There's something for everyone to get around when it comes to Halloween, whether it's eating nauseating amounts of lollies, flexing your arts and crafts skills and fashioning yourself a costume, or pulling that five-piece (mask included) Batman get-up out of storage and donning it to feel like the superhero you really are. Trick or treating isn't as big here as it is in the US, but we'll be damned if we won't use the occasion as an excuse for a spooky time. And, thankfully, there are plenty of eerie events and horror-themed nights happening around town for you to dive into. Here's a list of some of the best things going on in and around Brisbane for Halloween this year, ranging from the not-so scary (night markets and a spooky-themed game of mini golf) to the truly unsettling (an old favourite: eerie movies) — and including the wild (rave bingo) and wonderful (Halloween music gigs), too.
A Twitter-famous writer with a bestseller to her name and plenty of online fame, Arabella (Michaela Coel) has a deadline. Overnight, she needs to finish the first draft of her second book or her publishers won't be happy. But when her mates suggest that she comes out for a couple of drinks, the London-based scribe quickly acquiesces. The next morning, though, she doesn't feel okay — and it isn't just a hangover, with Arabella slowly realising that she has been the victim of sexual assault. It's best to take I May Destroy You's title literally from the get-go — in reference to how this show will make you feel, that is. Turning a traumatic experience into blistering television, the 12-part series is easily 2020's best, and it is definitely a phenomenal effort from creator/writer/co-director/star Coel. Watching Arabella come to terms with what's happened to her, and to regain her sense of self, isn't easy viewing — but it's absolutely must-see TV.
If there's one thing Brisbanites never get sick of, it's riverside dining. The meandering stretch of water that winds throughout the city offers the perfect picture to accompany a meal — which Medley Cafe & Restaurant takes full advantage of. This classic Kangaroo Point establishment boasts a picturesque, shimmering vista that's an ideal sight to behold on a zesty morning, sunny afternoon or warm evening. Thankfully, however, that's not their only highlight. Eating-wise, the breakfast menu includes the perfectly spiced Asian chilli crab scrambled eggs with blue swimmer crab meat, garlic and coriander, while the French inspired pancakes stack comes with crispy bacon and banana compote with roasted walnuts. For lunch try the lemon herb barramundi with truffled potato puree while the number one choice for dinner has got to be the classic 220g premium Angus beef sirloin with broccolini and Medley's signature steak sauce. Meat eaters best rejoice with this mighty good steak.
Not content with boasting Nigella Lawson's touch on its culinary program, Vivid Sydney 2025 has enlisted another huge name in the world of food and television: Martha Stewart. The Harbour City's winter festival is bringing the businesswoman and TV personality Down Under for a one-night-only in-conversation session, where she'll take to the stage to chat about her career. On the agenda: discussing everything from her start as a stockbroker, her 101 books and winning Emmys to becoming the first self-made female billionaire — and likely her 2024 Netflix documentary as well. How did Stewart become a globally known name in all things home and hospitality, and in design and TV, too? Expect to take that journey from her first book in 1982, through her Martha Stewart Living days and since with her at the International Convention Centre Sydney on Wednesday, May 28. How has she remained a pop-culture figure for four decades — and relevant as well? That'll also be discussed, so you can probably also expect to hear about her friendship and collaboration with Snoop Dogg, plus her 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover at the age of 81. [caption id="attachment_998032" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] "I have made some wonderful memories traveling to Australia over the years, so I am thrilled to return for Vivid Sydney. The conversation will be fun and honest, covering many aspects of my life and career. I'm always looking for inspiration when I travel, so I'm excited to see what Sydney has to offer," said Stewart. "Vivid Sydney is unrivalled in its ability to offer exclusive, unmissable and one-of-a-kind events to visitors. It's incredibly exciting to welcome one of the most-revered and fascinating minds to Sydney. We could not think of a better figure that encapsulates this year's theme of 'dream' more than Martha Stewart," added Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini. Stewart heads to Vivid Sydney as part of its Global Storyteller series, which has seen Parks and Recreation's Amy Poehler, The White Lotus' Jennifer Coolidge and Mike White, filmmakers Baz Luhrmann (Elvis) and Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods), and Australia singer Troye Sivan get chatting in previous years. Stewart also joins a 2025 Vivid program that already includes Lawson curating the Vivid Sydney Dinners series in Martin Place's lit-up Muru Giligu pedestrian tunnel, Tangerine Dream and Anohni and the Johnsons on the music lineup alongside Sigur Rós performing with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Portishead's Beth Gibbons , an immersive Stranger Things experience at Luna Park, lighting up Sydney Opera House's sails with work by the late David McDiarmid, Vincent Namatjira taking over the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia's facade and plenty more. If that's not enough to fill the New South Wales capital between Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14, there's also still a few festival announcements to come. [caption id="attachment_998033" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] In Conversation with Martha Stewart takes place on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at the International Convention Centre Sydney, with tickets on sale on sale at 9.00am AEDT on Friday, April 4 via the festival website. Vivid Sydney 2025 runs from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14 across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information.
These days, there's seemingly no end to the list of things you can have delivered to your door. Craving a midweek bottle of wine but can't be stuffed leaving the house? Jimmy Brings has your back. Fancy a fresh addition to your plant collection, dropped at your doorstep monthly? You're in capable hands with Botanic Box. Need a new jigsaw puzzle sent to your house each month, carefully selected based on your tastes? Now, there's even a service for that. Those who love spending hours creating intricate cardboard artworks can now enjoy a personalised puzzle subscription platform, thanks to the recently launched Puzzle Post. From the same minds behind book subscription service Bookabuy, the idea for this new venture spawned after owners Chris and Mel Tantchev noticed something of a jigsaw puzzle resurgence. Look around and you'll notice those little cardboard pieces are making a bit of a comeback. With Puzzle Post, you can opt for a one-off puzzle delivery or organise a three-, six- or twelve-month subscription, which'll set you back between $39–83 each time. You might want to add to your own collection or send one to your puzzle-obsessed mate as a present. The Tantchevs have been busy sourcing puzzles with a whole range of themes from over 25 categories — including cats, nostalgia, flowers, Disney and food — ranging from easy (500 pieces) to 1000-plus piece hard puzzles. By answering a few quick questions at checkout, recipients will end up with a jigsaw haul personalised just for them. And even the fiercest of jigsaw aficionados needn't worry about doubling up — Puzzle Post offers subscribers a replacement if they're sent a puzzle they already own. Puzzle Post is available for delivery across Australia.
Brisbane's day-long celebration of seafood is coming back — again. If everything the ocean has to offer your tastebuds gets your stomach a-rumbling, you'll be in culinary heaven. And, you won't even need to leave the CBD. Love oysters and Moreton Bay bugs? Can't pass up prawns? Adore fish, no matter how it's cooked? Returning for Dine BNE City 2022, Sea to the City is the event for you. There's a big focus on oysters and bugs, though, and a heap riverside eateries will serve up their best takes on both — from 11am–6pm on Sunday, May 29 at the Brisbane river precinct from Eagle Street Pier to Customs House. On the menu: Moreton Bay bug sliders at Blackbird; cured ocean trout at City Winery; crudo, oysters with fro'secco granita and bug arancini at Coppa Spuntino; and lobster rolls at Fatcow Steak and Lobster. Or, there's blue swimmer crab mac 'n' cheese croquettes at Friday's, oysters with yuzu buttermilk at Madame Wu, prawn and bug rolls at Mr & Mrs G's, and Moreton Bay bug croissants at Patina — and handmade crab spring rolls at Navala Churrascaria, and spiced coconut prawns at Naga Thai. Yes, the list goes on, with George's Seafood Paragon, Pig N Whistle and Rico's Bar and Restaurant all taking part as well. If you need any other excuses to head along, Eagle Street Pier is set to be torn down to make way for a new riverside precinct — and will close up shop mid-year. You'll also find live music, pop-up bars and, of course, gorgeous river views at Sea to the City. And, entry is free — although you'll need your wallet for whatever you'd like to eat and drink. Updated May 24.
When Josh and Julie Niland announced in 2024 that they're launching their debut Queensland restaurant this year, with Hamilton Island their destination, it was huge news. As the venue gets closer to welcoming patrons in the door — from Thursday, April 24, in fact — it remains one of the big culinary openings of 2025. You'll find the pair's first Sunshine State eatery at The Sundays, a brand-new hotel that's launching on the same date. But Catseye Pool Club, as the Nilands' venture is called, stands out from the pair's other restaurants. There's the location, of course — and eating here does indeed mean dining at an oceanfront spot in The Whitsundays. Then there's the fact that Catseye Pool Club isn't a seafood joint. Whenever Josh and Julie's names come up, it's usually in the same breath as their preferred form of protein. Acclaimed Sydney restaurants, award-winning cookbooks, global kudos, a sustainable seafood restaurant in Singapore: championing a fin-to-tail approach to the ocean's finest, their footprint spans all of the above. Whole-fish cookery remains a feature at Catseye Pool Club, though, but it's just one part of the menu. The plan is to hero Australian ingredients and celebrate shared dining, with dishes designed to be tucked into communally. Taking your time in the sun, making the most of the fact that you're on an island and relaxing in general are also key aspects of the vibe — and the pool club part of the restaurant's name says plenty. Yes, it the eatery is by the pool, too, so you'll be peering at water from multiple sources. "Whilst 'family-style' or 'share-style' dining is very much a way restaurants have operated for many years, the Catseye Pool Club approaches its menu with each item very much designed to be enjoyed as a whole table, with all the trimmings coming with each dish," explains Josh. "The menu is still undergoing final deliberation, but guests can expect beautiful fresh pastries made by the team, 'CPC' spanner crab royale, and coconut and verjuice honey bircher." The Nilands have released a sample menu, to give a further idea of the types of dishes that might be on offer. Think: eastern rock lobster with white bread rolls and tarragon mayonnaise; roasted chicken for two and four, paired with slow-cooked zucchini, chicken-fat roast potatoes, and tomato and grilled bread salad; grass-fed beef rib eye for four, accompanied by boiled greens and house fries; hard line-caught coral trout in salt pastry, again for four; and a neapolitan sundae for dessert. Catseye Pool Club will also serve up breakfast just for hotel guests — and you'll be able to enjoy its range of meals if you're hanging out by the pool rather than sitting at a table. "It's about creating an atmosphere where everyone can detach, unplug and simply enjoy being together. We will also extend our hospitality offering to the guest's pool and sun loungers, with a Queensland ingredient-focused cocktail menu curated by Sam Cocks, the Saint Peter Bar Director," explains Josh. While The Sundays is a luxury boutique hotel, being family friendly is part of the point of difference for the 59-room venue at Catseye Beach's northern end. That mindset applies to the new restaurant, too, with catering to family holidays a guiding principle. At a hotel run by Hamilton Island Enterprises, which is also behind qualia, guests can also look forward to that oceanfront swimming pool surrounded by private cabanas, alongside a pickleball court and tropical gardens. Room options include balcony and terrace, plus interconnecting family rooms, all decked out in calming hues. Find Catseye Pool Club at The Sundays, Catseye Beach, Hamilton Island, from Thursday, April 24, 2025. Head to the hotel's website for more details in the interim. Images: Hamilton Island Photography, Sharyn Cairns, Adam Rikys, Nick Leary.
Buying gifts for the men in your life can feel hard at the best of times. Whether you're buying for your brother, partner or dad, we've rounded up some of the top gifts for men with a little bit of help from Amazon to help you out. We've sought out goodies for tech lovers, outdoorsmen, and gamers, as well as the men who like a bit of luxury. Plus, if you've left gifts to the last minute, Amazon has some of the latest delivery days out there, which is good news for those of us who tend to resort to last-minute Christmas shopping. 1. Pocket Knife The ROXON M2 Mini Storm 14-in-1 Multitool is a man's dream come true. Made from premium stainless steel, with a smooth, lightweight design and ceramic glass breaker, this is the ultimate handyman's accessory. While small, it has 14 functions, including a knife, a nail file, pliers and wire cutters, just to name a few. 2. BOSCK Watch A casual watch that also looks the part, this classic business watch from BOSCK is a simple gift for those who love their accessories. The watch features a striking black strap made of stainless steel, is designed with five layers of hinges and a folding buckle and features a 40mm watch diameter, high-accuracy quartz movement and a classic three-eye dial design. Oh, and it's waterproof. Comfortable, convenient and durable. What more could you want? 3. Retro Game Console The ultimate blast from the past, this retro console from CZT takes us right back to endless days spent gaming days as a kid. Take it anywhere and play until your heart's content. The Tetris-esque game may be simple, but it's a formula that's survived for a reason. All you have to do is move and flip the blocks left and right to create a complete line. Choose from four colours including green, purple, pink and blue. 4. Gamepad 3D Illusion Lamp This one's for the more hard-core gamers out there. The Gamepad Illusion Lamp from the Attivolife Store is a lamp or night light in the shape of a game controller, made with laser engraving on an optical acrylic plate to create an epic 3D illusion. With 16 colours, four kinds of flashing and adjustable brightness, this little thing is the ultimate way to elevate a dark corner of a room or add some extra decoration. 5. Electronic Accessories Carry Case For the men in your life who need help when it comes to organisation, we got you. Enter the electronic travel organizer. It comes with three dividers, so you can organise all those chargers, batteries and hard drives in a way that works for you, with no more tangles. Made from Oxford Fabric and with a soft, spongey inside, the case will also protect all your prized gadgets. A perfect gift for men who travel a lot or are just a little OCD. 6. Camping Hammock A gift for the camping aficionados out there, this portable camping hammock from Lineno is the ultimate way to combine outdoor fun with a bit of relaxation. Simply find some trees to hook it onto and use it as a bed or perch in it for a momentary swing. And when you're not hiking or camping, the hammock also makes a nice addition to the backyard or balcony. 7. Beer Mug Does Dad already have more stubby coolers than he can keep track of? Why not mix it up with a beer mug? The Stanley Adventure Big Grip Beer Stein keeps beer cold for two hours and keeps iced beer cold for an impressive 20 hours. Made from stainless steel with a heavy-duty handle, this mug can hold up to two cans of beer, which is more efficient, really. It can also keep hot drinks warm for up to one hour, perfect for mulled cider or even a cup of coffee in the morning. 8. Nespresso Essenza Mini The De'Longhi Nespresso Essenza Mini single-serve capsule coffee machine is a generous gift for the men in your life who may be known fondly as coffee snobs. The compact, sleek design of the machine is simple and easy to use, with a 19-bar high-pressure pump and fast heat-up system, so coffee is ready in under 30 seconds. Because Nespresso offers a wider variety of coffees, this machine is the way to go if you're not 100 per cent sure how your dad, uncle or father-in-law likes their coffee. And this is not something you want to just assume and, god forbid, get wrong. 9. Smart Ball A gift for all the football-lovers, soccer-lovers, or whatever you want to call it. This Smart Ball Bot is the next generation of the game – relying on state-of-the-art sensors to track and tackle the ball to test your football skills. There are three-speed modes to accommodate all skill levels, and it features an in-built LCD score tracker which keeps track of your current score and records your highest achievements. We can't think of any sports fanatic who wouldn't be happy seeing this under the Christmas tree this year. 10. Asēdos Perfume Often, the last thing he has on his list to buy, you can never go wrong with gifting a man a new perfume or cologne. This Spicy Pepper EDP Spray from Asēdos is our pick. Known for their inclusive, gender-neutral vegan fragrances, this scent features Calabrian bergamot and pepper, with middle notes of Sichuan pepper, lavender, pink pepper, vetiver, patchouli, geranium and base notes of ambroxan and cedar. It lasts between four to six hours and is small enough to keep in your pocket or bag. Images: Supplied. This article contains affiliate links, Concrete Playground may earn a commission when you make a purchase through links on our site.
