Schmoopy woopy and bubba bear, lil' puffy wuffy, honey pie or spicy chilly philly. Maybe just the classic: babe. Regardless of whether you're coupled up or flying solo, pet names for partners can be divisive at the best of times. Whether you love them or loathe them, we've joined forces with Melbourne-based Grinders Coffee Roasters to make a case for sharing yours with the world. In anticipation of Valentine's Day, let's delight in (or cringe at) the pet names we use to refer to our nearest and dearest — and then send 40 of you honey pies on an all-out date. Simply tell us the delightfully soppy (or saucy) nickname you use on your lover (or bestie, cos we're into that platonic love too), and you and snookums could be scoring a $500 Mastercard e-gift card from Grinders Coffee — the grounds for a very good date. Maybe you wear your alter ego on your sleeve, having your barista prepare a double-shot cap for Sergeant Snuggles. Or maybe you save it for home time, downloading after a long day while bae strokes your forehead and calls you boo boo. Whatever your preference, we wanna know about it — and reward you for your honesty. From Monday, January 16 until Tuesday, February 14, someone will score the prize each and every day. And on that day of days? Ten extra winners will be selected. That's 40 stand-out dates with the bill taken care of. Red hot. To go in the draw, enter your details below. Top image: LanaStock
Praise be, Handmaid's Tale fans. The series' third season is due to hit the small screen in June, and the first proper trailer has arrived. Blessed be not only the fruit but the sneak peek, obviously. Revolution looks set to sweep the fictional society of Gilead in the two-minute-long clip, which follows on from the teaser released in February during the Superbowl. That fiery preview told us that it's time to wake up, and it looks like that's exactly what's happening when we rejoin this dystopian world, its creepy and oppressive way of life, and the chaotic existence of Offred/June (Elisabeth Moss) and her fellow subjugated women. Of course, meaty details about the third season are as scarce as a happy woman in red — but expect to spot Yvonne Strahovski's Serena Joy, Joseph Fiennes' Fred Waterford, Ann Dowd's Aunt Lydia, Max Minghella's Nick and new series regular Bradley Whitford as Commander Lawrence, as well as plenty of handmaids. Given how the second season wrapped up, expect the story to get even darker, too. The 13-episode series will hit soon, airing on SBS and becoming available to stream on SBS On Demand at 8.30pm on Thursday, June 6, then continuing weekly. Lucky for us Down Under, this is the same time as it'll be dropping on Hulu in the States, so hopefully no spoilers will crop up. And, there's plenty more Handmaid's Tale bleakness to enjoy this year (well, not that enjoy is necessarily the right term). Margaret Atwood, author of the original 1985 novel that started it all, is releasing a long-awaited sequel. Called The Testaments, it'll hit bookshelves comes September. Check out the new Handmaid's Tale season three trailer below — under his eye: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig3h2JdQDI0 The Handmaid's Tale's third season will screen on SBS and SBS On Demand in Australia, airing weekly from 8.30pm on Thursday, June 6.
Plans, pathways, roadmaps, rollouts: no matter which state you live in, Australians have heard these terms more than a few times over the past year and a half. As the country has grappled with COVID-19, our state and federal leaders have unveiled all types of outlines that run through what we can do, what we can't do whenever restrictions are in place, how we're getting vaccinated, where we can travel and how life might someday return to normal. Following the latest National Cabinet meeting between state and territory leaders and Prime Minister Scott Morrison, which was held today, Friday, July 2, the latter has just announced a new plan — 'a National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response', to be precise. It steps through four phases that Australia will now work through to get life back to normal in this pandemic-affected world. Timeframes haven't been noted, so really it's just a list of things that should happen at some point; however, it's a plan nonetheless. Now 16 months since the country first introduced lockdowns and border restrictions due to the pandemic, Australia is currently in the first phase. Here, the aim is to suppress the virus to minimise community transmission, and much of it either sounds familiar or plans to tweak existing arrangements. Lockdowns will be used as a last resort, caps on incoming passenger arrivals will be cut in half to help stop the possible spread of the Delta variant, and the Commonwealth will run more repatriation flights to Howard Springs. Hotel quarantine is set to be reviewed, too, and alternative options — such as home quarantine for returning vaccinated travellers — will be trialled. In this first stage, everyone will be offered their chance to get vaccinated — which, given how slow the rollout has been progressing so far, might explain why no hard dates have been attached to this overall roadmap. Also in the initial phase, the Medicare Vaccination Certificate will be rolled out, Australia will work out how to authenticate digital vaccination status at our international borders and the vaccine booster program will be prepared. Whenever that's all achieved, the nation will move into phase two. That's when restrictions will be eased on folks who've had the jab — including around lockdowns and border controls. It's aimed that, by then, lockdowns will only happen "in extreme circumstances" if needed to prevent increasing hospitalisation rates and deaths. Also in phase two, inbound passenger cabs for unvaccinated returnees will go up, and more vaccinated returning travellers will be allowed to come home. If you're a vaccinated Aussie and you're coming back into the country, there'll be reduced quarantine arrangements. And, this is when the vaccine booster program should be rolled out, too. Up next: a third phase that has absolutely no lockdowns, and frees vaccinated Aussies from all domestic restrictions — and allows them to travel internationally as well. At this point in the plan, there'd be no caps on returning vaccinated travellers at all, and more travel bubbles, like the one floated with Singapore, would open. Also, vaccine boosters would keep being delivered. Finally, phase four sees COVID-19 just treated like other infectious diseases. It'd still be around, but it'd get the same kind of response as the flu. So, there'd be no lockdowns or domestic restrictions ever, vaccinated folks could come and go as they like, and non-vaccinated travellers would just have to get tested before they depart and when they arrive. Again, there are no timeframes attached to any of these phases as yet. That's dependent upon setting vaccination targets for each phase of the plan, based on modelling. And, if Australia's pandemic response so far is any guide, this could all change, take forever or simply not happen — but, if nothing else, it's the stated plan at the time of writing. For further details about the National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response, head to the Prime Minister's website.
Humans have made a pastime of staring up at the night sky for as long as history can tell us. Unfortunately, the amount of excess light that our big cities leak into the sky makes for pretty poor stargazing conditions on an average night in the inner city. With that in mind, we've scoped out the spots all around Australia where it's still possible to use one's telescope for its intended purpose. Stargazing, that is — not trying to peek at what your neighbours keep behind their curtains. So, find the closest stargazing spot (or book a flight ASAP) and take part in this time-honoured tradition. Sydney Observatory, NSW In terms of physical proximity to the night sky, Sydney Observatory is a pretty good starting point. One of the highest accessible points overlooking Sydney Harbour, its building houses three telescopes — including the oldest working telescope in Australia, which was acquired for the 1874 transit of Venus. The other two are a 42-centimetre computer-controlled lens and, for those of you who prefer gazing at the star closest to us, a telescope that lets you look at the sun. You can get a glimpse through the onsite telescopes on a ticketed guided tour. Otherwise, the Observatory is free to visit and open Wednesday–Saturday from 12–6pm. This is definitely the first step for every would-be Galileo. [caption id="attachment_730726" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marc Aragnou via ASNSW[/caption] Wiruna, Blue Mountains, NSW Wiruna is the Astronomical Society of NSW's best-kept secret — if you go to its website, you'll see what we mean. Located on the outskirts of Wollemi National Park in the Blue Mountains, Wiruna is basically 107 acres of astronomy Christmas. Starry season's greetings, sky-lovers. The ASNSW holds a number of stargazing sessions on weekends throughout the year, and encourages amateurs and old hands alike to come and use the incredible array of equipment they've got stashed up there. The easiest way to get involved is to become a member of the ASNSW — it's a process that requires payments and applications — but allows you to visit this site and others with the group or on your own once you're accredited. [caption id="attachment_730730" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Warrumbungle National Park, Coonabarabran, NSW Warrumbungle National Park is a proper hike (read: a five or six hour drive from Sydney), but it's also a proper dark sky site. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has dedicated funds to limiting light pollution in and around the park and, with these measures in place, Warrumbungle joins the likes of Death Valley National Park in the US and Galloway Forest Park in Scotland as an official dark sky park — that is, one of the top places on the planet to revel in galactic goings-on. Warrumbungle does have its own observatory, but scientists and astronomers have the run of the place after sundown. Amateur astronomy in Warrumbungle is best performed the old-fashioned way, with the humble eyeball (and optional pince-nez). [caption id="attachment_730745" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Hosking via the City of Greater Bendigo[/caption] Leon Mow Dark Sky Site, Heathcote, VIC Located just 1.5 hours drive north of Melbourne, the town of Heathcote boasts some incredibly beautiful skies — and heaps of bush walks, reserves and national parks from which to see it at night. If you take your astronomy very seriously, you can head to Heathcote's Leon Mow Dark Sky Site. The country estate is available for use by Astronomical Society of Victoria members at any time, and they're even welcomed to camp out overnight. Membership will set you back $80 a year or, for non-members, the site is open to the public for free during annual events and meet-ups (just check the website for details). You can BYO telescope or binoculars, or just gaze up — there's plenty of beauty to be seen by the naked eye. [caption id="attachment_730556" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, VIC The breathtaking views to be had on any trip along the Great Ocean Road are hard to beat. But we bet you haven't considered taking this trip after dark. Turns out that the routes along these many rock formations offer a stunning view at night, too. This is especially true at the road's all-star site, the Twelve Apostles. On a clear night, the stargazing is truly awe-inspiring. It won't be the view of these golden cliffs and crumbling pillars that you're used to seeing in photos, but it offers something else altogether — and that a lot of people haven't seen. Look up, listen to the lapping waves and enjoy the rare peace and quiet here. Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mt Coot-Tha, QLD Named after the soldier and astronomer who gave Brisbane its name, the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium has been a favourite school tour spot since 1978. If you're a Queenslander, you've definitely been — and it's definitely worth another visit, even if you're well out of class. But unlike school, staring into space here is not only acceptable, it's mandatory. The Cosmic Skydome is the main attraction, under which you'll lean back and send your eyes skywards as informative films tell of black holes, the dark universe, moons and cosmic collisions. Once you've toured the stars, return to earth with a walk through the surrounding Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens. [caption id="attachment_730557" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] The Jump-Up Dark Sky Sanctuary, Winton, Queensland The sleepy town of Winton in northwest Queensland is perhaps the number-one stargazing destination in all of Australia — as of April 2019, the town received Australia's first of seven international certifications for a Dark Sky Sanctuary. There are only 22 certified sites worldwide, so it's a particularly impressive win for Aussie shores. The sanctuary is set within the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum at its Jump-Up facility, which is free and open all year round. Here, you can view the spirals of the Milky Way and Orion Arm, as well as the collapse of nebulae and the birth of new stars. Bring along a telescope, binoculars and a picnic — you'll want to stick around for a while. [caption id="attachment_730555" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Charleville Cosmos Centre, Charleville, QLD The tiny town of Charleville — situated a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Brisbane — is home to one of the few observatories where you can stargaze both day and night. When the sun is up, you can attend a range of astronomy tours at the Cosmos Centre, including the sun viewing, which uses a special telescope to let you gaze directly at the surface of our planet's closest star. At night, experiences range from $45 for an Aboriginal night sky story session, up to $130 for personal astronomy tours. Check out clusters, planets, nebulae and, on a good night, the Milky Way. Inside the centre, there are heaps of tours and events going on each day, plus some seriously impressive equipment to boot.
The eyes of the sporting world are turning towards the Gold Coast, with the Queensland city hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games. That's great news if you're a fan of athletes and nations vying for glory, obviously — and, while it might not initially seem like it, it's great news for arts and culture lovers too. As well as the expected competitive endeavours, the Games also include a huge multi-arts festival across not only the Goldie but Brisbane too. So if sports isn't your thing, you can still join in the fun thanks to everything from beachside singing to art in strangers' houses — and these eight must-attend events. Top image: Yes, We Dance! by Artwork Agency.
