Travelling to Paddington from West End isn't difficult or particularly time-consuming, even if it involves crossing the river, but it'll soon stop being on the cards for Hai Hai Ramen customers. One of Brisbane's top spots for a noodle-filled brothy bowl, this Japanese joint has been a beloved Latrobe Terrace mainstay since 2016, and worth heading across town for. Before April is out, it's gaining a sibling venue, setting up shop on Boundary Street. From Friday, April 25, 2025, Hai Hai Ramen West End will start welcoming in patrons. Its Paddington counterpart is remaining up and running; however, there'll be more than just the chance to get slurping in new digs on offer at chain's second venue. On Boundary Street, Hai Hai will enjoy a bigger 100-seat space, including a larger kitchen. It'll also serve up a heftier range of drinks and an expanded izakaya menu. The same signature ramen that has made the brand such a Brissie favourite will be the big drawcard, of course, whether you're keen on OG tonkotsu, spicy tonkotsu, chicken ramen or vegetable versions — but the ramen lineup will get an upgrade. The same applies to extending the sides options, with bao with fried chicken, pork belly and fried tofu popular in Paddington, plus karaage, miso sweet corn, edamame and renkon. With Executive Chef Benjamin Chow overseeing both locations but working onsite in West End, a few specials and experimental takes will pop up just at Hai Hai's second outpost — although you'll have to wait to see what that entails. Expect a bustling atmosphere, too, given the extra room to fit in more ramen obsessives. Bar seating will be a feature of the fitout, and so will communal tables to bring Hai Hai customers together. The decor is set to skew minimalist, with black and white hues aplenty — and with vintage Japanese movie posters made for Europe in the 60s, 70s, and 80s a highlight. Find Hai Hai Ramen West End at 185 Boundary Street, West End, from Friday, April 25, 2025 — and head to the venue's website for more details in the interim.
There's no need to ask whether you can take your pet pooch to Tarragindi's newest coffee shop. From the moment you spot their sign, you'll know. And as you might've figured out, their name also gives away the answer. Taking their moniker from the owner's beloved black Labrador Audrey, Black Lab Coffee is the southside's latest cafe for caffeine fiends and dog lovers alike. Indeed, as you're enjoying Di Bella's finest brew, you might spot the canine in question — and a batch of tasty cookies that bear her likeness. Yep, hound-spotting and hot cuppas are the main attractions here, with the latter also available to order by text and collect from the Kuring-Gai Avenue establishment's takeaway window (aka the perfect system for anyone walking their four-legged friend). Tea lovers will also find T Bar varieties on the menu, while a selection of snacks have been sourced from Gerbino's. BYO dog treats, of course.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from March's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBUwi9eXtXM SLAXX Ask any style guru for their opinion on denim, and they'll all likely give the same answer. Everyone needs a pair of killer jeans, after all — the type that fit perfectly, flatter every inch of your lower half, and that you just don't want to ever take off. In Slaxx, CCC is the store aiming to make all of the above happen. Already priding itself on its eco-friendly, sustainable, sweatshop-free threads, the chain is set to launch a new range of denim that moulds to the wearer's body, with the company's buzzword-spouting CEO (Stephen Bogaert, IT: Chapter Two) certain that they'll change the fashion industry. On the night before the jeans hit the shelves, employees at one store are tasked with making sure everything goes smoothly; however, as new hire Libby (Romane Denis, My Salinger Year), apathetic veteran employee Shruti (Sehar Bhojani, Sex & Ethnicity) and their over-eager boss Craig (Brett Donahue, Private Eyes) soon learn, these are killer jeans in a very literal sense. Quickly, the ravenous pants start stalking and slaying their way through the store. It's a concept that'd do Rubber's Quentin Dupieux proud and, in the hands of Canadian filmmaker Elza Kephart (Go in the Wilderness), the results are highly entertaining. Slaxx wears its equally silly and savage attitude like a second skin, smartly skewers consumerism and retail trends, and possesses stellar special effects that bring its denim to life — and, although never subtle (including in its performances), it's exactly as fun as a film about killer jeans should be. Slaxx is available to stream via Shudder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf34qI1hjKU MOXIE When Amy Poehler made her feature directorial debut with 2019's Wine Country, movie magic wasn't splashed across the small screen. But thankfully Moxie is now here to wipe that underwhelming comedy out of viewers' minds — and to demonstrate Poehler's knack at helming a high school-set tale of blossoming feminist activism. Adapted from the 2015 novel of the same name, the film follows 16-year-old Vivian (Hadley Robinson, I'm Thinking of Ending Things). Quiet, studious and happy hanging out with her similarly introverted best friend Claudia (Lauren Tsai, Legion), she has always known that her male classmates have an attitude problem, and that their teachers and the general status quo both enable it. But, until newcomer Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Pena, Saved by the Bell) arrives, she's never been willing to rock the boat and fight for change. Inspired by her mother's (Poehler) crusading teen years, she starts a zine that calls out the toxic behaviour around her. That's where the film gets its title, and her school is scandalised by the homemade publication's pages. Story-wise, Moxie isn't big on surprises, especially if you've seen more than a couple of teen flicks in your time, as everyone has. Nonetheless, it's always as impassioned about its tale and as angry about the way the world treats anyone who isn't a white male as it is engaging and hopeful. And, as it follows the quest for equality being passed from one generation to another, it boasts a stellar soundtrack — including Bikini KIll's 'Rebel Girl', of course. Moxie is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfpzdSJlv6o CALLS Everyone has heard about the response that The War of the Worlds reportedly sparked back in 1938. That's when Orson Welles adapted HG Wells' novel into a radio play, and the result was so convincing that it reportedly incited panic among listeners. Watching Calls, it's easy to understand how. 'Watching' isn't exactly the right term for this mystery series, though. Like all those folks glued to their radios 83 years ago, Calls' audience is forced to listen intently. Indeed, in terms of visuals, the series only provides two types: words transcribing the conversations heard, and abstract visuals that move and shift with each sentence uttered and every suspenseful pause left lingering. Accordingly, focusing on the snippets of phone chats that tell the program's stories is what Calls is all about. Remaking the French show of the same name, and directed by Evil Dead and Don't Breathe's Fede Álvarez, something much more than a small-screen version of a story-fuelled podcast eventuates. A starry cast voices the chats — including everyone from Parks and Recreation duo Aubrey Plaza and Ben Schwartz to Wonder Woman 1984's Pedro Pascal and The Lodge's Riley Keough — but it's the tension and power of their words that leaves an impression. Each of the nine episodes tells a short story that eventually builds an overall picture, and getting caught up in them all is far easier than the underlying concept might initially make you think. Calls is available to stream via Apple TV+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceXaKIhuyOA SOLAR OPPOSITES For a significant portion of the past few years, TV fans have had a Rick and Morty-shaped hole in their hearts. After the anarchic animated series' third season came to an end late in 2017, it took more than two years for its fourth season to reach screens — and that wrapped up in the first half of last year. More Rick and Morty is coming, and more schwiftiness with it. But, in the interim, Solar Opposites is here to fill the gap. It too is created by Justin Roiland, and also features his voice work. And, it's a chaotic, raucous and very funny sci-fi sitcom that unleashes all manner of strangeness upon a suburban family as well. The immediate difference: the family here are aliens. Korvo (Roiland), his partner Terry (Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley), and the younger Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone, The Goldbergs) and Jesse (stand-up comedian Mary Mack) have crash-landed on Earth and are trying to make the best of it, but they're well aware that their new home pales in comparison to their old one. From that basic setup, anything and everything can and does happen, as seasoned R&M fans will easily expect. Going in, you can be forgiven for thinking that this'll come off as a clone of a beloved show, and there's no missing their shared DNA; however, Solar Opposites flies its own immensely funny, often flat-out ridiculous and always astute path. The first season of Solar Opposites is available to stream via Disney+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYl1DVIgbAg SHIRLEY In 2020, Elisabeth Moss had a great year. While the Mad Men and The Handmaid's Tale star has enjoyed a fantastic past decade, she turned in two of her best performances over the past 12 months. First came The Invisible Man, which twisted the classic horror tale in modern directions, including exploring gaslighting and the lack of willingness to believe women. Then, in Shirley, she stepped into the shoes of horror and mystery novelist Shirley Jackson. This is a movie by Madeline's Madeline director Josephine Decker, though, so it as never going to be a standard biopic about the The Haunting of Hill House author. Indeed, Shirley is drawn from a fictional novel by Susan Scarf Merrell, focusing on Jackson's home life with her husband Stanley Hyman (Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me By Your Name) during a 1964 period when teaching aide Fred Nemser (Logan Lerman, Hunters) and his wife Rose (Australian The Daughter star Odessa Young) come to stay. An agoraphobic, Jackson's routine is unsettled by her new houseguests, although an unexpected connection springs with unlikely kindred spirit Rose. In telling this story, Decker is far more interested in capturing the essence of Jackson and her sensibilities than slavishly sticking to facts, and her film all the better for it. Indeed, this subjective and engaging character study is daring, disarming, dark and, unsurprisingly, anchored by a pitch-perfect lead performance. Shirley is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otu7hGMgmcQ VIOLATION The rape-revenge genre isn't new, but two of the most powerful films to reach Australian audiences this year step into it with unflinching confidence. They do more than that, though. They savagely dissect society's willingness to accept that sexual assault is part of our culture — and misogyny, too. They demand that their audience not only spend almost two hours thinking about a subject so many would rather avoid, but that they have a visceral reaction. The movies: Promising Young Woman and Violation. Both are the product of first-time feature directors. Both include women among their filmmakers, either solely or as half of a duo. Both are anchored by blistering lead performances as well, and neither fades quickly (or at all) from memory. They'd make a stellar double bill; however, tonally, they each march to their own beat. In Violation's case, co-writer and co-director Madeleine Sims-Fewer (Operation Avalanche) stars as Miriam. As she visits her sister Greta (Anna Maguire, The Hummingbird Project) and brother-in-law Dylan (Jesse LaVercombe, Murdoch Mysteries), it soon becomes obvious that more than just a happy reunion is on the cards. Playing a traumatised woman soon grappling the reality of vengeance in a primal and tangible way, Sims-Fewer puts in a performance that it's impossible to look away from, but that's just one of the savvy steps that the actor/filmmaker and her co-director Dusty Mancinelli take. Violation is available to stream via Shudder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFHj8e7mU_I OPERATION VARSITY BLUES: THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDAL 'Eat the rich' isn't a Netflix category. But with Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal joining Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened in the streamer's catalogue, perhaps it should be. The former certainly makes the case for it, covering a criminal conspiracy that smacks of the wealthy abusing their cash and status in an egregious manner. No one could've avoided the headlines and reports when news broke about affluent, influential and/or famous Americans, including actors Lori Loughlin (Full House) and Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives), deciding that they needed to bribe college officials to send their already privileged children to prestigious schools. Operation Varsity Blues neither assumes any knowledge on the viewer's part nor needlessly repeats itself, but those acquainted with the details and folks with just a passing interest so far will both find themselves swept through the ups and downs. The film's dramatisations — starring Matthew Modine (Stranger Things, Wrong Turn) as Rick Singer, the scheme's central figure — can feel clunky at times, but director Chris Smith (Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond — Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton) knows how to step through this tale. It worked for him on Fyre, after all, which he also helmed, and it works again in a documentary that's as much about a broken system as it the people who cheated it. Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzqevBnUUZU THE ASSISTANT Charting an ordinary day in the life of a junior staff member at a film production office, The Assistant is as unsettling as anything else that has reached screens recently. Jane (Julia Garner, Ozark) has the titular position, working an entry-level job for a demanding head honcho who everyone in the office indulges — although viewers never get to meet him. She arrives at work before daylight, trudges through menial tasks and is treated poorly by her male colleagues. She's expect to anticipate everything that her boss could ever need or want, or face his wrath if she doesn't. And, as the day progresses, she realises just how toxic her workplace's culture is and how deep its inappropriate conduct burrows. Seeing how predatory the man she works for acts on a daily basis, and how his behaviour has a significant impact, she also learns how those who even try to speak out can still be powerless to effect change to stop it. If you've kept abreast of the #MeToo movement over the past few years, you'll know exactly what has inspired The Assistant, of course. However, Australian filmmaker Kitty Green wants her audience to experience this devastating scenario via Jane, rather than merely read about it. She doesn't just succeed; although she's working in fiction here, she directs a film as searing and perceptive as her last project, the excellent documentary Casting JonBenet. The Assistant is available to stream via Binge. NEW SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bfAVpuko5o INVINCIBLE If you've ever shopped for a specific item on Amazon and found multiple similar versions of the same thing, then you already know what it can be like to dive into Amazon Prime Video's streaming catalogue. Many of its new additions instantly bring other shows in its catalogue to mind by sharing and mimicking elements, and Invincible follows that trend. At first, it'll have you thinking about The Boys. Next, you'll start recalling Undone. Those two series mightn't seem like a natural fit, but the combination of superheroes and existential malaise works well here. Animated like the latter, but willing to get bleak and dark with caped crusaders as the former does repeatedly, Invincible focuses on Mark Grayson (voiced by newly minted Oscar nominee Steven Yeun, Minari). The 17-year-old son of the well-known Omni-Man (J Simmons, Palm Springs), he's been waiting for his own powers to kick in — and, when they do, he's forced to grapple with exactly what that means. Among the star-studded cast, Sandra Oh (Killing Eve), Mark Hamill (Star Wars) and Mahershala Ali (Green Book) all lend their vocal tones. Off-screen, The Walking Dead co-creator Robert Kirkman is responsible for not only doing the same with the Invincible comic book, but with the series. What lingers most here is the mood, though, with the show at its best when it's getting contemplative and introspective with its teen protagonist. The first three episodes of Invincible are available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, with new episodes dropping weekly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWBsDaFWyTE THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER First things first: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier isn't WandaVision. It's much more conventional, and it doesn't boast a fabulous performance by Parks and Recreation's Kathryn Hahn, either. But, it does explore the everyday existence of both Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, Synchronic) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan, The Devil All the Time), who team up in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame — and it gives both characters space to be more than just supporting figures in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As proved the case in its fellow 2021 Disney+ newcomer, that's a welcome change in a realm that usually pushes action to the fore. Seeing how these two function as people, and as folks who know they've never been the stars of the show, too, brings depth to a franchise that doesn't always have it. Wilson is recognised everywhere including when applying for a loan for his family business, for instance, but fame and getting by financially don't always go hand in hand. Barnes has his murky history to deal with, and it weighs upon him as he tries to get through every day. But, of course, pooling their talents to stop villainous forces is still the name of the game in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — as is is weaving in the returning Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness) and Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp, The Resident), and introducing Captain America replacement John Walker (Wyatt Russell, The Good Lord Bird). The first two episodes of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are available to stream via Disney+, with new episodes dropping weekly. Top images: Slaxx, Bertrand Calmeau/Shudder; The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2020.
Chinese Architecture is renowned for being highly avant-garde and unorthodox, but some designs can only be described as outright peculiar. From fish shapes, to huge bottle of alcohol, giant rings and God-sculpture-buildings, Chinese structures cover a lot of bases on the quirky scale. These odd designs attract a large amount of tourism to the various regions of China and are also an important aspect of the Chinese history and culture, while simultaneously demonstrating their radical modern shift in architectural design. Ranging from company headquarters to hotels, or watchtowers, here are ten of the quirkiest and most outrageous building designs throughout China. Fushun Shen Fu New Town 'Circle of Life' This 50 floor panoramic structure fitted out with 12,000 LED lights and with a diameter of 157m took a massive 3000 tons of steel and a casual billion dollars to make. Despite remarks that the dome is a ridiculous and unnecessary, the local government maintains that it is a unique and distinctive architectural design. Center of Bashu Culture Art Found in Chongqing at the Guotai Art Center, this quirky structure with needle-like protrusions is set to be finished later this year. Yichuan Northern Gate Another expensive and obscure construction, the Northern Gate currently under construction will provide a gate to the city of Yichuan in the Henan province. Although it has been likened to a belt, a trap and a bow, the gate is hoped to be a welcoming door to guests from afar with beautiful curves and rich ties to the region's history, spirituality and culture as well as being representative of Yichuan's economic development. Beijing Olympic Watchtower Consisting of five 'pins' of varying heights, this unorthodox tower is located in China's capital and is still yet to complete construction. With the highest point reaching 244.35 metres, this foreboding structure is not your average Olympic watchtower. Fangyen Mansion This building appears in the Shenyang Finance and Trade Development Zone, and attempts to resemble a coin, for fairly obvious reasons. Unfortunately the design didn't go down too well with the CNN, who in January of this year placed in the top ten ugliest buildings in the world because it apparently tries to unsuccessfully merge Western and Eastern style. Cuiping Wuliangye, Yibin city Believe it or not, this giant bottle is a Chinese liquor-producing company's factory located in Sichuan Province. Hotel of the Emperor At 41.6 metres high this hotel in Hebei, Yinjiao features in the World Guinness Book of Records as the 'largest pictographic building', aka the largest structure in the world which is both a building and a sculpture. The hotel showcases three Ancient Chinese Gods Fu, Lu, and Shou, who are known as the three wise men, symbolizing happiness, prosperity, and longevity. Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort This unique, idiosyncratic building will open its 321 rooms on the first day of the new year in 2013. Located on the edge of the stunning Lake Taihu in Zhejiang, this upmarket hotel will provide a relaxing yet unconventional stay for those bedding within its walls. Linda Hai Square The design of the Linda Hai Square on Dongsi Ring mirroring the shape of a fish was not all that well received by the Chinese people. Perhaps this one slightly overstepped the border from eccentric to just plain weird. Phoenix Island Real Estate Situated in the prime location of Sanya, Hainan Island, apartments on this corner of the world will set investors back almost $14,000 per square metre. You'd surely expect some spectacular waterfront views at a price like that.
For more than 60,000 years, the world's largest sand island has been known as K'gari by its Traditional Owners. From now on, that's the World Heritage-listed southeast Queensland spot's official name again. Two years after announcing that it'd make the change, the Queensland Government has officially restored the 122-kilometre coastal locale's Indigenous moniker, with the spot no longer called Fraser Island. Pronounced with a silent k, K'gari is the original Butchulla name for the island, and it now applies across its entirety. Back in 2017, the island's national park was renamed the K'gari (Fraser Island) section of the Great Sandy National Park. Then, in 2022, the island's World Heritage Area was renamed K'gari (Fraser Island) World Heritage Area. This new move clearly goes a step further. The Queensland Government worked through the formal steps required to put in place the name change, in conjunction with the Butchulla people, stakeholders and the community. In 2022, it received almost 6000 public submissions about the move, the majority in favour. The suburb of Fraser Island also changes its name to K'gari. "It was through disrespect to the Butchulla people that her name, K'gari — the home of the Butchulla people — was taken away. Thankfully, it is now through respect to the Butchulla people that K'gari — her name — has been reclaimed," said Gayle Minniecon, Chair of the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation. "Our oral history, our creation story will now be told and learnt as it should be. Our ancestors understood and committed to the importance of caring for K'gari since time immemorial, and today we continue this cultural obligation." Back in 2021, then-Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation Chairperson Jade Gould explained why the Butchulla people had been campaigning for years to change the name. "The name Fraser Island is a tribute to Eliza Fraser — a woman whose narrative directly lead to the massacre and dispossession of the Butchulla people," Gould said. "A word meaning paradise in Butchulla language is a much more fitting name for such an iconic place." "I'm proud that today we can officially welcome K'gari home, and reinstate the name used by Traditional Owners for all these years," advised Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. "We will continue to recognise Indigenous languages through place names, in the spirit of truth-telling and reconciliation as we walk the Path to Treaty. While steps like this can't change the wrongs of the past, it goes a long way to building a future where all Queenslanders value, trust, and respect each other." "This always was and always will be Butchulla Country." Along with reinstating K'gari as the island's name, more than 19 hectares of land was transferred to the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation — land that used be used to benefit the Butchulla people, the island's Traditional Owners, and isn't allowed to be bought, sold or mortgaged. K'gari isn't just the biggest sand island in the world; it's made up of 184,000 hectares of the stuff, in 72 colours and mostly in the form of magnificent dunes, much of which are covered in rainforest. It's also home to more than 100 freshwater lakes, including the crystal-clear waters of Boorangoora (Lake McKenzie), a perched lake made up of rainwater and soft silica sand. For more information about K'gari, head to the Queensland Government website. Images: Queensland Government.
When Ze Pickle first started slinging burgers, it did so on the Gold Coast, launching its initial store at Burleigh Heads. That venue is still dishing up the meat-and-bun combo, and will soon be the chain's only eatery. After its Fortitude Valley outpost closed in February, Ze Pickle has announced that its Camp Hill store will say farewell on Sunday, March 17. The chain is also shutting up shop in Brisbane altogether, announcing that its OG Burleigh site will soon get all of its focus. No closure date has been announced for Ze Pickle's Brisbane Airport eatery so far. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ze Pickle (@zepickle) "We've made the decision to slowly take Ze Pickle 360 degrees back to its roots and just sport our wares at the OG Burleigh store. It's been a great, successful, wild and trying nine years-plus since we expanded from our little shoebox here on the GC that we first opened 12 years ago," said the chain's team via social media. "In that time we have amassed a huge and amazingly loyal following (love yas all!), had plenty of ups and downs which we have learned a lot from, and have now come to a point where we are keen to keep it simple." When Ze Pickle's Fortitude Valley spot shut, it did so nine years after opening as the brand's debut Brisbane outpost, and saw the chain join the city's recent spate of burg-slinging closures. In 2023, both Fish Lane's plant-based favourite Grassfed and chain Getta Burger stopped trading in the River City. Ze Pickle became a southeast Queensland favourite over a decade back on the Goldie and since 2016 in Brisbane for its OTT creations. American-influenced standouts include the Pablo, which features corn chips; the 3am, with fried cheese sticks a big feature; and the Triple Loco, which comes laden with three beef patties, three slices of cheese and three rashers of bacon, all between two grilled cheese sandwiches. Among the chicken burgs, Mash Mash City Bish includes truffle-buttered mashed potato on the burger. And yes, living up to the Ze Pickle name, each one comes topped with a pickled cucumber. Also a highlight: each venue's laidback bar vibes, plus the desserts and cocktails on the menu. Indulging your sweet tooth means tucking into deep-fried Oreos in doughnut batter — or a skillet filled with baked caramel M&Ms, choc-chip cookie dough, ice cream and marshmallow gravy. The drinks include a Bacon Old Fashioned, of course, as well as boozy takes on banoffee pies and Hubba Bubba, plus a frozen bubblegum margarita. Ze Pickle is closing at 1/4 Newman Avenue, Camp Hill on Sunday, March 17, 2024, but will still trade at 1/37 Connor Street, Burleigh Heads. For further details, head to the chain's website.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. DECISION TO LEAVE When it's claimed that Decision to Leave's Detective Hae-joon (Park Hae-il, Heaven: To the Land of Happiness) needs "murder and violence in order to be happy", it's easy to wonder if that statement similarly applies to Park Chan-wook, this stunning South Korean thriller's filmmaker. The director of Oldboy, Thirst, Stoker and The Handmaiden doesn't, surely. Still, his exceptional body of on-screen work glows when either fills its frames — which, in a career that also spans Joint Security Area, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, Lady Vengeance and English-language TV miniseries The Little Drummer Girl, among other titles, is often. To be more accurate, perhaps Park needs to survey the grey areas that loiter around death and brutality, and surround love, lust, loss, and all matters of the brain, body and heart that bind humans together, to find cinematic fulfilment. Certainly, audiences should be glad if/that he does. In Decision to Leave, exploring such obsessions, and the entire notions of longing and obsession, brings a staggering, sinuously layered and seductively gorgeous movie to fruition — a film to obsess over if ever there was one. In this year's deserved Cannes Film Festival Best Director-winner, reserved insomniac Hae-joon is fixated from the outset, too: with his police job in Busan, where he works Monday–Friday before returning to Ipo on weekends to his wife (Lee Jung-hyun, Peninsula). That all-consuming focus sees his weekday walls plastered with grim photos from cases, and haunts the time he's meant to be spending — and having sex — with said spouse. Nonetheless, the latest dead body thrust his way isn't supposed to amplify his obsession. A businessman and experienced climber is found at the base of a mountain, and to most other cops the answer would be simple. It is to his offsider Soo-wan (Go Kyung-Pyo, Private Lives), but Hae-joon's interest is piqued when the deceased's enigmatic Chinese widow, the cool, calm but also bruised and scratched Seo-rae (Tang Wei, The Whistleblower), is brought in for questioning amid apologising for her imperfect Korean-language skills. In the precinct interrogation room, the detective and his potential suspect share a sushi dinner — and, in the lingering looks gazed each other's way even at this early stage, this may as well be a twisted first date. Hae-joon then surveils Seo-rae, including at her work caring for the elderly, which also provides her alibi. He keeps watching her at home, where her evenings involve television and ice cream. In stirring scenes of bravura and beauty, he envisages himself with her in the process, longing for the illusion he's building in his sleep-deprived mind. As for Seo-rae, she keeps stoking their chemistry, especially when she's somehow being both direct and evasive with her responses to his queries. She knows how small gestures leave an imprint, and she also knows when she and Hae-joon are both desperately hooked on each other. Every intelligently written (by Park and frequent co-scribe Chung Seo-kyung), evocatively shot (by cinematographer Kim Ji-Yong, Ashfall) moment in Decision to Leave is crucial; the film is made so meticulously, with a precision its protagonist would instantly admire, that cutting out even a second is unthinkable. Equally, every scene speaks volumes about this spellbinding movie — but here's three that help convey its simmering potency. In one, Hae-joon ascends up the victim's last cliff by rope, tied to Soo-wan, Busan looming in the background. In another, detailed blue-green wallpaper filled with mountains surrounds Seo-rae. And in yet another, she reaches into Hae-joon's pocket to grab his lip balm, then applies it to his mouth. Perspective is everything in this feature, Park stresses. Minutiae is everything, too. Intimacy is more than everything, actually, in a picture that's also grippingly, electrifying sensual. Read our full review. BARBARIAN "Safe as houses" isn't a term that applies much in horror. It isn't difficult to glean why. Even if scary movies routinely followed folks worrying about their investments — one meaning of the phrase — it's always going to be tricky for the sentiment to stick when such flicks love plaguing homes, lodges and other dwellings with bumps, jumps and bone-chilling terror. Barbarian, however, could break out the expression and mean it, in a way. At its centre sits a spruced-up Detroit cottage listed on Airbnb and earning its owner a trusty income. In the film's setup, the house in question is actually doing double duty, with two guests booked for clashing stays over the same dates. It's hardly a spoiler to say that their time in the spot, the nicest-looking residence in a rundown neighbourhood, leaves them feeling anything but safe. Late on a gloomy, rainy, horror-movie-101 kind of night — an eerie and tense evening from the moment that writer/director Zach Cregger's first feature as a solo director begins — Tess Marshall (Georgina Campbell, Suspicion) arrives at Barbarian's pivotal Michigan property. She's in town for a job interview, but discovers the lockbox empty, keys nowhere to be found. Also, the home already has an occupant in Keith Toshko (Bill Skarsgård, Eternals), who made his reservation via a different website. With a medical convention filling the city's hotels, sharing the cottage seems the only option, even if Tess is understandably cautious about cohabitating with a man she's literally just met. Ambiguity is part of Barbarian from the get-go, spanning whether Keith can be trusted, what's behind their double booking and, when things start moving overnight, what's going on in the abode. That's only the start of Barbarian's hellish story. Canny casting plays a considerable part in Barbarian's early unease; if you rocked up to a place that's meant to be yours alone for the evening only for Pennywise from the recent big-screen version of IT and its sequel lurking within — sans red balloon, luckily — you'd be creeped out. Skarsgård's involvement isn't the only reason that the movie's first act drips with dread and uncertainty, but it's a devastatingly clever use of him as a horror-film talent, and the Swedish star leans into the slippery and shifty possibilities. Still, after taking a photo of his ID and being wary of drinking beverages he's made, Tess warms to Keith over wine and conversation. He's having a loud nightmare on the couch, too, when her bedroom door opens mysteriously. When she gets stuck in the locked basement the next day, he's out at meetings. Then he returns, and they'll wish that a reservation mixup really was the worst of their troubles. Clearly made with affection for old-school horror, especially films by genre great Wes Craven, Barbarian feels like a well-crafted take on a familiar premise while it's laying its groundwork. Foolish is the viewer who thinks that they know where the movie is heading from there, though — or who ignores the instant bubblings of potential to zig and zag, plus the lingering inkling that something beyond the easily expected might stalk its frames. Indeed, watching Barbarian recalls watching scary flicks from four and five decades back for the first time, a rite of passage for every horror-loving teen no matter the generation, and being gripped by their surprises. Cregger bundles in twists, but he also establishes a vibe where almost anything can shift and change. Two cases in point: when Justin Long (Giri/Haji) shows up as a smug and obnoxious Hollywood player with #MeToo problems, and when the 80s isn't just an influence in scenes lensed in a tighter aspect ratio. Read our full review. BLACK ADAM "I kneel before no one," says Teth-Adam, aka Black Adam, aka the DC Comics character that dates back to 1945, and that Dwayne Johnson (Red Notice) has long wanted to play. That proclamation is made early in the film that bears the burly, flying, impervious-to-everything figure's name, echoing as a statement of might as well as mood: he doesn't need to bow down to anyone or anything, and if he did he wouldn't anyway. Yet the DC Extended Universe flick that Black Adam is in — the 11th in a saga that's rarely great — kneels frequently to almost everything. It bends the knee to the dispiritingly by-the-numbers template that keeps lurking behind this comic book-inspired series' most forgettable entries, and the whole franchise's efforts to emulate the rival (and more successful) Marvel Cinematic Universe, for starters. It also shows deference to the lack of spark and personality that makes the lesser DC-based features so routine at best, too. Even worse, Black Adam kneels to the idea that slipping Johnson into a sprawling superhero franchise means robbing the wrestler-turned-actor himself of any on-screen personality. Glowering and gloomy is a personality, for sure, but it's not what's made The Rock such a box office drawcard — and, rather than branching out, breaking the mould or suiting the character, he just appears to be pouting and coasting. He looks the physical part, of course, as he needs to playing a slave-turned-champion who now can't be killed or hurt. It's hard not to wish that the Fast and Furious franchise's humour seeped into his performance, however, or even the goofy corniness of Jungle Cruise, Johnson's last collaboration with filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra. The latter has template-esque action flicks Unknown, Non-Stop, Run All Night and The Commuter on his resume before that, and helms his current star here like he'd rather still directing Liam Neeson. That said, Black Adam, the character, has much to scowl about — and scowl he does. Black Adam, the film, has much backstory to lay out, with exposition slathered on thick during the opening ten minutes. As a mere human in 2600 BCE in the fictional Middle Eastern country of Kahndaq, its namesake was among an entire populace caught under a cruel ruler hungry for power, and for a powerful supernatural crown fashioned out a mineral called 'eternium' that said subjects were forced to mine. Now, 5000 years later, Black Adam is a just-awakened mortal-turned-god who isn't too thrilled about the modern world, or being in it. Bridging the gap: the fact that back in the day, one boy was anointed with magic by ancient wizards to defend Kahndaq's people (the word "shazam!" gets uttered, because Black Adam dwells in the same part of the DCEU as 2019's Shazam! and its upcoming sequel), but misusing those skills ended in entombment until modern-day resistance fighters interfere. The above really is just the preamble. Black Adam is freed by widowed professor Adrianna (Sarah Shahi, Sex/Life), who is trying to fight the Intergang, the mercenaries who've been Kahndaq's new oppressors for decades — and, yes, Black Adam gets caught up in that battle. But being out and about, instead of interred in a cave, gets the attention of the Justice Society. The DCEU already has the Justice League and the Suicide Squad, but it apparently still needs another super-powered crew. Indeed, Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad's Amanda Waller (Viola Davis, The First Lady) even shows up to help put this new gang together. That's how Hawkman (Aldis Hodge, One Night in Miami), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan, The Misfits), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell, Voyagers) and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo, the To All the Boys movies) don their caped-crusader getup and try to stop Black Adam, or convince him to stop himself. Read our full review. THE GOOD NURSE It isn't called CULLEN — Monster: The Charles Cullen Story. It doesn't chart the murders of a serial killer who's already a household name. And, it doesn't unfurl over multiple episodes. Still, Netflix-distributed true-crime film The Good Nurse covers homicides, and the person behind them, that are every bit as grim and horrendous as the events dramatised in DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Such based-on-reality tales that face such evil are always nightmare fodder, but this Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore)- and Jessica Chastain (The Forgiven)-starring one, as brought to the screen by Danish filmmaker Tobias Lindholm (A War, A Hijacking), taps into a particularly terrifying realm. The culprit clearly isn't the good nurse of the movie's moniker, but he is a nurse, working in intensive care units no less — and for anyone who has needed to put their trust in the health system or may in the future (aka all of us), his acts are gut-wrenchingly chilling. Hospitals are meant to be places that heal, even in America's cash-driven setup where free medical care for all isn't considered a basic right and a societal must. Hospitals are meant to care for the unwell and injured, as are the doctors, nurses and other staff who race through their halls. There is one such person in The Good Nurse, Amy Loughren, who Chastain plays based on a real person. In 2003, in New Jersey, she's weathering her own struggles: she's a single mother to two young girls, she suffers from cardiomyopathy to the point of needing a heart transplant, and she can't tell her job about her health condition because she needs to remain employed for four more months to qualify for insurance to treat it. Then enters Cullen (Redmayne), the newcomer on Loughren's night shifts, a veteran of nine past hospitals, an instant friend who offers to help her cope with her potentially lethal ailment and also the reason that their patients start dying suddenly. There's no spoiler alert needed about The Good Nurse's grisly deeds or the person responsible. Cullen's name hasn't been changed in Krysty Wilson-Cairns' (Last Night in Soho, 1917) script, which adapts Charles Graeber's 2013 non-fiction book The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder, and Loughren's similarly remains the same. The Good Nurse also opens with the quietly disquieting Cullen retreating as someone in a different hospital years earlier goes into convulsions — standing back motionless, he tries to appear anxious but instead looks like a creepy blank canvas. Accordingly, that he's the cause of much of the movie's horrors is a given from the outset, but that's only one of Lindholm and Wilson-Cairns' angles. As aided by centring Loughren's plight, The Good Nurse is also a film about institutional failings and coverups with very real consequences. Indeed, as set to an eerie score by Biosphere (Burma Storybook), there's a procedural feel to Lindholm's first feature in America; that he helmed episodes of Mindhunter beforehand doesn't come as a surprise. There are cops, too, in the form of detectives Baldwin (Nnamdi Asomugha, Sylvie's Love) and Braun (Noah Emmerich, Dark Winds), who are brought in seven weeks after a patient's passing just after Cullen arrives. But nurse-turned-administrator Linda Garran (Fear the Walking Dead), who summons the police, is hardly forthcoming — about the almost-two-month delay or with information overall. It isn't in the hospital's interests to be upfront, which is why and how Cullen has kept moving from healthcare facility to healthcare facility, and notching up a body count at each by spiking IV bags with fatal doses of insulin and other medications. No hospital wants to be seen to be at fault, and won't warn fellow institutions, either. Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 7, July 14, July 21 and July 28; August 4, August 11, August 18 and August 25; September 1, September 8, September 15, September 22 and September 29; and October 6 and October 13. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Thor: Love and Thunder, Compartment No. 6, Sundown, The Gray Man, The Phantom of the Open, The Black Phone, Where the Crawdads Sing, Official Competition, The Forgiven, Full Time, Murder Party, Bullet Train, Nope, The Princess, 6 Festivals, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Crimes of the Future, Bosch & Rockit, Fire of Love, Beast, Blaze, Hit the Road, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Orphan: First Kill, The Quiet Girl, Flux Gourmet, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Moonage Daydream, Ticket to Paradise, Clean, You Won't Be Alone, See How They Run, Smile, On the Count of Three, The Humans, Don't Worry Darling, Amsterdam, The Stranger, Halloween Ends, The Night of the 12th, Muru and Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon.