A slightly larger version of the beer brand's original Newstead location, Newstead Brewing Co's Milton venue is a bustling brewery and craft-beer bar right across the road from the Suncorp Stadium. Pouring brews since early 2017, the venue is pre-match favourite — and with plenty of outdoor terrace space, a large main bar and a function area that is open to the public on event days, the space is prime for big groups and bigger nights. Also, the meals are huge. Kick things off with grilled squid with hummus and chipotle or charred lamb ribs, then back it up with a smoked brisket pizza or a smoky grilled beef burger. From the share menu, whole and half smoked cauliflowers, full free range chickens with grilled stone fruit and miso eggplant all await. The brewing team oversees a 50-hectolitre setup, heroing all things small batch, craft beer and seasonal. There are a total of 32 taps across three bars, offering the Newstead's core beer range and a cider, as well as the brewery's latest ale experimentations. Pop in and try them, any day of the week.
It's been 18 years since Australia's first taste of acclaimed New York artist Spencer Tunick's work, when 4500 naked volunteers posed for a snap near Federation Square as part of the 2001 Fringe Festival. He then photographed around 5000 nude people in front of the Sydney Opera House during the 2010 Mardi Gras, and came back to Australia just last year to shoot over 800 Melburnians in the rooftop carpark of a Prahran Woolworths. This month, Tunick made the trip to the shores again — and this time, he went tropical. On Saturday, November 23, a whole heap of Aussies stripped off on a beach in the Whitsundays, with the internationally famed artist returning to Australia to stage the newest of his famed mass nude photographs. In Tunick's latest visit to Australia, his sights were set on the white sands and sparkling blue waters of Haslewood Island — near Whitehaven Beach, aka the second best beach in the world. That's where Tunick assembled another contingent of naked folk for a work titled Sea Earth Change. Interestingly, the shoot was part of The Iconic's (yes, that online clothing store) summer campaign We Are Human. Naturally, the resulting images feature the sky, the ocean and the sand — and the nearly 100 nude participants — with Tunick making an artistic statement on the fragility of both the natural environment and humanity. "Using a pristine location like Haslewood Island in the Whitsundays to highlight the need for us to protect these areas, while exploring the vulnerability of the human form and importance of community is something I hope I've communicated with these images," he explained. Tunick captured a diverse mix of bodies in the shoot, with participants each receiving a print of the photograph and, we're sure, a big boost of body confidence. The artwork was unveiled at The Calile Hotel in Brisbane on Wednesday, November 27, marking the latest striking images in the artist's career. Elsewhere, he's photographed the public painted red and gold outside Munich's Bavarian State Opera, covered in veils in the Nevada desert and covered in blue in Hull in the UK. Images: Spencer Tunick's Sea Earth Change installation artworks.
Good news hasn't been easy to find among Australia's music festival scene in 2024, but Strawberry Fields is bucking the trend. The annual fest on the banks of the Murray River is only just dropping its lineup now, on Monday, July 8, but it's already almost at ticketing capacity. Some events are all about who's taking to the stage. Some boast a setup and setting worth spending a weekend in no matter which acts are on the bill. Strawberry Fields doesn't skimp on talent, of course, but its location is a hefty drawcard all by itself. That spot: Tocumwal in New South Wales, where the regional weekend-long party sports not just multiple stages pumping out tunes in leafy surroundings, but also a bush spa. Having a soak between sets is worth entry alone. So far, 95 percent of Strawberry Fields' tickets have been snapped up — a huge feat that was achieved in a mere three hours — but more are going on sale from 9am on Tuesday, July 9. If you're lucky enough to secure your attendance from now, you won't be locking in a music-fuelled getaway across Friday, November 15–Sunday, November 17 sans lineup. The just-unveiled roster of acts is massive, including DJ EZ, KiNK, Daddy G from Massive Attack and Seun Keuti & Egypt 80 just for starters. Some will make the Wildlands stage their temporary home, such as Sam Alfred, SWIM, DJ Theo Parrish and DJ TSHA among the other names. Others, like Jaubi, KOKOKO! and Soichi Terada, will hit up The Grove stage. The Deep Jungle stage will welcome Circle of Live's Australian debut, plus DJ Paula Tape, Sébastien Léger and Township Rebellion. And over at expanded The Beach stage for 2024, which will indeed get you making shapes while in the river, Physical Therapy leads the charge. Also, a showcase from Japan's underground scene is sure to be a highlight. Beyond the tunes, a new amphitheatre is part of this year's fest, focusing on performance art, lifestyle and chilling out; the bush spa now boasts a sauna; and a special projection art installation will pay tribute to Nick Azidis. Also, the Moroccan Bedouin lounges and tea ceremonies will be running in the festival's Mirage Motel space again, plus the glamping options are back to make your weekend as lavish and as low-maintenance as possible. For another year, if you happen to be born on this year's festival dates, you can register to score a free ticket. Happy birthday to you indeed. Tickets for locals come at a discount, too, costing half the regular price if your postcode is in the Berrigan Shire. In addition to all of the above, Strawberry Fields lays claim to being one of the country's most-sustainable festivals, doing the environment a solid while unfurling its fun. It is powered by biodiesel fuel as well as solar power, its rewash revolution system has diverted over 200,000 single-use plastics from landfill, composting toilets are provided and all transport is carbon offset via Treecreds. Strawberry Fields 2024 Lineup: DJ Afrodisiac Aldonna Babycino Bertie Byron Yeates College of Knowledge DJs Daddy G (Massive Attack) x Don Letts Dameeeela DJ EZ DJ Pgz featuring Ecstatic Mob Dr Banana Ed Kent Emmyk & Tilly Hiroko Yamamura Jordan Brando B2B Luke Alessi Kia Kim Ann Foxmann Laura King Livwutang Lovefoxy Marie Montexier Mikalah Watego Minyerra Mothafunk Naycab Niks Nooriyah Paula Tape Physical Therapy Pnny Poli Pearl Rainbow Disco Club featuring Kikiorix, Sisi, Kuniyuki (live) Rona. B2B Dima Sam Alfred Sébastien Léger Simona Castricum Sky High Trio Soul Clap Stev Zar Suze Ijó SWIM Theo Parrish Township Rebellion TSHA U.R.Trax Vanna Zjoso Live Alisa Mitchell Cinta Circle of Live featuring Kuniyuki, Sebastian Mullaert and Sleep D Evening News Harvey Sutherland Immy Owusu Jaubi Jupita Kaiit Karo X Kee'ahn KiNK Kobie Dee Kokoko! Mandeng Groove Mildlife Miss Kaninna Pataphysics Sachém Sarita Mcharg Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 Sinj Clarke Soichi Terada Tarabeat x Mz Rizk Versace Boys Viken Armen Wulumbarra Xmunashe Zfex & Ausecuma Beats Zourouna [caption id="attachment_887378" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Will Hamilton-Coates[/caption] [caption id="attachment_887377" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Will Hamilton-Coates[/caption] Strawberry Fields 2024 will take place at Tocumwal, New South Wales, from Friday, November 15–Sunday, November 17. The final release of tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, July 9. Head to the festival website for further details. Strawberry Fields images: Duncographic.
As a kid, your checklist for treehouse essentials would have likely included a tin can telephone and a retractable ladder to keep out those awful adults. And while you may have thought that as you matured your treehouse ambitions would diminish, the opposite is true. While once you would have been content with a setup that rivalled that of Bart Simpson or the Stand by Me crew, as an adult you expect to be perched among the treetops with all the creature comforts of a high-end hotel. Lucky for us, there are adults in Australia who have let their imaginations run wild, and they've put their own dream treehouses up for rent. SECRET TREEHOUSE When your treehouse rivals that dreamt up by Walt Disney, arguably the forefather of imagination, you know you've got a winner. More specifically, winner of Airbnb's best place to stay on the planet in 2016. Perched above the treetops overlooking 600 acres of world heritage Blue Mountains bushland, Love Cabins' Secret Treehouse is one of the only places where nature is better enjoyed from indoors. Floor to ceiling windows allow for uninterrupted views of the rainforest from the comfort of your bed, when curled up in front of the fire or while enjoying a wine on the balcony. Not just there for show, the branches intersecting the room have a real structural role to play, making this the truest incarnation of a treehouse since the handy work of the Swiss Family Robinson themselves. It's seasonally sound too, as one of our go-to cabins for winter. SILKY OAKS LODGE Giving the actual rainforest a run for its money, Silky Oaks Lodge is about as lush as it gets — with a price tag to match. Built on the banks of the Mossman River in the Daintree National Park, the rooms at Silky Oaks are the epitome of jungle luxury. All rooms are surrounded by rainforest, but the cream of the crop are the Billabong Suites which look out across the river. Spoilt for choice, if you stay in the Billabong Suite you can enjoy river views from either a hammock or a day bed. And if peace and tranquility does grow tiresome, you can always move to the marble ensuite to soak in a spa bath or rinse off in the rain shower. With rosewood and silky oak timber featuring predominantly throughout the rooms, the beauty of the Daintree extends from the outside in. CANOPY TREEHOUSES On the banks of the Ithaca River in tropical North Queensland you'll find five treehouses that come close to blending into the rainforest canopy. Surrounded by lush rainforest you'll feel completely secluded. That is, until the therapist arrives to give you a private in-house bamboo massage, foot therapy or facial. And if there's such a thing as your average treehouse, this is larger than most, boasting two bedrooms, a full kitchen, spa bath, balcony, barbecue and hammock. This is the kind of place you would visit with friends only to sit in silence staring out over the treetops. GIRAFFE TREEHOUSES While not the true definition of a treehouse, the fact that you're high up enough for a giraffe to tuck their head over your balcony for a feed makes this worthy of a mention. And when Humbekhali, the resident giraffe at Jamala Wildlife Lodge has had his fill, you can kick back on the balcony and watch him galavant around his enclosure, wine in hand. If hand-feeding a giraffe wasn't special enough, the generally African-inspired accommodation will have you feeling like you're on a high-end safari. The kind where you have a bathtub, TV and a king-size four-poster bed. And here's a sentence you've likely never heard before, "Please join us in the cave for some pre-dinner drinks with our exotic residents". DAINTREE JUNGLE HOUSE Deep inside the world's oldest rainforest you'll find the Daintree Jungle House. Built three metres up in the rainforest canopy, you stay here because you have a sense of adventure and want to feel like you're cut off from the rest of the world — even though in reality there's a boat that leaves twice daily for a snorkel tour of the Great Barrier Reef at the end of the street. Facilities are basic so you'll be using a compost toilet and a hot outdoor shower, but it's not the creature comforts you came for. The two-storey open design houses a bed, hammocks, a breakfast bar and basic kitchen facilities, but on the other side of those walls is an acre of rainforest to explore. There's a freshwater creek right next to the Jungle House that you can swim in and an abundance of wildlife to keep you company. This is a taste of true(ish) jungle life. NOTABLE AIRBNB OPTIONS This one in Main Arm, NSW. This one in Musk, Victoria.