Every music festival has its own distinctive traits and drawcards, no matter who happens to be hitting the stage. Held on the banks of the Murray River, Strawberry Fields is no different. Fancy escaping into nature to listen to live and electronic acts, wander through art installations and hit up a bush spa? That's all on this fest's bill. Taking place across the weekend of Friday, November 17–Sunday, November 19 in Tocumwal, New South Wales, this year's Strawberry Fields has just unveiled its lineup, and it's full of impressive names. DJ Seinfeld, Denis Sulta, Todd Terje, Moodymann, Ezra Collective, Booka Shade Moktar and Barkaa are just some of the talents on the list — and yes, it goes on. Fred again's besties and frequent collaborators Joy Anonymous are on the lineup to bring that same brand of euphoric dance music to the regional weekend-long party. Plus, Strawberry Fields' range of extra-curricular activities will be returning. You'll be able to soak away your stresses — not that you should have any at a music fest — at the bush spa. The Moroccan Bedouin lounges and tea ceremonies will be running in the festival's Mirage Motel space, plus the glamping options are back to make your weekend as lavish and as low-maintenance as possible. Also, if you happen to be born on this year's festival dates, you can register to score a free ticket. Happy birthday to you indeed. Strawberry Fields lays claim to being one of the country's most sustainable festivals. It is powered by biodiesel fuel as well as solar power, its rewash revolution system has diverted over 100,000 single-use plastics from landfill, composting toilets are provided and all transport is carbon offset via Treecreds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zh_5l4SgXk STRAWBERRY FIELDS 2023 LINEUP: DJ Acid Pauli Adam Pits B2b Lisene Baby G Bini Bria b2b Evie Claire Morgan Darcy Justice Dee Diggs Deepa Denis Sulta DJ Bone DJ Fuckoff DJ Mell G DJ Pgz DJ Seinfeld DJ Vm Doppel Eli & Fur Elli Acula Handsdown Hausm8s In2stellar Jamz Supernova Jazmine Nikitta Kerry Wallace Kia Manami Moktar Montana Moodymann Muska Jen Mzrizk Other Worlds Other Sounds Phil Stroud Pretty Girl Roza Terenzi b2b D Tiffany Sam Shure Stüm Todd Terje Uone Wax'o Paradiso b2b Lauren Hansom Yi Lum Yikes Live Amadou Suso Barkaa Big Wett Booka Shade Bricky B Carissa Nyalu Children Of Zeus Cinta Close Counters Denni Ezra Collective First Beige Flewnt Foshe Jesswar Jitwam Joy (Anonymous)) Just Emma Kerala Dust Kyoshi Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 (Solo) Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 & Tim Shiel Minyerra Oden & Fatzo Quarter Street Radhey Gupta Roy Blues Sleep D Slowmango Snow Bros Squid Nebula Sweely The Lahaar Vv Pete Wulumbarra Showcases Still Here @ The Grove Bricky B Dj Vm Denni Flewnt Wulumbarra Minyerra Carissa Nyalu Strawberry Fields takes place at Tocumwal, New South Wales, from Friday, November 17–Sunday, November 19. The final release of tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, July 18. Head to the festival website for further details. Images: Duncographic
Leave a message for your family or roommate without having to scramble for a pen on your way out the door. Luc van Hoeckel's 'Record me' allows you to leave a personalised voice message as opposed to a haphazardly scribbled note. 'Record me' is wall-mountable and can save up to 12 messages at a time. To use, simply turn the dial to a free 'station', press the button, record your message, and press it once more. Messages may be deleted by holding down the same button. Leaving voice messages gives you the chance to be both fun and informative, allowing a quick 'I love you' to a significant other, or a reminder to your roommate get dinner started. 'Record me' ensures that you never have to ask "Did you get my note?" again. [via PSFK]
2021 gave the world many great things to watch, whether you like movies or TV shows — or direct-to-streaming flicks and specials, too. But only one summed up exactly how the last few years have felt as life as we all knew it changed due to the pandemic, spending all of our time at home became the norm, and everything was more than a little uncanny. That'd be Bo Burnham's sublime Inside. Watching along, a stunning fact became evident — a life-changing realisation, really. During a period when most people tried to make sourdough, pieced together jigsaws and spent too much time on Zoom, Burnham created a comedy masterpiece. And, he managed to capture the entire planet's feelings in some of the smartest and catchiest songs that'll ever echo from a screen. If you've seen it, even just thinking about it while reading this at the moment will mean that you currently have 'White Woman's Instagram', 'Welcome to the Internet' or 'That Funny Feeling' stuck in your head (or any of the special's other earworm tunes). Well, well, look who's inside again now — because Burnham isn't done with Inside yet. To mark exactly a year since the special was originally released on Netflix, the comedian has gifted the world with more. This time, he's dropped 63 minutes of outtakes that didn't initially make the cut. Yep, that's your viewing plans for this evening sorted. a year ago today, i released a special called inside. i've spent the last two months editing together material that i shot for the special but didn't end up using. it will be on my youtube channel in one hour. i hope you enjoy it. — Bo Burnham (@boburnham) May 31, 2022 To head back into Inside again — tiny pumpkins and avocados optional, and odes to Jeffrey Bezos as well — you'll need to hit up Burnham's YouTube channel, which is where the extra footage is now available. And yes, while wondering how the comedian — or anyone — could ever top a special this raw, insightful, funny, clever and of the moment has been a big part of the past year, more of anything to do with Inside and its 90-minute musical-comedy whirlwind is always going to be a good thing. The Promising Young Woman star and Eighth Grade filmmaker won Emmys for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, and Outstanding Music Direction for his efforts — plus a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media for 'All Eyes On Me'. Check out the trailer for Bo Burnham: Inside below: To watch The Inside Outtakes, head to Bo Burnham's YouTube channel. Bo Burnham: Inside is available to stream via Netflix. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
While seeing fruit mince pies in your local shopping centre in October feels downright disturbing, there's one Christmas treat that no one ever minds arriving early: Four Pillars annual Christmas Gin. The latest iteration of the Healesville distillery's seasonal sip is coming in strong, set to hit shelves on Saturday, October 31. It's the delicious result of a yearly tradition that sees a bunch of Christmas puddings handmade with distiller Cameron Mackenzie's mother's recipe — the 1968 Australian Women's Weekly recipe, in fact — distilled with various festive botanicals to create a sought-after tipple that pretty much screams December 25. The flavours of an Aussie Christmas are captured in notes of cinnamon, star anise, juniper, coriander and angelica. The Christmas gin is then blended with some earlier gin that's been carefully ageing in 80-year-old muscat barrels. It's all finished with a hit of Rutherglen muscat for a bit of added richness and complexity. [caption id="attachment_785822" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The last five years of Four Pillars Christmas gin.[/caption] Each year, a new unique label is chosen to wrap up this Christmas creation, setting out to evoke that same festive spirit. The 2020's bottle design is the work of Melbourne-born artist Lucy Dyson, who has created a whimsical collage of a traditional Christmas day celebration happening in a surreal Aussie landscape of giant flowers and floating puddings. The distillers recommend you sip the limited-edition gin neat, mix it with ginger ale or whip up a Colada Punch with the festive gin, coconut water, sparkling wine and pineapple and lime juice. Or you can just splash a bit of it on your own Christmas pudding. If you want to nab a bottle, have your fingers poised over the 'buy' button when they go on sale online on October 31. Alternatively, you can stop by the Four Pillars HQ in Healesville, Victoria (if restrictions allow, of course) or the new Surry Hills shop. Bottles are $100 a pop and would make stellar Chrissy pressies, if you're already thinking about that. Four Pillars Christmas Gin is available to buy online, from the Healesville distillery and Surry Hills shop from Saturday, October 31. But you'd best be quick — there's only a limited amount of bottles.
SXSW Sydney's big 2024 return is only days away — and it's still expanding its already jam-packed lineup. If you're a fan of both movies and TV, the event's Screen Festival has been stacking its program for months, but it isn't done yet. Newly added to the bill across Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20: a 90s-set disaster comedy on opening night, television sneak peeks and world premieres, Japan's submission for 2025's Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars and plenty more. When the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival kicks off for this year, it'll do so with a movie that bowed at its Austin counterpart, heads back to the 90s, sports a Saturday Night Live alum behind the lens and boasts plenty of well-known faces on-screen, including the Harbour City event's music keynote speaker for 2024. The film: A24's Y2K, the directorial debut of Kyle Mooney (No Hard Feelings), with Rachel Zegler (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), Julian Dennison (Uproar), Jaeden Martell (Arcadian) and The Kid LAROI starring. The storyline: it's New Year's Eve in 1999, a heap of folks are at a high-school party and the Y2K bug strikes. The fest's new small-screen highlights span debuting and returning fare, as well as a new show that's the latest version of a popular hit that just keeps being remade. Plum, which stars Brendan Cowell (The Twelve) as a footballer who learns that his concussions have led to a brain disorder, and also features Asher Keddie (Fake) and Jemaine Clement (Time Bandits), is premiering at SXSW Sydney before airing on ABC. Apple TV+ delight Shrinking with Jason Segel (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) and Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) is showing a sneak peek of its second season, and the new Australian take on The Office joins the program via a panel discussion featuring lead Felicity Ward (Time Bandits) with executive producers and writers Jackie van Beek (Nude Tuesday) and Julie De Fina (Aftertaste). Back on movies, Matt Damon (The Instigators)- and Ben Affleck (The Flash)-produced sports drama Unstoppable will enjoy its Australian premiere. Telling Anthony Robles' true tale, it stars Jharrel Jerome (I'm a Virgo) as the wrestler born with one leg — plus Bobby Cannavale (MaXXXine), Michael Peña (A Million Miles Away), Don Cheadle (Fight Night) and Jennifer Lopez (Atlas). Also on the film list: the world premiere of the Chicago-set Pools, which features Odessa A'zion (Ghosts) as a college sophomore at summer school; Messy, another summer-set flick, this time featuring Alexi Wasser (Poker Face), Ione Skye (Beef) Adam Goldberg (The Exorcism); First Nations coming-of-age tale Jazzy, with Lily Gladstone (Fancy Dance) as a star and executive producer; and They're Here, a documentary about UFO fanatics. Or, from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Before We Vanish) comes both Cloud and Serpent's Path — the first of which is Japan's aforementioned Oscar entry, with the second remaking the director's own 1998 revenge film in French. The new additions join already-revealed headliners Saturday Night, Smile 2, Nightbitch, The Front Room and Pavements — and, as seen in other past lineup announcements, everything from cults, cat-loving animation and Christmas carnage thanks to Azrael, Ghost Cat Anzu and Carnage for Christmas. Movie buffs can also look forward to Ilana Glazer (The Afterparty)-led mom-com Babes; the maximum-security prison-set Sing Sing with Colman Domingo (Drive-Away Dolls); and Inside, which features Guy Pearce (The Clearing), Cosmo Jarvis (Shōgun) and Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders). There's also doco Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird, spending time with At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala; Teaches of Peaches, which goes on tour with its namesake; the Lucy Lawless (My Life Is Murder)-directed doco Never Look Away about CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth; Peter Dinklage (Unfrosted) and Juliette Lewis (Yellowjackets) lead western-thriller The Thicket; and Aussie documentary Like My Brother, about four aspiring AFLW players from the Tiwi Islands. The list goes on, with The Most Australian Band Ever! about the Hard-Ons, That Sugar Film and 2040 filmmaker Damon Gameau's Future Council, and Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts from Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs' Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker also set to screen. SXSW Sydney 2024, including the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival, runs from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details.
Before you complete that huge spring clean, chucking out all the 'useless junk' that is taking up space, stop and think for a second if it could be transformed into something of use. Upcycling is all about using old materials to create new, useful and often beautiful products. These pieces of upcycled furniture have taken pieces of trash and turned them into treasure, with inventive designs that will be sure to get you rummaging through your storage or local warehouses. Milk Crate Staircase Danish architecture firm Lendager Arkitekter created this milk crate staircase as a key feature of their million dollar 'Upcycled House', and is made entirely from milk boxes and OBD boards. Washing Machine Drum Stools Knit Knacks is the new range from the designers Junk Munkez - creative designers with a green conscience - located in Beirut. These nifty little creations emerged from washing machine drums to create colourful and fun embroidered stools. Ski Chandelier Helsinki-based travel agency Elamysmatkat were searching for an interior design that reflected their philosophy that snow travel should be fun and daring. Enter Dutch designer Willem Heeffer, who created this chandelier, created from skis donated by Heeffer's Facebook friends and fans. Magazine Stool This innovative design, The Hockenheimer by German company NJU Studio, provides an original piece of seating from a stack of old magazines. Sea Chair British designers Studio Swine collect plastic from the UK's most polluted beach, Porthtowan, and compress this waste to create a series of beautiful and functional Sea Chairs. Nautical Mat Sophie Aschauer founded SerpentSea in 2011 after a sailing trip in which she started weaving mats by hand out of reclaimed marine ropes. The mats use four style of knots each named after the most infamous pirates from the 17th Century - Bonnie, Drake, Morgan and Killigrew. Suitcase Medicine Cabinet Give an old suitcase new purpose by hanging one up on your bathroom wall and transforming it into a medicine cabinet. Add some shelves inside and a mirror on the outside and you've got yourself a fancy wall feature to store your toiletries in. Watering Can Shower Jazz up your shower to make the daily ritual more exciting with an old watering can. The Interweb Chair The Interweb Chair comes from BRC Designs, a studio in South Carolina fronted by mastermind Benjamin Rollins Caldwell. The 1cm blue plastic sheets that frame the chair were originally bathroom dividers in an old mill. Binary Table The Binary Table is an assemblage of old computer and electronic parts that were discarded in a warehouse and rendered obsolete. The table is decked out with motherboards, CDs, computer chips, hard disc drives and LED screens held together by sheet metal screws.
