Yoda? Cartoon characters? Pamela Anderson emerging in slo-mo from the surf, flicking her hair to the Baywatch theme? Such are the visions that come to mind when viewing the high-speed photographs of violently shaking dogs, shot by Carli Davidson for her new book, Shake. With plenty more flabby skin and saliva at their disposal, our furry friends put human jowlers utterly to shame. Davidson appears to be a bit of a badass known for her wildlife photography, and according to her bio, was "raised on a secret volcano island by cheetahs". (Her biopic is recommended viewing). She first began photographing animals while working at the Oregon Zoo. The shake project was inspired by her pet dog Norbert (a name which I choose to interpret as an Angry Beavers reference), whose drool Davidson is apparently obliged to scrub from the walls of her home with some frequency. In Shake, she shares 130 high-speed photos of 61 dogs from a range of pedigrees, including a Chinese Crested, that exquisite breed famed for its tendency to win the World's Ugliest Dog competition each year. Different textures of fur coat and jowl surface area contribute to the extremity of 'shake', floppy ears and eyelids flying in opposing directions with a majesty comparable to that of hawks swooping above the Far Northern tundra. One can only imagine the sheer volume of drool lopped onto Davidson's bystanding studio assistants, who by the end must have resembled the victims of some terrible slug fight. The resulting portraits truly inspire — buy them singly as prints, ideal for your stylish home or super tasteful office wall. If that's just not sufficient, order the book on Amazon to be reminded of just how cute and demented doggies really are. The video below, created in conjunction with Variable, is an instant mood-lifter, as all kinds of puppies rattle and roll to an appropriately sentimental soundtrack. Via Colossal.
This coming August, your daughter probably isn't getting married. In fact, you mightn't even have a daughter at all. But if you'd like to spend the month saying "you come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married" while holidaying in the very mansion featured in The Godfather, that's now a genuine possibility. Movie lovers have Airbnb to thank for this opportunity, with the accommodation service adding the chance to follow in the footsteps of the most iconic gangster movie ever made to its list of pop culture-themed one-off experiences. Just this year alone, it has listed the Bluey house, the Moulin Rouge! and the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine for stays. If you wanted to solely plan your getaways around living life like you're in your favourite movie or television show, Airbnb has definitely here to help lately. The platform's current impressive home away from home arrives to celebrate The Godfather's 50th anniversary, and will have one lucky person and up to four of their pals whiling away an entire month in the Staten Island mansion in New York that's seen in Frances Ford Coppola's masterpiece. The film features the outside of the house, but you'll get to scope out the inside as well — all 6248 square feet of it, which was built in 1930. When you're not channelling your inner Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan or Diane Keaton, you'll have plenty to do — there's a big saltwater pool, a pub in the basement, a game room and a gym. In fact, you'll have the run of the five-bedroom, seven-bathroom abode, other than the basement closets and the attic. You do need to be keen for a lengthy trip, with just one reservation available for 30 nights from August 1–31. And, like all of Airbnb's similar offerings in the past, you're responsible for getting yourself there and back — so if you do get lucky and score the booking, travel isn't included in the price. For those making the jaunt from Down Under, that turns this stint of The Godfather worship into a more expensive option. That said, the mansion itself will cost you just US$50 per night. And, if your bank balance is up to it, a stay here will get you away from Australia and New Zealand's frosty climes and into a Staten Island summer. If you're still keen, you can apply to book at 3am AEST on Thursday, July 28 via the Airbnb website. Another caveat: this is a family home when it's not welcoming in Airbnb guests, and it's located in a quiet neighbourhood, so stays are strictly limited to you and the four folks you take with you — with no outside guests allowed. If the timing doesn't work for you, it's likely only a matter of time until Airbnb finds another pop culture-themed getaway that'll tempt your wanderlust. Here are two places on our wishlist: Buffy's house from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twin Peaks' Black Lodge. For more information about the The Godfather mansion listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 3am AEST on Thursday, July 28, head to the Airbnb website. 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. Images: Marc McAndrews.
Some pop star dreams just aren't meant to be, and The Idol's are now among them. Whether you watched some of it, the whole thing or simply read about it (because no one could avoid the latter), the HBO series has been one of the most talked-about shows of 2023 — when it started dropping sneak peeks from July 2022, too, but especially once it hit streaming in June this year. All that chatter hasn't inspired the US network to bring it back for a second season, however, and unsurprisingly. As per Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, the show has been cancelled after its first season — which ran for five episodes, and focused on singer Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp, Voyagers) and nightclub impresario Tedros (Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd). "The Idol was one of HBO's most provocative original programs, and we're pleased by the strong audience response," said a HBO representative in a statement. "After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers, have decided not to move forward with a second season. We're grateful to the creators, cast and crew for their incredible work." Set within the music industry, The Idol followed Jocelyn as she attempted to make a comeback, got caught up in controversy and met Tedros. It bears more than a passing resemblance to UK series I Hate Suzie, but with its own stacked cast — and with Sam Levinson, the mastermind behind Euphoria, creating it alongside The Weeknd. The Idol's packed list of on-screen talent also spanned Red Rocket's Suzanna Son, Boy Erased's Troye Sivan, Schitt's Creek's Dan Levy, singer-songwriter Moses Sumney, BLACKPINK's Jennie Kim, Only Murders in the Building's Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Hacks' Jane Adams, Bodies Bodies Bodies' Rachel Sennott and Inglourious Basterds' Eli Roth. Also appearing: Hank Azaria (Hello Tomorrow!), Hari Nef (Barbie), Steve Zissis (Happy Death Day 2U), Melanie Liburd (This Is Us), Tunde Adebimpe (Marriage Story), Elizabeth Berkley Lauren (Saved By the Bell) and Nico Hiraga (Booksmart), plus Anne Heche (All Rise) in what was one of her last performances. Controversy surrounded the show not just once it was releasing episodes, but beforehand. Prior to arriving on streaming — before it premiered at 2023's Cannes Film Festival, too — the Los Angeles-set series started with She Dies Tomorrow's Amy Seimetz directing every single episode. But back in April 2022, it was revealed that Seimetz had left the project and reshoots were underway as a result. Reports also surfaced about the working environment — and, neither the viewer nor the critical response was anywhere near glowing, making The Idol's cancellation far always likely. Check out the trailer for The Idol below: The Idol season one streams via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Via Variety / The Hollywood Reporter. Images: Eddy Chen/HBO.
The Game of Streaming Services has a new, long-awaited and undeniably powerful player vying for the throne. Apple have unleashed their streaming champion, Apple Music, announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) at San Francisco's Moscone Centre today. Apple Music is set to launch on June 30, locked in for $10 a month (or $15 for the family plan, designed for up to six people). For this monthly fee, you'll get access to the full Apple Music library, 'expert recommendations', Apple's own curated lists of new music, and unlimited skips on Apple's radio stations. Will it work? Can Apple successfully sweep Beats Music under the rug? We're keen to try it out. So where's all this music coming from? Apple Music is linked directly to iTunes, iTunes on-demand and the cloud — we're talking 30 million songs. The streaming service combines music you've bought with music you haven't bought. The new Apple Music interface will show you music videos and artist pages, as well as 'For You' recommendations (one of Spotify, Pandora, Tidal's biggest opportunities for sweet, sweet business). All playlists will be user or DJ generated; a big bird-flip from Apple over algorithm-generated playlisting. Recommendations will also come from the social network element of Apple Music, Connect. Made particularly for artists, the service allows artists to make their own pages (or their labels, managers etc.), allowing artists to share new music and users access to behind the scenes content, photos, interviews, B-sides (yep, all the extra bits Tidal is offering). There's no word yet on the royalties artists will receive (Spotify and Pandora, for example, don't have the most ethical fees around), so watch this space. Radio plays a big role in Apple Music too, with the Beats 1 service (the one BBC's Zane Lowe left his top radio host spot for this year) announced by Apple's Jimmy Iovine today. Apple is calling this the world's first truly global radio station, one which will broadcast 24 hours a day to over a hundred countries worldwide from bases in New York, London and LA. In case you're wondering whether Siri will have her say in Apple Music, you're bang on the money. You can ask Siri to play her favourite song, bring up playlists, or use the service like Shazam with questions like, "Siri, play the LL Cool J song from the end of Deep Blue Sea." Boom. Streamed. Apple Music will be available on Mac, iOS, Apple TV on June 30 and (wait for it) PC and Android later this year. Apple are offering three-month trial membership so you can test it out for yourself. Via Apple and Wired.
UPDATE, November 25, 2021: Due to the weather forecast, BrisStyle Twilight Christmas Market has been postponed from Saturday, November 27 to Friday, December 3. This article has been updated to reflect that change. You might have thought King George Square looked pretty fine during the day and maybe a tad finer at night, but it's at twilight City Hall really shows off its colours. And what better backdrop when you're shopping the evening away — especially when the King George is filled with some of Brisbane's best designers and makers, and you're looking for Christmas presents, The festive offshoot of the regular Brisbane Twilight Market, this event will show off a sizeable array of stalls — more than 80, in fact — all staffed by some pretty nifty and talented local artists. Expect an eclectic selection of items, so prepare to browse and buy. You'll be perusing everything from handmade clothing, accessories and leather goods to paper goods, homewares, art and ceramics (and more). And seasonal gifts, obviously. This market is all about sound, smell and sales — so live music will provide a soundtrack to the evening, and expect to be hit with that spring flowerbed smell that always lingers when there's a soap stall around. Food trucks are also on the agenda, with the market running from 4–9pm on Friday, December 3. So take along some cash and stock up on all things crafty. [caption id="attachment_666947" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] BrisStyle[/caption] Top image: Brisbane City Council.
There are two highly misconstrued clauses about exhibition openings. Firstly, that you have to know a lot about art to go to them. Secondly, that you need an invitation. To set things straight, you actually need neither. Most openings are come one, come many so we've enlisted the experts to help us brave our debut into the commercial art world with A Bluffer's Guide to Art Parties. Who goes? "Exhibition openings are celebrations of art and welcome community participation through discussion," says Nicky Ginsberg, Director of NG Art Gallery in Sydney. "Openings serve to promote awareness and support in the contemporary art scene." Openings are about engaging with art, the artists, gallerists, artsy types and non-artsy types. They are exciting events where guests are in the privileged position of being able to actually meet the artist and talk to them in person about their work and practice. Don't shy away from openings because you 'don't fit the mould' – there's no such thing. Rhianna Walcott, Manager at Artereal Gallery in Sydney, is another oracle we asked. "Exhibition openings in commercial spaces attract a very diverse mix of people including the artist's friends, family and supporters. You also find a mix of the gallery's regular clients and ongoing supporters, as well as collectors and arts industry professionals," she says. What to expect And what should we expect from the evening's festivities? Well, ordinarily, guests are given ample time to browse the art on offer, chat with artists and soak up the atmosphere. Next there's normally a formal speech from either the gallery's director or a guest speaker who will declare the exhibition open. And yes. Complimentary wine and canapés are the norm. But remember not to over indulge. No one enjoys the token drunk kid in the corner who has suddenly become an expert on all things contemporary art. Needless to say you're there for the art and engagement, not the free booze. Art criticism 101 Now that we've covered the who and what, we should probably discuss the how and when. The question of how to navigate your way around an opening can be a tricky one. For first timers, Ginsberg offers the advice: "Don't be shy, on arrival survey the room; if in doubt, go clockwise. Take in the art by asking yourself: do I like it? Why don't I like it? How was it made?" "Spend the first ten minutes or so looking at all the work and reading through the available information on the exhibition – curatorial text, artist biography etcetera. If you are serious about engaging with the work in the exhibition it is best to read up on the artist via the gallery's website in advance. This gives you some context and prior knowledge, which will allow you a better appreciation of the work when you do see it in the flesh," adds Walcott. The when of exhibition openings varies. Most, however, are hosted during the week, after hours, from around 6-8pm. Talking art Before presenting our fast fact manual, we'd like to leave you with a few crucial words of departure from the experts. "If in a conversation about the art on offer, it is advised to engage your companion's opinion and relationship to the artist before slandering harsh criticism," offers Ginsberg. And from the Walcott camp: "The art world is not as uptight as it is made out to be. Never be afraid to approach people whether it is the artist or the gallerist, or just the person standing next to you. Galleries feel a responsibility to create a welcoming environment where anyone can come to experience and learn about the work." Fast facts Who: Commercial exhibition openings welcome all and it is not necessary to RSVP. What: An exhibition opening is an event hosted by an art gallery/institution to formally open an exhibition. You go to them to be educated, to celebrate and to congratulate. When: Varied, but usually on a weekday evening from 6-8pm. Where: All galleries on the commercial circuit host exhibition openings to expose artists' work to the public. How much: Usually free, with the exception of invite-only openings or ticketed launch events (usually reserved for major public art institutions). Mingle like a pro: Don't: Use fancy words you don't know the meaning of when discussing a work just to impress someone. Do: Try descriptive words like 'costly', 'historic', or 'monotonous' rather than 'rip off', 'big', or 'boring'. Don't: Overlook the art nearest the bar. Do: Use the art near the bar as a conversation starter in the likely event there is a queue. Don't: Assume you know everything about the artist just because you've read the catalogue essay. Do: Read up on the artist before the show if you want to get the most out of the opening. Don't: Forget that 'modern' and 'contemporary' are different genres in art history. Do: Be inquisitive if other guests start dropping art historical terms, mid-conversation, that you don't understand. Don't: Say 'I could do better than that'. Do: Say you've been inspired to create your own art.
