centre of this tale is to almost endure it on a miniature scale. The film is relentless and punishing, leaving you exhausted, shaking and breathless. "Human beings,” explains the expedition’s leader Rob Hall (played by Jason Clarke), “simply are not built to function at the cruising altitude of a 747. Our bodies will be literally dying.” Thanks to the extraordinary team behind Everest, you believe it. Heck, you feel it. This is an ensemble movie done the right way, where nobody engages in scene stealing despite some big names scattered throughout. Sam Worthington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Robin Wright, John Hawkes and Emily Watson all join Clarke with committed but reserved performances that ensure the focus remains on the film’s true star: the mountain. Granted that sounds incredibly trite, but the scale of this film and its sumptuous cinematography all serve to reinforce both the grandeur and the peril of such an extraordinary place; “another beast altogether”, as Hall described it. To date, more than 250 people have died climbing the mountain, and the means of their demise are more varied than you might expect. The difference between this film and so many other recent offerings, however, it that instead of sensationalising nature, Everest simply shows humility towards it. In light of its wretched and treacherous conditions, one well might question why anybody would ever even consider summiting Everest, but the film has an answer for that, too. Several, in fact. Some try for the thrill, others for the challenge, and one extraordinary mailman attempted it purely for the symbol and inspiration it might provide others back home. More importantly, though, for those who actually make it — those few exceptional climbers who literally reach out and touch earth’s upper limit — the moment of exhilaration and accomplishment is so powerful and affecting that you’re moved to tears. It is, in short, an exceptional and experiential film with a story steeped in both tragedy and indomitability. Worthy of its name, Everest is a staggering and spectacular piece of cinema that deserves to be seen.
Prize Fighter caused a stir when it premiered at La Boite theatre in 2015. The first play of Congolese refugee Future D. Fidel, it tells the semi-autobiographical tale of a boy named Isa, himself a Congolese refugee, who uncovers a talent for boxing. Poised to win the national title, he has to overcome the horrors of his past — losing his family and being enlisted as a child soldier to the army that killed them — to beat his opponents. It received rave reviews and was nominated for Best Play and Best New Australian Work at the 2016 Helpmann Awards. On Thursday, September 13 and Friday, September 14, La Boite is bringing the production to the Logan Entertainment Centre as part of Brisbane Festival. It features nearly all of the original cast, though Sophie Emberson-Bain has been replaced by Zindzi Okenyo (from Play School and OKENYO). Okenyo joins Pacharo Mzembe, who is again playing Isa, plus Margi Brown-Ash and Gideon Mzembe. Image: Dylan Evans.
It's a problem anyone with a Netflix, Stan or Presto subscription can relate to: scrolling through a lengthy list of titles but still having trouble finding something to watch. It's a problem that gets worse if you're looking for homegrown content; however a new Aussie-focused streaming option is trying to fix that. Meet Ozflix, the first video-on-demand service dedicated to Australian films. It wants to become a one-stop-shop when it comes to local movies, with everything available to audiences on a pay-per-view basis. Packages grouped by themes and directors will also feature. The service is aiming to get things started with a catalogue spanning 250–400 titles, but that's just the beginning of Ozflix's plans. Eventually, it wants to house every Australian movie ever made, including the first works crafted in the 1900s, the newest releases, and everything from Newsfront to Strictly Ballroom, The Castle, Ten Canoes, Wolf Creek and The Dressmaker. Given that cinemagoers have been flocking to Aussie films en masse in 2015, giving the industry its most successful year at the local box office ever thanks to the likes of Mad Max: Fury Road, The Water Diviner and Paper Planes, the timing is right. The high-profile roster of talent who has voiced their support already — actresses Deborah Mailman and Claudia Karvan, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert director Stephan Elliott, and Animal Kingdom producer Liz Watts among them — certainly agree. Now all Australian movie fans need to do is wait until Ozflix launches in 2016. For more information on Ozflix, visit their website.
The co-founder of Sydney’s The Barber Shop is taking his whizz-bang bar-creating talents to Byron Bay. As of this summer, the north coast’s busiest hang-out will have a brand new drinking and feasting establishment, The Bolt Hole, thanks to one Mr Chris Mills. But there won’t be a tap or a beer bottle in sight. Instead, the bar’s craft beer offerings will be delivered in classic Aussie fashion — via tinnie only. Why? Well, to start, Chris sees tinnies as far more environmentally friendly than bottles. As for taps, the avoidance is more about aesthetics than being green. As anyone who's frequented The Barber Shop knows, Chris likes to keep his bar sleek and uncluttered. “Bottles have six times the carbon footprint of a can, when you consider volume, weight, production and transport — all those things add up,” says Chris. “We can fit 100 cartons of tinnies on a standard palette, versus 65 cartons of 330ml bottles, so it takes a lot less fuel to transport them.” Aluminium is lighter than glass, while a can’s tidy shape means more efficient packing and stacking. Second up, Chris points out that tinnies make beer taste better. “Canning is better because bottling lets in UV light, which affects the taste of the beer," he says. UV has a habit of breaking down the organic compounds that give a beer its unique flavour profile. Even though using brown-tinted glass can help reduce the damage, it’s no substitute for the light-impervious fortress that is an aluminium can. And thirdly, Chris adds, "Bottles let in more oxygen, which shortens the beer’s shelf life.” Then, of course, there's the can's total lack of smash-ability. As far as we know, The Bolt Hole will be the first bar in Australia to serve cans exclusively. But, more generally, the humble tinnie has been making a comeback — both here and in the US. Once the domain of drops like Tooheys and VB, it’s now being embraced by craft beer labels all over the world, including locals like Sydney’s Young Henrys and Melbourne’s Mountain Goat. This resurgence is in least part due to cans' lower carbon footprint, awareness of which has been growing for a while. Not everyone's on board though. David Suzuki's Queen of Green blog, for example, argues that beers shipped over long distances are better in tinnies, but when it comes to locally made brews, bottles win out, while others are pushing for all tap, all the time. With the Bolt Hole’s opening six weeks off, we can’t yet reveal exactly which craft beers will make the menu. But we can tell you that Chris has been chatting with some of Australia’s most talented operators. In addition to a stack of tasty brews, the drinks list, designed by Jason Crawley (The Drink Cabinet), will offer signature cocktails, vintage gins, artisanal spirits, boutique Australian and European wines, plus a whisky list to incite Dylan Thomas’s envy. Meanwhile, Jordan (Beans) Brannan (former sous chef at Bondi’s Panama House) will be producing dishes to match. A student of globe-trotting pit master Pete Daversa (London’s The Big Easy, New York City’s Pride and Joy, Hong Kong’s Blue Smoke), Jordan will be smoking up an American barbecue storm on a specially imported woodfired smoker, all the way from the US of A. He’ll be delivering a stateside culinary tour for carnivores, with grass-fed Angus brisket, Texas beef short ribs, Memphis BBQ pork ribs, Carolina pulled pork shoulder and maple glazed chicken. The American theme will continue in the fit-out, which is promising a dimly lit refuge from Byron Bay’s sun-dazed, crowded streets. Entering via a vintage church door, visitors will find themselves in a cosy, vintage haven, with references to hunting, steam trains and nautical escapades. There'll be green Chesterfields, handmade furniture, antique light fittings and a tarnished copper bar, supported by recycled railway sleepers. Tinnie image: Dollar Photo Club. Other images provided.
You guys, the future is here. The future that has been rendered so many times in Tom Cruise sci-fi movies and '90s music videos is finally here. Although Marty McFly is not the prophet we once believed him to be and the hoverboard is still only a prototype, a new UK-based project will let us have electric cars that charge via the road as they go. Although electric cars in the UK are currently becoming more common, they can be tricky to charge if you live in a densely populated city and are bereft of a private parking garage. Electric cars can only be charged from home/special charging stations, so if you're an electric car owner with only on-street parking facilities, you might have to hang around for hours at designated charging spots. Annoying. Enter charging lanes, to save the day. Highways England have announced an 18-month plan to trial the feasibility of charging lanes before bringing them to public roads. Charging lanes are exactly what they sound like — lanes that charge your electric car as you drive along it. How? With black magic, of course (or electric cables installed under the road surface which generate electromagnetic fields, funnelled into a coil in the car and converted into useable electricity). And a nice little bonus for eco-warriors driving electric cars is the ability to zip up a dedicated lane, charge your car and skip traffic all at once — no regular cars are allowed in this lane. Charging lanes have already been implemented to great effect in South Korea, to charge electric buses in the public transport system, and — if the popularity of 'Gangnam Style' is anything to go by — it’s only a matter of time before electric charging lanes become standard across the world. We haven't been this excited about roads since this solar-powered genius. Via Mashable.
Brisbanites, if you didn't already love the two-shop-plus-food-truck patch of the inner east that a couple of the city's favourite eateries have made their own, you will now. The wonder that is the Southside Tea Room has already been established, and the purveyor of records and tapes mixed with a tap house that is Death Valley has been trying hard to join them — which they might've just done with one stroke of menu genius. Ready? Never-ending weekend brunch. A couple of sweet little words and whole weekends full of goodness are the key to Death Valley weaselling their way into your go-to Saturday and Sunday hangout list. Your stomach is rumbling just thinking about it, isn't it? Yes, one of Morningside's finest is dedicating its end of week culinary slate to the kinds of delicious morsels you're supposed to eat at that awkward time between breakfast and lunch, but actually taste great whenever you feel like tucking in to them. Simply choose a main from the rotating lineup — we're talking potato hash cakes with haloumi and jalapeño jam, peanut butter waffles with bacon, new twists on eggs benedict, and the legendary Southside burger just some of the regular selections — and pair it with a mimosa or a cold press coffee off the tap. As always, the food is cooked and served up by Red Robin Supper Truck, aka the best permanently stationed source of meals on wheels there is. Don't just take our word for it — check out their Instagram, then make some never-ending weekend plans. Find Death Valley at 639B Wynnum Road, Morningside, or visit their Facebook page for more information.
You've just finished up in the clurb, you're headed home to solo feast on potato gems, when the call of nature moves from a low rumble to a panicked roar. Rather than exerting precious stores of your own personal energy, rather than politely asking a nearby establishment to use their facilities, you unleash a powerful gush of acidic gold on the nearest library wall, unsuspecting playground, residential rose bush. You wouldn't give it a second thought, you've got potato gems to demolish. But your neighbours and fellow residents would. And your local government and police force would. Taking cues from Hamburg's recently unveiled and straight-up genius solution to epic outdoor peeing stats, Gold Coast authorities are looking into bringing urine-repellent paint to the area, according to the Brisbane Times. Usually used on ships and designed to splash back any substance straight back onto the rogue slasher's shoes, the paint has been used heavily by fed-up residents in the German city's St Pauli nightclub district — complete with cheeky signs warning "Hier nicht pinkeln! Wir pinkeln zurueck" (Do not pee here! We pee back!). Now, looks like the walls of the Gold Coast could finally take their revenge. Gold Coast councillor Lex Bell told the Gold Coast Bulletin that Hamburg's idea had been passed on to the local authorities as a means to combat the area's high levels of public leak-taking. If Hamburg's example is anything to go by, drunken hotspots like Surfers Paradise would probably be targeted for trolling unknowing chumps draining the tank. Apparently it's not going to be a cheap process though, according to Reuters — it'll set the government back about $AUS700 to cover a six-square metre area. Yeesh. Maybe the ol' hosedown is cheaper for now. But it could be well worth it in the long run. Public pissers like their shoes dry as much as residents like their picket fences unsoiled. Just one question: what about the dogs? Via Brisbane Times.
Once every year, a different kind of festival is held in Brisbane — one that doesn't market itself on glow sticks, or ironic henna, or even prolific recreational drug use. It's a festival more for the artists, their scene and the Australian industry itself: Bigsound. Over three days in September, an eclectic collection of musicians is given their shot to play not just some of Brisbane's best venues for some of its best crowds, but also for industry professionals, booking agents, and labels; the big-wig types that usually hang out exclusively in Sydney and Melbourne and are always searching for that 'new sound'. For the somewhat isolated arts scene of Queensland, Bigsound is the annual chance of a lifetime, and acts as a cross-section of Australia's up and coming. Although criticised in recent years for pushing a lineup that includes already represented and well established performers, Bigsound's 2016 bunch still has a few untapped talents and diamonds in the rough. Here are five new artists playing Bigsound this year, not to be missed if you want to claim 'knew-them-before-they-were-cool' bragging rights in years to come. MOSQUITO COAST Last year's triple j Unearthed High winners, Mosquito Coast are riding the Australian airwaves to 'household name' status, but given they are both only 18 years of age, they definitely warrant the title of a 'new' band. Playing music so beach-inspired its practically sunburnt, this duo is nothing if not very, very chill. Breezy guitar lines, hard to forget lyrics, friendly drums — everything you'd want on the radio on a day it's too hot to think. Their main track 'Call My Name' hit #101 on triple j's Hottest 100 this year, and if they keep doing what they are doing, they're guaranteed to sneak into Australia's biggest music pedestal next year. Oh Hello! on September 7. BEC SANDRIDGE Listening to Sydney's Bec Sandridge, it's hard to imagine that anyone else playing Bigsound will bring the same charm to the stage. To call this about-to-explode artist a 'girl-popper' is unfair — would you call Anna Calvi the same? Sure, Sandridge's got pop influences, and that makes it so fun. Her music's intrinsically complex and simultaneously easy to dance to. And on top of it all, Sandridge has a set of pipes you could shamelessly compare to Blondie, Nick Cave, Kate Bush, or maybe even Bjork. The Foundry, September 7. GOOD BOY Good Boy are Brisbane boys, and boy, are they good. Doing the whole dolewave thing, this trio unabashedly sing about living hard, below the poverty line, in the northern suburbs. With King Krule-like guitar lines, over Dick Diver-like lyrics, with a bit of that regional Queensland anger and edge to them, the boys know what they're all about. They've only been bumming darbs and singing about it for a year now, but they've already played Laneway Festival, and are looking at being the canonical band for 2016 Brisbane. Who knows, maybe it'll be the start of their career as Brisbane's next Go-Betweens? Oh Hello!, September 8. PRATEEK KUHAD Prateek Kuhad isn't exactly a fresh face — he's played SXSW, opened for Alt-J on tour, and has been a showcased musician not just in his home of India, but abroad. Despite all this, he's a fresh face for Brisbane. His minimalistic folk, and his punchy, almost quirky lyrics, give his songs a cinematic quality — he wouldn't be amiss juxtaposing a wide-shot for Wes Anderson film, for example. His music, be it his minimalistic combination of guitar and vocals, or his somewhat wider pieces — mandolin, tambourine — are all alike in their joyous momentum. September 7, Empire Hotel. MIDDLE KIDS Middle Kids (emphasis on kids, these guys have only been around since late February) are a Sydney trio- all about the music- tight harmonies and chill times. Dropping their EP Edge of Town, a distorted harmony of fragile vocals, steel guitar, and abyss inspired timbres, these kids might be young, but they are being seen and heard all over Australia. Playing Oh Hello! on 8 September, Middle Kids, have a good thing going-it's lo-fi, but it's kinda popping, with a little bit of folk, maybe an aftertaste of punk, there's something in their simple songs for everyone. Bigsound runs September 7-9 across multiple Brisbane venues. Find the whole Bigsound program on their website.
