Western Australia is famous for its exports: gold, iron-ore, wheat and, of course, ‘I heart WA’ fridge magnets. Basically, what they've got we’ve gotta get it, and there’s no better example of that than West Australian wine. Because, let’s be honest: Australians love a good drop. Quite a few, actually, given the average consumer enjoys around 30 litres of wine each year. In all, that's 530 million litres the nation over, and while it’s an impressive number, it’s nothing compared to the 750 million litres we send off to the rest of the world. In fact, Australia is now the fourth largest exporter of wine globally, and while just 5% of that comes from West Australia, what those vineyards lack in volume they more than account for in quality, boasting 20% of the ultra-premium market. So how much do you know about WA wine? Here are all the facts you need to start 'researching' your new passion. WHERE IS WESTERN AUSTRALIA? West of the rest of Australia. This is called ‘easing you in’. HOW MANY WINERIES? WA is home to more than 150 wineries broken up into nine separate regions, almost all of which sit on the south-western tip due to its cooler climate and favourable growing conditions. The best known of these regions comprise: The Margaret River Perth Hills Swan Valley Coastal Pemberton and The Great Southern HOW OLD? One-hundred-and-eighty-six years. The oldest established winery in West Australia, the Olive Farm Winery, was established back in 1829 by Thomas Waters, an English botanist who kicked things off with an olive grove (hence the name) and then quickly moved to vines, because seriously, who drinks olive juice? WA’s PRETTY WARM, RIGHT? Damn you’re good. West Australia is indeed a ‘warm wine-growing region’, which in the simplest terms means the grapes are able to ripen more fully, allowing for a higher build up of sugars. The result is threefold: Lower acidity — the wines are sweeter, meaning less tongue tingling or the pulling of that ’sucked in / duckface selfie’ expression Heavier body — the sweeter the wine, the more viscous it’s likely to be Higher alcohol - you’re probably across this one, but just in case, the higher the alcohol, the warmer that feeling it enkindles all over the palate. ALL THIS KNOWLEDGE IS MAKING ME THIRSTY Okay okay, we’ll get into it now. We just didn’t want to jump right to the wine chat in case your emergence as a wine buff occurred a little too early, not unlike some early budding varieties of grape such as Chardonnay that can break bud prematurely during WA's warm winters on account of temperatures exceeding 10°C. SEE WHAT WE DID THERE? Your bluffing game just got stronger. But now, to the wines. MARGARET RIVER (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon) Where else but ‘Margarets’ to begin any discussion of West Australian wines? Located about three hours drive south of Perth, the first of these now 100 or so vineyards were established in 1967, although it’s really only in the last 20 years that the region has come into its own and forged a reputation as home to some of the finest wines in the world. The Margaret River’s climate places it in a vinicultural bracket not unlike Bordeaux, only more attractive courtesy of a drier ripening period and low risk of frost. No surprise, then, that it’s best known for its prize winning cabernets, and you won’t do much better than the 2012 Cape Mentelle Trinders Cab Merlot. As you sip away, why not show off some of your newly acquired knowledge with: “Mmm, well obviously because of the warmer climate this cab merlot is well rounded and richly textured, and given its ability to ripen more fully, it’s punctuated with... I want to say... blackcurrant, cherry and hints of sweet vanilla". Fun Wine Fact: knowing about good wine is impressive, but knowing about good wine when other people haven’t even heard of it is even better. To that end, why not get a little more adventurous and try the 2013 Miles from Nowhere Margaret River Shiraz, a solidly built, handsome wine distinguished by red berries and spicy highlights that — unlike the Cape Mentelle Trinders — is designed to be consumed in its youth rather than cellaring. But there’s more to Margarets than just reds. This region offers some of the best conditions in the world for Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends, and right now it’s hard to go past the dry, crisp and fruity 2013 Evans & Tate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, or — if you’re again keen to sample one of the newcomers, the almost-tropical 2014 Catching Thieves Semillon Sauvignon Blanc. Another icon of this region is Leeuwin Estate with its famous 'Art Series Chardonnay'. Regarded by some as the best chardonnay in Australia, each Leeuwin Estate vintage comes complete with new paintings on the label from an Australian artist. The winery boasts a fantastic gallery to enjoy alongside the wine tastings, but if you can’t get there in person, then picking up a bottle and admiring the small-scale version is the next best thing. THE SWAN VALLEY (Fortified Wines, Verdelho and Chardonnay) The Swan Valley is a favourite of the locals, given its proximity to Perth (just a 25 minute drive, or 10 from the airport if you’re really in a rush). It's also the hottest and driest of all the Australian wine growing regions, making it an ideal location for fortified wines, Verdelho and Chardonnay. Last year the Swan Valley celebrated 180 years of winemaking, with many of the vineyards still owned by the same families that arrived as early European settlers (including the Olive Farm Winery from above). GREAT SOUTHERN REGION The Great Southern Wine region is the largest in Australia, and accordingly boasts the widest range of varietals from its 48 wineries, although the Rieslings are its most celebrated. This is also the coolest of WA’s wine regions, making it ideal for Chardonnays like the 2012 Byron & Harold Tandem WA Chardonnay. James Halliday just named Bryon & Harold one of his top ten wineries for 2015, and given the deliciously crisp lemon and peach flavours that burst from this particular drop, it’s not hard to see why. SO WHERE TO FROM HERE? Dive in, buy some WA wine and see what tickles your fancy. If you already have an inkling as to your preferred varietals, then keep an eye out for the regions from where they’re produced. Fancy a Merlot? Look for something from Perth Hills. Prefer a Pinot Noir? Hard to beat the ones coming out of Pemberton. You’ll also often see ‘best of’ bundles like this one around the traps, which can give you an excellent sampling across the board before you start to commit to the pricier individual bottles. If you’re lucky, they may even throw in an ‘I heart WA’ fridge magnet.
There's no doubting what Winghaus specialises in: wings. Seating 240 both inside and out, the brand is an offshoot of Rockpool Dining Group popular Bavarian spots. And when it opened on Edward Street in the Brisbane CBD, European and American-inspired joint became the hospitality empire's first such venue in the country. Chicken is main culinary attraction — buffalo wings specifically — although you can also tuck into fried wings dusted in either chipotle or habanero powder, or opt for boneless chicken tenders. They're all available in servings of ten, 15, 20, 50 or 100 pieces, with eight hot sauces and six dips on offer, including teriyaki, blue cheese, ranch dressing, and honey and mustard. For folks hankering for other US-style bites, think burgers slathered with Texas barbecue sauce, sides such as onion rings, potato gems and corn ribs and salt and pepper calamari. And if you like your desserts both sweet and warm, a selection of deep-fried chocolate bars are a certain highlight, with patrons able to choose from hot, gooey Mars, Snickers and Picnics. While the food menu skews American, European influences come through in the drinks and decor. Like The Bavarian, Winghaus features a stein chandelier made from 200 one-litre glasses, and serves German brews such as Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Franziskaner, Spaten and Hofbräu. US tipples like Goose Island also feature, plus Aussie beers such as Pines and Pirate Life. And, cocktail-wise, the bar's taps pump out margaritas, sangria, spritzes, negronis sand espresso martinis. Brisbanites can also expect plenty to keep them entertained at the diner-style spot, whether you're settling in at the long bar or getting cosy in a leather booth beneath neon signs. Given that sports memorabilia lines the walls, it should come as no surprise that big-screen TVs can play up to 30 live sports games at a time — and that you can use your phone to listen into your game of choice. If you're not interested in whatever match happens to be on — or sport in general — you can hit the Winghaus pinball machines and arcade games instead.
With over 35 locations scattered across the world, Ramen Danbo brings authentic tonkotsu all the way from Kyushu Island in Japan. After the original Fukuoka location won a local television contest, the brand became famous across the country, eventually making its way to Australia. [caption id="attachment_776493" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Karen-Boshoff[/caption] We feel incredibly fortunate to have six Ramen Danbo restaurants at our fingertips, with locations in Southport, Brisbane City East, Pimpama, Surfers Paradise, South Brisbane and Sunnybank Hills. The delivery menu is a ramen lover's dream, with no less than eight varieties on offer. Our pick is the classic ramen with nitamago egg, or the fragrant negi-goma ramen with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds. Bonus points if you add in some traditional Hakata-style gyoza with dipping sauce. Other side dishes from Ramen Danbo include danbo karaage strips, kaedama noodles, chasshu pork donburi and omusubi rice balls. Either come for nothing but a big bowl of heart-warming ramen or create your own feast with mates. The choice is all yours at this brilliant Japanese restaurant in Brisbane. Top image: Karen Boshoff
Whatever dinner plans you had for Thursday, December 21, you'd better cancel them. Instead, we'd suggest heading to Newmarket to welcome The Yiros Shop to the neighbourhood. If you do, they'll return the favour. Not only will you get to tuck in to one of the new store's grilled pita and meat combinations — think fresh, fluffy and filled with pork, chicken or lamb, then topped with tomato, onion, parsley and tzatziki — but you'll get to do so without opening your wallet. Just drop by 400 Newmarket Road between 5pm and 8pm to brighten your evening with a free yiros. Now that's something to say "opa!" to. Anyone who has already checked out The Yiros Shop's existing Cannon Hill, Fortitude Valley, South Brisbane, CBD or Capalaba outlets will know the tasty meal that they're in for — and for everyone else, there's never been a better time to get acquainted with their gourmet Greek fare. Free Yiros Night might be the main attraction, and rightfully so, but don't forget desserts such as baklava and galaktoboureko (semolina custard in filo pastry) are also on the menu. Plus, if you can't change your plans for a free feed, then you can mosey along and fork out some cash any time from December 19. Free Yiros Night takes place between 5pm and 8pm at The Yiros Shop at Newmarket Village, 400 Newmarket Road, Newmarket. For more information, visit their website.
Melbourne's purveyors of fine stadium-ready electropop Client Liaison, have finally dropped their long-awaited video for newest single 'Off White Limousine' and it stars a pretty damn slick-looking Melbourne CBD. Directed by Zachary Bradtke (BANALARAMA) and Tobias Willis (KEWL), this little piece of storytelling gold is more akin to a short film, brimming with excess as it follows your favourite pair of pastel-loving hotshots through the streets of Melbourne. Expect six and a half lush minutes of sweeping Melbourne skyline shots, Collins Street motorcades, Flinders Street Station glimmers, St Kilda trams, extravagant suits, free-flowing Champagne labelled as Fosters, and assassination attempts, with none other than Kristian Nairn (Game of Thrones' Hodor) acting as limo driver. Have a watch: Not shy of dabbling in a few different projects (Client Liaison followed the success of their debut record Diplomatic Immunity with the launch of a fashion range, Designer Line), the duo's also announced a foray into the limo biz. Yep, you'll soon be able to hire that soon-to-be-iconic, off-white chariot for affordably stylish jaunts in Victoria. They're taking expressions for A Limousine Service Courtesy of Client Liaison here. Client Liaison's Diplomatic Immunity Australian tour is selling fast. See the Client Liaison website for dates and venues.
A 30-year retrospective of one of the most dazzling pioneers of multimedia installations and experimental video art opens at the MCA this month with Pipilotti Rist: Sip my Ocean. In what's being heralded as the most comprehensive exhibition of the Swiss artist's work ever held in an Australian gallery, you'll get to see pieces right from the start of her practice (including her early single-channel videos created during the 1980s) up to her most recent immersive environments and large-scale audio-visual installations. A truly unique artist whose practice explores the connection between the human body, nature and technology, Rist creates colourful, enchantingly sensual worlds for viewers to lose themselves in – such as 4th Floor to Mildness, where you'll get comfy on one of 18 beds and gaze upwards at a hypnotic underwater world projected onto massive abstract panels. It's not often you lie down on a gallery floor amongst strangers to soak up some art — and its this particular atmosphere of community and togetherness within the way you experience Rist's work that cements its charm. Taking place as part of the Sydney International Art Series, Sip My Ocean runs until February 18. Images: Courtesy of Pipilotti Rist / Ken Leanfore for the MCA.
Things got feisty and fearless at the Opera House when the fourth All About Women Festival took over on Sunday, March 6. Leading the prodigious, 30-speaker-strong program? None other than the inimitable Miranda July, Sleater Kinney's Carrie Brownstein, and Orange Is the New Black memoir author Piper Kerman — not to mention one of the best Women of Letters events we've ever been to. Sleater Kinney and Portlandia's legendary Brownstein talked about her October-released book Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl — before Sleater Kinney melted faces the same night at the Opera House. And Anne-Marie Slaughter, who worked as the director of policy planning at the US State Department when Hillary Clinton was running the show, argued that we can't have it all — well, at least not all at once, anyway. Emma Jane, Ruby Hamad, Michelle Arrow and Charlotte Wood unpacked 'The Women We Love to Hate', while Masha Gessen, Crystal Lameman, Mallory Ortberg, Ann Sherry, Anne- Marie Slaughter and Jenny Brockie attempted to change the world overnight. Didn't get a chance to head along to All About Women? You're in luck. Sydney Opera House's Ideas at the House team just released a whole bunch of free podcasts from the day via iTunes. We reckon you should start with 'The Boys Club' if you want to hear total boss Van Badham slam the gender dynamic in the Australian theatre industry and contemporary culture. Phwoar. Download Sydney Opera House's All About Women 2016 podcasts on iTunes for free here. Images: Yaya Stempler and Prudence Upton. By Jasmine Crittenden and Shannon Connellan.
You're at a dinner party. Chats are going strong, your drunk uncle at Thanksgiving has been deconstructed, Australia's latest novelty dessert trend raved about. Then someone brings out a new bottle of red. "Pinot noir?" your host casually offers. Sweat beads form, hearts race, eyes shift. Without warning, the pop culture fiends in the room explode. "CAVIAR." "MID-SIZED CAR." "SMOKE A CIGAR." "MYANMAR." The Kimmy Schmidt fans in the house have been unveiled — and if you're one of those, we've got some solid news for you. Ready? Tituss Burgess, well known as Kimmy's roommate Titus Andromedon in the highly popular series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, stole hearts worldwide with his unforgettable masterpiece of an "ode to black penis", 'Peeno Noir'. Now, Burgess is releasing his own pinot noir, an actual wine called Pinot by Tituss. Announced on Instagram this week, Pinot by Tituss will sell for US$24.99 a bottle online. Unfortunately they're only shipping to the US so far, but if you have American mates who could send it over, you can preorder the pinot noir and smoke a cigar right now. The bottles will be shipped after March 14. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt returns on April 15, and if you're drinking anything else, au revoir. Via Refinery29.