Scroll any FYP in the year 2025 and you'll see run clubs and coffee raves galore. As Gen Z emerges from the pandemic armed with their hobbies and strict morning wellness routines, it's easy to lament the "death" of nightlife. @bree.active Sober rave 🤌🏽 #runclub #melbourne #lskd #coffeerave #caferave #soberrave #coffeeparty #coffee #run ♬ No Broke Boys - Disco Lines & Tinashe As someone who ran their first half-marathon post-Melbourne lockdowns, I get it. When the world feels increasingly out of control, choosing to spend time on healthy habits and getting out in the daylight feels like an antidote. It's not just Gen Z who are getting involved with these clubs; brands are also joining the trend. The cult Surry Hills cafe, A.P. Bakery, hosts a run club on select Sundays, and Onair in Cremorne serves both iced coffees and DJ sets every weekend. [caption id="attachment_996531" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Onair[/caption] The Visa Vibe Economy report, commissioned by Visa and conducted by McCrindle, shows that, despite Gen Z choosing cold brews over cocktails, the night-time economy is still strong — and young people in fact are leading the charge. According to the report, 32 percent of Australians consider night-time socialising either "extremely" or "very" important. Younger generations in particular value it for new experiences and social connections. Here's the cold, hard proof that it's not the last call for nightlife in Australia. Where are People Getting Out the Most? The Visa Australia Night-time Economy Index 2025, a new in-depth analysis measuring data such as spending, vibrancy, and venues open after dark, crowned Melbourne as the number one night-time hotspot in the country. Between its laneway bars, world-class restaurants, and sports and entertainment events, Melburnians are getting out of the house after dark the most frequently. [caption id="attachment_922915" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Her Bar, Melbourne[/caption] New South Wales, however, is rapidly catching up. Sydney's CBD outperformed Melbourne in terms of spending at night, but Melbourne took the top spot due to its night-time workers and merchants. Essentially, Melburnians are working late, with more inner-city haunts open longer than their Sydney counterparts. Sydney and its surrounding metro areas accounted for 12 of the top 20 night-time precincts in the country, proving that the after-dark economy may slowly but surely be recovering from the lockout laws. [caption id="attachment_1018911" align="alignleft" width="1920"] SXSW Sydney[/caption] According to the index, Canberra is the highest-ranked place outside the Sydney and Melbourne metro areas for evening spending. This is thanks to strong spending by tourists, people tapping their Visas after dark, and the fast growth in the number of restaurants open in the evening. A large percentage of Canberra's population is also young people and uni students aged 20-29, proving that Gen Z are helping to boost the economy with their socialising. That said, it wasn't just capital cities leading the charge. The regional university town of Newcastle, nearby Lake Macquarie, and the party town of the Gold Coast also made the top 20 list. Due to shift workers in industries like logistics and mining, rural areas, including Tasmania's South East, the Queensland Outback, the Northern Territory Outback and Warrnambool, had some of the highest night-time spending per active card. Why Are People Heading Out? We know, thanks to Visa's data, that Australians are still spending money after dark, but what are they doing? According to the Visa Vibe Economy report, dining out is the most popular night-time activity for a huge 76 percent of Australians. Over half of the people surveyed are also looking for night markets and festivals. [caption id="attachment_1014951" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Bessie's Restaurant[/caption] Despite what your FYP is telling you, the kids are alright. Gen Z is the most active demographic after dark, with 73 percent going out once or more per week (an average of 9.4 nights per month). Half of the surveyed generation also believes that nights offer more new experiences than the daytime, and 45 percent of Gen Z shared that going out after dark made them feel more connected to others than during the day. The Sober Curious Trend The data says that, despite our reputation as early risers and run club fanatics, Australians still try to find balance and head out after dark for a restaurant or festival experience. One thing our FYPs have right, though? We actually are drinking less. Only nine percent of Australians surveyed believe that alcohol availability when heading out for the night is extremely important. [caption id="attachment_1010146" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Katje-Ford[/caption] With Gen Z's "sober curious" attitude to alcohol, it seems that going out for a meal with friends is higher on the list for young Australians than hitting the clubs all night. Given Gen Z came of age during Sydney's lockout laws and the COVID pandemic, it's no surprise that the healthy habits of run clubs and pre-work coffee rave meet-ups are popular at the moment. The data has found, however, that Gen Z aren't resigned to their couches every Saturday night. Turns out, it's all about finding the balance. Discover the vibe near you. Lead image: Form Cafe Brisbane
First, Trent Dalton's Brisbane-set Boy Swallows Universe earned love on the page. Then, it became a stage hit. Next, it wowed audiences as a streaming miniseries — and from 22 nominations, now that show is a 12-time AACTA winner. Across two ceremonies on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Friday, February 7, 2025, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts crowned its picks of the past year. Among its accolades, Boy Swallows Universe picked up Best Miniseries, Best Screenplay in Television, and every TV acting gong it could, with Felix Cameron, Phoebe Tonkin, Lee Tiger Halley and Deborah Mailman all collecting trophies. The AACTAs award both small- and big-screen excellence, with more multiple winners coming from the cinema side of the ceremony. After making history with 16 nominations, the most of any movie ever, unconventional Robbie Williams biopic Better Man — which portrays the British singer as a chimpanzee — nabbed nine prizes. Among them: Best Film, Best Lead Actor for Jonno Davies and Best Director for Michael Gracey. From 15 nominations, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga went home with five awards — with George Miller's fifth film in the iconic dystopian franchise rewarded for its cinematography, costume design, hair and makeup, production design and sound. Adam Elliot's gorgeous and heartfelt (and Oscar-nominated) Memoir of a Snail earned two awards, both for its voice acting, for Sarah Snook and Jacki Weaver. Other titles to emerge victorious include Best Drama and Best Soundtrack recipient Heartbreak High; music-to-screen production How to Make Gravy, which aptly earned the Best Original Song prize; Birdeater, anointed Best Indie Film; TV's Fisk, winning for Best Narrative Comedy Series and Best Acting in a Comedy for Kitty Flanagan; Bluey, taking home Best Children's Program and Best Original Score in Television; and Hard Quiz for Best Comedy Entertainment Program and Best Comedy Performer for Tom Gleeson. Also, Otto by Otto won Best Documentary, Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet? collected Best Stand-Up Special and Ladies in Black was awarded Best Costume Design in Television — and the list of winners goes on, spanning Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line, Mozart's Sister, The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process, Spicks and Specks, Muster Dogs, Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian, Grand Designs Australia and MasterChef Australia as well. As always, not everything deserving of love went home with a trophy — but that doesn't mean that Thou Shalt Not Steal, Colin From Accounts and The Artful Dodger, or Audrey, High Country, Christmess, You'll Never Find Me or Territory aren't all great. Here's everything that won — and was nominated: 2025 AACTA Award Winners and Nominees Film Awards Best Film Better Man — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga How to Make Gravy Late Night with the Devil Memoir of a Snail Runt Best Indie Film Before Dawn Birdeater — WINNER Christmess Just a Farmer The Emu War You'll Never Find Me Best Direction in Film Better Man, Michael Gracey — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller How to Make Gravy, Nick Waterman Late Night with the Devil, Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Lead Actress in Film Laura Gordon, Late Night with the Devil Sarah Snook, Memoir of a Snail — WINNER Jackie van Beek, Audrey Anya Taylor-Joy, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Anna Torv, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Phoebe Tonkin, Kid Snow Best Lead Actor in Film Eric Bana, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 David Dastmalchian, Late Night with the Devil Jonno Davies, Better Man — WINNER Daniel Henshall, How to Make Gravy Guy Pearce, The Convert Kodi Smit-McPhee, Memoir of a Snail Best Supporting Actress in Film Alyla Browne, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Hannah Diviney, Audrey Kate Mulvany, Better Man Kate Mulvany, How to Make Gravy Ingrid Torelli, Late Night with the Devil Jacki Weaver, Memoir of a Snail — WINNER Best Supporting Actor in Film Fayssal Bazzi, Late Night with the Devil Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Damon Herriman, Better Man — WINNER Damon Herriman, How to Make Gravy Richard Roxburgh, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Hugo Weaving, How to Make Gravy Best Screenplay in Film Better Man, Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael Gracey — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller, Nico Lathouris How to Make Gravy, Meg Washington, Nick Waterman Late Night with the Devil, Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Cinematography in Film Better Man, Erik A. Wilson, Matt Toll, Ashley Wallen Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Andrew Commis Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Simon Duggan — WINNER Late Night with the Devil, Matthew Temple Memoir of a Snail, Gerald Thompson Best Editing in Film Better Man, Martin Connor, Lee Smith, Spencer Susser, Jeff Groth, Patrick Correll — WINNER Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Alexandre de Franceschi, Maria Papoutsis Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Eliot Knapman, Margaret Sixel Late Night with the Devil, Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Bill Murphy Best Casting in Film Better Man, Alison Telford, Kate Leonard, Kate Dowd — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Nikki Barrett How to Make Gravy, Nikki Barrett Late Night with the Devil, Leigh Pickford Runt, Kirsty McGregor, Annie Murtagh-Monks Best Costume Design in Film Better Man, Cappi Ireland Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Jenny Beavan — WINNER How to Make Gravy, Christina Validakis Late Night with the Devil, Steph Hooke Runt, Terri Lamera Best Original Score in Film Better Man, Batu Sener — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Tom Holkenborg How to Make Gravy, Sam Dixon Late Night with the Devil, Roscoe James Irwin, Glenn Richards Memoir of a Snail, Elena Kats-Chernin Best Production Design in Film Better Man, Joel Chang, Lisa Brennan Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Colin Gibson, Katie Sharrock — WINNER How to Make Gravy, Benjamin Fountain, Peter Kodicek Late Night with the Devil, Otello Stolfo Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Sound in Film Better Man, Paul Pirola, Guntis Sics, Greg P. Russell, Tom Marks, Andy Nelson, Tim Ryan Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Robert Mackenzie, Ben Osmo, James Ashton, Yulia Akerholt, Jessica Meier, Tom Holkenborg — WINNER How to Make Gravy, Craig Walmsley, Stuart Morton, Diego Ruiz, Sam Hayward, Evan McHugh Late Night with the Devil, Emma Bortignon, Manel Lopez, Pete Smith, Cameron Grant Memoir of a Snail, David Williams, Andy Wright, Lee Yee, Dylan Burgess Documentary Awards Best Documentary A Horse Named Winx Every Little Thing Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line Otto by Otto — WINNER Porcelain War The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process Best Cinematography in a Documentary Megafauna: What Killed Australia's Giants?, Jeff Siberry Skategoat, Dan Freene, Jordan Ritz The Mission, Dean Brosche The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process, Geoffrey Hall, Emerson Hoskin — WINNER The Speedway Murders, Maxx Corkindale Best Editing in a Documentary Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line, Gretchen Peterson — WINNER ONEFOUR: Against All Odds, Johanna Scott Revealed: Ben Roberts Smith Truth on Trial, Orly Danon The Speedway Murders, Sean Lahiff Welcome to Babel, Karen Johnson Best Original Score in a Documentary Aquarius, Damien Lane Brand Bollywood Downunder, Dmitri Golovko, Burkhard Dallwitz, Brett Aplin Mozart's Sister, Jessica Wells — WINNER Otto by Otto, Stefan Gregory The Speedway Murders, Antony Partos, Jackson Milas, Josh Pearson, Josie Mann Best Sound in a Documentary A Horse Named Winx, Abigail Sie Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line, Wayne Pashley, Travis Handley, Stephen Hopes, Jason King Mozart's Sister, Damian Jory — WINNER The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process, Pete Smith, Tom Heuzenroeder The Speedway Murders, Michael Darren, Pete Smith, Des Kenneally, Hamish Keen Short Film Awards Best Short Film And the Ocean Agreed Before We Sleep Die Bully Die Favourites Gorgo — WINNER Why We Fight Television Awards Best Drama Series Fake Heartbreak High — WINNER The Artful Dodger The Twelve Thou Shalt Not Steal Total Control Best Narrative Comedy Series Austin Bump Colin From Accounts Fisk — WINNER Strife The Office Best Miniseries Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Exposure Four Years Later House of Gods Human Error Last Days of the Space Age Best Lead Actor in a Drama Zac Burgess, Boy Swallows Universe Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Rob Collins, Total Control Brendan Cowell, Plum Sam Neill, The Twelve Noah Taylor, Thou Shalt Not Steal Best Lead Actress in a Drama Asher Keddie, Fake Deborah Mailman, Total Control Leah Purcell, High Country Anna Torv, Territory Phoebe Tonkin, Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Sherry-Lee Watson, Thou Shalt Not Steal Best Acting in a Comedy Patrick Brammall, Colin From Accounts Aaron Chen, Fisk Harriet Dyer, Colin From Accounts Kitty Flanagan, Fisk — WINNER Genevieve Hegney, Colin From Accounts Asher Keddie, Strife Michael Theo, Austin Felicity Ward, The Office Best Comedy Performer Wil Anderson, Taskmaster Australia Aaron Chen, Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Anne Edmonds, Taskmaster Australia Tom Gleeson, Hard Quiz — WINNER Guy Montgomery, Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Charlie Pickering, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Essie Davis, Exposure Rachel Griffiths, Total Control Heather Mitchell, Fake Deborah Mailman, Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Sophie Wilde, Boy Swallows Universe Asher Yasbincek, Heartbreak High Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Simon Baker, Boy Swallows Universe Wayne Blair, Total Control Bryan Brown, Boy Swallows Universe Travis Fimmel, Boy Swallows Universe Lee Tiger Halley, Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Ewen Leslie, Prosper Best Direction in Drama or Comedy Boy Swallows Universe, Bharat Nalluri — WINNER Colin From Accounts, Trent O'Donnell Colin From Accounts, Madeline Dyer Fake, Emma Freeman Thou Shalt Not Steal, Dylan River Best Direction in Nonfiction Television Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet?, Simon Francis Better Date Than Never, Mariel Thomas Muster Dogs, Sally Browning — WINNER Stuff the British Stole, Marc Fennell The Jury: Death on the Staircase, Tosca Looby, Ben Lawrence Best Screenplay in Television Boy Swallows Universe, John Collee — WINNER Colin From Accounts, Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer Fake, Anya Beyersdorf Fisk, Penny Flanagan, Kitty Flanagan Thou Shalt Not Steal, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Sophie Miller, Dylan River Best Cinematography in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Shelley Farthing-Dawe — WINNER Boy Swallows Universe, Mark Wareham Exposure, Aaron McLisky Territory, Simon Duggan Thou Shalt Not Steal, Tyson Perkins Best Editing in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Mark Perry — WINNER Colin From Accounts, Danielle Boesenberg Exposure, Leila Gaabi Fisk, Katie Flaxman The Artful Dodger, Rodrigo Balart Best Entertainment Program Dancing with the Stars LEGO® Masters Australia vs The World Mastermind Spicks and Specks — WINNER The 1% Club Tipping Point Australia Best Comedy Entertainment Program Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Hard Quiz — WINNER Have You Been Paying Attention? Thank God You're Here The Cheap Seats The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Best Factual Entertainment Program Alone Australia Gogglebox Australia Muster Dogs — WINNER Stuff the British Stole Take 5 with Zan Rowe The Assembly Best Documentary or Factual Program Australia's Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley I Was Actually There Maggie Beer's Big Mission Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian — WINNER Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye Who Do You Think You Are? Best Children's Program Bluey — WINNER Eddie's Lil Homies Hard Quiz Kids Little J & Big Cuz Play School: Big Ted's Time Machine Spooky Files Best Stand-Up Special Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet? — WINNER Lloyd Langford: Current Mood Mel Buttle: Let Me Know Either Way? Melbourne International Comedy Festival — The Allstars Supershow Melbourne International Comedy Festival — The Gala Rove McManus: Loosey Goosey Best Lifestyle Program Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia Gardening Australia Grand Designs Australia — WINNER Grand Designs Transformations Restoration Australia Selling Houses Australia Best Reality Program Australian Idol Australian Survivor: Titans V Rebels MasterChef Australia — WINNER Shark Tank Australia The Amazing Race The Great Australian Bake Off Best Casting in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Nikki Barrett — WINNER Colin From Accounts, Kirsty McGregor, Stevie Ray Fake, Nathan Lloyd The Artful Dodger, Leigh Pickford The Twelve, Kirsty McGregor Best Costume Design in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Kerry Thompson Heartbreak High, Rita Carmody Ladies in Black, Marion Boyce — WINNER Swift Street, Ntombi Moyo The Artful Dodger, Xanthe Heubel Best Original Score in Television Bluey, Joff Bush, Daniel O'Brien, Jazz Darcy, Joseph Twist — WINNER Boy Swallows Universe, Johnny Klimek, Gabriel Isaac Mounsey Exposure, Mikey Young The Artful Dodger, Antony Partos Thou Shalt Not Steal, Vincent Goodyer Best Sound in Television Bluey, Dan Brumm Boy Swallows Universe, Sam Hayward, Scott Mulready, Danielle Wiessner, Nigel Christensen — WINNER Exposure, Paul Finlay, Andrew Miller, Joe Mount, Jared Dwyer Territory, Josh Williams, Pete Smith, Duncan Campbell, Tom Heuzenroeder Thou Shalt Not Steal, Dylan Barfield, Gavin Marsh, Luke Mynott, Tania Vlassova Online Awards Best Online Drama or Comedy Bad Ancestors Buried — WINNER Descent Girl Crush Urvi Went to an All Girls School Videoland Other Awards Best Hair and Makeup Boy Swallows Universe, Angela Conte, Karen Kelly, Anna Gray, Rachel Murphy Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Lesley Vanderwalt, Larry Van Duynhoven, Matteo Silvi, Luca Vannella — WINNER Ladies in Black, John Logue The Artful Dodger, Lynne O'Brien The Moogai, Nick Nicolaou, Paul Katte, Carol Cameron Best Original Song 'Dream On' by Meg Washington, Electric Fields and The Prison Choir, How to Make Gravy 'Fine' by Meg Washington, Electric Fields and The Prison Choir, How to Make Gravy — WINNER 'Forbidden Road' by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler and Sacha Skarbek, Better Man 'Side By Side' by Paul Kelly, Runt 'Streetlights' by Jacob Harvey, Under Streetlights Best Soundtrack Better Man, Jordan Carroll Boy Swallows Universe, Jemma Burns Heartbreak High, Jemma Burns — WINNER How to Make Gravy, Meg Washington Last Days of the Space Age, Allegra Caldwell Best Visual Effects or Animation Alien: Romulus, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Jhon Alvarado, Alé Melendez, Sebastian Ravagnani, Nicolas Caillier – Industrial Light & Magic Better Man, Luke Millar, Andy Taylor, Craig Young, Tim Walker – Wētā — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Andrew Jackson, Jason Bath, Guido Wolter, Rachel Copp, Andy Williams, Lloyd Finnemore – Rising Sun Pictures The Fall Guy, Matt Sloan, Chris McClintock, Matt Greig, Rachel Copp, Dan Oliver – Rising Sun Pictures Transformers One, Frazer Churchill, Fiona Chilton, Stephen King, Feargal Stewart, Alex Popescu – Industrial Light & Magic The 2025 AACTAs took place on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Friday, February 7, 2025 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast — and you can check out the full list of nominees and winners on AACTA's website.
