Are you the type of person who comes up with names for the animals you spot on your daily travels? Does the list of monikers you have for your pets outnumber the actual four-legged critters currently scampering around your house? Have you picked out titles for every dog, cat, bird, fish and lizard that could possibly share your home for the next five decades or so? Would you like to put your penchant for naming things to good use to support a worthy cause? Picking monikers for fluffy, feathered and scaly pals isn't a straightforward task, but it is fun — and, if you're particularly skilled at it, you can deploy your talents to help Assistance Dogs Australia. The not-for-profit organisation has teamed up with flea and tick treatment brand Bravecto to launch a 'name the pup' competition. You'll put forward your name for one of its puppies, obviously — and if your name is chosen, you'll win access to one of the organisation's puppy training sessions, a $500 Visa voucher and a one-year supply of Bravecto for your own doggo. Assistance Dogs Australia provides support dogs for people with disability, and trains them before they go out into the world. All of their pups are given names, usually chosen by ADA, before they're placed with a family to look after for around a year. After that, the dogs move on to their advanced training at ADA's national training school in Sydney, then graduate and become helpful four-legged companions. A few caveats apply to ADA's naming competition, unsurprisingly. The name you choose needs to start with the letter B, and have two syllables — so Boaty McBoatface (or Doggy McDogface) is out. You're also required to write a 25-word explanation outlining why your name should be selected, so you'll need to put more than a couple of seconds of effort into your submission. And, you'll need to follow the Bravecto Facebook page, too, and like the entry post. Then, you'll have to enter your suggestion via a comment on the post, and do so before 12pm AEST on Wednesday, May 19. To enter Assistance Dogs Australia's name the pup competition, head to the Bravecto Facebook page before 12pm AEST on Wednesday, May 19.
It's not exactly news that a beer and a barbecue represent one of the holiest unions known to man. But having a cold one in-hand while rotating the snags in the other isn't the extent of the pairing. It goes a whole lot further than that, my friend. We've already explored the beautiful possibilities of battering, stewing and baking with beer and made one killer beer, bacon and cheddar dip — and now, we're spiking our marinades. Yep, this summer we'll be making beer marinades for our barbecued meats. After all, the ultimate way to make your food more beery is to soak it in beer (come on, we know you've thought about it before). Not only does beer add a depth of flavour to your cooking, it also contains enzymes that break down the fibres in your meat, giving it that sweet, sweet melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Willing to give it a go? We've collected four of the best beer-based marinades for you to try at the next barbecue you're hosting, collated by the crew at James Squire. [caption id="attachment_555155" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dollar Photo Club[/caption] CHICKEN: GARLIC BEER MARINADE This little beauty from The Slow Roasted Italian is relatively quick and easy to whip up — but its true value comes from how long you leave it to marinate. While even half an hour will get you a decent flavour, if you can manage to wait a whole day like the recipe recommends, your tastebuds will reap the rewards when it comes to dinner time. Try pairing this one with a James Squire Swindler Ale; the light fruity aroma pairs well with lean meats like this, as the delicate flavours of each don’t overpower each other. [caption id="attachment_555157" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dollar Photo Club[/caption] BEEF: BEER AND BROWN SUGAR MARINADE This recipe from Yummly is 100% guaranteed to get your mouth a little watery. With a mixture of sugar, teriyaki, salt and pepper, the marinade is sweet and salty with the added caramel of a dark beer. It's easy as anything to whip up, and will take your average barbecue steak to the next level. [caption id="attachment_555156" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Dollar Photo Club[/caption] SALMON: BEER AND LIME MARINADE If you really want to impress your mates, you can’t go past this beer and lime salmon from Food.com. Using the usual salmon marinade suspects — lime, soy sauce, ginger and garlic —this one steps it up a notch with the addition of your favourite beer. Chuck it on the barbie like it's a shrimp, cook for ten minutes and reap the rewards when you tuck in. These recipes were originally published by James Squire. Head to the James Squire website for more recipes.
In bringing their latest production to the stage, La Boîte didn't simply take their pick of modern and classic theatre greats, or commission an veteran or emerging talent to write something new. When you're tackling subjects as topical as the refugee experience and the plight of people seeking asylum, you delve deeper. So, they collaborated with refugee resettlement agency MDA Ltd to use the real stories of folks in those situations. In The Village, their tales are told verbatim. Taking over the La Boite Studio from May 15 to 26, the end result promises more than your usual piece of entertainment. Thanks to those who've shared their journeys, much more, in fact. Viewers will watch and listen, of course, but The Village has been dubbed "an interactive performance experience" because it immerses everyone right in the thick of the narrative. It's designed to celebrate Australia's cultural diversity and showcase the strength of people who made this country their new home in trying circumstances. Serving an educational purpose as well, expect to find students in the audience — but this is the kind of performance that everyone should attend.
It all gets a bit much sometimes, doesn't it? With global warming, economic collapse in America, riots in London, population explosions in India, the destruction of forest in Indonesia, the cost of housing in Sydney (in fact, the cost of everything in Sydney), even the optimists among us would have to agree that we have some serious challenges to meet, and we will need some seriously good ideas to meet them. So it is nice to know that there are people like Polish architect Aleksander Krasinski, a man whose foresight might prove to be as far reaching as his imagination. Krasinski, who already has a enviable architectural career, has developed and designed the concept of the floating artificial island in response the potential threats of rising sea levels. The artificial island, which resembles a giant skyscraper, would be approximately 1000 metres in height and diameter and would include luxury apartments, office spaces, an airport, a sea port, gardens and pubic areas, all of which would centre around inner atrium, which would be dedicated to commercial and recreational pursuits. It is also remarkably beautiful. Housing up to 52,096 people, the artificial island might be the antidote to some of the world's future potential geographical and ecological problems. And while realistically, it may not be something we see in our lifetime, it nice to know the grandkids might have somewhere nice to live.
Deploying comedy as a coping mechanism, Vice turns an entire chapter of US history into a joke — of sorts. You could say that the George W. Bush administration achieved that very feat itself, but that's not the gag. Rather, Anchorman, Step Brothers and The Other Guys' filmmaker Adam McKay adopts the "well you might as well laugh" approach. The period spanning 2001 to 2009 was rife with deeds and decisions that still rightfully evoke ire today, so Vice bundles it with humour to explore what really went on. It worked for The Big Short to the tune of an Oscar win and four other nominations, including a best director nod for McKay. But it's nowhere near as effective in the writer-director's similarly topical follow-up. Honing its gaze not on the famously laidback Bush (Sam Rockwell), but on his Vice President Dick Cheney (Christian Bale), Vice is an entertainingly made picture. Like its predecessor, it's impassioned, irreverent, designed to get audiences angry about both the past and the present, and so stuffed with stylistic tricks that it's almost overwhelming. Sometimes an intermittently seen narrator (Jesse Plemons) delivers insights to viewers. Sometimes text splashes information across the screen in varying fonts. Mid-movie, credits even start rolling over a fake happy ending to satirise standard biopic conventions. The flourishes keep coming, raising a smile each time, including a scene where the government's main players decide how to carve up Iraq by ordering from a menu rattled off by Alfred Molina. Unfortunately, McKay is so busy telling his tale in an amusing, ironic, gimmick-ridden fashion that he forgets to do more than state the obvious. Seen swigging drinks as a college dropout, then snaking his way through the political ranks, then scheming to expand and consolidate his influence, Cheney is a slippery figure in Vice. Long before he's the Vice, his vice is alcohol — but an ultimatum from his sweetheart Lynne (Amy Adams) puts him on the path to several offices in the White House. His mentor Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carell) helps, though it's Cheney's ability to work any situation to his advantage that keeps his star rising. Two specific moments seen in the film sum up his evolution. On his first day as a congressional intern, he aligns himself with the Republican party solely because he's impressed with Rumsfeld's buffoonery. Decades later, when asked to become Bush's running mate, he only agrees after ascertaining just how much power he'll be able to usurp. Ruthless, opportunistic, manipulative and determined to advance his own interests above all else: that's Vice's portrait of Cheney, and it's far from pretty. As portrayed by Bale, however, the Machiavellian figure is a sight to behold. Sporting a hunch and a paunch, speaking in gravelly grunts and side-eyeing everyone around him, the ever-committed actor turns in another transformative performance. Indeed, it's a performance that makes viewers feel as if they know what makes Cheney tick beyond his unspoken lust for control, glory and pulling everyone's strings. With Adams suitably steely as Cheney's wife, Rockwell as loose as a Florida party as Dubya and Carell channelling a smarter, more obnoxious version of The Office's Michael Scott as Rumsfeld, Bale is also in very good company. Still, Vice doesn't reach the heights that it's clearly aiming for, or those reached by its stars. Spinning a story about a man who fell just short of his country's highest office, that almost seems fitting. There's an air of smugness about the film, which makes many compelling points but does so in much too self-satisfied a manner. And, as engaging as the movie's romp-like style may be, it makes its case in much too cartoonish a manner too. Virtually at the outset, McKay tells the audience that American citizens just don't want to concern themselves with the ins and outs of government, which is partly how the country's political mess came about. And yet, he both points out and perpetuates that exact same idea. A gleeful surface-level examination of Cheney's chicanery, Vice assumes that viewers who didn't already know the details couldn't — and wouldn't — care without the movie's glossy, jaunty packaging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i_iDqkQqtI
There are some movies that can provide a suitable description of a movies premise before you have even bought a ticket. With some movies, you know what you are in for. Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter is one such movie. Let’s cut to the chase, this movie is not for you Twilight or True Blood fans. There are vampires-a-plenty, sure, but this movie is about those who choose to hunt these vampires. One of these hunters just so happens to be former President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. This intriguingly entitled film seems like it provides a unique take on the burgeoning ‘alternate history meets fantasy’ literary genre (Curious? See also: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies). While it may not be on many shortlists come awards season, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter may just provide enough action-packed entertainment to satisfy any bloodthirsty movie-goers.
Hearing about a new venue opening is becoming a regular occurrence in Brisbane, however this one might receive a warmer welcome than most. Every addition to the thriving local music scene is cause for celebration, but not every new spot that pops up offers more than a monster sound system and a place for beers and hangouts. In the case of The Foundry, we mean much, much more. Slated to throw open its doors on March 6, and taking over the space at 228 Wickham Street that previously housed a backpacker hostel, the new Fortitude Valley establishment promises a one-of-a-kind creative music hub unlike anything in Australia. That's a claim the managers of the venue make themselves on The Foundry’s website, and from the description that follows, it's one they can back up. In the two-level complex, a 300-person live room playing host to a roster of local and touring acts will certainly get people in the door. As will the adjacent rock ’n’ roll bar and beer garden, packed among the ever-growing maze of venues, bars and clubs along Wickham and nearby Brunswick Street. So far, so good, as far as the punters are concerned. What makes The Foundry extra special is its commitment to the industry beyond a stage to play on and an audience to listen. "Supporting Brisbane's creative community takes precedence over profits," the site states. Taking over the entire top level, a collaborative space, and 20 creative studios and offices will also dwell within its walls. 4ZZZ, Jeremy Neale, Smackface Records, Mitzi, Lost Movements and Mucho Bravado are among the first confirmed tenants, with "Brisbane's brightest artists, booking agents, publicists, street press [and] blogs" also expected to move in. For bands, amazingly there's still more good news, including a green room to die for, dedicated rehearsal rooms, another space where touring artists can crash after a show — free of charge, seriously — and very favourable financial terms such as free venue hire. When it opens, we think more than a few people are going to want to call The Foundry home, musicians and music fans alike. Find The Foundry at 228 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley, from March 6. Visit their website for more information.