Haute couture. Murder. Disco tunes and Studio 54. Throw in one of the biggest names in fashion — and a tale that's filled with both glam and grim strands, too — and that's House of Gucci. Ranking highly among the most anticipated movies set to hit the big screen across the rest of 2021, this Ridley Scott (All the Money in the World)-directed drama steps inside the Gucci family fashion dynasty, charting its successes and shocking moments over the course of three tumultuous decades. If you've read the book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed, which this new film is based on, then you'll know the details. If you've seen news coverage about or can remember the events that rocked the Italian family back in 1995, you will as well. The focus: Maurizio Gucci, grandson of company founder Guccio Gucci, and the head of the fashion house throughout the 80s and early 90s — until he was assassinated by a hitman in 1995. Adam Driver steps into also Maurizio's unsurprisingly stylish shoes, in what's proving a big year for him in cinemas. He'll also grace the big screen in Scott's next film The Last Duel, which is due to release in October — a month before House of Gucci arrives in November. In the latter flick, he's joined by Lady Gaga in her first big-screen role since A Star Is Born, this time playing Maurizio's wife Patrizia. Obviously, there's quite the tale to tell — and, as the just-dropped first trailer for House of Gucci shows, Scott is going big on striking threads, 70s and 80s tunes and vibes, indulgence and luxury dripping through in every frame, and also an unavoidable air of melodrama. To help, the star-studded cast also includes Jared Leto (The Little Things) sporting plenty of prosthetics and makeup, as well as Al Pacino (The Irishman), Jeremy Irons (Love, Weddings and Other Disasters) and Salma Hayek (The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard). As the trailer reminds us, that's a whole lot of Oscar-winning and Oscar-nominated talent in one flick. Check out the trailer below: House of Gucci will release in Australian cinemas on November 25.
Everyone should be able to fill their walls with art no matter their bank balance. That's the idea behind Affordable Art Fair, and has been since 1999. Back in the 20th century, the event initially popped up in London to share eye-catching pieces with the world at manageable prices, and then started spreading its art-for-all ethos around the world. A quarter-century later, it's now set to make a Brisbane appearance. For four days in May 2024 — from Thursday, May 9–Sunday, May 12 — the first-ever Affordable Art Fair Brisbane will debut at Brisbane Showgrounds. On offer at the Bowen Hills venue will be original artworks by the thousands, with prices starting from $100. If you are feeling flush with cash, however, costs will max out at $10,000 per piece. The fair's arrival in the River City adds to a footprint that spans 17 fairs in 16 cities, including in Melbourne and Sydney already. The 2024 run will also see both Berlin and Austin join Affordable Art Fair's ranks as host spots. Making repeat visits, the event will return to London, Brussels, Hamburg, Stockholm and Amsterdam in Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong in Asia, and New York in the US as well. Unsurprisingly, democratising art has been proving the hit as Affordable Art Fair notches up the years. Across its stops worldwide since 1999, the event has sold 568,000 artworks at a value of over AU$820 million. In Brisbane, more than 40 independent Australian galleries will have pieces up for sale, alongside Asia-Pacific institutions. Among the Aussie contingent, Studio Gallery, Revival Art & Design, The Toowoomba Gallery, Wentworth Galleries, MG and Co and JUMBLED will all be represented. Buying art isn't the only drawcard, though, with talks, tours, workshops, live tunes, bites to eat, drinks and live artist demonstrations all also on the agenda. "Affordable Art Fair focuses on the fun side of viewing and buying art and seeks to put art into every home, no matter the size or buyer's budget," explains Australian Fair Director Stephanie Kelly. "The mission of the fair is to democratise and demystify the art world and make art accessible to all. Unlike traditional art fairs, every exhibited work is from a living artist, every artwork on display lists a sale price and every artwork is looking for a new home." Affordable Art Fair Brisbane will take place from Thursday, May 9–Sunday, May 12, 2024 at the Brisbane Showgrounds Exhibition Building, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills — head to the event's website for tickets and more details.
After a brief sneak peek featured in Disney+'s teaser trailer for its 2025 slate, The Handmaid's Tale has unveiled its first proper look at its upcoming sixth season — the dystopian thriller's final run. Since 2017, watching the series has meant wishing for one thing: the end of Gilead, the totalitarian, male-dominated society that rules the show's dystopian version of the United States. (No, not the masterplanned Sydney community of the same name.) In the award-winning series adapted from Margaret Atwood's book, that outcome is finally coming in a way, and fans will be able to see how the tale wraps up from April 2025. For June (Elisabeth Moss, The Veil) and her fellow red-wearing women, revolution is also coming. Rallying against the oppressive status quo however possible has sat at the heart of this series since day one — and in the last season, June is back in the fight. The teaser trailer for season six is narrated by its protagonist, noting the ways that the regime tried to push her and her fellow women down, including via their restrictive attire. "The dress became a uniform — and we became an army," June advises. Of course, it's highly likely that The Handmaid's Tale won't conclude with the total destruction of Gilead, because a TV version of The Testaments in the works — and is set to arrive sometime after The Handmaid's Tale finishes its run. It too is based on an Atwood novel, on her sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, which hit shelves in 2019, which means that her fictional nightmarish realm isn't going far. If you haven't read the book, The Testaments is set 15 years after the events of its predecessor, and also includes familiar characters. How that'll play into the end of The Handmaid's Tale on-screen obviously hasn't been revealed. For now, blessed be your streaming queue with The Handmaid's Tale season six this autumn — and praise be what looks like one helluva reckoning. Alongside Moss, Yvonne Strahovski (Teacup), Bradley Whitford (The Madness), Max Minghella (Maximum Truth), Ann Dowd (The Friend), O-T Fagbenle (No Good Deed), Samira Wiley (Breaking News in Yuba County), Madeline Brewer (Space Oddity), Amanda Brugel (Dark Matter), Sam Jaeger (Wolf Man) and Ever Carradine (The Neighbourhood) all return among the cast, with Josh Charles (Moss' The Veil co-star) a new addition. The sixth season of The Handmaid's Tale debuts in the US on Tuesday, April 8. Down Under, it streams via SBS On Demand and Neon. Check out the first teaser trailer for The Handmaid's Tale season six below: The Handmaid's Tale season six debuts on Tuesday, April 8 — and streams Down Under via SBS On Demand and Neon.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Brisbane, as happens each year once Halloween ends and November arrives. But from Friday, November 25, for a whole month leading up to the big day, the Brisbane CBD and South Bank will be brimming with festive cheer — whether you're keen on shopping your way through markets, peering at dazzling lights or getting comfy (and merry) with a drink in your hand. The lineup of Christmas events that'll be decking out the city's two major inner-city precincts is as stuffed as a stocking, and filled with both beloved returning highlights and new reasons to get merry. Some, like the Enchanted Garden in Roma Street, are popular favourites set to dazzle again. Others, like the 'Tinsel Tavern' and Christmas jazz lounge, are fresh additions to your seasonal itinerary. It all kicks off on Friday, November 25 with the annual lighting of King George Square's 22-metre-tall Christmas tree, as well as the Enchanted Garden's launch. But, mark most of December in your diary, as that's when the bulk of the rest of the events take place. For nabbing gifts, Brisbane Arcade's two-day Christmas markets, the BrisStyle twilight Christmas markets in King George Square and The Collective Markets' six-day Christmas edition at South Bank all return, joining the city's hefty list of places to browse and buy beyond shopping centres. In the CBD, there'll also be nightly light shows at City Hall, running from 7.30pm–12am from Friday, December 9–Saturday, December 24; daily roving performances in the mall across the same dates; and the Lord Mayor's Christmas Carols on Saturday, December 10 at the Riverstage. Or, kick back at the jazz lounge around the Queen Street Mall's stage, with performances by Scat Jazz. South Bank will concentrate its festive fun between Saturday, December 17–Thursday, December 22, including daily pantomime shows, a free Santa photo station at Flowstate, and the return of Christmas Cinema by the river — complete with free double features, with Elf, Last Christmas, Arthur Christmas, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Holiday, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Happiest Season among the flicks on the bill. And, the Tinsel Tavern will set up on Little Stanley Street Lawn, serving tipples nightly from 4.30–10pm — and thoroughly saying cheers to the silly season.
If a great restaurant is all about the location, food and talent, then Brisbane's next big addition has hit a trifecta: it's opening on Queen Street in the CBD with prime river views, features a meat-heavy menu with a particular focus on steak, and hails from restaurateur Chris Higgins (ex-Cha Cha Char) and TV chef Adrian Richardson. That new eatery is BŌS, a 120-seater settling into Otto Ristorante's old Dexus Tower digs from Tuesday, November 15 — and that's just the first stage of its launch. BŌS takes its name from the Latin word for beef, which is indeed reflective of its menu. Here, you'll find steak tartare, eight cuts from the grill included a bacon-wrapped fillet mignon, and two giant 1.2–1.5-kilogram options to share all on offer. The pasture- and grain-fed beef and wagyu range is also complemented by a lineup of cuts in a glass dry-ageing cabinet, which guests can buy and reserve, then eat via the BŌS 'Cleaver Club' whenever they feel like it. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @bos_brisbane Clearly, if steak is your favourite meal, you'll be in heaven, with Higgins, Good Chef Bad Chef and Richo's Bar Snacks star Richardson, and lawyer Liam McMahon teaming up to give the River City its next carnivorous go-to. Diners will also find oysters three ways, chargrilled Fremantle octopus, house-smoked salmon, sand crab lasagne, crackling-wrapped pork loin and duck breast with black garlic on the menu, however, as part of BŌS embrace of different types of proteins. The culinary theme, other than meat: modern Mediterranean, as also seen in the lineup of handmade small goods like salamis, bresaola and pastrami; the southern rock lobster with hand-cut mafaldine pasta; and the hand-stretched buffalo mozzarella. Overall, Richardson is also taking cues from La Luna, his bistro in Carlton in Melbourne since 1998. "For over ten years we've been waiting for the right time to bring the soul and character of La Luna's style of cuisine to Brisbane," he explains. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @bos_brisbane BŌS' sides range covers creamy mashed potatoes, wagyu-fat roasted spuds and a selection of other vegetables, while the dessert options include vanilla bean crème brûlée, Basque cheesecake, strawberries and cream, cheeses, ricotta doughnuts and dark chocolate brownies. Espresso martinis and affogatos fall into the 'liquid dessert' category, but thanks to restaurant manager and sommelier Romain Maunier (Montrachet, La Cache a Vin), the drinks list spans far further. The vino choices favour drops from high-end producers in Australia, France and Italy, and the cocktail and spirits offerings fills seven pages. Keep an eye out for an around-the-world gin selection, Bond-style martinis, share jugs of sangria and three kinds of spritzes. Decor-wise, this Sunshine State newcomer heroes green hues and a plush fitout, with local interior design outfit Alkot Studio also favouring rounded edges, warm light, plenty of linen, and polished marble and brass. That's what you'll soak in while sitting at tables and banquettes, or in the restaurant's al fresco seating. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @bos_brisbane While all the above should tempt you in the door ASAP, plan a return trip to BŌS from January 2023, which is why its champagne and cocktail terrace bar — called The Aviary Terrace Bar — will open. Primed for summer sips, but also bound to be a must-drink spot year-round given Brisbane's usually sultry weather, it'll do full bottle service with city views. Find BŌS on level four, 480 Queen Street, Brisbane, from Tuesday, November 15 — open 11.30am–12am Tuesday–Saturday. The Aviary Bar and Terrace is set to open in January 2023, and we'll update you with further details close to its launch.
