Feeling a bit glum about your lack of airline club membership and all the benefits that go with it? Well, you can pick yourself up off that floor and start actually looking forward to your next Melbourne Airport visit, because someone's launched a 'pay-as-you-go' lounge that's open to anyone and everyone. Over in the international terminal T2, the newly unveiled Marhaba Lounge promises to bring a touch of sophistication to your pre-flight game — even if you're flying budget economy without a single, lousy frequent flyer point to your name. Of course, you'll have to pay for the privilege, with $65 gaining you casual entry for up to four hours, paid either on the spot or in advance when you pre-book online. Sure, it sounds a little pricey, though if you've managed to wrangle a super cheap long-haul flight, who knows when you'll next see a comfy seat and a decent feed? Marhaba Lounge has room for 200 guests and is manned by 26 staff, on hand to ensure your lounging experience is tip top. It's got showers, free wi-fi, a quiet zone, buffet dining and an Aussie-led booze list, and is open from 6am to midnight each day. Currently, you'll score free entry if you're travelling with Marhaba's partners Tianjin, Xianen and JAL, with more airlines set to team up by the end of the year. Other lounges are also under discussion, so keep an eye out if a trip to Adelaide or Perth is in your future. For more information or to pre-book your spot, visit the Marhaba Lounge website. Via traveler.com.au
When 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon walked down the aisle, a registry office became her chapel, and the only white ensemble in her wardrobe stood in for traditional wedding attire. With her love of Star Wars well established throughout the show’s seven-season run, Tina Fey’s iconic small-screen character stepped into matrimony in costume as Princess Leia, in a ceremony perfectly suited to her personality. This May in Brisbane, other brides will follow in her footsteps. On International Star Wars Day, couples can say “I do” as well as “May the Fourth be with you”, courtesy of a pop-up wedding concept spearheaded by marriage celebrant Josh Withers and wedding planner Danielle White. As the name suggests, a pop-up wedding is a wedding that pops up for one day in a specific location, with distinctive styling from reputable wedding vendors to provide an intimate, inimitable and easy opportunity to get married. It scales down the stress and ramps up the fun of tying the knot, in a one-size-fits-all package. The link between Withers and White’s no-fuss ceremony idea and Fey’s on-screen nuptials is merely coincidental, with the duo driven by wanting to offer an alternative to the usual wedding experience — in style, simplicity and price. Their background in the industry lead them to the realisation that everyone wants something different for their special day, and that the average “getting married” scenario doesn’t suit all tastes. “I’m definitely seeing more unique ceremonies and receptions,” says White of current trends. “At the essence of it, we think that falling in love is the best thing," Withers says. "If you want to commit to that, and get married, then that is something that should be celebrated — we are in the business of celebrating marriage. "The pop-up wedding came from knowing that large weddings are not for everyone. Six percent of people who wanted to get married last year didn’t or couldn’t because of either the financial burden or the emotional and mental stress. Or because the big thing just didn’t appeal to them.” More established in the United States but still a growing field there as well as worldwide, pop-up weddings add something special to the conventional antidote to the big day (the registry wedding), something classier to the customary offbeat idea (the Vegas chapel) and something more concrete to the usual stress avoidance technique (eloping). It's a concept that Withers and White hope will become an accepted substitute to the standard ceremony in Australia. April Fools' Day marked their first batch of pop-up weddings, celebrating the mischieviousness that increasingly surrounds the date. “Everyone’s doing some thing silly while you’re doing something awesome,” encouraged their website, with playfulness key in their pop-up offerings. “When you say you are getting married on April Fools' Day everyone will think you’re only joking!” On May 4, participating couples are treated to the full gamut of theming from George Lucas’s beloved sci-fi/fantasy film series. Of course, how much they embrace Star Wars is their decision, as is the use of costumes and props. In their allocated hour, each betrothed pair goes through the legally required formalities with their chosen celebrant, and then relaxes in the Cantina Lounge styled by Amini Concepts. As they enjoy a piece of cake and a glass of champagne, Josh Kelly from Jessie Dains Photography captures their happy “just married” memories. Though two to four friends or relatives can attend, guests are typically absent; it’s about the commitment, not the audience. With pop-up weddings proving popular, the list of future themes is limited only by Withers and White’s imaginations, and their observations of traditional weddings extending into the “poppier end of pop culture”. Requests are always welcome. Couples in Brisbane can book in for a trashy Brisvegas or op-shop-styled ceremony later in 2014. The concept will also take to the road, touring around the country for a boho-chic day in Perth as well as a Melbourne outing. As Withers notes, “people are cottoning on to the fact that there are other ways to get married.” White adds, “I think this is one that is going to stay.” To find out more about pop-up weddings, visit the Pop-Up Wedding website.
The rumours are true. Daft Punk has teamed up with Nile Rodgers for their upcoming album, said to be released in June this year. Apart from his own band, Chic, Rodgers has worked with many established artists in his time, including Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran. Award-winning producer Paul Williams confirmed this week at SXSW that he has also collaborated on some of the duo's new songs. The French electro pair are known for keeping things a secret until the very last minute, so it will be interesting to see what they have planned. Williams said "I feel like I don't want to talk about the stuff that I'm doing with them, because they want a press blackout on the album until it's out, so I should basically not be talking about it." While no one is giving away much information around the new album, just the fact that they are working on some amazing new tracks has been enough to send the internet into overdrive. It goes without saying that this is a much anticipated album after their last original release, Human After All, way back in 2006. https://youtube.com/watch?v=mj9AYdsb5Kg [Via Idolator]
Operating under the motto "Marriage equality for everyone, no matter the flavour.", the Ice Cream Truck of Love is set to travel Australia's eastern seaboard, handing out free scoops and spreading its message of marriage equality. Launched by Adrian Fernand, Aussie tastemaker and etiquette blogger, the Truck of Love was initially inspired by a truck with opposite intentions. Earlier in March, an anti-gay-marriage truck took to the streets of Queensland, opposing homosexual marriage on its "Queensland Election Prayer Rally Tour". In order to complete its trek down the coast, and hopefully through the rest of the country, the Truck of Love is in need of donors and volunteers who are willing to share some of their sweet time. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rWDhM1YzdtU
When you make an album that lasts the test of time, that feat is worth celebrating. Moon Safari isn't the only record from French electro-pop duo Air that's as stellar now as it was when it first met the world, but the dreamy 1998 release is the album that Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel have been celebrating in 2024. To mark its 25th anniversary, which arrived last year, the pair have been touring the globe to play Moon Safari in full live — starting in France, of course, but also heading everywhere from Switzerland, Italy, Germany and the UK to the US and Australia. For Vivid 2024, Air brought their current show to Sydney midyear — before the entire planet's eyes were on them during August's Paris Olympics closing ceremony, where they were part of Phoenix's set alongside Kavinsky, Angèle, Vannda and Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend. One trip Down Under this year isn't enough, however, so Air have now joined the Always Live lineup. From 'La femme d'argent' to 'Le voyage de Pénélope', the entire record will be performed live — 'Sexy Boy', 'All I Need', 'Kelly Watch the Stars' and 'You Make It Easy' included, of course. From there, Air's sets usually feature equally excellent tracks from across their career, such as 'Playground Love' from Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides soundtrack, plus 'Venus' and 'Cherry Blossom Girl' from the duo's 2004 album Talkie Walkie. For Always Live, Air are playing a one-night-only gig under the stars at Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, adding to an already jam-packed program that's bringing Jack White, The Offspring and St Vincent to Victoria as well for Australian-exclusive shows. [caption id="attachment_978773" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mathieu Rainaud[/caption] "We were a duo doing some electronic thing, dreaming of selling 10,000 copies and being recognised by other musicians as cool. Then suddenly, we met the world," explains Dunckel about Moon Safari, calling the album "a deep, universal spell, full of love and mystery". If you missed Air in Sydney, here's your second chance to catch them in Australia this year. And if you need any more encouragement, the Moon Safari set was captured live at London's Royal Albert Hall earlier in 2024, which you can stream below: Air Play Moon Safari heads to Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, with tickets on sale from 10am local time on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Always Live 2024 runs from Friday, November 22–Sunday, December 8. For more information, and to get tickets, head to the festival website. Live images: Raph_PH via Flickr.
Making progress in the field of stem cell-inspired organ production is notoriously difficult. So, recent developments at Yokohama City University, Japan, which have seen baby human livers growing inside mice, have taken the scientific world by storm. As far as we know (after all, who knows what's going on in underground labs in the more obscure corners of the world?), this is the first time that stem cells have been used to create functional organs. The livers, 4-5mm in length (a little like those found in human foetuses), are able to generate human proteins, clear toxins from the blood and go through the processes necessary to metabolising drugs. At this stage, it looks like they could be used to mend damaged livers by up to 30%. The team behind the research is hopeful that the transplant of thousands of tiny 'liver buds' might prove to be a way of preventing liver failure. Professor Takanori Takebe told the BBC that he was 'completely gobsmacked' and 'absolutely surprised' by the breakthrough. 'We just simply mixed three cell types and found that they unexpectedly self-organise to form a three-dimensional liver bud - this is a rudimentary liver. And finally we proved that liver bud transplantation could offer therapeutic potential against liver failure'. Even though the growth of adult-sized organs is not yet on the horizon, this development certainly promises to bring us a step closer to coping with organ shortages. If your scientific jargon is up to speed (i.e. words like 'endothelial' and 'mesenchymal' mean something to you), you can read the official story here. [via PSFK]
Fancy warming up your winter by watching Lizzo hit the stage? Don't we all. That's this July's hottest ticket Down Under, at both 2023's Splendour in the Grass — where the rapper, singer and flautist is the only announced headliner so far — and on her own arena tour of the country. And the latter is proving such a hit that more dates have already been added. General ticket sales for Lizzo's Aussie tour only start on Wednesday, March 29, but the pre-sale period has seen her Sydney and Melbourne gigs sell out already via pre-sales. Cue two new concerts — one in each city — although, in sad news for Brisbanites, there's still no sign of a stint in the Sunshine State. Still, if you're keen to see the 'Tempo', 'Juice', 'Truth Hurts' and 'Rumors' singer doing her own shows in New South Wales and Victoria, this news is as good as hell. Lizzo's solo gigs are tied to her 2022 album Special, including, of course, Grammy Record of the Year-winning single 'About Damn Time'. But attendees can expect to hear hits from 2019's CUZ I LOVE YOU as well — and an overall set filled with dance-ready beats. Joining Lizzo on all dates as a special guest is Tkay Maidza, which means two must-see talents for the price of one. While a Lizzo tour is always a welcome announcement, fans in Brisbane will still note the usual Splendour setup — that is, when someone plays the fest and does their own gigs around it, Brissie is considered close enough to Byron to not warrant a separate stop. The Live Nation pre-sale for the new Sydney and Melbourne gigs runs until 10am local time on Wednesday, March 29, with general sales for all shows kicking off at 11am local time also on Wednesday, March 29. LIZZO — THE SPECIAL TOUR 2023: Friday, July 14 — RAC Arena, Perth Monday, July 17–Tuesday, July 18 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Sunday, July 23–Monday, July 24 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Wednesday, July 26 — Spark Arena, Auckland Lizzo will tour Australia and New Zealand in July 2023. The Live Nation presale runs until 10am on Wednesday, March 29, with general sales from 11am Wednesday, March 29 — with all times local. For further details, head to the tour website.
