Like beer? Like monsters? Like your brews named after creepy critters, with bottle, can and label artwork to match? Horror-loving drinkers, there's never been a better time to pair your beverages with your fondness for all things scary — but from 12pm on Saturday, October 19 will be even better than usual thanks to Netherworld's Monster Menagerie Beer Festival. The returning event, this year named Monster Menagerie VII: Mystery Menagerie, will bring together nine yeasty tipples, strange creatures and stellar collaborations, all for a day of boozing fun. And if you're wondering why it takes place in October, just think about it for a second. 'Tis the month of Halloween, after all. The big focus in 2024: brews with a mystery ingredient. Taking part: Aether Brewing, Archer Brewing, Hip Hops Brewers, Wayward Brewing Co, Common People Brewing Co, Seeker Brewing, Slipstream Brewing Co and Buddy Brewing — and the delightfully named Hohly Water is back as well. Tickets cost $35, which include a tasting paddle featuring 150 millilitres of each and every one of these nine beers, as well as a limited edition enamel pin and five game tokens. Top image: Cole Bennetts.
Fortitude Valley’s Institute of Modern Art is currently home to an all-star exhibition featuring works that explore the concept of ‘therapy’. Prompted by the work of Melbourne artist Stuart Ringholt and his autobiographical book Hashish Psychosis: What It’s Like to be Mentally Ill and Recover, the IMA presents Let the Healing Begin. In this exhibition, the idea of therapy is tackled from all possible perspectives, with some pieces endorsing therapeutic imperatives and others providing a critical discussion of them. Featuring artists as wide-ranging as Otto Muehl, Marina Abramovic and Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry, the exhibition traverses a number of mediums including mixed-media, video and installation, as well as the more traditional kinds. Particularly enticing are Matt Mullican’s hypnosis-induced alter-ego’s art, Mike Kelley’s political poster about the major health issue resulting from celebrity-induced low self-esteem, and Abramovic’s video piece in which she and fellow performance artist Ulay take turns to slap one another across the face - therapeutically, of course. The IMA never fails to produce original and thought-provoking exhibitions, and this one is a must-see. The show also features work by Julia Dashper, Robin Hungerford, Pierre Molinier, Rose Nolan, Tony Oursler, Grant Stevens, Peter Tyndall and Gillian Wearing.
The sky finally looks lighter in Brisbane, and that's something worth celebrating. Of course, the aftermath of the city's wet and wild weekend hasn't simply faded with the sunshine. Plenty of parts of town are still flooded, and the huge cleanup campaign has just kicked in where waters have receded and it's possible to do so — and if you're getting muddy to help out, Paddington's Sassafras has something else to brighten your day. On Wednesday, March 2, the Latrobe Terrace spot is giving out free eight-ounce takeaway coffees to everyone tackling the cleanup. It's a small gesture, but the little things really do count at times like these. So, if you're spending your day assisting folks with flood-affected homes or businesses — or cleaning up your own — you now have a date with the Paddington cafe. To grab your free cuppa, just make sure to mention that you're doing your part for the Mud Army when you order. And, if you're just dropping by for your regular caffeine fix anyway, there'll also be a bucket on the counter collecting donations for flood relief.
If you fancy getting into the swing of this year's Oktoberfest celebrations, The Bavarian certainly has you sorted. The group is expanding its stable of German-inspired bier halls, opening the doors to its latest venue at Westfield Coomera on the Gold Coast on Thursday, October 11. And to celebrate, they're handing out a whopping 500 free hotdogs from 11am. The hot dogs are made using the Bavarian's signature frankfurter — wood-smoked pork and beef — topped with sauerkraut, tomato sauce and crisp shallots. Given the eatery is just as famous for its sausage offering as it is for its schnitzels and crispy pork knuckles, that's quite the deal. The giveaway is a little taster of the new venue's full weekend program, which runs until Sunday, October 14. From 6pm on Friday, there'll be live oompah music, a sausage-eating competition, plus stein holding, chicken dancing, pork knuckle eating, non-alcoholic beer-chugging and sausage-tossing contests. Then the fun continues across Saturday, including the official keg tap at midday — while anyone who wants to bring littlies along can nab a free kids' menu meal for children under 12 on Sunday. Of course, the German-style fun continues long after the final weekend keg is tapped, too — Bavarian Coomera will be dishing up authentic eats and icy cold steins, all year round.
Street food has fast become the current gastronomic obsession. When The Bun Mobile started driving around Brisbane in 2012, food trucks were a novel concept. Now, the city’s first purveyor of quality meals on wheels has become a local institution, and it has company. The new breed of mobile culinary delights spans all types of cuisines, dishing up delicious delights at affordable prices. At Food Truck PheNomNomNom, nine roaming restaurants will converge upon the Coorparoo Bowls Club for the first event of its kind in Brisbane. Fancy the Mexican tastes of Juan More Taco? Or the hearty Italian of The Pasta Cruiser? Is devouring a woodfired slice of Roam'In Pizza more your style? Do you have a hankering for Thumbs Up Hotdogs? Alongside the cutely named Sushi Neko Food Van and the savoury treats of King of the Wings, these trucks have lunch and dinner covered — but don’t forget dessert. I Love Frozen Yoghurt serves up everyone’s favourite cold concoction, Chocolate Komberry Co. keeps the cronut craze kicking on, and V's Vanilla Van has a solution for poffertjes cravings. With local blues-infused rockers Don & the Mobsters providing jaunty tunes for a enjoyable afternoon, Food Truck PheNomNomNom is the initial instance of what aims to be a regular event. Sample the fun of curbside dining on June 1, from midday to 6pm at Coorparoo Bowls Club (32 Riddings Street, Coorparoo).
When you live in a city that's usually streaming with sunshine all year round, the onset of colder weather can be a shock. Fear not, brrrrrrrr-yelling Brisbanites — the frosty season comes bearing gifts. Indeed, at Riverbar and Kitchen's Winter Festival, there's plenty of things to heat you up. In June, there's negronis in six varieties, including hot mulled negronis. Throughout July, hot mulled cider, red wine sangria and porter punch are on the menu, as are pizza cob loaf every day and the decadent dessert that is s'mores dip. And in August, there'll be Sunday lamb roasts, baked camembert, rum punch and hot buttered rum. Because the last month of winter also marks Ekka time, Winter Festival is also adding a chillier component — a strawberry overdose thanks to strawberry margaritas and strawberry ice cream sandwiches. No matter the weather, it wouldn't be show time without them. Winter Festival kicks on every day until the end of August, complete with open flames, fire pits and faux fur loungers. Entry is free, as is the warm, fuzzy feeling you'll get when you've been heated head-to-toe by hot cocktails, hot food and hanging out by the fire. Updated July 31.
As the famous saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. For many contemporary artists, however, words themselves are an integral part of visual art practice: a powerful tool with which to explore concepts in partnership with — or opposition to — more traditional images. TEXT brings together prints, paintings and sculptures from the QUT Art Museum’s permanent collection that use text in varied, often surprising ways. In some, words serve to emphasise meaning. In others, meaning is skewed, or obscured, by their inclusion. In others still, the text acts as tactile poetry, where the words themselves are art and the method of display becomes secondary — such as in Shaun O’Conner’s ‘Untitled (INA LA)’, a stark, cryptic message in simple, bold print. TEXT opens at QUT Art Museum on 11 September, and continues to 8 November. Image: Madonna Staunton, Numbers game (detail) 2002, metal palette markers, ink bottles and timber box, QUT Art Collection. Purchased 2006 through the Betty Quelhurst Fund.
When the end of October rolls around, Woolloongabba will become the centre of Australian sport — for one big night, when the Brisbane Cricket Ground, aka the Gabba, hosts the first-ever AFL grand final to be held outside of Melbourne. But that won't be the only thing motivating Brisbanites to head to the area in the coming weeks, with the inner-city suburb also welcoming two new eateries in the Trafalgar Lane precinct. Running off Stanley Street directly across from the Gabba, the laneway will soon be home to La Stazione Pizzeria and Bar and Sichuan Tiger, which'll serve up Italian and south-west Chinese cuisine, respectively. Opening at yet-to-be-revealed dates in early October, the former marks a second location for the existing Milton pizza joint, while the latter is the second venue from the folks behind Everton Park's Sichuan Papa. At La Stazione, pizza lovers will be able to grab a slice in a 140-square-metre space, including in an outdoor area. If the chain's Milton menu is any guide, diners can expect authentic favourites (such as margherita, parma and capricciosa pizzas) alongside Aussie staples (meat lovers, barbecue chicken and marinara, for example). La Stazione also dishes up multiple types of pasta, as well as other Italian faves like bruschetta, arancini and veal scalopppini — and hosts different nights for $15 pizzas and $15 pastas. Over at Sichuan Tiger, it'll showcase dishes by head chef Tiger Zhang, with a focus on small plates and share plates. Start off with bao, dumplings, buns or roasted duck pancakes, then tuck into poached fish, crispy chilli chicken, double-cooked pork belly, either Sichuan or Shanghai-style mud crab or spicy crayfish, plus honey king prawns, sweet and sour pork, and duck fried rice. Size-wise, Sichuan Tiger will nestle into a 161-square-metre space. La Stazione Pizzeria and Bar and Sichuan Tiger are set to open in early October in Trafalgar Lane, 855 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba.