A world-first exhibition dedicated to the late Nelson Mandela has opened in Australia, in what would've been the Nobel Peace Prize laureate's 100th year. Travelling exhibition MANDELA My Life runs from September 22, 2018 to March 3, 2019, with Melbourne Museum hosting the most comprehensive collection of the human rights icon's memorabilia ever to be shown outside South Africa. Alongside a huge assortment of artefacts, including the warrants of committal for Mandela's 27-year stint in prison, the exhibition explores his life through a series of film and audio archives. In total, more than 200 pieces from The Nelson Mandela Foundation and Nelson Mandela's private collection are on display, taking up ten galleries. Highlights include an immersive film piece that places attendees in the courtroom as he delivers his 1964 Rivonia Trial speech against apartheid, a seven-metre-long projection wall that charts his journey through childhood, and a gallery filled with small cell-like rooms based on his time in prison. Visitors can also relive the events of Mandela's first day of freedom in 1990, view a selection of the colourful patterned 'Madiba shirts' he was known for wearing, and see the signed boxing glove gifted to Mandela by Muhammad Ali. In addition, MANDELA My Life includes 16 original artworks by South African artist John Meyer, each of which depicts an event from or theme of Mandela's life. An exhibition within the exhibition, it features renderings of Mandela's childhood in Qunu, his years as a dedicated lawyer in 1950s Johannesburg, his time in jail and and his post-release achievements. Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren said that Melbourne's hosting of the centenary exhibition was a huge win for the city. "Nelson Mandela fought every day for freedom, love and human rights — changing the world and making it a better place," Eren said. "We're proud this exhibition is making its world debut in Victoria, continuing Mandela's incredible legacy and reminding us all that it's in our hands to make a difference." MANDELA My Life is supported by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which is the custodian of most of the revolutionary's personal photographs, documents and memorabilia. After premiering in Melbourne, the exhibition will embark on a world tour of up to 20 cities, expected to be seen by as many as 2.7 million visitors globally. MANDELA My Life is on display from September 22, 2018 to March 3, 2019 at Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton. For tickets and more information, visit the exhibition's website. Images: 'Father of the Innocents' from the series 'Mandela, A Life's Journey' by John Meyer / Keith Bernstein / Jon Augier, Museums Victoria/
The life and times of 20th century music and cultural icon, Bob Marley, are explored through the deeply raw and poignant documentary, Marley. Kevin Macdonald directed the film in an attempt to allow audiences to get to know the man behind the myth a little better. The two and a half hour documentary features never before seen footage and photos from Marley's early life and final years; from his years as a mixed-race farm boy, Marley's time on the streets in Kingston's Trenchtown, his worldwide fame, through to his cancer diagnosis and slow subsequent demise. Marley reinforces the cultural significance of this Jamaican hero, who still resonates in music lovers' hearts all over the world almost 30 years after his death. Commentary is provided by the family members and friends who knew him best, and the film includes concert footage of four previously unseen songs. All of this is woven together in a seamless stream of revelations to sate the appetites of even the most ardent, die-hard Marley fans. Macdonald and Marley's children and grandchildren also wished to preserve Marley's legacy through the documentary and highlight his driven and ambitious work ethic, whilst quelling the notion that his marijuana smoking led him to lead a slow-paced or lazy lifestyle. The film powerfully captures the quirkiness of the Marley clan as well as providing a musical journey that outlines the development of the sub-culture of reggae and the instrumental role Marley had in this. Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see Marley. To go in the running to win tickets, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Australia's hot springs fiends and bathing connoisseurs have a lot to be excited about — if a trip to Victoria is in your future, or will be now. First, we learned the much-loved Peninsula Hot Springs crew was planning a new wellness and bathing precinct for East Gippsland, the Metung Hot Springs. Then, a proposal for a 900-kilometre trail linking the state's hot springs and other bathing spots was unveiled. And now, it's time to actually start planning those Gippsland-based bathing adventures, because the Metung Hot Springs has announced an initial launch date, with bookings to open in a matter of days. The first phase of the $100-million precinct's long-awaited grand opening is slated for Saturday, October 29 — and you can jump online to book a visit from Monday, September 19. Much like its Mornington Peninsula sibling, the Gippsland site is set to be one giant haven of wellness and indulgence, nestled on 25 acres surrounded by coastal bushland and located within strolling distance of the quaint lakeside village of Metung. Guests will be able to soak in cliff-top barrels overlooking Lake King, let off steam in various architecturally designed saunas (including a floating one), pamper themselves at the day spa and rejuvenate while bathing in pools filled with geothermal water. There'll be bush walks to wander, plunge pools to get your blood pumping, and all-day dining options to refuel in between dips, too. Located four hours out of Melbourne, Metung Hot Springs will also feature onsite accommodation, including safari-style glamping tents each decked out with its own private balcony and geothermal bathing barrel. As announced earlier, the bathing precinct is also joining forces with — and renovating — the nearby former Kings Cove Golf Course, soon to relaunch as the Metung Country Club. It'll have its own resort-style accommodation and facilities, and a revamped clubhouse and restaurant, with 'stay, bathe and golf' packages on offer across the two sites. [caption id="attachment_869322" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Metung Hot Springs glamping[/caption] Meanwhile, those looking to indulge in some 'me' time can immerse themselves in the offerings of the onsite day spa, centred on authentic Larn'wa Aboriginal Lore wellness rituals incorporating native botanical spa products. The hot springs project is being brought to life with the help of $1.5 million in funding courtesy of the Victorian Government's Gippsland Tourism Recovery Package, as well as an additional $1.5 million from the federal and state governments' Local Economic Recovery Program In other related news, Victoria's proposed bathing and hot springs trail is set to start taking shape over the coming summer months, with the latest map and venue updates available to scope out online. Keen on multiple trips south to hit the hot springs? Back on the Mornington Peninsula, Alba Thermal Springs and Spa is on track to open its own doors in a matter of weeks, now taking spa and bathing bookings from September 26 onwards. Metung Hot Springs will open to customers from Saturday, October 29 at 73 Storth Ryes Avenue, Metung, Victoria. Online bookings are open from Thursday, September 19.
When the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee sends some attention Australia's way, it often comes bearing good news. Back in 2019, it added the stunning Budj Bim Cultural Landscape to the World Heritage List, for instance. The body has also given Kakadu National Park, K'gari, the Tasmanian wilderness, the Greater Blue Mountains area, the Sydney Opera House, and the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens the same status, too — and, among 20 Aussie places that've earned a spot on the list, the Great Barrier Reef as well. At the moment, the organisation has turned its focus to the Great Barrier Reef again. This time, though, it's doing something other than highlighting its splendours. In a new report by the offshoot of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, the WHC has recommended that the coral reef system off the coast of Queensland should be added to the list of world heritage sites that are in danger. Explaining its rationale, the WHC said that "the long-term outlook for the ecosystem of the property has further deteriorated from poor to very poor" since 2015, and that it has "suffered significantly from coral bleaching events in 2016, 2017 and most recently in 2020, as a result of global warming." It noted that in the past five years, "both the current condition and the long-term outlook for the property have deteriorated. Therefore, there is no possible doubt that the property is facing ascertained danger." The Australian and Queensland governments have a Great Barrier Reef policy — the Reef 2050 Plan — which outlines how they're working to protect and manage the reef until the middle of this century. But the WHC noted that so far "progress has been insufficient in meeting key targets." It also stated that the plan "requires stronger and clearer commitments, in particular towards urgently countering the effects of climate change, but also towards accelerating water quality improvement and land management measures. The widespread effects of the consecutive coral bleaching events further add to the significant concerns regarding the future of the property." [caption id="attachment_796501" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] The Guardian reports that if the recommendation to place the Great Barrier Reef on the in danger list goes ahead, Australia will be a pioneer in all the wrong ways — because it'll mark the first time that a natural world heritage site has been classed as "in danger" primarily due to climate change. UNESCO has asked Australia to work with the WHC to "address the threat posed to the property by climate change and determine a pathway for accelerated actions in other areas affecting the conservation of the property"; however, Federal Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley has said that the country will challenge the draft reef recommendation. "I agree that global climate change is the single biggest threat to the world's reefs but it is wrong, in our view, to single out the best managed reef in the world for an 'in danger' listing," the Minister said in a statement. To read the full UNESCO World Heritage Committee report head to the UNESCO website.
You've forsaken smashed avocados, saved all your cash and somehow have enough money to purchase your own property — and, naturally, you want to make the transaction count. May we suggest a 16th-century British cottage that's been dubbed the most haunted house in the UK? Anyone can buy an apartment in the suburbs, but only one person can nab a notorious spot that was once a medieval witch prison. Located in St Osyth in Essex, the property in question is known as The Cage. Back in the late 1500s, it was used to house 13 women accused of witchcraft while they were awaiting trial. Three were ultimately sentenced to death by hanging, including the infamous Ursula Kemp — a midwife and healer who came under suspicion after people in her neighbourhood, including children, became sick and died. That's not the end of The Cage's unnerving story. In the years until 1908, the house was also used to detain men, women, and children. Unsurprisingly, the spot has featured on local ghost tours and as the subject of a television docudrama, with current owner Vanessa Mitchell even co-writing a book about her spooky experiences living in the property. [caption id="attachment_726177" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Right Move[/caption] Mitchell's time onsite was short-lived — she moved out "because of the relentless paranormal activity" according to Home Domus, who've listed the house for sale — however she has owned the spot since 2004. If you're keen to follow in her footsteps and you have £240,000 or more to spare, the two-level house features three reception rooms, a kitchen, a ground floor cloakroom, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Outside, a walled courtyard comes complete with a door to a walkway known as "Coffin Alley", where dead bodies were once transported on the way to the local cemetery. Top image: Home Domus 360.
As a country girt by sea, it's easy to take Australia's sandy waterside for granted. But just like our ever-rising temperatures, ever-lingering drought conditions and increasingly widespread bushfires, our coastline isn't immune to climate change. Nor, with oceans both warming and rising, are our beaches guaranteed to withstand it. In Stockton Beach, in Newcastle's north on the NSW coast, this grim reality has been making its presence known for decades, all due to continuing coastal erosion. Since huge storms back in 2015, which cost the beach millions of tonnes of sand, it has been a particularly prominent issue; however, in the past few weeks, the spot has completely lost its coveted patch of sand. It happened quickly, too — the Newcastle Herald reports that "a section of the beach lost 2.5 metres in sand height" in just five hours. The paper estimates that around 500,000 cubic metres of sand (50,000 truck loads) would be required to replace what's been lost so far. So instead of somewhere to sit and sunbathe, beachgoers are now met with rocks, sand cliffs and a waterline much closer than it has ever been before. At the south end of the beach, the sand in front of the nearly 112-year-old Stockton Surf Life Saving Club, the adjacent car park and Lexie's Cafe have been particularly hard hit and, unsurprisingly, the City of Newcastle has closed all access points to the beach — except for the one at the Mitchell Street breakwall — until further notice. This aerial footage from The Guardian shows pretty clearly how severely the beach has been affected. [caption id="attachment_744112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Save Stockton Beach[/caption] As Newcastle's Lord Mayor explained at a council meeting last week, the catastrophic current situation has been caused by large swells in the recent weeks. The council is now undertaking emergency works, such as sandbagging, in the hope it can get Stockton Beach to condition that's useable for the public. The "preferred option" is to bring sand back in to the beach — an option that relies on the NSW Government's Coastal Zone Management Program. In good news, according to the ABC, the State Government has just approved $250,000 in funding for the council and has declared the beach a Significant Open Coast Location, meaning that the council can apply for emergency funding at any time. Shelley Hancock, the Minister for Local Government, says that the council's applications for funding are "currently undergoing a rapid assessment so that works can be undertaken as a matter of priority". Fast-tracking a mooted gas terminal at Kooragang Island, which could see sand dredged and relocated to Stockton, has also been floated as a solution — but it would require a statewide ban on offshore dredging to be lifted. Back in June, the council discussed offshore sand extraction, noting that it was "one of the only viable methods for large-scale beach nourishment along the open coast". At the time of writing, a GoFundMe campaign to save the beach has raised over $18,000, and a the Save Stockton Beach Facebook page is trying to raise awareness around the issue. Losing a beach is a bleak prospect, but the effects far span beyond just losing somewhere to lay out a towel. As the landscape changes, the sand shifts, threatening nearby buildings. The local daycare centre has been forced to shut due to the erosion, with the structure set to be demolished. Cabins at the nearby holiday park were also vacated last week, as a precautionary measure, although they've since been re-opened. Coastal erosion is by no means limited to Stockton Beach, of course. Due to rising temperatures and wild weather, sea levels are rising and eating into coastlines around the world, from England to Tunisia. And with similarly bleak scenarios happening across Australia — from Sydney to Melbourne to Perth to Adelaide — stories like these are sadly likely to increase in frequency. If you live near, or are travelling to, Stockton Beach, check the City of Newcastle website for updates on the beach accessibility. To help, you can get in touch with the Save Stockton Beach group — or keep striking for the government to take action on climate change to prevent this happening to more of our country's epic beaches. Images: Save Stockton Beach Facebook.
Sometimes it festers in the hearts of killers. Sometimes it's the reason that villains keep stalking heroes. Sometimes, otherworldly forces are at play. However it graces the big screen, evil is a complicated concept — but cinema also frequently handles it in a muddled and simplistic fashion. Increasingly, as seen in origin stories like Joker and Cruella, profound wickedness has a relatable, almost-excusable reason. Acknowledging that bad things can just happen and unpleasant people can just exist without explanation (so, opting for something far more sinister and also much more realistic) is becoming rare. The other frequently deployed movie rationale, especially in horror, sits at the heart of one of the biggest cash-earning current franchises there is. In The Conjuring films and their spinoffs, evil lurks because literal demons also lurk. Different tactic, same result. Starting in 2013 with The Conjuring, expanding with 2014's Annabelle, and also including The Conjuring 2, both terrible and much better sequels to Annabelle, the dismal The Nun and the formulaic The Curse of the Weeping Woman, The Conjuring Universe now spans eight evil-fighting flicks — and they're all as straightforward as it gets regarding battling the nefarious. Circling around real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the franchise posits that the supernatural exists, darkness preys upon the innocent and its central couple usually has the tools to combat everything untoward. That template remains firmly in place in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. That said, the third Conjuring flick within the broader Conjuring realm does attempt a few changes. Rather than getting creeped out by haunted houses, it gets spooked by a kid and then a teenager who are both possessed. True to form, bone-shakingly horrific things can't simply occur without some kind of excuse and entity at play. The Warrens (Patrick Wilson, Aquaman, and Vera Farmiga, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) are first tasked with saving eight-year-old David Glatzel (Julian Hilliard, WandaVision) from a demon after his family moves to stereotypically sleepy Brookfield, Connecticut. Their efforts seem successful, even if Ed has a heart attack mid-exorcism, but the evil force they're fighting has really just jumped ship. Arne Johnson (Ruairi O'Connor, The Spanish Princess), the boyfriend of David's sister Debbie (Sarah Catherine Hook, NOS4A2), is quickly besieged by strange occurrences. He's soon also covered in blood after stabbing his landlord to Blondie's 'Call Me'. The death penalty beckons; however, the Warrens convince Arne's lawyer to plead not guilty by reason of demonic possession — the first time that ever happened in the US — and then commit to unearthing whatever paranormal details they can to save his life. The trailer for The Devil Made Me Do It teases legal thrills, but in a bait-and-switch way — because this film is barely concerned with Arne's court case. The true tale, which was previously dramatised in a 1983 TV movie starring Kevin Bacon, merely provides an easy setup here. Sticking to the facts hardly bothers director Michael Chaves (The Curse of the Weeping Woman) and screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (Aquaman). Instead, the pair focus on the usual bumps, jumps and scares that have haunted this franchise since day one. Taking their cues from James Wan, the Australian Saw and Insidious co-creator who helmed the first two Conjuring flicks, The Devil Made Me Do It has all the eerie noises and sudden frights down pat, in fact. More of them are just splashed across the screen, attempting to unnerve the movie's audience with the gusto of a well-oiled machine. As the series' creator and producer, if Wan had opted to call this one The Conjuring 3: Conjuring Harder, the title would've fit. There's a difference between nailing the technical basics and making them engaging, though. This many movies in, The Conjuring Universe should be aiming for more than the former. It definitely shouldn't be cribbing from The Exorcist as gleefully as The Devil Made Me Do It does. Chaves and Johnson-McGoldrick — and Wan, who has a story credit — also forget that if you repeat something too often, it stops being unsettling. In comedy, some gags grow the more they go on, such as The Simpsons' classic Sideshow Bob rake sequence, but the same doesn't prove true in horror when shadowy figures loiter, things keep moving that shouldn't and sounds blast suddenly. All three use the element of surprise, and yet there's no chance anyone watching will be caught unawares by the The Devil Made Me Do It's souped-up demonic antics. And, don't go expecting a meaningful examination of satanic panic, or the way that conservative sections of society need something to blame for life's ills. In this movie, it's just a given that some folks stray from faith, become evil occultists and commit dastardly deeds. As this series has done over and over, it's also a given that femininity draws the short straw. An accused witch, a Raggedy Ann doll, a nun and the ghost of a mother have all symbolised evil in The Conjuring Universe's eyes, but the franchise does look fondly at one woman: Lorraine Warren. As played by Farmiga, she's depicted as the unwavering maternal presence always by Ed's side, and almost the clairvoyant Scully to his demonologist Mulder. It's that dynamic, and the investment that Farmiga and Wilson put into their roles, that keeps prolonging the series. It gives the Conjuring films, including this one, a centre to clutch onto — no matter how much Hollywood sheen has been buffed over the real-life figures, which is plenty. The Devil Made Me Do It needs them, even emphasising their love story, but that feels as standard as everything in the movie. Nonetheless, alongside Australian actor John Noble (Fringe) as a priest, Farmiga and Wilson are the best things about this routine, happily by-the-numbers, never remotely terrifying threequel. Indeed, the fact that more flicks will undoubtably still follow is the scariest thing about the film.
