Melbourne street artist Rone has completed his latest and most industrious work to date, a nine-storey portrait in Melbourne’s CBD. Sitting at 35 metres high and 23.5 metres wide, the gargantuan face of Byron Bay model Teresa Oman looms from the external wall of 80 Collins Street. Based on a photograph Rone had taken of "one of the most re-blogged models in the world" according to Nylon, the work sports the title, L’inconnue de la rue (unknown girl in the street). The colossal mural, commissioned by wall owner QIC Global Real Estate, took seven days to create, with Rone working for ten hours a day from a cherry picker until the wall was complete. "It took a lot longer than expected and was no doubt the most challenging project I had ever taken on," said the Melburnian muralist on his website. "This is one of those walls you dream of. When it was offered I took it with a grain of salt as not to get my hopes up, as there has been a few things like this talked about in the past that just never happened." Long celebrated Melbourne-wide for his signature style of tightly cropped, magnified portraits of glamorous female faces on crumbling walls, Rone’s work has expanded from local lanes to interstate spots in Adelaide and Sydney to the streets of Berlin, Port Vila, Queenstown and Miami. Rone will now return to London, where his first UK solo exhibition Wallflower at Stolen Space Gallery opens April 10. Images by Ben Wesley and Tony Owczarek. via Lost At E Minor.
If you've got to the point in life where your local Thai place is saved in your favourites, they know your order and you don't even bother changing out of your daggy trackies to go pick it up, congrats. You, lounge dweller, are living your best life. But there is an alternate life you could be living, involving less humdrum routine and more exploring; it's the life of stepping out and trying new things. Say "it's not you, it's me" to your usual Wednesday pad see ew and start making a list of what the city has to offer that's new and exciting. We'll even give you a headstart — we've pulled together a list of restaurants that opened in the last few months around Brisbane to try on your next night out. From many a waterside eatery to Greek eats and Latin American bites, there's a little something for everyone. Happy eating, friends.
If the music world is lacking one thing at the moment it's 'ska' bands - those saxophone infused ballads, acoustic Caribbean sounds and sickly sweet guitar riffs. But to those who thought that 70s rockers Madness left us high and dry with their abundance of ska hits, think again. Strange Tenants are Australian 'ska' legends. Formed and led by duel vocalists and prolific song writers Ian and Bruce Hearn, their music was often infused with political and social commentary, best evidenced by their alternative hits Soldier Boy, Hard Times and Grey Skies. As one of the biggest bands in the 80s, these boys toured with the likes of Style Council, UB40 and U2, and performed an incredible 1200 gigs between 1982 and 1986. While other bands 'lost themselves' to the growing trends and fads of the music industry, Strange Tenants have stayed strong with their striding independence and uncompromising commitment to mixing their own ska-reggae sound. After an amazing 32 years, Strange Tenants will be hitting The Zoo stage for one night of live performance. Whether you were there in the Strange Tenant's prime, or just want to rediscover this great era of music, this legendary band are a must see. Strange Tenant's classic 'Two Steps Back'
Break out the sugar honeycombs, grab your bag of marbles, and get ready for a few more games of hopscotch and tug of war. Squid Game is coming back, as Netflix confirmed at the beginning of 2022 — and now the second season has its first teaser trailer. Well, it has an extremely short animated clip of the series' killer Red Light, Green Light doll, with the teaser short on details but big on mood. That said, the new video came with a statement by Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, who started chatting about season two in 2021, and confirms a few details. Hwang Dong-Hyuk writer, director, producer, and creator of @squidgame has a message for the fans: pic.twitter.com/DxF0AS5tMM — Netflix (@netflix) June 12, 2022 "It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year. But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever," Hwang shared. "And now, Gi-hun returns. The Front Man returns. Season 2 is coming," he continued. "The man in the suit with ddakji might be back. You'll also be introduced to Young-hee's boyfriend, Cheol-su. Join us once more for a whole new round." So, get ready to spend more time with more Lee Jung-jae (Deliver Us From Evil) as the show's protagonist. And, to learn more about its masked villain (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven) as well. How the narrative will play out in season two hasn't yet been revealed, and neither has exactly when it will return. But if you want to live life like you're actually in Squid Game — with the puzzles, not the murders — you can start trying to piece together its clues now. The series was always bound to return for another round. Compulsively watchable from its opening moments, the South Korean show was one of the best new TV programs of 2021, and proved enormously popular for Netflix — becoming its most-watched show ever, in fact. And yes, Hwang also advised last year that lead actor Lee would be coming back, but now that detail is locked in. If you somehow missed all things Squid Game last year, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Here, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts. Squid Game's first season is available to stream via Netflix. We'll update you with a release date for season two when one is announced. Images: Noh Juhan/Netflix.
When you're whipping up a batch of cookies, do you spoon your creations onto the tray and pop them straight into the oven, or do you sneak a taste of the delicious, uncooked dough? We all know that we should say the former — and we all really do the latter. Eating the mushy morsels we'll call pre-bikkies is frowned upon thanks to that little thing called food safety; however New York's newest cafe has the solution. Dō makes their cookie dough from pasteurised eggs and heat-treated flour that ensures those gorging on their products won't get ill. After selling their wares online, they've branched out into the bricks-and-mortar space, setting up shop in Greenwich Village. https://www.instagram.com/p/BPfiYFHF0m4/?taken-by=cookiedonyc There, you'll find scoops of dough, served with or without ice cream, plus sundaes, ice cream sandwiches and cookie dough milkshakes. Pick from flavours such as sugar cookie, brownie batter, salty and sweet, cake batter and peanut butter snickerdoodle — from a range of five classic, eight signature and three seasonal varieties — then indulge in guilt-free gooeyness. Baked snacks such as actual cookies, cookie sandwiches, and cookie cakes are also available, but where's the fun in that? Or, try cookie dough fudge, cookie dough ice cream pie, cookie dough brownies or a cookie bomb — which looks like a cupcake, but is actually dough and frosting. Yum. Via Food and Wine.
Where bigger festivals rely mostly on a precise combo of big name international acts plus Pitchfork-approved indies, the Secret Garden sells out each year before its line-up is even announced. How you do that in today's musical climate is pretty astounding, until you look at what else the Secret Garden has to offer, at which point it becomes astoundingly obvious. Free booze, a magical farmland location revealed only to ticket-holders, and bands so close you can smell them all provide good reasons to get your unicorn onesie covered in glittery mud. And the food doesn't suck. "We are pretty different to what's out there," says festival director Clare Downes. "We are completely focussed, almost anal, about putting on a brilliant event. This includes lots of small creative areas, luxury camping facilities, great bars, brilliant music, award-winning food, interactive stuff and surprises. Gardeners love our surprises!" But that's not to say the music isn't a big draw card. This year the organisers have pulled together another excellent slew of bands and DJs that read like a cross-section of rising and risen local talent. PVT-approved Sydney duo Collarbones will make an appearance alongside Cub Scouts and The Griswolds, with The Preatures adding some artful gloom to the glitter. Rounding out the first line-up announcement are Alison Wonderland, DCUP, the Delta Riggs, Frames, Lancelot, Rufus, Spit Syndicate, Vance Joy, and Softwar and Slowball presenting Secret Garden After Hours. Secret Garden is also not a bratwurst in a bun sort of occasion. This year the festival is embracing Sydney's fleet of food trucks, with Eat Art Truck (headed by Stuart Magill of Tetsuya's and Brenton Balicki of Quay), Mexican masters Al Carbon, Tsuru's pan-Asian street food, and Jafe Jaffles confirmed to be in attendance, while Porch & Parlour takes care of breakfast. Knowing that the dinner table is the heart of the family and new dining experiences the soul of Sydney, organisers have also lined up a Secret Garden Banquet. Limited tickets are available for the feast, which will be held in heritage-listed stables in a secret area of the already secret location, and hosted, of course, by a secret group of foodies. The final component of today's announcement is no minor detail; it's the Friday theme, a greatly cherished part of the festivities. In 2013 Secret Garden is extending the hand of friendship to the scene perhaps best known for cosplay, the sci-fi convention, with Secret Garcon. For all those festivalgoers who'd feel outgeeked at Comic Con but have always wanted to dress up as their favourite Star Wars/Mass Effect/Ghostbusters character, this is for you. As Downes says, "Secret Garden is the kind of festival where you can dress as a pineapple, talk to the guy standing next to you, dabble in some karaoke, send a postcard to your mum and listen to some great bands. There are so many elements to it, beyond what happens on the stage and what we serve at the bars." It all comes together to create an immaculately tailored weekend away that you don't have to plan a thing for. Tickets for Secret Garden 2013 have sold out, but the festival is run entirely by volunteers, and it's not too late to become one of those. In exchange for four hours of work on the day, you can then run free at the venue. Secret Garden is run as a not-for-profit, with all proceeds going to the Sarah Hilt Foundation, which helps sufferers of meningococcal disease. Just another thing that separates this festival from the rest. By Hannah Ongley and Rima Sabina Aouf.
Picture a traditional Chinese landscape painting and you'll probably visualise a mountain with a pagoda half-shrouded in mist. Knowing this, and hoping to make an unequivocal comment on China's pollution problem, photographer Yao Lu has pulled a neat piece of visual trickery: in New Landscapes he creates idyllic vistas that at first appear to depict nature in all its glory but which are actually composed of landfill trash. After arranging the piles of waste into something resembling organic forms and photographing them disguised under construction netting, Yao Lu used editing techniques to insert the conventional artistic elements of trees, pagodas and the red seal. The result raises the question: is this where China's natural world is headed? The works are on show at Bruce Silverstein Gallery in New York. Via PSFK.
When streaming first infiltrated our viewing habits, paid online services such as Netflix boasted a hefty advantage over free-to-air television: no pesky advertisements interrupting while you watch. That wasn't the only drawcard by any means, but it wasn't a minor one, either. Now, however, the platform is betting that some folks won't mind commercials here and there in exchange for a cheaper subscription. This move has been in the works for a few months now, but Netflix's new 'basic with ads' package is about to become a reality in Australia — starting Friday, November 4. Sitting below its existing ad-free basic, standard and premium plans, the new subscription tier will cost $6.99 per month, and is being positioned as a budget-saving option. Here's how it works: firstly, you'll need to opt into the new plan. If you're already a Netflix subscriber without advertisements, that won't change. If you choose to switch to the ad option, you'll be served around four-to-five minutes of ads per hour. Those commercials will run for either 15 or 30 seconds in length, and play before and during films and shows. Also, there'll be fewer titles — and you won't be able to download them. Netflix advises that the smaller range will affect "a limited number of movies and TV shows" which "won't be available due to licensing restrictions", which the service is working on. And, video quality will only go up to 720p/HD, which is the same as Netflix's ad-free basic plan. Australia is part of a 12-country initial rollout, alongside Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the US. A bonus for your bank balance? An annoying distraction? You choose. Again, you have to actively opt in for the ad-supported plan, so it won't just pop up unexpectedly while you're deep in a Stranger Things or DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story marathon. Netflix subscribers aren't new to the streaming service's tinkering, with the platform testing and rolling out plenty of new features over the years — including its 'play something' shuffle function for when you can't decide what to feast your eyeballs on next, and blocking password sharing. A huge motivation for this move: the plethora of competing services also competing for viewers, because there's never a shortage of things to watch. Netflix's 'basic with ads' package will be available for $6.99 per month from Friday, November 4.