When the colonising British left Nigeria in 1960, the nation welcomed a new era of transformation, but with independence came instability. This festering civil unrest forms the backdrop of Half of a Yellow Sun, with personal troubles coloured by political uncertainty. As the country attempts to cope with the fighting of power-seeking factions, two sisters become immersed in the conflict. In her 2006 bestseller and Orange Prize for Fiction winner, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie balanced the broader context of the war with the circumstances of twins Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Anika Noni Rose), their efforts to forge lives beyond their well-to-do Lagos upbringing forever shaped by Nigeria's volatility. The film adaptation, written and directed by novelist and playwright Biyi Bandele in his directorial debut, sparkles with potential but plays out with predictability. The setting and the characters may be unique to this tale, but audiences have seen the story — or one just like it — many times before. Providing the punctuation between handsomely shot scenes, archival newsreel footage furnishes chapter stops to the episodic slices of the siblings' lives, with Olanna the film's centre. A sociology professor freshly returned from London, she struggles with her romance with revolutionary-leaning fellow academic Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), blissful domesticity never a potential outcome. Odenigbo's overbearing mother (Onyeka Onwenu) is forceful with her disapproval, and instrumental in his affairs. Running the family business, Kainene flits in and out of Olanna's orbit with her British lover, writer Richard (Joseph Mawle), offering her own headstrong opinions and status-climbing ambitions. As a melodrama of strained interpersonal relationships that threatens to betray its based-on-a-true-story origins, Half of a Yellow Sun makes its emotional arcs apparent. As a portrait of the Biafran war, it goes to great efforts to show the wide-ranging impact upon the Nigerian populace, never shying away from the many horrors. What proves less successful is the use of the former to enhance the latter. An emotionally embellished narrative isn't needed to emphasise the devastation and turbulence of the civil war, nor is the absence of subtlety to the feature's benefit. Within such confines, the cast switch between concentrated emoting and smouldering restraint, Newton and Ejiofor faring best as the obvious points of focus. Their innate talents anchor the sentiments beyond their sweeping treatment in the story, even if the feature's female leads swiftly stand in their male co-stars' shadows. Sumptuous but strained, Half of a Yellow Sun thus waxes and wanes between its aspirations and authenticity, reaching for more but restricted by its adherence to convention and cliche. Resonance lingers, but more so in the reality than the depiction. The true scenario speaks for itself, with the incursion of overt theatrics lessening the film's power. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WlINmnyLO9E
For a few days the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is hosting a sales event of most peculiar stock. Strange things they are, full of pages, rampant with words and with covers of the most beautiful colours. You can’t charge them, they don’t run out of battery, their brightness is unalterable, and they won’t smash when you drop them and have them lost forever. Lifeline Bookfest is back for another round of vintage bargains and startling ranges of everything from Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbooks to a bit of cheeky erotica. If you’re been before, you’ll know there are warehouse quantities of books for sale – your grade five diary is probably hidden under a copy of Shantaram, and you’ll come across at least three copies of Cooking with Days of Our Lives. Prices range from cents to the big bucks – bring a trolley and your glasses and absorb yourself in books.
Wine is a good time. Whether you're cracking a bottle of bubbly to celebrate something big or sipping a glass of red as you cook a midweek dinner, grape juice is a solid booze option. With so many wineries, grape varieties, styles, vintages, terroirs and tannins, the world of wine is both fascinating and exceedingly overwhelming. At the end of the day, though, you just want a tasty wine that'll suit your current scenario, which is where we come in. For the sake of journalism (and our love of wine), we teamed up with Vivino to chat about the wines we've been drinking, sipping and sinking this season. From juicy pink-hued pét-nats and stone fruit-forward skin contact vinos to zippy whites and inky Aussie reds that pair exceptionally well with spag bol, these bottles are the ones we reach for time and time again — and we reckon you will, too. Need to know even more about the drop you're about to drink? Then take a snap of the bottle in your hand — or simply search for it — in the Vivino app. There, you'll find zero-bullshit reviews, ratings, taste characteristics and prices from more regular wine drinkers. And, if you can't be bothered to track down a bottle IRL, you can also purchase some of them from Vivino, too, and get it delivered straight to your door. 2020 UNICO ZELO ESOTERICO SKIN CONTACT BLEND It's extremely rare that I buy the same wine more than once — I am, after all, an attention span-lacking millennial obsessed with the next shiny new thing. So, for a drop to have a permanent spot in my liquor lineup is a big deal. Enter Esoterico, from Adelaide Hills-based winery Unico Zelo. This amber-hued drop, made from a blend of fiano, zibbibo, moscato giallo, gewürztraminer and greco, is a real all-rounder. It carried me through some pivotal 2021 moments; its decent level of texture and funkiness made all those lockdown loungeroom parties a little more fun. It has notes of citrus and stone fruits, particularly mandarin and apricot, so it was the perfect drop during the picnic era. And it's acidic — almost spicy — so it has served me well over summer, too. Want more reviews? Check them out on Vivino, then buy yourself a bottle. Melanie Colwell, Branded Content Editor [caption id="attachment_833746" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Samantha Teague[/caption] 2020 BODEGA ALBAMAR ALBARIŃO At an early Sunday dinner at recently opened wine bar La Salut, in Sydney's Redfern, I had a delightful glass of albariño from the Rías Baixas region in Spain (an area famous for that particular grape type). This wine is all bright, vibrant, delicate citrus vibes — extremely non-intimidating — and was the perfect bedfellow to the salty flavour-packed Catalan-inspired bites. It's like the white wine equivalent of running through a sprinkler after an innings of cricket on a hot summer day. But with alcohol! You can read more reviews of Albamar Albariño on Vivino. Suz Tucker, Editorial Director 2021 EXPRESS WINEMAKERS L'ORANGE SKIN CONTACT WHITE Hailing from a single vineyard in the deep south of WA, the amber-hued L'Orange from Express Winemakers brings sunshine straight to my hand. The skin contact white — mostly riesling, with a dash of semillon — is bright, juicy and sends off the same vit C vibes that its namesake fruit does. Ryan O'Meara, the young and fun gung-ho winemaker, kept those precious skins on for six days to deliver a tart, textured drop that's everything you'd expect from a skinsy sip. I'm a pét-nat lover at heart, but this white is the perfect go-between. I've got a bottle sitting tight for my upcoming weekender in western NSW, and I'll be pouring an ice-cold glass for my whole gang before we watch that golden sun set and breathe in the fresh country air. Want to nab yourself a glass too? You can purchase it from Vivino. Grace MacKenzie, Junior Staff Writer 2020 ARFION FEVER SKIN CONTACT BLEND Whenever I feel like drinking wine, I like to leave it to the experts. This includes when I'm at my local bottle-o, where most of my interactions with the staff usually go something like this: they see me staring in the skin contact wine section, they sniff out that I'm clueless, they ask me what I like, then they recommend a drop — and they always get it right. A recent delight was the 2020 Arfion Fever from the Yarra Valley. This bright, refined orange wine is a blend of five varieties — pinot gris, chardonnay, gewürztraminer, pinot noir and savagnin — that are fermented on skins, and the result is criminally delicious. It's one of those wines where, after the first sip, my partner and I gave each other an involuntary and knowing nod to say we'd be buying another bottle of this moreish nectar. And that we did — twice. Check out more reviews of Arfion Fever on Vivino. Courtney Ammenhauser, Branded Content Producer 2021 BRAVE NEW WINE NAT DADDY PÉT-NAT Brave New Wine's Nat Daddy pét-nat became my go-to drop for the wave of picnics that hit during that two-week period last year when al fresco hangs were the only way you could see your mates. The fizzy and fruity blend of shiraz and sauvignon blanc basically begs to be drunk on a warm afternoon in the park. Brave New Wine has been producing vibrant, highly drinkable wines out of Western Australia's Great Southern wine region for the past five years. Each bottle is created with minimal intervention, is naturally fermented, and comes adorned with a fun eye-catching label that sets the tone for the light and breezy pét-nat. While variety is the spice of life, I keep coming back to Nat Daddy — and it's sure to feature heavily in my plans throughout 2022. Want to know more about this bottle of bubbly? You can read more reviews of Brave New Wine Nat Daddy on Vivino. Ben Hansen, Staff Writer 2019 GRANT BURGE BAROSSA INK SHIRAZ As the only New Zealand-based team member, I should absolutely be advocating for any of the world-class Kiwi drops. Instead, I'm risking my citizenship and coming in hot with this big, bold South Australian number, which has received cult-like status in recent years (it actually took home the top gong for wines under $25 in Australia's Vivino Community Awards). This wine has been named Ink Shiraz as it's so rich and full-bodied that it almost has a Ribena-like quality, making it the best accompaniment to a giant steak or a table full of Italian food. I know what you're thinking — a rich red, Sarah? In summer? But hear me out. Book in a night to yourself at home, turn the air-con as low it can go, and enjoy a large glass of this with a giant bowl of spag bol and the latest episode of Succession. Instant happiness. So, buy yourself a bottle of Grant Burge Barossa Ink Shiraz from Vivino, stat. Sarah Templeton, New Zealand Editor 2020 KERRI GREENS PINOTS DE MORNINGTON ROSÉ If you're after a vino primed for catch-ups, this unfiltered drop from the Mornington Peninsula's Kerri Greens will definitely be your groove. When it comes to pink wine, the Pinots de Mornington rosé is my go-to. It's dry and moreish, with good texture and creaminess, and a taste that's reminiscent of fresh strawberries and cream. The blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and pinot gris grapes also delivers some fun forest fruit flavours. It's also the kind of sip that stands up well alongside food — a handy trait if you like to snack your way through a Sunday sesh like me. Hot tip: match it with some fresh prawns and you'll be one happy chappy. All up, this drop is essential summer quaffing, and a primo accompaniment to beach picnics, barbecues and park sessions alike — and that's coming from a diehard beer fiend. Sound good? You can read more reviews of Kerri Greens Pinots de Mornington on Vivino, too. Libby Curran, Staff Writer Download the Vivino app and start discovering more ideal summer sips to stock up on — then buy them straight from the app. For more wine inspo, check out this year's Vivino Community Awards. Top image: Winona, Kitti Gould.