Incorporating green habits into our day-to-day lives is more important now than ever. Avoiding fast fashion, recycling our kitchen waste and reducing our car mileage all work towards a happier and healthier planet. But, what happens when we go on holiday? It's easy to get overwhelmed when organising a travel itinerary and forget to prioritise eco-friendly choices. Luckily, sustainable living doesn't have to stop when your holiday starts. Tropical North Queensland is brimming with low-impact ways to explore the natural environment and tour operators that are passionate about marine and rainforest conservation. Five-star hotels are proud to detail their eco-friendly touches, with 'responsible luxury' being much more than just a buzz term. Plus, hyper-local ingredients are sourced from a network of dedicated farmers to supply a thriving food scene with the freshest produce. [caption id="attachment_845844" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cape York, Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] IT'S A NATURE LOVER'S THEME PARK If you love the outdoors, then Tropical North Queensland will have you spoiled for choice. This spectacular region is the only place in the world with two natural UNESCO World Heritage Areas side by side — namely, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. You'll also find the sweeping Gulf Savannah and the unspoiled wilderness of Cape York. In Tropical North Queensland — which boasts the highest concentration of Ecotourism Australia-accredited experiences in the country — you'll have a near-endless list of ecotourism activities to choose from, including snorkelling, scuba diving and hiking tours. Impressively, more than 15 operators in Tropical North Queensland have been inducted into Ecotourism Australia's Hall of Fame. This honour is awarded to tour operators who have maintained their eco-certification for over 20 consecutive years. [caption id="attachment_829660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ochre, Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] YOU CAN ENJOY A TROPICAL SPIN ON PADDOCK TO PLATE Choosing ingredients that are local and in season goes a long way in reducing our food mileage. The popularity of 'paddock to plate' eating is more than just a passing trend, and sourcing from local producers supports the wider agricultural industry. Best of all, the food requires little handling and is naturally bursting with flavour. Our favourite sustainable dining spots include Ochre Restaurant and Catering in Cairns, and Nautilus Restaurant in Port Douglas. Or, take it one step further, and try catching your own. Indigenous-owned tour companies such as Strait Experience and Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours offer guests the opportunity to learn traditional methods for catching fish, prawns and crabs. [caption id="attachment_827693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] THE HOTELS TAKE SUSTAINABILITY AS SERIOUSLY AS YOU DO Accomodation costs often take up the majority of your holiday budget, so it's important to direct those dollars towards a company that prioritises the environment. The Crystalbrook Collection opened its first hotel in 2018 in the region and has since saved millions of plastic bottles from ending up in landfill across its three Cairns-based properties. Its bathroom amenities are proudly 100-percent waste-free, including toothbrushes made from sugarcane and shampoo bottles that are fully biodegradable. This sustainable mindset extends throughout the rest of the resort, with recycled key cards and coat hangers, plus paperless technology practices. [caption id="attachment_844234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] YOUR JOURNEY THERE COULD EARN YOU (LITERAL) GREEN POINTS Qantas flies direct to Cairns from most Australian capital cities, with Cairns Airport also servicing international routes. Qantas recently added a new Green tier to its Frequent Flyer program. Sitting alongside the existing levels, this Green tier membership rewards Qantas frequent flyers who make sustainable decisions both at home and on holidays. By making sustainable choices such as installing solar panels, offsetting flight emissions, or walking to work, members will be rewarded by the Green tier program. You can also score points towards Green tier status by completing sustainable activities while on holiday, including staying at eco-accredited hotels. For more information on the Green tier program, head over here. Ready to check it out for yourself? For more information and to start planning your trip, visit the website. Top image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Drinking a beverage and watching a band ranks among life's simplest pleasures. Enjoying one of hundreds of craft beers and ciders from more than 60 independent brewers and cideries, while being entertained by The Smith Street Band, The Jungle Giants and more — now that's how you take something great and make it even better. Ensuring a good time is had by all is part of the aim of the Beer InCider Experience in its 2018 iteration over the weekend of Friday, September 21 and Saturday, September 22. Well, that and showcasing the best in brews and music, plus throwing in some delicious food and fun entertainment options. And, like last year, the tasting festival is taking over the Brisbane Showgrounds. To line the stomach, local food-slinging folks will also do their bit — and 2017's event also featured a ginger beer bar and an espresso martini bar, so cross your fingers that they'll make a return. After all that eating and drinking — including of collaborative beverages and exclusive brews made just for Beer InCider — you can then work it all with a bout of ping pong or handball. Yes, this truly is the ultimate in drinks-focused festivals. And if that's not enough, here's the full music lineup: The Jungle Giants The Smith Street Band Tired Lion Mallrat Bad//Dreems Alice Ivy Press Club Bugs Bris182 Morning Harvey Sweater Curse Updated July 30.
Since opening in 2018, W Brisbane has been one of the city's most luxe stays. Now, the hotel is looking more plush than ever, as a recently completed renovation has transformed its 32 suites. Designed with a more vibrant, playful spirit in mind, these generously sized rooms will have you happily languishing from dawn to dusk. Building upon the hotel's existing design narrative, 'A River Dreaming', this theme was conceived to pay respect to the region's Turrbal people, who consider the Brisbane River to be the giver of life. Now, the revamped suites blend even more references to the surrounding landscape's natural and cultural significance. Curved forms represent the river's gentle ebb and flow, while terracotta and eucalyptus tones evoke its soil and the distant Mount Coot-Tha hills, seen through the suites' floor-to-ceiling windows. Metallic artwork and custom furnishings offer a subtle nod to the city lights reflecting off the river after dark. But there's more to the rejuvenated W Brisbane than just freshly designed suites — there's also a brand-new trio of personalised in-room experiences ready to enhance your stay. 'Turn it On' features champagne and chocolate fondue for two, plus locally sourced bath amenities. 'Turn it Up' includes a disposable camera for guests to capture their experience, alongside a curated playlist and a custom cocktail bar. Finally, 'Turn it Down' levels up the wellness vibe, giving guests access to a personalised meditation app, yoga mats, soothing pillow mist, and rejuvenating face sheets and elixirs. All suites also include an enhanced Mixbar, stocked to the brim with indulgent favourites and special treats, like Maybe Sammy lychee martinis, Maybe margaritas and Loco Love chocolate pralines. To celebrate its fresh look, W Brisbane is offering a special upgrade for guests until Wednesday, October 1. Just reserve one of the 32 newly revamped suites to score the Turn it Up, Turn it Down or Turn it On service. Making stays even better, the offer also includes valet parking, $100 of hotel credit and breakfast for two at W Brisbane's stellar in-house restaurant, The Lex. W Brisbane is open at 81 North Quay, Brisbane. Head to the website for more information.
When winter rolls around, nobody wants to eat salad. Chilly nights and grey days call for carbs — lots of carbs — and hot stews, soups and curries. And because everything tastes better when somebody else makes it, it's important to know where to find these things. Family-owned Taj Mahal is New Farm's favourite Indian restaurant, and it's the ultimate winter dinner destination. Located in a quaint wooden shop on the corner of Brunswick and Annie streets, you'll be drawn in by the warm decor, but you'll stay for the social atmosphere, amazing curries and plate-sized naan breads. Oh, and it's BYO, so bring a cold weather-appropriate bottle of red to wash down dinner with. Everyone loves samosas, right? With mince or vegies wrapped in a thick pastry casing ($4.90), you just can't go wrong. They go great with tandoori chicken wings ($6.90) or chicken tikka ($8.90). Taj Mahal caters generously to vegetarians, and if you're partial to a creamy, sweet curry, you must not miss the Dal Makhani ($11.90). Made from lentils cooked in a thick sauce of butter, garlic and herbs, it's a flavour revelation. Other top vegie picks are the Aloo Gobi (potato and cauliflower curry, $13.90), Vegie Korma (creamy mixed vegie curry, $15.90) and the Saag Bhajee (spinach curry, $13.90). For the carnivores in the room, the Prawn Madras (coconut-based curry with ginger and garlic, $17.90), Saag Gost (spinach curry with your choice of meat, $16.90) and the old classic, Butter Chicken ($16.90) are all delicious. Of course, no Indian meal is complete without a hot, buttery Naan bread, and the potato-stuffed Aloo Naan ($3.90) and the cheese and spinach Saag Paneer Naan ($4.20) are great accompaniments. For those with major appetites, the deluxe banquet package gives you entrees, Tandoori chicken, a main, a Naan and sides for $27.90 per head. If you can fit anything else in after you're main is finished, desserts available include ice-cream ($4.90), Gajjar Halwa (carrot pudding, $5.90) and Ras Malai (dumplings in milk, $5.90). The service is polite and meals hit the table quickly, although you might have to chase up water for the table (especially if you're hitting that BYO bottle of red). The central location just outside of Fortitude Valley, jovial atmosphere and table setup inside the restaurant makes it ideal for group dinners and parties or a meal before a night out. Food can be ordered to takeaway, but if it's simply too cold to leave home, you don't have to miss out. Delivery is available to most inner suburbs.
There's something about summer ending that gets everyone thinking about getaways, even if everyone's favourite holiday season won't be back for another nine months. Thankfully, autumn, winter and spring are still mighty fine times to leave your daily life behind for a weekend, few days, or a week or so. To help make those yearnings for a break become a reality, Qantas has just-dropped week-long sale. You'll need to be dreaming about jetting off to somewhere in Australia, and you'll also want to travel from April. Dates vary depending on the route, but some have fares available up until mid-December — so you can book in another summer holiday after all. In total, more than one million discounted flights are on offer. Whether you're a Sydneysider thinking about a Gold Coast jaunt, a Melburnian keen to spend part of winter in Tasmania or a Brisbanite eager to hit The Whitsundays, you have options. And, on 34-plus routes, one-way flights will cost you under $150. Everywhere from Queensland's tropics to the Apple Isle's cities are covered, and from Perth to Sydney, too — alongside all the other state capitals, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Broken Hill and more. The two cheapest options, as tends to be the case on most flight sales, are the Sydney–Ballina and Melbourne–Launceston routes at $109. Other highlights include Adelaide to Kangaroo Island for $139 — and Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, Melbourne to Albury and Brisbane to Mackay all for $149. The sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Monday, March 11, so you'll want to get in quickly to get a bargain. And, as always, if fares sell out earlier, you'll miss out. Inclusions-wise, the sale covers fares with checked baggage, complimentary food and beverages, wifi and seat selection. Qantas' red tail sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Monday, March 11, 2024, or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White, Fingernails) has more meals to cook, and streaming audiences are getting more kitchen chaos to consume. In delectable if hardly surprising news — and a development worth exclaiming "yes chef!" about, obviously — TV obsession The Bear has been renewed for season three. The hit series will dish up a third serving after season one proved best new shows of 2022 and season two ranks among the best returning series of 2023. So, expect more ins and outs at the titular restaurant, formerly sandwich shop The Original Beef of Chicagoland, as Carmy and his team navigate the hospitality industry's ups and downs. Exactly when The Bear will return hasn't been revealed, and neither has the number of episodes that'll be on the plate. The show's first season spanned eight instalments, while its second featured ten. Here's hoping that whenever it drops, it arrives in Australia and New Zealand at the same time as in America — it streams via FX in the US and Disney+ Down Under — which hasn't been the case for either season one or season two. If you missed The Bear's first season, it jumped into the mayhem when Carmy took over the diner after his brother's (Jon Bernthal, We Own This City) death. Before returning home, the chef's resume featured Noma and The French Laundry, as well as awards and acclaim. In season two, Carmy worked towards turning the space into an upscale addition to his hometown's dining scene, with help from the restaurant's trusty team — including Ayo Edebiri (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem) as fellow chef Sydney, plus Ebon Moss-Bachrach (No Hard Feelings) as Richie, aka Cousin, aka Carmy's brother's best friend. Also key to The Bear: truly conveying what it's like to work in the hospitality industry and weather a restaurant kitchen's non-stop pressures. In both of its seasons so far, The Bear's creator Christopher Storer (who also has Ramy, Dickinson and Bo Burnham: Make Happy on his resume) has expertly balanced drama and comedy — and, in season two, he also delivered spectacular self-contained episodes that featured everyone from Olivia Colman (Heartstopper) and Will Poulter (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) to Bob Odenkirk (Lucky Hank) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Haunted Mansion). Guest stars aside, The Bear's regular roster of talent also spans Abby Elliott (Indebted) as Carmy's sister Natalie, aka Sugar — plus Lionel Boyce (Hap and Leonard), Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment) and Edwin Lee Gibson (Fargo) among the other Original Beef staff. "The Bear, which wowed audiences in its first season only to achieve even greater heights in season two, has become a cultural phenomenon," said Nick Grad, President, FX Entertainment, announcing the renewal. "We're so proud to partner with Christopher Storer, Joanna Calo, Josh Senior and the rest of the creative team, as well as the brilliant cast led by Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. What they and the crew have done is truly remarkable, and we and our partners at Hulu and Disney+ join fans in looking forward to the next chapter in the story of The Bear." There's no trailer for season three yet, of course, but you can check out the trailer for The Bear season two below: The Bear streams Down Under via Disney+. Season three doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Read our review of season one and review of season two. Images: Chuck Hodes/FX.