Seeing the Great Barrier Reef sits on every Australian's bucket list, especially given that the thriving underwater expanse is under threat from climate change. And while most of us have been content to simply swim, snorkel or sail through it — or stay in the Whitsundays and gaze out at it from a sandy beach — visitors to Queensland's far north can now spend a night underwater. Get ready to sleep under the sea at Reefsuites, the Great Barrier Reef's very own underwater hotel. It's not the first space of its type around the world — a resort in the Maldives, submerged villas in Dubai and a room at an African hotel all boast similar experiences — but it is the first at this Aussie natural wonder, and in Australia in general. Launching on Sunday, December 1 as part of a new floating pontoon called Reefword — which is moored at Hardy Reef, around 40 nautical miles from Airlie Beach — Reefsuites features two underwater rooms that can sleep four in total. Guests can choose betweeen king double or twin single options, and each room comes with floor-to-ceiling views of the Great Barrier Reef and its marine life. Those underwater vistas are a highlight not only in the bedrooms, but in the attached private ensuites A stay onsite includes all meals, most beverages (beer and wine are part of the package, but cocktails will cost you extra), a night dining experience under the stars, a guided snorkelling tour and a semi-submarine tour, and access to the underwater observatory. Naturally, it doesn't come cheap. Enjoying all of the above will start from $799 per night per person for a double booking (two people in a room), or $1199 for a single — and that covers a stay from 4.30pm on the day of arrival until 2.30pm the next day. As for the $8 million Reefworld pontoon itself, it's a partnership between Cruise Whitsundays and the Queensland Government, and has the capacity to host 300 visitors per day. Measuring 12 metres by 45 metres, it's designed as a hub for diving and snorkelling — as well as a place to stay — and also offers guests access semi-submersible vessels. Announcing the project back in August, Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones noted that Reefworld and Reefsuites will add something new and unique to the popular tourist hotspot. "This will give more people the chance to see the Great Barrier Reef and will allow tourists to experience this natural wonder in new ways." The aim, of course, is to ramp up tourism, with an extra 60,000 visitors per year expected thanks to the new attraction. For more information about Reefsuites, or to book a stay, visit the Cruise Whitsundays website. Images: Cruise Whitsundays.
Residents of Auckland, Adelaide, Wellington, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane, rejoice — you're living in some of the world's most liveable cities. Thanks to lockdowns and other pandemic restrictions, life in both Australia and New Zealand has been far from normal over the past year and a half; however, six Down Under spots have ranked in the top ten in The Economist Intelligence Unit's Global 2021 Liveability Index. Auckland took out first place, unseating Vienna, which nabbed the top spot for three years between 2018–20. Adelaide came in third, Wellington placed equal fourth and Perth ranked sixth. Also, Melbourne tied for eighth — after coming in second in 2019, and topping the list between 2010–2017 — while Brisbane closed out the top ten. The six Australian and NZ cities were joined by Osaka, which ranked second; Tokyo, which tied for fourth with Wellington; and Switzerland's Zurich and Geneva, which came in at seventh and equal eighth respectively. The annual index ranks 140 cities on stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, culture and environment, giving each city a rating out of 100. Auckland achieved a score of 96.0 overall — and, at the other end of the list, Damascus in Syria scored 26.5, ranking in 140th spot. It'll come as no surprise that the overall liveability score dropped seven points compared to before the pandemic — or that cities fared better if they had implemented strong border closures, been able to handle the health crisis and/or rolled out vaccines quickly in response to COVID-19. According to the EIU, Auckland soared to the top thanks to "the city's ability to contain the coronavirus pandemic faster and thus lift restrictions earlier, unlike others around the world." The dominance of Australian and NZ cities also came about because "tight border controls have allowed residents to live relatively normal lives." Just missing the top ten: Sydney, which came in 11th. It had ranked third back in 2019. That's hardly a big slide, though, with Vienna now sitting 12th — and the EIU noting that Frankfurt, Hamburg and Dusseldorf, all in Germany, have had the biggest falls among all 140 cities. To read the full Global 2021 Liveability Index, head to the Economist Intelligence Unit's website.
Enjoy being served by a human being at a cafe or restaurant and being able to ask "what are your specials for today?" whilst you can because food delivery techniques are changing fast. Scrap that, they are dropping fast. After flying drones recently emerged to deliver food to patrons at London's renowned YO! Sushi restaurant and beer to festival revellers in South Africa, a group of innovative Melburnians have decided that wasn't cool enough, so they have decided to deliver double the cool. Not only are they serving delicious jaffles in Flinders Lane, they have elected to do it by parachute. That's right, by parachute. Then they gave their service an excellent pun-moniker: Jafflechutes. COOL. Describing themselves as the world's first float-down eatery, Jafflechutes has a process that sounds simple enough. You select your delicious filling (cheese and tomato; cheese, ham and pineapple; or the all-out cheese, roast beef, dill pickles, mushroom and mustard), pay via Paypal, stand on the 'X' at 349 Flinders Lane at your nominated time and catch your snack. Just be aware, if it gets stuck in the tree, then the people at Jafflechutes cannot stress enough to not climb the tree. Wind gods permitting, delicious pockets of cheese filled dough will be raining down on Flinders Lane tonight from between 10pm and midnight, and whilst they have sold out this time around (the Jafflechuters have got 600+ likes on Facebook since starting their page on August 12), they hope to be back in the near future should everything work out fine. What could possibly go wrong? You can follow Jafflechutes on their Facebook and Twitter.
Earlier in 2021, Wildflower Gin grabbed everyone's attention in a very tasty way: by releasing a limited-edition lamington-flavoured tipple. Now, the Gold Coast distillery has launched something else that'll tempt fans of a stiff drink, opening a bar at its Varsity Lakes base. Originally, the Scottsdale Drive spot operated as a cellar door; however, now you can do more than just pick up a bottle. Since Saturday, March 13, it has been pouring cocktails to eager drinkers, who can sip its regular range and try its one-off specials while sitting on antique leather chairs. Heading the menu is Wildflower Gin's lineup of cocktails, including the 'Honeycomb' ($18) and a pink gin sour ($18) — both of which use honey from the distillery's bees. The venue's version of a negroni ($18) uses barrel-aged oaked gin, as well as dehydrated honey-soaked orange, while the lamington espresso martini ($18) heroes the aforementioned lamington vodka, alongside coffee liqueur, fresh coffee and honey. You can also build your own G&T ($10), if that's the type of cocktail you prefer. Just pick from three kinds of gin, four tonics and seven garnishes — and four different types of glass. Decor-wise, vintage collectibles including a piano, typewriters and antique phones are a feature, as is a chandelier made from the old rim of a Ford Model T. The latter has personal significance for Wildflower Gin founder James Greig, as it used to hang in the house he grew up in. Wildflower's gin-making and gin-tasting classes will continue, too. If you're feeling peckish over a drink, though, it's strictly a bring-your-own-food affair — or you can order in while you're there. Booking a table is recommended, and can also bring your pooch in with you.
Since arriving in town a few years back, Salt Meats Cheese has been giving Brisbanites a pizza-filled treat. And, as part of its lineup of Italian eats, it's been known to give the city's residents plenty of specials in its time — including its $29 all-you-can-eat pizza nights every Monday at its Newstead store. "Does this look like someone who's had all they can eat?" isn't something you'll be saying when you devour as many slices as your stomach can handle in 90 minutes, so calm your inner Homer Simpson. The main catch is that you'll have to buy a drink as well, but you can choose from both boozy and non-alcoholic options. Available from 5pm, this hefty feast serves up multiple options, too. You can stick with the $29 pizza-focused option, or add any pasta from the menu to your all-you-can-eat dinner for an extra $5. And if you're vegan or eat a gluten free diet, those can also be catered for for another $6. You do need to finish each serving of pizza or pasta before ordering your next — and everyone at your table must be taking part — but they're hardly tough rules. On the menu: margherita, meat lovers and prosciutto pizzas, plus salami and olives, truffle, prawns, a ham and mushroom calzone, and more.
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. THE FORGIVEN Patience is somewhat of a virtue with The Forgiven. It would be in it, too, if any of its wealthy white characters hedonistically holidaying in Morocco were willing to display the trait for even a second. Another addition to the getaways-gone-wrong genre, this thorny satirical drama gleefully savages the well-to-do, proving as eager to eat the rich as can be, and also lays bare the despicable coveting of exoticism that the moneyed think is an acceptable way to splash plentiful wads of cash. There's patently plenty going on in this latest release from writer/director John Michael McDonagh, as there typically is in features by the filmmaker behind The Guard, Calvary and War on Everyone. Here, he adapts Lawrence Osborne's 2012 novel, but the movie that results takes time to build and cohere, and even then seems only partially interested in both. Still, that patience is rewarded by The Forgiven's stellar lead performance by Ralph Fiennes, playing one of his most entitled and repugnant characters yet. Sympathies aren't meant to flow David Henninger's (Fiennes, The King's Man) way, or towards his wife Jo (Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye). Together, the spiky Londoners abroad bicker like it's a sport — and the only thing fuelling their marriage. Cruelty taints their words: "why am I thinking harpy?", "why am I thinking shrill?" are among his, while she counters "why am I thinking high-functioning alcoholic?". He's a drunken surgeon, she's a bored children's author, and they're venturing past the Atlas Mountains to frolic in debauchery at the village their decadent pal Richard (Matt Smith, Morbius) and his own barbed American spouse Dally (Caleb Landry Jones, Nitram) have turned into a holiday home. Sympathy isn't designed to head that pair's way, either; "we couldn't have done it without our little Moroccan friends," Richard announces to kick off their weekend-long housewarming party. But when the Hennigers arrive late after tragically hitting a local boy, Driss (Omar Ghazaoui, American Odyssey), en route, the mood shifts — but also doesn't. The wicked turns of phrase that David slings at Jo have nothing on his disdain for the place and people around him, and he doesn't care who hears it. His assessment of the desert vista: "it's very picturesque, I suppose, in a banal sort of way". He drips with the prejudice of privilege, whether offensively spouting Islamophobic remarks or making homophobic comments about his hosts — and he doesn't, nay won't, rein himself in when Richard calls the police, reports the boy's death, pays the appropriate bribes and proclaims that their bacchanal won't otherwise be disturbed. The arrival of Driss' father Abdellah (Ismael Kanater, Queen of the Desert), and his request that David accompanies him home to bury his son, complicates matters, however. While David begrudgingly agrees, insultingly contending that it's a shakedown, Jo helps keep the party going, enjoying time alone to flirt with hedge fund manager Tom (Christopher Abbott, Possessor). John Michael McDonagh hasn't ever co-helmed a feature with his filmmaker brother Martin, but actors have jumped between the duo's respective works, with Fiennes — who starred in Martin's memorable In Bruges — among the latest. The siblings share something else, too, and not just a knack for assembling impressive casts; they're equally ace at fleshing out the characters inhabited by their dazzling on-screen cohorts via witty and telling dialogue. The Forgiven plays like it's in autopilot, though, but having Fiennes, Chastain, Smith and Jones (who appeared in Martin's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) utter its lines is a gift. Indeed, here it's the attitudes captured while they're speaking, and the behaviours and mannerisms made plain in how they're speaking, that add layer upon layer to this murky affair. That'd ring true even if Driss, Abdellah and the tense journey with the latter to inter the former weren't even in the narrative. Read our full review. FULL TIME Perhaps the greatest trick the devil ever pulled — the devil that is time, the fact that we all have to get out of bed each and every morning, and the sleep-killing noise signalling that a new day is here — was to create alarm clocks in a variety of sounds. Some are quiet, soft, calming and even welcoming, rather than emitting a juddering screech, but the effect always remains the same. Whatever echoes from which device, if your daily routine is a treadmill of relentless havoc, that din isn't going to herald smiles or spark a spring in anyone's step. The alarm that kickstarts each morning in Full Time isn't unusual or soothing. It isn't overly obnoxious or horrifying either. But the look on Laure Calamy's face each time that it goes off, in the split second when her character is remembering everything that her day will bring, is one of pure exhaustion and exasperation — and it'd love to murder that unwanted wake-up siren. That expression couldn't be more relatable, as much in Full Time is, even if you've never been a single mother living on the outskirts of Paris, navigating a train strike, endeavouring to trade up one job for another for a better future, and juggling kids, bills, and just getting to and from work. At the 2021 Venice International Film Festival, Antoinette in the Cévennes and Call My Agent! star Calamy won the Best Actress award in the event's Horizons strand for her efforts here — and while the accolade didn't come her way for a single gaze, albeit repeated throughout the movie, it easily could've. Mere minutes into Full Time, it's plain to see why she earned herself such a prize beyond that withering gape, however. Calamy is that phenomenal in this portrait of a weary market researcher-turned-hotel chambermaid's hectic life, playing the part like she's living it. In our own ways, most of us are. The first time the alarm sounds, Julie Roy (Calamy) is already lethargic and frustrated; indeed, writer/director Eric Gravel (Crash Test Aglaé), who won the Venice Horizons Best Director gong himself, charts the ups and downs of his protagonist's professional and personal situation like he's making an unflagging thriller. In fact, he is. Julie is stretched to breaking point from the get-go, and every moment of every day seems to bring a new source of stress. For starters, her job overseeing the cleaning at