It's no surprise that the rainforests of Tropical North Queensland are among the most spectacular in the world. These ancient forests are the oldest of their kind, with some sections 80 million years older than the Amazon. They've even got the Galapagos Islands beat when it comes to biodiversity, with a staggering array of flora and fauna calling the Wet Tropics home. Don't just take our word for it, though — Sir David Attenborough famously dubbed the region "the most extraordinary place on earth". When you consider the environmental significance of this lush, green wonderland, it really makes you want to dig a little deeper — and there are plenty of ways to do so responsibly. Here are our top tips for your next travels to the tropics. [caption id="attachment_842262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] EXPLORE A CASTLE IN THE RAINFOREST For a bit for fairytale magic, you can't forget a day discovering Paronella Park. José Paronella created this paradise when he moved, with his new bride, to Tropical North Queensland from Spain in the 1930s. The castle in the rainforest was built with a tennis court, movie theatre and a luxury ballroom — Paronella also planted over 7000 trees on his land and built a suspension bridge to sit above the park's own waterfall. Paronella was also an engineering pioneer, developing the region's first hydro electric system in 1933. This was restored by the park custodians just over a decade ago, and now powers the entire park. If you didn't think it could get any dreamier, today Paronella Park blends in beautifully with its environment, a soft layer of green moss glazing the castle walls. You can explore this parkland with a 30-minute guided tour where you will learn more about it's fascinating history and discover the wildlife that inhabits it. Your entry fee will help fund the restoration of this heritage-listed site — plus, it's valid for two years, meaning you can return to the magic again and again. [caption id="attachment_844234" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] STAY SOMEWHERE THAT'S ECO-CERTIFIED You don't have to skip out on luxury to do things sustainably — the rainforest is home to some amazing accommodation options that work with it's environment, not against it. Right in the heart of the Daintree, you will find an array of bayans (treehouses) amongst the lush rainforest. The Daintree Ecolodge is the perfect place for the environmentally conscious traveller — its many sustainable practices include funding native reforestation projects, recycling 100 percent of its water for irrigation and watering and donating $50 per guest stay to the Reef Keepers, an environmental fund that helps preserve the Great Barrier Reef. You can feel disconnected from the world without harming it — enjoy secluded walks to a private waterfall, relaxing at the wellness spa or pool and eating delicious fresh food (from the onsite veggie patch) at the restaurant overlooking the lagoon. Another option is the beautifully secluded Thala Beach Nature Reserve, a tropical oasis with its very own private beach located between Cairns and Port Douglas. Here, you can kick back and relax in a treetop villa and enjoy fresh local produce at Ospreys Restaurant. Also on offer are wildlife walks with flora and fauna experts, stargazing by the sea and Australia's only coconut tour. Plus, you know you can trust this eco-resort, with its having been awarded the Green Travel Leader with Ecotourism Australia after meeting a strict criteria for a decade — the owners of the lodge worked for over 30 years to re-establish the native forests on the land that had previously been degraded by farming. LEARN ABOUT RAINFOREST AND CASSOWARY CONSERVATION The cassowary is a fruit eating dinosaur-like bird that disperse big seeds, meaning it is crucial for the survival of many rainforests tree species. It is a fascinating creature that plays an important role in maintaining the diversity of the rainforest so it is important we conserve this species. The Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation (C4) in Mission Beach is dedicated to protecting the southern cassowary and the local coastal habitat through community activities and awareness. If you want to spot one of these beautiful birds in their natural habitat, then stop by the C4 Environmental Display Centre - here you will learn the best way to see a cassowary and discover more interesting facts. And, if you want to get more involved in the conservation process while on holiday, you can take part in C4 planting days and information sessions. Keep an eye on the organisation's website to see what's happening. [caption id="attachment_828486" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] TRAVERSE THE TREETOPS VIA SKYRAIL RAINFOREST CABLEWAY Located just 15 minutes north of Cairns you will find the spectacular Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, where you can explore the oldest continually surviving rainforest in the world from a new perspective. Enjoy the stunning panoramic vistas in a cableway that glides over the lush jungle canopies between Smithfield and Kuranda, or discover Red Peak Station with a complimentary ranger-guided walk and see the prehistoric Barron Falls. You can immerse yourself in stunning nature without worrying about your impact. Skyrail has cemented itself as a sustainable business after being one of the first tourism attractions in Australia to achieve the Ecotourism Australia Advanced certification, which they have maintained for 20 years. [caption id="attachment_845207" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET INVOLVED WITH WILDLIFE HABITAT Just a one-hour drive north of Cairns, this Port Douglas wildlife park provides an incredible way to connect with native fauna. The animals at Wildlife Habitat live in five carefully recreated natural environments, including wetlands, rainforest, savannah, nocturnal and woodlands, with each habitat offering guests a sneak peek into the interconnected lives of these beautiful creatures. Wildlife Habitat is guided by the ethos of 'observation, appreciation, conservation', which promises safe and sustainable interactions with animals. Guests are invited to swim with saltwater crocodiles, have breakfast with native birds, or cuddle a sweet koala. The park is also home to the Tropical Animal Rehabilitation Centre, which cares for sick, injured and orphaned animals. [caption id="attachment_844225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] VISIT THE DAINTREE DISCOVERY CENTRE If you want a truly unforgettable view of the Daintree Rainforest, head to the Daintree Discovery Centre at Cow Bay. The famous aerial walkway has been standing for 30 years offering easily accessible stunning views without disrupting the precious root system below. There is also a Canopy Tower boasting 23 metres and boardwalks, offering multiple tours for those itching to discover. The centre is a leader in ecotourism, doing its bit to preserve the World Heritage area through waste management, recycling and water conservation initiatives, actively planting trees and exceeding its quota to maintain carbon-neutral status, sponsoring research programs, and more. Its Canopy Tower and Micrometeorological Weather Station and Centre also contributes to important Climate Change research. [caption id="attachment_844236" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] SEE THE DAINTREE WITH SOLAR WHISPER Solar Whisper is the only zero-emissions boat on the Daintree River (Julaymba) and is a small, family operated business - making it our top pick to explore the river. The solar electric vessel is whisper quiet, meaning you can soak in the sounds and smells of tropical wildlife without yucky fumes and disturbing noise. It is the perfect way to get closer to nature without impacting it. An experienced interpretive guide will take you through the river, rainforest and mangroves to spot a spectacular ecosystem of wild life including snakes, frogs, crabs, fish and birds. Plus, if you are lucky you might spot a crocodile above the water or with the croc cam fitted to show any creatures hiding away beneath the surface. With a 99% success rate for spotting crocs, Solar Whisper is a great way to see these impressive creatures in their natural habitat. NGADIKU DREAMTIME WALK For anyone visiting the incredible Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest, a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk is definitely not one to miss. This is the perfect experience for those wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the Daintree land. The Dreamtime Walk commences with a welcoming smoking ceremony and then your guide will lead you on a gentle walk through the many sights of the lush rainforest. You will see traditional huts or humpies, learn about traditional plant use and bush foods and make bush soaps and ochre paint. Plus, your Indigenous guide will share Dreamtime stories that reveals their connection with the tropical environment. After you have worked up an appetite, you will end the tour with a bush tea and damper. [caption id="attachment_845848" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET INVOLVED IN RAINFOREST RESCUE To protect rainforests forever. This is the heartbreakingly simple vision of Rainforest Rescue, a not-for-profit conservation organisation that has been operating since 1999. Its team searches locally and internationally for sections of vulnerable rainforests that could benefit from conservation assistance. Once identified, these rainforests are purchased by Rainforest Rescue to ensure their future safety, and are maintained as conservation zones. Basically, these guys are the real-life version of Captain Planet, but luckily, you don't need superpowers to join the mission. Through its Buy Back & Protect Forever scheme, each $10 donation will protect two square metres of the Daintree. Rainforest Rescue also welcomes any green-thumbed volunteers to apply to become involved with its North Queensland plant nursery. Ready to plan a trip to the tropics? For more information, visit the Tropical North Queensland website. Top images: Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Hailing from the USA, the buffalo wing is a deep-fried chicken wing coated with cayenne pepper sauce, butter, herbs and spices, usually served with a range of dipping sauces. Brisbane seems to have an affinity with these finger-licking bites of spice and sauciness, so it's no surprise that there's plenty of places where you can get your fix of high quality buffalo wings. We've narrowed it down to the top four places where you can buy these spicy little suckers. From food trucks to German-style beer houses (of all places), here's our wrap up of the best buffalo wings in Brisbane.
Bear Bones Espresso joins Fonzie Abbott and Reverends as the latest Fortitude Valley coffee bar proving that you don’t have to venture to Winn Lane for a great cup o’ Joe. Flamingo Cafe may be the caffeine hounds’ venue of choice but the Valley is also home to a plethora of lesser known coffee joints, you just have to know where to look. Nestled between the Luxxbox furniture store and Light Sounds on Maclachlan Street, you really do have to look for Bear Bones. It’d be easy to mistake their cavernous frontage and metal roller doors for another industrial unit – until you spot the pot plants and technicolour graffiti. The latest venture from restauranteur Asa Boardman (brains behind New Farm’s Ponycat), the coffee shop boasts a menu of failsafe breakfast and lunch favourites (think avo on toast and pulled pork sammies), homemade cakes and a selection of T2 leaf teas. The coffee is roasted on site and also supplies Cobbler and much loved Paddington breakfast spot, Kettle and Tin. Despite the warehouse proportions, Bear Bones exudes the cosy-yet-cool vibe that has become something of a Boardman trademark. High tables are arranged for brunch catch ups and the light bulbs that hang within glass beakers kind of make you feel as if you’re having coffee in the New York apartment of a mad scientist (which we can totally deal with). Work by local artists also hangs on the walls, firmly cementing Bear Bones in its Brisbane setting. With rumours of an art studio out back and plans to start roasting their own beans onsite, we’ll be bearing with Bear Bones Espresso to see what else they have in store.
When a restaurant hits the road, usually it heads away from its usual bricks-and-mortar base for a temporary pop-up or residency elsewhere. But for Brisbane's Da Biuso, its home is the road — as the River City's first fine-diner on a bus. If catching public transport was your regular method of getting around back in your teen days, then you might remember a golden rule: no eating on the school bus. However engrained that directive might be all these years later, Da Biuso wants you to ignore it. How else are you going to tuck into a degustation dinner in its meals-on-wheels setup inside a mobile coach? Initially announced in 2022 with an aim to get rolling the same year, but hitting the streets from Friday, March 3, the unique eatery hails from head chef Biagio Biuso, a veteran of Fortitude Valley's Casa Nostra Ristorante. With his wife Sarah and their son Joseph, they're pairing top-notch fine-dining degustations with regularly changing locations, all in the kind of venue that the city truly doesn't already have. First stop: Ascot, with Da Biuso making its debut at Ascot Green, alongside the racecourse at 230 Lancaster Road. The opulent 12-seater restaurant doesn't actually move during the meal, but will change its locations regularly. So, make a booking a few months later and you'll be staring at different scenery from the bus windows. Revamping an old school bus and nodding to Brissie's old tram services, too, Da Biuso is all about serving up an intimate but lavish experience. That cosy yet luxe feel comes through in the decor, with elegant white and cream hues aplenty, including on tables and curtains. And, the Sicilian-raised and -trained Biagio and his family will be on hand at every service, with Sarah taking on the lead sommelier and maître d' gigs, and Joseph also in the kitchen beside his father. Diners will tuck into six-course Mediterranean-inspired meals made with seasonal produce, with prices for a sitting starting at $170 (with paired Italian wines costing extra). Biagio's approach is to take classic dishes and drinks — such as oysters or a spritz — and then give them his own elevated twist. Other dishes that set to be featured include oysters with sea foam, watermelon granita and a caviar cigar; minestra di mare with cream of saffron potato and seasonal seafood; and broccoli stufati paired with Tasmanian lamb in a balsamic bone reduction. As well as operating Friday–Monday for lunch from 12–3pm and for dinner from 5.30pm, Da Biuso will also be available for private functions in the future. If a treat yo'self meal on a bus is your ideal way to celebrate a big occasion, you'll also be able to book the mobile restaurant for any location.
If you like eating breakfast, brunch and lunch in leafy surroundings, then you're probably fond of parkside and al fresco dining. Step inside James Street's newest addition, however, and you'll still be be greeted by plants aplenty. You can browse through and buy some before or after your meal, too, now that nursery pop-up The Green has set up permanent digs — and also combined it with a Middle Eastern eatery. After selling potted greenery further along the busy Fortitude Valley street, and earning a following in the process, The Green has nestled into its long-term home in the same vicinity. You'll find it in a space that's been designed by Channon Architects to resemble an urban oasis, and boasts timber, raw concrete, marble and red-hued interiors by Borhan Ghorfran. You'll also spy cascading plants both indoors and in its outdoor dining pavilion and garden room. Offering a curated, design-driven range of plants and homewares, The Green stocks everything from eye-catching leafiness to items made by Relik Designs, by local artist Luke Mansini — if you're looking for something green for your home, and something to put it in. Handmade Japanese ceramics also sit on the shelves, and the store will soon feature its own flower bar. Need some advice? You can also pick up tips and information on plant styling and landscape design options, and get design consultations. When it comes to food, owners Christina Habchi and Angela Sclavos — the latter of whom is also behind fellow Valley diner Essa — turn daytime dining up a few notches, combining fine-diner cooking techniques with Middle Eastern dishes. Plus, it also does takeaway and catering. And if you're wondering how The Green came about, it was originally sparked by Habchi and Sclavos' aim to give the area a great place to buy plants — and somewhere that paired them with coffee, too.
Anything that Brisbane's northside can do, the city's south can as well — at least when it comes to kidulting hubs that let you putt your way around pop culture-adoring boozy mini golf, then puzzle through an OTT challenge room bar with an accommodation theme. In 2022 and 2023, Chermside welcomed Holey Moley and Hijnx Hotel to the Gympie Road shopping centre. Now, come July 2024, Mt Gravatt's Westfield shopping centre will also become home to both venues. Together, the new Holey Moley and Hijnx hotel will form a shared 350-person precinct featuring 18 holes of putt putt and ten challenge rooms, opening on Friday, July 26. Also included: karaoke in three function rooms across the site, as well as two bars slinging cocktails and food. This will be Brisbane's fourth Holey Moley, joining not just the Chermside mini-golf haven, but also the brand 's OG Fortitude Valley digs and its Brisbane CBD spot in the Wintergarden. For Hijinx Hotel, this'll mark the River City's second site. Holey Moley also has two locations on the Gold Coast and one on the Sunshine Coast, while the Goldie similarly boasts a Hijinx Hotel. Both brands hail from Funlab, the company behind Strike, Brothers Cirque Electriq, and B Lucky and Sons as well. If you're new to the group's take on having fun with your short game, it's been pairing putt putt with booze since 2016. Think: nostalgia-dripping courses that worship the 80s and 90s, including favourites 742 Evergreen Tce and Moon & Pars among Mt Gravatt's greens. The Caddyshack bar also keeps the theming going and doesn't hold back with its drinks. Drinking a cocktail out of a bathtub, anyone? That's one beverage that's been on the brand's menu. At Hijinx Hotel, its namesake type of abode isn't for vacationing and staycationing in. This isn't really a hotel, either. Instead, it mixes The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shining's Overlook Hotel and 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 Hijinx Hotel concept, too, all that eye-catching theming is used to help give the escape-room concept a game-fuelled twist. Games at Mt Gravatt will include Zig-a-Zag ah Ball Pool, Candy Ball Pit and Poke-the-dot. Throw in cocktails and it too is aiming to serve up an adult-focused spin on childhood activities — this time sleuthing your way through various spaces with a beverage or several in your hand. Find Holey Moley and Hijinx Hotel at level two, Westfield Mt Gravatt Shopping Centre, Kessels Road, Upper Mount Gravatt, from Friday, July 26. Head to the Holey Moley and Hijinx Hotel websites for further details in the interim.
When it first launched in New South Wales back 2022, Slim's Quality Burger combined two trends in one: Australia's undying love of burgers and the current affection for all things nostalgic. Started by a trio with knowledge of the burg business, with Michael Tripp, Nik Rollison and David Hales all boasting past ties to the Noosa-born Betty's Burgers and Concrete Co, this chain adores kicking it old school. Think: 50s- and 60s-inspired decor, a throwback vibe like it's operating in America seven decades back, plus classic meat-and-bread combos paired with ice cream sundaes. While Queensland isn't short on places to enjoy burgers, this Aussie brand was always planning on going national — and now it's Brisbane's turn. Head to Kippa-Ring since mid-September and you'll find the chain's Sunshine State debut, with another River City store also on its way. Slim's arrival in the River City has seen the brand notch up a few firsts, too: its first drive-in and drive-thru diner, and its first to offer a breakfast menu. Adding a meals-on-wheels component is the latest step in Slim's ode to Americana, as already splashed through its vintage-leaning aesthetic, with features banquettes in cherry read, neon signage, chequerboard flooring and classic light fixtures. At the now-open Kippa-Ring outpost on Elizabeth Avenue and the soon-to-come Slacks Creek venue, customers will find nose-in parking surrounding the eateries — and views into the open kitchen from your vehicle, too. You can also order from behind the wheel via QR code. Hanging out in the carpark afterwards like this is Grease? That's up to you. This chain is all about a lean menu of options made with simple but quality ingredients. Burger-wise, customers can choose between original, cheeseburger, a double and a triple, plus 'the works' burgs, all made with angus beef — and variations of the above with bacon. There's also four different chicken varieties, including with crispy fried or grilled chook, and a veggie option using a plant-based patty. Sides focus on fries either with sea salt, loaded with cheese and grilled onion, or also featuring maple-smoked bacon. As for those sundaes, they come in hot fudge, salted caramel and strawberry flavours. And to wash it all down, there are spiders — because plonking a scoop of ice cream in some soft drink never gets old — plus post-mix soda from the fountain, and chocolate, vanilla and strawberry thickshakes. For those keen on an early-morning Slim's fix, the breakfast offering spans bacon and sausage burgs, steak and egg burgs, fried chicken burgs, works burgs, veggie egg and cheese burgs, hash browns, chia pudding with strawberries and nut-free granola, a full coffee lineup, freshly squeezed orange juice and more. "Our breakfast menu is designed to offer a great start to the day the Slim's way. We believe Queenslanders will love our unique take on these classics," says Slim's chef Greg Engelhardt. Find Slim's Quality Burger at 2/407 Elizabeth Avenue, Kippa-Ring, operating from 7am–10pm daily. The chain is also opening in Slacks Creek — we'll update you with more details when they're announced.