The state of Colorado is a land of mind-blowing extremes. In one visit, you can climb rugged mountains, wander through arid desert landscapes, canoe down wild rivers and camp by serene lakes. Meanwhile, in the capital city of Denver, which rests a mile above sea level, you'll find gallons of craft beer, creative chefs, loads of indie artists and a buzzing music scene. Colorado-based singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov, who's currently in Australia, embodies the state's spirit: whenever he's not on the road, he's at home on his farm, growing produce and recording in his custom-built studio. To mark his tour around our homeland, we've come up with a tour for you around his homeland. Here, we take you through all the eats, drinks, sights and sounds for you to discover on a trip to Denver, CO. EAT BREKKIE AT SNOOZE Snooze is all about helping you start your day on a high and fully fuelled. Prepare for upbeat vibes, lots of energy and happy, happy people. Nearly every dish on the menu is made from scratch, according to what local farmers have on the go. So, you never know what to expect. That said, if the pineapple upside-down pancakes are on offer, look no further. Or, if sweet in the AM isn't your thing, opt for the Chili Verde Benedict — a spicy feast of tortillas with green chilli sauce, melted cheese, slow-cooked pulled pork, barbacoa-style beef, poached eggs, green chilli hollandaise, pico de gallo and cotija cheese. EAT FRENCH ONION SOUP DUMPLINGS AT CHOLON At ChoLon, a much-adored restaurant in Denver, two of the world's greatest comfort foods — french onion soup and dumplings — collide. Foodies travel far and wide to sample these delights, which are loaded with gruyere and sweet onion, then steamed to perfection. Their creator is head chef and owner Lon Symensma, who opened ChoLon after working at Buddakan in New York City. If you're still hungry post-dumplings, move onto an array of modern Asian flavours — from crunchy Thai shrimp rolls with umami mayo to diver scallops with fennel puree, wok hay grapes and candied pistachios. EAT POUTINE AT EUCLID HALL Have yourself a classic American tavern experience at Euclid Hall, set in a 19th-century building that formerly housed a bar by an infamous Wild West gangster, Soapy Smith. You'll find it in Denver's Larimer Square historical district. Get started with poutine — fries loaded with all kinds of deliciousness, like duck confit, cheddar curds and black pepper duck gravy or green chilli-braised pork with cheddar curds, cilantro, radish and crema. The house-made sausages are hard to pass by, too. Match your pick with a craft beer or signature cocktail, like the Salty Oboe (whiskey, lemon-ginger shrub, orange bitters and lemon). [caption id="attachment_711888" align="alignnone" width="1920"] RiNo Art District, Nick and Marissa Napoletano[/caption] B-CYCLE YOUR WAY AROUND DENVER'S CREATIVE NEIGHBOURHOODS With all the inspiring natural wonder surrounding the city, Denver is a magnet for artists, designers, makers, writers and musicians. To see their creations at a leisurely pace, grab yourself a Bcycle and go exploring beyond the city centre. Be sure to check out the Art District on Santa Fe, the Golden Triangle creative district near uptown and the Highlands neighbourhood. Meanwhile, in RiNo (River North), you'll find plenty of street art sharing the neighbourhood with independent boutiques, craft breweries and unique eateries. Plan for a full day of wandering and window shopping. DRINK LOCAL BREWS AT WYNKOOP BREWING COMPANY Since a man by the name of Governor Hickenlooper brewed the first pint here in 1988, this downtown pub has been a local favourite. It's also the first brewpub to have opened in Denver since Prohibition wound up way, way back in 1933. Set in a 100-year-old former bank with several bars, including one that used to be a vault,Wynkoop has 30 brews on tap — all of which have been made in Colorado. There's a drop for pretty much everyone here — from those who enjoy a lush, hop-heavy ale (opt for the Mile High pale ale) to those after something creamy and semi-sweet (look to the Cowtown milk stout). If you're keen to get behind the scenes, you can also join a tour Tuesday–Saturday at 3pm and 4pm. DRINK AN AVOCADO DAIQUIRI AT THE FAMILY JONES Opened in 2017, The Family Jones puts a bunch of Denver's best distillers, chefs, bartenders and restaurateurs under one (vaulted) roof. It's a paean to craft spirits, creative cocktails and small plates — splashed with copper, blue velvet and greenery. Watch a master distiller in action, while sipping an avocado daiquiri: a decadent concoction of the distillery's Mo Jones Rum, passionfruit, lime, arbor chilli and avocado. And if you're after even more, tours and tastings, which include a seven-strong flight of house-made spirits, take place every Saturday at midday and 1.30pm. Meanwhile, happy hour is 4pm–6pm daily. DRINK SOUR BEER AT CROOKED STAVE ARTISAN BEER PROJECT After sipping brews at the historic Wynkoop Brewing Company, head over to Crooked Stave a 'modern artisan brewery' that's been on the scene since 2010. Crafting a wide range of wild and sour drops, head brewer Chad Yakobson is all about combining art with science to create complex, boundary-pushing beers bursting with flavours. Two of his secrets are the use of brettanomyces yeast (which gives beers — and some wines — that funky textural taste) and barrel ageing. Visit the taproom in Denver to sample the results — from the American-style IPA, which contains five types of hops (Azacca, Galaxy, Amarillo, Motueka, and Citra) to the Nightmare on Brett Raspberry, a dark sour ale aged in Leopold Brothers whiskey barrels brewed with Washington raspberries. [caption id="attachment_708869" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Denver.[/caption] SEE A CONCERT UNDER THE STARS AT RED ROCKS If you're a live music junkie, chances are Red Rocks Amphitheatre is already on your bucket list. This extraordinary concert venue, which lies around 15 kilometres outside of Denver, is a naturally formed amphitheatre, framed by stunning rock formations. Some say you'll find no better acoustics anywhere in the world. Just a few of the acts to have played legendary concerts here under the stars include The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Depeche Mode and Dave Matthews. If you're not able to see a show, consider taking a guided tour or stopping by for a snack at Ship Rock Grille. HIKE, BIKE OR RIDE IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS Just a two hours' drive north of Denver lies the Rocky Mountain National Park. Its spectacular slopes have attracted hikers, mountaineers, adventurers and horse riders for hundreds of years. There are countless walking trails to conquer — from the short but steep and incredibly scenic Alpine Ridge Trail to the 12-kilometre long Timberline Falls Trial, which takes in Alberta Falls and several pristine mountain lakes. Alternatively, jump on horseback for a guided tour and see the scenery like you're from the Wild West. STROLL THROUGH THE GARDEN OF THE GODS Also within a two hours' drive from Denver is the magical Garden of the Gods. As the name suggests, this rather awe-inspiring place, dotted with 100-metre-high rock formations, looks like it was created by giants. If you're not keen to get too adventurous, soak up the views from the glass-walled cafe or, if the weather's warm, the outdoor terrace. Alternatively, take a hike or join a guided tour — be it by Segway, bike or jeep. Ready to go? Start planning your trip to Denver and wider adventures in the state of Colorado.
It's been more than two decades since Brisbane's CityCats first started powering up and down the Brisbane River — and now more than 21 vessels are in operation. Come late 2019, the city's fleet will get a new member, its first double-decker 'SuperCat'. Brisbane City Council has announced that the $3.7 million catamaran will set sail by the end of next year, complete with 16 seats on its upper deck, clear viewing panes below the handrail so that you can get a better look at the scenery, and bigger windows in parts of the lower cabin for the same reason too. If you've ever wanted to lounge around on a CityCat, this one will also have table and lounge seating options. And, if you're running out of juice, it'll feature USB charging ports as well. Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner compared the SuperCat to London's double-decker buses — they're not quite the same, but the council is clearly hoping that it'll become a tourist drawcard. "London is famous for its double-decker buses — what better way to see Brisbane than from our double-decker SuperCat," Schrinner said. The new vessel isn't the only upcoming addition to the city's water transport network, with Brisbane also set to score a new inner-city terminal at the Howard Smith Wharves. While the precinct will begin to open in stages from next week, it'll boast its own $12 million CityCat stop from sometime in 2020. That'll bring the total number of places to hop on board between St Lucia's University of Queensland to Northshore Hamilton to 26. The new SuperCat will launch onto the Brisbane River in late 2019. We'll let you know when it's ready to ride.
Whether you like hitting the beach, hopping on rollercoasters, touring movie studios or trekking through the hinterland, the Gold Coast isn't short on tourist attractions. But the Sunshine State holiday spot's latest addition will take you to new depths — swimming around underwater sculptures and coral, and past hundreds of different species of marine life, all without venturing too far from the shore. Meet Wonder Reef, which opens for dives from Wednesday, June 8. It's a huge artificial reef, and it's perched just a ten-minute boat trip from the Gold Coast Seaway. Here, you'll descend down to 30 metres, and paddle around nine giant buoyant reef sculptures, which are floating beneath the surface about 2.5 kilometres offshore from Philip Park at The Spit. First announced back in mid-2021, the new $5-million attraction is designed for experienced divers — and to draw in more tourists to the Goldie, obviously. The site's coral was planted just before Christmas last year, and has already been attracting everything from lobsters, octopus and tropical fish to turtles and giant gropers. It's also expected to grow by between one and 25 centimetres a year. That's what more than 16,000 divers will see each year, too, as well as those nine sculptures. Made by Queensland artist Daniel Templeman, they measure up to 22 metres tall, weigh more than 738 tonnes (in air) and span a reef habitat of 32,000 cubic metres in size. If you're now keen for a dip, Gold Coast Dive Adventures and Queensland Scuba Diving are running regular tours. Or, if you're an experienced diver with your own boat and dive equipment, you can also book a public mooring. Pitched as a new bucket-list dive site by the City of Gold Coast and the Queensland Government, who've brought it to fruition, Wonder Reef has been given a 50-year seabed lease. So, it's sticking around for both a good time and a long time. And while the site is man-made — the coral is real, but the reef setup is artificial — it's been crafted with the natural environment in mind. Indeed, not that anyone should need any assistance, but helping folks to appreciate the underwater beauty of the natural world is another of Wonder Reef's big aims. Wonder Reef is open for bookings from Wednesday, June 8. For more information, head to the Wonder Reef website.
Next time you feel like escaping from it all, soaking in greenery-filled views and spending time next to a national park, you don't have to forgo trips to the bar to sip cocktails, too. Opening on Wednesday, September 1 in Beechmont in the Gold Coast hinterland, and neighbouring Lamington National Park, Hazelwood Estate is the new Scenic Rim spot that combines cosy comforts — think: cabins with fireplaces and private verandahs — with an onsite lounge, restaurant and bar. If it's countryside bliss that you're after, the retreat is located on a 75-acre wagyu and polo farm. Hills stretch out in the background through Beechmont and Binna Burra, providing picturesque surroundings — and to even get into the estate, you need to enter a passcode at the gate. Sleep-wise, guests can choose between 17 king farm cabins or three luxury pavilions, with the former including rain showers and the latter decked out with freestanding baths. Whichever you pick, you won't have much company around the place, with only 44 guests accommodated in total. When it comes to grabbing a bite and a beverage, Hazelwood Estate is home to The Paddock restaurant, which boasts Cameron Matthews (ex-Spicers Group) as chef-in-residence. Showcasing local products, including from the venue's own market garden and beehives, is the big focus here. The food menu spans dishes such as beef tartare, camel milk gnocchi with brown butter and coal-grilled beef with salt baked potato — and for breakfast, there's a farmer's platter that comes with black pudding pancakes, red onion jam and lardo. The Paddock also features the estate's cocktail bar, which spills out onto a terrace with views out over the valley — and serves up drinks that hero seasonal ingredients. Or, you can choose from sommelier Luis Buchan's wine list, with Australian and European drops getting pride of place. Aussie beers are also on offer, including an exclusive New England-style lager from Victorian craft brewery Edge Brewing Project that's only available onsite. Also part of the Hazelwood Estate spread: The Club House, as decked out in lounges for lazing around by the fireplace; Spa by Hazelwood, should you be hankering for a facial, massage, scrub or wrap; and a range of activities such as wagyu tastings, market garden tours, horse rides and guided bushwalks. Unsurprisingly, you'll be treating yo'self if this sounds like your idea of a scenic and relaxing vacation, with cabins starting at $699 per night for two people. Find Hazelwood Estate at 422 Binna Burra Road, Beechmont. For bookings and further information, head to the resort's website.