Nigella Lawson, Adam Liaw or David Chang? When all this time inside, at home, away from bars, pubs and restaurants comes to an end, which culinary whiz will you most resemble? We know you're getting plenty of practice, hopefully making something other than just sourdough — and we're betting your kitchen skills are stepping up a level with each iso meal you whip up. We're also certain you're eager for culinary inspiration. This isn't the time to live on two-minute noodles, grilled cheese on toast or that one dish that's always been your speciality ever since you moved out of home, after all. Whether you're eager to emulate one of the aforementioned chefs, focus on a certain type of food or just have some fun with your cooking, there's plenty available to stream to help — not only tempting your tastebuds, but your cooking abilities, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ1Rd5HOEK4&list=LLV8ReLqD50OV_hnTTQgFFZg&index=417 NIGELLA AT MY TABLE AND NIGELLA FEASTS More than two decades since Nigella Lawson published her first cookbook and hosted her first cooking show, Britain's kitchen goddess is still going strong. That means she's racked up more than two decades worth of fantastic recipes and excellent culinary TV series — so you could probably make a different Nigella dish for every day you spend in quarantine. It also means there's plenty to watch, whether you fancy heading back to 2006 for Nigella Feasts or catching her most recent series, 2017's Nigella at My Table. The former will give you dinner, leisurely weekend and all-day brekkie ideas, while the latter features puddings, brownies, waffles, lamb kofta and chicken marsala. Nigella at My Table is available to stream via ABC iView, while Nigella Feasts is streaming via SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wKIOTJtLdQ CHEF'S TABLE Scrolling through Netflix, you might start feeling hungry. While the streaming service is known for many things, it has also become a hub for culinary-themed docuseries over the past few years. There's nothing quite like the original though: Chef's Table, the platform's first step into the foodie game. Created by Jiro Dreams of Sushi filmmaker David Gelb, each of the series' 30 episodes to-date focuses on a different chef, a different restaurant and a different place around the world — taking your stomach on a global tour. Watch Massimo Bottura do what he does best, spend time behind the scenes with Attica's Ben Shewry, and journey everywhere from Argentina and Sweden to Slovenia and Turkey. The US also features heavily, but this acclaimed show never repeats itself. Chef's Table is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxlVVL-Hzks DESTINATION FLAVOUR Once, he was a lawyer. Now, Adam Liaw is one of Australia's top culinary talents. The winner of MasterChef Australia's second season back in 2010, he's become a mainstay on TV and in various publications' recipe pages for a good reason: his dishes aren't just delicious and creative, but they ensure that even the most complex-seeming meals are a breeze to make at home. And, he celebrates international cuisine, as his SBS program Destination Flavour demonstrates. While the first series, as co-hosted with Renee Lim and Lily Serna, kept a local focus, Liaw has since taken the show to Japan, Scandinavia, Singapore, China, and then back to Australia and New Zealand — and it's the perfect travel/food series hybrid. Destination Flavour's original season, as well as its Japan, Scandinavia, Singapore, China, and Australia and New Zealand-focused seasons, are all available to stream via SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb7CBZ952zs NAILED IT! Admit it: while you've been spending all your time indoors, you've put your oven to good use. And, you've whipped up more than just bread — because who hasn't been hankering for cakes, brownies, muffins and all manner of other sweet baked goods? If you've been trying to take your cake-making to elaborate extremes, or you've always wanted to, then Nailed It! is the show for you. In each episode, the competitive Netflix series tasks three amateur bakers with creating complex cakes, then watches as they succeed and/or fail. As hosted by comedian Nicole Byer and pastry chef Jacques Torres, the show proves particularly fun when the contestants don't hit the mark. In fact, ensuring that the series is incredibly relatable, Nailed It! focuses on bakers who definitely aren't going to be jumping over to MasterChef anytime in the near future. Nailed It! is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxKrJYsZnCU THE PIZZA SHOW AND THE ICE CREAM SHOW One can be topped with almost any ingredient you can think of, tastes divine when it's fresh out of the oven and also goes down mighty well eaten cold for breakfast. The other is the ultimate in frosty, creamy desserts — and it's just as versatile. Obviously, we're talking about pizza and ice cream. Yes, they pair nicely together, too. Thanks to the aptly named Viceland duo that is The Pizza Show and The Ice Cream Show, you can devote your hours to learning all about each dish. Spend your time feasting your eyes on everyone's favourite Italian meal, and you'll be hanging out with Brooklyn Pizzeria owner Frank Pinello as he ventures across the US and Italy. Opt for a chilled sweet treat, and you'll follow third-generation ice cream maker Isaac Lappert around America as well. The Pizza Show and The Ice Cream Show are available to stream via SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eyFq3addMs UGLY DELICIOUS Food and travel: if there's a combination that's better suited to today's current situation, we're yet to find it. Any TV show that combines both not only provides viewers with a whole heap of culinary suggestions, but lets everyone cooped up at home indulge their wanderlust. That's the case with Ugly Delicious. It's the case with the bulk of Netflix's cooking shows, including fellow David Chang-hosted series Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner; however Ugly Delicious' focus on a different type of food per episode is a winner. Chang also weaves in the history of each dish in the spotlight, so prepare to learn more about tacos, Korean barbecue, fried rice and Indian cuisine — as well as steak, fried chicken, skewered meat, and shrimp and crawfish. Ugly Delicious is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4fx6V7ura0 DISHMANTLED Given that Dishmantled's episodes clock in at less than ten minutes each — it's a Quibi show, and that's what the new streaming platform specialises in — don't expect a step-by-step walkthrough explaining how to make each dish in detail. Instead, this amusing spin on the culinary TV genre's competitive strand literally throws food at its blindfolded competitors, forces them to guess what kind of meal they're now covered in, and asks them to make said dish in 30 minutes. Expect quick meal ideas, an entertaining and enjoyably over-the-top concept, and plenty of attitude, with the latter coming from host Tituss Burgess. If his Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt character Titus Andromedon hosted a silly cooking show in bite-sized pieces, it'd look exactly like this (although it could use more pinot noir). Dishmantled is available to stream via Quibi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzSTqVUWEzU THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF Fifteen years ago, if someone had suggested that Noel Fielding host a cooking show, you would've started laughing. Or, you would've thought that they were dreaming up a hilarious scenario for a new episode of The Mighty Boosh. But co-hosting The Great British Bake Off is exactly what Fielding has been doing since 2017. He's great at it, too. And, if watching British cooks compete for glory by baking up a storm isn't entertaining enough for you, then Fielding's involvement will be. Combined, though, you're in for a big dose Fielding being Fielding, plus oh-so-many delicious-looking baked goods that you'll instantly want to whip up at home. The Great British Bake Off is available to stream via Foxtel Now. Top images: Chef's Table, Ugly Delicious and Nailed It! via Netflix; Destination Flavour: China via SBS.
When your last festival screened 48 films to 168,000 people around Australia, what comes next? It's a problem many events wish they had, however, in their 28th year, the Alliance Française French Film Festival is on the case. With the massive celebration of Gallic cinema continuing to draw huge crowds, the beloved annual festival is offering up more of the same. The lineup has changed, of course, but the eclectic nature audiences have come to expect of the event is back. Kicking off on March 7 in Sydney before touring to Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Parramatta and Casula until April 9, the 2017 program begins and ends with a bang — or, with two very different journeys. In pole position at the start of the fest sits The Odyssey, an adventure-filled biopic focused on famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, and co-starring Audrey Tautou as Cousteau's wife Simone. Then, after running through the bulk of its 45-film selection, the fest comes to a close with maternal comedy A Bun in the Oven, featuring The Bélier Family's Karin Viard as an unexpectedly expectant 49-year old. In between, the AFFFF delivers on two fronts: stars and a vibrant array of big screen stories. There's plenty of both. The former includes 2017 Oscar-nominees Isabelle Huppert and Natalie Portman, with Huppert showing up twice — playing a woman with a secret past in the rom-com Souvenir, and a philosophy professor in Things to Come — and Portman joining forces with Lily-Rose Depp (yes, Johnny's daughter) in Planetarium. Depp also stars with French singer-actress Soko in The Dancer, while Marion Cotillard does double duty too in romance From the Land of the Moon and the Xavier Dolan-directed family drama It's Only the End of the World. Inglourious Basterds actress Mélanie Laurent co-directs environmental doco Tomorrow, the great Gérard Depardieu takes a road trip in Saint Amour, and one of the last roles played by Amour's Emmanuelle Riva, as an elderly aunt in Lost in Paris, also features. Elsewhere, the 2017 fest tells the tale of the first popular Afro-Cuban artist of the French stage in Monsieur Chocolate starring The Intouchables' Omar Sy opposite James Thierrée (aka Charlie Chaplin's grandson), examines the real-life circumstances surrounding a pregnant nun in The Innocents, dives into coming-of-age affections with Being 17 and gets ghostly with the haunting Daguerrotype. Or, viewers can catch Juliette Binoche at her most slapstick in farcical detective effort Slack Bay, and enjoy the kind of moral dilemmas the Dardenne brothers explore so well in The Unknown Girl. Looking back as well as forwards, a two-movie retrospective steps into the court of Versailles courtesy of the Marie Antoinette-centric Farewell, My Queen and music drama Mozart's Sister. Plus, if all of the above isn't enough for the most eager film buffs, dedicated cinephiles can take A Journey Through French Cinema for 191 minutes of movie history. The Alliance Française French Film Festival screens at Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from March 16 to April 9.
Portside is no stranger to hosting markets, but its latest excuse to browse and buy will be positively blooming. After holding Mother's Day markets and welcoming in a dedicated vegan market, the Hamilton spot is devoting a blossoming day to plants and flowers. Head along from 10am–2pm on Saturday, July 16 to find all things floral taking over the riverside precinct, including 30-plus stalls to shop and a supremely photogenic flower wall. Portside Wharf Plant and Flower Market is also handing out freebies, too — with 100 free baby succulents, 50 free coffees and 50 free ice creams up for grabs for folks who get there early. As well as plants and flowers, there'll also be stalls slinging art, ceramics, handmade jewellery, pet treats and clothes fashion. If you've been to markets at the Gasworks, or in Fish Lane, Coorparoo and Gabba South City, you'll have a firm idea of what you're in for — because The Market Folk is behind all of the above, and is running this new Portside pop-up as well. Love plants, and also want something unique to put them in? That's where the free succulent pot painting workshop comes in. To give your shopping a soundtrack, live tunes by Sam Perren will echo through the precinct. And, if those hunger pangs strike — or you're just keen on having a drink — everywhere from Sono, Bamboo Basket, Burrito Bar and Ginga Sushi to Mr & Mrs Jones, Belvedere Bar 'n' Grill, Byblos Bar and Restaurant and Gusto da Gianni will be open.
The super-adorable Finders Keepers Markets have been home to Brisbane's most creative and quirky designers for more than six years. The independent hip-fest is returning to their home at The Old Museum in November for two days. The biannual, designer-centric, come-one-come-all mini-festival has managed to bridge the gap between local market and exclusive exhibition, creating a space for independent designers to engage with the wider community. You'll be able to nab some marvellous treats difficult to find anywhere else. From bespoke leather goods to bespoke stationary, upcycled journals to upcycled bicycle reflectors, every stall will be a unique shopping experience that combines innovative design with grassroots feel-goodery. As usual, there will be live music, a cafe, a bar and thousands of other Brisbanites celebrating independent art and design. Finder Keepers is open 9am-4pm on both days.
Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck trying to save the world from an asteroid? That's so 1998. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence attempting to stop a comet from wiping out life as we know it? That's the premise of Netflix's new disaster comedy Don't Look Up, which thankfully isn't a sequel to the aforementioned Armageddon. Instead, it's the latest film from The Big Short and Vice director Adam McKay — and it's set to hit the streaming platform in December. If it sounds familiar, that's because Don't Look Up was one of the big-name movies on Netflix's lengthy list of new flicks heading its way in 2021, as it start teasing back in January. And yes, while plenty of the films named back then have already hit the platform given the year is now nine months in — movies such as Malcolm & Marie, The White Tiger, The Dig, The Woman in the Window, Army of the Dead and Moxie — the streamer really is making us all wait for its starriest picture of 2021. DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Lawrence (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) play astronomy professor Dr Randall Mindy and his grad student Kate Dibiasky, who discover that a Mount Everest-sized comet is orbiting our solar system — and that it's on a direct collision course with earth. So, with just six months left until impact, they endeavour to tell everyone they can about the planet's impending demise, all by embarking upon a media tour. But the President (Meryl Streep, The Prom) and her son and Chief of Staff (Jonah Hill, The Beach Bum) barely seem to care, and neither does the public. Also featuring on-screen as the former "king of the world" and Katniss Everdeen try to save the world: Timothée Chalamet (Little Women), Cate Blanchett (Where'd You Go, Bernadette), Mark Rylance (The Trial of the Chicago 7), Tyler Perry (Those Who Wish Me Dead), Ron Perlman (Monster Hunter), Himesh Patel (Tenet), Melanie Lynskey (Mrs America), Kid Cudi (Bill & Ted Face the Music) and Ariana Grande. Yes, as seen in the just-dropped teaser trailer, this film does have quite the cast. Don't Look Up will hit Netflix just in time for your Christmas break, dropping on Friday, December 24. It'll also screen in some cinemas before that, if you'd like to see it on the big screen. And if you're wondering how the film will fare tonally, McKay looks like he's in The Big Short and Succession mode, rather than harking back to his Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Step Brothers days. That said, Blanchett does play a TV host, so maybe the filmmaker will have audiences thinking about Anchorman as well. Check out the teaser trailer for Don't Look Up below: Don't Look Up will be available to stream via Netflix on Friday, December 24, and in selected cinemas earlier in December. Image: Nico Tavernise/Netflix.