Take a Brisbane pub, spruce it up, get the beverages and bites flowing: Australian Venue Co has now deployed that tried-and-tested approach at the Royal Hotel. The Nundah pub has undergone a $1.1-million refurbishment, reopening in July 2023 complete with a 200-person entertainment space upstairs that can host everything from bands to comedy, plus a refreshed bistro that's slinging brisket burgers and doughnut fries. Before its makeover, this watering hole was known as The Royal; however, that hasn't always been its name. A pub has sat at the Sandgate Road location in Nundah since 1888, pouring brews for Brisbane's northsiders. Back when it first swung open its doors 135 years ago, the site was also known as — you guessed it — Royal Hotel. Reclaiming its original moniker, adding that 200-person first-floor entertainment venue, refreshing the food range and outdoor terrace: that's all part of this do-over. The heritage-listed pub's facade remains the same, of course, as designed by the same architect as Crown Hotel all those years back. Now, Mel Porter Design has taken care to blend the pub's heritage features with modern details. The upstairs space has been dubbed Royal Quarters, and will cycle through different entertainment options on different nights. Head along on Thursdays to get giggling, Friday nights for piano bar sessions, Saturday evenings for live gigs and Sundays for bingo. Downstairs, the public bar is also doing trivia on Tuesdays. As for Royal Hotel's bistro and terrace, that revamp spans greenery aplenty, marble-look tables, checkerboard floors and wooden accents, giving the pub a 120-seater — and family-friendly — dining space. The new menu covers pub classics and seasonal dishes, with other highlights including Moreton Bay bug rolls, pressed lamb shoulder, pan-seared barramundi, Stone & Wood-battered fish and chips, and four types of pizzas. Pasta marinara, mini fish ceviche tacos and baked brie cheesecake also feature. And yes, both chicken schnitzel and chicken parmi are on offer, too, plus three steak options. The front bar and al fresco area have also received a new lease on life. Here, five big TV screens show sports t0 80 folks if you're just keen to catch whichever game you prefer over a pint.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've been under the weather. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are nine that you can watch right now at home. THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN In The Banshees of Inisherin, the rolling hills and clifftop fields look like they could stretch on forever, even on a fictional small island perched off the Irish mainland. For years, conversation between Padraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell, After Yang) and Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson, The Tragedy of Macbeth) has been similarly sprawling — and leisurely, too — especially during the pair's daily sojourn to the village pub for chats over pints. But when the latter calls time on their camaraderie suddenly, his demeanour turns brusque and his explanation, only given after much pestering, is curt. Uttered beneath a stern, no-nonsense stare by Gleeson to his In Bruges co-star Farrell, both reuniting with that darkly comic gem's writer/director Martin McDonagh for another black, contemplative and cracking comedy, Colm is as blunt as can be: "I just don't like you no more." In the elder character's defence, he wanted to ghost his pal without hurtful words. Making an Irish exit from a lifelong friendship is a wee bit difficult on a tiny isle, though, as Colm quickly realises. It's even trickier when the mate he's trying to put behind him is understandably upset and confused, there's been no signs of feud or fray beforehand, and anything beyond the norm echoes through the town faster than a folk ballad. So springs McDonagh's smallest-scale and tightest feature since initially leaping from the stage to the screen, and a wonderful companion piece to that first effort. Following the hitman-focused In Bruges, he's gone broader with Seven Psychopaths, then guided Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell to Oscars with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, but he's at his best when his lens is trained at Farrell and Gleeson as they bicker in close confines. The Banshees of Inisherin is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE FABELMANS "Movies are dreams that you never forget," says Mitzi Fabelman (Michelle Williams, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) early in Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans. Have truer words ever been spoken in any of the director's flicks? Uttered to her eight-year-old son Sammy (feature debutant Mateo Zoryon Francis-DeFord), Mitzi's statement lingers, providing the film's beating heart even when the coming-of-age tale it spins isn't always idyllic. Individual pictures can come and go, of course. Only some — only some on the Jaws, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and West Side Story filmmaker's own resume, in fact — truly stand the test of time. But as former concert pianist Mitzi understands, and imparts to her wide-eyed on-screen Spielberg boyhood surrogate, movies as an art form are a dream that keeps shining in our heads. We return to theatres again and again for more. We glue our eyes to films at home, too. We lap up the worlds they visit, stories they relay and fantasies they inspire, and we also add our own. To everyone that's ever stared at the silver screen in awe, The Fabelmans pays tribute far more than it basks in the glow of its director. Because everyone is crafting cinematic memoirs of late, Spielberg adds this tender yet clear-eyed look at his childhood to a growing list of self-reflective flicks; however, he's as fascinated with cinema as a dream-sparking and -making force as is he with fictionalising his own tale. Slot The Fabelmans in alongside James Gray's Armageddon Time, Kenneth Branagh's Belfast, Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza and Alejandro González Iñárritu's Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths from the past year or so, then, but don't merely consider it Spielberg jumping on a trend. Focusing on Sammy's film fixation, including as a teen (played by Gabriel LaBelle, The Predator) and as his fragile family hops around the US following his computer-engineer dad Burt's (Paul Dano, The Batman) work, this is a heartfelt, perceptive and potent movie about how movies act as a mirror — a vividly shot and engagingly performed one, too, complete with a pitch-perfect late cameo — whether we're watching or creating them. The Fabelmans is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON Every couple has in-jokes, a valuable currency in all relationships, but only Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp have turned a cute private gag into Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. The Parks and Recreation actor and the Fraud director are no longer together romantically, marrying and divorcing in the 13 years since they first gave the world the cutest talking shell anyone could've imagined; however, they've now reteamed professionally for an adorable film based on their 2010, 2011 and 2014 shorts. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On also gave rise to two best-selling children's picture books, unsurprisingly, following a familiar internet-stardom path from online sensation to print and now the big screen. Neither Slate and Fleischer-Camp's faded love nor their joint project's history are ignored by their footwear-sporting seashell's cinematic debut, either; in fact, acknowledging both, whether subtly or overtly, is one of the things that makes this sweet, endearing, happily silly, often hilarious and deeply insightful movie such an all-round gem. That inside jest? A voice put on by Slate, which became the one-inch-high anthropomorphic Marcel's charming vocals. In Marcel the Shell with Shoes On's three initial mockumentary clips, the tiny critter chats to an unseen filmmaker chronicling his life, with earnestness dripping from every word. ("My name is Marcel and I'm partially a shell, as you can see on my body, but I also have shoes and a face. So I like that about myself, and I like myself and I have a lot of other great qualities as well," he advises in his self-introduction.) The same approach, tone and voice sits at the heart of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On's feature-length leap, of course, but so does a touching meditation upon loss, change and valuing what's truly important. Fleischer-Camp plays the movie's documentarian, mostly off-camera, who meets Marcel and his grandmother Connie (voiced by Isabella Rossellini, Julia) after moving into an Airbnb following a relationship breakup — and, yes, their work together becomes a viral phenomenon. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BABYLON Exclaiming "I'm already a star. You don't become a star: you either are one or you aren't. I am!" to get into the hottest party in Los Angeles, aspiring 1920s actor Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie, Amsterdam) has ambition. Gracing the same Golden Age soirée after ending his latest marriage with an overplayed joke that could've sprung from Inglourious Basterds, veteran leading man Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt, Bullet Train) wouldn't have gotten where he is without the same drive and determination. And, helping the shindig be the only place to be, including wrangling an elephant for the night's entertainment (a pachyderm that empties its bowels on everyone pushing it up a hill no less), Manny Torres (Diego Calva, Narcos: Mexico) has the eagerness to do something — anything — in show business. Meet Babylon's zeal-dripping on-screen threesome, a trio matched only in their quest to rocket sky-high as the man conjuring them up: jazz-loving, La La Land Oscar-winning, Tinseltown-adoring writer/director Damien Chazelle. As Babylon unfurls across its hefty 189-minute running time, it takes a colossal heap of ambition — perhaps as immense as the pile of cocaine that Nellie gravitates towards inside the party — to make it or even fake it in the film industry. For his fifth feature, and first since 2018's First Man, Chazelle waves around his own as enthusiastically as he possibly can. Even just considering his hefty list of conspicuous influences makes that clear, with the filmmaker unshackling his inner Baz Luhrmann, Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson and David Lynch, to name a mere few overt nods. The Great Gatsby, Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Mulholland Drive: swirl them together with Kenneth Anger's 1959 publication Hollywood Babylon, plus everything from Sunset Boulevard to Hail, Caesar!, and that's just the beginning of Chazelle's plans. The end result also makes for a relentless and ravenous movie that's always a lot, not just in length, but is dazzling (and also very funny) when it clicks. Babylon is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review. TRIANGLE OF SADNESS Ruben Östlund isn't interested in keeping his viewers comfortable, no matter how cushy their cinema chair. To watch the Swedish filmmaker's features is to feel yourself reacting — emotionally, always, and sometimes physically as well. It was true of 2014's phenomenal Force Majeure, aka as clever and cringe-inducing a portrait of marriage and masculinity as the 21st century has provided. With dropped jaws over a divisive piece of art within a divisive piece of art, it was true of 2018's The Square, the writer/director's first Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winner, too. And, earning him that same prestigious prize again in 2022, it's also wholly accurate of Triangle of Sadness. Make a movie with a shape in its title, score one of the biggest filmmaking awards there is: that's been a nifty formula for Östlund of late. But even if he directs a flick called something like Hexagonal Dreaming soon, or anything else with a geometrical bent, and it too nabs that Cannes gong, beating Triangle of Sadness' vomit sequence is highly unlikely. To remind audiences that responding to films and life alike is an involuntary reflex, Östlund shows plenty of his characters doing just that — to existence, and to a choppy luxury cruise. It makes for simply unforgettable cinema, but it's also just one part of Triangle of Sadness and its sublimely shot unpacking of wealth, privilege and social hierarchies. Appearing to be coasting through perfection is an ongoing quest for Carl (Harris Dickinson, See How They Run) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean, Black Lightning), well-known models-slash-influencers, and the movie's focal point. When they take to the sea among the uber rich, they're still working the requisite angles (and snapping everything for Instagram from every angle). But then, under the captain's (Woody Harrelson, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) watch, being stranded on an island becomes their fate — and the way that Östlund satirically carves into the resulting chaos is equally hilarious and and astute, even when his film is both obvious and hardly subtle. Triangle of Sadness is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. M3GAN Book in a date with 2 M3GAN 2 Furious now: even if it doesn't take that name, which it won't, a sequel to 2023's first guaranteed horror hit will come. Said follow-up also won't be called M3GAN 2: Electric Boogaloo, but that title would fit based on the first flick's TikTok-worthy dance sequence alone. Meme-starting fancy footwork is just one of the titular doll's skills. Earnestly singing 'Titanium' like this is Pitch Perfect, tickling the ivories with 80s classic 'Toy Soldiers', making these moments some of M3GAN's funniest: they're feats the robot achieves like it's designed to, too. Although unafraid to take wild tonal swings, and mining the established comedy-horror talents of New Zealand filmmaker Gerard Johnstone (Housebound) and screenwriter Akela Cooper (Malignant) as well, this killer-plaything flick does feel highly programmed itself, however. It's winking, knowing, silly, satirical, slick and highly engineered all at once, overtly pushing buttons and demanding a response — and, thankfully, mostly earning it. Those Child's Play-meets-Annabelle-meets-The Terminator-meets-HAL 9000 thoughts that M3GAN's basic concept instantly brings to mind? They all prove true. The eponymous droid — a Model 3 Generative Android, to be specific — is a four-foot-tall artificially intelligent doll that takes the task of protecting pre-teen Cady (Violet McGraw, Black Widow) from emotional and physical harm deadly seriously, creeping out and/or causing carnage against everyone who gets in its way. Those Frankenstein-esque sparks, exploring what happens when humanity (or Girls and Get Out's Allison Williams here, as Cady's roboticist aunt Gemma) plays god by creating life? They're just as evident, as relevant to the digital age Ex Machina-style. M3GAN is more formulaic than it should be, though, and also never as thoughtful as it wants to be, but prolific horror figures Jason Blum and James Wan produce a film that's almost always entertaining. M3GAN is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MAGIC MIKE'S LAST DANCE Ted Lasso fans, rejoice — the Magic Mike franchise is taking its lead from the hit sitcom now. Swap soccer for stripping, obviously. From there, the sports-themed favourite and Magic Mike's Last Dance both transport their namesakes to London, then give them jobs under wealthy women managing publicly beloved assets after bitter marriage breakdowns, all as those ladies try to spite their exes while also finding themselves and sorting out their lives. In the third film in the Channing Tatum (Bullet Train)-starring series, there's a team to oversee featuring players from around the globe, too, plus a gruff butler doing his best not-AI Roy Kent impression. And, it all climaxes with a showcase event demanding dedicated training. That said, only this exceptionally choreographed but never earth-shattering flick fills its final quarter with wall-to-wall gyrating, including a male-revue number soundtracked by 1998 Dandy Warhols' single 'Boys Better' that has to be seen to be believed. New Magic Mike movie splashing glistening chiselled abs across the screen, same Magic Mike, though. Tatum and filmmaker Steven Soderbergh (Kimi) — the prolific creative force who helmed, shot and spliced the first instalment; then just lensed and cut the second with his regular assistant Gregory Jacobs (Wind Chill) directing; and now returns to his trio of OG roles (still credited as Peter Andrews for his cinematography and Mary Ann Bernard for his editing) — have Mike Lane living his own Groundhog Day in a way. The more things change, the more that plenty stays the same for the saga's hero. This series started out not just putting its star's ripped physique and knack for erotic dancing to eye-catching use, but drawing upon his own story thanks to Tatum's past onstage Florida. He isn't currently getting by stripping while striving to follow his passion, of course. Before Magic Mike was scorching the screen, he'd already made it big. But these films, all three of which are penned by Reid Carolin (Dog), understand that Tatum's reality isn't the way that this tale usually goes. Magic Mike's Last Dance is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE LOST KING When King Richard III was killed in battle in the 15th century, did anyone wonder about a public holiday? Given the era and its working conditions, likely not. There's also the hardly minor fact that the monarch was slain by the forces of Henry Tudor, who promptly became England's ruler, so downing tools for a day of mourning probably wasn't a priority. The world has a frame of reference for grieving a British sovereign, though, and recently. When Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, pomp and ceremony reigned supreme. Dramatising the discovery of Richard III's remains, The Lost King wasn't made with the queen's passing in mind. Actually, it world-premiered a day afterwards. But the Stephen Frears (Victoria & Abdul)-directed, Steve Coogan- and Jeff Pope (Philomena)-scripted drama benefits from audiences knowing what's done now when whoever wears the crown is farewelled. The Lost King isn't about chasing a parade, pageantry, and a day off work for the masses in Britain and further afield. Charting the true tale of Richard III's location and exhumation 527 years after he breathed his last breath, it follows a quest for recognition and respect. When the film opens, Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins, The Phantom of the Open) wants it for herself, as a woman over 40 overlooked for a promotion at work in favour of a younger, less-experienced colleague — and as someone with a medical condition, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, who's too easily dismissed due to her health. She's also newly separated from her husband John (Coogan, This Time with Alan Partridge), adding to her unappreciated feelings. It's no wonder that Richard III's plight catches her interest thanks to a production of Shakespeare's Richard III, aka one of the reasons that the king was long seen as a hunchbacked villain. More surprising: that the film about all of this, while engaging enough and featuring stellar work by Hawkins, doesn't seem to trust that its real-life story can hold its own. The Lost King is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. A MAN CALLED OTTO In reality, cantankerous curmudgeons don't routinely possess hearts of gold. Genuine intentions don't always gleam behind petty folks with grudges spouting insults, either. Movies like A Man Called Otto keep claiming otherwise, though, because cinema is an empathy machine — and placing viewers in the shoes of characters different to them, whether in background, behaviour, situation or temperament, remains key among its functions. Tom Hanks, the silver screen's beloved everyman of more than four decades, knows this. Veteran filmmaker Marc Forster does as well. After getting villainous in Elvis and sweet with Christopher Robin, respectively, the actor and director join forces for a feature advocating for understanding, kindness and acceptance. Behind that cranky nitpicker, local annoyance or rude aggressor might just lurk a story worth appreciating and a person worth knowing, it sentimentally posits. This Americanisation of A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman's Swedish 2012 novel that first hit the screen in its native language in 2015, did indeed come about exactly as expected. Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson saw the Oscar-nominated OG movie, contacted its producer Fredrik Wikström Nicastro (Borg vs McEnroe), then went about making a US-set, Hanks-starring iteration. Wilson is now also one of A Man Called Otto's producers. Truman Hanks, Tom's youngest son with Wilson, co-stars as the young Otto (nabbing just his second on-screen credit after popping up in his dad's News of the World). This flick's smooth path to cinemas and the easy family ties behind it speak volumes about the film that results; despite focusing on a man repeatedly trying to take his own life, attempts at which are constantly interrupted by his rule-breaking neighbours, openly and breezily warming hearts and pleasing crowds is this remake's aim. A Man Called Otto is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January and February, too. You can also peruse our best new films, new TV shows, returning TV shows and straight-to-streaming movies, plus movies you might've missed and television standouts of 2022 you mightn't have gotten to.
Trust Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, Australia's favourite Kates and funniest double act, to make a killer TV show about chasing a killer that's the perfect sum of two excellent halves. Given their individual and shared backgrounds, including creating and starring in cooking show sendup The Katering Show and morning television spoof Get Krack!n, the pair unsurprisingly add another reason to get chuckling to their resumes; however, with Deadloch, they also turn their attention to crime procedurals. The Kates already know how to make viewers laugh. They've established their talents as brilliant satirists and lovers of the absurd in the process. Now, splashing around those skills in Deadloch's exceptional eight-episode first season — which streams via Prime Video from Friday, June 2 — they've also crafted a dead-set stellar murder-mystery series. Taking place in a sleepy small town, commencing with a body on a beach, and following both the local cop trying to solve the case and the gung-ho blow-in from a big city leading the enquiries, Deadloch has all the crime genre basics covered from the get-go. The spot scandalised by the death is a sitcom-esque quirky community, another television staple that McCartney and McLennan nail. Parody requires deep knowledge and understanding; you can't comically rip into and riff on something if you aren't familiar with its every in and out. That said, Deadloch isn't in the business of simply mining well-worn TV setups and their myriad of conventions for giggles, although it does that expertly. With whip-smart writing, the Australian series is intelligent, hilarious, and all-round cracking as a whodunnit-style noir drama and as a comedy alike — and one of the streaming highlights of the year. The place: Tasmania, in the fictional locale that gives Deadloch its name (that Deadloch Lake means 'dead lake lake' doesn't go unmentioned). That first body: a local gym owner and ProBro entrepreneur ("it's protein for bros," is the sales pitch), who'll soon have burning pubic hair, too ("holy shit, his dick's on fire," is the response). The key police duo: Senior Sergeant Dulcie Collins (Kate Box, Stateless), a by-the-book type who traded being a stressed Sydney homicide detective for a quieter life for her vet wife Cath (Alicia Gardiner, Wakefield); and Darwin Major Crimes division's Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami, The Breaker Upperers), who asks "how long has shrivel dick been dead for?" about the deceased, is as loud as her Hawaiian shirts and fluoro camouflage getup, and intends to catch the easy culprit ASAP so she can hightail it back north. That Deadloch's initial victim is male gives the standard dead-girl trope an instant a gender-switched twist — even the genre's best, from Twin Peaks and The Killing to True Detective and Top of the Lake, have leaned upon it — but that isn't the source of Deadloch's humour, nor should it be. As recent comedy hits Only Murders in the Building and The Afterparty also know, murder itself isn't amusing either. Rather, it's the chaos around it and the people who get caught up in it that can be comic, which is where Deadloch frequently tickles ribs — that, and lampooning everything from small-town gentrification and tourist-courting winter festivals to arrogant detective archetypes and the male-centric world order, plus the show's glorious way with dialogue and Aussie swearing. Again, the series isn't funny because heterosexual white men comprise its rising body count, or because women are doing the investigating. The way that Deadloch's blokes react, the pressure piled on from the top and the frenzy swirling around is pointedly sidesplitting, though. This is a whodunnit with something to say, because there's no escaping the vast difference between the urgent demands for action from its fictional males and the off-screen reality when women are killed. Who did it? As Eddie leaps to obvious conclusions amid spitting out a non-stop barrage of insults, Dulcie's detective muscle memory kicks in. Deadloch's odd couple have help from constables Abby Matsuda (Nina Oyama, Koala Man) and Sven Alderman (Tom Ballard, Fully Furnished) — one as eager as can be, especially with forensics; the other affable but seeing policing as just as job — and hear theories from almost everyone. That includes doctor and mayor Aleyna Rahme (Susie Youssef, Rosehaven), the driving force behind Deadloch's just-commenced Dark Mofo-influenced Winter Feastival, who is determined to keep the festivities going. And, as Eddie struggles with baggage from back home and Dulcie grapples with investigating her friends, their quest also leads them to Margaret Carruthers (Pamela Rabe, Wentworth), the town's most powerful figure, whose husband was Deadloch's previous mayor. Also adding thoughts and complications: new widow Vanessa Latham (Katie Robinson, Five Bedrooms); bakery owner Vic O'Dwyer (Kris McQuade, Irreverent) and her gastropub chef daughter Skye (Holly Austin, Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears); the rabble-rousing Phil McGangus (Shaun Martindale, Sissy); obnoxious pathologist James King (Nick Simpson-Deeks, Winners & Losers); and aspiring AFLW player Tammy Hampson (Leonie Whyman, Mystery Road: Origin) and her studious cousin Miranda Hoskins (Kartanya Maynard, The Messenger). The list goes on, with the pool of suspects similarly broad. Whether they're vocally vicious — Phil spews misogynist vitriol, particularly about Deadloch's influx of lesbian tree-changers — or seemingly oblivious, this cast of characters is also aware that the town's facade isn't as calm and cosy as it appears. Indeed, McCartney and McLennan examine Australia's horrific race-relations history as well as the country's gender politics, interrogating how both blighted the show's setting long before multiple murders upset its supposed idyll. If The Kates had penned Deadloch as a book, it'd be a can't-put-down page-turner. On streaming, as cinematographers Katie Milwright (The Clearing) and Simon Ozolins (Heartbreak High) revel in a Tasmanian gothic look, their tale is that propulsive and addictive. And, the show's deeply layered writing — with Sami, Kim Wilson (Wentworth), Christian White (Clickbait), Anchuli Felicia King (Class of '07) and Kirsty Fisher (Mustangs FC) scripting with McCartney and McLennan — couldn't have a better roster of actors bringing it to life under directors Ben Chessell (The Great), Gracie Otto (Seriously Red) and Beck Cole (Black Comedy). Playing it straight and giving the series its emotional centre, Box could've walked straight in from Broadchurch. Tasked with thundering in, Sami is a comic genius as Eddie, ensuring that the character's unflinching honesty couldn't be more pivotal, and that Eddie is never a one-note OTT outsider. Trust McCartney and McLennan to give TV another tremendous pairing, swapping their own The Katering Show and Get Krack!n dynamic for Box and Sami killing it. Trust them to leave viewers with the feeling that every The Kates' project leaves: wanting more right now. Their time as a food intolerant and an intolerable foodie ran over two seasons, then their breakfast television stint repeated the feat. Here's hoping that Deadloch at least matches them — while its creators don't grace the screen this time, this crime-comedy ranks among The Kates' best work in every other way. Check out the trailer for Deadloch below: Deadloch streams via Prime Video from Friday, June 2.
It's ten years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005. Since then, a relatively unknown Gotye played in a basement, Chk Chk Chk ran across the Sydney College of the Arts rooftop, Lorde happened and Laneway became the very first Australian festival to migrate overseas. This year, the once quiet achiever of the Australian festival scene, Laneway Festival blows out the candles with one of its biggest (but not necessarily commercial) lineups yet. Kicking off in Singapore on Saturday, January 24 in The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay, Laneway will run through seven dates, including Sydney's Sydney College of the Arts on February 1 and Melbourne's Footscray Community Arts Centre and River's Edge on February 7, finishing up at its new home in Fremantle's Esplanade Reserve and West End on Sunday, February 8. But where did Laneway all start (in case you're in the dark)? What did The Avalanches and a dare have to do with it? How did they manage to survive the festival circuit in the face of common Australian festival crash-and-burnery? Let's take a little saunter through the alleyways, warehouse lots and overseas ventures of Laneway — the Australian festival who settled into the country's infrastructure from the smallest of veins. Where it all hatched. St. Jerome's Laneway Festival was born in 2005, when Danny Rogers helped Jerome Borazio book music for his Melbourne laneway bar, St. Jerome's. The every-Sunday 'Summer Series' was born (where The Presets and Architecture in Helsinki played small sets) and the two decided to expand the idea into a Saturday night residency for their mates, The Avalanches. Said Avalanches challenged Rogers and Borazio to make a big ol' birthday shindig for St. Jerome's bar, which would have to close the whole lane. "We said ‘Why not throw a first birthday party for the bar?’ We got excited and then thought ‘Well why don’t we try and close this Laneway down?" recounts Borazio on the Laneway site. "After a few drinks with The Avalanches one night we asked, ‘If we closed this lane down would you guys play? They said ‘You won’t be able to close this lane. So if you do, we’ll play.’ About 1400 showed up and watched Architecture In Helsinki, Art of Fighting, Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set, The Dears, Eskimo Joe, Gersey and Ground Components and those jokey dare-makers The Avalanches play the very first Laneway. Sydney's turn. Keeping the fire stoked in Melbourne, the Laneway crew decided to expand the concept to Sydney after a chance meeting with super promoter Michael Chugg. "I bumped into Michael Chugg at a health retreat and said to him, 'We have this festival in Melbourne. Check it out, see what you think. He called the next day and got us up to Sydney," says Jerome Borazio on the Laneway website. Thanks to Chugg and his team, Sydney got the green light. Snuggled amongst Circular Quay's Macquarie Square, Reiby Place and The Basement, Laneway saw a rainy but successful run in Sydney that year. Headliners Broken Social Scene were the squealworthy element of the time, alongside Art of Fighting, Augie March, Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set, Cut Copy, Dane Tucquet, Darren Hanlon, Decoder Ring, Faker, Gersey, Jens Lekman, Les Savy Fav, Mercy Arms, Mountains in the Sky, New Buffalo, Pivot, Pretty Girls Make Graves, The Pop Frenzy Sound Unit, The Posies, The Raveonettes, The Temper Trap, Wolf & Cub and Youth Group over the two cities. Brisbane joins the crew. With Melbourne and Sydney's Laneway chapters under control, Brisbane's first Laneway was held in '07 behind the city's beloved venue, The Zoo. The lineup saw the likes of The Walkmen, Yo La Tengo, Camera Obscura, Peter Bjorn and John, Snowman, Archie Bronson Outfit, Bumblebeez, Casino Twilight Dogs, Dan Kelly, Dappled Cities Fly, Expatriate, Fionn Regan, Gerling, Gersey, Ground Components, Holly Throsby, Love Is All, Macromantics, Midnight Juggernauts, My Disco, The BellRays, The Crayon Fields, The Shaky Hands, The Sleepy Jackson, The Temper Trap and Youth Group play in the teeny laneway out the back — as well as Sydney and Melbourne's laneway set-ups. The Laneway Empire was growing. Oh hey, Adelaide. Heading south-west, Laneway 2008 saw Feist, Gotye, Dan Deacon, The Presets, Stars, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Panics, The Vasco Era and Okkervil River all smooshed themselves into Fowler's Live, all up in the North Terrace. They were joined by Violent Soho, The Cool Kids, The Holidays, Via Tania, Batrider, Bridezilla, Devastations, Little Red, Rudley Interrupted and The Brunettes. Meanwhile, the Melbourne festival expanded — out of Caledonian Lane to Drewery Lane and Londsdale Street. The times were a-changin'. Perth, you're up. Heading to Western Australia for the first time, Laneway 2009 found a new, additional home in the Perth Cultural Centre. Beats were the dominant force this year, with Girl Talk, Stereolab, Buraka Som Sistema, Pivot (with the vowels intact) and Four Tet sharing the stage with Tame Impala, Architecture In Helsinki, Born Ruffians, Canyons, Cut Off Your Hands, Daedelus, El Guincho, Holly Throsby, Jay Reatard, John Steel Singers, Mountains In The Sky, No Age, Port O’Brien, Still Flyin, Tame Impala, Tim Fite, The Drones, The Hold Steady and The Temper Trap. The Laneway crew talk of 2009 as the year of visible expansion in Perth of course, but particularly in the other citie. According to the Laneway website, "a rapidly expanded site, shifting regulations, wild hype and high temperatures contributed to the Melbourne show very suddenly (and publicly) outgrowing itself. Overcrowding and long queues soured an otherwise strong musical showing. And while a realignment of stages in Adelaide was deemed a success by the growing crowds, Sydney’s Macquarie Park location also began showing signs of its limitations." Woah, things got a little turbo-charged in 2010. With one of its biggest lineups yet, Laneway expanded their venues in several cities. Melbourne moved from its hallowed home to the riverside Footscray Community Arts Centre, while Sydney farewelled Circular Quay for Rozelle’s historic Sydney College of the Arts. With Mumford and Sons, Florence and the Machine, and The xx all making their Australian debut at Laneway (not too shabby), the venues were upsized to accommodate Bachelorette, Black Lips, Chris Knox and The Nothing, Cut Off Your Hands, Daniel Johnston, Dappled Cities, Dirty Three, Echo & the Bunnymen, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Hockey, Kid Sam, N.A.S.A., Midnight Juggernauts, Radioclit, Sarah Blasko, Street Chant, The 3Ds, The Middle East, The Naked and Famous, The Very Best, Warpaint, Whitley and Wild Beasts. But Laneway also made its first venture overseas, launching its first instalment in Auckland. According to Laneway, the crew teamed up with Chugg and New Zealand locals Ben Howe, Manolo Echave and Mark Kneebone to create the first Kiwi chapter of Laneway in Auckland's warehouse-dotted Britomart Quarter. And I mean, look at that bloody lineup, no wonder they had to find a bigger boat. Singapore, what's up. Held at Fort Canning Park, the first Singapore Laneway Festival was drenched in torrential rain — but that didn't douse the spirits of thousands of punters. Lineup-wise, goals were kicked yet again by the Laneway team: !!!, The Antlers, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Beach House, Bear in Heaven, Blonde Redhead, Cloud Control, Cut Copy, Deerhunter, Foals, Gotye, The Holidays, Holy Fuck, Jenny & Johnny, Les Savy Fav, Local Natives, Menomena, PVT, Rat Vs Possum, Stornoway, Two Door Cinema Club, Violent Soho, Warpaint, World's End Press and Yeasayer made their way to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Singapore and Auckland (who moved their camp from the Britomart Quarter to Aotea Square in 2011). Auckland finally bunkers down in Silo Park in the Wynard Quarter — its present home. This was a pretty big year for Laneway, steering the lineup toward top-of-the-alternative headliners: M83, SBTRKT live, John Talabot, Feist, Active Child and Jonti joined Anna Calvi, Austra, Bullion, Chairlift, Cults, The Drums, DZ Deathrays, EMA, Geoffrey O’Connor, Girls, Givers, Glasser, The Horrors, Husky, Laura Marling, Oneman, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Pajama Club, The Panics, Portugal. The Man, Toro y Moi, Total Control, Twin Shadow, Washed Out and Yuck. Detroit ahoy. Heading over to the US for their very first Detroit Laneway at Oakland University, the team capitalised on previously successful showcases as the likes of SXSW to bring in an American audience — making them the first Australian festival to migrate to the US. The likes of ADULT., AlunaGeorge, Beacon, Chet Faker, CHVRCHES, Deerhunter, The Dismemberment Plan, Flume, Frightened Rabbit, HAERTS, Heathered Pearls, Icona Pop, Matthew Dear, My Brightest Diamond, The National, Phosphorescent, Run the Jewels (El-P & Killer Mike), Savages, Shigeto, Sigur Ros, Solange, Warpaint, Washed Out and Youth Lagoon cranked out sets in Detroit — a huge undertaking for the Laneway crew. In Australalasia, the likes of alt-J, Flume, Jessie Ware, Chet Faker, Bat For Lashes, Divine Fits, El-P, Japandroids and Nicolas Jaar played alongside Alpine, Cloud Nothings, Henry Wagons & The Unwelcome Company, High Highs, Holy Other, Julia Holter, Kings of Convenience, MS MR, Nite Jewel, Of Monsters and Men, Perfume Genius, Poliça, Pond, Real Estate, Shlohmo, Snakadaktal, The Men, The Neighbourhood, The Rubens, Twerps and Yeasayer. A big ol' year. The year of our Lorde. Hitting #1 in the US, the NZ teenager cranked out memorable Pure Heroine sets at Laneway's most veering-toward-commercial year yet. The soon-to-be Grammy winner was joined by the likes of HAIM, Earl Sweatshirt, James Blake, King Krule, Warpaint, Run the Jewels (El-P & Killer Mike), Jaguar Ma and Vance Joy alongside Adalita, Autre Ne Veut, Cashmere Cat, Cass McCombs, CHVRCHES, Cloud Control, Danny Brown, Daughter, Dick Diver, Doprah, Drenge, Four Tet, Frightened Rabbit, GEMA, Ghost Wave, Jamie xx, Kirin J Callinan, Kurt Vile, Mount Kimbie, MT WARNING, Parquet Courts, PCP Eagles, Rackets, Savages, Scenic, The Growl, The Jezabels, The Observatory, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Vandetta, Watercolours, XXYYXX and Youth Lagoon. Epic. Here we are, ten years later and Laneway's making big moves to remain closer to the up-and-coming pulse than the superheadliners. As of this week, Laneway 2015 is upon us and the lineup is predictably kickass. Returning to the Australian touring circuit is UK on-repeat outfit Jungle, festival jaw-droppers Future Islands and Melbourne's lives-up-to-the-hype queen Courtney Barnett. Two of the biggest hypecards of the bunch, FKA Twigs and BANKS, will fight for the midnight hushed vocal crown. Then there's the ever-epic St. Vincent, punk-as-fuck UK band Eagulls, smooooooth king Flying Lotus, Harlem's top-of-the-game hip hop outfit Ratking and the triumphant returns of Rustie, Jon Hopkins, POND and crisp-as-blazes Caribou, alongside Andy Bull, Angel Olsen, Benjamin Booker, Caribou, Connan Mockasin, Dune Rats, Eves, Flight Facilities, Highasakite, Jesse Davidson, Jon Hopkins, Little Dragon, Mansionair, Perfect Pussy, Peter Bibby, Raury, Royal Blood, Seekae, Sohn, St Vincent and Vic Mensa. And last but not least, Mac DeMarco and his mum, Agnes. What a legend. Happy tenner, Laneway. Cheers to showing punters where the Good Music at, avoiding slapdash, off-brand superheadliners, keeping a finger on many overseas pulses and making onsite attention to detail a colossal priority. We're raising a plastic cup to another ten. Images: Laneway Festival - Simon Fergusson, Daniel Boud, Adrianna Polcyn, Alvin Ho, Nina Sandejas, Chris Schwegler, Annette Geneva, Yael Yaya Stempler.