Winter might be all about staying in doors, rugging up and avoiding the frosty weather, but if you want to see a trio of meteor showers this week, you'll want to head outdoors. Not one, not two, but three celestial events will be visible in Australia's skies: the Southern Delta Aquariids, Alpha Capricornids and Piscis Austrinids. Arriving in the thick of winter, the Southern Delta Aquariids may not be quite as famous or frenetic as other meteor showers, but it's still considered a strong one, with around 15–25 meteors hurtling across the heavens per hour during its peak. In good news for those Down Under, it's also typically best seen in the Southern Hemisphere. Caused by the breakup of the Machholz comet, the shower is visible each year from around July 12–August 23 — so now. But the ideal time to catch it is between July 28–July 30, aka from Thursday–Saturday this week. And, like many astronomical shows, catching an eyeful around midnight is recommended — when the moon has set and its light will not interfere. [caption id="attachment_862773" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mike Lewinski via Flickr[/caption] Also soaring through the skies at the moment: the Alpha Capricornids, which tends to run from around July 7–August 15. Yes, that means that you can peer up at night and catch a glimpse now, too, but it tends to peak around July 30–31 — so Saturday and Sunday this week. This one comes from the comet 169P/NEAT, and was discovered in 1871. It's known for its bright meteors and even fireballs, although they're infrequent, at around two-to-nine per hour. Then there's the Piscis Austrinids, giving stargazers yet another reason to look up. It usually runs between July 15–August 10, and peaks around July 28 — so on Thursday this week. As for the speed of its meteors, they're even slower than the Alpha Capricornids. For your best chances of getting a glimpse at all three, the usual advice applies. Get as far away from bright lights as possible — this could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. The Delta Aquariids' name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Aquarius. Accordingly, that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. For the Piscis Austrinids, you're looking for the Piscis Austrinus constellation. And for Alpha Capricornids, the Capricornus constellation. To locate them all, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky, and is also a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night. The Delta Aquariids, Piscis Austrinids and Alpha Capricornids meteor showers will peak between Thursday, July 28–Sunday, July 31. Top image: Mike Lewinski via Flickr.
On Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8, Palace James Street will become the most magical place in Brisbane. Split across the two days, all ten Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films will grace one of the venue's screens, serving up a whole weekend of wizarding wonder. BYO time-turner if you don't think you'll be able to get through it all otherwise. Ten films, you say? Yep, this really is a celebration of every Potter-related flick there is, which means the eight movie versions of J.K. Rowling's original seven books, plus both Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald as well. Watch Harry, Hermione, Ron and co. spend their first day at Hogwarts, play quidditch, search for the deathly hallows and battle He Who Must Not Be Named. And, then jump back several decades earlier to explore the exploits behind one of their textbooks. Potterfest: A Harry Potter Marathon kicks off at 10am on Saturday, runs through until 11.40pm that evening, and then screens again from 10am–10.45pm on Sunday. Dressing up in costume is always highly recommended, as is indulging in the whole two days of Potter nerdery — with tickets costing $50, or $40 for Palace members.
Step inside Winston Quinn's Fortitude Valley warehouse, and you'll find one type of beverage on the menu: gin. That's all the Brisbane distillery makes and, in its freshly launched tasting room, that's all it sells as well. "We joke if people would like a gin, a gin or a gin," explains founder Megan Donsky. Of course, there are plenty of varieties of the beloved juniper-based spirit, as every gin lover knows — and plenty of ways to serve it, too. Winston Quinn whips up four types: Dry Cut, a citrus-flavoured tipple made with fresh lemon, orange rind and lemon myrtle; Skinny Jeans, a blue-hued gin with floral flavours; Pink Fit, which is infused with elderflower, grapefruit, wild apple and strawberry; and Slim Crop, which heroes cucumber. And, it offers tasting paddles ($30) featuring all four, cocktails made with each ($18–35), and gin and tonics ($12.50) boasting whichever one you choose. If you're eager for a cocktail, highlights include the Skinny Martini ($18), the Dry Cut Negroni ($20) and the Winston Jug ($35), with the latter featuring both Skinny Jeans and Pink Fit gins. Mocktails are also on offer for those eager to enjoy the taste but not the booze, and all drinks can be paired with a cheese board ($25) or a meat and olive tasting plate ($25). Customers can also purchase both 200-millilitre ($30) and 700-millilitre ($85–89) takeaway bottles — and you'll receive $10 off the latter if you book in for a tasting. Also included in those 90-minute sessions: either the aforementioned tasting paddle and a G&T (for $30), or a cocktail (for $20). Now open in a 60s-era brick building on Prospect Street, Winston Quinn Gin's tasting room was originally slated to launch earlier in the year. In fact, it was just one week away from opening when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The site has a cosy yet light and airy feel, decor-wise, and it's only open to 20 people at a time at present, in line with Queensland's current restrictions. And if you're wondering about the distillery's moniker — and its dog logo, which is prominent both on its bottles and in the tasting room — Donsky named the place after her two golden retrievers. Find Winston Quinn Gin at 2 Prospect Street, Fortitude Valley — with tastings held from Thursday–Sunday.
Does your version of celebrating whichever occasion takes your fancy involve eating more of the things you love? Do pork belly, chicken schnitzels, chicken wings and German sausages fall into that category? If so, The Bavarian has an all-you-can-eat special that'll tempt your tastebuds — because a bottomless feast is on the menu. On Wednesdays, the German-themed chain is serving up all-you-can-eat meat platters. They come stacked with all of the aforementioned meats — and yes, the pork belly includes crackling — plus sauerkraut and gravy as sides. And, once you've finished your board, you'll get a whole new serving. On All-You-Can-Meat Wednesdays, there's no time limit to your eating, so you can pace yourself — and it'll cost you $35 per person. There is a two-person minimum, however, so you'll need to take at least one meat-loving pal along with you. Feel like you can fit in fries, mash and salad as well? That'll cost you an extra $5 for each one, or you can get all three for $10. You'll find The Bavarian at Chermside, The Barracks, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Robina, Broadbeach, Coomera, Mackay and Rockhampton in Queensland. And if you want to all that meat with German brews — which is understandable — you'll pay extra for the drinks.
When it comes to cellaring alcohol, it's important to remember that wine isn't the only player in town. 'Aged like a fine beer' might not be a common expression, but it's a helluva true one, and with the 2017 edition of the Coopers Vintage Ale, you'd be hard pressed to find a finer, tastier or more exciting place to start. Coopers' iconic limited release ales are a unique and hotly anticipated annual fixture for beer enthusiasts, and this year (for the first time in a decade) they've revised their distinctive grist recipe to produce an extraordinary crimson-red ale with an enriched malt flavour. Even better, thanks to the seeding of live yeast, the longevity of this fine ale is not only assured, but recommended. The Coopers Vintage Ale 2017 is designed to mature with time and evolve with distinctly different flavours. This isn't about the creation of new tastes; it's about change — the gentle fade of the initially prominent flavours in favour of those that grow bolder over time. So when and how should you enjoy the many stages of the Coopers Vintage Ale 2017 journey? Let us count the ways... YEAR ZERO: BAR SNACKS We're always being told to live in the now, so the first rule of cellaring beer is that at least one bottle should be consumed immediately after purchase. Not only does this have the obvious benefit of enjoying a fresh brew, it also gives you a baseline against which all your future tastings can compare. For the Coopers Vintage Ale 2017, that initial taste is going to be a tantalising combination of the bitter, aromatic hop varieties Denali and Calypso, which deliver a delicate spectrum of fruity aromas in these early days. That's why the intensity of a bowl of hot chips, stacked nachos or, even better, a full plate of poutine with chips, cheese curd, bacon and the works are the perfect balancing points for the beer's initial strong and vibrant characteristics. Enjoy these in the comfort of home or head out to one of the pubs currently offering the vintage ale on tap. YEAR TWO: INDIAN FOOD Flavour isn't fixed; it's constantly evolving, which is why the cellaring experience is such a joy. Early in its life, the ale boasts distinct pineapple and pear characteristics, alongside pine and citrus notes that all finish with a respectable level of bitterness. But after two years in the vault, that bitterness will have eased off just enough to make an Indian dish the perfect meal with which to partner it. That's because hop flavours blend so seamlessly with Indian staple spices like tamarind and coriander, at first amplifying them, then helping to ease. YEAR FIVE: MEXICAN EATS Like a caterpillar in its chrysalis, by year five Coopers' 2017 vintage will be well and truly in a state of transformation. Its early, fruity, estery flavours and initial bitterness have at last begun to mellow, giving way to rich, sweet, caramel-like characters, and it's that very caramelisation of malts that works so perfectly with a hearty Mexican dish heavy on the meat. Why? Because Mexican dishes are basically the beer's food equivalent: they're a delicious blend of caramels and citrus that deliver light and dark flavours all at once. It's hard to go wrong with Mexican, but we'd suggest pairing your drink with pork or beef tacos with extra chilli, coriander and queso fresco, then drizzled with a little lime. YEAR EIGHT: CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE Sometimes pairing food with a drink is all about counterpoints and balance. Other times, it's about complimenting and amplifying. At the year eight stage of the vintage beer's maturation, there could be no better time to indulge in the rich malt, honey and dry nutty characteristics arising from its special blend of caramalt. From that blend, Coopers Vintage Ale 2017 not only gets its bold malty flavours, but also its fine and creamy head. Nothing could go better with flavours and feel like that than decadent desserts of toffee, chocolate and cheese. For starters, try pairing it with ginger-spiced chocolate truffles, allowing the malt to accentuate the caramel of the milk chocolate and the hops to intensify the spice. As for cheese, an aged Gouda will bring out the best of the beer's rich malt, dried dark fruit character and deep caramel flavours. YEAR TEN: RED, RED MEAT The time has come. The sands have emptied from the hourglass, and at long last the vintage ale you cellared in 2017 now celebrates its big tenth birthday. What began as a bitter, full-bodied hop profile now has a mature, enriched malt flavour running deep with notes of caramel and toffee. This is no time for snacks and finger food. The time has come for firing up the flames and getting your grill on, because now all that can match the glory of the ten-year-old Coopers Vintage Ale 2017 is a big, fat, juicy steak. The caramelised crust on the meat will accentuate the beer's matured taste, while the now diminished hop and bitterness will subtly complement the meal's savoury side. A limited number of the 2017 Coopers Vintage Ale cartons have been released, so get to stocking your cellar quickly. Otherwise, you can find the vintage available on tap at a few key venues in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and beyond. Find your closest pub serving the brew here.
When Disney revealed that it was moving into streaming, it also announced a slew of high-profile titles designed to keep everyone's eyes glued to the company's new platform. Naturally, that included Marvel, with a number of new Disney+ series commissioned to broaden out the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you loved Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Vision (Paul Bettany) and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) on the big screen, you'll now get to enjoy more of each in a variety of spinoff shows. So far, in typical Mouse House style, details have been kept close to Disney's chest. We know that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and WandaVision are due to release later in 2020, with Loki set to follow in 2021. Thanks to their titles, we obviously also know who they're about. And, we know that they'll all star the familiar faces that brought the characters to big-screen fame — and that they'll each run for six episodes apiece. Broadly, we know the premise for each series, too. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will take place after the aforementioned huge blockbuster, following its eponymous characters as they team up in the aftermath. As for WandaVision, it's a sitcom-style series exploring the home lives of Wanda and Vision, although there's undoubtedly more to it. And when Loki hits next year, it'll see the God of Mischief return — and it'll be set after Endgame. Until now, however, we haven't seen any footage from any of the three shows — but, during this year's Super Bowl, Marvel dropped its first sneak peek. The company released a combined teaser for the trio of series, so there's still not much in the way of substantial detail. That said, if you've been hanging out to see what's in store post-Avengers: Endgame, a quick glimpse is better than nothing. Check out the teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=62EB4JniuTc&feature=emb_logo The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and WandaVision will hit Disney+ sometime later in 2020, with Loki due to premiere in 2021 — we'll update you with release dates when they're announced.