The thing about Brisbane is that, whether you think of yourself as an indoor person or an outdoor person, you’re inevitably going to spend most of your time outside. As Brisbane is almost constantly blessed with the kind of weather you see on the classic Microsoft screen saver, we’ve naturally become an outdoorsy city. Nearly every café and restaurant has an al fresco area, every house worth its salt has a verandah and everywhere you walk has long green expanses that are perfect for soaking up the sun. It’s no wonder, then, that when we spoke to Last Dinosaur’s bass guitarist, filmmaker and all-round cool guy Michael Sloane (above, right) about his perfect weekend in Brisbane, it was mostly spent outdoors and under the sun. The Last Dinosaurs are just about to release their second studio album, Wellness, and embark on a national tour, so Michael’s wholesome outdoor weekends may be something to do with the hectic schedule of touring band member. "Coming back home to Brisbane after being away is like a moment of decompression, in a good way," he tells us. "It has a feeling of laid-backness." The Last Dinosaurs are a Brisbane born and/or bred cohort and Michael (above, second from right) says for him the culture of comradery between Brissie-based bands is a huge influence on the music scene. "You can't help but be influenced by the place you live and grow up, but I'd say our biggest inspiration from Brisbane is other Brisbane bands,' he says. "It's a cosy enough city to cross paths with other bands of the same mindset and it's always nice to share touring moments or shows with other Brisbane bands, even when we're not in Brisbane." Indeed, much like the bar from Cheers, Brisbane is the kind of intimate city where everybody knows your name – and if you’re in an incredibly successful local band, they might just scream it at you as you walk past. You can grab the Last Dino’s new album, Wellness, on August 28, or catch them on tour from September 25 to October 18. In the meantime, here are Michael’s five steps to the perfect Brisbane weekend. TAKE THE CITYCAT TO SOUTH BANK Brisbane has a good mix of city and bush, so my little tour of Brisbane would have a bit of both. Take a CityCat from wherever you are over to South Brisbane. (Yes, the CityCat is part of the experience if you can be bothered.) Choose your own adventure here.. Either you can wander through South Bank, eventually getting into the cultural precinct to check out GoMA and the museum, or you can venture deeper into West End and find a place for lunch along Boundary Road. TAKE A CITYCYCLE RIDE ALONG THE BRISBANE RIVER From there, get on a CityCycle and ride along the river until you reach a bridge; we have plenty of them to choose from. Ride across the bridge of your choosing and continue around the Riverside of the CBD until you feel like having a look at the city centre itself. STOP IN AT WAGAYA Straight from the city to Fortitude Valley for dinner in Chinatown mall. Wagaya is a favourite. It's a pretty authentic Japanese 'Izakaya', and you get to order off a touch screen. After that, you're in the centre of nightlife for Brisbane and, for good or bad, it's worth experiencing. There's a bar for every type of night you'd like to have. CHECK OUT MOUNT COOT-THA Maybe I'm biased living close, but I'm a big fan of Mt. Coot-tha state forest. The Mt. Coot-tha Botanic Gardens at the base of the mountain are actually Botanic Gardens, unlike the CBD version. That means there's a huge array of environment types and plants. They also have a planetarium and library, if you're into that. From there, Mt Coot-tha has a lot of wood fire stoves dotted around, so cook up some grub on the barbie and get the Aussie out of your system. Slaughter Falls (don't be scared) picnic area has a bush track leading up to the lookout of Mt Coot-tha. It's actually a pretty great view if you don't mind a few tourists taking selfies. Image via Facebook TAKE A DAY TRIP TO NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND Assuming you have a long weekend or can chuck a sickie, try to get the ferry from Cleveland to North Stradbroke. I'm always surprised when I go to Straddie that I don't go more often. It really does have awesome beaches, with campgrounds right on the edge of the beach.
Lucky Egg and The Brightside once went hand in hand. Hitting up the latter to see live tunes in Fortitude Valley meant tucking into fried chicken, be it as pieces or via three types of burgers, from the former while you were there. It was a perfect pairing, but not all dreams last. Thankfully, this match made in heaven — and on Warner Street — is now recurring. At the end of May 2024, The Brightside celebrated ten years of hosting gigs with a weekend-long party — and it couldn't mark the occasion without welcoming back Lucky Egg. The reunion wasn't just a once-off, however. Brisbanites will now find the chicken joint serving up its burgs and chook four nights a week on a permanent basis. Whether you have a date with a heap of bands on The Brighty's states or you're just dropping by to hang out in the beer garden, you can add Lucky Egg's wares to your visit. You'll just need to be at the venue from Wednesday–Saturday from 6pm. And if you're keen to just nab takeaway, you can do just that within the same window — from the Warner Street window, in fact. As well as slinging juicy poultry at The Brightside, Lucky Egg expanded to the Good Time Bar at Max Watts in West End in 2017, then served up its dishes via Blute's Bar in Fortitude Valley. But since 2021, it's been a quiet few years for the brand. Lucky Egg's return comes at a time when well-loved eateries renowned for their burgers have largely been closing in Brisbane, not opening. Getta Burger said goodbye to Brisbane in 2023, and so did plant-based joint Grassfed. Ze Pickle then shut its Brissie locations in 2024. The River City's burger scene did just welcome the Burleigh-born Two Yolks to South Bank to start June, though, before Lucky Egg confirmed it is back to stay. Find Lucky Egg at The Brightside, 27 Warner Street, Fortitude Valley — open from 6pm–late Wednesday–Saturday. For more information, head to the Lucky Egg Facebook page.
You can't stop the music on the relatively quiet stretch where Upper Roma Street approaches Petrie Terrace. Long-standing venue, The Beetle Bar, might've closed in mid 2016 but it hasn't taken long for a newcomer to take over the space. Say goodbye to insects and hello to — a fiery bird? The Flamin' Galah is swooping in. Quietly opening its doors just before Christmas last year and officially launching as a live music spot in early April, The Flamin' Galah aims to combine gigs, ace events, drinks and food. Drop by for whatever's on each evening, or just for a tipple and something tasty. Eventually, there'll be something entertaining on the bill every night, whether it's a touring band, local talent, a party, trivia or a DJ, and from April 15, the kitchen will be whipping up burgers and fries, midday 'til close, seven days a week. The current lineup for April and May includes a Yeezus Has Risen tribute shindig, a '90s house party, a collab by Brisbane favourites, Kooii and Kafka, Spanish legends La Pegatina, and a Detroit techno-groove rave. It's a diversely curated selection that promises more curveballs to come. It sounds like the kind of place you'd be more likely to find in the Valley than a part of the city not really known for its hangout spaces, as co-owner Billy Grantley is well aware. "You're spoilt for joints when it comes to fun things to do on a Friday or Saturday night in Brissie," he says. "There's so much happening, but our goal is to offer a different destination outside of that usual craziness." Grantley, who's also behind local booze delivery service Knock Knock Booze There with Flamin' Galah co-owner Leon Lechner, has capitalised on the space's existing design to make that happen. "It's a purpose-built live music venue... the building was actually custom-built with a sound architect, so it's got double-layered walls, it's got a mezzanine," he explains. Accommodating between 300 to 330 people, "it has been designed in a way that we crank the sound up really loud, we don't have any close residential neighbours, so it's this perfect little party spot." For those wondering just how loud that is, The Flamin' Galah has a 115-decibel limit — the level of your usual huge concert. Patrons will also find walls adorned with murals by Brisbane street artist Drapl — his vast, painted bird is impossible to miss. Plus, the interior has been given a renovation to feel "new and contemporary" after The Beetle Bar's impressive decade-plus run. Find The Flamin' Galah at 350 Upper Roma Street, Brisbane. Head to their Facebook page for further information. Images: Lachlan Douglas Photography.
Think you've tried every kind of ice cream that there is? Think again. Sure, you've eaten it in a cone and a cup, scooped and served soft, covered in chocolate, smashed up with lollies and even served between two cookies — and in every flavour from rainbow to wasabi imaginable, too. But have you had it made fresh to order on specially imported cold plates, from European liquid gelato, and then rolled up? Scrolled ice cream is the latest addition to The Doughnut Bar's menu, as well as an added incentive to visit their brand new permanent store. Come midday on February 25, their fresh Wintergarden digs will be making your frosty dreams come true (as long as those dreams involve a low-fat, low-sugar sweet treat that's crafted before your very eyes — and, be honest, whose doesn't?). At launch, Tiny Timmy Tella (tiny teddies, Tim Tams and Nutella), Vovoreo (raspberry, coconut and oreo) and Snickers (chocolate, smashed nuts and caramel) flavours will be available, with the selection rotating every fortnight. That sound you're hearing? It's the sound of an entire city licking their lips. Don't worry, The Doughnut Bar haven't stopped slinging the doughy orbs of deliciousness they're famous for. In fact, they're now also cooking up brioche doughnuts, alongside their existing jam-packed pastries and cronuts. Grab your handcrafted artisan delights at their new haunt, their existing Edward Street location and from their roving vintage kombi at markets, too — but remember to head to the Wintergarden if you'd like something cool and creamy to go with it. It's not just the only Doughnut Bar site that's selling scrolled ice cream; it's the only place in the entire state of Queensland. The Doughnut Bar's new permanent store opens at midday on February 25 at Shop K3 in the Wintergarden, 185 Queen St, Brisbane. For more information, visit their website and Facebook page.
Whether it's in the name of bread or pastries, Brisbane's bakers rise early in the morning to produce some damn fine offerings for your daily delights. So it's only fair you put down that $2 generic brand bread and get yourself a hearty, handmade loaf of artisan dough. You can thank us when your gob is full of gluteny goodness. FLOUR & CHOCOLATE What's in a name? When it comes to Flour & Chocolate, there is no denying the main ingredients to be found in the Morningside kitchen. Lachlan Scott is the man behind the magic, and has found a well-earned spot as one of Brisbane's best bakers. The lines of locals that snake out the door of a weekend morning simply affirm this. As at any good bakery, bread is in abundance, with traditional and specialty sourdoughs (think fruit and walnut, caraway and rock salt, and chocolate on special occasions) filling the baskets alongside Vienna, country rye and French baguettes. Cakes, tarts, savoury treats, brownies, croissants and pastries round out the rest of the store. If, like us, you have a penchant for pastry, you may already know about Flour & Chocolate's dedicated days for specialty products. If not, grab your diary and make note: Wednesdays are for doughnuts, Thursdays are for gonuts, Friday's are for bagels and brownies, and the weekends are for focaccia and flaky, fresh pastries. 4/621 Wynnum Road, Morningside JOCELYN'S PROVISIONS If you've had the pleasure of devouring one of Jocelyn's Provisions' iconic bar cakes, it should be no surprise that the establishment makes the cut as one of Brisbane's best bakeries. Beyond the cakes, loaves of sourdough, baguettes, and ciabatta are baked using organic flour and a long fermentation process, which means a tender crumb and complex flavour. Depending on the day, seeded sourdough and seeded baguettes are available alongside the traditional loaves, as well as a specialty fig, fennel and aniseed sourdough on Friday and Saturday. Stop by in the morning while they're still warm. A variety of, pies, sausage rolls and savoury tarts, as well as individual sweet treats (there are too many to name but watch out for the salted malted chocolate cupcakes) are available, with exact offerings varying depending on the day. Shop 11, Centro on James, 46 James Street, Fortitude Valley BANNETON The beautiful minds behind Banneton Bakery have mastered the art of woodfired baking and stolen the hearts of Brisbane bread fiends across the city. The philosophy behind the delicious dough at Banneton is grounded in a belief in using natural ingredients and traditional baking methods to craft textured crusts and aromatic insides. Although it is hard to look past the signature 'Banneton' loaf (100% sourdough), choices such as French baguette, New York deli rye, multigrain, gluten-free corn bread or even the gourmet potato and cracked pepper loaf are sure to liven up your lunchtime sandwiches. Grab a loaf from one of the two cafes in Woollongabba or Ashgrove, or find the stall at Kelvin Grove Market on Saturdays and Boggo Road Market on Sundays. 25 Balaclava Street, Woolloongabba and Shop 3, 584 Waterworks Road, Ashgrove THE BAKER'S ARMS The Baker's Arms offers Brisbane the best of both worlds as a specialty bakehouse and cafe. If you don't have the time to sit down and enjoy the changing specials menu, we're begging you, please make time to grab a French baguette, beef sausage roll or slice of pumpkin pie to go. It won't be easy to pass up the opportunity, as the cabinet and the countertop are brimming with all things baked, from traditional pain au chocolat to inventive cheesecakes (we've seen honeycomb, banana butterscotch and rocky road). Embrace The Baker's Arms with arms wide open and stomach empty. 29 Logan Road, Woollongabba LE BON CHOIX Le Bon Choix now bring French Renaissance-style sweets and savouries to four locations across Brisbane — Queen Street, Edward Street, Paddington and Racecourse Road. Silky macarons, glossy eclairs and a range of gateaux that would make Marie Antoinette proud steal the show on the menu. But it's not all about the sweet; the croque monsieur is pleasingly cheesy. Various locations. BREWBAKERS Brewbakers in Albion are all about baking bread, bagels and sourdough doughnuts, and we are all about devouring them until our heart's content. Bread comes in the form of the high-top como, French baguette and sourdough fruit loaf to name but a few. The bakers like to experiment, so don't be surprised to see any number of fusion baked goods (think: bagel dog). Still, they don't forget much-adored favourites like drool-inducing jam, chocolate and butterscotch sourdough doughnuts. 337 Sandgate Road, Albion BOTANICA Botanica might be famed for their wholesome, hearty and damn delicious takeaway salads, but one look at the homemade sweets in the window will confirm that we are definitely not dealing with a one-trick pony. All the sweets are gluten-free and baked fresh each morning. You heard right, Brisbane, baked goods minus the gluten for all stomachs to enjoy. Vegan brownies, cinnamon bundt doughnuts, cherry white chocolate and sour cream muffins. So, coeliac friends, run, don't walk. 1 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill BEERKARY BAKERY Beerkary is not your standard bakery; it seeks to combine some of life's greatest pleasures — beer and baked goods. When you stop and think about it, you quickly realise that brewing and baking stem from a similar science, and the combination is not quite as wacky as you first thought. It's a pop-up venture, but we'll take beerclairs, beercarons and malted brioche from masterminds Ben Devlin and Yen Trinh when and where we can get them. Popping up at events around Brisbane. CRUST & CO The success of Crust & Co stems from the French and Italian heritage of owner-baker Sebastien Pisasale, who has brought joy, happiness and authentic crusty French bread to the welcoming mouths of Brisbane bread lovers. From baguette to batard, or sourdough to ciabatta, all loaves are baked according to traditional, long-fermentation methods and liquid sourdough, which produces the irresistibly crunchy crust we covet. Perfect pastries and tempting treats will catch you at the counter as you tuck your baguette under your arm like a true Frenchperson would. 140 Edmondstone Street, Newmarket CHOUQUETTE Sister company to Crust & Co, Choquette will have you thinking you've stepped into a Parisian patisserie as you 'ooh la la' and indulge your inner Francophile in buttery and flaky croissants, pain au chocolat, pain aux raisins, torsades, brioche, macarons, eclairs and millefeuille. All breads are baked by Crust & Co. 19 Barker Street, New Farm
As many films do, The Space Between begins with a series of influential events that shake up an otherwise stagnant life. When his stint in New York came to an unplanned end through a family tragedy, Marco (Flavio Parenti) returned to his home town of Udine in Northern Italy, gave up on his dream of being a chef and carved out a routine existence — and just as he has somewhat accepted his fate, more hardship strikes. But at the same time, he meets Olivia (Maeve Dermody), an Australian in the country wading through her own family and career matters. A connection forms as the two try to find their path forward. The film's narrative isn't just an interesting story worth spending 98 minutes watching — it's also somewhat based on reality. In fact, The Space Between is partially inspired by the day that Melbourne-based writer-director Ruth Borgobello met her husband Davide Giusto (who also serves as one of movie's producers), and the bond they forged as he coped with his real-life grief. In turning the tale into a film (her first feature, no less), Borgobello has not only transported parts of her life to the big screen, but has also crafted the first-ever Australian-Italian co-production in the process. While the former feat has personal significance, the latter is no lesser of an achievement; indeed, a filmmaking treaty between the two countries was signed back in 1993. Just how did Borgobello draw from such intimate experiences? And how did she manage to make history with her debut feature? With The Space Between currently touring Australia as part of the Italian Film Festival, we chatted with the filmmaker about finding inspiration in Italy, working through trauma and turning an aspect of your life into a feature film. ON LETTING REALITY INSPIRE THE NARRATIVE "I met my husband the day he lost someone very important to him unexpectedly. We'd sort of already had this plan to spend a couple of weeks together, because he's a good friend of my cousin in Italy, and he was planning to come to Australia, and he had his visa ready. And so, in spite of this loss and grief he was going through, we spent a couple of weeks together, and I guess that always stayed with me as a very transformational moment for both of us. We were in our early 20s, so it kind of throws everything into question and makes you think very carefully about the life path that you want to choose when something like that happens. You tend to think you're quite invincible when you're that age, I think. Years later I kind of was developing another project focused more on a migration story of my family and my father, but I guess just spending time in Italy and thinking about that moment, I was sort of quite inspired and pushed to do something a bit more personal as my first film. And talking about contemporary Italy within that as well. So, it was inspired by that moment — but the actual characters and the journey that they go on is very fictional, and very, much more connected to Italy today than back in that time." ON DRAWING FROM EXPERIENCED GRIEF AND TRAUMA "When I set out to write this script, I was sort of basing it on my husband's experience of losing someone close to him — and I had never lost someone, especially not a close friend in the way that he had. So I tried to get inside his head, I guess, and his grieving process. And then also working with my co-writer who had lost his father when he was quite young, so he had gone through that. But then, strangely, in the journey of writing it — and it was something that really kind of terrified me when it happened — my best friend actually was in an accident, a very unexpected accident, and was in a coma for a few weeks hovering between life and death. Luckily now she's fine, she's got through it, but I guess it strangely sort of brought me very close to that experience, which can be quite challenging because when it happens to you — you don't know if you can actually go there to bring it into the script. But, I tried to write during that period just to tune into the emotion of it all. I guess with the grief, I think the lesson that came for us that was very powerful — it was that he left...but then someone else arrived in that moment that would be very important and play a similar role, I guess, in Davide, my husband's, life. Just that sort of interesting thing that someone leaves and someone else arrives, and I guess to trust in life sometimes that it will bring you support in those kind of moments, and then opportunity to maybe grow and evolve." ON MAKING THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN-ITALIAN CO-PRODUCTION "It's just enormous, and I think it's not just sort of all the relationships and paperwork and trying to make the two governments sort of work — or their rules — really work together. Also, then you've got to translate everything and every time it changes you've got to re-translate it. So it is an enormous amount of work. I guess, at the end of the day, it's just kind of willingness and determination to make it work. And we sort of sensed that if we could make it work, then there would be a lot of positivity that would come out of that — obviously for the film, but also creating future possibilities between the two countries. So it's worth it. When you know you're going to make history, it's worth it to persevere. And we had a lot of willingness from Italy and the Italian government too, that really supported us in wanting to make it work, so that helps." ON SETTING HER FILM IN ITALY — AND FINDING THE RIGHT LOCATIONS "We spent years of research looking at locations that are not the typical tourist locations. They're not the places you could open a book and find out where they are — they're all sort of quite hidden and you have to know people who know people. So it took a lot to find those places that would really serve the psychology and the narrative of Marco's journey, and with Olivia. So I spent time myself there in Italy, living for periods of six months or so, just to also really get to know the people and the place. And trying to perceive the current climate of today, and what's going on, and the relationship between the environment and this sort of crisis as well, which I always found quite contradictory because there's so much beauty and inspiration in what's been created in the past, but it feels very stagnant in the present. So it was about sort of being able to marry those two together." ON HER TIES WITH ITALY "I've got two projects that I'm working on, and both are connected with Italy again. One of them is also sort of connected to climate change, and I really want to do a sort of original creative story around that, kind of featuring nature as a main character — and it's positive, not fear-driven. So that's something that I'm heavily researching at the moment. And then another film, perhaps with Italy dealing with refugees and what's happening at the moment in Europe with that crisis, through quite a courageous character who goes out on a limb to help the refugees. So sort of inspired by a true story that we've come across. I think we've learnt so much, so it will make the next one easier. I'm sure it will always be challenging, but it feels like there's a clear path now." The Space Between is currently screening at the Italian Film Festival, which tours Australia until October 19. Check out our top five picks of the festival.