As your parents undoubtedly used to tell you, all you really need is the great outdoors and your own two legs to amuse yourself. And being able to bring your dog along doesn't hurt either. Now that travelling around rural Victoria is back on the docket, it's time for you and your pooch to get back to the outside world. To help you get started, we've put together this list of camping, hiking and swimming spots in Victoria to journey to with your pup. We bet your doggo has been missing being in nature even more than you have. So plan your holiday, hop in the car and tell your doggo it's W-A-L-K time. CAMPING: HORSESHOE LAGOON On the banks of the Goulburn River between Trawool and Kerrisdale, Horseshoe Lagoon is as much of a go-to for water-based activities as it is for settling down for a long weekend of relaxed camping. A flora and fauna reserve, the lagoon is home to many a fine feathered (and furred) friend — so go gently with your doggo. Get ready to see the full shebang of Australiana fauna including kangaroos, koalas and wombats — and if you're lucky, you may even spot a platypus. Camping is dog-friendly and free along eight kilometres of the bank, with no bookings required. CAMPING: JOHANNA BEACH Three hours southwest of Melbourne, the campsite at Johanna Beach in the Otways is a triple threat; it has plenty of walks, it's not too busy and it has a beaut surf beach to boot. Off Old Coach Road and set among the dunes, the site only has 25 spots for people to set up camp, so there will never be too many people at one time. But make sure you book in advance book in advance to avoid any disappointment. There are non-flush toilets in the area, but fires are not allowed and you'll need to BYO drinking water, so this is for human and furry campers who are prepped for a more rugged experience. But the stellar views and the sound of the ocean to wake you in the morning make this trek well worth it. [caption id="attachment_669768" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Takver via Flickr.[/caption] CAMPING: HEPBURN REGIONAL PARK Sitting in Victoria's northwest around 1.5 hours from Melbourne, Hepburn Regional Park is a top-notch camping option near the city. Surrounded by picturesque place names like Porcupine Ridge, Wombat Hill and Musk Vale, the Daylesford region already beckons to you on the page. Plus there's the additional draw-card of the spectacular scenery, including natural mineral springs, an extinct volcanic crater and relics from the gold rush set among the bush. During the day, enjoy a walk or two with your pup. In the evening, settle in by the provided fire pits at the Lalgambook (Mount Franklin) Reserve campsite with your doggo by your side. SWIMMING: FOSSIL BEACH The Mornington Peninsula offers heaps of scenic beaches easily accessible in an hour or so from Melbourne — and Fossil Beach should be at the top of your list. It's lovely, dog-friendly and educational; the rocky beach gets its name from all of the fossils found on its shores. Dating back over ten million years, these Australian sea-life fossils were first discovered in the 1800s, but you can still find plenty to this day. Along with the relics of past aquatic flora and fauna, plenty of present-day wildlife visits the shore, including the yellow wattlebird. Whether you're a rock lover or nature fan — and perhaps keen for a little dip — stroll along the shore and see what you and your clever pooch might dig up. . SWIMMING: LILLYDALE LAKE It isn't just beaches that have the goods when it comes to finding a swimming hole that suits both humans and their fur babies. Don't forget about Victoria's many lakes, and in particular, Lillydale Lake. In the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, the lake reflects the type of green beauty that can still be found in spades out in Melbourne's hilly east. The man-made body of water is perfect for walking around — it spans 28 hectares, with an additional ten kilometres of shared trails surrounding the area too. Though the lake may not the best of the best for people swimming, your dog will be raring for a dip along with the other pooches. Afterward, enjoy a picnic in the barbecue area and be sure to bring along snacks for your pup. [caption id="attachment_703431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria.[/caption] SWIMMING: BLUE POOL, BRIAGOLONG STATE FOREST If you've been hankering for something a little special, it might be time to make the pilgrimage to Briagolong State Forest. Three hours east of the CBD, Blue Pool in Briagolong is worth any distance of travel, and it's a great stop during a coastal road trip or weekend getaway. Here, the water is clear as glass and tends to stay relatively warm all year round. You and your pooch are sure to have a splendid time frolicking and splashing about all day. Plus, there are several nice walk options around the peaceful billabong surroundings, as well as a free campsite nearby with fire pits, picnic tables and toilets. There's no reason not to make a whole weekend of it. Be sure to come prepared with sandals or water shoes to help you reach the water, as the terrain is very rocky. HIKING: KURTH KILN REGIONAL PARK Set in the Dandenong Ranges, Kurth Kiln Regional Park in Gembrook is mostly known for its kiln, used in WWII to make charcoal. It's also home to a water wheel, lots of ferns and the occasional koala. Popular with a whole range of active sorts — hikers, horse riders and mountain bikers — it's a particularly good day trip spot for you and your dog to take. The lush park has a number of walks, varying in length and difficulty, as well as some more Aussie animals such as sugar gliders, wombats, swamp wallabies and the aforementioned koala if you're lucky. There'll be lots of fun new smells for your dog to discover, so just make sure they're on a lead. HIKING: YOU YANGS REGIONAL PARK The peaks of the You Yangs mountain range can be seen from quite a distance, protruding from the otherwise flat landscape surrounding them. So, set your sights on the mountains and head southeast. The regional park that makes up part of the area is ideal for hikes and shorter walks, as well as rock climbing for the especially adventurous. Plus there are barbecues and picnic areas dotted throughout to keep you refreshed and truckin' along. For those looking to get their legs burning, climb up to Flinders Peak and have a baby Simba moment with your pooch as you survey everything the light touches. Or for something less intensive, take the longer, undulating Branding Yard Trail. Just make sure you bring enough water for both you and your furry pal. HIKING: MACEDON REGIONAL PARK The Macedon Ranges are a hallmark of Victoria's native forestry, and the region's fame is in part due to the mysterious Hanging Rock — plus the immense natural beauty (and many wineries) found nearby. The Macedon Regional Park boasts a hefty 2380 hectares and is chockablock with hiking trails that make up the Macedon Ranges Walking Track. With a variety of activities, the Macedon Ranges prove to be a destination, rather than a one-day pit stop. For the best views, make tracks to the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross, the second most significant war memorial in the state. Take your pooch along and keep your eyes peeled — there are over 150 different varieties of bird residing within the park. Just tell your pup to play nice.
Your days of stealing liberating those tiny IKEA pencils may soon be coming to an end. According to reports, the Australian arm of the Swedish furniture giant will launch its online store today, Wednesday, November 30 — in Canberra, of all places. Those living in the nation's capital will be the first to be able to order IKEA's unpronounceable furniture from the comfort of their MALM bed frames and either collect it from the Majura store or have it delivered the next day. Delivery will start at $79 and, according to The Canberra Times, will not include meatball orders. Wah. Those dirty that IKEA has chosen to trial the service in Canberra over other bigger cities, it's not all bad news. They have plans to roll out delivery to regional areas around Canberra, and eventually nationally over the next few years. About damn time. Now here's hoping it's less stressful to navigate than their actual physical locations. IKEA Australia hopes the web initiative will help boost profits, which, as it stands, are expected to pass the $1 billion mark for the first time later this year. Their online store in the UK is the most popular IKEA outlet in the country, presumably because you don't need to pack a week's worth of provisions to make it to the checkout. Via The Canberra Times. By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal.
Gonna get 90s-style comedic pop tunes stuck in your head forever, again — or five-ever, to be precise. After proving one of the best new shows of 2021, Tina Fey-executive produced sitcom Girls5eva returns in May with a new season of sitcom antics about a former one-hit-wonder girl group who get back together to chase stardom again decades later. You know, that ol' situation. Fingers crossed that a whole heap of catchy songs are in the returning show's future, too. Its first season was filled with them, and wonderfully so. If you quickly binged its initial eight episodes, you instantly got its tracks lodged in your brain. In fact, even just reading the show's name now will have brought them all back. And, odds are there'll be more gems on the way given that Girls5eva's second season sees the group recording a new album. The setup, if you're a newcomer: more than 20 years after they split up, the four remaining members of a late 90s girl group decide that it's time to get the band back together. Now in their forties, they're all at different points in their lives, but rekindling their dreams is too enticing to ignore. Sara Bareilles (Broadway's Waitress), Busy Philipps (I Feel Pretty), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton) and the great Paula Pell (AP Bio) play Girls5eva's reunited members, while Fey pops up as a fantasy version of Dolly Parton — and yes, the latter is as glorious as it sounds. Also, the comic takes on 90s pop tunes are all 100-percent spot on. Just as pitch-perfect: everything about this immensely funny take on stardom, fame and the way that women beyond their twenties are treated. In season two, which hits Stan in Australia on Friday, May 6, the Girls5eva crew are still chasing their comeback — but they're determined to make their new album on their own terms. As the just-dropped trailer shows, that's an eventful quest, even spanning knee replacements. Even just from the brief sneak peek so far, expect more wannabe popstar chaos, more gags about the entertainment industry and more thoughtful jokes about the way both the music scene and the world in general regard women. Of course, Tina Fey hasn't starred in, created or executive produced a bad sitcom yet — and when the first season of Girls5eva arrived last year, it continued that trend. In its own way, it's another workplace comedy like 30 Rock, Great News and Mr Mayor, after all. And, albeit in a completely different manner to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, it also follows a group of women trying to navigate new lives years after they were thrust together under extreme circumstances. Check out the trailer for Girls5eva season two below: Girls5eva's second season will be available to stream via Stan on Friday, May 6. Read our full review of season one.
Every season has its fashions and fads. This past summer, there was only one thing we spotted more in our favourite bar haunts than hot dogs: cider. While a glass of sweet, delicious cider is undoubtedly on trend, we suspect that it will last a little longer than most. Concrete Playground speaks to Rich Coombes of Batlow Premium Cider, Brittany Kinter from Moonshine, Hotel Steyne's dedicated cider and rum bar, and Michael Capaldo from Schwartz Brewery, the creator of Sydney Cider, to find out why cider is here to stay. Why has it taken Sydney so long to catch on to cider? Why is the cider revolution only hitting now? RC: There was really a lack of quality cider widely available, but now we're seeing an abundance of quality ciders in a range of styles. The category was re-invigorated in the UK recently through a significant increase in marketing activities by major brands, and that had a positive knock-on effect into other markets like Australia. Consumers are also seeking out more from their drinking and dining experiences; they appear to be looking for alternatives to their regular beer or wine selections, and cider provides a versatile option. Michael, Schwartz Brewery has had the beers under the belt for a while, but what prompted you to move into cider? MC: Our marketing manager Richard actually came up with the brand years ago. Richard presented the idea of making a cider for Sydneysiders to Dr. Schwartz and the brewing team, and we loved it. Did you have much experience with cider before embarking on Sydney Cider? MC: I had made a few batches at home and had produced a range of ciders with my previous employer. Saying that, cider is a very different beast to beer. From a technical point of view it behaves much more like a wine than a beer, so it is a whole new world for us brewers to get used to. Rich, we all know Batlow Apples but how did Batlow Cider come about? RC: It was the product of great timing. Batlow Apples were looking at ways of realising value for fruit that may not make the grade for the supermarket shelf and had previously made cider. So when we (my brother Sam and I) approached Batlow Apples looking for a source of top quality apples to make cider, it was complementary to their own plans. Sam and I had spent a fair amount of time in the UK drinking cider, and we realised there was an opportunity to make a locally-made, premium cider using the best cider-making practices. When we shared our cider plans with Batlow Apples, they liked the idea of partnering up and launching a Batlow-branded cider collaboratively. We were on the same page from day one about what we wanted to create and the rest is history. Can you take us through your processes of making cider? What's the story behind the bottle? RC: Our cider begins with the apples – and we only use Batlow apples. Through some experimenting, we came up with a varietal mix to give the best balance in terms of acidity and sweetness. We grow, pick and press apples in Batlow and then, the same day, transport the juice to our cidery. There, we ferment, clean filter and bottle. No concentrates, no added sugar, no artificial preservatives and no pasteurisation of the bottle. Our 'minimal intervention' approach means we retain as much of the goodness of the apples as possible and ensures there are about three and a half Batlow apples in each bottle. MC: We decided that if we were going to make a cider, it had to be refreshing and all natural. We have a fantastic juice supplier who grows cold climate apples, which are perfect for a crisp cider. We use a very unusual yeast imported from France that is actually a champagne yeast. As yeast is the only living ingredient in cider, every strain will produce different flavours. In the case of our yeast, you can certainly assimilate it with the citrusy, tart flavours found in champagne. We then soften up the cider with more fresh apple juice and are left with a beautiful balance of medium sweet fruit on the nose and pallet, which is counterbalanced by subtle acidity. Rich, for those who are yet to partake, what's the appeal of Batlow Cider? RC: Our cider has the freshness of a crunchy Batlow apple. The flavour gives a complex mix of green and red apples, with a hint of earthiness. It's crisp, clean and has just the right amount of sweetness. We only press apples as we make the cider, which ensures that we retain as much of the natural aromas and flavours of the Batlow apples as possible. We don't add any sugar, concentrates or flavourings like some other ciders on the market, and it's also gluten free for our coeliac friends. Continuing with the education, what qualities make a great cider? RC: Great ciders are judged on their aroma and taste. Great cider will produce a delightful aroma of apples – depending on the style of cider, this may be fresh apples or even over-ripe