A couple of years back, when Disney launched its own streaming platform, fans of its animated classics, beloved hits and many, many super-popular franchises were able to binge their way through the Mouse House's back catalogue from the comfort of their couch. That's still the case, of course; however, movie buffs are also being asked to leave their houses to check out a selection of the company's famed titles — all thanks to the pop-up Disney+ Drive-In that's returning to the Gold Coast. Yes, a streaming service is running a drive-in. Or, to put it another way, a product designed to get everyone watching on small screens at home is endeavouring to lure viewers out to watch its flicks on a big screen from their cars. That's a very pandemic-era situation, with Disney+ first teaming up with Openair Cinemas to make it happen in Brisbane last year, then bringing it to the Goldie earlier year — and now heading back to the latter again between Thursday, November 25–Monday, January 3. The drive-in will set up at the Carrara Sports Parking Precinct near Metricom Stadium, with a lineup that everything from 10 Things I Hate About You, Moulin Rouge! and Love, Simon to Cruella, Raya and the Last Dragon, Free Guy and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Also on the bill: Pretty Woman's 90's rom-com vibes, the animated version of The Lion King, Deadpool's spin on the superhero genre, and the Anne Hathaway-starring The Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada. The drive-in's dates fall over Christmas, too, so Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Die Hard, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol and The Santa Clause will screen as well. Popcorn, snacks and drinks will be available onsite — or you can bring your own. It's strictly a no-alcohol affair, though. If you're keen, you'll want to get in quick, as only a limited number of cars will be allowed in each night. And, ticket-wise, you'll be paying $40 per vehicle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE7qjQlfoRs
Throwing its support behind bushfire-affected Australians, efforts to combat the ongoing blazes and recovery activities — all worthy causes close to everyone's hearts at present — The Tivoli is putting on a huge benefit gig. The aim: to raise $100,000. And, the inner-city venue has enlisted Megan Washington, Matt Corby and The Kite String Tangle to help. All three will take to the stage at Raise 'Em Up — Raising the Roof for Australian Bushfire Relief, which'll kick off at 5pm on Saturday, January 25. They'll be joined by Asha Jefferies, Ngaiire and The Riot, with more artists to be announced. The concert will also feature a party in the car park outside, food trucks and community raffles to raise more funds. [caption id="attachment_757056" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Megan Washington via Bruce Baker via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] All ticket, bar and merchandise profits from the night will be donated to two organisations, with the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal receiving 70 percent of the funds and WIRES – The NSW Wildlife Information Rescue and Emergency Services getting the other 30 percent. Price-wise, this big party a pick-your-figure kind of affair — pay either $50, $75, $100, $150 or $200, depending on what you can afford to give. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday, January 9. Top image: The Tivoli.
Welcome to Australia's first sofubi exhibit. You might not immediately think that you know what that is, or that you should be excited — but you probably do, and you really should. Sofubi is the Japanese nickname for soft vinyl toys, as first seen in the form of cute mascot characters in the '60s and monster toys in the '70s. Today, they're made by hand and with care by experienced craftsmen in Japan. They're also regarded as the world’s best grade of vinyl toy as a result. That's why Bad Teeth Comics, Derrr Toys and Laced Brisbane have joined forces to show their love for the modern indie vinyl toy movement for one night only. Work by over 20 artists from Japan, Australia, the US and the UK will be on display, and for sale. There'll even be a few exclusive releases that you won't see elsewhere, for those extra keen on adding to — or starting, perhaps? — their own collection. Image via UAMOU.
Who would've thought that little old, humble-as-anything Southside Tea Room would make it to two years old? Pretty much everyone, right? As grand holders of the infamous white chocolate and Turkish delight brownie, leaders in themed trivia, music, and movie nights, they’ve spent a good two years working their way to the top of Brisbane's artistic and culinary food chain – and now it's time to celebrate! In a night of great tunes, free brownies, streamers, free brownies, an over-excited rendition of happy birthday, free brownies and I’m a guess a hell of a lot of sugar- and alcohol-induced dancing, Southside Tea Room’s Second Birthday Bash is an event you can’t really afford to miss. There will be hugs, cheer, beer and some pretty excited faces under just as wild party hats. BYO novelty straw. A joint that has sold itself as a home away from home, with three times as much food, beer and entertainment, we all owe them a birthday drink, or a high five at least. So truck long at 5pm this Friday, present in one hand, cinnamon babka in the other, yell Happy Birthday, and party all night!
If rice wrapped in nori is your idea of a perfect meal, then you might have June 18 permanently circled on your calendar. Each and every year, that's when the world's sushi devotees celebrate their favourite food for International Sushi Day. We're not saying that the Japanese dish will taste better on that date, but if you just can't get enough of it, it's definitely time to celebrate. This year, to mark the occasion, ten restaurants across Australia are offering a tasty special — and one that your bank account will like, too. If you live in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide — and on the Gold and Sunshine coasts — you can nab $1 sushi all day long via Deliveroo. Lunch, sorted. Sydneysiders can choose between Sushi Dining DEN Vaucluse and Kokoroya Japanese Sushi Dining, while Melburnians will need to order from SUPERHIRO Japanese Food & Bar by Yoyogi and Wabi Sushi. In Brisbane, Sushi Kotobuki and Sushi Lovers Rosalie are doing the honours, and Adelaide's Kintaro Sushi Brickworks and Kintaro Sushi Kurralta Park are also joining in. You can check out the full list below. To get your fix, all you need to do is jump on to Deliveroo, search for "$1 deals" and order — only on Saturday, June 18. Exactly which varieties you can score for $1 differ per store, but we see everything from teriyaki chicken, prawn tempura and karaage chicken with lettuce to salmon avocado, spicy tuna and chicken schnitzel rolls in your future. There is a $10 minimum order limit, and you can only get three $1 rolls per order — and while stocks last. INTERNATIONAL SUSHI DAY RESTAURANTS SYDNEY Sushi Dining DEN Vaucluse Kokoroya Japanese Sushi Dining MELBOURNE SUPERHIRO Japanese Food & Bar by Yoyogi Wabi Sushi BRISBANE Sushi Kotobuki Sushi Lovers Rosalie GOLD COAST Sushi Doori SUNSHINE COAST Flaming Sushi House ADELAIDE Kintaro Sushi Brickworks Kintaro Sushi Kurralta Park
What's better than one sprawling music festival taking over Fortitude Valley's streets? Two in the space of a month, obviously. Valley Fiesta will arrive at the end of October, delivering live tunes aplenty for three days — and then, come Saturday, November 28, it's Big Summer Block Party time. A new event from music industry development association Q Music, as well as the folks behind BIGSOUND — which was cancelled this year due to the pandemic — Big Summer Block Party is exactly what it sounds like. Sure, it's actually taking place a few days before summer officially starts; however, it'll see 21 different acts take over seven Valley venues, and shut down Warner Street for the occasion. BIGSOUND alumni such as Eves Karydas, First Beige, Jesswar, Sampology, Golden Vessel, Clea, Eliza & The Delusionals and LÂLKA lead the bill, and will take to the stage at Black Bear Lodge, Kickons, O'Skulligans, The Brightside, The Brightside — Outdoors, The Outpost and The Zoo. As for Warner Street, it'll shut down for the evening — with the party running from 4–9pm — to host tunes, food trucks and outdoor bars, as well as local DJs on the decks. And, in news that everyone's wallet will love, entry is free. [caption id="attachment_711489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Brightside[/caption] BIG SUMMER BLOCK PARTY LINEUP: Eves Karydas LISI Jesswar Eliza & The Delusionals First Beige Sampology Golden Vessel Clea dameeeela Asha Jefferies Karl S Williams THE RIOT Hayley Marsten Moss LÂLKA Being Jane Lane Jelly Oshen Wildheart Beckah Amani Sachém Colie Big Summer Block Party will take over Warner Street, Fortitude Valley — and Black Bear Lodge, Kickons, O'Skulligans, The Brightside, The Brightside — Outdoors, The Outpost and The Zoo — from 4–9pm on Sunday, November 28. For further information, head to the event' website.
Fancy a trip to the Amalfi Coast but can't get enough time off work? Head to Tetto Rooftop Bar to get your Italian vacation fix without the jet lag. This neighbourhood bar is a favourite for folks who love to be sun-drenched while they sip. And it's the cocktails that take centre stage at this breezy rooftop bar — cocktail tree anyone? Make a date with your mates to hit up 'Sunset Sips' from 4–6pm Monday–Friday and 2–4pm on Sundays to catch the resident DJs play and nab $10 Aperol spritz and $12 margaritas. And while you're there, try the morish bolognese arancini, vodka Napoli bruschetta or mushroom and truffle gnocchi.
The term 'best of both worlds' certainly applies to beer yoga. Exercise, alcohol — what's not to love? And we'll all just happily overlook the fact that one counteracts the other because simultaneously sipping and stretching is just so much fun. This batch of brew-fuelled active sessions boasts a little something extra, however. When you're doing your best downward-facing dog and then pausing to take a drink, you'll be doing all of the above in a brewery. Just join the folks at Ballistic Beer Co fortnightly on Thursdays, with the remaining sessions for 2022 spanning from August 18–December 8. That means that you can head by on August 18; September 1, 15 and 29; October 13 and 27; November 10 and 24; and December 8. You'll want to head to Ballistic's Salisbury digs, and arrive at 5.45pm for a 6pm start. The session will only set you back $15, which includes the class and a Ballistic beer — and it's a BYO yoga mat situation.
The La Boite Indie season comprises six carefully selected theatre pieces of dazzling range, two of which are showcased to the Brisbane public – Joy, Fear and Poetry is one brilliant break-through performance to emerge and grace audiences. Breathing the nostalgic ideas of childhood into viewers, Joy, Fear and Poetry presents an unsettling picture of the modern day child and the life they lead. The protagonists of this story are children aged 8 to 12, who make, create and philosophise, sharing their perspectives of life in live performance. In playful integration of digital projection, video, animation and iPad play, Joy, Fear and Poetry is a startling and complex journey into the psyche of the 21st Century Child. Invite yourself to be unsettled in La Boite Indie’s latest theatrical hit.