MONA's summer festival Mona Foma is returning to Launceston this summer — and so is its airline, Air Mofo. After its debut last year, the 'private airline' will once again be on standby to usher guests from the mainland to Tasmania for the 2020 event in serious style — for free. The catch? You don't just get a seat on the purple and yellow Boeing 737 — you get the whole plane. So you'll have 149 seats to fill with your nearest and dearest, and basically anyone else who's free on the main festival weekend of January 17–19. The plane will leave from either Melbourne or Sydney, and everyone on board will be get free return airfares and a three-day festival pass. It goes without saying, you can expect more than just your average in-flight entertainment on-board. Your flight down south will be filled with all sorts of performances and is promising to be 'suitably lit'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmcAp570GRs&feature=youtu.be To enter, you'll have to do some detective work and pinpoint the Air Mofo plane on this map of Tassie. While clues will start going up on the Mona Foma website from today, you'll have to wait until next Thursday, October 10 to enter. First person to find it wins the trip. Then, they'll have just a month to organise their 149 guests. Air Mofo is once again a collaboration between Mona Foma and Tourism Tasmania, and the prize is valued at a whopping $99,000. The summer arts and music fest will take over Launceston from January 11–19. At the moment, the lineup has DJ and producer Flying Lotus coming in to Launnie from LA and a performance from classical musician Ludovico Einaudi — but the full thing will be announced on Friday, October 18. Three-day festival passes are also on sale now — this year priced at $129 for the weekend. And, if you're looking for other ways to enjoy the festival's new surrounds, check out our weekender's guide to Launceston during Mona Foma. Mona Foma 2020 will take over Launceston, Tasmania from January 11–19. Enter the competition over here.
Transcendence feels like a movie out of time. For one, it seeks to pack far too much into its 119-minute run-time, but — more to point — it feels like a movie that's 14 years too late, and not just because it specifically references Y2K without any irony or reminiscence. Set in the 'could be today, could be tomorrow, but in no way distant' future, it concerns itself with married couple and MIT-supergraduates Will and Evelyn Caster (Johnny Depp and Rebecca Hall). They, along with friends and colleagues Max (Paul Bettany) and Joseph (Morgan Freeman), are amongst the world's leading engineers in the pursuit of a fully functioning, self-aware artificial intelligence. Opposing them is a group of militant luddites operating under the banner of 'Unplug', which again — in the age of wireless — seems markedly dated for such a forward-thinking movie. When these 'Unpluggists' (as they're definitely not called) launch a series of coordinated attacks against AI-focused research centres, Will winds up mortally wounded, albeit in a manner so unnecessary and bewildering that it's a genuine mystery how and why it was ever included in the plot. As his final days draw near, Evelyn decides to upload his consciousness to a mainframe in the hope that he can live on inside the machine. It's at this point that things turn bad for both the characters and the film. The compelling ethical questions raised in the first act largely fall away, dismissed with the apathetic resignation of 'oh well, we went and did it so what does it all matter now?' As Will's intelligence rapidly surpasses that of humanity's — a theoretical moment known in conventional science as 'the singularity' and in the film as 'transendence' — his aspirations and ideas become, just like the movie, too broad, too incorporeal and too numerous. Moments of extraordinary innovation and emotion, such as the bestowing of sight upon a man who'd only ever known blindess, are shown and then dispensed with absent almost any sentimentality or drama. It's not that any of the ideas are necessarily bad, it's just that any one or two of them would have made for an excellent film, whereas all of them combined prove little more than a confusing and threadbare mess. The glue that binds it all together is the delightful Rebecca Hall, whose performance as the dutiful, then grieving, then wilfully blind accomplice to Will's increasing 'transcendent interventionism' instills some much-needed humanity to the film. Her stubborn refusal to acknowledge the possibility of confirmation bias in believing the AI she's interacting with is anything but her dead husband is both moving and unsettling, demonstrating how important objectivity is in any scientific pursuit, let alone one with global implications. The recent, exceptional Her raised many of the same questions relating to artificial sentience, and — to put it plainly — did it much better. Given the rate of technological advancement, there's an undeniable sense of inevitability when it comes to the singularity, and doubtless we'll soon see many more films exploring the possibilities (and dangers) of blurring the lines between man and machine. The issues are genuinely fascinating, though future films would do well to learn lessons from Transcendence and explore just one of them instead of all of them. https://youtube.com/watch?v=QheoYw1BKJ4
A stunning new Melbourne arts, cultural and entertainment precinct has beat out stiff competition across the globe to take out the Architecture of the Year prize at the International Design Awards 2017. Bunjil Place, which was designed by acclaimed architectural studio Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (fjmt), also scooped up gold awards for two design disciplines: 'institutional' and 'landmarks, symbolic structures, memorials, public'. Opened to the public in October 2017, the $125 million Narre Warren project was imagined as "an inviting central heart for the community that celebrates participation, belonging and pride". Both its name and its impressive design are linked to cultural themes of importance to the traditional owners and inhabitants of the land, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. fjmt Design Director Richard Francis-Jones is understandably stoked with the win, though says he's been just as happy with the design's reception closer to home. "While recognition in the form of international design awards is much valued, more important has been to see the community embrace Bunjil Place as their own," he noted. Those keen to get up close and personal with the award-winning design can experience Bunjil Place during Open House Melbourne Weekend on July 28 and 29. It's set to host a whole range of activities, including film screenings, design talks and guided tours with VIP access behind the scenes. You can find Bunjil Place at 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren.
In his creative exploration of sleep and lightness, David Nemcsik has placed his friends in sleeping positions in the location of their most recent dreams...levitating in mid-air. His ingenious levitation photography is unlike the many of this sort we've seen before. Not only do his pictures appear as a wonder of unfathomable manipulation, but they are also meaningful and attempt to do much more than just confuse and amaze. Nemcsik travelled around his home country, Hungary, asking his friends where they were in their last dream and then proceeded to depict them in each particular location. He wanted to "show that people can levitate. It's magical and mysterious. They are levitating in a lying position just as if you'd be if you were lying in your bed while you were sleeping." The project was conducted as an entrance exam to art university and aimed to demonstrate to his friends that magic does really exist out there in the world. He's certainly convinced us so take a look at Nemsciks magnificent levitation photographs and renew your faith in magic.
Whether it celebrates music, performances or film, every arts festival is a gift. When it's brand new and combines all three, it's like Christmas. And, when it also boasts Solange's return to Australia, it's the adult equivalent of scoring the pony or bike that you always wanted when you were a kid. The event ticking all of those boxes? Volume, the newly announced fest that'll take over the Art Gallery of New South Wales this spring When it debuts from Friday, September 22–Sunday, October 8 at the Sydney gallery, Volume will hero the cutting edge and the contemporary in all of its chosen artforms — and, given that it's calling itself a festival of sound and vision, that's where it'll be focusing. Solange has the headline slot, but the Grammy–winning R&B singer-songwriter has ample company, including Sampa The Great, Mount Eerie and Sonya Holowell. [caption id="attachment_738150" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Max Hirschberger[/caption] Also taking to the stage: everyone from Black Belt Eagle Scout, crys cole, Datu Arellano, Fuji|||||||||||ta and Hamed Sadeghi to Jeff Parker, Joe Rainey, Kim Moyes, Lonnie Holley and Maissa Alameddine, and the list keeps going from there. Via Dean Hurley, KMRU, Lea Bertucci, Loraine James, Megan Alice Clune, R Rebeiro and salllvage, Volume will also host the world premieres of seven new music recordings, all commissioned by AGNSW. All up, the fest will showcase 27 local and international musicians, with the venue's music and community curator Jonathan Wilson putting together the impressive roster of talent behind the microphone. That program includes an experiential live music performance series called Play the Room, plus local and international composers creating and playing new scores courtesy of the fest's Playback sessions. [caption id="attachment_881769" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] And, thanks to the gallery's new North Building, the setting is as stunning as the lineup. The Tank, which is a former-WWII oil tank-turned-art space, will host shows — and give its acoustics a workout — as will the 13-metre-high atrium and sculpture gallery spaces. Volume's film and performance lineups will be announced in August, with AGNSW's film curator Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd picking the moving-image works and the venue's curator of contemporary art Lisa Catt doing the honours with the dance performances. Expect 50-plus music, film and performance events in total — some free, some ticketed, and with the program running during the day and into the evening. [caption id="attachment_906009" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter[/caption] "While the visual arts have traditionally been the Art Gallery's focus, our expansion, through the Sydney Modern Project, has created an exceptional opportunity for us to extend our programming as part of our new curatorial narrative to include more cutting-edge live music, film and performance. Volume is the manifestation of this vision," said Art Gallery of New South Wales director Michael Brand, announcing the new festival. "Featuring some of the most compelling artists of our time, Volume sets a new standard for music curation in public art museums and is the most exciting performative live music and art festival to be staged in Sydney." [caption id="attachment_880684" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Art Gallery of New South Wales, Iwan Baan[/caption] VOLUME 2023 LINEUP: Solange Sampa The Great Mount Eerie Sonya Holowell R. Rebeiro Toni Muñoz Datu Arellano KMRU Lonnie Holley crys cole TENGGER Maissa Alameddine Sumn Conduit Loraine James Jeff Parker Kim Moyes Joe Rainey Mourning (a) BLKstar Lea Bertucci Black Belt Eagle Scout Hamed Sadeghi Megan Alice Clune Oren Ambarchi salllvage FUJI|||||||||||TA Naretha Williams Dean Hurley Volume runs from Friday, September 22–Sunday, October 8 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, with ticket pre sales from 10am on Tuesday, July 18 and general sales from 10am on Wednesday, July 19 — head to the festival website for further details. Top image: Ibrahem Hasan.
Continuing the trend of ingenious bike accessories, the MAMA bike rack allows your two-wheeler to literally stand above the rest. A collaboration between furniture designer Matt Elton and graphic designer Matteo Baldarelli, this neat device has two smooth hooks for you to hang your bike on. The rack also has three holes where locks and cables can be looped through and secured. The powder coated finish means that this rack can be secured to walls both inside and outside. Impressively, the rack's simple and compact design also provides a small shelf above the two hooks. This leaves an ideal platform for you to place your morning flat white. The MAMA bike rack will ensure that your bicycle stands in style, and are available for purchase from designer Matt Elton.
We adore our sport here in Oz, perhaps more than any other nation. Some of the biggest events of the year and we're all in the mood for some good old fashioned sporting excitement, there's really nothing that beats the primal, up close and personal thrill of live competition. Happily, there are a bunch of world-class events making their way to NSW over the next few months that you'll definitely want to attend. From statewide NRL rivalries to monumental city marathons to the all-out automobile action, there's truly something for everyone. Get ready to laugh, cry, lose your voice, and, hopefully, revel in the unparalleled joy of victory.
Remember when hotels were just for vacationing and staycationing in? Of course you do. That's still the standard setup, but Hijinx Hotel isn't really a hotel. Newly opened on the top level of Chermside shopping centre, it's actually an OTT challenge room bar with an accommodation theme. Think: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shining's Overlook Hotel mixed with Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, all with puzzles and games to play inside its doors (and drinks to sip while you're doing so). Hailing from Funlab — the company behind Strike, Holey Moley, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, and B Lucky and Sons — Hijinx Hotel first launched in Sydney in mid-2022. Then, last December, it opened its doors in Surfers Paradise as well. Now it's Brisbane's turn, and in a space that's been undergoing quite the revamp — with Event Cinemas sporting a hefty makeover (complete with a glam new bar) and boozy mini golf venue Holey Moley another recent addition. If you're new to the concept, it takes all that eye-catching and nostalgia-dripping theming, then uses it to give the escape-room concept a game-fuelled twist. Throw in cocktails and it's aiming to be the ultimate in kidulting fun, aka Funlab's adult-focused twist on sleuthing your way through various spaces with a beverage or several in your hand. Opening its doors at Chermside on Friday, March 31, Hijinx Hotel forms a mini game-fuelled — and 350-person-capacity — precinct alongside Holey Moley. On the challenge room side of things, patrons can expect ten game rooms filled with entertaining things to do. That includes two brand-new spaces that haven't been seen at other sites: Battleship, based on the submarine-themed game, which involves trying to sink ships for points; and Cute as a Button, a new version of its Who Meme game, where you'll solve cartoon puzzles that feature characters from your childhood. Chermside also boasts the Big-style piano room with a giant keyboard across the floor, ball pits and a giant version of Scrabble. Basically, the whole site is a bar decked out like a hotel, but getting attendees to complete challenges rather than get a-slumbering in its various spaces. It also gleans inspiration from all those supremely Instagrammable pop-up installations that include ball pits, but this one is sticking around Brissie permanently. And, it's home to bars for cocktail-drinking opportunities, nods to New York hotels in its facade, and just generally overflows with homages to movies and board games from the 80s and 90s. Shaking off your regular routine is clearly the name of the game here, and partying like you would've before you were old enough to drink alcohol — but with the hard stuff definitely on offer. That all starts when you enter via the faux hotel lobby bar, which is full of colour and surrealist touches. Instead of merely checking in, though, that's where you'll find cocktails. As for the not-quite-hotel rooms themselves, you gain access by heading to reception t0 pick up a swipe card. Also a highlight: those creative cocktails, breaking up all that kidulting with drinks like the Bubble and Pop and the Penthouse Party. Some of the venue's tipples are designed to share, most of them look ace on your Instagram feed, and there's also a range of non-alcoholic drinks — and food to line your stomach. Now that Hijinx Hotel is open at Chermside, Funlab sports 14 venues across Queensland, all aiming to make you forget your age. Find Hijinx Hotel at Chermside shopping centre, on the corner Gympie and Hamilton roads, Chermside, from Friday, March 31 — and head to the Hijinx Hotel website for further details.