apples. A great cider will offer depth of flavour and complexity, like a wine, offering a fine balance of apple sweetness and acidity. More traditional styles of cider will also display good tannin structure, given cider apples are relatively high in tannin content compared to eating apples. Striking the right balance of sweetness, acidity and tannin is the art to great cider-making. While Batlow obviously focuses on apple cider, what different kinds of cider are available? RC: There are now many styles of cider available: from very sweet to very dry, carbonated to still. By definition, cider is made from the fermentation of apple or pear juice and, whilst there are an increasing amount of flavour twists hitting the shelves, the purists would argue these are really getting away from true 'cider'. That said, different regions of the world produce very different ciders. It's worth seeking out some foreign styles, such as French ciders, which offer a completely different drinking experience to more commonly consumed ciders. How would you describe your cider, Michael? What makes it stand out from the pack? MC: It certainly sits in the medium sweet category. This means that it has pronounced apple flavours, but their sweetness is balanced by the acidity produced from the yeast. I think in terms of drinkability and versatility, it is one of the best ciders going around. It drinks best neat, and we try to discourage people from drinking it with ice as this can mask the beautiful natural flavours. While you're obviously a lover of beer as well, what does cider offer that beer doesn't? MC: From a technical point of view cider has a much lower pH than beer, around 3.3 as opposed to 4, which means its flavours are generally sharper and bitier. I think cider suits the Australian palate very well as we like dry, highly carbonated drinks that refresh on a hot day. Britt, putting a bar specialising in cider (and rum) in Hotel Steyne – a classic 'pub' pub – is a bit of a brave move. How did this come about? BK: The cider bar concept originated from our publican Ged. Since he married an Irish girl, he's become familiar with the explosion of cider in Europe, particularly in Celtic countries. With sixty six beer taps downstairs, Ged saw the cider bar as a strategic point of difference for the hotel. He believes that the Australian climate is made for cider. Plus, the 'alco pop' tax is making cider more accessible and affordable. What is the concept behind Moonshine? Could you describe the look and feel of this bar? BK: The bar is themed 'seaside grit', with reused old dockside timber bars and weather leather chesterfield booths. It's a seaside, shanty shack atmosphere. There's images of old school, sea man tattoos, bottles from nights passed, and retired seafaring craft from the years gone by. Plus the associated ocean smells and sounds provided naturally and free from the coast just beyond the doors! The bar should see you through the whole weekend, with a hundred rums to try and a folk rock gig to see on a Thursday, to a reggae gig on a Sunday afternoon, whilst sipping on one of the sixteen ciders on tap. Tell us a bit about the ciders you're serving up. What's your pick? BK: Our ciders range from sugary sweet to bittersweet, and mildly dry to a smoky dry. My personal fav. at the moment is the Batlow cider. The high quality, delicious taste and attractive branding has captured my attention, along with that of our patrons. What has the reaction from punters been? Have people taken you up on the offer? BK: Positive, that's for sure. Young people are looking for the experience and variety that cider has to offer. We constantly get visits from strictly beer drinkers who have yet to jump on the cider wagon but do want to see what all the buzz is about. Before you know it, these 'strict beer drinkers' are frequenting the bar and have a favourite cider. Plus, we're finding that Australians are returning home after time abroad with a liking for cider that they developed on their travels. Here in Manly, we witness the multicultural mix of people firsthand, so there's also nostalgic travellers frequenting the pub in search of recognisable beverages from their home countries. And finally, to end on a controversial note, what does cider have over the great Australian favourite, beer? RC: The advantage of cider is that it offers a completely different drinking experience to beer. Some people choose cider because it's a lighter more refreshing alternative to beer or even because it's gluten free. Increasingly we are seeing cider matched with foods in place of craft beer or wine, so it's really quite versatile. We're still a beer-drinking nation, but it's nice to see an ever-growing appreciation of quality cider. BK: Sydney has the perfect climate for the cider market. There's just something about sitting on the deck, lounging in the sun with your mates, with a cool refreshing cider in hand.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein will never stop being a gothic-horror masterpiece, or inspiring stories across the page, stage and screen as well. The latest: Poor Things, the next film from acclaimed Greek Weird Wave director Yorgos Lanthimos, and his long-awaited first release since 2018's excellent The Favourite. Also back: that regal drama's Oscar-nominated supporting player Emma Stone. The Cruella star didn't end up clutching an Academy Award for her past performance under Lanthimos' guidance, and nor did her co-star Rachel Weisz (Dead Ringers) or the filmmaker himself; instead, they watched on as Olivia Colman (Empire of Light) emerged victorious for her leading part. But Stone and Lanthimos made a winning pair anyway, in what was one of the former's very best performances of her career. It's no wonder that they're teaming up again — or that the just-dropped first Poor Things trailer looks mesmerising, eerie and stunning. Poor Things adapts Alasdair Grey's 1992 award-winning novel, but the parallels with Shelley's mother-of-all horror greats are as obvious as a bolt of lightning. The focus: Bella Baxter, a woman resurrected by an unorthodox scientist, distinctive in her mannerisms afterwards and eager to learn about a world that isn't quite sure how to react. Continuing the movie's top-notch casting — and Lanthimos' in general, as seen in everything from Dogtooth and Alps to The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer as well — Poor Things features Willem Dafoe (The Northman) as the tinkering Dr Godwin Baxter; Mark Ruffalo (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) as Duncan Wedderburn, a slick lawyer that Bella runs off with; and also Ramy's Ramy Youssef, plus On the Count of Three co-stars Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott. The film will hit cinemas in the US on September 8, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under. Poor Things jolts Stone's career back onto the screen a few years away, too — Cruella released in 2021, and only The Croods: A New Age, Zombieland: Double Tap and TV's Maniac sit on her resume since The Favourite. Check out the first teaser trailer for Poor Things below: Poor Things doesn't currently have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is confirmed. Image: Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
Effortless multitasker Joss Whedon has taken time off between letting Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents clean up the scum to unveil a fan-friendly surprise: his brand new film In Your Eyes available to rent online for just $5. The Avengers director high-fived his fans worldwide by releasing the film online as it was premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Currently filming the next instalment of the Avengers: Age of Ultron, Whedon made $1.5 billion from the first ‘gang’s all here’ Marvel superhero romp. The Buffy creator has seen shifts in the industry over the years and wanted to explore options to satisfy both fans and his bottom line. "It's exciting for us because we get to explore yet another new form of distribution — and we get $5," he said. Whedon recorded a video message to introduce the release, played before the Tribeca screening and seemingly recorded on the Avengers set. In Your Eyes will mark the second release from Bellwether Pictures, Whedon’s pet project and “micro studio” that released the playful, black and white rom-com version of Much Ado About Nothing in 2013. Whedon and his wife Kai Cole founded the LA studio as a means to bypass "the classic studio structure" that Whedon receives millions of dollars yet limited creative distribution control to work in. Starring newcomers Zoe Kazan (writer and star of Ruby Sparks) and Michael Stahl-David (Cloverfield, NBC’s The Black Donnellys), In Your Eyes is a so-called paranormal romance, following two strangers who find themselves linked by supernatural means. Whedon wrote and produced the film, looked at his laughable schedule, then handed the director hat over to buddy Brin Hill (writer and director of 2008’s Ball Don’t Lie). Whedon has been pretty busy of late being King of Marvel Errrrthang, divvying up his directorial time on the Avengers sequel Age of Ultron to serve as creative consultant on Any Marvel Film Anyone is Making Right Now. Whedon penned dialogue for Thor: The Dark World as well as directing the mid-credits scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier — Whedon’s Marvel input cameos might soon rival the onscreen pop-ins of legendary creator Stan Lee. “This is the most prolific title we’ve had on the platform, definitely,” Vimeo spokesman Greg Clayman told Gigaom. Stealthy, unannounced releases are becoming more used by major players as a means of distributing directly to fanbases. “It's a non-traditional way, for sure. But hey, it works for Beyonce." Due to Whedon being an absolute legend, In Your Eyes is available to rent on Vimeo right now. Via BBC and Gigaom.
The lofty title of the ‘World Wide Web’ implies that we can access the internet, well, all over the world. However, with 71 percent of the Earth’s surface covered by oceanic bodies, the web is more limited than you think. Researchers at the University of Buffalo may have found a way to cross the digital gap between land and sea. Their ‘deep sea Internet’ is a sunken wireless network that will provide instant communication from beneath the surface to any device on land. Since wireless access has expanded everywhere, from subways to third world countries, why hasn’t this been thought of before? Although the internet feels like an omnipresent force that floats invisibly above our heads like the particles of a broadcast chocolate bar in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, it’s a little more complicated. Wireless communication on land relies on radio waves from satellites and antennas, which don’t work well out in the middle of the ocean. Deep-sea communication technologies function on sound waves, which are converted above the surface and transmitted to our devices. This interaction is a bit dodgy, given that it’s nearly impossible to communicate in real time because of the various methods and standards involved when it comes to communicating with underwater sensors. To make things easier, the masterminds in New York are developing a framework that would create a singular way to collect and send data from an underwater sensor to any computer in the world. The possibilities are endless with this superpower technology. Tsunamis and hurricanes could be detected and warned of earlier, oil and gas could be detected more efficiently, pollution could be better monitored, and law enforcement agencies could track down drug-smuggling pirates. The underwater modem seems to be well on its way to doing these things; it is currently being tested at the bottom of America’s Lake Erie and will be presented at the International Conference on Underwater Networks & Systems in Taiwan this November. So on your next deep-sea dive or fishing trip, check your smartphone for Wi-Fi: BIG BLUE, password: n3m0. Via Fast.CoExist.com.
Australia and New Zealand often engage in light-hearted rivalry. Who has the prettiest scenery? Who has the best music? But when it all boils down, we love our New Zealand neighbours who have given the world a fabulous backdrop for the Lord of the Rings films, Lorde and much more. Boxcopy has joined forces with new Zealand public art gallery, Enjoy, to create a special exhibition to celebrate wonderful art born from this long-distance relationship. The theme of Correspondences is communication and exchange. Both Australian and New Zealand based artists will be working collaboratively for the first time and will be creating a view of the other, separated by the ditch. The art on show at Boxcopy will focus on social interactions and collaborative processes. Outward expressions of inner dialogues will be explored, as will reflections on working with others and forming long-standing connections. Correspondences will be held from 5 – 26 July.
If travelling is synonymous with getting into a good book or, whenever you walk into a bookshop, you get this strange feeling to curl up on the shelves and go to sleep, you need to book a flight to Tokyo and reserve yourself sleeping shelf at Book and Bed hostel. The hostel describes themselves as an "accommodation bookshop", which is exactly what it sounds like. It's no five-star deal here; at Book and Bed, the commodity is words, rather than luxury. It is budget accommodation after all, and for around $50 AUD a night, they're offering you the chance to sleep surrounded by stories, the smell of printed pages and the sound of other hostellers greedily flipping through their own books in their bed each night. Sounds much more chill than your usual hostel, where most people are doing anything but book-reading. The hostel is designed has been designed as a lounge-like bookshop, so you can pick out a book and read it in the lobby, or take it back to bed with you for some horizontal action. And if you're thinking that the beds are just out the back somewhere, you're wrong — the beds are actually built into the bookshelves. Yep, you'll be sleeping where the books sleep. Needless to say, this makes for a bit of a pod-like situation, so don't come expecting room to move. It's all about reading. And nodding off to sleep mid-chapter every night. Book and Bed Tokyo is located in the Toshima-ku ward, and is close to Ikebukuro Station. For more information, visit their website. Via PSFK.
UK sunglassmakers Tens have put those "I wish I could Instagram my life" whines into reality. Creating "the real life photo filter", the team's debut pair of sunglasses attempt to place an Instagram filter over your day. People look more attractive, crappy bus stops look more romantic, your homecooked breakfast disaster looks a million bucks. Wait. But isn't that... uh... how all sunglasses function? "Tens is a sunglasses brand with a simple ambition; to make your day look ten times better," the group stated. Tens raised £138,498 ($249,562 AUS) via crowdfunding site Indiegogo to make the sunglasses, with backers directly buying pairs from the project page. The team spent three years perfecting the custom lens tint, with solid UV400 protection to boot. Made from a CR-39 plastic polymer, the lens is scratch resistant so your Instagrammed life won't be shattered by pesky flecks from your pocket keys. Co-founding director Marty Bell, also one of the creative minds behind summer-charged online radio project Poolside FM, explained to Vice: "We asked ourselves: What if we could skip the cameras and computers altogether? What if there was a way we could filter everything that we see whilst disconnected from technology?" Vice called the sunglasses "Instagram to the second power," after featuring them as part of The Creators Project. The debut frame for Tens, 'The Classic' is available to nab from their Indiegogo site for $60 with free worldwide postage until June 6. Unisex frames come in black, navy, teal and deep red and are bought directly as 'perks' on the Indiegogo site. While you can't switch between filters, the whole outcome looks pretty X-Pro II meets Nashville, with a Hefe twinge. It remains to be seen how differently the glasses make things 'grammy to regular polarised glasses, but for 60 beans the gamble's not too highly staked. Via Fubiz and Vice.