The Calile Hotel has gone three for three, making the World's 50 Best Hotels list for the third consecutive year, ranked at 34th. After placing 12th in 2023 and 25th in 2024, the Fortitude Valley five-star stay is the only hotel in the entire Oceania region to make this prestigious grade in every edition since the award's inception. Opening in 2018, the seven-story, 175-room hotel was billed as 'Australia's first urban resort'. While suitably situated among luxe fashion boutiques and high-end restaurants along leafy James Street, the hotel serves as a sun-soaked sanctuary from the outside world. Described by The World's 50 Best as "laid back Aussie spirit meets buzzy Palm Springs and Miami stylings," guests can retreat to siesta by the pool or slink away to private quarters designed for maximum comfort. "To have been selected three years in a row marks a significant affirmation of The Calile's place on the global hotel-industry stage and reinforces our reputation as a desirable destination for international travellers coming to Brisbane, Australia," says Co-Owner Catherine Malouf. However, The Calile experience goes far beyond its dreamy 30-metre centrepiece pool or sophisticated rooms adorned with a "neutral, chic palette of peach, rose and pistachio." Dining and drinks are a serious treat, with Hellenika, Bianca and Lobby Bar adding to Brisbane's burgeoning culinary scene. Plus, the hotel's cultural program is a major highlight, regularly hosting art exhibitions and performances by renowned names, such as the Australian Chamber Orchestra. "Being recognised among the world's best hotels for the third consecutive year is an incredible honour and a testament to our remarkable team. Their professionalism, consistency, and genuine care for our guests define The Calile experience for which we are known," says The Calile Hotel General Manager, Chris Kemlo. As for the rest of the list, Capella Sydney achieved top honours for Australia, debuting on the list at an impressive 12th place. Meanwhile, Rosewood Hong Kong has finally claimed the No. 1 spot, having previously been ranked No. 2 and No. 3. Don't forget to keep an eye out for updates on The Calile's expansion to Noosa Heads, a perfect location for the hotel's tropical look and feel coming in the near future. For the full World's 50 Best Hotels list for 2025, head to the website for more information. Images: Cieran Murphy.
Bliss comes in many forms. One such dose of happiness: waking up to glistening water right at your doorstep, after sleeping in a cabin perched over a lake and with your very own heated plunge pool on hand for a dip. Normally that scenic vision would have you thinking of overseas holidays — planning them, too — but it'll soon be available at Pumicestone Passage. Sandstone Point Holiday Resort, aka the Bribie Island-adjacent resort that's on the mainland side of the waterway, is adding overwater villas to its accommodation offerings. Holidaymakers will have six cabins to choose from, all on stilts in the resort's new natural — and swimmable — lake, and ideally before 2023 is out. There's no better time than summer to launch a new place to stay that's all about swims and watery views, with Sandstone Point Holiday Resort's overwater villas expected to be finished before the school holidays kick in. If you're keen to check them out as soon as they open, expect to have plenty of company. There might only be six of them, but the cabins each boast three bedrooms, making them family-friendly spots to slumber. And, so far more than 23,000 people have signed up for the waitlist to be notified when bookings launch. Also included in each cabin: two bathrooms, an open-plan kitchen, and a dining and living space that opens out onto a deck. Inside, there's a fireplace for the cooler months. Outside, patrons will find an outdoor space to eat, a barbecue, a ladder going into the swimming hole and the 5000-litre private plunge pool per villa. [caption id="attachment_927444" align="alignnone" width="1920"] default[/caption] At present, the lake beneath the cabins has just been filled, with the fish and natural plant life still to come. The villas themselves are being furnished, while outdoor showers are being finalised as well — plus privacy screens for each villa, and fencing to keep the place safe. Sandstone Point Holiday Resort already includes a swim-up bar and three heated pools, so you won't be lacking in splashing options if you spend your summers pretending you're Aquaman or Ariel. The natural lake will be chemical-free, with filtration and pumps making the water flow so that people can share a swim with the fish. If you don't manage to nab a villa stay once they're welcoming in travellers but you're still keen for a swim, the lake will be open to all Sandstone Point Holiday Resort guests; however, there'll be certain times each day when it is exclusively available to folks in the cabins. Sandstone Point Holiday Resort's overwater villas are expected to open before the end of 2023 at 1820 Bribie Island Road, Sandstone Point. Head to the resort's website to join the waitlist for further information.
This year's best food-lover gifts are all about small-batch craftsmanship and flavour with personality. Whether you're shopping for a dinner party host, a coffee obsessive or that friend who has opinions about olive oil, we've rounded up thoughtful presents that celebrate local makers and independent producers. Think edible luxuries, clever kitchen tools and design-led homewares that make every meal feel special — plus a few foodie-friendly experiences for good measure. Also have an avid arts lover in your life? Check out our guide to the best gifts for culture seekers. The Fish Weight, Mr Niland Equally nailing the brief of form and function, this stainless steel fish weight from celebrated chef Josh Niland helps you achieve a restaurant-quality cook on anything your heart desires to sear — while doubling as a sleek bench-side sculpture. Shop now. Apéritif Gift Set, Maison Balzac Handblown in the brand's signature sculptural style, this colourful glassware set will elevate any afternoon spritz session. A dreamy choice for design-minded entertainers. Shop now. Butter Blue Seersucker Apron, Mosey Me A cheerful, design-forward kitchen essential from Melbourne's Mosey Me. The seersucker fabric gives it a retro edge — perfect for the friend who loves to cook and coordinate. Shop now. Food For Everyone Art Prints, Food For Everyone These limited-edition prints turn iconic recipes into gallery-worthy art, with a portion of proceeds going to food security initiatives. It's the gift that looks good and does good. Shop now. Messina Make-at-Home Gingerbread Cookie Pie, Two Good Co x Gelato Messina Two Good Co has teamed up with Messina to create a rich, gooey cookie pie you can bake at home. Sweet, festive and socially conscious — every purchase helps support women in need. Shop now. The Madrusan Cocktail Companion, Michael and Zara Madrusan This beautifully bound cocktail bible from Heartbreaker's Michael and Zara Madrusan dives into the history and craft of modern classics. Ideal for the person who always insists on stirring, not shaking. Shop now. Lowe Rehoned Kitchen Knife 40, The Hub General Store A limited-edition knife handcrafted by Melbourne maker Andrew Lowe using a repurposed Japanese blade and a Curly Blackwood handle. Exclusive to The Hub General Store, it's a precision tool with heirloom-level craftsmanship. Shop now. Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Basil, Yiayia and Friends Greek heritage meets playful packaging in this small-batch olive oil infused with basil. Perfect for drizzling, gifting or just admiring on the benchtop. Shop now. Lemon Squeezer Fish, Mesa Collections Whimsical yet functional, this fish-shaped lemon squeezer adds charm to cocktail hours and seafood dinners alike. Because even citrus deserves good design. Shop now. Bubblegum Chopping Board, CHOPIT Boards Made from 100 percent recycled plastic, this bubblegum pink board is naturally odourless and non-absorbent, and turns everyday chopping into a moment of joy. Shop now. Full Set of Hot Sauces, Thousand Apologies A complete lineup of this female-owned Australian hot sauce brand's creations — from mild to blow-your-head-off. For the mate who measures love in Scovilles. Shop now. Balthazar Oyster Dish, Aretae Gifting Lovingly handcrafted, these sculptural dishes take cues from oyster shells — ideal for serving, styling, or simply admiring. A luxe, coastal-inspired addition to any table. Shop now. Moccamaster Select, Alternative Brewing Precision-engineered and endlessly reliable, the Moccamaster is a design icon in the coffee world. For serious caffeine lovers who like their brew as beautiful as it is consistent. Shop now. Meat Masterclass, Victor Churchill Give the gift of experience with a hands-on masterclass at Sydney's legendary Victor Churchill. Learn from expert butchers and chefs how to prepare and cook premium cuts to perfection. Shop now. Panettone Negroni, Never Never Distilling Co. This festive twist on a classic negroni blends Never Never's Triple Juniper Gin with bitter citrus aperitif, sweet vermouth and the warming flavours of aged muscat, orange liqueur and vanilla bean. It's rich, bright and unmistakably Christmas. Shop now. Pick-Your-Own-Label Wine, Good Reason Co If you're looking for a way to make gifting personal this Christmas, head to Good Reason Co for a bespoke wine bottle label. Depending on the gift-receiver, say anything from "Happiness looks good on you" to "Good riddance". Shop now. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations, giving you inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you to fabulous Fiji for a special stay at Castaway Island. We love this place so much that we teamed up with the resort to offer an exclusive five-night travel deal — including a complimentary bottle of wine and a fruit platter on arrival, free use of snorkelling equipment and selected water activities and a guided sunset kayaking tour and island walk. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? It may share the same name as the fictional survival drama starring Tom Hanks but, coconuts aside, guests at Castaway Island will experience an entirely different version of island life thanks to everything on offer at this decidedly indulgent escape. Castaway Island Fiji blends the charm of traditional Fijian bure (bungalows) with contemporary comforts to deliver luxurious relaxation to those who travel there. THE ROOMS Nestled amongst either the lush tropical gardens or at the water's edge, Castaway Island's Fijian-style thatched bungalows offer spectacular blue-to-green views to start the day, regardless of which suite you stay in. Rooms range in size from simple two-sleepers ideal for a romantic rendezvous to super-sized group spaces perfect for getaways with a crew of friends or the whole family. Each stay offers airy vaulted ceilings lined with individually designed hand-painted 'Tapa' cloths, an outdoor patio, those incredible vistas, and daily house keeping. They're also air-conditioned, in case being lulled to sleep by warm island breeze isn't your thing. FOOD AND DRINK Castaway Island offers travellers an excellent introduction to South Pacific cuisine, especially those who book this Concrete Trips package. As well as a complimentary tropical fruit platter on arrival, guests can spoil themselves with the a la carte selections at Water's Edge Restaurant (including the chargrilled wild caught fish of the day), or Polynesian-inspired snacks like Crispy Ura Salad with prawns and fruity cocktails at Nuku Maru Pool Bar & Grill, or fine Fijian-Asian fusion served to you at tables on the beach under the stars at Restaurant 1808. Ready to DIY? Enrol in one of Castaway Island Fijian Village cultural programs, which includes a Fijian culinary workshop so you can finesse your own cooking skills. THE LOCAL AREA You can spend most of your days diving into bright blue waters and walking along the sandy white beaches of Castaway Island. But, should you be looking for something more, the resort's all-ages all-interests program is packed with alternatives that allow you to take advantage of the natural landscape and discover the local area. Popular activities range from sunrise yoga to sunset snorkelling, kayaking to coconut-weaving classes, beach volleyball to traditional bracelet making. THE EXTRAS One of the best ways to experience the Fijian concept of Bula (a greeting wishing the person good health and a good life) is to accept an invitation to Castaway Island's weekly management meeting. An exclusive offer included in our Live the Luxe Castaway Life deal. Okay, given that you'll actually enjoy free cocktails and staff Meke (Fijian Dance) performances, it's probably more accurate to refer to it as a party. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
There are two types of people in this world: those who must eat brekkie and those who roll out of bed and get to the office sans sustenance. If you're the latter, we get it — life often gets in the way of breaking your fast. No doubt, though, when 11am hits, you're usually stinging for a snack. Whether you reach for the office bikkie tin or dash out to grab something from the closest cafe, there's no question our productivity is better when we're not counting down the minutes till lunch. So, why not save yourself from going hungry — and save some dosh — by making your own snacks? In partnership with Glad and its new Glad to be Green range, we've teamed up with Cornersmith Co-owner Alex Elliott-Howery to bring you the perfect go-to treat: the tahini muesli bar. While Alex is a master of pickles and preserves, she also makes mighty good snacks. She's also passionate about reducing food waste, with sustainability a big focus at Cornersmith, as well when she cooks at home. Alex's tahini muesli bars are packed with pantry staples, so minimal planning is required — and they take all of 20 minutes to make. So, do yourself a favour and whip up these nutritious and delicious bars. And, just think of the bragging rights when you bring these homemade treats into the office. [caption id="attachment_813279" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reuben Gibbs[/caption] INGREDIENTS Makes 12 bars Dry ingredients 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup desiccated coconut or puffed rice (or a mix of both) 1 cup mix of pepitas, linseed, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds Handful chopped walnuts, almonds or hazlenuts 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup LSA or wheatgerm 60g chocolate buttons or dried fruit Wet ingredients 1/2 cup tahini 1/2 cup honey 1/3 cup coconut oil [caption id="attachment_813284" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reuben Gibbs[/caption] METHOD Preheat oven to 160 degree celsius and line a 16 centimetre x 16 centimetre tray with Glad's compostable baking paper. Combine tahini, honey and coconut oil in a small saucepan and melt over low heat. Then, in a bowl, combine rolled oats, desiccated coconut or puffed rice (or both), your mix of seeds, the nut of your choice and ground cinnamon. Stir wet mixture through the dry muesli mix, ensuring to coat well. Add LSA (or wheatgerm) and chocolate buttons (or dried fruit) and stir well to combine. Pour mixture into baking tray and press to flatten. Cover with baking paper and firmly press the mixture again with the palm of your hand. Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until golden brown. Refrigerate overnight to allow to set. Then, cut into 12 bars (or whatever your ideal snack size is). Keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. For some additional tips, check out the video below. https://vimeo.com/557081707 Go green and visit the Glad website for more tips and tricks. Top images: Reuben Gibbs
After a hefty renovation, Fortitude Valley favourite The Wickham has reopened its doors. Hitting up the heritage-listed Wickham Street now means enjoying a revamped beer garden — one that's now weather-proof, too, taking not only Brisbane's sunshine but the city's storms into account — and spying pops of colour everywhere, spotting Jennifer Coolidge among the artwork and tucking into Disco Fruit Tingle cocktails served in disco balls. It was back in August 2022 that the 138-year-old venue's makeover was announced, with Australian Venue Co advising that it'd be putting $1.5 million into The Wickham's fresh look. Renovating a bar that dates back to 1885 isn't a small task, though. Accordingly, in early March the hospitality company advised that hotel's do-over cost $3.1 million. As seen across the revamped outdoor area and two newly done-up indoor spaces, that sum has gone into a new design by Newline Design — well, as new as the site's heritage listing allows. Walk through The Wickham now and you'll notice a mix of the old and the fresh, aka balancing historic charm with upgrades. A new kitchen has been put in as well. Among the existing areas of the pub that've been given a new lease on life, The Wickham's old corner bar and studio spaces are now welcoming in patrons in their new guise. They've both been renamed, dubbed The Peacock Room and Garland Room, respectively. And yes, they now sport decor to match. The Peacock Room is decked out with vintage furniture, work by local artists — heroing LGBTQIA+ talent — plus nods to the Wickham's peacock Frankie. It's also the venue's favourite option for cruisy drinks. Garland Room is the venue's new club space, which means that DJs, performers and parties will be filling it ASAP. The Wickham's reopening also sees it bring back Thursday night trivia in the beer garden, live tunes from Friday–Sunday and drag shows on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Peacock Room is also set to host bottomless burlesque brunch sessions once a month. Menu-wise, Executive Chef Dylan Kemp is overseeing the new food lineup, which spans stone-baked pizzas, bar snacks and late-night options, including a sizeable range of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. On offer: cauliflower hot bites, fried quail with truffle mash — and a menu just for dogs that spans crispy pig skin, meat balls, gravy and peanut butter. Taking cues from the 70s and its fondness for disco, the drinks list has scored a once-over as well. Think: those aforementioned Disco Fruit Tingles; Glitter Bellinis, complete with edible glitter; and frozen G&Ts made with pineapple tonic. If you're keen on a tipple without the booze, the venue has upped its non-alcoholic range of wines, spirits, beers and cocktails as well, which'll feature a No-groni and the Espresso Marti-no. The Wickham is no stranger to nips and tucks during its century-plus existence, of course, including last undergoing a refresh back in 2014 and gaining five completely new spaces in the process.
There's no one right way to experience SXSW, whether you're attending the Austin or Sydney version, but one of the event's huge highlights is its high-profile list of folks who get talking. As 2023's debut festival Down Under demonstrated, this is the kind of event where you could be listening to Chance The Rapper one moment, then Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker the next. In 2024, it's also the type of festival where The Kid LAROI, human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, author Johann Hari, Lucy Lawless, Grace Tame, Suzie Miller and Stephen Page are getting chatting. This year's lineup features more than 1000 speakers, 60-plus tech exhibitors, over 200 artists, 120-plus games and more than 75 screenings across Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 dates. Other standouts from the conference part of the program include Nick Kyrgios, Noémie Fox, Chad Lawson and Molly Taylor. Fancy hearing about heading into space? That's where Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg comes in. On the music side of the bill, not only is The Kid LAROI the keynote speaker, but the 'Stay', 'Without You', 'Thousand Miles', 'Love Again' and 'Girls' talent is introducing a First Nations showcase. Stepping from Heartbreak High to SXSW Sydney Music Festival, Ayesha Madon is also one of that strand's highlights. SAHXL, Nick Ward, BALTHVS, Total Tommy, brothers J-MILLA & Yung Milla, Joel Sunny, Ena Mori, Smol fish, HighSchool, Maina Doe, 404: you'll be able to see them as well. Screen-wise, once opening night's Y2K kicks off the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival, the program features everything from headliners Saturday Night, Smile 2, Nightbitch, The Front Room and Pavements to Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts from Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs' Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker — and Warwick Thornton (Samson & Delilah, Sweet Country, The New Boy), The Babadook composer Jed Kurzel and Barbie executive producer Josey McNamara among the talks. At Tumbalong Park, SXSW Sydney's festival hub is back 60-plus hours of free entertainment, too. Keen to feel like you're stepping inside some of your favourite TV shows? So is Prime Video's Primeville pop-up from Tuesday, October 15–Sunday, October 20 at Fratelli Fresh Darling Harbour. That's barely scratching the surface of 2024's SXSW Sydney characteristically jam-packed lineup. If you can't find something exciting to do, see, watch, learn from or dance to every single day of the fest, you clearly haven't looked at the program. [caption id="attachment_970635" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] Top images: Jordan Kirk, Ian Laidlaw and Jaimi Joy.
If one man's trash is another man's treasure, then a trunk full of junk may as well be a treasure chest. Suitcase Rummage gets that when it comes to shopping, second-hand reaps the best bang for your buck. For years they've been hosting regular events at Brisbane Square, but now they're upgrading and upsizing to the Powerhouse and adding a craft workshop to the mix. The Suitcase Rummage and Crafternoon takes place from 11am to 4pm, and will feature a crowd of open suitcases filled with the type of clothes, knick-knacks and craft you probably don't need but definitely deserve. Plus, join Emily Lush for a workshop on Woven Wallhangings, where you'll learn the basics of tapestry weaving (even how to make your own lap loom from upcycled materials). You can have your own shot at weaving something beautiful, and if you really know how to take advantage of a situation, pop it in an open suitcase and smack a $20 pricetag on it. Entry for Suitcase Rummage and Crafternoon is free, and if you're interested in running a stall, register here.