The service industry is something of a crucible for millions of Australians. Ask anyone, and they probably spent some time as a teenager or student working in retail or hospitality. It's mandatory for anyone looking to gain some valuable life lessons while they're learning basic employment skills and saving some cash. Love it or hate it, we've all got to do it at some point. Gruelling as it sometimes is, the service industry is of immense importance. Who else can make the world's coffees, package their orders, cook their dinners — and do it all while putting a smile on the faces of customers? The simple act of good service makes all the difference for any business; it's a key ingredient to building up a customer base and ensuring loyalty and word of mouth to keep that base growing. Maybe what the world needs is a shortlist — a pocket guide, if you will — to the secrets of good service. If you're an aspiring business owner or an existing member of the service industry, you could probably use some tips from the pros on what good service can and should look like. We made a few calls, and we've got your good service guide right here. RULE 1: DON'T OVERCOMPLICATE IT Service, like anything, is easy to overthink and overcomplicate. But at the end of the day, it's all about the basic fundamentals. In hospitality, you might overthink the prioritisation of good food vs good service, but Alex Brawn of Cremorne's Amatrice Rooftop Restaurant and Caffe Amatrice understands that one takes precedence. "The reality is that we need to be nailing both. But going out to a cafe or restaurant is about an 'experience', and we all like to leave feeling good — and that mostly comes down to good service. Looking after our guests, making them feel good, that's what hospitality is about." "It's a common gripe for people where they try a restaurant, and the food and ambience were amazing, but the service was terrible, and they declare "I will never go again". So it goes to show that it doesn't matter how good your food is, or how expensive or beautiful your fit-out is, if you have poor service then you [as a business] just won't be successful long term." RULE 2: DON'T SHY AWAY FROM BEING PERSONAL It's absolutely key to maintain an professional attitude in any line of work, but in the case of service and hospitality, making things personal can go a long way to keeping a customer happy. It's the little things like smiling, remembering a name, or if you're able, going the extra mile in your service. Brawn, who's also a part of the team at the Williamstown waterfront spot, Sebastian Beach Grill & Bar, puts it plainly: "We keep it simple, just focusing on friendly, genuine service that makes people happy. Remembering regulars' names and having a chat about how their day is going — just those little things that make our guests feel a little bit special." "Recently, a family dined at Sebastian to celebrate an 80th birthday. The host of the dinner was telling her family how she remembered being in San Sebastian many years ago and having a special cheesecake. Our team overhead this conversation and arranged for a Basque cheesecake with a candle…looking after our guests and making them feel good is the key to good hospitality." RULE 3: GOOD SERVICE IS A PARACHUTE IF PRODUCTS FAIL The fact of the matter is this: it's hard to crack an original idea these days. If you're planning to open a bar, restaurant or café, you need something memorable. Good food and drinks are newsworthy and get tongues wagging, but if people don't have a good time consuming those products, you're going to burn out before you know it. Slipstream Brewing Co. is one of Queensland's most awarded breweries, so it is safe to say that director Elisa Stanley-Hunt knows all about the balancing act of products and services. "Great service fosters a welcoming atmosphere, encourages repeat customers, and helps build a strong reputation — especially in the early days. Even if the food isn't perfect yet, exceptional service can turn a first-time visitor into a loyal customer. That said, quality food is a close second. Once service is dialled in, focusing on a menu that's consistent, delicious and suits your brand will solidify your success. Ideally, both should go hand in hand, but if you lead with service, your customers will be more forgiving as you refine your offerings." RULE 4: LEARN TO SPOT A TELL We've already established the importance of personal service, but the ability to listen for and spot little details in a customer's preferences, routines and interests can elevate just another meal into a truly memorable experience. You likely know how good it feels to have a regular barista remember your coffee order, for example. For Andrew Garling of Fortitude Valley's Mr Valentine, that attention to detail is paramount. "Good service at Mr Valentine is anticipating a customer's needs from the moment they walk in the door, nothing more, nothing less. When you spend long enough serving people, they give you small cues as to what they need. We try and take those cues and act on them before they ask. These can be as small as taking a to-go box to a table as they are finishing before they ask, making a coffee when you see a regular walking from afar…they're all very simple things that make our customers feel important, and they cost us nothing to provide...the transaction is the last thing we think about." RULE 5: SAVE TIME ON THE TECHNICALITIES What we've learned here is that good service, above all, comes down to authenticity and human interaction. A smile, listening for special occasions, paying attention to what makes your regulars tick. What you don't want to do is take away from precious staff-to-customer contact time by having to fiddle with terminals and tablets, so having a smooth system to take care of the nitty-gritty makes a world of difference; ask any business owner. That's especially true when products like Square make things as easy for the customer as for the operator. Alex Brawn experiences that often; "the simplicity of the Square POS and EFTPOS units means we spend less time looking at a screen and more time looking after our guests." Andrew Garling agrees: "[Square] allows us to do the things we talked about before and leave the transaction as the last thing to worry about…we can tailor the use of software and [the] hardware experience so the customer has the smoothest possible transaction." Find out how Square can kickstart your business at squareup.com.
Call them hangouts. Call them third spaces, aka the places we gather in that aren't home or work. Call them a spot to spend an afternoon with your date or mates enjoying a few brews. Whichever you opt for, these are the types of locations that Range Brewing keeps giving Brisbane. Rays, a new corner bar in Camp Hill that's been welcoming patrons through the door since Friday, October 11, 2024, is the team's latest. Every patch of this city needs a leisurely watering hole where whiling away a few hours with a drink in your hand feels like the only thing on anyone's agendas. Range's founders Matt McIver and Gerard Martin are doing their part to make that dream a reality. They initially set up shop in Newstead, which is where their brewery is based. After that, they hopped over to the city's inner west to open Patio in Rosalie in 2023. Now comes the duo's addition to the Brissie's southside, which was first announced in August. This is McIver and Martin's fourth venue in the city — as well as Range and Patio, they also have The Bethnal, the barrel room and event space next to Range, to their name. At Rays, the inspiration comes from European corner bars. So, the Range team has given Brisbane its version, setting up shop in a Newman Avenue space that catches the afternoon light and, in the process, honing in on the third-place concept. Expect its ten taps to be busy pouring brews no matter the season. If you've visited Patio over the past year or so, you'll know the vibe that McIver and Martin are aiming for, and why it has proven such a hit on the other side of town. That said, Rays sports its own look. That tiling? It comes in bright limoncello and electric blue hues, across the front bar, as well as tables indoors and out. If you get cosy at a custom-built booth, you'll also be making the most of the spotted gum timber seating. The mood across the entire venue: playful. Beer isn't the only thing to sip here. The drinks menu also spans seven different cocktails — three of them spritzes — as well as a small range of spirits, plus red, white, sparkling, rosé and orange wines by both the glass and the bottle. As for the food, options include panko-crumbed chicken schnitzel, fish sandos, gildas and eight types of pizzas, plus lamb ribs, halloumi fries, and shoestring fries paired with southern herbs and spices.
A decade has sashayed away since Bianca Del Rio won the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. After emerging victorious over Australia's own runner-up Courtney Act, the drag queen and comedian has been conquering Down Under stages ever since. Among multiple tours over the past ten years, the fabulously quick-witted talent last brought her Hurricane Bianca whirlwind this way in 2022 — and she'll next break out her devilish snark and timing in 2025. "I'm coming out of my crypt and hitting the road again to remind everyone that I'm still DEAD INSIDE!" said Del Rio about her latest world tour, which has dates in Canada, the US, Britain, Ireland, Europe and Latin America across the rest of 2024. It began this year in San Diego, spending from February–May packing out theatres across North America. "If you enjoy irreverent humour, like sparkly costumes and are NOT easily offended … this is the show for you!" Del Rio continued. The global favourite keeps building upon her massive past decade or so, with the dimple-cheeked performer doing everything from tours upon tours to hitting the West End stage in the musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie and also popping up in the film version as well. Then there's 2016 comedy Hurricane Bianca and its 2018 sequel Hurricane Bianca: From Russia with Hate, plenty more appearances on various Drag Race seasons and specials, web specials, music videos and even an episode of Celebrity Family Feud. Accordingly, you know what to start watching in preparation for Del Rio's Dead Inside gigs in Australia and Aotearoa from January — although, as you'll know if you've seen her live before, there's nothing like seeing her in the flesh. [caption id="attachment_965670" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Ronn via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Del Rio's 2025 visit will break out the cutting insults — plus her larger-than-life persona in general — in Brisbane first, beginning the tour with two nights at Fortitude Music Hall. After that, one-night stops are on the agenda at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre, Astor Theatre in Perth, Sydney's State Theatre and Llewellyn Theatre in Canberra. In NZ, Del Rio will hit the stage at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre in Auckland, Wellington's Opera House and James Hay Theatre in Christchurch. Bianca Del Rio's Dead Inside Tour 2025 Dates: Tuesday, January 28–Wednesday, January 29 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Friday, January 31 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne Wednesday, February 5 — Astor Theatre, Perth Saturday, February 8 — State Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, February 11 — Llewellyn Theatre, Canberra Thursday, February 13 — Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland Saturday, February 15 — Opera House, Wellington Monday, February 17 — James Hay Theatre, Christchurch Bianca Del Rio's Dead Inside! tour heads around Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2025. For more information or to buy tickets from 9am on Friday, July 19, 2024, head to the tour website.
2025's Melbourne International Film Festival unveiled its initial titles in early June. A month later, the year's full program arrived with hundreds more movies on its slate, ready to play to the Victorian capital's cinephiles across 18 busy August days. Before July was out — so, well ahead of the Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 fest kicking off — Pasa Faho had already sold out every one of its MIFF sessions, becoming the first film to do so this year. Igbo Australian filmmaker Kalu Oji's debut feature deserves that warm, hearty, enthusiastic embrace; it offers the same to the Adelaide-born writer/director and visual artist's own community, thoughtfully and tenderly so. Pasa Faho shot "over a year and a half ago now, and it feels like it's been quite a long time since we've been in the real thick of the project", Oji tells Concrete Playground; however, Melbourne's response to the world-premiere screenings of the movie, sellouts included, "brings a whole new life to your relationship with the film". He continues: "as soon as it's out in the world and the audience embraces it and becomes part of that process, it's a reinvigoration of all those feelings and all that excitement that was so rich and so present a little while ago". Oji has channelled his own passion into a feature that sprang from him wanting to ask questions — a picture that moulds his queries into a father-son story, an exploration of African Australian life, an unpacking of family structures as well as communities, a musing on what it means to be an Igbo man today, an examination of expectations and clashes around them, an interrogation of straddling two cultures, and more. As it tells of Melbourne shoe salesman Azubuike (Nigerian stand-up comedian Okey Bakassi, Bank Alert) and his 12-year-old son Obinna (Tyson Palmer, Young Rock), Pasa Faho steps into their relationship, and also the existences of those around them, in a heartfelt yet equally clear-eyed manner. The film's title, a play on words stemming from "parts of a whole", is a clue to its emotional journey and tone. Two changes shake up Azubuike's routine: Obinna's move from interstate, which is initially cause for elation more on the former's part than the latter's; and the discovery that the store that Azubuike manages is being sold to developers. Oji's protagonist is caught, then, between trying to provide a solid foundation for his child, including fighting for the job, the paycheque and the proudly hardworking sense of himself that he believes is pivotal to that life, and being able to spend time and be open with Obinna — and between his perspective and ideals, as shaped by his upbringing far from Australia, and the experience of a son whose childhood couldn't be more different. Pasa Faho also spreads its focus to Amaka (first-timer Laureta Idika Uduma), Azubuike's sister and Obinna's aunt, and her tale of sacrifice to do what's expected — and to Yorgos (Kostas Makrygiannakis, The Slap), aka Bogo, the septuagenarian European florist whose own store adjacent to Azubuike's is equally under threat. And, it sees Azubuike's colleague Yrsa (Tardif Hélène, The Industry), a friend impacted by the impending building sale. In its sights as well: Nigerian preacher Edward (fellow newcomer Idika Mba Uduma), too, as he balances his ambitions with his responsibilities as a leader in Melbourne's Igbo community. Oji's filmmaking journey began at the Victorian College of the Arts, with his 2019 graduate film Blackwood making its way to the likes of Palm Springs Shortfest and the BFI London Film Festival, and winning awards at Flickerfest and the Atlanta Film Festival. 2021's The Moon and Me was acquired by San Francisco's Museum of the African Diaspora, while 2023's What's in a Name? picked up another Flickerfest accolade, plus the Craft Award at Sydney Film Festival. Each is "an essential part of series of steps" leading him to Pasa Faho, he explains. "They gave me experience in terms of being on set, and how I like to direct actors and direct, and what I find works when I've got a vision or an idea — and how I get close to that or 'if I do X and I get Y, do I like Y and would I apply that to my practice?'. And there's all those practical tools and practical experiences I think it gave me as a director." "And then mentally and emotionally — I guess energetically — how I like to be on set and the kind of environment I want to make films in, and the kind of space I want to create on the set. It gave me a very firm idea of that that we took into the feature film. And tonally, stylistically, I think if you watch the short films we made from Blackwood, they're all different stories but I think you'll see they're all very, very, very similar-ish tonally. I think that those years of making those shorts helped me find my style, helped me find the things I'm interested in — even though it's ever-changing — and helped me find the tools and the lens that I wanted to approach Pasa Faho through." That Paso Faho is personal, and also intimate — that it brings an insight into the Melbourne's Igbo community, too — was always key. Did that come with a sense of responsibility for Oji? "Many, many hands helped make this film, and many minds went toward what you see on-screen. And I think there is a responsibility for sure, and as a writer, as a director, I lead that in some way and I carry that," he notes. "But working in collaboration, I think, is always the best way to do justice to those ideas." What it means for this Melbourne-set and movie to have world-premiered in Melbourne, the questions that the film arose from, fleshing out the narrative from there, key elements that were always part of the filmmaker's vision for the feature, the consultation and casting processes: we also discussed all of the above and more with Oji. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MIFF (@melbfilmfest) On the Significance of Premiering the Melbourne-Set and -Made Paso Faho in Melbourne "The crew had been working together for quite a long time, and we've built somewhat of a film family over the last nearly a decade now. I think so many of the people that have supported that journey and have made it possible for us to continue that journey are here in this city, and in our families and our communities and all those circles. So I think to be able to launch the film with everyone who's made it possible for us to even be at this point feels like a blessing. It feels really really appropriate." On Pasa Faho Springing From Wanting to Ask Questions "I had started writing the script in 2020, towards the end of 2020. And I've made quite a number of shorts, and been wanting to step into the feature filmmaking space — while being aware and listening to what people were telling me in terms of 'it could take five, ten, 15, 20 years to get a film up'. So when I sat down to start writing, I was looking at 'what are the themes, what is the material that is most present in my mind that I feel like I'm going to be wanting to explore if it takes as long as it takes?'