They've been making ace threads for almost two decades, and now they're making a spot in Sydney their own. Jumping from the shelves of other stores to their bricks-and-mortar outlet, denim label Ksubi has set up shop in Paddington. While they've dabbled in their own retail outlets in the past, the new digs mark the brand's only current stand-alone store in the world. Opening its doors at 130 Oxford Street as part of the designer boutique-filled The Intersection shopping precinct, the new Ksubi store turns 250 square metres into a minimalist, monochromatic space for their full clothing collection, plus YSL frames and Henson jewellery. On the shelves, think distressed denim jeans, jackets, cut-off shorts and skirts aplenty, obviously. Interior design-wise, think industrial-esque touches that evoke Ksubi's unfussy style. Indeed, inside eager shoppers will find white neon lighting, flat black fixtures, raw concrete floors, and an array of very memorable magenta change rooms complete with defaced doors. Plus, Ksubi's new digs also feature a number of permanent installations by commissioned artists. Find Ksubi at 130 Oxford Street, Paddington, or head to their website for further information.
A film festival dedicated to American films? Bear with us here. Sure, Hollywood pumps out most of the movies that reach our screens, but don't expect to see superheroes battling for supremacy, transforming robotic cars saving the world or an endless parade of sequels at Essential Independents: American Cinema, Now. Instead, the brand new event is dedicated to the types of US flicks that don't usually make it to our shores. Here, smaller titles and character-driven fare share the spotlight with experimental efforts, intriguing docos and the kind of classics that you won't find on every retro lineup. Think revisionist westerns featuring gun-slinging gals and explorations of important American artists, plus the chance to see early work by the Coen brothers, Kathryn Bigelow, Richard Linklater and Sofia Coppola in a cinema. It's a real celebration of the other side of American filmmaking, and the source of the usual festival dilemma: choosing what to see. If you're having a tough time picking the best of the bunch, we're here to help. Here's our five top films you won't want to miss. THE FITS Fleet footwork might feature prominently, but The Fits isn't just another dance movie. And, while it chronicles an 11-year-old girl's attempt to find her way in the world, it isn't the usual coming-of-age effort either. Instead, the striking debut from emerging talent Anna Rose Holmer blends both — as well as an intimate look at housing estate living, an understanding of the struggles of being a tomboy approaching womanhood, and an enigmatic mystery — into one unique package. If the sensitive story at the centre of the film doesn't win you over, then Holmer's fluid yet fresh style of filmmaking will. THE KEEPING ROOM Since first coming into prominence in low-key sci-fi effort Another Earth, Brit Marling has proven one of the American indie scene's most intriguing figures. Audiences either love her or don't quite know what to make of her — but whether she's co-writing and starring in Sound of My Voice and The East, or featuring in I, Origins, she's always interesting. The Keeping Room provides her latest fascinating role, this time pairing up with Pitch Perfect 2's Hailee Steinfeld and rising star Muna Otaru. Together, they explore the plight of women left behind during the American civil war, and offer up a female-centric take on one of the most masculine of movie genres. (T)ERROR True crime fans, rejoice. And then prepare to be thrilled, shocked and even a little horrified. (T)ERROR is the first documentary to thrust audiences right into the thick of the action, with filmmakers Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe on the ground with the FBI during an active counterterrorism operation. Yes, it's as tense as it sounds — but it is also equally revelatory. The informant at the centre doesn't just let viewers in on secret phone calls and meetings, but exposes the murky procedures followed and questionable decisions made in the name of security. SIXTY SIX Making an animated movie is a massive task; however it doesn't normally take 13 years. But that's how long Lewis Klahr spent crafting Sixty Six — and evidence of his hard work is obvious in every image. Using bits and pieces from '50s and '60s comic books, advertising and pulp novels to tell stories steeped in Greek mythology, the end result looks like an art film in every sense of the word. Unravelling over 12 episodes, it's a true collage of sound and vision, a portrait of a time period and a bit of a road trip. It's the kind of experimental feature that really doesn't come around very often. RIVER OF GRASS Before Kelly Reichardt explored the companionship only a pet can bring in Wendy and Lucy, delved into the western genre in Meek's Cutoff and contemplated eco-activism in Night Moves — and brought Michelle Williams, Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart together for her recent Sundance hit Certain Women, too — she spun a story of social isolation and disconnection in the Florida suburbs. More than two decades later, her debut feature River of Glass has been gloriously restored for all the world to see. If you only see one retrospective title at this year's festival, make it this one. Essential Independents: American Cinema, Now runs from May 17 to June 8, and will visit Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide. For the full program, visit the festival website.
Nothing gets you out of a winter funk like a weekend away, and the crisp mountain air of Leura is particularly up to the task. This picturesque town, just two hours west of Sydney on the train, puts you at the doorstep of all the outdoor adventures of the Blue Mountains while nailing the kind of cosy indoor culture that wraps you in a big warm hug at the end of the day. Set up home base at the very scenic Fairmont Resort and Spa Blue Mountains, and spend your days trekking along ancient trails and your nights indulging in hearty meals, local wines and fireside chat. Here's our guide to a winter short stay in the area. EAT AND DRINK After the journey in, your first stop in Leura should be for a little sustenance. Fortunately, the cafe culture here is another part of what makes this town a winter dream. Among the best cafes in the region, the hidden Lily's Pad Cafe has just-baked breads and cakes — including gluten-free options aplenty — along with homemade toppings like chutneys, jams and curds. The courtyard is covered, heated and, best of all, dog-friendly. On Leura's main street, the leafy Red Door Cafe is a standout for healthy eating, with organic coffees and freshly squeezed juices. For eats, we're all about the zucchini and feta fritters, served with cumin yoghurt and mesclun salad, as well as the smoked rainbow trout with rocket and lentil salad, all topped with a poached egg. View-seekers should head to Solitary, set in a 100-year-old cottage overlooking the valley. Its fireplace makes this an ideal sanctuary after a winter's hike through the nearby Leura Cascades. For fireside dining in the evening, look no further than the appropriately named Embers restaurant at the Fairmont Resort and Spa. Enjoy views over the Jamison Valley along with the soundtrack of crackling flames and the flavours of a classic beef brisket given a contemporary twist. Back in town, unassuming North Indian restaurant Tamarin offers some serious eats in the most unlikely of places, just across from the station. The samosas trump most in Australia, as does its samosa chaat — a smashed and dressed version. For a dinner to remember, book yourself a table at the award-winning Leura Garage. Set in a repurposed mechanic's workshop (hence the name), the environmentally conscious restaurant focuses on locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. We suggest going with the surprisingly affordable tasting menu, which includes plenty of winter warmers, like 12-hour braised lamb shoulder and truffle mashed potatoes. Accompanying drops come from NSW wine regions like Orange and Mudgee. Your wine journey doesn't have to stop at dinner. Meander down the street to bar and bistro Bon Ton for after-dinner drinks. For winter, sip a martini in the protected comfort of the enclosed terrace. For a nightcap, stop in at the Sublime Lounge, another fire-warmed space within the Fairmont Resort and Spa. Their signature cocktail is the Berry Sublime, designed to evoke the nearby orchards with its mix of strawberry, tequila, lime, mint and an unexpected dash of white balsamic. DO If this isn't your first rodeo in the Blue Mountains, chances are you've already frequented the landmarks of Three Sisters and Wentworth Falls. And that's fine, because the region has much more to offer, with a seemingly endless number of bushwalks, lookouts, caves and valleys to explore. For a different mountain view, check out Evans Lookout, 20 minutes' drive away in Blackheath, then continue on the steep clifftop walk to Govetts Leap. If you'd rather a more leisurely stroll (and one walking distance from town), Leura Cascades is a serene canopy walk through tall eucalyptus trees. Take a short trek along the rapids on Leura Falls Creek down to Bridal Veil Falls and Leura Falls. Several walks can be accessed from here, including the Fern Bower Circuit, Echo Point and Leura Forest. Feeling like a serious adventure? Then book yourself into an abseiling and canyoning day trip. A few businesses in nearby Katoomba run tours, including the Australian School of Mountaineering and the Blue Mountains Adventure Company. They'll have you abseiling waterfalls and trekking through ancient crevices and canyons. For a more leisurely level of activity, stroll the boutiques along Leura Mall and do a spot of shopping at the likes of Quidditas General Store. If you visit during the first Sunday of the month, you can also hit Leura's flea market for everything from jewellery, clothes and homewares to local eats. For a full dose of the quirky and quaint history Leura is known for, drop by the Leuralla Toy & Railway Museum, Bygone Beautys' Teapot Museum or the National Trust property Everglades Gardens. In what might be the high tea capital of Australia, the latter two are good spots to partake. Once night falls, take a short drive over to Blackheath to catch an indie film at Mount Vic Flicks. The renovated 1930s movie theatre makes for a relaxing night out and offers house-baked treats. STAY While Leura offers an array of accommodation options, the Fairmont Resort and Spa Blue Mountains is an enduring classic. The hotel's boutique rooms and suites are individually decorated for that personalised touch, while its public spaces offer sweeping views across the Jamison Valley. It's close to the Leura Cascades, Inspiration and Sublime Points, and Empress, Gordon and Wentworth Falls, so you're well situated for many of the region's best hikes and treks. Taking time to relax within the vast gardens and grounds should also be on the itinerary. The resort houses a golf club, four luxury restaurants and a lounge. The new Ubika Day Spa opens on August 13, so now's your chance to be one of the first to lie across their massage tables and be pampered with local organic iKOU products. Don't miss the resort's signature high tea, where your miniature cakes and sandos come with a pretty spectacular view. A perfect preformed weekender comes in the shape of the MGallery Memorable Moment package, which includes one night accommodation, a full buffet breakfast and a wilderness experience for two. At the heart of the getaway is a four-hour bushwalk led by a tour guide dedicated to reconnecting you with nature — an experience exclusive to the Fairmont Resort and Spa. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in Leura, and to discover more of regional NSW, check out Visit NSW.
When you've already announced Bad Feminist author Roxane Gay as one of your keynote speakers, what comes next? At the 2024 Festival of Dangerous Ideas, the conversation will flow from being a serial dissenter to the smartphone backlash, propaganda and censorship, giving kids the right to vote and taking on the one percent, then also cover tackling inequality, the myths surrounding women's health and humanity's need to find meaning through god-like figures. The just-dropped program for the Sydney fest, which will take over Carriageworks for two days from Saturday, August 24–Sunday, August 25, is filled with exactly what an event dedicated to crucial and complex topics demands: a wide-ranging lineup of boundary-pushing talks where hopping from one session from the next means jumping between a vast array of subject matter. [caption id="attachment_962706" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reginald Cunningham[/caption] Under Festival Director Danielle Harvey, FODI has curated its 2024 roster around the theme of 'sanctuary'. For Harvey, this also means giving attendees a place to dig into sometimes-weighty, sometimes-provocative matters. "At a time when we are surrounded by bad ideas and bad faith, where information is cheap and shallow, we need a place people can come and be curious together and be inspired. A space safe from hype. Safe to listen and ask questions. A space with real experts from all disciplines," Harvey said, announcing the event's 2024 program. "Festival of Dangerous Ideas is here to be that space. The lineup won't please everybody (it never does!) and nor does it aim to. But it will be good for everyone. What FODI offers is a precious moment in real time with 87 thought leaders and creatives who will bring you next-level discussion, likely some disagreement and definitely some hope. Learning more about the world we are making and unmaking is a thrill, and I can't wait for you to discover new ideas and thinkers over one massive weekend of danger." [caption id="attachment_963054" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Damon Winter/ The New York Times[/caption] Joining Gay among the 16 international guests presenting keynotes are US psychologist Jean Twenge, which is where diving into the impact of handheld devices comes in; journalist and writer Masha Gessen, who'll explore the ways that narratives about conflicts are controlled; and David Runciman to give the Christopher Hitchens Oration on the topic "votes for six-year-olds". Plus, Megan Phelps-Roper of Unfollow fame will team up with Andy Mills from The New York Times' The Daily and Rabbit Hole to dig into the impact of their podcast The Witch Trials of JK Rowling — and Jen Gunter has her sights set on the poor medical care women can be subjected to. Elsewhere, academic Saree Makdis will examine the west's response to the conflict in the Middle East, economists John N Friedman and Richard Holden will chat through ideas for increasing upward social mobility, The Next Frontier academic Todd Fernando will hone in on Indigenous excellence and The End of Race Politics' Coleman Hughes will be a guest on Josh Szeps' Uncomfortable Conversations. Attendees can also hear sustainability professor Jem Bendell step through how civilisation is already collapsing, philosopher David Benatar dive into the ethics of having children and comedian David Baddiel deliver the first John Caldon Provocation on how the need for god to give life substance disproves the deity's existence. [caption id="attachment_963055" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sandy Huffaker for The New York Times[/caption] The lineup goes on, whether you're keen for a session featuring Jordan van den Berg, aka renter advocate Purple Pingers, on why the one percent should be afraid — or chats about the new breed of world leaders, the price of democracy, public forgiveness, artificial and transplanted wombs, positive masculinity, peer pressure making us sick or individualism. If you can't attend or won't be in Sydney, some sessions will be livestreamed. For those heading along in person, perhaps you'd like to hear from Talk to Me's Danny Philippou about his favourite horror film and why we're all fascinated with fear, then crawl through a tape installation by Austrian and Croatian artists and designers Numen / For Use, then watch a jailbreak experiment by performance collective re:group, too? Yes, across what promises to be a busy weekend, they're all also on the program as well. The 2024 Festival of Dangerous Ideas runs from Saturday, August 24–Sunday, August 25 at Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, with select sessions livestreamed. To peruse the full program, and to buy in-person festival tickets from 7am on Wednesday, June 26 — with livestream tickets available in August — visit the festival website. Festival of Dangerous Ideas images: Jodie Barker, Ken Leanfore and Yaya Stempler.