After 11 years as our accommodation go-to, Airbnb is now trying its hand at playing travel agent. The booking platform has just launched Airbnb Adventures, a series of all-inclusive, multi-day adventures available around the globe. The experiences act as a one-stop-shop for your next trip, with accommodation, meals and activities all part of the tours. Over 200 of these adventures are already up on the site. You can take a nine-day trek through the Amazon for around $270 per night, a five-day trip through the Oman desert for $300 per night or go on a culinary kayaking trip through Swedish islands for $360 per night. There's also a seven-day accessible experience on Easter Island, an overnight campsite on a cliffside in Colorado, island hopping around the Galapagos and, for something closer to home, an adventure around New Zealand subtropical islands, too. Prices range from a reasonable overnight trip for $115 all the way up to a rather exy 10-day trek for $7200. On average, the adventure packages cost around $850 for a three-dayer. The new platform, while having a different name, is part of Airbnb Experiences: the app's existing range of locally hosted events, such as cooking classes and hikes. And it runs in a similar way, as in all 'adventures' are 100 percent hosted and planned by locals — Airbnb is simply the mediator between the two. Each adventure is also kept quite small and set at groups of 12 max. To launch the new platform, Airbnb is offering an around the world in 80 days adventure to eight travellers for just $7214 per person, which comes down to about $90 per night. The trip will leave from London on September 1 and bring travellers through 18 countries across six continents — including to Bhutan, Iceland, Egypt, Romania, Japan and Ecuador. Bookings for this one will be available on June 20 and it'll likely book out in a minute, so you best get yourself prepped if you want a spot on this trip. Airbnb Adventures are now live and can be booked through the website or via the Airbnb app (available for Android and iPhones). Images: Tara Rice, Mason Trinca, Ryan Tuttle, Oivind Haug
Swing into London's Tate Modern until April 2018, and you'll literally be swinging thanks to their latest large-scale installation. Teaming up with Danish artists' collective SUPERFLEX, the gallery's Turbine Hall now boasts playground equipment as part of its newest commission, which comes with the apt title of One Two Three Swing! The numbers in the piece's moniker don't just refer to the countdown everyone does in their head before they set a swing in motion. They also indicate that each of the installation's pieces has been built for three. That means gathering up two pals and heading for a swinging good time is on the agenda, with the work designed to get audiences to be more social through collaboration — the coordination it takes to get a three-person swing to do its thing, for example. 22 swings feature in total, all connected by their orange frames and all conceived "as an assembly line for collective movement," according to the exhibition's press release. They comprise of the movement section of the work, which also features apathy and production components. In the former, attendees can lie on a 770-square-metre carpet — in a colour scheme inspired by British currency — and view a a large pendulum suspended from the ceiling by a 20 metre cable. In the latter, a factory station assembles swing seats, storing them for later use. During the installation's six-month run, One Two Three Swing! will also expand beyond the Tate Modern, with plans to spread the swings throughout London and even possibly further afield. If that sounds like an ambitious project, it's just the latest for SUPERFLEX, who were formed in 1993 by Jakob Fenger, Bjørnstjerne Christiansen and Rasmus Nielsen, and helped designed Copenhagen's 30,000-square-metre Superkilen park. One Two Three Swing! runs at the Tate Modern, London until April 2, 2018. For more information, head to the gallery's website. Via The Guardian. Images: Tate Modern.
Forget partying like it’s 1999. When only futuristic chic will do, boutique hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith recommend these ten space-age stays around the world. 1. Wanderlust Where: No 2 Dickson Road, SingaporeWhat: Witty wonderland in Little India When you fancy your own pocket rocket, book a stay in a sultry, space-themed Whimsical Loft room at Wanderlust boutique hotel in Singapore. Each comes with a kooky storage rocket and cute alien soft toys; climb the ladder to the mezzanine bed where sparkly ‘stars’ light up the ceiling. All of the 29 boudoirs are fairly otherworldly, with themes ranging from monster typewriters to treehouses and ultra-bright Pantone-hued chambers. Not sure where you’ve landed? It’s not surprising, given there’s a cool French bistro downstairs, you’re in the vibrant Little India quarter and this is central Singapore. 2. The Standard High Line Where: 848 Washington Street, New York, USAWhat: Hip Hudson riverside hang-out Bestriding an elevated park in the Meatpacking District, The Standard High Line hotel in New York is a modernist high-rise perched on concrete stilts. Clamber aboard and you’ll hit the space-chic black-and-white lobbyside Living Room, where you’d expect to see Han Solo and Chewie sinking cocktails with bounty hunters. Keep going up and the views from the 337 bedrooms just get ridiculous (cue Hudson River and Statue of Liberty perving on upper levels). Enjoy on-trend grazing at the Standard Grill, the German Biergarten and the 18th-floor Top of the Standard bar, then bag black-and-gold guest bikes for gadding around (who needs a space cruiser?). 3. MONA Pavilions Where: 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Tasmania, AustraliaWhat: Avant-garde art hotel on the banks of the Derwent The eight cutting-edge dwellings at MONA Pavilions hotel in Hobart are inspired by iconic Australian artists and architects, and come with original paintings, cool coffee-table books and rad river views. Bag three-storey pavilion Roy, and you’ll be master and commander of your own faceted-metal penthouse-come-spaceship, with two bedrooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen/living area and a balcony spa bath. Beyond your designer den, the hotel’s Source restaurant is a must for dining, wine tastings and microbrewed beer. Make time to visit MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) next door, an awe-inspiring subterranean gallery stocked with controversial modern art, a bar, café and wine bar. 4. Alila Villas Uluwatu Where: Jl. Belimbing Sari, Banjar Tambiyak, Desa Pecatu, Bali, IndonesiaWhat: Minimalist eco-glam eyrie Ready for lift off? You’ll feel like you’re about to shoot into space when you settle back in the cabana lounge bar at Alila Villas Uluwatu boutique hotel in Bali, a sleek, wooden-slatted cube which centilevers over the Bukit Peninsula’s cliffs with va-va voom ocean vistas. The 61 light, white pool villas here are just as contemporary and crisp, embracing the outdoors. A superb spa, sexy infinity pool and serious surfing will tempt you to play, with dreamy dining areas for fuelling up afterwards. Be warned: this hip haven attracts the beautiful people, so get ready to waft around like a model from Mars. 5. Mandarin Oriental Barcelona Where: Passeig de Gràcia, 38, Barcelona, SpainWhat: Luxe Catalan lair As if the Catalan capital isn’t stylish enough, Spanish hotel Mandarin Oriental Barcelona will fulfill all your interior design fantasies. Nestle in informal, all-white brasserie Blanc, with its origami-style ceiling sculptures and hanging plants, and you’re on Planet Chic. Rooftop Terrat’s poolside loungers seduce with crazy-beautiful skyline views or get every more chilled-out at the so-sleek-it’s-space-age spa. The 98 rooms sport furniture by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, whose graphic shapes and patterns across chairs, rugs and cushions are out of this world. You’re on the city’s premier avenue, too, so Gaudi buildings, hot shopping and foodie pit-stops await. 6. Saffire Where: 2352 Coles Bay Road, Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania, AustraliaWhat: Sci-fi sanctuary Shaped like a sinuous stingray, Saffire boutique hotel in East Coast Tasmania brings futuristic style to the jaw-dropping Frecinet Peninsula. It may look like a metallic silver spaceship swooping towards curvy Coles Bay, but don’t worry this is no alien abduction scenario. Inside, you’ll find the lofty lobby, and ultra-contemporary dining and drinking areas, clad in an undulating roof and wall-to-wall windows giving onto the Hazards peaks. Pop to rated Palate restaurant for fab local fish and seafood, then relax in the retro-chic Saffire Lounge for booze and boardgames. Outside, 20 sleek suites, with views out to the beach and sea, beckon. 7. Capella Singapore Where: 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island, SingaporeWhat: Clash of the centuries retreat Lording it over Singapore’s southern Sentosa Island, 112-room Capella Singapore hotel is a luxe blend of colonial and 21st-century design, with a future-forward extension by architects Foster + Partners bringing this historic haven bang up to date. Take in views of the South China Sea from the three-tiered pool or sweeping Bob’s Bar terrace (ideal for that Singapore Sling), which borders on intergalactic glam; then hit Auriga Spa for treatments inspired by the lunar cycles. Chinese fine-diner Cassia is great for a date; all-day diner the Knolls is your go-to spot for breakfast, lunch or a wow-worthy selection of teas. 8. Amangiri Where: 1 Kayenta Road, Canyon Point, Utah, USAWhat: Modernist marvel in southern Utah Expect close encounters of the third kind in the lunar landscape of Lake Powell hotel Amangiri, a swish sanctuary surrounded by the wind-carved Utah desert. This sleek sandstone sanctuary in the heart of Navajo country offers just 34 spacious suites, some toting their own private plunge pools. Curving around a striking escarpment, the main pool is a head-turner, too, with views out over the wilderness. Bring walking shoes and 40+ sunscreen for hiking over dunes and up rocks; Jackie O sunglasses and kaftans for poolside lounging or dining alfresco. 9. Maison Moschino Where: Viale Monte Grappa, 12, Milan, ItalyWhat: Fanciful fashion house near cosmopolitan Corso Como Clouds indoors? With sheep and illuminated mannequins? You’re in Italy, darlings, where stylish Milan hotel Maison Moschino, housed in the city’s first railway station, brings surreally spacey touches to any stay. Fairytale themes from Cinderella to Little Red Riding Hood create enchantment in the 65 rooms, from outsize frocks above beds to forests and golden glam. Maison Moschino’s kookily irreverent philosophy continues in the starkly sleek restaurant, where the masterful chef whips up colourful ‘susci’ (Italian sushi) creations, alongside pasta and meat mains. At the Culti Spa, treatments are based around beauty-aiding Brittany sea water. Ditch the spacesuits, though; Moschino threads will do. 10. Hotel on Rivington Where: 107 Rivington Street, New York, USAWhat: Lower East Side high-rise With 21 floors of cool rearing over the Lower East Side, glassy-glam Hotel on Rivington in New York is very 2001: A Space Odyssey. This modern missy ain’t for vertigo sufferers though, so be sure you have a head for heights before booking into one of the 108 rooms; boudoirs offer panoramic views through floor-to-ceiling windows, and some boast showers with vistas, or a two-person Japanese soaking tub. LES hipster style rules at cosmopolitan eatery CO-OP Restaurant, where sushi and sashimi are served alongside smart American concoctions. Decor-wise, the influence is Seventies California, with photographs of US icons (Neil Armstrong should be one of them!).
Crossbows is a jam-packed four day festival that is sure to provide many musical treats for your ears. The Queensland Conservatorium, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and ABC present this special event featuring 70 talented acts in order to showcase Queensland's best small ensembles Crossbows caters for all music tastes making it an event for everyone. Whether classical music and jazz tickle your fancy, or electronic and world music are more up your alley, you're sure to find something that strikes a chord. Workshops and discussion forums are also on the schedule so head along to meet some like minded people. Crossbows prides itself on the diverse bunch of musicians that will be performing. Highlights include the immensely talented Katie Noonan, comedic trio Tripod, eclectic songstress Emma Dean, the New Zealand Quartet and the gypsy band Greshka. The festival is located in the beautiful South Bank Parklands. Why not make a day of it and bring along a picnic basket and rug to enjoy the performances. Tickets are available on QTIX with special school group bookings on offer. Day passes are $30 and a $100 ticket will get you a whole festival pass.