. And so for me, that's the place I started writing from. In terms of the questions and what I was wanting to explore in the film, obviously it's a world that's very, very close to me and characters that are very, very close to me. And I think a lot of the time, I think I've often felt — and this is for Azubuike, Obinna, Amaka, Bogo, for all these people, for all the characters that existed in my mind — I guess it was me wanting to go behind the curtains of these people's minds. I think these are characters, and the problems the characters face in the film are problems, that I've felt like I've seen versions of from the outside. And I think the film was me wanting to understand what's behind all of that, and what does that weight feel like, and what does that joy feel like? It was me wanting to understand these characters." On Fleshing Out the Film's Narrative From Those Initial Queries "I think it started, the way I wrote this film, I wrote a vomit draft and then refined it from there. I think the vomit draft was much more themes and ideas and character-based, and probably less of a plot. I think once I had those pieces, and once I became aware that 'okay, I'm wanting to explore fatherhood; I'm wanting to explore the relationship between a father and a son, and when you have these two people who look at the world through two different lenses; I'm wanting to explore expectation and the pressures, and the familial pressures that a character like Amaka receives whether directly or indirectly; I'm wanting to explore regret and how one comes to terms with decisions that they would have made differently in the past through the character of Bogo'; I'm wanting to explore religion, with the church and the church's relationship with my community, with the Nigerian community, and this relationship between church and land and ownership and all those things — once I had all those ingredients on the page in some way, I think I began to look for a thread and look for a plot that allowed me to speak about them. And, to explore them in the way I want to explore them, while also being very aware — and becoming more aware for our production as well — that I'm wanting to make a piece that is entertaining. And it's got twists and it's got turns, and there's stakes. And for an audience, it's not purely just an observational character piece, but it's a plot that the audience dig their teeth into as well." On Making a Work of Fiction That's Also a Very Personal Film — for Oji and for the Community "It's tricky. I think because you're not writing from a completely blank slate, it takes a very conscious effort to try to shake off any reservations or baggage that comes from these characters being abstractions of things that are really close to you in real life. And I think that work is a lot more active and conscious and tricky than if you're writing characters that are completely distant from you. So I think I probably felt that most in the development phase." On Pasa Faho Being Both Deeply Specific and Also Universally Relatable "In terms of making a film that felt it was very, very specific, while at the same time feeling universal, I think on the surface it's about a father and a son, and a father undergoing this set of trials and this reckoning which pushes him to ask questions about how he relates to his son, and brings them closer or further together — and I think that relationship between parent and child is inherently relatable. Everyone has had or has a parent, and lots of us also have children. So I think that, whether you set this story in the Igbo Nigerian community here in Melbourne, whether you set it in the Polish community in Warsaw, you set it wherever in South Africa, I think there's a relatability that is embedded in the exploration of that relationship." On Whether There Were Specific Elements About Being an Igbo Man in Melbourne Today and Straddling Two Different Cultures That Oji Wanted to Explore and Convey in the Film "Yeah, big, big time. I think a lot it, I wanted to capture this pressure that I feel like is often felt almost universally by people who are in the diaspora, and more specifically people who have been born and raised on the continent and moved abroad, especially moved to 'the west' — but the pressure that comes along with finding yourself in that position. You never exist in isolation. You're never just living for yourself. And that's a beautiful thing. And the fact that community and family and all those values are held so strongly in a culture such as ours, such as Igbo culture, is a beautiful thing. But there's also a lot of pressure that comes along with that, especially financially. And the weight of that pressure, I think, is often not talked about. I think there's an expectation you often just keep your head down and you move forward. I think those sacrifices that people also find themselves in — a character like Amaka, who, in another life, maybe she wanted to be a zookeeper or a painter or a football player or whatever she wanted to do. Someone in her position, you have very limited options in terms of what you're expected to do. And to feel the way that she feels in the film, it's a taboo thing. It's unspoken. So I definitely wanted to explore that. And I also very much wanted to capture the push and pull of being in a country like Australia, with your roots of family in Nigeria, and trying to raise a child in your shadow or in your values — where Nigeria and Australia are very, very different places, and it's hard when you have a child that is raised to look at the world through one certain way, but you've never had that lens or that vision because you were raised to look at a world in a very different kind of way. There can be a lot of tension in that experience, and I want to capture that." On Consulting and Engaging with Melbourne's Igbo Community to Help Shape Pasa Faho "Yeah, yeah, 3000 percent. All throughout the process, it's quite — I've forgotten at what point in development, but quite early on. I live here and these people I've known from before they were involved in the film. But at a certain point in development, we formalised workshops and meetings and sitdowns, and especially getting that perspective — because I don't have Azubuike's perspective, and we're trying to understand him as a character. Meeting with people of that generation of men, with men of that generation with children as well, who've moved here. We wanted to get a richness and authenticity. And also, it's very much I wrote and directed the script and the seed of it came from my heart, for lack of better words, but this character is crafted to be a depiction of that experience in general. And so what came from those meetings, and what came from those sitdowns and workshops, were a lot of the details that make up the film. The tension between Obinna and Oscar, and him taking on a different name, came from an anecdote that someone had told me while just sitting down and chatting. The inner workings of his character and his pride, and I guess where he draws that line, that came from sitting down and speaking to people who have lived more of that experience than I have lived. So yeah, definitely. It was intrinsic. It was essential to making this film." On the Importance of Casting, Especially Finding the Right Azubuike and Obinna "It was massive. It was massive. And I think I'm, as a director and the way I've worked in the past, and the way I worked with this film and the way I want to work in the future even more so, it's so actor-focused. I love, I love — I might say I'm an actor's director. I love getting people involved in the process early. I love bringing a blueprint of a character to an actor and letting them take it with both hands and build them together, and they're bringing their perspective, and their whole set of experience and expertise, to that character — and together we make that person, that character, as rich as possible. So for casting it, because it was language-specific, we started our process quite early for the character of Azubuike and for the character of Amaka. And it was long and it was extensive. And we were aware that this person, especially for Azubuike, he needed to carry the film. The film relied on him and Obinna and their relationship, but especially on Azubuike. So eventually we got to a point of process where we felt it made sense to reach out to Okey, especially as he's got a lot of experience and a lot of charisma as a performer. But it was also this material, I think, was also asking him to step into a space that he frequents less so. And so we thought it was exciting, it was a bit of an exciting opportunity. And then for Tyson, it was less specific — we cast the net more broadly. He didn't need to speak the language. It wasn't language-specific. But as soon as we found Tyson throughout the process, he was great, we knew it from two minutes into the audition." On What Oji Hopes Audiences Will Leave the Cinema Thinking and Feeling About, and Having Discovered From Pasa Faho "I hope they're there for the journey. The film is a domestic film and it's drama, but it's a ride, and we've tried to craft strong characters on-screen who the audience can really settle in next to and beyond that. I hope people laugh. I hope people cry. I hope it offers a broad range of emotions. And I think I also hope it brings up feelings and thoughts for the audience's own relationships with people in their life — whether that's a parent, whether that's a child, whether that's whoever is close to them. I hope that it opens up a door to a certain tenderness that exists and is important in those relationships, but it's not always voiced. I hope that's what it brings." Pasa Faho screens at the 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival. MIFF 2025 runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
Visiting Europe sadly isn't on Australians' agendas in the near future. Heading to New York to wander through The Metropolitan Museum of Art isn't at the moment either. But, for four months in 2021, a heap of European art masterpieces from The Met will be making the journey to our shores — so you'll be able to feast your eyes on some of the greatest paintings ever committed to canvas at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art. From June 12–October 17, 2021, 65 works that almost never leave The Met's galleries will grace GOMA's walls, in what'll be the Brissie venue's biggest ever survey of the history of European art. And if you're wondering why these paintings are so treasured, well, that's because they're by everyone from Monet, van Gogh and Vermeer to Renoir, Rembrandt and Degas. The list of artists featuring in the exhibition, which covers a whopping 500 years of European art and is fittingly called European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, just keeps going — with Rubens, Poussin, Gauguin, Raphael, Boucher and Velazquez all included as well. Also impressive: the different types of artworks that'll be on display, spanning everything from portraits and still-life pieces to landscape paintings and figure studies. From the full lineup, the earliest work will date back to 1445, courtesy of an altarpiece panel depicting the Crucifixion of Christ by the Florentine artist Fra Angelico. Also among the centuries-old highlights are Titian's Venus and Adonis from the 1550s, Caravaggio's The Musicians from 1597, Rembrandt's Flora from around 1654, and Vermeer's Allegory of the Catholic Faith. And, for works from the 19th-century impressionist and post-impressionist period, the likes of Monet, Renoir and van Gogh have things wrapped up — complete with Monet's 1919 piece Water Lilies. [caption id="attachment_781830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The Flowering Orchard' (1888) by Vincent van Gogh. The Mr and Mrs Henry Ittleson jr Purchase Fund 1956/56.13. Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.[/caption] GOMA's program will also feature hands-on digital and analogue activities to accompany the masterworks, plus — as is always the case with its major exhibitions — a lineup of yet-to-be-announced Up Late events that'll let you check out these art wonders after dark and over a few drinks. European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York is a Brisbane exclusive, too. So, if you're an art lover in New South Wales or Victoria, cross your fingers that Queensland's borders have well and truly reopened to your states by June 2021. European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York will display at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art from June 12–October 17, 2021. For more information — or to buy tickets — visit the GOMA website. Top images: Water Lilies (1916-19) by Claude Monet. Gift of Louise Reinhardt Smith 1983/1983.532.; Still Life with Apples and Pears (1891-92) Bequest of Stephen C Clark 1960/61.101.3. Both collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Walk half a metre in any direction in James Street it's clear that one is spoilt for choice when it comes to good coffee, but Jamie's simple approach to the complex art of liquid gold is second to none. With it's open and airy interior, friendly service and relaxed atmosphere this coffee-haunt-turned-bar has become a popular local hang-out for both great coffee or a sneaky mid-week drink (or both!). Although renowned for their flawless espresso, the non-caffeine drinking clientele can still be won over with a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice and a slice of his famous spanakopita, a greek pie filled with spinach, dill and feta. For those seeking refuge from a hard week at work, drag yourself along to one of Jamie's DJ nights and sip on an espresso Berlusconi cocktail is sure to soothe the pain of the daily grind - Italian politician style.
The Inner East's accommodation game is already strong, with the likes of The Ace Hotel and Crystalbrook Albion offering characterful guest rooms with plush facilities and top-of-class hospitality. However, a newcomer to the area is ready to loft this standard to even greater heights. The EVE — a luxury boutique stay operated by TFE Hotels at the newly minted Surry Hills Village development — is set to open on February 13, 2025 and the first guests to check in can expect an exclusive package in celebration. The brainchild of SJB's Adam Haddow, 360 Degrees' Daniel Baffsky and Interior Architect George Levissianis, The EVE is designed to reflect the vibrant and dynamic energy of its urban neighbourhood while offering a lush retreat that feels a million miles from the hustle of the city: a stylish intersection of art, hospitality and culinary excellence. This trio of creatives has crafted a series of spaces that pair their beautiful aesthetics with thoughtful functionality, delivering a stay that has all the mod cons you'd expect from a five-star stay as well as a whole lot of personality. [caption id="attachment_982262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The EVE Hotel lobby[/caption] Visitors enter via an airy art-filled lobby bar, immediately immersing them in a world of vibrant creativity. The vaulted ceilings, curated interiors and bespoke art installations — including several pieces from prominent Surry Hills artist and gallery owner, Louise Olsen — offer a striking introduction to The EVE's design ethos. Next, guests can explore a rooftop garden landscaped by Daniel Baffsky combining native and exotic plants in layered arrangements that meld architecture with nature. The 20-metre rooftop pool, finished with natural stone and imported Sukabumi tiles provides the perfect setting for a lush urban haven with panoramic views over Redfern and Surry Hills. Baffsky's planting extends seamlessly into Wunderlich Lane, Surry Hills Village's hospitality and retail precinct, creating a conscious connection between the hotel and the area's varied dining options. [caption id="attachment_982258" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rooftop garden and pool[/caption] At the heart of The EVE's hospitality offering is Bar Julius, the European-style neighborhood bar created by Liquid & Larder, the team behind celebrated Sydney venues including Bistecca and The Gidley. With an all-day dining concept, Bar Julius seamlessly transitions from morning espressos to evening cocktails, offering a menu that celebrates fresh, bold flavours and new takes on beverage classics. The inviting space, highlighting rich burgundy tones, tactile marble, and a striking ceiling mural captures the charm of a European bistro while staying firmly rooted in Sydney's dynamic culinary culture. To inspire visitors to become a part of The EVE's new beginning, the hotel will be offering a curated package titled The Reveal to welcome its first guests. Highlighting the hotel's celebration of culinary artistry, cultural immersion and luxurious ameneties, guests will be able to indulge in a Bar Julius signature cocktail and bespoke EVE gift to remember their stay. [caption id="attachment_982263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bar Julius[/caption] "The EVE is about creating spaces that inspire and connect, while paying homage to the rich cultural and natural heritage of Sydney," says Haddow. "Every detail — from handcrafted lighting to the Australian palette — has been designed to reflect this vision." You can find The EVE Hotel Sydney at 8 Baptist St, Redfern starting Feb 13, 2024. For bookings and more information, visit The Eve website.
Let's face it, you can't buy a whole lot for one buck in 2019. But today, consider that little dollar coin your best friend. Fast food giant McDonald's is celebrating National Cheeseburger Day — yes, that's today, September 18 — by treating the whole country to $1 burgs. Across all Aussie stores, from 5am until stock runs out, McDonald's is dropping the price of its classic cheeseburgers to just $1 a pop — for beef, bun, onion, pickles, ketchup, cheese and all. To claim your cheap burger, you'll first need to download the MyMacca's app via the Apple Store or Google Play. Then, log on, check the My Rewards section and boom — Ronald's your uncle. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2h6vl0DgSN/ Unfortunately, there's a limit of one $1 cheeseburger per customer, which probably isn't enough to make a meal of. But we're sure there are a few other Macca's menu items that might tempt your tastebuds while you're there. And, if you fancy a cheap cheeseburger tour of your city, today's the day to do it. Neil Perry's Burger Project is slinging $5 Cape Grim cheeseburgers at select Sydney and Melbourne stores, Merrywell Burger Bar at Crown Melbourne is offering 100 lucky punters free customised 'Chooseburgers', and at Bentleigh's Good Times Milk Bar, there are $5 burgs up for grabs between 11am and 4pm. McDonald's $1 cheeseburger are available from 5am on Wednesday, September 18 until sold out via the MyMacca's app.