With a new TED Talk posted every weekday, there is certainly no shortage of brilliance shared on the TED site. We are regularly amazed by the genius and passion of the thought leaders who grace the stage at ideas conference. Here, we have rounded up seven of the best TED Talks delivered in 2012 thus far. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GZadCj8O1-0 'The $8 Billion iPod' by Rob Reid Reid delivers an enlightening look at 'copyright math' (TM), a new field of study that analyzes the state of the entertainment industry based on numbers from entertainment lawyers and lobbyists. https://youtube.com/watch?v=fWInyaMWBY8 'Why I Must Speak Out About Climate Change' by James Hanson Climate scientist Hanson tells of his involvement in the debate over global climate change, revealing and outlining his intense worry about the future of the planet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=c0KYU2j0TM4 'The Power of Introverts' by Susan Cain Cain points out the shamefulness society has assigned to introverts, prizing outgoing qualities and overlooking the immense talents introverts can offer. https://youtube.com/watch?v=c2tOp7OxyQ8 'We Need to Talk About an Injustice' by Bryan Stevenson Stevenson reveals difficult truths about the American justice system, challenging racial discrimination in the criminal justice system, as well as social apathy towards the issue. https://youtube.com/watch?v=2MYsx6WArKY 'Religion, Evolution and the Ecstasy of Self-Transcendence" by Jonathan Haidt Psychologist Haidt explores the human fascination with self-transcendence, hypothesizing on the scientific reasoning behind our obsession with 'losing ourselves'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4ErEBkj_3PY 'Robots That Fly...And Cooperate' by Vijay Kumar Within his University of Pennsylvania lab, Kumar has been building small robots that fly, sense each other, and form teams autonomously. Like a flock of birds, these multi-robot formations possess control and coordination, which Kumar studies in this talk. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BltRufe5kkI 'Abundance is Our Future' by Peter Diamandis With all the doom and gloom talk of our civilisation's fate, Diamandis' optimism stands in stark contrast. Diamandis makes the case that, as a civilisation, we are capable of inventing innovations to cope with our changing world. He believes that we can, and will, conquer the challenges facing humanity today.
Before there was The John Butler Trio, Ash Grunwald and Xavier Rudd, there was Jeff Lang. He’s an old school talent with a discography to rival all the upstarts currently cramping his style and stealing Triple J airtime from him. To celebrate the release of his new album Carried in Mind, he will be performing in his distinctive style at the Judith Wright Centre this Saturday. His many years on the scene have resulted in a reputation that precedes him and you can be sure that his performance will involve a soulful evening of guitar, acoustic melodies and unique lyrics. In fact, it has been said that seeing Mr Lang is a religious experience of sorts, which makes you ponder, would you rather chat with God on a Sunday morning or a Saturday evening? His new album Carried in Mind is a metaphor for life, with each song created to tell individual parts of a life story. It features a cacophony of emotions meant to cause reflection on the current human condition. So catch a preview of his new work live, and wake up with your existence feeling rejuvenated on Sunday morning.
Celebrated chef Matt Moran is already one of the most significant players in the Australian hospitality scene, running accomplished Sydney restaurants like Aria, Chiswick, Barangaroo House, North Bondi Fish and the always-busy House Canteen at Opera Bar, as well as Brisbane's Riverbar & Kitchen. Now, Moran is spreading his footprint beyond Australia and partnering with Marriott International to take over the kitchen at two luxury resorts in Fiji. Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay and Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort will now both boast his signature farm-to-table ethos and hearty modern cooking from March until August this year. The Tatavu Grill & Bar at the newly-refurbished Sheraton resort offers guests a luxury barefoot dining experience and the kitchen crew cooking over a multi-level open vertical grill, while Fish Bar at Marriott's Momi Bay resort serves up panoramic ocean views alongside a menu that will pull from both land and sea, experimenting with local meat and seafood paired with flavoured Fijian salt. [caption id="attachment_889838" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fish Bar[/caption] "Fiji offers an exciting canvas to create something truly special with the freshest line caught seafood and an abundance of fresh vegetables and lush tropical fruits," says Moran, who will also be hosting a pair of culinary events to celebrate the takeovers. On Tuesday, March 21, he'll be popping-up at Tatavu, before travelling to Fish Bar the night after. For both occasions, guests will enjoy a three-course dinner showcasing highlights from the new menus, hosted by the chef. [caption id="attachment_889840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort[/caption] "I love teaching people about food and how pure, fresh ingredients, treated simply, are the basis for creating extraordinary dining experiences and I know that Marriott International Fiji aligns with this philosophy," Moran says. The takeover will run until Thursday, August 31 and is open to guests at both resorts. The one-off dinners hosted by Matt Moran are available to book for 399 Fijian dollars or around $260AUD. [caption id="attachment_889841" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tatavu Grill & Bar[/caption] Matt Moran will take over the kitchens at Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay and Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort from Thursday, March 23 until Thursday, August 31. 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.
If your adventures have taken you to Melbourne's Westgate Park in the past few weeks, then you might've noticed something a little unusual. The lake has turned a pretty shade of pink. And, before you ask, no, it's not a Mother's Day thing. Nor is it fairies. In fact, the change in colour is due to a bunch of factors all happening at once, namely: lots of salt, lots of sunlight, hot temperatures and a lack of rain. The lake bed is covered in salt crust and, when matters get extra salty, the algae growing there creates beta carotene during photosynthesis. Beta carotene is a red-orange pigment, contained in carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mangoes and papayas, among other fruits and veggies. The pink salt water lake at Westgate Park (6 May 2018). . . #pinklake #saltwaterlake #saltwater #westgatepark #pink #pinkwater #algalbloom #melbourne #australia A post shared by Isaac Borthwick (@isaac.b.photo) on May 15, 2018 at 4:42am PDT In the case of Westgate Park Lake, the beta carotene has seeped into the water, giving it a somewhat magical look. This is not the first time the phenomenon has happened — you've probably seen it pop up on Instagram before — but it has stuck around for longer than usual this year. Given that the pinkness is a natural event, neither Parks Victoria nor we can tell you how long it's going to last, but it will probably start to fade as winter hits. If you're keen to take a peek, then find it on the eastern banks of Yarra River at Fishermans Bend. It's closest to Port Melbourne on one side and Yarraville on the other, and is most easily accessed by car or bus (take the 235 from the city or 606 from Elsternwick/St Kilda). Just note that Parks Victoria asks that visitors stick to official paths and avoid poking around the lake's edge. Although it might look tempting in these images, definitely do not swim in the water. Unlike the water, it will not be pretty.
I love the idea of growing my own food. The problem is, I’m one of those people who only has to look at a plant for it to turn into an aphid colony. I’m pretty convinced Indira Naidoo is a magician fronting as a journo and gardener of edible balconies. If you know what I’m talking about, here’s some good news. A couple of graduates from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have created a personal farm that you can grow in your kitchen. And they know it works because they’ve already been providing home-grown veg to their college friends. Named ‘The Grove’, the farm looks a bit like a trendy hutch. It’s actually comprised of plant modules stacked on top of one another. A fish tank is included to provide nutrients. You don’t need any soil, because growth happens through aquaponics. But you do need to know how to work a smartphone. The ‘Grove OS’ enables users to monitor and control variables such as pH levels, moisture and temperature, as well as buy plants. All you have to do is swipe through and click on any vegetable, herb or fruit that catches your eye. “Farming — how we feed our growing and urbanising population — is a big problem on so many levels,” says Grove Labs CEO Gabe Blanchet. “A fundamental shift in culture enabled by powerful but simple technology, is the solution we, as humans, desperately need.” Pre-orders are available online. Via PSFK.
A ride in one of London's famous black cabs is on every tourist's must-do list, but for locals and visitors alike, they're about to get a whole lot busier. Five years after obtaining a license to operate in the UK capital, ride-sharing alternative Uber has been told that its permit won't be renewed when it expires at the end of September. In a statement, transport regulator Transport for London has announced that they will not be granting the company a new private hire operator licence after concluding "that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper" to operate according to its regulations. Specifically, "TfL considers that Uber's approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications." The government body raised particular concerns about Uber's approach to background checks and reporting serious criminal offences, as well as its use of "software that could be used to block regulatory bodies from gaining full access to the app and prevent officials from undertaking regulatory or law enforcement duties." Uber, which boasts more than 40,000 drivers in London, has 21 days to appeal the decision. The company will be allowed to continue operating until the appeals process has been completed. Unsurprisingly, in a city where the ride-sharing app is used by more than 3.5 million passengers, Uber hasn't taken the news lightly, responding that "London is closed to innovative companies who bring choice to consumers," according to the ABC. No stranger to regulatory woes, the current situation follows in the footsteps of similar troubles in other places around the globe — from withdrawing from Denmark and having its apps blocked in Italy, to struggling with the necessary reforms in the Northern Territory following an earlier ban and facing tougher legislation in Queensland. Via the ABC.
In good news for people who hate spending more than ten seconds on a single task, you can now get personalised contents insurance with just one swipe. A new app named Trōv has just launched in Australia, and it allows you to insure individual items quickly, painlessly and potentially without even having to ask your parents for help. It's being described by media outlets as the 'Tinder of insurance', which is honestly quite ridiculous as the only similarity between the two apps is the generic swiping motion and the fact you access it on your smartphone. But despite the fact that the app can't offer you a date for Friday night, Trōv is pretty cool. The app allows you to insure individual items against damage, loss and theft on-demand. So you add your valuables to your account (at the moment they're just insuring common electronics), choose your excess, and — much like switching Wi-Fi on and off — 'turn on' protection for that particular item. You can 'turn off' protection in the same way as well. Insuring individual items means that you don't need to take out a hella expensive blanket contents insurance plan just to cover the one or two things you own that actually have monetary worth. And, during periods when you're not using your gear or it's packed away safely, you can turn insurance off to save some moolah. Best of all, it's a good alternative to not insuring any of your stuff and simply praying that the God of small things is a merciful one. Another concession to the tech generation is the claims process, which can be started by sending a text. It's not quite at the level of ordering takeaway with an emoji but it's certainly better than being on hold with an insurance claims operator for ten hours. The San Fransisco start-up behind Trōv have obviously tried to understand the way Gen Y use technology and apply it to something we largely don't understand: insurance. According to The Age, Trōv has gained $US39 million in funding so far, which includes $US5 million from Australian insurance company Suncorp — hence the Australian launch. It will expand to the UK later this year, and the US in 2017. Trōv can currently only insure electronics and appliances, but is working to add more options to their repertoire. In the meantime, you can insure some of the most precious items we have: our laptops and phones. They're the bringers of GoT, memes and UberEATS, after all.