a five-star hotel in the city is both chaotic and constantly throwing up challenges, and the hints dropped by her boss (Anne Suarez, Black Spot) about the punishment for not living up to her demands — aka being fired — don't help. Julie has put all her hopes on returning to market research anyway, but getting time off for the interview is easier said than done, especially when the French capital is in the middle of a transport strike that makes commuting in and out from the countryside close to impossible. Also adding to Julie's troubles is well, everything. The childcare arrangement she has in place with a neighbour (Geneviève Mnich, Change of Heart) is also precarious, thanks to threats of quitting and calling social services. Having any energy to spend meaningful time with her children at the end of her busy days is nothing but a fantasy, too. Trying to get financial support out of her absent ex is a constant battle, especially given he won't answer the phone — and the bank won't stop calling about her overdue mortgage payments. It's also her son Nolan's (J'ai tué mon mari) birthday, so there are gifts to buy, plus a party to organise and throw. Julie is so frazzled that having a drink with her best friend is a luxury she doesn't have time for, because some other task always beckons. And when a father from her village, the kindly Vincent (Cyril Gueï, The Perfect Mother), helps her out not once but twice, she's so starved of affection that she instantly misreads his intentions. Read our full review. MURDER PARTY With apologies to William Shakespeare, all the world isn't just a stage in French farce Murder Party. Instead, it's a game, then another one, then yet another after that. This candy-coloured murder-mystery takes perhaps the ultimate high-concept setup and hones in on a crucial fact: that audiences love whodunnits, whether they're watching them on the screen or reading them on the page, because charting the unravelling details entails sleuthing along. In other words, when we're wondering who killed who in which room and why (and with what weapon), we're playing. The board game Cluedo also nailed this truth, as have murder-mystery parties, plus the increasing array of other interactive shows and events that thrust paying participants into the middle of such puzzle-laden predicaments. And while Murder Party acknowledges this idea in a variety of manners, here's the first and simplest: it's set among a family famed for making best-selling board games themselves. First-time feature writer/director Nicolas Pleskof and his co-scribe Elsa Marpeau (Prof T) kickstart the film with a killer setup: that eccentric crew of relatives, their brightly hued home on a sprawling country estate, an usual task given to a newcomer and, naturally, a sudden passing. Architect Jeanne Chardon-Spitzer (Alice Pol, Labor Day) is asked to pitch a big renovation project to the Daguerre family, transforming their impressive abode so that living there always feels like playing a game (or several). Patriarch César (Eddy Mitchell, The Middleman) already encourages his brood to enjoy their daily existence with that in mind anyway, including dedicating entire days to letting loose and walking, talking and breathing gameplay. But he's looking for a particularly bold next step. He's unimpressed by Jeanne's routine proposal, in fact. Then he drops dead, the property's doors slam shut and a voice over the intercom tells the architect, plus everyone else onsite, to undertake a series of challenges to ascertain the culprit among them — or be murdered themselves. Also thrust into the high-stakes game, which'll dispense with anyone who refuses to take part or guesses incorrectly: César's son Théo (Pablo Pauly, The French Dispatch), daughter Léna (Sarah Stern, Into the World) and nudgingly named youngest boy Hercule (Adrien Guionnet, Le Bazar de la Charité). Yes, sibling rivalry complicates the hypothesising, as well as the attempts to stay alive. Théo is particularly friendly towards workaholic Jeanne, adding another complexity to the already-chaotic situation. Similarly at hand is the dead man's younger wife Salomé (Pascale Arbillot, Haute Couture) — a mystery writer herself — and his no-nonsense offsider sister Joséphine (Miou-Miou, The Last Mercenary). And, because a home this immense was always going to have some help hovering around, butler Armand (Gustave Kervern, Love Song for Tough Guys) gets drawn in, too. If Amelie and Knives Out combined, the end result would look like Murder Party. If Wes Anderson and Agatha Christie joined forces, the outcome would be the same. It's highly unlikely that Pleskof was ever going to call his feature Murder in the Game-Filled Mansion or Death While Rolling the Dice, but that's the overwhelming vibe. There's an escape room element, too — thankfully, though, nodding towards the Escape Room franchise isn't on the agenda. Murder Party's characters get stuck in intricately designed locked spaces and forced to piece together clues to secure their freedom, and are only permitted to remain breathing by keeping their wits about them, but no one's in a horror movie here. Read our full review. THE REEF: STALKED In the crowded waters of cinema's shark-attack genre, which first took a hefty bite out of the box office with mega hit Jaws and then spawned plenty of imitators since, a low-budget Australian effort held its own back in 2010. The second movie from writer/director Andrew Traucki after his crocodile-attack flick Black Water, The Reef wasn't ever going to rake in enough takings to threaten the larger fish, but the stripped-back survival-thriller was grippingly effective. As Black Water did with 2020's Black Water: Abyss, the creature-feature helmer's shark film has now be given a sequel — and like Traucki's other franchise, this followup is a routine splash. The filmmaker keeps most of the basics the same, casting out a remakequel, aka a movie about basically the same scenario but with different faces. No, Traucki isn't seeking a bigger boat, or even to rock the one he has. The Reef: Stalked does make one curious new choice, however, stemming from its nine-months-earlier prologue. The film's opening sequences set up quite the harrowing source of trauma for protagonist Nic (Teressa Liane, The Vampire Diaries), and also clumsily equate domestic violence with the ocean's predators in the process. The aim is to show how Nic and her youngest sister Annie (debutant Saskia Archer) refuse to become victims after their other sibling Cathy (Bridget Burt, Camp-Off) is stalked and savaged in a different way, devastatingly and fatally so, at the hands of her partner Greg (Tim Ross, Dive Club). Drawing attention to assaults against women and femicide is a worthy mission, but it lacks bite here. Traucki's metaphor is as clear as the sky on a cloud-free day, and yet the domestic abuse plot point primarily plays as a way to complicate Nic as a character — PTSD flashes and all — rather than make a meaningful statement about violence within intimate relationships. After finding Cathy herself, Nic is so understandably distressed that she heads as far away as she can, but returns from overseas for a big diving and kayaking trip that was important to her sister. With friends Jodie (Ann Truong, Cowboy Bebop) and Lisa (Kate Lister, Clickbait), as well as Annie — who isn't known for enjoying the water, let alone for handling herself on it — they embark on a multi-day paddle. It isn't long until a different sinister force terrorises their getaway, though; even if you don't already know what "the man in the grey suit" refers to in surfer slang, this is a shark-attack sequel, after all. Aside from the haunting shots taking Nic back to Cathy's last moments, everything about The Reef: Stalked plays out as expected from the moment the quartet set off from north Queensland. Cue the obligatory waves of jump scares, many efficiently staged but their impact lessening as they just keep coming in increasingly predictable ways (when shark flicks are happy to swim by the numbers, if you've seen one movie like The Reef, 47 Metres Down, The Shallows, Bait, The Meg and the like, it feels like you've seen them all). Cue the tension that springs from the film's characters rarely being close enough to the shore to escape — but, when it's convenient, being close enough for kids playing on the beach to become potential fodder. Cue a score by Mark Smythe (Love You Like That) that tells viewers exactly how to react at every moment, too, and dampens the thrills and frights as a result. Still, Traucki has cast The Reef: Stalked well, enough that buying Nic and company's life-or-death stress comes easily. Trusting them, rather than clunkily overcomplicating the setup — no matter how well-intentioned — might've resulted in a better return to The Reef. 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 April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; June 2, June 9, June 16, June 23 and June 30; and July 7, July 14 and July 21. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching, Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear, Men, Elvis, Lost Illusions, Nude Tuesday, Ali & Ava, Thor: Love and Thunder, Compartment No. 6, Sundown, The Gray Man, The Phantom of the Open, The Black Phone, Where the Crawdads Sing and Official Competition.
With gigs and shows popping back onto calendars again over the last six months, bands and concert promoters have been forced to get creative to abide by COVID-19 restrictions. Local favourites have thrown seated gigs in small regional towns, performed to a sea of cars at drive-in concerts and are even set to take to revolving stages as part of NSW's first major music festival of 2021. Although gathering restrictions have begun to roll back and normalcy is beginning to return to the live music scene across the country, these unique opportunities to catch bands in unexpected locations don't seem to be going anywhere. Take Live At Last, for instance. It's the new live music series that will see fan-favourite Australian musicians perform at intimate venues across the country. In Sydney, it'll feature Hockey Dad, the band behind the aforementioned drive-in gigs, who'll perform in beloved bar Frankie's Pizza on Thursday, April 29. The show will be a unique chance enjoy Frankie's new Dan Pepperell-crafted pizza menu while catching the Wollongong surf-rock duo up close, with the CBD bar having a much smaller capacity than the 3000-person Big Top Luna Park the band recently sold out. A venue the size of Frankie's playing host a band of Hockey Dad's popularity could result in chaos, so you'll have to win tickets in order to get access to the gig. To go into the ballot to head along, you just need to hit up the Secret Sounds website and enter your details. Announced after the Hockey Dad show — but happening the day before — is Live At Last's Brisbane stopover. Last Dinosaurs and Dear Seattle will hit the stage at The Triffid on Wednesday, April 28. To head along, you'll also need to try to win tickets via the Secret Sounds website. Then, the series of gigs is set to move to other parts of the country. If you're wondering where else Live At Last will head, that's yet to be revealed. [caption id="attachment_772790" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hockey Dad by Ian Laidlaw[/caption] Live At Last is set to kick off on Wednesday, April 28 with Last Dinosaurs and Dear Seattle at The Triffid in Brisbane — and then head to Frankie's Pizza on Thursday, April 29 with Hockey Dad. To win tickets and to keep an eye out for future events, head to the event's website. Top image: Frankie's Pizza by Katje Ford Updated April 16.
Back in 1999 and 2000, Baz Luhrmann's beloved movie musical Moulin Rouge! was filmed in Australia. Since 2021, the Tony-winning stage version of that hit feature has been doing the rounds of the country, too. And, in spectacular (spectacular) news, it's finally heading to Brisbane from Tuesday, May 16, 2023. This time, Brisbane's QPAC will stand in for the Montmartre Quarter of Paris — the backdrop for a heady romance between lovestruck young bohemian Christian and performer Satine, star of the legendary titular cabaret. The first-ever Aussie-produced production to win the Tony for Best Musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical will spin that story in the Lyric Theatre. Yes, the show must go on. As Luhrmann's award-winning, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor-starring movie did before it, the stage musical is heavy not just on star-crossed romance, but with a loaded soundtrack that celebrates iconic tunes from across the past five decades. Indeed, Moulin Rouge! The Musical backs up those favourites with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the movie premiered. Directed by Alex Timbers, the Australian production stars Alinta Chidzey as Satine, Des Flanagan as Christian, Simon Burke as club impresario Harold Zidler and Andrew Cook as The Duke — plus Tim Omaji as Toulouse-Lautrec and Ryan Gonzalez as Santiago, Montmartre's resident artistes; and Samantha Dodemaide as Nini, Olivia Vásquez as Arabia, Ruva Ngwenya as La Chocolat, and Christopher J Scalzo as Babydoll, aka the 'Lady M's'. Pre-sale tickets for the Brisbane season will be available from Monday, November 14, with general sales kicking off on Thursday, November 17. Moulin Rouge! The Musical will take over the Lyric Theatre after Hamilton, meaning that the latter definitely has to finish by May — so don't throw away your shot to see that, either. Images: Michelle Grace Hunder.
Add another huge festival to your calendar, and thank Norwegian DJ Kygo in the process. Not only is the 'Stole the Show', 'Here for You', 'Stay' and 'It Ain't Me' talent one of the headliners at Palm Tree Music Festival when it makes its Australian debut in 2023 — the former bedroom producer is also behind the whole shindig, creating it with his manager Myles Shear. Until now, the fest has played The Hamptons, New York, Cabo, Mexico and Croatia, and proven a hit in the process. Next year, it'll add a trip Down Under to its itinerary for the first time ever, rolling into Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in mid-March. While Kygo brings the fest some sizeable star power, he's not its only high-profile DJ doing the honours for the event's maiden Aussie run. Also hitting the decks is Tiësto, aka one of the biggest names in electronic music in the world for the past couple of decades. From initially getting mainstream attention back in 2000 with his remix of Delerium's 'Silence' through to his 2020 hit 'The Business' and 2022's Charlie XCX collaboration 'Hot In It' — and plenty in-between — the Dutch DJ will have quite the back catalogue of tracks to mix into his set. With its holiday-friendly name, it should come as no surprise that Palm Tree Music Festival takes inspiration from Kygo's stints touring the world. Expect a cruisy vibe set to EDM's greatest and latest, too. Also joining the bill so far, heading to Showgrounds Dome in Sydney, Brisbane's Riverstage and Melbourne Showgrounds: Lost Frequencies, Sam Feldt and Frank Walker. A lineup of local talent will be announced at a later date. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Palm Tree Music Festival (@palmtreefestival) PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AUSTRALIAN LINEUP: Tiësto Kygo Lost Frequencies Sam Feldt Frank Walker PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AUSTRALIAN DATES: Friday, March 10 — Showgrounds Dome, Sydney Saturday, March 11 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, March 12 — Melbourne Showgrounds Palm Tree Music Festival heads to Australia in March 2023. Tickets presales start at 11am AEDT on Friday, October 14, with general sales from 10am AEDT on Thursday, October 20. For more information, head to the festival promoter's website. Top image: Ss279 via Wikimedia Commons.