Operational in New South Wales since 2017 and Queensland since 2018, container refund schemes are the waste reduction tactic that helps everyone. You get to exchange your used drink containers for shiny ten-cent pieces, and Australia in general benefits by removing bottles and cans from landfill — which is a small but worthy step towards a greener planet. Until August 23, 2020, swapping your empty drink vessels for loose change will also help another important party: Australia's bushfire-affected wildlife. In eligible states across the country — New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory — TOMRA Collection Solutions has launched Cans for Koalas, which'll direct your refund to WWF's Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund. Donating your refund to a good cause has always been an option; however, for the duration of the Cans for Koalas campaign, you can specifically direct your funds to the WWF. To do so, you'll need to head to a TOMRA recycling point, with more than 320 Return and Earn machines scattered across New South Wales and ten TOMRA recycling centres located around southeast Queensland. While Cans for Koalas' name singles out one particularly fluffy, adorable type of Aussie animal, they're not the only critters that'll benefit, with kangaroos, kookaburras, wallabies, wombats and a whole heap of other species all impacted by this summer's blazes. WWF will use your donation to provide food and water to affected animals in bushfire-impacted regions, help restore animal habitats via tree-planting projects, and support the veterinarians caring for and providing medical treatment to injured wildlife. The aim is to raise $250,000 by the end of May — a target that was not just met but more than doubled in the last big donation push, Bottles for the Bush. TOMRA Collection Solutions' Cans for Koalas campaign is running now until August 23, 2020. You can donate your empty drink containers via a TOMRA recycling machine in Sydney and Brisbane — for further information, visit the Cans for Koalas website.
Those Wachowski siblings certainly know what they like. Building intricate worlds, diving into stylised sci-fi, and exploring capitalism and control are at the top of their list, served up with dashes of action and a sense of humour. The Matrix trilogy, their Speed Racer manga-to-TV-to-film adaptation and the period-spanning Cloud Atlas all followed this pattern. Now, with their passion at its most dazzling, it’s Jupiter Ascending’s turn. Once more, Andy and Lana Wachowski write and direct a tale of an innocent learning that life isn’t quite what they think. Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) is a house cleaner unhappy with her lot yet unprepared for her destiny, particularly when a medical procedure for cash is interrupted by an attack by otherworldly creatures. Ex-military fighter and human-wolf hybrid Caine Wise (Channing Tatum) saves the day but also delivers strange news. It seems Jupiter is the key to a family feud over property and resources between wealthy, greedy, wannabe-immortal alien beings, courtesy of genetic reincarnation. That can’t be good. If the narrative sounds a bit messy, that’s because it is. Storytelling is far from Jupiter Ascending’s strong point, despite relying upon staple themes and familiar plot points. Though they remain masters of their own universe, the Wachowskis aren’t afraid to nod to other movies and classic tales, mashing up The Fifth Element, Star Wars, Dune, Brazil, Cinderella and more. It’s an awkward mix of imitation and originality, and it shows. The filmmakers certainly don’t take the most direct route in making everything plain, either, clearly relishing the chance to spend as much time in their brightly coloured realm as possible. In keeping with their back catalogue, they throw everything they can into Jupiter Ascending: bees that can detect royalty, an extended bureaucracy gag, an over-the-top wedding and an unrelated — but no less goofy — romance included. Narrative coherence be damned. Of course, part of the joy of watching a Wachowski-made movie comes from seeing them run with their particular brand of indulgent, existential fantasy on a grand scale, which they do here with aplomb. Marvelling at the scenery and the style is a given, and while spectacular special effects-driven sights, chaotic choreography and more than a few frenetic flights and fights can’t patch over the clumsiness of the story, they certainly help. Luckily, the cast knows exactly what kind of film they are in, and play their parts perfectly in tone, if not polish. Content to drift around a space soap opera, Eddie Redmayne is worlds away from Oscar nominations, but he’s clearly having fun as the pouting, sneering bad guy. Tatum does his usual beefy, brooding but slightly comic thing (sometimes without his shirt off), and though Kunis has to play it blank and straight in contrast, her transformation from doe-eyed to determined works. Even a stern-faced Sean Bean looks like he’s having a good time — and if you’ve seen how his film and TV appearances tend to turn out, you’ll know that’s rare. Perhaps, just like the audience should be, he’s just happy going with the Wachowskis' sometimes silly, always fascinating flow.
When the Australian Government introduced an indefinite ban on all overseas travel in late March, Qantas and Jetstar suspended all scheduled international flights and temporarily stood down two-thirds of its staff. Today, Thursday, June 25, the airline has revealed that overseas flights will not takeoff again until at least July 2021. At a press conference this morning, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce announced 6000 job cuts across all parts of the business and the continued standing down of 15,000 employees until flights return — which, for international flights, won't be for a while. Referencing a report released earlier in the year by an airline industry expert, Joyce said that it is expected to take three years for international travel to return to 2019 levels. "We think international will take a long time," Joyce said. "There'll be nothing this next financial year, July next year we may start seeing some international services and that will only get us to 50 percent. The following year, only two-thirds of the pre-COVID international schedule." [caption id="attachment_773510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A trip to Japan won't be on the cards until 2021[/caption] The likelihood of international travel not returning for Australians until at least 2021 isn't new, news, though. Earlier this month, Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said as much, telling the National Press Club, "international border restrictions are likely to be there for some time to come" — and that "keeping those border restrictions largely in place is a price we're going to have to pay to keep COVID under control". The good news is that, as has come up frequently over the past few months, implementing a 'travel bubble' with New Zealand — aka reinstating international travel just between the two countries before Australia's international border reopens to all nations worldwide — is still under consideration according to Birmingham. Whether Qantas and Jetstar will run flights across the ditch if a travel bubble is allowed before July 2021 is currently unknown. The airlines will, however, definitely still be running domestic flights — and expect domestic travel to be back to 100 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels by 2022. "We're very optimistic about domestic," Joyce said at the press conference. "The domestic market will get back to maybe 70 percent of pre-COVID levels in the next year and the following year to 100 percent." The airlines have started ramping up domestic flights again and even held a big sale, with one-way flights as cheap as $19, last week. https://twitter.com/Qantas/status/1268341083257233408 It's worth noting, of course, that many of Australia's state borders are still closed. Queensland is working towards reopening to visitors from other states on July 10, although that hasn't been officially confirmed as yet, while the Northern Territory announced it'll reopen on July 17 — and South Australia is slated to do the same on July 20. While Victoria, NSW and the ACT currently have open borders, numerous state health ministers — including NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard today — have encouraged their residents to avoid travel to Victoria, especially to Melbourne's COVID hotspots, as the state has seen a recent uptick in new cases, with 33 recorded in the last 24 hours. Qantas and Jetstar's 6000 job cuts are part of post-COVID-19 recovery plan for the airlines, which also includes the retiring of the remaining 747s six months early and the grounding of 100 aircraft for up to 12 months. 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.
Prepare to be enchanted: from Saturday, December 2, 2023–Sunday, April 28, 2024, fairy tales are spreading their magic through the Gallery of Modern Art. For five months, the South Brisbane venue is filling its walls and halls with entrancing stories, myths, legends and folklore. But GOMA doesn't just boast exhibition spaces — it's also home to its own cinema. Whatever is gracing the site in art and installation form usually makes it way to the Australian Cinémathèque's big screens, too. That's the case with Fairy Tales. Called Fairy Tales Cinema: Truth, Power and Enchantment, the program runs across the same dates, with sessions during the day on Saturdays and Sundays, plus at night on Wednesdays and Fridays. Also, heading along is free. Thanks to more than 40 titles, there's a must-see for everyone — several, in fact — on a program that has a daily component as well. In Cinema B, Jim Henson's The StoryTeller television series is showing its episodes every single day. The film lineup is the kind of treasure trove that you'd expect an adventuring princess to find, including David Lynch's Wild at Heart, Studio Ghibli's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. The David Bowie-starring Labyrinth is also on the bill, as are The Princess Bride, The Wizard of Oz, Where the Wild Things Are, and the most-recent live-action versions of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. Throw in the inimitable Border, Poland's horror-musical The Lure, Céline Sciamma's Petite Maman, stunning Spanish silent film Blancanieves, cult-favourite The Fall, and Australia's own Blaze, Walkabout and Picnic at Hanging Rock, and this packed selection keeps on giving. Also among the highlights: Björk in The Juniper Tree and Taiwan's trippy Thrilling Bloody Sword.
If you're desperate for a New York getaway, this might just tick the box. Brooklyn Depot has a menu stuffed with American classics such as hot dogs, mac 'n' cheese balls, chicken tenders and fried pickles. You'll be spoiled for choice, but our money's on the burger menu, with standouts such as The Dubya Barbecue Brisket burger with slaw and onion rings, or the Notorious PIG with slow-cooked pork shoulder and truffle mayo. Keen for a truly buckle-busting meal? We humbly suggest the full rack of barbecue pork ribs, or a Golden G'Time shake with salted caramel sauce and cookie shards. Food coma incoming.
Gigs and shows are well and truly back, and a series of affordable gigs is bringing a collection of beloved local acts to concert venues for just $10. The Live At Last Tour was unveiled by Jack Daniel's and Secret Sounds last year as a way of placing fan-favourite bands back on stages during the pandemic, offering free gigs in intimate venues around the country like Frankie's Pizza and The Triffid. Now, it's back, taking to larger venues this time in order to raise money for Support Act. This year's iteration of the tour will see Triple J and festival circuit favourites play on stage for the very affordable price of $10. The bands in question are Pond, San Cisco, Ruby Fields and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets — each of which will take to one city on the tour. You can catch Pond in the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday, April 12; Psychedelic Porn Crumpets in Sydney on Thursday, April 21; San Cisco in Brisbane on Sunday, April 24; and Ruby Fields in Melbourne on Thursday, April 28. All the acts on the lineup will be joined by yet-to-be announced special guests. Tickets to the gigs are on sale now, and with the $10 price tag, they're sure to be snatched up quickly. If you want to head along you can find all the venues and ticketing information on Secret Sounds' website. Best of all, the whole thing is supporting a good cause. Support Act has been a massive driving force of positivity in the music industry over the last two years. The not-for-profit assists musicians through tough times, whether that be financially or personally, by providing crisis relief grants, mental health workshops, online resources and funeral assistance among a host of other things to people in the music industry. [caption id="attachment_814499" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pond, Matsu[/caption] LIVE AT LAST TOUR DATES Pond — Tuesday, April 22 at SolBar, Sunshine Coast Psychedelic Porn Crumpets — Thursday, April 21 at Factory Theatre, Sydney San Cisco — Sunday, April 24 at Fortitude Music Hall Ruby Fields — Sunday, April 24 at The Espy, Melbourne Live At Last is set to kick off on Tuesday, April 12. Tickets are on sale now via the Secret Sounds website. Top image: Vincent Shaw
It was a year of gun-toting racoons, talking Lego and trying desperately to catch a glimpse of Ben Affleck’s junk in the shower. Yes, the last 12 months saw the release of some truly terrific movies, from Hollywood hits that dominated the box-office to startling foreign and indie films that only a handful of people bothered to see. But enough about the past. January is already well underway, and a whole crop of new releases are on the horizon. This promises to be another huge year for cinema, with the latest instalments in blockbuster franchises including The Fast and the Furious 7, Mission: Impossible 5 and The Hunger Games Part 3B, not to mention perhaps the most hotly anticipated sequel of them all: Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. Of course the above titles only scratch the surface. Presented in the order they’re due to be released, here’s our list of the 12 motion pictures we’re most looking forward to in 2015. You’ll be pleased to note that there isn’t a single Hobbit movie to be found. FOXCATCHER The latest film from Moneyball director Bennett Miller tells the unsettling true story of reclusive millionaire John DuPont, whose sponsorship of the US Olympic wrestling team coincided with a spiral into madness. A cast that includes Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo is enough to pique our interest, but it’s comedian Steve Carell who has been kicking up Oscar buzz for his against-type dramatic performance as DuPont. Out January 29 ROSEWATER Comedian Jon Stewart took time out from hosting The Daily Show in order to shoot this film about Maziar Bahari, a Canadian-Iranian journalist imprisoned by the Iranian regime. Not exactly the barrel of laughs you might expect from Stewart’s directorial debut. Then again, it’s only fitting that he be the one to tell the story, given that the “evidence” the Iranians used to justify Bahari’s detention included an interview he gave on Stewart’s show. Out February 19 TOP FIVE Speaking of comedians in the director’s chair, Chris Rock’s Top Five sees the funny-man working three jobs as writer, director and star. In a foul-mouthed takedown of the media and entertainment industries, Rock plays Andre Allen, a popular movie comedian who wants to be taken seriously. The film looks hilarious, and has a seriously stacked cast — including Rosario Dawson, Tracey Morgan and Kevin Hart — as well as cameos from Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Sandler and Jerry Seinfeld. Out March 5 INHERENT VICE Joaquin Phoenix heads a host of enviable Hollywood talent in Paul Thomas Anderson’s strange adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel. A stoner crime thriller, Inherent Vice looks like the spiritual cousin to The Big Lebowski, and not at all like Anderson’s previous films, which include The Master and There Will Be Blood. Reviews out of the States have been divided, which really only makes us want to see it more. Out March 12 MOMMY The best film of last year’s festival circuit, this masterpiece of melodrama from Quebecois wunderkind Xavier Dolan is a movie you can’t afford to miss. An emotional roller coaster presented in 1:1 aspect ratio, the story follows a brassy single mother whose teenage son suffers from violent mood swings as well as ADHD. Seriously, if this film doesn’t make you cry buckets, you flat out haven’t got a heart. Out March 26 AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Avengers assemble! The red-hot sequel to Marvel’s superhero phenomenon reunites all your favourite costumed heroes, including Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Thor. The most important returnee, however, is writer-director Joss Whedon, whose witty dialogue and knack for ensemble character dynamics was a huge part of why the first film was so great. Out April 23 MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Australia’s most iconic action hero is back for round four. Tom Hardy replaces Mel Gibson as Road Warrior Max Rockatansky in this sequel-cum-reboot 30-odd years in the making. From the insane visuals in the trailer, it would appear that original director George Miller hasn’t lost his touch. Hard to believe this is the same guy who made Happy Feet. Out May 14 INSIDE OUT The latest film from the geniuses at Disney Pixar looks like one of their most original yet. Directed by Pete Docter of Up and Monsters Inc. fame, Inside Out takes place inside the mind of young girl, as Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness steer her through life as best they can. Out June 18 SPECTRE Daniel Craig returns as Britain’s most deadly secret agent, with a supporting cast that includes Monica Belluci, Dave Bautista and Christoph Waltz. If the title is anything to go by, the latest Bond film will see 007 go up against his most notorious enemy, the international crime syndicate SPECTRE. We’re calling it now: Waltz is playing Blofeld. Out November 19 STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Yes, we’ve been burnt with new Star Wars films before. But come on, how can you not be excited, or at least curious, by the prospect of returning to a galaxy far, far away? And without the influence of George Lucas, we’re hopeful that The Force Awakens might actually be good, or at least not bogged down by the politics of trade negations. Now excuse us while we re-watch the trailer for the 5000th time. Out December 18 THE HATEFUL EIGHT Two words: Quentin Tarantino. The script for his latest Western leaked online last year, leading to fears that he’d scrap the project altogether. Thankfully QT got over his little temper tantrum and is moving ahead with production. The Hateful Eight is being shot on glorious 70mm film with a cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen and Bruce Dern. Release Date TBA MACBETH Australian director Justin Kurzel made serious waves with his debut film Snowtown. For his follow-up, he’s put together a lavish adaptation of Shakespeare’s iconic play, with Michael Fassbender starring as the ambitious Scottish soldier and Marion Cotillard as his conniving lady wife. Release Date TBA
Situated near the iconic XXXX Brewery and right next to Milton train station, Milton Common is about more than just slinging some bespoke brews. Like its namesake suggests, it's a brewery committed to serving its community. Sure, it has the whole converted warehouse vibe that brings all the craft beer diehards to the yard, but this watering hole is catering to more than just beer lovers. Here, you'll also find a gallery space showcasing local artists, live music, trivia, and family-friendly function areas that invite everyone in the community to join in the fun. Formerly the site of Aether Brewing, and now the home of Common Ground Brewing Company, Milton Common boasts 3000 litres of on-site collaborative brewing and a rotating selection of unique beers, by tap or tinnie. As well as cocktails and craft wines, it has also got the perfect food to pair with its brews: pizza, fried chicken and slow-cooked pork ribs for sharing, or you can grab a burger or a parmy when you feel like getting your elbows out.