To the surprise of exactly no one: many of us are looking to upgrade our home comfort level at the moment. Aussie furniture brand Koala is keen to help you do just that, with its sixth birthday sale. Nab up to 20 percent off mattresses, sheets, sofas, desks and armchairs to help you upgrade your pad or improve your night's sleep. A heap of products from across the brand's range are on sale from Monday, September 20 through until Sunday, September 26, including Koala's new range of mattresses. You can take your pick from the freshly unveiled range of mattresses which are 15 percent off and have your new sleep set up delivered to you later that day with free express delivery. Also on offer is the WFH desk, which is made from Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, easy to assemble and designed with a home office in mind. If your home office set isn't quite doing the job, you can pick up the desk for a sweet 15 percent off. Comfy Koala armchairs, sofas, silky bed sheets, dining tables and more are going with a 20 percent discount, too, so you can give your whole house a makeover. And everything comes with a 120-night trial — though, it might be hard to give any of these up after four months of comfort. The party doesn't stop at the sale though, with Koala collaborating with Jimmy Brings to put on a birthday giveaway, hosting a cupcake class and a whole bunch more on the brand's Instagram account.
2023 is almost upon us, and the team at Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art's (MONA) is getting ready in a big way. Already this year, the venue has locked in dates for the return of its sinister winter arts and culture festival Dark Mofo in June 2023; however, it hasn't forgotten about summer fest Mona Foma — which'll be back in February with some mighty impressive names on the bill. The dates to get excited about: Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19, 2023 in Launceston, and Friday, February 24–Sunday, February 26, 2023 in Hobart. The onstage talents to get even more excited about: Pavement, Bon Iver, Bikini Kill, Angel Olsen and Peaches, just for starters. [caption id="attachment_874262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Graham Tolbert. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Foma.[/caption] Bon Iver has already locked in an Australian tour for 2023, and it includes Mona Foma's Hobart run — well, an early show on Tuesday, February 21, before the fest kicks off in the city properly that Friday. Pavement already has an Aussie tour on the books for 2023 as well, and will play Mona Foma in Hobart on Saturday, February 25 with Missouri singer-songwriter Olsen. Actually, the Hobart leg of the fest is looking incredibly enticing, because that's where Bikini Kill will pop up, too. Girls to the front, because the iconic Kathleen Hanna-fronted, Washington-formed, Riot Grrrl movement-instigating group will perform their first Australian show in more than 25 years. (Yes, either watching or rewatching exceptional documentary The Punk Singer, about Hanna, should be on your must-do list right now. Fun fact: when Hanna spray-painted "Kurt smells like Teen Spirit" across her pal Mr Cobain's wall, the name of a certain grunge anthem was born.) [caption id="attachment_874264" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tarina Westlund. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Foma.[/caption] Peaches is also heading to Hobart, joining the Pavement and Angel Olsen, and Bikini Kill gig, as part of the MONA Sessions — aka summery evening gigs on the MONA lawns. Launceston will get its own batch of impressive talent. Get ready to see Perturbator, The Chills and Kae Tempest in the northern Tassie city; again, that's just the beginning of the full lineup. That complete program will be unveiled on Monday, November 28, with tickets for Bon Iver on sale now, and all other currently revealed gigs going on sale at 9am AEDT on Monday, October 24. [caption id="attachment_874265" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hadley Hudson. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Foma.[/caption] "We are effusively launching back into international artists big-time in 2023," said Mona Foma Artistic Director Brian Ritchie, announcing the lineup so far. "The intellectual, spiritual and partying life of Tasmania cannot help but be enriched by such a diverse range of artists as renaissance person Kae Tempest, provocateur Peaches and her raunchy mob, storyteller Angel Olsen, pioneers and forerunners Bikini Kill, venerable Antipodean philosophers, The Chills and the enveloping miasma of Perturbator. This in addition to already announced Bon Iver and Pavement, plus a whole lot more to come. Stay tuned." MONA's summer event was originally held in Hobart, where MONA is located, but made the move to Launceston in 2019. [caption id="attachment_874267" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mona/Adam Gibson. Image Courtesy Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] Already keen to get booking? Fancy a Tasmania trip in the interim? Our Concrete Playground Trips Hobart getaway might also be of interest. Mona Foma will take place from Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19, 2023 in Launceston, and from Friday, February 24–Sunday, February 26, 2023 in Hobart. We'll update you when the full program is announced on Monday, November 28 — but head to the festival website in the interim for further details. Top image: Debi Del Grande. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Foma Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
If you're a fan of that famous blend of chocolate and hazelnut, and you're prone to looking at food snaps on Instagram, then you've probably come across Tella Ball Dessert Bar over the last two years. The Nutella-slinging cafe has made quite the name for itself since it started making spherical cinnamon doughnuts filled with the good stuff, then placing them on top of milkshakes — then whipping up ridiculous creations like Nutella kebabs and Nutella lasagne. Now, they're finally bringing their Nutella-drenched wares to Queensland. Setting up shop in Surfers Paradise, TBDB's first jaunt this far north serves up the full array of Nutella sweet treats. The state's Nutella lovers can now indulge in their favourite dessert spread in a 54-seat space at The 4217 on Beach Road, a block away from the tourist area's main Cavill Avenue strip. As well as the aforementioned Nutella-laden extravaganzas, the menu includes doughnut fries, Nutella sliders, doughnut ice cream cones, Nutella-drizzled pancakes, red velvet Nutella waffles, hot chocolates filled with Nutella and Nutella cheesecake. Even TBDB's standard Tella balls come in an array of different flavours, from Gaytime to Oreo to Ferrero Rocher to lamington. If you're not that much of a Nutella fiend — or have an allergy — you'll find chocolate pasta (made from crepes), a variety of milkshakes, house-made gelato, Tim Tam pancakes, and ricotta and blueberry waffles among the non-nutty offerings. It's the kind of place where the word Nutella might lose its meaning from overuse, but your tastebuds really won't care. And for Queenslanders that don't live on the Gold Coast, TBDB are calling the Surfers spot their first Queensland store — so here's hoping that means more, including in Brisbane, will follow. Find Tella Balls Dessert Bar at The 4217, 10 Beach Road, Surfers Paradise. Head to their Facebook page for further information.
Mercure Clear Mountain's lush hinterland escape will soon offer a next-level stay, as Mandala Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans for a $4 million transformation. More than just a stylish makeover, the popular stay will be rebranded as a luxury Peppers — a lineup of sophisticated properties that celebrate local culture and environment. From amid pristine bushland, this 20-hectare hotel offers a prime position for views of the nearby Glasshouse Mountains. And at less than an hour's drive from Brisbane CBD, it's an alluring destination for locals and visitors looking to immerse themselves in nature. Once the renovations are complete, guests will encounter the first five-star hotel in the City of Moreton Bay. "Our vision is to reimagine Clear Mountain as a premier wedding and tourism destination — one that blends timeless charm with refined hospitality," says Mandala's Principal Ryan Shaw. "We're proud to bring Peppers' signature experience to this extraordinary location." As for the changes, there are plenty on the agenda. Guest suites will be upgraded to make the most of panoramic mountain views, while the hotel will feature purpose-built wedding and corporate event venues. A new signature restaurant and bar will be anchored around a central fireplace, enriched with timber tones and sculptural lighting. Plus, the addition of a resort-style pool, gym and enhanced wellness spa is bound to level up the relaxation experience even further. What's more, guests at the reimagined Peppers Clear Mountain will encounter several new private dining experiences, while integrated landscaping and design will celebrate the property's impressive natural surroundings. With leading hospitality design firm Dezign taking charge of the transformation, the new-look stay will help make the region an even more inviting visit. "This upgrade will elevate our City's profile nationally and internationally, supporting local businesses and attracting new leisure and corporate visitors," says Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery. "Given our proximity to Brisbane's CBD and airport, this five-star retreat will help meet growing accommodation demand and unlock new opportunities for tourism operators and hospitality venues." Renovations at Mecure Clear Mountain will be staged to ensure the property remains operational. Head to the website for more information.
When a festival as bold and colourful as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras turns the big 4-0, as it will next year, you can rest assured there will be no skimping on the birthday celebrations. And indeed, the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House will light up hot pink this Friday, November 3, to help launch the festival's milestone 2018 program. "Mardi Gras is 40 years young and we can't think of a more fabulous way to announce our full program than by painting the most iconic building in Australia pink," said Terese Casu, Mardi Gras Arts CEO. While this unmistakable (and well-timed) message lights up the skyline at sunset, there'll be equally dazzling scenes down on the Opera House Forecourt, as the full 2018 Mardi Gras lineup is unveiled at an invite-only launch party. Since its first historic outing in 1978, Mardi Gras has grown into a 17-day celebration of equality, self-expression and pride, recognised the world over. See the Sydney Opera House sails light up hot pink at about 7.40pm this Friday, November 3. Tickets to Sydney Mardi Gras 2018 go on sale the same day — grab yours here.
Following their sellout 2011 season, A Festival Of Russian Ballet, the Imperial Russian Ballet Company are back in Australia with their performance of Charles Perrault and Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s beloved children’s tale, Sleeping Beauty. Sleeping Beauty follows the ill-fated story of Princess Aurora who, after being cursed to die from a needle-prick at age sixteen by the evil fairy Carabosse, falls into a deep sleep until, a hundred years later, a handsome prince stumbles upon her, and breaks the spell with a single kiss. Combining the unity and excellence of great Russian ballet schools the Imperial Russian Ballet Company will perform with grace and beauty.
Obsession-worthy desserts and Gelato Messina go hand in hand, whether you can't get enough of the brand's revolving ice cream lineup or you're especially fond of its one-off treats. Here's one of the latter to tempt your tastebuds, and take you all the way back to your tuckshop days: a new cookie pie, this time in a honey joy version. No need to eat cereal for breakfast — instead, you can get your fix in this indulgent dessert, which'll also clearly serve up plenty of nostalgia. It features a choc chip cookie base, vanilla custard and crunchy honey joys. The word you're looking for? Yum. It's been a couple of years since the gelato chain first introduced its cookie pies to the world in 2020, and it sure does love bringing the OTT dessert back over and over. No, we're not complaining. We all need an extra dose of sweetness every now and then, clearly, including during a particularly frosty winter. Hang on, a cookie pie? It is indeed a pie, but it's made of cookie dough. And it serves four-to-six people — or just you. You bake it yourself, too, whacking it in the oven for 20–25 minutes at 160–180 degrees , so you get to enjoy that enticing smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through your kitchen. This time around, the Frankenstein's monster-style honey joy cookie pie really is exactly what it sounds like — and you can buy it by itself for $28, or in kits with some of the cult ice creamery's famed gelato to go along with it. You can opt for a 500-millilitre tub for an extra $12, a one-litre tub for an additional $21 or a 1.5-litre tub for an extra $23. If you're keen to get yourself a piece of the pie, they're available to preorder online on Monday, August 1. And, because Messina's specials always prove popular, the brand staggers its on-sale times. Accordingly, folks in Queensland and the ACT are able to purchase at 9am, Victorians at 9.15am, and New South Wales customers split across three times depending on the store (with pies from Surry Hills, Bondi, Randwick and Miranda on sale at 9.30am; Brighton Le Sands, Tramsheds, Parramatta and Darlinghurst at 9.45am; and Darling Square, Newtown, Norwest, Rosebery and Penrith at 10am). The catch? You will need to peel yourself off the couch and head to their local Messina store to collect your order. The pies will be available to pick up between Friday, August 5–Sunday, August 7. You can preorder a Messina honey joy cookie pie from Monday, August 1, to pick up from all NSW, Victoria and Queensland Gelato Messina stores.