What a difference fleshed-out characters and a committed cast can make. This shouldn't really be news, but plenty of movies seem happy to overlook both — especially in the popular sub-genre that is the big night out comedy. "Who needs more than stereotypes when everyone's drinking, partying and acting like a lunatic?" appears to be the usual line of thinking. "And why bother with good performances when the script is a bundle of cliches?" The answer to both questions is on display in Girls Trip, a genuine and largely entertaining film that'll help wipe Rough Night and the recent Hangover sequels from your brain. As certain as it's a fact that no good can come from drinking absinthe, Girls Trip follows a tried-and-tested path involving four friends, a raucous weekend away and a crazy amount of alcohol. It's not hard to predict what will happen as self-help guru Ryan (Regina Hall), gossip columnist Sasha (Queen Latifah), single mother Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) and wild child Dina (Tiffany Haddish) head to New Orleans for the annual Essence festival. Once close college pals dubbed the Flossy Posse, they've lost touch of late, becoming caught up in their own lives and troubles. A lavish vacation and a let-loose attitude might be just what they need. We're not going to reveal exactly what the gang gets up to, since that would spoil the fun. The point is, the details don't really matter. Viewers have seen most of it before and director Malcolm D. Lee knows it — although to their credit, writers Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver still find a few unique inclusions. Even so, Girls Trip is unmistakably the latest in the recent string of ladies-behaving-badly flick (think Bridesmaids, Bad Moms and Fun Mom Dinner), and it doesn't do much differently, plot-wise. If anything, one of the reasons that the movie stands out is because it isn't pretending to tell a new story. Rather, it's happy evoking laughs while also feeling authentic. And it's that authenticity that's key. Plenty of the gags swing and miss, and some are downright cringeworthy. How much you'll chuckle in certain parts of the film might depend on your threshold for gross-out humour, while other scenes definitely overstay their welcome. Yet there's an energy and intimacy to Girls Trip that's inescapable. As silly, crude and debauched as the antics get, the warmth and joy surrounding the four protagonists continually sets the movie apart from its predecessors. These gals are written and played like real women who are actually friends, instead of bland female figures being humiliated to prove they're just as unruly as men. Kudos, too, to Hall, Latifah, Pinkett Smith and Haddish. Depicting characters who not only seem like they want to hang out with each other, but that audiences want to spend time with, isn't as easy as it sounds. Doing it within a bawdy comedy is all the more difficult still. The quartet repeatedly hit the mark, with Pinkett Smith a particular delight as the tightly wound mum learning to be herself again, and Haddish not only stealing every scene she's in but putting her stamp all over the film. To say that her delivery of bedroom tips will stick with you is definitely an understatement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnqkPpSn94Y
Few things in this life are perfect. You have to hand it to Byblos and Gelato Messina, however, because their March-long collaboration comes pretty, pretty, pretty close. One serves up drinks, the other provides the gelato to go in them, and everybody wins — especially anyone who wants to devour ice cream-filled cocktails. And let's face it, who doesn't? When there's gin and gelato blends featuring salted coconut mango salsa, blood orange, pear and rhubarb, passionfruit and pandan coconut on offer, who can resist? If your tastebuds are tingling, just head to the Portside spot every Sunday this month from 3pm. Plus, as well as the cruisy riverside setting, this boozy end-of-weekend session also comes with live music.
What do Leonard Cohen, Michael Leunig and The Bedroom Philosopher all have in common? They will all be making an appearance or inspiring a session at this year's Queensland Poetry Festival. This unlikely mix is just a taste of the diverse, innovative program on offer at the state's premier event for all things poetic arts. Festival co-directors David Stavanger and Anne-Marie Te Whiu once again bring their discipline-crossing, boundary-pushing vision to showcasing the art form via a plethora of sessions. In their third year at the helm, expect everything from tributes to dearly departed artists to performances of cat songs while wearing cat costumes — and literary cabaret, musos getting into spoken word, cartooning, short films, parties and the first ever QPF Publishers & Zine Fair as well. The 2017 Queensland Poetry Festival takes place from August 24 to 27 at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, Bloodhound Bar, Brisbane Square Library and Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre..
It's 27 years since The Cult's first album went platinum. Electric's impossibly high energy saw the Bedford-born rock band's career explode overnight. Perhaps it was something to do with the crazy circumstances in which it was recorded. "[Electric's] definitely a Polaroid of a certain period in my life," frontman Ian Astbury told Max TV recently. "New York City, 1986, when New York was kind of lawless ... We barely slept making that record ... We'd pretty much get up, go to the studio, work till midnight, maybe 1am, go out, come in at seven in the morning, and go do it again, every day." Now, as part of their Electric 13 World Tour, The Cult are going to play the entire album live for Australian audiences for the first time. It's a kind of sequel to their 2009 Love Live Tour, which Astbury described as "such an incredible experience". The show will include a second set, featuring tracks from the band's eight other studio albums. https://youtube.com/watch?v=k6PgftKbQnQ
Celebrating ten years since Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio decided to fill a Melbourne alleyway with tunes in 2005, Laneway Festival returns with one of its biggest lineups yet. After Burger Records' Lee Rickard took a BIGSOUND opportunity to confirm the Laneway attendance of Mac DeMarco and his mum Agnes, the entire 2015 lineup has finally been dropped this morning. Returning to the Australian touring circuit is UK on-repeat outfit Jungle, festival jaw-droppers Future Islands and Melbourne's lives-up-to-the-hype queen Courtney Barnett. Two of the biggest hypecards of the bunch, FKA Twigs and BANKS, will fight for the midnight hushed vocal crown. Then there's the ever-epic St. Vincent, punk-as-fuck UK band Eagulls, smooooooth king Flying Lotus, Harlem's top-of-the-game hip hop outfit Ratking and the triumphant returns of Lykke Li, Rustie, Jon Hopkins, POND and crisp-as-blazes Caribou. But enough talk, here's that lineup you're after. Laneway Festival 2015 Lineup: Agnes DeMarco* Andy Bull Angel Olsen BANKS Benjamin Booker Caribou Connan Mockasin Courtney Barnett Dune Rats Eagulls Eves*** FKA Twigs Flight Facilities Flying Lotus (Layer 3) Future Islands* Highasakite Jesse Davidson** Jon Hopkins* Jungle Little Dragon Lykke Li Mac DeMarco Mansionair Perfect Pussy Peter Bibby POND Ratking Raury Royal Blood* Rustie Seekae SOHN St Vincent* Vic Mensa *Exclusive to Laneway: no sideshows **Laneway Adelaide only ***Exclusive to East Coast shows only Kicking off in Singapore on Saturday, January 24 in The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay, Laneway will run through seven dates finishing up at its new home in Fremantle's Esplanade Reserve and West End on Sunday, February 8. St Jerome's Laneway Festival 2015 dates and venues: Saturday 24 January — SINGAPORE - THE MEADOW, GARDENS BY THE BAY Monday 26 January — AUCKLAND - SILO PARK Saturday 31 January — BRISBANE - BRISBANE SHOWGROUNDS, BOWEN HILLS (16+) Sunday 1 February — SYDNEY - SYDNEY COLLEGE OF THE ARTS (SCA), ROZELLE Friday 6 February — ADELAIDE - HARTS MILL, PORT ADELAIDE (16+) Saturday 7 February — MELBOURNE - FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE (FCAC) + THE RIVER’S EDGE Sunday 8 February — FREMANTLE - ESPLANADE RESERVE AND WEST END Image: Aaron Webber.
The Brisbane Underground Film Festival (BUFF) brings to you a host of films for those whose love of cinema goes beyond the megaplex. Each year BUFF screens the recent, the risky, the curious, underrated and the overlooked. With everything from the highbrow of experimental and video art to the lowbrow of slapstick, blood and boobies, all who attend are guaranteed the most interesting films around. You can take your pick from the following cinegraphic delights: Thu 1 Nov 7pm - The Colour Wheel (screens with Kappa)Thu 1 Nov 9pm - The Comedy (screens with Hansel and Gretel)Fri 2 Nov 7pm - Video Diary of a Lost Girl (screens with Polly, Jennifer and Melissa)Fri 2 Nov 9pm - You Are What You Eat! Get thee to the Vomitorium! (With an introductory talk by Jack Sargeant)Sat 3 Nov 12pm - Zero Killed (screens with Parallel Paradoks)Sat 3 Nov 7pm - The Wolf Knife (screens with Holiday)Sat 3 Nov 9pm - Showgirls 2 Due to the nature of the films, it is an 18+ event (ID may be required). Otherwise, it’s “the most fun you can have in a dark room with strangers”.
In need of some new procrastination material? Well, you're in luck. Google image search 'Banff' and spend a few minutes (or half an hour) taking in the gorgeous pictures of snow-capped mountains, aqua water and towering pines. It's impossible to not daydream about holidaying somewhere far-flung and exciting while ogling these picture-perfect views, as we're sure you'll agree. Thankfully, from April 3 to 8, you'll have the opportunity to slip into this magical world without ever leaving Brisbane. Brisbane Powerhouse is once again hosting Banff Mountain Film Festival's 2017 tour — the event's latest stopover, after beginning back in 1976. Its stunning cinematography attracts film buffs and adventurers alike making the festival popular across the world today. Every November, hundreds of films enter the competition with the cream of the crop chosen to entertain and amaze festival goers. Some of the featured flicks battled it out in categories including Best Film on Mountain Sport, Best Film on Mountain Environment, Best Film on Mountain Culture, Best Film on Exploration and Adventure, People's Choice Award and more.
The zero-waste movement started small, with cafes, bars, farmers markets and environmental groups encouraging us to ditch single-use cups, bags and straws. Now, the big guys have finally joined the party. Last month, Maccas pledged to ditch plastic straws by 2020 and Woollies has ditched single-use plastic bags (Coles will hopefully follow suit on August 29). And the latest company to jump on board is 7-Eleven, who has just launched a (surprisingly) great product. The world-first reusable coffee cup, dubbed the rCUP, is made from six recycled takeaway coffee cups. Costing a reasonable $15, the cup is made in collaboration with Simply Cups — a coffee cup recycling company that functions across Australia and the UK. Since launch, Simply Cups has upcycled more than 1.48 million takeaway cups into reusable cups, car park bumpers and hospital trays. The rCUP is 100 percent leak proof (supposedly) and fully insulated, so if you forget about your coffee it'll still be hot half-an-hour later. It's also available at all 7-Eleven stores across the country. To make the rCUPs, 7-Eleven needs single-use takeaway cups — and it's collecting them at over 200 stores across NSW, Vic, Qld and WA, too. The stores are collecting all takeaway coffee cups (not just their own), Slurpee cups and plastic straws to recycle together with Simply Cups. So next time you forget your keep cup, you don't have to feel as guilty. The rCUP is now available at all Australian 7-Eleven stores. You can recycle your takeaway coffee cups, plastic straws and Slurpee cups at select stores in NSW, Vic, Qld and WA.