With social-distancing rules firmly in place, autumn babies have copped a raw deal this year. With venues are closed and group hangs are off-limits, the classic birthday party has been scrapped until further notice. But there's nothing like some forced isolation to stir up a bit of creativity and inspire fun new ways to celebrate another turn around the sun — even at a government-approved distance. While the best birthday present would be a one-way ticket back to normal life — of course — we've found a few pandemic-friendly alternatives that should help cheer up the b-day boy or gal. From drag bingo nights to virtual drinking sessions with all the trimmings, here are the best ways to celebrate a mate's birthday, isolation-style. THE HOME-DELIVERED BIRTHDAY CAKE [caption id="attachment_768155" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Attica's Celebration Cake[/caption] A birthday just ain't a birthday without a belly full of cake and luckily, that's one thing that's still on the menu, even in isolation. Spread some love by getting a decadent dessert delivered straight to your mate's door. In Melbourne, even one of Australia's top restaurants is turning its talents to the cake game, promising to infuse any birthday do with fine-dining flair. Attica's Ben Shewry is whipping up a limited-edition, double-decker vanilla Celebration Cake, filled with white chocolate ganache and topped with a whipped yoghurt cream. There are just a handful being baked fresh each day — order via the website for delivery to a range of Melbourne suburbs. When the mood calls for something a little bit flash, try Sydney's Koi Dessert Bar. The renowned sweets spot by MasterChef dessert king Reynold Poernomo is hand delivering a whole menu of crafty celebration cakes, from a green tea and rose number to the signature Nomtella — a fusion of espresso mousse, salted caramel and rich brownie. And famed cake shop Passiontree Velvet has a lineup of special occasion cakes and mini cakes that simply ooze birthday cheer. Offering weekday delivery options for Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sydney, it's serving festive creations ranging from a classic red velvet sponge to the Italian-inspired Tiramisu Bliss. THE VIRTUAL ART CLASS [caption id="attachment_767056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cork & Canvas[/caption] Feeling inspired? Why not gather the crew for a creativity jam session, in the form of a boozy virtual painting class? Plenty of Aussie studios have taken their drinks-matched art classes online, creating a primo birthday situation for any creative souls out there. The long-running Cork & Canvas is one venue that's made the shift, now offering a calendar full of guided online painting classes. You can join in one of the upcoming live streams for $20 per person, or pay $25 to enjoy a session on-demand. They can even set you up with all your canvases, paints and brushes, with handy home-delivered Creativity Kits starting from $65. Meanwhile, Cork & Chroma is live-streaming its Zoom painting sessions almost daily, which you can enjoy from the comfort of home for just $20. The class details list which materials you'll need, though the studio's also got a range of art supply kits it can send to your door. Just pick a date, grab tickets as a group and stock up on wine, and you're all set for a birthday art party. THE AT-HOME BIRTHDAY DRINKS [caption id="attachment_694104" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cocktail Porter[/caption] Going out for 'birthday drinks' is off the cards for now, but that needn't mean going thirsty. Plenty of local bars and drinks slingers are now happily delivering celebratory libations straight to your door. In Melbourne, renowned dive bar Heartbreaker has reinvented itself as an online bottle shop and booze delivery service, running drinks along with food from on-site pizza kitchen Connie's. You'll find a range of combination party packs, as well as chilled, ready-to-quaff bottled cocktails from sibling The Everleigh. Online drinks service Cocktail Porter is proving to be an isolation saviour, turning home bars across the country from drab to fab with its DIY cocktail kits. Each one comes stocked with all the ingredients you need to create multiple serves of a classic concoction, from the negroni to a cloudy apple spritz. And Sydney's Prince of York is taking care of all the hard work, with its new Party @ Home packs. A selection of meal kits, one-litre cocktail batches and exclusive DJ mixes from Moonshine Music, sent straight to your house. Place an order, round up the friends via video chat and you've got yourself a virtual group sipping session. THE PLANT BABY DELIVERY [caption id="attachment_746647" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Jungle Collective[/caption] Nothing brightens up a birthday quite like a present that's lush, green and living — especially if it's housed in a pretty pot and dropped at your front door. And if you are looking to gift a new plant baby to a mate in isolation, there's a stack of Aussie companies that'll have you spoilt for choice. The crew behind those much-loved roaming pop-up plant sales, Jungle Collective now has a nifty online space to sling its gorgeous greenery. The team's launched a series of virtual plant sales, available to various cities on select dates across the next few months. You'll find a sprawling selection of plants to browse and buy online, with delivery usually available within 25 kilometres of your local CBD. Brisbane plant-lovers will find a huge edit of green gifts over at Pot Me Pretty's online store, ranging from cute terrariums, to indoor plants housed in charming ceramic pots. There's even a choice of add-ons, if you fancy a luxury candle or bottle of prosecco to round out your present. The company's doing weekday drop-offs to suburbs right across the city, with next-day delivery from $12.95. THE VIRTUAL DRAG BINGO NIGHT [caption id="attachment_768186" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr/Sara[/caption] If anyone knows how to inject some colour and spirit into that lockdown celebration, it's the drag queens of Australia. And luckily for your birthday crew, a bunch of them are now hosting online appearances, streaming live and loud to your respective living rooms. Gather your mates virtually and dial up the mood with a drag bingo night, courtesy of Melbourne bar Pride of Our Footscray. The venue's new Self Bingolation series streams online from 7.30pm Wednesdays, hosted by the power duo of Aurora and Archie Arsenic. Tickets are $9, which gets you a front row seat to a hilarious night of comedy, drag and prizes. Or, you can make a date with one of the new regular online drag bingo sessions helmed by Sydney starlet Prada Clutch. Sign up to play for $10 and they'll email you a printable bingo card, along with access to the video chat. Then, all you need to do is crack open a bottle of wine and don something fabulous — there's weekly prizes for the best dressed players. THE AT-HOME DANCE PARTY [caption id="attachment_760387" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hot Dub Time Machine by Pat Stevenson[/caption] The clubs might be closed, but your living room dance floor is open and ready for business. Tee up a Zoom or House Party session with the gang, to enjoy an at-home, virtual dance party guided by some of your favourite DJs and venues. The legendary party masters behind Poof Doof have headed online to unleash a series of live-streamed Saturday night sets, guaranteed to get you moving. Time-travelling dance party Hot Dub Time Machine is also serving up some hard-hitting Saturday feels, taking audience requests for its weekly Facebook Live DJ sessions. Melbourne club OneSixOne is answering your cravings with a huge four-hour, DJ-fuelled live stream every Friday and Saturday night. And if you're after a bit of midweek d-floor action, No Lights No Lyrca's Aussie collectives are now heading up regular Zoom dance parties, in place of their usual IRL sessions. Turn up the speakers and bust out some carefree moves, every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. THE ONLINE KARAOKE PARTY There's no room for birthday blues when you're belting out some bangers with your besties. Even if that sing-along session's happening over the internet, instead of in person. Video chat platforms like Zoom and House Party have become social go-tos in this strange age of isolation, but they also happen to be perfect for hosting rousing virtual karaoke parties. Set a date, invite the crew and start working on your best lung-busting material. Themes and dress-ups are definitely encouraged, and if you're stuck for ideas, you'll find plenty of online karaoke catalogues to browse and inspire. Keen for something more large-scale? Some genius recently created a 24-hour online karaoke party dubbed Karaoke Camp, where you can belt out tunes with up to 100 random people simultaneously.
If bliss to you means peering at infinite reflections in lit-up mirror rooms, wading through brightly coloured ball pits and having pillow fights — plus hanging out in digital forests, watching tales told via shadows and hopping over musical tiles, too — then prepare to beam with joy when Dopamine Land arrives Down Under. The latest multi-sensory experience that's hitting Australia, it's being pitched as an interactive museum. Inside, you'll find themed spaces that you can mosey through, engage with their contents and, ideally, bask in nothing but pure happiness. With a name like Dopamine Land, it's immediately clear that contentment, glee, merriment and exuberance is the aim of the game here. So is evoking those feel-good sensations through nostalgia, because this is another kidulting activity — it's all-ages-friendly as well — and it's making its Aussie debut in Brisbane from Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Brisbanites, and anyone keen for a Sunshine State trip to revel in more than the sun's glow, can look forward to wandering around Dopamine Land at Uptown in the River City's Queen Street Mall. Locals know that the site was previously the Myer Centre — and, decades back, was home to a dragon-themed rollercoaster. So, it's a fitting venue to get everyone channeling their inner child, unleashing their imagination and, yes, hitting each other with cushions. Heading this way direct from London, the experience combines optical illusions, engaging soundscapes and more across its ten themed rooms. The ball pit is self-explanatory, but also takes its cues from Miami in the 80s, complete with a pina colada scent, an electro soundtrack and LED lights that pulse to mirror waves. The pillow-fight space also doesn't need much explaining; however, the decor is inspired by marshmallows and boxes of lollies, Mexican wrestling is also an influence and you can win the pillow-fighting championship. Fancy seeing stories play out via shadows? There's a room for that featuring a big top-style roof. If you try your hand at the musical tiles — well, your feet, to be more accurate — you'll create a melody as you jump around, with the lights changing as you go as well. And if getting as serene as possible is your aim, head to the Keep Calm Forest, which artificially recreates a woodland via LED trees, mirrors and sounds to match. There's even a room dedicated to the autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR, which goes big on projections and animations by Australian digital artist Cassie Troughton. As is always the case with these kinds of pop-ups — Fever, the company bringing Dopamine Land to Australia, has also been behind The Art of Banksy: Without Limits, The NBA Exhibition, Dinos Alive: An Immersive Experience and Unko Museum: The Kawaii Poop Experience — there'll be ample opportunities to take photos. Accordingly, you know what you'll be seeing on your social-media feeds. There's no word yet whether Dopamine Land will head to other Australian cities beyond Brisbane, but expect it to be popular either way. Find Dopamine Land at Uptown, Queen Street Mall, Brisbane from Tuesday, May 28, 2024, with tickets on sale from 7pm on Thursday, April 11. For more information, or to join the ticket waitlist, head to the experience website.
For the next month, expect the sound of music to echo across Brisbane's public spaces — through the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha, King Street at Bowen Hills, Sunnybank Plaza, Fairfield Gardens, Brisbane Powerhouse and even the Shorncliffe Pier, just to name a few places. Melodic notes will ring out over Gasworks, Northey Street City Farm, Eagle Street Pier and the end of Logan Road at Woolloongabba as well. Yes, the list goes on. In total, 20 pianos will be scattered around town, all as part of Play Me, I'm Yours. You might've heard of the international artwork before, given that it has been touring the globe since 2008. Over that time, it has placed more than 1900 street pianos in over 60 cities. Now, it's Brisbane's turn to join in the musical fun, all as part of this year's Queensland Music Festival. If you come across an instrument between Friday, July 5 and Sunday, July 28, between the hours of 7am–10pm, the instructions are simple. Just start playing. It's free, and that's all you need to do. Sticking with the concept initially devised by British artist Luke Jerram, each of the pianos has been artfully decorated — so you won't miss them. Image: Play Me, I'm Yours.
Popolo's main attraction is the view. Located in the new Sidon Street/River Quay precinct on the riverfront at South Bank, Popolo has refined the art of river-watching and wine drinking. With little touches such as blankets personally brought out to you on a particularly chilly night, the staff are extremely attentive to your every request. Glancing at the menu, the name Popolo (meaning 'the people') suddenly makes sense; with an abundance of share plates and nibble-worthy starters it's clear that the theme here is the more, the merrier. However for those who suffer from only-child syndrome (it's okay, we won't judge you) you can also opt to have a half serve of the share plates. The buffalo mozzarella roulade stuffed with mushrooms and capers entree looks as impressive as it tastes, however it was just a little preview for what was to come. The slow roasted suckling pig stuffed with peaches had every person fighting for the last juicy morsel, with crispy salty skin complimented by the sweetness of the peaches. For non-meat lovers Popolo's warm caprese salad with confit cherry tomatoes and herby bocconcini is a modern take on the tri-coloured classic. To finish it off, indulge in the strawberry cannoli with sweet basil gelato - it may sound heavy, but the sweet basil gelato is a surprisingly refreshing way to end your meal.
When the recent spate of jungle-set action-comedies hit the big screen — think: Jungle Cruise and The Lost City over the past few years — they likely didn't have anyone thinking about mini golf. But if you'd like to putt your way through 16 greens that clearly take their cues from such flicks, Tingalpa's The Jungle Adventure Play has the answer. Given the eastside venue's name, applying a leafy theme to its new mini golf course — all 16 holes of it — was always a given. Open since Thursday, January 5, the putt-putt setup includes snakes, vines, caves, ruins and bullet-riddled trucks, all trying to make getting a hole-in-one tricky. That said, given that this is an all-ages activity, there's an easy option for every hole. Putters will find two paths for each — spanning holes both indoors and outside — so you can pick between the simplest way to mini golf glory or challenge yourself. As well as the course, The Jungle Adventure Play has added a licensed bar serving cocktails, slushies, beers on tap and soft drinks — adding to Brisbane's growing list of boozy mini golf spots, such as Holey Moley's three local venues, in the process. The venue also boasts a giant inflatable bag that you can jump onto, climbing walls, high ropes and an indoor ninja course — plus, dating back to early 2022, a 140-metre flying fox track. Called The Hawk, it's the longest electric flying fox in the southern hemisphere. Take a spin before or after picking up a club and you'll be moving at 22 kilometres per hour, all while strapped into a harness eight metres above the ground. It spans both indoors and outside, too, and runs in all weather. And, like the new mini golf course, the flying fox takes inspiration from an impressive source. If you remember the Myer Centre's old dragon coaster, which used to zoom around the CBD shopping complex's top level where the cinemas now sit, then you'll instantly know the experience that The Jungle Adventure Play wants to recreate. Find The Jungle Adventure Play at 31 Proprietary Street, Tingalpa — open 9am–5pm Sunday–Thursday and 9am–8pm Friday–Saturday. Images: Peter Wallis.