The rise of White Lotus-esque luxury wellness escapes is in full swing this year, fuelled by the same energy driving members-only health clubs, At these retreats, the itinerary is slower, holiday-goers are excited to be rejuvenated by nature and eco-friendliness is a priority. The 2025 Spa & Wellness Awards have landed just in time for the holidays, spotlighting the best spa destinations and wellness centres around Australia and New Zealand. In the Travel section, sustainability takes centre stage — and Elements of Byron has just been crowned the Best Resort or Hotel Focused on Wellness, beating out other world-class stays such as Qualia and Kokomo Private Island. Anchored by the award-winning Osprey Spa, Elements of Byron stretches across 50 acres of rainforest, eucalypt, wetland and dune landscapes at the doorstep of Belongil Beach. The treatments foster have a deep connection to the natural world — the spa hosts rainforest walks led by its resident naturalist, in partnership with Vanessa Megan Skincare (who took Best Haircare at the awards). Guests can wander through banksia, Davidson plum, tea tree and lemon myrtle, all native botanicals found in Vanessa Megan concoctions that grow right on the property — it's the spa version of farm-to-table. Besides cultivating a love for land, the resort's green ethos includes solar-powered infrastructure, waste-minimising practices, culinary philosophies and partnering with local businesses. Spa Manager Amy Back says, "This award celebrates the passion and integrity behind everything we do, from sustainable operations to the way we source ingredients, train staff, and care for our guests and our environment." Wellness at Elements of Byron go beyond the Osprey Spa. Guests start their morning with yoga classes overlooking the ocean, ride through the forest on horseback (there's even a charming fairy trail for the kids) or unwind with self-guided meditation rituals. Or grab a cheeky spritz at the swim-up bar in the adults-only pool— because self-care comes in all forms. Find out more about the 2025 Spa & Wellness Awards. Images: Supplied
When Winnie-the-Pooh moseyed into a slasher movie in Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, the film endeavoured to prove that there's room in the pop-culture honeypot for multiple takes on AA Milne's beloved bear. More horror flicks are coming, because of course they are. But, embracing the usually cuddly figure's sweet and innocent side, so is a supremely nostalgic, family-friendly stage musical from Disney. Winnie the Pooh: The New Stage Adaptation debuted back in 2021 Off-Broadway, then took the Hundred Acre Wood and its famous felt residents to Chicago, back to New York, on a tour of the US and to London. The next stop on the Mouse House-created show's itinerary: Australia, starting this winter, and playing capital cities and regional towns alike. Hailing from American Australian producer, writer and director Jonathan Rockefeller, Winnie the Pooh: The New Stage Adaptation brings Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl and Tigger to life with puppets — life-sized versions, which look as cuddly and fuzzy as anthropomorphic stuffed toys should. Also joining them is Christopher Robin, in a production that brings together a heap of songs from past Winnie-the-Pooh movies. "The music, the spectacular life-size puppets and the charming performances are the perfect way to introduce (or re-introduce) audiences to live theatre, and this is a must-see show for Winnie-the-Pooh fans," said Rockefeller, announcing the show's Australian run. "We are excited to bring the Hundred Acre Wood to Australia so that audiences of all ages can join us for this heartwarming production." Winnie the Pooh: The New Stage Adaptation will play Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart, and also has dates booked in everywhere from Dandenong and Bunbury to Launceston and Geelong. Again, this is a firmly all-ages affair, so expect plenty of young Winnie-the-Pooh devotees in attendance. For those keen to see a childhood favourite in a new format, Australia's stages have been delivering blasts from the pasts with frequency over the past few years, spanning Frozen the Musical, Shrek the Musical, Cinderella, Mary Poppins and the upcoming Beauty and the Beast musical in Sydney, just to name a few. WINNIE THE POOH: THE NEW STAGE ADAPTATION AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2023 DATES: July 7 — Drum Theatre, Dandenong July 12–16 — Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane July 20-23 — Sydney Opera House, Sydney July 26–27 — Princess Theatre, Launceston August 3–6 — Theatre Royal, Hobart August 9–10 — Hopgood Theatre, Noarlunga August 16–20 — Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide August 23–24 — Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah August 25–26 — Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, Bunbury August 29–September 3 — Regal Theatre, Perth September 7–9 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra September 14–17 — Riverside Theatre Parramatta, Parramatta September 21–25 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne September 27–28 — Geelong Arts Centre, Geelong September 30–October 1 — Albury Entertainment Centre, Albury Winnie the Pooh: The New Stage Adaptation tours Australia from July — for more information, and for tickets from Thursday, June 15, head to the production's website.
From chewy Neapolitan pizzas to giant five-cheese topped slices, decent gluten-free bases and inventive vegan toppings, Brisbane's pizza stores cover all the variations. Here are five places that keep us coming back for stretchy buffalo mozzarella, pillowy bases and perfect toppings.
It has been four years since Brisbane Powerhouse added a new festival to their events calendar, giving the Brisbane Queer Film Festival a multi-arts sibling celebrating all things LGBTIQ+ beyond the screen. And while BQFF and MELT no longer coincide, they're both still going strong — with the latter back for another round of diverse theatre, comedy, dance, art, circus, music, burlesque and more from May 17 to 27. Taking place a little later in the year compared to previous fests, 2018's MELT actually kicks off on IDAHOT, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. To mark the occasion, it'll unleash 11 days filled with more than 20 different events, making Brissie an even more vibrant place than it already is. Prepare for pop, drag, parties, pride and plenty of fun —and our top eight picks of the event, too.
For many designers, their work is developed through experimentation with new materials, while for others their entire body of work is dedicated to exploring the potential of only one. Jan Gunneweg falls into that latter category, and his material of choice is wood. Gunneweg's workshop in the Netherlands is filled with beautifully crafted traditional wooden objects, such as benches, desks and tables. However, it is also filled with some fairly non-traditional ones, including sunglasses, which he creates by hand. His wooden bicycles, though, have garnered Gunneweg the most attention of late. Gunneweg's bikes are both technically and aesthetically beautiful, as well as practical, and are made out of solid walnut or birchwood. And while Genneweg's has plans to produce bikes which are far easier (and cheaper) to make, assemble and ship overseas, at present he is only making to order. Understandably too, as each takes between 160 and 200 man hours to create. Quite an impressive labour of love, and a rather nice way to get around town this summer - especially if you can afford the matching sunglasses.
Mondays tend to be a day of rest for most restaurants in the Los Angeles area. But for friends Aliza Miner, Savita Ostendorf and Marjory Garrison it's the busiest night of the week. A few months ago the three girls combined their skills as a chef, graphic designer and PR activist for non-profits, respectively, to create Closed on Mondays, a business that hosts fundraiser dinners for charity at empty restaurants on Monday nights. They offer a fixed price menu at $35, hire waitstaff from the host restaurant and serve customers on a first come, first serve basis from 5 to 9p.m. The profits go directly to local food initiatives or community projects. They don't force-feed their guests with information about the charities, they just want people to come and eat. Better yet, the dishes offered will leave your taste-buds begging for more, with choices like Yucatan pulled pork, wild Mexican shrimp with pumpkin seed sauce and stuffed poblanos, kabocha squash and chihuahua cheese in romesco (each served with homemade tortillas). Yum. The first three dinners were hosted at L.A's Canele, which raised $7000 for the Micheltorena School Garden community project in Silver Lake. Although the girls realize that they still have a long way to go to build up the non-profit, other chefs in the area have already approached them about bringing Closed on Mondays to their restaurants. Mondays are soon to be the biggest night out of the week for good food and a good cause.
Fans of Trainspotting will probably want to check out Filth, the new film adaptation of the 1998 Irvine Welsh novel. Jon S. Baird directs James McAvoy as Bruce Robertson, a bipolar, misanthropic junkie detective (role of a lifetime) who, when he's not awash in drugs, alcohol and sex games, spends his time plotting the downfall of his fellow colleagues. In his quest to trump them and secure a coveted promotion, he stops at nothing — stealing their wives, exposing their darkest secrets. Oh, and there's a murder to be solved, too. Things escalate to the point of madness, with plenty of manipulation, hallucination and downright insanity. McAvoy won critical praise for his performance upon the film's UK release and is supported by some stellar UK actors including Jim Broadbent, Jamie Bell and Eddie Marsan (who was so good in Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky and Paddy Considine's Tyrannosaur). The film will no doubt give a typically Welsh-ian insight into the grim, violent underbelly of Edinburgh — with a few laughs. Filth is in cinemas on November 21, and thanks to Icon Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
In 1961, on an assignment from the New Yorker, superstar academic Hannah Arendt travelled to her native Germany to cover the trial of Adolf Eichmann, 'architect of the Holocaust'. Instead of being struck by his coldness or inhumanity at the trial, Arendt found Eichmann an "unimpressive" and "unremarkable" figure who presented himself a bureaucrat who merely followed orders. Her reaction was not the one she expected, nor one many people wanted to hear, but her bafflement went on to inform a work which helped readers understand how an almost unfathomably dark chapter in human history had unfolded. The main focus of the biopic Hannah Arendt is the fallout after that article (which was expanded into a book) was published. Many thought it a betrayal of her own Jewish heritage or a slanderous, self-serving provocation. The university where she once received gooey-eyed affection from her adoring students asks her to justify her continued employment there and social schisms spring up as former friends and allies turn against her. Directed in solid, determinedly no-frills style by Margarethe Von Trotta, Hannah Arendt is a reminder that a work which is now almost universally accepted as a key insight into the horrors of the Holocaust and the operation of a genocidal machine was considered incendiary and worse at the time of publication. Read our full review of Hannah Arendt here. Hannah Arendt is in cinemas on Thursday, March 13, and thanks to Curious Distribution, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=WTQNWgZVctM
If you've ever looked askance at your cookbook collection and thought "this does not speak to me on an emotional level," you're not alone. New York-based artist Automne Zingg feels ya — so much so that the artist, musician, and illustrator has recently published two cookbooks inspired by the thick, syrupy sadness of Morrissey and Nick Cave. 'Defensive Eating with Morrissey' and 'Comfort Eating with Nick Cave' are full of gems like "Boy with the corn in his side" and "Peas let me get what I want". Which, yes, are two great recipes for corn and peas. Oh, and if you hadn't guessed, the cookbooks are vegan. Zingg has provided the illustrations of sad Morrissey and Cave eating food, with Joshua Ploeg, of The Touring Vegan Chef, responsible for the recipes. But it's not all corn and peas, thankfully. Ploeg has unveiled some pretty sick vegan treat recipes like ice cream, cookies and cheesecake. Morrissey and Nick Cave were both almost involved, but in the end declined for different reasons. Of course, don't let that stop you from enjoying the below kind of sexy picture of Morrissey eating corn. We said kind of, remember.
Summer is here and oh don't we know it, Brisbane. The days are longer, the sun scorches all it touches and the humidity hangs heavy in the air. Whether you seek the arctic embrace of the air-conditioned indoors, want to splash around in your new swimmers or prefer to stay hydrated with a glass of ice-cold craft beer, there are plenty of ways to beat the heat in the city this summer. STREETS BEACH AND SOUTH BANK SURF CLUB The white sands, turquoise waters and shady palms of the Streets Beach at South Bank Parklands create the River City's most iconic watering hole. The artificial beach is patrolled by lifeguards six days a week and is free to the public. After taking a dip at the beach, dive into a meal at the South Bank Surf Club and continue to enjoy amazing views of the city. While you can't surf at Streets Beach, the South Bank Surf Club is making waves on the Brisbane casual dining scene serving a menu that defies traditional surf club fare. Think fresh seasonal seafood, BBQ pork ribs, grass-fed Cape Grim scotch fillet, creme brulee, and not a schnitty in sight. 30a Stanley Plaza Parklands, South Brisbane LA MACELLERIA GELATERIA A scoop (or two) of cold, creamy and utterly delicious gelato from La Macelleria will have you mistaking Teneriffe for the cobblestone streets of Rome. Cup or cone? Gelato, sorbet or granita? The choices are tough. Arguably the best gelato in Brisbane, it boasts classic flavours like pistachio, espresso and hazelnut scooped alongside special creations whipped up by the two boys from Bologna. Just one lick and you'll be screaming amore. 29 Florence Street, Teneriffe SOLEIL POOL BAR Soleil Pool Bar might just be the hottest new spot to stay cool around town this summer. The digs previously known as Bacchus Pool Bar have been renovated, revamped and relaunched to celebrate the sun that shines brightly over the River City. An extensive cocktail list will be guaranteed to quench your thirst as you lounge by the pool and listen to the sounds of summer. Corner of Grey and Glenelg Streets, South Brisbane SPRING HILL BATHS Don your cossie in the vivaciously coloured Victorian changing cubicles and make a splash at Brisbane's heritage-listed Spring Hill Baths. Holding the title as the oldest surviving swimming baths in the Southern Hemisphere, the 23.43 metre aqua-blue pool and wooden grandstand seating exude old world charm. The baths are suitable for all swimmers from those learning to swim to those staying fit or just trying to keep cool. 14 Torrington Street, Spring Hill NEW FARM CINEMAS Air-conditioning — check. Entertainment – check. Ice cream – check. The New Farm Cinemas are the perfect place to escape the sweltering sun on a hot summer's day. Chill out in comfort at the recently renovated, retro-style cinemas and catch the latest blockbusters or a flashback film. The Purple Bar and Lounge serve light snacks and beverages to be enjoyed in front of the big screen, and Scoop Café and Gelato Bar stock goodies from neighbourhood favourites Dello Mano and La Macelleria. 701 Brunswick Street, New Farm WOOLLY MAMMOTH ALEHOUSE Boasting Queensland's largest selection of craft beer, the Woolly Mammoth Alehouse in Fortitude Valley is the place to stay hydrated this summer. With a beastly 23 beers on tap (rotating small-release batches), a decent cocktail list and wines by the glass or bottle, a summer's afternoon is likely to melt away faster than the ice age. A plentiful share menu will whet your appetite while you stay entertained with indoor bocce, giant Jenga, shuffleboard and live music across three distinct spaces within the beer hall. 633 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley QPAC Queensland Performing Arts Centre is a haven on a hot day (or night), as ice-cold air-conditioning meets live entertainment. Their December lineup includes smash-hit musical Les Miserables as well as the Queensland Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker. Grey Street, South Brisbane BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL POOLS With 20 council pools splashed across the city, there is no shortage of H2O to dive into. Depending on your 'hood you'll find facilities that cater for learn to swim, stroke development, water polo, aqua aerobics and cooling off. Some pools offer slides and play equipment, barbecues and kiosks. Grab your cap, goggles and Speedos, and head down to your local pool. We've rounded up our favourite outdoor swimming pools across the city here. Locations across Brisbane QAGOMA The Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art are wonderfully airconditioned spaces that offer Brisbanites the chance to engage with Australian and international exhibitions. Both galleries hang a combination of permanent and visiting exhibitions, many of which can be enjoyed for free. And if art ain't your thing, maybe science is. Try the Sciencentre at the Queensland Museum — it's also air conditioned. Stanley Place, South Bank ACAI BOWL CRAWL Whats cooler than being cool? Acai. That little purple berry is right on trend as a #superfood of the moment. We've compiled a list of our favourites to get you through the hot days. But hey, if clean eating is not your game, the infamous CP Milkshake Crawl should be added to your foodie bucket list asap to get you milk drunk on a lazy day.