Another beloved Australian music festival is sitting 2025 out, with the Listen Out team revealing that the event won't be on the calendar this year. In 2024, when Groovin the Moo announced its dates then cancelled, and Splendour in the Grass sadly did the same, this electronic-meets-hip hop fest still toured the country. Now, though, it's "hitting pause on Listen Out as you know it", organisers announced via social media. "We've always tried to build something special — where the lineup reflects the culture and the energy flows both ways between the artists and you," the statement advises. "The last few years have been tough." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Listen Out (@listenout) Although Listen Out isn't going ahead in 2025 in its usual format, the crew is putting on a series of shindigs badged Listen Out Presents, however. Music lovers can expect "one-off, carefully curated parties in killer locations around Australia all year long" featuring "some of the best artists in the world", the festival team announced. No further details have been revealed so far. Skipping the big fest setup for a smaller affair yet still boasting impressive names was Spilt Milk's approach in 2024 — when it ditched its usual festivals but had Troye Sivan, Glass Animals and G Flip take to the stage Newcastle, Perth and on the Gold Coast. The fellow fest is returning in its full form in 2025, headlined by Kendrick Lamar. That said, Listen Out's cancellation this year in favour of parties comes after both Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass failed to make 2025 comebacks following their year off. [caption id="attachment_957230" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Samm Venn[/caption] In 2024, Listen Out did the rounds for its 11th year with a lineup featuring 21 Savage, Skepta, Tyla and Flo Milli among its hip hop and R&B names, plus John Summit and Sub Focus on the electronic side. The year prior, in 2023, the fest held its most-successful event at the time in terms of ticket sales ever, with the crew behind it hoping to continue that trajectory by turning the fest into a 16-plus event, age-wise, which was a first for 2024. [caption id="attachment_957228" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Warr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_957224" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitch Lowe[/caption] [caption id="attachment_957218" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] [caption id="attachment_957221" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Venn[/caption] Listen Out is not taking place in 2025, with Listen Out Presents parties set to pop up instead — we'll update you when more details are announced, and keep an eye on the festival's social media in the interim.
The cities of the future won't be built. They'll be printed. Or at least that seems to be the idea, after Dubai unveiled its first office building created using a 3D printer. Located near the Emirates Tower complex, the 250 square metre building, dubbed The Office of the Future, was printed in just 17 days at a cost of around US$140,000. Now they just need to convince people it won't collapse around their ears. The building was constructed out of special cement mixture, using a custom-made printer measuring 6m by 36m by 12m in size. Only a single supervisor was required to oversee the actual printing process, although seven installers and ten electricians were needed to fit-out the structure once it had been assembled. Even so, the process represents an enormous saving in terms of labour cost, with the Dubai government saying it cut the total bill in half. "We implement what we plan, and we pursue actions not theories," said UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the building's official opening. "The rapidly changing world requires us to accelerate our pace of development, for history does not recognize our plans but our achievements." Via PSFK.
It's going to be a battle of bird and Budapest this year at the Academy Awards; the nominations for 2015 have been unveiled this morning. However, the nominations have been met with fierce criticism for a lack of diversity. The big guns at the front of the game: Richard Linklater's Boyhood nabbed six noms as did Clint Eastwood's American Sniper, but right out in front Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Birdman each clocked up nine nominations each. Everyone's talking about the snub to Selma; the Martin Luther King Jr.-focused film missed out on nominations for lead actor David Oyelowo and director Ava DuVernay. Bradley Cooper's nomination for Best Actor in Clint Eastwood's American Sniper was another surprise, a nomination omitted from the Golden Globes. There's a few more Easter eggs in there; Jennifer Anniston missed out on a Best Actress nomination for Cake, the spot instead going to Two Days, One Night's Marion Cotillard. Guardians of the Galaxy is nominated for Best Makeup Design (#iamgroot). Christopher Nolan's Interstellar (one of 2014's most talked-about films that was tipped to possibly miss out) nabbed five nominations including Best Original Score. And Studio Ghibli's The Tale of Princess Kaguya nabbed a Best Animation nom, despite terrible box office figures and the closure of Ghibli's feature film department. And The Lonely Island's Andy Samberg was nominated for Best Original Song for The Lego Movie's Everything is Awesome'. So there's that. There's significant debate over the diversity of the Oscar nominations this year, observations that the Academy have been taking great pains to change over the years. It's been brought up by social media that all 20 of the nominated actors are white, leading to the trending Twitter hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. The Selma snubs have been constantly referenced. The dominance of white Academy voters was also pinpointed by this infographic; 94 percent of voters are white and 77 percent of these are male — black and latino voters made up just 2 percent each. Needless to say, debates are swirling webwide. All will be analysed, prodded, celebrated and scorned on February 22. AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Best Picture American Sniper Birdman Boyhood The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Selma The Theory of Everything Whiplash Best Actor Steve Carell, Foxcatcher Bradley Cooper, American Sniper Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game Michael Keaton, Birdman Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything Best Actress Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything Julianne Moore, Still Alice Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl Reese Witherspoon, Wild Best Supporting Actor Robert Duvall, The Judge Ethan Hawke, Boyhood Edward Norton, Birdman Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher J. K. Simmons, Whiplash Best Supporting Actress Patricia Arquette, Boyhood Laura Dern, Wild Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game Emma Stone, Birdman Meryl Streep, Into the Woods Best Cinematography Birdman The Grand Budapest Hotel Ida Mr. Turner Unbroken Best Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman Richard Linklater, Boyhood Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game Best Original Screenplay Boyhood Birdman Foxcatcher The Grand Budapest Hotel Nightcrawler Best Adapted Screenplay American Sniper The Imitation Game Inherent Vice The Theory of Everything Whiplash Best Foreign Language Film Ida, Poland Leviathan, Russia Tangerines, Estonia Timbuktu, Mauritania Wild Tales, Argentina Best Makeup and Hairstyling Foxcatcher The Grand Budapest Hotel Guardians of the Galaxy Best Original Score The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Interstellar Mr. Turner The Theory of Everything Best Costume Design The Grand Budapest Hotel Inherent Vice Into the Woods Maleficent Mr. Turner Best Documentary Feature Citizenfour Finding Vivian Maier Last Days in Vietnam Salt of the Earth Virunga Best Documentary Short Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 Joanna Our Curse The Reaper White Earth Best Film Editing American Sniper Boyhood The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Whiplash Best Animated Feature Big Hero 6 The Boxtrolls How to Train Your Dragon 2 Song of the Sea The Tale of Princess Kaguya Best Original Song “Lost Stars,” Begin Again “Grateful,” Beyond the Lights “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me “Everything is Awesome,” The Lego Movie “Glory,” Selma Best Production Design The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Interstellar Into the Woods Mr. Turner Best Animated Short Film The Bigger Picture The Dam Keeper Feast Me and My Moulton A Single Life Best Live-Action Short Film Aya Boogaloo and Graham Butter Lamp Paraveneh The Phone Call Best Sound Editing American Sniper Birdman The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Interstellar Unbroken Best Sound Mixing American Sniper Birdman Interstellar Unbroken Whiplash Best Visual Effects Captain America: The Winter Soldier Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Guardians of the Galaxy Interstellar X-Men: Days of Future Past
Sydney's CBD is getting a major dose of the Tokyo-esque practical and compact, with plans to renovate Bar Century, rebrand it as The Century, and fit it out as a three-storey, luxury capsule hotel being announced last week. The George Street institution, which closed earlier this year, has been taken over by developer Walter Guo, who is investing a massive $5 million on a full interior refurb, which will be carried out by interior design consultants Giant Design. The heritage building will retain its vintage fit-out and have a "Soho House vibe", with the bar and hotel running as separate entities. The first two levels will act as The Century's cocktail bar and nightclub, while the top three floors of the building will be dedicated to the Century Capsules. These capsules are certainly more luxe than most you'll find in Asia. Each of the 72 capsules will contain a large LED screen and entertainment system, Wi-Fi, and even 'mood lighting' (whatever that means). Guests can choose from single or deluxe beds with entry from either the side or the end of the capsule. The communal facilities include a kitchen space, breakfast bar, lounge area, rooftop terrace and individual bathrooms. If you're worried about security, don't be — each capsule is fitted with a secure lock and the security desk runs 24-hours. But let's set the record straight — The Century is not going to be a hostel, and it's not aimed at overindulgent locals that can't seem to make it back home. And while the CBD haunt may have closed because of the lockout laws — and been a central part of a huge lockout protest as a result — these new digs are not meant as a lockout solution either. "The accommodation, which is not quite hotel nor hostel, is aimed at solo travellers looking for something more private than a typical backpackers and those who want the designer hotel experience on a budget," says Christopher Wilks, an associate at Giant Design. It's set to sit well within your budget, with prices ranging from 40-60 bucks a night. Which, depending on how far from the CBD you live, could be a lot cheaper than a cab home at 1am. Sounds futuristic (for Sydney, at least), but these aren't some plans for the distant future — The Century is coming soon. Giant Design is looking at a mid to late November opening.
Beer lovers of Brisbane, it's your time of year. Of course, there's never a bad time to sink brews in Brissie, but dedicating a ten-day stretch to more yeast and hops-focused events than you can dream of really does only happen once every 12 months. Brewsvegas has rolled around again, taking over almost every decent bar, pub, watering hole and gathering spot in town between March 10 to 19. And, as they've done for the past three years, the festival's offering up plenty of unconventional temptations to lure you into a beer-paired escapade. Putt putt, golf, a scavenger hunt, BASEketball, NES, a cartoon drawing competition, bowls, Japanese game shows, trivia, RPGs, live painting, beerlympics and an art tour... the list goes on. Want to get straight to the good stuff? Make our picks your picks.
Not content with knocking out Brisbane diners with their Street Fighter-themed burgers, one of the masterminds behind Super Combo is cooking up another addition to King Street. From early May, Michael Nham will bring Banoi north, opening the first Queensland venture for his Melbourne-based Vietnamese restaurant. Banoi will take over the space next door to their burger joint, so if you've grabbed a Hadoken, Sonic Boom or Yoga Flame in Bowen Hills and noticed the adjacent construction zone, now you know why. With the eatery's name meaning "grandma" and its dishes based on Nham's grandmother's recipes, modern homestyle Vietnamese will be on the menu at the 85-seat venue, and plenty of it. Banoi will serve lunch and dinner for both dining in and taking away. As for the specific meals on offer, Nham and his Banoi collaborator Viet Nguyen will replicate their Melbourne lineup, so prepare for a tasty feast. Four types of spring rolls, six kinds of rice paper rolls with seven dipping sauces, six different banh mi and two phos covers the basics, but that's just the beginning. Banoi tacos feature steamed Vietnamese taco buns filled with pork belly, garlic and soy chicken, tempura soft shell crab, and barbecue pork patties, while the cold Cao Lầu noodles are infused with the flavours of Hoi An. Speciality dishes include pancakes of the steamed rice and crispy variety, with banana fritters and coconut tapioca on the dessert list. Find Banoi at King Street, Bowen Hills from early May. Keep an eye on their website and Facebook page for more information.
Called it. When more and more breweries started popping up in Milton, we were pretty sure that a brewery crawl was going to be in order. Trust Brewsvegas to make the idea a reality. There's no prizes for guessing what happens on The Milton Good Beer Trail, but there is plenty of beer. Yes indeed. Take a 1.4 kilometre stroll between The Scratch, Aether, Newstead Brewing and Brewski, snaffle a different one-off collaboration schooner at each venue, and just generally be merry. Who's thirsty?
Gin: a juniper spirit of botanicals, varied aromatics and oh-so-many mysteries. The gin resurgence has lasted over a decade now, with new local distilleries joining the larger, more established gin maestros — and libation aficionados everywhere, just can't seem to get enough of the stuff. But with all those G&Ts and Negronis you've been chasing around town, how much do you really know about gin? Well, we've teamed up with Tanqueray No. TEN to expand your horizon with five fun facts about gin that you (probably) didn't know. GIN IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL IN MODERN VERSIONS OF CLASSIC COCKTAILS From the reinvigorated Negroni to the new Tom Collins and the many versions of fizzes and slings, few spirits can match gin for mixing attributes. Let's not forget about the Martini, which classically consists of gin, dry vermouth and optional bitters, with a cheeky olive if you're so inclined. Thank the Mad Men era of Martini lunches and that roguish chap James Bond for this modern menu mainstay. But although Mr Bond favours a vodka base, Martini purists often argue that gin is the way to start this highly elegant classic, using something truly classic like the iconic Tanqueray No. TEN. Importantly, unlike 007's preference, many bartenders believe in a stirred Martini, as some consider shaking overly dilutes the gin. THE PHILIPPINES DRINKS THE MOST GIN IN THE WORLD Russia drinks the most vodka in the world and the US/Mexico drink the most tequila, but neither of these fun facts are at all surprising. What doesn't seem as obvious, though, is that the Philippines drinks by far the most gin — and when we say by far, we mean over 22 million cases of the stuff a year, accounting for 43 per cent of the global gin market. Much of this popularity is due to the long-standing presence of Ginebra San Miguel, a company that also makes the region's most popular beer and was established in 1834. Locals even have a term for these gin-drinking sessions: ginuman, literally translated as 'gin drinking time'. THE G&T ORIGINATED IN INDIA This classic bar drink was actually created in 19th century India as a combatant for malaria. The 'Indian Tonic Water', as called by the army of the British East India Company, contained high levels of quinine, which was said to prevent and treat the disease. Quinine provides the bitter flavour in today's tonic, but is completely undrinkable on its own. Since the British soldiers were already given a regular gin ration, they took to adding it to the quinine tonic, along with a mixture of water, sugar and lime, sprucing the drink up a little. It turns out quinine does not actually prevent malaria (what? no!) and so is a minor, non-curing — albeit highly effective — component in the modern G&T. GIN HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN USED FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES Apart from the G&Ts original medicinal purpose, gin itself has been used medicinally since the 13th century. This is primarily due to the presence of juniper, the main and necessary botanical in all gins. Juniper is good for you — it's a natural antibacterial, antiviral, diuretic and antiseptic. That being said, historically gin's uses weren't always the most medically sound — the Bubonic plague was considered to be spread by nothing more than bad odour, so laymen started eating, drinking and bathing in the stuff. The Royal Navy mixed gin with lime cordial to stop scurvy. If we'retalking morningafter a party, gin and tomato juice was the number one option in 1928 NYC, years before the Bloody Mary came on the scene. And that is medicine. THERE IS A LOT OF LITERATURE DEDICATED TO GIN DRINKS Gin, in all its wonder and cures, has compelled many a comment over the centuries, some of which distiller and contemporary author Jared Brown happily compiled a list of. Writer E. B. White called the Martini "the elixir of quietude", while journalist H. L. Mencken said it's "the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet". In 1823, one Londoner published a 149-line poem in a newspaper praising said virtuous gin, while Winston Churchill's own love affair with gin is well documented. He's quoted as saying, "I would like to observe the vermouth from across the room while I drink my Martini." Photography by Steven Woodburn at Moya's Juniper Lounge. Still want to know more? Check out our bluffer's guide to gin.