For many, pyjamas are defined by what they're not: not quite stylish enough to leave the house in but not quite ratty enough to toss out. After a bout of burnout, Sheet Society founder Hayley Worley took a six-month hiatus — it caused her to reconsider the practice of rest. Then, she started thinking about a wardrobe to match. "Things really fell into place when I started to really understand the power of rest. That whole girl boss culture totally consumed me," Hayley shares. "Rest synthesises everything that is going on in your world. It showed me that pausing is actually where a lot of the magic comes from. I want people to take ownership of this rest time and dress for that occasion." When it comes to sleep, Hayley is something of an expert: Sheet Society has been releasing chic bedding in natural fabrics for nearly a decade. That fabric-forward sensibility — paired with the designer's fashion production know-how from stints at Ted Baker and Tiger Mist — shines at Resting, her loungewear label that debuted last month. Hayley initially imagined a resort-ready take on sleepwear that wouldn't look out of place on The White Lotus. Set in a different ultra-luxury destination every season, the TV show is known for its elegant holiday wardrobe: think floaty designer dresses, printed silk shirts and linen pants. "We were going to lean into [the sort of] resting you do on a holiday," Haley says. "You spend a lot of money on swimwear and beachwear for a holiday, but you spend a lot of time in your pyjamas." Ideas were flying — palm prints and hotel merch were on the vision board — but the first drop was pared back to focus on Resting's three signature fabrics. Years of experimenting and engineering fabrics for a good night's sleep at Sheet Society had laid the groundwork for Resting. "We've got so much rigour around product testing because people wash their sheets so much. The fabrics and function are 100 per cent in our wheelhouse," she says. For example, breathability is a non-negotiable for sleep: it allows the body to regulate temperature overnight, which is why heat-trapping polyesters and other synthetic materials are ruled out. While the material science draws directly from Sheet Society's bestselling sheets, thoughtful adjustments were made for movement and comfort. Eden sheets were reworked with a lighter cotton, and elastane was added to the Miller Jersey to allow for stretch. It took almost three years to refine the bedding fabrics for wear and to "put the icing on the cake" with the design choices, Hayley says. Each of the three signature fabrics serves a different style across the 30-piece collection. A classic blue pinstriped combo is crafted from lightweight woven cotton that lends a tailored look, while the cloudknit jersey tanks, tees, and boxer shorts (watch out for the adorable polka dot print) lean into activewear territory. The most luxe-feeling pieces, like a chocolate-brown slip dress and a smart shirt-and-shorts set, are made of a patented bamboo lyocell. Stunning drape aside, the fabric mimics a soft yet weighty satin, minus the staticky feel. A well-curated outfit can be telling of a person's mood, their personality, and even the company they keep. That's the beauty of personal style — and Hayley sees Resting as a way to bring that same self-expression into the home. Dress up Hayley's favourite Resting piece — a cherry-red jersey mini dress with cosy long sleeves called the Marnie — and it wouldn't look out of place at a wine bar. "I think there's a big trend at the moment, which is pyjama dressing. [You can wear] your pyjamas at night, but then also putting a heel on or building some necklaces and getting out of the home with that intimate dressing," she says. "It's so fun. It just feels like, fuck yeah, I'm doing this for me. You're not making yourself uncomfortable, you're not squeezing yourself into a tight dress." You can shop the Resting collection via Sheet Society now — available online or in-store. Images: Supplied
In the just-dropped trailer for Only Murders in the Building season five, Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated) gives the apartment complex that he calls home — as do his friends and fellow podcasters Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez) and Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Grimsburg) — a fitting description: "the most-murderous building in New York". Another run for this mystery-comedy delight does indeed mean another suspicious death that needs investigating. This time, the show's central trio are looking into the demise of the Arconia's beloved doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca, The Blacklist), although the police rule it as accidental. Of course, Charles, Mabel and Oliver aren't convinced with that explanation — and, as the first sneak peek at season five shows, their latest round of sleuthing brings a few colourful new characters into their orbit. Mobsters and billionaires are part of Only Murders in the Building's plot this time around, which is where new co-stars Bobby Cannavale (Unstoppable), Renée Zellweger (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy), Logan Lerman (We Were the Lucky Ones) and Christoph Waltz (Old Guy) fit in. [caption id="attachment_1014462" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Disney/Patrick Harbron[/caption] By now, audiences know that lives don't just thrive in NYC towers like the Arconia. Sometimes — frequently in this abode — they end, too. Folks connected to the fictional structure haven't been having a good run, but Charles, Mabel and Oliver looking into their untimely passings, and talking about it, has proven this series' premise since 2021's first season. A severed finger, The Godfather references, mafia meetings, "three of the richest people in the world sniffing around a murder scene", the Mayor, gambling, examining a body at a funeral: that's all in store in season five, as seen in the trailer. You'll next be viewing the trio's antics from spring Down Under, with Only Murders in the Building locked in for a Tuesday, September 9, 2025 premiere date for its fifth season. Michael Cyril Creighton (American Horror Stories) is back among the cast as well, as are Meryl Streep (Extrapolations), Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Bride Hard), Richard Kind (Poker Face) and Nathan Lane (The Gilded Age). Alongside Cannavale, Zellweger,Lerman and Waltz, season five also features Téa Leoni (Death of a Unicorn), Keegan-Michael Key (Dear Santa), Beanie Feldstein (Drive-Away Dolls), Dianne Wiest (Apartment 7A) and Jermaine Fowler (Sting). Check out the trailer for Only Murders in the Building season five below: Only Murders in the Building streams Down Under via Disney+, with season five premiering on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Read our reviews of season one, season two and season three. Images: Disney/Patrick Harbron.
Penny Coffee Co feels like it's run by your ultracool best friend, you know, the one that's always ten steps ahead when it comes to trends. While the cafe serves up standard brekkies, like toast with "two yolky boys" (eggs, if you were wondering), its strength lies in its ability to create wholly original dishes. Tuck into piña colada panna cotta with coconut-cashew granola, minted pineapple and a piña colada pour ($17) or okonomiyaki with sriracha aioli, edamame, radish, crispy lotus roots and nori dusted yolky ($19). As we said, ultracool. Coffee is served both espresso-style and filter — V60 and Aeropress — and the beans come from a variety of roasters. If you're not a coffee person, there are some tasty Assembly teas available, as well as 9 Spices chai and Kali hot chocolate. In addition to the top-notch food and drink, Penny Coffee Co promises to provide "awesome service, cozy vibes and dank tunes". A promise which it most definitely keeps, with its friendly staff and buzzy atmosphere. Situated in Dutton Park, the cafe boasts large bi-fold windows — perfect for people watching — subway tiles and a colourful mural. The space is at once neat and inviting, the handiwork of Clui Design, and is the perfect place to hit up on your next brunch date.
Miss Phryne Fisher might be known for solving mysteries; however from July 15 to September 4, her sleuthing skills aren't required. Trying to unravel the hidden truth behind the character's gorgeous attire is futile. As Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Costume Exhibition at Old Government House makes plain, their artistry speaks for itself. Everything that made season three of the ABC TV series sparkle with 1920s glamour will be on display, including both outfits and props. As a result, so will the award-winning work of costume designer Marion Boyce. Of course, Miss Fisher came to the page courtesy of Australian author Kerry Greenwood — and then to the screen in the guise of actress Essie Davis — but the important efforts of the woman responsible for her stylish look can't be underestimated. As well as showcasing sartorial delights, the Miss Fisher-focused season will also offer up a selection of special events, talks, tours and workshops. Whether you head along to the free lawn party, kick up your heels at the pop-up speakeasy bar, contemplate Brisbane's art deco history or learn about making flapper headbands, just make sure that you dress for the occasion — if there's an exhibition that you'll want to look your best at, it's this one.
With events across the world being cancelled and postponed in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19, the live music industry is being hit hard. According to website I Lost My Gig, as of 11am on Saturday, March 21, approximately 274,000 events and gigs have been cancelled, which has impacted 599,000 artists and crew, and equated to about $300 million in lost income. And that's just in Australia alone. To help raise money for some of those musicians out of work, a group of global volunteers has created Sofa King Fest. Dubbed an "emergency response online music and arts benefit festival", the website is a curation of all the best music live-streams happening around the world — all in one spot, all available to watch from the comfort of your sofa. Musicians are scheduled to perform at hour or half-hour intervals and have included the likes of Willie Nelson, Cypress Hill, Diplo, Big Freedia and A-Trak. On a more local level, all Aussie artists will be curated by the Mary's Group — who are behind cult-favourite Mary's burgers and the revival of two long-standing Sydney live music venues: The Landsdowne Hotel and Mary's Underground (formerly The Basement). [caption id="attachment_757840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Lansdowne Hotel[/caption] While the artists are playing, you can donate directly to out-of-work musicians or to the artist's charity of choice, with all funds controlled by the artist and their team. Melissa Etheridge, who's performing today, Tuesday, March 24, for example, will be donating her funds to the World Food Kitchen. If you're an artist that's keen to be part of the live-stream, you can signup directly via Sofa King Fest website. As well as raising funds for musicians hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the website is a great way to get your culture and music fix while also practising social-distancing or adhering to self-isolation measures. Sofa King Fest is now live and accepting donations. Top image: Willie Nelson by BSC Photography. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Add Marco Pierre White to the list of acclaimed British culinary figures, such as regular visitors Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver, who are fond of trips Down Under. Back in 2023, the famed chef and White Heat author brought his first-ever live theatre show to Australia. On that visit, he also made a date with HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast for a four-course dinner. The latter experience clearly left an imprint, because that's where White is heading again in 2025 — this time for an exclusive three-day stint. HOTA has announced that White is hitting the venue, and the kitchen, for a three-day culinary residency in June 2025. There's multiple parts to this visit, whether you're keen to eat or learn — or both. The luxe meal at HOTA's restaurant Palette is back, but that's just part of the program. On Thursday, June 5, White will get chatting at an in-conversation event hosted by HOTA's Executive Chef Dayan Hartill-Law. Certain to receive a mention: that he was first British chef to be awarded three Michelin stars, earning that achievement when he was just 33, making him the youngest chef to do so. Then there's his 1990 cookbook White Heat, which played up his "bad boy" image — and the fact that he's been dubbed "the first celebrity chef" as well. Also likely to fuel the chat: that White has popped up on everything from Hell's Kitchen to MasterChef, including in Australia — and that he's trained fellow well-known food figures such as Mario Batali, Heston Blumenthal, Gordon Ramsay and Curtis Stone. Or, there's his beginnings in the culinary world, after he arrived in London with just "£7.36, a box of books and a bag of clothes", as White describes, before his tutelage under Albert and Michael Roux at renowned French fine-diner Le Gavroche. At HOTA, White is also taking part in a masterclass that's part-discussion, part-demonstration — so you'll dig into his life story, plus get his tips and tricks. If you're keen to sit down for a meal, the return of the Palette x Marco Pierre White dinner involves a chat, too, plus a five-course spread. On the menu: dishes that showcase southeast Queensland produce alongside White's culinary philosophy. Or, if you're feeling flush, you can head along to the intimate White Heat dining experience, serving up five courses of dishes that scored White his three Michelin stars — and only 30 people can attend. Another five-course dinner will cap off the residency, featuring not only White but also Hartill-Law and fellow Gold Coasters Tim Stewart, Koki Anekawa and Melanie Day. Each is putting together a course, while HOTA's beverage team is picking the drinks. The setting: the venue's outdoor stage lawn. "I'm thrilled to be returning to HOTA for this exclusive Australian residency. There's something truly special about the Gold Coast — the energy, the people, the passion for food. Palette is a restaurant that understands the artistry of cuisine and experience. These events are about more than just cooking, they're about sharing stories, experiences, and creating unforgettable moments together," said White about his return Down Under. "Having Marco back in the kitchen with us is an honour. His knowledge, his storytelling and the way he approaches food is truly inspiring. This time around, we've taken it even further — from fire-fuelled outdoor events to the most intimate of dinners — and I can't wait for guests to experience the incredible lineup of flavours, talent and creativity we've curated together," added Hartill-Law. [caption id="attachment_812565" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palette[/caption] HOTA, Home of the Arts' 2025 Marco Pierre White pop-ups are taking place across Thursday, June 5–Saturday, June 7, 2025. For more information and tickets, hit up the HOTA website. Top image: Derek Dsouza.
An openair venue split over two levels, Jimmy's has stood the test of time for more than 30 years. The Mantle Group's stylish refurbishment has made it an oasis of marble, pale wood and greenery features in the centre of the Queen Street Mall action. Both the ground floor and upper deck have bar and dining options. While Jimmy's open plan makes it ideal for a warm summer's day, a retractable roof and outdoor heating ensures year-round comfort for diners, drinkers and lovers of live music. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Jimmy's has light bites and restaurant mains influenced by Modern Australian and Asian cuisines, dishing up items like Viet salads, chilli Mooloolaba prawns and Wagyu beef lasagne. Beers are available by the bottle and on draft, and there's an extensive list of cocktails as well as Australian and Continental wines. Images: Grace Smith.
The eternal fox in the hen house, Ai Weiwei, is stirring things up again. The controversial Chinese artist has thrown leftover paint all over his willing friends — all wearing one-off outfits from Comme des Garçons. The whole project developed after V magazine invited Weiwei to create a do-what-you-want editorial spread for the magazine, dubbed Children of the Comme. All they sent the artist was a box of garments from 14 different designers — and they were all one-offs. Treating the painstakingly-crafted pieces as destructively as his famed painted vase series, Weiwei stood his dressed-up friends on a custom-made pedestal and threw paint over the garments — the same paint used in his 2006/2008 Coloured Vases work. "Pouring a colour on an outfit creates a new condition for the design. It creates a midpoint between two conflicting ideas." Weiwei says in V. "Gravity and the shape of the clothes combine to create a unique moment. Using these cultural products as ready-mades celebrates and reinterprets the intention of creativity. I think this act shows my respect toward their creativity." This isn't the first time Weiwei has collaborated with Commes des Garcons; the artist has previously worked with the label's Joffe and Rei Kawakubo on their Tokyo store design, but most notably created an installation of backpacks inspired by the children lost to 2008's Sichuan earthquake. "It has always been an interesting and exciting experience. Rei Kawakubo is a person who has always supported and fostered unique ideas," Weiwei told V from Beijing (the artist cannot leave the country, with his passport confiscated and the focus of constant government surveillance). "For the last ten years, these 14 colours have existed in our studio colour chart for the production of Coloured Vases. It’s a complete coincidence that we had these 14 colours for exactly 14 outfits.” Via Hyperallergic and V. Images: Ai Weiwei.
When you drink a spritz, it might get you dreaming of Italy, the country that gave the world the summery tipple. Sip one of the cocktails at South Brisbane's latest addition and you'll definitely be thinking about the other side of world. A ten-option spritz menu that themes its sips around different Italian regions — Venice, Rome, Milan, Sicily and Bologna included — will do that. As its name makes plain, Como takes inspiration from a specific part of the European country in general: Lake Como. Cue Euro summer vibes all year long and no matter the weather in Brisbane or in Italy, all on Melbourne Street. Formerly of Bacchus, Head Chef Isaia Dal Fiume leads the fine-diner's kitchen, putting together dishes that hero seasonal produce. The small bites begin with oysters, sago chips, crispy polenta with mushroom, pan brioche with raw kangaroo loin, fried calamari and caviar. There's also a selection of cured meats and focaccia, which are recommended to be paired. Or, from the antipasto range, tuck into beetroot tartare and yuzu-marinated swordfish. Among the pastas, spaghetti champagne lobster stands out, albeit with a hefty price tag to match; pappardelle with wild boar ragu and rigatoni with mussels will also tempt your tastebuds. For mains, porchetta, duck breast and market fish sit alongside two types of wagyu and dry-aged black angus sirloin. And as for dessert, watermelon yoghurt, raspberry sorbet and cheese all feature. If you can't choose what to eat, two degustation menus are on offer, including one for groups that spans six courses for $110 a head and an eight-dish feast that'll set you back $149 per person. Pizzas are available for takeaway via the restaurant's Fish Lane entrance all day from Tuesday–Sunday, while Como's bar also operates from open till close six days a week. But for dining in, you'll need to make a date for lunch from 12–2.30pm and dinner from 5.30–9.30pm. As well as spritzes, Como's drinks selection boasts multiple takes on the negroni, classics on request, non-boozy cocktails and eight pages of wine choices — with Italian, Australian, New Zealand, French, American and Spanish drops all getting their own menu sections. The mood is refined but laidback, encouraging patrons to while away their visit with their nearest and dearest. You can start at the bar, then settle in at a table. Also, if you let the staff know when you book, Como will cater to your timing if you're heading in before seeing a show somewhere around South Bank. Find Como at 119 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane — open 12pm–12am Tuesday–Sunday, with lunch from 12–2.30pm and dinner from 5.30–9.30pm. Head to the restaurant's website for further details.