Many would say trekking around an art gallery does not exactly count as a workout. I beg to differ. But it remains that art and exercise are worlds apart and I take my hat off to anyone who successfully manages to marry the two. Interactive collective YesYesNo has collaborated with sportswear giant Nike to develop software which integrates with Nike+GPS data to generate abstract digital artworks. Runners' routes are recorded by a Nike Sports Watch and, based on the speed, consistency and unique style of each person's run, dynamic formations are revealed. A two-day workshop was held to launch the Nike Free Run+ 2 City Pack, inviting runners to record their movements and use colours and composition to personalise their exercise artworks. They took home unique high resolution prints and a custom shoebox with their name, distance run and route laser-etched onto the surface. It's not quite the first project of its kind, with rock band OK Go! unveiling a similar idea in partnership with Range Rover recently. [Via Engadget]
Addams Family fans, it's time to get a witch's shawl on and a broomstick you can crawl on, because Netflix — and Tim Burton — are gonna pay a call on popular culture's most famous supernatural brood. Come November, the streaming platform will release Wednesday, the high school-set series about the eerie family's teenage daughter. And, in a way, there's more than one Wednesday on offer. To answer the obvious question, yes, the show will drop on a Wednesday: Wednesday, November 23, in fact. To answer your next two queries, yes, Christina Ricci is among the cast — but no, she isn't playing the titular role, because that honour goes to Jenna Ortega. Ortega is having quite the year, especially when it comes to horror. This new take on The Addams Family follows her roles in Scream, Studio 666 and X already in 2022. When she shares the screen with Ricci, as seen in the just-dropped new Wednesday trailer, the latter plays Nevermore Academy teacher Marilyn Thornill. As also shown in the initial teaser trailer from back in August, Wednesday obviously focuses on its namesake — aka the Addams' eldest child, who plenty of teenage girls with long black hair have been compared to for decades. Wednesday is indeed a teen in the new series, and she has been terrorising her way through schools, hopping through eight of them in five years. Now she's ended up at Nevermore Academy, where her mother introduces her with an apology: "please excuse Wednesday, she's allergic to colour". Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Prodigal Son) actually met Gomez (Luis Guzmán, Hightown) at the school, and they think that she'll love it — but clearly Wednesday's storyline isn't going to be that straightforward. While she's there, she'll have a monstrous killing spree to stop, and a supernatural mystery linked to her parents a quarter-century ago to solve. Sleuthing, high-school antics and all things Addams Family: that's the spell that Wednesday plans to cast. Also part of the series, as seen in the sneak peeks so far: a creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky vibe, as befitting a family that has been around for 84 years now, and just keeps scampering around screens big and small like a mischievous severed limb. Wednesday treads in huge footsteps, given that this isn't the first time that The Addams Family has made the leap from a beloved cartoon in The New Yorker to the screen. The 1960s TV series is a gem of the era, and 1991's live-action film The Addams Family and its 1993 sequel Addams Family Values — starring Ricci as Wednesday — are two of the best movies of that decade. (The less said about the recent animated flick and its own follow-up, however, the better.) In Burton, the show boasts a director who could easily be one of the altogether-ooky crew's long-lost relatives, and has spent his entire career channelling their gothic aesthetic. In fact, the trailers look like Burton is filtering his Frankenweenie, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands vibes through Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children — so, it looks exactly like a Tim Burton-directed version of The Addams Family was always going to. Netflix's eight-part series also stars Isaac Ordonez (A Wrinkle in Time) as Pugsley and George Burcea (Comrade Detective) as Lurch, while Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie is also set to pop up. And, in the latest trailer, the new Uncle Fester is revealed — as played by Fred Armisen (Los Espookys). Check out the full trailer for Wednesday below: Wednesday will stream via Netflix from Wednesday, November 23. Images: Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.
Few films feel as tailor-made for their audience as Josh Boone's adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars. Based on the enormously popular young adult novel by John Green, about two teen cancer patients who fall hopelessly in love, it's a story designed to play the heartstrings like a fiddle, extracting sighs and sobs from willing viewers with surgical precision. It's melodramatic, sure, but you'd be hard-pressed to deny its effectiveness. And thanks to a fantastic lead performance from Shailene Woodley, the sentiment never feels insincere. Woodley plays Hazel Lancaster, a sarcastic 16-year-old with terminal tumours in her lungs. Hazel has more or less come to terms with the nature of her illness, but at the behest of her worried parents (Laura Dern and Sam Trammell) agrees to attend a patient's support group. It's there that she meets Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort), an impossibly charming cancer survivor himself, who soon sets about sweeping her off her feet. Despite Hazel's assertion that hers is not your typical cancer narrative, The Fault in Our Stars very much follows a formula. Viewers are promised tragedy, and then lulled into hoping that that tragedy might be averted. Peaks of joy are followed by valleys of strategically excavated sorrow, timed to cause maximum devastation. Thankfully, Hazel is an endearing enough character that you don't really mind the film manipulating you. Pithy voiceover helps us get to know her as a funny, strong-willed young woman who makes the best of an awful situation. Woodley's performance is impeccable, capturing both the giddy excitement of young love and the sobering adult reality of death. Her co-star falters with some of the heavier material but is still immensely likeable as Augustus. Admittedly, the young man isn't the most plausible of characters — no teenager is this articulate, no matter how much they'd like to believe otherwise. A lot of his dialogue is meant to sound wonderfully deep and inspiring but is just as likely to cause cringes in anyone over the age of about 17. Nuggets of teen philosophy notwithstanding, the interactions between the characters generally feel authentic, with plenty of humorous banter to put the romance — and the heartache — into relief. It's thanks to Boone and company's balancing of the three that The Fault in Our Stars is a success. https://youtube.com/watch?v=9ItBvH5J6ss
If you like dudes, nudes or a bit of both — or neither, but can at least just appreciate some good art — then Bean's latest exhibition might be right up your alley. Dudes and Nudes showcases the work of Brisbane based creative duo Shani Finch and Jarad Danby. Finch is an emerging Brisbane artist, playing about with abstract realism and manipulating contemporary art techniques to create pieces that are both haunting and fascinating. Her art ranges from simple black and white sketches to ink drenched canvases that capture people, faces and stories unbeknown to the real world. Danby is an artist who uses ink pens in a monochromatic medium to breathe life into his self-made subjects. Dudes and Nudes launches on Friday 12 February with an opening night event from 7.30pm. The exhibition will grace Bean's walls until the middle of March.
University students might be accustomed to pairing their education with a few alcoholic beverages; however most don't expect their tertiary institution to have its own tipple. That rings particularly true when one of the most famous and prestigious universities in the world is involved — but, as well as teaching bright minds, Oxford University is bursting boundaries. The British uni has just added an official brand of gin to its list of achievements: Physic Gin, aka an especially aptly named juniper spirit. It's a product of The Oxford Artisan Distillery (TOAD), which is located in the same city, but is separate from the university. With their collaboration — the result of one of TOAD's distillers meeting one of Oxford's botany professors — they've created the first gin made for the university and bearing its name. Branding isn't Physic Gin's only Oxford connection. It's also flavoured using plants from the uni's botanic garden. Founded in 1621 to help teach herbal medicine, the patch of greenery in question is the oldest of its kind in the country. In total, 25 botanicals grown and foraged in Oxford's garden are used in the tipple, most of which were listed in a catalogue kept by its first keeper back in the 1640s. According to TOAD master distiller Cory Mason, anyone keen on a sip should expect a rich, earthy taste thanks to ingredients such as wormwood, rue and sweet woodruff — which "bring a deeply complex flavour to bear and take us back to the time when plants formed the base of all medicine." TOAD also use ancient, organic, super-sustainable grains in their production of Physic Gin, plus their original Oxford Dry Gin and Oxford Rye Vodka. For more information, visit www.spiritoftoad.com Via The Guardian. Image: The Oxford Artisan Distillery.
If your life could use a bit more Pixar magic at the moment, then Disney is here to help, with the Mouse House rushing the beloved animation studio's latest film to Australian and New Zealand audiences via digital rental and its streaming platform Disney+. Featuring the voices of Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer, Onward was originally slated to release on the big screen Down Under on Thursday, March 26; however those plans changed when cinemas were ordered to shut. While the movie did play in Australian theatres for a few days over the weekend immediately beforehand, giving dedicated audiences a sneak peek, cinemas were hardly packed at the time — so, if this elf-filled adventure is still on your must-watch list, you're not alone. Pixar fans will be able to get their animation fix via video on demand from Friday, April 3, which'll require paying separately to view the film. Or, if you're already a Disney+ subscriber — or you've been thinking of becoming one — you'll be able to watch Onward on the company's own streaming platform as part of its regular package from 6pm on Friday, April 24. Story-wise, Onward tells the tale of brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (Marvel co-stars Holland and Pratt), two teenage elves who've grown up without their dearly departed dad. Thanks to an unexpected flash of long-dormant magic, they're given the chance to spend one last day with their father — but, in order to do so, they'll have to undertake a perilous quest in Barley's rundown van Guinevere. From the above description, you might've noticed that Pixar's usual formula isn't at play here, with the company branching beyond the "what if toys/cars/rats/robots/monsters/feelings had feelings?" setup that's served it so well in everything from the Toy Story franchise to Inside Out. Rest assured, however, that Onward's central elf siblings do indeed experience a whole heap of emotions as they cast spells, try to decipher mysterious maps, endeavour to avoid curses, explore their complicated brotherly relationship and team up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion called The Manticore (Spencer). Fast-tracking Onward to digital platforms is the latest example of film industry's efforts to adapt to the changes forced by the spread of COVID-19. In Australia and New Zealand, Disney follows fellow distributor Roadshow's lead — with the latter also speeding up the online release of a number of its big titles as well. Check out the trailer for Onward below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxKXiQvyG_o Onward will be available to purchase separately on digital platforms in Australia and New Zealand from Friday, April 3, before hitting Disney's streaming platform Disney+ as part of its regular package at 6pm on Friday, April 24. Images: © 2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. 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.
It's the island that Brisbanites can drive to — and anyone who grew up in this town of ours has more than a few childhood memories to prove it. We're talking about Bribie Island, of course; however, a trip over the bridge isn't just about taking a swim in Pumicestone Passage. If you'd rather enjoy a few drinks and a meal in a sprawling beer garden, that's now on the menu at Bribie Island Hotel. The waterside pub has just been given a huge makeover, with Australian Venue Co spending $2.2 million to revamp the venue. Relaunching just before Christmas — just in time for summer trips, handily — Bribie Island Hotel is now home to a hefty outdoor space decked out with grass, white picnic tables and shady umbrellas, as well as a a new-look bistro that's serving up pub classics. So, you can grab a beer, tuck into a chicken schnitzel, play lawn games, sit under a brolly and make the most of island life. Also big: the hotel's new capacity, which can cater to 400 people both indoors and outside. If you opt for the latter, you'll also be sitting under fairy lights — so planning an evening visit is recommended. While Executive Chef Dylan Kemp has filled the new menu with trusty favourites such as bruschetta, salt and pepper calamari, steaks, fish and chips, woodfired pizzas, spaghetti bolognese, caesar salad and lasagne, patrons will also find bacon and cheese garlic bread, duck shanks with peking sauce, pork scotch with chorizo butter beans and baked cauliflower salad on offer. Dessert-wise, warm chocolate brownies with honeycomb and fudge sauce sit alongside the old fave that is sticky date pudding (served here with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream), plus doughnut fries that come covered in cinnamon sugar, honey and crushed pistachios. Bribie Island Hotel is also hosting regular events, so you can make the trip to listen to live tunes on Fridays and Saturdays, and to play musical bingo and themed trivia. The venue is the latest Brissie spot to get a makeover by AVC, after The Crown Hotel in Lutwyche also relaunched in 2021 following its own sizeable revamp. Find Bribie Island Hotel at 29 Sylvan Beach Esplanade, Bellara, open daily from 10am–3am. For further information, head to the hotel's website.