When The Dead Heart Beats is the latest collaborative show of Alex Gillies and Murdoch Stafford. Murdoch Stafford’s work generally graces people’s t-shirts, the album covers of great bands and sometimes a skateboard or two. His work at When The Dead Heart Beats won’t be on someone’s chest or being shredded beneath their feet, so you’ll be able to look at them properly and for as long as you like without freaking people out. Alex Gillies makes woodblock images and relief prints, all of which he learned how to do from the old dusty books in his library. He did his first woodblock carving on a skateboard in May 2008 and hasn’t stopped making them since. Separately they’ve been hard at work for the past six-to-twelve months on their own projects, over 20 of which will be shown at Nine Lives. However, the crux of When The Dead Heart Beats is a collaborative piece titled When The Demon Knife Weeps, themed around Japanese demonology and the world of the Samurai. Image credit: Alex Gillies via Nine Lives Gallery
"He is the most accomplished man in Europe in riding, running, shooting, fencing, dancing, music." Writing in his diary in 1779 about Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, American Founding Father and future second US President John Adams didn't hold back with his praise. But the world has barely taken his cue in the nearly two-and-a-half centuries since, letting the tale of this gifted French Creole violinist, conductor and composer slip from wider attention. Within a sumptuous period drama that's charmingly, confidently and commandingly led by Kelvin Harrison Jr — with the Waves, The High Note, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Cyrano star full of mesmerising swagger, and also endlessly compelling as a talent forced to struggle as a person of colour in a white aristocratic world — Chevalier endeavours to redress this failing of history. Veteran television director Stephen Williams (Watchmen, Westworld, Lost) and screenwriter Stefani Robinson (Atlanta, What We Do in the Shadows) begin their Bologne biopic boldly, playfully and with a front-on confrontation of the "Black Mozart" label that's surrounded their subject when he has been remembered — even if they also commence Chevalier with likely fiction. In pre-revolution Paris in the late 18th century, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Joseph Prowen, Father Brown) has an enraptured crowd in his thrall as he both plays and conducts. He pauses, then prompts his audience for requests. The response comes as a surprise: Bologne striding down the aisle, asking if he too can pick up a violin, then getting duelling with the musical instrument against the acclaimed maestro. Williams and Robinson start their film with a statement, announcing that they're celebrating a life that's been left not only ignored and erased — especially in a realm that's so often considered old, stuffy and definitely not culturally diverse — but also been stuck lingering in someone else's shadow. Chevalier's opening scene is well-staged, instantly rousing and a clever kickoff that speaks volumes — also cheer-worthy, as its on-screen viewers heartily deem it — and, most crucially, it sets the tone for Bologne's continual battle. He won't go mano a mano with Mozart again, but he'll never stop fighting in various fashions. Being underestimated, undervalued and worse due to his race is sadly his life story, which Chevalier places front and centre. As 2013's Belle did in focusing on Dido Elizabeth Belle, the film makes plain the prejudices and politics of the era in a genre that too rarely genuinely interrogates either. The world of Bridgerton may now peer backwards with romantic fantasy and colourblind casting, but that isn't the same as stepping through the experiences of someone who should be far better known, and undoubtedly would be if not for the reaction to their heritage. When he's still a boy (debutant Reuben Anderson) being installed in the only boarding school that will take him, far away from the French colony of Guadeloupe that has always been his home, Joseph is told by his father (Jim High, Foundation) that he must always be excellent in order to be accepted. From that exchange onwards, Bologne chases greatness in all matters — with a foil in his hand, and both performing and writing music, most notably. But even as he impresses Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton, Barbie) as an adult, is bestowed the knightly chevalier title and gets a chance to compete to lead the Paris Opera, French society remains quick to drip scorn whenever he exceeds the parts that they'll let him play. Whatever heights he's allowed to reach, he's still viewed as the illegitimate son of white plantation owner and an enslaved Senegalese teen. Williams and Robinson unpack the complexities of Bologne's friendship with the queen, whose progressive ideals are pushed to the fore purely when she's confident in her popularity, and his, among the court. Over both of their futures, the French Revolution looms inescapably — although Chevalier stops before depicting Bologne's time leading an all-Black regiment. Instead, it hones in on two interconnected plot points: that attempt to obtain France's top music post and a romance. For the coveted job, he vies for glory against the snooty and dismissive Christoph Gluck (Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Marriage). In affairs of the heart, he falls for Marie-Joséphine de Comarieu (Samara Weaving, Scream VI), wife of the stern military figure Marquise de Montalembert (Marton Csokas, The Last Duel), after convincing her to sing in the opera that's meant to secure his dream gig. Chevalier repeatedly anchors Bologne's journey in a blatant truth, albeit one that he doesn't see: that the more entrenched he thinks he is within France's upper echelons, the more he's immersed in a discriminatory system that'll never truly welcome him. When his mother Nanon (Ronke Adékoluẹjo, Rain Dogs) re-enters his life, finally free after his father's death, she instantly spots what her son can't — "you are a tourist in their world," she advises — and he isn't thrilled. Whether Joseph is contentedly believing that he's close to carving out his niche or eventually angry at the grim reality, he's feverishly working or dashingly courting, or he's demonstrating his prowess with a rapier or a bow, Harrison Jr is consistently exceptional. He's excellent at conveying Bologne's certainty in his skills and worth, too, including when diva Marie-Madeleine Guimard (Minnie Driver, Starstruck) thinks that he'll bed her because she demands it, and at working through the fiery heartbreak when his society dream is broken. This biopic is an act of rectification. It's a dive into the forgotten past, sometimes taking liberties as it depicts its subject's pursuit of liberté, égalité, fraternité, with a clear purpose and point. The film benefits immensely from enlisting Harrison Jr as its lead. It also boasts fine performances by Adékoluẹjo, Boynton and Weaving, with the former playing plucky and proud, and the latter two each exploring the difficulties of your heart and mind being at odds with the role that you inhabit. Chevalier is gleefully happy to relish its genre's aesthetic and conventions as well, be it at lavish champagne-filled parties or behind opera's scenes, complete with sniping among the well-to-do. While it's the tale, reclamation and portrayals that shine brightest — even if detailing significant parts of Bologne's later story in the text-on-screen post-script is a curious move — reaching ample high notes comes easily.
Janet Jackson might've told us that the best things in life are free and Jennifer Lopez might've told us that love don't cost a thing, but sometimes, a loved-up, magical evening needs a little cash to make it extra special. That doesn't mean every date needs to be expensive. You can watch your bank account and have plenty of Sia-style cheap thrills, after all. But, if you're celebrating with that someone special, it can be nice to go all out and treat yourselves once in a while. To help you plan, we've pulled together some epic money-can-buy date experiences, while our mates at CommBank have the money tips to help you live money smart when dating or coupled up. Celebrate more big (or little) life moments together. Learn to budget as a couple and save for those special dates with these helpful tips from CommBank. SIP SKY-HIGH DRINKS WITH A KILLER VIEW There are few things more romantic than sipping sparkling while a gorgeous view glitters before your eyes. And, whether you're looking out over Brisbane or enjoying the luxe surroundings at this new rooftop bar, The Terrace at South Bank's Emporium Hotel has everything taken care of. It also doubles as a restaurant, so you can eat, drink and peer over the city simultaneously. What's more, The Terrace is an all-day venue which means breakfast, brunch and lunch dates are also on the menu should you be tempted by that warm daylight. Two retractable roofs ensure you're catered for in all weather conditions, but we'd recommend booking in advance no matter what the forecast is — since this spot only opened in early October and boasts one of the best views in the inner city, it's certain to be popular. GO ON A GAMING CRAWL First, there was Holey Moley, turning mini-golf into a night of club-swinging fun. Then, came Netherworld, the arcade bar which offered a ton of mashing-button fun. And now, B. Lucky & Sons has stepped up as well, with its take on over-the-top arcade antics. And the best part? They're all located within blocks of each other in Fortitude Valley. So, if you're feeling flush, they make for one wild kidulting crawl. There's no wrong way to go about it, but we'd recommend starting with board games at Netherworld, where you can quietly ease into the raucousness. You can also grab a bite in the Hellmouth Diner while you're there to give yourselves some sustenance for the journey ahead. Next, mosey on over to Holey Moley for either nine or 18 holes of pop culture-themed golfing and some good chats between tap, tap, taps. And we're suggesting ending at B. Lucky & Sons purely for one reason: to unleash your prowess at the machines and show off your Dance Dance Revolution skills in order to win yourself a few super-huge stuffed toys from the prize counter. GLAMP IN A WINERY Wine and dinner — a classic date night idea. It's always a good option, but perhaps it's starting to feel a bit stale. Up your dating game and plan a night away that involves this classic date and then some. Look to glamping in a winery; it instantly takes the concept of a romantic getaway up several levels. Enter Sirromet Winery, located at Mount Cotton. Starting at $280 a night, each tent features a king bed, indoor day chairs, outdoor tables and seating, bathrooms with a shower and toilet, plus reverse cycle air-conditioning (a must if you're heading out while the weather is warm). You'll also find a breakfast hamper filled with croissants, bagels, smoked salmon and coffee, as well as plenty of Sirromet wine and, obviously, a whole vineyard to explore. TAKE A ROMANTIC GONDOLA CRUISE Who hasn't dreamed about spending a gorgeous day gliding around in a gondola? Well, don't worry, you won't have to take your date to Venice to tick this off your list — this time. Instead, you simply need to head to Bribie Island, where you can take a cruise through Pumicestone Passage via gondola and admire the Glasshouse Mountains. The experience is available every day of the week — at sunrise, sunset or even under the stars. And the choices keep on coming, just like the eye-catching scenery. You can opt for a 60 or 90-minute session at your chosen time of day and decide whether you'd like to snack on strawberries, cheese and crackers, indulge in some oysters or enjoy a whole seafood feast. Cruises start at $180 for two people and food at $20 for two. GO THROW AN AXE The concept of flinging weaponry mightn't sound particularly romantic, but it does sound like a fine way to release some tension. And the couple that hurls hatchets together, stays together, right? Wander into Brisbane's new Lumber Punks in West End, sign the necessary paperwork and get throwing. You don't need any experience and you'll be in a safe, indoor environment — just you, your person and your axes. The ins and outs are simple: chuck an axe at a target and try to score points — it's basically like playing a bigger, sharper version of darts. Sessions run for 90 minutes and cost $45 per person. If a splashy date just isn't on the cards, not to worry. Enter our comp and let us pick up the bill instead.