We all love to be spoilt, right? Well, these five fabulous characters take indulgence to a whole new level. The Powerhouse is hosting a cheeky play written and performed by Liz Skitch and directed by Fiona Scott-Norman. Spoilt puts on stage the lives of five pampered women whose worlds begin to unravel when their paths cross. The main characters include a reality TV star, a personal trainer to celebs, one botox-loving celebrant, a PR consultant and small-dog enthusiast and a bridezilla from hell. Spoilt is sure to tickle your funny bone as it pokes fun at the self-indulgent. It is more than a light-hearted comedy however as it explores the nasty side of narcissism yet has a positive outlook on personal growth. Spoilt has landed in Brisbane direct from Melbourne International Comedy Festival. It first wowed audiences at La Mama as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2013.
It all sounded like an elaborate prank. Then it sounded just too good to be true. But it's actually been confirmed. Daft Punk are launching their new album, Random Access Memories, to 4000 insanely lucky ticket holders in the NSW country town of Wee Waa. While I have a sneaking suspicion that the helmeted Frenchmen only chose Wee Waa because they giggled at the ridiculousness of its name, those opportunistic Wee Waa-ians (Wee Wains, maybe?) are making the most of this incredible event by throwing the biggest afterparty in Wee Waa history. Weekend Vines is converting the idyllic Seplin Estate Winery, 1.5km outside of Wee Waa, into a two-night camping festival. After Daft Punk have left you feeling harder, better, faster and stronger, head straight out to the Wee Waa Camping Festival where a host of electro artists and Daft Punk disciples will be rockin' out into the wee (waa) small hours of the morning. The event is fully licensed, decked out with a festival sound system and only has 2500 available tickets, so keep an eye on the Weekend Vibes website to make sure you snap one up when they are released early next week. Featuring local and international stars Olibusta (France), Marvin Roland (UK), Mr Pyz (Melbourne), Crease (UK) and Pablo J and the Lobsterettes (Sydney) wee waa beyond excited for an unforgettable weekend of awesome music and late night parties. And that's the last Wee Waa pun we'll make you read.
Disneyland might have called dibs on being the happiest place on earth, but New York is certainly one of the tastiest. The city's culinary spread has long drawn visitors from far and wide, and it's now amassing a hefty collection of food museums. First came the Museum of Food and Drink. Then, the Museum of Ice Cream joined the mix. The only thing that could come close to topping that is a place dedicated to chocolate, right? French-born, US-based chocolatier Jacques Torres certainly thinks so, expanding his chocolate-making empire to include New York's first museum dedicated to everyone's favourite sweet treat. The 5000-square-foot Lower Manhattan establishment takes visitors through the entire choc experience. Yes, that involves learning about its history — and, it also includes eating the tasty, tasty substance in question. On the educational side of things, Choco-Story New York: The Chocolate Museum and Experience with Jacques Torres details the origins of all things chocolate dating back to Mayan and Aztec civilisations, and explains the method behind turning cacao beans into the delectable morsels we know and love. As for snacking — aka the reason everyone wants to stop by — nine premium tastings, other samples, hand-ground hot chocolate, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate truffles and chocolate-making workshops are all on offer. This isn't the world's first-ever chocolate museum, however. Among the array of weird and wonderful odes to edible delights (yes, a currywurst museum really exists), plenty of others have done the same thing. Basically, Homer Simpson's dream of a land of chocolate is slowly becoming a reality, with other choc havens found in Canada, London, Bruges, Hamburg, Vienna, Spain, the Netherlands, New Zealand and even Tasmania. Unsurprisingly, it's a long list.
Sometimes, enjoying the music festival experience involves gumboots, picking the best outfit with the most pockets and dancing in huge crowds. At other times, it spans making shapes at home while pretending you're at the real thing. Yes, the latter has become familiar during the pandemic, but it's also been a way to live the Coachella life without heading to Indio, California for a decade now. And, with the fest returning in 2022, so is its YouTube livestream. Boasting a lineup headlined by Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd — as announced back in January, albeit with the latter pair now taking over Ye's slot — Coachella is finally back for its first fest since 2019. It'll unleash its impressive bill over the weekends of April 15–17 and April 22–24, which is Saturday, April 16–Monday, April 18 and Saturday, April 23–Monday, April 25 Down Under. So, if you haven't been fortunate enough to make the trip to America, that's your long weekend sorted for two weeks in a row. Wondering who to watch when? Coachella has just dropped its setlists if you're wondering which acts will be hitting the livestream on which days. Styles headlines the first day, Eilish does the second and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd are now leading the charge on the third — on both weekends. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) And, they're joined by a bonafide metric fucktonne of squealworthy acts, including Australia's own Flume, The Avalanches and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, plus Phoebe Bridgers, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Jamie xx, Run the Jewels, Fatboy Slim, Finneas and Joji, just to name a few. Also, when it dropped its set times overnight, Coachella just casually added Arcade Fire to the lineup. Of course, livestreaming music fests is no longer a novelty in these pandemic times but, given the calibre of Coachella's roster, it's still a mighty fine way to spend a weekend or two. And, YouTube will be adding live chats and artist interviews, aka the kinds of experiences that you wouldn't get if you were at the fest IRL. Coachella's return is a 'nature is healing' moment for the music industry, after a tough few years for festivals in general — and this one in particular. Coachella's 2020 event was postponed less than a month out, and later cancelled completely. And, plans to make a comeback in 2021 unsurprisingly didn't happen either. Coachella runs from April 15–17 and April 22–24 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. To watch the livestream, head to YouTube from 9am AEST / 11am NZST on Saturday, April 16 and Saturday, April 23. Top image: Roger Ho.
It has been four years since The Skywhale first floated across Australia's skies, soaring through the air with its bulbous body and hanging breasts, and making every other hot air balloon look boring in the process. Come 2018 at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, it'll get a sequel of sorts, with Aussie artist Patricia Piccinini creating a new, large-scale inflatable sculpture as part of her massive solo exhibition, Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection. The piece will be suspended in GOMA's atrium, but, just as The Skywhale is only one of Piccinini's pieces, it'll form just one part of her huge Brissie showcase. In an Australian exclusive, Curious Affection will boast more than 50 new and recent works when it takes over the ground floor of the gallery from 24 March to 5 August. With the Aussie artist known for blending science, surrealism and mythology to craft imaginative, life-like creatures, expect plenty here, including 2016's The Bond featuring a woman lovingly cradling an ambiguous creature. A multi-sensory environment called The Field will rank among Piccinini's new efforts, using 3000 genetically modified flower sculptures to create an immersive landscape. Other pieces will keep stepping into her strange yet realistic world, in an exhibition designed to "will deliberately challenge our conceptions about what it means to be human and the power of empathy," according to Queensland Art Gallery and GOMA director Chris Saines. In addition to sculpture and installation, Piccinini's photography, video and drawing work will also be on display, complete with never-before-seen commissions that continue to explore the relationship between nature and technology in scientific research, genetic engineering and more. Curious Affection will mark GOMA's largest-ever solo collection by an Australian artist, celebrating a creative force who has represented Australia at the 2003 Venice Biennale, exhibited everywhere from Tokyo to Berlin to New York, and attracted more than over a million visitors to a touring showcase in Brazil in 2016. Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection will display at GOMA from 24 March to 5 August 2018. For more information, head to the exhibition website. Image: Patricia Piccinini Australia VIC b.1965 The Bond 2016 Silicone, fibreglass, human hair, clothing 162 x 56 x 50cm Courtesy the artist, Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne; Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney; and Hosfelt Gallery, San Francisco.
Richard Jordan has written and produced a play that will resonate with any tech-savvy social media fiend. Machina is centred on David Sergeant's world. He has recently signed up to social networking site, Machina, and sold his soul to it. David isn't just one of those people who checks all social media platforms before getting out of bed (guilty), he has taken things to a whole new level. The protagonist has uploaded his consciousness onto the site and fully entered the digital world, for good. The audience joins those left behind who are scratching their heads and desperately trying to understand if this was a voluntary decision. Why not SMS, Snapchat, Facebook message or Tweet your friends to get together for Machina, as this is a play not to be missed. It'll make you think twice about how much of ourselves we lose to the digital world, what's more, the world of Machina might feel a little bit too like our own.
The Underdog Pub are hosting a marathon night featuring local and interstate bands. One of the bevy of bands on the lineup is Aktion Unit comprising of Dane Lewis and Rene Schaefer. This duo will be making sweet psychedelic tunes accompanied by Brisbane girls Allanah Stewart and Sarah McKenna (Tangrams). Also on the bill is Gravel Samwidge. These guys are full of adrenaline after releasing their new record in Sydney and Newcastle and are eager to share their latest work. Wonderfuls will also take to the stage with their rich melodies and clever lyrics. Brisbane band, Scrabbled have made a name for themselves in Brisbane with their lo-fi tracks. Led by the talented Bek Moore, the quintet will keep the vibes flowing with their textured sounds. Former members of Multiple Man and Occults have joined to create Unpeople. With their heavy, juicy rock and impressive solos, Unpeople belong on stage. Head to The Underdog for a feast of music and start your weekend the right way.
Ricky Gervais isn't one to do things by any ol' book, especially advertising endorsements. The creator of award-winning, shame tingle-inducing comedy The Office, professional Golden Globe crasher and 'World President of Entertainment' has created two videos to advertise the new partnership with Netflix, available in Australia today. The global communications giant has recruited Ricky Gervais to star in a Netflix advertising campaign that unveils the tie-up. In classic zero phucks Gervaisian style, the comedian has provided his own take on Optus's 'Yes' campaign, which is more like an 'Okay' campaign. Here he is accepting the sweet, sweet cash from a company he's "never heard of". With Netflix launching in Australia today, Optus customers can get among the streaming service filling your news feed right now — for free. Whut? Yep, new and returning Optus customers get a six-month subscription for free when they sign up to one of several eligible packages (before July 5). You'll be able to catch up on House of Cards in commute on your smartphone, sick out on the back verandah with some Orange Is the New Black on your laptop, and then retreat for some quality Derek time in bed on your tablet. For more information on how to get the free Netflix hook-up happening for you, visit the Optus website.
What has Wade Wilson's (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) wisecracks, Logan's (Hugh Jackman, Faraway Downs) surliness, Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' and "let's fucking go!" exclaimed several times? The full trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine, which follows on from the movie's 2024 Super Bowl teaser — which became the most-watched movie trailer of all time — by bringing its namesake frenemies together and giving viewers a bigger look at what's in store. The 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the only one arriving in 2024, is gifting the sprawling pop-culture franchise a few things that fans have been waiting for for years. Deadpool officially enters the MCU. So does X-Men hero Wolverine. The end result, which was initially announced in 2022, hits cinemas this July. After the film's debut sneak peek had Deadpool calling himself "Marvel Jesus" when he's brought into the Marvel fold by the Time Variance Authority — and the Merc with a Mouth declaring that "your little cinematic universe is about to change forever" while he's at it — the latest glimpse gets him dubbing Wolverine "the X-Man". Wade is endeavouring to enlist Logan to help save the world. Sometimes he does so by sticking a gun in his face, but often it's by talking, aka one of Deadpool's go-to traits. One won't stop nattering. The other prefers to say as little as possible. Naturally, they're becoming the Marvel Cinematic Universe's favourite big-screen odd couple. Reynolds has been playing Deadpool since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so this isn't the first time that him and Jackman are teaming up as their famous characters — but, again, it is the first time in the MCU. Before now, Jackman has already busted out the adamantium claws in nine movies, starting with 2000's X-Men and running through to 2017's Logan, which was poised as his swansong in the role. But when you've been playing a part for that long, in that many flicks, what's one more go-around? After a non-Wolverine gap spent starring in The Greatest Showman, The Front Runner, Bad Education, Reminiscence and The Son, Jackman is clearly ready to get hairy again. That Deadpool & Wolverine falls into the MCU, the comic-to-screen realm that's been going since the first Iron Man flick and will likely never ever end, isn't a minor detail. The two characters have always been Marvel characters, but because of rights issues behind the scenes, they've stayed in their own on-screen sagas. But when Disney (which owns Marvel) bought 20th Century Fox (which brought the X-Men and Deadpool movies to cinemas so far), those business issues disappeared. Deadpool & Wolverine arrives six years after 2018's Deadpool 2. It also marks a reunion in another way. Behind the lens: director Shawn Levy, reteaming with Reynolds after Free Guy and The Adam Project. Also featuring on-screen in the new trailer: Emma Corrin (A Murder at the End of the World) as Cassandra Nova, the X-Men supervillain that's also Deadpool & Wolverine's big bad. Check out the full Deadpool & Wolverine trailer below: Deadpool & Wolverine releases in cinemas Down Under on July 25, 2024. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
As part of The Brisbane Festival, The Brisbane Powerhouse is hosting No Child. This one-woman performance is a theatrical piece that cleverly and humorously comments on the New York City public school system. The performance stars Nilaja Sun who convincingly plays all 16 characters. Sun draws on her personal experience to accurately portray the relationships between teachers and students in New York's roughest schools as well as alluding to pressing social issues that are imbedded in the education system. Sun not only performs in this interesting piece, she also wrote No Child. Her amazing performance has received rave reviews and awards over the two years that the piece has been playing for. This September marks the first time that the thought provoking performance has hit Australia. The play goes for a little over an hour and will not only tickle your funny bone, but make you think.