Everyone knows the protocol. You walk into the carriage, give everyone a passing acknowledgement as you look for a seat, then promptly settle in with your iPhone for the journey ahead. It doesn't matter if you don't have anyone to text. Your number one priority here is avoiding eye contact and blocking out the obnoxious, stinking presence of your fellow passengers. Now researchers in Queensland are seeking to undo all these social codes we've carefully put in place. Prepare yourself — they want us to actually talk to each other. Currently in its initial trials Train Yarn is a texting app developed by Tiago Camacho from the Queensland University of Technology. Using your phone's GPS data, the app only works on Brisbane's train network, and seeks to randomly connect you with your fellow passengers. With each user staying relatively anonymous, the app works in a similar way to Chatroulette: the infamous go-to platform for strangers' genitals on demand. Admittedly, the app developers have thought of these possible downfalls and maintain faith that the anonymity of the service will keep the messages clean (for some reason we can't totally figure out). However, it does help that the platform only supports text. At the very least we'll be saved from the dick pic the teenage boy vandalising the back of your seat was invariably going to send. Similar projects have been carried out around the world with mixed success. Last year, Virgin America implemented an online chat system for use on its domestic flights. Identified by seat number, passengers could chat to each other or send out messages to the whole plane. According to the Daily Mail it had some pretty amazing outcomes. It's hard to say if the same technology will take off on trains. After all, planes are the only mode of transport where we're cut off from our smartphones — in a way we're forced to interact with each other. Nonetheless the makers of Train Yarn stay optimistic. "Research has shown that while most people think they would rather sit in solitary than talk with a stranger, when tested, people who conversed with someone had a more positive experience than those who kept to themselves," said lead researcher Tiago Camacho. It's a nice, if not somewhat utopian vision that's definitely worth a go either way. The app is available for free download now, but beware — QUT will be watching your conversations for research purposes from July 3-16. We know it's hard, but try to fill it with something other than sexts and complaints. Via Brisbane Times.
Brisbane's riverside dining and drinking scene just reclaimed a beloved favourite: the reopening Riverbar + Kitchen. For the past ten years, the Eagle Street spot has been an easy go-to for drinks by the water, and with a view of the Story Bridge. Out of action since late-February due to the city's floods, the Solotel and Matt Moran co-owned venue has now started welcoming patrons back in. From Wednesday, October 19, Riverbar + Kitchen is back doing what it always has: serving up bites to each and beverages by the old brown snake. It took eight months to get the venue up and running again after it was fully submerged during the flooding — with just the tops of its yellow-and-white striped umbrellas sticking out of the water — but now the bar is back with a Miami Beach shack look and a new menu. "To rebuild from a completely blank canvas has been amazing – it's a great refresh, a reinvigoration of what it used to be with a newer design, new branding and an elevated concept," says Moran. Still nestled into Riparian Plaza's promenade level, where it first opened a decade ago, the new-look Riverbar + Kitchen now sports bright hues and white-washed wooden features, but one thing has definitely remained the same: those brollies. Menu-wise, the new all-day menu includes eggs benedict, house pasties, buttermilk pancakes and honey-roasted granola for breakfast; then spanner crab spaghetti, cheeseburgers and chargrilled cauliflower for lunch and dinner. The latter selection also covers grilled half-shell scallops, Moreton bay bug sliders, kingfish crudo and a range of pizzas, plus a Buderim ginger tart for dessert. That culinary range heroes locally sourced seafood, plus plenty of fresh local produce in general. As for the refreshed drinks list, it features sips by the glass and jug. Brunch service — booze included — starts at 10am daily, with new cocktails such as 'Rome Away From Rome' (with wild rosé, Campari and grapefruit), 'Wham Bam Jam' (Bombay Bramble Gin, strawberry jam, rose and a shiraz float) and 'Is This Mai Tai?' (Bacardi Blanca, raspberry and no.8 rums, triple sec, falernum, pineapple and yuzu). As for those tipples to share, that's where 'Cherry Pie' (Sailor Jerry, cherry heering, cranberry, orgeat, lime and soda) and 'A Walk in the Tropics' (42 Below Vodka, peach, passionfruit, mint, moscato and soda) come in. Find Riverbar + Kitchen at Riparian Plaza, Promenade Level, 71 Eagle Street, Brisbane — open 7am–12am daily.
It's omurice time. Some dishes are as straightforward as they sound, and this one — aka omelette rice — is among them. It's an omelette made with fried rice, then typically topped with sauce. Clearly it's an easy concept to get around. And Motokichi Yukimura from Kichi Kichi Omurice in Kyoto keeps visiting Down Under to whip it up. Not all iterations of this western-influenced Japanese eggs-plus-rice staple are made equal, which is why Kichi Kichi Omurice's version might be on your travel bucket list. Chef Motokichi Yukimura's viral-famous take on the dish has made him an internet star — the term "Japan's most-famous omurice chef" has been used — and seen his eatery become a tourist destination. Sometimes, however, he brings his omurice to Australia, as he's set to again in March 2025. If you'd like the Kichi Kichi Omurice experience without the airfares, you can make that a reality in Brisbane. And if this sounds familiar, that's because Yukimura headed this way twice in 2024. He's again visiting Harajuku Gyoza to show why the dish he's been making for over 45 years is such a smash. The chef is doing 'meet and eat' events, cooking everyone who attends his specialty — and putting on a show, complete with his Kichi Kichi Omurice song and dance. Queensland capital residents are headed to Harajuku Gyoza South Brisbane across Sunday, March 23–Tuesday, March 25. Tickets cost $170 per person, with sittings for both lunch and dinner. That price covers tucking into Yukimura's omurice, as made at your table, plus a range of Harajuku Gyoza signature dishes — and meeting the chef. Alongside removing the need to book a flight to Japan, this is an easier way to enjoy the Kichi Kichi experience for another reason. As of January 2024, the Kyoto eatery is no longer doing bookings in advance. Now, diners are only able to make reservations on the same day they're eating, and need a password that's placed on the restaurant's door each morning to lock in their seating.
As well as giving popular culture some of its most beloved characters of the past few decades, the Harry Potter franchise has also conjured up a whole heap of astonishing critters. The Boy Who Lived himself studied them at Hogwarts, all thanks to textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Then, to the joy of Potter-loving muggles everywhere, that tome became an actual IRL text in 2001. Every Wizarding World fan knows that that book followed the original Harry Potter novels in making the leap from the page to the screen, resulting in a first film in 2016, then 2018 sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and also 2022's Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. But if you're more interested in the actual fantastic beasts than a movie plot spun around them — and in natural history in general — exhibition Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature has you covered. First announced in 2020, then premiering at London's Natural History Museum, this is all about critters that fly, scamper and scurry through the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts realm on the page and screen; however, it's also about real-life creatures, specimens and artefacts, too. The exhibition combines beasts from the natural world, the mythical world and the Wizarding World, and was always slated for an international tour. Next, it's Australia's turn to see it, with the showcase displaying at Melbourne Museum from Friday, May 19–Sunday, October 8. Visitors to Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature will see legendary beasts placed alongside specimens and historic objects, while also venturing through elements from cinema's last two decades. Unsurprisingly, there'll also be a hefty focus on Newt Scamander, the Wizarding World's famed magizoologist as played Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse). Whether you're a Melbourne local or now planning a visit, you'll see items from the Natural History Museum's scientific collections, custom-made Wizarding World models, props from the flicks and original artworks from Bloomsbury Publishing. You'll also wander through a celebration of real-life scientists trying to understand the planet's animal inhabitants. In London, the exhibits included a tiger, a Galápagos marine iguana and a giant oarfish (the planet's longest bony fish) alongside an Erumpent horn and the dragon skull from Professor Lupin's classroom. Patrons were also able to compare the camouflage tactics of a jaguar to those of the Demiguise. Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature will display at Melbourne Museum from Friday, May 19–Sunday, October 8. Head to the exhibition's website for further details. Images: Trustees of the Natural History Museum London.
Both Brisbane and pizza have come a long way in recent years, and we’ve done our darndest to bring you seven of the best vendors of those ancient, mesmerising frisbees of dough, sauce, cheese and miscellany. Now, these sorts of lists are, of course, a little subjective, but we can assure you a lot of pizzas were harmed in the compiling of it. While nigh on impossible to narrow down our city’s ever-growing population of excellent pizza-makers, we’ve done our best to offer you seven of the finest that we feel nail the right balance of sauce, cheese, toppings and thickness/thinness of base. From traditional, wood-fired stalwarts to experimental, relatively non-Italian creations, there ought to be something for you here. Alas Dominos’ hot dog-stuffed-crust meatlovers with extra bacon fat narrowly missed the cut of these artisanal marvels. What do you look for in a pizza? Traditional or cutting-edge? Tell us some of your favourite Brisbane pizza places in the comments. Below, in no particular order, are our picks. SUGO MI Located on Bulimba’s cosmopolitan Oxford Street, Sugo Mi makes its pizzas in a contemporary, simple yet unique style, cementing it as a staple of the precinct and of any Brisbane pizza-lover. 'Sugo Mi' translates fairly literally into “sauce me” — and they certainly don’t disappoint in the sauce stakes. But then, they also impress without it. Sugo Mi offers two varieties of base: rosso (red, with house-made tomato sauce) and bianco (white, without sauce). Menu standouts include the Termolese (smoked leg ham, olives, anchovies) from the more traditional, rosso menu and the Zucca (pumpkin, pine nuts, goat’s cheese, rosemary and balsamic) from the more adventurous bianco selection. Sugo Mi offers great atmosphere and even a happy hour from 5pm-6pm Thursday to Sunday, where pizzas are $19. It also has its own attached groceria, should you wish to attempt your own Mediterranean delights. 3/190 Oxford Street, Bulimba ALFREDO'S PIZZERIA One of 2013’s most vibrant additions to the Valley eat-sphere, Alfredo’s adds to Damian Griffiths’ growing backstreet hub of Alfred & Constance, Limes Hotel and the new Kwan Brothers. Once upon a time, late-night pizza consisted of five-day-old slices slumped unappealingly on display trays under heaters (or 'lukewarmers') in greasy snack bars — but no more. Alfredo’s offers genuinely great-quality, fresh pizza until 3am Fridays and Saturdays. And they home-deliver alcohol (oh, and food too) on sleek vespas — now that’s pretty cool, right? Alfredo’s quirky pizza names run the gamut of rock history, such as the Piggy and the Stooges (roast pork, crackling, potato, apple sauce) and Red Hot Chilli Peppers (chill and peppers, understandably, with 'inferno' salami). You can’t go wrong at Alfredo’s, no matter the time of night. Cnr Alfred Street and Constance Street, Fortitude Valley TINDERBOX KITCHEN Tucked behind Harveys bar and bistro on the bright lights of James Street, Tinderbox Kitchen is staking a claim as one of the city’s pizza frontrunners. Using free-range pork, Moree stoneground wheat and seasonal produce in the pizzas, Tinderbox ticks all the gourmet boxes of inner-city fine dining while serving up reasonably priced pizza treats. Fresh from their custom-made wood-fired oven come such simple yet inspired toppings as the Broccolini and Scarmorza (which also comes with chorizo — instant win — oregano and parmesan). The Tinderbox house special sports the likes of Mooloolaba prawns, chilli and zucchini. Adjacent to the Palace Centro cinemas, Tinderbox Kitchen is an ideal pre-movie stop-off. 7/31 James Street Fortitude Valley IL FORNO Northside pizza fans will likely be familiar with Sandgate’s Il Forno. The pizzeria is establishing itself as a much-lauded destination among the many iconic fish ’n’ chipperies of the popular seaside precinct. Well-travelled owners Jane and Marco Agostini offer a diverse menu of woodfired pizzas, as well as antipasti, pastas and desserts. Among their cross-cultural signatures is L’Anatra, with crispy duck, hoisin sauce, cucumber and spring onions, and the Moroccan beef is hard to beat too. Fans of traditional margheritas and capricciosas won’t go hungry though, as the menu truly caters for all tastes. Ideal for romantic or group dinners, Il Forno is a must for any Bris Vegas pizzaphile. Even if you’re on the other side of town, it’s worth an adventure. 3 Third Avenue, Sandgate PICCOLO PIZZA Piccolo is an underrated player in the pizza market but has nonetheless recently grown to the point of opening a third southside store, at Highgate Hill. We attended Piccolo’s old-school pizza and espresso bar at East Brisbane for a satisfying pepperoni pie (complete with red peppers, meatballs and oregano). Other winners include Tandoori Chicken, the chorizo-packed Madrid and the Funghi, with its wild porcini mushrooms, asiago and truffle oil. Thin, crispy bases and herbaceous, full flavours characterise Piccolo’s handiwork. The pizzeria also offers $15.95 large pizzas every Tuesday — prices that compete with lesser, big-chain fare. Get in early for a stool at the bar and enjoy one of Piccolo’s many classics. 53 Lytton Road, East Brisbane; 589 Old Cleveland Road, Camp Hill; 36 Gladstone Road, Highgate Hill VESPA PIZZA Vespa Pizza, which has two stores at New Farm and Woolloongabba, is just as much an icon as a delivery service as it is for dining in, due to its delivery staff’s eponymous charming mode of transport. But the restaurants are so much more than their Italian scooters, providing many hungry Brisbane pizza-lovers with untold joy. Vespa offers a wide range of tastes on their thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas, from the traditional margherita and napoletana to the more eclectic Vespa Reigns Supreme, which is home to artichoke hearts, pancetta, bocconcini, capers and anchovies. And even the staunchest of carnivores will consider the Veg-edible (olives, artichokes, mushrooms, tomato, caramelised onion, capsicum). Dine in, take away or let these pizza sorcerers vespa it to your door. 148 Merthyr Road, Fortitude Valley; 617 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba TARTUFO Effortlessly nestled among the sleek chic of Emporium, Tartufo’s aritsanal pizzas are not to be missed. Culinary veteran Tony Percuoco’s connoisseur pizza menu is made to be enjoyed in the pristine European-bistro interior accompanied by a few vinos. Cheese-lovers will find it difficult to look beyond the Quattro Formaggi (four cheeses: gorgonzola, emmental, fontina and provolone) and another standout is the Rustica alla Noel Staunton - an ode to his friend, the Brisbane Festival artistic director whose name this fine work of edible art takes - which has potato, pork sausage and taleggio rosemary on Percuoco’s signature crispy base. It’s a sign of a good pizza when you don’t leave the crust behind - and Tartufo lives up to that rule exceptionally. 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