Bec Dean is co-director of Performance Space, one of Australia's leading development and presentation organisations for interdisciplinary arts. If you've ever marvelled at one of Carriageworks' stranger corners, you've seen their work. More than most, Bec spends her days seeking out the inventions, interjections and experiences that give colour to our lives. These are the five emerging artists she encourages us to keep a particular eye on. Michaela Gleave Jeff Khan (my co-director) and I just worked with Michaela Gleave on Our Frozen Moment, which was an installation of rain and light inside the gallery space here at Carriageworks. Michaela makes exquisitely beautiful, experiential work, but she undertakes her own fabrication of the complex system of pumps, pipes and reticulation required to make it rain on the inside. She also has an explosives license. She is true DIY. Eric Bridgeman Eric Bridgeman is a young artist from Brisbane, now working in Liverpool in the UK. We hope he may be back for our program SEXES in October. Eric head-on tackles issues that tend to simmer in our culture, from racism, to sexism, to homophobia…especially in sporting culture. He makes photos, performances and paintings that make everyone uncomfortable, and so they should be! James Brown James Brown is a composer and musician who has worked on many projects for Performance Space and PACT artists over the years. He is an artist that often gets credited as a part of new works but I think more and more that he should be the headline act. He is a brilliant and somewhat humble collaborator. Cigdem Aydemir Cigdem Aydemir is a photographer, performer and installation artist making difficult work that examines gendered and religious identity in Australia, and engages with certain right-wing attitudes about Muslim women and the burqa as a potential terrorist threat. We are hoping to commission a large-scale work by her later this year. Applespiel Applespiel is a collaborative team of eight young performers who premiered a new work with us at SHOW ON. It was a live rockumentary/rock concert called Applespiel Make a Band and Take on the Recording Industry. It’s pretty much what it says on the label, and they can write and play music too. I’ve never seen such a large group work together so harmoniously before. I expect way more shouting and discontent. It’s like they’ve all taken ego-supressing drugs…to make a performance that is all about an industry that thrives on fame, stardom and ego-mania.
Earlier this year Christopher Lloyd and Moby broke our hearts. Knowing full well that everyone in the world was pining for a functioning hoverboard by 2015 — the year that Marty McFly travelled to in Back to the Future II — they toyed with our emotions to make a viral hit for Funny or Die. But now, we might just have the real thing. Journalists have talked to the creators, they've ridden it, they've got videos to prove it. This is not a hoax. In the past 24 hours the internet has exploded with news of the Hendo Hoverboard. Currently funding on Kickstarter, this working prototype may not exactly look like the bright pink contraption Michael J. Fox rode in the film, but it is an incredible step in the right direction. Though still in development, this certified hoverboard can carry the weight of a person while levitating one inch off the ground. It does this with the help of magnets. As the board requires a magnetic field in order to function, it needs to be used over a metallic surface. The current design has been trialled on a specifically-designed copper skate ramp — an idea which the creators plan to build upon in the future with a full 'hoverpark'. Before you ask, no, it can't fly on water. To continue developing the product, the engineers at Hendo tech need to raise $250,000 from their Kickstarter campaign. The rewards for those who pledge include a small piece of levitating technology called 'The White Box', an extended ride on the real-life board, or for $10,000, your very own hoverboard. Though they are only expected to produce 10 hoverboards for this first Kickstarter run, they'll knowingly be releasing them around October 21, 2015. They should have no trouble funding the project; the campaign has only been online for 24 hours and has already reached half of its goal. But many critics are understandably jaded. Both Gizmodo and The New York Times are expressing serious dissatisfaction with the project, claiming the technology we're seeing is disappointingly far from its filmic inspiration. Yes, the board needs to be used over a metal surface. Yes, it has a terrible battery life and makes a truly awful amount of noise. But this is the nature of invention, right? Any step closer to this, can hardly be a bad thing. Check out the Kickstarter campaign for more information about the project.
When Babylon Brisbane opened its doors, it didn't just mark the first Sunshine State outpost for the eatery that's been serving up dishes and drinks in Sydney since 2019. It also saw 145 Eagle Street gain the first of two new venues, the second of which is a waterfront bar. Babylon Garden is the 500-person, 645-square-metre outdoor hangout space accompanying Babylon Brisbane's sitdown indoor 120-person setup. So, you can head inside for a restaurant meal with river views, or spend your afternoon or evening right by the water on two tiers of terraces, sipping beverages in the open air. As with indoors, Babylon Gardens' design is overseen by Brisbane's Hogg and Lamb, the architects behind the Sydney venue. This time, pale bricks are a big feature, plus timber furniture, leather banquettes, and palm trees and plants aplenty. You'll sit at green marble tabletops at high and low tables, and your drinks come from a ten-metre brass bar. On the menu amid that greenery, and while soaking in the fresh air: Middle Eastern and East Mediterranean bites and cocktails. The food lineup is a collaboration between Babylon Brisbane's Head Chef Ferdinand Sariin and Babylon Sydney's Head Chef Robert Taylor. Drinks-wise, the range of beers on tap and by the bottle heroes brews from around the world, as does the hefty wine list. With bubbles, the focus unsurprisingly falls heavily on French champagne. Folks keen on a cocktail will find Middle Eastern-meets-East Mediterranean flavours shining through here, too, as tasted in the Semiramis' Throne (made with Tanqueray Sevilla, mastic liqueur, apricot, lemon, falernum and orange blossom), Devine Levanthyme (limoncello, lemon gin, thyme, sugar and egg white) and Turkish espresso martini (with Turkish coffee and cardamom-infused Metaxa 7, chocolate liqueur, orgeat and cold brew). Images: Markus Ravik.
Bluesfest has lifted the lid on its second artist announcement for 2019, adding 19 more names to the festival's already hefty 30th anniversary lineup. Heading this latest stampede is music legend Paul Kelly. He'll be hitting the five-day Easter long weekend festival just out of Byron after touring the country for his pre-Christmas show Making Gravy (which has sold out in most cities). More second announcement names include Irish singer Hozier, chart-topping UK artist David Gray and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples — who, fittingly, co-wrote and sang on Hozier's last hit single 'Nina Cried Power'. They'll place alongside two huge headliners: Jack Johnson and Ben Harper, who will play with his band The Innocent Criminals. Both artists will be performing exclusively at Bluesfest, with Johnson making his third appearance at the festival after first appearing in 2001 and again in 2014. S Other acts taking to the stage at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm over the weekend include Aussies Kasey Chambers and Richard Clapton, six-piece soul band St. Paul and The Broken Bones and Grammy Award-winning jazz and funk collective Snarky Puppy. American singer and record producer George Clinton will perform one of his last live shows ever, before retiring in May, alongside his funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic. Anyway, here's the full lineup (so far). Better start making Easter plans because tickets are already selling fast. BLUESFEST 2019 LINEUP SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT Paul Kelly Hozier David Gray Julia Stone Gary Clark Jr. Mavis Staples Flogging Molly Meshell Ndegeocello Ruthie Foster Shakey Graves Anderson East Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Samantha Fish The War and Treaty Mojo Juju Caiti Baker Deva Mahal Melody Angel Hussy Hicks FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT Jack Johnson Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals Ray Lamontagne George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic Snarky Puppy Kasey Chambers St Paul and The Broken Bones Nahko and Medicine for the People Tommy Emmanuel Colin Hay Arlo Guthrie Keb' Mo' Tex Perkins Allen Stone Richard Clapton Russell Morris Kurt Vile and The Violators Vintage Trouble The Black Sorrows The California Honeydrops Trevor Hall I'm With Her Larkin Poe Irish Mythen Elephant Sessions Greensky Blugrass Rockwiz Live + more to be announced. Bluesfest 2019 will run April 18 to April 22 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. More details and ticket info here. Image: Cybele Malinowski and Joseph Mayers.
Would Australians flock to Bunnings each weekend if barbecued sausages weren't there for the munching? Hopefully we'll never need to learn the answer to this very important question. Shopping for hardware, garden products and everything else the chain sells, then hitting up the onsite sausage sizzle, has long been an Aussie weekend tradition — and, from Saturday, October 16, getting the COVID-19 vaccination will also be part of the ritual at some Brisbane and Queensland stores. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced that 33 Bunnings sites will host pop-up vax clinics from this coming weekend. Getting jabbed, eating snags — if you haven't been vaccinated yet, that's now on your agenda. It's the latest move in the government's effort to get Queenslanders vaxxed, and comes just a day after Palaszczuk also announced that the state had hit the 70-percent single-dose mark. Those jabs and sausages will be on offer at the Mt Gravatt, Stafford, North Lakes, Morayfield, Brendale, Browns Plains, Underwood, Victoria Point and Bethania Bunnings stores in and around Brisbane, if you're wondering where to head from Saturday. Elsewhere across Queensland, vax clinics will set up at the brand's Oxenford, Pimpama, Nerang, Robina, Arundel and Burleigh Waters sites on the Gold Coast, and at its Maryborough, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Dalby, Airlie Beach, Kingaroy, Gladstone, Yeppoon, Rockhampton, Gympie and Plainland stores. And, Smithfield and Atherton in Cairns, three stores in Townsville and two locations in Mackay will also get vaccination pop-ups. You can get vaccinated at 33 @Bunnings Warehouse stores across Queensland this weekend 👇 pic.twitter.com/57qcuulCt4 — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) October 12, 2021 Getting vaxxed is free, but nabbing a snag afterwards will still cost you — with Bunnings using its sausage sizzles to raise much-needed funds for local charity groups and sporting teams. Pop-up vaccination clinics will set up at 33 Bunnings stores across Brisbane and Queensland from Saturday, October 16. For further information about Australia's COVID-19 vaccine rollout, head to the Australian Government Department of Health website. For more details specific to Queensland, visit the Queensland Health website.