With a seafood restaurant, hotel and steakhouse all housed on the same stretch of inner-city roadway, Gambaros has long been synonymous with Caxton Street in Petrie Terrace. The group is breaking that trend with its latest venture, which isn't actually located next door or across the road from its existing establishments. Instead, a second Black Hide is set to open in the Treasury Brisbane in the CBD. Expanding Gambaros' luxe steak brand, Black Hide will nestle into the Queen Street side of the casino, opening its doors on Friday, June 8. Patrons can expect river views, a bar overlooking Reddacliff Place, and a six-room setup that makes the most of the heritage building's features — including a ten-person private dining space filled with timber, brass and marble. Of course, hungry diners can also expect marbling in their steak, with two cuts boasting the highest marbling score given according to Australian industry standards. Wagyu and a pair of dry-aged cuts are also available, with the latter on display in a glass cabinet. Also forming part of the decor: a library-style knife collection featuring 126 pieces of silverware. For those keen on something other than steak, the 154-seat eatery also serves up a hefty range of seafood, including mains of lobster and Moreton Bay bugs, and small plates filled with caviar, smoked salmon, calamari, Hervey Bay scallops and oysters. Drinks-wise, Black Hide's wine list spans more than 20 grape varieties from well-known wine regions around the world — with more than 150 bottles on display. Find Black Hide by Gambaro in the Treasury Brisbane, top of the Queen Street Mall, Level 1, Treasury Casino Building from June 8. The restaurant will be open for lunch from Tuesday to Friday, and for dinner from Tuesday to Sunday. For more information, visit the Treasury website.
If you've ever walked along Ann Street in Fortitude Valley, you've probably walked right past Bakery Lane more than once — and barely glanced in its direction. It used to just be a small space between buildings, barely even half a block down from the Brunswick Street mall near Laruche, the Bowery and Fabrik Hair. Now, it's much, much more than that. After being slated for development in 2012, Bakery Lane has transformed to become a food, retail and residential precinct, as well as the Valley's most hyped-up new hangout spot. The space features boutique design incubator studio apartments, and a mixture of all the things that already make the area so great — we're talking new restaurants, cafes and bars. Lost Boys Organic Cafe moved in late last year, and others are slowly but surely starting to follow suit. Skull It Juice Bar is one of the new residents, alongside, I Heart Brownies' soon-to-open permanent home (from April 11), plus new organic vegetarian tapas place The Tree House. Morphing from an Asian-influenced cafe by day to a bar by night, Kiosk will pop up mid-month, with another new eatery, The Apo, joining them not long after. Fashion-wise, prepare to welcome Stock and Supply. Of course, this list is only the beginning. If you need another excuse to wander by, you can also check out the Bakery Lane Providore Markets on May 2. Not only can you peruse the new additions to the laneway, but you can stock up on local produce while listening to live music. And in even better news, it'll keep happening on the first Saturday of every month afterwards. Find Bakery Lane at 694 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, and keep up to date with their latest news via their Facebook page.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and start that business you've always wanted to give a red hot go? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. Dreaming big is easy. Following through on that dream — that's where the hard work begins. Junky Comics' owner Vlada Edirippulige knows this, but a year after opening her own store, she wouldn't have it any other way. Also known as illustrator Junky and as a member of local band Major Leagues, her commitment to boosting Brisbane's arts scene shows just what can happen when you embody 'Sine Metu', set your mind to something and throw caution to the wind. As a result, not only does she get to hang out in her ideal bookshop all day, Vlada also celebrates artists and work that isn't available elsewhere, she helps make the city the place she wants it to be and nurtures fellow creative Brisbanites through Junky's growing events program. DON'T OVERTHINK IT, JUST DO IT Anyone fresh out of university knows the feeling of spending three years studying, graduating with a shiny piece of paper, and then facing a wave of uncertainty about the future. In 2012, that was Vlada, who boasted a music degree, a hankering for creativity, and an avid interest in comics and art in general. At that time, she came to a realisation. "A lot of the work I was interested in, a lot of the female writers and artists that I was following online — it was tough to find their stuff physically in Brisbane." Enter Junky Comics — or, the first seeds of an idea that would sprout into the vibrant addition to West End's Vulture Street the city now knows and loves. "I was buying a lot of stuff online, and I had a lot of friends who were doing the same. And I also had a bunch of really talented female friends that were doing incredible things. I thought that it was time that there was a place in Brisbane that could house all that kind of stuff. And I thought that I'd just give it a crack," she continues. Armed with a little 'Sine Metu' attitude, Vlada jumped into action, first testing the waters with an online store. Its success bolstered her confidence, and the bricks-and-mortar business was born. Many people in her situation would've spent months and even years deliberating and preparing; however Vlada is honest about her thought processes, or lack thereof. "Not a lot of thought went into it. I was just like, 'I'm just going to do it.' It was very much a leap of faith, but I thought I should just give it a go while I hadn't settled down to do anything yet." EMBRACE YOUR COMMUNITY Vlada's own tastes might've provided her initial motivation, but her faith in Brisbane as a place that should have a store like Junky was also a strong driving force. It's a situation everyone can relate to; all Brisbanites have watched their fair share of friends head to Sydney and Melbourne to chase their dreams, but that wasn't the path Vlada wanted to follow. "I have a really strong belief in Brisbane as a place and as an artistic community," she says. "I think it gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes. I think that we've got so much blank space that we can fill in with music and art." Given the buzz Junky has generated since it launched in April 2015, her customers clearly agree, enabling Vlada to run her own store in her hometown. "That's the dream, right?" she says. "I think in order for Brisbane to be put on the map like Sydney and Melbourne , we need to really cultivate that community that's here. There are so many people doing [great things], and it is exciting to be a part of it." PAY IT FORWARD Indeed, selling great comics and books to the citizens of Brisbane isn't Vlada's only passion or Junky's sole purpose, as anyone who has caught an exhibition, been to a book launch or indulged their own artistic side within the store's walls knows. More than just a shopfront, Junky has become a gallery, hangout space and all-round hive of activity. That's all by design — and it's just the beginning, with expanding the calendar of events being part of Vlada's future plans. "I really want to focus on doing gallery stuff, because it is really fun to tack someone's art on the walls and have them super excited about it — and be able to invite all their pals and celebrate each other's work," she points out. And, in the process, Vlada is not only helping Junky fulfil its potential; she's also doing her bit to assist other creative folks follow in her footsteps. "I think that's where a lot of the joy comes from; seeing people talk about producing something, then producing something, putting on a show and getting all their pals to come in and experience it with them." KEEP YOUR CHIN UP (AND LISTEN TO BEYONCÉ IF IT'S DOWN) Of course, opening her own store from scratch and building Junky into the thriving hub it is today wasn't all smooth sailing, even if it appears that way on the outside. Junky might be gearing up to celebrate its first birthday in April, all while filling its shelves with eclectic wares and playing host to everything from art shows to zine launches, but, like everyone, Vlada has her good days and her bad. So how does she weather those ups and downs, and what advice does she have for anyone keen to rewrite their own path? "The thing I wish I had thought of or knew when I'd started is just don't be knocked down or persuaded that you're anything less than you think you are by anybody," Vlada says. "When you start something, you're already feeling super vulnerable. The way I did it was just by listening to a lot of Beyoncé — but you've got to have something that you can look at or think about every day that reminds you why you're doing it, and that you can do it. Because there's going to be shitty days, and days where you're like 'oh man, this is not worth it'. But then you'll have the really great days that even it out." Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Thanks to Jameson and The Rewriters, one extremely fortunate Concrete Playground reader (and their even more fortunate mate) will get the chance to 'fear less' and go on a big ol' adventure to Ireland. In addition to two return flights departing from your choice of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, this epic giveaway comes with five night's accommodation and $500 spending money you can use to paint the Emerald Isle red. ENTER HERE. For more about how 'Sine Metu' influenced John Jameson's journey visit Jameson's website.
Before Rhys Pike and Sean Astill opened Future Magic Brewing Co, Manilla Street in East Brisbane was already home to a brewery thanks to the Gold Coast-born Black Hops' Brisbane taproom. For many, setting up shop opposite another beer joint might've been cause for second thoughts, but not for this duo. Valuing community — cultivating Future Magic's own via crowdfunding, and celebrating the community it has joined in its new abode — is one of their guiding principles. Pike and Astill did hear the obvious doubts, however. "We've had quite a few people ask us in really direct terms 'don't you think it's silly to open a brewery within 100 metres of another brewery?'," Pike says. "And our rationale is that, it's a weird concept but the rising tide will lift all ships. If there's a great brewery in an area, it will then change the way another brewery will operate, and make them make their processes better — and it means that the local offerings for beer and food and wine, and craft concepts like gin and so forth, will become better for everyone." The pair met about seven or eight years ago, with Astill dabbling with home brewing and Pike running a craft beer blog and Instagram account, and both working for a technology business. "Sean presented me with a couple of home brew beers he had made, and I told him they were of very high quality and he should consider submitting them to some awards," Pike explains. Astill followed his advice, placed second in the state in the Queensland Amateur Brewers Association awards, and then fourth in the country. He'd next work for Ballistic Beer Co. Bringing Future Magic to fruition sprang from there, with monthly catchups to work through the duo's plans, research into ideal locations and a 12–18-month search for the perfect property, which involved inspecting 40–50 properties. Pike and Astill went with the industrial brick Manilla Street warehouse — the home of a former packaging supplies company — for its feature wall, its capacity to host both a taproom and the brewing operations, and its room for growth. "It's kind of cool and funny in its full-circle nature that the building has gone from a place that has housed boxes of pizza to serving boxes of pizza," Pike says. "We still get people coming in every week asking to buy pizza boxes and cake boxes." Future Magic's pizza range is made in-house, with seven types available — plus two for kids — alongside mushroom arancini and bruschetta. The main drawcard, of course, is the beer pumping through 12 taps. That includes its own brews, complete with a mango and passionfruit sour; a Thriller in Manilla Hazy IPA collaboration with Black Hops; and two ciders and a wine list from Witches Falls Winery well. Images: Rhys Pike.
Getting Brisbane slurping for over a decade, Taro's Ramen is the type of chain that could keep its brothy bowl-slinging format intact for years and years and always be one of the River City's go-to eateries. Owner and chef Taro Akimoto isn't throwing away his recipe either in the kitchen or out of it, much to the delight of the brand's long-term devotees — but he has given Taro's Queen Street location a new twist by night, turning it into an izakaya. For lunch seven days a week, hitting up 480 Queen Street still means noodle soups aplenty. Each evening, ramen also remains on the menu. But the new after-dark approach has seen the CBD site get a new name — Izakaya and Ramen Taro's — and turn into a food-focused izakaya once the sun goes down. Here after 5.30pm, you can pair sake and umeshu with special dishes that change daily, such as kingfish sashimi, grouper karaage, tuna katsu skewers and duck ramen. The switch means that no one is missing out on their midday bowls, but heading back after work gives patrons a different experience. Akimoto was inspired to make the shift due to the lack of affordable izakaya options in Brisbane. Indeed, when it comes to ramen, he was sparked to start Taro's back in 2010 for similar reasons. The Queen Street site rebranded in February 2024, with its drinks menu also pouring Asahi and Yoyogi brews, jelly liqueurs and a range of vino. Food-wise, past specials have included sashimi prawns, snapper karaage, grouper usuzukuri, homemade chicken jerky with shichimi mayonnaise, eggplant ratatouille, Hokkaido scallops carpaccio, and potato and egg salad with curry salt. A range of dishes, such as vegan karaage, wagyu garlic steak and, of course, ramen, are fixed on the menu, so you can tuck into them whichever night you drop by. Also, sashimi sets come with a choice of three or four dishes — and chocolate fondue with mochi ice cream is often on offer for dessert. Images: Anwyn Howarth
Pizza lovers of Brisbane — so, everyone — prepare for your favourite food to get even better. Or, even more readily available, to be exact. That's what will happen when Pizzantica sets up shop in Hawthorne. At the moment, you've probably chased their VW kombi van across town, including regular stopovers at Green Beacon Brewing, Milton Mini Markets, Hawthorne's Love Your Local Markets and Jan Power's Powerhouse Market Saturdays. Soon, you'll be able to head to one spot for your Italian fix if you're not up for so much running around. That's right, Pizzantica is following in the footsteps of brownies, doughnuts, lollies and more, and making the meals-on-wheels to bricks-and-mortar leap. Not content with popping up around Brisbane serving up delicious slabs of dough topped with whatever savoury morsels take their fancy, they want to do it from permanent digs as well. Riding Road will be the place to flock to, from sometime in either late October or early November. Until then, you'll still find their tomato-heavy, mozzarella-topped Napoli-style concoctions — plus their dessert calzones in nutella, strawberries and vanilla icing sugar and condensed milk, banana and cacao flavours — at their usual haunts. To keep up-to-date with Pizzantica, visit their website or Facebook page.