So, you've mastered all the usual yoga poses, and you think you've attempted every variation that there is. Not so fast. There's a style you mightn't have tried, and it's coming to Brisbane. That'd be blindfolded yoga, aka one of the main attractions at the Left Brain / Right Brain workshop at Woolloongabba's Princess Theatre on January 29 and 30. Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. All that bending and breathing you're familiar with — well, it's about to seem a whole lot different when you're doing it without being able to see anything. Using sensory deprivation to sharpen focus, shift attention inward and heighten instincts is the name of the game, with the trend towards sightless stretching gaining traction around the world for a couple of years. If you're keen to give it a go, you might also want to peruse the rest of the event's program. A sound bath session or other movement and music-oriented mind-expansion techniques, anyone? Of course, we haven't yet mentioned the most exciting part — well, for those a little self-conscious about their form, that is. With a blindfold wrapped around your head, you can't see your exercise classmates and they can't see you either. You don't get that at bikram or disco yoga. For more information, visit the Left Brain / Right Brain website. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Brisbane might be bustling with more burger places than satisfied stomachs can handle, but the next addition to the meat-and-bread fold is still cause for excitement and then some. After delighting diners in a former secondhand bookshop down Burleigh Heads way, Gold Coast favourite Ze Pickle is setting up shop in Fortitude Valley. If you're wondering why you should get your tastebuds in a twist, other than Ze Pickle's ace name, then let us enlighten you on their menu. Ever wondered what a burger with corn chips, Kanye's fried cheese sticks, bacon-laced waffle buns fashioned entirely from mac 'n' cheese, or made between two grilled cheese sandwiches tastes like (yes, cheese is big here)? Well, you'd best get on the Pablo Escobar, 3am and 4.20am offerings — as well as the famous beef, cheese, bacon and pulled pork-laden Triple Loco — pronto. Those with a sweet tooth needn't despair, nor shy away from mixing their meal with dessert. The Cronut Burger's reputation precedes, it — and yes, it really does slap a wagyu been patty on everyone's favourite hybrid pastry treat, then tops it with Nutella bacon. Nutella bacon. With deep fried Oreos in doughnut batter served with Messina white chocolate hazelnut gelato and liquid Nutella, the aptly named Oreogasm hails from more traditional after-main territory. At Burleigh, the American-influenced burgers and other bites aren't the only drawcard, and we're sure Ze Pickle's laidback bar vibes — and drinks menu to match — will continue in its second venue. An alternating array of craft beers course through their taps, and then there's the cocktail list. Who can pass up a Kim Karpassionfruit, Hood Juice or the on-theme Bacon Old Fashioned? Find Ze Pickle at 1 Prospect Street, Fortitude Valley from November 21, or visit their website and Facebook page for more information.
For Catalina Fuentes, junior sous chef at Manly's Papi Chulo, getting a career in cooking off the ground comes down to three things: passion, practice and perseverance. At age 22, Catalina has already reached one of the more senior positions in an established professional kitchen, so, is somewhat of an authority when it comes to kick-starting this particular career. Catalina graduated from William Blue College of Hospitality Management, and has also already nabbed the nationwide Nestle Golden Chef's Hat Award, the longest running culinary competition in Australia. "I've never thought I could compete," she says. "So, when I won, it was pretty rewarding." Unrelenting enthusiasts in exactly what makes a kitchen tick, we met up with Catalina to get a few tips on how young cooks can become good chefs. DIVE IN AND MAKE AN ACTUAL GAME PLAN Every culinary dream has to start somewhere, so it's important to nail down that passion for food, and figure out a game plan. For Catalina, following her occupational instincts meant relocating from her native Colombia after high school. "One of my best friends, we both really liked baking, and I really liked doing desserts when I was in high school, so I just thought… I want to be a pastry chef, and I want to study cooking." She enrolled at William Blue at Torrens University, where she studied Culinary Management. The course, while teaching the basics needed to get into the kitchen, also teaches students how to run a kitchen — one of the benefits of the course, Catalina says. "I'll be able to manage my own business in the future." So how does one know if cooking is the right direction for them? What passion already has to be there? "It should be something fun," Catalina says, "it should be something tasty, and it something that you should enjoy and makes you happy." STICK TO YOUR APPRENTICESHIP (HOT TIP: IT WILL BE HARD) Getting into the food business is one thing, but learning the craft and becoming an established chef is a completely different beast. Most newbies take the usual route, through apprenticeship schemes, and for Catalina, it meant half a year on the job after completing her studies. "I had to do it for six months, just as a commis chef," she says. "But for me, it was really good. I was lucky, because the places I worked, everyone was really nice to me — I worked with good chefs." It's not for everyone, however, with the long hours causing a huge number of aspiring chefs to drop out. "It actually shows you how the industry is," Catalina says, "Cooking is pretty tough." The payoff, though, is worthwhile in the end for those who want it badly enough. Once you're in the game, it's essential to keep cracking on, despite how difficult it can become — the big guns did. "If you really like cooking, and that's what you want to do, you will stick to the apprenticeship." REPETITION (AND INCESSANT CHOPPING) WILL MAKE YOU A MASTER Just like with any trade, repetition of an exercise creates a neural shortcut that allows that exercise to be completed to a high standard with minimal conscious brain effort. The same rules apply to cooking, and they apply to everyone. "When I first started, I was really bad with chopping skills," Catalina says, but spending her early days doing the same thing over and over, ad infinitum, helped her to improve. "Even if you're in a job where you're just chopping stuff everyday, you'll see that it's helpful, because at the end, you'll get so much better at it." For Catalina, the practice doesn't seem like such a burden. "Cooking for me is not only a job. It's not something that I wake up and go, 'I don't want to go to work.' It's something that makes me happy." Hot tip? Follow the old 'do what you love and love what you do' mantra and hitting snooze on that alarm will be a thing of the past. ABSORB KNOWLEDGE, THEN CRAFT YOUR OWN SIGNATURE STYLE It might seem intimidating to add your own flavour to the long, long tradition of cooking, but experimentation in the kitchen is just as much part of keeping the drive alive as practice or perseverance. Expose yourself to new foods, new techniques, and especially, new people. "Through cooking, you can learn so much about other people," Catalina says. "Everyone cooks differently and it just shows something about them." Not only is cooking about getting the little things right, it's also about experimenting, and improving. "You have to keep going places, trying and travelling." It's also essential to push yourself, professionally. It's easy to get lulled into the same old same old, so getting amongst new techniques, new styles, and new cuisines in the kitchen is important, too. For Catalina, that might involve a leap into fine dining in the future. "Everything is precise and perfect," she says, "and I think I need to learn some of that." So if you think you might want to dabble professionally in the culinary arts, take advice from someone who has run that gauntlet. "Don't give up," Catalina says. "Keep going, keep practising, keep inspired, keep going out and trying food." Go out and try food? You're really twisting my arm, here. Images: Kimberley Low. William Blue at Torrens University offers courses in Culinary Management, Event Management, Tourism and Hospitality. Find out more about the diverse career options in hospitality, and kick-start your career via the website.
Ah, the tinnie. The refuge of the second-rate beer, right? Wrong. With improved technology obliterating the old argument that cans damage the taste of beer, more and more craft brewers are moving to the once humble can. Sometimes favoured for their retro feel, cans actually boast both a lower carbon footprint and longer shelf life than their bottled counterparts, making it likely their booming popularity will only continue rising. For many craft beer makers, the tinnie is actually an essential part of their craft; the makers of acclaimed Heady Topper urge their customers not to pour their beer into a glass, lest it lose the carefully cultivated hop aromas the can preserves. Here are ten of the best canned wonders. JAMES SQUIRE ONE FIFTY LASHES PALE ALE Named after a convict rapscallion who is believed to have created Australia’s first commercial brewery, Sydney-based James Squire produces a distinctly Australian range which has become synonymous with local craft beers. Newly available in cans, this is an approachable variety which makes an inspired addition to your next beach hang or spring picnic. With a light citrus burst and faint notes of passionfruit hitting the palate first, and the malted wheat giving it a silky smooth finish, it’s an ideal session beer. MOUNTAIN GOAT SUMMER ALE One of the first Australian craft beer makers to stock their product in cans, Victorian microbrewers Mountain Goat initially thought of doing a limited one-off run of these tinnies, but were soon overwhelmed with the response and turned it into a permanent fixture. A gold-hued ale perfect for sneaking into your picnic baskets, this offers inviting citrus and tropical aromas. With no hint of acidity, it’s an easy drinking delight and an ideal choice for the newer craft beer drinker or seasoned hop head alike. BREWDOG PUNK IPA Back in 2007, James Watt and Martin Dickie were two 24-year-olds with “scary bank loans” and a passion project selling their craft beer out of the back of a battered van. Today, they are the kingpins of a Scottish craft beer success story, overseeing more than 350 employees pumping out their abrasively flavoured brews to great acclaim. The Punk Indian Pale Ale is a must, a great introduction to their in-your-face style. Also look out for the mightily bitter Jackhammer, which is about as subtle as its name. HEADY TOPPER Ranked number 2 among all the world’s beers on the encyclopaedic Beer Advocate, Heady Topper is less a beer than a phenomenon. Initially considered unlikely to have widespread appeal, Heady Topper actually became so popular that the Vermont brewery which made it regularly had people cuing for hours and had to limit hordes of customers to one case each. It’s a complex beer with notes ranging from grapefruit to pine and spice and just about the quintessential craft beer tinnie. Image: Carter Brown. SIERRA NEVADA PALE ALE With its instantly recognisable pastoral artwork, Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale has long been warmly regarded as one of the classic craft beers. The pioneering brewery now produces over 50 varieties, but the pale ale accounts for more than half their sales. Famously using only whole cone hops, they have a commitment to quality ingredients that has produced a consistently good and almost universally liked beer. Heavy on the hops, it’s a beer that pairs well with some spicy Mexican. YO-HO TOKYO BLACK PORTER Japan is a relatively new player in the world of craft beers, having effectively legislated against microbreweries until the mid '90s. Now some 200 microbreweries have moved into a once stagnant market. One of the first breweries to spring up when the laws changed were Yoho, who have since been named Japan’s best craft beer brewery. Based in the snowy mountains of Nagano, they produce a nice variety of beers, including this rich black number which draws you in with its treacly aroma, roasty character and a head like foamy coffee. YOUNG HENRYS REAL ALE While the range of craft beers available in cans was quite limited just a few years ago, today there’s an abundance of options and this is a great example of a local take on the traditional British bitter. Made with both Australian and British malts, it’s light but flavoursome and took Young Henrys all the way from their inner west base to the International Real Ale Festival, where this bad boy picked up a gold medal. EVIL TWIN HIPSTER ALE An American Pale ale hailing from (where else?) Brooklyn, Evil Twin market this colourfully packaged beer as a homage to anyone who “feel(s) excluded because you’re hip but your city is not”. Even for those in a cutting-edge hip city, this is a very drinkable ale with some complexity to keep you interested. The colour is like a light honey, and you’ll get notes of everything from biscuits, toffee and caramel to more zesty citrus. FERAL BREWING HOP HOG IPA Credit Feral Brewing company with putting beer on the map in the fabled Swan Valley wine district. This is their most famous product, an American-style Indian pale ale with hops added both during the boil and late in the fermenting. It’s proven a hit both with the craft beer-loving public and the critics who raved about its balance and drinkability and made it the number 1 pick in their Australia’s Best Beers annual roundup. SIX STRING DARK RED IPA Like many craft brewers, Six String began as a couple of friends with a love of beer and a desire to make something better than the mass-marketed product. After lengthy battles with bureaucratic red tape, Chris Benson and Adam Klasterka were able to enlist the support of their community and set up a boutique brewery in the Central Coast. Their beers proved worth the wait. Among their staples is a dark red IPA. It’s full-bodied, really dark and really good. Top illustration by Barry Patenaude.
Ring in the Year of the Monkey sipping on whisky cocktails at a custom-built pop-up bar. Presented, appropriately, by Monkey Shoulder whisky in partnership with the City of Sydney, the bar will be open for the entire run of Sydney's Chinese New Year Festival, from February 6-21. To celebrate, we're giving away a sweet Sydney trip, so you can get up to a little monkey business of your own. Valued at $1000, this killer giveaway includes two return flights to Sydney from anywhere in Australia, two nights free accommodation, transport, and entry into the Monkey Shoulder Whisky Bar. Not too shabby, if we do say so ourselves. While in Sydney you can check out the Chinese New Year festivities, including talks, tours, exhibitions, installations, performances and one-off events. Assuming you can drag yourself away from the bar, that is. The Monkey Shoulder Whisky Bar will pop-up in Martin Place from February 6-14, before hightailing it over to World Square from February 15-21. Beverages on offer will include the Monkey's Mojito, the Monkey old-fashioned and a spin on the Pina Colada named Jungle Juice. Visitors to the bar will also receive a fortune cookie, which will hopefully predict good tidings for the year ahead. Thanks to Monkey Shoulder, we have one sweet, sweet trip for two to Sydney from anywhere in Australia up for grabs. The prize includes two return flights to Sydney from anywhere in Australia, two nights free accommodation, transport, and entry into the Monkey Shoulder Whisky Bar (value $1000). To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Good luck, whiskey fiends. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
If you live in Brisbane and like your cinema experiences with a bit more personality, a bit less of a chain-store multiplex vibe, or just flat out refuse to pay $20 for a ticket, then you've probably been to Cineplex Hawthorne or the Eldorado at Indooroopilly. They're the picture palaces every uni student, film buff and cheapskate loves — and they're both getting a revamp. Okay well technically the current Hawthorne venue is staying the same, but it is getting a fancy sibling across the road. Think of it as their luxury offshoot, complete with 64 seats, a high-spec sound system, a kitchen and a bar. If you've seen the cottage surrounded by construction opposite the existing cinema, then you've seen the beginnings of the new movie theatre, which will host special events as well as Cineplex's usual assortment of blockbusters and arthouse fare. At Eldorado, it's out with the old and in with the new. Say goodbye to the current pink, beige and blue building, as it's getting torn down to make way for two gigantic apartment buildings complete with cafes, restaurants, bars, a pub and even a bowling alley and laser skirmish. Thankfully, 10 indoor cinemas will also be part of the mix, retaining the site's almost century-long history of showing movies. An outdoor screen is also in the works, which is welcome news for anyone in the western suburbs who likes watching flicks under the stars. Via Quest News and The Courier-Mail. Image via Dollar Photo Club.