The famed works of artists like Monet, Renoir and Pissarro are set to make their way down under, with the Art Gallery of South Australia announcing it'll host a major French Impressionism exhibition curated by Paris' Musée d'Orsay. Featuring over 65 world-celebrated Impressionist works from the French museum's collection, Colours of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay will grace the gallery's Elder Wing from March 29 to July 29, 2018. Exploring the use of colour throughout the Impressionist movement, the exhibition is set to serve up a pretty sensational visual feast. Expect the luminous tones of Monet's La Pie (The Magpie), the rich blues and greens of Cézanne's French countryside imagery and the moody hues of Manet's Spanish-influenced pieces, alongside scores of other innovative nineteenth century masterpieces. With many of the works having never before travelled to the southern hemisphere, Colours of Impressionism is a huge coup for the Aussie art world, with director Nick Mitzevich calling it "the most important exhibition ever to be shown at the Art Gallery of South Australia." As the state's Premier and Arts Minister Jay Weatherill notes, "the works of artists such as Monet and Cézanne, for example, are so well regarded that this exhibition is bound to be very popular among Australians who would welcome the chance to see such an extensive display of Impressionist works in their own backyard." Colours of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay will exhibit at the Art Gallery of South Australia from Thursday, March 29 to Sunday, July 29, 2018. For more information, visit the gallery website. Image: Claude Monet, The Water Lilies Pond, pink harmony, 1900, oil on canvas, 90 x 100 cm, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France, ©photo Musée d'Orsay / rmn
It has been six months since The Handmaid's Tale dropped its first teaser for its upcoming fourth season, which, like plenty of other things this year, was postponed until 2021. But, even though new episodes won't bless screens this year, fans of the dystopian series can rejoice at the latest news — because the show has just been renewed for a fifth season. Yes, even though The Handmaid's Tale's fourth season won't air until sometime next year, it already has an extra batch of episodes beyond that locked in. The news was announced as part of Disney's big 2020 Investor Day, because the Mouse House owns a majority stake in Hulu, the US streaming platform that produces the series. That means that audiences can look forward to more time with the show's protagonist, June (Elisabeth Moss), following season three's cliffhanger ending. And, it means more of the series' oh-so-relevant dialogue that's full of lines that feel like they could be said today, in reality, in everyday life. Using a deeply dystopian scenario to reflect the modern world has always been one of the acclaimed, award-winning series' strengths, of course. It was true of Margaret Atwood's 1985 book that started it all, too, and it doesn't look likely to change on-screen anytime soon. So, this tale of rebellion and revolution isn't anywhere near done yet. Toppling a totalitarian society that's taken over the former United States, tearing down its oppression of women under the guise of 'traditional values', and fighting for freedom and equality doesn't happen quickly, after all. If you're wondering what's in store next, June is set to strike back against Gilead and become a fierce rebel leader in season four — but, like everything in this series, that comes with risks and challenges. Obviously a sneak peek of The Handmaid's Tale's fifth season isn't available yet, and won't be until after its fourth season both airs and finishes – but you can watch (or rewatch) the season four trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WLqBUi4r6o The fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit screens in 2021 — on SBS in Australia — and we'll update you with further details when they're announced. The show's fifth season will air sometime after that, likely in 2022.
When Nathan Sasi isn't cooking up a storm as the head chef at inner-city fine-dining restaurant Mercado, he's overseeing Good Times Artisan Ice Cream. When he's not doing that, he's collaborating with Lynx and designer Felix Chan to design accessories for Lynx's Find Your Magic collection. That's quite a number of hats to wear. And that's what makes him Sydney's renaissance man – he's clever, detail-focused, enthusiastic and can take on as many projects as he likes. He gets things done, and he gets them done well. Whether he's working in the kitchen, whipping up imaginative flavours in his ice cream shop or dabbling in the sartorial world, Sasi's entire existence focuses on showcasing his own personal style. We wondered, how does he balance so many projects? And how does he ensures that he expresses his individuality in everything he does? "You have to be passionate," he says. "Having a sense of confidence – not arrogance – with your style helps you pull of your look." Whether it's fashion, food, or life in general, Sasi says your style has to suit your personality. He says being passionate about what you do helps you to be persistent and reach your goals, and it also helps with the ability to juggle several different projects somewhat easier, or at least worthwhile. "Just go for it," is the advice he followed when it came to realising his childhood dream of selling everyone's favourite frozen sweet treat at Good Times. "Growing up I actually wanted to be a dentist or a lawyer," Sasi notes. But, "I always dreamt of having my own ice cream parlour, really so I could have an endless supply of ice cream." Sasi didn't just dream big though. He was also practical and thorough, and knew what worked best for him. His two food-focused roles are all about perfecting every element of the eating experience in a creative and unique way, from the Spanish-style dishes available at the former to hand-made ice cream served at the latter. "Becoming a chef was something I knew I was going to work towards actually becoming," he advises. "Once I developed my style of cooking with learning the art of making everything from scratch — charcuterie, cheese, vinegars, you name it — I knew that I wanted to extend that outside of the kitchen and typical restaurant setting. That's where the dream of really owning an ice cream parlour came about." [caption id="attachment_586645" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Sasi's collaboration with Lynx.[/caption] It was while he was waiting for Mercado to come to fruition that Good Times became a reality, with Sasi forging ahead — or just going for it — when the opportunity arose. "I was waiting for the build of Mercado Restaurant to be completed, and with time up my sleeve and a vacant space in a prime location in Potts Point, I decided I would give it a crack," he says. Give it a crack, he did. Good Times made a splash as soon as it opened its doors back in February. Sasi makes all the bases from scratch with pure cream and milk rather than pre-made powered mixes, along with using top quality ingredients for the garnishes. He found his inner magic and infused it into Good Times — and it's that outlook that inspired Lynx to come calling for a collaboration. He often alters his own clothes to create a little uniqueness, saying "people own the right to express themselves through their fashion choices, through their accessories and personal style." His own look is a blend of "old school gentlemen with a touch of rock and roll," which shines through in his collaboration with Chan. The line of silk pocket squares, checked socks and patterned ties they've designed together doesn't just try to convey Sasi's particular style, but aims to share his way of looking at the world. "I think to some degree, cooking and fashion go hand in hand. Chefs are putting what they create with heart and soul onto a plate for restaurant reviewers and diners to critique, so they tend to just do what they love, what feels right — and don't fuss too much about what others think, providing they are doing what is true to them." "You learn early on that you aren't always going to please everyone, and I think the same goes with fashion," he says. "If we didn't take risks and love being creative in the kitchen then we probably wouldn't be chefs." Or in Sasi's case, chefs, ice cream parlour owners and accessory designers. The Find Your Magic collection is available to purchase at Men In This Town, all proceeds will go to I-Manifest.
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.
Introducing Live! Celebrating the ‘soundtrack of our state’, The State Library of Queensland is putting on a diverse exhibition of live performances and events to commemorate the bands and musicians that have helped shape Queensland since the 1800s. From now until September, the SLQ will be a hub of music fanaticism and wonderment. The State Library is turning itself into one massive music venue, with spaces being dedicated to live performance and art exhibitions. Each piece of this massive celebration relates to the notion that music has shaped our community immeasurably, due to the expression of ideas, the commentary on political ideals and the creation of new social values. Live music venues will be celebrated as iconic landmarks, musicians as cultural pioneers and their styles and sounds as the voices of new generations. There is simply too much happening at Live! to share here, so do yourself a favour and head on over to the SLQ Website for a closer look at all the installations, talks, exhibitions and events and immerse yourself in Queensland musical culture.
"I'm a muddler freak," laughs mixologist Tomas Vikario. He's talking, of course, about the bartenders' tool which is used to muddle or mash ingredients together at the bottom of a cocktail glass. (Tomas has an unhealthy collection of 20 muddlers; one is even custom-made). Concrete Playground's favourite cheeky mixologist is showing us how to make a simple summer cocktail that's easy to recreate in the comfort of your very own herb garden. (Or kitchen. We just couldn't resist making ours in the sunshine.) For Tomas, a muddler is an essential tool for a good mojito. Tomas has been a mixologist ever since a graphic design course drove him to drink*, over eighteen years ago. Born in Croatia and now living in Sydney, he first shared his passion and experience with CP for our first DIY cocktail recipe 'A Perrier Tea Break'. Today, Tomas shows us his fresh, fruity twist on the classic Cuban mojito. "I like to put a twist on every classic drink," Tomas tells us. "The Perrier Summer Berry Mojito actually improves with every sip – the mint, rum, berry and lime flavours become more intense as the ingredients have time to mingle together." And mingling at home with friends and Ernest Hemingway's tipple of choice is exactly what we fancy doing this summer. Here's how you can too. *Half true. Tomas assures us that the end of his graphics design career and the beginning of his passion for mixology has no correlation. Ingredients: 30ml lime juiceWhite cane sugarBlueberriesStrawberriesMint50ml Havana Club rumPerrier sparkling mineral water STEP 1 It's just not a mojito without that fine balance between sweet and sour. So to start, add two spoons of white cane sugar to a tall glass; Tomas suggests using a highball or Collins glass. (Too many friends, not enough highballs? Tomas has the answer for that one too: old jam jars or tin cans. Be sure to clean them out first, obviously. Take a look at the final image for an example.) STEP 2 Add 30ml of freshly-squeezed lime juice (that's the juice of approximately one lime). STEP 3 Add two chopped strawberries and six blueberries, before gently pressing the sugar, berries and lime together using a muddler. This extracts the juice and aromas of the fruit. STEP 4 Now add two stalks of fresh mint (approximately 10-15 mint leaves). Tomas recommends tapping or scrunching the mint before adding it to the glass, this helps to release the flavour and aroma of the herb. Muddle the ingredients together and try not to break the leaves – 0r the glass! STEP 5 Add 50ml of rum. Tomas uses Havana Club rum for that authentic Cuban taste. STEP 6 Using a long-handled spoon, stir in a few cubes of ice. STEP 7 Top up with more ice and add chilled Perrier sparkling mineral water for 100% natural, long-lasting bubbles. STEP 8 Decorate with a sprig of mint. Place a straw next to the mint for extra minty aroma as you drink. MIX IT UP: FLAVOUR VARIATIONS "People have so many childhood memories of eating mangoes – so it's a great alternative flavour instead of the berries," says Tomas. If you like the sound of a Perrier Mango Mojito or a Perrier Watermelon Mojito, simply replace strawberries and blueberries with half a small mango, or four cubes of watermelon. Or, try all three. ¡Qué rico!
At least once each summer we're lying spread-eagled under a fan, too hot to move and wishing there was a way to retrieve an iced treat without having to step out in the 42-degree heat. These days there are a lot of services that could deliver you a box of Icy Poles or a tub of Messina, but 7-Eleven have just completed the ultimate hot-day delivery — they delivered a Slurpee to a customer in Reno, Nevada by drone. This is pretty big news because not only is it absolutely heaven-sent to see a Slurpee coming at you slowly from the sky, but it's also the first completed drone delivery to a customer's home in the United States. The convenience store retail chain teamed up with local drone developers Flirtey to make the delivery, which comprised of Slurpees, a chicken sandwich, doughnuts, coffee and lollies. Solid haul. The drone delivery system in something that 7-Eleven hope to roll out across the world, but with new rules that will allow the operation of small drones coming into effect in the US next month, it looks like that's where they'll start. It means that the company could potentially start delivering goods to those who can't easily leave the house or need items urgently. It's been a big week on the drone delivery front. Over in the UK, Amazon just got approval from the government to start testing their drone delivery service after they decided to lift some strict flying restrictions. The test runs — which, up until now, have been done only in rural areas — will start immediately, and could deliver small packages to people in as little as 30 minutes. As for here at home, Australia Post is currently in the process of trialling drone technology for small parcel delivery. So we might see Slurpees in the sky sooner than you think. Via TechCrunch and The Telegraph.