UPDATE, September 4, 2020: High Life is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Another unique, distinctive and thrilling film by a stellar director. Another movie so impressive, it's instantly among the decade's standouts. And, another exceptional Robert Pattinson performance. We'd say that it's becoming a welcome trend, however this pattern has been recurring since RPatz stopped wearing sparkly makeup and fake fangs. Complain all you like about the Twilight series — we don't have much that's positive to add — but the vampire romance saga gave two of today's best young actors an enormous platform, as well as the currency to choose their next roles wisely. So both Pattinson and Kristen Stewart keep doing just that, and cinema is all the better for it. In the former's case, see the likes of Cosmopolis, The Rover, The Childhood of a Leader, The Lost City of Z, Good Time and now High Life. With his latest film, Pattinson rockets into space under the guidance of director Claire Denis, which proves a match made in movie heaven. In recent years, the future Batman star has increasingly cornered the market on existential yearning, a feat that the inimitable French auteur has also been pursuing since she first stepped behind the camera thirty years ago. There's a philosophical angle to both Pattinson and Denis' work, not just depicting the quest for purpose that drives us all, but delving into the intricacies and horrors of searching and struggling — as explored across multiple settings, stories and genres. Of course, there's no more apt a place than a spaceship to grapple with life's meaning, or lack thereof. Perhaps that's where Pattinson and Denis, either together or apart, were always headed. As their vessel charts a course for a black hole, Monte (Pattinson), Tcherny (Andre Benjamin), Boyse (Mia Goth) and the ship's other inhabitants bide their time doing what they're told. They're prisoners jettisoned into the great beyond in the name of punishment, redemption and science, although resident doctor Dibs (Juliette Binoche, star of Denis' last release Let the Sunshine In) has her own plans for the captives. That's the bulk of High Life's narrative, in a broad and linear sense. The film begins with Monte roaming the halls with just a baby named Willow for company, and pressing buttons every 24 hours to stay alive, adding a palpable sense of hellish foreboding to its already moody, brooding atmosphere. Also amplifying the movie's tone is its carnal obsession, and not just in the name of necessary procreation (a room dubbed the 'Fuck Box' is also onboard). With scripting assistance from both credited and uncredited co-scribes, including novelists Nick Laird and Zadie Smith, writer-director Denis teases out High Life's tale. Sometimes, the film gets caught in the minutiae of Monte and Willow's monotonous but happy-enough lives. Sometimes, it flashes back to the ship's busier, darker, more populous and tumultuous times. Sometimes, it ventures into memories on firm soil — recollections so steeped in nature, including thriving plant-life and scurrying animals, that the otherwise space-bound film always retains an earthy feel. Of course, it's that juxtaposition that sits at the heart of this immensely intelligent, ambitious and rewarding movie. To wrestle with human existence, and with our very purpose, is to realise that we're all careening forward in a state of constant chaos, hurtling towards inescapable darkness, all while trying to grasp onto whatever we can. Quiet moments spent chatting and contemplating in the ship's own garden; lustful encounters, both alone and with others; the need to connect, whether by sex, violence or love: as they each pop up on screen, they illustrate High Life's point. 'Illustrate' is a key word when it comes to Denis' work, as she has proven across her French-language career. High Life may be the director's first film in English, but her visuals have always transcended dialogue with their probing, patient stare — as well as the sensation that they're scrutinising everything in sight as deeply and carefully as possible. Here, clinical, institutional surfaces say so much when contrasted with babbling streams and sprouting leaves. They say even more when placed opposite bodies and fluids in all of their icky, sticky glory, and against ruminative faces with furrowed brows and eyes all a-flicker as well. While the movie boasts other acting highlights, including a no-holds-barred Binoche in her steeliest guise yet, it won't come as a surprise that Pattinson's restless gaze provides the film's favourite canvas. That said, Denis and her cinematographers Yorick Le Saux (Personal Shopper) and Tomasz Naumiuk (Nina) don't simply glare, but rather stalk, circle and glide around the picture's leading man. Denis's movie doesn't do much that similar science-fiction fare has, would and will, for that matter. But while shooting into the stratosphere to ponder what it all means has become a genre of its own, High Life proudly stands in its own space boots. Perhaps that's why both the film and Pattinson seem like such a perfect fit, and why the final product both soars high and burrows deep: you won't catch either meekly treading where everyone else has before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZeIHrx7Oyc
Food and drink substitutions are generally associated with 'healthy' changes. But that doesn't always have to be the case — they can make the dish (or drink) more sustainable, less ordinary, or just more fun. On this list, we've highlighted some of the most unusual food and drink swaps that really shouldn't work, but do. They push the skill of chefs and cocktail makers into new territory and shake up classic dishes and drinks, all while maximising sustainability in the food industry by using up kitchen waste. We've partnered with Patrón to reveal that traditional isn't always best. By mixing things up, you may develop a love of a whole new flavour profile that — like with tequila — meets you at the intersection between refinement and craftmanship. [caption id="attachment_642741" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chris Middleton[/caption] MAKE AN OLD FASHIONED WITH PATRÓN TEQUILA INSTEAD OF WHISKY Why not make your next old fashioned with Patrón? The Patrón Añejo — a blend of silver tequilas aged for at least one year — gets the same high-quality treatment as your favourite whiskies but offers a different flavour depth that complements the citrus of the orange zest we all know and love in an old fashioned. Just take 60 millilitres of Patrón Añejo, add ten millilitres of simple syrup and a dash of bitters. Make sure to squeeze the oils from two strips of orange and stir with the biggest ice cubes you can find. [caption id="attachment_666149" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matinee Coffee by Arlo Pyne[/caption] LEAVE OUT THE EGG FOR VEGAN (AND NOT-SO VEGAN) ALTERNATIVES More and more we're seeing egg being replaced in popular dishes for unusual trade-offs. Don't worry, your favourite cafes will still serve eggs on toast — brunch is sacred — but sometimes it doesn't hurt to give an alternative a try. Sydneysiders can try it out at Marrickville's Matinee Coffee — the cafe does vegan and gluten-free takes desserts you might find at a milk bar or diner, like the traditional lemon meringue pie made with aquafaba (that's the juice from chickpea cans, foamed up like egg whites). Or, swinging the other way, try the very un-vegan, pasta at Peter Gilmore's Quay, which uses bone marrow in the pasta instead of egg yolk. [caption id="attachment_601484" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Nikki To[/caption] EAT CARAMEL SLICE MADE WITH COD FAT (YES, REALLY) Here is one food swap that we bet has never crossed your mind: a caramel slice made with fat from a Murray cod. Chef Josh Niland from Saint Peter in Paddington, the revered fish restaurant enjoyed by Nigella Lawson and Jaime Oliver, has redefined the very genre of desserts with this luxurious caramel treat. The top layer of the dish sees the salty caramel's butter component switched with cod fat, and the accompanying biscuit is made with Hapuka roe, to create an unexpected delicacy that really is impressive. An added factor that will make you feel even better about the swap is the promise of waste-reduction — the chefs are using every part of the fish. POP YOUR BACON AND EGGS IN A BOWL OF RAMEN Newtown's Rising Sun Workshop is in itself — the cafe is situated inside a motorbike workshop. That means you can bring your wheels in and enjoy coffee and brekkie at the same time. But the real treat at Rising Sun Workshop is the breakfast ramen. Ditch the avo toast for delicious noodles swimming in buttered toast broth, topped with bacon and fried egg. SWAP GIN FOR PATRÓN SILVER IN A NEGRONI As with the old fashioned, swapping out tequila as the hero alcohol profile in your favourite cocktails can shake things up a little. Try Patrón Silver instead of gin. The smooth, clean spirit uses 100 percent of Weber Blue Agave, and is a number one tequila for bartenders across the world — you'll be set to impress your friends at your next dinner party. For the negroni, trade-in gin for Patrón Silver, and simply add equal measures of Martini Bitters and Martini Riserva Rubino Vermouth. Stir with ice and strain over fresh ice cubes in your favourite tumbler, and add an orange twist. BE DONE WITH BORING JAFFLES There was a time when a jaffle was about simplicity — ham, cheese, maybe baked beans if you were feeling fancy. But times have changed, and the jaffle has been reinvented with depth and flavour profiles that'll match even Patrón tequila cocktails. We first fell in love with the idea with Super Ling's ma po tofu jaffle in Carlton. More recently, Cavalier 2.0 in Sydney has popped a beef tongue bolognese lasagne-inspired jaffle on its menu. And you must take a visit to Potts Point for Ms.G's curry puff jaffle, complete with Malaysian-style chicken. [caption id="attachment_738008" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] SWAP YOUR MARGHERITA FOR A SLICE TOPPED WITH CHINESE BOLOGNESE Tucked away on Grattan Street in Carlton is the ultimate food mash up, combining Chinese food, pasta and pizza. Chef Nick Stanton first married bolognese with the flavours of Hong Kong in a Chinese pasta dish at the now-closed Ramblr, but he's taken that beef-based sauce with him to Leonardo's Pizza Palace, and popped it on a chewy, doughy pizza base together with a creamy white sauce. The team used gochujang — a fermented chilli paste — Shaoxing wine, and stock infused with soy sauce for the oozy bolognese that'll go down in Aussie food history. Vegans can grab a plant-based version at sibling venue Leo's By The Slice at the old Ramblr site in South Yarra. Top image: Chris Middleton.
Designer stationery company Moleskine are getting into the hospitality game, with the launch of their first ever café, library, retail store and art gallery in Milan. With an aesthetic inspired by the brand's iconic notebook (think clean layout and plenty of neutral colours), the Moleskine Café is split into two levels. The ground floor will be home to the café and exhibition space, along with shared seating areas and an 'experience table' (yeah, alright guys) laden with various Moleskine products. The mezzanine level will be more secluded, featuring private seating and sofas for reading and studying. "We will provide our guests with an innovative retail experience, bringing the socialising dimensions of food, creativity and shopping to a single space designed to reflect the distinctive, clean aesthetics of Moleskine," said Moleskine CEO Arrio Berni. "I believe this vision fully reflects the growing interest people show for retail formats that go beyond the sheer act of shopping and I look forward to validating this concept for global expansion." The café in Milan comes on the back of a trial café in Geneva Airport. The brand is planning to open a number of other locations in major cities around the world, although they're remaining tight-lipped as to exactly which. Via Daily Coffee News and Design Week. Image: Moleskine/Interbrand.
The hit rock musical based on Green Day's iconic album American Idiot returns to Australian shores in 2018 for a national tour, which will see it visit Melbourne and Sydney for the first time. Following a hit season in Brisbane earlier this year, this next run of Green Day's American Idiot will see Grinspoon frontman Phil Jamieson reprise his lead performance as St Jimmy — a role played internationally by the likes of Melissa Etheridge, Chris Cheney and Green Day's own Billie Joe Armstrong. The acclaimed Aussie musician will again be joined on stage by Phoebe Panaretos, whose performance as Whatsername during the show's Brisbane run scored her a Helpmann nomination. Hailed as a bold and explosive production, the Tony and Grammy award-winning show features every song from the band's eponymous album, along with a number of tunes from Green Day's follow-up record, 21st Century Breakdown. It's the tale of three lifelong mates, torn between remaining in their safe, aimless ruts, and challenging the status quo to embark on a journey of self-discovery. The American Idiot 2018 tour will begin with a brief season at the Sydney Opera House, before runs in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. AMERICAN IDIOT 2018 TOUR Sydney — Sydney Opera House, January 11–14 Adelaide — Adelaide Festival Centre's Her Majesty's Theatre, January 18–28 Perth — Crown Theatre, February 2–11 Melbourne — Comedy Theatre, February 23 – March 11 Brisbane — Playhouse Theatre, QPAC, April 13–21 Tickets to Green Day's 2018 American Idiot tour go on sale from next Monday, October 9. For more info visit americanidiotlive.com.au. Images: Dylan Evans.