After hosting everything from live gigs to cult film screenings to craft afternoons since 2005 — and operating as a cinema in the decades before that — Fortitude Valley's New Globe Theatre is set to close its doors in April. Announced via a Facebook post, the venue will celebrate its last day of operations on April 29, a decision that has come about "after extensive discussions with landlords, banks and just about every other stakeholder". Shows, events and everything else on its calendar will proceed as normal in the interim, with one last big party planned for the final day of trade, of course. Full details of the shindig are yet to be revealed, but it'll include live music all day across the New Globe's stages, and using up any remaining stock. What will happen to the site at 220 Brunswick Street is yet to be revealed, but the New Globe's loss will leave a significant gap — with its distinctive personality and eclectic roster of events, there's no other venue quite like it across the city. Much of the Valley streetscape around it has undergone significant changes in recent years, as the constant sights of cranes and high-rises demonstrates, so someone else stepping in and using the space as a venue seems far from assured. The New Globe Theatre is will close on Sunday, April 29 with one last party at 220 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley. Entry is free. Image: Google Maps.
If you're a regular coffee drinker, no doubt you've been caught up in the recent push towards recyclable or reusable coffee cups. And for many of us, drinking the sweet nectar from a one-use, environmentally-unfriendly takeaway cup is just not the same as a weighty, handmade ceramic cafe cup. But who has the time to stop and sip? Where can you find a fusion of both? Thanks to a talented Queensland couple, you can now have your ceramic-bound coffee and drink it (on the go) too. Queensland potter Renton Bishopric and partner Clare Botfield have recently launched Pottery for the Planet — a series of limited edition pottery pieces that raise money and awareness of environmental issues. "If we want to continue living in a beautiful clean country and world, we have to make some serious changes and that starts with the choices of each individual," says Bishopric. In an effort to make this choice a little more design-savvy, the duo has begun making what customers have dubbed 'Planet Cups', bespoke ceramic coffee cups that reduce paper cup wastage, one coffee at a time. Bishopric and Botfield make each 8oz or 12oz cup by hand on the pottery wheel, drying and firing them in the kiln before glazing in a selection of colours. The intricate process by which they are made means each Planet Cup is unique. "With a handmade product there are so many variables starting with the hands of the person that threw the pot, down to the firing environment in the kiln. So no matter what, each cup is unique from its brothers and sisters," says Bishopric. Each Planet Cup comes with a silicone lid and the option of a heat band so extra hot coffee drinkers can protect their fingers. Due to the incredible popularity of the Planet Cups, an online shop is set to be launched soon. In the meantime, the colourful creations can be purchased through the pair's Sunshine Coast retail store, Cinnabar Soul. You can also check out the Pottery for the Planet website for a list of local stockists. If you live in Hobart, you're going to need one very soon. Image: Renton Bishopric Ceramics.
With floor-to-ceiling windows, classy cream coloured booths and impossibly high ceilings, this Fortitude Valley restaurant has one of the finest dining rooms in Brisbane — and it does an impossibly good steak, too. With a mini grand-piano in the centre of the room, it's the kind of place you'll want to have dressed up for. Got a hot date? Bring them here. High powered business meeting? This is the joint. Trying to prove to your parents you're not a bum? Welcome, take a seat (just remember to bring your wallet). When class is called upon in Brisbane, SK Steak and Oyster have you covered. The menu starts off with its selection of oysters, served natural with a side of champagne mignonette. Its selection of seafood cocktails includes Fraser Island spanner crab, Mooloolaba king prawns and Tasmanian rock lobster, while the seafood platters range from affordable to "actually, Dad you can get this bill", and include the likes of oysters, prawns, scallops, lobster, mussels and crab. The raw seafood options include a king salmon tartare with shallots and capers and yellowfin tuna with mayonnaise, while the hot seafood delivers Moreton Bay Bugs and Southern rock lobster. From the grill, and let's be honest, that's why we're here, enjoy a steak Diane with cognac and Worcestershire, a veal schnitzel with lemon and tartare or a wagyu burger served American style. The steaks include a 180-gram petit fillet Angus at the lower end, while the costlier options max out with a Kiwami BMS 9+ 400-gram New York cut Sirloin. Pair these with a mixed lead salad, some honey roasted carrots and lobster mac and cheese. The wine list here is impeccable, with literally hundreds of bottles available. Be sure to seek out one of the highly skilled sommeliers when searching for the perfect drop. There are some great wines by the glass, too, with standouts including an Australian 2021 grüner veltliner, a Rias Baixas Albariño and a Henschke shiraz from Eden Valley. SK Steak & Oyster is a luxe fine-diner in Brisbane that any surf and turf lover should save for a special occasion.
After a year full of lockdowns and restrictions, travelling around Australia is finally possible again. Now, the bumper-to-bumper summer season of the country's top galleries is within reach to out-of-town art lovers too. We've pulled together a taster of major exhibitions that span both new and recognisable art and will encourage reflection on this crazy year. Each state is offering something unique, from an expansive all-women artist exhibition in Canberra to shows revealing the diversity of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from across the country. Join us in celebrating culture and open borders with an Australian summer full of art, performance, community talks and tours.
The Harbour City doesn't lack art highlights all year, every year, but every two years the New South Wales capital plays host to the Biennale of Sydney. 2024 is one such year, with a hefty lineup taking over the city from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10 under the theme Ten Thousand Suns. White Bay Power Station is opening to the public for the first time in over a century for the Biennale, which is a huge highlight of the program. Of course, so are the 96 artists and collectives contributing 400-plus pieces across the event. Australia is represented, naturally, as is everywhere from Aotearoa New Zealand, Indonesia, India and Japan to Ukraine, Brazil, Mexico, the UK and the US. International talents include Andrew Thomas Huang, Adebunmi Gbadebo, Pacific Sisters, Martin Wong, Frank Moore, Maru Yacco and Anne Samat. Among the Aussies: Gordon Hookey, Tracey Moffatt, Serwah Attafuah, William Yang, VNS Matrix, Kirtika Kain, Joel Sherwood Spring and Juan Davila. Also, 14 First Nations artists have been commissioned by Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, one of the Biennale's partners, to make new works just for the event: Mangala Bai Maravi, Doreen Chapman, Megan Cope, Cristina Flores Pescorán, Freddy Mamani and Dylan Mooney, as well as Orquideas Barrileteras, John Pule, Eric-Paul Riege, Darrell Sibosado, Kaylene Whiskey, Yangamini, and Nikau Hindin in collaboration with Ebonie Fifita-Laufilitoga-Maka, Hina Puamohala Kneubuhl, Hinatea Colombani, Kesaia Biuvanua and Rongomai Gbric-Hoskins. [caption id="attachment_945078" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Citra Sasmita, Timur Merah Project X: Bedtime Story, 2023, acrylic on traditional Kamasan canvas, oak dowels. Commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with generous support from the Australia-Indonesia Institute. Timur Merah Project IV: Tales of Nowhere, 2020, acrylic on traditional Kamasan canvas, oak dowels. Commissioned by UOB for Children Art Space MACAN Museum Jakarta, Indonesia 2020. Courtesy the artist and Yeo Workshop, Singapore. Photo by David James.[/caption] Expect to enjoy Mooney's mural tribute to Malcolm Cole, the queer queer First Nations dancer and activist who created history by leading the first-ever Aboriginal float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in 1988 — and also Sibosado's riji (aka pearl shell) designs in neon. Both feature at White Bay Power Station, as does VNS Matrix's exploration of women and technology via banners. Chau Chak Wing Museum joins the Biennale of Sydney footprint for the first time, which is where Mangala Bai Maravi and Wong have pieces — one continuing to preserve tattooing patterns used by her people, India's Baiga group; the other being celebrated posthumously with nine paintings that focus on queer sexuality, as well ethnic and racial identities. At White Bay Power Station and Artspace, Indigenous weaving and jewellery making are in the spotlight via Riege. Also at the latter venue, Gbadebo is displaying new ceramic works that continue her interrogation of her family's past and America's history of slavery. And over at the Art Gallery of NSW, Hookey and Yacco will have works on offer. The lineup also spreads over to the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, which is where pieces by Moore and Kain feature — and to UNSW Galleries, where Sherwood and Elyas Alavi will be found. Whoever is showcased where, they're pondering heat, power, light, summer, joy, strength, the changing climate and everything else that the sun brings to mind. And, they're part of a lineup that also includes artist talks, art tours, workshops, music and more. [caption id="attachment_945080" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] Top images:Installation view, Ten Thousand Suns, 24th Biennale of Sydney 2024, Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring art by Pacific Sisters (foreground) and Robert Gabris (wall) photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Christopher Snee // Daniel Boud.
Drawing from France's iconic cafe-wine bars, The Old Seven offers the same intimate feeling and expertly selected vino as the establishments you'd find in Europe. The small space operates from breakfast, where the menu features French-inspired eats like house-made terrines, wagyu tonnato and mixed olives. Not keen to share? Opt for one of the six cheesy jaffles. Our pick is The d'Affy, with confit duck, fromager d'affinois, Spanish onion and cherry sauce. Dessert offerings include banoffee tart and three styles of affogato — each served with La Macelleria gelato. As for the wine, there are over 100 options, along with a small selection of beers and an impressive cocktail list. The Old Seven Wine Bar was formerly home to an art gallery, and much of the charm remains. However, it's been overhauled with restored antique furniture, a green-tiled bar and statement chandeliers to create a charming European vibe. Images: Kiel Wode
Culinary chaos boiling and bubbling on stage, as two TV cooks and their assistants put on a beatboxing, breakdancing, acrobatic show in Chef: Come Dine With Us! A musical reimagining of Orpheus, with The Tivoli becoming a 1930s-style Parisian music hall complete with French food and wine. They're two of the Australian premiere highlights of this year's Brisbane Festival, jumping from eye-popping gastronomical entertainment to old-world European charm between September 9 to 30. Throw in the return of the Treasury Brisbane Arcadia festival hub on the South Bank Cultural Centre Forecourt — the space to be when you need a wine, craft beer or food between shows — and there truly is something for everyone with burlesque and art in the Salome Lounge, top music acts and floor shows at The Courier-Mail Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, free performances with Little Creatures LIVE, plus a riverside Pimm's picnic every Sunday. In his third year as artistic director, David Berthold has put together a lineup of more than 60 events — five world premiere commissions, 11 Australian premieres and 25 Queensland premieres among them — for the 22-day fest. In what proves a feast of arts, culture, performance, music and cinema, the rest of the agenda includes a masquerade-ball rock show celebrating the stellar soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet; blind movie screenings, where a child describes what you can't see on screen; and a 40-foot-tall outdoor light installation inspired by a Czech/French animated science fiction flick. Chef: Come Dine With Us! has been described as "a smorgasbord of treats" by Berthold. Hailing from Korea, the performance is like a live cooking show, where two rival chefs come together to see who can create the best bibimbap. The catch is, there's no actual food involved. Instead, the chefs and their teams go through the cooking process via beatboxing and breakdancing, acrobatics, live music and plenty of humour. And while Chef takes us into a bustling Korean kitchen, Orpheus whisks us to Paris in the 1930s, where famed gypsy jazz musician Django Reinhardt has been cast as the lead of a jazzy rendition of Orpheus. Not only has the festival's production of Orpheus transformed The Tivoli into a Parisian music hall, but they've also created an entire cabaret vibe where tables have been set up so you can enjoy a romantic Rendezvous for Two with French food and wine by candlelight. There'll also be free live music and food before the show, and on Friday and Saturday, the Bar de la Muse opens its doors and the cast of Orpheus becomes the Hot Club de Bulb. As the Hot Club de Bulb, the cast will join the audience for live music and dancing after the show, for a night as whimsical and raucous as a nuit blanche in Paris. Interactive on-stage dating and a participatory trance-noise music/dance ritual will also be part of the program, as is a month-long season of unnerving and alluring Italian giallo cinema. Fans of Blanc de Blanc and LIMBO's Strut & Fret should flock to the world premiere of their latest effort, the house party-like, jumping castle-filled, pop-up technicolour world of FUN HOUSE. Oh, and LIMBO UNHINGED, a sequel to their 2014 hit, too. Elsewhere, treading the boards offers everything from circus and physical theatre piece Per Te to famous Chinese dance and choreographer Yang Liping joining forces with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Oscar-winner Tim Yip for the battle-focused dance piece Under Siege. Over at the indie showcase Theatre Republic, audiences will also find music, comic performances and all things weird and wonderful, such as the world premiere Laser Beak Man puppet show. Music-wise, this year's Brisbane Festival boasts a London Grammar-headlined mini-fest within the fest, taking the party over to Riverstage for a day. They'll be joined by international and local support acts, while the rest of the festival's music lineup spans Megan Washington teaming up with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Regurgitator performing The Velvet Underground and Nico, The Aints playing The Saints, a Bowie cabaret tribute and more. As always, it all comes to an end with the explosive finale that is Sunsuper Riverfire. Of course it does. How else would we know that we've just had a mighty fun month if we didn't bring it to a close by packing out South Bank en masse, staring at the sky and watching pretty fiery lights? It's a Brisbane tradition. Brisbane Festival runs from September 9–30 across Brisbane. For the full 2017 program, or to book tickets, visit the festival website. Words: Sarah Ward and Quinn Connors.
Chef and owner of Oyama, Da Shan Wang, arrived in Brisbane way back in 1983 and took a job as a dish hand in the local Chinese restaurant. Eventually, he was handed the role of apprentice chef and was such a standout that he was headhunted within a year to become a sous chef in a Japanese restaurant (in Japan, the rule is that you need five years experience before being a sous chef, but Da Shan was just that good). Eventually he saved enough to open his own restaurant, and in 1991 Oyama was born. Oyama means ' Big Mountain' in Japanese, and if there's one mountain to climb in Brisbane, it's this one. Da Shan has now employed his children in the business, making sure that Oyama continues offering some of the finest Japanese cuisine in Brisbane for many years to come. The menu at Oyama is elaborate, featuring sushi and sashimi, teppanyaki, a la carte and banquets. The sushi is prepared by Da Shan himself, so you know what you're getting is legit. Highlights include the Japanese bluefin tuna hand roll, the octopus nigiri, and the yellowfin kingfish belly. There are sashimi platters too, that come loaded with Da Shan's daily selection. If you're after teppanyaki, you'll have to order from a set menu, with five options available. The premium option features tempura prawns, scallops in garlic butter, South Australian lobster and grass fed eye fillet. The dessert is a macha panna cotta with whipped cream. It's a mega feast. The a la carte menu is also as long as your arm, so be sure to browse it ahead of time, or just order a banquet and kick back. Some of the hits include Moreton Bay bugs sautéed in fresh ginger and chilli, the special fried rice with pork belly, deep fried panko crumbed pork cutlets with tonkatsu sauce and everyone's favourite — salmon teriyaki (well my favourite, anyhow). There are also two-hour drinks packages available to those wanting a big night, so be sure you give yourself plenty of time. The wine list is small but well thought out, while they have both Asahi and Kirin on tap. The drinks simply complement the food — which is the star of the show at Oyama.