New York's champions of the age-old art of storytelling, The Moth, are headed our way. The podcasters, event organisers and general tale-weavers will appear at Sydney's Festival of Dangerous Ideas and the Melbourne Writers Festival and, following on from that, will be bringing regular, more intimate storytelling nights to both cities. In Melbourne, the beloved weekly podcasters are telling onstage tales around the theme of ‘Between Worlds’ at MWF. In Sydney, they'll be joined on stage by some seriously big brains for FODI. Creator of Bad Kid, Moth StorySLAM host and three-time Moth SLAM winner David Crabb will host a panel of mad chats with Korean-American author of the award-winning novel The Interpreter Suki Kim (also appearing at FODI), one half of The Wau Wau Sisters and brains behind international festival smash Asking For It Adrienne Truscott, and Sydney satirist and A Rational Fear nucleus Dan Ilic. But FODI and MWF isn't the last you'll hear from The Moth — the crew have confirmed they'll be creating an ongoing presence in Sydney and Melbourne. Expect monthly StorySLAM events, so you'll have plenty of Moth outside your daily commute. The first StorySLAM in Australia is happening on August 24 at Melbourne’s Howler and then in Sydney on September 1 at Oxford Art Factory. They're looking for storytellers — so you could be telling your tales as one of The Moth team. GET ON IT. “We already have a strong listener following in Australia for our podcast," says The Moth's artistic director Catherine Burns. "Having a permanent home in Australia is a ‘bucket list’ moment for everyone at The Moth, and we look forward to hearing all the true stories, told live from the amazing people in this part of the world.” SO MANY DATES, JUST TELL ME HOW I TRACK DOWN THE MOTH? Alright, let's break this down. The Moth: True Stories Told Live at Melbourne Writers Festival is happening at Athenaeum Theatre on August 27 at 7.30pm. Tickets from MWF. The Razor's Edge: The Moth is happening Sunday, September 6, at 6.30pm at Sydney Opera House. Tickets from FODI. The first StorySLAM is happening on August 24 at Melbourne’s Howler and then in Sydney on September 1 at Oxford Art Factory. Tickets via Eventbrite and Moshtix. Want more FODI and MWF? Get your nose in a few tomes with our reading lists over here and here. Image: David Crabb, by Christian Leonard.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Brisbane is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the little things that bring that sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Brisbane. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, explore the serenity of Chung Tian Temple, belt out a karaoke ballad at The Brunswick Hotel and practice your mindfulness with a DIY kokedama class. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Brisbane is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to celebrate the landmark 40th anniversary of their iconic small cars, and in turn, help you celebrate the little things that bring that sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Brisbane. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, dig into the wonder that is haloumi fries, dance it out at a naughties indie party and hunt for treasure in one of our favourite antique stores. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the next few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
When we take that first sip of our barista-brewed coffee on a workday morning, a lot of us can't actually imagine living without coffee. But what about living without a roof over your head or a guaranteed meal? Unfortunately, this is what many homeless people around Australia face each day, but on Friday, August 5, you can help your fellow Aussies out simply by buying a coffee as part of CafeSmart. CafeSmart is an annual event from StreetSmart that raises money and awareness for the homeless and is back for its fourth year running. So how does it work? From every coffee purchased on August 5 at a participating cafe around Australia, $1 will be donated towards local projects. So if your go-to local isn't participating, shake things up for a day and head to one that is. Prefer a hot chocolate? You can also donate at the counter. Simply by aiming for a bighearted cafe, you'll be helping some of our country's most in-need humans, so treat yourself to a third or fourth coffee guilt-free. CafeSmart is happening around the country on Friday, August 5. Check the website for participating cafes near you.
Master of all smooth tunes and poster child of Melbourne's enduring obsession with beards, Chet Faker has just announced a huge national tour for 2015. And we really do mean huge — this local legend is returning from a string of massively successful European and American shows to play Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Melbourne's Palais and the freakin' Brisbane Convention Centre. His shows are officially pulling the same numbers as the G20. This is no doubt welcome news for those that missed out on his national tour earlier this year. With Hordern Pavilion holding roughly 4,000 more people than the Enmore where he played in June, tickets will be much easier to come by. In Brisbane that difference will be even more pronounced. The Brisbane Convention Centre can host a whopping 8,000 rampant Chet lovers. All this hype comes after a stellar run of critical acclaim for the Melbourne musician. He's been nominated for a spectacular nine ARIA awards this year including Best Male Artist and Best Breakthrough Artist — and he's already won three, including Producer of the Year at the ARIA Artisans. His much-loved debut album Built On Glass is also a hot tip for winner of Australian Album of the Year at the J Awards. However this arena setting is sure to affect the show itself too. Specialising in croony electronic ballads and music that makes you feel all warm and gooey inside, it's hard to see how Chet will translate well to the big stage. How are we supposed to snug up and get a little intimate around the stage where Barack Obama talked just a few months prior? Melbourne, on the other hand, may get treated to a rare glimpse of this intimacy. His show at the Palais — assuming it's still standing by then — will actually be smaller than when he played the Forum earlier in the year. Get ready for some hometown lovin' — after he picks up all of the ARIAs he'll probably be graduating to Rod Laver Arena. Tour dates: Wednesday, February 11 – ANU Bar, Canberra Friday, February 13 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Saturday, February 14 – Convention Centre, Brisbane Friday, February 20 – Chevron Gardens, Perth Festival Saturday, February 21 – Chevron Gardens, Perth Festival Friday, February 27 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne Saturday, February 28 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Tickets go on sale 9am, November 20. To find out more about about Chet Faker and his killer debut album check out our interview from earlier in the year.
If you're a fan of Game of Thrones, The Handmaid's Tale or Big Little Lies, you've probably spent plenty of time in front of your TV screen over the past six months. If you're head-over-heels for Stranger Things, you likely have more couch time planned, too. But 2019's television and streaming viewing isn't just about the shows you already love. If you're eager to add some fresh favourites to your pile, the year so far has well and truly delivered. From existential comedies and anarchic sketch shows to gripping accounts of real-life tragedies and excellent anthology revivals, 2019's batch of new shows has proven a varied bunch — and an excellent one as well. It's enough to make you hole up in your living room and never want to leave. Or, to spend the year's colder months catching up. With the year at its halfway point, here's our picks of 2019's best TV and streaming series that you owe it to yourself to seek out now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHcKoAMGGvY RUSSIAN DOLL Netflix and smart existential laughs continued to go hand-in-hand with Russian Doll, with the streaming platform once again taking one its protagonists with wondering what this whole life business is all about. Here, however, New Yorker Nadia (Natasha Lyonne — who you'll most likely recognise from Orange Is the New Black) is forced to relive her 36th birthday shindig over and over again. And wWhile getting stuck at a celebration in your own honour will sound like a literal party to most folks, that's not Nadia's path. Co-created and co-written by Lyonne, Amy Poehler and filmmaker Leslye Headland (Bachelorette, Sleeping with Other People), this eight-episode show takes its acerbic, misanthropic lead character through all kinds of twists and turns, examining fate, logic, life's loops and wading through limbo in a clever and compelling way. This is a dark, heartfelt, hilarious and inventive series all at once, and, although the do-over premise has become a well-established trope on both the big and small screens, Russian Doll never feels like it's relying on a gimmick. Unsurprisingly, Netflix has renewed it for a second season. The entire first season of Russian Doll is available to stream on Netflix. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8 CHERNOBYL When it comes to sheer horror of the bone-chilling kind, not to mention the kind of soul-crushing dismay that can only stem from the bleakest of tales, nothing compares to Chernobyl. The five-part show explores the aftermath of the 1986 nuclear disaster, which saw the reactor inside the Ukrainian facility explode. The fallout, unsurprisingly, was catastrophic, with the incident considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history as well one of the worst man-made events ever. While the dramatisation begins with the fiery explosion, it's what happens next that earns the show's focus — the initial salvage attempts by workers condemned to suffer and die just for doing their jobs; the arrogant cover-ups, including by stubborn plant supervisors who refuse to believe what's happened; the clean-up and rescue missions, sacrificing more lives to the incident; and the inevitable investigation. Every aspect of the series is detailed, thorough, and even more relentless and unnerving than you'd expect given the real-life situation, with creator and writer Craig Mazin drawing upon meticulous research, interviews with nuclear scientists, chats with former Soviet residents and first-person accounts from those who were there. All five episodes of Chernobyl are available to stream on Foxtel Now. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLkEpO3k514 PEN15 Remember those years when you were too cool for childhood, but just finding your feet as a teenager? You've probably blocked it out of your memory. Most of us do — except comedians Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, who've based the entirety of their series PEN15 on the time that most of us would rather forget. Across the show's ten-episode first season, the pair play themselves as 13-year-olds starting middle school, reliving the highlights, the horrors, the first sips of beer and the agony of trying to work out what life is all about at any moment. In a series executive produced by Andy Samberg and his fellow Lonely Island pals Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, Erskine and Konkle's on-screen alter-egos are surrounded by real 13-year-olds — and the results are poignant, scarily accurate and all-round hilarious. If you love it, it's been renewed for a second season, so there's more to come. The entire first season of PEN15 is available to stream now on Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_gA_GDGvE THE TWILIGHT ZONE The Twilight Zone is back, and it's in the best possible hands. After wowing horror movie lovers with Get Out and Us, Jordan Peele takes on the task of presenting, narrating and redeveloping the legendary sci-fi anthology show for the 21st century, and it's one he does well. Picking up where Rod Serling's original five-season 50s and 60s show left off (and short-lived revivals in 1985 and 2002, too), the eight-episode first series blends the old with the new — both remaking previous episodes and coming up with fresh, thrilling stories. It's as entertaining as you'd rightfully expect, with more set to come next year. This initial season also comes with a huge cast, including Adam Scott, Kumail Nanjiani, Tracy Morgan, Steven Yeun, Zazie Beetz, Taissa Farmiga, Greg Kinnear, John Cho, Rhea Seehorn, Jessica Williams, Jacob Tremblay, Allison Tolman, Betty Gabriel, Ginnifer Goodwin, Chris O'Dowd and Seth Rogan. Put simply, it's must-see viewing. The entire first season of The Twilight Zone is available to stream on 10 All Access — in both colour and retro black-and-white. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfBbSwX6kEk WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS A bunch of vampires. One share house. Ample undead hijinks. It worked swimmingly in 2005 short film What We Do In the Shadows. Next, it worked hilariously in 2014 mockumentary movie What We Do In the Shadows. And it works mighty fine in TV spinoff that's also called What We Do In the Shadows, too. Adapted for television by original creators and stars Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi (with the first episode written by the former and directed by the latter), this Staten Island-set version focuses on a new set of vamps and new supernatural problems, and the laughs keep coming. Unsurprisingly, Matt Berry's English bloodsucker Laszlo is a highlight, but this is a great ensemble effort, complete with ace turns from Kayvan Novak as Ottoman Empire-era soldier Nandor the Relentless, Natasia Demetriou as Romani vamp Nadja, Mark Proksch as 'energy vampire' Colin Robinson and Lady Bird's Beanie Feldstein as a live-action role-play fan who falls in with the undead crowd. Also keep an eye out for some absolutely killer high-profile cameos — and for more episodes next year. The entire first season of What We Do In the Shadows is available to stream on Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQaTa5eTxnk THE CASE AGAINST ADNAN SYED It has been five years since much of the world first heard the name Adnan Syed, delving into his case in the first season of Serial. And just like the hugely popular true crime podcast, Syed's is a tale that just keeps fascinating audiences. Murder and the possible miscarriage of justice will do that, as will the grim circumstances surrounding the death of Baltimore high school student Hae Min Lee in 1999. Enter The Case Against Adnan Syed, the four-part documentary TV series that has been in production since 2015 and promises to answer — and pose — more questions. Yes, it delivers. As well as boasting a compelling subject, the series also has an impressive pedigree, with filmmaker Amy Berg adding another top effort to her resume after Oscar-nominated 2006 doco Deliver Us from Evil, 2012's West of Memphis and 2014's An Open Secret. The Case Against Adnan Syed is available to purchase on iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v75RmNuZgTs HANNA Joining the long list of films-turned-TV shows is Hanna — and the long list of spy, assassin and conspiracy -focused series as well. This small-screen adaptation follows the storyline established in the 2011 movie, just with a change of cast (sorry Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett fans). Here, the titular child (Esmé Creed-Miles) has spent her entire life learning survivalist skills under the tutelage of her mercenary father (Joel Kinnaman). Of course, the day comes when she has to put her talents to the test. The original flick plunged viewers into a complex, murky world that it'd be easy to spend more time within, and now this series delivers on that notion. The entire first season Hanna is available to stream on Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrZkGgoVSFk I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON You don't even need two hours to get through all six episodes of this new sketch comedy show but, once you're done, you'll wish that it went for at least twice as long. Social awkwardness is satirised with absurd precision in I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, and the results are as offbeat and hilarious as a house completely filled with Garfield items and furniture (trust us). If he seems familiar, Robinson was the star of Detroiters and also spent a couple of seasons on Saturday Night Live. He has plenty of recognisable co-stars on his new show, which he also wrote and produced — talents such as Will Forte, Steven Yeun, Tim Heidecker and Vanessa Bayer. And, like fellow ace new 2019 comedy PEN15, the show boasts some big names off-screen too, with The Lonely Island (aka Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone) its executive producers. It's also another of this year's big debutants that's coming back for a second season. The entire first season I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is available to stream on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCSyXUqPaZM FOSSE/VERDON The director and choreographer behind Cabaret and All That Jazz, Bob Fosse's achievements are many, including winning an Oscar, Emmy and Tony all in the same year. A prolific Broadway performer who earned just as much acclaim — and four Tony awards of her own — Gwen Verdon was his collaborator, muse and wife, although theirs was a tumultuous story. That's the showbiz drama unfurled in Fosse/Verdon, which boasts Sam Rockwell as Fosse, Michelle Williams as Verdon, and even Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda as Roy Scheider. Unsurprisingly, the performance-driven eight-episode series is full of razzle, dazzle, interpersonal drama and excellent portrayals. Also unsurprisingly, it'll add plenty of 70s musicals to your watch list afterwards. The first four episodes of Fosse/Verdon are available to stream on Foxtel Now, with new episodes added weekly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytB8xNQ18_c MIRACLE WORKERS Yes, existential comedy is having a moment — and add Miracle Workers to the already great pile that includes The Good Place and Russian Doll. Based on the novel What in God's Name and adapted for TV by the book's author Simon Rich, the series asks a very important question: what if God was a slacker played by Steve Buscemi? The amusing questions keep coming. What if heaven was a huge company charged with making Earth run smoothly? What if two employees were responsible for all of the world's miracles? What if said miracle workers made a bet with God, and he's planning to blow up the planet if they lose? It all makes for ace viewing, complete with a stellar cast, including Daniel Radcliffe and Australian actress Geraldine Viswanathan (Emo the Musical, Blockers) as the duo trying to save humanity by performing one heavenly feat: making a shy couple fall in love. The entire first season of Miracle Workers is available to stream now on Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwYBw1raC2o DEAD TO ME When the trailer for Dead to Me first released, we noted that this blend of drama and comedy gave off A Simple Favour vibes — and we stand by it. The Netflix series isn't as quirky or laugh-out-loud funny as that great flick; however, it similarly nails the complications of female friendship. The incredibly watchable show also delves into the many shades of grief smartly and satisfyingly as well. Story-wise, Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini play new pals who meet at a bereavement support group, bonding over their shared mourning for their respective spouses. But there's more to their tale, with the show adhering to one of the streaming platform's favourite techniques and throwing up cliffhangers at the end of every episode. Given the way that the first season comes to a close, you'll definitely be left waiting for the just-announced second series. The entire first season of Dead to Me is available to stream on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho1YcutJLb8 NOW APOCALYPSE He made his famous Teen Apocalypse Trilogy back in the 90s, courted controversy with the Joseph Gordon-Levitt-starring Mysterious Skin, gave the world a female-fronted stoner comedy with Happy Face and won the first ever Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm with Kaboom. Alas, it's been five years since filmmaker Gregg Araki last made a movie — and while Now Apocalypse is definitely a television show, it's 100 percent driven by the distinctive writer/director. Transferring his talents to the small screen (and his usual themes, standout visual style and love of taking viewers on a head trip), Araki's series is set in Los Angeles, and follows Ulysses (Avan Jogia) and his fellow twenty-something pals. They're are all just trying to chase their dreams, but in Uly's case, that could be a literal quest given that his monstrous nightmares seem to be coming true. The entire first season of Now Apocalypse is available to stream on Stan. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