Usually, when a new year hits and Hollywood starts handing out shiny trophies for the best movies and television programs of the past 12 months, audiences are asked to get watching not once but twice. First, there's all of the ceremonies — and then there's the must-view list that springs from those newly anointed winners. The initial cab off the rank each year, the Golden Globes, did their thing for 2022 on Monday, January 10. This isn't a normal event for these accolades, however. After multiple controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organisation behind the awards, the Globes weren't given out at a star-studded event. Plenty of films and TV shows still emerged victorious, though. Yes, even without sitting through the three-hour-plus televised ceremony, you still have a whole heap of freshly minted Globe-recipients to see — and you can watch most of them right now. Whether you're keen to hit the big screen to catch a filmic gem, stream a stellar flick or binge your way through an excellent series or two, here's 12 of the Globes' best winners that you can check out immediately. (And if you're wondering what else won, you can read through the full list, too.) MOVIE MUST-SEES THE POWER OF THE DOG Don't call it a comeback: Jane Campion's films have been absent from cinemas for 12 years but, due to miniseries Top of the Lake, she hasn't been biding her time in that gap. And don't call it simply returning to familiar territory, even if the New Zealand director's new movie features an ivory-tinkling woman caught between cruel and sensitive men, as her Cannes Palme d'Or-winner The Piano did three decades ago. Campion isn't rallying after a dip, just as she isn't repeating herself. She's never helmed anything less than stellar, and she's immensely capable of unearthing rich new pastures in well-ploughed terrain. With The Power of the Dog, Campion is at the height of her skills trotting into her latest mesmerising musing on strength, desire and isolation — this time via a venomous western that's as perilously bewitching as its mountainous backdrop. That setting is Montana, circa 1925. Campion's homeland stands in for America nearly a century ago, making a magnificent sight — with cinematographer Ari Wegner (Zola, True History of the Kelly Gang) perceptively spying danger in its craggy peaks and dusty plains even before the film introduces Rose and Peter Gordon (On Becoming a God in Central Florida's Kirsten Dunst and 2067's Kodi Smit-McPhee). When the widowed innkeeper and her teenage son serve rancher brothers Phil and George Burbank (Spider-Man: No Way Home's Benedict Cumberbatch a career-best, awards-worthy, downright phenomenal turn, plus Antlers' Jesse Plemons) during a cattle-run stop, the encounter seesaws from callousness to kindness, a dynamic that continues after Rose marries George and decamps to the Burbank mansion against that stunning backdrop. Brutal to the lanky, lisping Peter from the outset, Phil responds to the nuptials with malice. He isn't fond of change, and won't accommodate anything that fails his bristling definition of masculinity and power, either. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Best Director (Jane Campion) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama (Benedict Cumberbatch), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture (Kirsten Dunst) The Power of the Dog is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. WEST SIDE STORY Tonight, tonight, there's only Steven Spielberg's lavish and dynamic version of West Side Story tonight — not to detract from or forget the 1961 movie of the same name. Six decades ago, an all-singing, all-dancing, New York City-set, gang war-focused spin on Romeo and Juliet leapt from stage to screen, becoming one of cinema's all-time classic musicals; however, remaking that hit is a task that Spielberg dazzlingly proves up to. It's his first sashay into the genre, despite making his initial amateur feature just three years after the original West Side Story debuted. It's also his first film since 2018's obnoxiously awful Ready Player One, which doubled as a how-to guide to crafting one of the worst, flimsiest and most bloated pieces of soulless pop-culture worship possible. But with this swooning, socially aware story of star-crossed lovers, Spielberg pirouettes back from his atrocious last flick by embracing something he clearly adores, and being unafraid to give it rhythmic swirls and thematic twirls. Shakespeare's own tale of tempestuous romance still looms large over West Side Story, as it always has — in fair NYC and its rubble-strewn titular neighbourhood where it lays its 1950s-era scene. The Jets and the Sharks aren't quite two households both alike in dignity, though. Led by the swaggering and dogged Riff (Mike Faist, a Tony-nominee for the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen), the Jets are young, scrappy, angry and full of resentment for anyone they fear is encroaching on their terrain. Meanwhile, with boxer Bernardo (David Alvarez, a Tony-winner for Billy Elliot) at the helm, the Sharks have tried to establish new lives outside of their native Puerto Rico through study, jobs and their own businesses. Both gangs refuse to coexist peacefully in the only part of New York where either feels at home — but it's a night at a dance, and the love-at-first-sight connection that blooms between Riff's best friend Tony (Ansel Elgort, The Goldfinch) and Bernardo's younger sister María (feature debutant Rachel Zegler), that sparks a showdown. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Rachel Zegler), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture (Ariana DeBose) Nominated: Best Director (Steven Spielberg) West Side Story is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. ENCANTO Five years after Lin-Manuel Miranda and Disney first teamed up on an animated musical with the catchiest of tunes, aka Moana, they're back at it again with Encanto. To viewers eager for another colourful, thoughtful and engaging film — and another that embraces a particular culture with the heartiest of hugs, and is all the better for it — what can the past decade's most influential composer and biggest entertainment behemoth say except you're welcome? Both the Hamilton mastermind and the Mouse House do what they do best here. The songs are infectious, as well as diverse in style; the storyline follows a spirited heroine challenging the status quo; and the imagery sparkles. Miranda and Disney are both in comfortable territory, in fact — formulaic, sometimes — but Encanto never feels like they're monotonously beating the same old drum. Instruments are struck, shaken and otherwise played in the film's soundtrack, of course, which resounds with energetic earworms; the salsa beats of 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' are especially irresistible, and the Miranda-penned hip hop wordplay that peppers the movie's tunes is impossible to mentally let go. Spanning pop, ballads and more, all those songs help tell the tale of the Madrigals, a close-knit Colombian family who've turned generational trauma into magic. This is still an all-ages-friendly Disney flick, so there are limits to how dark it's willing to get; however, that Encanto fills its frames with a joyous celebration of Latin America and simultaneously recognises its setting's history of conflict is hugely significant. It also marks Walt Disney Animation Studios' 60th feature — dating back to 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs — but its cultural specificity (depictions of Indigenous, Afro Latino and Colombian characters of other ethnicities included) is its bigger achievement. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Animated Nominated: Best Original Score — Motion Picture, Best Original Song — Motion Picture Encanto is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Disney+. Read our full review. DUNE A spice-war space opera about feuding houses on far-flung planets, Dune has long been a pop-culture building block. Before Frank Herbert's 1965 novel was adapted into a wrongly reviled David Lynch-directed film — a gloriously 80s epic led by Kyle MacLachlan and laced with surreal touches — it unmistakably inspired Star Wars, and also cast a shadow over Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Game of Thrones has since taken cues from it. The Riddick franchise owes it a debt, too. The list goes on and, thanks to the new version bringing its sandy deserts to cinemas, will only keep growing. As he did with Blade Runner 2049, writer/director Denis Villeneuve has once again grasped something already enormously influential, peered at it with astute eyes and built it anew — and created an instant sci-fi classic. This time, Villeneuve isn't asking viewers to ponder whether androids dream of electric sheep, but if humanity can ever overcome one of our worst urges and all that it brings. With an exceptional cast that spans Timothée Chalamet (The French Dispatch), Oscar Isaac (The Card Counter), Rebecca Ferguson (Reminiscence), Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame), Javier Bardem (Everybody Knows), Zendaya (Spider-Man: No Way Home) and more, Dune tells of birthrights, prophesied messiahs, secret sisterhood sects that underpin the galaxy and phallic-looking giant sandworms, and of the primal lust for power that's as old as time — and, in Herbert's story, echoes well into the future's future. Its unpacking of dominance and command piles on colonial oppression, authoritarianism, greed, ecological calamity and religious fervour, like it is building a sandcastle out of power's nastiest ramifications. And, amid that weightiness — plus those spectacularly shot visuals and Hans Zimmer's throbbing score — it's also a tale of a moody teen with mind-control abilities struggling with what's expected versus what's right. GLOBES Won: Best Original Score — Motion Picture Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Director (Denis Villeneuve) Dune is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. NO TIME TO DIE James Bond might famously prefer his martinis shaken, not stirred, but No Time to Die doesn't quite take that advice. While the enterprising spy hasn't changed his drink order, the latest film he's in — the 25th official feature in the franchise across six decades, and the fifth and last that'll star Daniel Craig — gives its regular ingredients both a mix and a jiggle. The action is dazzlingly choreographed, a menacing criminal has an evil scheme and the world is in peril, naturally. Still, there's more weight in Craig's performance, more emotion all round, and a greater willingness to contemplate the stakes and repercussions that come with Bond's globe-trotting, bed-hopping, villain-dispensing existence. There's also an eagerness to shake up parts of the character and Bond template that rarely get a nudge. Together, even following a 19-month pandemic delay, it all makes for a satisfying blockbuster cocktail. For Craig, the actor who first gave Bond a 21st-century flavour back in 2006's Casino Royale (something Pierce Brosnan couldn't manage in 2002's Die Another Day), No Time to Die also provides a fulfilling swansong. That wasn't assured; as much as he's made the tuxedo, gadgets and espionage intrigue his own, the Knives Out and Logan Lucky actor's tenure has charted a seesawing trajectory. His first stint in the role was stellar and franchise-redefining, but 2008's Quantum of Solace made it look like a one-off. Then Skyfall triumphed spectacularly in 2012, before Spectre proved all too standard in 2015. Ups and downs have long been part of this franchise, depending on who's in the suit, who's behind the lens, the era and how far the tone skews towards comedy — but at its best, Craig's run has felt like it's building new levels rather than traipsing through the same old framework. GLOBES Won: Best Original Song — Motion Picture No Time to Die is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. TICK, TICK... BOOM! "Try writing what you know." That's age-old advice, dispensed to many a scribe who hasn't earned the success or even the reaction they'd hoped, and it's given to aspiring theatre composer Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield, Under the Silver Lake) in Tick, Tick… Boom!. The real-life figure would go on to write Rent but here, in New York City in January 1990, he's working on his debut musical Superbia. It's a futuristic satire inspired by George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, and it's making him anxious about three things. Firstly, he hasn't yet come up with a pivotal second-act song that he keeps being told he needs. Next, he's staging a workshop for his debut production to gauge interest before the week is out — and this just has to be his big break. Finally, he's also turning 30 in days, and his idol Stephen Sondheim made his Broadway debut in his 20s. Tick, Tick… Boom! charts the path to those well-worn words of wisdom about drawing from the familiar, including Larson's path to the autobiographical one-man-show of the same name before Rent. And, it manages to achieve that feat while showing why such a sentiment isn't merely a cliche in this situation. That said, the key statement about mining your own experience also echoes throughout this affectionate movie musical in another unmissable way. Lin-Manuel Miranda didn't write Tick, Tick… Boom!'s screenplay; however, he does turn it into his filmmaking directorial debut — and what could be more fitting for that task from the acclaimed In the Heights and Hamilton talent than a loving ode (albeit an inescapably overexcited one) to the hard work put in by a game-changing theatre wunderkind? GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Andrew Garfield) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy Tick, Tick… Boom! is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. SMALL SCREEN BINGES SUCCESSION For fans of blistering TV shows about wealth, power, the vast chasm between the rich and everyone else, and the societal problems that fester due to such rampant inequality, 2021 has been a fantastic year. The White Lotus fit the bill, as did Squid Game, but Succession has always been in its own league. In the 'eat the rich' genre, the HBO drama sits at the top of the food chain as it chronicles the extremely lavish and influential lives of the Roy family. No series slings insults as brutally; no show channels feuding and backstabbing into such an insightful and gripping satire of the one percent, either. Finally back on our screens after a two-year gap between its second and third seasons, Succession doesn't just keep plying its astute and addictive battles and power struggles — following season two's big bombshell, it keeps diving deeper. The premise has remained the same since day one, with Logan Roy's (Brian Cox, Super Troopers 2) kids Kendall (Jeremy Strong, The Trial of the Chicago 7), Shiv (Sarah Snook, Pieces of a Woman), Roman (Kieran Culkin, No Sudden Move) and Connor (Alan Ruck, Gringo) vying to take over the family media empire. This brood's tenuous and tempestuous relationship only gets thornier with each episode, and its examination of their privileged lives — and what that bubble has done to them emotionally, psychologically and ideologically — only grows in season three. It becomes more addictive, too. There's no better show currently on TV, and no better source of witty dialogue. And there's no one turning in performances as layered as Strong, Cox, Snook, Culkin, J Smith-Cameron (Search Party), Matthew Macfadyen (The Assistant) and Nicholas Braun (Zola). GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Drama, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Drama (Jeremy Strong), Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Supporting Role (Sarah Snook) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Drama (Brian Cox), Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role (Kieran Culkin) All three seasons of Succession are available to stream via Binge. SQUID GAME Exploring societal divides within South Korea wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but its success was always going to give other films and TV shows on the topic a healthy boost. Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between the acclaimed movie and Netflix's highly addictive Squid Game — the show that's become the platform's biggest show ever (yes, bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton). Anyone who has seen even an episode knows why this nine-part series is so compulsively watchable. Its puzzle-like storyline and its unflinching savagery making quite the combination. Here, in a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts. That includes series protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, Deliver Us From Evil), a chauffeur with a gambling problem, and also a divorcé desperate to do whatever he needs to to keep his daughter in his life. But, as it probes the chasms caused by capitalism and cash — and the things the latter makes people do under the former — this program isn't just about one player. It's about survival, the status quo the world has accepted when it comes to money, and the real inequality present both in South Korea and elsewhere. Filled with electric performances, as clever as it is compelling, unsurprisingly littered with smart cliffhangers, and never afraid to get bloody and brutal, the result is a savvy, tense and taut horror-thriller that entertains instantly and also has much to say. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role (Oh Yeong-su) Nominated: Best Television Series — Drama, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Drama (Lee Jung-jae) Squid Game is available to stream via Netflix. TED LASSO A sports-centric sitcom that's like a big warm hug, Ted Lasso belongs in the camp of comedies that focus on nice and caring people doing nice and caring things. Parks and Recreation is the ultimate recent example of this subgenre, as well as fellow Michael Schur-created favourite Brooklyn Nine-Nine — shows that celebrate people supporting and being there for each other, and the bonds that spring between them, to not just an entertaining but to a soul-replenishing degree. As played by Jason Sudeikis (Booksmart), the series' namesake is all positivity, all the time. A small-time US college football coach, he scored an unlikely job as manager of British soccer team AFC Richmond in the show's first season, a job that came with struggles. The ravenous media wrote him off instantly, the club was hardly doing its best, owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham, Sex Education) had just taken over the organisation as part of her divorce settlement, and veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) and current hotshot Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, Judy) refused to get along. Ted's upbeat attitude does wonders, though. In Ted Lasso's also-excellent second season, however, he finds new team psychologist Dr Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles, I May Destroy You) an unsettling presence. You definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this show's ongoing charms, to adore its heartwarming determination to value banding together and looking on the bright side, and to love its depiction of both male tenderness and supportive female friendships (which is where Maleficent: Mistress of Evil's Juno Temple comes in). In fact, this is the best sitcom currently in production. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Comedy (Jason Sudeikis) Nominated: Best Television Series — Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Supporting Role (Hannah Waddingham), Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role (Brett Goldstein) Ted Lasso's first and second seasons are available to stream via Apple TV+. THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Two words: Barry Jenkins. Where the Oscar-nominated Moonlight director goes, viewers should always follow. That proved the case with 2018's If Beale Street Could Talk, and it's definitely accurate regarding The Underground Railroad, the phenomenal ten-part series that features Jenkins behind the camera of each and every episode. As the name makes plain, the historical drama uses the real-life Underground Railroad — the routes and houses that helped enslaved Black Americans escape to freedom — as its basis. Here, though, drawing on the past isn't as straightforward as it initially sounds. Adapting Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same moniker, the series dives deeply into the experiences of people endeavouring to flee slavery, while also adopting magic-realism when it comes to taking a literal approach to its railroad concept. That combination couldn't work better in Jenkins' hands as he follows Cora (Thuso Mbedu, Shuga), a woman forced into servitude on a plantation overseen by Terrance Randall (Benjamin Walker, Jessica Jones). As always proves the case in the filmmaker's work, every frame is a thing of beauty, every second heaves with emotion, and every glance, stare, word and exchange is loaded with a thorough examination of race relations in America. Nothing else this affecting reached streaming queues in 2021 — but even one series like this made it a phenomenal year for audiences. GLOBES Won: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television The Underground Railroad is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. HACKS It sounds like an obvious premise, and one that countless films and TV shows have already mined in the name of laughs. In Hacks, two vastly dissimilar people are pushed together, with the resulting conflict guiding the series. Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, North Hollywood) and her new boss Deborah Vance (Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown) couldn't be more different in age, experience, tastes and opinions. The former is a 25-year-old who made the move to Hollywood, has been living out her dream as a comedy writer, but found her career plummeting after a tweet crashed and burned. The latter is a legendary stand-up who hasn't stopped hitting the stage for decades, is approaching the 2500th show of her long-running Las Vegas residency and is very set in her ways. They appear to share exactly one thing in common: a love for comedy. They're an odd couple thrust together by their mutual manager Jimmy (Paul W Downs, Broad City), neither wants to be working with the other, and — to the surprise of no one, including each other — they clash again and again. There's no laugh track adding obvious chuckles to this HBO sitcom, though. Created by three of the talents behind Broad City — writer Jen Statsky; writer/director Lucia Aniello; and Downs, who does double duty in front of and behind the lens — Hacks isn't solely interested in setting two seemingly mismatched characters against each other. This is a smart and insightful series about what genuinely happens when this duo spends more and more time together, what's sparked their generational conflict and what, despite their evident differences, they actually share beyond that love of making people laugh. And, it's a frank, funny and biting assessment of being a woman in entertainment — and it's also always as canny as it is hilarious. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Comedy (Jean Smart) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Comedy (Hannah Einbinder) Hacks is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. MARE OF EASTTOWN Kate Winslet doesn't make the leap to the small screen often, but when she does, it's a must-see event. 2011's Mildred Pierce was simply astonishing, a description that both Winslet and her co-star Guy Pearce also earned — alongside an Emmy each, plus three more for the HBO limited series itself. The two actors and the acclaimed US cable network all reteamed for Mare of Easttown, and it too is excellent. Set on the outskirts of Philadelphia, it follows detective Mare Sheehan. As the 25th anniversary of her high-school basketball championship arrives, and after a year of trying to solve a missing person's case linked to one of her former teammates, a new murder upends her existence. Mare's life overflows with complications anyway, with her ex-husband (David Denman, Brightburn) getting remarried, and her mother (Jean Smart, Hacks), teenage daughter (Angourie Rice, Spider-Man: Far From Home) and four-year-old grandson all under her roof. With town newcomer Richard Ryan (Pearce, The Last Vermeer), she snatches what boozy and physical solace she can. As compelling and textured as she always is, including in this year's Ammonite, Winslet turns Mare of Easttown into a commanding character study. That said, it's firmly an engrossing crime drama as well. Although yet again pondering the adult life of an ex-school sports star, The Way Back's Brad Ingelsby isn't just repeating himself by creating and writing this seven-part series, while The Leftovers and The Hunt's Craig Zobel takes to his directing gig with a probing eye. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Kate Winslet) Nominated: Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Mare of Easttown is available to stream via Binge.
Located in the heart of the city, and within a stones throw of the river, Tenya can boast that it's Brisbanes largest Japanese restaurant. And we know, big doesn't always mean better, but with Tanya it kind of does. It's so popular it needs to be big. And the menu is so diverse there's no chance you'll be keen on shuffling out after a short seating. The interior features are both modern and traditional with a healthy coating of deluxe finishes, and its ambient lighting gives it a moody edge. This is the place for both a catch up with the extended family (cause it's big, y'know?) and also an intimate dinner date. [caption id="attachment_867353" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claudia Baxter[/caption] Drinks-wise, they'll knock up the classic cocktails, in-house inventions and a decent selection of wines both by the glass and the bottle. If you're at Tenya for a special occasion, the sparkling list includes both Aussie and French classics, with the Jansz Premium Cuvee available by the glass. The sake list is long, with premium options including the Ippin Awase Yuzu sake by the bottle. The whiskey list is also mighty impressive, boasting heaps of Japanese bottles you can't find in other bars. Tenya's food menu features sashimi platters and omakase, while entrees include all the classics —think agedashi tofu and edamame beans. Bigger dishes include a 200-gram rib eye with dashi, baby spinach, chives and yakinuki sauce, as well as teriyaki salmon with seasonal vegetables. There are plenty of tempura options too, as well as karaage, rolls and nigiri. The menu here is as long as your arm so be sure to give yourself plenty of time and book again. This place is big (not sure if we've mentioned that), so getting a table won't be too hard, but leaving at the end of the night might be.
This year's Oscars belonged to one man, much like the last year in cinema has. It doesn't happen all that often, but the best film of the past twelve months dominated the Academy Awards — as did the filmmaker behind it. By winning Best Picture, Bong Joon-ho's Parasite became the first movie in a language other than English to do so. Let that sink in: it's the first film to score the top prize in the Oscars' 92-year run. By winning four trophies, all of which went to Bong thanks to his work as the movie's director, co-writer and co-producer, Parasite also became this year's most awarded feature. Given that before 2020, a South Korean film had never even been nominated for an Oscar — not even in the Best International Feature category — Bong well and truly made history. What a delight it was to see him so overwhelmed by the recognition, whether paying tribute to Martin Scorsese, a filmmaker he himself studied in film school, or thanking Quentin Tarantino for championing his movies from the get-go. How relatable it was, too, to hear Bong reveal his post-Oscars plans several times: "I will drink until the next morning". Still, while Parasite deservedly came out on top, 2020's ceremony spread the love across a heap of worthy films. A whopping 14 features won gongs, ranging from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Judy and Rocketman's respective renderings of showbiz history to Taika Waititi's 'anti-hate' comedy Jojo Rabbit — with the latter making him the first Maori person to win an Oscar. Among the other highlights: Janelle Monae and Billy Porter wowing everyone with a lively song-and-dance number right out of the gate, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig demonstrating that they would've killed it if they'd emceed the host-less ceremony, and Chris Rock mentioning how vaginas are missing from the director's nominees this year. Among the oddities: Eminem taking to the stage to sing his 2003 Oscar-winner 'Lose Yourself' for some unknown reason. That's the ceremony done and dusted. Now, if you haven't already, it's time to enjoy all the flicks that just received shiny accolades. From the second movie to nab an actor a prize for playing the Joker, to two Netflix films you can stream right now, here are all of the winners that you should add to your viewing list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0KJAzyUJc PARASITE Won: Best Picture (Kwak Sin-ae and Bong Joon-ho, producers), Best Director (Bong Joon-ho), Best Original Screenplay (Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won), Best International Feature Film Our thoughts: "Bong Joon-ho has crafted a bleak, twisty blend of black tragi-comedy, pulsating thrills and socially relevant horror — a movie that's such a phenomenal example of all that cinema can and should be that you'll want to high-five the filmmaker after watching it... This isn't just a killer picture on all of the standard levels, however. Contemplating society's growing class collisions and inequities, Parasite also makes a killer statement." Where to watch it: In cinemas, still — and it's also available to rent or buy on DVD. Read the full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsL_spv4yEw ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Won: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Brad Pitt), Best Production Design (production design: Barbara Ling; set decoration: Nancy Haigh) Our thoughts: "Incessantly keen to splash his affection for celluloid history across the screen as always, Quentin Tarantino is in his element recreating Hollywood's golden days, its big names and LA's gleaming sights, and nodding to westerns once again. But, befitting a flick about weathering seismic personal, cultural and societal shifts, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood is a glorious character piece first and foremost." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwRL0u87nbc 1917 Won: Best Cinematography (Roger Deakins), Best Sound Mixing (Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson), Best Visual Effects (Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic Tuohy) Our thoughts: "The storytelling gimmickry is obvious, jamming in chaos and peril across a wealth of scenarios, but the overall impact is inescapably immense and heartbreakingly intense. What Dunkirk did for a pivotal World War II event, 1917 does just as commandingly for an entire earlier war." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C61wB6DTwiA JUDY Won: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Renee Zellweger) Our thoughts: "Stepping into a famous figure's shoes might be one of acting's most difficult feats, especially when that person is cinema royalty, but Renee Zellweger doesn't ever feel like she's just impersonating Judy Garland. Rather, she wears Garland's ruby slippers as if they're her own — and they fit perfectly." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr-Lg-_KFHU JOKER Won: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Joaquin Phoenix), Best Original Score (Hildur Guðnadóttir) Our thoughts: "Joker is unflinchingly bold and brilliant in one inescapable fashion, as it was bound to be when it cast its lead. All skin, bone and sinew as he cavorts, frolics and chortles, Joaquin Phoenix is in stunning, mesmerising, awards-worthy form yet again. His raspy cackle isn't easily forgotten; neither is his off-kilter demeanour." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHi-a1n8t7M MARRIAGE STORY Won: Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Laura Dern) Our thoughts: "While Marriage Story does indeed tell the tale of a marriage, this devastatingly astute and empathetic drama does so within a portrait of the relationship's dying days and its rocky aftermath... In his ever-perceptive way, Noah Baumbach hones in on figures whose lives are a shambles, then watches as they natter their way forward — revealing their fragile core while revelling in the minutiae of their existence." Where to watch it: On Netflix. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MCOpNti_pQ LITTLE WOMEN Won: Best Costume Design (Jacqueline Durran) Our thoughts: "Greta Gerwig works wonders with her script and her actors — tasks that might seem easy, but still bear her fingerprints — however she also directs a visually sumptuous film. Little Women sparkles with warmth and charm, not only when dresses catch alight and catastrophic haircuts inspire laughs, but across tender and heartbreaking moments." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m36QeKOJ2Fc AMERICAN FACTORY Won: Best Documentary Our thoughts: The first film produced for Netflix by Barack and Michelle Obama, fly-on-the-wall documentary American Factory tackles a subject of paramount importance — not just to the former President and First Lady's own country, but worldwide. Across three years, directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert chronicled the operations of a Chinese-owned plant in Ohio, crafting an eye-opening portrait of the human impact of the global economy. Where to watch it: On Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl9JS8-gnWQ TOY STORY 4 Won: Best Animated Feature Film Our thoughts: "Reflective, sweet, sensitive and virtually guaranteed to wring a response out of even the most cynical of viewers, Toy Story 4 is a classic Pixar piece... At its best, this saga is as imaginative, amusing and fun as it is thoughtful, with bright, bouncy animation to match — and, returning to the heights of the first film, the franchise is at its best again here." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTm5DWgL-MU ROCKETMAN Won: Best Original Song ("(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again — music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin) Our thoughts: "There's a vibrant spark to Rocketman as it charts Reginald Dwight's transformation into Elton Hercules John. A glorious tone, too, which couldn't work better. Showing how fantastical the ups and downs of fame, fortune and rock stardom can be by sashaying through a sea of surreality, the result is a winning marriage of form and feeling." Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy on iTunes, YouTube, Google Play and DVD. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4McUzXfFI JOJO RABBIT Won: Best Adapted Screenplay (Taika Waititi) Our thoughts: "Waititi's irreverent, irrepressible sense of humour is usually a delight (see: his aforementioned films, plus What We Do in the Shadows and Thor Ragnarok), but Jojo Rabbit is at its best when it actually dials back the gags, mockery and pointed current-day parallels, and instead hones in on its central trio in less overt moments." Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3h9Z89U9ZA FORD V FERRARI Won: Best Film Editing (Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker), Best Sound Editing (Donald Sylvester) Our thoughts: A car-racing film that branches beyond speeding vehicles driving in circles around a track, Ford v Ferrari is more than just a dramatised account of two automotive companies battling it out in a prestigious race, too. With particular thanks to Christian Bale's performance as British driver and engineer Ken Miles, this is a celebration of smarts, hard work and ingenuity — and one that's engaging, thrilling and superb on a technical level as well. Where to watch it: In cinemas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOdDd4NEeg BOMBSHELL Won: Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker) Our thoughts: "Bombshell is the slick, shiny version of a ripped-from-the-headlines story, which earned global attention when it broke back in 2016. Airbrushed to buffer away blemishes and avoid tricky spots, it's watered down to deliver an easy, glossy, simplified narrative. " Where to watch it: In cinemas. Read our full review. Top image: Parasite.