A restaurant that takes bookings basically has unicorn status these days. Not that we're fully against this walk-ins only business — it's been known to work in our favour — but sometimes you just want to be confident you'll be able to take your Dad to dinner without a grumpy one-hour wait. For those times, you'll need to find a restaurant you can book. Helping out with that conundrum will soon be San Fransisco-based restaurant booking service OpenTable, which will be launching in Australia later this month. OpenTable has been around since 1998, and while it's an international service — they're present in Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico and the UK — they take up the most space in the North American market, where it supposedly facilitates 52% of restaurant reservations through its mobile app. The app is something of a cross between restaurant finder Zomato and reservation site Dimmi, which was bought out by TripAdvisor earlier this year. The OpenTable desktop site and mobile app lets you search restaurants with available tables, view the restaurant's menu, user reviews, and any other restaurants nearby you might be interested in. And while it isn't all too different to Dimmi in terms of functionality, it certainly looks a lot nicer and has some handy integrations for the hospitality industry, such as the Guest Centre booking management app for front-of-house staff. "Whether it’s at a cafe, neighbourhood bistro or hatted restaurant, Aussies love to dine out and we're committed to empowering what that experience means for people," says APAC VP and Managing Director Adam Clarke. "OpenTable's growth has been driven by our ability to develop products that cater for the changing needs of restaurants and diners. Here in Australia, we will continue to innovate by providing insight into dining trends and behaviours, and building on all we have learned over the past two decades." The OpenTable app is set to go live mid-December, and will allow you to make bookings at restaurants including Rockpool and MoVida. Of course, this service only works if your restaurant of choice doesn't work on a no-bookings system — no one can help you there, I'm afraid.
Father's Day is all fun and games for dads. For the rest of us, it's simply a reminder of how hard they are to shop for. We'll do you one — if he loves his grill and appreciates a little spice, Layla in West End has you sorted. Smokey charred flavours? Check. Bold Middle Eastern spices? Check. And bragging rights? Check because it's one of the most anticipated openings of the year. The kitchen is helmed by acclaimed chef Shane Delia, who has been championing Middle Eastern flavours in Melbourne for two decades. His flagship Maha restaurant, a local institution for spice-fuelled dishes, has birthed two spin-offs and a neighbouring bar. Tucked away in the heritage-listed Queensland Ballet headquarters, Layla is Shane Delia's debut venue in Brisbane. Here, he turns fresh Queensland produce into Middle Eastern- and Sri Lankan-influenced feasts worthy of a king (or a dad). Expect sharing mezes like an arak-cured kingfish and grilled Goan sausage combo, alongside smoked hummus and flatbread. Bigger plates include an Iranian roast duck stew with buttery walnuts and pomegranates, Turkish dumplings and an elevated take on butter chicken. There are two set menu options — one curated by Chef Delia and the other by the kitchen team. All Layla gift cards are 20 percent off on Father's Day weekend, so you might as well go all out. Images: supplied
Across Australia, tactics to stop the spread of the coronavirus are implemented at a state-by-state level, which means that different parts of the country have been navigating the situation in different ways. That's where the nation's varying, seemingly ever-changing domestic border restrictions come in — and why hopping across the country has been a rather complex task for much of the past 12 months. In Western Australia, the state initially implemented a hard border and strict quarantine requirements with the rest of the nation. WA's border system then changed late in 2020, moving to a controlled interstate border that classifies other states according to their COVID-19 risk and puts restrictions in place accordingly. But if you live in or have visited a state that's deemed medium risk or higher, it has still meant that you can't go to WA unless you receive an exemption. New South Wales has been in that camp since December 20, and Queensland has as well since January 9; however, come 12.01am on Monday, January 25, both states will revert back to the low-risk category. So, as announced on Friday, January 22, NSW and Queensland residents, plus those who've been in either state in the past 14 days, can now head west — although there is still a quarantine requirement. Low-risk states have had fewer than five community cases per day across the past 14 days — but travellers from the area are still required to self-quarantine for 14 days. You'll also need to get a health screening at Perth Airport if arriving via air and at a border checkpoint if arriving by land, then also take a COVID-19 test on the 11th day of your quarantine no matter how you've made it over to WA. If you don't have somewhere to self-quarantine, you'll have to do so at a government-approved site at your own expense. And, you'll still need to apply for a G2G Pass, which is mandatory for everyone entering the state. To move down to the very low-risk category, WA requires NSW and Queensland to have no community cases for at least 28 days. As at Friday, January 22, NSW had hit seven days, while Queensland was at 15 days — with WA's Chief Health Officer advising that the latter could move down to very low-risk on February 1 if it continues to record zero local cases. At present, the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania are all considered very low-risk by WA, while Victoria joined the low-risk category on Monday, January 18. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Western Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub.
If you're doing your best to be an eco-conscious citizen, but find yourself stuck, bagless, at the checkout way too often, you're not alone. At least now, when you've again forgotten your reusable bag and are staring down the barrel of yet another purchase of a 15-cent plastic number, you could have a different, more planet-friendly option. Supermarket joint Woolworths has kicked off a new trial offering recyclable paper bags in 21 of its stores nationwide. Stores — including Marrickville Metro and Bondi in Sydney, Melbourne's St Kilda and the QV Centre, and Pacific Fair and Surfers Paradise in Queensland — are now offering customers the option of packing their groceries into 20-cent paper bags, which are made from 80 percent recycled paper. They're also a breeze to recycle in your regular curbside collection. The trial will be used to gauge customer demand and Woollies says it'll be monitoring feedback closely. In the meantime, all Australian Woolworths stores will continue to offer the 15-cent reusable plastic bags, as well as those signature green Bag for Good varieties priced at 99 cents. The reusable plastic ones can be recycled through the REDcycle collection bins found in-store, though plenty of us can probably attest to the fact that most of them end up collecting dust under the sink. As for the supermarket chain's sturdier green counterparts, they'll continue to raise much-needed funds for the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program. If one of yours gets damaged, Woolies will even replace it for free, regardless of how long ago it was purchased. The company says it has cut over three billion single-use plastic bags from circulation since it began phasing them out across its stores in June 2018. Here's which Woolworths stores are trialling the paper bags: Bondi, NSW Coogee, NSW Double Bay, NSW Marrickville Metro, NSW Neutral Bay, NSW Paddington, NSW Rose Bay, NSW Rouse Hill, NSW Rozelle, NSW Town Hall, NSW Cairns, Qld Pacific Fair, Qld Surfers Paradise, Qld Armadale, Vic Black Rock, Vic Burwood Brickworks, Vic Hawksburn, Vic Hawthorn, Vic QV, Vic South Yarra, Vic St Kilda, Vic
Here's Underworld: Blood Wars in brief: in the millennia-old conflict between werewolves and vampires, the werewolves (or Lycans) are regrouping while the vampires are down to their last two covens. The good news, however, is that the Paris coven is impregnable. Never been breached in 15 centuries. Not once. Give up now, Lycans. It cannot. Be. Pregged. Well…unless you have a small, mid-priced sedan driven by animatronic Gucci model Theo James, which ploughs through the coven's single-frame, wrought-iron gate like a knife through butter that isn't even butter because it's actually nothing. Not to be deterred, however, the vampires quickly re-attach the gate with a solding iron, rendering the coven once again...impregnable. To quote The Princess Bride, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means". So here's what we need to do. First, we go buy some red baseball caps – bright red ones – then embroider them with the following message: MAKE UNDERWORLD OKAY-ISH AGAIN. The people will follow us. Landslide, guaranteed. The original Underworld, released in 2003, was not without its merit. It didn't have much merit, mind you, but some is still better than none. Kate Beckinsale proved a fantastic choice for the death-dealing werewolf hunter Selene, whose talents and temerity outstripped compatriot and opponent alike. Alongside her, Bill Nighy, Scott Speedman and Michael Sheen rounded out a not-unimpressive supporting cast capable of making even the most laughably bad line somehow resonate with a sense of class and purpose. Yes, it was fetishist-heavy and contained a whole lot of gun porn, but it was a film of its time and found a willing fan base to propel it into a franchise. Underworld: Blood Wars, however, is now the fifth film in said franchise, one that definitely ought to have stopped at two – and my, how the largely-passable have fallen. Honestly, people have written more compelling stories on toilet paper, and they didn't need a pen. This latest instalment takes every one of the already scant, okay-to-decent aspects of the original film and dispenses with them wholesale aside from Beckinsale herself. What little story there is comes across in heavy-handed dialogue which mostly exists to bridge one dull fight scene to the next. The characters, meanwhile, continue to clad themselves in comically revealing black lace or leather like extras from a Judas Priest video. Except for the ones in all white, because they're pacifist vampires, don't ya know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSlaWHDu5WU
In excellent news for anyone who loves scouting out new tunes from fresh local talent, the folks at Rare Finds have announced an east coast touring circuit, kicking off in January 2018. The Sydney-based PR and artist management company has long been a champion of emerging Aussie artists, hosting regular showcases in Brisbane and Sydney over the past two years. Now it's teamed up with Oporto and creative collective Pilerats to bring its latest musical finds to a stage near you. Touring once a month across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, each Rare Finds circuit will feature a curation of up-and-coming acts, providing an all-important live platform for these emerging artists. Headlining the first tour in January 2018 is Sunshine Coast songstress Ayla, off the back of her second EP Let's Talk Monday. She'll be joined by a different lineup in each city: Asha Jefferies, Royal & The Southern Echo and DJ Tom Bloomfield in Brisbane; Otious, Magnets and British India DJs in Melbourne; and Aikonawena, The Longboys and Rare Finds DJs on the Sydney leg. Catch the first iteration of the Rare Finds circuit on January 12 at Brisbane's Black Bear Lodge, January 19 at Melbourne's Penny Black and January 20 at Oxford Art Factory's Gallery Bar in Sydney. Tickets to the Sydney and Brisbane shows are less than $15 and the Melbourne gig is free. The Rare Finds east coast circuit will take place in January 2018 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For more info and to buy tickets, visit rarefinds.com.au.
If you're a vegetarian, worshipper of eggplant or just a keen home cook, chances are Yotam Ottolenghi has had some impact on your life. In fact, we bet you've got at least one of his bestselling cookbooks in your cupboard. Next year, you'll be able to learn a few more tips and tricks from the renowned Israeli chef as he heads to Australia for a speaking tour. The trailblazing chef, author, TV personality and restaurateur whose name has become its own cooking style is touring Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth in 2021 off the back of his new book Ottolenghi Flavour, which builds on his love for innovative vegetable-based recipes. Yotam Ottolenghi — Flavour of Life will tour the country throughout June — and, as well as dishing up a few spicy secrets behind mouthwatering hits like miso butter onions and spicy mushroom lasagne, the show will provide an opportunity to hear directly from the man himself about his influences and experiences. It also promises to delve into Ottolenghi's experience as the owner of famed London restaurants Nopi and Rovi, how he approached home cooking during the COVID-19 pandemic and how you can dial up the flavour in your own kitchen. [caption id="attachment_768174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr/Stijn Nieuwendijk[/caption] YOTAM OTTOLENGHI AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Perth: Tuesday, June 8 at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre Adelaide: Wednesday, June 9 at Adelaide Convention Centre Gold Coast: Friday, June 11 at The Star Gold Coast Melbourne: Saturday, June 12 at Hamer Hall Sydney: Sunday, June 13 at ICC Sydney The Yotam Ottolenghi — Flavour of Life speaking tour is scheduled to hit Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth in June 2021. Ticket presales for all cities except Melbourne start at 10am on Wednesday, December 16, with general public sales kicking off at 11am on Monday, December 21. Melbourne presales will commence at 10am on Monday, February 1.