That’s right, you heard us correctly. Thanks to the FreeWines app, you can now get a top-quality bottle of red or white wine when you dine at certain restaurants. FreeWines is connected with more than 200 venues in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, so wherever you are, download this app stat for some tasty vino. To get the ball rolling, here are just some out the outstanding eateries you can enjoy free wine. NEW SOUTH WALES YORK LANE Tucked away in an inner-city laneway lies York Lane — cafe/espresso bar by day, restaurant/bar by night. Drop on in where the vinyl is spinning and the tapas is rolling out on a regular basis. The key word here is cosy, as it can only fit up to 30 people at a time. Get amongst the repurposed decor and polish off a bottle of award-winning wine with a small group of friends. 56 Clarence Street, Sydney. THE CROW BAR Small, elegant, and stylish all come to mind when it comes to this delightful venue with serious cocktails and a thoughtful wine list. European-influenced share plates are the go here, and their ambient fireplace and black leather sofas make it ideal for a cool-weather hideaway spot, but in truth this venue is a gem all year round. The Crow Bar in Crows Nest is certainly worth ‘raven’ about. 6 Burlington Street, Crows Nest THE HILL EATERY What list of Sydney foodie spots would be complete without a Bondi representative? The Hill Eatery is our destination of choice. With ethically sourced produce, these guys are big on farm-to-table practice and make an effort to venture outside of the city limits to bring only the best to your plate. They’re also expanding over summer with their Florida Keys Garden Bar, so stay tuned for more excellent work from this crew. Shop 5, 39-53 Campbell Parade, North Bondi. RED LANTERN ON RILEY Vietnamese cuisine is at its best at Red Lantern on Riley, with its excellence continuing across the way at Red Lily Cocktail Bar. Fresh ingredients, sustainable practice and authenticity is at the heart of Luke Nguyen’s venture, with a French Colonial Vietnamese influence on the decor. Red Lantern on Riley is ideal for catching up with friends and family, as their menu is full of shared dishes. You know what else is excellent when shared? A bottle of free wine. 60 Riley Street, Darlinghurst. VICTORIA CRU WINE BAR We love CRU at anytime of day, as they’re open from early-bird brekkie to last drinks most nights of the week. Settle in to their quaint front bar or courtyard when the weather warms up and have a chat with their resident ‘wine guy’ about what is the right drop for you. Their wine list here is plentiful, so after your free wine don’t hesitate to grab another bottle of something equally as delicious. 916 Glenferrie Road, Kew. CHOW CITY Serving up a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai and Malaysian fare, Chow City provides a playful approach to pan-Asian dining. Whether you’re looking for authentic traditional dishes or some street food on the run, your tastebuds will be satisfied here. A nice white wine would go a treat with their spicy seafood, such as the battered king prawns with egg white and chilli sauce. 287 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. EBENEZER COFFEE AND WINE BAR If specialty coffee and boutique wine is your bag, head down to Black Rock and leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind. The focus here is on taking pride in their produce, so you’re sure to get a great serve for breakfast, lunch of dinner. A glass of wine by the seaside sounds like heaven to us. 615 Balcombe Road, Black Rock. QUEENSLAND CLARET HOUSE This wine bar has a menu designed for sharing, and we would certainly recommend splitting a charcuterie plate or some slow-cooked lamb ribs with chimichurri among friends. Their wine list is extensive and their staff knowledgeable, so if it’s a fine wine you’re after, look no further. Shop 5 London Woolstores, 36 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe. DEER DUCK BISTRO Modern European dining experiences often call for the perfect red wine to match. Rest assured you’ll find one at Deer Duck Bistro. There is a focus on ethical eating at this establishment, where only the freshest in local, sustainable, organic and macrobiotic produce is used where possible. Embrace the old world charm and carefully crafted dishes on your next night out. 396 Milton Road, Auchenflower COVE BAR AND DINING In among South Bank’s River Quay fine dining precinct, you’re sure to stumble across Cove Bar, and when you do, do yourself a favour and stay a while. This casual yet elegant atmosphere is ideal for your next date night, as the riverside views and flawless feasting is sure to impress. Try one of their seasonal oyster creations with Hugh Hamilton 'The Trickster' Pinot Grigio and thank us later. 4 Sidon Street, South Brisbane.
Think juice is just for cooling your body temperature on those stinking humid days that Queensland prides itself on? Think again. A good blend of citrus and ginger of can be quite useful to shoo away sniffles (yep, you can even get 'em in spring time). Presenting Brisbane's top five delicious, flu-fighting, body-rejuvenating juices, freshly squeezed at market stalls, juice bars and cafes around our health-kickin' city. THIRST BUSTER: QUEEN STREET MARKETS For those that drink with their eyes, feast on this bad boy blend of watermelon, pineapple and orange. But really, can you go past that elaborate display of fruit on top of your drink? We think not. This is an instant teleport to your favourite summer spot. Queen Street Mall, Brisbane (every Wednesday 10am-6pm). THE QUEENSLANDER: RAW JUICERY While the above green juice will help you detox, we're after something a little more adventurous: The Queenslander. For those that 'ick' at the though of beetroot, the pineapple and orange complement it so well, you won't be able to taste it (the bright red colour of the aftermath might be a dead giveaway though!). 4/280 Adelaide Street, Brisbane. THE CLASSIC FRESH OJ: JAMIE'S ESPRESSO If you feel a bit fancypants trying out all these liquid fruit salads, you can't go wrong with a classic OJ. Watching Jamie do his thing with that old school juicer is totally worth the trip out to New Farm. 49 James Street, New Farm. FLU BREAKER: QUENCH JUICE BAR Orange, pineapple and ginger. Goes without saying that this one is great for a sore throat. You can find Quench at the Valley's James Street Markets, the Ferry Road Markets in Southport and Gasworks. James Street Markets, 22 James Street, Fortitude Valley. THE TIGER BALM: FAT CARROT A West End institution. If you feel the flu coming on, give this one a try. Nothing like the pungent ointment you used to smother on toilet seats at school muck-up day, this cold-fighting juice is packed with papaya, orange, lemon, pineapple and mint. Yum! 179 Boundary Street, West End. Top image: Dollar Photo Club.
Every decade or thereabouts, change comes to Montrachet. Back in 2017, more than ten years into its life, the French fine-diner made a massive move from the Given Terrace location in Paddington that it had always called home over to Bowen Hills' King Street. Now, with the restaurant over 20 years old, it's undergone a new switch. After going into administration in the middle of 2024, Montrachet is back open under a new owner. French chef Clément Chauvin has taken over the acclaimed eatery, which was previously part of chef Shannon Kellam's hospitality empire. Welcoming patrons through the doors since Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the new Montrachet mixes fresh touches with classics on its menu — and in general. Diners can still say bonjour to double-crab soufflé, escargot, bouillabaisse, steak frites and crème brûlée, should you already know your favourite Montrachet dish. Clément's additions, however, include spring lamb two ways, beef wellington with red wine jus, and roasted pumpkin and mushroom pie featuring a sage and brown butter crumble on top. For dessert, there's also now a passionfruit soufflé paired with a chilli explosion and coconut sorbet as the sweet signature option. The menu also spans a range of multi-course feasts for the table, whether you're after two plates, three or a six-round degustation. On Saturdays for lunch, there's also a surprise five-course option created by the restaurant's kitchen team. Among the single dishes, other highlights include steak tartare, dry-aged roasted duck with orange duck jus, upside-down caramelised apple tart and dark chocolate mousse-filled cigars. Chauvin is already behind fellow French restaurant Les Bistronomes in Canberra, running the award-winning eatery as its sole owner and Executive Chef since 2019. Now, the figure that started his career aged 15 — complete with stints at Gordon Ramsay's Claridge's in London, plus Sydney's Restaurant Balzac and Bistro Paris — takes on an adored slice of Brisbane's dining scene. Find Montrachet at 1/30 King Street, Bowen Hills — open for lunch Thursday–Saturday and dinner Tuesday–Saturday. Head to the restaurant's website for more details.
Anzac Day in Australia is a time of tradition, reflection, two-up and copious amounts of Tooheys Old. In 2016, Australia takes Monday off to remember, and the weekend to make the most of the present. Pay your respects to the nation's past and present servicemen and women, then use the time to celebrate Australia's future. Here's ten things we think you should put on your Anzac long weekend schedule.
Getting arty while sipping tipples has fast become everyone's favourite thing to do, and for plenty of good reasons. It's creative, it's fun and it's the equivalent of reliving your primary school art classes as a wine-sipping adult. And, while there's no shortage of places and sessions popping up for the imbibing artists amongst us, Boozy Board Art promises something different on a number of levels. Firstly, as the name suggests, you'll be spilling your crafty talents all over a blank skateboard deck — which you then get to take home with you. Work-Shop will supply the board, alcohol, supplies and a primer on what to do, including sanding, priming and painting, and then let you loose. If that sounds like your regular old drink-fuelled art class, that's understandable; however the team at Decks for Change will put an end to that. Not only will they be on hand to help, but your class fee will go towards building skate parks in underdeveloped countries. Painting, sipping, scoring a skateboard and helping those in need — now you don't do that everyday.
Good ol' V-Day has a bit of a reputation. Some love it, some loathe it, but most do find the notion an intimidating one. How are we meant to impress the one we love without overdosing on the sappy and the sickeningly sweet? Here at Concrete Playground, we've whittled down the embarrassing and the desperate, and what we've come up with is the definite list to suit your own specific Valentine's Day in the city of love: Brisbane. IT'S A FIRST DATE Alright, so the first step here is just to remain calm. This is totally fine. In our fair city of Brisbane, there are a few surefire ways to impress this new bud-but-maybe-more of yours. You don’t want to go too fancy or look like you’re trying too hard, but this night’s gotta be special. It’s Valentine’s Day, and you can nail this. Heading somewhere new like The Charming Squire is a great way to break the ice but not the bank; some share plates of pulled pork sliders, arancini balls, chicken wings and marinated olives will give you time to figure out if your favourite beers or ciders are a romantic match. A casual stroll along South Bank’s river walk is excellent, perhaps a spin on the Wheel of Brisbane, turned Wheel of Love, before stopping off at Nitrogenie for dessert with some science-based wow-factor. There will be fairy lights and night markets and maybe some live music, all by the scenic river littered with opportunities to get better acquainted. YOU'RE SO IN LOVE Oh my gosh you guys. So you’ve been together for a while now, you’re totes smitten and here it is! It’s V-Day. A great place to indulge in your unabashed love is the Riverbar and Kitchen down at the Eagle Street Promenade. If sharing is caring, particularly when it comes to food, then these guys will help you show your beloved how much you really care with their share platter for two plus a two-person dessert for a sweet $50. On the side you can quench your doting thirst with the specialty cocktails formulated for the Riverbar Valentine's Day Cocktail Menu – Cupid’s Kiss and All Night Long come in at $17 a pop. YOU DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY Another Saturday night, another wild adventure for you two love birds. Dinner is probably not too high on the list of the night’s activities, but you might as well take the opportunity to indulge. Alfred & Constance in the Valley have a new menu, boasting some share plates of crispy calamari, haloumi and Persian spiced carrot fritters, served with a classic mojito jug followed by a salted caramel Baked Alaska. This puts you in prime position for the main event: entertainment. You will rejoice at the options for gig-goers this evening. Everyone’s favourite bearded crooner Chet Faker is taking to the stage at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, and then there’s the lovely Megan Washington at The Triffid. There are also a slew of theatre options, including the lively works of MELT: A Celebration of Queer Arts and Culture at the Powerhouse and a magical adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream from La Boite. YOU'RE LOOKING TO REKINDLE THE ROMANCE Yeah, yeah. We know. How many Valentine’s Days have you guys seen together now? February 14 is just another date on the calendar these days. But it doesn't have to be. Why not try a few different kinds of eats and add some variety to your lives? Saké are a tried-and-tested favourite of St Valentine’s special day — so much so, they’ve whittled down the menu to the best of the best, a veritable smorgasbord of Japanese delicacies for you to adventure through. $99 per person gets you a glass of house champers on arrival, plus five courses from the shared tasting menu. Try the marble chocolate mousse for dessert, or perhaps the green tea langue de cha. YOU ENJOY THE FINER THINGS Perhaps Valentine’s Day is your night of nights, the perfect excuse to romance the apple of your eye with rose petals and the finest champagne? Join those who love the finer things in life at Customs House for stunning dining with views of the river and the best angle of the city. If you’re after an early mark, their lunch menu includes the choice of two courses for $67 per person, of three courses for $85, with a couple of sitting options available. For the night owls, a four-course dinner menu, served with a glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne will set you back $110 per person. If oysters en masse are more your thing, the Stamford Plaza are having a seafood buffet, packed with romantic riverside ambience, free live music, a glass of Moët on arrival and a single rose for the ladies, for $59 per person for the lunch sitting and $99 for dinner. Afterwards, you can slowly take your full stomachs up to the Superior King River View room, where you’ll find more champagne, rose petals, exotic bath products and a personalised love note for a pretty cute $489 per night. IT'S GIRLS'/GUYS' NIGHT On this day for lovers, why not make a date with your best soul mates? Your romantic love might not be available, or not yet in your life, but that doesn’t mean this perfectly good Saturday night will be wasted, no sir. If you still wanted to brave the coupled-up locales, Cloudland are having a dinner event on the day — for $50 per person, you get a glass of rosé champagne on arrival, plus a goodie bag for the ladies. Score! You could always do things a little differently and wander over to Cowch in South Brisbane. Did you know they do desserts and cocktails? This is a thing, and they’ve got you covered for the ol’ with a round of Milk Choclatinis. It’ll make stepping out without your track pants on so much more worthwhile. For the non-sweet tooths, you can shout your buddy at The Elephant Hotel and enjoy a pizza and a jug of local beer for $25. THE ANTI-VALENTINE'S DAY Yeah, look, Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone. Whether you’re a 'we' or still a 'me', it doesn’t mean Hallmark and Cadbury deserve your money. There are ways to get out of the house and enjoy what is sure to be a beautiful day without getting mushy and romantic and, to be honest, a bit sickening. Have some self-respect. See your buddies at The Fox Hotel for the ultimate solo sanctuary, the Rooftop Singles Party. For $39 you get the cocktail package of espresso martinis, mojitos and premium spirits, plus wines, beers and mixes. For those solo riders looking to keep things a bit low-key, check out the Digital Writers' Festival. That night, there are sure to be a bunch of movies on television. Did you know that McDonald’s now deliver?