The humble icy poles is the star of childhood memories the world over, reminiscent of tuck shop visits, beachside jaunts, and those sticky days of summers past. Even when we're trying our hardest to adult, getting stuck into an icy treat is still up there with our favourite summer pastimes. And while Paddle Pops and Splices will always hold a place in our hearts and freezers, these days, you're just as likely to find us getting our kicks with some hand-crafted, locally-produced, artisan version. Yup, there's all sorts of fun things happening in the world of frozen treats right now — here's what we'll be ripping into this summer. [caption id="attachment_602909" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Pure Pops.[/caption] PURE POPS When two besties share an extreme love of frozen treats-on-a-stick, there's only one logical thing to do: start your own mini icy pole empire! That's the story behind Sydney company, Pure Pops, which has blossomed from a couple of farmers market stalls to a well-known brand, found at grocers, cafés, stores, and events across NSW. And these gals sure know how to make crowdpleasing icy poles. They've kept the sugary stuff to a minimum, going heavy on the natural fruit goodness, with most of the pops clocking in at under 80 calories. Expect summer-worthy flavours like banana caramel, blood orange, and pine-lime coconut splice. Check the website for your nearest stockist. [caption id="attachment_602934" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Marissa Fleming (The Simple Things Studio) for Liana Raine.[/caption] LIANA RAINE Liana Raine creations are kind of like the 'It Girls' of the frozen treats world — they're sophisticated, pop up on countless glossy magazine pages, and have even made it onto the runway at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. That said, when it comes to the important stuff, this family-run biz likes to keep things simple. Their all-natural, all-Aussie, artisan icy poles are crafted with the best seasonal fruit on offer, with clever new flavours added as quickly as they can be dreamt up — peach, moscato, and raspberry, anyone? Liana Raine is keeping summer retail plans under wraps for now, but in the meantime, jump on the website to order yourself a box. [caption id="attachment_602942" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Delish Ice.[/caption] DELISH ICE Old-school icy poles, served out of gorgeous vintage caravans – just try and match that for a nostalgia-tinged summer experience. These palate-pleasers from Perth-based Delish Ice are sure to win over young and old, what with the cute-as-pie retro styling and the downright tasty artisan pops. Flavours change regularly, but are sure to impress – expect combos like basil and elderflower; raspberry lemonade; and lychee, pineapple and lime. Buy them online, or catch one of their caravans or carts around Perth, Mandurah, Dunsborough, and Margaret River. They can even customise something special for your next summer shindig. [caption id="attachment_602937" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Frozen Sunshine.[/caption] FROZEN SUNSHINE With all that sunshine and humidity, it's a safe bet Queenslanders know a thing or two about icy poles. So, your tastebuds are in excellent hands with Frozen Sunshine Iceblocks, which are handcrafted in Maroochydore, using top-notch local ingredients and zero nasty flavourings or preservatives. These cool little characters are all free of dairy and made with either a fruit or creamy coconut milk base. At any time, there are at least 12 varieties on offer, so you might find yourself blissing out on a coconut and candied ginger creation; or maybe a pineapple, mango and passionfruit number. Pick up a box from the factory, or find them at markets, cafés and food stores across the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_602945" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Pop Shop.[/caption] POP SHOP SYDNEY Pop Shop Sydney's icy treats might just be the prettiest popsicles you ever did see. These locally-made beauties have been tricked out with everything from juicy fruit chunks, to edible flowers, and even gummy bears. Although with flavours like choc banana, Pimms, and Japanese lemonade with kiwi and orange, you probably won't be spending too long admiring the aesthetics. While these guys supply to a tight selection of cafés and stores around Sydney, their main jam is custom orders for parties, weddings, and other events. Get in touch and let them whip you up something special. [caption id="attachment_602946" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Mountain Pops (Falls Festival).[/caption] MOUNTAIN POPS Turns out, wine isn't the only Yarra Valley creation we'll be cooling down with this summer. The folks at Mountain Pops handcraft their cracking small batch ice blocks out of a kitchen in the Yarra Valley, pulling together fresh, locally-grown fruit to star in their lineup of inventive flavour combos. They've even had a play with some boozy pop varieties, which we suspect would go down a treat at your next backyard party. These thirst-quenchers are fast becoming a favourite on the festival circuit, making their way into many a hot little hand at the likes of Strawberry Fields, Rainbow Serpent Festival, Falls Festival and Yemaya. You'll also spy them at markets and events across town, and can keep tabs on their whereabouts at Where the Truck At. [caption id="attachment_602908" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Flyin' Fox.[/caption] FLYIN' FOX If you fancy keeping those food miles to a minimum, then Flyin' Fox ice blocks are sure to have you smiling. This NSW-based company handcrafts its fruit-packed icy poles in Murwillumbah, with mostly organic ingredients sourced carefully from local farms. These guys are pretty proud of our Aussie fruit, and they make it sing, in flavour combos like pomegranate and blueberry, lime and mint, and coconut and milk. You'll find them gracing the freezer section of stores and cafés across NSW and QLD, as well as in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Alice Springs. [caption id="attachment_602943" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Pop Co.[/caption] THE POP CO We guarantee this summer will see plenty of Melbourne ice block fans beating the heat with treats from The Pop Co. These guys sling handmade, gourmet popsicles out of a cheery little food cart, offering fruity flavours for all ages, alongside a range of signature, booze-infused creations. Kick it old-school with a strawberries and cream number, or embrace adulthood with a rum-laced Mojito pop. Customised flavour combinations are also on offer. The Pop Co. cart will be doing the rounds of Melbourne's markets, beaches, and outdoor events this summer, but you can always organise a special appearance, or bumper pop package for your own party. [caption id="attachment_602935" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Paleta.[/caption] PALETA This Melbourne brand pulls its name from the Spanish word for 'icy pole' and whips up its frosty treats based on authentic Mexican recipes. And indeed, these handmade sorbet icy poles, which feature an all-natural ingredient list, zero dairy or gluten, and stacks of fresh fruit, will prompt a mini fiesta in your mouth. Expect tropical flavours, like coconut, hibiscus, and your old mate watermelon, available in packs of 10 or 25, at stockists all across Melbourne. Try Aunt Maggie's in Fitzroy, The Prahran Grocer, and Market Espresso and Trolley Hire at the Queen Vic Markets. HONOURABLE EXPAT MENTION: POPS Icy poles and booze — they're the two staples of a long, hot Aussie summer. Back in October, we told you that the two had finally come together as one. Now, those Calippo-style Champagne icy poles we've all been hankering for since are finally on sale in Australia. The genius creation from POPS, a UK brand that has been keeping folks stylishly cool since 2014, have started popping up around Melbourne. Head to online alcohol delivery service tipple.com.au to order one of four flavours: the Champagne pop (called The Classic) contains half a glass of Champers (wahee!), while the Bellini blends hibiscus flowers, blood orange juice, peach Schnapps, and half a glass of Prosecco. Plus, there are a couple of all-ages products too, which see the alcohol swapped out for real fruit combinations (apple and elderflower, plus strawberry and mint). The timing couldn't be better, with the frozen delights arriving in our eskies just in time to be eaten in front of the fan (or, y'know, in the sun) this summer. As part of the Melbourne-first launch, they'll also be available at Arbory Bar and Eatery — and showering festival attendees with lickable icy alcohol goodness, including at The Pleasure Garden, Let Them Eat Cake and the Inverloch Sound of Summer. The POPS website also teases POPScycle bikes, so keep your eyes peeled.
Debauched banquets from Bompas and Parr, giant industrial fire organs and all the demon purging and ceremonial death dances you could want in a festival. Now in its third year, Dark Mofo continues to evolve to be darker, weirder and wilder than before. Aligned with the winter solstice and run from June 12-22, MONA’s annual June festival celebrated the Neolithic tradition over ten hedonistic days of eclectic and unpredictable art, performance, music and happenings around Hobart, concluding with the annual nude solstice swim at dawn after the longest night in Australia— yep, people actually swim nude in the bloody freezing Derwent River. Programming for Dark Mofo seems to be a deliberate descent from free-spirited, easily digestible art to uncontrolled, freakish insanity — from loveable Sydney fivesome The Preatures to Japanese eight-laptop conductor EYE. This year's citywide festival had thousands huddled ritualistically around fire bins in the waterfront arts precinct Dark Park, roasting giant marshmallows, chowing down on Pacha Mama wallaby burritos, Quiet Deeds Lamington Ale and Bruny Island oyster-garnished Bloody Marys at the Winter Feast and absorbing all the doom sludge metal, splintered electronic feedback ambience and Marina Abramovic performance art they could guzzle. We put our hands into mystery boxes at Hendrick's Gin's pop-up Parlour of Curiosities (which was wonderfully Sleep No More meets The Blair Witch Project), we made forcefields out of Anthony McCall's stunning Solid Light Works, avoided bodily injury by skipping Byron J Scullin and Supple Fox's Bass Bath and inhaled Aesop's olfactory soap-mist room — all while artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's beam of light towered over the city, pulsing with punter heartbeats. And then there's the event with a safe word (it was 'bananas'). Creative team Supple Fox created the mysterious, epic Blacklist party, a heaving, nightly end-of-the-world art rave taking over Hobart Town Hall until the wee hours. While most might want to abide by the rule 'what happens at Blacklist stays at Blacklist', we can divulge that there was more revolving pink Christmas trees made out of plastic bodies, silent drag shows, star sign-based floor huddles, melancholy poetry readings, Retrosweat-style dance demonstrations, silver balloon drops and car engine bonfires than we've seen at other, less apocalyptic parties. But the best bit about Dark Mofo? For an incredibly niche, dark and avant-garde festival that should be overwhelmingly pretentious, it's probably the most accessible and widely-attended (demographically) festival we've seen in many a day. Toddlers, nannas, teenagers, twenty-somethings, older humans; they all show up and have a grand ol' time. Maybe it's a Hobartian thing. Or maybe there's something about the end of the world that makes us lose our inhibitions and just run with it. Images: Andy Fraser. Words: Shannon Connellan.
Victoria is truly a cornucopia of earthly delights. Just a few hours from the centre of Melbourne lie some of Australia's lushest landmarks – the Grampians, the Great Ocean Road and Wilsons Prom, to name a few. And yet something often stops us from getting out of the city. Whether it's a lack of time, a private vehicle, like-minded friends or camping equipment, it's easy to not take full advantage of our location and get out into nature. Enter Hike and Seek, a boutique tour company that take small groups on day adventures from Melbourne. After launching in September last year, co-founders James McCleery and Mette Kortelainen quickly realised they were onto something amazing. "We started with two tours and now we're doing six tours on a weekly basis," says James. "Generally we book every tour out…it's been an absolute dream for us." McCleery and Kortelainen live and breathe an outdoorsy lifestyle. They imagined Hike and Seek several years ago while hiking in Wilsons Prom and now spend six days a week leading hiking tours. Unlike big tour companies, Hike and Seek is a little more personal. With just eight people on a tour, you'll be picked up by a Kombi van named Olivia from either St Kilda or the CBD. From there on out, Hike and Seek provide everything, from equipment and ethically-sourced coffee from Supreme to fresh vegan food and snacks throughout the day. So where do they take you? McCleery and Kortelainen run full and half-day tours to some of the best hiking spots around Melbourne — Wilsons Promontory, the Otways, Cape Woolamai on Phillip Island, Mt Buller, the Grampians and the Mornington Peninsula all make the list. As the tour groups are so small, they're perfect for solo travellers and anyone looking to make new friends. But this isn't some tourist activity full of visiting families and rowdy groups of backpackers. "We thought our target marketing was the travellers and the backpacker, but we realised quickly that 70 percent of our market is Melbourne-based," says James. "We actually get a lot of corporate people. We get Airbnb customers and Melbourne-based people, who've just always wanted to do it — they've heard of Wilsons Prom or the Grampians, but they've never been. Or their friends bail last minute, or they don't have a car or they wanna do it with a group." Hike and Seek also offer something else you won't find with most big tour companies: delicious vegan food. Before becoming a full-time hiker, Mette studied nutrition in Helsinki, so all the food you'll chow down on is super healthy and animal product-free, and bound to give you plenty of energy to tear through your hike. "We're not preachers at all but so many people are so intrigued by it [the vegan food]," James says "They're there to get active and healthy as well, so there's a like minded group of people there who're embarking on a journey together". Come summer, they'll even be expanding to two- and three-day camping tours for those who CBFed buying a tent but crave time out from the city. All you have to worry about now is finding a comfy pair of shoes. Hike and Seek run tours from Melbourne most days of the week. Tours book out fast so you'll need to book in advance at hikeandseek.com.au. Love a good hike? Here's eight one-day hikes that you can do on your own from Melbourne.
Whether you have a vendetta against overpriced wine menus or are simply a grog-snob, there's three lovely letters that can be a night out's saviour: BYO. Brisbane dining can be expensive enough without the addition of $8 stubbies and $9 glasses of house white/vinegar. Being able to BYO gives you the free range to to sip on your own store-bought favourites and chow down without a worry about where the next is glass is coming from (and how much you'll be forking out for it). To save you few bucks, we've exercised our stomachs and livers to find the best BYO spots in Brisbane. Cheers. DEER DUCK BISTRO, AUCHENFLOWER Since opening in late 2011, Deer Duck Bistro has been receiving rave reviews from every which way — it even received the Dan Murphy's award for BYO Restaurant of the Year in 2012. It has proved a much-needed addition to an otherwise low key Auchenflower dining scene, bringing charm and elegance to the shop front that formerly housed Cava Cava Italian restaurant. With the eight-course dinner (from $95 per person) you'll feast on the likes of tuna with pesto, white fungus, edible sand and sea shell, Balinese duck breast, and nitro banana with salted caramel, peanut butter ice cream and coconut biscuit. BYO wine has a $10 corkage charge. THE LITTLE LARDER, NEW FARM If you live by the closet alcoholic's adage, "It must be 5pm somewhere in the world," then you and Little Larder might get on quite well. Possibly the only breakfast joint in Brisbane to offer BYO, this Newstead cafe is happy to bring the brunch so long as you bring the booze. Host your own champagne breakfast over a couple of glasses of sparkling, or kick things off early with a six-pack of beer. The pulled pork burger paired proves love has no time constraints. PUBLIC, CBD Public isn't just the post-5pm, lawyer-type drinking hole the CBD scene can tend to lean towards. In fact, on Tuesdays it's quite the opposite with its one-day BYO deal filling the restaurant with a flock of new faces, wine coolers at foot. Tuesday makes dining at Public quite reasonable, with alcohol suddenly emitted from the bill (minus the $5 corkage). Bookings are essential and to keep things classy it's BYO wine only, but we're sure you can manage that. LITTLE GREEK TAVERNA, WEST END Such a list of BYO joints in Brisbane would be nothing without Little Greek. For years it's been one of the busiest BYO spots in West End — it seems waitstaff are exhausted from the amount of times they've been asked where the nearest bottle-o is (it's just across the road by the way). It's $2.50 per person for BYO beer and wine, and if you're stuck on what to order, their spicy moussaka and spanakopita can do no wrong. THAI WI-RAT, FORTITUDE VALLEY The top strategy of any money-strapped, avid Valley goer is to pre-drink as close to Brunswick Street as possible before a big night out. And those with basic knowledge of open container laws will know affordable, tasty BYO restaurants can prove lifesavers — and Thai Wi Rat is no exception. It's cheap, cheerful convenience is paired with a delicious selection of curries, stir fried dishes with rice, soup noodles and salads. Save a couple of bucks (and your stomach the next morning) and check in here first before a wild night on the town. MORAY CAFE, NEW FARM Not only does New Farm's Moray Cafe sport one of the best brekky menus around, they're also BYO for lunch (for just $5.50 corkage). Nice one. Brother-sister team Dylan and Stefanie have recently been joined in the kitchen by French chef Jeremie. Therefore, you should be eating the way the French intended — with a fork in one hand, and a glass of vin in the other. MINTS VIETNAMESE, PADDINGTON Mints Vietnamese in Rosalie kicks goals from every angle. It's cheap, it's fresh, it's super yum and it's BYO. It's usually packed on the weekend, as is the rest of the Rosalie foodie strip. But if you've got a weeknight free and hankering for some bun and beers, Mints can certainly deliver. HUONG'S, WEST END Since 1977, Huongs has been one of the top South Brisbane go-to Asian restaurants — ask any local. Its large upstairs dining room feeds anything from 40 plus parties to first date couples. Huongs is a great place to eat and drink before a night out in West End, and on weekends it can get a little rowdy with drinkers doing just that. It's centrally located, with delicious nosh and staff who are honestly very tolerant of those who think that downing a six pack has no effect on their dining etiquette.