Sometimes, you need to take a break from your city, to get out and soak up the sun somewhere new. The sun-plenty city of Sydney is the perfect destination, it's bursting with beaches, pools and swimming holes, where you can enjoy the water, catch some rays and let your worries dissipate. But you don't want to get stuck visiting the same old tourist traps, beaches with screaming kids, expensive eats and way too many people. To help you out, we've partnered with Qantas and created the big summer bucket list of Sydney. We've pulled together our favourite spots for cannonballing, diving and lapping. Jump straight to Sydney's best swimming holes, secluded beaches, harbour beaches, outdoor pools, ocean pools, night swimming spots or surfing beaches. Pick one. Any one, and do as the locals do. BONDI ICEBERGS Members of Sydney's toughest swimming club, The Icebergs, have been proving their mettle here since 1929. To stay in the gang, they must meet every Sunday throughout winter and swim at least one lap of the pool, regardless of icy temperatures or inclement weather. If that sounds too traumatic for you, stick to a weekend visit. One of the best-equipped pools on the list, the Icebergs comes with a sauna, gym, masseuse, yoga lessons and cafe. Entry is $6.50. Once you've worked up an appetite, head to renowned Sydney restaurant Icebergs for a post-swim tipple and enjoy exceptional panoramic views. [caption id="attachment_549078" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Warringah Council.[/caption] NORTH CURL CURL ROCKPOOL Curl Curl's exposed, east-southeast position makes it one of Sydney's most exciting but dangerous beaches. The southerly swell surges in, driving waves to heights of 1.5 metres or more and powering hazardous rips. Lap up all the action from the safety of the North Curl Curl Rock Pool. Carved out in the mid-1930s, it has a natural floor and rocky platforms for sunbaking (slip, slop, slap, please). At high tide, access is only available via a coastal walkway. Pack a picnic for an authentic Sydney-style lunch. BRONTE BATHS Opened in 1887, Bronte Baths is one of Sydney's oldest and most photographed pools. Its best-known regular was Evelyn Whillier, who at 18 competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and at 20 won gold in the 1938 British Empire Games. In the 1990s — in her late 70s — she'd head to Bronte at 5am every day to squeeze in a few kilometres. You'll meet all kinds of swimmers here — from similarly serious lappers to kids in floaties. There's ample room on the surrounding rocks for lazing about. Consider a night swim on balmy evenings. While in the area, check out iconic Bronte eatery Three Blue Ducks and enjoy one of its famed straw-stuffed coconut concoctions. MAHON POOL, MAROUBRA Mahon's intertidal position makes it subject to fierce doses of Pacific swell. Drop by when the water's high and the wind's a-blowing for the biggest waves and most adrenaline-fuelled fun. The pool lies at the northern end of Maroubra Beach. It's hard to spot from above, but make your way down the staircase from Marine Parade car park, and you'll soon spy it among exposed rocky outcrops. Once you've dried off, head to The Bay Hotel and Diner in Maroubra to tuck into a big burger like a legit Sydneysider. WYLIE'S BATHS, COOGEE Found just south of McIver's Baths, Wylie's welcomes people of all genders. The 50-metre pool offers 180-degree panoramas of the ocean, including views of Wedding Cake Island (inspiration for Midnight Oil's instrumental rock hit of the same name). Like Bondi's Icebergs, Wylie's has all the facilities — from yoga lessons to massage sessions. Entry is five bucks. It's a great spot for a cool-off along the Bondi to Maroubra walk. MILK BEACH Located at the base of Hermit Bay within the Sydney Harbour National Park, Milk Beach is ideal for everything from sunbaking to snorkelling to fishing. It's a small, insulated beach surrounded by the Heritage-listed Strickland House and offers magnificent views of Sydney. Whether it's a picnic or a walk along the Hermitage Foreshore, Milk Beach is one of Sydney's best-kept secrets. It can be accessed via public transport or boat, and limited off-street parking is available. [caption id="attachment_549504" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Brett Pearson.[/caption] MCIVER'S BATHS, COOGEE Boys, butt out. McIver's is the only coastal pool in Australia for ladies only. It's been that way since 1922, when the Randwick and Coogee Ladies Swimming Club took over the lease from the McIver family. In 93 years, nothing much has changed. The ocean views are still extraordinary and the entry fee is still 20 cents — tossed in a bucket at the entrance. However, in 2010, a visit from a man undergoing a sex change raised some modern questions. Once you've grown tired of swimming, make tracks to Coogee Pavillion for a Pavilion Pina Colada ($18) with your girls. PRINCE ALFRED PARK POOL If you're staying in the inner city, head to Prince Alfred Park Pool also known as 'Redfern Beach' by the locals. It's the buttercup yellow sun umbrellas that bring the riviera vibe, as well as lawns strewn with sun bakers and cute cafe Meadow cheerily aiding post-swim recoveries. The shiny-new facilities nabbed two National Architecture Awards in 2014, and the 50-metre pool is always at that jump-right-in temperature. Ah, that Sydney weather. NORTH SYDNEY POOL Nothing says "you're in Sydney" so much as the Harbour Bridge, and nothing says "I'm swimming in Sydney" quite so well as backstroking right underneath it. North Sydney Pool is the only place which allows you to do just this, in a spectacular location overlooking Sydney Harbour and Luna Park. To make the most out of it, head down there at night, and go for a swim watched over by the lights of the city. The pool also features a gym, a cafe and a restaurant, so you can feasibly spend a whole night there gazing rapturously at the city. [caption id="attachment_598333" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Eddy Milfort[/caption] NIELSEN PARK Sydney beaches need not be compared with their foreign counterparts because it's only a slight exaggeration to say we have the best in the world. However, I can't help thinking that Nielsen Park reminds me of the Mediterranean coast. Maybe it's the amazing aqua colour of the water or the stained glass windows of the restaurant. It can get a little noisy with all the kids that are usually there but there is a large, leafy park surrounding the beach which you can escape into to eat your ice cream in peace. [caption id="attachment_605401" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Rob Wood.[/caption] MALABAR OCEAN POOL For smaller crowds and a laidback, local feel, head to Malabar Ocean Pool. Created in the 1890s, it was closed down by the 1970s (as was surrounding Long Bay) due to pollution. But, in 1997, NSW Premier Bob Carr and the local MP pooled funds for a clean-up and revamp. These days, the water is crystal clear and the views dreamy, especially at dawn and dusk. [caption id="attachment_538469" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Brian Yap[/caption] CURRAWONG BEACH If you've made the trip to Sydney, it's worth that little bit of extra effort to get to Currawong beach. It can only be accessed by boat, so jump on the ferry at Palm Beach ('Summer Bay' for you Home and Away fans) and prepare for a phone and internet-free 48 hours. There are no shops so bring food and water with you and stay at one of the cottages for a full-blown Sydney experience. You'll be able to deal with the worst Bondi Road traffic jam with a blissful smile on your return. [caption id="attachment_605406" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dushan Hanuska.[/caption] LAKE PARRAMATTA Back in the 1930s, Lake Parramatta was one of Sydney's go-to water holes. But, decades ago, thanks to rising pollution levels, swimming and boating were banned. "You could see oil and chemicals on top of the water, let alone what was underneath," one-time local Angus Campbell recalled. Major clean-up programs have, however, restored the lake to its former pristine glory, and, as of January 2015, it's open for bathing, complete with lifeguards. Visit the leafy, sandstone-enclosed freshwater spot two kilometres north of Parramatta CBD. Just keep your eye out for wrestling red-bellied black snakes. LADY MARTIN'S BEACH At this little gem you're in good company. Sydney's small harbourside suburb of Point Piper is one of the country's most exclusive and home to one of the most gorgeous, chilled-out beaches in town. Named after Lady Mary Martin, wife of chief justice and politician Sir James Martin, it's a tiny treasure flanked in billion-dollar mansions, but the view is free. Entry is via a narrow lane off Wolseley Road that passes by the Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club. Spend some time post swim picking out your dream house, if you win the lotto and decide to relocate to Sydney you'll be prepared. [caption id="attachment_592521" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ian Sanderson[/caption] MANLY DAM There's more than one sweet little beach ripe for the picnicking at Manly Dam. The amenities are pretty good and there's heaps of unrestricted parking, but get your coin purse out for entry on weekends. There are heaps of lush walking tracks, so consider swapping sandshoes for flip-flops. Vehicle access is through the King Street entrance (off Condamine Street, Manly Vale) and a footpath at this entrance allows for pedestrian and disabled access into the park without having to go on the road. The best access points for the bike track is Gibbs Street, Manly Vale or Kirkwood Street at Bantry Reserve, Seaforth. GORDON'S BAY Offering Sydney's only underwater nature trail, Gordon's Bay is nestled in between the deeply incised gully and sheer sandstone headlands of South Clovelly and North Coogee. It's the eastern suburbs at their stunning best, and the calm waters make it a great spot for snorkelling. The small beach is dotted with local fishing boats, abundant with wildflowers and offers access to some of the most satisfying and aesthetically stunning walking trails on the coast. Access via the coastal walk. [caption id="attachment_605403" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Flickr.[/caption] REDLEAF POOL Technically, Redleaf is a fenced off section of the harbourside Seven Shillings Beach, adjacent to Blackburn Gardens. Mid-week, it can be a little piece of inner-east paradise, hidden from the road and only accessible by foot, down the stairs behind the Woolahra Council Offices on New South Head Road. It can get pretty busy on weekends during summer, though. A boardwalk runs around the top of the shark net, and there are two floating pontoons for those who enjoy attracting attention to themselves. [caption id="attachment_598328" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Christian Reusch[/caption] CAMP COVE The parking at the easternmost edge of the Eastern Suburbs can be a bit of a drag on a hot day, but if you pray to your parking angel you'll find somewhere eventually. It's worth the frustration, as this laid-back beach is big enough to have a social vibe (there always seems to be a lot of good-looking people here) and the lack of waves means you can bob in the water and still chat to a friend. There's a little kiosk selling snacks and sorbet in coconut shells, too. If you're brave (and skilled) you can do the big jump off the rock on the right like a bona fide Sydneysider. [caption id="attachment_598329" align="alignnone" width="1280"] David McKelvey[/caption] LITTLE CONGWONG BEACH If you want to beach like a real local, head to this pretty place in Botany Bay for a spot of 'clothing-optional' sunbaking. It's usually pretty quiet so you can avoid any potentially awkward encounters. If the thought of getting your togs off makes you blanch, just next door is Congwong Beach, where you won't be the odd one out if you're a strictly clothes-on type of person. BUNGAN BEACH, BARRENJOEY PENINSULA Bungan is one of Sydney's most undeveloped beaches and has a wild and unspoiled character. The rugged beauty of the cliffs give it a private feel and bushwalkers will love the vivid scenery. It's 600 metres long, running in a south-east direction between Bungan Headland to the north and Mona Vale Headland to the south. There are reasonable breaks for surfers and it's a relief from the crowded waves at more popular beaches. Access by a laneway along Barrenjoey Road — it's the headland just before the descent to Newport. It's a patrolled beached but stay between the flags at this one because there are often rips. [caption id="attachment_592520" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ernest McGray, Jr.[/caption] OBELISK BEACH Obelisk Beach has killer views — and not only because it's one of few legal nudist beaches in Sydney. We mean nude. Despite its cult status, it's usually quiet and tranquil, and has great views over Sydney Harbour. It's well secluded as you need to have a certain tenacity to clamber down a rocky track and set of steps to gain access, although there's a large public car park on the Middle Head Road side of Chowder Bay Road. The place is also of historic significance: prior to European settlement in 1788, the area the beach is in was inhabited by Indigenous Australians and Aboriginal sites are found in the bushland all around Georges Head. [caption id="attachment_592519" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Nigel Howe[/caption] WARRIEWOOD BEACH Warriewood Beach is backed by 30-40 metre high vegetated bluffs and the reserve occupying Turrimetta Head offers excellent beach and ocean views. The 500 kilometre stretch of beach is sheltered, you never have to fight for a spot on the sand and the facilities are good. Surfing is great up the north end. [caption id="attachment_592516" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Grace Kat.[/caption] WATTAMOLLA Cabbage palm trees, cute little swimming inlets and wide open beach make Wattamolla the perfect place for a weekend escape. Wattamolla (an Aboriginal name meaning 'place near running water') had its name originally recorded as Watta-Mowlee by Matthew Flinders, when Flinders, George Bass and a boy, William Martin, stopped there in their boat, the Tom Thumb II, in 1796. It's a beautiful combination of beach and freshwater lagoon, separated by a sandbar, within the Royal National Park. There's a five-minute walk down a narrow path to the beach (not great for prams), but once on the beach, there's loads of shade from the trees, small inlets for swimming as well as open beach. Wattamolla is a great starting point for 100 kilometres of walking tracks spanning the National Park, including the popular coastal walk from Bundeena to Otford. Access is via a 20-minute car ride from either the Loftus or Waterfall entrance. [caption id="attachment_592518" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Alex Proimos[/caption] CHINAMANS BEACH Bring your beach brolly to Chinamans Beach, unless you're keen on sticking to the reserve. Bring ample snacks and drinks too, and don't plan on fish 'n' chips — it's properly secluded. The beach is unpatrolled, and usually peaceful and quiet. Lay back, forget your worries back at home, and enjoy the peace and quite. Ah, how's the serenity? [caption id="attachment_549497" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Flickr.[/caption] BILGOLA ROCKPOOL Bilgola Beach forms the floor of a steep coastal valley. It's one of the Northern Beaches' most secluded spots. For an adventurous walk in, take the South Bilgola Headland Walk, which starts at Newport Beach, winding its way through tea trees, bottlebrushes, paperbarks, casuarinas and cabbage tree palms. Alternatively, park just off The Serpentine. You'll find the eight-lane, 50-metre rockpool at the beach's southern end, affording spectacular views of the 60-metre-high Bilgola North Headland. [caption id="attachment_549502" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Flickr.[/caption] FAIRY BOWER POOL, MANLY The enchanting, triangular Fairy Bower Pool was built by locals, for locals, in 1929. It's located alongside Marine Parade, between Manly and Fairy Bower. Adding to the magic are sculptor Helen Leete's Oceanides (also known as the 'Manly Sea Nymphs'), two curving creatures on the pool's edge. When the surf's up, they look a bit like dancing aquatic spirits. Try taking a dip at sunrise, sunset or even after-dark. Be sure to drop into the following beloved Sydney institutions: Daniel San, Manly Wharf Hotel and Hemmingways. [caption id="attachment_549057" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Sutherland Shire Council.[/caption] CRONULLA ROCK POOL Cronulla's main ocean pool lies in the 300 metres of rocky platforms dividing South Cronulla Beach from North Cronulla. Opened in 1932, the pool first served as a training facility for local lifeguards. These days, it's still an optimum spot for lapping and/or casual dipping, offering vast, uninterrupted vistas over Bate Bay. The Council will be making some upgrades in April 2016, adding handrails and stairs and non-slip surfaces. FYI locals call this place 'The Shire'. [caption id="attachment_508394" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Robyn Lawrence.[/caption] ANDREW (BOY) CHARLTON POOL Hidden away within the green expanses of The Domain, the Boy Charlton pool feels a world away from the city while still being in the heart of the CBD. If you're staying in the city this is a great, super convenient, option. The saltwater pool is perched on the edge of the Harbour, with spectacular views over the city and the Botanic Gardens. Lunch times can be crowded with stressy professional jogger types, and weekends can bring out the designer eyewear crowd, but every other time is lovely. Hang out on the wooden terrace or grab a drink upstairs in the open-air poolside cafe which, incidentally, also sells Pat and Stick's ice cream sandwiches, which are awesome. [caption id="attachment_598331" align="alignnone" width="1280"] jbreiti[/caption] BALMORAL BEACH You've probably heard of Manly, given the chance any Sydneysider will proudly talk about the beach. You may not have heard of Manly's little sister, Balmoral. Smaller and more romantic, it has a lovely sleepy vibe despite it's popularity. Have a long lunch at the famed Sydney institution Public Dining Room and float it off in the cooler hours of the afternoon. [caption id="attachment_598357" align="alignnone" width="1280"] dfinnecy[/caption] STORE BEACH If your keen for an outdoor adventure on your mini-holiday, hire a kayak from Manly Kayaks and paddle around to this little beach (it can only be reached by water) for a picnic. Then enjoy this little slice of paradise. If you're lucky, you'll see some fairy penguins. [caption id="attachment_570643" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Danny Butler[/caption] LITTLE SIRIUS COVE A small stretch of sand surrounded by bushland, this beach has a unique feature — dogs are allowed. So if you're missing your pupper from back home, head down (after grabbing a coffee at Bacino Bar) and spend the day among some new four-legged friends. Pack some snags to cook on the BBQs provided and bask in Sydney's unparalleled beachside beauty. [caption id="attachment_508398" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Warringah Council.[/caption] DEE WHY ROCKPOOLS Dee Why Rockpools are easily reached by the promenade along the beach, and formed out of concrete walls as well as the natural sandstone wall to the side. While the surfers head down to the beach, the slower-paced head to the rockpools. On weekends there are a lot of mums with little kids, so for a day filled with less high pitched squeals and splishy-splashing, weekdays or late afternoons will allow you to get the most out of the place. [caption id="attachment_508404" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Mhsb.[/caption] FRESHWATER BATHS Located at the northern end of the beach, Freshwater Baths was the first rockpool to be opened on the northern beaches, and still maintains its vintage charms. Once a haven for women in the 1920s and '30s who weren't allowed to swim at the male-oriented surf clubs, it now cheerfully welcomes everyone and offers a respite when the waves get rough. The pool is uniformly shallow, at just over a metre, so unless you're really short or unfortunately inebriated there's little chance of anything going awry. [caption id="attachment_508405" align="alignnone" width="1280"] North Sydney Council.[/caption] MACCALLUM POOL If you appreciate a little early-20th century charm, the harbourside MacCallum Pool will delight you with its unique heritage feel and might inspire you to Charleston along the boardwalk. Like all good things north of the Bridge, it's terribly civilised, so if you turn up and the pool's a little full you can still sun yourself on the grassy knolls and look out across the Harbour. And another exciting aspect about MacCallum is that it's free, which means you have more money to spend on ice cream and dancing shoes. [caption id="attachment_551100" align="alignnone" width="1280"] KSpilling.[/caption] PALM BEACH When the swell is powering in from the south, grab your boardies and hotfoot it to Palm Beach. The sheltered southern corner is a beginner's Nirvana. You can count on mercifully consistently waves, giving you ample time to conquer the whitewash and, when you're ready, take off across smooth, green faces. Need some tips? Cast an eye around for the Manly Surf School van. For après-surf leisure, there's the Barranjoey Lighthouse Walk or a dip in the ocean pool. [caption id="attachment_605404" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Gerry Ligon.[/caption] COLLAROY BEACH Like Palm Beach, Collaroy is shielded at its southern end. Long Reef Point (a splendid spot for snorkelling, by the way) juts into the Pacific, separating the beach from neighbouring Dee Why. So, it's also at its best in south swells. Once you've racked up some experience, have a crack at the gloriously long point break. One word of warning: this one is better avoided when seas are rough or north winds are raging, when the shore break can turn into a dumping ground. [caption id="attachment_551241" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Terovian.[/caption] LONG REEF BEACH On the city side of Collaroy Beach lies the northern end of Dee Why Beach, formally known as Long Reef Beach (the two beaches are separated by the mouth of Dee Why Lagoon). Here, Long Reef Point also does its protective duty. It, in combination with some solid sand banks, keeps the waves smooth and regular. For practising in whitewater, head down at low tide; if you're ready to tackle faces, high tide is more promising. When winds are strong, you'll find milder conditions in Dee Why's southern corner. [caption id="attachment_551235" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Warringah Council.[/caption] FRESHWATER BEACH Freshwater Beach is the birthplace of Australian surfing. Exactly 100 years ago, residents got a shock when they saw a Hawaiian by the name of Duke Kahanamoku carve a board out of local timber, jump into the sea and ride the waves, on his feet. Soon enough, everyone was giving it a go. For lessons, get in touch with Surf Skool. Once you're done, the nearby Harbord Beach Hotel (aka the Harbord Hilton) will vanquish your post-surf appetite with some fresh tucker and cocktails. MANLY BEACH Get started along Manly's southern stretch and you'll land yourself in esteemed company. Midget Farrelly, Pam Burridge and Layne Beachley are just a few of the surfing legends to have had their early rides here. Like those at Palm Beach and Collaroy, the waves are best when the south winds are a-blowing. Chaos reigns when a north swell is coming in. Options for surfboard hire and lessons are plentiful. Try Manly Surf School or Manly Surf Hire. We recommend hitting up established Manly brewery 4 Pines for a post-swim brew. GREENHILLS BEACH Backed by grassy sand dunes, Greenhills is the northern end of Cronulla Beach. It tends to be less busy than South Cronulla — and many of Sydney's other beaches for that matter — which is a bonus for learner surfers. There's no need to worry about driving your out-of-control board into an unsuspecting swimmer. Go here during north-east winds. If you're in need of a teacher, try Cronulla Surf School or Cronulla Surfing Academy. [caption id="attachment_257244" align="alignnone" width="1981"] Adam J.W.C.[/caption] AVALON Beautiful and quiet, Avalon is the last of the more accessible beaches as you head north, shared by surfers and families alike. Plus Baywatch wanted to relocate their filming to Avalon during the '90s. Make of that what you will. Before you leave, grab drinks and dinner at Different Drummer or Little Av, both just a short walk from the beach. GLEDHILL FALLS For a long time, the Gledhills were like ghosts. A few people said they'd seen them, but finding proof was difficult. These days, there's more information floating about, but the forest-encircled falls — and the 10 metre wide pool into which they tumble — are still tricky to find. First, pack your rock climbing shoes. Then, drive your car from Mona Vale Road, onto McCarrs Creek Road, until, after about 4.5 kilometres, you reach the teeny-tiny, easy-to-miss bridge that crosses McCarrs Creek. Initially, the track is clear, but, nearing the water, prepare to scramble. ELVINA TRACK POOL Not only does this one occupy a rare position above a waterfall, it also affords stunning views of Ku-Ring-Gai National Park. And it's hemmed in by rainforest. The pool isn't huge, but it's definitely big enough to submerge yourself in. You'll find it along the 7 kilometre-long Elvina Track, which also takes in Elvina and Lovett Bays. The starting point is just off West Head Road, 1.3 kilometres from the Coal and Candle Drive junction. Being a service trail for most of the way, the walk makes for easy Sunday strolling. RESOLUTE BEACH Despite its 4 million strong population, Sydney is home to a number of secluded beaches. But Resolute Beach takes isolation and wildness to the next level. That's because the only way to reach it is by taking on the eight kilometre Resolute Loop Track, which turns off many a lazy beach-goer. Those with the stamina to handle it are, however, amply rewarded, with an unspoiled, empty stretch of sand, surrounded by Ku-Ring-Gai National Park and affording uninterrupted views over Pittwater. The hike, which begins at Resolute Picnic Ground, takes in a couple of other remote beaches, as well as the Red Hands Cave, home to some impressive Aboriginal rock art. LADY BAY BEACH Thanks to Lady Bay's existence, you can spend all day exploring and be utterly naked amid all kinds of wildness by 5.30pm. Tucked into a calm cove near Watsons Bay, this beach is one of Australia's oldest nudist beaches and first went legal in 1976, thanks to Neville Wran's blessing. Keep your eyes on the skyline — the city views are excellent. BENTS BASIN Pack your lilo; Bents Basin has rapids. Spend your day throwing yourself down them, just the right amount out of control. Or keep to the still water — it's one of the deepest swimming holes in New South Wales. A dramatic, wooded escarpment provides the backdrop, which means there's ample views for picnickers. Bents Basin is part of a Nepean River gorge and lies between Penrith and Camden, about 50 kilometres from the Sydney CBD. Camp in the State Conservation Area if you want to stay overnight. REEF BEACH Best to make your way to Reef Beach after the tide has gone out. That's when Aboriginal carvings becomes visible in the rocks. In addition, it's an incredibly tranquil spot in Middle Harbour, offering excellent views of Manly and Sydney Harbour's northern section. Stop there while walking the Manly Scenic Walkway or drive to Beatty Street — Reef Beach is a short walk from the car park. [caption id="attachment_252497" align="alignnone" width="1280"] NSW National Parks.[/caption] WHALE BEACH Relaxed and beautiful, Whale Beach feels like you've left the city completely. It's a long drive from the city, but it's worth it, for one of the most beautiful spots on the Northern Beaches. Whale Beach can be a bit of a journey, so we'd recommend making a day of it and taking a dinner picnic or even staying overnight at Jonah's. [caption id="attachment_252500" align="alignnone" width="1280"] J Bar.[/caption] SHELLY BEACH You can get to this secluded cove by walking south along Manly's main street. The perfect spot to take a picnic, surrounded by bush, filled with exotic fish and convenient enough to get to by ferry. This is the kind of beach you can imagine your grandparents going to when they were courting. Surf at Fairy Bower, one of the Sydney's best surf breaks on its day, or swim the Cole Classic, Australia's largest ocean swim. PALM BEACH Get there early and Palm Beach is one of the most beautiful places Sydney has to offer. The friendly old-fashioned kiosk was shut down a few years ago and replaced by fancy restaurants to suit the billionaire locals who have their summer houses here, so make sure to bring your own sandwiches. Alternatively, splash out and have breakfast at the Boathouse on Pittwater before you head down to that sweet, sweet Home and Away-starring water. Ready to get away and experience Sydney? Book with Qantas for great fares to Sydney and NSW until 24 September. Terms and conditions apply.
Pinot Noir by crackling fireplaces, misty mountaintops and landscaped gardens that look straight out of Downton Abbey — Bowral is your go-to weekender when you don't have the time or cash for a mid-year trip to Europe. You'll find the 12,000-person town an easy, 90-minute drive southwest of Sydney, among the string of villages known as the Southern Highlands. Spend your stay cosying up in a 19th century hotel room staring at rolling hillsides, or get out and about, tasting wines, visiting waterfalls and feasting at hatted restaurants. However you play it, here are our tips for a couple of days in Bowral. [caption id="attachment_580846" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bendooley Vineyards.[/caption] EAT AND DRINK Let's get coffee out of the way first. One of the best caffeine-hits in town is at boutique roastery Rush. Go for the house blend or take your pick of a single origin from Brazil, Sumatra or Nicaragua. Alternatively, slip into pint-sized Flour Water Salt and match your coffee with a freshly-baked, organic-flour pastry. This mini-chain is a big hit with people south of Sydney and now has three outlets — in Bowral, Milton and Kiama. Their trick, as the name suggests, is to keep things simple. Come lunch, hide away from the main street in the quiet, leafy courtyard of The Red Tree Café. Here, the agenda is classics with tasty twists. Setting yourself up for an action-packed day? Dig into the Big Red Tree Breakfast: free-range eggs, roasted tomato, mushrooms, pancetta, chipolatas and potato rosti on organic sourdough. [caption id="attachment_580847" align="alignnone" width="1280"] @biotadining.[/caption] Another option is to jump in the car and make tracks to Bendooley Estate. Not only will you land yourself a fireplace and idyllic farmlands with your meal, you're also in for a read. Bendooley is home to the Berkelouw Book Barn — Berkelouw's official headquarters — so tables are interspersed with shelves of beautifully-kept, second-hand titles. Also worth a drive is McVitty Grove, a restaurant set on an acreage, just 20 minutes from Bowral, with an emphasis on sustainability and local produce. Tuck into the chef's own beef sliders or the organic Portuguese chicken with Dauphinoise potatoes and roasted tomato. Up for a fancier adventure? Reserve a table at Biota Dining. Chef James Vile's two-hatted restaurant is another champion of eco-friendly eating. Should time be on your side, settle into a tasting menu. Otherwise, there are loads of seasonally-driven, al carte choices. And do say yes to a cocktail based on handcrafted botanicals, like the 'Autumn Leaves' (jammy persimmon, cinnamon, calvados and citrus). If you're not able to commit to a meal, you're welcome to stick to drinks and snacks in the bar (which is where you'll find the fire). [caption id="attachment_580850" align="alignnone" width="1483"] Eling Forest Estate.[/caption] DO Although we did give you permission to do absolutely nothing, we recommend a bit of an adventure. Winos should be sure to hop on the Southern Highlands wine trail. For the most part, the region is 600 metres above sea level, so cool climate varieties, like Pinot Noir and Riesling, fare well. At Tertini (one of NSW's best cellar doors), you'll be sampling a consistently excellent bunch of small-batch, boutique, multi-award winning drops. And, if you like to know your wine habit isn't killing the environment, swing by Eling Forest Estate, where the Tractorless Vineyard wines are made biodynamically. A Hampshire Down sheep breed, imported from England, takes the place of machines and pesticides, by eating the weeds around the grape vines. [caption id="attachment_580788" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Bjenks[/caption] With a bottle or three under your arm, it could well be time for a waterfall-side picnic. The area's three biggest falls are Fitzroy, Belmore and Carrington, and visiting all of them makes for a fun, circular road trip. If you're keen to combine your falls with a walk, conquer the steep, two-kilometre Erith Coal Mine track in Morton National Park, which combines a disused coalmine with cascades you can stand under. Epic views of Bowral and Mittagong are on offer at the Mount Gibraltar Reserve. At 863 metres, it's the highest point between Sydney and Canberra, and there are three lookouts, each giving you unique perspectives: Bowral, Mittagong and Jellore. In need of an art fix? In the vast spaces of The Milk Factory, you'll find changing contemporary exhibitions, as well as a cute gallery shop, selling resin jewellery and blown glass. And, within the Springetts Arcade, is Ten Thousand Paces, a self-described 'hybrid shop, gallery, art projects and regional wine hub'. [caption id="attachment_580795" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Airbnb.[/caption] STAY There aren't many places in this world where you can rent out an entire 19th century former coach house, but Bowral is one of them. And you'll find it on Airbnb (where else?). This six-bedroom Italianate mansion, which was once a home for some wealthy estate owner's coachman and horses, sleeps up to 13 people, and is situated on Bowral's outskirts — within walking distance of both town and wild places. Not travelling with a big party? Leaving your Clydesdales at home? A cosier option is the Woodland Retreat Guest Studio, also an Airbnb offering. Splashed with art and run by two warm, friendly locals, it sleeps up to four and a locally-sourced breakfast is included. [caption id="attachment_580853" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Milton Park.[/caption] If you're in the market for a hotel, there's Peppers Craigieburn. For those not planning on going anywhere, there are plenty of rooms with views of the 36-hectare surrounding garden, as well as guest lounges with open fires, a billiards room, tennis courts, a restaurant and an onsite spa. Yep, pretty much everything you need to stay put. Another lush, albeit pricier option, is the Milton Park Country House and Spa. Here, you'll be lolling about in five-star decadence on the property's tucked away, forest-covered hilltop. Just how luxe you go is your call. There are rooms overlooking gardens and fountains, and suites with their very own fireplaces and jacuzzis. Meanwhile, among the grounds, you'll stumble across a heated indoor pool, floodlit tennis courts and a wellness spa. Should you ever have wondered what it's like to be an English duke or duchess, this is your chance to experiment. Top image: Bendooley Vineyards.
Located in Brisbane's Paddington, Noir is the quintessential neighbourhood wine bar. On the ground floor, you'll find an intimate bar with enough stools for you and a couple of mates, while a few extra high tops flesh out the room. Upstairs, you'll find a small but comfortable loft with some leather lounge furniture and a view of the scene below. The place is cosy and dimly lit, with fresh sounds and artwork on the wall and staff who'll make you feel right at home. It has a rotating wine list, so you'll never know what you'll find at Noir. But the team does focus on local producers, minimal intervention wines and harder-to-find varietals. Trust them to know what they're doing and follow their advice. Noir is run by the crew behind Blackout Paddington, so you know you can trust them when it comes to world-class snacks, too. The focus here is charcuterie — think locally sourced cheese, premium grade salamis from Saison Salumi, and all the fresh pickles and condiments you could poke a breadstick at. It's open Wednesday to Friday, from 4pm until 10pm or 11pm, and from 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. This isn't the kind of joint to rock up close to midnight with six of your boozed-up mates — rather it's the place to come in the early afternoon and catch up with someone over a bottle of wine and a charcuterie board, who you're actually interested in talking to. It could be an old friend, could be a first date, could be the old folks. The music here is chill so you'll be able to hear one another over the top of it, and the service is intimate and friendly. If Noir is your local neighbourhood wine bar, we're more than a little bit jealous.
A spirits brand that shares its moniker with one of the most influential movies ever made, about vampires or otherwise, was always going to stand out — and that spirits brand is Nosferatu Distillery. The fact that its eponymous gin is a tasty blood orange number was always going to earn attention, too, as well as the Count Orlok-shaped silhouette on the bottle's label along with it. Here's another reason for Brisbanites to throw the company some love: its newly opened headquarters in Bowen Hills, which operates as a distillery, bar and cafe. Located in Jeays Street and welcoming in gin lovers Monday–Saturday, it'll actually celebrate its grand launch on Saturday, October 15; however, it is indeed already trading. Get a caffeine fix by day, then sip gin by night: that's on the menu at the boutique brand's new Brisbane base. The drinks lineup includes all of the usual coffee options, teas, StrangeLove sodas (keeping the movie theme) and non-alcoholic beers for those keen on a non-boozy beverage. Or, there's wine, beer and the company's range of spirits — Nosferatu Blood Orange Gin, Mandrake Cucumber and Mint Gin, Giselle Pavlova Gin and Bunyip Sticky Gin — including in cocktails and flights. While the company has taken its cues from a horror great in its title, its new industrial-style warehouse space definitely hasn't. Here, in a light and airy setup, expect leafy plants aplenty around the venue, a retro-style van as a bar, and the distillery's operations in full view. Bites to eat are served up by a rotating array of food trucks. And Nosferatu's Bowen Hills location is dog-friendly, too, so add it to you and your pooch's next cafe or bar outing.