Whether you're heading to the cinema with friends or curling up on the couch with your significant other, a night watching movies remains a fantastic source of entertainment, enjoyment and escapism. Sitting in the dark, switching your mind away from your regular worries and slipping into another world — if you're catching the right flick, few things can top it. Cinema-wise, 2020 has thrown up plenty of films that tick all of the above boxes. Even with theatres closing for a significant portion of the year so far, that still proves the case. And now that 2020 is just approaching its halfway mark, it's time to look back. Maybe you missed one of this year's great flicks when it was in cinemas. Perhaps it's showing again now that picture palaces are reopening, and you haven't quite made it along yet. Indeed, it could be on your must-see list when you next sit in a darkened theatre. Or, of course, there might be a few gems that have just slipped your attention. Plus, there are always the ace movies you saw, loved and want to see again. Whichever category fits, here are 12 films from 2020 that you you need to catch up on. Head to the cinema and grab a choc top or organise your streaming queue and cook up some popcorn, as we've sorted out your viewing for the near future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE7YVZA5YVc TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG What our critic said: Made for a world where 'such is life' tattoos commit Ned Kelly's purported last words to slabs of Aussie flesh, this gritty, galvanising film sets fire to Australia's national identity and stares at the ashes of the country's troubled history — all by re-interrogating a man inescapably engrained in our iconography over the past century and a half... A visually, emotionally, thematically searing movie that strides across the screen like an outlaw, aptly. True History of the Kelly Gang is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CELbK9q_ZeA A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD What our critic said: A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood remembers a man who considered himself ordinary while having an extraordinary effect on others. You could say the same about Tom Hanks, which is what makes his casting as Mr Rogers so sublime. His is a superb, deservedly Oscar-nominated performance that's never an act of simple mimicry, but that he's as revered — and has been a reliable screen presence for decades, too — is never forgotten. A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJXmdY4lVR0 A HIDDEN LIFE What our critic said: As a renowned lover of rolling hills, scenic greenery, constantly roving camerawork and breathy voiceover that borders on whispering, Terrence Malick recreates the Second World War with splendour. Although its conflict remains spiritual, philosophical and existential rather than physical, A Hidden Life is as weighty as any blood-soaked account of combat — and as affecting. A Hidden Life is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOs6gKtrb4 THE LIGHTHOUSE What our critic said: After watching Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson fart, fight, guzzle too much rum, growl at seagulls, masturbate and go steadily mad in one of the titular buildings, you might never look at these oceanside staples in the same way again... The more this powerhouse duo snipe and snarl back and forth, the more they lure viewers into The Lighthouse's fever dream like a glowing beam — or like the tentacles that help make this already out-there movie even more eccentric, outlandish and utterly mesmerising. The Lighthouse is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLmvs9Wrem0 COLOR OUT OF SPACE What our critic said: Whenever Nicolas Cage keeps things quiet and normal, he evokes the unnerving sensation that perhaps everything is too quiet and normal. When he's letting loose, there's really no telling what could happen next. A film about a glowing meteor that crashes on an alpaca farm and not only forever changes a family's existence, but their entire grasp on reality, Lovecraftian horror adaptation Color Out of Space needs both Cage's unsettlingly calm and brain-bogglingly over-the-top sides. More than that, it thrives on them. Color Out of Space is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAJyugYEiY THE INVISIBLE MAN What our critic said: Great horror movies have always reflected and responded to the times they're made in and, in the same vein as Jordan Peele's Get Out and Us, Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man helps lead the charge as the 21st century reaches its third decade. This is a socially conscious, savagely creepy, supremely clever reinterpretation of a classic scarefest that takes every part of that equation seriously. The Invisible Man is available to stream via Google Play and YouTube — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srPas4PqCkw BEATS What our critic said: Based on the play of the same name, this black-and-white gem is set in the Scottish electronic music scene in the early 90s — just as the UK government was passing legislation to effectively ban raves. Following two teenagers desperate to attend what might be their first and last dance music festival, and featuring a thumping soundtrack of old-school tunes, the result is an insightful exuberant coming-of-age film, as well as a as a thoughtful and reflective social-realist drama. Beats is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hroo3-sKc0w HONEY BOY What our critic said: A Vietnam veteran and ex-rodeo clown who treats his pre-teen son more like a buddy than a child, James Lort is the role that Shia LaBeouf was born to play... Basing Honey Boy on the latter's years as a child actor, and on his father's involvement, the result is an astonishingly personal and revelatory film that continues the American Honey and The Peanut Butter Falcon star's recent stellar streak. Honey Boy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dii0FMXXVvA&feature=emb_logo HONEYLAND What our critic said: In Honeyland's opening moments, Hatidže Muratova performs feats that wouldn't be out of place in an action blockbuster... In this intimate observational doco, she's worlds away from cinema's big-budget spectacles — but she's still a daring superhero. Dedicated to traditional apiary methods, Hatidže is the last female wild beekeeper in Europe. That mightn't mean much when audiences start watching Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov's debut feature-length film, but it will when the credits roll. Honeyland is available to stream via Movie Night, At Home and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBGi3SzxkKk&feature=share DARK WATERS What our critic said: Dark Waters doesn't shy away from or try to reinvent its genre. Any move in that direction wouldn't do its real-life details justice. But this is definitely a Todd Haynes movie in the way that matters most: its emotional impact... Haynes hasn't just brought an essential story to the screen (and inspired his audience to start questioning all the chemicals in their lives), but crafted the ideal movie for a world where the entire planet is increasingly at the mercy of corporate giants. Dark Waters is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRMPdhQBlWs QUEEN & SLIM What our critic said: The debut feature by music video director Melina Matsoukas — a Grammy-winner for her work on Rihanna's 'We Found Love' and Beyonce's 'Formation' — Queen & Slim wears its nods on its sleeves, and its topicality as well. Combining an all-too-frequent real-life situation with cinema's "lovers on the run" genre, it's a statement piece that not only conveys an attention-grabbing story, but explores the constantly relevant issue of race relations in America. Queen & Slim is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biHUTtV4K40 IN FABRIC What our critic said:Peter Strickland is one of cinema's inimitable auteurs, not only conjuring up narratives that no other filmmaker ever would or could, but bringing them to the screen with a distinctive sense of style and mood. That remains accurate with In Fabric — the lauded writer/director's haunted dress movie. In a London clothing store, bank teller Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) finds the perfect red frock for her first blind date; however, she soon discovers that the fabulous outfit has quite the dark side. Also starring Games of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie, this fashion-focused horror-comedy is lurid and intoxicating. In Fabric is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review.
If you think gin is just for your grandma, think again. Dutch Courage Officers' Mess has united gin lovers all over the city and created a cult-like following for the oft-forgotten spirit. Boasting more than 80 gins among 240 liqueurs behind the bar, signature cocktails and a lively weekend crowd are staples at the Alfred Street address. So do like the officers did, and get wild at the mess for a night. Inspired by British colonial outposts of the late 19th-century, hessian curtains, rattan furniture and wide blade fans set the mood to party like its 1889. Brisbane's balmy (read: hot, humid and sweaty) summer evenings create an authentic atmosphere, so you'll feel like you're chilling out in the jungle for real. Hang up your plinth hat, kick up your heels and focus on the booze, the tunes and the good times at hand. If there's too much going on for your downstairs, make your way to the verandah upstairs, where more intimate seating is available. Be courageous and check out the extensive cocktail menu ($16-18) studded with the likes of the 24 Gun Salute with Beefeater 24, elderflower, egg white and chamomile flowers. If gin ain't your thing, don't worry, there are plenty of other spirits to go around. The bartenders are more than happy to oblige classic and customised creations on request, keeping all thirsts at bay. If you need a feed while sippin' on your gin and juice, the Mess has got you covered. Chow down on the buttermilk fried chicken with sweet mustard dipping sauce ($18), a ploughman's platter ($24) or the jungle burger ($20) to satisfy your gin-soaked stomach. Struggling to make it through the working week? Dutch Courage has your back. Tuesday nights are filled with the greatness of beer and boardgames from 4pm till late. For $7 you can enjoy a handle of craft beer and impress your rivals with with your general knowledge of pop culture in Trivial Pursuit, making lines of the same colour in Connect Four, or whatever else is your bag. Come play.
UPDATE, February 5, 2021: Thor: Ragnarok is available to stream via Disney+, iTunes and Amazon Video. How many clues did you need before you knew that this one was going to be different? The choice of director alone ought to have gotten you most of the way there. New Zealand's Taika Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows) doesn't do conventional. Then there was the trailer: a neon-infused, synth-rock-pumping Flash Gordon throwback that favoured humour over action. As it happens, so does the film – and it's a delight from the first frame to the last. Thor: Ragnarok is the third picture to focus on the eponymous God of Thunder, and the 17th in the so-called Marvel Cinematic Universe. Led by Australia's Chris Hemsworth, it also stars Cate Blanchett as the Goddess of Death, Tom Hiddleston as the God of Mischief and Jeff Goldblum as the Oh My God He's Just Fabulous. Mark Ruffalo also returns as The Hulk, having not been seen since The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Rounding out the cast are franchise regulars Idris Elba and Anthony Hopkins in small but affecting roles. With Waititi at the helm, Ragnarok has a distinctly casual, cheeky and irreverent feel compared to Marvel's previous offerings, as well as a noticeable 80s aesthetic in both its style and soundtrack. It's a genuine breath of fresh air in a franchise within a franchise, and something that the MCU sorely needed. Waititi is obviously known for his sense of humour, yet what truly distinguishes him as a filmmaker is a pronounced absence of cynicism. No matter the theme or story (Wilderpeople dealt with some tragic issues amidst all the chaos), the overwhelming sensation upon leaving a Waititi movie is optimism. For Marvel, whose movies have grown darker as they hurtle towards the up and coming Infinity War, the contrast is as noticeable as it is necessary. Like a Roger Moore Bond film, Ragnarok still has its action and moments of gravity, but above all else it's fun. You can see it in the performances. Hemsworth's obvious comedic abilities – which were also on display in Paul Feig's Ghostbusters reboot – are given ample room to breathe in Ragnarok right from the opening scene. A significant portion of the film's dialogue was reportedly improvised, resulting in a free-flowing and naturalistic feel that also serves to accentuate the fractious relationships between the various lead characters – most notably Thor, Loki and Hulk. Then there's franchise newcomer Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie. Most recently seen in HBO's Westworld, Thompson proves a genuine scene stealer, which is no small accomplishment given hers is an almost exclusively human performance in a movie jam-packed with special effects and CGI-characters. Through Valkyrie we see Marvel's ability to create lethal, confident, independent, wise-cracking female heroes who are every bit as capable (if not more-so) than their male counterparts. There are shortcomings, of course. For all its strengths, Ragnarok is not a perfect film. Blanchett and Elba are both seriously under-utilised, Hopkins comes face to face with some bewilderingly bad special effects, and Karl Urban's character has a clunky pro-gun schtick that feels entirely out of place with the rest of the film. The humour is refreshing, but comedy is not every actor's greatest strength, and at times Ragnarok feels too heavily skewed towards laughs when instead the scene calls for something a little meatier. Still, what Waititi and his team have crafted here is a remarkable reimagining of the MCU, one that is at once respectful of its place in the world, but still self-aware enough to never take itself too seriously. It's a big movie that somehow still feels small and intimate, and a near-perfect example of a blockbuster done right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue80QwXMRHg
Think rainbows and unicorns are just for kids? Think again. Sure, Dancenorth's addition to this year's Brisbane Festival is an all-ages affair; however more mature festival-goers won't want to miss out on a performance that features 7.6 kilometres of UV rope. Yep, as well as a kick-ass name, Rainbow Vomit boasts enough luminous thread to get you from the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts through the city to West End. It also includes a story about morphing creatures and magical 'fireworks glasses' that refract light into the titular multi-coloured phenomenon. Enough said. Image: Amber Haines.
The Australian Bar of the Year isn't in Sydney or Melbourne this year. Culinary heavyweights Victoria and New South Wales clean up year after year at the Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards, announced last night at Sydney's Carriageworks, but the coveted Bar of the Year gong was instead nabbed by Queensland, hitherto known as the little engine that could. Perhaps not best known for fine dining, Queenslanders do love a good bevvy so shouldn't come as a surprise Brisbane’s crowd favourite The Gresham won bar of the year. Sydney's gained points for friendliness and food this week, as Neil Perry's Sydney restaurant Rockpool has taken out the Restaurant of the Year title, along with many other impressive wins for the Sydney food scene. Rockpool won out in the end with judges citing reasons such as the luxurious fit-out, inventive food and genuine old-school service from the star sommelier (who is, no doubt, about to get quite a raise). Other Sydney award winners include the just-opened Bennelong, which took out the award for best new restaurant of the year; Billy Kwong took out best wine list (we wonder how they’ll be celebrating the win); Raffaele Mastrovincenzo of Kappo won sommelier of the year and Lennox Hastie of Surry Hills' Firedoor was awarded best new talent. Melbourne was Sydney’s main rival in food and wine stakes and won maître d’ of the year (Vanessa Crichton of Rosetta) and Melbourne legend Joost Bakker (owner of zero waste cafe brothl) was recognised for his service and awarded the outstanding contribution to hospitality. Regional New South Wales and Victoria also got in on the action, with Dan Hunter of Brae in Birregurra winning chef of the year and Byron Bay's new chapter of Three Blue Ducks taking out regional restaurant of the year. And the list of three-star winners (the equally mortgage-your-house-to-eat-here contest of culinary fanciness) was crawling with Sydney royalty, including Sepia, Vue de Monde, Quay, Momofuku Seiobo and The Bridge Room alongside Melbourne’s eternal flame, Ben Shewry’s Attica. Image: Gourmet Traveller.
Fancy grabbing a bite to eat at the Brisbane Showgrounds — and not just a strawberry sundae or a showbag filled with Bertie Beetles when the Ekka is in town each August? Well, soon you can. Come July 2017, a new food-centric boutique laneway called Kings Co-op will make that dream a reality. Taking over the space on the northern corner of King Street, Kings Co-op will transform a number of the site's long-standing buildings into a new food, retail and creative community hub, with opening up the facilities all year round and breathing life into historic structures among the project's main aims. With that in mind, prepare to spend a whole heap of time at the Royal Snack Bar. It'll form the centrepiece of the dining precinct, replacing the set-to-be-demolished RNA Snack Bar. Nearby, the Sugar building and Dairy Industry Hall will also be revamped. As well as more restaurants, bars and outdoor eating, the iconic buildings will accommodate studio spaces for the creative industries, as well as proposed health and wellbeing facilities and stores, plus a multi-level carpark. Kings Co-op is just the latest phase in the 15-year, $2.9 billion regeneration project, which has been underway for the past six years. As you've probably noticed, the revitalisation of the Fortitude Valley area has already seen a new hotel, residential complex and commercial development open their doors, and an initial dining precinct pop up. The latter features The George Bar and Bistro, GG Espresso and Fat Dumpling, with Italian restaurant Il Verde set to join them in September. For more information about Kings Co-op, visit livekingstreet.com.au.