In 2021, déjà vu and heading to the movies keep going hand in hand. Many of the big-name big-screen releases showing in cinemas this year were due to release last year, which means we've been hearing about them for a while — so, if you feel like first saw the trailer for sci-fi epic Dune quite some time ago, for instance, there's a very good reason for that. More than ten months after that first glimpse dropped, another trailer has just arrived. Unsurprisingly, it's sandy. And, once again, it teases a movie that's set to combine a beloved science fiction title, a star-studded cast and a Hans Zimmer score. Pairing up all three worked rather spectacularly in Blade Runner 2049, and now filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is hoping that it'll just turn out just as swimmingly with his Timothée Chalamet-, Oscar Isaac- and Zendaya-led version of Dune. In the latest adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, Chalamet (Little Women) plays Paul Atreides — son of Duke Leto Atreides (Isaac, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), who has just been given stewardship of the planet Arrakis. In this futuristic tale, Arrakis is the source of 'the spice', the most valuable substance in the universe. It's also home to a population of people known as the Fremen, as well as to giant sandworms, and it's known for being dangerous partly due to the latter. And, once Paul, Leto and Paul's mother Lady Jessica (Doctor Sleep's Rebecca Ferguson) move to the planet, it's the subject of a bitter battle with malicious forces over the spice trade. If all of the above sounds more than a bit familiar, that's because David Lynch brought Dune to the screen back in 1984, with his Kyle MacLachlan-starring movie becoming one one of the most unfairly maligned sci-fi films ever made. Fellow director Alejandro Jodorowsky also tried to make his own version — a feat that wasn't successful, sadly, but was explored in the excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune. Just how Villeneuve's take will fare is still yet to be seen, obviously, with the film initially due to hit cinemas Down Under on Boxing Day 2020, but now slated to release on October 21, 2021. But the French Canadian director has an impressive resume — see: Arrival, Sicario, Enemy, Prisoners and Incendies, just to name a few titles on his resume — and with Dune, he's clearly reaching for epic territory. Like the first trailer, the latest glimpse at the film makes that case quite heartily. As well as serving up plenty of Call Me By Your Name's Chalamet as the film's brooding hero, the sneak peek features sandy expanses aplenty, weighty chats with Isaac, and many a confrontation. And, a stellar cast that also includes Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame), Stellan Skarsgård (Chernobyl), Dave Bautista (Army of the Dead), Charlotte Rampling (Red Sparrow), Jason Momoa (Aquaman) and Javier Bardem (Everybody Knows), all getting caught up in a spice war. Check out the latest trailer below: Dune will release in Australian cinemas on October 21, 2021. Top image: Chiabella James. Copyright: © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Now that summer has dropped its anchor, it's time to fancy up your cocktail making and shaking skills. And, as many a pro mixologist would tell you, this doesn't mean manufacturing a whole new wheel. Your best bet is to rehabilitate a classic, but give it a subtle modification or two. After all, if a beverage has made its way through the years better than Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire', then surely we owe it our utmost respect. Here are three renovated cocktails to whip up at pool parties, languid beachy gatherings and festivals before January has slipped away. BEACHY DAYS: THE JAMAICAN STORMY The spicy, refreshing Jamaican Stormy is made for long evenings on – or near – the sand, whether you're camping or kicking back in a beachfront house. It's an evolution of the Moscow Mule, a vodka-ginger beer-lime combo that was invented in Hollywood in the early '40s and soon became the go-to drink at L.A. beach parties. In this concoction, the vodka is replaced with rum for a deeper flavour profile. Line up 1 part Appleton Estate V/X, 2 parts spicy ginger beer, 3 lime wedges and 1 dash Angostura bitters (optional). Squeeze the limes into a highball glass, pressing them with a muddler. Add ice, build in the remaining ingredients and give it a gentle stir. The more fiery the ginger beer, the better. POOL PARTIES: THE ESTATE DAIQUIRI Ernest Hemingway had one named after him. John F. Kennedy drank a few on the night he was elected president. The daiquiri, which, as far as we know, was first incarnated in Cuba in the 1890s, is one of the world's most-ordered drinks. Its sweet-and-sour easy drinkability makes it perfect for summer pool parties. In this recipe, the addition of Appleton's versatile Estate Reserve creates an especially smooth version. Take 1½ parts Appleton Estate Reserve, 1 part fresh lime juice and 1/6 part simple syrup. Pop them in a cocktail shaker with ice, give it a good shake and strain into a chilled Coupette glass. Add a twist of orange peel for garnish. POST-FESTIVAL NIGHT CAP: THE ESTATE OLD FASHIONED The Old Fashioned's unique combination of class and comfort makes it the ideal post-festival night cap. According to Slate gentleman and scholar Tory Patterson, the Old Fashioned is at once "the manliest cocktail order" and "something your grandmother drank." Having been around since 1806, it's one of the oldest cocktails on record, which means all kinds of wondrous variations have emerged. Here, the Old Fashioned is served premium-style, with the inclusion of Appleton's indulgent rare blend 12-year-old. You'll need 2½ parts Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old, 1/2 part sugar syrup, 2 dash Angostura bitters and 2 dash orange bitters. Put all ingredients in a mixing glass with a large cube of ice. Stir quickly until the glass frosts, then strain into an Old Fashioned glass, over a large block of ice or an ice sphere. Add orange peel for garnish.
He was cast as Aquaman before Jason Momoa. He starred in a reimagined version of The Great Gatsby directed by Martin Scorsese. He played Pablo Escobar in a big crime epic as well — and if you're currently wondering just who fits the bill, it's Entourage's protagonist Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier). Of course, all of the above is purely fiction. Still, as loosely based on Mark Wahlberg's own journey from his everyday life to the Hollywood A-list, Entourage takes Vinnie on quite the ride. The eight-series comedy-drama chronicles all the details, including not just its central figure's many exploits in show business, but also those of his older brother and fellow actor Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon), plus his childhood pals Eric (Kevin Connolly) and Turtle (Jerry Ferrara). The show is called Entourage, after all.
Catching public transport in Brisbane can be a soul-crushing experience. Fewer services, expensive fares, buses and trains that don't show up at all, changing routes, ridiculous traffic, constant track work: if you're a regular bus or train commuter, you'll be acquainted with all of the above. Oh yes you will. Early in 2016, the Brisbane City Council announced a possible solution, or a step in the right direction at least. Almost five decades after the city's trams were ripped out back in 1969 (yes, that's why we have a museum dedicated to them), light rail is back on the agenda — and now the powers that be have released more details. The Brisbane Metro concept now involves not one but two high-frequency lines linking existing busway stations, with the first running between Eight Mile Plains and Roma Street to take care of southern residents, and the second linking the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital to the University of Queensland. In total, 21 kilometres will be traversed by a fleet of approximately 60 trackless, rubber-tyred vehicles capable of carrying up to 150 people. Services will run as frequently as every three minutes in peak periods, stopping at 18 stations, and will link in with the State Government's proposed 10.2-kilometre Dutton Park to Bowen Hills Cross River Rail project at Boggo Road and Roma Street. As part of the plan, a new underground Metro station will be built at South Bank at the Cultural Centre, and the adjacent Victoria Bridge will be turned green. That means cars will need to find another route into the city, with the stretch of road dedicated to buses and Metro services only. Don't go changing the words of The Simpsons' monorail song to "light rail" just yet — we still have a few years to wait, with the new system expected to begin construction in 2018 for a 2022 finish. And, we can probably reasonably expect more than a few delays and inconveniences during that tie. But hey, if the project really does improve the public transport situation in Brisbane, it'll be worth it.
Who said we were running out of space in our urban centres? Berlin has found enough room for a farm in the heart of the city, large enough to supply its inhabitants with tons of fresh produce each month. What better place for a vegetable garden than the roof of an abandoned malt factory, or a fish farm in the factory's empty cylinders once used to dry barley? The 'Fresh From The Roof' project aims to plant 7,000 square metres of crops in this haven above the urban sprawl, fertilised entirely by the excrement of the city-slicking fish below. In return, the plants work to purify the fish tank water, making it the ideal venture for regions suffering water shortages. If only all apartment dwellers could work out how to reside in such utter harmony with their neighbours. The three German entrepreneurs behind Fresh From The Roof have already seen small-scale success, producing lettuce and tomatoes from their prototype for the urban farm built out of a recycled shipping container. But while the large-scale project won't be guzzling too much energy, there's no promise that it won't guzzle plenty of cash. The running cost of the rooftop farm is estimated at a whopping $6.7 million. But with an increasing consumer demand for organic, home-grown produce, and of course that pressing need to get creative in the way we use our space, hopefully this little farm will produce a positive return on investment.
Pinter - yes, he was the ultimate playwright, Nobel prize winning, questioning and penetrating, a maker of art to change the world. Brisbane audiences can see arguably his best work, featuring two of Australia’s theatre greats, Peter Carroll and John Gaden in No Man’s Land. This play tells the story of Hirst and Spooner, a couple of old mates, who are well beyond the prime of their lives. Hirst is a literature buff, and Spooner, a scruffy old poet, but they find common ground when they discuss literature, history and memories while downing a scotch or twelve. Director Michael Gow said “No Man’s Land is a play that encompasses the best qualities of Pinter’s work – there’s the precisely sparse dialogue, the sense of menace, the wry humor and characters that refuse to be specific about their history or their intentions.”’ Essentially it is a play that explores the fickleness of memory, and the fact that the truth can very easily be lost. Pinter wrote No Man’s Land midway through his career in 1975, he died in 2008 and at his request excerpts from No Man’s Land were read at his funeral. Clearly for this great man No Man’s Land was a favourite.
Do you like comics? How about pies? And surely you must like fun right? How can one combine these likes into an event I hear you ask? Ashcan Comics are way ahead of you. The Queensland based collaborative bring together super talented comic artists and writers, give them the opportunity to have their work published in print, then have a massive party to celebrate! This Saturday marks the launch of Ashcan Comics 4th Issue, being held at Pie Face in the Brisbane City. The $10 entry fee includes a copy of Ashcan #4 as well entertainment such as speed painting and DJs. Usually a term reserved for comics destined to go straight from printer to trashcan, Ashcan comics are passionate about getting their self-published independent comics to the masses, strengthening the Brisbane comic community in the process. Although the party doesn’t kick off until 7.30pm, head over to The Edge at South Bank where the Ashcan team will be running mini comic workshops throughout the day from 1pm. All events are for all ages, so come support local talent, embrace your inner nerd and learn a few tricks of the trade in the process!
Can you believe it? The silly season has already begun! The shops are full of decorations and Christmas ideas, and the pressure is building for the annual 2-4 days spent in a confined space with family. Instead of getting stressed about this time of year, relax and go with the flow, enjoying the fab events that pop up all over the city, including the Avid Reader Christmas Party. We all already know that Avid Reader is one of the best bookshops in Brisbane; it has a café inside, and it is open late each day allowing post-work book browsing and buying. This Friday things are set to get even better at Avid with the addition of Christmas cheer in the form of music, alcohol, in-store specials and special guests. Joining in the festivities is ABC Radio National’s Paul Barclay and local gun writer Matthew Condon. There will also be a live in-store set by BigStrongBrute, who will be rockin’ the books off their shelves! This annual event is a lovely celebration for the West End community, and for book lovers from all over. Enjoy a night of frivolity, and knock over your Christmas shopping at the same time!