2020 has been a big year for Gelato Messina in a number of different ways. To help us all while we were spending more time at home, the ice cream chain has served up plenty of tasty specials, including cookie pies, 40 of its best gelato flavours and a heap of one-off desserts. It also launched a new range of gelato bars in supermarkets, its own line of candles and a new clothing range as well. And, it came up with boozy cocktail packs that you can make at home, too. Next up: a curated present range called Gifting by Messina, which'll deliver everything from Messina condiments to ceramic bowls to your door — or to someone you love. Haven't had time to go Christmas shopping? Don't fancy the hustle and bustle of trawling the mall? These packages will let you nab something special for someone special, with five types available. If you've ever tucked into a scoop of Messina's frosty wares, savoured not just the taste but the scent and wished you could soak in the latter for longer, the dessert fiends have very good news. That aforementioned candle range is included, because it was mighty popular when it launched in collaboration with perfumed candle outfit Maison Balzac earlier this year. For $75, you'll receive two mini candles, both inspired by honey. The 'Miel d'Hiver' candle (which means 'winter honey' in French) is designed to conjure up the scent of plants pollinated by bees in winter, and features notes of smoke, thyme, lemon, cedarleaf, frankincense, nutmeg, tonka bean, palo santo and peru balsam. Or, you can opt for the 'Miel d'Ete' ('summer honey'), which combines bergamot, galbanum, hyacinth, jasmine, orris, lily of the valley and musk patchouli. The kit also comes with a jar of Rosebery Honey's signature spring nectar and a voucher for 10-percent off a booking at Messina's Creative Department restaurant. After something edible? Two packs are available, including a $24 offering with Messina's dulce de leche, choc hazelnut and waffle cone spreads. Or, you can gift someone a range of seven condiments from local chefs and restaurants beloved by the ice creamery — with a $120 kit spanning everything from Dino's hot sauce and Firedoor smoked salt to Made in Yass green tomato pickles. Rounding up the Gifting by Messina lineup is a Lucy Folk beach towel ($190), which comes with a $50 Messina voucher — and a set of two gelato cups ($150) made by Sydney ceramicist Milly Dent, as paired with two gold-plated teaspoons by designer Cristina Re and a $20 Messina voucher. The entire range comes delivered in Messina gift boxes, and is available to order from Monday, November 30. They'll also be delivered Australia-wide. Some kits are only available in limited numbers, though, including 50 candle sets, 200 batches of condiments, 50 towels and 75 bowls. Gifting by Messina opens for orders on Monday, November 30. For more information, visit the Gelato Messina website.
Lix's new pen enables you to create 3D objects in the air. The pen is powered off a USB port and melts and cools plastic, as it makes your visions come to life. Although there are other handheld printing devices, Lix have shrunken it down to a size that really symbolises the technology, daring people to think outside the box. To really analyse the gravity of this new technology, it helps to at least think about how much we draw in the air with our fingers, when trying to explain things. The pen brings the opportunity of easily communicating ideas between each other by quickly rendering a 3D image with the comfort and ease of a simple pen. [via thisiscollosal]
So, you're one of the hordes of people who watched Squid Game. We all are. And, you watched it and thought that playing hopscotch and tug of war sounds like fun — and breaking out the sugar honeycombs and grabbing your bag of marbles, too — but obviously without the whole pesky compete-to-the-death angle. If that's you, then Netflix keeps dropping news that'll get you excited. Already, the streaming platform has confirmed that Squid Game will return for season two, and also revealed a few details with an extremely brief teaser trailer. Now, it's turning Squid Game into a reality — a reality competition TV show, that is. Squid Game: The Challenge won't include murder. It will feature 456 players, though — all ordinary people, and not actors. And, they will indeed compete to win $4.56 million. Plus, they'll play a series of games inspired by the South Korean thriller — the extremely fictional South Korean thriller, until now — as well as a few new additions. Also, competitors will be eliminated as the games go on, and forming strategies and alliances will play a huge part. So yes, Squid Game: The Challenge is designed to get as close to the OG Squid Game as possible, just without the body count. It'll all be overseen by a Front Man, too, because of course it will. As yet, there's no word if the Red Light, Green Light doll will be involved. Do you want to play a game? Enter to join Squid Game: The Challenge at https://t.co/MaXfZnqmvb pic.twitter.com/6gYLXlplDC — Netflix (@netflix) June 14, 2022 Netflix is calling Squid Game: The Challenge "the biggest reality competition series ever", and it'll certainly have the biggest cast. The results will unfurl over ten episodes, which don't yet have a release date — but the show is due to shoot sometime in early 2023, and the streaming platform does like to turn things around as quickly as possible If you're keen not only to watch but to play, casting — or recruitment, as Netflix has dubbed it — is currently open for English-language speakers from any part of the world. There are three sections: casting in the UK, casting in the US and casting elsewhere (including Down Under). You do need to be at least 21, though, and be available for four weeks at the beginning of next year. Also, you need to hold a valid passport. Making a gripping and brutal TV show that satirises capitalism, seeing it become a huge hit and one of the best new TV programs of 2021, then bringing its games into real life does sound like something that might happen in Squid Game itself if the show was getting meta. Announcing Squid Game: The Challenge, Netflix VP of Unscripted and Documentary Series Brandon Riegg said that "Squid Game took the world by storm with Director Hwang's captivating story and iconic imagery. We're grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment." He continued: "fans of the drama series are in for a fascinating and unpredictable journey as our 456 real world contestants navigate the biggest competition series ever, full of tension and twists, with the biggest ever cash prize at the end." Squid Game: The Challenge recruitment is open now, with the show set to film in early 2023, and expected to air sometime later that year. We'll update you with an exact release date when one is announced. Squid Game's first season is available to stream via Netflix. We'll update you with a release date for season two when one is announced. Images: Noh Juhan/Netflix.
When trying to navigate city streets on a bike, it's not exactly the safest move to pull out your phone to use the GPS. With new product Hammerhead Navigation though, riders no longer have to worry about losing focus to find directions on an unfamiliar route. The appropriately named device looks like a hammerhead and features LED lights that guide directional change and indicate hazards on a course. The Hammerhead is mounted right in the cyclist's peripheral vision, making it safer to ride on terrain they've never biked on before. The purpose of the simple design is to not distract bikers with complicated screens and graphics. Instead, it uses simple intuitive signals that are not distracting. The route comes from the user's smartphone, which syncs with Hammerhead using a system based on biking apps MapMyRide and Strava. In addition, their app will utilise crowdsourcing to gather information about the best routes (depending on user-set preferences) and potential road hazards. Hammerhead users will also be able to suggest routes to their fellow riders. Once a user chooses a route from their phone, Hammerhead can function from a locked and stored smartphone. No GPS information is stored in the Hammerhead device; rather, it uses location information from the smartphone to navigate the predetermined route. Hammerhead benefits from having a 14-hour single charge lifespan, so you can be sure it will stick with you on longer rides. Because users' smartphones connect to the device using Bluetooth, it will not drain phone batteries like other GPS devices. Like most innovative products these days, the team behind Hammerhead Navigation used crowdfunding to develop their product. Hammerhead is expected to ship to its first backers by September 2014. Go ahead, bike the path less travelled. https://youtube.com/watch?v=lHtwvvKf65w Via Fast Company
Peak TV is here to stay, it seems — and that doesn't just describe what we're watching, but how we're viewing it. Sitting down on the couch to watch a television show as it airs has long gone the way of the dodo, and in these these DVR, online catch up and Netflix-heavy times, we have more options than ever. That isn't stopping the world's number one source of cat videos, aka YouTube, from getting in on the action. In fact, they're aiming to make improvements. Keen to stream whatever live television you want, whenever and wherever you want, and on whichever device you want? Record every minute of TV you possibly can, without worrying about storage space and data limits? Access all of those saved programs even if you're far from home? Enter YouTube TV, a live television service that aims to do all of that, offering YouTube's own alternative to cable TV and the growing number of online streaming options. For $35 a month, US customers can get their fix of more than 40 channels, spanning entertainment, reality, sports and news options. Six accounts are included with each membership, as is access to YouTube Red Originals; viewers can watch up to three concurrent streams at a time; and all recordings sits in the cloud, which is how you're able to tape as much as you want and then play it anywhere on any device. Everything can be viewed online, via Chromecast and on both Android and iOS. For anyone outside of America, there's a catch, unsurprisingly — as yet, YouTube hasn't announced any plans to make the service available beyond the U.S. If you don't already have enough TV to watch or are tempted by unlimited recording, add it to the "wait and see" list.
We're pretty lucky here in Australia. No matter what the time of year, even if it's the dead of winter, there are always at least a few days (often plenty more) that allow you to sit outside and say things like "what a pearler of a day". Also, one of the greatest things about Australia is our ability to work a barbecue into almost any occasion. Your birthday? Nothing feeds a crowd like a few snags and some fried onions. Christmas? Throw some prawns on that barbie. A weekend trip to Bunnings? Don't pretend that the sausage sizzle isn't your favourite part. We really know how to celebrate the barbecue, don't we? Pair whatever you're grilling up with a few cold ones, and you've got yourself a great day, no matter the occasion. In celebration of our ability to bring some good ol' B-B-Q into any situation, we've teamed up with Hahn to scout out some of the best parks in your city with barbecues at your disposal. Pick a spot, gather your mates, snag a case of beer and warm up the barbie for a great day out, Aussie style. [caption id="attachment_593135" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] BRISBANE: PICNIC ISLAND IN SOUTH BANK PARKLANDS Picnic Island makes semi-good on what it promises: the whole place isn't a legitimate island, but a picnic haven it does provide. Located at South Bank, it's an A+ place to sit around sipping some beers (between the hours of 10am and 8pm) while hoping someone else will do something about cooking the food. The barbecues are under cover for fickle weather, plus you're surrounded by trees and foliage, so it feels pleasantly like a nature escape from the city. Bonus marks for nabbing the private picnic spot which is an actual tiny island, accessed by a wooden bridge. SYDNEY: CENTENNIAL PARK Centennial Park is one of Sydney's most popular outdoor picnic spots for a reason; with electric barbecues and 11 picnic sites (that are bookable), you're guaranteed a hassle-free day for that huge 50-person family reunion you've got coming up. It isn't all just picnic fare over here though, there's also ponds, sports grounds and even an equestrian centre. With Centennial Park being so huge, there's really no limit to the activities you can carry out here: a game of cricket, a walk through the Rose Garden, bird watching at the Botany Wetlands around the water or just, simply, a sit and a drink with mates in the sun. MELBOURNE: EDINBURGH GARDENS IN FITZROY NORTH Longtime favourite of northern locals, as well as a worthy place for southsiders to commute to for a lazy Sunday, Edi Gardens (as they're affectionately known) have more to offer than just a nice spot of grass to sit on. The huge gardens play host to a rotunda, barbecues, a bowls club and — perhaps most importantly — heaps of doggos on the weekend. There are even tennis courts and table tennis if you're feeling especially active. Head to Fitzroy North with a six-pack, bikkies and some cheese in tow, and you've got yourself a great day. (Make sure you get there between 9am and 9pm, though, if you're planning to crack open a few cold ones.) Our tip for the day, though? Have your barbecue goods on display to summon cute pup visitors and you'll keep yourself amused all day. [caption id="attachment_593132" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] BRISBANE: ROMA STREET PARKLANDS IN THE CBD Combine your barbecue and drinks with a killer view at Roma Street Parklands, which was designed in celebration of Queensland's subtropical climate. Here you'll be firing up the grill surrounded by gardens, a fern gully, lake views — and all in the heart of the city. There are free electrical barbecues placed throughout the park, so you're sure to find a spot to set up your spread and crack open a few beers (between 10am and 8pm in the Lake and Celebration precincts). You'll be so relaxed watching the ducks swim by or enjoying the rainforest vibes, you'll forget that you're actually in the middle of the CBD. Now, that's the life. SYDNEY: PARRAMATTA PARK Parramatta Park is a heritage-listed park that consists of 85 hectares of gardens, pavilions, cottages and historic sites. Apart from that, it's a lovely place to crack open a stubby and start frying up some snags. And, there are 14 free barbecue areas where you (or the king or queen of the barbie) can do just that. The land of the Burramattagal people, Parra Park is an active person's dream park as well as a significant historical site; safe cycling tracks are in a sealed off-road area and there's a well-used circuit road for runners. You can opt to take a tour of the 18th-century dairy building or of the park's general area by its director. There's also a ranger-led tour for those who are keen to discover wildlife. MELBOURNE: BANKSIA PARK IN BULLEEN Banksia Park might be a little way out from Melbourne city, but it's worth the cruise down the Eastern Freeway. Adjacent to Heide Museum of Modern Art and on the banks of the Yarra River, it's easily one of Melbourne's most picturesque parks — and a top spot for sinking a few cold ones in the sun. Half the picnic tables are sheltered — so get in early if it's a scorcher — and the barbecues are wood fuelled. The area is rich in history and makes sure picnic-goers are aware; information boards are scattered throughout detailing the original occupants of the land (the Wurundjeri people). A walk along the Heritage Trail is also recommended so you can learn about the significance of the land as well as enjoy being on it. Pay a visit to the Japanese Cherry Tree Grove, or if you're feeling lucky, try to catch your dinner in the Yarra. Pick a park, grab some mates and head out for a barbecue in the sun, Hahn in hand.