It's a sad day for Soulfest ticketholders, this year's festival has been cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Due to kick off for Australia/New Zealand dates with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and Miguel on Saturday, October 24, Soulfest 2015 will no longer be hitting Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne, or bringing sideshows to Brisbane, Mebourne and Sydney. Soulfest International posted this statement on their website and Facebook page this morning: "It is with a heavy heart and great regret that Soulfest International advises that it has become necessary to cancel Soulfest and the subsequent sideshows, due to poor ticket sales. Soulfest was scheduled to take place in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney, with sideshows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and was due to commence on October 20th. "Soulfest was launched with the intention of promoting genres of music that are often overlooked commercially in this country, specifically Neo-Soul, RnB and Hip-Hop, and Soulfest 2014 successfully delivered some of the most exciting talent within these genres. Despite a stellar line-up of artists and the best promotional endeavours on Soulfest’s behalf, the event has simply not received the support via ticket sales, and the financial loss that would be incurred by the event if it were to go ahead as planned would be devastating. "There have been many people working behind the scenes, including media partners, artists, sponsors, sub-contracted promoters, communication managers, agents and suppliers who live, breathe and support this incredible genre of music and have worked tirelessly to try and make this event a success. The promoter sincerely apologises to all involved who have dedicated 7 months of their lives to work on this festival, and to the supporters of the event who purchased tickets." Soulfest has confirmed tickets will be refunded. For tickets booked online or by phone, credit cards used to book will automatically be refunded. Soulfest have said refunds could take up to 14 days. Bookings made at outlets will also be refunded, with ticketholders told to return to the box office where they bought the tickets with the credit card they used and photo ID. Soulfest's sideshows, sadly, are also cancelled. Via Music Feeds. Image: Soulfest.
Balmy summer nights in Sydney, bring 'em on. Rooftop wines, twilight beach strolls and a plethora of blockbuster exhibitions opening their doors across the city — not to mention the after-hours parties that come with them. Bringing some of the world's most groundbreaking, celebrated and iconic art to the city for your perusing pleasure, the Sydney International Art Series is currently boasting two world-class exhibitions at the Art Gallery of NSW and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Of course, Sydney galleries don't just shut up shop after you've soaked up The Greats: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland and Grayson Perry: My Pretty Little Art Career, there's a whole bunch of late-night events to see through the evening. Here's a round-up of the must-do cultural programs to catch over the coming months. UP LATE WITH THE GREATS When the sun goes down every Wednesday, the Art Gallery of NSW decks the halls with jam-packed evenings of talks, guided tours, and live music. A super-charged extension of the Gallery's usual Wednesday night Art After Hours program will run on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, dubbed Up Late with The Greats. After the Gallery's usual closing time of 5pm, you can take an extended jaunt through The Greats exhibition — featuring the likes of Titian, Botticelli, Gauguin and Degas, all the way from the National Galleries of Scotland — and partake in a ramped up range of activities. On Wednesday nights, celebrated comedian and SERIOUS art nerd Hannah Gadsby will be unveiling her SERIOUS art history chops and treating gallery-goers to a VERY SERIOUS rundown of different eras of Western art history each week. There'll be salon drawing on Thursday nights, and live music by members of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra on Friday nights. On all three nights, Young Henrys will be serving a limited edition masterpiece-inspired brew at the Gallery’s pop-up bar. Up Late With The Greats will run Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays from January 6 – 29. MCA ARTBAR The Museum of Contemporary Art’s monthly ARTBAR has become a firm fixture on Sydney’s after-dark cultural calendar. After knocking off work on Friday, head down to Circular Quay for an extra dose of art, a splash of wine and your choice of fun-filled activities — with the added bonus of panoramic views of the harbour from the Sculpture Terrace. Past curators have included the likes of Pip and Pop, Blak Douglas, Haines and Hinterding, and Rebecca Baumann — each building uniquely flavoured late-night events. Wander in on the last Friday night of the month and you can expect a lively conglomeration of art, music, design and performance. It’s an excuse to let loose alongside some of Sydney’s best artistic talent. The next ARTBAR for 2016 will be curated by the supremely colourful Rosie Deacon. Who knows what’s in store for this one, but knowing Deacon, we will likely see something big, crafty and carnivalesque. MCA ARTBAR curated by Rosie Deacon will take place on Friday, January 29, with the following editions of MCA ARTBAR taking place on February 26, April 1 and April 29. DINE AT CHISWICK AT THE GALLERY It makes perfect sense to conclude an art adventure with a culinary adventure, right? Matt Moran’s Chiswick at the Gallery offers a cool and classy dining experience inside the Art Gallery of NSW. The ethos underpinning this restaurant is all about seasonal produce and inventive creations. Hence this season’s lamb comes from Moran’s family farm in the Central Tablelands, while the locally-grown herbs and vegetables come courtesy of Chiswick’s resident gardener. Head along for a bite to eat during summer and you can take advantage of a special dining package developed to complement The Greats. Take your pick of two mains, two desserts, a glass of Ross Hill Estate wine, plus a ticket to the exhibition for $75 per person — pretty great value. After taking in some old world inspiration, you can retreat to Chiswick for a more contemporary and replenishing experience. It's staying open for dinner on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in January as part of the Up Late with The Greats. For bookings, contact Chiswick at the Gallery on (02) 9225 1819. MCA'S GRAYSON PERRY-INSPIRED GIN GARDEN If you haven’t dabbled in a spot of gin drinking, now is the time. Young Henrys, Archie Rose Distillery and the MCA have joined forces to open a pop-up Gin Garden, coinciding with the blockbuster exhibition Grayson Perry: My Pretty Little Art Career. Ushering in some English charm for the summer — with the added perk of Australian sunshine — this quirky watering hole ought to be the perfect accompaniment to arty afternoons at the MCA. Archie Rose has set forth on a mission to revive Sydney’s once-thriving passion for spirits with their dedicated Rosebery distillery. The team will offer expertly crafted cocktails incorporating native Australian ingredients, such as blood lime, Dorrigo pepperleaf, lemon myrtle and river mint. If beer is your beverage of choice, Sydney’s star boutique brewers Young Henrys will be pulling a few pints too. Once you’ve had your fill of Grayson Perry, this is the leafy little pop-up is ideal for a refreshing sip of gin and a conversation (or debate) about contemporary art. The MCA Pop-Up Gin Garden will be open Thursday to Sunday from 4pm till late, until February 14, 2016. MCA LIGHTS ON LATER The MCA's late-night program is your go-to inner-city art adventure in Sydney, with this summer's program brimming with activity after hours. Every Thursday evening until 9pm, enjoy late-night access to Grayson Perry: My Pretty Little Art Career and other MCA exhibitions. Discover and design your alter ego in a hands-on workshop, listen to MCA curators and guides, watch one of Grayson Perry’s popular TV documentaries, join a Subversive Tour of the exhibition led by a cast of diverse and eclectic guests. Then wind down over a glass of wine, a bit to eat and live music on the MCA’s Sculpture Terrace. Want to go on multiple Sydney art adventures without going broke? You can buy discounted tickets to the Sydney International Art Series by purchasing an Art Pass. It gives you access to both The Greats and Grayson Perry this summer for a discounted rate. Nab one from artpass.com.au.
Convincing people to eat their daily dose of fruit is about to get a whole lot easier. In the single greatest agricultural triumph since Nick Offerman opened that pizza farm back in July, Australian supermarkets will soon be stocking fairy floss flavoured grapes. And who said you can't improve on nature? Officially trademarked as Cotton Candy Grapes, the variety was developed by Californian grape growers Grapery, who created it accidentally while cross-pollinating different breeds. The result is an extra sweet grape that reportedly tastes uncannily like everyone's favourite school fete treat — although Grapery CEO Jim Beagle assured The Huffington Post that they have "basically the same nutritional content as almost any grapes in the grocery store." Cotton candy grapes please never go away.???? I may or may not buy 2 bags at a time whenever I see them at the store.? #tiumeals #tiuteam #fitforfall #charitychallenge @toneitup #cottoncandygrapes A photo posted by Lyndsay (@lyndsayruns) on Sep 14, 2015 at 1:32pm PDT Unsurprisingly, the grapes have proven a major hit in the United States, blowing up on social media and warranting mentions on both The Today Show and Good Morning America. If that wasn't enough, they've also been given the official Ryan Seacreast seal of approval — a sure-fire sign of quality if ever there was one. Cotton candy flavored grapes exist. There is hope http://t.co/qVUXXy3GjJ — Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) August 9, 2013 Australia, meanwhile, will be getting its first taste of these little miracles come February next year, after Grape Co. Australia secured the license from Grapery to grow and sell the variety down under. Of course, the question on everyone's lips is whether or not you can turn them into fairy floss flavoured goon. Because that would be a gamechanger. Cloudy? Worry not, there's candy cotton grape gelato. I mean, cotton. candy. Grape. Cotton candy grape! (one of those silly saturday today, definitely :D ) A photo posted by Rebecca M (@reblondonfridge) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:10am PDT Via Good Food and The Huffington Post. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Wandering around the newly renovated Limes Hotel rooftop bar is kind of like seeing an old friend who has recently opted for a revolutionary haircut. She looked great before, but the new look has done her wonders. Limes Hotel have gone for a greener look with astro-turf and vines hanging from a lattice behind the bar. Two plunge pools have also been installed and add to the party vibe. Easy to move comfy black lounges slot perfectly into the holiday feel and shade covers ensure comfort on sweltering afternoons. The menu has also had a bit of a makeover and you'll find plenty of pleasant surprises at your next Sunday sesh. Forget boring bar nuts, Limes Hotel offer a great range of snacks on their new rooftop BBQ menu. The short but sweet menu includes summer classics such as chicken skewers and hand-cut coleslaw ($9), and prawn, avocado, ice burg lettuce with lime mayo on a soft roll ($15). A definite must-try is the bratwurst sausage with vintage cheddar, caramelised onion and tomato relish on a soft roll ($9). Top-notch cocktails have always been Limes Hotel's area of expertise but they have still managed to up the ante with their new drinks list. A favourite is the mango cooler with vodka, Cointreau, mango and orange, lemon and Demerera sugar ($18). The bartender masterfully blended the flavours of summer into a single cocktail and the result is refreshing, sweet and absolutely delicious. For a masculine drink, try the Spiced Jersey with spiced rum, angostura bitters, topped with cider ($17.50). Limes Hotel's cocktail jugs are a great option for groups. The Gin Berry Smash includes gin, chambord, seasonal berries, lemon, topped with soda ($30). This sweet concoction, with its tasty whole blueberries is quite reasonably priced and has a gorgeous pink hue. Another option is the Flower Fizz consisting of vodka, St Germain Elderflower cordial, lime, mint and soda. The fresh mint puts the cherry on top of this mix and the total combo of flavours combine to make a pleasant drink. Don't waste your next Sunday afternoon, instead grab your togs and head sky high at Limes Hotel. You'll feel like you're on holidays, even if is just for the afternoon.
We thought it was Photoshopped. Twitter thought it was Photoshopped. The whole damn town thought, nay, could this be true? Hath Cadbury gone truly mad? Creating what could potentially be the most horrific melding of worldly flavours imaginable this side of ox tongue gelato (it's a thing)? Alas, it's true. Cadbury Australia have created a Dairy Milk chocolate variation, which adds a little caramel and a whole lot of Vegemite. That's right. Vegemite. BuzzFeed confirmed the terrible union this afternoon after noticing a sneaky snap on a Reddit feed in April. Cadbury itself confirmed the fusion on Twitter with this dramatic video. Behold. The Vegemite chocolate will be unleashed on the Australian public from June 1 (or sooner, as the Cadbury has mysteriously hinted in the video). Expect "Dairy Milk milk chocolate with smooth flowing caramel and VEGEMITE." Why Cadbury? Why? Was Pineapple Snack not enough tomfoolery for an age? Ah. We'll probably try it. Via BuzzFeed. Image: Reddit.
Back in 1982, Melbourne played host to one of China's most important ancient artworks: a collection of statues known as The Terracotta Army. Crafted between 221–206 BCE and first discovered in the Shaanxi province in 1974, it made its international debut at the National Gallery of Victoria — and now, 37 years later, it's returning for the NGV's 2019 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series. Dubbed Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality, the five-month exhibition will feature eight warrior figures and two life-size horses from The Terracotta Army, alongside two half-size replica bronze chariots that are each drawn by four horses. They were created during the reign of China's first emperor Qin Shi Huang and were buried near his tomb more than 2200 years ago. The pieces coming to Melbourne only represent a fraction of the entire work, which numbers more than 8000 figures in total. If you're wondering how big of a deal the statues are, the answer is very. The Terracotta Army is considered one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century and has also been described as the 'Eighth' Wonder of the World. Displaying at the NGV from May 24 to October 13, 2019, the selected pieces will be accompanied by more than 150 other ancient Chinese treasures sourced from museums and Shaanxi archaeological sites. Expect to rove your eyes over priceless gold, jade and bronze artefacts that date back more than 3000 years, charting China's artistry across the country's formative period. Looking to the present as well as the past, the NGV's winter season will also celebrate acclaimed Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang. His work is no stranger to Australia — in 2014, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art hosted its own showcase — however, his Melbourne exhibition will feature all new pieces. With Cai known for his large-scale installations, The Transient Landscapewill include 10,000 porcelain birds suspended in a spiral formation, in an artwork that links to The Terracotta Army. Specifically, it'll create a 3D version of a calligraphic drawing that depicts Mount Li, which is where Qin Shi Huang and his terracotta warriors were buried. Another of Cai's new works will feature a porcelain sculpture of peonies placed in the middle of a 360-degree gunpowder, with his entire show taking inspiration from Chinese culture and philosophy. The world-renowned talent will also help design Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality, making the two concurrent exhibitions as immersive as possible. 'Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality' and 'Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape' will exhibit as part of the NGV International's Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presentation, running from May 24 to October 13, 2019. For further details or to buy tickets, visit the NGV website. Exhibition images: Sean Fennessy and Tobias Titz photography. Images: The terracotta army, Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE), Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum, Xi'an.