Working from home certainly has its advantages, including the lack of commute, the expanded wardrobe choices and, if you have a pet, the fact that your favourite furry friend can curl by your side. Don't have your own four-legged bestie? Always eager for more doggos in your life? Add a lunchtime date with Guide Dogs Australia to your schedule, and enjoy the overwhelming cuteness of the organisation's first puppy zoom meeting. With Wednesday, April 29 marking International Guide Dog Day, Guide Dogs Australia is giving the country what it wants: adorable dogs, virtually. The puppy zoom meeting will run for half an hour from midday, and feature gorgeous little labrador guide dog puppies — as well as experienced guide dogs, too. One of the pups, a three-week-old cutie, is even called Zoom — so you can bet it'll get plenty of attention. And yes, the whole event is taking place via Zoom, the platform, as most things in life seem to be at the moment. As well as gawking at endearing dogs, you'll also learn more about the guide dog journey — and how they assist people with blindness or low vision. Guide Dogs Australia's Puppy Zoom Meeting runs for free via Zoom from 12–12.30pm on Wednesday, April 29.
If there was ever a time to see Hot Chip in action, this would be it. The UK quintet are back for a premier East Coast tour, and are sure to still be reeling from their appearances at the Falls and Southbound festivals. Since 2004, Hot Chip have released a string of ambitious and creatively bold albums of soulful, lyrical and melodic electronic pop. Their stellar catalogue now boasts five albums and several standout singles, not to mention nominations at the Mercury Prize and Grammy Awards. To keep fans at bay, Hot Chip have recently released an expanded edition of “In Our Heads” and comes with an extra disc/digital bundle featuring remixes from Major Lazer, Optimo, Daphni and Moretime, rare tracks and previously unheard demos. In other words, the optimum way to get ready for the floor when you catch them in person.
Summertime comes with a whole heap of perks and benefits befitting hot weather, and pool parties come in pretty high on that long list. If you sadly don't have the pleasure of taking a dip whenever you wish, you might like to read on as Limes Hotel have planned your perfect pool party afternoon. Starting at 1pm, the chilled afternoon will include sets from Limes Hotel regular DJs. Stick around to catch Kolombo weave his magic and conjure up the very best in summer vibes. His successful singles, 'Get So Hot' and 'What Could Make Me Think' have helped earn his place in the house music spotlight. Keep cool this Saturday afternoon while you combine the very best things in life – drinks, a pool and great music. Grab your swimsuit, order an Espresso martini and let Kolombo provide the soundtrack to your balmy Saturday night. Tickets are available via Auditree.
However you can manage to help, assisting flood-affected fellow Brisbanites — and folks impacted by the wild weather conditions in New South Wales, too — is its own reward. Still, some options are tastier than others. Case in point: C'est Bon's Four Chefs, One Cause dinner, which sports a self-explanatory name and will have you eating an ace meal for a great cause. Taking place from 6pm on Tuesday, March 15, this one-night-only affair will feature four starters and four main meals — all by different culinary talents. C'est Bon's own Andy Ashby is involved, obviously, and so is Kyle Bradley from The Arsonist and Ben McShane from Clarence Restaurant. As for the fourth chef, that's yet to be revealed, so prepare your tastebuds for a surprise. Tickets cost $150, all of which will be donated to the Red Cross Flood appeal. And, on the night, you can also bid at an auction — with all proceeds there going to the same cause. Up for grabs: a dinner, bed and brekkie package at Spicers Hidden Vale; a dinner for two, with a five-course tasting menu, prepared at your own home; a selection of Black Pearl Epicure caviar; and two magnum bottles. [caption id="attachment_837435" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitch Lowe[/caption]
The best types of magazines are the ones that pucker up and tackle the real issues. The one’s that don’t dabble in celeb-gossip, provide Kardashian-laced crosswords or provide a definitive guide on how to drive your boyfriend wild. The BEST types of magazines are the ones that don’t take smack, show a bit of grunt and make a reader think about issues of legitimate substance and meaning. That’s why Lip is one of the best types of magazines. Self-published by women in Melbourne from 1976 to 1984, Lip’s life in the press has held a track record of performance pieces, feminist preachings, ecological statements, social engagement and Labor politics – all deeply intersecting the other making pieces of writing unrivalled by those under the thumb of Uncle Rupert. To celebrate and rediscover Lip’s raw approach to journalism, they’re releasing an anthology of their greatest pieces as chosen by editor Vivian Ziherl. Brisbane's Institute of Modern Art will be hosting the Brisbane leg of the Lip Anthology Launch this Thursday at 6pm – jog along and admire a creative work that changed Australian mindsets for the better.
Add screaming to the ever-growing list of things that Sydney Sweeney can do spectacularly well. Indeed, thanks to Immaculate, which gets the Euphoria and The White Lotus star putting her pipes to stellar bellowing use, the horror genre has a brand-new queen; long may she reign if this is what audiences have to look forward to. This film about a nun who moves to a convent in the Italian countryside, then mysteriously becomes pregnant without having had sex, isn't just a job for Sweeney. She auditioned for the movie a decade back, it didn't come to fruition, but she strove to make it happen now. She stars. She produces. She enlisted Michael Mohan, who she worked with on Everything Sucks! and The Voyeurs, as its director. The passion that drove her quest to bring Immaculate to viewers is just as apparent in her formidable performance, too, including echoing with feeling — and blistering intensity— when she's shrieking. No one should just be realising now how versatile an actor that Sweeney is. Her portrayal of Sister Cecilia, who found her way to becoming a bride of Christ after a traumatic near-death incident in her younger years, is exactly what the film's title suggests: immaculate. It's also a showcase of a role that requires her to be sweet, dutiful, faithful, ferocious, indefatigable, vengeful and desperate to survive all in the same flick — and she kills it — but adaptability, resourcefulness and displaying a multitude of skills has been her on-screen wheelhouse beyond just one movie. Take Sweeney's last four cinema releases, for instance, all of which hail from 2023–24. Reality, Anyone But You, Madame Web and Immaculate couldn't be more dissimilar to each other, and neither could the actor's parts in them. Throw in her Saturday Night Live hosting stint, and she's firmly at the "is there anything that she isn't capable of?" stage of her career. When the virginal Sister Cecilia arrives in Europe from Detroit, it's on Father Sal Tedeschi's (Álvaro Morte, The Wheel of Time) behest after her home parish closed down. He's patronising in his attitude in-person, however. Before that, customs share the same demeanour when they stop her for not having a return ticket, commenting about whether she looks like a nun. Prior to that, though, Mohan opens Immaculate with another sister (Simona Tabasco, from season two of The White Lotus) having an unholy time of it at My Lady of Sorrows. She attempts to flee, which ends badly. Even her fellow devotees aren't a help. That something sinister awaits Cecilia is hardly a shock, then — and while the setup might seem like nunsploitation 101, or even just the basis of much in the sizeable religious-themed horror canon, Mohan and screenwriter Andrew Lobel (Mysteries Unknown) possess the same willingness to commit that their star beams with from within her tunic and wimple. Their novice's introduction to the abbey flutters through donning the requisite apparel, getting shown around, taking her vows, literally kissing the ring of the bishop overseeing the proceedings and endeavouring to settle into a life of piety where tending to older sisters entering their final days is the main task. In the also-twentysomething Sister Gwen (Benedetta Porcaroli, The Hummingbird), Cecilia finds a friend, luckily, as well as someone who isn't willing to meekly take whatever rules and restrictions are thrust her way. But any sense of routine is short-lived. Carrying a child wasn't Cecilia's plan, obviously. Neither was being grilled about it, then worshipped for it, then controlled because of it, all while sparking envy among some of her fellow nuns. Cecilia is as surprised as anyone, with that jolt evolving from astonishment to distress the more that her belly expands, the convent exerts its sway, and the expecting nun begins both investigating and fighting back. Awash in red hues — in blood, costuming and lighting alike — alongside darkness and shadows, while constantly subverting religious iconography and whipping up a claustrophobic air, Immaculate delivers not only bumps and jumps, but a deeply visceral viewing experience. No one is shy about brutal or gory body horror. Sudden cuts are no stranger, either, but do such a feverish job of plunging the audience into Cecilia's mindset that they prove far more than mere easy scares. Reteaming with familiar talents off-screen, too — such as cinematographer Elisha Christian (The Night House), editor Christian Masini and composer Will Bates (Dumb Money), all veterans of at least The Voyeurs — Mohan fashions the film around sharing his protagonist's inner state in every stylistic touch. With its church setting visibly opulent, yet winding through secret laboratories and dusty catacombs similarly in the plot, production designer Adam Reamer (another The Voyeurs alum, who also has Insidious: The Red Door on his resume) achieves the same feat: My Lady of Sorrows is meant to be the ultimate refuge for Cecilia, but it becomes creepier, more terrifying and more of a trap at every turn. When a movie is this detailed with its aesthetics, and so finely tuned to disturb, it keeps drawing out an instinctive response again and again. As it digs into the power that religion, especially Catholicism, can hold over its adherents — plus the treatment of women and their bodies, including the lack of agency, that theology can inspire — Immaculate also unsettles thematically. These trains of thought aren't new, of course. In the 60s and 70s, the likes of Rosemary's Baby, The Devils and The Exorcist were paving the way for Sweeney and Mohan's third collaboration. Giallo, Italy's brand of lush horror-thrillers that came to prominence at the same time, is clearly and expectedly an influence, and not just via Suspiria. More recently, 2021 nunsploitation Benedetta also says hello. Pivotally, this is a feature made with affection and respect for what precedes it, though, without trying to be anything's second coming. On the lengthy lineup of elements that work stunningly in Immaculate, such as its handling of suspense despite viewers knowing that something wicked is afoot from the get-go, its seductive atmosphere, its bold and wild leaps, and its willingness to get surreal, the film's lead casting is miraculous. It's no wonder that Mohan and Christian adore relaying this tale by staring at Sweeney, and by seeing Cecilia's reactions in her eyes — again, what a range that she can convey. She doesn't solely shine in big moments, of which there's plenty. The tiniest glimmer of fear can say everything when it's written across her peepers. The first burst of life-or-death resolve does the same. And there's nothing more haunting than Immaculate's last two minutes, which demonstrate that rich, raw and riveting performances aren't just a habit for Sweeney — they're a calling.