Ah-sigh-ee. The pronunciation literally spells out one's reaction to eating this superfood — one that has well and truly captivated the good people down the GC and is successfully infiltrating the Brisbane-ian daily diet. First there is the 'Ah' moment when you take your first cooling mouthful, just when you think you're about to melt into the ground, then the 'sigh' where you savour the flavours bouncing around inside your mouth (eyeball rolls also often occur). It's finally followed by the 'ee' moment — immense satisfaction knowing you still have a whole bowl or smoothie to consume as you dive back in. Here are the best that Brisbane has to offer when it comes to sweet, deliciously filling and dangerously addictive acai bowls. Sol Natural Foods First thing's first: Sol's BYOB (build your own bowl) really is tough to top. Served on a beautiful wooden board with a side of house-made granola, Coyo in a mini milk jug and a pretty-as-a-picture fresh fruit skewer, it's a feast for the eyes just as much as it is for the stomach. The acai itself is spot on, balancing the natural tang of the berry with the creaminess of frozen banana, while the house-toasted granola brimming with smoky-sweet crunchy seeds and nuts adds a crazy delicious crunch enhanced only by a generous dollop of Coyo on top. It'll bowl you over. Shop 6/826 Ann St, Fortitude Valley Denim Co. It may come as a surprise but boutique fashion-cafe Denim Co. in South Bank has one of the best acai bowls going round. With a serious dose of acai (thank goodness, because after serious sampling one can tell when places are stingy on the good stuff), the bowl (or rather, hipster jar complete with denim bow embellishment) is both rich in colour and flavour. Tangy and refreshing, it comes finished with Irrewarra granola on top (or accommodatingly switched for a crumbled cranberry bliss ball and slivered almonds). A pure winner in every sense. Shop 9a Little Stanley Street, South Bank Kiss the Berry If you're an acai connoisseur then there really is no going past Kiss the Berry. Whether it's their ever-popular KTB Original Bowl (acai, banana, strawberries and apple juice topped with more banana and strawberries and chia seeds), their Berry Good Low Sugar Bowl (acai, banana and filtered spring water topped with banana, LSA, chia seeds, coconut and yoghurt) or their blend of the month that tickles your acai fancy, these girls know their superfood. Pro tip: ask for Kiss the Berry's own granola and Coyo as add-ons. Just do it and thank us later. Shop 1, 99 Creek Street, Brisbane Blurred Coffee Lounge When seeking an acai bowl that will keep the monster at the door for several hours after consumption, look no further than Blurred Coffee Lounge. A supercharged berry hit, it's a large bowl filled to the brim with an organic Amazonia Co. acai/strawberry/blueberry/raspberry blend, laden with golden toasted granola, plump inca berries (hello taste sensation!), gojis, crunchy dried banana and shredded coconut. It's a zesty, fruity, refreshing take on the acai, and we're fans. Shop 3 / 27 Lamington Street, New Farm Picnic Cafe Staying in the Venzin Group family, Picnic's acai bowl is slightly more mild in terms of the intense acai berry flavour but equally as delectable. Blended with banana, it's assembled with even rows of honey toasted Byron Bay Macadamia Muesli, shredded coconut, cranberries, strawberry rounds and fresh banana. The always-beaming team will also customise it for you with paleo granola if regular isn't your thing. Perfectly enjoyed on a hot day by the giant bay window. 12 Martha Street, Coorparoo Press'd Smoothie & Juice Bar The team at this raw food and smoothie bar sticks to the traditional combination and uses Amazonia Co. acai blitzed with bananas and a touch of juice. Topped with the usual delicious combination of nutty granola clusters and fresh fruit, it is on the runnier side (to be fair it was a humid morning), but it really doesn't matter, as these bowls are easy to swiftly devour. And if you're a granola fan, definitely ask for double the quantity. It's pretty damn tasty. 85 Commercial Road, Teneriffe Photography by Mimi Hyll.
Behind an assuming copper door at the heritage-listed National Bank Building in South Brisbane, you'll find a staircase leading you upstairs to the impossibly elegant, Maeve Wine Bar. It's all high ceilings and polished floorboards here, with copper finishes and hanging lights — plus, an exposed kitchen where the talented chefs prepare classic European fare such as aubergine parmigiana and dry-aged quail with plums and jus. Opened by hospitality stalwarts and close friends — Eleanor Cappa, Maris Cook and Jesse Stevens — Maeve Wine Bar is all about a love of wine, food and hospitality. The building itself is worth the admission alone, having stood for nearly one hundred years in the classicist style. And if it was ever going to have a restaurant, it had to be chic and tasteful. Maeve Wine Bar really is the perfect addition. First off, there's the exhaustive wine list. It changes often and features wines from every corner of the globe, boasting a well-curated list of everyday drops and a handful of vintage bottles — best saved for celebrations. Match your wine with snacks such as fried zucchini blossoms, scallop crudo with mandarin, or a half chicken with cauliflower and lemon pepper, and you've got the perfect evening. The staff here are charming and always happy to see you. It really is the epitome of a friendly neighbourhood wine bar, with a step up in class and service. Head to Maeve Wine Bar with a date, or come on your own and grab a glass of chilled Spanish grenache at the bar — watching the chefs work their magic while reading a good book. Wine bars like this don't need to be enjoyed with others. Sometimes, you just want to take it all in without distractions.
At the age of 22, Billie Eilish has nine Grammys, two Oscars, a couple of huge albums with a third set to hit in May 2024 and, ever since her first record When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? proved such a huge success, all-round music sensation status. She also has a brand-new just-announced world tour about to do the rounds, including to Australia in 2025 — with the 'Bad Guy' and 'Happier Than Ever' singer heading Down Under for three huge weeks. Eilish will spend close to a week in each of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, playing four shows apiece in all three cities. She's spreading out her gigs on each leg, doing two nights back to back, then taking an evening off, then doing two more consecutively. [caption id="attachment_952889" align="alignnone" width="1920"] William Drumm[/caption] The dates: from Tuesday, February 18–Wednesday, February 19 and then Friday, February 21–Saturday, February 22 in Brisbane; Monday, February 24–Tuesday, February 25 and then Thursday, February 27–Friday, February 28 in Sydney; and Tuesday, March 4—Wednesday, March 5 and then Friday, March 7–Saturday, March 8 in Melbourne. This is an arena tour, with Eilish heading to Brisbane Entertainment Centre when she's in the Sunshine State capital, Qudos Bank Arena in the Harbour City and Rod Laver Arena for her Victorian stint. [caption id="attachment_827919" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Crommelincklars via Flickr[/caption] Eilish toured Australia in 2019 and 2022, and her fame has only gotten bigger since the latter — hence the 12 Aussie shows announced off the bat. These are the only gigs that she'll be playing on her Aussie visit, with no others set to be added, so getting in ASAP when tickets go on sale is recommended. Pre-sales start from Wednesday, May 1, with general sales from Friday, May 3 at 1pm AEST for Sydney shows, 2pm AEST for Brisbane and 3pm AEST for Melbourne. Since her last tour for her second album Happier Than Ever, Eilish has acted in TV series Swarm and seen her track 'What Was I Made For?' from the Barbie soundtrack become one of the songs of 2023. Her third record Hit Me Hard and Soft, which her new tour is in support of, releases on Friday, May 17. Billie Eilish Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour Australian Dates 2025: Tuesday, February 18–Wednesday, February 19 + Friday, February 21–Saturday, February 22 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Monday, February 24–Tuesday, February 25 + Thursday, February 27–Friday, February 28 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Tuesday, March 4—Wednesday, March 5 + Friday, March 7–Saturday, March 8 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour will come to Australia in February and March 2025, with ticket pre-sales from Wednesday, May 1 and general sales from Friday, May 3 (at 1pm AEST for Sydney shows, 2pm AEST for Brisbane and 3pm AEST for Melbourne). Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Raph_PH via Flickr.
Good bagels are few and far in Australia. Sure, you can find a sausage roll or pie any time of any day, but no amount of flaky pastry and questionable meat filling can satisfy a fresh, soft dough hankering. A need for something dense, doughy and bagelly delicious. However, you might not have to travel as far as you thought to get your fix, because Brisbane's experiencing a rather tasty bagel boom, and it's hitting taste buds hard. Scout Scout has perfected everything a bagel should be: packed to the brim with a glorious amount of meat, a wholesome dollop of tomato relish and a touch of rocket to keep things healthy. Their breaky bagel is a menu stunner, lashed with rich kaiserflesch, egg, chedder and a dynamo relish and aioli duo. Scout's lunch menu holds more bagel treats, with spiced chicken, guacamole, cucumber, chipotle mayo and iceberg headlining alongside haloumi, roasted zucchini, Moroccan spiced carrot, hummus, aioli and rocket. Pair your Scout bagel with a coffee, or better still a banana milkshake, and find yourself in a tummy-hugging daze – beware the addiction. 190 Petrie Tce, Red Hill The Bagel Boys Hailing from the Sunshine Coast, these guys dot up all around Brisbane with their tasty selection of bagels and a crowd to complement. The boys mix, roll, boil and bake their bagels in a traditional recipe that took them four weeks of practice to perfect – they've even been praised by New Yorkers, saying their recipe is better than any yankee bagel. You can find them selling bagels at Noosa Farmers Market on Sundays, Queens Street Mall Markets, Brisbane every Wednesday and Powerhouse Markets, New Farm on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month, Eagle Farm, Rocklea, Manly and now also Mitchelton. You could say they are the masters, the boys also supply their goods to Scout and Bagel Nook. 58 Commercial Road, Newstead, Brisbane, 4006 La Vosh Patisserie With 11 different types of bagels, this small bakery knows what’s what in the bagel world. Founded by Steve Day after an all too persuasive trip to New York, this café relishes the simplicity of the bagel – sometimes all it takes is a cream cheese and chive filling to spark a bagel addiction. You can eat your bagel, while watching one of the skilled bakers make the next batch from the comfort of your seat – it's the perfect in store entertainment. 154 Musgrave Rd, Red Hill Brewbakers The original masters of the Brisbane bagel, well worth travelling across town for. With a blackboard that boasts the daily bagel special, and a cabinet of classics, they show a no-fear approach to the perfect bagel. Swoon over the sweet bagels or dig into to something far heartier at one of Brisbane's most established bagel breeding bakeries. 1/337 SandgateRd Albion, QLD Betty's Espresso Fresh faces on the West End block. Betty's Espresso holds a not-so-secret cure to any hangover – bagels. Down your Bagel of Death Metal with a salted caramel shake, and find yourself spiralling into a John Hughes movie scene as a truly satisfied member of Betty's Breakfast Club. 11 Browing St, South Brisbane Flour and Chocolate The bagel philosophy at Flour and Chocolate Bakery is a simple one - keep it traditional, and do it well. You won't find a ritzy selection of fillings at this Parisian-style bakery - the bagels alone are enough, and needn't be compensated with lavish partners. Flavours include plain, sesame, caraway and rock salt, spanish onion with black sesame, cinnamon raison - our favourite - and if you're lucky, blueberry, all going for just $1.80 a pop, or 6 for $9.50. There's a pack of effort that goes into making a traditional boiled bagel so you can only catch them at Flour and Chocolate on a Friday, making it the perfect place to stock up on bagels of every flavour for the weekend. 621 Wynnum Rd, Morningside Bagel Nook A classic New York bagel feel right in the heart of our CBD - even if you don't have wheels, you've no excuse for trying this bagel joint. With a bagel filling selection that carries every cuisine and calorie-count, Bagel Nook can be the ideal lunch-break health-kick or indulgent snack. Where there's a bagel vendor within a 10 meter radius of anywhere in New York, Bagel Nook is Brisbane's answer to a closeby bagel fix that won't exhaust the bank or belt line. 100 Creek St, Brisbane City In conclusion:
What looks like it takes its design cues from The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shining's Overlook Hotel and Willy Wonka's chocolate factory? What gives the escape-room concept a game-fuelled twist and drips with nostalgia as well? What also combines all of the above with booze for the ultimate in kidulting fun? And, what marks the latest Queensland venue for Funlab, the company behind Strike, Holey Moley, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, and B Lucky and Sons? Actually, another question: what's now open in Surfers Paradise, and wants you to play and sip your way through it over summer? The answer: Hijinx Hotel, Funlab's adult-focused twist on sleuthing your way through various spaces with a beverage or several in your hand. Instead of escaping here, patrons here hit up challenges. Making its Queensland debut on the Gold Coast first opening in Sydney midyear, the new venue spans ten game rooms filled with entertaining things to do. That includes a ball toss room, one dedicated to television, another that's all about basketball and yet another that's devoted to Rubik's cubes. Basically, the whole concept is a bar decked out like a hotel, but getting attendees to complete challenges rather than get a-slumbering in its various spaces. It also gleans inspiration from all those supremely Instagrammable pop-up installations that include ball pits, but this one is sticking around southeast Queensland permanently. And, it boasts bars for cocktail-drinking opportunities, nods to New York hotels in its facade, and just generally overflows with homages to movies and board games from the 80s and 90s. Shaking off your regular routine is clearly the name of the game here, and partying like you would've before you were old enough to drink alcohol — but with the hard stuff definitely on offer. That all starts when you enter via the faux hotel lobby bar, which is full of colour and surrealist touches. Instead of merely checking in, though, that's where you'll find cocktails. As for the not-quite-hotel rooms themselves, you gain access by heading to reception t0 pick up a swipe card. As well as the aforementioned activities, Sydney faves such as the Adore-a-ball, Scrambled, Threenicorn and candy ball pit rooms have been replicated in Surfers. And, yes, the Big-style piano room with a giant keyboard across the floor is included here as well. Open since December 2022, Hijinx Hotel has company at its Piazza on the Boulevard home, underneath Cali Beach on Elkhorn Ave in Surfers Paradise, as part of a 3279-square-metre precinct with a capacity for 410 guests. Fellow Funlab brands Holey Moley and Archie Brothers have also opened their doors, for tapping around 18 pop culture-themed greens and getting a sideshow experience. In total, the entire space — encompassing Hijinx Hotel, Holey Moley and Archie Brothers — features 72 arcade machines, six bowling lanes, ten game rooms and 18 holes of golf. Also a highlight: those three bars serving up creative cocktails, and breaking up all that kidulting.