Just four kilometres long and three kilometres wide, Hayman Island might be small, but it be fierce. In one day, you can snorkel with swirling schools of tropical fish, play Robinson Crusoe on very own private beach and trek through lush rainforest to Baraka-worthy sunsets. When you're ready to leave shore, there are uninhabited islands to explore, outer reef coral kingdoms to dive among and luxury yachts to climb aboard. Want to enjoy all this without spending a cent? Mastercard is giving away an all-expenses-paid Hayman Island adventure worth $6000 to one lucky, lucky Nemo. Jump over here to go in the running. This highly opulent prize includes flights, accommodation in a luxe suite in Hayman Island's only resort and a VIP dining experience with Neil Perry. In the meantime, start planning your itinerary with these ten tips. SNORKEL THE GREAT BARRIER REEF Hayman Island's busiest aquatic community is on its north-western side, at Blue Pearl Bay. Prepare to meet local resident Priscilla, an enormous Māori wrasse, among rainbow-coloured parrot fish and striped angel fish. For an off-shore escapade, catch a private boat to pocket-sized Langford Island, where you'll come across magical underwater gardens. Afterwards, you can kick back on the long, sandy spit, picnicking, swimming and lazing about. Another option is the outer reef — at the legendary giant Stepping Stones, which drop away to 40 metres. You'll be gliding among magnificent rays and scary-looking-yet-utterly-harmless reef sharks. TAKE A HIKE To get your bearings, start with a short climb to Cook Lookout, Hayman Island's highest point. At 250 metres above sea level, it gives you a bird's perspective on surrounding reef formations and the rugged shores of neighbouring Hook Island. Come late afternoon, set off for Whitsunday Lookout, from where you can see the sun setting over the Whitsunday Passage, or to Dolphin Point, Hayman Island's northernmost tip. Alternatively, for a d0-nothing day on perfect white sand, take a stroll to Blue Pearl Bay. Don't forget your swimmers and snorkelling gear. STAY IN AN ULTRA-LUXE SUITE Hayman Island is privately owned and there's but one accommodation option, appropriately named One&Only Hayman Island Resort. Fortunately for you, it's a bloody masterpiece. An array of room types are available and they're all ultra-luxe. We're talking Royal Family-level linen draped across four-poster beds, massive ensuites with separate showers and baths, dressing rooms fit for Marilyn Monroe and private balconies overlooking the resort's tropical gardens or the ocean — depending on where you are. Facilities include two pools, seven bars and restaurants, a spa and a fitness centre, for those who, inexplicably, can be bothered moving. GET PADDLING To see Hayman Island from the water, at human-powered speed, jump in a kayak or man a paddleboard. If you're a newbie — or not very brave — there's no need to travel far for beautiful views and, thanks to the island's crystalline waters, flashes of aquatic life. Meanwhile, Bear Grylls types can venture further afield, perhaps even attempting a circumnavigation. Along the way, be sure to stop by Coconut Beach, where you can regain your energy by sinking into a sun lounge, and Blue Pearl Bay. SWIM IN A 'LAGOON' SEVEN TIMES THE SIZE OF AN OLYMPIC POOL The likelihood of bumping into another guest in the One&Only Hayman Island Resort's behemoth of a pool is next to nix. It's seven times the size of your average Olympic Pool. So, whether you're lapping, synchronised swimming or simply bobbing about in between cocktails, no one's going to get in your way. There are day beds aplenty and four private cabanas. Super-keen swimmers can book a suite in the Hayman Pool wing, where the rooms open directly onto the water. Should you find yourself working up an appetite, swing by the nearby On The Rocks Restaurant and Bar. EAT DINNER WITH NEIL PERRY Even a multi-hat winning chef's gotta go troppo every now and again. So, why not join him for the ride? In July, Neil Perry AM (of Rockpool and $10 burger fame) will be cooking up a feast on Hayman Island and then hosting you while you munch your way through it. He hasn't given away any of the culinary details yet, but we imagine there'll be no shortage of seafood inspiration, as well a handpicked selection of fancy wines to match. The only catch is, the only way you can experience this hedonistic evening is by entering the comp mentioned above or by laying your card down — it's one of Mastercard's Priceless Dinners and spots are strictly limited. GET A MASSAGE FLOATING IN THE SEA No tropical holiday is complete without a massage. And, on Hayman Island, you can take yours next level by ordering it outdoors. For water babies, there's the 90-minute 'Ocean Dreaming' experience, which involves pretty much what you see in the pic above: lying on a bed, floating on still water and surrounded by clear sky. If you're more Jungle Book, book into a 'Rainforest Massage'. You'll be ushered into a private, canopy-sheltered cabana and given a massage according to your specific bodily needs. Yogis might also be interested in the 'Sun Salutation', inspired by Oriental techniques and involving acupuncture, stretching and rocking motions. LEARN TO SCUBA Yet to scuba? There's no more classic place to learn than the Great Barrier Reef. Except, of course, that it might make dives closer to home seem somewhat anti-climactic. On Hayman Island, you'll kick off with a basic coaching session, before starting your underwater explorations in the safe, shallow waters of Blue Pearl Bay. Next up is a guided tour of nearby The Maze, so named because wandering through it feels a bit like twisting and turning through a coral labyrinth. You'll then be taken to The Fish Bowl, which is absolutely teeming with diverse fish species. RIDE A SEAPLANE Many a traveller has seen the Great Barrier Reef through a snorkelling mask or from the deck of a boat, but, there's no more startling way to get your head around its extraordinary proportions than from the window of sea plane. So, if you can scrape some dosh together, make it happen. You'll soar high above the Great Barrier's 350,000 square kilometres (which is divided into 2800 separate reefs altogether) swoop down for a closer look, and even take a break for a spot of snorkelling in Hardy Lagoon. CLIMB ABOARD A LUXURY YACHT Go James Bond-style and travel to and from Hayman Island via luxury yacht. Or, while you're there, charter one and design your own Great Barrier Reef cruise. You can loll about on the deck doing not much, cruise on the bow pretending to be Kate Winslet or watch the crew in action. Needless to say, fine dining and premium beverages will be at your disposal. You're the boss, after all. Want to enjoy all this without spending a cent? Mastercard is giving away an all-expenses-paid Hayman Island adventure worth $6000 to one lucky, lucky Nemo. Jump over here to go in the running. Images: One&Only Hayman Island/Mastercard.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Mr & Mrs Smith. Explore your sensual side with a coral reef backdrop, sip a cocktail flanked by elephants or get pampered in style at the boutique boltholes, luxury lodgings and relaxing resorts crowned the best in the world in this year’s Smith Hotel Awards. Shining a light on notable newcomers, stunning stalwarts and all-round amazing accommodation, the team at Mr & Mrs Smith pitted more than 950 hotels in the collection head to head, emerging with 12 luminaries of luxury. Best-Dressed Hotel: El Fenn, Marrakech, Morocco The bold and beautiful interiors of El Fenn in Marrakech captured the imagination of the judges and public alike, enticing them with its colossal custom-built baths, six-foot-wide beds and creature comforts. The hotel’s impressive art collection boasts sculpture, paintings and photography by David Shrigley, Bridget Riley, Antony Gormley and Batoul Shimi, but they’re not the only standouts in this once-derelict riad. Perfectly polished tadelakt in arsenic-blue and rose-pink and carved cedarwood provide the backdrop to the artworks; camel-leather flooring, Berber rugs and traditional Moroccan tiling treat your feet. Rainbow-hued fabrics woven by loom cover the communal furniture on the rooftop terrace, continuing the jewel-coloured mishmash of patterns and textures. Sexiest Bedroom: Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam There are no doors in the five ravishingly romantic water villas at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay; instead a private seaside staircase yawns down to the hillside. All the villas are set right on the ocean but Number Five is the best of the bunch, with an infinity-edge pool set amid the coastal rocks, a private ladder leading into the ocean and a coral reef as its backdrop. Guests can wake up to the gentle sound of waves and the view to match, or enjoy a bath for two in complete serenity as the sun sets. The deck comes complete with sunbeds and privacy courtesy of the surrounding rocks, meaning a steamy outdoor session isn’t out of the question. A dedicated butler, available 24/7, will look after your every whim, so leaving your wood-and-white villa is optional. Hottest Hotel Bar: The NoMad Hotel, New York The magnificent master-in-residence, decadent decor and cosmopolitan crowds made the Elephant Bar at The NoMad Hotel the judges’ favourite. The mahogany pachyderms (after which the bar takes its name) guard the brilliant bartenders, who will whip up something from the fascinating cocktail menu curated by master mixologist Leo Robitschek. His passion for under-the-radar spirits, sought-after wines and craft-beer collaborations results in an intoxicatingly good selection. The Satan’s Circus cocktail, made with rye whiskey, chilli-infused aperol, cherry heering and lemon juice, makes a cheeky nod to the area’s mischievous past – it was once drenched in debauchery, with a number of dance halls and gambling haunts. Lashings of leather and dark-wood furnishings contribute to the sultry surroundings; the only thing sexier is the two-person-deep claw-foot bath tub, set beside the windows, in the Atelier rooms upstairs. Best Hotel Restaurant: Hartnett, Holder & Co at Lime Wood, Hampshire, UK Hartnett, Holder & Co, the signature restaurant at Hampshire’s Lime Wood proves that sometimes two chefs are better than one. Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder are a delicious duo, presenting a clever blend of comfort cuisine and seasonal sourcing and merging Italian culinary ideologies with classic British dishes. The menu changes regularly; expect a choice of starters, pasta, meat, fish and sharing dishes. Hartnett and Holder aim to produce home-cooked food, grounded in a respect for local produce and served in a relaxed eating atmosphere. Their team also forages for fungi in neighbouring woods and hand-rear their meat and cure it in the onsite smokehouse, resulting in organic offerings that are guaranteed to tempt your tastebuds. Best Spa Hotel: Dormy House, Cotswolds, UK The recently opened Dormy House has become a hit with Cotswolds spa-goers, boasting not just one but five drawcards. This 17th-century farmhouse has been given a 21st-century twist, retaining its honey-hued exterior but with pepped-up interiors that emanate a clean-lined, Scandi-chic feel. The 16m candlelit infinity pool may be the centrepiece of the spa, but the rhassoul-mud room, fragrant thermal suite, Veuve Clicquot nail bar and host of Temple Spa treatments are equally attractive to pamper aficionados. An outdoor hydrotherapy pool and tropical rain shower complete the package. Fitness fans can work out at one of two gyms — one for a leisurely session and the Studio for pre-booked personal training sessions and a range of classes. Soothe sore muscles with a treatment in one of the six rooms; couples can share the experience in the double room. The Eco Award: Sal Salis, Ningaloo Reef Situated in the remote Cape Range National Park, Sal Salis is a prime example of how to protect a fragile eco-system. The hotel’s luxury seaside tents rely solely on solar power, use composting toilets and have a tightly controlled water system, reducing their environmental footprint. Besides other campmates, the only visitors at this secluded spot will be kangaroos, so guests can enjoy the splendour of nearby Ningaloo Reef in peace. Days can be spent underwater, mingling with the manta rays, dolphins, turtles and sparkling shoals of fish that also call this part of the world home. Each time someone stays here, the camp makes a donation to the Australian Wildlife Conservatory — guests contribute to the protection of the area as they enjoy it. Best for Families: Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Blue Mountains Zoos are one thing; 4,000 jaw-dropping acres of pristine natural wilderness (with a world-class spa and restaurant) are quite another. Families are in for an-eco adventure of a lifetime at Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, the luxury lodging just out of Sydney. Kids and adults alike will love looking for the local wildlife — including wallabies, wombats, kangaroos and cockatoos — in jeeps, by bike, on foot or even horseback. Knowledgeable guides can lead the whole clan on a wildlife, Aboriginal history, colonial heritage or guided mountain bike tour, all included in the room rates. The Federation-style bungalows are sumptuously styled — with stained-glass door panels, natural stone, timber and fabrics — they’re also perfectly positioned to take in the stunning surrounding scenery. Best budget hotel: 1888 Hotel, Sydney The only thing old-fashioned about 1888 Hotel is its price tag — its gorgeous young staff and vibrant interiors make it seem far more expensive than it is. Smack bang in the middle of Sydney, the hotel’s rooms feature reclaimed Ironbark beams and period windows combined with the most mod of cons, including an in-room iPad and a designated ‘selfie spot’ in the lobby. The bedrooms are stylish and cosy, with natural light, exposed brick walls and punchy Australian artworks. Those who want to take full advantage of the hotel’s location should stay in the Attic, which boasts the best views of the harbour city; a sociable lounge area; and a sun-kissed patio, perfect for soaking up those afternoon rays. A smart bar menu and delicious food courtesy of 1888 Eatery and Bar cap off the thoroughly enjoyable experience at this harbour-side haven. Best Hotel Pool: Monastero Santa Rosa, Amalfi Coast, Italy Monastero Santa Rosa’s high-rise heated infinity pool has set a new standard for man-made bodies of water. Carved into the terraced clifftop with jaw-dropping views of the Amalfi Coast, its beach-like edge offers the perfect perch to enjoy an unbroken panorama of the Bay of Salerno. The clever lighting and perfectly placed sunbeds make it the ideal spot to spend an afternoon, before watching the sun set over the coast. With a perimeter that blends seamlessly into the horizon, you’ll struggle to figure out where the pool ends and the sea begins. When you tire of the view, turn back towards the 17th-century monastery for a treatment at the Santa Maria Novella-stocked spa or a meal at the Santa Rosa Ristorante, where chef Christoph Bob plucks produce from the surrounding gardens to produce extraordinary interpretations of traditional Campanian dishes. Above and Beyond: Southern Ocean Lodge, South Australia Luxe Kangaroo Island resort Southern Ocean Lodge offers cool and contemporary suites and all-inclusive rates in one of the world’s most secluded and serene locations. Sitting at the bottom of South Australia, this designer haven is the last stop before Antarctica, making it a superb spot for some solitude. The calming suites take full advantage of the outdoors, with jaw-dropping views from the freestanding tub, fireplace and spacious private terrace, complete with a dreamy day bed. Luxury lovers should opt for the opulent Osprey Suite: the separate lounge, freestanding handmade stone bath and terrace spa are incredibly indulgent. The multifaceted lobby features a bar and restaurant, walk-in wine cellar, a shop selling local produce and a sunken lounge with a French fireplace suspended from the ceiling and enough books and magazines for even the most literary of lovers. All food, drinks and activities are included in your fare, so once you arrive, there’s no need for arithmetic. Best Newcomer: Ham Yard Hotel, London, UK Perched by Piccadilly Circus, Ham Yard Hotel’s vintage-inspired bowling alley, rooftop terrace with Soho views and restaurant-supplying garden are just the tip of the iceberg at this designer den. Featuring designer Kit Kemp’s signature multipatterned, multi-oloured style, the spacious bedrooms are individually designed with their own mix of art, textures and bright bursts of colour. The headboards are particularly impressive; so is the compact kitchen stocked with Sipsmith spirits in the larger rooms. If the hustle and bustle of London gets a tad tiring, guests can retire to the Ham Yard theatre—– continuing the crazy colour scheme with tangerine seats, electric-blue walls and fuchsia silk curtains — for a film screening, or head to the retro bowling alley for entertainment of a different kind. The honesty bar in the guests-only library will keep everyone’s thirst quenched when the competition heats up, and the bustling restaurant will keep every guest well-fed. Best Smith Hotel 2014: Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa, Bahia, Brazil The Best Smith Hotel is a competitive class: with over 950 hotels to choose from, the winner has to be doing some spectacular things to take out the top gong. This year, breathtaking Brazilian beauty Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa won the judges over with its stunning beachside location, dedication to sustainable tourism and interiors you’d expect to see in a design magazine. Tucked between clifftop Trancoso and postcard-perfect Bahian beaches, the hotel boasts ten restored fishermen’s casas and treehouses bestowed with island-chic styling. The traditional touch comes courtesy of mini stained-glass windows and small oratorios in these rustic-chic villas, whose other features include outdoor showers, private plunge pools and repurposed pipes made from eucalyptus. The beach bar (complete with a restored fishing boat as its counter) and restaurant look over the glittering, aventurine-quartz lined pool, offering a shady spot to escape the Brazilian heat. No stay is complete without a visit to Almescar Spa, home to Bahia’s first Vichy treatment suite. Warm water pours down from carved eucalyptus trunks in the tree-flanked pavilions and therapies use indigenous ingredients such as cacao and almiscar. Find out more about the Smith Hotel Awards 2014, browse the full collection of hotels or contact Smith’s expert Travel Team on 1300 896 627.
There comes a time every year in Brisbane when the temperature dips below a certain level. Cue the freak-outs about how cold it is and mad scrambles for knitted goods. Our winter is a relatively short, but a justifiably intense period, during which time we invariably get a sniffle. But, while Queenslanders may never experience the arctic blasts of our southern neighbours, we do have to contend with a moderate chill cranking in July and August. One justifiably popular way of combating the cold is to head to the nearest purveyor of fine noodles soups. Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Japanese – it don't matter what culture it comes from, as long as it's hot and noodle-y. In addition to warming you up from the inside out, the humble noodle soup has many benefits — namely curing maladies such as colds and hangovers — and it's got a rightful place in everyone's heart. For those in the know, the best way to supercharge the flavour of any noodle soup experience is to enjoy it with a beer, adding a new layer of complexity to your meal. Fresh, crisp beers can cut through heavier, buttery dishes and keep your palate nice and fresh. Big, hoppy beers help keep you on game for anything super spicy (hello chilli fans). To pay homage to the perfect marriage of beer and soupy noodles, and bring this beautiful match to the forefront of your winter plans, we've paired each Brisbane spot with a perfect beer. Once you've picked one (or, hell, try them all), rug up and head out in search of your own noodle soup + beer combo. FOR RAMEN: HAI HAI RAMEN The guys at Hai Hai are doing some pretty incredible things with noodles and soup. With meaty options including a pork bone broth or a chicken and dashi broth (both $15) and a super tasty vego offering of kelp and shiitake ($16), you will definitely find a concoction to suit your mood. Order up, grab a lager to match your bowl, and then take a seat indoors or pull up a seat outside under the heaters. Perfection. Pair with an IPL (India pale lager) — the bitterness of the hops cuts through the rich broth while the crispness of the lager acts as a palate cleanser. [caption id="attachment_579733" align="alignnone" width="1280"] mej.b via Instagram[/caption] FOR LAKSA: QUAN THANH Coconut. Chilli. Coriander. Noodles. Beer. You. ARE YOU EXCITED YET? It doesn't matter if you are sick, cold, tired, happy, sad or hungry — Quan Thanh is your spot. This Hardgrave Road stalwart has been serving up the noodles and treats for yonks, but that doesn't mean you should drag your heels. Grab a bottle of your favourite IPA from the bottle shop next door, order your laksa and dig in to feel the soothing soupy goodness make everything that is wrong in your world right again — well, at least for as long as the bowl lasts. Pair with an India Pale Ale like a Little Creatures IPA, for a citrusy kick to your laska. FOR PHO: TRANG When the cold is unbearable, it's Trang and Trang alone who can soothe a weary soul. Head directly to their West End store and order the beef noodle soup. Whether you plump for rare beef ($11.95) or any of the other varieties including fatty brisket or beef balls ($12.95) you know you're onto a good thing as soon as they bring over the Vietnamese mint and bean shoots to pop in there. While you're waiting for your food, head into the bottle shop up the street and grab a pale ale style beer to accompany your food. When they place that steaming bowl chock-full of delights down in front of you, try not to weep tears of joy. The tears of pain will come when you enthusiastically slurp up a noodle and it whips around sending chilli into your eye. Pair with a sessionable pale ale like James Squire 150 Lashes Pale Ale, which can stand up against this rich broth with its malted wheat lending refreshing character and its fruity nose giving off hints of passionfruit, grapefruit and citrus. FOR RAMEN: TARO'S A bit of a Brisbane institution, Taro's holds a rightful place among the best ramen joints in town. This licensed spot is perfect for a date, or for a late lunch with mates. Their soups are to die for and their soft-boiled eggs are nothing short of incredible — something magical is going on in this kitchen. For those who like to supercharge their ramen, there are lots of toppings to choose from for your ramen, but we recommend sticking with the famed tonkotsu ramen, and pair it with a pilsner for the perfect mouth party. Get takeaway and pair this soup with a crisp bitter pilsner like Little Creatures Original Pilsner at home. It's hoppier and more bitter than other southern German pilsners, but the clean, smooth finish leaves your palate ready for the next spoonful. FOR PHO: RED LOTUS For an un-pho-gettable time in either Annerley or Fortitude Valley you need to hotfoot it to Red Lotus. Pair one of their soul-soothing soups and grab an icy cold lager to wash it down. For a real flavour hit you need to make sure that you pair their amazing, super melty slow-cooked beef brisket broth ($18) with plenty of chilli for a guaranteed way to stay warm this winter. Pair with a smooth, subtle lager for a crisp, dry accompaniment to your hearty, beefy broth. [caption id="attachment_579728" align="alignnone" width="1280"] wandering_lisa via Instagram[/caption] FOR LAKSA: MALAYSIA MAKANAN Suburban eateries are often the best. Case in point: Makanan. This Malaysian treat has been delighting Calamvale locals and dedicated followers for ages. The go-to dish here is their chicken curry laksa noodle soup ($12.90) — and if you pair it with a couple of cheeky pilsner (it's a BYO spot), you'll be in heaven. Delights! Pair with a golden ale — this easy drinking beer has a fantastic sweet biscuit and slight citrus character that lightens up the dish. Try a James Squire Chancer Golden Ale — the tropical fruit aroma, restrained bitterness and dry finish will go damn well with the curry. FOR PHO: LITTLE SAIGON Tucked away down a laneway, this city lunchtime favourite is perfect for when your midweek home-made sangas just don't cut the mustard. Just make sure you don't get too wild with the noodles and make a mess of yourself on your lunch break. Or do — who honestly cares when the food's this good? Their house speciality is undeniably the pho ($14.90), and is perfect for these chilly winter days. Go on, grab your colleagues and do some good old-fashioned bonding over beef broth. Mmm. BYO and pair with a light, refreshing Asian-style lager like Kirin sporting a full-bodied palate but subtly sweet flavour that won't mask the delicate, citrusy broth. It's all down to the special first press method. [caption id="attachment_579731" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Patricia C. Ortiz via Instagram[/caption] FOR UDON: KU-O JAPANESE RESTAURANT This is a Japanese Sunnybank classic that will have you lining up again for more. Choose from their range including beef ($11.90) or katsu udon ($14.90) or for when 'udon' know what to order, just ask them to recommend something delicious. Their helpful staff will be able to help you out, and cut a swathe through the menu to land you in udon haven. Pair with a full-bodied lager, especially if you're ordering a seafood udon — the balance of fruitiness and bitterness will bring out those big flavours. [caption id="attachment_579732" align="alignnone" width="1280"] stephen_ao via Instagram[/caption] FOR LAKSA: LAKSA HUT When you've finished a hard day hitting the shops in Indooroopilly there's really only one place to head to for a post-spend refresh. This inner-west Brisbane local's spot has some of the best laksa ($12.50-14.50) going around. It's BYO friendly too, which means you can bring along your own tasty IPAs and enjoy to your heart's content. Pair with an IPA and let those lingering caramels and hints of aniseed amp up that laska. FOR WONTON SOUP: 2002 CYBER CITY For what is undeniably one of the oddest and most enduring places in the Valley, you need to head here to share a longneck and a spot of food with your mates. Bring a group and feast from a shared pot of wonton soup ($33.40). Now, while the food is undeniably great — you're really coming here because this place is just plain awesome. Enjoy the cityscapes of Hong Kong plastering the walls, marvel at the sheer amount of space in this spot and then stay for a game of pool or a spot of karaoke post-soup. Pair with a sessionable pale ale to pair those citrusy notes with those hearty wontons. For more information on matching different styles of beer, and how particular foods can enhance the range of flavours of a well-brewed beer, visit www.beerthebeautifultruth.com.
It's the news Australian film and television fans have been dreading ever since they signed for a geododging service and a Netflix account. The streaming media behemoth might've taken your cash and looked the other way for years — even when they launched here in 2015 — but now that they're operating in 190 countries around the globe, it seems like they're gearing up to stop users accessing overseas libraries. In a post that appeared on the Netflix blog overnight, Vice President of Content Delivery Architecture David Fullagar advised, "Those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to access the service in the country where they currently are." Exactly how they'll shut out everyone using VPNs, proxy servers and smart DNS services hasn't been disclosed, though the statement does mention that "technology continues to evolve and we are evolving with it." So, if your account is almost permanently logged into the US service, your viewing options could be about to take a bit of hit. While Netflix-produced fare like House of Cards, Master of None, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, BoJack Horseman, Jessica Jones, Making a Murderer and A Very Murray Christmas are available everywhere, the American library currently has almost three times the number of titles than its Australian counterpart. Plus, plenty of content varies between the two; local comedy is quite popular on the Aussie version — or Netflix sure hopes it will be, seeing that their library is packed with it — for example. If you're a bit puzzled by this turn of events, particularly given that Netflix only recently trumpeted their plans to make sure everyone who subscribes to the service can access the same content regardless of the country they're in, that's understandable. They haven't really changed their tune — it's safe to assume that they're working towards that goal, which involves complex rights negotiations in each territory, by first locking down any loopholes that currently allow customers to circumvent geographic restrictions. Of course, just what will eventuate in the long- and short-term is anyone's guess, because Netflix has promised to stamp out geododgers before and then promptly done nothing about it. All Aussie customers can really do for now is watch this space — and maybe start thinking about signing up to Stan or Presto. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
In hospitality, bars come and go. Shooting stars in the great galaxy of bevvos. Then there are the supergiants, the bars with a bright, slow burn — the ones you know are bound to be pumping out the drinks for years to come. That's Canvas. A Brissy stalwart nestled in a small pocket of Woolloongabba cafes, bars and restaurants on Logan Road, Canvas has been going strong since 2010 (back when Sunday sessions at Chalk Hotel were still a thing). Chalk has since closed its doors, but Canvas has only gone from strength to strength. They've been famous for their cocktails for years, and with classics and new-style drinks aplenty you can limber up with a magical tiki tipple called Dumbledore on Tour ($19) or enjoy the simplicity of a perfectly made martini (from $18). And just in case you find yourself standing at the bar, staring perplexed at the cocktail list, simply put yourself in the capable hands of your bartender and get them to whip you up a drink on request for 20 bucks — a blank canvas, if you will. With some of the most delectable food and drinks around, the Johnny Cash Pizza ($23) with salami, chorizo and bacon — or hell, any pizza — is a must. Plus if you need a reason to leave the house mid-week you just might find it here; Tuesday is $10 tapas and $10 tequila cocktail night, on Wednesdays you can get ribs, wings and a rye cocktail or a beer for $25, and Thursday has you covered for date night with two drinks and a large pizza to share for $30. Not to mention their weekend specials, which include cheese boards on Saturdays with your choice of cheese and a glass of vino for $20. When you've eaten and drunk your fill but still have your dessert stomach to satisfy, we suggest choosing a treat like the New York baked cheesecake or the choc fudge caramel brownie ( both $14), perhaps paired with a dessert cocktail. And a nap afterwards. But hey, the fun doesn't end at the cocktails and dessert comas. Canvas is open for brunch on weekends for soul-soothing bloody Marys ($17) and avo on toast ($17), and has a fully decked-out function space at the rear of the venue, complete with private bar. So it doesn't matter what you're after — Canvas is your spot. Like a boozy chameleon, this little bar provides for every whim.
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?
By now, you're probably very familiar with the World's 50 Best Restaurants. Perhaps because of Chef's Table, or because Melbourne is set to host the revered awards next week. But before the world's best chefs arrive in Australia to host a series of talks (in both Melbourne and Sydney) and attend a ceremony whereby the top 50 are dramatically announced, the governing food body's second 50 best restaurants is revealed — that is, restaurants number 51 through 100. Ranking in this list — which, while not the main event, is certainly nothing to be scoffed at — is Sydney's Quay, which came in at number 95. It's the harbourside restaurant's ninth consecutive year in the top 100, and sees it move up three spots from number 98 last year. The highest ranking it achieved was number 26 back in 2011. Apart from that, no other Australian restaurants were named in the 51-100 slot, which leads up to predict that we could have two placing in the top 50. Melbourne's Attica is bound to get a place (last year it was number 33) and it looks like Brae, which is located in regional Victoria, might too (last year it was number 65). Other honourable mentions include New York's Momofuku Ko, which has risen to number 58, and Slovenia's Hiša Franko — chef Ana Roš was the subject of a season two Chef's Table episode and has also been named Best Female Chef for 2017. The main ceremony will take place on Wednesday, April 5 at Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building. It's only the second time the awards will be held outside of London — and that's just the start of it. The ceremony will be just one part of a seven-day program of events, which will bring some of the world's best chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers and other people of food influence to Melbourne. Running from April 1-7, the program will coincide with 2017's Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and include a series of masterclasses, the Chef's Feast (just for chefs though, sorry) and a smattering of satellite events. We'll let you know who places in the top 50 once the ceremony has taken place. Image: Nikki To.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and start that business you've always wanted to give a red hot go? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. Dreaming big is easy. Following through on that dream — that's where the hard work begins. Junky Comics' owner Vlada Edirippulige knows this, but a year after opening her own store, she wouldn't have it any other way. Also known as illustrator Junky and as a member of local band Major Leagues, her commitment to boosting Brisbane's arts scene shows just what can happen when you embody 'Sine Metu', set your mind to something and throw caution to the wind. As a result, not only does she get to hang out in her ideal bookshop all day, Vlada also celebrates artists and work that isn't available elsewhere, she helps make the city the place she wants it to be and nurtures fellow creative Brisbanites through Junky's growing events program. DON'T OVERTHINK IT, JUST DO IT Anyone fresh out of university knows the feeling of spending three years studying, graduating with a shiny piece of paper, and then facing a wave of uncertainty about the future. In 2012, that was Vlada, who boasted a music degree, a hankering for creativity, and an avid interest in comics and art in general. At that time, she came to a realisation. "A lot of the work I was interested in, a lot of the female writers and artists that I was following online — it was tough to find their stuff physically in Brisbane." Enter Junky Comics — or, the first seeds of an idea that would sprout into the vibrant addition to West End's Vulture Street the city now knows and loves. "I was buying a lot of stuff online, and I had a lot of friends who were doing the same. And I also had a bunch of really talented female friends that were doing incredible things. I thought that it was time that there was a place in Brisbane that could house all that kind of stuff. And I thought that I'd just give it a crack," she continues. Armed with a little 'Sine Metu' attitude, Vlada jumped into action, first testing the waters with an online store. Its success bolstered her confidence, and the bricks-and-mortar business was born. Many people in her situation would've spent months and even years deliberating and preparing; however Vlada is honest about her thought processes, or lack thereof. "Not a lot of thought went into it. I was just like, 'I'm just going to do it.' It was very much a leap of faith, but I thought I should just give it a go while I hadn't settled down to do anything yet." EMBRACE YOUR COMMUNITY Vlada's own tastes might've provided her initial motivation, but her faith in Brisbane as a place that should have a store like Junky was also a strong driving force. It's a situation everyone can relate to; all Brisbanites have watched their fair share of friends head to Sydney and Melbourne to chase their dreams, but that wasn't the path Vlada wanted to follow. "I have a really strong belief in Brisbane as a place and as an artistic community," she says. "I think it gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes. I think that we've got so much blank space that we can fill in with music and art." Given the buzz Junky has generated since it launched in April 2015, her customers clearly agree, enabling Vlada to run her own store in her hometown. "That's the dream, right?" she says. "I think in order for Brisbane to be put on the map like Sydney and Melbourne , we need to really cultivate that community that's here. There are so many people doing [great things], and it is exciting to be a part of it." PAY IT FORWARD Indeed, selling great comics and books to the citizens of Brisbane isn't Vlada's only passion or Junky's sole purpose, as anyone who has caught an exhibition, been to a book launch or indulged their own artistic side within the store's walls knows. More than just a shopfront, Junky has become a gallery, hangout space and all-round hive of activity. That's all by design — and it's just the beginning, with expanding the calendar of events being part of Vlada's future plans. "I really want to focus on doing gallery stuff, because it is really fun to tack someone's art on the walls and have them super excited about it — and be able to invite all their pals and celebrate each other's work," she points out. And, in the process, Vlada is not only helping Junky fulfil its potential; she's also doing her bit to assist other creative folks follow in her footsteps. "I think that's where a lot of the joy comes from; seeing people talk about producing something, then producing something, putting on a show and getting all their pals to come in and experience it with them." KEEP YOUR CHIN UP (AND LISTEN TO BEYONCÉ IF IT'S DOWN) Of course, opening her own store from scratch and building Junky into the thriving hub it is today wasn't all smooth sailing, even if it appears that way on the outside. Junky might be gearing up to celebrate its first birthday in April, all while filling its shelves with eclectic wares and playing host to everything from art shows to zine launches, but, like everyone, Vlada has her good days and her bad. So how does she weather those ups and downs, and what advice does she have for anyone keen to rewrite their own path? "The thing I wish I had thought of or knew when I'd started is just don't be knocked down or persuaded that you're anything less than you think you are by anybody," Vlada says. "When you start something, you're already feeling super vulnerable. The way I did it was just by listening to a lot of Beyoncé — but you've got to have something that you can look at or think about every day that reminds you why you're doing it, and that you can do it. Because there's going to be shitty days, and days where you're like 'oh man, this is not worth it'. But then you'll have the really great days that even it out." Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Thanks to Jameson and The Rewriters, one extremely fortunate Concrete Playground reader (and their even more fortunate mate) will get the chance to 'fear less' and go on a big ol' adventure to Ireland. In addition to two return flights departing from your choice of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, this epic giveaway comes with five night's accommodation and $500 spending money you can use to paint the Emerald Isle red. ENTER HERE. For more about how 'Sine Metu' influenced John Jameson's journey visit Jameson's website.