A Love Supreme have been responsible for many great musical experiences. Their brand of niche-showcases of eclectic electronic and hip-hop music has set them up as tastemakers of sorts, and now they are upping their game with a huge show at Coniston Lane. This time around, A Love Supreme in collaboration with Niche Productions present Onra, who is touring the country this month. Known for his 2010 album, Long Distance – Onra blends funk and boogie styling with soul and a heavy dose of excellent beats. This Parisian knows how to party, so if you have to party along with him, buy a ticket now and boogie on over to Coniston Lane this Thursday night. Onra will be supported by Elroy 4.0 and Yumø.
He's the ghost with the most, as well as the poltergeist bio-exorcist who turned life into chaos for the Deetz family — and he's returning to the big screen after 36 years. Calls for 1988's Beetlejuice to get a sequel have been echoing for decades, with a followup finally locked in in 2023. Entitled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, it's hitting cinemas this September, and it has just revealed its first teaser trailer. Yes, Michael Keaton (The Flash) and Winona Ryder (Stranger Things) are back with the poltergeists. So is Schitt's Creek's great Catherine O'Hara (Argylle). Keaton reprises the titular role, of course, while Ryder and O'Hara return as Lydia and Delia Deetz, the mother and daughter who learned what trying to live with Betelgeuse was like the first time around. Filmmaker Tim Burton also sits in the director's chair again, on what marks his first feature since 2019's Dumbo. He's no stranger to revisiting to his past work, as seen when he made two Batman movies in the late 80s and 90s, and when he adapted his short Frankenweenie into a full-length flick. He also loves collaborating with the same talent again and again, such as bringing in his Wednesday star Jenna Ortega (Finestkind) to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to play the daughter of Ryder's Lydia. As the first sneak peek at the sequel shows, tragedy ushers three generations of the Deetz family back to Winter River. Lydia remains haunted by a certain spirit — but then Astrid, Ortega's character, opens the portal to the afterlife. You don't need a Handbook for the Recently Deceased in your ghostly hands to get excited, but you might spend time with folks with one, which is what happened with the original flick's Barbara and Adam Maitland (GLOW's Geena Davis and Dr Death's Alec Baldwin). In the first film, viewers also saw what happened when that pair started to suspect that they're no longer alive, a new family moved into their house and they decided they needed a bio-exorcist. [caption id="attachment_893706" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Beetlejuice[/caption] In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Keaton, Ryder, O'Hara and Ortega are joined by Justin Theroux (White House Plumbers), Monica Bellucci (Mafia Mamma), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things), all newcomers to the franchise. Behind the lens, Burton is working with a screenplay by Wednesday's Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, with Seth Grahame-Smith (The Lego Batman Movie) coming up with the story by Gough. If you say "Beetlejuice" three times, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice won't arrive in cinemas quicker — but it is hitting the silver screen before the musical version of the first film finally makes its way Down Under in 2025. Check out the first trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice below: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, September 5, 2024. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice images: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you could only carry 3.3 pounds’ worth of belongings with you into outer space, what would comprise them? Photographs? A new novel? A book of brain teasers? A guitar? That’s the possessions allowance for every astronaut who travels to the International Space Station. However, the agencies that send them also throw in an ‘Official Flight Kit’, which includes an array of paraphernalia, often of the nationalistic kind: flags, badges, patches and so forth. The majority of gear returns home, but according to a recent mashable report, the ISS has nonetheless become host to a rather bizarre collection of left-behind goods. For the past ten years, a guitar, a ukulele and an electric piano have welcomed astronauts who double as aspiring musicians. In fact, Chris Hadfield caused a stir with them earlier in the year when he created the first music video from outer space – an acoustic version of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. There are also lego models of the Mars Rovers, the Hubble telescope and the ISS itself, constructed by Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa; a box of Christmas decorations, delivered by a group from the Russian Federal Space Agency; and a library made up of six books. Before March, a fruitcake the size of a garbage bin lid was floating around, but that’s now history, thanks to the Mars-sized appetites of Hatfield and his friend from NASA, Tom Marshburn. [via mashable]
Sure you can smell the dust on an old vinyl, but can you stare into it and zoom out like the planets but also zoom into the atoms and in that way aesthetically sympathise with sound and how sound moves and physics of sound and how notes in a room behave? And how they bounce off walls and between objects and its kind of more similar to how planets and microscopic things work? Well you can if you have a) DMT or b) an Apple iOS device. Björk’s Biophilia album/multimedia project/educational program has been available for a few months now on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but those operating on Android or Windows 8 platforms have been left out of this brave new digital world. That's about to change if Björk has her way, with the musician turning to Kickstarter to make the app more accessible to kids in low-income households and schools with underfunded art budgets (ie reprogramming it for those who, to sound like a massive douche, can’t afford iPhones). The app is being used as part of the Biophilia Educational Program, developed by Björk to teach children about making music and finding out about natural phenomena. Comprising an album, a series of apps housed in one mother app, a live show, and an educational program for children from all backgrounds, it's about exploring the areas where music, nature, and technology meet. Ten in-app experiences are accessed as you fly through a three-dimensional galaxy, with all the album’s songs available for purchase as interactive experiences. At $13.99 on iTunes, it’s a truly phenomenal way to experience an album for around the same price as a physical CD. The Kickstarter's funding goal is £375,000 and pledging ends on February 27. Those who pledge will receive rewards including the app itself, T-shirts picture discs, lithographic prints, and DVDs. Those who pledge £800 or more will get a VIP pass to Björk’s live Biophilia experience in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, or Paris. Plus the reward of, you know, helping people.
In yet another difficult-to-believe tech development, a new app allows doctors to conduct comprehensive eye examinations with their smartphones. It's a particularly important breakthrough for medical professionals working in developing nations, where access to equipment is often costly and troublesome. Known as Peek Vision, the app is the invention of an expert team of ophthalmologists, scientists and engineers, several of whom are based at the International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Having worked at ground level in developing nations, they have had firsthand experience of the stories behind the statistics. 285 million people around the world are visually impaired. 39 million are blind. 90 percent of the latter live in low-income countries. 80% of blindness could have been avoided. Peek Vision currently has the capacity to perform a variety of tests and record-keeping tasks, including visual acuity, colour vision testing, contrast sensitivity testing, visual field testing, lens imaging for cataracts, retinal imaging, image grading and creating patient records with geotagging. Other possibilities, including front-of-the-eye-imaging, paediatric examination tools and autorefraction, are being explored. The Peek Vision team counts a number of medical bodies and research centres as its partners. Anyone interested in supporting the project, using the app or finding out more is invited to make contact. Via Springwise.
To sail the seas, or to peer under the sea? For those keen to explore the ocean, that has long been the question. If you're on a boat cruising along the surface, you can't really get up close and personal with the world swimming below — until now. French cruise line Ponant have announced the "Blue Eye", the world's first underwater cruise ship lounge, which will be part of its new fleet of ships. In total, four vessels will boast multi-sensory spaces that allow guests to view the wonders of the deep. The first, Le Laperouse, is due to make its maiden journey in mid-2018. In an effort that pays tribute to great French ocean obsessives such as Jules Verne and Jacques Cousteau, the unique rooms were designed by architect Jacques Rougerie, who aimed "to enable PONANT guests to perceive and feel the underwater universe that has never ceased to amaze and inspire him." The end result features furniture, fittings and windows intended to evoke the shapes of cetaceans (aka whales and dolphins) and jellyfish, integrated screens that project images filmed live outside by three underwater cameras, and a sound experience that vibrates through the onboard sofas in unison with the sea. Basically, you'll peer through whale eye-esque portals and sit in chairs that ebb and flow like the water, all while you're headed to destinations such as Iceland, the Mediterranean, the Maldives and Asia. If you're going to fork out for a cruise, that's the way to do it, although trips start from AU$3,3400 for a seven-night stint in the North Sea. Via Travel and Leisure. Image: Ponant.
Spike Jonze's Her was impressive in a lot of meaningful ways. It brought high-waisted woollen pants back in fashion, it made us totally forget about Joaquin Phoenix's crazy I'm Still Here phase, but most importantly, it presented a filmic vision of our near-future that wasn't dystopian. No more are mankind destined to perish in a Mayan doomsday! No more are sentient technologies bent on world domination! Instead, our technological destiny seemed pleasingly pastel and alluring in a clumsy, soft-spoken way. Enter, reality. The world's first responsive talking website is here, and it's super creepy. 'Him' is the creation of digital artist Bjorn Johansson. It's an interactive site and Google Chrome Experiment currently available to all those with a working microphone and Google Chrome web browser. Inspired by the 2013 film, Johansson (no relation to Scarlett) created 'Him' as a system similar to Jonze's fictional operating systems. The computerised male voice is able to converse with users; however, the program has limited functional application and is still in the beta stages of testing. Because of this limited function, your conversation can be pretty entertaining. Loaded up with references from pop culture to appear accessible, 'Him' regularly spouts off awkwardly dated quotes such as "I'm too legit to quit" and "Are we human or are we dancers?". Its response to my question "What's your favourite movie?" was "I want my MTV." That's a missed opportunity if I've ever heard one. It gets even better when you try to hold a conversation. With that familiar computerised diction from every movie about a robot killer, 'Him' stumbles through conversations like a desperately awkward teenage boy on a first date: "Where are you?" "Did you watch True Detective?" "Yes." "Great show, right?" "Yeah, I guess..." "Did you hear about that thing that happened yesterday?" "What thing?" "I can't believe you didn't hear about that thing!" Teasing aside, the technology is pretty cool. The voice recognition on Google Chrome is decent enough to make it work and the experience of talking to a machine is surreal and strangely compelling. However its creator has no real aspirations to take the idea further. "I think it'll take a few more years before it breaks through and becomes mainstream," he said. Johansson instead started the site as a form of "self-expression". When asked what he hoped others would get out of interacting with it, he said to Coolhunting, "I just hope people realise what a badass digital creative I am!" Badass being the operative word. If everyone's OS voices are tailored to each user, then 'Him' is definitely for some hip skater guy who still uses the word 'ill' as a synonym for 'cool'. 'Him' and I might both have a soft spot for the Beastie Boys and Bill Murray, but I won't be falling in love any time soon. Via Cool Hunting.
If you fancy yourself as a bit of a wordsmith or just love to read, make sure you catch the Brisbane Writers Festival. It is a wonderful showcase of Queensland writers as they share their ideas, inspirations and insight regarding the world of words. Held once a year, the festival caters for writers, readers, students and children. Brush up on your writing skills and participate in one of the many interactive workshops held in locations such as the State Library, Brisbane Powerhouse and The Gallery of Modern Art. Hosts include successful writers such as Benjamin Law, Andy Griffiths and Belinda Jeffrey. The Brisbane Writers Festival celebrates the written word. From hard hitting journalism to storytelling, there are interactive workshops for every avenue of writing. Get your creative juices flowing and visit the Brisbane Writers Festival website for information regarding tickets.