After unveiling first-look images for Fallout season two, Prime Video hasn't left fans of the game-to-streaming series waiting long for a deeper dive into what's on the way in the post-apocalyptic hit. A day later, the platform has revealed the show's first trailer for its second season. Also included: an exact release date, after previously advising that Fallout will return in December 2025. You'll start watching the eight-episode sophomore run on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, with instalments dropping weekly. "I'm looking for someone," Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell, Yellowjackets) notes to kick off the season two teaser. The reply: "common story around here". The Ghoul (Walton Goggins, The White Lotus) pipes in when she's also asked if she's seeking "someone you care about ... or someone you hate?". "Oooh, what a great question" is his observation — and everyone who has watched season one will surely agree. When it dropped its initial eight episodes in 2024, Fallout took its cues from the games that debuted on computers back in 1997, with three released sequels, a fourth on the way and seven spinoffs all following. The live-action television iteration follows Lucy, a lifelong vault-dweller, who leaves her cosy underground digs to navigate the irradiated wasteland that earth has remained for two centuries after the nuclear apocalypse. Crossing her path: bounty hunter The Ghoul, who has ties to life before the devastation; and Maximus (Aaron Moten (Emancipation), an aspiring soldier with the Brotherhood of Steel, who don giant robotic suits. In this nightmarish future, a hellscape filled with mutants, wild west vibes and plenty of violence lingers beyond the bunker that the optimistic Lucy, daughter of Hank (Kyle MacLachlan, Overcompensating), who oversees Vault 33, has always called home. New Vegas is now her destination with The Ghoul — because if "you wanna know why the world ended," he advises, that's where this story will take you. The first season two trailer also features a glimpse at Justin Theroux (Poker Face) at Robert House in the show's jumps backwards, as well as a peek at a Deathclaw, one of the franchise's post-apocalyptic predators. Bringing the chaos to life is a behind-the-scenes team featuring Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, plus Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) and Graham Wagner (Silicon Valley) as writers and co-showrunners. And yes, Bethesda Game Studios has a hand in it as well. After premiering in 2024 and becoming one of the platform's top-three most-watched shows ever, notching up more than 100-million viewers globally, this game adaptation isn't just making a comeback for its second season — earlier in 2025, Prime Video advised that Fallout has already been renewed for a third season, too. Check out the teaser trailer for Fallout season two below: Fallout streams via Prime Video, with season two premiering on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. Read our review of season one, and our interview with Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten. Images: courtesy of Prime Video.
Remember when hotels were just for vacationing and staycationing in? Of course you do. That's still the standard setup, but Hijinx Hotel isn't really a hotel. On the top level of Chermside shopping centre, it's actually an OTT challenge room bar with an accommodation theme. Think: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shining's Overlook Hotel mixed with Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, all with puzzles and games to play inside its doors (and drinks to sip while you're doing so). If you're new to the concept, it takes all that eye-catching and nostalgia-dripping theming, then uses it to give the escape-room concept a game-fuelled twist. Throw in cocktails and it's aiming to be the ultimate in kidulting fun, aka Funlab's adult-focused twist on sleuthing your way through various spaces with a beverage or several in your hand. The site forms a mini game-fuelled — and 350-person-capacity — precinct alongside Holey Moley. On the challenge room side of things, patrons can expect ten game rooms filled with entertaining things to do. That includes two brand-new spaces that haven't been seen at other sites: Battleship, based on the submarine-themed game, which involves trying to sink ships for points; and Cute as a Button, a new version of its Who Meme game, where you'll solve cartoon puzzles that feature characters from your childhood. Hijinx Hotel Chermside also boasts the Big-style piano room with a giant keyboard across the floor, ball pits and a giant version of Scrabble. Basically, the whole Hijinx Hotel Chermside site is a bar decked out like a hotel, but getting attendees to complete challenges rather than get a-slumbering in its various spaces. It also gleans inspiration from all those supremely Instagrammable pop-up installations that include ball pits, but this one is sticking around Brissie permanently. And it's home to bars for cocktail-drinking opportunities, nods to New York hotels in its facade, and just generally overflows with homages to movies and board games from the 80s and 90s. Shaking off your regular routine is clearly the name of the game here, and partying like you would've before you were old enough to drink alcohol — but with the hard stuff definitely on offer. That all starts when you enter via the faux hotel lobby bar, which is full of colour and surrealist touches. Instead of merely checking in, though, that's where you'll find cocktails. As for the not-quite-hotel rooms themselves, you gain access by heading to reception t0 pick up a swipe card. Also a highlight: those creative cocktails, breaking up all that kidulting with drinks like the Bubble and Pop and the Penthouse Party. Some of the venue's tipples are designed to share, most of them look ace on your Instagram feed, and there's also a range of non-alcoholic drinks — and food to line your stomach.
Think about geomagnetic storms and you might think about disaster movies. If you were in a part of Australia where the Aurora Australis was visible over the weekend of Friday, May 10–Sunday, May 12, 2024, the term will now always be synonymous with a stunning sky show. Thanks to extreme planetary conditions, as per the Bureau of Meteorology, aurora sightings lit up the heavens — and widely, including not just in Tasmania, but also in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and even Queensland. If there's ever been a reason to look at the night sky, this was it — and look, plenty of people did. So, whether you slept through the bursts of colour, couldn't see the Aurora Australis in your part of the country or are keen for another glimpse, there's ample photographic proof that inky black heavens gave way to psychedelic hues. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Luke Tscharke | Tasmania (@tscharke) Missed all the details, too? The Bureau first issued a warning for a G4 geomagnetic storm on Friday, May 10, noting that the event — which sees the earth's magnetic field experience fluctuations — could arrive that night. The G4 grading is the second-highest on the G-scale, with G1 considered minor and G5 extreme. The Bureau also advised that a few things can happen, such as disrupting power grids and satellite services, and also creating vivid auroras — including the latter in places normally considered dark-sky locations. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sean O' Riordan | Ireland (@seanorphoto) Then, on Saturday, May 11, the organisation revealed that the geomagnetic storm was a G5 event — the first since 2003 — and that the conditions would continue that day. On Sunday, May 12, it advised that the storm had shifted down to G3, but aurora sightings would still be possible. Cue social-media feeds filled with spectacular snaps — some of which we've compiled above and below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ela / Australia (@sea.of.lights1) Aurora Australis last night at Mentone Beach, Victoria, Australia #AuroraAustralis #aurora pic.twitter.com/0Gb9zEnsEB — Findlay Ferguson (@Findlaybf) May 12, 2024 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eliza Sum 沈韪嫦 (@elizasum) I lived in Finland for 6 years and never thought that the best Aurora in my life I'd see in Melbourne 😳#AuroraAustralis pic.twitter.com/nZ4ulfrHaF — Maria Ermakova (@mary_in_vivo) May 11, 2024 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brent Martin (@brent_martin_photography) I lived in Finland for 6 years and never thought that the best Aurora in my life I'd see in Melbourne 😳#AuroraAustralis pic.twitter.com/nZ4ulfrHaF — Maria Ermakova (@mary_in_vivo) May 11, 2024 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lachlan Gardiner (@lachlan_gardiner) Visible with the naked eye from the far southwest of Western Australia! ⭐️💥⭐️#AuroraAustralis pic.twitter.com/PpsJVE2gbo — Jinni Wilson (@earthseastar) May 11, 2024 View this post on Instagram A post shared by George Berg (@george_berg_photography) For more information about the geomagnetic storm and Aurora Australis, head to the Bureau of Meteorology website. Top image: patrickkavanagh via Flickr.
2030 will mark 28 years since one of the best zombie movies ever made first hit screens: 28 Days Later from filmmaker Danny Boyle (Yesterday). Before that milestone arrives, however, it's likely that you'll be watching a new flick from Boyle in the same franchise. It'll still be called 28 Years Later — and it's officially in the works. 28 Days Later has already spawned one follow-up thanks to 2007's 28 Weeks Later, but Boyle didn't direct it. Screenwriter Alex Garland, who also penned Sunshine for Boyle, then hopped behind the camera himself with Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men and TV series Devs, also wasn't involved with 28 Weeks Later. But they're both back for the third film in the series, which might become the middle chapter. Not only is a new movie locked in, but it's being talked about as the start of a new trilogy. As detailed by The Hollywood Reporter, Garland is writing 28 Years Later, Boyle is helming, and they're looking for studios or streamers to jump onboard. It's expected that Boyle will only direct the initial new picture, while Garland will pen the entire trio. There's no word yet if any of the OG film's stars will return, with 28 Days Later among the movies that helped bring Oppenheimer star, newly minted Golden Globe-winner and likely Oscar-recipient Cillian Murphy to fame. He played Jim, a bicycle courier who wakes up from a coma in a deserted hospital 28 days after a pandemic of the rage virus changed the world forever — and from Boyle and Garland to audiences everywhere, who wouldn't want him to reprise the role? Marking Boyle and Garland's first proper collaboration after Boyle adapted Garland's best-selling novel The Beach for the big screen two years earlier, 28 Days Later still ranks among the best work on either's resume — and on Murphy's as well, even if it didn't win him any of Hollywood's top shiny trophies. Set in the aftermath of the accidental release of a highly contagious virus, the film's images of a desolated London instantly became iconic, but this is a top-notch movie on every level. That includes its performances, with then-unknowns Murphy and Naomie Harris (the Bond franchise's current Moneypenny) finding the balance between demonstrating their characters' fierce survival instincts and their inherent vulnerability. If you wondering why 28 Months Later hasn't been made, it was talked about for years, but the time has now passed unless the new trilogy includes a flick set between 28 Weeks Later and 28 Years Later. [caption id="attachment_910048" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oppenheimer[/caption] 28 Years Later and any following sequels don't yet have a release date — we'll update you when more details are announced. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
Those currently working from home have probably seen two major changes to their routine: less shoes and more snacks. To help with the latter, Australia's much-loved biscuit maker Arnott's is opening its vault and releasing some of its coveted recipes — for the first time in history. For weeks one and two of the snack expert's Big Recipe Release it unveiled its Monte Carlo and four-ingredient Scotch Finger recipes. Next up is a much-loved childhood-favourite: the Iced VoVo. Topped with pink fondant, raspberry jam and coconut, it's a little like Arnott's answer to the lamington. This recipe has been adapted for home bakers by Arnott's Master Baker Vanessa Horton, who suggests creating love heart shaped bikkies for mum — but, honestly, you can create whatever shape you like. Have a dinosaur shaped cookie cutter? Go wild. None at all? You can just cut them into squares. As you'd expect, you do, in fact, need flour to make Iced VoVos, but we've rounded up some of the spots selling the essential ingredient across the country, which aren't supermarkets. Australia's oldest baker will continue to release a new recipe for one of its famous biscuits every week until social distancing regulations are lifted. Next up, will it be the Tim Tam? Mint Slice? Pizza Shapes? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, though, here's the Iced VoVo recipe: ARNOTT'S ICED VOVO 180 grams unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup (75 grams) soft icing sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups (300 grams) plain flour Royal Icing 1 large egg white 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) icing sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon glucose syrup 1-2 drops pillar box red colouring 1/2 cup raspberry jam 1/2 cup desiccated coconut Heart-shaped cutter (optional) Piping bag and nozzle (optional) Method Pre-heat fan-forced oven to 160°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, icing sugar, and salt for two minutes or until pale and creamy. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Place half the mixture between baking paper and roll out to approximately five millimetre thickness. Using a six centimetre heart shaped cutter, cut out biscuits, transfer to baking sheets. Repeat rolling and cutting heart shapes with remaining mixture, rerolling scrap dough to make more hearts. Bake for 16–18 minutes or when biscuits start to turn golden. Leave on the tray to cool. Royal icing Place egg white in a clean mixing bowl and mix on low speed with the whisk attachment until the whites begin to break up. Gradually add the icing sugar, vanilla and glucose, whisking until combined and glossy. If the mixture is too stiff add a teaspoon of water to loosen it up but ensure it isn't too runny as it will slide off the biscuit. It should form a smooth surface. Add your colour and stir until combined. Cover surface of icing with cling wrap until ready to use to prevent the icing going hard. Place a small round tip (we used a no. 2 nozzle) and fill your piping bag 1/3 full of icing. Don't overfill your bag. Fill another piping bag with raspberry jam. Pipe a jam strip down the centre of the heart biscuit and pipe pink icing around the edges before filling in the remainder of the heart with icing. Sprinkle with coconut. Place iced biscuits in a single layer of an airtight container to set overnight. Tips Be very light handed when adding your colour to ensure a soft pink colour. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a snap lock bag and snip the corner off. Biscuits can be made into any shape, including the traditional rectangle.