Australian pubs are a cultural icon unto themselves and remain the same across the country: the same smells, the same carpet, the same atmosphere, the same locals, but all with their unique quirks. As we've grown up, so too have our beloved Aussie pubs and what they mean to us. For us, gone are the days when the family meal at the local pub was the height of fanciness (chicken nuggets or fish and chips? Coke or lemonade? The first niggling sensation of FOMO) and now come the days of adulthood, where a cheap meal at a local pub is a financial necessity now and again. Now, with the advent of gastropubs and celebrity chefs, the bar has been raised for pub fare and thankfully most venues have hurdled over it instead of limboing underneath. Triumphantly, this means that for all the students out there, and anyone struggling on a budget, a cheapie pub dinner can actually be a delightful experience without breaking the bank. Without further ado, let us take you through the definitive guide to pub grub: seven days of cheap pub eats. Some of them even include beer in the price. MONDAY There's a reason Monday has so many sad songs written about it: the first day of the typical working week has the potential to be incredibly grim. You're back in the workyard, probably a little hungover and the weekend is a faint memory. Cooking your own dinner is obviously out of the question so head into Fortitude Valley and drown your sorrows at the Flying Cock — they've got a $5 steak offer (with drink purchase). Wash it down with a James Squire One Fifty Lashes pale ale and grab some $3 sides. Or if your guilty pleasure is fried chicken you can head over the Yard Bird for wings ($15 for 12) or wander down to The Brightside to sample the buzzy new menu by Lucky Egg and grab the six wings and blue cheese dipping sauce for $11 (with $6 mozzarella sticks on the side if you've really had a terrible Monday). TUESDAY Tuesday is, without a doubt, the best day of the week to be on a budget because pretty much everyone else is too. Payday Wednesday is only hours away, but right now you've got practically no funds. Luckily, pubs put on some really good meal deals to save you from settling for instant mi goreng. Head on down to Southbank after work and stop in at the Fox Hotel for a $19 300gm Darling Downs porterhouse steak with unlimited fries (yes, unlimited — you can really clean up here). Or head upstairs to the Dandy's rooftop and order the Thai barbecue tiger prawn charcoal grilled skewers with coconut, coriander and crispy shallots (2 for $8). While you're in the area, check in at The Charming Squire while you can (it gets so busy on the weekends you'll be lucky to get a table) and split an order of the hot crispy chicken wings with a mate for $17 (you won't regret it). WEDNESDAY Hump day is another prime night for a hearty pub meal — it feels like you've been at work since you were born but actually it's only Wednesday. Stay local and stop in for a low-key meal at the German Club in East Brisbane. $14 will get you a huge serving of Frikadellen — German rissoles served with mashed potato and veggies or $16.90 for the veggie paella (the beer is really cheap too but remember you'll have to sign up for an associate membership for $5). Or you can scoot over to the Morrison on Stanley Street for their lunch specials where you can grab one of their famous 300 gram steaks with generous sides for $19.90 (if you've got some spare cashola left over, you can add a blue cheese, apple, walnut and rocket salad with a balsamic glaze for $5). And forgo dessert and instead grab a James Squire Jack of Spades porter (chocolate and coffee flavours are perf as a digestive). THURSDAY In pubs across the country, Thursday is traditionally 'student night' because apparently students simply cannot wait until the weekend to get on the sauce. Pub-lined Boundary Street in West End is the perfect place to take advantage of it. For good beer, pool tables and a relaxed vibe, check in at Archive and throw some dosh at the chicken wings. On Thursdays, you can grab a kilo of the things for $22 (with two Stone and Woof Pacific Ales thrown in) which is definitely enough tasty, crunchy meat for two moderately hungry peasants or one super hungry peasant (with leftovers). The Boundary over the road does a fantastic $10 lunch menu (options include Thai beef salad, mushroom risotto, penne bolognaise, beef and red wine stew and more — beggars don't always have to be choosers) and dinner mains are 2 for 1 on Thursdays, so the whole menu is your oyster (without actually doing oysters). FRIDAY When Friday night rolls around, those of us on a budget have to seriously plan ahead, otherwise you'll find yourself drunkenly buying a family-size New York Slice pizza with your entire paycheck. If you don't want miss out on social gatherings with your fancier friends, suggest dinner at the Bavarian Bier Café. It may be a bit expensive but they've recently redone the menu with some cheap burger and hotdog options ($11 cheese burger and $10 hotdogs) and you can trust that the Germans know how to handle their meat. And for a classic pub menu, the Stock Exchange will do right by you. They have a broad share menu and reasonable mains: try the beer battered fish and chips for $19 or if you're feeling super flashy, the pork belly with rum baked apple and coleslaw ($22). SATURDAY On a Saturday night, the pub is really the only place to be (even if you're on a budget) but you've got to chase the good deals otherwise you'll wake up the next day with a hangover, an empty wallet and a deep sense of regret. The Royal Exchange in Toowong does a 2 for 1 meal deal between 11.30am and 8.30pm and boasts a tight range of steaks ($24-$30) and seafood (crispy skin salmon $25 and chilli prawn fettuccine $23) which are cheap as chips with the 2 for 1 deal. Plus, often on Sundays they do 50c wings. For a slightly more upmarket vibe, head down the road to the Regatta and be strategic in your ordering. Try the Mob Boss Bagel (prosciutto, roasted peppers, melted brie cheese, tomato chips & aioli for $14.90) or the pan baked nachos from the courtyard menu ($14.90). SUNDAY The Sunday session means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For some it's a great excuse to drink and for anyone on a budget, it's a great chance to eat big for cheap. The Normanby puts on one of the biggest Sunday sessions in town and, because on Sundays the place is teeming with footballers and football fans, they serve up generous portions. Grab the chicken schnitty with chips and Greek salad ($21.50) or the mushroom risotto with parmesan ($20). If big crowds get to you, head to the Transcontinental down the road on George Street and grab the cheap as sliders ($15.50 for two, served with chips and aioli) and avail yourself of the comprehensive beer menu to wash it all down.
Five years after making the move to the Sunshine State, launching its first-ever River City outpost, Three Blue Ducks is saying farewell to its site inside the W Brisbane hotel. The acclaimed restaurant will close up shop exactly half a decade after it first launched back in June 2018, with both Three Blue Ducks and W Brisbane announcing the end of their partnership to focus on other projects. "We have loved playing host to the Three Blue Ducks in Brisbane since opening in 2018 and celebrating their philosophy of honest, fresh and locally sourced cuisine. We thank them for their collaboration over the past five years and wish them well for their upcoming projects," said W Brisbane General Manager Haldon Philp. "We've really enjoyed our time working with the whole team at W Brisbane. It's been an experience that we're grateful for and we'll use the knowledge gained when planning our next hospitality project," added Three Blue Ducks' chefs and owners Darren Robertson, Andy Allen and Mark LaBrooy. It may be the end of Three Blue Ducks at W Brisbane, but the team are still fond of the city. "Brisbane has an incredible food scene that we feel connected to and want to stay a part of," continued Robertson, Allen and LaBrooy. Whether that means that another Brissie venue is in the works elsewhere is yet to be revealed. The current site will keep heroing its paddock-to-plate dishes until it says goodbye, including by spending April and May serving up a best-of menu of dishes featured over the past five years. That'll span signature plates, the eatery's most well-loved meals and other options that epitomise its approach to food. W Brisbane will run a produce-focused restaurant from June onwards, doing breakfast, lunch and dinner, with more details about what's to come for Three Blue Ducks' old space set to be announced in the near future. Three Blue Ducks will next launch in Bellingen on New South Wales' mid-north coast, with an exact 2023 opening date also yet to be revealed. With the W Brisbane outpost closing, that new venue will join locations in Rosebery, Byron Bay and Nimbo, also in NSW, as well as in Melbourne. Find W Brisbane at 81 North Quay, Brisbane on March 15, with Three Blue Ducks operating until the end of May. For more information on the hotel, visit the website.
Hitting New Zealand for the weekend isn't as much of a faraway adventure as it seems — the flight's just over three hours from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. That's almost similar to visiting Canberra or Byron, and there's better wine at the end. New Zealand's capital is brimming with more contemporary, creative restaurants, microroasteries, buzzing cafes and of course, craft breweries than you can poke a wizard's staff at. Every (outrageously friendly) taxi driver will tell you that that city has more cafes, bars and restaurants per capita than New York City — and they're on the money. Hop an easy flight from Melbourne/Sydney to the Harbour Capital and spend an easy weekend on the waterfront, wandering through street art-filled laneways, tasting the world's most gloriously creative craft beer, learning up on ever-fascinating Māori history, and feasting on some serious food. EAT You'd have to try pretty hard to find a bad coffee in Wellington. The city runs rife with microroasteries and no-nonsense baristas churning out killer coffees by the minute. Wander down the street art-plastered areas of Eva Street and Hannah's Factory Laneway in search of a freshly brewed cup o' joe. Stop by Leeds Street Bakery, a teeny tiny glass-and-brick-walled joint for a piccolo from their mates Red Rabbit Coffee Co., and do not leave here without snapping up one of their famously insane salted caramel cookies. They're not pretty but they'll make you involuntarily make noises at strangers. Look at this: Locals will constantly send you to a formerly dreary multi-car garage that's now a bustling corner cafe, dubbed The Hangar. Run by local coffee roasters Flight Coffee, The Hangar serves up kickass coffee made from Costa Rican beans from the family-run Herbazu estate. Huddle over your own cup of joe and take in the ahmbiahnce, or get pesky and ask the crew about the roasting process. Ghuznee Street's Milk Crate and Customs Brew Bar are also worth visiting, as are our six favourite coffee bars on Concrete Playground Wellington. Now you're well caffeinated, let's head for something a little more hearty. Wellington has one heck of a dining scene, a combination of perpetually high quality produce and young, dynamic restaurateurs. Try your luck and wait for a table at Charley Noble in Post Office Square. A seafood bar and steak specialist with a penchant for woodfired cooking ('Charley Noble' was the sailors' name for the ship's galley chimney), this busy, busy restaurant has been the talk of the town since opening in 2014 — and features New Zealand's first Zesti woodfired chargrill and rotisserie. Looking for something a little more modern and fusion-based? Head for Egmont Street Eatery. Tucked down a regular ol' laneway off Dixon Street, this former carpark space does modern New Zealand/Asian fusion with a fresh, seasonal approach and casually excellent service — and they won Wellington on a Plate's highly coveted Burger Wellington comp in 2015. They'll happily match your lunch with one of Wellington's top notch craft beers or a slam dunk of a New Zealand wine. Try the miso salmon salad with cos, nam jim (a traditional Thai sauce) and herbs ($25), and wash it down with 'The Don', a hefty, sediment-filled white that your waiter will probably recommend you try before you buy. The Don doesn't suit every palate. Also worth visiting? Mark Keddell and chef Sean Marshall's The Matterhorn on buzzy Cuba Street, seasonally-focused (and wine-happy) restaurant Floraditas, wholesome, hearty brunch spot Loretta, award-winning chef Mark Limacher's Ortega fish shack, the Boon brothers' beloved Manners Street cafe/bar Crumpet, New York-inspired deli/diner Five Boroughs, and Eastern Asian modern dining spot and cocktail bar Ancestral. Eating on a budget? Check out our feature on seven days of cheap eats in Wellington. DRINK Let's test out that theory, the big bragging right that the city has more bars per capita than New York City. If you head into the city's nightlife/entertainment district, Courtenay Place on a Friday night, you'll find the area packed with young'uns heading to the area's rowdy Irish pubs, rock and roll bars and licensed late-night eateries. But Wellington's not just serving up any ol' tipples in its plethora of watering holes. Let's start with something for the beer lovers — Wellington is New Zealand's craft beer capital after all. Find your way to an old petrol station in Aro Valley that's now brimming with award-winning beer. You've found one of Wellington's very best craft breweries, The Garage Project. Since 2011, this well-publicised crew have gained the rep as the rock stars of the NZ craft beer scene. They gained quite the hype early on when they released 24 beers in 24 weeks, and have been working just as boldly and experimentally since. They opened their own cellar door within the brewery in March 2013, where you can have a mad chat and taste the latest batches on tap — everything from the best-selling (and bloody delicious) Garagista, to the out-there Umami Monster, Cereal Milk Stout and Ziggy's Carrot Cake. They've even just opened their own bar, GP 91 Aro, just down the road. To keep on the craft beer trail, head for the Parrotdog and Black Dog Brew Co. breweries or head for craft beer bars like Fork & Brewer, Little Beer Quarter, Golding's Free Dive, The Rogue and Vagabond, Bebemos, Hop Garden, The Malthouse or Hashigo Zake. [caption id="attachment_572288" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Hawthorn Lounge.[/caption] Finished your beer? Let's get a little more botanical with your next beverage. Wellington's home to one heck of a mixologist population, with some of the best cocktail bars in the global game. Head to Hawthorn Lounge if you really want to get straight to the good stuff. Managed by all round legend Peter Lowry, this cosy little '30s-style speakeasy is hidden away from rowdy Courtenay Place. Snuggle into a Chesterfield lounge by the fireplace, or pull up a pew at the dimly lit bar and choose from one of the bar's staples — up high for a Chocolate Negroni — or roll the dice on a special edition experiment — bar wizard Jamie co-curates this with Peter. If you're a cocktail fiend, also worth checking out are cocktail bar/alchemist den CGR (Cocktails Gin Rum) on Courtenay Place, Te Aro's award-winning Cuban bar and tapas hideaway Havana Bar, Tory Street's Spanish-inspired Poquito, and beloved Leeds Street cocktail haven Hanging Ditch. Wine runs rampant in Wellington, thanks to the world-famous wine regions surrounding the city — you'll find most Wellington restaurants brimming with local drops on the menu. If you're looking for something entirely non-alcoholic though, pay Six Barrel Soda Co. a visit in Hannah's Laneway. Want more? Check out our round-up of Wellington's best secret bars or best craft beer bars. DO Wellington's a highly walkable city, so lace up your booties and let's go 'sploring. Wandering along Wellington's straight-up beautiful waterfront is a must for first-timers, a stroll you can pair with a visit to the city's mighty Te Papa Tongarewa museum. It's been named one of Lonely Planet's 'Top 500 Places on the Planet' and for good reason. Over six floors, you can get a real sense of New Zealand's past, present and future, through gloriously well-curated exhibitions and a seriously epic collection. Follow NZ's passion for art around the city — there's a smorgasbord of street art and laneway murals around town (you just have to be ready to follow a boring looking backstreet every so often). For film fans, obviously New Zealand has its fair share of pop culture-related tourist Meccas. Let's face it, Wellington airport is home to giant, giant hanging statues of Gollum and Gandalf, so for Lord of the Rings fans, New Zealand is still the damn king of must-visit locations. Before you visit the home of the One Ring in Nelson, no self-respecting movie buff would leave Wellington without a visit to the Weta Cave and Workshop. One of the must-do film studio tours in the world, Weta will put you right up close to the props, costumes and hallowed halls of creativity behind The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Mad Max: Fury Road, District 9, King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia, Avatar, District 9 and more. You might hold an alien assault rifle from District 9, swing an orc mace from The Hobbit, or hold incredibly detailed chain mail worn by Frodo Baggins. Shell out for a Prancing Pony fridge magnet and head back to the city with a hobbity spring in your step. If we told you that you could spend an afternoon in Wellington cuddling up to, say, four red pandas, would you pop this on your to-do list? Worth every dime of a on-holiday splurge, Wellington Zoo offers some pretty kickass 'Animal Encounters'. Being red panda enthusiasts, we skipped the cheetahs and the meerkats to snuggle up to the zoo's four straight-up adorable pandas. You can pat them. And feed them grapes. Because they're gods amongst men. Also recommended is a stroll around the Botanic Garden, and if you're looking for one of the best views in town, set aside $7.50 for a return trip on the Wellington Cable Car. [caption id="attachment_572305" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Intercontinetal.[/caption] STAY Depending on your budget, Wellington's got a pretty wide range of accommodation options. If you've got a little dosh to burn on your well-earned weekend away, we stayed right in the city at the Intercontinental Wellington. Sitting right near the harbour waterfront and a very easy walk to Wellington's main galleries and Te Papa, Courtenay Place, Cuba Street and Hannah's Laneway, this slick inner city hotel will make a Kevin Macallister out of you in minutes. Don a fluffy white robe and make yourself at home in one of 232 contemporary guest rooms, equipped with extra large towels, giant, giant shower heads and — wait for it — a pillow menu. For something equally opulent, check out the award-winning ten-room boutique hotel Ohtel, sitting in the swanky seaside neighbourhood of Oriental Bay. Each room looks straight out of a design magazine shoot, decked out by owner/designer Alan Blundell with his own collected treasures, clocks, ceramics and individual chairs. It's pretty close to Wellington's main entertainment precinct too. Rooms come equipped with two-person baths, podcast facilities, natural toiletries, free wifi and oversized showers. There's plenty of budget accommodation and B&Bs in Wellington too, check out WellingtonNZ.com for a bunch of great options. LET'S DO THIS, HOW DO I GET THERE? Flights to Wellington from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are super short — around 3.5 hours on average. Jetstar have just launched a direct route from Melbourne to Wellington (from $159) and Queenslanders can fly direct from the Gold Coast (from $169). Air New Zealand fly direct from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Wellington (from $297). Next weekend, we hop on a 45 minute flight out of Wellington to the pretty city of Nelson for some of New Zealand's best contemporary art, insanely good (and globally renowned) wine region and some of the world's most beautiful outdoor adventuring.> Shannon Connellan travelled as a guest of WellingtonNZ.com. Top image: Egmont Street Eatery. All other images SC unless otherwise specified.
Sure, it's only January — but if you're a beauty product buff, it's about to feel a lot like Christmas. Sephora, aka the French-based perfume and cosmetics chain that has won fans the world over, is finally making its way to Brisbane. Just where they'll be setting up shop is yet to be announced, but expect to find them in the CBD. Yes, browsing for your favourite makeup, skincare and other beauty buys during your lunch break is about to become a reality. It's good news for everyone, except for your bank balance. If you haven't jumped on the Sephora bandwagon yet — and given that they only launched their first Australian premises in Sydney in December 2014, and then opened up their online store to Aussie customers in November 2015, that's understandable — then prepare to enter a beauty product wonderland. All those prestige international brands you can't get elsewhere, like Marc Jacobs, Kat Von D, Formula X and their own Sephora Collection? Well, you'll find them here among more than 1500 different lines, as well as in-store services and demonstrations. Sephora might be known for setting trends in the beauty industry, but in opening up a store in Brisbane, it's actually following one. In the last year, Zara and H&M have made their presence known, with Uniqlo about to do the same. For more information about Sephora's Brisbane store, keep an eye on their website and Facebook page. Via The Courier Mail.
When it comes to camping, it's possible to have the best of both worlds: sleeping under the stars and enjoying creature comforts. Yes, we're talking about glamping, which lets you spend an evening or two in the great outdoors but without all the less-than-luxurious elements. Like its portmanteau name suggests, it's a more glamorous kind of camping that's perfect for everyone, even those who prefer hotels and cosy bathrobes to tinned meals and singing around the campfire. It's also something that Brisbanites can experience in plenty of spots — including these, our eight favourites — whether you're after a scenic beachside stay, a secluded mountainous getaway or something in between. Rest assured, you won't be doing it rough at these Queensland glamping sites. Recommended reads: The Best Glamping Sites in Australia The Best Hotels in Brisbane The Best Spas in Brisbane The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Australia Minjerribah Camping, Stradbroke Island It doesn't get much better than this: a roomy tent decked out with everything you could need, all within a stone's throw of the water on Stradbroke Island. And that's just what Minjerribah Camping has up its sleeves at its Adder Rock site at Point Lookout. You'll get cosy in a mini village of beachfront tents, with each equipped with sheets, towels, outdoor furniture and power. Plus, as well as roaming around the camping ground's communal kitchen, barbecue and picnic facilities, you can stroll up to the shops and pub — when you're not splashing around or soaking in the view, that is. Minjerribah also has glamping sites at Amity Point, Cylinder Beach and Bradbury's Beach. Sanctuary by Sirromet, Mount Cotton Not only home to grapevines as far as the eye can see, but also a restaurant with views over Moreton Bay and regular concerts, Mount Cotton's Sirromet Winery has onsite glamping within its expansive 560-acre grounds. When it opened, it was the first vineyard glamping experience in Queensland, with visitors able to get cosy in its lavish tents — or, as it calls them, pavilions. Each features a king bed, indoor day chairs, outdoor tables and seating, bathrooms with a shower and toilet, and reverse cycle air-conditioning to cope with southeast Queensland's usually warm weather. Every safari-style abode also includes a mini-bar filled with Sirromet wine, and all bookings include complimentary breakfast either at Tuscan Terrace (on weekends) or via a gourmet hamper delivered to your door (during the week). Nightfall, Lamington National Park It takes less than two hours for Brisbanites get to one of Queensland's best glamping spots — and its most exclusive. At Nightfall in Lamington National Park in the Scenic Rim, only eight guests can stay at any one time, with each of the permanent safari tents located in its own private clearing. When you're not enjoying your own space within the lush thickness of nature, everything from creekside lounging and dining to a waterfall walk and taking a dip in the swimming hole is on the agenda. Unsurprisingly, this kind of outdoorsy luxury doesn't come cheap, so expect to pay handsomely. [caption id="attachment_656608" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Moreton Island Adventures[/caption] Castaways, Moreton Island Straddie isn't the only island calling Brisbanites' names, or the only one with a glampground perfect for an outdoorsy holiday. While you won't be directly on the beach at Castaways, you may as well be — you'll just have to stroll a mere 100 metres to stick your feet in some water. Each tent comes with a queen bed, private ensuite, solar lighting, verandah and linen, with every stay also including use of the communal camp kitchen. The best part? Switching off and truly getting away from it all, because you won't find any power points in your canvas home away from home. Alure, Stanthorpe 'Go West' isn't just a catchy 70s Village People track — and 90s Pet Shop Boys cover — that you probably now have stuck in your head. It's also good advice if you're after an epic Queensland glamping experience. At Alure in Stanthorpe, you'll spend your time in a 56-square-metre tent on a timber deck, with interiors put together by a designer. With a fireplace, Netflix, a kitchen and even air-con part of the package, this is the kind of tent you stay in when you really, truly, definitely don't want to rough it. You'll be situated on 50 acres of farm, with an outdoor spa ready and waiting, right in the middle of the Granite Belt wine region. Lake Somerset Holiday Park, Somerset Everyone in Brisbane has heard of Somerset. In a city so reliant upon our dams, it pops up in the news whenever there's too much water or not enough. And, we've all heard of folks day-tripping out to the lake and even staying the night — but, knowing you can do just that and following through are completely different things. An affordable, scaled-back glamping option that'll still have you sleeping in a safari tent on a bed with your own fridge, tea- and coffee-making facilities and dining area, Lake Somerset Holiday Park is all about its location. Want to wake up metres away from the water, and spend your days frolicking about on the shore? Of course, you do. And don't forget to bring a frisbee and a fishing rod for some primo lake fun. Murphy's Creek Escape, Upper Lockyer There's glamping, and then there's glamping at Murphy's Creek Escape. Yes, not all fancy camping experiences are created equal. Or, perhaps a better way to look at it is this: getting out in nature without actually kipping on the dirt comes in many shapes and sizes. Here, you'll be located on a sandstone ridge overlooking the eponymous waterway, and you'll enjoy king beds, fluffy bathrobes and even a clawfoot bath in each tent. You will need to bring your own food, but you'll find a bar fridge, kettle, toaster, barbecue and utensils onsite — or, you could drive 25 minutes into Toowoomba to combine your trip with some eating and sightseeing. Ketchup's Bank Glamping, Boonah A secluded spot? Tick. Views of mountains and national parks that'll make you want to say goodbye to city-living forever? Tick. Mod cons, even when you're immersed in nature? Tick again. That's what's on offer at Ketchup's Bank Glamping in Boonah in the Scenic Rim. Here, going bush gets the glamorous treatment. The site's eco-tents feature everything from wifi to DVD players, while you can also get into the swing of the setting by cooking your meals in a cast iron campfire oven. Or, do both — because if glamping is about one thing, it's about picking, choosing and combining the best parts of going away and heading outdoors. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Nightfall.
Just when you thought you knew everything that dining in New Farm has to offer, you stumble across a gem like The Balfour Kitchen. The Balfour Kitchen is the restaurant component of Spicers Balfour, a boutique hotel tucked away on Balfour Street and best described as an inner-city sanctuary. Blink and you'll miss this place twice over, but behind its unassuming façade is a tranquil, top quality dining experience and maybe even a room for the night if you're in the mood to imbibe. The trend of highly stylised, themed spaces and 'hipster' trimmings has passed the Balfour Kitchen by, which is a refreshing change. The building itself is a classic Queenslander at heart, with a wide timber veranda that makes the most of Brisbane's long summer evenings. Lush greenery and the bamboo-lined driveway create a tropical feel that lends itself nicely to a Mojito or a Long Island Iced Tea. The Balfour Kitchen has received rave reviews for its breakfast and high tea for quite some time now, but only began a dinner service in recent months. Dishes are priced between $10 and $35 and are designed to share, making it an ideal destination for group dining. The tropical theme finds its way onto the dinner menu with Asian-influenced dishes such as chilli caramel tofu with green pawpaw, coriander and pine nuts ($15), chicken spring rolls with lime and coconut dipping sauce ($16) and pan fried salmon with pak choy, shitake, grapefruit and rice noodles ($30). If comfort food is more your thing, try the cider braised pork belly with white bean puree and pickled apple ($19), which is an inspired combination of flavours and textures. Other larger meals include a classic eye fillet dish with potato and caramel onion mash, asparagus and red wine jus ($34) and a wild barra with asparagus, leek and pea risotto and tomato pinenut salsa ($30). Sugar lovers will delight in the chocolate brulee ($15) and the Frangelico affocato ($14) dessert options, or choose a selection of cheeses. While the meal may be over the night is still young, so pop upstairs to the rooftop bar, which has a well-stocked fridge plus sprawling views over residential New Farm and Brisbane city. Ah, the serenity.