Before the division, Terry Hooley (Richard Dormer) was a popular man. But then his native Belfast bitterly split along sectarian lines, leaving the gregarious but staunchly apolitical Hooley to his own devices. He's DJing to nobody at a sad bar surrounded by barbed wire and run by the baleful Pat (Dylan Moran) when he finds a kindred soul in outsider Ruth (Jodie Whittaker). Emboldened by the support of Ruth, Dooley then decides on a whim that what his ailing city needs is a record store and he borrows over his head to set up the shop on a street famously known as the most bombed in Europe. Despite its perilous location, Hooley's boundless enthusiasm for the soothing power of music proves infectious and he watches in delight as it becomes a real cultural hub, quickly expanding into a record label as the city's burgeoning punk scene sparks into life. It's hard to think of another film which captures the fervour of discovery of music as thrillingly as Good Vibrations. You'll be won over by this scrappily loveable ode to the energy and abandon of punk rock. Read our full review here. Good Vibrations is in cinemas on June 12, and thanks to Curious Distribution, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=SE17U5ML9dQ
Homegrown pop rock crew Ball Park Music are making the rounds in Australia (and probably shouting a few rounds along the way) with their wonderfully-named, national Trippin The Light Fantastic Tour. If you've never seen these Brisbanites live, you're missing out on one heck of a party. A longtime triple j favourite, BPM took home Unearthed Artist of the Year in 2011 and have been frequently nominated in the Hottest 100 countdown — most recently in 2012 with tunes 'Coming Down' and 'Surrender'. The past two years have seen the five-piece delight crowds at Aussie music festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Southbound, Homebake and Big Day Out, not to mention some pretty kickass US appearances. Hailing from Brisbane, BPM cite the success of their third album Puddinghead (released in April this year) to "twelve months sitting naked before a pedestal fan in a lucid, humid fantasy," having spent one year recording in a cheap tiny shack in the northern suburbs of Brisbane (which they lovingly refer to as a proverbial sauna). Ball Park Music will return to their hometown for two shows — October 18 at the Tivoli and an all-ages Alhambra show on November 2 — with old favourites, latest singles 'Trippin' the Light Fantastic' and 'She Only Loves Me When I'm There' and dance moves you can only dream of. Counting Millions and Pluto Jonze as supports, BPM are set to crank out their energetic tunes with unpretentious gusto. A breath of fresh air in an often tightly-wound industry, this is music that doesn't take itself too seriously — especially from a band that cites its interests as "pizza and yelling at farm animals". Supported by Millions + Pluto Jonze. https://youtube.com/watch?v=aNZ6Tr3cTT0
In Paris, 1971, the shaggy-haired, inscrutable Gilles (Clement Metayer) finds himself swept in political unrest that has fermented since the riots of May 1968. He and his friends are key figures in an underground movement that sells leftist newspapers, meets in secret and carries out targeted attacks. When his beautiful but enigmatic girlfriend Laure (Carole Combes) abruptly leaves the country, he quickly takes up with the spirited Christine (Lola Créton) instead. Together with Christine and a loose group of friends, he takes part in a street protest which is broken up by sickening violence by the police. The group then up the ante by attacking their school, where armed with Molotov cocktails, they graffiti slogans and drop political pamphlets. Their plans come unstuck, however, when a security guard is badly injured. With the school searching for the culprits, they decide that it is unsafe for them to stay, and instead hightail it to Italy until the volatile atmosphere cools off. Away from the volatility of their home city, the pace slackens and the film’s focus turns from the political to the personal. As old relationships fray, new ones form as the painter Alain (Felix Armand) meets a wealthy American girl, Leslie (India Salvor Menuez), who is now into spirituality and enlightenment. Seemingly untroubled by fear at their recent escape from France and at a loss for what to do next, the group attend political film screenings, debate philosophy, make art, smoke constantly and generally exude ennui. It makes for a strangely low-key portrait of an era of upheaval. Interestingly, the tableaus of beautiful youths lounging about in skinny jeans and unbuttoned shirts often looks more like a Calvin Klein advert than a political gathering, possibly because fashion has long since co-opted the look so associated with youthful rebellion in this era. Increasingly drawn into arguments with Christine about their next move and whether they should get involved with filmmakers working in the revolutionary movement, Gilles still thinks of the estranged Laure and goes to meets her at her decadent and druggy new lodgings. There he shows her an artwork he has done before setting it on fire, having explained it existed for her eyes only. After May’s failure to engage is surprising given the emotional heft of writer-director Olivier Assayas’ previous work, including his last film he wrote, the superlative Summer Hours. The height of the film’s obtuseness is the performance of Hugo Conzelmann as Jean-Pierre — even when blowing up a car he maintains the blankness of a mannequin. In perhaps the film’s most telling scene, Christine says to the perpetually aloof Gilles “I can’t tell if you’re in love with me”. She will not be the only one guessing at the inner workings or motivations of these characters. After May is a fitfully interesting but ultimately frustrating portrait of a time and place.
As part of the 2013–14 Sydney International Art Series and part of an exclusive deal with the NSW government, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and Destination NSW present, War Is Over! (if you want it): Yoko Ono. Legendary artist, musician, activist and perhaps one of the most controversial figures in the history of rock 'n' roll, Yoko Ono has developed her first solo exhibition made up of five decades worth of art in diverse media. Over the past decade skeptics of Ono and her involvement with the Beatles disintegration in 1970, have let the past go and have started to embrace Ono's musical and artistic endeavours. Ono brings back to life the iconic message, 'War Is Over!' that she and her late husband John Lennon spent years spreading around the world. First appearing in 1969 across billboards worldwide, the message may be the most recognised symbol of public outcry for peace during the Vietnam War. Over the past decade some of those who were once skeptical of Ono and her possible involvement in the Beatles 1970 disintegration, have let the past go and begun to embrace Ono's musical and artistic endeavours. MCA Senior Curator Rachel Kent has worked closely with Ono on the survey. The exhibition reaffirms Ono's belief in a better future. Sydney's MCA will be the only Australian venue for Ono's artwork which includes performances, sculpture, written texts, films, sound compositions, and participatory pieces of art that involve the viewers. The exhibit is to be presented throughout the Level Three Galleries in November of next year. Ono is expected to attend.
In the 70s and 80s, it was Countdown. In the 90s and early 00s, it was Recovery. Last year, the ABC added The Set to its roster of music-focused TV shows. Fronted by triple j's Linda Marigliano and newly minted Wimbledon quad doubles champion Dylan Alcott, the newcomer was a hit — and now it's returning for a second season in August. Screening on ABC weekly from 9.30pm on Wednesday, August 28, The Set features live music performances in front of a live studio audience — and will once again spotlight a different main band each week, who'll then invite two guest acts to perform as well. To end each show, the week's artists all team up in a one-off musical collaboration, because the series has a definite party atmosphere. That extends to the audience; with the whole thing taking place on a purpose-built share house set, which also includes a backyard, 250 folks get to head along, in person, enjoying the gig. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_pcuYplrTg While this year's bands haven't yet been announced, 2018's lineup included Baker Boy, Vera Blue, Ball Park Music and The Presets, as well as Illy, Odette, Wafia, Mallrat, Angie McMahon, Tia Gostelow, LANKS and Kult Kyss. The Set's second season will screen from Wednesday, August 28 till Wednesday, October 9, which each week's episode available on iView after it airs.
Cooking can be many things. For some, it's merely a means to an end; for others, it can be meditative to the point of being therapeutic. But no matter which side of the fence you fall on, there are days when we just can't be bothered doing it. And the same is true of professional chefs. After all, if you do something for a living there comes a point where you just don't feel like doing it in your spare time. So, where do chefs eat in their downtime? We've teamed up with UberEats to ask three Brisbane hospo stars — Ollie Hansford of Rita's, Michael Jackson of ZA ZA TA (pictured above) and Andie Bulley of Savile Row — about their top local picks for those times when they feel like handing over the reins to someone else. [caption id="attachment_821578" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grill'd[/caption] GO-TO MEAL FOR A HANGOVER Ollie Hansford: "The Korean Fried Chicken burger — KFC — from BrewDog in Morningside every time! Spicy, crisp, sweet and hits that hangover craving. There isn't any other option, unless I'm in Newstead. Then I'll get the bacon and egg burger with truffle hash brown and Sriracha mayo from Yolk. It hits that same spot." Michael Jackson: Showing the kitchen whizzes both know that a morning-after is only bettered by carbohydrates sandwiching something delicious, Jackson's go-to lies with a dependable fave. "I go Grill'd every time. The Queenslander with the HFC (healthy fried chicken) and hot sauce. It's so good." Andie Bulley: "My secret hangover cure lies in the hands of the chefs at Bird's Nest in Fortitude Valley. When I have a bad hangover, there is only one thing I can think about: its miso soup. The katsu curry definitely helps, but I wouldn't be lying if I said I've ordered over five miso soups the day after a big night." [caption id="attachment_783024" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stanley Restaurant[/caption] GO-TO MEAL FOR A DATE NIGHT Ollie Hansford: Sharing is caring, which Hansford knows to put on show come date night. "Stanley Restaurant at the Howard Smith Wharves. I love to order a banquet and share everything. Another great one for when you want to graze through a whole menu is Bird's Nest in The Valley. I have FOMO so I love to order lots of little snacks." Michael Jackson: "I always go for Ginga Japanese. Their food is spot on! I order the tuna sashimi, salmon ngiri, chicken karaage, miso broth and tempura vegetables. I love it. When I don't have the energy to drop in after work, I get it delivered with UberEats." Andie Bulley: "The perfect date night for me has two things: my partner and a good burger. Ben's Burgers on Winn Lane is our usual go-to if we feel like a night in. The Cheesy Burger is an absolute must, however the monthly burger special is dangerously addictive. If I ever feel like a drive, Broken Hearts Burger Club in Morningside has the greatest smash burgers in Brisbane — and don't even get me started on the house sauce." [caption id="attachment_672670" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tartufo[/caption] GO-TO MEAL FOR A NIGHT OF NETFLIX AND CHOW Ollie Hansford: "Easy. The margarita stone-baked pizza and truffle fries from Italian Street Kitchen in Newstead. It's simple, tasty, done right and easy to snack on." Michael Jackson: Again the men are aligned in choice, both offering expert opinions — and proof — of the quality of the slice in Brisbane. "A Tartufo margherita pizza, it's one of my favourites when I'm relaxing at home. It's such great bread-work and has simple flavours that go great with wine, which makes the night on the couch even better." Andie Bulley: "There is nothing more comforting than a dish cooked with love. District 1 in the Valley is a family-owned restaurant that puts its heart into every meal. I've gone through the entire menu, but my favourites will always be the lemongrass pork bahn mi, spring rolls and dumplings." [caption id="attachment_615347" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Messina[/caption] GO-TO DESSERT Ollie Hansford: "Maccas McFlurry, with M&Ms and caramel topping. Though, Messina's weekly special is always good. The recent hot cross bun scoop was awesome." Michael Jackson: "Messina. It's the best ice cream ever and we live close to the shop so delivery is always available." Jackson's selection offers another vote of confidence for the perfection of the gelato churned up by the Sydney-born dessert empire. Andie Bulley: "I've never been a big desert person until I went to Miss Claudes Crepes in Newmarket. There's a range of dessert crepes that make my inner child overjoyed. No matter how much food I have eaten that day, I will always have room for a Strawberry and Nutella Ganache combo!" Don't feel like cooking tonight? Jump on UberEats to discover a new local favourite. Right now, the delivery platform is offering discounts on a heap of restaurants around Brisbane from Monday to Wednesday — find out more here.