As much of the TV-watching world is, Ashley Zukerman is a Succession fan. Unlike almost everyone else, however, his affection was partly built from inside of the award-winning series. In a recurring role across the HBO masterpiece's four seasons, he played political strategist Nate Sofrelli, whose past romantic relationship with Shiv Roy — portrayed by fellow Australian Sarah Snook (Memoir of a Snail) — kept spilling over into their present professional and personal spheres. But "there was periods where I didn't know if I was coming back", Zukerman tells Concrete Playground, "and there were periods where I just became more fan than part of it". A role in one of the best TV shows of the 21st century, plus a range of others in fellow international fare — big-screen horror-western The Wind and drama Language Arts; television's A Teacher, The Lost Symbol and City on Fire; and the three straight-to-streaming Fear Street movies among them — kept Zukerman away from home for years. Then In Vitro, an Aussie sci-fi thriller that premiered at the 2024 Sydney Film Festival and hit local cinemas in general release on Thursday, March 27, 2025, came his way. Before this, he hadn't worked on a homegrown project since 2017's The Easybeats miniseries Friday on My Mind. Prior to that, he'd hopped between the Australian and Aussie-made likes of The Pacific, Rush, Terra Nova, Underbelly and The Code, and Manhattan, Fear the Walking Dead, Masters of Sex and Designated Survivor overseas. Starring in In Vitro eventuated because he initially met two of the film's co-writers and fellow actors, Will Howarth (who also co-directs with Tom McKeith) and Talia Zucker, in Los Angeles when they were all stateside endeavouring to establish their careers. Due to release timing, audiences who didn't catch In Vitro on its 2024 festival run will have seen Zukerman pop up in homegrown efforts in Aussie limited series Apple Cider Vinegar first, earlier in 2025. Later this year, he also has Australian-made, New Year's Eve-set time-travel film One More Shot heading to Stan. Only In Vitro has him playing a cattle breeder in an eerie vision of the potential near future, though — a livestock farmer experimenting with biotechnology in a world, and an industry, decimated by the climate crisis and struggling to adapt to the new reality. As Jack, husband to Zucker's (Motel Acacia) Layla, Howarth (Toolies) and McKeith's (Beast) movie also tasks Zukerman with exploring the distance that clearly lingers in the the feature's central marriage, digging into the source of Jack and Layla's domestic disharmony, and unpacking the impact of controlling relationships. More than two decades have now passed since Zukerman's initial screen role, also in an Australian film, with playing Thug #2 in Tom White his debut performance. Looking back on it, "so that was my first-ever thing, and I hadn't gone to the Victorian College of the Arts yet. I had no idea what I was doing", he advises. "My family, no one in my family, was in creative industries at all. I was just trying to brute-force my way through, trying to get headshots and making cold calls and just trying", Zukerman continues. "And then when that called and I got a role, I thought it was the craziest thing in the world. Then I get there and I do it, and I'm in a scene with Colin Friels [Interceptor] and Dan Spielman [Black Snow], who I ended up playing brothers with in The Code years later. And I thought that was just very, very special at the time. Dan was on, I think, The Secret Life of Us, and Colin Friels on Water Rats, and they were heroes of mine at the time. And then to be able to revisit that with Dan years later as, I guess, equals, was very special." [caption id="attachment_997134" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Succession, David Russell/HBO[/caption] From the outside, the success that Zukerman has enjoyed over the last few years with Succession, Fear Street, City on Fire, A Teacher, The Lost Symbol and more seems huge. It is huge. He's also added Apple TV+'s Silo to his resume. For him, however, "it hasn't felt huge, but I don't think I necessarily ever have that feeling of looking at things from the outside", he reflects. "From the inside, I'd say that it's felt really fun. I know that the thing I love most is when I love the project and I feel like I'm close to the coalface of something. I thought that they were all great projects, and so that has been fun." "You're right, it's been a really nice few years, and it felt comfortable," Zukerman goes on. "I guess I'll say I've just never really stressed work. I've always known things will come, and I've always been aware that if I'm not chosen for something that it's because the person, the artist in charge of it, just doesn't need my specific colour, my specific paintbrush, and so I've never really sweated it if things haven't come to me. But the last couple of years, it's just been really enjoyable to just work on special things — and to be able to have a continuous run of that, I do feel very full now. I'm not someone who enjoys acting all the time, I don't necessarily love the experience, but I do love it when I feel that there are certain elements there, and I've been on a run projects now where those elements were largely there. It has been a really fun few years for that." From what excited Zukerman about In Vitro, his read on his complicated character and the research that went into his performance, to farewelling Succession, returning home and his initial acting dream, our chat with Zukerman covers them all — and more — as well. On What Excited Zukerman About In Vitro, and About Making His First Australian Project Since Friday on My Mind "So I knew Tahlia and Will. I'd known them before. We all met in LA when we were all younger and hustling out there. It was just this coffee shop that we all ended up frequenting, and that's where we got to know each other. It was during the pandemic that they sent the script and said 'we've been working on this, we've been thinking about you for it'. And I read it and I thought 'wow'. And I was honoured that they thought of me for it. But I thought that they had done something just really special. I think that the horror genre or the thriller genre is interesting when it's used to explore other themes. And so the thriller part of it didn't necessarily pop for me, but I thought that they were able to thread together some nuanced questions about a few issues that we're dealing with in the world, and finding a connection between them — with the climate crisis; domestic violence; how we use tech to brute-force our way through solutions; and how some people in our world don't really care about our world or the natural world or each other as the actual life that exists in it, but just what they can take from it. And I think that they were able to thread all those ideas in a very nuanced way, offering something new to the questions of 'what do we do in this world?' and 'how are we going to deal with all of these issues we have?'. The climate crisis, like so many of us, that keeps me up at night. One of the things I worry most about it is this idea that it's happening just, just slow enough that we get used to it, and it's so hard to talk about. It's so difficult to engage with it, because it's so scary for so many of us. As soon as, I know for me personally, it's hard for me when I see an article written about it for me to click on it, for me to actually open that page and delve into it. It's hard for me to watch something about it. And I thought that what they did here was they did it in a very nuanced way, where they offered something very new to that conversation, and in a way that I thought was going to be very useful and interesting — and human. It was just that the film seemed to have a very new idea to approach this issue, and that's I think what moved me about it. And then, as we went on, there were questions about the character that became far more important for me to ask. But when I first read it, that's what touched me." On Zukerman's Read on Jack and His Motivations "I think it depends how far back we go with him. If we go from what we know backwards, I think he's gotten to a stage where he has lost his sense of humanity and he's just so far down the rabbit hole on this that he can't actually turn back. I was working on this show, The Lost Symbol, the Dan Brown thing, at the time that I read this, and I was researching these secret societies and how people who were doing bad things justified them. And I came across this quote, which was from the Bible: 'to the pure, all things are pure'. I think that that is key to Jack, that because he felt he was doing something worthy and important, everything else he was doing was fine and justified … It's this idea that he's probably just a bucket with a hole in it. It doesn't matter what you pour in, he's always going to be empty. I think he's one of these just incredibly ordinary people who thinks that he's a vulnerable genius, and no one is giving him the adulation he deserves, and he will never get enough love from his partner, and that then leads to control and violence. So I think those are the things that are at play in him." On Playing a Part That's a Puzzle for the Audience as They Try to Piece Together the Full Story "Typically, the more complex a character, the less challenging I find it, because then there are just so many things underneath the surface. So those things were great, and once I knew the approach, what we were trying to do, we talked, Will, Tom and Tahlia and I talked early about this idea that we'd be doing a disservice to this story if he was arch — especially the domestic control, domestic violence story. And that he had to be so ordinary in that way, that if we were trying to portray a villain, it would do a disservice to Tahlia's story and it would be doing a disservice to the wider story. So the fact that we could let all of that complexity live in him, that gave me a lot of freedom. But you're right that the challenging thing in any of these stories is how we bury the lead when we choose to drop breadcrumbs, how we lean on awkward moments as clues for the idea — like leaving just enough the information for the audience to question what is going on to lead them down the rabbit hole with us ,but gently. That is the more challenging thing, because that's not necessarily about just living in the scene naturally. That's trying to plan the larger story. I was buoyed when I saw it — I thought we did that quite well. I really loved especially how they put it together in the edit, leaning on those awkward interactions, I thought was quite nice." On the Research That Goes Into Playing a Part Like This, Digging Into Coercive Control, Biotech and More "Typically I do love a lot of research, and I started down the path of him being an engineer. I wanted to make sure those thoughts were in there. I wanted to know where we were at with that stuff. But I think ultimately where I got to was, all that stuff — like you like feel at the end of the film — I think is window dressing in a way. I needed to know enough about that so that I could know what he was doing, but ultimately the key to him is what we're talking about — how to actually think about these men who do these things, like 'what is the wiring going on in in them?'. That's the work of understanding this character. It's the domestic work. It's the human work. And to try to explain, empathise, not absolve, but just to understand what makes these people do those things. I think that was the work with him." [caption id="attachment_997132" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Succession, Macall Polay/HBO[/caption] On Saying Goodbye to Succession, and What It Meant to Zukerman to Be a Part of It "I think it's so nice that that show will exist forever. I think it's now part of television canon, and to be a part of it, I'm just so proud. So I think it will just always have a life. I grew up loving The Sopranos and Six Feet Under and The Wire and Oz, and those seminal TV shows — and The West Wing. I knew characters that were there for an episode, that were there for three episodes. I was so aware of every little storyline on all of those shows, and I was just like 'if only I could be in something like that, that would be it'. Like, 'I would be fine'. [caption id="attachment_997133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Succession, Peter Kramer/HBO[/caption] And I'm lucky that I got to do one of those, and I got to be there for a little bit, and I got to witness how they made it, and I got to be around those people. I just feel so lucky. I was there and I was a part of it, but I got to also be an audience just as much as, I think, in it. It's an interesting question. It was something just so special about that production that I think I'll continue to try to, I guess, understand and learn from and think about. [caption id="attachment_997137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Succession, David Russell/HBO[/caption] All I love about any work is how close to the creative muscle I can be, and I think what was special about that show was that. I was on the periphery. There were moments when I was a little more forward in the story, but largely I was orbiting the story. And I think what was special about that is that it doesn't matter how big your role must have been — that's both the cast and crew — everyone on that set felt like they were a part of it, that they had agency to make decisions, that they were genuinely like what was being asked of them was what was special about them to only bring that. That was what was special, and that's what I'll remember. And I think it left something with me that I've taken to other things. I think it's that energy that I've brought with me after that show. " [caption id="attachment_997145" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Apple Cider Vinegar, courtesy of Netflix © 2025[/caption] On Heading Back to Australia After a Significant Run of Roles Overseas "It was never by design that I would be away. It was just that the right things didn't come up, or scheduling got in the way, or something happened for me over there that meant that I couldn't come back for various things. And it was just always I missed it. I really missed being back. I really love it here. I love the way we work. I love how fast we are, how efficient we are. We work with few resources sometimes, but it's an advantage, it creates the style of TV and film that we make. It all goes into it. It ends up on camera, that energy. And it kind of has become our visual language sometimes. [caption id="attachment_997144" align="alignnone" width="1920"] One More Shot, Ben King/Stan[/caption] And I also guess there is something about being overseas and an expat which means I'm always playing someone else in a way. There's something about home, is what I'm saying, that's important. That I know the rules of Australia. I know how people interact, that there's the micro gestures between us all, how we all interact. I guess that is home for me, that when I get back to Australia my shoulders drop and I just know how to live here. Even though the US isn't that different, it's different enough that it changes me. It requires something else of me to live there. And that's a joy sometimes. I mean, to leave is wonderful — but to come back is really, it's home. It's just a very special thing. And also, I feel very fortunate because of what I've been able to do overseas, I can now come back and work on these great things, and help these great things get up." On the Initial Dream for Zukerman's Acting Career When He Was First Starting Out "It's such a great question, because it's so rare to look back and go 'what was it that that younger person had actually wanted, and are you there now?'. That's a very special question that I don't really often give myself time to do. But I think I probably had a lot of chutzpah and a lot of ambition back then. I probably had ideas, but I didn't know what the job was, even. I didn't know what the work of being an actor was. I had a feeling that acting gave me the ability to do something I couldn't do in life, that I loved the analysis of human beings, and I loved being able to express things that I didn't express in my normal life. I loved that. But that hadn't really congealed yet, and probably at the time I just had ideas about wanting to play these big roles and do these big things, but I didn't know what it was. [caption id="attachment_997146" align="alignnone" width="1920"] City on Fire, Apple TV+[/caption] Once I started studying and I started understanding what it was, I think very quickly the only goal of mine was to have choice — just to be able to do the things I love. Like I said, it's just not always the case that I love acting, and I knew that early on that sometimes the experience can be difficult for myriad reasons. But to be able to get to a point where I can just, from project to project — based on, whether it's the quality of the work or it's the quality of the people, or both — that I could just choose to do that. I think that's nice to think about that. I think I have it, I am doing that now. I get to be pretty picky with what I do, and I get to do things for the right reasons." In Vitro opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Self-described "local's madcap watering hole", the Jubilee is a heritage-listed pub proudly boasting the Valley's biggest beer garden. The whole venue is sprawling, with an industrial-size space that floods with natural light in the day, and several separate areas for private events or the mini music fests hosted by the pub. The Jubilee also has a very spacious sports bar with big screen TVs, so there's no better place to congregate at kick-off. If you're not much for sports, there are enough fun activities to make this your entertainment destination, with pool, ping pong, giant Jenga and even a mechanical bucking bull. Wednesdays are 'Giggle Trivia' nights, and it also has regular live music. The menu, revamped by chef Stephanie Schumann, features the classic pub mains of parmas, steaks and burgers alongside gourmet twists like maple-glazed pork belly and Vietnamese salad with cardamom-poached chicken. Images: Grace Smith.
It's been 25 years since the first episode, but people are still obsessed with Grand Designs. Sure, the futuristic and downright ridiculous homes are captivating. Yet many of us are tuning in to see how the insanely optimistic budgets, disappearing timelines and inevitable pregnancy announcement resolve themselves. Through it all, host Kevin McCloud is on hand to deliver a supportive quip or dire prophecy. Now you can hear McCloud's infectious energy in person with his old mate and self-confessed architecture nerd, Tim Ross, as the pair tour the country for Live in Interesting Places. On the back of a new podcast series, Tim and Kev's Big Design Adventure, they'll regale audiences with tales of modernist marvels, utopian visions and design-fuelled banter. And, as the name suggests, McCloud and Ross will come together in five architecturally significant venues throughout Australia. [caption id="attachment_1050527" align="alignnone" width="1920"] St George's Performing Arts Centre. Credit: Scott Burrows.[/caption] Presented across multiple dates from Thursday, February 5–Sunday, February 15, 2026, the tour kicks off in Perth at the University of Western Australia's Octagon Theatre. Onwards to Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra, audiences will gather in Brutalist theatres, heritage-listed churches and much-loved public buildings, from St George's Performing Arts Centre to the Lindfield Learning Village, fascinated by the duo's big design ideas. Several years in the making — the pair haven't appeared together since two sold-out Sydney Opera House shows in 2019 — get insight from these great thinkers and perhaps reconsider that intricate building project you had in mind. "These shows are going to be entertaining and edifying," says Kevin. "And full of surprises — you won't believe where our nerdy curiosity will take you," adds Tim. [caption id="attachment_1050526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lindfield Learning Village. Credit: Alex Mayes.[/caption]
While she's been a leader in Australia's creative scene for over a decade, Yasmin Suteja is currently pivoting to a new era of her career. In 2013, the photographer, director, and content creator founded Culture Machine, a creative services and talent agency that focused on collaboration. She worked on Culture Machine alongside the likes of Kath Ebbs, Mimi Elashiry and her brother, Kai Suteja, just as the content creation and influencer era was kicking off. In the years since, Yasmin has become one of Australia's most in-demand creatives, partnering with global brands including adidas, JD Sport, THE ICONIC, Bumble, and many more. [caption id="attachment_84094" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Declan May[/caption] While the photographer and director was seen as a mentor for Culture Machine's talent for years (despite only being in her twenties herself), Yasmin knew it was time to get her hands dirty and be the least experienced person in the room for the first time in a decade. This drive pushed her to cold email Heartbreak High director Gracie Otto "about twenty times" to get onto a film set. "It was an amazing opportunity. I got to see how TV is made, and how a Netflix show happens—how many people are involved, and what the role of a director is in that capacity." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Second Life Markets Australia (@secondlifemarkets) Alongside her experience assisting on Heartbreak High, in 2023, Yasmin's debut documentary, Dying To Succeed, won the 2023 Fresh Cuts initiative at the Australian International Documentary Conference. Moving to Melbourne from Sydney has been another "game-changing" catalyst in her new career chapter. What began as a three-month contract with a production company has resulted in a fresh perspective and new collaborators. "Melbourne's opened me up to the most incredible creatives. Everyone's so excited to volunteer their time to what I'm trying to do. They really believe in me," she says. As a director, fashion naturally weaves into the stories Yasmin is trying to tell. "The medium of fashion means expression to me," says Yasmin. "I think it's the way that I kind of get to find my people in a lot of ways." [caption id="attachment_84096" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Declan May - Galaxy Z Flip7 is featured[/caption] While Yasmin's creative energy is often used to art direct other projects, how does personal style influence her expression? "When it comes to my personal style, [I like] blending being comfortable but also having a statement piece where you feel fashionable and put together." "At the same time," she says, "I need to be able to run around, be on set and do my job." Yasmin's experience in shooting for a multitude of fashion clients means that often her creative inspiration connects back to that world. "Fashion comes into my work and craft because it's predominantly what I shoot. My work is known for being tapped [into] fashion and [having] an appreciation for style." [caption id="attachment_1028569" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Declan May - Galaxy Z Flip7 is featured[/caption] When it comes to her new city, Yasmin credits Melbourne's fashion scene as a big source of inspiration. While searching for more pieces for her photoshoot at the vintage store, Retro Star, Yasmin notes Melbourne's love for unique (and often second-hand) pieces. "Melbourne has inspired me a lot in terms of fashion and style," says Yasmin. "There's a real appreciation for archive designer quality pieces — pieces that have lasted the test of time." As she enters a new era of her creative career, Yasmin also credits the rapid development in technology as something that excites her. "I think [technology] is making way for the next generation." One tool that is helping Yasmin's creativity is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7. Yasming uses the phone to snap inspiration, navigate a new city, and log her favourite fashion stores. The phone is supercharged by Google Gemini, making it even easier to discover, capture and share your style. While it's easy to stay in your lane and stick to what you know, Yasmin proves that the first decade is only just the beginning in a creative career. From moving cities to gaining television director credits and finding new creative collaborators, it seems Yasmin's next chapter is going to be a good one. Explore more at Samsung. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Gemini Live feature requires internet connection and Google Account login. Available on select devices and select countries, languages, and to users 18+. Fees may apply to certain AI features at the end of 2025. Flex Mode supported at angles between 75°and 115°. Some apps may not be supported in Flex Mode. Fees may apply to certain AI features at the end of 2025. Results may vary depending on lighting conditions.
Get ready to embark on a tantalising culinary journey that will transport you straight to the sun-kissed shores of the Amalfi Coast — all without leaving Aussie soil. Together with Aperol, we've scoured every corner of this vast land to curate a guide to the bars and restaurants that capture the essence of coastal Italy's gastronomic wonders. From echoing laidback osterias to swanky harbourside bars exuding Riviera-style opulence, our roundup is a tribute to the vibrancy of Italian culture infused with an Australian twist. So, fasten your seatbelts and prepare for an unforgettable expedition. Your table overlooking the azure seas awaits — no boarding pass required.