New York City is known for its best-in-class dining. But here's something not everyone tells you: there are some incredibly tasty spots to eat and drink outside the five boroughs, too. From Poughkeepsie to Buffalo and everywhere in between, upstate New York is teeming with culinary destinations that are worth venturing beyond the city for. As you make your way between outstanding outdoor landmarks and cultural institutions, finding a charming town filled with acclaimed eateries and brewery bars is a cinch. There's also a rich variety of farms and specialty stores to drop by to see how the magic happens right before your eyes. We've teamed up with New York State to showcase some of the best cafes, restaurants, markets and drinking spots that ensure your next adventure to New York is one your tastebuds will remember. [caption id="attachment_846987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Plan Bee Brewery, Derek Dellinger, Plan Bee Farm Brewery[/caption] DRINKS New York State's farm-to-table scene hasn't overlooked the world of drinks, with a raft of breweries, distilleries and wineries ensuring you can sip a small-batch drop that leaves a powerful impression. Poughkeepsie's Plan Bee Farm Brewery has a ground-to-glass philosophy. Most of the company's ingredients grow either on-site or in nearby paddocks — we're talking water from the wells, estate-grown hops and fruits, and yeast cultivated from the farm's raw honey. The taproom is open Fridays to Sundays from 12pm, so swing by to sample what's on tap. Don't let the name get you down – The Brewery of Broken Dreams in Hammondsport is anything but. Founded by a couple of dedicated beer lovers, the venue earned its moniker following several failed attempts to get a craft beer venture off the ground. Drawing inspiration from their hardship, the duo transformed an old winery into a stunning brewery bar with 12 rotating taps of ale that display the best local hops and malt. In Aurora, on the outskirts of Buffalo, the 42 North Brewing Company has a first-rate taproom, brewery and beer garden that you can easily while away a few hours in. And don't worry if you really do lose track of time — the venue also has four lofts that you can spend the night in, complete with windows peeking into the brewery floor, balcony doors overlooking the beer garden and complimentary growlers. [caption id="attachment_845910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arrowood Farms[/caption] Then, in Accord, Arrowood Farms is a celebrated gastropub with a sustainable ethos. Via a small-batch brewery, a distillery and a farm-to-table restaurant, it produces diverse culinary pleasures from ingredients grown on the property or within the Hudson Valley. If vino is more your bag, pay a visit to Bacchus Wine Bar. You'll find this restaurant and wine bar tucked inside Buffalo's historic Calumet building — a famous art nouveau landmark built in the early 20th century. Here, visitors will discover an award-winning seasonal wine list that shuns pretension. Food-wise, the venue serves a simple yet delicious menu, including New York-style strip steaks, half-racks of lamb and pecan-crusted salmon. Meanwhile, Kingston's reputation as an artsy hub deserves a cute wine bar to match. Fortunately, these prayers are answered in Brunette. This chic wine bar is big on low-intervention wine, beer and cider. It's a theme that tracks to the venue's design, too, with simple wood furnishings, white marble benchtops and a baby pink facade. Pair your vino with a selection of snacks to share — think trout roe nachos, tinned fish served with bread and pickles, and kale caesar salad. Or, to try directly from the source, visit some of the state's top wineries. Our picks are Ravines Wine Cellars in Geneva, particularly to try its bone-dry riesling in the stunning historical barn, and Millbrook Vineyards and Winery, based in the Hudson River region, where you can enjoy a picnic in the garden with a bottle of its award-winning chardonnay or tocai friulano (an Italian variety). [caption id="attachment_845328" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Phoenicia Diner[/caption] RESTAURANTS As you wander your way through upstate New York, you'll be presented with many blue-chip restaurants putting unmatched passion into their cuisine. Nowhere is this more evident than Woodstock's Silvia. This family-owned eatery bases its offering around locally sourced organic ingredients prepared over a woodfired grill. Alongside grilled wild shrimp, woodsmoked pork chops and seared brussels sprout, trademark cocktails like pomegranate hibiscus sours and spiced beet margaritas will go down an absolute treat. A few miles up the road in Phoenicia, the Phoenicia Diner has served classic American cuisine since 1962. The current owner has taken this longstanding roadside eatery in a local direction, with the menu showcasing seasonal produce grown on farms throughout the Catskills and Hudson Valley. All-day breakfast classics like buttermilk pancakes and bagels topped with lox and cream cheese hit the spot. Lunch takes things up a notch with sandwiches jam-packed with your choice of Korean fried chicken, meatloaf or chorizo. Po'boy fans will struggle to resist a Catskills interpretation of this Louisiana favourite: cornmeal-crusted trout, remoulade, tomato and lettuce on a baguette. Keep driving inland along scenic Route 28 to come across Peekamoose in Big Indian — a stunning example of farm-to-feast dining that makes the most of its surrounding landscape. The rustic yet refined menu highlights the close relationships the restaurant has built with the region's top farmers and makers. Plus, the rejuvenated farmhouse is styled with fascinating found objects, which may prompt some interesting dinner conversation. [caption id="attachment_845288" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Garage Taco Bar[/caption] The Garage Taco Bar offers more than its no-frills storefront and decor may suggest. Housed inside a former auto shop in Binghamton, this industrial-chic taco joint and cocktail bar is decorated with the remnants of old steering wheels, bumper grills and rims. The Mexican street food-style cuisine includes everything from taco platters to stacked burritos. Further north, at the tip of Seneca Lake, FLX Table in Geneva is where food and community combine. You may have frequented pared-back restaurants that only offer a dozen or so seats before — but have you ever had to join everyone around the same table? Embrace your inner extrovert to make the most of the dinner party vibes and the seasonal five-course meal. [caption id="attachment_845006" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anchor Bar, NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] Of course, we can't forget to mention one of the most legendary foods to come out of the state of New York: buffalo wings. If you're going to eat 'em, Anchor Bar — the (alleged) birthplace of this hearty snack — is where to do so. As the story goes, Teressa Bellissimo tossed some leftover wings in hot sauce to feed her son's ravenous friends in 1964, resulting in the famed dish that's now served in bars around the globe. The restaurant is a great pitstop on the way to Niagara Falls, so you have no excuses not to pull in for a wing feast. [caption id="attachment_851107" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roots Café, Courtesy of Roots Café[/caption] CAFES Directly opposite Hudson train station, you'll find Kitty's Market and Cafe. Nab a table in the outdoor patio to soak up the sun as you dine on home-style cuisine — the venue is renowned for its signature rotisserie chicken sandwiches and top-notch coffee. Have a long drive ahead? Stock up on road-trip snacks from its range of eclectic provisions. When exploring the picturesque Finger Lakes district, Roots Cafe in Naples is the ideal spot to rest up and re-caffeinate. This quaint old-fashioned home may look like something straight out of an iconic US TV show (think more Dawson's Creek than Schitt's Creek) but it also happens to serve some pretty tasty food. The menu changes seasonally based on local supply but is always reliably hearty Modern American fare, like braised brisket with veggies, barbecue pulled pork sambos and good ol' fashioned mac 'n' cheese. [caption id="attachment_853529" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ithaca Farmers Market, NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] MARKETS AND SPECIALTY STORES Upstate New York is a haven for fresh produce and locally made goods, so there are unsurprisingly dozens of markets and microbusinesses worthy of a visit. First up: the Ithaca Farmers Market. Each weekend, 130 chefs, farmers and artisans (each of whom grow their wares within 30 miles of Ithaca) set up shop to sell their wares. You also don't have to trek to Canada to sample world-class maple syrup. Based in Dover Plains, Soukup Farms is a third-generation producer of pure syrup and other specialty products, including maple cream, maple hot sauce and even maple candles. Another enduring operation selling sweet treats is Parkside Candy. This popular confectionery store and ice cream parlour was founded in Buffalo in 1927, and the decor doesn't seem to have aged a day. Parkside is known for its handmade chocolates and old-fashioned lollipops, but don't leave without trying its signature Sponge Candy — it's melt-in-your-mouth good. To start planning your trip to New York State, head to iloveny.com. Also, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best places to stay, cultural experiences, outdoor adventures and day trips from NYC. Top image: Arrowood Farms
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you to Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay which you can book right now via Concrete Playground Trips. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? An underrated gem of the Pacific, Fiji offers visitors pristine water, flavour-packed local produce and unmatched positive energy from the locals. All of this comes together at Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay, a five-star stay spread across a sandy peninsular just outside of the city of Nadi. The dreamy waterfront resort boasts lagoon views from every room, multiple top-notch restaurants, endless swim spots and a rejuvenating spa. THE ROOMS There are several ways you can approach a stay at Momi Bay. For an unadulterated dose of luxury, the standout accommodation option is the adults-only over-water bungalows. These truly next-level rooms sit on top of the resort's lagoon, providing direct access to the water from your balcony, as well as all of the premium amenities you could ask for — including an in-room espresso machine so that you can enjoy a morning coffee over the water. Elsewhere in the resort, you'll find 250 spacious rooms ranging from deluxe beachfront duplexes right on the sand to more classic hotel-style suites. No matter what level of luxury you opt for, each room provides views of the glistening blue water and the expected amenities like 24-hour room service, high-speed internet and climate-control air con for those humid Fiji days. FOOD AND DRINK Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay offers not one, not two, but five different drinking and dining areas. Goji Kitchen and Bar is a one-stop shop all-day diner with nightly themed dinners and a swim-up bar connected to one of the resort's pools, and the lagoon bar and lounge is the perfect spot to grab a moreish snack and a cocktail between larger meals. ' The real standout, however, is Fish Bar. Located next to the hotel's adults-only infinity pool, this lavish waterfront restaurant specialises in dishes that spotlight locally sourced Fijian seafood. You can expect catch-of-the-day fish and rock lobster alongside the cream of scallop soup, herb and nut-encrusted lamb rack and refreshing cocktails. Australia's own Matt Moran recently hosted a one-off dinner at Fish Bar, with a limited-time dish from the dinner — the kingfish ceviche — available at the restaurant until the end of August. THE LOCAL AREA Located about an hour's drive from the international airport in Nadi, Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay is hidden among the lush hilly southwest coastline of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It's a holidaymaker's dream where you can take in views of the surrounding mountains from the white-sand beach of the resort. Momi Bay is somewhat of a singular stopover for tourists looking to stay at the resort, however, it is located just a couple hours' drive from plenty of the Viti Levu highlights including both the Koroyanitu and Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Parks. THE EXTRAS Momi Bay's biggest drawcard is the variety of swim spots you'll stumble across throughout the accommodation. There are two pools, a family-friendly main pool with a swim-up bar, and an adults-only infinity pool. Life doesn't get much better than nabbing a spot on the edge of the infinity pool as the sun sets over the ocean. And, on top of all of this, there's also the lagoon where you'll find the overwater accommodation, boasting white sand and crystal blue water. Outside of your swim time, you can visit Quan Spa, the resort's luxurious day spa that offers relaxing massages and rejuvenating beauty treatments. Plus, there's a 24-fitness centre accessible to all guests and an outdoor tennis court with equipment hire available if you ever get tired of relaxing (unlikely) and need to stretch your legs. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
If you haven't already dropped by West Village, West End's newest spot at the old Peter's Ice Cream Factory site, then here's your new excuse: pizza and vino. For one tasty night, the inner-city site is combining two staples. The word you're looking for? It's bellissimo. From 7–9pm on Sunday, July 14, Italian-loving Brisbanites will get cosy at the precinct's Garden Pantry, sip vino and sling back slices. Salt Meat Cheese will be providing the woodfired pizzas, as well as a cheese platter filled with chilli-stuffed burrata, truffle pecorino and manchego — and, of course, your choice of wine. Tickets for this event cost $25, which is a very reasonable outlay for your Sunday night dinner. And, obviously, it's much more affordable than what we'd all like to be doing when we're tucking into an Italian feast — aka flying overseas.
Two months ago, Australia and New Zealand finally introduced the trans-Tasman bubble, which allows folks from either country to travel across the ditch without needing to go into quarantine upon arrival. During that time, the arrangement has been suspended on several occasions on a state-by-state basis — including during Victoria's recent lockdown, and in response to New South Wales' current outbreak — and now, with COVID-19 cases growing across Australia, NZ has put a pause on the bubble nationwide. Announced on Saturday, June 26 and in effect until at least 11.59pm NZ time (9.59pm AEST) on Tuesday, June 29, the suspension applies to quarantine-free travel from all Aussie states and territories. The initial timeframe will span 72 hours, which is NZ's usual first step. Whether it extends that period or not will obviously depend on coronavirus case numbers. "There are now multiple cases and outbreaks in Australia in differing stages of containment and the health risk for New Zealand in response to these cases is increasing," said NZ COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins in a statement. "As a result, the Government has taken the precautionary step of temporarily widening the current pause with New South Wales to include all of Australia." https://twitter.com/covid19nz/status/1408712957630902282 When NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the two-way bubble between Australia and New Zealand back in April, she noted that it could and would be paused if and when outbreaks occur — so none of the suspensions so far, including this one, are surprising. The NZ Government advised that this current pause will not only give it "time to get a better understanding of the developing situation," but will also enable it "to consider the potential implementation of a range of measures to make the bubble safer, such as the introduction of pre-departure testing for all flights from Australia to New Zealand." At the moment, Sydney's Bondi cluster keeps growing, with 112 locally acquired cases reported as at 8pm on Saturday, June 26. The Greater Sydney area is currently in a two-week lockdown, while positive cases — some linked, some not — have also been reported in Queensland, Victoria, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Whether you're an Australian on holiday in NZ or a New Zealander who has recently returned from across the ditch, anyone now in NZ who has been in Australia since Friday, June 21 is asked to monitor their health, and keep an eye on the exposure sites lists in various Australian states — such as NSW, Victoria, Queensland, the NT and WA. You're also requested to contact NZ's Healthline if you experience any symptoms. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