Now that you can start inviting friends round for an overdue catch up, we'd like to help you out with a refresher on how to play host. Sure, maybe you want to show off all those loaves of sourdough you've been baking (and we won't stop you), but to truly rise to the occasion, why not pair it with some delicatessen quality cheeses and a celebratory round of passion fruit martinis? It's an unusual pairing, but these are unusual times. We've partnered with Pernod Ricard to bring you four indulgent food and drink pairings that'll bring you back to not-so socially distant times with classic matches like freshly shucked oysters and rosé to more surprising flavour matches, such as a massaman curry with sour cocktails. Bonus: each one can all be delivered to your doorstep, so you can keep the best of lockdown convenience next time you're having your mates over. [caption id="attachment_626153" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stinking Bishops[/caption] MATCH A PLATTER OF CHEESE WITH PORN STAR MARTINIS We know the classic pairing is white wine with mild cheese and red (or more tannin-heavy styles) with blues and mature cheeses, but we'd like to suggest a more playful match that adds a little fizz to the mix. The London-born cocktail porn star martini is sweet and celebratory — it's traditionally served with a shot glass of champagne — and pairs particularly well with blue cheese, comté and brie. The sweet concoction cuts through most creamy cheeses, as well as dense dried fruits and quince. What to order: Sydneysiders can order European and Australian farmhouse cheeses direct from Formaggi Ocello, or from Stinking Bishops via Doordash. In Melbourne, you can order hampers of 'all Victorian' or 'all soft' cheeses from Milk the Cow. Speciality cheese shop Harper and Blohm also delivers cloth-bound cheddars, gooey soft cheeses and stinky blues from its Brunswick store. And Brisbanites should head to Le Fromage Yard who is delivering a combo of three cheeses, quince and crackers for $55. Pair with: a round of porn star martinis made with Absolut Vanilla. [caption id="attachment_768195" align="alignnone" width="1920"] East 33[/caption] SHARE A DECADENT SEAFOOD FEAST WITH BONE-DRY ROSE You'll hardly be surprised to hear that a delicate, textural rosé sits well with a platter of grilled prawns. It's practically a national drink pairing come summer, so we're here to say make the most of those lingering warm days and fire up the barbie. There are nuances you can consider when matching your rosé to your ocean catch; light, dry styles (often pinot noir based) work well with raw and lightly cooked shellfish, and medium-dry or sweeter wines (such as zinfandel) work best with salads, dessert or foods with a bit of spice. What to order: In Sydney, sustainable seafood eatery Fish & Co delivers cold cooked king prawns and fresh oysters via Deliveroo. When you want to go all out, order from East 33 — supplier to the country's best restaurants. In Melbourne, there's been no better time to indulge in a delivery from fine diner Minamishima — order the box-pressed hakozushi, a specialty of chef Hide. And in Brisbane, Sushi Edo has nigiri and aburi nigiri available via Deliveroo. Pair with: a cold bottle of Jacob's Creek Le Petit Rosé. The blend of pinot noir, grenache and mataro is a perfect match for seafood. [caption id="attachment_696538" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Continental Deli by Kitti Gould[/caption] GRAZE ON CHARCUTERIE WITH A SUBTLE SPANISH RED It's a similar method for matching wine with cured meats — lighter styles of wine are better bedfellows for lighter flavoured meats. And while a charcuterie board is an assembly of cured meats, we also like to add cheese, fruit, cornichons and nuts to the mix, so look at the flavour balance as a whole. Generally speaking, saltier foods are best paired with acidic wines and those with bolder tannins complement smoky flavoured meats. What to order: In Sydney, Bel and Brio has ready-to-serve charcuterie platters (including white truffle honey, prosciutto, salame felino and mortadella) via Deliveroo. Or, order Continental Deli's cheese and charcuterie platter (with brie, comté, jamón and sopressa) via Bopple. Melburnians can pick up from Windsor's Tipico, which has salumi misti as well as pizza, pasta and dessert. And D.O.C. also has local delivery and takeaway of its salumi and cheese boards from $17. In Brisbane, there's a dedicated charcuterie delivery service called Say Cheese, which is packing boxes of platter-ready cheeses, cured meats, olives, dips and crackers to all suburbs, as well as Rosalie Gourmet Market which has a decadent charcuterie box for $84.99. Pair with: a bottle of Campo Viejo Tempranillo — expect woody and vanilla notes with ripe red fruits and spices. [caption id="attachment_686214" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chin Chin[/caption] PAIR A THAI FEAST WITH SOUR PINK COCKTAILS As Thai dishes balance sweet, sour, salt, spice, bitterness and aromatic flavours, you can pair them with almost any sweet–sour cocktail. If it's been a while since you've enjoyed a table full of share plates and chinked glasses with loved ones, perhaps you can take a step towards bringing the flavour party back home with a round of colourful cocktails. Whether you prefer whisky, gin or tequila as your base, go big or go home on theatrics. We suggest shaking up this pink concoction with strawberry-infused gin. What to order: In Sydney, you can get speciality dishes from award-winning restaurant Spice I Am, such as the pad prik pao pork belly. And in Melbourne and Sydney, Southeast Asian restaurant Chin Chin is offering a takeaway service direct from its website, including curries, roasts and barbecued dishes. In Brisbane, Phat Elephant has whole barramundi platters and mixed entree plates via Deliveroo, and Same Same in Fortitude Valley is running a daily delivery service of its curries and salads. Pair with: London dry gin Beefeater Pink. Right now, Pernod Ricard is offering a $10 Deliveroo voucher for every $50 spent on a select range of its wine and spirits — bought online or in-store at its partner liquor stores. Find out more, here. Top image: Continental Deli by Kimberley Low.
Summer in Australia means sun, surf, sand — and, increasingly, sweltering weather of heatwave proportions. The country clocked up its third-warmest year on record in 2018, and while we don't know just yet if 2019 will match it, we do know that a spate of particularly toasty days is on its way. It is the time of the year for it, of course; however the next run of warm weather will blast temperatures up, with the mercury hitting the 30s in every capital city except Hobart. The sweaty conditions will be travelling over from the western side of the country, where Perth has been has been enduring a multi-day run of temps around the 40-degree mark this week. On Thursday, the WA spot hit 39, while Friday reached 40, and tops of 41 and 40 are forecast on Saturday and Sunday. As that heat moves east over the week, the impact will differ around the country, with inland locations expected to bear the brunt. In the capitals, Sydney is expected to hit 33 degrees on Thursday, Brisbane will max out at 38 degrees on Monday before hovering around 30 for the rest of the week, Melbourne is due to hit 36 on Thursday and 41 on Friday, Adelaide will experience four days over 40 from Tuesday–Friday, and Canberra will top out at 42 on Thursday. And again, while sultry days are part and parcel of this time of year, each of the aforementioned cities except Brisbane will experience temps above its average maximum for December. https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1205670711156789248 As the ABC reports, the Bureau of Meteorology predicts that, inland, the country may even break the heat record for the hottest day ever recorded. It currently stands at 50.7 degrees at Oodnadatta in South Australia, and dates back to January 1960. The warmest temp ever recorded in December is 49.5 degrees, which Birdsville in Queensland hit on Christmas Eve in 1972. BOM has already predicted that this summer will be warmer and drier than average, like 2019 overall — and that those conditions will continue well into 2020.
There are many, many excellent and very familiar things to do in New South Wales — from climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge to watching the sunset from the Cape Byron Lighthouse. But there are loads of other, more unusual possibilities, too. And some of them might never have crossed your mind. How about snorkelling with fur seals in the wild? Riding a camel along a beach? Crawling through an 1880s mine shaft? Get ready to throw out your old adventure playbook and re-write it. Here are seven things you didn't know you could do in Australia's most populated state. RIDE A CAMEL ON THE BEACH You might be aware that Australia has the biggest herd of wild camels in the world — there are over one million roaming around out there. But, did you know that, in New South Wales, you can ride one of the mighty humped beasts with waves crashing at your feet? This wondrous adventure is less than three hours away from Sydney. In Port Stephens, Oakfield Ranch leads camel rides along sweeping Stockton Beach. Should you be contemplating further escapades in the area, check out our weekender's guide to the area. SAND BOARD THE BIGGEST MOVING SAND DUNES IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE Just behind Stockton Beach are the Stockton Sand Dunes, the biggest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. Once you're immersed, you'll feel as though you're in some far-off desert. That's one of the reasons why the first Mad Max film was shot here. Hands-down, the most fun way to experience them is with a sand board under your arm. After climbing your way to the top, slide back down head first (or, if your balance is good, standing) at epic speeds. You'll need to book with a local operator — or, to avoid enormous tour groups, go with the small, family-owned Sand Dune Safaris. SNORKEL WITH FUR SEALS IN THE WILD Around five hours south of Sydney is the coastal town of Narooma and, nine kilometres offshore, lies Barunguba (otherwise known as Montague Island). This pristine nature reserve is home to around 90 bird species, 12,000 little penguins and the biggest fur seal colony in New South Wales, which attracts 2500 seasonal residents — some of which you can snorkel with. Several tour operators are available and it's possible to add time exploring Montague Island. If you're keen to spend more time on the Far South Coast, our road tripper's guide might come in handy. GO HOT AIR BALLOONING ABOVE A 23 MILLION-YEAR-OLD VOLCANIC CRATER North and west of Byron Bay is the Tweed hinterland, a land of ancient rainforest, wild rivers and rugged mountain peaks. Twenty-three million years ago, a volcano erupted here, creating a caldera 40 kilometres wide and 1000 metres deep. To see it in all its lush beauty, wake up before sunrise and ride a hot air balloon with Byron Bay Ballooning. This dreamy escapade takes you way up into the air for an hour or so and, on landing, treats you to a champagne breakfast. EAT DOUBLE-HATTED FARE OVERLOOKING THE TASMAN SEA There's no shortage of delicious fare wherever you go in New South Wales, but there aren't many spots where you can feast on two-hatted dishes while gazing at the Tasman Sea. Paper Daisy Restaurant, within Halcyon House, near Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast, is one of them. Here, Executive Chef Jason Barratt (ex-Circa, The Prince, Attica) is in the kitchen whipping up ocean-inspired combinations. Start with lobster, white radish and granny smith apple, before moving onto kingfish baked in local kelp, sweet corn, smoked onion and dried prawn. Then, for dessert, pear with spiced date, almond and roasted fennel ice cream. CRAWL THROUGH AN 1880s COAL MINE On the road between Broken Hill and Silverton — around 1200 kilometres west of Sydney — lies Day Dream, one of Australia's first coal mines. Built in the 1880s, it's now a tourist attraction, where you can experience a day-in-the-life of a 19th century miner. Prepare for darkness, dust and lots of squeezing through teeny-tiny spaces — all 30 metres underground. Mining is still a dangerous business, but was way more terrifying back then. In fact, workers did it so tough that their bosses handed out opium to ease the pain. When that wore off, horehound beer, which caused temporary blindness, was the next refuge. You'll hear these and other tales on a 1.5-hour tour. Find more tips for exploring Broken Hill over here. VISIT THE (HUGE) TELESCOPE THAT HELPED BROADCAST MAN'S FIRST WALK ON THE MOON You might recognise this one from The Dish, the 2000 indie comedy by Australian writer-director Rob Sitch, who's also responsible for The Castle. Located around 360 kilometres west of Sydney near Parkes, the 64-metre-wide telescope helped broadcast man's first moonwalk and has since found more than half of the 2000 known pulsars. When you're finished marvelling at its architecture, feast on a beef and red wine pie in the on-site cafe and check out the memorabilia in the gift shop. Should you be travelling by vehicle, our road tripper's guide to Central NSW might help. Discover more adventures around NSW at visitnsw.com. All images: Destination NSW
Lego is awesome. It is brightly coloured, easy to use and small enough to fit in your pocket and take to the park. Until you step and fall on a piece when you're trying to do something important like run to answer the phone or stumble to the kitchen for coffee and aspirin because you're hungover. Those pointy edges hurt like hell. Small children, and grown ups who were once children, have been making mind-boggling things from Lego for quite a while, but while pinball machines, iPods and even a camera might be impressive, it's always seemed harder to create real-live people out of the coloured plastic bricks. However, Fine Clonier, specialists in Lego minifig customisation, ran a competition inviting people to create historical literary figures out of lego. The winning design went to Mark Twain, the man who wrote Huckleberry Finn, sporting a particularly dashing haircut, and who sagely proclaimed "go to heaven for the climate and hell for the company." But other literary Legos were also included which are equally worthy of your attention. A smug F.Scott Fitzgerald, a brooding Ernest Hemingway, and a very French and goateed Rene Descartes round out the literary Lego figures and give some much needed bookish cred to the otherwise sober Danish amusement. [Via Booklicious]
Taking over the city during September, Brisbane Festival does many things. It gives everyone an excuse to devour entertaining cultural delights — and it serves up a new hangout. Actually, make that hangouts. Yes, Brisbane Festival's central hub offers multiple spaces in one. Revamping South Bank's Cultural Forecourt, Treasury Brisbane Arcadia boasts everything from pop-up food stalls to the spiegeltent to everything in between. Indeed, as well as offering a place to go when you need a wine, craft beer or food between shows, there's two places you'll want to check out. Stop by Divine for 20s, 30s and 40s-style revelry, vintage glamour and late-night DJs — or head to Voodoo for outdoor cocktails, jazz and piano music. Running from Tuesday–Sunday during the festival, Arcadia is free to enter all day and night. Other events in the vicinity include 1000 Doors and River of Light, plus the feast of performances at The Courier-Mail Spiegeltent. That's where you'll catch many of the fest's highlights, including Girlpool, Bruno Major, Mzaza and Blanc de Blanc Encore.