More than two decades ago, Australian coffee roastery Single O took its first steps right here at home. Soon, the Sydney-based brand will boast more locations to its name in Japan than Down Under. A decade since heading overseas, four years after opening its first international cafe in the country's capital back in 2021 and just a year since its last Tokyo expansion, Single O is launching a new concept in the must-visit city: its first-ever day-to-night venue. Located near Akihabara, the neighbourhood of Kanda Awajicho is your next destination for one of the chain's cuppas in Tokyo — and for cocktails, wine and beers as well. Opening on Thursday, April 24, 2025, this will be Single O's largest venue in the city, as well as its new Japanese flagship. "We're excited to open our newest Single O location in Kanda. We've been in Japan for over ten years now, and it's unreal to be part of specialty coffee's growth here and support a thriving independent cafe scene," said Single O CEO Mike Brabant. "It's a sister to our Surry Hills site in Sydney, seating a community of coffee lovers, locals and travellers alike," he continued. "We're calling it the mothership and we hope people will come in, discover something new and feel at home — whether they're here for our signature Reservoir St flat white, [to] experience the latest single origin on tap from our producer partners around the world or grab an after-work drink." For the new 50-seater venue's look, Single O have gone with a space-age theme. "Mixing futuristic, industrial aesthetics found us celebrating the brand's DNA, Australian roots and celebrating Japan's vibrant culture," advised Stuart Krelle, with Sydney-based design firm Luchetti Krelle behind the aesthetic. The brand's commitment to sustainability remains in place, however, including in the Kanda cafe's recycled plastic countertops, upcycled plywood chairs and reused central communal table. Among the sips, coffee on tap is a feature, of course, with six free-pour options available. The lineup of drinks running through them will rotate between origins, blends and seasonal choices. Or, order something else caffeinated and get the cafe's staff to put the espresso machine to good use. When it comes time to say cheers to a boozy beverage, expect coffee cocktails, naturally. Single O has even whipped up its own piña colada featuring a pineapple and coconut coffee clarification that's created with spent coffee grounds, plus washed coconut rum and soda water. Australian craft beers and wines are also on offer. Yes, the banana bread with espresso butter is on the food menu. So is The Avo Show, aka rye, achiote cashew cheese, pickled fennel, seasoned crumb, chilli oil and sweet lemon aspen. You can also tuck into the Mothership Bowl (made with brown rice, caramelised mushrooms, seasonal vegetables, pickles and a soft boiled egg) and the Yuzu Benny (which features a poached egg, sourdough, smoked salmon, yuzu hollandaise, cucumber, mint, coriander, pickled apple, lemongrass sate, chilli oil, crispy rice and shallot crumb). In another first for Single O, the Kanda outpost also sports its debut range of pastries baked onsite thanks to Head Chef Yoko Kobayashi (an alum of Bills in Australia) and Pastry Chef Johnny Pisanelli. Single O's Kanda location joins its Hamacho spot, plus Ryogoku Roastworks — which initially started as a roastery and tasting bar before its initial Japanese cafe, then moved into bigger digs and added its second space for aficionados to grab a brew — and its Shibuya coffee bar. In Australia, the chain has venues in Surry Hills and at Carriageworks in Sydney, and in Newstead in Brisbane. Find Single O's new Kanda cafe at at 〒101-0063 3F Waterras Tower 101, 2-chome Kanda Awajicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, from Thursday, April 24, 2025 — open from 8am–9pm weekdays and 9am–6pm on weekends. Head to the brand's website for more details.
Introducing Sketch Chair, a project from London and Lisbon's design studio Diatom. Sketch Chair is a software program allowing anyone and everyone to design their own chairs, regardless of how design-savvy they may be. The program uses a 2-D drawing interface that incorporates a physics engine which automatically tests the stability of a creator's design. Users can even simulate sitting in the chair with a customised virtual version of themselves to guarantee the highest level of comfort. Once a chair design is completed, a cutting pattern for the pieces of the chair is sent to the digital fabrication machine. The parts of the chair are then created and delivered so users can assemble their designs on their own as well. All custom designs come in lightweight but sturdy pieces that are easy to assemble - no glue required. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q36rJMjM1OU
Perhaps your pooch really loves seeing cars drive across the small screen. Maybe they seem to adore Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs. One day, you might've even come home from work to find your puppy watching the television all by themselves — because they'd stepped on the remote, accidentally turned it on, then gotten comfy. Every pet owner has noticed their four-legged companion staring intently at the tube once or twice — and likely more than that. Usually, though, your TV-loving canine isn't watching a streaming platform that's been designed especially for barking, tail-wagging, bone-coveting viewers. Dog TV is exactly that kind of streaming service: an online channel that's all about entertaining your woofer, and creates videos that are specifically designed to do just that. Now available in Australia, it features content filled with sights and sounds that'll appeal to your pooch. Some programs aim to relax them, focusing on calming and soothing your little fluffball. Others endeavour to keep them mentally stimulated, and feature scenes of dogs and other animals playing. Indeed, making sure that your pupper is fine when you go out is one of Dog TV's big motivations — with its content also made to ease doggo boredom. If you're the kind of person who leaves the television or radio on for your pooch when you head off to work, then you're familiar with the concept. Here, though, your canine can feast their eyes and ears on footage and audio created especially for them, and not be forced to endure whatever daytime TV is currently serving up. Some clips attempt to do more than just relax or stimulate — by helping dogs get used to car rides and ringing doorbells as well. In fact, you could say that the entire streaming platform is designed to help canines cope, given that anyone who has recently transitioned from working from home full-time to venturing back into the office is now forced to leave their four-legged friend in the house alone far more often. Overall, the whole service takes into account a dog's usual daily cycle, including when they're most active, and tailors its content to match. "Three programs, including stimulation, relaxation and exposure, have been scientifically created to keep your dog feeling happy and confident," says Dog TV General Manager, Beke Lubeach. "Each program is scheduled throughout the day, exposing dogs to visual stimuli and sounds that positively impact their behaviour and reduce feelings of anxiety." If you're eager to add another streaming platform to your list of subscriptions (well, to your woofer's list), Dog TV has launched in Australia via Petstock — and if you're one of the retailer's members, you can access a month for free. Monthly subscriptions cost $8.95 otherwise, or you can pay $69.95 for an annual pass. For more information about Dog TV, or to sign up for your pooch, head to the streaming service's website — or to Petstock's website.
When you're not watching movies and TV shows on the big screen at SXSW Sydney 2024, why not step inside a few? That's the Primeville setup, immersing attendees in pop culture-inspired spaces as folks who went to 2023's first-ever SXSW Sydney discovered. Here, Prime Video brings some of its series to life for a few days— and this year, it's doing the same with a number of flicks as well. Fancy sitting at Hannah Howard's desk or hanging out in the Flinley Craddick kitchen, complete with tiramisu to snack on? With the Australian version of The Office hitting streaming the same week that 2024's SXSW Sydney takes place, of course it's a big part of this year's Primeville — which is called Primeville Sweet Spot this time around. The full pop-up runs from Tuesday, October 15–Sunday, October 20, but making a visit on Wednesday, October 16 will mean seeing a heap of well-known faces from the shows featured, including Felicity Ward (Time Bandits), Steen Raskopoulos (The Duchess), Josh Thomson (Young Rock), Jonny Brugh (What We Do in the Shadows) and Zoe Terakes (Talk to Me) from the new The Office. When you're not clocking on and wondering if there's a stapler in jelly hidden somewhere, you can also visit Middle-earth, where The Forge, some costumes from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and something sweet to eat all await. Or, thanks to the guest list, you can celebrate all things Deadloch with Alicia Gardiner (The Clearing) and Nina Oyama (Utopia), and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart with Leah Purcell (High Country), too. From Paramount+, there'll be a nightclub inspired by Last King of the Cross, plus non-boozy jelly shots to sip and series star Lincoln Younes (Strife) in attendance. And, nodding to the big screen, Despicable Me 4 gets some love thanks to Minions to follow, plus banana macarons to enjoy. It Ends with Us is also scoring some affection via Lily Bloom's (Blake Lively, Deadpool & Wolverine) flower shop and hot cocoa cookies. If you've noticed that there's a dessert on offer with each space, that's because Primeville Sweet Spot is living up to its name. Entry is free no matter whether you're hitting up the rest of SXSW Sydney or not, but badge holders will get express entry. Also part of the pop-up: a reality TV-focused Hayu zone and a chillout space with a spin-to-win wheel — plus The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Heather Gay and Whitney Rose, Captain Jason Chambers from Below Deck Down Under and cricketer Meg Lanning making appearances. Primeville Sweet Spot is popping up during SXSW Sydney at Fratelli Fresh Darling Harbour, 2/14 Darling Drive, Sydney from Tuesday, October 15–Sunday, October 20, 2024. Keep an eye on the Prime Video Facebook and Instagram pages for more details.
When a new brewery opens in Brisbane that shares part of its moniker with Queensland's nickname, it's clearly happy to get playful. At Little Miss Sunshine, that's the vibe. First announced in mid-July 2024 and now welcoming in patrons in the River City, this addition to Ann Street is a bistro, too, pouring brews and serving up Sunshine State-inspired cuisine from the back of the ground floor of an office building. From Milton to West End, Woolloongabba to Morningside and Fortitude Valley to Newstead, it isn't hard to find a brewery in Brisbane's inner-city suburbs and their surrounding locales. River City drinkers are spoiled for choice, in fact. Maybe it's thanks to the yeast and hops smell that's long lingered over the inner west courtesy of the XXXX factory, but this beer-loving town has never been one to say no to more breweries, especially over the past decade. Brissie loves new spots making beer as much as new bridges — so opening a brewery in this area of town feels like an inevitability. Whether you're keen to drop in for after-work drinks, lunch, dinner or anything in-between, Little Miss Sunshine sports a choice of both indoor and outdoor seating — and, yes, a sunny yellow hue features heavily, with light-coloured timber to match. Wherever you choose to say cheers, 28 taps have your tips taken care of, complete with both house-brewed tipples, including small-batch sips, alongside favourites from elsewhere picked by the team. On the menu, Moreton Bay bug spaghetti, a wagyu cheeseburger with lettuce from the Sunshine Coast, harissa roasted sweet potato salad with Toowoomba-grown spinach and a sirloin served with Lockyer Valley broccolini are just a few examples of Little Miss Sunshine's Queensland-leaning culinary options. Haloumi skewers, beer-battered barramundi, wings, lamb kofta, and beef and chicken shawarma also feature, as the food lineup additionally takes some inspiration from the Mediterranean. Hitting up Little Miss Sunshine means catching live tunes as well, all in a space that you've probably walked past countless times — especially if you work in the CBD — without considering that a brewery could one day live there. The folks behind it: RMS Group, which also has fellow inner-city haunts Isles Lane Bar & Kitchen, Fig & Olive Bar Bistro, Hellcat Maggie Laneway Bar & Kitchen and The Grove Rooftop Event Space to its name. Find Little Miss Sunshine at 80 Ann Street, Brisbane — operating 10am–9pm Monday–Wednesday and 10–12am Thursday–Friday. Head to the venue's website, Facebook and Instagram in the interim. Images: Markus Ravik.
Nickel Kitchen & Bar predominantly offers up meals that will take many diners back to their childhoods, but the Fortitude Valley restaurant is also shaking things up with boozy brunches, late-night meals and something they call a 'DIY degustation'. A menu filled with homestyle dishes takes care of the first part of the equation for the Ann Street addition — think Barossa Valley chicken Kiev with garlic butter, heirloom vegetables and herb crumb (seriously, when was the last time you ate chicken Kiev?), and honey-roasted chicken paired with bacon and chive waffles. As for the latter, the details are still being finalised, but we're interested to see how a 'DIY degustation' differs from 'ordering off the menu'. Nickel is the latest venture from Nantucket Kitchen & Bar and NKB Express owners TJ and Kim Peabody, and endeavours to embody a blend of old and new across the board. Drinks-wise, that means a 250-drop wine library behind the bar boasting all the best tipples from today and times gone by, plus a hefty spirits list and a bespoke cocktail selection. Style-wise, that means anyone from the after work crowd to those keen on a boozy brunch are welcome in Nickel's art deco surroundings. Indeed, when it comes to décor, the cosy spot decks its halls with old-school fixtures, including leather booths, pressed metal and dark timber galore, and a chandelier made entirely of wine glasses. So, we're calling it: nostalgic places always try to hark back to yesteryear while giving things a forward-thinking twist, but Nickel might be the place to nail that combination.
There is an idea in many young directors minds that to make a production amazing, they have to do something different: mix up styles, buck trends, go against convention – do anything to attract audiences, rave reviews and notoriety. But there is such a thing as ‘biting off more than you can chew’ and sometimes it can pay off big, and other times can lead to complete ruin. That is the premise of Cosi, a production focusing on an up and coming theatre director, tasked with putting on a production of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte with psychiatric patients. Sound complicated? You have no idea. Starring two of Australia’s best young acting talents, Jessica Marais and James Stewart, and directed by David Berthold, Cosi is one of the first major productions of 2014 to take centre stage at the Roundhouse theatre. With a dynamic cast, incredible production values and a remarkable story, Cosi is a great way to kick off La Boite’s stellar theatre year.