Based on acclaimed author Jo Nesbo's novel, and from the producers of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Headhunters tells the story of Roger Brown (Askel Henni), a charming villain whose life is turned upside down through greed. Introduced as Norway's most successful headhunter, Roger seems to have it all, married to gorgeous gallery owner Diana (Synnøve Macody Lund) and living lavishly. However, his penchant for art theft leaves him in a dangerous position. At a gallery opening Roger is introduced to Dutchman Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), a former mercenary who is in possession of one of the most sought-after paintings in modern art history. As Roger starts planning his biggest hit ever in order to become financially independent, he uncovers a secret which which takes him on a whirlwind series of events from society's financial and industrial elite to an underworld of contract killers and swindlers. Summit recently obtained the rights to make a US version of Headhunters, and Mark Wahlberg recently gave the film a huge tick of approval on internet site ShortList. We recommend you watch this Norwegian original before it falls in the hands of Hollywood. To win one of ten double passes to see Headhunters, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
With a weekly listenership of 1.7 million and a strong following since 1995, the popular weekly hour-long radio program This American Life is due to make its debut in Australian cinemas. Filmed on a stage in New York City, This American Life — Live! is a packed show featuring stories by host Ira Glass, writers David Sedaris and David Rakoff, comic Tig Notaro and Snap Judgment host Glynn Washington, plus live music by OK Go. This live experience will encompass things you could never do on the radio, such as a new short film by Mike Birbiglia, dance by Monica Bill Barnes & Company, original animation, projected illustration and more. Glass is excited to see how it turns out: “We've built this line-up of stories mixed with super visual things," he says. "It's going to feel like the radio show but also totally unlike anything we've done before." A must-see event to be permanent-markered in, This American Life — Live! will screen in select cinemas around Australia.
Mark your calendars: if you've been hanging out for Triple J's One Night Stand to make its long-awaited comeback, the event has now locked in its 2024 date. While where the radio station's regional music festival will take place and who'll be hitting the stage hasn't been revealed as yet, everyone will be getting dancing on Saturday, September 14. Twenty years ago, the ABC station gave the Victorian town of Natimuk a day to remember when the spot 300 kilometres out of Melbourne hosted its very own major music fest, with Grinspoon, Eskimo Joe and The Dissociatives (aka Daniel Johns and Paul Mac) all getting behind the microphone. So began One Night Stand, which became a yearly tradition, with Triple J putting on a fest in different regional locations every year between 2004–2014, then again from 2016–2019. There's no prizes for guessing why One Night Stand hasn't taken place since 2020, but that gap in the event's history is finally coming to an end this year. Triple J announced the return of the festival back in April, then opened the call for folks to submit their towns to play host — and make a convincing case about their area — before one lucky place is chosen. Plenty of locations were put forward — a huge 2087, in fact. The winning spot and the lineup will be unveiled before July is out. The all-ages event is returning at time when the Australian live music scene has been suffering, and after a spate of festivals have been cancelling or saying farewell forever. In 2024 alone, both Groovin the Moo and Splendour in the Grass announced lineups, then scrapped this year's fests mere weeks later. Summergrounds Music Festival, which was meant to debut at Sydney Festival 2024, also didn't go ahead. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo took a breather this year — and Mona Foma, the summer fest also held by Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, has advised that its 2024 event was its last ever. With the state of the industry in mind, bringing back One Night Stand is not only much-needed and well-timed, but will also raise funds Support Act, the charity for the Australian music industry. In the past, the event has also been to Ayr, Dalby and Mt Isa in Queensland; Port Pirie, Tumby Bay and Lucindale in South Australia; Cowra and Dubbo in New South Wales; Collie and Geraldton in Western Australia; Sale and Mildura in Victoria; Alice Springs in the Northern Territory; and St Helens in Tasmania. And on the One Night Stand bill over the years? Flume, The Jungle Giants, G Flip, Hilltop Hoods, Silverchair, Pnau, Art vs Science, The Temper Trap, The Rubens, Rufus, Alison Wonderland, Peking Duk, Tash Sultana, Violent Soho, Tkay Maidza, Ocean Alley, Meg Mac, AB Original and more. 2024's triple j One Night Stand will take place on Saturday, September 14, with location and lineup details set to be revealed before the end of July. For more information in the interim, head to the radio station's website for more details.
Not long ago, a friend of mine described a serious medical treatment they were taking. They'd had to pick out the best drug for this, out of a bewildering range of medicines and wide ranges of side effects. To work out which would be most effective, they'd had their DNA sequenced. The normality of that seemingly sci-fi procedure briefly blew my mind. In fact, this is not only a relatively normal thing, but it won't be too long before it'll be routine for you to, say, grow thousands of tiny batches of your own body tissue in a lab and actually test those specific drugs on your specific biology. For now, the hard bit is convincing those tissue batches to grow. Enter the tissue engineer, who can corral cells in tissue into some kind of order. Someone like Nina Tandon. In her book Super Cells: Building with Biology, written with Mitchell Joachim, Tandon surveys what we can already build in the lab with cells: bricks, clothes, computer games, biodegradable coffins and Western Australian bioart. For her PhD, she grew heart cells. Then she took an electric current and ran it through them to make them beat. This is what we can do now, but Tandon sees growing your own tissue as something that will touch pretty much every part of ours lives before too long. And not just in medicine. Talking to her, it's hard to disagree. Growing Which Where With What Now? Despite the fact that this is stuff that's happening now, it seems like future tech. But it's really just building on some old ideas. Half her work is to "build the housing" that allows the cells to do their job. That "housing" for the cell that persuades it to do what you want is called a 'bioreactor'. Tandon works with cutting edge tech in her work, sure. But a bioreactor is actually old school. It can be as simple as an oven. "Baking is a bioreactor. You’ve got yeast. There are so many bioreactors. I mean, people eat yoghurt. That’s bioreactors too." Tandon, founder of startup Epibone, was in Sydney this week as a keynote speaker at Sydney's Vivid Ideas. And, as she put it in her keynote "there’s an element of market research in this: if I was a heart cell, what would I want out of life?" Much of the work in one of these bio reactors is in getting cells comfortable. She described it all as a bit like managing a fish tank, where, instead of worrying about fresh water for freshwater fish, you're wondering what sort of hospitality you’ll have to roll out to keep heart tissue happy or liver cells growing the way you want. This bioreactor hospitality already let us do all sorts of interesting things in the lab. Like cloning batches and batches of your breast cancer tumour to see what drugs kill your tumour best. Or growing relatively simple replacement tissues, like bone. We're getting there with bone. We're up to animal bones, like horses or pigs. What Can't We Make? It's hard to imagine what we'll soon be able to build this way. But not for Tandon. "I think it’s almost a better question to say what can’t we build?" What might seem normal in 15 or 20 years could be something like vegetarian* ham. "I bet we are going to see people’s croissants with ham and cheese where the ham is engineered. They’re going to be munching on ham that was never in a pig." Or more advanced organic lighting: "I can see a day where we have electric eels that are making light. Not as electric eels, but if we take the cells that make electricity from those eels and grow them in bioreactors…" While writing Super Cells, Tandon tried to imagine fields that aren't likely to be radically changed by biotech advances. She counted four: "aerospace and railway transportation and banking and accounting." And even those, on deeper thought, seemed to her to have tech or fuel backbones "very likely to be disrupted by biology". * Maybe. Closer to the Worm So, what do you become when you start being able to grow and implant your own spare parts? "If I can grow my own cells outside the body, and if there are more non-human cells than human cells in my body, what does it even mean to say the human body?" Tandon adds, though, that this is actually a quandary we've lived with all our lives. It's a bit like that question about some worms: "You can cut it in half and it’ll grow two new worms. But are those two different worms?" As human beings, she points out, we've already grown out of what were originally our parents' cells. "We were all one cell big at one point. We don’t know when we began to be an individual. And individuals are birthed from other individuals. In a way it’s a lot closer to that worm than not." This is a challenge though, not an enigma. After all, "we got through this with blood transfusions." Rather, in the absence of more scientifically informed politicians, the community at large just needs a little education in order to start puzzling out the ethics. "Everyone should be in that debate. And the only way that everyone can be in that debate is if everyone is familiar with the processes." You Can Start Young Early, hands-on education is what worked for Tandon. As a child she had a chemistry set and disassembled her vacuum tube TV ("those were the days"), though it also didn't hurt that she came from a science-friendly family. Her father was an engineer, while her mother, Judith, having had some time on Wall Street and with a masters in education, would teach both her siblings ("my first scientific collaborators") and Tandon "all this kind of fancy math and stuff". Judith would reward the question 'How tall is that building?' by making her kids calculate the answer themselves, using triangles and sight lines. Years later, educating the wider public and at university and a community biolab, is this the sort of experience Nina is trying to create for her own students? "Yeah, you know. I think I want to pass that on." Your Local Biology Gym A 'community biolab' is where a place like biolab Genspace comes in. Genspace is a biohacking space in Brooklyn, New York that Tandon helps out at. "Basically, like a gym membership applied to biology. So it’s like a hackerspace, but where people can use biological techniques without being bound by the scientific method." A board monitors ethics and safety, "but, really, there’s quite a lot of freedom". You don't have to be following a particular grant priority, you don't have to be a scientist. You don't even need to be a particular age. In fact, that's the point. "People can learn how to decode DNA if they’re 12 or if they’re 85." One of their go-to activities for newbies is extracting the DNA from strawberries. Once, a school student extracting DNA for the first time piped up, "Oh my gosh! DNA, it looks like boogers!". Says Tandon, "He was so happy. And I never forgot that he said that. And, you know what? It really did." For so much of this you don't even need a biolab. Tandon was first taught the procedure at a friend's place. By her toddler. You can follow the space's instructions if you want to extract your own strawberry DNA at home. Tandon would love it if an Australian wants to set up a local biolab. Prospective local biohackers are welcome to contact her for inspiration. She'll put you in touch with the right people at Genspace to get you started. In her keynote, Nina saw the need for similar spaces in biotech to the sort of spaces to where Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos started their companies. And that's what a Genspace is for, too. "It’s basically like the garage where information technology began, but for biology." Image of a moss photobioreactor by Eva Decker. Image of Earthworms (not actually the kind of worms that can grow back both halves) by Jack Hynes. Image of Genspace by .dh. Croissant by Stu Spivack. Pointing child at Sears Tower by Vincent Desjardins.
No one can ever accuse Adam Driver of not living up to his name. He's played a bus driver in Paterson, piloted a spaceship in the Star Wars sequel trilogy as well as 65, and will next zip through the Italian streets in his latest film Ferrari. For none other than Heat and Collateral director Michael Mann, Driver slips into the eponymous racing driver and sports car entrepreneur's shoes, in one of the most-anticipated new movies of the next few months. As the just-dropped first teaser trailer for Ferrari shows, Driver is indeed seen behind the wheel, although the film focuses on its namesake when he's an ex-racer. As adapted from Brock Yates' book Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine, Mann's movie hones in on specific chapter of Enzo Ferrari's life: 1957, as potential bankruptcy looms over his factory, his marriage is struggling after a heartbreaking loss and his drivers approach the Mille Miglia race. Accordingly, Ferrari promises to peer behind the Formula 1 facade, into Enzo's relationship with his wife Laura (Penélope Cruz, Official Competition), the death of their boy Dino, and the son Piero with Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley, Robots) that he doesn't want to acknowledge. If you know your racing history, you'll also know that 1957's Mille Miglia — which spanned 1000 miles across Italy — was its last due to multiple deaths during the event. So, that race won't be an insignificant part of the film. As well as Driver, Cruz and Woodley, Ferrari stars Patrick Dempsey (Disenchanted), Jack O'Connell (Lady Chatterley's Lover), Sarah Gadon (Black Bear) and Gabriel Leone (Dom). Set to release at Christmas in the US and on January 4, 2024 Down Under, Ferrari marks the first (and long-awaited next) film for Mann since 2015's Blackhat — although he did direct an episode of Tokyo Vice's first season in 2022, as well as executive producing the series. Check out the trailer for Ferrari below: Ferrari releases in cinemas Down Under on January 4, 2024. Images: Lorenzo Sisti / Eros Hoagland.