April 9th, 2011 was an important day for the residents of Fayetteville, Arkansas and bacon-lovers everywhere. Why? The third annual Bacon Day took place, of course, and did so with more of a 'bang' than expected. Bacon Day began as a private event, and although it was only opened to the public for the first time last year attendance has increased significantly. The event is an all day feast, but it's B.Y.O.B (bring your own bacon) for a potluck style dinner. Nick Hamon, co-founder of the Bacon Day celebrations, brings a little extra to the table each year with his sculptures and devices made out of bacon. In previous years he's delivered the BA-K-47 and the Bacon AT-AT, but this year he made bacon history. On the day of the event, Hamon lead the inaugural launch of his new bacon-based contraption, the BA-Zooka. The BA-Zooka, unlike past bacon designs, is fully-functional. The sausage-launching contraption was successful in its first fire in Fayetteville's Agri Park in front of the crowd of admiring bacon enthusiasts in attendance. I guess playing with your food isn't always a bad thing. https://youtube.com/watch?v=sz-sq7yF4bs
Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan) is a man with such a proficient ability to inject even the most banal of situations with toe-curling awkwardness that it borders on being a talent. A much-loved character that fans have followed over a range of TV series, specials, radio plays and his I, Partridge autobiography, this latest instalment (and the first big-screen outing for the character) is an unusually high-concept affair which makes the most of its delicious conceit. Having schemed desperately (but unsuccessfully) for his old TV hosting job, Partridge is still clinging onto his local celebrity status, revelling in the soul-crushingly inane show where he tackle questions such as "What's the worst kind of monger? Fish, Rumour, Iron or War?". When the station is taken over by a corporation intent on rebranding the backwater North Norfolk Digital as a vibrant youth station, he barely survives the cull. The upheaval sees the ageing Pat (Colm Meaney) axed, a decision he responds to by returning to a station party with a gun and taking the staff hostage. By dumb luck, Alan finds himself outside the station as the siege begins, and as the only one Pat trusts, he finds himself pushed into being the go-between between Pat and the police tasked with ending the siege. Simultaneously fearful and puffed up with importance, he soon starts to think that being the face of the siege (or "siege face" in his words) could be just the tonic his forever ailing career needs. Among those trapped at the station are the hapless Sidekick Simon (the hilarious Tim Key) and Angela (Monica Dolan), a co-worker so socially inept and desperate that she seems a plausible love interest for Alan. It also wouldn't be a Partridge show without Alan's long-suffering assistant Lynn (Felicity Montagu), who is on hand to massage Alan's fragile ego and generally be bossed around and underappreciated. It's interesting to see how the character of Partridge has softened over the years. Initially a misanthropic buffoon with the soul of a parking station, Partridge now seems completely eccentric and devoid of self-awareness but an essentially sympathetic figure who you actually cheer for as he finds himself in way over his head. The lighter tone hasn't led to a lack of laughs though — whether singing along to Roachford, back-announcing his soft rock favourites with baffling non-sequiturs, losing his trousers while managing to lock himself out of the under-siege building or completely misjudging every single conversation he enters, the painfully funny Partridge remains exhibit A in the argument for Coogan's status as a comic genius. While the pitch-perfect slice-of-life series Mid-Morning Matters with Alan Partridge remains the high water mark of the now sprawling Partridge oeuvre, Alpha Papa is a beautifully written and performed work, likely to delight both long-term fans and introduce a broader audience to one of British comedy's most inspired creations. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qywG2-FC6x0
Think you've seen every version of Peter Pan? Think again. In Straight On Till Morning, the boy who never grows up also never ventures out — because he's nestled inside a mental asylum with Wendy and Tink, and receiving treatment from Dr Hook. If it sounds like quite a different take on J. M. Barrie's classic tale, that's because it is. Interwoven with mental health stories from Queensland's past, the immersive theatre show follows the titular character through the hidden rooms and forgotten corridors of The Foundry, while drawing upon talented local spoken word artists, dancers, actors and physical theatre performers.
The annual French Film Festival is touring the country next month and is set to be an entertaining delight for film lovers of all tastes and ages. The festival is a wing of the Alliance Française, an independent, not-for-profit organisation devoted to promoting the spread of French language and culture worldwide. With a presence in over 146 nations and over 30 Alliance Françaises in Australia alone, it is safe to say the organisation has done well in achieving these goals. The Alliance Françaises of Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, and Sydney have joined forces to develop the Film Festival, now in its 24th year. And the 43 films set to screen at this year's festival will certainly not disappoint. The festival has a huge array of productions on offer, sure to sate the appetites of the soppy romantics, the arty, youngsters, those simply looking for a bit of a laugh, nostalgia-sufferers, and even thrillseekers. These films are some of most acclaimed productions to have come out of France over the last 12 months and will have you adoring both the language and the artistic creativity of the French by the time the credits roll. Opening the festival is Haute Cuisine, light fare about a successful chef who is appointed to head the President's kitchen in the Elysee Palace. During the festival you can see Renoir (pictured), a sumptuous film about the feuds of great painters; the erotic tableaux of FEU by Christian Louboutin; the Cannes closer and Audrey Tautou vehicle Therese Desqueyroux; and the pre-Freudian Augustine. The French Film Festival will tour to major capital cities during March and April. Visit their website to see the full program. Concrete Playground has six double passes per city to give away to see the French Film Festival in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The passes entitle you to receive two complimentary tickets to one festival session of choice. To go in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Everyone's favourite 'candy man' first made his way to Aussie shores back in 2019, which is when the smash-hit musical production of Charlie And the Chocolate Factory premiered in Sydney. After also travelling to Melbourne the same year, it was meant to make the trip Brisbane in 2020; however, the pandemic had other plans. Thankfully, Brisbanites aren't missing out on the popular musical. Instead, it's now bring its song-filled stage show to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre's Lyric Theatre in September. Flowers won't be the only thing blooming around the city between Thursday, September 2–Sunday, September 26 — because a hankering for more than a few sweet treats will be, too. In the popular musical, Roald Dahl's classic sugar-dusted tale is brought to life by a collaboration between theatre producers John Frost, Craig Donnell, Langley Park Productions, Neal Street Productions and Warner Bros Theatre Ventures. Following the worldwide popularity of both the original book and the 1971 Gene Wilder film, the musical has been confirmed a sweet success internationally, scoring rave reviews during its stint on Broadway and selling out a heap of shows in Sydney. With original songs like 'The Candy Man' and 'I've Got a Golden Ticket' featured alongside new tunes from the songwriters of Hairspray, this confection of a show promises to lure audiences of all ages into, shall we say, a land of pure imagination. It's directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, with music by Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Marc Shaiman, lyrics courtesy of Grammy and Tony Award winners Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, and choreography by Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse. Images: Brian Geach.
In the 1930s a Spanish pastry chef moved to Tropical North Queensland to build a castle in the rainforest. Think that sounds like something out of a movie? Well, this is a true story. Alongside his new bride Margarita, José Paronella created this fairytale paradise, complete with luxuries such as a tennis court, movie theatre and a glittering ballroom. Paronella planted more than 7000 trees on the grounds, created an artificial lake and built a swinging bridge to hang above the park's very own waterfall. Almost a century later, Paronella Park has taken on a dreamlike quality with a soft layer of bright green moss coating the handmade castle. Explore the sprawling parkland via a 30-minute guided tour filled with wildlife spotting, fish feeding and a historical storytelling of the park. Your entry fee helps fund the continued restoration of this heritage-listed site and is valid for two years so you can experience the magic time and time again. Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
Another beloved film is heading to the theatre — this time, iconic Australian effort Starstruck. It follows in the footsteps of a growing number of Aussie flicks-turned-musicals; think Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Muriel's Wedding and Moulin Rouge!. Like its predecessors, it's easy to see why the film is getting the stage musical treatment. In fact, given the movie's storyline, it's a wonder that a large-scale production of hasn't been made before. Directed by Gillian Armstrong and first released in 1982, the comedy-drama tells the tale of Sydney teenager Jackie Mullens, who works in her mum's pub by the harbour but wants to become a rock star — and her cousin Angus, an aspiring manager, plans to get Jackie on a national TV talent series to help her dreams become a reality. An all-singing, all-dancing affair that'll be filled with 80s pop just like the movie, Starstruck — The Stage Musical will see RGM Productions, the folks behind the Priscilla, Queen of the Desert musical, team up with the National Institute of Dramatic Art. For the show's initial run at Sydney's Parade Theatre in 2019, it'll showcase NIDA's graduating class; however the production will also act as pilot for future commercial seasons. Dates haven't yet been announced, but it's expected to take to the stage towards the end of next year. As well as Priscilla Queen of The Desert, The Musical producer Garry McQuinn and his partner Rina Gill, the behind-the-scenes talent includes director Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Ladies in Black, Muriel's Wedding) and choreographer Andrew Hallsworth (Anything Goes, Sweet Charity), with the book by actor, singer, writer and director Mitchell Butel (Two Hands, Gettin' Square, Holding the Man). "It'll be an exciting adventure to see this warm-hearted little Australian film take shape on the stage," says Phillips. "The story about a couple of self-invented Ozzie kids trying to save their family pub is full of joy and adolescent energy, and NIDA feels like the perfect place to road-test its charms." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucf3bzv-e9M
In some cities, it'll happen in October. In others, it'll occur in November. Either way, folks in a heap of places around Australia are about to learn a very important truth. If you've watched Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun on Netflix — aka the platform's best comedy of 2020 — then you'll have already heard this crucial nugget of wisdom. Everyone could use a reminder, though, because knowing that everything's a drum is just that essential. Aunty Donna, purveyors of such powerful tidbits, are following up their streaming success by spreading the word — and the absurdist gags — countrywide. For the first time in more than three years, the comedy trio is hitting the road and heading to stages in Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart. Even if you haven't yet had your cup of morning brown yet, you'll know that this is exciting news. Writers and performers Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane will be breaking out their distinctive brand of humour between Wednesday, October 6–Friday, November 12, as part of a roadshow they're calling The Magical Dead Cat Tour. They've released a trailer to explain why these gigs have that name, and it's as silly and hilarious as you'd expect. Also part of the clip: the very wise recommendation that wannabe attendees should get their tickets quickly. Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun was just the dose of hilarity we all needed last year, so the troupe's tour is certain to prove the same this year — but in-person. Fingers crossed for more Crazy John's, Four'n Twenty pies, Eagle Boys Pizza, the Hoodoo Gurus and Grant Denyer references. And yes, plenty of funny folks are about to hit the road and bring their amusing shows to Aussie cities — with Aunty Donna touring at around the same time as Bill Bailey and Hannah Gadsby. Check out the trailer for Aunty Donna's The Magical Dead Cat Tour below — and the full tour dates, too: AUNTY DONNA'S THE MAGICAL DEAD CAT TOUR 2021: Wednesday, October 6–Thursday, October 7 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Saturday, October 9–Sunday, October 10 — The Playhouse, Canberra Wednesday, October 13 — Astor Theatre, Perth Thursday, October 21 — Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Wednesday, October 27–Thursday, October 28 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, November 2–Saturday, November 6 — Arts Centre, Melbourne Friday, November 12 — Theatre Royal, Hobart Aunty Donna's The Magical Dead Cat tour will make its way around the country this October and November. For pre-sale tickets until 10am on Thursday, June 17, or for general ticket sales afterwards — and for further information — head to the Aunty Donna website. Top image: Netflix.