We've all been there: watching our favourite Studio Ghibli movies, seeing how closely they combine wondrous fantasies and reality, and finding ourselves wondering what things would be like if life actually was that darn magical. Let this cute little clip help satisfy your imagination. Made by Kojer, aka a director in South Korea, it takes all of the Ghibli characters that you know and love, and places them in real-life settings. Think Spirited Away's Chihiro and No-Face on an actual train, My Neighbour Totoro's cute creature in the greenery of a real park, the abode that gives Howl's Moving Castle its name flying above cities, and the titular character from Kiki's Delivery Service floating through non-animated clouds. And yes, it really is as delightful as it sounds. In the absence of any new Studio Ghibli films on the horizon any time soon (although we're still crossing our fingers that their TV show will make it to Australia), it's just the dose of animated enchantment everyone needs. Plus, those keen on seeing just how it was done can also watch two behind-the-scenes videos, one stepping through the techniques used, and the other detailing the actual locations.
Cyclists in the city could soon find themselves with their heads in the clouds, with Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday announcing that the State Government will build an elevated bicycle highway in Melbourne's inner west. If you're a regular commuter cyclist from Footscray, Yarraville or Werribee, this should be music to your just-beeped-at ears. The proposal — which was floated by the government in June last year — is set to come to life as part of the West Gate Tunnel Project, which will see a four-kilometre tunnel and freeway above Footscray Road be built as an alternative to the always-congested West Gate Bridge. The two-and-a-half-kilometre cycling 'veloway' — starting at Footscray's Shepherd's Bridge and finishing on Dudley Street in Docklands — will sit above Footscray Road, elevated from street-level and underneath the future flyover. As well as allowing cyclists to skip traffic lights and get to the city much faster, the separation of cyclists and motor vehicles will significantly increase the safety of those on their bikes. While Footscray Road does have a bike lane, the new elevated infrastructure will allow cyclists to bypass dodgy intersections (like at Sims Street and Shepherd Bridge) and more fluidly connect with other major bike paths, such as the Capital City Trail. The Footscray Road bike path won't be disused though — in fact, it will be widened. And with the new flyover road and the 24/7 truck ban that is set to be instated on surrounding Francis Street, Somerville Road, Buckley Street and Moore Street, we're guessing it will be a bit less precarious too. The West Gate Tunnel Project now has to be assessed through an Environment Effects Statement (EES), with construction set to start in early 2018. It's very focused on car transport, so we're happy to see that cycling infrastructure is getting a look-in too. The more we can do to encourage people to give up their cars for a healthier, more environmentally-friendly form of transportation, the better. Via The Age. Image: Yarra River Business Association. By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal.
Netflix, HBO and Disney+ have already done it — tease their upcoming slates for 2025, that is. If you're wondering what else is heading to the small screen this year, now it's Stan's turn to reveal what's on its lineup. The service's program drop for 2025 doubles as a celebration, marking ten years since the Australian platform's debut. Get excited about everything from a new Aussie series starring Will Forte (Bodkin) and D'Arcy Carden (A Man on the Inside) to the second seasons of both Poker Face and Scrublands, plus Keanu Reeves' (Sonic the Hedgehog 3) latest movie, a homegrown flick about a time-travelling bottle of tequila, a horror-comedy series about murderous garden gnomes and more. Crime dramedy Sunny Nights, featuring Forte and Carden, should be high on everyone's must-watch list. Directed by Trent O'Donnell (No Activity, Colin From Accounts), co-starring Rachel House (Moana 2) and Jessica De Gouw (Ladies in Black), and even featuring an appearance by Patrick Brammall (also Colin From Accounts), it follows odd-couple American siblings trying to start their own spray-tan business in Sydney, then getting immersed in the city's criminal underworld. The second season of the delightful Natasha Lyonne (His Three Daughters)-led and Rian Johnson (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)-created Poker Face, one of the best new shows of 2023, is another firm standout — especially if you love whoddunnits, plus Lyonne playing detective. Also returning: Scrublands, which is called Scrublands: Silver for its second go-around and picks up its narrative a year after the events of the first season. This time, investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold, Last King of the Cross) is back in Port Silver in Western Australia, his hometown, when he's tasked with digging into another murder. Keanu will be gracing Stan courtesy of The Entertainment System Is Down, the latest film from two-time Palme d'Or-winning director Ruben Östlund — and the latter's first since Triangle of Sadness. The setup: chronicling the results when the movie's title proves true on a long-haul flight between England and Australia. Kirsten Dunst (Civil War) and Daniel Brühl (The Franchise) also star, and the filmmaker described it as "once again a behaviouristic study, comical and tragic, about being a human being — and about contemporary times when we have become so addicted to these screens, and taking that away from us" while chatting with Concrete Playground about his previous feature. Set on New Year's Eve 1999, One More Shot is where tequila gets a new spin, with Emily Browning (Class of '07), Apple Cider Vinegar co-stars Aisha Dee and Ashley Zukerman, Sean Keenan (Exposure) and Pallavi Sharda (The Office) along for the ride. And those killer garden ornaments are the focus of Gnomes, which unleashes their rampage on a country town just as a Gnome-a-Palooza festival is about to kick off. Other upcoming Stan highlights include murder-mystery dramedy He Had It Coming, featuring Lydia West (Big Mood), Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Ahsoka) and Liv Hewson (Yellowjackets); Saccharine, the new Midori Francis (The Sex Lives of College Girls)-, Danielle Macdonald (The Tourist)- and Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time)-starring psychological horror from Aussie filmmaker Natalie Erika James (Apartment 7A); Brooke Satchwell (Triple Oh!) in Love Divided by Eleven, about a woman who goes looking for the people who received her fiancé's organs when he passed away; and Dee again in thriller Watching You, which adapts JP Pomare's novel The Last Guests and charts the quest to uncover the voyeur who filmed a one-night stand. There's also the return of Bump — this time as a movie, aka Bump: A Christmas Film, which takes the characters on a South American cruise. Or, you can look forward to Beast in Me, with Daniel MacPherson (Land of Bad) portraying a former mixed martial artist, and joined on-screen by Russell Crowe (Kraven the Hunter), Luke Hemsworth (Gunner) and Amy Shark making her feature film debut. If you liked The Tourist, The Assassin with Keeley Hawes (Miss Austen) and Freddie Highmore (The Good Doctor) hails from the same team. Season four of Hacks, Nicolas Cage (Longlegs) playing an expat Aussie returning home in The Surfer, Richard Gadd's first post-Baby Reindeer series Half Man, Amanda Seyfried (The Crowded Room) in crime drama Long Bright River, a series adaptation of Lord of the Flies, The Rainmaker making the same leap, Stephen King's The Institute following suit as well: they're all on the way, too. And, so is The Hack, which dramatises the UK phone-hacking scandal, with David Tennant (Rivals), Robert Carlyle (Cobra) and Toby Jones (The Instigators) leading the cast. New TV shows and movies will hit Stan throughout 2025 — head to the streaming platform for its current catalogue.
"When you're standing at The Summit, you can see for miles — from the city to the bay and out to the hinterland," says Kym Machin. "We wanted the menu to reflect that sense of scale and beauty." As Head Chef at Mt Coot-tha's reborn restaurant, the ex-Urbane talent is guiding the kitchen at a new-but-old Brisbane venue. It was back in 2023 that word arrived about the eatery's transformation with Mantle Group at the helm. Now, the first results are on display. Heading upwards in this part of Brissie can again include a stop at The Summit Restaurant, although this lofty eatery has undergone changes via its multimillion-dollar revamp. Among its current features: a brewpub-style public bar, a dining room and a view-heavy verandah. This is just the initial stage of Mantle Group's Mt Coot-tha vision, with a two-level pavilion venue and a boutique gin distillery still in the planning stage — and ideally set to sit atop the mountain by the time the 2032 Olympic Games hit Brisbane. The same goes for a new cultural tourism experience that'll pay tribute to Mt Coot-tha's history and significance. "The Summit is one of the most-unique dining sites in the country: beautiful by day and absolutely spectacular at night. But most importantly, it's a place for the people of Brisbane. Our most-important guests are our neighbours — the locals who walk up the mountain every day, who bring their families here on weekends and who have made this place part of their lives. We wanted to create something that felt worthy of that loyalty," advises Mantle Group founder Godfrey Mantle. "Our ambition is to make The Summit one of the most-iconic destinations in Queensland — a place that captures the natural beauty, rich history and vibrant spirit of Brisbane. The Summit Restaurant is just the beginning and we're incredibly excited about what's to come." With the eatery now back up and running, there's plenty of reasons to visit already — including the fitout by Hogg and Lamb, joining fellow Brisbane venues such as The Albion Bathhouse, Tillerman, Babylon Brisbane and Lune Croissanterie in boasting the firm's aesthetic touches. Given the restaurant's history and leafy surroundings, finding inspiration for the look, feel and decor was easy. Think: contemporary elegance, complete with polished timber finishes and openair vantages over the stunning view. As for the menu, Machin is serving up modern Australian cuisine — modern Queensland, too — with Elliott Heads spanner crab on buckwheat crumpets, Daintree barramundi, Moreton Bay bug bahn mi and slow-braised Longreach organic lamb among the dishes. Sustainability and locality are key focuses, especially ingredients from The Summit's edible gardens and beehives, plus fresh produce from the Sunshine State. Across themed sections dedicated to the sea, air, land, earth and garden, seasonality is also in the spotlight. Other standout picks include white fish and wasabi tacos, snapper with wild garlic and native ginger, roast duck smoked over paperbark, almond-fed pork with pickled apples, squid risotto and pumpkin agnolotti with candied shoots. Or, try one of the two chef-curated tasting menus for either $79 (nine options) or $99 (ten options). Those dropping by for a drink can choose from bites from the bar menu, such as goat's cheese puffs, beef and beetroot tartare, lobster and prawn fried toast, sweet pea arancini, wagyu burgers and flathead. Fancy a cocktail? The signatures include a boozy iced tea made with fig gin and lemon myrtle liqueur; a quandong sour; and chilli, coriander and capsicum-infused mezcal, with agave, pineapple and lime. Find The Summit Restaurant at 2/1012 Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, Mt Coot-Tha, open from 11am daily — and head to its website for more details.
Brisbane is scoring a new $3.6-billion precinct right in the heart of the city, complete with a towering deck filled with restaurants and bars that will sit 100 metres above the CBD. That's the Queen's Wharf promise, and has been for over nine years now. But you'll still have to wait a bit longer to check it out, with the impending addition to the River City pushing back its opening date from April 2024 to August. Queen's Wharf is no stranger to changing its launch timing. 2022 was also floated in the past. The latest push comes after a heap of specific details about what's in store at the precinct — including some of the specific watering holes and eateries that patrons will be able to hit up — were revealed in 2023. So, here's hoping that enjoying the end results is truly getting closer to becoming a reality. There's no exact opening date in August yet, so you can't go circling anything in your calendar for the time being. Also, Queen's Wharf and its Sky Deck will launch in stages. Accordingly, which aspects will welcome in Brisbanites and tourists first hasn't been confirmed — but there's plenty in store. On the precinct's highest perch, bar Cicada Blu will give the Queensland capital a new place for a cocktail with a killer view, operating both day and night with a particular focus on drinks with botanical infusions. Sky Deck will also boast signature restaurant Aloria, complete with a dedicated martini menu and a 'cellar in the sky', plus European and Australian bites on offer. And, at Babblers, there'll be a more-relaxed dining experience. All three venues will form part of Sky Deck's 250-metre rooftop runway with a glass-floor viewing platform. And the vistas? Expect a 360-degree vantage out over the Brisbane CBD, Brisbane River, Mt Coot-tha and Moreton Bay. The riverside precinct's lofty tourist attraction will fall under The Star's remit, just as the reimagined Fat Noodle, cocktail bar Cherry and Italian eatery Cucina Regina also will. When it does launch between Alice, George, Queen and William streets, Queen's Wharf's crowning glory will be located above other dining options, hotels, shops, apartments and a heap of public space. While part of one of Queen's Wharf's resident resorts — it's set to feature four hotels, including the five-star The Star Grand, 4.5-star Dorsett and Australia's only Rosewood hotel — Sky Deck will be open to the public. Also, it isn't small, with a capacity of 1500 visitors at a time. Expect it to be popular, then, with the Queensland Government anticipating that an estimated 1.4 million international, interstate and local visitors to the city each year might stop by. As for the rest of the Queen's Wharf Brisbane redevelopment area, it spans across 12 hectares in the CBD, and will include around 50 new bars, cafes and restaurants; a casino; those four aforementioned hotels; approximately 1500 apartments; and a swathe of retailers in a huge new shopping precinct. The full precinct also covers repurposed heritage buildings, plus the Neville Bonner Bridge and Brissie's first riverside bikeway cafe. Queen's Wharf is slated to start opening in the Brisbane CBD from August 2024. We'll update you when a specific date is announced — and you can find out further details in the interim via the development's website.