There's a good reason that nearly every tour of Europe stops in Dubrovnik — the city is bloody beautiful. Inside the medieval walls of the Old Town, you almost feel as though you're wandering through a movie set (albeit a sweaty one with a lot of stairs). You can (and should) do the main attractions anyone who's been on a eight-day sailing tour of Croatia can tell you to do — walk around the city walls, have a drink on the cliffs outside the city walls at Buza bar I or II, do a Game of Thrones tour — but there's plenty of ways to do Dubrovnik your own way. We've compiled a list of the best ways to spend your time in the seaside Croatian city to make sure your visit is an unforgettable one. If you've been thinking about booking that European holiday, do it now. Swapping your Australian winter for a European summer is a great way to make your 2017 something to look forward to. In partnership with Topdeck, here is the first instalment of our Less Obvious city guides. Episode two: Dubrovnik. DRINK DINGAC AT D'VINO Unlike France or Italy, you never really hear anyone going on about Croatia's wine — but you should. This little country produces some killer drops, most notably on the Pelješac Peninsula, which just about an hour and a half north of Dubrovnik. Ask anyone who knows even the tiniest bit about wine, and they'll tell you to try some Dingač. Repeatedly. Dingač is the wine region, but generally they're talking about the much-lauded red wine variety Plavac Mali. Best place to try some of the stuff is at D'Vino in the Old Town. You can sit on the stairs, order a cheese platter and try the wine with a Dingač tasting paddle. SWIM IN A HUGE CLEAR BLUE LAKE For this one you'll have to take the ferry over to the island of Mjlet, which takes about an hour and a half. We promise it will take to you the most godly, most serene of waters. A huge chunk of Mljet is taken up by a national park, which includes two lakes. Veliko and Malo Jezero (literally meaning Large and Small Lake) both have incredibly clear blue water which you will definitely want to float around in until infinity. To get there, get the ferry to Polače (not Sobra — it's a big island), buy a ticket to enter the national park, grab a map and hike over to the lake. Once you've made it, you'll probably want to jump into the ridiculously blue water ASAP. Then you can wander around the lake, stopping at suitable nooks to rest under shade and take a dip wherever you please. This one is a day trip, as there's only one ferry (the Nona Ana) in the morning, and one in the afternoon. The timetable is here, but you can only buy tickets at the dock, so best to get there at least half an hour before the ferry departs to do so. SHOOT HOOPS WITH A VIEW OF THE OLD CITY Why pay to walk the city walls when you can shoot hoops from practically the same vantage point? Anyone can wander into this rooftop court — although it's oddly shaped and not at all a regulation-sized basketball court, so you won't be able to hold official competitions. There is, however, a sorta hidden entrance to the Gornji Ugao Tower, a restored medieval fort inside the city walls from the 15th century. EAT CROATIAN BARBECUE ON A ROOFTOP TERRACE If this place existed in Australia, it would get mad hype. It's not trendy by any means, but it's got all the makings of an inner city success: a rooftop, a barbecue and wine by the carafe. They cook basically everything on the charcoal grill here, which (happily for your nose) is located on the open air rooftop terrace overlooking the city you will be dining in. You can't go wrong with seafood, but it's worth trying their ćevapi, which is a minced meat morsel not unlike kofta. There's some epic queues at dinnertime, so it's best to get there really early or really late. Also, the best bit: it's called Lady Pi-Pi because there's a sculpture of a boss lady peeing out the front. See above. [caption id="attachment_590356" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Peter Northall.[/caption] LEARN SOME VITAL LOCAL HISTORY AT THE WAR PHOTO MUSUEM Your lack of knowledge about Yugoslav history will probably never be more apparent than when you visit Dubrovnik. The city still lives with a vivid memory of the Yugoslav People's Army's two-month siege on the city — it only happened in 1991. The best place to get a sense of what happened is to visit War Photo Limited. Their permanent collection includes images of Dubrovnik under siege as well as iconic work from photojournalists covering the breakdown of Yugoslavia and the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. EAT A BREAKFAST BUREK ON THE ROCKS Look, not all burek were created equal — but pretty much all were created insanely delicious and that's all we need to know. Basically every second person is walking around Dubrovnik eating a burek out of a paper bag, and you should definitely be one of them. Best is the breakfast burek (which is only differentiated from lunch and dinner burek by time of day, not contents) because you get to eat cheese encased in pastry and it's a legitimate breakfast. Buy one (or two) from literally anywhere and walk it out of Ploče Gate and down some stone stairs to eat it on the rocks as the sun comes up. TAKE A DIP AT DANCE While our idea of a beach is one with sand, Croatians apply the definition to basically any bit of coastline you can hop into the water from. Dubrovnik's 'beaches' therefore aren't necessarily known as being amazing, but when the temperature rises and the Old Town becomes a hot, sweaty mess, you'll definitely want to find one. Avoid Banje Beach (it's overcrowded and run by a beach club meaning you have to pay for a chair), and head out of Pile gate to fine Danče beach. It's quiet, traversed mostly by locals and has rocks and slabs of concrete so you can lie down and soak up the Croatian sun. Visit Europe (including Dubrovnik) with a Topdeck trip and make 2017 a year to remember. Book early (that means now) and save up to $999. Top Image: Juan Carlos De Martin via Flickr.
Need a bit of a break and love your music? Sure you could leave it all behind and head up to Splendour, if you were lucky enough to get tickets. You didn't? Why not look a little further afield for your music festival fix? Festival season is about to kick into action in the Northern Hemisphere. With a plane ticket in your hand, you need never quit the dancefloor. Take a coffee break and take a scroll through some of the world's most incredible music festivals. We've teamed up with NESCAFÉ to help you take the desk break you, as a hardworking human being, deserve. They're events we'd nab an airfare for just for the festival itself — from big name-driven classics like Glastonbury to boutique gatherings in extraordinary settings, like Japan's mountaintop festival The Labyrinth. The lineups are a bonus. [caption id="attachment_569154" align="alignnone" width="1280"] littlebreadtoast.[/caption] PRIMAVERA SOUND, BARCELONA, SPAIN If you were championing Courtney Barnett before anyone else was listening and spend more than your fair share of hours searching YouTube for undiscovered artists, you'll love Primavera Sound. Just a few of the acts to have made their Spanish festival debut here are LCD Soundsystem, Franz Ferdinand, Wilco, Arcade Fire and Bon Iver. Primavera is all about giving stages to indie and alternative music. When the show's over, hang around for a few days at least to explore Barcelona's winding alleyways, sparkling coastline and late, late (lockout free!) nightlife. This year, Primavera's scheduled for June 1-5. [caption id="attachment_569179" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Labyrinth.[/caption] THE LABYRINTH, JAPAN Lovers of mountains and electronica, add this one to your bucket list. Held among the spectacular peaks of Japan's Niigata Prefecture, The Labyrinth is famous for its amazing surroundings, as well as its hours and hours of uninterrupted music. DJ sets run back-to-back, so you'll have to bring a deckchair to catch your breath. Acts to have made previous lineups include Peter van Hoesen, Donato Dozzy, Svreca and Petar Dundov. The only catch is that only 5 percent of tickets are sold outside Japan, so you need to get smart to get hold of one. Labyrinth 2016 is yet to be announced, but you can expect it to happen in September. [caption id="attachment_569170" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Love International.[/caption] LOVE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, CROATIA Started in 2006 as Garden Festival, this event has morphed into the Love International Festival. Lesser known than many listings here, it's a week-long, boutique affair, set in a magical garden in Tisno, Croatia, right on the edge of the Adriatic Sea. In fact, there's even a private beach, so you can cool off after sweating it out on the dancefloor. You have a choice of six stages, including one on the sand, one in an olive grove and two on wooden boats. The program is mainly electronica, with a smattering of live acts. Get to Love International 2016 between June 29 and July 5. [caption id="attachment_569144" align="alignnone" width="1280"] SXSW.[/caption] SXSW (SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST), AUSTIN Back when Bob Hawke was Prime Minister and shoulder pads were boss (we're talking 1986), a bunch of music-loving folks in Austin, Texas, got together to talk about the future. What bothered them most was that so many stupendously talented local musicians were struggling to attract interstate — let alone international — attention. So, they decided that if Austin couldn't get to the world, they'd bring the world to Austin. And in 1987, the first ever South by Southwest Festival was held. 29 years on, the event is one of the planet's most influential tastemaking music happenings, featuring more than 2000 acts, 200+ workshops and over 100 stages. The 30th edition is programmed for 10-19 March, 2017. INTO THE VALLEY, SWEDEN Sweden's Into the Valley might be the only festival in the world held in a limestone quarry, which was formed by a meteorite. Not only does such a setting make for infinite Instagramming opportunities, it's also means cracking acoustics. The organisers get the best out of both, with a solid house and electronic lineup booming through super powerful sound systems, as well as fantastical light shows. Plus, there's a brilliant, turquoise swimming hole. Into the Valley takes place in Rättvik, 280 kilometres north of Stockholm. This year, it'll be on July 29-31. [caption id="attachment_569150" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Douglas Mason/Jazz Fest.[/caption] NEW ORLEANS JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL, LOUISIANA Jazz makes up just one chunk of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (aka Jazz Fest). You can also count on blues, soul, R&B, rock, Latin, rap, country and bluegrass. Take 2016's program, for example — it's spearheaded by Stevie Wonder, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Neil Young and Snoop Dogg. Running for eight days, the extravaganza takes over New Orleans' every nook and cranny. To keep you fuelled up between sets, there are more than 70 food stalls, serving up soulful nosh — from crab po' boys and boiled crawfish to fried green tomatoes and oyster patties. 2016's Jazz Fest is running April 22 - May 1. [caption id="attachment_569167" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Meadows in the Mountains.[/caption] MEADOWS IN THE MOUNTAINS, BULGARIA If smaller crowds are more your thing, book a ticket to Bulgaria's Meadows in the Mountains. Set high in the Rhodopes Mountains, this four-day festival offers a blend of live acts and DJs — and loads of time to settle into a hammock and relax. There's also a dedicated 'healing field', where you can partake in yoga lessons, meditation sessions, tantra workshops, cacao ceremonies, sound baths and wholesome food. Stay in a genuine Bulgarian rustic mountain hut or a teepee or carry your own tent with you. Meadows in the Mountains 2016 is on June 10-13. [caption id="attachment_569168" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Nat Urazmetova.[/caption] GLASTONBURY, UK Should Byron Bay's Bluesfest fail to deliver your annual quota of mud, you can always try again at Glastonbury. Held every June on a farm in Somerset, this legendary event often cops a good ol' British deluge — but that only doubles the fun. What's more, if you've just hit sunny Primavera, it's a refreshing sequel. Glastonbury's lineup is always littered with massive names — this year, Muse, Adele, Coldplay, Disclosure, PJ Harvey make up just a sprinkling of them. Needless to say, the tough bit is getting your mitts on a ticket — they sell out faster than Usain Bolt can smash 100 metres. Glastonbury 2016 is coming up June 22-26. [caption id="attachment_569176" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Matias Garabedian.[/caption] MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL, CANADA After Glastonbury and a couple of days at Love International, jump the Atlantic for a change of scene. Like New Orleans Jazz Fest, the Montreal Jazz Festival isn't only about jazz, but also covers its close musical relatives. 2016 headliners include Rufus Wainwright, Ben Harper and Noel Gallagher, alongside jazz stars like Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea and Christian McBride. All in all, you can prepare to see 3000 musicians, representing more than 30 nations, across 650 shows (of which 450 are outdoors and free!). The 35th Montreal Jazz Festival is on June 29 - July 9 2016. [caption id="attachment_568795" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Geoff Stearns.[/caption] BURNING MAN, NEVADA Each year, as the Northern Hemisphere's summer draws to a close, tens and thousands of people gather in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, to take part in Burning Man. It's the only festival on this list to create itself as it happens. In other words, all attendees are participants — rather than followers of a neatly organised, timetabled plan. Over the course of seven days, they build art installations, themed camps, mutant vehicles and performances, thereby creating a temporal and ever-changing metropolis named Black Rock City, which vanishes when the event finishes. If you're travelling solo, you can hook up with others by volunteering. Burning Man 2016 is on August 28 - September 5 (and you'd better go soon before Silicon Valley suits eat it up. Top image: The Labyrinth.
Something remarkable takes place in Captain America: Civil War. Or rather, it doesn't. For this is a superhero movie in which not a single building falls. Not one. No skyscrapers tumble, no factories collapse, not even a tiny workman's shed lists slightly to one side and crushes some petunias. In a cinematic world now so inured to (and bored by) the sight of 9/11-esque dust clouds chasing hapless citizens through crumbling streets, Civil War doesn't just eschew this trend, it centres its entire story on the consequences of those kind of destructive nightmares. That's not to say there isn't any action. Quite the opposite. Civil War features some of the most exhilarating chase sequences and fight scenes in recent memory, choreographed with a balletic-like precision in which the emphasis is on small, considered flourishes rather than sheer brute force. Every punch, block, shot, weave and parry has been painstakingly conceived to reflect the personalities of each character involved. We see Cap (Chris Evans) bouncing his shield off walls like Ronnie O'Sullivan on a 147 break; Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) dispatching villains with scientific swagger; and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) trapping explosions instead of creating them. It's exactly the opposite of the kind of 'mindless violence' of which superhero flicks are so often accused, and it's as refreshing as it is electrifying. The other key feature of Captain America: Civil War is its story, in part because it actually has one. There's no fighting for fighting's sake here. Indeed most of the action is driven by a determination to stop the violence. As with its previous instalment The Winter Soldier, this is a film about oversight and accountability – acknowledging the terrifying (and unchecked) power of the Avengers, then seeking to control, regulate and restrict it by way of a UN accord. The world knows it owes an unpayable debt to these heroes, but collateral damage and civilian casualties can only be excused for so long.Here lies the conflict at the heart of the so-called civil war. Self-determination versus oversight. Freedom versus control. Team Cap versus Team Iron Man. It's a compelling and plausible fissure along which the line in the sand is drawn. And as with any great story, neither side is entirely in the right. Marvel, to its credit, knows its tone better than perhaps any other franchise, and here again we find its signature combination of edge-of-the-seat action and laugh out loud comedy. The performances teem with an emotional complexity rarely found in blockbusters, and the new character additions – whether they be previous Marvel Universe ring-ins like Spidey (Tom Holland) and Ant Man (Paul Rudd), or totally fresh inclusions like the outstanding Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) – ensure that no single actor commands too much screen time. Plot driven, fast-paced and terrifically funny, Captain America: Civil War is an outstanding film and the most fun you'll likely have in the cinema this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKrVegVI0Us
Sometimes, the semblance of reality can be just as powerful as reality itself. Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich has put this idea to the test (in the prettiest way possible). He’s built an underground swimming pool that looks like it’s filled with water. Built in 2004, the pool is a permanent installation at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan — after a stint at MoMA PS1 in New York. Standing above it, watching the sunlight filter through what seems to be shimmering liquid, viewers are pretty much ready to jump in. But, stepping closer, they soon discover that, what looks like a deep pool is a 10cm-high layer of water, encased in glass, and suspended over an empty space. Visitors can actually step into this empty space and look upwards — it’s a photographer’s dream. Consequently images of fully-clothed toddlers and adults in business suits seemingly submerged have flooded the Internet. The 21st Century Museum site reads, “While undermining our everyday assumptions about what we think to be obvious, the work invites our active involvement in its spaces — once we catch on to its deception — and produces a sense of connection between people looking at each other.” Erlich was born in Buenos Aires in 1973 and still lives there. He has exhibited all over the world, from London’s Barbican to New York’s Sean Kelly Gallery. Via Fubiz. Images: Leandro Erlich.