Burger lovers of Brisbane, rejoice — yet another (yes, another) place selling your favourite food is posed to join the culinary lineup. If you've ever grabbed a burg on the Gold or Sunshine Coasts, then you might be familiar with our newest resident: Betty's Burgers. After announcing they'd be opening new stores in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane last year, their shiny new burger joint opens today — Thursday, June 22 — inside Westfield Chermside's brand new dining precinct, their first in Brisbane. This new pastel-coloured store will have custom Italian wall tiles and room for 100 diners. It joins Bin 931 Bar and Dining from Gold Coast Little Truffle restaurateur and chef Daniel Ridgeway, and Bootlegger from Sydney's Tom Chidiac of Sourdough and The Naked Duck fame, along with Zeus Street Greek and 4Fingers Crispy Chicken in the new food precinct. So what's Betty's all about? Well, they do a range of burgs that have been pretty well received on the coast. If you haven't tried one yet, you can except their classic, crispy chicken, pork belly and mushroom signature burgers to make their way to Sydney, as well as their insane Shake Shack-esque frozen custard concoctions. These are called 'concretes', and you can choose to get things like peanut brittle, pecan pudding, doughnuts and lemon cheesecake mixed through them. A photo posted by Betty's Burgers & Concrete Co. (@bettys_burgers) on Dec 2, 2016 at 12:22am PST Betty's was first opened in Noosa by David Hales in 2014. He has since opened more stores across the country — three on the Gold Coast, one in Toowoomba, one in Melbourne and, just yesterday, one in Sydney. Another Brisbane store is already slated to open in Newstead this year. Betty's Burgers is now open from 10.30am till late seven days a week at Westfield Chermside, Corner Gympie and Hamilton Roads, Chermside. For more info, visit bettysburgers.com.au. Words by Lauren Vadnjal and Sarah Ward.
In one of the best local comedies of the past decade, members of a Chinese Australian family go about their lives on the Sunshine Coast. In one of the most engaging Aussie game shows of the last few years, Indigenous comedians, actors, musicians and artists hang out in a gallery and test their knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. The first program comes courtesy of The Family Law, while the second arrives in the form of Faboriginal — and if you haven't seen either by now, it's time to rectify that. Both series are streaming as part of SBS On Demand's Australian Made collection, which is being showcased on the free platform in partnership with Sydney Festival — and was curated by the fest's artistic director Wesley Enoch, too. The full lineup includes ten television shows that explore the diversity of Australian culture. They're great to watch at any time of the year, but they're also an excellent way to reflect upon the nation on and around January 26. Other titles include documentary series Untold Australia, which steps through Aussie tales you don't normally hear about; First Australians, which tackles the country's history from a First Nations perspective; and Future Dreaming, where four young Aboriginal Australians ponder what their lives might hold. In addition to animated series Little J and Big Cuz, the full lineup also features two Ray Martin-fronted factual programs: Is Australia Racist?, which interrogates that very question; and First Contact, which takes six non-Indigenous people into Aboriginal Australia for the first time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXpwQw_QaNI
The silly season is for cooking, decorating and creating napkin swans for Aunt Julie, who insists on tradition even though it is 40 degrees outside and everyone is already in a punch coma. Yes, DIY Christmases are where it's at. Join those who actually know what they are doing (and buy some gifts with the same amount of love) at this year's QAGOMA Store Christmas Design Market — which is sprawling over two days in 2021 for the first time ever. Find jewellery, ceramics, textiles and pre-loved fashions for some of your favourite humans (or perhaps as a self-gift, because you're worth it) among the more stalls. The annual market always compiles a bunch of well-known names in the creative gifts department — and taking the time to peruse the GOMA collection of books and art is always recommended, as is checking out the edible delights to keep you going. The QAGOMA Store Christmas Design Market runs from 9am–4pm on Saturday, December 4 and Sunday, December 5 on the GOMA forecourt. Merry shopping!
UPDATE, June 3, 2022: Kajillionaire is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. When Evan Rachel Wood played a troubled teen in 2003's Thirteen, the then 16-year-old received a Golden Globe nomination. For her work in Westworld since 2016, she has nabbed multiple Emmy nods. So when we say that the actor puts in her best performance yet in Kajillionaire — the type of portrayal that deserves several shiny trophies — that observation isn't made lightly. Playing a 26-year-old con artist called Old Dolio Dyne, Wood is anxious but yearning, closed-off yet vulnerable, and forceful as well as unsure all at once. Her character has spent her entire life being schooled in pulling off quick scams by her eccentric parents Robert (Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water) and Theresa (Debra Winger, The Lovers), who she still lives with, and she's stuck navigating her own street-wise brand of arrested development. Old Dolio knows how to blend in, with her baggy clothes, curtain of long hair and low-toned voice. She also knows how to avoid security cameras in physical feats that wouldn't look out of place in a slapstick comedy, and how to charm kindly folks out of reward money. But she has never been allowed to truly be her own person — and, from the moment that Wood is seen on-screen, that mournful truth is immediately evident. Kajillionaire introduces Old Dolio, Robert and Theresa as they're falling back on one of their most reliable swindles: stealing packages from post office boxes. Old Dolio bobs and weaves like a ninja to avoid prying eyes, while her parents watch on from a safe distance, a formula that most of their other small-time rackets also rely upon. They're not trying to strike it rich and live ultra glamorous lives, although they do like entering competitions. As Robert lectures on one of his many musings about their chosen lifestyle, they don't want to be kajillionaires like everyone else in America seems to. Rather, they're merely endeavouring to maintain their offbeat existence — including keeping a low profile, staying off the grid and away from the government's prying eyes, and holing up in the basement level of an abandoned office building. In the aforementioned vacant structure the Dynes call home — which is still filled with cubicles, office furniture and stationery — big waves of pink suds seep down from above multiple times a day. That's an absurdist detail, even just to look at; however, it says more about the film's characters, the feature itself and the approach favoured by writer/director Miranda July than a simple description can convey. As the latter demonstrated with Me and You and Everyone We Know and The Future, she's fond of both surveying the routines of everyday life and using surreal and whimsical flourishes to lay bare the emotions lingering underneath. Vivid to watch but considered a chore in the movie, those soapy bubbles are a classic July touch. They also reflect the blend of eccentricity and repetition that marks this unconventional family's days, and share much in common with Old Dolio specifically. Never treated like a child or allowed to celebrate her birthday, and trained to split every score she makes with her parents since she was a kid, she has long been taken for granted — but, for those willing to actually take notice, she's far more than just the third part of a trio. Narrative-wise, Kajillionaire tracks this realisation within Old Dolio herself, as sparked by two developments. Firstly, to make a quick $20 to help cover overdue rent, she agrees to attend a parenting class for someone she meets on the street, and is struck by how far removed its teachings are from her own experiences. Secondly, on a return flight back to Los Angeles from New York as part of a travel insurance grift, her parents meet and befriend lively optometrist's assistant Melanie (Gina Rodriguez, Annihilation). So accustomed to playing the role dictated to her by Robert and Theresa, and never deviating from it, Old Dolio isn't prepared for the emotions stirred up by both changes to her status quo. But July's poignant and perceptive movie — a film that's a quirky heist flick, a playful but shrewd exploration of family bonds, and a sweet love story — is perfectly, mesmerisingly equipped to navigate her protagonist's efforts to reach beyond the only loved ones and the only type of life she has ever known. That Wood and July make a delightful actor-filmmaker combo really can't be stressed enough. Old Dolio finds herself searching for the kindness she didn't know she'd been missing, Kajillionaire's director regards everything about the character with affection and understanding, and the result is one of the most distinctive, empathetic and engaging movies of the year. The film doesn't gloss over any of its key figures' flaws or struggles, of which there are many, or the fact that little about these scammers can be wholly trusted even by each other. And yet, July knows that the best way to tell Old Dolio's tale — and Robert, Theresa and Melanie's too — is to jump on their wavelength. Ultimately, this is a movie shaped as much by its mood, tone and rhythms as its plot and themes, although it does an intuitive and insightful job of demonstrating how consumption-driven lives, 21st-century living in general, and the supposed be all and end all that is the American Dream can prove empty and limiting. To answer the question that's on everyone's minds from the moment that Old Dolio's name is uttered, yes, Kajillionaire offers an explanation. Yes, it's as idiosyncratic and revealing as the rest of the movie. It's rare for a film to feel so rich, so unique and so completely the sum of its parts, but July's third feature manages that feat in everything from its bright but never postcard-perfect lensing of LA and its off-kilter episodic antics to its tender appreciation of an individualistic young woman whose initials literally spell out ODD. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-fxRXzfi0U
Throw a stone in any Australian city, and it's likely to land near a burger joint. We're a country of meat-and-bread lovers, and we have the eateries upon eateries to prove it. When you're a burg-slinging place among many, and you've already expanded from your Gold Coast beginnings to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane offshoots in just two years, what comes next? In Brooklyn Depot's case, they've given their American-themed menu a non-burger makeover. Known for their stacked towers of beef and cheese, alcohol-infused shakes and hefty list of wings, rings, strings and things, Brooklyn Depot has upped their game when it comes to other types of US-style food, thinking beyond the tried-and-tested burgs that have served them so well. Hungry customers can now munch their way through plates of lobster mac and cheese, homemade cheeseburger empanadas, shrimp and grits tacos, loaded pastrami on rye sandwiches and more. Other new inclusions range from French toast grilled cheese to corn beef hash egg rolls to chilli cheddar biscuits with chorizo sausage gravy, giving your use of American food terms a workout as well as your tastebuds. There's also the strange and wonderful combo that is chicken and waffles, made bubble-style with red velvet batter, plus French dip sandwiches (if you've ever wanted one of 30 Rock's sandwich day sangas with dipping sauce, this is the next best thing). The new menu came about after a number of research trips to the US, aka the job we'd all like to have. "We visited over 100 venues including rooftop bars, food trucks, fine dining restaurants and old classic diners," explains Brooklyn Depot co-owner Michael Rose. "It was the ultimate research mission to explore the best of Brooklyn and bring it home." With a fresh range also comes a fresh name, although it's a case of tweaking rather than changing their full moniker — from Brooklyn Depot Burgers & Brew to Brooklyn Depot Kitchen & Brew. Find Brooklyn Depot Sydney store at 65 Holt Street, Surry Hills; Melbourne digs at 399 Lonsdale Street; and Brisbane eatery at 168 Grey Street, South Bank. For more information, head to their website.