It's a classic cycle: we say we want to discover somewhere new, then we end up at the same holiday spots. We're creatures of comfort, after all. But, with such fantastically varied landscapes at our Australian fingertips, it's the year to switch things up. Let's start with your coastal weekender. Instead of another (delightful) beachside vacay, why not opt for some riverside charm? The serenity of the Murray Region is overlooked by city-slickers, but it's an area enlivened by passionate locals, immense natural beauty and deep history and culture. The riverside towns here are jam-packed with rich First Nations history, a thriving contemporary arts scene and some seriously niche slices of Australia's past. So, if you're ready to hit the road, the banks of the Murray will take you on a journey through time — think ancient lakebeds, a giant shed dedicated to Aussie beers from decades gone by and an insanely intricate display of replica paddlesteamers. Together with Destination NSW, we've got you covered with this extensive list of ways to enjoy the region. [caption id="attachment_894057" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MURRAY ART MUSEUM ALBURY Opened in 2015, Albury's contemporary art museum is a cultural hub for Australian artists, both established and emerging. With a backdrop of quaint, small-town charm, the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) brings vivid modern creations to this regional centre. From now until mid-July, the museum is hosting No Easy Answers. The exhibition invited artists — such as Ella Barclay and Tracey Moffatt — to use their creativity as a medium to tackle the issues of today. If regional charm meeting arty creations sounds good to you, opt for two nights at the Mercure Albury, just around the corner from MAMA. [caption id="attachment_894595" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wentworth Victoria[/caption] BARKINDJI WIMPATYA MURRA CENTRE Right on the banks of the river, the Dareton region is thriving with stunning natural wonders, culinary delights and rich cultural history. A trip to this country locale would not be complete without a visit to The Barkindji Wimpatya Murra Centre (Bmeet), a spot where you will be sure to learn about the area's unique Indigenous history. This Aboriginal art gallery showcases an array of local art ranging from traditional to more contemporary work and artefacts. Expect a warm welcome at Bmeet, with local artists often in the workshop and happy to answer any of your curiosities. YARRAWONGA-MULWALA PIONEER MUSEUM Located in the fishing town of Mulwala, The Yarrawonga-Mulwala Pioneer Museum is a treasure trove of local history. This complex, established by the Historical Society, contains a range of exhibits to fascinate any visitor. From aviation to agriculture, vintage vehicles to photography, the curated collection delivers a snapshot of time in this riverside locale. THE GREAT AUSSIE BEER SHED & HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM We all know that beer is a big part of Aussie culture. That's why, in 2003, Neil Thomas opened The Great Aussie Beer Shed. Displaying an unbelievable array of Australian paraphernalia — including over 20,000 beer cans — this museum really is a must-see, located in northern Victoria just three kilometres from Echuca. Proudly showing off a collection that's taken him over 45 years to build, Neil himself will guide you through his treasures. And, it doesn't stop at beer. This 5000-square-foot shed is filled with iconic Aussie products, machinery and more. Afterwards, check out Neil's Farm Museum and its extensive display of equipment dating back to the late 1800s. [caption id="attachment_894059" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] OLD WENTWORTH GAOL The historic Old Wentworth Gaol gives a fascinating peek into our regional history. The lock-up is the oldest Australian-designed gaol in the country, built between 1879 and 1881. Until 1927, it operated with harsh conditions, though now is a popular tourist attraction and an important historical landmark. The structure has been well maintained, meaning you can get a pretty good idea of what it was like to be a resident back in the day. There's plenty of information on display, including an Indigenous history collection, so you're set to school-up on your visit. [caption id="attachment_894058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] RIVERBOAT ROD'S MODEL PADDLESTEAMER DISPLAY Not only does Wentworth contain the country's oldest Australian-designed gaol, this charming NSW town was also once our country's busiest inland river port. If you want a better idea of what the turn-of-the-century paddle steamers looked like — or simply appreciate some dedicated craftsmanship — look no further than Riverboat Rod's. The charming space is home to a pretty incredible display of over 30 handmade paddlesteamer replicas. This collection is possibly the largest and only of its kind in the world and showcases a lifetime of attention to tiny, intricate details. Whether you are interested in aquatic history or not, these models are impressive just as they are. [caption id="attachment_894055" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] HOLBROOK SUBMARINE MUSEUM Holbrook is a great stopover town when exploring the Murray. Where else could you uncover a life-size submarine hanging out in the middle of rural NSW? This, and the accompanying fascinating history, can be discovered at the Holbrook Submarine Museum. After you've seen the HMAS Otway out front, head to the museum and stroll through its impressive display of submarine memorabilia from the depths, while you busy yourself learning some WWI history. [caption id="attachment_894763" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MUNGO NATIONAL PARK Mungo National Park is a remarkable destination that cannot be missed when exploring the Murray. It's home to ancient lakebeds and plenty of incredible relics of early Aboriginal culture. This national park is truly an experience to remember. But to make the most of it, make the Mungo Visitor Centre your first stop. Here, you can view amazing displays and learn of the area's First Nations heritage and the archaeological evidence that revealed the once-full Lake Mungo. [caption id="attachment_895130" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] EXPLORE DENILIQUIN Deniliquin is a locale found on the Edward River — a tributary of the Murray — making it a primo spot for any riverside activities. Whether you're into water skiing, fishing, bushwalking or just soaking up beautiful surrounds, you're covered here. Stay at Centrepoint Motel, where you'll be just a five-minute walk to the centre of town. What's nearby? The Long Paddock Touring Route, the stock route that's still used today and dishes up a slice of history with a side of tranquillity and art. Along the track, which starts in Echuca Moama and heads out to the Outback, there's both local history on sporadic info boards and public artworks — plus plenty of country pubs. This area is also home to the flattest, most open natural plains on the planet, which deliver spectacular expansive vistas into the horizon (pictured above). Here, you'll also find a cycle loop, The Depot and its incredible collection of automobiles and memorabilia, a vibrant towering mural splashed across a water tower and plenty more. Looking to visit later in the year? The Deni Ute Muster takes over the town in September, and is a celebration of the region's 'ute culture' and unique landscape. For more ways to enjoy the Murray region, check out our foodies guide or guide to a rejuvenating trip. Or, to start planning your history and culture trip to the Murray region, head to the website. Top images: Destination NSW (Walls of China; Barmah National Park; Mungo National Park).
Gemma O'Brien in an Australian designer/typographer traveling the world with her fonts and felt pens. After her guest appearance at Semi-Permanent Brisbane last week, Sarah Hazlehurst catches up with Gemma for a recap for those who missed out on the creative conference. How would you describe to others what you do for your job? I work mainly with typography, illustration and print design... but it's not limited to that. I particularly like starting all my projects by drawing. The majority of my commercial commissions tends to be illustrated custom lettering pieces. Some art pieces end up being installations and while I was working at Animal Logic earlier this year I tended to be designing more for TV. At my most recent project there I directed new opening title sequence for Play School – it featured no typography and was stop-motion piece with hyper-colourful paper sculpture I built and was brought to life by the talented team at Animal. Where did you passion for typography begin and why? To be honest, my first encounters with typography were dull! It seemed like the boring, technical rule-based side of graphic design. But this view was changed drastically after working in the letterpress studio. I also started seeing type as a visual element. It could speak as loudly as image and take on lyrical or illustrative qualities itself. Your 'Write Here Right Now' campaign was amazing. Do you have any new campaigns in the making? I am currently focusing on forms of typography that exist outside the commerical domain. For my Honours paper at COFA I am researching lettering and typography of headstones and I will hosting a workshop at the Paper Mill gallery in Sydney in September that looks at letterforms on buildings. Who is your favourite artist and why? Today's type designers: Tobias Frere Jones, Jonathon Hoefler, Gerard Unger, Ale Paul from Sudtipos Type history's legends: Stanley Morrison, Jan Tschichold, Illustrative type heroes: Jessica Hische, Seb Lester, Marian Bantjes, Luke Lucas And Australia's original typophile: Stephen Banham What inspires you to create new fonts?/What's your favourite font to write with? Well you can't really "write" with fonts. A lot of what I do is actually lettering - drawing letterforms is often inspired by existing fonts but is quite different in its execution. While a font is designed to be used in any application - any context a designer sees fit - lettering is often a custom piece designed specifically for a certain word or phrase. In lettering, you're often looking for particular relationships between letters that could be drawn and linked in particular ways. That said I like drawing letterforms that are fluid and organic...lend themselves to swashes and flourishes. Do you have a favourite sentence to write? Not really, it's always changing. I'm always listening out for interesting sayings, quotes, conversations, song lyrics or poetry that has a certain appeal to be developed into a piece of lettering or typography. Are you a lover or a hater of the quick brown fox ... ? Well the quick brown fox has a little more appeal than the lazy dog. If Times New Roman always a no-go? Of course not, Stanley Morison, the designer of the typeface Times New Roman is a legend and one of the key designers in the early twentieth century who influenced the shape of typography today. It's really only became a faux-pas through familiarity, accessibility and therefore frequency of use. What is the worst letter to write? None of them are that bad! Although I do lean towards letters that lend themselves to flourishes....K's and M's... I love them all equally. Why do you think typography is important to our developing world? Typography and lettering are the markings of human culture. Just imagine a world without letters...! They are the greatest human invention ever! These little shapes that over time have developed into what we recognise so immediately that as individual letters they become invisible...and we just take the meaning from the word the create and the context they are in. They are the visual marks that can communicate, sell, tell a story and convey information, through typography these letters speak to us.
From family classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to hard-hitting documentaries in the league of Camp 14 – Total Control Zone to black comedies such as Invasion, this year's Audi Festival of German Film promises the bravest, brashest and most bizarre in German film. There'll be panel discussions, Q&As, special cultural programs and parties. The selection for opening night, Georg Maas' Two Lives, makes it clear the festival is seeking the cutting edge, new generation of German filmmaking. It's a 2012 post-Berlin wall spy thriller about the exercise of state control over individual identities. Another highlight is This Ain't California, a Cannes winner that explores the development of skateboard culture in East Germany during the 1970s and 1980s. With over 20,000 people expected to attend, representing a 37 percent growth in popularity over the past six years, this year's festival is set to be the biggest on record.
French photographer Patrice Letarnec has created an eye-catching photo series that turns the world on its head. Taking the streets of Paris for a backdrop, the collection of photographs feature gymnastically gifted individuals walking on their hands, creating a delightfully surreal and strangely entertaining result. Letarnec told the Huffington Post, "The main idea was to illustrate the French expression 'marcher sur la tête' — to act foolishly, to go against common sense, which is more or less what we experience in today's world." Patrice Letarnec is a France based photographer and art director. You can check out more of his work on his Tumblr.
Across 2024 and 2025, the TV-watching groove in your couch is only going to get deeper, especially if there's no sweeter streaming sound to your ears than the static of the HBO logo. The American cable network has just dropped a glimpse at a heap of shows that are on the way over the next two years, including brand-new titles, spinoffs from existing hits and returning favourites. There's only one trailer for the whole package, but a heap of must-sees are featured. The sneak peek has arrived to promote HBO's own streaming service, which is now just called Max and isn't available in Australia or New Zealand as yet. Viewers Down Under can expect to catch the bulk of series teased on Binge, Foxtel and Neon — and it's a hefty list. A first trailer for season two of House of the Dragon, has already been released ahead of its winter 2024 premiere, but the Game of Thrones spinoff unsurprisingly gets some attention in HBO's new clip. Yes, there be fire-breathing flying animals, plus long blonde locks. Also popping up is The Penguin, which ties in with 2022's big-screen release The Batman, with Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin) reprising the show's titular role. Spanning eight episodes and designed to extend the Dark Knight's big-screen crime saga too, it too will drop next year. Earlier in 2023, HBO revealed that it is also making an IT prequel series that's currently called Welcome to Derry, as set in Stephen King's go-to Maine town and stepping through the locale's scares before the terror that viewers have already seen. The end result won't arrive until 2025 and may have a new moniker by then, but the network's trailer includes the first footage of the show — red balloon and all, obviously. Similarly on their way: 2024 returns for True Detective, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Tokyo Vice, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Hacks, Industry, My Brilliant Friend, Somebody Somewhere and The Jinx. Plus there's new unscripted comedy Jerrod Carmichael: Reality Show; the Robert Downey Jr (Oppenheimer)-led, Vietnam War-set spy thriller and farce The Sympathizer; Kate Winslet (Avatar: The Way of Water) in The Regime, which takes place within a European palace; and The Franchise, the latest series from Veep and The Thick of It's Armando Iannucci. Can't wait for more The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Euphoria and And Just Like That...? You will actually have to, sorry. Even though they each get some love in the new HBO trailer, none will make a comeback until 2025 — mark your calendar now. Watch HBO's 2024–25 roundup trailer below: The above HBO shows don't have exact release dates yet — we'll update you when further details are announced. Top image: Macall Polay/Max.