This time last year, Salt Meats Cheese didn't have any Brisbane stores. Come early 2019, it'll boast three. The Italian eatery has set its sights on a new spot, with plans to bring its pizza and pasta-heavy spread to Woolloongabba's South City Square in the new year. An official opening date has yet to be revealed; however, we do know that the restaurant will join the growing precinct at 148 Logan Road — with Tuckshop Time and Kivahan already open, and an eight-screen Reading Cinema also in the works. Still under construction, South City Square will eventually feature a luxury hotel, market hall, more restaurants and cafes, and 5000 square metres of green space. Giving locals a taste of things to come, SMC will first pop up in Woolloongabba on Saturday, October 13, as part of an Italian-inspired spring fling party, alongside La Macelleria. Running from 12–6pm, attendees can expect pizza stretching, tossing and cooking, as well as the eatery's famous cheese wheel pasta. For those that arrive at 12pm, 100 free pizzas will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. There'll also be plenty of spritzes and negronis, a cushion-filled hangout zone, plus bocce demonstrations and food trucks, all accompanied by a live music soundtrack. If it seems like SMC is carving out a ring of stores on the outskirts of Brisbane's CBD, that appears to be the plan. In addition to its original Brisbane location in Newstead, the chain has also been popping up in West End's West Village recently, an arrangement it'll make permanent this month. Find Salt Meats Cheese at South City Square, 148 Logan Road, Woolloongabba from early 2019. We'll keep you updated regarding an opening date.
Primavera translates to 'the season of spring' in Spanish, and while opposite to our seasonal changes in Queensland, fresh new talent is here all autumn. Presented by the QUT Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney (MCA), Primavera is an annual exhibition showcasing Australia's best creatives under 35. The exhibition brings together the work of seven artists: Akira Akira, Julie Fragar (Brisbane), Agatha Gothe-Snape (works pictured above), Alasdair McLuckie, James Newitt, Jackson Slattery and Emma White. Primavera focuses on progressive art by upcoming artists with fresh perspectives and interpretations of the contemporary art world. You won't find any similar themes here; the exhibition aims to reflect on a broad variety of styles in different disciplines and mediums, highlighting each individual artists' achievements. “The artists provide a 'criss-crossing' in-and-out of modes to find the best visual language for art expression,” National Art School guest curator Katie Dyer told Habitus Living. She cites one such example as Akira Akira's sculptures, which borrow Modernist and Utopian concepts of design and are based around the ideas of objects circulating in the world. You can see Akira Akira's work and many more inspiring pieces now at the QUT Art Museum until April 3.
With a glass of wine in hand, and an appetite for art, Friday nights at Metro Arts are a tasty treat for even the pickiest of connossieurs. For a couple of weeks now, this continusouly surprising art space has been shutting artists – with full, express consent – in the gallery for an intense week of creative work and polishing. Friday nights are your chance to see their creative developments capped off with a showing and discussion. This week, there's no exception in terms of creativity, style and artistic innovation. Rebecca Maston brings to the table a darkly comic story of broken-down Ebony Starling, and her fall down the rabbit whole with Deenie, her suddenly animate childhood doll; all in a most peculiar partnership of art forms – puppetry and dance. Don't rashly partner puppetry with Oscar the Grouch, Being John Malkovich and Happy Meal toys, Maston's production is one that utilises this rare artform in flawless and graceful manner. Throw away your current Friday night plans, and meet the dark characters of Maston's unique production.
He lived there. He spent his last moments there. In between, he recorded music, played small gigs, and based his studio and record label there, too. We're talking about Paisley Park, the house formerly known as Prince's private and creative sanctuary. Now, the compound that shares its name with one of his songs is opening to the public. Four months after his tragic passing, the multi-talented musician's siblings have announced their plans for the massive mansion 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota — and, given that the site will celebrate his life, musical output and legacy, Prince fans are going to want to schedule a trip to America's midwest from October 6. That's when the 65,000-square-foot complex will start offering daily tours of a place that, until now, only a few hundred people have had the privilege of entering. We know what you're thinking, and you're right; yes, Paisley Park is about to become the Prince-focused equivalent of Elvis Presley's Graceland. Visitors to the abode-turned-museum will be able to wander through the main floor of site, which was built in the mid '80s. There, they'll see the recording and mixing studios where Prince recorded, produced and mixed many of the iconic tracks we all know and love. Plus, they'll step inside his private NPG Music Club, and get a glimpse the massive soundstage and concert hall where he not only rehearsed for tours, but also held exclusive private events and concerts. Along the way, thousands of artifacts from Prince's personal archives will be on display. If you've ever wanted to feast your eyes on his concert outfits, awards, musical instruments and artwork — or rare music and video recordings, concert memorabilia, automobiles and motorcycles — you'll find them here. According to Prince's sister Tyka Nelson, "opening Paisley Park is something that Prince always wanted to do and was actively working on." While the lyrics of his 1985 song advised that "admission is easy, just say U believe and come 2 this place in your heart", early-bird ticketing — which is on sale now — costs either US$38.50 for a 70-minute self-guided tour, or US$100 for a longer, more extensive VIP experience within what we're hoping are purple-coloured walls.
If you spend your free time binging on true crime, then you're probably familiar with the Golden State Killer. Between 1974–1986, the serial killer, rapist and burglar terrorised California, committing at least 12 murders, over 50 home-invasion rapes and more than 100 burglaries. Until 2018, however, the culprit hadn't been caught. Accordingly, it's the type of case that has kept more than a few folks wondering over the years and decades — including writer Michelle McNamara. HBO's new true-crime docuseries I'll Be Gone in the Dark chronicles McNamara's obsession with the case, as well as her hunt to find the perpetrator. Her tale is filled with intrigue, too, with her nights spent sleuthing through unsolved crimes and penning the blog True Crime Diaries while her family slept. Fixating on the Golden State Killer led McNamara to an article for Los Angeles Magazine, plus a book deal. But before she could finish her manuscript, McNamara — who was also married to comedian Patton Oswalt — died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in her sleep. Based on McNamara's book I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, which was published two years after her death (and before an arrest was made in the case), the six-part series steps through this whole scenario. When the series hits HBO in the US at the end of June — with dates Down Under yet to be revealed, but Australian airings likely to happen via Foxtel — viewers can obviously expect quite the detective story. On offer, as both the initial teaser and just-dropped full trailer show: archival footage and details from police files; interviews with detectives, survivors and family members of the killer; and McNamara's own words, via original recordings as well as excerpts from her book read by actor Amy Ryan (Late Night, Beautiful Boy, The Office). The series also doubles as an exploration of the handling of sexual crimes in the 70s and 80s by law enforcement, as well as an examination of true-crime obsession and pursuit of justice. Check out the full trailer the below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_EVR1fI68o I'll Be Gone in the Dark starts screening on HBO in the US on June 28. An air date Down Under is yet to be announced — we'll update you when further details come to hand. Top images: Robyn Van Swank/HBO.
What better way to celebrate all that Brisbane has to offer than to offer simply the best? To coincide with the G20 Summit and its accompanying public cultural celebrations, our fair city is offering 24 days of free live music. Artists from the far reaches of Queensland are going to descend on Brisbane to show off their talents, taking to stages across the inner city suburbs to perform one-off treats. Some will be indulging in unforeseen collaborations and special performances. Artists on the bill include Emma Louise, The Medics, Velociraptor and We All Want To, to name a few. Head to the website to check out the full program. As this does take place in conjunction with the Summit, it’s been advised that attendees catch public transport to save themselves the headache of blocked traffic areas.
If you're a vegetarian, keen home cook or worshipper of eggplant, chances are Yotam Ottolenghi has had some impact on your life. Now, it's time to meet him in the flesh. On January 29, the influential Israeli chef will appear at the Brisbane Powerhouse for a long chat about food. Happening as part of the Powerhouse's Writers + Ideas programme, the date marks the release of Ottolenghi's latest book Simple filled with 130 easy-to-make yet super-tasty dishes. But, he'll be talking to journalist Annabel Crabb about much more than that. Firstly, there are all his other books, like the Middle Eastern-inspired Jerusalem, the vegetarian-friendly Plenty and the dessert bible Sweet, a collaboration with Melbourne pastry chef Helen Goh. Then, there are his documentaries and his regular writing gigs: a weekly column in Feastmagazine and a monthly column in The New York Times. Before becoming a world-famous chef, Ottolenghi worked as a journo in Amsterdam. On deciding to delve into food, he trained at the Cordon Bleu, as well as a bunch of Michelin-starred restaurants in London, before taking on the role of Head Pastry Chef at Baker and Spice, where he befriended Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi. The two teamed up to found the Ottolenghi deli in Notting Hill — the first of many, many projects. Image: Prudence Upton, courtesy of the Sydney Opera House.
When Welcome to Bowen Hills opened its doors earlier this year, it promised Brisbanites a rotating array of food trucks, and that's exactly what it has delivered. That said, its newest addition is sticking around. Launching on Friday, October 12, Harry's Pizza is setting up shop for the long haul — and slinging $5 pizzas five afternoons a week. From the simple deliciousness of cheese-and-tomato heavy margherita, to the joint's stacked take on the supreme, to a four-cheese delight covered in ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and bocconcini, Harry's will serve up eight different varieties of 12-inch pizza, plus garlic bread, chips and loaded fries as sides. Even better — every pizza is available for $5 between 4-6pm, as long as you also buy either a boozy or non-alcoholic beverage. With Harry's operating hours mimicking WtBH's, that means you'll be able to snag a highly affordable early dinner between Wednesday and Sunday. The special is also available all day on Fridays. Run by the folks behind the food truck park as a way to offer something beyond their rotating meals-on-wheels lineup, the pizza joint will only be open for dining onsite at present, but takeaway options are coming down the track. Plus, to celebrate, Harry's is launching in a manner that's getting pretty familiar to Brisbanites — albeit no less tasty. Drop by from 12pm on Friday, October 12 to nab one of 100 free pizzas. There's a limit of one per customer and it's first-come, first-served, so there's your lunch plans sorted. Find Harry's Pizza at Welcome to Bowen Hills, 631 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills from Friday, October 12. It'll be open from 4–10pm Wednesday and Thursday, 11am–11pm on Friday and Saturday, and 11am–10pm on Sunday.
